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LIVING EDITOR: WILMA BLOKHUIS Fax 905-337-5567 email blokhuis@haltonsearch.com · WEDNESDAY/APRIL 5,2006 Sixth annual Eco Fest draws record crowds By Catherine O'Hara SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER LI ESA K0RTMANN I OAKVILLE BEAVER The sixth annual Halton Eco Festival filled the Glen Abbey Recreational Centre last weekend with eco-friendly exhibitors helping individ uals improve the environment, their health and the community. It was organized by the Oakville Community Centre for Peace, Ecology and Human Rights (OCCPEHR), a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing environmental awareness. "The great news for the community is that this year's event was our most successful ever," said Stephen Dankowich, Executive Director of OCCPEHR. < f We've had record attendance, well over 1,000 visitors." Students at St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School were volunteering their time; and staffed all the festival's workshops, and could be found walk ing through the centre with dark green T-shirts sporting the Eco Festival logo. "Volunteers are receiving fantastic evaluations," said Dankowich. "Visitors and exhibitors^ are so appreciative of their energy and enthu siasm." A Kid's Eco Fun play area hosted activities such as crafts using recycla ble materials, face painting and a gen eral play-area, keeping children busy while parents wandered through the rows of exhibitors. With more tfyan 90 exhibitors, this environmental fair provided guests with an ample supply of resource information on how to change their daily practices and make a difference for the environment. Many booths at the festival promot ed the conservation of land near the Dundas Street area in North Oakville. "Our organization advocated for no development whatsoever," said Dankowich. "We would have really hoped that this would have been main tained as our Central Park." Oakvillegreen Conservation Association Inc., an organization that exhibited at the event, has been trying to protect Oakville land for the past six years. Hank Rodenburg, President of Oakvillegreen explained that scientists participated in an inter-agency review and have drafted a plan outlining the Natural Heritage System for North Oakville. The developers' plan eliminates all the essential linkages and buffers that are needed to keep the ecosystem viable, he said. < £ We are telling the municipal coun cil to stick to the draft plan," said Rodenburg. "This land needs to be pro tected." See Event page 12 S P IN E T IN G L IN G : David Leeder gets his spine checked by chiropractor Dr. John Minardi at the sixth annual Halton Eco Fest held at the Glen Abbey Recreation Centre last weekend. C A N A D I A N ^ f r C O M P U T E R Your A p p le S p ecia list in O a k v ille Since 1987 -- R e g is te r The iPod just found it's voice.. K ara & m iPod Hi-Fi Come in and hear it roar. $429* ;ONT $5.0i ' Earn * iPod not included. A n a l! in c lu s iv e s u n n y v a c a t io n f o r t w o Daily W orkshops! Come in and enjoy helpful, h ow -to seminars on everything from sending emails to `digital scrapbooking'. Check o u t o u r website fo r daily events and demonstrations. L o c a te d a t 4 1 4 S p e e rs R oad < 1 v ' c o u r t « j i y o i 7 - ;v : Oakville - Sunday April i' 3rd, 2006 www.supercitieswalk.com or call 1-888-822-8467 G lo b a l* IIIIIB R IN K S <f o r t i n o s Z e h fS F L S R E V v a iu * tM 8 t. E H . w w w .ca n a d ia n co m p u te r.co m Helpful. Free. Every weekday at I lam. 905"845"0737 J ISLobiaws M S 3C IsSs. a iu d .o n p l a q u o sS P T h e O a k v iD lE lO eC B e a v e rR N O R T H A M E R IC A 'S M O S TA W A R O M M U N IT Y N E W S P A P E