 By Staff
April 26, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Reproduced from, CATCH (Citizens at City Hall), a Hamilton based group that uses transcripts and/or public documents to highlight information about Hamilton civic affairs that is not generally available in the mass media. Detailed reports of City Hall meetings can be reviewed at hamiltoncatch.org.
In the wake of more record-smashing global temperatures, the mayors of Burlington and Hamilton got an opportunity to speak last week at a McMaster-organized conference on climate change. The two cities that straddle the western end of the lake appear to have quite different approaches to what is increasingly being described as a planetary emergency.
Last month was by far the hottest March in global records. It was the eleventh consecutive month to break records and was the ninth consecutive one to break them by record amounts, almost guaranteeing that 2016 will be the hottest year yet despite the records set in both 2015 and 2014. This year has already seen the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in both the northern and southern hemisphere, the earliest melting of Greenland’s ice sheet, and is a “reminder of how perilously close we are now to a permanent crossing into the global-warming danger zone” says famed climate researcher Michael Mann.
Visible local impacts include produce prices affected by California’s severe drought and severe rain storms that have flooded hundreds of homes in both Hamilton and Burlington. Both were referenced by Mayor Rick Goldring at the April 19 symposium on Low Carbon Climate Resilient Cities, but neither topic was included in the remarks delivered by Councillor Jason Farr on behalf of Mayor Eisenberger (who skipped the conference to receive a bike lane cheque from the provincial transportation minister).
Farr mentioned Hamilton’s use of natural gas buses but not the LRT. Improving transit was referenced by Goldring a half dozen times who highlighted “the need to invest in city building in order to create a more sustainable transit system as well as support cycling and walkability.” HSR ridership per capita far exceeds Burlington’s but neither city has achieved anything like the growth seen in other Ontario municipalities.
On the protection of foodlands, Goldring noted that his city has run out of room for more residential sprawl development because “fifty percent of our land in Burlington is Greenbelt and we want to keep it that way.” He said he had “not met anybody in recent years that suggests we do anything different than preserve” those lands. Farr didn’t mention Hamilton’s current efforts to convince the province to unprotect some Greenbelt lands to accommodate developer pressures even though unlike its cross-bay neighbour Hamilton still has thousands of acres of so-called white-belt rural lands that are neither urbanized nor protected by current Greenbelt legislation.
 Most of the roads Burlington wants to develop its intensification on lead to Hamilton. In the same direction, Goldring’s talk centred on Burlington’s plans for intensification, another topic not addressed by Farr. After starting with the declaration that “Hamilton takes the threat of global warming and climate change very seriously,” the councillor primarily listed actions already taken such as greening the city’s fleet, introducing SoBi bikes, capturing landfill and sewage methane and endorsing a climate change action charter.
“We are a poster child for David Crombie’s recent report on how municipalities in southern Ontario should be evolving and we’re embracing that opportunity,” declared Goldring, pointing to praise for Burlington’s new strategic plan from renowned urban planner Brent Toderian who recently visited the city.
“It’s not a tweak of the way the city’s built; it’s a rethink,” said Toderian about the city’s intensification plans. “It changes not only the direction of the city, the vision of the city, but also the makeup and attitudes and culture of city hall.”
 Former Toronto Mayor David Crombie attend a Waterfront Advisory committee meeting with Mayor Goldring during his first term. Crombie chaired the advisory panel on the review of provincial land use plans now underway including the Greenbelt rules and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Its executive summary argued that cities “must curb sprawl and build more compact communities in order to support transit, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect valuable farmland.” It also called for “applying more aggressive intensification and density targets” and “accelerating progress to improve and extend transit and active transportation infrastructure.”
Farr explained he had to rush off for planning committee deliberations on building a parking garage right across the street from the new McMaster health centre at the corner of Bay and Main. “We’re going to solve that issue for not only the doctors, the patients and those who wish to drive, but also make better use of this parkade than surface parking lots,” he promised.
Goldring ended his presentation with the declaration that “we’re very proud to be building a great city and not a sprawling suburb and right now is a game changing moment in our history and we want to do it right.”
 By Pepper Parr
April 26th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Our waterfront is used by thousands of people – on really nice weather days there are close to people traffic jams.
The city makes great use of the space for festivals – these are organized events that are for the most part free but they don’t reflect much of the colour or culture of the city.
 Great audience – but a passive audience. The Sound of Music draws thousand who are passive attendees – they listen to the music. Those on the stage are, for the most part people from out of town who are here to advance their music profile and provide what is basically free entertainment.
Rib Fest draws thousands who sit and eat and listen some music.
 The sand castle competition was popular but the city cut the program – it won’t be held this year. The Children’s Festival has events that children take part in but there isn’t any animating of the space by the children.
Surely there is room for events that are small in nature that give groups or collectives an opportunity to express their creativity.
A pop up play, a scavenger hunt for kids; wouldn’t it be something to see the gymnasts doing their routines in Spencer Smith Park?
There was a time when the eastern end of the Beachway was home to Joseph Brant – what must that part of the city been like in Brant’s time?
How would one express that dramatically? Great opportunity for the Museum people to do something at Brant’s house; they already do wonderful work at Ireland House where some of the most creative small community events take place.
Something to think about.
Toronto has created an Animating Our Waterfront, which is a pilot program that will provide funding to individuals, organizations, collectives and groups to support free arts and cultural programming in selected parks and public spaces developed by Waterfront Toronto over the last decade.
 The Cirque – one of the No Vacancy programs that took place in the Village square knew how to animate their event. All it takes is some imagination and and a little Chutzpah The objective of this program is to host arts and cultural programming that celebrate these new public spaces and invite Torontonians and visitors to enjoy them. For the purposes of this program, “arts and cultural programming” includes the presentation of dance, music, theatre, visual arts, performance, literary and media arts, community- engaged artwork, cultural celebration, and any combination of the above. They are looking for projects that include themes like place-making, civic engagement, education, health and wellness, and environmental issues are encouraged.
Why couldn’t Burlington do something like this?
 The Love My Hood funding might be one of the ways to help pay for things like this.
 By Pepper Parr
April 26, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The city’s Sustainable Development Advisory committee is getting out into the community and showing citizens what sustainability is like at the ground level.
The advisory committee often gets bogged down in writing reports and commenting on projects the city has sent them for review.
They produce an impressive annual report which unfortunately didn’t get much attention after it was submitted – copies are sent to the library and that’s about all the coverage the document gets.
The SDC, acronym for the Sustainable Development Committee are getting out into the community and sponsoring a Jane’s Walk through Spencer Smith park and the Beachway early in May – the 8th
 The Spencer Smith Park we know today – pictures of what it used to look like are in the background articles. The story of how the city recovered land along the edge of the lake and created one of the more impressive parks in the province – giving people wonderful access to the lake is one of Burlington’s crown jewels.
 Spencer Smith Few know who Spencer Smith was and what he means to the city. Mark Gillies, one of the Gazette’s from time to time contributors, did an excellent profile of Spencer Smith – there is a link to that profile below.
It will be interesting to hear what the Jane’s Walk guide has to say about the way the waterfront was developed to what it is today.
The walk will move into the Beachway – a part of the city with a rich, colourful and controversial history. It was never a “tony” part of town – it had a railway line running through it and at one point it had its own small newspaper.
It was once a robust community with hundreds of homes that were on leased land that the city eventually took ownership of – the leases were brought to an end and the homes got to meet a wrecking ball.
 Beachway homes – they never want to leave – will they eventually be forced out? There are still some 25+ homes in the Beachway – occupied by people who have been there for generations and want to remain in the community. Other residents are hanging in looking for a better offer from the Region which has a mandate to buy every property on what they call a willing buyer – willing seller basis.
While this war of attrition goes on between the region and the residents the Region’s planners are working up plans for a massive series of parks that will – if it ever comes to pass – will be the envy of communities across the province.
 The remake of the Beachway community is massive in both concept and scale – it will be decades in the making and what the planners are thinking today might be quite different than the end result. The pier is a pimple when compared to the park plans. Most people in Burlington have no idea what the Region has planned for them – after the first announcement when the early thinking was made public, the Region went to ground – not a word from them in the recent past.
Will the Jane’s Walk shed any light on what is being done? Not likely.
Jane’s Walks were created to remember Jane Jacobs, an American who moved to Toronto in the xxx and became part of a group of activists who wanted to see better development in that city with more citizen input.
Hopefully the SDC will be true to her principles.
 Jacob’s, who would have turned 100 years old this year, upended the fields of city planning and architecture with her 1961 book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities. She was described as the most influential urban thinker of all time. Jacobs once said: “Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody”?
The walk will begin at 1 pm – gather at the Compass in the park.
Background:
Spencer Smith – Part 1 by Mark Gillies
Spencer Smith – Part 2 by Mark Gillies
The struggle over the Beachway homes
The plans to turn the Beachway into a park.
 By Pepper Parr
April 26, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 The man in the green T shirt on the left is a member of the provincial government who was in town a few wars ago to announce funding for BG to plant tree seedlings in the Beachway. The announcement was made a number of years ago – the province created a Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund that funnelled money into the city via BurlingtonGreen to plant seedlings in the Beachway area where the environmentally sensitive sand dunes need plants and tress to anchor the sand.
The BG people were given $12,960 by the province for the planning, creation of three new signs, supplies, plant and tree stock
After a very successful Clean Up event last weekend – 11,000 plus people took part – Burlington Green is holding a Green Up event – collaborating with Halton Region, Conservation Halton and the city.
 Seedlings planted in 2015 in the Beachway – what will they look like in 20 years? Hundreds of seedlings will be planted and invasive species of flora will be pulled out and trashed. The Region, Conservation and city work with Burlington Green to determine the location of all the plantings and interpretive signs.
The Clean Up involved thousands – the Green Up is limited to just 100 volunteers. The planting of the seedlings is city building at its most fundamental level – the plants that are pushed into the ground are going to be there hundreds of years from now. It will be a warm, welcome experience for the 100 volunteers to walk through the Beachway in 20 years and see their trees growing.
The Region is beavering away on a plan to totally revise the Beachway from the community it now is to a rather spectacular park. The planting of trees now is all part of the evolution of that community.
The Green Up event takes place on Saturday May 28 – runs from 8:45 to 12:45 with refreshments being served.
 The sands on Beachway do shift. Much of the Beachway is a dune, the only one in the Region and very environmentally sensitive. The sands in th area actually shift over time.
 BurlingtonGreen members water plants and shrubs they planted along the Beachway Park two years ago. Volunteers will be in the area late in May to continue this work If you want to be part of this event – go on line and register – there is room for just 100 people – they will be city building for that half day.
BG volunteers have been doing this work since 2013. This year they will be planting native trees and plants.
Register HERE.
 Ward 3 is a mix of suburban and rural – everything south of Dundas is easy to serve – it is the rural parts of the ward that are both demanding and hard to serve.  By Pepper Parr
April 26th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Way back in 2010 two of the people who now sit on city council got themselves involved in the Shape Burlington committee, a group appointed by then mayor Cam Jackson to prepare a report on how well city hall was engaging the citizens of the city.
There was a lot of chatter at that time about city hall’s inability to hear what citizens were saying.
Two of the people on that committee, Paul Sharman and Blair Lancaster went on to throw their hats into the municipal election ring and got themselves elected – then they apparently forgot much of what the Shape Burlington report was all about.
At the same time Marianne Meed Ward was delegating consistently on the problems with the way the city was developing the waterfront area. She was instrumental in creating Save our Waterfront which sort of evolved into her campaign team and she too went on to get herself elected to Council.
While Meed Ward wasn’t part of the Shape Burlington group she was the one who remembered what the report was all about and created a constituency organization that spoke for the citizens in her ward and anyone else in the city who asked for help. And for the most part Meed Ward delivers.
All this is passed along as background on how people in this city get themselves elected to city council.
Burlington currently has two members of Council who have both been on the public payroll for more than 20 ears and are showing the wear and tear of public life. In their early years what they got in the way of remuneration wasn’t all that much to talk about.
 John Taylor, Ward 3, has seldom had anyone worth more than the votes they get from family and friends run against him – other than Cory Judson, Taylor has never had to fight off a real candidate.
There appears to be an individual in ward 3 laying the ground work for a run at that seat.
When you cover municipal politics long enough you can see the potential candidates from some distance. They become active in the community and begin to groom themselves for the opportunity to run.
We saw that with both Lancaster, Sharman and Meed Ward in 2010.
In the 2014 election there were not the same calibre of candidate presenting themselves. In ward 6 there were ten people who ran for office – most were very inappropriate as candidates; they were not known and had done next to nothing in their communities. Vanessa Warren and Jennifer Hlusko were the exceptions.
In ward 3 – in 2014 – there were two candidates running against John Taylor who had little hope of gaining public office.
It looks as if it is going to be very different in 2018 – there is a gentleman who serves on a major Advisory Committee who appears to be grooming himself for that seat.
John Taylor is reported to have said to some people that he will not run again but that he will join BurlingtonGreen and become part of that committee.
Many thought ward 3 stood little chance of getting a decent member of Council when Taylor hangs up his boxing gloves.
That does not appear to be the case.
Stay tuned.
Background:
Shape Burlington Report – a seminal document.
City response to the Shape Burlington report. Long and boring; did the people who wrote the report ever read it?
 By Staff
April 25, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
On Saturday, April 16th, 2016 Halton Police, in partnership with the Halton Partners for Car Seat Safety (HPCSS), held a spot check car seat clinic in Burlington at Holy Rosary School.
A total of 113 child seats (booster seats and car seats) were inspected to see if five key safety and legal requirements were being met. Of the 74 car seats checked, 56 did not pass this ‘quick check’ inspection resulting in a 76% fail rate.
 The picture is for illustration purposes only – it is not meant to suggest that the seat is being recommended. The goal of these spot check clinics is education. Eighteen certified car seat technicians were on hand to educate and assist parents/caregivers in correcting errors once they were identified.
Research tells us that proper use of a child seat can reduce the likelihood of a child being killed or seriously injured in a crash by up to 75%. The most common errors seen at the clinic in Burlington were:
1. Child not in the proper seat for their age and/or stage
2. No tether strap attached for forward-facing car seats
3. Harness not positioned correctly over child’s shoulders and/or too loose and
4. Car seat not attached tightly to the vehicle using the Universal Anchorage System (UAS) or seat belt.
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to take the time to read and follow their child seat and vehicle instructions when installing their child seats. For further information on car seat safety dial 311 to speak with a public health nurse or visit www.haltonparents.ca or www.hpcss.ca.
 By Staff
April 25th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Aldershot Arena is closed due to unforeseen maintenance issues.
 Burlington layer and one time candidate for city council will no be using the Aldershot arena for at least a week – unforeseen circumstances have shut it down. The Arena is expected to re-open Tuesday May 3rd at 4:00pm.
The original announcement on April 22nd said the arena was expected to re-open Tuesday April 26th at 4pm.
 What was unexpected appears to have become major. The city doesn’t make any mention of what the problem is – we will look into that for you.
By Staff
April 25, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
 The sides of the new parking meters will be a bight green and have a zone number on them. This is a side view of a meter being readied for installation. The parking meters were manufactured in France. After years of delays that involved the issuing of Requests for Proposals (RFP) and then the withdrawing of the documents; after reviewing proposals and failing to make a decision Burlington is going to get parking meters that are significantly different.
The transportation department has marked out the street location for the new parking meters and will begin installing in the very near future.
Meters will be installed on streets and in the city owned parking lots.
The new meters are going to take a little getting used to – there are a lot of buttons to push.
In the days ahead the Gazette will tell you more about these devices and the difference they are going to make to how you park
There will not be a parking meter for every spot; each meter will cover about eight parking spots and accept cash, credit cards and you will be able to interact with the device from your cell phone.
Merchants will be able to pay for your parking – that will be nice.
For today – here are photographs of what we have and what we are getting.
 These parking meters are being replaced in some locations by more modern meters.  This is a look at the front of the parking meter. It will take some getting used to – the sides of the meters being installed in Burlington will be green.
  By Staff
April 23, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Councillor Dennison gets his way.
 Ontario Municipal Board decision:
With respect to the severance application, the Board allows the appeal and grants provisional consent subject to the fulfillment of some conditions.
By Pepper Parr
April 23, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
This is different – an artist – an award winning artist, coming to town and doing performances at both the Art Gallery Burlington and the Performing Arts Centre and then offering to give lesson to aspiring flute players.
 Haley Marie is a woman from Winnipeg who is a flautist; a Governor General Award Winner, was awarded a full scholarship to McGill and Yale, performed with Yale orchestra has performed twice at Carnegie Hall and then when she graduated she had her own show, tours Europe, teaches in California.
 Hailey Marie – flautist. She then opened her own production company which presents classical music using film and live music. She found that audiences loved finding out the “dirt” on the composers she played so she made her performance both historical (film) and live music.
Her show “An Evening in Paris” covers a period from 1870 – 1910. Paris was not supposed to recover from the war. It is a comeback story, and everyone loves a comeback story.
It is a show that covers art, music, history.
The story of Haley Marie on itself is amazing. Paris is another story of itself.
Haley Marie will be performing at BPAC on May 12
She will b doing a private performance for AGB on the 13th and giving the Master flute class Saturday May 14, 10 – 12
There is more to tell about this event.
Click on the link to get a taste of what is coming to town.
By Staff
April 23rd, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The weather cooperated; the 11,000 people who signed up were still doing so at close to midnight on the Friday for the Saturday event during which those thousands helped Clean Up the city.
There were 181 locations where people were picking up trash recorded.
Instead of the usual gathering at city hall – people gathered at Central Park in front of the band shell where Turtle Jacks once again served burgers to the hungry environmentalists.
 The gathering after the Clean up took place in Central Park this year. smart move – plan is to hold the get together outdoors every year.  This is what a proud grandparent looks like -Councillor Paul Sharman, the only member o Councillor we say wants his granddaughter to look into the camera. The Mayor arrived later to say a few words.  Music was part of the event – look for additional performers next year. The decision to move outdoors was a welcome one. There was all kinds of room and while the crowds were not great the move was a wise one.
In time gathering outdoors on the Clean Up day will be the place to be.
 It was warm enough to be in short sleeves  BurlingtonGreen volunteer makes badges from art work created bu the kids. There were displays and activities in the library where kids could have their unique badges made and other could colour.
There was a room set up with a video and Vince Fiorito was on hand to show people how to make seed bombs.
There were fewer speeches this year – and that has to be a blessing.
Burlington has to have one of the most impressive turnouts when it comes to volunteering at this significant event – kudos to the BG board for making this happen each year.
By Staff
April 23, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Art Gallery of Burlington in collaboration with Craft Ontario, is organizing the first Canadian Craft Biennial to be held August 19 to October 29, 2017 in southern Ontario.
The deadline for submissions for this event is May 15th, 2016
The event which will take place in Toronto and Burlington on September 15 and 16, 2017
 The biennial will include a two-day conference (one day in Toronto and one day in Burlington), as well as a national exhibition, and an Ontario emerging craft maker exhibition.
The conference will be presented with multiple partners in both cities. The AGB is inviting proposals for the Biennial Conference sessions. The theme of this inaugural biennial is Can Craft? Craft Can!
The AGB is looking for a broad range of sessions engaging with contemporary craft issues and approaches. These could deal with academic, technical, historical and creative research, and community or political engagements. Within the context of Canada’s 150th anniversary, we seek to explore topics such as, but not limited to:
• Identity of Canadian craft
• Pattern as methodology
• Craft narratives
• Sustainability and sustainment
• Creative performativity
• Craft and learning
• Craft and social engagement
• The place of the amateur
• Making knowledge through tacit discourse
• Labour re-imagined
• Practice-lead research in craft
• Craft and the digital
• Indigenous perspectives on craft
• Craft curation and criticism
The hope is these sessions will also reflect the interdisciplinary concerns of our diversified Canadian craft community. Proposals for session formats include, but are not limited to panel, round-table, Pecha Kucha, Ignite and interactive sessions.
 As part of this inaugural Canadian craft biennial international ceramist, Anton Reijnders, has been invited to present recent work in a solo exhibition at the Art Gallery of Burlington, as well as to conduct a professional workshop and deliver the conference keynote address. Canadian makers and curators/writers will be given the opportunity to participate in a ten-day residency. The making residency will be centered at the Art Gallery of Burlington, while the writing residency will be under the direction of Studio Magazine.
Proposals should include a 200 word description of your session theme, name(s) and contact information as well as a 3-page CV of the convener(s). If you already have in mind potential presenters for your session, please provide their names and professional affiliation.
Send your proposal to Denis Longchamps at denis@agb.life by May 15, 2016.
Selected session conveners will be notified by May 31, 2016. Proposals for papers for each session will then be circulated.
By Staff
April 23, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The annual exhibition that celebrates the Guilds at the Art Gallery of Burlington begins to day and will run through to May 22nd.
 The guilds which include the Fibre Arts Group, Burlington Fine Arts Association, Burlington Handweavers and Spinners Guild, Latow Photographers Guild, Burlington Potters’ Guild, Burlington Rug Hooking and Craft Guild, and the Burlington Guild of Sculptors and Woodcarvers will be showing their work.
By Staff
April 22, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Aldershot Arena
Aldershot Arena is closed due to unforseen maintenance issues.
The Arena is expected to re-open Tuesday April 26th at 4pm.
By Staff
April 22, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Did you get the Missus a shiny new pick-up truck and you think she should know something about using the thing or did you get yourself a fine trailer to haul that boat – and you feel it would be useful to know more about just what you’ve gotten yourself into.
The police have an offer for you.
 Dos she look as if she needs to know more about the operation of her truck? sh can find out. The Halton Regional Police Commercial Motor Vehicle Unit is hosting a light commercial Motor Vehicle symposium as part of Police Week on May 11, 2016. This session will focus on vehicles having a registered weight of less than 11000 kg and will be particularly useful to owners of pickup trucks and trailers.
The information session will be held at Halton Police Headquarters located at 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, Ontario. Registration will open at 6:30 PM with the information session starting at 7:00 PM running to 9:00 PM. Registration is limited to Halton residents only.
 The police want you to know as much as they can tell you about hauling a trailer with your truck. The main topics being discussed will be:
• Vehicle weights and dimensions
• Cargo Securement
• CVOR and Registration
• Annual safety
• Mechanical fitness
Spots are limited, anyone wishing to attend is requested to RSVP to haltoncmv@gmail.com with your contact information. A confirmation email will be sent to confirm your attendance.
This is a new initiative, the response from the Community is expected to be significant. Recognizing this demand, Halton Police will endeavour to hold additional seminars in the future to accommodate area residents.
 By Staff
April 22, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Conservation Halton plans for a prescribed burn at Glenorchy Conservation Area in Oakville this Sunday, April 24 at 1 p.m.
Ecological restoration staff at Conservation Halton has been busy planning throughout the winter, for a prescribed burn at Glenorchy Conservation Area. After several weeks of monitoring the weather, conditions are favourable for the prescribed burn to take place this Sunday, April 24, 2016. The burn is planned to commence around 1 p.m. and will be completed in two to three hours.
 While it is a fire – is is completely under control – they say. A prescribed burn is a deliberately set, carefully planned and controlled low severity fire which consumes ground level fine fuels such as dried leaves, needles, and small twigs, but does not harm larger trees. The practice is a widely used and recognized scientific method of controlling out-competing and non-fire tolerant invasive species, while allowing for growth and encouraged regeneration of the naturally occurring trees like oak and hickory, grasslands, and planted seedlings. After the burn, wildflower blooms will be abundant in the summer, as well as bird and pollinator populations who will use the new habitat.
The prescribed burn at Glenorchy Conservation Area will target the control of Common Buckthorn which is found in high numbers throughout the hedgerows. This invasive non-native species is a threat to the long term ecological restoration of the oak woodland and grassland areas of Glenorchy Conservation Area as it out-competes native species for space. This is the first burn for Glenorchy Conservation Area and will be 3.2 hectares (nearly eight acres) in size.
Residents living in the area surrounding Glenorchy Conservation Area have been notified with a prescribed burn notice in the mail. If weather conditions change, the media will be alerted of the burn’s cancellation.
 The person that oversees a prescribed burn is called The Burn Boss – it is his butt that is on the line. A prescribed burn is in accordance with the Operational Prescribed Burn Plan and Master Plan for Glenorchy Conservation Area with the goal to maintain the 50 hectares of restored grassland habitat.
The new conservation area, which is not yet officially open to the public, will be closed to public access during the day of the burn. Glenorchy Conservation Area is managed by Conservation Halton and is owned by the Province of Ontario (Infrastructure Ontario).
 The new conservation area is not yet officially open to the public – the boundaries of the prescribed burn are shown in red. What is Glenorchy Conservation Area?
Conservation Halton has partnered with the Government of Ontario to protect 263 hectares (650 acres) of environmentally sensitive land in North Oakville, and has named it Glenorchy Conservation Area. This area includes a large portion of government-owned lands known as the Oakville Land Assembly, bounded by Highway 407 to the north, Dundas Street West to the south, Bronte Road to the west, and Sixteen Mile Creek to the east. This conservation area forms an important part of the natural heritage system in Conservation Halton’s watershed.
The primary purpose of Glenorchy will be to preserve and enhance the natural heritage features of the lands such as creeks, valleys, and woodlots, and to restore some of the open area to unique habitats such as cultural meadows. Tree cover will also be increased with extensive tree planting.
What is a prescribed burn?
A prescribed burn is a controlled, deliberately set, and carefully managed low temperature fire that consumes dried leaves, small twigs and grass stems. It does not harm larger trees and is a recognized, scientific method of controlling invasive exotic shrubs and encouraging the establishment of certain natural and planted seedlings. Over the past several years at Iroquois Shoreline Woods, the Town of Oakville has conducted burns as part of the management of the oak woodland.
Why is Conservation Halton undertaking a prescribed burn in Glenorchy Conservation Area?
Native prairies and oak woodlands in our area have evolved to be fire-dependent as a result of wildfires and burning by indigenous peoples, hundreds of years ago. Natural disturbances, such as fire, rarely occur in Halton anymore, so agencies who work on restoration look to mimic these disturbances to maintain ecosystems. These burns benefit native plants and animals by removing exotic plants and grasses, by restoring wildlife habitat, and by returning essential nutrient balance to the soil.
Specific grassland communities such as prairie formerly occurred sporadically across much of southern Ontario. It is estimated that less than 3% of pre-settlement tallgrass prairie and savannah areas remain in Southern Ontario. The restoration of 50 hectares (124 acres) of grassland habitat at Glenorchy Conservation Area has reintroduced more native grassland back to the local area. Over the last four years, the open fields have been seeded with a mix of prairie grasses and wildflowers.
What about smoke coming from the burn?
Under the weather parameters required to proceed with the prescribed burn, the smoke is expected to dissipate and should not affect surrounding neighbourhoods. However, it is possible that some smoke from the prescribed burn may reach some of the residential areas near Glenorchy Conservation Area. Individuals with asthma or high sensitivity to poison ivy or smoke may wish to limit their exposure by keeping windows closed or leaving the immediate area around Glenorchy Conservation Area on the day of the burn.
Who carries out the burn?
Lands and Forests Consulting Ltd. has been retained to plan and carry out the prescribed burn with a qualified crew. Conservation Halton staff will assist with the burn, and the Oakville Fire Department will be on site in a standby capacity. The Burn Boss with Lands and Forests Consulting Ltd. has expertise in the field of prescribed burning.
How long will the burn take?
It is expected that the burn in Glenorchy Conservation Halton will take several hours to complete, but last only one day. After completion of the burn, staff will patrol the area looking for smouldering debris and ensuring it is properly extinguished.
 By Staff
April 22, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police moved in on a suspect after concluding a drug trafficking investigation that resulted in a 16-year-old male being arrested and the execution of Controlled Drugs and Substances Act search warrant at a Burlington residence.
The investigation was carried out by the Street Crime Unit (SCU) and concluded on April 20th when an arrest was made
Seized as a result of the Investigation:
• 75 grams of cocaine
• 44 grams of psilocybin
• 2 grams of marihuana
• 38 various pharmaceutical pills (Controlled Substances under Schedule III & IV of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)
• Flick knife
• 2 BB guns
The drugs have an estimated street value of $ 8,160.00
The youth who cannot be identified was subsequently charged with the following offences:
• Trafficking a controlled substance (cocaine),
• Trafficking a controlled substance (psilocybin),
• Trafficking a controlled substance (marihuana),
• Possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) for the purpose of trafficking,
• Possession of a controlled substance (psilocybin) for the purpose of trafficking,
• Possession of a controlled substance (marihuana) for the purpose of trafficking,
• Possession of a controlled substance (Schedule IV) for the purpose of trafficking,
• Possession of a controlled substance (schedule III),
• Possession of a controlled substance (schedule IV)
• Assault with intent to resist arrest
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose,
• Possession of a prohibited weapon
• Breach of recognizance (X2)
• Fail to comply with probation (X2)
Investigators remind the public to utilize Crime Stoppers to report any illegal drug, gun or gang activity at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637(crimes)
The big question here is – how did a 16 year old – we don’t know if this person is male or female – find themselves selling drugs and carrying more than $8000 cash in their pockets. There are some parents who have some explaining to do.
 By Ray Rivers
April 22, 2016
BURLINGTON,ON
Ray Rivers has been writing an opinion column for the Gazette for more than three years. He is currently on a personal research assignment in the Ukraine doing background for his next novel. While out of the country Rivers has kept abreast of current events and could not miss the opportunity to comment on the trial of Mike Duffy.
 Duffy, left, listens as Justice Charles Vaillancourt reads from his ruling in an Ottawa courtroom on Thursday. Illustration by Greg Banning. Of course the judge is right about Harper and his henchmen (aka PMO). It’s what we expected from a Prime Minister who distinguished himself by displaying irreverence for the political institutions and the processes he had been elected to protect. In fact as the Duffy case has shown it is more than disrespect – it’s abuse of power and presumption of privilege. He used the Senate as a chess board and the senators as pawns, to paraphrase Justice Charles Vaillancourt.
 What was really a summer cottage, this Prince Edward Island house was declared to be Senator Duffy’s prime residence. Mike Duffy was never qualified to be the Senator from PEI. He knew that and more importantly so did Mr. Harper who appointed him. They should have understood the inappropriateness of claiming residential expenses, despite Senate bureaucrats telling Duffy it would be OK. It was Duffy who had to sign his name at the bottom of all those claims.
And even if the Senate is a political animal, headlining partisan fund-raising events at public expense is also inappropriate. Again Duffy must have known that, and so would the big guy who ordered him to attend. Parliamentarians are not allowed to use public money for partisan purposes. Have we forgotten the Sponsorship scandal so soon?
And this cheque he was given to pay back the money he’d falsely claimed. It may not have been a bribe, but it was intended to keep Duffy quiet and sweep this messy business out of public view, again paraphrasing the judge. And who is going to argue with the PM’s right-hand person? And especially when the cheque he is offering will keep you out of the poor house at the time?
 Former Prim Minister Stephen Harper in conversation with Mike Duffy This whole messy affair also says a lot about the Justice department and their shoddy performance. It almost appears that they too were under Mr. Harper’s thumb. And did this process really cost $30 million dollars? Minimal cross examination, never asked Duffy about the famous cheque, and never called the PM to the stand. As the judge’s decision implies, the crown had the wrong fellow in the dock. This time the mounties really didn’t get their man.
This whole affair is a sad comment on Canadian politics. We should all be embarrassed by what we’ve allowed to happen. But then the judge let Duffy get away without so much as a slap on the wrist. Maybe not guilty, but he was hardly innocent. It’s no wonder that the Globe and Mail barely mentioned this story in their on-line version last night. And yet a year ago it was hot in the news.
 The Senate. The Canadian Senate is an historical mistake that just keeps on giving. One can only hope that Mr. Trudeau’s efforts to transform the Senate into a non-partisan camp works. At least no Senator need be fund-raising for a political party, if he/she is truly non-partisan. And hopefully a non-partisan appointment advisory committee will do a better job at finding people to represent PEI, among people who actually live in PEI.
Mr. Duffy was a victim of his own ambition and a Prime Minister who used him for his own purposes. I’d like to think of the chamber of ‘sober second thought; as filled with intelligent and ethical Canadians whose first priority is to serve the public. I’d have a hard time saying that about Mike Duffy. I just hope his Senate days are over.
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. Ray has published one book and is working on a second.
Background links:
Trial Decision Blog – Trial Decision – Mike Duffy – Vindication of the Man
By Pepper Parr
April 21, 2105
BURLINGTON, ON
A rebuild of a portion of Lakeshore Road is the first step to getting a nice new road to what will be the entrance to the hospital when it open in 2018; it will also be the first tentative step to converting and re-shaping the Beachway as we know it today into a splendid park – once they get the messy business of the people who currently live in the Beachway behind them
Having every one of those houses bought by the region and then demolished isn’t the slam dunk many think it is going to be.
A few of the homes have been sold – four by our count – with a couple of others dickering for the best deal they can get and others saying they will go down with the ship.
But this story is not about how that future development will work out – it is a decade at least into the future.
The construction work will begin July 4 to November 18, 2017. The road closure will be a rolling staged closure to keep all of the access to the properties open.
 City staff wanted people to fully understand what the road as going to look like – not very many people got to the meeting to see the visuals. This job is more than the paving of a road – it starts where Maple meets Lakeshore Road as it curves past the Joseph Brant Museum and to the new hospital parking facility.
At a point just past the current museum parking lot the road will be raised .90 of a metre
A new storm water sewer has been built to handle storm water and protect the hospital from any flooding.
During the healthy and vociferous discussions on what the Beachway Park was going to look like there was a lot of misinformation thrown around about flooding dangers – the consistent flooding at the hospital was kept very hush hush.
The climate changes we are experiencing have made it clear that stronger measures had to be put in place to prevent flood damage to the hospital – this a road that is going to be higher than it is now by almost a metre in order to have the new roadway above the flood proof elevation provided by Conservation Halton.
The road is required to be flood proofed prior to the opening of the new Joseph Brant Hospital Emergency Room off of Lakeshore Road. The outlet for the storm sewer into Lake Ontario was completed in the fall of 2015
The road will slope down from its high point just past the museum through to the Skyway Treatment Plant. At a point just past the water treatment plan the road will make a sharp turn to the right – but that is some time into the future.
There are three phases to the project: Phase 1 was the storm water sewer – that’s done.
Phase 2 is the rebuild of the road and sidewalks, bike lanes and much better lighting.
 It is certainly going to be a much friendlier road to use – and it is going to carry a lot of traffic – and it will have a stop light at the hospital garage. The contract to build the road has been awarded to New-Alliance Ltd.: total price of $5,198,000.00 (HST included). Nine trees are going to have to come out
The following table is a list of tenders received.
Tender received from: Bid (HST Included)
1 New Alliance Ltd. $5,198,000.00
2 Dufferin Construction Company $5,401,758.04
3 King Paving & Construction Company $5,597,050.01
4 Coco Paving Inc. $5,749,370.51
5 Trenchline & Roads Inc. $6,514,353.95
6 Rankin Construction $6,950,727.18
This project is the 2nd phase
Phase 3 of the project includes Lakeshore Road from the Skyway Treatment Plant to Eastport Drive and is scheduled for 2019 and coordinated with the proposed road relocation as part of the Region of Halton’s Burlington Beach Master Plan.
There is for us a lingering question about the width of Lakeshore Road as it approaches and curves by the museum – that route ill be THE route to the hospital emergency room. Is it wide enough and what will the plans the museum has for a major upgrade to that site which will include an underground interactive museum.
 The traffic lane on the left looks pretty small to carry all the vehicles to the hospital and on into the Beachway Park? The expectation is that there will be a lot of traffic to the site. Where will the cars and school buses park – will they pull over an let the kids off the busses then go to the hospital parking garage? Is that new garage going to have the capacity for both the museum and the hospital?
I hope that doesn’t happen when you are in an ambulance and depending on the oxygen they’ve given you to keep you alive.
By Staff
April 21, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
On April 20th 2016 at approximately 12:45 AM police responded to an alarm at a commercial premise located at 4145 North Service Road in Burlington.
Upon arrival, police confirmed that a break and enter into the building had occurred and that the suspects were believed to still be inside.
Police searched the interior of the building at which time it was determined that two separate businesses within the building were entered.
 Police dog Arrow was used to flush out the thieves who broke into a North Service Road office building. With the assistance of police canine unit handlers and Police Service Dogs (PSD) ARROW and STORM, two suspects were located hiding in a locked electrical room located inside a first floor washroom.
Police also located two crow bars and a large screwdriver, tools that were believed to be used to gain entry into the building and the separate businesses within. Suspects targeted cash boxes however all property was recovered at various locations inside the building.
Arrested and held for bail are:
Mohamed OZOR (21-yrs) of Laval Quebec
• Break and enter (X3)
• Possession of break-in instruments
• Obstruct police
• Fail to comply with probation (X2)
Omar ELGHANDOUR (21-yrs) of St. Laurent Quebec
• Break and enter (X3)
• Possession of break-in instruments
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Vince Couce of 3 District Criminal Investigation Bureau at (905) 825-4747 ext 2307 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).
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