Meed Ward has her Smart Car Coffee Confidential conversation with Burchill.

News 100 yellowBy Pepper Parr

June 15th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Now that the province is beginning to get used to the Premier designate and the city can get on with enjoying the Sound of Music and weather that ranges from pleasant to stinking hot.

Next up is the municipal election that will take place October 22nd.

James Burchill, the lad that drives around town in a Smart Car getting out for coffee and a conversation.
He interviews all kinds of people including the three candidates for the Office of Mayor.

He did interviews of the current Mayor, Rick Goldring, then an interview with Mike Wallace, a former city Councillor and a former MP for Burlington.

The most recent, which is set out below for your viewing pleasure, is Burchill’s interview with Marianne Meed Ward.

Three very different people. We have provided links to the Goldring and Wallace interviews – gives you a chance to see who wants to lead the city. You are the one who gets to decide.

The 2018 election is going to be a lot different than the 2014 election when every member of the 2010 Council was returned to office.

Burchill has an easy, natural conversation style and lets the person being interviewed do the talking.  Goldring and Wallace seemed a little apprehensive.  My take on the Meed Ward interview is that Burchill was flirting with her – but have to be the judge of that.

Bookmark this story and come back to it in October.  Which one do you think can best lead the city

The other interviews:

Goldring interview

A Wallace interview

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Couple arrested for attempting to take all the money in the ATM.

Crime 100By Staff

June 15th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

This news story is Milton based but just too funny not to be shared.

ATM machine

Couple try to rip open an ATM machine – no luck.

On June 1st, 2018 at approximately 12 a.m. a male and female attended a business on Harrop Drive in Milton.
A male entered an open lobby area of the business and attempted to drill and pry open an ATM while a female acted as a lookout. The male made repeated attempts to pry open the ATM but was unable to do so.

The male then attached a towing strap to a pick-up truck and made several more attempts to rip the ATM open. The two remained at the location for over an hour and eventually left in the vehicle without obtaining any cash.

Criminal Investigation Bureau detectives quickly identified the suspects as a husband and wife duo residing in Milton. They were arrested on June 12th and 13th without incident and later released on a promise to appear.

James Matthew TINGLEY 46 years and Tina Louis TINGLEY 33 years, both from Milton are facing charges of theft under $5000, mischief under $5000 and possession of burglary tools. They are scheduled to appear in Milton Court on July 16th.

The ATM is a total loss and is valued at approximately $2500.

Can’t you just see the guy backing his truck up and desperately trying to rip open the ATM.  This is the kind of stuff they make movies about.

The trial should be a hoot – wonder what the defence should be?

People charged with a criminal offence are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Detectives from the One District Criminal Investigations Bureau (CIB) have concluded an investigation into a failed Milton ATM Heist.

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Artistic Director and Chief Curator of the Art Gallery of Burlington resigns to take a new job in Waterloo.

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

June 14th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Denis Longchamps

Denis Longchamps the Artistic Director and Chief Curator of the Art Gallery of Burlington since 2013 is leaving to become the Executive Director of the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery in Waterloo effective August 1st.

While with the AGB Longchamps curated a number of significant programs including Lyndal Osborne’s Of Water and Tides (2014), the touring Naked Craft (2015-2017), and the various components of the Canadian Craft Biennial (2017).

Longchamps created two residencies, ran numerous workshops and an international symposium.

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Trades students at The Centre completing the first of what they hope will be many Tiny Homes.

News 100 yellowBy Staff

June 14th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Centre for Skills Development and Training has partnered with the Oakville Trafalgar Rotary Club on a Tiny Homes initiative.

These Tiny Homes are being built by students at enrolled in different trades courses at The Centre. The students, supervised by fully qualified instructors, get hands on experience. Rotary gets a product they plan to sell and make available to disadvantaged communities.

What is a Tiny Home?

It is a little little home that has wheels. It’s not a toy, it is real accommodation.

The units are 24 feet long, 8 feet wide and 14 feet high.

They are set up to handle  50 amp electricity, plumbing, and ready to take a gray water tank.

Propane or gas for heating. The units are insulated to an R32 standard

The lower level is one large space with the bathroom set up as a separate space.

There are two small lofts

The units are built by students-and-volunteers at The Centre in Burlington.

TinyHomes

An example of what students are building at The Centre in Burlington, ON

They will be on display at the Oakville Ribfest which takes place on Friday, June 22nd starting at 4pm at Sheridan College’s Trafalgar campus, and will run until Sunday, June 24th at 7 pm.

Rotary would love for people to see the home, and meet some of the people who cooked up the idea, and actually built it.

The new Tiny Home will be on display, and also available for purchase. Offers start at $40,000, all of which will be used to support Rotary’s charitable initiatives in Halton and beyond.

Rotary money to The Centre

Cheque presentation from the Oakville Trafalgar Rotary to The Centre where the Tiny Home is being built.

“We really feel that this program addresses multiple issues now affecting communities around the country” said Oakville Rotary Club executive Lauri Asikainen, “Not only will it provide valuable skills training for students, but the homes they create have tremendous value, not just as affordable housing, but as green living spaces, or for people downsizing, adventure traveling, vacationing, or just trying to lead a simpler life.”

Ken Coulter, past president of the Oakville Trafalgar Rotary explained that they provided some of the materials funding and that much of the insides have been donated.

The first unit will be on display at the Oakville Trafalgar Ribfest on June 22nd to 24th.

How did the idea get started? The Oakville Trafalgar group was having lunch at their usual location one meeting and talking about new fund raising ideas. Mention was made of maybe building a Tiny Home; the waitress suggested that the Rotary talk to people at The Centre – and an idea suddenly had legs and before long, in typical Rotary fashion, something was happening.

A trailer base was donated, windows were donated, and Canadian Standards Association approval was obtained.

It all leads to the first of what the Rotary hopes will be a couple of buildings a year.

Rotary International happens to be meeting in Toronto the same weekend as the Rib Fest in Oakville. More than 100 District Rotary governors will be bused out to the Rib Fest to chow down on some ribs and have a look at the Tiny Home.

For more information slip over to – www.rcot.ca You can communicate with someone at TinyHome@rcot.ca

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Get away car gets away without the break-in artist using socks for gloves.

Crime 100By Staff

June 14th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

A little after 12:00 PM, yesterday, police responded to a report of a break and enter in progress at a rural home on No. 1 Side Road near Walkers Line in the City of Burlington.

HRPS crestOfficers arrived on scene to find a female in the garage. The female attempted to flee on foot but was quickly arrested.

The female was found to be in possession of a screwdriver, two socks believed to be used as gloves and a two-way radio.

The area was searched for her accomplice / get-away driver which proved negative.  Officers believe the woman was able to alert them prior to her arrest.

Maria WASZKOWSKA (65-yrs-old) of Poland was held for bail charged with break & enter and possession of break-in instruments.

WASZKOWKSA was also found to have a Canada wide Immigration warrant for her arrest since 2004.

Anyone with information on these crimes is encouraged to contact Detective Jared McLeod of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2385

Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See Something? Hear Something? Know Something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca

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Canada Day Celebration Road Closures, July 1, 2018

notices100x100By Staff

June 13th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The city has upgraded the information they make available on road closures during the Sound of Music and Canada Day celebrations.

Concrete barricadesThe traffic plan includes concrete barricades and parked police vehicles. This is to ensure pedestrian and vehicle traffic are kept separate for the safety of pedestrians.

Toronto-pedestrian-810x445Shades of that tragic situation in Toronto when a driver in a rented van barrelled down Yonge Street, killing 10 pedestrians and injuring 16.

The public can expect to see concrete barricades whenever there are a large number of pedestrian.

The Sound of Music Festival will result in road closures Friday, June 15 to Sunday, June 17.

Road Closures

Friday, June 15 from 3:30 p.m. to Sunday, June 17 at 6 p.m. – Brant Street from Caroline Street to Lakeshore Road.

Parade Closures

Saturday, June 16 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Caroline Street from Drury Lane to Locust Street, Elizabeth Street from Caroline Street to Pine Street and Drury Lane from Courtland to New Street.

Road Closure for Canada Day fireworks:
Sunday, July 1: Lakeshore Road between Elizabeth Street and Maple Avenue from 9 to 11 p.m.

SoM fireworks

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A different scam - but the objective is the same - they want information so they can go after your money.

ID theft screenBy Staff

June 13th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

 

They come in all shapes and sizes – they are crafty, innovative and 100% scam.

They want to steal your money.

A Gazette reader passed this one along.

Summons Notice
07-CV-2018-910105.10
Filed On 2018/5/25 13:51 KST

– You Are Being Sued
– You Have 12 Days After Receiving This Summons To File A Written Answer With The Court And Serve A Copy On The Other Party Or Take Other Lawful Action With The Court.

25 Days If You Were Served Outside Of Province.

– If You Do Not Answer Or Take Other Action Within The Time Allowed, Judgment May Be Entered Against You .
**** Notice To Defendant ****

– We Are Notifying You Of The Hearing Date And Time Of This Case By Information Attached .

-If The Defendant Fails To Appear In Court, A Default Judgment May Be Entered Against The Defendant For The Relief Sought By The Plaintiff.

You Must Read And Print Attachment And Follow The Instructions Shown Therein.

Identity theft - many faces

You never get to know who they are – they want to know a lot about you. Don’t respond.

The moment you read and print the attachment the scam artist has begun the process of gathering information about you.

The cardinal rule on this stuff is Don’t.

If in doubt ask someone what it means.

Just don’t clock on the read button and don’t print the document.

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Regional first responders take part in a large-scale emergency training exercise.

News 100 blueBy Staff

June 13th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

You practice, you practice and then you practice some more – and in time there is a team of people who know each other, know how to work with each other and able to deploy very quickly.

Early in June the Burlington Fire Department, Halton Regional Police Service, Halton Region Paramedic Services, and Oakville Fire Department joined forces at the Oakville Training Campus for Emergency Excellence, as part of a large-scale emergency training exercise. These are the first responders on Halton collaborating on a large-scale emergency exercise

JESOAG 1

First responders collaborate to assist an accident victim as part of the June 5 emergency exercise at the Oakville Training Campus for Emergency Excellence.

Like everything that is military or para-military in nature it has an acronym: JESOAG – Joint Emergency Services Operational Advisory Group.

JESOAG 3

First responders work together to ensure an accident victim can be removed safely from a damaged vehicle, as part of the June 5 emergency exercise.

Greg Sage, Chief, Paramedic Services, Halton Region explains: “This emergency exercise helps to ensure a coordinated, efficient and safe response from all three emergency services… By participating in these large-scale exercises, Halton Region and its partners are better prepared to protect the safety of our community during a real emergency.”

The training exercise involved over 40 first responders from the four participating emergency service agencies. The exercise was a large-scale bus collision scenario, which required emergency responders to assist and rescue 50 patients, with a wide range of injuries.

JESOAG meets regularly and promotes training exercises to proactively address emergency response from all three emergency services: fire, paramedics and police. Members include:

• Burlington Fire Department
• Halton Hills Fire Department
• Halton Regional Police Service
• Halton Region Paramedic Services
• Milton Fire Department
• Oakville Fire Department
• Ontario Provincial Police

 

JESOAG 2

The Halton Regional Police Service Mobile Command Unit was one of several emergency vehicles on site for the emergency training exercise.

Related article:

Two mobile command units – what’s inside.

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Suspect in stabbing arrested and then released on a promise to appear in Court.

Crime 100By Staff

June 13th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Daniel Richard FLENNIKEN, a 23 years old Waterdown resident was located and arrested without incident early on Tuesday.

Police were looking for Flenniken after a stabbing that took place outside the Poacher Pub on Pearl Street.

Flenniken - stabber

Daniel Richard Flenniken

Flenniken was charged with the following:

Assault with a Weapon
Assault Cause Bodily Harm
Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose
Failure to Comply with Probation Order

FLENNIKEN was released on a Promise to Appear and an Undertaking and will appear in Milton Court on July 4th, 2018.

Anyone who may have any further information pertaining to this investigation is asked to contact Detective Jared McLeod of the HRPS Burlington Criminal Investigation Bureau 905-825-4747 ext. 2385 or Crime Stoppers “See Something, Hear Something, Know Something – Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca or by texting “Tip 201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).

The observation that an individual, currently on probation, is arrested for a serious crime, for which he has yet to be found guilty, is released on bail a second time, begs the question – how well is our justice system working and how are police able to protect the public if this is how the system operates.

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Sound of Music road closures.

notices100x100By Staff

June 12th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Sound of Music Festival will result in road closures Friday, June 15 to Sunday, June 17.
Road Closures

Road closure signFriday, June 15 from 3:30 p.m. to Sunday, June 17 at 6 p.m. – Brant Street from Caroline Street to Lakeshore Road.

Parade Closures
Saturday, June 16 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Caroline Street from Drury Lane to Locust Street, Elizabeth Street from Caroline Street to Pine Street and Drury Lane from Courtland to New Street.

graphic01

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There were 29 political parties looking for votes - which one did you vote for. Do the results reflect your view of your province?

News 100 yellowBy Staff

June 12th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

PC Party of Ontario won 76 seats, got 2,322,422 votes which was 40.49% of the votes cast.
Ontario NDP won 40 seats, got 1,925,574 votes which was 33.57% of the votes cast.

Ontario Liberal Party won 7 seats, got 1,123,283 votes which was 19.59% of the votes cast.

Green Party of Ontario won 1 seat, got 263,987 votes which was 4.60% of the votes cast.

The Progressive Conservative party forms the government and will rule the province for the next four years.
Many want to see some form of proportional representation but that isn’t going to happen within the next four years.

The voting public was asked who they wanted to lead the province and while it wasn’t a majority the votes the PC’s got were in the right places and that gave them the most seats in the Legislature.

Ballot box - elections ontario

Of the 9,888,888 Registered Electors on Lists; 58% of them turned out to vote.

There were 29 political parties looking for votes.

 

Buter tarts

One political wag looked at these signs and said he chose the butter tarts.

Libertarian party got 42,918 votes

None of the Above Direct

Democracy Party got 16,186 votes.

INDEPENDENT party got 8644 votes.

Trillium Party got 8,178 votes.

N O P party got 5,802 votes.

Consensus Ontario got 2,684 votes

Freedom Party of Ontario got 2,567 votes.

Ontario Party got 2,310 votes.

Ontario Moderate Party got 2,191 votes.

Communist party got 1,471 votes.

CCP party got 1,234 votes

Stop the New Sex-Ed Agenda party got 1,078 votes

Alliance party got 804 votes.

The New People’s Choice Party of Ontario got 633 votes.

Party for People with Special Needs got 631 votes.

The People party got 626 votes.

Ontario Provincial Confederation of Regions Party got 385 votes.

Stop Climate Change party got 342 votes

Go Vegan got 256 votes.

SRP party got 238 votes.

CAP party got 215 votes.

P.O.T. party got 212 votes.                       

Multicultural Party of Ontario party got 191 votes.

CEP party got 151 votes

Paupers party got 111 votes.

There were 9,888,888 Registered Electors on Lists; 58% of them turned out to vote.

Election signs - many

It appeared as if there were fewer election signs on the lawns in Burlington. Are the signs useful, do they serve a purpose ? They are not cheap and they eat up a lot of manpower.

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Regional police now have two mobile command vehicles loaded with technology.

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

June 12, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

There is a lot a police officer can do from the seat of his cruiser. He has access to a huge range of information from staff at the Communications Centre.

There are however times when the police have to set up a command station in the field. They need space to work in and the ability to communicate with people at several levels of authority.

Two mobile commands

Halton Regional Police Mobile Command has two buses – with almost every imaginable piece of equipment- except weapons.

There was a time when police had the use of a small trailer they could work out of. The Halton Regional Police now have two buses that can go almost everywhere and set up a command post.

The larger of the two is 32 feet, the small one is 23 feet.  The larger unit has yet to have to go into the field on an assignment.  The smaller unit has been used a few times.

The two vehicles that are now fully operational and able to move on a couple of minutes notice came in at a cost of $850,000 – and they have everything – including a very small kitchen sink.

Comand with aerial up

The major Mobile Command bus has an aerial with cameras, a satellite dish and a wall that slides out when the vehicle gets into operation.

The two vehicles have a civilian whose full time job is to keep the buses ready to go at a moment’s notice and to ensure that the technology inside the buses is always ready to go. Equipment glitches aren’t tolerated.

The Regional police went through a six month exercise to determine just what there might be or could be in the way of a public safety circumstance and what would be needed in terms of equipment and technology to meet the situation.

Each of the business units was asked what they saw as the need and what they felt was needed.

The Region of Halton is a large sprawling jurisdiction that runs from north of highway 401 to Lake Ontario with Hamilton on the west and the Region of Peel on the east.

Rail lines and the busiest highway in the province run through the top part of the Region.

A team of six people spent six months researching the need and then determining what was needed in the way of equipment.

The decision was to have two vehicles – both were custom built based on a standard bus frame. The larger of the two runs on diesel fuel that drives the 300 horse power engine.

The equipment is kept operating with a 16,000 watt generator. When the command unit arrives on a site the driver engages the pop out that extends one side of the vehicle.  If you look at the photograph you can see the extension.

Main wall of screens

The wall of screens can take a data feed from a number of sources including a twitter feed related to a public safety event. Six different feeds at the same time are possible.

The communications include the basic police walkie talkie that broadcasts over a secure network, a standard land line, cell phones and a satellite telephone.

There is an aerial with a camera that can pick up and hold an image more than a football field in length away.

Inspector + sat phone

HRPS Inspector Derek Davis heads up the Mobile Command. To his right here is a satellite phone, a walkie talkie to communicate with police cruisers, a land line and cell lines

The larger of the two command vehicles can hold 9 people at consoles and an additional four people working inside the bus.

There is every imaginable piece of communications equipment with large screens everywhere.

The main operations table is about the size of a door with a huge screen that works with Google maps and can zoom in and out. A command officer can mark off an area and zoom in for a tighter look.

The feed from the camera can be brought to any one of the screens giving everyone in the vehicle a very close look at what is happening live outside the bus.

The technology can have eight different data feeds coming in at the same time.  The operator can switch from one data feed to another and if need be split a screen to increase the amount of information in front of the people managing the situation.

Ops table with Google maps

A table with a screen the size of a door can take a data feed from a number of sources. Google maps allows the police to zoom in and out and isolate an area and send the image to others.

The second smaller mobile command is intended to handle situations in the field where a police negotiator is required.

The Regional police can be in instant communication with the OPP, the RCMP and the Canadian Armed forces if necessary.

They plug in to the Regions 911 communications centre giving them access to every piece of information you can imagine and then some you wouldn’t think of.

The police are fully conversant with social media and are able to link into twitter feeds to keep up with what the public is saying in the online world.

Commanad 2

The seating area in Mobile 2 – intended for use when a negotiator is required and as a back up.

The mobile command bus doesn’t use keys to access the vehicle – entry is via a card – with just the people who might need to get into the vehicle having access.

There is a video screen and a small desk built into the outside of the bus so that people who do not have to be inside still have access to data and visual information.

In an age where information is what solves crimes and allows people to manage situations where public safety is the issue these two mobile commands will serve the public very well.

graphic03

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Police looking for a Waterdown resident believed to have stabbed a person outside the Poacher early Tuesday morning.

Crime 100By Staff

June 12th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

A stabbing outside The Poacher on Pearl Street in the downtown area of the City has police looking for Daniel Richard FLENNIKEN, a 23 years old Waterdown resident.

Poacher

The Poacher – a pub on Pearl Street

On Tuesday June 12, 2018, at 12:45 am, two adult male persons were outside ‘The Poacher” pub located on Pearl Street in the City of Burlington. Both male persons were known to each other and got into a disagreement that resulted in a physical altercation.

During the altercation the male victim (22 years old) was stabbed in the left side of his chest. The culprit (23 years old) then ran away from the scene. At this time it is not known if it was a knife or other some other type of edged weapon or tool used in the stabbing.

The 22 year old male victim was taken by emergency medical services to the Hamilton General Hospital. It was determined that the victim had a small puncture to his lung on the left side of his chest. The victim is in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery.

The male culprit has been identified as:

Flenniken - stabberDaniel Richard FLENNIKEN (23 years old) of Waterdown, Ontario

FLENNIKEN is presently wanted for the offences of Assault causing bodily harm and Assault with a weapon. The Halton Regional Police Service is encouraging Mr. FLENNIKEN to seek legal advice and turn himself into custody.

Anyone with information on this crime is encouraged to contact Detective Jared MCLEOD of the Burlington Criminal Investigation Bureau at 905.825.4747 Ext. 2385 or Ext. 2316.

Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See Something? Hear Something? Know Something?”
Contact Crime Stoppers at 1.800.222.8477 (TIPS), or through the web at: www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca

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Pathway that ate up more than 20 parking spaces turns out to be quite pleasant - despite some of the most uncomfortable benches ever made.

News 100 yellowBy Staff

June 11th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The City has almost completed the building of a new multi-use pathway in downtown Burlington that includes public art and a small area where groups can gather.

Pathway - public and open

The new open space is inviting – the public art is certainly different.

There are also a number of benches that are the most uncomfortable sitting places you can be imagine. It is almost as if they didn’t want anyone to sit on them. The edges are sharp and there is no back support.

Pathway - city bench

This bench was not made for comfort.

Corus bench BEST

This is a park bench that invites you to sit and tarry awhile. These are located on the Toronto waterfront.

The pathway itself is rather pleasant – running east/west, the new connection will cut across the heart of downtown Burlington. Similar to the promenade at Spencer Smith Park, the new pathway will accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists safely and provide access to other walkways, shops and restaurants along its length.

Paving materials, textures, urban trees, shade structures, site furnishings (except for those benches) and public art have been used along the route to make it friendly for both pedestrians and cyclists.

Pathway outside the Poacher

Looking west from Pearl, the pathway runs to Brant Street – quite pleasant.

The creation of the pathway and the open space did reduce the number of parking spaces – all part of the city’s program to discourage downtown parking.

That decision is going to come back and bite in the derriere.

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Sound of Music - begins on the weekend - Ticketed Kick Off took place last weekend.

eventspink 100x100By Staff

June 11th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Sound of Music did their two day Kick Off event with a number of ticketed events.

The crowds are definitely smaller for these ticketed events and the Sound of Music people are still fine tuning the content.

Crowd with Sweet seats tent

The crowds were a little on the sparse side – was it the weather, the tickets prices or the bands chosen.

David Miller has headed up the organization as Executive Director since 2007. The longer term objective is to make the event a destination by bringing the best of what they see as what an audience wants. “We won’t be bringing Beyonce to Burlington but we do plan on bringing first class talent to the city” said Miller.

Wrost bands

If you wanted to buy a beer and walk around with the can in your hand you needed a wrist band – all you had to do was prove you were over 18 or under 30.

Much of the public wants the festival to be totally free, which Miller admits would be great, ”but the reality is that these events are expensive to mount and maintain and there are only so many sponsorships available”.

He adds that “It costs $150,000 to put up one of those main stages.”

Stage space

For an additional fee you could stand inside an enclosure and give your ear drums a beating.

Ticket sales this year were off a bit from last year.

The SoM have found a number of interesting ways to add to the revenue stream. The created a space directly in front of the stage where people can stand right at the edge and look into the eyes of the players.

Sweet seats

For a fee you could sit in the “Sweet Seats” – shaded by an awning with a great view of the bands.

They created a section called Sweet Seats where people can, for a fee, sit on a sheltered raised stage and enjoy food and a beverage.

There is also a party tent that can be used by corporations who want to entertain and hear the music, enjoy a beverage and perhaps do some business.

Perhaps the most appreciated addition is the ability for people to buy can of beer and walk around the enclosed area chatting with friends and enjoy a drink.

There are plenty of security people about to ensure that no one overdoes the imbibing.

DSC00580

Security was all over the place – allowing people to buy a can of beer and walk around the enclosed grounds was something that was not going to get out of hand.

Security was perhaps the thing that strikes one the most. There were a number of check points and dozens of people wearing security vests.

Better than letting anything get out of control – but it just didn’t feel like a pleasant music festival.

One Burlington resident wrote the Gazette saying he lived two km from the site and said he found the music very intrusive this year asking if the music was louder this year than in the past.

The sound of music has been part of the city for 39 years – the organizers tinker with the content and do work hard to keep everyone happy.

graphic01

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Development projects being put forward for the Brant Fairview part of the city.

News 100 blueBy Staff

June 11th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Development begins to take place on a part of Brant Street that isn’t downtown downtown.  This one is closer to Fairview

A 91 unit four-storey stacked townhouse development with 137 parking spaces below grade, and five above will be shown at an open house Wednesday June 27, 7pm, at the Burlington Public Library for the redevelopment of 849 and 855 Brant Street, south of Fairview

Brant Fairview proposal

Less than a block to the east the Molinaro Group is completing the construction of the first three of the five high rise towers that will be on the site.

The project would require both an Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment. The meeting is hosted by the applicants,TRG (Brant-Fairview), an affiliate of The Rosseau Group, to seek public input prior to filing an application.

The site has at least one perfectly good office building in place but the rule of getting the most out of a piece of land has come into play in Burlington.

In the illustration one can see the location of the Discovery Ford dealership on the west side of Brant.

A number of years ago the then city planner held a meeting of all the automotive dealerships in the city to talk about how property might be developed in the future.  At the time none of the automotive people were interested in thinking in terms of redeveloping their locations.  Discovery Ford recently completed a major upgrade of their site with newer signage and upgrade of the outside of the building

Candidate for the Office of Mayor Marianne Meed Ward will be attending.

graphic02

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Pauline Johnson public school opens two time capsules - prepares material for a third.

News 100 yellowBy Pepper Parr

June 11th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

It was the schools 50th anniversary and something the community wanted to celebrate.

The vision came from the mind of Carie DeMunck, a parent and lead organizer for the event.

The community wanted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Pauline Johnson elementary school that was named after the celebrated Indigenous poet, author and actress who in her time was a major writer and entertainer.

DeMunck was able to contact the founding principal and a number of the teachers who opened the school, which at the time, was one of the first fully open concept schools in the province.

Cameron - Mayor - Miller

Founding principal Doug Campbell with Mayor Rick Goldring and Director of Education Stuart Miller

There were no walls, no corridors just one large open space. It was like one of those traditional one room schools in the rural parts of the province. Doug Campbell said that he had two hats; one as principal of the school and the other as tour guide. Every senior educator in the province wanted to see what an open concept school looked like and how it operated.

The open concept idea lasted five years – then the school began to expand and is now at the point where it has three portables at the back of the building.

Campbell was pretty curt with his comments on the decision to revert to a more traditional school set up. The open concept sounded as if it was the highlight of his career.

DeMunck explained to the Gazette when she was first in touch with us that “Our School is having its 50th Anniversary Celebration on Friday June 8th and 9th of this year. There was to be an official opening of the two time capsules, and a tree dedication.

Past principals, the Mayor of Burlington, and members of Six Nations were part of the audience.

The school gymnasium was filled with the elementary level students who were surprisingly quiet and well behaved.

A student choir sang one of the Pauline Johnson songs: The Land of the Silver Birch.

25th anniv time capsule

The 25th anniversary time capsule.

Time capsules

The two time capsules open during the Friday celebration of the schools 50th anniversary.

The opening of the time capsules was a highlight. However it was what the students wanted to put in the time capsule that was going to be created on the celebration of the 50th anniversary.

Students from each grade level trooped to the front of the audience and read out or displayed what their grade wanted put in the capsule. It was going to be considerably more robust than what had been put in on the 25th anniversary and by the millennial students.

Large large poster

Several students with their poster telling the Pauline Johnson story as they understand it.

Studens - black - teacher

Teacher holds up the Pauline Johnson poster prepared by a class of older elementary school students.

The two capsules were at one point placed outdoors, then moved inside the building where they were placed in an air duct where they gathered dust but were certainly kept dry.  Schools in Ontario for the most part do not have corners stones.

Students at tree dedication

Pauline Johnson public school students taking part in a tree dedication to mark the 50th anniversary of their school.

On Saturday there was a BBQ and a public reunion for alumni who have attended the school since the opening in 1968.

Background link:

Who was Pauline Johnson?

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Councillor Lancaster re-elected to Federation of Canadian Municipalities committee.

News 100 blueBy Staff

June 10th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Councillor Blair Lancaster gets out to almost every photo op there is and has served as the lead spokesperson at a number of NGTA community events with crowrs of 250+. Her constituents are not happy with how she is handling the Air PArk issue.

Councillor Blair Lancaster

Blair Lancaster was re-elected for her second term to the Board of Directors, Ontario Caucus for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), at their Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Halifax.

FCM has been the national voice of municipal government since 1901 and plays an important role in advocating to ensure the needs of municipalities are reflected in federal policies and programs.

Lancaster is the city council member for ward 6 and a member of Regional Council.

Lancaster has filed nomination papers and will be seeking election to a third term of office.

graphic04

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Citizens alert police to suspicious behavior - arrest follows.

Crime 100By Staff

June 10th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Citizens taking care of their community.

On May 28th 2018 at approximately 7:35 AM, several observant citizens reported suspicious activity around a vehicle in the area of Weslock Common and Singleton Common (Alton Community) in the City of Burlington.

HRPS crestOfficers responded and located a man that had been seen by the citizens exiting the vehicle. A subsequent investigation into the vehicle revealed it had been stolen from a Marion Court Burlington driveway on May 26th 2018. Officers also observed a significant number of tools which investigators later identified as being stolen from several residential garage break and enters on Old York Road in Burlington.

Dustin Mark GALLAGHER (34-yrs) of No Fixed Address was arrested and held for bail. He will appear next for a video remand on June 11th 2018 charged with the following offences:

• Break, enter & theft (two counts)
• Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000
• Possession of property obtained by crime under $5000
• Fail to comply with probation (two counts)

Investigators are grateful to the citizens that took the initiative to report suspicious observations that led to this successful outcome and encourage others to do the same to help keep our community safe.

Anyone with information on these crimes is encouraged to contact Detective Clay Gillis of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2307.

Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See Something? Hear Something? Know Something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca .

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Jane McKenna returns to Queen's Park - this time as a member of a government.

SwP thumbnail graphicBy Pepper Parr

June 9th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

It was a resounding win.

Given the chaos that Doug Ford faced when he was made leader of the party his win can only be described as incredible.

The people who voted wanted a change and this has certainly been a change.

The voter turnout is reported to have been 58%, the highest the province has seen in 20 years.  One canno argue with results like that.

The voters made decisions and the joy in the various halls where the celebrations took place echoed what people wanted.

McKenna

Jane McKenna will become the MPP for Burlington, this time as the member of a government.

Burlington is now back to being a blue city. Jane McKenna is once again a member of the provincial legislature and this time she is a member of the government. Whatever Ms McKenna has in the way of ideas and aspirations can now come to the surface.

Time will tell what kind of a contribution she is going to make.

Today, she is to be congratulated for her win.

Eleanor McMahon now ends her career as a politician.

The city did see two very good new candidates: Alvin Tedjo brought a fresh approach for the Liberals and Andrew Drummond was a welcome surprise for the New Democrats. One hopes they stick around.

Time to move on and get on with the business of creating a new government and getting used to the idea that the change the voters wanted has begun.

Will the change we saw take place last night be repeated in October at city hall?  And if they are will they be as resounding?

Salt with Pepper is the reflections, musings and opinions of the Gazette publisher.

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