Town offers bargain trees for sale Saturday to celebrate Earth Day

In the spirit of Earth Day, the Town of Halton Hills wants to celebrate with its residents. The Public Works Department is hosting the 7th Annual Earth Day event on Saturday, April 29 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Robert C. Austin Operations Centre (works yard) on Trafalgar Road. The event will include a tree sale, barbecue breakfast and lunch (served up by the mayor and councillors) and entertainment. Saplings will be sold for $5 each and average 18 inches in height. They are available in red maple, white pine, red oak, black cherry, choke cherry and more. The trees are sold in small pots to make transplanting easy. The saplings will be limited to four per person from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. The limit will be removed after 10 a.m. and the trees will remain on sale until 3 p.m. "We limit the trees to make sure there is a chance for every one to get one," said Ted Drewlo, Manager of Public Works. "Most of the traffic dies down by 10 a.m. so we only limit until then. We have 1,000 trees to sell. Last year we sold about 900." Bring your own container for the free compost and woodchips contributed by the Region of Halton Waste Management Site in Milton on Regional Road 25. "The Region of Halton has a composting operation and every year we are given some to give away," said Drewlo. "They collect yard waste and turn it into nice compost, then return it to residents. It makes it convenient for the residents of

Halton Hills to pick up the compost (at the event)." until 3 p.m. While the compost woodchips are free, donations are requested, which will go to food banks in Acton and Georgetown. A number of local groups will attend the event to inform residents and fundraise. These groups will present displays and pamphlets to provide environmental information and guidance to anyone in attendance. The Georgetown Horticultural Society will have two or three master gardeners on site to talk about trees and give expert advice. Other groups attending include Towns Environmental Advisory Committee (TEAC), Healthy Options for People and the Environment (HOPE), Residential Energy Efficiency Project (REEP) and Willow Park Ecology Centre. The Cancer Society is returning to the event for a second year and will be selling books as a fundraiser. Draws prizes include a large tree and a energy audit on your home. Waffles and sausages will be sold for breakfast, and hotdogs and hamburgers for lunch all for $1 each. Coffee and juice will be free thanks to event sponsors Ultimate Bean, in Acton, and McDonalds. Music will be provided during lunch by Riverbend, which features Don Ablett and Brent Cooper. "We encourage people to come buy a tree and enjoy a meal at a very good price," said Drewlo. Kids are encouraged to participate on Earth Day as well. Face painting will be available and there will be a colouring contest and prizes. For more information on the Earth Day event contact Halton Hills Public Works Department at 905-873-2601 ext. 2610.