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July 12, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON The transit system will continue to run – Burlington Transit voted tonight to accept a four-year collective agreement negotiated between the union and the city. The agreement will run from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2018. Burlington City Council will ratify the agreement at a council meeting on July 15. Burlington’s transit service, including Handi-Van, will continue as usual 
July 12, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON Later this afternoon and again this evening the members of CUPE local 2723, Burlington’s transit union will troop out to the union office and cast their ballots and decide if they want to accept the latest offer from the city. If a majority decide not to accept the offer the union will be on strike at 12:01 Monday morning.  Will the OPEN sign be lit up Monday morning? There is a news blackout on just what is in the offer the city made so there is no clarity on just what it is the union is being asked to accept. Rumour from the union side is that the city wants the transit people to pay for their uniforms. The city for its part wants the union negotiators to sell the tentative agreement to the union membership. There are those who are very disappointed with the local union leadership and the difficulty they have had in convincing their membership that the best deal possible has been negotiated. The city web site has a note on its home page that they are meeting with the union but there is nothing backing that up. The city web site is frequently behind the real news. City hall comes close to shutting down after July 15th when city council meets for the last time until late in September, That just might change. The Gazette will report on the union voting just as soon as results are available – expected to be around 9 pm Sunday evening.
July 11, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON Burlington somehow managed miss out on the Pan American games. The opportunity to have a facility in the east end of the city was lost – mostly due to a very strong reaction from the people who didn’t want anything done to Sherwood Forest Park  Now the biggest park the city has – and the furthest from the bulk of the population. Burlington did get an excellent soccer pitch and a much improved park on the west side of the city. The grounds are being used as a practice location for Pan Am soccer players. The city did collect a significant fee for the use of the grounds. In a media release the city sent out the names of eight Burlington affiliated competing in the Games: which is a cheaters way of saying there are eight Burlington or close by athletes playing in the games. Why would the city add in the names of great athlete from Oakville, Mississauga and Hamilton ? Mike Green, Racketball; is a Hamilton resisdent. Hawtin and Oldershaw are well known to Burlington audiences; Hawtin in particular is one heck of a wheel chair basketball player. The genuine Burlingtonians are Brady Reardon, kayak Autumn Mills, When she was 15 she was asked to try out for Team Ontario. That summer, she and her father commuted to Toronto from London every weekend for games. It was then that she finally heard about Team Canada and the chance to compete around the world, something she convinced herself she would be part of one day. PERSONAL: Family: Parents Daniel and Nancy Mills… Getting into the Sport: Started playing t-ball at age 4… She was on par or better than the boys and had a strong arm so stuck with it… Outside Interests: Earned her Bachelor of Arts in kinesiology and Bachelor of Education (primary/junior) at York University… Enjoys doing Crossfit, snowboarding, and going to Blue Jays’ games… Works as a police officer… Odds and Ends: Favourite motto: “Luck is the residue of hard work”… Admires smaller guys in MLB such as Dustin Pedroia who make big plays and hit the ball with power despite their size… Superstition: The ball must be on the ground before pitching; if someone throws it she puts it down, walks around the mound and takes a deep breath before picking it up… Has a good luck Pandora bracelet with baseball charms on her left wrist… Always travels with a lacrosse ball… Collects different Starbucks city mugs… Nickname: Millsy Tyler Muscat “My first Nationals was when I was 12 years old. I ended up getting first place.” Tyler Muscat is a confident 19-year-old Taekwondo athlete who knows the sport well; he’s practiced it for the past 13 years of his life and he doesn’t see a near end. At the age of 10 he got into the competitive part of Taekwondo and has been going to competitions and traveling the world since. “My first Nationals was when I was 12 years old. I ended up getting first place, and from then on it just got better,” says Muscat, who lives just outside Toronto in Burlington, Ont. He is heading to Russia’s 2015 World Taekwondo Championships later this week with promising ambitions of making it to the 2016 Olympic Games – he’s currently ranked 10th in the world for his weight division. His speciality is his speed. Muscat says that in his division, 54kg – the lowest in the senior category, many of his opponents are tall and do this move called the cut-kick. What saves him is his speed and technique, they give him an advantage that makes it easy to get around the move. Muscat isn’t too worried about the Russian Games right now, he sees them as more of an opportunity to grab points and advance his world rank. His confidence stems from two practices a day, each an hour and a half, and from his trainer Carla Bacco. He met Carla in the beginning of his Taekwondo career at his school Kicks for Kids, and has practiced there under her guidance since. Kicks for Kids has become his current University/College since he decided to postpone his post-secondary degree indefinitely after high school. “There’s a perfect time for everything,” says Muscat, “I’m trying to focus on the main things right now. School is always there for you.” When he decides to return he wants to pursue a career in marketing (experience with interviews and advertising himself as an athlete is his first taste in the line of work) and complete his post-secondary education. “I don’t think I will ever stop Taekwondo, even if I was in school,” says Muscat. A constant quirk of his that has followed him through every country and competition is his familial support; while he appreciates his family’s help and encouragement he doesn’t allow them to go to his competitions. “I get nervous,” he says, “even Nationals in Toronto, I didn’t let my family come out to support me just because I’m particular like that.” But whether he goes alone or not, Muscat’s confidence is unwavering and his world rank can prove it – coming back home to his family to celebrate the wins makes them that much sweeter. Kate Psota PERSONAL: Family: Parents Ed and Monique Psota… Younger brother Mike… Getting into the Sport: Started playing t-ball at age 4/5… Nobody in her family was involved in the sport, but when she was young she was obsessed with watching the Toronto Blue Jays and wanted to play baseball just like them… Outside Interests: Graduated from Wilfred Laurier University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in geography and kinesiology… Earned her Bachelor of Arts in education from Queens’ University in 2011… Enjoys going to the family cottage, boating, fishing, swimming, and gardening… Works at a garden centre… Odds and Ends: Worked and trained in Australia during the 2012 season where she developed friendships with their national team members… Nickname: Sodey… Tries to bring home something reflective of the culture wherever she travel. Brady Reardon B In 2012 he began racing K-1 internationally and won a silver medal in the first K-1 500m race of the World Cup season. A longtime training partner of Burloak clubmate Adam van Koeverden, the two focused on the K-2 1000m in 2013 and won a silver medal at the third World Cup stop in Poznan. In 2014 Reardon teamed with Andrew Jessop in the K-2 1000m at the world championships and recorded one of Canada’s best results of the competition with their seventh place finish. PERSONAL: Family: Parents Jim and Danny Reardon… Older brother Tucker… Getting married in September 2015… Getting into the Sport: Grew up in the sport because both of his parents paddled… Outside Interests: Enjoys mountain biking, DIY projects, being outside with his dog Banditt… Has a degree in kinesiology from McMaster University. Volunteers with KidSport. Odds and Ends: Always drinks a Guinness before race day. Always keeps his racing numbers. Favourite motto: “When you think you’re going as hard as you can, toughen up and go harder”…
July 10, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON On Saturday, July 11 the Burlington Downtown Car Show will take up of all Brant Street between Caroline Street and Lakeshore Road.  The city made a bit of a splash in announcing the car free Sundays that worked well in the west end of the city – didn’t do as well downtown. Road Closure Resident Access  Brant Street south of Caroline free of cars – is this a direction the city wants to take for the street on weekends during the decent weather? Supervision Event feedback This is a positive step – if you’re unhappy with the closing of the street – there is a place you can go to and register your complaint. Is this closing of Brant Street on a weekend a precursor to closing it throughout the summer? There are members of council who want to do just that.
July 10, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON As part of a reaching out to the community for help program the |Halton Regional police are sharing the name and photograph of Marcin SYDOR 37 years old, of Hamilton (Ancaster), ON. There are numerous people who continue to evade the police and the court system and continue to live out in our communities while having a warrant for their arrest in place. Every Friday, the Burlington Offender Management Unit will share information on a wanted person in hopes that the public can assist in locating the individual.  Marcin SYDOR 37 years old, of Hamilton (Ancaster), ON. In this edition of Fugitive Fridays the 3 District, Burlington Offender Management Unit is searching for Marcin SYDOR 37 years old, of Hamilton (Ancaster), ON. It is alleged: He is wanted by Halton Regional Police Service for: Theft over $5000 The accused is also wanted by Hamilton Police for: Fraud over $5000 SYDOR is described as 5’8”, 150lbs, hazel eyes and dark brown hair. At the time of his arrest SYDOR had a pierced left ear and a small scar above his right eye. SYDOR was born in Poland and has ties to Burlington, Hamilton and the surrounding areas. Anyone who may have witnessed this male or has information that would assist investigators in identifying and locating him are encouraged to contact D/C Bulbrook – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Offender Management Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2346 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
July 9, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON The City of Burlington reminds Burlington Transit riders that CUPE Local 2723, representing Burlington Transit workers, will vote on a tentative agreement on Sunday, July 12. CUPE Local 2723 has informed the city that they will strike as of 12:01 a.m. on July 13 if the unionized workers reject the deal recommended by both the city and the union. Here’s what to expect: • The city will learn the results of the vote on Sunday night, July 12 • If the union votes in favour of the agreement, service will continue without interruption on Monday, July 13 • If the unionized workers vote against the agreement, there will be no conventional bus or Handi-Van transit service beginning the morning of Monday, July 13 • Please be prepared. Have alternative travel plans in place in case there is a transit strike, and help friends and family members who need transportation. Doesn’t sound very optimistic – does it?
July 9, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON The federal government has proposed changes that will improve the efficiency and transparency of the construction and operations of aerodromes in Canada. The proposed changes to the Canadian Aviation Regulations would require proponents to consult with stakeholders before developing an aerodrome or significantly changing an existing one. Stakeholders could include local citizens, municipalities, local aerodrome operators, air navigation service providers, and the Minister of Transport.  Now what ? is the question Vince Rossi, president of the Burlington Air Park is asking himself. The Government of Canada is working in partnership with industry and community stakeholders to support safe and responsible aerodrome development. The final regulations are expected to be published in Canada Gazette, Part II, in 2016. Appleby Line resident Barbara Sheldon is expected to have already started writing her comments and just might invite Burlington Airpark president Vince Rossi over for a conversation about changes he made to the air park and the impact those changes have had on the value of her property. The prospects for the Air Park are not looking all that good at this point in time.
July 9, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON Part 2 of a series City council got their first detailed look at the draft of the Transportation Master Plan. They didn’t exactly cheer when the presentation was finished – it is going to mean some hard political decisions – which this council tens to do its best to avoid. The draft plan however laid out a number of realities the city has to face. In the first of this series we set out the players involved in transportation planning and the rules, regulations and provincial policy that impact on decisions the city makes. With those limitations – and they are not insignificant, the transportation department is beavering away at completing the study and aligning it with the Official Plan in order to support and expand upon new and updated policies. While the transportation department works on its plan – the planners work on the review and revision of the Official Plan and a team at city hall, plus city councillors develops the Strategic Plan the city wants to work to for the next four years.  What also has to be added to the transportation mix is what role mobility hubs will play in future thinking. The transportation people, led for the time being by Vito Tolone, are doing a solid review of transportation trends in conjunction with our changing demographics, travel patterns and future community planning. Part of the team is planner Kaylan Edgcumbe. They are Identifying the transportation facilities and services that will be required to meet the needs over the next twenty years and then develop the policies, guidelines, plans and actions that will guide day to day transportation programs and provide a basis for future capital budgets. That is a mouthful! What is NOT included in the TMP is a detailed analysis of specific intersections and roadways nor will it consider site specific impacts. Detailed assessments will be addressed through project specific studies and may be recommended as a result of the TMP What happens if the city doesn’t complete the TMP ? Well, all hell isn’t going to break loose but over time things will stop working the way people want them to work. Day to day transportation programs would not be current with community needs or emerging trends; Capital infrastructure planning and budgeting would not be able to address evolving development trends and growth management policies. Council and staff would not be able to respond to changing development standards and major planning considerations. Regulating agencies at the Region, Ministry of Transportation and Conservation Halton would not be apprised of Council’s transportation vision and its preferred strategy for moving forward.  It sounded like a good idea at the time but there was too much that both IKEA and the city didn’t know about what Conservation |Halton and the Ministry of Transportation had to say about putting a large retail operation on the North Service Road at Walkers Line Burlington ran into this problem when IKEA announced it wanted to move its location from Aldershot to the North Service Road at Walkers Line – that proved to be something that wasn’t possible given the views of Conservation Halton and the Ministry of Transportation. Tuck Creek was a significant conservation problem and the MTO couldn’t do what needed to be done with the QEW/Walkers Line intersection in time – which brought an end to any IKEA moved and put a significant dent in the careers of a number of people involved in the project. Had there been stronger policies in place and a clearer planning vision, and better communication between the parties, a couple of years of grinding away at something that couldn’t happen might have been avoided. Will a solid TMP avoid problems like that? Maybe – but what is clear is the need for a plan that fits into the requirements the province and the Region lay on us; that meshes well with the Official Plan and helps achieve the Strategic Plan – and is possible with the budget the city creates.  Council members have to stand up and be counted – Councillor Meed Ward wasn’t with the majority on this vote For all those people who think our municipal council doesn’t have a tough job, that they don’t work all that hard and it is really a part time job – think again. This is hard work that requires the ability to think at several levels at the same time. Every member of the current council is challenged daily to keep on top of it all. Some of them don’t do all that well at it either. The Transportation Master Plan study will: Identify transportation policies and initiatives that are working in other areas that could be considered in Burlington Develop actions and policies that will guide day to day transportation projects providing a basis for future budgeting activities So what is Burlington dealing with?  Auto trips are rising faster than the population – building more roads will not get us out of this spiral. 90% of all trips in the city are by car Levels of congestion are increasing; Commuting time is increasing; Cost to operate and maintain the current infrastructure is increasing; City revenue are not increasing at the same rate as growth or congestion. This is not sustainable. And we cannot build our way out of congestion
The majority of the trips are SOV – single occupant vehicle To reduce congestion on our roads other travel modes must be available for both local and long distance travel.  Can those 2 km trips be made using a different mode of transportation? Is the car the only option? The current transit service is not going to coax people out of their cars and there are limits to how many people are going to ride bikes. In 2011 over half of all daily trips in Burlington were 5 km or less. These trips could be easily replaced with walking, cycling or taking transit.  40% of the people who work in Burlington also live in Burlington – that means 60% of the working people use some form of transit  Most of our residents work outside of the city – that represents a major transportation challenge. Is the answer to all the questions that get raised in the data we have? Because there is a lot of data.
July 9, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON • Burlington Heritage The online services and forms are expected to be back in service by 10 p.m.
July 9, 2014 BURLINGTON, ON Part 1 of a series Planning is making sure that all the pieces are in place before doing anything. Before that you have to be sue you know what all the pieces are. Municipalities are creatures of the province – they set the policy and municipalities work within that policy. Cities have to adhere to Regional policies as well. The population of the country is growing; people gravitate towards the larger cities – Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver – you name it. The province told the Region of Halton – you need to grow your population by a million people by the year 2041. The Region takes that number and divvies it up between Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills. When Burlington gets its number we have to ensure that our policies allow for that kind of growth. The developers are very aware of the policies and they bring forward development proposals that meet the policy.  The top part is the plan for 300+ townhouses, the bottom is the “thinking” for apartment buildings that would be in the 5-6-7 storey range for a development in the west end of the city walking distance from the Aldershot GO station. Thus you get the ADI Development Group going to the city and saying they want to put 300 plus homes out on Masonry Court – and try to convince the city that the project meets all the rules – the biggest of which at this point in time is our need to intensify. That need to add to our population bothers a lot of people – they want things to remain just the same – they like it the way it is. The one thing everyone can be absolutely certain of is this – nothing is going to remain the same. There will be more people, there will be more traffic in Burlington. For those who don’t like the growth – they can move further out into the country; that’s just a hard fact we all have to live with. Burlington has to figure out how it is going to handle all those new people who want to drive their cars on streets that weren’t built for the volume that is coming our way. Burlington is developing a Transportation Master Plan (TMP) that city council was given a peak at a few weeks ago. The plan, which is some distance from complete sets out some of the realities the city faces – one of which is a decision made in the 90’s not to make Fairview a seven lane road. In the lengthy presentation that set out a lot of facts – some of which the public is not going to like – the transportation department also offered up some idea. Get used to hearing the phrase “complete streets” What is the Transportation Master Plan? It is a blue print that will be used to guide planning and implementation of a future transportation system, that is to be guided through the development of a sustainable, balanced transportation system. The goal is to have a transportation system that is convenient, affordable and efficient – one that provides choice and allows residents to travel whatever way they please.  Traffic barriers in place on Lake shore Road fora Car Free Sunday. That sounds very nice doesn’t it? – travel whatever way they please – hard to do if the road you want to drive on is clogged with traffic. All this thinking loops back to the city’s Strategic Plan – what do we want ? What can we afford and how do we do all this and keep taxes at a level that are bearable? The transportation department and the planning department are working together to produce a document that will give both city council and the public some choices. One of the more immediate problems for Burlington is that we don’t have a Director of Transportation nor do we have a Director of Planning – which should be telling you the tax payers something. Why don’t we have these people in place today? The former Director of Transportation decided that he wanted to try living in a different part of the country – he was ready for a change so he took a transportation job in Halifax. Same kind of job – just in a different city. The former Director of Planning came to the conclusion that it was time to retire – that may not have been just his decision. The city is without significant leadership in two critical departments and we are working with a city manager who is still figuring out where his bench strength is – truth be told – there isn’t all that much bench strength. James Ridge, the city manager, is down to a single General Manager who is stretched pretty thin at times. Background links: The ADI Development in Aldershot The opening of the King Road underpass To be continued…
July 8, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON A crack in a furnace released carbon monoxide into a home – CO is a gas you can’t see, smell or taste so the only way to detect it inside the home is with an alarm. The Burlington Fire Department has released a public safety video to create awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO). Julia’s Story captures the emotional account of one family’s close call with CO after a crack in the home’s furnace led to a CO leak inside the home. The video addresses the signs and symptoms of CO exposure and how to prevent the threat of CO poisoning at home. “Julia’s story is part of a storytelling campaign aimed at sharing the experiences of city residents during emergency situations,” said Fire Chief Tony Bavota. “We are grateful to Julia and her family for allowing us to tell their story, which underscores the importance of working carbon monoxide alarms.” If you live in Burlington and have experienced a fire or life safety emergency, the fire department would like you to share your story; email them at – firedepartment@burlington.ca. “The intent of the video is to tell a real and meaningful story to spark conversation within our community about CO,” said Public Education Officer Kim Sopko. “There are many stories out there like Julia’s. Our goal is to find and share those personal experiences to hopefully prevent the same situation from happening to others in our community.” Julia’s Story and other fire and life safety education videos can be viewed on the fire department’s YouTube channel. CO is a gas you can’t see, smell or taste so the only way to detect it inside the home is with an alarm. If it the alarm sounds, get outside immediately and call 9-1-1. More information on CO can be found at: www.burlington.ca/co. The Burlington Fire Department is a composite force that includes career staff and volunteers serving the diverse needs of the community. The department’s activities include fire suppression, fire prevention, education, training and emergency planning.
July 8, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON The Joseph Brant Hospital tag team paid a courtesy call on Council earlier this week and chit chatted about how things were coming along on the construction site; updated council on where things were with the community portion of the $120 million we have to come up with to get that refurbished hospital, large parts of which will be brand spanking new, top the point where people can use the place. Annissa Hilborn and Eric Vandewall, she of the Hospital Foundation and he of the hospital itself, also left the city with a document that set out when and how much of the $60 million city taxpayers have been putting into a reserve fund for that rainy day when the hospital comes looking for a cheque. The purpose of the meeting was to approve the amendments to the City’s Contribution Milestones and authorize the Mayor and Clerk to execute the amending agreement.  Most recent rendering of the Joseph Brant Hospital showing the bridge from the garage. In July of 2012, Council approved a Contribution Agreement that had the city contributing $60 million towards the purchase of eligible equipment costs. They eventually settled on the city agreeing to pick up the tab for up to $60 million in equipment costs. The initial cash flow from the hospital represented the their preliminary estimate of the equipment needs and cash flow requirements over the life of the JBH Redevelopment Project prior to the award of the construction Contract to Ellis Don Infrastructure JBH Inc.
The new tower will include a new Emergency department, three medical/surgical floors, a new ICU, new OR’s and day surgery and ambulatory care including a new Ophthalmology Clinic. The comparison of the Revised Contribution Milestones is provided below:  2016 is going to be a crunch year – the hospital wants a lot of the money then – and we don’t have it – so we borrow – hoping that interest rates remain low. The change in the cash flow advances the amount of debt required, but given the current favourable interest rates, the revised cash flow reduces the total levy and the length of time for the dedicated hospital levy from $62.1 million (19 years) to $59.5 million over 17 years.  The revised cash flow means the city doesn’t have to borrow quite as much as it would have under the original flow. The Contribution Agreement requires that JBH provide a Milestone Notice to the city at least three months in advance of each contribution date. This is critical in 2016 as this is the largest payment requiring a significant amount of debentures through the Region of Halton. Each notice must contain: • A statement confirming the application of all installments previously provided by the city to eligible costs The city’s $60 million contribution is made up of cash payments totaling $24.1 M and debentures of $35.9 M. Debt repayment (principal and interest) amounts to $41.52 M (10 year debt at 1.951% for the 2015 issue and an assumed 3% for the 2016 debt issue). All cash and debt repayment is funded by the dedicated tax levy for the hospital.
July 8, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON What if the transit drivers decide they want to force their issues and walk off the job Monday morning – the 13th Transit people will tell you that once a bus rider leaves it takes a long, long time to get them back.  Mayor explains using the bus schedule on his cell phone Riders are forced to find some other way to get around – and they often like what they find – even if it costs more and they stay with it for some time. There is a break in the trust that existed between the transit drivers and those who use the buses. There is a disintegration in public trust – something that is hard to quantify or measure but it is certainly there. Burlington is not a transit friendly city. There are people who will be delighted when the bus no longer drives by their house making more noise than they want to put up with. Those same people don’t like the noise the garbage truck makes but they put up with it because they want their garbage removed. They are not transit users and they resent the amount of their tax dollars that are used to support transit – they see transit that is something for people of limited means – and they don’t see Burlington as a city of limited means. This attitude is part of a particular demographic – it isn’t seen in the younger people – they adapt more easily and tend to have a different take on the damage that cars do to the environment. It will be interesting to see what the transit workers decide to do and how city council reacts.  Mayor thinking through a problem – transit is going to occupy some of his thinking this weekend.
July 7, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON If at first you don’t succeed try, try again. The Burlington Performing Arts Centre has issued a new call for applications to audition for talent Showcase spots that will be part of the 2015/2016 season  The Performing Arts Centre has initiated a Community Engagement program that will introduce amateur performers to theatre patrons. This is part of the Centre’s Community Engagement initiative. They want to involve local amateur talent in Burlington and surrounding areas to showcase prior to a selection of events in the Main Theatre throughout the 2015/2016 Season. These showcases are to complement the show in Main Theatre. For example if the event in the Main Theatre is a dance event then the group that will be chosen to Showcase their talent the lobby will be dance. If the Main stage has song then the group – or a single person – will be a singer. The objective is to have what is being showcased compliment what is taking place on the Main theatre stage. There is a small honorarium for the Lobby Showcases and artists will get an opportunity to market their brand at that time, while reaching a new audience. The artists may also be added to the City of Burlington’s Artists database, with their permission. The honorarium was a change from the original announcement The selected performers will get one of eight Lobby Showcase spots available throughout the 2015/2016 Presenting Season and they, as well as others selected, may also get a chance to be featured in the Culture Days celebrations, September 25 to 27, 2015. The Centre’s goal is to provide these local acts with greater exposure – to introduce the artists to the Centre;s patrons, and a wider audience – encouraging local artists on their way to becoming better known in the community.  If the Burlington Teen Tour Band can do their thing in the lobby of the Performing Arts Centre – imagine what a smaller group could do? We are looking for singer/songwriters, dancers, singers (pop, jazz, blues, folk, classical), bands or combos, instrumentalists and soloists (classical, jazz, etc.), performance art and comedy. Please submit the following by email to: BPACAuditions@burlington.ca Include photos, a short biography and background information, a description of the act or performer, any links to YouTube videos if available, and contact information. Dateline for submissions is July 24, 2015. There are limited spots available so only the acts or artists selected will be contacted with an audition date and time. Auditions will take place on September 19 and 20, from 10am to 5pm. Any further inquiries may be made to Community Engagement Manager, Costin Manu, at costin.manu@burlington.ca
July 7, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON A tentative settlement was reached today between the City of Burlington and the members of CUPE Local 2723, representing Burlington Transit workers. The union will be holding a ratification meeting on July 12. Both parties have been ordered by the conciliator to respect a full blackout on any details of the settlement until the day of ratification. Both parties fully recommend the tentative deal.
There is something the transit workers are really unhappy with. Was the city able to sweeten the deal enough for the membership to accept? We will know Sunday evening The union has informed the city that if the tentative settlement is rejected by the union members, a transit strike would start effective 12:01 a.m. on Monday, July 13. That’s cutting it close. City staff are concerned that a lengthy strike will drive people away from transit – and it takes a long long time to win them back. Critical; time for transit in Burlington The community is encouraged to consider alternative arrangements for transportation in the event of a strike.
July 7, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON Let us add to your traffic woes. Burlington Transit routes and 5 will detour this Saturday, July 11 Brant street will be closed from Caroline to Lakeshore Rd. in both directions, from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. during the “Burlington Downtown Car Show”. Routes 3 and 5 will be detoured in downtown as follows: From Burlington GO to Downtown Transit Terminal: From Downtown Transit Terminal to Burlington GO:
July 7, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON Summer traffic woes. Traffic alerts –Maplewood Drive and Plains Road West have trouble spots. Maplewood Drive will be temporarily closed from Brant Street to Robinson Street from July 2 to July 9, 2015 for the installation of a sanitary sewer. The northbound lane of Plains Road West between Hillsdale Avenue and York Boulevard will have a temporary lane closure for work to rehabilitate a bridge. The lane restriction is in place from July 7 to Oct. 30, 2015. Access to buildings along this section of Plains Road West will be maintained at all times.
July 7, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON It’s pretty clear now that the house William Ghent lived in as a farmer is going to meet the nudge of a wrecking ball.  The last genuine farm house in the downtown core – can any of it be salvaged? The Development and Infrastructure Standing Committee decided not to go along with a staff report that advised the city not to issue a demolition permit.  Heritage Advisory Chair Jim Clemens didn’t see enough in the Ghent – Brant property to designate it – without the designation the city has to issue a demolition permit if one is sought. Clemens did say that he hoped a way could be found to save parts of the structure – perhaps the façade of the building and include that in whatever gets built on the lot at the corner of Ghent and Brant Street along with the property to the south of it. Tony Millington, the private planner on the file said that the owners of the property had not yet decided what they were going to build but that they expected to come back and ask for zoning to build at least an eight storey structure. The city’s planning department still harbours hopes that something can be saved – the structure is the very last farm house in the downtown core. While Ghent was the owner of the property when it was divided into eight 5 acres parcels – that would qualify him as one of the city’s earliest developers – he really didn’t live in the house all that long. The property will soon be in the hands of a developer – all they have to do is convince council to give them the zoning and density they want and that corner of the city will be like most of the other – plain, bland and uninspiring. It doesn’t have to be that way. There are two classical Renaissance style structures on Yonge Street in Toronto that were basically abandoned years ago. Both were banks.  Abandoned bank on Yonge Street in Toronto found a new life – as the lobby to a high rise condominium. Imagine this as the front door to your home. A developer came up with a way to use one of the abandoned banks as the entrance to a high rise condominium that would be built behind and above the old bank. The pictures tell the story.  The classical structure was saved – lending much more comfortable street scape and a lobby that is to die for. Does Burlington have a developer with some imagination and the ability to take a risk and include the farmhouse in whatever they decide to build – and get a little extra density for their efforts? That farmhouse could be changed into a general store, a drug store, even a coffee shop that would enhanced the property and keep some of the city’s heritage. It can be done.  A stretch of anything but contemporary looking homes in the Beach of eastern Toronto There is a stretch of Toronto along the lakeshore in the east end where the road bends and becomes Woodbine Avenue. Years ago a racetrack was on that property. A developer bought the land and developed a nice sub-division – not unlike our Alton Village. They were nice enough.  Buyers had a choice between plain bland brick and colourful semi-detached homes – the colourful homes sold for a premium. The developer was getting on in years and decided he wanted to do something different so he built a stretch of the development that were significantly different than the rest – they were brightly painted and just different – and they ended up selling at a premium price. The public will buy different – if the developers don’t come forward with different ideas – there are people in the planning department that can help them, Let’s see what the end resolution is with the property at Ghent and Brant.
July 7, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON The unions in this city seem to be on a bit of a roll – while the city’s outside workers settled – the transit drivers have yet to accept the city’s latest offer. The 33 front-line workers who maintain the Royal Botanical Gardens gardens, grounds and buildings, are facing the harsh reality of falling behind as their wages have not kept pace with inflation in decades.
“While RBG’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) saw his salary increase by 40 thousand dollars from 2006 to 2014, the workers who tend to the ecological jewel received 0 per cent for 8 of the past 20 years,” said Sandra Walker, president of CUPE 5167, representing RBG workers.  Thirty three grounds workers make all this happen – they’d like to see the same increase in their pay cheque that the CEO got. “While they love the gardens, our members have truly fallen behind in ‘paradise’ because at the end of the day they have to feed their families and not just admire the beauty of RBG.” Over the years, the workers were forced to accept none to very minimal wage increases to keep the RBG operating financially. As a result of their sacrifices to keep RBG afloat, the workers’ wages have fallen behind drastically and they are now attempting to address the wage issue in this round of bargaining talks. Their last contract expired on January 15, 2015. Both the union and management are scheduled to return to bargaining talks on July 14 with the help of a provincial conciliator. The workers voted unanimously, a 100% mandate, to secure a fair contract that corrects the wage gap, including job action if necessary. “According to the CEO, last year was a positive year for the RBG, with a new five-year strategic plan that aims to position the RBG as a global leader in the next decade,” said Walker. “Our members support this plan and they’ve worked hard to help RBG turn the corner, and it is now time for management to help workers with real wage increases.” To highlight the economic challenges faced by the workers, they will hold a ‘Still Falling Behind in Paradise’ rally on Wednesday, July 8 at 5:00 p.m. outside of the RBG entrance at 680 Plains Road West in Burlington.
July 7, 2105 BURLINGTON, ON When negotiating the idea is for each side to determine what they can give and what they just cannot give up or absolutely have to have. The transit workers do not appear to have learned or understood that fundamental rule.  The transit terminal is open now – can the city and the transit union find a way to keep it open and avert a strike? One of their issues is for those over 65 to be able to have access to the same range of benefits that those under 65 have, which is apparently not the case now – even though that right is said to be written into the existing collective agreement. A reliable source reports that there is a benefit the transit workers have which they are not using – the city would like the union to exchange some of that benefit in exchange for the paying full benefits to those over 65. The union leadership is reported to have recommended to their membership that they accept the offer the city has made – the membership said no – and everyone is now back at the negotiating table. At a transit workshop several months ago dozens of people spoke of the high regard they had for transit drivers; young people spoke of occasions when a driver turned a blind eye to the person not having the full fare; adults told of drivers that would let them off a bus closer to their homes in the evening. A reputation for courtesy and service was witnessed – that is not something one would want to lose. Some union members feel they have the city between a rock and a hard place given the current city council schedule and the oncoming summer vacation. Time to do some real negotiating and time for the union membership to do a fast reality check.
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Since being selected to the Canadian Women’s National Team at age 16, Autumn Mills has competed in five editions of the IBAF World Cup and won three medals, including a best-ever silver in 2008. Her personal highlight has been playing on home soil in Edmonton at the 2012 World Cup where she got the save in closing out the bronze medal victory over Australia. Mills had played boys baseball throughout her childhood because she had no knowledge of any opportunity for girls in the game.
The martial art of Taekwondo is fascinating to watch – two people in the rink, each lightly bouncing in anticipation of the other person’s hit while trying to calculate their own strike. The energy that flows between the two competitors when they dance around each other, throwing jabs and kicks when they see the opportunity, is tense and powerful.
Kate Psota is a veteran of the women’s national team, having appeared in every IBAF World Cup since its inception in 2004. She has won four medals in six tournaments, highlighted by a silver medal in 2008. Psota was named national team MVP in 2009 and 2010. In 2010 and 2012 she was a World Cup all-star at first base. Psota played collegiate hockey for the Laurier Golden Hawks, winning five consecutive OUA championships from 2006 to 2010. In 2009 she was a CIS Academic All-Canadian.
rady Reardon is a second generation Olympian who was proud to have his father Jim on-site to watch him at Beijing 2008. Just like his dad at Munich 1972, Reardon competed in the K-4 1000m. Reardon has competed at every edition of the ICF World Championships since his debut in the K-2 1000m in 2007.
The way we move around the community is heavily influenced by where we live, work and play. The way we travel impacts our quality of life, our health and relationship with our community
The revised schedule is now reflective of the equipment purchases required to align with the construction schedule of Ellis Don Infrastructure JBH Inc. which includes the opening of the new tower in 2017. The equipment requirements for the hospital fiscal years 2015/16 have decreased by $10.1 million. In 2016/17, the equipment requirements have increased by $22 million from the original contribution agreement. These changes are consistent with the construction project schedule and the requirement to acquire furniture, fixtures and equipment and install the same prior to the opening of the new tower in 2017.
The city has known for some time that there were going to be problems with the transit union; a tentative deal, which was recommended by the union negotiators to the membership, was nevertheless turned down by the membership.
The union points to the pride of the RBG being an ‘ecological jewel’ and a living paradise for locals and visitors to escape to, the workers who maintain the place are not happy campers