 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. July 30, 2013. The federal government announced that it was going to gift the recently born Prince a gift that would include a number of books fit for a Prince from his Canadian citizens.
We asked bookseller Ian Elliott at the Different Drummer Book Store what he thought would make an excellent collection of children’s titles from Canada.
And we asked Maureen Barry, CEO of the Burlington Public Library if she would prepare a list. Barry turned to her children’s librarians and here is what they came up with. Interestingly, there was just one title Elliott and the librarians suggested: Red is Best. Other than that there was no duplication.
We were delighted to see The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier on that list. The gift will come from the people of Canada sent by the Prime Minister and The Governor General who are both avid hockey fans.
We are going to pass this list along to those two gentleman and see what they decide to put in the gift package.
 A future King of Canada, Prince George Alexander Louis gets a list of books he might want to read as he grows up. The Prince, George Alexander Louis, third in line to the British throne has made just the one public appearance but expect to see a lot more of that child. He will be King of Canada to many of those children who currently buy books at the Different Drummer and borrow books from the library.
 I Have the Right to Be a Child, Alain Serres, illust. Aurélia Fronty, Groundwood Books
Alligator Pie, Dennis Lee, Harper Collins
The Hockey Sweater, Roch Carrier, Tundra Books
Something from Nothing, Phoebe Gilman, Scholastic Books
ABC of Canada, Kim Bellefontaine, illust. Per-Henrik Gürth, Kids Can Press
Picture a Tree, Barbara Reid, Scholastic Books
 Imagine a Day, Sarah L. Thompson, illust. Rob Gonsalves, Simon & Schuster
I Want My Hat Back, Jon Klassen, Candlewick Press
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, Mem Fox, illust. Helen Oxenbury, Houghton Mifflin
On the Day You Were Born, Debra Frasier, Houghton Mifflin
I Like to Play, Marla Stewart Konrad, Tundra Books
 Red is Best, Kathy Stinson, illust. Robin Baird Lewis, Annick Press
The list that follows is a compilation of suggestions from Burlington Public Library librarians who have had the privilege of serving as children’s librarians at various points in their careers. They chose Canadian picture books because, as they said, “we have a rich treasure of wonderful Canadian stories and illustrations for children. These are all ‘tried and true’ at many a storytime! It was difficult to narrow down our choices because there are so many great options.”
Barbara Reid – Welcome, Baby (Barbara is both author and illustrator and her ‘illustrations’ are all crafted with plasticine! It’s true that little Prince George has caused smiles around the world. This book is about babies bringing happiness.)
Barbara Reid – Read me a book (This is a collection of several wonderful Canadian stories compiled by Barbara Reid. It is a way to give Prince George a taste of Canada before his first visit.)
Marthe Jocelyn – Same Same ( Exploring in very simple images how things that are different can be very much the same.)
Marthe Jocelyn – Where do you look? (A fun exploration of homonyms.)
Jan Thornhill – Wildlife ABC and 123 (It is pretty clear what this book is about)
 Michael Kusugak – My Arctic 1,2,3 (Learning numbers, counting and all about Arctic animals, this book is a gem.)
Edith Newlin Chase – The New Baby Calf (There may be a “no fly zone” over Bucklebury while Prince George is in town but we are certain there are baby calves in town. This is a lovely story of the first days of a baby calf.)
 Kathy Stinson – Red is Best (A perennial favourite story about a little girl and debates she has with her mother about the colour red. This books begs to be read again and again.)
Kathy Stinson – Big or Little (Little ones cannot wait to be big, but sometimes they realize being little is OK too.)
Robert Munsch – Mortimer (Prince William said that his son had a ‘great set of lungs’ and we think the very loud repeated chant of Mortimer who loves to make noise “ all day” will appeal in the Royal nursery).
 Phoebe Gilman – The Balloon Tree (The story is all about fantastical royalty with Princess Leora prepares to use balloons to signal her father the King if something goes wrong while he is out of the kingdom. Something does go wrong. There is a happy ending.)
 Prince George Alexander Louis with his Father the Duke of Cambridge; second and third in line for the British throne. How many parents who are avid readers and take their child to the library on a regular basis recognize these titles? Is this a good list of books to send to the future king of Canada.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. July 26, 2013. She was paid fifty cents an hour to baby sit and didn’t like wearing the crinoline she had because it scratched her legs.
She was just a beat or two behind the drum when it came to fashion and wore stitched moccasins when others were wearing saddle shoes.
 She went to Pineland elementary school and is looking forward to being one of the MC’s at the This Magic Moment event that will be held at Nelson Park September 14th.
 Will Connie Smith go with her Vavavavoom look at the Magic Moment event or will go the pony tail look and still wow the crowd? We are of course talking about Connie Smith, that 39-year-old woman with the smile that lights up a room. When she takes to the stage at the This Magic Moment event she expects to wear the pony tail she still has. As for the rest of her costume – she is deciding on either the Olivia Newton John (1) look or the Olivia Newton John (2) look – but being a woman she automatically gets the right to change her mind at the very last-minute.
 Now a “39-year-old” seasoned broadcaster Connie Smith learned her trade at Mohawk and has been taking the “good news” to Burlington ever since. She will MC the This Magic Moment event at Nelson Park September 14th. Connie got her first transistor radio while at elementary school and thought she was the coolest kid on the street; she remembers watching the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. The crowd that the organizers of the event expect to draw will know exactly what Connie was talking about
The This Magic Moment event is all about those days and those memories – which may not mean a thing to you if you don’t recall the Ed Sullivan Show but Wayne Brown, chair of the event being held to raise funds for an endowment that will support police officers should they die or be injured while on duty, will tell you that there are thousands of people in Burlington who want to spend an evening at Nelson Park listening to the music of the Beach Boys, The Drifters and the Jersey Boys.
The Drifters will be on the stage in person – charming the audience with their signature tune as well as many other pieces of music that you will want to walk out to the dancefloor the minute you hear the first couple of beats and show the kids that you can still strut your stuff.
 The Drifters – live at Nelson Park on September 14th and up close and personal at the Waterfront Hotel on the 13th for an exclusive audience. Getting the Drifters to take part in this event is another story we will tell you about later. What you will want to know is – well the Drifters were a vital part of that 50’s and 60’s era and they don’t like to rush around. So they decided to arrive in Burlington a day early and Wayne Brown knew right away that he had another element to his program. Why not have the Drifters do an exclusive, limited engagement Soiree at the Waterfront Hotel the day before? Great idea and so if you want you can get a tickets for both events.
Wayne Brown pulled together one of the most impressive committees this city has seen and called in every favour he could; that’s what got him into a coffee shop with Connie Smith where he asked her to MC the event – she agreed and then Wayne called her back and asked if she would handle publicity as well.
I am told that the “Always Good News” girl has a dance card – and I think my name is on it.
September the 14th – expect it to be a great event. Tickets are available on-line .
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. July 25, 2013. The Regional government does regular water testing for all the beaches in Halton and report on what is safe and what is not safe.
We noticed that in the report for this week they advise that the Beachway Park water is safe for swimming but that the water at the foot of Brant Street is not safe.
 View of the mini-beach at the foot of Brant Street where people like to swim. Notice the large pipe on the right hand side in the top part of the picture. The rain run off from that pipe might be what is making that water unsafe for swimming. The geese that like that part of the waterfront don’t help either. Region might want to consider a warning sign in that area. Given that the two are quite close together we asked the Region “why” and they replied that the Manager of Healthy Environments explains that if “water samples collected have e.coli counts above the guideline, the beach is posted as unsafe for swimming.
“The e coli results for Brant Street beach were not within the acceptable guidelines while Beachway results were. There are various factors that affect bacteria counts in water including wave action, currents, wind, water depth, storm water outfalls and the amount of waterfowl in the water and on the beach. Ultimately, it is difficult to determine the exact factor or factors that caused the difference in the water sample results.”
 That made sense because there is a pipe that runs from under the Waterfront Hotel area right into the mini-beach that was created when the pier was built. Also, geese and other waterfowl love to walk along that mini beach and people tend to feed the critters – and you know what geese do when they eat don’t you?
Might not the Region post a sign in this area advising people that it is prone to having e-coli counts higher than normal and is therefore not a safe place to swim – especially for very small children.
Other than a few beaches in the Region it looks like it is going to be a healthy weekend to go swimming.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. July 25, 2013. In Kingston they refer to him as their “cultural czar” and they can’t understand why he is leaving. The contacts we spoke to didn’t even know that Brian McCurdy had resigned and was on his way to Burlington where he will serve as the Executive Director of the Performing Arts Centre. He takes up the reigns in the middle of August.
Kingston’s Grand Theatre was undergoing a major renovation when McCurdy arrived in that city. He completed that job and put together what most people in Kingston felt was a very good program bringing in a number of acts from Europe that for the most part didn’t tour smaller Canadian cities.
McCurdy created a jazz festival that has proven to be very popular in Kingston; hopefully a jazz program will be something we might see from Mr. McCurdy early in the New Year?
McCurdy was said to have been very good at creating partnerships with small theatre groups in Kingston and while described as a cautious man, people in Kingston found that the proof was in the pudding and McCurdy did produce for them.
 Brian McCurdy, newly appointed Executive Director of the Performing Arts Centre. Burlington is about to get serious with its Cultural Plan which is working its way through city hall and a committee or two. McCurdy is said to have done “excellent” work setting the direction for arts and heritage in Kingston for the next ten years. Might he manage to set the bar a little higher at the Brant Museum?
The depth of experience that McCurdy brings to cultural development will be new to this city. Burlington has gotten a little mired in its approach to culture – this man, if the information we’ve been given is sound, takes a very sophisticated approach and at the same time fully understands the realities of the market place.
In Kingston McCurdy said once he was “worried about the success of the KidStage series” and found a remedy — he cut the children’s prices in half. “It really caught on,” he said. “The audiences doubled and tripled.”
 “When we did a survey at the end of this year”, said McCurdy, “ 92% said they got value for their money but would come to more shows if the prices were cheaper. So this year, we’re introducing three price breaks where you can save as much as $10 if you’re willing to sit further back in the theatre.”
McCurdy has a considerable amount of American experience which is usually a good thing. It gives him a broader view of culture and how it develops and rolls itself out. A university education at McGill University will have given him a firm understanding of the dual culture of this country as well.
Add to that some work in Hamilton with the opera crew over there and he at least knows where Burlington is. Has anyone told him about the most expensive pier ever built in this country? When he was taken on a tour of the city did they walk him out to the end of the thing?
As to why did he decide to leave Kingston, a city that has a richer, deeper arts tradition than Burlington and a very significant summer tourist traffic, a world-class university in the middle of the city and a stronger Canadian history pedigree than Burlington, no one could come up with a reason other than “these people like to move on quite a bit”.
 Our contact in Kingston did have one parting comment. “Burlington” he said, “has to stop poaching our people”. And then I realized that our police chief Stephen Tanner, also came to us from Kingston. This would put some validity to the Mayors statement that we are the best place to live in the country. Problem with that statement is that there are a number of correctional institutions in Kingston where we may not want this great news to get to.
For the moment let us welcome Brian McCurdy to the city and wish him well. If Burlington is to have a cultural identity – this man appears to have the capacity to get us there. He also has a community of artists who want to be at the table and the sense we got from the people we talked to is that this man understands artists – which will be welcomed.
 By Staff
Burlington, Ont. July 24, 2013 – The Burlington Theatre Board has selected Brian McCurdy as the new Executive Director of The Burlington Performing Arts Centre. Mr.McCurdy will assume his new role effective August 19, 2013.
Mr. McCurdy has served as Cultural Director of the City of Kingston, since 2008. In this role he was responsible for overseeing the management of the historic Grand Theatre, city museums, Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning, in addition to municipal cultural planning.
 Brian McCurdy has been appointed the Executive Director of the Burlington Performing Arts Centre – he joins that organization in the middle of August. He was also involved in the re-development of the historic Grand Theatre in Kingston which re-opened in the spring of 2008 following a 3-year renovation. Previously, Mr. McCurdy provided management for the Performing Arts Centre, University of Lethbridge; Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, a 1500 seat performing arts centre; and the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, University of California.
“This is an important leadership role and we are delighted to have attracted broad interest from top candidates across the country, and beyond.” said Rick Burgess, Theatre Board Chair. “Brian has provided leadership and direction for the planning, construction, opening and ongoing management of performing arts centres, and has extensive programming experience. He has held the position as the first manager of many performing arts centres and therefore understands the complexities and the excitement of an organization in its development stages. As we head into our third season, we are excited to welcome Brian to the team.”
 Some new light being brought to the Performing Arts Centre with the appointment of Brian McCurdy as the new Executive Director. Mr. McCurdy received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music from McGill University in Montreal and his Master’s Degree in Music with a major in arts administration from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He also studied arts administration at The Banff Centre, in Alberta, the Leadership Institute at the University of California at Berkeley, and has participated in numerous workshops and seminars on fundraising, board and community development.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. July 24, 2013. The city’s Town Crier, Dave Vollick will be in Kingston, Ontario early in August to test his pipes against those amongst the best there is at the 2013 World Invitational Town Crier Competition.
 Dave Vollick, Burlington’s Town Crier taking part in the Brant Day celebrations at LaSalle Park. Vollick will have four days during which he will show them what he can do and perhaps come home as the “World Town Crier Champion”.
2013 marks the first year that the championships have taken place in Canada.
Burlington has had a Town Crier since March 2011 when Council went along with the idea but didn’t put up any money to cover any of the costs involved. At the time Vollick had hoped the city would pony up for some of his cleaning bills.
Vollick has appeared at a number of events – were he to come home with the prize – we would certainly see a lot more of him.
 A Royal birth being announced by a Town Brier in the United Kingdom. The world saw just what a Town Crier can do when the announcement of the birth of the third heir to the British Crown was delivered by a Town Crier.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. July 20, 2013. Did you dance to Under the Boardwalk? Do you remember Pauly and the Goodfellas? When was the last time you heard Good Vibrations and California Girls?
 It was black and white in those days; it was rotary dial phones and gas that came in at what 25 cents a gallon? It was a different time and those were different tunes – all to be heard on September 14th – Nelson Park. It’s all just a couple of months away. Wind you way over to Nelson Park Saturday September 14th – event begins at 2 pm – last dance just before 10 pm – and have a look at some of the antique cars and wonder what ever happened to those fins.
 This Magic Moment – an exciting, first-of-its kind outdoor event celebrating the music and nostalgia of the 60’s with event headliner Rick Sheppard and the Drifters – not a knock off group but the original four in those trademark red jackets.
Two local groups will open the show….The Night Brigade (Sweet Caroline, Hooked on a Feeling) and Halton’s singing cop Stuart MacDonald.
You’re going to need a ticket for this one – and expect the place to be packed.
Tickets are available online at: tickets.
You won’t want to miss the Contours who will get those feet moving when you hear “Do You Love Me?” and do their Motown Review. Robbie Lane and the Disciples (“Fanny Mae”) will be on stage as will Pauly and the Goodfellas doing a tribute to The Jersey Boys and Beach Boys. Each of the four groups above will perform for 75 minutes!
Bring a lawn chair and settle in for an evening of pure nostalgia and remember just what your good old days were about. Bring the grandchildren to watch as you get out and dance and show them your stuff.
The on stage MC’s will be Connie Smith and Robbie Lane
Licensed area, food concessions, and a Vintage Car Show!
Nelson Park, New St. east of Walkers Line in Burlington. Gates open at 2 PM….Music from 2:30 to 10 PM. Tickets are only $30 for over 7 hours of live music!
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. July 20, 2013. Homegrown country at the Royal Botanical Gardens Country Night with award-winning singer Lindsay Broughton.
The show will take place at Hendrie Park in the Gardens and is free for all.
 Rising country singer, Lindsay Broughton to sing at Free concert. Brooklin, Ontario native Lindsay Broughton has been making waves for some time in the Canadian country music scene. She is already receiving acclaim by her peers for her stunning performance at the inaugural Country Music Association of Ontario Awards show this past May, where she also won the coveted “Rising Star Award”, for 2013.
Broughton’s current single “Now You Don’t” is being played on national radio. Her debut self-titled album is due to hit shelves this Fall.
On Tuesday July 30th at 6:00pm at the Royal Botanical Gardens.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. July 18, 2013. While not hazardous, the water in Lake Ontario at the Burlington area beaches is described as “not safe to swim in”.
During the summer months, the Health Department monitors water quality at selected recreational beaches in Halton. Beaches are selected for testing based on their use for swimming and other water sports. Monitoring is done once a week or more if necessary. A pilot project is being undertaken at Beachway Park for the 2013 beach sampling season to examine potential factors influencing water quality. Therefore, Beachway Park will be sampled more frequently.
- A beach is considered unsafe to swim if water tests show high amounts of E. coli bacteria.
- Conditions posted are based on samples taken from the previous day.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. July 17, 2013. The cheque was indeed in the mail – a big one that put $20,000 into the Burlington Lions Optimist Minor Hockey Association (BLOMHA) bank account where the spending will be spread out over two years.
 Hundreds of Burlington hockey types clicked on this red button to rack of points for the significant cash award – BLOMHA won $20,000. The cheque was the result of a superb effort by John McNeil and a team of people he directed who made thousands of clicks on a red button set up on the Kraft Hockey Goes On website.
The prize money came from Kraft Foods who sponsor the Hockey Goes On contest in which BLOMHA was one of four runner ups in Central Ontario. The top prize which was $100,000 – that went to Goderich.
 Anyone with a laptop and at least five fingers got put to work. The young fellow on the right has all ten fingers but they didn’t give him a keyboard. When Kraft announced the program for 2013 Kristen Priestner, a local hockey Mon with a son in the BLOMHA Atom A, nominated John McNeil, who manages the team, as the person who had done the most for minor hockey in their community.
McNeil’s nomination was accepted by Kraft and the game was on. McNeil headed up a diverse team that included almost everyone he knew.
 Boys in a van on the way to a hockey game in London use the time to log in and click, click, click. The community pulled together and worked throughout the weekend – they even had hockey players logging in and clicking on that red button while they were being transported to out-of-town games.
 This banner will hang proudly in the Appleby Arena, recognizing forever the contribution McNeil made to BLOMHA and it hockey operations. Along with the cheque BLOMHA was given a large banner recognizing organizer John McNeil and his efforts. The banner will go up in Appleby arena.
How will BLOMHA spend this windfall? One of the decisions the organization made was that none of the prize money would be used for administrative stuff. The full $20,000 will go into the hockey program for the Burlington community to benefit.
This year $5,000 will go towards subsidizing hockey fees for financially challenged families.
 BLOMHA Executive Director Rick Dawson on the left and John McNeil hold up the $20,000 cheque won during a drive to register clicks on the Kraft Hockey Goes On contest last March. Another $5000 will go towards replacing 10-year-old and worn out goalie gear used by goalies in the house league program
The other $10,000 will be saved for next year to be used to assist families in getting their sons or daughters into the game. BLOMHA has taken the position that they will report to McNeil on just how they spent the money.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. July 10, 2013 – They are out of school, underfoot and looking for things to do. Crawford Lake is worth a visit where the past comes alive at the Conservation Area, with the annual Dig In and Discover Archaeology event! this Sunday, July 14 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
 Turtle clan longhouse at Crawford Lake. The staff in the Turtle Clan Longhouse will be doing demonstrations of traditional fire starting techniques and storytelling. Visitors can explore the Iroquoian village, view fascinating videos, and make a clay pot to take home. Be sure to participate in a discovery hunt and win a great prize.
 The Turtle Clan – part of the Mohawk Nation. Take part in a simulated dig at the Crawford Lake site. Learn how and why archaeologists do what they do and find out more about fascinating artefacts and Ontario’s First Nation’s.
After visiting the village take a guided hike at 2 p.m. through Crawford Lake’s beautiful woodlands and learn more about the history of the area.
Entry to Dig In and Discover Archaeology Day is included with your regular park admission fees, Halton Parks Members only need to show their membership for admission.
Crawford Lake is located at the corner of Guelph Line and Conservation Road (formerly Steeles Avenue) 15 km north of the QEW, and 5 km south of the 401 in Milton. The pristine waters of Crawford Lake have drawn people to its shores for hundreds of years. The rare lake, with surrounding boardwalk, is nestled in lush forests atop the stunning Niagara Escarpment where visitors can watch soaring turkey vultures glide through the Nassagaweya Canyon.
You can step back in time and explore the 15th century Iroquoian Village that has been reconstructed on its original site at Crawford Lake. The spirits still sing in the longhouses where tools, animal hides and the smell of smoke let you experience the rich history of Ontario’s First Peoples.
The Crawford Lake operation is part of the Halton Regions recreation and education program.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. July 5th, 2013. The most recent report on lake water conditions from the Region doesn’t have much good news for those who want to swim.
People visiting Burlington’s Beachway Park will see water-testing equipment set up on the north beach this summer.
The City of Burlington has partnered with Environment Canada’s National Water Research Institute, Western University and the University of Waterloo on a research project to better understand how groundwater quality contributes to test results at Great Lakes beaches.
Burlington is committed “to providing beaches that people can use for swimming and other recreation to contribute to an active, healthy lifestyle,” said Chris Glenn, director of parks and recreation.
This new testing will be in addition to water-quality testing conducted by Halton Region. During the summer months, monitoring is done once a week, or more if necessary. Beachway Park will be sampled more frequently due to the pilot project.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. July 3, 2013. Imagine! A city Councillor with more than 20 years at the Council table asking you for your opinion on what gets you excited about living in the rural area?
John Taylor represents Ward 3 which takes in that part of rural Burlington on the west side of the city limits over to Walker’s Line then from Derry Road down Dundas with a patch that reaches down to the QEW. This is John Taylor country – and it is served very well.
 John Taylor has been at the business of municipal politics for a long time. He once thought of seeking higher office – but that time has past. He work diligently for the people of ward 3 and now wants their opinion on living in the northern part of the city. Taylor is seldom at a loss to give you an opinion on whatever happens to be crossing his mind – even if you don’t ask for that opinion.
Burlington publishes City Talk, a news magazine, three times a year filled with “fluff” for the most part but it does serve as a link from city council to the wider community. Waste of good paper from our point of view but that doesn’t mean they are going to stop publishing the thing.
Each council member gets some space to put in whatever they want to tell their constituents – just the good stuff though. You will have to look very hard to find anything the least bit controversial or provocative between those covers. Pure vanilla – paid for with your tax dollars.
 The ladies love him. He charms them and he listens to them; never patronizes them. That’s why he gets smiles like this one from Georgina Black, the consultant who led the then new city council through its Strategic Plan back in 2011. Taylor is taking a slightly different approach to his part of City Talk – he wants to know what it is about living in rural Burlington that gets you excited. He has a number of reasons for asking the residents of the northern part of the city what gets them excited about – there is currently something to get very excited about – the attempt on the part of an entrepreneur to build an airport with little, if any, input from city hall or the economic development corporation.
Taylor is looking for your opinion. This is an excellent time for everyone in the city to tell a council member what is important about the rural part of the city.
 Lot of hay taken off these fields – but not very many cattle out there. There are those within the political go on about the agricultural industry – there is no such things as an agricultural “industry” in rural Burlington. There are a couple of very successful fruit operations and the equestrian people have made that part of the city a great place to operate. Don’t expect to very many cattle in that part of the city. Couple of places where there are some chickens and a several that have a couple of pigs. Some fruit operations but for a stretch of land that is pretty good from a soil perspective – we don’t really exploit that opportunity.
A lot of hay is taken off those fields but you will seldom see any soybeans and not a lot of corn. Farming in north Burlington is a bit of a stretch. Nice place to live – well not if you are on Appleby Line with all those trucks trundling load after load of land fill into the airport development.
So – what is there to be excited about north of Dundas/Highway 407? Councillor Taylor would certainly like to hear what you have to say.
Several months ago the city`s planning department held a half day Saturday session during which people gathered to talk about rural Burlington in what was billed a Rural Summit. What was very interesting, and revealing, was that the problems surrounding the dumping of landfill on the airport property didn’t get mentioned.
Perhaps this appeal for the things that excite people will bring more to the surface.Put your thoughts together and send them along to his very able assistant Sheri Wainman.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, JULY 3, 2013) For the second year, Art in Action presented a scholarship to a Halton Region High School student intending to pursue a full-time, post-secondary education this fall.
 Samples of the work on display during the Art in Action studio tour – always during the first weekend in November. Art in Action is a self-guided studio tour that takes place every year on the first weekend of November in Burlington. If art and craft appreciation mean anything to you – note the dates. The tour will introduce you to new art and get you out of the house and meet really interesting people. This year will be our third and we wouldn’t miss it.
 Darlene Throop, Art In Action, Michelle Nguyen, Scholarship Winner and Regan Heffernan, Principal, Robert Bateman. This year’s winner Michelle Nguyen, a student at Robert Bateman High School, received a scholarship of $1,500.00 as well as free admission to participate in the Art in Action November Studio Tour.
Nguyen intends to pursue her artistic and design interests and the University of Guelph in their Landscape Architecture program in September,
Burlington public and catholic schools were invited to participate by putting forth an applicant and including three digital images in the application. The turn out this year was less than promising, (shame on those schools who didn’t dig a little and encourage their students to take part). The Art in Action group feels there will be a better response next year. Let us hope they are right.
There are very few privately funded groups that use their own funds to provide scholarships for promising students. Things like this need to be both encouraged and responded to.
For additional information contact, Teresa Seaton at tmseaton@cogeco.ca
 REVISED
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. June 28, 2013. I didn’t see Rick Wilson out on the pier this afternoon with a telescope but there were around 100 people who were up on the observation deck or crowded around the rail of the pier watching the five tall ships manoeuver and getting in position to pass through the canal, under the lift bridge and into Burlington Bay where they were to sail around the bay letting people on both the Hamilton side and the Burlington side see these majestic vessels catch the light winds before they tie up at the various piers they have been given for the duration of their stay in Hamilton.
Wilson, a history buff who will, if you let him, tell you more than you ever wanted to know about the War of 1812 battle that took place on the lake just off the foot of Brant Street, or so some believe, that changed the outcome of the War of 1812 that lasted three years.
 They weren’t easy to see but they were certainly out there; five tall ships lining up to pass through the canal and into Burlington Bay where they will tie up in Hamilton for the weekend. Today, there were five tall ships, easing their way into the canal. There were supposed to be six – no idea where that last one got to – but the five were out there on the lake. Many wondered why the ships didn’t come in closer to the pier – wind was not all that good and they had to be far enough out on the lake to be able to line up in procession to get through the canal.
 The public gets some value from their $15 million pier (true cost is going to be $20 million) as they watch Tall Ships prepare to sail into Burlington Bay. It was expected they would all drop their sails as the went through the canal but at least one went through with all their rigging up.
 The tallest mast on this ship had to have a hinge placed on it so it could clear the lift bridge that lets her into Burlington Bay. The tallest of the ships, the Solandet, had to put a hinge on part of their tallest mast – it was just a little too high to pass underneath the lift bridge safely.
The sky was a little overcast, weather muggy, rain off and on – not the best weather in which to see these ships. They will be in Hamilton Friday through to Sunday. Tours are available.
The expectation is that all the ships will sail out of Burlington Bay at the same time. Exactly when that will happen isn’t all that clear.
There are more than a dozen ships taking part in what is billed as Tall Ships 1812 Tour with different ships showing up at different ports. St. Catharines, Dalhousie are among those that will be visited.
 The Niagara, one of six Tall Ships that will tie up in Hamilton after taking part in a sail past around Burlington Bat. None of this matters to Rick Wilson, his mission, driven by his passion is to have a plaque set up on the Burlington Heights to replace the one that everyone now agrees is just plain wrong.
 Here they come. Slip over to the links and read that tale of the role British ships sailing off Burlington played in winning the War of 1812 where ships fired cannon balls and iron shot at each other. For those who dive as a hobby – there are cannon balls to be found at the bottom of Lake Ontario –possibly right off the front of Spencer Smith Park.
Our colleague chose to catch the ships as the passed through the canal. She made a better choice than we did.
Margaret Lindsay Holton has written for us in the past. Some of her columns can be seen at:Terra Greenhouses and Are you nuts?
Tall Ships passed through the Burlington Canal under the Skyway Bridge mid-afternoon on Friday, June 28th.
Black and white photo montages by Margaret Lindsay Holton – Mid-career artist and author from the Golden Horseshoe Region of Ontario, Canada.
 Passing through modern history.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. June 24, 2013. If you were out and about on the weekend – and who wasn’t – you were at a BBQ with friends and family or perhaps at one of the events in the city.
The kids were “knocking themselves out” at the Norton Skateboard Park; Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster was not exactly serving tea – but she was on the street meeting and greeting her constituents while the Friends of Freeman Station were proudly showing a model of the Freeman to anyone who passed by their booth set up in the Burlington Mall.
 Just hanging out on the street with the girls – a lazy summer afternoon in Alton Village.  The Terry Fox Run to Cure Cancer people were out trying to attract and involve people from the Alton Village to take part in the event in September,  The stage certainly wasn’t city issue – shows what you can do with a couple of 2×4’s and a sheet on canvas if you have to keep the sun off you. Music was OK. Lancaster hosted the first of the Car Free Sunday’s held in the northern part of the city – and the turnout was better than the first such event held on Appleby Line last year. Despite close to blistering heat people turned out. The Rotary was on hand with plenty of cold bottled water.
It was a chance for people to get out and mingle, take in some of the events and just enjoy themselves – and see a street with nary a car on it.
 Did he make it? If you were one of many at the Norton Skateboard Park on Saturday you would have seen some impressive acrobatics going on. On Saturday the younger set were out at the skateboard park showing us what they can do when they fly around on those boards with wheels on them. My generation used orange crates mounted on a plank that had old roller skates screwed onto the bottoms.
The Saturday event was frenetic, the Sunday event was paced and easy-going.
 Bob Chambers points to a detail of the Freeman Station model he built in his kitchen in a short 4 1/2 months. The model got its first public viewing at the Burlington Mall on Sunday. For those at the Burlington Mall is was cool inside. The Friends of Freeman Station (FoFS) were proudly showing off the new model of their project built by Bob Chambers, a former photographer with the Spectator. Bob’s wife Grace who paints with water colours was quite pleased to see the model out of her kitchen and on its way to its first public viewing. It took a very short 4 ½ months to complete the model which has a lot of detailing. The shingles put on the roof of the model came in at more than the cost of the shingles on the original station. It is a very attractive model built to scale. Worth looking at.
As for the station itself – it still sits on steel girders waiting for the move to the new location. The FoFS now have their building permit which they proudly display to anyone who asks. Don’t ask for details on how long it took to get the document – sad story.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. June 21, 2013. With a full 13 member Board of Directors compliment in place, the Performing Arts Centre focuses more tightly on the business of finding a replacement for the previous Executive Director.
The Burlington Theatre Board Inc., the organization that oversees the operation of the Centre, a not for profit corporation and represent the public interest. It is made up of 13 people who serve staggered terms of office.
 It’s an attractive building and a very people friendly building – it just doesn’t appear YET, to have enough friends. Last year was a tough one for the organization. Rental revenues were down and there was serious concern at city hall over the need for increased financial support – in excess of what was expected. Council wanted changes made and went along with the financial requirement in the 2013 budget but made it clear there was going to be a different business case put in place. Councillor John Taylor who chairs the Budget and Corporate Services committee, has the BPAC people back before him sometime in October. When he was arranging for BPAC to return he made it clear that “this was not going to be a simple 10 minute delegation with questions and answers to follow”. Taylor was going to get right into the sand box with these people and work to ensure there was a plan that the public could live with.
It was shortly after that meeting that the former Executive Director decided she would return to her roots in Alberta.
A number of resignations within the Burlington Theatre Board had taken place and there was a call made to the community for replacements. With that task completed the Board was able to focus fully on finding the next Executive Director.
The Centre has an excellent program that will take them right into the spring of next year
There were over 90 applications for the Executive Director position, which Chair Burgess believes “speaks to the positive reputation the Centre has developed in its short life within the industry”. That’s one way of looking at it.
The search committee includes Allan Pearson, Peter Ashmore, Ilene Elkaim, Burlington city manager Jeff Fielding and Chair Richard Burgess. They are down to their short list and expect to be able to announce a replacement before the end of July and ideally have the new person behind a desk for Labour Day.
 The first two people to enter the Main Theatre for a paid performance hand their tickets to an usher. The next twelve months are critical for the Centre. A new Executive Director will give the day-to-day operations a boost but the Centre needs more than some bucking up at the staff level. The place hasn’t caught the interest of the overall public – at least not yet. The Centre is not yet seen as “our place” with the majority of the population. It does have its advocates and a small core of solid ticket buyers but it isn’t seen as an integral part of the city that is supported by everyone.
The Brant Street Pier with all its troubles was clearly a place the public took to in less than two days once it had been opened by the Burlington Teen Tour Band.
 It was the Official opening night – the place was all gussied up – and it looked great. Cogeco Cable covered the event with five cameras. The Family Room, shown here, was a delight to be in. The ticket price of $400+ was a little too steep and some had to be given away to ensure all the seats were filled. While the economic growth of the city isn’t dependent on the centre if we are to be seen as a vibrant community – the arts are a large part of that equation and the focal point for the arts has to be the Centre. We do need however to stop talking in superlatives about the place. It is a fine building with a good Main Theatre as well as a smaller Community Theatre. The most outstanding aspect of the place is the Family Room with the balcony surrounding the space. It also has probably the biggest bar in the city, certainly the nicest – although they could pump up the wine selection a bit.
Will the centre become an election issue in 2014? Hopefully not – because the arts always seem to take it in the shins when it comes to funding. Burlington wants to talk about “shaving and paving” its roads and the massive infrastructure deficit we face.
 Councillor Rick Craven sits on the BPAC Board along with the Mayor. Better reports to the public on what’s going on over there would help – and not just how wonderful the program is.  Mayor Goldring can be direct and to the point when he wants to be – his public deserves better reporting on what happens at the BPAC Board. There is an interesting year ahead for the Burlington Performing Arts centre. If the Board of Directors can get the selection of a new Executive Director right and work out a business plan that is sound and satisfies the city – we will be off to a good start.
The politicians we place on that Board need however to do a better job of keeping their fellow council members and the public at large up to date on what is happening.
We hear next to nothing from Councillor Craven and the Mayor, who sit on the Board, about what’s going on over there.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. June 16, 2013. They used to be located on Locust Street, half a block away from city hall – just a bit further from the Performing Arts Centre. The service they offered was delivered from that location but the overhead was – well too much.
Debra Pickfield called the place THiNKSPOT – a place for groups of people to get away to and think – think differently and work “outside the box”, a phrase that is terribly over used but does describe what gets done at THiNKSPOT.
 THiNKSPOT is a place for people to gather in small groups and large groups to talk. Breaking the boundaries that tend to determine what people can and should do at whatever work they do is not easy. Management tends to want things to run smoothly – no disruption please. Pickfield argues that disruption is exactly what is needed if organizations are going to be moved out of the complacency she feels smothers many operations.
 The feature that makes THiNKSPOT work is the setting and the level of facilitation, Pickfield works as a facilitator and from her perspective, location and setting for meetings is critical. Meeting in a stifling hotel meeting room where the setting isn’t much different from the office is not, according to Pickfield, conducive to bringing about a change in the way people think.
So – off to Lowville she went, where she rented a nice space. The setting is pleasant. The grounds are really nice with a sculpture garden yards away and, if people need to get out for a walk to talk, the paths and streams of Lowville Park is just across the road.
 While the setting is important – people use THiNKSPOT to transfer knowledge and exchange ideas and use the latest in technology to make it happen. One of the draw backs was the amount of meeting room space. Quite a bit but at times not enough for larger groups. What Pickfield didn’t know when she decided to move her operation to Lowville was that there was an old school-house literally on the other side of the road. Once Pickfield saw the space she met with city property types and put together a rental arrangement. She now has a very small meeting space, a larger meeting room and now one of those large school-house rooms as well.
Pickfield explains: “We focus on shifting the way people think and the way they work together. When you connect all the various intricate pieces of the puzzle – the people, the process, and the place – you create a sort of “sweet spot” where we can collaborate and think creatively and find solutions to complex problems.”
So – what do they do up there in Lowville?
Pickfield is holding an event to introduce people to the setting and to give them an example of how it all comes together. She is holding – not sure what to call it – let’s say an “event” which Pickfield describes as a unique way to experience THiNKSPOT and then extends an invitation:
We hope you can join us, and look forward to catching up and seeing everyone on June 20th as we introduce THiNKSPOT 2.0 Take part in a Summer Sockstice in the idyllic world of Lowville for a time of storytelling through Art.
A wonderful selection of artists will share their creativity and encourage you to recognize the creativity that resides in all of us.
Join Walt Rickli, sculptor, Fred Magie, songwriter/musician, Kevin Sutton, spoken word and drummers Tribal Thunder for an evening of creativity through music and stories.
 Admission – a half a dozen or so pairs of socks – there are people out there experiencing homelessness and a pair of socks is a big deal for them. Want in? Click here and reserve a spot.
There is no admission – there is the request that you buy a bundle of socks that will be distributed to people experiencing homelessness. That’s why the event is being called a Summer Sockstice.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. June 15, 2013. It opened – indeed it did and the event was wonderful to watch, a delight to be part of and a milestone for the city. That milestone has the potential to become an albatross around the neck of this city but today is not the day to quibble.
 weft It is done – it is open and the public seem to love it. There were out in droves on the Saturday when the Burlington Teen Tour Band marched the full length of the pier and returned with the city lag snapping in the breeze.
 These things happen. The city decided their wouldn’t be a “ribbon cutting” but instead there would be a banner made up and stretched across the pier for the Burlington Teen Tour Band to march through making the opening of the pier. The sign was supposed to read Brant Street Pier NOW but the banner was longer than the space and – well the W of now got hidden. Ooops! Not an omen – please. The applause was very real. I’m not sure if those young men and woman in the BTTB were fully aware of what they were participating in –but it was an historic occasion for the city.
 They were sticky, they were gooey, they were soft and moist – one per person with more than a thousand made up to be given away. Did you get one? The city had more than 1000 cupcakes on hand to pass out – they were all used up.
Hard to say how many people actually visited the pier on the Saturday – it will have approached 5,000 by the time the day was over.
Now what?
The pier will find its place. The city will come up with ways to program the location and people will see it as something that makes their city just that much different from any other city in the province.
The birthing pains were excruciating and we know that from this point forward every politician will talk about the event as something historic. Hopefully it will move the politicians off that ‘safest city in the country” line they keep touting.
 A picture that should be etched in the mind of every citizen in the city. Glorious! It is interesting that they speak of the pier as the completion of the city’s waterfront park. The question as to what the Region does with the Beachway Park to the west of Spencer Smith has yet to be determined and for the waterfront to have some harmony the two will have to – and should – complement one another.
All in the future – this weekend the city celebrates and acknowledges that we now have something no one else has –and it is truly wonderful.
Are there flaws, deficiencies and things that need to be fixed quick, quick? You bet there are – but today is not the day to point to hose.
Point instead to that picture of the full Burlington Teen Tour Band marching back towards the city with the flags flying and the full band playing.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. June 14, 2013 For opening number two of the Brant Street Pier the God’s shone upon the city and the sun was out – the breeze from the lake was pleasant and, as has been standard for the pier – the opening was late by about a quarter of an hour.
 A colour party from the Iron Duke Sea Cadet Corps in Burlington. But it was a good occasion. All the movers and shakers and the people who make things happen were out on the site. The speeches were mercilessly short. The guest list was very short as well – some real surprises as to who wasn’t on hand. More on that later.
 Seven hands – seven futures for the city. The focal point was unveiling the plaque with the hand prints of seven young people, one from each council member. The seven were chosen from the more than 440 who sent in an application along with their thoughts on what the pier would mean to them.
Theses seven were recognized when the final beam of the pier was bolted into place and had a section of steel with their names on it. At that time their handprints were taken and later used to make casts from which a mold was made to cast the bronze plaque that was unveiled this afternoon.
That plaque is going to be out there for more than 100 years during which time those seven boys and girls will return again and again with their spouses, the children and their grandchildren. It is a wonderful piece of local history.
What kind of a pier is it going to be? Like a new restaurant, it will take some time to find its market; those people who will be out there day after day. While it is very early one could begin to get a sense of how people are going to relate to the structure.
It will serve the city well. It’s construction was plagued with problems and while those were not the making of the current civic administration is a serious blot on our copy books that is working its way through the legal system That full story has yet to be told. There is a serious bump out there that the city has yet to get over.
How and when people make the pier their own will take a little time. One “pier walker” wondered if someone would hold Tai Chi classes out at the very end of the pier? What a neat idea. Will weddings be performed on the observation deck? Will anyone remember that there was supposed to be a win turbine at the top of the beacon on the observation deck? It was going to provide all the power to keep the lights on.
With the pier officially opened we now head for the “third” opening that will take place on Saturday.
Sometime next week the words Brant Street Pier will get moved from the Project and Initiatives part of the city’s web site.
A traditional bronze plaque was set out on the pier with the names of the current Council members. It may well be the only public mark of the municipal political service some of them have given.
 Henry Schilthuis on the left, along with an aide.  Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster on the right walks with former Ward 6 Councillor Carol D’Amelio. Expect to see these two running against each other in 2014. D’Amelio wants back in.  Note quite the traditional photo op – most of those who took part in the official opening of the pier gathered at the end. For once everything worked.  The ceremonies over the Naval Promenade becomes the fous with the Seniors’ out in force listening to the All MAle Welsh Choir. Strolling along is Craig Stevens, the city’s project manager on the pier project. He direction and oversight kept the project going when it got a little wonky at times – but that’s another story. So who WAS there and who WASN’T there?
Some thought former Mayor Rob MacIsaac would be on hand to say a few words about how this project came about. However, had MacIsaac ben on hand then former Mayor Cam Jackson would have had to be on hand – and that wasn’t going to happen.
Regional chair Gary Carr sent his regrets.
Former city council member Carol D’Amelio was on hand. She and Councillor Blair Lancaster toured the observation deck together. Expect those two to battle it out in Ward six next municipal election. D’Amelio wants back in. She gave up her Council seat in 2010 to run against then Mayor Cam Jackson and while she did better than Jackson the city wanted a new look and chose Rick Goldring.
Councillor Taylor didn’t attend. Councillor Dennison did but he wasn’t talking about his decision to appeal the Committee of Adjustment decision that went against him to the Ontario Municipal Board. The decision to appeal will mark the beginning of the end of his 20 years of political service.
Henry Schilthuis and one of his able assistants made an appearance. Schilthuis was the original contractor on the pier. e walked away from the project when he realized, in his opinion, that it could not be built with the plans he was given.
A court of law will decide if Henry Schilthuis was right.
The pier is now part of the city. Is it what those Council members back in 1999 thought it would be? It will find and make a place for itself. The city can settle into its next biggest problem – the absolutely obscene situation with the Air Park.
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