the HERALD Home of Halton Hilts Since A Division of Canadian Newspapers Company Limited Street Georgetown Ontario I and General Manager ii i urn I litil Page SECTION A THE HERALD Wednesday June IMI Second Class Mail Registered Number What a great June weekend From that moment Thursday morning when the first rack of summer sale clothing was rolled outside onto the sidewalk to the final encore of the Old Music Hall Saturday night this years Pioneer bash was a party to be reckoned with The downtown merchants and the Business Improvement Area board met their par with the threeday Pioneer festivities lining the Main Street core with so many simultaneous events and activities that reporters were hardpressed to take it all in The Hills Arts Council and Its member groups outdid themselves setting a new in presentation by moving the open air Summerfest into the downtown core and spilling metaphorically enough onto the grounds of the new librarycultural centre Knox Presbyterian Church has never looked better than it did Saturday surrounded by colorful displays and ac tivities Throughout the weekend ran a current of community solidarity that somehow was not as apparent in previous Pioneer Summcriest events The physical com bination of the two celebrations certainly contributed to that feeling but more im portantly we feel there was the influence of the I Love Georgetown campaign itself the subject of much joy Saturday Campaign organizers and some special guests were wheeling around town that day to deliver words of appreciation to those whod proven them right about Georgetown inherent community spirit Hundreds of citizens demonstrated their civic pride in a variety of ways just because they love Georgetown the praise of community leaders who toured on the ride- about bus came as a welcome bonus to their positive participation We chastised the campaigns organizers last week for indirectly diverting public attention away from the downtown festivities but were delighted to hear how extensive and warm their reception was in many neighborhoods The I Love Georgetown rideabout and the Pioneer bash may have been two very disparate entitles over the weekend but considered together they share a common denominator In their civfcmlndedness and make a common contribution the downtown celebration gave us plenty of things to see and do the monthlong Love Georgetown campaign reminded we shouldnt take such fun for granted Special note to the cast and crew of the Old Tyme Music Hall which capped off the Summerfest with this kind of en tertainment Itll be SRO every night at the new arte complex when the Terra Thespians and their friends come to town Old Town Hall debate revisited Those facing off across the town council chamber Monday night over plans to restore Actons former town hall were pitting one valid argument against another we side with the trio of Acton reps who say the historic civic centre must be refurbished but we question the full extent of their motivations Council la once again looking for up dated figures on the buildings restoration costs and for some specific Information about the structures planned uses after restoration Its been five years since Halton Hills council said Yes go ahead and fix It but raise half the necessary money in Ward Those five years have seen so much inflation that coupled with the restoration committees generally languishing fund- raising efforts councillors outside the ward are wondering again whether they should veto the project It bothers us a great deal that Actons three councillors Dave Whiting Ross Knechtel and Terry should have to urge their colleagues from Georgetown and to once and for all make a firm commitment to the project five years down the road We endorsed the worthiness of the restoration project when it was first proposed and weve expressed best wishes for the Actario lottery set up to raise funds It has indeed been disconcerting to see receive less acclaim and support from the general public of Acton than it deserves but in retrospect popular sup port la not always evident for community undertakings that ultimately prove to be a boon to all concerned Including those who took no interest beforehand Given the nature of the Acton town hall and particularly its past role as a focal for community activities we believe behooves town council to make the commitment which Acton reps are seeking with or without apparent popular support A restored town haQ of the Acton buildings architectural stature could be a thing of greatness for Acton in the classic hometown sense a place for Joe Public to hang his hat The one thing that bothers us about the Acton reps argument though involves their intimation that Georgetown and councillors might be taking advantage of their willingness to endorse thellbrnrycultural centre in Georgetown Now that the arts complex is go they seem to charge no one outside Acton wants the town hall restored Mayor Pete ended up defending councils blessings for the arts complex by pointing out that the arts complex costs were known whereas those the town halls restoration remain unsettled It may be under construction several miles from Acton and right in the heart of Georgetown but the arts complex Is a HUla project in every sense of the word nothing could be clearer There can be no intimations of a tradeoff here Letter from the editor Paul Dorsey More movie madness You may have heard Hint Lord Kitcheners been go jit the Huns Again time a long way from lust down the road from Terra Cot to in fact in the Cheltenham brickyard Robin Philips former director of the Stratford festival he latter half of last week and the past couple of days filming The Wars there once ting on battle scenes reenacted from the First World War and featuring Im told the destruction of the historic brickyard lowers by air and land I heard about the project from my old high school chum Kevin Heed who portrayed doughboy extra in the film and left the trenches briefly last week to visit Georgetown Mentioning Kevin these days is getting lobe like celebrity namedropping he set aside the guitar and recording contract which last year took him across Canada as a warm up act for British folk rocker Chris Burgh you may recall The Heralds Local boys mokes good coverage of his Masscy Hall concert and has been acting onstage at he National Arts Centre in Ottawa Since tho beginning of the year Kevins been picking up acting credits around Ottawa that should stand him In good stead when he tries out for some pretty substantial roles In the upcoming Shake speare festival at Stratford including at least one lead Lost weeks smokefilled bottle scenes were just slumming I guess for the exGeorgetown rock roller who became a in Montreal and a salt cod cowboy In Halifax He spent most of the lime running around the Cheltenham set puttees unravelling and bombs bursting nearby while the films lend actors nervously flubbed their lines over and over from the safely of a trench In the cameras foreground By ihe time you read this at least one of the brickyards long standing towers will be levelled the remainder saved by Ihe Caledon Heritage Committee for their historic significance Brampton Brick Ltd will soon establish a major plant on the 200acrc property but first special effects man Colin Chi vers who made movie audiences believe Supcrmancould really fly last year will datzle local residents with an explosion worthy of Verdun collapsing a massive kiln for a finale that could garner The Wars an Academy Award The PMs job for Allan How Pierre may say thanks Ottawa Report By Stewart MacLeod Ottawa Bureau of Herald Since Prime Minister announced prior to the campaign that he would almost certainly retire before the next election we have all heard dozens of possible scenarios about what might happen to the Liberal leadership Some have said and still say that John Turner is a natural to return to federal politics and replace the prime minister who defeated him In his leadership bid You also bear about the possibility of another former finance minister Donald MacDonald return ing to Ottawa for a try at the top Job Even the name of Otto Lang has popped up on isolated occasions Justice Minister Jean Chretien Is frequently mentioned And the names of a half doien outsiders have been heard from time to time In the backrooms of Ottawa Ive even heard the odd name from other political parties such as Roy the attractive Saskatchewan Attorney- General who happens to be a New Democrat More than one Ottawa Grit has wondered aloud whether Roma now could ever be persuaded to become a federal Liberal But amid all the swirling about what might happen when finally steps down the name that never seems to fade away Is that of Allan Its surprising how many people are absolutely convinced that the Cape Breton bom finance minister will still get an opportunity to sit In hat prime ministerial chair SHORT TERM It might not be a long term occupancy in fact there is no serious speculation about MacEachen ever campaigning as a prime minister But for a year or less he might just reach the top No one doubts that the would dearly love to have a crack even for a brief period at being prime minister He has served In just about every other portfolio since he entered Parliament In 1953 and since with he exception of that brief stint in opposition he has been deputy prime minister He has been a devoted member of the Trudeau team since 1968 and the prime minister owes him a great deal And how better to repay a debt than to make someone prime minister Under scenario Instead of announcing a future retire ment date and then governing through that disruptive period when everyone is scrambling for his crown he would suddenly step down and announce that MacEachcn would take over as prime minister pending a leadership convention Then for the beat part of a year MacEachcn would have achieved his longcherished goal while in relaxed retirement could enjoy watch the contest for a more permanent leadership And because MacEachens appointment would be considered temporary the need for billnguallsm would not be a factor ANOTHER FACTOR There Is something else to consider minister even briefly it would mean that the French English factor would not be a major consideration In the subsequent leadership convention By tradition the Liberal Party has alternated between French and English leaders And while Jean Chretien is perceived by many to be a strong contender to replace even he acknowledges that It might be difficult for one francophone to replace another francophone at this stage However if someone like Allan MacEachen were to succeed even on an interim basis then Its a whole new ball game when a full scale convention is held I long ago learned the futility of trying to predict what Pierre might do In any given situation But there are many good reasons why he Just might appoint Allan MacEachen as the next prime minister And something has to account for fact that MacEachcn seems more buoyant than usual these days The economy certainly doesnt give much to giggle about The agriculture ministrys strange decisionmaking History From our files Queens Park Queens Park Bureau of The Herald The surface issue is simple why did Agriculture Minister Lome Henderson trigger the process that resulted in the withdrawal of his ministrys objections to a estate development on farmland north west of Toronto The deeper issue fundamental question at stake concerns how decisions are arrived at in the ture Ministry or more accurately in the ministers office To say the least the method appears strange In this case it appears like a caricature of some political old boys network deciding matters the telephone call here the response there And interestingly many of the principals Involved In the Heights controversy are old time long term Tories who project an old fashioned image and way of doing things None of this Is to give credence to the cries of scandal and allusions to Watergate erupting from Liberal ranks Nor corruption but stupidity and know seem to bo the keys here Standing Agriculture Ministry staff objection to the proposed develop ment because It violated the govern ments own guidelines was reexamined after a telephone call Henderson said It came from Housing Minister Claude Bennetts office where the development plans were In Umbo pending an Ontario Municipal Board hearing which later rejected most of them Although Bennett personally denies knowledge of any such call Bennett parliamentary assistant MPP Bill Hodgson IPCYork North who happens to be the member for the area where the proposed development Is located is keeping silent It would seem reasonable to conclude Hodgson as a good constitu ency MPP would was responding to complaints from landowners seeking development that in fact the site was not good farmland WHY But Henderson didnt turn to his ministry staff for re evaluation Instead he sent his parliamentary assistant MPP Ron McNeil PC Elgin out to look at the land which McNeil did being shown the location by Hodgson himself McNeil a farmer by profession judged land unsuitable for long- term modern farming and told Henderson so On March 1980 Henderson sent Bennett a letter with drawing ministry objection to the development Other farmers disagree Either view could be correct so far as this farmer is concerned But then Henderson made his second move this time In reference to 101 acres adjacent to the original development block that were not Included In the area covered by the March 9 letter OMB SAID Representing those additional acres was lawyer Ron Webb whose Tory connections go back to once being a law partner of Premier William Davis The OMB hearing began Dec 1 and on Dec letter stating the ministry was withdrawing objections to develop ing that parcel of land too These particular objections were outlined in on Agriculture Ministry staff memo to Housing on March 17 1B80 after Henderson cancelled opposition to the original development site on March Interestingly according to the OMB decision the contents of March withdrawal were not raised during the hearing but Webb submitt ed the Dec letter as evidence and argued the Board ought not to feel bound by general government policy such as the guidelines but should give mora weight to the contents of letters from a Minister of the Crown THIRTY AGO A old Terra Cotta boy was seriously injured Monday when some bags he threw on a blew op Robert Elwood was badly burned about the chest arms and face and was rushed Hospital where he is in satisfactory condition Barns houses trees and telephone poles bore the brunt of a twister which blasted a fivemile trail through Hornby early Wednesday evening No one was Injured but three people had a close escape when the twister them off the ground and hurled them feet into a culvert Bad weather lack of labor has prevented any progress this past week In harvesting Haltons best hoy crop In years hay have already been baled but experts speculate whether it won be musty by next winter The Georgetown was well represented at Zone Picnic held Sunday at Streetsvllle Three busloads and innumerable carloads of Georgetown Legionnaires swamped the picnic site and enjoyed short speeches by guest speakers good food and plenty of fun TWENTY YEARS thousand rodeo fans consumed over 900 pounds of beef several hundred gallons or beverages and were by dozens of horses at the Georgetown Lions Club second annual western extravaganza Saturday Festivities lasted all lost week with Saturday s Rodeo Day cupping the event Members of the Sixteen Mile Creek Conserve lion Authority hove asked a Toronto engineering firm to draft a master plan of the new Kelso Conservation Area site of new Kelso dnm The master plan will design the layout of the new water storage dam roads recreation site and the buildings Five would be Rodeo Queens suffered bruised and contusions when harness hitching team to their wagon broke causing the horses to bolt The accident occurred during the parade designed to kick off the Lions Club Rodeo Day Saturday The Ontario government announced it will make three grants totalling BOO to the Credit Valley Conservation One grant for will allow the to make extensive develop ments In the Terra Cotta Conservation Area A camping area will be developed and roads within the area Improved Owners of the old Theatre have been asked by the town building inspector to demolish the remaining walls of the building within the next two weeks Fire Chief Bob Bonfield said that a recent fire would not have occurred if the debris from a previous fire hod been cleaned up TEN YEARS AGOHalton County Board of Education cancelled the school bus service for 375 of the students at Georgetown High School Students who now have to walk to school are from the extreme cast end of town There is still the possibility that a bus service could be offered with a small charge to the students provided there are enough Interested Work Is underway at the arena to update Its Ice making facilities and Install a new floor A new Ice making plant Is being installed at the rear of the building The new floor will vastly improve the surface for avid roller skating fans St Pauls Anglican Church In Norval eclebra ted Its 125th anniversary June A number or former clergy have been Invited to come back during the year to speak to the parish A special subcommittee of the Halton Board of Education recommended that further studies be made of its present open concept schools before building more schools without interior walls Georgetown newest school Joseph Gibbons is open concept ONE YEAR to raise the public portion of the funds necessary to restore the old Acton Town Hall will kick off this week when tickets go on sale for a year long lottery The town had originally planned to demolish the old building but had to reconsider due to community pressure Ion Clark and were named the mate and female athletes of the year at the school annual athletic banquet Wednesday night Five special awards were also presented In addition to the Junior and senior sports and letter awards Sales of seat plaques for the towns new library theatre complex have now passed the half way mark according to Georgetowns Little Theatre which is operating this fund raising effort Some 142 of the commemorative plaques have been sold raising over The Halton Board of Education is preparing for a major blitz on vandalism In the boards schools Damage caused by vandalism In schools cost the Board of Education last year The Halton Regional Police Association and the police commission have gone to arbitration for the first time In six years in an attempt to resolve their contract dispute Negotiations have been stalemated since March with the police asking for a IS per cent Increase and the commission offering only per cent Shades of Pioneer The County Radiol J Railway Association is hosting a Trolley test this Sunday Jttlde Its Electric Railway Museum tear Railway cars ranging from an 1893 model open street car to Canadas first streamlined cor built in hove been gathered for the occasion from at far away a Montreal and London Ontario affording a prime opportunity for history buffs to view and ride aboard some vintage vehicles Admission which covers alt rides Is for adults for children for senior citizens and K for the whole family museum Is on Line nine miles north of Highway and wo miles south of Highway yester year POETRY CORNER Inflation Man sloops to madness ever since life began Our parents had a hard life but the worlds run by Man This day and age of things should be Open clear Men have taken to money grab they live in dreed and fear Our governments are Illegal the way they perform they dont care for your loved ones Its time they did reform Striklngls just madness when you dont earn your pay II need more money work harder is the way Say by chance our harvest did not come year We would think of those poorpaid farmers hall them high and dear Inflation Is an excuse the self lib man to gain There Is no other reason the greedy man to blame It is the greatest sin an Earth squeeze working Will seek no happiness doomed like a helpless Tomorrow looks like a hopeless storm Forced to kill their young before they Some children of present day Arc not fed the proper If for other you have no pari You have a stone for heart Strange you have no one you love so What Is the reason that youre here By Albert Brooks Acton