 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON August 29, 2012 In the world of politics – it doesn`t matter if it`s federal, provincial or municipal – a summer picnic is one of the most effective ways to pull a crowd together and just stand around and chat – get caught up and take the pulse of the community.
 This is what a corn roast is all about. Lay on the butter and chomp away. Guests were attending Blair Lancaster’s Ward Corn Roast – good political move. This country is known for some great summer BBQ`s but there doesn`t seem to be a tradition of that sort of thing in this city.
Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster just might have hit upon an idea and a location that will create such an annual event. While it will probably be a Tory Blue event, that’s just a fact of life in this part of the world.
 Blair Lancaster – almost holding court with her constituents at a corn roast. Lancaster chose the Burlington Air Park as her location and having the aircrafts set out for the crowd to look over was certainly a nice touch. There was a double wing bi-plane in the air doing all kinds of stunts; as well as a plane that looked about the size of one of the Mercedes Benz Smart cars up in the air with both the pilot and a passenger aboard. The comment on that was “not in this lifetime for me”.
The hangers and the administrative side of the Air Park operation are accessed off Bell School Line – but over on Appleby Line there is the start of some significant construction. But the city knows nothing about that according to Lancaster. Airports are a federal matter even though this site is clearly within the borders of Burlington. Apparently the Conservation Authority isn’t in on what’s taking place – and there is certainly “something” taking place. More than five pieces of heavy construction equipment are grooming the grounds on the Appleby Line side of the property.
At one point in 2007 Rogers had an application to install a cell tower in the southwest portion of the air-park property. The application was withdrawn, a pity because cell phone reception is really spotty in that part of the city.
The Burlington Airpark was founded by Victor and Gwen Kovachik in 1962. It is still a family owned operation with a number of services available on the site including flight training, engine maintenance and overhaul as well as charter services and a place to rent a hanger to store planes.
 Aerial view of the Air Park in North Burlington. This isn’t a rinky dinky little airport out in the country. Count the number of hangers. Privately own, within the city, federally regulated. Located in North Burlington where there are a number of people who can fly from their escarpment country residences into Toronto or points east and west.
The location is a short drive from Milton, Oakville and western Mississauga.
Burlington’s Economic development people just love the idea of the city having its own airport. At the moment the facility is not a port of entry but a small regional airport that serves a specific clientele.
 This field isn’t being graded to grow cabbage. Does it look like a construction site? All the grading work being done along Appleby Line suggests there is something much bigger both in the minds of the people who own the facility and the people who use the airport. Wonder who at city hall knows anything about this? Is someone trying to develop an opportunity here? Would that mean light jet aircraft flying in and out of the escarpment at night?
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON August 31st, 2012 The beach water monitoring results done by the Regional Health Department revealed the following beaches are safe for swimming:
Halton Hills – Prospect Park Old Beach
Oakville – Bronte Park Beach, Coronation Park East
The following beaches are unsafe for swimming:
Oakville –Coronation Park West
Burlington – Beachway Park
Milton – Kelso Conservation Area
The Beachway Park has been safe for swimming for the past six weeks – this report is a change in the condition of the water.
Unfortunately, other than media posting, the public that uses the Beachway Park in Burlington has no way of knowing if the water is safe or unsafe. There are no signs to indicate the condition of the water. Unfortunate indeed.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON August 31, 2012 Halton Regional Police are investigating a robbery that occurred at a Rogers Wireless store in Burlington. On August 30th at approximately 1:10 pm three masked suspects entered the Rogers Store located at 3455 Fairview Street Burlington.
One suspect produced a handgun and ordered staff and customers to lie on the floor. The suspects demanded cash and access to the store safe where they stole a quantity of cell phones. They then left the store and fled the area in a waiting vehicle. No staff members or customers were physically injured during the incident.
The suspects are described as follows:
3 black males aged 18 to 25 years old. They were of average height and slim to medium in build. Suspects were wearing dark clothing that included hoodies and balaclavas. They fled in a Silver 4 door Sedan, last observed headed westbound on Fairview Street.
Anyone with information pertaining to this incident is asked to contact the Burlington Criminal Investigation Bureau at 905-825 4747 ext 2315, Crime Stoppers at 1-800 222 TIPS (8477), online at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON Burlington, ON—Aug. 30, 2012 – Burlington resident Michele Benoit who was scheduled to attempt a 45KM Lake Ontario crossing this summer has had to postpone until 2013. In an effort to raise awareness and funds for clean water in Africa, Benoit was scheduled to swim 45KM from Port Dalhousie, St. Catharines to Spencer Smith Park in Burlington on August 17, 2012. Severe, unfavorable weather and water conditions forced the swimmer to reschedule and re-plan for a new date.
“Open water swimming is one of the most unpredictable sports around due to the reliance on the conditions” says Benoit. “You can plan and be completely prepared to attempt a crossing, but if the weather and water do not cooperate, it’s completely out of your control”.
 Lots of pool time this winter for Michele Benoit as she turns her energy and determination to being ready for a 2013 attempt to swim from Port Dalhousie to Burlington as a fund raising event for Waves for Water, a charity that wants to build systems in Africa that will provide fresh water. And this is what Ms. Benoit has had to accept. “I have done everything possible to make my attempt for 2012 but between unfavorable conditions and unavailability of boats and crew at the end of the season, I have to set my sights on next year.”
With the water and the air getting a lot colder now, the focus will be on a new year of training, planning and continuing to raise awareness and funds for clean water in undeveloped countries. “I will be back in 2013 strong, ready and determined to raise as much money as I can for clean water in Africa. “
Ms. Benoit started Waves for Water to help those in need. Her choice to do a swim of this magnitude was to raise awareness and funds and spread the message of ‘Making Waves for Water’ big or small. “This swim has never been about Benoit – it was about how an event can champion a cause”. A new date will be announced in the Spring of 2013.
Maybe Burlington will be able to stand on the pier and watch Benoit arrive at the small beach to the west of the pier currently under construction. The city still talks of it being “open” in the spring of 2013 and if the weather holds that just might be possible.
“I would like to thank my family, my team and everyone who was so incredibly supportive,” Benoit said. “Be ready! I plan to return next year for a successful crossing!”
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON August 30, 2012 The West Nile virus is still very much with us. The Halton Region Health Department reminds residents to continue to cover up, use insect repellent with DEET, and keep mosquitoes out of homes.
 Standing Water Sites Larvicided
August 19 – 25, 2012 The mosquito trapping done by the Regional health staff has found mosquitoes positive for West Nile virus (WNV) for five consecutive weeks. Laboratory test results over the last three weeks bring the total of human infections with WNV in Halton to nine: seven in Burlington and two in Milton.
Two of the Burlington cases were persons who did not have symptoms but were identified during routine testing as part of the blood donation process.
“The risk of infection will be present until temperatures cool significantly, so it is important to protect yourself from mosquito bites and remove areas of standing water where mosquitoes breed,” said Dr. Monir Taha, Associate Medical Officer of Health for Halton Region.
 This is how the virus gets to human beings. Take the common sense precautions. Mosquitoes can transmit WNV to humans after becoming infected by feeding on the blood of birds carrying the virus. About 80% of people who become infected with WNV do not experience any illness, while about 20% will develop West Nile fever.
Less than 1% will develop inflammation of the brain or its lining, or a type of paralysis. That’s a nice number – until you realize that you’re one of the one percent.
Older adults and people with underlying illnesses should be particularly cautious as they are more likely to develop the illness. The following are steps that residents can take to protect themselves and their families from mosquitoes:
Cover up. Wear light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts and pants with tightly-woven fabric.
Avoid being outdoors from early evening to morning when mosquitoes are most active and likely to bite, as well as at any time in shady, wooded areas.
Reduce mosquito breeding sites around your home by getting rid of all water-filled containers and objects. Change the water in bird baths at least once per week.
Use an approved insect repellent, such as one containing DEET.
Make sure your window and door screens are tight and without holes, cuts or other openings where mosquitoes could enter your home.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON August 29.2012 If you missed getting your kids to the Royal Botanical Gardens for the Fairy Queen visit – you can make amends and make sure they get a chance to attend the Teddy Bear Picnic that will take place on two days:
 Every little girl has a very favorite Teddy Bear that can be taken to the Royal Botanical Garden Teddy Bear Picnic. Saturday, September 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, September 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Picnics are being held at the RBG’s Rock Garden, 680 Plains Rd. W
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON August 29, 2012 Burlington experienced its first rail based fatality Tuesday evening when a youth was struck by a locomotive on a westbound GO train at approximately 11:45 pm.
Halton Regional Police are investigating the death of a teenaged boy trespassing on the GO train Lakeshore West line in Burlington.
 Some 400 passengers were kept aboard a westbound GO train late Tuesday evening while police and emergency services investigated a track-side fatality. The train had about 400 passengers and 3 crew and was traveling between the Burlington and Appleby GO stations when the 17 yr old male was struck by the locomotive. The train came to a safe stop and no injuries were reported on the train.
Emergency services were called to the scene and the male was found deceased on the tracks. The Halton Regional Police Collision Reconstruction Unit took charge of the investigation with assistance from GO Transit Safety Officers and CN Police.
Police will not be releasing the name of the teen. His next-of-kin are currently in the process of being notified.
The large group of passengers, many on their way home from various events in Toronto, were contained within the passenger compartments for about an hour and forty five minutes until it was safe to move the train to the Burlington station. Rail service for passenger and freight trains was delayed on this rail line for approximately one hour.
This is the first train fatality to be investigated by the Collision Reconstruction Unit for 2012. The last fatality involving a train occurred on October 27th, 2011 when an Oakville teen, also 17, was stuck by a Toronto bound Amtrak train near Speers Road and Fourth Line in Oakville.
 By Colleen Mulholland, Executive Director, Burlington Community Foundation
BURLINGTON, ON August 28, 2012 Over the past two decades, I’ve seen a lot of positive change in our community. Our city has grown up, from being ‘that place between Oakville and Hamilton’ to being recognized as the second best place to live in Canada.
As a long-time resident, I love to talk about our great city and show people why it’s such an amazing place to live, work and play. Recently, on a perfect blue sky and fluffy white cloud day, I introduced a friend to our lovely waterfront.
Having lived in Toronto’s Harbourfront community for a decade, she’s passionate about water views. So it was truly great to watch her take in and admire our slice of Lake Ontario. A patio afternoon overlooking the water also reminded me why it’s so important to take time to relax, slow down and take in the simple beauty of a summer’s day.
Taking time to take stock is important. And that’s why I’m so excited the Burlington Community Foundation has launched our first-ever Vital Signs initiative.
 Burlington Community Foundation wants to take the pulse of the community. They’d like your input on their initial survey. Closes August 31st. Vital Signs® is a community check-up that takes stock of the vitality of our community by identifying trends in areas that are critical to our quality of life. In 2011, 22 communities across Canada — from Okanagan, B.C. to Nova Scotia — issued Vital Signs® report cards as part of a nationwide community foundation movement to take the pulse of local communities.
Our report will be a factual check-up of key indicators.
 Colleen Mullholland looks forward to the release of the Burlington Community Foundations Vital Signs report to the community – due October 2nd. Using information from local agencies, business and government leaders and community members, as well as relevant and critical statistical data, we’re looking at the gap between rich and poor, health and wellness, arts and culture, the environment and much more.
To ensure we’re also drawing feedback from the broadest possible range of residents, we’ve posted six questions about living and/or working in Burlington on our website. The survey is live until August 31, so I encourage you to take part, spread the word and encourage your friends and neighbours to also get involved.
Our 2012 Vital Signs® report, which will launch on Oct. 2, will provide all of us who live, work and play in Burlington with a deeper and more thoughtful understanding of current issues as well as identify where support is most needed across our city.
We hope Vital Signs® will get people talking, inspire more to take action and help us build an even better city we can all take great pride in.
Visit burlingtonfoundation.org/vital-signs to complete our resident survey and learn more about our 2012 Vital Signs® report.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON August 28, 2012 If things stay the way they are going Burlington`s Marvelous Mike will not have to convince anyone new to vote for him in the next federal election.
Elections Canada is proposing that the boundary for the constituency of Burlington remain the same which means MP Mike Wallace will work the same fields he did last time out – he did rather well then; took 54% of the vote which was an increase from the 48.6% he got in 2008.
 Boundaries for the riding of Burlington will stay the same. Oakville gets an additional seat and Halton gets bits and pieces chopped off. A look at the voting results over the last 20 years shows Burlington to be a distinct Tory blue at the federal level. Torsney was the first to bite into the lead they held all the way back to the 1979 Bill Kempling days.
At her very best Paddy Torsney got 46% of the vote.
Halton, the constituency to the North of Burlington will exchange some territory with Milton
Oakville will lose a small chunk in its northeastern section. Hamilton has a number of changes but Burlington will stay the same.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON August 27, 2012 It is interesting to listen to the views on Burlington`s decision to purchase cars that were not `made in Canada`. Some understand what a world economy is while others are afraid of it.
In the next two days, a distinguished speaker will be in Burlington to talk about his book The Boiling Frog Dilemma. Todd Hirsch, a senior economist with the Alberta Treasury Board asks: WHAT CREATES WEALTH?
The answer to that may be surprising. Economic wealth isn’t created by oil and gas molecules in the ground, nor by an auto assembly plant. It isn’t created by tax credits or subsidies. It isn’t even created by economic development programs. Wealth starts with one thing: an idea.
“The Boiling Frog Dilemma” argues that Canada in the 21st century is at risk of falling behind internationally. We need to seriously “up our game” in terms of creativity, innovation, risk taking, entrepreneurialism, cosmopolitanism, community, and re-thinking environmental stewardship—or risk becoming economically irrelevant on the global stage.
 Hirsch, who will be in Burlington for two days comments on the automotive industry with remarks that are useful for those engaged in the argument as to who the city should have bought new cars from. Hirsch says:
“Consider the automotive industry. It used to be possible to categorize car companies by country. Ford is a US car maker, Toyota is a Japanese car maker, Renault is a French car maker etc. But increasingly this makes no sense. Certainly the head office of the car maker remains fixed to one particular country. But in the 21st century a car could be designed in Japan with computer engineering systems from Switzerland, parts made in Brazil, Mexico and South Korea, an engine built by a German company, marketing campaigns plotted in Japan, the UK and California, environmental and safety testing by a Swedish company and the final assembly in Alabama. The car could then be sold by a retailer in Chicago and run on gasoline made from Alberta`s oil sands.”
Hirsch points out that we are all Global Traders and what we have to do is figure out where in the global chain of production we want to fit.
Many in Burlington seem to feel that the production chain begins and ends at the Ford factory in Oakville and that we have to take care of each other.
There is an opportunity for those people to widen their thinking. Thinkspot! a Burlington creative consulting company has brought Hirsch to the city to talk about his book during four different sessions at the ThinkSpot offices on Locust Street.
Todd Hirsch will be in Burlington next Monday and Tuesday (August 27th and 28th). Debra Pickfield, ThinkSpot head honcho, explains the event: “We are hosting a number of open-invitation events for people to come together at ThinkSpot! , talk with Todd, and hear why he thinks Canada and Canadians could begin tapping into something significant – our ability to create and innovate.”
 ThinkSpot’s Debra Pickfield – wild about Canada’s and Burlington’s economic complacency. “Some of you have heard me talk about Todd Hirsch and the recent book he co-authored “The Boiling Frog Dilemma.” After reading the book it was all I could do not to jump on a plane to Calgary and sit for a day talking with Todd and Robert – here was a book that explained perfectly why I get on my soapbox about creativity, problem-solving and innovation.”
There are a few spots left. Give ThinkSpot! a call and get the details or log into the reservation site. Given the close date – you might just want to take a chance and drop by the ThinkSpot offices.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON August 27, 2012 It was the event that didn’t happen – and an event that was over shadowed by a close to identical event in another city.
Michele Benoit and her team drove to Port Dalhousie ten days ago to begin her swim from that community to Burlington; a distance of 45 km. She didn’t even get started. The weather, decided the experts, was not conducive to a swim and the team headed back to Burlington.
At the same time, a fourteen year old also cancelled her swim because of basically the same weather conditions.
The next day, the Saturday, the weather was close to perfect and Annaleise Carr slipped into the water and made her crossing to Toronto where she was warmly greeted and where the donations to the charity she was swimming for shot up into the tens of thousands.
Meanwhile Michele Benoit has to cancel her swim because the crew she had assembled would not have been able to stay on station for the full 27 hours it was felt she would need to complete her swim had she gone into the water as Carr had done.
Benoit, a 42 year old Registered Holistic Nutritionist, was very disappointed in the delay. One of her crew had to be in Belgium two days later and had to pull out of the support team. The rules for solo swims are rigid – without a full team in place – the swim could not be sanctioned and wouldn’t count.
“Disappointed”, said Benoit “but not discouraged”. Her task now was to re-assemble her team and set a new date and look for windows of opportunity that would also work for her team.
The “swim” is driven by the energy and dedication Benoit brings to this challenge. She has to not only prepare herself physically and emotionally, but she also has to keep her team assembled and then look for weather that will allow what she is setting out to do.
As of Sunday, Benoit was still looking for a 30 foot motor boat to complete the small armada that must accompany her.
 With a full crew and the right weather conditions Michele Benoit will eventually slip into the water, without the wet suit, and swim Lake Ontario. Labour Day weekend might looks like her next date. “I could be in the water Friday night, Saturday night or Sunday night of the holiday weekend we are heading into”, she said. “But I can’t pick a date until I am certain that I have every part of my team in place and then know that the weather will work for me and that Solo Swim will sanction the event. I know that’s asking a lot of the people helping me”, said Benoit.
And so we wait while Benoit continues to make the phone calls that will secure the boat she needs and then we wait for the weather reports. When all those things align, there will be a small splash as she slips into the water at Port Dalhousie and begins swimming – stroke after stroke until some 24 to 27 hours later her crew can see the pier and know that she will soon land at the instant beach next to the pier.
Patience, grit, determination.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON Aug. 26. 2012- Last week Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster was in Ottawa as a city delegate to the Association of Municipalities annual convention and while there accepted the Bicycle Friendly Community bronze medal award on behalf of the city.
Burlington was awarded the bronze rating by the Share the Road Cycling Coalition, an Ontario-based non-profit organization that promotes bicycling as a mode of transportation, recreation and fitness through provincial advocacy.
 The Regional Police use bicycles on a regular basis as part of the way they do their work. Are there any other civic employees using bicycles? Burlington has gone some distance in making the city a more cycle friendly place – in this instance the city is ahead of its citizens. In June and July the city held two Car Free Sundays at which the turnout was less than expected. To the surprise of many the event on Appleby Line had a considerably better turn out than the event held on Brant Street. It was clear to many that the idea needed a re-think.
The Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC) Program, an initiative of the Washington-based League of American Bicyclists, was launched in Canada in August 2010 by Share the Road. The program provides incentives, hands-on assistance, and award recognition for communities that actively support bicycling. Municipalities are judged in five categories often referred to as the Five “E’s” engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation and planning. A community must demonstrate achievements in each of the five categories in order to be considered for an award.
 The city did a photo op in May to promote the idea of cycling to work – threw in a free breakfast for those that showed up. It wasn’t a large crowd. Councillor Dennison is the only serious and sincere cyclist on Council. Bike rack at city hall is seldom full – parking spaces at city hall are well used however – they’re free. Beats a free breakfast. “We have a lot to be proud of,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “Over the last number of years the City of Burlington has committed to adding to our cycling-friendly infrastructure throughout the city. We have increased the number of kilometres of bike lanes and paths and made on-road cycling safer with the installation of signage, buffered and coloured lanes and sharrows. This award also recognizes the work we have done in education and awareness.”
“This award is a reflection of the hard work of city staff and our community leaders,” said Scott Stewart, general manager of development and infrastructure. “I encourage more residents to make the safe and healthy choice of cycling.”
A key focus of the city’s strategic plan, Burlington, Our Future, is increasing the number of people who cycle in the city for both recreation and transportation.
Burlington approved a Cycling Master Plan in 2009. This plan guides the city’s efforts in creating a network of on-road bikeways and multi-use pathways as well as providing policies, practices and programs to encourage more people to cycle.
Burlington has 49 km of bike lanes, 22.5 km of bike boulevards, 19 km of shared use paths and 20.7 km of multi-use paths. Bicycle racks are available at all city facilities and public art bike racks have been installed in the downtown. Bike racks are also mounted on the front of all Burlington Transit buses.
Increasing its cycling infrastructure is just part of the task: work in the areas of education and awareness continue.
The Burlington Sustainable Development Committee and Burlington Central Library are hosting an active transportation seminar; Get it in Gear, on Oct. 18th,from 7 to 9 p.m. The city has a Green Transportation Map – outlining transit routes, trails and tourism destinations in Burlington, available at the Tourism office on Brant Street.
 Burlington was up for a pre-Olympic cycling competition but the opportunity got away from us. Maybe in the future? Burlington got a sense of what was possible when it took a hard look at the idea of holding pre-Olympic elite level races that would have resulted in a jam packed Canada Day. That idea didn`t fly due to problems with the promoter – but we got a clear sense of what was possible. At some point the city will meet up with the right promoter and we will perhaps see elite cycle racing in the community.
In the meantime the cycling infrastructure keeps being added to and more and more roadways are truly bicycle accessible. Hopefully sooner rather than later the city will devote some time and money figuring out how to make the stretch of roadway from Mainway to Fairview bicycle friendly – that for Burlington is the real challenge at Walkers Line and Appleby Line as well. It is what creates that big divide between the Burlington north of the QEW and the Burlington south of the QEW – and until we resolve that one we won`t be united as a city. When that problem is solved – we could win gold!
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON August 17, 2012 The small market that has been operating every Friday in a parking lot on John Street – back behind Centro Gardens reminded me of the Joni Mitchell song Big Yellow Taxi.
The line `put up a parking lot`sort of speaks to the farmers market – it`s held in a parking lot.
An even more telling line is:
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
Till it’s gone
Barry Imber, the driving force behind the idea, had thought there would be a little more in the way of traffic. “It is growing” he said “but not quickly enough for the farmers who spend the four hours at the market each Friday.”
 There is a small collection of fresh from the farm products available at the Farmer’s Market on John Street. More traffic is needed if the market is to continue. Last week Russell Gibbs was back with his honey – he sold out the first time he offered his product – so there is a market. Featherstone Farms has been in since the beginning with their pork and soaps and then added bread.
Farm to Table Meats and Cheese Gypsy as well as Tree & Twig were there. But Imber wants something a little more robust. While he isn’t a vendor he nevertheless wants to promote organic and get some activity into the downtown core – where things can get desperately quiet far too often.
 Barry Imber, the driving force behind the Farmer’s Market on John Street talks with Michelle Macdonald, operator of Featherstone Farms, the providers of soaps, bread and pork products. Imber is working on some food trucks and visiting chefs for the coming weeks to spice it up.` He isn’t seeing a good adoption here. Likewise the vendors aren’t totally comfortable with the traffic either so the whole thing may dissolve sooner than later if people don’t come to the conclusion that they have something special here — their own market in their downtown — the start to something cultural and rich. A real community hub.
If people don’t make an effort to support it soon, it will be gone unfortunately and giving it another try will be that much harder.
And that gets us back to the line:
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
Till it’s gone
The only reason there will be an outdoor market in the downtown core is if people come out and at least try the products. Part of the problem may be that people just don`t know. Our Burlington is certainly doing its part to tell the story.
There will be additional promotional effort put into the project early in September – and then we will see if Imber`s idea was a true addition to the city or just a bit of folly.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON August 23, 2012 When an organization brings in a new leader expect changes – that`s why the new leader was brought in.
City Manager Jeff Fielding, formerly with London, Ontario has been with Burlington for six months now and staff are getting a clearer picture of how he operates.
The city manager has traditionally used an office on the 8th floor, steps away from the Mayor. Fielding has decided to move down to the 6th floor, where he will have an office with his General Managers. Fielding wants to be where his team works and not two floors above them.
He has re-aligned some of the departments that report to the three general managers the city employs. Two, Kim Phillips and Scott Stewart are in place and a third will be hired in the fall to replace Steve Zorbas.
 General Manager Scott Stewart wants his staff to be sharp, come up with good ideas, deliver great service and have some fun while they are at it. Here he models his vacation wear. Councillor John Taylor is on the left with MP Mike Wallace on the right General Manager Scott Stewart heads up what has been called community services – that has been renamed to General Manager Development and Infrastructure. Kim Phillips heads up what has been called Budget and Corporate Services – that will be called Corporate Services.
A third General Manager will be hired in the fourth quarter of the year and Fielding let it be known that third person could well come from within the organization. Bruce Zvaniga, who has done some excellent work recently, is serving as Acting City Manager while Stewart is on vacation. Expect Bruce to be polishing up his resume when the job is posted.
The building on Brant Street is becoming a different city hall. The budget process the city goes through this year will focus on where the city should be investing funds and not get tangled up in the weeds of how much should be spent on pencils and paper clips.
 Soft spoken, direct, wants his people to be creative and bring him new ideas and then expects them to deliver on those ideas. Some staff members will not meet that challenge but for those that do, and there are lots of them, the city is going to be a great place to work. City Manager Jeff Fielding is changing the culture at city hall. In a past budget a senior staff member spent time explaining what some software would do – it was an upgrade of a program used all over the world. Fielding doesn`t want his staff spending time like this. He wants his staff to do forward thinking and will be bringing what he calls a business case approach to deciding the business the city should be in and what they shouldn’t be doing.
For Fielding it is a matter of supporting the staff in what they do, have them see themselves as collectively accountable to the public for the way the city is run. He also wants them to pick up the pace. This is certainly not the approach that was operational at city hall with the previous city manager.
For many of the sharper people at city hall it will be seen as a blessing – an opportunity for them to be both accountable and creative.
Fielding commented on a meeting he took part in earlier in the day when staff was making a presentation. The ideas they put forward “almost brought tears to my eyes”.
Economic development is going to get much more attention from city hall as is investments elsewhere in the city. Community Development Halton has been asked to prepare a business case for an approach to serving the city that will see funds invested in neighbourhoods. Joey Edwardh, Executive Director of CDH has been asked to develop a business case and bring it back to the management team where it will get discussed, debated and some recommendations developed that get taken to city council committee.
The Economic Development Corporation has been asked to produce a new business case as well. Fielding sees the EDC as an investment the city makes – and if that investment is paying off – then it should continue. Operations will continue if the business case can justify them; if not, then the question asked will be: Why are we doing this?
These business cases will be put before Council and they will decide which ones they want to fund.
Fielding tells of the 45 different services the city provides. Each is looked at, reviewed and a case for continuing with the service is put forward and Council decides which they want to continue and which should be abandoned.
For Fielding it is a matter of delivering service. Staff will be asked to make the business case and uses something as simple as the sending of an invoice. It costs the city $1 to mail an invoice but just 40 cents to send it via the web. You can see where he is going with this kind of thinking.
 Master University is developing a three year program that will significantly improve the management skills of senior and middle management staff at city hall. As many as 150 staff members will be taking courses over a three year period. Staff development is getting much more attention. The city is about to conclude an agreement with the DeGroote campus of McMaster University that will have staff taking courses designed specifically for the city. Paul Bates, Andrea Mior at McMaster and Laura Boyd and Roy Male at city hall are working this up – we may see more than thousands of children heading back to classrooms in the fall.
Fielding is asking much more of his staff than they have been used to. Those that see civic administration as a career opportunity will meet the challenge while others will begin to feel very uncomfortable at city hall. Fielding added that salaries at city hall will reflect the cost of living increases but staff won`t be getting all of it. “We are coming in a little below the actual cost of living increases.”
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON August 23, 2012 The Halton Children’s Aid Society has investigated a complaint against a Halton Board of Education teacher thought to be sexually exploiting a student. Halton Regional Police recently arrested Carol Shepherd, 48, of Burlington, Ontario and charged her with one count of Sexual Exploitation and one count of Sexual Assault in connection with incidents which occurred between 2005 and 2010.
 Former Halton Board of Education teacher charged with sexual exploitation During this time, the accused was employed as a teacher for the Halton District School Board. As of June 2012, the accused was no longer employed by the HDSB.
Police do not believe there are further victims attributed to the accused.
Anyone with additional information is requested to contact D/Cst Charlotte Zarowny at 905-465-8979, or an investigator in the Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Bureau at 905-465-8970.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON August 23, 2012 The first clue is the handle bar mustache that is now snow white. The moment you see it you just know this is a military guy. Then you hear him addressed as Major and the suspicion is confirmed. The next question is – which service – and if it was the army you know the man has an ass as hard as nails. Turns out Joe Veitch was Royal Air Force Major – which softens the image, but not by much.
 Joe Veitch, mover and shaker at the Seniors’ Centre listens patiently, to anyone who wants to talk to him – but then he wants to get a decision made and get something done. Joe Veitch tends to get right to the point and while not abrupt he doesn’t know how to doddle over anything. The day we met at the Seniors’ Centre Veitch had had his toe nails done. “It’s one of the things you can get done here and it costs just $22. We then went for coffee – $1 a cup if you buy a card that gets you ten cups.
Breakfast comes in at $6.11 and it was the setting up of this breakfast service for the seniors that Joe Veitch was awarded one of the Queen’s Jubilee Medals which is now on his uniform along with a Canadian Forces Decoration. He has yet to wear it in public.
 Joe Veitch inspecting the medals on his uniform. He was a recent recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee medal for the work he did in setting up a Seniors Breakfast program at the Centre This new commemorative medal was created to mark the 2012 celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada. The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal is a tangible way for Canada to honour Her Majesty for her service to this country. At the same time, it serves to honour significant contributions and achievements by Canadians. During the year of celebrations, 60,000 deserving Canadians will be recognized.
This new medal gets added to the Canadian Forces Decoration which Veitch holds. It is awarded to officers of the Canadian Forces, who have completed twelve years of service. Veitch has the medal and one bar.
With his military career in his past Veitch now focuses on the Seniors’ Centre in Burlington where 3,000 members make heavy use of the facility on New Street, situated next to the Lawn Bowling Green, the YMCA, the Library and the Central Arena – with plenty of parking as well and excellent transit service.
During my time at the Centre the meeting room where people can have their meals was as busy, if not more so, than most of the restaurants I have been to in Burlington.
The Region classifies the Centre as a “private club” which gives Veitch considerable satisfaction and a bit of a chuckle.
 The Seniors Centre is run by a Board of Management. They are always on the lookout for young at heart board members. The centre is run by a 12 member Board of Management – elections will take place at the end of September. The BOM was required by the city to incorporate, which the city made easy by putting up the money to cover the cost of that incorporation.
The Centre has a nice solid sum in their reserve fund – between $120,000 and $130,000 and has managed to get the city to pay the GST/HST tax the Centre neglected to collect on its goods sales over the last ten years or so. It is clear that one has to make sure their wallet is tucked away in your pocket when you negotiate with these people.
While the difficulties the Centre had with the city over the handling of the woman who runs the kitchen, Veitch is quick to say that he believes the problems can and will be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction. Little wonder that Veitch would make such a statement after the almost total “give in” on the part of the city during the first stage of negotiations.
“This used to be a very happy place before the difficulties” explained Veitch “and I hope we can get it back to that.“
The revenue from the memberships, classes and rentals all goes to the city”, explains Veitch. “we get to keep the revenue from the Bistro and from the sales of items from our Boutique”.
“The city”, according to Veitch, “put up $320,000 each year to subsidize the Centre” – which Veitch says works out to $106 per senior; “and that’s a lot more than they put up for every visitor to the Art centre or the Performing Arts Centre`, declares Veitch.
 In 2006, this is where seniors tended to live in Burlington Longer term, what are the future needs of the Centre and its Seniors’ going to be – Veitch doesn’t have much to say on that level. He does feel that at some point the building will have to be expanded and he feels there should be facilities for seniors north of the QEW. “There are some programs for the seniors at Tansley Woods as well as some programing at Brant Hills – but the New Street Centre is definitely “Senior Central”.
 In 2011 more seniors were living north of the QEW, but the services they require haven’t moved with them – yet. The challenge for the city and the seniors community is to align the services with where seniors live in the city. If funding were available what would Veitch like to see – a swimming pool would be very nice to have.
When asked if having a public health nurse on site, a couple of hours each day a few days each week would make sense, Veitch wanted to know who would pay for it. When it was suggested it would be cheaper for the hospital to have a nurse come to the Centre rather than have dozens of seniors clogging up the waiting rooms at Joe Brant Veitch saw the wisdom in that. Long term thinking isn’t on the agenda at the Seniors` Centre.
The Seniors have exclusive use of the space during each day. The city gets to use it at night.
As one listen to Veitch and those that drop by for a few words, you quickly realize that they certainly understand and have no problems wielding their political clout. “Mike Wallace is a fine fellow” says Veitch. “He takes good care of us and we take good care of him.”
That’s not something that just Wallace does; Patti Torsney, a former Burlington MP, did the same thing when she was the Member of Parliament for the city. The seniors will go with whoever offers them the best deal; something the politicians never want to forget. With the number of seniors rising every year – politicians at every level are going to have to come to terms with the fact that at some point they are going to have to say no. The seniors don’t believe they have the courage to do that.
Next Saturday registration for the fall programs begins and Veitch expects the place to once again become a hub of happy people enjoying their retirement years. Joe Veitch is certainly enjoying his.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON August 23, 2012 It was just after 1 am in the morning when the fire trucks raced up Longmeadow Drive in Burlington to find no one but two cars ablaze.
It didn’t take long for police to extinguish the fire; nor did it take very long to determine that an accelerant had been used to start the fires.
 Burlington Fire fighters quickly extinguished a blaze on Longmeadow Drive, Arson is suspected. The fire was quickly extinguished with no further property damage and no injuries. Total damage is estimated at $15,000.00.
This appears to be an isolated incident and the Halton Police are investigating this matter as an act of arson. There are no suspects at this time and the investigation is continuing by the 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747, Ext. 2305, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON August 21, 2012 It was one of those summer evenings when the living is easy.
The mosquitoes weren’t biting and the air was cool enough for some people to wear sweaters as they set their chairs out on the lawn in front of the Band shell at Central Park next to the library.
 Seniors with their chairs set out in neat rows listening to Alchemy Unplugged at the Band shell last week. While no one told people where to put their chairs – there they were set out in neat rows, but all some distance from the stage – which is unusual for concerts.
 Singing a tune and scanning the crowd Lisa Farmer entertains seniors at the band shell on a summer night. Lisa Farmer and Daren Swanson – known in the world of music as Alchemy Unplugged, were on the stage as part of the city’s summer entertainment program. Lisa and Daren are a favourite with the seniors set. They write music of their own and are in the process of recording an album at their own studio.
Daren is the kind of guy who can string things together and actually make them work.
Lisa serves as back up on the technical side but when it comes to the voice – hers is definitely the dominant one. She has a nice, light clear tone and can move from boogey woogey to soul searching blues and then blast out a piece done by the Eagles.
While the audience didn’t rush the stage there was a gentleman who could move rather well to the different tunes and he just needed to be out there grooving away in his own world. Then there was a delightful young lady who found the music much to her liking and she too climbed up on the stage and for a few minutes danced with Lisa and then decided she would just park herself at the feet of the entertainers and wave her arms to the sway of the sound.
 Lisa Farmer and Daren Swanson are a favourite with the seniors crowd. The two of them harmonize very nicely and have an album in the works. She wasn’t doing any harm but there came a point when it was time for her to leave and Lisa, in a beautiful dignified manner helped the young woman off the stage and back to her parents. No fuss, no bother. The youth was enjoying the music and was doing what came naturally to her. The polite, dignified way she was handled was a pleasure to see.
When she left with her parents – Lisa called out – good night. She should have been given a round of applause for that gesture.
All part of the way Burlington is – polite.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON August 21, 2012 The fire on the top floor of the Riviera Motel will mean the demolition of that building in the very near future. If not because the building is now an even greater public hazard, it will be because the owners of the property have four months to get something in the way of real plans into the hands of the city and then be approved by the Conservation Authority before new set back rules come into play that have the potential to put an end of any significant development on the site.
 Fire damage to the top floor of the Riviera Motel was extensive, and arson was thought to perhaps be the cause of the blaze to the abandoned motel. No report yet from the Office of the Fire Marshall. The property, which has been in the development potential stage since 1985, has been hampered by market conditions and the inability to find the right hotel development partner and thus land that has been approved for three buildings: two seven storey structures and one 22 storey structure – a fact that many people in Burlington still don’t know about or fully understand.
Assuming the developer, Mayrose Tyco, comes up with acceptable plans and gets the approvals before the end of the year, we are probably going to see construction begin at the site sometime in the spring.
 An architectural rendering of what the developers would like to build on the Riviera Motel site. While it will be some time before we see a 22 storey structure on the waterfront, we may see a seven (possibly eight) storey hotel in time for the Pan Am Games. All we will see during this first phase of construction is the building of the seven story hotel. The developers have asked for an additional floor which the hotel will use as administration and marketing offices. This is apparently something going through the committee of adjustment.
The public seldom hears much, if anything, from the developer. They prefer to work through city hall where informing the public is not always a top priority.
There was the hope that the Waterfront Access and Advisory Committee would serve as a source for information and also as a bit of a watchdog for the citizens of the city, but that proved not to be the case.
The city shut down that committee earlier this year because it wasn’t doing quite what was expected. As city general manager Scott Stewart put it at a council meeting: We voted with our feet and walked from the Advisory committee meetings.
Waterfront Advisory Committee chair Nicholas Leblovic said he had been blind-sided by the city’s decision. That wasn’t the way most people, including many members of the committee, saw that decision.
The Waterfront Advisory committee will cease to exist on December 31st. They used to meet once a month and will probably continue to do so, until the mandate they had ends.
Both the Mayor and Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward have said they will create their own Advisory committees and run them out of their office. This makes the waterfront situation even more political than it should be.
As an Advisory committee the Leblovic committee had a diverse membership with representation from each ward that had the potential to reflect the views of the city. With that committee gone – well, things won’t get any better and the developers will be able to work with city hall with little in the way of true public input. We all lose with this set up.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON August 20, 2012 Just over a year ago, the city agreed to requests to delay the due date for the re-tendering of the construction of the Pier at the foot of Brant Street.
The contract was awarded to Graham Infrastructure, a Calgary based company that partnered with an Ontario firm to take on the task of building a pier that had been plagued with problems almost from the day the idea was conceived.
 The flat bed truck arrived just after noon last Friday Between now and then the job was to remove the steel that had been installed a few years ago. There has been some fixing up here and there on the pier but no real construction work because the steel needed was not available and when the steel needed was available it had to go through levels of testing that were far beyond the norm for this type of bridge construction work.
But – the steel did arrive and the fabricators did overcome the concerns the quality control and quality assurance people had and the city now has ten girders on site with five more due on Monday which means actual construction can begin.
 The crane that will lift the girders and lower them into place is on site. Some wonder if it came with a guarantee that it wouldn’t topple over. The crane that will lift girders in place where they can be bolted together is on site and will begin swinging them into place on Monday.
The construction work gets done in segments with steel going into place, then form work being done for the concrete pour and then the actual pouring of the concrete.
 On site almost daily is Burlington’s Jimmy Tapp checking on the progress. Here he talks with Pier Project Manager Craig Stevens. After that it is a case of the construction people doing their best and hoping that the weather will cooperate.
Once poured, concrete needs 28 days to cure properly with all kinds of testing along the way.
Some of that concrete pouring is due to be done late in October and into November when weather will be the critical factor.
Last year the construction people will tell you – we didn’t even have a winter, Will the same weather conditions prevail this winter There are a lot of people hoping so, but the construction people aren’t betting on it.
 The two guys that are going to see this project through are Craig Stevens, Pier Project Manager for the city and Eric Carriere who works with Graham Infrastructure. What everyone now knows is that the pier is under construction and with a bit of a break from the weather we will see it opened in 2013. The Festivals and Events people at city hall might have already started planning the party – maybe it will be a civic holiday.
Stevens, who did project management work on the Performing Arts Centre says “the weather was so good, the winter we worked on that project, that we were able to go right through and not shut down for the winter.”
That building was protected quite a bit because it was tucked in behind another building whereas the pier is exposed to the wind coming off the lake.
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