It is a brand new clean slate – how much of the baggage from 2015 you want to drag into this New Year is you choice.
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December 30th, 2105 BURLINGTON, ON What was the best thing that happened to city in 2015; What was the worst thing that happened to us in 2015 and what was important but got totally ignored? IGNORED in 2015 The province is reviewing the 1996 Municipal Elections Act, to explore how ranked ballots could be implemented by municipalities across the province. Ranked ballots allow a voter to rank candidates in order of preference instead of voting for a single candidate. The option to use ranked ballots would give municipalities an alternative to the current municipal voting system.
A working group made up of municipal clerks, municipal representatives and ranked ballot advocates will provide the government with advice on how to make ranked ballots work best in Ontario. The Mayor said he was onside for this one – he usually is onside for anything that is progressive – the problems is with his follow through – and to the best of the Gazette’s knowledge nothing has been done. It is now probably too late to get any change in place before the next municipal election is called. The Mayor may have a team of people burrowing away in the back ground sussing out what the issues are and what the challenges are going to be. Mayor Rick Goldring tends to be media adverse for the most part. From time to time he does a dilly – the posting of that selfie the day he took the bus to work wasn’t his brightest idea. When he was given an all-electric car to drive around so Burlington Hydro could begin to gather data on just what the electricity requirement might be for a busy person who chose to use an electric vehicle there wasn’t a word from the Mayor’s office. The Gazette literally bumped into the story in the city hall parking lot. WORST THING CITY COUNCIL DID:  The land shown as parkette was sold to the abutting property owners. When the owners of property that abutted this land became aware that selling the land was an option they moved quickly to purchase the property, which they had every riht to do. They hired Peter Rusin to research the muddied history of the property and he produced a report that apparently justified the sale of the property. The Rusin report was never made public. The Mayor said publicly that selling the land was showing leadership. What he did was sell one of the crown jewels – the land is likely to never come back into public hands. OUR BEST MOMENT IN 2015:  The Mayor opened the meeting and had every reason to be proud of the hundreds of people in the room. It was the city at its best. There wasn’t one single remark about not helping. More than 30 people spoke up and explained hat they were doing and where they needed some help. The concern that the meeting could go terribly wrong was evident with the number of police at the back of the room including a deputy chief and the Superintendent of the Burlington station. They weren’t needed. The Mayor opened the meeting and had every reason to be proud of the hundreds of people in the room. It was the city at its best and probably the best thing that happened in the city in2015
December 29, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON The year in review – July, August and September – how did the city do? July 2015 Burlington Transit asking its riders what they want
Burlington’s federal Liberals launch their campaign; they sense a victory in the air. Changing the culture at city hall; bringing in the department leadership needed – and getting a Code of Conduct in place for the politicians. Federal government decides the CN Milton Logistics hub needs to benefit from the eyes of an independent panel. Truck traffic impact on Burlington roads worrisome. Messy council debate refers the Code of Conduct to the city manager.
Is the Food Truck a fad, a new phenomenon or the shape of things to come? Is there a future for the oldest farmhouse in the downtown core? Could be if the city planners and the developer get creative. Premier plans to make room for more politicians in the legislature. An electric vehicle charging station will be installed in downtown Burlington at the parking garage on Locust Street. The Flood – It was small in area and it hovered in the one place and just kept pouring – dropping almost as much rain as Hurricane Hazel in 1954. August 2015 Can we pull it off? The potential is significant and it will certainly change the city in a rather positive way. Premier tells Ontario Mayors they will get a better deal next time there is a localized disaster.
Rebuild of the Freeman station is coming along nicely – they still need help with a lot of the work. Get in on it now – when this thing is done it will be something to be able to say you were a part of. Where do we put 35,000 people in the next 25 years? And what will the city have in place in the way of roads and transit to move these people around? September 2015 Is there an Arts Council in the city’s future? Should there be one? Does anyone care?
A fourth GO station for Burlington? It is in the works. City Clerk opens the kimono just a little and lets you see how Council voted on recorded votes. Most of the community and corporate affairs discussion at council was be behind closed doors – six confidential items on the list. City challenges residents to Think Outside the Car – the process of changing the car culture has begun Transportation Minister explains what the provincial government is going to do with rail transit – catch up and keep up!
The full year: Ist quarter – January, February and March 2nd quarter – April, May and June. 4th quarter – October November and December. To follow.
December 29, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON One of the real pleasures of living downtown is being close to Spencer Smith Park and being able to watch the storm waves roll in off the lake, Donna Zaffino managed to get out and take a handful of pictures which she shared on her Facebook page – and we are sharing them with you. Donna’s husband has suggested she not go out on the Naval Promenade again.  Spectacular!  The waves just kept on rolling in. Her comment: 1st storm of the season earlier today when things were still calm. Now the wind is REALLY ripping and the breakers are 7 to 9 rows deep now. Rob says I have to stay home. bummer
December 29, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON What happened to our city during the 2Q (April, May, June) of 2015? Click on the link for the full story. April 2015 Mayor assures audience that intensification will not impact traditional communities – Tyendaga golf course seems to be safe.  THE Ice Storm Province gives the Region the balance of the $2.8 million promised to cover part of the cost of recovering from the ice storm December of 2013. Community Foundation distributes $897,000 to groups in the city – highest level ever for the organization. Strategic Plan deliberations begin – intensification and where people are going to live appears to be the question that will shape the conversation. City and region give Transport Canada their views on how the regulations regarding public input on air park development can be changed. Progress – finally. 11,970 people take part in the 2015 CleanUp GreenUp of the city. Transit advocates issue a short report with recommendations – will city council react? Who are these people? They have been nominated as amongst Burlington’s Best. Aldershot residents feel they aren’t being told the whole story – It’s not right and regrettable as well. Councillor Dennison’s OMB hearing to overturn a Committee of Adjustment decision begins Tuesday.  Air Park berm – built without a site plan City and the air park are back in court – city manager proving to be a man of few words when it comes to explaining what the city is doing. Public gets a look and a listen to the plans for upgrading Brant Square – developers hope to have it done by 2018. Early designs for the Windows on the Lake appear to get public support – local residents don’t seem to be as impressed. Burlington’s former Miss Canada has her sights set on the House of Commons – bye bye city hall. Public gets first look at the design for Beachway Park: it is almost five character parks strung together Head of the culture and heritage in Grande Prairie coming to Burlington to lead the AGB – wait till he sees the cost of a house in this city.  Ron Foxcroft – on hi way to met the Queen. Royalty is the next stop for Burlington’s most famous high school drop out. Plans for rebuild of Lakeshore Road are shown – lots of discussion to take place on this one: road to be raised a metre in some locations. Province to publish graduation rates: Halton Board released numbers yesterday. May 2015 Province reviewing Municipal Elections Act to give municipalities more choice in municipal elections; ranked ballot under consideration. Ontario plans to increasing protections for Condo Owners; little late for the $4 million that was taken from a number of Burlington condo corporations.  Council during a recorded vote. Vote on Code of Conduct deferred – Dennison wasn’t able to attend the meeting. Does the Ghent house on Brant Street at Ghent matter historically? Should it be saved and if it should how can a city do that? Beachway Park will cost $51 million – includes everything – even the cost of removing the hydro towers. Public will be able to take city council behavior complaints to an Integrity Commissioner once the Code of Conduct has been passed.  The Test Kitchen Pop Up seating on Brant Street. Pop Up Patio on Brant opens – 21 tables where two cars normally park – interesting menu and a fun place. Mayor returns after week long trip representing Burlington in Holland during historic 70th anniversary celebrating the end of WW II There just might be some life in the Skyway Plaza in the east end of the city – proposals and ideas are being kicked around. Community Foundation is ready to close the file on flood relief claims – $2.97 million will eventually be distributed. June 2015 Residential re-sale prices brisk; up 17.7 % year over year. Aldershot residents get an up close look at Masonry Court project – “not very imaginative” was one comment. Director of Education has failed twice at retirement; thinks he can get it right on this his third attempt – expects to leave in August.  Design for a Window on the Lake the public can actually get to. More than respectable Windows-to-theLake designs approved by a Council Standing Committee. Art Gallery of Burlington raises $60,000 at its Parisian themed Art Auction Board of education does a quickie and approves spending for both capital ($62.6 million) and operating ($685.7) spending in minutes – also says it will be going along with the new sex ed curriculum . Conservatives in new Oakville North Burlington federal riding choose Effie Triantafilipoulos over Blair Lancaster. New Burlington riding chooses Oakville Councillor as their candidate: Pam Damoff will run for the federal Liberals in Oakville North Burlington. What Burlingtonians told market researchers they liked and did not like about living here – what’s not to like?
December 29, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON Trevor Copp is the dancer who brazenly told city council in 2012 that there really was a cultural community in Burlington and Council needed to wake up and pay attention. That fresh start resulted in the creation of the Arts and Cultural Community in Burlington, a significant report on the state of culture in the city and the development of a Culture Action Plan plus the appointment of a Manager of culture at city hall. Copp sees that as just a start. Last year the star of the cultural community was how many indy ‘up and coming’ local artists/orgs ‘up and came.’  Kune Hua’s Wish Garden at the No Vacancy event held on Lakeshore Road this year. Selina Eckersall’s No Vacancy – a pop up Art event which was an unthinkable in Burlington five years ago – held its Supernova event this year on Lakeshore. The Burlington Performing Arts Centre saw its full local professional Series bloom with Tottering Biped Theatre, Nortsur, and Koogle Theatre all presenting works. The AGB’s new Executive Director Robert Stevens has for the first time acquired a piece by an internationally famous public art specialist from Lowville, Walt Rickli.  The FORM brought some of the most progressive dance the city has seen – great performance poorly attended though. And an all-out first: FORM Contemporary Dance presented the first Burlington original contemporary dance event ever this past Fall. Add in the Art in Action studio tour, the Burlington Slam Poets competing at the world championship, Symphony by the Bay rocking, and Burly Calling all holding their own beautifully. This is what will finally get us to come into our own: artists doing it for themselves. We’ve been meeting up a storm at the City and progress is slow. The city is a big boat and takes a long time to turn, with several Councillors still needing convincing that the Arts have a place in our budget, not just our hearts. Getting the City’s first manager of Culture Angela Paparizo into an office was a highlight – but we need a lot more of that going on so the City hall types can catch up to its people. In 2016 I’d like to see even more independent artists making things happen. The Burlington Shebang – a multi-year collaboration of many local artists – will culminate at BPAC in May.  The performance community really wants to see continued growth in for them in 2016 – they are hoping Susan Haines can deliver. She does need some time to put a program together. We’ll see if the new Executive Director at the Performing Arts Centre holds up Brian McCurdy’s vision of supporting local theatres. There’s a lot of possibility out there and we can have it all if we become impossible to ignore. The City needs to kick in more real money and energy for the local artists: no more plans, we need money on the table. We are putting the ‘url’ back in Borington and this is our time.
December 28, 2015 BURLINGTON,ON Does the past give any hint on what the future will bring? What happened in 2015 – a review of 2015 quarter by quarter. January 2015 – Not necessarily in chronological order. Taxes, taxes, taxes – how much and what are they going to spend it on. The city has in the past worked to engage the public by holding workshops that are usually quite well attended – that didn’t prove to be the case in 2015 – a pathetic turnout for public meeting on the budget at the Mainway Recreation centre – drew less than three people. The weather wasn’t good but the weather couldn’t be blamed – hockey games being played at the rink next door drew hundreds of people. There was a message in there somewhere.  Bridgewater stalls. The construction of a “legacy” project approved in 1995 on Lakeshore Road took a bit of a hit when the company brought in to build the three towers declared bankruptcy. It slowed down what eventually gets built on the southern side of Lakeshore Road Property values rise 8.6% in Millcroft and the Orchard year over year; sales down 4% Public got to hear that the city wanted to set the tax rate at – something upwards of 3.5% more than last year. City provides an update on city manager recruitment. Burlington had just the one General manager, Scott Stewart and he is one of the people applying for the job of city manager. Pat Moyle was serving as interim city manager and Scott Stewart has been carrying the ball as the sole general manager. Council had not interviewed all the candidates.  Scott Stewart Pat Moyle resigned to move into full retirement someone had to hold the job of city manager. City council appointed the city solicitor Nancy Shea Nicol as the interim city manager. Normally she reports to the General manager – Scott Stewart. Nancy Shea Nicol reports to Scott Stewart but because Stewart is one of the finalists for the job of city manager Shea Nicol has been made the boss of the man who she reports to. Scott Stewart was not appointed city manager – he quit and moved to Guelph Mayor thinks a pilot private property tree bylaw restricted to Roseland community might work – but that idea didn’t get any traction either.  Flood damage. First of the flood victims got to see some financial support. Of the 310 claims made for short term immediate help just three were turned down. Call has gone out for possible mural locations around the city. Drop in a sample of the results. City wanted to use photographs to animate the new website which raised hackles in the arts community – they wanted the city to pay for the pictures they used or at least give the photographer a photo credit. City decided to use stock pictures it could pick up free. Look for reader comments  ADI project The ADI development for lower Martha at Lakeshore Road was shown to the public for the first time. Public was close to outraged. It was pretty clear that Burlington wasn’t going for the ADI development proposal to put a 28 storey tower on the corner of Martha and Lakeshore Road. Council gets a pay raise: Recommendation was to: Maintain the compensation for Councillors at $53,095 per year and the Mayor at $121,676 per year (in 2014) and adjust annually on April 1 by a percentage equal to the average annual change in the all Ontario consumer price index (CPI) for the twelve month period October to September with the provision that the increase is to have the following banding: Report on the office space needs for the city never gets made public.  Beachway house sold. First of the Beachway homes sold for $600,000 The ADI group argues at a city council meeting that the design of their 28 storey tower will serve as an excellent gateway on the eastern side of the city into the downtown core. Residents argue it will loom over the neighbourhood. The 22 storey Bridgewater project a couple of hundred yards away will reach 22 storeys into the air. Flood relief cheques will begin to go out next week; just 50% of approved claims being paid now – balance to follow. City council voted 6-1 to sell off pieces of city owned waterfront property. Public did not get to see a confidential report from the city solicitor.  Hospital redevelopment February 2015 Council committee “miraculously” approves a budget in 3.5 hrs – now it goes to council for the rubber stamp Flood relief money making its way to victims; partial payments averaging $9000 + Mayor delivers his fifth State of the City address – promises to never mention the Pier again. Municipal bureaucrat from west coast, former armed services officer and currently an academic administrator appointed Burlington city manager. Waterfront Hotel to be demolished at some future date – three structures will go on the site – planners excited about the potential.  Low liquidation discounts. Target liquidation sale discounts seldom top 10%. March 2015 Premier meets with Mayors – Mayor Goldring has yet to tell us what they talked about.  Giving back Mayor gives certificates of appreciation to boys and girls who raised a record 281,878 pounds of food in the Giving Back project. Pop up Patios to appear on Brant Street May 1st. Public got its first look at what Beachway Park could look like – it was a noisy meeting. City planner Bruce Krushelnicki retires joins the Ontario Municipal Board.  City council voted 6 – 1 to sell a stretch of waterfront property between |Market and st Paul street south of Lakeshore Road – staff had recommended the property be leased. Top story: Selling of waterfront property:
Each of these stories can be read in full – all you have to do is plug the words into the search engine at the top of the home page.
December 27, 29015 BURLINGTON, ON 2015 was a big year for the environmental movement. It was a year of historic agreements, milestones, diversions, sensible policy making and oversights.  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Climate Change talks in Paris. Internationally, the biggest environmental story was the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris which will be remembered both for its achievements and failures. Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna as well as the rest of the Canadian delegation deserve recognition for their efforts to negotiate the historic Paris Agreement. As the Paris delegates were debating, atmospheric CO2 levels passed the 400ppm milestone, which is a 42% increase since the start of the industrial age only 150 years ago. The last time the earth’s atmosphere had this much CO2 was two million years ago. Back then, the earth’s climate was 6C warmer, the arctic was ice free and sea levels were about 30M higher than they are today. If all Paris Agreement signatories respect their voluntary self imposed, non-binding limitations, CO2 in the Earth’s atmosphere should stabilize near the same level they were 45 million years ago, when Greenland had crocodiles and palm trees. While the Paris agreement is most likely too little, too late to prevent extreme weather events and catastrophic environmental disasters over the long term, at least most of the world now agrees that climate change is a serious problem requiring action. Most of the world has now pledged to reduce CO2 emissions to zero by 2070. Since this pledge is non-binding and voluntary, its achievement is highly unlikely. Paris Agreement signatories have agreed to meet every 5 years to review their progress (or lack of progress) and hopefully sign new agreements which may actually include mandatory limits and punitive measures for non-compliance. The Paris Agreement also includes a mechanism for countries hardest hit by climate change associated disasters to receive international aid and calls on developed countries to voluntarily share green technologies with less developed countries. The Paris Agreement isn’t much, but it is progress in the right direction. Nationally, the biggest environmental story was the election of a new Liberal majority government, which appears to be far more aware and concerned about environmental issues than the previous Conservative majority government. As the Green Party candidate for Burlington in the last election, I must admit that I was dismayed that environmental issues which threaten to make our planet uninhabitable took a back seat to trivial debates over the clothing choices of some ethnic minorities. For most environmentalists, the words of the Justin Trudeau government are like a breath of fresh air. Hopefully the new government’s actions will prove to be equally refreshing. Provincially, the Ontario Government finally passed three important laws to help protect the environment and environmental advocates. First, the Great Lakes Protection Act is intended to protect and restore the ecological health of the Great lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin and create opportunities for stakeholder participation in efforts to protect, preserve, restore and create habitat. Second, the Ontario Invasive Species Act creates a framework to criminalize the possession, trafficking and release of problematic alien species which threaten Ontario’s native ecosystems.  Great Lakes Protection Act is intended to protect and restore the ecological health of the Great lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin. Finally the Ontario government passed the Protection of Public Participation Act, which will help protect free speech from Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP). Unfortunately this new law is not retroactive and comes too late to protect local residents Pepper Parr, Vanessa Warren, and Monte Dennis from a $100,000 Burlington Airpark libel lawsuit. Municipally, the biggest environment story of 2015 in Burlington remains the Cootes to the Escarpment EcoPark System. In June 2013, local government and non-profit organizations in the Burlington-Hamilton area agreed to cooperatively manage nearly 1,900 hectares (4700 acres) of natural lands in Burlington and Hamilton to protect and restore what is arguably Canada’s most biologically rich and diverse ecosystem. This globally significant, environmental award winning urban park stretches from Hamilton Harbour, through Cootes Paradise to a 10-kilometre section of the Niagara Escarpment. The Cootes to the Escarpment EcoPark is the only part of escarpment not separated from Lake Ontario by a 400-series highway. The Cootes to the Escarpment EcoPark system is home to nearly a quarter of the country’s wild plants and more than 50 species at risk.  Part of the Cootes to Escarpment park system. The park’s scientists and technicians are an important source of local environmental knowledge and expertise. I highly recommend participating in their educational and stewardship events. On May 30, 2014, Mr. John V. Holland generously donated a 15 hectare (37-acre) natural area in the Cootes to the Escarpment EcoPark system to the City of Burlington in honour of his wife Eileen to be managed as the new Eileen and John Holland Nature Sanctuary. On December 15, 2015, partners of the Cootes to Escarpment Ecopark System were able to finance the purchase of nearly 40 hectares (100 acres) of natural lands situated in the Greenbelt in Hamilton. Hopefully the Cootes to the Escarpment Ecopark system will continue to grow and inspire local landowners near the park to be responsible stewards of this biodiversity hotspot.  Has Burlington found a way for wildlife and we humans to share the apace we both occupy? A second important local story is the City of Burlington’s new and improved approach to managing urban wildlife. The issue of urban coyotes especially has been emotional with many strong feelings on all sides of the issues. Councillor Jack Dennison and City of Burlington staff deserves credit and recognition for their successful effort to create wise and sensible city policies and by-laws to manage Burlington’s urban wildlife. They took the time to listen to all points of view, consulted the Ministry of Natural Resources experts, local environmental and citizens groups to develop a rational and sensible approach to managing Burlington’s urban wildlife in a way that reduces conflict, promotes greater understand and also stewardship. Burlington’s new by-laws and policies will reduce the risk to people from urban wildlife and at the same time reduce the risk to urban wildlife from people. Other municipalities would be wise to adopt Burlington’s rational and reasonable “Coyote Response Strategy.”  As roads penetrate into the Amazon Rainforest, fires and deforestation follow. This image from August 5, 2007, shows scores of fires burning along roads and at the edges of already cleared areas of the Amazon in southern Para and northern Mato Grosso states in Brazil. The image and fire detections (marked in red) were captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite. The biggest environmental story of 2015 remains the relatively unknown Holocene Mass Extinction Event. Five times in the past, something has happened which killed off most of the life on earth. These events are known as Mass Extinctions. Each past mass extinction event required millions of years before new species evolved and the earth recovered to its former level of biodiversity. The last mass extinction event happened 65 million years ago, wiped out the dinosaurs, gave rise to the dominance of mammals and eventually the appearance of modern humans. While most biologists have been warning that a mass extinction event was likely underway, they lacked empirical evidence that could quantify the current mass extinction’s scale and timeline. In 2015, a new study by a group of scientists including Paul Ehrlich, the Bing Professor of Population Studies in biology and a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, published in the journal Science Advances, based on empirical peer reviewed evidence which proves that species are disappearing much faster than the historical background rate. The study’s best case scenario is that 75% of all species on the planet will become extinct within 2000 years, with most of the rest ceasing to play a significant role in the natural services which scrub CO2 and pollutants from the air, clean the water and rejuvenate the soil. The study’s worst case scenario predicts that 75% species will become extinct in less than 200 years. Exponential human population growth with increased per capita consumption has altered or destroyed natural habitats and ecosystems. The main human impacts were caused by • Land clearing for farming, logging and settlement  A parking lot today – it was once part of some of the very best farmland in the province from which produce was shipped around the world. Residents of Burlington need not travel far to see the evidence of the Holocene mass extinction event. All of Burlington used to be as richly biologically diverse as the Cootes to the Escarpment EcoPark System. Today in Burlington, most of the Carolinian forests have been cut down and most of the prairies have been paved over. Nearly every tree, shrub, flower and grass in that people in Burlington deliberately cultivate is an alien species. Nearly every ornamental garden in Burlington has at least invasive species that will soon be banned by Ontario’s new invasive species law. Our urban natural areas are mostly overrun with alien invasive species which have escaped our ornamental gardens and our urban creek floodplains filled with hundreds of tons of trash in the form of tires, couches, car batteries, television monitors, plastic, broken glass… I know because I have literally removed a few tons of trash myself. Our local habitat loss problem is part of the global habitat loss problem and can’t be blamed on anyone else but ourselves. I wish I could end this story on environmental stories of 2015 on a positive note. But I can’t. We are obviously ruining the planet and most people don’t care. I am certain that in the future, our grandchildren and their grandchildren will look back to this point in time and wonder how we could be so irresponsibly destructive and uncaring about the future of the earth’s biosphere. I wonder too. If anyone is reading this article 100 years from now, I’d like to apologize to you. We could have and should have done much better, but we were too distracted by a few people’s clothing choices and too busy in our daily lives to give the future of the earth any serious thought or consideration. Sorry.
By Staff The kids have been up for hours, the gift are unwrapped and you are settling in for a comfortable day or perhaps visiting with family, or food for family that will arrive soon.
Remember, if you will, what we are celebrating – and the why of it all.
Week of Friday, December 25, 2015 through Thursday, December 31, 2015 In the Heart of the Sea (PG) Creed (14A) The Good Dinosaur (G) Love the Coopers (PG) The Peanuts Movie (G) Spectre () Suffragette (PG) Bridge of Spies (PG) Goosebumps (PG) The Martian (PG) Hotel Transylvania 2 (G) The Intern (PG)
December 21st, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON Jack Dennison believes he got himself over one of the hurdles he faces in getting a new pool at Nelson Park for the residents of his ward. The 50 metre pool at Nelson was taken out of commission in May when inspectors found that it was unsafe – due, apparently to the damage done by two back to back heavy winters. The pool was first opened in 1963. The steel structure with a commercial grade liner was scheduled for an upgrade in 2019.  Built in 1963 – the Nelson pool was due for a rebuild in 2019 – didn’t quite make it. The ward Councillor wants to fast track the replacement pool and have it opened for July of next year. The pool was to reopen June 13, but with two severe winter seasons back-to-back, the steel tank at Nelson Pool had seen an accelerated rate of deterioration.” said Chris Glenn, Director of Parks and Recreation for the city. Parks and Recreation had hoped to find a solution but by August it became evident that the pool was never going to reopen – it would have to be rebuilt. In December a staff report was issued with a number of options: Option 1 Option 2 Dennison picked up on the views of the community and decided he would fight for what the community once had – a 50 metre pool. He held a ward information meeting at his recreation facility where the audience was small, made up for the most part of members of the Devilrays competitive swimming club.  The Nelson pool is the only location suitable for competitive events in the city. The swimmers lobbied every member of council – and handed the council committee Clerk a thick file of petitions. That and a solid delegation from a service club and the Standing Committee went for the first option. That got confirmed at the city council meeting last week. The next step for Councillor Dennison was – When! He wants the new pool in place for the summer of 2016 – the city manager didn’t see it quite that same way. Dennison wanted a Design and Build approach rather than the longer, and more expensive approach – putting the job out to tender where the city has to accept the lowest bid that comes in. Dennison argues that there are a number of pool builders in the province who built swimming pools for the Pan Am Games. They have the experience and have used the most recent technology and could get a new pool in place quite quickly – by July of next year according to Dennison who has had conversations with a number of pool builders. With a council decision to build a “like for like” – they had a 50 metre pool – so they get a new 50 metre pool – Dennison now needs to convince his colleagues to direct staff to put out a call for Design and Build proposals. The city manager was having a bit of a problem with that approach. His view was that city council was straying onto his turf and that the decision as to which approach should be taken was part of his domain. City manager James Ridge, who brings his ten years of Canadian Army Military Police experience and background to his task, has run up against Jack Dennison who doesn’t have much time for org charts and chains of command. Jack Dennison just wants to get out there and get it all done. Next step for Dennison is to see if he can find the three votes he needs to get the Staff Direction passed. Will he be able to convince three of his fellow council members to vote for a Staff Direction to at last take a look at what a Design and Build proposal would look like? It is going to be hard for those members of council from the east end of the city to say no to just looking. Mayor Goldring once represented ward 5, will he say no? The 200 emails members of council got from the swimming club members will have an impact on any decision that gets made and when the rest of the community hears that it just might be possible to have their pool in place for next summer – well you can get a sense as to how that discussion is going to work out. Assuming Dennison can get a Staff Direction voted on – he then has to find the money to pay for the work. Joan Ford, city treasurer, did say the money was in place for the work to be done in 2018 – and maybe 2017 if some juggling around of funds were done. Dennison points to a number of tasks that were going to be done in the ward that he would have no problem with doing some switching of delivery dates on.  Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison has served on city council for more than 20 years – he knows the territory exceptionally well. Will he have his way with the city manager? What just might be shaping up is a bit of a showdown between the city manager, who has yet to be tested, and a city Councillor who wants to deliver a big one for his constituency. The two issues just might end up on the front page at about the same time as Dennison’s Ontario Municipal Board hearing on his appeal against a Committee of Adjustment decision not to allow him to sever his Lakeshore Road property where he lives in a historically designated home is heard. This is one to keep an eye on as we move into a new year. Don’t count on Dennison losing this one.
December 18, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON Children at local elementary schools were challenged with designing an engaging poster around the theme of the RBC Blue Water Project. Launched in 2007, the RBC Blue Water Project is a 10-year global charitable commitment of $50 million to help provide access to drinkable, swimmable, fishable water, now and for future generations. RBC and Art Gallery of Burlington teamed up to spread awareness of this project while instilling values of environmentalism and creativity in our future generation.
There were 119 entries; all from Catholic schools. RBC announced the winners of the environmental-themed children’s art contest at the Art Gallery of Burlington earlier this week. The winners of what the bank calls it’s Leo’s favorite” award were: Grade 8 – Holy Name of Mary School – (group ) Ariana, Giuliana, Kasia, Natalie & Renata All the artwork is on display at the AGB until December 23rd. The event was a curated Kids’ Exhibition RBC will also be making a donation to the Environmental Charity of choice for the winning participants. The winners were each awarded with a bag of art supplies from the Art Gallery of Burlington. Additionally, each of the three schools will receive an in-class art instruction from one of our educators.
December 19, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON Some people call it ACCOB, some people call it the Collective – its real full name is The Arts & Culture Collective of Burlington – it was formed about two years ago and came out of a delegation that Trevor Copp gave to a city council Standing Committee at which he pleaded for more support from the city for the cultural community.  Trevor Copp, the Burlington actor who mobilized the arts into a Collective, makes a point on leadership while Executive Director of the Burlington Museum’s operation Barb Teatero listens. “I want to be able to do my work where I live” said Copp at the time “and not have to become a GO train commuter. That delegation opened the eyes of many members of council who had no real appreciation for how robust the non-organized part of the cultural community is. The Art Gallery has its Guilds, and there are a few other organized arts and culture groups but the energy that exists within the younger people wasn’t on the radar screens the politicians look at. The Collective has had a very significant impact on the development of the Cultural Action Plan the city seems prepared to implement – much of that the cultural community gets will depend on how the budget deliberations go – there isn’t going to be enough money to cover everything on the want list. The Collective isn’t waiting for the city to give them a handout – they are currently doing a survey on what the cultural community believes they need in the way of professional development. The creators of the survey are encouraging every discipline to take part – they want to hear what anyone and everyone in the cultural community thinks they need in terms of professional development.
The survey is anonymous and only one reply from any one particular computer. Some possible professional development workshop/panel choices are: Auditioning Tips The Collective will be supported on this project by the Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington Performing Arts Centre, KooGle Theatre Company, Open Minds Respect Events (OMRE), No Vacancy, Teresa Seaton Studio & Gallery, Tottering Biped Theatre and others. The mission of the Arts and Culture Collective of Burlington is to advocate for the arts and culture of Burlington and to increase appreciation, support and involvement with arts and culture in the community. Prime contact at the Arts & Culture Collective of Burlington is Jim Riley – 905-979-9583 or by email at artscultureburlinton@gmail.com Click HERE for the survey.
December 18th, 2015 “With the arrival of the holiday season, I am reminded of everything we have to be grateful for in Burlington” he said. “We live in a city that is rich in environmental beauty, from the Niagara Escarpment to Lake Ontario. These areas offer an opportunity to connect with and appreciate nature. “Burlington is also a city that brings people together. This season, residents can skate at Rotary Centennial Pond, visit the spectacle at the Burlington Festival of Lights or enjoy a walk along one of our trails. These are times to come together with friends, old and new, and celebrate the season.  Mayor Rick Goldring “We are an inclusive city, where diversity is embraced and celebrated. We can also be proud of being a safe community. Thank you to those who put their lives on the line every day to protect and serve. “Among our many assets are our residents, who with caring and compassion, give back to Burlington. “I encourage you to take a moment during the busyness of the season to reflect on what you are thankful for – your family, your health, your neighbours and your community. “I also ask you to assist, if you can, those who may need a helping hand. There are many organizations across our city that help individuals and families of all ages and backgrounds not only during the holiday season, but year round. “On behalf of Burlington City Council, as well as the Goldring family, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas and wonderful holiday season.”
December 16, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON The Halloween contest worked very very well – so it made sense to use the same approach to getting reader attention to run a Christmas house decoration contest. Even a quick drive around the community will tell you there is plenty to choose from.  Leslie Bullock Leslie Bullock, a Realtor who has served the city for several decades – she also served as a city councillor when Walter Mulkewich was Mayor, has always come up with imaginative ways to involve the community. She asks: “Do your neighbours compare your house to the Griswold’s at Christmas time? Or do you prefer to take tips from Martha Stewart? “Either way, I would like you to capture your snowmen, reindeer, lights and the rest of your (exterior) holiday decorations in photos and send them to us! Get creative, take your best pictures and upload them to our Facebook page.
All entries must be submitted no later than 11:59pm on Friday Dec. 25th. This contest is open to all residents of Aldershot and the city of Burlington. The top five entries will be selected by our team and posted to our Aldershot Facebook page by Monday Dec. 28th. Visitors can then vote for their favourite home on our Facebook page by sending us an Inbox message noting the address of your selection. Voting will run until Friday Jan. 1st at 11:59pm, with the winners being announced by Monday Jan. 4th. The Facebook page is HERE Prizes: First Prize: A full-year Family Membership to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Aldershot (value = $115), compliments of the RBG Enter today and share the most festive images of your home all decked out for the season. Remember, the entry deadline is Christmas Day, December, 25th. Privacy Policy: We understand that your personal information is very important to you. We at Team Leslie Bullock won’t use, share or sell your personal information to anyone. Nor will your personal information be posted to our Facebook page and photo albums – we will only mention your street name on the page. This information will be used strictly to administer this contest and to inform all winners if and when they are selected.
Upper Canada Place,
Week of Friday, December 18, 2015 through Thursday, December 24, 2015 Secret in Their Eyes (14A) Love the Coopers () Miss You Already (PG) The Peanuts Movie (G) Steve Jobs (14A) Suffragette () Bridge of Spies (PG) Goosebumps () The Martian (PG) Hotel Transylvania 2 (G) The Intern (PG)
December 12, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON Mountain Equipment Coop in Toronto had been doing it for 13 years. They suggested the Burlington store take up the idea. The Burlington Mountain Equipment Coop called Burlington Green and asked if they were interested – they were and the result was a table at which you could get gifts, purchased at the Mountain Equipment Coop wrapped free at a table in the store manned by the people from Burlington Green.  Amy Schnurr, ties a spring of cedar to a gift package Everything used in the wrapping was environmentally friendly. Each package had sprigs of cedar tied on with string that was – yes you got it – environmentally friendly. Mountain Equipment Coop was packed with holiday shoppers. There was no snow of course – we have mistreated this planet so badly that it has lost it bearings and is having difficulty figuring out the time of year. The season is one of hope and on this day some of the leaders of the world at a meeting in France agreed that the nations would cooperate and agree to keep the increase of Co2 emissions to less than 2% and ideally over time reduce them to 0.
The free wrapping will be available on the 13th, the 19th and the 20th from 11 am to 5 pm. Mountain Equipment Coop is now known as MEC
December 8, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON The Gazette erred – big time – on the original version of this article, we put a price tag on the public art that was just plain wrong – and we apologize for the error. The correct numbers are now in place. The public art that came in at between $5,000 to $10,000 each for the six wards was officially unveiled last week. It is worth looking at – some of it is drive by and not that easy to actually see – others you might not get to. The Gazette is pleased to show you both the art and the artist. The local artist mural initiative is a new public art program designed to tell local stories using local artists. This year’s program commissioned six small to medium-scale murals throughout the city. These commissions were open exclusively to Burlington, Ont., artists. Free professional development opportunities were offered to assist artists with the application process and project development. The city’s public art adviser ran a juried competition and the following six people were selected: • Judy Mayer-Grieve: King Road Underpass, Ward 1  Judy Mayer-Grieve did the mural at the King Road Underpass. There was a time when the King Road was often just a line up of vehicles waiting to cross the rail line. The underpass was a huge improvement – which the mural celebrates.  Clair Hall did the mural on the side of the Freeman Station. While the station is some distance from where it once served Burlington which was then an agricultural community, the restoration of the station is one of the best examples of citizens moving in and taking on a project the city could never manage to make happen.  Teresa Seaton did the art work that is in Amherst Park park next to a community garden. The art has been tempered and will easily withstand the winter weather.  Hannah Sell and Liam Racine did the art work that is located in the small Port Nelson Park where it will be seen by thousands. There was a time when tonnes of timber was shipped from a wharf at the foot of the park.  Tamara Kwapich did the mural in Orchard Community Park; once the location for some of the best apple orchards in the province.  Donna Grandin did the four pieces that are at Ireland Park. Each reflects a different part of the city. The Gazette was fortunate to be able to watch Teresa Seaton do her art work – she provided a number of pictures that she grouped as “the process”.  One of the stained glass pieces being assembled.  Teresa Seaton at her work bench. Seaton advises that the “better photo-graphs” were taken by David Galway
December 10, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON The only thing that will prevent the Christmas Collage from taking place will be consistent rain – and while there may not be any snow – there will be ice at the Rotary Pond at Spencer Smith Park and that is all we need explained Michaela DiMarcantonio The event is seen as the Kick off for the holiday season. Presented by Mercedes-Benz Burlington to support of the McMaster Children’s Hospital Foundation.  The kind of talent you can expect at the ice show. This is the second annual Mercedes-Benz ice show that will bring performers together to share their passion for ice sports and the arts on Friday, Dec. 11, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. at the Spencer Smith Park on the Rotary Centennial Pond in Burlington, Ont. “Youth performers are the stars of our show,” shared Joanne Corner, Producer and Director, Christmas Collage. “It is important to celebrate their talents while in the spirit of the Christmas season giving back to the McMaster Children’s Hospital.” The evening hosted by Clint “Bubba” O’Neil will incorporate seven ice sports into a choreographed performance including figure skating, synchronized skating, hockey, sledge hockey, ringette, curling and speed skating. Santa Claus will also be joining in on the fun.  Members of one of the ice skating teams taking part in the holiday season kick off event. Admission for the Christmas Collage is free and all guest of all ages are welcome to attend. Online donations to the McMaster Children’s Hospital are encouraged and can be made at the following link: www.hamiltonhealth.ca/ChristmasCollage The nonprofit organization began in 2014 with a vision to bring the Burlington and surrounding community together during the joyful time of Christmas. Christmas Collage is committed to raising funds to benefit local charities. 7:30 p.m. at the Rotary Centennial Pond in Spencer Smith Park, Burlington, Ont.
December 9, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON It was a very good response to a staff report that they liked but didn’t like – the decision to do something about the Nelson swimming pool in the eastern part of the city. The Gazette will report in more detail later today – we can say now that city council decided they would re-build the pool and that it would be a 50 metre pool.
prudent and that 2017 was the more likely with 2018 a possible date as well. You can imagine how that went down. More later.
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