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hydro progress shows marked increase seeks new office workshop for expansion following is a report from acton hydro electric com mission outlining its method of operation since operating as a separate commission since 1960 the ac ton hydro electric commission l shown a vast increase in its power consumption a num ber of changes have been made and plans are still underway for a new hydro oil ice to include workshop in 1959 the power bill from ontario hdro was 15345997 during 1965 the bill totalled s22792780 this shows a sharp rise in consumer use in com parison the sale of power net ted the commission 20826162 as compared with 1965 sale at 29310368 since the formation of the commission the property where ihewovkshop is located on alice street was purchased from the town during the inaugural near the same year no 2 substa tion near eastern avenue was purchased from ontario hydro in 1963 no 1 substation locat ed on willonv street was con verted from 25 cycle to 60 cycle in order to increase the capacity this station was pur chased from ontario hvdro in the fall of 1959 although preliminary plans for a ncnv hydro building start ed in 1962 it nvas not until 1964 the commission hired an archi tect to draw plans tenders were called on two occasions in 1965 on both occasions they proved in excess of anticipated costs next nveek the commis sion meets with a second archi- editor stresses need for towns progress continued from page 7 the halton peel study area which will indicate the rate of gronvth nvhich may be antici pated at the time of the university study acton had one industrial worker for each three to seven persons or population indica tive of a strong industrializa tion the study suggests that the availability of open factory space at low rentals or cost may well be the key to the attrac tion of further industry to ac ton the availability o fixed cost municipallvowned indus trial land should prove attrac tive to industry seeking loca tions on periphery of the toron tohamilton complex the report does not see acton in the capacitv of a major per- veyor ol goods and services to the surrounding countryside the studv suggests it does not enjoy a wide market area but also suggests it is not able to meet the needs of the local in habitants for goods and ser vices the ratio of nonbasic to basic workers is 3 to ii consid ered quite low relllys law which is used to determine a communities mar ket area is based on the princi pal attractions of a tonvn in di rect proportion to the distance which it is awav from a neigh boring town and in inverse pro portion to the relatine size of the neighboring town the studys application of this law suggests actons market area ex tends four miles west on high way 7 three miles east on high way 7 4 5 miles south on high- wav 25 and three miles north on highway 25 commenting on this assess ment report notes the inlluenee of the readih accessible market centres of toronto hamilton and guelph another factor contributing to the relatincln small trading area is noted ihut the rural land sur rounding aclon is not the pe to pmdiuc an iulensie tanning ioinmunil ot densitn sullu en to bolster the town in its role is a regional trading untie anothvi pitlii penned nut is the tendency to fragmentation ot the business distnet b hiili- wa sinp development uhji the icpori notes is not good in the long run tor eitlui the highwa or the downtow n nei- ihant alton is not alone in this piohlem uliih imist also lie tu- cd h inau oninuiiius in nh oniii o and the inited states a high level ot iiidustiil vn pioninent indicates a stung so- copies ot this speviil section will be sent no industrial nms- tential for consumer spending in acton and the increased pop ulation up to 1981 indicates a re sultant expansion of the com mercial and service activities the rapid urbanization of the area around toronto and in south halton might make the continued on page 14 tect in hopes a nenv building can still be erected at a reason able cost to the commission in 1961 a hot water heater program was initiated by the commission since that time 367 water heaters have been in stalled throughout town con sumers have three alternatives in order to obtain a heater on hal rate 1 outright pur chase at a slight increase of the cost to the commission 2 oh a rental basis 3 or consumers may finance the purchase of a water heater from the commis sion hydro is able to promote the hot water heater program at a saving to consumers by install ing them on a control system this system works automatic ally each day around noon and shuts oil heaters during the peak load when power is in de mand a major advantage of the hy dro heater cascade 40 is the quick recovery after all hot wa ter has been used within two hours consumers can enjoy a full tank of hot water again at a temperature of 150 degrees as well as keeping a close tab on the maintenance of all power lines the works department as sists the town work force in tree trimming and also install- ing flags on light standards for special holiday occasions the cost of this is absorbed bv the commission maintenance on he town street lighting system is all handled by the hvdro depart ment iind the cost is charged back to the tonvn the lirst allelectric home in acton nvas completed in 1963 today there arc seven fullv-el- eclric homes in tonvn and at pre sent negotiations are underway lor several more last nvcek thb commission ag reed to install free a cascade 40 hot water heater at the commission unit cost price as an incentive to encourage more fullyelectric homes equipment used by the nvorks department includes a 1966 gmc van for use by the meter reader and utility truck a 1963 ford tntck equipped with aer ial oucket and posthole digger handles all major jobs a 1954 fargo linetruck is used to carry reels of cable and other utility equipment and a 1959 dmc truck is used for service calls commission members attend convections during the year to keep abreast with the hvdro program and discuss problems with olher commissions which ire relevant to problems en countered here the work force also attend workshops in order to keep ted tyler sr chairman uptodate on the latest techni ques in coping with power in stallations and all phases ot their nvork the present work force conv sists of superintendent doug mason and tivo hydro linemen- journeymen dorson frizzell and ken hodgson nenvton hurst handles meter reading chores and assists office secre tarytreasurer mrs audrey ur quhart present commission members include chairman e g tyler sr vicechairman doug daw- kins and members wilf mcea chern orville bronvn and may or les duby who represents tonvn council on the eomrais- blow straight side allsteel i double crank power presses poets they mil be distributed at conventions and district mun icipal meetings to stimulate in terest in acton 250 ton cap 84 x 48 bed area 14 stroke double geared ur end drive blow press limited acton ontario canada