 By Pepper Parr
December 15th 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
They do it every year – and each year it has grown to the point where there are very few seats available.
The event caters to part of the North West part of the city from Brant over to Guelph Line and north of the QEW the Glad Tidings Christmas dinner.
A community organizer working out of the Community Development Halton offices has built a support system that engages young people and watches out for single parents, people at risk and those who need a different kind of care.
 Part of the more than 350 people who enjoyed a Christmas dinner at Glad Tidings church. Luke who lives just off Palmer Drive and takes great pleasure in pushing the traffic light button for people is in the room. He recognizes people but is quite shy – until you reach out to give him a hug and he returns an embrace that is as real as they get.
 Risha Burke It took the organizing energy and genius of Risha Burke to create a network of churches and community groups that hadn’t worked all that well before.
There isn’t an event that comes anywhere near what this group gets done.
 The food just kept on coming – so did the people. Several years ago, when funds were being sought from the city to maintain the staffing that was in place – other council members (no need to name them) objected to this kind of work being paid for by the city. Social welfare was a Regional responsibility they said.
What Burke does amounts to building “social capacity” a structure that lets people help themselves and look out for each other. There is nothing quite like it anywhere else in the city.
There are churches that have good programs – St Luke’s Anglican is one – that tend to cater to the needs of the congregation. Glad Tiding, the church that hots the event, has a large congregation they also have one of the largest community halls in the city.
What they do works – other communities have picked up on parts of what Burke does but none of have created the reach and the depth.
The Christmas Dinner is just one event.
 By Pepper Parr
December 12, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington is asking residents to share their input on a proposed event strategy for the city through an online survey. A link to that survey is at the end of this article.
Last March, hundreds of residents and event organizers shared their ideas and feedback with the Parks and Recreation department through stakeholder meetings and an online survey, about how to shape a future approach to festivals and events in Burlington, They fashioned an early sage strategy and now want feedback from the public to learn if the proposed strategy reflects their thoughts and ideas.
 The meeting facilitator used a much different approach to recording the data gathered. The proposed strategy touches on many aspects of the delivery of festivals and events in the community, including:
• The types of events held in the city
• The location of events in the city
• Funding for events.
The proposed event strategy will be presented to Burlington City Council in early 2017.
The city’s 25 year Strategic Plan supports festivals and events of all sizes and annually hosts three Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario. Burlington directly delivers a small number of events with the majority of events being delivered by the community for the community. Festival and event organizers are supported by the city as they enrich our community, create a sense of belonging and support our strategic goals of A City that Grows, A City that Moves, A Healthy and Greener City and An Engaging City.
A number of factors including the city’s natural beauty make Burlington a desirable location to host events. All stakeholders in the city have an expectation that the city’s assets and resources are used responsibly and reflect the best interests for the greater good. A number of trends have highlighted the importance of having an event strategy including:
Interest in a variety of events
Increased attendance at events
Concerns with profit events on public land
Safety and legislative requirements for event organizers
Community consultation for new events
Concerns with events in Burlington requiring admission fees
There is a historical approach applied to the acceptance of events hosted within Spencer Smith Park; is it time or that to change. Spencer Smith Park and some downtown roads have reached capacity and there is now a desire for a balanced approached to potentially expand events to other areas in our city.
 The decision to turn the Beachway into a very different Regional Park that will be managed by the city will impact what Parks and Recreation decides how it is going to manage its budget. The planned park is massive in size. Assuming all the planning being done to create a totally different Beachway the city will have a lot more space to locate events. It will be sometime before the public sees anything really new – but the plans to gut what currently exists in the Beachway and turn it into something significantly different are in place.
Coming up with a longer term plan and then a strategy to put that plan work is something Parks and Recreation has been working on for some time.
 Despite a pretty decent turn out the participants in the workshop type setting didn’t come up with very much in the way of ideas. The event held in March showed a lot of initiative and innovation on the part of the Parks and Recreation staff – but they got very little from the audience they had invited to take part.
The “legacy stake holders” were in the room to ensure that the way things were working for them didn’t get changed – when it was change that the city wanted.
Ribfest has been in Spencer Smith Park for more than 20 years – there are people at city hall think that might be due for a change. Ribfest is a Rotary event and one doesn’t advance a career at city hall going against the Rotary flow – Burlington has four different Rotary organizations in this city.
Sound of Music has been around for a long time – it is one of the best festivals in the province and consistently takes awards – which are usually handed out by the organizations that run awards across the province – a little on the self-serving side.
However, it is a stunning event and draws very well. Parks and recreation wants to know if it can be better.
They also want to see what they can do to organize events that are not in Spencer Smith Park. So far they haven’t come up with much in the way of new ideas and that meeting in March didn’t add anything useful.
 Denise Beard, one of the managers within Parks and Recreation is one of the best thinkers in the department. She organized the event. Parks and Recreation does have a challenge – the survey is one of the ways they are looking for reaction from the public on some ideas they are developing.
What doesn’t appear to have occurred to Parks and Recreation is looking for ways to partner with community groups that are developing a market for events.
The Lowville Festival – heading into its third year has shown that there is a market for what they have developed – now they need some facilities support and some early stage financial support – just the way the Sound of Music did when it started as a city run event.
Link to the survey
By Staff
December 8th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
 Chris Glenn, Director of Parks and Recreation The City of Burlington is ready for winter fun with the launch of its Neighbourhood Rink program, the opening of Rotary Centennial Pond at the waterfront in downtown Burlington and dedicated locations for tobogganing.
Chris Glenn, the city’s director of Parks and Recreation tells us that: “Skating and tobogganing in the winter time are great Canadian traditions that bring friends, neighbours and communities together to be active and enjoy the winter weather.” Can we expect to see Mr. Glenn on a toboggan in the near future?
Neighbourhood Rinks
Back for a second year, the Neighbourhood Rink program encourages neighbours to come together to maintain a natural outdoor ice rink in their local park.
This month, city staff will install boards for 13 ice pads in various parks throughout Burlington that will be maintained by neighbourhood volunteer groups. The rinks are open to the public and free to use.
The following locations will host a Neighbourhood Rink for the upcoming season:
• Brant Hills Park
• Ireland Park
• Orchard Park
• Sherwood Park
• Tansley Woods Park
• Central Park
• Optimist Park
• Palladium Park
• Pineland Park
• Rusholme Crescent Corridor
• Sheraton Park
• Skyway Park
• Wellington Park
Rotary Centennial Pond
 Centennial Pond will be open from 10 am to 10 pm – closed on Christmas Day. The outdoor ice at Rotary Centennial Pond is scheduled to open on Dec. 10, ice conditions permitting. Located at the waterfront in downtown Burlington, the pond hosts nearly 9,000 skaters each year. The rink is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends and school holidays and from 5 to 10 p.m. on weekday evenings. The pond is closed on Christmas Day.
New this year, the city is asking residents to donate gently used skates they no longer need. These skate donations will be used for a skate lending program at Rotary Centennial Pond.
“The skate lending program has been created to help eliminate barriers for people who may want to give recreational skating a try,” said Glenn. “We hope the skate lending program will encourage residents and visitors to try a new sport, learn some new skills and get outside and play this winter.”
Skate donations can be dropped off at city pools, arenas and community centres.
Tobogganing
 This is what tobogganing is all about. The city has designated six areas in the city that are safe for tobogganing. They include:
• LaSalle Park, east of the parking lot
• Tyandaga Park at hole number four on the west slope
• Central Park on the hill northwest of the community garden
• Brant Hills Park, southwest of the tennis courts
• Nelson Park on the east side of park, north of the Centennial bike path
• Lowville Park on the hill at the southwest end of park.
With snow flurries in the air the city might be about to begin a real winter.
By Staff
December 8th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Celebrate Winter on the Trails at Hilton Falls Conservation Area on Saturday, December 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors who bring one non-perishable food item will receive a free hot chocolate.
At Winter on the Trails you can enjoy a free horse-drawn wagon ride (please note: wagon rides are first come first served and limited space is available), feed the Chickadees and participate in crafts.
Visitors can enjoy S’mores at the falls and warm up to a fire.
Be sure to check out the work of Scott Rowe from the Country Saw as he carves an artistic creation with his chainsaw.
 All of these activities are included with regular park admission; Halton Parks Annual Members only need to show their membership for admission to Winter on the Trails.
 By Jim Barnet
December 6th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Please take time to read Councillor Jack Dennison addition to the on line petition against the Road Diet on New Street. You will see he continues to view the project through his rose coloured cycling goggles. He neglects to tell you that Denmark, a world leader in cycling, keeps bicycles and vehicles separated by barriers.
This safety requirement was made in a clear and concise fashion to a delegation from Burlington, headed by the mayor.
Mr. Toderian, a consultant hired by the city told an open meeting at the Burlington Performing Arts centre ” The road diet on New Street is a poor design and its one I would not personally use. I would fear for my safety.”
 Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison uses roller blades and his bicycle. When will Jack tell about this?
Some other things that don’t get past the rose colour goggles.
A member of the cycling committee has put out a blog showing that sharrows give a cyclist a false sense of safety and should not be used.
Early data indicates that the transit time between Walkers and Guelph line has increased by 50 percent during evening rush hours and is even worse when the roadway approaches design capacity and gridlock starts to take place.
If the road diet was in place from Burloak to the Hospital, transit times on the route would be increased by close to fifteen minutes during rush hours, total capacity would be reduced and grid lock would occur more often.
Due to weather, bikes are only potentially viable five months of the year. In addition how does the hockey player strap his equipment bag on a bike?
In a meeting with Councillor Dennison he admitted that he did not have targets for the results to be judged against to measure success or failure. This is not a management style most people use.
 Jack Dennison and his partner Jackie are avid cyclists. Slowing speeds below 60 KPM increases green house gasses and becomes even worse in gridlock and stop and go situations. How much of an increase is Jack willing to accept when at the same time putting cyclists in a less safe environment?
The highway traffic act gives bicycles the right to use certain roadways. It also states they should stay within three feet of the shoulder and travel in single file. They are to obey all the rules of the road, yet according to Jack no tickets have been issued to cyclists in Burlington. Why is that when we know they ignore most stops signs?
We should encourage cycling. This can be done by licensing bikes that have proper reflectors, bells and lights, front and rear. Riders should be encouraged to wear clothing with reflective strips and if possible to have light coloured clothing.
Maybe some of the beatification money should have spent creating protected bike lanes that are a network rather than Hodgepodge of bits and pieces we have now.
 By Staff
December 6th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Painful and at the same time beautiful.
The video speaks for itself.
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) gave Gord Downie, lead singer of The Tragically Hip, an Indigenous spirit name, which can be roughly translated as “Man who walks among the stars.”
The name was bestowed on Downie at a three-day special assembly meeting of the AFN at which the Chiefs asked “disillusioned communities to resist hopelessness, and seize the historic opportunity the Liberal government has afforded First Nations communities with its new spending.”
Well worth watching.
By Staff
December 6th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Tuesday, December 13th from 7-11 pm – Joe Dogs!
 It could well be a night to remember! Central high parents are working with the guys that run Joe Dogs to host a silent auction to raise money to support the parents with their fight to keep Burlington Central High open.
They would like as many people as possible to join them to show your support; invite all your friends too! Let’s make this the best fundraiser ever!
There will be a special appearance by singer Dania Thurman and guitarist Anesti K who will be providing entertainment so come on out, bid and enjoy!!
Thanks again and hope to see you all soon!
 By Staff
December 5th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Sometimes a local merchant will support something a local group is doing. But you don’t often see four of the major local watering holes saying they are behind you and then agree to take in your petition so people can sign the document while they are in the bar
#centralstrong, the Central high school parents group that wants to convince the school board trustees that Central high school should remain open did what any group does – put together a petition and go door to door to get it signed.
You miss a lot of people and there usually isn’t time to double back.
#centralstrong came up with the idea that they would ask local hospitality operations if they would take a copy of the petition and let people sign it.
 They are certainly getting the message out. Central high parents and students in front of the provincial legislature. Here is how the spokespeople, Dania Thurman and Lynne Crosbie put it: “A big thank you to all the dedicated volunteers who hit the pavement collecting signatures for our petition. If we missed you and you would like to sign the petition, I have some great news! We have some fantastic support from some of our downtown businesses who have offered to have our petition available for you to drop in and sign.
We are hoping that you will support these businesses like they are supporting us by stopping in for a drink or a meal when you are there sign the petition and show these establishments some BCHS love!
Remember to say thank you!
 Queen’s Head – just one of the local watering holes that keeps a copy of the Central high school petition ready for you to sign. Joe Dogs
Home
The Dickens
https://www.thedickens.ca/
The Queens Head
https://www.thequeenshead.ca/
Wendel Clark’s Classic Grill and Sports Lounge
https://wendelclarks.com/
 By Staff
December 3rd, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
There are all kinds of events taking place during December which you somehow have to fit into the shopping frenzy.
 Half an hour to just relax is something that is appreciated and, if you happen to be doing some of your shopping at the Royal Botanical Garden there is a place just across the road where you can see some of the very best stained glass art work on display.
AGOG, Artistic Group of Glass is holding a holding a Glass Show & Sale that will run all December at the Teresa Seaton Studio & Gallery, 654 Spring Gardens Rd. Burlington ON L7T 1J2 – Thurs – Sun, 11am-5pmSeaton
 John Storey’s Dylan  John Storey’s The Rose Included in the group showing are: John Highley / Mosaic Glass
Siobhan Lynch / Copper Foil
Joe Speck / Fused Glass
Teresa Seaton / Copper Foil
John Storey / Leaded Glass
 Teresa Seaton’s Lower Dashwood
By Pepper Parr
December 2, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It happens every year.
What do you get the person who teaches your children?
How much do you spend – what is appropriate and are you going to buy them another cute coffee mug they don’t want or need?
Gifting a classroom teacher is a good thing; the parents get a chance to say thank you; the student, especially if they are very young, just love the idea of giving a gift to someone who is a very important person in their life.
Teachers appreciate the recognition.
 But what to buy? It can’t be too expensive – can it be relevant? Some teachers have little collections, we knew one who collected elephant figurines – her student’s loved adding to the collection.
Teachers know where the help is needed in their classrooms – they see the kid wearing sneakers when the streets and wet and slushy; they see the threadbare coat and they are often able to call the Halton Learning Foundation and ask if there is some help available.
The Foundation has come up with a way for helping to be made easier and quite direct.
They have created on-line catalogue that people can browse through and choose the level of gift they would like to give.
A backpack full of school supplies seems simple and attainable, but is out-of-reach for many Halton families. Your $25 gift can ensure students have the basic tools they need to participate in learning
Many children and teens have no choice but to brave cold, wet temperatures in ill-fitting or poorly insulated coats and boots. Worse, some kids miss school days because they do not have appropriate gear for the weather. Your $75 gift can help a student stay warm and dry on the trip to and from school.
Many students miss out on the experience of field trips that enhance classroom learning because their families simply cannot afford to send them. Your Growth and Confidence gift can allow at least 10-15 students to be included in hands-on, experiential learning provided by field trips. An education isn’t limited to text books; the social skills learned while mixing socially with other students is vital.
 The person buying the gift gets to have a card sent along to the person who the gift is being bought on behalf of.
A household can go on-line and decide they want to pay for the Fresh Start gift and have it given on behalf of a classroom teacher. The teacher gets the card saying a gift as given on their behalf by a specific student.
There are people who get gift they forget about in a month. This special kind of gift tends to be remembered for a long time. Isn’t that part of the purpose of a gift?
The catalogue is on-line – have a look.
 By Staff
December 2, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
This Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016 is the Burlington Santa Claus parade. Due to multiple road closures, several routes and stops are impacted from approximately 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will require detours on Routes 3, 4, 10, 21, and 25. Stops will be bagged in road closure areas.
Visit Burlington’s parade information page to view a map and get more information.
Delays are expected due to increased crowds and traffic. Please adjust your travel plans accordingly and use Trip Planner or call 905-639-0550 for next bus information.
 By Pepper Parr
November 28th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Hamilton Burlington Society of Architects held their awards event last Thursday – some decent work – just not enough of it in Burlington.
The work that architects do is what determines how the communities we live in work. Are they pleasant places do be? Does the building relate to the street? Does the feel of the street make you want to return?
 It was an evening for conversation and celebration. If any of these feelings speak to you – an architect has done his or her job. The design of the MTO building makes people want to go into the building. What a great place to go to work in.
The architect has to work very hard on several fronts to get a good design to the point where construction crews are on the site. They have to deal with planners that aren’t always open to bold design, they have to work within building codes and they have to work within the budgets given to them.
Burlington has some incredibly boring buildings as well as some monster structures on lots that were not intended for something that big.
It is quite amazing to see some of the plans that get trotted out at city council meetings with some really ridiculous justifications given by planners pleading on behalf of a property owner or a developer.
Mistakes made at a council meeting hang around for decades – there is a condominium development on New Street that was a conversion from an apartment for rent dwelling that should have never been allowed to happen.
The architects have to battle developers who want to keep their costs down and at the same time have a structure that is attractive and something people want to live in
 It was a younger crowd – there were a couple of “old lions” in the room. Burlington has seen a few designs that break out of the boring mold. The ADI Development Group did a very nice job with the Moder’n on Guelph line and their Lynx on Dundas in the morth west part of the city is very different – quite a risk on the part of the developer.
The Paradigm going up on Fairview is a lot different from the condominiums they put up along Lakeshore Road.
The building on the city’s main thoroughfare are important – they give the roadway a sense of scale and if done properly last a long time.
Ten awards were given out on Thursday evening. There was one that was stunning; the MTO building in St. Catharines. When will Burlington see something like this?
The HBSA raised what looked like $7500 that was handed over to the United Way of Burlington and Greater Hamilton. The event is held on a bi-annual basis to honour projects presented in a range of categories.
A five member jury consisted of:
Toon Dreessen, President, Ontario Architect Association
Mitchell Hall, Principal, KPMB Architects
Alex Lukachko, Principal, Sr. Building Science Specialist, RDH Building Science Inc.
Mary Lou Tanner, Director of Planning and Building, City of Burlington
Gerarda (Geri) Tino, Associate Architect, ATA Architects Inc.
Ken Coit, Program manager, public arts and projects City of Hamilton
Burlington Director of Planning, Mary Lou Tanner made a few remarks – she missed an opportunity to make some tough comments – like “I was expecting something better” but she chose to be polite. Tanner recently convinced city council to go along with a slogan for her department: GO BOLD; GO SMART; GO BEAUTIFUL! One had to squint to see much of any of these last Thursday.
To be fair, the jury members were architects and if architects aren’t going to take care of their own – who will?
The jurors independently selected the recipients of the Awards of Excellence in four categories:
The HBSA Board also handed out two special awards as part of a program that was established in 2014, and are given every two years to projects that set new standards of excellence in architecture, with consideration for form, function, innovation and sustainability.
Award of Excellence – Templar Flats
 Architect firm: Lintack Architects Inc. Client: Core Urban Inc. The Jury recognizes the significant clever decisions that are evident in melding the new construction with two existing and very different buildings. There are extensive challenges of the site conditions and connecting the new building to the existing heritage buildings. The architect has worked with the fabric of the street and, rather than simply preserve the facades, has integrated the buildings with the street and the community.
Award of Merit – The Cotton Factory
 Architect firm: mcCallumSather Client: The Cotton Factory The Jury recognizes the achievement of solving the difficult architectural problem of dividing a large space into smaller workable spaces. The budget for this project was extremely limited and the design choices respect the history of the building and site. Specific choices include sensitivity to the patina of the finishes and the use of the building in a non-traditional office area in Hamilton.
Award of Excellence – Hambly House
 Architect firms: DPAI Architecture Inc. with Toms + McNally Design Inc. Client: Tina Fetner & Lane Dunlop
The Jury recognizes this project for its excellence in expanding this small Art Deco cottage. The addition is sensitive and modern, detailed to fit in with the existing house design, and acts as a lantern on the roof of the existing house. The juxtaposition of the lantern to the solid base of the house marries the two elements that highlight the original house in an elegant way.
Award of Merit (Small Project) Waterdown Skate Park
 Architect firm: Toms + McNally Design Client: City of Hamilton The Jury recognizes the project for its context and opportunity in what was previously a traditional edge city park. The building is light filled and maximizes use by patrons of the building. The placement of the building program achieves access to the skate loop with functionality of the mechanical works. The overall skate loop recognizes historical skating patterns and brings activity and focus to the park. The project signifies ambitious place making that is needed for this community.
Award of Merit (Large Project) – Boris Clinic
 Architect firm: mcCallumSather Client: McMaster University Medical Centre The Jury recognizes the introduction of strategic glazing to connect light and nature to the hospital, linking nature to healing. The original building design anticipated modular change and future modifications based on its modular grid; the architects capitalized on this opportunity. The views to the Niagara Escarpment are of particular note in recognizing this project.
Award of Merit (Large Project) – Hamilton District Christian High School
 Architect firm: mcCallumSather Client: Hamilton District Christian High School The Jury recognizes the interior of this addition to the high school. The architect has maximized access to light and views, connecting interior spaces to the landscape. There is an honesty of expression in the materials which is bold in its use in a high school. The design provides a variety of opportunities for students to study in comfortable light filled space.
Award of Excellence – Rudy Hulst Commons
 Architect Firm: Invizij Architects Client: Indwell The Jury recognizes this project for setting the tone as a prominent and significant precedent for redevelopment for this area of Hamilton. The ground floor plane with commercial at the front and the offices at the rear helps reinforce the streetscape and connection to a vibrant active street life. The views to the Niagara Escarpment from the upper floors are very well done. The composition of the east elevation as it faces the existing neighbourhood is particularly noteworthy. The use of light and interior finishes is skillfully addressed by the architect. The use of windows to bring light to the basement level is a well-crafted refinement that reflects a high quality of design language.
Award of Merit – Milton Traffic Operations Centre
 Architect Firm: KNYMH Inc. Client: Indwell The Jury recognizes this project for design excellence; the utilitarian nature of the building is dignified with skillful detailing of the placement of windows and functions, linking the building design to its function. The building must perform in a utilitarian way given its operational function yet there is good composition of planes and forms that is well handled. Without the skill of the architect, this building could have been monotonous. Instead it creates tranquil and soothing spaces.
Award of Excellence– MTO Traffic Operations Centre
 Architect Firm: mcCallumSather Client: Infrastructure Ontario The Jury recognizes that what could have been a potentially utilitarian architectural solution was transformed into a simple and elegant composition of volumes. The linear box speaks to the nature of movement along the highway. Specific design highlights include the proportions and use of fenestrations which are elegant and the large box on the front which is a bold move at an appropriate scale. The use of the building and the interior design establish the sense of purpose for those who work in the building and those who visit the building.
Special Award of Merit.
North End Free Library & Public Bench
 Architect Firm: TCA/Thier + Curran Architects Inc. Client: Maryanne Scime & William J. E. Curran The Jury was pleased to receive this unique submission. We note that there is a proliferation of small free libraries in many cities. This project receives a Special Award of Merit for contributions to the North End community through design excellence for the library and the bench and contributing to the love of reading. The architect is commended for community building for a community whose library has been closed.
Except for the stunning design and the risk taken by the architect on the Ministry of Transportation there was nothing in the awards handed out that will be remembered for very long.
That lovely little Free Library was a very nice touch and suggests there is hope yet.
What is needed are tougher juries – they set the bar and need to try raising it.
By Staff
November 28, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The long, long, long term plans for the Beachway Park in the west end of the city are still on the drawing boards – the park planned for the east end of the city is much closer to reality.
Halton Region, the City of Burlington, the Town of Oakville and Conservation Halton are starting work on Burloak Regional Waterfront Park. This is the first phase of the park’s master plan, approved in 2014.
 Architects conceptual drawing of where the pathways in the Burloak Park will be located. The park improve-ments for phase one, include:
• a new accessible pathway along the waterfront,
• a shade structure (gazebo),
• a small performance area with seating and
• a guard rail.
 Rob Peachey, manager of parks and open spaces with the City of Burlington. “One of the first steps in achieving these improvements is to restore the natural ecosystem along the shoreline by removing invasive trees and shrubs, which are mostly Siberian elms and Norway Maples,” said Rob Peachey, manager of parks and open spaces with the City of Burlington. “Invasive trees have a harmful effect on the ability of native tree species to take hold. Removing these invasive trees is critical for the ecological restoration of the shoreline, including the function the area plays as a resting area for many migratory birds.”
City arborists and environmental experts are involved in identifying which trees and shrubs need to be removed. They will also help choose native replacement trees to be planted in the spring of 2017.
 A rendering of the gazebo that will be part of the park. Residents are invited to join the City of Burlington, Councillor Paul Sharman and Halton Region for an informal information session on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Hearthstone by the Lake, Pig and Whistle building, 100 Burloak Dr., Burlington, at the northwest corner of Burloak Drive and Lakeshore Road.
The park is just one significant change planned for the east end. The Skyway Plaza renovation – they are calling it the Skyway Village.
Cynthia Zahorak, the architect on the project has put all kinds of trees in what was a parking lot.
 The light yellow portion is where the current plaza is locate. To the north of that is the Skyway arena. The arrows show the flow of traffic from the arena to the Burloak Park that will see the light of day in 2017. No dates yet on when this project might get to the point where shovels are in the ground – it was planned to tie into a serious upgrade to the Skyway arena – that is in the 2017 capital budget – yet to be approved.
By Pepper Parr
November 27, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The city has a number of Advisory committees made up of people appointed by city council.
Those appointed are, for the most part, made up of people who apply to sit on the committee.
Some of the advisory committees are very effective and play a significant role in developing policy that city council eventually adopts. The Heritage Advisory committee is one example as is the Cycling committee (BCC)
 The green bike lanes are intended to help highlight the bike lane portion of the road, reminding motorists and cyclists to be aware of each other and drive with caution. This is especially important at intersections where cars must cross over the bike lane to make a right-hand turn. The new road markings are being installed as part of the resurfacing project on Guelph Line and Fairview Street. That committee met Tuesday, September 27, 2016 with the following members present: Don Thorpe (Chair), Chris Ariens, Brad Slade, Jackie Lodder, Glenn Cockfield, Jeff Brooks, James Schofield, Brett Moore, Teresa Baerg. Also attending were: Councillor Jack Dennison, Dan Ozimkovic, Kendra Willard and Jo-Anne Rudy (Clerk)
Dan Thorpe advised that the Cycling Committee was requesting $150,000 in 2017 Capital budget to update Cycling Master Plan.
To the surprise of some- the committee has started working on a road diet for Maple Avenue from Lakeshore Road to just south of Mapleview Mall – a pilot project for next spring. The last pilot project on New Street was a total disaster – not because it was a bad idea but due to the terrible communications issues.
The Cycling Committee has also started working on a road diet for Lakeshore Road from water treatment plant to Eastport Drive. That part of the city is part of a very detailed and involved plan to turn the Beachway Park into a significant outdoor destination that might actually see the light of day – but that is at least a decade away.
The committee purchased four more bike repair stations which will be installed next year. One location will be the Elgin Street promenade. – looking for suggestions on other locations from committee.
 The Burlington Cycling Advisory Committee is talking to the folks in Hamilton about creating a bike share program for the city. The committee is talking with Hamilton to extend their BikeShare program to Burlington. Metrolinx is apparently willing to cover approximately half the cost. Need to determine strategy for balance of cost and get Council’s buy-in.
The committee has seven bike racks left for that can be given to any business that meets the criteria.
The committee reported in its minutes that the New Street road diet opened on August 23 – “very negative feedback was received at the beginning but is reducing. Collecting traffic and length of time data via Bluetooth technology which has shown that there hasn’t been a huge increase in travel delay. Will be going out with a drone to collect additional data. No issues have been received from police, fire, ambulance or Transit.”
What proved to be close at an albatross around the neck of the Mayor hasn’t really been given a chance. The New Street Road diet was an idea that seemed like a good one at the time. Shortly after the roads were marked with the sharrows the Region began digging up part of New Street for water pipes.
 Special lanes for bicycles are marked with painted sharrows on city streets. Sharing the road is part of Burlington’s future – and is proving to be difficult for a city that is addicted it its cars – partly because transit is so inconvenient. It seemed as if one level of government didn’t talk to or know what the other level of government was doing – when there is a committee that meets monthly to review who is constructing what where so that there is no overlap. Someone appears to have forgotten to send that meeting memo to Burlington’s Transportation department.
The Cycling committee is doing its job – they just don’t seem to be able to get aligned with what the Transportation department is doing.
Councillor Dennison provided his perspective on opening day and noted that traffic was moving well. He said he had received positive comments from residents and that it is safer to cross New Street and the speed of traffic is reduced.
In a test drive the Gazette did on New Street during rush hour traffic in the evening we didn’t experience anything in the way of delays worth mentioning. We saw just the one rider using the cycling lanes.
The Regional Health Department has $1,000 the BCC can use for an event or communication. Use it for communication and clear up the communication story quickly before they lose all their credibility.
Committee discussed and felt that although the data they appear to have is important information, now was not the right time for a communication on sidewalk cycling, given the current negative feedback for New Street.
What is one to make of all that?
 By Staff
November 25, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario is helping seniors across the province continue to connect with and contribute to their communities by supporting local programs that help them stay involved, learn new skills and lead active lives.
Organizations can now apply for support for local projects through the Seniors Community Grant program. Applications will be open until March 3, 2017 and can be accessed online.
Link to the applications forms: https://www.seniors.gov.on.ca/en/index.php
 It didn’t require funding from anyone for this group of seniors to put their ideas and transit needs. Successful projects will reflect the diversity of Ontario’s seniors and encourage seniors’ community involvement through volunteerism, learning, social inclusion and physical activity. Projects funded in past years have ranged from music therapy programs, to social media classes, to mentor-ship programs linking seniors with young people.
This year, projects focusing on raising public awareness and prevention of elder abuse will be given priority. This is part of the government’s commitment to help stop elder abuse by supporting a secure and supportive environment for Ontario’s seniors.
Supporting our seniors is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.
The Seniors Community Grant Program, the first grant program in Ontario dedicated solely to seniors, is designed to give seniors more opportunities to participate in their communities by providing funding to not-for-profit community groups for projects that encourage greater social inclusion, volunteerism and community engagement for seniors.
 Seniors taking in an afternoon concert. This grant program will make $2 million available for projects across Ontario that will help more seniors become socially engaged and feel part of their communities. Grants range from $1000 to $8,000.
Read the program guidelines and use this application form.
Contact points:
Email: seniorscommunitygrant@ontario.ca
Toll Free: 1-866-SCG-2017 (1-866-724-2017)
TTY (for the hearing impaired): 1-800-387-5559
Applications will be accepted between November 25, 2016 and March 3, 2017. Projects must not start prior to June 15, 2017 and be completed by March 31, 2018.
 By Pepper Parr
November 25th, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
There is now a little bit more to tell about the conversations that have taken place between people at City Hall, the Art Gallery of Burlington and Brock University.
In a previous article we said: “Turns out that Brock University, headquartered in St. Catharines, has been sniffing around the Art Gallery of Burlington to see if some kind of a deal can be put together.”
There are a number of different pieces that need to be pulled together to get a clearer picture of what might be taking place.
We know that Brock University people have been talking to people in Burlington. At the time we didn’t know quite what the Brock agenda was. Nor did we know who at City hall was having the conversations with Brock – was it on the administrative side or the political side?
We do know that the discussions put the president of the Art Gallery of Burlington in an awkward position.
We are now pretty sure those conversations were with the Office of the Mayor.
What was the connection between Brock, the AGB – that we did not know.
Some context.
 Martin von Zan and his daughter Kayla of Interkom Smart Marketing Martin van Zon of Burlington based Interkom Smart Marketing prides himself on the work he has done for the St. Catharines Performing Art Centre where we understand he has helped them with fund raising. Van Zon was always disappointed that the Burlington Performing arts centre didn’t avail themselves of his services.
We know that Martin van Zon has had discussions with Mayor Goldring about being involved in the Mayor’s re-election campaign. We suspect he has asked von Zon to play a major role in his 2018 re-election campaign.
We know that Kayla , Martin’s van Zon’s daughter, is deeply embedded in the Mayors Millennial Advisory Committee. she was part of the committee, along with a Kimberly Calderbank, Christopher Reuse and Tyler Freeman who presented their subcommittees co-created critical success factors for the work plan at the May meeting of the Millennial Advisory Committee.
We know as well that Martin van Zon has been hired by Brock University as a consultant to help the University decide what it wants to do with the Rodman Collection.
How do all these pieces come together?
 Rodman Hall Art Centre – part of Brock University in St. Catharines has a highly rated collection. In 2003 Brock University bought the Rodman Hall Arts Centre for the token fee of two dollars, and the agreement that no assets or holdings would be sold off for 20 years.
In 2015, Brock University VP Finance and Administration Brian Hutchings said Brock is “looking to reduce its subsidy to the Rodman Hall Arts Centre by 50%”. He is reported to have added that they needed to determine where Rodman fits in Brock’s orbit which was something to be studied. The university then went looking for an external consultant.
They ended up hiring van Zon for a reported $50,000 to hold four discussion meetings in St. Catharines about the Rodman Hall Arts Centre.
Those meetings did not go all that well. We will return to them
A little more background.
In 1955, St. Catharine’s residents began to develop an interest in a cultural centre. They saw many advantages from the coordination of activities among the cultural groups active in St. Catharines and region and decided to hold a conference to explore some ideas.
From that meeting came the idea that an arts council be formed. With that objective set – the group set out to find a building and facilities to provide workshop and studio space for activities of the member groups and a gallery for art exhibitions. They did that during 1957-58.
In early 1959, the nascent Arts Council approached Mr. T. R. Merritt, then the owner of Rodman Hall, and learned that Mr. Merritt was not only willing to sell his property, but was pleased at the prospect of his family home becoming a civic cultural centre. An agreement was reached quickly, on price and conditions, and the Arts Council was ready to proceed with property purchase and arts centre establishment.
 St, Catharines is bisected by the Welland Canal. The Rodman home was built for one of the sons of the man who built the first canal. St. Catharines is bisected by the Welland Canal – the route that let ships pass from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie. William Hamilton Merritt (1793-1862) built the first Welland Canal. The accomplishments of the various members of the Merritt family are so significant to St. Catharine’s that the city declared November 27th a “Merritt Day.” which marks the anniversary of the first passage of a vessel through the Welland canal.
Rodman Hall became Rodman Hall Arts Centre on September 17, 1960
From 1960 through to 1975 the Hall grew adding to its collection and to the size of the property. It was seen as one of the best preservation efforts in the province.
New facilities provided by the 1975 expansion qualified Rodman Hall as a “National Exhibition Centre” with the principal function of providing exhibitions of fine art which may be seen by the people of St. Catharines and Niagara Region. Being designated a National Exhibition Centres was significant; it meant that quality work could be displayed from the most important galleries in Canada including the National Museums of Canada International Exhibition Programme.
 An installation at Rodman Hall From 1975 until the end of 1981, 125 exhibitions have been presented. Attendance has increased 50 per cent in the last ten years. By the end of 1981 the collection numbered 375 works valued at $550,000.
Rodman Hall flourished.
By the end of the 1990s however accessing public funds was becoming increasingly difficult for the Rodman administration
Brock University stepped in and bought the place in 2003 when they were flush. Rodman Hall continued to operate as a public entity distinct from the university.
Brock’s financial contributions toward running the facility and maintaining the building and property rose considerably over the past decade. The university calls the costs for ongoing operations and needed capital upgrades “a growing concern.”
A recent Rodman Hall budget of $840,000 Brock kicked in $576,000.
Brock needed a way to cut its contribution in half, and asked Rodman Hall’s citizen advisory committee to offer suggestions by early summer on how to achieve that goal.
When Brock University bought Rodman Hall for two bucks, the sales agreement stipulated Brock couldn’t sell off any property or assets for at least 20 years.
The flush days of 2003 had clearly come to an end.
 Rodman Hall Art Centre – outdoor art classes. All other facets of the university’s operation have been recently scrutinized, said Brock’s top finance official Brian Hutchings, and Rodman Hall is no exception.
Many thought Rodman should be self-sufficient. Those of us who look at the cost of running the art Gallery of Burlington and the Performing Arts centre know better.
This is where van Zon enters the picture. He has a $50,000 contract from the university to hold discussions with the St. Catharines community. He reports to the Brock University board of trustees.
The meetings van Zon held didn’t go very well – in fact they went rather badly.
The buzz in St. Catharines is that Rodman will be “given” to a “newly formed non-profit” in the summer of 2016, whose mandate will be to then sell the parkland and building. This money will then be the base of a larger fundraising campaign to build a new public gallery in downtown St. Catharines.
Interkom Smart Marketing was said to be “re-evaluating Brock’s relationship to Rodman Hall Arts Centre”. This was not going down very well with the St. Catharines arts community. van Zon was getting a very rough ride.
van Zon appears to have come up with a solution – make a deal with the Art Gallery of Burlington that has them taking on the Rodman collection with perhaps some of the funding coming along with it.
 Did Brock University want to convince the Art Gallery to take their collection. What a feather that would be in the Mayor’s cap – nice wave to ride an election win on.
The Rodman collection has a far superior reputation than the Art Gallery of Burlington collection.
Would it be less than logical to conclude that Martin Van Zon believes he can deliver a big one for the Mayor by having the Art Gallery of Burlington accept the Rodman collection? Are we certain? No – for the most part this is speculation. But if you look at the record and all that has taken place, it is not too far from a logical conclusion.
Don’t hold your breath waiting for a statement from the Office of the Mayor
What got this story started?
By Staff
November 22, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Is this a wickedly smart promotional tactic or are seat sales down so badly that something had to be done to boost sales.
Whichever, – it sounds like a good deal – you might want to take them up on it.
This Friday use promo code 25on25 to
receive 25% OFF regular tickets
for the following performances:
Quinn Sullivan – November 30
The Nutcracker – December 7 & 8
Maceo Parker – December 10
A Christmas Carol – December 22 & 23
Form Contemporary Dance – January 14
Lee Ann Womack – January 14
Brotherhood: The Hip Hopera – January 19-21
Fernando Varela – January 28
Rant Maggie Rant – February 2
Stewart Goodyear – February 3
Western Swing Authority- February 4
Receiver of Wreck – February 9-11
Robert Dubac’s The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron? – February 11
African Guitar Summit – February 16
Sarah MacDougall – February 17
Diana Panton – February 18
Whitehorse – February 21
Infinity – February 23-25
Balé Folclórico Da Bahia – March 2
Eliana Cuevas – March 4
Larry Carlton – March 9
Rémi Bolduc Jazz Ensemble – March 10
Stephen Fearing – March 22
Kaha:wi Dance Theatre – March 27
Shaolin Warriors – April 10
Morgan James – April 13
Johannes Linstead – April 26
Confessions of a Red Headed Coffeeshop Girl – May 4-6
Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal – May 4
Offer valid on regular price tickets only on November 25, 2016. This offer does not apply to Youth or Child pricing. Cannot be combined with any other promotion or be applied to previous purchases. Offer only applies to performances listed above. No refunds or exchanges.
 By Staff
November 23, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Thursday evening, November 24th, BurlingtonGreen, in partnership with Burlington Central Library and Halton Green Screens, will present the fifth acclaimed film of their 2016 Eco-Film Festival series, The True Cost.
This documentary tells the story of the clothes we wear, the people who make them, and the impact the clothing industry has on our world. The links between declining clothing prices and increasing human and environmental impact are forged as the audience gets a behind-the-scenes look at the industry. The True Cost is a revealing film that compels us to ask, “who really pays the price for our clothing?”
 If the price is right – what is the true cost? All areas of the industry are explored and exposed, from production of raw materials, to manufact-uring, to international shipping and retail networks, to the ultimate disposal of massive quantities of clothes. In particular, the film examines the damaging effects of “fast fashion”.
Similar to many other environmental realities facing our planet, the clothing industry follows the pattern of exploitation of people and the environment in the developing world, in order to feed the insatiable appetites of those in the developed world. This film project was initiated by people within the clothing and fashion industry itself, who have witnessed the grim reality of the situation firsthand.
In attendance during this film screening will be Kale Black of BurlingtonGreen, who will briefly share with the audience how he makes a positive difference through the informed purchasing choices he makes.
For those who make the time to see the film – it will be an eye opener. Unfortunately, the people who need to see the film are probably not going to be there.
The film trailer.
When: Thursday, November 24, 2016. Doors open at 6:30 pm with film beginning at 7 pm.
Where: Centennial Hall, Burlington Central Library, 2331 New Street.
Cost: $5 per person (free for BurlingtonGreen members).
By Staff
November 23, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
 The Santa 5k Race will be taking place in downtown Burlington on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2016 requiring some street closures from 7 to 11 a.m.
Routes 3 and 5 will be temporarily detoured in the area.
For real-time transit information and to plan your trip please use Trip Planner or call 905-639-0550.
By Staff
November 22, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
She has made it to the big screen!
Well – in a manner of speaking.
 Margaret Lindsay Holton Margaret Lindsay Holton took her latest film to the public last September and got a more than polite response.
It was a short film with all the production problems that every film bumps into – they are just tougher to manage when the budget is shorter than the film.
But it was produced and then what? The best that happens to most of thy get sown at small film festivals where everyone says something polite and he artist goes looking for money for the next production.
Holton however is persistent if nothing else. She convinced the people at CineStarz to show her film in a commercial setting. People are going to have to pay to see the film just the way they would pay to see any other film.
This is a limited engagement – the CineStarz people may have required Holton to guarantee a limited number of ticket sales.
 It’s an interesting film, poignant, funny in a Canadian way at times. Hopefully Holton will get the word out to every high school student studying film to attend – it is worth seeing as a nice piece of works that touches on a significant issue.
Holton refer to the event as a “Very Special ‘ONE-TIME’ Canadian THEATRICAL RELEASE at :
Cinestarz, 460 Brant Street, (Downtown Burlington) on December 18th, at 3 o’clock.
The Frozen Goose is based on a short story of the same title written by M.L.Holton, published by Seraphim Books.
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