Three developers doing their bit to ensure the city achieves its intensification target. We are 3/4 of the way to the 2031 target date.

News 100 redBy Staff

April 9th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

According to Ward 2 city Councillor Marianne Meed Ward Burlington has 73% of the intensification it is going to have to take on by 2031 – which is beyond the scope of the much vaunted Strategic Plan. She seems to be saying we are already there.

Does that mean we can stop building? The developers certainly don’t think so. There are currently a number of developments taking place in the city – and not all of it is in the downtown core.

The Adi Development Group is in what looks like close to the mid-point in their Link – a rather adventurous looking set of buildings on Dundas and Sutton; cheek to jowl to Bronte Creek.

The Adi group has always had strong design; nothing beige about these people. Their buildings should take awards for the look and, except for the Martha and Lakeshore project that is mired down in Ontario Municipal Board hearings, locations.

The project on Guelph Line just north of Mainway is a fine building.

The Link will appeal to the people who like to live in buildings with a smart progressive look. No word yet on just where the project is in terms of sales. But the cranes are in place and the building is rising floor by floor.

Link2 sutton side

Link2 – seen from the corner of Sutton and Dundas.

Link2 Dundas side BEST

Link – seen from Dundas Street. The eastern side of the project borders on a path that runs along the side of Bronte Creek.

The development does have some OMB history attached to it.

If the information on the ADI Development web site is accurate this project is very close to be sold out.  The offered 1 BED, 1 BED + DEN, 2 BED, 2 BED + DEN, 3 BED + DEN and 4 BED + DEN.

Not much of anything left but developers may play the game the big show entertainers play when they announce that a new block of whatever they are selling has been released.  The development business calls for a lot of cash up front – they do what they have to do to manage the demand for their product and keep the prices where they want them to be.

As scrappy as they can be on matters regulatory and legal – no one can take away from them the design flare they have shown.  The are brash, direct and know where they want to go – and are in the process of creating a brand that will signify value and a certain flare.

Linx2 will have 154 units and is scheduled to open Fall of this year.  That could actually happen.

The Molinaro Paradigm project on Fairview is in the process of changing the city’s sky line. Tower A has reached its full height with just the mechanical that will sit on the roof to be completed. Towers B and C are under construction.

Paradigm April 2017

Tower A of the Paradigm project has reached its peak while Tower B and Tower C to the east begin their climb to 21 and 19 storey heights.

Paradigm - A B C across the back April 2017

Towers B and C of the Paradigm project on Fairview next to the GO station and across a parking lot from Walmart.

 

 

It is a large site that will eventually consist of five buildings.

In the downtown core the Carriage Gate people are close to the bedrock level they need for the three levels of underground parking.  The condominium will  be a combination of a 3 storey stone and precast podium that will accommodate a select group of upscale retail establishments at ground level and professional offices on levels two and three.  Atop the podium there will be a 17-storey glass tower with condominiums.

Medica One or the Carriage Gate project - pick the name you like best - will go up at the top of John Street and consist of a medical offices building, an above ground garage and an apartment/condo complex. It will bring significant change to the intersection and drive redevelopment of the plaza to the immediate north, A transit hub a couple of blocks to the south then makes a lot of sense.

This is a three part development with a condominium tower, a parking garage and a medical center. Each has its own name. Berkeley for the condo – garage for the garage and Medica One for the medical centre. The development will get build in stages.

The project is to consist of three buildings when completed. The condominium will be the first to get built, followed by the eight level parking garage and then the eight story medical building that will border on Caroline.

Berkeley at bedrock - yellow demarcation line

The Berkeley at bedrock – bottom floor of the three levels of parking with 19 storey’s of condominiums. The yellow line at the top is the demarcation point for the condominium and where the eight level parking garage with a grass roof will be.

The project will give John Street a bit of a much needed boost in terms of what the street looks like.

Parts of the street look more like a back alley than a street that will have one of the mobility hubs at its base.

The city is going to get a chance to learn more about just what a mobility hub is and how it fits into the development of Burlington in the longer term.  The draft of the Official Plan that was released last week suggests that major development is going to be located around the four mobility hubs.

At least one developer who was coaxed into putting funds into a creative and much needed development in the east of the city got a bit of a shock when they learned that the project might not get lift off.  There are others that see the mobility hub concept at somewhat limiting.

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Tyandaga Golf Course opening postponed to April 14 due to weather

sportsgold 100x100By Staff

April 7th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

golfers in the rain

It wouldn’t have been quite this bad. Just not all that nice.

The opening of Tyandaga Golf Course for the 2017 season has been postponed until Friday, April 14 due to this week’s wet weather.

With climate change we may well have to get used to a much different kind of seasonal weather.

For more information, please call 905-336-0005 or visit www.tyandagagolf.com.

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City wide Clean Up takes place April 22nd - register now and show up for the celebration BBQ.

eventspink 100x100By Staff

April 8th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Just two weeks away – citywide community litter Clean Up 2017 – taking place on Earth Day, April 22.

The event has grown to include 11,000 – 13,000 participants annually. BurlingtonGreen wants to reach a goal of 15,000 registrants for this year’s event.

BG Clean up

Last year these two worked in their neighbourhood. Where will you decide to work?

The organization has partnered with the City since 2011 to co-ordinate an annual event to keep our city clean. A total of 63,000 Burlington residents have participated in the six events led by BG since 2011.

It’s easy to participate:

1) form a group, big or small;

2) choose a clean-up area in Burlington (eg. field, park, creek, woodland, your schoolyard, etc.);

3) register your group on our website (link ), and reserve supplies if needed (bags, gloves);

4) do your clean up on April 22nd (schools and businesses may participate April 17-21).

BG proud grandparent - Sharman

The weather often determines how many people show up for the celebration after all the work is done. Last year Councillor Paul Sharman, on the left and BG board member Carol Gottlob selling raffle tickets attended.

With the work done everyone is invited to take part in the Eco-fair Celebration at Central Park/Library for a BBQ, eco-exhibitors, kids’ activities and live music.

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“Qu'ils mangent de la brioche” - and now we know how bilingual we really are. Will robots be taught to speak both French and English?

Rivers 100x100By Ray Rivers

April 7th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Were the 1960’s classic film ‘The Graduate’ being shot today, the one word of career advice for our Benjamin would be robotics, not plastics. It’s coming and fast. There are already a number of cars which can park and drive better than you and I. And those cars will obediently come when beckoned more consistently than my dog.  The modern day soothsayers and prognosticators are telling us that the future is here and now. And it won’t be long before we’ll all be out of work thanks to automation and artificial intelligence.

Last year one study estimated over 40% of our jobs are at risk, as automation has now moved beyond performing mundane repetitive tasks to the “cognitive, non-routine tasks and occupations, such as driving and conducting job interviews.” And if job interviews can successfully be undertaken by robots, is any management or executive job safe?

Man among robots

Is this the shift supervisor managing the robots?

Robots vary in price but some industrial ones fall into the $50,000 to $100,000 range. That compares well with the annual salary of an assembly-line worker when you include benefits. Providing the robot lasts more than a year, automation can be a good financial investment for a company. And the robot won’t talk back to you, can’t complain of workplace harassment, nor organize a union to demand higher wages.

Bombardier seems to be in the news a lot these days. It used to be a compact family run affair, and apparently still is, though big time acquisitions have transitioned it into a multifaceted corporate monster. And the truth is that non-linear thinking and multi-tasking can be best done more often by some kind of computer than a well reasoned human being. Even intuition, without that fickle human emotion or greed, can be programmed into its logical memory.

BOMBARDIER-CSERIES

A fortune in subsidies but these aircraft do keep Canada in the high end aircraft business which is where many hoped the Avro Arrow would have put us.

That may be Bombardier’s problem – it got too big for its britches – or at least the britches of the family compact that grew this little snow-cat enterprise into the mega transport world. Things go wrong and stuff happens when you lose your focus. And that may account for the bleeding red ink and the backlog in production that has been plaguing its air carrier and rail product lines. It has got so bad that the City of Toronto is contemplating killing its long over-due orders.

So the company went cap-in-hand to the governments and banks and dug up two and half billion dollars in Quebec, in exchange for non-controlling equity trades. And the feds have responded to the company’s earlier request for another billion by awarding it around $400 million in an interest free loan. Ironically the federal money coming after the other investments is considered surplus to requirements. But, it was interest free, so they took it anyway and found a use for it.

bombardier transit

Some of these sleek looking transit vehicles are having a hard time keeping on schedule.

Basking in the glow of all this green cash the company decided it was high time to share some of the wealth among its six top executives. It boosted their annual compensation packages by a whopping 50% – to a total of $35 million – almost $6 million each. In its defence, Bombardier drew comparisons to exec comp packages at would-be competitors Boeing and Airbus. And the best way go head-to-head with the big leaguers was match them. And if you don’t have the planes to sell, try matching senior management salaries instead.

Timing is as important in public relations as any other aspect of management. So you’d think the Bombardier exec’s could have paced themselves a little before proclaiming how they were spending this new government money on themselves, acting as if they’d actually earned it from product revenue. So the fact that they were laying off almost 14,000 employees globally with about half of those cuts in Canada, never crossed their minds.

“Qu’ils mangent de la brioche”, are the words attributed to the infamous French Queen Marie Antoinette, on hearing the complaint that the peasants had no bread. Clearly this was not Bombardier’s finest hour. It took the roar of an angry public for the embarrassed execs to announce they wouldn’t immediately be hauling in their new-found loot, but rather phase-in their pay raises over three years.

As if delaying their inevitable bonanza would appease those now contemplating feeding their families on federal EI payments. It would be interesting to know how many workers are being replaced by some kind of machine. And perhaps some of those now unemployed are wondering when somebody will invent a robot which can better manage an entire company, like the one they used to work for.

Management robots

Will they be given the right to vote?

Still the governments of Canada and Quebec are standing behind the company and the wisdom of their investments. The PM shrugged off the exorbitant compensation packages claiming he respects the workings of the free market. Except government subsidy is usually not the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of the free market. Still economic nationalists would be hard pressed to argue against public financial support for one the most significant Canadian companies ever.

And according to Transport Minister Marc Garneau “the C-Series is an extraordinary plane”. So as this country celebrates its 150th birthday we should take a moment to recall another extraordinary plane, the AVRO Arrow of some 60 years ago. The Diefenbaker government will long be remembered for failing to support the development of this advanced jet fighter.

rivers-on-guitarRay Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking.  Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington in 1995.  He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject.     Tweet @rayzrivers

Background links:

Robots –

Automation –

Replacing Workers –    Machines Taking Jobs –

BombardierFederal Money –

Bombardier Subsidy –

Trudeau Defends Subsidy –

Bombardier Pay –

More Pay –

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School calendar dates released - 7 professional development dates.

News 100 redBy Staff

April 6, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The school calendar for 2017-18 has been set out – just needs provincial approval.

Here it is:
School calendar

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National NewsMedia Council reports to its members: The Gazette has been part of this organization or a number of years.

The Burlington Gazette is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. This is the body in place to protect the public interest and ensure that media are fair, not always something that is easy to define.

Every quarter we get an update on what the association is doing and what other news media are up to.

We thought we would share what John Fraser, the president of the NNC, had to say.
Fraser has a rather impressive bio – he was the first North American reporter to be posted to China when he was with the Globe and Mail. He was also a former Master of Massey College. He is also a shameless punster; don’t let him get started.

opinionandcommentBy John Fraser

April 6, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Opinion-mongering is one of the great bulwarks of traditional journalism. If you look at the history of newspapers, it will inevitably lead back to the glory days of London’s “Grub Street” periodicals and political broadsheets in the early 18th-century, generally favouring one party over another. Within a few decades, the business of music and theatre reviews also started up, either in their own broadsheets or attached to leading periodicals.

nnc logo - just typeThere is, these days, a kind of return to these foundational roots in the rapid and happily unregulated rise of specialized digital journalism platforms. iPolitics, for example, has started asserting itself on the national consciousness as an important source of knowledge on our political and governmental life. Ditto for impressive digital-only publications like The Tyee; or some of the newest members of the NNC like Musical Toronto or Queen’s Park Today. They come about because there are readers who care about the things these platforms report and comment on and they want to stay informed. They also like the angle or perspective taken, and especially the sharp commentaries.

The diffusion is equally a challenge for readers as it is for an organization like ours which strives to offer a legitimate and independent service to deal with disputes or errors or misunderstandings, whether on a digital service or the printed page. It’s the misunderstandings about opinion mongering that I want to focus on in this issue of the NNC Newsletter. Columnists and reviewers often have strong opinions and strong opinions invariably arouse reactions, one way or another.

A big part of the NNC mandate and our day to day work is to explain to complaining members of the public the traditional role of critics and reviewers, whether in the arts, the legislature, or even the dining rooms of the nation. When an outraged bistro owner feels a food critic has been unfair in Toronto Life, or an angry patron of the Canadian Opera objects to a critical evaluation of a performance, or a political party member feels there is a particular bias in a column about his or her favourite public figure or issue, our team at the NCC spends a decent amount of time explaining the role of the columnist or critic. It is part of the service, you might say.

John Fraser

John Fraser

I am a former arts reviewer and former political commentator, so believe me I know exactly how exercised readers can get about opinion mongering. I often find myself explaining what I firmly believe is the matrix of a healthy political or performing arts life in any community and it usually involves engaging the public through reviews or commentaries that are studied in their provocation. If, on the other hand, a writer makes factual errors, it is a legitimate source of complaint with which we always deal very seriously. If it’s a matter of “he says, I say”, then we try to put it in the context of acceptable community standards and practice.

Fraser book cover

John Fraser wrote an award winning book on his experience in China where he reported for the Globe and Mail.

This usually works to the complainant’s satisfaction, but sometimes it doesn’t. In one such encounter we have had recently, we listened for an age (and several times) to a complaint about an editorial in a leading newspaper. The complainant was exercised by the fact that there were conflicting facts which emerged after an editorial had been published (a day later in fact). His solution was to ask the NNC to order the newspaper to add a note to the digital version of the editorial which said, in effect, “This was researched and written before counterbalancing facts emerged.”

We tried to explain that this was something that could be put on almost any article anyone published. The logic escaped him and he is probably still complaining to anyone who will listen that both the newspaper and the NNC lack 20-20 hindsight – or is it foresight? Hindsight, in fact, we have. Foresight is for unanswerable or unresolvable complaints.

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Resident doesn't like the look of the transportation ideas - thinks planners are saying - support biking, stay home or get out of Burlington.

opinionandcommentBy Greg Woodruff

April 6th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

City council will begin discussion of the draft Official Plan this week.  Opinions are already being formed.

There are so many problems with Burlington’s official plan update that it’s hard to zero in on the most problematic element. Leaving alone for a moment the massive green space loss or the complete lack of any mathematical forecasting, the transit plan is truly insane.

My largest problem when running for Regional Chair in 2014 is that I just could not get people to accept what the cities future transit plans actually are. People would just say “That is crazy” and look at me like I must not understand the plan. Either read what is coming out of the city or take my word for it. The future of Burlington is city wide deliberately induced gridlock.

I realize that this is so divorced from reality that the average resident of Burlington simply cannot accept this is the cities plan. It is simple – keep jamming people in until roads are mostly impassible and largely slower than walking. People will then seek “alternatives” once they realize they can walk or bike to a location in just hours vs multiple hours of driving. If you are disabled, elderly or have a schedule that doesn’t support biking, stay home or get out of Burlington.

The first problem is that I would say you need a public mandate to do this. This certainly does not exist. The draft says the public must “Reprioritize decision-making relating to mobility” (Page 14 in the link below). Right now for example you might like to drive to the gym. In the new city walking and biking should be your forms of city recommend exercise. In the future city staff will decide what you do, how and when you move around. The city needs to execute the mandate of citizens, not try to force everyone to do as they think we should.

The second problem is that the transit plan cannot withstand even light mathematical examination. It can’t possibly achieve its own goals. You won’t see numeric calculations coming from the city – because they won’t add up. To believe that 300,000 people are place-able in Burlington with “No New Car Capacity” (Page 15 in the link below) is to believe we will have pedestrian rates orders of magnitude higher than Paris France. As I delegated to council:

Even if you line up Paradigm developments along every possible place all the way down Plains road – you will never get a pedestrian commercial base. There is no mathematically possible pedestrian city on a single straight road. Cities are built in grids for a reason – it is the only way to get transit time low and have the density for a partly pedestrian customer base.

The last problem and most deeply troubling aspect of this is the underlying theory behind it. This mentality places the city in direct opposition to you. Your goal might be to take your kids to soccer practice. This “unsustainable transit pattern” makes the city wish you didn’t. You want to visit your Mother after work – the city wishes you didn’t. It’s all to pretend that intensification doesn’t need increased infrastructure to support it. That an infinitely increasing population doesn’t cost anything in money or environment because the city now rations “what is” out.

They can’t figure out a transportation strategy for this mess of intensification. So now “untransportation” is desirable. Not enough water – the public must “Reprioritize decision-making relating to bathing.” Not enough parks – the public must “Reprioritize decision-making relating to sports activities.” This “reprioritization” is to no longer do what is best for yourself, but instead do what city planners have rationed out for you.

Since we still live in a democracy – it will not work. Once the main streets are nothing but micro businesses very few trips will be to them; just past them. The constant gridlock will be the largest issue and people will not care beyond mobility. This will give rise to and elect a class of politician that will run on and expand the road base. Though since staff have worked deliberately to make this difficult, the roads will now expand in ugly and awkward way.

If you want 300,000 people in Burlington then we need developments totally concentrated in the down town core – it’s the only place with a grid. Yes, you will need an aggressive walking, biking and public transit strategy. But you will also need the major arteries of Burlington expanded to 6 lanes, plus a dedicated bike path, plus a large public walking space. You can get into fanciful debates as to what you want to do in those extra lanes – single passenger cars, rapid bus transit, street car, etc. But they need to be reserved and planned as if they will exist.

There is no possible benefit to this gridlock – hundreds of thousands of cars idling and caught in congestion will have a far higher environmental footprint than a hand full of bikers can ever offset. Congestion helps big box retailers and hurts small business – this can only lead to greater commercial concentration. The idea “if you build roads people are going to use them” so if we stop building them people will then not use to road we didn’t build.

This is just idiocy. If you feed starving children they are just going to keep eating and eating; to a point yes. If you provide houses with water people are just going to keep bathing and bathing; to a point yes. However I consider the ability to feed, bath and get my kids to soccer – all as positives.

I’m pretty sure the rest of Burlington does as well.

Background link:

Official Plan report to city council committee

Greg WoodruffGreg Woodruff is an Aldershot resident who rant for the office of Regional chair in the last municipal election.

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Rain tonight and Thursday will add to already high water levels in creeks and stream - caution.

News 100 greenBy Staff

April 5th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Water in the creeks and streams is already quite high and flowing swifter than normal.

Watershed notice March 24-17Conservation Halton advises that another weather system is forecasted to bring rain to our region later this afternoon through Thursday, changing to wet snow Thursday night. Significant widespread rainfall amounts of 20 to 30 mm are likely by Thursday night with some areas possibly exceeding 40 mm.

The majority of the creeks are running at, or above, seasonal levels and are expected to experience higher levels and flows with the upcoming precipitation due to our saturated soil conditions. Our reservoirs are still in range of our seasonal holding levels and have storage capacity available.

Widespread flooding is not anticipated, however fast flowing water and flooding of low lying areas and natural floodplains may be expected. Municipalities, emergency services and individual landowners in flood-prone areas should be on alert.

Conservation Halton is asking all residents to stay away from watercourses and structures such as bridges, culverts and dams. Elevated water levels, fast flowing water, and slippery conditions along stream banks make these locations extremely dangerous. Please alert children in your care of these imminent dangers.

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Project that will put a high rise opposite city hall gets a good response from its first presentation.

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

April 5th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

It was the same room, basically the same crowd three years later, but the mood was a lot different.

Last week the Carriage Gate group told the public what they had in mind for the corner of Brant and James Street – across the street from city hall.

They set out a number of charts and large blow ups at the front of the room of the 27 story tower they wanted to build – one got the impression that the developer was going to talk about the project. Everything seemed to be out front.

Three years ago the Adi Development Group was in the same room. There were no large blow ups of the project they were about to explain to the public and the audience was in no mood to listen. That project kept going downhill from the moment the architect began to explain the project and is now before the Ontario Municipal Board.

From civic sq

Twenty seven storey’s high – directly across the street from city hall.

The mood was so positive that if the Carriage Gate people had had some sales agreements on the table there were people in the room  quite prepared to sign on the dotted line and put down a deposit.

There were some who thought it was a “terrible” idea and the issue of traffic and parking reared its head. Burlington and cars have always had an awkward relationship.

Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward, who is no fan of tall buildings, got the meeting off to a decent start. The Mayor and ward 3 Councillor John Taylor were on hand along with a couple of other people from the city’s planning department.

Mobility hubs

Four mobility hubs are in the planning process. The plan appears to be to focus on the downtown hub first.

The public got to hear about the group that has been created to study and develop the concept of “mobility hubs” – something that has become the most recent buzz word for planners.

Kyle Plas, the senior city planner on this project explained where the project was from a planners perspective and took the audience through the process of getting it before city council where a decision is made.

Carriage Gate is looking for both Official Plan changes and zoning changes. This project would come under the existing Official Plan which is now more than 20 years old and as Mark Bayles, the Carriage Gate manager who would be overseeing the development of the project, explained in his opening comments “the existing plan no longer reflects where development is going.

Carriage Gate team

From th left, Robert Glover, an urban planner, Ed Fothergill, planer and Mark Bales, project manager with Carriage Gate

Carriage Gate has assembled a solid team to shepherd this through the approvals process.

Ed Fothergill, a planning consultant who has advised on many of the Molinaro projects and was the advisor to the Carriage Gate people on this project explained the planning environment that everyone has to work within.

Statements PPS, Big Move - Greenblt

Policy documents that set out the rules planners have to work within and comply with.

It includes the provinces Provincial Policy Statement in which the province sets out where the growth is going to take place; the Greenbelt policy, which for Burlington means the Escarpment and The Big Move which is the framework that the GO transit people work within out of which comes the mobility hub concept.

The GO train service west of Toronto is going to be improved to 15 minute service and eventually it will be electrified.

The improvement in GO frequency is intended to get cars off the QEW and handle the expected population growth.

Podium portion along Brant St

Close up of the Brant street side of the building. The city wanted smaller shops at the street level; the developer had no problem complying. The restaurant on the site is to be included in the building.

Many in Burlington don’t like the idea of growth – but the population of the city is going to grow – the province has said that is what is in the cards, and because we can no longer grow out, – there isn’t much more left for development within the urban boundary for new development the growth will be up, not out. Thus the high rise.

Given that there are going to be buildings in the 27 story and higher range where should they go?

Robert Glover, an architect and planner with the Bousfields, a community planning firm that has handled some of the more impressive developments in Ontario gave the audience his take on how Burlington and high rise buildings are going to learn to live together.

Where big buildings are

Tall buildings in Burlington tend to be away from the downtown core and on either side of Brant Street.

He explained that Burlington has a lot of tall buildings – mostly in the 8 to 12 storey range that are set out in different parts of the city with a concentration along Maple Avenue.

Glover said his view was that with buildings all over the city Brant Street was sort of an orphan with very little that would attract pedestrian traffic. The view he put forward was that Brant needed to become the spine that buildings would be anchored along. The Carriage Gate project was to be the first. The development that is known at this point by it’s address  – 421 Brant – they have yet to release the name for the project.

View from John Street side

The view from the corner of John and James.

Glover set out how he thought the city and the high rise development that is on its way would evolve.  Brant Street would become the spine on which development would be anchored.  The Street would have one of the four mobility hubs at the bottom one block to the east and a second mobility hub at Fairview – a part of a block to the east.

The public in general doesn’t know all that much about mobility hubs – the city has planned a public meeting for April 12th where people can get to meet the Mobility Hubs Team.
The houses in the city are now so expensive – we are seeing $1 million homes in what are described as normal suburban communities.

Nick Carnacelli

Nick Carnicelli

The principles in any development seldom take to the stage.  They sit in the audience and listen carefully trying to get a sense of the audience and how they feel about the project that is being explained.  Nick Carnicelli sat off to the side and seemed satisfied with the way the meeting had gone.

He had every reason to feel satisfied – his people had put on a good presentation; they answered all the questions and didn’t duck any of the issues.

Parking seemed to be the one that bothered people the most.  The plan presented called for 183 parking spots; one for each unit in the building.  If there is going to be a problem with this project that is probably where the city will ask for changes.  The design calls for four levels of parking.

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Maps, data and details on the five school closing options.

highschoolsBy Staff

April 5th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Halton District School Board has whittled the 30 plus options that were put before the PARC down to five.
The Board set out a rationale for each option and provided maps showing what the boundaries will be for each of the five options

The Gazette has pulled together the five maps along with the rationale and make them available to the public.

Nelson high school closes in June 2018

3c Nelson closes3 c detailsRationale:

To be an English only school.
Burlington Central HS: Catchment expands east to Walker’s Line.
Burlington Central HS: Utilization rates increase to 93% by 2020, then expected to increase.
Nelson HS: Closes in June 2018
Robert Bateman HS: English – catchment expands west to Walker’s Line. FI catchment extends to Guelph Line. (Current Nelson HS catchment)
Robert Bateman HS: FI program added.
Robert Bateman HS: Utilization rates increase to 104% by 2020, then declines4 rationale.

Robert Bateman HS: Closes in June 2018.

4 Bateman closes4 detailsRATIONALE: Staff generated option.
Staff modified based on PARC comments:
To create suitable facilities for SC
SPED and Essential at Nelson
Food Service program to be relocated from Robert Bateman HS to Nelson HS
Extend Lester B. Pearson HS catchment to increase enrolments.
ISSUES:
Lester B. Pearson HS to gain the IB program and Gifted Secondary Placement Program.
Low enrolments at Aldershot HS and Burlington Central HS
Low Utilization at M.M. Robinson HS
NOTES
Aldershot HS: Utilization rates increase to 87% by 2020, then expected to decrease.
Aldershot HS: No change to the Aldershot HS catchment. Enrolment is under 500 students.
Burlington Central HS: Boundary expands to include areas east of Guelph Line.
Burlington Central HS: Utilization rates increase to 74% in 2020 and continue to increase until 2024.
Nelson HS: SC

SPED and ESS programming (both under SC-SPED) and Food Services added. New facilities to be constructed.
Nelson HS: ENG catchment expands to include Robert Bateman HS.
Nelson HS: Utilization rates expected to increase to 112%, by 2020, then are projected to decline in 2023.
Robert Bateman HS: Closes in June 2018.
M.M. Robinson HS: ENG boundary to expand to include Kilbride PS.
M.M. Robinson HS: Utilization rates remain under 65%

No schools closed – catchment boundaries are revised.

No closures - Hayden boundary7 no closures detailsRATIONALE: Staff generated option.
Staff modified based on PARC comments:
Removed capping from Dr. Frank J Hayden HS and reduced catchment.
Extend Lester B. Pearson HS catchment to increase enrolments.
ISSUES:
Lester B. Pearson HS to gain the IB program and Gifted Secondary Placements.
Low enrolments at Aldershot HS, Burlington Central SS, Lester B Pearson HS and Robert Bateman HS
Low Utilization at M.M. Robinson HS
NOTES
Aldershot HS: Utilization rates increase to 87% by 2020 , then expected to decrease.
Aldershot HS: No change to the Aldershot HS catchment. Total enrolment is under 500 students.
Burlington Central HS: No change to the Burlington Central HS catchment or enrolments.
Burlington Central HS: Utilization rates increase to 69% in 2020 and continue to increase until 2024.
Nelson HS: No change to the Nelson HS catchment.
Nelson HS: Utilization rates expected to increase to 84%, by 2020, then are projected to decline in 2024.
Robert Bateman HS: No change to the Robert Bateman HS catchment. Enrolment is under 500 English and IB students.
Robert Bateman HS: Utilization rates are expected to decline to below 50% from 2022.
M.M. Robinson HS: ENG boundary to expand to include Florence Mears PS west of Walker’s Line.
M.M. Robinson HS: Utilization rates remain under 65%.

 

Close Central and Pearson: The original recommendation

1919 detailsRATIONALE: Director’s Recommendation
Staff modified based on PARC comments:
ESL Program to Aldershot HS
Specialty programs Robotics to be transferred to Nelson HS.
Transfer empty space from Aldershot Elementary to Aldershot Secondary school
Additional students to Robert Bateman HS catchment
ISSUES:
EXTF program added to M.M. Robinson HS.
FI program added to Robert Bateman HS.
PAR will be required for the Burlington Central elementary communities.
NOTES:
Aldershot HS: Boundary to expand east to Brant St.
Aldershot HS: 210 empty pupil places at Aldershot Elementary PS to be added to the Secondary school OTG. Currently not included in the 558OTG.
Aldershot HS: Utilization rates increase to 142% by 2020, then expected to decrease. Utilization rates will decrease with the addition of available pupil places from the elementary facility.
Burlington Central HS: Closes in June 2018.
Nelson HS: Boundary is to be expanded west to Brant Street.
Nelson HS: Utilization rates increase to 80% by 2020, then expected to decrease.
Robert Bateman HS: ENG boundary expands to include all of the Frontenac PS catchment.
Robert Bateman HS: FI program added and includes students east of Appleby Line and south of Upper Middle Rd and Frontenac PS students

Pearson closes
2319 detailsRATIONALE: Based on a PARC Request. Staff modified based on PARC comments:
To balance enrolments north of the QEW.
To create suitable facilities for SC
SPED and Essential at Nelson

Food Service program from Robert Bateman HS to Nelson HS
ISSUES:
SC-SPED, ESS programs relocated from Robert Bateman HS to Nelson HS.
International Baccalaureate (IB) program relocated from Robert Bateman HS to Burlington Central HS.
FI program removed from Dr. Frank J. Hayden SS.
Nelson HS exceeds Total Capacity.
Low enrolments at Aldershot HS
EXTF program added to M.M. Robinson HS.
NOTES:
Aldershot HS: Utilization rates increase to 87% by 2020, then expected to decrease.
Aldershot HS: No change to the Aldershot HS catchment. Total enrolment is under 500 students.
Burlington Central HS: Boundary expands to include areas east of Guelph Line.
Burlington Central HS: International Baccalaureate program to be added.
Burlington Central HS: Utilization rates increase to 90% in 2020 and continue to increase until 2024.
Nelson HS: SC-SPED and ESS programming (both under SC-SPED) and Food Services added. New Facilities to be constructed.

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Interactive Mapping/Open Data Disruptions on city hall web site

notices100x100By Staff

April 5, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

I.T. will be doing maintenance on the online Interactive Mapping/Open Data Wednesday, April 5, 2017 from 5 to 8 p.m.

During that time, users may experience delays or disruptions.

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Quiet time while the Board of Education writes its reports and debates the options it wants to present to the trustees.

highschoolsBy Pepper Parr

April 5th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Engaged parents

Parents at a public meting were the details for each of the school closure options were made available.

Parents with high school students are getting a bit of a break from the work that was done by the Program Accommodation Review Committee (PARC). The members of that committee have completed their work knowing that they did everything they could to dig out much needed information and whittled a list of more than 30 possible options down to five.

Those five are:

Robert Bateman high school closes in June 2018.
Nelson high school closes in June 2018
No schools closed – catchment boundaries are revised.
Central and Pearson high schools are closed in June 2018
Pearson high school closes in June 2018

The next municipal election, at which school board trustees will stand for election is October 2018.  The provincial government is up for re-election on June xx 2018.

The schedule going forward is:

Chair of the PARC gives his report to the Director of Education (The Gazette has yet to be given a date for the completion of this report.)

Friday April 21, 2017 – Director’s Final Report released online at www.hdsb.ca in the agenda package for Committee of the Whole.

Wednesday April 26, 2017 (6 pm) – Director’s Final Report will be presented to the Board of Trustees at the Committee of the Whole meeting.

Location: J.W. Singleton Centre (2050 Guelph Line, Burlington). This meeting will be live-streamed on the Board website. If additional audience capacity is required, it will be available at M.M. Robinson High School (2425 Upper Middle Road, Studio Theatre).

Monday May 8, 2017 (6 pm) – Public Delegation Night. These evenings will be live-streamed on the Board website.

Location: J.W. Singleton Centre (2050 Guelph Line). Seating priority in the Boardroom will be given to delegates. If additional audience capacity is required, it will be available at M.M. Robinson High School (2425 Upper Middle Road, Studio Theatre). Monday, April 17, 2017 – Is the first date to submit online Delegation Request Forms for the May 8 Delegation Night.

Thursday May 11 (6 pm) – Public Delegation Night. These evenings will be live-streamed on the Board website.

Location: J.W. Singleton Centre (2050 Guelph Line). Seating priority in the Boardroom will be given to delegates. If additional audience capacity is required, it will be available at M.M. Robinson High School (2425 Upper Middle Road, Studio Theatre). Thursday, April 20, 2017 is the first date to submit online Delegation Request Form for the May 11 Delegation Night.

Public gallery Feb 9

Parents listening to the PARC meetings. Central high school parents had a team at these meetings every occasion.

Wednesday May 17, 2017 (7 pm) – Board meeting. Final Report to Board of Trustees for “information”. Location: J.W. Singleton Centre (2050 Guelph Line). If additional audience capacity is required, it will be available at M.M. Robinson High School (2425 Upper Middle Road, Studio Theatre).

Wednesday June 7, 2017 (7 pm) – Board meeting. Final Report to Board of Trustees for “decision”. Location: J.W. Singleton Centre (2050 Guelph Line). If additional audience capacity is required, it will be available at M.M. Robinson High School (2425 Upper Middle Road, Studio Theatre).

Maps of the school boundaries and the rationale for each option is set out HERE.

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Sesquicentennial chimes to be installed at AGB - only Potters can apply for this commission.

artsorange 100x100By Staff

April 5, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Art Gallery of Burlington wants artists to participate in the creation of a Garden of Chimes; an outdoor installation celebrating Canada’s Sesquicentennial.

Chimes AGBThe exhibition will be installed in the AGB outdoor courtyard from July 1st to October 31st. Successful entries will be available for pickup first week of November.

This invitation is open to all AGB Guilds, the Potters Guild of Hamilton and Region and the Brantford Potters Guild.

Specifications:

• Maximum size is 12” diameter and 36” length.
• The chimes should emit a pleasing sound and be weather proof/waterproof.
• As the chimes will be hung from wires, consideration should be given for total hanging weight.

The proposal has to include a sketched image with description of materials and include an estimate of weight.

Please submit your proposal by APRIL 17, 2017 via email to kai@agb.life .

Charming idea – why limit it to just Potters Guild members?

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City council decides not to write a letter to the Ministry of Education.

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

April 5, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

City council had decided they were going to keep a barge pole length between what they do and what the Public school board has to do.

These two organizations –both vital to the smooth operation and functioning of the city are far apart when it comes to working together on joint issues. The city and the school board are so far apart that they don’t even meet on a formal basis.

The Halton District Regional Police make a presentation to the city; the Library makes a presentation to the city. When the Board of Education meets with the city it is usually at the staff level and then it usually boils down to a turf war. These guys tend not to play golf with each other.
Everyone in the city is the lesser for that political failure.

When the Board of Education told its trustees that it believed it was necessary to close two high schools (that was one of 19 options the School Board staff had considered) City council seemed to be hoping that the matter would stay at the school board level – let them deal with the inevitable political fallout.

Councillors Sharman and Lancaster: both part of the Shape Burlington committee who seem to have forgotten what the report was all about - civic engagement

Councillors Sharman and Lancaster were te only two who wanted the city to write a letter to the Minister of Education to halt the Program Accommodation Review the school board was undertaking.

And it seemed to be working out – that was until Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman asked Council to waive the advance notice of a motion rule and debate his motion that the city write the Ministry of Education asking for an immediate halt to the school closing process now in place to consider the closing of one and perhaps two of the seven high schools in the city.

It has become the hottest political potato the city has faced in a decade.

There was considerable discussion and debate on whether city council was going to let the Sharman motion come forward. Eventually they did on a 5 for, 2 against vote.

One of the negative votes was cast by Ward 2 city Councillor Marianne Meed Ward who argued that it was too late for the city to have any impact on the decision.

Meed Ward said: The moment for the city to show some leadership passed when city council chose to appoint the city manager to the PARC instead of the Mayor and then not give the city manager anything in the way of a mandate. “That ship has sailed” she said.

The motion was to ask that the city write the provincial government and ask that there be an immediate halt to the school closing process now taking place.

Council agreed to allow the motion to proceed which brought Denise Davey to the podium who was given permission to delegate.

She said:

As I wrote in my column in The Hamilton Spectator, this has been an extremely difficult and emotionally draining few months for thousands of parents across the city. We’ve been pulled into a process that we knew nothing about and it’s been a steep learning curve trying to figure it all out.

In addition to trying to sift through a maze of information, we’ve had to deal with ineffective public information sessions where we had no voices and a tedious online survey.

Denise Davey at council April 3

Delegator Denise Davey

My worry is that that flawed process and that misinformation that’s been floated around is leading us in the wrong direction and my position – and the reason I approached Paul Sharman – is that I believe Burlington city council needs to take a leadership role.

This is your city and the closure of any school will have an impact on the social and economic fabric of the entire community.

I am not asking that you take a stand around which school to close but simply that you support Councillor Sharman’s motion to suspend the process immediately so that in the end the right decision will be made.

I want to offer an example of how problematic this process has been and why it needs to be suspended, namely, that the data and information being thrown out to the public about Bateman school has been seriously misrepresented.

Shortly after this point Committee chair Meed Ward cautioned Davey that she was straying from the subject being debated.

Davey pressed on and was cautioned a second time – she was determined to get the Bateman high school plea on the record.

Sharman intense LaSalle

Councillor brought in a “walk on” motion to have the city write a letter to the province asking that the Program Accommodation Review in Burlington be halted.

Sharman then began to explain what he was hearing from his constituents. He said he had been asked to help find corporations that might help fund keeping the high schools open. He didn’t mention any specific corporations and asked council to support his request that the provincial government be asked to immediately halt the school closing process in Burlington.

Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor, the longest serving member of Council, joined the debate. He didn’t support letting the motion get to the floor of council and he wasn’t going to support the motion either.

He then went into what was pretty close to a tirade about party politics getting into the debate.

He did however bring some background and wisdom when he explained that the “baby boomers” – those born just after the end of the Second World War, have changed everything they touched as it grew and evolved.

They changed the way education was delivered; we were building elementary schools all over the place and then high schools, and then then universities.

The woman who worked in factories during the war returned to their homes, married and had children. Three to four children was not unusual. Those children needed schools. They were the boomers and as they grew families found they needed two incomes to pay for the housing they wanted.

Taylor asked his colleagues why anyone was surprised that we face this problem today. It has been in the making for more than fifty years. When dozens of elementary schools were closed it should have been no surprise that at some point high schools would have to be closed as well.

If what the Minister of Transportation said comes true - Taylor just might consider retiring - his work would be done.

Councillor Taylor gave Council members a broad stroke picture of what they were dealing with.

Taylor added that the next phase the boomers are going to impact is the building of hospitals and nursing homes to take care of the boomers who are now aging.

To add to it all Taylor pointed out that advances in medicine have us living longer.

We have to do something about this problem – it can be avoided, he added.

Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison said that this was a provincial government and Board of Education trustee problem – it is not a city problem. He saw no point in the city making a plea to the provincial government.

Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster said that more and more parents were asking her to become involved. “None of the schools that are being recommended for closure are in my ward but some of the students are”, she said.

And added that she too felt the process was flawed and that while she wasn’t comfortable with interfering she was very concerned about the problem of the quality of the data that was being used to make a decision.
“This is an important decision and I want the best data available to make that decision”, she said. Lancaster added: “If an appeal to the provincial government can get us a time out and let us take a step back and get better data and do it right then I am for sending the letter.”

Meed Ward said she did not believe the province would intercede for one Board of Education and asking it to do so was “irresponsible and inappropriate”.

Podrebarac and Ridge

City manager James Ridge, on the right, with PARC Chair Scot Podrebarac. Ridge said very little during the meetings – he wasn’t given a mandate other than to attend the meetings.

“Council squandered its opportunity to lead on this. There was an opportunity to send an elected member – we didn’t do that and we didn’t give the person we did send anything in the way of a mandate.”

Having “squandered” the opportunity to lead Meed Ward said the city could now join the other organizations in asking the province to put a moratorium in place across the problem. ROMA – the Rural Ontario Municipal Association has done a lot of research that is very well documented – we could join their plea. AMO, the Association of Municipalities in Ontario has made comments however they have not asked for a moratorium.

Meed WArd at PARC

Meed Ward is troubled by the message city Councillors are sending constituents, particularly parents of Central and Pearson high school students.

Meed Ward said she is “troubled” with the kind of message is this council sending when it said up and down that it was not going to get involved but now we have council members who have schools that might be closed in their wards and want the city to do something when the opportunity to do anything has passed.

What message does this council send to the parents of Central and Pearson? that we did not value their schools when they were subject to closure but now that other schools have been named we want to interfere? This is both inappropriate and offensive.

During the discussion the Mayor mentioned that he had a conversation earlier in the day with the Minister of Education – but didn’t say what words were exchanged.

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Bayview Park Leash-Free Area Closed Thursday, April 6, 2017

notices100x100By Staff

April 4th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Bayview Park Leash-Free Area will be closed on Thursday, April 6 to allow for construction within the fenced area.

Thank you for your cooperation during construction.

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New season at Tyandaga Golf Course gets underway April 8. Still a little wet out there - maybe sunshine on the weekend?

sportsgreen 100x100By Staff

April 4, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

The weather doesn’t look all that promising but the Tyandaga Golf Course will officially open for the 2017 golf season on Saturday, April 8.

The course is located 1265 Tyandaga Park Dr. Players wishing to book a tee time can do so online at www.tyandagagolf.com.

Tyandaga golf club

An 18-hole course with 4,852 meters of scenic terrain.

Tyandaga, a city owned and operated golf course, offers memberships, tournaments, clinics, private lessons, men’s and women’s league play, and in-season and off-season rentals.

Tyandaga Golf Course is an 18-hole course with 4,852 meters of scenic terrain characterized by its natural waterways and broadleaf woods.

Spring specials on green fees include $45 to ride in a golf cart and $30 for golfers that are walking.

For more information about golfing at Tyandaga, call 905-336-0005 or visit www.tyandagagolf.com.

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Housing Options For Seniors: Getting your parents to the point where they are ready to make a change.

seniorsBy Pepper Parr

April 4TH, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

How does one go about the process of giving their parents into some form of care when they can no longer fully care for themselves?

The parents tend to resist this change in their lives – to a considerable degree because they don’t know enough about this next phase of their lives.

Marion Goard

Marion Goard, came up with the idea for the event. she has been nominated as one of Burlington’s BEST

Marion Goard, a Burlington real estate agent went through this process with her parents and found it emotionally exhausting. It was clear to her however that in her situation changes had to be made.

Where to go for information? That’s when Goard found that there really wasn’t a single place with all the information needed. There were all kinds of vendors with their offerings but that meant travelling from possible location to yet another possible location.

That is when Goard came up with the idea of gathering all the service providers and the vendors and the social agencies in one location and inviting people to attend and learn as much as they could.

The Housing Options For Seniors Event was born

Housing options for seniorsHere is the list of organizations who are going to be at the Monday April 10th event being held at the Holiday Inn.

Burlington Age Friendly Seniors Council – Housing Committee
Burlington Gardens Retirement Residence
CARP, Halton Chapter (Canadian Association for Retired Persons)
Chartwell – Christopher Terrace Retirement Residence
Chartwell – Martha’s Landing Retirement Residence
Egality
Estate Concierge
Hearthstone by the Lake
Halton Heart to Home Meals
Heritage Place
Home Equity Bank – Reverse Mortgages
Home Share
Lakeshore Place Retirement Residence
LaSalle Park Retirement Community by Signature
Neat Spaces
Organize Me
Park Avenue Manor
Pearl & Pine Retirement by Signature
Retire-at-Home Services
RBC Royal Bank
Revera Appleby Place
Sell ‘n STAY
Sunrise of Burlington
The Gardens by Maranatha
The Village of Tansley Woods (Schlegal)
The Williamsburg Uptown Seniors Living

That is an impressive collection of people who can help and organizations that have services that might work for you and your parents.

A web site was created with a form people could use to register.

That’s when the problems began to occur.

“Everyone I talked to” said Goard “thought it was a great idea – but the registrations aren’t all that great.”

It is a very good idea and worth a visit even if you are only going to look around and kick some tires.

Registration isn’t vital but Goard would like an idea as to how many people to expect. You can register at: https://www.mariongoard.ca/seniors/housing-options-for-seniors-event.aspx

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Rainfall results in a watershed weather advisory; in force until April 9th - creeks are no place for children.

News 100 blueBy Staff

April 3rd, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Watershed notice March 24-17Environment Canada has issued a Special Weather Statement that forecasts rainfall depths of 20-30 mm in our region, overnight and into the day Tuesday.

Rain is also forecast from Wednesday through Friday, with more significant rainfall potential Thursday.

Creek - rushing water

Our forests aren’t this green yet – but the flow of water is what we are seeing now with the Spring rains.

Following recent rains last week, flows are still elevated and soils are wet. As a result of the forecasted rainfall, watercourses may rise rapidly. Banks may be slippery and currents may be strong. Local streams and rivers may become dangerous, particularly in the vicinity of culverts and bridges.

Widespread flooding is not anticipated, however fast flowing water and flooding of low lying areas and natural floodplains may be expected.

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 Sunday April 9th, 2017. Conservation Halton will continue to monitor stream and weather conditions and will provide updates as required.

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Off duty fire fighter saves the life of a resident who collapsed at Appleby Arena. A defibrillator was used to shock the resident.

News 100 redBy Staff

April 3rd, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Mark Kippin, an acting captain with the Burlington Fire Department, was recently recognized for saving a life while playing a hockey game at Appleby Ice Centre.

CaptMarkKippin-CoinRec1 March2017

Acting Caption Mark Kippin holds a Challenge Coin which recognizes contributions to public safety, customer service and firefighter safety.

Kippin, who was off duty at the time, began early CPR with help from a teammate and used the arena’s public access defibrillator to deliver a shock to a resident who had collapsed.

“I was on the ice when I saw people running toward the change room and then I heard the call for help. Thankfully 911 was called right away and they quickly brought over the defibrillator as we started CPR. After the first shock, we got a pulse and stabilized him until the paramedics arrived.”

“I suppose I was in the right place at the right time. Without quick intervention and access to AEDs, these kinds of situations may have fewer positive outcomes.”

Halton Region’s Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program places Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in public locations where there is a chance someone could suffer a cardiac arrest. Many of Burlington’s city facilities have AEDs.

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Police arrest three of five suspects in North Burlington car content thefts. Two yet to be identified.

Crime 100By Staff

April 3, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The original report came in March 18th and with solid support from the community the police were able to identify and arrest three suspects and are now looking for two additional suspects for various theft and fraud offences.

Charged with various theft and fraud offences are:

Josh PARKIN (29) of Hamilton
Sean CARTER (32) of Hamilton
Keara CAMPBELL (24) of Hamilton

Police in Burlington would like to thank the public for their help positively identifying 3 of 4 theft/fraud suspects.

One suspect remains unidentified.

March 18th - yet to be IDed

Suspect yet to be identified.

Police have also identified a 5th suspect using the stolen credit cards in Hamilton and are seeking further assistance from the public in identifying him.

The thefts overnight on March 14/15th from rural driveways in north Burlington. One victim had credit cards stolen which were used fraudulently at several locations in the City of Burlington. Four suspects were observed at the various locations.

Mar 18 car thefts - beer store

Suspect captured on video at a beer store.

Theft from autos continue to be a concern in Burlington, particularly when windows are smashed to gain entry. A second series of thefts from vehicles occurred in the same rural area of Burlington overnight on March 16/17th. Police would like to remind people to avoid leaving valuables inside and/or in plain view. Police also encourage citizens to report any suspicious persons.

Mar 18 thefts Brick

Suspect captured on video at a Brick store.

Anyone who can identify these suspects is asked to contact Det. Ellie Bale of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Residential Property Crime Team @ 905-825-4747 ext 2312. 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).

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