 By Staff
March 12, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Halton Regional Police Service are investigating a serious single motor vehicle collision that occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning leaving a Burlington man in critical condition.
Shortly before 4:00am Saturday March 12th a black VW Golf was travelling south on Kerns Road in the City of Burlington. At the intersection with North Service Road, the vehicle failed to stop or to negotiate the turn and continued through the guard rail at the south edge of North Service Road, coming to rest in the sunken area between North Service Road and Highway 403.
The male driver of the Golf, a 22-year old Burlington male, sustained serious injuries and was transported to Hamilton general Hospital where his condition is described as critical. His male passenger escaped with minor injuries.
Due to the serious nature of the incident, the Collision Reconstruction Unit attended and assumed responsibility for the investigation. At this stage speed and alcohol are being considered as factors.
Details of the vehicle occupants are not being released.
Anybody with information regarding this collision is asked to contact the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 909-825-4747 ext 5065.
 By Staff
March 12, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
New street is what is known as a Regional Road – the region gets to take care of it.
The current task is to replace water mains and wastewater main relining on New Street from Cumberland Ave. to Hampton Heath Rd.
 Project is expected to last until September.
The construction work throws a real wrench into the transit schedule. Here’s the detail:
Burlington Transit users will experience detours and schedule changes from March 21 until September 2016 during construction on New Street.
Detours will affect parts of Routes 4, 10, 50, 52, 300, 301 and 302. Route 4 will not stop on Teen Tour Way from May 9 to Sept. 3, 2016, but the Community Connection Routes will still reach the stop during the construction.
The schedules for Routes 10, 11 and 20 have been changed to allow for connections at the Appleby GO Station. Route 10 will no longer become Route 20 at the Appleby GO Station which means a transfer will be needed when going between Routes 10 and Route 20. The new Route 20 schedule will increase to every 15 minutes.
Detour maps and supplementary schedules to the Ride Guide will be distributed on buses, in the terminal and all updates will be available online at BurlingtonTransit.ca.
 By Pepper Parr
March 11, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Something’s up.
The City of Burlington has “scheduled a special City Council meeting for 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 15 for a legal update regarding a property at 374 Martha St.”
 The original development application was for a 28 storey structure – that got cut back to 26 storeys. The city did not approve or deny the application within the 180 day time frame required – so Adi went to the OMB asking them to approve the project. Just in case the significance of that address isn’t immediately obvious the city announcement goes on to say:
“An application related to the property is the subject of an Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) hearing involving the city. The OMB hearing on this matter begins on Monday, March 14 at 10 a.m. at City Hall, Room 247, and is open to the public.”
The OMB hearing is scheduled to run for three weeks – it will be interesting to see if that schedule holds up. The Mayor could have held its meeting Friday afternoon – council meets “at the call of the Mayor” – for some reason the city wants to see the OMB hearing begin before it goes into session for the “legal update”
The Gazette was informed recently that the Mayor has had a conversation with the Adi’s – that information could not be confirmed.
Stay tuned.
The development the OMB is going to hear an application on is what is being marketed as the Nautique, a 26 story project that is to be built at the corner of Lakeshore and Martha.
Slip over to the link for a detailed background on just what the issues are on the development.
 By Pepper Parr
March 10, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) hearings are relevant and for the most part – as dry as unbuttered toast – they are also where some big money gambles get resolved.
Burlington has two hearings on the docket – Ward 4 Council member Jack Dennison’s appeal of a Committee of Adjustment decision that did not permit his request for a severance of his 308 Lakeshore Road property.
 A designated home, bought under a power of sale which current owner Councillor Jack Dennison wants to have severed into two lots. His OMB appeal was first heard on April 29, 2013 – yes three years ago. That hearing was adjourned as was the May 29th, 2014 and the September 23, 2014 hearing.
The appeal was heard on April 21st, 2015 and continued on June 22nd 2015.
Nine months later – and still no decision. This was thought to be a pretty simple severance request; something isn’t right here. But don’t expect an explanation from the OMB – one day the decision will be posted on the OMB web site. The lawyers involved will be notified that a decision has been made and they will get a copy. OMD decisions cannot be appealed – so in the fullness of time Jack Dennison will know if he can sever a portion of his property.
City council knows what this appeal has cost – will they make the amount spent public?
Will Dennison run for his council seat in 2018? If the public gets wind of what it has spent on this case and if there is a credible candidate – he could be in trouble.
 Jack Dennison announcing the sale of his Cedar Springs health club. Retirement might be in the works for Dennison – he recently announced the sale of his Cedar Springs sports club.
 Early rendering of a proposed 28 storey structure that cantilevered over the street at the upper level. Tarif Adi explained at the launch of the development that the idea was to have the building look like a “billowing sail” that would be seen as a statement for people entering the city from the east on Lakeshore Road. The second significant matter on the OMB docket is the appeal the Adi Development Group has made to the OMB claiming that the city “refused or neglected to make a decision on the Official Plan change and zoning application” made by Adi for the development of a 28 storey structure on an .070 piece of land at the intersection of Martha and Lakeshore Road.
The public got its first look at the proposed development on Oct. 9, 2014, Burlington Art Gallery at 7 p.m. It was not a happy meeting. Many of the people in the room realized then that this project was headed or the OMB.
While Council didn’t hold a vote on the application until very recently – the development was contentious from the day it was first shown at a public meeting.
The Gazette has written extensively on this development and was the recipient of a libel claim by the Adi Development group. The Gazette was asked to apologize for three articles it published and to take them off their web site.
An apology was published and the three articles are no longer no longer available to the public on the Gazette web site.
The proposal is complex. No one on council liked the project – or at least that was what they said publicly – Ward 1  Councillor Rick Craven re-tweetd a notice of the public event. For a council member on record as being opposed to the development – the re-tweet seemed inappropriate – bu then Adi has a massive development planned for Aldershot – maybe that explains his enthusiasm.
In a staff report on the proposed development the planners said:
Refuse the applications for Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments, submitted by Andrew Ferancik, Walker Nott Dragicevic Ltd., 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Toronto, ON, on behalf of ADI Development Group Inc., to permit a mixed use development consisting of 226 residential apartment units and 348 m2 of ground floor commercial development, on the property located at 374 Martha Street.
Unfortunately, this recommendation didn’t get to a city council meeting for a vote. By the time the city council meeting took place Adi had filed their appeal to the OMB.
Council did hold a vote a number of weeks ago.
It is a complex situation and the city didn’t exactly wrap itself in the corporate flag – they looked like the Keystone cops for a short period of time – but sloppy administration isn’t reason to approve a proposal that doesn’t meet most of the public policies the planners think they should meet.
Adi submitted the following reports to support their application:
1. Planning Justification Report (prepared by WND Associates, September 2014)
2. Functional Servicing Report (prepared by Urbantech West, August 2014)
3. Geotechnical Investigation (prepared by Landtek Limited, February 2014)
4. Phase One Environmental Site Assessment (prepared by Landtek Limited, February 2014)
5. Traffic Impact Study (prepared by Paradigm Transportation Solutions Ltd., August 2014)
6. Noise Feasibility Study (prepared by Howe Gastmeier Chapnik Ltd., September 2014)
7. Pedestrian Wind Study (prepared by Novus Environmental, August 2014)
8. Shadow Studies (prepared by RAW Architects, August 2014)
9. Site Plan (prepared by RAW Architects, August 2014)
10. Tree Inventory & Preservation Study (prepared by Adesso Design Inc., June 2014)
11. Floor Plans (P1-P5, Levels 1-28, Rooftop Terrace Plan and Roof Plan)
12. Elevations (prepared by RAW Architects, August 2014)
13. Sections (prepared by RAW Architects, August 2014)
Planning staff explained that OPA and rezoning applications are subject to the following policy framework: Provincial Policy Statement, 2014; Places to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe; The Big Move; Halton Region Official Plan; Burlington Official Plan and Zoning By-law 2020.
 Saud and Tarif Adi They provided summaries of their position on all of the policy statements.
Planning Opinion on the PPS:
While the proposed development is consistent with the PPS in principle, the proposal represents over-intensification on a site that is too small and does not provide adequate setbacks, buffering, amenity space or parking standards. The significant reduction of numerous development regulations that are required to facilitate this intensification proposal on the subject property and the failure to satisfy the City’s Official Plan policies described in Section 8 of this report results in an application that is not consistent with the PPS.
Planning Opinion on Places to Grow:
The subject applications generally conform to the principles of the Growth Plan by accommodating intensification in an area that is designated for intensification, and more specifically, within the Urban Growth Centre. However, the subject applications are not proposing an appropriate scale of development and the proposed development does not achieve an appropriate transition of built form to adjacent areas. The City’s existing intensification strategy is well positioned to meet the minimum density target established in the Growth Plan without significant changes to the existing Official Plan policies and permissions. The City does not require the overdevelopment of one small property in the Urban Growth Centre in order to achieve the minimum density target.
 Planning Opinion on the Big Move:
The proposed development generally conforms to the vision of the Big Move. However, the City can meet its targets without the proposed over-intensification of this site.
Planning Opinion on the Regional Official Plan:
While Region staff generally has no objection to the proposed development on the basis that it conforms to the Region’s growth policies, City staff is evaluating the applications on the basis of land use compatibility. The proposed development represents the over- intensification of a very small site, does not provide an urban form that is complementary to existing developed areas and does not achieve an appropriate transition of built form to adjacent areas.
Planning Opinion on the City of Burlington’s Intensification Strategy:
The City has conducted several conformity exercises and has developed a comprehensive approach that balances the protection of neighbourhoods and the accommodation of compatible intensification in appropriate locations. As outlined in Section 7 of this report, staff is confident that the density targets established in the Growth Plan, Regional Official Plan and City Official Plan will be achieved by 2031 without amendments that significantly depart from the City’s Official Plan.
 Mobility hubs at the GO stations is close to a no brainer – it is the possible hub in the downtown core that has yet to be thoroughly thought through. Council decided that closing the terminal on John Street to save $8000 a year was not a bright idea. Planning Opinion on the Mobility Hub Opportunities and Constraints Study:
The MHOC Study has no policy implications at this time, but staff is of the opinion that the proposed development would not be in keeping with the principles and preliminary directions stemming from the MHOC Study. Staff also notes that future master planning exercises for Mobility Hubs will determine detailed site-specific requirements should changes to the Official Plan be deemed appropriate. In the interim, prior to the completion of a Downtown Burlington Mobility Hub master plan, development proposals will be required to meet the Official Plan policies that are in effect. If Council approves Mobility Hub objectives that are incorporated into the Official Plan as a result of this Official Plan Review, then de elopment proposals will be required to me t those objectives until such time as the master planning exercise is completed.
Planning Opinion on the Urban Growth Centre Targets:
 Based on the development patterns that have taken place in the Urban Growth Centre in the past ten years, staff is of the opinion that the City of Burlington is well positioned to achieve a total of 200 residents and jobs per hectare by 2031 taking into consideration the existing Official Plan permissions and zoning regulations within the Downtown.
Planning Opinion on the City of Burlington’s Official Plan:
The proposed development represents residential intensification and is therefore subject to the housing intensification objectives and policies in the Official Plan. The proposed development provides additional housing in the form of residential intensification, but the proposed development is not compatible with the scale, urban design and community features of the neighbourhood and does not meet the objective of the housing intensification policies.
The nearest residential buildings are the one storey detached residential dwelling to the north and the three storey townhouses to the northwest of the subject property. A five storey retirement residence is located on the east side of Martha Street and a 12 storey apartment building is located further northeast from the subject property. The proposed four storey podium which contains a three level parking garage with a 24 storey tower above at this location does not integrate well with the existing neighbourhood and does not provide an appropriate or a compatible transition between the existing and proposed residential buildings.
In fact, many of the taller residential buildings in the area are located northeast and southeast of the subject property and the existing buildings have greater setbacks from the street and from adjacent properties. The block containing the subject property generally has a lower density built form with building heights ranging from 1-3 storeys and the proposed development does not provide setbacks from the street nor from adjacent properties.
 A more recent rendering of what has been named the Nautique The proposed development fails to satisfy a number of intensification criterion including
• the provision of off-street parking;
• the achievement of compatibility with the existing neighbourhood character in terms of scale, massing, height, siting, setbacks, coverage, parking and amenity areas to provide a transition between existing and proposed buildings;
• the provision of adequate buffering; the compromised redevelopment potential for the abutting property located at 380 Martha Street;
• the requirement for intensification proposals to be well integrated with the existing neighbourhood in terms of built form, scale and development profile in order to provide a transition between existing and proposed residential buildings;
• the building height, massing and density lead to the overdevelopment of a very small lot; and
• the proposal represents overintensification.
The proposed development fails to satisfy the residential intensification policies of the Official Plan and does not represent good planning.
Planning Opinion on the Downtown Urban Design Guidelines:
The proposed development is not in keeping with the City’s Downtown Urban Design Guidelines for high rise development for the following reasons:
• the building setbacks are not sensitive to the existing built form;
• the building does not propose stepbacks to reduce the perception of building bulk from the street;
• the building does not utilize the results of the visual angular plane study to determine the appropriate building height and/or massing;
• the tower is not located away from the corner of the two intersecting streets;
• the building height, mass and architectural design present a tall, boxy structure that does not reinforce human scale;
• the impact of the high rise development on adjacent properties has not been appropriately minimized through a transition of height, mass, separation and landscaping;
• three levels of above-grade parking that address the street are proposed;
• the proposed development does not clearly express a podium at the street level with a proportion and massing that is consistent with the surrounding built form;
• the proposed development has not been designed to provide a height transition to the surrounding lower scale developments to minimize the shadowing and wind impacts; and
• the negative impacts on adjacent properties related to overshadowing and overlooking have not been addressed through building setbacks, stepbacks, height and massing.
 The Nautique sales office on Brant street in a building owned by the Region Planning Opinion on Zoning By-law 2020:
The zoning changes requested are excessive. The site as proposed would be overbuilt and should not be approved.
The siting of the proposed development is partially responsible for the perceived scale and massing of the building. The building will address the corner of Lakeshore Road and Martha Street and proposes no setbacks along the adjacent property lines to the west and to the north. The building footprint will cover almost all of the lot and leaves no room for vegetation or separation distance from adjacent buildings.
 The siting does not provide any “breathing room” between the proposed building on the corner property and the adjacent buildings to the north and west; the proposed building will appear “crammed” into the block. The siting of the proposed development is not compatible with the existing neighbourhood character.
Is the development selling? Do people want to buy units in the proposed 26 storey structure? Adi has not released any sales figures. In a news report they said they have received more than 3000 expressions of interest – those are not sales; just people kicking tires.
Adi has promoted the project heavily within the real estate community and are offering generous commissions. They held an event at their sales office on Brant Street for the real estate agents offering Valet parking.
 By Pepper Parr
March 10, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Festivals and events are big deals for Burlington.
In the summer months there is RibFest; Sound of Music, Canada Day and the Children’s Festival.
 Does RibFest define Burlington? Should it? It is a very popular event. People in the parks and recreation department are looking at what has been done in the past and what they might do in the future in terms of planning for events.
They want to develop a strategy to help guide the delivery of festivals and events in the community and they want public input on the types of events held in the city, how many events are held, where in the city events are held and if and how the city should help to fund events
There is an online survey where you can get your two cents worth in –takes approximately five minutes to complete. Click here.
 The data shown are not the final results – the survey has not been completed yet. There is a historical approach applied to the acceptance of events hosted within Spencer Smith Park. The park and some downtown roads have reached capacity and there is now a desire for a balanced approached to potentially expand events to other areas in our city.
Staff want to:
Set a vision for events in Burlington
Define the objectives for hosting events in Burlington
Determine guiding principles for event hosting including:
define different types of events and priority events
do risk assessments
look at the funding model for events
establish critera for considering new events and removal of duplicate or less desired events
 The city doesn’t stage much in the way of public events north of the QEW – everything happens along the edge of the lake. This event was in Alton – stage certainly wasn’t city issue – shows what you can do with couple of 2×4’s and a sheet of canvas if you have to keep the sun off you. A number of months ago council and staff met as a Committee of the Whole and talked about the direction the city might want to take with its festivals and events. The city consistently wins awards for the quality of the events it does hold – the question that was put before the meetings was:
Are the events we are currently holding the events we should be holding is a question that was asked. How you events get selected? More than twenty years ago city staff opposed the RibbFest being held in the park – but it was a Rotary project and Burlington city councils rarely oppose what Rotary wants.
There was discussion about the “Burlington brand” – are we more than the Sound of Music? Has RibFest met its best before date? Do we want to begin to move events out of the downtown core?
Committee of the whole meetings have an open approach – the rules of procedure that stymies council meetings don’t apply – comments are much more candid.
The Parks and Recreation people are taking an innovative and welcoming approach to citizen engagement – they are going to hold a “party” at Royal Botanical Gardens March 29th from 6:30 to 9:00 pm at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Auditorium B.
The creating of community seems to be replacing community engagement – we are seeing some interesting and innovative approaches coming out of the parks and recreation department.
 By Pepper Parr
March 10th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
So what did the rascals do while we were away?
The Burlington’s Best web site nomination process experienced a bit of a screw up – a staffer said it was “experiencing some issues”. The city manager had to jump in and attempt to resolve one of the problems.
 Why hard working citizen groups should have to be put through so many hoops by the planning department is difficult to understand. The group of people who are behind the creation of a really smart looking monument that will commemorate the stop Terry Fox made in Burlington 35 years ago found themselves stumbling over hurdles the people in the permit section of the planning department kept putting in front of them.
The Mayor has come out from the bushes and is putting forward a motion for a private tree bylaw.
 Trevor Copp, the Burlington actor who mobilized the arts into a Collective makes a point on leadership while Executive Director of the Burlington Museum’s operation listens. The Arts and Culture Collective of Burlington (ACCOB) has written the people who are beavering away at getting the Strategic Plan into print and in the hands of the public, asking that the word “arts” be included in the Strategic Plan. Culture is already in the document. Trevor Copp, a sometime spokesperson for ACCOB says they “noticed the lack of the specific term ‘Arts’ and advocated for its specific inclusion (good use of ‘Culture’; we want both terms). Hopefully it gets in there and we can reference it in the future.”
The arts community has high hopes for some city money that will be doled out to the arts community.
As for the Strategic Plan – the document is now more than a year late, has ballooned at two levels, the scope and scale of the document and the cost.
 The early version was a four year plan – somewhere along the way city council decided to make it a 25 year plan – nothing on the public record as to why they did that. Traditionally, Strategic Plans are documents prepared by a city council for its term of office. The document that is coming our way covers a 25 year period – a time frame when not one member (hopefully) of this council will be in office.
The cost of the consultants who created the document ballooned as well – but the public may never know exactly how much they paid – the service based budget we now have doesn’t allow anyone to drill down and learn much about the specifics.
There was an agency that has taken on the delivery of a provincially funded initiative that was being funnelled through municipalities. The dollars went from the province to the cities – and in Burlington there was a plug somewhere that resulted in some close to frantic calls for the dollars to move in the right direction so the payroll could be met.
A resident took issue with the way minutes of public meetings are kept. He was unable to delegate in person and mailed in his concerns – and was surprised and upset at the way the public record was kept. Let the correspondence with the city Clerk tell the rest of the story …
 Marianne Meed Ward delegated many many times – she saw it as a vital part of the democratic process. The comments that follow were not made by Meed Ward. “In 25 years of coming to Council as a delegation, with a submission, I have never, ever, to my recollection, had my name, and my main message, not included in the Agenda and Minutes of the meeting. For a recent example, the message I sent not supporting the downsizing of the Nelson pool had my name and main message included.
“If I send something to Council, to speak to an Agenda item, I automatically want to be identified by name, and by my main message.
“After receiving this reply, I looked at the Agenda and Minutes again for the C&CS meeting and see that you have put my original correspondence, with my name back, into the Agenda packet.
“However, in the Minutes, while you put my name back, you did not include my main message, which was I support the staff report recommendation to refuse the ADI Martha St. proposal as outlined.
“Please change these proceedings record to indicate that I supported the staff recommendation.
“That’s the bottom line here – including my name and main message in Agendas and Minutes – and what I want corrected and never done to my correspondence to Council again, if you please.”
The public record matters – everything the Gazette has published is in the archives – except of course for those items we get bullied into removing with threats of expensive lawsuits.
 By Staff
March 9th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
These guys
 Heavy construction equipment in place to dig trenches and prepare the necessary parts of the infrastructure. There are 12 pieces of heavy equipment ready to dig.
Are the reason this part of Lakeshore Road between Elizabeth and Pearl have to be closed. Concrete pipes have to be put underground. Announcement from city says road will be closed from the 7th to the 11th.
We are chasing down city hall to get confirmation on those dates.
When it is all done – this is what it is going to look like.
 The Bridgewater project – made up of two condominiums and a Marriott hotel is scheduled to be completed in 2018 – between now and then there will be all kinds o squawking about road closures and inconvenience – the price of progress.
 By Staff
March 9, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Do you know of another city that closes down a road so a slimy little creature that tends to breed at night can cross that road?
It happens in Burlington every year in March.
King Road from the base of the Niagara Escarpment to Mountain Brow Road will be closed from March 15 to April 6 to allow the endangered Jefferson Salamander safe passage during its annual breeding migration.
 The Jefferson salamander – He isn’t exactly pretty but nevertheless plays an important role in the local environment. Comes in different colours as well. The Jefferson Salamander is a nationally and provincially protected endangered species. Each year, since 2012, the City of Burlington has closed the same section of road for an approximate three-week period.
The city works closely with Conservation Halton to assist in the protection and recovery of this endangered species.
 “Conservation Halton commends the City of Burlington for closing King Road once again to protect the Jefferson Salamander, this is a great example of the relationship we have with our community partners,” said Hassaan Basit, General Manager, Conservation Halton. “It can be challenging to determine when is the best time to close King Road as spring weather can be unpredictable, particularly this year, however we feel confident based on the advice of our ecology staff who make the call on the best science and information available.”
 One of these was enough for the people in rural Burlington. One of the reasons for not permitting an expansion of the quarry was the impact that would have on an engendered species.
The Jefferson Salamander is quite a bit more than an endangered species. A provincial tribunal made a decision a number of years ago to not allow the expansion of the Nelson quarry due in large part to the impact any expansion would have on the existence of the salamander.
In Canada, the Jefferson Salamander is found in Southern Ontario in select areas of deciduous forest, mostly along the Niagara Escarpment. Several forested areas in Burlington provide the necessary breeding, summer and overwintering habitats required by this species.
Jefferson Salamanders spend the majority of their lives underground. As the weather warms up and the spring rains begin, the salamanders emerge and migrate to breed in temporary ponds formed by run-off, laying their eggs in clumps attached to underwater vegetation. Adults leave the ponds after breeding. By late summer, the larvae lose their gills and become air-breathing (like the metamorphosis of tadpoles into frogs) and leave the pond to head into the surrounding forests.
Adult salamanders migrate to their breeding ponds in mid-March or early April during wet rainy nights. They show strong affinity for the pond in which they hatched and can be very determined to reach it, sometimes requiring them to cross busy roads.
By Staff
March 9th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Halton Police responded to a report of a robbery yesterday at a Shoppers Drug Mart store located at 1011 Upper Middle Road in Oakville. A male entered the store and demanded prescription drugs from staff who handed over a large quantity of narcotics. The suspect then left the store without further incident.
Subsequent investigation resulted in the arrest of an Oakville resident who investigators believe is responsible for similar robberies in Oakville and Burlington.
February 21st 2016 – Brant Medical Arts Centre located at 672 Brant Street in Burlington.
February 12th 2016 – Pharma Save store located at 2501 Guelph Line Burlington.
January 28th 2016 – Shoppers Drug Mart located at 1011 Upper Middle Road Oakville.
Investigators also executed a search warrant at a North Oakville address and seized a large quantity of prescription pain killers, notably OxyNEO or Oxycodone. Other items related to the robberies were also seized.
Charged with 4 counts of Robbery and Wear Disguise is:
Richard MATHERS, 36 years of Oakville.
MATHERS has been held in custody for a pending bail hearing.
March 8, 2016
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON
We knew it as the location of the Riviera.
The Riviera Motor Court began operations in 1963. The two level, 32-room motel offered guests a beautiful view of Lake Ontario along the back portion of the motel.
The earliest information for a manager was a Mr. William Dikeman. In 1984 the motel was bought by Mr. John Lee who incorporated it as 558644 Ontario Limited.
 The Riviera on the Lake – lots of stories. The last managers to operate the business were Peter and Yolanda Piekarski. Annual profits were in the area of $242,000.
 The balconies at the rear of the motel made the room rate worth every dime. There was nothing exceptional about the motel – it was the view of the lake from the units at the back of the building.
The 0.7-hectare, block-long property between Elizabeth and Pearl streets just east of Brant was assembled over time. The Lakeshore Road portion was part of a land swap that had the city giving some land in exchange for a shoreline walkway at the edge of the lake which has been in place for a number of years.
 When you reach the 70% plus level in sales you don’t need a fancy demonstration site – it had to make room for the construction equipment. In 2006, Burlington city council approved plans for a new construction project on the property. The project, now known as Bridgewater, has been delayed over the years due to economic factors as well as difficulty in obtaining a developer and hotel partner.
 Construction workers stripping away what is left of the sales office for the Btidgewater project on Lakeshore Road. Bridgewater was to have a 7-storey hotel at street level, that got increased to eight storeys; a 7-storey condo behind the hotel and to the west of both buildings, a 22-storey condo. The condo would obscure the view of Lake Ontario for those living in the condos on the opposite side of Lakeshore. The new buildings would feature a central courtyard open to the public that would lead to the walkway along the water.
The property is owned by Mayrose Tycon who, since 1994, were focused on finding a developer to undertake the construction and to take over the property.
Mady Development Corporation was named but they were taken off the site due to a tricky clause in their agreement with Mayrose Tycon.
 The motel is long gone but the walkway that will eventually run from this point all the way to the canal was built a number of years ago as part of a land swap with the city. The project was “in the works” for the longest time; Conservation Halton had informed Mayrose that if development did not occur on the property by the end of 2012 they would lose between 15 to 20 feet of shoreline property under a new Ontario Regulation.
That got things moving – Mayrose had to get an extension from the Conservation people but that didn’t immediately result in shovels in the ground. It wasn’t until New Horizons was invited to develop the site that one got the sense that this was really going to happen.
Jeff Paikin, known for quality work with a number of solid projects under his belt.
Paikin had bought a unit in the project and was later invited to do the development.
It has been nothing but solid progress since then. Sales of the project are reported to have passed the 70% point. There will a planned 150 units in the two condominium towers.
A collection of 12 pieces of heavy duty construction equipment are on the site – they give a whole new meaning to “shovels in the ground” Paikin’s partner Joe Giacomodonato handles the actual construction work.
At one point the hotel was going to be open for the Pan Am Games in 2015.
As for the Riviera the writing was on the wall in 2010. They began offering rooms on a monthly basis only. The Region of Burlington paid Riviera to house the city’s homeless people and immigrants.
In April of 2012 the municipal building code department and fire department served a notice on the owners that they needed to bring the building up to code or close it down.
The owners decided to close the building which was boarded up.
On August 18, 2012, the building came one step closer to demolition when a fire broke out in the hotel, caused by arson.
The 2015 Pan Am date came and went; the designated developer of the site changed but the project had just too much value built into it to not go forward.
 Three structure project has been the “in the works” since the early 1990’s when developers were given the right to build a 22 storey plus building on the property where the Riviera Waterfront Motel used to exist. Last week the sleek sales office met its turn with the wrecking ball. The south side of Lakeshore Road lost its parking meters and traffic is being restricted for a couple of weeks while large concrete pipes get buried. What was the Riviera is now the construction site for an upscale condominium that will consist of a seven story and a twenty two story structure attached to each other by a four level underground garage.
The site will include a four star Mariott hotel – the opening date is still pencilled in as 2018 – those things tend to be pretty loose until construction is well under way.
The four floors down garage work will get started soon; the grade of Elizabeth will change and slowly but surely the Bridgewater will rise out of the ground and reach 22 storeys into the sky.
 An architectural rendering of an aerial view of the Bridgewater project from the lake side. The view from the top floor be something to experience.
Paikin, who is a marketer at heart will tell anyone who is within earshot that : “The design is so fantastic and the location is probably the No. 1 location in all of Ontario, if not Canada, as a place to live.”
He might be right.
By Staff
March 8, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington Animal Shelter invites all cat and dog owners to attend its low-cost microchip clinic on Saturday, April 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Burlington Animal Shelter, 2424 Industrial St.
 City by law says cats have to have a microchip – did you know that? “The last thing any pet owner wants to experience is the stress that comes with trying to find a missing animal,” said Dave Lake, the city’s supervisor of animal services. “In addition to a dog licence, a microchip is an easy, inexpensive way to ensure owners can be quickly reunited with their pet if they are ever separated.”
The cost for a microchip is $30 per pet and only cash will be accepted. Visitors to the clinic can expect a quick and minor procedure. Dogs attending the clinic should be brought on a leash and cats placed in a carrier. The City of Burlington’s bylaws require cats to be microchipped.
Appointments for the clinic can be reserved by calling 905-335-3030. Walk-ins are also welcomed. Pet owners are asked to bring proof of up-to-date vaccinations.
All proceeds from the event will go to the Paw Fund in support of stray animals.
How do they work?
Microchips can be implanted by a veterinarian or at a shelter. After checking that the animal does not already have a chip, the vet or technician injects the chip with a syringe and records the chip’s unique ID. No anesthetic is required. A test scan ensures correct operation.
 Microchip implanted in a cat – visible near the top of the photograph. An enrollment form is completed with chip ID, owner contact information, pet name and description, shelter and/or veterinarian contact information, and an alternate emergency contact designated by the pet owner. Some shelters and vets designate themselves as the primary contact to remain informed about possible problems with the animals they place. The form is sent to a registry, who may be the chip manufacturer, distributor or an independent entity; some countries have a single official national database. For a fee, the registry typically provides 24-hour, toll-free telephone service for the life of the pet. Some veterinarians leave registration to the owner, usually done online, but a chip without current contact information is essentially useless.
The owner receives a registration certificate with the chip ID and recovery service contact information. The information can also be imprinted on a collar tag worn by the animal. Like an automobile title, the certificate serves as proof of ownership and is transferred with the animal when it is sold or traded; an animal without a certificate could be stolen.
Did you know?
That you must have a microchip put in your cat? In 2005 the city passed a bylaw:
Control and Registration of Cats
30. (1) No person, being the owner of any cat shall fail to have the cat implanted with a functioning subcutaneous microchip.
February 11, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
My colleague, Joan Little, a former Burlington alderman and Halton councillor, writes a regular column for the Hamilton Spectator. We share a table in Council chambers reserved for media.
More often than not, it is just me from the Gazette and Joan from the Spectator – the Post gets a reporter to about half of the meetings.
Little and I share views on what we see taking place – we use each other to check on what we thought a council member said – we confirm with each other how a member voted – there are a couple that you would swear did not want the public to know how they had voted.
In her most recent column, Little wrote the following:
Monday saw the end of the online Burlington Gazette. (Not completely correct Joan – but do read on.)
Burlington’s online news and opinion journal has been produced by resident Pepper Parr for over five years, initially as Our Burlington. Although a resident for under six years, he seems to know almost everyone in the city and at City Hall.
Mayor Goldring once described the Gazette as almost better than sliced bread – he has changed his mind about the Gazette and the Gazette changed its mind about him.
 This is what the original Burlington Gazette office on Brant Street used to look like. The demise of the Gazette is sad, because the outspoken Parr always evoked interesting feedback, and left Burlingtonians with something to mull over. He seemed to be everywhere — city hall meetings, community activities, even sports and arts events. And he strongly promoted local endeavours.
But litigation takes its toll. Always outspoken, Parr regularly made on-the-edge observations. Whether actually litigious, only a court could rule, but he upset companies and individuals enough to attract two challenges over the years, neither of which has been heard yet, according to Parr. They cost money for consultations with lawyers.
He had been increasing the Gazette’s advertising revenue recently, but the time needed, and the confluence of the cost of running an online journal and defending against legal threats took its toll.
One company suing is Burlington Executive Air Park, which itself was sued in 2013 by the City over the amount of fill it imported to its Bell School Line site. The City claimed importation of fill is covered by its site alteration bylaw. The Air Park said it was exempt because airports are under federal jurisdiction. Burlington initially won, but the issue is still before the courts as the result of appeals.
Besides the Gazette, North Burlington citizens Monte Dennis and Vanessa Warren were also sued for comments they made. Dennis wrote a Letter to the Editor to the Spectator in response to a submission by Air Park’s Vince Rossi. The Rural Greenbelt Coalition is raising money to help fund their defence.
Another recent corporate threat was from Adi Development Group. Adi is proposing the 26-storey condo at Martha and Lakeshore, which is the subject of a March OMB hearing.
Adi demanded an apology for comments in two November columns which it claimed damaged its reputation. The apology appeared Monday, and the offending columns were retracted.
A question that troubles citizen activists and journalists is whether they might become the targets of libel chill (the threat of being sued for libel to shut them up). Having a second pair of eyes check columns before publication is a plus. On one occasion my Spec editor was concerned about a column’s content, and cautioned me. Grateful for the advice, I amended it, or could have been in that situation.
Ontario passed legislation in October, “The Protection of Public Participation Act”, aimed at protecting against SLAPP suits (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation). It reduces the risk of suits (which are often dropped before getting to trial anyway) and fast tracks the process.
Unfortunately it won’t help Dennis or Warren, because they were sued before this legislation was passed. Such suits can cost defendants thousands. How many people have that kind of spare change?
Meantime Parr has shut down the Burlington Gazette. Asked what he will do now, he said he wasn’t sure, but is considering a couple of options, and will enjoy expanded participation in his church community.
Burlington owes him a debt of gratitude for demystifying some of the operations of city hall, and for providing a local sounding board.
Clearly disappointed, he noted that one of the main things he tried to do was educate citizens about how City Hall works, and how to effectively present their positions. In that, he succeeded brilliantly.
He definitely knows more about the internal workings of City Hall than most people as the result of investigations he’s done. And he has acted in the past as a consultant for small business.
Who knows? He could show up on a council ballot.
Little got most of it right. The Gazette has not shut down – it has just limited what it publishes for a very short period of time.
The apology we were required to publish, if we wanted to avoid a very expensive libel suit, which we thought we could win but could not afford to fight, was to be the top story on the paper for a period of forty – eight hours.
If we published our usual daily volume that apology would have been shoved off the front page with a day or two. So we published very little – and let the apology – that we didn’t write, got top billing.
That 48 hours is coming to an end and we will get caught up.
However – and this is critical – the Gazette needs to change its financial model if it is to continue and find a way to get more advertising into the paper so we can pay our bills and have a cookie jar with some fall back on cash.
I have put everything I had into the Gazette – it cost me a marriage that I did not want to see end and it requires me to move from the accommodation I have now to something that is closer to the pension money I get. It is going to be bumpy for a while
 Walter Byj
February 5, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It came near the end of the Wednesday Halt on District School Board meeting when Director Miller announced to the trustee that to date there are 2,000 students at the grade 11 and 12 levels who are not yet fully immunized.
The Halton Region Health Department that requires 100% mandatory immunization for grade 11 and 12 students within Halton. If those students do not get their immunization by the end of March they will be subject to a 20 day suspension beginning April 6th.
The Regional Health department has done everything possible to immunize students – going so far as to set up individual appointments for students to get the needle.
Miller stressed that that this is mandatory by Halton Public Health as they will be suspending the students, not the school board.
Related article:
Parents have to report.
By Pepper Parr
February 4th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
“We’ve got to get the time line in place” explained Janine Stodulksi. “The funding for the bleachers is in the city’s capital budget – we don’t want to lose that” she added. “We have momentum going here” and when Stodulski has momentum – step aside.
 Janine Stodulski – she keeps things moving. She was talking through where things are with a community initiative to revitalize the Nelson Stadium, a facility on property that is owned by the city and the board of education – and where there are shared jurisdictions – you know there is going to be some friction.
The residents are hoping they can either jump over the jurisdictional issues or do an end run around them.
Six people gathered around a table in the Nelson High school library to go over what they knew and what they didn’t know and to line up their ducks and make something happen.
 Brad Scott, with Cogeco Cable and Jeff Brock with Nelson high taking part in a discussion on the plans their group have for significant improvements to the Nelson Stadium. Jeff Brock, who has Nelson High school football logos all over his laptop, looks at the numbers and suggests that bleacher seating for 700 will work. He thinks the sound system can be fixed.
Brad Scott, he’s with Cogeco, has been making calls to equipment suppliers and looking at prices – he didn’t like some of the numbers he was given.
Chris Zadow is the track and field guy and is working up a document that will show what the new footprint will look like when everything is done.
 Karen Hartman, principal at Nelson High school – explains what can be done and what can’t be done when working with the board of education. Karen Hartman, principal at Nelson, runs interference with the board of education and advises the group on what they might be able to get away with.
Tibor Olah, a soft spoken man, who is in real estate, has to move quickly to get a few words in edgewise.
Janine Stodulski, who serves as spokesperson for the group, is a driven woman who believes she has momentum and wants to see something happen. She is involved with one of the football leagues.
Their goal is a little on the lofty side but they aren’t going to let that deter them.
The Nelson Stadium facility is run down, tattered looking in places with facilities that need a serious upgrade.
They want to re-orient the racing track, add to lanes to the existing six, push back some bleachers on the south side and add a second set of bleachers on the other side of the field and get a decent press box in place.
 A community group made up of every imaginable Nelson Stadium user organization has plans for a much improved facility. They are currently working the city and the board of education and have their eyes on the Region. They see that world class velodrome in Milton and appear to want something just as good – better if Stodulski has her way – for Burlington.
The Haber Recreational Centre, joined at the hip to the Hayden high school has fabulous indoor courts – this group wants to see something as good behind Nelson high school – they want the location to be the place for Regional outdoor sports events.
The group sees upgrades coming at the Skyway facility in the east end of the city, the big, big upgrade done at Mountain side, the City View sports facility in the north east part of the city on Dundas – and note that much of the sports facility growth has been above the QEW – they want the something much better on New Street.
They have a grasp of the city budget that just might be better than that of some council members. They have figured out where their champions are at both the council level and within Parks and recreation – and they have strong connections within the community.
Their next round with the city is in April – it should be quite a delegation.
Odd though that the plans have yet to make it to a board of education level – and trustees don’t seem to have a clue at this point.
By Staff
February 4thj, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
This isn’t a Burlington story – but it helps understand how the identity thieves work – borders don’t matter to these guys.
An alert UPS driver was approached twice in the same day by a male looking to pick up a package from his truck destined for an address in the west end of Oakville on February 3rd 2016.
The UPS driver was suspicious of the identification the male produced, refused to confirm he had the package onboard his truck and continued on his deliveries.
 UPS driver didn’t like the look of the ID he was shown – calls the police who arrest a man found to have numerous fake identity cards. Later in day the male approached the driver a second time and the driver again refused to hand over the package, this time alerting police.
The suspect male was located by police in a vehicle parked in a parking lot at the Burlington/Oakville border, where he was arrested.
Multiple stolen credit cards and fraudulent identity were located in the vehicle.
Charged with Theft Under $5000, Possession of Counterfeit Mark, Unauthorized Use of Credit Card Data and Fail to Comply with Undertaking is:
Ikponmwosa OBAZEE 35yrs of Mississauga ON.
OBAZEE was held for a bail hearing on February 4th at Milton Provincial Court.
Police identified the contents of the package the accused wanted so badly – it was a product from an internationally known electronics Company.
The Regional Police have an excellent working relationship with UPS – when there is suspicion – the police get a call.
By Staff
February 4th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Power Restored at Parking Garage on Locust Street
Power to the parking garage at 414 Locust St. has been restored.
 By Ray Rivers
February 4th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
I’m in Nicaragua this week, taking in a little sun and a lot of car exhaust fumes. Even in the picturesque tourist city of Granada, a walk down its narrow streets yields an unhealthy lung full of petroleum byproducts. The privately owned cars, trucks and motor bikes scoot around or get tied up in vehicular traffic on these mostly pot-holed streets, pumping out nasty black fumes and all those other pollutants we don’t see.
It’s a poor country, as I discovered trying to drive on what passes for roads here, before giving up and championing public transportation and my shanks’ mare. And it is a treat to watch the many horse-drawn vehicles and the oxen carts hauling the nation’s produce and its people.
It makes one wonder how these people manage their extensive cane and corn plantations, when not a tractor is to be seen. Oxen technology? One wonders if the exhaust fumes from grass-fed ‘quadro gastric’ ruminants are worse those than from the petroleum-fed internal combustion engines when it comes to global warming?
 Donald Trump It may be a poor country but they do have universal internet, even if it runs a tad slow, in true Latin tradition. So I could hardly avoid exposure to that other hot air activity, the 2016 US primary in Iowa, which was plastered all over the cyber sphere. Our own Canadian-born Ted Cruz managed to trump ‘The Donald’, thanks in part to the flamboyant Trump’s set-to with Fox News and his insatiable appetite to insult and alienate.
One would have thought the endorsement of the unintelligibly rambling Sarah Palin would have pushed him over the top, but not so. Cruz invoked the higher order of ‘The Ronald’ (Reagan) and that must have sealed the deal. Even if Cruz’s own party finds him an unlikeable sort – and if unlikeable, unlikely to win the big one in November – he’s still a more authentic neo-con than Trump, cut in the cloth of his hero Ronnie.
If I were a betting man, I’d put my money on that other Cuban, the handsome Marco Rubio to get the GOP nod, though. Oh and I’d be surprised it Trump doesn’t fall on his promise to the party, and run as an independent along with former New York mayor Bloomberg.
 Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. The democrats had a see-saw contest in Iowa with Hillary and Bernie almost equally balanced off. Except it wasn’t supposed to go that way. Iowa should have been a shoo-in for the capable and likeable Clinton, and would have been except for all the baggage she is carrying. No one can blame her for her flirtatious husband’s sexual addiction, and she might get a pass on voting for the Iraq invasion, but it’s her unimpressive record as Madam Secretary which is weighing her down.
And Bernie – God bless his 74 years as a socialist – he is creating quite a stir, especially among those spoiled millennials who need a good reason to vote. In fact Sanders’ impact on the younger crowd hasn’t been seen… since America elected its first black president. Well maybe that didn’t work as well as some of us had hoped, but Sanders like our own Trudeau, is a breath of fresh air in a country on a precipice.
 Marco Rubio The precipice – progress or regress. This is not the first time that Americans have faced that kind of choice in their outdated bi-cameral electoral system, with its archaic electoral college and independent state-managed voting systems, And as often as not they have made the poorer choice, as when they and the Supreme Court elected GW Bush and when Cruz’s hero Ronald Reagan won two back-to-back elections – which takes us back to Nicaragua.
The US has had a long history of helping Nicaragua discover democracy even as the Monroe Doctrine, defining the US role in Latin America, was evolving. In the mid 1800’s an American slavery promoter by the name of Walker, from the great state of Tennessee brought in an army on the pretence of supporting one side in a civil conflict. He was there anyway so decided to make himself president and revoke Nicaragua’s anti-slavery law, just to please his southern state-side supporters.
But all good things must come to an end and eventually the bordering states of Costa Rica, El Salvador and Honduras ganged up to defeat Walker, and with a little help from the Brits, he ended up before a Honduran firing squad. Then a half-century later the marines landed, and using the Roosevelt corollary hunkered down to ensure the US’s Panama would be the only canal in the continent. (Nicaragua had been an alternative route).
 Former American president Ronald Regan In the late 1970’s the Sandinista socialist hoard overran the corrupt dictator Samosa and Reagan’s CIA and Oliver North broke American and international laws, selling arms to Iran via Israel – as incredible as that sounds today. The money was used to train the ‘Contra’ militants to commit acts of terror and human rights violations against the Sandinistas. That included killing over 3000 people and mining the nation’s harbours.
The Nicaraguan government first took and won its case against the US in the International Court of Justice, where the court ordered the US to desist and pay reparations. Then armed with that judgement they went to the UN Security Council, only to be vetoed five times by the US. Eventually, brought before the UN General Assembly, a resolution was passed condemning this act of state sponsored terrorism.
Of course the US approach to Latin America has changed recently with the Obama administration turning the page on the Monroe Doctrine – or as some have observed, returning to it’s original intent. As for Ronald Reagan, the world would be a better place had he stuck to his career as a mediocre actor.
 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 has taken a break to complete his second book – he does dabble in local politics.
Background links:
William Walker ICC Ruling Contra Affair
Sandinistas Monroe Doctrine Terrorism
By Walter Byj
February 3rd, 2016
BURLINGTON. ON
“Most of the information they need is in the palm of their hand” said Director of Education Stuart Miller “as he held up his blackberry. This was the beginning of his respon as we when asked for a bird’s eye view of the evolution of education.
The teacher is no longer the holder of knowledge he said as the technology explosion has provided information just a few finger inputs away. The teachers role is changing as they transition from imparting information to becoming coaches helping students be critical thinkers of information that is available 24/7.
 Director of Education Stuart Miller chats with Dave Hammel at the Fist Robotics conference recently. He said the nature of the workplace is changing daily with many of the current jobs not existing three years ago. Teachers have to teach today’s students to think through the information they are presented.
Where education was once insular, it is very much in the public domain he said. All facets of society from business, politicians and families need to pool and be involved in educating our kids. Referencing his past as a science teacher, he said biodiversity is key as we approach education.
So how will Director Miller lead the Halton District School Board?
He views the Halton board as a leader of education in Ontario. Although a resident of Toronto, Miller has strong roots in Halton; he has spent the majority of his career in Halton starting as a teacher in 1984 and climbing the ladder through a number of promotions to this current position. This is home away from home.
 Joey Edwardh, executive director of Community development Halton networks with Miller outside city hall. He feels that we have great teachers in Halton and his role is to encourage and stay out of their way. He is not a micro manager.
As a strong communicator, Miller is not only in giving out information, but getting input from the public. He understands that people have busy lives and only when things go negative does the public get involved. That is not good enough he said.
The public needs to know more and be able to easily access what is happening in Halton. We need to reach out not only to parents, but those citizens that no longer have children in the school system. They too have a lot to offer in the educational process. And don’t forget the kids he said, they too can have valuable input.
Though initiated by his predecessor, work continues on the board’s website. He said the site needs to flow more easily so that anyone can easily reference information.
Though not having taught for a number of years, visiting all schools within Halton is an ongoing goal to keep in touch with the classroom. Miller remembers many of his students on a first name basis – those the Gazette talked with love the man.
Many students remember him, a sign of a good teacher.
When asked how much he should keep in touch with the municipalities within Halton, he was a bit cautious as councils tend to be somewhat politicized and that is not his role. However, municipalities and the board should be in close communication on a number of matters and at this time that is missing.
 Stuart Miller makes a point at getting out to the schools as often as he can – he frequently lunches at Robert Bateman. A strong advocate of students speaking more than one language, he reflects fondly on the European model where students speak two to three languages.
And language is one issue on which he and the board will be spending much time.
The French Immersion program within Halton is experiencing extreme growing pains. The large uptake in French Immersion is resulting in small classroom sizes in the English program. In addition, French language teachers are hard to find. This will be the first major test of the director and the board seeking public input into solving this dilemma.
The public hasn’t been nearly as forthcoming as he had hoped. “We need to hear what they think before we make major decisions. Miller wants a community where parents, the commercial community and the students to share insights and the ideas that will keep the Halton board in the number one position he thinks it holds.
They will continue to reach out to the public for their input as they seek an equitable solution. As Miller stated, the solution will require input of all stakeholders, not just the board.
Having a more robust “active transportation “is also key to having a well rounded student he said. We want students to be safe when going to and from school, but studies have shown that some sort of physical activity in the morning leads to a better rounded student.
When asked why the board chose him over other candidates, he replied: “I told them who he was and what I represented. I did not try to guess what they wanted to hear.”
Combined with his most recent experience as Associate Director of Education the trustees obviously liked his message and now it will be his role to prove them right.
 By Pepper Parr
February 3, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
There is a bit of a kafuffle taking place over the idea of a new club house on the Nelson Stadium grounds.
 The Burlington Braves – who are about to roll up their tent and head for St. Catharines where they will start anew, have commented that with the Braves leaving town there is no need for a new club house.
That isn’t quite the way Janine Stodulski sees the refurbing of the stadium. She has her eye on a much bigger prize and is seeing far beyond a single organization using the space. Stodulski is the spokesperson for a collective of more than 20 sports groups who have come together to get a world class stadium for the city in behind Nelson high school.
 Early thinking for a refurbished Nelson Stadium They have made impressive yardage with the board of education and have strong working relationships with the parks and recreation department who seem to have found a number of pockets of money they can use to take the project forward.
There will be meeting rooms in the club house that other sports organizations can use and space for equipment storage.
 The existing press box is a hazard – Mayor said the stairs were unsafe two years ago – what did he do then? Not much There is talk of changing the orientation of the track and field area; getting a new press box in – Cogeco TV seems to be on for a big chunk of change for that structure.
The organizing group will be meeting this evening to update each other and prepare for their next meeting with city council.
The group is very much a go-go organization – if it is going to happen – they will make it so.
By Staff
February 4m 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Power Outage at Parking Garage on Locust Street
The parking garage at 414 Locust St is temporarily closed due to a power outage.
Hydro crews are on site.
The estimated time for repairs is not known at this time.
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By Staff
