 By Staff
August 12, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
We are a little late getting this to you – the Art Gallery of Burlington issued a Call for photo submissions for the ‘Infinite Daydreams: Reflections on the Sublime Imaginary’ exhibit.
 The AGB says: “The exhibition explores how we respond to the sublime in nature – that sense of wonder, power and beauty we feel looking out at blue skies filled with clouds over the lake’s horizon. This is hard to capture in one photo, so we need lots!”
To be a part of a photo installation in the gallery, please send our guest curators:
– one photo of the sky over the lake, or
– one of the horizon
Photos will be added to the exhibition throughout the summer.
Email photos in .jpg format along with your name to infinitedaydreams1@gmail.com
The exhibit runs until August 24th – new material is added regularly.
 By Carol Gottlob
August 7, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
So the flood waters have subsided, and the issues surface….
The Corporation of the City of Burlington has, since the last election, spent a phenomenal amount of money on two new features of the city; the doomed pier and the Performing Arts Centre. I admit I didn’t pay much attention to the pier, until the crane toppled over and the bills started to pile up. Next, was the Performing Arts Centre, which I questioned, because we are already surrounded by performing arts centres in Oakville, another in Mississauga, Brampton, Guelph and Hamilton. Don’t get me wrong – I endorse art and culture, but this seemed like a bit of overkill to me.
The fact of the matter is, these now exist, and we live with them.
 Is Burlington more than its over priced pier? Now, looking ahead, I feel it is time for “renewal”. It is time to look at what we already have, and where necessary, preserve, rebuild, enhance and protect it. The recent flood highlights exactly that need. Climate change is upon us. Floods, ice storms, hurricanes and tornados will become part of our existence on this planet and in this community. We will not be spared. So, let’s take a closer look at the infrastructure, and try to get ahead of the curve. We need to invest in fortifying our systems that we rely on, namely power, transportation and water. We need to protect the properties we call “home”. And this is where the story gets very real.
When the flood waters rose, I stood at the foot of my street and looked at the water rising on New St. I saw people wading through waist-high water carrying their belongings in green garbage bags. I offered help and saw many people doing likewise. Later, I walked over to my former neighbourhood, just south of New St. As I approached my old street, I could smell grilled meat on the bar-b-q. As I passed houses, I saw people inside eating, laughing and drinking wine. Meanwhile, a few steps further down the street toward Tuck Creek, lights were out, cars were floating, and people stood by looking on silently, exchanging almost whispered comments. It was surreal.
The next morning, I returned to pay a visit to former neighbours and dear friends, whose house was now a soggy shell, pumps gorging water back into the creek. Across the road, I saw an elder couple I’ve observed for years. They bought their house when it was built in the 60s and have kept it tidy and neat for all these years. Now they were standing outside, trying to understand how to put the pieces together again.
This is where we need to invest. In the properties that exist. The farmhouses that herald our rural traditions. The neighbourhoods that developers built, but people developed! The original telephone poles that adorn my street were installed in the 1950’s, when two wires were suspended – one for electricity, one for telephone. Now I look out, and I see 26 cables dangling from the equivalent of a toothpick! We need to fortify. We need to protect what we have. We need to help those who turned the houses into homes.
This recent event could aptly be called an emergency situation. Thankfully, no one was harmed, but the damage is severe and the long term impact is undeniable. And let us not be fooled; there will be more to contend with. It is imperative that the city and the council operate with a view to the near future and build reserves, provide contingencies and look after the needs of its citizens when disaster strikes.
Carol Gottlob is a candidate for the ward 4 council seat.
 By Pepper Parr
July 28, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
They aren’t going to give up
There is something to be said about a city that has these small pockets of people who just don’t know how to give up. More than a year ago city council decided that despite the objections of more than a 300 people and against the staff recommendation they had in front of them, council decided they would sell a small stretch of waterfront land to an adjacent property owners.
 This is the view that will be lost to the public forever should the center property be sold. One wonders if the city would allow the property to be fenced off? Probably The first due date for the valuation of the property May 2014 but that had to be extended with no specific return date. The property in question is owned by both the city and the provincial Ministry of Natural Resources and they were apparently having both second thoughts as to whether or not the property should even be sold and the possible price as well.
 The view to the east from the foot of St.Paul Street. This would become one of the “windows on the lake” In their complaint the BWC argued that a “decision by Burlington City Council that is inconsistent with approved City policy and contrary to a staff report on the topic of the Water Street walkway/parkette.
 There are three parcels of land. The city currently owns the ones on the left and the right. The parcel in the centre is owned by the province and the city. The city said it would create “windows on the lake” with “minimal” amenities on the left and the right and sell the property in the centre to adjacent property owners. Deal hasn’t been done yet. Getting their complaint made turned out to be easier said than done. The Burlington Waterfront Committee first took their complaint to the provincial Ombudsman. Bureaucracies being what they are it took some time to get paper back and forth only to learn that people in Burlington do not get to take their complaints to the Ombudsman – they have to deal with Local Authority Services (LAS) which is a wholly owned subsidiary company of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO)
In order to get your complaint before LAS one needs to lay all their cards in front of the city clerk who then normally asks for a fee of $100. That fee was waived for the Burlington Waterfront Committee.
The complaint is now in the hands of an independent investigator.
The issue has to do with an unopened road allowance known as Water Street that lies between Market St. and St. Paul St. in downtown Burlington. At one point Water Street, which no longer exists, was the main road along the lake’s edge.
Back when the city had an official waterfront advisory committee they looked into upgrading, improving and adding to the collection of Windows on the Lake. These are very small parcels of land the city owns that are at the edge of the lake and serve as places where people can sit on a bench an just enjoy the view.
When the Waterfront Advisory Committee was brought to an end the “unofficial” Burlington Waterfront Committee was formed and they have got their teeth into ensuring that the old Water Street land just doesn’t disappear into the hands of private people.
The BWC argues that if the City concludes the sale of this property, the public will lose this waterfront asset forever. At the October 2013 Committee meeting which was held in closed session, the Councillors directed staff to negotiate the sale and report back in six months despite delegations from citizens and from the Burlington Waterfront Committee (BWC) and a staff report that recommended retaining and using the land for public use. In May 2014 City Councillors extended the negotiation period with no end date. The BWC attempted to present its case again that the sale was contrary to City Policy, however the BWC delegation was ruled out of order as the specific issue on the agenda was limited to the status of negotiations.
Citizens get suspect when dates for decisions get pushed back with no real date set. Files like that tend to get lost which is what got this whole matter before the public.
 A group of citizens proposed a pathway through the properties – it never got off the ground. But when the idea was put forward – it wasn’t an election year. Burlington was the lead city in what is now known as the Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail that starts at Lake Erie and runs along the edge of Lake Ontario all the way to the Quebec border.
While the piece of land between Market and St. Paul streets is very small – it is an important part of the trail that former Toronto Mayor David Crombie created.
Like the famed Bruce Trail – these things start out as an idea and they grow. It takes council members with vision and a true understanding of what their city is about to ensure that its heritage is maintained and grown. Vision has always been a problem for this council.
Background links:
It started with the old Waterfront Advisory Committee
Waterfront Advisory died and so did the idea for more Windows on the Lake.
Private interests made their move to buy the land.
Selling the family jewels Part 1
Selling the family jewels Part 2
How the city decided to sell it.
It wasn’t a popular decision
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.
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