 By Pepper Parr
April 9, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
The objective was $300,000 – more than $80,000 of that was raised in less than a month.
Don’t ever say that this community is not behind the Friends of Freeman Station (FoFS) and their objective to rehabilitate and refurbish the Burlington Junction train station originally built in 1906. Despite the full support of city council – the FoFS have persevered. Councillors Marianne Meed Ward and Blair Lancaster deserve all the council level credit for their work.
Brian Mello and artist David Harrington hold a painting of the Freeman Station in front of the site where the refurbishment of the build will be done when the foundation is in place and the weather is a little warmer.
It has been a struggle but when Mark Gillies was made chair of the membership and fundraising committee things began to happen.
The FoFS created a list of sponsorship opportunities and within a month most of the indoor locations were sponsored.
 John Mello on the right and David Harrington hold a painting Harrington did of the Freeman Station. Brian Aasgaard, president of FoFS advised us that it will not be very long before we see work crews on the site starting the work.
Right now they are waiting for a permit to begin putting in the foundation. The FoFS station had all their drawings but – this is almost funny, the engineer who provided the drawings made a mistake and put in the year of 2013 instead of 2014 and the city rejected the application – so back they had to go. Aasgaard said he will have the permit by the end of the week and the basement work can begin. As soon as that is done – work crews move in – and we should have some warmer weather as well.
There are a number of organizations that are waiting in the wings to announce their sponsorship which puts “DONE” to the task a group of citizens took on to save a piece of local history.
City council struggled for years to find a place to place the station and then have it refurbished – at one point they even had federal money to pay for the move and the refurbishment but they couldn’t agree on a home for the structure. Meanwhile it sat beside the fire station headquarters and began to slowly rot.
Those days will become part of the lore and history of the station – not one of the city’s best moments – but it is the citizens of a city that make a community what it is. City councils just get elected, make their mistakes and move on.
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By Staff
April 4, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
While some think it isn’t yet a safe bet that there will be no more snow – if there is any it won’t stick around very long – which was enough motivation for the Friends of Freeman Station to begin checking their tool boxes and getting out their work books to troop over to the current location of what everyone calls the Freeman Station.
 It was a different Burlington at a much different time when it was not yet a town and the reason for being was to grow produce and ship it out from this station. Now we want to preserve the place. In 1856, the Great Western Railway completed the rail line. The first train station of the Great Western Railway line was built around 1854 near Brant Street close to where Plains Road is now located. The line itself, which ran between Hamilton and Toronto was completed in 1856.
The local area at the time was called Wellington Square.
In 1869, the Great Western Railway started to list the train station as “Wellington Square”, in their railway timetable schedules. A short time later, the station name “Wellington Square” was changed to “Burlington”, when the area became known as Burlington.
In 1877 on February 14th, the Hamilton & Northwestern Railway line opened from Hamilton to Burlington and on up to Georgetown. This created a junction between the GWR and H&NW railways, and it was at “Burlington”. The designation for the train station changed to “Burlington Junction”.
In 1882, the Great Western Railway and the Grand Trunk Railway amalgamated and the train station at “Burlington Junction” was of a Great Western Railway building style, and now it was part of the Grand Trunk Railway who used different styles for their train stations.
 The train station was a focal point for the city – train travel was how most people for to Burlington. In 1883, the “Burlington Junction” station was completely destroyed by a devastating fire. The station was rebuilt in 1888, and the Grand Trunk Railway continued to use the GWR design. There is an old photograph from this period that shows the station with signage that shows the station with the name “Burlington”.
In 1904, this second station also burned to the ground. It was not that uncommon to have fires at train stations. The locomotives were spewing embers as they entered into the station area, and on windy days, those burning embers often landed on the stations somewhere.
In 1906, the Grand Trunk Railway built a new station using their own classic design, which was known as “Type B2a”. This is the historic station design we are fortunate to have in Burlington, and now it will be preserved and renovated. As a side note, all three stations were built at the same location.
During the time that the stations were active, the signage changed three times. The names ‘Burlington Junction”, “Burlington”, & “Burlington West” were all in use. “Burlington West” was used for a very short time in the mid-1980s as Go Train Service was introduced and the new Fairview Street Station opened. For a brief time, both the Go station & the “Burlington West” station were in operation at the same time. The “Burlington West” sign was there only to distinguish between the two stops until the beautiful old train station was finally closed around 1988 by the Canadian National Railway.
 Burlington grew produce; pears, peppers and apples were some of what got shipped from the Burlington station. So why was it ever called “Freeman Station”? Contrary to popular belief, it was not named after the Freeman family who settled the area over 200 years ago. The station was located in the Village of Freeman, which was the area of Brant Street and Plains Road. The Freeman family has lived in and around the Village of Freeman for all of those years. The Village of Freeman was a thriving community with several factories, including a canning company and a basket making company, and a fair number of nearby houses. The Village of Freeman even had its own Post Office and a postal stamp designation up to 1952, when amalgamation finally brought the Village of Freeman together with the Town of Burlington. The name evolved from everyday usage by the local residents who affectionately called their train station, “Freeman Station”.
With this kind of local history one would have thought city council would have been all over themselves to save the place. The city couldn’t find a place to put it and the leadership to save the structure didn’t show up until the place was being offered for sale as kindling. The city just wanted to get rid of it.
 On the move – the station got moved a number of times – is there yet another move in its future? That is when Councillors Marianne Meed Ward and Blair Lancaster got together and pleaded with their colleagues to just give them some time and they would find a way to save the structure.
The Friends of Freeman Station was formed; the found a way to acquire charitable status and then they found a home for the building – that turned out to be yards away from where the station had been resting – standing on blocks beside the Fairview Fire Station.
The move took place before the winter set in. The building is still sitting on blocks and two large yellow steel beams. A foundation will be put in and then the structure lowered onto what will be its home while the restoration work gets done.
  With the warm weather about to arrive the renovators and refurbishes want to get at it. And that is going to cost – quite a bit – at least $300,000
They can’t sell tickets – yet, but the FoF board has decided they can sell naming rights and they have come up with an ambitious approach to sell naming rights for everything but the toilet that we assume the place is going to have.
Try these on for size:
1. The Station Master’s Office, $15,000
2. The Waiting Room, $12,500
3. The Portico, $10,000
4. The Baggage Room, $7,500
5. The Lower Level, $5,000
6. The Les Armstrong Main Entranceway, $2,500
7. The Lower Level Entranceway, $2,000
8. The Crew Room, $1,000
9. The Windows (14), $2,000 each
10. The Jane Irwin Oval Window, $2,000
11. The Interior/Exterior Main Level Doors (5), $2,000 each
12. Interior Furniture, Lights & Displays (20), $500 each
And that’s just the inside of the structure. Outside you can slap your name on:
1. The Burlington Junction Freeman Station Park, $60,000
2. The Train Platform, $10,000
3. The Parking Area, $5,000
4. The Original Baggage Cart, $2,500
5. The Landscaping, $2,000
6. Exterior Platform Accessories, (20.5) $1,000 each
7. Original 1000 whinstones, $100 each
The fund raisers come up with a total of $305,500
There are two sponsorship opportunities that need comment. The Les Armstrong Main Entranceway, $2,500 and the Jane Irwin Oval Window, $2,000. I’d up the price for those to $5000 each; Irwin and Armstrong were the two strongest advocates for saving the station –Les was the forming president of the Friends of Freeman and Jane the vice president – both are no longer with us.
 The signing of the Joint Venture agreement between the Friends of Freeman Station and the city – with the Friends raising most of the money. The hope is that the FoF board will exercise some discretion and not have the station looking like one of those NASCAR drivers with clothing that is a collection of corporate. Dignified and under-stated please.
Background links:
The station was saved.
Freeman station being prepped for a move.
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 By Pepper Parr
March 27, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Someone suggested it might be called drive through charity and while that is an apt description – there is nothing passive about the way the 52 members of a group take out their cheque books to aid others – on the spot. No committee meetings – they just up and do it.
Last night the group, 100 Women Who Care, met at Tansley Woods and in under an hour and a half heard Adrienne Gosse explain what the Burlington Humane Society was doing with the $3800 they were given in January, listened to short, short presentations and passed on $5200.
The general flow of the meeting is: introductions; ask for nominations; randomly pick three names, listen to presentations by each of the nominees and then vote for the charity of choice for this meeting.
 Out came the cheque books – “what’s the date today” and as fast as that $5200 went to the Halton Women’s Place. Ballots are handed out – the chosen charity named and out came the cheque books. The Halton Women’s Place representative went home knowing they had $5200 more to work with.
There was no one talking minutes – they don’t have a secretary, there is no treasurer – they don’t handle the money – they are just the channel the cheques run through to get from the donor to the recipient.
They are called the 100 Women Who Care Burlington and it works.
The women who show up four times a year chit-chat the way women do and pay attention to what the speakers are saying.
 Adrianne Gosse, shelter manager at the Burlington Humane Society telling the 100 Women Who Care what her organization did with he funds they were given. Last night there was a presentation from the Burlington Big Brothers and Sisters, the Junior League and the Halton Women’s Shelter. Each presentation was less than ten minutes. Ballots were handed out, filled in, counted, the winner announced and the cheques written. Not every member manages to get to the group meeting. Those that don’t make it to the meeting get an email telling them who is being given funds and cheques are made out to that organization.
The drive by charity comment came from someone who remarked on how simple and direct it all is. Any member can fill in a nomination form on the spot, and assuming there is a person from the group nominated, they can speak and if the members present vote for that group they go home with the cheques in their purse.
Amazing – its just DONE!
 Meagan and Pat, two of the 100 Women Who Care, tidy up before going home. This is the second meeting the group has held – there are now 52 members. Once they reach their objective of 100 members – they will meet four times a year and raise $40,000 that gets put into the community service sector of the city.
No fuss, not a lot of noise. Just ordinary women meeting once a month, doing what they think is right because they are able to.
Do you want to join? Check out their Facebook page, send a message to Laurel Hubber and you’re in. She will tell you when the group meets – bring your cheque book.
Background links:
Support went to the dogs the first time.
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 By Pepper Parr
March 20, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON.
The Burlington Liberals have their candidate chosen and she has been doing regular Saturday door to door canvases the past three weekends.
The Burlington Provincial NDP will be hosting a nomination meeting Tuesday, March 25th at the Burlington Seniors’ Centre (2285 New St.) at 7:15pm.
The sitting provincial MPP, Jane McKenna’s association has not announced a date on which they are going to re-nominate their candidate.
 MPP Jane McKenna with the best job she has ever had will have to seek re-election when the expected provincial election is called in the Spring. When McKenna goes to the polls it will not be with the same organization that did her peek-a-boo campaign in 2011. There have been consistent rumblings of dis-satisfaction at the local riding level with the MPP. However her star has risen with the party at Queen’s Park where she is said to be a favourite of Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak. Other than a small stream of photo ops, Burlington hasn’t seen or heard all that much from McKenna.
The New democrats maintain: “It’s clear that in the next election Ontarians will have a choice between an entitled Liberal party that has betrayed the public trust, a Progressive Conservative party that lacks leadership and vision and a team of dedicated New Democrats who have already delivered tangible results in a minority house.” said Ryan Perera, president of the Burlington NDP.
One candidate, Jan Mowbray, has put forth her name at this time; Jan brings a wealth of experience in public administration and volunteerism in Halton.
 Jan Mowbray, former Liberal has decided to run as a New Democrat in Burlington. Mowbray, an experienced political operative, left the Liberal party “because there was no sign of change for the better. More and more scandals popping up in the news, lack of oversight – think Hydro. The vulnerable sectors of our community continue to be impacted by policies that don’t address real problems. McGuinty in 2008 promised to reduce poverty by 25% in 5 years – it was referred to as 25/5. There was hope in the social sector. Five years later we were at 30% poverty. What could we have done with $2.1 billion?!”
“I know the issues, I know the people with 25 years of experience working as a volunteer in the social sector. I have considerable legislative and electoral experience (2 terms on council; worked federal and provincial election campaigns); as my by-line states, I am committed to the community.” Said Mowbray
Mowbray was elected to the Milton town council in 2003 and then re-elected in 2006. She ran for the Regional seat that Milton has and lost to Colin Best in 2010.
Mowbray would seem to be a candidate for the Halton provincial but running against Ted Chudleigh is tantamount to suicide – Burlington was probably seen as a location where the New Democrats at least had a shot – not because the NDP is all that strong in Burlington but because Progressive Conservative McKenna is so weak.
 Liberal Eleanor McMahon has been out campaigning every weekend for the past three weeks. While the Liberals have a strong candidate in Eleanor McMahon, Mowbray will dump all over her citing the McGuinty sins. Mowbray is a shoe in for the nomination – none of the usual NDP suspects appear to be up to the challenge. Burlington might see itself with three women running for the provincial seat.
Although only members in good standing with the party are welcome to vote, any and all are welcome to come meet the Burlington NDP executive and the next provincial candidate for the NDP in Burlington.
All inquiries are welcome at burlingtonndp@hotmail.com or by contacting the riding association president, Ryan Perera at 647-402-5874.
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 By Pepper Parr
March 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
It will be part of his legacy, a project he has patiently nurtured and developed for his constituents. As it nears completion attention has to be paid to what there will be in terms of public art.
 Currently undergoing a major redevelopment the Mountainside Recreation Centre is slated to have some public art on the site. John Taylor could not let the revamped Mountainside recreation Centre open without some public art. Burlington has a contract in place with Cobalt Connect, a Hamilton based arts consulting group that oversaw the selection of the Spiral Stella that is in front of the Performing Arts Centre.
Cobalt Connects wants to receive Expressions of Interest from artists. The project has a budget of $20,000 and an April 29, 2014 deadline for the Expression of Interest
Mountainside is located at 2205 Mount Forest Drive, in Burlington. This competition is open to all Canadian artists.
Built in 1969 Mountainside Arena was the City of Burlington’s 4th public arena. Over the past several years, the Mountainside Recreation Centre has been undergoing a major transformation. The grounds have received numerous improvements and the recreation centre, including the arena and pool buildings, is now being redeveloped.
ZAS Architects are leading the site redevelopment and have been heavily influenced by the incredible grounds surrounding the facility. The sense of open space, wooded lots and the embrace of nature on the site have been reflected in the architecture.
The Mountainside Recreation Centre site is multifaceted and allows for many opportunities for public art. It is the intent of the Steering Committee to allow the selected artist time to fully explore the site and its uses prior to developing an artwork concept. As such, the nature of this public art opportunity is open-ended. The commissioned artwork can be in any medium and sited in a number of different locations throughout the property (interior and exterior spaces are available).
 Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor will want to have his mitts all over who is on the committee that selects the artist chosen to do the public art for the Mountainside recreational centre. An artwork proposal is not requested at this time. Applications will be reviewed on the basis of past work, professional qualifications, and experience. Short-listed artists will be required to participate in an interview with the Selection Committee to determine the finalist.
There are additional details at: www.burlingtonpublicart.com where you can download an application form.
Expression of Interest forms are due on or before Tuesday April 29, 2014 at 4:00 PM.
The Cobalt Connects contact is Kim Selman: (905) 548-0111; Mobile: (905) 515-9334; Email: kim@cobaltconnects.ca
Website: www.burlingtonpublicart.com
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 By Staff
March 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
St. Luke’s Church Annual Spaghetti Dinner!
 In the Parish Hall 1382 Ontario Street, on Saturday April 5 with continuous servings of the best spaghetti & meat balls in town from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.
Tickets Adults $10.00
Children 12 & under $5:00
They want you to reserve – call 905-634-4345.
Cash bar serving Wine, Beer & Soft Drinks – these ARE Anglicans!
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 By Pepper Parr
March 17, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
When we first wrote about the Conservation Heritage District we said this was going to get messy. Once people read the document the city released for discussion at a committee not yet known on a date yet to be determined all hell is going to break loose.
 The area covers basically all of the western half of the Escarpment. There are provisions in parts of the draft by-law that will forbid just about everything during the first year of the bylaws existence. At the February meeting in Kilbride city planning director Bruce Krushelnicki told the audience that what was being proposed was a bylaw that the city could pass and revoke any time they wished. The audience wasn’t convinced however, but they did go along with taking a next step which was to do a study. It seemed like a good idea at the Kilbride meeting; nothing overly complicated.
The decision to take that next step was the result of a show of hands which that evening was overwhelmingly positive even though there were a number of people who didn’t like the idea of the city butting into local affairs.
Staff went away to prepare the report that was to set out what the next step study was going to be and what the public could expect to come out of it.
During a city council meeting on the budget when the city was approving the time needed for a planner to oversee much of this work and the expense involved, Jack Dennison, councillor for ward 4 made the point that “this wasn’t something we brought to Council” and indeed the idea of creating a Conservation Heritage District did not originally come from the city planners.
It was the result of an application a group of residents had made to the Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) to have as much of the Escarpment as possible protected under a some form of protection. PERL – Protect the Escarpment and Rural Lands made the application and met with the NEC planners and learned that they really weren’t going to be able to get what they wanted.
 A topographical view of the study boundaries. The Niagara Escarpment Plan which comes from the Niagara Escarpment Commission formed in 1937, has three categories of protection: Nature Areas; Protection Areas and Rural Areas. Each of these apparently has a cultural aspect or element to them which is conveyed with wording such as: “encourage the conservation of traditional cultural landscapes” – which is probably what the Aboriginal people were trying to see when the white people moved in.
 PERL fought to prevent an expansion of the existing quarry. The lower orange outline was the area where the expansion was to take place. PERL was the citizens organization that won the fight against an expansion of the Nelson Quarry. While it was the city that put forward the lead lawyer and spent $2 million in legal fees on that battle, PERL was given standing at the Joint Tribunal and had a consistent impact on the direction that Tribunal went.
 One of these was enough for the people in rural Burlington. Is a bylaw creating a Heritage Conservation District the best way to prevent any quarry application – or is there a larger objective being sought? PERL eventually pulled their application to the NEC for some form of protection for the Escarpment, particularly the Mt Nemo plateau and went to Councillor Taylor with what they felt was a better approach – do something via the Official Plan Review which was taking place.
They came up with the idea of asking if creating a Conservation Heritage District (CHD) could be part of the Official Plan review. While that review is ages from being complete and even longer from being approved – the planners seem to be moving along at what is breakneck speed in the planning world to get a bylaw in place that would make a large swath of rural Burlington a Heritage Conservation District and thereby protect the plateau.
PERL hasn’t said a word publicly. The last date of an entry on their website is November 2012. They have worked quietly with Councillor Taylor who clearly intends to make doing something substantial to protect the plateau his legacy issue; should he win the October election for his ward one would expect that to be his last term of office.
Once the public becomes fully aware of the planned bylaw there will be some “not so fast” comments as well as some OMB level mutterings. Paletta International complained in a letter to the city that they knew nothing of this initiative and asked that their lands be removed from the study area. It doesn’t quite work that way – everything gets studied or nothing gets studied.
The staff recommendation that will get to a Standing Committee at some point in the near future but perhaps as late as June, making it an election issue for some, came out of a process that started back in July of 2013. At the July 2, 2013 city council meeting Councillors Craven and Taylor brought an amendment to whatever was discussed in the CLOSED session part of the June 18th meeting.
Fast forward to what is going to go to a city Standing Committee at a yet unknown date this. Staff is asking that council:
ENDORSE the Terms of Reference for the Heritage Conservation District Study and Plan for the Mount Nemo Plateau, dated March 7, 2014; PROVIDE the Manager of Procurement Services delegated authority to award the contract(s) and issue a Purchase Order to the highest scoring Proponent(s), subject to budget limitations of $200,000; AUTHORIZE staff to commence a Heritage Conservation District Study process for the Mount Nemo Plateau; DIRECT staff to report back following the completion of the Heritage Conservation District Study process prior to the commencement of a Heritage Conservation District Plan process in accordance with s. 40 of the Ontario Heritage Act;
APPROVE an upset limit of $200,000 for the Heritage Conservation District Study and Plan to be funded from the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund; APPROVE the Mount Nemo Plateau Study By-law, which is set out in an Appendix to the staff report.
Staff wants the city to RECEIVE the draft Study Area Control By-law which may be passed in the event that a potential threat arises to the integrity or character of the study area.
Added in is a requirement that staff report back to council on the views of the public in Q2 2014 – that’s before the end of June. Given the winter we have had all the frost might not be out of the ground by then. And we will be four months away for an election which will likely turn this issue into an election question. What’s the rush?
Ward 3 councilor John Taylor said on Saturday that he intends to campaign on this issue. To Taylor’s credit he has been very diligent in working for the interests of the people north of 407 and while he lives south of Upper Middle Road much of his heart is in the rural part of Burlington.
There is more to this development which we will follow up on. The terms of reference need a look, the cost – they are talking in terms of $200,000 and the level of public participation in this initiative are all critical.
Background links:
Newsflash on the CHD meeting in Kilbride February 10th
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 By James smith
March 16, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The Paddy wagons stand at the ready, I read Halton Police have RIDE checks out on the evenings up to and including March 17th – Saint Patrick’s day. The Police have their job to do, I appreciate what they do, I want them to catch-all the drunks who get behind the wheel. Why do so many people use the Patron Saint of my forefathers as a ready excuse to drink and drive?
Well now, the Irish and the drink eh? A good old cliché and ethnic slur that persists. Lots of examples reinforce this stereotype, Oscar Wilde’s old chestnut of “work being the curse of the drinking class” comes to mind but Ireland’s most famous imbiber- Brendan Behan went one better when he said he was “a drinker with a writing problem”. The Irish men of letters aside, the multi-national booze biz can’t but help themselves, they crank out yet another excuse to get pie-eyed on March 17. Why sure, everyone loves a happy drunk leprechaun right? Have a black and tan, an Irish coffee, a black beer that starts with the letter G or mass quantities of industrial suds from a Brazilian brewer tinted green to kill the taste of genetically modified high fructose corn syrup! But hey! don’t matter if you’re Sullivan, Silverman, Schultz, Singh, or Sanchez, on March 17th everyone is Irish don’t you know it. We’re all encouraged by these vipers to act like “amadans” and drink up to prove it.
The fact of the matter is the booz-up that’s become “ST PADDYS DAY” is starting to get my Irish temper up. A temper that got me in a little bit of hot water when the chair of a Committee of Burlington City Council had to put me in my place just a few weeks ago. I’m sure most of the four and one half million Canadians like me claim Irish decent feel the same way. Sure we want to celebrate our heritage on the 17th by wearing green, and having Jig’s Supper, and yes, we may raise a jar or two. Bur many who cheered Brian O’Driscoll’s team winning the Six Nations Saturday are frankly tired of and ashamed of our heritage being mixed up with drinking contests and other shenanigans that end in fights and green regurgitation. As a son of the land of saints and scholars I’d rather remember the thousands who died at Grosse Isle Quebec, Ireland Park Toronto or Middle Island New Brunswick. I’d rather we celebrate Irish Canadians like Bishop Michael Power, Father of Confederation Thomas D’Arcy McGee, Prime Ministers John Thompson, Brian Mulroney, and Paul Martin. Those in the arts like authors Morley Callahan, W. P Kinsella, actors like Katherine O’Hara, and Martin Short. Musicians like Stomp’n Tom and Alan Doyle and composer Timothy Sullivan. In Burlington, we have many outstanding Irish, the well-known Torsney family come to readily mind, but there are many many more.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m no tea totaler, and booze, has done its share of damage to people in my family over the generations, but As a dogan, I resent the premise that March 17th means get your beer glasses on. So I have a better idea: In the future lets blame the ides of March (March 15th) or Pi Day (3.14 hey & next year it’s even 3.14.15!) for drunk and disorderly conduct in the middle of March. As the Feast of Saint Patrick always falls within the season of lent, let’s take some advise from that good Irishman Pope Francis’s – this Saint Patrick’s day, take some of the money you might otherwise spend on John Barley Corn and donate it to some of those most in need.
Amadan: A band, originally based in Corvallis, Oregon, plays both punk and world music. They are often categorized as a Celtic punk band due to their Irish influences. Amadán is also a Gaelic and Hiberno-English term for a stupid man.
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 By Staff
March 19, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
In a recent letter sent to the Friends of Freeman Board of Directors, David explains his reasons for painting “The Burlington Freeman Station”. David’s letter is reproduced below.
“ Over the past 35 years of my art career I have been striving to accomplish one thing, and that is to preserve Canada’s Heritage through my art. This has led me to create paintings of famous Canadian Heritage scenes, buildings, tall ships, covered bridges, lighthouses and more recently a series of Historic Canadian railway stations.
 David Harrington’s limited edition print of the Freeman Station is available for purchase – but just to Friends of Freeman Station members. The membership is a steal at $10 annually. In 2012, when I read an article in the Burlington Post about a citizen’s group, named the “Friends of Freeman Station”, attempting to rescue and preserve Burlington’s Freeman Station, I decided that the Freeman Station was definitely worthy of creating a painting that I hoped would capture some of the historical flavour of its famous past. For reference purposes I took over 100 photos of the station when it was temporarily located behind the Burlington fire hall on Fairview Street. I also researched to find historical photos and stories related to its past. In addition, I managed to talk to some people who recall using the Freeman Station. From all of this information, I decided to portray the station as it stood in the late 1950’s to early 1960’s.
 To position it to that era, I included a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air (a favourite to this day amongst car enthusiasts), and a 1955 era “White Diesel” Coca Cola truck. The Coke truck was added to capture the story of one of the people who used the station frequently, who told me that he usually bought a Coke from the vending machine inside the station prior to the train arriving to take him to Toronto. If you look real close you can also see just a portion of a 1956 Ford Crown Victoria peeking out of the left side of the image.
At that time, for many companies, the train was the main method used for shipping their products. For this reason I thought that I should include, on the railway platform, wooden shipping containers originating from famous Canadian companies of that era. You will note wooden crates from The T. Eaton Company, Barber Glass of Guelph, Seagram’s of Montreal, G & W of Toronto and Corby’s of Corbyville, Ontario.
I also added the luggage cart from the same era, as well as a mother and child with her 1950’s style luggage, also a business man heading into the station and of course the Coke delivery man. All of which I hoped would add to the sense of history and the hustle/bustle nature of the station in its prime.
I hope that this painting and the limited edition prints produced from this image help in keeping the memories and history of Burlington’s Freeman Station alive and that it may also bring back memories to those who had the good fortune of using this station in the past.
There are not many of these great stations left – so let’s all work together to help preserve Burlington’s Freeman Station!!”
David Harrington
The Harrington painting is an original done as an acrylic from which a limited edition of 500 prints were made.
While the station is fondly known as the Freeman Station and the organization that was incorporated to save it is known as the Friends of the Freeman Station there appears to be a move to revert to the proper name of the station which is Burlington Junction. We are told that the Freeman family isn’t all that keen on the idea of their name being attached to the station.
The T-shirts that were used for fund raising purposes are going to soon become collectors items – the couple of dozen left are the end of that production line. The FoF are in the process of developing ideas for a new logo, a new design and it appears a re-branding of one of the most impressive community initiatives Burlington has seen for some time.
The FoF might want to re-think what they are deciding to do and ask their constituency how they feel. Either way – it’s a pretty good story.
Background links:
New president at Friends of Freeman.
Fight to save Freeman station is won – city signs joint venture agreement.
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 By Pepper Parr
March 15, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
John Willard has certainly put a much different twist on what we thought quilts were all about. Canadians used to see quilts as things that people on farms used – often made out of bits and pieces of discarded clothing and flour sacks.
We then saw quilts done by the Mennonite community that were pieces of art – with traditional patterns that sold into the tens of thousands at the annual quilt sale in New Hamburg each fall.
 A lot of tradition in this quilt but the use of pastel colours move it out of what many see as the “traditional” rural quilt made from remnants and flour sacks. Then along came John Willard who introduced designs that had not been seen before and quilt making was now going in a different direction. Willard has a 40 year retrospective on at the Burlington Art Centre where there is a feast for the eye and, if you look very closely, some very, very powerful statements hand stitched into a quilt.
There are a number of quilts that would meet the demanding standards of the Mennonite community and there is one that would fill the wall of one of those Lakeshore mansions.
Willard will tell you the very moment he became an artist. The family came across an old trunk stuck in a chicken coop on a family farm in Shediac, New Brunswick. It was filled with brightly coloured crepe paper – that moment James Willard could almost feel the colour entering his blood stream – we see that colour today on the walls at the Burlington Art Centre.
Willard was a set designer, a photographer He bought his first quilt in 1972; in the next five years he could display a collection of 30 quilts.
His work has meandered all over the place. He worked as a custodian at the Oakville Library and later accepted the position of Publicity and Programming Assistant which he held for 23 years.
Willard’s introduction to the finer art of actually quilting was received at the hand of Michael James who was giving workshops. Willard didn’t subscribe to the diehard traditionalists who insist quilts must be completely hand stitched from geometric blocks, have four square corners and be used as bed covering upon completion. Willard went with those who believed a quilt could be of any size, shape, texture or subject matter and could be hung on a wall to be admired as a work of art.
 It all began on an evening in 1907 needs very close inspection. What appears to be white caps on the waves is much more than the eyes sees at first glance.
There is a quilt that didn’t do much for me when I glanced at it. It saw it as a postcard, mildly interesting, until a woman asked if I’d looked at the Titanic – I said I had but it wasn’t my kind of quilt – but that I did like the ribbon quilts. “Take a closer look” the woman said to me. I did and said – “so it’s a quilt of the Titanic sinking – there are two of them.”
 The names of those lost when the Titanic sank in 1907 With that tone of voice only a teacher or a Mother can use, the woman said: “get closer” so I walked up and took a really close look – and then it hit me. The names of the more than 1500 people whose lives were lost when the Titanic sank at sea were hand stitched into the waves the ship was sliding beneath. The quilt is called: It all began on an evening in 1907.
 This massive piece needs a very large wall – it takes over any room it is installed in – but then what a room. The colour, the energy – it is almost a tapestry. The Ribbon Series, of which here are seven at the exhibit, celebrate a turning point in Willard’s life when he came out of the closet and embraced his life as a gay man with a joy and celebration that is evident in the flows of the ribbons in some of the quilts and the tight design and discipline in others.
 The colour, the flourish and the tight discipline take the art of quilt making some distance from the remnant quilts traditionally seen as folk art. Willard is very much a quilter, evident when you watch the way he holds the needle and draws a thread tightly but he has always relied on fellow quilters who have worked with him following his designs and instructions. The late Alvina Martin and Linda Robertson have done much of the finishing work from designs Willard spent months perfecting.
This is an exhibit well worth the time. It is the work of a master who broke old moulds and advanced the art of quilt making to a new level.
The quilts are on display until the end of the month – well worth some of your time.
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 By Pepper Parr
March 15, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Much like the way rolling stock went through town at the Burlington Junction, what we fondly call Freeman Station, people come and go at the organization that is getting ready to begin real work on the structure that now sits on the north side of Fairview just before you get to the fire station.
 It was a proud day for James Smith – the signing of the Joint Venture Agreement between the city and the Friends of Freeman Station. Smith, standing behind the red light, signed on behalf of the organization. The Board of Directors announced that James Smith, President of Friends of Freeman Station (FoF) has resigned for personal reasons – good personal reasons. Smith will remain on the Board of Directors. He was a lead player in the significant effort that saved the station from the wrecking ball – the city did everything it could to get rid of the building – weren’t even able to sell it for scrap wood.
Brian Aasgaard, will assume the position of President; he served as a Vice-President of Friends of Freeman Station for a number of years. Brian has done an outstanding job as Vice-President, and will devote the same level of high energy and enthusiasm he has always shown. Brian has this uncanny knack for getting people to give the FoF stuff that relates to railway operations.
The FoF is always looking for new members, especially people who are good with tools and want a reason to get out of the house and be with the guys.
John Mellow stands in the cold with artist David Harrington proudly displaying a print of the building the FoF are refurbishing to its 1906 condition. The renowned, internationally acclaimed heritage artist, David Harrington has taken out a membership and generously donated one of his limited edition prints to Friends of Freeman Station to assist in their fundraising efforts to restore the station back to its 1906 when it was first constructed. This limited edition “ The Burlington Freeman Station” print is numbered 19/500, signed by the artist.
Getting the public to take a sense of ownership in a project is a fine art – coming up with a name that tells the story in a few words is part art and part science. The good people over at the Friends of Freeman Station appear to be breaking one of the cardinal rules in keeping a story alive and growing: never mix up the message.
 Most people know it as the Freeman Station – even though officially it was the Burlington Junction station and that is what the sign on the structure will say the day it is opened as a tourist destination. We are seeing the words Burlington Junction being used – and that is in fact the real name of the station. It was one of two train stops in Burlington. The Burlington West station was the one used by the farmers to ship their produce into Toronto. It was located near a farm owned by the Freeman family and came to be known as the Freeman station when in fact the Freeman’s and had nothing to do with the station. Farmers tend to talk in terms of property by the name of the people who own the land – even though the ownership of that land changed hands years ago.
However, the public knows it as the Freeman Station – introducing the real name in media releases just confuses people. Do what the politicians do – stick to the message. If you don’t – you lose your audience.
Background links:
Freeman station saved – city signs the agreement.
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 By Staff
March 14, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
I didn’t know we had that many Irish people in the city. This year’s well-celebrated St. Patrick’s Day falls on Monday, March 17th and the Halton Regional Police Service officers will be out on Monday ensuring those that clink glasses won’t clink cars.
Blatantly discrimination if you ask me. Were the police out in force on the feast of St. George? Certainly not – but then the British were never known for their boisterousness. A polite hear, hear is the best you can expect from them.
The police have recognized that many Halton residents will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this Friday or Saturday night instead and want to advise motorists to expect to see several RIDE programs in effect and also note a higher uniform presence patrolling in licensed establishments over this weekend, educating the public about impaired driving and enforcing the laws to ensure everyone on our roads are safe.
On Saturday March 15th, the Halton Regional Police Service in joint partnership with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) , the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD) will also be on location, conducting proactive checks at local LCBO and Beer stores throughout the Region.
 You will need the “luck of the Irish” to avoid the police dragnet this weekend. This team will be also be focusing their efforts on conducting bar checks at licensed establishments and reminding the staff of their responsibilities under the Liquor License Act, and encouraging staff to call police should they suspect a patron is about to drive a motor vehicle while impaired.
Informative St. Patrick’s Day fliers will be handed out at RIDE checks across the Region in efforts to educate the public and spread the word about the consequences of impaired driving.
The Halton Regional Police Service wishes everyone a Happy St. Patrick’s Day and encourages party-goers to celebrate responsibly. Don’t Press Your Luck!….Use a Designated Driver!
Would getting Leprephaun to take the wheel be acceptable?
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 By Staff
March 13, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
If the inaugural meeting is any indication of what’s to come from this grassroots group, several local charities and organizations will be benefiting from additional funding, simply because passionate and caring women are coming together as 100 Women Who Care Burlington.
The concept is simple enough – 100 women (or more), $100 each (or more if you choose), 1 hour meetings 4 times per year. The goal is for 100 Women Who Care Burlington to collectively generate a minimum of $40,000 annually for local charitable initiatives. The impact is very powerful!
 Laurel Hubber, the energy behind this project said: “Just thinking about the impact we’ll have on much-needed charitable programs and services in our community is incredibly inspiring.”
She put the word out to her friends and networking circle and asked if they would give an hour of their time to talk about people and organizations in Burlington that needed some help. Once they had decided who – the cheques got written and the funds distributed – all within an hour.
 Having decided who they want to donate their funds to this first meeting of the 100 who care sat to have their picture taken. As a concept – this is very powerful. At their first meeting they chose the Burlington Humane Society as the recipient. Here is how Adrienne Gosse, Shelter Manager commented “the Burlington Humane Society was incredibly surprised to learn we were the recipients of this wonderful donation! You could hear the shouts of excitement and joy from the shelter staff and volunteers when we got the call from the 100 Women who Care foundation. This money will be used to provide our cats and dogs with all the medical care they need, such as medical exams by a veterinarian, vaccines, medications, spays and neuters, along with any additional care such as dentals and broken bone repairs.”
The group meets again on March 26, at Tansley Woods – for an hour, to donate and decide where the funds are to go this time. Meeting begins at 7:30 – ends at 8:30; registration takes place at 7:00 pm
Background links:
They get it done in an hour.
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 By Pepper Parr
March 12, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Last year it was one of those quiet hits – those who knew about it were amazed and those who didn’t get to the event said they wished they’d known.
It was called No Vacancy and took place at the Waterfront Hotel – the event lasted less than four hours and had hotel management skittish – it wasn’t quite the kind of thing Burlington had seen before.
It took place at a time when the city was getting a sense as to just what it was in terms of its cultural depth. It was edgy.
 Selina Jane Eckersall points to one of the locations for some of the “installation art” that will be on display for seven hours September 19 – a not to be missed event. The best way to describe what Selina McCall Eckersall called No Vacancy is to say “installation art” and if that doesn’t mean all that much to you – think in terms of giving an artist a room or a space and telling them they can do whatever they want, make whatever artistic statement they want – just don’t put any holes in the walls.
With a small but very successful first step behind her Eckersall decided to up her game and go for a bigger venue. Date will be the same – September 19th – the location will be different and perhaps a surprise to many. Oh – and there is a name change as well.
 Newly named and branded as the Cirque, Eckersall wants the event to be Burlington’s Nuit Blanche. A Call for Entries that will go out this week. There will be 30 installations in various spaces at the Village Square which Eckersall hopes will bring new life to a location that was once the artistic hub of the city.
 Eckersall peeks into one of the locations she expects to use for the Cirque “installation art” event next September The Square has languished for a number of years; it was put up for sale and then taken off the market. Eckersall will be working closely with Jack Friedman’s daughter Debra who recently closed the Artists Walk operation she ran for years.
Eckersall sees the Village Square as the local for the Cirque for at least five years – “After that” she said, “I’ve no idea where this project will go.” Eckersall added that the Art Centre has decided they want to use one of the 30 spaces for an “illustration” they want to create.
Eckersall is now in the process of raising the $50,000 it is going to take to get the event off the ground.
“We expect to have all the submissions in by around the middle of April and then we will see what we have in the way of concepts and begin developing sponsorships around them.” The Son of the Peach, an upscale pizzeria that will open soon, is sponsoring one of the instalations. This new restaurant will be right beside Pine, next to the Paradiso at the south end of the Village Square.
A Facebook page has been set – the Call for Entries will be at that location.
 Home for a new upscale pizzeria – The Son of a Peach, the location will also host one of the installation art events next September. Some of the sponsorships will come from the existing Village Square tenants said Eckersall who needs to determine just what they are comfortable with. Several of the “installations” at the waterfront were very avant-garde, almost aggressively so, which is what gave the event last year that wonderful edge it had.
The event will begin at 7 pm and run right through to 2 am. Should be enough time left to catch the last call at Honey West.
Working with Eckersall is Leila Hurley of the Downtown Business Development Association and Shannon Kitchings who sits on the Steering Committee of the Arts and Cultural Collective.
Background links:
Short show, stunning presentation – No Vacancy
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 By Staff
March 12, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Someone hasn’t told city hall that we have at least one more solid snowfall coming our way – and there just may be another one after that as well. No matter, the library service wants you to begin getting ready to get that bike ready for the road and is offering three programs at the Central Library on the art of bicycle use and maintenance being given by the Burlington Cycling Committee a volunteer advisory committee of Burlington City Council.
It’s time to release your bike from winter storage and get your wheels spinning with a series of free cycling seminars suggests the city. All the classes are free and will be given at the Central Library on New Street; they begin March 20th and wrap up on May 5.
Amazing Cycling Cities Thursday, March 20, 2014 – 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Short videos of inspirational cities from around the world that support safe cycling in innovative and creative ways.
 Women Cyclists — Wednesday, April 16, 2014 – 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Yes, You Can! – featuring triathlete Nancy Hastings and health and fitness motivational speaker Gail Van Egmond.
Ever thought about riding your bike for fun or fitness? Hear inspirational stories from women cyclists, including triathlete and coach Nancy Hastings and cyclist Gail Van Egmond on how they got started in this growing sport and how you can get started as well. All attendees will have a chance to win a door prize of a free bike tune-up from Rock and Road Cycle and Sports.
 Basic maintenance is important and knowing how to get the chain back onto the sprockets is always good to know. Bike Maintenance 101 – Monday, May 5, 2014 – 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Learn how to get your bike road-ready for spring and how to keep it maintained throughout the year with advice from the experts at Burlington’s Mountain Equipment Co-op.
All seminars are free, pre-registration is required. Call the Central branch of Burlington Public Library at 905-639-3611, ext. 1321.
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 By Pepper Parr
March 11, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
This is part 1 of a four-part series on the concept of Mobility Hubs; a concept the public has been discussing during two public workshops. We start with the down town hub and follow-up on the Burlington, Appleby and Aldershot GO station hubs.
There are a handful of subjects getting talked about at city council and at public meetings that have the potential for a huge impact on the kind of Burlington that is going to exist in the city’s midterm future – 8 to ten years out.
 The suggestion that the John Street terminal be torn down to save $8000 a year in operating costs moved the discussion on transit and mobility hubs into new territory. We saw the thin edge of those discussions when Burlington Transit suggested closing the John Street terminal to save $8000 a year. That suggestion got turned down – the decision wasn’t unanimous.
The three discussions taking place are:
1: What are we going to do with public transit.
2: An overall Master Transportation Plan
3: The creation of Mobility hubs.
The John Street terminal became a budget issue; the transit people wanted to remove it while the recommendation in the draft Mobility Hub document said – “a strong transit presence was necessary for the downtown mobility hub.” The left hand didn’t seem to be talking to the right hand.
 The Big Move conversation was an important part of the province beginning to tackle the problem of moving people efficiently. The public review of the Mobility Hub concept for Burlington came about when the province, through Metrolinx, created a plan they called The Big Move. The province had come to the realization that better ways had to be found to move people. The congestion on the QEW was beyond being tolerable and traffic within the city was plugging up at major intersections frequently. Solutions were needed. The Big Move got the discussion started provincially now it is taking place in communities across the province. Because Burlington is in the process of reviewing its Official Plan moving people had to become part of that that conversation.
When the public consultation on the mobility hubs is complete a directions document will be sent to the team working up the next version of the city’s Official Plan, which is a document Burlington is required to review and revise every five years.
 The discussion was about four possible mobility hubs – one at each GO station and a fourth downtown. Mobility hubs are urban growth centers and major transit station areas with significant levels of planned transit service with high residential and employment development potential within an approximately 800 metre radius of the rapid transit station.
Hubs are seen as a gateway for visitors to a city. The objective of a hub is to create a seamless integration between modes: walking, cycling, transit and private vehicles with a mix of uses that support a healthy neighbourhood in attractive public spaces.
The need for these studies came about when Metrolinx, an agency of the Government of Ontario was created to improve the coordination and integration of all modes of transportation in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The organization’s mission is to champion, develop and implement an integrated transportation system for the region that enhances prosperity, sustainability and quality of life. Metrolinx launched The Big Move, a Regional Transportation Plan to allow people to use public transit to travel easily from Hamilton to Newmarket to Oshawa. It’s the final piece in a three-part approach by the province to prepare the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area for growth and sustained prosperity.
Metrolinx is a part of the provincial plan that includes the Greenbelt, which protects more than 1.8 million acres of environmentally sensitive and agricultural land in the heart of the region, the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, a plan that coordinates population and job growth.
The The Big Move – identified that the province’s transit and transportation problems as regional in nature and across municipal boundaries. The solution required the coordination and integration of transit and transportation systems in order to allow growth to happen and help people and businesses move more easily throughout the region.
In 2009, Metrolinx merged with GO Transit, the regional public transit service. The organization grew further with the addition of two more operating divisions – the Union Pearson Express in 2010 and PRESTO, an electronic fare card that allows riders to transfer seamlessly across multiple transit systems, in 2011.
Burlington is now applying Metrolinx Mobility Hub Guidelines, to identify and address opportunities and constraints of Burlington’s mobility hubs and major transit station areas. The thinking that comes out of the public meetings will inform the integration of mobility hub objectives and policy directions in the Official Plan and, where applicable, inform directions for the City of Burlington’s Core Commitment, Transportation Master Plan, Community Trails Strategy, Community Energy Plan, and others. Ideally, the community will propose Placemaking – streetscapes, branding, programming; Land Use – mix of uses, employment protection, infill; Built Form -height, massing, facades; Open Space and Circulation – transit, cycling facilities, new and improved parks.
The thinking for Burlington was four different mobility hubs: a downtown hub that would appear to center on John Street between John and Pine and then a hub at each of the GO stations: Burlington, Aldershot and Appleby Line.
We start this with a review of the thinking that has been done on the Downtown hub:
 Boundaries set out for the Downtown mobility hub. For each situation the planners set out a mission statement and then provide comment on the opportunities and constraints with each situation; land use within a specific area (800 metres); and the existing built form.
Land Uses as set out in the draft document of a downtown hub would encourage mixed-use (retail, office, residential) infill with transit-supportive infrastructure on vacant and underutilized lots (Lots 4 and 5 subject to additional study).
 This graphic shows some of the constraints as well as the opportunities for a mobility hub in the downtown core. Along John and James Street, new development should reinforce a strong transit presence through attractive waiting areas, ticketing functions and supporting retail.
The idea would be to concentrate the greatest densities in close proximity to the transit station at John Street and along the key transit corridors to protect adjacent residential neighborhood’s and heritage buildings.
At the edge of the Primary Zone, the height, mass and design of buildings should be controlled to provide appropriate transitions to adjacent stable residential neighborhoods, Martha Street and Hurd Avenue.
Maintain and promote a transit presence at the Burlington Transit Terminal. Explore opportunities to redevelop the area as a mixed-use area, with transit – supportive uses at grade (i.e. cafes, plazas, retail, etc.) while retaining part of the site for complimentary transit facilities.
Develop Brant Plaza to ensure new buildings support the mobility hub vision, including pedestrian supportive streets and height limitations to adjacent properties.
The built for the downtown mobility hub would reinforce nodes at Baldwin Street/Victoria Avenue and Brant Street and on Lakeshore Road at the key Downtown intersections.
 Would a downtown mobility hub result in greater density on the east side of Brant Street? Would traffic from the core work itself to the Burlington GO station? Where Tall buildings (> 10-storeys) are provided, typically on Brant Street/Lakeshore Road. they should be designed and massed to protect and frame views of Lake Ontario.
At Brant Plaza, new buildings should create a mid-rise (6 to 10-storey) character along Brant Street that compliments the uses south of Caroline Street. At the rear of the site, height limitations are encouraged to provide a transition to the residential dwellings along Wellington Avenue and Emerald Crescent.
 Would the west side of Brant Street south of the Brant Plaza be kept at a smaller scale? Would this create the kind of traffic that transit needs to justify the amount being spent on bus operations in the city. Does transit even have a future in Burlington? Mid-Rise and Tall buildings should be subject to front and rear-yard angular planes to reduce their perceived mass and minimize shadow and privacy impacts.
The report also asks that more efficient alternatives to surface parking, including above and below-ground structured parking where feasible, and on-street parking.
The Open Space and circulation thinking would Reinforce Brant Street as the primary Downtown main street leading to the waterfront. It should be a ‘complete street’ with equal consideration given to all modes of transportation, including transit, pedestrian, cyclists, and vehicles.
Promote Brant Street as the primary connection between the Burlington GO Mobility Hub and the waterfront. Support this role through streetscape initiatives, active ground floor uses and street-related infill that builds on the continuous pedestrian-supportive main street.
Promote pedestrian-focused street design on Brant Street and John Street to balance the multiple roles of the street as a vibrant place and connector.
Create a linked network of cycling connections to promote active transportation to and throughout the Downtown. New Bicycle Priority Streets are encouraged on local streets to provide continuous connections.
The draft document suggests extending the Centennial Bike Trail to connect to Brant Street as part of the Downtown Core Commitment.
As you read this over and look at the graphics – is this a Burlington you see in your mind’s eye; is this the direction you want to see the development of your city going in?
 Planners work from deep experiences bases but they need the thinking of the general public. While the public meetings on these hubs have come to a close there will be an additional opportunity for comment when the planners take their report to a city council Standing Committee, expected before the summer. There is never enough public input on projects like this in the early stages.
In the past Burlington has not had the kind of news media that provided this kind of background and explanation in context. Traditional print media rarely has the space to provide the illustrations.
The thinking behind the Burlington, Aldershot and Appleby GO stations follows in separate articles.
Background links:
John Street terminal not going anywhere right now.
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 By Staff
March 10, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington Community Foundation (BCF) announced today that is has awarded 25 grants to a wide array of charitable organizations serving Burlington. A total of $90,615 in grants was distributed.
These grants are a result of a Call for Applications that was distributed to local charitable partners in October. The Call followed the release of BCF’s Vital Signs® community check-up report on October 1, 2013. This report, which shared many of Burlington’s successes in employment levels, living standards, and public safety, also highlights the sometimes unseen concerns, including residents living in poverty, and challenges facing both youth and seniors, especially regarding mental health. The complete report can be viewed on-line at burlingtonfoundation.org/vital-signs.
 The Community Foundation’s Vital signs report identifies some of the problems Burlington strives to deal with; the Grant program provides funds to resolve some of the problems. “Our 2013 Vital Signs Report reminds us of all we have to be proud of in Burlington, and the many reasons that we call this wonderful city home,” said Colleen Mulholland, President & CEO, Burlington Community Foundation. “At the same time, the report again brings into focus that people, including children and seniors, are living on the boundaries and are truly struggling every day to meet basic needs.”
One of the organizations receiving funding is Acclaim Health, with a grant in support of a Music Care Program for Seniors with Dementia. Melissa Cameron, Acclaim’s Director, Development and Marketing, comments: “Your investment will allow us to engage a music therapist and train our staff, ensuring your grant will have a long-lasting impact on seniors with dementia in our community. We sincerely appreciate your support.”
“I was greeted with wonderful news this morning – a grant confirmation from the Burlington Community Foundation. The ArtHouse application is an indication of the need to provide cost-free arts programs to Burlington families that have little or no discretionary funds to access paid programs. Your support means so much for these wonderful young artists, who could not otherwise participate,” says Don Pangman, Founder and Artistic Director, ArtHouse.
2014-15 Grant Applications will be received in the fall of this year. Charities are encouraged to visit the website at burlingtonfoundation.org/grant-seekers to learn more about the grants process, or they may contact Sandra Baker, Director, Development and Community Engagement at sbaker@burlingtonfoundation.org to learn more.
Organizations and amount of the grant given:
Acclaim Health Music Care Program for Seniors with Dementia 3,000
ArtHouse Weekly after school programs for children in at-risk neighbourhoods, with a focus on arts. 2,000
Bay Area Restoration Council Education and Restoration of Cootes Paradise Marsh 2,500
Bruce Trail Conservancy Cedar Springs Woods Land Management Plan 2,545
Burlington Central FIRST Robotics Program Students work with teachers outside school hours to create a robot suitable for a competition taking place in April 2014. 5,000
Burlington Teen Tour Band Boosters Angel Fund: A pool of funds that provides subsidy for lower-income band members. 2,370
Central West Specialized Developmental Services – Halton Support Services Halton Sibshops: Siblings of children with developmental issues receive support and education in a positive environment. 2,000
Easter Seals Ontario Kids to Camp–Healthy Minds, Happy Kids 2,000
Food for Life and BurlingtonGreen Grow To Give: A collaborative project where volunteers learn and practice gardening life skills and share harvested food with those in need in Burlington. 3,531
Food4Kids Hamilton Halton Niagara Backpacks are filled with healthy food for at-risk, low income children who would have little to no food over the weekend. 4,000
Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation Expansion of the Mental Health Services – Childhood and Adolescent Program 4,000
King’s Road Public School (Halton Learning Foundation) Connecting Kids to Music: Provides a guitar for grade six students to play and perform. 4,000
Nelson Youth Centres Therapeutic Summer Program: 8 week program for children with moderate social and emotional issues. 4,000
Plains Road Village Vision/Aldershot BIA Public Art Project: The group intends to purchase a piece of public art for a busy Aldershot intersection. 1,844
ROCK – Reach Out Centre for Kids Our Community Cares Healthy Living Project: An ongoing after School and summer camp program for at-risk children and youth. 7,000
Rolling Meadows Public School (Halton Learning Foundation) Skateboarding & Re-engagement: A re-engagement tool for grade eight students with severe behaviour issues. 1,565
Royal Botanical Gardens Green Angels Program: A pool of funds made available to schools participating in RBG environmental school programs. 2,500
Sports4You (YMCA) Free, weekly recreation program for 10-12 year olds in the lower-income area of Warwick-Surrey. All children are welcome. 8,800
St. Christopher’s Church Open Doors Outreach Program, Community Kitchen and Meal Network 4,960
STRIDE – Supported Training and Rehabilitation in Diverse Environments Helping Youth Prepare for Employment: Addresses the needs of youth age 16 to 24 who have mental health and addiction issues. 7,500
Support & Housing Halton Growing your Life Skills Workshop: Workshop series promotes independence for people living with mental health challenges. 2,500
The Equestrian Association for the Disabled Trot On! Equestrian activities enhancing mental health outcomes for children and youth with developmental and physical disabilities. 3,000
Tottering Biped Theatre To create a theatre piece that explores themes of isolation and loss among youth in the digital age. 3,500
United Way of Greater Hamilton Burlington and ADAPT Halton Know the DEAL: Provides information and support regarding substance abuse. 4,000
YMCA of Hamilton/Burlington/Brantford Beyond the Bell – Home Library Project: An academic after school program for lower-income children. 2,500
Background links:
Masquerade Ball – Major Community Foundation fund-raiser.
Vital Signs: the city’s social health.
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 By Staff
March 6, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Ian Elliott has this delightful way of getting his message out. He is a soft-spoken man, looks like the bookseller he is. He has learned that just running a bookshop is not going to cover all the bills so he has branched out and now markets in several rather interesting ways.
Whenever there is a major speaker in town A Different Drummer Bookstore can usually be seen with a table off to the side with copies of the speakers books set out neatly.
Elliott set up his own speakers event and now cooperates with several other booksellers and brings in an author to talk about their book. Polite, erudite and well – let’s let Ian Elliott use his own words as he announces Spring 2014 BOOK & AUTHOR SERIES which he describes as an electrifying literary series we’re so delighted to host
Our famously long-running series returns. Nine authors once again visit Burlington to present their new works over three splendid mornings.
Please note: NEW LOCATION: We have a change of venue this season: The Book & Author Series will take place in the sterling setting of the Burlington Golf and Country Club, 422 North Shore Boulevard East in Burlington.
Not sure how the view of that smoky old steel mill gets described as “sterling” but let’s not get picky, I’ll not get a cucumber sandwich if I keep that up.
The dates: April 15; April 29; and May 27.
Series tickets are $55, available starting Saturday, March 15 at 9am at the bookstore.
At each session, we meet at nine for refreshments, and the morning’s presentation starts at 9:30 am. The authors will speak to us, answer questions, and inscribe their books.
Among the illustrious guests appearing this season are Eva Stachniak, Kate Pullinger, Jennifer McMahon, Lynn Thompson, Plum Johnson and Ray Robertson.
And we have many more wonderful literary events in the offing. We’ll bring you all details soon. We are ever proud and happy to be your bookstore!
There you have it.
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 By Pepper Parr
March 5, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
It looked as if all the Arts and Culture collective was going to get for 2014 was a cultural map – a place where those who felt they were part of culture and art in Burlington could register and say who they are and what they do.
The consensus around the horseshoe during debate at the Standing Committee was “perhaps next year”, which sort of left the cultural action plan in some kind of a limbo.
Someone, somewhere in city hall decided the arts and culture community had to be given something so they trotted out and launched a new, online cultural map to showcase Burlington’s many cultural assets.
Mayor Rick Goldring said the cultural mapping is “ a great platform to forge new relationships and strengthen existing ones among culture makers and consumers in the city.”
 Jeremy Freiburger, on the right and Trevor Copp, second from the left, were two of the forces that got the city to the point where the city manager commits to giving the arts and culture community what they wanted by the middle of the year. The group is looking at Melanie Booth’s Olympic medal which became part of the Spiral Stella. The map (perhaps not the best word to describe the service) is an online tool that shows the full range of cultural activity in the Burlington arts community. Residents and cultural groups can get information and discover resources including: cultural venues, creative cultural industries, creative professionals, cultural heritage and artists.
A very significant amount of money had been poured into culture starting with a strong document from consultant Jeremy Freiburger which had data the city had never seen before. In his Directions document Freiburger provided the kind of data that was needed to determine if there was a true cultural base in the city and some thoughts on the direction the city could take.
The city took the advice Freiburger provide and held a series of public meetings to craft a Cultural Action Plan (CAP) that the city approved. The next step was to implement that Action Plan – and that was the first stumble on the city side – at a Budget Standing Committee council decided not to fund a Cultural Manager – the person who would oversee the implementation of the CAP.
This was a significant setback for the arts and culture people who were now a very visible community. Up until the public meetings that worked up the CAP, no one really knew they existed. Trevor Copp who had been named Arts Person of the Year for 2011 was the visible part of the arts and culture community serving as the spokesperson much of the time.
 The first the city saw of the arts community – that is the artists who do the performing and creating was when Trevor Copp appeared at a Standing Committee meting asking: Can I ply my trade in Burlington or do I have to schlep to Toronto all the time. The Collective, as the arts and culture community became known, was not prepared to give up. When council decided to go from a Standing Committee into full council immediately after the budget recommendation on Tuesday, the short interval didn’t leave much time for the Collective to get its act together. They did have a Cultural Planner who had her ear to the ground and could advise them when to show up – and show up they did with two people delegating at the last-minute.
During those delegations mention was made that Freiburger, in his Directions report, had suggested the Cultural Manager not be put in place immediately which looked like the kiss of death for what the arts community felt was vital.
Then – out of the blue – and I mean, right out of the blue, city manager Jeff Fielding said he would do his very best to find room within the current staff compliment to find room for a Cultural Manager. He didn’t say if he was going to find the person for the job from within the existing staff compliment or if he felt a place would open up.
The city manager had previously advised council that he was going to do a total review of the work force and get a deeper look into what the city has in the way of talent, where there are weaknesses and how to develop what the city needs. There isn’t all that much in the way of bench strength – especially at the senior level. One would be hard pressed to name who the natural successor would be to either of the general managers.
Up until Fielding’s comment there wasn’t a hint that the Cultural Manager would be found and hired in 2014. It was certainly good news for the Collective. Most of the group that had attended Council held a hallway discussion with General Manager Kim Phillips who manages culture, which up until now has been part of the Parks and Recreation department.
Did Phillips even know what Fielding was thinking?
 Angela Papariza was a recreational planner when this picture was taken. Her job was changed to that of a cultural planner and she is now the goto person on the cultural file – at least until a cultural Manager is hired. Is she a candidate for the Cultural Manager position? Papariza talks with Trevor Copp one of the movers and shakers within the arts and cultural community. For the immediate future the arts community has a cultural planner they can work with and a cultural map they can populate.
The Workforce review should be done by the end of June – at that time the Collective will have a better sense as to what they are likely to get.
In the meantime the city manager has to review what he has in the way of a workforce and determine how it can be managed to deliver what the city needs. He has all kinds of tools under development to better measure performance: Service Based Budgeting; Results Based Accountability to name just two – will begin to come on-line as we work ourselves through 2014 and get ready for a significantly new way of doing business come 2015.
At that point the city will have a new council – don’t expect every one of the significant seven to be returned. There are some major surprises coming.
Expect some changes in the structure of the senior management team as well. Culture was a part of the Parks and Recreation department. Once the Cultural manager is in place expect a re-alignment with culture getting a place of its own on the city’s organizational chart. The intermediate and long term challenge is to make the cultural investment to date one that will result in a financially viable, robust business.
During the culture debates nothing was said of the potential for the cultural leaders in the city to form some kind of a committee to look at culture from that 30,000 foot level.
 Ian Ross, chief cheese at the Art Centre offers a supporting hand to Maureen Barry, CEO of the library service during a Budget Bazaar in 2012. Maureen Barry, the CEO of the Library provides a cultural base that is often overlooked. Barry is a solid strategic thinker with a reach into the community that exceeds that of anyone else. More people use the library than any other service in the city. Brian McCurdy, the head of the Performing Arts Centre and Ian Ross over at the Arts Centre have very significant experience with arts and culture. These three, collectively, are in a position to add some heft to the thinking that will get done to make Burlington a cultural force, both in the region and the province. But they have to meet and break bread first as it were.
When there is a Cultural Manager in place that person is going to work with the arts community of which McCurdy, Ross and Barry are the leaders.
There is much to be excited about – but a lot of hard-core work to be done.
Hope prevails.
Background links:
Standing committee took a pass on the cultural manager
Artists and cultural types want to be hard.
Who is Jeremy Freiburger?
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 By Staff
March 3, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The race took place and for once the Chilly Half Marathon lived up to its name – it was cold and that did impact on the number of racers that showed up to run east and then west along Lakeshore Road.
Despite the weather there were 2025 runners on the road; 11 people had to be treated by the medical team and every one of them was blessed by by a priest standing in the middle of the road outside his church.
 There were fewer runners this year – cold weather and lack of opportunity to train for the event kept more than 1000 runners away. The race, which many people don’t realize has been run since 1995 – more than 19 years. It is only in the past four years that the race has been rub on Lakeshore Road and that has divided not only the Lakeshore Road community. A small but very vocal group have opposed the race and in the process generated a lot of dissension within the community with some nasty comments going back and forth on social media.
A number of people have questioned the veracity of information put out by race organizer Kelly Arnott but we’ve not heard from a single person who was inconvenienced and totally locked into the street they lived on.
Arnott reports that there were 13 calls to the special telephone number VRPro provided of which only two wanted help on the race day.
On the race day, Sunday there were 15 calls and every one of the requests for help was accommodated.
VRPro hired additional police officers and an officer was placed at Walkers Line and Lakeshore to handle problems at that location. No one had to wait more than twenty minutes added Arnott who added that one lady wanted the race stopped so she could drive through.
In the past people have questioned some of the factual information VRPro released – this year data was collected revealing:
Gender: Male: 42% 1505 – Female: 58% 2062
Those two numbers added together amount to quite a bit more than the 2025 reported to have run the race. Arnott reports that a lot of people cancelled due to the weather.
Age breakdown: male and female are counted together
0-19: 2% (82) 48% 52%
20-29: 15% (525) 31% 69%
30-39: 24% (864) 36% 64%
40-49: 30% (1075) 43% 57%
50-59: 22% (800) 49% 51%
60-69: 5% (196) 65% 35%
70+: 1% (25) 60% 40%
Who runs in this race; where do they come from and what do they bring to Burlington? The hometown’s given are almost a map of the province.
Toronto 20.63% (736); Burlington 10.46% (373); Oakville 7.15% (255); Mississauga 6.73% (240); Hamilton 3.59% (128); Brampton 2.66% (95); Guelph 2.13% (76); London 1.88% (67); Barrie 1.77% (63); Oshawa 1.57% (56); Whitby 1.57% (56); Milton 1.43% (51); Kitchener 1.40% (50); Ancaster 1.29% (46); Stoney Creek 1.04% (37); Aurora 1.04% (37); Markham 1.01% (36); Etobicoke 1.01% (36); Waterloo 0.98% (35); Brantford 0.98% (35); Ajax 0.98% (35); Pickering 0.95% (34); Newmarket 0.93% (33); St. Catharines 0.84% (30); Richmond Hill 0.84% (30); Georgetown 0.76% (27); Dundas 0.73% (26); Owen
 The gender breakdown of the runners was pretty even.  The Chilli Half Marathon is a major event for runners from across the province. It is followed by the Around the Bay three weeks later. Sound 0.70% (25); Cambridge 0.70% (25); Grimsby 0.67% (24); Waterdown 0.62% (22); Scarborough 0.56% (20); North York 0.50% (18); Woodbridge 0.48% (17); Thornhill 0.42% (15); Maple 0.39% (14); Burlington 0.39% (14); Bolton 0.39% (14); Acton 0.31% (11); Bowmanville 0.31% (11); Welland 0.28% (10); Niagara Falls 0.28% (10); Binbrook 0.25% (9); Caledonia 0.25% (9); Stratford 0.25% (9); St Catharines 0.25% (9); N/A 0.22% (8); Brooklin 0.22% (8); Peterborough 0.22% (8); Toronto 0.20% (7) ; Caledon 0.20% (7); Innisfil 0.20% (7); Ottawa 0.20% (7); Oakville 0.20% (7); Courtice 0.20% (7); Kingston 0.20% (7); Bradford 0.20% (7); Shanty Bay 0.17% (6); Alliston 0.17% (6); Holland Landing 0.14% (5); St. Catharines 0.14% (5); Fonthill 0.14% (5); Vineland 0.14% (5); Bracebridge 0.14% (5); Komoka 0.14% (5); Carlisle 0.14% (5); Chatham 0.14% (5); Thorold 0.14% (5); Ingersoll 0.14% (5); North Bay 0.14% (5); St. George 0.14% (5); Elora 0.14% (5); Vaughan 0.14% (5); Richmond Hill 0.11% (4); Simcoe 0.11% (4); Windsor 0.11% (4); Beamsville 0.11% (4); Stouffville 0.11% (4); Mount Hope 0.11% (4); Parry Sound 0.11% (4); Vaudreuil-Dorion 0.11% (4); Milton 0.11% (4); Orangeville 0.11% (4); Collingwood 0.11% (4); Hamilton 0.11% (4); Niagara On The Lake 0.11% (4); Fenwick 0.08% (3); Campbellville 0.08% (3); Blackstock 0.08% (3); Thunder Bay 0.08% (3); Fergus 0.08% (3); Kitchener 0.08% (3); Waterford 0.08% (3); Woodstock 0.08% (3); Unionville 0.08% (3); Brampton 0.08% (3); Lockport 0.08% (3); Hannon 0.08% (3); Ridgeway 0.08% (3); Sarnia 0.08% (3); Erin 0.08% (3); Newcastle 0.08% (3); Mississauga 0.08% (3); Cedar Valley 0.08% (3); Wasaga Beach 0.08% (3); Rockwood 0.08% (3); Sudbury 0.06% (2); Midland 0.06% (2); Wellandport 0.06% (2); Port Elgin 0.06% (2); Keswick 0.06% (2); Smithville 0.06% (2); RR1 Enniskillen 0.06% (2); Aurora 0.06% (2); Goderich 0.06% (2); St. Thomas 0.06% (2); Midhurst 0.06% (2); Ayr 0.06% (2); Montreal 0.06% (2); Palgrave 0.06% (2); Mount Albert 0.06% (2); Cobourg 0.06% (2); Troy 0.06% (2); Elmira 0.06% (2); Cambridge 0.06% (2); Niagara-on-the-lake 0.06% (2); Denfield 0.06% (2); Millgrove 0.06% (2); Puslinch 0.06% (2); Terra Cotta 0.06% (2); Jordan Station 0.06% (2); Stittsville 0.06% (2); Oxbridge 0.06% (2); Port Colborne 0.06% (2); Cayuga 0.06% (2); Gormley 0.06% (2); Lindsay 0.06% (2); Hampton 0.06% (2); Brantford 0.06% (2); St. Marys 0.06% (2); Pickering 0.06% (2); Mulmur 0.06% (2); Ridgetown 0.06% (2); Petersburg 0.06% (2); Moscow 0.06% (2); Kincardine 0.06% (2); Ashburn 0.06% (2); Bright 0.06% (2); Richmondhill 0.06% (2); Tobermory 0.06% (2); Lion’s Head 0.06% (2); Mount Pleasant 0.06% (2); Branchton 0.06% (2); Tiny 0.06% (2); Paris 0.06% (2); Port Perry 0.06% (2); Amherstview 0.06% (2); Freeburg 0.06% (2); Port Dover 0.06% (2); Concord 0.06% (2); Cookstown 0.06% (2); Hamiltion 0.03% (1); Bulington 0.03% (1); Sherkston 0.03% (1); Saskatoon 0.03% (1); Kingswood Rd 0.03% (1); Oak Like 0.03% (1); Walkerton 0.03% (1); Calgary 0.03% (1); Avenue 0.03% (1); Beeton 0.03% (1); Guelph 0.03% (1); Lasalle Mpr 0.03% (1); West Hill 0.03% (1); East York 0.03% (1); Runway 0.03% (1); Branpton 0.03% (1); Chathen 0.03% (1); Virgil 0.03% (1); Shallowlake 0.03% (1); Brantfird 0.03% (1); Shallow Lake 0.03% (1); Manotick 0.03% (1); Egbert 0.03% (1); Amaranth 0.03% (1); Wainfleet 0.03% (1); Seagrave 0.03% (1); Caledon Village 0.03% (1); Harrow 0.03% (1); Tillsonburg 0.03% (1); Ohsweken 0.03% (1); St Thomas 0.03% (1); West Flambourgh 0.03% (1); Nottawa 0.03% (1); Burlingtion 0.03% (1); Niagara Falla 0.03% (1); Pembroke 0.03% (1); Bramalea 0.03% (1); Winnipeg 0.03% (1); Brown 0.03% (1); Zephyr 0.03% (1); Peterborough 0.03% (1); Fort Erie 0.03% (1); London 0.03% (1); St.clements 0.03% (1); Port Hawkesbury 0.03% (1); Grimsby 0.03% (1); Burlington 0.03% (1); St. Catharines 0.03% (1); Limehouse 0.03% (1); King City 0.03% (1); Chapleau 0.03% (1); Timmins 0.03% (1); Darthmouth 0.03% (1); Chicago 0.03% (1); Fort Saskatchewan 0.03% (1); Sombra 0.03% (1); Pointe-Claire 0.03% (1); Princeton Jct 0.03% (1); Kleinburg 0.03% (1); Orton 0.03% (1); Scotland 0.03% (1); Sault Ste Marie 0.03% (1); Morriston 0.03% (1); Angus 0.03% (1); Winona 0.03% (1); Altona 0.03% (1); Ariss 0.03% (1); Lancaster 0.03% (1); Bolton 0.03% (1); Burlintgon 0.03% (1); Barrie 0.03% (1); Victoria Harbour 0.03% (1); New Dundee 0.03% (1); Toronto 0.03% (1); Peninsula 0.03% (1); Vittoria 0.03% (1); Orillia 0.03% (1); Kilworthy 0.03% (1); Thornton 0.03% (1); Echo Bay 0.03% (1); Missisauga 0.03% (1); Sarsfield 0.03% (1); Oxford Station 0.03% (1); Whitby 0.03% (1); Baden 0.03% (1); Breslau 0.03% (1); Mount Elgin 0.03% (1); Frankford 0.03% (1); Innisfil, On 0.03% (1); Huntsville 0.03% (1); Almonte 0.03% (1); Croton 0.03% (1); Ennismore 0.03% (1); Scarborough (toronto) 0.03% (1); Canfield 0.03% (1); Alberta 0.03% (1); Bright’s Grove 0.03% (1); Catttaraugus 0.03% (1); St.thomas 0.03% (1); Rr2 Barrie 0.03% (1); Lasalle 0.03% (1); Russell Hill Rd 0.03% (1); Woodbrisge 0.03% (1); Toronot 0.03% (1); Burlington, Ontario 0.03% (1); Algonquin Highlands 0.03% (1); Tottenham 0.03% (1); Glen Williams 0.03% (1); Ballinafad 0.03% (1); St-Lazarre 0.03% (1); Nobleton 0.03% (1); Courtland 0.03% (1); Whitney Point 0.03% (1); Burnt River 0.03% (1); Monkton 0.03% (1); Gatineau 0.03% (1); St Catharines 0.03% (1); St. John’s 0.03% (1); Glenburnie 0.03% (1); Street 0.03% (1); Oakville, Ont 0.03% (1); St. Agatha 0.03% (1); Thornbury 0.03% (1); Toroonto 0.03% (1); St Jacobs 0.03% (1); York 0.03% (1); Lakefield 0.03% (1); Wellesley 0.03% (1); Burllington 0.03% (1); Newmarket 0.03% (1); Rr1 Fenwick 0.03% (1); Everett 0.03% (1); Richmond Hill 0.03% (1); St.anns 0.03% (1); Ashton 0.03% (1); Kingsville 0.03% (1); Lynden 0.03% (1); Owen Sound 0.03% (1); East Gwillimbury 0.03% (1); Mannheim 0.03% (1); Ripley 0.03% (1); Suite 1116 0.03% (1); Arthur 0.03% (1); Ridgeville 0.03% (1); Ancaster 0.03% (1); Orchard Park 0.03% (1); North York 0.03% (1); Gores Landing 0.03% (1); Stoneham Road 0.03% (1); Tonawanda 0.03% (1); Whitehorse 0.03% (1); Port Severn 0.03% (1); S.b. Peninsula 0.03% (1); Caledon East, Ontario 0.03% (1);
Caledon East 0.03% (1); Chatsworth 0.03% (1); Saint Catharines 0.03% (1); Shelburne 0.03% (1); Bruce Mines 0.03% (1); Beamsville 0.03% (1); Sault Ste. Marie 0.03% (1); Sault Ste. Marie 0.03% (1); Edmonton 0.03% (1); Bowmanville 0.03% (1); Cornwall 0.03% (1); Alexandria 0.03% (1); Smiths Falls 0.03% (1); Port Severn 0.03% (1); Burford 0.03% (1); Stouffiville 0.03% (1); Stouffville 0.03% (1); Carlisle 0.03% (1); Baltimore 0.03% (1); Suite 513 0.03% (1); Suite 513 0.03% (1)
That is more information than you ever wanted or needed but it makes an important point –the runners come from across the province. Many will pay for accommodation; all will buy some food, most will buy gas to get home and we hope that those from other cities, town and villages remember us well and return for some other event.
Why the apparent duplication? The data came in from forms completed less than 24 hours ago and was taken from early registrations and late comers. Many of the early registrations did not show up – due for the most part to weather but Arnott reports that on average 12% to 15% don’t show up – even when the weather is great.
 It gets crowded on Lakeshore Road Bigger picture: they came from: Ontario 98.85% (3526); New York 0.31% (11); Quebec 0.28% (10); Alberta 0.08% (3); Prince Edward Island 0.06% (2); Nova Scotia 0.06% (2); Nunavut 0.06% (2); Pennsylvania 0.06% (2); Manitoba 0.03% (1); Saskatchewan 0.03% (1); Illinois 0.03% (1); New Jersey 0.03% (1); Newfoundland 0.03% (1); Yukon 0.03% (1); Ohio 0.03% (1) and other, wherever that is ; 0.06% (2)
The Chill Half Marathon, The Sound of Music, the Ribfest and now a Burlington Beer Fest are all a part of Burlington – and don’t forget the Pier – they are all a part of what Burlington has chosen to be. The vast majority like things this way and because Burlington is a civilized city those responsible for these events are required to go out of their way to accommodate those who don’t share the enthusiasm.
Background links:
Residents don’t like the road closures.
City approves list of Festivals and Events: Chilli Half included.
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