 By Pepper Parr
March 28, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The city is bedeviled with what to do about parking – there are those who feel a parking spot is supposed to open up for them in exactly the place they want to put their vehicle. Many seem blind to the impact their vehicles have on the environment and even though they have more disposable income than they could possibly spend they howl over the cost of parking.
 There are times when you can’t get a parking spot at the Mapleview Mall where there are acres of parking space. Is there a solution? We need one. The city has two malls –one with fields of parking that are covered in asphalt that creates significant storm water management problems. The city owns more than half a dozen parking lots plus a multi-storey tower downtown that is rarely full. Developers are putting up structures for people who may well not require the amount of space the city rules require them to build – but the rules are the rules.
 Could we begin freeing up some space and creating spots for just these little guys? Many of the cars on the road these days are not as big – two could fit in the parking spots now underground but the rules don’t permit much flexibility.
The city has thousands of homes with garages – but residents complain about parking space because their garage is used as storage or a workshop.
The city does have some issues with parking – the biggest of which is public attitude.
The department of transportation is holding an Open House to gather public opinion as they work towards a major review of what the parking standards should be for the city.
Vito Tolone, the recently appointed Director of Transportation, has been around parking most of his municipal career – he knows what he is talking about. He does get a little excited at times during presentations but if you listen to him and pay attention to what he has to say – you will find he is usually right.
This project he is overseeing with the aid of the IBI Group who are serving as consultants to the city is to develop parking standards that:
• Are clear, defendable, and based on sound technical analysis;
• Recognize differences in existing land use and support the envisioned urban structure;
• Encourage transportation alternatives to the personal automobile, where available;
• Support efficient forms of development in terms of costs and land requirements; and
• Balance the needs and concerns of a diverse set of stakeholders including City staff, (who happen to get free parking for their cars), developers, businesses, ratepayer groups, TDM organizations, and the general public.
 This is the crew that is going to have to look at the staff report and then stand up and do the best thing for the people that put them in office – that will call for them to work ad a team – not something that is seen very often. Lessons learned in previous studies point to the following key success factors: There has to be support at a very high level – city Councillors have to be behind any changes.
There has to be a willingness to accept at least a degree of change, which amount to some political courage and real leadership. Burlington has always been a little short on political courage.
There has to be a balance of technical analysis, best practices and policy guidance. That policy guidance comes from staff based on the data they collect and the advice they get from the consultants the hire.
Potential Challenges include: Collecting data for wide range of uses; obtaining data from private residential properties; developer input (the developers have to be responsible and pay at least some attention to the greater good and not just their bottom line.
There may be a disconnect between the ideal future standards and current behavior (truer words have not been written. Finally, phasing in parking standards is difficult.
Key Issues for Study
• Parking issues differ across user groups and land uses
• Balancing the needs and concerns of a diverse group of stakeholders is a concern
• The city anticipates parking pressure from downtown redevelopment.
• The unclear future of emerging trends in transportation technology and their impacts on parking requirements is not something easily known.
The consultation process is:
• To gain an understanding of the issues that residents, business owners, developers, etc. face in regard to parking and parking standards;
• To gain an understanding of the potential effectiveness of changes to parking standards in making more efficient use of parking, supporting transit-oriented development, and other policy objectives; and
• To gain buy-in from the business and development community, ratepayers, and other interest groups on proposed parking standards.
With the Strategic Plan about to get a blessing from city council staff will begin to fit the role transportation is going to play in the way Burlington will get grown during the next 25 years.
Work on the Official Plan can go forward with more precision now that the Strategic Plan is in place. The Transportation Master Plan will get re-shaped and not exist as a plan that does not fit in tightly with everything else. This is going to be a new experience for the bureaucrats – city manager James Ridge has made it clear that his approach to managing the growth of the city is to always be looking at the complete picture.
 It’s an empty field right now – in a very short period of time it will be a very busy construction site with stacked townhouses and apartment/condo towers – with not that much in the way of public space. All being done legally. The city has come to the conclusion that it will have a number of mobility hubs and appear to be being forced by a developer in the west end to go with the Aldershot GO station as the first hub – even though for the sake of the city – Aldershot may not make the most sense.
 The Station West development yards from the Aldershot GO station is being actively marketed by the Adi Development group. The problem is a developer is racing ahead with plans that the city has to climb on board with or get left behind. Quite how Burlington got itself in this bind is going to take some analysis – and if there are planning tools that can give the city more leverage – someone better find then and learn how to use them quickly.
Wednesday night the public gets a chance to make its views known. We need to do this right the first time – once decisions are made – there is no going back. We haven’t done all that well with transportation issues in the past.
 By Staff
March 27, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
If you were on or wanted to get onto the 407 Hamilton bound from Burlington Sunday afternoon police attempting to arrest the driver of a stolen vehicle would have delayed your trip for a short bit.
Just after 2:00pm, members of the Halton Regional Police were conducting an investigation into a possible stolen car when the suspect vehicle entered onto the 407 highway from Burlington.
A uniformed Officer attempted to stop the vehicle and as a result there was a collision between the police cruiser and the suspect’s car. The collision caused both vehicles to lose control and crash. The lone occupant of the stolen vehicle was arrested after a brief foot chase.
Members of the Ontario Provincial Police closed this portion of the 407 highway for a brief period as the collision was investigated.
The involved Officer sustained minor injury as a result of the collision and was transported to an area hospital. The suspect was also seen at hospital and was released a short time later.
James Arthur WARNER – 39 years, of no fixed address, has been charged with the following offences;
• Flight causing Bodily Harm
• Dangerous Drive causing Bodily Harm
• Possession of Stolen Property (Motor Vehicle -over $5000)
• Possession of Stolen Property (licence plates – under $5000)
• Obstruct Police
• Identity Fraud
• Identity Theft
• Breach Probation (3 Counts)
• Suspend Drive (Highway Traffic Act)
Mr. WARNER has been held in Police custody pending a bail hearing.
 By Staff
March 27, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The people who watch weather stuff have issued an alert that comes to us from Conservation Halton via Environment Canada forecasting rain beginning this evening and ending by tomorrow afternoon with expected amounts ranging from 25 mm to 50 mm.
This precipitation, in conjunction with saturated ground conditions will result in higher than normal water levels and flows in local streams. No flooding is anticipated at this time.
 Water levels in watershed creeks will rise significantly during the weekend. Caution around the edges of creeks – especially with children. Conservation Halton is asking all residents and children to stay away from watercourses and structures such as bridges, culverts and dams. Elevated water levels, fast flowing water, and slippery conditions along stream banks make these locations extremely dangerous. Please alert children in your care of these imminent dangers.
Conservation Halton will continue to monitor stream flow and weather conditions and will issue further messages as necessary.
This Watershed Conditions Statement will be in effect through Tuesday March 29, 2016.
A Watershed Conditions Statement is issued when high flows, unsafe banks, melting ice or other factors that could be dangerous for recreational users such as anglers, canoeist, hikers, children and pets.
Flooding is not expected.
 By Pepper Parr
March 26th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
As Standing Committee meetings go it was a pretty full agenda. The afternoon session was full and some significant recommendations were made. One was so important to this council that they held a Special meeting of council to pass a recommendation they had made minutes before – that had to do with the designation of a piece of property in the city core in ward 2.
The Gazette reports on that event elsewhere.
 The webcast station is tucked away in a corner at the back of the council chamber. It needs an equipment upgrade and better oversight as well. The evening session had three items that were important:
1 – Memorandum from Mayor Goldring requesting pilot for private tree by-law in Roseland. (DI-01-16)
2 – Report providing enhanced cycling infrastructure options for New Street. (TS-06-16)
3 – Statutory public meeting and report providing information regarding a rezoning application for 2384 Queensway Drive (Habitat for Humanity Halton). (
The meeting did take place and there was some media in attendance. The Gazette chose not to attend this meeting – choosing instead to hear a presentation on what is being done with the Randle Reef – a pile of toxic sludge in Hamilton harbour that is being covered over using $2.3 million of your tax dollars.
We decided we could pick up the webcast and report on the evening meeting of the Development and Infrastructure Standing Committee.
Well – we are not able to report on that meeting – the web cast does not include either sound or the closed captioning. As of Thursday afternoon – no one seems to know quite why.
 Councillor Craven chaired the Development and Infrastructure meeting and was not aware it wasn’t being fully broadcast. No one told him. As a former broadcaster that must rankle him. The Chair of the Standing Committee didn’t appear to know that his meeting was not being effectively broadcast. There is no reason why he should. The Information technology staff didn’t seem to know that the broadcast wasn’t complete either.
The Gazette was able to get through to Councillor Meed Ward who made inquiries – the city manager doesn’t appear to have been in the loop.
This is sort of like a radio station going off the air and no on at the station being aware that no one could listen to what was being said.
The city did add a note to the web site saying:
D&I – Mar 22, 2016 – 6:30 pm
Due to technical difficulties, the evening session of the Development and Infrastructure Committee meeting on March 22, 2016 does not contain audio or closed…
We don’t know of there was a malfunction of the equipment or if it was the web caster who didn’t push a button or if the committee clerk failed to push a button.
The record of the meeting is lost – forever apparently – so the public has no way of knowing what the Mayor had to say about his motion to create a private tree bylaw nor do we know what the discussion was about adding bike lanes to the construction work currently being done on New Street.
The Committee Clerks does take minutes –we are about to see just how completely inadequate those minutes are. We will publish them just as soon as they are available.
The questions one asks is: What’s going on at city hall? We do not believe the failure to capture the sound and the closed captioning was deliberate but we do wonder aloud why someone did not check to ensure that the sound was being captured and broadcast. Is this something the webcaster should have done ? Is it something the Committee Clerk should have done? Should the Committee Chair, Rick Craven have checked, or more importantly, should the webcaster or the Committee Clerk alerted the chair to a problem – and once it was evident there was a problem should the city manager James Ridge not have made a statement and apologized for the screw up?
This mistake points to a bigger problem – the equipment the city uses is ancient and the quality of the broadcast is terrible. The mages are fuzzy and it is difficult to understand just who is speaking at times.
We have a city administration that goes on and on about how well they engage the people picking up the tab – but they rob you of the opportunity to go back and see just what the rascals are doing.
 By Staff
March 25, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 The provincial government has made it very easy to learn who got paid more than $100,000 during 2015. What was a little tough, especially for those who are far below that $100,000 figure, is the title of the Minister who released the data – Deb Matthews is President of the Treasury Board, and Minister Responsible for the Poverty Reduction Strategy.
 If you’re happy and you know it – clap your hands. Getting more people onto that $100,000 list would help – the 15 cent an hour increase in the minimum wage that was announced isn’t going to do all that much is it?
The searchable list of those hard working folks on what has come to be known as the “sunshine list” is a click away: CLICK HERE
When you search to learn what our council members are paid realize that they get a cheque from both the city and the Region.
 By Staff
March 24, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
For every new development project undertaken in Burlington, the city is responsible for determining how many parking spaces should be provided. The amount of car parking is calculated using a number of factors such as the type of development (retail, medical office, restaurant, shopping centre) and the number of vehicles attracted to the development. The size and design of parking spaces are also determined by the parking standards.
 The city has a number of parking lots that it would dearly like to develop – the developers would dearly like to not have to provide as much parking. we have a problem. The city has decided it is time to review the parking standards it has.
The current parking standards are more than thirty years old. The recommendations that come out of the review will be used as the basis for updating parking regulations and design standards for development in Burlington as part of the Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw Review.
The review will help ensure the right number of parking spaces is required for the suggested land use. The review will also consider the design of the parking spaces taking into consideration new technologies like electric vehicles and car lifts.
Over the course of the review, the city will be collecting feedback about parking standards from key stakeholders, including citizen advisory committees, the development community and the public.
 Where are we going to park the cars while we wait for a transit system that lessens the need for cars? The public is invited to drop in at a public open house on Wednesday, March 30, 2016, between 6:30-8 p.m. at the Art Gallery of Burlington to provide feedback on the city-wide Parking Standards Review.
The city has been dickering with a parking meter company for more than a year for the installation of meters that were said to have all the whistles and bells that would bring the parking meters Burlington currently uses on the streets into the modern age.
Something is caught in the cogs that go round at round at city hall – no sign of anything new yet.
The city web site has posted an on line Parking Standards Review survey. CLICK HERE to complete the survey,
 By Ray Rivers
March 25, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
If you want to make money, you have to spend money. And that pretty well sums up the 2016 federal budget – it’s about re-investing in Canada and Canadians. Hardly revolutionary, this economic plan is corrective and moderate in its measures – a first step in the right direction.
 While outdated the graphic does show the impact research and development spending has on an economy. There is investment in transportation infrastructure, something which will improve our productivity, particularly in built-up areas like the GTA. There is some modest spending to improve access to education, particularly for the underprivileged. And there is a huge push to restore levels of R&D, innovation and science, which had been allowed to lapse over the last decade.
Changes to the income tax code, already in the works, modestly favour the middle class over the wealthy. This is more than an attempt to arrest and correct the growing spread between the rich and the poor; this is sound economic policy. It’s called the marginal propensity to consume – redistributing income from the wealthy increases domestic spending, driving consumption and investment, and consequently economic growth.
There is no question of the social dimension of this budget, which invests heavily in people, particularly the disadvantaged. Veterans complaints about neglect are addressed. More child care money will be going to the lower income parents who really need it. Canada’s first nations are given the opportunity to catch up to the rest of us. And age of seniority has been rolled back to 65, at the same time as greater assistance is provided to those seniors in need.
 Perhaps the bigger questions is – will the country be affected by the pipeline? There is investment in the environment as well. So we’ll see our national environment assessment process restored. Ironically that might expedite the construction of the Energy-East pipeline, as that is a precondition for Quebec’s consent. And the Prime Minister has solidified his commitment to put climate change money on the table to help motivate Canada’s Premiers to action.
The price tag for this budget comes in at just below the thirty billion deficit that everyone was expecting. The largely muted response to the size of the deficit is the result of a government which has shown its ability to manage expectations, and, of course, the promises made during the last election. Only the interim leader of yesterday’s government couldn’t resist the temptation to dump on the budget.
30 Billion dollars is a lot of money, but even after another four years of deficit, Canada will still have the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7, and half the level of the US or the UK. Moreover, if the annual deficit projections in the budget bear out, relative debt levels will shadow the debt performance of the preceding government, making Ms. Ambrose’s complaint at best a case of the pot calling the kettle…
And not everyone will benefit from this package. New toys for the military are on the back burner, reflecting a lower immediate priority. There could have been more income re-distribution, even greater support for our cultural industries and a faster path for infrastructure development. But you can’t do everything. We also know that more money will still be needed for a new national health care charter and enhancements to the Canada Pension Plan, initiatives on a different timetable.
 There are thousands of small solar panel installations like this across the province – they work very well and in many cases provide revenue for the owners. The budget represents a necessary investment to return Canada to a more balanced, engaging and innovative economy. The fossil fuel era has itself becoming fossilized. Coal has left the station and oil is following suit, being replaced everywhere by renewable energy. Those were yesterday’s ideas promoted by yesterday’s short-sighted leaders.
Canada’s future lies in its potential as a balanced diverse economy. Its strength lies more with our human than with our natural resources. This budget helps us move in that direction by promoting education, science, industry and clean energy. If you get stuck in the past you’ll miss the future.
Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran as a Liberal against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province. Rivers is no longer active with any political party.
Background links:
2016 Budget in Full
Highlights
Deficit
More Deficit
Criticism
More Criticism
Analysis
An Easy Sell –
 By Staff
March 24, 2016
BURLINGTON,ON
Due to an event at The First Ontario Centre, Bay Street will be closed from King Street to York Boulevard from approx. 8:30 – 11:30 p.m.
 The Route 1 will need to detour as follows:
• Regular routing to King and Bay streets
• Continue along King Street and turn right on Hess Street
• Left at Cannon Street
• Resume regular routing…
During this time, bus stops at Bay and Vine Streets as well as Cannon and Queen Streets cannot be serviced. Please proceed to the stop at Cannon and Queen Street.
By Staff
March 24, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
As the Easter long weekend arrives so does the Spring Provincial Seatbelt Campaign. The Halton Regional Police Service reminds motorists that wearing a seatbelt while in a motor vehicle is the law and officers intend to actively enforce that law.
The campaign will run from Friday, March 25th, 2016 – Monday, March 28th, 2016.
 Deputy Chief Nishan DURAIAPPAH on the right. Halton Regional Police Service Deputy Chief Nishan DURAIAPPAH is pretty blunt and direct when he says: “A properly used seatbelt is the most important piece of restraint system your car has. It’s also one of the few things you have full control over. Regardless of whether you’re on a short trip and you know the roads, you need to wear a seatbelt. The decision not to could be the last decision you make. When a driver not wearing a seatbelt is involved in a collision, the ability to control your vehicle is lost – and the likelihood of serious injury or fatality increases dramatically. Each year we stop and charge hundreds of drivers for not wearing their seatbelts and will continue to do so. Our officers will be diligently enforcing the seatbelt legislation throughout this traffic safety campaign.”
Drivers should you choose not to buckle up you could face a fine of $240 and 2 demerit points which will remain on your driving record for two years from the date of the offence.
Drivers are reminded that they are responsible to ensure all occupants under the age of sixteen and occupying a seating position are wearing the complete seat belt assembly, including a properly approved child seat or booster seat.
 By Staff
March 23, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Thursday evening Halton Police Officers will be playing local youth in a friendly ball hockey game at Glad Tidings Church, 1401 Guelph Line in Burlington.
Once a month, since March 2014, Burlington officers engage in Youth Sports Nights.
These nights provide an opportunity for youths and police to interact in a relaxed environment. This strategy was initiated by the youth of the North BurLINKton community organization. The youths challenged members of 3 District’s Community Mobilization Bureau (CMB), and the officers accepted.
These nights are a drop in style community event open for teens 12-18 years old. The events are free and open for local youths to attend and engage in fun physical activity/organized sports.
It was designed to create positive police interaction and assist in breaking down barriers between police and local youths.
We will let you know who wins.
By Staff
March 22, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Halton District School Board will be holding its 27th annual Halton Skills Competition which will be hosted by Robert Bateman High School, 5151 New Street in Burlington.
The competition will take place from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., with the results revealed and celebrated at the medals presentation starting at 5:30 p.m. on April 5th
Approximately 1,200 elementary and secondary students from across the Halton boards will compete in a wide range of skills in more than 40 competitions. Teams of elementary students in Grades 4-8 will take part in activities like the technology challenge, green energy challenge, distance challenge, Lego robotics, and TV/video production competitions. New to this year’s competition will be a demonstration of the learning students are experiencing as teachers integrate robotics into the curriculum.
 Robotics students at Central High prepare for their comptitions. Secondary school students will compete in numerous events including architectural CADD, auto collision repair, auto service technology, auto painting, baking, cabinet making, character animation, culinary arts, desktop publishing, digital photography, distance car challenge, electrical installations, electronics, fashion design, floristry, graphic design, hairstyling, health care, home building, team and individual carpentry, home building, horticulture and landscape, landscape design, mechanical computer-assisted design, precision machining, refrigeration, robotics and control systems, website development, welding, small power equipment and TV/Video production.
A Career Showcase will take place during the day with representatives from the community, business, industry and education sectors.
“The Halton Skills Competition is a fabulous way to showcase the amazing talents of our students as they engage in friendly competition at a very high level,” said Julie Hunt Gibbons, Superintendent of Education for the Halton District School Board. “There is a huge need for skilled trades in our country, and it is very encouraging to see the both the interest and incredible skill levels acquired by our students during their time with us.”
 Students successful in the competition will go forward to represent the Halton District School Board at the Ontario Skills Competition in Waterloo from May 2-4, and then onto the Skills Canada National Competition in Moncton from June 5-8.
By Pepper Parr
March 22nd, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) created a 10 year Economic Vision that is a foundational part of the strategic plan the city approved at the standing committee level last night.
The economic visions acts as both a standalone economic strategy which outlines in detail the vision for Burlington’s economy and will also be fully integrated into the City of Burlington 2015 Strategic Plan.
 From the left: JCBourne and Norm McDonald of consultants KPMG, Frank McKeown, BEDC Executive Director, Councillor Paul Sharman, Andrea smith, Official Plan review manager and Councillor Blair Lancaster at a strategic Plan review meeting. Burlington Vision 2025 will allow the business community to better understand the economic situation in Burlington and its position in the changing global economy, create a clear direction for economic growth in Burlington, help to address the economic pressures and trends in the region and act as the roadmap to economic prosperity in Burlington. The result will be a focused economic strategy that illustrates our short and long term objectives and identifies the strategies that will allow us to achieve them.
The development of Vision 2025 was founded on two core principles:
Understanding our current situation through data analysis and
Engaging stakeholders to create a common vision that can be achieved in partnership.
An extensive baseline analysis and stakeholder engagement process was undertaken to support these objectives which engaged over 300 stakeholders through a combination of interviews, surveys and workshops. This process was overseen by the Economic Vision Advisory Committee composed of 19 stakeholders who met regularly throughout the development of Burlington Vision 2025 to review work completed and develop draft directions for the economic vision. The results of this work is set out in separate reports:
Burlington Base Analysis
Burlington Key Sector Analysis
Burlington Infrastructure & Employment Lands Analysis
Burlington Competitive Analysis
Burlington SWOT Analysis
Online Survey Summary Report
Stakeholder Interview Summary Report
Burlington Rural Strategy Background Document
These resulted in the following five Strategic Pillars and 2 Economic Enablers for Burlington Vision 2025:
Strategic Pillars
Development & Intensification of Employment Lands
Vibrant, Diverse & Growing Community
Fostering Business Growth, Investment, Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Integrated Transportation & Increased Connectivity
Developing a Unique & Dynamic Brand for the City of Burlington
Economic Enablers:
Infrastructure Planning by all Regulatory Bodies
Intergovernmental Alignment
 From the left: Frank McKeown with Councillor Paul Sharman during the first creation of a Strategic Plan in 2011 BEDC Executive Director Frank McKeown was happy to see the city getting away from a brand that had defined the city as age friendly with one of the larger serniors population in the province and the largest in the Region. He wanted to see the city’s brand focused on vibrancy, innovation and growth. He added that “we have to become better at redevelopment because there is precious little greenfield development left.
McKeown said he has found that the city has a very strong working relationship with Hamilton; one that is much stronger than the one with Oakville or Milton. He hopes to create stronger bonds between both McMaster University and Mohawk College.
McKeown said he hoped council was inspired by the document and that he hopd as well that staff wouild feel inspired as well.
“We need to be more innovative” he said “and we need to attract talent to make this happen. Council has to be part of the talent attraction team.”
The success of this plan will not be seen just at city hall – it will be seen in the commercial community and that success will attract more successes.”
Frank McKeown told city council last night that he supports the Strategic Plan and pointed out that the hard part now begins” You have to execute on the plan you are about to make policy for the city.” He added that less than 10% of most Strategic Plans get properly executed.
 By Staff
March 22, 2016
BURLINGTON ON
Burlington residents are going to decide on what Burlington’s theme for the Canada 150 Mosaic Mural is going to look like.
And what is the Canada 150 Mosaic mural all about.
If you are a little weak on your Canadian history – think 1867 when the country was created – add 150 years and you get to 2017 when the country is going to go bananas over our sesquicentennial.
 New Canadians being sworn in at a Burlington Canada Day event. In the lower left corner former Former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario – The Late Lincoln Alexander and wife Marni Beal Alexander. The Canada 150 Mosaic Mural is a national project created by Albertan artists Lewis Lavoie, Paul Lavoie and Phil Alain. During the two years leading up to Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017, the artists plan to create murals in 150 different communities across the country as part of the national celebrations. Each mural will incorporate locally relevant imagery. The mural will also be featured on the project’s website where the 150 completed murals will be virtually joined together and displayed.
“The City of Burlington will be participating in the Canada 150 Mosaic project through our public art program,” said Angela Paparizo, manager of arts and culture.
“The mural will be made up of approximately 400 individual tiles painted by the residents of Burlington. It is open to residents of all ages and skill levels. The tiles painted by
Burlington residents will be joined together to create a large mural designed by the artists.”
Residents can vote online and chose from these themes for the Burlington mural:
Brant Street Pier
Burlington Teen Tour Band
Joseph Brant
Lake Ontario
The Niagara Escarpment
Let the city know what you would like to see as the theme – CLICK here.
Those with some other idea for a theme for Burlington can email it to kim@cobaltconnects.ca
Voting has already started – a sense of where citizens are going with this one is evident in the graph below. Perhaps every member of the \teen Tour Band voted – along with the band alumni – it is a pretty big group. City council will shudder if the public voted for the (paid for twice) pier and most people know so little about Joseph Brant the founder of the city that he will get precious little memtion.
The Canada 150 Mosaic artists will be in Burlington to direct tile painting with residents on Monday, May 22 and Tuesday, May 23, 2017. The final mural will be unveiled on Canada Day, July 1, 2017.
 By Pepper Parr
March 21, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It was one of those déjà vu evenings for Trevor Copp as he stood at the podium during a Corporate and community Affairs Standing Committee meetings – this time, at least to some degree – thanking the city for beginning to come around to his point – first made about five years ago – that artists were beginning to be able to work in the city they live in.
 Trevor Copp in conversation with Angela Paparizo, the city’s cultural manager. Copp’s was delegating at the meeting which was hearing comments on the close to final draft of the 25 year Strategic Plan. The event was part love in and part dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s while council and staff commented on just how involved citizens had been in creating the document.
It isn’t an overly long document – 30 some odd pages and there isn’t much in the way of inspiring language in it – but it is at least understandable.
 Frank McKeown, former Chief of Staff to Mayor Rick Goldring and now the Executive Director of the Economic Development Corporation supports the Strategic Pan – now wants th city to deliver on the document. Frank McKeown, executive director of the Economic Development Corporation added that it was a solid plan – the challenge now was to executive on that plan – and that is the real challenge.
City manager James Ridge, sounding like an author on a promotional tour, threw out the phrase “blue print for city building” as if it was the title of a book and he wanted to be certain that people go it. We counted five occasion when the phrase was inserted into his comments.
Ridge set out some of the challenges the city faces and identified a number of places where things are going to get done differently. The Gazette comments on the Ridge remarks elsewhere.
Throughout the creation of the Strategic Plan – and it was a creation – they took more than nine months to complete the document – we don’t know the total cost yet – the word culture was sprinkled rough numerous pages.
Jim Riley, part of the arts collective in Burlington, made the point that the word art had been left out – and while it may seem petty, Riley had a point. “The arts change culture” he said. Most of council got his point which is something that would not have happened five years ago.
Riley went on to point to definitions of culture in both a UNESCO document and a Ministry of Culture document.
Many speak of the role the arts plays in local economies –and city manager Ridge tends to portray himself as “arts sensitive” – just how sensitive will become evident when we see how much he invests in the art community.
The city puts just shy of a million dollars into the Performing arts Centre and another just shy of a million into the Art Gallery of Burlington – but not much of that money finds it way into the pockets of the artists.
The city does have a cultural manager who has an assistant – but the city seems to have said that it isn’t going to put much in the way of dollars into the Culture Days event that takes place each fall.
 What has traditionally been a document to guide a city council during its term of office – the 2015 Strategic Plan was changed to a long term vision document that covers a 25 year time frame. Of all the issues that got covered during the debate Monday evening – culture got the most air time – but there wasn’t a word from either the Executive Directors of the Performing Arts Centre or the Art Gallery.
Trevor Copp might have to come back to a council meeting and prod a little more. Copp’s did say that he felt there was very good public participation in the creation of the plan
“You couldn’t go anywhere without seeing a notice of a public meeting about the Strategic Plan” he said.
There was far more public discussion about this plan than any other document the city has developed. Michelle Dwyer, who is on her way to city hall sainthood for her efforts to get the plan completed, mentioned that she saw dozens of people attend meetings with copies of draft of the plan printed out and marked up in their hands as they walked into meetings.
 The Strategic Plan came out of a city administration run by city manager James Ridge – it is now his to deliver on.  KPMG consultant JC Bourne with city manager James Ridge and Michelle Dwyer – the woman said to have made the creation of the Strategic Plan possible. City manager Ridge said that the Strategic Plan “would have never happened with Michelle work”.
In his closing remarks Councillor Craven said that he supported the plan (he had few questions about the content) but thought it took far too long and that it could have been done at a weekend symposium without consultants.
That’s the way they do things in Aldershot where, as the ward 1 Councillor pointed out “the developers are ahead of the city with their proposals” – Station West – the stacked ton house development is pretty close to a done deal.
The strategic Plan will get some fine tuning in the next few days and get put before Council on the 11th of April. Then the really hard work begins – because all those people who turned up at the public meetings are going to hold this council and its administration accountable for what is set out in the document.
By Staff
March 21st, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board invites parents to attend an information session in the next several weeks to gain information, meet other parents and ask questions about transitioning their children with special needs into Kindergarten. The following meetings will be held:
Wednesday, March 30, 2016 – Emily Carr Public School at 4-5:30 p.m., 2255 Pine Glen Rd., Oakville
Monday, April 4, 2016 – M.M. Robinson High School at 9:30-11 a.m., 2425 Upper Middle Rd., Burlington
Monday, April 11, 2016 – Ethel Gardiner Public School at 7-8:30 p.m., 14365 Danby Rd., Georgetown
Monday, April 20, 2016 – P.L. Robertson Public School at 7-8:30 p.m., 840 Scott Blvd., Milton
 Topics for this information session will include:
● Learn about support and programs offered by the Halton District School Board
● Speak with parents whose children with special needs have recently entered Kindergarten
● Learn more about the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC)
● The role of the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC)
● Meet Special Education staff from the Board and ask questions
● Visit a Kindergarten classroom (except at M.M. Robinson High School)
Information sessions will begin with a brief overview presentation followed by a choice of small breakout sessions focusing on specific topics.
There will be childcare available at all information sessions.
 By Staff
March 21, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre is accepting nominations for its 2016 Hall of Fame Inductee.
Established in 2013, The Burlington Performing Arts Centre’s Hall of Fame recognizes people who have made significant contributions to the performing arts in Burlington. Recipients of this award demonstrate the diversity of artistic accomplishment that comprises the rich cultural tapestry of the City of Burlington. The Hall of Fame Inductee will be announced at the 2016/2017 Season Launch event held at The Centre on Tuesday, May 17.
Nomination applications must be submitted by noon on Friday, April 8th, 2016. The nomination form can be downloaded from The Centre’s website.
 When the pier was being constructed – both the first and the second time, Gordie Tapp could be seen most days checking on the progress. Here he talks with Pier Project Manager Craig Stevens.  Rainer Noack on the left.  Stewart Laughton The Burlington Performing Arts Centre recognizes that the individual and group artists are paramount and fundamental to cultural development. These individuals and groups contribute to Burlington’s reputation as a city with a strong and sustained commitment toward the development of cultural excellence. Hall of Fame Inductees include Gordie Tapp (2013), Rainer Noack (2014), Lawrence Bonanno (2015) and Stewart Laughton (2015).
By Ray Rivers
March 21st, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The United States is one of a growing number of places on earth where political candidates can opt for public funding. But in that crazy world we call US politics, Mr. Obama shunned the public option for both of his election wins – because he could raise more money on his own. And much of that money came from small individual donations rather than contributions from corporations and unions
 While “Daddy Warbucks was a real person the name came to be used as a charicacture for “big men” with immense wealth that could be used for any purpose they wished – often political. In sharp contrast, later this year, the infamously wealthy Koch brothers, also known as Daddys Warbucks, are going to rain down almost a billion dollars for the GOP presidential campaign south of the border. And they are but one of the numerous corporate political action committees (PAC) in the game there throwing money into the election, hoping that will get them a win, in the increasingly expensive US election orgy.
Back on earth, Canada’s political parties in last year’s federal election were entitled to spend a maximum of $54 million dollars each. None of them actually got to the max, though the Conservative Party came closest at just over $50 million. And they lost the election anyway which makes me believe that there is a God and that the old Beatles standard, ‘money can’t buy me love’, is occasionally true.
The winners, the Trudeau Liberals, spent around $10 million less. It was what they were selling, rather than how much they advertised, which evidently won the election. Now that is refreshing – that ideas alone can win elections – putting to rest the notion that the public can always be bought with its own money. And it is our own money, or at least most of it, when we consider that the funds raised by these parties are tax-deductible.
 Cash in envelopes was the advice former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney was said to have given his political cohorts. Individual donations are the only way federal political parties can raise money here since Mr. Harper eliminated the decade-old annual per-vote public subsidy last year. He argued that government should not be subsidizing the political parties. Who was he kidding? For starters he must have forgotten about the generous rebates Elections Canada doles out to eligible candidate campaigns.
Then there are those individual tax-deductible donations, which in 2009 accounted for almost twice as much of a subsidy to political parties as the per-vote annual government grants. Of course It is no secret that well-healed individual Tory contributors give far more money than that more economically diverse Liberal crowd. And the higher your tax bracket the more valuable these tax deductions are. But perhaps it was only well-meaning ideology and not self-serving hypocrisy which framed Harper’s argument?
But if anyone thinks the federal political funding scene could be better, they need only to look at the provinces. Following the Liberal ‘Sponsorship’ scandal, at the turn of the last decade, corporations and unions were prohibited from contributing to federal political parties. But, provincially, Ontario is still the wild west with the teachers unions, law firms and countless other corporate and labour associations pouring money into party coffers they hope will make a difference.
In B.C.’s last election, corporate donations to the provincial Liberals swamped individual donations. Of course, critics point out that banning corporate and union donations will just result in masked individual donations, leaving the influence peddling unabated. And that speaks to the rationale by those calling for the elimination of individual donations and fully subsidizing political parties, complicated as that might be.
 It may not come in brown bags any more but cash does move from the people who have influence to the people who want to see that influence used in their favour. These critics notwithstanding, it is remarkable that the provincial governments have not been forced to follow the federal government by at least eliminating corporate and union donations. Of course, it’s about the money. In fact Ontario’s premier has been criticized for holding ‘special meetings’ with those willing to cough up big bucks for that privilege.
The optics couldn’t be worse. Allowing money to buy access to Ontario’s chief policy maker is what we call influence peddling, and it is the first step on the road to corruption. Ontario residents expect and deserve better.
 Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran as a Liberal against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province. Rivers is no longer active with any political party.
Background links:
Koch Brothers PACs (USA)
Money Can’t Buy Me Love
2015 Federal Election Spending Federal Financing Influence Peddling Ontario’s Political Financing
Political Party Financing Ontario Liberal Donation Limits Donations from Law Firms
Teachers Unions B.C. Political Financing
By Pepper Parr
March 21, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Mayor is going to make another attempt at getting a private tree bylaw passed by Council – we think.
In July 2013, the Development and Infrastructure Committee chose to receive and file an information report on a private tree by-law feasibility study. Council did not vote to see the creation of such a bylaw at that time. . The dean of Council, John Taylor, summed it up when he said “the will is just not there”, the public just doesn’t want this” and try as they might BurlingtonGreen and Ward 2 Councillor Meed Ward, who pushed as hard as one can push, could not get this through the Development and Infrastructure Committee. ” It is going to be very tough to get a private tree by law in this city” said Taylor
In a Notice of Motion that he filed for debate at the Development and Infrastructure the Mayor said that since the 2013 failure he “ continues to hear requests for a private tree by-law in Burlington. Most recently, this came from members of the Roseland community as part of the Character Area Study process.
 Many of the trees in Roseland are very old – replace trees have not been planted – at some point the residents of this community will deeply regret the loss of their tree canopy. “Recognizing staff did not support a private tree by-law specific to the Roseland neighbourhood … I believe there is merit investigating a pilot private tree by-law to gauge its impact.
“I propose that a report on a pilot project with recommendations be drafted by staff, with considerations to such aspects as length of time, extent of regulations, performance measures, staff resources required, among others.
“There are several reasons I support a pilot project for a private tree by-law in Roseland. I believe our tree canopy is essential to the environmental and physical health of our city and its residents. As well, as one of the community’s oldest neighbourhoods, Roseland has a large number of mature trees that contribute to its character. Through the Character Study, many residents expressed a desire to maintain the tree canopy and the presence of the large, mature trees.
“The Roseland Tree Planting Initiative is a noteworthy endeavour started by interested community members.
 A truly spectacular tree canopy – most of the trees are on city owned property. “This cooperative effort by city staff and residents in the community to proactively plant trees within the public rights-of-way in areas with a high percentage of mature trees, and raise awareness among homeowners about the importance of trees within the neighbourhood, demonstrates the value placed on trees and as such, is an appropriate neighbourhood to implement a pilot private tree by-law.”
The Mayor added that “There are many other neighbouring communities that have private tree by-laws, such as Oakville, Hamilton, Toronto and Brampton. Mississauga is currently working on establishing a private tree protection by-law.
He also said: “When drafting the by-law, it is important staff strike a balance between private property owners’ rights and the intent of preserving our tree canopy. The outcome of this pilot project will be valuable in determining the applicability of a private tree by-law in other neighbourhoods, and, potentially, a private tree by-law for the entire city.”
The motion that will get debated is:
Direct the Acting Director of Roads and Parks Maintenance to investigate the implementation of a pilot tree by-law for the Roseland neighbourhood, with a review of options including, but not limited to: length of time for pilot project, extent of regulations, budget and staffing requirements, and measures to evaluate success, and to include community consultation.
Direct the Acting Director of Roads and Parks Maintenance to report back to committee on June 21, 2016.
There is a critical word missing from the Direction – the word “private” isn’t in between the words pilot and tree. Is this a motion to create a bylaw restricting what people can do with trees that are on their private property?
 A beautiful collection of apple trees next to st. Christopher’s church on Guelph Line that were cut down because Canada geese were eating the apples and pooping on the roadway. There have been a very sad story told about the man who cut down a 50 year old tree because he didn’t want to rake the leaves. A lovely collection of apple trees were cut down on the property next to St. Christopher’s Anglican church on Guelph Line because Canada geese were eating the apples and pooping all over a driveway used for the most car by just cars. There was a promise to plant new trees – two years and counting and still no new trees,
The environmentalists take the position that people do not own trees – that we are the stewards of a tree for the period of time we own the property on which the tree grows. Mayor Goldring has positioned himself as an environmentalist – he tends however not to walk his talk.
It will take some time for a shift in attitude to take place in this city. Changes in attitude take place when a society is educated – it is the leadership of a community that does the evangelizing.
The motion the Mayor has put forward isn’t going to get us very far – I would love to be proven wrong on this one.
Background links:
Council looks for every way out of a private tree bylaw.
The environmentalists lost the fight in 2013
By Staff
March 20, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
New Street closed between Martha Street and Guelph Line starting March 21, 2016
The City of Burlington and Halton Region are making improvements to New Street, between Martha Street and Guelph Line, and to several of the streets located in the area of New Street and Drury Lane.
 Transit route changes while construction on New Street takes place. Construction to replace the water and wastewater mains on New Street will begin on Monday, March 21, 2016.
The work is being broken into sections with the work starting at Guelph Line through to Seneca
All local businesses will remain open throughout the construction period. Local access for residents and businesses will be in place.
Transit
Burlington Transit users will experience detours and schedule changes from March 21 until September 2016 during the construction on New Street.
“I didn’t see that article” is a comment we hear frequently from readers.
 The Gazette is an on-line newspaper that you can get delivered right into your mail box just as soon as it is published.
Many readers have made logging into the site something they do every day – others come in and see what’s going on a couple of times a week.
We have lot of people who go south for the winter and they come on line to see what has happened in their hometown.
At the bottom of each story there are two small boxes – they are beneath the section you make a comment if you are so inclined.
If you want to get the Gazette automatically – scroll down to the bottom of any article. You will see two small boxes underneath the space where you can make a comment.
Click on the lower of the two small boxes – we drew a red oblong rectangle around the one you need to put the check mark in.
 You do need to make a comment – be polite and if you don’t want your comment published just say so. All comments are moderated.
Once you have entered a comment click on the Post Comment box and it gets sent to us. Make sure you put the check in that lower box.
You will then get an email asking if you really want to be notified when a new story is published.
Tell them you do – and zippo – you are a regular subscriber – and the news will be delivered to you automatically.
News that matters, news that puts what happens in your city in context with an approach intended to ensure the people who serve you are accountable to you.
It was the Gazette that broke the story on the Air Park bylaw abuses. It was the Gazette that followed the construction of the pier – the one we built twice and paid for both times.
|
|
