By Pepper Parr

May 11th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

Jim Young was doing it again.

Making statements that made people uncomfortable. His kind of truth is a little difficult to take. At time people want to suggest to Jim that he “lighten up”.

He was delegating Thursday afternoon on the matter of the LaSalle Park Marina and the need for a spend of $4 million to keep the place open past April of 2019.

Jim Young said:
“My delegation on behalf of Engaged Citizens of Burlington today is a plea for common sense. A plea for fiscal responsibility and a request to consider more appropriate ways to allocate funding so that the community benefit of that spending is more evenly spread and put to better uses.

Jim Young

“ECoB worries that $4 million is a lot of money to spend to help protect the private property of a small group of citizens who are surely among the most able to provide that protection and insurance for themselves.

“We worry that our city may invest this $4 million only to find that the property at La Salle Park reverts to the City of Hamilton in a few years.

“In a city where last fall we had to provide emergency funding to keep our transit system operating legally, might better use be made of that $4 million by our transit system?

“In a ward that has no community centre for seniors, children or adult recreation, might $4 million be better directed towards their needs?

“In city with another 2 wards which similarly have no community centre, might we better serve more of our citizens by allocating this money to that end?

“In a city committed to intensification with so far no supporting Transit Infrastructure in place or planned, that money would allow an 8% increase in the Transit Operating Budget for each of the next 5 years to help achieve those intensification plans. Might this be a better investment?

“In a city committed to increasing and improving cycling with a plan to provide a safe North / South Highway and Railroad Crossing might $ 4 million go a long way to building that?

“Can a city that rejected a $100,000 annual expenditure to provide free off peak transit to around 35,000 poor and isolated seniors, in all conscience, justify $4 million dollars to provide docking improvements for a few hundred fairly wealthy boaters?

“That money would provide free transit for seniors for the next 40 years.

“The people of Burlington are engaged and paying attention to city affairs like never in recent history.

The option the LaSalle Park Marina Association hopes is chosen through the Environmental Assessment due March 2013.

“By adopting Option A and removing yourselves from the Marina Business you can demonstrate that you are sensitive to and attuned to the needs and wishes of ordinary Burlingtonians for whom a boat is a luxury while Transit, Community Centres and Cycling are real and widespread needs.

“At the end of the day La Salle Park Marina is not the city’s business to be involved in. It belongs to an incorporated body, La Salle Park Marina Association on land that belongs to the City of Hamilton and which may very soon revert to that city.”

The members of the Burlington Boating and Sailing Club and the LaSalle Park Marina take exception to being referred to as “rich people” who are being given a benefit that others don’t get.

Membership in the Marina is $9200 – up front. $5200 of that is an initiation fee and $4000 is part of the annual fee structure that has a declining balance approach. The two clubs don’t talk all that much about fees and what it costs to be a member.

They tend to dwell on the benefits the city gets and wonder aloud why a city on the edge of one of the largest lakes in the country should not have a marina.

To their credit the Marina has entered into joint ventures with the city for more than 35 years and has never defaulted or even been late with a payment. They want recognition for what they have done.

The issue gets complex with a deadline for the new breakwater the sailors must have and what that will do to the formation of ice in the winter and what that will do to the Trumpeter swans that have taken up residence in the same location as the marina.

Trumpeter swan – magnificent creatures that many think need the marina space at LaSalle Park to survive the winters. Nonsense according the Marina Association.

What the boaters face are overfed swans that should not be fed by the public who love the birds.

The swan people would like to see the boats somewhere else – the sailors feel the same way about the swans.

Meanwhile Burlington is unable to come to terms with the city of Hamilton on a price for the water lots that Hamilton owns.

It is messy – and the leadership needed isn’t coming out of city hall.

$4 million is a lot of money – but the LaSalle Park Marina has always met their obligations under the Joint Venture agreements they signed with the city.

Which is more than the Trumpeter Swan people can say when it comes to educating the public about not feeding the swans and then doing something to actually prevent that – maybe having one of their group on hand every weekend telling people not to feed the swans?

By Staff

May 10th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

The Burlington Arts and Culture Fund (BACF) grant program award funding support to 20 arts and cultural projects.

The BACF received 25 grant applications that were reviewed by a jury of peers and city staff. Decisions were based on artistic merit, program merit, strategic initiative, and city, community and economic impact.
$50,000 in funding will support 20 arts and cultural projects across Burlington to foster creativity and enhances opportunities for Burlington residents to experience and engage with arts and culture.

The grant program was approved by City Council in September 2017 as part of the Cultural Action Plan.

The BACF is facilitated to nurture the quality and capacity of the arts and culture sector in Burlington. The program is administered by the City of Burlington’s Arts and Culture Section and applications are reviewed in part by a peer assessment jury. City funding provided under this program must be used to further an applicant’s not-for-profit activities. Funding will not be provided for major capital projects including but not limited to the purchase of land, equipment, fixtures or physical facilities. Applicants that have received any form of city funding in the same calendar year, are not eligible for BACF funding.

Project Name: A Lyrical Affair to Remember
Applicant: Daniela Carnevale and Alanna Smith
Funding: $710

A Lyrical Affair to Remember will host its10th Anniversary Cabaret evening at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre studio theatre in February 2019. This event will feature Lyrical Affair in collaboration with guest performers from the past nine seasons. The project will provide learning and training opportunities for emerging artists and technicians alongside the professional theatre technicians at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. “The mission is to create these shows to share our talents and expertise with the community while at the same time providing opportunities for additional singers of all cultural backgrounds to join us. Lyrical Affair is unique to Burlington because it provides cabaret performances with a focus on a variety of musical styles including Broadway, jazz, pop and rock to name a few.”

Project Name: Art in Action Studio Tour
Applicant: Art in Action
Funding: $2,300

Art in Action assists artists in becoming self-sustaining entrepreneurs and encourages a social community for artists in Burlington and surrounding areas. For the past 15 years it has successfully provided opportunities for artists to engage the community by demonstrating their skills and providing a venue to highlight their talent. The Art in Action Burlington Studio Tour is free to the public and the only one of its kind in Burlington. Art in Action functions due to financial support and sponsorship from its members and local businesses. This allows Art in Action to sustain itself while providing an ongoing scholarship to any Halton Region graduating student pursuing further education in the arts. Art in Action is proud to say that, to date, it has offered six such scholarships. The successful student also receives free membership and a guest spot on the tour. This exposure has proved to be invaluable to the student and showcases Art in Action as a progressive, inclusive, organization.

Project Name: A Song for Peace
Applicant: Burlington Civic Chorale
Funding: $2,000

The Burlington Civic Chorale (BCC) is planning a three-part project to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War and highlight Canada’s role in worldwide peacemaking. The concert is part of the chorale’s three-concert season providing choral music to the Halton region. Elements include: Commissioning and performing a choral work by an Ontario composer; The text, created by a Burlington writer, which is based on excerpts from the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech and lecture of Canadian diplomat and eventual Prime Minister, Lester B. Pearson; Seeking publication of the commissioned work, so that it is accessible to choirs and audiences across Canada and around the world; Boosting the reach of their premiere performance and promoting other performances of the work through a professional video of 12 to15 minutes that includes behind-the-scenes footage, brief interviews, and the complete performance, to be shared and promoted via social media.

Project Name: Authors in Your Neighbourhood
Applicant: Sylvia McNicoll
Funding: $2,825

Authors in your neighborhood want elementary students to have a positive interaction with a local writer to foster the love of reading and writing. The project will provide two elementary schools in each of the six wards with a free presentation between September 2018 and March 2019 and each school will be provided with an autographed set of the books that either Jennifer Maruno or Sylvia McNicoll will be speaking on. Following a discussion on the origins, characters, setting of the stories, the students will be inspired to read the work and it will be available for them to read. Approximately 1,200 students will learn more about the author’s writing process, as well as cover design, editing and other publishing process which will increase the depth of their reading enjoyment and encourage them to read the author’s work. Over 40 teachers, librarian-techs, and other teaching assistants will pick up pointers on inspiring proficient writing.

Project Name: Burlington – A City Through the Seasons
Applicant: Robert Todd
Funding: $3,010

The goal of this project is to capture seasonal images of the Burlington’s best sites and use the photographs as part of a touring exhibition. The project will incorporate 16 to 20 of the best images in this exhibition and promote Burlington’s public spaces that are free for everyone to access. The sites will be described in terms of their suitability for those with mobility limitations and will focus on walkable, bike-able and/or transit-friendly locations. The exhibition will be promoted through 8 x 10 photographs in various public locations throughout Burlington to showcase the beauty of its natural environment, architecture, heritage and culture. A guide of these locations will be completed and handed out during the exhibition itself. Both residents and tourists will be able to use this guide on their own to gain access to their favourite locations, based on the compiled images.

Project Name: Burlington Fine Arts Association Annual Juried Exhibition
Applicant: Burlington Fine Arts Association
Funding: $4,104

This project is the first step in building a relationship between the Burlington Fine Arts Association and the Burlington Mall, to bring original art out of the gallery and into a more accessible community venue and consumer space. The Annual Juried Exhibition will be hosted by the BFAA at the Burlington Mall in their new community room. Juried shows are beneficial for the artists because they will receive recognition for their work, have a chance to win a monetary prize, gain exposure and credibility, and learn from the experience of having their work judged by a knowledgeable juror. The community will see the best works that the BFAA has to offer as well as the vast diversity of artists and artistic styles showcased in Burlington. Throughout the exhibition, participating BFAA artists will interact with visitors on site, give live demonstrations and talk about their work and process. The community will learn about creative opportunities available at BFAA and will be able to view original, unique local art.

Project Name: Burlington’s Stars of Tomorrow
Applicant: Symphony on the Bay
Funding: $2,970

As part of its mission to demystify classical music and make it accessible to a broader audience, Symphony on the Bay has a keen interest in providing engaging opportunities for youth and young artists to access resources and performances. Burlington’s Stars of Tomorrow focuses specifically on the needs of two on-going initiatives – A Young Artists Competition and Youth Outreach Program. The Young Artists Competition (YAC) showcases talented youth musicians as featured soloists with the orchestra in a mainstage concert during Symphony on the Bay’s regular season. Symphony on the Bay has conducted this competition annually since 1991. “For the coming season, we plan to broaden the scope of performers to include a category of non-western music. This provides an engaging, culturally diverse musical experience for both performers and the audience. But more importantly, it exposes Burlington’s youth to the rich musical traditions of non-western cultures.”

Project Name: Burlington Welsh Ladies Chorus Concert
Applicant: Burlington Welsh Ladies Chorus
Funding: $500

The Burlington Welsh Ladies Chorus (BWLC) aims to foster creativity, stimulate culture and encourage social cohesion by involving the community in learning songs and singing in different languages without songbooks (as in the Welsh tradition) to entertain the public. “To succeed in our vision of creating an atmosphere of collaboration we look forward to connecting with other musical groups to promote cultural diversity.” The chorus is unique to the area in terms of its composition and delivery. The chorus aims to encourage women in Burlington to join the troupe in learning the esthetics of singing, how to sing in a different language in order to perform and socialize each other.

Project Name: Christmas Collage Ice Show
Applicant: Christmas Collage Fundraising Foundation
Funding: $2,000

Christmas Collage is a celebration of local talent performing in a choreographed ice show that combines all forms of movement on ice, as well as off-ice entertainment by various artists. This show is a collection of artistry and athletics through the movement of figure skating, hockey, synchronized skating, ringette, speed skating, sledge hockey and curling. The event includes over 100 on and off-ice performers including those of all ages, abilities, genders and cultures. Christmas Collage brings together all forms of movement on ice and fosters collaboration between community organizations such as the Burlington Skating Centre, Burlington Barracudas, Burlington Blast, Burlington Eagles, the youth curling program at Burlington Golf and Country Club and local Burlington speed skaters and sledge hockey players. In addition to the on-ice performances, the show features many off-ice entertainers from the local community including Burlington Student Theatre and the Burlington Footnotes, and other local musicians. The show provides an opportunity for many diverse members of the community to perform together and showcase Burlington’s talent in a unique celebration of the holiday season.

Project Name: Emerging Artists Series
Applicant: Rotary Club of Burlington Lakeshore
Funding: $2,600

Canada’s Largest Ribfest Emerging Artists Series is a showcase of local Burlington talent. The program aims to grant emerging artists the best opportunity to launch their career on a featured space at a professional-level. Three of the city’s most up-and-coming artists will be invited to showcase their talent. Canada’s Largest Ribfest Emerging Artists Series offers exposure to new and diverse audiences, networking and connection opportunities, artist relations, hospitality, stage management experience and knowledge to support the career development of the city’s emerging artists. Through the Emerging Artist Series, Canada’s Largest Ribfest will foster the career development of three of Burlington’s emerging artists, providing them with the opportunity to receive a total of six hours of featured space, professional-level airtime.

Project Name: Halton Freedom Celebration
Applicant: Halton Black History Awareness Society
Funding: $5,000

The multicultural 2018 Halton Freedom Festival incorporates a Freedom Celebration Festival at Spencer Smith Park on Saturday, August 4, 2018, a HBHAS Black History Speakers’ Forum on August 2 and an HBHAS Emancipation Art Exhibition from July 10 to September 1 at the Helson Gallery, Halton Hills Cultural Centre. The second annual Halton Freedom Celebration Festival is a free festival open to the public and will include musical and dance acts, youth and children’s events and artistic/musical and historical forums, an extensive marketplace of cultural cuisine, community and cultural association partners, genealogists, historians/authors and cultural/community contributors.

Project Name: The Healing Portraits Project
Applicant: Meraki Arts Collective
Funding: $3,500

The Healing Portraits Project will make an open call to the Burlington arts community, and match three artists with a different set of newcomers to Burlington (individual or group, with or without a translator) in particular, people who have come to the city displaced by violence in other parts of the world. The artists will create an artwork inspired by their story. The collective will capture the story of three artworks that inspire healing, meaning, beauty, and memory in the form of a video. The video itself will be an artwork for both participants and the public to reflect on how art inspires, reflects, connects, teaches, and heals. The Healing Portraits Project seeks to bring together local artists, refugee or newcomer families and connect with the community at large. The final product includes any 3 pieces of art (i.e. painting, sculpture, photography, etc.) that will be based on the stories, feelings, and images that come out of the meeting mediated by an art therapist between the artists and the newcomers. The project will capture the creative process on video to produce a short-film that tells the story of how these pieces of art came about. This short video will be presented together with the artworks themselves.

Project Name: Meet Me at the Brant Inn
Applicant: KooGle Theatre Company
Funding: $2,000

Meet Me at the Brant Inn is a multi-year project to create a musical production about the historical Brant Inn. The Brant Inn located on Burlington lakeshore became one of North America’s most noted and successful nightspots. Some of the biggest names in show business graced the stage at the Brant Inn during the great depression, during the second world war and into the 50’s – where thousands, from all over North America would attend on a nightly basis. Lena Horne, Andy Williams, Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Waller, Benny Goodman, Liberace, Tommy Dorsey, Lawrence Welk, Louis Armstrong, Guy Lombardo, Johnny Mathis, and Duke Ellington to name a few – were headliners. Many local and Canadian bands were also showcased at the Brant Inn.

The story of The Brant Inn, which is a huge part of Burlington’s fabric, will be built by gathering stories from those who were fortunate enough to experience it. “The first year we will be meeting with as many people to hear their stories and work directly alongside a videographer who will record their stories with permission. These stories will potentially be used on stage throughout the musical via video projection of actual interviews that we have recorded with Burlington residents. These true stories will also help shape the storyline of the musical allowing Burlington residents to be directly involved in its creation.”

Project Name: One Burlington Festival 2018
Applicant: Roderick Nisan
Funding: $5,000

The One Burlington Festival will consist of different local exhibitors of different faiths and community organizations having cultural booths and different stage productions of songs and dance produced by the local participating cultural organizations. The festival will create concrete opportunities for positive interaction among the participating communities by supporting inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue and understanding in a friendly, family-oriented environment. The festival provides attendees an enjoyable, informal experience of learning about local cultural and religious communities and the uniqueness of their neighbours. “It is in the discovery of the uniqueness of our cultural neighbours that we realize and come to understand the similarities of the values that we share.”

Project Name: Orchestra BST40 by STARS
Applicant: Student Theatre Active Representatives Society
Funding: $1,000

The Student Theatre Active Representatives Society (STARS) is a volunteer-run organization and registered charity that supports local youth arts organizations and initiatives by providing funding and volunteers to help foster the arts in Burlington. STARS supports youth arts productions in Burlington and youth participation in arts events in the Burlington area. This includes supporting arts festivals in Burlington, such as Beyond the Flounder; supporting arts productions in Burlington, such as those staged by Burlington Student Theatre; supporting youth participation in arts events such as the Rotary Music Festival; and, supporting youth participation in educational activities such as theatrical skills development workshops. The Orchestra BST40 by STARS project will support professional and semi-professional musicians and technicians to support a musical theatre production performed by Burlington youth at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre.

Project Name: PROSPECTS: An Evening of Dance and Discussion
Applicant: Form CDT
Funding: $2,000

PROSPECTS: An Evening of Dance and Discussion is a series of three dance performances. The performances are a mixed program comprised of five pieces of choreography around the same theme. There will be one longer work by Form CDT, a shorter work by Form CDT and then three guest choreographers. PROSPECTS creates the opportunity for local guest choreographers to present their choreography around a specific theme and invites the audience to give their feedback. All of the choreographers will talk about their choreography with the audience and participate in a post-performance social gathering and talk back.

Project Name: Redleaf Choir Project
Applicant: Redleaf Cultural Integration
Funding: $2,600

Redleaf Choir Project (RCP) promotes art and culture by providing individuals with a learning opportunity to practice and improve their singing skills. The program welcomes people from diverse backgrounds, especially newcomers and seniors. The project will take place at the Burlington Senior Centre and run from April 2018 through March 2019. The instructor and choir members will meet every second week to teach and learn new songs including basic singing skills. This project provides a life-long learning opportunity for people continuing to learn as they age and promotes a healthy lifestyle. It is also an effective way to build connections through the learning process. Redleaf Cultural Integration is also planning to reach out to other performing groups from diverse cultural backgrounds, to exchange experiences, and collaborate with them to perform together to promote multiculturalism.

Project Name: Rhythm ‘n’ Art Truck
Applicant: Kinga Zak
Funding: $ 2,400

This project that will foster creativity in Burlington through an engaging, novel approach to arts and culture. The first phase occurs in September 2018 and the second phase will be ongoing throughout the remainder of the year. In September, surprise, live dance performances will be presented in busy, public spaces by a group of hired professional, multicultural dancers. Led by a main facilitator, these dancers will be united in rhythm and unique in movement. Dancers will be wearing colourful hand painted costumes inspired by diverse cultures. This visual extravaganza will highlight diverse identities, perspectives, languages, cultures and artistic practices. The main facilitator will educate participants and invite the public to participate, dancing together to celebrate their uniqueness. The pop-up aspect of this project will take place from July through September 2018. These collaborative performances will be held in six highly-populated public locations – one in each ward.

Project Name: The Tragical Comedy of Mr. Punch
Applicant: Tottering Biped Theatre
Funding: $1,500

The Tragical Comedy of Mr. Punch is a graphic novel penned by one of the world’s foremost English fantasy/sci-fi writers, Neil Gaiman, with images by Dave McKean. In receiving permission to adapt this piece through Gaiman/McKean’s agent, the perfect opportunity to undertake a collaboration project between Tottering Biped Theatre (TBT) and Theatre Beyond Words (TBW) arose. This is a layered, complex novel that suggests mask work, puppetry, and shadow theatre in its form: allowing the transmission of decades of physical theatre knowledge to pass from a company that has represented Canadian physical theatre internationally for decades (TBW) to a young and keen professional physical theatre group (TBT) in the process of adapting the work. It is a legacy project with the potential to deepen Canadian physical theatre while at the same time developing a piece with the potential to tour.

Project Name: With Glowing Hearts
Applicant: Burlington New Millennium Orchestra
Funding: $2,000

A celebratory yet poignant concert presentation in honour of Canada’s heritage and the War Veterans who make Canada proud. This concert will feature some of Canada’s most talented performing artists including Mark Masri, Simone Caruso, Sarena Paton, Gavin Hope, Sarah Campbell Mills, the McMaster University Choir – a fitting tribute to the True North Strong and Free. Attendees will hear songs and narrative with respect to Canada’s contribution to world peace and free society. Some of the narrative will be presented with choral and orchestral. The mission of the Burlington New Millennium Orchestra is to present unique high caliber concerts to the people of Burlington featuring gifted performing artists from the local, national and international arts communities. BNMO will foster collaborations with other local arts groups and engage younger audiences through selective outreach programming.

By Staff

May 10th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

Five community groups will be splitting $20,636 for community projects as part of this year’s Neighbourhood Community Matching Fund program.

The selected groups will receive up to 50 per cent of their project funding from the city, up to a maximum of $5,000. The community groups behind each project will then match this funding with an equal contribution made through any combination of volunteer hours, donated services, donated materials and supplies or other funds raised, such as cash donations.

Neighbourhood Community Matching Fund recipients:

Mindfulness in the Park:
• Organizing free mindfulness sessions in park settings in Aldershot and Elizabeth Gardens communities.
• Sessions will be open to all Burlington residents.

The proposed mural.

Neurodiverse Universe – Art Mural Project:
• A neighbourhood art project to bring awareness, acceptance and appreciation to the greater community of the skills and talents of people with autism.
• Location for project to be determined.

Fencing – why are residents being asked to pay for this fencing? Isn’t it something Parks and Recreation should be taking care ?

Live Out Loud – Outdoor Play Spaces
• Providing fencing to create safe outdoor play spaces (basketball court and play area) for all Burlington residents in the Guelph Line, Woodward and Prospect communities.

Burlington Food Bank Community Garden Expansion
• Community garden expansion in Maple Park Community Gardens will provide fresh produce to clients of the Burlington Food Bank.

Walk with a Doc – Hamilton Burlington Trails Association
The program will offer 12 community walks on Burlington community trails and in community parks. Walks are led by local doctors and health care providers, including a short health talk at the start of each walk.

These projects will be worked on over the next year. Neighbourhood or community groups interested in learning more about the Neighbourhood Community Matching Fund criteria and guidelines for funding can visit burlington.ca/matchingfund. Information about 2019 application and submission deadlines will be available in Fall 2018.

This is the third year of the Neighbourhood Community Matching Fund. In 2016, $35,000 was provided to eight community groups and in 2017, $26,100 was provided to six community projects.

By Staff

May 9th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

The City of Burlington honoured 30 nominees and eight award winners at the annual Burlington’s Best Awards ceremony at the Performing Arts Centre this evening.

The eight Burlington’s Best categories included:

Heritage Award
Community Service Award
Environmental Award
Arts Person of the Year
Accessibility Award
Junior Citizen of the Year
 Senior Person of the Year
Citizen of the Year

2017 Burlington’s Best Award winners
Heritage Award

This award is sponsored by Heritage Burlington, a City of Burlington citizen advisory committee made up of 14 volunteers who provide advice to City Council on issues related to the conservation of Burlington’s cultural heritage.

The award goes to an individual or group who has demonstrated a long-term commitment to the preservation of Burlington’s heritage, and has volunteered his or her time to support the preservation of Burlington’s heritage in 2017.

Winner: Friends of Freeman Station

F OFS

In 2005, a group of interested citizens expressed a desire to save Freeman Station. In 2011, that group became the Friends of Freeman Station (FOFS). To date, over 8,000 volunteer hours have contributed to restoring one of the very few remaining Grand Trunk Railway stations in Canada. In 2017, during Canada’s sesquicentennial, the FOFS hosted two open houses which attracted over 1,000 visitors each day, including representatives from all three levels of government. From the beginning, seven years ago, the FOFS have stayed true to its goal of restoring the Freeman Station and creating a foundation for a sustainable and useful future.

Community Service Award
This award is sponsored by Cogeco, a diversified communications company that strives to meet the communication needs of consumers and advertisers through cable distribution and radio broadcasting.
The Community Service Award is given to an individual or group whose volunteer activity has contributed to the betterment of the Burlington community in 2017.
Winner: Kim Moss

Moss has been the administrator, organizer, public voice, and driving force behind the group ‘Burlington Rocks’. What started as a fun summer distraction of painting and hiding rocks for a few families has turned into a city-wide phenomenon for kids and adults alike. The Burlington Rocks initiative has inspired residents to connect and explore the city in a way that they have not done in the past. People are enjoying green spaces, helping by picking up trash, and getting out into the community. Thanks to Moss’ initiative, youth have gotten involved and are doing things with families and friends in the community that can help keep them civically minded as they mature into adults. Through her leadership, the Burlington Rocks group also helped with fundraising for local families and charities, raising awareness for children’s cancer, hospital needs and school fundraisers.

Environmental Award
This award is sponsored by Walker Environmental Group, a leading waste management company that develops solutions for environmental challenges—solutions that are socially, economically and environmentally sustainable—including aerobic composting, alternative energy production and environmental project management. The company’s diverse range of services provides sustainable solutions that reduce waste, improve energy efficiency and enhance the environment.

The Environmental Award is given to an individual or group that improved and/or protects Burlington’s environment in 2017.
Winner: Gloria Reid

Gloria Reid – taking care of the environment – one weed at a time.

Reid has volunteered hundreds of hours of her time in 2017 to BurlingtonGreen’s projects and events. She serves on three committees and is currently the president of the Board of Directors providing leadership, inspiration and stability to our volunteer-driven organization. Reid worked tirelessly with fellow volunteers, developing a strong, healthy strategic plan that will help guide BurlingtonGreen’s eco initiatives successfully into the future. She has also volunteered with Community Development Halton and worked extensively with the City of Burlington to help develop and implement its Community Engagement Charter.

Arts Person of the Year
THE K.W. IRMISCH AWARD

The Arts Person of the Year Award was donated to the City of Burlington by the Irmisch family to recognize the importance of the arts in the community and to recognize all the volunteers who work so hard to showcase the amazing talent and culture of Burlington.
The award is given to an individual who has contributed to the arts in Burlington as an artist, patron or advocate, including, but not limited to, visual arts, media arts, musical arts, performing arts and literary arts in 2017.
Winner: Teresa Seaton

A well deserved award – name an arts community initiative – and Teresa Seaton was in there somewhere.

Seaton has helped elevate arts and culture in Burlington with her outstanding fine glass art, her significant Burlington studio and gallery and her leadership as one of our community’s major champions for the arts. She was one of the leaders of the Arts and Culture Collective of Burlington to support local artists and art, which led to the creation of Burlington’s first arts council in 2017. As a leader in the community, Seaton has chaired Burlington’s annual Art in Action Studio Tour showcasing Burlington artists, is a founding member of the Artistic Group of Glass (AGOG) and has donated her time and art to Yard Sale for the Cure, Jane’s Walk, SOCKS, and Sister Circle.

Accessibility Award
The Accessibility Award is sponsored by the Burlington Accessibility Advisory Committee whose mission is to provide advice on the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to people with disabilities in the municipality’s bylaws, policies, programs and services.
The award is given to an individual, organization or business that has made significant contributions to increase access and participation of people with disabilities in the Burlington community in 2017.
Winner: Bill Murray

Murray has provided a tremendous opportunity for children with special needs to have access to music through a variety of ways. His music therapy program shows children the beauty and power of music and has transformed many of the kids in his programs. Through Murray’s tireless dedication to his students, he has been able to find ways for kids who struggle with verbal communication to communicate through music. He has found ways to make instruments accessible for children with fine motor skill difficulties or significant physical disabilities. Murray believes that every child should have a chance to make music regardless of their abilities and that, through music, they create memories and friendships which will last a lifetime.

Junior Citizen of the Year
Youthfest was founded in 2002, and avidly promotes the importance of youth in our community, develops youth responsibility and action in the community and connects youth to meaningful volunteer opportunities and available supportive service. The winner will receive a $500 bursary, courtesy of the Bank of Montreal, which has been a leading and supportive partner since the inception of Youthfest.

The Junior Citizen of the Year Award is given to a youth, 14 to 18 years of age, who has made a significant contribution to the Burlington community in 2017.
Winner: Addison Wood

Wood is a very kind, gentle and loving person who wants to make a difference in her community. She volunteers at the Friday Night Community Dinners at Wellington Square Church. She ensures that she is there every week to help make each child feel engaged in the children’s section. Addison is also a part of the Nelson High School Interact Club where she was involved in several projects, including the Bethany House project, which involved buying, wrapping and delivering Christmas gifts to adults with cognitive illnesses. Wood has proven to be a diligent and dependable young member of Burlington who inspires others by her actions and leadership.

Senior Person of the Year
Canadian-owned and operated, Schlegel Villages’ mission is to provide holistic health care in-home environment, located within an internal neighbourhood design that promotes a caring community, with emphasis on optimal health and life purpose for each resident. The Village of Tansley Woods offers a rich selection of programs and activities year around. The Village is designed to build a community while serving residents’ personal needs and wants.
The Senior Person of the Year Award is given to a Burlington resident aged 55 years or older who has made a significant contribution to the Burlington community and/or advocated on behalf of seniors in 2017.
Winner: Mae Radford

Mae Radford – decades of community service recognized.

Radford is a very active Burlington volunteer and leader who improves the lives of citizens in the community. She has driven the creation, funding and operation of Circle of Friends serving as Leader/Director/Senior Officer. Mae has successfully created partnerships with the McMaster School of Nursing and Burlington Central Public School to bring value to the program and the partnerships. Radford’s other community leadership roles include, but are not limited to, the Advisory Committee on Violence against Women, member of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, Rotary Burlington Music Festival, Board of Directors with Joseph Brant Hospital and the Carpenter Hospice. Radford’s commitment in volunteering her time, personal abilities and gifts to support local organizations and projects to make our community better is remarkable and inspiring.

Citizen of the Year Award
The City of Burlington is a unique city within the Greater Toronto Area that is defined by both significant urban and rural areas. The city is proud of its clean, safe, close-knit neighbourhoods, many employment opportunities and commitment to alternative ways of getting around. The City of Burlington’s vision is to be a city “that grows, moves, is healthy, green and engaging.”
The Citizen of the Year Award is given to a person whose volunteer activity has made a significant and sustained contribution to the vibrancy and wellbeing of the Burlington community in 2017.
Winner: Osob Adus

Osob Adus, an essential member of the organizing team for the One Burlington Festival

Adus is a mother of four and a full-time worker, yet she never goes a day without helping her community. She is passionate about everything she does and is a genuine role model for the Burlington community. Adus was an instrumental leader in building a playground at the mosque for the community and surrounding neighbourhoods to enjoy. Adus was the lead for an annual youth soccer tournament as well as working with city staff to create a culturally friendly swim. She was an essential member of the organizing team for the One Burlington Festival, which promoted religious tolerance and education. Her commitment, enthusiasm and desire to the serve the community have made a difference in many lives.

The Gazette regrets that t did not have photographs of all the BEST award winners in its photo bank.

About Burlington’s Best
Burlington’s Best Awards are managed by a citizens’ committee established in 1965 with the mandate of recognizing Burlington residents who bring honour to the city and make a difference in the community.