 By Staff
April 10th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
A group of Burlington-area performers have joined together to present a benefit concert in aid of Syrian refugees. Burlington impresario and artists manager Robert Missen put the call out to all of his Facebook friends when the tragic circumstances in Eastern Europe came to a head. He wondered if they would be interested in participating in a special concert to provide financial support to the cause. The reaction was swift and decisive.
Missen put the word out to his colleague, Stillman Matheson, Director of Music at Port Nelson United Church, who then took the idea to the church’s Syrian Refugee Sponsorship Group . Their response was equally positive. The church will provide the use of the sanctuary for the concert, and will support the presentation of the event from marketing and logistical perspectives. Mr. Matheson and the church choir will participate in the concert.
 Stuart Laughton Musicians from all genres- classical, jazz, folk, blues, musical theatre- will come together at 3:30 pm on Sunday April 17th. All of the artists will be donating their services. They include singer-songwriter Jude Johnson, trumpeter , sopranos Carol Ann Thomson, Elise Naccarato and Alix Kingston, KooGle Theatre’s Leslie and Chris Gray, pianist Charles Cozens, flutist Claire Sweeny, mime artist and singer-songwriter Andy Griffiths. Robert Missen will serve as Host.
All of the proceeds will be shared equally between The United Church of Canada’s Emergency Response – Syria Relief campaign for those in refugee camps overseas and the Port Nelson Refugee Sponsorship Group.
 Trevor Copp 5000 Miles Burlington is but one of several similar benefits that are being held across southern Ontario: Rosedale United Church in Toronto on Sunday November 8th ; Knox Presbyterian Church in Elora on Saturday November 28th ; and St. John’s Anglican in Ancaster on February 28th.
Tickets are $25 and are available through the Office of Port Nelson United Church, at Different Drummer Books, through Eventbrite and at the door. Children under 12 are admitted for free.
5000 MILES: A BENEFIT CONCERT FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES
SUNDAY APRIL 17TH, 3:30 PM
PORT NELSON UNITED CHURCH
3132 SOUTH DRIVE, BURLINGTON
905-637-5631
TICKETS $25, CHILDREN UNDER 12 FREE
 By Staff
April 9, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
“ Yes we know you’ve heard it all already”, said David Low, president of Latow, the Burlington photography Guild, “but a week from now Latow will be holding its Annual Photography Weekend with David duChemin, who is regarded as one of the top photography educators anywhere.”
 David duChemin David duChemin is a world and humanitarian assignment photographer, best-selling author, digital publisher, and international workshop leader whose nomadic and adventurous life fuels his fire to create and share. When on assignment du Chemin creates powerful images that convey the hope and dignity of children, the vulnerable and oppressed for the international NGO community. Drawing on a previous career in comedy, du Chemin is a dynamic and engaging presenter and educator. A driven artist, creative professional, entrepreneur and life-long adventurer, du Chemin educates and inspires through stunning visuals and hilarious travel stories.
 From the David duChemin collection. Saturday’s full-day seminar, Photographically Speaking, – a day of inspiration and
instruction.
Sunday mini-seminars: three 2-hour sessions: A Stronger Approach to Travel
Photography, Stronger Landscape Photography, and The Visual Imagination.
Saturday evening Latow AV Festival – 10 presentations combining images and music in
innovative ways.
Latow is the photography guild associated with the Art Gallery of Burlington.
 By Staff
April 9, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario is challenging high school students to “change the world” by volunteering for at least three hours in their communities.
The challenge runs from April 10 to May 23, coinciding with National Volunteer Week.
 This year’s goal is to have 39,000 students aged 14 to 18 participate in volunteering. The ChangeTheWorld challenge, which is delivered in partnership with the Ontario Volunteer Centre Network encourages young people to get involved in their communities and helps them develop important skills like teamwork and leadership.
Ontario high school student are required to put in 40 hours of volunteer time in order to graduate.
By Staff
April 7, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Each year, the Halton District School Board hosts public speaking competitions in Canada’s two official languages.
The English public speaking competition involving approximately 20 students in Grade 9-12 on Tuesday, April 12, 2016. It
starts at 6:30 p.m. at White Oaks Secondary School (1330 Montclair Dr., Oakville). The public can attend this free event.
The event provides separate competitions for Junior (Grade 9-10) and senior (Grade 11-12). Students speak on any subject they choose for 5-6 minutes
without a microphone and be judged on organization, effectiveness originality, grammar, delivery, voice, body language, eye contact, grammatical correctness, enthusiasm and pronunciation. The judging panel will include Associate Director of Education David Boag, Board trustees Kim Graves and Kelly Amos, and a member of the Oakville Toast Masters.
Kyle Stewart, White Oaks Secondary School teacher and co-organizer of the April 12 event, said public speaking is a skill that can benefit students in their education pursuits as well as in the workforce.
“This event is an opportunity for students to showcase their strengths in public speaking,” Stewart said. “We are expecting a tough competition and
fantastic speeches from these exceptional students.”
Prizes will be awarded to the winners in the Junior and Senior categories.
Last week, the Board held its French public speaking competition for more than two-dozen elementary and secondary students. The winning students will represent the Board at the Canadian Parents for French French Public Speaking Regionals at the Glendon campus of York University on *Saturday
May 14, 2016*.
The winners were in the following categories: Core French Junior – Manahil Sabrini W.H. Morden Public School; Intermediate – Urmi Sheth, W.H. Morden Public School; Extended French – Junior Alish Ahmed, W.H. Morden Public School, Intermediate – Sara Zia, W.H. Morden Public School; Francophone Plus (FSL+) Junior – Jose Milan, Forest Trail Public School, Intermediate – Julia Mistele, Sunningdale Public School, French Immersion – Junior Vanditha Widyalankar, Tiger Jeet Singh Public School; Intermediate – Abigayle Burnette, Rolling Meadows Public School.
Grade 11-12 student Nicolas Génier, White Oaks Secondary School (WOSS) – French as a mother tongue; Grade 11-12 student Abdulrahman Al Bochi, WOSS – French Immersion; Grade 11-12 student Afif Bhimani, WOSS – Extended French; Grade 9-10 student Danyaal Irfan, Iroquois Ridge – French Immersion; Grade 9-10 student Abi Sudharsham, WOSS – Core French.
 By Staff
April 8, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Air Cadets of 715 Mohawk Squadron, Burlington, will be honouring the 3,600 Canadian lives lost at the Battle of Vimy Ridge by marching 3.6 kilometres from the
Royal Canadian Legion, Burlington Branch 60 to City Hall beginning at 9 a.m. on April 9.
 The march will result in lane closures. Streets will reopen as soon as possible following the completion of the march.
Traffic Lane Closures – 9 a.m. start time
The march will use one lane, expect delays:
Fairview Street travelling east, between Brant Street and Drury Lane; Drury Lane, south to Prospect Street; Prospect Street, west
to George Street’ George Street, south to Ghent Avenue Ghent Avenue, west to Brant Street.
Brant Street, south to City Hall, Civic Square
Emergency Services access will be maintained at all times along the event route.
Supervision
Police will direct traffic at major intersections and event volunteers will assist motorists at multi-residential driveways and on side streets.
 By Staff
April 5, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
“From the time we are little, we are taught to share” declared Lawson Hunter. ”However, as we age, the desire to acquire ‘stuff’ grows as soon as we earn a little bit of money and join the consumer society. Advertising pushes us to buy the next best thing, a bigger, better, newer version, a complete set, to find happiness and fulfillment. That may be good for the economy but is it good for society?
 Uber taxi, while disruptive to the taxi industry, is one of the more popular sharing services. “Capitalism may be built on competition,” says Lawson Hunter, “but history shows that we progress much further if we co-operate with one another.” Collaboration, the sharing of ideas and resources, takes us leaps and bounds beyond the private, proprietary approach. Community has always meant working together to achieve good for everyone, not just the individual. Inequality results when many hands do the work but only a few grow wealthy because of it. Sharing brings everyone up to the same level and everyone benefits.
Some call it the ‘sharing economy’; the gig economy; the gift economy; peer-to-peer accommodation; or collaborative consumption, but at its core it is very simple – if you’re not using something why not let someone else use it?
Though not officially counted in the GDP, the sharing economy could grow to $335 billion by 2025, according to PriceWaterhouseCoopers. This is the foundation behind such revolutionary start-ups such as Uber, Lyft, Airbnb, TaskRabbit and dozens of other disruptive technologies that citizens and cities are embracing or challenging, depending on your point of view.
To that end, Hunter met with the Mayor to see if he could get something going at that level – the Mayor is going to think about it.
He has run the idea by a couple of council members – they didn’t day ‘not a hope’. Hunter, who is a letter carrier dabbles in some public relations consulting.
 Libraries are perhaps the original sharing service. The sharing economy has opened the door to more efficient uses of everyday items we own but do not use to their fullest capacity. For example, car ownership is ubiquitous and yet most cars sit parked for most of the day. Someone may purchase a drill only to use it a half a dozen times in total leaving it to lay in the toolbox for years. Books, clothing, household items may be used once or twice and then discarded. This is an incredible waste and unsustainable. Why not ‘share’ with someone else, reducing cost, optimizing resources, and extending the usefulness of thousands of articles?
Hunter points out that we already share quite a lot! We just don’t know about it or take it for granted. Libraries, food banks, used clothing stores, parks, public transit, recycled building materials, and even co-operative housing are examples of the sharing economy.
Volunteering to coach hockey, teaching someone to read, driving a patient to the hospital, carpooling, shoveling your neighbour’s sidewalk are just some of the ways we already ‘share’ our time and effort, goods and services. It’s important to measure, and celebrate, the many ways society shares its common resources. There is an international organization that wants every community to stand up and be counted in The Sharing Cities Network – www.shareable.net.
 Hunter explains an event called a mapjam – a time when people get together and map out just where sharing is done in a city. “You would be surprised ay just how much sharing goes on” and points to a number of situations in Burlington where people on a street collectively own a heavy duty snow blower.
More than 500 MapJams have been hosted in 60 countries – two have taken place in Canada – Elora and Toronto.
 Many cities around the world have created bicycle sharing services. Hunter wants Burlington to join that Network. To kick things off, he is hosting a ‘#Map Jam’ on Thursday, April 14, 7:30pm, Frank Rose Room, at the Burlington Central Library. Every organization that shares, opens its doors, facilitates exchanges, co-ordinates time-sharing or carpooling or food banks or little league sports, arts, and activities is invited to network, meet other sharing activists and exchange information. The general public is also invited to learn more about the sharing economy. “We may all be amazed at how we already are in the sharing economy,” says Hunter.
What Hunter is promoting is exactly what the Parks and Recreation department is trying to get going in the city.
Related news story – city prepared to fund projects
 By Staff
April 4, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The following sport fields are closed from Monday, April 4 to Sunday, April 10, 2016.
List of Parks and Facilities affected:
City View F1
City View F2
City View F3
Norton F1, F2
Orchard F2
Sherwood Forest F2
Nelson Stadium
By Staff
April 4, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Mother’s Day – May 7th this year. The florists will pick up on that one. All the pushy advertising aside – it is a special day. For many – their parents live in Burlington and their adult children live elsewhere.
With the warmer weather coming (it is coming isn’t it?) there are opportunities to get out.
The restaurants will be packed that Sunday and besides – you get out to restaurants often enough.
 Cheryl Golding and her colleagues at the Gallery 2 on Spring Garden Road are hosting a Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea on Saturday, May 7, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
They will be serving: tea/coffee, scones with cream, and a variety of sweet treats.
Cost: $30.00 per person.
 By Pepper Parr
April 2, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It really is all about the artist – but getting that exhibit set up is as exacting in its own way as the creative work that artist does.
Sunday afternoon Teresa Seaton will feature some of the work of Michelle van Maurik at the Seaton Gallery on Spring Garden Road out by the Royal Botanical gardens. The work is exquisite.
 Deciding which painting should go where – not as simple as one might imagine. Most people know of as the Maurik Canadian who was invited to show her work at the Louvre, which makes her an internationally recognized artist who isn’t seen often enough in Burlington.
Seaton, whose discipline is stained glass, has opened her gallery up to artists with different disciplines in the past. We at first thought that getting Maurik into the Seaton Gallery was a coup – turns out the two women go back a number of years. The crossed paths when both were exhibiting their work at the McMichael Gallery in Kleinberg.
“She took me under her wing at that event” said Michelle van Maurik and Seaton was taking her under her wing again as the two artists worked at figuring out which pictures should go where on the limited wall space.
Maurik is often working on several pieces of art at the same time. It is a mood thing for her – a day in the studio starts at around 10 am and ends at around 4 pm. “At times I have to leave a painting and come back to it with fresh eyes” on other occasions a change in the light will draw me back to a painting.
There was a time when Maurik did paintings of old trucks – she saw life in a rusting hulk of metal abandoned in a field. Those paintings are long gone – flowers, peonies in particular attracted Maurik and that work caught the eye of someone putting together a delegation of artists that were chosen by the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts to be part of the Canadian delegation in one of the most prestigious and oldest shows in Paris, France.
She got a message from an art dealer who had seen her work online and “ asked if I would like to be part of the show and told me to send some images.” Her Sunflower painting was chosen.
The SNBA was created 153 years ago to exhibit artists who were refused by the Academy of Fine Arts, including Rodin and Messonier. SNBA representative Bénédicte Lecat says she received Maurik’s images and sent it to the jury.
 Maurik work waiting to find its place on the gallery walls “The president of the jury said he chose Sunflower to enlighten the winter in Paris and the wall of the delegation. While Maurik’s career blossomed after the show in Paris what she will tell you about that city is it’s light. “There is something golden in the late afternoon sunlight in Paris” and the French do like her peonies.
The SNBA exhibits at the Carrousel du Louvre Salle Le Nôtre every December with approximately 10 foreign delegations with works in oils, mixed techniques, works on paper, engraving, tapestry or sculpture. The Canadian delegation includes 20 artists from Alberta, Ontario and Québec.
 Maurik saw life in a rusting hulk of metal abandoned in a field. Maurik, whose father was a billboard painter began to paint when she was six years old. She painted advertising murals on the sides of buildings across Canada.
Mostly self-taught, Maurik studied in New York under Daniel Greene, a renowned artist regarded as one of the top portrait painters in the U.S.
Maurik now concentrates on oils and pastels, her bold and at the same time delicate peonies are doing very well. One of her favourites will be done in a limited edition print run.
After she returned from Paris, Maurik kept on painting. Her work has appeared in many exhibitions, including the McMichael Canadian Art Gallery and the Hittite Gallery in Toronto. It is not surprising to see Maurik painting outside the Sea and Craft gallery on Kerr Street in Oakville.
 Pink peonies. “I wanted to do something different and be home with my daughter,” she said. In the last four years, things have taken off for Maurik. There is a risk in taking the route she has decided upon – a painting can take years to find a home but at some point someone will fall in love with a painting. Maurik has found that people see her work on her Facebook and decide they just have to have it.
 If you want to see just what it is people have to have – slip over to the Seaton Gallery on spring Garden Road – the exhibit is on until the end of May,
While you’re there – save some time for Gallery 2, right next door to the Seaton Gallery – Cheryl Goldring and Anne More have set up shop there. Well worth the time – on a good day Don Graves is at his easel adding to the experience.
By Staff
April 1, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It’s a great idea but the take up within the community hasn’t been as strong as the Parks and Recreation people would like it to have been.
Perhaps people don’t fully understand the process? Maybe it’s too bureaucratic? Whatever – the city is going to put some of their troops into the community and help people complete their applications before the April 29th deadline.
What is your idea for the community? The city wants to help groups that have a great idea for the community get up to $5,000 in funding to make those ideas happen.
The city is hosting five workshops to help groups complete their Neighbourhood Community Matching Fund applications before the April 29, 2016, deadline.
The fund will provide up to $5,000 to support projects led by neighbourhood and community groups. Approved projects will get up to 50 per cent of the funding for
the project from the city. The neighbourhood or community group will match this funding with an equal value through any combination of volunteer hours, donated
services, donated materials and supplies or other funds raised.
Workshops to offer both information and hands-on help will take place:
 Mountainside Recreation Centre Monday, April 4, 7 to 9 p.m.
Mountainside Recreation Centre, 2205 Mount Forest Dr.
Community Room 2
Wednesday, April 6, 7 to 9 p.m.
Appleby Ice Centre, 1201 Appleby Line
Multipurpose Room
Tuesday, April 12, 7 to 9 p.m.
Tansley Woods Community Centre, 1996 Itabashi Way
Holland Room
 Burlington Seniors’ Centre Wednesday, April 13, 7 to 9 p.m.
Burlington Seniors’ Centre, 2285 New St.
Boutique and Multipurpose Room
Thursday, April 14, 7 to 9 p.m.
Aldershot Arena, 494 Townsend Ave.
Community Room
Participants are asked to RSVP to
matchingfund@burlington.ca the day before the workshop they wish to attend.
Those who can’t attend can visit
https://www.burlington.ca/matchingfund for more information.
Next week the Gazette will be running a series of articles on the Love my Hood program the city is also offering. One way or another – the parks and recreation people are going to get you to do something to make this city a nicer, better place to live in.
By Pepper Parr
March 31, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
They decided to call it a party rather than a meeting and made a good effort to give the Parks and Recreation Event Strategy workshop a different tone and feel.
 It worked – sort of. There was half an hour at the front end of the meeting (oops, party) for socializing that included an open cash bar (two bottles of beer and one soft drink were sold) and then into the Workshop.
The purpose was to get ideas and feed back on what the city’s event Strategy should be – what worked and what doesn’t work asked the facilitator and what would you like to see, what would your vision be even if the idea was not feasible or practical. This was an occasion for some blue sky thinking – they didn’t quite rise up to the challenge.
 Manager of Community Development Services, Denise Beard A year and a half or so ago Manager of Community Development Services, Denise Beard got to listen to James Dier at a conference – she was mesmerized. Within months Beard got Diers to an event in Burlington where he blew the socks off a lot of people and showed an approach to building community that had a lot of people excited and wanting more.
Those who worked closely with communities understood immediately what Diers was saying – it took others a little longer to “get it”.
When Diers made a presentation to a Committee of the Whole at Geraldo’s it was priceless to see the expressions on the faces of the buttoned down consultants. Diers is a very “in your face” advocate for what he calls “Neighbourhood Power”. He changed the way Seattle involved its neighbourhoods in figuring out what was needed at the street level.
Much of what we now see coming out of the Parks and Recreation department now is the result of the Dier’s approach.
 Staff tried to create a sense of a play party with gimmicks that could be used illustrate some of the creative ideas. He isn’t for everyone. He is loud, forthright and gets excited. He once threw a live chicken into the office of the Mayor of Seattle to make a point. Watching the look on Councillor Craven’s face as Diers got himself wound up while explaining a point set out the stark contract between the two men – and contrasted the difference between the way the ward 1 Councillor works with his constituents and how others involve their citizens.
It’s pretty clear that the Parks and Recreation people are going to follow as much of the Diers philosophy as they can. The Gazette will report in more detail the approaches Diers created and what Burlington can expect to see in the months ahead.
The Tuesday evening “party” was the first time Parks and Recreation staff had an opportunity to field test some of their ideas.
A Workbook was given to all the participants who gathered in groups of six to eight around tables that had all kinds of play toys – plasticine, coloured paper and markers and large sheets of butcher paper to draw plans on.
The questions put to the groups were focused on the current experience people had had on an event that took place:
 What did they think about the current experience ? What is your experience with events held on City property now?
What do you love?
Why?
What’s working well?
What bugs/concerns you? Why?
What keeps you from attending? What draws you to these events?
Each group of people beavered away at the questions and then reported back.
 This is what the facilitator gathered from the participants – the future of festivals and events as they saw them. Next up was Future Experiences:
Given the trends and increasing demand for festivals and events in Burlington, the Workbook outlined, what would you like the experience of attending Future events to feel like? Look like? Who would be attending?
• What should we continue to do?
• What should we stop doing?
• What should we start doing?
Again the different groups worked through their ideas and reported back and the results were put up on a huge banner.
The last session was Advice to the city:
The workbook set out criteria the City could use to help them select appropriate festivals and events to host on City property.
Those taking part, there were about 75 people taking part – they were asked to:
1. Take a look at the criteria and choose the ones that you feel the City should use. Why should they choose these ones?
2. Have a discussion at your table.
3. As a table, look at the criteria again and together choose the top five criteria
 This is what the facilitator heard the 75 + participant say – it wasn’t as imaginative as some had expected. What advice do you have on criteria for the downtown festivals/events? What advice do you have on criteria for the neighborhood festivals/events? What did you clearly agree on at your table?
What did you have difficulty agreeing on?
The criteria put before the participants for selecting events:
Type of Sports Events
One time event attracting out of town athletes
On-going community/local activity (e.g. house league)
Fee to Attend Event
Paid Admission
Supporting our Community
Healthy and greener City by ensuring healthy food and activity options, environmentally friendly practices, encourages modal split
Focus on local talent, food, businesses and organizations
Diverse types of events
Celebrates diversity in our community
Family friendly for all ages
Who and what type of events should we give preference to when we’re deciding on applications for festivals and events on City property? Choose your preference to the following:
Type of Host
For Profit
Non-profit
Charity
Preference for Hosts of Events
from Burlington
from outside Burlington
Purpose of events
Community Development – build sense of community
Economic Development – bring dollars into community.
The community level work being done was part of a larger exercise. The people at city hall had begun to rethink the city and it brand. The two biggest festival events the city holds – Sound of Music and Rib Fest have both taken place in the city for more than 20 years.
Are they getting stale?
Did they really portray what Burlington is in the minds of its citizens?
Have times changed and is it perhaps time to look at what the city permits on the waterfront space?
 The sand castle competition is no longer a summer event in Burlington. While there hasn’t been a big announcement – the sandcastle competition held in the Beachway part of the waterfront will not take place in 2016.
The debate over what should be done with the 25+ homes in the Beachway clouded the discussion over the several different parks that are going to be created on that stretch of land from the Joseph Brant Museum and the canal.
 Discussion at all of the tables was wide open and wide ranging – there were some that felt there should be stronger security and that the festivals intruded on life for those who lived downtown. Unfortunately the public is not all that involved in the design of that park – planners at the Regional level are putting together the ideas. It will be a couple of decades before anything significant appears.
The intellectual guru behind the thinking taking place within the Parks and recreation department – and make no mistake about this – the city has swallowed the Kool Aid – they are all in at this point on the Diers philosophy.
The challenge now is to get the citizens to the point where they begin to understand that Neighbourhood Power is the direction staff is going – the biggest part of their job is to get citizens to buy in and begin thinking aloud what they want their city to look like; what kind of events do they want to see in the public places?
The facilitator, who brought a different visual approach to the documenting of the data and the comments made, asked the audience to do some ”blue sky” thinking – to talk about their vision which may not be feasible, probably no very practical either – she just wanted them think bigger than they normally do
 Chris Glenn,Director of Parks and Recreation. There wasn’t all that much in the way of responses. One table thought more use should be made of the water – and hold water based events.
 They decided to go for the big photo op – just the one city Councillor attended – the Mayor popped in to make the opening remarks. Another comment was to have more focus on the city’s history and tell more about the veterans.
The biggest concern was traffic – getting out of an event when everyone was heading for the same exists at the same time. There were suggestions about using shuttle buses and holding alternative events that would be part of the larger festivals.
No mention was made of the hydro towers and the thought that is being given to burying them.
There was a member of Rotary in attendance and the Sound of Music had several of their big guns at several tables. They, along with Brian Dean, General manager of the Burlington Downtown Business Association chose to be in a listening mode for the most part.
The task now for the parks and recreation people is to pull together all the data and comments they have collected from the various stakeholders and community groups and prepare a recommendations report for city council.
Festivals and events are one part of the mix that get reflected in the Strategic Plan – document the city will make official later this month.
Then what?
 By Ray Rivers
April 1st, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The question no one seems to be asking is whether Burlington really needs another waterfront pier. Sources distant from both the PM’s people and those of the Premier have indicated some kind of an announcement is forthcoming in the near future.
 Upon completion of pier number two will reach well into the lake The potential cost of this project could total close to four billion big ones and would be funded through a new infrastructure fund. “What better way to use our federal and provincial deficit money than to create new jobs, right here in Burlington,” one source was overheard mumbling.
The mayor has been very closed-lipped about this initiative. That may be because a former Burlington mayor had been thought to be working hard between the sheets to create this baby. And some baby it will be. A mega-motel, to be named after former city and regional counsellor Robert Bates, will anchor the attractions on this artificial piece of land reaching out into the middle of Lake Ontario.
 The ferris wheel on pier number 2 will be visible from Toronto. The project will also feature the largest ferris wheel in North America named in honour of the former Toronto mayor, whose brother Doug, had been promoting a similar icon to dot the Toronto skyline. Doug Ford, who always wanted to be known for, and as, a big wheel himself, couldn’t be reached for comment.
However, somebody on somebody’s staff noted that the Fords had always supported using somebody else’s money to move people around, so long as it didn’t get in the way of Toronto’s grid lock. In fact the former Toronto Councillor had hoped that the ferris-wheel could be directly connected to Toronto’s expanding subway system.
Stretching out two and a half kilometres into Lake Ontario the centrepiece of the structure will be a huge ferry docking station with access to planned ferry ports as distant as Oakville and Hamilton and the existing Burlington pier. There will be a 30-hectare amusement park on the water, which will include the ferris wheel and thirty-seven Tim Horton outlets. In addition plans may include a waterfront zoo featuring elephants, lions, penguins and other native Canadian wildlife.
Already, ribbon cutting is being projected to coincide with the 2018 Sound of Music festival which would see a switch in content to such classical pieces as Handel’s Water Music, rather than the heavy rock known to incite wave action. However, given the size of this project, the grand opening may have to be postponed once or twice – or several times.
 Land fill at the Burlington air park being trucked to the pier number two construction site. Land-fill for this massive project is expected to come from the levelling of Halton Conservation Area’s Rattle Snake Point. Rock climbing activity has severely eroded the rock face and Milton has been reported petitioning the provincial government and Green Belt commission to make way for even more residential housing in Canada’s fastest growing city. And besides the rattle snakes are all gone, the last one seen on March 17th.
Lawyers from around the problem are looking for a way to legally move the land fill on the air park property to the lakefront.
Not everyone will be pleased with this new development and you can be sure that the Burlington Gazette will be sued and have to shut down at least five or six times in the course of this project.
But the proponents are keen to see the pier built and even keener to give its ferris wheel a spin. They have been heard to say that they personally anticipate this to be a very rewarding venture.
Rumours abound about the siting of multi-unit condos as well, adding as many as fifty thousand new residents to the man-made peninsula.
And as is always the case with innovative ventures, even at this early stage, there are the critics.
 Steel for pier number two was imported from Mexico – the city took this retaliatory action when Hamilton refused to sell the Lasalle Park water lots at a reasonable price. Some folks can’t help but compare this initiative to what they saw as wasteful spending by the federal Conservatives in the wake of the 2009/10 recession and in preparation for the G20 summit. They cite the expensive network of sidewalks Tony Clement built in his rural northern riding which no one actually uses. And then there is the massive effort that went into constructing Canada’s sixth great lake – right there on the shores of Lake Ontario.
In the words of Burlington Gazette publisher, Pepper Parr, who is believed to be a strong proponent himself, despite his denials, “they pissed away all that money back then and got re-elected, so why not this, now? Besides how better to employ all our adopted Syrian refugees looking for work, and where better to offer them a place to live?”
 Rumours abound that the Gazette has been approached about locating its new international headquarters adjacent to the Bate’s motel complex. When asked to confirm that story, Parr responded that he couldn’t confirm or deny his involvement. “It would be like stabbing the mayor in the back,” he was heard to mutter before turning his head away to suppress a giggle.
Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Something special happens to Rivers on the first day of April each year.
Our apologies for his excesses.
Tweet @rayzrivers
Existing Pier
 By Pepper Parr
March 31, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
How do you build community? Doesn’t it just happen naturally? Apparently not – the city has adopted a policy that is intended to help people organize events that will pull people together for a common cause.
A house fire will always get everyone out on the street to watch the fire fighters – figuring out how to come up with something less extreme has resulted in what Burlington is calling a Community Investment Policy that provides funding for the holding of events.
In language that only a bureaucrat could write – here is that policy.
Purpose
Establish the principles and practices around how the City of Burlington will invest in our community.
Statement
The City of Burlington, (“City,”) believes that residents want to contribute to the quality of life in Burlington.
Residents have great ideas about how to create both vibrant neighbourhoods and/or communities and may require support from the City for implementation of initiatives.
The City provides support for these initiatives with one-time funding for events, programs or projects that build community capacity:
• To a registered not-for-profit corporation or a group of neighbours
• For areas within the geographic boundaries of the City of Burlington
• For projects, events and activities that occurs on City of Burlington property
• Program and services that benefit the residents of the City of Burlington and
• Organizations that do not receive any other financial support from the City of Burlington
 Scope:
This policy applies to not-for-profit groups or a group of neighbours that use City owned and managed property for the benefit of residents of the City and happens within the geographic boundaries of the City.
This policy does not include boards and agencies of the City, school board property, Halton Conversation lands or lands of the Region of Halton or organizations that currently receive funding from the City of Burlington.
Definitions
Corporation Refers to the Corporation of the City of Burlington.
Community Capacity Building A process that strengthens the relevance, responsiveness, effectiveness and resilience of organizations. For example, an event, a training session, a promotion campaign.
Community A group of people bound by common beliefs, values or interests, ethnicity or place of origin, geography or other self- identified commonality.
Events A one-off single activity, occurrence or celebration typically taking place over a concentrated period of time, such as a few hours.
Not-for-Profit Is a corporation that has articles of incorporation establishing the organization as a not-for-profit corporation
One-time funding Lump sum funding or funding that is phased out over a period no longer than three years.
The community can only apply every five years for Community Investment Funding.
Programs Refers to regularly scheduled activities (minimum once per week and 4 repetitions) of a recreational, sport, leadership development, art and cultural nature as defined by the departments Leisure Services Policy (e.g. structured programs, community leagues, camps).
Principles
The following principles are taken into consideration when investing in the community:
1. Community members want to contribute to their quality of life.
2. Community members have great ideas on how to enhance their quality of life in the public realm.
3. Community groups can be informal or organized (e.g. a group of neighbours on a street or a legally incorporated not-for-profit organization).
4. Community groups sometimes need financial assistance to launch a program, project or event and the City agrees to support with one-time funding, provided that the group is not receiving any other financial assistance from the City.
5. A community group can only receive funds once every five years.
6. The funding program (approvals, amounts) will be at the discretion of the Manager of Community Development Services as identified in the policy.
 EXCLUSIONS
• Properties governed under another body, agency or business (e.g. school board, board or agency)
• Private Property
• Individuals
• On-going financial support such as operating grants
• Organizations whose purpose is related to political or religious activity
• For-profit organizations
• Foundations
• Schools, hospitals and public agencies
• An activity or project that conflicts with existing City policy
Annual fundraising events/projects
• Organizations or groups of individuals organizing an event, program, project or activity that is in furtherance of a position either for or against an issue over which the City is a regulator or may have a legal interest
• An event, program, project or activity that conflicts with City policies, Council decisions or directions
Policy Guidelines
There are two streams for funding
Community Capacity Building Projects*
Application Period Accepted at any time Accepted once a year
Review Team Community Development Section with subject matter experts as required Cross department team to review feasibility of the proposal. May evolve to include community members as neighbourhood committees are developed
Review Period Once per month Three months
Criteria for Review
• Completeness of the application including organization/event budget
• Meets the eligibility criteria requirements
• Demonstrates need
• Linkage with the City’s strategic plan • Completeness of the application
• Meets the eligibility criteria requirements
• Linkage with the City’s strategic plan
• Will provide a public benefit
• Demonstrated community interest
• Feasibility
• Demonstrates on-going maintenance and upkeep
• Ability of the community match the financial contribution from the City
• Realistic budget
Implementation Project must be completed within one year. Project must be completed within one year of the contract
In the setting of the 2016 budget city council did approve funding for the project. There have been about 15 – maybe 20 projects.
Next week we will write about several of those projects and get some sense of what works and what doesn’t work from a citizen’s point of view. The funding allocation for neighbourhood projects is set at $300 which some people feel isn’t quite enough.
Denise Beard, Manager, Community Development Services, has a target of having 150 projects on the go in the city during 2017 – the year that Canada celebrates its sesquicentennial – this country came into being 150 years ago.
It is a brave target – let’s see how it works!
 By Staff
March 30, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
CogecoTV has announced they will be broadcasting the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) South-West Conference Final live in its entirety from Georgetown and Burlington
The Georgetown Raiders and Burlington Cougars will be facing off against each other in the South-West Conference Final for the Buckland Cup. The Raiders knocked off the North York Rangers in the semi-finals. The Burlington Cougars who finished last year 2nd last in the league won in a deciding game 7 last night against the Oakville Blades.
 Long-time CogecoTV sports producer Brad Scott stated “We are very excited to bring our viewers and fans of the OJHL this Conference Championship. We cover our Halton teams on a regular basis with our game coverage on the OJHL Tonight as well as our weekly program OJHL Rinkside. This Conference Championship will be action packed and the Halton rival will add fuel to our broadcasts.”
 The Conference Championship will be available to Cogeco customers on channel 14/700HD in Milton/Georgetown and channel 23/700HD in Burlington/Oakville. It will also be available to cable customers across Ontario on the Super Sports Pak (channels will vary). Schedule for this series to be confirmed – check tvcogeco.com for schedule updates.
 By Staff
March 28, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
We goofed.
A number of people wrote to tell us that both Test Kitchen locations have been closed for a number of months: Clearly we don’t get out as much as we’d like. We apologize for the incorrect information – which doesn’t take away from the fact that it was the place to be. Something was seriously wrong with the business model – but the mood and the food were both great. Let’s give them credit for giving it at go.
 Were things on Brant Street ever really vibrant? One reader commented: “That you used Test Kitchen as an example of success for the downtown is telling: Test Kitchen is out of business for both its Burlington locations. There does not seem to be a comprehensive plan to qualify, attract, and retain businesses that build an “environment” that makes downtown Burlington distinctive. At times, it seems that the city and major event planners are actively hostile towards the downtown business community.
A recent example was the Chilly Half Marathon where a McDonald’s truck was sampling free coffee in the downtown core. I am sure that Coffee Culture, The Village Perk (now out of business) Lakeshore Coffee House, and Tamp Coffee were happy that a corporate behemoth was given the exposure.
Maybe it is foreshadowing who is taking over the Second Cup location? Perhaps Burlington can take a lesson from the BIA of Corning, NY. Not a Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts or McDonalds within the boundary of the core.
While the rest of the town is struggling the downtown is truly “vibrant.” An inverse of what is seems to be happening here.
And just what is happening here? We will see what we can learn.
 By Pepper Parr
March 28, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
A number of people write to tell us that both Test Kitchen locations have been closed for a number of months: Clearly we don’t get out as much as we’d like. We apologize for the incorrect information – which doesn’t take away from the fact that it was the place to be. Something was seriously wrong with the business model – but the mood and the food were both great. Let’s give them credit for giving it at go,
The Finance Department advised the Community and Corporate Services Committee of the 2016 Proposed Budget and Tax Levy for the Burlington Downtown Business Improvement Area
The levy for 2016 will amount to $728,000.
Are the retail people within the BDBA boundaries getting value for the money?
 Brian Dean, top toff at the Downtown Business Association was out drumming up business for those of his members that took part in the Red Bag Sale. The BDBA is mandated to improve the downtown core and make it a place where retail and service operations can prosper; to market the downtown core as a place that people will want to go to for hospitality, entertainment and shopping.
How well did it do that job in 2015? Not all that well.
Those who concern themselves with the downtown part of the city give the word vibrant one heck of a workout.
And there are occasions when the downtown core is vibrant – but the event that brings about the vibrancy, the buzz, and the excitement has precious little to do with BDBA events.
 Good crowds – but they aren’t shoppers. How often is Brant Street shut down for events that harm the retailers? Sound of Music, RibFest, the really neat old car rally that took place, the Amazing Bed Race – those were events put on by other organizations and they all had people strolling along Brant street – did the event pull any business into the retail outlets? Don’t think they did.
There was an interesting promotional event put on by the Yellow Pages people – it looked like they got more benefit out of the event than the merchants who took part.
The most significant failure on the part of the BDBA is the way they dress up (or rather fail to dress up) the store fronts during the Christmas season.
 East side of Brant Street 10 days before Christmas 2013. It has been desperately dismal the past two years. A number of the major retailers on Brant Street don’t spend a dime on making their stores look festive.
Oakville does superb job and Milton is pretty good.
There are some retailers who are not on Brant Street who do a very nice job of decorating their windows; some of the retailers on the side street also make a real effort – but there isn’t a collective push – an occasion when the lights come on and the place looks inviting.
To add to the sorry situation – city hall doesn’t look as good as it could.
Where one does see that sense that Christmas has come is when the light go on in Spencer Smith Park – there are almost too many displays.
Talk with the members of the BDBA and you will hear less than complimentary comments from the association leadership. The negative remarks come from the members of the association that make that extra effort.
Retail is a tough business – for those that set up their shops along Brant Street – it is not easy and they need all the help they can get.
 A restaurant that set up a “popup” patio that increased his capacity and brought something interesting and different to Brant Street. will there be another one this summer? Shopping is an experience, dining out can is an experience. And there are places in Burlington that are delightful experiences. Get into the Test Kitchen on Brant and be prepared for an experience. The prices are close to unbelievably decent and the place is usually packed.
The pure retail operations have to rely on the quality and price point of their inventory but most important – the level of service.
There is a dry cleaner in the small mall on Brant Street that bends over backwards for her clients. The family are immigrants and they work hard. One could bet dollars to donuts that they have never heard of the BDBA and that the organization does very little if anything for them.
The budget that was put forward and approved in principle by council had some stress lines that didn’t get much in the way of attention.
The BDBA had to draw down $10,000 from their reserve in 2015 and will draw down an additional $10,000 in 2016. At some point that well goes dry.
 The association boundaries were expanded in 2015 bringing in a large automotive dealer that knows something about marketing – they might have some impact on a lackluster BDBA marketing program. The boundaries for the BDBA were extended in 2015 – that doesn’t seem to have had any impact – perhaps it needs some time to work itself into the way things get done.
And that may be the problem with the BDBA – the way thigs get done.
Council didn’t ask a single question of the BDBA delegation that was on hand to speak to their 2016 budget. It seems that having to dip into a reserve two years in a row is just the way things are done.
Mix that in with the overuse of the word “vibrant” and you just might have a train wreck in the making.
 Well over one third of the budget is for staff and administration – that $155,000 isn’t explained. Is this a healthy budget going forward. The levy of $728,000, is an increase of $14,610 or 2.0% over 2015. Overall, expenses have increased by $24,610 or 3.3%. Key expenditure increases for the BDBA’s 2016 work plan include enhanced investment in marketing, reinvestment in business recruitment services and sponsorship for the Burlington Comedy Festival. Additional revenues of $10,000 from the BIA Reserve Fund to balance the budget.
By Staff
March 28, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
April is going to be a really busy month – we can all come out of the winter cocoons and begin to enjoy the city.
 Spring Clean Up – Green Up is Saturday April 23rd this year Late in the month of April Burlington Green will be doing its annual Clean Up Green Up campaign.
The Comedy Night is back at the Burlington Legion on April 2nd. This amazing night of comedy for a great cause – Burlington Army Cadets The Facebook page says Air Cadets – media release says Army – tickets are just $15; doors open at 7:00pm with the show beginning at 8:00pm. Two amazing professional headliners who have toured all over Canada will be at the Legion.
 White peonies by Michelle Maurik was shown at the Louvre in Paris. Very early in April Michele Van Maurik will be showing her art work at the Seaton Gallery on Spring Garden Road from April Ist – May 29th 2016. The artist reception will be held Sunday April 3rd, 1 – 4 pm
Maurik is a much underappreciated and under recognized artists in the community. She is best known for her bold floral oil paintings, the dramatic use of light and her mastery of colour.
Her work has been displayed at the Louvre in Paris – not something anyone else in the region can lay claim to. This is a show you don’t want to miss.
The Teresa Seaton Studio & Gallery is located at Spring Gardens Road, just across from the Royal Botanical Gardens.
 By Pepper Parr
March 26th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
As Standing Committee meetings go it was a pretty full agenda. The afternoon session was full and some significant recommendations were made. One was so important to this council that they held a Special meeting of council to pass a recommendation they had made minutes before – that had to do with the designation of a piece of property in the city core in ward 2.
The Gazette reports on that event elsewhere.
 The webcast station is tucked away in a corner at the back of the council chamber. It needs an equipment upgrade and better oversight as well. The evening session had three items that were important:
1 – Memorandum from Mayor Goldring requesting pilot for private tree by-law in Roseland. (DI-01-16)
2 – Report providing enhanced cycling infrastructure options for New Street. (TS-06-16)
3 – Statutory public meeting and report providing information regarding a rezoning application for 2384 Queensway Drive (Habitat for Humanity Halton). (
The meeting did take place and there was some media in attendance. The Gazette chose not to attend this meeting – choosing instead to hear a presentation on what is being done with the Randle Reef – a pile of toxic sludge in Hamilton harbour that is being covered over using $2.3 million of your tax dollars.
We decided we could pick up the webcast and report on the evening meeting of the Development and Infrastructure Standing Committee.
Well – we are not able to report on that meeting – the web cast does not include either sound or the closed captioning. As of Thursday afternoon – no one seems to know quite why.
 Councillor Craven chaired the Development and Infrastructure meeting and was not aware it wasn’t being fully broadcast. No one told him. As a former broadcaster that must rankle him. The Chair of the Standing Committee didn’t appear to know that his meeting was not being effectively broadcast. There is no reason why he should. The Information technology staff didn’t seem to know that the broadcast wasn’t complete either.
The Gazette was able to get through to Councillor Meed Ward who made inquiries – the city manager doesn’t appear to have been in the loop.
This is sort of like a radio station going off the air and no on at the station being aware that no one could listen to what was being said.
The city did add a note to the web site saying:
D&I – Mar 22, 2016 – 6:30 pm
Due to technical difficulties, the evening session of the Development and Infrastructure Committee meeting on March 22, 2016 does not contain audio or closed…
We don’t know of there was a malfunction of the equipment or if it was the web caster who didn’t push a button or if the committee clerk failed to push a button.
The record of the meeting is lost – forever apparently – so the public has no way of knowing what the Mayor had to say about his motion to create a private tree bylaw nor do we know what the discussion was about adding bike lanes to the construction work currently being done on New Street.
The Committee Clerks does take minutes –we are about to see just how completely inadequate those minutes are. We will publish them just as soon as they are available.
The questions one asks is: What’s going on at city hall? We do not believe the failure to capture the sound and the closed captioning was deliberate but we do wonder aloud why someone did not check to ensure that the sound was being captured and broadcast. Is this something the webcaster should have done ? Is it something the Committee Clerk should have done? Should the Committee Chair, Rick Craven have checked, or more importantly, should the webcaster or the Committee Clerk alerted the chair to a problem – and once it was evident there was a problem should the city manager James Ridge not have made a statement and apologized for the screw up?
This mistake points to a bigger problem – the equipment the city uses is ancient and the quality of the broadcast is terrible. The mages are fuzzy and it is difficult to understand just who is speaking at times.
We have a city administration that goes on and on about how well they engage the people picking up the tab – but they rob you of the opportunity to go back and see just what the rascals are doing.
 By Staff
March 23, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Thursday evening Halton Police Officers will be playing local youth in a friendly ball hockey game at Glad Tidings Church, 1401 Guelph Line in Burlington.
Once a month, since March 2014, Burlington officers engage in Youth Sports Nights.
These nights provide an opportunity for youths and police to interact in a relaxed environment. This strategy was initiated by the youth of the North BurLINKton community organization. The youths challenged members of 3 District’s Community Mobilization Bureau (CMB), and the officers accepted.
These nights are a drop in style community event open for teens 12-18 years old. The events are free and open for local youths to attend and engage in fun physical activity/organized sports.
It was designed to create positive police interaction and assist in breaking down barriers between police and local youths.
We will let you know who wins.
 By Staff
March 23, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
2016 is all about mobile web and short ‘bite-sized’ communications. Our desktop messaging has shifted to our smartphones and tablets, and spelling and grammar have been slashed in favor of thumb-typing speed. All the while, we still need to pack meaningful information, courtesy and etiquette into our messaging.
 I’ll call this one – you call that one. Hundreds of bizarre texting jargon expressions have spawned as a result. Primarily about shorthand and the removal of capitalization and punctuation, the new jargon is all about speed and brevity.
It saves us keystrokes to say ty (thank you) and yw (you’re welcome).
Capitalization and punctuation are optional. Yes, English teachers cringe at this new and loose language of messaging. In text messaging, lowercase is the norm for speed. For desktop email and IM, UPPERCASE is acceptable for emphasizing one or two words a time. AVOID TYPING ENTIRE SENTENCES IN UPPERCASE – IT’ CONSIDERED RUDE SHOUTING.
Some of the more used shorthand –
WBU – What About You?
IDC – I Don’t Care
W/E – Whatever
Also: wuteva – Whatever
PROPS – Proper Respect and Acknowledgement
NP = No Problem
NVM – Never Mind
IDK – I Don’t Know
TYVM – Thank You Very Much
WTF – What the F*ck?
LOL – Laughing Out Loud
BISLY – But I Still Love You
BBIAB – Be Back in a Bit
If you want to add to the list – add a comment.
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