Burlington is using the month of August to celebrate local history. Sometime ago the Gazette published a series of articles by Mark Gillies, a lifelong Burlingtonian. It is appropriate to re-publish the stories about the people who built this city. This is part two of the Spencer Smith story.
Spencer Smith got to Canada as part of the immigration of British children into Canada and Australia. The children were shipped from England by well meaning people but there were some horrific abuses and I believe it is necessary to expand the Spencer Smith story and learn more about how these boys who, without their consent became indentured servants. They were referred to as “Home Children”.
The poem Spencer Smith wrote, it was included in part 1, aches with the longings of a man who missed so much of a natural childhood.
Home children on a dock in St. John NB – waiting for trains to take them east.
The concept of Home Children started with honourable intentions; with good people trying to salvage young children from a parent-less home, or incredible poverty. Relocate them to a better life in Canada or Australia, that’s all they had to do. What’s the problem with that?
What made the idea work, was that farmers in Canada and Australia faced a severe labour shortage. They had recently immigrated themselves from Europe, cleared their fields, and grew their crops. Only problem was, who was going to do the harvesting, tend to the fields, feed the animals, and everything else that farmers do in this difficult labour intensive profession?
They didn’t have anybody to help. Governments were perplexed as well; those in Canada and Australia were more than happy to bring in immigrants to open up land and create farms. Sometimes they even gave them free land and supplies, but governments overlooked one part of the equation. Who is going work these large farms? They desperately needed a solution, and quickly.
No doubt about it, everyone at the time believed this was a “WIN-WIN” situation. Spencer Smith’s story was a perfect example of one that seemed to have a happy ending.
Featherstone Martindale & Spencer Smith.
Spencer Smith’s sponsor was Featherstone Martindale from Caledonia. If you have ever been to Caledonia, it seems that about every third person you meet has the last name Martindale. They are a fantastic local family and they show up everywhere in Caledonia. Featherstone was born in 1848 in Haldimand County. Featherstone must not have been impressed by his first name, because he always went by the name Fred. He was a good honest man and a hardworking farmer who desperately needed help on his farm. Fred over the years became a father of 8 children and had married 3 times.
The Farmer’s Wife in Spencer’s Poem
In Spencer’s poem, he speaks of the farmer’s wife who influenced him. Spencer was referring to Eliza Mary Shult, who was Fred’s second wife. His first wife Eliza Jane Anderson died in 1881 after giving birth to a daughter named Ann. Fred married Eliza Mary Shult on January 8, 1883, and the new couple proceeded to have 7 children, the first born was Frederick who died in early 1884. Then another son named Featherstone was born in late 1884, and another 5 children were born between 1886 and 1895. In 2 quick years from 1883 to 1885 Eliza had married, and brought along her own small son named Wilfred McBride who was 5 years old from her previous marriage, when her first husband John McBride died from tuberculosis in 1879.
Spencer arrived on the farm May 21st, 1885 when Eliza Mary was just 28 years old. She was quite a busy young lady herself by the time he stepped down from the carriage. This young lady seems quite remarkable to me, since she still had some extra maternal time to still dote on young Spencer, something that helped shape his life.
Eliza Mary Shult, the second wife of Featherstone Martindale had a huge influence on Spencer Smith, and he fondly recalls about her in his poem written in 1911.
I’m sure old Fred would be quite crusty at times, and probably scared the lads half to death many more times, but Spencer’s poem has a softer edge to it, especially towards Eliza Mary. Eliza Mary died in 1895 from complications of the birth with her last child George Martindale. By this time, young Spencer had already left the Martindale farm. If Spencer actually stayed the full 3 years until he was 18, his servitude would come to an end in January 1888. After the death of Eliza Mary, Fred married a spinster named Margaret Anna Peart in 1907.
The Peart family in Caledonia, which is very large in number, just like the Martindale’s is somehow linked to the Peart family in Burlington, my guess is they are probably cousins. It’s only speculation, but the Jacob Peart farm in Burlington is on the land now occupied by Fortinos, Sears and Ikea, so maybe there was a connection for Spencer Smith to come to Burlington, especially if it was initiated through the Peart families in Caledonia and Burlington. The Peart farm was located directly across Plains Road from the Bell homestead. We’ll never know for sure, but we can at least think about it.
Spencer Smith was quite fortunate and did not face some of the severe hardships that other Home Children experienced. Far too many faced a certain hell of an existence.
The Truth about the British Home Children in Canada
Here’s what really happened to most of the British Home Children. This became an economic issue more than anything else. It was strictly a case of supply and demand. Most of these organizations were faced with a huge demand. They had great difficulty in meeting the demand by farmers and governments in Canada and Australia. It was stated at one time that there were 10 applications for every child. So what were they going to do? The answer was simple. Start rounding up any child who potentially was wayward and lived in the area that was to be scoured for recruits. Overly simplified, absolutely, but not by much.
The fact remains, that the original concept was for orphaned children. The reality was that only 2% were orphans. The rest were children in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s true that during these times some parents had great economic problems, perhaps they were unemployed or seriously ill, and they had no choice but to hand over their children to a workhouse, or some other care facility until they could get back on their feet and then bring their children home. The truth is, these organizations to help meet the demand, decided to ship them overseas without their parents’ consent. Most of these children had no idea what was happening to them. The parents did not know either. The children never realized that they would never see their family again.
Dr. Thomas Barnardo was a very controversial character, and was responsible for exporting thousands and thousands of British children out of England and relocating them mainly in Australia and Canada. Here he is in 1905 leading the Founder’s Day Parade shortly before his death that same year.
The largest organization was run under the management of its controversial founder Dr. Thomas Barnardo. He somehow convinced the Canadian and Australian Governments to take these children. Once that was established, then other organizations like the Shaftesbury Homes, the Salvation Army, churches, and others also jumped on the bandwagon. Probably, none of these add on organizations realized that down the road, this program was going to spiral way out of control, and thousands and thousands of small children were going to be totally exploited in this moneymaking scheme to supply cheap child labour to Canadian and Australian farmers. You can dress it up any way you want, citing testimonial cases that turned out good, reminding people that they were paid a small amount, some orphans were adopted by loving families, but in my opinion, the bare bones reality was: Canada, Australia and England were totally involved in a repulsive child slavery program.
Whatever happened to the other 32 boys who made the trip to Hamilton?
When I researched for information on the other 32 boys that made the trip to Canada with Spencer Smith, only about 2 boys continued to surface on available records. The Flamborough Historical Society has documented one of these Home Children. That boy went on to marriage, become a father and worked as a market garden farmer in Aldershot. He turned out okay.
Spencer Smith turned out okay. The others, they completely disappeared. We know some could have been adopted and had their surnames changed. As an outsider, it is basically impossible to track them. We already know that conditions for some children were so severe that they continually ran away from the farms they were working on, and many were beaten to a pulp when they were caught and returned. We know with documentation as proof that over two thirds of all the British Home children were beaten severely. We know that many of these children were not allowed to become part of the family that was caring for them. They were forced to live in exclusion on the farmer’s property, and not interact with the farmer’s own children or have any friends of their own. They were not loved or nurtured in any way. We know that they were constantly tormented and bullied by other children at local schools, and even adults participated in this human degradation of these children. We know that many just eventually disappeared. Where you ask?
My guess is some were probably murdered when they were beaten so severely by the farmers, and when authorities came around they just claimed that they ran away. Some children because of horrific living conditions probably became so ill, that they died on the farm, and were quietly buried on the property so as not to draw any suspicion. Others may have committed suicide, and became nothing more than John or Jane Does stashed away in a local morgue, waiting for no one to identify them. Whatever the reason, they’re gone, and we don’t know have explanations. Have a look at this story that appeared in the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix newspaper on April 23, 1930 about a young British Home Child boy named Arthur Godsall who was savagely beaten on a farm in Campbellford by farmer William Albert Hay, age 37.
Albert had just arrived from England with many other British Home children and they all disembarked at Halifax from the ship Albertic on March 17, 1930.
Albert made his way to the Hay’s farm in Campbellford, and less than a month after he arrived he endured this beating and was finally rescued. That’s just one tragic story, there were thousands of stories just like this. One boy was forced to live outside in the dog house with the farm dog. The farmer fed the dog table scraps, and if the dog was full and if by chance there was any dog food left over, it was for the boy to scavenge. Not to mention that this same farmer viciously beat the boy almost daily. Eventually, he was removed from the farm, and as far as I know this farmer did not face any charges. This is unbelievable, but true. This happened in Canada. If you do some basic internet research, you will find these stories and many more.
What’s really disturbing is just how low profile this tragic event in human history was, and just how little we know of it now. But, it is becoming more widely known, and just recently as victims have finally come forward. In Australia for example, the Australian Government were finally brought to their knees by a public outcry after the public learned the truth from these victims, and the government brought forth an apology for their involvement in this hair-brained scheme. Also, the British Government were totally embarrassed by previous governments’ involvement in this tragic situation also came forth with an apology offered by then Prime Minister Gordon Brown. And what about the Canadian Government?
Where do we stand? Sadly, and unfortunately, the Canadian Government has essentially taken the position that this isn’t really a big deal, and no apology is warranted or forthcoming, even though they backed and encouraged this form of child slavery and abuse under the guise of helping disadvantaged children. Personally, I think that Jason Kenney the Cabinet Minister responsible for these remarks was not that well informed on the situation when confronted with the apology question, and consequently brushed it off as unimportant. I encourage you to contact Burlington’s local Federal Member of Parliament, Mr. Mike Wallace, who is a very decent man, and please voice your concern. I would like to think that Mike can champion this cause and help us get this apology from the Canadian Government. It’s long overdue, and it’s the right thing to do.
Here’s how to reach Mike Wallace, Member of Parliament: Burlington Mall Office, 777 Guelph Line, Suite 209, Burlington, Ont. L7R 3N2. T: 905-639-5757 or F: 905-639-6031 House of Commons, East Block, Suite: 115, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6 T: (613) 995-0881; F: (613) 995-1091 or email, mike.wallace@parl.gc.ca
There is an incredible website on the British Home Children. https://canadianbritishhomechildren.weebly.com/
It tells the whole story of the plight of these exploited children. It will break your heart to read and watch some of the videos made by former Home Children, these men and women who are now elderly, who have finally broken their silence to tell the real story of what happened to them. The website also has a form that can be signed. It is a petition to persuade the Canadian Government to offer an apology to these unfortunate people, many still alive in Canada, and still suffering mental anguish.
Add the website to your “Favourites”. It is quite large and takes a fair bit of time to go through it properly, so you will likely have to go back several times. The website also is constantly updated with more unbelievable stories about this shameful part of our Canadian past.
Burlington is using the month of August to celebrate local history. Sometime ago the Gazette published a series of articles by Mark Gillies, a lifelong Burlingtonian. It is appropriate to re-publish the stories about the people who built this city. Today we retell the story about the man the lake side park is named after – Spencer Smith.
Here is Spencer Smith Park as it looks today; a park enjoyed by thousands of residents annually, all thanks to the vision of a single man. .
One of the most recognized names in Burlington is Spencer Smith. We have named Burlington’s most scenic park in his honour. Spencer Smith Park, located on the shores of Lake Ontario, is used for many events that attract thousands of visitors annually.
We know the park; we really don’t know who Spencer Smith was, and just what it was that made him so significant to Burlington?
Spencer and Edith Smith a happy couple who enjoyed living and working in Burlington.
If you read last week’s column on Edith Hodge, one of Burlington’s earliest settlers, you would have discovered that Spencer Smith was Edith’s son-in-law. Spencer married Edith and William Bell’s youngest daughter Edith Bell.
The Spencer Smith Story
Just how did Spencer Smith end up in Burlington, where did he come from, and what did he accomplish that made his name a Burlington household word?
Spencer Smith was born at 7 Mount Street. This illustration shows what housing looked like on Mount Street around the time of Spencer’s birth in 1870.
Spencer George Smith was born on January 18, 1870 at 7 Mount Street in Bethnal Green, East London, England to George Spencer Smith 26, and Mary Ann Mears 24. Spencer was the youngest of three children. He had two older sisters, Mary Ann who was born in 1866 and Sarah born in 1868. Spencer’s father worked as a labourer at a local wharf on the Thames River. Mary Ann was also employed, and most likely worked at or near the wharf and was responsible for folding the sails for ships, or as it was referred to in 1870, she was a furl server. Their residence may have been a tri-plex, as two other families lived at the same address. Edward Dwyer, a bricklayer and his wife Isabella, a tailoress, and their 4 children; plus George Scales, a cooper, and his wife Sarah and their 3 children all lived at 7 Mount Street.
Life in Bethnal Green during the 19th Century
Bethnal Green was a very poor neighbourhood, often referred to as a slum area. It was rundown, disease ridden, rat infested, everyone was exposed to raw sewage, the neighbourhood had a gut wrenching bad smell to it, and it was full of sickness, drug addicts, prostitutes, and uncontrollable crime. Bethnal Green was not the best place to raise your family. Bethnal Green was not unlike many other urban communities in England at that time.
The Industrial Revolution had driven many people from their agricultural backgrounds into the towns and cities looking for work. These areas quickly became overcrowded, and living conditions seriously declined. Times were very bad.
For reasons that we do not know something happened to the Smith family. They basically vanished from the census records for 1880 and everything afterwards.
Death records have not been located proving conclusively that Spencer’s parents or sisters died, or moved elsewhere. Some have claimed that Mary became a widow, and that she had no choice but to give up her children, but this is just hearsay. It could be true. The only person we conclusively know about is Spencer Smith.
For whatever reason, perhaps to escape an imminent transfer to the local workhouse, which was a hideous institution located just down the street at 103 Mount Street. It was a derelict building having been in existence for over 120 year. Perhaps Spencer was to be turned over to an orphanage, we just do not know, but life for Spencer definitely changed. Did you know that workhouses were often the last destination for families that could no longer support their children, and parents were forced to turn them over to the authorities? Even orphanages were overcrowded and poorly run. Many parents died from disease, starvation, alcoholism, murder, suicide, or work related injuries. They left their children destitute, and there was no other recourse, but for these little people to end up in any one of these deplorable institutions.
Spencer Smith and 32 other boys were sent to Canada on the SS Corean in May of 1885. This is the actual ship that Spencer made the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean on.
Spencer in 1885 at 15 years of age was forced to leave his home and friends, board a steam ship named the SS Corean, along with 32 other boys all about his same age, and set off for Canada. The ship arrived in Montreal on May 14, 1885, and the boys made their way to Hamilton. They travelled on the Grand Trunk Railway, stopping all along the way, including Burlington, and finally on to Hamilton. Who knows, maybe Spencer looked out of the train car window when the boys pulled into the Freeman train station, and thought to himself, “This looks like a nice place. Maybe one day I will live here. Where am I anyway?”
Spencer and the other boys were sent by the Shaftesbury Homes organization based out of London, England. This organization and many others were operating in England, taking on the responsibility of relocating disadvantaged youth to Canada, and also Australia. The largest organization was run by Dr. Thomas Barnardo. It has been written that Spencer Smith was a “Barnardo Boy”, but that information is incorrect. This was a common error made by most people when they referred to the “British Home Children” shipped to Canada. The Barnardo organization was much larger than the other British organizations, the name ended up as generic terminology and just about all were referred to as Barnardo children regardless of the organization that sent them over.
It was believed at this time some British children would have a better life if they were removed from their local environment in their overcrowded communities and sent to Canada and Australia to live and work on farms. The concept was developed mainly for orphans, but over time this evolved into destitute children becoming included as well.
When Spencer arrived by train destined for Hamilton, he disembarked at this Grand Trunk Railway Station located along the southern shores of Burlington Bay.
When the Grand Trunk Railway train arrived in Hamilton, the Shaftesbury boys were sent to live temporarily at a location called a “Receiving Home”.
In Hamilton it was called, “The National Children’s Home & Orphanage” which opened in 1884. This home was located on Main Street, in the east end of Hamilton on the grounds of present day Gage Park.
Spencer and the 32 other boys were sent to this “Receiving Home”. It was called the “National Children’s Home & Orphanage”, located on the grounds of present day Gage Park.
When the boys arrived, farmers in the Niagara area who had sent in an application to be a sponsor for these children were notified that the children had made it to Hamilton, and they were now ready to be picked up and taken to their new home. Not all children were sponsored before they arrived, it depended on the circumstances that brought them to the “Receiving Home”. In some situations children had to wait for someone to come along and claim them. “The National Children’s Home & Orphanage” over time evolved into Canada’s Children’s Aid Society. Shaftesbury Homes in London, at a later date, became the cornerstone of the London Children’s Aid Society.
Featherstone Martindale was the farmer from Caledonia who sponsored Spencer Smith taking him back to his farm to begin work as an indentured farm labourer.
For Spencer Smith, a farmer named Featherstone Martindale from Caledonia was coming to pick up him and probably a couple more boys too. We know that other boys also went to Caledonia to work on the Martindale farm, but we do not know how many. Most likely it was no more than 2 more boys. They met, and all got to know each other a bit better, and eventually Featherstone, the other boys, and Spencer left “The National Children’s Home & Orphanage”.
Before the Hamilton Street Railway streetcars became electrified, they were horse drawn. Featherstone Martindale and Spencer Smith and the other boys made their way to the King Street train station on a streetcar just like this one, for the train trip to Caledonia.
The group travelled west along King Street in Hamilton on a horse drawn Hamilton Street Railway streetcar to the King Street train station at Ferguson Avenue, embarked on to the train and made the trip to Caledonia. That day was Thursday, May 21, 1885. When they arrived at the Caledonia station, Featherstone, the other boys, and Spencer travelled again for 6 miles, this time in the Martindale’s fancy carriage and on out to the Martindale farm in rural Caledonia.
The farms along Maple Avenue provided the country with some of the most fantastic fruit grown anywhere in the world. If you look closely on this map, you can see the Lindley farm where Spencer worked, and also in the lower left corner you can see the William Bell homestead where he worked following his employment with the Lindley family.
Spencer Smith’s new Canadian life was about to get underway.
The usual arrangement was to keep a British child on the farm, as indentured servants until they became 18 years of age. These children were to be paid a small wage, fed, clothed, schooled and provide room and board. According to Spencer, he agreed to stay at the Martindale farm for one year. This could be true, or not. We’re not certain if Spencer stayed with the Martindale’s for up to 3 years, or if he went to another farm. We do know that Spencer in 1889 was working as a farm labourer on the Lindley farm in Burlington when he was 19 years old. The Lindley family operated a very successful orchard farm on Maple Avenue. It was located just north of Water Street, now called Lakeshore Road, and it ran north up to about the south side of Mapleview Mall.
The Lindley’s were smart farmers and during the Great Depression, just to stay in business, negotiated a deal with Dominion Stores and supplied the grocery store chain with produce, an agreement so good that it lasted for over 40 years. For many years, the Lindleys and other local farmers hauled their crops by wagon up to the Freeman Train Station, and loaded up the boxcars with their products for transport to markets across Ontario, Canada, England, and even South Africa. The Freeman Station (now under restoration on Fairview Street and in need of more private funding) was the focal point of Burlington’s emerging agricultural market. It was Burlington’s “Window to the World”.
Here’s the Bell Homestead where Spencer Smith worked and met his future wife, Edith Bell. The homestead is still here today, although it looks somewhat different. You could call it, “The Home of the Strawberry Social”.
One day, Spencer Smith left the Lindley family farm and moved up Maple Avenue to the William & Edith Bell farm located at the southwest corner of Plains Road and Maple Avenue, and he began working as a farm labourer for the Bell family. It was here at the Bell homestead that Spencer Smith met Edith Bell, the youngest daughter of William and Edith Bell. Spencer courted the farmer’s daughter, and before you knew it, they were engaged and then the young couple married on May 9 1900.
At that time, Maple Avenue went north and more westerly emerging at the Union Burial Ground, the historic pioneer cemetery located in front of the Sears, Fortinos & Ikea stores. It has been reported that Spencer Smith went to work on a farm in Penetang. Again, this is hearsay, and not proven. It is possible, but if Spencer did work on a farm in that area, it would have most likely been after his servitude was completed at the Martindale farm, and before he began work on the Lindley farm by 1889, or Spencer may have left the Lindley farm, went to Penetang and returned to begin working with the Bell family. We’re not certain.
These two young ladies are standing outside Spencer Smith’s green grocery store on Brant Street, just north of Pine Street. The young lass on the right just may be holding a candy stick that was given to her by Spencer Smith. This rare photograph taken around 1914 shows the last part of the name Spencer Smith on the awning’s edge. Many thanks to local genealogist Russell Hunsperger for digging up this picture from his family’s photo archives.
Spencer eventually became a green grocer, and opened a store in Toronto, but this did not last long and the couple returned to Burlington, where Spencer opened another green grocer store. This time it was on Brant Street, just 4 doors north of Pine Street, on the east side.
Spencer Smith’s grocery store attracted pleasure boat shoppers just like these passengers on the boat “Alfie” which set out from a dock in Dundas.
The store was very successful, and eventually Spencer and Edith became quite affluent. Spencer Smith was a clever marketing man. Whenever children came into his store, they were treated with candy. There were other grocery store competitors in town, but Spencer usually won the day over the other stores. When the children in the neighbourhood persuaded their parents to go shop at Mr. Smith’s store, the parents usually agreed, not quite realizing why the children were so insistent. The other grocers in town probably couldn’t figure out why Spencer Smith’s store continually had so many customers. Spencer and Edith Smith were very good at business, and skilled as retailing entrepreneurs.
In fact, the store was so popular, that passengers travelling on recreational pleasure boats from Hamilton, Dundas, Grimsby, Bronte, Oakville, and other local towns often docked at the wharf located at the foot of Brant Street, just to shop at Spencer Smith’s store. Today, we call this shopping at “Destination stores”.
Spencer was a member of the Burlington Horticultural Society for 36 years, from 1919 up until he died in 1955, where he served as the Society’s President from 1931 – 1936. Other well-known local names served as President when the Society was started for a second time in 1919. The first President was Rev. George W. Tebbs, Rector of St. Luke’s Anglican Church who served in 1919-1920. William Arthur Emory, was Spencer’s brother-in-law and he served in 1925-1926. Paul Fisher served in 1921.
The Fisher family owned the orchard farm where Burlington Mall is located. Fred Ghent served in 1922. Richard Jerome “RJ” Alton served in 1949. The first Burlington Horticultural Society actually started in 1889 by the local market gardeners as more of an agricultural group interested in how to better grow market garden products. The second Society focused more on the beautification of Burlington. It was this latter Society that had the Rose selected as Burlington’s official flower, and to this day, area residents compete for the annual Rose Awards in recognition for residents’ beautiful home gardens.
The Lakeside Park was starting to look more like a park. Over the years it continued to develop into a beautiful scenic park. The canning plant can be seen in the upper left as well as the dock that was at the foot of Brant Street.
In 1933, Spencer Smith as President embarked on an ambitious project to beautify the land at the foot of Brant Street in Lakeside Park. During the Great Depression the canning plant employees located next door to the park were on strike, and Spencer utilized the strikers to help clean up the new park. It has been reported that Spencer Smith hired these strikers, but more realistically these were probably just volunteers who were quite bored being on strike. There certainly wasn’t much money available at the time, and Spencer was always looking for free assistance, wherever and whenever he could find it. Spencer himself, devoted countless hours of volunteer labour at the park.
The new Department of Recreation after 1950 decided to add more fill to the water and expand the size of the park. The breakwater is clearly in place.
Harold McGrath owned a local trucking company, and Spencer even enticed Harold to drop off any excess loads of rock or topsoil at the park, also probably done at no cost. Spencer had a clear vision for this park, and he was bound and determined to make it happen. The spectacular willow trees growing in Spencer Smith Park are not there by accident. Dorothy Angus the town’s librarian and friend to Spencer, lived on Ontario Street and had willow trees growing on her property. Spencer carefully removed willow tree cuttings and transplanted them to the park. Today, we can see the results of this undertaking. The park was an ongoing project for many years, and in 1942, the Town of Burlington finally recognized Spencer Smith’s accomplishments and named the park “Spencer Park”.
In 1950, the town created a Department of Recreation, and this department took over the management of Spencer Park. One of the first projects undertaken by this new department, was to expand the park with more landfill at the eastern end.
When the Town of Burlington, under the leadership of Mayor Lloyd Berryman, was looking for their own unique Centennial project for 1967, a decision was made that Spencer Park would an ideal choice for an upgrade. The plan was to fill in the entire water area out to the breakwater, and over to the Brant Inn on the far western side, once all of the boats sheltered behind the breakwater were evicted. The Burlington Centennial Committee was created and received the go-ahead for the creation of the new park, and when the park was completed in 1967, they made one very serious error in judgment and attempted to recommend a completely different name for Spencer Park, which was abruptly objected to by The Burlington Horticultural Society and many other concerned local residents who were extremely upset that Burlington’s heritage was once again facing erosion, and quite possibly Spencer Smith’s hard work, commitment, and dedication to his park were about to be permanently removed. The Burlington Centennial Committee reluctantly realized their error, and eventually backed down giving way to a new name, mutually agreed to by everyone on both sides, it was to be called Spencer Smith Park, a name that still stands to this day.
The great grand niece of Spencer Smith was the former Victoria Emery, and after marriage we knew her as Vicki Gudgeon, a local historian and a past President of the Burlington Historical Society personally knew Spencer Smith very well.
Spencer didn’t stop at his park. Many of the streetscape trees growing in downtown Burlington were planted by The Burlington Horticultural Society. Burlington didn’t become so scenic and beautiful by itself. Credit should go to those dedicated members of The Burlington Horticultural Society. The property next to Central School was a seedling centre, and the Society grew new plants there which were eventually transplanted throughout Burlington. Spencer Smith’s great grand niece, Vicki Emery Gudgeon, who served as President of the Burlington Historical Society in 1975 -1976 recalled in an interview on the life of Spencer Smith for The Hamilton Spectator in 1989, that all of the trees planted by Spencer Smith and the Horticultural Society on Brant Street were removed when street lights were installed. Vicki stated back then, “I don’t think it was a fair exchange,” I think we can all agree that street lights on a treeless road are not as beautiful as a tree lined road. Vicki had the pleasure to really know her great grand uncle and described him as, “a very kind gentle man, and a gentleman.” She went on to say, “he looked a bit like Charlie Chaplin, because he had the same kind of moustache.”
The Strawberry Social was an event that Spencer Smith, his wife Edith, the Bell family, and just about everybody else in Burlington looked forward to every year in town. Here’s Spencer serving up some more treats at the historic Willowbank on King Road.
Over the years that Spencer Smith lived in Burlington, things changed, sometimes unexpectantly. Even though Spencer and Edith never had children, they still devoted much of their time to the betterment of Burlington. For example, Spencer and Edith both loved the Strawberry Socials, an event developed by the Bell family, and participated wholeheartedly in making them a rousing annual success in Burlington.
In 1924, after a beautiful 24 year marriage, the blissful happy couple faced a very serious challenge. Edith was not well, and soon became extremely sick. Edith developed pancreatic cancer which eventually spread into her liver, and this lovely, petite, gentle lady died a painful and tragic death on March 21, 1924, in the prime of her life at 54 years of age. The shocked and devastated Spencer buried his beloved Edith in historic Greenwood Cemetery on March 24, 1924. Spencer’s world of new found joy and happiness had ended with pain, and he proceeded to mourn his loss alone, and live a life that seemed to have no purpose.
Spencer continued to operate his grocery store on Brant Street for two more years, he was just putting in time; Then he met a middle aged lady who would become his next wife. She was known as Lillie, but her birth name was Elizabeth Anna Smith. Lillie was born June 7, 1870 in Whitby, Ontario to Thomas Henry Smith and Sarah Smith, a pioneer farm family who lived in the Whitby area for many years. It is not known where and when Spencer met Lillie, but we do know that this was the first marriage for Spencer’s new wife, and it seems a little bit humourous to me that Lillie changed her maiden name from Smith to her new married name Smith. It’s not too often that couples wed each other with the same surname, but it happened here.
Lillie’s new home was to be at 40 Locust Street. I am not certain as to when Spencer purchased this home. We do believe that Spencer and Edith had lived over top of their Brant Street store for a few years.
This photograph shows the A & P store that replaced Spencer Smith’s store in the same location. The photograph was taken in 1947 before the A & P moved farther north up Brant Street later that same year. The “modern” looking car in the photo is a 1947 Buick. This vehicle establishes the year of the photograph.
It has been reported that Spencer Smith retired from work in 1950 when he would have been 80 years of age. I disagree, but I could be wrong. Although, I do not know exactly when he retired, it was most likely when Spencer was around 65 – 70 years of age in 1935 to 1940. I say that because Spencer Smith sold his store to the A&P Food Store company. A&P came to Burlington around that time, and Spencer was ready to call it a day. A&P took over his location and stayed there until they relocated farther north to a new store on Brant Street which opened in 1947. There are no records that we can locate of Spencer working elsewhere after that time, but he did continue to volunteer his time.
Spencer Smith’s Death Notice appeared in the Burlington Gazette newspaper on November 9, 1955 on page 14, column 3. The town was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of one of Burlington’s greatest citizens.
Spencer Smith, his first wife Edith, and his second wife Lillie are buried in historic Greenwood Cemetery.
On November 8, 1955 Spencer Smith peacefully passed away at his residence at 40 Locust Street. He was buried alongside his cherished wife Edith in historic Greenwood Cemetery. The following year in 1956, Lillie, Spencer’s second wife passed away at 85 years of age, and was interred with Spencer and Edith in Greenwood Cemetery.
The full life and times of Spencer Smith was now over, but not forgotten.
Spencer Smith left us with a poem that he composed in 1911. He called it “Reminiscences”. In poetic phrasing Spencer captures some of his memories that changed his life.
Reminiscences
‘Twas six and twenty years ago, And perhaps a little bit more, When I, a lad of fifteen years, Lit on this fair Canadian Shore.
Fate led the way to Hamilton, And there a man I met, Who said a likely boy to do the chores I certainly must get.
I don’t think I looked likely, For the voyage had been rough, And leaving home and friends behind, I felt most mighty tough.
But the farmer thought I’d suit him, If I’d try and do what’s fair; So we came to an agreement, And I hired for a year.
We boarded the train at King Street- I’ll never forget that day; It was in the spring of eighty-five, On the twenty-first of May.
My thoughts were busy all the way, On the new life I was now to begin; To me the prospect seemed gloomy, And my future loomed very dim.
We arrived at Caledonia, And the farmer’s old bay mare Soon took us down the river road To the farm, six miles from there.
The buggy we rode in was classy, The roads none I’d seen could compare- We took so much on the wheels as we went It’s a wonder there’s any there.
My boy courage rose as I entered the house, And I saw the farmer’s wife. I’ll never forget her as long as I live; And bless her all my life.
I had my tea and went to bed, And slept as sound as a trout. And the first thing I heard in the morning Was: “Come, boys, it’s time to get out.”
I put in that day in a hazy way; For a lonesome boy was I, And as I drove the cows to the fields I heaved many a deep, deep sigh.
Each day was filled with surprises, And, Oh, the mistakes I did make! Were the things I broke put together They’d be worth all the wages I’d take.
The farmer was often impatient; And often discouraged was I, But one thing that kept up my courage Was the farmer’s good wife and her pie.
The cows and the horses, the sheep and the pigs, Were ever a worry and care; But since I have left them I think of them still, And in my dreams fancy I’m there.
The lessons I learned on the farm are worth more To me than mere dollars and cents; And if I were privileged to start over again, It’s life on the farm I’d commence.
The farmer’s wife has gone to her rest, But her influence lives in me still:- She helped lift the load along life’s rough road, And save me a start up the hill.
Part two of the Spencer Smith story will be published later this week.
This article was published ten years ago. The focus was on density and traffic congestion. Has any progress been made?
What would Burlington look like with 100 Strata’s built around the city?
This is what the Strata looks like. Councillor John Taylor thinks the city is going to need 100 of these in the next 25 years to meet the intensification target set by the province.
What’s a Strata? That’s the condominium the Molinaro gropup built on Maple Avenue.
That was the potential ward 3 city Councillor John Taylor tossed on the table during a city council Committee of the whole recently.
John Taylor, Councillor for ward 3 and the Dean of Burlington’s city council
Taylor puts the city’s current population at 175,000 people – the signs as you enter the city say 176,000.
The Growing in Place program – that is a provincial government directive, calls for Burlington to have a population of 195,000 by 2031
That number is thought to rise to 210,000 by 2041. The projection for 2041 number is something that is still being worked out by the Region and the four municipalities in Halton.
We can quibble all we want but the bald fact is that between now and 2041 the city is expected to add 35,000 people to the population total.
And because there is no development north of the Hwy 5 – 407 line – all those people have to be tucked in south of that line.
Let us not rush back into the real world quite yet.
Christmas was festive, fun, and family – the day after has become a holiday with a quaint tradition that is celebrated in the Commonwealth countries that reflects the class tradition of the times.
The first mention of Boxing Day as a tradition is believed to be in 1830. It was the day that the Upper classes gave a “box” to people like post-men, errand-boys, and servants of various kinds.
It was a present, a gratuity given at Christmas to people who had provided a service. In Great Britain the custom for tradesmen to collect “Christmas boxes” of money or presents on the first weekday after Christmas as thanks for good service throughout the year. The tradition goes back as far as December 1663.
It was a different time, a different era when class differences defined everything. The Boxing Day tradition came out of that era.
The tradition was linked to an older British tradition – servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day to visit their families. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts, bonuses, and sometimes leftover food.
In South Africa as recently as the 1980s, milkmen and garbage collectors, who normally had little if any interaction with those they served, were accustomed to knock on their doors asking for a “Christmas box”, being a small cash donation, in the week or so before and after Christmas.
The European tradition, which has long included giving money and other gifts to those who were needy and in service positions, has been dated to the Middle Ages, but the exact origin is unknown. It is believed to be in reference to the Alms Box placed in areas of worship to collect donations to the poor.
Boxing Day became a secular holiday that is traditionally celebrated on 26 December, the day after Christmas Day. 26 December is also St. Stephen’s Day, a religious holiday.
In the UK, Boxing Day is a bank holiday
In Scotland, Boxing Day has been specified as an additional bank holiday since 1974In Ireland – when the island as a whole was part of the United Kingdom – the Bank Holidays Act 1871 established the feast day of St. Stephen as a non-movable public holiday on 26 December. Following partition in 1920, Northern Ireland reverted to the British name, Boxing Day.
In Australia, Boxing Day is a federal public holiday. The Australian state of South Australia instead observes a public holiday known as Proclamation Day on the first weekday after Christmas Day or the Christmas Day holiday.
In New Zealand, Boxing Day is a statutory holiday; penalty rates and lieu time are provided to employees who work on Boxing Day.
In Canada, Boxing Day is a federal statutory holiday. Government offices, banks and post offices/delivery are closed. In some Canadian provinces, Boxing Day is a statutory holiday that is always celebrated on 26 December. In Canadian provinces where Boxing Day was a statutory holiday, and it falls on a Saturday or Sunday, compensation days are given in the following week.
In the United States, 26 December is not observed as “Boxing Day”.
The tradition has become a massive sales push that has people lining up outside large chain store operations as early as 5 am waiting for huge discounts, usually on electronic items that are positioned as loss leaders to attract customers.
Boxing day at the Eaton Centre – packed.
The CTV television network reports that in 2010 Boxing Day sales totaled $1.8 billion. The tradition has become a shopping holiday that has become Boxing Week
Many retailers open very early (typically 5 am or even earlier) and offer door buster deals and loss leaders to draw people to their stores. It is not uncommon for long queues to form early in the morning of 26 December, hours before the opening of shops holding the big sales, especially at big-box consumer electronics retailers.
In recent years, retailers have expanded deals to “Boxing Week”. While Boxing Day is 26 December, many retailers will run the sales for several days before or after 26 December, often up to New Year’s Eve. Notably, in the recession of late 2008, a record number of retailers were holding early promotions due to a weak economy. Canada’s Boxing Day has often been compared with the American Super Saturday (the Saturday before Christmas) and Black Friday.
From 2009 onward Black Friday deals become more prominent among Canadian retailers to discourage shoppers from crossing the border to the USA when the Canadian and USA dollars was close to parity, and this has lessened the appeal of Boxing Day in Canada somewhat as it was overtaken by Black Friday in terms of sales in 2013.
Boxing Day is not and has never been a shopping holiday in the USA.
In some parts of Canada, particularly in Atlantic Canada and parts of Northern Ontario, most retailers are prohibited from opening on Boxing Day, either by provincial law or by municipal bylaw, or instead by informal agreement among major retailers to provide a day of relaxation following Christmas Day.
A tradition that came out of a social class based society has evolved into a week-long shopping spree.
It isn’t just about shopping; sports events have become major Boxing Day events.
Major European leagues may enjoy a winter break when players can put their feet up over the festive period. But it’s all go in the Premier and Football Leagues. And that means plenty of action for armchair soccer fans.
In the United Kingdom, it is traditional for both top-tier football leagues in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the lower ones, as well as the rugby leagues, to hold a full programme of football and rugby union matches on Boxing Day.
Originally, matches on Boxing Day were played against local rivals to avoid teams and their fans having to travel a long distance to an away game on the day after Christmas Day.
This is probably much more than you wanted to know about the holiday we celebrate today.
There was nothing on social media; some thought she was a stand in candidate in place to pull votes away from Shawna Stolte the incumbent candidate for the ward 4 seat.
Eden Wood, candidate for the ward 4 council seat
Turns out Eden Wood is very real, a mother of a daughter and a son who play soccer.
Mom has that clean cut Ivy League look to her. She is involved in police volunteer groups: doing victim support and public safety committee work.
She Has worked in the private sector with Fisher & Ludlow, a Nucor company that makes industrial grating. She has taken community college level courses at Sheridan focused on accounting and business administration.
Wood was the President of the Burlington Crime Prevention Committee that “tackled issues on vandalism and crime prevention by recognizing the importance of homeowners landscape and design. We also worked with the Victim Assistance Volunteer Program, assisted by the Burlington O.P.P.
She has been the Apprentice Supervisor with the Hamilton S.P.C.A., building the empathy of youth. She has volunteered with Burlington Rotary at Canada’s Largest Ribfest. She worked for Average Joe Sports as a volleyball convener, as well as played volleyball through B.A.S.L and A.C.R.A.
She also played Softball and Ultimate Frisbee. Her children are members of the Burlington Soccer Club, and use many of the wonderful amenities Burlington has to offer.
While President of the Burlington Crime Prevention Committee she became a member of the Citizen Police Academy through Halton Regional Police Service, where good governance and transparency are front and centre.
She received the award for Active Citizenship from Mohawk College, where she attended the Police Foundations program.
Her web site is up and running.
Don’t know much about her views on the significant issues city council faces nor what her core values are – she does place a lot of emphasis on family and neighbourhood.
Perhaps a book that was overdue just had to be returned.
Whatever it was – car went through the windows of the Alton branch of the Burlington Public Library.
No one was injured and the staff managed to get the building opened this morning with little in the way of service disruption.
The Alton Recreational Centre has a high, a public library and some of the best recreational space in the city.
The property is owned by the city with the three jurisdictions sharing the use of the space.
An incident like this wasn’t in the operational plans.
“We are very glad to be able to welcome people back into the branch so soon,” says Amanda Freeman, Branch Manager. “This library is busy with families, especially during Summer Reading Club. We are very grateful to all our BPL staff and partner organizations for getting us back into operation so quickly.”
A small area of the branch is closed off with barriers until the damage can be fixed more permanently.
The remainder of the space is still open for browsing, borrowing, programs, and study.
No one was seriously injured in the collision. It occurred before the branch opened Saturday morning.
Police report that:
A vehicle drove through the glass at the library on July 9 at approximately 9:00 am. I am not aware of any charges or injuries at this time.
The Gazette followed up and got this:
“Unfortunately I cannot confirm any other details. Accident reports are completed by the officer and then sent off to the Ministry so I am not able to view the report. The officer is on their 4 days off currently so I am not able to confirm with them either. From what I see there does not appear to be any evidence to support that it was a deliberate action.”
Newspapers get all kinds of story opportunities. Help me find my lost dog or promote the opening of my donut shop. Some are truly amazing.
Joan Baker – starts a carpentry course in August and needs a place to stay – thinks she might be able to help as senior who can help her.
When Joan Baker wrote to tell us that she was going to start a six month course on carpentry at the Centre for Skills Program on North Service Road in Burlington she added that her long term goal is to build seniors dwelling that are wholistic.
She explained that by wholistic she meant dwellings that are comfortable, immersed in a natural environment that is close to nature where you can potentially garden and nourish body, mind and soul.
That sounded like a good long term goal
Joan had a second goal – she needs to find a place to live while she is a student – and in a tight housing market finding short term accommodation at a reasonable price is easier said than done.
Joan thinks, and hopes, that can do an exchange with a senior – she wants to exchange a place to stay where she will assist with meal preparation, household chores, cleaning, running errands and companion care.
You have to admire the creative thinking. There are hundreds of situations in Burlington where there is a senior, alone in their house and prepared to welcome someone they can talk to every day – having them cook meals, do the dishes and run errands are just bonuses.
The chemistry has to be right; the references have to be sterling but in today’s world anything is possible.
If you think this is something that you might want to follow up on – give Joan a call – she can be reached electronically at jbbaker@sympatico.ca or by telephone at: 647.613.1858
Given the array of gaming options available in the modern world, more and more people are discovering the benefits of gaming. Be it through an Amazon Fire Stick, a mobile gaming product, or a hugely powerful PlayStation 5 console machine, gaming is the preferred entertainment option for many of us.
Of course, like most recreational activities, gaming should be enjoyed in moderation and striking a balance is key, but once you get there, there are some proven ways in which enjoying an array of games can actually be good for you. Whether you’re playing first-person shooter classics like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare or simple puzzle games, there is a variety of proven benefits.
Gaming is a broad church these days. Some people like toplay live casino games,whereas others go for big-budget console and PC games. Gaming could be playing something like Wordle in the New York Times every day. But whatever it is you do, it is the activity that counts. Not all of it is beneficial, of course. As they say – everything in moderation.
For instance, certain games are said to improve a range of cognitive skills, as well as helping with social skills. Throw in the fun and entertainment that can be had through a variety of gaming products, and it’s easy to see why the world’s population is filled with so many gamers.
In the past, we have tended to hear that gaming can be potentially harmful, perhaps leading to violence or even growth in certain street crimes, but this appears not to be true in general. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, there is strong evidence to suggest that gaming can actually be good for you. For instance, the research shows that gaming can benefit an individual both socially and health-wise while also providing learning along the way. Alongside this, there are some other additional reasons why gaming can be beneficial to a person. Let’s take a look at some more of them below.
Gamers can make friends around the world
Given gaming’s global appeal and the modern-day communication tools gamers can access while enjoying a gaming session, more and more people are connecting through a variety of titles. In the past, these types of opportunities were not available to gamers, but with the emergence of online gaming and an array of additional accessories, gaming is more sociable than it ever has been.
Gamers face a truly challenging set of obstacles to overcome, which, in turn, can improve coordination and strategic thinking. .
From Britain to Burlington, gamers are enjoying an array of products and teaming up with fellow players. As a result of shared Fortnite sessions and Pokemon Go trading marathons, gamers are making friends with other gamers around the world.
Gaming can improve your strategic skills
For people who perhaps aren’t too clued up on gaming and what exactly specific titles entail, playing games can seem like plenty of running around for no real reason. In truth, it’s the total opposite, especially when assessing some specific products that require a great deal of strategic thinking. Fact is, many games require skill, coordination and strategic play to succeed. It could even be argued that some levels on certain titles are essentially real-time board games in more detail, therefore giving gamers a truly challenging set of obstacles to overcome, which, in turn, can improve a variety of things, such as coordination and strategic planning.
Gaming can help people blow off some stream
Most importantly of all, gaming is fun and entertaining. A benefit of such pleasure and entertainment is an improved all-around mood and a perfect way to unwind after a stressful day at work. As stated already, specific titles require planning and can be tricky, but overall, gaming is a fantastic option for people who want to socialise with friends, have some fun, switch off from life’s trials and tribulations, and generally just blow off some steam.
Other entertainment options can offer a similar experience too, but gaming is the favoured choice for many people these days.
On Saturday we published a news story and an opinion piece that had a serious error.
We reported that the Closed Meeting Investigator, who had done a review of the meetings that were the subject of an Integrity Commissioners report, were going to be heard in a Closed Session of Council
We were wrong. A trusted adviser called me at just after 7:00 pm on Friday to advise me that the agenda for the May 4th CSSAR FIX Standing Committee had been published and the reference to the report was that it was to be heard in a Closed Session of Council
That was incorrect – we got it wrong. Our source misread the listing which said “…Closed Session report.
The two content pieces will be revised and we ask the readers and the Clerk’s Office to accept our apology.
In the world of new reporting, mistakes are made.
In 1948, when Harry Truman was running for re-election as President of the United States, the Chicago Daily Tribune called the election result just a little too early. Truman had won – the early polls misled the editors of the newspaper. Truman won 303 Electoral College votes – his opponent got 189.
Set out below is a copy of the New York Tines Corrections section. They list the corrections needed for errors in previous editions.
It happens in the best of families.
The New York Times runs a Correction Section in every edition of their paper.
Two groups are currently looking into the housing problem.
And a Housing Working group that was brought into being due to the persistent efforts of ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte.
And she is about to get a public spanking on Tuesday for telling the public about some of the things being said in Closed sessions of Council about property that is being redeveloped by public agencies to benefit the public.
Go figure.
Having said that, the city planners are doing some solid work; gathering the information on which to base the strategy that is needed to find a way to provide housing for the thousands of people who are going to move to Burlington in the next two decades.
Expect the work that City Council has approved on the housing file to become a major election issue. Will it get the Mayor re-elected? The people who will benefit have yet to move to the city.
There is the common ground established that housing is a basic human right, and there is a collective civic responsibility to ensure that the supply of housing available within a community can accommodate the varying needs of residents throughout their lifetime, including financial needs.
Working Group on Housing, made up of both volunteers and people steeped in the business of housing has met virtually for a number of months.
Burlington has initiated a project to develop an Innovative Housing Strategy that sets out policies, tools, identifies partnerships, and actions to address residents’ current and future housing needs. The consulting team of Dillon Consulting Limited (Dillon) and SHS Consulting (SHS) were retained by the City to carry out this work, in partnership with the City’s Housing Strategy Project team, Housing Strategy Working Group, and Housing Strategy Steering Committee.
Housing: what can Burlington do and how do they go about doing it.
While there has been a lot of effort and emphasis on improving housing opportunities in the City, this Housing Strategy project provides an opportunity for a focused approach. The principal objective is to develop an innovative Housing Strategy for the City of Burlington that sets out policies, tools, and actions to address residents’ housing needs, identifies opportunities for partnerships, and redefines Burlington’s role in meeting local housing needs, now and in the future.
What is the biggest issue? Affordability or inventory?
There are many different ways of defining affordable housing. Definitions that exist in provincial laws, may differ from definitions used in federal housing programs. For many people, there is also a very personal definition of affordability based on their own income.
Affordable Housing
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) defines affordable housing as housing with a price for purchase or rent where households spend no more than 30 percent of their gross household income on housing.
In the case of ownership housing, the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) defines affordable housing as, the least expensive of:
Housing for which the purchase price results in annual accommodation costs which do not exceed 30 percent of gross annual housing income for low and moderate income households; or
Housing for which the purchase price is at least 10 percent below the average purchase price of a resale unit in the regional market area;
In the case of rental housing, the PPS defines affordable housing as, the least expensive of:
A unit for which the rent does not exceed 30 percent of grow annual housing income for low and moderate income households; or
A unit for which the rent is at or below the average market rent of a unit in the regional market area.
In Halton Region’s Official Plan, affordable housing is defined as:
“housing with a market price (or rent that is affordable to households of low and moderate income, spending no more than 30 percent of their gross income.
a) Affordable rental housing should meet the demand of households at the low end, as described in Halton’s annual State of Housing Report, pursuant to Section 86(7). Such households would be able to afford at least three out of ten rental units on the market.
b) Affordable ownership housing should meet the demand of households at the high end, as identified in Halton’s annual State of Housing Report. Such households would have sufficient income left, after housing expenses, to sustain the basic standard of living.”
Attainable Housing
While there is no universal definition of attainable housing, it is often used to refer to rental or ownership housing without any subsidies which is affordable to workforce households or households with moderate incomes. In the US, it is defined as non-subsidized, for-sale housing that is affordable to households with incomes between 80 and 120 percent of the area median income.
Using the Consumer Price Index (CPI), to bring the 2016 incomes to 2021 values, the estimated average household income in Burlington for 2021 is $159,083 and the estimated median household income is $124,154.
Based on research conducted as part of this report, findings indicate the following 2021 average ownership prices in Burlington:
This development at 2100 Brant sold out before the sales office was opened.
Single-detached: $1,398,357
Semi-detached: $901,963
Townhouse: $894,997
Condominium townhouse: $575,299
Condominium apartments: $575,299
This means that, within the context of Burlington, ownership options are only affordable to households earning $164,016 or more on an annual basis, unless they had a down payment greater than 5% or spent more than 30% of their income on housing costs.
With respect to rental tenure, the research conducted as part of this report indicates the following average monthly rents in the primary rental market in Burlington9:
Some of these units at the Burlington GO station will be rentals.
Bachelor: $1,229
One bedroom: $1,577
Two bedroom: $1,641
Three+ bedroom: $1,658
This means that, within the context of Burlington, rental options within the primary rental market are only affordable to households earning $60,072 or more on an annual basis. This is further complicated by the low vacancy rates for rental housing in the City, which has remained below 3% since 2010.
Within the Burlington Context, where the cost of all tenures of housing is high, there are very few “affordable” housing options for households within low and moderate income deciles when applying the Federal and Provincial government’s definition of “affordable”.
Given the City’s stated objective for the Housing Strategy to provide a toolkit with options to address housing needs across the entire housing continuum, the strategy will need to provide tools to address both housing “affordability” and “attainability” throughout Burlington to best position itself as an inclusive and complete community that provides housing options for all.
When “affordable housing” is used within the context of this report it is meant to encapsulate the definition of affordable as set out in the Halton Region Official Plan and does not mean government- assisted housing or subsidized housing.
These two developments; one at the Burlington GO station and the other in the east end are part of the inventory that will come on line at some point. The GO station development has most of the approvals it needs. What isn’t know – how much will the rents be?
Burlington’s role in housing.
Through the work completed to date, it was determined that the biggest impact the City of Burlington can make, as a lower-tier municipality, is to provide innovative solutions to address housing affordability and attainability for middle-income earners. Increasingly, middle-income households are struggling to find housing that is appropriate for their needs and income level in Burlington with the high cost of housing posing significant challenges for middle-income working households.
Providing support to these households insures that they can remain housed in Burlington.
It is in addressing the middle income needs where the City can make the biggest moves.
Burlington high schools have always been strong competitors in the field of robotics.
Six robotics teams from the Halton District School Board (HDSB) will be competing at the FIRST Ontario Provincial Championship in Mississauga Thursday through Saturday (April 14-16).
The robot was taught how to throw that basketball. It was not drafted by the Raptors
Schools participating include Burlington Central School, M.M. Robinson High School, Garth Webb Secondary School and Georgetown District High School, each with one team, and Oakville Trafalgar High School with two teams.
Each HDSB team qualified for the provincial competition based on their results from taking part in regional competitions including those held at Humber College, Waterloo and York universities. This provincial competition is a qualifier for the World FIRST Robotic Championship held April 20-23 in Houston, Texas.
“Our Halton FIRST robotics teams worked extra hard this season coming out of lockdown, with tight timelines to build their robot in time to compete in their first qualifier at the beginning of March,” says Veronica Kleinsmith, Lead for the Specialist High Skills Major andPathways programs with the HDSB.
“All HDSB teams built impressive robots this year and three of our schools are ranked in the Top 6 in Ontario going into this provincial competition. Each team raises funds from community and business sponsors, designs a brand for their team, hones their teamwork skills, builds and finally programs their robots for a difficult field-game challenge.”
The students who take part in the robotics courses are amongst the smartest in the HDSB system.
Established in 2001, FIRST Robotics inspires young people to be leaders and innovators in science and technology by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills to inspire innovation and foster self-confidence, communication and leadership.
We were told that there would be small COVID-19 Outbreaks.
The Joseph Brant Hospital Inpatient Unit advised the public today that an outbreak has been declared on Unit 2 North 600 (2N600) at Joseph Brant Hospital (JBH) after two staff tested positive for COVID-19. All appropriate precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of patients, Essential Care Partners (ECPs), staff and physicians.
Joseph Brant Hospital’s Infection Prevention and Control team and Employee Health Services are ensuring all those who have been impacted will be contacted, monitored and tested as required.
A number of enhanced safety measures are in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the safety of our patients, staff and physicians. The unit remains open to new patient admissions. Essential Care Partners can enter the unit, adhering to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements including face masks.
JBH is monitoring the situation closely and will continue to work to bring a safe end to the outbreak as soon as possible. Patients or loved ones who have questions or concerns can contact a member of the JBH Patient Relations team at 905-632-3737 ext. 4949 or by email patientrelations@josephbranthospital.ca.
As key public health and health system indicators continue to improve, Ontario and local governments are gradually easing public health and safety measures. While many of us welcome the opportunity to take part in indoor social activities such as sporting events, it is important to recognize that COVID-19 remains transmissible to vulnerable individuals receiving care in healthcare settings. We cannot lose sight of our role in protecting the health and safety of patients and healthcare workers at Joseph Brant Hospital.
Eric Vandewall: President and CEO Joseph Brant Hospital
Individual organizations and municipalities are responding and managing these new measures differently – some may choose to adopt current practices, while others may take a more careful and measured approach depending on local conditions and the populations that they serve. The lifting of public health measures by provincial and local governments is, at the end of the day, a judgement call.
Hospitals have the discretion to establish their own guidelines and review them on an ongoing basis. At this point, JBH will continue to require that all patients, essential care providers, and visitors wear a hospital-issued, medical grade mask while in the hospital. This decision is rooted in data, evolving science and evidence-based best practices – it is what is best for our patients, our staff, physicians, learners and volunteers.
We have not changed our COVID-19 vaccination requirement for Essential Care Providers (ECPs), with very limited exceptions. ECPs are still required to complete a COVID-19 screening before coming to the hospital. It is important for patients and their loved ones to review the visitor guidelines; we will continue to re-evaluate our policies in the weeks and months ahead, with input from our patients, their ECPs and our staff.
We have made changes to the limits on ECPs, recognizing the important role ECPs play in a patient’s care, well-being, and recovery. Patients staying in hospital can have two ECPs at their bedside, and individuals coming for appointments or coming to the Emergency Department can have one person accompany them.
I am pleased to report that our surgical activity has reached 90 per cent of pre-COVID levels, consistent with the changes in provincial direction. Our diagnostics are running at full capacity. We continue to explore additional strategies to address the surgical procedures backlog and are we are working closely with our surgeons to monitor deferred procedures very closely to ensure timely access for patients requiring urgent and time-sensitive procedures.
Throughout the pandemic, we have shared what we are seeing in our community when it comes to care needs – this includes the growing need for mental health and addictions (MHA) services. I invite you to a virtual panel about Burlington’s current and future needs for these services on Wednesday, April 6 at 7 p.m. The panel aims to shine a light on this important topic; help people to discover the available services in the community; and to provide a forum for questions and answers at a time when many are looking for more support.
Join our MHA experts, Dr. Steven Selchen and Dr. Monidipa Ravi; our moderator, Jane McKenna, MPP for Burlington and Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues; and Michelle Barr, Director of Services of Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK). Please go to www.keepcareclosetohome.ca for details on how to join the virtual discussion, and please take a moment to fill out a short survey about the mental health and addictions resources in our community.
These last two years have been incredibly difficult for everyone. The road behind us has been a long one, and we are moving in the right direction, with high vaccination rates and a decreasing trend in COVID-19 hospitalizations. As public health measures continue to lift, we encourage you to continue to follow the guidance of medical experts and public health officials.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our teams have continued to care for people in our community. I am so proud of our teams here at JBH and I would like to thank all of our dedicated staff, physicians, learners, and volunteers for their incredible efforts to provide safe and quality care.
Masks aren’t a must but hugs are in – according to the Mayor.
Vaccinations are heavily encouraged. For those who do not get vaccinated – there have been consequences.
The creation of the vaccine in such a short period of time will be seen as a true marvel.
The City’s COVID-19 Volunteer Vaccination Policy has been repealed.
This means volunteers, when accessing City facilities and taking part in City activities, will not be required to show proof of vaccination.
On March 14, 2022, the City of Burlington COVID-19 Staff Vaccination Policy was amended; staff that are not vaccinated will continue to have the option to test (Fire Department staff excluded). The decision to amend the COVID-19 Staff Vaccination Policy was done in light of the evolving pandemic situation and messages from the Chief Medical Officer of Health regarding workplace vaccination policies. In addition, the Province of Ontario lifting its vaccine passport requirements and remaining capacity limits factored into this COVID-19 Staff Vaccination Policy amendment.
Being tested isn’t quite this dramatic.
Passive screening for the public visiting City facilities will continue to be in place. (Passive screening is a list of questions that are asked.) Members of the public who wish to continue to wear their mask in City facilities are welcome to do so and we ask the public be patient and kind with one another and staff as we move through these changes together. Daily active screening of City employees and source control masking will remain in place for City staff.
Passive screening means:
you must post signs with clear instructions at all entrances that tell people how to screen themselves
the signs should include the screening questions and instruct people with symptoms or high-risk exposures not to enter the premises
people are assumed to have screened themselves and followed the instructions
you do not need to ask anyone to report the result of their screening
a person should be told not to enter if they volunteer the information that they did not pass the screening assessment
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward: vaccinated or tested.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward explains: “Vaccination policies for our City staff and volunteers have been flexible throughout the pandemic — changing as needed to respond to health indicators and advice from health officials. Based on the current situation, and in keeping with advice from the Medical Officer of Health and the Province, in lifting requirements to show proof of vaccination in certain settings, we are modifying our policy once again. City volunteers won’t be required to show proof of vaccinations, and City staff (with the exception of the fire department, due to the nature of the job) have the choice of vaccination or testing.”
Ontario’s fixed-date election law sets voting day as June 2, 2022, and the formal start of the campaign period as next May 4.
Burlington now has nominated candidates for the three mainline political parties.
NDP candidate Andrew Drummond get a visit from Liberal candidate Mariam Manaa while she was doing her door to door thing.
The New Democrats nominated Andrew Drummond, the Liberals actually made a contest of their nomination and chose Mariam Manaa as their candidate.
The Progressive Conservatives appointed Natalie Pierre as their candidate.
The Greens nominated Kyle Hutton.
There may be others.
While there is all kinds of political maneuvering taking place at the party leadership level, the fight at the ground level will become fierce starting May 4th.
Drummond is well known, he has run before and has acquitted himself quite well. Were he to be elected he would be a creditable legislator once he has learned the basics of being an MPP.
Andrea Horwath on the campaign trail
The problem with the Ontario New Democrats is their leader – Andrea Horwath isn’t seen as a leader; there isn’t all that much bench strength in the party – she would have difficulty forming a government and the even more difficulty governing.
Bob Rae who brought tonnes of credibility to the job of party leader had difficulty find the talent he needed to appoint solid members to his Cabinet.
Burlington does have a small but solid community of followers – enough to win? There was a real chance last time out – not sure that chance exists this time around,
Manaa has no experience in government but some knowledge of the way politicians serve their communities having worked as an intern with two federal MP’s.
No one is sure just where her support came from. If the Muslim community is large enough she could take the seat.; what is not clear is just how many Muslim’s in the riding there are. The most recent Stats Canada data is not yet available. The Muslim community will vote for their candidate.
The team teaching Mariam how to campaign is solid. If she has the capacity to develop into a credible candidate she could surprise a lot of people.
Aldershot resident Greg Woodruff, right, talking to Stephen Del Duca, provincial Liberal party leader, while he was in Burlington as the then Minister of Transport for the province.
The Liberals have not been blessed with a gifted party leader. Steve Del Duca comes across as flailing about looking for an issue that he can use to get the foothold he desperately needs. Not having a seat in the Legislature doesn’t help. .
The Progressive Conservatives in Burlington have struggled to develop really solid candidates. Cam Jackson served as the MPP for years. One would be challenged to point to anything significant he achieved while in office.
Jane McKenna was nominated at a meeting where she was the only candidate; zip in the way of political experience and a one of the thinnest public profiles ever seen for a person running for public office. She was fortunate in having some very savvy political players guiding and directing her. It was one of Keith Strong’s better initiatives.
There has always been something suspect with PC nomination meetings.
McKenna decided there was an even greener pasture for her at the Regional level and she announced she would not run again as the MPP fr Burlington.
There was no immediate identifiable replacement candidate; we would get notes from people asking if we knew who the PC candidate was going to be.
Natalie Pierre, PC appointed candidate for Burlington
It is not known yet how, when or where the appointed candidate Natalie Pierre was found.
No experience other than having lived in Burlington for 30 years.
The PC party made the appointment on March 4th and informed the public on We were copied on an email in which McKenna appeared to be taking all the credit for finding Pierre.
Since that announcement – not a word.
Burlington has solid deep Conservative roots. As a society it tends to be conservative.
The federal candidate the Conservatives put forward was wrapped in a bubble, said next to nothing and was the poster girl for the gun club lobby.
The challenge for every political party and its candidate is to create profile – get the candidate out in front of people.
To date we have seen nothing on Natalie Pierre.
Are the PC’s going to rely on the strength thay have always has in Burlington. A sort of “she is one of us – vote for her” campaign?
Doug Ford casting a ballot
The problem the PC’s have is with their leader. He has not exactly proven to be a rock star for the way he handled the pandemic; Ontario has yet to formalize an agreement with the federal government on the new child care program.
It is hard to fathom the PC position on climate change but very easy to grasp what they want to do in terms of building new roads rather that focus on and look for different ways to move people from place to place.
The Bradford Bypass and the Hwy 413 extension are really not needed.
Doug Ford has a small business mentality – he genuinely feels the pain of the small business person who had to close their doors during the lock-downs,
Ford understand the small business community – he genuinely cares about the problems they have had to face.
He is prepared to put at risk the health and welfare on students who would be well served with a masking policy for another two weeks until we learn what WORD are going to be as a result of the Spring Break.
What is proving to be very interesting is the number of parents who have decided they will stay with a masking protocol for the immediate future and wait for new virus infection results.
Doug Ford wants to hope that the reports are minimal and that we may have cleared the mist recent wave. Let us hope as well that the numbers that do exists don’t get fudged.
Kyle Hutton Green Part candidate
What the province needs at this point in its growth is a well thought out vision – something a bit more than Doug Ford’s Open for Business position.
Burlington now has three candidates; two who are credible – the third too unknown at this point to be able to make a comment.
The Greens have a candidate – thin on real experience but quite a bite of on the ground electing candidates which he learned while working to get Karina Gould elected.
There are tough choices to be made. A minority Progressive Conservative government would serve the province best,
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
Earlier today, at approximately 3:50 am, Halton Regional Police Service officers responded to the area of Bluegrass Lane and Dryden Avenue in Burlington, for reports of a male trying to break into vehicles.
An alert resident was able to notify police and provide a description of the male.
Police attended the area and located the suspect, who was found to be in possession of break in tools and items believed to have been stolen from area vehicles (currency, perfume, sunglasses, purses, etc.).
Shad Atkin (33) of no fixed address was arrested and has been charged with:
Possession of Break-In Instruments
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Mischief Under $5000
Trespass at Night
Fail to Comply with Release Order
Atkin was held in custody pending a bail hearing.
Police would like to remind residents of the value of reporting suspicious activity to police. In this case, one phone call likely prevented further break-ins to area vehicles and lead to the arrest of a suspect.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4777 ext. 2316.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
Ontario is reporting 842 people hospitalized with COVID-19, 281 in ICU on Sunday. We have broken that 1000 hospitalizations barrier – which is a good sign.
Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns – isolating
Burlington Member of Parliament Karina Gould – isolating.
At the same time Burlington’s ward 2 Councillor reported that she had COVID19 and was isolating. There is a report that MP Karina Gould has COVID19.
The province notes that not all hospitals report on weekends. There are also at least 2,001 new cases of COVID-19.
So it is out there and it is being transferred from people to people.
Gould and Kearns are committed mask wearers and are also in the public sphere.
On Tuesday March 1st, the province opens things up.
Another really important concern is the number of people who still believe this is all hokum and there is nothing to worry about.
The City of Burlington’s website, www.burlington.ca, and some web applications will be temporarily unavailable between Feb. 15 at 10 p.m. and Feb. 16 at 2 a.m. for scheduled maintenance.
A handful of technical types will be working late upgrading the city’s web site and many of the applications they run.
During the temporary shut down, the following websites and applications will not be available:
By Ed Keenleyside, President Friends of Freeman Station
January31st, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
A Report to All FOFS Directors and Members at Large
We’ve been closed for a variety of reasons: normal winter shut down; Covid-19 restrictions andaccumulation of snow effectively eliminating parking at Freeman station. In spite of this a fewprojects continue to move along, and a couple of new projects have begun.
Ed Keenlyside, on the right, explaining a project to a citizen at a community meeting.
First of all, re: the restoration of the caboose… Before the cold and the snow closed downoperations Ken Brooks and his dedicated team of experts replaced the windows in the cupolaafter reattaching it to the main frame. Simultaneously the station’s electrical system is being extended to the rolling stock and ultimately to the three shipping containers at the back of theproperty. In preparation for next spring, tongue & groove lumber is being stockpiled in thestation–half has already been primed and painted and the remainder is being prepared as wespeak.
Meanwhile inside…our long-awaited video wall, which acts as a backdrop for the diorama, isnearing completion. Following closely behind, will be the installation of an a/v link from thebasement to the waiting room to provide a visual connection for those people unable to use the stairs. Both of these projects are being completed thanks to the generosity of the OntarioTrillium Foundation.
This is what they started out with – Sitting on some “cribbing” with a sign badly in need of several coats of paint, the Freeman Station gets ready for its big move.
Now that we have completed the restoration of the station (in record time, I might add) it istime to look at an important component of the station that needs updating. That is ourwebsite. We have struggled to find a person who has the time and knowledge to manage this valuable communication and fundraising tool. Over the years items have been added whichhad a temporary importance but which were never removed. One of the most commoncomments is that our website could be more user friendly. Well, work is now underway to remedy that concern. The original company in St. Catharines has been contacted aboutresurrecting the site. With the pandemic lock-down, there are no visitors and thus virtually nodonations. Therefore the sooner the website is fixed so that it encourages donations and makes it super easy to donate, the better.
Settled in the new home – the task now was to complete the refurbishing and make it a destination for railways buffs.
On the fundraising side of our corporation, I am proud to tell you that due to your generosity,we had a successful campaign this fall. As they say on PBS “THANK YOU!” In addition, I haverecently received good news from the federal government. Our application for a $10,000 granthas been approved and those funds will be soon deposited in our account. Being a 100%volunteer organization, we depend heavily on visitors for most of our donations. Since we havevirtually been closed for two years, that has put quite a strain on our bottom line.
Another new project is just getting started, and this is a review of our By-Laws. Last October2021 the Ontario Not-For-Profit Act was enacted. All corporations, like ours, must ensure theirby-laws conform to these new regulations. Thankfully, all corporations have been allowed timeto make any necessary adjustments.
One more aspect of our heritage train station is to complete an accurate inventory of all itemswe own. Since we are a small museum, we are unable to store unused items, and we have onlylimited space to display other items. This has led to the establishment of a Collections Policyand a Collections Committee. This group is headed up by the hard-working Dave Ellis.
Currently they have spread out a large number of tools and other items at the station. Some ofthese will go into the eventual FOFS workshop in one of the three containers at the back of theproperty. Other items that are not needed will be sold or disposed of. The remaining items willthen be properly identified and added to a comprehensive FOFS inventory.
The year 2022 also marks another milestone in the FOFS history. At the end of the year our land-use agreement with the Solenis Chemical Company will expire.
Contact has already beenmade with their manager in order to facilitate an extension of that contract. We are fortunateto be a partner with the city and Solenis in maintaining and operating this valuable heritage sitefor future generations. With the City of Burlington owning the building and Solenis owning theland we are indeed in good hands.
The pandemic has been a real challenge to your Board of Directors as well as the community weserve. The immediate future is uncertain from a health and safety point of view. We havebeen very careful with Covid restrictions, and so far, it has paid off. We will continue to makeyour health and safety our number one priority.
Please continue to support this wonderful architectural gem that has undergone a miraculoustransformation in a few short years. From a utilitarian train station built in 1906 for less than$2,000, it has cost many times that amount to bring this historic piece of Freeman and Burlington history back to life.
Please continue your support and encourage your friends to become FOFS members.
City hall is getting an upgrade – at least the ground floor is.
Entering city hall from the Brant Street entrance.
Service Burlington, the people that have all the answers to all the questions you have, are moving their desks temporarily to second floor of City Hall starting February 1.
The temporary move of Service Burlington is happening to allow for construction to begin on the main floor of City Hall, as part of the City Hall modernization project.
The project is one of 22 recommendations from the Red Tape Red Carpet Task Force report, and was approved by City Council in September 2019.
Work stations?
In keeping with the City’s focus on customer experience, this project will create a more open, customer-facing area on the first floor of City Hall. Construction on the main floor starts on Tuesday, Feb. 1.
Under modified Step Two of the Province’s Roadmap to Re-open, Service Burlington is currently open for in-person service by appointment only for commissioning services and marriage licences.
Appointment-only services will continue until Feb. 1, and may be extended in response to COVID-19. Residents can visit burlington.ca/onlineservices to access a variety of City services online or contact Service Burlington directly during regular business hours, by phone at 905-335-7777 and email at city@burlington.ca.
The ground floor area will be much more open than it is now. Will the public be able to just hang around and read the paper or is this all going to be strictly business?
During construction, please access City Hall through the Brant Street entrance. The entrances from Locust Street and Elgin Street will be closed.
Once inside the building, please use the elevator in the lobby to access Service Burlington on the second floor, unless otherwise directed.
As with most construction projects, there will be some periodic noise, dust and dirt in the building.
Construction on the main floor of City Hall is expected to finish in the fall of 2022.
The plans for a new city hall look had next to nothing in the way of citizen participation. Staff put together designs that were presented to council and it was a done deal.
There are changes planned as well for the plaza area outside city hall. They were put on hold when hoped-for funding failed to come through.
By Mark Gillies
No doubt about it, everyone at the time believed this was a “WIN-WIN” situation. Spencer Smith’s story was a perfect example of one that seemed to have a happy ending.
This became an economic issue more than anything else. It was strictly a case of supply and demand. Most of these organizations were faced with a huge demand. They had great difficulty in meeting the demand by farmers and governments in Canada and Australia. It was stated at one time that there were 10 applications for every child. So what were they going to do? The answer was simple. Start rounding up any child who potentially was wayward and lived in the area that was to be scoured for recruits. Overly simplified, absolutely, but not by much.
They were forced to live in exclusion on the farmer’s property, and not interact with the farmer’s own children or have any friends of their own. They were not loved or nurtured in any way. We know that they were constantly tormented and bullied by other children at local schools, and even adults participated in this human degradation of these children. We know that many just eventually disappeared. Where you ask?
Albert had just arrived from England with many other British Home children and they all disembarked at Halifax from the ship Albertic on March 17, 1930.
Where do we stand? Sadly, and unfortunately, the Canadian Government has essentially taken the position that this isn’t really a big deal, and no apology is warranted or forthcoming, even though they backed and encouraged this form of child slavery and abuse under the guise of helping disadvantaged children. Personally, I think that Jason Kenney the Cabinet Minister responsible for these remarks was not that well informed on the situation when confronted with the apology question, and consequently brushed it off as unimportant. I encourage you to contact Burlington’s local Federal Member of Parliament, Mr. Mike Wallace, who is a very decent man, and please voice your concern. I would like to think that Mike can champion this cause and help us get this apology from the Canadian Government. It’s long overdue, and it’s the right thing to do.
By Pepper Parr
The Alton Recreational Centre has a high, a public library and some of the best recreational space in the city.
A small area of the branch is closed off with barriers until the damage can be fixed more permanently.
By Pepper Parr
Burlington’s role in housing.
By Staff
By Staff
Earlier today, at approximately 3:50 am, Halton Regional Police Service officers responded to the area of Bluegrass Lane and Dryden Avenue in Burlington, for reports of a male trying to break into vehicles.
By Ed 
Currently they have spread out a large number of tools and other items at the station. Some of
