 By Pepper Parr
September 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Is it a portent of things to come?
 Burlington’s version of NASCAR crowds – waiting for the Amazing Bed Races races to begin Was the surprise second place finish by Liberal candidate Karina Gould’s team a sign that these people have done their home and their ground work and the Amazing Bed Race is not the only surprise in store for the city? Or did second place in the race mean second place in the polls on October 18th?
Word is that the pushers were all fireman – that would do it.
 The strollers are given the once over before the little ones take them out on the race course – they do move along the street at quite a clip. The sixth Annual Amazing Bed Race to raise funds for the Joseph Brant hospital redevelopment and expansion had everything going for it – including some grudge matches between the auto dealers in town.
For the past two years it has been Mazda and Acura duking it out with Team Acura coming out on top.
With a federal election taking place it was natural to see beds from the candidates – the Greens didn’t make it – but their candidate, Vince Fiorito, had just been “officially” nominated two days prior. The NDP wasn’t in the race and it doesn’t look as if they are a factor on the election in Burlington either.
To the surprise of many – Liberal candidate Karina Gould and her team came in second – Acura took the top spot – again.
 Mike Wallace leading his team onto the Amazing Bed Race course. Was the Liberal second place finish a sign, an indicator that Burlington might end up with a Liberal at the provincial legislature and in Ottawa?
Mike Wallace was looking particularly fit and his wife was on the sidelines cheering him on. Wallace told the Gazette that he has completed nine of the ten marathons he wanted to run across the country – one in each province. The Nunavik marathon might have to be dog sled run.
There were 14 entries, $20,000 was raised. Prior to the Sunday race – $400,000 has been raised by the Amazing Bed Race for the redevelopment and expansion of the Joseph Brant Hospital.
Longos once again provided bottled water, fresh fruit and power bars.
 Eleanor McMahon, Burlington’s MPP has been working on women’s issue lately and decided that her Amazing Bed would celebrate and recognize that time during WW II when women were a major part of the work force Rosie the Riveter – otherwise known and the bed from the office of the provincial member of parliament.
Denbow Landscaping
Acura on Brant
Board of the Joseph Brant Hospital
Burlington Orthotic Centre
Mike Wallace – Federal member of parliament
Provincial Progressive Conservative Association
RBC Financial
Fun Radio 820
Leggett Mazda
Far Away Greens
Burlington Taxi
Gardener Landscaping
Kia
 The Amazing Bed Race is put on by the North Burlington Rotary Club The event was put on by the North Burlington Rotary Club – besides the actual race there was a kids Stroller event and a Best decorated Bed as well. Were there fewer financial institutions taking part this year?
 By Pepper Parr
September 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The people of Burlington did it for the 35th time – the Annual Terry Fox run for a cancer cure.
This time it could well have been called the Team Casey get together.
 The fast runners had finished the course – those who chose a more leisurely pace brought up the rear. Casey Cosgrove who has battled cancer for a number of years and has become something of a poster boy for the people at the Princess Margaret hospital where his treatment program takes place chose a spot yards away from where the Terry Fox marker is going to be placed greeting friends (and there were a lot of them) and having his picture taken.
 Another Team Casey  A Team Casey – there were about eight of them. There seemed to be as many Team Casey T-shirts being worn as there were Terry Fox –shirts.
The weather was perfect
Don Carmichael reports that there were 900 + participants, 44 teams – way up from last year. 110 volunteers. More than $ 67,000 raised on the day with donations still pouring in. It’s not too late to donate. We want to reach $100,000.
 Many walkers were alone with their thoughts – a card with the name of a person they wanted to remember affixed to their sweater The Run is a day out for many people – a time to chip in and do their bit – many people make this an annual family event. Brian Heagle was out there with his family, including his Mother – she seemed to do just fine.
One participant had completed his walk and was about to head home and said to the child with him – “why don’t we walk out on the pier”. We asked: “You’ve never been out on the pier” “Nope” he replied – “I always felt it cost too much and I didn’t want to go out on the thing.”
Resentment persists doesn’t it?
 The location of the Terry Fox market that will be erected later this year  KM 3582 – a point at which Terry Fox paused as he left Burlington and head to Hamilton on an epic journey he was not able to complete. And so does the annual run. Later this year a marker will be set in concrete at one of the points Terry Fox stopped at as he ran through Burlington 35 years ago.
 By Ray Rivers
September 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Globe and Mail held its debate on the economy. This was round two for the three leaders and still, neither a clear winner nor loser emerged. The PM stuck to his mantra that the economy is not great, but that he’s done a pretty good job – he’s not perfect. And despite several well-placed jabs by the opponents, and his ‘old stock Canadian’ slip. some pundits thought he performed the best.
 Leaders of the three mainline parties taking part in the Globe and Mail debate on the economy. Green party leader Elizabeth May tweeted about the event – she may have had a bigger following than the one webcast by the Globe and Mail. The way the Nanos nightly polls bob up and down you’d think you were lying, with a good friend, on a water bed. Last night’s poll showed the Tories rebounding slightly as the parties continue this slow dance to the final bell. The CBC’s poll tracker, which uses a weighted average of various polls, shows a tight race with the NDP still in the lead, which is where they have been since the beginning.
The Conservatives wanted this election to be about the economy, so they have run on their record. How is that working out for them? Well, Canada is technically in a recession, the only nation among the G7 to be in economic decline. Unemployment, though near its long term average, jumped to 7% in August. And a small surplus was unexpectedly recorded last year.
A surplus is normally something to be proud of, but not so much in a recession. The announcement sparked criticism that the Tories had deferred spending into future years, just to make the books look good. And others claimed that the surplus had inadvertently contributed to this year’s recession.
 Protecting the economy has been the Conservative pith to voters from the beginning. will it work Mr. Harper claims he is not perfect, but then neither is Canada’s economic condition – what you see is what you get. Still, he has no choice at this point. His last budget is his election platform, notwithstanding the scattering of election goodies he announces every few days or so.
The NDP’s Mulcair is shadow boxing. This is particularly true in Ontario where the words NDP are inextricably associated with high taxes and high deficits – the ghost of a government punching above its weight during one of Canada’s worst recessions. So he’s decided to play it safe, buying into the PM’s budget, using it as his own platform.
Not to appear too cozy with the PM, he has tried to personalize it with his own list of goodies. And, his biggest promise, the $15 day national day care plan, will be just a pipe dream unless all ten provinces ante in. Otherwise he might as well be campaigning with the PM.
 Federal NDP Leader Tom Mulcair speaks to supporters at a rally where he promotes his view that the country is ready for a change. it appears to be working Last week Mulcair unveiled his ‘fiscal plan’ essentially a ‘back-of-the-envelope’ summary of how he would alter the last Tory budget to make it his own. For example, he added extra revenue from raising the corporate tax rate and subtracted revenue loss from cutting the small business rate before summing the difference.
And all three leaders are now promising to do something to lower the small business tax rate. That would be a progressive measure though it is questionable how much small business investment and job creation would spring forth as a result. Taxes are only one factor affecting small business decisions of investment and hiring, and not the most important one.
Consumer demand is the key determinant for small business expansion and that means a healthy growing economy. If you can’t sell your product, because people aren’t buying or they’re buying cheap imports, then how much tax you’d have to pay on your profits is the last thing you’d worry about. The best policy to help small business is for government to help the economy out of the recession, deficit or not.
Mr. Mulcair is the only major leader planning to raise corporate taxes. One should wonder why all the leaders are not promising to do that. Canada’s corporate tax rate is the lowest in the G7 by a good measure. Further, there is no proof that the government revenue forfeited by lowering corporate taxes can stimulate the economy any better than direct investment in public goods like infrastructure – or cutting the HST. Didn’t we learn a while ago that ‘trickle down economics’ doesn’t work?
Do Mr. Harper and Mr. Trudeau really believe that lowering the taxes of the banks and insurance companies, so they can cut their CEO’s even fatter bonus cheques, really helps our economy? How can these leaders reconcile the dramatic slashing of corporate tax rates over the last decade with the evaporation of some 400,000 manufacturing jobs over that same time period?
Mr. Harper has been criticized for using an unrealistically high oil price as the basis for revenue projections in his budget. That shaky, disingenuous foundation stone for his plan has been ignored and glossed over by Mulcair’s steely-eyed strategists, it appears. As a result Mr. Mulcair’s fiscal plan can be made to balance, just as easily as the PM’s. It is such irony to hear Mr. Harper claim that NDP will be running deficits, knowing that is also in his cards.
 Justin Trudeau believes the country needs economic stimulation and is prepared to live with deficits to revive an economy that is technically in a recession and has an unemployment rate that is rising – every so slightly. Unlike the other two leaders Mr. Trudeau isn’t pretending he can run a surplus with imaginary numbers. He’s set a spending target for Canada’s much needed infrastructure investment and… to hell with the deficit, at least for the near future. Unlike the other leaders, Mr. Trudeau has come out of his corner making no pretence that he can balance an unbalance able budget.
 Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran as a Liberal against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province. Rivers is no longer active with any political party.
Background links:
The Economic Debate Key Debate Points – Nanos Poll Poll Tracker
Unemployment Numbers – Mulcair’s Fiscal Plan – Mulcair’s Critique – More Mulcair –
Actual Plan Small Business Tax Corporate Taxes
Trickle Down Economics
 By Pepper Parr
September 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Part 1 of a 2 part feature.
The day any one of the Bridgewater developments is opened – you may not see much of Jeff Paikin – he will be quietly walking from location to location polishing a door knob, picking up a piece of scrap paper or chatting up one of his neighbours. Paikin is not only the builder of the three structure project – he is also the owner of one of the condominium units
The project has been in the works since at least 1985. Paikin wasn’t the designer, the vision wasn’t his but a series of circumstances dropped the project into his lap and he is like a kid with a new toy.
 The Bridgewater is going to be a sterling project – because that’s what Paikin builds.
The Gazette was taken on a tour of the sales office – parts of which are a built to scale of several of the rooms that will be located between the 9th and the 16th floor.
In the middle of the sales office is a very large model of the project which gives a great view of what the buildings will look like and how they will impact the city.
And they are going to impact the city.
Let’s start from the outside and work our way in – the sales office will be used for a Christmas party being given for the people who have purchased units – this will be a very high end – someone who is being asked to pay more than $3 million for the top floor of the 22 storey condominium – those are big bucks – and you don’t serve those people peanuts and cheap beer.
 When the party is over – the sales office gets taken down – not by a bulldozer – it was built to be taken apart, stored somewhere and used again.
Days later – the shovels go into the ground.
Expect it to be the photo op of the century for Burlington.
 Elizabeth Street as it is today – it will be re-graded but still steep. The entrance to all the parking and lower access to each building will be at the bottom of this grade. There won’t be much seen by the public for a couple of months once the cameras and the television people leave the site.
The project is going to have four floors of underground parking including a level that vehicles will come into at grade – but that grade will be at the bottom of Elizabeth Street.
You can just imagine what kind of a photo op the putting of shovels into the ground is going to be. If the Mayor does a selfie – we hope it is better than the one he did on the bus several months ago.
While the Bridgewater is being constructed, just a three minute drive to the west the Joseph Brant Hospital expansion and re-development will be going on. Burlington actually has cranes on the skyline these days.
The Waterfront hotel is in the process of going through a design exercise that may see the existing hotel torn down and a much higher structure going up (more than 28 floors?) along with two smaller structures that will be located south of the current foot print.
The decision as to what can be done south of the current hotel sits in the hands of the Conservation Authority.
The design exercise has the city ordering up two designs and the owner of the property putting forward his own preferred design.
 The view from the steps of the Bridgewater sales centre has two cranes on the horizon lifting buckets of concrete as the redevelopment and expansion of the Joseph Brant Hospital progresses. The Waterfront hotel in the foreground is in a redesign stage. Those three projects, the hospital, the Waterfront Hotel and Bridgewater will result in a downtown core that most people in this city are not aware of and many may not be ready for – but they are coming.
We step inside the sales centre – this is a “by appointment only” operation, you realize you are in what amounts to a two bedroom unit that is lavishly decorated by Brian Gluckstein. Everything is real not a piece of plastic in sight.
In part two of this feature we take you through the layout of the rooms and the design features – expect to see this location in one of the higher end design magazines.
When we last met with Jeff Paikin he had five sales situations in the pipeline – three of those came through and last week he booked $3.1 million in sales. Very nice.
The first thing you see at the sales centre is a large model of the project – “that cost $40,000” claims Paikin. It could have – it is big enough.
When the sales centre gets taken apart the model gets tossed – the Gazette has some ideas for that. Stay tuned.
The grade from the street level to the walkway at the edge of the lake is steep – quite steep and must have been a challenge to the landscapers.
 In order to keep open space for the public to enjoy between the hotel and the condominiums several sets of stairs are in place at the south end – they look steep.
 There are several ramps for those who don’t want to manage the stairs and there is a nice winding pathway on the east side – that is already in place.
What the public has not seen is the layout and design of the court yard outside the rear of the hotel and between the two condominiums – one on the east – 22 storeys and one on the west – 7 storey’s.
Set out below are several views of the model. There is a reasonably sized reflecting pool in the courtyard area. Paikin said it was something the city wanted – he didn’t seem to have much enthusiasm for the thing.
It isn’t clear yet how much of the court yard space is going to be fully public and how much will be allocated to the hotel for what will be a lovely outdoor cafe – if such a things is included in the court yard. The hotel, which was originally going to be a Delta Hotel got upgraded to a Marriott when the two operations were merged some time ago.
If the stairs at the south end prove to be too daunting there is a lovely winding path down the eastern side of the 22 storey condominium.
At one point there was talk of some of the lower level condominium units opening out onto that walkway.
The winding path down the east side of the Bridgewater development may prove the easier to navigate.
The walkway is in place now – it was part of a property exchange with the city that included the promenade at the south end that continues on into Spencer Smith Park and eventually into the Beachway Park.
People will be able to have a breakfast in the fresh air overlooking the lake and then walk right through to the canal on the western border of the city. We just might be getting close to what Hamilton has in their waterfront. Some sculpture will be needed at some point.to the
Contrary to rumours being floated around, Jeff Paikin did not buy half of the top floor of the 22 storey condominium; he has a unit in the 7 storey condominium on the west side of the site.
 By Pepper Parr
September 20, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The crowds they had hoped for did not materialize but the weather did hold. There were more people at No Vacancy’s Supernova this year than there were at the Cirque event held at Village Square last year.
 Perhaps outside some comfort zones. Let’s look at what was good. The Art Market was good – some of the exhibits stunned people a little – others were a pleasure to look at. Art is supposed to take you out of your comfort zone.
The Teresa Seaton/Tomy Bewick event and the Kune Hua event were superb – illustration art at its best.
Hua was a last minute entry – 36 hours before the opening he was still working through his concept – it turned out to be one a very emotional event for many people.
 Several thousand ribbons were draped over the branches of the trees in the Wishing Garden. Set in a lot that was once a gas station the Wishing Garden was a collection of birth tree branches planted into pots with small white lights strong along the branches.
Visitors were invited to take a ribbon and write a wish and then tie it to one of the tree branches.
Hua believes that with all that energy; all those wishes collected in a single place – change was inevitable. Only those who tied a ribbon will know if there was a change – one can say however that there was a mood in the darkened space where you could smell the lake and not feel you were being intruded upon by the noise from Emmas Back Porch just yards away.
 Tomy Bewick intoned in a strong passionate voice while Teresa Seaton spread the feathers about the ground “feathers spinning in the downdraft” The Seaton/Bewick event was more of a performance – and for those that listened there was a sense of trance as Bewick spoke ans Seaton moved around the space placing feathers fashioned out of stained glass on the ground while Bewick chanted
she’s walking down that road again
flying off the fumes
this highway life on a long enough stretch wears thin
Seaton would gently place a few stained glass feathers on the ground while Bewick continued …
watching the freebirds float above
feathers spin in the downdraft
wind kicks sand across face releasing strained tears
the rain makes the asphalt seem slick
the sheen of blacktop coated hopes slippery
you see the machinery from a distance
silhouettes like soldiers along a long abandoned flightpath
from a thousand miles the towers look like flamingoes
stilted sun refracts rainbows in cracked glass
It wasn’t dramatic but it drew you in as the Bewick voice continued to intone and the feathers took their place on the ground as Seaton stepped around gently
 The audience didn’t move while Bewick and Seaton performed – they stood silent for a few moments when the performance ended – it was that kind of event. she’s walking down that road again and the fumes are getting stronger
the feathers falling faster
there is disaster on the horizon, stretched like the skeleton of industry
It was a fine performance given every hour. If you missed this – you really did miss something.
The problem areas – getting crowds out means promotion – some thought there wasn’t enough done. The location was very good – did the organizers create too much space?
They were able to set aside basically all of the Old Lakeshore Road but there weren’t enough artists to take up the space which left the event feeling it was a little thin on the contents side.
There were a lot of people at the event – it was hard to appreciate just how many because there was acres of space. At Village Square everything was crowded in – which made it seem very busy.
There could have been more artists – it takes time for this type of event to gain a foothold. This was the third event put on by the No Vacancy group.
 It was electric – it had energy and it had three dimensions – you left feeling better after looking at this piece of work. One of the problems they might want to give some attention to is the identity of the event. No Vacancy is the sort of umbrella name with each event given a different theme name each year. That gets a little confusing for the casual visitor.
The organizers do something few other events of this type do – they ensure that the artists are paid – and that can be a real grind when other than the beer garden and perhaps some revenue from the art market there is no revenue stream. There were sponsorship’s and the city did kick in some money – there may not have been enough.
 The Poacher Ukelele Band and the jugglers didn’t seem to fit into the art theme – but there were people who enjoyed both. The juggler was determined to make the event pay for him – which was outside the boundaries set by the organizers of the Supernova There was security that wasn’t needed – this was a very tame crowd that mixed well with the people that troop into Emma’s Back Porch.
But there was something missing – and the organizers are going to have to take some time in a month or so and think through what the recipe needs. A little more spice? Perhaps. More interesting artists and a program with a map of who was where. There apparently was a map – we didn’t see it until after the event.
Printing a program means getting advertisers – and that requires time which the organizers just didn’t have.
 The Art Market was in a smaller space this year and it had the crowds that in retrospect were what people missed overall. There was a very cruel, uncalled for comment from an artist who said ‘this was probably the last No Vacancy event. The artist who made the comment had submitted an event but was turned down and is reported not to have been prepared to make revisions to what was a collection of paintings that were for sale. Supernova was not at art sale – it was a collection of art illustrations – an event that you interacted with.
It was an uncalled for comment from an artist currently looking to the community for financial support.
After two outstanding successes the turnout this year is a bit of a setback. The arts are fickle – it doesn’t always turn out the way people hope it will
What the arts community has to do is be mature and stop going on about how great the event was – it wasn’t great. This year something was missing – the people who did all the grunt work will work it out.
 The Beer Garden was well situated – the band was loud – by the time this reporter was ready for an ale – the gates had closed – it was after 11 pm. The arts community has to call a spade a spade and work towards improving the event – what was great was the close to incredible support from the volunteers – who don’t get as much as a dime.
Be kind to Selena and Dean Eckersall – they put their hearts into this and deserve an opportunity to put the event on next year
By Allan Harrington
September 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The weather was perfect – a great day for those of us who appreciate almost everything British to see about 1,000 motor cars on display in neat rows on the pleasant grass-covered fields of the Bronte Creek park. Some came from as far away as New York and Pennsylvania to get nestled between the trees.
 Thousands of cars – all British – and a perfect day. There is such a rich variety among British motor vehicles that are distinctively different from the typical style of North American cars. Whether it is their soft curved lines, google-eye headlights, or being slung low to the ground.
 Proud – very British – posh! Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Land Rover
Majestic people carriers suitable for a chauffeur to romp across a country estate. One Rolls Royce there claims to be the original used in the old Grey Poupon mustard advert.
 Meant for narrow windy roads – with the wind in your hair. Triumph, McLaren, TVR
Sporty models built to easily traverse the thin winding two lane back roads of England.
Austin Mini, Sunbeam, MG
Tiny ones that can dart through the busy congested city of London a la Mr. Bean.
 They look like Smarties in a bowl – all bright colours – great for skipping about crowded streets. De Lorean
Famous from the Back to the Future movies. About 11 made it to the show in their typical stainless steel silver plus and one in a bronze gold colour. Being made in Belfast Northern Ireland they are welcome among the other Brit-Mobiles. Yes all the flux capacitors were functioning.
Lotus, Aston Martin
High tech cars James Bond can do his spy business with.
Isn’t car manufacturing dead in the UK? No. There are over 30 car manufacturers in Britain with total output being just over half the number made in Canada. Well “somebody” needs to keep making the cars with a steering wheel on the wrong side.
 A grateful child – with a picnic basket to make the day perfect. Boots and Bonnets
Visitors were asked to vote on their favourite and with so many excellent choices — it was impossible task for this visitor.
 By Staff
September 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
This article has been revised – an error was made in understanding the time of day the accident took place.
A 31 year old Flamborough man was operating a 2007 Kawasaki motorcycle southbound on Guelph Line, north of Colling Road when just before noon on Sunday he collided with a car that was turning into the Mt. Nemo Conservation area.
The motorcycle rider suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Due to the fatality, the Collision Reconstruction Unit (C.R.U.) was called in and took carriage of the investigation.
Guelph Line was closed in both directions for approximately three hours while the C.R.U. conducted their At-Scene investigation.
Police will not be releasing the name of the decedent at this time.
The northbound vehicle would have been making a right hand turn – the motorcycle going south would have been on the other side of the road.
How the two managed to collide is what the police needed hours to figure out – someone was not on the side of the road they were supposed to be on.
A terrible way to die.
Any witnesses to this collision are asked to contact the C.R.U. at 905.825.4747 ext.5065.
 By Staff
September 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police Service, Burlington station, is reaching out to the public to help locate wanted persons and hold them accountable for their actions. This is the 22nd time the police service has reached out to the public. The program has been a significant success.
There are numerous people who continue to evade the police and the court system and continue to live out in our communities while having a warrant for their arrest in place.
Every Friday, the Burlington Offender Management Unit will share information on a wanted person in hopes that the public can assist in locating the individual.
We will share “Fugitive Friday” information on our website and via social media through Twitter @HRPSBurl and @HaltonPolice.
 Brennan HOWE-PATTISON 19 years old, of Hamilton, ON. #3 District- Burlington Offender Management Unit is searching for Brennan HOWE-PATTISON 19 years old, of Hamilton, ON.
It is alleged:
– In September of 2014 the accused was engaged in a verbal argument with a male in his 50’s when it escalated and the accused punched the victim
– The accused also damaged property in the victim’s home as well as the apartment building where the assault occurred while he was leaving the scene
– Officers conducted an investigation and were able to locate the accused a short time later
– The accused was arrested, charged with Assault and two counts of Mischief under $5000 and was later released on a recognizance
– The accused was scheduled to re-attend court in September of 2015 which he failed to do and a warrant was issued for his arrest
He is now wanted by the Halton Regional Police Service for:
Assault
Mischief under $5000 x 2
Fail to Re-Attend Court
The accused is also wanted by Hamilton Police service for:
Possession over $5000
Fail to Re-Attend Court x 2
HOWE-PATTISON is described as 5’9”, 135lbs, blue eyes and blonde hair. HOWE-PATTISON has ties to Burlington, Hamilton and the surrounding areas.
Anyone who may have witnessed this male or has information that would assist investigators in identifying him are asked to contact Detective Constable Bulbrook – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Offender Management Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2346 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
 By Staff
September 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Bus detours around downtown Brant Street
On Sunday Sept. 20, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Brant Street between Elgin and Caroline will be closed due to “The Amazing Bed Race”.
Buses using Brant Street between the Terminal and the Burlington GO will be detoured as follows:
From the Terminal
North on John Street to Caroline
Left on Caroline to Brant Street
Right on Brant Street
Resume regular routing
 From the Burlington GO
South on Brant Street to Caroline
Left on Caroline to John Street
Right on John Street
Continue south into Terminal
By Staff
September 18, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Lakeshore Road Lane Restrictions for Terry Fox Run – Sept. 20
 The northbound land of Lakeshore Road will be closed from Maple Avenue to the Halton Skyway Waste Water Treatment Plan between 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20 for the Terry Fox Run.
The southbound lane will remain open.
By Staff
September 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Waterfront Trail Closure and Detour Starting Sept. 21, 2015
 Construction work related to the Joseph Brant Hospital will result in a bit of a detour for the Waterfront Trail
A section of the Waterfront Trail, at the west end of Spencer Smith Park, south of Joseph Brant Hospital, will be closed for construction starting Monday, Sept. 21.
A detour route made from crushed gravel will run adjacent to the closed section of the trail.
The closure is expected to last until October 2015.
By Walter Byj
September 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Despite what seemed like a lengthy and potentially controversial agenda, the September 16th meeting of the Halton District School Board went smoothly and relatively quickly. Items covered during the meeting were as follows;
Program Viability Committee
The Halton District School Board initiated a committee to examine program viability in both the English program and the French Immersion program and to make a recommendation to the Board no later than June 2015. The committee will be chaired by the Associate Director and will be composed of the Superintendent of Program, Superintendent of Student Success, System Principal of French Program, System Principal of School Program, Principals of dual track elementary schools, elementary single track English schools, elementary single track French Schools, French Immersion programs in High School, single track English programs in high schools and three trustees who currently sit on the French advisory committee.
A more detailed report on this item will be published later in the week.
Active Transportation
Active Transportation to school and work is defined as human powered transportation such as walking, cycling, wheeling, rolling and using mobility devices. Students and their families and staff who make active transportation a choice, over automobile travel, experience benefits in mental and physical health and well-being, are more prepared to learn and promote community connections.
 Burlington school board trustee Andrea Grebenc wants to see more walking to school. Reducing automobile use around schools by choosing active transportation modes and/or school buses/public transit improves air quality around schools for students, staff and the whole community. Supporting such active and sustainable travel choices reflects the principles of Ontario’s Foundation for a Healthy School.
Trustee Grebnec introduced a motion that will be debated at a future date.
Ontario Ombudsman
Effective September 1, 2015 the Ontario Ombudsman obtains jurisdiction for school boards. We have been asked by the Ombudsman’s office to supply a list of procedures the public can access to regarding challenges to Board procedures. Many of the Board’s procedures have been listed in the survey (transportation, discipline, suspension/expulsion, etc.), all prefaced by the Board’s Process for Public Concerns, attached to this document as an administrative procedure.
Background:
The Ontario Ombudsman under the Ombudsman Act has broad powers that include the ability to assist the public in matter of school boards’ jurisdiction. The general role of the Ombudsman is to respond to complaints and seek to resolve concerns raised by the public. The Ombudsman’s website (www.ombudsman.on.ca) details the breadth and depth of the work performed by that office.
Generally speaking, the Ombudsman will look to refer concerns to existing internal resolutions procedures (discipline appeals, human rights procedures, staff grievances). I believe that is the reason why we have been asked to supply an overview of our various procedures for public and parent concerns. The Ombudsman refers to itself as “an office of last resort”, meaning that other internal mechanisms for disputes should be exercised first. In the case where a complaint cannot be resolved, the Ombudsman determines whether an investigation is warranted and the Board is notified. The Ombudsman then investigates and reports publicly. It should be noted that the decisions of the Ombudsman are not binding and do not overturn decisions of the Board; however, it is my understanding that the wisdom and impartiality of the office is usually acknowledged with a review of the decisions.
Most of the items on the agenda were of the FYI nature and will be summarized in the near future. However, both the program viability committee and active transportation agenda items will be reported in more detail as they have the potential to be controversial and have a profound impact on the community.
 Walter Byj has been the Gazette reporter on education for more than a year. He is a long time resident of the city and as a parent has in the past delegated to the school board.
By Pepper Parr
September 18th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
A select group of people saw the Premier of Flash Flood – a Cogeco TV documentary on the flood that drowned parts of Burlington on August 4th 2014.
The 28 minute film will be shown on Cogeco Cable – channel 23 and 700 for HD
Airdates are:
Sun, Sep 20, 2015 20:00:00
Mon, Sep 21, 2015 17:00:00
Wed, Sep 23, 2015 19:00:00
Thu, Sep 24, 2015 15:30:00
Sat, Sep 26, 2015 17:30:00
Sat, Sep 26, 2015 22:00:00
Kristin Demeny was the lead reporter on the project that started the day the rains fell. She didn’t become aware of the flooding until around 4:30 that day by which time many people had everything in their basements floating in several feet of water.
 Kristin Demeny, Cogeco’s lead reporter on the August 2014 flood, was everywhere during the days after the flood. she was in the homes that were ruined and talked with hundreds of people whose lives had been forever changed. She was literally everywhere the first few days after and said she crawled through close a 100 basements to personally see and record the damage. “There was a woman in her 90’s – there with her son looking at all the ceiling tile that had come down in the basement. Her husband, no longer alive, had built the home for the two of them. It was heartbreaking to meet and talk to these people.”
Kristin did her first piece of broadcast reporting when she was 17 – “I fell in love with the business that day and have been in broadcast all of my career”. She includes her formal training at Loyalist College as part of that career.
She worked with CKWS in Kingston, the CBC television affiliate and proudly point to two stories that went network wide.
Demeny has been with Cogeco for five years.
Ben Lyman, Manager, Programming and Community Relations at Cogeco Cable, is recognized as the Executive producer of the documentary and said that “, we had documented so much footage at the start of the flood for our new local news program, we knew we could take it a step further.”
“At that time we decided we can produce what could be considered a historical documentary on this flood. That we would sit down with residents that were affected, let them tell their stories of how devastating this flood actually was to them and the city as a whole.
 It was a flash flood – and the damage done was significant. Most of the city wasn’t even aware that it had happened – the rain fell in just one part of the city – 191 mm in a single day, “We knew a documentary was the way to move forward with this project. Kristin Demeny who had been our lead reporter in covering the flood was the lead producer for the project and with the help of Daniel Ricottone’s editing skills (he directed/edited TVCogeco’s Special on Chris Hadfield before he took command of ISS), we knew this duo would be able to tell the stories that needed to be told and create a lasting impact for our viewers.
“Once you watch this documentary, you really empathize with the victims of the flood and you realize how much work needed to be completed to get their lives back on track. As the station manager, I was very proud of the work our team completed in producing this doc. and was very pleased to see, in particular the vision I had for this flood documentary come to fruition this fall.”
It is certainly worth watching.
 By Staff
September 17, 2105
BURLINGTON, ON
All the work, all the anticipation and then the scurrying around to make it actually happen – and we realize that it comes down to the weather.
There are some people who don’t know about the event – where have they been?
It is Supernova – takes place on Old Lakeshore Road from 7 to midnight. More than 20 artists showing you what they do.
 Last year it was called the Cirque – 3500 people showed up – this year it is a Supernova on Old Lakeshore Road. Worth the walk. Last year the event took place at the Village Square – 3500 people showed up.
This year there is a lot more space – enjoy the night.
One of the artists has created a Wishing Forest. Here is how he tells that story.
By Staff
September 17, 2105
BURLINGTON, ON
Orchard Community Park Splash Pad
The splash pad at Orchard Community Park will experience some disruptions between Sept. 21 and 25 as a result of construction work on the soccer field. We apologize for the inconvenience.
 By Pepper Parr
September 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Tom Muir, an Aldershot resident known for his persistent questions at city council meetings and what his council member might call ongoing badgering.
Muir is one of those guys that wants to look at the details – for he knows the devil is always in those details.
He currently wants to know why the city did not have a position on the application the ADI Development Group had made for Official Plan and zoning changes to the property at the south north corner of Lakeshore Road and Martha Street.
City council did debate the application at a Standing Committee and Staff put forward an excellent report which set out what the Planning department thought. During the debates at the Standing Committee it was pretty clear that no one at city council was on for this project and most of the hands went up saying this isn’t for us – but those votes are not recorded and have no standing.
 Not on single member of city council was for the ADI development – but they never got to vote officially against the project. some either forgot to count the number of days before ADI could go to the OMB or there was plain rank incompetence somewhere. It is the votes at city council that matter – and there was never a vote by city council because – wait for it – the 180 day period had ended the day before city council was to meet – and the ADI Development Group had taken their application to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) arguing that the city had failed to make a decision on their application within the 180 day deadline.
“I would like an explanation” asked Muir “of how the staff report on this project did not make it to Council within the 180 days mandated in the legislation.” The fact is the planning staff did get their report to city council and it was debated at Standing Committee. The other fact is that the Mayor either couldn’t count out 180 days or didn’t think it mattered all that much.
 It is a very large building – the highest ever proposed for this city and is on a very small lot. The city planners recommended it not be approved – a Standing Committee agreed – but city council never got to officially vote no on the project. There was more than enough evidence to indicate how ADI was going to behave – they had already taken the city to the OMB on a different development.
Muir is quite right however – there has never been a word from the office of the Mayor on the ADI development – there was a discussion at Standing Committee earlier in the week on a confidential matter related to the Lakeshore Road development.
Muir calls this a “a failure of transparency and accountability” – the failure is in the city not realizing the kind of developer they were up against. ADI knew what the rules were and he played by them.
The city did not have a scheduled council meeting and didn’t see any reason, apparently, to suggest to the Mayor that he call a special council meeting – he has the authority to do that.
 The city has a major beef with this sign – don’t think it is legal. The failure is that the city council apparently did not see this coming – when they should have. The Director of Planning should have had a meeting with the Mayor to advise him of the seriousness of a delay and then followed that up with a memo to cover his butt.
The Mayor should have seen this one coming.
The ADI development was on the agenda the evening council met to vote officially on the proposal. When city staff got word that ADI had taken their application to the OMB council was no longer permitted to discuss the issue – it was now in the hands of an OMB Commissioner.
Muir wants to “know the line of responsibility for this failure”. Look to the planning department, the city’s Solicitor and the office of the Mayor.
 The ADI Development Group is converting a lower Brant retail location into a sales office for their Nautique project – as yet approved – for the corner of LAkeshore Road and Martha Should ADI prevail at the OMB hearing, and there are a number of reasons to believe they will, the city will pay a high price in terms of the way they want to develop their downtown core.
There are better ways to run a city. The first hearing of the ADI application to the OMB is scheduled for March of next year.
Meanwhile ADI has opened up a sales office on Brant Street. They have redone the outside of the building and appear to be putting up a high end sales office. Many people are asking how they can do this when the project has yet to be approved by anyone. Good question. ADI can open an office to sell whatever he wishes – what he will be doing is taking registrations and perhaps a deposit from people who think they would like to purchase a unit.
 ADI redid the front of the sales office location with stucco giving it a softer look. The detailing on the inside is very polished and sophisticated. There will be a lot of muscle behind their sales and marketing program. Their advertisements are already seen on web site with a considerable amount of newspaper advertising as well The ADI people don’t do very much without the advice of their legal counsel – and they have retained a very competent firm, Weir & Foulds, to represent them. Expensive – but they are tough guys to beat.
 By Pepper Parr
September 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It was an evening during which half a dozen people spoke glowingly about a man who is a classic introvert and in public settings painfully shy. A crowd of perhaps 100 people wandered around the Family Room of the Performing Arts Centre (now to be called The Centre) and gossiped, got caught up on things and then listened as various people spoke about Brian McCurdy, the retiring Executive Director of The Centre.
 An apprehensive Brian McCurdy listens as he is lauded and recognized during a goodbye reception
 A smiling Brian McCurdy – he is going to be missed. while with us he did a superb job. His replacement, Suzanne Haines was on hand – the people who are at the centre of much of what happens in this city introduced themselves to her.
The Centre’s first Executive director was on hand to watch the passing of the torch. She was given some of the credit and recognition she should have been given before she left the position several years ago.
Mayor Goldring spoke about the difference the Centre has made to the city and the growth that has taken place in the arts. During McCurdy’s time the program grew to include more local talent and a broadening of the program plus a significant increase in the number of performances on the two stages.
McCurdy commented on what is involved in opening a new theatre. “I have opened three new theatres and know that it is not easy. What I was able to build during my time here was due in no small measure to what was done before I got here.”
There was more than one occasion when city council had to speak rather forcefully to a former Chair of the theatre board about the size of the subsidy that was needed. When the $500,000 a year the city was prepared to live with ballooned to $1.2 million – Council came down hard on the theatre board – changes were needed and the then Executive Director left the position.
Wednesday evening was a time to celebrate and those taking part in the pleasant goodbye got a chance to see how McCurdy worked with his staff. The star of the evening was the young man who runs the ticket office. Ty Howie told of a Brian McCurdy most people seldom see – a series of anecdotes and jokes and McCurdy’s difficulty with the GO train schedule gave us a glimpse of the man.
 From the left: Theatre Board chair Ilene Elkaim former Executive Director Brenda Heatherington, retiring Executive Director Brian McCurdy and newly appointed Executive Director Suzanne Haines. The words staff watched for very carefully was when McCurdy said “I have an idea” – they knew changes were coming. Those ideas resulted in the 80 performances put on last season and the 100+ that are expected during the season we are now into.
A man with more than 35 years’ experience in the theatre world had seen it all and brought that depth of talent to the footlights of the Centre’s stages – the results were evident.
McCurdy started his career wanting to play the trombone – that wasn’t where he belonged. Brian Coulter, a colleague of McCurdy’s who recently retired from an arts position in Oakville said McCurdy is the kind of person you “hear of long before you meet him”
Watching McCurdy as all these accolades flooded around him was awkward for him. “It was kind of surreal” he said – “they were talking about me.” It just wasn’t something he was used to or comfortable with.
Ty Howie, the ticket manager, told the audience how McCurdy would continually ratchet up the goals and things just worked out.
The Jazz in the Plaza series was an astounding success – expect that to be expanded next year; making stage and rehearsal space in the Studio Theatre available to community groups was a particular joy for McCurdy. Instead of booking a show and working with agents – he was working directly with the talent and having the time of his life. “That’s why we get up in the morning” he said during his remarks in which he set out just how much had been done.
 Newly appointed Executive Director of the Performing Arts Centre: Suzanne Haines The programming base for the season we are into has been set, there is a solid management team in place. The Board is well rounded with an energetic chair. Combine that with a new Executive Director and a level of satisfaction at city council we can now watch to see how Suzanne Haines builds on what was done before her.
One of the most positive notes was McCurdy telling the audience that a Council member recently said to him: “I don’t get calls anymore.”
By Pepper Parr
September 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Look in almost any car in a mall parking lot and you will see a car seat for a child in the back. Legally required and gratefully used by every parent – was the seat properly installed?
A the leading provider of Canadian car seats is sponsoring the Canadian Walmart Car Seat Clinic that will take place in the parking lot of the Walmart located at 4515 Dundas Street W on September 26 from 10 AM – 4 PM.
The sponsors are encouraging people to make an appointment on their website (www.gracobaby.ca/news), but we will also take drop-ins.
 There is a right way and a wrong way to install a car seat. You have to have one – might as well do it properly. Appointments will last for approximately 30 minutes (per car seat). The technicians will check and install seats for all ages and stages and any brand car seat. They encourage people to bring the manuals for both their vehicle and their car seat, along with their child if possible.
Graco Canada, the sponsors of the event, claim that 90% of Canadian car seats are installed improperly and/or misused. Common errors include a missing top tether, an improperly positioned chest clip, and loose harness straps, not to mention children riding in seats that do not accord with their weight, height, and age.
The simple habit of a child wearing a winter coat within their car seat can render the seat ineffective. The reality is that parents and caretakers love their children, but they don’t always know how to best protect them in a motor vehicle.
By Pepper Parr
September 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The recommendation in the Staff report was to Dissolve the Flood Disaster Relief Committee and direct the City Clerk to notify the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing of the dissolution of the City of Burlington’s Flood Disaster Relief Committee.
Dry, cold, bureaucratic wording that added: the purpose was to comply with the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP) Guidelines that require municipal councils to pass a resolution to dissolve their volunteer disaster relief committees.
 The storm came in from the west and hovered over the headwaters of the creeks – and stayed there for more than six hours. And that was it – Burlington’s response to the August 4, 2014 flood was now officially closed.
Yesterday, many of the people involved with responding to the flood gathered at the Performing Arts Centre (now to be known as The Centre) to congratulate those who had done so much and hand out the obligatory plaques, which are an important part of the process, and to watch, as Mayor Goldring put it, “the world Premiere of the half hour documentary: Flash Flood produced by Cogeco TV”
The film told the story of how on Aug. 14, 2014, ten days after the rainstorm, at a special meeting of Council, the city unanimously supported requesting the Province of Ontario to declare the City of Burlington a disaster area for the purposes of seeking funding (both the public and private components) through ODRAP.
The Burlington Community Foundation was approached to assist with the establishment of a Flood Disaster Relief Committee (DRC) to help address the financial needs of the residents impacted by the storm. Colleen Mulholland was given a plaque and for the first time in the past year she had her picture taken without a cardboard donation cheque in front if her. Ron Foxcroft, who can now take Colleen’s phone number out of his speed dial list said his city was “aggressively generous” – and it was.
The documentary told the story of how the community pulled itself together, helped each other and fought hard, and it was a fight, to get financial support from the province.
There were perhaps 50 people in the room watching the documentary was shown. The strongest point that came across was the way people managed the loss of personal property – pictures, mementos, keepsakes that were gone forever.
One woman had the shoes she was to be married in stored in her basement – they were saved and she wore them several months later.
One couple told of learning that there insurance was limited to $5000 – with a $1000 deductible.
The audience learned that the Mayor, whose home was badly flooded, was just settling the finer points of his claim with his insurance company.
 Mark Preston on the left was one of the insurance brokers evaluating the claims – Rick Burgess on the right gave legal advice through the claims process. Mark Preston, an Aldershot based insurance broker said that he had three clients that were flooded and that the local group of insurance brokers had more than 40 claims on the go.
Mayor Goldring made the comment that those who bought their insurance on-line learned the hard way of the real value an insurance broker brings to the table.
 Nancy Swietek, on the right, listen to a flood victim during a public meeting. Colleen Mulholland and Ron Foxcroft were once again lauded for the outstanding work they did – it was well deserved. The three insurance experts who were drafted – which is the best way of explaining how they ended up doing the job they did – were also recognized. The two men and one woman worked for hours every second week as they reviewed every claim and determined what could be paid out. Those three insurance people, Mark Preston, Nancy Swietek and Bruce Russell didn’t get paid a dime. Nor did Rick Burgess, who sat in on all the meetings of the Claims committee providing legal advice.
The Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP) allowed the agency that co-ordinated the fund raising and the claims process to be paid for the reasonable expenses they incurred. The Community Foundation submitted a bill for less than $85,000 – the bargain of the century for the city.
The final speaker, at an event with an open bar, not something done in this city very often, was Eleanor McMahon, who at that time was newly elected and had never heard the acronym ODRAP – neither had any one at city hall for that matter. “We learned what that meant pretty quickly” said McMahon who did a fine job of binding the city’s wounds and putting a soft, dignified close the a disaster that while local was nevertheless devastating for those whose homes filled with water much faster than they thought possible.
 Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon at the Elwood Street party months after the flood. “We had people in this city whose lives were on their front lawns” said McMahon, “going through an experience they believed they would only see on television”. But it happened in Burlington where people learned very quickly how to ask: “How can I help?”
One man told of a lady who went door to door in the Regal Road area with green plastic bags asking people to put their laundry in the bag and she would return with it washed and folded. The speaker in the documentary had difficulty telling that story – he kept gulping. While she would not want us to say who she is – it was Carol Gottlob who walked around taking in laundry.
Councillors Dennison and Sharman made hundreds of visits to homes even though there wasn’t all that much they could do personally other than follow up on matters.
The handling of the claims and the concerns had been outsourced by city hall to the Burlington Community foundation – which is what the ODRAP regulations required. All the city was permitted to do was pick up the reasonable costs incurred by the foundation.
For many people in the flooded areas – it was the occasion when they met many of their neighbours for the first time.
The city and Regional Council have set aside $110 million to improve the management of storm water. An additional person has been added to the payroll to set up procedures and over see this kind of problem in the future –a future that everyone believes will include more weather related problems – climate change and its consequences are being visited upon us.
 The Storm Water Management tax is going to hit the strip malls heavily – the asphalt covering didn’t allow for storm water to drain off quickly. There is expected to be an additional line on the tax bill related to the management of storm water – the Fairview strip malls and the large mall parking lots are going to feel the weight of this tax more than anyone else. The huge swaths if asphalt that cover those parking lots meant the flood waters had nowhere to do – expect that problem to get some hard nosed thinking at city hall
 For many residents it was a very personal experience and they needed help – badly. The documentary Flash Flood will premiere for the public this Sunday (Sept 20th) at 8:00 pm
Kristen Demeny was the camera operator and interviewer and the energy behind the production. Joey Ricottone did the editing and Ben Lyman was the Executive producer.
In the not too distant future a plaque with the names of the major donours and the people that were there when they were needed will be bolted to a boulder in Civic Square – future generations will glance at it and know next to nothing of the day that 191 mm of rain fell on a part of the city in less than seven hours and damaged more than 3500 homes and scarred the hearts of many for life.
“Whenever it rains” said one man in the documentary “I look outside and wonder how long it is going to rain this time.”
By Staff
September 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Walkers Line – Nighttime Closure on Sept. 16
All northbound lanes of Walkers Line will be closed at North Service Road for excavation work starting Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 10 p.m. to Thursday, Sept. 17 at 5 a.m.
Northbound traffic will be detoured along North Service Road.
Southbound lanes on Walkers Line are not impacted.
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