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Acton’s 12th annual Terry Fox Run set for Sunday By Wendy Long This Sunday is the 12th Annual Terry Fox Run in Acton. A public tun will not take place in Georgetown this year so all Halton Hills citizens are encouraged to run, walk, jog, skip, bike, cycle, rollar- blade, wheel or hobble around the Acton High School track to raise money for cancer research. To refresh fading memories, Terry Fox developed bone cancer at the age of 18 and had to have his right leg amputated six inches above the knee. During his treat- ment, Terry felt the suffering of fel- low cancer patients and embarked on a crusade to help fund innova- tive cancer research. In Oct. 1979 Terry wrote: “Somewhere the hurting must stop...and I am determined to take myself to the limit for this cause.” Terry began his Marathon of Hope cross-Canada run on April 980 in ‘ohn’ iS Newfoundland. He ran through six provinces in 143 days, covering an average of 42 gruelling kilometres Continued on page 12 A Vol. 1, No. 13 Wednesday, September 16, 1992 28 pages ‘Award Winning Sales Rep 874-3051 232 Guelph St., Georgetown 873-2254 took 3rd prize in the Most Obediant Dog category. Brenlyn and Tara Campbell, and their dog Bently, have fun at the Georgetown a Fair on Sunday. Bently Photo by Wendy Long Tax hike at least 7.2 per cent for town A preliminary budget model, prepared by Halton Hills treasurer Ray King and presented at Monday’s town council meeting, suggests that town residents could be facing an overall tax increase of 7.2 per cent in 1993. The increase would cover only general town purposes and not school board or regional tax increases. “While that number (7.2 per cent) clearly will not be looked upon favourably by Council, it should be remembered that in addi- tion to a general inflation rate of 1.5%, a further 2.3% increase is required to fund a portion of the debt servicing cost related to the proposed Acton Arena,” King’s report stated. The town treasurer also warned that a reduction of the prolecied tax rate increase “will have to be accompanied to some aes a a general reduction in service or the elimination of specific programs.” The same report also includes a timetable for the operating budget, as well as the capital budget and forecast, calling for a tighter time frame than in previous years. Traditionally, the town finalizes the operating budget, capital budget and forecast in late March of each year, with the school board and regional budget being finalized in April. King’s report suggests that council ratify the town’s budgets on February 22 of next year. The earlier time frame would Continued on page 3 ‘Your independent voice in Halton Hills’ 50 cents includes G.S.T. Residents oppose change to leaf collection policy By Dianne Cornish Town plans to change the method of fall leaf pick-up in Georgetown’s Park District has met opposition from town residents who argue that the town is shifting responsibility for maintaining city trees to those living in the park are: a. Rather than pick up Park District leaves with a front end loader on specified days, as has been the case for the past several years, the town has suggested that residents bag the leaves and put them at the curbside for pick-up on designated days. A 60-name petition delivered to town council Monday by Edith Street homeowner Molly Monahan. criticized the recent decision. The petition, in part, read: “The old maples that create the “Park District” are mostly on town prop- erty and, as such, are the responsi- bility of the town to maintain. The newly-imposed system of bagging creates needless waste of both time and resources.” The petition also stated that while signers understood “the bud- getary constraints of council” in implementing a uniform system of leaf pick-up, they weren’t con- vinced that other alternatives had been fully explored. Monahan, a resident of Georgetown since December, asked council to retain the traditional method of leaf pick-up in the park area this year and “cost out” the difference between the traditional method and collecting leaves using alternative methods, such as a self- contained vacuum unit. “For the fall of 1992, as a mini- mum short term solution, bulk removal should be continued in the “Park District.” At the same time, (town) staff should explore, in detail, solutions to maintaining this service with better and more effi- cient technologies for 1993, as are many other Sommuni ee around us,” Monahan Earlier in Hee presentation, Monahan described the leaf pick-up methods of other communities and quoted a City of Toronto public works employee as saying of Georgetown’ S proposed bagging method: “It sounds — like Georgetown is going back in time while we move forward to the 21st century. We used to bag, but now we have modernized our proach.” Monahan said Toronto uses vac- uum systems throughout the city to remove leaves from city streets. Looking at communities nearby, she reported that Oakville uses vac- uums for loose leaf pick-up four times a year and Burlington has a clear bag pick-up for some area, but employs a T-Vac system with a loader for areas with larger volume. "Each neighborhood has its spe- cial needs. Some neighborhoods require special policing, sewage maintenance, capital investment, or curb, sidewalk and street mainte- nance. Similarly, the “Park District” has a special need as there are many older city-owned trees requiring extra effort for mainte- nance,” Monahan argued She gained an ally in Councillor Gail Rutherford, who later com- mented: “Perhaps, being equal and fair doesn’t mean that everybody gets exactly the same thing, but rather that their individual needs are met. Councillor Al Cook, however, said there are other streets in Georgetown with mature trees owned by the city which don’t get the same service as park area resi- dents. He suggested that Normandy Boulevard and Prince Charles Drive could well qualify for bulk pick-up by fulfilling the same crite- ria as those in the Park District. la Save on these QUALITY | Canadial Fashion Lighting Products in made MATCHING SWING-ARM ALE $59," aa 5 LIGHT CERAMIC RASS $179.” SALE fect until opt 26°92 orwte ‘quantities last. Bubs extra Let Us Help You with All Your Lighting Concerns 245 ( GUELPH ST. (HWY. 7), GEORGETOWN 873-2996 \