A wishing forest on Old Lakeshore Road - tonight from 7 to midnight.

eventspink 100x100By Staff

September 17, 2105

BURLINGTON, ON

All the work, all the anticipation and then the scurrying around to make it actually happen – and we realize that it comes down to the weather.

There are some people who don’t know about the event – where have they been?

It is Supernova – takes place on Old Lakeshore Road from 7 to midnight. More than 20 artists showing you what they do.

Cirque_Logo1_rev2_col

Last year it was called the Cirque – 3500 people showed up – this year it is a Supernova on Old Lakeshore Road. Worth the walk.

Last year the event took place at the Village Square – 3500 people showed up.

This year there is a lot more space – enjoy the night.

One of the artists has created a Wishing Forest. Here is how he tells that story.

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Citizens wants to see some accountability on the ADI development - sales office has been opened for an as yet approved project.

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

September 17, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

Tom Muir, an Aldershot resident known for his persistent questions at city council meetings and what his council member might call ongoing badgering.
Muir is one of those guys that wants to look at the details – for he knows the devil is always in those details.

He currently wants to know why the city did not have a position on the application the ADI Development Group had made for Official Plan and zoning changes to the property at the south north corner of Lakeshore Road and Martha Street.

City council did debate the application at a Standing Committee and Staff put forward an excellent report which set out what the Planning department thought. During the debates at the Standing Committee it was pretty clear that no one at city council was on for this project and most of the hands went up saying this isn’t for us – but those votes are not recorded and have no standing.

City council at PAC

Not on single member of city council was for the ADI development – but they never got to vote officially against the project. some either forgot to count the number of days before ADI could go to the OMB or there was plain rank incompetence somewhere.

It is the votes at city council that matter – and there was never a vote by city council because – wait for it – the 180 day period had ended the day before city council was to meet – and the ADI Development Group had taken their application to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) arguing that the city had failed to make a decision on their application within the 180 day deadline.

“I would like an explanation” asked Muir “of how the staff report on this project did not make it to Council within the 180 days mandated in the legislation.” The fact is the planning staff did get their report to city council and it was debated at Standing Committee. The other fact is that the Mayor either couldn’t count out 180 days or didn’t think it mattered all that much.

ADI rendering second view from SW

It is a very large building – the highest ever proposed for this city and is on a very small lot. The city planners recommended it not be approved – a Standing Committee agreed – but city council never got to officially vote no on the project.

There was more than enough evidence to indicate how ADI was going to behave – they had already taken the city to the OMB on a different development.
Muir is quite right however – there has never been a word from the office of the Mayor on the ADI development – there was a discussion at Standing Committee earlier in the week on a confidential matter related to the Lakeshore Road development.

Muir calls this a “a failure of transparency and accountability” – the failure is in the city not realizing the kind of developer they were up against. ADI knew what the rules were and he played by them.

The city did not have a scheduled council meeting and didn’t see any reason, apparently, to suggest to the Mayor that he call a special council meeting – he has the authority to do that.

ADI Nautique sign

The city has a major beef with this sign – don’t think it is legal.

The failure is that the city council apparently did not see this coming – when they should have. The Director of Planning should have had a meeting with the Mayor to advise him of the seriousness of a delay and then followed that up with a memo to cover his butt.

The Mayor should have seen this one coming.

The ADI development was on the agenda the evening council met to vote officially on the proposal. When city staff got word that ADI had taken their application to the OMB council was no longer permitted to discuss the issue – it was now in the hands of an OMB Commissioner.

Muir wants to “know the line of responsibility for this failure”. Look to the planning department, the city’s Solicitor and the office of the Mayor.

ADI storefront

The ADI Development Group is converting a lower Brant retail location into a sales office for their Nautique project – as yet approved – for the corner of LAkeshore Road and Martha

Should ADI prevail at the OMB hearing, and there are a number of reasons to believe they will, the city will pay a high price in terms of the way they want to develop their downtown core.

There are better ways to run a city. The first hearing of the ADI application to the OMB is scheduled for March of next year.

Meanwhile ADI has opened up a sales office on Brant Street. They have redone the outside of the building and appear to be putting up a high end sales office. Many people are asking how they can do this when the project has yet to be approved by anyone. Good question. ADI can open an office to sell whatever he wishes – what he will be doing is taking registrations and perhaps a deposit from people who think they would like to purchase a unit.

ADI storefront - wider view

ADI redid the front of the sales office location with stucco giving it a softer look. The detailing on the inside is very polished and sophisticated. There will be a lot of muscle behind their sales and marketing program. Their advertisements are already seen on web site with a considerable amount of newspaper advertising as well

The ADI people don’t do very much without the advice of their legal counsel – and they have retained a very competent firm, Weir & Foulds, to represent them. Expensive – but they are tough guys to beat.

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Have you installed that car seat properly? A technician will check it out for you at WalMart September 26th

eventspink 100x100By Pepper Parr

September 16, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

Look in almost any car in a mall parking lot and you will see a car seat for a child in the back. Legally required and gratefully used by every parent – was the seat properly installed?

A the leading provider of Canadian car seats is sponsoring the Canadian Walmart Car Seat Clinic that will take place in the parking lot of the Walmart located at 4515 Dundas Street W on September 26 from 10 AM – 4 PM.

The sponsors are encouraging people to make an appointment on their website (www.gracobaby.ca/news), but we will also take drop-ins.

There is a right way and a wrong way to install a car seat.  You have to have one - might as well  do it properly.

There is a right way and a wrong way to install a car seat. You have to have one – might as well do it properly.

Appointments will last for approximately 30 minutes (per car seat). The technicians will check and install seats for all ages and stages and any brand car seat. They encourage people to bring the manuals for both their vehicle and their car seat, along with their child if possible.

Graco Canada, the sponsors of the event, claim that 90% of Canadian car seats are installed improperly and/or misused. Common errors include a missing top tether, an improperly positioned chest clip, and loose harness straps, not to mention children riding in seats that do not accord with their weight, height, and age.

The simple habit of a child wearing a winter coat within their car seat can render the seat ineffective. The reality is that parents and caretakers love their children, but they don’t always know how to best protect them in a motor vehicle.

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Cogeco's Flash Flood documentary premiers Sunday evening - the story of how Burlington responded to 191 mm of rain in six hours.

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

September 16, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

The recommendation in the Staff report was to Dissolve the Flood Disaster Relief Committee and direct the City Clerk to notify the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing of the dissolution of the City of Burlington’s Flood Disaster Relief Committee.

Dry, cold, bureaucratic wording that added: the purpose was to comply with the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP) Guidelines that require municipal councils to pass a resolution to dissolve their volunteer disaster relief committees.

Flood presentation - map showing area of rainfall

The storm came in from the west and hovered over the headwaters of the creeks – and stayed there for more than six hours.

And that was it – Burlington’s response to the August 4, 2014 flood was now officially closed.

Yesterday, many of the people involved with responding to the flood gathered at the Performing Arts Centre (now to be known as The Centre) to congratulate those who had done so much and hand out the obligatory plaques, which are an important part of the process, and to watch, as Mayor Goldring put it, “the world Premiere of the half hour documentary: Flash Flood produced by Cogeco TV”

The film told the story of how on Aug. 14, 2014, ten days after the rainstorm, at a special meeting of Council, the city unanimously supported requesting the Province of Ontario to declare the City of Burlington a disaster area for the purposes of seeking funding (both the public and private components) through ODRAP.

The Burlington Community Foundation was approached to assist with the establishment of a Flood Disaster Relief Committee (DRC) to help address the financial needs of the residents impacted by the storm. Colleen Mulholland was given a plaque and for the first time in the past year she had her picture taken without a cardboard donation cheque in front if her.  Ron Foxcroft, who can now take Colleen’s phone number out of his speed dial list said his city was “aggressively generous” – and it was.

The documentary told the story of how the community pulled itself together, helped each other and fought hard, and it was a fight, to get financial support from the province.

There were perhaps 50 people in the room watching the documentary was shown. The strongest point that came across was the way people managed the loss of personal property – pictures, mementos, keepsakes that were gone forever.

One woman had the shoes she was to be married in stored in her basement – they were saved and she wore them several months later.

One couple told of learning that there insurance was limited to $5000 – with a $1000 deductible.

The audience learned that the Mayor, whose home was badly flooded, was just settling the finer points of his claim with his insurance company.

BCF Info - Mark Preston _ Richard Burgess

Mark Preston on the left was one of the insurance brokers evaluating the claims – Rick Burgess on the right gave legal advice through the claims process.

Mark Preston, an Aldershot based insurance broker said that he had three clients that were flooded and that the local group of insurance brokers had more than 40 claims on the go.

Mayor Goldring made the comment that those who bought their insurance on-line learned the hard way of the real value an insurance broker brings to the table.

BCF Info - Citizen Lawrie woman

Nancy Swietek, on the right, listen to a flood victim during a public meeting.

Colleen Mulholland and Ron Foxcroft were once again lauded for the outstanding work they did – it was well deserved. The three insurance experts who were drafted – which is the best way of explaining how they ended up doing the job they did – were also recognized. The two men and one woman worked for hours every second week as they reviewed every claim and determined what could be paid out. Those three insurance people, Mark Preston, Nancy Swietek and Bruce Russell didn’t get paid a dime. Nor did Rick Burgess, who sat in on all the meetings of the Claims committee providing legal advice.

The Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP) allowed the agency that co-ordinated the fund raising and the claims process to be paid for the reasonable expenses they incurred.  The Community Foundation submitted a bill for less than $85,000 – the bargain of the century for the city.

The final speaker, at an event with an open bar, not something done in this city very often, was Eleanor McMahon, who at that time was newly elected and had never heard the acronym ODRAP – neither had any one at city hall for that matter. “We learned what that meant pretty quickly” said McMahon who did a fine job of binding the city’s wounds and putting a soft, dignified close the a disaster that while local was nevertheless devastating for those whose homes filled with water much faster than they thought possible.

McMahon at Up Creek - side view - smile

Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon at the Elwood Street party months after the flood.

“We had people in this city whose lives were on their front lawns” said McMahon, “going through an experience they believed they would only see on television”. But it happened in Burlington where people learned very quickly how to ask: “How can I help?”

One man told of a lady who went door to door in the Regal Road area with green plastic bags asking people to put their laundry in the bag and she would return with it washed and folded. The speaker in the documentary had difficulty telling that story – he kept gulping. While she would not want us to say who she is – it was Carol Gottlob who walked around taking in laundry.

Councillors Dennison and Sharman made hundreds of visits to homes even though there wasn’t all that much they could do personally other than follow up on matters.

The handling of the claims and the concerns had been outsourced by city hall to the Burlington Community foundation – which is what the ODRAP regulations required. All the city was permitted to do was pick up the reasonable costs incurred by the foundation.

For many people in the flooded areas – it was the occasion when they met many of their neighbours for the first time.

The city and Regional Council have set aside $110 million to improve the management of storm water. An additional person has been added to the payroll to set up procedures and over see this kind of problem in the future –a future that everyone believes will include more weather related problems – climate change and its consequences are being visited upon us.

Flood Fairview plaza

The Storm Water Management tax is going to hit the strip malls heavily – the asphalt covering didn’t allow for storm water to drain off quickly.

There is expected to be an additional line on the tax bill related to the management of storm water – the Fairview strip malls and the large mall parking lots are going to feel the weight of this tax more than anyone else. The huge swaths if asphalt that cover those parking lots meant the flood waters had nowhere to do – expect that problem to get some hard nosed thinking at city hall

BCF Donation Box tent card

For many residents it was a very personal experience and they needed help – badly.

The documentary Flash Flood will premiere for the public this Sunday (Sept 20th) at 8:00 pm
Kristen Demeny was the camera operator and interviewer and the energy behind the production. Joey Ricottone did the editing and Ben Lyman was the Executive producer.

In the not too distant future a plaque with the names of the major donours and the people that were there when they were needed will be bolted to a boulder in Civic Square – future generations will glance at it and know next to nothing of the day that 191 mm of rain fell on a part of the city in less than seven hours and damaged more than 3500 homes and scarred the hearts of many for life.

“Whenever it rains” said one man in the documentary “I look outside and wonder how long it is going to rain this time.”

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Walkers Line - Nighttime Closure on Sept. 16

notices100x100By Staff

September 16, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

Walkers Line – Nighttime Closure on Sept. 16

All northbound lanes of Walkers Line will be closed at North Service Road for excavation work starting Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 10 p.m. to Thursday, Sept. 17 at 5 a.m.

Northbound traffic will be detoured along North Service Road.

Southbound lanes on Walkers Line are not impacted.

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The Poacher Ukulele Band will entertain during the Supernova this Friday.

artsorange 100x100By Staff

September 16, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Part 3 of a 3 part feature

All of the artists taking part in the Supernova this Friday are looking at the weather forecasts – this is an outdoor event.
throughout the area are gathering together the material and tools they will need to set up their art installations along Old Lakeshore Road for the third annual No Vacancy event – which this year is being called Supernova.

Supernova  6 of 6Dozens of art ventures will appear on the Old Lakeshore Road, immediately outside, adjacent to and across the road from Emma’s Back Porch the evening of Friday, September 18th beginning at 7 pm – the installations will be in place until just after midnight and then disappear just as quickly as they appeared.

The now annual event that began in 2013 at the Waterfront Hotel where new ground was broken in the Burlington arts world. The second year drew 3500 people to the Village Square made No Vacancy, which is given a different title each year, an event that was now a must for the city.

Selena Eckersal and her crew – the people making all this happen with a piddling $5000 in financial support have announced that The Poacher Ukulele Band will be performing at SUPERNOVA on September 18th on Old Lakeshore Rd in Downtown Burlington, Ontario. They are a fun, passionate group that will have you singing and dancing along with them! Stay tuned to find out exactly what time and where they will be playing.

The Gazette has given a bit of a background on each of the participants – there are about 20+ of them – all up for one enchanting evening.

We start this time with:
Emilio PortalEmilio Portal

My practice is based on hunting and creating stories, scenarios and objects that explore the hidden, oppressed, unexpected, appalling, subtle and forgotten.

I am of mixed ancestry: my father is Peruvian; my mother, French Canadian. My origin is a constant personal reminder of the complex story of colonialism, expansion, growth, and its precarious and paradoxical terrain.

Through a multiplicity of means, (story-telling, photography, drawing, printmaking, poetry, video, sound, woodworking, installations and slow performances) I contemplate the questions:

How do we make meaning?
What is our ethos?

emilioportal.com

Liz LittleLiz Little

Liz Little is a multidisciplinary artist working mainly in drawing, printmaking, and installation. She is a recent MFA graduate from the University of Waterloo and received a BFA with Distinction from Concordia University in 2010. Her work has been exhibited in Canada, the United States, and Germany and is part of national and international private collections. She is the recipient of several scholarships and awards, including the Sylvia Knight Award in Fine Arts, the Keith and Win Shantz Fellowship, and the Bill Watson Memorial Award for Printmaking. She currently lives and works in Toronto, ON.
lizlittle.org
Caitlyn Jean McMillanCaitlyn Jean McMillan

Caitlyn Jean McMillan earned her Bachelor’s Degree at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay ON in 2008, her Masters of Fine Arts at the University of Regina in Regina, SK in 2012, and completed two residencies at the Banff Centre for the Arts in 2008 and 2010. Since graduating, Caitlyn has shown in Thunder Bay, Toronto, Sudbury, and Sarnia, where she currently juggles art-making while working as the Community Arts Educator at the Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery.

Caitlyn Jean works in a variety of media, from painting and drawing to new media and projection. Sometimes she enlists the help of Lisa Smith for her expertise with new media work.
caitlynjean.com

Miles Rufelds

Miles RufeldsMiles Rufelds is a video and media artist from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He received his Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Ottawa in the spring of 2015. Coming from a background of abstract drawing and painting, he has come to work primarily in video and installation art, but branches at times into photography, sculpture, and audio. Rufelds’ art addresses the absurd and often-contradictory relationships that have existed between human beings and inanimate objects throughout history, abstractly questioning the role that nonhuman things can play in both the construction and diagnosis of the post-industrial human psyche. He has exhibited in various channels of the Ontario art community, such as the University of Ottawa’s Gallery 115 and Paradigm Gallery, as well as Cambridge, Ontario’s Idea Exchange gallery.
And All Was BrightAnd All Was Bright

And All Was Bright (Ben Robertson) is a musician and multimedia installation artist from Burlington, Ontario, Canada. His sound arrangements are progressive, emotive and strongly driven by concept; they span the spectrum of melodic dronescapes, noise, and heavy distortion. His video arrangements are abstract yet convey the underlying concepts behind the work. The installations are fully immersive. He fills the performance space with heavily-processed sound, projected visuals and controlled lighting, occupying the viewers’ auditory, visual, and physical senses.
andallwasbright.com
VersaVERSA

Versa is an audio/visual collaboration between process-based artist Monika Hauck and musician Alex Ricci. Influenced by contemporary soundscape, instrumental post-rock and 60’s psychedelic, the project combines heavily effected bass guitar compositions with projected visuals created live on stage. The composition of the music serves as a cause for the visuals, and vice versa; the need for movement in the visuals dictates choices made in the arrangement.
Tomy Bewick

Tomy Bewick is the founder, host and artistic director of the Burlington Slam Project (BSP), a monthly poetry platform in Burlington, On. He is a poet familiar with national and international finals stages, as well as a full-time professional with a specialty in environmentally sustainable construction (LEED AP, BD+C). Tomy has published two collections of poems, released three full length spoken word CD’s and featured across Canada, with multiple appearances in the US. He enjoys working with new poetic voices in his community, as well as continuing to provide a platform for local and international artists to share their words, at the BSP.
www.burlingtonslam.wordpress.com
Klaus PinterKlaus Pinter
Klaus Pinter is an International Artist who Lives and works in Vienna.  Quite how he wound up in Burlington is something you can ask him when yiou meet him Friday evening.

klaus-pinter.net

 

Frances Adair McKenzieFrances Adair McKenzie
Picture
Frances Adair Mckenzie lives and works in Montréal. She combines genres and technologies to invoke fantastical internal and external worlds. Her work results in a din of concentrated effects, melding both high and low cultural references.

Frances attained a diploma in New Media from B.C.I.T. and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University. The National Film Board of Canada has com- missioned her animations and her work has been exhibited at the Musée de art Contemporain de Montréal, and the Société des Arts Technologiques. Frances also collaborates with Aleks Schurmer, to form the collective Party Like it’s 1699. The collective’s aim is to take classical music from the confines of the modern concert hall and reclaim it as a popular medium in the form of a digital Baroque opera.

 

Brody RobinmeyerBrody Robinmeyer

Brody Robinmeyer is of European-Dominican descent, was born in Toronto moved to Iceland and then back to Ontario. Briefly studied in the U.K. as well as Germany. Graduated with a fine arts degree from Ryerson University. His artistic practice is strongly influenced by current scientific understanding and its intersection with eastern philosophies (i.e. hsin hsin ming). Currently working from his atelier in Hamilton.

 

 

 

Ms. Anonymous
Ms. AnonymousMs. Anonymous has been namelessly creating art for almost two decades. You may have already seen her work without knowing it was hers, been in her presence without noticing her, and been touched by her work in some way. Ms. Anonymous prefers to remain nameless, faceless and unknown without the need for any recognition. She wishes for her art to speak for itself, with a voice of its own and an energy and life force that lives beyond the need for a creative host. Ms. Anonymous believes that it is her anonymity that allows her to be bold, provocative and unafraid in art.

 

Part 1 of a 3 part feature.

Part 2 of a 3 part feature

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City council is asked to do some heavy thinking on a report they had in front of them for just a couple of hours.

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

September 15, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

Close to the first thing city council did when they returned from a three month vacation away from city business was to go into a closed session to talk about the property the city owned and how it could be leveraged to get something going in the downtown core in terms of development that wasn’t just condominiums and retail operations that lasted a year and went bust.

Before the meeting went into closed session Councillors Taylor (ward 3) AND Mead Ward (ward 2) complained about getting a document several hours before the discussion was to take place.

wer

Councillor Taylor wants to see reports in his hands several days before he is asked to discuss the contents, His beef was over getting document just a few hours before he was to make comments.

Taylor started out with a Point of Order he wanted to make and then asked why the policy that was agreed upon in 2014 to get material to council members on the Friday of the week before meetings take place allowing time to read the material and think it through.

“I don’t know what is expected of us” said Taylor, “there hasn’t been any time to read the material. Are we just going to receive and file it?”

Taylor went on to say that “knowledge is power and it looks to me as if you are going to go ahead and do what you want without any input from Council.

Stewart Scott blue sweater - more face

General Manager Scott Stewart was away on vacation which meant a report to be discussed wasn’t available in its final form until he returned to the city.

General manager Scott Stewart responded by saying the report was meant to bring council members up to date on the thinking that was being done and to give a sense of where staff was going. “If we are offside” he said, “this was the time to let us know”.

Staff may have been offside and council may have let them know – but the public will never know – the session in which all this revealing was taking place was closed so the public.

City manager James Ridge explained that the documents they were seeing today was one of three pieces of information.

Council was getting a look at what staff felt could be done with property the city owned in the downtown core – parking lots for the most part.
Ridge went on to say that with staff thinking in front of council they could then talk about how all this would relate to the “core commitment” – an issue that has been kicked around for more than a decade with no results that are visible.

Something along these lines was planned for Burlington's downtown core - but McMaster stifed the city when a nicer deal came along.

Something along these lines was planned for Burlington’s downtown core – but McMaster stiffed the city when a nicer deal came along.

The last great hope for the downtown core was when McMaster University got serious about locating a campus on the Elizabeth Street parking lot – McMaster had a change of heart, helped by a great deal on a piece of property and decided that the South Service Road was a pretty good location.

Ridge went on to explain that with the basic information clearly understood and agreed upon staff could begin doing some “growth modelling” that would get attached to the Strategic Plan which would in turn inform the Official Plan that is slowly working its way through a required revision.

While the process was clear enough Councillor Meed Ward wanted a little more information on why the documents in front of her were not available when they were supposed to be available.

Scott Stewart fessed up and explained that he had been on vacation and staff wasn’t able to get as much done without his presence. Stewart did add that changes were being made to the report as late as Sunday night.

All well and good – but the public still doesn’t know what the debate was about.

The web cast did not catch all the council member remarks – there was a comment from Councillor Sharman – he appreciated “you’re bringing this to us now”.

At some point the public might get to know what it was they talked about.

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CineStarz - SHOWTIMES September 18 to 24 , 2015

Cinestarz logo Cine Starz Upper Canada Place
460 Brant Street
WWW CINESTARZ.CA

 

SHOWTIMES September 18 to 24 , 2015

PIXELS PG
Fri to Sun 11:15 1:15 3:15 5:15 7:15 9:15
Mon to Thur 1:00 3:00 5:00 7:00 9:00

RICKI AND THE FLASH PG
Fri to Sun 11:30 1:30 3:30 5:30 7:30 9:30
Mon to Thur 1:00 3:00 5:00 7:00 9:00

TRAINWRECK 18A
Fri to Sun 3:00 5:10 7:20 9:30
Mon to Thur 1:00 3:00 5:10 7:20 9:30

AMERICAN ULTRA 18A
Fri to Sun 11:20 1:10 3:45 5:30
Mon to Thur 1:10 3:15 5:10

JURASSIC WORLD PG
Fri to Sun 11:15 1:10 5:20 7:15 9:40
Mon to Thur 1:00 5:15 7:15

SOUTHPAW 14A
Fri to Sun 1:30 7:20 9:30
Mon to Thur 7:00 9:15

INSIDE OUT G
Fri to Sun 11:20 1:15 3:15 5:15
Mon to Thur 5:20

PAPER TOWNS PG
Fri to Sun 11:15 3:25 7:40
Mon to Thur 1:00 3:15 7:30 9:30

AMY 14A
Fri to Sun 9:30
Mon to Thur 3:00 9:30

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Council defers a decision on a bylaw that didn't seem to resolve the problems of coyotes in the community. Sharman is going to have to deal with the bitches in his community for a little longer.

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

September 15, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

City Manager James Ridge put it pretty clearly to council members when, after more than an hour of debate, he said they had to decide how the city wanted to treat coyotes.

Do you want them lopping along the streets of the city or do you want us to remove the animals from our urban spaces, he asked?

The sense from Council was that no one minded the animals on the streets just as long as they don’t hurt us – and that was the issue – there appear to be coyotes out there that do want to hurt us.

The worst concentration of coyotes appears to be in the east end of the city but they are spreading around and are now found in all the wards. In the rural part of the city Councillor John Taylor said “we have our own way of handling the coyotes” which appeared to be acceptable.

werv

There isn’t going to be a coyote kill like this in Burlington – unless someone is attached by one of the animals – there is considerable debate over whether or not coyotes actually attach people.

What wasn’t acceptable is shooting the animals, Councillor Craven kept calling them critters. And it isn’t acceptable to bludgeon them to death either, which appears to be what happened to one of the pups belonging to a bitch coyote in the east end.

Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster told of an evening driving home and there was a coyote in the middle of the road – she slowed down, drove past the animal and moved on then came upon a resident walking a small dog and suggested he might want to carry the dog.

The male resident said he wasn’t worried – he would just shush the coyote away.

Two Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry staffers delegated and told council that there were no known incidents of coyotes attacking people. The Mayor Googled and came up with specific incidents in Ontario where people were apparently attached by a coyote.

The issues seems to be – what does a community do when a wild animal changes its behaviour and decides it will not co-exist with humans and attacks them instead.

The draft bylaw that was in front of the Standing Committee didn’t seem to provide an answer to that question and so it was deferred to the next cycle of Standing Committee meetings.

Coyote pups

A coyote that has apparently gone rogue in the east end of the city lost at least one of her pups to a public that wants that specific coyote out of the community

Councillor Paul Sharman has what he called a rogue coyote in his ward that had chased a young boy on his bike and another situation where a coyote had circled someone driving a jeep.

Council was meeting to debate a proposed by law that none of the members of council had seen more than a half day before council met.

The end result was to defer the debate on the bylaw – which was going to make it illegal to feed animals or fowl on public property.

What people did on their own property wasn’t something council could do anything about – which didn’t do much for the two woman, Kelly Rosbrook and Jennier Glenn of ward 2  – they had a local resident feeding the coyotes, the pigeons, the geese and apparently anything else that was hungry. They showed a video of vermin scooting through their back yards.

Trumpeter - skidding to a stop

The trumpeter swans can be fed on public property – but only by people with a license to band them for scientific purposes – there are only eight people who can do that in Burlington.

The draft by law was to prevent people from feeding wild life on public property – there is to be an exception – the people wanting to restore the Trumpeter Swans were going to get an exemption – however it was to be limited to just the eight people who have a license to band and record data on the swans.

Councillor Craven had concerns over the number of people he believes are feeding the swans. He commented that anyone feeding swans in LaSalle park had better have their banding license with them.

There is more to this story. Stay tuned.

Female coyotes are properly described as bitches

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Three days left before the the curtains are drawn for the Supernova street art feast - Old Lakeshore Road - Friday 7 to midnight.

eventspink 100x100By Staff

September 15, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

Artists throughout the area are gathering together the material and tools they will need to set up their art installations along Old Lakeshore Road for the third annual No Vacancy event – which this year is being called Supernova.

Dozens of art ventures will appear on the Old Lakeshore Road, immediately outside, adjacent to and across the road from Emma’s Back Porch the evening of Friday, September 18th beginning at 7 pm – the installations will be in place until just after midnight and then disappear just as quickly as they appeared.

The now annual event that began in 2013 at the Waterfront Hotel where new ground was broken in the Burlington arts world. The second year drew 3500 people to the Village Square made No Vacancy, which is given a different title each year, an event that was now a must for the city.

During the next few days the Gazette will tell you a little bit about each participant – there are about 20+ of them – all up for one enchanting evening.
We start this time with:

Apollonia VanovaApollonia Vanova is a Contemporary artist from Slovakia, currently residing in Canada. She is a graduate from the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, BC. Before she attended university, she travelled to Italy and became an apprentice to the famed sculptor Tomasso Gismondi. Upon her return to Canada, she opened Vano inc., where she designed and produced large ceramic murals. Her first commission at the age of 20, was a 20′ x 5′ pediment sculpture for a Neo-classical private villa. Apollonia works out of her private studio in Toronto, Ontario and continues to create contemporary sculptures and installations in various media including bronze, steel, leather, hair, as well as paintings in oil and acrylic.

Her work has been exhibited in galleries across Canada, and acquired internationally in private collections. Currently, her artwork explores narcissism within contemporary society through the meaning and interpretation of language, myth, dreams, instincts and objects of desire.
vanovaart.com
Ryan Van Der HoutRyan Van Der Hout

Ryan Van Der Hout is a photo based artist working in Toronto. His work explores photographic materials and experimental processes. Ryan has an ongoing documentary project focused on artistic process and studio space.
Ryan’s work has been exhibited across Canada, the U.K. and in New York and is held in both private and public collections.

He’s a graduate of Ryerson’s photography program.
ryanvanderhout.com
Keith BusherKeith Busher

Hamilton, Ontario based artist Keith Busher started Precious Mutations in January 2012. Inspired by the art of David Irvine, and tired of his kids watching the same old television programs repeatedly Keith took his kids to the local ‘Drop n Shop’ to find an up-cycling project. Keith came home with several ceramic figurines and began his mutating career. Since then he’s created over 50 mutations and continues to create every day. In May of 2013 Keith shared a show with David Irvine at Manta Contemporary Gallery entitled ‘Re-Visions’ and was featured in the Hamilton Art Crawl.Highlights of what he’s accomplished so far include his ‘Zombified Nutcrackers’ which were highly sought after during the holiday season of 2012 and saw his work get shipped globally to Australia, Japan, Europe and throughout North America.

Keith has expanded his ‘mutations’ to include photography and other items being up-cycled, no longer just figurines. You can find Keith and his Precious Mutations at this years upcoming Toronto Zombie Walk on October 26, 2013.
preciousmutations.com
Sanjay PatelSanjay Patel

Sanjay is Canadian of Indian descent, residing in between Hamilton and Toronto. His main focus for, “Live Art” is to capture the atmosphere and energy of the particular events he attends. This talented artist is also carving a path with his one-of-a-kind commissioned work; a unique experience that offers the client a custom abstract representation of the their energy, tastes and personality, while taking into consideration the current colour, lighting, and space in the room.
sanjaybpatel.com/
Reg MooreReg Moore

Reg Moore is a projection and light artist holding unique events under the name Realtime Activities. Realtime turns the clock back and forth with shout-outs to eclectic moments and personalities in motion picture, photography, animation, music and popular culture. Using an existing site and manipulating it, Realtime creates installations that are a visual feast for the average individual and a delight to the more seasoned viewer who recognizes Realtime’s incorporation of such ground-breaking works as “Moth Light”, “Rhythmus 21”, “Dog Star Man”, and “Matrix III”, to name a few. A Realtime installation is both a fabulous live event and a compelling expression of art.
realtimeactivities.com
Jordyn StewartJordyn Stewart

Jordyn Stewart is an emerging artist from the Niagara Region. Coming from a small town, she adopts child-like fascinations and curiosities from her upbringing. Now, immersed in developing urban environments, she investigates the materials found within these spaces in search for the familiar. Working predominantly in video and performance, she creates site-sensitive performances.

Stewart recently received her BA, Specialist in Art and Art History at University of Toronto, joint program with Sheridan College. She has most recently exhibited works at Trinity Square Video,Video Fever 2015, as well as, The Blackwood Gallery, Horizon Line. She is currently living in Toronto, interning as a curatorial assistant for Christine Shaw, the curator of The Work of Wind, an exhibition featured in this years Nuit Blanche. Jordynstewart.ca
Tiffany SchofieldTiffany Schofield

Tiffany Schofield is an emerging Canadian artist and curator. Her practice explores the relationship between the body, place and history through site-specific performances, photography, and video installations. Her recent work is concerned with the physical and psychological manifestations of the suburban landscape. Schofield recently completed her Honours Bachelor of Arts with a Specialist in Arts & Culture (Studio) at the University of Toronto Scarborough, where she received multiple awards and scholarships. Most recently, her work has been exhibited at Artscape Youngplace and Trinity Square Video in Toronto.
tiffanyschofield.com

 

Elyse PortalElyse Portal

Somewhere between meditations and memorials, Elyse Portal’s creative research is rooted in embodied intimacies generated between local material research and place-based exchanges. Textiles and video confront solastalgia, a term coined by philosopher Glenn Albrecht, which means the “homesickness you have when you are still at home.” Here, beauty is (re)discovered within the micro-processes of indigenous and invasive plant species. Materia medica is an ontological survey of ecological remembrance, including dye experiments with organic cloth and video of the watery plant pigment ecologies – alongside urban traffic.

elyseportal.com

There are others.  The event, which has broken several of the artistic boundaries that kept Burlington a quiet sketches of flowers town for a long time is at that point where it will take on a life of its own and draw people from well outside the area.  Will it ever equal the Supercrawl in Hamilton – would city hall ever let that happen?

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PRESTO Transactions Temporarily Unavailable at Downtown Transit Terminal

News 100 redBy Staff

September 14, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

PRESTO customers are advised that transactions normally performed at a Customer Service counter are currently not available at the Downtown Transit Terminal (430 John St.) until further notice.

PRESTO Web Banner 2Burlington customers needing assistance with their card can visit any of the three Burlington GO stations or call PRESTO customer service at 1-8-PRESTO-123 (1-877-378-6123).

 

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Terry Fox Run and Amazing Bed Race on the same day at basically the same time - how did that happen?

News 100 yellowBy Pepper Parr

September 14, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

How did this manage to happen?

Two of the more significant community events scheduled for the same day at basically the same time?

Bed race - true final

Amazing Bed Race – doing its 6th Annual event – same day as the Terry Fox Run

The 6th annual Amazing Bed Race on Brant Street in downtown Burlington, Sunday, September 20, 11am-3pm.

The Burlington Terry Fox Run course is a 5km or 10km loop long the beach and Spencer Smith Park. The start and finish are at the Pavilion at Beachway Park on Lakeshore Rd. Runners for 5km and 10km start at 9:00am. Everyone else starts at 10:00am. Registration opens for runners at 8:00am.
We have food, music, a raffle, balloons and tattoos, and even dog treats. Joins us for a run or walk and a great party atmosphere. It is a great day for a run or just a family day to remember Terry Fox and keep his dream alive.

The Amazing |Bed Race has people who formed teams, decorated a bed and race up Brant Street trying to beat a clock – it’s great fun

Terry Fox runners

Burlingtonians have been doing the \Terry Fox Run for 35 years. Raised close to $1 million.

The Terry Fox isn’t so much great fun – it is a time of reflection and celebration for the thousands of people who show up – the way they have for the past 35 years.

It is a true pity that the two groups were not aware of the conflicting dates.

A person could cover both events – it would be a bit of a dash to get from one to the other.

Better planning would have made a difference.

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The Supernova line up - you get to see it all live - Friday, September 18th - a five hour show!

theartsBy Staff

September 14, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

Dozens of art ventures will appear on the Old Lakeshore Road, immediately outside, adjacent to and across the road from Emma’s Back Porch the evening of Friday, September 18th beginning at 7 pm – the installations will be in place until just after midnight and then disappear just as quickly as they appeared.

It will be a Supernova – a now annual event that began in 2013 at the Waterfront Hotel where new ground was broken in the Burlington arts world.
Year two for what is known as No Vacancy, which is given a different title each year took place at the Village Square when 3500 people showed up. Fortunately the Fire Marshal wasn’t aware of the crowd – he might have shut the event down.

During the next few days the Gazette will tell you a little bit about each participant – there are about 20+ of them – all up for one enchanting evening.
We start with:

Teresa Seaton is working with Tomy Bewick

Teresa SeatonTeresa Seaton creates highly original, dynamic Stained Glass for galleries and private commissions. Her uniquely sculptural work is a trademark; featuring multi layers of panels and glass with spun wire incorporated as a structural element and design accent. Teresa Seaton studied Graphic Design at Sheridan College and obtained the degree, BFA in drawing and sculpture from York University. Her career in design led her to positions as Senior Designer, Associate Creative Director and Creative Director with clients from Toronto to New York. Teresa studied the craft of stained glass with Paul Beatty and has operated as a full time artist since 2010. In 2007 she became chair for Art in Action. She helped define Art in Action Burlington Studio Tour as a go to cultural event that showcases many talented local artists and artisans and brings a growing number of art lovers to the community. In 2013 she opened her Studio & Gallery in Burlington. As well as giving her a place to showcase her own artwork she has opened her Gallery to other Canadian artists by showcasing them for two months at a time.
teresaseaton.ca/

Juliana LaChance focuses on avante garde themes

Juliana LaChanceJuliana LaChance is a Hamilton based painter specializing in original acrylic, multimedia art of contemporary, avant garde themes.

Her paintings and art have been exhibited throughout southern Ontario and her work can be found on instagram, facebook, tumblr, youtube.

She has produced four solo albums that you can listen to on her youtube channel by searching Juliana Lachance

She works in a small, cozy studio where she records, creates and paints her heart out in Hamilton, ON

julianalachance.com

Courtney Lee is a newcomer to this art form – works in water colour on Yuppo paper.

Courtney LeeCourtney Lee is a Toronto based Artist. She has only recently begun to paint professionally with her first show in the summer of 2014. She works in watercolour on Yupo paper, two materials that are both very demanding, but when combined have an organic chemistry that blossoms into something bold and playful. She pairs these bold, colourful paintings with layers of intricate geometric paper cuts creating an intriguing juxtaposition of colour and shape, in other words “contained chaos”. These paintings are an expression of her interest in natural science and the beauty found in organic forms. For Courtney, The ultimate example of these organic forms for is the nebula and the creation of stars in space. The geometric context that she gives these spontaneous paintings refers to her interest in sacred geometry (such as the Fibonacci sequence) which is the lens through which she tries to understand the mysteries of unexplored space.

Jefferson Campbell-Cooper has been featured in Nuit Blanche Toronto twice

Jefferson Campbell-CooperFrom drawing to sculpture to performance, artist Jefferson Campbell-Cooper’s works navigate the changing world around us. His practice includes such projects as collecting recycling for the City of Toronto with home-made machines, transforming a tourist train into a subway using sound installation, and developing large-scale social mapping projects with the cities of Windsor, Kitchener, and Toronto. Campbell-Cooper has been featured in Nuit Blanche Toronto twice, and is part of the public collections of the City of Kitchener and the University of Guelph. Numerous residencies have led to site specific projects in New Mexico, the Yukon, Newfoundland and Connecticut. Exhibiting internationally, he most recently completed projects in Athens, and Geneva. He received his BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Halifax, and MFA from the Meadows School of the Arts, Dallas, Texas.
jeffersonsculpture.com

Mary Ma’s work explores landscape phenomenology.

Mary MaWorking primarily in video projection, installation, sculpture, and sound, Ma’s work explores landscape, phenomenology, and moments of contact within collective experience. She has exhibited at the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival (Toronto), Place Gallery (Portland OR), and recently presented a solo exhibition at Katharine Mulherin Contemporary Art Projects (Toronto). Upcoming exhibitions include Scotiabank Nuit Blanche 2015, and CAFKA’s 2016 Biennial in Kitchener Ontario. Ma holds a BFA in Sculpture and Installation from OCAD University.

More work can be found on her website at www.maryma.ca

Judy Graham is a multi-media artist who has exhibited her work both nationally and internationally.

Judy GrahamJudy Graham is a multi-media artist who has exhibited her work both nationally and internationally. Currently, her drawings can be seen at Artspace Gallery in Buffalo, N.Y. Judy’s projects have been reviewed in such publications as The Globe and Mail, The St. Catharines Standard, Now, and Artvoice. Ms. Graham teaches in the Visual Arts Department, Marilyn Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University.

There are more – tune in tomorrow.

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Reader asks a good taxes question: Why higher here than in North York?

opinionandcommentBy Staff

September 13, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

Burlington aerial

Are Burlingtonians fairly taxed – on reader doesn’t think so.

The comments section of the Gazette usually has boisterous debate – several of them write far too long but those that participate in the comments return again and again.

This came in earlier today. A reader said:

Toronto Star, on September 5, published a Home of the Week. It is located in North York, 3,300 sq. ft, 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms. with a pool, and a toboggan hill. It sold for $1,729,000.

Taxes are $5,747. I have a small, frame, 1,509 sq ft bungalow in Burlington, assessed at $709,000 which pays $14,433 (including BIA and a commercial surcharge).

Even assuming that 1/3 of my tax is commercial, my Burlington property pays almost double the rate of a North York property valued at much more than double my valuation. This is crazy.

Why should it cost over 4 times as much here as in Toronto?

Interesting question. Our reader should pull the belt in another notch – you are likely to be taxed even more next time around,

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Most of the community and corporate affairs discussion at council will be behind closed doors - six confidential items on the list.

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

September 11, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

The Community and Corporate Standing Committee will meet on Tuesday September 15th at 1:00 pm in the afternoon and again at 6:30 if required.
Standing committees have a procedure they follow. There is a Consent Agenda which consists of Reports of a routine nature, which are not expected to require discussion and/or debate. Any council member can ask that an item be pulled from the Consent agenda for discussion – if not they are all passed in one vote.

For the Community and Corporate Standing committee the following are on the September 15th consent agenda:

Report recommending approval of Burlington Inclusivity Advisory Committee 2015 work plan and providing the 2014 annual report.
Report providing the City of Burlington’s financial status as at June 30, 2015.
Report providing information regarding insurance litigation as of July 31, 2015.
Report recommending approval of a Municipal Capital Facility Exemption for the Aldershot Library By-Law.
Report providing information regarding the operating budget performance as at June 30th.

From time to time a standing Committee considers Confidential Matters which are usually Human Resources issues or property sale and or acquisition issues.

Confidential reports may require a closed meeting in accordance with the Municipal Act, 2001. Meeting attendees may be required to leave during the discussion.

wderg

Air Park matter is before the city again – to be discussed as a confidential legal matter this time – something is up.

The list this time around is extensive:

Confidential legal department report providing an update regarding the Ontario Municipal Board hearing for 374 Martha Street.
Confidential legal department report providing an update regarding Burlington Airpark.
Confidential legal department report providing quarterly litigation update from May 1 to July 31, 2015.
Confidential finance department report providing the status of the reserve for contingencies as of July 31, 2015.
Confidential appendices A and B of finance department report providing information regarding insurance litigation as at July 31, 2015.
Confidential memorandum from Councillor Craven’s office regarding proposed acquisition of land by the municipality.
Confidential and consent matters make up the bulk of the agenda – all there is left is a Report providing the state of the downtown report and recommending approval of core commitment performance measures.

ADI rendering second view from SW

The ADI application to put up a 28 storey structure is now before the OMB – city has some information they want to talk about behind closed doors – why?

The one item on the agenda that isn’t either a consent matter or a confidential matter is a report providing the state of the downtown which recommends approval of the core committeemen performance measures.
This could be a short meeting for the public. The gazette will provide background on several of the confidential matters

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Environmentalist puts his cards on the table: he will create advisory committees and appoint Mike Wallace to one of them - all he has to do is beat Wallace first.

News 100 greenBy Pepper Parr

September 11, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

Deciding to run for public office is driven by a vast range of emotions and ambitions. Some plan for years and have a clear idea as to where they want to go, what they want to be and what they would like to do when and if they get there. Some get there and stay far too long.

And for some – there is a phone call: “Would you consider being the candidate?”

Vince Fiorito got such a call and decided to step up to the plate. The following is the letter he wrote to Green Party officials and friends.

My name is Vince Fiorito. I will be the Green Party Candidate for Burlington. I am still completing the registration process. I have the required 100 signatures. I still require confirming letters from Elizabeth May and my auditor. Then I am ready to file my nomination papers with Pat Barr, Burlington’s Returning Officer.

Sheldon Creek Vince pulling fence GO line

Vince Fiorito pulling up a fence that had been trampled into the ground by trespassers along the GO train tracks. Several months after his finding the fence down – it still hasn’t been put back up properly.

I believe I was selected to be the Green Party Candidate primarily because of my environmental activism. Two years ago I founded a Halton Region Conservation Authority award winning stewardship group to clean the trash out of an urban ravine in Burlington, known as Friends of Sheldon Creek Watershed.

https://www.facebook.com/sheldoncreek

I am an environmental activist because I subscribe to a growing international movement to recognize The Rights of Nature.

I suppose I am a politician now, but until I was contacted by the Green Party last week to be their candidate in Burlington, I considered myself to be an environmental activist.

I expect that the Good People of Burlington will want to know more about their Green Party choice in the 2015 Federal Election.

For the record, I am NOT ambitious for power. I am ambitious for change. I believe our political system has become dysfunctional and unrepresentative because the decision making power has become concentrated in the hands of too few people.

When I beat incumbent Mike Wallace in this election, I intend to create citizen advisory committees, consisting of citizens from Burlington who are honest, reliable and hardworking, one for each Government Ministry and one for the PMO. Each committee will consist of 6 or 8 trustworthy people with impeccable integrity who will be involved in my entire decision making process from beginning until the end. In general, I will respect the will of the committees and vote accordingly in the House. My power will come from appointing people to the committees, casting the deciding vote in the event of a deadlock as well as dissolving and reforming any committee with new members if I believe that committee has become tainted, corrupted or dysfunctional. Other than that, I will respect the will of the committee and vote accordingly, even if I disagree with the committee’s decision.

Sheldon Creek - vince in high water

Fiorito comes across a piece of rusted equipment thrown into the creek – he has taken refrigerators, vehicle tires by the hundreds our of Sheldon Creek The Halton conservation Authority named him a Steward of Sheldon Creek.

I call this decision making process Distributed Democracy. I feel this decision making process will fairly represent the Green Party’s vision of their MPs representing their constituency first and the Green Party second.

The results of Citizen Advisory Committee votes will be available to the public. The committee will be nonpartisan. My expectation is that my future political rivals will likely rise from the ranks of these committees. I will appoint people to these committees based on their qualifications and merit, not their political affiliation. My only stipulation will be that everyone on these committees will balance the Rights of Nature with the Rights of People when they make their decisions.

After I beat Mike Wallace in this election and after he has had a 6 month vacation, I intend to offer him a seat on one of my citizen advisory committees, provided he can pass a vetting process.

I will act as an honest broker to offer the citizens of Burlington an opportunity to participate in the democratic decision making process and transfer to my constituency real decision making power. I feel this offer to share power with the community will capture the imagination of the Burlington electorate.

I expect that once my decision making process becomes more widely known, it will generate a lot of discussion. To be clear, I am offering the citizens of Burlington real political power. In theory a citizen of Burlington on the Finance Advisory committee could cast the deciding vote on a House non-confidence motion that would dissolve the Government of Canada.

Sheldon Creek - farm equipment + Vince

Vince Fiorito, wondering how a piece of equipment this size ended up in the Sheldon Creek – and wonders how he is ever going to gt it out of the creek.

The only Green Party policy with which I disagree is Proportional Representation. I agree that the First Past the Post system is broken. I support a ranked ballot system instead because I feel it would be more fair to candidates who run as independents. Other than that, my viewpoints completely align with the Green Party’s platform.

Regardless, I will always represent the will of Burlington first.

Environmentally,

Vince Fiorito
Green Party Candidate for Burlington

The Gazette has interviewed Vince Fiorito a number of times – he is certainly committed to the environment.  it is not our place to endorse any candidate at this point in time other than to say Vince is one of a kind; a unique human being doing what he believes in.  One can’t ask for much more than that.

Our practice in past elections has been to follow a specific candidate and tell their story – we did that with Carol Gottlob in the municipal election and we will be doing that with Vince Fiorito in this federal election – telling the story of his trials and tribulations as he goes about trying to get himself elected to the House of Commons where he can advocate for the environment on behalf of the people of Burlington.

For a city that cannot get a private tree bylaw passed – Vince has his work cut out for him

 

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Burlington Civic Chorale singers holding auditions for the start of their 22nd season.

News 100 redBy Staff

September 11, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

Choristers in the region are invited to audition for the Burlington Civic Chorale Singers. Rehearsals begin in September and are held Tuesday evenings from 7:15 pm to 9:30 pm, at St. Christopher’s Church, 662 Guelph Line, Burlington.

Burlington Civic ChoirThe Burlington Civic Chorale is a mixed-voice community choir formed in 1994 through the collaboration of founder Dr. Gary Fisher and Mary Jane Price, former organist and music director at St. Christopher’s Anglican Church, Burlington, Ontario.

Their repertoire encompasses classical literature from the 16th century to the present; folksongs; opera choruses and vocal jazz.

2015-16 is our twenty-second season! We couldn’t have done it without some help along the way: grants from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the United Way, the Toronto Foundation, and the former Halton Healthy Foundation; our loyal patrons and members; and local businesses who support us generously.

Please contact Gary Fisher at 905-632-2085 or Email: glfisher63@gmail.com or visit www.burlingtoncivicchorale.ca

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First city council meeting after a three month break looks pretty tame - they will review the property holdings - in a closed session.

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

September 11, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

The last time your city council met was July 15th- they meet again three times next week – on Monday at 1:00 pm as a Committee of the Whole where it looks as if everything is going to be talked about in a closed session.

werv

They should return to the Council Chamber all tanned and rested. Now to make wise decisions on your behalf.

There is to be a presentation by General Manager Scott Stewart, Allan Magi, Executive Director of Corporate Works and Ron Steiginga, Manager of Realty Services.

The agenda says they are talking about Downtown Real Estate. The city owns a considerable amount of real estate in the downtown core – parking lots, city hall, the Art Gallery and a number of other lots here and there.

The practice is to review these holdings and determine if there is anything Council wants to do that is Strategic in nature.

Steiginga did his best to acquire a small piece of property adjacent to the Art Gallery – the owner of the property was too long in the tooth to bite that bait that Steiginga offered.

The deal Steiginga got for the city on the sale of the waterfront road allowance between Market and St Paul isn’t one that he will be remembered for – but that ship has left harbour. The public will watch with some anticipation for the Windows on the Lake that are to be created on the land the city didn’t sell.

No city signage on this piece of city owned property.  Plans are in place to make a proper Window on the Lake at this location.

The public will get to walk along this space which will become a Window to the Lake – the obstacles you see in this picture were not put in place by city – they were put in place by property owners who didn’t want the public to enjoy public land. That day is now over.

There was some encroachment on city land by a private driveway – it looks as if that has been resolved.

One hopes that the Mayor is not foolish enough to hold a ribbon cutting ceremony and go for another of the photo ops of which he is so fond when the first window on the Lake is opened.

The first meeting on the Monday looks like a pretty tame event.

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Gazette reader suggests the Prime Minister may have mislead a Burlington audience.

opinionandcommentBy Pepper Parr

September 11, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

There is more to the Advanced Manufacturing hub the ¨Prime Minister announced with great fanfare in Burlington recently. The City’s Economic Development Corporation has been working on the project for some time; their approach is to do away with the fanfare and let the results of their efforts speak for themselves.

“When we have something to say that is relevant” said Fran McKeown, Executive Director of the not for profit organization “you will hear from us”.

Harper in Burlington sept 1 - 2015

Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaking to a hand picked Burlington audience.

The Gazette got a note from Tony Araujo, Vice President – Testing, Paragon Systems, Concord, ON. Here is what he had to say:

I read your story on the Prime Minister’s announcement of a new “Advanced Manufacturing” hub for Burlington and was shocked that the Conservatives would do this again! I’m already fighting the last “investment” this government made in London’s Advanced Manufacturing Park.

In March 2015, Industry Canada’s FedDev Ontario gave Fanshawe College an $8.1 million gift to set up a for-profit commercial testing lab on land provided to the college for free by the City of London. The Canadian Centre for Product Validation (CCPV) will compete head-to-head with existing private sector testing labs throughout Ontario using students as labour.

FedDev Ontario’s own analysis of Fanshawe’s CCPV business plan even concluded that it would “adversely affect” the existing 30 private sector testing labs that “currently serve Ontario industries quite well”.

$8.1 million is bad enough. $100 million will be the death of my business and the 32 jobs that we currently have in Vaughan.

As a small business person, I expected this kind of crazy policy from the NDP, certainly not from the Conservatives.

Is it any wonder the electorate thinks that the Conservatives have lost touch with their values?

There are usually several sides to every story.

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Supercrawl in Hamilton means a change to Transit route 1; Detours in Downtown Hamilton Sept. 11 - 14

News 100 redBy Staff

September 10, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

Route 1 bus Detours in Downtown Hamilton Sept. 11 – 14

super-crawlBeginning Friday, Sept. 11 through to Monday, Sept. 14, Burlington Transit’s Route 1 will detour in downtown Hamilton during the James Street Supercrawl.

Detour Information
Friday, Sept. 11 from approximately noon to 5:30 p.m.:

• Regular routing to York Boulevard and Queen Street
• Right at Queen Street
• Left at Main Street
• Left at John Street
• Left at King Street
• Resume regular routing

Friday, Sept. 11 (at approximately 5:30 p.m.) through to Monday, Sept. 14 (at approximately 1 a.m.):

• Regular routing to York Boulevard and Queen Street
• Right at Queen Street
• Left at Main Street
• Left at John Street
• Left at Cannon Street
• Resume regular routing

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