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pun L Does Actons main stem need a shot in the arm Acting on the premise that problems are better Identified and solved when they are exposed to light the Free Press this week asked reporter Dave Pink to Interview Acton businessmen and sales people regarding the alleged lethargic state of business along Acton main stems A number of vacant stores and complaints by some merchants that too many people in the town and district take stopping dollars elsewhere prompted the Interviews Next week we will ask the shoppers If they think there is a problem Meanwhile here is what Dave found in his rounds By Dave Pink A large number of the town people choose to travel to shopping centres In Brampton Georgetown and Guelph rather than shop in Acton Some Acton businessmen are worried by this trend but the majority are indifferent Some admit they themselves often travel to an outoftown shopping area for the same reasons that many of their former customers do convenience of onestop shopping and a better selection of goods when asked what they thought would improve the main street and make it more attractive to the shoppers some merchants struggled forwords Others said there was a need for more public parking facilities and a better kept sidewalk but most were un concerned with public opinion of downtown stores No effort Realtor Alec Johnson laid the blame for the public apathy squarely on established sales people saying the town merchants do not make an effort to promote their own sales He said only a few local businessmen decorate their windows In a manner to attract customers Mr Johnson elaborated saying that planters of flowers were provided to bring people downtown but the merchants do nothing to bring them into their own stores He remembers a plaque donated by former owner Jim Ledger which was awarded annually to the store with the best decorated window over the Civic Holiday weekend Mr Johnson pointed out that the competition was dropped after the second year because of lack of interest from and managers Many shopkeepers thought the lack of public parking areas was the biggest problem with the main street They told the Free Press that a number of their customers had also complained One merchant suggested the two hour parking limit be enforced but could offer no solution to the shortage of parking space A large number of merchants thought the appearance of the street was a major problem Some suggested that the town workers be responsible for keeping the streets swept during the summer One local proprietor wondered why nothing had been done about weeds growing between buildings Sales people applauded the new flower planters and thought there should be more placed along Mill St There was also a request for more waste disposal containers Some town storekeepers were concerned with empty stores in the downtown area realizing more stores will attract more customers At the same time a number decided not to renovate their stores for fear of going out of business Taxes also had an effect on their decisions Merchants thought that a general facelift of the business section would probably do a great deal to attract customers Into their stores but could not see complete co operation from all the merchants involved Acton Family Billiards as an example Jeweller Ben Rachlln stated A face on Page Two Ninety Eighth Year No ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY AUGUST 2 Eighteen Pagesfifteen Cents Blue Fox make stuffed animals provides employment for students Two Opportunities for Youth projects in Acton bave been getting most the ink so that few people are aware that another student youth project has been thriving since the first of July Called the Blue Fox it was set up as a business to assist students to find wont with a grant from the Self Help project of the Ontario Government The group is managed by Russell who received a grant to manage the business Three full tune employees three part time and a list of 10 others available on a temporary basis make up the Blue Fox They have been so busy they are looking for additional temporary employees to share the load Original plan of the Blue Fox was to make crafts and do leatberwork at the nigh school art room but several of the original 15 students dropped out and leather was slow in coming They decided instead to make stuffed animals as well as running an employment service Make samples Samples of stuffed dogs elephants and bears made and taken around to see if people would be Interested In buying them The success of their product surprised them All of a sudden we had so much work we says manager Russ The students make the animals at the art room of the high school which they were able to arrange through the County Board of Education Guidance teacher Brian arranged to get the grant Do us a Favour A WeU do Anything lAbouRiMi etc an OR by the job bluE fox 8552670 wa from the provincial government applying in the middle of June Then the students approached the Rotary Club whose members agreed to sponsor them Since then the only direction has been up The original 150 set them up In business paying the cost of a telephone and other expenses necessary to get the project going Filled requests So far the group has filled 15 requests for help at two local firms urea farms and Manager Coultnip works along side the others when he Is not busy with arranging work When there is no other work to do they make stuffed animals We are available for any type of work at any tune says the Blue Fox manager Phone number of the group is Full time workers in the group are Margaret Gentles Dorothy and Patterson while Bill Gentles and Barry Breen work on a part basis There Is also a list of temporary employees which manager would like to add to with students over 16 years of age Why is the group called the Blue Fox It is a name we liked says People generally have been fully behind our efforts to premote our own business he said They work a five day 30hour week CUMMINGS visits Acton electionfree summer advantage as he put It of the time the Prime Minister has given him to have a closer look at parts of Ontario he has never seen before Conservative leader Robert Stanfield spent over an hour in Acton yesterday Tuesday morning on the middle leg of a whirlwind Meet the people tour of Southern Ontario which began Monday in Toronto Guest of honor at an early morning community breakfast at the Acton Curling dub attended by party workers and dig nitaries from the North area Mr Stanfield chatted Informally with workers dined on ham and eggs along with Halton C candidate Terry O Connor and concluded his first visit to Acton by stopping at local municipal offices on Mill St to officially unfurl the town Centennial flag Close to supporters and municipal officials from Acton Milton and were on hand for the break fast which was arranged by the local Progressive Conservative Association under the direction of president Brian Roger dead Mr Stanfield was welcomed to town by Mayor and officially Introduced to the gathering by Mr Also seated at the head table were Mr Connor Ontario University Affairs Minister George Kerr and his executive assistant Wellington M P John Root and officers of the Acton Progressive Conservative Association vicepresident John Shad bo It secretary Gail Ma It by and treasurer Don McDonald Municipal officials also present included Included Acton Reeve Frank Deputy reeve Pat McKenzle Councillor Jack Greer Reeve Mrs Anne MacArthur Milton Councillor Mrs and Esquesing Councillor Rev Andy said grace before breakfast Mr expressed a fondness for small town life reminding the crowd he himself grew up In a small town In Nova Scotia The best education I got was growing up in a small town he said You can help but be aware of other people problems you learn how the other half lives He said those who grow up in a small Con In in Page Three Acton man critical following accident STUFFED DOGS ELEPHANTS and bears roll off the assembly lines at the Ugh school art room where students started their own Self Help project with a small grant from the Provincial Government Left to right are the lull time workers in the project Margaret Gentles Dorothy Sandi Patterson and manager Russell Coultnip Coles Photo A 23yearold Acton man Kevin Hall remains unconscious In the intensive care unit of Toronto General Hospital six days after he was Involved in a tragic vehicle collision at the intersection of High way 10 and Peel County Road In the village of Snelgrove The collision which occurred at Thursday morning claimed the life of 28- yearold Roger Cummings of father of two young girls and Hal both Canadian National Railways employees were on their way to work in Toronto travelling east on Peel County Road In a Beaumont driven by 26yearold Ann of Georgetown Miss was taken to Peel Memorial Hospital where she remains in satisfactory condition A O P spokesman said the car collided at the highway inter section with a westbound 19M Corvair dnven by 50yearold Hazel Thomson of Brampton then continued east of the inter section striking a westbound Albion ready mix truck driven by Harry White of Police say charges are pending Mrs Thomson and Mr White were not injured Hall was first taken to Peel Memorial Hospital but transferred to Toronto General the same night where he was placed In the care of a neurosurgeon An examination Friday revealed he was suffering from a serious contusion on the side of the brain and an operation was performed Saturday to relieve pressure When his condition worsened he also underwent a tracheotomy to aid his breathing process Monday he was trans ferred back to the hospital intensive care unit Cummings was also taken to Peel Memorial Hospital but was dead on arrival Funeral Mass was from Holy Cross Church Georgetown Saturday morning with Interment at St Cornelius Cemetery A native of Clinton Ontario moved to the Georgetown area approxi mately eight years ago He Is survived by wife Patricia daughters Siobhan and Colleen parents Frank and Pearl of Clinton and three brothers Kenneth of Montreal Harry of Ottawa and Gary at borne