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

www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, July 16, 2014 | 6 We have written much in our recent editions, and again today (see p.3), about Downtown Oakville -- its struggles and its future -- but this Friday night is a chance for all of us to give a real boost to what's often dubbed as the crown jewel of our town. There has been much discussion about some downtown businesses struggling in the wake of a harsh winter. Construction is looming, which will surely impede parking, shopping and dining in the lakeside downtown district. Parking woes hinder shoppers and sightseers to the heritage core -- another conundrum addressed in our story in today's edition. Mayor Rob Burton has been actively discussing the issues facing the downtown. Consultants, stakeholders and members of the public have been putting their collective heads together to craft the Downtown Plan, a vision and a strategy to keep our east-end Lakeshore main street that enviable shiny jewel. This week, amid the lazy, hazy days of summer, we have a chance to show our support by experiencing Oakville's traditional summer fun at the annual Midnight Madness. The 37th edition of the summer rite returns Friday with the 6 p.m. to midnight closure of Lakeshore Road East, between Navy and Allan streets. Hopes are high for its success, especially after Mother Nature vented her wrath on the event last year with a severe storm leading to its cancellation. This year, there again will be plenty of shopping and tasty fare from the area shops and restaurants. There also promises to be lots more to see and do at this family-friendly festival hosted by the Downtown Oakville Business Improvement Area. Nine performance stages will be erected, and organizers and sponsors promise attendees will nd lots more than in years past. StereoKid will be returning to its roots in Oakville, headlining the Towne Square stage, while other acts will set up along the intersections of Lakeshore Road East. They include Mike Branton Band, The Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton Steel Band, Tiny Little Doses, What the Hoop?!, Classic Rock Live, Whitney Pea, The Mighty Fish and Fiddlestix. A driving simulator, bouncy castle, and cheerleaders will be added to the mix in addition to the more than 200 shops and restaurants vying for residents' business. The Knights of Columbus is hosting a beer garden at 326 Lakeshore Rd. E., while the Rotary Club of Oakville is hosting a fundraising photo booth. There will be clowns, candy oss and face painting. About 20 local community groups will have information and activity booths and some will be hosting fundraisers for local charities. A free shuttle bus is being offered between the Oakville GO Station and Church and Dunn streets every 15 minutes between 6 p.m.-midnight. For more information on Midnight Madness, visit oakvilledowntown.com. So, if you're thinking summer, fun and local, head downtown to nd all three right in your own backyard. The time to boost our Downtown is now Editorial W O M E N H E L P I N G W "Connected to your Community" O M E N 447 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 52 | Number 84 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS American Women's Club of Oakville members Becky Wills, left, and Carolyn Ingram, right, present Brenda McCann, Oakville Parent-Child Centre (OPCC) fundraising and community outreach manager, with a $1,000 cheque for the centre's peer-support program for mothers experiencing postpartum mood disorder. OPCC co-facilitates the support group with a Halton Region public health nurse and provides care for children while the mother is attending the program. The non-pro t American Women's Club of Oakville has approximately 100 members, provides fellowship among Americans living in Oakville and encourages member participation in the community. | submitted photo MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Letters to the Editor Rotary adds fun to Midnight Madness Oakville's Midnight Madness event has been an exciting success for more than 35 years. It is about to get even more exciting thanks to the members of the Rotary Club of Oakville, who are pleased to invite local residents to join them at their fun photo booth fest guaranteed to be a hit for the entire family. The photo booth party will take place at Oakville's popular Midnight Madness event on Friday, July 18 from 6 p.m. to midnight. It will be easy for guests to grin from ear to ear or maybe even laugh out loud with a selection of entertaining props and costumes to add an entertaining touch to their photos. Guests will also have the chance to have their own or their little one's face painted by a professional artist from Face the Art Entertainment. Clowning around will be one of the best parts of the photo booth fest. A friendly clown will amaze the crowd by creating lovable balloon gures for kids of all ages. For even sweeter smiles, delicious candy oss will also be available. A professional attendant from Blackbox Photobooth will ensure guests receive a quality photo experience in a tented wheel chair accessible booth. Whether you're two or 102, the Rotary Club of Oakville will put a lasting smile on your face that you can take home with you. Proceeds raised will support Food4kids. ca, a charity that provides meals to hundreds of local children and their families in need. Lorie Gelsheimer, communication co-ordinator, Rotary Club of Oakville Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 5040 Mainway, Burlington ON L7L 7G5 or via e-mail to; ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.