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2 Independent & Free Press,Friday, January 8, 2010 THIS IS YOUR NEWSPAPER And we're changing! The award-winning Independent & Free Press is your source for local news, regional news, upcoming events, sports and shopping. Delivered to every home NOW... on every Tuesday and Thursday. Editorial......................6 Ted Brown ............. 7 Sports ....................10 Directory.......15, 16 Classified...............17 50 Cents (+ GST) Circulation: 22,800 WEEKEND EDITION Friday January 1, 2010 Your Home Sold For 100% Market Value Guaranteed Or I Will Pay You The Difference* Angie Cormpilas Broker REMAX REAL ESTATE CENTRE INC., BROKERAGE * 905-877-3629 Direct www.RealEstateGeorgetown.com Plan your shopping trip & get your news sooner... Effective January 12th The Independent & Free Press is changing its delivery dates. Your #1 news and shopping source in Halton Hills will now be delivered on Tuesdays and Thursdays evenings. One of the most important reasons why The Independent & Free Press has achieved long-term success has been that we are responsive to customer and reader needs, and over the years, this has led us to add and move days of delivery at various times to accommodate our clients. Since many stores offer sales starting Wednesdays and Fridays, we want to help residents plan their trips in advance. The first paper delivered on the new schedule will be Tuesday, Jan. 12. Not only does the move help bargain hunters, it means paper carriers can now spend Friday nights together with their families. The Independent & Free Press will continue to give readers local breaking news, sports and entertainment daily at www. independentfreepress.com. Halton Hills' award-winning newspaper THE INDEPENDENT & FREE PRESS Broker bmckeown@bellnet.ca Salesperson jmckeown@bellnet.ca 40 Pages THE LEADING REAL ESTATE PUBLICATION SERVING THE 22,500 HOMES OF HALTON HILLS AND SURROUNDING AREAS · THE INDEPENDENT & FREE PRESS REALESTATE@INDEPENDENTFREEPRESS.COM LEADER www.independentfreepress.com HAPPY BIRTHDAY Lois Benham recently celebrated turning 100 years old PAGE 10 Bill McKeown REAL ESTATE 16 Pages BABY HONOUR ROLL 905-873-8839 Wildwood Realty Inc. Get a look at last year' sUCE ELMSLIE BR " /President Broker of Record newest Halton Hills residents "IT'S A BAD DAY WHEN I HAVEN'T 4-PAGE SECTIONHELPED A CLIENT" www.wildwoodrealty.ca FRIDAY, January 1, 2010 Ringing in the new year by ringing the Acton Town Hall's bell HAPPY NEW YEAR! Volunteers at the old Acton Town Hall can hardly wait for the clock to strike 12 on New Year's Eve as they were scrambling Tuesday to have the grand hall ready for last night's party. Among those taking care of last-minute details, including a test of the `ringability' of the town hall's bell, are (clockwise, from front) Marissa Kidd, Brenda La Rose, fundraising chair Kathleen Dills, committee chair Ron Birrell, and Gail Kerr. The facility will be officially opened later in the new year. Building permit drop results in $300K deficit By CYNTHIA GAMBLE Staff Writer Norm Paget Your "MC The Q Town's WIN" Building Services department is GEORGETOWN 40 BRADLEY DRIVE, OPEN HOUSE SUN. JAN. 3 ~ 2-4 PM $289,900 Well maintained 3 bdrm, 2 bath freehold townhouse. Dbl door entry, built in dishwasher, lots of cupboards, finished basement, master bdrm with his/ her walk-in closets. MLS# W1759381 Janet McKeown projecting a $300,000 Lisa Rafuse Salespersondeficit in 2009-- and possiNEW Administrative bly $550,000npaget@remax.net in 2010-- due to a reduction in large Assistant revenue-producing housing permits. Monica Darabos lisarafuse@bellnet.ca According to a recent staff report, the Town has Salesperson monicad@bellnet.ca issued about the same number of permits in 2009 in number of residential subdivision units and large industrial/commercial 11 KAY LANE, GEORGETOWN projects. INC., BROKERAGE as it did in 2008 and 2007. But the difference lies Office: 905.877.5211 Direct: 905.873.2437 Fax: 905.873.4863 $264,900 8 JOHN STREET, GEORGETOWN Charming bung. at the top of the hill set back from the road. Walkout from dining room to a 12x12 deck & a nice backyard. This home is priced to sell & is ideal for the fixer upper. MLS#W1735328 5452 THIRD LINE, ERIN In 2005, 829 new home construction permits were issued, and that dropped to 358 in 2006, 258 in 2007, 96 in 2008 and 144 as of Sept. 30, 2009. But 81 of the 2009 permits were applied for and paid for in 2008. $499,900 Lovely 3 bedroom bungalow in Georgetown South. Hardwood floors $599,900 Similarly commercial/industrial building permits thru-out main level. Private deck & interlock patio & storage shed in Fantastic 1 year old country bungalow on 2.5 backyard. Entertainment size rec room with scones, ranged from awall high ofstorage 73 in 2007 to 2009's low of 46 ac (mostly treed). 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths. rooms & storage nooks, wet bar; laundry rm in basement. Windows, garden doors & hot tub newof in 2003. (as Sept. 30). MLS# W1731056 MLS#X1682330 Even pool enclosure permits are down from 125 5510 FIRST LINE, ERIN SANDALWOOD DR., BALLINAFAD 93 MILL ST. E., ACTON 9430 WELLINGTON RD. 42, in 2008 to only 76 in 2009 as of Sept. 30. $459,900 Only residential and renovation permits If you additions go into the woods today, you're seem to be keeping with past years' results. in for pace a big surGorgeous 2 In 2005, the prise! Town issued close to 1,500 building bdrm log home with that open concept permits. This year total will be half that number mn flr, wide plank LEASE and as a result, wood revenues are down. The Town is facfloors, det. $599,900 $159,900 Professional Office Space. Main floor of Photo by Ted Brown dbl car gaage with ing a $300,000 defi cit in building permit 3 bdrm. country bungalow on 1 acre with Pretty .46 revenues. ac building lot in the Village of 3,000 square feet. Building divisible. Lots loft, great for art/ in-law suite & w/o basement. Ballinafad. Build your dream home here! of outside parking. Building has been studio. is projecting In 2010, the craft Town permits for 408 upgraded for your needs. MLS#W1724764 MLS#X1681720 MLS#X1634536 MLS#X1722020 new homes-- assuming the additional water from the Region's groundwater well system is approved 115 MAIN ST. S., GEORGETOWN 49 MAIN ST. S., ACTON 22 MILL ST. E., ACTON 149 KINGHAM RD., ACTON to serve at least 243 of the new homes. If the water $899,900 $189,900 Fantastic opporisn't released and those homes aren't built, the Town Beautifully fintunity to own a ished 3+1 bdrm is looking at a shortfall d o w n t o win n revenue in the range of townhome, Georgetown $550,000 next year-- and permit fees for new homes forced air gas landmark "The heating, newer Ivy House". 7 per cent in 2011. will have to be raised by 60 units, modern appliances, new The projectedupgrades. 2009 $300,000 deficit will be shifted $349,900 Good flooring, $39,900 HAPPY NEW YEAR Prime commercial building in Acton. investm ent upgrades galore! to a deferred revenue account and paid off over the Busy convenient store in downtown Acton. income. Building in great shape, lots of parking. Exclusive Call Norm Paget* for all the details. MLS#W1636061 next three to four years, when water approvals alMLS#W1638574 FROM THE STAFF lowing more housing occurs. To compensate for the & see our virtual tourswill on youtube.com 905-877-5211 905-877-5211 Follow us on Twitter at: MCQWIN_TEAM Facebook at: Mcqwinteam RealEstate Blog at: mcqwinteam.blogspot.com downturn, the Town also increase its building AT THE permit fees in 2010 by 10 per cent. The department INDEPENDENT will also introduce a number of new fees including administration fees, sign variance application fee & FREE PRESS Realty Inc. and solar collector and wind turbine fees. Brokerage APPLE We handle all insurance work. GEORGETOWN CHRYSLER Auto Glass® Welcome to 2010! Georgetown Holly Light Jennifer SargeantWe've been waiting for you Volkswagen Karen Pedersen with a complete line-up of broker of record proven performance in any market * Erin direct: * * *sales rep. ·Truck Accessories ·Upholstery ·Heavy Equipment Glass ·Window Tinting Advertise Local - Shop Local! 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown 203 Guelph Street 9 0 5 . 8 7 7. 5 2 8 5 georgetownvw.com award winning products. 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