 By Staff
March 13th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Registration is now open for Conservation Halton’s Ways of the Woods day camps for summer 2025.
Camps kick-off on June 30 and run every weekday including holidays until August 29, 2025.
Campers ages 4 to 15 can choose from twenty different camps with streams geared towards recreation, education, and leadership.
Boating, swimming, climbing, archery, mountain biking, animal care, gardening, construction, and camp games—with such a wide range of fun, outdoor-focused activities, kids can choose their own camp adventure this summer at Ways of the Woods!
Campers, parents, and caregivers alike will appreciate that Ways of the Woods continues to offer so many choices for fun and engaging summer camps:
 Waterfront Camp (Ages 9-11) Adventure Camp (Ages 12-14)
Athletics Camp (Ages 9-11)
Climbers Camp (Ages 9-11)
Construction Camp (Ages 12-14)
Counsellor in Training (CIT) Camp (Ages 14-15)
Disc Golf Camp (9-14)
Explorer Camp (Ages 9-11)
Farm Camp (Ages 9-11)
Girls Camp (Ages 9-11)
 Climbers Camp (Ages 9-11) Kinder WOW Camp (Ages 4-5)
Mountain Bike Camp (Ages 9-14)
Mountain Bike Camp – Trail Stewards (Ages 12-15)
Naturalist Camp (Ages 9-11)
Raptor Camp (Ages 9-11)
Olympian Camp (Ages 12-14)
Survivalist Camp (Ages 12-14)
Waterfront Camp (Ages 9-11)
Wee WOW Camp (Ages 6-8)
Wee Farm & Flight Camp (Ages 6-8)
Wee Sports Camp (Ages 6-8)
Ways of the Woods provides additional services for parents and caregivers to accommodate busy summer schedules. Free bus transportation is available to and from camp with sixteen camp bus locations across Milton, Burlington, Oakville and Mississauga.
This year, Ways of the Woods is offering more flexibility with extended care at the Kelso hub.
Parents and caregivers choosing to drop off and pick up at Kelso will now have three different extended care options. They can choose Early Camp Care with drop off starting as early as 7:30 am, After Camp Care with pick up as late as 5:30 pm, or Early + After Camp Care, allowing morning and evening flexibility. Ways of the Woods is happy to offer campers even more fun before camp, after camp, or both!
“Ways of the Woods camps are a long-standing summer tradition for families in Halton Region and beyond—and a guarantee of unparalleled outdoor fun and adventure during the summer months,” said Craig Machan, Director, Parks & Operations at Conservation Halton. “We’re delighted to offer twenty camp streams that familiarize campers with our parks like Kelso, Mountsberg, Crawford Lake and Area 8.
This year, WOW is offering more extended care options through our Kelso hub, to help make the summer camp experience even more convenient for families with busy work and personal schedules.”
To learn more about Ways of the Woods summer camps and to register, visit conservationhalton.ca/wow.
Ways of the Woods is a member of the Ontario Camps Association, so you can feel safe knowing you are sending your children to an accredited organization with professional counsellors and staff.
 Conservation Halton is a community-based environmental agency dedicated to protecting people, property and natural resources from flooding, erosion, and other natural hazards. As one of Ontario’s 36 Conservation Authorities, we steward 1,000 square kilometres of conservation lands. From the Lake Ontario shoreline to the Niagara Escarpment and beyond, we safeguard forests, wetlands and waterways through science-based conservation, land management and climate resilience initiatives. Our eight conservation areas welcome more than a million visitors each year and offer opportunities to connect with nature through recreation and education. Learn more at conservationhalton.ca.
 By Staff
March 6th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The Art Gallery of Burlington is Now Recruiting for Board Positions – Join them in Shaping Arts and Culture!
Are you passionate about the arts and eager to enhance your community’s cultural scene? Become a vital member of the Art Gallery of Burlington Board.
Connect with like-minded professionals and community leaders who share your dedication to arts and culture. The Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB) is currently seeking to fill Board positions for June 2025.
How to Apply:
Submit the following information by e-mail to the AGB Board Governance & Nominating Committee at board@agb.life on or before March 31, 2025:
- Cover letter expressing intent to apply;
- CV
 By Staff
February 26th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Hippity hop on down to Joseph Brant Museum for a Visit with the Easter Bunny!
 Families can book a 5-minute private visit with the Easter Bunny and have their photo taken by Henry’s Camera (6 family members maximum).
Henry’s will be providing each family with one digital image and a “Free Instant 8×10 Print” voucher for use at an in-store kiosk. Parents are also welcome to use their own cameras.
Children will have the opportunity to take part in an Easter egg scavenger hunt throughout the galleries and complete a Spring-themed craft. There will also be a mini-Makers market on site, and some hot chocolate to enjoy!
Tickets are $50/family ($45/members) and include a pre-booked visit and photos with the Easter Bunny, admission to Joseph Brant Museum, an Easter egg scavenger hunt throughout the galleries, hot chocolate, a craft for each child registered, and access to a mini-Makers Market.
The event takes place April 12-13. Call the Museum at (905) 634-3556 to reserve a spot.
Please note that it takes approximately 1 week for the professional images taken by Henry’s to be edited and sent to your inbox.
Would someone remind the people at the Brant Museum that Easter is more than bunnies, coloured eggs and scavenger hunts.
 By Pepper Parr
February 26th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The Performing Arts Centre has put out a call for people to apply for a position on the Board of Directors.
Again?
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre Board of Directors named Peter W. Van Dyk their new Board Chair by acclamation at their meeting on November 28, 2024. Van Dyk replaces Ken Smithard, who has served on the Board since 2016 and whose term concluded at the end of November. Van Dyk was born and raised in Burlington. He was active as a musician locally and toured Ontario and Canada.
The current Board has had a rough couple of years. The sudden departure of Executive Director Tammy Fox, and governence issues related to an unauthorized arrangement with the Sound of Music may have worn out some of the current Board members.
The priority for the Board that is in place now was to find an Executive Director who would serve as the person who finds the talent to put on the two stages and then book that talent and at the same time keep the membership happy.
 Sara Palmieri: new Performing Arts Executive Director. Sara Palmieri was chosen as the new Executive Director – she started work on the 19th.
Palmieri was named the inaugural Director of Programming and Marketing at the newly established FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre (FOPAC) in downtown St. Catharines where she has led much of the FOPAC’s success in its first ten seasons.
 A lovely building that has struggled more than one would expect to find and keep the leadership it needed at both the Staff and Board levels. The announcement seeking new Board members sets out what you have to bring to the table and what you will be doing if they give you a seat and some cutlery.
Are you passionate about the performing arts? The Burlington Performing Arts Centre is seeking a broad range of skilled leaders to join our Board of Directors. As we enter our 14th season of bringing world-class performances to downtown Burlington, we’re looking for dynamic individuals with diverse skills and talents who can help shape the future of our performing arts centre and Burlington’s cultural community. Whether your expertise lies in fundraising, community leadership, strategic planning or Board governance, there’s an opportunity to contribute your talents while being part of something transformative.
The Board completed a new Strategic Plan for 2024-2027, identifying four key strategic objectives which will define success for the Burlington Performing Arts Centre over the next four years:
A successful Burlington Performing Arts Centre will be:
- A place where all feel welcome. An organization committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and access to the performing arts.
- A financially stable organization with the resources necessary to accomplish its mission.
- A cultural hub that attracts diverse audiences and artists through a balanced programming model that presents professional and community performances.
- An employer of choice that attracts the best in the business.
The Burlington Theatre Board Inc. is a governance board composed of volunteers responsible for the stewardship and general oversight of the organization. The Board provides strategic direction to the Executive Director and meets approximately ten times a year, with additional time expected for sub-committee work.
 The Performing Arts Centre has built a loyal following during the past decade – much of the credit for that growth belongs to Brenda Heatherington, the first Executive Director – the patrons just loved her. Above, two patrons deciding which events they wanted to attend. The Burlington Theatre Board Inc. is currently seeking Board members with skills and experience in fundraising, community leadership, operations, risk management, Board governance, strategic planning, marketing and promotion, as well as a passion for the performing arts and deep ties in the Burlington community. Prior Board experience is not mandatory, particularly if candidates have strong relevant skills or insights. BPAC Board members serve for 4-year terms and may serve for up to two consecutive terms (8 years total).
Board members are expected to:
- be members of The Burlington Performing Arts Centre;
- participate in monthly Board meetings;
- participate in a minimum of one Board Committee (Audit and Risk Committee / Governance, Ethics and HR Committee / Development & Relationship Management Committee and Ad Hoc Committees as required), which may meet monthly;
- support BPAC functions and events (either through attendance or by other means);
- make an annual financial contribution that is personally meaningful, and/or actively support fundraising efforts through strategic introductions and engagement with the development team;
- act as ambassadors for BPAC.
HOW TO APPLY
Please send your CV and letter of interest as one document in PDF format to bpacboard@gmail.com on or before March 26, 2025.
If you have any questions about the application process, please send them to bpacboard@gmail.com and a member of the Governance, Ethics and HR Committee will respond.
Background links:
What Sara Palmieri bring to BPAC
 By Staff
February 20th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
All that snow withstanding – Summer camp registration at the Art Gallery of Burlington is now open.
If you know a kid who loves art, this is the camp for them.
They spend most of the day in the studio, with trips into the galleries and breaks for snacks, lunch, and outdoor time throughout.
Registration HERE
Bursaries
Thanks to the generous support of the Burlington Foundation the AGB is proud to offer an Arts Program Bursary for children from low-income families. Through this program we are able to offer a limited number of camp bursaries for children and youth to attend our camps free of charge!
The bursary application form opens at 10 am on February 14, 2025 for families seeking bursaries for camp programs in the 2025 year. This includes March Break Camps, Summer Camps, and PA Day Camps.
When applying for a bursary, do not register for camps — your child(ren) will be registered for camp by AGB staff if they are selected as bursary recipients.
Families who want to send multiple children to camp can include information for all campers in their household on their form.
Successful applicants will be notified by email and asked to confirm acceptance of the bursary to finalize registration for camp.
Deadline for Submissions
March Break Camps (March 10 – 14, 2025): bursary application cut-off date is February 21, 2025. Parents will be notified by February 26 if they have been selected.
 By Staff
February 19th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Tuesday, March 04
7:00pm – 8:00pm
 Author of One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This
Jared Bland, writer and former Arts editor of The Globe and Mail, in conversation with award-winning novelist and journalist Omar El Akkad about his new book One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, a powerful reckoning with what it means to live in a West that betrays its fundamental values.
El Akkad believed emigrating from the Middle East to the West promised freedom. Now twenty years later, after reporting news such as the War on Terror, climate change, and the Black Lives Matter protests, he concludes much of this promise is a lie. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This chronicles his painful realization and is El Akkad’s heartsick breakup letter with the West—giving voice to the same breakup happening all over the United States. This book is for all the people who want something better than what the West serves up.
About the Author
Egypt-born Omar El Akkad grew up in Qatar, moved to Canada as a teen, and now lives in the United States. He is a two-time winner of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers’ Award and the Oregon Book Award. His debut novel, American War, was named by the BBC as one of 100 novels that shaped our world.
Jared Bland is the former publisher of McClelland & Stewart and was a vice president of Penguin Random House Canada. He has also served as the Arts editor of The Globe and Mail, a senior editor at House of Anansi Press, and the managing editor of The Walrus.
Presented in partnership with McClelland & Stewart and A Different Drummer Books.
A Different Drummer Books will be on site with books for sale and signing after the talk.
Register HERE. Just 62 seats left
Tuesday, March 04
7:00pm – 8:00pm
By Staff
February 12th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Two local individuals, Evan Khalsa, a Burlington Central Graduate and Lucas Michlik, a Brock University Education Student teamed up to design a unique custom Lego set called Applewood Acres.
 Evan Khalsa and Lucas Michlik,  Applewood Acres – an entry into a Lego competiton from two Burlington students The design is part of a global competition, “Bricklink Designer Program” where Lego fans from around the world vote to help get new designs turned into official Lego sets.
The set itself is a beautifully detailed farm scene, featuring a red barn, lush gardens, and adorable animals like pigs, sheep, and ducks. It’s inspired by the rural charm and agricultural life that Lucas and Evan grew up in.
The set has a personal connection for the two; it blends elements of the past with a peaceful, modern farmstead.
The competition is being held through a program called Bricklink Designer Program, and voting for the designs is open until February 21.
This is where they group needs the support of their community – by voting for Applewood Acres, we can help bring this creative design to life and make it an official Lego set that anyone can build and enjoy.
Link to the voting: Click HERE
 A close-up look at some of the detail around Applewood Acres Related news story
HMCS Haida done in Lego
 By Staff
February 4rg, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The 50th-anniversary event at the Art Gallery went very well.
 Jonathan Smith, a former curator at the Art Gallery attended.  The event drew a young crowd as well as the patrons who rarely miss a major event. Attendance was excellent and the mood was very upbeat.
The Ontario Art Council speaker told the audience that they have been a large part of the funding the Gallery receives for the past 50 years – they were there at year 1 – and that the Arts Council fully expected to continue supporting AGB.
That was the good news – the not-so-good news was the damage done by the postal strike. Donations that would have normally come in – didn’t. The postal strike meant cheques didn’t make it to the mailbox.
 Curator Suzanne Carte checks out the largest piece in the 50th anniversary exhibit. Suzanne Carte Art Gallery explained: “Back in November, we set an ambitious goal to raise funds to support impactful programs, events, and exhibitions at the AGB. We are thrilled to share we raised over $38,000, but with your help, there is still time to reach the $40,000 milestone!
The federal government has extended the donation deadline for the 2024 tax year. For AGB donors, this means you can still make a donation until February 28, 2025, and claim it on your 2024 taxes.
We are genuinely grateful for the incredible support we received in 2024. Your generosity means so much to our community.
Two things you can do: Send along whatever you can afford and make a point of taking in the Time Isn’t Real. It is mind-stretching and runs through to April 27th.
By Staff
February 2, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The Reform Gravel Mining Coalition (“RGMC”) congratulates Sarah Harmer on last week’s announcement that she will receive the 2025 Humanitarian Award at the JUNO Award ceremony this Spring.
Harmer has woven her environmental passion into her music, as exemplified by her 2005 song Escarpment Blues, which brought widespread attention to conservation efforts on the Niagara Escarpment.
 Sarah Harmer has woven her environmental passion into her music, as exemplified by her 2005 song Environmental Blues. Photo credit Stephanie Montani An important part of Sarah’s volunteer work is acting as Co-Chair of the RGMC. The RGMC advocates for aggregate mining reform, the preservation of safe well water to drink, protection of endangered species (especially in the Greenbelt), and modern air quality standards.RGMC objectives also extend beyond aggregate extraction, to include protection of First Nations’ rights, public health and safety, farmland, significant wetlands and woodlands, and endangered species.
“Reforming the gravel mining industry in Ontario isn’t just about reforming rock extraction, it’s about diminishing real risks to human health and biodiversity loss across the province. I’m honoured to help shine a spotlight on this poorly regulated but powerful industry”, said Sarah Harmer, who has campaigned for environmental issues and sustainable aggregate for over two decades.“Time after time and case after case, Sarah Harmer has answered the call for the environment and communities facing threats from the aggregate to their drinking water, air that they breathe, and species at risk.
 When support was needed – Sarah Harmer was there with her guitar. As a co-founder of Green Gravel decades ago, her movement has grown into the Reform Gravel Mining Coalition, one of the most influential and coordinated environmental movements in Canada. Sarah has also helped to raise the profile of the need to protect the Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve,” said David Donnelly, counsel to the RGMC and co-founder of the Green Gravel movement. “Sarah is one of Canada’s most important voices for the environment”.“Sarah provides RGMC with unwavering, wholehearted leadership,” said Doug Tripp, President of RGMC. “With her tireless advocacy, she shines a spotlight on our grassroots groups and brings the power of music to our movement, helping to inspire the RGMC community. We are thrilled to see Sarah receive this well-deserved recognition,” he added.
 By Staff
January 25th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
If you were one of the several hundred people listening to Mayor Meed Ward talk about the State of the City on Friday at the Burlington Convention Centre, the table you were at would include a copy of a calendar for 2025.
 The photographs used were very nice. They were printed on high-quality glossy paper and contained the dates of events for the various Regional and City public meetings. For those involved in city affairs, it is a really useful collection of information.
Continue reading Was the high quality city calendar printed twice?
By Staff
January 23rd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Here is some really good news.
$10 tickets for children under 12 at the Performing Arts Centre event during the school Spring Break.
Looking for a family activity during March break? Outerbridge Magic: Mysteries of the Keyhole House is a world-class performance that combines grand illusions, comedy-magic, and mind-bending mentalism.
Perfect for the whole family, this world-class performance combines grand illusions, comedy-magic, and mind-bending mentalism. Based on a true story about a historic Ottawa Valley home lovingly restored and named The Keyhole House by the Outerbridges, it serves as the backdrop to this magical journey through time, filled with historic relics and tales of its former residents.
Educators and parents have learned that if a child is taken to live theatre performances they begin to build an interest in theatre and in later life become regular patrons. Do them a favour and give them an early start
 Performance running:
Sun Mar 9, 2025, at 7pm
Mon Mar 10, 2025, at 1pm
Call the Box office for tickets: 905-681-6000.
Box Office Hours:
Tuesday to Saturday from 12pm to 4pm, and one hour prior to a performance.
Take advantage of $10 tickets for children 12 and under
These will go very quickly.
By Pepper Parr
January 22nd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
She was a great ship with a proud battle history.
Julie van der Muellen created this 10-foot model made out of Lego.
Julie assembled and donated her 10-foot-long HMCS Haida to the Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton. It will be archived as a museum relic and displayed in a glass display case.
 Julie van der Muellen with her father and a 10 foot Lego model of HMCS Haida. Continue reading HMCS Haida, created out of 40,000+ pieces of Lego, will be on display at the Wartime Heritage Museum
By Staff
January 9th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Calling #BurlON artists!
From the city –
Here’s your chance to apply for the 2025 Burlington Arts and Culture Fund. This grant provides $75,000 to local artists, multicultural groups and arts and culture organizations.
Continue reading Grant fund provides $75,000 to local artists, multicultural groups, arts and culture organizations
By Staff
January 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The start of a new year is a chance to pause, reflect, and think about what you want to achieve in the next twelve months. Make 2025 a year of adventure and discovery by setting a reading resolution with the BPL Reading Challenge! Sign up online now to get started, then pick up your tracker from any BPL branch. It’s completely FREE to join.
Reading Challenge 101
The goal of our Reading Challenge is to read one book every month on a different theme or topic. In January, we kick off with the challenge to read a book set in a faraway place. It can be any book, fiction or non-fiction, that takes place somewhere else, whether it’s a different part of Canada, a different country, or even a different planet! If you’re not sure where to start, our librarians have curated a list of recommendations.
Stay Motivated
Every month, we’ll send you a reminder to check in online and let us know what book you read. When you check in, you’re entered into both our monthly and end-of-year grand prize draws for a chance to win great prizes. We’ll also share a new set of recommended reads, and other ways that we can help you find a book we think you’ll love that fits the monthly theme.
Connect With Other Readers
It’s like having a gym buddy, but for books! We’ll host a monthly meet-up for challenge participants, where we’ll chat about what we read, what we did and didn’t love, and exchange reading recommendations. Bring a friend, or come to make new ones. There’s no need to register, and you can find all the dates and locations on the BPL Reading Challenge web page.
Try Something New in 2025
Your monthly read can be in any format or genre, so why not challenge yourself even more and read outside of your comfort zone? Try a new genre, like romance, mystery, fantasy, or non-fiction. Or make 2025 the year you commit to audiobooks—it’s the ultimate in multi-tasking. You can tune into a great story while you’re driving, exercising, or cooking dinner.
Other Reading Resolutions
Beyond the Reading Challenge, there are lots of fun ways you can motivate yourself to read more in 2025. Here are some fun ideas for reading resolutions:
- Read the alphabet: Start with A and work your way through reading authors or books starting with each letter of the alphabet.
- Make a to-be-read jar: Anytime you hear about a book you want to read, write it on a scrap of paper and toss it in a mason jar, then pick a book from the jar when you’re not sure what to read next.
- Travel through books: Make a list of all the places you want to visit someday, then pick books set in those places.
- Expand your shelf: Exploring stories from people with different lived experiences can challenge your thinking, improve your empathy, and expand your understanding of global issues.
- Take on the classics: They’re (usually) popular for a reason, so consider tackling the books you skipped (or skimmed) in high school. For a fun twist, read the graphic or comic version of a classic novel, too!
- Ask us for a booklist curated by our book-loving staff through our Handpicked For You Service!
May your year ahead be filled with great books!
By Staff
December 28th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
One of the good pieces of news recently is the two-month tax break on Groceries, restaurant meals, snacks, and children’s clothing.
 The tax break amounts to 13% off the tab at restaurants, from December 14, 2024, to February 15, 2025, – which fits in very well with the Taste of Burlington that starts January 27th. The tax savings is on the food, beer and wine – not alcohol.
Thirty-three local restaurants are offering Prix Fixe offerings that are worth considering.
As we get closer to the start date the Gazette will tell you all about the opportunity to get out with friends and save 13%.
 Jakes Grill & Oyster House  West Plains Bistro
 By Pepper Parr
December 19th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
The Museums of Burlington is running an interesting collection of immigrant stories.
The exhibition, created by the federal government, is on tour at the Joseph Brant Museum until April 19, 2025.
 Nicholas Leblovic, his immigration story. Echoes and Reflections | Capturing the Human Story is a travelling exhibition created by the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21
To complement this exhibition, the Brant Museum curatorial team reached out to local Burlington residents asking for stories on immigration experiences.
Local political junkie and retired lawyer, Nicholas Leblovic is featured in one of the profiles.
Link to that profile HERE:
By Staff
December 17th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
 Brent Butt has long been considered one of the funniest people in Canada, with a career in stand-up comedy that stretches into five decades, including numerous appearances at major festivals in multiple countries and being voted Best Male Stand-Up in Canada by his peers in the profession.
 Brent Butt on stage – always hilarious. He also created and starred in two successful sitcoms, the international hit Corner Gas and Hiccups, which ran for two successful seasons also on CTV.
In 2013, Brent’s first feature film entitled No Clue and directed by Carl Bessai was released and later nominated for Best Motion Picture at the 2014 Leo Awards. Most recently Brent’s first novel Huge debuted to great fanfare immediately becoming the #1 Fiction Bestseller in Canada and it remains on the Top Ten list to date. Making his home in Vancouver for more than a decade, Brent continues to perform in clubs and theatres across the country.
Corner Gas star Brent Butt is bringing his hilarious stand-up set to BPAC on Friday, January 31st.
Ticket Prices
Regular: $59.50 – $79.50(All-in)
Member: $54.50 – $74.50 (All-in)
Tickets -Click here – these will go quickly
 By Staff
December 10th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
 The Museum Educators have planned four days of fun over the holiday break.
Camps are for children aged 5-12 years. The cost is $55 per child/day (Family Museum Members receive 10% off).
Camp runs from 9am – 4pm at Joseph Brant Museum on Dec 23, Dec 30, Jan 2, and Jan 3. Register HERE for one day or all four.
Returning for a second viewing:
 See the award winning film “Peace by Chocolate” at Joseph Brant Museum. After the bombing of his father’s chocolate factory, a charming young Syrian refugee struggles to settle into his new Canadian small-town life, caught between following his dream to become a doctor and preserving his family’s chocolate-making legacy, based on the internationally recognized true story. “A heartwarming tale of triumph over adversity” – Chris Knight, National Post
Tickets are $15/adult, $12/children (12 and under) and include admission to the galleries. Peace by Chocolate merchandise will be available in the Gift Shop for purchase. Doors open at 6pm to view the special exhibition “Refuge Canada”. Film begins at 7pm, 96 minutes long. Seating is limited,
By Staff
December 10th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON, ON
Support Burlington Public Library’s
Kids Learning Fund this holiday season
Give a gift that inspires a lifetime of learning! By donating to BPL’s Kids Learning Fund, you’re directly supporting literacy, creativity, and discovery for children in our community. A $30 donation can purchase up to four books for our children’s collection. A $100 donation can buy supplies for a STEAM programming session. And a $200 donation can help replace aging play equipment!
Click HERE to donate online or in any BPL branch from now until December 31. Tax receipts are provided for all donations over $20.
Shopping for someone who has everything? Honour their love of books and learning with a truly meaningful gift! Your contribution in their name is a gift that keeps giving.
Your donation helps us enhance our children’s book and tech collections, fund free programs that ignite a passion for reading, science, and art, and create welcoming library spaces with engaging toys, furnishings, and technology.
By Eric Stern
December 4th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Residents’ Action Group (BRAG) learned very quickly that if you put six people in a room and ask a question you’ll get six different answers. Worse still, five of those answers won’t agree with mine.
Our goal is to represent the community and one way to do that is through surveys. I know that the GetInvolved Burlington website also does this. I’ve found the city surveys to be long on questions and short on important details like costs. We’ve tried to keep our surveys short and quick. Results are/will be posted on the BRAG website and, when possible, shared with our council.
“Pausing” the Sound of Music Festival (SOM) hit me as a major decision with impacts on the entire city. The city shared a meeting agenda on Wednesday or Thursday before a meeting the following Monday (December 2, 2024).
We put together our survey before the Burlington Gazette reported that the $95,000 unpaid debt the SOM Festival has is to the city in the form of unpaid invoices. I read this to mean that when city staff perform a service for the festival the city invoices the festival. This is a reasonable business practice but also very different than a $95,000 bank loan with unpaid interest piling up. I updated the survey on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024 to include this new information.
You can read/fill out the survey here: https://forms.gle/ymB2zc7vW2HLiYmg7
Here are the results of the survey
- 1% want to have a temporary pause meaning no SOM in 2025.
- 25% of people clearly choose the option to scale down SOM.
- 5% of people clearly want SOM to continue without changes.
This means 62.5% of respondents want to see some form of the Sound of Music Festival in 2025.
Fourteen people did not choose one of the three options and instead commented.
Here are the comments.
| Why is every option allowing SOM to not pay back the money council gave them? None of the above. Pay the money back with interest and no more SOM festivals unless they SOM can fund them themselves. |
| SoM repay all money owed and cancel any further grants if that’s how they run their business |
| Remove all funding until they can prove to run without it. |
| Have SOM pay back everything owed over longer timescale, host smaller event. |
| The time has come to realize that big is not best and if they cannot be self sustaining then its time to mothball the Sound of Music Festival |
| Fold it |
| Option 3 with added stipulation that no further deficits are allowed from 2025 onward. All spending must have proven and defined funding. |
| Gated Access. $5.00 per adult entrant |
| Going to need a better breakdown of their budget for 2025 before making a decision. Seems way too vague. |
| The Sound of Music must not be cancelled. Period. Work out something to please the majority, but it is too much of a good thing to be cancelled even for one year. |
| More of a business versus more something-for-nothing approach would be a good start. |
| No further SOM until amount owing + interest is paid in full & future festivals have a feasibility study |
| No forgiveness and no grant |
| SoM has seen better days… |
Knowing that the $95,000 debt is internal money and not a loan from a bank may have changed the results.
Many people added comments:
| How much profit does local businesses make the weekend of Sound of Music? |
| Sound of music is at the heart of what Burlington is. We should be striving for more events, not less. |
| You guys are spending $40 MILLION on a single ice rink at the Skyway Community Center! How much is that place going to cost to operate? Including debt it must be at least $4M a year. Or if the ice is used 1000 hours a year, $4000 an hour (even including an hourly rental fee of $500 doesn’t help the math).
But $90K is too much to maintain a cultural institution? Lets be real, the Sound of Music is significantly more valuable to the City of Burlington than a single ice rink. |
| Money needed for more important things! |
| If Sound of Music is loosing money, Taxpayers should not have to pay for it period. Most people who attend this event are from our of town and do not have to pay for operations or expenses. |
| Spend more money on it not less, the bigger talent brings more people. The talent has sucked. Also consider all the money the small businesses downtown lose out on if you don’t run it. Option 2 is a slap in the face to the entire city. |
| How did the festival go from a multi million dollar festival to hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. Sounds like mismanagement and the board should be held accountable for repaying tax payers money! |
| I felt for a while the weekend was getting too big and unfocused. Return more to its roots. Close less of Brant St. |
| There is no such thing as a free anything. Over the past few years the SOM has cost the taxpayer money. This taxpayer money could be better spent. Time to move on – times change and people are not prepared to come and pay to attend this festival. |
| SOM should continue annually including 2025. It should be affordable to all entrants with a $5.00 entrance fee plus a Food Bank item per adult. There should also be a Seniors VIP Event as in a previous year! Seniors would gladly pay an additional entrance fee featuring Burlington restaurants food and paid alcoholic beverages. |
| The festival needs to be reimaged and refocused on not being a headline festival, but back to a community event. |
| This Festival is an Icon of Burlington Heritage….surely the city has pet projects of lessor stature that could be reduced. |
SOM should charge admission imho.It has been sold as a tourism draw without any hard evidence.Most come from Burlington and nearby towns.
I would also like to see the RibFest moved out of our park. |
| I enjoy downtown more when it’s not crowded with garbage all over. I’d prefer money to go to improving the city and services within it. |
| Option 3 costs taxpayers the least of all options, but why can’t that option also include “”Going forward, all future grants would be contingent upon the establishment of a detailed service level agreement, incorporating principles from the recently endorsed Accountability Framework, to ensure clear expectations and accountability moving forward.” |
| 2024 sound of music was a disaster. Poor choice of artists and little reason to attend otherwise. AIM the music for the 25-40 year old range and I bet you would get a much better turn out. If the the sound of music continues to cater to the 50+ range I don’t see it making money. The budget for 2025 is so vague I don’t see how I could make an informed decision. |
| Looks like it’s time for a scaled back version of SOM. Perhaps less days, 2 maybe. |
| Why are you debating spending $250k on a festival so many people attend when there are so many other options to save money? |
| Love SOM but seems like more financial discipline is required vs losses experienced in 2024 despite record attendance. BOD sounds to be on right track but needs to deliver their promise |
| Maybe if SOM invested in more popular main events for youth instead of older canadian rock artists we would get a better turnout and more revenue? |
| Hopefully you will scale down or eliminate other unnecessary happenings in Burlington. All these events are nice to have however we need to tighten our belts as households are having a tough time managing finances. |
| COB needs to pick a lane or get out of the way. What is the value proposition of the S.O.M.? The SOM’s value proposition being the sum total of the full mix of benefits or economic value that it need to deliver to the current and future customers/patrons (not COB) who will buy (versus get for free) the products (merchandise) and/or services (music and atmosphere in this case). S.O.M. is somewhat of a brand, but they need an overall marketing strategy |
| We need to make this thing work. This is a huge draw for the core, and a point of pride for the city. Cut elsewhere to find the money to support this event short term, plan to make it self sufficient in the future (bigger sponsorship deals, higher vendor fees, solicit donations throughout the weekend and at the parade.) |
| Please don’t cancel the festival. It’s one of the things that keeps me proud of this city |
| The loss of revenue to the businesses in Burlington if the event was cancelled would be devastating. As well as the loss of community to all those that attend. |
| There is a huge cost local businesses by cancelling and it will be hard to bring it back |
| – reduce the grant for next year from $150,000 to $105,000 and use the $40K to pay down the $125,000 loan
150000-105000 is 45 000
Where’d did that 5000 go? |
| Why is the city making so many new hires |
| My favourite event of the year, please don’t cancel! |
| Sound of Music is very valuable to the community, but has grown to the point it is too large for the location and the organizers are not able to control the cost structure. Scaling back the number of stages and performers, while still keeping the overall ethos and retaining all of the core revenue-generating activities would be advisable to keep this festival sustainable without depending on additional funding from taxpayers. It really should be making money for local charities. Need to increase the margins on food, drink & merch. |
| We love sound of music and look forward to it yearly |
| Charge a nominal admission to recover costs and prevent future losses. |
| Personally, I think the major change occurred when the professional hired staff came onboard a number of years back. They instituted the paid/ticketed prefest the week or two before. The purpose was to help raise funds for the larger 4 day event in the middle of June. So what went wrong? Was this not the fund raising success that it was touted to be? (It would of costs of its own to stage)
What was the cause of the riff or major falling out between the strong, loyal and hard working corps of volunteers and this hired paid for staff?
The atmosphere of the festival really has changed… it used to have a real family feel to it. Then it changed… really skewing to a younger aged crowd, and forgetting the older demographic. |
| pay the loans back No forgiveness [period |
| Scale it down for sure. Getting too big for the venues and the parking/traffic. Also need to charge an admission fee to all. The days of a “free” SOM are over. |
| If they can’t make a profit in 2025, then cancel future years. |
| Don’t cancel the event.. So many people enjoy that event. |
| The benefit to the city overall is much greater than the small costs presented here. Hotels, restaurants, AirBnB’s, local vendors, residents, employees, and volunteers all benefit from this fantastic event. We have attended for years and attend every day if we can. 3 days out of 4 this past year. Very well run. We are VERY lucky to have this event in Burlington. |
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By Staff
Conservation Halton is a community-based environmental agency dedicated to protecting people, property and natural resources from flooding, erosion, and other natural hazards. As one of Ontario’s 36 Conservation Authorities, we steward 1,000 square kilometres of conservation lands. From the Lake Ontario shoreline to the Niagara Escarpment and beyond, we safeguard forests, wetlands and waterways through science-based conservation, land management and climate resilience initiatives. Our eight conservation areas welcome more than a million visitors each year and offer opportunities to connect with nature through recreation and education. Learn more at conservationhalton.ca. 
