 By Pepper Parr
June 29th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Vince Fiorito teaches and instructs people in the arcane science of information technology. He knows all about Virtual Private Networks; how to set them up and how to keep them both running and safe from the cyber bandits.
He has been around information technology since its inception and while he hasn’t invented anything or become ridiculously rich he is content with what he is able to earn.
 The Halton Hamilton Watershed Protection group and Conservation Authority issues these placards – they are prized possessions in the rural part of the region. The passion for Fiorito is the environment – and here he has become an absolute bulldog. Fiorito will see a lush green lawn and know that it was treated with some chemical that is polluting the creeks and streams that run through Burlington and into the lake – our water supply. That makes the hair on the back of his neck bristle.
When Fiorito and his wife went looking for a home in Burlington he knew that he wanted a ravine property; it was his wife who found what they were looking for. His back yard is a slope that is landscaped with stones – not as much as a blade of grass to cut but a clear view directly into the flow of Sheldon Creek that runs from the watershed in the Escarpment through the city and into Lake Ontario.
 This hunk of metal has obviously been in the creek since before the development surrounding the creek was constructed. A farmer or the developer that bought the farmland just left it; does the city not inspect the land at all during the construction phase. Getting it out is going to be a challenge. Sheldon Creek is Vince Fiorito country – he has a sign into his back yard that declares he is the Friend of Sheldon Creek. His reputation has spread throughout the city. During one of his Inspire speeches Mayor Goldring was taking questions from the audience – Vince was on his feet and asking the Mayor what his position was on the cleaning of the creeks. Goldring recognized the name and said “you’re the guy that cleans the Sheldon Creek” – not bad in terms of recognition.
Fiorito has walked every foot of the creek from Upper Middle Road to the Lake – during the summer he expects to trace the path of the creek from Upper Middle Road to its headwaters in the Escarpment
During a delegation before a city Standing Committee Fiorito upbraided council for not keeping the creeks cleaner – pointing out that they were city property.
Councillor Craven took exception to that comment and said it wasn’t city property but the property of people whose property who bordered on the flood plain. Staff corrected the Council member – it was for the most part city property they said; the decent thing to do would have been for Craven to apologize to Fiorito and listen to what the man had to say but that isn’t the currency Craven deals in.
Fiorito can recite chapter and verse on how many tonnes of garbage have been removed from Sheldon Creek and had the photographic evidence to back up his point.
 Not toxic but not the kind of thing you want adventurous boys coming across when they play in the creeks. When Fiorito came across the two 40 gallon barrels and the cans of chemicals in Sheldon Creek his first instinct was to inform the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. Easier said than done. There was no phone number; there was a form he could complete and did.
Fiorito didn’t understand why he couldn’t send a GPS marker to the Ministry so they would know exactly where to look.
 The back up here is due to a fallen tree – there is no one culling the forestry – the result is small damn that get created and catch everything flowing through the creek. There is more work to be done on the Sheldon Creek and while Fiorito gets quite cranked up about the environmental mess and isn’t the least bit shy about warning neighbours about the potential harm – the truth is Sheldon Creek is a mess and it is city property and while it will cost a pretty penny to clean it up from top to bottom there is the potential for flooding and the backing up of the spring runs offs – and there might be some junk in there that could be dangerous.
Burlington has 10 creeks that flow through the city and into the lake. They are for the most part abandoned with no one paying much in the way of attention to them. The city got a very rude awakening when the August 4th flood hit the city last summer. The practice before the flood was not to do all that much to the creeks; the natural approach, just leave everything that falls into the creek bed wherever it falls, was both cheaper and though to be environmentally sound.
That 191 mm of rain in a single day resulted in water roaring down those creeks and that harmless tree stump became a battering ram that lifted large pieces of concrete on New Street.
 It was a backed up creek that brought the flood water over this bridge Creeks got plugged and water began flowing into the streets and basements were flooded – the wonder is that some lawyer in town didn’t see the potential for a class action law suit and go after the city for tens of thousands in claims arguing that the city was negligent – which it has been.
Last week Conservation Halton held its annual awards night in Milton where it recognized those who had made significant contributions to the preservation of the environment
After the flooding brought on by Hurricane Hazel in 1954 that resulted in more than 90 deaths, flood control in Ontario and Canada as a whole became a more important issue.
Fiorito has nothing but positive words for the work BurlingtonGreen does each year when it spends the best part of a Saturday organizing thousands of people to help clean up the trash in the city – but makes this observation:
We have thousands of people helping clean up but we appear to have thousands who are littering our creeks – hundreds of vehicle tires have been pulled out the creek and they didn’t just fall of a passing car.
 Vince Firoito thinks there might be some scrap metal revenue in the creeks – is is salvageable? Part of his mission is to clean the creeks and keep them clean. Fiorito has a mission: he is the Friend of Sheldon Creek – now wants every creek in the city to have a friend and people who will serve as stewards of the creeks to oversee their environmental health.
In the fullness of time Fiorito hopes that the stewards of the city’s creeks will begin to have some influence on the city’s elected council and encourage them to put some resources into rehabilitating the creeks.
In some city’s the ravines are quiet laces for people to walk and just enjoy being outside. Burlington has been spoiled – most people are just vaguely aware that there are all those creeks running through the city. Vince Fiorito is setting out to change that perception.
 By James Smith
June 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Can a tool change the world?
What about a tool to change Burlington?
Marshal McLuhan said, “We shape the tool, then the tool shapes us”. Don’t agree? If you’re reading this, an online newspaper, the very action of reading stuff online has, in fact, transformed you.
This is a piece about how choices of designers’ tools have shaped not only the practice of design, but more importantly how the results may shape our city.
Burlington’s had its share of great plans but executing these plans may be why Burlington is a place where NIMBY is king and why Burlington as a city has never lived up to its potential. Perhaps with a better set of tools, designers can help citizens and politicians awaken Burlington to its potential.
As a designer, I’ve a fascination how the tools of the trade have changed the approach to our work and how these changes have modified our designs. Technological change is often at the heart of transformation; think of it this way: before movies, no movie stars, before Video Games, no 3D animators. Similarly, in architectural design, before Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD or CAD) the architect’s world was a very different place than it is today. A place where changes to a project, even in conceptual design were difficult to implement due in part because a huge commitment of resources was required to produce a building project’s design as everything was drawn by hand.
 How much “cut and paste” was there to this design? Citizens who saw early drawings complained that there wasn’t much creativity to the project. Not very livable was another comment. Why should we care? The development industry may be the impetus behind any building project, but the work of the urban planners, architects and other designers’ shape these projects. The city and its residents live with the results of their work. When tools allow a design firm to simply Copy and Paste a developer’s requests, a resulting project perhaps technically sound, is likely more of a commodity than handsome design. The city is poorer for this kind of design.
Intensification, for example, gets a bad reputation if produced as the result of a Copy and Paste process rather than employing more innovative design. As a city we need to demand better from our development community and the designers engaged. But good design takes time; and time is money so to better manage the process effectively, perhaps design firms need better tools.
Twenty-five years ago, most architects, engineers, interior designers, landscape architects, and urban planners’ tool sets had not changed a great deal in a hundred years. Paper, pencils, ink and blueprints were still the stock-in-trade for most professionals. In part because the design of anything is very labour intensive with much proprietary information; plans tend to be closely guarded secrets between client and design firm. Even when these plans are for projects to be executed on behalf of the public. The process now is generally better, but improvements to the process need to be made.
 Before electronic digital design tools were available everything was drawn by hand – and changes were minimal which meant less creativity. Change may be coming if some of the architects and urban planners I spoke to recently have anything to say about the issue. I joined about 300 designers from many disciplines from around the world to talk shop about the tool they use to change their part of the world at the Vectorworks Design Summit in Philadelphia. (https://www.vectorworks.net/design-summit) Noted Landscape Architect and urban planner Adrian McGregor (https://is.gd/S6Dq0h ) of Sidney Australia claimed “Cities are the greatest cultural achievement of human kind”.
A pretty bold statement, especially when we look at the kind of car-centric city and region we live in. McGregor went on to qualify his statement by saying in executing city design and construction “… we’ve forgotten what was important to the foundations of cities”. Could this be due, in part to the technology used by designers? I would argue yes.
Vectorworks CAD software users are an interesting, and eclectic group of professional designers from a number of disciplines. Half a million very loyal users and 30 years later founder and Chairman Mr. Richard Diehl told me at lunch the other day, part of his inspiration in developing CAD software came in a university class. A professor wrote a formula on the blackboard and said to the class “you can make money and found a company with this algorithm”. Rich quickly wrote down that algorithm! Thirty years ago CAD on a Mac was a breakthrough; at the time CAD systems took up entire rooms and were only available to NASA, Boeing, GM or SNC/Lavalin. Products like Vectorworks (then called MiniCAD) and AutoCad have transformed the design industry as firms could produce and store documents required for building anything, in a mechanized way, even in very small practices. This had profound implications for design companies, as armies of people at drafting boards were no longer required to complete a project.
The Vectorworks CEO Sean Flaherty demands his company focus on a desire “to change the design process”. Vectorworks according to Flaherty has “never fit neatly into a slot” and he told me candidly the “why of the company” is rooted in asking, “what are the needs of designers” who use this tool. Somewhat refreshing to hear a CEO not hammer on some marketers’ tag line or so called mission statement. Mr. Flaherty seems genuinely committed not just to his company, but to the needs of the design community and wants Vectorworks to assist the Design community in addressing many challenges we face as a society.
 The software available to day can be used to create images of project sites that give the public a view of what is planned and ideally give them an opportunity to comment. Mr. Flaherty’s passion seemed evident when he said “.. we are currently teaching our kids that architecture is now a luxury good” and that this is “a trend I fear for the whole built world”. In an effort to move away from this trend of making design just for the 1% Flaherty, who thinks, “design really matters” wants to ensure “Vectorworks goal is usability and simplicity”.
Usability and simplicity are goals everyone wants but achieving it’s a difficult process. Sean Flaherty told me his company’s approach is “not to focus on technology but on the users goals” and that “moving data around is not the problem”. ” Telling the customer: You’re doing it wrong! ” is something his engineers need to avoid, and rather the user needs to be “an active participant” where the process of evolving software “needs to be a conversation, not to limit a designer’s choices, but rather you (the user) should be able to choose your own tool and mix and match to get desired result”.
 Realistic renderings of proposed building developments lets a public see what a building is going to look like. In the old days of pencil and paper world, designers used many tools to achieve their desired effect, and the tension to be told to do something one way tends to irk a creative mind. Many CAD software products limit user’s choices on how to produce construction documents. Sean Flaherty suggests with Vectorworks a “multi discipline approach” to architectural design “could change the way architecture is practiced”.
While there are dozens of pieces of CAD software in the world and designers have been using them for years now. If Vectorworks, as a tool, has at its core an interface and a structure more collaborative this may open the door to a more collaborative city building process. Time will tell.
 The software available today allows designers to provide a very large scale view of the expected result. It also allows all the contractors involved in the construction to interact with the various levels of the software. What is about to have the most transformative change to CAD, and in turn to city building is something called Building Information Modeling, or BIM. Much of this conference was devoted to the future of BIM, how it works, and how to collaborate with other disciplines using Vectorworks.
So what is BIM? Dr. Biplab Sakar, chief technology officer of Nemetschek Vectorworks told me “BIM is not a piece of software or a thing, but a process”. This process allows all experts who contribute drawings and specification to a building project to share these components back and forth. Most significantly BIM also allows for each component to be shared as a 3D object.
 Building Information Management allows designers to drill down to a specific part a part of a large building – the pipes that will carry water and electrical conduit and steam for heating for example to be looked at closely when they want that level of detail. Think of BIM as the rules of a giant LEGO set on a computer where each consultant sends the Architect his or her pieces of LEGO. BIM would be the rules allowing all pieces conform to so regardless of shape size colour or use the parts will work with other pieces of LEGO. BIM allows pipes, beams, shafts, walls doors or windows from, whatever software, to be shared.
 Had Building Information Management software been used on the construction of the pier would we have had a different, less expensive pier? In a BIM model a building is constructed as a 3D model on a computer so potential conflicts are resolved in planning stages rather than on a construction site. One has to wonder if Vectorworks and BIM might have ensured the Burlington Pier might have been built in less time, with fewer mistakes and in a more cost effective manner.
BIM has potential not just for building science, but also for large development projects to improve community engagement at the start of a project, and further improve communication of the designer’s intention of a project with the community.
The tools we use can and usually does determine a large part of the quality of the project that is being built.
By Staff
June 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 Gateway to the Millcroft community where average resale price was just under$1 million A few interesting observations – 15 of the 197 May sales in Burlington were over a million dollars as compared to 6 sales over a million same period last year.
Average days on market for those 6 sales was 64 days. Average days on market for the 15 sales this year was 22. Equally as interesting, there were only 3 sales under $400,000.
Hot spots in May were in the Orchard as usual, Roseland – particularly in the transitioning areas, Headon Forest – strong sales but slightly longer days on market. Homes in this neighborhood are a little more difficult to evaluate. If they are fully renovated, they are selling for very similar prices to homes in the Orchard.
 The attraction being that you get a 50×100 foot lot as opposed to 36×85 in the Orchard. Average price paid for a house in Millcroft in May was $991,700 – sold in under 20 days and for 99% of the asking price!
 By Staff
June 26, 2015
BURLINGTON,ON
For the second year the citizens of Burlington will have an opportunity to sign a Book of Best wishes to Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge who will turn two on July 22nd this year.
 The cover of the 2014 Book of Best Wishes sent to Prince George to commemorate his first birthday.. Citizens will be able to sign the second birthday Book of |Best Wishes outside the Brant Museum on Canada Day The Burlington Gazette has sponsored this initiative. Last year beautifully leather bound book was shipped to the Governor General at Rideau Hall who sent it along to Kensington Palace.
The Book of Best wishes will be set out at several locations around the city – and will be on display outside the Brant Museum where people can sign the book and take away a commemorative book mark.
 A commemorative book mark will be given to all those who sign the Book of Best Wishes. Our eager promotional team will be on the grounds wearing their Burlington Gazette T-shirts and directing people to the museum where the Book of Best Wishes will be available for signing from 10 am to 4 pm on Canada.
The Book of Best Wishes was bound in a deep burgundy leather with green trip.
The 2015 edition will be bound in red leather with blue trim.
 By Staff
June 26, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 A number of Burlington city administrative services will be closed Wednesday, July 1 for Canada Day.
City Hall: Will be closed on Wednesday, July 1, 2015, and reopen on Thursday, July 2, 2015.
Parks and Recreation Programs and Facilities: Customer service counters at arenas and community centres are closed on July 1. Pools are open for registered swimming lessons, and Mountainside Pool, Nelson Wading Pool and LaSalle Wading Pool are open for drop-in swimming, weather permitting. See www.burlington.ca/calendar for swimming schedules. Should a labour disruption occur on July 2, please visit www.burlington.ca/labourdisruptions for updates.
Burlington Transit and Handi-Van: On Wednesday, July 1, Burlington Transit will operate a holiday service and the downtown Transit Terminal will be closed. Regular service is scheduled to resume on Thursday, July 2. The administration offices are closed on Wednesday, July 1, and will reopen Thursday, July 2. Call 905-639-0550 or visit www.burlingtontransit.ca for more information. Should a labour disruption occur on July 2, please visit www.burlington.ca/labourdisruptions for updates.
Roads and Parks Maintenance: The administrative office will be closed on Wednesday, July 1, and reopen on Thursday, July 2, 2015. Only basic and emergency service will be provided. Should a labour disruption occur on July 2, please visit www.burlington.ca/labourdisruptions for updates.
Halton Court Services: Provincial Offences Courts in Milton and Burlington will be closed Wednesday, July 1, 2015.
Parking: Free parking is available in the downtown core at all municipal parking facilities on the street, surface lots and parking garage on weekends and holidays.
NOTE: The Waterfront parking lots (east and west) do not provide free parking on statutory holidays.
All this of course will be determined by what the Outside Workers and the Transit drivers decide to do in terms of a possible strike
 By Staff
June 26, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It is week 10 for the Halton Regional Police “Fugitive Friday” initiative that has then asking for the public to help locate wanted persons and hold them accountable for their actions.
There are numerous people who continue to evade the police and the court system and continue to live out in our communities while having a warrant for their arrest in place.
The Burlington Offender Management Unit shares information on a wanted person in hopes that the public can assist in locating the individual.
 Brennan BOWLEY 21 years old, of Hamilton, ON, is wanted by both the Hamilton and Halton Regional Police This week the Friday fugitive is Brennan BOWLEY 21 years old, of Hamilton, ON.
It is alleged:
In December of 2013 the accused committed a break and enter at a Burlington residence while the homeowners were present where several electronics, personal identification, house keys and car keys were stolen
Two people inside the home attempted to prevent the accused from escaping at which time the accused swerved at them attempting to hit them with his vehicle.
The accused was later tracked to a Hamilton address and was arrested in possession of the stolen items from the house
The accused was released on a Recognizance and attended court in August 2014. He was to re-attend Milton court in May of 2015 which he failed to do and a warrant was issued for his arrest
He is now wanted by Halton Regional Police Service for:
Break and Enter Place
Dangerous Operation Motor Vehicle
Fail to Re-Attend Court
The accused is also wanted by Hamilton Police Service for:
Fail to Comply Recognizance x 12
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Possession under $5000 x 3
Possession over $5000
Fail to Comply Probation x 2
Break and Enter Commit x 2
BOWLEY is described as 5’6”, 145lbs, blue eyes and brown hair.
Anyone who may have witnessed this male or has information that would assist investigators in identifying him are encouraged to contact D/C Bulbrook – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Offender Management Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2346 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
June 26, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The return of Canada’s Largest Ribfest on Labour Day Weekend at Burlington’s Spencer Smith Park will be one day longer than in past years – they are adding a “Throw Back Thursday”.
 Ribfest Burlington – said to be the biggest in the province will run for an additional day in September This event, is the oldest Rotary run Ribfest in Canada and this marks the 20th anniversary. To celebrate the Rotary Club of Burlington Lakeshore is starting the event a day earlier
2015 will mark the 20th anniversary of an event that now draws 150,000 people to the city over the Labour Day weekend – the 2015 Festival will run from Thursday the 3rd of September to Monmday the 7th.
It all takes places in Spencer smith Park where award-winning Ribbers from all over North America show off their succulent skills and compete for titles such as “Best Sauce” and “Best Ribs”.
 Part of Premier Kathleen Wynne”s on -the-job training as she learns to flip a rack of ribs at Ribfest. The Rotary Club of Burlington Lakeshore which as to date raised $3 million for local and international charities and community programs, is celebrating the event with throw back music and pricing on beer and ribs.
Thursday, September 3rd to Monday, September 7th, 2015
Time: 5:30pm – 11pm on Thursday, September 3rd,
11am – 11pm on Friday, September 4th to Sunday, September 6th, and 11am – 8pm on Monday, September 7th
 By Ray Rivers
June 26, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
I have a friend who would like nothing better than to see all political parties banned. Representatives should follow the wishes of the people who elected them, not be desk-thumping seals obeying the every whim of the prime minister and his entourage. For him, Canada’s federal government, with its powerful leadership clique and strict party discipline, best resembles a limited autocracy.
 The signing of the Magna Carta – the document that began the process of taking power away from Kings But is partisanship the culprit? Political parties are the wheels that have been driving the evolution of the democratic form, excepting the obscure Greek experiments with direct democracy. Not to downplay the importance of the Magna Carta, it was the Whig (Liberals) party in Britain which wrestled autocratic executive power away from the King, and brought us our modern parliamentary template.
So, perhaps, the issue has more to do with leadership style than governance structure. And, in that vein, my friend likes to blame Pierre Trudeau. He says that PET initiated the style, adopted by subsequent leaders, of absolute control over public policy and decision-making. And he is even more critical of Mr. Harper, who makes PET look like a wuss in this regard.
Ontario Tory back bencher and maverick, Michael Chong, finally got his private member’s Reform Act through the system. Chong held a couple of ministerial posts in the 2006 Conservative government before quitting Cabinet in disgust over the ‘Québécois nation motion’. Having doomed himself to eternal back-benching by his action, he then focused his creative juices on reforming the party system to rein in the near absolute power of party leaders.
I’ve never been a fan of government writing laws to regulate its own behaviour. Laws like the Mike Harris balanced budget legislation and the latest federal copycat version of that are good examples of bad legislation. Unworkable, impractical and unnecessary, there are enough holes in that federal budget law for the PM to drive a Mack truck through – as he did with his fixed elections date law.
I always figured that budgets were what we paid the government to sort out in our best interests. It’s their job, why do they need a law? And this so-called Reform Act is about how the party’s rule themselves. Mundane matters like selecting caucus chairs and nominating candidates are the stuff of this bill. Well, at least that is all that was left, after his own party got through with it.
Let’s remember that political parties are already governed under the Elections Act and by Elections Canada. There are stiff penalties for misdeeds, as Harper’s protege and former spokesperson, Dean Del Mastro, recently discovered. He is the winner of a month’s free room and board in the ‘Big House’ for breaking campaign spending rules and trying to cover it up.
When Justin Trudeau heard about potential sexual misconduct by two of his Liberal MPs, a while back, he immediately suspended them from his caucus. Under the Reform Act he now would not be able to do that without jumping through a bunch of hoops and hurdles. You be the judge if that makes us better off – but it sure did tick off Chong’s boss, and that may have been his main point.
 Conservative MP Michael Chong introduced a bill that would give party caucuses significant powers – including the ability to vote out their leader – and it was actually passed by the House of Commons. Chong, not only had to grovel to get this bill past his own party members in the House of Commons, but almost lost it in the Senate, where one Conservative senator threatened to kill it. Meanwhile the opposition parties were rubbing their hands and cheering him on. That tells us as much about the legislation as it does them.
And Mr. Chong objected to the bill being sent to the Senate, given that it only concerned procedures in the House of Commons, and the Senate has no authority over the lower house. Besides the Senate is a mess and has become a laughing stock. That institution can’t even manage itself let alone pass judgement on what goes on among MPs in the House of Commons.
It’s not just Duffy, who is still on trial, but all the other scoundrels scarfing down all the goodies to be snatched from the public trough. The person most likely to put Canada’s Senate out of its misery, the high polling NDP leader Mulcair, hasn’t announced whether that will be on his election platform this fall. But he and Saskatchewan’s premier Wall are sure making a lot of noise.
Interestingly Mr. Trudeau has taken the party out of the Senate, at least if they call themselves Liberals. That sounds a lot like what my friend was craving – replacing the thumping seals with non-partisan representatives. Except they’re not really representatives – don’t really represent anyone but themselves.
So long as senators are unelected, they will always be seen as patronage appointments – whatever their political colour. On the other hand, an elected Senate would compromise parliamentary decision-making, as indeed moving to an elected Senate has done in the USA. So more Canadians are coming to accept that it may not just the bath water, but this baby, which needs tossing out.
As for Chong’s law, it prescribes no new penalties, so the Election Act and Parliament of Canada Act are the fall backs. But I doubt Mr. Trudeau or Mr. Harper would serve jail time for expelling the next delinquent MP without having first put it to a vote in caucus. I’d give him a B+ for his good intentions, an A for effort and a C for the actual bill.
 Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran as a Liberal against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province. Up until yesterday Rivers was president of the Flamborough – Glanbrook federal Liberal Association. We could not have a president of a federal constituency association writing an opinion column on the upcoming federal election – Rivers resigned the presidency of the association last night and will take a break during part of July and return in August – unless of course there is some breaking political news that stirs him from his summer slumber.
Background links:
Chong’s Law Opposition Support Passing Chong’s Law
Trudeau’s Law Mulcair’s Law Harper’s Law
 By Pepper
June 26, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Some people in each community listen carefully, ask probing questions and trust their member of Council to keep them up to date on what is happening in their community and to protect the best the community has.
Every member of a city council has their own unique style; something that defines who they are and the way they see their job.
In Burlington there are a number of different political styles. Councillor Marianne Meed Ward was once out on Christmas Day picking up garbage when a resident called her t complain.
During the flood last August Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison walked into hundreds of basements to personally see the damage done.
Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman put his heart on his sleeve when her spoke to a group of Rotarians during the Rubfest launch and pleaded for help for the people in his community.
Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor doesn’t hold meetings for his constituents – they are more like family get togethers – he has been in office that long.
 Blair Lancaster – almost holding court with her constituents at a corn roast. Blair Lancaster in ward 6 tends to have two different public styles; one that gets used for those south of Dundas and another that gets used when she is politicking north of Dundas; there is nothing duplicitous ion this approach – she is dealing with two different mind sets and adjust her message to meet her understanding of each community.
Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven, who gave up talking to the Gazette when we wrote something about him he didn’t like, held a community meeting.
Last Wednesday evening Councillor Craven held a community meeting to talk about the 324 townhouse project on Masonry Court being developed by the ADI Group. It wasn’t a particularly unpopular project – the meeting didn’t cheer when the presentation was over – they just thought the developer could do something that was more “livable” and “imaginative”. “Not very creative” was the most stinging comment. He was speaking to an audience of about 40 people who were for the most part involved in their community and wanted to know more.
Councillor told them that the population of Aldershot had grown by just 4000 people in the last 15 years and that without more in the way of growth the chances of there ever seeing a grocery store in the west end of the community were very slim.
 Rick Craven: Best committee chair the city has; not big on the warm fuzzy stuff through. Needs a hug badly.  Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven – seems to have forgotten everything he knew about the ADI project on Martha at Lakeshore Road. The meeting was just like most community meetings in Aldershot; people listened and asked questions and for the most part got fair answers.
Until ..
Until one woman asked the speaker from the ADI Group to tell her a little about the company – she’d never heard of them before.
The company representative told their story – sort of. He skirted totally the situation with the 28 storey application that ADI had made to the city for an application at the corner of Martha and Lakeshore Road which the city and planning department was completely against – including Councillor Craven.
 The ADI Group’s 28 storey development proposal on the downtown core was not mentioned at a meeting about their Masonry Court development. The rules that govern development applications are such that if the planning department doesn’t do something with an application the developer can take their case to the Ontario Municipal Board. Burlington city council didn’t get to vote formally on the project within that 180 day window.
On the 181st day ADI had taken their case to the OMB.
The project is one that the city feels is a mistake from a development point of view and has been consistently vocal about.
But not a word about this issue from Councillor Craven when a constituent asked to know more about the company.
Councillor Craven had an obligation to tell his constituents that there was a problem with a major ADI development application and they were playing a very sharp game – albeit within the rules of the game.
Craven’s behavior gives a whole new definition to politicians being in bed with developers.
Background links:
Aldershot community meeting Wednesday June 23rd, 2015
Full profile on ward 1 Councillor.
Councillor chooses not to represent his constituents; property expropriated.
By Staff
June 24, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
WHAT: The Naked Craft Network is an international research project that brings together the best of contemporary Canadian and Scottish craft. and the general public to discuss the themes explored throughout the Naked Craft Project, and to look forward to the future of craft.
 Saturday – 10 to 4 – Naked Artists take over the AGB. WHEN and WHERE: Saturday, June 27, 2015 from 10am – 5pm at the Art Gallery of Burlington
The word Naked certainly caught my attention. Tell me more.
Speakers
 Denis Longchamps – curator at the AGB will be speaking at the symposium • Dr. Sandra Alfoldy, Professor of Craft History at Nova Scotia College of Art & Design (NSCAD) University and Associate Curator of Fine Craft at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
• Dr. Denis Longchamps, Chief Curator, Art Gallery of Burlington
• Aaron Nelson, Associate Director, Medalta Museum
• Emma Quin, CEO, Craft Canada
• Dr. Heather Read, Postdoctoral Fellow, Ryerson University
• Dr. Susan Surette, Postdoctoral Fellow, NSCAD University
• Arno Verhoeven, Lecturer, University of Edinburgh School of Design and Sr. Tutor at the Edinburgh College of Art
Artists
• Jeanette Sendler (Scotland) – Hat maker, costume design and fibre artist, Sendler’s interest in costume design developed into performance art featuring large-‐scale installations, rendered in knit/felt on paper.
• Beth Legg (Scotland) -‐ An artist from the Highlands of Scotland, her practice is concerned with landscape, memory and the language of materials. Her work as a precious metalsmith has been included in numerous international publications.
• Aaron Nelson (Canada) – In addition to an active studio practice, Aaron is the Associate Director at Medalta in Medicine Hat, Alberta. This position has allowed him to develop relationships with a regional, national and international community of makers, and thus contextualize the diversity of contemporary approaches to ceramic practice.
• Other Artists: Sarah Alford, Jennifer Cantwell, Caroline Dear, Amanda McCavour, Kevin Andrew Morris, Clint Neufeld and Kari Woo
 A John Willard quilt part of a recent show at the Art Gallery of Burlington
Naked Craft Symposium Event Schedule
AM
9:00 to 10:00: Registration and complimentary continental breakfast 10:00 to 10:10 Welcoming remarks
Robert Steven, CEO and President of the Art Gallery of Burlington 10:10 to 11:00 North and Identity panel
Presenter and moderator: Heather Read
Participants: Kari Woo, Amanda McCavour, Beth Legg and Kevin Andrew Morris 11:00 to 11:20 Pause
11:20 to 12:10 Tradition and Craft panel
Presenter and moderator: Susan Surette
Participants: Sarah Alford, Jennifer Cantwell, Caroline Dear, Jeanette Sendler and Clint Neufeld
PM
12:10 to 1:00 Complimentary buffet lunch
Naked Craft in Discussion
*Speakers & Artists available for interviews 1:00 to 1:20 New Positions, Denis Longchamps
1:20 to 1:40 Tooling up, Aaron Nelson
1:40 to 2:00 DIY (Do-‐It-‐Yourself), Sandra Alfoldy
2:00 to 2:30 Moderated discussion
Moderators: Heather Read and Susan Surette
2:30 to 2:50 Pause
3:00 to 4:00 Keynote: Making MAKING Matter, Aaron Nelson 4:00 to 4:15 Question period
4:15 to 4:30 Closing remarks, Emma Quin, CEO Craft Ontario 5:00 to 7:00 Official opening of Naked Craft
Curators: Sandra Alfoldy, Denis Longchamps, Juliette MacDonald, Emma Quin, Arno Verhoeven
Up to this point I still didn’t know much about what was taking place over at the Art Gallery – needed to do a little research to bring myself up to speed as it were on what the artists are up to these days.
Naked Craft is designed to be playful in how it engages a public audience; at a time in popular culture when the words “handcrafted” and “artisanal” are the “it” words of marketing houses, attention must be redirected back to craft itself. Craft is a sexy word, and Naked Craft intends to show the viewer just how sexy craft itself can be. Naked Craft examines craft practice through the four main themes: New Positions; Down and Dirty: politics and materials; DIY; and Tooling up: new technologies and economies.
Naked Craft looks to contribute towards a better understanding of continuity and change within the discipline. It is evident that despite the cultural diversity and obstacles that influence craft making in Canada, in Scotland, and around the world, there are many similarities and shared values that influence the craft sector. In Canada we’re putting forth a concerted effort toward public outreach and new ways of presenting craft to audiences as diverse as the communities of craft makers whom we support. With an increase in the awareness of contemporary craft and an understanding of its value, comes the potential of increased sales, consumption, recognition and promotion for both makers and their objects. As such, both the individuals creating craft as well as those consuming it are rewarded with culturally enriching experiences, which support the local economy and encourage a focus on high-quality craft objects that are lasting and well made.
Naked Craft has spanned almost four years of research in two countries and includes two workshop/residencies, three symposiums, a touring exhibition and a publication. The NCN is interested in broadly developing a better understanding of the relationships between the identities that are inherently attributed to geopolitical regions of practice, and the reciprocal role that the material production of craft plays in building, maintaining and disseminating these identities in a global arena of commerce and culture in the future.
Oh – so they aren’t running around the grounds stark naked – nope they are just doing craft stuff with a newer, sexier name.
 By Guida Feliz
June 25, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Get The Word Out!!
The 100 Women Who Care Burlington welcomes women of all ages to become a member. They came together Wednesday evening to once again to select a charitable organization to support.
The room at the Burlington Golf and Country Club was filled with members and three excited and hopeful recipients. I spoke with Marion Goard, one of the co-founders. She was enthusiastic and passionate about the success of the organization.
The other co-founders are Megan Healey, Laurel Hubber, Wendy Saunders and Tara Stanford. This extraordinary organization began in 2012 and are now over 80 member strong. They bring together women who truly care about the Burlington community.
 It was evident there was passion, commitment and dedication from the members. The members were so pleased to be able to support local charities in the Burlington Community. 100 Women Who Care Burlington meets four times a year and each member donates $100 to the winning recipient nominated by a member.
The recipient introduces their charity and shares their goals. The members listen to each recipient. They then vote for one of the three charities and once the winner is chosen; each member writes a cheque for $100.00. It is a very simple process with successful results.
Catherine Pegg and Jacqueline Holmes of the Alzheimer Society of Burlington were recipients at the last meeting. They talked to the woman who donated so generously about how the group will use the donation to help them launch the Music for Memory Program that will be run by Jacqueline Holmes.
The winning recipient at the Wednesday meeting was Catherine Thomson of Community Living Burlington. She was so happy to be receiving the donation for her charity.
If you have a charity ‘close to your heart’ then I suggest becoming a member of 100 Women Who Care Burlington – ‘they will welcome you with open arms.’ Raising money for your charity has never been so liberating and effortless. There are so many causes and charities in the Burlington community who benefit from the support of these caring women.
At the end of the meeting Marion thanked everyone for attending . She also spoke highly of the members and the dedicated support they continuously give to the Burlington community. The group would like to reach the 100 member level on which the name is based; help by telling your girlfriends, sisters, nieces, aunts, mothers and grandmothers to join today.
It is a truly “Magical” feeling to know exactly which charity your donations are supporting. To learn more about 100 Women Who Care Burlington check out their website
By Pepper Parr
June 22, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
At March 31, 2015 the total balances of all the reserve funds amounted to $146.0 million, which is $2.8 million lower than the corresponding figure of $148.8 million at March 31, 2014.
Of the total Reserves and Reserve Funds $38.7 million is committed for various projects leaving an uncommitted balance of $107.3 million. The commitments represent expenditures approved by Council in previous years’ capital budgets or funds held for specific future purposes.
The following chart provides an historical perspective of uncommitted reserve and reserve fund balances as at March 31:
Reserve and Reserve Fund Uncommitted Balances as at March 31
Municipalities in Ontario are not permitted to run a deficit – should that happen the province would send in its bean counters and the city would be under trusteeship.
What the city works to avoid is creating and maintaining reserve funds that are drawn on when needed.
There are literally dozens of reserve funds and its pretty easy to move money from one to the other. There is the story told about some Canadian Open golf tournament tickets that got paid for out of a reserve fund – that somehow didn’t really clear city council. That was a different time and a different era.
The city creates a budget to cover operating expenses, salaries and paper clips and on occasion that operating budget ends up with a surplus – which the finance now calls a “positive variance”. In Burlington that surplus ranges above and blow a million – except for the year when it ballooned to more than $9 million – heads eventually rolled for that one.
Set out below are various reserve funds the city has and what the balances are:
Half a million in the piggy bank for “Growth Studies” is kind of handy. Transit doesn’t have any wiggle room – the vast majority of their reserve is committed. Some technology has been bought but has yet to be installed. They might manage to do that work when the drivers are off the job should they decide to go on strike.
Six million in as contingency fund; another $5 million in the tax rate stabilization fund; $2 million in the Employe accident reserve – no wonder city council spends so much time in closed session on outstanding litigation matters. That much money in reserve makes it almost worth suing the city – they can afford it.
 lio
 As of March 31, 2015 the operating budget shows a favourable variance of $800,568 with a year end projected favourable variance of $122,285
The Year end projection does not include the provision from the Severe Weather Reserve Fund.
Staff will continue to monitor and update the year-end projections as part of the 2015 Budget review currently underway.
By Pepper Parr
June 25th 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
They are different in Aldershot – a little rougher at the edges; less pretence to these people. They can be pretty outspoken and they don’t shirk from asking direct questions.
 This is where the ADI Development Masonry Court is going to be located – bounded by the GO station lines, Waterdown Road, Masonry Court and the GO station parking lot. About 40 people from the community met at the West Aldershot United church to learn more about the ADI Group development on Masonry road where a 324 housing units project is in the negotiation stage with the city planning department.
There are to be 200 stacked townhouses’ 64 standard town houses and 60 back-to-back townhouses. No basements but parking underneath the structures.
There was not going to be any commercial space in the townhouse part of the project – which they are calling phase 1. The property is zoned for mixed use, residential, commercial and recreational.
The ADI approach appears to be as much residential as they can get – there is a demand for housing across the GTA that cannot be met – Burlington offers a safe, pleasant community to live in and the GO train is almost at your door step – it can whisk you into Toronto in well under an hour. What more could you ask for?
Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven took the audience through an overview of the project and explained the role it would play in the larger development of west Aldershot.
 The longer term growth plans for Burlington are hinged on the mobility hub concept – Aldershot is the first to see real development in a planned hub location. Planners admit the project is a little ahead of their thinking. Burlington has created a concept they call mobility hubs – places where different forms of traffic meet up – with either GO train stations or Burlington transit stations forming the centre of each.
While just in the planning – thinking it through stage – the plan is for the Aldershot GO station, the Burlington GO station, the Appleby GO station and the John Street bus terminal to be designated as mobility hubs.
The plan, the hope is perhaps more correct, is that the city can attract corporations that want to build office space that is close to a GO station which will include apartments or condo units and retail on the lower levels.
The thinkers at city hall refer frequently to “start ups” and incubators where those high tech, high paying jobs come to life and there is a complete community where people can live, work and play. The thinking is that there could be sport facilities built right into the project.
Burlington is not there yet – the city has not managed to find developers who will go that distance with them.
The conversation on this type of growth is, at this point, one way: the planners and the politicians are talking to the public – they’ve not yet begun to engage them and looked for their ideas and thoughts on development.
If what the Gazette heard at the West Plains United Church Wednesday night reflect the people of Aldershot – they would be well advised to listen to these people – there was a lot of wisdom in that room.
The planner on the file Kyle Plas took the audience through the basics – he too explained the larger picture.
 The townhouse project, on the right, which is phase 1 of the Masonry Court project didn’t do much for community residents who listened to what the developers planner had to say about the project. Phase 2 is on the left – and is about five years into the future. The audience learned that the property which is south 0f 403 and immediately east of Waterdown Road has been empty for about then years; that there are no heritage issues with the property and that there was no need for an Environmental Assessment – although one resident later asked if anything was going to be done about the air quality, the result of stone and asphalt crushing from the King Paving operation on the immediate west side of Waterdown Road.
The property, which the ADI Group is believed to have purchased from Paletta International, is divided into two parcels – the one closest to the GO station is where the residential housing will be built. There will be a road running in between the two parcels.
The second parcel which will front on Waterdown road will be developed with apartment buildings that were described as being six storey’s high. Defined as the second stage of the project – it is about five years into the future.
The development will have 105 residences per hectare – the rules allow between 51 and 185 units per hectare – “so we are not maxed out” said the ADI planner.
Ruth Victor, the planner speaking for the ADI group, gave their side of the story. She was pretty direct – the project meets all the rules and except for some minor concerns – this thing was a go.
There would be pathways from the townhouses to the GO station.
 This is not a pretty picture – Aldershot residents wanted to see something a little more imaginative and livable. There was space tucked in where the stacked townhouses are going to be located for what the ADI planner called amenities – she didn’t say much more than that.
Roz Minaji with the city planning department made comments which suggested ADI was going to have to come up with quite a bit more than some space for amenities. The city is going to want some dedicated park space.
ADI is apparently looking for a reduction in the parking requirement – the thinking being that the people who choose to live in the community will not need cars – they will use the GO train to get to work. One member of the audience pointed out that with no grocery store in the community – it is impossible to live there without a car of some sort.
This is not a rental housing development – these homes are being sold. The audience wanted some sense of the price range and, try as they might, they were not able to get any sort of number from the ADI representatives. “You must have some idea” piped in one woman in the audience. If the ADI representatives had any idea – they weren’t sharing it with the audience.
 The developers rendering and layout for the stacked townhouses – no one in the audience who listened to the presentation was impressed with what they were shown. The audience asked if ADI would comment on the kinds of people they hoped to attract and maybe something about their income ranges – were these going to be very expensive high end units with all the whistles and bells or were these going to be quick and dirty profit grabs? The ADI people didn’t say.
They did say that the projects they have built are quality buildings. They have only completed one project – the second project has not started construction yet – there may be some minor OMB issues related to the paying of services access.
To their credit the completed project Mod’rn on Guelph Line is a very nice looking, compact four storey condo. The Gazette is in the process of arranging a tour of the completed site that is reported to be 90% sold.
 The ADI Group has done some excellent design work. Here their Link project, which has yet to start construction is shown. Edgy and progressive and new for Burlington – it is an example of interesting design in a fabulous location.  The Mod’rn on Guelph Line that is now complete except for some landscaping – exceptional design – some of the best done in Burlington. Shows they can do it – if they want to. The Masonry Court design comes nowhere near this quality level. The Mod’rn is superb design – they have won well deserved awards for this project which had very few incidents during the construction.
Their second project – The Link on Dundas at Sutton on the west side of the city along the edge of Bronte Creek, has the potential to be a fine project. The design is a little edgy – certainly not what Burlington is used to seeing, but for people who want something different and imaginative The Link will be just fine – the location is superb and there are good schools in the area with all the hopping one could possibly want minutes away.
There is a third project – planned for the intersection of Martha and Lakeshore Road that didn’t get as much as a mention. In a related article we report on the ADI projects.
Ruth Victor, the ADI planner, didn’t show pictures of the quality construction they have done or the quality design – she sold her client short
Victor’s approach seemed to be that ADI was working well within the rules – and that they are doing – and so the project should go forward – even if you don’t think all that much about our design. Was that just Victor’s personal style or was she reflecting the ADI viewpoint?
The people in the audience wanted to see something more livable. “It’s not terribly creative” was the comment a woman pretty close to it not already retired. They wanted to see more variety, we want something that is more liveable; the park is way too small.
“You have been far too coy with your answers to our price questions” commented another woman. “I think you should show more respect for the people you are speaking to” she added.
“How is this project going to embrace the community” asked another person.
The project is moving forward – one hopes the planning department heard the concerns of the community and that they are reflected when the discussions resume with ADI.
There is much more to this development.
By Staff
June 25, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
School is out – and the kids will be around the house and perhaps underfoot for the next two months.
 With school out – the kids get excited and their behaviour changes. Mom and Dad must have just loved this picture. The Rocca Sisters, a Burlington real estate company have used this occasion to give back to the community by being the primary sponsor for the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation Stars under the Stars Movie Event!
Bring the family for a FREE outdoor movie, Night at the Museum – Secret of the Tomb, rescheduled for this Thursday, June 25th at Emerson Park (2390 Sutton Drive, Burlington).
The event begins at 7:30 p.m., with the movie starting at dusk. Join us for food trucks, popcorn and more!
 Cine Starz Upper Canada Place
460 Brant Street
WWW CINESTARZ.CA
SHOWTIMES June 26 to July 2, 2015
PITCH PERFECT2 PG
Friday 1:15 7:20 9:30
Sat to Thur 11:20 1:25 3:30 5:20 7:20 9:30
TOMORROWLAND PG
Friday 11:20 1:40 7:25 9:45
Saturday 11:20 1:40 3:00 7:25 9:45
Sun to Thur 11:20 1:40 3:00 5:00 7:25 9:45
MAD MAX FURY ROAD 18A
Friday 1:00 7:30 9:40
Sat to Thur 1:00 3:10 5:20 7:30 9:40
ENTOURAGE 18A
Fri to Thur 7:45 9:40
HOME G
Friday 11:30
Saturday 11:30 1:15 5:30 6:00
Sun to Thur 11:30 1:30 3:15 5:35 6:00
INSIDIOUS CHAPTER 3 14A
Sat to Thur 9:30
WOMAN IN GOLD PG
Friday 11:30
Saturday 5:35
Sun to Thur 11:30 5:35
ALOHA PG
Fri to Thur 7:30
MONKEY KINGDOM G
Friday 11:30 1:20
Saturday 11:30
Sun to Thur 11:30 1:20
POLTERGEIST 14A
Fri to Thur 9:40
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD PG
Friday 7:35
Sat to Thur 3:25 7:35
CINDERELLA PG
Friday 11:30 1:30
Sat to Thur 11:20 1:25 4:00
 By Pepper Parr
June 23, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Perhaps it was an attempt to make up for the expense the city is incurring during the Ontario Municipal Board hearing taking place now at which Councillor Jack Dennison is asking that a Committee of Adjustment decision be overturned.
 Councillor Jack Dennison wants to sever this Lakeshore property. Dennison wants to sever a part of his Lakeshore Road property and the Committee of Adjustment said no.
Dennison is appealing that decision at considerable cost to the city.
Last evening he spent more time than necessary arguing that concrete does not have to be used on pathways being created for the three Windows on the Lake that are being created to give the public some access to the old Water Street road allowance.
Too expensive said the Councillor – this is the Cadillac of pathways which are not needed.
 This Committee of Adjustment said no. Dennison is appealing their decision. The rest of Council, with the exception of Councillor Craven who sided with Dennison (we don’t know what Councillor Sharman thinks – he didn’t make it to the council meeting) took the position that concrete paths were required at these locations but not necessarily at all park locations and asked the city staff to come back with a criteria they would use to determine whether asphalt or stone screenings or wood chips should be used on park pathways.
Councillor Dennison made the same argument for asphalt at the Standing Committee last week.
 Councillor Dennison is never one to shy away from controversial decisions – likes getting right into the middle of an issue. He is certainly in the middle of one now. Earlier on Monday Council was involved in a Strategic Plan meeting which Councillor Dennison missed – he was arguing his appeal of the Committee of Adjustment decision not to permit the property severance
Councillor Dennison was missing in action for this meeting as well.
Councillor Meed Ward involved in part of the Strategic Plan meeting and managed to attend Council. She has advised her constituents that she is going to be on limited duty for awhile as she recovers from the concussion she experienced in an automobile accident.
By Staff
June 23, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Tweets and online votes have been tallied, and the community’s response was overwhelming. The Halton Regional Police Service has announced Police Service Dog Arrow as the name of the Canine unit’s newest recruit.
This announcement is the culmination of the Service’s first #NameHaltonK9 contest, which invited elementary schools throughout the Region to put their best name forward.
 Mrs. O’Neill and her grade 4 class at Brookville Public School in Milton gather for their photo op – they will meet Arrow in the fall. The names Arrow, Marshall and Ranger were shortlisted by members of the Canine Unit, and the community were called upon to vote online or on Twitter for their favorite.
A total, 9,105 social media and online votes were cast between June 10 and 18, 2015, with PSD Arrow emerging as the decisive favourite with 7,844 votes. Marshall came in second with 676 votes, followed by Ranger with 585 votes.
The winning name was entered by Brookville Public School in the Town of Milton. At the time of their submission, the school said the selected the name Arrow as it represented a dog that would be fast, sharp, lean and on the mark!
Brookville Public School received a visit from Cst McLorn and PSD Parker to deliver the good news.
Mrs. O’Neill and her grade 4 class are elated and looking forward to meeting Arrow in the Fall.
“I would like to thank all the children who participated in naming our new recruit. Our Canine Teams are an integral part of frontline policing and the names we received all reflect the work and service our Police Service Dogs do for our community. Congratulations to Brookville Public School, the name Arrow will serve our new canine well over his/her career.” Chief Stephen Tanner
We are looking forward to meeting PSD Arrow when the new dog arrives in late July.
PSD Arrow will become the sixth member of the Canine Unit, joining a team that includes PSD Tracker, PSD Storm, PSD Parker, PSD Bishop and PSD Nero.
In recognition of their achievement, a ceremony for students at Brookville Public School will be held in the fall at the conclusion of PSD Arrow’s training. It will include a visit from Chief Tanner, the new Canine handler and, of course, newly sworn PSD Arrow.
Related story:
Handling a police dog.
By Staff
June 23, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The City is inviting residents to enjoy free movies under the stars, presented by Tim Hortons, every Thursday night until August 20.
“Our neighbourhood parks are one of many things that makes Burlington great,” said Chris Glenn, the city’s director of parks and recreation. “Movies Under the Stars” offers families and neighbours the chance to connect close to home while enjoying a free movie in their local park.”
The movies, which were selected by residents this spring via online polls, are shown on 25 by 14 foot (7.62 by 4.27 metre) outdoor viewing screen and begin at 9 p.m. on each on the following dates:
Date Location Movie
Thursday, July 9 – Nelson Park How to Train Your Dragon 2
Thursday, July 16 – Aldershot Park Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
Thursday, July 23 – Civic Square Paddington Bear
Thursday, July 30 – Emerson Park Big Hero 6
Thursday, August 6 – Kilbride Park Finding Nemo
Thursday, August 13 – Mohawk Park Maleficent
Thursday, August 20 – Spencer Smith Park Home
Thursday, August 27 – Burloak Park Rain Date –
The City of Burlington is encouraging residents bring their own lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy a night of family-friendly fun. Washrooms and limited parking are available at each park.
For site maps, movie previews and weather delay or cancellation information, visit www.burlington.ca/movies, follow @BurlEvents on twitter or call the festivals and events hotline at 905-335-7766.
By Pepper Parr
June 22, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
When they point out to you where the life boats are located – you kinda wonder what shape the ship is in.
The city of Burlington released a list of services that might be impacted if there is a work stoppage – polite word for a strike – the workers have withdrawn their services and decided they will go without a paycheque for a period of time unless their demands are met.
In the media release the city said it is “alerting residents that some city services may be affected by strike action that could take effect at 12:01 a.m. on July 2.”
The city continues to negotiate collective agreements with unions representing outside workers and arena/pool operators and Burlington Transit workers. Both CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) Local 44 and CUPE Local 2723 representatives have stated that if there is no agreement by the end of June, they will begin strike action as of midnight (12:01 a.m.) on July 2.
“The city continues to seek a settlement that is fair to the unions and to the taxpayers of Burlington,” said Roy Male, executive director of Human Resources who is on the city’s bargaining team. “While we will continue to be willing to meet with the unions to discuss a settlement, regretfully, we must prepare for a strike to ensure the best possible continuity of service.”
The city has posted a list of services at www.burlington.ca/labourdisruptions that would be cancelled, reduced or continued in the event of a strike. The city has also set up a dedicated phone line for questions related to labour disruptions at 905-335-7600, ext. 7803.
“We are sharing this labour disruption information as early as we can, and in as many ways as possible, to ensure Burlington residents have the information they need to plan ahead,” said Scott Stewart, general manager of Development and Infrastructure with the city. “If the service you or your family members use is among those that would be cancelled in the event of a strike, we encourage you to try to make other arrangements, if at all possible.”
The city will resume negotiating with CUPE 44 and 2723 on June 29 and will provide updates as they become available.
Service Impacts in the Event of a Strike
Services that would be cancelled
• Conventional Burlington Transit service
• Handi-Van Transit Service
• Non-emergency tree service requests
• Street sweeping
• Programs and services offered at:
o Appleby Ice Centre
o LaSalle Wading Pool and Splash Park
o Mainway Arena
o Mountainside Outdoor Pool and Splash Park
o Nelson Arena
o Nelson Outdoor Pool and Splash Park
Services that would be reduced
• Grass-cutting and horticulture along roadside locations and in parks
• Litter and recycling in parks
Services that would continue
• Normal garbage collection, recycling (Halton Region)
• Burlington Public Library services
• Sports field rentals
• Turf maintenance
• Festivals and events
• Tyandaga Golf Course
• Forestry emergency storm response
• Arena floor rentals
o Aldershot
o Central
o Mountainside
o Skyway
• Spray pads in parks (non-fenced)
o Dofasco WaterJet Plaza at Spencer Smith Park
o Norton Community Park
o Pinemeadow Park
o Millcroft Park
o Orchard Community Park
o Hidden Valley Park
• Recreation centres
o Brant Hills
o Burlington Seniors’ Centre
o Haber
o Music Centre
o Rotary Youth Centre
o Sherwood Forest Gym
o Burlington Student Theatre
o Tansley Woods
• Indoor pools
o Aldershot
o Angela Coughlan
o Centennial
o Tansley Woods
• Banquet facilities
o LaSalle Pavilion
o Paletta Mansion
o Discovery Landing/Waterfront Centre
• Preschool, child and youth programs
• City of Burlington camps: SNAP, O2, Camp Can-Do, youth centres, LIT, youth specialty
• Adult and seniors’ programs
• All services at City Hall (includes Planning and Building, Capital Works, Finance, Transportation, Engineering)
• Playground inspections
• Cemetery service
• Road and sidewalk maintenance
• Traffic signal and street light maintenance
By Staff
June 22, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Two suspects are being sought after walking out of ECS Coffee with a large coffee maker.
On Saturday June 6, 2015, at approximately 4:30pm, a male and female attended ECS Coffee at 1515 North Service Road in the City of Burlington. The male and female went to the front corner of the store where the commercial grade coffee makers were on display.
 He was the decoy – they got away with a coffee maker worth $600 retail  She was the duck – they got away with a coffee maker worth $600 retail As the female suspect selected a coffee machine, the male suspect faced the cashier and shielded the female with his body. The female was able to exit the store with the stolen merchandise and both suspects fled.
They got away with a Real Cup Brewer RC400 valued at $600.00.
Male suspect – heavy build, approximately 6 feet tall, light complexion, green baseball hat, dark sunglasses, blue shirt and jean shorts
Female suspect – heavy build, approximately 5 feet tall, light complexion, light blue shirt, black pants, black hair
Anyone with information is asked to contact Det Vince Couce of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905 825-4747 ext 2307 or anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to call 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).
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