 By Ken Pagan
June 15th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Rich Corrente has had two Tommy John surgeries on his left elbow, so how hard can he throw now that he’s recovered and back on the mound?
Doesn’t matter.
Corrente, 25, who is back in baseball after sitting out the 2016 season, is proving that less is more during a strong early showing for the Burlington Herd (3-8).
 Rich Corrente The three-year IBL veteran threw a career-high 115 pitches in a complete-game 4-1 win over the Brantford Red Sox on Saturday, his most impressive outing yet that leaves him second in the IBL with a 1.12 ERA. In 24 innings this season, he has given up just three earned runs with a 0.75 WHIP (11 hits and seven walks).
The numbers are quite a contrast from when he last picked up a baseball during the 2015 IBL season (7.33 ERA over 54 innings with the Burlington Bandits) and in 2014 (5.76 ERA in 39 innings).
“I don’t even know,” Corrente said when asked to explain his early success. “I took last year off and rested my arm. Every time I get my chance to go in, I’m just doing my thing. This is my third year in the league and I always tell guys, ‘you have to know how to throw to guys in the IBL.’ You’re not going to throw hard enough to throw a fastball by anyone, so you have to trust your offspeed stuff and go with that.”
The six-foot-two southpaw, a Chatham native now living in Burlington, had his first Tommy John ligament replacement surgery in 2010 while attending Erie Community College. He had the procedure again in 2013 while pitching at St. Catharine College in Kentucky.
He has emerged post-Tommy John with more of a three-quarter delivery, which not only limits elbow soreness, but probably adds some movement to his pitches.
He thinks he can probably still gas up his fastball to the low-80s if he had to. But he doesn’t have to. And good luck if you go up against him looking for a fastball.
“Honestly, I don’t even care how hard I throw,” said Corrente. “In my mind, it’s not how hard you throw, it’s how consistent you are. You have to throw strikes and you’re not going to blow a fastball by anybody. If it’s down the middle, they’re crushing it.”
The year away from baseball in 2016 wasn’t so much about letting his arm rest as much as it was about enjoying his personal time, but he’s refreshed and glad to be back on the mound with the Herd.
“I just wanted to enjoy my summer,” he said of sitting out last season. “You don’t get much of a summer when you’re playing ball.
“I’m having fun. I’m glad to be back. I feel like I bring some experience and we have a young team.”
Corrente will return to the mound this weekend with the Herd preparing for three games in three days. Burlington visits Hamilton to face the Cardinals (2-7) on Friday night before hosting the London Majors (10-0) on Saturday at Nelson Park at 1:05 p.m. The Herd then travel to Toronto on Sunday afternoon for a date at Christie Pits with the Toronto Maple Leafs (6-7).
 By Staff
June 14th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police reported that on May 2/3rd, several unlocked vehicles were entered in the Seneca Avenue area of Burlington.
At one residence, the suspects stole credit and debit cards out of a vehicle which were later used fraudulently in the City of Hamilton. Police are seeking the public’s assistance locating the first male and identifying the second suspect. A warrant exists for the first suspect who was identified as, Richard SHIELDS (57) of Hamilton.
A second suspect has yet to be identified. The same two suspects are responsible for further car entries in Burlington on May 18th.
Anyone who knows the whereabouts of or can identify the suspects is asked to contact D/Cst Dave Macedo or Det Ellie Bale of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Residential Property Crime Team @ 905-825-4747 ext 2312 or 2316. Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See something, Hear something, Say something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
Then there was an ooops from the Regional police – Shields was not there man – they released the following:
After further investigation and with public assistance, police have determined SHIELDS is not one of the persons involved and as such is not a suspect in these occurrences and a warrant for his arrest no longer exists.
 Suspect 1  Suspect 2 Police are seeking the assistance of the public to help identify the two suspects captured on video.
 By Staff
June 14th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
There are enough clues in this Identity Theft scam to see it for just what it is – a way for the sender to determine that you are gullible and begin gathering information about you.
Vigilant, vigilant, vigilant – check what lands in your mail box. Sort o like crossing a street – look both ways and then begin crossing.
Count the number of errors, clues and red flags in this one:
 By Pepper Parr
June 14, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
They were very attractive – close to beautiful and graceful – not words that are normally used to describe males – but they certainly applied to the eleven Arabian stallions that were running around a field on a magnificent farm in the Escarpment.
 Megan Morris is drawing the horses towards her with a bucket o grain in her hands. Two of the horses were more interested in what the photographer was doing. The horses were part of a herd of 65 horses that are part of the Cavalia Odysseo that will be performing in Mississauga under a massive tent for a 12 day run.
 Once the horses knew there was grain for them they clustered around to shove their noses into the bucket. This was a rest and recreation occasion for the animals that get fed eight times a day – five meals of hay and three of grain.
The animals were very curious when we walked into the field to take some pictures – we wanted to see how they handled things when they were being fed grain so Megan Morris, one of the grooms fetched a bucket of oats – the horses gathered around her very very quickly.
These are exceptionally well trained animals that have careers that are as short as a year and can last as long as six years – then it is full time retirement for them.
 Megan is in the middle of the herd on a site that is about as majestic as it gets in the Escarpment, They live for up to twenty years – when there performance days are over they are adopted by people, often their trainers.
Laure Warda, the communication lead, explained the adoption procedure – the rules are pretty rigid
While they are performing these horses work with their riders and their trainers to complete very exacting routines.
 The brown spots disappear as the horse ages. They will leave the fields in the Escarpment on Thursday and get trucked into Mississauga where they will perform under a huge tent.
The riders and the horses have a relationship that is based on the needs, preferences and emotions of the animals. A performance will last no longer than 15 minutes – but that 15 minutes is the result of hundreds of hours of training.
The shows begin June 21st and run through to July 16th. Tickets can be ordered online
 By Pepper Parr
June 14th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The planners have been working on what to do and figuring out what can be done with the Waterfront Hotel site at the foot of Brant Street.
The owner of the property wants to get more density and the city is listening to what the public thinks and feels.
There has been the one public session in May with another scheduled for early July.
 It was a Standing Room only for those who attended the first public meting on what might be done with the site the Waterfront hotel sits on now. More than 200 people participated in two workshops in May to share their thoughts and ideas about what should be located on this property as the property owner considers redeveloping the site.
In his report to the citizens of the city the Mayor recently said: “As I have shared previously, I am very concerned about the impact any redevelopment in this area could have on our waterfront. I believe open space in any redevelopment option needs to be considered to ensure Burlington residents continue to enjoy access to the waterfront.
There will be more opportunities to share your feedback about the waterfront site as we move into the summer.
 Those numbers are the height of the buildings – can you see where this is going? In one of the illustrations used in May event the issue is made bluntly clear – it is about height – who has it – where it is and where it isn’t. No rocket science to figure out what is coming our way.
What kind of height are we talking about? Nothing specific at this point but the city’s Urban Design Guidelines give a hint.
Three illustrations – a map showing which part of the cit we are talking about and then a series of illustrations showing what the planners call the “building envelope” for specific sites.
 This illustration identifieds where the specific block o property is located and what the Urban Guidelines will permit. No reference to height – that gets negotiated.
 We know what is being built on the left hand side of each of these four illustrations – the Bridgewater project – it is what can be done on the right hand side. Look very closely at figures 81,82 and 83 With 2018 an election year for city council the Mayor just might be looking at this redevelopment situation as the kind of campaign issue he can focus on as he looks for a third mandate – assuming he actually wants to go through the current term again.
Other than saying he is concerned – the Mayor hasn’t been very specific.
There are others who are very specific with their views. One downtown resident had these comments about the May event.
It was a typical public information/workshop meeting.
It is the way that the City “placates” the public.
1. Present as little concrete info’ as possible
2. Ask for input from the public
3. The public feels better because they’ve had their opportunity to vent and participate (this is a very real need for the public….everyone needs the opportunity to express an opinion)
It is a political process at best. Maybe a few good ideas come out of it…….
I find Marianne’s continued efforts to push her personal agenda annoying. She claims to be a “listener” but first she tells people what to think and say.
The presenters created a little confusion and didn’t set it up well. I didn’t think she was “smooth”. I thought she was confusing and used too many “buzz” words from the planning world.
And Rick’s previous public comments about green space/parkland didn’t make sense in the context of a private land owner.
It’s first steps towards an application and the politicians will feel good because they’ve gone through the process.
The public will feel somewhat empowered by the process. At the end of the day, not sure it helps create a quality exalted project or in fact the end product is simply the lowest common denominator. I’d love to see an iconic, beautiful, piece of architecture on that site with graceful lines and lovely public spaces. Something we could all say WOW – look what our city has done.
 The space between the condominium on the left and the hotel on the right is not as large as this rendering suggests. The space to the left of the high rise condominium as in the imagination of the artist. A beautiful point tower of 30 storeys was designed originally for the Bridgewater site. It took up less than half the site and was stunning. It had all sorts of “air” around it. Funny, 30 storeys doesn’t seem so high now. But twenty years ago, no one could conceive of it. The compromise became what we see today being built – 3 block buildings (with a tower in one of them) virtually covering the whole site (except for a piazza on the lake side, not visible from the street), 8 storeys + 22 storeys creating a “wall” on Lakeshore Road, with a little “peek a boo” between the two buildings. Mark my words….it’s going to be ugly from the Lakeshore Road side.
We need to be more “forward” thinking. What will our city look like in twenty years?
This was more than a rant from a disgruntled resident – this one is in the thick of development in the city – our Mayor needs to hear from these people – but in Burlington we are far too polite to say what we think and feel.
Wait until the public sees just how little of the lake that will be visible when the Bridgewater site is completed. It will be “we was robbed” and of course far too late.
On July 5, residents have a chance to take part in a design day where participants will be divided into small working groups to explore options for things like buildings, land use, public access and open space.
Two sessions will be held at the Waterfront Hotel in the Blue Water Ballroom. The first session starts at 1 p.m. and the second session will be held at 6 p.m.
 By Staff
June 13th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The sisters released their most recent update on where things are going in the world of real estate – a market that is in a state of flux to say the least.
The Rocca Sisters & Associates, who work under the banner of Royal LePage, have created a brand that is supported by significant local promotion.
 Cathy and Tanya Rocca. In their end of May report, they say the impact of the new rules announced by the Wynne government had not yet been felt in Burlington, overall.
Sales were up, prices were up and days on market were way down. Looking a little closer, the expected was happening.
The older parts of Burlington where homes lack the more modern amenities started to show some softening.
When inventory levels start to increase in areas such as Millcroft, Orchard and more significantly in Oakville, these older homes – side-splits, bungalows and raised ranches start to look less attractive. Similarly but for different reasons, Tyandaga saw a significant decrease in sale price for the month of May, due to a few uncharacteristically low sale prices for some link and semi-detached homes, but also due to the area being much farther west, adding to commute times.
When buyers have choices in Oakville, and north east Burlington, they tend to avoid anything west of Walker’s Line if they work east of Burlington. We expect the market in Burlington to continue to settle and with any luck, achieve more balance, where buyers have choices, time to think about a purchase and include conditions to ensure that they are able to successfully complete a transaction.
Clearly some communities will see softening but only from a superficial high that was completely unsustainable.
 By Staff
June 12, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
If you are using the GO train service to get to the Sound of Music Festival there is a shuttle service the organizers have arranged from the Burlington GO Station (access from the North side off Queensway Drive) to the Downtown John Street Transit Terminal.
 The crowds will descend on Lakeshore Road and steam into Spencer Smith Park – Thursday is the official beginning of the annual music blowout! The fare of $3 per person for the round trip Shuttle ride helps to keep this convenient program sustainable. Children under 5 years are free.
Shuttles operate on a continuous loop as follows:
Thursday, June 15: 6 p.m. to Midnight
Friday, June 16: 6 p.m. to Midnight
Saturday, June 17: Noon to Midnight
Sunday, June 18: Noon to 8 p.m.
Extended service is also available on Routes 3 North and South (to Burlington GO Station) and eastbound Route 10 buses at 11 and 11:30 p.m. on Friday, June 16 and Saturday, June 17, 2017.
For more information on travelling to the festival please refer to Burlington’s Sound of Music website.
By Pepper Parr
June 12, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Last week Burlington MPP Eleanor held her now annual Tea for the city’s seniors. The day happened to also be close to her first anniversary as a Member of the Wynne Cabinet and a member of the Treasury Board.
We wanted to hear what McMahon had to say about the move from being a back bencher to becoming a member of Cabinet and then appointed to Treasury Board – which is the group that looks at where the money is going to come from and how it is going to be spent.
 McMahon with Bill Reid Sr of the year 2016 McMahon explained that as a member of Treasury Board she is in a position where she is at times on one side the Treasury Board table asking questions and on other occasions on the opposite side answering questions. She has to explain and justify the plans her Ministry has and get them past the Treasury Board – and that isn’t always easy.
McMahon is the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sports for the province. At the federal level each of those three is a separate department.
She has a Deputy Minister that reports to her and three Assistant Deputy Ministers that report to her deputy – the job is as close as one is going to get to heading up three ministries. And these aren’t little ministries. McMahon will tell you that culture contributes as much to the provincial gross domestic product as construction – which was a bit of a surprise to this reporter.
 The Art Gallery of Burlington for funding for a van that lets them take art out into the community. Culture is a big deal that pulls the Minister into the soon to begin renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) – content and intellectual property are now big drivers of an economy. And keeping an economy healthy is the biggest part of the job for every Cabinet member.
McMahon will let you know every chance she gets that Ontario is going to have a balanced budget. While relatively new to provincial politics – her 2014 election win was her first venture as a politician. She was personally recruited by Premier Kathleen Wynne; the fluently bilingual Minister has worked in the private sector with Petro Canada, the Ontario Medical Association, the Chamber of Commerce and the United Way.
It was her United Way experience and contacts that made it possible for her to pick up the phone and convince them to let the 2014 flood relief program to use their web site platform to begin collecting donations.
When McMahon first stepped into the provincial legislature we asked her: “What’s it like?” How did you feel when you first walked in the Legislature and took your seat”?
“There are 13 million people in Ontario” explained McMahon. “And just 107 in the Legislature – that fact just overwhelmed me. I am one of those 107 and the 13 million expect me to make good decisions for them.”
While it seems like a long time ago – the 2014 flood was a baptism by fire for McMahon. She had to convince the province to get on board with a matching dollar program and that was not a simple task. The province initially said no – which had McMahon working the telephones to get that decision changed.
The city raised $905,000 which the province matched on a 2 for 1 basis creating a fund of $2,715,000 that was distributed to people whose homes had been flooded.
 Seniors get top billing with McMahon. It isn’t all drudgery and work – McMahon stood up in the legislature recently and said the province needed to have some fun – the rubber duck was coming to Ontario.
A lot of her colleagues on the opposition side of the legislature hammered her for spending tax dollars foolishly – McMahon explained that the rubber duck was going to visit communities that asked to be destinations. “They got it” said McMahon who added that thousands of people will show up to do selfies with the 161 foot tall rubber duck.
The Ontario 150 Tour in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary features a summer of entertainment in waterfront cities and towns. It launches on Canada Day weekend in Toronto and then travels to Owen Sound, Sault Ste. Marie, Midland, Amherstburg and finishes in Brockville on August 13th.
McMahon couldn’t say if the duck was coming to Burlington – each destination works out its own arrangement with the festival organizers.
What a draw that duck would be as it slid by the Pier and moved on into Hamilton harbour.
That wasn’t something the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport was going to get into. She is now in early election mode – pounding the pavement with the provincial Liberal organization getting the word out on the job she has been doing.
 McMahon moved her office out of a dreary high rise and into a new building with much better exposure. As she works the election trail there will be some explaining to do – the sale of part of Hydro One has a lot of people upset – they don’t think Crown Jewels should be sold.
The huge sums of money being put into infrastructure are a plus and the eventual electrification of the GO train service along with 15 minute service are welcome.
A government heading into its 15th year of leading the province raises some eyebrows. McMahon sees it all a little differently – she saw her win in 2014 as putting a Liberal in the Legislature to represent Burlington for the first time in 70 years.
 By Staff
June 12, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Well – everyone knew it wasn’t going to last forever – and they were up against the top team in the league – Barrie Baycats with a 10-0 record.
 Rich Corrente Carlos Villoria earned the Burlington Herd’s RBI.
Justin Gideon and Eddie Chessell had two hits apiece atop the lineup. Gideon also scored a run.
Brad Smith (0-1) took the loss, giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits in 2.2 innings before leaving the game with an injury. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out three.
Barrie improved to 10-0, and Burlington dropped to 3-8.
Standings
London Majors 10-0
Barrie Baycats 10-0
Kitchener Panthers 9-2
Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5
Burlington Herd 3-8
Brantford Red Sox 2-9
Hamilton Cardinals 1-7
Guelph Royals 1-11
By Staff
June 11th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
At 4:00am this morning the Halton Regional Police Service and Burlington Fire Department responded to a fire in Lansdown Park at 3448 Hannibal Road in Burlington.
 The first responders found the playground structure fully engulfed in flames. The fire was quickly brought under control and extinguished. The playground structure sustained significant damage.
Investigators are think this fire might be related to two similar incidents that have occurred within the last week in Burlington.
On Saturday June 10th 2017 at 3:00 am, a fire was reported at the playground outside St Anne Elementary School at 4675 Doug Wright Drive. That fire, too, resulted in significant damage to the children’s playground structure.
Prior to that, on Saturday June 3rd there was a fire at Emerson Park – 2390 Sutton Drive in Burlington. A smouldering fire causing heavy smoke inside a children’s play tube that was extinguished before more extensive damage could be caused.
These fires are being treated as arson.
Anyone with information pertaining to these fires is asked to contact the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825 4747 ext. 2316, or Crime Stoppers (See Something, Hear Something, Say Something) at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca or by texting “Tip201″with your message to 274637 (crimes).
 By Staff
June 11th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
On the morning of Saturday, June 10, the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer announces a record-breaking 5,042 riders raise $20,533,000 for Princess Margaret Cancer Centre as the 10th annual Ride commenced in Ontario.
 The starting point for 5042 riders. In 10 years, the Ontario Ride has raised over $175 million to support Personalized Cancer Medicine, research, treatment advances, education and new standards of care at The Princess Margaret, across Ontario, and around the world. Nationally, the Ride to Conquer Cancer has raised over $359 million to-date and is Canada’s largest peer-to-peer fundraising event
 Day 1  Day 2 Thousands of Riders rode their way yesterday to Camp at McMaster University in Hamilton, and today, Sunday, many will embark to the finish line in Niagara Falls. In total, Riders will travel over 200-kilometres this weekend on one of three routes.
The event is organized by Cause Force, an industry leader in producing active lifestyle events for non-profit organizations across the globe. In this case the organization is the Princess Margaret Hospital and its cancer treatment program.
Enbridge gets to put its name on the event as, presumably, the lead financial supporter.
The Ride to Conquer Cancer® is an incredible two-day, 200-kilometre cycling journey through the beautiful countryside that raises crucial fundraising dollars for top cancer institutions around the globe and supports their missions to conquer cancer.
The Ride offers participants a fully supported event, catering to all needs from registration to the finish line, and creates an unforgettable event experience for Riders, Crew Members, volunteers, sponsors, donors and supporters. The Canadian Ride to Conquer Cancer series is the largest peer-to-peer fundraising event in Canada.
$175 million over ten years – someone is doing something right.
By Staff
June 11th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Now that they know just what they are supposed to do on the baseball diamond the Burlington Herd is clearly on a roll.
The won their Saturday afternoon turnout against the Brantford Red Sox 4-1 to sweep the home-and-home with the Red Sox. Third game in a row that the team has won
 Canice Ejoh, Cooper Lamb and Grant Okawa all picked up a hit and drove in a run. John Whaley and Justin Gideon each singled, doubled and scored. The host Herd broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run sixth.
That was enough offence for Burlington hurler Rich Corrente, who tossed a five-hit complete game. Corrente (1-1) struck out four and walked two and has a 1.12 earned-run average in four games (three starts).
Tyler Soucie (1-1) took the loss for Brantford, giving up three runs, three hits and three walks in two-thirds of an inning. He relieved Justin DAmato, who went the first five and allowed a run on five hits with three strikeouts.
Burlington improved to 3-7, and Brantford dropped to 2-8.
The Herd is feeling a lot better about their game these days. They are up against Barrie Baycats on Sunday who have yet to lose a game.
Future games:
Sunday, June 11
Burlington at Barrie, 7 p.m.
Standings
London Majors 9-0
Barrie Baycats 9-0
Kitchener Panthers 8-2
Toronto Maple Leafs 5-5
Burlington Herd 3-7
Brantford Red Sox 2-8
Hamilton Cardinals 1-6
Guelph Royals 1-10
 By Staff
June 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Parents with an interest in what has happened to the two high schools that are going to be closed by the Halton District school Board are beginning to voice their concerns.
 Rory Nisan, on the left, a Lester B. Pearson alumni who credits the small enrollment school with much of his career success. Rory Nisan, a Lester B. Pearson alumni, takes issue with the explanation Burlington Ward 3 and 6 trustee Andrea Grebenc released yesterday.
“She is adamant about 1000 being the necessary number of students” said Nisan. “This is the crux of her argument for closing our school. However, are mega schools optimal, especially when they are way over designed capacity?
“Absolutely not. They are a far worse scenario than having all three schools at 800-plus students, which is easily achievable (we provided her with the data and a clear plan for this).
“Simply giving back the students that were taken away when Hayden opened would fix the problem. Her vote guarantees that MM and Hayden will be well over capacity for many years if not indefinitely.
“She knew this when she made her decision.”
Nissan adds that Grebenc says there “seemed to be more course conflicts than students”. These are empty words. They don’t take into account that the student experience would have been greatly enhanced with 800 students, a number that is easily achieved by bringing Hayden’s capacity down to appropriate levels.
“She also knew this when she made her decision.”
“She notes” said Nisan that “all of the extracurriculars in which she participated as evidence of how much she loved Pearson. However, with MM and Hayden becoming two mega schools with over 1400 pupils each in 2021, students of those schools will have far fewer opportunities than she did.
“She knew this also.”
 Lester Pearson parents demonstrating at Upper Middle and Headon Nisan, using the material Grebenc provided said that “Again, 1000 students is the minimum, she says. But she voted in favour a dual campus solution for Bateman even though that school only has 747 students (2017).
“Why didn’t she support (or even show any consideration of) a dual campus for MM and Pearson? Why is she more innovative in thinking about Bateman than a school that so many of her constituents have a stake in?
“She knew this was a possibility, in addition to giving Pearson some of Hayden’s students, when she made her decision.”
The 1000 student target that Grebenc appears to see as close to optimum “is not supported by any data that came forth through the entire process. Pearson was never meant to have 1000 students. Several other schools in Burlington will continue to have significantly less than 1000 students after this process is complete. She never mentioned closing any of them” said Nisan.
“She knew this too.”
“She notes that there were 1000 students when she was there because she went through her yearbook and “counted every face”. She fails to mention that there was OAC (grade 13) when she was a student.
“I went through my yearbook (1998)” said Grebenc in her statement. “Pearson was a bustling school that year. The porto-pac was packed. Our sports teams were solid, and I don’t remember ever having a course conflict.”
 The high school will have emptied parents cast ballots in the October 2018 municipal election. Guess how many grade 9-12 students there were? asks Nisan: 686. Another 151 OAC grads rounded out the student body.
“She had these numbers at her fingertips when she made her decision.”
Trustee Grebenc’s short intervention used the word “I” 34 times.
Trustee Grebenc’s statement, filled with rhetoric and hyperbole, and devoid of any data or arguments that passes even superficial scrutiny, was a failure” said Nisan.
“Our students will have to pay the price.”
Related article:
Why Grebenc voted against keeping Lester B. Pearson high school open
By Pepper Parr
June 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington Ward 3 and 6 Halton District school Board trustee Andrea Grebenc released a statement on her Facebook page setting out why she voted the way she chose to vote at the Board of Education meeting on Wednesday when trustees decided to approve the recommendation to close two of Burlington’s seven high schools.
 Andrea Grebenc in conversation with Director of Education Stuart Miller “It has been a tough few months” she said “and I know many of you are upset with the outcome of the Program Accommodation Review (PAR). I wanted to let you know that I explored a number of options myself and I was willing to go down the road with respect to a dual campus/one school concept and getting community partners to help fill space in the school.
“I could see the Bateman campus as a truly vibrant community hub. I believe in community hubs and schools should be an integral part of them. I think in this day and age, few people even know their neighbours, therefore providing gathering spaces to provide a true sense of community is important.
“The special education students at Bateman would have had the opportunity to integrate even more with a broader community setting. The north has three community centres. South East Burlington has one community room along with scattered amenities (pools, ice rinks, stadium and park). I believe community hubs should be cradle-to-grave types of places with programming for pre-natal and pre-school, through school ages, youth, adult and seniors programming.
“I took information provided to me from your community and spoke directly with administrators at two dual campus schools in the west. Both schools had similarities and differences to the Nelson/Bateman situation. The administrators were frank about the experience. It wasn’t a perfect solution, it took extra work, but both schools were successful.
“Unfortunately, my colleagues could not see this happening. Community partners were not forthcoming which was the linchpin to make this work. They would take up the On the Ground capacity to make financial sense. I was hoping the city would have stepped up during the final weeks with some possibilities as they are a natural partner and have partnered with us in the past(Hayden/Haber/Alton Library and Kilbride/Public library and community room).
 Bateman high school parents demonstrate to save their high school – it wasn’t enough to change six minds. “When Trustee Collard’s substitute motion about exploring dual campuses failed, I had to support a closure. As I mentioned during statements later in the meeting with regards to Pearson, my research informed me that schools need 1000 students to provide students decent course choices and extracurricular experiences. Without putting Nelson into the same lower enrollment state, Bateman needed to close.
“I care about the students in special education placements residing at Bateman. I promise to hold the Director accountable in his statements that situation at Nelson will be better for those students than what they have now at Bateman and that special care is take with each student transition. It is my duty to make it so and my commitment to the community.”
Bateman high school is scheduled to close in September of 2020.
By Staff
June 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Now that they have won a baseball game in the InterCounty Baseball League, the Burlington Herd appears to like that idea and went on yesterday to defeat the Brantford Red Sox 4-2
Trailing 2-1, the Herd took the lead with two runs in the seventh inning and added an insurance run in the ninth. Carlos Villoria had two hits and an RBI for Burlington, which improved to 2-7 – the same record as Brantford.
Canice Ejoh and Nolan Pettipiece each singled and drove in a run. Justin Gideon went 3-for-5 with a run, and Eddie Chessell singled, doubled and scored.
 Herd player sliding home. Photo by Crystal Young Ryan Beckett (1-1) threw four innings of relief for the win, giving up a run on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Starter Brandon Hiller lasted five innings and allowed one run on one hit with two walks and two strikeouts.
Chris Dennis homered for the third time this season and drove in both Brantford runs. Benjamin Bostick singled and scored.
Matt Betts (0-2) took the loss, giving up two runs on five hits in an inning. He took over for Graham Tebbit, who went six innings and gave up a run on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
A Herd that is not in the basement is nice to see.
Future games:
Saturday, June 10
Brantford at Burlington, 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, June 11
Burlington at Barrie, 7 p.m.
Standings
London Majors 9-0
Barrie Baycats 8-0
Kitchener Panthers 7-2
Toronto Maple Leafs 5-5
Brantford Red Sox 2-7
Burlington Herd 2-7
Hamilton Cardinals 1-5
Guelph Royals 1-9
 By Staff
June 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
While there are still some that argue the merits of climate change the rest of us need to pay attention to the weather warnings issued by the Region
For the balance of the weekend we are into the Region has issued an extreme heat and humidity warning that came from Environment Canada.
 Starting Sunday, June 11 forecast temperatures are expected to reach at least 31 degrees Celsius with overnight temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius for two days, or when a humidex of 40 or higher is expected for two days.
Especially at risk:
• Older adults (over the age of 65), infants and young children, people who work and exercise in the heat, people without adequate housing and those without air conditioning.
• People who have breathing difficulties, heart problems, kidney problems or take heat-sensitive medications.
Prevention tips:
• stay cool;
• avoid strenuous outdoor activities;
• seek shade from the sun;
• spend time in air-conditioned places, such as shopping malls and community centres; and
• drink plenty of cool liquids, especially water.
• Visit friends and neighbours who may be at risk and never leave people or pets in your care unattended in a car.
If you or someone in your care experiences rapid breathing, headache, confusion, weakness or fainting, please seek medical attention right away.
 By Pepper Parr
June 9th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Andrea Grebenc is one of the first term trustees on the Halton District School Board representing wards three and six. M.M. Robinson high school, which has been designated as a “composite” high school that is going to take on the French Immersion students who are currently at Hayden high school.
 Andrea Grebenc, did her high school years at Pearson and found herself voting to close the school after looking at all the options. Grebenc did her high school education at Lester B. Pearson and in her comments at the Board meeting this week that decided that school should be closed she waxed both eloquently and emotionally with a solid dose of hard common sense.
In the comments she made Grebenc said she knew “families are upset with my decision to vote with the Director’s recommendation to close Pearson.
“To watch my school, at which I basically lived for 5 years, being proposed to close, put me in a unique position when considering the Director’s recommendation.
 Grebenc went to all the public meetings and listened to anyone who wanted to talk to her. Hear she is with Halton Hills trustee Jeane Gray. “I know that school. I was there when the portapack went in. I played the oboe in the huge band and sang in the choir directed under the late Peter Purvis and I sang and danced on stage in three school musicals. I played midget volleyball. Our boys Basketball team was the team to be beat in the area and I remember most of the school going to regionals to cheer them on.
“I had a passion for photography, so I was one of the head photographers for the yearbook. I was in Student Auxiliary, I was on the Lighting and tech crew, I was on the Student Technology Assistance Committee. I was in the stage make-up and Tai Chi clubs. There was something for everyone and I never had a course conflict.
“I was there when the school had about 1000 students in it. I know this because I went through my yearbook and counted every face. At its current enrollment of 380 students, I can’t imagine the students’ experience.
 Grebenc sat in one every one of the PARC meetings. Her she gets some writing done along with Leah Reynolds, a fellow Burlington trustee. “There seems to more course scheduling conflicts than students in the school. Without alternative learning opportunities like online courses, summer and night school and travelling over to MMR, some of these kids would have a hard time exploring any passions or interests outside of the typical curriculum. School Information Profiles show that football, hockey, band and choir are all shared with MM Robinson.
“When I went on tour at the school, I didn’t feel the buzz that you would expect in a high school. We could walk into many empty classrooms without a problem. The locker bay is basically gone.
“So, I sat down and played with the numbers to fill the school. I figured that there should be a way to make it work. I pulled this feeder school and that into Pearson. I pulled from both Hayden and from MM Robinson. I tried shifting programs and even grades, but I still could not get the numbers high enough.
“I’ve talked to former administrators and retired administrators whose job it was to timetable classes and oversee the health of the extracurricular student experience. The conclusion I have reached and the opinion that I have formed is that a school needs more than 1000 students to give decent academic and extracurricular choices and to reduce course conflicts.
Trustee Grebenc confers with Director of Education Stuart Miller during one of the seven PARC meetings. “I apologize if this sounds melodramatic, but a small part of my heart died when I came to the conclusion that I agreed with the recommendation that Pearson should close.
“Now I sit grieving, feeling like I was a pallbearer at an old friend’s funeral. I know many will be grieving as well. I am sorry for this pain, especially for those students that will bear the burden of transitioning, some in their last year of high school, but in my heart and in my gut, I feel that it was the right decision for future students.”
 By Staff
June 9th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
During the Dinner on the Bridge event, Route 1 will not service York Boulevard between Highway 6 and Dundurn all day.
For service into Burlington, please move to stops on York Boulevard, east of Dundurn.
 Dinner is being served on the bridge How did the organizers of “Dinner on the Bridge ever manage to convince people at Hamilton’s city hall to shut down a major road? I suppose just the way Burlington shuts down Lakeshore Road for a road race.
By Staff
June 9th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Finally – a win for the Herd.
Nine different players picked up at least one hit, and eight players drove in at least one run in an 18-11 victory over the Guelph Royals Thursday night. That qualifies as a team effort,
Ryan Freemantle went 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBI and two runs. Eddie Chessell had three hits, three RBI and a run, Carlos Villoria singled three times and drove in a run. He also scored once.
 Herd bats came alive Canice Ejoh singled, doubled and scored four times and had an RBI. Justin Gideon singled and had an RBI and two runs, Logan Stewart and Nolan Pettipiece each had a pair of RBI and scored a run, and Andrew Mercier had an RBI. Kevin Hussey and Resse OFarrell each scored twice.
Adam Prashad (1-2) earned the win, giving up four runs on eight hits in seven innings, walking three and striking out six.
Guelph hit three home runs in the loss. Matt Schmidt went 3-for-6 with a home run and four RBI, Mike Hart homered, drove in two and scored three times, and Darren Saunders added a solo blast.
Marquis Kidd singled and drove in two, and Quinton Bent singled twice, doubled and scored twice.
Starting pitcher Cam Gray was pulled without recording an out. He was charged with three runs without allowing a hit and was hurt by three walks. He didn’t register a strikeout.
Burlington is 1-7, and Guelph is 1-8.
Future games:
Friday, June 9
Burlington at Brantford, 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 10
Brantford at Burlington, 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, June 11
Burlington at Barrie, 7 p.m.
Standings
London Majors 8-0
Barrie Baycats 7-0
Kitchener Panthers 7-2
Toronto Maple Leafs 5-5
Brantford Red Sox 2-6
Hamilton Cardinals 1-4
Burlington Herd 1-7
Guelph Royals 1-8
By Pepper Parr
June 8th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
There were no happy faces at the Halton District School Board offices this morning.
 The Director of Education had to look away during part of our interview with him this morning – the last nine months have been hard and “there were decisions to be made that were necessary” said Miller.
Stuart Miller wasn’t having all that good a day. He said he didn’t sleep all that well when he got home. The Board staff met for a short period of time after the marathon meeting; they knew what had to be done and for them the hard work had just begun.
Miller was appointed the Director of Education in October of 2015. At the time he was the Associate Director of Education and had been with the HDSB for all of his career except for a period of time when her served as a volunteer overseas
He started as a classroom teacher and worked his way up the ladder. He was at one point the vice principal of a school that he came to realize had to be closed – Lester B. Pearson high school which had more than 1000 students when he was there.
 During his interview for the job he was asked by the trustees that hired him what the really pressing issues were and “I told them at the time that there were serious problems with the way French Immersion was being handled and that a Program Accommodation Review was necessary because at the time there were more than 1500 empty classroom seats in the seven Burlington high schools.
Miller’s job was to solve those problems. He produced a staff report with a recommendation that called for the closing of Central high school and Lester B. Pearson high school. That report called for a Secondary school Program Accommodation Review (PAR).
 The recommendation was accepted and the PAR began in October of 2016. The decision to hold the PAR was made by the trustees and it was evident to the trustees then that school closures were a very real possibility – but the general public was not forewarned.
The creation of a PAR means the creation of a PARC a committee that looks into all the options and serves as the official channel between the Board and the parents. Each school nominated one parent and the Board staff selected an additional parent from those who expressed an interest in serving. Those 14 people had no idea what they had gotten themselves into.
The met on seven different occasions for meetings that went well into the night. As a group they were not able to arrive at a consensus on any one recommendation. They sent five back to staff and said these were worth additional thinking.
Central, Pearson and Bateman were now on the recommended list. Not closing any of the schools was also on the list.
With Central and Bateman recommended for closure it was clear that there was a serious battle shaping up – both schools would not be closed – it was one or the other.
After hours of debate the trustees decided on closing Bateman and Pearson – but moving the Bateman closing to 2020.
With the decisions made the work of healing the hurt that parents were feeling and assuring them that the promises made were real and would be delivered had to begin.
Board staff did not visit the schools this morning. “It was time for the school principals to begin working with their staff and prepare for the changes that were going to take place” said Miller.
Miller knows people are hurting “this isn’t what I got into education to do” he said. And he adds that while right now the attention is on the school closings there were some very positive decisions made. There are now going to be two composite school in the city – one in the North –M.M. Robinson and Nelson high in the south.
Composite high schools are by their very nature big enrollment schools. They are there to offer every program available in the Halton system. “We wanted every student to attend a high school in their part of the city” they won’t necessarily be walkable to schools but they won’t be on the other side of the city either.
Composite high school will offer every possible program – for those in the Community Pathway programs to those in the International Baccalaureate Program.
When the PAR process began we weren’t thinking about the creation of composite schools – they will become a very strong part of the high school set up in Burlington, said Miller
 There will also be a “magnet” school, an awkward word for a school with a specific purpose that the Gazette will report on in more detail later.
There is another change in the wind and that is the change that will take place at Nelson high school. A name change is a distinct possibility; that may be the price the Bateman parents demand for losing their school.
More to the point though is the cultural change at Nelson will undergo.
The students from Bateman are both culturally and socially much different than what Nelson is today. The influx of these students is going to have a huge impact on the current Nelson culture.
The big thinkers on the Board staff think this merging of cultures is a good thing and will result in a stronger more diverse school. They had better be right. It is going to take an exceptional principal to make that happen.
 Our interview was in the forenoon – for Stuart Miller it was going to be a sad, reflective day. A decision that had to be made had been made – his task now was to make sure the healing took place and that the near term result was a parent community that was able to come together and make the best of what was ahead of them.
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