The seven members of city council, sitting as members of the Planning and Development Standing Committee, voted to send the proposal to city council for approval.
A petition has been created for those who want to oppose the Planning and Development committee approved development.
Five of the seven council members recommended that a revised development proposal go to city council where it has to be approved if it is to go forward.
Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward and the Mayor opposed the development. Those two are expected to run for the office of Mayor in 2018.
The people who started the petition are looking for 1500 signatures – at this point they have more than 1300. Petition
Marianne Meed Ward with the Mayor.
City council meets Monday evening at 6:30 where approval of the Standing Committee will be debated. A number of delegations are registered to speak for five minutes each.
What does a former Mayor say to the current Mayor on issues they disagree on?
Mary Munro – Burlington Mayor 1997 and 1998
Mary Munro, Burlington’s Mayor in 1977 and 1998 has said to Walter Mulkewich Mayor from 1992 to 1997 that she didn’t ever vote for a high rise on Lakeshore Road.
The Bridgewater project was approved during Mulkewich’s term as Mayor.
Now Munro wants our current Mayor to know that she isn’t particularly impressed with what he is doing either.
In a Letter Munro said:
Dear Mayor Goldring:
First of all, I was bemused the City Manager, James Ridge, led off @ what was a Planning Committee discussion of a proposed project. Also bemused by his statement of the desirable merits of the project, leaving no doubts about his support. I wonder about Ridge’s history and his planning experience, let alone the propriety of his intervening @ the outset of discussion — would it be he wanted to forestall the usual agenda, i.e. Planning Dept.’s introduction and explanations of the effects of the project? or to discourage interveners’ arguments or presentations ?
Burlington city manager James Ridge
I believe Ridge’s statements were prejudicial to the aim of the public meeting, i.e to hear from Burlington citizens their views, and to let City Councillors debate the issues without the bias, possibly formed by Ridge’s remarks.
On the merits of the project , as an active and involved Burlington resident since 1959, I somehow “blew it” by long before now, not being aware of the changes to the Official Plan and Zoning By-Laws that allow dense development on Burlington’s “Main Street “. I thought , obviously wrong, we all had a vision of Burlington following the wise moves of our sister communities on the shores of Lake Ontario to stand against density in their downtown and to promote historical and profitable enterprises in their town centres.
It seems to me, B has little likely hood of becoming more than a city of tall towers, not treasuring it’s history and wonderful attractions. More than that, it might be possible to affect change, so late in the game, by looking carefully at candidates in our next City election.
Ask yourself, do we really want reps who say “The future is in tall buildings.” Or one who called “the project fantastic”. Or one who said ” Councillors have to view everything from a high level'”.
This is your city evolved by truly dedicated people — so why not take ownership of your own interests in how we live?
Burlington is in the midst of perhaps the most significant changes it has had to deal with in 20 years. Brant Street is going to look a lot different in ten years; the waterfront will undergo some change. The way people get around the city will change. These are all complex matters. The Gazette will publish a series of articles on what is planned for the Waterfront Hotel site at the foot of Brant Street. This is the first of that series.
A number of years ago during a conversation with a resident about the planned development of a property that was once the Rivera Motel I mentioned the proposed height. The resident said: “I don’t think you have that right, the city would never allow a building that high on the south side of Lakeshore Road in the Downtown core.”
Architectural rendering of the Bridgewater project – view is from the lake. The Waterfront Hotel re-development is to the left (west) of the Bridgewater project.
Little did she know that the city had indeed approved – in 1995 – a structure that was originally going to be 30 storeys but got cut back to 22 storeys. They called it a “Legacy” development in those days.
Today it is known as the Bridgewater project: it rises higher and higher each day as the three structure development begins to change the skyline.
Progress!
Dee Dee Davies, the woman who does a lot of the legwork from the Burlington Waterfront Group sent us a note recently saying there is “Lots happening related to our waterfront.
“This relates to the hotel and private lands at the foot of Brant Street and Lakeshore Road. The city wants to get ahead of the game by determining the resident’s perspective and setting new zoning standards for the updated Official Plan.
The Waterfront Hotel is on the left – the excavated site of the Bridgewater three structure development is on the right.
Following several community workshops, where the city’s consultant appeared to be taking note of the community’s wishes, a preferred concept was presented at the final public workshops on September 14.
That preferred concept “calls for two buildings with various numbers of levels stepped down towards the lake. The west tower would be between 14 – 18 floors and the east tower between 20 – 25 floors, with a 25 metre separation between the towers as public space.
This retains the view corridor along John Street. The buildings would be commercial, residential, hotel, and public service (public washrooms) uses.
Dee Dee Davies went on to say that: “Residents have concerns over this preferred concept on so many fronts. We heard they want only buildings on the east side closest to the Bridgewater complex of less than 20 stories to maximize green space adjacent to Spencer Smith Park. We, along with some of our community partners, are working to develop a concept plan that meets residents needs and present this to city staff before they meet with Council in November.
Dee Dee Davies wants to ensure that the alternative concept put forward by the residents gets serious consideration before it is too late.
On Thursday, Sept. 14, two community workshops took place at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. At the workshops, results from a survey that asked for input on three concepts for the site were shared and an emerging concept for the site was presented. Table group discussions also took place to obtain further input.
The city has said that “With input from the Sept. 14 meetings as well as information from additional technical studies, the emerging concept will be refined. Draft preferred concepts are expected to be presented to Burlington City Council in November 2017.”
Burlington is a different city today – what city council decided to do in 1995 for the Bridgewater project is not what they would get away with today.
Many are very upset with what they see coming out of the Mobility Hub studies. Some are apoplectic over a 23 storey tower going up across the street from city hall. That decision has been made; it was approved on a 5-2 at a Standing Committee meeting and goes to city Council on November 13th for final approval.
The darker blue area is where the Waterfront re-development is going to built. What the Bridgewater development will look like when completed is on the right.
The work being done by the Waterfront Hotel Planning Study is being led by Todd Evershed and Rosalind Minaji. Their mandate is a study that specifically addresses redevelopment options for the Waterfront Hotel site at 2020 Lakeshore Road. The team has ongoing discussion and dialogue with the planners doing the Mobility Hub planning.
The Waterfront Hotel Planning Study Stakeholder Advisory Committee includes Mayor Rick Goldring, Councillor Marianne Meed-Ward, Darko Vranich owner of the hotel, Kyle Plas, Denise Beard, Charles Priddle, Curt Benson, Lisa De Angelis, Mark Eade, Susan Morrissey and Hashem Mousavi
“The Waterfront Hotel planning study will guide the property owner in the redevelopment of the site. Located next to two of Burlington’s most significant landmarks, Spencer Smith Park and the Brant Street Pier, input from residents is needed to ensure the new development reflects a high quality of urban design that enhances the community’s access to the waterfront and the downtown.”
The Planning Study for the redevelopment of the waterfront site at Lakeshore Road and Brant Street, including the Waterfront Hotel, has been underway for some time. Some of the land south of the Waterfront Hotel is landfill which brought the Conservation Authority into the picture.
The city has known for some time that Darko Vranich owner of the hotel has wanted to increase the density on the property and construct a much larger hotel complex.
The thinking, going back at least ten years, was to re-orient the hotel and have its focus westward along what is now called the Naval Promenade. All kinds of reports and studies were commissioned.
When the owner of the Waterfront hotel let the city know that he wanted to add some height to the land there was an agreement struck that the city would hire people to come up with some design ideas. Three teams of designer/thinkers were to be assembled; two would work with the city – a third would work with the developer. And the developer would pay for all three studies.
That got us to where we are today.
But the natives are restless – they have seen where the developers want to take Brant Street and they fear that the Waterfront hotel property development will become yet another development they have no input on.
The city explains that: “The goal of the Planning Study is to establish the Strategic Framework to guide development on the site by generating and assessing Alternative Redevelopment Explorations, through a public consultation process. The result of the study will be an Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment.
The Brant & Lakeshore Planning Study will establish a Strategic Framework to guide development on the site.
They will develop and assess Optional Redevelopment Concepts along with any formal development applications submitted on behalf of the property owner
The redevelopment of this site must meet the City’s urban design and growth management goals, as well as enhance the adjacent public space and waterfront.
All this resulted in a series of Design Charrette sessions. Several frameworks were put in place to guide the design work – Land Use/ Built Form, Public Realm, and Mobility/Access were set out as the guiding principles.
During the design charrette sessions, led by a member of the Project Team, participants developed 8 Explorations for the study area. Four Explorations were developed in both the afternoon and evening sessions.
Each Exploration was developed within a unique framework with varying Land Use/ Built Form, Public Realm, and Mobility/Access characteristics and with the Vision Statement and Design Principles.
These concepts were posted for comment from the public, community groups, City staff, the Stakeholder Advisory Committee and The Planning Partnership team, and distilled into 4 Explorations based on the input received.
Here is what came out of those design sessions:
The ideas that came out of each Exploration session (there were four of them with afternoon and evening sessions) were displayed as a drawing and then as a visualization of the drawing.
Session 1
Exploration 1 Afternoon session
City visualization Exploration 1 afternoon session
City visualization of the Exploration 2 afternoon session
Exploration 2 evening event
City visualization of Exploration 2 evening session.
Session 2
Exploration 2 – afternoon session
Session 3
Exploration 3 – afternoon session
Exploration 3 – evening session.
Session 4
Exploration 4 evening session
City visualization of exploration 4 evening session
Out of all the work done by the design charettes two distinctly different views are now before the public.
The city planning department Preferred Concept and the design put forward by the community group – Plan B.
This is the plan that a citizen’s group wants. They have moved all the buildings on the east side of the site leaving a much more open area at the foot of Brant Street.
The city planning department has put forward what they are calling the “Emerging Preferred Concept that will have the public access at the foot of John Street and a more limited access at the foot of Brant.
Who owns the domes; who operates them, who pays for them. BYSC wants to sets the record straight.
By Staff
November 10, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Disputes over the use of the Domes at Sherwood Forest Park are not new.
A group of soccer player who organized themselves into a consortium complained recently about the way they felt they were treated by the Burlington Youth Soccer Club (BYSC).
A link to that complaint appears at the bottom of this news story.
The BYSC wants to set the record straight and have released the following statement.
Unfortunately some adult soccer leagues, including Burlington Soccer League (BSL) and Burlington Women’s Recreational Soccer League (BWRSL), jointly calling themselves the “Burlington Soccer
Consortium” have chosen to spread misinformation about Burlington Youth Soccer Club programs and it’s Joint Venture Agreement with the City of Burlington for the Domes at Sherwood Forest Park.
The BYSC would like to ensure proper information and facts are being reported and distributed.
The BYSC is sanctioned as both an Adult and Youth club within Ontario Soccer and has been operating Adult programs at the U21 and Senior levels for decades.
As part of its Strategic Plan for 2017-2021, BYSC has committed to expand outdoor and indoor programs to create lifelong opportunities for players. This began with the launch of Lil Burli for toddlers, Embracing Ability (a program in partnership with Special Olympics Ontario, for players with and/or without intellectual and/or physical disabilities) and Walking Soccer for players 50+ and/or those with mobility issues.
This fall we have expanded our House League + and technically managed teams for youth. In the 2017 Summer Outdoor Season, we added an Adult Coed Open Age league to our program choices. This fall we launched our Adult Indoor Leagues and have 44 teams registered and participating. Offering these programs as part of the BYSC Strategic Plan aligns with the City’s Strategic Plan and its Active Aging Plan to create environments to encourage people of all ages and abilities to pursue lifelong physical activity and remain socially active.
The Domes in Sherwood Forest Park are paid for and operated by the BYSC at the BYSC’s expense. All capital expenditures, maintenance and operations are paid for by the BYSC with no money from taxpayers. We are also required by our Joint Venture Agreement with the City to set aside funds annually for a capital replacement fund. To date, the BYSC has paid more than $5 million to operate and cover the capital costs of the Domes.
To give perspective, here is a breakdown of the expenses incurred by the BYSC to maintain and operate the Domes in 2017 alone:
• $130,000 (lighting changes in all 3 Domes to LED to be more energy efficient “green”) • $165,000 (replace mechanical unit, HVAC, and airlock for Dome 1) • $120,000 (annual costs for set-up, removal, storage) • $40,000 (annual costs for hydro) • $65,000 (annual costs for gas heating) • $15,000 (general repairs and maintenance) • Total $535,000
In 2018 the BYSC will be funding 7/12 of the turf replacement under Domes 2 and 3, as part of our Joint Venture agreement with the City, which is estimated to cost the BYSC $500,000.
As the BYSC pays for and operates all three Domes seven months of the year that they are up, the BYSC has exclusive use of the Domes through its Joint Venture agreement and prioritizes its own programs and activities in the Domes.
BYSC may choose to make the remaining hours available to third parties as we have done in the past. We have expanded our programs on both the youth and adult side, thus we have fewer hours available to be rented. In some cases, this has meant adjusting the time slots offered to renters.
The City of Burlington is renaming two of its departments to more accurately reflect the services that are provided to the residents.
As of Jan. 1, 2018 Roads and Parks Maintenance will become the Roads, Parks and Forestry Department; and Planning and Building will become the Department of City Building – Planning, Building and Culture.
The services provided by each of the departments will not change.
The Roads, Parks and Forestry Department provides:
• Road and sidewalk maintenance including inspections, repairs and winter control • Loose leaf collection and street sweeping • Forestry operations including inspections, pruning, removals, planting and education • Park maintenance including playgrounds, park furnishings and fencing, waste removal, and park buildings • Storm sewers and creek maintenance • Cemetery operations
The Department of City Building – Planning, Building and Culture provides:
• Building, plumbing, heating, swimming pool, septic system, and sign permits • Bylaw customer service • Building inspections • Building permit customer service • Business and lottery licensing • Official Plan/planning policy • Development application review • Development customer service • Zoning customer service • Committee of Adjustment • Urban design • Mobility hubs planning • Public art • Culture planning and implementation
Mary Lou Tanner, City Planner making a point with Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor
Mary Lou Tanner, director of Department of City Building – Planning, Building and Culture, who now gets a new business card said: “Changing the name from Planning and Building to the Department of City Building – Planning, Building and Culture will help eliminate some confusion for residents who have questions, streamlining customer service.”
Mary Battaglia, director of Roads, Parks and Forestry Department tell us that: “The name change more accurately reflects what we do. The Department of Roads, Parks and Forestry provides three important services for residents that are all reflected in the new name. It’s a simple change and it just makes sense.”
This just means printing up a whole bunch of new business cards.
The Draft of the Official Plan will be public on Friday – it runs close to 1000 pages. Those with a major interest in the contents of that document are going to have less than 20 days to respond to it.
Suzanne Mammel, the Halton Hamilton Home Builders Association (HHHBA) Executive Officer explains that Official Plans usually go through at least half a dozen versions. The current document is in its second version.
Burlingtonians complain loudly and frequently about how city council fails to uphold there Official Plan.
There are four Mobility Hub studies taking place. The city wants to get the Downtown Core Mobility Hub approved before the end of the year.
There are the plans for the redevelopment of the Waterfront Hotel property that the city is pushing with their Emerging Preferred Concept. There are citizens who don’t like what they are seeing.
What’s the rush?
The word is that James Ridge the city manager wants as much of this as possible approved by city council before they all move into major election mode.
There are citizens who want to suggest to the city manager that he lighten up and let these issues become election issues.
Back in 1995 city council approved the building of a hi-rise tower on Lakeshore Road – roughly where the Riviera Motel used to be.
It was originally going to be 30 storeys high. Shovels didn’t go into the ground until 2016 by which time the project became a three building project: 22 storey condo, 9 storey hotel and a smaller 7 storey condo.
The Bridgewater development – seen from Lakeshore Road.
Many people were surprised when they learned of the project – they felt the view of the lake was being lost.
There is now another project that threatens to lessen the view of the lake – but this time city council is not going to get as easy a ride as they did in 1995.
There is a group of citizens that want to ensure that the public has a lot to say about this project before it goes too far.
The project is the plans to re-develop the Waterfront Hotel property.
There have been numerous public workshops – registration was less than 50 people most times.
The Planners want to take their favoured concept to a city council Standing committee at the end of the month.
Not so fast is the approach a group known as Plan B who want to slow the decision making process down to allow for far more public input.
They have a petition and a survey they would like people to take part in. Here is their story.
We are circulating links to a City survey and a Petition that we hope you will complete. The Petition takes about 1 minute and the survey maybe 2. This is your chance to influence what direction the City takes with your waterfront.
You may be aware that Burlington City Staff are in the process of developing a master plan for the property on the south side of Lakeshore Road at the foot of Brant Street where the Waterfront Hotel is currently located. This is required prior to the land being redeveloped by its owner.
Staff will be taking two concepts to City Council on November 28, 2017 at 6:30 pm (City Hall). Their first, Option A was developed by a consultant after several meetings with residents. It didn’t capture what residents were asking for, so they developed Option B. Again, it doesn’t capture what citizens are asking for and in some sense could be considered worse, so they are seeking input.
On November 6, three community organizations – Plan B (Burlington Waterfront Hotel Redevelopment), Burlington Waterfront, and Burlington Green met with city staff to discuss an alternative that more closely aligns with what we have heard residents asking for at the public meetings held by City staff.
City staff have a survey on their website asking for input on their two options. Plan B has a petition asking residents to say no to City’s Option A and yes to Citizen Plan B that mitigates some of the issues of the City’s Option B.
Please open the link to the Petition first to view the Plan B proposal prior to completing the City survey so you can reply with an informed perspective.
The Burlington Waterfront organization came out of what was once the Waterfront Advisory Committee that was set up by then Mayor Cam Jackson. The 2010 city council disbanded that committee.
At the time both the Mayor and the then newly elected Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward said they were going to set up waterfront committees. The Mayor either lost interest or was beaten to the punch by Meed Ward. She worked with interested people to get them started but never actually ran the committee.
Why didn’t the Mayor and Meed Ward work together? Not a chance – Meed Ward has wanted to be Mayor since the day she decided to run for public office.
Burlington Waterfront is now a group of people who keep their eye on the waterfront and hold informative public meetings. Part of that operation is a group called Plan B – they didn’t like what they sensed was the city was going in and they began to organize.
Ward 2 city Councillor Marianne Meed Ward has always been a strong social media maven. She understands the technology and as a television broadcaster understands the visual medium.
Marianne Meed Ward at a city council meeting.
She is strongly opposed to the approval of a 23 storey structure at the corner of James and Brant street – opposite city hall.
Council gave the building its approval at a Standing Committee a few days ago. That recommendation goes to city Council on the 13th where it gets made the law of the land. If Council votes for the recommendation that came from the Standing Committee (and given that the same people are on the Committee and city council, the expectation is that it will be passed) a bylaw is passed and that’s the end of that story.
Meed Ward has never shied away from controversy. She is described as divisive – as if there is something wrong with that.
The two votes against the project were from the Mayor and Meed Ward. In order for that committee vote to be changed at city council two of the five that voted for it will have to change their minds. It is a defining moment for the city.
Councillors Craven, Taylor, Sharman, Dennison and Lancaster voted for the development.
Meed Ward produced a video – about a minute and a half long. She doesn’t mince her words.
Check it out.
Kelly Childs, owner of Kellys Bake Shop has also done a video. Hers runs for a full 32 minutes.
It’s a time to pause, reflect, think of those we lost, wonder why we feel we have to go to war.
Soldiers leave for war watched by their families at Union Station in Toronto, 1914.
Canada has never been a war zone. Our young men and women have gone to war. In Burlington they marched up Brant to the train station and boarded trains that took them to Montreal where they boarded ships to England where they waited. And then it was time to sail for Europe where battles that are beyond the imagination took place. For those men who were on the front lines and survived to return were never the same.
Troops in the British Columbia Duke of Connaught’s own rifles marching-down Eighth Street in New Westminster. Did that Father return.
We will listen to the news and hear the rattle of the sabres as the President of the United States postures and puts us all in danger.
Compare his words with those from the song – “All we are saying is give peace a chance.”
Teresa Seaton has found a way to take the remembering beyond what we have done in the past.
On Saturday afternoon when the parade is over she has invited people to her gallery to listen to Dave Barry begin a presentation that will start with an introduction of Canadian historical art that will examine the contribution of Canadian war artists in both WW1 and WW2 and the aftermath of 9/11.
The city events begin with a Sunrise Remembrance Day Service at 9 a.m., at the Naval Ships Memorial Monument in Spencer Smith Park.
The Remembrance Day Parade starts at 10:30 am at Central Public School and proceeds along Brant to Elgin Street, Elgin to Locus Street, Locust to Ontario Street
The Remembrance Day Service begins at 11:00 am with the 45 to 60 minute ceremony at the Cenotaph, on the north side of City Hall.
They have been doing it for 17 years – the annual Halton Regional Police Service Toys for Tots Holiday Campaign
The campaign is a program that aims to provide toys to less fortunate families living within Halton Region.
This year they have partnered with Canadian Tire, the Salvation Army, Mandarin Restaurant and Halton Honda to collect and provide toys to families in need.
The official kick-off will be on Wednesday November 15, 2017; 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. at Canadian Tire, 777 Guelph Line, Burlington.
It’s one of those programs that calls for all hands to be on deck – more than 4000 needy families benefit.
In 2016, the Halton Regional Police Service Toys for Tots program raised more than $248,810 in toys, gift cards, cash and food for 4,350 local families in need.
Honorary Regional Police Officers, wrestling living legends and humanitarians, Tiger Jeet Singh and Tiger Jeet Singh Jr. will be part of this festive season of giving.
For more information about the Toys for Tots program, visit www.haltonpolice.ca under Events or contact Constable Steve Elms at 905-825-4747 ext. 5240 or steve.elms@haltonpolice.ca.
The monthly Rocca Sisters analysis of the real estate market in the area has not included condominiums, mainly because taking the temperature of the condo market every month would have resulted in the same old same old.
That is changing.
Starting January 1st, they will be monitoring the condo market – it will be treated separately and include condo stats each month.
Bunton’s Wharf – one of the several condominiums strung along the north side of LAkeshore Road, Sales of condo units will be published in 2018
In the meantime, the condo market has become very relevant in many of our trading areas.
In October we saw 95 condominiums sell which is down over 25% as compared to the same period last year however, we saw the average price increase by 20% which is about 3 times more than the average price increase we would normally see.
We are chalking it up to affordability and first time home buyers. With the average price of a condo at $510,000 and the average price of a freehold home at $910,000, it’s no wonder buyers are turning to the condominium market, some out of choice and some out of necessity.
The month of October saw a just over 3% increase in prices paid, as compared to last October and a 7% decline in the number of sales.
YTD however, Burlington is still holding on to a 15% increase in sale prices with a 10% decrease in the number of sales.
There are approximately 80 Active listings for lease, many of which have been on the market for over 30 days.
Details on the residential market in Burlington are set out below.
During a media event earlier today Detective Sergeant Dave Costantini , 1 District Criminal Investigations Bureau explained how some pervasive criminal activity is costing all of us a small fortune – $5 billion which is the value of the goods stolen through cargo theft.
So far this year there have been 1336 cargo thefts in the country with 90% of them taking place in the GTA.
This is how the news story makes it to the evenng news. From the left: D/Sgt Dave Constantini, D/Cst Jodi Richmond, the CN truck driver, Deputy Chief Carol Crowe, Doug Maybee of Crime Stoppers and Steve Kee, Insurance Bureau of Canada
The media event was to create awareness of Cargo Theft – a crime which affects everyone.
The event was a joint Regional Police – Crime Stoppers event.
Crime Stoppers operations across Canada have undertaken numerous campaigns to combat various crimes including human trafficking, potential terrorist activity, targeting international fugitives and identifying criminal who damage the environment.
Commercial crime detectives who took part in the media event explained that cargo theft is a very organized criminal activity.
The actual stealing of the trucks is just the start. “There are occasions when the thieves will steal a truck load of a product that they have already sold to someone.
The tractor-trailer, loaned to Crime Stoppers for the media event is the typical size thieves will steal. The new Regional Police headquarters can be seen in the background.
On other occasions a truck will be stolen and driven to a location and left for a few days while any search for the truck cools off.
The thieves will return – move the cargo from the stolen truck onto another truck – sometimes several small trucks and get taken to whoever has agreed to buy the stolen goods.
It is a very organized theft – there are numerous people involved starting with the drivers trhat steal the trucks to the people who move the goods in the truck through commercial networks.
At the end of the chain is a consumer who buys something that might have been stolen.
Criminals are drawn to cargo crime because of the perceived low risk and high reward. However, profits from cargo theft fuel a wide array of criminal activity including incidents of homicide.
Halton Regional Police Service Deputy Chief Carol Crowe reading some of the numbers related to Cargo theft
The trucking industry transports 90 percent of food products and consumer goods that Canadian’s require. We certainly know that – we have to jockey with those trucks on the major highways every day.
Crime Stoppers programs allow members of the public who may be reluctant to get involved directly with police to give any information anonymously via the tip line.
The program also discourages criminals from committing crimes because they never know who may be watching and ready to call the anonymous tip line.
Crime Stoppers Halton has played a part in 18,251 arrests. Property worth $2,734,747 has been recovered. Drugs worth $18,098,333 have been seized
Canada’s first Crime Stoppers program was set up in Calgary, Alberta in 1982. A year later Hamilton was the first city to establish a Crime Stoppers program in Ontario.
A former Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner, Thomas O’Grady, said Crime Stoppers is ranked with fingerprints and DNA as the top three innovations in modern day policing.
The Halton Regional Police, Fraud Unit has warmed local area merchants of a recent surge in counterfeit Canadian currency that has been circulating in the region.
The police have taken eleven counterfeit currency reports in the last two weeks all involving the same counterfeit $100 dollar Canadian bills of the new polymer design.
Police report that phony $100 bills are being circulated in the area.
Local merchants are cautioned to be extra vigilant when accepting $100 dollar bills especially when being used for small purchases that would maximize the amount of change given.
Multiple suspects have been described as passing the bills and police suspect that an outside group came to the region with the sole purpose of attempting to pass the bills.
Anyone who may have witnessed or has information about a crime in Halton Region are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers “See something, Hear something, Say something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at https://www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
There are some pretty big names on the Sound of Music stages – and they all started in a basement somewhere and did the rounds of the bars in some of those ‘Godforsaken towns’ in the province.
No one “started out” at the Sound of Music Festival – you earn your way to their stages.
Sound of Music – huge crowds descend on the city – everything is about the music.
The Festival is now accepting band submissions for next year’s event that will take place June 9-17, 2018.
The Festival line-up features an eclectic blend of emerging artists, past favourites and current performers. Past shows have included: Marianas Trench, 54-40, Walk Off The Earth, Our Lady Peace, The Tea Party.
The Festival celebrates Canadian and local musical talent, with a preference to performances with a repertoire of original music, and for those who have not played at the Festival in the past 2-3 years.
He “owns” that stage and the crowd is all his!
The Sound of Music wants to know if you have local roots – make sure you let them know about what you’ve done in the local market.
The required questions must be fully answered. Compensation is provided and will be negotiated at the time of booking.
We will accept applications via Sonicbids from October 2 to December 31, 2017.
Please include:
Band name and short bio (100 words)
A minimum of 2 songs
Contact information
Suggested performance fee
Due to the high volume of submissions, those sent via mail, e-mail or social media will not be considered. Only those sent via Sonicbids will be contacted.
Never forget that Walk Off the Earth was once just four guys and a gal and one guitar.
Do we have any idea what the downtown part of the city is going to look like when all the tall buildings are up?
City council appears to have decided that we are going up – higher.
There is a lot of opposition to that direction – they citizens will work it out as they figure out what they want, what they don’t want and the direction they want to see their city develop.
The Gazette has published a lot of graphics; we have shown computer simulations and architectural renderings. It’s a little different when there is a photograph that has some scale to it – trees that we have walked by many many times on Lakeshore Road are seen beside the fourth and fifth levels of the Bridgewater development.
The view is from a little to the east of Brant Street. They development of the hotel which is the first structure you will see is currently at the fourth floor level. The 22 storey condo will be a little west. The view when thew development is complete will be a lot different than what the public is used to now.
The decision to have a building that would rise to 22 storey’s was made back in 1995 when Walter Mulkewich was Mayor. There was a point at which that structure was going to rise to 30 storeys. At the time it was referred to as a “legacy” project – Burlington’s statement to the world that it had arrived.
The Berkeley on the east side of John Street is selling very well. The development is being built in three phases: the condo at the south end, north of that a parking garage and north of that at Caroline a proposed medical building. The three buildings take up about half of the block from James Street to Caroline.
The structure going up on John Street is are seen beside a house that many people are familiar with. The Gazette is not suggesting that something is right or wrong – our role is to document up and set out for the record what has taken place.
This is the view of the east side of the Bridgewater development where the 22 storey condominium will rise. It will be quite a bit higher than the condo on the right side of this photograph and will dwarf everything that is currently on Old Lakeshore Road.
We would have loved to have been around when the decision was made to proceed with what is now the Bridgewater project.
There seems to be a bit of a turf war (no pun intended) with the Burlington Youth Soccer Club on one side and the Burlington Soccer League (BSL), Burlington Women’s Recreational Soccer League (BWRSL), Burlington Old Timers Soccer Club (BOTSC), and Burlington Ladies Soccer League (BLSL) on the other.
Adult soccer players feel they are not getting their share of time in the soccer domes – have formed a consortium and are taking a petition to city council.
Burlington adult soccer communities claim they have been displaced by the inaction of the city which they claim has allowed the Burlington Youth Soccer Club (BYSC) — without external input or approval — to deny long-standing dome users their rightful place in the City-owned and tax-payer financed domes while leaving the public facility largely empty.
In a petition the BSL, the BWRSL, the BOTSC and the BLSL are circulating, they maintain that: “After contributing initial funding for development and rental fees for 15+ years the during which the groups have contributed well in excess of $600,000 to the Sherwood Forest Park Domes they are being kept out as of this fall.
Apparently “No negotiations were offered by the City or BYSC and no conversations toward working together have taken place. Instead the adult soccer clubs have had their programming replaced — and in some cases duplicated — by the BYSC in an effort to create a monopoly for soccer in Burlington.
This forces residents to pay higher fees for fewer games at a lower quality or to travel outside of the City in which their tax dollars helped to fund this soccer facility.
The petition is on line – look at the facts, talk to those adults who play soccer and then consider making your voice heard.
The Burlington Youth Soccer Club has become quite a bit more aggressive in their marketing and promotion efforts and while they are the largest soccer organization in the city there has always been considerable animosity between this very large club and the smaller groups.
We recall a meeting a number of years ago (2011) at city hall during which a number of woman with babies in their arms or in strollers massed in the council chamber to make their point. Council backed down and the issue was resolved. Link to that story set out below.
There is something that isn’t right with the way things get managed within the Parks and Recreation department. Currently the seniors that used to have a considerable amount of influence with the way things were run at the Seniors’ Centre found themselves locked out of the office they were using and told to find accommodation somewhere else – the city took over much of the programming the seniors were doing. They formed their own organization and are offering some interesting and innovative programs.
Now the adult soccer groups seem to find that they too are not part of the “collaborative” process that the city administrators like to brag about.
The adult groups are asking city Councillors to intervene. They don’t want to mess with the Mother’s
There is a huge need for more blood donors. A car accident victim could require up to 50 units of blood to survive, and a patient with leukemia could need up to 8 units of blood per week.
In Burlington, the need is for approximately 252 blood donations per week to meet the needs of our local hospital.
This year, Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon is hosting a community blood drive to help meet the target. Please consider making a donation during November 7-10, 2017 at the Canadian Blood Services’ Blood Donor Clinic located at 1250 Brant Street.
To book your appointment or to arrange free taxi service, please contact Erica Hung at Erica.Hung@blood.ca or 289-213-1742.
A number of years ago the people at the Parks and Recreation learned about an approach to community organizing they thought could benefit the people of the city.
Denise Beard, Manager of Community Development Services
Denise Beard, Manager of Community Development Services heard Jim Diers speaking at an event and thought his approach made a lot of sense.
Diers was brought in – spoke to several groups and was taken on by the Parks and Recreation people to advise and consult.
Jim Diers
The Parks and Recreation people didn’t buy into everything Diers suggested but they did take to the idea of working with neighbourhood groups and providing funds to develop neighbourhood initiatives.
The program is working and is being used again in 2018.
The program – Neighbourhood Community Matching Fund, is now accepting applications – the deadline for submissions is Feb. 26, 2018.
Designed to inspire residents to lead neighbourhood and community projects, the Fund provides up to $5,000 to support projects led by local groups, like the group of students from Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School who painted a beautiful 700 square-foot mural in Norton Park, which was unveiled on Oct. 24, 2017.
An information session will be held on Nov. 22, 2017, from 7 to 9 p.m., in room 247 of Burlington City Hall, 426 Brant St. Anyone interested in applying for funds is encouraged to attend the presentation, speak with staff and network with other grant applicants or past recipients.
This bunch decided the ball park next to their school needed an upgrade – they took their ideas to city hall and were awarded a matching grant.
How the Fund works
The Community Matching Fund program provides up to $5,000 in city funding to support neighbourhood and community group-led projects in Burlington. Approved projects receive up to 50 per cent of the funding from the city. The neighbourhood or community group will match this funding with an equal contribution made up of any combination of volunteer hours, donated services, donated materials and supplies or other funds raised, such as cash donations.
By Staff
Dave Barry used art to talk about what war at a presentation he made at the Teresa Seaton Gallery on NAME Saturday afternoon.
The Draft of the Official Plan will be public on Friday – it runs close to 1000 pages. Those with a major interest in the contents of that document are going to have less than 20 days to respond to it.
There are the plans for the redevelopment of the Waterfront Hotel property that the city is pushing with their Emerging Preferred Concept. There are citizens who don’t like what they are seeing.
On November 6, three community organizations – Plan B (Burlington Waterfront Hotel Redevelopment), Burlington Waterfront, and Burlington Green met with city staff to discuss an alternative that more closely aligns with what we have heard residents asking for at the public meetings held by City staff.
The campaign is a program that aims to provide toys to less fortunate families living within Halton Region.
Canada’s first Crime Stoppers program was set up in Calgary, Alberta in 1982. A year later Hamilton was the first city to establish a Crime Stoppers program in Ontario.
There is a huge need for more blood donors. A car accident victim could require up to 50 units of blood to survive, and a patient with leukemia could need up to 8 units of blood per week.
