 By Jim Riley
August 20, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Kyle Tonkens uses approaches of both Performance Art and Installation Art in his most recent artwork, entitled “The Funeral Procession of the Beloved Departed”.
Performance Art is a non-traditional art form that uses two or more arts: these could be acting, painting, poetry, dance, music, etc. My own perspective focuses on the visual impact of the performance.
 Family and friends were invited to the funeral of the Dearly departed Henrietta Markham. Performance Art often uses symbolism and concepts that are difficult for some to comprehend without supplementary information. It can be like trying to read a foreign language without translation notes.
 The funeral cortege proceeded along John Street on its way to the Art Gallery of Burlington. “The Funeral Procession for the Beloved Departed” started on John Street, Burlington. People gathered in celebration of a person’s life, and participants were encouraged to recall their own loved ones. Tonkens referred to the procession being for all our beloved departed, but referred specifically to a woman named Henrietta Markham, and quoted her poetry. Henrietta was Tonkens’ grandmother. During a recent interview, Tonkens disclosed that he used Henrietta’s “voice” in presenting his own poetry. This is in accord with his belief that all things in life and death are interconnected – which is a key concept of the exhibition.
In the middle of the John Street room there was a mound of what the artist had previously referred to as “hand-bound wood rosebuds constructed of gathered sticks and bound together by jute twine and wire”. The rosebuds are painted in solid bright colours creating a colourful mound. Some guests were given neon-coloured rosebuds, or a painted parasol, to carry in the cortege.
Aaron Zukewich played music on his soulful saxophone in the room, and during the procession.
They bore the funerary mound down John Street and along Lakeshore Road to the Art Gallery of Burlington. Once at the RBC Community Gallery, the mound was gently placed with five other mounds on the floor. Those who had carried painted rosebuds and parasols from John Street placed them on one of the six funeral mounds.
Some of the mounds had darker painted rosebuds or natural wood, symbolizing those separated from us some time ago. The contrast between the brightly coloured rosebuds and the earth-toned rosebuds gave the impression of after-life energy that was still within the mound and had not yet departed.
 The mandala-like, neon-coloured wall paintings are partly mirrored by the lines on the parasols. The artist refers to the painted walls as incorporating “the flower of life pattern”. This resembles Hindu mandala symbols — geometric and very spiritual. The three mandala-like, neon-coloured wall paintings are partly mirrored by the lines on the parasols. Umbrellas with a similar appearance are suspended from the ceiling: they represent the spirits, after release from life, connected to the mounds.
The Performance Art drew a crowd of participants. Tonkens did not venture too deep into the non-traditional inter-art practices of performance art. It was intriguing how he straddled non-traditional and traditional art and their approaches to the subject. Conceptually, Tonkens is exploring complex issues that might not easily be communicated to many of those present. The cortege was somewhat like a New Orleans funeral procession, but the music played was more solemn and mournful. It felt ritualistic, in a metaphysical way.
At the AGB, the artist continued his performance by greeting and thanking the participants as one might at a funeral. Tonkens’ belief is that we should be truly grateful. What makes Tonkens’ performance differ from other memorial services is that he gave some of the audience members a gift of a small, square acrylic painting, signed by Henrietta Markham, but done in his style.
Tonkens’ giving of gifts has a sacred aspect. His use of this concept dates back to his 2013 “The Spirit of Death Watching…” performance during his No Vacancy installation. This gift-giving is reminiscent of northwest indigenous potlatch ceremonies. The purposes are similar, in emphasizing the grateful acknowledgement of major life changes such as birth, marriage and death. Tonkens’ ritualistic gift-giving emerges as the strongest element of his performance art practice.
Installation art is sculpture, but the audience is inside the artwork rather than observing from outside. The entire space of the room defines the sculpture’s boundaries. The placement of objects or people within the room is significant to the 3D composition of the work. Each person entering the gallery becomes another part of the sculpture as they walk through the installation of materials, light and colours – not intended to be explored passively from the outside edge, but actively from within.
How successful has Tonkens been with his installation?
 The parasols were carried from John Street and placed on one of the six funeral mounds at the AGB Tonkens’ suspended painted parasols with curved lines are symbiotic with the wall paintings. The suspended umbrellas integrate successfully the visually awkward ceiling fan into the installation. They break up the aerial space, adding unity to the entire experience. The installation might have been stronger if the ceiling parasols and mounds had been varied more within the room. Changing the scale and location of some of the mounds might have had more visual impact for the viewers, and easier access for closer examination of the mounds.
The RBG Community Gallery’s physical limitation makes it a challenge for installation art. It is a former café, and there are too many windows, plus a drop-tile ceiling and fans.
This installation might have been more successful if the artist had closed the blinds and used a more dramatic lighting technique on the mounds and wall paintings. The existing lighting does not adequately support the concepts. However, it might be argued that these options were beyond the artist’s control. I suspect that the AGB is working on improving this new community space, but labours under budgetary limitations and physical restrictions such as concrete walls.
The quality of art presented in the new AGB Community gallery has varied in the past from very professional works to child art, focusing on thematic community-based exhibitions. Kyle Tonkens is evolving as an emerging professional. I look forward to seeing his future presentations, as he is unique among the members of Burlington’s arts community.
Kyle Tonkens most recent performance art installation is on view at the Art Gallery of Burlington until September 13, 2015.
 Jim Riley is a Burlington-based video artist, independent curator and arts writer.
 By Staff
August 19, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
When something happens in Hamilton it sometimes impacts Burlington.
Temporary changes to the bus service to Hamilton;
Detour Routes: 1, 1X and 101 Express on Aug. 20, 2015
Due to the closure of Bay Street from 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. between King Street and York Blvd in downtown Hamilton on August 20, 2015 Burlington Transit routes 1, 1x and 101 Express will be detoured as follows:
• Regular routing to King Street and Bay Street,
• Right on Hess Street,
• Left on Cannon Street,
• Resume regular routing
 By Staff
August 19, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
What do the aboriginal people have to teach us? Is there something in their teachings that can be applied to the world we live in today?\
The Conservation Halton Crawford Lake Conservation Area will be holding a series of workshops led by Anishinaabe artist, musician, activist and educator, Eddy Robinson.
 Inside the Deer Clan Longhouse – this is not the kind of dwelling the aboriginal tribes lived in. The event will take place in the Deer Clan Longhouse, a stunning modern space located within a reconstructed 15th century Iroquoian Village.
The three workshops are on: how traditional ways can be practiced in an urban world; the importance of the teachings of the drum and song in building strength and community for Anishinaabe people.
Choose from three workshop themes; Anishinaabe Drum Teachings, Anishinaabe Songs, or Urban Indigenous Ways of Knowing, or join us for all three.
These workshops offer the opportunity spend an evening learning about our collective history while joining in on music and traditions that enrich the soul.
“Through stories and song, Eddy works towards a day when the power of knowledge, inclusiveness and sharing of First Nations cultures helps our nation and all its’ people become connected and stronger.”
~ Wab Kinew (Canadian hip hop musician, broadcaster, and university administrator)
Saturday, August 22
• Anishinaabe Drum Teachings, 4 to 6 p.m.
• Urban Indigenous Ways of Knowing, 7 to 9 p.m.
Saturday, August 29
• Anishinaabe Songs, 4 to 6 p.m.
• Urban Indigenous Ways of Knowing, 7 to 9 p.m.
Workshops tickets are $25 per person (+HST). For more information or to register visit www.conservationhalton.ca/events.
Eddy Robinson is Anishinabe (Ojibway/Cree) and a member of the Crane Clan, a leadership clan for the Anishinabek. Born and raised in Toronto, he is a First Nation citizen of the Missanabie Cree First Nation. It was in the city that he found his cultural identity and got in touch with his spirituality through spending time with Traditional Healers and Elders visiting Toronto.
Over the past 20 years, Eddy has worked in Indigenous communities throughout Ontario, striving to improve the quality of life for his people. Eddy has evolved into a noted Anishinaabe artist, musician, activist and educator, and is a member of the National Speakers Bureau.
About Crawford Lake Conservation Area
Crawford Lake is located at the corner of Guelph Line and Conservation Road (formerly Steeles Avenue) 15 km north of the QEW, and 5 km south of the 401 in Milton. The pristine waters of Crawford Lake have drawn people to its shores for hundreds of years. The rare lake, with surrounding boardwalk, is nestled in lush forests atop the stunning Niagara Escarpment where visitors can watch soaring turkey vultures glide through the Nassagaweya Canyon.
 Conservation Halton is the community based environmental agency that protects, restores and manages the natural resources in its watershed. The organization has staff that includes ecologists, land use planners, engineers, foresters and educators, along with a network of volunteers, who are guided by a Board of Directors comprised of municipally elected and appointed citizens. Conservation Halton is recognized for its stewardship of creeks, forests and Niagara Escarpment lands through science based programs and services. You can step back in time and explore the 15th century Iroquoian Village that has been reconstructed on its original site at Crawford Lake. The spirits still sing in the longhouses where tools, animal hides and the smell of smoke let you experience the rich history of Ontario’s First Peoples.
By Staff
August 18, 2105
BURLINGTON, ON
The fate of tar sands pipelines across the country – including Enbridge’s Line 9 that runs through Burlington – is now in the hands of whoever wins the October 19 federal election.
Despite full support from the Harper government and direct Conservative assistance to Enbridge via Mike Duffy, no increase in pipeline transport of Alberta bitumen anywhere in Canada has occurred since the Conservatives won a majority four years ago.
 The Enbridge pipeline monitoring site on Walkers Line – looking west. Enbridge can control the flow of oil through this location from their control rooms in Edmonton. Does that make the line safer? The satellite dish in the upper left handles the signals Enbridge officials have now acknowledged that they won’t be able to submit hydrostatic testing results of Line 9 until the end of the year to the National Energy Board (NEB). Analysts calculate that the repeated delays to the project launched three years ago have added $100 million to the company’s costs of reversing the direction of flow in the 40-year-old pipe and increasing its volumes by 25 percent.
Since the NEB ordered the hydrostatic testing in three small sections of the pipeline in response to pressure from municipalities and the Ontario government, another huge pipeline leak in Alberta has business commentators suggesting that further oil sands pipes “look doomed”. The 5-million litre Nexen spill from a brand new state-of-the-art pipeline leaked for up to two weeks before being discovered in mid-July.
The 1200 km proposed Northern Gateway tar sands pipeline across northern BC to Kitimat has NEB approval but faces multiple First Nation lawsuits and is widely seen as having no hope of being built. The Keystone XL pipe across the border into the United States has been waiting more than three years for a decision from President Obama that’s predicted to be a refusal. A plan to twin a Kinder Morgan pipe from Alberta to Vancouver is tied up in an NEB review and has seen dozens of protestors arrested and vows from municipal mayors that they will prevent the project from proceeding.
 Part of a May 2014 demonstration against the upgrading of a pipeline. The main blockage has been massive public opposition, especially in British Columbia and particularly from First Nations. The dismantling of federal environmental laws and the discrediting of the National Energy Board (NEB) have also played a part in delaying or halting projects that appeared almost certain to proceed. Provincial and municipal governments as well as federal opposition parties are saying thorough environmental reviews must now occur including consideration of both upstream and downstream climatic impacts of expanded tar sands extraction.
Those factors have converted municipal and provincial governments into pipeline obstacles – with the most recent evidence filed last week when the Ontario Energy Board concluded that the risks of the proposed Energy East pipeline from Alberta to New Brunswick outweigh the benefits to the province and that it will drive up natural gas prices.
“There is an imbalance between the economic and environmental risks of the project, and the expected benefits for Ontarians,” warns the Ontario regulator. “The primary concerns of Ontarians are about pipeline safety, and the impact of Energy East on their lakes, rivers and drinking water in the event of a spill.”
The report puts additional pressure on the NEB which has elected to proceed with a review of the 4600 km pipeline despite not yet receiving complete information from the proponent, TransCanada Pipelines. The credibility of the NEB continues to be severely challenged, with another hit last week over the withdrawal of 25 participants in the Board’s review of the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline from Alberta to Vancouver.
 It has not been a good time for pipe line companies anywhere in the country – Enbridge’s Line 9 was to be upgraded to handle chemically altered bitumen from the Alberta tar sands is going nowhere fast. This NEB review had earlier been denounced by the mayors of Vancouver, Burnaby and several other municipalities as well as by the former heads of both BC Hydro and the Insurance Corporation of BC. The most recent accusations of unfairness came after a Kinder Morgan consultant was appointed to the Board by the federal government.
Other recent blows include revelations of spying on peaceful pipeline opponents that have led to a lawsuit against the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and last week’s Guardian expose that the federal government has secretly spent millions on tar sands advocacy. Court disclosures of Mike Duffy emails show him secretly meeting with Enbridge apparently on behalf of Prime Minister Harper.
The Gazette is indebted to CATCH (Citizens at City Hall) in Hamilton who publish regularly about Hamilton civic affairs that is not generally available in the mass media.
 By Staff
August 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
This one didn’t take very long.
Two robberies took place last Saturday in the wee hours of the morning, one in Georgetown and the other in Burlington by what police believed was the same person.
 Naji DAWOOD, age 22, of Etobicoke arrested by Durham Regional Police The pictures they released made it very difficult to identify the robber who was believed to be armed at the time.
A 22-year-old male from Etobicoke has been charged by Durham Regional Police in relation to nine armed robberies across the GTA including two robberies that occurred in Georgetown and Burlington on August 15th,2015.
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Naji DAWOOD, age 22, of Kipling Avenue in Etobicoke, is charged with: Robbery with a Weapon x9; Disguise with Intent x9; Possession of Weapons Dangerous x9; and Use Imitation Firearm x9. He was held for a bail hearing.
Anyone with further enquires is asked to call the Durham Regional Police Major Crime Robbery Unit.
 By Pepper Parr
August 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Part two of a two part feature on the development potential for the city
Way back in 1985 council approved the building of what was then referred to as a legacy building that would soar 22 storeys into the sky. One wonders if Niagara Falls could be seen from the top floor.
It took several decades to get the project to the point where all the regulatory hurdles were overcome. There still isn’t a shovel in the ground but there is a sales office and the look of the project is out there for all to see.
 Architectural rendering of the Bridgewater development that will consist of two condominiums, owe 22 storeys and the other seven storeys and an eight storey hotel. The view is from the lake looking west. It will be a three structure development that will change the look and tone of the downtown core more than anything has since Joseph Brant had his house built on the edge of the lake.
Immediately to the west of the development there are plans to re-develop the Waterfront hotel and replace what is there now with a possible three structures.
The arrangement in place was to have the city come up with two plans and the developer come up with a plan of his own.
If the projected plan for the Waterfront hotel site is done properly Burlington will have a cluster of hotel locations all within a city block of each other sitting on the edge of the Lake with the pier as a place for people coming to conventions to stroll along. Spencer Smith Park will be laid out before people in the hotel; some of the early thinking had the new hotel that would be built opening to the west.
 The potential that two quality hotels in the downtown core is hard to fully grasp – but it is there. When? One of the sites was first approved in 1985. Different players may manage to get some wiggle into the process. There is tremendous opportunity for everyone here; Burlington needs a downtown core that will attract people, give people a reason to come to the city and take in an event at the Performing Arts Centre and tour the world class ceramics collection.
The Bridgewater development – that is the two condominiums and the seven story hotel – is now in the hands of a quality developer. Jeff Paikin has done some fine work in the past and while this development is quite a bit larger than anything he has done in the past in Burlington – he has the executive capacity and the vision to make this happen. He also has a sincere desire to make his hometown a better place.
 Think in terms of the Waterfront Hotel being torn down and the site having three buildings using up some of the space to the rear of the hotel.  The ADI Group development for Lakeshore and |Martha now has a name. They are running advertising in local media and are in the process of turning a retail location on Brant Street into a sales office. They are very serious. The problem development for many is the ADI Group plans for a 28 story tower at the intersection of Martha and Lakeshore Road which has been named the Nautica. The development is now before the Ontario Municipal Board; Burlington hasn’t done all that well at OMB hearings and ADI have brought in a top notch Bay street law firm.
The fly in the ointment for project that are not at the OMB is the pace at which things happen in Burlington – everything just seems to take forever – and we get passed by. The continuity needed to ensure real progress takes place hasn’t existed at city hall. Burlington has been through two city managers with the third just getting the feel of the city.
If you add in the short period of time Pat Moyle was brought in to oversee things while General Manager Scott Stewart basically ran the city – the total is four city managers in five years. They seem to stay for just over two years and then move on. One of the four was shown the door.
Good municipal people tend to leave the city and look for a location that has more in the way of top level management that provides a setting where they can grow their own careers.
There are some exceptionally good people who do fine work on your behalf day in and day out.
 If the developments that are well beyond the thinking stage do it right this art of the city could become a new destination which a charm of its own – at least one of the developers just has to do it right and change some of their out of date thinking. A second very good development cluster is coming together on Brant Street at Ghent.
The Burlington Square Plaza has announced their plans to significantly upgrade the site and add four levels of residential with commercial at grade level.
That site has not managed to attract the commercial tenants it wanted. A new real estate firm has been brought in to rent the space and attract the kind of clientele that can take advantage of everything the site offers. The patio potential for the location is superb.
A block north at the Prospect intersection with Brant there will eventually be a development that puts a high rise in place – expect the application to be for more than the eight storeys the Official plan allows.
There is an opportunity for the developers of that site to retain some of the city’s heritage by including at least a portion of the GET NAME and date in any development.
A shift in thinking about how to work with the member of council who represents the ward would serve everyone much better.
There is still an element within the development community that feels council is there to hold up projects – the planning department is in place to ensure that the rules are fair and that the public interest is protected.
Land is not there to be exploited by the owners; land is there to be used to the benefit of everyone – not just the owners who are entitled to the best return they can get. Good projects have consistently given a higher return to bot the owners of the land and the community they are located in.
It is time for developers to think more about the city that is being developed rather than just the financial return. There is more than ample evidence showing that quality always pays off – anything less than the best that can be done diminishes everyone.
 Robert Molinaro works with citizens on some ideas for the property they have assembled at Brant and Ghent The Molinaro Group has assembled properties on either side of Ghent across the Street from the Burlington Square Plaza. The opportunity for a cluster of buildings that will create a destination further up Brant Street offers another opportunity that we should not let get away from us.
At least one of the Molinaro brothers has taken part in the working group sessions Councillor Meed Ward held recently. Her final report on what came out of those sessions is due late in September – it will be interesting to see what comes out of those public participation events
The opportunity on Lakeshore Road with the planned development s that will put more high end residential development into the downtown core and create a cluster of hotel capacity is only good news.
The city will need to upgrade its Tourism department to handle what will become a very different city that needs a more sophisticated approach to promoting the city. With two hotels within a block of each other and a Performing Arts Centre a short short walk away and a patio with several good restaurants looking over the lake – the city will be ready for small conventions.
 Residents on the Beachway have spent thousands of dollars to upgrade their properties – this is where they live and where they want to stay. One of the better examples of improved properties is this house on Lakeshore Road. It would serve as an important part of a community park if it were retained. Mixed in with all this is the long range plan to turn the Beachway Park into something that will rival anything elsewhere in this province – indeed in the country.
If a way can be found to keep at least some of the residential component in the park we will have shown the world that we understand the importance of community – which translates to having people who serves as the eyes on the street.
If one were to stand back and look at the potential – one could get a little giddy with excitement – all we have to do is make it work. The vision is already there – executing on that vision is what the current council needs to do.
Links to related articles in the Gazette.
Ward 2 Councillor convinces the developers to take part in her workshops.
Part one of this feature.
 Cine Starz Upper Canada Place
460 Brant Street,
Burlington, ON
WWW CINESTARZ.CA
SHOWTIMES August 21 to 27 , 2015
VACATION 14A
Fri to Thur 11:00 1:00 3:00 5:35 7:40 9:40
SOUTHPAW 14A
Fri to Thur 1:00 3:15 5:00 7:20 9:40
INSIDE OUT G
Fri to Thur 11:15 1:15 3:15 5:15 7:20
IRRATIONAL MAN 14A
Fri to Thur 11:10 1:30 5:35
MAGIC MIKE XXL 14A
Fri to Thur 9:40
PAPER TOWNS PG
Fri to Thur 11:15 1:15 3:20 7:40
SPY 14A
Fri to Thur 11:00 1:10 3:20 5:30 7:30 9:35
TERMINATOR GENISYS 14A
Fri to Thur 11:15 7:15 9:30
AMY 14A
Fri to Thur 3:15 5:20 9:20
By Pepper Parr
August 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Part one of a two part feature on the development potential for the city
Each city council, at the beginning of its term, meets for a number of weeks and hammers out a Strategic Plan.
That Plan sets out what the city council wants to get done during the four years they are going to serve the citizens.
There is very little in previous Strategic Plans worth remembering, except for the plan approved in 2011. For the most part they were a collection of pictures and motherhood statements.
I had the opportunity to look at six or seven previous Strategic Plans – something I doubt the majority of the current Council bothered to do. Councillors Taylor and Dennison were at the table when those documents were approved.
The Strategic Plan approved by the previous council, which was made up of the same people we have in place now, was a very impressive departure from anything done before.
Both Council and staff worked very hard – sometimes at cross purposes – to produce a document that served the city well. There were some very moving occasions when we got to hear how Councillors felt about the city they were leading.
In the closing session Councillor Jack Dennison spoke very emotionally about the need to ensure that the downtown core was given the attention and the resources needed to grow and become a large part of the focus for Burlington.
We also got to see some of the character traits from some of the Council members that were disturbing then and disruptive now.
The city was fortunate to have an excellent facilitator who not only led the group but educated several of them on what works and the way Strategic Plan development gets done.
Perhaps hoping to build on what was achieved the last time around Council set out to craft the Strategic Plan for this term of office. It is not going very well.
 It may well be 2016 before the Strategic Plan is approved. will it be as good as what this Council did in 2011? The city hired KPMG to direct them in the creation of the Strategic Plan for the current term but did not manage to get the same facilitator.
There is now a team in place that is going to do tonnes of research and bring back a large handful of options. Unfortunately,
 Georgina Black did a superb job of getting a new city council through the creation of a significantly different Strategic Plan. Councillor John Taylor loved every minute of it. Burlington wasn’t able to get Georgina Black back – she was the facilitator who did such fine work with council in 2011. Much of the work that KPMG is going to do was already being done by Frank McKeown, the Executive Director of the Economic Development Corporation. McKeon wasn’t able to attend the meeting at which all the research work KPMG is going to do was discussed.
McKeown explains that he wasn’t told of the meeting until two days before it took place and that he was already committed to be elsewhere.
McKeown adds that he had not seen the agenda. When it was brought to his attention – I think we heard him gulp. McKeown will resolve that problem and will have the needed discussions with KPMG.
The creation of the 2014 – 2018 Strategic Plan is not off to a very good start. Council will not meet on this matter until the second half of October. They will have been in office for a year by that time
There are going to be some very sticky Governance issues that do not look as if a reasonable resolution is going to be found. Despite the comments made regularly by Mayor Goldring – his is a very fractious council that is deeply divided on some critical issues.
The amount of time, attention and financial resources to be given to community based initiatives will be limited by budget constraints due in no small measure by the cost of the 2014 flood.
Some exceptional work has been done within the cultural sphere – the city now has two new people running major cultural institutions. Robert Steven is running the Art Gallery of Burlington and Susan Haines will take over the running of the Performing Arts Centre in September. Hopefully the Centre Board has retained retiring Executive Director Brian McCurdy to serve as a consultant for three to six months to oversee the transition.
The Performing Arts Centre had gotten itself to the point where it was finally stable financially and the program being offered was working. Community groups were now a real part of the program offerings. There is every reason to believe that Haines can continue the work McCurdy did and eventually grow her board to the point where she can put her own stamp on the place.
 The concept might have merit but there is no way this kind of an installation is going to work on a single lane road that is the main entrance to the hospital once the redevelopment has been done. Lakeshore Road has to be widened for the hospital traffic. The Museums have their work cut out for them but it doesn’t look as if they are going to draw on the city for financial support. There is however, some very hard thinking to be done on just what happens to the Joseph Brant Museum. The plans on the drawing board are just not going to work – someone needs to have the courage within the Museum Board to look at the facts and the changes that are going to take place on Lakeshore Road when the hospital re-development is done.
Ireland House on the other hand is a gem; it offers some exceptionally good programming.
Development: what does the city want and where does it want any development to take place – and what kind of development as well.
 Waterdown Road is being widened – a precursor to some significant development. The Aldershot GO station was named a transportation/development hub – the developers may get their shovels in the ground and have walls up before the city arrives at some decisions. There is all kinds of development taking place in Aldershot – there is some dissension amongst the more active citizens and the council member does need to learn to listen a little better. Understanding who he represents would be a useful contribution Rick Craven could make to the quality of civic government in this city.
Councillor Meed Ward continues with her, unique for Burlington, approach to involving the people she represents.
There are two areas of development that can re-shape the kind of downtown core Burlington is going to have – both are in her ward.
Before going into any detail on those two opportunities – the culture at city hall needs a closer look.
There are departments that work exceptionally well – finance is perhaps the best run shop at city hall. The team if focused and well led. They were given the task of revamping the way budgets were prepared and presented to the public and told to make personal accountability part of the way city hall does business.
 Scott Stewart and former city manager Jeff Fielding – they were quite a tag team for as long as it lasted. Fielding always let you know what was in the works – the new city manager has yet to reveal a management style. Then city manager Jeff Fielding challenged the finance department to bring about the change – then he departed for greener pastures and became the city manager in Calgary to the work that gets done.
The finance department did deliver; unfortunately there isn’t a champion on city council to ensure that the work done is continued and that staff get the direction they need.
A significant cultural change is taking place within the planning department; the hiring process for the new city planner is at the short short list. That decision may have already been made.
This is a critical choice – the department is in the middle of completing a much delayed Official Plan Review; we may not see that document until the end of the year.
 A rapt audience listened to an overview of the 2014 budget. What they have yet to have explained to them is the desperate situation the city will be in ten years from now if something isn’t done in the next few years to figure out how we are going to pay for the maintenance of the roads we have. Add in the cost of the 2014 flood and the city has a whopper of a budget to explain. Public engagement is a sorry mess – few remember the recommendations that came out of the Shape Burlington report that every member of this council heartily endorsed and then forgot about. There are reports of an initiative the city will announce in the fall that is neighbourhood oriented – it will be interesting to see the details.
The current city manager doesn’t seem to have all that much appetite for real public engagement, the communications department is asking the public what they think about City Talk, a magazine format distributed to every household, that does more for the members of city council than anyone else.
Council members love the thing; the communications department spend endless hours making revisions and the public for the most part doesn’t know it exists. There is a savings opportunity there.
Now to the development potential in ward 2.
Part two of a two part feature.
 By Staff
August 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Temporary lane restrictions are in effect on Plains Road East, between Falcon Boulevard and Sanford Drive, until Aug. 21, 2015 due to utility work.
 Plains Road has all kinds of work being done and a number of development projects in various stages. It is the busiest part of the city in terms of development work – which means upgrades to the utilities. The red circle on the right is the location for a planned apartment and townhouse project by the ADI Group 0 the while elliptic is a part of the road that was being given a planning review – the residents didn’t like what they heard about either project – but then that’s Aldershot. Waterdown Road is also closed – it’s going through a major upgrade.
 By Pepper Parr
August 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Rural Burlington Greenbelt Coalition keeps a close watch on anything to do with small air parks and the rules and regulations that apply to them.
They recently passed along some information on a “conditional approval” for a remediation deal to begin cleanup at Greenbank Airways.
Greenbanks Airways is an operation in the Township of Scugog that had what was believed to be contaminated soil being dumped on the land.
RBGC and a number of others felt the same thing had been done at the Burlington Air Park. It took a number of months to get the city to take some action – there was a court case which the city won, an appeal of that decision which the city also won.
When the city took action asking a judge to compel the Air Park to submit a site plan the Air Park managed to find a constitutional issue and the case has been booted back to sometime late in the year.
Sooner or later the Air Park will run out of legal options and they will have to submit to the rules everyone else has to comply with.
 Will the Air Park eventually be forced to remove much of the fill they dropped on their property without the required permits? The clean-up deal at Lake Scugog will see D.L. services remove most of the contaminated soil from 30 areas on the site. It will then be tested and treated. As well, one area that cannot be removed, will be treated with microbes to degrade any gasoline found there.
D.L. Services originally submitted the plan to Scugog in June, and a conditional approval letter was awarded to the company.
“The cleanup won’t take long. What has taken long is just having to deal with all of the politics invloved,” explained Mr. LeBlanc. Those are words the people along Appleby Line would just love to hear – if it can be done at one small air park – it can be done at another.
Mayor Tom Rowett said that the township’s firm stance on Table 2 soil standards is justified. “I think the hardline stance is important because whenever you are dealing with a contract like this, you can’t send a mixed message,” commented Mayor Rowett.
 Bore hole testing: were enough holes drilled and were they drilled in the right places? In March, borehole testing on the site conducted by Golder Associates found that 22 of 45 soil samples exceeded the township’s table 2 standards.
Vanessa Warren, one of the RBGC founders, has argued strenuously in the past that the table 2 standards were critical. Vince Rossi, president of the Air Park has disagreed with her, as have his lawyers. A Superior Court Judge, and an Appeal Court panel sided with the city.
Our day will come.
 By Pepper Parr
August 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a wonderfully hot day but if you were at the edge of the water the breeze made it all bearable – certainly so for the hundreds of kids and their parents who had taken over Spencer Smith Park.
If you were walking along Lakeshore Road between say between John Street and the Art Gallery of Burlington shortly after noon you would have come across a procession of people carrying what might have looked like small tree branches painted vivid colours.
They were being led by a young man playing a saxophone – if you thought it was some kind of a procession – you were right – but a funeral procession?
The funeral mound of Henrietta Martin. Bit of a stretch but if you were in on the event from the beginning when it started at John Street you would have known that it was an “installation art” funeral procession for “The Beloved Departed”
There were no hymns; there was music. This was a very “white” event.
The parasols covering the funeral mound of Henrietta Markham were later used by those in the procession to the Art Gallery of Burlington. Words were spoken. A few lines from the 17th century poem “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick were read:
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today,
Tomorrow will be dying.
Then the procession along Lakeshore Road.
It was whimsical, it was a Kyle Tonkens piece of interactive installation art done in the memory of Henrietta Markham, who in a letter said to come from the grave, said:
In the eyes of those whose lives you’ve touched,
You are a heavenly gift.
Beautiful and awe inspiring.
By Staff
August 15th. 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Environment Canada reports that extreme heat and humidity expected to start Sunday, August 16 will result in temperatures that will reach at least 31 degrees Celsius with overnight temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius for two days along with a humidex of 40 or higher is expected for two days.
Even short periods of exposure to these weather conditions can cause serious health problems. This warning is intended to inform the general public and community agencies, to keep residents safe and healthy during the heat and to recommend that precautions are taken when temperatures are high.
 Anyone can be affected by extreme heat-related weather conditions. Those especially at risk include: older adults (over the age of 65), infants and young children, people who work and exercise in the heat, people without adequate housing and those without air conditioning. People who have breathing difficulties, heart problems, kidney problems or take heat-sensitive medications are also especially at risk of preventable heat illness. If you or someone in your care experiences rapid breathing, headache, confusion, weakness or fainting, seek medical attention right away.
You can prevent heat-related illness by staying cool; avoiding strenuous outdoor activities; seeking shade from the sun; spending time in air-conditioned places, such as shopping malls and community centres; and drinking plenty of cool liquids, especially water. Call or visit friends and neighbours who may be at risk and never leave people or pets in your care unattended in a car.
By Staff
August 15th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 Suspect has made sure he will be very hard to identify  This photograph helped police determine the height of the suspect. In an update to an earlier report Halton Regional Police aded the following:
“Investigators continue to review several surveillance images of the suspect in these incidents, which are believed related. It would appear that the suspect has a lighter / olive coloured skin tone which differs from the description initially provided to investigators.”
It is pretty obvious these people don’t want to be seen or identified.
These are the pictures the Halton Regional Police were able to recover from the surveillance cameras in the convenience stores that were held up at gun point in the early, early hours of Saturday August 15th.
Armed and dangerous might be a good way to describe them.
Scary and dangerous situation for those clerks working a late shift in a convenience store.
Previous police report:
By Staff
August 15, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police were kept busy in the early hours of today – at approximately 2:15 am, a lone male suspect attended the Mac’s Convenience store located at Guelph Street and Delrex Boulevard in Georgetown.
 This suspect, who was armed with a handgun, approached the clerk inside the store and demanded cash and cigarettes. The clerk complied and turned over a quantity of money and cigarettes to this male. The suspect fled the store on foot in an unknown direction. Police responded and a search of the area failed to locate the suspect.
A short time later, at approximately 4:00am, a lone male suspect entered the Mac’s Convenience store located at 4021 Upper Middle Road in Burlington. The suspect, who was brandishing a handgun, approached a store clerk and made a demand for money. The suspect also took several cartons of cigarettes and packed them into a black bag before fleeing the store to a waiting vehicle. There is no description of the vehicle at this time.
The store clerks were not injured during either incident.
Investigators believe that the same suspect is responsible for both robberies.
Suspect Description: male, black, large build, 6’0” to 6’2” in height and approximately 200-210lbs
Clothing: dark coloured hoodie, hood and dark coloured scarf hiding face, black t-shirt, grey pants and white shoes. The suspect also wore black/white coloured gloves.
Anyone with information that would assist in this investigation is asked to contact members of the Halton Regional Police Service Criminal Investigations Bureau; Detective Tom Hockney (Milton) at 905-825-4747 extension 2491 / Detective Phil Vandenbeukel (Burlington) at 905 825-4747 extension 2313, through Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-TIPS(8477), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637(crimes).
 Sunflower field on the North Service Road east of Appleby Line Sunflower field on the North Service Road east of Appleby Line
Sunflower field on the North Service Road east of Appleby Line
By Pepper Parr
August 14th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The earth just may have moved – a little bit.
 Drawings of what the developer wanted the buildings to look like. View is from Lakeshore Road looking south. The development of that 22 storey condo on Lakeshore Road along with the smaller seven storey condo and the planned hotel have been “in the works” for years. The project was being talked at Council when Walter Mulkewich was Mayor – he gets the nod for approving the project while he was Mayor – something some of his colleagues seldom let him forget.
The Gazette got a note from a citizen advising us that trees were being cut down on the east side the of the Waterfront Hotel on Lakeshore Road
A note was sent to the writer who had expressed a concern about the recent tree removal along Elizabeth Street. The ward councillor’s office explained:
The tree removals were approved by Council in 2006 as a part of the re-zoning of the Bridgewater site and related reconstruction of Elizabeth Street. The required compensation and approvals are in place and include new street tree planting along the reconstructed street, as well as tree planting in the new park area along the shoreline.
In addition to this tree planting, compensation has been provided to allow tree planting in other areas of the City.
Does the cutting of the trees suggest that there is going to be some construction movement ?
Other than the construction of a sales office on the site – there hasn’t been any activity. Maybe that is because there may not have been enough activity on the sales side?
There hasn’t been a peep from the planning department on just where this project is in terms of development.
With the financial demise of the original developer (fancy word for bankruptcy) and the acquisition of the project by Jeff Paikin and his New Horizons organization some people thought the project would go forward with a little more energy.
Selling condominiums often means working with people who see the property as a long term investment. There are people at the Region and city hall who maintain that Burlington’s rental market is the result of condominiums that were purchased by investors.
 The 22 storey structure that is due to be built on the waters edge will forever change the look of the city. The plan is for a three structure development The market for condominiums is wicked in Vancouver and almost out of control in Toronto. All this while financial analysts talk of a correction in the housing market – which makes it very difficult for the private sector that takes the risk when the starting putting shovels in the ground and cranes on the skyline.
Interesting times. The taking down of those trees at the bottom of Elizabeth street suggest there just might be some movement.
By Pepper Parr
August 14th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
When there is a media release from Margaret Lindsay Holton we read it with both interest and anticipation – for we seldom know where she is going to come from or go to next.
Holton is a writer, an artist, a photographer and in her own way a political activist – add to each of these a passion that is usually very focused. With Holton you know you are going to have a robust conversation.
 Margaret Lindsay Holton Photo by Jeff Tessier
I recall the piece she wrote for the Gazette on a gas station attendant who put more gas than she wished to purchase in her vehicle; she wanted him to take out the portion she did not intend to purchase.
Holton’s next initiative is a film based on a published short story Holton wrote.
The Frozen Goose, first published in the critically acclaimed cross-country World War One anthology, ‘Engraved: Canadian Stories of World War One‘ , the story follows a back-woods Canadian family as they cope in the aftermath of The Great War …Their lives have been shattered. There has been Great Loss. And then – a horrific incident occurs that tests the very last shreds of their Survival Capabilities …
Holton will direct; cinematography will be handled by local photographer Mark Zelinski. The intention is to shoot in the first week of February, 2016.
The cast includes two veterans of the local stage; Leslie Gray, co-founder of Koogle Theatre Inc, and Rod McTaggart – known for his recent performances at The Burlington Performing Arts Centre and Theatre Aquarius.
Newcomers to the set include Evan Cook and the brilliant young starlet, Hannah Ralph – of Hamilton.
 Holton intends to contribute a percentage of the net revenues to support The Red Cross of Canada. “Without The Red Cross” said Holton,” life would be very bleak for many throughout the world.”
However, before the cameras can roll funds have to be raised. Holton is launching an IndieGoGo campaign which is an online approach to raising funds.
Cine Starz Upper Canada Place
460 Brant Street
WWW CINESTARZ.CA
SHOWTIMES August 14 to 20 , 2015
Films shown in red are revisions to the original schedule.
IRRATIONAL MAN 14A
Fri to Thur 11:40 1:30 3:30 5:30 7:40 9:30
PAPER TOWNS PG
Fri to Thur 1:00 3:10 5:15 7:20 9:20
INSIDE OUT G
Fri to Thur 11:10 1:05 3:00 5:20 7:20
MAGIC MIKE XXL 14A
Fri to Thur 11:15 7:40 9:45
TERMINATOR GENISYS 14A
Fri to Thur 11:00 3:00 5:00 7:20 9:35
SPY 14A
Fri to Thur 11:00 1:10 3:20 5:30 7:20 9:20
AMY 14A
Fri to Thur 1:20 5:20 9:30
I’LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS PG
Fri to Thur 11:10 1:15 3:40
 By Pepper Parr
August 12, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Now that we know a little about the three young girls in Burlington who will be taking part in the CNE Rising Star Talent contest – we can tell you something about what they are facing at this competition.
There are several hurdles these young girls have to go through to make it to the top.
 Olivia Koren on the left and Poppy Munro on the right loosen up as they get ready to take part in the CNE Rising Star event at the end of the month. They got into the competition by sending in an application with a video – judges looked at everything and invited specific people to attend.
There are 48 contestant in the Junior class and 72 in the Youth class.
The Rising Star contest is for singers and dancers. Michael Bubble, the crooner, was a winner in the singing competition many years ago
All the girls from Burlington are in the Junior class; thy are all dancers.
All the action is on the International stage at the Enercare Centre on the CNE grounds. No cost to get in but you do have to pay to get into the CNE.
 Lauren Salt’s pink cast will be gone by the time she is ready to take her place on the stage at the CNE Rising Star Talent event at the end of the month All the shows take place at 6:30 pm
Preliminary judging takes place on August 21st to the 24th
Semi finals are on August 31st and September 1st
Finals for the Junior level are on September 5th.
The contestants will be judged on their natural ability – 20%
They will be judged on the staging and showmanship of their performance; 20%
The audience will tell what they liked – 20% of their mark comes from the audience
The judges give 40% based on the quality of the performance.
The Gazette will follow their progress and let you know how they do.
By Pepper Parr
August 12th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Being a kid can be fun, if you have the friends you want and really interesting things to do.
For hundreds of young girls in Burlington that fun and those friends are in the dance classes they take.
The city seems to have dozens of dance schools that have these girls burning off energy and keeping very fit.
For some the classes are recreational and for others there is a long term goal and for other it is quite competitive which leads to some travel and for three Burlington girls from two different dance schools the competition takes them to the Canadian National Exhibition’s Talent event that has taken place for the last 29 years.
 Poppy Munro will dance with her friend Olivia at the CNE Talent contest  Olivia Koren will be a contestant at the CNE Talent event Poppy and Olivia practice at Creative Dance and Lauren works out at The Dance Station where Mindy Mosey and her sister Melissa run the program at a school that has been in operation for ten years.
Lauren, a grade 7 student at St. Christopher Elementary School spends about 15 hour a week at The Dance Station where the core of just about every program is ballet. Mandy, who once danced professionally sees ballet as the core for all dance.
Olivia Koren and Poppy Munro, who will be doing a Hip Hop piece at the CNE attend different schools; one is at Tuck and the other at Central.
They are at that point in life where they believe they will be in dance for the rest of their lives.
 Lauren Salt on the parallel bar with her instructor Mandy Mosey Both girls seem remarkably at ease over the upcoming competition – something for which they have been putting in months of practice.
Tomorrow we will tell you more about the actual competition they will be taking part in.
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Jim Riley is a Burlington-based video artist, independent curator and arts writer.
