By Staff
April 19th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Halton Regional Police will continue to run two traffic initiatives across the City of Burlington throughout 2017.
The most common contributing factors to traffic accidents are inattentiveness, distracted driving (cell phone use), failing to yield, driving too fast for road conditions, following too closely and disobeying traffic light signals.
 Halton Regional Police Chief Stephen Tanner talks with Sgt Davies, the man who heads up the accident reconstruction unit.
The Police continue to encourage residents to report traffic complaints by going to the Halton Regional Police Website and submitting the required information on-line.
Operation RISC (Reducing Intersection Safety Concerns) has been in effect since 2015 by officers from 30 Division, in order to maximize police visibility and increase the public’s perception of safety while driving.
Collisions at intersections have a high risk potential of serious injuries or even death, making intersection safety a priority for the Halton Regional Police.
The Police have also continued the Residential Traffic/Stop Sign/Speeding (RTSS) Initiative in order to deliver a clear message to drivers that our residential roads are not raceways. This traffic safety initiative was designed to increase compliance of stop signs. Police have utilized education and enforcement strategies throughout 2017 in order to reduce the speeds of vehicles travelling on residential roadways and to promote safer driving habits.
One tactic is to park a police cruiser close to the side of a road – there seems to be this automatic interaction between the foot on the gas pedal and they eye seeing a police cruiser – the eye apparently forces the foot to apply less pressure to the gas pedal.
During the first 3 months of 2017, officers in Burlington conducted 6,495 traffic stops, issued 4,576 Provincial Offences Notices and handed out more than 1,000 warnings to drivers. Halton Police spent a total of 3,628 hours dedicated to these two initiatives throughout Burlington.
As a result of this initiative; during the first three months of 2017, property damage motor vehicle collisions were down 9% and personal injury motor vehicle collisions were down 2% from 2016.
Police will continue to focus their efforts at locations that pose a higher risk to the public based on past collision analytic data. “Our officers will continue to educate drivers about their behaviour behind the wheel. Road Safety is everyone’s responsibility. We all need to do our part behind the wheel to ensure our roadways are safe for everyone” said Sgt. Jared McLeod, District Response Unit.
Police will continue to focus on drivers who are driving impaired, distracted and aggressive behind the wheel in order to protect and ensure the safety of all residents.
These measures and others are part of the Service’s broader Community First policing philosophy that focuses on incorporating the four pillars of (community) safety and well-being into service priorities: Emergency Response, Risk Intervention, Prevention, and Social Development.
If any citizen would like to report a traffic concern they can do so by visiting our website and submitting an online traffic complaint.
By Staff
April 19th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
It is another one of those opportunities where ward 2 council member Marianne Meed Ward invited people to a meeting where they could roll up their sleeves and put some of their ideas on paper.
 Mayor, on the left talks to citizens about plans for downtown development during a Downtown Destinations event put on by ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward.
The meeting – this Thursday at the Lions Club – at 6:30 is a continuation of the Destination Downtown series of meetings that began in 2015
At that time the city was working on a re-write and update of the Official Plan. Since that time the decision was made to scrap the Official Plan we had and start all over again.
The DRAFT of the new plan has been released and will be going through a series of public meetings.
There is an opportunity for the Planning department to explain what an Official Plan does and does not do.
Burlington has this huge fear of a development application coming in – finding that it isn’t all that keen on what was put in front of them but worried silly that the developer will appeal a city decision to the Ontario Municipal Board.
 Robert Molinaro explaining the plans for a development in ward 2 during a Downtown Destination event.
The good news at that level is the province is currently reviewing the OMB and its role.
Early signs are that the public might see a vastly different OMB role – one that would limit what developers can do.
The problem with that is one ends up with a municipality that gets the NIMBY (Not in my back yard) infection and nothing gets built.
Finding a balance is the challenge.
Members of Council are beginning to voice their views and concerns – so far they have been talking about the issues within their wards – the Plan is a city wide document. Are we seeing early signs if NIMBY?
By Pepper Parr
April 19th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Will the evening be remembered as one of the historical moment in the cultural life of the city of Burlington – or will it be just another non-profit organization that seemed like a good idea at the time?
Only time will tell but the Arts and Cultural Council of Burlington (ACCOB) was launched in the lobby of the Performing Arts Centre on April 18th, 2017.
 The formative Board of the Arts and Cultural Council of Burlington, ACCOB: Left to right: Kim Verrall, Teresa Seaton, Robert Mayor, Rob Missen, Ancilla Ho Young, Donna Grandin, and Tim Park at the microphone.
There was a city council meeting that evening and just about every member of Council was in the lobby of the PAC up to watch the momentous occasion. There were enough of them in the lobby to form a quorum – they could have gathered in a corner and conducted the city’s business on the spot.
There weren’t just members of city council in the room. A local youth choir sang and a lovely young girl from an Orchard community school played her violin flawlessly – giving the audience a rendition of a Vivaldi Concerto. Yoanna Jang was a delight to listen to.
 ACCOB vice chair, Ancilla Ho Young
Getting an Arts Council set up is an organizational matter. They now have to determine what their mandate is and how they want to execute on that mandate.
This all started back in 2013 when Trevor Copp stood before city council and said he wanted to be able to work in his home town and not have to toodle along the QEW to earn a living.
The irony of the evening was that Copp could not be on hand – he was out of town doing a show.
There were a number of arts community stalwarts – Teresa Seaton, Tim Park, Rob Missen
Mayor Goldring and former Mayor Walter Mulkewich were on hand – Goldring might have been thinking through how much ACCOB was going to want in the way of funding.
The important point is that the organization has moved beyond an idea – now it is up to them to lobby the city; seek funding and advocate for the Arts.
Will they mount programs of their own?
Will they find people within the city that will support the arts in general?
Will they hold the well-funded Performing Arts Centre the Art Gallery of Burlington and the Museums to account?
Burlington doesn’t have an arts or cultural profile even though the city has produced and been home to some very significant talent. The late Gordy Tapp lived here; the Spoons came out of this city, Walk Off the Earth has roots in the city. Robert Bateman worked from Burlington for some time.
 Trevor Copp, the Burlington actor who mobilized the arts into a Collective makes a point on leadership while Executive Director of the Burlington Museum’s operation listens.
There are countless others. What Burlington has not been able to do – yet – is pull the history and the story of Burlington into focus and draw people to the city.
Burlington has relied on the Sound of Music and Ribfest to draw the multitudes – both are looking a little warn and have not managed to achieve a refresh and create a new life for themselves.
In the past Burlington has been a place where things happened. There is a spot along the waterfront, in Spencer Smith Park that is referred to as “pebble beach”. It is a collection of large stones – but, as Councillor Jack Dennison will tell you – if you look closely you might see some of the old pilings that once held up the Brant Inn – which in its day was a jumping spot – the place to be.
Many of the black musicians would take the train to Burlington and play in a place where they could eat, sleep and work in the same building and not be treated as second class citizens.
The city has not managed to build on that illustrious and colourful past.
ACCOB has its work cut out for it – the good news is that there are some very good people on that board – they could make it happen.
By Staff
April 19th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The matter of the city getting involved in the closing of high schools got itself in front of city council again last night – the outcome as the same. The city is going to sit on its hands.
 Denise Davy
Denise Davy, a community advocate delegated to city council and made comments that are worth repeating and sharing.
She said:
Last month, Minister of Education Mitzie Hunter reminded School boards and municipal councils that they are required to work with and consult with each other on the impact of school closures and how they will affect the community.
To quote, Minister Hunter said, “our school boards and municipalities must make every effort to work together to ultimately support positive experiences for our students and the communities they live in.”
In an interview with CBC radio on March 29th, Minister Hunter repeated this statement that municipal leaders and school board leaders should be working together when it comes to making the difficult decisions around closures.
To quote from that interview, Minister Hunter said schools are the heart of a community, “That conversation (between school boards and councils) needs to be happening.”
This did not happen in Burlington and I believe it is a solid reason for city council to ask the province that this process be suspended.
 Central high school
Schools are a critical component of our city and we need to know the social and economic impact of what these closures will mean. Some municipalities have written to the province requesting a moratorium of the closure process while others have asked for staff reports to study the impact of those closures.
Sarnia’s city council did an extensive Community Impact Assessment Study that helped determine how the school closures fit in with their strategic plan.
Toronto Council voted unanimously to ask the city manager for an inventory of city interests in schools and also sent a request to the TDSB and province asking to change the school funding formula and review its approach on school closures.
The list of municipalities which have called for a suspension of the process is long so I won’t read all the names but I have printed it out.
What I want to make absolutely clear is that the high noise volume around this issue isn’t just an emotional outpouring because parents don’t want to see their child’s school close. Parents get that there are empty seats, they understand the issue of population decline just as they understand there is only so much money in the education pot.
The emails and calls you’ve been receiving are not about that. It’s about the process.
 Parents at a public meting on high school closures
As one of the hundreds of parents who have had a front row seat to this process, I can tell you not only from a procedural viewpoint it is deeply flawed, it has not followed ministry guidelines and worst of all, it has moved at such a breakneck speed that many critical questions have been left unanswered.
The closure of some 600 schools across the province is being called the largest and fastest sweep of school closures in the history of this province. And it’s all happening in communities like ours in a matter of months.
Consider that Bateman and Nelson were only officially added to the possible closure list in early February which means there will have been two and a half months to study all of the pitfalls of closing of the schools.
There have been no in-depth reports or studies detailing the short and long-term impact these closures will have on students or on the city nor has there been any detailed reports on dollar costs.
Case in point is the city pool attached to Bateman. Both Gerry Cullen, the board’s Superintendent of Facility Services and Director Stuart Miller told me in face to face separate interviews that they had no idea what would happen to Centennial pool should Bateman close nor did they know the cost of construction to separate it from the school.
 Centennial swimming pool.
Even if the province provided funding for this type of work, the pool would see far fewer people use it because it would no longer be used by students during the day, this is after some $2 million were spent on upgrading it. This is an example of how the closures would impact the city.
Central parents have asked for months about the grade 7 and 8 students who are in the high school and from what I know, they haven’t yet received an answer to that.
I came to this experience as a parent but I also brought a journalist’s perspective where I covered council meetings, OMB hearings, human rights tribunals and seen the inner workings of many processes.
I can tell you without any reservation the PAR has been the most disorganized, irresponsible and unaccountable process I have ever witnessed. Bar none.
We’re not talking about closing a strip plaza here. We’re talking about schools filled with hundreds of students and yet it’s being decided in less than three months.
 The Freeman Station
Your council took longer to decide the fate of a heritage train station than a decision which will have far more ramifications.
Lastly, I want to address a concern that was raised about it being too late to step forward and that the motion would likely have no impact. I have to respectfully disagree on both points.
Your vote to support a suspension of this process could be the tipping point and even if it isn’t, it would send a message to tens of thousands of constituents that you understand their concerns.

By Staff
April 18th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Art Gallery of Burlington is excited to present the third annual All Guilds Show (April 22 – May 21, 2017) in conjunction with the Kaleidoscope Exhibit and Sale on the opening weekend.
Each guild has presented their best work related to the Garden theme. This annual exhibition will celebrate the works of members from the guilds:
– Fibre Arts Guild
– Burlington Fine Arts Association
– Burlington Handweavers and Spinners Guild
– Latow Photographers Guild
– Burlington Potters’ Guild
– Burlington Rug Hooking and Craft Guild
– Burlington Guild of Sculptors and Woodcarvers,
The Kaleidoscope of the Arts Exhibition and Sale takes place on:
Friday April 21 – Friday: 5pm – 7pm
Saturday: 10am – 5pm
Sunday April 23, 2017 12pm – 5pm
In the Art Gallery of Burlington (FREE PARKING)
There will be no shortage of hands-on activities for kids (of all ages):
Wood Carvers & Sculptors Studio – Wood Carving
Fine Arts Studio – Create a Painting
Fine Arts Studio – Art Card Exchange
Pottery Studio – Raku Firing
Weavers & Spinners Textile Studio – Weaving & Spinning
Community Corridor – Fibre Arts
Darkroom – Create a Photograph
Lakeshore Rotary Room – Rug Hooking
By Pepper Parr
April 17th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
What are the issues facing the eleven members of the Halton District School Board as they review the information that is going to be fed to them by Board staff and the delegations that are made by parents who do not want to see the school their children attend closed?
There are currently about 550 high school students taking a bus to get to school.
Using the different high school closing options the following is the projections that was given to the PAR committee.
Busing increases:
Nelson closes – add 364 students to the busing number
Bateman only add 262 students to the busing number
No schools close add 131 students to the busing number
Central and Pearson close add 602 students to the busing number
Bateman and Pearson close add 286 students to the busing number
Central and Pearson close add 615 students to the busing number
The projection is that more than 1000 students will be riding a school bus if Central high school is closed where a reported 92% of the students walk to school.
The cost of transporting those students is said to amount to $400,000 per year.
The amount of money aside – the real issue for the Board is going to be finding the people to drive those school buses. The Board doesn’t actually have to find the drivers – the company they contract with has to find the drivers – but it all boils down to the same thing – school bus drivers don’t get paid very much
Early in this academic year there were desperate pleas from the HSTS – Halton Student Transportation Service for people to apply for a part time job driving a school bus.
School bus drivers get between $55 and $75 a day; there are no benefits and they get paid for just the days they drive a bus. A source told the Gazette that school bus drivers are amongst the highest users of Food Bank services in Halton. This is an operation that is ripe for unionization.
The HSTS is a corporation owned by the Halton District School Board and the Halton Catholic District School Board and is operated on a cost recovery basis.
The French Catholic School Board was at one time part of the consortium but they dropped out.
 Director of Education Stuart Miller
Stuart Miller, the Director of Education, has said that his Board has no idea how the manpower problem will get resolved in the event that the trustees decide Central high school should be closed. He has not said if there are any contingency plans being developed.
No one, apparently, taken a look at what student life will look like if 1000+ students are riding school buses to get to their classes.
What happens to sports teams?
What about student clubs?
What about their social life – how do they hang around and chill out and learn from each other?
The environmentalists will talk about the tonnes of CO2 the buses will pump into the air and they won’t do much for traffic congestion either.
Will there be two classes of high school students: one social class that uses a school bus and is limited in what they can do extra-curricularly because of the school bus schedule and another class of student that can walk or ride their bikes or have their parents act as chauffeurs?
These are all serious and significant issues – someone should be thinking about what the impact is going to be or will be looking at unintended consequences once we are six or seven months into a new school bus program?
The answers to the questions – or at last some kind of a projection should have been prepared by Board staff so that both the trustees and the parents have some idea of what the consequences are if a lot of high school students have to catch that bus every morning – and every afternoon.
What would a day in the life of a high school student look like if they were attached with close to an umbilical cord to a bright yellow school bus?
By Pepper Parr
April 18th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board Program Accommodation Review Committee (PARC) has been wound down and thanked for the superb job they did. The community now waits to see what impact their deliberations will have on the report Director of Education Stuart Miller delivers to the public and the trustees this Friday.
The report is to be published on line by Board Staff at 6:00 pm on Friday. (Hopefully the web site will manage to handle the demand for the report.)
 Halton District School Board PARC committee meeting while public observes the deliberations.
It was a committee that required a couple of meetings to find itself – many of the people did not know each other very well or at all.
Many of the people on the PARC had serious concerns with the process that was being used. Central high school parents challenged the Board on the approach it was taking to what was a new process put in place by the provincial government. The high school parents lost that argument.
Add to this the significant concern with the Central high school choice of Marianne Meed Ward as their nominee to the PARC. Being the member of council for ward 2 and agreeing to serve on the PARC did not sit well with many.
 Ward 5 City Councillor |Paul Sharman. Bateman high school is in his ward. He had to be seen going to bat for them.
Burlington city council was firm on not getting involved – that was until Bateman high school was listed as a possible school closure – that brought Ward 5 council member Paul Sharman into play. He strode into one of the PARC meetings to observe for he now had political skin in the game.
He then brought a motion to have the city write a letter to the Minister of Education to bring a halt to the PARC that was meeting in Burlington. That vote at city council lost 5-2.
But Sharman had shown that he would go to bat for his people – which was his purpose from the get go.
Meed Ward has always been a feisty member of Council – she was one of the more active delegators to city council before she was elected and she was the member of council who asked more questions than any other member of council once she got herself elected in ward 2.
She would call for recorded votes frequently and on one memorable occasion she had her colleagues on their feet five times for recorded votes. It was at that point that we saw just how much the members of Council could roll their eyeballs.
 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward with the Mayor in Spencer Smith Park.
Many hoped the same “in your face” Meed Ward would be seen at the PARC meetings. For the most part that Meed Ward didn’t show up.
She was active, she asked solid questions and was supported by a parents group that did some fine research and supported her with demonstration after demonstration.
But the voice we heard at the PARC meetings wasn’t what many had expected.
Was Meed Ward curtailed at all by the objections to her being one of the Central high school PARC members? Curtail isn’t a word one would normally apply to Meed Ward.
Her colleagues on city council weren’t the least bit pleased – they have never been pleased with the way Meed Ward does politics in this city.
Some felt that if Meed Ward could lead the charge to save Central high school she would be seen as a shoo in for Mayor when the 2018 municipal election takes place.
The woman who has led many charges at city council wasn’t seen that often – if at all – at the PARC meetings. Admittedly she wasn’t in an environment she was familiar with – but then none of the PARC members knew much about the workings of the school board.
During a meeting of Central high school parents Meed Ward reported to them and said that while she was basically an optimistic person – she was concerned about the direction the discussions were going in.
Shortly after that meeting at the Lions Club – an at first subtle shift began to take place within the PARC and the option the Board Staff put forward to close both Central high school and Pearson began to lose to the idea of not closing any of the high schools.
That option was the clear choice of the PARC committee when it was disbanded.
The Director’s report will be released Friday – if the recommendation Director of Education Miller makes to the trustees is to not close any of the high schools the PARC will get much of the credit – Meed Ward will be seen as just another member of that committee.
If Miller, no matter how reluctantly, recommends closing Central, that community will erupt. What role will Meed Ward play in that eruption? It is not going to be pretty. She is no longer a member of the PARC – there is no PARC – it was disbanded.
She will certainly protest as a parent but the clout she had as a PARC member will have evaporated.
There were several members of the PARC that were exceptional in the way they moved the agenda; at times they came close to taking it out of the hands of the PARC Chair, School Board Superintendent Scott Podrebarac.
 What impact would the closing of the downtown high school have on the city? Much bigger than most can even imagine.
It will be interesting to see just how Meed Ward handles herself when the report is released on Friday.
Everyone will be reading the report carefully – we do know that it is going to be a lengthy document with every department at the School Board having a significant impact.
Burlington can expect to see two things during the weekend: what kind of a Director of Education is Stuart Miller going to choose to be and how will a candidate for the office of mayor position herself on the most significant decision about the health and long term welfare of the city we have had to face in the last 15 years.
It will be interesting.
By Pepper Parr
April 17th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
It is now down to the eleven trustees – they will determine if any of the high schools in Burlington are to be closed.
The Program Accommodation Review Committee (PARC) that was created did some superb work – the Board Staff were taken aback a bit at how persistent and diligent they were.
 During the first occasion when PARC members were asked to rank their choices # 7 – Don’t close any high school was not all that high on the list. That changed and it now appears to be the option the PARC would prefer.
 Option #19 – to Close both Central and Pearson was the Board Staff recommendation and the one that the the PARC members ranked higher than the option to not close any of the high schools. Option # 19 is no longer on the list of options that the PARC left on the table.
The option of not closing any of the schools was barely on the table when the PARC process began and at the early look at where the PARC members stood what was known as Option # 7 didn’t rank all that well – but sentiment for that option grew and by the end of the PARC process it was the clear preference, with the trustee serving as an advisor to the PARC asking how not closing any of the schools could be made to happen.
That question could have and should have been put to the Board staff – they are the people well paid to run the educational system for the Region – which is something that can be looked at in the future.
For now – the voters are going to have to coax their trustees to act in the interests of the community and not be taken too far by the preferences of the Board staff.
A number of months ago the Gazette asked the eleven trustees to rank the following in terms of their importance to the individual trustee.
 Board chair Kelly Amos
At that time Board Chair Kelly Amos said the trustees did not want to attempt to influence that PARC in any way. Fair enough – but the PARC has now been dissolved. Could the people who elected the trustees know where those trustees stand on the following:
Fiscal prudence
Academic offerings
Community
One isn’t better than another – the intention was to get some understanding as to what the values were of each trustee so that when people delegate they can put forward arguments that would resonate with the trustees.
At a recent parent council meeting at Lester B. Pearson high school a small audience held trustee Papin’s feet to the flames when they asked her to tell them she was going to support their school.
 Burlington’s Ward 4 school board trustee Richelle Papin
Papin was in a difficult spot – two of the schools in her ward are amongst the options for closing. Both Pearson and Nelson are in ward 4. That is what they call a “sticky wicket”.
Papin could have very easily said she was for Option # 7 – keep all the schools open and direct staff to find a way to pay for it. The Director of Education has already said this was not a money issue and that the Board did not have to close any of the schools.
Papin didn’t seem to be able to assure the Pearson parents – her response was that she didn’t yet have all the information yet.
 Four of the eleven Halton District School Board trustees sitting in on one of the public meetings.
The trustees need to be decisive and represent the interests of their communities using the values they hold as a guide. Is fiscal prudence more important than community? Is the academic offering more important that fiscal prudence? Tough questions – there is no right or wrong answer – it is a question of individual values. The 11 trustees are going to make a critical decision for the city of Burlington – what are they going to base that decision on?
By Pepper Parr
April 16th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The weather could have been better but that didn’t matter all that much for Stuart Miller, Halton District School Board, Director of Education – the top position in a school board; he was busy thinking through the report that will be made public Friday April 21st on which, if any, high schools in Burlington should be closed.
Millers report to the Board of Trustees last October was that both Central High school and Lester B. Pearson high school need to be closed because the board has 1800 seats that do not have students in them.
When the report was released to the Trustees they had to make a decision, which they did – that was to create a Program Accommodation Review which called for the creation of a committee.
 The 14 members of the PARC and their advisors.
That committee was created and met on seven different occasions to look at the facts and serve as a communication channel between the Board and the community.
The flow and quality of the information from the Board of Education became suspect quite early in the game – and it didn’t get any better. The quality of the members of the Program Accommodation Review Committee (PARC) surprised the Board of Education staff. These 14 people (two from each high school) were not going to go quietly into the night. The Board Staff came up with 19 options. That climbed to close to 40 which the PARC people whittled down to five.
They were:
Do not close any of the high school – re-work the existing boundaries to balance the high school students more evenly.
or
Close Robert Bateman in June 2018.
or
Close Nelson in June 2018
or
Close Central and Pearson in June 2018
or
Close Lester B. Pearson in June 2018
There are a lot of provisions and conditions attached to each of these closure options. The Gazette published a detailed list of the options CLICK HERE
 Donna Danielli asked – pleaded – with the PARC members to come up ways to keep all the Burlington high schools open.
Donna Danielli, a Milton based Board of Education trustee, sat on the PARC as an advisor. During the last meeting of the PARC she asked, it was really more of a plea, for the PARC members to come up with a way for the Trustees to keep all the schools open.
The process and procedure schedule is as follows:
Wednesday April 26, 2017 – Director’s Final Report will be presented to the Board of Trustees at the Committee of the Whole meeting.
Monday May 8, 2017 (6 pm) – Public Delegation Night.
Thursday May 11 (6 pm) – Public Delegation Night.
Wednesday May 17, 2017 (7 pm) – Board meeting. Final Report to Board of Trustees for “information”.
Wednesday June 7, 2017 (7 pm) – Board meeting. Final Report to Board of Trustees for “decision”.
 The eleven members of the Halton District school Board will decide how many, if any, of the high schools in Burlington are to be closed in 2018
However, anything that happens from this point forward is in the hands of the trustees – they can do whatever they wish. If they don’t like what they are given they can instruct the staff to take the work they have done so far and rework some of the options.
 Chair of the Halton District School Board Kelly Amos
Halton unfortunately does not have much in the way of leadership at the trustee level. Eight of the 11 woman on the Board have just over two years’ experience. Kelly Amos, an Oakville based trustee, has been close to mute while the PARC meeting were taking place. Many argue that this is what she should have done.
One is pressed to recall a situation where the Chair actually guided her Board. It is a one vote per trustee operation and Burlington has just four of the 11 votes; six are needed for Burlington to keep all its high schools open.
It all comes down to the content of the report Stuart Miller submits.
Will it be a mish-mash of all the data that has come in; will it be based on his core belief that the academic offering is the most important issue or will he consider the role of community in the placement of high schools?
Miller has already said it is not a money issue and he has also said that the Board does not have to close any of the high schools. It was the level of the utilization rates that triggered the Program Accommodation Review. Miller is on record as having said this process should have been done a number of years ago.
 Stuart Miller on the right at a Robotics information session that attracted more than 400 students.
Stuart Miller is a passionate defender of the quality of the academic offering his Board offers the students. He wants every school to allow every students to study want they want to study, which is what drives his preference for large schools with student populations of well over 1000.
Miller has been Director of Education for more than a year; he was appointed in September of 2015.
He is a relatively young man who does not appear to have career aspirations that would take him to the Ministry of Education at some point in his career. He is at heart a high school teacher who can recall the first name of most of his past students. It is not unusual to see him out at a student event on a Saturday morning. He is proud of what his Board offers and while Halton doesn’t get the level of funding other boards get Halton has always ranked well on how its students fare in academic standings.
The challenge before Miller this weekend is the biggest he has faced as a senior Board staff member. He has another challenge that will follow right behind the school closing issue and that is the matter of French Immersion classes.
 Joey Edwardh, president of Community Development Halton and Stuart Miller
Miller is a practical man – he also has a sense of humour. At a recent Board of Education meeting he gave his report entirely in Gaelic – to the astonishment of the Chair. He didn’t give an interpretation of the Gaelic either. So he has a sense of history, heritage and community values.
Is he capable of realizing and understanding that even the very best academic offering is not of much use if it is delivered in an environment that is devoid of the community it takes place in?
Miller does not live in the Region; his home is in the High Park part of Toronto but the bulk of his academic career has been with the Halton Board.
He has listened too many in the community, however there are those that argue he does not hear what they are saying. He is one of the most accessible bureaucrats this reporter has encountered.
For the sake of the people of Burlington one hopes that Stuart Miller took several long walks during the weekend and began to get close to deciding what kind of a Director is he going to be.
 From the left, Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster signing the 20 year $1.3 million naming rights deal with Chris Haber in the Centre. Chris Glenn on the right is pleased with that much cash. The Haber Recreational centre id part of the Hayden high school complex.
One hopes that he proves to be better than the past Directors of Education who let things slide so badly that we now face the mess we are dealing with.
Both past trustees and past Directors have a lot to be ashamed about. The creation of Hayden high school, the newest in the city, which is now over crowded – at a 150% plus utilization, may be a decision that kills the downtown core of the city.
By Pepper Parr
April 13th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
There are going to be two evenings set aside for delegations to the school board on the matter of the Program Accommodation Review the board is currently conducting.
The plan is to hear 25 delegations each evening with the delegator given five minutes to make their case. Five minutes are allocated for the trustees to ask questions or seek clarification.
Dates and times for both registering to be a delegation and dates on which people will be heard have been published.
At a Parent-school committee meeting at Lester B. Pearson high school earlier in the week there was considerable confusion as to just what the process was going to be for the allocation of the delegation slots.
 Parents at a Lester B. Pearson high school – parent school meeting.
The selection of the delegations is not being done on a “first come – first served” basis.
All the delegation applications are given to a staff member who prepares a list which is then given to the Chair who will determine who speaks and when they speak.
The concern at the Board staff level is that people provide enough information so that the selection of delegations is based on information. If your application to delegate is not clear – expect a phone call from the Board staff member handling the documents. The Board staff are asking delegation applicants to be as detailed as they can.
 The eleven school board trustees will make the final decision on whether or not a high school(s) is to be closed and if yes – which one(s).
There has been a view that the Board might want to limit delegations from one of the high schools. The staff member handling the applications is just shuffling paper and passing it on to the Chair of the school board. The staff member would like to ensure that what she passes on has some detail so that the chair can make fair decisions.
There are going to be literally hundreds of parents who will want to delegate and plead with the trustees to not close the school that every member of the family for several generations has attended and that they all love dearly.
 Director of Education Stuart Miller listening to high school students.
While such a delegation may make the person speaking feel all fuzzy and warm – it will do little to inform the trustees or the Director of Education.
There are many voices in the community that do not trust the Board of Education to be fair in the allocation of the 50 slots. It is not the Board staff that will be determining who gets to speak – it will be the trustees you elected.
The Gazette has been given to believe that if there are far too many delegation requests to be heard in the two evenings that have been set aside – additional time might be made available.
The desire, as explained to the Gazette, is to give people a chance to make their case so that the Director of Education can make a recommendation that includes what he hears at the delegation meetings and can arrive at a recommendation that includes the views of the parents.
The trustees need to hear viewpoints that are more than an emotional plea.
In fairness to the schools that are under threat of being closed it is vital that they be given an opportunity to delegate fully. One would think that the trustees would look for a way to ensure that each of the four high schools: Central; Bateman; Nelson and Pearson could be guaranteed a minimum number of delegation slots to make their case with the trustees.
And the allocation of those guaranteed slots should be assigned by the members of the The PAR committee who have worked very hard and know the case that is being made for their school extremely well – the Chair must ensure that they be guaranteed time to speak and not be squeezed out by the running of a clock.
There are some fundamental principles of fairness in play here and the trustees need to be extremely sensitive to the anxiousness in their communities.
 Board of Education Chair Kelly Amos: lead in a fair and impartial manner.
The Chair of the Board needs to show some leadership and assure the community that they know they were elected to lead and then to do so in a fair and impartial manner.
This is the time for those people deeply concerned about what happens to ensure that the trustees know what you expect of them.
If the trustees fail to more than adequately meet the needs of the parents who have something to say – there will be an opportunity for the voters to show their appreciation in the June 2018 election.
By Pepper Parr
April 12th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
They are relentless.
Millions, tens of millions of email like the one below get sent out to lists of email addresses.
When you get one – read the address it came from very very carefully – they are all false, phony messages sent to you in the hope that you just might click on the message.
 Read the address this phony email came from. The name between the < > is the sender – not the Royal Bank. If you don’t recognize the name of the sender – don’t open the email.
When you do that they have got a bit of a hook in you and they will slowly try and reel you in to the point where they have enough information to begin stealing your money.
The recipient of this message does not have an account with the Royal Bank
Dear (name erased to protect the recipient)
 When these computer hackers get enough information from you – they can access your bank account and remove funds.
During our usual security enhancement protocol, we observed a payment was placed on pending status due to the recent upgrade in our database. In order to receive this payment you are required to verify your account from our secure verification link.
To Receive payment kindly click :
Log on to www.royalbank.com/cgi-bin/rbaccess/rbunxcgi
Remember,RBC Royal Bank is committed to your security and protection. To find out more, take a look at our
Information Security section under Privacy and Security on the Web site.
© Royal Bank of Canada Website, © 1995-2017 All rights reserved.
Banks in Canada do not use email to advise you of any problems with your account.
By Pepper Parr
April 12th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
REVISED and CORRECTED
It was a regular Parent School Council meeting at Lester B, Pearson high school where principal Loraine Fedurco was taking the audience through what had been happening at the Board of Education where Staff had put forward a recommendation that, if voted for by the trustees, could result in the closing of the school in June of 2018.
Lester B. Pearson high school, named after a former Prime Minister, is the newest of the four high schools that are named in the five options on closure choices that will go before the trustees later this month. It is also the smallest high school in Burlington. One of the five options is to not close any of the high schools in the city.
 Ward 4 trustee Richelle Papin
The School Board trustee Richelle Papin was in attendance – they gave her a rough ride.
 George Ward
George Ward, a resident was blunt and direct – are you going to vote to keep this school open – Yes or No.
Papin didn’t give a yes or a no answer – she said she wanted to wait until she had all the evidence.
Ward asked again – he asked a total of five times but never got a direct answer
Papin said she wanted to hear what the delegations had to say and she wanted to read what the Director of Education had to say in his report that will be released April 21st.
Unfortunately for Papin she didn’t have an answer ready for the audience. Their question – are you going to support us – was one that had to be expected.
The difficulty for Papin is that she is also the trustee for Nelson high school and there is amongst the five options now before the Director of Education a recommendation that Nelson be closed.
 Trustee Papin in a tough spot – two of the four schools that have been named for possible closure are in her ward.
Papin is in the very uncomfortable position of having two schools in her ward that could be closed. Tough spot to be in.
This is Papin’s first term as a trustee – it may well be her last. It all depends on what the Director of Education puts forward.
By Pepper Parr
April 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The battle lines are being drawn.
Homes in the downtown core got a mail drop recently setting out where Progressive Conservative candidate Jane McKenna stands on the issue of closing high schools in the city.
 Side 1of a flyer dropped off at homes in Burlington.
 Side 2 of a flyer dropped off at homes in Burlington.
City hall may have been reluctant to get involved but the smell of blood in the water has Jane McKenna focusing her efforts on turning minds in ward 2.
The facts need not bother getting in the way – there is an opportunity to exploit and it doesn’t appear it is going to be missed.
There was a debate in the provincial legislature and the Liberal party did vote to take no action at this point in time.
 Ward 2 city Councillor Meed Ward who is a member of the Program Accommodation Review Committee took part in a media event at Queen’s Park with Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown. Meed Ward has always identified herself at a Liberal in the past.
PC leader Pat Brown held a media event the day of that vote with Burlington’s ward 2 city Councillor Marianne Meed Ward at the microphone appealing to the provincial Liberals to do something about the Program Accommodation Review (PAR) taking place in the city.
Meed Ward and most of the parents involved in the school closing issue believe that the PAR process being used is badly flawed and that the quality of the information the school board is feeding the public is both not reliable and subject to frequent changes.
The Program Accommodation Review Committee (PARC) has completed its work and the matter is now in the hands of Board staff who are pulling together the numerous documents that Director of Education Stuart Miller will use in preparing the report he will deliver to the trustees and the public on April 21st.
We are going through a bit of a quiet time while that report goes through what will probably be several drafts before it is placed in the hands of the trustees and the public on April 21st at 6:00 pm; a Friday on the Board of Education’s web site.
All the senior people at the board will have quietly driven out of the Board parking lot and headed for home – no one wants to be around for whatever the backlash to that report is going to be.
The report will get discussed at a school board trustee Committee of the Whole on Wednesday April 26, 2017 starting at 6:00 pm.
Between now and then everyone with any skin in the game will do everything they can to influence the outcome of the debate and discussion that will now take place in front of the 11 school board trustees.
The literature that went out to households in the high school catchment areas across the city might be just the start.
Politics, especially local politics are called a “blood sport” for a reason.
The Burlington Progressive Conservatives are fully funded for the next provincial election. Former city Councillor and Member of Parliament Mike Wallace is running the McKenna election campaign.
Wallace wants and needs to win this campaign if he is to get back into local politics; his eye is believed to be on the office of Mayor for Burlington.
By Staff
April 5th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board has whittled the 30 plus options that were put before the PARC down to five.
The Board set out a rationale for each option and provided maps showing what the boundaries will be for each of the five options
The Gazette has pulled together the five maps along with the rationale and make them available to the public.
Nelson high school closes in June 2018
 Rationale:
To be an English only school.
Burlington Central HS: Catchment expands east to Walker’s Line.
Burlington Central HS: Utilization rates increase to 93% by 2020, then expected to increase.
Nelson HS: Closes in June 2018
Robert Bateman HS: English – catchment expands west to Walker’s Line. FI catchment extends to Guelph Line. (Current Nelson HS catchment)
Robert Bateman HS: FI program added.
Robert Bateman HS: Utilization rates increase to 104% by 2020, then declines4 rationale.
Robert Bateman HS: Closes in June 2018.
 RATIONALE: Staff generated option.
Staff modified based on PARC comments:
To create suitable facilities for SC
SPED and Essential at Nelson
Food Service program to be relocated from Robert Bateman HS to Nelson HS
Extend Lester B. Pearson HS catchment to increase enrolments.
ISSUES:
Lester B. Pearson HS to gain the IB program and Gifted Secondary Placement Program.
Low enrolments at Aldershot HS and Burlington Central HS
Low Utilization at M.M. Robinson HS
NOTES
Aldershot HS: Utilization rates increase to 87% by 2020, then expected to decrease.
Aldershot HS: No change to the Aldershot HS catchment. Enrolment is under 500 students.
Burlington Central HS: Boundary expands to include areas east of Guelph Line.
Burlington Central HS: Utilization rates increase to 74% in 2020 and continue to increase until 2024.
Nelson HS: SC
–
SPED and ESS programming (both under SC-SPED) and Food Services added. New facilities to be constructed.
Nelson HS: ENG catchment expands to include Robert Bateman HS.
Nelson HS: Utilization rates expected to increase to 112%, by 2020, then are projected to decline in 2023.
Robert Bateman HS: Closes in June 2018.
M.M. Robinson HS: ENG boundary to expand to include Kilbride PS.
M.M. Robinson HS: Utilization rates remain under 65%
No schools closed – catchment boundaries are revised.
 RATIONALE: Staff generated option.
Staff modified based on PARC comments:
Removed capping from Dr. Frank J Hayden HS and reduced catchment.
Extend Lester B. Pearson HS catchment to increase enrolments.
ISSUES:
Lester B. Pearson HS to gain the IB program and Gifted Secondary Placements.
Low enrolments at Aldershot HS, Burlington Central SS, Lester B Pearson HS and Robert Bateman HS
Low Utilization at M.M. Robinson HS
NOTES
Aldershot HS: Utilization rates increase to 87% by 2020 , then expected to decrease.
Aldershot HS: No change to the Aldershot HS catchment. Total enrolment is under 500 students.
Burlington Central HS: No change to the Burlington Central HS catchment or enrolments.
Burlington Central HS: Utilization rates increase to 69% in 2020 and continue to increase until 2024.
Nelson HS: No change to the Nelson HS catchment.
Nelson HS: Utilization rates expected to increase to 84%, by 2020, then are projected to decline in 2024.
Robert Bateman HS: No change to the Robert Bateman HS catchment. Enrolment is under 500 English and IB students.
Robert Bateman HS: Utilization rates are expected to decline to below 50% from 2022.
M.M. Robinson HS: ENG boundary to expand to include Florence Mears PS west of Walker’s Line.
M.M. Robinson HS: Utilization rates remain under 65%.
Close Central and Pearson: The original recommendation
 RATIONALE: Director’s Recommendation
Staff modified based on PARC comments:
ESL Program to Aldershot HS
Specialty programs Robotics to be transferred to Nelson HS.
Transfer empty space from Aldershot Elementary to Aldershot Secondary school
Additional students to Robert Bateman HS catchment
ISSUES:
EXTF program added to M.M. Robinson HS.
FI program added to Robert Bateman HS.
PAR will be required for the Burlington Central elementary communities.
NOTES:
Aldershot HS: Boundary to expand east to Brant St.
Aldershot HS: 210 empty pupil places at Aldershot Elementary PS to be added to the Secondary school OTG. Currently not included in the 558OTG.
Aldershot HS: Utilization rates increase to 142% by 2020, then expected to decrease. Utilization rates will decrease with the addition of available pupil places from the elementary facility.
Burlington Central HS: Closes in June 2018.
Nelson HS: Boundary is to be expanded west to Brant Street.
Nelson HS: Utilization rates increase to 80% by 2020, then expected to decrease.
Robert Bateman HS: ENG boundary expands to include all of the Frontenac PS catchment.
Robert Bateman HS: FI program added and includes students east of Appleby Line and south of Upper Middle Rd and Frontenac PS students
Pearson closes
 RATIONALE: Based on a PARC Request. Staff modified based on PARC comments:
To balance enrolments north of the QEW.
To create suitable facilities for SC
SPED and Essential at Nelson
–
Food Service program from Robert Bateman HS to Nelson HS
ISSUES:
SC-SPED, ESS programs relocated from Robert Bateman HS to Nelson HS.
International Baccalaureate (IB) program relocated from Robert Bateman HS to Burlington Central HS.
FI program removed from Dr. Frank J. Hayden SS.
Nelson HS exceeds Total Capacity.
Low enrolments at Aldershot HS
EXTF program added to M.M. Robinson HS.
NOTES:
Aldershot HS: Utilization rates increase to 87% by 2020, then expected to decrease.
Aldershot HS: No change to the Aldershot HS catchment. Total enrolment is under 500 students.
Burlington Central HS: Boundary expands to include areas east of Guelph Line.
Burlington Central HS: International Baccalaureate program to be added.
Burlington Central HS: Utilization rates increase to 90% in 2020 and continue to increase until 2024.
Nelson HS: SC-SPED and ESS programming (both under SC-SPED) and Food Services added. New Facilities to be constructed.
By Pepper Parr
April 5th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
 Parents at a public meting were the details for each of the school closure options were made available.
Parents with high school students are getting a bit of a break from the work that was done by the Program Accommodation Review Committee (PARC). The members of that committee have completed their work knowing that they did everything they could to dig out much needed information and whittled a list of more than 30 possible options down to five.
Those five are:
Robert Bateman high school closes in June 2018.
Nelson high school closes in June 2018
No schools closed – catchment boundaries are revised.
Central and Pearson high schools are closed in June 2018
Pearson high school closes in June 2018
The next municipal election, at which school board trustees will stand for election is October 2018. The provincial government is up for re-election on June xx 2018.
The schedule going forward is:
Chair of the PARC gives his report to the Director of Education (The Gazette has yet to be given a date for the completion of this report.)
Friday April 21, 2017 – Director’s Final Report released online at www.hdsb.ca in the agenda package for Committee of the Whole.
Wednesday April 26, 2017 (6 pm) – Director’s Final Report will be presented to the Board of Trustees at the Committee of the Whole meeting.
Location: J.W. Singleton Centre (2050 Guelph Line, Burlington). This meeting will be live-streamed on the Board website. If additional audience capacity is required, it will be available at M.M. Robinson High School (2425 Upper Middle Road, Studio Theatre).
Monday May 8, 2017 (6 pm) – Public Delegation Night. These evenings will be live-streamed on the Board website.
Location: J.W. Singleton Centre (2050 Guelph Line). Seating priority in the Boardroom will be given to delegates. If additional audience capacity is required, it will be available at M.M. Robinson High School (2425 Upper Middle Road, Studio Theatre). Monday, April 17, 2017 – Is the first date to submit online Delegation Request Forms for the May 8 Delegation Night.
Thursday May 11 (6 pm) – Public Delegation Night. These evenings will be live-streamed on the Board website.
Location: J.W. Singleton Centre (2050 Guelph Line). Seating priority in the Boardroom will be given to delegates. If additional audience capacity is required, it will be available at M.M. Robinson High School (2425 Upper Middle Road, Studio Theatre). Thursday, April 20, 2017 is the first date to submit online Delegation Request Form for the May 11 Delegation Night.
 Parents listening to the PARC meetings. Central high school parents had a team at these meetings every occasion.
Wednesday May 17, 2017 (7 pm) – Board meeting. Final Report to Board of Trustees for “information”. Location: J.W. Singleton Centre (2050 Guelph Line). If additional audience capacity is required, it will be available at M.M. Robinson High School (2425 Upper Middle Road, Studio Theatre).
Wednesday June 7, 2017 (7 pm) – Board meeting. Final Report to Board of Trustees for “decision”. Location: J.W. Singleton Centre (2050 Guelph Line). If additional audience capacity is required, it will be available at M.M. Robinson High School (2425 Upper Middle Road, Studio Theatre).
Maps of the school boundaries and the rationale for each option is set out HERE.
By Pepper Parr
April 5, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
City council had decided they were going to keep a barge pole length between what they do and what the Public school board has to do.
These two organizations –both vital to the smooth operation and functioning of the city are far apart when it comes to working together on joint issues. The city and the school board are so far apart that they don’t even meet on a formal basis.
The Halton District Regional Police make a presentation to the city; the Library makes a presentation to the city. When the Board of Education meets with the city it is usually at the staff level and then it usually boils down to a turf war. These guys tend not to play golf with each other.
Everyone in the city is the lesser for that political failure.
When the Board of Education told its trustees that it believed it was necessary to close two high schools (that was one of 19 options the School Board staff had considered) City council seemed to be hoping that the matter would stay at the school board level – let them deal with the inevitable political fallout.
 Councillors Sharman and Lancaster were te only two who wanted the city to write a letter to the Minister of Education to halt the Program Accommodation Review the school board was undertaking.
And it seemed to be working out – that was until Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman asked Council to waive the advance notice of a motion rule and debate his motion that the city write the Ministry of Education asking for an immediate halt to the school closing process now in place to consider the closing of one and perhaps two of the seven high schools in the city.
It has become the hottest political potato the city has faced in a decade.
There was considerable discussion and debate on whether city council was going to let the Sharman motion come forward. Eventually they did on a 5 for, 2 against vote.
One of the negative votes was cast by Ward 2 city Councillor Marianne Meed Ward who argued that it was too late for the city to have any impact on the decision.
Meed Ward said: The moment for the city to show some leadership passed when city council chose to appoint the city manager to the PARC instead of the Mayor and then not give the city manager anything in the way of a mandate. “That ship has sailed” she said.
The motion was to ask that the city write the provincial government and ask that there be an immediate halt to the school closing process now taking place.
Council agreed to allow the motion to proceed which brought Denise Davey to the podium who was given permission to delegate.
She said:
As I wrote in my column in The Hamilton Spectator, this has been an extremely difficult and emotionally draining few months for thousands of parents across the city. We’ve been pulled into a process that we knew nothing about and it’s been a steep learning curve trying to figure it all out.
In addition to trying to sift through a maze of information, we’ve had to deal with ineffective public information sessions where we had no voices and a tedious online survey.
 Delegator Denise Davey
My worry is that that flawed process and that misinformation that’s been floated around is leading us in the wrong direction and my position – and the reason I approached Paul Sharman – is that I believe Burlington city council needs to take a leadership role.
This is your city and the closure of any school will have an impact on the social and economic fabric of the entire community.
I am not asking that you take a stand around which school to close but simply that you support Councillor Sharman’s motion to suspend the process immediately so that in the end the right decision will be made.
I want to offer an example of how problematic this process has been and why it needs to be suspended, namely, that the data and information being thrown out to the public about Bateman school has been seriously misrepresented.
Shortly after this point Committee chair Meed Ward cautioned Davey that she was straying from the subject being debated.
Davey pressed on and was cautioned a second time – she was determined to get the Bateman high school plea on the record.
 Councillor brought in a “walk on” motion to have the city write a letter to the province asking that the Program Accommodation Review in Burlington be halted.
Sharman then began to explain what he was hearing from his constituents. He said he had been asked to help find corporations that might help fund keeping the high schools open. He didn’t mention any specific corporations and asked council to support his request that the provincial government be asked to immediately halt the school closing process in Burlington.
Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor, the longest serving member of Council, joined the debate. He didn’t support letting the motion get to the floor of council and he wasn’t going to support the motion either.
He then went into what was pretty close to a tirade about party politics getting into the debate.
He did however bring some background and wisdom when he explained that the “baby boomers” – those born just after the end of the Second World War, have changed everything they touched as it grew and evolved.
They changed the way education was delivered; we were building elementary schools all over the place and then high schools, and then then universities.
The woman who worked in factories during the war returned to their homes, married and had children. Three to four children was not unusual. Those children needed schools. They were the boomers and as they grew families found they needed two incomes to pay for the housing they wanted.
Taylor asked his colleagues why anyone was surprised that we face this problem today. It has been in the making for more than fifty years. When dozens of elementary schools were closed it should have been no surprise that at some point high schools would have to be closed as well.
 Councillor Taylor gave Council members a broad stroke picture of what they were dealing with.
Taylor added that the next phase the boomers are going to impact is the building of hospitals and nursing homes to take care of the boomers who are now aging.
To add to it all Taylor pointed out that advances in medicine have us living longer.
We have to do something about this problem – it can be avoided, he added.
Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison said that this was a provincial government and Board of Education trustee problem – it is not a city problem. He saw no point in the city making a plea to the provincial government.
Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster said that more and more parents were asking her to become involved. “None of the schools that are being recommended for closure are in my ward but some of the students are”, she said.
And added that she too felt the process was flawed and that while she wasn’t comfortable with interfering she was very concerned about the problem of the quality of the data that was being used to make a decision.
“This is an important decision and I want the best data available to make that decision”, she said. Lancaster added: “If an appeal to the provincial government can get us a time out and let us take a step back and get better data and do it right then I am for sending the letter.”
Meed Ward said she did not believe the province would intercede for one Board of Education and asking it to do so was “irresponsible and inappropriate”.
 City manager James Ridge, on the right, with PARC Chair Scot Podrebarac. Ridge said very little during the meetings – he wasn’t given a mandate other than to attend the meetings.
“Council squandered its opportunity to lead on this. There was an opportunity to send an elected member – we didn’t do that and we didn’t give the person we did send anything in the way of a mandate.”
Having “squandered” the opportunity to lead Meed Ward said the city could now join the other organizations in asking the province to put a moratorium in place across the problem. ROMA – the Rural Ontario Municipal Association has done a lot of research that is very well documented – we could join their plea. AMO, the Association of Municipalities in Ontario has made comments however they have not asked for a moratorium.
 Meed Ward is troubled by the message city Councillors are sending constituents, particularly parents of Central and Pearson high school students.
Meed Ward said she is “troubled” with the kind of message is this council sending when it said up and down that it was not going to get involved but now we have council members who have schools that might be closed in their wards and want the city to do something when the opportunity to do anything has passed.
What message does this council send to the parents of Central and Pearson? that we did not value their schools when they were subject to closure but now that other schools have been named we want to interfere? This is both inappropriate and offensive.
During the discussion the Mayor mentioned that he had a conversation earlier in the day with the Minister of Education – but didn’t say what words were exchanged.
By Pepper Parr
April 4TH, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
How does one go about the process of giving their parents into some form of care when they can no longer fully care for themselves?
The parents tend to resist this change in their lives – to a considerable degree because they don’t know enough about this next phase of their lives.
 Marion Goard, came up with the idea for the event. she has been nominated as one of Burlington’s BEST
Marion Goard, a Burlington real estate agent went through this process with her parents and found it emotionally exhausting. It was clear to her however that in her situation changes had to be made.
Where to go for information? That’s when Goard found that there really wasn’t a single place with all the information needed. There were all kinds of vendors with their offerings but that meant travelling from possible location to yet another possible location.
That is when Goard came up with the idea of gathering all the service providers and the vendors and the social agencies in one location and inviting people to attend and learn as much as they could.
The Housing Options For Seniors Event was born
Here is the list of organizations who are going to be at the Monday April 10th event being held at the Holiday Inn.
Burlington Age Friendly Seniors Council – Housing Committee
Burlington Gardens Retirement Residence
CARP, Halton Chapter (Canadian Association for Retired Persons)
Chartwell – Christopher Terrace Retirement Residence
Chartwell – Martha’s Landing Retirement Residence
Egality
Estate Concierge
Hearthstone by the Lake
Halton Heart to Home Meals
Heritage Place
Home Equity Bank – Reverse Mortgages
Home Share
Lakeshore Place Retirement Residence
LaSalle Park Retirement Community by Signature
Neat Spaces
Organize Me
Park Avenue Manor
Pearl & Pine Retirement by Signature
Retire-at-Home Services
RBC Royal Bank
Revera Appleby Place
Sell ‘n STAY
Sunrise of Burlington
The Gardens by Maranatha
The Village of Tansley Woods (Schlegal)
The Williamsburg Uptown Seniors Living
That is an impressive collection of people who can help and organizations that have services that might work for you and your parents.
A web site was created with a form people could use to register.
That’s when the problems began to occur.
“Everyone I talked to” said Goard “thought it was a great idea – but the registrations aren’t all that great.”
It is a very good idea and worth a visit even if you are only going to look around and kick some tires.
Registration isn’t vital but Goard would like an idea as to how many people to expect. You can register at: https://www.mariongoard.ca/seniors/housing-options-for-seniors-event.aspx
By Staff
April 3rd, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Environment Canada has issued a Special Weather Statement that forecasts rainfall depths of 20-30 mm in our region, overnight and into the day Tuesday.
Rain is also forecast from Wednesday through Friday, with more significant rainfall potential Thursday.
 Our forests aren’t this green yet – but the flow of water is what we are seeing now with the Spring rains.
Following recent rains last week, flows are still elevated and soils are wet. As a result of the forecasted rainfall, watercourses may rise rapidly. Banks may be slippery and currents may be strong. Local streams and rivers may become dangerous, particularly in the vicinity of culverts and bridges.
Widespread flooding is not anticipated, however fast flowing water and flooding of low lying areas and natural floodplains may be expected.
Conservation Halton is asking all residents and children to stay away from all watercourses and structures such as bridges, culverts and dams. Elevated water levels, fast flowing water, and slippery conditions along stream banks continue to make these locations extremely dangerous. Please alert children in your care of these imminent dangers.
This Watershed Conditions Statement – Water Safety will be in effect through Sunday April 9th, 2017. Conservation Halton will continue to monitor stream and weather conditions and will provide updates as required.
By James Smith
April 2, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The next few months will be difficult for many Burlington parents and students as the Public Board decides the future of several schools. This issue is hardly new to Burlington or Halton, the phenomenon of is being played out throughout Ontario, Canada and North America. For example, Hamilton has closed 14 schools since 2003. Shifting demographics call for creative solutions. Some change is coming to Burlington Schools, what that change will look like is far from determined at this point.
 While Burlington’s high schools are not quite this old – these old country schools have disappeared and been re-purposed.
In the past, boards have taken the relatively easy route (if closing a school and the ensuring protests they cause can be called easy) when a school is determined to be redundant; they have applied to municipality for re-zoning, then sell the land to the highest bidder. South East Burlington in 1987, when we moved there, had two separate schools, one high school and five public schools within walking distance. Soon both Elizabeth Gardens and Breckon Schools were closed and St Patrick School, the school our kids attended, hung on by its fingernails. At one point only having 75 students!
Having fought hard to keep our local school, I understand what parents are now going through in their attempt to keep a local school. In our case we had a little bit of luck on our side, many of the original empty-nester home owners were selling to families with a couple of kids, so more children were moving into the neighbourhood. More importantly, the former Shell refinery lands west of Burloak, north of New Street meant expanded enrollment significantly. Neither new development nor is intensification is likely going to be an answer to expand enrollment for the schools at risk. The challenge now is for citizens who’s neighbourhood schools face closure, to transition from protest to vision.
Once the decision to close a school has been made, the challenge is to question some deeply held preconceptions; no easy task. The first preconception parents especially need to rid themselves of is the myth of the local school, especially when it comes to a high schools. Local schools, the kind that parents will often define as those as “within walking distance” are more and more not places children walk to. Sure some kids walk, but a significant number of children of all ages are now chauffeured to and from school. One just has to look at the infrastructure put in place to accommodate the pick-up delivery of children in cars. Passing by a school at opening or dismissal, makes one pine to be at the Mall the last weekend before Christmas by contrast. How do local traffic jams add to a community?
Many will talk about the loss of so called open space. Schools often have rather than open space something more akin to a green deserts surrounding the school building. Rarely used manicured lawns, a landscape design element left over from the plan books of Victorian through post war planners that serves little or no purpose; we’re just used to having them. We are used to seeing these areas with nothing there, so we want to keep these green dead zones. The green deserts surrounding all schools, but especially those to be closed, are resources that presently goes wasted. Overcoming these and other preconceptions and understanding the opportunity in school closures is a big and difficult first step. I have no illusion this will be an easy process to undertake, but citizens need to be ready to embrace this change, even reluctantly.
Once the decision has been made to close a school; who best to plan and execute the redevelopment? As stated the old model was a quick rezoning to Single Family Residential, and sell twenty or 30 residential lots to the highest bidder. While the “take the money and run” approach has served the board in the past, times have changed. Given the time and effort of those who have participated in the PARC exercise have demonstrated, and the controversial nature of the decision to close schools, the Board owe the communities and the city a more inclusive re-visioning exercise.
The board of education, by ownership and necessity must be a partner in the process, and realize most of the financial return, but the lead should be taken by the city of Burlington as the city will have to manage the results of the process. I’m rarely a proponent of the 3P model, but in this case I feel a public private partnership is the best way to maximize the return to the board and the city in developing these assets.
Did I say the city? By the city I don’t mean the politicians nor the planning department. As professional and well meaning as city planners may be, this exercise should be taken up by an outside urban planning firm who doesn’t develop and plan track housing. Preclude those firms with a history of developing planning with, and for, the city of Burlington should also be a condition. In other words, an open competition rather than one from the usual suspects. One consideration would be to fund a competition where three semi finalist firms are paid to work-up general, order of magnitude proposals. This way citizens can wade in on what firm’s vision is in the best interest of the the city at large.
In such a process the city’s role should be limited to setting the general goals and parameters. These guidelines should be as loose as possible to allow the bidding firms as much creative leeway as possible. By awaiting proposals from the winning planning firm prior to changing the zoning of former school property, the city can avoid the mistake of regulation that limits development of a novel proposal. Interesting creative uses shouldn’t be precluded from the beginning due to zoning constraints. Plan, then zone. Part of any redevelopment should include re-purposing some or all of the existing school buildings wherever practical, and the development of the site of community amenity assets should be based on input from the neighbours and citizens in general
Many people find the idea of giving up on what they see as “their school” surrender. Many will feel at this point surrender is premature. Change is likely coming. The best way to prepare for change is to start considering and examine one’s prejudices and to start to imagine what the second best alternative might be. Burlington might be a better place as a result of this kind of exercise.
James Smith is a is a former resident of Burlington and is a contract Designer, who includes Phillip H Carter Architect and Planning as one of his clients.
By Staff
March 30th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Toronto-Dominion Friends of the Environment Foundation is sending the city a cheque for $20,000 to enhance the construction of a new community garden in Ireland Park. Construction of the new garden will begin this fall and will open in spring 2018. The garden will include 36 ground based plots and 3 raised accessible plots.
The city has come a long way since June of 2011 when Amy Schnurr of Burlington Green and Michelle Bennett stood as a tag team before city council trying to convince them to put up 15% of the cost of opening the first city based community garden.
 Amy Schnurr at the opening of the first community Garden. Former city general manager Scott Stewart on the left and Rob Peachy realizing that it was Schnurr and Burlington Green that got the city into community gardens.
Council wasn’t all that keen on the idea but they couldn’t get away from the two women; they were relentless.
They prevailed and the community garden opened to some fanfare and has grown to the point where there are now four such gardens.
Construction of the new garden will begin this fall and will open in spring 2018. The garden will include 36 ground based plots and 3 raised accessible plots.
Funding will be used to expand accessible garden plots and accessible pathways throughout half of the community garden. These pathways will use wild thyme—a drought-tolerant, pollinator-friendly ground-cover with reinforced turf mesh—rather than wood chips. This will result in an even, stable, accessible surface, allowing people with limited mobility equal opportunity to visit more areas of the community garden and interact with the other gardeners.
The grant will contribute to the cost of an accessible garden shed, an accessible picnic table and three raised, accessible garden plots.
A perennial garden will be planted around a one-metre border outside the garden fence to attract bees and add flowers to the area. TD FEF staff will be asked to help plant the perennial garden as part of TD’s staff volunteer program.
 Michelle Bennett – talked the city out of $11,000 + and created a network of community gardens.
The city has four community gardens with 126 plots in total for 2017:
• Amherst Park
• Central Park
• Francis Road Bikeway
• Maple Park.
This year’s planting season will run from May 1 to Oct. 22, 2017. All plots have been assigned for this season.
The cost to rent a plot for the season is $50. Water, soil and compost are supplied and all plots have full sun.
Community garden applications are available online at www.burlington.ca/communitygardens, the Burlington Seniors’ Centre, or City Hall, 426 Brant St., at the Service Burlington counter. Completed applications are accepted until Nov. 30, 2017 for the 2018 planting season. Plots at all five gardens will be allocated by lottery at the close of the application period.
|
|