 By Pepper Parr
May 13, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The route for the Pan Am Torch run has been determined. It will go through Burlington on Friday June 19 and start at Brant and Leighland and proceed south to Caroline where it will turn west along Caroline to Locust.
South on Locust to Elgin
West on Elgin to Maple and south on Maple into Spencer Smith Park.
The Torch Route will start at 17:40 (5:40 pm) arriving at the stage at Spencer Smith Park at 18:25. (6:25) pm These times need to finalized with TO2015, which we anticipate shortly.
 Pan Am Torch route – Friday June 19, The 19th of June is Sound of Music time of year – so the Torch run will somehow become part of the Sound of Music.
There are hordes of people involved in the Pan Am event. Corporations are being asked to think in terms of possible staggered hours for their employees or have them work from home.
Traffic is expected to be a bit of a mess for the whole of the Pan Am and the Para Am games.
 This is the torch Burlington’s representative will carry June 19th Burlington has what the bureaucrats are calling “non-event” status – which is a polite way of saying nothing is going to take place in Burlington other than the practice soccer games that will take place at City View park – but the public will not be allowed to watch those games.
All these decisions were made before Burlington was recognized as the best mid-sized city in Canada to live in.
 Dr. Ashley Worobec will carry the Pan Am Torch through Burlington and into Spencer Smith Park. Dr. Ashley Worobec will carry the Torch for the Burlington portion of the run into Hamilton.
Worobec is a Burlington based chiropractor at the Burlington Sports and Spine Clinic. She is also an avid Crossfit practitioner.
A mother of two young children, she is actively engaged in numerous community activities and blogs about her community, her practice, parenting and staying fit and healthy.
By Pepper Parr
May 12, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Part 5 of a multi part series
It is difficult to get a full sense of the size and scope of the Beachway Park that the designers have put together.
It amounts to five different parks all rolled into one – with more than enough to do for any family.
 Three kilometres in length from the |Pier to the Canal – a good healthy walk The distance from the Pier to the Canal is 3 km with all kinds of trails and places to rest. One of the problems with the park in its present form was the lack of food options – and restrooms. Slim pickings with both.
 Throughout much of the park’s environment there are dunes that are sensitive and need to be protected from any kind of vehicle and heavy pedestrian traffic. The west end of the park has space for bacchii ball, Beach Volley Ball, a soccer pitch. There was no mention of a horse shoe pitch – but that could get added.
 Those purple splotches are destinations; places to go to swim, play a sport, take part in a small festival; shop at a market garden or look at art that will be for sale. There are shelter areas for festivals and market and arts and craft sales.
 Beacons will be spread throughout the park telling you where you are. Each will have some form of illustration.  Parts of the park will have space to set up tents for short term events.
It will be difficult to get lost. The park designers have come up with a system of markers which they call beacons. They will have both names and number and as you can see from the graphic above – they will be spread throughout the park.
This is going to be a walking park – there will be paths galore that are well marked. What hasn’t been explained is how well lit the paths and trails will be. without lights at night the park would become a dangerous place.
When the plans for a park were first put out in 2012 the argument went that houses were going to be torn down to make space for parking lots. The design that is on the table today does have parking lots but they are not in places where houses exist.
The houses are being taken out so that park facilities can be built and Lakeshore Road re-aligned.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
By Pepper Parr
May 12, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Each term of office city council has some opinion research done on what the citizens think of the way their city is governed and how good or bad the delivery of services is.
The Gazette will report on that document in some detail – it is a little on the complex side.
Politicians being politicians they are interested in knowing how they are doing in their wards.
  The research provided an interesting glimpse at what you the public felt about how services were being delivered in your ward.
The chart, explained the researchers, presents top two box satisfaction ratings (excellent/good) for each service offered by the City of Burlington by Ward.
The data in the ward comparison table highlights the extent to whichthe differences between the wards on each service are statistically higher or lower than each other. The sample size for the opinions at the ward level was 125 people.
Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven showed that once again his residents see him as delivering for them – those in the Beachway take exception to that view but the people in Aldershot see their Councillor as coming through for them. Craven understands fully that you take care of your people and they will take care of you.
On the other extreme the folks in ward 5 where Paul Sharman is the council member have nothing they are happy with and a number of things they are unhappy about. The August 2014 flood impacted the opinions of people but that flood wasn’t in just ward 4; Councillor Dennison did much better in terms of the way his constituents saw him working for them.
Marianne Meed Ward, in ward 2. had two areas of concern: transit and the way the community is designed. Many tend to see Meed Ward as a very strong advocate on how the community is designed – the opinion poll suggests otherwise.
 Dennison seemed pleased with how his residents ranked the delivery of services in his ward. Councillor Dennison seemed both surprised and pleased wit the rankings he got; a private tree bylaw still isn’t a go for his ward. Given his views on spending on the arts his ranking there was a bit of a surprise. Ward 4 seems to have decided to live with how Dennison has decided which of the city’s bylaws and zoning provisions apply to him. The public is waiting for the Ontario Municipal Board decision of his appeal against a Committee of Adjustment decision to nor permit the severing of his Lakeshore Road property.
 Blair Lancaster’s constituents seemed happy with what they are getting. Everything is coming up roses for the Council member who now wants to ride off to Ottawa to continue serving the people. The responses Blair Lancaster got for the work she does in ward 6 will serve her well in her quest for the federal Conservative nomination in the newly created riding of Oakville North Burlington.
Quite why the people in ward 3, where John Taylor reigns, are unhappy about cemetery service is something he might want to explain.
Interesting data. They all did get re-elected.
By Pepper Parr
May 11, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Part 4 of a multi-part series
The Beachway Park could turn out to be a stunning addition to the city. All they have to do to get to that point is get the funding needed – there isn’t even a guestimate as to what it will cost and the resolve the issue of the houses that are within the park boundary.
The draft plan the public was shown at a meeting early in April, where less than 100 people got to actually look at the plans, didn’t reveal a lot of the detail.
The Beachway Park Plan is close to mammoth in scale. The Gazette was able to obtain a document with more detail which we have been sharing through this multi-part series on the plans for the park.
Spencer Smith Park will have some features added to the west end. Once the redevelopment of the hospital is close to completion Lakeshore Road is to be raised as much as a metre where is curves towards the Waterfront Trail and slopes westward towards the Water Sewage Treatment plant at which point it will turn 90 degrees towards the QEW and the proceed west again.
 The plan is for six distinct park areas – each with its own character and serving different needs of a larger population. There are basically five parks all rolled into one with different themes and activities. The Living Shoreline, which will probably be the first part to be developed, will include a boardwalk MORE HERE
To the west of the Shoreline park there will be a park that has been named The Strand which is where most of the aquatic activity will take place. Further west will be The Wind Park area and just to the north of that The Commons.
 The Skyway/Federal Pier part of the Beachway Park plan pulls in parts of the western end of the city most people know very little about. Then there will be what is being called Skyway/Federal Pier which is a part of the Beachway that few people ever see. It is getting into what many see as Hamilton territory and indeed it is just a couple of yards to the bridge that crosses the canal.
The early drawings call for a meadow area along the edge of the canal that is inside Hamilton Harbour.
There is some very rich Burlington history tied to the canal. At one point there were two bridges – one just for the railway line.
There was once an accident that had a ship colliding with a bridge – that was a problem that had to be dealt with.
Touring ships used to tie up at the canal pier where crowds would gather when important shipping events took place.
The canal today is a pretty lonely place – that just might change if the plans for the Beachway Park get past the draft stage.
 A close up view of the 30 homes that are currently located in the Beachway. There are a number of hurdles to overcome – gaining possession of the 29 homes that are still in private hands – a significant number of the people living in the Beachway don’t want to be bought out; others might be waiting until the price is right.
The current plan isn’t the first for the park area that has been trotted out for the public.
What is driving the plan at this point is the need to provide public space for the significant increases in population that Burlington is going to see between now and 2041.
The city knows now how much it is expected to accommodate in terms of additional population. The Regional Municipality of Halton serves more than 500,000 residents in the City of Burlington, the Town of Halton Hills, the Town of Milton, and the Town of Oakville.
That number is going to grow substantially by 2041. The Regional government already knows how many people it is going to have to absorb – what it hasn’t worked out yet is how much of the growth is going to be sent to Burlington.
Milton has seen phenomenal growth in the past decade – Halton Hills has not seen as much.
 There will be changes to a trail used by thousands of people every week – for the better – probably. Some long range planning has to be done now in order to be ready for the population growth. Anyone who thinks Burlington is going to remain the way it has been for the past 10 years is smoking stuff that is not yet legal.
In the meantime – there is a park to be built and if the plans shown to the public are an example of what to look forward to – this could be something very interesting and attractive.
There are several phases set out in the development plan. Don’t expect to see anything started in the near future.
There is an Environmental management and restoration plan that informs the Master Plan and provides direction for:
RESTORATION AND PROTECTION OF NATURAL HERITAGE
INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL
LONG-TERM MONITORING
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
Then there is an Implementation and phasing Strategies plan that will focus on
CONTINUED PROPERTY ACQUISITION
FUTURE PARTNERSHIPS
EDUCATION AND AWARENESS
PROGRAMMING AND MAINTENANCE
FUTURE REPORTS AND STUDIES
PLAN REVIEW
The phasing at this point is:
PHASE 1
SPENCER SMITH PARK + THE LIVING SHORELINE + THE STRAND + THE WIND BEACH
PHASE 2
PRIORITY PROPERTIES; + ADDITIONAL ACQUISITIONS.
PHASE 3
THE COMMONS + THE SKYWAY + THE FEDERAL PIER
Part 1 of a multi part series
Part 2 of a multi part series
Part 3 of a multi part series
 By Staff
May 11, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Ouch – 10 to 1 – for the other guys.
The Burlington Bandits, this city’s entry into the Inter County Baseball League held took part in a game on Saturday and took a drubbing.
 The Majors just hit too many of the balls Perego was throwing. The London Majors pounded out 15 hits and took advantage of five Burlington errors in a season-opening 10-1 win over the Bandits Saturday aMajors third baseman Alex Martinez went 3-for-5 with a run scored, as five London batters had multi-hit games.
Cody Mombourquette, Larry Gonzalez, Brett Sabourin and Argenis Vargas each had two hits.
Majors leadoff hitter Humberto Ruiz had a double and scored three runs.
London starter Oscar Perez went five innings, giving up one run on two hits. He walked three and struck out three.
For Burlington, starting pitcher Dylan Perego was tagged for four runs (three earned) on eight hits in six innings.
He struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.
Adam Odd had the lone RBI, a sacrifice fly that scored Brad Bedford in the bottom of the first.
London (1-0) will host Hamilton May 15 at 7:35 p.m. at Labatt Park, while Burlington (0-1) hosts Brantford May 16 at 1 p.m. as it opens the season with four games at Nelson Park.
 By Pepper Parr
May 9, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It was described as a Role Call – a standard armed forces event when they check to ensure everyone is accounted for.
Saturday morning at Civic square there was a different Role Call – it was for the men and women who served in a war that ended seventy years ago.
 Cadets salute as the Colour Party marches into the Civic square for the beginning of the Roll call The event took place in Burlington while the Mayor and city Councillor Blair Lancaster were in Apeldoorn, one of our twin cities, representing the citizens of Burlington and most particular the veterans of that war who are still alive
There was a healthy contingent of Burlington Dutch citizens in Apeldoorn as well; we have a very strong Dutch community that had played a large part in making Burlington the city it is today.
The event at Civic Square was for those who wanted to remember members of their family that served.
It was an incredibly moving event; some of the speakers didn’t make it through their remarks. Other told Burlingtonians stories we had no heard before.
 Citizens line the Civic Square to both witness and participate in the Roll Call of those who served. Councillor Rick Craven, in very moving comments told of a relative who lied about his age and joined up at the age of 15.
In his remarks Craven talked of standing on the beach at Dieppe and wondering how those men managed to race across what was then a stony beach and remain alive while German gunners in the bluffs above them were raking the grounds with machine gun fire.
There was hardly an army regiment, or an air force wing that didn’t get mentioned or a naval squadron that wasn’t mentioned.
Individuals walked to the podium holding pictures of their relative and talked about the way they served. Some, too many, spoke of people who did not return.
Mention was made of the Murmansk run through the frigid Atlantic and into northern Russia with badly needed supplies.
 More than 100 Burlingtonians stood quietly waiting for their turn to remember their relatives during the incredibly moving Roll call that took place in Civic Square. The Desert Rats – nick name for the British 8th Army, were heard of as well as the the VanDooz – Royal 22nd Regiment out of Montreal.
Mention was made of a man who was killed at the Somme and awarded the Victoria Cross; a Davey who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for missions in the 405th and the 408th squadrons.
Another spoke of a unit that raced the Russians into Berlin during the closing months of the war; another who was killed in France on Black Friday.
The Queen’s Own Rifles, the Princess Pats, and the Black Watch – there were so many of them – too many.
We sent tens of thousands of our young people away, many to not return.
 Five veterans who served in the Second World War stand during the prayer that was read at the closing of the Role Call Today more than 100 people in Burlington got to stand before their fellow citizens and speak proudly of the sacrifices while five veterans sat and listened quietly while their minds floated back to those times.
In his remarks Craven talked of standing on the beach at Dieppe and wondering how those men managed to race across what was then a stony beach and remain alive while German gunners in the bluffs above them were raking the grounds with machine guns.
The organizers of the Roll call had no idea how many people were going to show up. We got five time the number that RSVP’d said one Legion member.
The individuals walked quietly to the podium, there was no applause, they just held their picture before them and spoke for a few moments and then left as quietly as they came – proud that they had had that moment.
By Pepper Parr
May 8, 2015
BURLINGTON ON
Part 3 of a multi-part series
The west end of the Beachway Park does not get a lot of pedestrian traffic. Lakeshore Road ends and curves into Eastport; Lakeshore Court is home to a dismal looking cinder block building and a house that was once a grand structure. Times have changed for both structures which are now defined as priority properties that have to be acquired if the park plan is ever to proceed.
The planned park is five different parks rolled into one and if the financial hurdles and finding a way to acquire the homes that are in the way can be found – construction on the park will begin sometime in 2018 – once the re-development of the Joseph Brant Hospital is complete.
The people who did the draft version of the park that was presented to slightly less than 100 people at a public meeting in April have changed much of the west end and turned it into a very active part of the planned park.
They created a section they call the Commons and another section they call Skyway/Federal pier. Both parts border on the Burlington canal which itself is rich in local history. While the canal is not Regional property nor does it belong to the city – it’s federal government property with all kinds of rules and regulations surrounding a vital waterway for Hamilton – the park planners have included it
The Commons and the Skyway/Federal Pier are part of a much bigger picture.
The Beachway Park- from the Canal to the west end of Spencer Smith Park The plan is very large in scope and while there are no times lines announced yet and there is no budget allocated, the development of the park is seen by the Region as a major development for their parks program.
The plan calls for some changes to the west end of Spencer Smith Park as it merges into the new park at the point where the Joseph Brant Museum is located and Lakeshore curves and leads towards what will be the new entrance to the Joseph Brant Hospital will be located.
Lakeshore Road will be raised as much as one metre at this point and taper down to a new height of half a metre at about where the water treatment plant is today. At this point Lakeshore Road will be realigned and take a 90 degree turn to the right and run closer to the QEW.
There are five distinct areas within the Beachway Park – each will have its own theme. These are the draft plans – the properties needed to make the part happen have yet to be acquired by the Regional government – residents say they have no plans to sell. There are essentially five parks, each with different purposes and orientations. The upgrades to the western end of Spencer Smith make it six parks.
The Living Shoreline will be much different than what people see now – today it is just something people walk past. The Strand will continue to be the aquatic area where the Pump House stands.
The Wind Beach will see quite a bit of change.
The Commons is a completely new idea and represents the biggest changes to both the landscape and the homes that are in place now.
 The Commons is at the extreme west end of the park and will undergo the most significant change in terms of the number of activities brought to the area. The jetty on the Burlington side of the canal will be incorporated into the park and there will be both shipping and naval interpetation stations.
 These homes are on the lakeside of Lakeshore Road and are considered priority homes by the park planners. The portion of Lakeshore Road in the picture will be moved to the left and align with the QEW. Lakeshore Road, which currently runs down the middle of the land – will be shifted closer to the QEW so that what is now road will become recreational area.
That recreation will include volley ball courts, lawn courts and Food Trucks.
There is some very environmentally sensitive dunes in this area – they will be protected.
 This is a cinder block garage at the end of Lakeshore Court steps from the canal There will be a couple of shaded areas with a structure that will have benches. There will be a few very small parking lots: 30 space size, along with a number of landscape enhancements to keep any traffic noise the Eastport Road from filtering in.
There will be a lot of activity: an artisan/market; washrooms and a play area along with 28 spaces of on street parking.
There will be a festival park – small in size.
There will be a pond park, additional interpretive stations as well as a Storm Water management pond with a open edge.
There will be a Pond Pavilion as well.
This is the part of the park that has many, perhaps most of the “priority homes” that the park designers have said must be torn down if the design of the park as they see it is to be completed.
 Definitely the most magnificent looking house in the Beachway; it backs onto what was once the railway line which suggests that it was built before the rail line was put in. It too is amongst the “priority homes” that the planners want taken out. This home could be moved and restored. The current residents fall into several categories: those who say they will fight to the bitter end and are never going to move; those that are resigned to having to move eventually and hope that eventuality can be pushed well off into the future. There are a few angling for the best price they can get from the Region. So far just three properties have been sold; two of those were an Estate sale.
Part 1
Part 2
 By Staff
May 7, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
One of the most gifted and at times controversial writers on important public issues, Jeff Rubin returns to Burlington to mark a major event in publishing and in fiscal and environmental analysis–the release of his new book The Carbon Bubble.
 A compelling, forthright author and speaker, recipient of the National Business Book Award and author of two momentous works of economic forecasting, Why Your World is About to Get a Lot Smaller and The End of Growth, Jeff Rubin is in great demand in all media for his cautionary insights and startling predictions.
“If the world is changing, those willing and able to change with it will be rewarded. For a high-latitude country like Canada, whose average temperature is expected to rise a multiple of the global average that change points to a fundamental rethink of our national economic priorities.” –from The Carbon Bubble
 The Diffeent Drummer, is hosting Jeff Rubin in partnership with Burlington Public Library on Monday May 25 at 7pm in Centennial Hall at Burlington Central Library, 2331 New Street.
Tickets are $10, available at the bookstore and at the third floor Information Desk at the Library.
To reserve seats in advance, please contact us at (905) 639 0925 or diffdrum@mac.com.
By Pepper Parr
March 6, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
When we did a report on the reception for the publication of Janet Turpin Myer’s first book Nightswimming we said that “Burlington may have just witnessed the introduction of a major new writer.”
Meyer’s has just published her second title: The Last Year of Confusion
 Janet Turpin Myers works in a bright, sunlit room filled with the smell of cedar trees when the windows are open. Her publisher, Maureen Whyte said of Meyers: “I believe it demonstrates a true ability to write well when an emerging writer doesn’t merely copy a previous storyline. Janet has written an engaging, funny, yet thought-provoking book that takes readers on a wild – but rewarding – journey.”
A story brimming with satire, dark humour and truth, the book follows Villis, a cranky retired anthropologist and survivor of Stalin’s gulag work prisons, as he works vigilantly with his long-time pacifist friend, Bipin, to protect the unspoiled forest they call The Pearl.
There are no coincidences, Bipin believes – so when a young man on an obnoxious all-terrain vehicle begins chewing up forest trails and squashing amphibians, Bipin seeks the cosmic meaning inherent in this assault. But Villis wants to wage war.
The two friends’ naïve efforts to dispel the ATV-man from their beloved woodland haven spiral into a rollicking chaos of confusion, involving celebrity impersonators, visions of cavemen, and a time portal swirling from within the vibrating heart of The Pearl. Mingling pathos and tragedy with humour and a keen perception of the superficiality of current pop culture, The Last Year of Confusion conveys profound ideas regarding peace, faith and love.
 Janet Turpin Meyers, local author launches her first title. Her second title will be released later this month. “I have used satire and, yes, shock features, in this story for an important reason,” says Myers. “I want to encourage readers to think about how pop culture, TV reality shows and celebrity personalities have lured our attention away from not only the environmental crisis our planet is in, but also from the abiding threat to human freedom by oppressive political and state forces.”
Book Launch will be at – the Cedar Springs Community clubhouse on May 24th – 2081 Grand Blvd., North Burlington- , starting at 2:00 p.m. The author will give a talk about the book, along with a short reading. Refreshments will be served.
By Staff
May 5, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
There was no shortage of suspense and excitement as the winners were chosen at the 3rd annual Pythons’ Pit competition in Burlington last night.
 Cory Hudson – Ambient Audio Canada (Open Category Winner – $20,000) Developed by the Rotary Clubs of Halton, it is the region’s most exciting entrepreneurial event. Finalists in the Open and High School categories had the opportunity to pitch their business concepts and product ideas in front of a live audience and “The Pythons”, a panel of business moguls from the community. At stake: cash awards and range of in-kind professional services and mentoring to help them launch their businesses.
A large crowd of supporters were on the edge of their seats at Performing Arts Centre as the Pythons made their difficult decisions in the annual competition, which is supported by presenting sponsors RBC Royal Bank and MNP LLP along with several groups and community partners.
In the Open Category, Cory Hudson, a 5th year Biology student at the Wilfrid Laurier University (originally from Oakville) took home a $20,000 cheque for his handmade and engineered Bluetooth speakers with unique lighting features. Hudson believes his Ambient Audio Canada initiative “will help people create a deeper connection with their music” and the Pythons agreed. A surprise 3-month $7,000-worth free lease offer from RioCan sweetened the winning pot! Hudson was one of five finalists in the Open Category.
 Jennifer Palfi (High School Winner – $1,500) First Place in the High School Category went to a group of bright and energetic Grade 12 students from Burlington’s Nelson High School. David Vanderberg, Ben Mallory, Jassim Moslim and Megan Long impressed the Pythons with ‘Coffee Run’, a unique app that facilitates a more organized and systematic way to ease the ordering experience. They’ll share $2,500 in prize money.
 Robert Omer Carriere (Open Category Contestant) Other cash prizes in the six-finalist high school category went to Jennifer Palfi, a Grade 11 student at Bishop P.F. Reding High School in Milton for ‘PeraCards’, a unique app for sending handwritten cards from a mobile device and Kush Yegnaswami, a Grade 12 student at Garth Webb Secondary School in Oakville whose ‘Aquaponics’ food production invention captured the imagination of the Pythons.
 David Woolford (Python), John Stix (Python), Megan Long (High School Winner – $2,500), Ben Mallory (High School Winner – $2,500), Jassim Moslim (High School Winner – $2,500), Michele Bailey (Python) In the spirit of Dragons’ Den and Shark Tank, Pythons’ Pit attracts the best and brightest of Halton’s budding entrepreneurs. The event, emceed by veteran broadcaster Connie Smith was recorded live by TVCogeco and will be the subject of a multi-part mini-series in the fall of this year.
 By Staff
May 5, 2015
MILTON, ON
Crawford Lake Conservation Area is featuring the artwork and writings of talented Tuscarora artist Raymond R. Skye. The exhibit, titled Haudenosaunee Clans…Extended Families of the Iroquois opens today, Tuesday, May 5 and will be on display 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily until June 30, 2015 in the newly built Deer Clan Longhouse.
 Raymond Skye The exhibit will engage guests in a rich experience combining art, video, and hands-on elements to build understanding of the heritage and clans of the Haudenosaunee people. Imagine standing in a modern longhouse, listening to the lyrical poetry of the book The Great Law Kayaneren’ko:wa as written and narrated in English by Metis author David Bouchard, and in Mohawk by Six Nations of the Grand River community member, Frank Miller. The powerful words are accompanied by the visual feast of Raymond’s artworks.
Tim Johnson, Associate Director for Museum Programs, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, Washington and New York had this to say about Skyes’s work:
“The value of Raymond Skye’s artistry is immeasurable. In an information age where ideas and influences are transferred around the globe at the speed of light, it is vitally important that distinct cultures and nations have in place powerful and sustainable mechanisms for their preservation. As an earnest and life-long student and teacher of Haudenosaunee culture, Ray’s contributions to his heritage are numerous and exceptional.
His art documents the primary narratives of Haudenosaunee origin, emergence, and history, enveloping substance within imagery that informs cultural awareness and inspires the people to forever remember. The presence of an artist like Raymond Skye in our community and nation is not only invaluable, it is essential!”
—
By Staff
May 5, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
On May 12, 1989, Mayor Roly Bird signed a twinning agreement with Mayor Kurihara of Itabashi, Japan.
 Many Burlington visitors see the rows of cherry blossom trees as a bridal arch. The trees were a gift from Japan. As a result of that agreement two rows of Sakura Cherry Blossom trees have grown in Spencer Smith Park.
On Saturday, May 9, 2015, 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Art Gallery of Burlington, Lakeshore Room the public is invited to the Sakura Cherry Blossom Festival.
The Japanese look forward to the annual bloom of the sakura tree as it is the premier sign of spring in Japan and blossom viewing parties are organized by companies, departments, neighborhoods and families.
Highlights:
Japanese taiko drum demonstration, with Burlington’s own Do Kon Daiko drum group
Koto performance and hands on demo by members of Kiri Koto Ensemble
Japanese dancing performed by Suzuran Odori Dancers
Martial arts displays from Burlington’s Shudokan Family Karate.
A presentation outlining the history of the sakura, both in Japan and here in Burlington
 Each year, usually in May, the trees blossom adding to the splendor of |Spencer Smith Park Burlington’s sakura trees are located in Spencer Smith Park, near the gazebo and the pier
 By Staff
May 5, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Better late than never – I guess.
The city sent out a media release this morning saying who is part of the Burlington delegation in Holland to mark the 10th anniversary of the twinning of Burlington with the City of Apeldoorn and the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands.
The delegation left for Holland on Sunday and was busy at events on Monday.
 It will be the trip of a lifetime for those who will take part in the farewell dinner being held at Palace Het Loo Mayor Rick Goldring leads the delegation that consists of Ward 6 Councillor (and Mundialization Committee’s council member) Blair Lancaster; Scott Stewart, General Manager of Development and Infrastructure; Rob Peachey, Manager of Parks and Open Spaces; Ed Dorr, Chair of Burlington’s Mundialization Committee; and Charles Minken, Chair of Burlington’s Apeldoorn subcommittee. They will be in the Netherlands from May 4 to May 9, 2015.
The Burlington Teen Tour Band and a citizen delegation will also be in Apeldoorn.
 European splendor at its finest – tour of the Palace and dinner may well turn out to be the highlight of the event. “This is a great opportunity to join the people of the Netherlands to remember the Canadian and Allied soldiers who lost their lives for liberation and freedom,” said Deputy Mayor Marianne Meed Ward.
The delegation will also discuss business opportunities with Apeldoorn officials.
May 4 – Remembrance Day Ceremonies
• Commemoration Loenen
• Commemoration Oranjepark (silent walk of remembrance)
May 5 – Liberation Day
• Wageningen Parade (Burlington Teen Tour Band performing)
• Remembrance concert Amsterdam (official liberation concert on the Amstel for the King and Queen of the Netherlands)
May 6
• Veteran Affairs Canada event
May 7
• Tour of Apeldoorn’s water technology program
• Visit one of the City of Apeldoorn’s multifunction centres for firefighters, paramedics and municipal workers
• City Hall reception and Burlington Teen Tour Band performance
May 8
• Meeting with Apeldoorn officials to discuss business opportunities (Canadian Ambassador James Lambert to be in attendance)
• Preview of Burlington Park (the Burlington Teen Tour Band will perform)
• Citizen delegation farewell dinner at the A-Ford Museum in Beekbergen
 With gardens like this at the Palace Het Loo city Rob Peachey, Manager of Parks and Open Spaces should return to Burlington with hundreds of ideas for our Parks. May 9
• Apeldoorn Veterans’ Parade (Burlington Teen Tour Band closing the parade)
• Liberation concert with Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet
• Farewell dinner at Palace Het Loo
May 10 – return to Canada
The media release sent out this morning is the first recent mention from city hall of this event.
Related article:
City delegation in Holland
By Staff
May 4, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Art – mural art to be specific – is going totally local. If you don’t reside in Burlington – you don’t get considered.
The City’s Public Art program has been massaging this idea for a while now – calling it the Burlington Mural Project, it is designed to tell local stories using local artists.
 This mural is on a store wall in Scarborough. Intended as an annual program, it will commission small to medium-scale murals throughout the city. These commissions are open exclusively to Burlington, Ontario artists. There will be free professional development opportunities offered to assist artists with the application process and project development.
Six murals (one mural per ward) will be commissioned in Year 1 of the program. Commissions will range in value from $2,500 – $12,000 depending on the scale and complexity of the project.
The locations for the murals were selected through a public process. Residents were asked to submit mural locations and themes (via an online and in-person survey). 333 location suggestions were received, resulting in 114 unique locations. Locations that are not selected in Year 1 will remain on file for subsequent years of the program.
Applications can be found on the Calls for Artists page
The public art program hosted a ‘Murals 101’ workshop on April 25, 2015, which featured Karin Eaton, Executive Director of Mural Routes and mural artist Allan Bender in a lively discussion about contemporary mural making.
 This mural is at the rear of the Flat Iron building on Front Street in downtown Toronto They discussed a variety of mural techniques and materials using real life case studies. A copy of the powerpoint presentation and additional notes are available on the Public Art website.
The applications are due on June 8th
Application Review Sessions will take place on May 25-26, for those who need help preparing an application to the Burlington Mural Program? The Public Art Managers are hosting a free application review session on May 25-26. Book a one-on-one session (20-30 minutes) to review a draft of your application and receive constructive feedback.
These sessions are open to all artists who are actively preparing an application to the Burlington Mural Program. Attendance will be voluntary and appointments must be booked in advance. To book an appointment please contact: Kim Selman, kim@cobaltconnects.ca or 905-548-0111
There are a wide variety of resources related to mural production, installation and conservation online. The Public Art program managers have complied a list of useful resources that may be helpful when preparing an application.
The project is being managed by Cobalt Connects – they are looking at a possible ten year program but add that it will probably be more like five years.
Five murals in each ward of the city might be a little over the top’
It will be interesting to see what comes in in the way of ideas.
By Staff
May 4, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington has announced the entertainment lineup for Canada Day that includes the Stellas and Symphony on the Bay.
The Stellas have been selected to headline the Canadian Tire Main Stage on at 3:00 p.m. Brad and MaryLynne Stella make up the husband-and-wife country duo from the Toronto suburbs, and have toured with Zac Brown Band, Johnny Reid and Terri Clark.
 Symphony on the Bay will have the Canada Day Fireworks accompanying their performance at 10:00 on Canada Day. Symphony on the Bay became an orchestra in 1973. It recently made the Burlington Performing Arts Centre its home and will play the celebrations again this year. The community-based symphony will accompany the fireworks presentation at 10:00 p.m.
 The Stellas have been selected to headline the Canadian Tire Main Stage on Canada Day. The Burlington Events Office held a Twitter contest for musicians to win a performance spot on the Canadian Tire Main Stage.
Residents voted on three finalists, with Devin Moody the winner. Moody, from Burlington, Ont., is influenced by 1950s’ music. He’s toured throughout Canada, the United States and Japan and is currently a semi-finalist in CBC’s Searchlight contest.
Other entertainment planned for the annual celebration includes:
• White Pine Dancers
• Burlington Teen Tour Band
• Jessica Mitchell
• Mystic Drumz
• Johannes Linstead
• Fireworks presented by BUNZL
 By Pepper Parr
May 4, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Part 2 of a multi-part series
The park is close to massive in scale – at least for Burlington. City View Park is probably smaller. It will be a collection of destinations – most of which the public knows nothing. The Beachway Park Master Plan is essentially five different parks all rolled into one. It begins at the western edge of Spencer Smith Park and ends at the canal.
Its development has been controversial. That part of Burlington was once a thriving, albeit a bit of a down at the heels community
 1032 Lakeshore Rd. ; a cottage demolished in 1994  1174 Lakeshore Rd.; a cottage demolished in 1992.  Beachway house located at what was once 1066 Lakeshore. It too has been demolished. There have been Master Plans for the Beachway as far back as the early 70’s. The current plan is looking at a different reality: the population of the Region is going to increase significantly and the Region wants and needs additional park space – not necessarily for the people of Burlington.
The squabble over the thirty some odd homes that are still in the Beachway park – and these are no longer cottages that look like they need a little work – will work itself out. Expect it to cost the Region quite a bit more than they budgeted for property acquisition.
In part 1 of this series we took a closer look at the first part of the Beachway Park – the Living Shoreline which begins at about where the Joseph Brant Museum stands.
 The Strand part of the planned Beachway Park will be where most of the aquatic activity takes place. It is also the point at which Lakeshore as it exists now will end and shift to the north. To the west is what will be called The Strand. It will be the part of the park where most of the aquatic activity takes place.
It is also the part of the park that will pay homage to the native life that was prevalent when Joseph Brant was given the property and for many years before that.
Several of the War of 1812 battles took place just off the shore line. That part of Burlington reeks with history and the intention appears to be to capture as much of that history as possible and display it in this part of the park.
There will be three parking lots – one will hold 67 cars, the next 78 cars and the third 106 cars. None of these parking lots will be in places where there was housing.
This will be the main swimming area, there will be ramps for non-motorized boats. The Catamaran Club will be in this area; the Pump House is within this area, and there will be a rental building in the area. The water sewage treatment plant will be on the other side of Lakeshore Road screened by large cedar trees.
The Pavilion, which hopefully gets a major upgrade, will also be in this part of the park.
It is as this point in the park that the Lakeshore Road in place now, takes a close to 90 degree turn to the right and begins to align with the QEW.
 The blue squares indicate properties the park planners have said they must have if they are to complete the planned development. It is these homeowners who are most threatened. This is where what were some of what were described during the public meeting as “priority houses” are located.
The area will be populated with play areas, exercise areas, space for Food Trucks, the large outdoor fireplace that has the potential to become a significant focal point will be in The Strand. The fireplace will be fed by a gas line.
 Some parts of |Lakeshore will have parking space – others will not have any room for cars. Shuttle buses will be used to move people from parking lots to different parts of the park. Shown here are two proposed road alignments – one with parking, one without.  The intention appears to be to keep some of the quiet trail areas – maintaining this feature will depend on how much pedestrian traffic there is. The Waterfront Trail will continue through this area. There will be spaces that are created for parking and spaces that have nothing but trees and other vegetation
Moving west there is Wind Beach which will extend right up to the canal and include much better use of the canal area – park benches and perhaps some lighting.
There will be a number of interpretive centres and a Dune Boardwalk.
The Wind Beach – a part of the Beachway that the public doesn’t get to very much – will undergo the most significant change and incorporate the canal area The Waterfront Trail will extend and curve to Eastport Drive, go under Eastport and on to the federal pier area. This part of the lakefront does not see much in the way of traffic now – that will change.
Lakeshore Road which will no longer come through the middle of the park – but will have been shifted to the north and closer to the QEW – opening up what was the road to recreational uses.
All of the homes in this part of the Beachway will have to be taken out for this to happen. What is currently known as Lakeshore Court looks as if it is going to disappear.
Is the battle over what is going to happen to the 29 homes over? Three have been sold in the past year – two were Estate sales.
Will most of them still be there ten years from now?
Is there a time line for the development of the park?
Is there an approved budget?
Related article:
Part 1 of a multi-part series.
 By Pepper Parr
May 4, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Mayor is not in his office this week.
He is out of the country along with Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster taking part in the celebration of Canadian troops liberating Holland seventy years ago.
 When the announcement was made at a council meeting it was done very quietly. They Mayor wasn’t sneaky about it – he was just unusually quiet. Municipal politicians in Ontario were once infamous for the junkets they took at taxpayer expense.
Ever since those glory days politicians have been very, very quiet about their trips out of the country.
There was no media release about the trip. For a Mayor who rarely gives up a photo opportunity there was no picture of the group that left for Apeldoorn heading for the airport.
Nothing in City talk magazine about the trip – but there was a notation of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding that led to the twinning of Burlington and Apeldoorn.
 The citizens of Holland crowded the streets of the cities and town when the Canadian army came through seventy years ago. Some of those people immigrated to Burlington and made us a bigger and better city. Burlington has a very engaged Dutch community that has served the city well. Our twinning with Apeldoorn is something to be proud of as is our twinning with Itabashi in Japan.
It would be just be nice if the Mayor’s office would be consistent in his understanding of what transparency actually means.
There was no mention of who from the Dutch community took part in the trip nor was there any mention of the senior staff members who are along for the ride.
Nothing wrong with the trip – Canadians are amongst the most welcome people in Holland – they have never forgotten what our troops did for them. It is fitting that a city that has been twinned is there to be part of the celebration – just be open about it.
And publish the expenses soon after you return.
 By Pepper Parr
May 3, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Part 1 of a multi-part series
There is still a lot of wind in the sails that drive the arguments about what should be done with the homes in the Beachway. While the current Council seems content to let things continue with the policy of having the Region getting possession of the properties on a willing buyer/willing seller basis – when it is patently obvious that there is just the one buyer – it is going to be sometime before the public sees any actual park construction taking place.
 It was a public Meeting to show off a new park for the Beachway – it got high-jacked by the people who live in the homes that have to be torn down to make the park possible. From a policy perspective – not much is going to happen until funding for the park is in place. That may not happen before the end of this term of Council. There is some work that can be done before the completion of the hospital in 2018. The rebuild of Lakeshore Road won’t get started until the hospital is close to ready to take patients.
The park design itself isn’t something the public, for the most part, knows very much about. City hall has done a terrible job of informing people.
There were a little over 75 people at the presentation, Cogeco had a camera in the room and there were more than 15 staff members from the Region and the city telling everyone how wonderful this was.
The Gazette obtained a copy of the presentation that was made before maybe 80 people earlier this month. Unfortunately most of the time that evening was taken up with what is going to happen to the homes. The actual park design didn’t get the intention it deserved.
We set out below a number of the illustrations to give the public a better sense of what the city and the Region have in mind.
 Anne McIlroy,the planner who led the team that designed the proposed park and Stirling Todd, the Regional Planner overseeing the development of the park for the Region. The design was prepared by Anne McIlroy and Associates, a Toronto firm that has done a lot of work for the city in the past. They were the firm that headed up the Character Studies for the Indian Point community, Roseland (that one is still working its way towards a conclusion) and a third study that will be done on the Shoreacres community.
The people who attended the public meeting on the Beachway park design were taken through a good presentation.
The presentation started out by explaining that the “The Burlington Beach Regional Waterfront Park is an extraordinary resource in the Region and the city, and a major source of pride that contributes significantly to the identity and culture of downtown Burlington.”
And if the park every gets built and look anything like the plans the public was shown – it will be extraordinary. But they are not there yet.
“It is an inviting and publicly accessible waterfront park” explained Anne McIlroy, “that supports a range of recreational, educational, cultural and tourist opportunities, while respecting its environmentally sensitive and complex ecosystem. New and enhanced park uses, activities and facilities will be carefully balanced with the need to protect and preserve and restore the unique natural beach and dune features.”
She added: “Improvements to Lakeshore Road and the Waterfront Trail will enhance connections to the broader community and support healthy living through the promotion of active transportation.”
Active transportation is a stretch – getting people in and out of the park will be a challenge. Shuttle buses are proposed and that is part of the solution – where the cars that brought people to the shuttle bus embankment point will park is not set out in the plan.
Enough of the complaints and concerns: Let take a close up look at the plan and you decide what you think.
What was once a vibrant but run down at the heels community that had houses yards from the railway line that once rant along the edge of the lake is to become a Regional Park with five distinct areas. If it ever gets built Burlington will become a significant destination for people who want to spend time near the water – another Wasaga Beach? The vision starts at Spencer Smith Park in the east and includes some changes to that park as well.
 There are really six different parks rolled into one park that people can move through freely.
The Master Plan has six areas. Working from the west there is the Skyway, Wind Beach and The Commons.
Then there is the Strand which is where most of the water based activity will take place. Working east there is the Living Shoreline that will focus on protecting the environmentally sensitive parts of the Beachway and then Spencer Smith Park itself
The typology of the land lakeside of Lakeshore Road is environmentally sensitive with plant life that doesn’t exists anywhere else. It is also a dynamic beach whose sands shift over time. The park planners have put together a design that allows for a secure future of the different typologies. The typologies of the Beach are environmentally critical and the park designers were adamant in their desire to protect what nature has given us. Unfortunately there was little opportunity for McIlroy or her team to get that point across. The mood in the room, set by those who stand to lose their homes, was about their housing.
McIlroy took the position that the Beachway is a flood plain and the sand dunes are constantly shifting and have to be protected. Her mandate did not include the homes – from her point of view all she was concerned about was what she described as “priority properties” land that had to be obtained if the park was the work.
The view at the Region has been – that decision has been made. City council is going along with that decision.
A closer look at the different Master Plan areas:
 The Living Shoreline is the park the public is likely to experience first. It is passive in nature and will feature a boardwalk and a launch area for non-motorized boats. The Living Shoreline begins basically where Spencer Smith Park ends and where Lakeshore Road gets widened. The Joseph Brant Museum rests on one side of the road with the significantly upgraded shore beginning on the other side of the road.
 The sloped land leading to the waters edge is environmentally fragile. work will have to be done to protect this part of the park. The graphic of the Living Shoreline shows a boardwalk built in this area. There will be a significant stretch of new boardwalk built; a shuttle bus stop, ten parking spaces, a multi-use shelter and a non-motorized Boat Launch area.
 It will be a gas fed fireplace – Joseph Brant will shudder the first time they light it – but the feature has the potential to add to the sense of outdoors and native meeting places. It is on land Brant himself would have walked upon. There is nothing to stop the development of this part of the park. The planners might decide to wait until the construction of the hospital is complete before making the Boardwalk available to the public. The reconstruction of Lakeshore Road may delay development – the biggest impediment is that at the point in time there is no budget for any work.
This is not the first design that has been created for the Beachway Park. There are plans that go back as far as the ’70’s – all the others went nowhere. It will be sometime before any park construction begins – the hospital has to be completed and the issue of the homes that are now in place has to be resolved. Lots of active, noisy public meetings ahead of us.
 The early design plans call for additions to Spencer Smith Park where it will merge into the Beachway Park. This shade structure will allow for seating at Pebble Beach, one the locale for one of the jumpingist (it could be a word) jazz joints this side of Montreal.
By Staff
May 2, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It will be the weekend when the gardeners go nut2 – the 23rd and 24th of May. They will be flooding the gardening stores and working away in their gardens – and if there is a parent that is a gardener the kids are going to have to fend for themselves.
 The kids like getting up close to this kind of heavy equipment. It’s an inexpensive day out for a family. How about getting out and Touching a-Truck? Each year the city holds a celebration for National Public Works Week – public works people are the men and women who fix the pot holes, shovel the snow and clean the catch basins – the unsung heroes who keep the wheels of the city going around.
 Anyone who has nothing better to do is invited to the city’s roads and park maintenance facility to get an up-close look at a variety of city vehicles.
At the Touch-a-Truck event, families are invited to:
– Get close to city vehicles, including a fire truck, street sweeper, and
snowplow
– Sit in a backhoe simulator to experience what it’s like to be a driver
– Enjoy a free barbeque (11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.)
So come on out to this year’s Touch-a-Truck event and get a unique look into our city vehicles. Saturday,
May 23, join the City of Burlington for the third annual Touch a truck event
11:00 AM – 02:00 PM
Location:
Burlington Roads and Parks Maintenance Facility
3330 Harvester Road
Burlington, Ontario, L7N 3M8
By Staff
May 2, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington is the kind of community where many of the commercial organizations look for a way to give something back to their community. There are hundreds of examples of this kind of thing happening all the time.
Recently an organization, Food4Kids, that works at making sure kids who come from homes that just plain need help spoke to city council explaining what they do – they ensure that kids always have a lunch when they go to school. The Gazette did a piece on this organization a couple of months ago.
Somehow Food4Kids found the Keller Williams Edge Realty, Brokerage or maybe it was the other way around – whichever the real estate company decided their annual RED Day will be spent organizing a city-wide Food Drive in support of Food4Kids, Compassion Society of Halton, Reach Out Centre For Kids (ROCK) and Partnership West Food Bank.
 How would real estate agents run a food drive?
To generate as many donations as possible, Keller Williams associates will be canvassing area homes on the days leading up to RED Day and will return to Burlington neighborhoods on RED Day (May 14) to personally pick up non-perishable food items and toiletries, which are requested to be left on front porches by 9am
RED Day, which stands for Renew, Energize and Donate, is Keller Williams Realty’s annual day of service. Each year on the second Thursday of May, Keller Williams associates across the globe spend the day away from their businesses serving worthy organizations and causes in their communities.
This year, it is the seventh year they have held A RED DAY program, their focus is on hunger and food insecurity.
Donations can also be dropped off from May 11-14 at the Keller Williams office at 3027 Harvester Road, between 9am-7pm, and at the Royal Bank branches at Walkers Line/New Street and Appleby Line/Dundas Street during their regular business hours.
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