 By Pepper Parr
July 21, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
He will begin his second year of life on Tuesday. HRH Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge, the fourth in line to the Throne and the person, who will at some point become the Monarch of Canada, is also the recipient of a handsomely bound Book of Best Wishes from the people of Burlington.
The idea for the Book of Best Wishes came from the community and was made real by a small committee of four people: Joe Veitch, Susan Fraser, Selina McCall and publisher of the Burlington Gazette Pepper Parr.
Once the fundamentals were in place the group met with the Mayor to get a buy in at that level. While the initiative came from the community, it was important for the city to be onside. The Mayor loved the idea – “cool” he said, and then suggested that the signing period be extended a few days to include Canada Day.
 No fancy “apps” in the classic binding business. Our binder is in the business of restoring ancient volumes and making presentation copies of original work. We are looking forward to their doing our binding for 50 years and then some. Joe Veitch recruited the volunteers needed to be at the tables, where people could sign the sheets and write their greeting.
 This banner, which stood 7 feet high was set out wherever the public was invited to sign the Book of Best Wishes. The challenge now is for the “trust” running this project, to determine what the picture will be for next year. Joan Krygsman and Selina McCaul, designed the banner. First time out on this project, we learned a lot of lessons – almost everything ended up costing more than we had planned.
Many wondered why they couldn’t see the finished product, when they were signing. We had people at a number of places on the same day – and we didn’t know how many signatures we were going to manage to collect – and thus didn’t know how thick the book was going to be.
Special metal plates had to be made for the gold embossing that was to be stamped into the leather. We would set the type, send it to the book binder, who would have the metal plate made. We had to do some guessing as to how many signatures might be collected – that would determine the thickness of the book and also the size of the plate that had to be made.
The book couldn’t be shown to anyone until it was bound and it couldn’t be bound until all the pages with signatures had been collected..
To get around this problem we endured the expense of having a demonstration copy made – a book bound the way the actual version was to be bound, but with blank pages inside.
One doesn’t just send a book to a Prince. Anything of any significance that gets sent to members of the Royal family, goes through the offices of the Governor General at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. Rideau Hall, home of the Governor General has staff that communicates with the various members of the Royal family – well not the Dukes or Princes or the Duchesses personally – but with their staff. All this communication is bound by more protocol than you can imagine.
Because the Book of Best Wishes was a new idea, it took a bit of talking to convince Rideau Hall to go along with us; it wasn’t until they saw a picture of a sample binding that they understood just what we had in mind.
 Citizens signing the Book of Best Wishes at the Burlington Library on New Street. The Mayor convinced us to set up in Spencer Smith Park on Canada Day – that worked out very well.
 Burlington Gazette publisher Pepper Parr works with binder Keith Felton on the way pages will be gathered together for binding into the first Book of Best Wishes being sent to HRH Prince George Alexander Louis to celebrate his first birthday. The volume was ready in a few days and shipped to Ottawa where it had to be x-rayed before it could be accepted and then sent off to Kensington Palace where the Prince will celebrate his very first birthday.
We have no idea if the Prince will actually see the book – who knows how Royal Families work, but we believe that the parents will see and handle the book – and perhaps wonder just where Burlington is anyway.
The project has been organized as a “trust” so that its members can replicate themselves and ensure that a Book of Best Wishes is sent to the Prince every birthday of his life.
There is more to the project – stay tuned.
 By Staff
July 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
There is something about a pleasant summer evening when one can take in some entertainment and smell the trees and the mid summer blossoms.
 A summer dance event – eight choreographed pieces with an impromptu flash mob event anyone can take part in. Could be fun. KooGle Theatre Company is presenting “A Magical Evening of Dance”, supported by Dance Ontario and the Halton Dance Network through an Ontario Trillium Grant. Co-Directed by Leslie Gray and Joanne Ferguson. Burlington’s outdoor dance event features the works of 8 local professional and emerging choreographers, with over 40 local dancers, ages 9-senior.
The event will take place on August 12, 14, 19 and 21, 2014 at 7pm, Central Park Bandshell, 2311 New Street, Burlington. Pay-What-You-Can (suggested $5-10). If it rains the show will move inside the Music Centre.
Also looking for all ages to join a flash mob. One of the dances in A Magical Evening of Dance will have a flash mob portion for local community, dancers and non-dancers to participate. Rehearsals will take place on Sunday July 20 from 7-9pm, Saturday August 9 from 1-3pm and Tuesday August 12 approx 2-4pm. Email info@koogletheatre.com for more information. You do not need to be available for all show dates (August 12, 14, 19 and 21 at 7pm) but the more the merrier.
Flash mobs are a different form of social organization. The Gray’s have to be given credit for using this approach to an event. The eight choreographers will be doing something they have thought through and worked on for some time. The flash mob will come out of the audience at an appropriate time in the program and do their thing. Leslie Gray has absolutely no idea what she is going to have to work with. Whoever shows up is in. The fist opportunity to be part of this event – which could be a lot of fun – is Sunday evening. I know – short notice but there are other evenings when you can show up and get your time in the limelight. Dates are in bold above.
Try it.
 By Staff
July 16, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Burlington got the McMaster University DeGroote campus but it doesn’t seem to make all that much of a difference to the city – stuck out in a field the way it is.
The campus was supposed to be located in downtown Burlington but like many things planned for the downtown core – that one got away.
Halton regional council voted Wednesday of last week to throw its support behind Wilfrid Laurier University’s efforts to establish a full service campus, adjacent to the Mattamy National Cycling Centre (Milton velodrome).
 Velodrome construction: site has room for a full scale campus if the province goes along with Wilfred Laurier University setting up a satellite campus. seems to be a better deal than Burlington got with McMaster. The campus would provide a range of undergraduate, liberal arts, science and professional programs and a full range of student services for approx. 2,500 students.
Milton has pledged to donate 150 acres of land to Laurier for a new campus including 100 acres of protected land and 50 acres within the proposed 400-acre Milton Education Village (west of Tremaine Road, between Derry Rd. and Britannia Rd.)
Burlington has never managed to exercise the clout it should have at the Regional level. Chair Gary Carr is reported to have said to one candidate for municipal office that Burlington doesn’t seem to fully appreciate the role it can play and gets out-muscled by both Oakville and Milton. The leadership needed by Burlington at the Region just never seems to materialize.
Burlington Council members often go to the Region with different agendas and objectives – frequently not as a team with a consistent objective. We saw that with the Beachway issue.
John Taylor who is experiencing a full-scale snit over the advocacy for safe bike lanes on New Street when the re-surfacing of that road takes place in the near future, argues that the Burlington city council does not pull together all that often. Others argue that because it is a small council – 7 people – it develops a sense of collegiality but at the same time allows each council member to go their own way.
The council members tend to get very territorial as well and fail to recognize that while they are elected to represent a specific ward they are also in place to look after the interests of the city as a whole.
At one city council workshop Councillor Craven spoke in favour of rules that would keep council members out of the turf of another council member. Councillor Meed Ward gave did her best to set him straight on just what the role of a council member is.
Councillor Taylor found himself stepping in for a ward 1 resident in the Beachway who had no water for nine months (don’t ask why – it gets complicated in the Beachway). Councillor Craven was livid.
As much as Mayor Goldring would like to believe that he heads up – doesn’t lead – a collective that is working towards the same goal – it isn’t so.
Milton had no problem agreeing on the donation of a large piece of property in a prime location – 2500 students. Imagine something like that happening to Burlington?
By Pepper Parr
July 14, 2014
BURLINGTON. ON.
We received an email on Friday advising us that:
The office of The Duke and Duchess thought it extremely kind of the people of the City of Burlington to think of Prince George in this way. The book of greetings left Rideau Hall this afternoon for London and will be delivered to Kensington Palace on Monday, July 14th. Baby George will have it in time for his birthday!
The people who worked very hard during the month of June to make this happen were delighted. When the project was in the thinking stage the group, organized as the Burlington Royal Reading Trust, didn’t realize that their lead hand was going to have hip replacement surgery which would keep him off his feet for a number of weeks.
Joe Veitch took the reins and pulled together the volunteers who manned the tables at the Seniors’ Centre, the library and Tansley Woods, while Susan Fraser covered Hayden High and the Haber Recreational Centre.
Interim city manager Pat Moyle was kind enough to get us a pass on the fees for a tent and a table that was set up on Canada Day in Spencer Smith Park.
It was truly a collaborative event – and with the first year behind us we can now move forward and make this an annual event that will have Burlington seen as a city that appreciate and acknowledges its history – which will be a lot better than that magazine award that says we are the best mid-sized city in the country.
 Spine of the Book of Best Wishes with its gold embossing and finely tooled markings. Our binder Felton Bookbinding in Georgetown did superb work for us and Cora Brittan did excellent work as the calligrapher – while she was nursing a broken ankle.
Unfortunately few people got to see the quality of the binding and the superb calligraphy because the Book of Best Wishes was sent to the Prince.
 Cover of the leather bound book of Best Wishes that went to Prince George for his first birthday. We did have a duplicate copy of the book with blank pages so next year people will be able to see what we are sending. We will also have the calligraphy work done further in advance and make copies for the public to see.
The original plan was to have the Book of Best Wishes presented to city council where members would formally sign the book while the Town Crier rang his bell and addressed the members of Council.
Democracy being what it is and communications frequently showing us that we sometimes get it terribly wrong we found ourselves with a Town Crier who was double booked, a city council agenda with 12 delegations and a mis-communication with a city general manager and the Clerk’s office.
 From the left: MP Mike Wallace proudly displaying the Book of Best Wishes that went to the Prince as a first birthday card, Councillor Jack Dennison, Joe Veitch, without whom the Book of Best Wishes would never have been done; Mayor Rick Goldring who was an early supporter of the project, Councillor Marianne Meed Ward, originator of the Book of Best Wishes idea and publisher of the Gazette, Councillors John Taylor and Rick Craven.
We ended up with a table outside the council chamber where people could sign the book.
With the signature forms from Canada Day in hand it was a mad dash to Georgetown to get the pages sewn together and fitted in the custom made case and the shipped to Ottawa.
We made it – and the book will be at Kensington Palace by the time you read this.
We have no idea how the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge are going to react to the birthday greetings. We have been told that we can expect a letter from the Palace – that would be nice – and we will share it with you if such a thing arrives.
The Post office isn’t going on strike is it?
By Staff
July 18, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Time for a bit of a break.
Time for some sunshine and cool waters of a Northern Ontario lake.
The Gazette has moved into a summer mode – that doesn’t mean we are not publishing – we just aren’t publishing as much.
 There was a time when the city didn’t have more than $14 million of taxpayers money sitting at the end of Brant Street. There are those who think it should have been left the way it was. There will be material up every day and we can monitor events from the cottage – just as long as we are able to hop along to the library where there is WiFi access.
 There is material being written on two very significant retirements; the background on why what you knew as the Burlington Art Centre, now re-branded as the Art Gallery of Burlington where the wee cafe is no longer there and many are wondering if there is any relationship between the people who had the contract and a local lawyer who wants to put a restauranteur in jail. Stay tuned for more on that story.
Catch you full time on the 21st
By Pepper Parr
July 9, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The pages, with signatures from more than 3000 Burlingtonians, who signed the Book of Best Wishes, celebrating the first birthday of HRH Prince George Alexander Louis were sent to the book binder in Georgetown.
With everything prepared beforehand the pages were sewn together and the case that holds the pages was completed and couriered to Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
 Everything that goes to Rideau Hall gets x-rayed before anyone opens anything. That kept the Book of Best Wishes out of the hands of the people who will arrange to get it to Prince George for his birthday, which will be celebrated at Kensington Palace in London, England on July 22nd
A splendid volume with a fine message and the best wishes of thousands of Burlingtonians inside. We don’t know yet just how the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are going to handle the Book of Best Wishes, when it arrives. We believe Burlington is the only city in Canada that has prepared such a volume.
It was touch and go for the small committee that made this happen and there was some thought to skipping the first year – but we decided that if this was going to be a Burlington tradition, then we had to be there for the first year and every year thereafter.
Classic binding is an ancient craft – there are few that do this kind of work in Canada. The firm we used, repairs old books as well as binding titles in leather for presentation purposes. They do the binding for the Giller Awards each year.
Keith Felton, the Master Binder who undertook our project, advised on the leather and the approach to the binding. His Georgetown shop is filled with equipment that has been used by the binding trade for centuries.
 Some of the calligraphy used to convey birthday greetings to a Prince. Cora Brittan did the calligraphy for the Book of Best Wishes. She chose the type style she wanted to use and added 22 karate gold decorations to many of the letters. Cora has done work for a number of different denominational Bishops.
She takes on a number of commissions each year and teaches calligraphy as well. Cora and her husband Eric are established, respected artists who hold an annual show in the Beach Blvd community in Hamilton. They have sold at the Art Gallery of Burlington at their annual auction.
By Staff
July 8, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
If you want to get it done you go to the guy everyone calls. The fellow that is busy, busy but who somehow always finds the time – and manages to keep his life sane at the same time. Guys like that have a sense of humour and they not only think outside the box – they live outside the box.
 At its annual general meeting, the Burlington Community Foundation (BCF) confirmed the appointment of Ron Foxcroft, Owner of Fox40 International Inc. and Owner of Fluke Transportation since 1982, and Haydn Northey, Vice President, Operations and Chief Privacy Officer, Pioneer Energy, to the board of directors.
2014 is a milestone year for BCF as it celebrates 15 years of strengthening Burlington. Chair Tim Dobbie said he was “ very pleased to welcome Ron to Burlington Community Foundation’s board during our anniversary year.”
Best known for inventing the internationally celebrated Fox 40 whistle – which is officially sanctioned by the NFL, CFL, NCAA and the NBA – Ron was a professional basketball official for three decades. Off the court, he’s also a legend among community supporters – recognized as the 1997 Hamilton Citizen of the Year, 2011 Burlington Entrepreneur of the Year and holds an Honorary Doctor of Law from McMaster University.
The BCF celebrates 15 years of service to Burlington and currently manages more than $8.4 million in assets. Since inception the BCF has provided over $2.7 million in grants to the community – that’s a lot of potential for good for every corner of our community. BCF responds to many of our city’s hidden needs and I’m proud to help advance BCF’s mission to strengthen Burlington, today and for the future.”
  Also joining the board is Haydn Northey, a 28-year veteran of the retail petroleum industry. Currently Vice President of Operations and Chief Privacy Officer at Pioneer Energy, Haydn held leadership roles with Texaco Canada, Imperial Oil and Suncor Energy (Sunoco). An avid hockey and lacrosse coach, Haydn shares, “I’m delighted to join BCF’s board of directors and help connect funds to vital needs across our great city. Each and every Burlington Community Foundation grant truly makes a difference to people’s lives.”
Established in 1999 as a centre for philanthropy, 2014 marks a celebration of Burlington Community Foundation’s 15 years of service to Burlington residents. BCF collaborates with donors to build endowments, address vital community needs and support areas of personal philanthropic interest. To learn more visit the BCF website.
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 By Staff
June 28, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Burlington’s Art in Action Studio Tour decided a number of years ago to create a scholarship for an art student in the Region and this year awarded the $1500 award to Sarah Tom, a Robert Bateman High School student who will be attending Sheridan College in September for Visual & Creative Studies.
Along with the scholarship is free admission as a participant in the Art in Action tour the first weekend of November
 Darlene Throop, on the right, presents Bateman High School students Sarah Tom with the 2014 Art in Action $1500. scholarship. The award was presented to Ms Tom at the Robert Bateman Commencement, June 26th where Darlene Throop ( Art in Action Scholarship Chair) handed out this year’s Scholarship.
There were seven talented applicants from four schools; two from the public sector and two from the separate sector – all pursuing an arts focused future.
 Sarah Tom uses an interesting approach to normal portrait work – reflects a generation that is more digital than their predecessors. The public is invited to take part in the fall at the Pre Tour Show on October 19th, at Teresa Seaton’s Studio & Gallery, 654 Spring Gardens Road.
Assante Wealth Management, TD Canada Trust, ICCC/Rustol, Just Cremations & Burial, Keith Strong, Sheri Sutherland, Royal LePage, Ardent Motor, Smiths Funeral Home, Rob McKichan at Royal LePAge, The Healing Path, Dr. Beth Nixon, Coulter Building Consultants Ltd, Corby Custom Framing and Burlington Toyota Scion were financial supporters of both he tour and the scholarship program.
By Pepper Parr
June 27, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
We are unabashed fans of the Freeman Station project. Partly because we are history buffs, but more importantly, because this project showed how a group of citizens was able to save the city from itself.
The city screwed up this project from the get go. They couldn’t find a home for the structure, even though they had a bag of money from the federal government to restore the building.
They couldn’t agree on a place for the structure.
The best they were able to do was agree to run an advertisement and see if anyone would buy it for kindling.
 Jane Irwin and Les Armstrong – two of the strongest advocates for recognizing and saving the history of Burlington. Both passed away. It was the late Jane Irwin, the late Les Armstrong, the founding president of the Friends of Freeman Station, that pulled together a bunch of people and, after almost pleading with city council, they got some breathing room – and that saved the building.
Councillors Marianne Meed Ward and Blair Lancaster also got behind the project, and refused to let the rest of council kill the idea.
Mayor Goldring is reported to have said he didn’t want any city staff time spent on this project. Just as well – few in the city engineering department had much love for this idea.
 Should all the people in this picture be in this picture. Were they all true believers in the idea of saving and restoring the Freeman Station? The day the Freeman station is officially opened expect the politicians to be there with their faces ready for the cameras – they do that all the time. Those who know the true history of the effort to save the structure, will know that while Les and Jane will not be in the picture – they will be with them.
Meanwhile John Mellow, the Restoration Chairman is looking for volunteers to help with the restoration. John will need carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and painters. He can also use volunteers, who would like to help clean up the building, do minor repair work, pick up smaller building supplies, (a pick up or van would be useful), plus other small jobs that need to be done.
Straw boss on the site is John Mellow. You can reach him at donstn63@gmail.com to volunteer your services.
By Staff
June 24, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
During the past ten days the citizens of Burlington have been signing a very unique birthday card for the newest member of the Royal family: George Alexander Louis was born July 22, 2013.
An article in the Gazette shortly after his birth, set out a list of age appropriate books for the young Prince to play with as he grows up to become the monarch of Canada at some point.
 Cover of the Book of Nest Wishes: Gold embossed type on a rich wine coloured leather produced by a master bookbinder. Out of that article grew an initiative to send the Prince a Book of Best Wishes every year of his life. The Book was to be a handsome, craft bound leather book measuring 14 inches wide by 10 inches deep with pages for anyone who wanted to send a Best Wishes.
The Book will be presented to Council at the end of the month, where Council members, and anyone in the audience, can sign the book which will then get turned over to Burlington’s member of Parliament, Mike Wallace, who will take the Book of Best Wishes to Rideau Hall , home of the Governor General. The Governor General will have the book transported to Kensington Palace where the Prince lives with his mother and father; the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Getting the initiative off the ground has been a task. The originator of the idea found that he had to have a hip replaced just as the hard field work had to be done.
Joe Veitch, a recipient of the Rotary Paul Harris award, took on the task of pulling together a group of volunteers who would man the tables at the Seniors’ Centre, Tansley Woods and the public library.
Selina Jane McCall did much of the early design work and selected the type face for the project name” Royal Reading.
Susan Fraser, a nominee for one of the city’s BEST awards in 2012, took on the task of liaising with the Hayden Recreation Centre people, where she enticed people at the Centre, students at Hayden High and at the Alton library to sign the book.
Each person who signs the Book of Best Wishes is given a book mark – with a picture of the prince and wording to signify that they have signed. Expect some of those early book marks to show up on eBay someday – they will take on the value of hockey trading cards. There are those who will collect these book marks, which we will issue each year. Copies will be left with the Historical Society.
The name Royal Reading was used to signify a second part of the initiative which was to have the citizens of Burlington involved in the raising of the Prince as a Canadian.
Each year we celebrate his birthday, a few age appropriate books would be sent, not as a gift, but as a part of the process that gives the Prince a sense as to what Canada is all about.
At some point the Prince will get to read Dennis Lee’s Alligator Pie and Roch Carrier’s The Hockey Sweater. He will be introduced to the work of W.O. Mitchell and Farley Mowat as well as Mordecai Richler and Gabrielle Roy.
 The bookmark that people will take away once they have signed the Book of Best Wishes from the citizens of Burlington to the Prince on his first birthday. Three copies of each book will be purchased with one being sent to whichever Palace the Prince is living in, a second copy that will go into general circulation at the Burlington Public Library with an inscription inside explaining that the title was also sent to the Prince.
A third copy will get placed in a space at the Library that will be known as the Prince’s Bookshelf.
Given the way Royalty travels throughout the Commonwealth and indeed around the world, he will most certainly visit Canada. Our hope, and one of the things we will work towards, is bringing the Prince to Burlington where he just might choose to read from one of his books to a circle of children at the library or perhaps in a public setting at the Performing Arts Centre.
Wouldn’t that be something?
The Book of Best Wishes will be available at city hall on Friday June 3oth and in a booth in Spencer Smith Park on Canada Day. Do drop by and join the thousands that will be taking part in the making of some history.
By Staff
June 24, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Great day in Burlington history.
  After learning that the citizens of the city have paid for their pier twice, the good folks who remit their taxes on time, can take some pleasure in knowing that the Freeman Station is now sitting on its foundation and within day the construction crews will begin their work on the innards of the building.
 During the process of lowering the station onto the foundation, a 2014 Loonie was placed on top of the sill plate prior to the station being lowered.
James Smith, a candidate for the ward 5 council seat said “for some reason 2014 Loonies are hard to come by, but we did get one, and the people who move the station next can reclaim it.”
 That can happen when the railway station gets moved to its rightful location on the Beachway, where the railway track bed is now used as a walking path.
By Staff
June 22, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Dinner is done, school is over so getting the kids to bed on time doesn’t matter all that much anymore . Taking in an outdoor movie late in the week at a local park sounds like a good idea. The Rocca Sisters and Associates, a local real estate firm, are sponsoring what they are calling a Stars under the Stars family movie night that will take place at Emerson Park located in north east Burlington.
 It is the first FREE outdoor movie night taking place on June 26th at 7:30pm. Several food truck operations will be on hand: SWOT (Sandwiches with a Twist) and Fro Go Xpress are confirmed.
The featured blockbuster film The Lego Movie is a sure hit – even if it has already been see.
Emerson Park is at 2390 Sutton Drive, Burlington
Funds raised through sponsorship dollars, partial proceeds through food truck sales and donations the night of the event will be going to the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation.
By Staff
June 21, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
 We don’t normally promote events that don’t take place in Burlington but one of the city’s very talented stained glass artists is showing at the event – she is well worth the drive to Dundas.
Teresa Seaton is one of the driving forces behind the annual Art in Action studio tour and is heavily involved in the Arts and Cultural Collective that has come into being the past 18 months and serves as the voice of the arts community.
AGOG – Artistic Group of Glass was formed to share ideas and work cooperatively to raise awareness of their original art. As fine glass artists they strive to perfect their craftsmanship and push beyond the limitations of craft stereotypes.
It’s an art form that may not be for everyone but if you want to see what a group of artists has done with what we have all seen in our churches – you might want to put this event on your calendar.
By Pepper Parr
June 15, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Like many good ideas – it starts out in a basement or someone’s garage and if it is right it grows from there.
The Burlington Chapter of 100 Women Who Care were meeting in a pretty drab looking community room at Tansley Wood and while the number of people involved was growing the rate of growth was a little disappointing.
Then out of the blue, BDO offered to cover the cost of a location that was certainly higher up the food chain. The June 18, 2014, from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. will be held at the Burlington Golf & Country Club at 422 North Shore Blvd. E., Burlington.
BDO is the fifth largest single national accounting and advisory partnership in Canada with over 100 offices nationwide. It is a member of BDO International Limited, a UK company. The offer to pay for the Golf and Country Club space makes for a much nicer setting.
Marion Goard, one of the Burlington Chapter’s founding members announced that another local business – Dermetics, a firm that offers medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology services had stepped up and gotten involved.
The Dermetics support is unique and solves a problem that many small local firms have when deciding where and how to support the community. “The office manager at Dermetics” explained Goard, “reached out to me with an offer to support 100 Women. The rationale behind this is that they receive a fair number of requests for support from various sources and have a tough time determining who to support. By being involved with us, they know that their financial contribution is going to great causes, is being spread out across the city and they get their staff involved.
 Dermetics registered 10 memberships with Woman Who Care. This allows 10 of their staff to attend the meetings where they participate fully – as if they were funding their donation themselves however Dermetics will write the cheque to the recipient organization.
This is something a number of organizations might find very useful – it allows the company to support the community without tying up staff in the selection process. It also lets staff attend the meeting and be part of that selection process. It will be interesting to see if anyone else picks up on this.
The 100 Women Who Care model has its roots in the United States with several chapters forming across the U.S. and Canada since 2006. The mandate of the group is simple: 100 women or more meet four times a year to choose from three charities nominated for consideration. Members cast their ballot and then each write a $100 cheque for the charity that gets the winning vote. The goal is to raise a minimum of $40,000 annually ($10,000 x 4 meetings) in support of local initiatives.
The Burlington Chapter, founded by Marion Goard, Pat Grant, Megan Teall and Laurel Hubber, held its first meeting at the beginning of this year raising more than $3,000 for the Burlington Humane Society. At their second meeting they raised $4,000 for Halton Women’s Place.
Part of the appeal of 100 Women Who Care is that at each meeting the beneficiary of the last donation has a chance to address the membership to thank the group and to share how the donation will have an immediate impact in our community. “On Wednesday, Kaitlin Gordon, Development Coordinator from Halton Women’s Place will share with us how our $4,000 donation is making a difference to women’s lives in Halton. After Ms Gordon’s presentation, our members will listen to three 5-minute presentations about three new charities, take a vote and make their donations to the chosen beneficiary immediately afterwards,” says Goard.
Heading into the third meeting, support for 100 Women Who Care Burlington continues to grow. “We always welcome individual members as well as businesses who wish to be corporate sponsors to join us at our June meeting,” says Goard. “And whether you are new to the group or are already a member, we’re sure everyone will be excited to see how a small group of women can make a difference in our community – in just one hour.”
You can RSVP your attendance to info@100womenwhocareburlington.com. Nominations for charities/organizations can be filled out online ahead of the meeting at Nominations will also be accepted the night of meeting.
Registration begins at 7:00 p.m., with the meeting starting promptly at 7:30 p.m.
Goard does point out that the Burlington Chapter has some catching up to do. “I learned that the Greater St. Johns March donation exceeded $29,000 and they have over 900 ‘Likes’ on their Facebook page. We definitely have a ways to go to keep up with them. I’m not sure what’s holding things back here.”
Maybe the Golf and Country setting will make the difference.
By Staff
May 30, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Burlington’s annual Kite Festival takes place on Sunday, June 1 at Brant Hills Community Park between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
 Show up, join the fun and build a kite for free, while supplies last. Event attendees will be able to fly their kites in the open space at Brant Hills Park throughout the day.
The event will feature entertainment from:
• Nick’s Juggling Family
• Thompson Clarke, a competitive Rubik’s cube solver, and
• Safari Science.
Face painting, a photo booth and a balloon artist will be part of a fun day.
A variety of vendors and activity providers from the community will be on-site. Local favourites include Burlington B.G.’s and Gymnastics Club, Putting Edge, Momstown, and Health from Within.
 Local kite experts from Hobby and Toy Central will be at the event to answer questions about kite selection and kite flying. An assortment of adult and children’s kites such as easy flyers, diamonds, deltas, stunt and parafoil kites will be available for test flights and to purchase. Hobby and Toy Central will be offering event attendees 10 per cent off all Kite Festival purchases.
 The Kite Festival will take place rain or shine. Brant Hills Community Park is located at 2255 Brant St. For more information about the event, including the entertainment schedule and list of booths, visit the city web site.
By Staff
May 28, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
There are few more amazing comeback stories than that of the magnificent Trumpeter Swan.
 Brought back from the brink of extinction through the dedicated, decades-long work of volunteers, 200 Trumpeter Swans now overwinter at LaSalle Park in Burlington.
But these beautiful birds also did their part to rescue their species from the ashes of extinction. Hear their remarkable tales through stories about Athena, Magic, Pig Pen and many other individual swans at Swan Stories, a free, public event sponsored by the Trumpeter Swan Coalition.
 The event will take place on Thursday, May 29 from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. in the Centennial Room at Burlington’s Central Library, 2331 New St. More on the swans and the story to save their winter home.
By Pepper Parr
May 25, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
It was an interesting week for the arts. The Arts and Cultural Collective got closer to what its mission will be while the Performing Arts Centre released its program for the 2014/15 season to more than acceptable comment.
Not to be outdone, the former Burlington Art Centre decided to go for a whole new look and re-branded themselves and will forever after be known as the Art Gallery of Burlington – AGB; the place where Creativity Lives.
 The arch in the A is supposed to signify the Skyway bridge – sure – with art the view is always in the eye of the beholder. The BAC, old acronym for the Burlington Arts Centre, made it a bit difficult for many people to figure out which was which. While the BAC – oops, that’s the AGB now, had a much stronger pedigree and “involved” more people, there was still the sense that the building on Lakeshore road needed a stronger look and an identity that made it stand out.
The BAC board put together a very strong presentation during the budget cycle and got the funding they needed to do the re-brand. They brought in John Duff to do the work.
The new name reflects their identity as a centre for art and supporting artists in the community and the evolution of the place as a multi-faceted gallery. For the past several years, the gallery administrators have been working to increase the profile and quality of their exhibitions and promote their acclaimed collection of Canadian contemporary ceramics. Today, they are positioned to host national and international exhibitions, tour their ceramics collection and further develop their award winning educational programs.
The Art Gallery of Burlington also brought in a new curator, Denis Longchamps, who uses the title Director of Programs, has some very clear ideas on the direction he feels the gallery should be going in.
The Art Gallery of Burlington has gone so far as to attach a promise to their brand – to embrace and celebrate creativity and integrate the gallery into the community at large. Delivery on this promise includes the promotion of three key messages:
- Art Gallery – providing the highest quality, stimulating exhibitions and contemporary ceramics collection
- Programs – that embrace the qualities of creativity, inspiration and supporting artistic development
- Outreach – that takes the AGB beyond its brick and mortar and into the community with partner events, school programs, city initiatives and connecting through Art Etc Gallery Shop
The tag line, CREATIVITY Lives Here! is the first example of how the Art Gallery of Burlington is going to define itself an operate.
In a letter to the membership President Ian Ross said: “We are increasing our investment in exhibitions, responding to emerging artists, celebrating our national-significant ceramics collection, enhancing creativity in our educational programs, and reaching throughout our community and forming new partnerships.”
Putting meat on the bones of that statement means that the AGB is committed to celebrating and promoting the innovative and imaginative elements in all that they do and in all that they are. Creativity will be the foundation seen in – Programming – Education – Partnerships – Membership – Strategy.
Founded by a number of guilds, the Art Gallery of Burlington has come up with a way to end the confusion as to who they are – Performing Arts Centre and Burlington Art Centre – PAC or BAC was confusing, but it will take more than a new name to get the message across.
What the public has not seen is the strength, energy and vision of two new staff members who are adding to the strength of the team that was already in place.
Leslie Page who runs the educational side, Johnathan Smith who has built the ceramics collection into what it is today are now joined by Kim Varian, Director of Enterprise and Dennis Longchamps, Director of Programs. This team is what will make the difference.
 The ceramics collection needs a home; a place where it can be properly and effectively displayed. Right now it gets scattered about the gallery with hundreds of pieces stacked on shelves in a storeroom.
Many at city hall have wondered if the land the gallery sits on is the most effective use of that piece of property. Heard aloud were the words: “great place for a high end condo” and indeed it would be. Selling the site would free up some money to build the kind of location an art gallery needs to display its ceramics collection.
More on the new team members, the ceramics collection and where the Art Gallery of Burlington might take the city in a future article.
By Pepper Parr
May 22, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
She was blonde, chatty, good with words and an infectious laugh. He was staid, sounded a bit shy but certainly knew what he was talking about.
The two of them sat in stiff chairs facing each other on the stage of the Performing Arts Centre (PAC) with all the instruments a good band would need to really rock the building off to the side. You knew instantly that these two were not going to be playing any of those instruments.
Connie Smith, an interviewer of some renown, and Brian McCurdy, PAC Executive Director sat before an audience that filled three quarters of the Main Stage to talk about the fourth year program that would go on sale to the public June 2.
The evening was a “sneak preview” of the 2014/2015 program before an audience of multiple ticket buyers and capital donours who soaked up every word. They do need to learn to clap more often though.
The Centre has had its trials and tribulations with the public. It has its core following – they are true believers and will support the organization almost forever. But there is a large part of the city that still doesn’t buy into culture all that much and doesn’t want to see tax money used to support it.
Past deficits certainly didn’t help nor did a subsidy request that people expect to be at around half a million a year balloon to over $1.2 million. That situation saw the first Executive Director exit stage left and some key people leave the board.
 That empty month on the calendar is empty anymore – Brian McCurdy gave the public its first look at the 2014/15 program – BOFFO! McCurdy describes himself as a “reformed trombone player” who once shared a stage with Bob Hope at the Community Auditorium in Thunder Bay. “Not only did I get to play in the backup band, I also played a round of golf with Mr Hope in the afternoon” said McCurdy.
You see him in a blue blazer and grey flannel trousers – effectively going about his business. The program released last night is pure McCurdy – his finger prints are all over it.
He has managed, at least on paper, to press all the right buttons and satisfy almost everyone. The proof will come when the program goes on sale to the public early in June.
The arts and culture business is dynamic and it is difficult to project revenue with a high degree of certainty but McCurdy thinks he can get the subsidy to less than $500,00 – which will please a lot of people in this town.
The Plastique performance is a total delight. Check it out for yourself.
Culturally McCurdy covers all the bases: jazz, opera, classical music, dance and a solid set of programs for the young, young set. There is quite a bit of Cuban material, more jazz than I expected along with a couple of purely Canadian nuggets. The only thing missing was a one night stand by Jimmy Tapp.
There are 16 different program series; there will be 65 productions and 93 performances including the National Ballet doing the Nut Cracker Suite at Christmas.
 The Nutcracker Suite will delight what will undoubtedly be SOLD OUT audiences. The Cushion Concert Series will return and there will be a Community on Stage program that will involve a number of the Burlington favourites. In the past some people complained, rather loudly, that the city had a brand new facility but the local performance groups didn’t get a chance to actually use the stage. The prices they were asked to pay seemed very steep to them. McCurdy and his team are bringing in the Student Theatre for two productions; the Burlington Concert Band has three productions scheduled. The Burlington Footnotes will run for two days with three performances and the Brott Music Festival will run from June 19th to August 14th in the Main Theatre.
McCurdy has created what he calls Series and has one with Jazz, another focused on Comedy, then one with a family angle – the Gruffalo is back. Dance, Blues & Rock have a Series as well. The Entertainer Series will include Jann Arden and John McDermott.
There is a “Marvel” Series and a Global Beat Series. Each series is made up of three to four performances.
The Opera Series will present Pucicini’s Tosca, Verdi’s Nabucco and Mozart’s Don Giovanni all done as cinemas coming from the Royal Opera House.
This reporter had to leave early so I didn’t see the standing ovation Brian McCurdy should have gotten at the close of the evening. The challenge now is to see how it goes at the Box Office. If Burlington doesn’t come through with SOLD OUT signs on most of these programs – the city doesn’t deserve a Performing Arts Centre.
By Staff
May 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Some 300 people gathered at the Convention centre last Thursday, to witness the awarding of Burlington’s BEST awards to seven people who were chosen by their peers as leaders in the community.
There were 29 nominees in the 49th annual awards event that recognized Citizen of the Year; Senior Person of the Year; Junior Person of the Year; Heritage Person of the Year; Arts Person of the Year; Community Service Award and the Environmental Award.
Mayor Goldring put it perfectly when he said: “Volunteers” are the backbone of our community, and add tremendous value to Burlington.” The men and women who are received the awards were recognized by their friends and colleagues as putting forth an extraordinary effort to make Burlington a better place.”
The Burlington’s Best Awards are managed by a citizen’s committee established in 1965 with the mandate of recognizing Burlington residents who bring honour to the city and make a difference in their community.
The Heritage Person of the Year Award is sponsored by Heritage Burlington, a City of Burlington citizen advisory committee. The award goes to an individual who has demonstrated a long-term commitment to the preservation of Burlington’s heritage, and has volunteered his or her time to support the preservation of Burlington’s heritage.
 If it had to do with either heritage or history Les Armstrong was at the meeting – usually with the late Jane Irwin. To have lost both of them in such a short period of time.
The award, quite rightfully, went to Les Armstrong whose service to Burlington covers many decades. He was a longstanding executive member of the Burlington Historical Society. His most recent accomplishment was organizing the Friends of Freeman Station. Burlington truly is a better place because of Les Armstrong and his efforts to preserve Burlington’s history for today and tomorrow; his death late in January lessened all of us.
Community Service Award is sponsored by COGECO, the local cable company and
is given to a Burlington resident who volunteered in the areas of public relations, marketing, communications or special events during the previous calendar year. Nominees will have promoted Burlington’s sense of community by sharing good news or encouraging others to contribute their time, talent and enthusiasm.
The nominees for this award in 2013 included: John Ives, Tomy Bewick, Friday Night Community Team at Wellington Square United Church, Les Armstrong, Gordon Cameron, Trent Schwartz and Beth Hudson
Trent Schwartz and his family sparked the imagination of the city when they decided they would embark on 100 local adventures in 2013. Schwartz tirelessly promoted Burlington by helping to get the word out to everyone about all the fantastic events and activities in our city. Schwartz has been a Burlington ambassador who continues to encourage and inspire local people and tourists to experience the great things the city has to offer while promoting Burlington’s sense of community.
Environmental Award Sponsored by Newalta – a leader in rediscovering resources and changing how industry perceives waste by partnering with its customers, helping them to meet their environmental objectives. The nominees were: Ken Woodruff and Paul Toffoletti
The Environmental Award went to Paul Toffoletti, a dedicated environmental protection advocate who has volunteered with the Bruce Trail Conservancy since 1996 and has been a member of the Burlington Sustainable Development Committee (SDC) since 2008.
As a board member of the Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club, Toffoletti spent a significant amount of time monitoring this ecologically significant parcel of land to ensure that Burlington’s natural heritage features continue to be protected. As vice-chair of the SDC, Toffoletti helped raise the committee’s profile by organizing speakers’ series in Burlington on issues that include climate change, local food and environmentally friendly gardening. He was instrumental in leading the review of development applications and routinely delegated to City Council on environmental matters. Toffoletti has played an active role on the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan Stakeholders Review Committee and continues to serve on the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark Management Committee. Other environmental initiatives Toffoletti has supported include the Earth Day Hamilton-Burlington Eco Festival and various nature walk events. His dedication and enthusiasm for the environment has raised awareness and inspired others in Burlington to reduce their carbon footprint.
The K.W. Irmisch Arts person award went to a woman who took a big chance and brought one of the most imaginative cultural events to the city when she held the “No Vacancy” installation at the Waterfront Hotel. The nominees were: Selina Jane Eckersall, Christopher Giroux, Tomy Bewick and Jonathon Filipovic
 Selina Jane Eckersall looking over a model of Village Square – the location for her next “installation art” event. She is an entrepreneurial collaborator whose goal is to support and encourage a thriving contemporary art scene that extends beyond the gallery walls and into the hearts and minds of the city’s residents, artists and businesses.
Junior Citizen of the Year
Since 1875, B’Nai Brith has been respected for its groundbreaking work on matters relating to anti-Semitism, racism and human rights, as well as for its strong advocacy and the important social services it provides. Each year, local B’Nai Brith groups across the country reach out to those around them, helping to fund and organize activities that meet the special needs of communities.
The Junior Citizen of the Year Award is given to a secondary school student 18 years of age or younger, who, through devoted and energetic service to worthy causes, has been an example to the community. The nominees for 2013 were: Chad Buisman, Connor Withers, Curtis Kelly and Connor Fraser, Gabriella Paniccia, Justin McNerne
Chad Buisman has been volunteering with the Friday Night Community Dinner at Wellington Square United Church since its inception. He helps to feed more than 200 men, women and children each and every week with varying social, physical, social and emotional needs by supporting the dinners with set-up, food preparation and clean-up. He also organizes crafts for young children and shares his gift of music by playing musical instruments for the enjoyment of guests. Buisman is a volunteer with the church’s weekly children’s ministry program, Ryerson Camp and the City Kidz Foundation in Hamilton. He is a young role model who has spent more than 1,000 hours serving the Burlington community with a genuine humility that is beyond his years.
Senior Person of the Year
Canadian owned and operated, Schlegel Villages’ mission is to provide holistic health care in a home environment, located within an internal neighbourhood design that promotes a caring community, with an emphasis on optimal health and life purpose for each resident. The Village of Tansley Woods Long Term Care Home, the sponsor of this award, offers a rich selection of programs and activities year-round. The home is designed to build community while serving personal needs.
The Senior Person of the Year Award is given to a Burlington resident aged 60 years and over, who, through voluntary actions, has made a significant contribution to the city and its residents. The nominees for 2013 were: Michael Hourigan, Maggie Wheeler, Arnold Koopman, Thelma McGillivra
Maggie Wheeler
Wheeler is a cancer survivor who tirelessly serves the Burlington community. She collects non-perishable items for food banks and crochets hats, blankets and prayer shawls for cancer patients, women in crisis and disabled persons. When she travels to Mexico in winter months, she donates suitcases of school supplies and volunteers with her husband to support local food banks, schools and seniors’ homes. Within Burlington, Wheeler is also a volunteer with the Red Cross, Meals on Wheels, and Sew on Fire Ministries in Burlington. She is truly a selfless, charitable person whose heart touches each person she meets, with never a thought for herself.
Citizen of the Year Award
This award is brought to us by the service clubs of Burlington.
The world’s first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, was formed on Feb. 23, 1905. Since then, the club has grown to include 1.2 million Rotarians belonging to more than 32,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries. Service above self is Rotary’s guiding principle. The 2013 nominees were: x Bev Jacobs, Judy Gerdes, Denise Davy, Jean Longfield and Beth Hudson. Of interest and of note is that all the nominees were women.
The Citizen of the Year Award is given to an individual who, through devoted and energetic service to worthy causes, has been an example to the community.
Jean Longfield has positively impacted the lives of thousands of people through her “Gift of Giving Back” program. Beginning in 2007, the annual food drive program has now collected more than 770,000 pounds of food with a collective value of $1.89 million to help less-fortunate people in Burlington and the surrounding communities.
 The Burlington Eagles at a city hall event.
 By Pepper Parr and Mark Gillies
May 18, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON. With winter finally gone – still a bit of a chill in the air at times and pools won’t be all that warm for a bit – the Friends of Freeman Station can now get active and get the foundation for the building in place and then begin the real renovation work.
Mark Gillies, Fundraising and Membership Chairman, Friends of Freeman Station put together a really good collection of photographs that set out the role the railway station played in the economic growth of Burlington.
 Hand drawn map of the Village of Freeman. At our core we were a farming community blessed with some of the most fertile land in the country. We grew fruit and shipped it around the world. Burlington was at times described as the melon capital of the world. I once thought that perhaps Pepper Drive was named because they knew I was moving to the city – nope – it was once the locale of a very large pepper farm.
 Farmers with their wagons wait patiently to load their produce at the Freeman Station. It was known as the “fruit train” with its refrigerated cars. Burlington was a short stop – reported to be just 20 minutes and the farmers loaded their own produce.
 Baskets to hold the fruit grown in Burlington was manufactured in town.  Farmers loaded their produce onto the freight cars. Farmers have to do the loading themselves. They need to work quickly. These market gardeners had been working long before dawn, picking the crops and packing them into their baskets and crates. The train usually left twenty minutes after arriving, heading to Toronto with produce from “The Garden of Canada”.
 Biggs “evaporated” fruit. Post cards were the rage in the early 1900’s. Everyone had a post card made up and sold them for pennies. The Grand Trunk Railway produced their own line of postcards that showed life in Canada in the early 1900’s; a clever marketing technique to help encourage people in Europe to settle in Canada.
This postcard shows the “double track” line that the Grand Trunk Railway had at the time, and railway management took every opportunity to boast about it. The “double track” stretched 824 miles from Montreal to Chicago, and this postcard shows the train travelling through “The Garden of Canada”. Burlington was a huge part of that garden.
These which were sent back to Europe where they are believed to have played a part in enticing new settlers to Canada.
The Village of Freeman had an identity of its own. It had its own post office and was the place the market gardeners arrived at with their produce, loaded it onto the box cars and headed back to their farms. Downtown Brant as we know it was where the cannery was located.
 Robert Gray ran the toll gate that led to the train station platform. Funds collected were used to repair and maintain what is now Plains Road. His home on Plains Road backed on to the tracks. Market garden farmers had to pay Gray a toll to get their wagons with the crops to the Freeman station, and then pay him again when they left the station, so they could return home. This was how money was raised at the time to ensure the road (now Plains Road) was well-maintained. Robert Gray was Mark Gillies’ great uncle.
In 1906 the Dominion Canning Company produced various tomato products and was located at the foot of Brant Street, basically where the Waterfront Hotel is today. The smell of tomatoes cooking, permeated the air of the waterfront.
 Dominion Canning at the foot of Brant Street. $14 million and 100 years later and we have a pier on the same site. Today, Burlington, in fact the whole Region of Halton, doesn’t have very much in the way of a market garden economy. Some soybeans are grown, there are pick them yourself strawberry farms and a lot of hay is grown. The Region has an Agriculture committee and there are a few companies that package produce – but the trains don’t go through town anymore and a horse and wagon hasn’t been since on Mapleview since George Kerr was the Minister of something at Queen’s Park.
 The city had its own brand for produce. Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor want to see a bigger market somewhere south of Caroline; if he had his way he would shut Brant Street completely and make it totally pedestrian friendly.
Have you ever considered what it would be like for 100 per cent of your diet to come from local producers? That’s what J. B. MacKinnon and Alisa Smith decided to do — for an entire year. The couple devoted themselves to 12 months of eating only foods that came from within a 100-mile radius of their Vancouver apartment; an experiment in local eating that became a media phenomenon culminating in their book The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating.
Is there a lesson here for Burlington? We were once nothing but an agricultural community; we grew some of the best produce in the world and shipped it around the world.
 Now much of what we eat gets trucked in from California or Mexico – all kinds of foods being flown around the world that don’t need to be — for instance, apples coming from New Zealand, or potatoes from somewhere far away in the States, when all those things can grow easily in most places in Canada — particularly potatoes, or some other more humble vegetables.
 A double track was a big deal in the early 1900’s from farm to wagon to train to ships – Burlington produce was moved around the world. The 100 mile diet raised the question of food miles — how far food travels from farm to plate is a starting point for many people. Burlington is currently in the process of studying the creation of a culturally protected part of the rural community – would this allow the growth of a market economy. Unbeknownst to many is the existence of a pear tree far on the north side of Dundas that has been in existence for more than 100 years.
The saving of Freeman station from a wrecking ball may have more than one lesson for us. It could point us to our past and teach us that the food we eat can come from all that land north of Dundas Road
The collection of pictures, which we have poached for the 20,000m people who consistently read the Gazette came from The Burlington Historical Society, The Joseph Brant Museum, the Ivan Cleaver Collection, George Kush, Dorothy Turcotte, and the late Jane Irwin.
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