Town budget discussions begin: Soccer club donates $100,000 towards construction of new field

The Acton Soccer Club kicked off the Town of Halton Hills' 2006 budget discussions on a good foot Monday night by announcing it was contributing $100,000 towards the construction of a soccer field in Acton. Club spokesperson, Ian Watson, told members of budget committee (all members of council), "This money is a great investment. ... Because this is what we have been saving for." All members of the club's executive voted in favour of the contribution, he said. Watson was among the seven delegations that spoke on Public Night at budget committee. Others included community members advocating for town programs, not yet included in the 2006 budget. Budget committee is considering a $20 million budget-- a 5 per cent increase over last year's budget. This works out to a $50 increase on the average home assessed at $300,000. Budget discussions continued last night (Tuesday) and will resume again on Jan. 30 and Jan. 31, with council approval scheduled for February 6. Funding of $500,000 for Phase 2 of the Acton Sports Park is included in the Recreation and Parks Department's 2006 capital budget. The planned lit senior soccer field will be a first for the 800-member soccer club, which currently plays the majority of its games on school fields. The club saved the money over the past 20 years from bingo proceeds. Acton Regional Councillor Clark Somerville called the club's generosity, "visionary." Other Acton projects included in the 2006 recreation capital budget are: Acton skateboard park, $204,000; Acton East North Park, $70,400 and Danville playground replacement and improvements to Fairview Cemetery. Other delegations to budget committee included Ninth Line residents demanding immediate repairs for the "war zone"-like road, from 27 Sideroad to 32 Sideroad. Resident spokesperson Tanya Parsley asked the Ninth Line project become a 2006 priority, stating the washboard road has no proper base or crown, resulting in dangerous conditions in inclement weather. Last year, she said the police considered closing the road in the winter due to unsafe driving conditions, and this year some residents are not receiving their daily newspapers due to drivers' refusal to traverse the road. Parsley cited numerous accidents, muddy and/or dusty conditions, car damage and stress on residents. Gas tax funding is currently allocated to the project in 2008. Budget committee was expected to discuss the Ninth Line residents' request during last night's debate on the capital budget. Dorothy Hunt of Arts Alive recounted the history of the arts in Halton Hills as she supported an operating budget extra: $27,000 year-long 25th birthday celebrations for the Halton Hills' Cultural Centre with one big week, Oct. 1622. Christine Upton of HOPE (Healthy Options for the People and the Environment) threw her support behind a Recreation and Parks trial project on organic turf management. The one-year trial on a Trafalgar Rd. Sports Park soccer field is already included within the operating budget. Belinda Gallagher, a member of the Old Seed House Garden group, updated budget committee on the status of the park in central Georgetown. As well, the group supported the Recreation and Parks Department's proposed Destination Park Policy that calls for the spending of $18,000 for an irrigation system and remedial turf repair in the garden, and $2,000 to implement the park policy on trial basis. Tunde Otto-Harris, Willow Park Ecology Centre co-ordinator and Wayne Scott, chair of the Town's Environmental Advisory Committee, addressed budget committee on the status of their town-funded groups, and reiterated their need for their respective budgets: $10,600 for Willow Park and $2,700 for TEAC. However the groups did request a one-time donation of $500 for a 100youth environment conference to be led by the citizen environmental group, POWER, this spring. Decisions on the residents' requests were made last night during the capital budget discussion (after press time) or will be made during budget nights on Jan. 30 and 31. Jan. 31 has also been selected as an evening of debate on the future fate of the Town of Halton Hills Public Library