 By Staff
February 27, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Parents throughout Burlington will have gotten a survey asking them what they think of the six options that are before the Program Accommodation Review Committee.
It is a reasonably fair and balanced survey at first glance.
There is one small problem and that is the detail behind each option is viewed in a separate screen and the type is so small it really cannot be read.
The Board would like your feedback on the remaining six options through the online survey. Click here to get to the survey.
The survey is available Monday February 27 – Monday March 13 (until 4:30 pm).
The order in which Options appear in the online survey is random.
All responses will be anonymous.
The survey can only be completed by using a desktop or laptop computer. It cannot be completed on a tablet or mobile device.
A public meeting is scheduled for North Burlington schools on Tuesday, February 28, 2017 at Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School. The meeting for South Burlington schools is scheduled for Tuesday, March 7, 2017.
We urge you to attend the public meeting – it doesn’t have a start time – you can drop in at any time and get more detail on any one of the six options. There will be Board of Education staff members on hand to answer questions.
For those who aren’t going to be able to get to either of the two public meetings set out below are details on each of the options. The details were released at one of the PARC meeting.
The six options are as follows:
Option 23d ‐ Robert Bateman HS, Lester B Pearson HS closes, Dr. Frank J Hayden SS program change
No change to Aldershot HS boundary
Burlington Central HS catchment expands to include Tecumseh PS catchment
IB program added to Burlington Central HS from Robert Bateman
Nelson HS boundary expands east. SC‐SPED & Essential programming redirected to Nelson HS from Robert Bateman
MM Robinson HS ENG catchment expands to include Lester B Pearson HS
Frank J Hayden SS FI program redirected to M.M. Robinson HS. No change to the English catchment.
Option 19b – Burlington Central HS, Lester B Pearson closes HS, Dr Frank J Hayden SS & Robert Bateman HS program change
Aldershot HS catchment expands east to Brant St, ESL program relocated to Aldershot HS from Burlington Central HS. 10 rooms available from the Aldershot elementary facility to accommodate additional
Nelson HS expands west to Brant
Robert Bateman HS catchment include John William Boich PS catchment south of Upper Middle Rd, and the entire Frontenac PS catchment
FI program added to Robert Bateman HS with same boundaries as the English program
MM Robinson HS English boundary expands to include Lester B Pearson HS. FI boundary include Dr. Frank J Hayden SS with the exception of John William Boich PS catchment south of Upper Middle
Frank J Hayden becomes English only school, with a reduced English catchment area
Option 4b – Robert Bateman HS closes
No change to Aldershot HS
Burlington Central HS expands to include the entire Tecumseh PS
Nelson HS expands east to include Robert Bateman HS. Nelson HS receives the SC‐SPED and Essential programming from Robert Bateman
MM Robinson HS catchment expands to include Kilbride PS catchment
Lester B Pearson HS catchment expands to include Florence Meares PS catchment. IB program and Gifted Secondary Placement added to Lester B. Pearson HS from Robert Bateman HS and Nelson HS
Frank J Hayden SS English catchment area is reduced.
Option 7b – No changes to schools south of the QEW
Frank J Hayden SS Boundary change
Lester B Pearson HS catchment expands to include Kilbride PS catchment area, John William Boich PS catchment area south of Upper Middle Road, and Alexander’s PS catchment
Frank J Hayden HS catchment reduced.
Option 28d – Burlington Central HS and Lester B Pearson HS closes, Program change for Dr Frank J Hayden SS
Aldershot HS catchment area expands easterly to railway tracks, ESL program added to Aldershot from Burlington Central
Nelson HS catchment area expands west to the railway
Robert Bateman HS catchment area expands to include John William Boich PS catchment area and Frontenac PS catchment
MM Robinson HS catchment area expands to include Lester B Pearson HS catchment area.
FI is removed from Dr. Frank J Hayden SS and redirected to MM Robinson HS
CH Norton PS area that is currently directed to Lester B Pearson HS, to be redirected to Dr Frank J Hayden
Option 3b – Nelson HS closes, Dr Frank J Hayden SS and Burlington Central HS have a program change
Aldershot FI expands to include Burlington Central HS FI catchment
Burlington Central HS English catchment area expands to Walkers Line
Robert Bateman HS expands west to Walkers
FI program added to Robert Bateman HS
Lester B Pearson HS catchment area expands to include John William Boich PS catchment area and Kilbride PS catchment area. The Secondary Gifted placement added to Lester B Pearson HS from Nelson
Frank J Hayden SS FI program redirected to M.M. Robinson HS.
Frank J Hayden HS catchment reduced.
 By Staff
February 27th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Mayor Rick Goldring welcomed the Hon. Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, to the Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB) last Friday for a roundtable discussion on seniors’ housing needs in Burlington.
Goldring hosted a roundtable on senior’s issues with the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Elizabeth Dowdeswell wanted to learn more about issues, ideas and initiatives of importance to the people of Burlington.
 Mayor Rick Goldring with the Hon. Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Over the next 20 years, the percentage of seniors within Burlington is expected to grow to about one in every four residents and the number of seniors over the age of 80 is expected to more than double.
Following the roundtable discussion, that involved 15 people, the Mayor Goldring announced a one-year task force to address the issue of seniors’ housing in Burlington.
The city is committed to collaborating with residents and stakeholders The Roundtable included representatives from Joseph Brant Hospital, the Burlington Seniors’ Advisory Committee; Halton Region’s social services, planning and health senior managers; Habitat for Humanity; private developers; seniors’ housing specialists; and City of Burlington senior managers.
Each of the 15 representatives was asked to consider and comment on the following two questions:
1. What are the current housing opportunities for seniors who want, or need, to find a new home in Burlington?
2. As the number of seniors continues to increase in our city, where should we place our focus in providing new housing opportunities to allow seniors to continue living in Burlington?
The Mayor’s Task Force is a one year initiative starting in May 2017 and will be led by the Office of the Mayor.
Members of the Task Force will be announced in April. They will report back sometime in April of 2018.
The next municipal election is in October of 2018.
By Staff
February 27, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Does the city know something the rest of us don’t know?
Is winter really over?
Meteorologists and climatologists in the northern hemisphere generally consider December, January and February as the winter months – Wednesday is March 1st – so it must be true.
 To make it real the city has officially closed the Rotary Pond skating rink at Discovery Landing.
Mild temperatures have brought the outdoor skating season to a close for the 2016-17 season.
Over the next few weeks, City of Burlington staff will begin preparing for the spring when the 10,000 square-foot (929 square-metre) feature transforms into a reflective pond.
Chris Glenn, Director of Parks and Recreation explains: “After a very successful season of outdoor skating, the city made the decision to close the rink at Discovery Landing for this winter. The record-breaking, mild temperatures we’ve experienced this month have made it challenging to maintain skating conditions that are safe and enjoyable. More than 14,500 skaters enjoyed some winter fun this season at the outdoor rink overlooking Spencer Smith Park and Lake Ontario. Thank you to everyone who donated skates to the city’s new skate lending program at Rotary Centennial Pond.”
There were 150 pairs of skates donated skates to the skate lending program; they were borrowed through the skate lending program on 1,200 occasions
The public was able to skate on the pond for 64 days in the 2016-17 season.
And that is more information than you really needed to know – skate loan program was a nice feature though; kudos for whoever came up with that idea.
By Pepper Parr
February 27th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Central Strong got a bit of a surprise when they learned that city Council was not going to meet on Monday, evening, which was when they had planned on marching into city hall to voice their complaints about the way the city was handling the meetings over the possible closing of two of the seven high schools in the city.
 Central strong is the group that represents the parents at Central high school who do not want to see their high school closed.
The city has a schedule for regular Standing Committee meetings and then meetings of the city council. The Standing Committee is siting in the afternoon but not in the evening.
 Central Strong might like to think that city council decided not to meet because they were afraid of a demonstration in the Council Chamber- the reality was that there apparently wasn’t enough in the way of matters that needed attention so the meeting was cancelled.
There was an occasion several months ago when citizen delegated before city council to keep the ten minute time allocation they had or delegations.
Council appears to have found a way around the problem of those pesky delegations – just don’t bother to meet at all.
By Pepper Parr
February 26th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Is there anything to the rumour that Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven does not plan to run for office in 2018?
One Gazette reader popped us a note saying he got the information from two sources.
Another contact, a friend of Craven’s, is not getting his telephone calls returned.
 Rick Craven: Best committee chair the city has; not big on the warm fuzzy stuff through. Another media advised us that they were not on the council members “friendly media” list.
The Gazette hasn’t been able to get a word out of Craven for more than a year. He took offence to the story we did on his asking for city hall security to walk him to his car; at that time he was apparently worried that he would be physically harmed by Beachway residents when the debate on clearing out all the homes in that community was taking place.
 Rick Craven knows his Ward, understands what his constituents need and they appear to think he’s great. Is there a life beyond city hall for Craven? There was a point when as publisher of the Gazette I would have lengthy lunches with the council member. We once went on a long drive through Craven’s ward during which he pointed out what made the ward the community it is.
In the past we have described Craven as the most effective Standing Committee chair the city has. He kept people focused. He is still a very good committee chair.
He can be very hard on people who are delegating before city council and was one of the council member who actively promoted getting the delegation time allocation reduced to five minutes.
Brittle he is.
 Councillor Meed Ward sit looking a little glum before she responds to Councillor Craven’s personal attack and asks that he stick to the issue and stop belittling residents, delegations and her as a council member. There is no love lost between these two. He has an acidic relationship with ward 2 councillor Marianne Meed Ward; a woman he once beat when she ran against him in the 2006 election. Meed Ward, who lived in Tyendaga community at the time, moved into ward 2 where she beat Peter Thoem for the Council seat.
There is a nasty police based complaint out there somewhere that we don’t believe has been resolved.
Craven has served the city as a city council member for more than 16 years and has served on the Police Services Board for some time.
Craven studied Communication Arts at Mohawk College and graduated from McMaster University. His previous work experience included five years as a news reporter and two decades as a manager with Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.
 Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven with Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward and Liberal candidate in the 2010 provincial election Karmel Sakran doing a media event outside city hall. He identifies himself as a Liberal and took a long look at running for office in the 2010 provincial election. He would have been running against Jane McKenna and could probably have beaten her.
Craven was at one point a radio announcer. He is a graduate of McMaster University. At a meeting of the Conservation Authority Craven, while the public was waiting outside the meeting room during a CLOSED session, Craven said that he was giving some thought to running for Mayor.
We will have to wait until at least May of 2018 before we know what Councillor Craven plans to do.
By Staff
February 26th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Central Strong, that Merry Band of “die hards” that are fighting the good fight to keep their school open, have another task that they need help with.
 They are going to walk to city hall and perhaps march into the council chamber. They want you to meet at Burlington Central at 5:15 pm tomorrow, Monday, February 27th. They will be walking along Brant St to raise awareness and bring attention to their cause and will end at City Hall where they will greet City Councillors and Mayor prior to the city council meeting.
They want everyone to bring their Save Central signs or the signs that reflect your thoughts on what City Council should be doing.
Part 2 of this initiative is some canvassing of downtown streets, so that they can gather data on what they know to be the changing demographics of the core.
They have seen numerous infill developments all around the core of the city and believe they are seeing a lot of housing turn over with many new families moving in when empty-nesters and retired homeowners move out (some of them moving to the new downtown condos).
However, maintains Central Strong, the Halton District School Board doesn’t seem to have heard of this phenomenon.
The Board is about to do an on-line survey of parents relating to the options on the table at the Program Accommodation Review. Central Strong makes reference to a comment made by Kirk Perris that this is a “non-scientific survey”. That isn’t completely true.
Those parents responding to the survey sent to them by the board will produce results that are “scientific” in that the only people who can respond to the survey sent to the household will be people from that household.
There will be a second survey, identical to the one being sent to the households, that anyone can respond to – that version of the survey will not be scientific – anyone from Pakistan will be able to respond was the way Kirk Perris put it.
The Gazette expects to have the link to the public survey late Monday afternoon and will publish that as soon as it is received.
Households will get their link directly from the board.
The door to door survey work the Central Strong people want to do might reveal data that has not been known up until now. And getting all the data possible is well worth the effort.
Central Strong is asking that “as many of you as possible to pick a street, perhaps your own street or another nearby street, and do a simple checklist for us and send it in to us. If we can get a good number of streets done, that would be great.”
 The first public meeting on the closing of Burlington high schools didn’t go all that well. Specifically, include:
Street Name
Number of Homes Canvassed
How many homes have changed from seniors/retirees to families with children in last year, 3 years, 5 years.
How many have been family homes for more than 5 years
How many are empty nesters/retirees
Of the empty nesters/retirees, how many plan on selling within 1-5 years; 5-10 years
You might know the answers for some of the homes on your street without needing to ask.
It would also be helpful if some people could canvass an apartment or condo building floor or two so that we can see how many children are living there now and extrapolate that to the number in the total building.
Central Strong wants to be able to show that the downtown core is expanding as we know it is, that the development coming to the core will bring families and children, but also that the houses that are here are turning over to more and more families.
Important Dates
Public Meeting #2 (North Burlington schools) February 28, 2017 at 7:00 pm at Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School, 3040 Tim Dobbie Drive
Public Meeting #2 (South Burlington schools) March 7, 2017 at 7:00 pm at New Street Education Centre, 3250 New Street
PARC Working Meeting #4 March 23, 2017 at 7:00 pm. J.W. Singleton Education Centre, 2050 Guelph Line
Members of the PARC will be given the data from the surveys taking place between February 27th and March 13th
Director’s Report (with compiled feedback) to Committee of the Whole March 29, 2017 at 7:00 pm at J.W. Singleton Education Centre, 2050 Guelph Line
Public Delegation Night April 18, 2017 at 6:00 pm at J.W. Singleton Education Centre, 2050 Guelph Line
Final Report to Board of Trustees for decision May 17, 2017 at 7:00 pm at J.W. Singleton Education Centre, 2050 Guelph Line.
 This is where the buck is going to stop. The 11 elected trustees will make the final decision. Will they prove to be independent or will the people that elected them see a decision to go with the staff recommendation.
 By Staff
February 24, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
After a couple of bench clearing events during the 2016 season the Intercounty Baseball League decided to clean things up a little and put three new rules in place.
The IBL is helping the clubs appeal to the family crowd and a bunch of emotionally charged baseball ball players roaring out onto the ball field doesn’t fit with the family sports event.
 Kitchener and Brantford teams clear their benches for one of he few brawls in the league last year. The new rules Rules of Operation, passed in January 2017set out suspensions for three classes of players.
a) The player identified as first to leave the dugout or bullpen to engage in or start an altercation is automatically suspended five games.
b) The manager of the team identified as first to leave the dugout or the bullpen is automatically suspended three games.
c) A position player, who leaves his position, to engage in an altercation, is automatically suspended one game. This also applies to batters and or players in the batter’s box.
IBL Commissioner John Kastner said “It is the job of the umpiring crew to determine who is first to leave the bench.
As is the case with all brawls, the crew will meet and determine what transpired.
The IBL does not have a provision to challenge umpiring decisions over this or any other decision.
By Pepper Parr
February 23rd, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
REVISED
With the Program Accommodation Review Committee (PARC) having gone through a long and very arduous process that some of them are not suited to they can now rest on their oars for a few weeks and see what the public has to say about the six options they have decided should be looked at seriously.
The vast majority of the members of the PAR committee are doing superb work.
 The 14 members of the Program Accommodation Review Committee are all volunteers who have put in some long hours and exchanged thousands of emails to get to the point where there are six options for the public to review. The disappointing aspect of the PARC process is that we now have parents from different schools battling with other parents to ensure that their school does not get closed. The process that Burlington has had to follow almost guaranteed this outcome – the PARC members find themselves between a rock and an even harder place – they have not had an opportunity to frame the debate and discussion and have not had the benefit of adequate an accurate information.
 The PAR committee members are fully immersed in the process. For several this is going to be a very dis-satisfying experience. They deserved better treatment. These people volunteered – put in hundreds of hours and their work is not finished yet. There are some very talented people on the PAR committee and for the most part the ideas they have put forward are commendable.
They had hoped to have some input on the on-line survey that is going to be done – no such luck. One PARC member expressed some concern with the survey that is being put together. The one done December 8th was described by Kirk Perris, the man who put it together as “not one of his better efforts”. That wasn’t an understatement.
The public meeting plan explained to the PARC members was for an event that is to be as interactive as these things can be.
There are two parts to the public engagement: an online survey and public meetings where people can look at the details and ask questions. There will be one public meeting in the north end of the city and a second, with identical content in the south of the city.
 Kirk Perris, the IPSOS Reid facilitator hired by the board is designing the public meting content and the on-line surveys. He and PARC chair Scott Podrebarac are guiding the process. Perris intends to set up information stations for each of the six options. Board staff will be on hand to explain the details of each option. PARC members will be on hand as well to give their take on how they got to where they are.
The on-line survey will be opened on the 27th of February. It will be sent out to all parents and there will be an on-line version for anyone else who wants to participate.
The first public meeting in the north end of the city is on the 28th – at Hayden high school, the second is on March 7th at the Gary Allan educational centre on New Street. Both start at 7:00 pm
The survey goes off-line on the 131th of March. There will be print versions of the survey available.
It would be advisable for anyone responding to the survey to wait until they have had a chance to attend one of the public meetings.
Perris talked in terms of questions that would be open ended as well as questions that would be closed ended.
He described the meetings as an exercise in public engagement – there are a lot of smart people who are looking very carefully and closely at the process so far and they do not feel engaged.
One PARC member wanted to know how the data collected is going to be used: “is this a popularity contest or are you going after data that is quantitative or qualitative? Why are we doing this?
 Burlington trustees Andrea Grebenc, on the left and Leah Reynolds have attended all the PARC meeting. Trustees Papin and Collard’s antecedence has been more sporadic. There are some serious concerns in the minds of those people who are following this issue as well as members of the PARC.
The trustees who will make the final decision are sitting on the side lines – observing. One cannot envy them for what is coming their way.
 By Staff
February 23, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Spirit of Sport public art project is now at the point where the city wants to know what people think of the ideas that have come from the three short-listed artists. Their work is now on display at Brant Hills Community Centre, Nelson Recreation Centre and Mainway Recreation Centre until Friday, March 3, 2017.
About Spirit of Sport Public Art Project
The Spirit of Sport public art project aims to celebrate Burlington’s long history of sports excellence, on both an amateur and professional level. A series of three small-to-medium-scale, exterior public artworks will be installed Mainway Recreation Centre, Nelson Park and Brant Hills Park. These locations were selected as they represent a broad range of types of sport as well as different levels of play, ranging from children and youth to competitive play.
A community jury has selected artists: Blue Republic, Ken Hall and Tamara Kwapich to move forward to the short-list and develop preliminary design concepts. The information collected from residents will inform the jury’s final decision.
Each artist has developed a proposal for each of the three locations.
Artist: Blue Republic
Title: Stuff of Dreams
Artist’s Description: The goal of our design is to create a highly visible, playful, landmark series of works about inclusiveness, togetherness, play and fearlessness. Our work is addressed to the local community and especially young people. The look comes from graffiti and street art and children’s drawings. Here, ideas are often given a surprising visual creation, not stopped by self-consciousness. Our three projects speak to the act of thinking, or dreaming, about the sports we love. Our heads are ‘full’ of the game, of being outdoors and of playing together.
Artist: Ken Hall
Title: Spirit of Sport
Artist’s Description: The fluttering ribbon is a perfect form for these sculptures, having long been associated with sporting excellence; whether being used to support medals won at competitive events, or as a means of celebrating participation in community activities.
Artist: Tamara Kwapich
Title: Moments Great and Small
Artist’s Description: The mural “Pick up Game on Sunfish Pond,” proposed for Nelson Recreation Centre, speaks to those small moments spent with family and friends—moments that are unorganized, spontaneous and joyful.
“Up and Away,” proposed for Mainway Recreation Centre, pays homage to the community of people who support and lift each other up to reach their goals.
“What Dreams May Come,” proposed for Brant Hills Community Centre, represents the history of sport in Burlington and the heroes that inspire future athletes.
BurlingtonPublicArt.com.
Concept #1
Blue Republic, Stuff of Dreams
 Blue Republic # 1  Blue Republic # 2 – Mainway  Blue Republic # 3 Sport is the most democratic activity in the world. While we all know of the great iconic sports figures found everywhere in the media, the three fields and facilities in Burlington where these art projects will be located are here for all to enjoy.
Whether it’s a father coaching his kids, two girlfriends running together or a group playing wheelchair basketball, the camaraderie and sheer joy that come from improving our skills belongs to everyone. At a time when most of us spend long hours sitting in front of a computer, facilities like these are vital in maintaining life’s balance.
The goal of our design is to create a highly visible, playful, landmark series of works about inclusiveness, togetherness, play and fearlessness. Our work is addressed to the local community and especially young people. The look comes from graffiti, street art and children’s drawings – where an idea is not hindered by self-consciousness.
We chose to position the artwork on buildings, crowning each one at the entrance. This will make the artwork resistant to theft and vandalism. Our three projects speak to the act of thinking, or dreaming, about the sports we love.
Our heads are ‘full’ of the game, of being outdoors and of playing together.
Concept #2
Ken Hall, Spirit of Sport
 Ken Hall # 1 Spirit of Sport – Mainway  Ken Hall Spirit of Sport # 2  Ken Hall – spirit of Sport # 3 To honour this Spirit of Sport, red, ribbon-like sculptures will celebrate active living and inclusive community particip-ation, while engaging and welcoming the public to the recreation centres.
Celebrating the combination of balance, strength and co-ordin-ation required in sports, the red ribbon sculptures are an explora-tion of space and movement.
The red ribbons reflect key components of many activities, such as the flowing rhythm of gym-nastics; the curved, red stitching on a baseball; the goal line in hockey; and the finish line in track and field, among others.
The fluttering ribbon is a perfect form for these sculptures, having long been associated with sporting excellence; whether being used to support medals won at competitive events, or as a means of celebrating particip-ation in community activities, such as awareness walks for issues like breast cancer.
The association with medals is particularly relevant given the City of Burlington’s rich history of sporting innovation, which includes: Dr. Frank Hayden, founder of the International Special Olympics Movement; Melville Marks Robinson, founder of the Common-wealth Games; along with numerous Olympic athletes and coaches, including Melanie Booth (soccer) and Angela Coughlan (swimming).
The rolling ribbon also celebrates a heart-healthy, active lifestyle, calling to mind the visualization of a heartbeat on an EKG machine.
The red colour represents the circulation of oxygenated blood, reminding us that regardless of age, ethnicity or gender, we all benefit from active physical and social participation.
Concept #3
Tamara Kwapich, Moments Great and Small
 Pick up game on a sunfish pond is Kwapich’s proposal for the Nelson recreation centre. Kwapich # 2  “Up and Away,” proposed for Mainway Recreation Centre, pays homage to the community of people who support and lift each other up to reach their goals. Kwapich # 3  “What Dreams May Come,” proposed for Brant Hills Community Centre, represents the history of sport in Burlington and the heroes that inspire future athletes. Kwapich #1 What is the Spirit of Sport? It is the expression of our highest aspirations. It is the moments, both great and small, lived on the fields, ponds, courts, and in the minds of our community. We can participate at any level and feel the exhilaration of winning and the humility of losing a well-played game.
Our emotions rise and fall as parents on the sidelines and as city or nation watching our represent-ative athletes.
In Burlington, we are fortunate to have many opportun-ities to pursue sport as play—non-competitively, competitively and professionally. It is in these moments, big and small, when we use our bodies, minds and our hearts, that we are part of something larger: the universal joy of movement and striving for something better.
It is with profound gratefulness as a Burlington resident, artist and “sport mom” that I propose these three mural projects that represent the Spirit of Sport, from the small moments found in our own backyards to the world stage.
The mural “Pick up game on Sunfish Pond,” proposed for Nelson Recreation Centre, speaks to those small moments spent with family and friends—moments that are unorganized, spontan-eous and joyful.
“Up and Away,” proposed for Mainway Recreation Centre, pays homage to the community of people who support and lift each other up to reach their goals.
“What Dreams May Come,” proposed for Brant Hills Community Centre, represents the history of sport in Burlington and the heroes that inspire future athletes.
Sport is about competition. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Often the effort put forth determines the outcome, but sometimes not. Sport is also about play—the pure joy of physical exertion and the pure beauty of sportsmanship. We are not all Olympic athletes but we can all be, in some way, as great as they are. What we learn in pursuit of the Spirit of Sport strengthens not only our bodies but also our minds and our community.
Share Your Feedback!
Unfortunately, the people at Cobalt Connect facilitating this selection process have done a terrible job of allowing the public to actually make a selection. And the Manager of culture affairs at city hall hasn’t done much better.
If you want to let the city know which piece of public art should be at which location you need to do the following.
Provide you email address, and your postal code.
Then indicate your choice for Mainway,Nelson and Brant Hills.
Something like this should do it (this is just an example)
We have created a number for each piece of art which you can use to indicate your choice – hopefully the people getting your responses will figure out what you are trying to say. They don’t make it easy.
pepper@hwkp.com
L9H 6e6
Nelson – Kwapich # 2
Mainway Kwapich # 3
Brant Hills Hall #3
Send your selection to both Cobalt Connects at
info@cobaltconnects.ca
and city hall at
Angela.paparizo@burlington.ca
 By Staff
February 23th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Lowville Festival and Tansley United Church present Romancing the Song
Three of Canada’s foremost entertainers are coming together for the first time in Romancing the Song, a tribute to the wealth of musical treasures from the Great American Songbook. Lorretta Bailey, James Gordon and David Warrack, all of whom have had lengthy and distinguished careers in concerts and theatres across Canada, will be choosing from the popular songs from musical theatre, films and Tin Pan Alley of the early to mid-20th century.
 David Warrack is one of our country’s finest composers/conductors/performers who travelled extensively with the legendary Maureen Forrester and Michael Burgess. Featured will be songs by the likes of Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Richard Rodgers and others.
 Lorretta Bailey is one of Canada’s finest musical theatre performers came to prominence as Eponine in the Toronto production of Les Miserables, Lorretta Bailey is one of Canada’s finest musical theatre performers. She came to prominence as Eponine in the epochal Toronto production of Les Miserables, and went on to perform with all of the major regional theatre companies across Canada. She is a Founding Co-Artistic Director of the Lowville Festival, the “festival of all the arts for the artist in all of us”, which is held annually in and around the historic hamlet of Lowville in north Burlington.
 James Gordon, a native of Guelph, was a founder and long-time member of Tamarack, the acclaimed Canadian folk group.He has released twenty solo albums. James Gordon, a native of Guelph, was a founder and long-time member of Tamarack, the acclaimed Canadian folk group, as well as Guelph’s Hillside Festival. The accomplished singer-songwriter has released twenty solo albums. Many of his songs have been covered by a variety of major Canadian artists. He also has a number of successful musicals to his credit.
Toronto-based David Warrack is one of our country’s finest composers/conductors/performers, equally at home in the classical, musical theatre and jazz worlds. Renowned for his extensive cross-Canada tours with the legendary Maureen Forrester and Michael Burgess, he recently served as Music Director for Some Enchanted Evening, a celebration of 150 years of musical theatre featuring Ben Heppner, Rebecca Caine, Jean Stilwell and Gary Relyea.
Romancing the Song, a musical valentine to the popular songs of the 20th century, is certain to romance its way into your heart.
The event is part entertainment offering and part fund raiser for the Lowville Festival that is entering its third year of operations. The festival takes place in Lowville in July and features a series of events over a weekend. Not to be missed.
Romancing the Song
Tansley United Church, 2111 Walker’s Line, Burlington
Saturday February 25th, 7:30 pm
Tickets available at Different Drummer Books and 905-469-0338
 By Staff
February 22, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington Transit has made the following changes to the schedule – effective March 5th.
Route 1: weekend timing adjustments to improve schedule accuracy
Routes 2, 3, 10 and 20: weekend timing adjustments and an added morning trip to the Route 3 Saturday schedule
Route 25: weekend schedule adjustments in addition to a routing change which will travel in and out of the Burlington GO station using Queensway – Guelph Line – Prospect
Late night service Routes 50, 51, 52: last trip time adjustments Monday through Saturday
Route 80: weekday schedule adjustments
Routes 300, 301, 302: service will now run from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Not all that much detail – we will dig and bit and see what else we can provide.
 By Staff
February 22, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Get used to the name The Herd – Burlington’s Inter-County Baseball League entrant. They were the Twins when they first came to town; were re-named the Bandits and are now The Herd.
The name has something to do with our agricultural roots. .
They will be playing in the Barn – what most of us know as the Nelson Stadium.
It’s all about creating a brand.
The new owners are setting out to make attending a baseball game a little more upscale than sitting on am aluminum bench.
 Over the course of the next four months, the Herd will unveil each part of their scheduled improvements and showcase the new experiences available to fans next season at the Farm (Nelson Park).
They’re going to roll out a series of enhancements and improvements to going to a ball game.
They have created a Home Plate Club, the first part of a plan to enhance various areas within the ballpark. The Home Plate Club will see the addition of five premium tables behind the backstop. Each table will include three patio chairs, an all-inclusive food and beverage package throughout the game with wait staff and a reserved parking spot.
 Professional baseball teams across the country are creating areas inside their stadiums that bring not only a unique viewing area, but increase the overall fan experience. The Herd are joining this growing trend with the addition of the Home Plate Club.
The Home Plate Club will provide THE best viewing and fan experience in the entire ballpark and will become the ideal destination for entertaining current and prospective clients along with rewarding employees and their families. Fans will be able to reserve an exclusive table for three every game for only $50.
Each table purchase comes with the best seat in the park and wait staff delivering unlimited food and beverages (non-alcoholic) throughout the entire game.
If you would like more information on the Home Plate Club, including booking and availability, please contact the Burlington Herd front office at 905-630-9036 or email us at info@burlingtonherd.com.
The Herd takes to the field for the first time on Saturday, May 13, 2017 at the Barn (Nelson Park). Season tickets and group packages are now on sale by calling (905) 630-9036 or by visiting the team’s new website, burlingtonherd.com.
The Herd can be followed on social media platforms (“iblherd”), including Facebook.com/iblherd.
Herd, Barn, Farm – get used to it!
By Staff
February 22, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
At the Burlington Public Library! Central Branch
Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra Composer-in-Residence, Abigail Richardson-Schulte will be giving an informative and engaging talk hosted from the piano.
This musical journey takes us through Germany, Russia and Spain from the Romantic period through to the early 20th century.
Tuesday, February 28 at 2pm
 Monique De Margerie Principal Trumpet Michael Fedyshyn, accompanied by pianist Monique De Margerie will be part of the program.
 By Staff
February 22, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
3 District Street Crime Unit concluded a three week investigation into a crack cocaine trafficker operating in Burlington and Hamilton.
 Evidence seized by police – included a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix – a 15 year old vehicle! Two CDSA search warrants were executed at residences in Stoney Creek & Hamilton and as a result, police seized the following:
• 12.2 grams of crack cocaine
• 45 Percocets
• 14 grams of marihuana
• $1140 Cash seized
• Indicia of drug trafficking
• 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix as offence related property
Estimated street value of seized drugs: $ 1,540.00
The following persons have been arrested and held for bail:
Jonathan HELLAM (28 years) of Stoney Creek
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Crack Cocaine (two counts)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Percocets
• Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marihuana)
John MCKENNA (33 years) of Hamilton
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Crack Cocaine
• Breach of Probation (two counts)
Investigators remind the public to utilize Crime Stoppers to report any illegal drug, gun or gang activity at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637(crimes) “See something, Hear something, Say something”
 By Pepper Parr
February 22nd 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
We recently published two articles that lead us to this third article.
In January we published the Mayor’s State of the City in full. The Gazette has done this for the past five years – it gives citizens the opportunity to review just how the Mayors sees the city he governs.
Earlier this month we did an article on the Friday Night Community event that takes place at Wellington Square United Church where some 300 people gather for an evening of fellowship and a meal that gets put together by one of the more ambitious bunch of volunteers from different faith communities in this city.
 Setting up a food table at Wellington Square United Church Friday Night Community event. Lisa Lunski co-ordinates the event at Wellington Square. Glad Tiding Pentecostal church in the Guelph Line – Upper Middle Road part of the city also has a program where more than 300 people gather regularly.
St. Christopher’s Anglican Church also has a program.
These are not “soup kitchen” operations. These events are intended for people who, while perhaps marginalized, are active and have the same social interaction needs as any other group.
Some people meet regularly at the Legion, others go to one of the four Rotary clubs in Burlington – everyone needs to be part of something.
Spend half an hour at a Friday night community at Wellington Square United church and experience the caring, the sharing and the fun that goes on. I’ve never seen anyone at a Legion hand out a birthday card to a member.
Someone at Wellington Square seems to know when a birthday is taking place – and it gets remembered.
The crowd in the Wellington Square kitchen is a marvel – some arrive as early as 7:00 am to get the food preparation rolling. The menu has been worked out and most of the food has arrived – and it all gets done by people that show up regularly as volunteers.
 Glad Tidings runs a community program twice a month. You want to hear this crowd when they sing. Glad Tidings does this twice each month and it becomes a placed where a man named Luke makes a point of standing by a street crossing and pressing the button that will activate a change in the traffic lights so people can cross – that’s the contribution he can make. He also walks up and down |Palmer Drive and caries waste bins from the sidewalk to the door of many homes,
When Mayor Goldring gave his State of the city address he said:
 This interview was the first time Mayor Goldring wore his Chain of Office outside the Council chamber. He was getting used to the job. “I want to take time today to talk about the whole issue of housing affordability. When I say affordable housing, I am not talking about subsidized or social housing; I am talking about housing that is affordable for the vast majority of people, from millennials to seniors, and everybody in between.”
One got the impression that the Mayor wasn’t interested in social housing – it doesn’t quite fit the image he likes to project of the city. He seemed prepared to leave them at the curb while he does something to make “housing that is affordable for the vast majority of people from millennials to seniors and everyone in between.”
Our Mayor at the same time tells his audience that “we are all in this together”.
And indeed we are all in this together.
Shortly after we published the article on Wellington Square a colleague wrote and pointed out where she felt the need was:
“We need a dialogue on the difference between charity and social development, one meets immediate needs (food banks and food cupboards) and the other changes the structural causes of poverty and marginalization;
“We need a dialogue on community building and inclusive neighbourhoods that create a space for human interaction and belonging, a lot of that interaction starts around food.”
 Now into its 12th year The Gift of Giving Back is Burlington at its best. We are doing pretty well on the charity side – much of the food used at the three churches is raised by high school students as part of the marvelous 10 year Giving Back program. These are great band aids – what we need are fishing rods so these people can take care of themselves by fishing for their own needs – that is what structural change is all about.
The space between the thinking that was heard at the Chamber of Commerce sponsored State of the City address and the comments made about inclusiveness is very wide.
We do not yet have a table at which all are welcome.
What do we have to change to make that happen?
Related articles:
State of the City 2011
State of the City 2012
State of the City 2013
State of the city 2015
State of the City 2016
Wellington Square United Church – Friday Night Community
 By Tom Muir
February 22, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
I had a good hour long conversation with Stuart Miller, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board earlier this month.
He told me he saw this Program Accommodation Review Committee (PARC) process as being about students, about what is good for them. However, when I raised some questions about how these benefits to students were being measured, this goal was not supported with data.
I asked for several forms of data (see below) but have not heard back from him.
 Hayden High, named after a Burlington leader in the development of sport for the disabled. Grades 9 and 10 show up on Tuesday. The building of Hayden he agrees is the main driver for the mess. That is something that everyone knows, but unfortunately, for the credibility of the Board and the process you are in, nobody is talking about this. This needs to be rectified as it is key to the legitimacy of what you are doing.
Director Miller said he doesn’t want to go into how Hayden was justified – too political for him, he said. I asked for the paper trail, saying there had to be one, and I want to see it. I intend to follow up on this, and I ask for the paper trail below, but my own inquiry of all the available LTAPs finds that it smells bad.
I have looked into this deeper and it’s not transparent and there is no accountability. There was no justification, except, as Mr. Miller opined, the Ministry was talked into a new school there because the students up there should have a school. There is no justification in New Pupil Places, and Growth Pupil Places, using ministry concepts, anywhere in the LTAPs or Capital Plans.
There is no mention of a need for new pupil places, as the long term enrollment trends were consistently flat to trending down.
In fact, there was scarcely a mention of a new NE Burlington Secondary School to be found anywhere in the LTAPs, just that something about getting one was afoot.
It was clearly a transfer of students from the six high schools to Hayden that was used to fill it. Changing feeders to add to Hayden from Pearson. This much is mentioned, but very little attention was brought to bear.
There was no explanation that I found of why the school was needed, despite stable to falling enrollments, and no rationale was offered.
 Gerry Cullen, Superintendent of Facilities and Services; The complex that is made up of the Public Library, the Haber Recreation Centre and Hayden high school was his baby. The significant issue here is that the staff people who planned and delivered Hayden are not being held accountable, or even explaining, but they are the staff body that is doing the analysis and providing information to the PARC right now. I don’t think you are getting a real drill down and detailed set of options.
The evidence in the LTAPs shows that Board staff basically and covertly fabricated a false rationale, to build student spaces that are not needed, for the opening of Hayden.
So my deep concern now is, that it’s not unexpected that these people can also design and fabricate a false rationale and process to close student spaces – to close schools.
As far as I can see this is what is happening.
All this does is cover up their gross mistake that created the situation, and they are just evading it in order to escape accountability.
Unfortunately, Director Miller, the boss of all this, is too politically shy to bring this accountability forward to the table, and so he countenances and approves this evasion of responsibility.
This leads directly to the conclusion that the Board lacks credibility, which depends on coming clean and being contrite.
Everyone needs to see this, and understand why I persist in raising it as a key issue in the resolution of the PAR.
We discussed information needs and what I would like to see.
 Halton District School Board Director of Education Stuart Miller. 1. I essentially demanded the accountability paper trail and business plan of how Hayden was approved.
2. I suggested that empty seats be divided between all seven schools, and then six schools. Analyze what is needed to do this (boundaries), and the relative or net money savings compared to the closure and other options.
3. Show how any money savings will be spent for the benefit of students. I asked for detailed data on; number of additional subject offerings, in what schools and how many students gain. I want to see the entire accounting balance.
4. What are the variable operating costs of the empty seats in Central and Pearson.
5. Revisit student number projections downtown. It is another error to discount families moving into condos as affordable.
These are all essential questions I think.
Beyond these outstanding issues and questions, I have a few things to say about the progress I read about in the Burlington Gazette in the first two PARC meetings.
I think the options outlined so far are directing the PARC to closures. The dot-mocracy process from the Gazette’s latest story suggests to me that the PARC is voting, not to the student benefits, but to save their own schools. I think this is due to the framework the Board is using, that frustrates people to exercise the only power that appears available to them.
Two options that close both Central and Pearson are essentially the same in the biggest and most important outcomes and consequences. People are essentially voting for the same thing.
Having these two options and giving them votes, is like rigging the candidate list so the same candidate can be voted for twice.
You can’t add these votes to get a legitimate result.
This is pretty obvious, but perhaps not to everyone.
These closure options are the worst possible results for students, residents and the city of Burlington.
 Muir argues that the PARC members are being herded into choices that are not in the best interests on the students and the city of Burlington. Just look at the criteria met, and criteria not met. Those met by closures are most often expressed in general, vague non-specific terms – there are no details. For example, the “no closures” option; “Does not meet a range of outstanding issues, which prompted the PAR.”
Those criteria unmet by closing schools obviously impact the students directly, in concrete and definitely negative terms. This happens in many ways that you are aware of and I will not repeat here.
These options are definitely not about the student’s welfare.
Unfortunately for the people of Burlington, in my opinion, the Board staff seem to excel at providing rigged and manipulated information and choices to get what they want. They did it for Hayden for seats not needed, and now they are doing it again to get rid of schools.
They have boxed you in to a process that is narrowing and focusing you to vote for what you see as the interest of your school and keeping it open. Since the five schools not really named seriously for closure outnumber the two focused on, you can see how the potential votes are translating to actual results reported in the Gazette.
By way of this message I am asking Director Miller, the Board, and the PARC to request and/or provide answers to my questions, explanations, and requests for information.
If you people want this, you will very apparently have to go after it and demand this accountability.
How else can the Board ever be credible and able to be trusted?
 Tom Muir is a resident of Aldershot who has been a persistent critic of decisions made by city council. He turns his attention to the current school board mess. He recently suggested to Burlington city council that “If you are so tired of and frustrated by, listening to the views of the people that elected you, then maybe you have been doing this job too long and should quit.”
Muir challenges the decision to build Hayden high school and asks that the Board of Education accept responsibility for the mistake.
 By Staff
February 21st, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington’s public art program would like people to describe Burlington to a ‘tea’.
Beginning, Feb. 25, 2017, the city is launching an exciting new project designed to learn more about Burlington’s neighbourhoods and its unique culture. Over a six-month period, artist Lisa Hirmer will be conducting research into Burlington’s ‘cultural nodes’.
Cultural nodes are areas within the city where residents can experience and share culture.
 As part of her work, Hirmer will be presenting a series of temporary art installations and performances.
The first event is Burlington Tea! This project will invite participants to warm up while they share their experiences of the city. Residents will be tasked with designing a tea flavour that reflects their experience of their neighbourhood. Participants will then get to enjoy a cup of the tea they designed.
This event is free and you do not need to register in advance! Please join us at the following locations:
Feb. 25, 2017
10 a.m. to noon Haber Recreation Centre and Norton Park
2 to 4 p.m. Brant Hills Community Centre and Park
Feb. 26, 2017
10 a.m. to noon Tansley Woods Community Centre and Park
2 to 4 p.m. Lowville Park
March 1, 2017
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Civic Square, Burlington City Hall
Lisa Hirmer is an interdisciplinary artist who has created publicly engaged projects across the world and has worked with University of Lethbridge Gallery, Peninsula Arts (U.K.), Flux Factory (USA), Harbourfront Centre (Toronto), Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Nuit Blanche (Toronto), CAFKA (Kitchener-Waterloo) and Doris McCarthy Gallery (Toronto) amongst many others.
 Lisa Hirmer is going to work with groups to describe Burlington to a tea! Hirmer is a Guelph-based inter-disciplinary artist whose work combines visual art, design, social practice, performance and art-based forms of critical research. She is the director of DodoLab, an experimental project-based practice focused on exploring and responding to the complicated reality of public opinion. She was selected as the Artiss in Residence for rhe city of Guelph in 2016
She has a master’s degree from the University of Waterloo’s School of Architecture, and her work has been shown across North America, Europe, Australia and the UK. Locally, she has created projects with The Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation at the University of Guelph, the Musagetes Foundation and the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery.
For Burlington Tea! She is joined by award-winning environmental designer, Glynis Logue.
Angela Paparizo, Manager, Arts and Culture sees this initiative as something that will be “fun, intriguing, artistic and cultural. Tea is a drink that spans across so many cultures. A cup of tea can break down barriers, start conversations or more simply, warms you physically and emotionally.”
 By Pepper Parr
February 21, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The bureaucrats use the words “transparency” and “accountable” when they talk about the work they do. It is the citizens that employ these bureaucrats that insist on both the transparency and for the bureaucrats to be accountable.
Dave Myers, a retired senior who gets away to ski a little from time to time has sat in on all of the Program and Accommodation Review (PARC) meeting and found himself wondering about some of the data the public was being given.
Myers was in sales and marketing and the costs of a product or service are things he can get his head around.
Burlington is currently undergoing a Program and Accommodation Review that may lead to the closure of one or more high schools in the city. A PARC with two parents from each of the seven high schools has been meeting to discuss closure options. The meetings are open to the public.
Myers, a parent, not on the PARC, who has attended these meetings and reviewed the information provided to the PARC believes there are several concerns about the renewal costs for Burlington High Schools.
 Gerry Cullen, Superintendent of Facilities and Services with the Halton District School Board. He apparently has funny numbers. On Thursday February 17th at the Burlington Secondary High School PARC meeting, Halton District School Board Superintendent, Gerry Cullen explained how high schools are maintained and upgraded.
Myers believes Cullen clearly recognized that there was an error in the data presented in the November 6thSchool Information Package (SIP). SIP’s are documents that have more information than anyone could want on the condition of a high school. The data is available on the school board web site.
Adding to the confusion Myers says PARC members were told previously that the January 24th SIP renewal costs, that were hugely different than they were on November 6th, were incorrect and new data would be forthcoming.
At Thursday’s PARC working meeting #4, Cullen said, that actually the January 24th SIP renewal costs were correct and expressed 100% confidence in this information.
So, wonders Myers: “the data’s correct, sorry that data is incorrect and here’s the new data, no it’s incorrect, more new data coming, no, no, sorry the data is correct, and we’re 100% confident this time. Confused? Trusting?”
In the HDSB’s January 24th SIP both historical and projected renewal costs are presented, let’s look at those historical costs.
Are these in fact “actual real costs” or historical budgeted costs?
Myers took the HDSB’s historical costs and compared them annually by school.
 Notice the exact same “costs” for MM Robinson in 2012 and 2013, these look like budget numbers vs. actual real historical costs. When the information is presented this way, a few other observations and questions arise. Myers points out that:
This is a 10 year view (2004 – 2013), why is data included for 2015 for two of the schools only?
No renewal work was done for Pearson and Nelson in 2008, and for 2 consecutive years at Bateman and Pearson?
The total cost for Aldershot does not balance with the January 24th SIP data.
Almost $8M was spent on renewals in 2005, then only $821,000 in 2013, a ten-fold decrease?
Cullen explained that renewals were managed and planned to take out the yearly ups and downs.
There are more questions that can be raised, but scratching at the surface suggests a data quality/data integrity concern said Myers.
Some have already questioned the projected renewal costs for our high schools by. Myers looked at this information closely and has questions regarding its quality and accuracy.
First of all, according to the foot notes in the January 24th SIP the data for renewals is based on inspections completed in 2011, so the information is 6 years old as of today! I don’t recall Mr. Cullen communicating that to the PARC representatives.
The inspectors at the time were making predictions of renewal costs for 10 years into the future or to 2021 – how good was their crystal ball?
Why would the HDSB not complete a more recent series of inspections in, say 2016, knowing it was going to undertake a PAR?
But most interestingly, only Central shows work for 2020 and 2021. How is it possible that there is no identified renewal work for Aldershot after 2014; Pearson after 2018; MM Robinson 2015-2020; Nelson after 2015; Bateman after 2018?
Is data missing, or not being reported? Or has the HDSB completed work for other schools that were lower priority than renewal required work for Central?
Myers also looked closely at the actual renewal costs that Cullen has put forward for Central:
$1.9M for a new roof at Central, Historical SIP and Google Earth shows that some roof sections are new – has this been accounted for in the estimate?.
The SIP data also shows that roof replacements (if accurate) had been completed at Nelson, Bateman, Pearson and Aldershot with Central being one of the last in the cycle. So are we making decisions for students based on scheduled roof repairs?
Why did the HDSB put a brand-new roof on portables at Pearson with enrollment at 392 students in a school with a student capacity of 642 students in the permanent building and 936 students when the portables are included. Would it have been more cost efficient to remove these portables as they were not needed, not to mention an eyesore and detract visually from the school?
Fittings Auditorium Seating – $159,000; the auditorium at Central was completely renovated five years ago for $120,000 and largely paid for by fundraising at the school. All the seats are new. Fittings for the seats are budgeted to cost more than the entire renovation?
$280,000 for roadway and parking lots and Pedestrian walkways at Central. Myers inspected the asphalt surfaces at Central and all other high schools and found Central to be typical in condition to the other schools, and in fact more than acceptable. Nelson and MM Robinson appear to require more pavement work yet Nelson shows $0 and MM Robinson only Shows $96,000?
It appears most if not all windows at Central have been replaced, yet $38,000 is called out for new windows.
$1.6M is required for various heating and ventilation system renewals at Central, a boiler was replaced and much work was done to the heating system historically.
Studies – $71,000 for Central, albeit a small item, approximately $30,000 is carried for studies for the other schools, so studies at Central are twice that at other schools?
So what, asks Myers, is the PARC supposed to do with this data? It is clear that the data is incomplete and inconsistent among schools at best, and potentially prejudicial to a few schools at worst, especially one of the schools named in the original closure recommendation (Central).
 The 14 parents who serve on the PARC are being smothered with data that is correct one meeting, incorrect the next and difficult to comprehend. As such, the PARC should be very careful about making any decisions based on these numbers. In fact, they have been advised by the PARC chair “not to focus on the numbers.”
That is all well and good, however, says Myers, the “bell has been rung” already by providing these numbers, and it is very difficult to walk it back and for PARC members to un-hear or forget the costs they have been given for the five year renewal costs.
 Cold, dark conditions don’t stop the parents from Central and Pearson high schools from demonstrating outside the School Board offices on Guelph line. Further, the HDSB has not taken significant efforts to correct this data and provide a more complete, consistent set of numbers for the PARC to review. That remains a significant problem with this process, one of many already raised about the quality of the information being provided to the PARC on which they are to base their deliberations.
If the data cannot be trusted and if the Board of Education chooses not to respond or provide valid data is the PARC process Burlington is currently going through valid?
Is it transparent?
Are the bureaucrats accountable?
Doesn’t look that way does it.
All the data, the debate and the serious citizen concern are headed towards the trustees – one can only hope that they will be both transparent and accountable and put a stop to this farce.
By Staff
February 21, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police, 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau – Vulnerable Persons Unit have identified and arrested two males who are alleged to have targeted an elderly female resident in the City of Burlington and subjecting her to prolonged financial abuse spanning between 2011 through to 2016.
The two accused have worked as high pressure door-to-door salesman, specializing in the installation of water and air filtration systems. The accused individuals rendered services to the elderly victim and subsequently gained access to her banking, credit card and other financial information. Presently, the financial loss to the victim exceeds $210 000.
Accused # 1: Derek CALVIN (38 years) of Hamilton is associated with a number of businesses: Pure Air Clean, Worldwide Industries, Eagle Water and Indoor Air Care Products. He has been charged with three counts of Theft Over $5000 and two counts of Theft Under $5000 contrary to the Criminal Code, in relation to the elderly female victim. He was released on a Promise to Appear in Milton Court on March 15th 2017.
Accused # 2: Edgordo CASTRO (41 yrs-old) of Brantford is associated to his company, Universal Water Technologies has been charged with Fraud Over $5000 and Unauthorized use of Credit Card Data, Contrary to the Criminal Code, in relation to the same elderly female victim in the City of Burlington. He was released on a Promise to Appear in Milton Court on March 8th 2017.
Citizens are reminded to be vigilant when engaging with any high pressure door-to-door salespeople. and to protect their financial data and identity information, especially when entering into contracts for products and services.
Citizens should ask questions, review and receive a written contract for products and services, control access to their financial information and only deal with contractors they have sought out to complete work in their home.
If citizens of Halton Region have concerns with these individuals and/or the identified businesses, you are encouraged to contact Detective Constable’s Nadine Clarke or Derek Gray – 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau – Vulnerable Persons Unit – Elder Abuse and Frauds @905-825-4747, Ext 5345 or Ext 2344.
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).
For any other Fraud related matters please contact the Halton Police Fraud Intake Unit at: 1-905-465-8741 or on-line at:
https://www.haltonpolice.ca/about/specializedunits/fraud.php
For information about Contracts and Consumer Rights please contact, The Ontario Ministry of Government and Consumer Protection at 1-877-666-6545, or on-line at:
https://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/en/pages/default.aspx
For more information about Consumer Protection and to search Ontario businesses complaints please contact, Consumer Protection Ontario at 1-800-889-9768, or on-line at:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/consumer-protection-ontario
For more information about Frauds, Scams and Counterfeit merchandise, please contact: The Canadian Anti-Fraud Center at 1-888-495-8501, or on-line at:
https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm
March is Fraud Prevention Month – Recognize It! Report It! Stop It!
March is National Fraud Prevention month and the Halton Regional Police, along with numerous government, law enforcement, consumer and volunteer groups and private sector firms will be sharing fraud prevention information to raise public awareness and educate the public to prevent them from becoming victims of this increasing crime.
By Pepper Parr
February 20th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Wednesday morning at 10:00 am the person chairing the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) hearing will call the meeting to order and the scheduled 10 day hearing will begin.
Those attending might see some rabbits pulled out of a hat as the Adi development Group begin their argument that they should be given approval to build their now 26 storey condominium on the comer of Martha and Lakeshore Road.
 In terms of design the proposed building i several grades above what Burlington has seen in the past the level o intensification and the location are what have citizens upset. The last OMB level event was a request the ADI Development Group made to have their argument go to mediation.
There has not been a report from the OMB on how the mediation process went – did it even take place?
If it did was the mediation successful and if it was successful what did the mediator conclude?
The OMB meeting on Wednesday might be to have the OMB officer hearing the arguments decide to accept the recommendation from the mediator.
There hasn’t been a word from either the city or the OMB.
This mess, and that is the only fair word to apply to the 23 month saga that began at the end of March in 2015, when the city failed to make a decision on the application the Adi Group made to build what was originally a 28 storey stricture at the intersection.
The rules call for the city to respond to an application to either approve or not approve an application to revise the Official Plan within 180 days. These are often site specific revisions to the Official Plan.
The city got their lines crossed and was not able to give the developer an answer – the Adi group went to the OMB very shortly after the 180 day period ended.
The Adi Development Group had every right to do what they did even though the practice has been to allow some leeway. It was evident that Adi was quite prepared to bulldoze their way through the process.
 The site for the planed condominium was enlarged when Adi did a property swap with the Carnacelli group. The block between Martha and Pearl is now owned by the two developers – if the Adi development is approved – watch for a second building the same height to go up in that block. Is there no limit to what the Burlington market can absorb in the way of new residential units? Adi, perhaps realizing that they had a problem, did a land swap with another developer that had a small property to the north of the site making it larger – they reduced the height by two storeys as well.
The city had every right to ask the OMB to not hear the application because it was now a new and different proposal. The city chose to not force that argument. Had they done so Adi would have had to reapply for whatever they wanted from the city.
The city in essence gave Adi a pass.
It has been a badly managed file on the part of the city from almost the day the proposal was made public at a public meeting at the Art Gallery of Burlington.
Wednesday morning we will see what direction the OMB takes. This one could go in almost any direction.
The city solicitor, the city manager, members of city council know if there is a recommendation from a mediator.
If there is – the plot thickens.
Two sources, both close to this story are suggesting that the city has gone along with a structure that will be 18 storeys in height.
 The Adi brothers. A developer working in the same general area has said that in order to make a profit the Adi people need approval for eighteen storeys.
The Mayor has asked several people what they thought of a ten storey structure.
Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward has stick to her guns and said that the Official Plan and zoning for that property allows eight storeys and that is what she wants to see approved.
The property along the north side of Lakeshore Road between Pearl and Martha is owned by two developers.
Should the OMB hearing decide that Adi is to be given the right to build 26 storeys expect to see some almost identical built on the western side of that block.
 A 19 storey condominium plus a parking garage plus a medical building approved for this site. One block south and one block west the same developer is proposing a 26 storey tower opposite city hall.  Partial view of a proposed development opposite city hall on Brant Street. With the Carriage gate development now underway at Maria between Elizabeth and John Street going up 19 stories and another Carriage Gate development announced for James Street and Brant, opposite city hall the downtown core of Burlington will not resemble anything like the city many people seem to want – something quieter and small – and with less traffic.
Speaking of traffic – where do things stand on the road diet pilot study the city is struggling with on New Street between Guelph Line and Walkers Line?
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