By Staff
May 21st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Straight from the mouth of the Mayor.
Leash free dog space open at 3:00 pm this afternoon.
Expect to see Her Worship at the park closest to her home.
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May 21st, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON Ashley Worobec writes regularly on how she and her family are coping. Ashley Worobec is a sports-based chiropractor living a life of fitness, health, and parenthood in Burlington. Well, we got the official announcement about the cancellation of the remainder of the school year. While we knew it was coming and it was a foregone conclusion that this announcement would be made, it’s still somewhat shocking to hear it and to see it written in black and white. With so many other closures still ongoing, it’s the obvious choice, and I’m thankful that some of the uncertainty surrounding schooling has now been eliminated.  Jersey Day in the Worobec household during the pandemic In all honesty though, I’m glad they kept delaying the school start date- had I been told back in mid-March that schools were closed for the remainder of the school year, I would’ve had a hard time coping. My strategy has always been one day or one week at a time; I’ve been able to cope much better by focusing on the here and now rather than worrying about the what-ifs of the future. On March 13th, when the first school closures were announced, I would’ve been into panic mode if I’d known that would last into September. The kid’s school has done a good job of keeping up a sense of community throughout this time, and we’ve participated in all of their spirit days, including the most recent Jersey Day. This official education announcement won’t change much in regards to what we’re doing with our children though. We will continue to do the assigned tasks/projects that their teachers are giving on the e-learning platform, and at the end of June we’ll wrap up. My kids are in Grade 5 and Grade 2, so at the end of the year we’ll likely have some sort of celebration at home- we usually buy some sort of Summer outdoor toy to kick off Summer break, and I’m anticipating this year will be no different- in the past we’ve done road hockey pucks, sprinklers, and sidewalk chalk, but this year I’ve got my eye on a pogo stick. Any outdoor time is time well spent in my opinion. My husband is a high school teacher, and his routine won’t change much for the remainder of the year either, although he’s anticipating less of a buy-in from his Grade 12 students now that the year has officially been shut down. Time will tell. He’s in the midst of organizing a virtual Athletic Banquet for his Phys Ed department so that the athletic awards can still be presented, albeit in a different format this year. This year has been a challenge, no doubt, and it’s far from over. We still haven’t been given a timeline on when my clinic will be allowed to open, so we’re in a holding pattern at this stage. Once I go back to work, that’ll change our family dynamic, as I won’t be around as much, but my husband and kids are looking at another 3.5 months at home.  The morning run – its Mom who does the heavy lifting I’ve attached a picture of our morning run, and we do this nearly every day- once I’m back at work, that morning run won’t happen as often, but it’s been something I’ve really treasured, so we will do it on the days that time allows. It’s not about the physical fitness- it’s about the time together, the time outside, the fresh air, and our mental health. Between the morning run, our daily hikes or walks, and backyard workouts, we’ve been coping with a lot of movement and physical fitness.  Determining the territory. Our pets have brought us great joy during this time as well; our Golden Retriever is 2 years old, and at the very start of this pandemic, on April 2nd, we adopted a cat from a local cat rescue. Rosie has been a great addition to our family, and a wonderful source of distraction too. I’ve heard that this pandemic has resulted in lots of pet adoptions, and I can see why! We will get through this, and we will look back on this time and say “remember when.” For now, I am thankful for sunshine and warmer temperatures and the health of my family. One day at a time……
May 21st, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
Railway museums across the country have submitted clues for you to find online. Virtually explore museums from across the country and discover the treasures in their collections. For the inquisitive student this could be both fun, interesting and part of perhaps a geography or history class. The list of clues will be released by The Toronto Railway Museum @TORailwayMuseum on May 24, National Scavenger Hunt Day get tuned in! Check this link for more information.
May 19, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
The decision the province made to keep the schools closed for the balance of the school year involved consulting with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, health experts on the COVID-19 Command Table, and medical experts at The Hospital for Sick Children.  This is what the province doesn’t want to see – students congregating the way students do – the virus would jump from person to person in situations like this. The government is planning for the reopening of schools for the 2020-21 school year, the gradual reopening of child care, and the opening of summer day camps subject to the continuing progress in trends of key public health indicators. Today’s announcement was made by Premier Doug Ford, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, and Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. All students who were on track to graduate from secondary school before the initial school closure order was made in March will be able to graduate, and all students will receive report cards.  Classroom scenes like this return in September – if the COVID infection rates are kept low. Later this summer, the government will announce a plan to strengthen learning and safety protocols to enable students and staff to return to in-class instruction for the 2020-21 school year. That plan will be bolstered by an enhanced province-wide virtual learning program that will allow all students to learn, regardless of the challenges that may transpire in the coming months. Private schools, licensed child care centres and EarlyON programs will also remain closed for the safety and protection of children, families and staff through Stage 1 of the Framework for Reopening the Province. Emergency child care will continue to operate and provide support for health care and other frontline workers. A gradual reopening of child care is expected to begin when the province is ready to transition to Stage 2 based on public health criteria, which will include robust safety protocols for the safety of Ontario’s youngest learners and their staff.  Funny hats and smiling faces – all part of the summer day camp experience. Assuming trends in key public health indicators continue to improve, summer day camps, both indoor and outdoor, may be permitted in July and August of this year with strict health and safety guidelines to be developed in partnership with local public health, the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, and municipalities. Overnight camps will not be permitted to operate in the summer of 2020. The province also unveiled an expanded seven-point summer learning plan to ensure Ontario students have every opportunity to continue their learning through the summer months. Summer learning programs are being expanded to reach the most students in Ontario history, to ensure they remain on track to start the 2020-21 school year with the confidence and knowledge required to succeed.
May 19th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
They had people making masks; people running errands for people who had to self-isolate. They were exceptionally well organized and effective. Then they decided that the word “care monger” could use a little refinement and changed their name to Burlington Together. They are still exceptionally effective.  Former Chief Care monger”, Beth Martin Snook with her children  If you do it right – this is what you can produce. The former Chief Care monger”, Beth Martin Snook popped us a note announcing the “Grow a Row” project through the Burlington Together Facebook group Beth is prepared to help anyone who needs it with seeds or gardening advice, and will also set up a seed swap if there is interest. “I’m the contact for the project – you can reach me at – bethmarty@gmail.com or through Facebook at Beth Martin Snook or through the group at Burlington Together. The link is a direct connection to the group.  Burlington Together would like you to Grow Row for the Food Bank
May 19th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
City hall has provided more information on the decision to close city hall that was heard at a Standing Committee; that committee recommendation will go to Council on Monday of next week. “Following the Provincial and public health directives, the City of Burlington is cancelling all City-run summer programs. This includes activities such as summer camps, recreation programs, festivals and events, swimming and skating drop-ins that were originally offered in the Live & Play Guide. “Organizations and residents are asked to please be patient during this time as we expect it will take 4-6 weeks for staff process these cancellations. Residents who paid for these programs using a credit card will be refunded to that same credit card if possible. All other payment methods will receive a credit to their Recreation accounts. Following the processing of cancellations, cheque refunds will be issued based on specific email requests. Please email liveandplay@burlington.ca for cheque refund requests, and be sure to include your full mailing address. “As restrictions from the Province and Public Health are lifted, the City will implement a redesigned or modified program where possible. “Any programs available will be advertised. To be notified of any new programs, visit and subscribe to burlington.ca/play. Facility Rentals  Not this summer. “All facility rentals up to and including Sept. 7, 2020, including arenas, pools, community centres, schools, sport fields and picnics are cancelled. Renters who paid by credit card will be refunded to that same credit card if possible. Others will receive a credit on account. A confirmation will be emailed once the rental cancellation has been processed. “Requests for future booking dates are not being accepted until further notice. “For questions about facility rentals or rental refund requests please email rentals@burlington.ca. “For more information and FAQ’s on summer closures, cancellations and refunds visit burlington.ca/coronavirus. “The City is monitoring the situation closely and will work with local organizations to determine any modified programs as we are able to. “Any opportunity to re-open facilities or resume programming following health directives including physical distancing or reduced group sizes will be posted to the City’s website and social media.  Probably not this summer either Parks • Playing catch, kicking a soccer ball and flying a kite “We are asking everyone to remember they have a role to play in slowing the spread of COVID-19. The Mayor explains: “I know this news will be disappointing to our community; however, we need to continue to stay apart for now to protect ourselves and each other. Public health and safety need to continue to come first. I know our City staff are working on alternative programming that can be done virtually, so watch for that news.”  Chris Glenn – Director of Parks and Recreation. Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation Services tells his side of the story: “Summer programming is our busiest time with some wait lists forming as early as January. Please be patient as we process credits and refunds. These can take time but be assured that everyone who needs a credit or refund will get one. One of our adaptations to the COVID-19 physical distancing is our virtual programming. I encourage everyone to access our free virtual programming which can be found at burlington.ca/activeathome. There are golf tips, cooking lessons, crafts and more.” Four to six weeks to process a refund for a cancelled programming is a real stretch.
May 19th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON The Gazette put together a team of parents who are at home taking care of their children while the province goes through school closures and the shut down of everything other than essential services. Ashley Worobec and Nicki St. George write regularly on how they are coping. We invite parents to take part in this initiative by adding comments to each Coping with COVID19 & the kids article. Ashley Worobec is a sports-based chiropractor living a life of fitness, health, and parenthood in Burlington. Nicki St George is a teacher, a recovering cancer patient and a mother working on an MBA WEEK 9- This week has been a blur. Dan was busy working on a deadline for the 9-week project that has been occupying his days and nights and I was back in full-swing at work with a flurry of emails and zoom meetings to attend. The children were often left to their own devices (literally and figuratively). I now have the musical stylings of Molly and Daisy from something called Toy Heroes permanently stuck in my head. My penance for neglecting Beatrix.  Screen time – determining which level is the challenge. Of course, while I am feeling overwhelmed by feelings of guilt over this, the children see completely oblivious and are happy to have fewer restrictions placed on their device time. My mantra this week has told me that this is all temporary, but I still worry about the longer-term effects of too much screen time and how that will stunt the creativity of my children. I now separate screen time into the following categories: educational, games, and family TV time. This last category is the cause of some heated debates in our family. Nailed It seems to be the only acceptable compromise. Leo, a fellow night owl, sneaks out of his room every night after bedtime and begs me to watch Community with him – how can I say no? It seems the children are most amenable to compromises when they are breaking their bedtime curfew. Leo’s bedroom is a library. There are stacks of books everywhere and he has read every one of them. So at night I am faced with the choice of allowing him to use EPIC (an online database with a huge selection of books that he likes), i.e. more screen time, or do I allow him to sneak out and watch TV with me? I know there is a third option, but he is good company and I love laughing with him. Sometimes he goes into Bea’s room and plays dolls with her. She likes playing with him the best. I still managed to get out for my morning walks every day this week, and we ate dinner together every night as a family, so I am still going to consider this past week a win. I did burn an entire batch of homemade granola, a sign that I was slightly off my mom-game, but my homemade chicken soup and scones will make up for that (I hope). I ordered hand-sewn masks for the family by a local Burlington mother who has been laid off. The idea of leaving my house with the kids while we are all donning face masks fills me with both hope and dread.  When it is just Nicki and the kids – no such thing as social distancing. I have felt frustrated all week by the lack of clarity around social distancing rules. In other provinces and countries, the citizens are given direction about how to expand their ‘bubbles’ or at least they are aware of when they might be able to start this process. Of my friends, some are being very careful and have not seen their boyfriends in 9 weeks and others are being a lot less careful. I have reconciled that outdoor visits while maintaining a 2-meter distance is okay; however, the weather this week put the kibosh on any plans that I had to see friends in this way.
May 17th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
The Elgin Promenade, that pathway that serves as a pedestrian and cycling corridor will extend from Brant Street to Martha Street connecting the downtown core to the Centennial Multi-Use path is about to embark on the 4th phase. The idea has been on the drawing boards for some time – when a funding opportunity came up in 2017, the city moved on it quickly.
The first thing it did was open up the space opposite city hall and a little to the south of city hall. Some parking spots were removed and the first of four phases between Brant and John Street was done.
Done in phases; the fourth one will begin in the Spring of 2021.
No one was really sure how many people would use the Promenade; when a pedestrian counter was installed on John Street from October 25th, 2019 to December 2, 2019 the counter showed approximately 346 people per day which is significant number of users, especially in the off-season. A second pedestrian counter was also installed for all of 2019 at Martha Street and the Centennial Multi-Use Trail which is located beside the east end of the Elgin Promenade. The 2019 daily average count for 12 months at this location was 688. Phase 4 connects Pearl Street to Martha Street – Site Constraints The land for this proposed walkway is not owned the City however the City Realty Services department is in negotiation with the landowner of 425 Pearl Street to acquire the northern section of this parking lot in order to build the connecting link of the Elgin Promenade. The proposed walkway is on top of two easements; Transnorthern (high-pressure gas pipeline) and Halton Region (sanitary and water). In advance of tendering this project, all those permits and approvals from various agencies have to be in place before a tender can be released. The existing two-way driveway into the parking lot at 425 Pearl Street will be converted into a one-way in drive lane. A secondary driveway further south along Pearl Street will be built to accommodate egress from the existing parking lot.  All of phase 4
 A tighter look at the west side of phase 4.  A closer look at the west side of phase 4 The Elgin Promenade Phase 4 – Design Program The finished phase 4 will be a 4m wide pedestrian facility that is uninterrupted by cars (except at intersecting streets). The illustrations for phase 4 represent approximately 60% design completion.  Looking east. The two white structures are properties that will have to be acquired.  Looking west. Phase four has space for more than just a walk – there are small areas where people can congregate. Proposed Crossovers There will be three pedestrian crossovers where the Promenade crosses Martha Street, Pearl Street and Elizabeth Street. Martha Street and Pearl Street will be installed in conjunction with Phase 4 of the Promenade. Transportation Services staff are reviewing the Elizabeth Street pedestrian crossover to determine if it can be installed prior to completion of the Elgin Promenade. In addition to the three pedestrian crossovers proposed, John Street is still under evaluation given the additional movements related to the Downtown Parking Summary The project will result in 17 parking stalls being removed from a privately- owned parking lot at 425 Pearl Street. Currently, the owners of the lot do allow the public to use the space during evenings and weekends. Capital funds have been committed in 2020 to complete a needs assessment with the goal of developing a plan to add parking supply to the downtown. Project Schedule
This part of the city is rich in historically significant properties. The heritage value and appropriate protections (including possible Heritage Act designations) for the potential built heritage resources and potential cultural heritage landscapes will be addressed. A report released last September, “Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment of the Downtown Mobility Hub”, will be reporting back to Council in 4Q; a funding source has yet to be determined. One of the potential cultural heritage landscapes, the properties known as 431 and 435 Pearl Street, which are adjacent to the Elgin Promenade on the east side of Pearl Street. Community Planning Department staff will report back to Council in spring 2020 concerning the scope and financial considerations for the heritage study. Given the financial constraints brought about by the COVID crisis – could this part get put on hold ? Part of Phase 4 includes new landscape construction on the rear portion of the city-owned property at 431 Pearl Street. The project is going to significantly improve the way people use the downtown. It is going to require the purchase of a part of that parking lot, the purchase of the properties at 431 and 435 Pearl – all at a time when dollars are going to be in short supply. The success of the Elgin Promenade to date is a direct result of the number of stakeholders that have participated in the development of this multi-use pathway facility. Formal engagement with the downtown business community, members of council, advisory committees and area residents started in 2017. Since the project start, there have been two formal PIC sessions as well other related initiatives such as the Urban Parks Strategy Workshop and Downtown Streetscape Guidelines public engagement process.  Marianne Meed Ward as a citizen delegating to a council that she would lead in 2018 In Q2 of 2020 staff will host a design session, open to project stakeholders and members of Council, in order to complete the conceptual design for the area behind 431 Pearl Street. The view looking west There was a phrase that Marianne Meed Ward used frequently when she was the ward 2 Councillor – ‘these are nice to have projects that we can’t afford.’ Didn’t hear that phrase once during the discussion of what was a Receive and File report from the Planning department on this project.
May 17th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
One Burlington, that annual event that strives to attract as many people as possible to participate and to learn about the diverse cultures and faith practices of our neighbors in a safe, joyful and relaxed environment announced the decision to cancel the August 2020 event.
The One Burlington Festival did get funding from the Burlington Arts Council and have been advised that they can use those funds for marketing purposes. Canceling the August 3, 2020 Festival event for this year is backed by every intention to put on the One Burlington Festival Day in Central Park in the summer of 2021. One Burlington is planning to hold a special fall Outreach event and add an online component as well. They are hoping to hold this event indoors and restrict attendance to conform to the numbers recommended by the Province of Ontario health authorities.  Murals that invite anyone to pick up a paint brush and take part are part of One Burlington events. They hope to either broadcast the proceedings online/or record it for repeat viewing on YouTube. The theme has not yet been chosen but it will involve speakers and professional performers; the Programming Committee will be working on that – their first outreach event (in support and collaboration of the Black History Month was a huge success. In addition, One Burlington is using the time afforded to it by the cancellation of the August 2020 event to renovate our presence on social media. We are taking money intended for marketing and promotion of the 2020 Festival and we will spend it on a comprehensive marketing/communications strategy. By the end of 2020, they hope to be reaching the citizens of Burlington regularly through multiple social media platforms spreading the message of love, unity and building a united community in many different ways. “We all recognize that the state of the world has made the need to render meaningful service to humanity even more urgent. I have no doubt that you as ambassadors of love, will with high resolve and intense endeavour use every interaction to spread hope, kindness and inclusivity”, said Shadi Salehian, Board Chair, One Burlington. More on what One Burlington is all about – CLICK here.
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May 17th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
Hopefully we will get nicer weather on Monday. People will be able to get out and about – however they won’t be able to drop off any Food donations that are collected by St. Matthews Anglican church every Monday and Wednesday.
St. Matthews partners with the Burlington Food Bank and the Compassion Society/ Pick up a free 100% cotton face mask while you are there.
May 16th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
The city opened up – a little today.  There were golfers at some of the courses on Guelph Line. The plant merchants were very busy. There were golfers on some of the courses and line up as the driving ranges. Weather was nice.  Most of the golfers we say were buzzing about in electric carts – 1 person per cart. No one was lugging a golf bag. The city, for some reason wasn’t as prepared for the opening that everyone knew was coming. Parks and recreation announced on Friday that they have cancelled all of the summer Parks and Recreation program and were starting from scratch to figure out what they might be able to open as the rules from the province are clearer. The LaSalle Park Marina could be open but won’t be – construction of the new water break is still taking place.  Golfers at a driving range – wasn’t operated by the city. The City’s Tyandaga Golf Course is preparing for opening Saturday, May 23, 2020 with COVID-19 safety precautions in place to help keep both golfers and staff safe by minimizing the spread of the virus. Players wishing to book a tee time can do so online as of Saturday, May 16, 2020 at tyandagagolf.com. Booking by phone can be done starting Tuesday, May 19 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. by calling 905-336-0005. New Rules and Operations • Tyandaga will be open daily, 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. City hall had this to say about opening their parks: Re-opening of the City parks and facilities is something everyone is looking forward to, but we must continue to do it slowly and carefully with the right precautions. The City of Burlington remains committed to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 to protect its residents and employees. • Playing catch, kicking a soccer ball and flying a kite (not on a soccer field or baseball diamond) Respect the caution tape and keep off playgrounds, sports fields, skateboard areas, tennis and basketball courts. The City has signage and barricades in the entrances of parking lots to block vehicles from parking. Parking lots remain closed to encourage people to stay in the neighborhood and to help prevent overcrowding at some of our larger parks. This will be reviewed as we consider additional phased opening of park uses. Organized sporting activities and training, such as football, softball, ball hockey, soccer, ultimate frisbee and basketball – even if they are not being played on a court or sports field – are still not allowed in City parks. Similar activities that do not allow for proper physical distancing, like running a sports or fitness class in City parks, are not allowed until further notice. Provincial emergency orders that remain in force include: • Prohibiting events and gatherings of more than five people I didn’t see the words “have fun” anywhere in the city’s words. They sound like a crabby grandmother. Sport Facilities The Province announced some sport organizations are able to resume activities. The City of Burlington will work with our joint venture partners to ensure there are plans in place based on provincial guidelines and their sport governing body’s requirements. The City is also working to ensure these organizations can use the facilities while complying with provincial guidelines and protecting the health of athletes and city staff. Conservation Halton Parks.  Turtle clan longhouse at Crawford Lake. Few people realize that there are provincially operated parks as well as parks operated by the Halton Conservation Authority. THEY will be opening five of their seven parks for hiking and biking, using a simple reservation system, starting May 22. Crawford Lake, Hilton Falls, Rattlesnake Point, Mount Nemo and Kelso Summit (biking only) will be open to members and to the public, for paid access, from 9am-9pm. Other parks and facilities will be added in the coming weeks. What do I need to do to access the parks now? The new system that we have mentioned above will allow to us predict and monitor the number of people in the parks through an online reservation platform. From this point forward, parks visitors and members will be required to make a reservation prior to their visit. (The pilot has shown us that this process should take no more than 1 minute.) Here is how it works: After you have made your online reservation, and arrived at the park, you will drive up to the gate and stop. Your license plate will be scanned and the gate will open. If there is any issue with your license plate, a gate attendant will scan the barcode on your ticket. (The pilot has shown us that this process should take no more than 10-15 seconds.) When can we start making reservations? Reservations will be open on Wednesday, May 20 or Thursday, May 21. You can visit our website or follow us on social media to be notified when the reservation system is made public. Why do we need to reserve our park visit in advance? Being able to predict and monitor the number of people in the parks means that we can create the conditions needed for physical distancing, but this system will offer a number of other benefits, even once things are back to normal. For you, as a visitor, this system will show you which parks are busy and which are not, right down to the minute, before you leave your house. We know it can be frustrating to get ready for a hike, drive out to a park and then be faced with a lineup, so we hope that this system will prevent that. For us, this system will allow us to improve the experience of visiting our parks and reduce the impact that visitors have on our parks for a more efficient, enjoyable and sustainable approach to park management. We want you to enjoy nature when you come to our parks, not wait in line ups. Trust us when we say that we would if we could. Each of the parks is a little bit different, which means that the improvements to infrastructure and operations are a little bit different for each park. We are working incredibly hard to open as many of the parks as possible, as soon as possible, but this process does take time, so we appreciate your patience, and we promise it will be worth the wait. How many spots will there be? With these 5 parks open, we estimate there are about 15,000 timeslots per week available for visitors to reserve, to safely accommodate about 75,000 visitors across the parks, each week. We feel this should be enough to meet the needs of our members, and the public, however we welcome suggestions through a post-visit survey on how we can continue to adjust our model.  One of the views from the top of Mt Nemo Conservation Halton Parks memberships will be extended for the duration of the park closures but memberships are (and have always been) non-refundable. Considering that memberships provide access to the parks for an entire year, that the parks were closed for just a few weeks, that memberships pay for themselves in just a few visits and that we are extending memberships for the duration of the park closures, we are confident that you will still be able to find value in them. Memberships will resume on May 22. When will the extension be added to my membership? With parks open on May 22, memberships will be back in effect, and the full duration of the park closures will be added to your membership, automatically. There is nothing you need to do to receive this extension. What about camping and picnicking? With facilities still closed, we are not currently able to offer camping. Picnicking in the parks is permitted, as long as physical distancing is practiced, visit time limits are respected and no trash is left behind. Also, picnic tables will not be accessible, so you will need to bring your own blanket. We also expect all visitors to follow Provincial Orders and Guidelines related to group sizes when gathering for any activities and staying within their household groups. As the Province updates these guidelines, we will offer more activities and options at our parks. The Bruce Trail Conservancy has recently started to open some sections of the trail. As of May 22, if a part of the Bruce Trail passes through one our parks, which is open, that part of the trail will be accessible. If a part of the trail passes through one of our parks, which is still closed, that part of the trail will not be accessible. Over all rules for everyone and everything Physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most important steps everyone needs to take. The COVID-19 virus doesn’t move on its own; it needs people to move it. Remember to: • Keep two metres away from others – about the length of a hockey stick Do that and we can flatten that virus infection curve – we are still seeing new infections daily at the 300+ level Residents who see groups of more than five people gathering or individuals using outdoor recreational facilities that remain closed can call the Halton Regional Police Service COVID hotline to file a report at 905-825-4722.
May 15th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
The Covid19 virus has had a devastating impact on the health of people around the word; it has brought the economy of the world to its knees and has spurred scientist from around the world into different ways of tracking the virus, determining how it moves while others spend millions of hours in labs trying to create a vaccine that will inoculate us from its spread.  The graphics that explain the way the virus works are very good. There are others who have found new innovate ways to tell what has happen and teach something about how this virus works. You scroll through the presentation and trace the paths the virus took as it mutated several times. Fascinating. CLICK and take a look.
May 15th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
“f….g bat eating, wet market animal selling, virus making greedy bastards.” ”My message to them other than ‘thanks a f…g lot’ is go vegan.” (Bryan Adams – Instagram)  Bryan Adams: It will take decades to live down the rant. Nobody is denying that Bryan Adams’ rant was stupid and pointless. He has apologized for offending anyone and taken down his post. We define racism as prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race, based on the belief that one’s own race is superior. So was Adams being racist? Of course not and those accusing him should be ashamed of themselves for playing the racist card. What do we call those people so consumed by their own ethnicity that see everything through a racial lens? Adams, a 30 year vegan, claims his rant was only about the consumption of meat, and wild animals in particular. Besides being an outstanding musician and song writer, Adam’s philanthropic work to improve education around the world has earned him the Order of BC and the Order of Canada. None of his harshest critics, including a vocal MLA from BC, or the head of the Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice, Amy Go, can hold a candle to that kind of humanity. Ms. Go suggested that his Order of Canada be forfeited because of the rant.  Chinese wet market Wet markets still exist in a number of developing nations and bats and bat meat is sold at some of them. Bats have been consumed throughout Asia, in Africa and even in early Australia for eons. In the Wuhan market the South China Morning Post reported that 120 wildlife animals across 75 species had been for sale before the Chinese government finally shut down the market and announced that wild animals would no longer be sold for consumption in China. It used to be when we wanted to condemn someone we’d just call them Hitler. Both the British government and Hillary Clinton once compared Russian leader Vlad Putin to the Nazi dictator after he had invaded Ukraine. But that is so passé these days. Besides, if you have to invoke Hitler you’ve already lost the argument. Today the term is ‘racist’.  Derek Sloan: rookie Conservative MP The rookie Conservative MP and leadership candidate Derek Sloan questioned the loyalty and patriotism of Dr. Tam, Canada’s chief medical officer, by asking whether she was working for Canada or China. And suddenly there was this spontaneous chorus calling out… racism. Sloan presented no evidence of disloyalty so his insensitive question was… just an insult. And that dumb move has likely disqualified him, at least in the voters eyes, from winning the Tory leadership. Sloan just needed to look at Tam’s record as chief medical officer to see she could never have been working for China. After all, China had almost completely eliminated its outbreak. But Canada, with less that 3% of the China’s population, has almost as many COVID 19 cases and more deaths than China, if we can believe their numbers. Had Tam been working for China, or any of the neighbouring Asian nations, she might have thought to close our borders earlier, as the authorities in Hong Kong, where she was born, had done. Instead she advised keeping the borders open while thousands of Chinese, including some from disease ridden Wuhan, arrived by the plane load. That was followed by travellers from disease plagued Iran and then Europe and the United States bringing their disease here until the virus had become embedded in our community.  Dr. Theresa Tam And If Tam had been working for China she would have mandated that all Canadians wear face coverings in public, the way they are required in South Korea, China, or her native Hong Kong. The seniors in long term care, who make up 80% of Canada’s fatalities from COVID 19, contracted the virus only from staff or visitors – few or none of whom were wearing masks when the care centres became infected. After all, Dr. Tam had advised non-symptomatic people against wearing masks in public, suggesting they would be prone to wear them improperly and actually increase exposure. After the US government advised all Americans to wear a mask in public she had to backtrack a little. Still, Canada is one of the few countries which has still not mandated the use of face coverings in public. Canadians are confused by this policy vacuum on protective coverings. How does one otherwise protect themselves, and others, on subways, narrow sidewalks and in grocery stores? Aren’t masks the key to being able to reopen the economy? In the end businesses like the Longo grocery chain have had to fill the policy gap by requiring all staff and customers to wear a mask inside the store. They’ll even give you one to wear.  Dr. Theresa Tam: doing an impossible job under impossible conditions Dr. Tam is a paediatric infectious disease specialist and a former assistant deputy minister of the infectious disease prevention and control branch of Public Health Canada. She co-chaired Canada’s handbook on pandemic preparedness, following the SARS outbreak in 2006. Those are brilliant credentials and hard earned qualifications. So why haven’t the outcomes been more consistent with the potential of the person giving advice. Derek Sloan is a social conservative and he has been soliciting support from socially conservative Canadians of Chinese origin who are deeply opposed to China’s current government. He even has a Chinese-language section on his website. That hardly sounds like a Sinophobe, or an anti-Asian racist. According to a recent poll only 14% of Canadians rate China positively today. That is just slightly ahead of how we feel about Saudi Arabia (10%) and far lower than how we felt back in 2005 (58%). 85% feel China has been dishonest about the impact of COVID 19 and over three quarters want the government to have nothing to do with Chinese electronics giant Huawei. But attitudes are also shifting in China. Many people in Wuhan apparently are still unsure of how the virus started there. They have been told by their government that it was introduced there by the US army. And the Chinese people are angry over why Canada is still keeping Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou under house arrest. China, perhaps sensing widespread international resentment over the pandemic is turning inwards with a new five year plan focussed on domestic priorities. It knows that it has been all too successful as the world’s factory for everything, and that is almost certain to change. Everybody wants to get back to normal, a time when we could go to a sit-down restaurant or hug our children and friends without worrying about the rising body count. We believe we are the victims of some dystopian scenario not of our own creation. And while we could have managed things better on our end, we are pretty sure where this horrible and relentless virus came from. So it is not unremarkable that even we mild mannered and generally tolerant Canadians are beginning to see senseless acts of hatred and violence among us, as we have recently in Vancouver. And this kind of hatred is generally directed towards people who had nothing to do with wet markets in Wuhan, if that was even the birthplace of this pandemic.  The message doesn’t always get through. And those who falsely cry out racist, like the fabled creatures crying out wolf, just confuse and numb us. And that makes it easier to avoid confronting the real racism out there driven, as always, by ignorance – the absence of truth. And people want to know the truth. Without the truth we are left with conspiracy theories like Mr. Sloan musing that Canada’s chief medical officer might really be working for China. But that wasn’t even the right question. Instead of national loyalty he should have directly challenged Dr. Tam’s professional judgement in her role as Canada’s chief medical officer of health. Though he’d probably still be accused of racism for that.
Background links: Bryan Adams Rant – Bryan Adams – Chinese Xenophobia – Wet markets – Longo Masks – Derek Sloan – Dr. Tam – Attitudes – Canada-China –
May 13th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
Wonderful news from the Farmer’s Market. IT IS Official – the Burlington Centre Lions Market will open on Wednesday June 10 – 8am to 2pm, Friday June 12 – 8am to 3pm and Saturday June 13 2020 – 8am to 2pm They will be happy to be able to serve you.  Fresh bread – straight from the ovens – but you had to get there while the basket still had something in it. There will be some rules for the Covid19 virus – but the rules will be posted and the process will be simple to follow. They are there to help and with everyone following the rules it will amount to one more thing people can get out and do.
May 12th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
On Saturday, May 9th, the Province announced it would be reopening provincial parks and conservation reserves starting today, with more to follow by Friday, May 15 for limited-day use. Recreational activities are limited to walking, hiking, biking and bird-watching. Parks are free until the end of the month.  One of the really nice trails in a Conservation Halton Park – not yet open to the public. Note that this does not include the Conservation Authority parks: – Mt. Nemo, Crawford Lake, Rattlesnake Point, Hilton Falls, Kelso, Mountsberg and Robert Edmonsdson. This view from the top of Mt Nemo – not something you can experience this week. These parks are separate from Conservation Reserves and Provincial Parks, and are independently owned and operated without tax revenues. Conservation Halton (CH) parks remain closed for now. CH is looking into a number of options that will allow monitoring visitor volume and opening parks in a safe and responsible way through pre-registered bookings in the coming days. CH will be gradually opening parks in a phased approach over the next several weeks. Camping and other activities are not permitted at any provincial park or conservation reserve. All buildings and facilities, including washrooms, water taps, campgrounds, back-country campsites, roofed accommodations, playgrounds and beaches continue to be closed. Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said “the province’s announcement mirrors our situation in Burlington — unlike other cities, we never closed our parks. They have remained open throughout the pandemic for walking through. We continue to ask people to ‘walk, don’t stop’.” Consistent with provincial emergency orders and Saturday’s provincial announcement, city park amenities, including playgrounds, remain closed.  Walk through but no playing or congregating in the park Mayor Meed Ward said: “We closed parking lots adjacent to parks to avoid overcrowding and encourage people to stay in their neighbourhoods. As we review what our neighbouring municipalities are doing, we will also review this as we prepare our phased reopening of amenities and park use, consistent with public health advice and provincial announcements. We will be coordinating efforts with local park organizations to be consistent as possible in the use of parks and trails.” Outdoor recreational amenities that are intended to be used by more than one family, such as outdoor playgrounds, sports fields, beaches, picnic sites, and park shelters, remain closed until May 19th, as an Emergency Order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. Under the Emergency Order, green spaces in parks, trails and ravines, that are not otherwise closed, are available for walk-through access only. “Walk-through” access means that individuals should pass through, and should not ‘stay and play’, even if they are in a group of less than five people. This is to prevent groups from congregating in green spaces in parks, trails and ravines. Maintain 2 metres (6 feet) distance from others. You may need to change your route or the time of day that you go out in order to keep this distance. Step aside or pass others quickly and courteously on sidewalks. Do not enter spaces that are barricaded or have signage indicating the area is closed. Keep your dog on a leash. Remember to wash your hands when you return home.
May 12th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
WEEK 8 – Monday, May 4th Then I will work with the kids until my husband takes over for his turn at homeschooling so that I can do my actual job. He completes his hour of face time with the kids and I return to make lunches and finish of schooling until 2pm when I allow the kids screen time while I do more work. I’m not going to lie. It’s a grind. I know that I will be comatose by the time Friday rolls around. I only miss one meeting in the morning (while on my walk), which I am only now realizing that will be evident to all of my work colleagues who are also using the Strava app (luckily I only have 2 followers).  The cat and that ball of wool did add to the tension, Tuesday, May 5th Wednesday, May 6th  Chocolate chip pancakes and they have to be in a stack, with butter and sprinkles and marshmallows and maple syrup and berries For a week, I have been promising her that she can have pancakes for dinner on Wednesday. She has spent the week fixated on what this would involve. They are not just any pancakes. They are chocolate chip pancakes and they have to be in a stack, with butter and sprinkles and marshmallows and maple syrup and berries and anything remotely tasty that she can find in the fridge. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am pretty stingy when it comes to dolling out the treats, so this is a big deal. Leo devours his stack while Bea eats about 1/8 of her 5-stack of pancakes and asks to save the rest for tomorrow’s breakfast. For a girl who does not see the point of getting out of her pajamas, this has made her week. Thursday, May 7th Instead I am just a black screen on a staff zoom call of 189 people. Now everybody is going through this period of isolation and facing adversity and I am no longer special. Friday, May 8th Leo has been getting his 10,000 steps everyday by spending hours on the trampoline. He contributes to a google meet session with his teacher and fellow classmates once a week. This week they had to describe a household object (en Français) and get the other classmates to guess it. He chose toilet paper. My prediction of being comatose by Friday comes true. I fall asleep on the couch downstairs while spooning Bea and watching Trolls 2, which I finally gave in and paid $20 to rent. Saturday, May 9th Sunday, May 10th – Mother’s Day Actual thoughts that I had: How long is too long to sit in a bath? If I flail my arms around in the bath would that count as swimming? Things I did on my phone while lying in bed and avoiding interactions with the children: searched murderous hornet memes, changed my Bitmoji avatar from completely bald to short buzz cut, played words with friends, watched SNL skits on my Instagram feed. Number of memes and funny videos forwarded to friends: 387  Mothers Day – what more can one say. What the children did: They made me homemade cards and served up Leo’s scrambled eggs for breakfast in bed. Leo slept in his clothes from the night before. Bea refused to get out of her pajamas, as she does every day, but today I let her because it’s Mother’s Day (her justification). Bea and I sat together for a while looking back at old videos of her and Leo on my phone. We played beauty salon and I got a Bea make over complete with false eyelashes. Conversations I had with Dan: Dan: What would you like for dinner? Me: To not have to make the decision about what we have for dinner. Dan: But then how will I know that it will be something you want to eat? Me: Sigh (on behalf of mothers everywhere). Gifts: A gift card to a new local boutique #shoplocal How I ended my day: Playing euchre over Zoom with my girlfriends from high school. Highlight of the week: The kids changed Dan’s Netflix name to “Crap Bag” and he didn’t notice for several days. Serious highlight of the week: The fact that we are all alive, healthy, and still smiling (most of the time).
May 9th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
Connie Price who heads up the production side of the 100% cotton face masks with cloth ties that are being distributed in the community, reports on what her team has achieved. “To date, from nine dedicated Sewers, there have been 470 masks made, with almost 300 of those being distributed in the next week and another 250 in the process of being made. Fantastic team work!  Ward 1 Councillor Kelven Galbraith with his wife Abigail modelling masks  Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte with her daughter Danielle – modeling masks. The Councillor is handing them out to her constituents. “Just so you know what happens once the masks have been sewn. After the sewn masks are sealed in envelopes, along with Gov’t of Canada Guidelines for Use and Care of Non-surgical Face Masks, they are held in quarantine for 72 hours, then delivered by the Lions Club. “Presently we are delivering to the Burlington Food Bank to go in their Door Delivered Food Hampers, for the Clients who come to Wellington Square Church for Take-Home Dinners and to the Seniors at Halton Region’s Wellington Terrace Apartments, who don’t have any. There are other subsidized Seniors’ Apartments, who are also in need of masks for when the Seniors have to go out to shop, or even in their hallways, elevators, laundry rooms etc. and will be next on our delivery list. “None of these people can afford to buy masks, so your sewing and participation to get free ones to them, is very much appreciated. Thank you for your efforts.  Jan Mowbray working at a surging machine to make cloth ties for the masks – 4 ties per mask “This is an awesome Team! Truly, the community helping their community neighbours. With blessings and many thanks, Connie refers to this effort as the Gazette Community Face Mask Initiative. There is a bit of truth to that statement; full disclosure, the Gazette did get it off the ground by donating all the cotton cloth that was needed and sewing the cloth ties. From that point forward Connie Price found the volunteers and got the distribution team in place. They are close to making and distributing 1000 masks.
May 8th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
This is a very rich city. Take a look at the organizations in place – offering food support; meals, doing the shopping for you. Each of those organizations has dozens, in several cases hundreds of people showing up every day serving as volunteers. Many people and families across Burlington are finding themselves in need of food support, including those who have never needed to access a food bank before or simply need food delivery. Within Burlington, there are dozens of different non-profit food organizations willing to help anyone who needs food, including food donations, prepared meals or simply delivering groceries. Below is a short list of some of the organizations offering help.  In order to make up those meals to be delivered all kinds of food has to be brought into the church kitchen. Friday Night Community Take Home Meal Bags Food for Life Pre-bagged Food Programs Compassion Society Salvation Army  Each of the organizations has their own niche -Food Bank is part of a wider network. Burlington Food Bank Glad Tidings Church These organizations are delivering the services that are needed. The corporate sector is ponying up some of the money that is needed. Every city is doing its own thing – this is what we are doing in Burlington.
The Gazette has put together a team of parents who are at home taking care of their children while the province goes through school closures and the shut down of everything other than essential services. Ashley Worobec and Nicki St. George will write regularly on how they are coping. We invite parents to take part in this initiative by adding comments to each Coping with COVID19 & the kids article.
May 7th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON WEEK 7 –  What you don’t see in this drawing – is what appears at the bottom this piece MONDAY, April 27th It is my brother’s birthday today and the 5-year anniversary of the day my family arrived in Canada from New Zealand. My husband posts a memory on his Facebook page saying ‘no regrets’ in reference to our decision to move here. I concur; however, lately I have been rather envious of my friends and family in NZ with their low COVID rates and inspirational leader, Jacinda Adern. But mostly I am envious of the fact that their lockdown rules are being relaxed and they are now heading out to the beaches. TUESDAY, April 28th WEDNESDAY, April 29th  Chromebook worse for these two – Mom likes it as well. THURSDAY, April 30th  Trampoline – constant use Our trampoline, which got taken out of the garage and set up last weekend, has been in constant use. Except for today because it is too cold outside. The kids need some kind of brain break, so we all find something to balance on our heads while we play follow the leader. Later we play hide and seek. I sometimes wonder if all the grandmas of the world are just shaking their heads at mums like me and my friends. What do we really have to complain about? They would have spent every day entertaining their kids and loving it. My friend sends me a viral video about how we need to re-examine our lifestyles and what caused us to get into this whole mess in the first place. I couldn’t agree more. FRIDAY, May 1st  Dan scours the Bulk Food Warehouse for Kashmiri curry powder and cardamom seeds. SATURDAY, May 2nd  Two baby bunnies in there – more to this story for sure SUNDAY, May 3rd For the last few weeks, I have been watching a rabbit make a burrow in the planter box which sits on my deck and normally holds my herb garden. Today we find her sitting atop the planter box and upon closer inspection, we notice that she is feeding two little baby bunnies. It’s a nice way to end the week.
May 7th, 2020 BURLINGTON, ON
Come Saturday we can go to a hardware store. That’s progress. One of the biggest reasons the provincial government is able to begin the process of opening things us is because of how, for the most part, people have listened and followed the rules.  Councillor Stolte, on the right, with daughter Danielle wearing masks made by volunteer community sewers. Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte, put what we do in perspective when she said: “The COVID-19 virus doesn’t move on its own; it needs people to move it.” Physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most important steps everyone needs to take. To discourage people from gathering and to help reduce the transmission of the virus, the City of Burlington has closed all vehicular access to our parks. Only walking, jogging, riding a bike or scooter/wheelchair through a park or trail is permitted, except for Spencer Smith Park, where only walking is allowed. Remember to:
 Six feet ? Maybe. The younger set – 18-25 roughly have a bit of a problem with the distancing thing. That demographic has been spared for the most part. The day there is a death due to an infection they might begin to listen. The province has shown strong, consistent leadership and they have shown that when they don’t get it right they know how to change quite quickly. The decision to drop a license plate that didn’t work is a solid example. When this is all over, and it will be all over at some point there will be an investigation where we will learn how wrong we have been with the way we regulate retirement, nursing and long term care homes. We heard one leading medical practitioner insist that there be criminal investigations. Some of the people in the care business may have already “lawyered up”. It is interesting to note where the deaths took place and where they didn’t. Some people were doing the job. Hardware stores and golf courses – opening up. Hair salons and nail parlours opening up. When the restaurants and the patios come back on line summer might actually arrive.
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The Friends Of Freeman Station are participating in the Toronto Railway Museum’s big online scavenger hunt.
They called themselves Burlington Care mongers – and their presence on social media just took off.
The Promenade will eventually allow people to cycle or walk across the width of the city from the BurlOak Park in the east end to the Canal that separates us from Hamilton on the west end.
The addition of a handsome rather splendid path for pedestrians and cyclists does present a repetition of a problem at Spencer Smith Park where cyclists tend to forget to respect the rights of those walking to safe passage.
A key value at One Burlington is to encourage participation by everyone. We could not imagine a way to present our Festival and restrict attendance as it clashed with our mandate. Hence the decision to cancel this event for this year.
They are taking a break but do hope that you will visit them on Wednesday.
Ray Rivers writes regularly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
