 By Staff
March 23, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
There is one sure way to attract the attention of police – drive faster than the limit on a heavily used road.
On Saturday March 21st 2015, uniformed officers pulled over a vehicle on the North Service Road, Burlington that was travelling at a high rate of speed.
During the traffic stop officers observed drugs within the vehicle.
As a result, four occupants of the vehicle were placed under arrest.
A further search of the vehicle revealed the following items:
8 cellular telephones
$1215 in cash
Cannabis marihuana
Oxycodone tablets
Cocaine
Other prescription drugs
The following parties were charged:
Michael BACON (21 year of Oakville)
Possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine and Oxycodone. BACON will appear in Milton Court on April 21st 2015.
Stefan KOBLI (22 years of Oakville)
Possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine, Oxycodone and marihuana. KOBLI will appear in Milton Court on April 21st 2015.
Kristofer BURNSIDE (21 year of Burlington)
Possession of a controlled substance (marihuana). BURNSIDE will appear in Milton Court on April 21st 2015.
Paola PASQUALINI (21 year of Oakville)
Possession of a controlled substance (Oxycodone). PASQUALINI will appear in Milton Court on April 21st 2015.
These four were either making a delivery to a needy customer or they were using what the police arrested them for having in their possession.
 By Pepper Parr
March 23, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It is going to be a tough meeting.
The city will give the public a peek at what they have in mind for the Beachway Park at a meeting on April 7th at the Art Gallery of Burlington – start time is 6:30 pm
 This is the location of the 30 homes the Regional government would like to at some point buy and demolish and turn into a park. The challenge the city faces in designing a park for the Beachway part of the city is – how long are the houses going to be in place?
How does a landscape designer put together a plan without knowing if a piece of land is going to be available or not?
The landscape planner on the Beachway file did most of the work for the City View Park on Dundas at Kerns Road. It is a very well designed park – Burlingtonians don’t get to use it all that much because of its location and will get to see almost none of it during the Pan Am Games this summer – it is being used for soccer practice by teams and there is no public admittance.
The challenge for the planner is – how does she put together a design that covers the park when 26 homes are still on the property?
 These Beachway home owners got to see drawings with houses on the maps – some of the design maps apparently don’t have houses shown. They assume a clean slate. The thinking that is reported to dominate the people doing the design is that the homes are not going to be there for all that long. There is a view that the Region should just get on with it and buy all the homes now and complete the destruction of that community.
The fight to keep the homes as part of a vibrant community was lost when Burlington wasn’t able to convince their municipal colleagues on Regional council that there was real merit to maintaining the homes the way the city of Toronto did with the Islands.
It was a long hard battle to keep a community on the Toronto Islands but the residents eventually won and today it is a quaint, safe livable community.
Burlington appears to have missed out on the opportunity to preserve something that is a part of both its history and its heritage.
 At previous public meetings the discussion was about what the community could look like – the discussion this time around does not include a community – just a park. At least one of the maps that will be shown will not have any of the houses on it – that will be used to show what the park could look like if all the houses were gone.
There are, we understand, plans to make the canal a bigger feature in the design.
The Regional government has consistently taken the position that there is a willing buyer – willing seller situation – any buyers that might have been out there are going to give up on the idea of living in that community once they see the plans.
That leaves those people who own homes sitting there like apples in a barrel waiting for someone to spear them and eat them.
The Region had “guestimated” that they would have to spend something between $300,000 and $400,000 to acquire each property.
 Sold for $600,000 + with the seller staying in the house under a two year lease. The most recent sale went through at more than $600,000. With the region prepared to pay what some say are more realistic prices and the plan for the park available to the public – it wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume that current owners will take what money there is on the table and call it quits.
There will be a couple of hold outs – that’s when expropriation will be used.
Expropriation has already been thoroughly discussed at the Staff level – it’s a tool that in this instance has political ramifications.
That isn’t going to make any difference to Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven. He no longer talks to the Gazette so we can’t tell you what he has to say.
 Laura Gillespie points out the part of the Beachway that affects her the most – the spot where her house is located. He is on record as not being a fan of keeping the homes in the park. Expect him to speak about the plan in glowing terms and as being the best thing for the city and the Region. That it is seen as a disaster for the people who live there and are his constituents does not seem to matter to the Councillor.
The Beachway has always had a bit of a down market cast to it. Many of the homes that were in place when the rail line went through were summer cottages that had been upgraded – usually not to the building code.
It had a sense of community to it but it also had a reputation. Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster once told her colleagues that in her day “nice girls did not go to the Beachway’. We are not sure if that was before or after Ms Lancaster was made Miss Canada.
 Demolished in 1994  Demolished in 1990. The Region bought up the leases and tore down every last one of the houses that were on the lake side of the railway tracks. There are some ideas floating about that could make the Beachway more of a destination but Burlington requires more in the way of leadership vision for anything different or unique. Ideas need champions, people prepared to educate and lead a public.
Burlington doesn’t have enough of that around the council table. These things take time.
 By Pepper Parr
March 23, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
There are a couple of cardinal rules in the way people in positions of some authority must conduct themselves.
One of those rules is that you cannot have a personal relationship with a person that you have or can be thought to have some authority over. Another is that one cannot be abusive in their behaviour to people that report to them
 There is a situation on city council where the first cardinal rule has not been observed. At the least it calls for a discussion between the member of council and the city solicitor on what the rules are and how they are to be observed. Some have asked: Is there not a code of conduct? Apparently not – quite why one needs a code to regulate decency is beyond me.
A staff member’s integrity has been compromised and perhaps the trajectory of their career shortened.
The public looks for integrity and character from their elected leaders. We expect them to reflect the values of the community.
When they don’t there does not appear to be any redress.
There is a situation at the Seniors’ Centre where the behavior of a volunteer has and is making life close to intolerable for city staff.
The public has a right to expect nothing but professional service from the people employed by the city. There are very few instances of unprofessional behavior – those that do crop up are dealt with quickly and expeditiously.
 The city administration doesn’t have the same authority with volunteers. Investigations can take place and copies of reports made available to the offending party. But it is up to the members of the Seniors’ community to police themselves and set out the standard they want to see met.
If you don’t like what you see – stand up and say something.
 By Staff
March 20, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Hamed Naseri’s, a geologist from Tehran, in Canada less than a year will be both exhibiting and working on his bold, heavily detailed ink paintings. The detail is quite extraordinary.
 Hamed Naseri’s art is bold, almost daring in its use of colour and at the same time as detailed as the innards of a Swiss watch. Naseri will be exhibiting and doing his work at the Art |Gallery of Burlington. Naseri draws his inspiration from his life and the world around him. Nature, figures, architecture and the concept of ‘home’ are explored in imaginative realms in his works.
Persian poems are often incorporated into his paintings, occasionally appearing as part of the design. These fine details add to the painting’s narrative, combining traditional stories with vibrant images.
Naseri seeks to immerse viewers in his imagination – to feel the fire, wind and waves. This exhibition marks the one year anniversary of his artistic career.
 Hamed Naseri will be doing his art at the Art Gallery of Burlington. Photo Credit of Artist: Chuck Burdick, 2015 A graduate of Geology from Tehran University, Hamed Naseri travelled throughout Iran studying the flora and fauna of the country’s many landscapes. He also observed the kind hospitality of local residents, which lead to his artistic exploration of the question ‘what is a home’?
The artist brought his passion of ink painting to Canada in December of 2014. For Naseri, creating his paintings in public spaces allows him to observe the nature of the city and spaces around him.
As part of the exhibition, he will be working on new pieces in the gallery.
Winds & Waves is at the Art Gallery of Burlington from March 20, 2015 – April 19, 2015 in the RBC Community Gallery
By Staff
March 20, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
At 6:35 this evening – spring will have arrived – and while there might be one last bit of a winter blast – the season has changed and we can begin to prepare for summer. Two-four time will be here soon enough; that’s the weekend the gardeners come out in force – not the weekend the hockey fans head for the Beer Store – no reason for Maple Leaf fans to make a weekend of it.
 These snow plows are parked for the summer – they certainly got a work out this winter – as did all of us. One of the first things we get to do in the new season is celebrate Earth Hour on Saturday, March 28, 2015. The City of Burlington is encouraging residents and local businesses to participate in Earth Hour by turning off all non-essential lights and appliances for one hour at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28.
Now in its eighth year, the annual lights-out event, organized by the World Wildlife Fund, brings together more than 7,000 communities from around the world to symbolize their commitment to the planet by switching out the lights for one hour.
 Ward Councillor Blair Lancaster and Mayor Rick Goldring put their political reputations on the line and stand on skate boards. Will the two of them try that again now that it’s Spring. “I encourage residents and businesses to take the challenge and power down during Earth Hour,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “Earth Hour is a great reminder about how our actions impact the environment. Through its Corporate Energy Management Plan and Community Energy Plan, the city is committed to looking at how energy is used and generated in the community and where conservation and efficiency measures can be put in place.”
“In 2014, Burlington City Council endorsed the city’s first Community Energy Plan, developed with community groups, agencies and businesses. The plan is a holistic view of how energy is used, conserved, generated and distributed with a focus on how community partners can work together to improve and integrate community energy systems.”
Nice corporate statement – but not much about what the city has actually done in the past year
“The city has been working to put in place an energy management program aimed at saving energy and reducing costs for city facilities. In 2013, the city was awarded the Community Conservation Award by the Ontario Power Authority for its commitment to conservation.”
Commitment is about all we have on the Corporate Energy Management Plan
The people over at the fire department pass along some safety tips to keep in mind if you are one of the people that get into the Earth Hour idea.
When turning off lights in support of Earth Hour, consider these important safety tips:
• Test all smoke alarms to ensure they are working
• Consider using LED candles
• Keep candles away from curtains and decorations, and place in a sturdy container that contains the flame
• Always keep lighters and matches out of reach from children
• Never leave the room when a candle is burning.
The Gazette will drive some of the streets in the city on Saturday to see if the message is getting through.
 By Ray Rivers
March20, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It’s not new – this debate about that piece of face-cloth some women have to wear when they leave their domiciles. Canada’s immigration minister had ordered up veil-free citizenship services a couple of years ago, but a court had overruled him. So while the federal government is appealing the ruling, our PM has jumped in with both feet, calling the ‘niqab’ anti-woman, baiting the opposition, and driving up the volume as we move forward to this year’s election.
 Is this an acceptable form of identification? And why was this ever such a big deal? Isn’t becoming a citizen a prelude to being able to hold a Canadian passport? As with a drivers’ licence or a health-care card, don’t passport requirements include a full-face photo. That means that if the new citizen wants only to be able to travel, she’d need to drop her veil at least twice – once to get the photo and again to board the plane, so what is the big deal at the citizenship office.
On the other hand there is no longer a debate in France. Wearing the ‘niqab’ (or the even more extreme ‘burka’) in public places was banned outright a few years ago. And Quebec’s PQ government was ready to follow that European country’s lead before they were toppled by the provincial Liberals last year. Banning the public display of a cultural icon might be seen as racist under most definitions of the term, but the French law has withstood scrutiny by the European Commission.
While I’m pretty cool with how anyone decides to dress, I’d be a little uncomfortable boarding a plane knowing that another passenger boarded without a confirmation of her facial identity. So perhaps the PM came to the right conclusion but for the wrong reason.
 Election Canada official raiding the Conservative Part offices in Ottawa – just politics? Or maybe he’s just playing politics. And who could blame him for looking for diversions. First of all he wants to extend the ISIS mission, even into Syria, and that smells like an invasion. But even worse, this decision is being made just as we’re putting to rest one of our own – a military trainer – supposedly not involved in direct conflict, but who was killed while serving on the front line.
And then, having jumped the gun and announced an income-splitting tax break for the wealthy, the PM now finds himself unable to afford it. His promised election year balanced budget is evaporating faster than the price of oil and the Canadian dollar are falling. So the PM is stalling, hoping and waiting for a miracle.
But Harper doesn’t need a miracle, he is a shrewd tactician and knows that there is no defence like an offence. And what could be more offensive than attacking new Canadians for their little cultural niceties which most of us don’t really even want to understand. If the ‘niqab’ is anti-woman, what does that say about the person wearing the garb?
 Prime Minister Stephen Harper expounding on a policy. And then there is this recent gun narrative in which the PM seemed to be telling folks to go ahead and use your guns instead of waiting for the police. If this was a message to his base, or a call for funding from the gun organizations and companies, you can bet it worked. And then just to placate those nervous 905’ers, he now claims he was mis-interpreted. It’s an old trick, and he is performing it brilliantly.
Had his new anti-terrorist act, Bill C-51, been the law of the land, the recent terrorist scenarios we experienced would still have taken place The bill is a Trojan-horse, an excuse for the government’s security failures. It is disguised as an anti-terrorism weapon, but is really just another roadblock to freedom of expression and the curtailment of other civil liberties. The right-wing generally sees itself as a strong advocate of free speech… but then it really depends on what is being said, doesn’t it?
So what is next on the PM’s offensive agenda. So far he has stayed away from capital punishment and a woman’s right to choose. Indeed he has been consistent in dodging these topics, despite the pressure he must be getting from some of the really regressive members of his party and caucus.
 The French banned skinny models appearing at fashion shows – they also banned certain types of head dress. Is Canada going to restrict what people can wear at public events? Should a full face be revealed for the purposes of identification when boarding an aircraft or appearing in a court room? So perhaps he might want to try something completely different. The French seem to have settled on going after super-skinny models for their next social mission. Banning them from fashion shows and off the runways until they ‘fatten-up’. Of course this might just be a ploy to reduce the huge quantity of surplus French agricultural produce. I wonder if that would also work here to help out oil-depressed Alberta and Saskatchewan.
 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.
Background links:
Passport Requirements French Ban Harper’s Rant
More Harper’s Rant Harper and Guns Super-Skinny
 By Pepper Parr
March 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Careers come to an end; the time to take off the harness and have it placed on the shoulders of someone who can build on the work you’ve done is one every professional faces.
That day for city planner Bruce Krushelnicki has been reported to the Gazette by a usually reliable source. Bruce will leave city hall sometime in May.
 A good listener, city planner Bruce Krushelnicki also explained difficult concepts better than most people. Krushelnicki made significant contributions to the design of the city – there are, one can be sure decisions Krushelnicki made that he would not make again – but on balance Burlingtonians have been well served.
For young people wanting to develop careers as planners the opportunity to listen to Krushelnicki speak was like being in a classroom – they would slip away from their desks to hear someone who knew the field inside out.
He was the most erudite member of the city staff – he also knew the best tailor in town: Krushelnicki looked well outfitted in the pair of jeans he wore on casual Friday’s
When asked what form he thought the Strategic Plan released in 2011 should take he said, without cracking as much as a smile “A single page and in Latin.”
Krushelnicki has written a text on the workings of the Ontario Municipal Board and he may well return to that organization.
He would be very welcome as a lecturer in almost any school of architecture in the country.
The unfortunate part of his departure is that a number of important files come off the front burner. The Roseland Character Study gets put on hold; the development of the Official Plan slows down.
The Indian Point Character study was dead – there was to be a report on the lessons learned from that exercise – it may never see the light of day now.
The Gazette once asked Krushelnicki what he wanted to do when he retired and he said he would like to drive one of those large pieces of construction equipment.
We expect Bruce to aspire to more than that.
 The ramp at the Drewlo development on Plains Road: there were supposed to be five of them, there are just four. City planner Krushelnicki pulled their building permit. With some luck we will manage to do a final interview with Krushelnicki – expect to read some of the pearls of wisdom the man has to offer – he might even explain what is meant by a “top of bank” and why it is important – or how he brought the Drewlo development on Plains Road to a grinding halt when he pulled their building permit.
Polite, considerate, patient to a fault – but a tough nut when he had to be.
 By Staff
March 19, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Things got very nasty Wednesday in the 2300 area of Walkers Line when the Regional police arrived in response to a threatening incident.
The suspect in this matter was known to the victim. Based upon information received from the victim both uniform officers and tactical officers responded in an effort to locate the suspect.
The suspect was located and arrested without incident. The investigation is ongoing at this time. There was no threat to public safety and no injuries were received at any time during the incident.
As a result of the investigation into this incident a 26 year old Burlington resident has been charged with several Criminal Code offences.
Anthony BEAUDRY has been charged with:
1) Uttering a Threat to Cause Injury to an Animal
2) Uttering a Threat to Cause Death or Bodily Harm
3) Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
4) Fail to Comply with a Probation Order (2 counts)
The male party has been held for a bail hearing on March 19, 2015 in Milton Court.
By Pepper Parr
March 19, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The federal election is expected to take place in the fall – the campaigning has already started.
 Burlington MP Mike Wallace prepares for the federal funding announcement at the offices of Memex on Harvester Road. MP Mike Wallace was in town with FedDev Ontario Minister Gary Goodyear talking about the funds they had made available to two Burlington corporations – Memex Automation, a publicly traded company and Adflow, a very smart technology company that many Gazette readers see and use regularly.
 Dave McPhail on the right explains that the piece of equipment others are holding is the device that captures information executives can use to fully understand what is happening on the shop floor of their plants. Mike Wallace, Burlington’s MP admitted that he didn’t fully understand the stuff but was fascinated. Federal Minister Gary Goodyear explained the intricacies to Mike Wallace. The funds distributed were part of a federal Business Innovation initiative. The funds are repayable and are aimed at strengthening the innovative eco-system of south-western Ontario; a part of the province that took a huge economic hit in 2008 when world financial systems looked like they were going to melt down completely.
 Mike Abbott, on the left explaining the intricacies of Adflow to MP Mike Wallace while Catherine Brady takes the Minster through e screen that Adflow created and monitors for a client. Memex was loaned $800,000 and Adflow was loaned $99,093. Why that wasn’t rounded up to the next logical number only a bureaucrat somewhere can explain.
Both companies are rather small but clearly leaders in their fields – Memex has 22 employees – they expect to hire an additional sixteen people with the funds received. while Adflow has 28 employees and will use their funds to expand into larger space.
The Gazette will do full length features on both companies in the near future.
The take away message from the $899,093 the federal government spread around today was that the federal election is beginning to heat up.
Is there more federal money to come?
By Staff
March 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Close to half of the August 2014 flood claims have been reviewed by the Burlington Community Foundation Flood Disaster Relief Claims Committee (DRC) Of the 156 claims reviewed 129 have been approved for a partial payment.
 The August 4th, 2014 flood hit both residential and commercial properties. When the rains came down Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring was on the phone within 48 hours setting up committees to manage the relief effort he knew was going to be needed.
He called on the Burlington Community Foundation to oversee the relief effort and leaned on Burlington business man Ron Foxcroft to head up a fund raising effort.
Foxcroft brought in just short of $1 million in 100 days.
While it took a lot of arm twisting to get the province to come through with an Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP) program that gave the city $2 for each dollar raised – it did happen.
Those funds are now being distributed.
“The Committee is on track with its work and has reviewed half of the 310 claims submitted,” said Colleen Mulholland, President and CEO, Burlington Community Foundation. “We continue to receive very positive feedback from victims who are receiving financial assistance.”
The paying out of funds is a little awkward, necessary because of the rules surrounding the provincial government ODRAM rules.
The Disaster Relief Claims Committee (DRC) will not know how much the claims are going to amount to until all the claims are reviewed. They decided they could pay out half of the approved claim just as soon as the claim was approved.
 Trying to save as much as possible from rising flood waters. Some homes had completely flooded basements with water running through the main floor. Once all the claims are processed the DRC will know how much they have left and distribute that amount proportionately when all the claims have been reviewed.
 More than 191 mm of rain fell in one day During the first three months of 2015, interim claim payments of $696,000 was distributed. The goal is to have all 310 claims assessed to determine final payment amounts. The BCF wants to have this process wrapped up by April 30.
“I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am to receive your letter,” one claimant said. “The abatement company has been very patient in waiting to be paid so that will be a tremendous weight off my mind. We will now be able to get started on the refinishing of the basement.”
At mid-February the Foundation had paid out a total of $696,000 which would work out to a little over $9000 per claimant. A breakdown wasn’t provided on the more recent payments..
The Claims Committee continues to meet every two weeks to process each claim.
By Pepper Parr
March xx, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Part 2 of a 2 part feature
When David Donnelly gets wound up he is close to a force of nature. His explanations and solutions for saving the environment are those of a driven man.
His mission is to offset the influence, clout and financial muscle of the development community – his current focus is the threat to Ontario’s greenbelt
He is one of those lawyers in the province who does his environmental homework home work and asks the hard but to him very obvious questions.
He formed his law practice in 2008, the year the bottom fell out of the financial world.
 David Donnelly: a force to be reckoned with once he gets wound up. He keeps a close eye on the development community and brings 25 years of experience and expertise to his work. During the early March Town Hall meeting held recently in Burlington to rally the troops for the forthcoming public meetings on the Land Use Planning Consultations the province is holding starting late in March.
There will be a meeting in Hamilton on April 22 and another in Milton on April 16th.
There are people with wheelbarrows full of money and the patience of Job who have cast their covetous eye on all that lands in Burlington north of Dundas. They are whispering in the ears of the politicians and the bureaucrats on the e need to open up some of that land to residential development so that municipalities in Halton Region can meet their growth targets.
Donnelly points out that:
The population of Greater Toronto and Hamilton (GTAH) area Golden Horseshoe is expected to be 3.7 million by 2031.
The GTAH, which includes the Region of Halton is expected to accommodate 2.3 million people by 2031
The city of Toronto is to add 470,000 people by 2031
Donnelly math works like this:
With 2.3 million more people projected for the GTAH (which includes Hamilton) everything outside Toronto is going to have to absorb 1.83 million people. That figure is the e 2.3 million provincial projection less the 470,000 Toronto will absorb = 1.83 million
 Burlington allowed six original Veterans Land Act properties to be assembled into a project that has 54 units. City council spent more time squabbling about keeping a tree than they did about how cramped this community is now. Where will this growth go: Donnelly projects 60% of it will be greenfield and 40% intensification.
 This 58 unit project replaced six small bungalows – seen to the left. Intensification – just not good community. Burlington politicians continually talk about being built out but there are two large sites that are primed for development: Eagle Heights in the west end of Aldershot and the Bronte Meadows property along Upper Middle Road and Burloak. The Meadows is currently designated Employment Lands but there are a number of reasons to believe that it will be changed to residential.
Burlington also has a number of mobility hubs that are more of an idea than a reality at this point but offer significant intensification opportunities for the city.
 David Donnelly: leading environmental lawyer spoke recently in Burlington Donnelly explains that from 2006-2011, the overall intensification rate (excluding Toronto)
was 39%. Greenfields accommodated 61% of that growth.
Donnelley’s Greenfield math produces the following:
1.83 million X 0.60 = 1.1 million people on Greenfield sites
He projects 2.99 residents/unit
More Donnelly math:
1.1 million people ÷ 3 residents/unit = 367,000 Greenfield units required (single/semi/townhouse)
That’s how many people the area will have to accommodate – 367,000
Where will the houses they live in be built? Some Greenfield, some by intensification claims Donnelly.
What Donnelly is pointing out is that the land in the rural part of Halton – and large part of the greenbelt, which the developers want to move into is not necessary
Donnelly argues that the land supply is not an issue
He explains:
Greenfield supply in GTAH is already designated at 47,000 hectares
Take that 47,000 ha X 17 units/ha = 800,000 units
800,000 units X 3 people/unit = 2.4 million people
No need to encroach on the greenbelt argues Donnelly – the existing land will accommodate all we are expected to have to accommodate into 2031 – Donnelly didn’t project beyond 2031.
He adds an additional twist to his argument that there is no reason to touch the greenbelt.
The 2006 Census reports 370,000 units occupied by 65+ year old residents
In 2031 there will be 370,000 units (singles/semis/towns) occupied by 90+ year old residents
Back to that Donnelly math:
370,000 units X 3 residents/unit = 1.1 million people
We need Greenfield land for 1.83M people by 2031, or 600,000 units
We have land designated to accommodate 2.4M people, or 800,000 units
Coming back into the market, are 370,000 already-built singles/semis/towns to accommodate 1.1M people
We have ground-related units to accommodate 3.5M people or roughly double the 1.83M to be accommodated.
Ipso facto – we don’t need to touch as much as a square foot of greenbelt land for housing.
 Paert of the Ontario Greenbelt that makes up North Burlington – which some argue is under threat and has to be protected from unnecessary development. Province has scheduled a series of Land Use development meetings across the province. This isn’t an argument that is going to sit all that well with the development community which has very deep pockets and great lobbying bench strength – plus significant clout as a result of the election campaign contributions.
But it is the argument David Donnelly and the Rural Burlington Greenbelt Coalition will be taking forward during the public hearings.
One those occasions when Donnelly gets to orate on the defense of the environment – he can get really wound up. Facts, especially figures, literally gush out of him. When he is done his body slumps a little and a “there – do you get it?” look spreads across his face.
David Donnelly has done his thing – and if you believe his numbers – he has done it well. He will be doing this frequently in the months ahead.
Part 1 of a 2 part feature
 By Pepper Parr
March 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Part 1 of a 2 part feature.
It was a gathering of the true believers – they met at McMaster University’s DeGroote campus in Burlington to listen to environmental advocate lawyer David Donnelly, Oakville Mayor Rob Burton, Suzuki guy and female planner who focused on what they see as a threat to Ontario’s Greenbelt.
It was defined as an occasion to celebrate and a time to hunker down and make sure that the gains made are not taken away as the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) holds a series of Town Hall meetings across the province.
It is a delight to listen to Oakville Mayor Rob Burton talk about how that town managed to “green” its Council and to listen to David Donnelly proselytize about the environment.
 Vanessa Warren, founder of the Rural Burlington Greenbelt Coalition, ran as a candidate in the last Burlington municipal election. Vanessa Warren, founder of the Burlington based Rural Burlington Greenbelt Coalition (RBGC) bounced about the room introducing people and keeping things going.
Warren first crossed Burton’s path when she was delegating to Halton Regional Council on the Burlington Air Park problems. At that time Burton explained to Warren that she had more clout with the Air Park issue than Regional Council.
Several months later, Warren was sued for libelling the Air Park ownership and hired David Donnelly to defend her. Full disclosure: The Gazette is a party to the libel law suit – but we are not being defended by Donnelly. The evening was almost a family get together.
The purpose of the meeting was to get the community ready for the provincial Town Hall meetings that are looking at the way the province and its municipalities do land use planning.
The Smart Growth for Communities Act – Bill 73 is the focus point – does the bill give the environmentalists what they are looking for and can the developers live with it.
Rob Burton, in a style that is all his own explained how to make a city council green.
 Oakville Mayor Rob Burton “Back in 2006” said Burton, “we thought if we could elect one green councillor we were on our way to saving the planet. They elected Allan Elgar.
About 18 months into his term of office Allan said to his green cohorts – one man isn’t enough. Come the 2010 election they got three greens on the Oakville city council.
Eighteen months into that mandate the group came to the realization that three wouldn’t do it – so in the 2014 term they elected seven greens.
Rob Burton feels he is on his way and is ready to plunge into the MMAH Town Hall meetings.
Burton explained what Oakville and to some degree the Region has done to protect its environment. What he didn’t tell the audience was how Oakville pressured the provincial government to keep a gas plant out of the municipality – the fallout from the way that was done cost former Premier Dalton McGuinty the government he had then and continues to plague current Premier Kathleen Wynne.
Burton, talking to an attentive crowd – 125 people with more than half from outside the Region, said that while there is a provincial policy and a Regional policy” we in Oakville have carved out Natural Heritage sites (NHS) that fit in with and compliment the Regional and provincial policies.
Councillors Taylor and Meed Ward were on hand from Burlington.
Halton Region Natural Heritage System (NHS) covers 48,000 hectares in the greenbelt, farmlands and urban areas
The Halton NHS goes beyond provincial designations by adding new key features for permanent protection of significant woodlands; they have created buffers and linkage corridors to connect the key natural heritage features.
 There are development corporations that would love to put residential housing on the Escarpment – not on say the environmentalists. Burlington is currently working on a vision for Mt Nemo plateau and undertaking a Heritage Conservation District Study. Nemo 7G/PERL formed a seven-generation, (150 years) vision for the plateau. Mt. Nemo has been identified as one of the best examples of high diversity and functioning ecosystems in the GTA-Hamilton area.
From October 2013 to January 2014, the government undertook province-wide consultations on the land use planning and appeal system, and development charges system to ensure both systems are predictable, transparent, cost effective and responsive to the changing needs of our communities. The government is responding to comments received through the consultations and has announced proposed legislative amendments to the Development Charges Act, 1997 and the Planning Act.
If passed, Bill 73 – the proposed Smart Growth for Our Communities Act would give residents more say in how their communities grow, set out clearer rules for land use planning, give municipalities more independence to make local decisions and make it easier to resolve disputes.
For example, residents would be better involved at the beginning of the planning process and have a say in the future of their communities. Municipalities would need to set out in their official plans how and when the public would be consulted, and would also need to explain how public input affected their planning decisions.
The bill would also: give municipalities more opportunities to fund growth-related infrastructure, like transit; make the development charges, section 37 density bonusing and parkland dedication systems more predictable, transparent and accountable; and support higher density development to create jobs and grow the economy.
The province will be setting up working groups of stakeholders to review further more complex development charges issues, and to take a considered look at some land use planning elements, and propose solutions.
Both Burton and Donnelly point to significant successes and believe the tide is turning and the tipping point is at hand.
 This little guy was a significant part of the end of quarrying in rural Burlington. They point to the October 11, 2012: Joint Board decision that dismissed Nelson Aggregate Co.’s applications for a proposed 26 M tonne quarry on 82 ha site. That decision focused on impacts to Jefferson Salamander and its habitat in the context of the Niagara Escarpment Plan (NEP)
In September 17, 2014 the Niagara Escarpment Commission (“NEC”) voted in favour of an outright ban on new quarries in the NEP; that vote went 7 Commissioners in favour, 5 Commissioners against
The 2015 Greenbelt Plan Review is something environmentalists have been waiting for – the Town Hall meetings are just one part of the process. Many people take considerable comfort from the appointment of former Toronto Mayor David Crombie being appointed chair.
This process is something to be watched.
Part 2 of a 2 part feature.
By Staff
March 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
More than 30 years after first putting on a police uniform Andrew Fletcher, Deputy Chief with the Halton Regional Police is turning in his badge and moving on into retirement – which for Fletcher will means taking up the job of Deputy Chief of Police of the South Simcoe Police Service (just outside of Barrie Ontario).
Fletcher will leave the Region on or about June 1, 2015.
 Deputy Chief Andrew Fletcher and Detective Donna Whittaker answer media questions during the display of all the cash and other valuable recovered during a bank break-in where the bad guys almost got away. Chief Steve Tanner said: “Deputy Chief Andrew Fletcher has been a proud and dedicated member of the HRPS family for many years, and will in fact be completing his 31st year on June 1, 2015 – at which time he will retire from the Service to take on new challenges and opportunities.
Fletcher started as a cadet with the HRPS 31 years ago and in recent years was instrumental in bringing that very successful program back to the police service. Andrew became a Constable soon after and was promoted through the ranks of Sergeant, Staff Sergeant and Inspector where he has performed in a variety of patrol, investigative, support and supervisory roles prior to becoming a Deputy Chief on January 1, 2007. Andrew worked in uniform patrol, criminal investigations, drugs and intelligence, major crimes, and was a member of the Tactical Rescue Unit among other assignments during his varied and successful career here in Halton.
 Auxiliary police officer Voorberg tucks a notice under a car windshield as Deputy Chief Andrew Fletcher makes sure it gets done right. Both were taking part in the Lock it or Lose it Campaign. He was involved in many major investigations during his time with our Service, and in senior positions has commanded both the operational and support sides of the organization.
Most recently he has distinguished himself in many ways amongst his peers at the OACP (Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police) and across the province as a leading expert in community mobilization, and as the Chair of the OACP Community Safety and Crime Prevention Committee. Andrew will always be credited with truly spearheading our move here in Halton to Community Mobilization throughout the Service, and just this past January to our integrated Community Mobilization teams.
By Staff
March 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Local government is said to be all about pot holes and garbage collection.
 Whenever you hit one of these things you wonder how much damage is being done to your shock absorbers. Burlington is getting proactive – almost aggressive about pot holes. City hall wants YOU to report sightings of potholes on city streets. There is a section of the city web site where you can report a pot hole.
Click here and fill in the on line form and report a pot hole.
Scott Stewart, General manager of development and infrastructure, explains that “city crews are on the road everyday looking for potholes, but we appreciate the assistance of residents in helping to identify problem areas.”
“With the extreme cold we experienced this winter, we are asking residents to keep an eye out for potholes in the city and report them.”
The theory is that reported pot holes will get filled promptly and we won’t have to have road maintenance people driving up and down streets looking for a place to spread fresh asphalt.
Sounds like a good idea; what could go wrong?
Let’s see how many pot holes get reported and if this new form of government interaction with the citizens really works – they call it EGov – and in theory it could and should work.
 This is probably not what the city expects its citizens to do when they discover a pot hole. The people in the information technology department were really pleased with the idea when it was brought up – now with the roads becoming a problem because of the pot holes – they get a chance to see how well this work.
This is something we will follow up on.
By Staff
March 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Regional Police are making one of those extra efforts to enforce the traffic laws on St. Patrick’s Day.
 For the First Time offender there is a
• 3-day licence suspension
• $150 Administrative Monetary Penalty
For the Second Time offender (within 5 years)
• 7-day licence suspension
• Mandatory alcohol education program
• $150 Administrative Monetary Penalty
For the Third Time offender (within 5 years)
• 30-day licence suspension
• Mandatory alcohol treatment program
• Six-month ignition interlock licence condition
• $150 Administrative Monetary Penalty
Subsequent infractions (within 5 years)
• 30-day licence suspension
• Mandatory alcohol treatment program
• Six-month ignition interlock licence condition
• Mandatory medical evaluation
• $150 Administrative Monetary Penalty
These roadside licence suspensions cannot be appealed. Suspensions will be recorded on the driver’s record. For up to five years, these roadside suspensions will be considered when determining consequences for subsequent infractions.
Now if they can get as tough with drivers who deliberately distract themselves using a cell phone – we will have made some progress.
 By Pepper Parr
March 15, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
School is out. Those that are going south are already on their way out of town. Spring Break has begun – and now what are you going to do?
The melting is well underway which means the creeks will begin to swell – which means keeping a closer eye on the younger ones who are fascinated with the rushing water.
The City is offering many drop-in programs for March Break but you are going to need a degree in rocket science to figure out what they are offering.
There are a lot of events at different locations – we’ve set those out for you below.
Then there is the IGNITE TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am March Break Community Challenge. Someone at city hall said they were “thrilled to be one of 600 IGNITE community partners in Ontario as part of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games-inspired community initiatives.
Getting the form:
Participate in daily challenges and get active. Download the IGNITE Passport to discover and explore Burlington’s trails, sport and culture.
Submit your completed passport to be entered into a contest for great prizes. Passports can be picked up and dropped off at Appleby Arena, City Hall and Tansley Woods Community Centre or printed and submitted online
To participate in the Ignite March Break Community Challenge*
1. Choose an activity – aim to do at least one activity every day.
2. Check off what you did on the Passport. You can share details and photos of your activities with us on Facebook or Twitter and win daily prizes.
3. At the end of March Break, hand in the passport to be entered in the grand prize draw.
For a list of events, check the online calendar, pick up a Community Challenge booklet, and follow the City of Burlington on Twitter and Facebook.
Community Challenge – How to win*
Daily Prizes:
To be eligible for a daily prize, post on the City of Burlington twitter or facebook pages using #IgniteBurlON starting Monday, March 16 and ending Sunday, March 22, 2015. Winners will be chosen daily via a random draw and notified via social media the next business day. If you include a photo, we may ask you fill out a photo release form in case we want to use your photo.
Grand Prizes:
To be eligible for a grand prize, fill out the passport online, submit your completed passport to diversity@burlington.ca or at any participating City of Burlington facility customer service counter before March 31, 2015. Winners will be chosen via a random draw and notified via email or phone number provided on the passportentry form by Tuesday, April 7, 2015.
The city will be offering different sport and culture programs free of charge, hosted by local organizations. Ignite programs include drop-in sport clinics, dance classes and challenges throughout the community.
Passports can be picked up and dropped off at Appleby Arena, City Hall and Tansley Woods Community Centre or printed and submitted online
 Outdoor Opportunity 13-21 In addition to the Ignite March Break Community Challenge, residents can participate in drop-in gym programs, swimming and skating opportunities.
 Junior Blast 5-10
 Junior Mini Blast 3-5
 By Pepper Parr
March 15, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Whenever your city council talks about the economic growth needed – the words “high tech, high paying jobs” get used. Everyone wants those jobs – Burlington wouldn’t chase after an abattoir.
Those technical jobs are what every municipality wants; starts up would be nice too. Having those young people with nothing but ideas and energy are what make new things happen – these are the men and woman who come up with technical/digital solutions to some of the problems we have. This under 20 cohort is in the process of changing the world – partly because the world they are struggling to grow and prosper in has changed from the world there parents grew up in
But who are these kids – and they are kids for the most part; where do they hang out, how do you identify one of them
About 50 of these under 20 techies gathered at the Art Gallery earlier in the week and gave presentations about what they have done in the past and what they were doing now – but more importantly they talked about what they were looking for.
 Vincent Hamel, Manager, Electro-Optical Engineering, L-3 Wescam These were smart young people; several had already made significant contributions. The problem for then is going to be reaching them
For reasons that we can’t understand all I can tell you is the Amanda R has got a really strong grip on what it means to network and how to get her face in front of the people she wants to work with and for – but I can’t tell you how to reach her – privacy issues – which is really bureaucracy run amuck.
Ella E gave her peers some of the best advice they are ever going to get. “People hire people” she said – the resume is part of the job search process but they are not going to hire you from a couple of piece of paper. Ella talked about young people going to meet up events and handing out resumes and not sticking around to talk to people “or worse” she said. “They stand in small groups talking to each other.”
These are smart young people who no longer need the privacy protection that early teens need. Having said that – let me tell you what I can about these people
 Oleg L.; a grade 12 student from Oakville who wants to become a Software developer. He recently completed a semester-long co-op with Promys Inc. that led to a full time summer job offer. He talked about how demonstrating a high level of skill and commitment during a short-term co-op can lead to extended opportunities with an employer.
He is looking for internship/co-op opportunities in a computer security or with a software development firm.
 Amanda R.; a first year University of Waterloo doing the Honors Mechatronics program is a Schulich Leader scholarship winner. After competing in robotics competitions for 6 years and volunteering in LEGO robotics since 2011, she is currently working on her first co-op placement as an Automation Engineer at Camcor Manufacturing. Part of the Linamar Group
Amanda talked about the importance of networking before, during and after internships and co-op programs. Her presentations skills were remarkable for a woman her age. She is looking for opportunities to work with engineering companies involved in national defense.
 Ella R., a grade 12 student from, Oakville is studying to become a competitive robotics software developer, autonomous programmer and on-field strategist. She completed an Internship with Hatch Inc. last summer in the Thermal and Nuclear Sector.
Ella talked about how her internship opened her eyes to the variety of roles available on engineering teams in a large company setting.
Ella is looking for a multitude of engineering experiences that will expand her skillset in multiple different sectors, from electrical engineering to software engineering. Ultimately, her long term goal is to work on projects involving robotics and artificial intelligence.
 Eddie S., grade 12 student, Milton. Is studying competitive robot design, build team leader and on-field strategist
Eddie hasn’t taken part in an internship program yet, but wants to learn more about opportunities related to engineering and design. His has advanced skills in design, engineering and robot fabrication, but he is unsure of where to turn for information on internships that would suit his interests and future career development. He is interested in the biomedical side of engineering, and hopes to be working in that field in the future. He is looking for opportunities that will progress his career toward this goal.
 Sam R., 1st year student at OCAD University where he is majoring in Graphic Design. Sam completed a communications internship with Appleby College two years ago that led to a paid, full time position with their communications team the following summer.
Sam talked to the group about how his technical and creative skills in graphic design and digital photography were expanded while meeting the needs of the internship, and how he benefited from the responsibility and creative freedom provided by both the internship and full-time summer positions.
Sam is interested in working with organizations that will stretch his technical and creative skills further, while providing opportunities to continuing developing his portfolio of graphic design, photography, videography and motion graphics work.
A smart bunch of young people getting ready to enter the work force; taking those first hesitant steps and for the most part doping rather well. The government agencies and volunteer groups who put on the event – and it was a good event – do these young people a dis-service by not identifying them and giving out their coordinates.
The meet up is arranged by volunteers who do their best to dig out students who are into high tech. “We know they are out there” said Kimberly Neale, one of the volunteers, “but finding them and catching their attention is not that easy. We use social Media as much as we can – but its pretty much word of mouth. The 50 that showed up are people we’ve not seen before.
Most of those involved in this second meet up were from Milton and Oakville.
Anyone interested in taking part or if you know someone who might be interested have them get in touch with Kimberly Neale.
Meanwhile we will work on getting those full names for you.
 By Mark Gillies
March 13, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
John Waldie was an incredible man; a son of Burlington, who from humble origins rose to fame and fortune. He was a great philanthropist, and a man who was proud to call Burlington his home.
 In 1906 in St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Victoria Harbour, this portrait of John Waldie was taken to honour the man that built the church. St Paul’s opened that same year. In 1907 John Waldie died of heart failure and was buried at historic Greenwood Cemetery in Burlington. John Waldie made a huge impact on the small community of Victoria Harbour with the establishment of the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company. Today, the Waldie sawmills are gone, the lumber business is no more, but many of the local buildings that John Waldie built, are still in use today.
These landmarks, including St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, the General Store and the Library have been officially recognized as historical, and are an integral part of Victoria Harbour’s exciting past life as one of Canada’s largest lumber producing communities.
 The Village of Victoria Harbour has recognized 22 buildings as having historical significance. Half of this total are buildings built by John Waldie and the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company including St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, the General Store and the Library, all three donated to the community by the philanthropist John Waldie and the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company. “The Legacy of John Waldie and Sons”, is the history of the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company, and the Waldie family. Written by Kenneth A. Armson and Marjorie McLeod it does both the man and his work justice. Might not be available in local bookstores but it can be purchased on line at |Amazon.
 You won’t find this book on the best seller’s list, but “The Legacy of John Waldie and Sons” is a very interesting read. You will learn so much more about this incredible man and his family. Out west in Castlegar, British Columbia, the Waldie sawmills are also gone, having closed in 1961. But, the residents of Castlegar still remember the Waldie legacy. Today, Waldie Island on the Columbia River has been turned into a nature park with hiking trails. A bird sanctuary, has been set up for the revival of the blue heron on the Waldie Island Heron Reserve. The idea is to reclaim the historical heritage of this part of the Columbia River.
The Waldie family has left a huge economic legacy in Canada, and the little communities of Victoria Harbour and Castlegar have done their part and remembered the Waldie family and their enormous contributions to these two communities.
 Pic: Waldie Island The citizens of Castlegar, British Columbia, to honour the Waldie family were pro-active and developed Waldie Island located in the middle of the Columbia River into a beautiful wilderness location complete with hiking trails and a bird sanctuary. Burlington, as we all know, has been reported to be one of the best places to live in Canada, and this community has also remembered and recognized the Waldie legacy, but not quite in the same manner as Victoria Harbour and Castlegar.
 Dan Chalykoff is a professional heritage consultant, with outstanding credentials, retained by the City of Burlington to assess the city’s historical properties. His recommendations were pretty much ignored by the volunteer committee Heritage Burlington. The Waldie home at 3265 Mayfair Place, known as “Erin” was added to the Heritage Registry several years ago. The historic home was built around 1845 by Henry Sovereign, an original United Empire Loyalist descendent. His father John bought the land from Christiana Hill, a daughter of Joseph Brant in 1812.
Recently, a heritage report was commissioned by the City of Burlington with Mr. Dan R. Chalykoff, a professional heritage consultant with outstanding credentials, to create an Interim Evaluation which was made available in January 2013.
Mr. Chalykoff stated in his report that the home (3265 Mayfair Place) remain on the register for possessing cultural value and interest under all three of the main criteria listed in Ontario Regulation 9/06 from the Heritage Act. His detailed report also stated, “without this property all built vestiges of Burlington’s settlement era in this neighbourhood will be extinct”.
 On the right is 3265 Mayfair Place, or “Erin” as it looks today. This beautiful residence has undergone several changes over the years since it was originally built around 1845, but it is still historical and is a very important part of Burlington’s heritage. The home on the left is “Sovereign House” in Bronte. Now owned by the Bronte Historical Society, this historic home was built over several years from about 1825 until around 1846 and today operates as a heritage museum. The two homes are strikingly similar in design. David Sovereign built the “Sovereign House” residence, while Henry Sovereign from the same family built “Erin”. In May 2013, James M. Clemens, Chairman of Heritage Burlington, which is a committee of volunteer citizens that report to the City of Burlington, overturned Mr. Chalykoff’s professional opinion and recommended that “Erin” be removed from the Heritage Registry. With vague non-proven references to the house, Clemens goes on record and states, “the present dwelling has perhaps been incorrectly dated to 1845”, and that parts of the house do not line up to the stone rubble basement, and “it may be that the original dwelling over the rubble basement was razed”, and parts of the house appear to be late Victorian and part Edwardian.
These were the main non-professional reasons given for the reversal of keeping this historic 170 year old residence on the Heritage Registry. Mr. Clemens and his committee have apparently ignored the fact that it was not uncommon for residents of that time to alter their dwelling over several years, something that does not usually affect the heritage and historical value of a residence.
I share the views of Chalykoff that there is an incredible amount of historical significance to this famous 170 year old residence called “Erin”, despite it being cosmetically updated. In my opinion, Heritage Burlington under the guidance of Chairman James Clemens have made a very serious error. This is unacceptable.
James Clemens was Chairman with the same Heritage Burlington committee that recommended 504 Burlington Avenue be removed from the Heritage Registry for lack of historical significance. May I remind Mr. Clemens that 504 Burlington Avenue was the Lorimer residence for 50 years. It was built by renowned custom home builder George Blair, whose other homes in the core area have been recognized as historically significant, and I might add with much less historical relevance than that of the Lorimer residence.
One of Burlington’s greatest historical magnetic personalities of the early 20th century was the owner Harry Lorimer, who was the station master at the historic Freeman Station when it opened in 1906, and he was also the station master for the previous Freeman Station, before it burned to the ground in 1904.
Harry Lorimer changed careers and went into the retail business and purchased Allen’s Hardware Store, at the corner of Brant & Pine Streets, from James S Allen, a former Mayor of Burlington, and turned it into a retail legacy providing local market gardeners and homeowners with everything they needed.
The Colton & Lorimer Hardware store was the leading retail catalyst for Burlington moving quickly into the 20th century as it began to transition itself from an agricultural town to a suburban community. Yes, Mr. Clemens, there is great historical significance to the residence at 504 Burlington Avenue. It was the home of an outstanding citizen of Burlington. You sir, and Heritage Burlington have made another serious error. This is unacceptable.
 Harry Lorimer is another outstanding citizen of Burlington from the early 20th century whose great contributions to Burlington’s development have gone unnoticed and unrecognized. Heritage Burlington has removed the Lorimer residence at 504 Burlington Avenue from the Heritage Registry. From their ignorant point of view there was a lack of historical significance. These are just two glaring examples of incredibly bad judgment by this committee. Heritage Burlington under the questionable leadership of James Clemens have recommended to City Council the removal of many more historical properties from the Heritage Registry designation. In my opinion, Heritage Burlington appears to be more counter- productive than anything else. They are failing miserably to recognize and preserve our most valuable historical properties. This is unacceptable. Is this how Heritage Burlington is going to recognize John Waldie and the Waldie family’s contribution to Burlington?
 James Clemens is the Chairman of Heritage Burlington. With Mr. Clemens is Councillor Marianne Meed Ward who also sits on the Heritage Burlington committee and represents the City of Burlington. Heritage Burlington has been systematically recommending removal of some of Burlington’s most historical properties from the Heritage Registry.
 On the second floor of the Burlington Central Library you will see for yourself what the City of Burlington has done to recognize one of its greatest philanthropic citizens. There is a small sign hanging overhead, “John Waldie Study Hall”. On the wall to the left of the door is a framed portrait of John Waldie. This is the same 1906 photograph from St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Victoria Harbour. Do the words pathetic or embarrassing come to mind? Not to be outdone by Heritage Burlington, here’s how the City of Burlington has recognized John Waldie, Canadian philanthropist, the “Father of Burlington”, and the “Father of the Burlington Library”. Need I say more.
James Clemens is the Chairman of Heritage Burlington. With Mr. Clemens is Councillor Marianne Meed Ward who also sits on the Heritage Burlington committee and represents the City of Burlington. Heritage Burlington has been systematically recommending removal of some of Burlington’s most historical properties from the Heritage Registry.
Here are a few of my suggestions in my order of importance to better recognize John Waldie as one of Burlington’s greatest citizens.
1.) The Burlington Central Library is a very boring and uninspiring name. We can do better. My suggestion is to rename it “The John Waldie Memorial Library”.
2.) Erect a bronze statue at City Hall and locate it on the City Hall grounds in an appropriate open space complete with a small engraved biography of the man.
3.) Name the City Hall property “John Waldie Square” with the sub-heading,
“Father of Burlington”. Add a plaque to a prominent position on the grounds of City Hall.
4.) Add John Waldie’s portrait complete with a description to the lobby of City Hall, local fire and police stations, schools, and any other local public buildings.
5.) John Waldie was involved in shipping, owning several lake freighters, that operated from the three wharves at the foot of Brant Street. Consider naming the new pier after John Waldie.
6.) Rename Mayfair Place where the Waldie home now stands. Call it John Waldie Place or something similar.
7.) Name a park after John Waldie. How about Central Park? That’s not a great name.
By Pepper Parr
March 12, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
In a democratic society the people can address those they elected to have their grievances or wishes heard in a public setting.
Katherine Henshell, a layer who ran for the ward 1 seat in the last municipal election has addressed city council with a grievance.
We set it out for you.
I would like to discuss Aldershot’s Solid Gold Strip Club.
I have brought my request to Councillor Craven’s Office on 3 separate occasions and each request has gone unanswered.
I suppose he does not have time for me as I have sought to petition the City of Burlington to turn his house into a park for ornithologists, and then, I ran against him in the City election.
It does not bother me that he chooses to not respond, although, I did take it personal when he tried to run my car off the road while he was bombing along Bayshore Boulevard. It wasn’t so much that I was driving the car – it was that I had my 12 day old daughter in the car and I had to swerve up into the neighbour’s yard to avoid getting hit. (By the way, I sought an apology but none was granted.)
Since November 2015, my new baby has kept me busy but it hasn’t stopped me from aggressively trying to expand my husband’s and my grocery store, and scope out and manage a new development of affordable housing for seniors. Of course, this is on top of running my law firm in downtown Burlington and managing my husband’s and my other real estate and business interests.
In any event, the issue with Solid Gold needs to be addressed. It is currently Aldershot’s largest commercial retail/service business west of Francis Street. That is embarrassing. A number of other factors are equally disturbing about this business.
1. It is located on Plains Road which is the busiest street in Aldershot;
2. It borders on 2 residential neighbourhoods;
3. It has 6 – 8 hotel room doors which open on Plains Road and across from a residential community;
4. It has the largest square footage of any retail service business in Aldershot west of Francis Street;
5. It is located within 550 metres of Aldershot High School;
6. Children from grades 7 – 12 walk past the strip club to and from school everyday;
7. Children from grades 7 – 12 walk past the strip club to go to Wendy’s for lunch everyday; and
8. It shouldn’t need to be said about the degradation of women and other issues which are additionally appalling about the operation of a strip club.
Additionally, I was driving home from Pizza Pizza (at King Road) one Friday evening with our family’s dinner and I noticed a few young children in girls’ soccer uniforms outside the Dairy Queen. It was a nice sight to see. Then I drive down Plains Road past the Strip Club and 3 – 4 strippers (wearing stripper’s outfits) were standing on the sidewalk on Plains Road waving the cars into the parking lot in broad daylight. I was immediately disturbed that those young soccer players might take the same route home and drive past the strippers as well. This shouldn’t happen in Burlington (or anywhere for that matter). (I telephoned the Halton Regional Police when I returned home and they indicated that they would look into it as they had also received other calls about the incident.)
In conclusion, Mr. Craven is well aware of the above issues as he and I travel the same route to work every day and he passes the Strip Club twice a day like I do. He has chosen to be non-responsive to my request for a decision of his position on the matter.
The children of Aldershot do not need a Strip Club, nor do they need to see a Strip Club, nor do they need to ask questions about a Strip Club too prematurely.
The destruction of the entire commercial sector in Aldershot has created Solid Gold to now stand out as it is the largest retail service building in Aldershot on a huge piece of land. It has become the centerpiece of Aldershot.
Giving birth to a 10 pound 15 ounce baby has not slowed me down – it has only given me more energy to “do the right thing” and that is to speak up against this Strip Club. The Village Vision of Aldershot does not need this landmark business to continue to be Solid Gold.
I humbly seek council to add a discussion of this issue to the agenda. I am certain that other parties will want to express their opinions on the matter as well.
Thanking you in advance for your attention to this matter.
 Henshell once played as goalie – she now plays defense. Now wants to run interference at city council Ms Henshell has been seeking a meeting with Councillor – to date a meeting has not taken place. In a recent email to the Councillor Ms Henshell had this to say.
I don’t know why I continue to email you as you continuously fail, refuse or neglect to return any type of correspondence sent by myself.
The fact remains that Solid Gold Strip Club is Aldershot’s largest retail/commercial services location.
Any concerned resident would be appalled at that fact.
You have taken no issue with the existence of Solid Gold Strip Club as you have done nothing in your entire sitting as Ward One Councillor.
The current facts of Solid Gold are as follows:
1. Location within 550 m from a primary/high school;
2. Adjacent to 2 residential neighbourhoods;
3. Strippers stand on the street and wave in cars;
4. By the hour hotel rooms for rent adjacent to a major street;
5. Largest retail business in Aldershot; and
6. Countless issues surrounding the entrapment and abuse of women in the sex trade industry.
 I write to advise that as a result of your inexcusable absence from the issue, you have forced me to reach out to my contacts and resources and bring this issue to light.
Please be advised that I will inform all my contacts and resources that you have been of NO ASSISTANCE to me in this issue and that you refuse to even respond to me.
I have given you every opportunity to be on the side of moral integrity, however, you have chosen otherwise.
I urge you to put this item on the agenda so that the City Councillors can have an open discussion about the issues surrounding Solid Gold Strip Club.
However, I already know that you will not reply as you just don’t care.
In the spirit of full disclosure we need to add that Ms Henshell is representing the Burlington Gazette in the claim for damages the Air Park is making in its allegation that we libeled them.
 By Staff
March 11, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
On Monday March 9, 2015 at approximately 12:15pm, Halton Police and paramedics responded to a 911 call at the Wee Care Daycare in the City of Burlington, whereby a 14-month-old boy later died in hospital.
The Regional Coroner took over the investigation and conducted a post mortem today, Tuesday March 10, 2015.
This is a medical investigation being conducted by the Coroner’s office. No foul play is suspected.
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