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JW The Acton Wednesday May Editorial Page jrtetwwt Perhaps there are some who were disappointed in the governments proposals for tins area as outlined in the for development released in Toronto last week There were no starling promises of growth or sudden nsc to city status for the towns and villages of the commutcrJitd as it has been labelled but prospects now look bright for sound orderly development of urban areas at small expense to agricultural land Recognition by government of the of land the need for suitable recreation areas and a desire to tailor the suit to fit the needs of the people who live here was a feature of the plan Growth in the commutcrshed will be restricted to the smaller towns and vUlagcs with Acton Georgetown and Milton being named as centres where restrained development will be encouraged Restrictions on population preclude more than people In the North sec the planners envisioning three compact towns of almost equal size serving the rural population Georgetown which has had a rise in the last decide will perhaps feel the pinch first with some restrictions on development The direction we feel should stimulate growth in Acton and Milton Both communities have felt the frustration of strangulated development in the last few months and the futility of speeding up projects at Queens flppetijiwq apple It is extremely difficult to criticize the regional development concept without acknowledging the vast amount of study which went into the plan for t he Torontocentred region Perhaps the only major criticism we would make without further study is the amount of control that passes from local bodies into the hands of the government of the province Queen Park prefer- to call it greater provincial leadership On that point the government has said publicly that they want greater control to pass into the hands of local councils especially after regional government is instituted For instance in the matter of the proposed Spadma Expressway a sore point in Toronto at this time the province it is an issue which should be decided by city politicians Queen Park wants no part of the thorny issue especially when we approach the eve of an election Now there arc those who would interpret this as meaning the government would just as soon let local political figures bear the brunt of criticism which will come no which way the decision swings And there has been ample evidence in the past to vindicate the fcthne the politicians will dodge any Now the government has given a green light to further development but at the same time cautioned against huge growth proposals which would overload facilities and services It seems to be the right time for Acton to annex land for development proposals which have been delayed by the governments intentional freeze The size and shape of the borrowed from the Report which envisioned an agricultural belt suspended above a city spread along the lakeshore But there the similarity ends Design for Development proceeds with a mixed bagurban and rurulunlike the Plunkctt report which recommended a complete rural environment governed to suit agricultural needs Although the governments concept was designed to hold the size and relieve the pressures on Metro Toronto expansionists in the city arc already interpreting the plan as merely a change of direction for their megalomania Instead of expansion to the east or west they see metro growing the corridor to the north that extends to Indeed it looks as if there will still be friction between the province the city which will not be resolved until there are comparable strengths in other places Smaller places reacted favorably Mayor Duby asked for his opinion of the concept was typical of the reaction from the smaller towns and townships Just what the doctor ordered he declared decisions which could cost them votes But there is another way of looking at the philosophy behind the swing to more autonomy for local councils There is no doubt the province has been overburdened with work Decisions that could quite easily have been made at the local level have been left waiting at Queens Park Needed were some guidelines The regional development concept unveiled last week supplies the guidelines All that is needed now art municipal representatives who can interpret them correctly If the province had opted for a more powerful central organization at Queen Park with its mounting costs and added lists of civil servants there would have been increased criticism of the administration Spread the decision making around keep your finger on the lid and the administration makes a much more appetizing apple for the public Some of the best planners and thinkers in the province were employed to come up with the most recent development concept We think it is a good one However like all concepts it is much better to wait and see how the theories work when applied than to pass blanket approval on them the pait SPRING CREPT quietly into the district on wings of a soft warm that opened up buds encouraged flowers and turned baroness of ihu season into a veritable of greens Rivers liko the which flows gently down the river valley at this point attracted a sprinkling of pedestrians who walked us banks and took in tho transformation with a wonder that doesn t decline with years although Nature repeats performance annually Staff Photo Suga r and Spice by bill smiley the If someone suddenly asks you to make a irancc I ike my idvicc Dun I Nol unless cm talk with lucidity hive some professional advice I went on TV recently ind it was pitiful At least according to my wife I thought I was pretty sec me we had no script lousy equipment no rehearsal and everybody involved including the technicians was strictly amateur Kim was she tight I was the best loo which only toes to show you She confided to my wife in private that I seemed bored And I was But my wife kept up a running lire of comment you look terribly thin You were the grayest one there Why you speak up There was no at all Why did you slump in your like a wet rag You put your hand over your mi once What a dull program I think she expected a combination of Fred Davis Pierre Wilier and Johnny Carson It I exactly a moon shot in NHL game as interesting as some of the latter we vc seen this spring It WAS a dull program It had about as much zip and flair as I Sullivan interviewing the reeve of Hayfork Centre about the bindweed problem I didn help much I just come from a harrowing day had had I hat hours sleep the belt re Or tint I didn have a clue as to what tram was about Or that nobody else did I was another vielim a new tame invented by the owners table television These companies highly sennit after is a means mm tint your own m But the is them suggesting that they produce untitling besides money for the owners namely some local content PARADE PHOCEEDS west along Mill St approaching the Mill Main corner Most easily Identified building in these old pictures is at the far right now Cameo Duncan Sharp of Toronto sent along these old postcards for this series THE ACTON FREE PRESS PHONE and Ed lor si Office Copyright Our local cable forefront It has mated to gel itself television channel and is turning Ninety per cent of it so I is lime signals and the report But it has also produced several shows It docsn really mailer what they arc as lout as don l cost anything So I vc decided to cut short what promises to be an enriching life as a television performer Tear of overexposure Here the way it went as a warning A chap I knew called and asked if I would appear on a panel discussion about education I agreed A I knew was also to be on plus another moderator arrived at the studio on time It consisted of a room about 1 feet square in the farmhouse beside the cable tower A tabic three chairs we needed four a microphone and a camera Two technicians were there watching TV I hey never heard of us They called the manager back in town forgotten about the show He finally arrived borrowed a chair from the farmer and we did the dull show Cold It was shown a week later Now ni knocking the whole idea This sort of thing would be great for a small town where all sorts of interesting things happen And there lots of talent around Hut the cable companies had better about how many hours of local eonienl liny can point to on their books and start spending some money on trained personnel good equipment and the whole thing will be another farce to slide around the rules and save money Two lectin examples f what I On one show wc watched five or six buses draw up a local school and the kids one by one gel out rasciualing eh Ten minutes On another wc walehid the residents of an old people s home fur silting m rows fjcmt the camera waiting for the show to he uss if not cruel But it shows on the bo iks as Canadian content it doesn I improve rapidly it just a eon tame and should be exposed as such Producing a weekly paper every Wednesday can create of which tho average reader Im Although the weekly image comparison to he dallies when It we try and make up for it accuracy Sometimes we come up wllh both when we are in an uptight situation like last week Here at Acton central we thought the government design for development for Torontocentred region important enough to cover it would affect this area very significantly at a lime when it seems we arc on the threshold of development An outstretched tongue to the fellow who said vc been llut way for years So anyway irrariged that two of us jovial types from the weekly press who were interested In what pigeonhole the provincial government proposed to shove us would attend the press briefing on the report at the Queen building in the grounds The idea was thai we would get the material analyze it write suitable stories and have it back in Acton in lime to catch the m deadline of Milton piper which is also produced in Ibis neck of the woods Nothing formidable about that you say Well didn think so cither until we hit the N I grounds and were ushered into the press room At Ihe door were three uniformed constables from the O P who asked us to identify ourselves in a lone suggested do otherwise would be most unwise Then were advised lo sign our names while one short sighted officer peered over our shoulder Imagine our surprise lo learn thai once we were in the press room with the from Hie big smoke there was At the door st the minions of the law letting people in but drawing the line at letting you out There stayed until 2 the afternoon over three hours when an official of the government announced in stentorian tones that the doors were once again open and all he birds fly the A quick glance around the smoke shrouded room was to see there were no visible washrooms should the urge to wash hands or perform other ablutions occur In fact it looked like the only thing left to do was work Work in till case meant wading through a page report the complete text of speeches by Premier Robarti the Hon Charles McNaugliton and our personal favorite the Hon McKeough and condense It into something understandable for the people in North South Wellington and various other belts where they wall for government handouts with In interval while we scanned the and report for material wo broke bread wllh an officii of the Department of Municipal Affairs who briefed us on lie multiple things we couldn t understand about the proposal and set us straight on the things not included in the report When arrived big city daily types most of them with only one to write a single facet of the rep broke for the door to hit lite ns We kept working until we thought we had the concept condensed and Understand ible Then his faced fellow left the building just as Premier opened the official session with municipal officials and headed back for the Niagara escarpment which the government plan announced would soon be purchased for use of the people of he province So we had the meeting written before it happened in type before it finished up and out on the street the next morning to compete with the miming piper winch always seems have he advantage when government plans are announced This type of is nol unusual for the daily journals with large staffs but is a commodity weeklies can practice only a fe times After the job was done wc had to plunge into the myriad other stories and articles wc grind each week The daily journalists weni back to their pads It seemed like a experience after the usual rim of stones wc re accustomed to each week and I was iware there were shortcomings However their extent wasn revealed until I met a lady early this wck who usually calls a rose a rose a pansy a pansy and l spire your feelings Say she said rellcclively you know all that junk you had in the paper last week green bells muted growth and oilier stuff What was that all about anyway I punched her in he nose I settled my nerves by replying in off hand manner Oh just a junk hat might happen I 20 years ago Taken from the issue of the Free Press Thursday May 1 1 1950 The last financial report of the village of Acton is now printed and while the supply lasts the ratepayers may secure a copy from the Public Utilities Office Acton ceased lo be a village in Saturday s gale whipped a burning piece of paper from the town dump on the Third Line across the field to the Sprowl farm and the field was soon burning Firemen were called from Acton Explosion of an oil tank at the rear of a stove at the home of Miss Emma Cole caused several hundred dollars damage lo the home and furnislungs Prompt action by the fire brigade hailed the flames before they had gamed headway Miss Fern Brown visited in Hanover with Rev and Mrs on the weekend Miss Joan has accepted a position m Goose Bay Labrador where she will take up teaching duties in September Mr and Mrs and family moved to then new home last week on Main Street the farm they purchased from Mr M Little Keith Andrews ran into the side of a car but fortunately escaped serious injuries years ago Taken from the issue of the Free Press Thursday May 13 1920 The unveiling of the monument to the memory of their comrades who fell in action by the members of the Acton Great War Veterans Association on Sunday afternoon go down in history as one of the most impressive events in ihe annals of this community The lawn of the Soldiers memorial Home was taxed to accommodate the large gathering which assembled Note The soldiers home is now Shoemaker funeral home and the monument has been moved to the Legion plot in Fairview cemetery Bugler Robert Stewart sounded the Assembly and Rev announced the hymns which were sung with spirit Rev J Johnson a returned soldier and Rev Father Goodrow who was a chaplain in France addressed the impressive audience J J Cooney D C M read the names of the Acton soldiers who went west Then with military precision he unveiled the monument from the folds of the Union Jack Beautiful wreaths and floral displays were laid upon the monument by the GWVA the Ladies the Sons of England and the Roman Catholic friends The monument was donated by Mr Nicols the monument dealer It bears a rifle cut in relief at the top a floral design below and the figures 1920 On the slab above the names arc crossed flags and words In loving memory of our comrades Mr A Smith president and W Coles secretary of the W A were the directors of ceremony for the afternoon 75 years ago Taken from ihe issue of he Free Press Thursday May Twenty minute sermons will be in favor during the warm weather months In judgment now I err as cycles past me whirl I gaily call good morning sir then find it is a girl On the April the boys were skating on Henderson Pond on the of May the thermometer registered degrees in the shade It is proposed by the educational authorities to make the Model and Normal school terms one year instead of four months Bread meat and sugar have advanced in price this week Bread is up to 10 cents again There is a shortage cattle SI wuT purchase only 22 pounds of granulated sugar now Mr Will Jeans recently secured a dog of rare breed It u known as a dachshund and also a badger dog It is small with short crooked legs and a long body and is in favor with hunters for burrowing after foxes and similar game Mr James Matthews postmaster is going extensively into the raising of small fruits He has planted on that part of his farm at the corner of Mam and Queen now Cobblehill Sis strawberry plants and several thousands of ted and black and currants D D G McCoIlom Walker Lodge and the company adjourned to Clarks Hotel where supper was tewed On Monday a rumour circulated in St Johns Newfoundland that the Bank of Montreal has suspended and there a run on all the bank The rumour wu traced to a number of antiConfederation fanatics