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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 1998 GRAPEVIN Storefront fix up Lots of activity but no firm ten- ants in sight for 5 Mill Street East, the store on the north-east corner of Mill and Main Streets, most recently home to Deju Vu Antiques which closed several months ago following the death of owner Stan Preston. Property owner Tony Zampiri, of Toronto, has been busy renovating the store for the past few weeks, re- building the front of the building and enlarging the floor space by a third On Friday, Zamperi said that a Milton businessman had asked about leasing the space for an electronics sales and service store, and if that fell through, one of his own relatives would open either a restaurant or small department store in the build- ing. Successful sale Kudos to the Acton branch of the Canadian Cancer Society which raised approximately $3,000 for can- cer research with its very successful, first-ever antique show on the long weekend. The treasures of 32 antique vendors from across southern On- tario drew 1,000 shoppers and browsers to the Acton Arena and Community Centre. Local Cancer Society officials hope to build on the success and are already talking about next year's show and sale. They also want to thank the many people who helped make the event a success including family, friends, the community, lo- cal businesses that donated prizes and arena staff. Going, going, gone There are just 16 seats left for "sale" at the Acton Arena and Com- munity Centre. For $200 you can "buy", of sponsor a seat and have your name, or that of a loved one, engraved on it. So far 400 of the seats have sold, adding $80,000 to the money pledged by the arena fund raising committee and its Acton Proud Campaign to pay for upgrades, including the individual seats and specialized flooring. Still with the arena.... The fundraising account is $5,000 richer thanks to the Rotary Club of Acton which will use some of the $13,000 profit from its auction last week to payoff a $10,000 commit- ment to the Acton Proud Campaign. Teen dance The Kinette Club of Acton spon- sors its second teen dance of the year on Friday night at the Acton Legion. Over 174 Acton teens partied at the Kinette Valentine's Dance and Kinette spokesperson Nancy Chaisson predicts this dance will be just as great. "The kids loved the DJ and the atmosphere and their parents loved that it was a very well run and closely supervised, fun event," Chiasson said. "We saw there was a need for ac- tivities for youths and our club de- cided that's how we would try to serve Acton. We hope to have more dances next year and want to help with plans for a youth drop-in cen- tre in Action," Chiasson said. The dance, aimed at kids from Grade 6 through OAC, runs from 8- 11 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door. Not the tank!!! Although lots of Town council- lors and the mayor have willingly offered to help out at Saturday's Spring Carnival at Robert Little school, seems not one of them was willing to do a stint at the dunk tank. Organizers said they weren't sur- prised that local politicians didn't want to put themselves at the mercy of constituents who might take great glee in dunking their elected official. Principal Don Warren will be get- ting wet, along with Miss Acton Fall Fair (good sport). The annual carnival is a great day of family fun which last year raised $1 - money used to buy equipment and books. The carnival runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and features games, prizes, entertainment, food, pony rides, a penny auction and much more. Bridge of many sighs Continued from Page 4 overall strategy of the management plan for the Grand River basin as a Canadian Heritage River, with its plans to demolish the bridge. The Conservation Review Board agrees. The township council, on the other hand, maintains all its actions including its stripping the Bowstring of its heritage designation, has been legal and above board. Reeve David Adsett maintains the Conservation Review Board's decision was based on "mistaken facts." There have been allegations, however, that councillors (plural or singular) have threatened residents of Eden Mills with a huge tax levy if they persist in supporting rehabilitation of the Bowstring Bridge since it is alleged the cost of saving the bridge is at least double the expense of a new one. It seems that most Eden Mills residents want to preserve the bridge and oppose the widening of the road. They want to keep things as they are. Council, on the other hand, wants to modernize passage through Eden Mills on the premise it will improve safety and keep the road up to standard. It's a deadlock. Neither side wants to budge an inch, although depending on the court's decision they may both have to compro- mise. Aren't you glad you're not a judge? Principal in Tickled Pink, a new barbersho; quartet which includes Acton Hi principal Joyce Bradley, sang them- selves to a first place finish in the area 5 novice barbershop competi- tion in London on the weekend. The Tickled Pink members, in- cluding Lynne May and Lynne Reilly, both of Rockwood, and C.J. gold quartet Kleppe of Guelph belong to The Over Tones, Inc. of Harmony Inc, of Guelph. The Over Tones, Inc. Chorus also grabbed first place at the week- end competition and than enables them to com; at the Harmony Inc. International Competition in November in Indianapolis. THE NEW TANNER RUINS of an old Norman castle on the moors of England? No, these ruins probably never had any sieges or combat by men at arms. They are what's left of a farm barn on the Eden Mills road, testament to early pioneers. -- Ted Tyler photo So, peace has finally come to Northern Ireland. By a bare ma- jority, the people of that beleagured state voted for the "Good Friday Accord." Hopefully, the radicals on both sides will allow peace to break out. With a name like mine, people seem to t a certain intuitive knowledge about "the troubles" in Northern Ireland. Alas, the clos- est I've been to the "olde sod" is Newfoundland and my family has been here for more than 100 years. On top of that, we originally emi- grated from the south of Ireland. Still, like other people of good will, I'm pleased to see civil war abated, if not settled, no matter where it is. But here are a few observations about the peace accord from this Canadian's point of view. I think the politicians who con- ceived and sold this agreement have shown true vision and cour- age. Thousands have been killed over the past 30 years. Hundreds have been murdered simply for talking about a peace process. It's one thing to take a risky political stand and take the chance of los- ing your seat. It's quite another to risk losing your life. I am pleased to see that, in a less publicized part of the vote, the people in the Irish Republic (the south) not only overwhelmingly approved the accord (by 94 per cent) but also gave up a lon; ding claim to the land in Ulster (the north). This should calm some of the fears many in the north have about losing their Brit- ish ties. It also proves that most in the south are as sick of the war as those in the north. The unknown quantity is, of course, the violent minority on both sides. How they will react to these events is anyone's guess. Neither side won what they Desi they wanted. Whether 'The end of 'The Troubles' The Way I See It with |_ Mike O'Leary | those who are prepared to kill and main the innocent can accept the compromise is anyone's guess. Ob- viously the voting result indicates the various paramilitary organiza- tions have lost public support. They can no longer claim to be fighting for the people. But will they care? Will they lay down the gun? Only time will tell but I have my doubts. Sure hope I'm wrong. I wonder how the young, those not old enough to vote, will accept the peace. On the streets, and sadly, often in the home, these children have been taught to hate. Passions run deep in the young. I read about one 11-year-old who, on learning his Protestant mom had voted yes, the same way as most Catholics, un- leashed a torrent of hate and ob- scenities that would embarrass a le- gionnaire. We don't understand that kind of raw hatred living here. I worry about what will happen nine or 10 years down the road. Hate, if left to fester, will surely explode. Then what? Hopefully, the new assembly will prove that the two sides can work together. If that happens, the economy should improve in the north. Britain alone has offered a billion dollar economic carrot. Bill Clinton, always ready to appeal to the usually democratic and power- ful Irish lobby, will kick in more millions when the bandwagon starts to roll. All of these are good things. If the new government can ease the poverty and unemployment in Ul- ster, then there is truly hope for the future. The problem has always been about power, politics and money. Socio-economically, the line was drawn with the Catholics on one side and the Protestants on the other. There was no battle between the religions (as religions), not for the past several hundred years (the Rey. Ian Paisley not-withstand- ing). The South has been doing very well economically. If the accord can improve the lot of the com- mon Ulsterman then the mer- chants of hate will not have much of an audience. A job and a full belly sows the seed of content- ment. Perhaps then the political compromise will be more palat- able to all but the most radical. Perhaps then the upcoming gen- eration will learn to live with each other instead of hating each other. Lest anyone think I'm pessi- mistic about the chances for peace -- I'm not. I have a strong belief in the basic goodness of the human soul. I believe that people everywhere want to live together in harmony. I believe that it's easier to love than to hate. I believe that peace will triumph. Not just in North- ern Ireland but in the many other areas of the world where neigh- bour is at war with neighbour. "m proud that we, as Canadians, are own around the world as peace- makers and consensus builders. That's not a bad reputation for a country to have. Still, I remember a story my grandmother used to tell me. "Moichel me darlin'," she'd say, "Tf you lock an Irishman alone in a closet, sooner or later a fight will break out in there." I hope she was kidding. Please keep a thought and a prayer for all those people, around the world, who do not live in the peace we are blessed with. 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