 By Bob Wood
March 31, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
This article isn’t for everyone – it gives you a look at the way city council and its citizens used to go at each other. When writer Bob Wood completes the telling of this tale we will pass it along to you.
Citizens, developers and many municipalities have called for it to be dismantled. The Ontario government has given a big “No” to that notion.
Ted McMeekin, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, told CBC last week that “we need a body like the OMB because sometimes people break the rules.”
So, McMeekin’s Ministry is going to review the OMB with an eye to reform it by foiling those rule breakers. McMeekin is looking for ideas.
He’ll get no help from me. I ought to have an opinion but my views are a bit muddled. That’s likely because I’ve become far too familiar with a long ago OMB hearing. That hearing dealt with an attempt by a developer to put a McDonald’s restaurant in Parkwood Plaza at the corner of Kenwood and Lakeshore in south east Burlington. There were three OMB hearings for that event.
 Would the community fight the location of a fast food outlet today? The residents spent more than $350,000 in legal fees and those were 1980 dollars At the end of the third hearing a resident’s group was successful in blocking this inappropriate use of a small plaza. Their success came thirty-six years ago this Friday (April 1, 1980).
Burlingtonians are patiently awaiting a decision on the Councillor Dennison appeal of a Burlington Committee of Adjustment decision to not allow a property severance he was seeking. The hearing took place more than nine months ago.
There is a second OMB appeal that has many in Burlington interested – that being the appeal the ADI Development Group took to what they called a refusal on the part of the city to make a decision on their development application to put up a 26 storey tower on the corner of Martha and Lakeshore Road.
After giving the city a bit of a bum’s rush on their original application – Adi then asks the OMB officer hearing their appeal to postpone the actual hearing while they talk to the city about how an additional piece of property they recently purchased is going to fit into their development.
This stuff does get complex.
The seven year battle details some of the barriers residents faced in trying to cover the costs of an OMB appeal.
Some of the Cast of Characters
Jim Ryan – east end resident and frequent spokesperson for residents. Later elected as City Alderman for Ward 8.
The Committee Against The Establishment of a Restaurant in Parkwood Plaza (CAERPP) – residents’ group.
Herman Turkstra – well known lawyer and former Member of the City of Hamilton Board of Control.
Doug Brown – Solicitor for the City of Burlington.
Joan Allingham – Chair of Council’s Development. Perhaps better known now as Joan Little, columnist for the Hamilton Spectator.
Dalewest Construction – Owner of Parkwood Plaza.
For many years the City of Burlington’s Community Services Committee had convened a January meeting to consider funding requests. Typically, the requests came from recreational, sports or cultural groups.
Three sessions of the committee would be held in 1979 to look at 35 requests totalling $386,164.
The January’s meeting of that committee was to consider a request from a resident’s group. The Committee Against The Establishment of a Restaurant in Parkwood Plaza (CAERPP): they wanted help to foot a portion of their legal bills.
After an in camera meeting the Committee determined in a 3-2 vote that CAERPP should receive $7,500 for their legal costs.
This was a first – a request from a citizen’s group fighting a development proposal.
Mayor Roly Bird, who had been recently elected, defended the decision to fund the citizen’s group saying: “We have been given to understand that the city’s case will be greatly enhanced by their continued participation.”
Bird proposed a $7,500 grant as a compromise after an earlier motion for more money by Alderman Linda Pugsley had failed, receiving support of only one other member of the committee, Walter Mulkewich of Ward One.
Mayor Bird was known as a man of strong opinions. So there must have been many surprised citizens when six days later he had a different one.
Bird told Council that “a number of advisers” he had in the in the city told him they did not support paying the residents’ lawyer.
“I don’t feel the city’s case and the residents’ case will be that much jeopardized by the non-participation of their legal person.”
A strange statement indeed. Bird continued: “We have to ask is this the City’s fight.”
With that Council rejected the position of its Administration Committee.
Ward 8 City Alderman Bill O’Connell called Council’s position “pitiful.”
Other Council members claimed that if the City joined with CAERPP they could expose the city to legal action.
“The City could have been liable for many thousands of dollars for last revenues by Dalewest and McDonald’s,” Jim Grieve claimed.
Others, like Joan Allingham and Rob Forbes disagreed that such an opinion had been offered.
On becoming aware of the City’s rejection of financial support for his group, Jim Ryan had sharp words.
“The mayor indicated that the city is well qualified to handle the situation. Maybe we’ll just let them handle it.”
 City Council chamber decor hasn’t changed all that much. The picture of the Queen has been replaced by the city crest. And there are a lot more council members at that table Ryan went on: “I wish I had as much confidence in them. They blew it last time and they’ll blow it again. They don’t have the specialized expertise McDonald’s and Dalewest have.”
What now? Alderman O’Connell thought that the residents would end their fight.
The residents convened the night after Council’s decision. “It was a hell of a blow,” Ryan told the Spectator.
The committee had already accumulated $13,000 in legal bills and the meter was still running. What fundraising opportunities were still open to them? More garage sales, dances?
“That’s a hell of a lot of dancing and garage sales,” said Ryan to the idea of raising $8,000 more.
The group decided that a lottery could bring in money and be an indication of broader community support. CAERPP members began to sell tickets for a Valentine’s Day draw. First prize would be $500.
The Committee knows they need lawyer Herman Turkstra, who they had engaged a year earlier.
While the City’s position was similar to the residents, the city’s lawyer can’t really represent the residents’ interests.
“We need our own solicitor. To be successful, the city needs our lawyer,” Ryan asserted. It wasn’t just Ryan who felt this way.
Alderman O’Connell talked to city solicitor Doug Brown and came away feeling the City has little hope. “If the residents pull out we might as well forget it.”
As lottery tickets were being sold speculation continued as to what the City should do. The Burlington Post editorialized that if sufficient funds were not raised in the lottery the city had to make a choice. Would they mount an effective opposition to McDonald’s/Dalewest and could it present the necessary arguments “without leaving itself open to future confrontation?”
he Post seemed to think that this was about property values. In their view, the city would put itself in a bad spot if it argued that putting a McDonald’s in the plaza would lower property values. The Post misunderstood the issue as did many citizens then and now. While residents are concerned about such things as property values, the OMB and municipal planning in general are not.
But the residents had no intention of giving up. Perhaps other Burlington observers thought as much. “There was no intimation we’d drop out, even if we had to go without our solicitor,” said Ryan.
Advertisements for the continuation of the hearing ran in the Post on the same day that another story broke. Now the province was going to review the legality of CAERPP’s lottery. Lawyers for Dalewest Construction had written the Ontario Lottery Corporation (OLC) claiming that the lottery had contravened Ontario’s regulations.
Don Speight, assistant to the director of the OLC, said that a lottery must be for charitable purposes. It must go for relief of the poor, the advancement of education or religion or “any purpose that is of benefit to the community.”
While the OLC’s investigation was going on, lottery organizers were told not to spend any of the lottery’s proceeds. CAERPP had put down $14 for the licence in November although there were some questions about it at the time.
 Doug Brown was the city solicitor during the seven year citizen’s battle to prevent a McDonalds from being located in the east end plaza. “When they first came to me I was not prepared to issue a licence,” claimed City Clerk Don Briault. But City Solicitor Doug Brown said it was legal.
Three thousand, two hundred and thirty-two (3,232) one dollar tickets had been sold to people who, Ryan said, bought the tickets to help with the legal bills. From Ryan’s perspective the draw was legal because the city had licensed it, Dalewest’s complaint could result in the money being handed over to a charity. People would be angry.
“They did not donate to a charity or a religious organization, they donated to cover our legal expenses,” said Ryan.
With the OLC studying the matter one might have expected silence from government officials. Not so. A spokesman for the Ministry of Consumer and Corporate Relations told the Burlington Post that the lottery was probably illegal.
“Let’s face it. I’ve never heard of a lottery licence being issued to a group espousing a political viewpoint,” said Ed Ciemigap whose department was apparently exploring legal precedents.
Turkstra was incredulous that none of the parties involved in the determination of the lottery issue had contacted the residents.
“The Ministry seem to have the idea the (citizens) group is engaged in a political process. What they are doing is supporting the position of the City.”
Soon (March 21st) the Attorney General’s office told the Post that the chances of CAERPP being charged were fairly remote.
“Presumably Turkstra and his clients have nothing to worry about,” Julian Polika ventured.
And that is as far as Bob Wood, who grew up not far from the Parkwood Plaza. He hopes to have the whole story complete later in the spring.
Editor’s note: Bob Wood is working on the completion of this story. Things don’t change all that much in local politics – do they? Developers still do whatever they think they can do to get their projects completed.
And where is city council when it comes to supporting the citizens; there are a few in North Burlington that would like to see the city being proactive on their side over the dumping of land fill on the air park property.
 By Staff
March 30th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
City of Burlington building staff will be at local home improvement stores for three Saturdays in April to answer questions and provide information about building permits.
 City building permit staff will set up shop at different building supply stores during the month of April to help out with the paper work. “With the mild weather we’ve had the last few weeks, many residents will be getting a start on spring renovation projects around the house,” said Mary Lou Tanner, the city’s director of planning and building. “We hope that by having staff where people shop, available to answer any permit questions, people will get the information they need to know about permits and home projects.”
City staff will be available between 8 a.m. and noon on the following dates at these locations:
- Saturday, April 9 – Rona Lansing (1830 Ironstone Dr., Burlington)
- Saturday, April 16- Home Depot (3050 Davidson Court, Burlington)
- Saturday, April 30 – Lowe’s (3270 Harrison Court, Burlington)
 By Staff
March 30, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Bfast – (Burlington for Accessible Affordable Transit) will be holding its second annual Forum on the state of transit in the city – and issuing report cards on the quality of the service. We are told that while overall the service hasn’t improved enough – they will be issuing at least one A in that report card.
 Doug Brown, chair of Bfast, wants to see a bus schedule with routes that work for people and not the current bus route set up in place. It doesn’t work claims Brown. The biggest problem, according the Doug Brown, is the transit service is very under-funded – and until the service is given the resources it needs it will always be sub-standard.
Brown who knows more about the history of service in Burlington than anyone alive seldom gets the hearing he deserves from the transit people.
The 2015 Forum attracted about 90 people with much to say about their experiences using the Burlington’s buses. There in the role of listeners were four of the seven members of Burlington City Council, including Mayor Rick Goldring, as well as Burlington’s MPP, Eleanor McMahon. Not present, unfortunately, was anyone responsible for designing and operating the transit system—Burlington Transit.
Positive messages from the participants can be quickly told: everyone praised the friendliness and thoughtfulness of the bus drivers, who often help passengers in unusual circumstances.
Because of cuts to service and frequent route changes during the last three years, Burlington Transit’s system is no longer convenient, resulting in a considerable drop in ridership. And two fare increases during that time have made it unaffordable for many potential users.
The Presto card service is not as simple as saying “Hey, presto!” One attendee last year said that Presto ought to be as convenient as cash in order for it to replace cash fares.
 Short term notices work well – its the signage throughout the transit system that is less than satisfactory. Signage at bus stops throughout Burlington presents a problem for many, especially occasional transit users. Ideally, every bus stop should display the route numbers of the buses stopping there and the scheduled times of arrival. The reality is rather different: bus route numbers and arrival times are nonexistent.
Burlington Transit has been touting a new electronic system that will do everything but place your coffee order hasn’t seen the light of day yet. Maybe there will be an announcement at the Forum this Saturday at the Central Library – where there is a complimentary breakfast for those who arrive early.
Burlington Transit’s Handi-Vans provide an essential service for people with disabilities unable to use the regular bus service. Unfortunately, as BT’s nine Handi-Vans cannot handle the current demand, users must book at least a week in advance. To deal with requests at short notice, such as necessary medical appointments, taxis should be used to supplement the Handi-Van fleet when required.
All the shortcomings of Burlington transit system that came out of the 2015 Forum are the result of a common cause: serious underfunding of transit by the City Council. It seems that the guiding principle when making decisions about transit is to save money, not to provide a good service.
The key message from the Forum last year was:
“People don’t use the system because it’s cheap, they use it because it’s convenient. So, when it’s not convenient to navigate, they won’t use it.”
Links to previous transit news stories:
Details on the April 2nd Forum
Seniors advocate for Free Monday bus service
 By Staff
March 30, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Drinking Water Systems Flow Summary Report for 2015 that Regional Council was given earlier this month said that all 11 of Halton’s water systems achieved scores of 100 per cent on inspections conducted by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change in 2015.
 The water from your tap is just as safe as bottled water. “Regular monitoring of our drinking water protects public health and ensures public
confidence in our water supply,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “Keeping our
drinking water safe is a shared responsibility and our ReThink Water program
encourages residents to enjoy our high-quality water and be aware of how to protect
our source water resources.”
This summary report on Halton’s municipal drinking water systems is prepared and
provided to Council annually to address regulatory requirements as set out by the
Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002. Halton operates 11 drinking water systems governed by
four municipal drinking water licenses, all of which achieved scores of 100 per cent on inspections conducted by the Ministry in 2015. Inspectors did not note any
regulatory compliance issues related to water quality over the past year.
Halton’s highly-qualified and licensed employees perform regular testing to make sure the Region’s water supply consistently meets or exceeds provincial
water-quality standards. From time to time, we are aware that residents are approached by sales people claiming that Halton’s water in unsafe to drink and that
they should purchase water filtration equipment.
However, residents should be confident that their drinking water is of the highest quality and no additional
filtration systems are needed in their homes.
 By Pepper Parr
March 28, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The difference this year is that the transit people will be at the Burlington for Accessible, Sustainable Transit (BFAST) second annual Transit Users’ Forum, which gets underway this Saturday, April 2, from 9:30AM to 12:00 noon at the Central Library.
Last year they were missing in action.
 Seniors discussing what the transit system does for them – has anything changed since this event last year? Eight community organizations have combined efforts to sponsor the Forum that has announced it will be issuing a report card on Burlington Transit’s performance based on areas identified as priorities by last year’s gathering. Nearly 100 people attended in 2015.
Mayor Rick Goldring and Councilor’s Marianne Meed Ward and Paul Sharman have accepted invitations to attend this year’s event. Burlington Transit will also have a representative.
A free continental breakfast will be provided between 9:30 and 10:00 AM.
“The objective of this forum is to provide an opportunity for Burlington Transit users to describe their riding experience and to provide their views on how the system should be improved,” says Doug Brown, chair of Burlington for Accessible, Sustainable Transit. .”It will be an opportunity for transit users and transit advocates to meet and discuss potential strategies for improving transit and special transit.”
 Mayor Goldring, checking the bus schedule on his Smart phone while Joey Edwardh looks on – not certain the Mayor knows what he is doing. Due to construction on New Street, Burlington Transit is providing special shuttle buses between the Central Library and the Downtown Bus Terminal both before and after the meeting. Consult bfastransit.ca or the Burlington Transit website at burlington.ca/en/services-for-you/Burlington-Transit.asp for more details.
The co-sponsoring organizations are as follows:
Burlington for Accessible Sustainable Transit (BFAST)
Burlington Age-Friendly Seniors Council (BAFSC)
Burlington Green
Canadian Federation of University Women – Burlington
Community Development Halton
Halton Environmental Network (HEN)
Poverty Free Halton
Voices for Change – Burlington (VFCH)
Why is transit always seen as something for poor people? Those with income limitations don’t own a vehicle and they depend on public transit – but ta the same event last year there were a number of people with good jobs in Toronto who depended on transit to get them to the GO station and they talked candidly and appreciatively about the quality of the transit service and how it had been able to make those small changes at work for them.
 A “selfie” the Mayor published on an occasion when he created a photo op by taking the bus to work. Where was his communications adviser when this was released? Modern buses with schedules that meet the needs of as many people as possible and don’t undergo changes all the time will draw a clientele that becomes loyal. We could stop framing transit as something people with limited means need – and position it as something that meets the transportation needs of a bigger cohort.
And if the politicians can stop using the occasions when they do take a bus as more than a photo op and become regular users – we will have come some distance. You weren’t holding your breath were you?
 By Pepper Parr
March 28, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
A number of people write to tell us that both Test Kitchen locations have been closed for a number of months: Clearly we don’t get out as much as we’d like. We apologize for the incorrect information – which doesn’t take away from the fact that it was the place to be. Something was seriously wrong with the business model – but the mood and the food were both great. Let’s give them credit for giving it at go,
The Finance Department advised the Community and Corporate Services Committee of the 2016 Proposed Budget and Tax Levy for the Burlington Downtown Business Improvement Area
The levy for 2016 will amount to $728,000.
Are the retail people within the BDBA boundaries getting value for the money?
 Brian Dean, top toff at the Downtown Business Association was out drumming up business for those of his members that took part in the Red Bag Sale. The BDBA is mandated to improve the downtown core and make it a place where retail and service operations can prosper; to market the downtown core as a place that people will want to go to for hospitality, entertainment and shopping.
How well did it do that job in 2015? Not all that well.
Those who concern themselves with the downtown part of the city give the word vibrant one heck of a workout.
And there are occasions when the downtown core is vibrant – but the event that brings about the vibrancy, the buzz, and the excitement has precious little to do with BDBA events.
 Good crowds – but they aren’t shoppers. How often is Brant Street shut down for events that harm the retailers? Sound of Music, RibFest, the really neat old car rally that took place, the Amazing Bed Race – those were events put on by other organizations and they all had people strolling along Brant street – did the event pull any business into the retail outlets? Don’t think they did.
There was an interesting promotional event put on by the Yellow Pages people – it looked like they got more benefit out of the event than the merchants who took part.
The most significant failure on the part of the BDBA is the way they dress up (or rather fail to dress up) the store fronts during the Christmas season.
 East side of Brant Street 10 days before Christmas 2013. It has been desperately dismal the past two years. A number of the major retailers on Brant Street don’t spend a dime on making their stores look festive.
Oakville does superb job and Milton is pretty good.
There are some retailers who are not on Brant Street who do a very nice job of decorating their windows; some of the retailers on the side street also make a real effort – but there isn’t a collective push – an occasion when the lights come on and the place looks inviting.
To add to the sorry situation – city hall doesn’t look as good as it could.
Where one does see that sense that Christmas has come is when the light go on in Spencer Smith Park – there are almost too many displays.
Talk with the members of the BDBA and you will hear less than complimentary comments from the association leadership. The negative remarks come from the members of the association that make that extra effort.
Retail is a tough business – for those that set up their shops along Brant Street – it is not easy and they need all the help they can get.
 A restaurant that set up a “popup” patio that increased his capacity and brought something interesting and different to Brant Street. will there be another one this summer? Shopping is an experience, dining out can is an experience. And there are places in Burlington that are delightful experiences. Get into the Test Kitchen on Brant and be prepared for an experience. The prices are close to unbelievably decent and the place is usually packed.
The pure retail operations have to rely on the quality and price point of their inventory but most important – the level of service.
There is a dry cleaner in the small mall on Brant Street that bends over backwards for her clients. The family are immigrants and they work hard. One could bet dollars to donuts that they have never heard of the BDBA and that the organization does very little if anything for them.
The budget that was put forward and approved in principle by council had some stress lines that didn’t get much in the way of attention.
The BDBA had to draw down $10,000 from their reserve in 2015 and will draw down an additional $10,000 in 2016. At some point that well goes dry.
 The association boundaries were expanded in 2015 bringing in a large automotive dealer that knows something about marketing – they might have some impact on a lackluster BDBA marketing program. The boundaries for the BDBA were extended in 2015 – that doesn’t seem to have had any impact – perhaps it needs some time to work itself into the way things get done.
And that may be the problem with the BDBA – the way thigs get done.
Council didn’t ask a single question of the BDBA delegation that was on hand to speak to their 2016 budget. It seems that having to dip into a reserve two years in a row is just the way things are done.
Mix that in with the overuse of the word “vibrant” and you just might have a train wreck in the making.
 Well over one third of the budget is for staff and administration – that $155,000 isn’t explained. Is this a healthy budget going forward. The levy of $728,000, is an increase of $14,610 or 2.0% over 2015. Overall, expenses have increased by $24,610 or 3.3%. Key expenditure increases for the BDBA’s 2016 work plan include enhanced investment in marketing, reinvestment in business recruitment services and sponsorship for the Burlington Comedy Festival. Additional revenues of $10,000 from the BIA Reserve Fund to balance the budget.
 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.
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