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The Acton Free Press Wednesday March 14 Wodnetday by Inland Publishing Co at Street Acton Ontario Single copies per year Canada In all other man Canada free Pros one Intend Co Limited group suburban news papers which Include Tho Pickering Newt Advertiser The Brampton Guardian The Burlington The Georgetown Independent and Sun The Milton Canadian Champion The News The Newmarket Aurora Era Beaver Oahawa Tht Week Weekend and The Tribune Founded in Don McDonald Publisher Advertising to accepted on the condition that the typographical that portion of the advertising space occupied by the item together with allowance for signature will not be charged lor but the balance of the be paid for at the applicable rate In the event a typographical error goods or services at price goods or services may not be sold Advertising Is merely an offer to sen and may be withdrawn at any time Community EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Editor Hartley Coles News Editor Helen Murray Eric Psion Editor Robin ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT BUSINESSACCOUNTING OFFICE Office Manager Fran Gibson Rhone Thomhill Shirloy Jocque Carolyn Duval CIRCULATION Marylin Arthur PHONE Business and Editorial Office Need council support for old town hall Councillor Ed Wood made a suggestion at last weeks meeting of Halton Hills council that could very well spur citizens of Acton to save their old town hall He sug gested the cost of tearing down the building be applied to its restoration instead and then ask the restoration committee and the Chamber of Commerce executive to attend a meeting with council to discuss the future of the historic building Councillor Wood evidently felt that given some impetus the people of Acton would respond generously opening purse strings for the preservation of the build ing the only one of its kind left in Hills He realizes the drive to save the town hall has been stalled for some time because people sympathetic to the restoration want some assurance the building will be saved before they commit themselves to pledging money There is some truth in Coun cillor Woods suggestion but there may also be a reluctance on the part of many people to donate funds to restoring the building until they are sure what use will be made of it If it is simply to stand there in pristine purity as an example of municipal ar chitecture of the 19th century dont expect the purse strings to Keep going up Board of Education last week disclosed a proposed per cent increase in this years expenses which represents a tax boost of about for homes assessed at The average Acton home owner would be tagged with about a tax boost since the average assessment here runs just under The bad news is that unless the board finds more revenue these figures mean Halton Hills council is already hamstrung before the total tax rate is set It has long been a bone of contention between councillors and trustees that boards of education could set their levy without interference from councils The board sets its budget ahead of the municipality This leaves councillors with few alternatives when the board budget went up without a corresponding increase in revenue As a result councils often postpone or cancel plans for improvements in the municipality because the school budget in creased Councillors feared the backlash if they raised their levy at the same percentage Tax payers often do not recognize that education and regional levies are set and council must pick up the pieces loosen There have been many suggested uses for the building but wouldbe want some concrete evidence the old town hall would be put to good use before they pledge money The first thing the restoration committee needs is an indication from council that they back the project So far support for the restoration has been faint hearted Some councillors ob viously feel there is no value in the historic building although it is one of the last architectural links we have with Actons past The rest have gone under the wreckers hammer to our shame Many would like to see funds raised in Acton much as they were for the old Georgetown arenas restoration through public subscription and grants as Councillor George has indicated We recall there was strong support from councillors for that project We suggest that should be the first step to in vigorate the town hall project We cant let the matter sit while iconclasts relish thoughts of tearing the building down and establishing a parking lot where it once sat It is time for council to spearhead a positive drive to save the building or tell people they arent interested With declining enrolment and less pressure on trustees to build new facilities some thought the board would achieve a budget at least comparable to last years but finance chairman Garry Morton said inflation rising cost of services and a decrease in anticipated provincial grants fueled the million increase in spending Instruction teachers and plant eat up more than per cent of the proposed ex penses while debt charges of million and transportation costs of over million sent bills soaring Theres not much trustees can do about it except by lowering expectations If revenue does not increase at the same rate as expenses they are going to have to find other means of cutting costs Trustees are hampered in ef forts to save money by demands from the public for new courses and improvement of existing ones Teachers alarmed at the enrolment figures are doing their best to secure job security another pressure which keeps costs climbing Trustees are going to have to be tougher both with public and teachers until the economic picture looks brighter or tax payers can expect to see education taxes keep climbing 43 not 450 senior citizen applicants illor Wood The Miller in response to on stattmtnts byCui Februarys Dear The news Hem in the Free Press dated Feb re senior housing Is so inaccurate I would like you to correct it for councils sake as well as for the soke of the seniors of Acton and area The building on Elizabeth Drive Acton will contain units for seniors and one for he superintendent Our policy is to offer accommodation to residents of Halton Hills on a need basis and if a unit is available In Georgetown we do offer It to the appli cant However there is no pressure employed to have a senior move out of one community and if heshe stales that only a unit in Acton will be accept able then only Acton will be offered We have an active waiting list of applicants not staled by Mr Wood All applicants do receive a letter from Halton Housing Is response to their applications In the letter sent it is requested mat if circumstances change Ihe office be notified Also if there are questions should contact the office of Halton Housing Authority direct Housing is responsible for the renting of all public housing In Halton and may be contacted at 139 Thomas Street Oakvllle Ontario L6J or by phone at Zenith This Is a toll free number Thank you for your assistance in clarifying and correcting this unfort unate item Sincerely Tenant Placement Ont Govt ad disturbing Mar Editor I see you have fewer local ads and are taking on bigger ones ic Eatons Last week the Ontario government had a most disturbing ad that is supposed to pre vent Mental Retardation This ad has no place on T and daily papers let alone our local paper Follows is a letter which is being sent to the Minister of Community and Social Services- To Whom It May Concern I know you have been Ignoring com plaints from the Association for the Mentally Retarded but one more letter cant hurt I have three normal healthy children Thank God This ad is sickening and every time I see it I get angry Who ever is responsible for It should think twice if he probably a man since no woman or mother who has feeling could agree to such an ad is married and planning a family The pain this ad must be causing parents of retarded children must be unbearable The guilt and doubt It has unnecessarily put in their minds will probably send some omental health clinics so you wont save money on treatment If that is the idea The ad doesnt even mention quantities of drugs or cigarettes I just wonder what statistics you have lo back and justify it The government always says it needs money Ho They ore wasting the tax payers money on such garbage After mentioning this ad to many people I have yet find one who thinks well of it and is willing to have their money spent on it A lot of votes have been lost over this you can on it Mr Norton and Mr Davis Pratt Inflationwise While basking in the sands Weve got a brand new hydro bill Its based on this inflation We have to pay for everything Thais plaguing every nation Now Cousin Bills gone visiting In far off distant lands Hes still annoyed about unemployed Fourth Estate ICG protest is thoughtful and considerate by Eric Protest In Itself is not unhealthy but it should be thoughtful carefully considered and unemotional Premier William Davis Toronto May Recent protests in Ontario have mainly been as the premier hoped When premier Davis described that almost idealistic view of protest he had behind him the Spadina Expressway drama and was facing opposition lo pro posals for new Toronto airport first in Amaranth Township and loter in Picker ing same healthy thoughtful con siderate and mainly unemotional character can be seen in the activities of he Interested Citizens Group ICG The premiers worlds go someway in describing efforts by the ICG and its pre decessor Ihe Interested Citizens of North Halton and Wellington to argue and pre sent reports to government and com missions The ICG composed of businessmen and farmers has also exhibited an uncanny ability to keep alive its issue Five years ago this month citizens first questioned the sense of Ontario Hydro plans to run a power corridor through the area And five ministers of energy they are still at It Citizens groups normally do not last af ter their issue has been dealt with by government or after it has worn thin The liveliness of the ICG in argument and raising money demonstrates the legitimacy in the ICGs minds and others of the issue The particular issue of the ICG is equal ity Members think they should be treated as well as other people in Ontario Other people have managed to get a nonOntario Hydro study of proposed corridor routes and the ICG would like the same Although the ICG has from time to time been aggressive it has never been violent like protest groups elsewhere Japanese farmers and students warred with police concerning the new international airport at Narita near Tokyo The ICG and other Ontario groups have been especially peaceful Success in terms of earning the much sought after independent study has so far eluded the ICG Government has so far accommodated the citizens with half- measures Success in a broader sense has been also marginal Through persistence in the courts the ICG changes a bit of law with respect expropriations The ICG and no doubt other citizens groups rattled Ontario Hydro so much managers and pro fessional engineers told the Porter Royal Commission they are fed up with abuse from citizens Engineers were held in high regard and the disillusion of their skills is proportionate The price of that success is high In practical terms thousands of dollars- have been spent on lawyers The psychological and emotional expense is probably high too as New Democratic Party member of the provincial select committee on Ontario Hydro affairs ob served when she heard about the ICG I can hardly believe that people who have carried on fight like this for that length have managed to remain sane though they seem to have We heard the test imony concerning their fight to be able to participate publicly in a decision that affects them directly The bossman has gone And his secretary too They must relax and save the lax Its their privilege to do But our Johnnys working overtime To keep the products flowing Tho its safe to bet the superdebt Will keep his taxes growing So Grandpas gone out With the kids across the street All wrapped in rags and sugar bags With barnboards on his feet The sun still shines upon us In this land of milk and honey Will we get wise to inflation rise Before we all run out of money Victor Smith Briefly Think about it Theres nothing so annoying as arguing with a person who knows what hes talking about A good listener is not only popular everywhere but after a while he knows something Back issues 10 years ago Taken from he Issue of The Acton Free Pressor Thursday March 19 1969 Largest show of hands in a coordinated service club effort in Acton was for a youth assistance project at a well attended joint dinner meeting sponsored by Acton Men Other projects In order of priority to be considered at a followup meeting of the town extension of park facilities a downtown comfort station a swimming pool tennis courts and bowling greens Johnny Goy referred the discussion as chairman Mayor made a plea for and told the group some of the things they might want to do could be affected by regional govern ment Jim Ledger returned from Erin the hub of the Empire made a pica for housing for senior citizens Paul Nielsen resurrected the idea of a green bell along the banks of the town creek Bruce Andrews pointed out the community centre was taxed lo capacity All the pupils in Ihe Eden Mills school took part in the operetta Eskimo Land Vernon Osborne took one of the lead parts of The Mighty and his three wives were played by Crane Heather and Sharon Mrs J Maxwell Acton was elected president of the Egg Producers with Mrs K Ella returned as secretary Acton Clergy Association has again organized three Lenten services 20 years ago Taken from the Issue the Acton Free Press of Thursday March 12 Council the construction of the new addition lo the Robert Little school Chairman Bradley trustees JW Wolfe and Tom Watson presented the resolution to council The old section of the school has been condemned since it was partially destroyed by fire in 1956 60 years of married life were observed by Mr and Mrs Alex McGregor A more spacious strikingly different interior greets shoppers in Symons Hard ware this week The store has just had an extensife facelifting Customers arc at tended to by Mac Symon Mrs Marguerite Taylor and Harold Elliott Attending the convention in Toronto were Mrs Edith Mrs S Russell Mrs Ken and Mrs Andrew Miss Isobel Anderson thinking she was invited out for lea arrived at the home of Mrs A Gamble to discover the teachers had planned a party for her Miss Ander son who is retiring in June has taught in Acton for nearly years 50 years ago Taken from the Issue of the Acton Free Press or Thursday March 14 1929 The township of has a nice sur plus of this year as shown by the Auditors Report A very happy and appreciative gathering of St Albans Young People witnessed the result of their efforts to purchase a new piano for the halt was handed over as a substantial payment on the very desirable purchase Mr and Mrs FJ Salt kindly played the opening number a duet Other much appreciated numbers on the program were rendered by Miss Dons Holioway Miss Waller Miss Esther Taylor Misses Violet and Ella Woods Miss Waller Rev P Sawyer Mr J Whllham and Mr JM Savage An almost capacity house greeted the presentation by the players of the Path Across the Hill in Ihe town hall last evening The play shows that the attract ions of the city arc little but glitter In the cast were Eddie Oldham Earl McKay Fred Henry Hilts John Cole Jessie McKay Mrs Myrtle Allen Pearl MeEnery Mrs Robert McEnery Highway 7 is now clear of Ice between Toronto and Guelph Numbers of farmers who did not drive their motor cars in the winter months ore getting them into ser vice again years ago Taken from the tame of the Acton Free Press of Thursday March 1879 Acton School Board is adding a large number of books to the already large lib rary in connection with the school Anyone may gel books free of charge by giving their names to the librarian Mr Thos Moore The library is open Monday even ings This morning about oclock as we were busily engaged in preparing our pages for press Mr HP Moore suddenly discovered that the joist and ceiling where the stove pipe entered the ceiling were in flames The cry of fire was sounded and Ihe citizens res ponded nobly and the fire ultimately ex tinguished Had five minutes more elapsed the building would have been destroyed When Mr TA Moore arrived in the building at am there wasnt the least vestige of fire The building is the property of Mrs Fisher and there is no insurance on it but the stock and material are Insured