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4 Acton/Georgetown, Friday, March 17, 2006 Daughter had `vivacious personality', says grieving mom Acton woman killed after car struck by train LISA TALLYN Staff Writer A 27-year-old Acton woman is dead after a VIA train collided with her car at a Dublin Line crossing north of Hwy. 7 Wednesday morning. At press time Halton Police had not released the name of the victim pending notification of next of kin, but her family members confirmed Thursday the woman killed was Heather Boyd of Dublin Line. Boyd's Honda Civic, which had just turned northbound on Dublin Line after traveling westbound on Hwy. 7, was struck by the westbound passenger train then dragged approximately one km along the tracks. Boyd was extracted from the wreckage then rushed to Georgetown Hospital where she was pronounced dead. No one else was in the vehicle. No one on the train was injured and all 88 passengers on board were bused to their destinations. "It (the car) was just crushed pretty much; there wasn't very much left of it," said Beth Macleod of Acton, who drove by the scene later in the day. The 10-year-resident said she hadn't seen an accident like this in the area before. The accident is still being investigated by police. Any witnesses are asked to call Halton HEATHER BOYD Regional Traffic Bureau at 905-878-5511 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). and Michael The crossing was equipped with flash- said their ing lights and bells, but not gates, said Georgetown Kevin McKinnon, spokesperson for the Centennial Goderich-Exeter Railway. He said the signals were working at the time of the accident. He said the decision to install gates is based on traffic volume and is made by the municipality. At press time Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette said, "We (the Town) have concerns about un-gated crossings. We will be contacting the rail line and Transport Canada to review the need for gates there." Boyd's parents Lynne Boyd of Kingsville, Ontario, daughter grew up in and attended Harrison and elementary schools and Georgetown District High School. "Heather was best known for her vivacious personality," said her mother. "She always had a smile on her face and was always there for friends when needed." She said her daughter was always available to listen when someone needed her. "Heather was full of life and always had a kind word about everyone she met," said Boyd's mother. Boyd is survived by her parents, brother Philip, spouse Paul Simpkin and his son Tyler, and her grandmother Yvonne Boyd. Visitation will be Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at J. S. Jones & Son Funeral Home. The funeral service will be held Monday, the time and location had not been determined at press time. Interment will be at Greenwood Cemetery in Georgetown. --With files from Torstar News Service (Lisa Tallyn can be reached at ltallyn@independentfreepress.com) Police recruiting sessions slated to start next week Anyone interested in becoming a Halton Police officer should consider attending one of the three upcoming recruiting information sessions. Halton Regional Police Service is currently seeking motivated, responsible, community-oriented people from all backgrounds for constable positions. At all three sessions recruiting officers will be conducting information sessions to review the competitive application process. The sessions will be held at Halton Regional Centre, 1151 Bronte Rd., Oakville. A session for women only will be held in the auditorium Tuesday, March 21 from 9 to 11 a.m. Sessions for men and women will be held in the cafeteria Wednesday, March 22 from 7 to 9 p.m., and April 19 from 7 to 9 p.m. The sessions will include an explanation of the constable selection process, videos about the OACP constable selection process, how to prepare for testing and interviews and the opportunity to ask questions of police officers. For further information about the recruitment process visit the HRPS website at www.hrps.on.ca. Meeting on seniors' residence ends quickly Supporters of St. Andrew's United Church packed the public gallery of the Halton Hills council chambers, but remained silent during a public meeting on the church's proposed seniors' residence recently. Meeting chair Councillor Joan Robson closed the meeting as soon as it had begun, as no one requested the staff presentation or wished to make a comment. The church is proposed to build a four-storey 53-unit seniors residence in addition to the existing church at the corner of Mountainview Rd. and Sinclair Ave. The action requires a zoning change from General Commercial to Site Specific Fourth Density Residential. The Planning Department's deadline for written public comment is Friday, March 24. A staff report with a recommendation for council will be presented at a future meeting. In November, the Committee of Adjustment agreed to a swap of two triangular-shaped property between the church and the Halton District Catholic School Board (St. Francis of Assisi School). March Break madness Ashley Bradford gets an autograph signed by Kate Todd (Lily) and Nathan Carter (Travis) from the television show Radio Free Roscoe at the Georgetown Market Place Saturday afternoon. The teen idols drew hundreds of fans. Photos by Sabrina Byrnes