 September 19, 2013
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. It was like one of those small things that you come across. An object you see in a store window, a restaurant menu that delights the palate, a sunset or a cloud formation that deserves the word – awesome.
If you were there – and you could have been there – the No Vacancy event held at the Waterfront Hotel Thursday evening was certainly a one of a kind. Held in a part of the hotel where the hallways were narrow and left people feeling a little crowded which turned out to be part of the charm of the evening.
 The images, some thirty of them were just hanging from the ceiling by a piece of nylon – twisting from time to time. It was simple, almost austere until you looked closely at the work and saw immense detail. People kept wanting to go back to the room and look again. Ten artists either in their room doing their work or standing outside the room assigned to them welcoming you and in a couple of cases handing out a small memento to remember the experience. And there were experiences.
Ten area artists were each given a room and asked to do whatever they wanted with the space. They were to be open to the public for just three hours.
The space couldn’t handle all that many people and the hallways were plugged solid at times; people bumping into friends and chatting away. There were a couple of “slam poets” that brought energy and life to the hallways.
 Kyle Tonkens stepped way outside his comfort zone and stretched the imaginations of most of those who looked at his installation. It was a bold, brave move. It wasn’t the kind of thing that could be reviewed. Some of the artists had a large collection of their work on the walls of the room. Another went way, way WAY outside his artistic comfort zone and put on one of the most stunning displays. Two people in a room, one standing, and the other stretched out face down on the bed. If you were there – you hopefully understood the significance and the strength of the installation.
Another artist had a small table of small flashlights that you needed to work your way through her display – the room was close to totally dark. I didn’t get the significance of the ironing board in the bathtub but the room was fun to experience.
Selina Jane Eckersall is to be credited for getting the event off the ground. Too early to tell if all the work was worth the outcome. The sense I got was that everyone wanted more.
What Burlington is beginning to see is a cultural layer that was below the surface and not seen by very many people. When Jeremy Freiburger turned in his Cultural Directions document to the city – he was commissioned to do the report – then watched it sit on a desk for more than six months before the city finally got moving on public consultations the artists in the city decided they needed to do something.
The formed a collective; held a meeting. Twenty people came to the first, sixty to the second and there is now a group of 220 + people who chatter away on the Facebook page they created.
And they do chatter and in the process the public gets to learn more about just how much there is going on in this city. It is amazing – few people knew about much of it.
 One author complained about not being able to put up any literature on the Bulletin Board at the library – the space is apparently only for non-profit organization; something we will look into. Everyone knows that Canadian authors by definition are non-profit operations.
The Arts and Cultural Collective may not move the yard stick very much at city hall but they have broken that hard surface and people now know more about the events taking place.
Mayor Goldring is certainly onside. He attended the first Public Consultation and was close to overwhelmed with the energy and the talent he saw. Translating that enthusiasm into policy with funds attached to it is going to be the challenge.
There wasn’t a dime of public money spent on the event.
There are some very interesting art and cultural events going on in this city – it is out there – you just have to dig to find it.
Don’t expect to see anything on the library bulletin boards however.
Will Selina Jane Eckersall do another show next year? She should.
 September 19, 2013
By staff
BURLINGTON, ON. Earlier this week a 13-year-old Burlington girl was walking home on Palmer Drive near Newlands Crescent when she sensed she was being followed.
While walking, she turned to see a man walking behind her and quickened her pace to create some distance.
A few moments later her wrist was grabbed and the man spun her around and touched her inappropriately. The girl fought off the man and ran home.
The victim did not report the matter to police until earlier today, September 19th.
The suspect is described as white, older than 20 years of age, wearing a baseball cap, light coloured t-shirt and jeans. The suspect may have had piercings in his mouth area, known as ‘snake bites’.
This is the second incident of public molestation of young girls in the city in less than a week.
Police offer the following prevention tips when walking:
Walk with a purpose
Be alert and attentive of your surroundings at all times
Avoid unlit streets and shortcuts through parks and/or vacant lots
If you suspect you are being followed, cross the street, scream if necessary
IF YOU FEAR FOR YOUR SAFETY, CALL 9-1-1
Call the police as soon as you can to report the incident; they can move very quickly and be in a neighbourhood in minutes.
 September 18, 2013
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. It was an event held at perhaps the most prestigious site in the city. It had relatively little to do with Burlington and at the same time it had everything to do with Burlington.
 Marlaine Koehler, part of the Waterfront Regeneration Trust that created the Waterfront Trail that first opened in Burlington just east of the Canal on Mother’s Day in YEAR Some of the best minds in the province were in the Discovery Room overlooking the lake and Spencer Smith Park with the pier at the east end. There were people from municipalities and government agencies across the province. They were there to honour two women: Marlaine Koehler and Vicki Barron who, together, were the driving force behind the creation of the Waterfront Trail that today stretches from Niagara on the Lake to the Quebec border and has begun to include large parts of Lake Erie.
 Vickie Barron, one of two women given the David Crombie Award bu the Canadian Urban Institute in Burlington earlier this week. Nothing like this had ever been done before. The initiative came out of a Royal Commission led by Crombie that resulted in a Waterfront Regeneration Trust; an organization that holds waterfront property or the right to walk on properties in trust for the public.
There was a time when Burlington was a leader in the development of the “waterfront”, something David Crombie reminded us of when he was in the city a few years ago talk to the Waterfront Advisory Committee.
Crombie was back to witness the awards being given and took advantage of the opportunity to chat up the Mayor on how he was doing with the plans for the Beachway Park. This park is where the Waterfront Trail used to begin. The series of pictures set out below show – well, check the body language. Crombie was having some difficulty with comments Goldring was making.
Mayor Goldring is struggling with this issue. I think his heart is in the right place, which is more than can be said of some of his council members, but setting out a vision and then executing the leadership to make the vision a reality is not our Mayor’s strong suite.
The pictures are shown in the sequence they were taken in – minutes apart.
 David Crombie, centre, likes everyone he meets and has a soft spot for Burlington. Crombie listen, he listen carefully. Mayor Goldring is on the left with the chair of the Waterfront Regeneration Trust on the right.  The conversation was about the lakefront, the Beachway and Spencer Smith Park. Crombie who has vast experience with how to make the waterfront accessible to the public and at the same time include community makes a point. Is Goldring listening?  Crombie thinks about the responses being made by Mayor Goldring.  The folded arms tell the story – and the expression on Crombie’s face suggest he doesn’t like what he is hearing. The city will have a better idea of what Mayor Goldring thinks when he speaks at Council Monday. The city’s position on the Beachway Park, which will the go to Regional Council, will be made known on Monday. Ms Koehler told the small audience something about the day, it was a Sunday, a Mother’s Day when the Waterfront Trail was officially opened. “we got calls from Hamilton asking if the trail could be stretched to their part of the province and we explained that Hamilton had not taken part in the planning and making a last-minute change just couldn’t happen”.
The event was one of those things that take place to honour our best in this country. What made this event particularly poignant was the presence of former Toronto Mayor David Crombie. The award was given in his name and he had worked for many years with the two women. Crombie has been the strongest argument in the province for making our waterfronts livable places.
Burlington is on the cusp of making a decision that will define for a century what kind of a waterfront we are going to have as decisions get made about what Burlington wants to see done with the Beachway Park – a location that was at one point thought of as a bit of a slum; a place where biker gangs held court and where houses were yards away from a railway line and hydro towers loomed over everything.
Council Blair Lancaster told a committee meeting that when she was a young woman she “wasn’t allowed to go to the park”. Janet Turpin Myers, a recently published Burlington author, said that “when I was young you were behaving really badly if you went to that place. It was seen as a ‘wild’ place.
The vision parks and recreation staff has put forward is “plastic”. It has no life, no vitality and no colour and no imagination. It is what you would expect from bureaucrats. The limited vision that came out of Parks and Recreation is far from final and there will be some good work done to make the park much more vibrant.
What is missing is the strongest thing the park has going for it and that is the “community” that is already there and one that should be grown.
It took Torontonians a couple of years to get to the point where homes were allowed to remain on their islands – making it one of the nicest, safest places to visit in that city.
 The city wants to create four zones within the park that will allow for the protection of the sensitive sand dunes and for the creation of better parking. The current plan to to take four properties that are currently privately owned and turn them into park space. There are three structures on the four properties. On the plus side, the city has limited the land grab it wants to do to four pieces of property with four structures.
What Marlaine Koehler and Vicki Barron did with their Waterfront Trail work was change the mindset. They were the beginning of the movement that brought the lake back into the hands of the public and made it a living breathing place. Ms Koehler told her audience that her mother saw the lake as a place where “dead fish being washed up on the shore”. Koehler and her children visit Burlington frequently and swim at Beachway Park. My children see that body of water much differently than I did when I started working on it. They see it as a place that is rightfully theirs. My generation had to fight to get it back into the hands of the public. The Waterfront Agency in Toronto has spent seven years getting three km of the trail through the downtown part of that city. It is still a struggle but courageous people with innovative ideas have shown it can be done.
Burlington can have a Beachway Park that will become the envy of the province; a place where community, a protected environment and activities for all ages can be enjoyed.
As people were getting ready to leave the event a large ore carrier was seen coming out of Hamilton’s harbour. Crombie pointed to the ship and said: “I want to go home on that”. Minutes earlier Crombie said to me that Goldring needed to be cautious because he was about to make a long-term decision.
 September 17, 2013
By Piper King
Wendel Clarke opened up his new shop on Brant Street last week with a nod to the football season and looking for a way to raise some coin for the Critical Care Unit at the hospital
 Hot buttered soul – the band. You can almost taste music like that. The franchise owner slapped a $10 cover charge on everyone who walked through the door and then gave them a swag bag of goodies that far exceed the $10. The “donation” provided every attendant with unlimited access to a delicious pulled pork entrée (fresh off the roasted pig), hot dogs, hamburgers, corn on the cob, bean salad and coleslaw, as well as live performance from band Hot Buttered Soul playing out on the main level patio.
It got better – two drink tickets and a chance at a 50/50 draw. More yet – Prizes included in the draw were a barbeque hibachi, a wine tour, three $50 gift certificates to Canyon Creek, dinner for two at Paradiso, dinner for two at Montana’s.
The grand prize was a Wendel Clark jersey which Clark will sign when he is next in town..
Wendel Clark’s opened in June 2013 by franchise operator Merlin Webbe. Kristina Frizell set up the fundraiser. Hubby Chris Frizell pulled food serving duty.
 Staffer takes the first dunking – all in the name of a good cause; Critical Care at JBH The band swung between light jazz, blues and jazz cover titles. Management didn’t like the way donations were going in so they hoisted some of the staff onto the dunk tank platform and for a reasonable sum – down they went. Leah, a staffer took the first dive.
Guests chose between the spread on the patio or off the menu. I went for the traditional poutine and apple blossom (Wendell’s fresh twist on the classic Apple Pie).
 Our Foodie isn’t recommending the poutine; too salty and the coverage of the gravy left something to be desired. From a foodie’s point of view, and I am a foodie – I was there for the food – the poutine was tasty, but a little bit salty, some of the fries were untouched by the gravy and a few of the cheese curds were not melted.
 The Apple Blossom worked for our Foodie. “I’ll be going back for more of that” she advised. The Apple Blossom on the other hand was a hit! The innards of a delicious apple pie was wrapped in a blossom-shaped pastry, but exposed! To the left of the blossom was a line of whipped cream and to the left of that a scoop of vanilla ice cream. When I took a scoop of ice cream and a scoop of the blossom, it was a phenomenal sensation when hot met cold in my mouth!
I need to go back again – just so I can try another comfort food and dessert off the menu.
Most of the crowd was there for a good meal and not for the football kick off. With it being football pre-season, the only sports viewable on the television was mainly hockey. Golf doesn’t count as a sport – it’s what hockey players do when they are not on the ice.
It was a decent event was fairly decent, but it did not draw as much of a crowd as anticipated. The upside was that those $10 donations will work their way to the hospital.
Wendel Clark’s – Burlington
380 Brant Street, Burlington, Ontario L7R 2E8
Phone: 905-633-9217
Piper King will be writing about food for the Burlington Gazette.
 September 17, 2013
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. Last July the Burlington Slam Project celebrated five years of monthly poetry slams in this city. That’s an impressive number and impressive enough to convince the Canada Council to send some coin their way.
This month, with the generous support of our favourite local pub, The Black Bull; we are able to offer the winner of our first slam of the season a $100 CASH PRIZE. Second prize is a generous gift certificate to the Black Bull Neighborhood Pub itself.
 Poets read and the audience judges. If you like what you hear – you clap loudly. And if you think you have something to say – sign up and take the mike. What’s a Poetry Slam? It’s a competition judged by the audience. They are held in cities all over the world – San Francisco, New York, Dallas, Madrid, New Zealand, Hamilton and Burlington.
It’s the kind of thing you’ve gotta be in the room to fully appreciate. You never know who is going to say what. Every month there is Open Mic – anyone can sign up and share anything for 5 minutes. There is usually a feature artist to really rock the show.
Thursday evening the event will be The P.O.E. (Poetically Organized Entity); Hatched: 1981, on planet Aggression; Parents: Sarcasm, Spite; Occupation: Articulation; Special Skills: Speed, rhymes and rage. Points of Note: Beaten, ship full of hip hop awards. Quote: “I’m just some weirdo whose axis is off kilter, whose half assed practice has enough skill to kill ya“
 Raw, straight from the heart performances – some are exceptionally good. The Poetically Organized Entity (P.O.E.) is James Owen Brown. A slam poet from Hamilton Ontario, he has competed nationally at the Canadian Festival of Spoken word twice and been a semi-finalist. He has been a finalist at the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam and was the first ever winner of Last Poet Standing. In 2012 P.O.E. won the title of Grand Slam Champion of Toronto as well as the first ever Champion of Champions Cup. He has released a chapbook of poems called “More Poetiker Than Ever”. Typically P.O.E.’s style is very intense and aggressive. His hip hop background comes through in most pieces and his use of pop culture references to help clarify the abstract has made him a southern Ontario favourite.
If you’ve a taste for an appreciation of the English language – give it a try.
Thursday is a full night – but you can cover the No Vacancy in the ten rooms event at the Waterfront, runs from 6 to 9, and then scoot up Guelph Line and take in the Slam at the Black Bull
 September 17, 2013
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. At every game you would see him walking through the stands selling 50/50 tickets. There weren’t a lot of takers but that didn’t matter – week after week Ryan Harrison, Director of Sales and Marketing for the Burlington Bandits did the job – which earlier this week paid off.
 The season needed a lot of improvement – but the community spirit is certainly evident. The Bandits turned over $1062.00 to the Burlington Hamilton United Way 2013 campaign. The day of the $7 million target for the campaign ArcelorMittal Dofasco announced a really big donation – for which everyone was grateful.
 Ryan Harrison, Director of Sales and marketing for the Burlington Bandits in their traditional red sweaters. But for the United Way to be really successful – the giving has to happen at the small operations – in the places where someone will take on the task of bringing in those small amounts which grow into big amounts when there are enough of them.
Last year Burlington missed its target by $90,000 – and that kind of a shortfall really hurts the organizations that end up getting less than they had budgeted for. To the Bandits – Good on You for the idea and for the effort.
 Last game of the season for the bandits. They made it really exciting in the closing innings. For those of you who take in a Bandits game next season – they will do better next year; they’re building, when you see Ryan – buy one of those 50/50 tickets.
 September 17, 2013
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. Enbridge Pipelines turned over a cheque for $7500 to the Burlington Fire Department as part of the corporations Safe Community Program. The funds will be used to equip a new simulation lab, which will be accessible by all of the regional departments including emergency planning crews. Some of the new equipment includes computers, software and training gear.
 Fire department accepts a donation from the company whose pipeline plans the city opposes. How did that happen? “We are pleased to support the fire department in Burlington because they help keep our community safe,” said Ken Hall, Senior Advisor, Community Relations, Enbridge. “The new simulation lab will help firefighters and emergency planning crews be better prepared to respond to urgent situations.”
 The Enbridge pipeline cuts across the rural part of Burlington. Should there be a leak or a break in that line – which is more than 40 years old – much of the water that runs off the escarpment would be threatened. One of those urgent situations could be a break or a leak in Enbridge’s Line 9 which cuts right across Burlington between Side roads 1 and 2.
 In a statement Enbridge said: “The safety of the people who live and work in communities where Enbridge operates remains the company’s highest priority. That’s why Enbridge is proud to support organizations that are focused on community safety.” In her day my Mother called statements like that “whoppers”.
In November 2012, Enbridge filed an application with the National Energy Board asking the board to approve the reversal of the segment of Line 9 between North Westover, Ont. and Montreal, Qué. in addition to requesting an expansion of the entire Line 9 capacity from Sarnia, Ont. to Montreal and a revision to the Line 9 Rules and Regulations Tariff to allow transportation of heavy crude.
Enbridge has already obtained approval to reverse the pipeline’s flow for the section running between Sarnia and North Westover, in south-western Ontario.
 At its April 8 meeting, City Council passed a resolution directing staff to request participation rights in Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Line 9B Reversal and Line 9 Capacity Expansion Project application was passed.
The city was granted permission from the National Energy Board to submit a letter of comment, which the city did on Aug. 6, 2013.
Burlington, along with just about every other community the pipeline passes through, opposes the Enbridge plans. In its comments to the National Energy Board that will be holding hearings on the application Enbridge has made to reverse the flow of Line 9 and to increase the volume of Alberta bitumen through the line Burlington said: “Upon review of Enbridge’s application the city continues to be concerned that the issues we have previously raised are not adequately addressed,” said Scott Stewart, general manager of development and infrastructure. “We want more than just assurances that our residents and natural environment will be protected.”
The city’s letter of comment requests that further analysis and review is done in the following areas:
Enbridge’s overall approach to minimizing the likelihood of a release
In the event of a release, that an effective and coordinated response plan is in place This plan must leverage the capabilities of local emergency response teams
Enbridge’s accountability, both financially and operationally, for any event.
As part of the City of Burlington’s letter of comment, resolutions from Halton Regional Council and the Town of Oakville were submitted. Also included in the submission were the notes from a community meeting held in February. “The community raised a number of concerns at this meeting with Enbridge, and we felt it was important to share them with the NEB as they review Enbridge’s application,” said Scott Stewart.
 Right through the Escarpment. Will the fire department use the Enbridge donation to figure out how they will get onto this land to soak up the oil if there is a leak or a break in a line that is 40 years old? Has Burlington harmed its credibility in accepting the Enbridge donation? Some municipalities chose not to accept donations which Enbridge is apparently handing out to anyone with an outstretched hand. Is Enbridge doing to Burlington what colonial Canadians did to the native population – got a lot of land for some coloured beads and cases of whiskey?
Are we in 40 pieces of silver territory?
 September 17, 2013
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. At a time when Burlington’s city council struggles with what it wants to do with the Beachway Park the man, who created the Waterfront Trail that runs through the park and most of the province as well, will be in town for a presentation and a media event.
 If there was ever an occasion for Mayor Goldring to seek the opinions of others on the Beachway Park – now is the time to do it and on Wednesday he will have an opportunity to listen to one of the best minds there is on waterfront development. Former Toronto Mayor met with Mayor Goldring at a Waterfront Advisory meeting a number of years ago. Time for another chat. Mayor Goldring will be in the room for the event that will honour two people who have been instrumental in keeping the Waterfront Trail alive. Former Toronto Mayor David Crombie will be taking part in an event that will see an award in his name given to Marlaine Koehler and Vicki Barron in recognition of their significant contribution to the public realm over many years in their roles with the Waterfront Regeneration Trust.
The David Crombie Award is given in recognition of people and initiatives that provide collaborative solutions to the complex problems facing Canada’s largest urban region – the Greater Golden Horseshoe, and, through engaging community members with government and private sector partners, support the repair, regeneration and/or enhancement of the region’s public realm.
That comes close to describing the problem and the opportunity Burlington faces with the Beachway Park. The event could be a dream come true for the residents of the Beachway Park who are struggling to keep a community in the park. Crombie suggested to the city sometime ago some of the options it had with waterfront development. Hopefully he will remind the city again during his visit.
Burlington is currently trying to figure out what it really wants to do with the homes. While it looks as if expropriation and tearing the homes down is off the table – the current residents don’t feel at all comfortable with what they suspect is the city’s long term plan – which appears to be to let all but three of the existing structures stay and hope that over time the owners will eventually sell out to the city, the Region or Conservation Halton.
 The Beachway residents are putting up a good fight and their efforts have brought about some changes. But the battle isn’t over yet. What the city needs, as it thinks its way through what the Beachway Park could be, is a solid shot of imagination. When David Crombie was last in Burlington, speaking to the Waterfront Access Protection Advisory Committee he asked if the city had a collection of oddballs that could think imaginatively. Perhaps he was talking about the current residents of Beachway Park.
 Is there anything for Burlington to learn from what was done with the Toronto Islands? At one point that city wanted to tear down all the homes and make it a gigantic park. Marlaine Koehler and Vicki Barron work with the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, the organization that created the Waterfront Trail, that is in a bit of a shambles in Burlington right now. Few Burlingtonians know that there was a point when Burlington was a leader in the creation of the Trail. The two women being honoured on Wednesday oversaw the development and management of several innovative partnerships that made a dramatic contribution towards the regeneration of the Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River waterfront.
For thousands of Ontarians, summer would not be complete without enjoying some time strolling, sunning, biking, running, or otherwise recreating along various stretches of Lake Ontario’s waterfront. And yet, only 20 years ago there was no waterfront trail that existed, outside of some imaginations and a Royal Commission report with recommendations that the Waterfront Regeneration Trust was established to implement.
In 1993, the Trust launched the Waterfront Trail and Greenway, the organization’s signature project, with a multi-faceted program that included sponsorship, major events, publications, and a collaborative branding program. By 1995, The Trust had accomplished the opening of the Waterfront Trail, a 350-kilometre, virtually continuous trail along the Lake Ontario shoreline, connecting hundreds of parks, historic and cultural sites, wildlife habitats and recreation areas from Stoney Creek to Trenton.
From 2003 to 2008 the Lake Ontario Waterfront Investment Program delivered over $27 million of public and private investment to the Lake Ontario waterfront. By 2008 the Waterfront Trail was 720 km from Niagara to Quebec, and connected 41 communities and over 182 parks and natural features. This year also saw the start of the Great Waterfront Trail Adventure, an annual ground-breaking public engagement program that encourages active transportation. It is a fully supported recreational bike ride passing through the 27 communities along Lake Erie, Detroit River and Lake St. Clair, where participants can explore the communities along the trail over the course of a week.
In 2013 the Waterfront Trail will expand westwards along Lake Erie, adding a second Great Lake and 27 new waterfront communities along a signed, mostly on-road route. This work has been accomplished in partnership with communities in south-west Ontario, Carolinian Canada Coalition, Transportation Options and Share the Road.
A panel will discuss the impact that waterfront revitalization can have on connecting communities, and the various challenges and innovations along the way. The key word there is “communities”: Burlington needs some help in seeing the bigger picture.
Ken Greenberg, one of the speakers Mayor Goldring brought to Burlington as part of his Inspire series will be on the panel. Greenberg fully understands the importance of community – perhaps he will leave more of his wisdom on Burlington’s doorstep.
 September 16, 2013
By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. Halton’s Chief of police must have shaken his head several times this morning when he signed off on the report that stated there were more than 1900 charges laid during Project Safe Start, the police initiative to make streets close to Regional schools safe.
Police laid over 1900 charges including:
Speeding 1152
Seatbelts 142
Stop Signs 158
Other 456 (including at least 28 Distracted Driving charges)
 Signs are pretty clear. Police still nabbed 1152 speeders during an All Hands on Deck which has the Chief of Police out writing up tickets. The two officers shown here were kept busy. While the project has come to an end the need to be vigilant when driving near schools is always necessary. Take extra care in and around School Zones and Community Safety Zones.
 Halton Regional Police Chief Stephen Tanner talks with Sgt Davies, the man who heads up the accident reconstruction unit. The two of them would really like to see fewer accidents. During the enforcement phase, several suspended drivers were taken off the road, two commercial vehicles taken out of service for severe mechanical defects and at least one person was charged with Stunt Driving. Keep in mind that all of these charges occurred within School Zones and Community Safety Zones!
Vigilance and due care and attention should always be paramount when driving; not just when police hold special campaigns such as Project Safe Start. Enforcement officers will still be out 24/7 keeping an eye on our roads to ensure safe travel for all.
 September 16, 2013
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. It was a decent event. The weather didn’t kill it; the organizers of the event did tell everyone to bring a chair and a blanket.
It was a respectable crowd.
 It was a respectable crowd. And they did like the idea of dancing to Robbie Lane and the Disciples. I missed the opportunity to spin Connie Smith around the dancing space – she twisted her ankle the day before and had it all bound up with tape – but being the trooper she is – she was on the stage sharing the MC task with Lane.
The Drifters took to the stage and – they were OK. There is this “best before date” thing and, well, they were beyond that date but the sound was still there and for many of us in the audience, we were at our best before date as well.
What was interesting was watching The Drifters as they sat at the table autographing their CD. They were excited to be there. There was none of that cool, we are celebrities stuff about them. If there had been a red carpet they would have been embarrassed to use it. They were having fun and seemed delighted to be remembered and appreciated.
 The things we did in the back seats of those cars. Did the event raise funds for the Halton Heros? The stage, the sound system and the support needed for an event like this doesn’t come cheap. The tickets were decently priced – not sure there is going to be much left over when all the expenses were added up.
Did we hear a well-known group at their best? No, but that’s not what most people came for – they came to see, hear and remember. Rick Shepherd wasn’t shy in saying that he was 74 years old and there he was up on the stage belting it out – feeding us songs we spent some of our youth on.
What many of us assumed was that Shepherd was an Afro-American. Turns out his blood lines are native American – Cherokee on one side.
 It was dark but he sound was distinct. The Love Train was the tune that sent us all home. The audience actually set up two trains – it was a fun event.  Big Sound that covered a lot of the bases. Fine dancing music. Pauley and the Goodfellas were a different act. Their music was louder, the tempo was quicker and they played what many others had played before them. People wanted to dance to the Goodfellas – much of the crowd wanted to listen to The Drifters.
Burlington’s MP, Mike Wallace danced to everything – and the man does a mean dance step.
 September 16, 2013
By Staff
The Burlington Terry Fox Run took in over $72,000 which slightly ahead of last year. The final tally, won’t be known for several weeks but there were more than 1000 participants and 140 volunteer.
 Casey Cosgrove talks with Deb Tymstra about the crowd he brought with him to the 2013 Terry Fox Run. 
 Run Warriors – it is this age group that shows up year after year.  When they burn up the energy – the need to refill those tanks. Hot dog stand was where most people ended up.  when you cross that finish line – a cup of water is real welcome. The Terry Fox organization in Burlington covers all the bases.  The Run done – this family re-groups and gets ready to head home – a good job done and some lessons learned.  The Remembering Board tells a large part of what the Terry Fox Run is all about.  A really special team – Casey Cosgrove and his supporters. Don Carmichael, chair of the 2013 Run said he thought the atmosphere was great and operations were smooth.
The changes to the course and parking seemed to have worked well. “We disappointed a few people” said Carmichael, “when we eliminated bikes but the big crowd just makes it impossible to have them.” The organization is already thinking about how to keep growing and improving the Run Day experience. We are looking forward to next year as we build toward the 35th anniversary in 2015.
The organization added a feature this year that many found touching. Deb Tymstra did live interviews with people on the Beachway Park grounds giving them an opportunity to tell their story; why they were taking part in the Run and what it meant to them.
In July 1980 Terry Fox ran through Burlington. He left deep foot prints and every year, for a little while, we get to follow those foot prints and run with him again. Sunday morning more than 1000 Burlingtonians followed those footsteps and raised more than $72,000 for Cancer Research, slightly ahead of last year.
 September 16, 2013
By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. It boiled down to a battle for third place and BurlingtonGreen did everything they could to hold that position.
The Jamieson Vitamins Call for the Wild was a race between five organizations for a share of the $100,000 prize.
 Early in the contest the Vancouver team was racing ahead but Burlington and Calgary caught up and battled for third place while Nova Scotia and Quebec went on to take the top two spots. Burlington Green looked at the competition and at first thought the Vancouver Aquarium was going to be the stiffest group to go up against but as it turned out Nova Scotia’s Hope for Wild Life, and McGill Universities Bird Sanctuary began to show as the clear leaders about a third of the way into the month-long contest.
 It was a stiff battle between Burlington and Calgary for the third spot in the $100,000 contest. The last week was a back and forth between Burlington and Calgary’s Wildlife Rehabilitation for that third spot.
Burlington put their membership out into the Terry Fox Run on Sunday where they were able to collect the name and email addresses of about 100 people who they then entered into the contest Facebook page and that basically did it for Burlington who racked up 11,042 votes to pull in $12, 576.
Calgary had 10,980 votes and took $12,505
Michelle Bennett of Burlington Green called it an amazing last day response from a very supportive community and we are so thankful to them.”
BurlingtonGreen added a local incentive and put a bicycle from Mountain Equipment Coop into the draw. Anyone who voted was able to slide over to the Burlington Green website and enter their name into the draw for the bike. The winner of that draw will be announced later this week.
 September 16, 2013
By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. Just after 5:00 pm, on Sunday, a 42-year-old Milton man was cycling down an incline on Britannia Road just east of Cedar Spring Road in the City of Burlington. The male lost control of his bicycle and crashed onto the paved roadway. A woman came across the injured cyclist and called emergency services.
Although he was wearing a helmet, the male was rushed to a nearby trauma centre with life threatening head injuries.
Due to the nature of the injuries, the Halton Regional Police Collision Reconstruction Unit attended the scene and took carriage of the investigation. Any witnesses are asked to call the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 905-825-4747 ext 5065.
 September 15, 2013
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. He will stand there quietly, chat with some of his many friends as he looks over the crowd. Many lined up at the registration table while others do their stretching exercises to get ready for the Run – The Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research.
It was 33 years ago when Greg Pace organized the first run. “I was all gung-ho at the time – everyone was. Terry Fox had run his Marathon of Hope and had to give up – but what a lot of people didn’t fully realize was the kid was running the equivalent of a 26 mile marathon every day. That was a phenomenal achievement and he did it with just the one good leg.”
There isn’t a Canadian alive today who saw that young man work his way from the east coast and through hundreds of Ontario cities, who will ever forget that little hop Terry Fox used to propel himself forward.
 Greg Pace with one of the Iron Maidens. And for Greg Pace, who lost his wife Kim to cancer, that is what it is all about – propelling ourselves forward. The Terry Fox Run started out at Sherwood Forest Park back in the 80’s where all we could set up was a 10k run” explained Pace. “We moved the event downtown but that didn’t work out – the priests at the downtown churches asked us to try and keep it quiet and not use the megaphones – they wanted to be able to finish their church services.”
“I started out by calling the Canadian Cancer Society but they didn’t seem to have their act together so we just organized the event and it took place. It was a really small committee; Fran Agnew who was working with Rob MacIsaac at the time and Chuck Dooley who is now teaching Phys Ed at Notre dame High school.
We ran the event for seven or eight years until others were able to take it over – and we now watch as young people grow the event. It`s great to see it continue.
Pace who has been around fitness all his life spent a couple of years at the Cedar Spring Health Club, was the man who opened up the Goodlife Health Club at Burlington Mall. Worked for a while at the Fitness Institute – one of the first operations totally committed to fitness improvement when it wasn’t seen as a business opportunity.
After working for others Greg decided to strike out on his own and formed Pace Performance where he has settled into working with people who want to prepare for endurance events – Triathlons and Iron Man events. He formed the Iron Maids that his wife was part of when she was an active athlete.
 Doing better than you expected with children there – every step of the way. When asked what he thinks now as he watches people doing the Run, Pace said it was hard to pin that thought down. “There is nothing better than watching someone do something that is better than they thought they could do” and “nobody thinks the run was a bad idea when they are doing that last 50 metres” he said. “Everyone comes away with a sense of accomplishment”, he added.
“In the beginning some people thought the Run was part of a wave; something that would peter out over time but today it is bigger and better than it ever was – it certainly has staying power – but then that’s what Terry Fox brought to the Run that he did wasn’t it, said Pace.
The Mayor of a city has the privilege of selecting individuals for special recognition. Rick Goldring recently presented Greg Pace with The Civic Recognition Award.
Greg, said the Mayor, “has been involved and donating his skills and time for various charitable and fitness organizations for over 30 years. Most notably, the Moon in June Road Race which in the last 20 years has raised over $450,000 for local charities and brings thousands of participants and spectators to the Burlington downtown core.”
“For the past four years the Halton Trauma Centre has received the proceeds from this race, raising over $100,000 to help provide assessment and treatment to children and adolescents who have suffered from abuse or neglect.”
Add the Terry Fox Run to that and you have quite a set of accomplishments. Think about that as you take part in the Terry Fox Run later today.
 September 14, 2013
By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. Three white males are being sought by police for an assault that took place on Upper Middle Road and Walkers Line at approximately 11:00 pm on Friday
 Plaza on the south side of Upper Middle Road near Walkers Line where an assault is believed to have taken place Friday night. A male and female pedestrian were near the plaza at 4021 Upper Middle Road when the occupants of a passing motor vehicle began a verbal altercation. After a brief exchange, the suspects exited the vehicle and assaulted the 26-year-old male victim. In addition, the suspects damaged the motor vehicle of a passerby who attempted to intervene. The victim was treated in hospital for minor injuries. The suspects fled in their vehicle and were observed in the area driving in a dangerous manner.
The Halton Regional Police are looking for any help they can get identifying three people responsible for the assault.
All three suspects are Caucasian males between the ages of 18-20 years. One suspect is bald/shaved head while another has short, spiked dark hair. No further descriptors available at this time.
The involved suspect vehicle is a black SUV, possibly a Toyota Highlander, with tinted windows and a tan leather interior.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Three District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext 2315, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or text “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
 September 14, 2015
By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. You could never say she was shy and this morning Michelle Bennett, BurlingtonGreen’s Program Coordinator, Go Local Food Network let everyone know what she wanted.
 In a statement she sent out to her vast email list she asked our MPP and our MP to pull up their email lists and get the word out to their people to go on-line and vote for BurlingtonGreen in the Jamieson Call for the Wild contest that has $100,000 to be shared by five organizations based on the number of votes they pull.
“Today, with 2 days left of the contest, it is time to pull in the ringers, said Bennett. “Would Burlington’s MP and MPP give a final push this weekend via your communications, media and personal contact lists, to encourage people to vote for BurlingtonGreen and support a template urban organization that supports the green space restoration and protection that benefits urban wildlife and habitat for our mutual enjoyment and conservation principles?”
 Describing the slim lead Burlington has over Calgary in the contest for a portion of the $100,00 prize as “precarious” would be about right. “The battle for 1st or 2nd has been won by either McGill in Montreal, or the large Hope For the Wild organization in Nova Scotia. The battle for a respectable 3rd is very achievable against Calgary even though it is 5 x larger in population size than Burlington. We are the underdog, but we really want to win this national distinction for Burlington and as of this morning, hold the precarious lead.
 Michelle Bennett, who has her own political capital, has called upon MP Mike Wallace and MPP Jane McKenna to use their political capital to drive up the Burlington numbers in the Jamieson $100,000 contest. Do the two politicians who represent the city even know about the event? The House of Commons is on its latest Tory version of the NDP Ray Days so Wallace has nothing to do for the next month. “Please don your sporting hats, join our competitive spirit, vote and spread the voting link (below) to your constituents, media and personal contacts. There is a large environmentally conscious population in Burlington that BurlingtonGreen is well tapped into, and we will remember and thank you for any efforts to this cause that you can provide this weekend.
BurlingtonGreen uses social media and will be at the Terry Fox Run gathering votes at the Beachway Rentals shop on Sunday. It would be awesome to see you there to encourage people to vote.
BurlingtonGreen added a bicycle with a retail value of $1,000 as something to be won by one of those who voted.
To enter the contest – get over to the Jamieson Facebook page to vote, You can vote once for each email address you have.
 September 14, 2015
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. It wasn’t particularly good weather when Terry Fox dipped the end of his artificial leg into the Atlantic Ocean in Newfoundland in 1980, but Burlington seems to get good weather for its annual Terry Fox RUN – during which hundreds of people just walk the course that begins at the Pump House in Beachway Park and circles from the Canal to the Waterfront Hotel.
 In 1980, with one leg having been amputated, he embarked on a cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for cancer research. Although the spread of his cancer eventually forced him to end his quest after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres (3,339 mi), and ultimately cost him his life, his efforts resulted in a lasting, worldwide legacy. The annual Terry Fox Run, first held in 1981, has grown to involve millions of participants in over 60 countries and is now the world’s largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research; over $500 million has been raised in his name. Last year Don Carmichael, chair of the run this year, as well as last year, reports there were 1200+ participants who raised just over $80,000. Best ever year was the 25th anniversary year, raising over $100,000. Burlington has had a run every year for the past 33 years and in that time has raised $1.5 million for cancer research.
Carmichael noted that in 2012 “we had a group running with more than 200 members. That was very, very significant and is a large part of what the Burlington Terry Fox run is all about.”
 Giving it all you’ve got. A 2012 runner. The local Terry Fox organization is delighted when large crowds of people turn out – but adds that the event is a fund raiser. Without the funds – cancer research just doesn’t take place and without the research – we lose people that we do not have to lose.
$84,000 was raised in 2011 while just $70,000 was raised in 2012.
Commemoration boards were set up on the site for people to write a few words on. What few know is that the organizing committee has kept every board ever set up and written on. They are set up each year in a quiet corner where people can go and read what they wrote in the past.
 Exhausting – but she felt great once she’d caught her breath. Every dollar raised in Burlington goes to cancer research and while the run doesn’t have an official sponsor there are organizations in Burlington that come forward to meet the needs that range from water to food. This level of support is hugely appreciated by not only the people who organize the run but by the community at large.
Cancer is a foul disease. We all know someone that has been lost to the disease and far too many of us have lost a member of our family to the disease. It can be beaten – we are beating it – but it takes research and advances in medicine to continue to save lives.
Last year a large crowd of supporters showed up with sweaters that had the letters COZ on them. These people were running for the Casey – Casey Cosgrove who has been battling cancer for a number of years. He is currently involved in a program at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto where he goes in once every week or so for the next step in his trial program.
Casey has a web site in which he posts some of his thoughts about this part of his journey. Let me share a most recent one with you:
It was a LONG 8-hour day in PMH yesterday. There at 7am, left at 3 to the usual lousy traffic…blood work, then an x-ray, then a meeting with my oncologist and study nurse, then a CT, then chemo. Long day, then raced back for a hockey game with Evans team, the team I coach.
 There were there in droves last year and grateful that they are running again this year. Casey will be with them. No results yet. They have told me to expect some “inflammation” in the affected areas that it is almost standard with this anti PD1 drug I am taking now. They will call me if anything out of the ordinary appears in my test results. I still feel fine, but one never knows – there is not always a direct correlation between how you feel and look vs. what’s going on inside one’s body – I think I’m living proof of that.
Bryna is going to be mad that I forgot to tell her this – I got the call the other day and forgot frankly. You may recall another study I did where they took a part of my tumour to see if its ‘markers’ may give them information about a drug or such that may be a good match for me. No such luck – my tumour didn’t show yield any particular unique information that gave them much more to go on. I was told that there was a ‘marker’ that was very unique, but what that means they don’t know. They simply scientifically don’t know what it may mean. So, no harm no foul on that one. It didn’t tell me anything really but they had to call and let me know.
All else is good here. Hockey has begun. School is in.
People like this define courage – Now you know why you need to be out there on Sunday – starts at 11 – and walk with hundreds of others.
 September 12, 2013
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. After years of struggle. After battling a civic administration that really didn’t want the thing saved and working around a city council that couldn’t come up with a solution even though they had federal funding to pay for a move – the Friends of Freeman station watched the structure move a couple of hundred yards from beside the fire station on plains Road to a spot in a field where they can begin the renovation and restoration work.
It was a very satisfying day for a small bunch of people.
 Leaving a place that was not very nice – station begins one of the shortest trips it has ever made.  The station is eased into a large excavation. She wasn’t being buried – just put into a location where a foundation can be put beneath the structure.  Construction equipment gets out of the excavation and the crews prepare the ground for the station to be eased down the slope.  The station is eased into a space where its foundation will be built.  All settled in. The tractor will unhitch and drive away. Those huge yellow beams will get pulled out once the station is lowered onto a set of cribs that will hold it in place while the foundation is built.  These are what are known as “Happy Campers” or Friends of Freeman Station. They are, from the left:John Mellow (Chair, Restoration & Relocation) , Alan Harrington (Treasurer), Bev Jacobs (Board Member) Brian Aasgaard (Vice President), Jacquie Gardner (Publicity), Reg Cooke (Secretary), and James Smith. President.
Now, as they put it, the real work can begin. There is some settling of the building to be done but that is just a detail.
It is in place, temporarily if the Friends of Freeman have their way, and over the next three to five years the work will get done.
During the lengthy debate over how the city wants to see the Beachway Park develop, city staff provided some pictures and layout on how the place would look when it is more like a park than it is now – there wasn’t a hint of a place for the Freeman Station. Unfortunate. That will get changed.
 September 13, 2013
By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. Wednesday, shortly after 5:00 p.m., two young girls were shopping at the Burlington Mall when they were inappropriately touched by the same man.
 The girls, aged 8 and 10, were at the Dollarama store when they were approached by a man who engaged them in conversation about toys.
The girls moved to another aisle, followed by the man, and while looking at hair products both girls were inappropriately touched by the man.
The girls moved further down the aisle and were again touched by the man who had followed.
Neither girl realized the other had been touched until they were proceeding to the register and had a discussion.
The man is described as: white, early 30’s, 5’7″, reddish-brown short hair with a goatee. He wore knee-length shorts, a light coloured t-shirt and a backpack.
Detectives from the Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Unit are continuing their investigation into this incident and are asking anyone with information to contact them at 905 465-8970, Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-TIPS(8477), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting ‘Tip201’ with your message to 274637(crimes).
 September 13, 2013
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. Put on a sweater, pick up the portable lawn chair and head out for Nelson Park and on the way remind the woman with you that these are going to be Magic Moments as you listen to the sounds of the bands you danced to when you were able to dance all night long.
 Now this is some mighty fine steppin – wouldn’t you say? This Magic Moment is an event that is part of the Halton Heros initiative which has set out to raise funds that can be used to support police officers who have been injured or fallen in the line of duty.
The idea came out of the minds of Walter Brown and Scott Robinson who took it along to Keith Strong who had put together the Halton Heros initiative. But that’s all about local politics and supporting the people who protect us – the evening is about music and a good time.
This is an occasion when the parents take over the high school grounds and dance the night away. Because this is Burlington the event will end at 10:00 pm.
 Those suits – we didn’t wear suits like that – did we? The audience will hear Pauley and the Goodfellas doing music from the 50’s and 60’s.
Robbie Lane and the Disciples will take to the stage; Robbie will do a piece or two with budding Burlington singer Charissa Pavlou.
 The Drifters – they were our kind of music back then – and they’re still going strong. The main event will be The Drifters who will do their signature song – This Magic Moment, as well as other hits from that period those of us collecting pension cheques grew up in.
Starts at 2:30 with all kinds of things to do in the afternoon and early evening. There is a food booth and a refreshment stand. And a place where you can dance the night away.
 Perhaps hula hoops are for the younger set. Connie Smith, far right, does her best to keep the hoops closer to her hips – she did get therm there – eventually. Connie Smith, who has by now learned how to wiggle a hula hoop around her hips, will share Master of Ceremonies with Robbie Lane as the evening works its way through the play list.
It should be a great evening. And it is being done without a dime of public money.
Tickets have been available on-line – and will be available at the gate – $35.
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