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July 6th, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
It is said that it is the little things that count. And when you gotta – you gotta – but where.
July 6th, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
In the art world you look for that promising undiscovered artist and buy their work because you like it and wait for the value of the piece you bought to appreciate. Making some money is nice but the satisfaction of discovering the artist on your own and making a purchase, maybe a couple, and waiting – and of course enjoying the art for the beauty and talent that spoke to you is what art collecting is really all about.  Lana Kamaric I have been watching a young artist for a number of years. I first met her at the No Vacancy event that took place in the Village Square a number of years ago; she was standing in the doorway to a space where her work was displayed. When she saw me she darted out and said: “You’re Pepper Parr and I have a bone to pick with you.” I’ve forgotten what it was she was unhappy about – but I admired the chutzpah and kept in touch. From time to time she would send me samples of her work. She is into what I call science fiction comic books – she calls it something else. She celebrates The Fourth and likes to dress up as if were Halloween.
 Lana Kamaric on the right at the 2019 Fan Expo. She is part of the Steam Punk Bat Gang Kamaric recently sent us a collection of watercolor works – there were nine pieces in the collection. Several of them impressed me and I wondered if they would be shown anywhere. Then I wondered – is there a space in Burlington where the work done by emerging arts can be displayed. Things are in a mild state of chaos at the AGB – maybe when things settle down the idea can be chatted up. Kamaric explains what she has been up to: “I accidentally painted a watercolour series.  “Focus” on paper 12 inches x 12 inches. All the watercolours are the same size “This was a concept I was thinking about a year ago and couldn’t quite figure out. I’m fascinated by the subconscious mind and how it shapes our conscious decisions and wanted to explore that. I now realize the problem was the fact that I was actively thinking about it with my conscious mind. It wasn’t until I stopped thinking and started painting that the idea took shape. “I was three paintings into the series before I realized what I was doing. What began as an experiment in watercolour portrait techniques quickly became a dive into the human psyche.  “Questions misplaced” “Watercolours are rebellious and don’t always do what they’re told, but that’s also what makes them fun. “You can swim upstream and struggle to reach your destination or you can surrender to the current and see where it takes you. This series reminded me to trust the process because it always ends up somewhere interesting. “I’m currently revisiting the portraits with acrylics to see how the medium will shift the outcome.” You can reach Lana at lanakamaric@gmail.com. If you like her style and are interested in her doing a commissioned portrait – she will take your call.
July 5, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
How well is the Re-Opening going? Is retail and hospitality recovering? There were long lines getting into the Mapleview Mall on the weekend. That was some of the good news – but the 17 new infections at the Schlegal Long Term Care residence on Upper Middle Road tells us that there is still strong reason to be very cautious. When we learn that just 52% of the staff were vaccinated – we ask – how did that happen? Why was that permitted? Have we not learned anything about this virus? A report on spending levels suggests that the re-open is going to be real.  Spending in Burlington looks to be better than the other regions
Reports suggest that there is a lot of money out there not being spent and at the same time we learn that the Food Banks struggle a bit to feed people who aren’t back at their jobs yet. Is there a pent up demand to spend when malls are open? Canadians accumulated $180 billion (~ $5800 per capita) in extra savings over 2020. 40% of these savings were accumulated by high-income households.  Is there a better economic story ahead of us? A report from the Bank of Canada suggest there is. 10% saved by low-income households. At peak, spending is predicted to increase at an annual pace of $500 per Canadian over Q4 2021, injecting roughly $4 billion into the economy that quarter Most of these savings are expected to be spent on high-contact services, including transportation, accommodation, and food services.  Source:COVID-19, savings and household spending -Bank of Canada(March2021) This would increase the demand for labour and create approximately 30,000 jobs each year until 2023 Ontario Economic Forecast –June 2021 Real GDP in Ontario will grow 5.4% in 2021 and 5.0% in 2022 Growth forecast has been downgraded for two reasons: 1. 2. Solid rebound still expected due to re-opening (contingent on vaccination rates), immigration, and strong US recovery Provincial government spending likely to continue to offer near-term support –expected to reduce spending beginning 2022 Housing market expected to start cooling due to acute affordability issues in and around the GTA, tightening mortgage stress test rules, and high lumber prices Home sales fell by 25% from March to May
$150 million for Travel Incentives $100 million for the Ontario Tourism Recovery Program $100 million in one-time payments through Ontario Tourism and Hospitality Small Business Support Grant Tourism is expected to be one of the last industries to recover from the pandemic – potentially past 2024
July 5th, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
The City Manager sets the tone for what happens on the administrative side of city hall. Once there is a clear direction from City Council the city manager knows what his marching orders are and he gets moving. Every city manager has his own style – they have all been male in Burlington – and that could change in the not too distant future. In a report to Council today Tim Commisso set how he interprets what he has been ordered to do. Commisso’s report is lengthy. He ties a large part of his work plan to what has been set out in the city Vision to Focus (V2F) which takes those parts of the 25 year Strategic Plan and determines which parts of that plan are going to be implemented this term of office. In his comments Commisso refers to a number of tables that the Communications people were not prepared to make available at this point in time. Commisso puts it this way: The objectives outlined in this document encompass specific priorities that the City Manager intends to actively pursue and accomplish over the next two years. The objectives encompass both proposed new and existing V2F items (Table 1) with an enhanced focus for 2021/22 being largely on “Our People”, given the importance of this area on the future prosperity and success of the city.  City Manager Tim Commisso A summary of the key Council outcomes achieved to date and planned for 2021/22 YE is summarized in Table 2 (Organized chronologically by Standing Committee of Council). For the City Manager, the process of strategic management starts with the development and integration of personal objectives. While the objectives need to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant and Timebound), they must also be easily understood and regularly communicated to Council and staff as to their performance status. Clearly articulated objectives anchored by Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) represent the foundation for achieving organizational strategic performance. Stated simply, an objective is meaningless without a related measure of progress towards achieving the objective. As indicated, for 2021/22 my new objectives are focused primarily on “our people” and “our workplace”. The most important or the Wildly Important Goal (WIG) is as follows along with the rationale. Note: the reference to WIG is based on terminology used in the strategy execution methodology outlined in the 4 Disciplines of Execution (Covey, McChesney and Huling –Published 2012). Objective #1: Improving Workplace Culture including the level of Staff Engagement and Overall Positive Attitudes. The above goal and KPI(s) are intended to contribute directly to realizing the key outcome of building a distinct and enabling workplace culture, a corporate culture which relies on and leverages very strong existing departmental workplace cultures. To excel strategically, our internal city-wide culture must foster, and support engaged employees to continuously add value by embracing change, driving innovation, and improving city business processes. Today’s leading organizations understand that they need to be more than just satisfied employees, they need to be fully engaged employees. Therefore, led directly by the City Manager and Executive Director of Human Resources, an employee engagement strategy is recommended that: • regularly and efficiently surveys employees to accurately measure overall engagement levels and attitudes.  Commisso spent years at city hall before moving to Thunder Bay, retiring and returning to Burlington to be drafted by the newly elected Mayor who then convinced Council to take the interim out of the title. By utilizing “touch base” engagement surveys, asking the right questions, measuring the right factors with benchmarked results, the city will execute on a strategy to measurably improve employee engagement and in turn, our overall strategic management performance. IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS 1. Review & refine the Objectives and related Strategic Actions 2. Communicate the Objectives • Focus on the need for change and urgency in the communication. Answer the key question – Why does the organization need to change now? • Follow-through on communicating the status of the objectives as well the completion of strategic actions with all staff – Be accountable for results. • Avoid communication that is flat and two-dimensional. Make use of all communications channels, including staff meetings, corporate KPI dash boards, direct email messages and social media.  As city manager Tim Commisso sits in on the meetings to listen and when they need help he comments. The previous city manager had a much more intrusive style. Commisso is a listener. 3. Integrate Key Objectives into an updated Corporate Performance Evaluation Process As noted in Table 1, a specific objective has been included in the City Manager’s 2021/22 Objectives related to development of a new performance management framework, using a format which is easy to administer and linked directly to individual strategic workplan objectives. Working closely with the leadership team, a realistic target would be to have this framework in place over the next 18-24 months and aligned with the updated non-union job evaluation system.
July 5th, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
It is that time of year again – setting the budget for 2022 and, from a Council member perspective, keeping an eye on what the budget will do to their re-election prospects. Expect every member of Council to seek re-election with a maybe not for ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns (who has told one of her supporters that she will not run again) and possibly ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna who may find that the work load is not something he wants to take on for four more years. However, he has said publicly that he is planning on running again. In a Staff report that will be discussed at a city Standing Committee meeting Monday July 5th timelines for the 2022 budget are set out. Council Workshops –Service Presentations The budget projections for each of the 38 services the city provides will be reviewed on September 22, 23, 28 & 30, 2021 Budget Overview November 3, 2021 Budget Virtual Town hall November, 2021(TBC) 2022Budget Review & Approval – November 30 &December 2, 2021 Council –2022 Budget Approval December 14, 2021 Council Workshop sessions have been scheduled over 4 days to allow the 38 City Services to present overviews of their business plans to Council. Each of the City Services have been grouped into the 8 sessions by themes somewhat aligned to the Strategic Plan.  With a projection for a tax increase of more than 5% the historical record looks a little dismal. These workshop presentations will include: A summary of current financial investment by service An overview of current service delivery including known financial gaps and service needs An overview of the asset investment required for service delivery Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) An overview of service goals and objectives A portion of the presentation on the first day (Session 1) will be set aside to provide an overview of the incremental budget investments including staffing that have been made during this term of Council (2019-2021). In addition, a portion of the presentation during the last day (Session 8) will include an update on the overall Designing and Evolving Our Organization (DEOO) process. Reckoning and future direction: Some of the spending done in the past few years is now going to have to be reckoned with. This budget is going to be a turning point for the city. The impact of the Interim Control bylaw that stopped approval of projects for a year (it has extended now to whenever the LPAT hearings resolve the appeals made), the creation of an approved but not yet in force Official Plan and the significant number of high rise tower development applications that are challenging the Planning departments ability to do its work on a timely basis.  The growth of properties that go on the tax base is too low – all the development that has people worried about what their city is going to look like does pay some of the bills. Right now those hi-rise towers are holes in the ground. The success Mayor Meed Ward has had in getting the Urban Growth Boundaries moved well north of the downtown core and getting the province to realize that a bus terminal was not a Major Transit Service Area are wins for which she is not getting the credit she deserves. The focus on getting high rise housing around the GO stations was aptly described by the Mayor as the creation of the new small cities. Five years from now there will be a number of new city councillors to accommodate the new wards that will have to be created to accommodate the population growth. While the fight isn’t over yet the desire on the part of the developers to put up tall buildings in the downtown core, especially in that football shaped piece of property between Old Lakeshore Road and Lakeshore Road, is no longer the slam dunk it looked like when the 2014 city council held its last meeting. Coping with all these changes brings with it challenges that have to be dealt with – they all show up in a budget that also has to cope with the costs of a pandemic. Fortunately the province has created funding sources that leave Burlington in pretty good financial shape in terms as to what the pandemic has cost the city. The cost to the hospitality sector has been brutal and a number of operations in that sector will not survive. Retail has also taken a hit.  It all adds up. The financial fundamentals for Burlington are pretty good; the leadership on the administrative side has been what was needed to get us through the pandemic. Going forward city manager Tim Commisso may not want to continue to handle the day to day grind. He has found his future leadership within the organization and appears to have done a good job of nurturing and developing the administrative talent. There are a number of senior level retirements coming up – legal and human resources come to mind. The legal department has had difficulty finding talent with an understanding of the way the municipal sector works – it is a world unto itself. Treasurer Joan Ford should be given medals for the job she has done. Along with a superb level of service Ford has grown the talent within the department to ensure that the financial side continues delivering. Managing the changes the pandemic has brought about has critically impacted on the way citizens who pay attention to what gets done at city hall are able to participate.  A simulation based on the available data shows hefty tax rates for the last year in the current term of council and for the first three years of the next term of office. Can they be elected on this platform? Having to go virtual has almost put an end to the kind of delegations citizens would provide. Not being able to be in the room, actually see all the members of council and react to their body language, facial expressions severally limits genuine participation. We all pay for the lack of thoughtful response from concerned citizens.  This is your city council in a virtual session. There were no delegations at this meeting. The view does not include all the participants. The Public Board of Education manages to have some of the trustees take part in the meeting by being in the room. Burlington’s city council is close to being at the point where limited public participation could begin – there has been no signal from the members of council that this might be in the offing. Life is easier when you don’t have to respond to criticism from someone right in front of you – looking you in the eye, Kind of convenient for them.
July 5th, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
 There was a time when the city considered fees for election signs now some council members want to get rid of the things. Karmel Sakran lost in his provincial bid An election without lawn signs? And a campaign donation rebate program? And the right to put bumper stickers on your car? All part of a rather robust conversation at council this morning. The report from the Office of the Clerk got nicely roasted by several council members – the document from the Clerk appeared to create more questions with few answers. One of the problems within the Clerk’s Office is that all the top staff are new to the city and not fully aware of some of the really really stupid decisions made by a previous Clerk. More on this when they return from lunch and a Closed session with outside legal counsel.
July 4th, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
Well – there goes that neighbourhood! Joe Dogs is at risk, the best that can be hoped for if the 26 story development is approved on the site literally next door, there will be an opportunity to quaff a cool one while watching the construction take place yards away. The Renimmob Properties Limited, a corporation new to the Burlington development scene, has either purchased or obtained options on the property. Approval of the development will be the beginning of a whole new look to the area. The deep thinkers in the Planning Department have scoped out what they think that part of the city should look like.  What we all know at the No Frills Plaza is expected to undergo a major change in terms of what is on the site and the uses to which it is put. John Street, which is actually a lane north of Caroline, would be extended through the plaza property and reach Victoria Street.
If and when it is completed it will be a neighbourhood unto itself with a storied pub part of it. All Joe Dogs has to do is issue patrons hard hats and hope everyone survives. A couple of blocks to the north is the the Molinaro proposed development that will take up three corners of the Brant – Ghent intersection. Both the Molinaro and the Renimmob developments are well north of what is seen as the downtown core. What they will do is create a much more vibrant community along Brant and meet the growth targets the province requires. Even further north there are the properties that surround the GO station with the right to put up structures of almost any height – those proposed properties comply with the existing Official Plan and zoning in the area. The graphic below shows what is in the works and what exists in that mid part of Brant street.
June 3rd, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
We knew it was wet yesterday – just didn’t know how wet it was for some people. The Regional Police released the following photo.
Are we looking at another flood season?
July 2nd, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
What do people mean when they say “that is a defining characteristic”? What defines Burlington? Is it the geography – the lake and the Escarpment? At this time in our history what is it that defines Canada? I want to suggest that the way Canadians respond to the news of yet another place where the bodies of children have been buried and what we as a people are going to do about it is what will define this country for decades.  There are several hundred grave sites like this in Canada In this country people expect the leadership to make the big decisions. We have given the power we have to the leaders hoping that they will do the right thing for us. The tragedy brought about by the creation of the Residential Schools is now in front of us with all the ugliness that neglect heaps on us when we treat one group of people as worth less than the rest of us. Some 150,000 children were trucked off to Residential Schools with no consent from the parents. People just came and took them. Those children who did eventually return to their communities years later, were deeply scarred emotionally, some physically abused, and left unable to cope with daily living. We are learning now that many thousands did not return but were placed in shallow graves that were unmarked. The Aboriginal community knew about those graves but no one wanted to listen to a “bunch of Indians”. Now we all know and decisions have to be made about what we are going to do about it. The Aboriginal community is pressing the Pope to come to Canada and apologize for the harm that was done and to make restitution as well or at least to live up to the financial contribution all of the religious organizations who operated the Residential Schools agreed to provide. The federal government has agreed to provide the millions that will be needed to search the grounds of every Residential School to learn if and how many children are laying in shallow graves.  This just isn’t enough. How long will the public place pairs of shoes on steps of buildings as a show of support? Is this just a fad that will pass soon? The weekly release of yet another grave site will keep this on the public radar for the Aboriginal community who knows they have an issue that has legs.  Gord Downie did what few of us could so – screamed that the Aboriginal people mattered. How many remember what Gord Downie had to say to the Prime Minister who was in the audience for that heart rending performance when he asked Justin Trudeau to keep the promise? That’s been the problem, we Canadians have never kept the promise – we instead jerked them around again and again. Are we finally at the point where that basic, human fundamental right for water that can be swallowed might be theirs the way it is ours? Or are we stuck at the placing of shoes in public places to show our support. There is an opportunity to show the world what we have done. We have this opportunity to determine how we are defined. My question to each person reading this is – how do you want to be defined?
July 2nd, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns reports that her “office regularly receives ongoing concerns and questions about the progress on this property.” She is referring to the property bounded by John, Caroline, Elizabeth and Maria that currently has a 24-story condominium. The original development plan was to include an above ground parking garage and a medical office at the north end along Caroline.  The tower on the left has been constructed and is occupied. Some of the underground work for the garage is completed. The medical building is reported to be part of an application for additional height. “I agree with residents that this matter has gone on much too long” reported Kearns in her most recent Newsletter. “Since the onset of my term as Ward 2 Councillor, I continue to advocate on behalf of the community to have this project move forward. In response to many inquiries, see the following chart recently received from the City’s Legal Department. As soon as my office is in receipt of information of progress on this site, we will be sure to share with residents.” This development was problematic from the day it got to the city Planning department. The council at the time had concerns about the development being completed and put in a clause that would ding the developer for $300,000 if the developer failed to deliver on schedule.
In the data the Councillor refers to there is a chart with questions and answers reported to have come from the legal department.
In a September 2017 news story the Gazette reported: “… John Street construction site is to include a public garage and a medical centre – they will follow the construction of the condominium. Medica One or the Carriage Gate project – pick the name you like best – will go up at the top of John Street and consist of a medical offices building, an above ground garage and an apartment/condo complex. It will bring significant change to the intersection and drive redevelopment of the plaza to the immediate north, A transit hub a couple of blocks to the south then makes a lot of sense. The city expected all three projects to rise at the same time – and were worried enough about the construction actually taking place that they had the developer commit to coughing up $300,000 if the project doesn’t proceed by March of 2020. City hall does appear to fully appreciate the market forces the developer has to contend with. The utility poles will disappear – all the cable will be underground. Getting that decision in place was no simple matter.  A portion of Mario was closed during construction of the Berkley. Not many developers get that kind of leeway. . Carriage Gate, the developer, has had their share of grief with both the city and Burlington Hydro over the existence of utility poles on John Street. A hydro line had to be pulled in from Lakeshore Road to the site – an expensive job. There was much discussion over whether or not all the hydro wires would be underground. The developer was prepared to pay for the cost of burying the cable in front of their project but wasn’t prepared to pay for the cost of burying the cable for every foot of the distance from Lakeshore Road. And they didn’t like the price for doing the work that Burlington Hydro had put on the table. It’s getting resolved – with the developer trying hard to keep the lawyers out of the room. When completed John Street will take on a much different look. Other developers have already begun to acquire and assemble property on the street. As construction continues the planners are looking for ways to improve the look of the rest of the street and bring more activity to the area. Not much has changed. Related news stories:
July 2nd, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
The Beachway is getting a lot of attention these days. Lovely part of the city – just find a parking spot when you get there. In the not too distant future we should be seeing some local art to brighten the place up The city sent out a Request for Proposals for Temporary Public Art Signs at The Beachway Deadline: Friday July 30, 2021 Budget: $500 (design only), 15 commissions available Here’s the fine print: The City of Burlington public art program is launching a temporary art project, RE:DE(SIGN) as part of the 2021 Culture Days. Running from September 24 – October 24, Culture Days is 4 weeks of arts and culture experiences indoors, outdoors and online.  This quiet path was once where two railway tracks carried freight from Burlington to the rest of the world. Freeman Station was one of the stops. This project will commission 15 Burlington artists to create small-scale works that will be installed on signposts along the Waterfront Trail, stretching from Beachway Park to the Lift Bridge. This project will provide trail users with a safe and accessible way to enjoy art and to learn more about the amazing creators in our community. Each artwork will be accompanied with a profile of the artist. This call is open to Burlington-based artists and is open to all art forms that can be presented in a sign format. This includes, but is not limited to: visual art, graphic art, photography, poetry, writing, etc. Sound-based work such as music, spoken word, theatre, etc. may also be presented using QR codes. Project Goals The theme for the 2021 Culture Days is RE:IMAGINE. Arts and culture emerged as a lifeline of joy, providing gifts of colour, hope, and reprieve needed to make it through this past year. Collectively, we’re imagining what a post-pandemic world could look like and how we can each contribute to that picture being brighter. Through that lens, Culture Days has chosen RE:IMAGINE as the very apt 2021 theme. RE:IMAGINE signals a positive turning point – the commitment to building tangible change into the future of arts and culture.  The Art work will be placed along the Waterfront Trail right up to the canal. Additionally, the artwork should: Be easily legible to pedestrian traffic, artwork that incorporates text must adhere to AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) guidelines. The artwork must be suitable for presentation in a public space, for all ages (i.e., the artwork may not contain profanity, hate speech, graphic imagery, etc.) Important! Please read the full Call for Artists document (Click HERE to download PDF) before submitting an application as this contains important project details and application instructions. Submit your Application Online Applications may be submitted online, using Submittable. Click HERE to start your online application. You will need to create a free account to use Submittable. Please contact Kim Selman, 905-515-9334 or kim@cobaltconnects.ca if you need assistance with your application. The Beachway is a storied part of Burlington. It was once a self-sustaining community of several thousand people. You can search the Gazette Archives for stories on what life was like in that community
July 2nd, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
After such an unusual year, local non-profit Bandology has some news that will hit all the right notes for keen young musicians. Their fifth annual Band Camp for teens will run a modified in-person, physically distanced camp this summer on July 12-16. A similar Band Camp Junior for kids ages 6-12 will run at the same time. With the provincial government confirming that day camps may run this summer, Bandology has tweaked its usual concert band format to switch to handheld instruments instead. The potential to spread aerosol particles via blowing into instruments could be too risky, similar to school music programs which have not allowed blowing or singing this past year.  A Bandology class in the Music Room at King’s Christian Collegiate in north Oakville However, the modified Band Camp will utilize a wide variety of handheld instruments, including drumline, ukulele, boomwhackers, bucket drumming and much more, all designed to keep kids interested and engaged. Plus, there’ll be music games and activities, plus special guests and performers. Above all, campers will have the opportunity to interact and hang out with other young musicians. “This has been a tough year for everyone, but especially for kids used to hanging out in the music room,” said Lisa Michaels, co-founder of Bandology. “Social isolation and mental health are real issues that can be addressed by giving kids the chance to be together in a safe and welcoming environment.” Bandology will observe all government protocols, including frequent hand washing and sanitization, physical distancing, mask indoors and small cohorts of campers. They will shift the majority of their programming outside, to reduce risk and extend opportunities for fresh air and play. Parents can register their children online at bandology.ca. Band Camp V is for students in grades 7-12 while Band Camp Junior is for kids ages 6-12. Both camps run July 12-16 and are held at King’s Christian Collegiate in north Oakville. There is also a virtual option for those who would rather participate at a distance, with Band Camp Online running July 26-30. Bandology provides other opportunities for young musicians to play, including the Play A Gig Online program, which gives kids and adults the chance to perform online, in either a live or pre-recorded format. Bandology also works to promote and advocate for the long-term value of music education.
July 1, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
The Sound of Music and the City of Burlington got together to let people hear some of the Sound as part of Canada Day Celebrations. The smell of funnel cake, strums of guitar and thump of the bass that consumes Spencer Smith Park when the Sound is live was missing but local bands old and new, from Carly Rae Jepson to the Spoons, Terri Clark, and Lonestar to the rising group Grandson, the Sound of Music is where family, friends and music lovers join together to celebrate the vibrant arts scene in Burlington and beyond. Instead of enjoying the cool breeze and unavoidable mud coating the bottom of every pair of sneakers- for it’s not the Sound of Music without rainfall beforehand- the authentic sound of Burlington can be heard from the comfort of your living room.  Hayley Verrall Uploaded onto soundofmusic.ca, (CLICK HERE) a video with live performances from nine different local bands and performers can be streamed. The mix of performers comprises fresh faces Abby J Hall and Hayley Verrall, with Burlington staples Bliss and Suzie McNeil. The artists perform both original pieces and covers of famous CANCON songs from the likes of Blue Rodeo and Joni Mitchell. Included in the music stream are interviews from previous festivals, introducing a wave of nostalgia and reminiscing past years. The online format can’t fully capture the magical ambiance of roaring crowds and mosh pits, but it highlights rising local talent and gives a taste of what is to come. Anticipation for upcoming SOM festivals vibrates through the live stream.  Suzie McNeil In addition to the live stream, the Sound of Music has put together a Spotify playlist full of Canadian hits available here. There is also an interactive music experience through QR codes scattered about hiking trails and public spaces. Andrea Ruthart, Kakisheway, from White Bear Treaty number 4, Cree Nation, made an impactful guest appearance to speak about the Hope for Healing project, helped by the City of Burlington. She and other Indigenous community members spoke on the meaning of reconciliation and the Indigenous song performed at Spencer Smith the day prior. “This started with burning sweetgrass and blessing the land, and a song, which is also a prayer and a blessing, and a poem, and a call to action. The song was about the fire dance; it was about being seen and heard, which the indigenous community in our country for decades was not. “Mayor Marianne Meed Ward explained, “Music is a way to bridge that.” The segment is sincere, although no Indigenous music was played or performed during the live stream. While the City of Burlington is celebrating, Indigenous communities in Canada are choosing not to recognize Canada Day this year to reflect and mourn the tragedy of residential schools and their legacy, which continues to plague Canada. For Indigenous voices in the community to be heard and recognized, they need to be played and celebrated. The Sound of Music offers a large platform to do just that. Without true change and recognition of Indigenous artists in Burlington, the path to reconciliation will be a long one in the arts sphere.
July 1st, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON We think there is a Sound of Music program for Canada Day – and we think it starts at 10:00 am but we are not certain. The SoM web site has a lot of promises and build up to the events for the day but there is no schedule. Here is what we do have: “Tomorrow it’s a day filled with local artists, playlist tunes and big announcements of Summer shows ahead. Follow our social feeds and the website beginning at 10:00am.”  This is the sound stage for the 2021 Sound of Music Festival. We understand the events are taking place in the Sound of Music studio at Nuvo One – best we can give you at this point is a link and hope it gets you some groovy music.  This is the plan – the link to the site is set out above. Good Luck. One of the SoM fans put it this way:
Maddy graduated from Assumption High School and was a member of the Burlington Teen Tour Band
June 30th, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
The Art Gallery Board moved with dispatch in finding an Interim Executive Director for a minimum of six months while the Board does a thorough search for a full time Executive Director  Lina Jabra; new interim Executive Director at the Art Gallery of Burlington Lina Jabra will join the AGB on Tuesday, July 6th, and remain in this position for a minimum of six months while the Board undertakes a search for a permanent CEO. “The Board is very excited to welcome Lina to our organization,” said Jane Depraitere, AGB Board Chair. “Her experience in the arts sector including staff and volunteer leadership, her demonstrated strengths in community and audience engagement, and her commitment to innovation highlighting diversity and inclusion will help position the AGB for success during this transition period as we move forward”, said Ms. Depraitere. Lina brings over twenty years of experience in the not-for-profit arts and culture sector. She is a graduate of the BFA program at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington DC and completed Executive Education Certificates in both Art and Non-Profit Management from Ohio’s Case Western Reserve University. Since 1988 Lina has served with Arts-based organizations both as Executive Director as well as Management Consultant, including the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in Toronto, VSA Arts of New Mexico, Through the Flower Foundation (TTF) attached to artist Judy Chicago in New Mexico, and the Ontario Clay and Glass Association in Toronto.  Visitor to the Art Gallery looks closely at a painting listed in the auction catalogue. Lina said: “The Art Gallery of Burlington’s dedication to supporting and transforming the appreciation and love of art for all communities aligns with my experience and interest in the arts and art education, community building, and innovative programming, within a caring, collaborative and creative environment. I look forward to working with the AGB’s staff, volunteers, Board, members and all stakeholders in this exciting role”.
June 30th, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
Website based newspapers are different. The story is in the archives and get read years later. We watch traffic to the website closely to understand where the readers are coming from and what they are interested in. In June of 2020 we published a story on a drug bust, a rather large endeavour that kept the police busy for a number of months. There was nothing exceptional about the story – what caught our attention was the sudden increase in the traffic. This past couple of days a couple of hundred people were interested in what happened to the five accused. What was the story about? CLICK on the link. The traffic to the story was decent when the arrest announcement was released. Someone was tracking this story. Then it soared. We haven’t had a chance to talk with the Crown and learn if a trial has taken place. Someone cares about this story,  Interesting  There were no prescription drugs in this bust.
June 30th, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
They look like fun and they are fun – only if used wisely.  These were not meant for use more than 25 yards offshore. The Halton Regional Police, along with local marine rescue partners, have been experiencing a large volume of persons swimming in Lake Ontario on beach toys (also known as “Floaties”). While perfectly fun to enjoy close to shore – the Marine Unit has rescued numerous persons who have drifted kilometers off shore in water that could cause hypothermia. Hypothermia can be dangerous as it may lead to drowning.  This Marine Unit craft can move at quite a clip but they really don’t want to find you floating around some distance from the shore line. The Marine Unit would like to suggest that if you are going out on the lake on one of these toys, wear a personal flotation device, stay close shore and watch the wave and wind conditions. Have fun, and please stay safe!
June 30th, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
The community battle to keep the current Robert Bateman High school functioning at some level within the community has been won.  Bateman parents fought hard to keep the high school open. The parents with students attending the school were not able to keep the high school open – the bulk of the high school program got transferred to Nelson High School. The Bateman parents were not wrong. Ward 5 trustee Amy Collard, Ward 5 said “I have championed the idea of moving Gary Allan High School to the Bateman site since the decision to close Bateman was made in 2017, and I am very pleased to see the Board moving in this direction. The continued presence of a secondary school in southeast Burlington is good for the community.”  Trustee Collard was consistent in her efforts over a five year period that the school site be retained for public use. Collard fought consistently to keep as much of the school operations in the community. At their June 2 meeting, Halton District School Board trustees approved a plan to relocate Gary Allan Learning Centre to Robert Bateman High School, both located in Burlington, and declare the remainder of the Robert Bateman High School facility surplus to its needs and to circulate it for purchase to other public agencies according to Ontario Regulation 444/98. This regulation sets out who can purchase or lease school property declared surplus and in what order expressions of interest are dealt. As part of its disposition strategy of the former Robert Bateman High School property, the Board seeks to retain a long-term interest of approximately 45,000 square feet within the facility to accommodate Gary Allan Learning Centre, which provides adult, alternative and continuing education programs, and language instruction programs for newcomers, among others. The plan to retain an interest in the facility is to ensure that the Board continues to maintain a visible and continued presence in the Southeast Burlington area, and continue offering and operating important educational programs within the community. Through the Ontario Regulation 444/98 circulation process, public agencies will have the opportunity to submit their interest in retaining the remaining area of the facility of approximately 167,000 square feet to operate for their own uses in collaboration with the Board. Public agencies include any government and/or educational entity that has jurisdiction within the area in which the school is located. The remaining Robert Bateman HS facility will be offered to prospective public agencies as a shared ownership, or as a long term lease back arrangement with the Board for up to 25 years on a cost recovery basis. Burlington Marianne Meed Ward has had her eye on the property as well. Her ideas parallel those of Trustee Collard. City Council is fully supportive of the City taking the important next step of formally submitting an expression of interest to purchase the Robert Bateman site now that the Halton District School Board (HDSB) has declared the site surplus.  The building is in good shape, has a city owned swimming pool attached to it and a large sports field with a track at the rear. The City’s expression of interest will include the exploration of a partnership with Brock University to offer post-secondary programming on this site. The Burlington Economic Development Corporation has been the lead on that part of the file. Anita Cassidy has been working with Brock University on this. In addition to exploring a relationship with Brock, the City also plans to partner with other institutions, ensuring that there is an adaptive reuse strategy for the site. This includes the Burlington Library relocating its Appleby Line branch to this location to develop a hub for learning and education. Trustee Collard was very interested in having the school serve as a site where people new to Canada go for help in adjusting to how things are done in Ontario. The Recreation Centre which is attached to the east side of the high school only adds to the outcome. This acquisition would push forward key objectives laid out in the City of Burlington’s 25-year strategic plan. Key pillars of this Plan include making Burlington a city that grows through attracting talent, good jobs and economic opportunity to the community. The Burlington Economic Development Corporation has been working with Brock University for some time. Setting them up at the Bateman site is a perfect fit.  Former ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster as she signs the 20 year $1.3 million naming rights deal with Chris Haber lead partner of a Burlington law firm. Chris Glenn, Director of Parks and Recreation witnesses the “steal of a deal”. What we are seeing in this situation is much like the opening of the new high school and Library in Alton Village. The addition of a recreation centre resulted in a fully rounded community centre with a commercial driving school office on site. All it needed was a coffee shop and a dry cleaner to make it complete. There is a very large sports field and track at the back of the school that will serve all the interests. The issue will be to ensure that they do not give the “hub” a name that will come back to embarrass us all. Naming rights were sold for the Alton set up – if naming rights are sold for Bateman location please ensure that the city gets a better deal. The price Haber paid for the naming rights was close to a steal. Related news stories Collard fights to keep Bateman High school open. The fight to keep Bateman open got a little dirty Brock University decides they like Burlington better than Hamilton
June 30th, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
The Performing Arts Centre has managed to keep delivering value to the city.  Robert Steven The same can’t be said for the Art Gallery. They are currently reported to be looking for an interim Executive Director. Robert Steven was shown the door over what were reported to be differences over the direction the Gallery had taken in the past few years. There has been no public comment on Steven’s departure; members of the Gallery did receive a letter advising them of the change. These arms length, tax supported organizations have always been tight-lipped when it comes to internal leadership matters.
June 30th, 2021 BURLINGTON, ON
In a news story earlier this week we said: “Burlington may not be ready for this.” The statement had to do with a production being put on virtually by the Performing Arts Centre that involved the City Manager and the Executive Director of the Burlington Downtown Business Association. They were part of the cast for a reading of the play The Odd Couple that was a Broadway production and then a movie that is still being enjoyed. It was a good movie. In an effort to bring some entertainment life to the city Tammy Fox, Executive Director of the Performing Arts Centre put together an idea and managed to convince several well known entertainers to take part and added in some local colour. Given that City Manager Tim Commisso and BDBA Executive Director Brian Dean were featured it seemed like an opportunity to have some light hearted fun and use photographs in our files to show Commisso and Dean as “fun” guys. Some took exception to what we had published. Commisso and Dean along with other Burlington personalities have what might be called supporting roles. The hope is that they will perform their reading admirably. The Performing Arts Centre has arranged for all the front line support workers free access to the online production. The Show Business people call this “sharing the love”. We expect it to be a fun evening and anticipate with a measure of excitement on just how well Commisso and Dean will perform.
Pepperwoods has put together a take out offering – make it an evening when you don’t have to cook.
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By Pepper Parr
Tourism Economic Recovery Task Force Report
Rambo Creek runs through the back end (east side of the plaza property) – the plans call for the creation of a walking trail with park benches and the shifting of the No Frills supermarket closer to Brant Street with large scale (17 storey) housing and underground parking.
Much of this was well before Kearns began to care a hoot about what happened in the ward.
Madeleine Van Clieaf, Maddy to everyone, is part of a group of students working at the Gazette as part of the Local Journalism Initiative funded by the federal government. Maddy is a second year journalism student at Carleton University and will return to class in the fall.
