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6 Independent & Free Press, Tuesday,June 21, 2011 OPINION Party on! It has taken only two years for the Big DADDY Festival to perhaps rank as the signature event in Halton Hills. By all accounts, this past weekend's festival, which began after 5 p.m. Friday and ran through to late Sunday afternoon, was a rousing success. Thousands of people took in the numerous events staged in downtown Georgetown, Acton, Glen Williams and the Willow Park Ecology Centre in Norval. Literally there was something for everyone. If you were looking for something environmentally-friendly there was a tree and shrub planting event in Prospect Park and several fun events at Willow Park. If it was music you wanted, there was a wide variety of acts in both downtown Georgetown and Acton. For those with an artistic bent, the Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre hosted several demonstrations, from glass blowing to soapstone carving, as well as a tour of the facility. Looking for general entertainment for the little ones? You had your pick from jugglers to magicians to face painters to rock wall climbing. And let's not forget the food available at the local restaurants and from various vendors-- including those at the farmers' market. And since it was a celebration of dads, there was a chill zone where dad could enjoy a cool one, cool tunes and get a chance to relax. Of course, a large part of any festival is the chance to get out and meet people, have some fun, and enjoy the great weather (thanks Mother Nature!). Naturally, an event of this magnitude doesn't just "happen." The selfless efforts of the many volunteers who spent countless hours organizing Big DADDY made this weekend such a success. To them, we say thanks for a job well done. 905-873-0301 Publisher: Ken Nugent General manager: Steve Foreman (sforeman@theifp.ca) Retail advertising manager: Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@theifp.ca) Managing editor: John McGhie (jmcghie@theifp.ca) Distribution manager: Nancy Geissler (ngeissler@theifp.ca) Classifieds Kristie Pells (classified@theifp.ca) Accounting Rose Marie Gauthier Editorial Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@theifp.ca) Ted Brown: Photography (tbrown@theifp.ca) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@theifp.ca) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@theifp.ca) Letters policy Letters must include an address and daytime phone number. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 150 words and may be edited for content and/or length. Publication is not guaranteed. Email: jmcghie@theifp.ca Steve Nease Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. Letters to the editor Cyclists can also face penalties Dear editor, RE: Share the Road editorial (June 7). Thank you for mentioning that the Highway Traffic Act applies to motorist AND cyclists alike. Unfortunately the penalties are not equally enforced by our police, and the rules are not widely known. Most cyclists do not know that there are fines attached to the following: · Cycling the wrong way on a one way street ($110) · Disobeying a stop sign, failure to stop ($110) · Failure to yield at a yield sign ($110) · Failure to signal a turn or lane change ($110) I have personally witnessed entire families driving towards me on my side of the road, on the passenger side of my car, towing toddlers in wagons. I have seen cyclists proceed through `two-way stop' intersections going the wrong way, when they had the stop sign and I had the right of way. For a motorist, having had the right of way is a small comfort when there is a death. The fine for careless driving of a bicycle on a road in Ontario, HTA Section 130, is $325. This fact alone should drive home my point-- a bicycle is not a toy and kids simply cannot do whatever they want when they are riding around. I call on parents to educate themselves and their children about the rules of the road and our police to enforce these rules and these fines. Kat Taylor, Acton Honesty appreciated Dear editor, After running many errands on a recent Saturday, my last stop was the Superstore. It wasn't until several hours after I arrived home that I realized I had left my purse in the buggy. Not only did it contain several hundred dollars and a brand new iPod, but also my childrens' health cards, my credit cards, etc. I was delighted that a woman had found my purse and turned it in to customer service, and was only disappointed that I did not have her name and number so that I could properly thank her for such a wonderful act of honesty and kindness. This is why we have chosen to live in a community like Georgetown. Thank you. Leslie Salisbury, Halton Hills WEB POLL RESULTS (Go to www.independentfreepress.com) How do you feel about Halton Police `speed traps'? · It's a good tool to combat speeding (57%) · It's a cash-grab for the police service (43%) The Independent & Free Press The Independent & Free Press is published Tuesday and Thursday and is one of several Metroland Media Group Ltd. community newspapers. Editorial and advertising content of The Independent & Free Press is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Dear editor, The June 2 edition of The Independent & Free Press I believe says it all regarding "Halton Hills having lowest growth and lowest new jobs projections" in Halton Region. It's time for our retroactive council to take the bull by the horns and move forward. Stop wasting our ever-increasing tax dollars on consultants trying to make this a tourist area and researching more bike paths Ms. Fogal. Start attending industrial trade shows Mr. Mayor to illustrate what a great community we have to set up shop. Paul Madonia, Georgetown Move forward, council Leafs prevent riots Dear editor, I never thought I'd say this: Thank God for the Toronto Maple Leafs! At least we don't have to worry about rioting and looting going on in Toronto anytime soon. Unless Stephen Harper holds another G20 meeting again. Bob Thrush, Georgetown