The Draft of the Official Plan will be public on Friday – it runs close to 1000 pages. Those with a major interest in the contents of that document are going to have less than 20 days to respond to it.
Suzanne Mammel, the Halton Hamilton Home Builders Association (HHHBA) Executive Officer explains that Official Plans usually go through at least half a dozen versions. The current document is in its second version.
Burlingtonians complain loudly and frequently about how city council fails to uphold there Official Plan.
There are four Mobility Hub studies taking place. The city wants to get the Downtown Core Mobility Hub approved before the end of the year.
There are the plans for the redevelopment of the Waterfront Hotel property that the city is pushing with their Emerging Preferred Concept. There are citizens who don’t like what they are seeing.
What’s the rush?
The word is that James Ridge the city manager wants as much of this as possible approved by city council before they all move into major election mode.
There are citizens who want to suggest to the city manager that he lighten up and let these issues become election issues.
Back in 1995 city council approved the building of a hi-rise tower on Lakeshore Road – roughly where the Riviera Motel used to be.
It was originally going to be 30 storeys high. Shovels didn’t go into the ground until 2016 by which time the project became a three building project: 22 storey condo, 9 storey hotel and a smaller 7 storey condo.
The Bridgewater development – seen from Lakeshore Road.
Many people were surprised when they learned of the project – they felt the view of the lake was being lost.
There is now another project that threatens to lessen the view of the lake – but this time city council is not going to get as easy a ride as they did in 1995.
There is a group of citizens that want to ensure that the public has a lot to say about this project before it goes too far.
The project is the plans to re-develop the Waterfront Hotel property.
There have been numerous public workshops – registration was less than 50 people most times.
The Planners want to take their favoured concept to a city council Standing committee at the end of the month.
Not so fast is the approach a group known as Plan B who want to slow the decision making process down to allow for far more public input.
They have a petition and a survey they would like people to take part in. Here is their story.
We are circulating links to a City survey and a Petition that we hope you will complete. The Petition takes about 1 minute and the survey maybe 2. This is your chance to influence what direction the City takes with your waterfront.
You may be aware that Burlington City Staff are in the process of developing a master plan for the property on the south side of Lakeshore Road at the foot of Brant Street where the Waterfront Hotel is currently located. This is required prior to the land being redeveloped by its owner.
Staff will be taking two concepts to City Council on November 28, 2017 at 6:30 pm (City Hall). Their first, Option A was developed by a consultant after several meetings with residents. It didn’t capture what residents were asking for, so they developed Option B. Again, it doesn’t capture what citizens are asking for and in some sense could be considered worse, so they are seeking input.
On November 6, three community organizations – Plan B (Burlington Waterfront Hotel Redevelopment), Burlington Waterfront, and Burlington Green met with city staff to discuss an alternative that more closely aligns with what we have heard residents asking for at the public meetings held by City staff.
City staff have a survey on their website asking for input on their two options. Plan B has a petition asking residents to say no to City’s Option A and yes to Citizen Plan B that mitigates some of the issues of the City’s Option B.
Please open the link to the Petition first to view the Plan B proposal prior to completing the City survey so you can reply with an informed perspective.
The Burlington Waterfront organization came out of what was once the Waterfront Advisory Committee that was set up by then Mayor Cam Jackson. The 2010 city council disbanded that committee.
At the time both the Mayor and the then newly elected Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward said they were going to set up waterfront committees. The Mayor either lost interest or was beaten to the punch by Meed Ward. She worked with interested people to get them started but never actually ran the committee.
Why didn’t the Mayor and Meed Ward work together? Not a chance – Meed Ward has wanted to be Mayor since the day she decided to run for public office.
Burlington Waterfront is now a group of people who keep their eye on the waterfront and hold informative public meetings. Part of that operation is a group called Plan B – they didn’t like what they sensed was the city was going in and they began to organize.
Ward 2 city Councillor Marianne Meed Ward has always been a strong social media maven. She understands the technology and as a television broadcaster understands the visual medium.
Marianne Meed Ward at a city council meeting.
She is strongly opposed to the approval of a 23 storey structure at the corner of James and Brant street – opposite city hall.
Council gave the building its approval at a Standing Committee a few days ago. That recommendation goes to city Council on the 13th where it gets made the law of the land. If Council votes for the recommendation that came from the Standing Committee (and given that the same people are on the Committee and city council, the expectation is that it will be passed) a bylaw is passed and that’s the end of that story.
Meed Ward has never shied away from controversy. She is described as divisive – as if there is something wrong with that.
The two votes against the project were from the Mayor and Meed Ward. In order for that committee vote to be changed at city council two of the five that voted for it will have to change their minds. It is a defining moment for the city.
Councillors Craven, Taylor, Sharman, Dennison and Lancaster voted for the development.
Meed Ward produced a video – about a minute and a half long. She doesn’t mince her words.
Check it out.
Kelly Childs, owner of Kellys Bake Shop has also done a video. Hers runs for a full 32 minutes.
It’s a time to pause, reflect, think of those we lost, wonder why we feel we have to go to war.
Soldiers leave for war watched by their families at Union Station in Toronto, 1914.
Canada has never been a war zone. Our young men and women have gone to war. In Burlington they marched up Brant to the train station and boarded trains that took them to Montreal where they boarded ships to England where they waited. And then it was time to sail for Europe where battles that are beyond the imagination took place. For those men who were on the front lines and survived to return were never the same.
Troops in the British Columbia Duke of Connaught’s own rifles marching-down Eighth Street in New Westminster. Did that Father return.
We will listen to the news and hear the rattle of the sabres as the President of the United States postures and puts us all in danger.
Compare his words with those from the song – “All we are saying is give peace a chance.”
Teresa Seaton has found a way to take the remembering beyond what we have done in the past.
On Saturday afternoon when the parade is over she has invited people to her gallery to listen to Dave Barry begin a presentation that will start with an introduction of Canadian historical art that will examine the contribution of Canadian war artists in both WW1 and WW2 and the aftermath of 9/11.
The city events begin with a Sunrise Remembrance Day Service at 9 a.m., at the Naval Ships Memorial Monument in Spencer Smith Park.
The Remembrance Day Parade starts at 10:30 am at Central Public School and proceeds along Brant to Elgin Street, Elgin to Locus Street, Locust to Ontario Street
The Remembrance Day Service begins at 11:00 am with the 45 to 60 minute ceremony at the Cenotaph, on the north side of City Hall.
They have been doing it for 17 years – the annual Halton Regional Police Service Toys for Tots Holiday Campaign
The campaign is a program that aims to provide toys to less fortunate families living within Halton Region.
This year they have partnered with Canadian Tire, the Salvation Army, Mandarin Restaurant and Halton Honda to collect and provide toys to families in need.
The official kick-off will be on Wednesday November 15, 2017; 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. at Canadian Tire, 777 Guelph Line, Burlington.
It’s one of those programs that calls for all hands to be on deck – more than 4000 needy families benefit.
In 2016, the Halton Regional Police Service Toys for Tots program raised more than $248,810 in toys, gift cards, cash and food for 4,350 local families in need.
Honorary Regional Police Officers, wrestling living legends and humanitarians, Tiger Jeet Singh and Tiger Jeet Singh Jr. will be part of this festive season of giving.
For more information about the Toys for Tots program, visit www.haltonpolice.ca under Events or contact Constable Steve Elms at 905-825-4747 ext. 5240 or steve.elms@haltonpolice.ca.
The monthly Rocca Sisters analysis of the real estate market in the area has not included condominiums, mainly because taking the temperature of the condo market every month would have resulted in the same old same old.
That is changing.
Starting January 1st, they will be monitoring the condo market – it will be treated separately and include condo stats each month.
Bunton’s Wharf – one of the several condominiums strung along the north side of LAkeshore Road, Sales of condo units will be published in 2018
In the meantime, the condo market has become very relevant in many of our trading areas.
In October we saw 95 condominiums sell which is down over 25% as compared to the same period last year however, we saw the average price increase by 20% which is about 3 times more than the average price increase we would normally see.
We are chalking it up to affordability and first time home buyers. With the average price of a condo at $510,000 and the average price of a freehold home at $910,000, it’s no wonder buyers are turning to the condominium market, some out of choice and some out of necessity.
The month of October saw a just over 3% increase in prices paid, as compared to last October and a 7% decline in the number of sales.
YTD however, Burlington is still holding on to a 15% increase in sale prices with a 10% decrease in the number of sales.
There are approximately 80 Active listings for lease, many of which have been on the market for over 30 days.
Details on the residential market in Burlington are set out below.
During a media event earlier today Detective Sergeant Dave Costantini , 1 District Criminal Investigations Bureau explained how some pervasive criminal activity is costing all of us a small fortune – $5 billion which is the value of the goods stolen through cargo theft.
So far this year there have been 1336 cargo thefts in the country with 90% of them taking place in the GTA.
This is how the news story makes it to the evenng news. From the left: D/Sgt Dave Constantini, D/Cst Jodi Richmond, the CN truck driver, Deputy Chief Carol Crowe, Doug Maybee of Crime Stoppers and Steve Kee, Insurance Bureau of Canada
The media event was to create awareness of Cargo Theft – a crime which affects everyone.
The event was a joint Regional Police – Crime Stoppers event.
Crime Stoppers operations across Canada have undertaken numerous campaigns to combat various crimes including human trafficking, potential terrorist activity, targeting international fugitives and identifying criminal who damage the environment.
Commercial crime detectives who took part in the media event explained that cargo theft is a very organized criminal activity.
The actual stealing of the trucks is just the start. “There are occasions when the thieves will steal a truck load of a product that they have already sold to someone.
The tractor-trailer, loaned to Crime Stoppers for the media event is the typical size thieves will steal. The new Regional Police headquarters can be seen in the background.
On other occasions a truck will be stolen and driven to a location and left for a few days while any search for the truck cools off.
The thieves will return – move the cargo from the stolen truck onto another truck – sometimes several small trucks and get taken to whoever has agreed to buy the stolen goods.
It is a very organized theft – there are numerous people involved starting with the drivers trhat steal the trucks to the people who move the goods in the truck through commercial networks.
At the end of the chain is a consumer who buys something that might have been stolen.
Criminals are drawn to cargo crime because of the perceived low risk and high reward. However, profits from cargo theft fuel a wide array of criminal activity including incidents of homicide.
Halton Regional Police Service Deputy Chief Carol Crowe reading some of the numbers related to Cargo theft
The trucking industry transports 90 percent of food products and consumer goods that Canadian’s require. We certainly know that – we have to jockey with those trucks on the major highways every day.
Crime Stoppers programs allow members of the public who may be reluctant to get involved directly with police to give any information anonymously via the tip line.
The program also discourages criminals from committing crimes because they never know who may be watching and ready to call the anonymous tip line.
Crime Stoppers Halton has played a part in 18,251 arrests. Property worth $2,734,747 has been recovered. Drugs worth $18,098,333 have been seized
Canada’s first Crime Stoppers program was set up in Calgary, Alberta in 1982. A year later Hamilton was the first city to establish a Crime Stoppers program in Ontario.
A former Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner, Thomas O’Grady, said Crime Stoppers is ranked with fingerprints and DNA as the top three innovations in modern day policing.
The Halton Regional Police, Fraud Unit has warmed local area merchants of a recent surge in counterfeit Canadian currency that has been circulating in the region.
The police have taken eleven counterfeit currency reports in the last two weeks all involving the same counterfeit $100 dollar Canadian bills of the new polymer design.
Police report that phony $100 bills are being circulated in the area.
Local merchants are cautioned to be extra vigilant when accepting $100 dollar bills especially when being used for small purchases that would maximize the amount of change given.
Multiple suspects have been described as passing the bills and police suspect that an outside group came to the region with the sole purpose of attempting to pass the bills.
Anyone who may have witnessed or has information about a crime in Halton Region are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers “See something, Hear something, Say something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at https://www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
There are some pretty big names on the Sound of Music stages – and they all started in a basement somewhere and did the rounds of the bars in some of those ‘Godforsaken towns’ in the province.
No one “started out” at the Sound of Music Festival – you earn your way to their stages.
Sound of Music – huge crowds descend on the city – everything is about the music.
The Festival is now accepting band submissions for next year’s event that will take place June 9-17, 2018.
The Festival line-up features an eclectic blend of emerging artists, past favourites and current performers. Past shows have included: Marianas Trench, 54-40, Walk Off The Earth, Our Lady Peace, The Tea Party.
The Festival celebrates Canadian and local musical talent, with a preference to performances with a repertoire of original music, and for those who have not played at the Festival in the past 2-3 years.
He “owns” that stage and the crowd is all his!
The Sound of Music wants to know if you have local roots – make sure you let them know about what you’ve done in the local market.
The required questions must be fully answered. Compensation is provided and will be negotiated at the time of booking.
We will accept applications via Sonicbids from October 2 to December 31, 2017.
Please include:
Band name and short bio (100 words)
A minimum of 2 songs
Contact information
Suggested performance fee
Due to the high volume of submissions, those sent via mail, e-mail or social media will not be considered. Only those sent via Sonicbids will be contacted.
Never forget that Walk Off the Earth was once just four guys and a gal and one guitar.
Do we have any idea what the downtown part of the city is going to look like when all the tall buildings are up?
City council appears to have decided that we are going up – higher.
There is a lot of opposition to that direction – they citizens will work it out as they figure out what they want, what they don’t want and the direction they want to see their city develop.
The Gazette has published a lot of graphics; we have shown computer simulations and architectural renderings. It’s a little different when there is a photograph that has some scale to it – trees that we have walked by many many times on Lakeshore Road are seen beside the fourth and fifth levels of the Bridgewater development.
The view is from a little to the east of Brant Street. They development of the hotel which is the first structure you will see is currently at the fourth floor level. The 22 storey condo will be a little west. The view when thew development is complete will be a lot different than what the public is used to now.
The decision to have a building that would rise to 22 storey’s was made back in 1995 when Walter Mulkewich was Mayor. There was a point at which that structure was going to rise to 30 storeys. At the time it was referred to as a “legacy” project – Burlington’s statement to the world that it had arrived.
The Berkeley on the east side of John Street is selling very well. The development is being built in three phases: the condo at the south end, north of that a parking garage and north of that at Caroline a proposed medical building. The three buildings take up about half of the block from James Street to Caroline.
The structure going up on John Street is are seen beside a house that many people are familiar with. The Gazette is not suggesting that something is right or wrong – our role is to document up and set out for the record what has taken place.
This is the view of the east side of the Bridgewater development where the 22 storey condominium will rise. It will be quite a bit higher than the condo on the right side of this photograph and will dwarf everything that is currently on Old Lakeshore Road.
We would have loved to have been around when the decision was made to proceed with what is now the Bridgewater project.
There seems to be a bit of a turf war (no pun intended) with the Burlington Youth Soccer Club on one side and the Burlington Soccer League (BSL), Burlington Women’s Recreational Soccer League (BWRSL), Burlington Old Timers Soccer Club (BOTSC), and Burlington Ladies Soccer League (BLSL) on the other.
Adult soccer players feel they are not getting their share of time in the soccer domes – have formed a consortium and are taking a petition to city council.
Burlington adult soccer communities claim they have been displaced by the inaction of the city which they claim has allowed the Burlington Youth Soccer Club (BYSC) — without external input or approval — to deny long-standing dome users their rightful place in the City-owned and tax-payer financed domes while leaving the public facility largely empty.
In a petition the BSL, the BWRSL, the BOTSC and the BLSL are circulating, they maintain that: “After contributing initial funding for development and rental fees for 15+ years the during which the groups have contributed well in excess of $600,000 to the Sherwood Forest Park Domes they are being kept out as of this fall.
Apparently “No negotiations were offered by the City or BYSC and no conversations toward working together have taken place. Instead the adult soccer clubs have had their programming replaced — and in some cases duplicated — by the BYSC in an effort to create a monopoly for soccer in Burlington.
This forces residents to pay higher fees for fewer games at a lower quality or to travel outside of the City in which their tax dollars helped to fund this soccer facility.
The petition is on line – look at the facts, talk to those adults who play soccer and then consider making your voice heard.
The Burlington Youth Soccer Club has become quite a bit more aggressive in their marketing and promotion efforts and while they are the largest soccer organization in the city there has always been considerable animosity between this very large club and the smaller groups.
We recall a meeting a number of years ago (2011) at city hall during which a number of woman with babies in their arms or in strollers massed in the council chamber to make their point. Council backed down and the issue was resolved. Link to that story set out below.
There is something that isn’t right with the way things get managed within the Parks and Recreation department. Currently the seniors that used to have a considerable amount of influence with the way things were run at the Seniors’ Centre found themselves locked out of the office they were using and told to find accommodation somewhere else – the city took over much of the programming the seniors were doing. They formed their own organization and are offering some interesting and innovative programs.
Now the adult soccer groups seem to find that they too are not part of the “collaborative” process that the city administrators like to brag about.
The adult groups are asking city Councillors to intervene. They don’t want to mess with the Mother’s
There is a huge need for more blood donors. A car accident victim could require up to 50 units of blood to survive, and a patient with leukemia could need up to 8 units of blood per week.
In Burlington, the need is for approximately 252 blood donations per week to meet the needs of our local hospital.
This year, Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon is hosting a community blood drive to help meet the target. Please consider making a donation during November 7-10, 2017 at the Canadian Blood Services’ Blood Donor Clinic located at 1250 Brant Street.
To book your appointment or to arrange free taxi service, please contact Erica Hung at Erica.Hung@blood.ca or 289-213-1742.
A number of years ago the people at the Parks and Recreation learned about an approach to community organizing they thought could benefit the people of the city.
Denise Beard, Manager of Community Development Services
Denise Beard, Manager of Community Development Services heard Jim Diers speaking at an event and thought his approach made a lot of sense.
Diers was brought in – spoke to several groups and was taken on by the Parks and Recreation people to advise and consult.
Jim Diers
The Parks and Recreation people didn’t buy into everything Diers suggested but they did take to the idea of working with neighbourhood groups and providing funds to develop neighbourhood initiatives.
The program is working and is being used again in 2018.
The program – Neighbourhood Community Matching Fund, is now accepting applications – the deadline for submissions is Feb. 26, 2018.
Designed to inspire residents to lead neighbourhood and community projects, the Fund provides up to $5,000 to support projects led by local groups, like the group of students from Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School who painted a beautiful 700 square-foot mural in Norton Park, which was unveiled on Oct. 24, 2017.
An information session will be held on Nov. 22, 2017, from 7 to 9 p.m., in room 247 of Burlington City Hall, 426 Brant St. Anyone interested in applying for funds is encouraged to attend the presentation, speak with staff and network with other grant applicants or past recipients.
This bunch decided the ball park next to their school needed an upgrade – they took their ideas to city hall and were awarded a matching grant.
How the Fund works
The Community Matching Fund program provides up to $5,000 in city funding to support neighbourhood and community group-led projects in Burlington. Approved projects receive up to 50 per cent of the funding from the city. The neighbourhood or community group will match this funding with an equal contribution made up of any combination of volunteer hours, donated services, donated materials and supplies or other funds raised, such as cash donations.
Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon getting her flu shot.
Burlington’s MPP will be out today getting her flu shot. They are now available at many pharmacies and your family doctor.
“The flu shot is the best way to protect yourself and those around you from getting the flu. Getting the vaccine shot is quick, it’s painless, and it’s free for anyone who works, lives, or goes to school in Ontario.
The sooner you are vaccinated, the sooner you can protect yourself and those around you from getting the flu. I encourage everyone who is able to do so get a flu shot as soon as possible,” said MPP McMahon.
There are a number other of simple steps to prevent the spread of the flu virus including:
• Wash your hands frequently. Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds to help remove bacteria and viruses. Wash before and after eating, after you have been in a public place, after using the washroom, after coughing and sneezing, and after touching surfaces that may have been contaminated. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer is also effective in killing viruses.
• Keep your hands away from your face. In most cases, the flu virus enters the body through the eyes, nose or mouth.
• Cough and sneeze into your arm, not your hand. If you use a tissue, dispose of it as soon as possible and wash your hands.
• Keep common surface areas clean and disinfected. Doorknobs, light switches, telephones, keyboards and other surfaces can become contaminated with all kinds of bacteria and viruses. Regular cleaning and disinfecting of these surfaces with regular household disinfectants can help. Viruses can live on hard surfaces for up to 48 hours.
• If you get sick, stay home. If you think you have the flu, you should stay home until your symptoms are gone. If your symptoms get worse, call your health care provider.
James Aspey took a 365 day vow of silence to raise awareness for animals and promote peace over violence.
He was in Burlington over the weekend, at the intersection across the road from the Fearman’s plant where a truck carrying a load of pigs to the slaughter house rolled over as it was taking a turn.
That accident resulted in criminal charges being laid against but the protester were acquitted in a trail that took weeks before all the evidence was in.
Things have been quiet on the demonstration front since then.
Protesters watering pigs.
This weekend the Aspey arrival got things started again. It was a much quieter and smaller event this time. The police were less aggressive which helped.
Aspey’s journey started 12 years ago when he beat cancer after being told that he had just six weeks to live. He replaced drugs and bulimia with vegan eating, and now he travels the world raising awareness of animal issues.
He has given over 150 speeches around the globe as his way to make this world “a better place for us ALL to live!”
During his yearlong vow of silence to draw attention to the plight of animals, Aspey also cycled more than 3,000 miles across his home country of Australia to display his plant-powered athletic prowess.
You live in a nice part of town. The homes are in the million dollar price range. Traffic is just local – the view out over the lake is pleasant.
Life is good – the neighbours get along with each other quite well.
The Tyandaga West Subdivision was registered in 1999. The original developer ran into problems and sold their interest to another developer who completed the project.
The development is very close to a quarry that mines shale for the manufacturing of brick. The brick company has gone through a number of mergers and acquisitions and is now known as Meridian Brick. The corporate organization has had a license from the province to quarry for shale since 1972.
Aldershot has been home to brick manufacturing sine the 1900’s.
The people on West Haven, which run west off Kerns Road, are not opposed to the manufacturing of brick – but they do wonder if a quarry that was approved forty years ago is appropriate in what is now a built up neighbourhood.
For the most part the residents were really aware of the brick making operation – until they were told that the mining for shale was going to take place less than 100 yards from their homes,
All was well until the neighbourhood got a letter from the brick manufacturer that they were going to begin mining for shale in the eastern section of the property. There are three sections that are marked for shale mining with a hydro line running through the property.
When the community got the letters they met, organized and started to make their views and concerns known to their elected officials and to the brick company.
The residents got even less than lip service from the politicians – “they have a license” said both the Mayor and the ward Councillor Rick Craven.
Indeed they do said the residents – it was issued in 1972 and a lot of things have changed since then. In a very smart piece of community organizing they pointed out just how much things have changed in the 40 plus years since the license was issued.
The community reached out to the Mayor and the ward Councillor as well as the MPP and Cabinet Minister Eleanor. In a prepared statement TEC said:
“Ms McMahon (local MPP) and members of her local team were made aware of the health and ecological concerns of the community with respect to the proposed quarry extension in September 2015.
“Since that time there have been ongoing discussions and meetings, and specific requests from TEC of Ms McMahon’s office. TEC had requested her to take the lead in organizing meetings for TEC, with the MOECC and MNRF and to assist TEC in a process to obtain a Ministerial Zoning Order that would enable a review of the quarry to be conducted. Ms. McMahon has voiced TEC ‘s concerns and objections to Meridian’s plans but to date the group are unaware if she has facilitated a meeting with the various ministers as there has been minimal communication although that has requested many times.
“In May 2017, her office acknowledged that Meridian does have to carry out endangered species studies. To date Meridian nor Minister McMahon have provided any information with respect to the studies.”
You can see where that’s going.
At this point – the community and the corporation are each holding their own meetings.
The West Haven residents incorporated a not for profit with the name Tyandaga Environmental Coalition (TEC) was the kind of community that could raise funds quite easily – they asked residents to pony up $500 per household. That gave TEC a war chest and they hired one of the better (perhaps the best) environmental lawyers – David Donnelly, one of the lawyers on the winning side of the fight to block the expansion of a quarry in the Escarpment.
David Donnelly, environmental lawyer representing TEC
Donnelly is a bit of a “pit bull” – he is a tough cookie and not shy about stepping into a battle for the environment. He looks for solutions that will keep everyone happy.
The TEC people are vigilant – they recently spotted some equipment that was working the property. Hiding in some bushes a resident filmed the work crew – listen to what was recorded on a cell phone.
Note the graphic that set out the sound that the residents will hear every day that the mine is being quarried for shale.
The illustration sets out what the residents are going to have to deal with. 102 decibels is louder than a food blender (80 db) on a kitchen counter.
Is the city going to allow that much noise?
There is a solution that is being put forward by the TEC people. Their counsel David Donnelly, in conservation with Mayoralty candidate Mike Wallace on Cogeco’s The Issue with Mark Carr sets out one approcach but as Donnelly points out “there is no point going to city hall if they don’t want to listen.”
Why is it that a private yacht club at LaSalle Park can usurp the public access to this waterfront by placing their docks and pier anchors on publicly owned property?
There is no longer any room to park cars creating a traffic nightmare, fish for those who enjoy this or observe/photograph the multitude of waterfront fowl from the east side of the pier. Furthermore, it is an eye sore.
LaSalle Park – bring about a boat on its way to the water.
Did this private yacht club get permission from the city to do this?
Did this private yacht club pay the city for utilizing the public pier for storage?
Who is going to pay for the damage to the inter-locking brick and asphalt……tax-payers?
The response from John Birch, the LaSalle Park Marina Association President was pretty direct:
We are well past the time when this kind of narrative about being a ‘private club’ being simply an honest mistake.
In our opinion, it is a dystopic and amoral Trumpian disinformation trick with the statement untruthfully trying to load and prejudice the public narrative. Sadly, it is the world we live in now. However, the statement is entirely misleading and factually untrue.
The facts are:
LaSalle Park Marina Association is a registered not-for-profit corporation administrating for free the City of Burlington’s Open Public Marina. The City owns the asset LaSalle Park Marina, LPMA paid for it.
Again, LaSalle Park Marina is the City of Burlington’s Open Public Marina.
LaSalle Park Marina doesn’t store boats, the Burlington Sailing & Boating Club.
The facts are:
LPMA is permitted, per our Joint Venture Agreement with City of Bburlington (CoB) ; and CoB’s lease with HPA, to store LaSalle Park Marina’s docks onshore atop LaSalle Pier where sited. Has been thus for 37 years.
In addition, some floating Wavebreak Modules are ashore with City permission for LPMA to again repair these modules, which any lay person can clearly see plainly are damaged.
There is plenty of room to park cars currently. Very few parking spots have been taken up, and the few that are is with the City’s expressed consent during the repairs.
There will be no damage to the asphalt or asphalt imprinted “interlocking brick” which is in fact molded asphalt.
The Wavebreak modules where specifically placed the way they were to minimize, as much as possible, the impact to public vista to the South from LaSalle Pier, while we do the needful repairs.
The projected repair schedule is over six weeks, from November 1, weather permitting as an arc welder is employed to repair. The mussels are vacuumed up and disposed of properly following our international Blue Flag certified environmental protocols.
The proposed Rock Habitat Safe Harbour Wavebreak will in fact solve all issues, including winter storage of docks ashore (as the docks will remain in the water year round behind the Rock Wavebreak) when built. That will greatly improve public access to all parking spots on LaSalle Pier year round, and provide substantial fish and wildlife habitat per the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change’s approval and directions on the EA to proceed to next steps.
We are entirely process people, and are following due process.
We keep the City informed of any material developments, pro or con, having an impact on their asset LaSalle Park Marina in a timely manner; and, as a professional courtesy copy the Ward Councillor when appropriate.
Birch is quite right – let’s stop this nattering away about the Marina being a private yacht club.
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement regarding a low pressure system that will be moving through Southern Ontario starting tonight and extending through Sunday. Appreciable amounts of rain are likely in many areas especially Sunday and Sunday night with forecasted amounts ranging between 25 to 40 mm.
Riverine flooding is not anticipated, however potential rainfall amounts combined with saturated ground conditions may result in higher than normal water levels and flows in local streams.
Water levels in watershed creeks will rise significantly during the weekend. Caution around the edges of creeks – especially with children.
Conservation Halton is asking all residents and children to stay away from all watercourses and structures such as bridges, culverts and dams. Elevated water levels, fast flowing water, and slippery conditions along stream banks continue to make these locations extremely dangerous. Please alert children in your care of these imminent dangers.
This Watershed Conditions Statement – Water Safety will be in effect through Monday November 6, 2017. Conservation Halton will continue to monitor stream and weather conditions and will provide updates as required.
It’s a small, independent bookstore that has been in business for more than forty years and continues to draw top level authors. offers
A Different Drummer Books has put together a program that anyone interested in how authors create the books they write will be interested in attending.
Robyn Harding and Roz Nay will be in conversation with Linda Simmons on Friday November 17 – 7pm at A Different Drummer Books
Admission is free – they do want you to register.
Robyn Harding wrote The Party – a powerful novel of family tragedy and harrowing social descent. Roz Nay, wrote Our Little Secret, a stunning, taut and adroitly designed thriller.
Lynda Simmons, an accomplished novelist and creative writing instructor, will lead her fellow authors in a discussion of their books and the writer’s art.
Sounds like something worth the time
Please register at diffdrum@mac.com
Put Please reserve a place for me on November 17. in the subject line.
By Pepper Parr
The Draft of the Official Plan will be public on Friday – it runs close to 1000 pages. Those with a major interest in the contents of that document are going to have less than 20 days to respond to it.
There are the plans for the redevelopment of the Waterfront Hotel property that the city is pushing with their Emerging Preferred Concept. There are citizens who don’t like what they are seeing.
On November 6, three community organizations – Plan B (Burlington Waterfront Hotel Redevelopment), Burlington Waterfront, and Burlington Green met with city staff to discuss an alternative that more closely aligns with what we have heard residents asking for at the public meetings held by City staff.
The campaign is a program that aims to provide toys to less fortunate families living within Halton Region.
Canada’s first Crime Stoppers program was set up in Calgary, Alberta in 1982. A year later Hamilton was the first city to establish a Crime Stoppers program in Ontario.
There is a huge need for more blood donors. A car accident victim could require up to 50 units of blood to survive, and a patient with leukemia could need up to 8 units of blood per week.
That accident resulted in criminal charges being laid against but the protester were acquitted in a trail that took weeks before all the evidence was in.
The people on West Haven, which run west off Kerns Road, are not opposed to the manufacturing of brick – but they do wonder if a quarry that was approved forty years ago is appropriate in what is now a built up neighbourhood.
The residents got even less than lip service from the politicians – “they have a license” said both the Mayor and the ward Councillor Rick Craven.
The West Haven residents incorporated a not for profit with the name Tyandaga Environmental Coalition (TEC) was the kind of community that could raise funds quite easily – they asked residents to pony up $500 per household. That gave TEC a war chest and they hired one of the better (perhaps the best) environmental lawyers – David Donnelly, one of the lawyers on the winning side of the fight to block the expansion of a quarry in the Escarpment.
The facts are:
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement regarding a low pressure system that will be moving through Southern Ontario starting tonight and extending through Sunday. Appreciable amounts of rain are likely in many areas especially Sunday and Sunday night with forecasted amounts ranging between 25 to 40 mm.
Robyn Harding wrote The Party – a powerful novel of family tragedy and harrowing social descent. Roz Nay, wrote Our Little Secret, a stunning, taut and adroitly designed thriller.
