 By Staff
June 20th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Bandits snapped a two-game skid with an 11-5 road win over the Toronto Maple Leafs Wednesday night.
 Beating the Leafs will certainly do a lot for the morale of the Bandits but the distance between the bottom three teams in the league and the top five is a lot to over come. It’s pretty clear where the winners are at this point in the season. Julian Johnson went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and three runs. Justin Whaley had four hits, three RBI and scored twice,
Justin Gideon singled twice and drove in a run and scored once, Carlos Villoria had two hits, an RBI and run, and Nolan Pettipiece added a double, RBI and run. Kevin Hussey had two hits and scored twice, and Robert Tavone singled and doubled.
Jack Dennis (2-4) picked up the win, allowing three runs on two hits over seven innings, striking out 10 and walking six.
The sixth-place Bandits improved to 8-20.
Justin Marra had two hits for the Leafs, including his 11th home run of the season. Marra drove in two.
Ryan White added a single and RBI and scored once.
Brett van Pelt (1-5) took the loss, giving up five runs on nine hits over six innings, walking two and striking out eight.
Fifth-place Toronto fell to 15-16.
Future games
Thursday, July 21
Hamilton at Kitchener, 7:30 p.m.
Burlington at Barrie, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 22
Toronto at Hamilton, 7:30 p.m.
Guelph at London, 7:35 p.m.
Kitchener at Brantford, 8 p.m.
 By Staff
July 19th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Deputy Chief Nishan Duraiappah accepted the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) Technology Champion of the Year Award at the Annual Training Conference Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, July 19, 2016 in Washington D.C.
The award is sponsored by Harris Corporation and is presented to an individual who is a strong advocate of technology that benefits law enforcement and public safety.
NOBLE is the largest association of black law enforcement officers and spans police agencies across the United States of America.
The fact that NOBLE selected a Canadian police leader out of all the American police agencies is a remarkable testament to the achievements of Halton Police. Deputy Chief Duraiappah accepted the award on behalf of the Halton Regional Police Service.
 Deputy Chief Nishan Duraiappah pleads his innocence to the charge of Grand Theft Donuts, during a police fund raising event. Looking on is Halton Regional Police Detective Constable Paul Proteau. Some of the work that the Halton Regional Police Service has championed includes LTE mobile workstations in each vehicle, public police Apps in ITunes/Google, the testing of smart mobile devices for officers to conduct electronic notetaking in the field and piloting of in-car cameras. Halton Police has established a unique Police Analytics Unit, which has gained international recognition as Leaders in Business Intelligence. These initiatives are supported by world class police officers and civilians working in the Office of Continuous Improvement and Strategic Management and Information Technology.
Through technological initiatives and community programs, Halton Police improves community safety and well-being. We also partner with community groups such as the Canadian Association of Black Law Enforcers (ABLE) to enhance understanding and foster relationships between the police and all members of the public.
 Deputy Chief Duraiappah in command at a public meeting that police were concerned about public reaction. The Halton Regional Police Service contributes to the safety and well-being of the Region’s more than 530,000 residents. Working in partnership with the communities we serve, the Service delivers quality, cost-effective public safety and crime prevention services, as mandated by law. The Halton Regional Police Service is recognized as one of the leading police agencies in the areas of diversity and community policing initiatives, and is committed to ensuring Halton Region remains as safe tomorrow as it is today.
 By Jim Riley
July 19th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Lowville Festival will again be presenting superb musical and theatrical experiences for audiences old and young in north Burlington’s majestic Escarpment country.
 Rob Missen and Loretta Bailey on stage at the first Lowville Festival. The inaugural Lowville Festival in July 2015 was such a success that Co-Artistic Directors Robert Missen, Lorretta Bailey and Barbara Anderson-Huget decided to make it into an annual event. This year’s festival will again feature some of Burlington and region’s finest performing artists.
The Lowville Festival defines itself as “a festival of all the arts for the artist in all of us”. The ultimate aim is not only to feature all of the performing, visual and literary arts, but to provide opportunities for audiences to participate in the creative process. To that end, local singers were invited to join the Lowville Festival Choir, which will appear in the opening concert.
Patrons of the Folkies’ Choice concert will be invited to choose which of the featured songwriters should be saluted in a 2017 concert.
And children will have an opportunity to participate in a workshop with the nationally acclaimed Dufflebag Theatre.
The 2016 festival begins Friday July 22nd with a concert at St. George’s Hall at the Anglican Church – Music for a summer night – Classic and Classical. The concert will feature superb artists in performances of classical, jazz, musical theatre, cabaret, pop and crossover music.
These include Burlington’s Charles Cozens, Renee Barabash, Trevor Copp, Robert Missen and Lorretta Bailey, Guelph’ s James Gordon and Toronto’s David Warrack. A highlight will be an appearance by the Lowville Festival Choir under the direction of Hamilton-born Wayne Strongman, former conductor of the Bach-Elgar Choir.
 Lowville School House is the venue for the Children’s Workshop and Robin Hood production. Saturday’s daytime activities will take place in Lowville’s Old Schoolhouse, a limestone edifice located right in the centre of the hamlet of Lowville. Dufflebag Theatre, the popular kids theatre company from London, Ontario, will present a performance of Robin Hood. Prior to the performance there will be a workshop.
 Stuart Laughton – with one of his many horns will be playing at the Lowville United Church on Saturday. Lowville United Church will play host on Saturday night to Folkies’ Delight: The Best of the Singer song Writers. Burlington’s Andy Griffiths and Stuart Laughton, Hamilton’s Jude Johnson and Carl Horton, Dundas’s Ariel Rogers and Toronto’s Paul Novotny will offer a tribute to eight great songwriters- Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, Buffy Ste. Marie, Cat Stevens, Carole King, Leonard Cohen and Stan Rogers.
The festival finale, to be presented at Lowville United Church in the afternoon of Sunday July 24th, is Love Letters , A. R. Gurney’s popular two-character play. The performance, which features Lorretta Bailey and Eric Trask, nationally renowned actors resident in Lowville who also happen to be husband and wife, will be a fundraiser for the festival.
 The choir has grown to more than 60 voices – Friday at St; George Hall at the Anglican church on Guelph Line and Dundas. The Lowville Festival is the vision of two Burlington performing artists, Lorretta Bailey, a Lowville resident, who has performed in musical theatre productions across Canada, including the original Toronto production of Les Miserables, and Robert Missen, proprietor of the Bobolink Agency, one of the country’s pre-eminent artist management companies, who was the 2016 inductee into the Burlington Performing Arts Centre Hall of Fame. They have been joined by Barbara Anderson-Huget, and former Managing Director of the Guelph Jazz Festival and Executive Director of CARFAC Ontario, the association of visual artists.
Online tickets available at Snapped:
A FESTIVAL OF ALL THE ARTS FOR THE ARTIST IN ALL OF US – JULY 22-24, 2016
Friday, July 22; 7:30pm
Music for a Summer Night – Classic and Classical
St. George’s Church Hall
$25 online (advance) $30 at the door;
Saturday, July 23; 2:00pm
Workshop for Children with Dufflebag Theatre Company
Old Lowville Schoolhouse
$25 for both workshop & show
3:00pm
Robin Hood by Dufflebag Theatre
Old Lowville Schoolhouse
$15
Saturday, July 23; 7:30pm
Folkies’ Delight: The Best of The Singer/Songwriters
Lowville United Church
$25 advance (online); $30 at the door
Sunday, July 24; 3:00pm
Love Letters by A. R. Gurney
Lowville United Church
$25 online (advance); $30 at the door
The Festival is using the Snap’d service for ticket sales. Tickets are available on line
There is an “all shows” package for $70 – pretty good value.
 By Pepper Parr
July 20th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Will wonders never cease?
The city is going to move to an electronic vote recording system that will put an end to the cumbersome call for recorded votes that took place at the last two meetings of city council.
 Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman forced city council to record their votes on everything they did – even the accepting of the agenda. He said he was making a political point. Councillor Sharman asked for more than a dozen recorded votes at a July 5th meeting and Councillor Meed Ward asked for almost as many recorded votes at the Council meeting last night.
Those council votes will now be done automatically by having the members of council press a button rather than have to stand up and be physically counted for each vote.
The Staff Direction was to:
Direct the City Clerk to purchase and install an electronic vote recording system in the Council Chambers, the cost to be charged to the capital budget for the Agenda Management solution; and
Hold in abeyance, sections 33.7-33.9 of Procedure By-law 37-2014 until a vote recording system is installed.
The question many have now is – which votes will the technology record?
This city council takes the position that the only votes it records are those taken at a city council meetings which is where everything done is made official.
 Council during a recorded vote: Those standing were voting for the motion. The real grunt work gets done at the Standing committee meetings – there are four different standing committees – Development and Infrastructure; Community and Corporate Services; Audit Committee and Committee of the Whole.
These are the meetings at which the public gets to speak for ten minutes if they delegate and where debate is often boisterous. It is also the meetings at which city staff attend – they speak very openly and inform council on the reports they present.
These are the meat and potatoes meetings – which this Council has decided that the votes taken are not recorded. The minutes of the meetings do say how a vote went – passed or failed to pass. The public report does not say how individual members of council voted.
The city’s procedural bylaw, which sets out how meetings are run and votes recorded has a section that is being waived while the electronic system is put in place. The section being waived says:
33.7 Any member, in Council Meetings, immediately before or after a vote is taken, may require a recorded vote to be taken on the question concerned. Recorded votes shall not be permitted in Committee Meetings.
33.8 When a recorded vote is permitted and required, the Chair shall pose the question and the Clerk will call for those members in favour to rise, at which time the Clerk shall record the name of each Member standing and his vote in favour, and upon completion of the recording, the Clerk will call for those members opposed to rise, at which time the Clerk shall record the name of each Member standing and his vote in opposition. On the appropriate form, the Clerk will also record the number of Members absent and/or abstained.
33.9 On a recorded vote, a failure to vote by a member who is present at the meeting at the time of the vote and who is qualified to vote shall be deemed a negative vote.
The Standing committees report to Council where just about everything is rubber stamped. Many council meetings take less than half an hour. The Mayor has a tendency to race through the meetings – one was pretty close to less than 15 minutes in length.
Public meetings are not the Mayor’s strength.
 Ward 2 Councillor Meed Ward asked for more than seven recorded votes at the most recent city council meeting. In February of 2013 city council decided that recording all the votes wasn’t necessary Here is the comment made at that time.
“With respect to recorded voting at standing committee meetings, members of Council on the review team expressed differing viewpoints. Acknowledging that recommendations from committee are intended to be a preliminary position on a matter, it was felt that recording a member’s vote at that stage of deliberation could inhibit a member from changing his or her position later at Council should new information become available.
“It was also noted that recorded voting would slow the transaction of business at committee meetings. As the review team did not have consensus on the matter, a recommendation on recorded voting is not included within this report and would require direction from Council. Nonetheless, the sentiment of the review team was that if recorded votes were to be permitted at Committee, these would be restricted to the main motions (and main motions as amended) but would not be applied to amendments themselves or any secondary motions tabled.
 Partial view of the Board of Education screen that shows how trustees voted. The Halton District Board of Education bought an electronic system a number of months ago that is close to perfect. There is one Burlington trustee who gets confused when it comes to determining which button to press but other than that it works very smoothly.
When there is a vote the school board chair turns on the voting system and lights show up. When all the trustees have voted all the light go out – the chair then presses a button and they know in an instant who voted which way.
The system was provide by Hamilton Audio Visual – who will hopefully let the city know what they can do them
We elect our members of council democratically and have a right to know how they vote on every issue. Many council members aren’t very keen on letting the public know how they vote at Standing Committee meetings. They forget that deciding what they are directing staff to do is not about them – it is about the people who pay the taxes – and that would be you.
Background:
Sharman asks for recorded votes on everything at a council meeting
Past debates on voting at city council
 By Staff
July 19, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a cash grab – pure and simple.
On June 17th, 2016, Joseph Hamilton Essibuah walked into the Dollar Tree in the area of Dundas Street and Appleby Line in Burlington. He is reported to have approached the checkout and while the cashier was assisting another customer, the accused reached over the counter and grabbed a quantity of money from the cash register. He then fled in a waiting vehicle.
 A short time later the accused attended a Shoppers Drug Mart located in the area of Brant Street and Upper Middle Road in Burlington. Again, the accused proceeded to pay for an item and when the cash register opened the accused reached over the counter and grabbed a quantity of cash. The accused fled in an awaiting motor vehicle.
Police have determined that the accused is responsible for additional occurrences in Halton region and surrounding areas; an investigation is ongoing.
Accused:
Joseph Hamilton ESSIBUAH,(25 years of Mississauga)
Current Charges:
Theft Under $5000 (6 counts)
Breach of Probation (6 counts)
ESSIBUAH is set to appear in Milton for a bail hearing on July 20th.
The investigation is continuing and anyone with information is asked to contact Cst. Jacqueline Ross of the 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905 825-4747 ext. 2373 or D/Cst. Al MacEwan at ext. 2349 or Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
July 19th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Earlier this month, Regional Council approved $212,500 in funding for 13 community programs and projects that will support the health and well-being of Halton residents that have inadequate access to food.
The funding is the result of a new stream of funding through the Halton Region Community Investment Fund (HRCIF), which was created to improve access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food in partnership with Halton’s non-profit and community organizations.
 Regional chair Gary Carr tasting honey on a farm tour. “This funding reflects Halton’s commitment to improve access to food by working closely with our community partners,” said Halton Regional Chair, Gary Carr. “Investing in community agencies through the Halton Region Community Investment Fund is another example of how we’re working together with the community to achieve the best possible health and well-being for all and is part of what makes Halton Region such a great place to live, work, raise a family and retire.”
Funding will help community organizations to increase the amount of fresh and culturally appropriate foods available to clients, strengthen the capacity of agencies to safely store and distribute food and will support other efforts that make food more accessible to residents with inadequate access to food.
The food security grants are part of over $1.4 million in 2016 HRCIF funding that will support a wide range of community health and social service programs that serve Halton residents. The following programs will receive funding through the food security stream of the Halton Region Community Investment Fund:
• Acton Foodshare – to increase the amount of fresh food available to clients and to support the development of cooking skills;
• ClearView Community Church (Oakville) – to increase cold storage for its food programs, including cooking classes;
• The Dar Foundation – to support the purchase of Halal meats for its clients;
 • Food4Kids – to determine the scope of need and plan program expansion;
• Food for Life – to hire an additional ‘food raiser’ to source fresh and culturally appropriate food for community programs;
• Georgetown Bread Basket – to support new freezer/refrigeration purchases for its food bank;
• Halton Food for Thought – to purchase freezers/refrigerators to support student nutrition programs in 11 schools;
• Halton Fresh Food Box – to support a pilot project to deliver fresh food boxes to clients with transportation or mobility barriers;
• Halton Women’s Place – to provide grocery cards to women exiting the shelter;
• Milton Community Resource Centre – to support the organization’s Infant Food Bank program;
• North Halton Community Kitchen St. Alban’s Church (Acton) – to support a community kitchen coordinator to develop and expand cooking and dining programs;
• Feeding Halton (through Open Doors at St. Christopher’s Church as the lead applicant) – to support a position to coordinate farm fresh markets that provide access to local produce at a reduced cost. The position will also coordinate purchases from local farmers on behalf of several social service agencies; and
• St. Luke’s Anglican Church (Oakville) – to purchase a refrigerator that will assist the organization to establish an outreach program.
 By Staff
July 19th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington is making improvements to Fairview Street between Guelph Line and Walker’s Line and Commerce Court from Fairview Street to Cul-de-sac.
 Fairview Street between Guelph Line and Walker’s Line plus some of Commerce Court will have traffic limitations during road work. The proposed construction will include:
• Road resurfacing along with traffic island modifications and localized repairs to sidewalks and curbs.
• Proposed Bike Lane on the north side of Fairview Street and Sharrow’s on Fairview Street.
This work will result in single lane closures during off-peak times:
• 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.
 Fairview profile wen the construction is completed in October. Road Construction: July to Nov. 2016
Project Budget: $3,200,000
City is beginning to look and feel like Toronto in the summer.
By Staff
July 19th, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
At this rate we may not need a city hall.
Another city hall service has gone on line: business licence renewals.
Select businesses in Burlington can now renew their business licences online at www.burlington.ca/businesslicences.
 “We need to support our small businesses as much as possible and that means giving them access to services 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “A step in the right direction is that businesses can now renew their licences online whenever they want.”
Business licences available to be renewed online include:
• Automotive
• Pawn brokers
• Personal services
• Public assembly:
o Restaurants/take out/lunch counter
o Movie theatre
o Banquet/public halls
o Pinball or electronic game machine
o Night club
o Sale of foodstuff
o Sale of adult magazines
• Sale of foodstuff
• Sale of tobacco
• Salvage yard
• Tourist/trailer camps
Business licences not listed above are only available for renewal in person.
 Tracey Burrows, manager, bylaw enforcement and licensing. “Business owners needing to renew their licences will need to register an account with their PIN which can be requested online,” said Tracey Burrows, manager, bylaw enforcement and licensing. “We hope this will add to our customer service and meet the needs of our growing business community.”
All new and renewal licences can also be done in person at City Hall, 426 Brant St. For more information, visit www.burlington.ca/businesslicences, call 905-335-7731 or email building@burlington.ca.
No mention of the fee structure in the media release.
By Pepper Parr
July 19th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
What a way to do business.
You open early.
You close when you are sold out
And if that happens to be just three hours after you opened – well that was your lucky day.
 Tucked in to the west of the Art Gallery – entrance off the Art Gallery parking lot. With that kind of a schedule no wonder they call themselves the Sunshine Donut Company.
One of the ways you know a product is worth buying is – watch for how many police officers or fire fighters drop buy.
 That SOLD OUT sign has been known to go up within three hours of opening. The Burlington Cream is not to be missed – but you have to be there early. At $4 bucks apiece that may seem a little extreme – d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s!
The margins are obviously fantastic.
 Location – not the easiest place to find – at the south end of the Art Gallery parking lot.
Run by the same people who operate Son of a Peach – a pizza shop on Pine
By Pepper Parr
July 18th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Our fair city has decided to join much of Canada on August 20th when, if things work out the way a lot of people would like them to work out – thousands will be able to sit on the grass at Spencer Smith Park and watch a CBC simulcast of the final scheduled concert of The Tragically Hip.
Oh – and it is going to cost the city a cool $12,500 – the Burlington Downtown Business Association will somehow come up with the second $12,500 – for a total cost of $25,000
Council voted to go forward with this one – everyone voted for – except for Councillor Craven. He saw the event as a nice to have – which isn’t quite his cup of tea.
 Gord Downie, lead of the Tragically Hip. CBC has waived its usual licensing fee with some conditions – there can be no sponsorship – so anyone putting up dollars is going to get a thank you.
There are some conditions. No alcohol can be sold. The city does not yet have a no smoking bylaw in public parks on the books.
The Tragically Hip, often referred to simply as The Hip, are a Canadian rock band from Kingston, Ontario, consisting of lead singer Gord Downie, guitarist Paul Langlois, guitarist Rob Baker (known as Bobby Baker until 1994), bassist Gord Sinclair, and drummer Johnny Fay. Since their formation in 1984 they have released 13 studio albums, two live albums, 1 EP, and 54 singles. Nine of their albums have reached No. 1 in Canada. They have received numerous Canadian Music awards, including 14 Juno awards.
 The night the country sits down in parks and arenas across the country to watch the Tragically Hip put on their final concert knowing that the lead has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer will be a hard evening. Gord Downie is in the centre with, in no particular order, guitarist Paul Langlois, guitarist Rob Baker, bassist Gord Sinclair, and drummer Johnny Fay. As the band was getting ready to announce their summer tour they also announced that Gord Downie had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. The out-pouring of public emotion led to CBC deciding to broadcast the final concert that was to be held in Kingston. CBC then decided to let other municipalities across the country simulcast the program.
Brian Dean, chief at the BDBA, delegated to council and explained what Councillor Marianne Meed Ward had put in front of Council by Memorandum earlier in the day. She pointed out that the idea had come together very quickly and it looked as if cities across the country were going to do what they could to simulcast the event.
Mead Ward is putting $1000 from her Councillor’s budget into the pot. The ad hoc committee is reaching out to the federal and provincial governments (good luck at that level).
Some thought was given to Central Arena as a location – until they realized that the Children’s Festival is going to take place the following day and that stages will have been set up with porta potties in place – Spencer Smith Park became the obvious choice.
Hamilton is in; Kingston is in, Charlottetown is in, New Westminster is in and Halifax is in.
 Brian Dean with ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward the day the city got rid of the old parking meters and installed an expensive replacement that doesn’t provide better service. Dean, who could sell ice cubes to Eskimo’s, assured council that this was really quite do-able and presented Council with an outline of the costs. When Dean doesn’t want the public to know what he is up to, he limits the information he shares; when he wants the public to know the media is showered with data.
Media were not given a copy of his cost breakdown.
It didn’t matter – the city manager sensed what council wanted and said that staff would provide oversight and that all the invoices would come to the city for payment.
A formal application has been submitted to the Special Events Team (SET) who gave approval in principle. They are also working on getting an exemption from the noise bylaw that requires events to shut down at 11:00 pm. The concert is expected to run until 11:30 pm
Meed Ward who exuded enthusiasm for the event suggested it was going to be the emotional equivalent of the winning goal Paul Henderson scored for Team Canada in 1972
The city manager wanted the cost of staff time that would be involved to be part of what the city has to come up with.
The event is 32 days away. Staff will have to hustle to make it happen and the city manager will make sure that the costs are controlled.
It took a two thirds majority vote to waive the city’s procedural by law and another vote to permit Dean to speak. If Council can do that in one meeting – the rest is a lead pipe cinch.
It has taken some time to figure out what the city manager is and what he isn’t. Observing him for the past 18 months the Gazette has found it difficult to say just what kind of an administrator he is. While he talks the talk of community engagement – he doesn’t really walk that talk. However, what is now very clear is that James Ridge is a very fiscally prudent man. Nothing is going to go seriously wrong on his watch. He may over promise from time to time – he certainly did that with a work plan he once put forward – but when it comes to watching where the dollars go – nothing disastrous is going to happen on his watch. Should that ever happen – the good Army Captain will choose to fall on his sword.
Where was he when the pier fiasco was being managed at city hall?
August 20th – mark that one on your calendar. With Meed Ward back on the BDBA as the Council representative – things like this get done.
By Staff
July 18th, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
Construction of the patient tower is moving along nicely. The last window on Level 7 of the new patient tower was installed at the end of June! Soon, two elevators will be up and running on the inside of the building and the man and material hoist will be removed.
The pedestrian bridge structure connects Level 2 of the parking facility to Level 1 of the new tower. Now the construction team is building the metal deck on the floor and on the roof of the bridge and pouring the concrete floor. By the end of July, glass windows will be installed on the bridge and roofing and finishes will follow.
Power will be turned on in late September.
In their latest video, Alean Jackman, Operational Readiness Coordinator and Melanie Burnet, Program Champion for the Surgical Program share the 5 Things You Need to Know about Our New Surgical Suite. Enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at the progress being made inside our future surgical suite and learn more about the new space from our experts!
In the past the hospital has had problems with infectious diseases. The new hospital will have three new washer disinfectors that have greater capacity for cleaning and processing clinical equipment. The machines also have fast and efficient cleaning cycles, larger touch screens, and built-in “cool touch” handles on the racks.
Inside, installation of drywall continues to progress from the Main Level to Level 7 and soon, ceilings will go up. Painting has started and the main lobby staircase will be installed by late summer.
The people who will make the hospital actually work on a day to day basis are involved in critical training programs; much of the equipment is very complex and requires training and practice before nurses roll you into one of the ten new operating rooms – nine of which are reported to be ready for business on opening day.
 A new Lakeshore Road is being constructed that will lead to the new front entrance to the hospital. The construction and re-development of the hospital takes place while the city re-builds the part of Lakeshore Road that will become the new front entrance to the hospital. Parts of Lakeshore Road are being raised by as much as a metre from their current level. The re-built road will slowly slope towards the parking garage where the rebuild will pause until the hospital is completed in 2018.
 Storm water around the hospital has always been an issue – one that hospital media management people don’t like to talk about very much.  Big 20 inch pipes being shoved under North Shore Road to connect properties north of Lakeshore to pipes running along Lakeshore right past the hospital to the Waste Water treatment plant. Traffic in the area has been re-routed in several directions while the construction work takes place. Waste water treatment and storm water facilities are also being upgraded as well.
A 20 inch pipe is being shoved under the Lakeshore Road, North Shore Road intersection from the Brant Museum property to connect waste water pipes to the main trunk line.
 These are the detours that are going to be in place until road re-construction is complete – sometime in September. It is not a pretty place for traffic these days – and it is going to remain that way until late in September.
By Pepper Parr
July 18th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
We were advised this morning that the errors on the plaque have been corrected.
Ed Keenleyside just might be sleeping a little better these days – The Cenotaph that is tucked beside city hall on Brant Street is getting a clean-up.
 Ed Keenleyside at the Cenotaph. Keenleyside has been researching the names of the 82 casualties etched on the Cenotaph with plans to publish an informative book, which will put faces and personalities to those who died so many years ago.
“I have information on all but one name and that person, J. W. Williamson, is among the 44 World War II fatalities. If anyone can identify this person Keenleyside would be most grateful. Please contact him at at ekeenleyside@cogeco.ca if you can help.
But that isn’t Keenleyside’s biggest issue – he was close to spitting nickels when he say the errors in the small plaque to the rear of the monument explain the memorial.
Within the handful of sentences describing this important monument said Keenleyside DATE are the following mistakes:
1. There are 38 World War I casualties listed on the memorial, not 39.
2. The 38 fatalities listed are soldiers from the Great War (or World War I ), not from the Second World War.
3. There are 44 local service people listed from the Second World War, not 43.
 Ed Keenleyside identified a number of significant error on this plaque. In addition to the embarrassing errors on the plaque, Keenleyside wonders why the Korean War Veterans are recognized at the base of the Cenotaph but the Afghanistan War Veterans are not recognized.
Ed Keenleyside can’t understand why the plaque that explains the history of the war memorial he is standing beside has so many errors on it.
The Gazette hasn’t had an opportunity to check and see if the piece of metal with the errors inscribed has been replaced. We expect to hear from Keenleyside on this matter.
The cenotaph was dedicated in April 1922 by Lord Byng (Govenor General of Canada) and was originally located in a park setting on the downtown shore of Lake Ontario. The memorial was moved to its present location after the construction of the new City Hall in 1962.
 Remembered, respected. Now to ensure that it is accurate and up to date. The Cenotaph consists of five pieces of granite, stacked in a plinth and is topped with a sculpture of a World War I soldier cast in bronze. The names of 38 WWI fatalities from Burlington and Nelson Township are engraved on both sides of the column. On the back of the column the names of 17 key WWI Canadian battle locations such as Vimy Ridge, Arras, Mons, Ypres and the Somme are engraved. On the front of the column is a large bronze plaque four feet by three feet in size, with the names inscribed of 44 service people from this area who died in WWII.
Repair work will include: removal of loose corrosion products and accumulated dirt from the bronze statue, plaque and granite base; application of hot and cold wax to the bronze statue and plaque; filling in small bronze losses with wax; surface cleaning the bronze plaque and replacing missing hardware; replacing iron hardware with copper or stainless steel hardware; re-coating the lead lettering with black paint as required; replacing failing mortar on the granite base and surrounding pad.
Keenleyside spots errors on plaque describing the war memorial.
By Pepper Parr
July 18th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
 MP Pam Damoff will lead a consultation on climate change at Tansley Woods on the 20th Member of Parliament Pam Damoff is holding a climate change consultation on July 20th at 7pm at Tansley Wood.
Vince Fiorito urges people to “to show up and speak up in support of an ambitious national climate strategy.”
 Vince Fiorito. Steward of Sheldon Creek has been a climate change advocate for years. A number of months ago Fiorito made a very trenchant observation when he said: “The planet it going to survive – there is no certainty that the human race will survive if they keep on behaving the way they do now.”
It is our planet – we actually get to decide what life on this planet is going to be like in the next 50 years.
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By Pepper Parr
July 18th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Getting community culture funded in Burlington is a tricky business.
Culture and the arts gets managed at the Parks and Recreation level, Burlington has not yet grown to the point where it has a group dedicated to culture – there isn’t yet a full realization that culture is an economic driving force that has to be managed and effectively promoted.
In the past few years a cultural underground that is a lot bigger than most people realize has begun to organize itself – it is more vocal than effective at this point – but it does have potential.
Herding cats is easier than getting artists to sing from the same hymn book. At some point the political leadership or the administrative will come to the surface and changes will take place. In the meantime we muddle our way through a mushy place where most people mutter the right words but not much real change takes place.
 Selina Eckersall chose Village Square as the location for the second No Vacancy vent which they called Cirque. It was a huge success. Last week the fissures in the cultural file were evident when ward 2 Councillor Meed Ward put forward a motion to grant a group putting on a significant cultural event for the fourth year. The group had previously been turned down by the Parks and Recreation program because they weren’t a new event.
Meed Ward wanted the group to be given $4000 which members of Council went along with at the Standing committee level – it has yet to be approved by Council.
In her memorandum to city council Meed Ward explained that “No Vacancy is a non profit charitable agency whose mission is to bring contemporary art and culture to Burlington. They have previously sponsored two other art events: Cirque (2014) and Super Nova (2015).”
Meed Ward didn’t mention the first No Vacancy event that was held at the Waterfront Hotel in 2103.
Council provided one-time funding support for SuperNova, as well as funding for the Car- Free Street festivals in wards 4,5 and 6 and a Janes’ Walk in ward 1.
Funding was not sought by the No Vacancy people during this year’s budget for their Moonglade, because they were pretty sure funding would be available under the new Community Investment Fund (CIF). However, that fund turned out to be for new events. Moonglade is new in the sense that it is a different location and theme, although still run at the same time of year by the same organization. As such, the event doesn’t neatly fit the existing criteria of the CIF.
 Tomy Bewick intoned in a strong passionate voice while Teresa Seaton spread the stained glass feathers about the ground. The event was one of the strongest features in the 2015 No Vacancy SuoerNova event. Mead Ward said that “this is an event and an organization we want to support until such time as criteria are developed for ongoing community-delivered events. Currently, staff are working on a revised festivals and events strategy. The issue of ongoing event funding will no doubt be a topic of discussion, given the city currently does fund some existing events year over year (eg Sound of Music), and has funded Car Free Festivals again this year.
Meed Ward trotted out the line we are going to hear for the next five years – “the event aligns well with Burlington’s new Strategic Plan, the direction of an Engaging City.”
The strong point in Meed Wards request that Council contribute funds was the additional partners the event has brought into their tent. The Art Gallery of Burlington and the Burlington Downtown Business Association are very much on board with the No Vacancy initiative.
This year the event will be held in Brock Park behind the Art Gallery and inside the building as well. The city can be a partner as well. The request got past the Standing committee and goes to city council Monday evening.
Selina Eckersall, head of No Vacancy, the group that has put on three events, two of which were unqualified successes, had managed to put together an agreement with the Art Gallery of Burlington to hold the event at that location for their fourth event.
 Culture – it was in 2014 at the No Vacancy Cirque event. This has to be looked upon as a marriage made in heaven. The Art Gallery has all kinds of nooks and crannies that are ideal for the kind of event that No Vacancy does. Their first event at the Waterfront Hotel was small but broke new ground in terms of cultural audacity for this city. The second, held at the Village Square broke records in terms of audience attendance and the eclectic mix of participants that ranged from Belly Dancers to Teresa Seaton Stained Glass – and that is a stretch when it comes to art in Burlington. But it worked and the No Vacancy people heightened their ambitions and decided to hold their third event on Old Lakeshore Road. It suffered from overreach and too large a space – and not enough in the way of volunteer help. Lessons were learned.
 Robert Steven is showing the city that he is prepared to do things differently. Having a CEO at the Art Gallery prepared to reach out and try something new was just what No Vacancy needed. Robert Steven showed the city that he was prepared to do things differently when he sponsored a concert at the Performing Arts Centre where he made better use of the space than the staff over there do.
Inviting the No Vacancy crowd into the AGB was a brilliant move that was aided by the fact that Eckersall, was named the Arts Person of the Year award in the 2014 Burlington Best event now also sits on the Board of the AGB.
With at least some of the core funding they need in place – MoonGlade can now continue with their plans and show the city what they can do in perhaps the best location available in the city.
 Lone Garden will again be part of No Vacancy’s MoonGlade this year Kune Hua, one of the 17 participants, is growing an even bigger Love Garden. There is a man in blue wearing red sneakers that is somehow involved in promoting the event.
By Staff
July 18th, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Bandit bats were quiet Sunday.
Other teams in the InterCounty Baseball League were busy.
 In Hamilton, the Barrie Baycats scored three runs in the ninth inning to beat the host Hamilton Cardinals 12-10 Sunday afternoon.
Trailing by a run, Barrie’s Kyle DeGrace and Jordan Castaldo started the ninth with a double and walk. Kyle Nichols then hit a three-run blast to put the Baycats ahead. Nichols had a two-run home run in the first inning and finished 3-for-4 with seven RBI.
Castaldo had three hits, three RBI and three runs, DeGrace went 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs, and Glenn Jackson singled, doubled and scored twice from the leadoff spot.
Jaspreet Shergill (2-1) picked up the win, going two innings in relief of Matthew St. Kitts and allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits, striking out one without issuing a walk. St. Kitts allowed eight runs (five earned) on eight hits in six innings, striking out two and walking two.
Chris Nagorski threw a scoreless, hitless ninth for his third save. He struck out one and walked one.
For Hamilton, Dre Celestijn had a home run and five RBI to lead the offence. He added a double and scored three runs. Nate Mastervick, Tyler Hardie and Callum Murphy had single RBIs, Jake Foden had a pair of hits and scored twice, and David Vanderby had two hits and a run.
Russ Burroughs (1-2) took the loss, giving up three runs in 1.2 innings, walking one and striking out one.
Third-place Barrie improved to 20-9, and eighth-place Hamilton dropped to 7-24.
The London Majors snapped a mini two-game losing skid with a 5-3 road win over the Toronto Maple Leafs Sunday afternoon.
Elis Jimenez went eight strong innings and allowed one run on seven hits, striking out one and walking one.
Cleveland Brownlee had three hits and two RBI for the second-place Majors, who improved to 21-9, Michael Ambrose added three hits, an RBI and run, while Keith Kandel singled and scored twice and RJ Fuhr singled twice and drove in a run.
Justin Marra had two hits and an RBI for fifth-place Toronto, which fell to 15-15. Connor Lewis and Dan Marra each had two hits and a run, and Brandon Keys added an RBI.
Justin Cicatello allowed five runs (four earned) on 10 hits over eight innings. He struck out four and walked one.
In Kitchener McGovern’s threw a complete-game shutout to lead the Kitchener Panthers to a 4-0 win over the Guelph Royals Sunday night.
McGovern (5-0) scattered four hits, striking out six and walking one.
Terrell Alliman hit a solo home run and added a single. Tanner Nivins and Jonathan Brouse each had an RBI, while Sean Reilly singled twice.
The first-place Panthers improved to 23-7.
Matt Schmidt and Aaron Loder both doubled for the Royals, who dropped to 7-22.
Adrian Yuen took the loss, giving up four runs on nine hits in seven innings, striking out four and walking three.
Future games
Tuesday, July 19
Barrie at Guelph, 7:30 p.m.
By Pepper Parr
July 18th, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
People enjoyed the city over the weekend – and there was a bit of a breeze.
The audiences for the KooGle Theatre Company production of the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee were very good as was the audience for The Taming of the Shrew at Thinkspot in Lowville.
 Shakespeare in Lowville. The Shrew production was an incredibly different and innovative take on what the bard wrote. The Driftwood Theatre Company is known for doing thought provoking, at time hilarious productions of Shakespeare’s work. Thinkspot has become known for bringing them to the city.
The Thinkspot event has been for just the one evening in an outdoor theatre. The audience this year was larger than last year.
 Spelling Bee cast talks to the audience after its opening last week. The Spelling Bee runs for an additional week at the Performing Arts Centre – two of the four nights the first week were sold out. Book your tickets now for this one. Fun evening.
The Mayor is reported to have been able to spell some of the words he was given but even he was eventually led off the stage by Muscle Bound Mike. You need to see the play to fully appreciate that actor.
The Bandits took a licking on the baseball diamond.
The Bandits will play again this weekend – hopefully they will do better.
The Lowville Festival begins on Friday the 22nd at the Anglican Church in Lowville where a 60+ member choir will be entertaining. This is the Second Annual Lowville Festival – an event that is finding its legs and adding to the locally based entertainment program.
City council meets this evening – then they are off for their summer break. This Council is at the halfway point of their current term of office. All were re-elected last time around.
Lowville Festival schedule:
 By Staff
July 16, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Noelvis Entenza struck out nine batters over seven innings as the Kitchener Panthers beat the Burlington Bandits 7-2 Saturday afternoon.
 Both runs Entenza (7-3) allowed were earned and came on two hits. He also walked three.
David Whiteside led the offence with his seventh home run of the season and three RBI. Mike Gordner had two hits and an RBI, and Sean Reilly drove in his 44th run of the season.
For Burlington, Nolan Pettipiece had two hits and an RBI. Julian Johnson doubled and scored, and John Whaley had an RBI.
Branden Kuzyk (0-3) allowed three runs on five hits over seven innings, striking out four and walking five.
The first-place Panthers improved to 22-7 after their second straight victory, and the sixth-place Bandits dropped to 7-20.
In Barrie the Baycats knock off Red Sox Baycats moved within a half game of second place after their 11-6 win over the Brantford Red Sox Saturday night.
Barrie improved to 19-9 and is a half game back of London, which has lost three straight.
Jeff Cowan and Kyle DeGrace each had three hits, two runs and two RBI to lead the offence. Kevin Atkinson went 3-for-5 with three runs and an RBI, while Glenn Jackson had three hits, an RBI and run. Conner Morro drove in a run, and Ryan Spataro had a hit and scored twice.
Adam Rowe (1-0) picked up the win, giving up six runs (five earned) on 13 hits over five innings. Rowe didn’t have a strikeout or walk.
Ricky Murray had two hits and two RBI for the fourth-place Red Sox, which dropped to 18-12. Chris Dennis had two hits, two runs and an RBI, Wayne Forman singled twice, and Dennon Koziol and Nic Burdett each had two hits and a run. Brandon Dailey and Jeff Hunt each drove in a run, and Tyler Patzalek had two hits.
Matt Martinow (1-2) took the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits in three innings, without recording a strikeout or walk. Riley Barr started and went three innings, giving up six runs (four earned) on seven hits, striking out four and walking one.
In Guelph the Royals scored all of their runs in the fourth inning of a 7-6 win over the Hamilton Cardinals Saturday night.
Guelph had five hits in the inning, including Chandler McLaren’s two-run home run with no out. Santino Silvestri hit a two-run double, and Trevor Nyp had an RBI single.
Nathan Dallas-Blackburn added two hits and a run.
 A summer evening with a baseball game under the lights – hearing the snap of the bat as all the eyes in the stands follow the arc of the ball. Alberto Rodriguez (3-2) picked up the win, going 6.1 innings and allowing five runs on four hits, striking out 11 and walking five.
AJ Mackey picked up his first save, giving up a run on two hits in an inning, striking out two.
For Hamilton, Dre Celestijn and Tyler Hardie each hit home runs. Hardie finished with three hits and two RBI. TJ Baker drove in two and scored twice, and Lake Molleson had an RBI.
Kyle Adoranti (0-6) gave up five runs (three earned) on six hits over 3.2 innings, striking out five and walking two.
The seventh-place Royals improved to 7-21, and the last-place Cardinals dropped to 7-23. The Bandits sit atop the two with a 7-20 record.
Future games
Sunday, July 17
London at Toronto, 2 p.m.
Barrie at Hamilton, 2 p.m.
Guelph at Kitchener, 7 p.m.
By Pepper Parr
July 16th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Where is Ray?
For many Gazette readers Ray Rivers had become a Friday habit – his views on matters federal, provincial and from time to time international have appeared in the Gazette for more than three years.
I first met Rivers when he was talking to a group of Liberals who used to meet regularly at Artisano’s. I liked what I heard Rivers saying a found a way to strike up a conversation. That led to his writing for the Gazette.
 Rivers tries to get to New Zealand once a year – relaxes with family and gets in a little fishing. His daughter returned to Canada with he husband and their children. Ray is working on making a good hockey fan out of at least the grandson. This summer Rivers and I decided that a full break for a month or more was well deserved – and except for one occasion when he had to say something about the Brexit mess in the United Kingdom, Rivers has behaved and worked with tools on his farm in Mountsburg rather than the keyboard on his computer.
There is a tree lot that needs some pruning and a new deck for the hot tub. Grass to be cut with the mower that Rivers treats as something you drive at a NASCAR event and the chicken coop needs a good clean up.
 Rivers is incapable of getting through a day without reading at last one newspaper. So – for those who wonder where Rivers is – it isn’t quite “gone fishing” but it is a respite from a task that can get onerous. Writing a column every week is demanding.
Rivers and I usually have a short conversation about what he would like to write on – we exchange ideas and I pretty well leave him to his own devices. It is the readers that keep him on his toes.
There are about a dozen that watch what he writes very carefully. It did take a while for Gazette readers to fully appreciate that Rivers was a columnist with a view point. Several complained that he was a Liberal and therefore shouldn’t be writing articles.
He is certainly a Liberal and a liberal as well – and that was the point. The Gazette wanted someone with a clear point of view. We also wanted a strong Conservative and talked to a number of people who could have filled that role – none chose to step up the plate.
Public opinion needs to be informed and the exchange of views is part of what informs people. It took us some time to bleed out the more raucous comments that used to appear in the Gazette.
This is not yet a city with a clear understanding of how important it is to keep the public informed and to do so as transparently as possible.
Rivers, who has consistently written a column with often extensive links to other material that few columnists provide.
 With the New Zealand part of the family now on Canadian soil Rivers can see his grandchildren whenever he wants. Rivers will be back in the fall – we expect him to have something to say about both the Republican and Democratic conventions taking place in the United States and how our federal and provincial governments are doing in this country.
The Gazette is fortunate to have Rivers as part of the editorial team – Burlington doesn’t yet fully appreciate the contribution he makes – which isn’t about what he actually writes – but about the fact that he does write. The city badly needs a public that is informed and is prepared to speak out.
 By Staff
July 16th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
They certainly dropped the Hammer on us.
The Hamilton Cardinals pounded out 14 hits in a 17-1 win over the Burlington Bandits Friday night.
 Tyler Hardie went 4-for-5 with four RBI and three runs to lead the seventh-place Cards, who improved to 7-22. Chris Beer singled three times and drove in three and scored once, while Nate Mastervick hit a solo home run and single and scored three times. Dre Celestijn went 2-for-4 with two RBI and four runs, Liam Wilson drove in a pair of runs and scored twice, TJ Baker and Jake Foden each had an RBI, and Marcus Dicenzo added a single, RBI and two runs.
Robert Wilson (2-4) went eight innings for the win, allowing one run on five hits, striking out six and walking two.
Justin Gideon had a solo home run for the sixth-place Bandits, who fell to 7-19. Alex Nolan added a double.
Derek Zwolinski (0-1) took the loss, lasting four innings and giving up eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits, walking three and striking out three.
In Brantford the Red Sox took a 12-2 win over the Guelph Royals all the way to the bank Friday night.
Burdett drilled a three-run blast in the sixth inning and singled three times. Wayne Forman went 4-for-5 with two RBI and a run, Dennon Koziol had two RBI, while Benjamin Bostick and Jeff Hunt each drove in a run. Tyler Patzalek, Ricky Murray and Chris Dennis combined for five hits and five runs.
On the mound, Nathan Forer (6-2) went 6.1 innings and allowed two runs on five hits, striking out six and walking one.
For Guelph, Adam Rossit had the lone RBI. Matt Schmidt went 2-for-2 with a run and walk.
Daniel Marquez (0-2) took the loss, giving up five runs (four earned) on four hits in 2.2 innings. Marquez walked seven and didn’t record a strikeout.
The fourth-place Red Sox improved to 18-11, and the last-place Royals dropped to 6-21.
Elsewhere in the league pitcher Deska strikes out 13 in Toronto Leafs win over the London Majors.
Marek Deska went seven scoreless innings and struck out 13 as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the London Majors 5-0 Friday night.
Deska (2-1) scattered six hits and didn’t walk a batter as the fifth-place Leafs improved to 15-14.
Grant Tamane drove in a pair of runs in the win. Connor Lewis, Will Richards and Damon Topolie each had an RBI.
RJ Fuhr had two of London’s seven hits. Carlos Arteaga singled and stole two bases.
Owen Boon (4-1) allowed four runs on five hits over seven innings, striking out five and walking four.
The second-place Majors (20-9) dropped their third straight and trail Kitchener by 1.5 games.
Future games
Saturday, July 16
Kitchener at Burlington, 1 p.m.
Brantford at Barrie, 7 p.m.
Hamilton at Guelph, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 17
London at Toronto, 2 p.m.
Barrie at Hamilton, 2 p.m.
Guelph at Kitchener, 7 p.m.
 By Pepper Parr
July 15th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
There is something fun about musicals – they always start with a burst of energy and you know you are going to be entertained.
As the actors and actresses take to the stage you wonder how they are going to portray their character, more than often there is a surprise or two.
Thursday night the KooGle Theatre Company opened “The 25thAnnuual Putnam County Spelling Bee” with a cast of nine supplemented by four members of the audience who volunteered to be part of the spelling bee.
Their names weren’t provided but the woman who was asked to spell “cow” did not expect to be on her knees on the stage with Muscle bound Mitch Mahoney, played by Giovanni Spina, as he comforted her when she failed to spell a word.
The audience didn’t expect to see Jesus in the balcony either as he spoke to one of the players. It was that kind of night.
The cast on stage taking questions from the audience. First night was SOLD OUT – as are many of the seven day run performances. Mark Allan, playing Leaf Coneybear, didn’t really know how to spell but had a “divining rod” that took over his mind and his body as he blurted out the letters to words he didn’t even understand. He was the nut case who turned in a funny performance of a whimsical character.
The chair of the Spelling Bee – she was winner in the 3rd Annual Putnam County event, stroked the microphone stand in a way that said much more than she perhaps wanted to convey. Cara Pantalone, playing Rona Lisa Perretti was that busy, supressed personality that runs the show – she sold real estate.
The awkward teenage Boy Scout, played by Daniel Spragge, who had let himself slip into a day dream of some wished for girl in his life that produced an erection he was not able to hide was one of the funnier characters on the stage.
I had the pleasure of sitting between Deb Tymstra and Loretta Bailey in the balcony and will not forget the Bailey laugh, it came from deep in her throat, she was thoroughly enjoying the Boy Scout and his predicament. Baily once played a leading role in Les Miserable in Toronto and will be performing at the Lowville Festival on the 24th of July.
The contest judge, played by Christopher Gray, did explain and apologized for the “unfortunate incident” that required him to bow out of the judge job in a previous spelling bee. He assured his audience that he had worked on his problem.
The performance program describes the cast as six quirky adolescents and the three equally quirky grown up who reveal pasts that are at times hilarious and poignant.
Marcy Park, played by Laura Caswell, was waiting for her Dad who had her contest entrance fee, did a superb performance as she sang in a very plaintive voice the words “Mama – chanti” as the Mother who had been in an ashram in India and the Father who didn’t always show up stood on either side looking away from their child.
Her blossoming affection for William Barfee, played by Niko Combitsis, was tender, touching and for this reviewer, stole the show. Mary Park won the hearts of the audience and the Spelling Bee trophy as well.
Barfee was certainly the strongest character on the stage who did a short tap dance, a skill he began to acquire in January. How his dancing and spelling go together is something you are going to have to see to fully appreciate.
Olive Ostrovsky, who spoke six languages, was played by Shaina Silver-Baird who came to the conclusion that wining was perhaps not all it was cracked up to be and left the stage on the back of muscle bound Mitch.
 One of the four volunteer contestants in the Spelling Bee returned to the stage for his bib. They had a lot of fun. Leslie Kay and Christopher Gray performed well – KooGle is their theatre company and it was their efforts and energy that brought the play to the stage of the Community Studio. Christopher has this capacity to expand the character he is playing with small deft movements that convey much more than the words he speak. There is a tightness to the man that works well; not controlled but very evident. He is to be appreciated.
The Performing Arts Centre is a superb location – we are fortunate to have the place. The Spelling Bee – try it – light summer fare that is worth the time. If you are one of those brave souls with a sense of adventure – sign up to be a contestant – there are four spots available for each performance.
They were sold out their opening night and are sold out for several of the seven day run which is: July 14th to 16th and July 21st to 23rd at 7:30 pm in the Community Theatre. The play also runs at 2:00 pm from July 17th to 24th.
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