 By Pepper Parr
October 6th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Was it a sign, a fence or hoarding around a construction site.
 City lawyers say this is a sign and not a fence or a construction site hoarding. Will now work with the developer to bring them into compliance. The city by law enforcement officer needed to know just which it was before she took any action on the huge sign that sits on Lakeshore Road at Martha where the ADI development Group has submitted an application to put up a 28 storey structure that was rejected by the planning department but never actually voted on by city council. It is now before the Ontario Municipal Board which will hear the ADI argument for the right to build the structure at a December meeting.
The by law enforcement officer had to respond to a complaint – but needed to get a ruling from the city’s lawyers.
It is a sign say the lawyers – now what?
 This isn’t construction site hoarding and it doesn’t look like a fence – so the bigger part was declared to be a sign and has to be brought into compliance with the bylaw – six square feet. Well as a sign it is too big – they are allowed to put up a sign that is not larger than 6 square metres. The sign is apparently close to 16 square metres.
The options for the city?
Fine the developer and force them to reduce the size of the sign. The city can do both but the understanding the Gazette took from our discussion with the bylaw enforcement officer is that they would probably not do both. The intention is to work with the developer and bring them into compliance.
Why the velvet glove treatment? ADI has run rough shod over every process and procedure the city has in place. They appear to see rules as things that are made to be broken or severely bent.
 Ciné-Starz
Upper Canada Place, Burlington, ON
Burlington, ON L7R 4B6
Week of Friday, October 09, 2015 through Thursday, October 15, 2015
The Perfect Guy (14A)
Fri – Mon: 11:30 AM, 9:30
Tue – Thu: 3:00, 5:10, 9:20
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (PG)
Fri – Mon: 7:20 PM
Tue – Thu: 3:20, 7:10, 9:30
Straight Outta Compton (18A)
Fri: 7:00 PM
Sat – Mon: 7:00, 8:45
Tue – Thu: 7:00 PM
Shaun the Sheep ()
Fri – Mon: 11:20 AM, 1:30, 3:35, 5:15
Tue – Thu: 5:30 PM
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (PG)
Fri – Mon: 1:10, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40
Tue – Thu: 1:00, 3:15, 5:00, 7:10, 9:15
Pixels (PG)
Fri – Mon: 11:15 AM, 1:15, 3:20
Ant-Man (PG)
Fri – Mon: 1:10, 3:00, 7:20, 9:30
Tue – Thu: 1:00, 3:00, 7:20, 9:30
Mr. Holmes (PG)
Fri – Mon: 11:30 AM, 5:20, 9:40
Tue – Thu: 1:10, 3:10, 5:10, 9:40
Minions (G)
Fri – Mon: 11:20 AM, 1:30, 3:15, 5:15, 7:00
Tue – Thu: 1:15, 5:40, 7:30
Inside Out (G)
Fri – Mon: 11:15 AM, 1:00, 3:20, 5:20
Tue – Thu: 1:00 PM
A Walk in the Woods (14A)
Fri – Mon: 3:15, 5:15, 7:20, 9:20
Tue – Thu: 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:00
 By Pepper Parr
October 5th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Membership has its privileges – The Art Gallery of Burlington launched their fall season with a members only reception that had the xx artists in the fall program on hand to chat up their work and answer questions.
 Laurin’s work plays with family and found photographs that he reinterprets In Spirit
In Spirit presents the work of Timothy Laurin, John Latour and Heather Murray. Timothy Laurin’s work plays with family and found photographs that he reinterprets. His practice focuses on identity and memory and how one informs the other and keep in flux one’s sense of self.
John Latour’s text-based art, sculpture, and found photography highlight the ways in which we connect with the past, and how this uniquely human activity is mediated through words, objects, and images. Heather Murray is influenced by her rural backdrop and creates diligently and enthusiastically out of her haunted historical studio in Owen Sound Ontario.
This exhibition is co-curated by Virginia Eichhorn, Tom Thomson Art Gallery, and Denis Longchamps, Art Gallery of Burlington. The exhibition will run from September 19, 2015 to November 15, 2015.
Co-curation with the Tom Thomson Art Gallery is not small potatoes.
 Drawn from the AGB’s Permanent Collection of Contemporary Canadian Ceramics, five artists – Bruce Cochrane, Reid Flock, Harlan House, Ruth Gowdy McKinley, and Kayo O’Young demonstrate their mastery over the medium. Not to be missed. Thrown
While the thrown vessel is the most common ceramic form, great skill is required to achieve total control in the medium. Once this level of skill is reached, the artist can then either create ever more complex forms or loosen up and relax. Drawn from the AGB’s Permanent Collection of Contemporary Canadian Ceramics, five artists – Bruce Cochrane, Reid Flock, Harlan House, Ruth Gowdy McKinley, and Kayo O’Young demonstrate their mastery over the medium.
The permanent collection is gem that is all too often hidden – it was what validates the existence of the gallery – the rest of the country just hasn’t discovered it yet.
Curated by Jonathan Smith, the exhibition will run from September 19, 2015 to December 31, 2015 in the Perry Gallery.
 a snapshot of one of the collages “5 Glasses” featuring a photo of artist Clive Tucker surrounded by five different types of glasses. Click. Clip. Paste.
Jonathan Smith presents fifteen of his photo-collages ranging from the earliest created around 1997, to the latest one hung while the glue was still wet. Friends and family of the artist act as his models in this show.
The presence of the artist is suggested through his reflection with his eyeglasses or drinking glasses located in the foreground. Each work follows a set of formal principles: a grid is used for the collage composition following concerns of proportions, dynamic tensions and lines. The photos however were taken without any planned composition in mind. Many are captured at a table sharing a meal, at other times the models pose for the purpose of creating a collage.
Smith is the curator of the permanent collection. He has been with the AGB for 25 years and is an artist in his own right. The showing of his personal work in an exhibition was part of the thank you from the gallery board. Well deserved.
The exhibition is on until October 18, 2015 in the RBC Community Gallery.
 The AGB is going to use the corridor spaces to focus on regional work from different parts of the country. This preserve jar is a prairie contribution. Amber Fields of Grain
The wide open spaces of the Canadian Prairies have been home to a great many well-known Canadian ceramic artists. Beside such great functional potters like Robert Archambeau, the Prairies have produced its own particular brand of sculpture, “Prairies’ Funk” that was created by such notables as Joe Fafard and Victor Cicansky. The Wild West has its own unique culture that is explored, often with great humour and insight that reflects the wide open spaces of the plains.
This is an ongoing 2015-2016 exhibition curated by AGB Permanent Collection Curator, Jonathan Smith.
The Gallery is open to the public:
Monday: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Tuesday – Thursday: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm
Friday – Saturday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday: 12 noon – 5:00 pm
Admission is free
 By Staff
October 3, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 Is there a cold winter coming our way?
September had some wonderful fall days – then suddenly it was gone and the winds were a little more brisk and had a trace of a chill in them as well.
Leslie Bullock – snapped a picture of the high winds late Saturday afternoon and shared it with friends – and we are sharing it with you.
What does the Farmer’s Almanac have to say – because that water looks cold.
 By Pepper Parr
October 2, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Editor’s note: Invitational seating is limited and has already reached capacity…sorry, no more guests!
During the city Council meeting earlier this week, ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster chaired as Deputy Mayor while the real Mayor was in Chine – we still don’t know why – a list of names of organizations was read out announcing that it was whatever the name of the organization month.
The media tend to take these announcements with a bit of a yawn – every organization seems to have its day at some point during the year.
It is only when we pause and say “I know that person” that some attention gets paid.
 Michael Swartz is being recognized by the Canadian Diabetes Association as its “National Volunteer of the Year. I know that man.
This isn’t the time or place to explain the circumstances under which media came to know Mike Swartz and his wife Janice Connell rather it is an opportunity to learn more about what he has done in the community.
Mike is for the most part a quiet person – he has done well materially in life and has served as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and with the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) in a variety of roles over the past twelve years.
The reception to honour and recognize him will take place at the Art Gallery of Burlington in the Fireside Room at 10:30 am on Saturday.
 By Staff
October 2, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police Service have received three separate complaints from victims of a variant of a common phone fraud known as the “Grandparent Scam”. All three victims were residents of the City of Burlington and all three had adult children who were the subject of the scam.
The fraudsters are calling un-suspecting victims and claiming to represent the victims son/daughter who has been involved in an accident and needs financial assistance in order to be released following an arrest.
The fraudsters will then ask the victim to wire money to another third party usually out of the country in order to effect the release of their son or daughter.
In the latest rash of calls the suspects have been asking for money to be wired to Lebanon and combined the victims have wired a little under $20,000 dollars overseas. Once the suspects find a victim who is willing they will continue to call and ask for more money for various other delays in the court process.
The Halton Police Fraud Unit is warning the public of these ongoing frauds and advising that before doing anything to contact the involved family member and confirm they are OK.
Prevention is the biggest tool at the disposal of the police in these circumstance and once the money has been wired overseas it is gone for good and following the trail to a suspect is almost never successful. Any of the information provided during the phone call or for the purposes of the financial transaction is fake and subsequent investigation only takes police to a dead end.
Also still prevalent in the GTA area is the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) phone scam. Police again want to warn members of the public that the CRA will never solicit money owing on an account over the phone. There are numerous administrative stages that the CRA will enter into first before making any demands for payment of fines or accounts and anyone who receives a phone call claiming to be from the CRA as their first contact on a delinquent account should independently contact the CRA to confirm the information.
With today’s technology the suspects could be working from anywhere in the world and are very skillful in hiding their true identity and location. If you are unsure, always make independent contact with the agency the suspects claim to be calling from and confirm the information you are provided.
By Pepper Parr
October 1, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It was supposed to be a big surprise – and for many it was. The unveiling of Showtime, a Walt Rickli, sculpture that Dan Lawrie purchased and then donated to the Art Gallery of Burlington along with a cheque for $100,000 was a wonderful surprise.
 Showtime A grateful chair of the Art Gallery Foundation Anne Swarbrick announced that the court yard of the Gallery will forever after be known as the Dan Lawrie Family Courtyard.
Almost every name you could think of in the art community took part in the event.
The Showtime sculpture barely made it into the Gallery – Rickli brought in a small crane to lower the one tonne piece of polished stone onto its base which sits in a reflecting pool in the Courtyard. His challenge proved to be the doors of the Art Gallery – “there wasn’t enough room to slip a piece of silk in between the doors and the sculpture” he said.
 Dan Lawrie donated the sculpture and $100,000 to the Art Gallery of Burlington. Dan Lawrie was rightfully lauded by the audience, many recalled the tag line he used while building his insurance business – which is now ranked as one of the top five in North America. “The man who knows” was called out by many in the audience – proving that advertising does work.
We learned that Lawrie is an amateur artist in his own right and has a showing in the lobby of his building. He did point out that everyone wasn’t invited over after the unveiling to look at his art.
Lawrie has funded some sculpture at the Royal Botanical Gardens and was the man who put up a very significant sum to pay for the creation and installation of the Spiral Stella that stands beside the entrance to the Performing Arts Centre.
 Gallery Foundation chair Anne Swarbrick, Mayor Rick Goldring, Gallery Executive Director Robert Steven, artist Walt Rickli and philanthropist Dan Lawrie stand before Showtime Photographed in the evening with bright spot lights doesn’t do show time justice. The piece is large with all kinds of angles making it very complex. A child might say it looks like a fat guppy with all kinds of things sticking out – and that would be an acceptable description – until you have a chance to stand before the piece of art and try to fully understand its complexity.
This is not a trivial work – it is complex, nuanced and deserves more than one viewing. I expect there are people who will travel to Burlington to look at this piece of art.
Generations are going to be thankful that Dan Lawrie paid to have it placed where it is.
By Staff
September 30th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
As the city moves into October United Way volunteers in Burlington and Greater Hamilton will be hosting events to kick-off their annual fundraising activities for United Way and help raise awareness of the needs in our community. The initiative highlights the importance of pulling together to create lasting change.
 Kick-off at Specs on Pearl in Burlington at 9am on Thursday The event will kick-off at Specs on Pearl in Burlington at 9am on Thursday and will include attendees from surrounding businesses, a few words from Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger, Deputy Mayor Rick Craven and United Way Campaign Chair and President of JanKelley Marketing Chantel Broten.
Activities throughout the day will include challenging obstacle courses at both JanKelley Marketing and Mohawk College, a bus pull at McMaster University, and a United Way led twitter challenge with prizes, just to name a few.
United Way GenNext members will host closing festivities beginning at 6pm at Stonewalls Restaurant in Hamilton. Proceeds from the closing event will support LGBTQ and newcomer youth initiatives in Burlington & Greater Hamilton.
 At past United Way campaigns the city really put their backs into the program. Here, former city general manager Kim Phillips helped pull a water truck down Brant Street. “United Way Day is really about encouraging individuals and organizations to get involved and help create possibility for residents of Burlington & Greater Hamilton. One in 3 people in our community will access services supported by United Way in their lifetime. This could be a friend, family member, or neighbour. We all know someone who has been helped by United Way” said Broten.
United Way kicked-off the annual fundraising campaign earlier with a breakfast event at the Royal Botanical Gardens. The campaign will be championed by Hamilton Chair Paul Johnson, Director of Corporate Initiatives for the City of Hamilton and Burlington Chair Chantel Broten, President JanKelley and long-time Burlington resident. Together, they will highlight the unique needs of Burlington & Greater Hamilton and encourage collective community action.
“The need in our community is great and we could not begin to meet that need without the support of volunteers like those participating in United Way Day. This year, the ultimate goal of United Way of Burlington and Greater Hamilton is to impact over 164,000 lives, because we know our community isn’t great, until it is great for everyone” said CEO Jeff Vallentin.
By Staff
September 30, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
If you enjoy fast paced, high scoring baseball games in October, the End of Season Fastpitch Tournament is for you and your family. Come on out for the action and support a local charity.
 Everything about Fast Pitch is fast – did the runner make it to the bag? Sixteen teams from across Southern Ontario will meet this weekend at Sherwood Forest Park. Starting Friday evening, all day Saturday with Sunday championships games.
Fastpitch is much quicker paced than baseball, with 7 inning games games lasting about 1.5 hours, faster in-field play and more big hits!
There will be a Bavarian beer garden serving BBQ’ed hotdogs and burgers. Fifty-fifty draws will be held with a portion of proceeds going local charities.
This event is put on the Burlington Intermediate Men’s Fastball League (www.BIMFL.weebly.com) and the Hamilton Rosedale Fastpitch League.
 By Pepper Parr
September 30th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Standing in rain that would not stop – some sixty people involved in the electrical generation business listened to polite speeches and cut a large red ribbon to open a pilot co-generation station at the south end of the Burlington Hydro offices on Brant Street.
 Cutting the ceremonial ribbon is Deputy Mayor and ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven. To his right are : Bob Delaney, MPP, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy, MPP Eleanor McMahon, Hydro President Gerry Smallegange. Defined as a Micro Turbine Cogeneration Plant it is part of the City of Burlington’s Community Energy Plan (CEP).
Natural gas is fed into the unit which then produces both electricity and heat – enough to heat one third of the Burlington Hydro offices on Brant Street.
 Three micro turbines and a heat recover unit in this micro co-generation project produce 90kv of electricity and enough heat to take care of one third of the needs of the the Hydro head office on Brant Street; Bob Delaney, MPP, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy explained that “Projects like this one not only offer a sustainable way to generate electricity, they can also provide valuable insights for other organizations considering the benefits of future cogeneration or district heating projects in the Burlington area.”
As a central partner in the development of the CEP, Burlington Hydro has committed to demonstrating technologies and evaluating their effectiveness in commercial and larger residential buildings by undertaking certain pilot projects through its affiliate, Burlington Electricity Services Inc.
“Increasing sustainable local energy generation in ways that support the City’s economic competitiveness is an important objective identified in the Community Energy Plan,” says Deputy Mayor Rick Craven, and Ward 1 Councillor. “Not only does this project represent a positive step forward in the implementation of that plan, but because the plant is self-contained and portable, it is well-suited for permanent relocation at sometime in the future.”
 The dignitaries had to stand in the rain to speak to the guests who were tightly packed inside the tent. An interconnection into the building’s electrical supply and heating system produces 90 kW of electricity, enough to offset one third of the building’s peak load and provide sufficient heat for much of the building.
District heating can provide heat for multiple buildings from a single heating plant. Hot water or steam is distributed to these buildings through underground piping. This is an efficient source of energy as district heating systems operate at higher efficiencies than individual building heating systems.
“Cogeneration involves the production of electricity and heat simultaneously from a single fuel source,” explains Gerry Smallegange, Hydro President and CEO. “This is more efficient as the heat normally generated through conventional thermal electricity generation is not wasted.”
 One of three micro turbines that Burlington Hydro bought for the micro co-generation project that is now operational. Smallegange explained that Burlington Hydro became aware of a surplus unit in Kelowna BC, “and we bought it for $37,500 – put it on a flatbed truck and built the shed that encloses it all with lumber donated to us by Habitat for Humanity”.
 By Staff
September 30, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
City Hall will be getting some upgrades to the electrical system which will result in a number of services will be unavailable from 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2 until-mid morning on Saturday, Oct. 3.
 Communicating with city hall will be very difficult Friday evening and Saturday morning – email service is included. During the upgrade, the following services will be unavailable:
• Inbound calls to city buildings, including Burlington Transit
• Emails to and from the city
• Online payments and registrations
• Credit and debit card payments at recreation centres
• Parking exemptions
• Marriage licences
• Dog licences
• Tax payments
• Online reporting
Users of the city’s website may also experience service disruptions.
Calls to 911 will not be affected.
All services are expected to be restored and operational by mid-morning on Saturday, Oct. 3.
 By Pepper Parr
September 30, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
We used to refer to the group that have organized themselves as an Art Collective – ACCOB – which stands for the Arts and Culture Collective of Burlington as an “emerging” group. That day has passed – they are now trying very hard to gain a foothold and to have an impact on the way arts and culture policy and spending are done in Burlington. So far they aren’t getting the traction they need and feel they deserve.
 Art Gallery of Burlington – costs the city close to a million to run – is there value for money? Of course there is – but without artists would we need it?  The Performing Arts Centre has had an immense impact on the artistic growth of the city – and the arts community is now able to make great use of the space. They are dealing with a city hall that is close to patronizing to the individual artists and at the same time spends million on buildings and the subsidizing of an Art Gallery, a Performing Arts Centre and a Museum Board.
The artists feel they should form an Arts Council and be at the table with the same clout, financial benefit and influences the other organizations.
 Jeremy Frieburger, author of a report that provided direction for the city’s cultural plan based on reams of data he had gathered. Now the city has to determine how it wants ti implement its Cultural Action Plan. The city has a Cultural Action Plan and a committee that is involved in overseeing the roll out of that plan. One would like to think that having artists sitting on that implementation committee would be a positive sign – and indication that the artists are finally getting the influence they feel they deserve.
Afraid not – there is trouble in paradise.
 The Art in Action Studio Tour is a ten year success. The event is free to the public and there isn’t a dime of public money in the project. Teresa Seaton, who is a significant part of the driving force behind the Art in Action group that holds an annual art tour that is very successful – they have been putting on the event for more than ten years and are financially successful enough to be able to award a scholarship each year, thinks an Arts Council is needed.
Seaton is also a commercially successful Stained Glass artist with a studio in the west end of the city.
On the Collective Facebook page she made some comments … well let’s let Seaton speak for herself:
“Interesting meeting today as a delegate from the External Body Committee to CAPIC -The Cultural Action Plan Implementation Committee. Seems we are still defending the need for an Arts and Culture Council to the city. One of the questions that came up was: What would an Arts and Culture Council do for us, the arts and culture community, in Burlington. As far as I can tell one of the first things an Arts Council would do with funding it hopefully gets is to ask the community what can an Arts Council do for you? And because it seems we are a long way from getting any funding for an Arts Council I thought I might throw up the question here on face book. My personal suggestions…”
An Arts and Culture Council could;
1. Lobby the city to implement, or increase, the already existing public art fee on new developments. I believe the existing recommendation is 1%. I have trouble finding this information.
2. Lobby to lower rental cost for art and culture makers and organizations. No artist that I know can afford retail prices for space. Guess why they all move to Hamilton.
3. Assist arts and culture organization in allowing them access to city printing presses and costs. I know my organization, Art in Action, spends 2,000.00 every year to print its brochures. That money could be used to buy more advertising.
4. Run courses for non-profit organization in gaining more sponsorship dollars. As artists we are not particularly good at this either.
5. Run courses on Succession planning for non-profit organizations. We need help at this.
6. Set up courses for individual artist on social media. How to use it, how to design websites and communicate effectively.
7. Set up forums and try to figure out why the local guilds don’t talk to the local contemporary artists who don’t talk to the local traditional artist who don’t talk to the local crafters who don’t talk to anybody.
 Teresa Seaton – stained Glass artist “Don’t get me wrong; the City of Burlington has come a long way in the last few years. I see the institutions working together more. There seems to be more community involvement in these institutions. But let’s not let this momentum stop.”
CAPIC: the Cultural Action Plan Implementation Committee consists of:
Scott Stewart, General Manager for the city
Angela Paparizo, Manager of Culture for the city
Chris Glenn; Director of Parks and Recreation
Barb Teatero Manager of the Museums Board which runs the Joseph Brant Museum and Ireland House.
Maureen Barry, president of the library
Rossana Dewey, an artist
Trevor Copp, a dancer
Andrea Battista, involved with Symphony on the Bay
Robert Steven, Executive Director of the Art Gallery of Burlington.
Six of the eight people on the committee are bureaucrats – there is no balance here.
The meeting Seaton attended and delegated at also had two other city hall staff and a ward Councillor.
Seaton is quite right when she talks about how far the artists have come – they have risen, literally, and said “we are here and we want to be heard”. And city council, a bit surprised at the artistic energy they didn’t know existed, put money into hiring a consultant who put together a cultural action plan that the city adopted – sort of, and the created a committee to implement that plan.
And that is sort of where things are stuck.
The artists don’t fully comprehend that politicians and bureaucrats do not give away power – they accumulate power and they are for the most part loathe to share that power.
The only way the people (in this case the artists) wrestle power from the bureaucrats is to threaten the power base they have.
 Joe Lamb, on the left, negotiated a deal for the seniors – he didn’t get the kitchen sink because he didn’t ask for it – but he got everything else he wanted. Then city manager Jeff Fielding was told to keep the seniors happy and he did. There is a lesson for the arts community here. A classic example of this was when the seniors began to complain about what they were not getting from the city. They, the seniors, were not happy with the people city hall had sent over to administrate their Centre and they were quick to get on the phone and let the Council members know they were not happy.
The new city manager at the time was sent over to meet and negotiate with the seniors who got everything they had asked for and more. Jeff Fielding, the city manager at the time, was told to meet with the seniors and keep them happy.
Canadians learned yesterday that Canada now has more people over 65 than we have under 14 – the power has shifted to the seniors and they are going to get what they want o they will vote the politicians out of office.
What kind of clout do the artists have? They are creative people with the ability to give the city character, colour, reputation and a reason to visit the place.
The Sound of Music hasn’t learned yet how to use the clout they have. They constantly complain about how little they get from city hall and compare that with how much business they create for that downtown core that is still looking for its vibrancy.
Imagine what would happen if the Sound of Music decided they would not put on their event for a year. You can only imagine the hair pulling that would take place at city hall.
Seaton is right on another level as well; the artists have to begin working like an orchestra and all play from the same sheet music. The squabbling that goes on between the different artists and the different groups is not pretty. They are admittedly high strung people – they go without to be artists but at some point they have to create a united front and use the strength that comes from unity to make their case.
City council has consistently said the arts are important – and they do pump a lot into the institutions we have. The artists want a real seat at the table – they are going to have to require the politicians to walk their talk. It will not be easy – but it can be done – look at what the seniors achieved.
By Pepper Parr
September 29, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Parks and Recreation department has decided to re-launch of the neighbourhood rink program for winter 2015/16.
The positive impacts from a community rink on private property in the Mountainside Area and two consecutive cold winters was enough to bring back the outdoor rink program.
 Parks and recreation department thinks a total of 17 neighbourhood rinks could be created – all people have to do is apply. Eleven parks have a flat area that is in close proximity to a city water supply and are able to support a neighbourhood rink. Some parks can fit more than one rink, for up to 17 outdoor rinks.
The following parks can take an outdoor rink:
Brant Hills Park, Bridgeview Park, Central Park, Ireland Park, Lowville Park, Mountainside Park, Nelson Park, Orchard Park, Sheldon Park, Sherwood Park, and Tansley Woods Park,
Other parks may be considered on an individual basis if residents are willing to provide their own water supply, and the park has a suitable flat area.
Residents interested in having a rink need to gather at least six other neighbours and complete an online application form that will be available at burlington.ca/skating.
Staff will review submissions, award rinks, and provide an information package to successful applicants on how best to make and maintain ice.
 There are parents out there that take great pleasure in going out late at night after the kids are in bed and flooding the neighbourhood rink. Staff will put up boards, supply hoses and provide an orientation session for the residents. Staff will also conduct an initial rink inspection.
The neighbourhood group will perform the initial and subsequent floods, shovel the snow, and manage issues among themselves as much as possible.
Help get the word out!
Please share the messaging about the program with the residents. Staff will supply communication pieces that members of Council can insert into their ward communications. Encourage residents to get out and get active this winter!
Key dates:
Late September: Communication Launch to Residents
Sept 28-Nov 1: Application Period
Mid November: Rink locations awarded
Mid December: Rink boards setup in approved locations
March: Rink take down (weather dependent)
By Pepper Parr
September 29, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
“Oh yes, you do that” was the comment from Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster who was serving as the Deputy Mayor at a city Council meeting Monday evening.
The Mayor has in the past appointed a Deputy to represent the him at an event; should he not be available for a Council meeting – his Deputy fills in. This rarely happens in Burlington.
 Councillor Blair Lancaster serving as Deputy Mayor and chairing a city council meeting. Lancaster needed to get a grip on the job of serving as Mayor and chairing a Council meeting. She stepped a little outside the rule book when she began to call a recorded vote and surprised city Clerk Angela Morgan who is the person who calls the roll when a vote is being recorded.
 Blair Lancaster, serving as deputy mayor gets her paper work looked over by her Mother, Donna Lancaster, after the Council meeting. Lancaster did a fine job. She brought her poise and politeness to the task and explained to the view audience (Council meetings are broadcast live via Cogeco Cable) what was happening each step of the way. She did a better job at that task than Mayor Goldring does; he often appears strained when he is explaining something.
Lancaster was just loving the job – the only thing she didn’t get to do was wear the Chain of Office.
The event was big enough in the Lancaster household for Blair to have her husband and Mother Donna in the Council Chamber to witness the event.
Are the pictures they took part of some future campaign literature?
As for the Mayor – well no one is saying where he is other than that he is away on “official business”. The Gazette had learned that the Mayor was in China and his office was able to confirm that the Mayor was on an out of town trip. Which when asked they added he was in China and due back on Wednesday.
Municipal government rarely, if ever, works directly with a foreign government. One can speculate that the city’s economic development department has put together a deal with a Chinese company and that the Mayor has travelled to welcome the company to the city.
The Executive Director of the Economic Development corporation is away on vacation and not due back until October 5th; the Gazette understood the McKeown vacation was planned some time ago.
 Mayor Rick Goldring in China on “official business” The Mayor’s communications adviser and his Chief of Staff are not on the trip to China.
It is all a bit of a mystery – but something is up.
Burlington takes has a different definition of community engagement – ‘tell them what they should know when we feel they should know’ just about sums it up.
Ciné-Starz
Upper Canada Place, Burlington, ON
Burlington, ON L7R 4B6
Showtimes
Week of Friday, October 02, 2015 through Thursday, October 08, 2015
The Perfect Guy (14A)
Fri – Sun: 3:20, 5:30, 7:30, 9:30
Mon – Thu: 1:15, 3:15, 5:15, 7:15, 9:15
No Escape (14A)
Fri: 3:25, 7:00, 9:00
Sat: 3:25, 7:15, 9:40
Sun: 3:25, 7:00, 9:00
Mon – Thu: 1:20, 3:20, 7:20, 9:20
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (PG)
Fri – Sun: 1:15, 7:20, 9:30
Mon – Thu: 1:00, 3:10, 7:10, 9:20
Straight Outta Compton (18A)
Fri – Sun: 7:00, 9:15
Mon – Thu: 1:00, 7:00, 9:00
Ricki and the Flash (PG)
Fri: 1:30 PM
Sun: 1:30 PM
Mon – Thu: 3:20 PM
Shaun the Sheep ()
Fri – Sun: 11:20 AM, 1:40, 3:20, 5:20
Mon – Thu: 3:40, 5:20
Pixels (PG)
Fri – Sun: 11:30 AM, 3:25, 5:00
Mon – Thu: 5:20 PM
Ant-Man (PG)
Fri: 11:30 AM, 1:00, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30, 9:40
Sat: 11:30 AM, 1:00, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30
Sun: 11:30 AM, 1:00, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30, 9:40
Mon – Thu: 1:10, 5:20, 7:30, 9:40
Mr. Holmes (PG)
Fri: 11:20 AM, 11:20 AM, 1:20, 5:15, 7:15, 9:40
Sat: 11:20 AM, 11:20 AM, 5:15, 9:35
Sun: 11:20 AM, 11:20 AM, 1:20, 5:15, 7:15, 9:40
Mon – Thu: 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:40
Inside Out (G)
Fri: 11:30 AM, 1:30, 3:30, 5:25
Sat: 11:30 AM, 1:20, 3:30, 5:25
Sun: 11:30 AM, 1:30, 3:30, 5:25
Mon – Thu: 5:15 PM
Built NOT Bought ()
Sat: 7:00, 8:30, 10:00
 By Staff
September 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The U.S. Steel request to be relieved from paying pension supplements and health benefits to retired Hamilton-area steelworkers demonstrates the Conservative government’s failure to stand up for Canadian workers and how far they’ve let the Canadian steel industry slip away at least that’s the way Liberal candidate Karina Gould sees it.
 Conservative incumbent Mike Wallace, who served as chair of the parliamentary steel caucus which was formed in the late 1970s and has strong Burlington roots, welcomed U.S. Steel’s acquisition of Stelco Inc. and at the time “shrugged off concerns about the loss of Canadian ownership in the sector” in 2007.
That shrug has come back to haunt Wallace who has yet to make any comment on what he thinks should be done for the workers in Hamilton –many who live in Burlington.
Liberals support foreign investment in Canada but also believe in the protection of vital Canadian industrial sectors and in putting community-based economic development back on the agenda.
Gould, who understand the economic investment file wants to see the “Investment Canada Act amended to introduce new transparency and enforceability measures to ensure clear and long-term benefits are achieved for Canadians when a foreign takeover takes place.”
“I have spoken with too many people in this community” said Gould “who are frightened about the future of their pension.” Gould added: “The silence of the current Member of Parliament and secret dealings of the Harper government on an issue that could negatively impact thousands of people in our region is simply unacceptable.”
 Liberal candidate Karina Gould wraps Mike Wallace’s knuckles over the attempt on the part of US Steel to change pension benefits “Liberals believe in the principle that employers must honour the commitments made to retirees, and that pensioners must be included in any consultation and planning process to make changes to their existing plans. We have a collective legacy of valuing the long-term pension security of Canadians; a belief upheld in both words and deeds.”
“The Conservative government’s lack of action to protect pensioners in the Statutory Review of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act was completely unacceptable, and is yet another example of them ignoring the concerns of Canadian pensioners.”
There is an election going on and every issue that can be used to gain some mileage will get highlighted. Many thought it was pretty brassy on the part of US Steel to ask that they be permitted to not pay pension benefits and get a waiver on municipal taxes as well.
The pension issue is scary for a lot of people.
By Staff
September 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Halton Regional Police have concluded an investigation and have charged a Burlington man with sexual assault.
On Wednesday September 23, 2015, the accused, a client at a tanning salon in Burlington, offered a 17-year-old female a ride home after finishing her shift working in the same salon.
The accused drove to his apartment to pick something up and the victim used the washroom.
While in the apartment, the accused made sexual advances towards the victim which were refused. After attempts to prevent the victim from leaving, she was able to get out and wait outside.
The accused continued to drive the victim to her friend’s and made further advances towards her in the vehicle. The accused sexually assaulted the victim.
On Sunday, September 27, 2105, the accused was arrested and charged.
Richard SHAMOON, 35 years, from Burlington has been charged with:
Sexual Assault and Forcible Confinement
Anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Pepper Parr
September 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Have we seen this before or as the late Yogi Berra put it – “It’s like deja-vu, all over again.
On Wednesday, June 24, 2015 at the West Plains United Church there was a community meeting at which the city’s planning staff set out a proposal that had been submitted by the ADI Development Group for the development of land that was south of the rail line, east of Waterdown Road and immediately north of Masonry Road
 Some site preparation works seems to be taking place on that part of the property that will be stacked townhouse along with back to back townhouses. It was a staff presentation and the first time the community got a look at what the developer had in mind. Using the language of the planner it was an application to subdivide a 5.09 hectare parcel of land located south of the CN Rail tracks on the east side of Waterdown Road.
The subdivision design includes a road running north/south, extending north from Cooke Boulevard, and a 3.08 hectare development block on the east side of the proposed road.
Proposed development for the development block includes 200 stacked townhouses, 64 standard townhouses and 60 back-to-back townhouses.
The ADI Development group put the plan forward. At the time they were looking for site plan approval and a plan of sub-division.
At that time people in the audience expressed some concern over the lack of amenities – that same concern existed within the planning department and additional discussions were expected to take place.
 Just to the west of the stacked townhouses is the land on which the ADI Development groups is believed to want to build apartments in the future. The apartments would be close to the new re-build and widened Waterdown Road. Since that public meeting took place ADI withdrew their plan of sub-division. City planners issued comments for the developer – those comments are not public – they are comments made by the planners setting out the concerns they have and what it will take to ameliorate those concerns.
The planning department is expecting a revised site plan and perhaps a plan of condominium.
 The content of the sign is perfectly legal – putting them up around the community without a permit on the weekend when the city tends not to enforce the bylaw isn’t kosher. Sprouting up like weeds in the Aldershot community are A frame signs marketing the site – five of these signs were seen along Plains Road on Sunday. Is a project that has yet to be approved being offered for sale? No – all ADI is doing is letting people register their interest in a possible purchase when the project has been approved.
It is an excellent way to gauge buyer interest in both the layout and design and the price point. All good marketing. The people in ward 2 where the Nautique project is now before the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) take heart with the Yogi Berra quote “It’s like deja-vu, all over again.”
To date there have been no revisions to the proposal and a Statutory Public Meeting has yet to be scheduled.
Stay tuned!
 By Pepper Parr
September 26, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It takes the EllisDon Construction Team an average of three weeks to pour concrete and form the columns for one level of the new patient tower.
 The view of the construction site as seem from the Earth Cam Saturday September 26th. There is a link to the camera in this story. Bookmark it and drop in to see how the construction is doing, This means that in just a few months we can expect to see the slab for Level 7 completed, before the winter weather is upon us. The before and after photos show how fast the tower continues to rise.
The construction of the Level 4 deck has started and will continue over the next couple of weeks.
Level 4 is a double-height space there is no Level 3.
Eight elevator shafts from Level 1 to 2 are finished and shafts from Levels 2 to 4 are in the process of being built.
Three main stairways have been completed up to Level 2. The stairways from Level 2 to 4 are being constructed over the next couple of weeks.
The micro piles for the bridge that will connect the parking garage to the main hospital building will be installed by the end of this week. A micro pile is a mini version of a caisson (a structure that is drilled down to bedrock to support the bridge).
A new ramp on the Level 1 balcony in the courtyard area of the hospital has been completed.
Masonry work and roofing continues on the loading dock.
A new bulk oxygen tank arrived last Friday and will be installed in the loading dock area.
 There are many people in this city who remember hospital rooms that looked like this. The move to four patients in a room was seen as a huge advancement. The hospitals of today are eons away from what a hospital used to look like. People will be taken aback when they see just how attractive and modern looking the new hospital rooms are going to look like.
The hospital administration decided they would create mock-ups of what a Patient Room, Emergency Department Exam Room, Trauma Room, Intensive Care Unit Room and an Operating Room will look like
The mock-up rooms are being built in a warehouse off-site and are nearing completion.
 This is where the construction crews had gotten to on September 10th. The construction site has a camera that is live all the team showing the new patient tower as it rises. The photograph shows where the site was on September 10, they are certainly growing.
How are they doing so far – Click here.
By Pepper Parr
September 25, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington is about to enjoy a small part of the Brian McCurdy legacy – his decision to make space for local groups that have significant artistic merit and reflect one of the original purposes for the building of a Performing Arts centre in the city is what got the Form Contemporary Dance Theatre (FCDT) into the Studio Theatre for a three day dance program that knows where the edge of the envelope is and heads straight for it.
 The FORM Contemporary Dance Theatre company in rehearsal for the two day – three performance of Blue on October 9th and 10th at the Performing Arts Centre. (FCDT) is presenting their Reflective/Vulnerable which makes strong use of physically raw movements. The Reflective/Vulnerable performance guides, pushes and pulls audiences through emotional extremes.
 Developing the form and feel of a dance production takes time and practice. The Form Contemporary Dance Theatre will be at the Performing Arts Centre October 9th and 10th Reflective/Vulnerable is a mixed program featuring an interactive video installation from guest artists from The Burlington Wholeshebang and several other works of choreography each exploring different worlds of everyday experiences. Some of these worlds are filled with joyful and quirky movement; others examine the wandering rambling thoughts of our mind; and still others offer an intense exploration of control, power, and the individuals who challenge and overthrow.
 A member of the Form Contemporary Dance Theatre in rehearsal. The company will perform in Burlington in October. Reflective/Vulnerable offers audiences a variety of movement styles, themes, and emotions. With the support of ArtHouse and Michelle Hopkins Dance Studio we are thrilled to provide children from the Halton region professional dance experience as part of Reflective/Vulnerable. We are very excited for you to experience all that Reflective/Vulnerable has to offer.
FCDT sets out to create art that is inviting for audiences, art that combines extremes in its emotional content and art that is informed by human experiences. We aim to create works of art that have a raw and vulnerable essence.
Mateo Galindo Torres, artistic advisor explains: “Nothing should be absolute or immobile; everything needs to be challenged to allow for growth and evolution.”
The performances take place in the Studio Theatre:
OCT 9th 7:30pm (pre-show talk 7:00pm)
OCT 10th 2:00pm (pre-show talk 1:30pm)
OCT 10th 7:30pm (pre-show talk 7:00pm)
Tickets are available at The Centre Box office 905-681-6000 or online at www.burlingtonpac.ca.
 The Form Contemporary Dance Theatre does excerpts from the Nutcracker Suite each year with a Cambridge orchestra. The company is very strong on costume – something very evident in these photographs. Top ticket price $20
Form CDT is a Hamilton/Burlington based company founded in February 2014. Within Burlington and Hamilton they have been part of Flounder Festival, Burlington Culture Days, Hamilton Fringe Festival 14/15 and have collaborated with the The Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts, Burlington Student Theatre and Art House. They have participated in Series 808 (Take Two) in Toronto, FRESH BLOOD in Toronto, Dance Matters in Toronto, and 2014’s Hemispheric Encuentro: Manifest in Montreal.
Most recently Form CDT has been commissioned by UNU-INWEH to choreograph and perform at their 20th Anniversary Celebrations in the Fall of 2016. Form CDT is very active in dance and movement education and to facilitate this passion we founded a sister company called Transform CDT.
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By Pepper Parr
