By Pepper Parr

June 5th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

The Mayor of Burlington is at it again.

In a tweet she sent out answering questions she said she has been asked.

She fails to mention when there will be real public engagement and doesn’t help the public understand just how much public space there will be in the former high school.

Follow up on her Q&A and then read about what was actually said at a Council meeting.

Will there be public engagement on the use of indoor space?

Yes, there will be multiple opportunities. Staff will be asking for expressions of interest for the 21,000 square foot of space for rent, programs and user groups, as well as an additional 9,000 sq. ft. of potential temporary space available to the community at Bateman in the fall of 2023 and a visioning exercise in the summer and fall of 2023. The expressions of interest will help staff to know who is interested in working with the City, and what kinds of space requirements may be needed. Over the summer and fall of 2023, Recreation, Community and Culture staff will have an extensive community engagement planned for the Parks and Recreation Master Plan and the Parks and Recreation Cultural Asset Master Plan (PRCAMP) along with a review of direct delivered programs and services. Residents will have an opportunity to provide feedback on these items.

In the late fall of 2023, staff will consult with the community on proposed high-level program mix for Bateman and share the community comments back with committee in winter 2024. More details of the program mix will be further refined as phase two of the construction is finalized and shared with the community.

When does Phase 2 of this project start?

Stage 2 of the current construction contract will not start until Q2 2024.

Why do we need more parking?

Parking is needed to accommodate the higher parking demand generated by the new uses including Brock University, Burlington Public Library, Tech Place, Halton District School Board, and the communities use of the existing and new community spaces.

Why do you need to put parking in the area of the track?

Under the city’s existing zoning by-law, site parking requirements are to be accommodated on site. However, as directed by Burlington City Council, staff will review all options, including street parking in the neighbourhood, on-site parking, off-site parking and building a parking structure. Staff will report back in Q4 2023 with parking recommendations. Once a parking plan is in place, we will know what can and can’t be done with the existing track and open space. Residents will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the parking and open space plan for the site.

Can I still access the track and football field now?

Yes. The track and the area will be accessible for informal use in 2023 and while parking options are being developed and construction activity is not impacting this area. In 2024, construction activity will impact the area behind the school and the open space area including the track will not be accessible during construction.

Will any trees be cut down?

The City will work to protect the trees as much as possible; however, there are four trees within the construction zone that will be removed and one tree in poor health that needs to be removed for public safety. Those trees will be replaced. There may also be an opportunity to increase the number of trees as part of the landscaping plan.

Citizens are going to have to make a lot of noise if they want to keep the track and the sports field in the middle.

What will happen to the track and football field?

We won’t know until staff report back to Council later this year with all parking options and a recommendation.

Who makes the final decision on the parking spaces?

Staff are looking into all parking options including a parking structure, on-street parking, leasing agreements and reducing the number of parking spots required on-site. Staff will report back to Committee and Council in Q4 2023 with parking recommendations. If there is to be a reduction in parking, an application will be taken to the Committee of Adjustment. The committee will review the uses of the building, number of spaces required to meet demand and make a decision based on Council-approved Zoning Bylaws.

I don’t want to lose the track. How can we keep it?

Council has directed staff to report back in Q4 2023 on parking alternatives, so during this time, there will be no impact to the track. All options will be considered, including street parking in the neighbourhood, on-site parking, off-site parking and building a parking structure. Once a parking plan is in place, we will know what can and can’t be done with the existing track and open space. Residents will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the open space.

Can we build a parking garage to save the open space and track?

All options are being considered although this would be an expensive option.

There was very little mention of parking during the most recent round of Standing Committee meetings.

Council members did have hard questions about when public engagement meetings would take place and just how much space there would be for public use.

Stolte on public engagement

Sharman on how the high school space is going to be used.

The route to that $100 million price

By Pepper Parr

June 5th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

Staff were presenting to Council on the “key deliverables for the communication and engagement plan.”

Part of the presentation asked for $100,000; a number that got tossed in, sort of is as a place holder
Everyone knew the number was close to outrageous – but no one offered to lower it.

Stolte: Has public engagement already begun ?

Councillor Stolte asked:
Has engagement started?
Adding that “… in the chart it’s very well outlined that engagement with recreational users and businesses groups and community organizations is starting spring summer 2023.  Has that begun already?

Emilie Cote responded: It has begun informally just in regular conversations that we have with existing user groups but will be more so as we proceed with the tactics like the visioning and the Request For Interest.

Councillor Stolte comes back with: “it said June to October. Well, today’s June 1, do we have dates – I don’t see any dates in there.

There is a  city wide mailout planned to inform people of those opportunities and be part of that visioning exercise. But the mailer wont go out until the fall – what’s going to get done between now and then ?  Earlier today we published a piece on just how much space there is and how much will the public get to use ?  Councillor Sharman had to push hard to get some basic information.  Perhaps he could have asked for that information before this project got off the ground.

Councillor Stolte to Kwab: I’m not understanding how we are beginning engagement and visioning with the public this summer, but not letting them know about it until the fall.

Director of Communications Kwab adds that “the city wide mailer will go out in the fall actually, that’s the time that we’re looking for that because we wanted to make sure that once we have this plan in place – this comprehensive plan – and as we begin some of the work that’s underway now we’ll of course let residents know about it.

But we wanted to build some critical mass of when we want to inform residents about what’s happening. So come the fall, there’ll be a lot more engagement activities underway, where we can let residents know – generally speaking, we try not to send anything out about a major project smack right in the middle of the summer. So that’s why it made sense for us to send that in the in the fall.

Stolte: “A clarifying question, please? I’m not understanding the timing Kwab I’m not understanding how we are beginning engagement and visioning with the public this summer, but not letting them know about it until the fall

Kwab:”We will be letting them know about it through other means that we have. The mailer is just one additional tactic that we do let residents know about what’s happening.

But through the project page media releases and other ways we will be letting them know about the current engagement that’s happening.

In addition, the mailer will go out that will let them know again about other engagement opportunities that are happening as well. I think, I mean, we definitely have to keep in mind that this is gonna be a long, long engagement. So there will be lots of opportunities to engage residents using many different tactics. So the mailer is just one tactic that we’ll be using to inform residents.

Then the matter of the $100,000 that was going to be asked for. I mean, that was just a number that staff threw out. We are drawing upon existing already approved budget as part of the project. So when we get closer to the exact dates and the items that will be happening will be will know better, how close to that number we would get.

Stolte: So my question is really whether or not, prior to significantly greater Council interest in doing more and more engagement, will we ever think it will be $100,000?

Kwab: “It’s a good question, Counsellor. To be honest, you know, we appreciate the direction staff were starting to work on that more comprehensive plan that was happening simultaneously as received last time. We didn’t have a total number at the time to answer your question. I knew it was going to be more than 20k. That’s probably as clear as I can get, I guess to answering your question.

I could maybe add to the chair and say overall that this project has evolved very, very quickly when you think about the size and scope of this project from the inception and so as we were developing scope and budgets, and evolving and refining those as we go along.

As we get more information and understanding of the expectations – I think it’s a fair comment that we will obviously manage that budget and look at it as we’ve been developing as we go along. We will manage prudently but at the same time meeting the expectations that council has.

We will let the words speak for themselves

By Pepper Parr

June 4^th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

Burlington lost a great one last week.

The man who turned Lakeshore Road into the stretch of the city that it is today, passed away on May 29^th, he was 88 years of age.

Domenic Molinaro, the founder of the Molinaro Group

Domenic Molinaro, the founder of the Molinaro Group died of complications from a stroke he suffered some time ago.

He leaves behind: His beloved wife, Lina Molinaro, his children Antonella and Joseph Castro, Marilu and Sam DiSanto, Vincent and Tina Molinaro, and Robert and Andrea Molinaro, along with his grandchildren Julian, Madeline, Luca, Isabella, Giuliana, Cristiano, Evianna, and Raffaella, many loving brothers and sisters, nieces, nephews.

The Family will gather at Bay Gardens Funeral Home, 947 Rymal Road East, Hamilton, on Tuesday, June 6th, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Vigil prayers will be at 3:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, June 7th, at 11:00 a.m., a Funeral Mass will take place at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, 934 Hwy 8, Stoney Creek.

Following the Mass, entombment at Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery, 600 Spring Gardens Road, Burlington.

An obituary can be found HERE

By Staff

June 3rd, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

Marion Goard is a Broker with Keller Williams Realty. She heads up an interesting service intended for the Seniors community that is setting out to help people Get the answers to your most pressing questions at monthly seminars and panels.

Are you finding yourself continually looking for facts to get answers to your most pressing questions? The Empowered Seniors Speakers Series is a free community service offered to seniors and their families.

Every month, you can attend a seminar or a panel where you’ll gain valuable and honest information regarding topics that are important to senior living and retired people. You’ll leave each event with the ability to make informed decisions, and you’ll meet experts who can provide reliable and current information.

The seminars and expert panels are a community service offered AT NO COST to seniors and their families.

Space is limited, so reservations are strongly encouraged. Click on the registration link or call 905-330-5201 to save your seat for any of the sessions.
Location:
Burlington Central Library (Centennial Hall)
2331 New St, Burlington, ON L7R 1J4
Dates and Times:
All sessions run from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM (doors open at 1:10 PM)
on the second Wednesday of each month, with the exception of October (3rd Wednesday)
The first session will take place on June 14, 2023
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
(doors open at 1:10 PM)

Understanding how your Will, Real Estate law and your Taxes play out on death

Do you know how and when your assets, such as your home or other properties transfer after death? In this seminar, Estate and Real Estate Lawyer Andrea Parliament will outline four methods of transferring assets on death and explain the tax implications of each.

You’ll learn about:
• Joint ownership (and that it’s not quite as simple as your banker may think)
• Designated Beneficiaries
• Secondary Wills
• What happens during probate, whether it’s always required and the tax implications
• Choosing an executor.

Register

By Pepper Parr

June 2nd, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

Speaking on the TVO program The Agenda where the subject was who should pay for growth Steve Paiken said to Mayor Marianne Meed Ward:
said:

“I’m willing to bet that there’s a huge chunk of people in your city that don’t think growth is intrinsically good that they love Burlington the way it is right now, and they’d be just very happy. Thank you very much. If there was no further growth to Burlington, what do you do with that?”

Did you just say …

Meed Ward responded:
“Well, what they’re seeing is growth in housing only without thinking about what a complete community is all about. The transit hasn’t kept up with growth. The community centers hasn’t kept up with growth, the libraries the list of things that have not responded to population growth in every city is very long.

“And so what people see is their quality of life has diminished because they’re waiting more in longer lines. They can’t get access to facilities, they go to other places because they can’t get their kids into an arena. And so what we’re doing when we accepted the housing pledge for 29,000 units by 2031, we said we’re not just building housing, and we need the province to help us with those big capital dollars for community centres for transit for parks.

The whole for Burlington, by the way, if we get rid of development charges overnight is  $36 million a year. That’s about a 20% tax increase. So you know, these are not inexpensive costs.

We just bought an old surplus school site for $100 million. we’re renovating that into a community center. These are big things that our community needs and if all the community sees is traffic congestion, can’t get my kids into programs, diminishing quality of life. They’re not going to be happy about growth. We have to make sure that we’re building complete communities,

Paiken came back with: “Did you just say you spent $100 million for an old school?”

Meed Ward quickly added that “ the $100 million was to buy and convert the former Bateman High School – but this is the first time the public has heard that number.

Mayor tells interviewer the city will spend $100 million for Bateman High school property. Councillor Stole told the public that the cost was going to be $50 million and got smacked with a five day pay fine. What does the Mayor get for blabbing away that the city will spend $100 million ? Re-elected?

When Councillor Shawna Stolte told the public that the cost was going to be $50 million she got smacked with a fine of five days’ pay because the information she shared was discussed in a closed session of Council

Releasing number on a TV show seems to be Ok.

By Ray Rivers

June 2nd, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

OPINION

I recently attended a Pollution Probe event to honour Edward Burtynsky, the Canadian born world famous photographer and artist known for his large format landscape art work. Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, in 2019, received a similar honour for his environmental leadership on acid rain, Great Lakes restoration, the government’s Green Plan and initial efforts on combating climate change.

The stuff we through away has to end up somewhere.

Pollution Probe is generally considered one of the more moderate of the environment organizations. They are not typically known to protest environmental policy by climbing the CN tower or tying themselves to old growth timber and taunting chain sawing loggers. Founded by students and their professors at the University of Toronto in 1969, Probe receives broad support from industry and government as well as concerned individuals.

Probe has an enviable track record in research and bringing together various sectors to a cause. They can point to the banning of DDT; the 3 R’s recycling program; reduced nutrient loading into the Great Lakes; and contributing to the fight against acid rain. Probe is currently undertaking a plastics pollution recovery project in the Great Lakes. Mr. Burtnysky, a soft spoken environmentalist, had recently undertaken an exhibition of his work focusing on plastic pollution. It was a fitting and timely tribute.

The federal government’s commitment to ban the manufacture and importation of a number of single use plastic products, mainly plastic packaging, straws and stir sticks, is in place, though it may take some time before current stocks are depleted. And after that the government’s sights need to focus on the holy grail of plastic pollution – the PET bottle.

Pollution Probe organized a panel to discuss the plastics issue, following Mr. Burtynsky’s address. Notably, there was a representative from NOVA Chemicals on the panel. Nova, a major manufacturer of plastics, is headquartered in Calgary though ownership is offshore in the United Arab Emirates. The debate was cordial; it was clear that in this forum nobody was yet prepared to address the elephant in the room – getting rid of the plastic bottle.

Plastic water bottles

Ethylene, a hydrocarbon gas, is used to produce polyethylene, ethylene oxide, PVC, styrene, and as the name implies, (polyethylene terephthalate) PET bottles. NOVA has a lot to lose were PET bottles the next target, so they talked up their efforts at recycling as a viable solution. But they must understand that those PET bottles raise enough health and environmental questions that banning them for most applications will be the only solution.

For example we all know that you should never leave a water bottle in your car on a hot day since it could leach unsafe levels of antimony trioxide and phthalates, basic building blocks in the production of most PET bottles. And it follows that they probably contaminate what’s inside the bottle to some extent even at lower temperature, and possibly even when frozen.

There is the matter of micro plastics. According to a Penn State study municipal tap water (presumably from sources which also receive wastewater) was shown to contain something like five or six plastic particles per litre of water. But samples taken from bottled water exceeded that by at least 50 times. As the study notes, the researchers are yet unsure about the full health consequences of ingesting that amount of plastic particles; it can’t be good.

Moreover, according to the National Library of Medicine “Almost all commercially available plastic products we sampled—independent of the type of resin, product, or retail source—leached chemicals having reliably detectable [Estrogen Activity] EA, including those advertised as [Bisphenol A) BPA free. BPA is prohibited for use in infant drinking bottles in Canada and the USA. In some cases, BPA-free products released chemicals having more EA than did BPA-containing products.

This type of estrogen is a concern since it mimics or antagonizes naturally occurring estrogens and can produce many biological and adverse health effects in mammals, according to the journal Environmental Health. These include “early puberty in females, reduced sperm counts, altered functions of reproductive organs, obesity, altered sex-specific behaviours, and increased rates of some breast, ovarian, testicular, and prostate cancers”. That should be scary enough to make us want to stop buying plastic bottles used for everything from water to peanut butter.

Finally there is the waste plastic matter, land filled mounds of used bottles and icebergs of plastic floating in our oceans. It is what Edward Burtynsky has captured with his magnificent photography and brought to our attention through his exhibitions.

According to Pollution Probe some 10 million kg of plastic waste enter the Great Lakes each year. Everyone agrees that we should continue recycling plastic. But we all should understand that recycling alone is not enough. It will not be until the plastic revolution is over.

Ray Rivers, a Gazette Contributing Editor, writes regularly applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking.  Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington.  He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject.   Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa.  Tweet @rayzrivers.   Ray Rivers has previously acted as consultant for Pollution Probe and represented the organization at an earlier Congress of the Parties (COP) climate change meeting.}

Background links:

Probe Gala –

Burtynsky –

NOVA Chemicals –

PET –

Pollution Probe Great Lakes Plastic Clean Up –

Federal Plastic Regulation –

Burtynsky Plastic Pollution –

Estrogen Activity

EA Effects –

By Melinda Smith

May 31st, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

You can be playing the same game with the person sitting beside you – then compare how you each did.

There’s no denying the fact that mobile gaming has surged in popularity over recent years. No matter where you go, you’ll see someone tapping away on their smartphone, trying to defeat an enemy or solve a puzzle. From casual games to complex titles, for many, their phone is their primary source of entertainment.

Game developers have taken note and prioritized releasing games for mobile devices. The titles deliver immersive experiences that were once only possible on a PC or console. Still, that doesn’t explain why mobile gaming is so popular. Keep reading to learn some of the reasons behind the growing trend.

Huge Catalog of Games
One of the biggest reasons why mobile games are so popular is the wide variety of titles available. For example, casino games are some of the most frequently played in the world. People no longer have to organize friends for games nights or travel long distances to play at a brick-and-mortar facility. Instead, technological advances have made it possible for websites like PokerStars Casino to offer all sorts of fun titles that can be played from home. 3 Secret Cities, Ashoka, and Book of Captain Silver, for example, are just a few of the slots titles players can choose from to keep themselves entertained.

Similarly, if battle royale games are more their style, then they only a few taps away from playing games like Fortnite and Apex Legends on their mobile devices. Every video game genre is available for mobile devices, and technological advances have made many of the top games just as fun to play on smartphones and tablets as on consoles and PCs. From puzzles to platformers, there’s something for everyone.

You take the game you want to play with you. This mobility has made mobile  gaming the most popular form of entertainment for millions of people.

On the Go Gaming
Once upon a time, if you wanted to play a video game with decent graphics and sound, you had to do it at home with a console plugged into your TV or PC. Saying a lot has changed over the past couple of decades would be an understatement.

Today, you can take your games with you wherever you go, which is one of the biggest drivers behind mobile gaming’s popularity. If you’re planning a trip, your cellphone is one of the technological devices you won’t leave home without.

There’s no need to make room in your suitcase for your PlayStation 5 or carry your laptop when you can play great games on your phone. Mobile gaming gives people access to entertainment wherever they go, 24/7, and that’s one of its biggest draws.

Cost
When you compare mobile games to PC and console games, the price of entry is extremely low. Thanks to the freemium model, you may not have to pay anything to play. If you have a cellphone, you can download one of the top titles for Android from the Google Play Store or browse Apple’s App Store for iPhone games. Once downloaded, you start playing immediately.

Even if you decide to pay for a top-quality mobile game, you probably won’t spend more than a few dollars on it. On the other hand, the latest titles for consoles and PCs could set you back more than $60. Moreover, mobile gaming doesn’t require players to invest in expensive hardware, saving you even more money. Technology is constantly improving, and we’re getting to the point where almost any game can be played on a smartphone.

Multiplayer Gaming
Gaming was a solitary hobby in its early days. The only way to experience multiplayer fun was to invite friends or family over to your home to play with your extra joysticks. The internet made massively online multiplayer games popular, with many gamers preferring to play in groups instead of completing a campaign on their own.

Mobile gaming has taken this to the next level, allowing people to connect with others from around the world on their phones. Many look for games with a social factor, preferring to compete against others and climb leaderboards.

Whether you play Candy Crush Saga or Fortnite on your mobile device, you’re in for a social experience.

By Pepper Parr

May 30^th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

Nancy Shea Nicol: Burlington Corporate Counsel, has rarely been in favour of making legal matters public.

They are getting better at doing their jobs.

For the longest time Council has gone into a CLOSED session and saying precious little about what they are going to talk about.

Pressure from ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns and others appears to have brought about the needed change.

Later this week Council will go into a CLOSED session to talk about:

Confidential legal services department report regarding a litigation matter for 720, 735, 740 Oval Court (L-33-23)

Pursuant to Section 239(2)(e) of the Municipal Act, litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board.

Progress!

This is the development that has their attention.  It is a whopper of a development.

Is Burlington ready for this kind of concentration and height.  Beginning to look like Mississauga ,

One could bet the mortgage payment that most people know that developments like this are going to be built in Burlington.