 By Pepper Parr
November 3rd, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
They have been doing this for fifteen years.
It has become a bit of an institution for those who appreciate the arts.
The Art in Action tour begins again this year on Saturday the 4th and continues on Sunday the 5th. 10 am to 5 pm. Each of the nine locations are usually clearly marked.
During the tour you will find yourself crossing paths with people you met earlier in the day – it’s a really pleasant way to make new friends.
 Map with locations of the nine tour stops. You will meet artists and you may find yourself buying something during the tour or you might decide when you get home that you did like the piece of art and want to make a purchase.
In the past we have had notes from people who saw something they liked and asked if we could put them in touch with the artist.
 The Cat – it spoke to me. Done by Claudette Losier I saw a postcard of a painting that I liked – the painting wasn’t part of the exhibit. I was intrigued by the work – and met the artist sometime later and asked where the original painting was – “In my house” she explained. “Would you like to buy it” The painting is now in my home – still haven’t decided how I want it framed. That cat speaks to me.
Get the cat in here.
Keeping something alive for 15 years and watching it grow is no small feat. The Art in Action people scrounge and find sponsors. For the past number of years they have awarded a scholarship to a budding student – some of whom grow to the point where they take part in the tour.
The artists are there to sell their work – but they do a lot more than that – they take the position that they want to grow the number of people who see art as an important part of their lives.
 Don Graves, showing a piece of his work to an interested patron. She bought it. Don Graves sees his role as teaching people what art can come to mean in their lives – watching him show a small painting to two women a number of years ago and letting them get comfortable with the work before they bought it – and buy it they did.
 Stained glass artist Teresa Seaton at her work table. Some of the artist’s work at their easels or tables during the tour. Teresa Seaton is often seen putting together a stained glass piece while people look on.
There are 27 artists showing at nine locations. Some new faces and some we have seen before and want to see what they have done in the past year.
More detail on the Art in Action web site Click here.
 By Staff
November 3rd, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Prospect Street, from Guelph Line to Regency Court will be closed nightly from November 6 to 25, between 9:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
 From Guelph line west to Regency Court – road closures.
 By Staff
November 3rd, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Well … at least it wasn’t one of those dreaded 4-3 votes that our city council strives to avoid – it was 5-2 to approve the construction of a 23 story tower that will rise at the corner of Brant and James Street opposite city hall.
 When completed it will be the tallest building in the city. The developer had asked for 27 storeys – Planning department came back with 23 and that is where they settled.
“The future is tall buildings” said ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven who added the “citizens need to get over there concerns.”
Councillor Blair Lancaster was very impressed with the staff work – she saw all kinds of best practices. Councillor Dennison liked it – no surprise there.
Councillor Taylor said he will not support waterfront buildings but did support this one because it was not on the waterfront.
Sharman: in favour of project.
 Councillor Meed Ward wanted the height limited to 17 storeys – other than the Mayor no one agreed with her. Meed Ward was not in favour of the development. She said residents want Brant protected from tall buildings. “We must adhere to our official plan and mobility study. There is a disconnect here between staff and the public. It should be a maximum 12 stories.”
Taylor: no tall buildings on the waterfront. Will not support waterfront build but do support this one as it’s not on the waterfront.
The Mayor said the draft mobility hub plan and official plan (albeit old) should be considered and that he thought 17 stories is best. The Mayor said the city needed to protect Brant south of Caroline.
Sharman: in favour of project.
This city council has decided that they can live with what was proposed. Quite what the difference is between a 23 story structure and a 27 storey structure other than the 4 storeys escapes this writer.
The developer now needs to continue the negotiations with the city on the site plan and what there might be in the way of benefits to the city for the additional height and density.
Require the developer to put up a building that would make everyone proud.
 The Mayor thought 17 floors was better and decided to vote against the staff recommendation of 23 storeys. One observer at the meeting pointed out that the Mayor managed to wait until it was clear which direction the vote was going in and then managed to vote against the development after it was a fait accompli. “So much for his support” said the observer who added that “Marianne Meed Ward is alone on this council with regard to the tall building fight! It seems the other Councillors don’t care if it’s not in their ward.”
 By Greg Woodruff
November 3, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Lots of talk at last night’s council meeting on developing Brant street.
The thing that horrifies me is that people in support of the 23 story building or against it seem to have no idea why. Developer wants 27 stores, staff want 23 and the mayor wants 17. Average is 22.3 should we go with that? Here is how you should actually decide these things – with math.
 The typical Paris apartment building – six floors – “people love them”claims Woodruff. You never need to build buildings more than 6 floors high – ever. Skip the math if you like – down town Paris, France has a density of 210 per hectare and the buildings are limited to 6 floors – people love that place. The province requires 200 per hectare in down town Burlington. So in practice you can see an actual functional example of the density not needing to be high at all.
However for the skeptics lets go through the math and see why that is. I’m going to round these numbers for readability.
1 Hectare = 107,639 square feet
8% loss for roads/sidewalk 100,000 square feet (107,639/0.92)
50% lot coverage 50,000 square feet (100,000/2)
4/6 floors of living 200,000 square feet (50,000*4)
10% Hallway and amenity loss 180,000 square feet (200,000*0.9)
Density of 200 people or jobs per hectare 900 square feet living a person. (180,000/2)
I support large flexible large family apartments so my sizes are 1 bedroom 800 and 2 bedroom 1,200 and 3 bedroom 1,600. This is 6 floor buildings with a floor of commercial at ground floor and a floor of office space and left 50% of the ground open and provided very generous apartment sizes. I still have 5,000 square feet of feet space left over assuming all 1 bed room apartments with 1 person each which is not true in practice. This means lots and lots of space to add back to open space, road/sidewalks or reduce the building to 3 floors along the street which is preferred by pedestrians.
For reference the current density of Burlington is 10 people per hectare possibly 20 per hectare in the non-green belt area. Taking the already build on area to 200 per hectare would mean 2 million people would live here. Even if Copenhagen like ‘alternative’ transportation rates – which there is no evidence at all we could get anywhere close to and have done nothing to produce – road congestion and pollution alone will have reduced this area to a terrible slum long before we get anywhere close to that. The 183 cars proposed in this development alone would stretch out more that 1km in bumper to bumper traffic. That’s half the distance from the lake to Fairview street – from one development. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Which gets back to the decision. We can have high buildings – if the local community gets so much for the building – they want it. Seems the only people who want this building are the developers, city staff and councilors that do not represent Ward 2.
So would I approve it – no. It can be limited to 6 floors (yes I know the zoning is 12 at present) or the developers can come back with a better offer that gets people who live down town on board. The principle is: We live here – we decide.
Buildings larger than 6 floors are not required by any provincial planning document. Target density numbers of 200 people per hectare (down town) and 150 (mobility hub) do not require sky scrapers.
People who tell you large buildings are needed to hit density numbers are either mis-informed or spouting gibberish.
 Greg Woodruff Greg Woodruff is an Aldershot resident who has a propensity for numbers and mathematics. He ran as a candidate for Chair of the Region of Halton in the 2014 election. He appears to be setting himself up for a run in the Mayoralty race in 2018. His views are his own and are published as part of a civic debate.
 By Staff
November 3rd, 2017
BURLINGTON,ON
On Thursday, November 2, 2017, just after 9:00am, a traffic stop was initiated at Guelph Street and Mountainview Road in Halton Hills. As a result of an investigation, Glenn Cunningham (55) of Halton Hills was charged driving over 80mgs.
On Thursday, November 2, 2017, just after 10:30am, a traffic stop was initiated at Main Street East and Ontario Street in Milton. As a result of an investigation, Charles Moore (56) of Milton was charged with driving over 80mgs.
On Thursday, November 2, 2017, just before 10:30pm, witnesses reported a suspected impaired driver in Oakville. Victor Buczynski Valle (21) of Milton was charged with care or control while impaired.
The Halton Regional Police Service remains committed to road safety through prevention, education and enforcement initiatives.
“In an effort to bring more attention to the risk of driving while impaired, assist in identifying witnesses, and reduce continued offences, the Service will continue to issue a media release publishing the name, age and municipality of motorists charged with impaired driving.”
“The decision to release the names of those charged with DUI offences was not made lightly by the Halton Regional Police Service.”
While the number of charges laid nationally is getting smaller “ impaired driving still remains one of the most frequent criminal offences and is among the leading criminal causes of death in Canada. In addition, while alcohol-impaired driving is down over the past several decades, drug-impaired driving is on the rise”.
“In an effort to bring more attention to the risk of driving while impaired, assist in identifying witnesses, and reduce continued offences, the Service will continue to issue a media release publishing the name, age and municipality of motorists charged with impaired driving.”
The Police Services Act permits this disclosure for individuals charged with a Criminal Offence.
Members of the public are reminded that driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol is a crime in progress and to call 9-1-1 immediately to report a suspected impaired driver.
The Service’s Twitter and Facebook accounts should not be used for this purpose as they are not monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
 By Staff
November 2, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
We work in the dark. We make sense of what we can. But we don’t know what we have until we hear from you.
 That’s Trevor Todd asking that you “Come to see our workshop on the longest process of Tottering Biped’s history: Journey to the East, inspired by Herman Hesse’s novella.
The date got changed – we have no idea what the original date was – but it is now November 8th at 7pm at the Performing Arts Centre.
Journey to the East Follows a WWI refugee fleeing the trenches of France. Loosely based on Hermann Hesse’s novella. It is a meditation on the spiritual aftermath of war.
Ticket price can’t be beat: Pay-What-You-Want.
 By Ray Rivers
November 2, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
First we take Alberta then we take B.C. But not likely so in Ontario, even with all the animosity being heaped on current Premier Wynne from all sides. Still, who would have thought Alberta. And now B.C., where questions about the Site C and Kinder Morgan projects are making residents wonder whether their new leader, like the one next door, will be taking no prisoners.
 Rachel Notley, Premier of Alberta Not everyone welcomes the changes Rachel Notley is delivering in that free-spirited cowboy-centric land, though most concede that after four decades of the Progressive Conservatives (PC) it was time for a change. Peter Lougheed ended almost half a century of rule by those unconventional, depression-era, and once anti-Semitic Funny Money Social Credit people in 1971. He ran such a good show over his years that a review by a panel of powerful and prominent political hacks had voted Lougheed the best Canadian provincial premier ever.
 Peter Lougheed, one of the best Premier’s the province ever had. Lougheed eventually was followed by Ralph Klein, a man loved by his electors despite his own love for the bottle and an occasional outrage. He lasted over a decade despite being ranked near the bottom of the barrel in that review of premiers, tied with his ole’ drinking buddy Mike Harris. But Klein, a former Liberal, had come into office a reformed man, determined to out-right the right wing of the Alberta PC party. He was the darling of the Fraser Institute, which cheered him on as he eliminated deficits and debt, cutting spending like a novice butcher, inadvertently removing a lot of the beef with all that fat.
His cuts to health care were massive, such that the province was faced with never before seen waiting lists for surgeries, and with the gurneys lining up on the corridors. It was a legacy of neglect on almost all fronts which would come to haunt his successors and eventually the NDP’s Notley, as she struggles to diversify the provincial economy after the last oil price shock.
 Ralph Klein King Ralph was the first Canadian premier to introduce a flat income tax, which together with reduced corporate taxes and oil royalties forced him to raid Lougheed’s cherished Alberta Heritage Trust just to pay the bills. So today, unlike other oil money endowments established in Norway and Alaska, Alberta’s trust fund is almost empty. And when that proverbial rainy day came there was almost nothing left in the kitty to help keep the lights on.
Notley has done some pretty dumb things too, reportedly dispatching civil servants to teach Albertans how to change their light bulbs and conserve energy. But her success in cooperating with the federal government landed her approvals for the pipelines the province so-badly needs to keep its oil sands extractions busy. Setting a limit on climate change emissions from the oil industry, phasing-out coal fired electricity, and introducing a carbon tax more generous that what the feds had been demanding have made her a kind of maverick in a province too often known to be a donkey on the environment.
 Evacuation of Fort McMurray during fire storm But people will remember her for her passionate response to the wildfire that ravaged Fort McMurray, the oil sands capital. Eighty thousand people were forced to flee their homes as more than 6000 square kilometres were destroyed, including half a million hectares of woodland. Costs, always suspect in something of this magnitude range into the billions, with almost $4 billion just in insurance claims. Some will call this an act of nature, but others will say I told you so. They will point to the irony of the devastating fire happening smack on the footsteps of Alberta’s immensely carbon-intensive oil sands operations, saying this is but a prime example of being hoisted with our own petard – wait for the second shoe.
Notley has also pushed infrastructure development to create much needed jobs, in the process necessarily expanding the deficit beyond what her immediate predecessor, former Harper minister Jim Prentice, had been forced to reinstate. She’s been getting flack over her $15 minimum wage for 2018, not unlike the flack Ontario’s premier has been earning on that file. And her plan for farm workers’ accident compensation has got the agricultural folks all riled up, regardless that it is there to protect them from tedious and costly injury law suits.
 Jason Kenney Enter Jason Kenny and his recent accomplishment merging the PCs and Wild Rose parties under a new United Conservative banner. Kenny is much like Stephen Harper, another ex-Ontarian whom he worked for as Minister of Defence. His resume shows that, like his former boss, he is a professional politician who once headed a taxpayer lobby group. He is a social conservative, having voted in favour of limiting a woman’s right to choose and was one of those Harperites who voted against same-sex marriage – before he too saw the light. Those perspectives should do him well out on the prairie farmland, though he may need to moderate his views when he campaigns in the cities.
Although Notley had won a majority of seats in Alberta’s first past the post (FPP) system last election (54 of 79 seats) she only obtained a little over 40% of the total vote. That is still a respectable mandate for a multi-party FPP election, but it will be an uphill battle to repeat that victory. There was unusual voter anger in the last election – a sense of betrayal over an empty Heritage Fund, a tumbling economy, corruption and a stale government in disarray without any answers or vision once the price of oil went into the dumpster.
 The way Alberta’s cowboy culture likes to be seen. Memories in politics tend to be short and many of these voters have spent decades only voting PC. Like any addiction that can be a little hard to kick. So the NDP would do well to take the threat posed by new Conservative leader Kenny seriously. Winning the next election won’t be nearly as easy for Notley as the last time despite the fact that Alberta is coming back. In fact the province is on the road to restoring its position as one of Canada’s leading economic powerhouses – in part thanks to Notley’s management.
Background links:
Notley After 2 years – https://globalnews.ca/news/3427870/timeline-a-look-at-rachel-notleys-2-years-as-alberta-premier/
Lougheed the Best – https://www.edmontonjournal.com/technology/Alberta+Peter+Lougheed+easily+tops+list+Canada+best+premiers/6562534/story.html
Klein’sTrue Legacy – https://www.vueweekly.com/ralph_kleins_true_legacy/
Klein a More Positive Obit – https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ralph-klein-70-the-man-who-ruled-alberta/article10569210/?ref=https://www.theglobeandmail.com&
More Klein – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Klein
Heritage Fund – https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/alberta/what-happened-to-albertas-cash-stash/article24191018/?ref=https://www.theglobeandmail.com&
Jason Kenny – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Kenney
Notley Challenge – https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/why-rachel-notley-will-need-an-even-bigger-miracle-to-win-again/
Kenny UCP – https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/10/28/jason-kenney-wins-alberta-united-conservative-party-leadership-race_a_23259503/?utm_hp_ref=ca-homepage
Alberta Economy – https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-conference-board-of-canada-spring-outlook-2017-1.4135837
 By Staff
November 2, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
A review of the 2018 proposed budgets will begin on Nov. 9 at 11 a.m.
A copy of the proposed 2018 capital budget will be available online at www.burlington.ca/budget by Nov. 6, 2017.
Meetings for the 2018 capital and operating budgets will take place on the following dates:
Members of the public who would like to speak at the Committee of the Whole – Budget meetings as a delegation can register by calling 905-335-7600, ext. 7481 or visiting burlington.ca/delegation.
The deadline to register as a delegation for the Dec. 1 Committee of the Whole capital budget meeting is Nov. 30, 2017 at noon. The deadline to register as a delegation for the Jan. 18 Committee of the Whole operating budget meeting is Jan. 17, 2018 at noon.
Quotes
Joan Ford, Director of Finance said that “Seventy eight per cent of the 2018 capital budget is focused on renewing our aging infrastructure in accordance with the Asset Management Plan. The budget also makes key investments to deliver on initiatives in the Strategic Plan.”
 The 2018 Capital Budget is focused on delivering initiatives in the city’s Strategic Plan and meeting the city’s commitment to infrastructure renewal projects identified by Burlington’s Asset Management Plan. Priorities for 2018 include road and storm water infrastructure improvements.
The 2018 proposed capital budget is approximately $68.6 million, with a 10-year program of $688 million.
No mention is made in the media release as to what the city is going to do about the financial mess at Burlington Transit. We will all feel the bite on that one.
By Staff
November 1st, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Sound of Music isn’t just a week long music feast beside a big lake.
The organization puts on events and will be doing a – From Nothing to Something class.
 Music can be achieved by mixing creativity, teamwork and some basic movement. Turn a zipper into a scratching turntable. A bottle for a cowbell. Clap, tap or stomp in a pattern. Use multiple voices to layer and create impact.
Body percussion is fun, challenging and interactive!
Sign up your 9-12 year old kids for this free workshop! Space is limited. Maximum 20 children. Reserve your spot today.
WHERE: The Halton HiVE, 901 Guelph Line, Burlington (parking is free)
WHEN: Sunday, November 19 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm
There is no cost to attend but pre-registration is required. Download the form, (Just click on the red type above to get the form) fill it in and email it, along with any questions to musiced@soundofmusic.ca.
The Sound of Music year-round music education workshops are sponsored by Terrapure Environmental.
 By Staff
November 2, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
This from people who claimed to be the TD Bank – anyone who opened that pdf would have invited all kinds of grief into their lives.
Whenever you see something you are not absolutely certain about – take a pass on it.
To ensure uninterrupted processing of payments after November 1st, 2017, please refer to the document available thru this communication.
For more detailed information please open the attached PDF below. You will need a password to open the secure document.
YOUR DOCUMENT PASSWORD: wbb71dx4
You are now required by law to review these document(s) immediately or your commercial banking account will be suspended until further notice due to new regulations.
We thank you for your cooperation and appreciate your business.
TD Business Banking Management,
TD BANK GROUP – Web Business Banking
The biggest red flag is the sender – this email came from an offshore location.
‘TD Commercial Banking <relationshipmanager01@birch.net
Banks do not contact you this way. These thieves prey on stupid greedy people – don’t prove that you are one of them. If in doubt – don’t.
 By Staff
November 2, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
1942 – America – The Stage Door Canteen – a place where Bette Davis served the desserts. Marlene Dietrich and Lauren Bacall danced the night away. Red Skelton told the jokes and Bing Crosby crooned. The place was the Stage Door Canteen and the guests were the steady stream of GIs headed off to war. Many were leaving home for the first time and the Canteen offered a welcome opportunity to forget their anxieties—if only for a time—with entertainment, fellowship and a little American spirit.
Wellington Square United Church will be putting on a musical: Stage Door Canteen, at 1.30 pm on November 5th.
The original Stage Door Canteen was a bustling social club established in New York in 1942 that became a home away from home for soldiers, sailors and marines. Similar clubs spread across the United States and as far away as London and Paris.
It’s here where hordes of servicemen and young women put worries of the war aside and danced to the music of famous bands. They listened to stars such as Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby sing “As Time Goes By” and “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”. Actress Helen Hayes served sandwiches and famous actors cleared away plates.
Memories of this bustling social club will come alive again at Wellington Square United Church.
 What began as a place for service people to gather and relax went on to become a Broadway show that played around the world. It’s a musical trip down memory lane that begins with lunch at 1 p.m. followed by the show, Stage Door Canteen, at 1.30 p.m.
“The purpose of the show is to honour Remembrance Day, and Canada’s 150th birthday, and allow people to sing those songs again while reviving the hope of that day,” said Juanita Maldonado, musical director at Wellington Square and an accomplished singer, pianist, organist and guitarist.
The program includes a wide variety of entertainers such as a dynamic new musical group out of Burlington, called Hotsy Totsy, who will sing old standards from the 1940s and 1950s. Complete with costumes and characters, they will take guests back on a nostalgic journey to the war and post-war years in Canada and England. A 12-person troupe of senior dance performers who specialize in tap, jazz, clogging, hip-hop and musical theatre will also entertain.
“A lot of the music at the Stage Door Canteen was filled with a longing for someone to return from the war,” said Maldonado. “One thing that I love most are the songs that tell stories of those who have been away, and come back, such as ‘Kiss Me Once and Kiss Me Twice, It’s Been a Long, Long Time.”
Tickets are $20. and everyone who attends is encouraged to join in the program and sing along.
To purchase a ticket, please call the church office at 905-634-1849.
By Pepper Parr
November 2nd, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The city of Burlington Planning department has basically wrapped up their work on the draft of the new Official Plan – a red ribbon and a bow and it will be ready for the public. The document is going to get to the public November 10th.
When Suzanne Mammel heard that she at first gulped and then said to herself – really!
Mammel is the Executive Officer of the Hamilton Halton Home Builders Association (HHHBA); the wording of the Official Plan is critical to her membership and vital to the citizens of Burlington.
 Suzanne Mammel is the Executive Officer of the Hamilton Halton Home Builder’s Association Mammel, who at first says the current Official Plan is sadly out of date and that “if we are going to have a new Official Plan then let’s get it right” feels the most significant document the city has is being rushed through the Planning department. Why she asks.
Part of her concern with the rush that is taking place to get the document passed by city Council is that they appear to be trying to get it in place before the next municipal election. Besides being a very important document – it is also a very long document. “I spent weeks reading that document – I’m one of the few people that has read every page of it – I took it to Newfoundland and to Hawaii as I travelled.
“This document sets out policy before all the background work has been done.
“Representing my association, I met with the city planners and took them through a 30 page document that set out our concerns – we didn’t get any answers from the planners – they weren’t ready to respond.”
Mammel said she gets the impression that the planners are not going to listen to anyone.
When an Official Plan is written the document goes through several version – sometime six or seven versions – “the differences get worked out”.
Mammel was very surprised that there was not more in the way of delegations
 Big rush to get the new Official Plan approved by Council – why? Can’t the city take the time to get it right the first time? The Official Plan the public will see later this month will have gone through just two versions. Mammel is of the view that her association will not support the Plan and are prepared to take it to the Ontario Municipal Board if that becomes necessary.
“We want the city Planning department to do their job properly – let’s do it right and take the time to get it right”, said Mammel.
Where is the problem?
Mammel is of the view that the politicians “are positioning themselves for an election that is less than a year away and they want to be able to say that they have put a new Official Plan in place. The problem with that approach is that once the Plan is final the thing has no teeth to fix it.”
The city has rushed forward with the Mobility hub concept – and are pushing hard to get the Downtown Mobility Hub approved so they can put a check mark in the box and tell the public it has been done.
Mammel isn’t at all sure that the public really understands what it taking place.
People in Burlington complain bitterly that city council consistently allows developments that do not conform to the Official Plan. Mammel explains that is happening because the existing plan is so badly out of date. She sees the need for a new Official Plan and wants to ensure that the city gets it right.
Mammel is a graduate of Queen’s University where she studied music – she then studied engineering at Mohawk College and has worked in the construction sector since graduating. She has been with the HHHBA for the past three years.
 Ground zero for the Downtown Mobility Hub – no one is all that clear on what the location will look like until the new owners of the site block of properties to the immediate north take their development to city hall. While the Official Plan is at the top of her list – the Mobility hubs leave her shaking her head. The Downtown Mobility hub was to be a place where people could get public transit to wherever they wanted to go – but the planners seem to want the taller buildings to be further up Brant Street. “Wouldn’t they want the density to be as close as possible to the Downtown Hub?” she asks.
The public struggles to understand the role developers play suggests Mammel – “they build the homes we live in and they have to contend with a regulatory regime that is complex and ever changing.”
“Developers take significant risks – they have to pay for the land assembly – and we are talking about millions of dollars. They have to pay the development charges and for all the studies that have to be provided to justify a development.
“Do they do well financially? Yes they do” says Mammel but there are developers that have lost it all.
The company that is building the Bridgewater today is not the company that started the work. Right now things are very good for developers – but look back to the 80’s and the early 2000’s – it was a very very tough time then.
 The block was recently sold – the developer wants to have shovels in the ground within two years – which means Kellys Bake Shoppe is looking for a new home. The mix of housing available to the public is a challenge for the developers.
The politicians want to see what they call “affordable” housing – by which they don’t mean social housing. The difficulty is that in Burlington property assembling is very expensive. Add to that the cost of the studies that have to be done and you have a very significant investment. $350,000 homes are a thing of the past.
There are developers in this city said Mammel who have projects they want to go forward with now but the city isn’t ready. Those developers can put their efforts into some other piece of property they have assembled but very few of the developers who serve this city are in a position to move from project to project quite that easily.
 Suzanne Mammel oversees the interests of the development community for both Hamilton and all of Halton. Burlington is now attracting new developers who see the opportunities – the Elizabeth Interiors site on Brant Street attracted a number of bidders including National Homes and Reserve Properties – just two examples.
The provincial requirement that Burlington grow and the lack of very little in the way of “greenfield” space means that the growth will be in the high rise sector. The single residence housing that is the Burlington we have now is no longer possible. The cost of land and the demand for housing, explains Mammel is not what it was 10 – 15 years ago. It is a different market requiring different solutions.
While Mammel was not prepared to go on record with any comment on the municipal election that is ten months away she does wonders if the public is beginning to see the significant differences in the direction the known contenders for the office of Mayor want to take?
Building homes and condominiums and apartment buildings is a business – there are risks and for those who take those risks there are rewards. The public tends to see the rewards and shrug off the risks.
By Staff
November 2, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The locale for this story is not Burlington – but it raises serious concerns over the number of fire arms in a residence – even if it was semi-rural.
 On Oct 31st, 2017 between 6 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. a break in occurred at a Milton home in a semi-rural area on Trafalgar Road. (The exact location of the incident is not being released) It is not known how the entry to the home was gained.
Inside the residence, a door to a gun storage room was kicked in and several gun lockers were pried open. Seven handguns and an unknown amount of ammunition were stolen. The firearms and ammunition were safely stored. The persons responsible are believed to have fled in a vehicle due to the semi-rural location of the incident.
There is no suspect information and Halton Police are requesting the public’s assistance. If you have any information that could assist in this investigation please contact Detective Bob Lester of the 1 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905 825-4747 ext. 2455 or Crime Stoppers (See Something, Hear Something, Say Something) at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca or by texting “Tip201″with your message to 274637 (crimes).
Seven hand guns in a residence raises eye brows and serious worry in the minds of police. Who ever did this break in knew the hand guns were there and would appear to have known that the house was unoccupied at the time of the break in. An unknown amount of ammunition for those hand guns was also stolen.
 By Staff
November 1, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
This is the kind of problem our Mayor likes to have. Listen in.
Moses Znaimer was invited to present his “New Vision on Aging” that is to take place on November 7 at the Performing Arts Centre
 “The response for this event has been amazing, and we have completely “sold out”. Our wait list for tickets currently sits at 80 requests.
“If you have registered but are unable to attend, we ask that you kindly cancel your ticket or contact mayor@burlington.ca This will enable staff to release tickets to those on the wait list.”
He should be in the same situation next October.
By Pepper Parr
November 1st, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
When the project was first brought to the public the project could have been five storeys – the developer decided to go with four storeys.
 Will adding two additional storeys make a big difference to the look of the community? The development was sold out before a sales office was opened. It was going to be a very high end building with every imaginable amenity,
They had to tear down the Melodia restaurant that was never able to make a go of it.
Then the contractors started digging.
 The design of the site went through a number of changes. In the very early stage the developer wasn’t able to acquire the restaurant site – when that changed the development changed significantly – it got bigger – now it is going to get higher. That is when the problems started – there was water where water wasn’t expected and it took a considerable amount of time to figure out what the source was and how to stem the flow.
That problems seems to have been resolved – the cost certainly put a dent in the profitability of the proposed building.
The developer is now asking the city’s Planning department to add two additional storeys to the approved four levels.
Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward has said that at this stage she “open to considering the request” for a little more height in that part of the city, which is a block away from the proposed 27 storey structure that Carriage Gate wants to build opposite city hall.
The builders for the Saxony 4-storey condominium at Locust and Elgin have filed an application to permit two additional storeys on the project. The application has not been approved. Staff are reviewing materials submitted by the applicant and will ultimately make a recommendation to city council to approve, refuse or modify the application. Council will ultimately vote on the request.
Meed Ward plans on holding a neighbourhood meeting to seek public input on the request.
Mark Hefferton at mark.hefferton@burlington.ca has been assigned to the file
By Staff
November 1st, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board is hosting an Open House on Monday, November 13, 2017, from 5-7 p.m., to discuss the themes suggested for an innovative high school concept at Aldershot High School.
More than 200 responses were received from parents, students, staff and community members from Halton and beyond through an online suggestion box that closed on October 20, 2017.
 The Open House will be an opportunity for the Aldershot Exploration Committee to share the themes generated and gather further input. The Open House will be hosted at Aldershot High School (50 Fairwood Place West, Burlington).
The Open House will include an overview beginning at 5 p.m. which will be repeated at 6 p.m. Board staff will be available to share information and answer questions.
“We have received many submissions for the creation of an innovative high school concept to serve Halton and beyond and we are very excited about the possibilities,” says Terri Blackwell, Superintendent of Education for the Halton District School Board. “We invite you to attend our Open House as we share the themes and gather your collective input, which will inform our processes for developing a recommendation.”
A follow-up survey will be administered after the Open House to gather input on the themes presented.
The Aldershot High School Focus Exploration was one of the recommendations approved by Trustees in June 2017 when they made the decision to close two of the city’s seven high schools.
The Aldershot high school has a very low enrollment – the Board felt there was an opportunity to come up with ideas on how to attract more students to the school and decided to ask parents what they thought would do well in that community.
By Staff
November 1, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
High school information nights are scheduled by the Halton District School Board during the month of November to provide an opportunity for students, parents and guardians to learn about Grade 9 programs, services for students and diploma requirements.
Each high school in will host an information evening. Families should attend the information night at the school designated for their community.
Aldershot High School
Thursday, November 23 @ 6:30 p.m.
Burlington Central High School
Thursday, November 16 @ 7 p.m.
Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School
Thursday, November 9 @ 6:30 p.m.
 Protests, petitions, soundly argued points on planning mistakes the parents think the Board of Education made – so far nothing has made a difference. The School Board trustees made the decision to close the school and that is what the Board staff are going to do. Lester B. Pearson High School
Thursday, November 16 @ 7 p.m. (at M.M. Robinson High School)
M.M. Robinson High School
Thursday, November 16 @ 7 p.m.
Extended French and French Immersion (FI) information night: Thursday, November 30 @ 7 p.m.
Nelson High School
Wednesday, November 22 @ 6:30 p.m.
 Bateman parents give their high school a hug – didn’t make any difference – the school is scheduled to be closed in 2020. Robert Bateman High School
Thursday, November 30 @ 7 p.m.
For students in the Pearson and Bateman catchment areas preparing to begin their high school careers at a school they will not be able to graduate from is an issue that needs some attention from the Board of Education.
So far nothing from the Transition team.
Related articles:
School Board tell the Ministry of Education where they get the authority to close a school.
By Staff
November 1st, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Street Crime Unit arrested a man on Monday for shoplifting merchandise from various Walmart Stores in Burlington, Oakville and Mississauga.
 Shopping spree – beating the Christmas rush? The man was observed stealing merchandise from one store and then returning the stolen merchandise at another where he received gift cards which were then used to purchase pre-paid credit cards.
Shortly after 4:30 PM, on Monday, investigators stopped a motor vehicle driven by the man who was arrested for theft and fraud. A search of the man and his vehicle resulted in the seizure of $2505.00 worth of pre-paid MasterCard’s, pre-paid VISA cards, several other gift cards and clothing. A female passenger was also arrested after having been found in possession of some of these fraudulently obtained cards.
Matthew William TICKNOR (33-years-old) of Burlington was held for bail charged with fraud under $5000 (four counts) and possession of property obtained by crime.
Tara Lee MARCHESIN (45-years-old) of Oakville was released on a Promise to Appear in Milton Court on November 29th 2017 charged with possession of property obtained by crime.
This matter is still under investigation and further charges are possible. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Jeff Sawatzky of the Burlington Street Crime Unit at 905-825-4747 ext. 2384. Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See something, Hear something, Say something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
November 1st, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
There is maintenance work to be done to the city’s online services.
 It will take place on Monday, November. 6 at 10 p.m. and it is expected to take at least an hour.
Online services:
• Online business license renewal
• Online Property information requests
will be unavailable during maintenance service on
 By Staff
October 31st, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Is this the beginning of a shift from the idea of road diets?
The City is reminding pedestrians and cyclists to follow proper etiquette and safety practices when using a shared pathway to ensure the safety of all users.
Multi-use pathways in the city are a shared space. Residents are reminded to abide by the following etiquette:
• Keep to the right
• Warn others when approaching or passing
• Faster trail users yield to slower traffic
• Use lights at night
• Keep dogs on leash
Sounds like the transportation people have stopped talking about how to comport ourselves on a street that is on a “diet”.
But – “Burlington is one of Canada’s best and most livable cities, a place where people, nature and business thrive.”
 Vito Tolone, Director of Transportation Services Vito Tolone, Director of Transportation Services had this to say about using pathways for cycling: “Walking and cycling on the city’s multi-use pathways is a fun and healthy activity, but it’s important to ensure everyone’s safety. Please be respectful to fellow pathway users and remember that the speed limit on pathways in Burlington is 15 kilometres an hour.”
Quick Facts
Approximately 208,000 cyclists and 280,000 pedestrians use the Beachway multi-use path annually.
Cyclists that need a bike light or bell can get one from the City of Burlington, free of charge, while supplies last.
For more information, please contact Dan Ozimkovic at dan.ozimkovic@burlington.
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