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The Acton Free Press Wednesday 1980 Don McDonald Founded In 1875 Si I S Hi by pi cd or cor not bo sold Tho n ThsMssii DEPARTMENT Editor Gord Murray E Rockwood Jonn lor Melon Murray ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Bill Cook Solos Ban Clnsfifind Pot BUSINESSACCOUNTING OFFICE Rlionu Tlioinl I Sludoy Carolyn Arum Moiy CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT Mary in TELEPHONE 5191853 Business and Editorial Offic Oppose Landawn plan We had planned to stop raising our objections to the plan to build a plaza on the east side of Acton until the issue crops up However following a call from Jerry Sprackman last week we felt we must outline our com plaints about the proposal once again Sprackman complained that we have been criticizing him person ally recent editorials Pleading his case he said he is only representing Shopping Centres in the matter We believe he is splitting hairs But in the interest of bending over backwards to be fair we now write that it is Landawn Shopping Centres not Sprackman who in our opinion has demonstrated it isnt a good corporate citizen of Acton We have referred to Sprackman by name editorials simply because he is much more recog nizable to our readers than Landawn He has spoken for the firm at public council meetings Correspondence to Halton Hills has been signed Jerry Sprack man President Shopping Centres Therefore it appears in our opinion Jerry is Landawn Anyway there are two reasons why we oppose proposal for the east side of Ac ton despite the fact as Sprack man noted that residents have voiced their support for a plaza Firstly we feel that revitalrza- of our downtown is the top commercial development priority Plazas have killed downtown areas in many Ontario communities While competition is the of free enterprise the kind that would kill downtown Acton when efforts are being made to revitalize the area albeit some feel painfully slow and ineffectively just isnt needed The location on the east side isnt suitable It wont the forseeable future be surrounded by homes full of customers It would likely lead to pressure for more commercial development even strip on the east side of town If there was absolutely no effort being made by the downtown businesses to revitalize the area then we might support a plaza on the fringe of town But as long as there is an effort to make downtown a strong business area which can compete effectively with plazas out of town and even one in town the nod of support must go to the existing chants We believe those supporting the Landawn plan are supporting a plaza not necessarily that one just any plaza We dont think people here care where there is commercial development as long as it comes There are plans for more commercial development downtown Some have included supermarkets There have been problems but that is normal with commercial development especially downtown areas Problems are being attended to Acton has waited a long time for more commercial development We believe most citizens in the long run would prefer lo wait a little longer so that it takes place downtown helping our core area be revitalized It will take time but we expect some sort of commercial development and revitahzation will take place downtown Only after efforts have borne fruit or been abandoned can a plaza on the fringe of town be considered Our second reason for opposing the plaza is we dont feel Landawn has the best interests of Acton at heart We point to the firms objection to of some property in the northwest of the town for industrial development There is no question Acton is in dire need of more industry More industry will not only create jobs for residents but also improve the local tax picture Landawn has objected to the Ontario Municipal Board about the industrial rezoning on the grounds that there is a limit on sewage capacity in the town and industry could take capacity required for a plaza We dont feel Landawn has the interests of Acton at heart when it places any kind of a roadblock in front of possible future industrial development Landawn isnt the first firm to try this tactic objecting to every other rezoning until its request is met by the town or approved by the OMB wont be the last either But we ask is this tactic the kind used by a good corporate citizen Watkins says goodbye Dear Students of Acton High School I very much regret that I will not be with youlnScptembcr I have been transferred to another school Lord Elgin in Burlington The transfer became official after school was out and so I was unable to Inform you of the situation in the normal way But I leave you knowing that you and your school will be cared for by a very fine lady Mrs Betty Moore who will bo when you return Although 1 have been with you for barely two years I have formed close bonds with both staff and students of Acton High Sch So often in situations like this simple good manners force one to say pleasant sounding things about colleagues and stud ents In this case I can write the truth quite easily In twenty two years I have never known such a combination of kindness good sense and a high concern of excel lence I have with you In a world grown cynical with disrespect for modern education and modern youth your school exemplifies the best hi spirit will and common courtesy It represents the most sound basis of democracy a place where young people from all kinds of back grounds can live and learn together And you must work hard to preserve it Never take It for granted neither facilities nor staff nor each other Thank you for the experience It was my privilege With best wishes Watkins Child Evangelism coming July Dear Sh- your readers know of the wonderful organization which increases their Sunday School Child Evangelism Fellowship Is a group which trains teachers and teaches children Its purpose Is to encourage the children to go to church Because the children come to church often the parents will attend as well Child Evangelism Is almost BO years old thus has built up much experience in reaching childrens hearts During the summer the teachers will tench outdoors wherever children arc parks beaches camps or backyards It is not always easy summer work Is much a vacation Bible school It teaches Bible truths singing and has a missionary story But child Evangelism tries to reach those who are missed by the regular classes those who dont go to a church building but who will listen In a backyard or park outdoors In the Acton and areas the teachers will be coming July 14 to July IB Look for them and sit In on a lesson Advertisements will be In stores soon I saw Tomorrow look at mo Through little childrens eyes And thought how carefully wed teach If we were really wise author unknown Ken 0OT5IPE I KNOW MAKES you PEEL LIKE J AC TO Prolonged fame can spoil a good summer Well It looks as though have my summer work cut out for me Instead of loafing around In the backyard with the J birds and a beer 1 be up to my cars In joining things or refusing to putting to gether a book judging a humor and answering a few hundred letters from complete strangers Some prospect I d much prefer to be left alone to rot In my own wnv into the senility that my wife suggests is creeping upon me apace I in only my second week of or whatever they call It and Its a fair strain My mouth is stiff from smiling while people congratulate me on that fine article in Today magazine I dont know why the congratulations I didn write It My smile is much less stiff when someone says I liked that there colyum about how tough the farmers have It That was the real My ears are ringing from longdistance calls from people I never heard from or of before and who had never heard of me until they read a minor article In the Saturday supplement of a that Is second rate compared to its predecessors Im certainly glad I turned down that offer from MetroGoldwyn Mayer years ago to play after Johnny Weiss got too fat to do it The adulation would have turned my head so badly Id have been able to see Death catching up with me It just a good thing that It a centrefold in Play girl Instead of lonely old ladies writing to tell me they have thrltis too the mall would be crammed with mash letters containing naked photo graphs and lewd suggestions As it is my wife whose head is com unturned by the article Is getting powerfully peeved at answering the phone Wow those save the town hall com mittee people ever offering a good deal Anyone who pledged money in the fund raising drive for the town hall is now being given an option of donating the money or receiving Actario tickets for money pled ged I If 00 was pledged the donor would have the choice of receiving three tickets or Just letting the money stand as a donation Committee callers Stella and Sue Sale ask those who have previously pledged to get In touch with them so everything can bo arranged Now thats being fair Miss Jean McLean held a piano recital for her pupils and a few relatives at her to half stoned old fighter pilots coy ladies who won t give their name and total strangers who want six autographed copies prepaid To her I am Just the guy who puts out the garbage after the truck has gone by wears light blue socks with a green tie an ass of himself with jokes nobody gets at parties has no interest in her decorating schemes can t find Middle C on the piano will never talk to mechanics and tradesmen has taken four months to sweep the basement In ten minute stints every second Saturday and generally know his arm from a hole In the ground To shim the surface To the guys on our staff the article was a godsend Now when 1 m lining up dif shot on the shuffle board Instead of the tired old Dont miss It theyve found new ammunition Heres the old fighter pilot nerves of steel chorus the heckling watchers And when I miss about thrice out or three the chant Is No won we nearly lost the war To those of my students who had to write their final exams It was also a bonanza Sure like the article sir Would you auto graph my copy Hope you write a book and I buy the first copy Sure hope you have a wonderful summer Those who dldn t have to write looked at me with amused disdain To those who never thought I d amount to anything all my friends all my coll most of my family it was chance to say Well never thought youd amount to much t it a corker the trash the media will print these days Along with all the garbage thats been coming in of course some warm and welcome letters from old friends former students and regular readers of the column those intelligentsia as In The home at 31 Brock St Vocal and piano made a varied program The long awaited Chamber of Com Directory made its debut at the Back to Acton Days opening ceremonies last week It chuck full of local Info with every business and Industry categorized A history of Acton is also Included Its a terrific booklet to have at your Acton High School students should receive an A plus for tho thorough and neat job they did By the way that beautiful picture on the cover was taken by former Free Press staffer Robin Inscoe People Smiley or whatever that Inane heading was But on the other hand I m dismayed at the number of letters from people who want something The Fighter Pilots Association wants me to pay up my fees five years in arrears The Prisonersof War Association wants me to pay up my fees IB years behind Something called Author Awards ale wants me to Judge a Magazines Humor competition This is a very rewarding pastime I was a Judge for some years In the Lcacock Award of Humor I was a judge for one year of the Outstanding Canadian Columnist Award for newspapers As a result every humorist and all but one columnist In Canada think I am an utter cretin My syndicate manager wants me to put a book together this summer when I have trout to catch golf to play swimming to enjoy to entertain and a pile of rocks outside our French windows to transform into a patio As has been my wont 1 probably just let the letters moulder on my desk I find thatlfyoudon tanswerthtngs they event just go away I dread going to the Air Force Reunion in September I know I will be cornered by various aged airmen who will tell me they read the article bore me to death with every single incident that has cur red to them since they got their dis charge There been only one count it one- tangible benefit from the article Today I met the guy who sold me the typewriter with the lazy A After ten years he reckons he can fix It He dldn say for free Prob ably charge me double because It got national exposure sure plastered on the back of Petes shirt was I mayor of Acton tool Acton Travel proprietor Rick Bonnette must have Itchy feet these days The local travel agent flew to Las Vegas a few weeks ago for a wild weekend and spent the hoi iday weekend In Montreal at a Montreal Expos game Somehow Actons Infamous got the tickets through the Mon trcal Canadlcns Stadium officials were probably looking forward to meeting the citys newest hockey star only to be con fronted by Rick A nice guy but Guy Those arc his words not mine Rumor has it Hills Mayor Pete wore his Back to Acton Days shirt to the Glen Williams Canada Day festivities last week So what you Anyone at Actons opening ceremonies will recall the on the back of his shirt A few weeks ago Pete was mlstaklngly referred to as the mayor of Georgetown by a guest speaker at a public function Terry chairperson of week end and also Hills councillor was not about to let Pete live it down She made Went to my home town of this past weekend only to find the main street ripped up from store front right ac ross to store front Seems the town Is in stalling Interlocking paving bricks like we have here in Acton putting In picturesque benches and flower beds like in George town and repaying street Now if we can convince Acton and Georgetown to somehow put angle parking In like wood and get rid of this terrible parallel parking I need never get homesick In addition my parking problems would be over Back issues 10 years ago July 1670 An auction sale at Rockwood disposed of the lifelong collections of Harry Edwards The village constable for years he worked with the Department of Highway a Harry was much a part of life Councillors arc wondering what to do about the noise from model airplanes at Acton high school Deputy reeve Tyler says the planes buzz every night until dark The group Is planning another big model plane event on Labor Day weekend The Chamber of Commerce will prepare a brief on the need for off street parking in the main business section of town It Is imperative that steps be taken Paul Nielsen and Fred Gordon told council County council and Halton Board of Education have formed a committee to study regional government Reeve Frank Oakes of Acton told county council there Is a political battle going on and only one minister wilt get what he wants either McKeough will subdue Bill Davis or It will be the other way round Eight members of Acton Citizens Band are at Ontario Youth Music Camp Jim Coles Peter Pavli Paul Heather Buchanan Mary Watson Barbara Pratt Susan Scott Carol Buchanan 20 years ago July The Rev Engcl was inducted as minister of Acton United Church With the old church condemned and the new one under construction the service was held In Knox church Choir leader George Elliott again presided at the organ after many months at the piano In the Members of the congregation were introduced af to the Engels by O Johnson and Rev Miller Aeon Industrial Commission has an nounced that negotiations have been completed for Michigan Bulb Company to relocate in thhe old Wool Combing Buildings The company moved to Acton after a serious fire which destroyed their building In Rockwood and presently the former Storey Glove building on Bower Ave employees are supervised by J D About TO youngsters are attending vacation Bible Schoool at the Christian Reformed Church Some of the talk is in Dutch and some in English Everything will be In English on the last day when parents Rev JelleNutmais in charge Some country children ore staying with families In tow hit the school is on 50 years ago July 10 Miss M Z Bennett principal said Acton schools have registered another success In the Entrance Examinations All 33 pupils were successful in passing and 25 of them received honors standing The highest five were Howard Norton Harold Elizabeth Harrison Margaret Arnold and Barbara Taylor Knox Sunday School picnic at Edgewood Park Eden Mills drew a great concourse of scholars and parents Rev Mr Bennic and Superintendent Cooper were the life of the event Blow stalwarts pulled W crew right along the ropes In the war The last will and testament of James Albert Murray is published as requested by him is left to Acton for a home for poor or sick children or a It is my wish that all the beneficiaries who can conveniently do so should meet once a year at Fair view cemetery and place a sprig or flower on the grave Mr J Lindsay is having the old photo graph gallery removed from the Hill Block this week Photographic plates old photos and other relics were found In the demoli tlon The old chairs belonging to the studio In which many a resident spent a strained moment In order to acquire a flat tcring likeness were also among the ar ticles of equipment which had to give place to the improvements years ago Julys On Tuesday morning at 10 clock the event of the season the marriage of Miss Emma Matthews eldest daughter of the late George Matthews Esq of this village and Charles A Cook pastor of the Baptist church Kingston second son of Rev B Cook of village took place In the Baptist church Long before the time announced the church was well filled with an expectant company the fair sex predominating A flutter at the door told the story of the happy couples arrival And soon Messrs Storey and Son have estab lished a factory in Birmingham England for the manufacture of the Eureka Spring Glove Fasteners Mr Geo Matthews of this village will assume the management of the mechanical part of the business Mr Firstbrook of Toronto will superintend the sale of the springs in England Members of Acton Brass Band will give a ten cent promenade concert in the drill shed proceeds to be applied to the liquidation of balance due on new forms Acton Parlor orchestra will also play