 By Pepper Parr
November 11th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It takes months of planning and dozens of meetings to put together the Annual Junior League Holiday House Tour – and the woman who do all the work get a small treat – touring the homes before they are opened to the public.
Dianne Brown, co-chair of this year’s tour sent along some early snapshots of the Burlington Hampton Court home and the home in Ancaster.
The Junior League looks for three to four homes each year that are decorated for the Holiday Season by decorators that are a combination of companies who have volunteered their services for a number of years while others are new to the event.
 Peacock feathers on a Christmas tree fit in very well with a home that had a very open modem look that the Interior Design/Build people put together. Marnie Warner and her team from the Interior Design House in Burlington did the Hampton Court house which her firm also renovated and added a large master bedroom above the garage.
 Whimsical art provided by the Interior Design House was placed in a corner with lots of light changed the feel of the room. Work was being done on the renovation, that was very extensive, while the Interior Design House people were bringing in furniture. It go a little hectic the final day.
 A more traditional approach taken to a Christmas tree in the Ancaster home. The Ancaster home was decorated by a team of designer/decorators that included Holland Park, Alto Interiors, Toth Interior Design, Green with Envy and Images Staged with Flair – each are doing different parts of the four bedroom, four bathrooms home.
A third home in eastern Burlington is included in the tour. That home was decorated by Hudson Interiors, Details Interior Design, Welcome Home Interiors, Megan and Megan, House of Fraser Décor and Marquis Cavalier Dream Store.
 From left to right: Dianne Brown, Fonda Loft, Jackie Cracknell,Liz Vandenberg, Annette Hamm, Cate Banfield, Karyn Glibbery, Roseanne Grego-Venneri, Sarai Spzak, Barb Oliver, Jane Tynan-Byrd, Iris Hughes. Middle: Anne-Louise Watts, Kathy North-Ross, Wendy Powell Front: Rachel Griffiths, Emily Stewart The group of woman who enjoyed a well-earned glass of wine before the set out on their pre-tour tour are set out below in their group photo.
 A formal dinning room set up in the Ancaster home. The Junior League Holiday Home Tour is the organization’s annual fund raiser. The Tour takes place from Friday through to Sunday: The event hours for this the 34th Annual House Tour are: 10:00 am to 9:00 pm on Friday, 10:00 to 4:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets are available on-line – cost $25 for the three house tour; $30 if you are paying cash at the door
 By Pepper Parr
November 11, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
James Burchill, the guy that beavers away creating a network for those commercial services operators and budding entrepreneurs who don’t fit in at the Chamber of Commerce and aren’t comfortable at the service club level but who nevertheless want to be part of a network, is back.
Burchill created the Social Fusion Network that went through several toothing experiences. He has put on two mini trade shows that out shone, significantly, what the Chamber of Commerce put on recently at the Holiday Inn.
Burchill is a shameless self-promoter – who understands social media and uses it to great effect for both his own interests and those of his clients.
He is also as up to date as anyone can be on the almost hourly changes in the high tech field.
He needed to take some time off for personal family matters – life tends to get in the way of business – and is now able to give his networking operation the time and attention it needs.
What do my people really want asked Burchill. So he did what anyone with the initiative would do – sent out a survey. He had to send it out several times (there were no repeats in the responders) to get a statistically valid return. Here is what he knows – and it was enough to decide there would be another trade show at the Performing Arts Centre – but that won’t be until April 6, 2017
Here is what Burchill knows – and what you now know:    
So it will be a 5 pm start – run for two hours and probably be at the same location each time. The Beaver and the Bulldog at the Waterfront was popular – but parking was a perennial complaint.   
What did the repondes have to say? While they may have said maybe to several of the questions – they had comments.
Having to pay for parking sucks. They (the B&B) really should compensate for that I think. Sometimes you get the same people out every week….need new blood!
Speed dating like encounters with frenetic networker’s. Also, should have members take an oath to be honest in their engagement practices.
Location requires parking costs, just a minor annoyance. Tend to see the same people, however that makes it easier to spot and connect with the new ones.
Not long enough
Too many changes with this group. It’s not exciting like it used to be to attend. I used to look forward to this meetup in Burlington..
I get three copies of each message you send and at times I feel a little badgered. paying for parking
People who throw their cards in your face before saying hello! Timing. Clear theme and goals.
They are always welldone! Thank you
Sometimes there are too many people that are just running around handing out business cards. A lot of members really push their products/services
Always in downtown Burlington. How about a location at the mall off Burloak or something closer for Oakville folks?
So many realtors, insurance people and investment people many of which only want to pass out as many business cards as possible in the evening without making any real connections with others
No focus.
Start time should be 6pm 8pm
Perhaps that it may not be the best demographic for my particular service. Too many financial planners. Need new people to join.
People trying too hard to sell their services and not interested in your own
Always the same people from very small service businesses providing mostly consumer type products hanging out with each other need more business to business members
It lost it’s local flavour long ago. It needs to be a Burlington group with Burlington business. Far too many people coming from way out of town for a “quick hit”. Successful networking is about building comfort & confidence in a relationship. These were previously quick encounters, like speed dating!
We have to give Burchill credit for letting it ll hang out. Those doing the objectionable stuff – take notice. The Trade Show is GO! 
By Pepper Parr
November 8th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Just days away from the Junior League Annual Holiday House tour when you will get to see what professional interior designers can do to give a home that festive look.
One of the Premier designers in the city, Marnie Warman, was given the task of decorating a home for the season that she renovated for her client.
Located in Roseland the 4 bedroom, 5 bathroom – 6000 sq. ft. house was gutted and rebuilt and is now getting a holiday season festive touch added.
 The stairway to the second level doesn’t make a grand statement. The lower level is wide open – that;s the statement. You have to see it to appreciate it. “When we were given the renovation assignment” said Warman “ we began to go over the house – there are always problems. This house still had live knob and tube electrical service and parts of the house were really not properly supported.”
“There was a lot of basic structural work to be done. The house was broken up into a bunch of small rooms with walls everywhere.”
 What will a designer do with a sun room like this to make it festive? “The client wanted a more open concept and we were able to do that. The result is a large area that could easily hold a party of sixty people who could mill around form the kitchen at one end to a nice sun room on the other end.”
In between there is a fire place that can be accessed from both the inside of the house and from the outdoor patio.
“We added a master bedroom above the garage that has as much privacy as anyone could want.”
The 76 year old house had a radiator along one wall that was so big it had to be cut into two pieces just to get it out of the building.
There are some situations said Warman, where it is probably better to tear down and re-build but this home was on a double lot and had good bones. The end result is certainly worth seeing.
 A before picture of one of the two islands in the kitchen. Can you imagine what a designer will do with this space. You can get to see for yourself during the Holiday Tour that begins on Friday. A new stairway to the upper floor was included in the renovation. There is nothing grand about the stairway – it doesn’t make a statement but it is a very attractive access point to the upper level of the house.
Warman has been doing design work for more than 26 years. She studied design at Sheridan College and has done a number of total renovations in the Oakville Burlington market. She has watched the change in the way people want to use space.
“Most of the time people aren’t exactly certain as to what they want. Living rooms have become obsolete; family/recreation rooms have become media centers.”
“The kitchen has become the hub. The home, being decorated this year for the Junior League event, has two islands in the kitchen area that is close to the side entrance where the two car parking garage is located.
The houses in the more mature neighbourhoods in Burlington and Oakville were built at a different time explains Warman when the needs and desires for space were quite different. People now want things to be open with lots of light.
The Hampton Court house was turned over to Warman and her crew in September of last year when they basically gutted the structure down to the studs. “This isn’t for the faint of heart” Warman will tell you.
Her operations is made up of two corporations. The Interior Design House is a retail operation with more than 9,000 item on the sales floor – this is eye candy for the furniture freaks.
The other side of her operation is the IDH Build Group – these are the people that renovate and rebuild. Warman will tell you that the only thing they don’t sell in the store is mattresses and appliances.
The homes that the Junior League includes in their annual tours usually involve several different designers with each doing a different part of the house.
 A cozy corner TV space just beside the open kitchen. When the designers are done that lone Christmas tree will have company. The other two homes in the tour, a second home in Burlington and a home in Ancaster are being decorated for the Holiday Season by a number of different firms.
In Ancaster Holland Park, Alto Interiors, Toth Interior Design. Green with Envy and Images Staged with Fair are doing different parts of the four bedroom, four bathrooms home.
The second home in the east end of Burlington is getting the touch from Hudson Interiors, Details Interior Design, Welcome Home Interiors, Megan and Megan, House of Fraser Décor and Marquis Cavalier Dream Store.
Warman who has all but lived in the Hampton Court house for the past week working feverishly with her team to get the house completed – she flies to Peru on Wednesday to take part in her son Trevor’s wedding. That was cutting it close.
The Junior League Tour take place from Friday through to Sunday: The event hours for this the 34th Annual House Tour are: 10:00 am to 9:00 pm on Friday, 10:00 to 4:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets are available on-line – cost $25 for the three house tour; $30 if you are paying cash at the door
 By Staff
November 8th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
We now know what the City Solicitor told members of city council when they went into closed session yesterday afternoon.
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has ordered Burlington Airpark Inc. to pay City of Burlington court costs in the amount of $118,327.53.
 The Air Park corporation dumped tons of land fill on their property to level out the land and in the process earned thousands of dollars in fees collected for permitting the land fill on the property without an approved site plan, The black line indicates the boundary of the Air Park property. The cost award is related to the June 30, 2016 decision of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in favour of the City of Burlington’s application to compel Burlington Airpark Inc. to submit an application for a site alteration permit to comply with the city’s bylaw.
With the court ruling, the Airpark was required to file an application for a site alteration permit for the fill deposited between 2008 and 2013 before Aug. 31, 2016 and has now been ordered to pay the city’s court costs on a substantial indemnity basis.
 Heavy construction equipment parked on a 30 foot + hill 50 yards from the kitchen window of the Sheldon property on Appleby Line next door to the Air Park landfill operation. Many thought the overnight parking of the equipment overnight was intimidating An appeal by Burlington Airpark Inc. to the June 30, 2016 judgement in favour of the City of Burlington is scheduled to be heard by the Ontario Court of Appeal on March 28, 2017 at Osgoode Hall, 130 Queen St. West in Toronto.
The City of Burlington site alteration bylaw 64-2014 regulates the placing, dumping, cutting and removal of fill or the alteration of grades or drainage on a piece of land. Individuals doing this type of work must first submit an application to the city for a site alteration permit.
This is getting to be a very expensive experience for the Air Park and almost a profit center for the city. This is not the first time a Court has ordered the Air Park to pay the city very substantial costs.
 By Staff
November 8th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The police would like to know if you got stung by this one.
A male was at the cash register of a Shoppers Drug Mart store and purchased a package of Halls cough candy. Total cost was $1.46
The suspect handed the cashier a Canadian $20.00 bill. While the cashier was making change the male said he would pay with coins instead.
 Through distraction and the exchange of money the cashier did not realize that the male received an extra $20.00. The male exited the store and entered a newer model black Infinti Q5S.
A similar incident occurred at a variety store in Burlington involving the same male.
Through investigation the male was identified, arrested and charged with two counts of fraud. Police believe there are additional victims who are either unaware they have been scammed or who declined to report the incident at the time. The police would like to hear from them
Anyone with information is asked to contact Constable Michael Garvey at 30 Division in Burlington at 905-825-4747 ext. 2305, or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
November 8th, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
Something is up with the Air Park and its legal battle with the city.
City Council went into a 22 minute closed session for an update from city solicitor Nancy Shea Nicol on what was described as an Air Park matter.
The Air Park has filed a site plan with the city’s planning department but that plan has not come before council yet.
 Vince Rossi, president of the Burlington Executive Air Park and believed to be the sole shareholder of the private company. The Air Park is in a very delicate situation. They have to file a site plan and the city gets to approve that plan. The city is believed to want quite a bit of the land fill that was dumped on the property removed – that would prove to be very expensive for the Air Park
The Air Park was sued by the city for not filing a site plan – they lost that court case but have appealed the decision.
The appeal is to be heard in March of 2017
 This is not the view the Appleby Line property owner had when she bought the property. She doesn’t believe the Air Park had the right to dump all that landfill next to her property line. While all this legal arm wrestling takes place there is a property owner on Appleby Line who has to look at piles of landfill in excess of 30 feet high on either side of her property.
No one at city hall is doing anything for this taxpayer.
This is an ongoing saga not only for the residents who live in the rural part of Burlington but for two residents who were sued for libel by the Air Park. The Burlington Gazette was also sued – but that court case doesn’t appear to be going anywhere.
 By Pepper Parr
November 7th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Dania Thurman made her first delegation to city council yesterday. It was not that pleasant an experience for her – even though she gave a strong, informed presentation.
Council didn’t ask her a single question about what is perhaps one of the most important issues about the kind of downtown the city is going to have in the future.
Thurman argued that closing the Central High school would damage the downtown core community.
 Dania Thurman – vice chair of the Central High School parent group. Thurman is the Vice-Chair of the parent group opposing the closing of the high school. She was delegating along with another parents the same time that Halton District School Board, Director of Education Stuart Miller was explaining to council the why behind why high schools had to be closed.
 The T-shirt tells it all – for the parents – it is about the community. Central Strong, the working name of the parent committee, was formed to organize and inform the downtown core residents, parents, alumni and business owners who will be impacted by the Halton District School Board’s proposal to close Burlington Central High School explained Thurman.
They have 2000 people a week going to their Facebook page and the 500 lawn sighs printed have been snapped up
Thurman said: “Burlington Central High School is the heart and soul of our downtown community and generations of students have attended and excelled there. Our Central Strong team is committed to keeping our school open so the students can benefit from the true community spirit of our school. This includes everything from dedicated staff (many of whom are also alumni), unique programs (like robotics, theatre and theatre tech), and the joy of walking or biking to school every day (which has also been proven to increase student focus and overall success).
“We truly hope that the recommendation to close the Central and Pearson schools is indeed only a starting point for discussion as was indicated by the Director of Education and the Chair of the Board of Trustees.
 Central High school corridor – the place reeks of local history. “Our group’s mission is to provide as much accurate information as we can to aid in finding alternative solutions. Our opinion is that Burlington Central is not the right choice to close and we will work as a community to find creative alternatives to the issues the board may face that don’t involve the closure of Burlington Central High School. We believe that alternatives exist and would be healthier for the students, families and the community than a school closure.
“In addition to this, the Central Strong Community group has officially aligned itself with the growing uproar from the Ontario Alliance Against School Closures, who are calling on the government for an immediate moratorium on school closures. The Ontario Alliance Against School Closures represents 27 school groups across the province. It also has the support of “The Community Schools Alliance” which represents 33 municipalities and approximately 350,000 residents.
Thurman argues that the Ministry’s Pupil Accommodation Review Guideline, as it is currently written, is both damaging and undemocratic. It fails to take into consideration, the value of a school to its community, municipality and local economy. Close to the entire student population at Burlington central can currently walk to school. The physical and mental health of our students impacted by these closures and consolidations is completely disregarded. The municipality should also be concerned as this will ultimately result in increased busing.
“Our environment and an already congested infrastructure will only further deteriorate. You should also be deeply concerned about the narrow vision of the Pupil Accommodation Review process and how it will affect our city and Burlington’s Strategic Plan.”
Thurman was direct, brought up strong arguments but didn’t get a single question from city council.
Michael Kukhta, also a member of the parent group delegated. He was asked a lot of questions which we will cover in a seperate story.
 By Staff
November 7, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Province of Ontario announced the Ontario Senior Achievement Awards that recognize men and women who have made outstanding contributions to their communities through voluntary or professional activities after the age of 65.
There were 20 Ontarians who were recognized – none from Burlington.
Not a healthy sign for a city that is reputed to have the fastest growing senior’s population.
 The Seniors table at a Bfast transit meeting. These people know how to mobilize themselves. A comment from a reader suggests the may be a change in priorities at city hall. Phillip Wooster wrote “I really believe that this mayor and council, including Meed Ward, have made seniors a very low priority. Not only is the Seniors Centre symptomatic of this, but seniors should note how the City Hall elites have put public transit on the back-burner. Most telling is the email I received from the Mayor publicizing the Todarian PR Event on November the 14–all kinds of committees were listed–except……you guessed it–SENIORS.”
By Staff
November 7, 2107
BURLINGTON, ON
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By Pepper Parr
November 7th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Everyone appears to still be in the dark as to just what is going on at the Seniors’ Centre.
One source said “I went on the Centre web site there was only a notice of what has happened and the Board would be meeting in November and the results of that meeting would be posted on that site, so like everyone else I am in the dark.
“There is a general notice at the Centre of what has happened issued by the city you could call and pick one up they are on the front counter.”
The Board seems to be hiding behind their web site.
The city has just moved in and taken over – so much for citizen participation.
The Seniors will get angry and at some point elect a new board.
 Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward serves as the city representative on the Seniors Advisory Council. The city council representative on the Seniors Advisory Board, Marianne Meed Ward has said she “was hoping the discussions the city and board were having over the past year would lead toward a new MOU that would benefit both parties.”
At the same time she said: “The BSCI now has an opportunity to chart a new role for itself serving seniors in Burlington, and I have committed to stay on the board to assist them in this transition for as long as they would like.”
This is very unlike Meed Ward. Every battle she has taken on – the Pier, the different developments during her six years as a city councillor, the sale of waterfront property – you name it – she has been at the front of the parade.
The Beachway was not in her ward and it drives Councillor Craven crazy when she involves herself in that issue. There has never been anything shy about Marianne Meed Ward in the past – so why the backing away now?
This was the organization with the potential to be a large part of what was going to propel her into the Office of the Mayor.
To say that the BSCI “now has an opportunity to chart a new role for itself” is so completely disingenuous.
It would appear that she too has left them to their own devices and with the leadership the BCSI has at the moment it is going to be slim pickings for the over 55 set.
For the first time in a very long time Meed Ward’s political instincts appear to have deserted her.
Everyone loses.
 By Pepper Parr
November 6th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
What would Spencer Smith think if he could see what they have done to the park he created?
The willow trees that he planted 70 years ago are gone.
 This is the Gazebo that was. The Gazebo that used to be on the waterfront is gone too.
Come the Spring the eastern end of the park will have a much different look. There will be a new concrete pathway that will wind from the beginning of the Naval Promenade to the back of the new Gazebo and loop back to the Promenade
 This is the |Gazebo your city i in the process of constructing for you. New trees have been planted. In a couple of years we will have forgotten what it used to look like and the trunks of those willow will have been turned into table tops. Maybe some of the wood carvers at the Art Gallery will fashion a desk that will sit in the office of the Mayor.
 This is where the new Gazebo is gong to be built – it looks like it will be quite a bit bigger. Spencer Smith would probably approve of that.
There are a couple of hundreds clippings taken from the willow trees that were cut down – they will be handed out to people in the Spring.
All good stuff – but where was the public input in all this. Remember – this government was going to be transparent – they were going to include you the tax payer.
We didn’t see any drawings for the new east end of the park with different ideas the public could comment on.
The landscape architects just went ahead and did it because they could.
 This is one of the scenes you get to enjoy from the park. while Burlington isn’t a port city – Hamilton is a large inland port and everything that sails into Hamilton sails by Burlington. That is not healthy civic government.
Related articles:
Who was Spencer Smith?
 Where will the willows go?
By Staff
November 6th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
There is someone else out there who asks the question the Gazette has been asking for some time.
 Why is gas always a couple of pennies higher in Burlington than it is in Hamilton?
The best I can come up with is – the owners of the gas stations know they can get away with it. They see Burlington as a wealthy community that they can suck extra dollars out of.
If you want it to change – walk with your wallets.
A couple of years ago we did a piece on this. Nothing has changed.
The prices were higher but the differences we basically the same – you pay more in Burlington. Why – because we have a better civic government?
 Burlington Esso on Guelph Line $1.249  Regular gas at the Hamilton Esso station $1.226  Shell station on Guelph line $1.249 per litre  At the Shell station on Main West in Hamilton – $1.219 per litre of regular gas
Related article:
It has always been this way.
By Pepper Parr
November 5th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
They come and they go.
The people who run the city are people we rely upon to come up with the solutions to solve the problems.
In the five years the Gazette has been reporting on this city we have seen four city managers. Currently James Ridge, a former Canadian army veteran who served in the Military Police.
 City manager James Ridge There was a point when the city had three General Managers who reported to the city manager. That level of management no longer exists and the city manager has a team of Directors who meet with Ridge as part of what he calls his Leadership Team.
And as long as you do things the way Ridge wants you to do them – you get to stay on the team.
 Retiring Director of Transit Mike Spicer on the left attends a community meeting with city manager James Ridge. One of these two is not a happy camper. Mike Spicer, Director of Transit will be leaving the tram November 18th.
The Gazette got a note from a reader who brought Spicer’s resignation to our attention. It took a few days to get comment from Spicer who we found to be usually available for comment.
We asked Spicer if there was any truth to the rumour we received.
Here is the flow of the conversation:
Gazette: Got a note from someone saying you had been shown the door.
Spicer: I was not shown the door. I resigned. Last day is November 18th.
Gazette: Where are you going and what are you going to do next?
Spicer: Seeking new opportunities, don’t have anything concrete at this moment but am looking at a few opportunities.
 Mayor Goldring reading a transit app on his cell phone. To his left is Joey Edwardth of Community Development Halton and Doug Brown – the guy who knows more about transit in the city than anyone else. He seldom gets a call. Good luck to Mike. He had a difficult job – he was expected to provide a transit service without the funds he needed and the full support of city council.
He did slip up on a number of occasions – failing to attend meetings that were put on by transit service advocates was a killer.
By Staff
November 5th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
A 13 year old boy was struck by a vehicle on Friday at the intersection of Appleby Line and Taywood Drive in the City of Burlington.
The boy was on the bicycle heading northon Appleby Line within the crosswalk when a northbound white Volkswagen attempted to turn left onto Taywood Drive. The vehicle hit the male and fled from the scene.
The bicycle driver was initially taken to Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital before being airlifted to a children’s trauma centre in critical but non-life threatening condition.
A coordinated search of the area resulted in the suspect vehicle being located at a residence close to the collision scene. The driver of the vehicle returned to the scene of the collision and was arrested for failure to stop at scene of an accident causing bodily harm.
The driver was identified as 23-year-old Stephen BALON of Burlington. Mr. BALON will appear in court on December 7th at the Ontario Court of Justice, 491 Steeles Road, Milton Ontario.
The status of the bicycle rider has been upgraded to stable condition.
Any witnesses to the collision are asked to contact the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 905-825-4747 extension 5065, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
 By Staff
November 5, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
 Spring forward – fall back. That was how I was taught to remember the change in the way we record time.
It is fall – the leaves are turning and it is time to turn the dial on the clock back one hour before you tuck in Saturday night and enjoy that extra hour of sleep.
 Or get up at the same time and have an additional hour to get some work done.
Whichever, make a point of enjoying the changes in the colours of the leaves on the trees – might be time for a nice drive out into the country. Escarpment is great at this time of year.
By Pepper Parr
November 5, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
In response to the question: What happened? Ward 2 city councillor Marianne Meed Ward said she “ was hoping the discussions the city and board were having over the past year would lead toward a new MOU that would benefit both parties.
Meed Ward was talking about the significant change that has taken place in the way programs and services are being delivered at the Seniors’ Centre which is a piece of city property that the seniors use.
 The Bistro, the heart of the Seniors’ Centre and the focal point for many of the administrative problems. The Seniors organized themselves as a not for profit – Burlington Senior’s Centre Inc. (BSCI). They elect a board which serves for a two-year period. It is that Board that has been “negotiating” with the city
There was a Memorandum of Understanding that set out who was to do what and who was going to pay what that had been put in place a number of years ago after considerable disruption and happiness on the part of the seniors.
There was a meeting a number of years ago that drew 300 seniors and they were not happy. The MOU seemed to settle things down.
Now things have flared up again.
 Joe Lamb wonders why someone didn’t call him. Joe Lamb, the person who negotiated a very fat deal for the seniors wonders why no one called him when things were going wrong.
The current president of the BSCI, a non-profit organization, hasn’t been able to make himself available for any kind of interview. Fred Hendriks issues media releases and doesn’t allow for any follow up.
Some of those with past board experience complain that Hendriks isn’t much of a communicator – they got that right.
Meed Ward adds that “With the recent change, members of the Seniors Centre should not notice any difference to services or programming.”
 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward listening to a senior. She continues: “The BSCI now has an opportunity to chart a new role for itself serving seniors in Burlington, and I have committed to stay on the board to assist them in this transition for as long as they would like.”
Meed Ward is the city representative on the Seniors Advisory committee.
There is indeed trouble in paradise. Don’t think this story has come to an end.
The seniors are one of the few really well defined groups in the city with a lot of time on their hands. They have in the past badgered city councillors with telephone calls when they weren’t happy.
The French have a phrase for it – some things never change – Et certaines choses ne changent pas.
By Pepper Parr
November 3, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Gas leaks are dangerous.
Yesterday there was a gas leak on a construction site.
The fire department and the gas company were able to get on site very quickly and shut the gas off.
A resident who was walking in the area wants to know why things like this happen.
When construction permits are issued do the contractors not know where the telephone lines are; where the gas lines are and where the water pipes are?
 The project has been a long time getting to te point where the shovels were in the ground. within a week something struck a gas pipe line shutting down the immediate area for several hours. Fast work on the part of the fire department and the gas company averted a disaster. Our resident wants to know: What is the procedure at The City of Burlington going forward with the developer who put Downtown Core residents and businesses in jeopardy yesterday when a gas pipe was ruptured during construction at Caroline and Elizabeth Streets?
She was walking by the site when the gas pipe was hit and the concentration of gas permeating the air was dense and made it difficult to breath. She didn’t know how gas pipes and pressure work when there is a rupture, but there was gas filling businesses on Brant Street. Wardell Insurance had all of their doors open as their building filled with gas; this building is directly across from City Hall. I observed firemen taking gas readings as far south as James Street.
How is it possible that a builder can still rupture a gas line in the middle of a City with all of the technology available in 2016 for pinpointing exact location? This site is bordered by an apartment building, town homes and businesses in a highly populated and travelled part of our downtown community.
 Medica One or the Carriage Gate project – pick the name you like best – will go up at the top of John Street and consist of a medical offices building, an above ground garage and an apartment/condo complex. It will bring significant change to the intersection and drive redevelopment of the plaza to the immediate north, A transit hub a couple of blocks to the south then makes a lot of sense. Is this developer capable of safely building a safe building in our midst? What are this developer’s credentials? Has this developer ever worked on a project of this scale? This is a disturbing start in the early stages of a multi-year construction at this site.
Does the developer pay the thousands of dollars for the emergency response personnel that were on site for the many hours that it took to secure the area and stop the gas leak? Is there any consideration for the businesses that either had to be evacuated or suffered loss of business?
It is absolutely terrifying to consider the consequences to our downtown community had the gas ignited.
All good questions. Watching for the answers.
By Pepper Parr
November 3rd, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The first two of seven meetings that will take place at each of the high schools in the city were held at Bateman and Nelson.
The Director of Education, Stuart Miller and a number of his staff gave an hour long presentation to six people at the Robert Bateman high school, zipped up their briefcases where they did the presentation a second time to 12 people at Nelson high school.
These meetings were not a required part of the Program Accommodation Review the Board of Education is going through. “It is not an easy time” said Miller
 Joey Edwardth, President of Community Development Halton with Director of Education Stuart Miller – she has the data he needs. Director Miller and the General manager of the Board shared the delivery of the presentation – they were laying out the facts as they understood them.
And the facts are critical.
There are far too many seats in high school classroom that are empty and that just isn’t sustainable.
Miller said the city has one and a half too many high schools – and to make matters worse the capacity the board has it at times in the wrong place.
Unfortunately the Board has known about this for some time. This problem first appeared on their radar screens back in 2013
 The city of Burlington doesn’t have a demographer on staff and apparently the Board of Education doesn’t have any of that capacity as well. Community Development Halton (CDH) has a solid team that has the data at its finger tips – but the city and the board don’t seem to know what CDH can do for them. If the problem of falling enrollment was identified in 2012 – it was in the data long before then. Of more interest to parents is the depth of the problem. Except for Hayden and Nelson high school there is not a high school in the city that is not at some risk.
Set out below is the critical data for every high school – the numbers are not nice and they certainly are not comfortable.
At the first meeting of the Board and the parents at Bateman there were six parents. Bateman is at rick – look at the numbers.
The doted line is the On the Ground capacity of the school.
The critical number is 65% of that OTG. When a school falls below that the Board of education is required to do a Program Accommodation Review.
Each year the Board does an LTAP – Long Term Accommodation study – the quality of those studies may not have been as good as they should have been.
 Central has a problem but it is not as bad as Bateman.  How did the demographers miss this one? Add to the problem is the development of a housing project in the north east quadrant of the city.  The sense seems to be that closing Pearson and sending them to Robinson will solve the Robinson problem.  At some point in time the Eaglesfield project will get developed – it looks like that is going to be a family community – will children attend Aldershot?  Bateman would appear to be more at risk than Central.
By Pepper Parr
November 3rd 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The closing of a school is no small matter – and when it happens there is disruption at many levels – especially for the parents who have children in one of the schools that was recommended for closure.
In the Program Accommodation Review the Halton district School Board is undergoing, the Director of Education put a recommendation before the trustees that two specific schools be closed. Central and Pearson.
There are parents who wish the Director had not done so.
 Blue indicates a small school; green indicates a large school. Lynne Crosby, a parent with children at Central high school said yesterday that “They did NOT have to make a recommendation that named two schools. This shows a complete disregard for the students and staff at those two schools, plus the students in grade 7/8 and the feeder schools. The high school students at these schools have been greatly negatively affected, and in many cases their school year is tainted if not ruined.
They (the Board of Education) could have chosen option 7 which is to close no schools to begin the PAR. Or they could have made an Option 20 to close one school or two schools, particular ones to be determined through the process, and not naming specific ones.
Crosby is bothered by the rule that does not allow any questions during the presentations that are being made to each high school. “We can’t ask him this question because they don’t allow questions. What a farce. I doubt they are taking questions from the media either, but this is a point that should be raised, since they keep giving us this line about how they had no choice.”
“One thing that really bothers me” said Crosby, “is them saying how they had to make a recommendation, as if their hands were tied by the Ministry rules. All the board had to do was ask the trustees to decide if they wanted to do a Program Accommodation Review to begin the process.
The Board did produce a report that had a recommendation – which is all it is at this point in time.
 Doesn’t take a rocket scientists to figure out that there is a problem. The enrollment numbers to show that there are far too many seats in the high schools that have not been filled.
By Pepper Parr
November 3rd, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The city manager now has a Senior Manager, Government Relations & Strategic Communications to help him get through a day.
Mr. Kwab Ako-Adjei advised us earlier in the week that: “Following a lengthy internal review we have decided not to renew our partnership agreement with the Burlington Senior’s Centre Inc. (BSCI) which will therefore conclude our relationship.
“Through the review we were able to determine that we have the capacity to deliver all the services directly, including those delivered by BSCI. This conclusion in our relationship will have no operational impact on service to the 3800 members of the Seniors Centre. All the programming members have come to enjoy will remain the same including the operation of the Bistro and organization of the day trips. In short it will be business as usual at the Seniors Centre with no changes.”
It is clear now that the internal review was done at city hall with next to no input from the seniors or its board. Fred Hendriks thought they were getting ready to “begin” talking about changes.
In his statement said: “The City and BSCI have been in discussion for many months about BEGINNING negotiations to renew the MOU. BSCI is disappointed that the City chose to end the relationship in this premature and disappointing manner without any BSCI consultation.”
The city decided to just pull the rug from underneath the BSCI board and just tell them that there had been a change in command.
They were given six days’ notice before the locks were changed as it were. Hendriks reports that “On October 26th, 2016 the City notified BSCI that it would assume these responsibilities as of November 1st, 2016.
 Chris Glenn, Director of Parks and Recreation was reported to have never been happy with the Memorandum of Agreement the city signed. The Parks and Recreation people that are part of the city managers leadership team should have explained that the seniors have to be handled just a little differently – and we might add – with a little more respect.
Are there some of the old arbitrary ways creeping back into city hall?
Mr. Ako-Adjei added that the BSCI Board has not dissolved, the Board is an independent not-for-profit so the City has no authority to dissolve them.
While the board itself may not have been dissolved – the use of the Board Room has been taken from then. The only thing they are able to do is complain.
It was the very loud complaining six years ago that led to the signing of a Memorandum that turned over the running of the operation to the seniors.
There were people within the Parks and Recreation that didn’t like that arrangement which led to the review.
The biggest problem area at the time was the kitchen. In many ways it is the heart of the Centre. They call it the Bistro and is run jointly with the city. The one employee is on the city payroll, mostly because the Centre doesn’t have anyone who can process a payroll and ensure all the proper deductions are made.
With the kitchen manager on the city payroll – the city wanted to ensure they had the required oversight and that was the problem – the seniors didn’t want the city getting involved in the running of the kitchen and the city didn’t want to be in the kitchen either. When there is any food handling involved the city out sources the work.
 The Bistro, the heart of the Seniors’ Centre and the focal point for many of the administrative problems. The 2012 agreement with the city didn’t resolve this problem but they have agreed to give it a year to come up with a solution that works for everyone. They had a neat little kitchen operation and they wanted to keep it that way. Fine said the city but if the employee is on our payroll there is some liability that lands on the city’s desk and if there was going to be liability – the city wanted control, or at least enough control to be able to manage the problems when they crop up.
 Former City manager Jeff Fielding didn’t win this time. Joe Lamb, negotiating for the Seniors’ Centre basically took Fielding to the cleaners with the deal he talked the city into. And that is where the working relationship between Lamb and Fielding, the city manager came into play. They agreed that an agreement was necessary but they didn’t have one – so they would agree to work together with the revised MOU for a year and during that time let experience and time get put to use to find something that works for everyone.
The reality of this is that the employee is on the city payroll in a building the city owns – that boils down to the city having the final word. That is something the seniors are going to have to accept. Fielding just has to find language that keeps the seniors happy. The seniors all recognise the phrase “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” and they have a year to figure out just how much sugar is going to be needed. The city doesn’t appear to have too many problems spending money on seniors.
Five thousand for incorporation, $9,000, give or take a couple of hundred for insurance – tasting pretty sweet at this point.
The BOM (Board of Management) owns some of the equipment in the kitchen, the city owns the rest. BOM reimburses the City for Maria’s costs and any profit or loss for the kitchen goes to the BOM
The kitchen is rented out many times in the evening and weekends by the city. Both parties share keeping the place clean and for the most part the city is responsible for bigger maintenance and capital items. It is a unique arrangement which seems to work.
BOM doesn’t want to take over the operation of the kitchen; to do so would mean taking on the same contingent liability. The Board turns over quickly with only 2 year terms, and although have some kitchen knowledge there are no assurances that this will continue in the future.
 More than 150 members showed up to learn about the new agreement with the city in 2012. The first meeting to explain the problems drew 300 +. City hall just might hear from these folks again. That’s where things were left five years ago – something went wrong – was it with the city or were there problems with the board that was running the place – there were some personality conflicts with one particular member of that board – was that enough to scrap the relationship and begin to treat the seniors like children that can’t run their own affairs?
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