The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Kevin Parker Kevin Parker is Canadians bound by Robin Figure Skater Kevin Parker 17 is off to the Canadian Figure Skaling Championships from January to February to win he hopes It wilt be Parkers third and final opportunity to attain the junior men crown By Canadian Figure Skating Association rules a comp etitor may compete in one level for only three cars before advancing to the next level of competition Kevin has finished fifth and fourth respectively over the past two years Looking at things Kevin realized he may not top the field in Junior competition but is looking for least a place among the lop three Kevin is working hard in his at tempt for the championship ding in the area of five to six hours day on he ice Three to four of hose hours are spent on what may be con his Achillea heel his figures The figure skating career of Kevin Parker began when he was eight years old He was introduced to ice as a hockey player but I scored in my own net and then quit said Kevin Later hat year he up figure skating with the Acton Figure Skating Club In his second season Kevin had picked up what was to be his first of many trophies the most improved skater award The next skating reason Kevin moved on to where he could attain better ice time He remained with thai club for three years before moving to a Hamilton club From Hamilton Kevin moved to London and coach John Over the competitive season Kevin remained in the home of Caughell and graduated from Westmount Public School In that year his first with Caughell he won he Canadian Novice Mens Championships The next season Kevin finished fifth the Junior men s competition before returning to his home on the Line and attending Acton High School Last year with he Kitchener Skating Club Kevin finished fourth n the Canadians despite carrying a bad case of the flu throughout the competition and then he received his first of international com petition as he competed for Canada in senior competitions in France and Germany Kevin was pleased with his fourth sixth place finishes In the competitions and hopes at another chance to represent Canada in inter national competition Kevin is busy during he winter months trying to concentrate on skating and studies but he feels Acton High couldnt be better They re really cooperative said Kevin He missed 42 days of school last year and was still able to com plete his courses missed much of his school during the divisional and Canadian Championships at a time hen the work load at school is quite heavy due lo semester changes He re ceives incompletes on his reports and is required to catch up when he returns Kevin is back in Kitchener now preparing for his final shot at the junior title His toughest com petition he feels will come from Brian Orscer of Onllia and Shawn of Toronto After the competition Kevin will appear as a in many area carnivals including Miltons He will also attempt his eighth and final figure As for Kevins future in figure skating he is hoping to make It a career He will compete this one last lime as a Junior and then attempt to became the Canadian Senior Figure Skating Champion and represent Canada at he world championships and hopefully the 1984 Olympics J OMB winds up nine days of hydro hearings By Eric The depth of he Ontario Municipal Board examination of govern men I policy proved be a major point argued by lawyers for Ontario Hydro and opponents of a high power trans mission corridor through Halt on Hills at hearings in Georgetown Ontario Hydros lawyer John Parkinson told the OMB it must accept Ontario government policy without question while an opposing lawyer the Interested Citizens Groups ICG Pat nek Devtne urged board members to probe into the reasons for government decisions The sometimes airy debate Thursday in the upstairs room at Garden Atcott Memorial Arena in Georgetown wound up nine days of hearings which focused on the planning aspects of Ontario Hydro proposed line from the north to the south down he back tines of the Fifth Concession of Hal ton Hills The Esquesing official plan and bylaw took the brunt of the though part of hat local legisla Hon does not allow Ontario Hydro to build a corridor within Halton Hills borders Ontario Hydro a public utility wants to rewrite the local legislation to permit the corridor and so complete the last 109mile line from the Bruce nu clear generating station on Lake Hur on to Milton where the north south Bradley Georgetown line is to link up with an existing east west line legislation supported by Region and ICG slacked up against what Hydro Parkinson described as established refined and special government policy which provides for the north south line Parkinson trotted out statements of past ministers of energy and the housing minister to sup port his argument hat the Bradley- Georgetown has been part of government for nearly five years All that may be so according to the but if the government knew in what it knows today about such matters as systems security on Ihe north south line the government would have decided otherwise If he Ontario governments decision had been made on information now available the citizens in this area would not be affected by the 250foot wide corridor said Detailing a chain of ignorance the ICGs told the the Ontario government was concerned with terns security what happens when part of a hydro line breaks down and the man the government hired lo study the east west line and part of the north south Solandt was also concerned with systems security but neither knew of the extent of the pro blem of many corridors passing through a common point the Milton Transformer Station That problem came to light last year with the ICG- Ministry of Energy sponsored Slater Report I hope youre not asking us to delve into how government policy is deve loped OMB chairman Henry Stewart asked Devine Assuming government policy can be undercut I believe it is incumbent upon the board to take that into considera tion replied Urgency was a point also attacked by Ontario Hydros Parkinson There is a need a costly need to complete the Bradley Georgetown 12 mile link he Continued on Page One Hundred and fourth YearNo ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY JANUARY Twemy Cents Town to pay 5000 Arts Centre study Fifty years or marriage were celebrated last Friday by Norm and Jessie Robertson Young SI The couple enjoyed a dinner In Milton with their family Regional councillor Ed Wood presented the couple with a plaque on be halt of Hills Mayor Pete Robertsons celebrate 50th A holiday in Florida is one way Norm Jessie Robertson plan lo cele brate heir wedding anniversary The trip to be taken some time this winter is a gift from daughters Phyllis Patrick and Glen ice in lieu of a big parly The couple were married Jan 12 in Guelph by vray a close friend of both the brides and grooms families Mr Robertson was from Evcrlon and his wife has been an Acton resident all her life Legion life memberships One life member talks another Bob left was surprised Saturday evening at the Legion award night to be swarded life membership for the Legion Only five active members have had this honor bestowed upon them one being Fred Wright right who at SO is one of the oldest members and alio holds his year pin The couple left for a honeymoon in Toronto amidst terrible snow storm they recall When they returned hey took up residence In Acton Five years later they moved to Young St where hey have lived since Aflcr 12 years In one house they moved across the road to Young St where they have lived for years Mr Robertson worked 12 years at Beard more before spending 23 years at the Acton creamery From there he went to the high school where he was caretaker from 19G4 The proposed shopping plaza at Highway and Churchill Rd drew a full house o Halton Hills planning board Tuesday night when Ihe opposing factions confronted each other Ron Burnett planner speaking on behalf of the merchants of Acton ness Area termed the plaza the death now and destruction of downtown Acton Developer Jerry Sprackman of Landawn Shopping Centres mean while forecast an influx of shoppers to the town every week and the re on of Acton shoppers in the town Acton residents jammed the council chambers and made it clear they were fled with the ruling hat they could not speak un less listed on the agenda Chairman Mike Arm strong stuck to his guns but told Ihcm Ihey would have the opportunity at a public meeting which at suggestion will be held In Acton January 30 Burnett a former town planner now an indepen dent consultant said the provincial government is actively supporting the revitolization of down town cores He claimed until his retirement in 1972 In the meantime the couple have travelled extensively throughout Canada but their planned trip to Florida will be a first for that state It will also be Ihe first time they have ever flown Dinner at House in Milton with their daughters sons in law three grandchildren and Mr Robertson sister husband and niece Mr and Mrs George Young and Marilyn was enjoyed Friday the plaza would fly in the face of both the Ac ton and clal plans He said the official plan guidelines state new commercial areas will be an of the existing busi area He mer chants are in favor of this type of growth but loc ated in the designated Business Improvement Area Burnett claimed planning should be done in conjunction with he surrounding area It doesnt make much plan sense develop In a fringe area He claimed the lown can be adequately ser viced with ihe existing Special greetings were received from Ontario Premier William Davis he Governor General Jules and member of parliament Frank Phllbrook A flower arrangement from regional councillor Ed Wood and a plaque presented by Mr Wood on behalf of Hills mayor were also received Mr Pomeroy also sent them a letter apologizing for not being able to give them the plaque per They also received an array of cords and gifts commercial land He em phaslzed Ihe merchants arc not opposed to any development in the exist ing core area He said they realized competition is good for the town Burnett said he had been involved in areas with stronger downtown cores than Acton hat died overnight when plazas were established on the fringe of Ihe own He asked planning board to consider the proposals premature until there is enough residential deve lopment in the Acton east area to sustain it Henry Joseph vice president of the research and planning division of A who of The Arts Plus Com mittec a group representing various organizations interested in Halton Hills arts centre won their point Monday night when general committee of Hills council agreed to a feasibility study and put up to cover half the cost Rex chairman of the Arts Plus com mittee explained the committee represents the Rotary Club the Arts Council Georgetown Little Theatre the Choral Society he University Womens Club Kiwanis Club and Credit Valley Artisans He said other groups may be added He explained a feasi bility study by consul tants would explore all possible facilities In eluding existing renova ions land or new facilities He said the study would examine costs proposed funding and projected revenue said he com mittec would be like a direct link with council so efforts could be coordln Councillor Ed Wood said he noticed most of the groups are from Georgetown and asked if the committee was talking just Georgetown or the whole of Hills assured him the study was intended to cover he whole of Halton Hills In reply to another question he said Win tano had told them would be available from them if the town up Councillor Roy Booth stated a similar centre in Burlington cannot fered a study for Land awn Shopping Centres said the downtown area covered IS blocks with each block being acres He stated to build a modern supermarket with three to five acres of land including parking would mean clearing two blocks and closing a street He warned the town could wait for ten years for a large super market if they insist It be In the downtown area Joseph stated If the people want It and it cant be accommodated you have to go elsewhere He emphasized his com pany had conducted market and impact studies that show the support itself so the city has to help How can we support one if a city the size of Burlington cant Heslop replied the report would investigate the economics and how to proceed to keep solvent Councillor Harry Levy said he had to know the Arts Plus Committee is not working in conflict with the Georgetown Little Theatre who had been pursuing a stage at the renovated School He said that may well be the best location and he would not want to dize any work that has been done Hewarnedthe Board of has to know the towns wishes Heslop said here are two representatives of on the committee and emphasized all groups had agreed to abide by the results of the study School board trustee Barry Shepherd a member of the audience If we dont get an Indication from he town early in March we would have to go ahead with Wriggles worth addition for purposes and the GLT would lose out Levy in reply to a question from Councillor Ross Knechtel put he cost of an addition to Wriggles worth at ap proximately and the cost of anew facility between million and million John Roc speaking for the GLT said he sup ported everything had said and pointed out the realized the Wriggles worth proposal would be part of the study He said he would like he board of educa tion lo hold up a decision on that project until the feasibility study is completed Councillor Ed Wood commented Theres facility in Acton the new high school Council voted to the Board of ion to take no action until the study is com pleted and will have a committee of one member from each ward act as a liaison with the Arts Plus Committee After the meeting the Little Theatre told this paper per cent of their mem come from areas outside Georgetown including Acton Milton and Cheltenham Last sermon Rev Andrew McKenzie will be preaching his final sermon in Aclon January and all members and adherents of Knox Presby tenon church a re invited A special presentation will take place In the Immediately following the sermon A A Stewarthall Rev McKenzleand his family will be leaving short ly after for Perth where he will be ministering to members of the Presbyterian congregation there plaza is feasible without the development of Acton east The consultant predicted the land as for a large supermarket in the downtown core would ruin the character of the area Youd have a huge open parking lot in the centre Jerayl Jaque of Urban Consultants and economist challenged Burnetts claim of sulfi de commercial area for present needs He said there is a high ber of Acton people who shop out of town He de clined the use of words by Burnett such as death now ruination and Police suspect waits in jail An man Regional Police want to talk to in connection with a series of break ins is already behind bars at Toronto Police carried out searches of the suspects home and recovered loot from as far away as Peel Region and Peterborough Goods recovered amount to a value of 048 The man is serving an 18month sentence in Torontos West Detention Centre The list of recovered goods includes boxes of post hole digger one pair of French doors one slab door and a weld Also recovered Is a saw which police suspect was obtained by fraud The investigation con Police have a report of a stolen snowmobile from Wallace Street last week The machine a HP 440 Ski Roul belongs to a Mason Boulevard man The Free Press build was again the target of break and enter thieves last weekend Vandals smashed a win dow in order to get inside About in change was stolen from the pop machine Halton Regional Police have no suspects In connection with the breaking of a window at the north entrance to and Co last week Police are also continu ing an investigation into the theft and Co of worth of assorted tools from one of the shops destruction of down lown He said they were serious statements amounting to According lo Jaques study he plaza would not be dependent on Acton east development He claimed the present population and surround ing area would support it and said consumer Sla veys bear this out The surveys also show people shop both downtown and In plazas said the con Jerry Sprackman of Shopping Centres said an informal survey by Mrs ORourke whom he did not know at the time showed people wanted a Zehrs store She gave me on idea so I hired Acton high school stu dents to ask people if they wanted a Zehrs super market at Churchill Rd and Highway Sprack man said a resounding per cent of the 1040 people asked said they definitely did He empha sized Zehrs is signed up and would be a major industry bringing customers Into Acton every week Sprackman says the proposal has been cut by Continued on Pig