 By Allan Harrington
September 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The weather was perfect – a great day for those of us who appreciate almost everything British to see about 1,000 motor cars on display in neat rows on the pleasant grass-covered fields of the Bronte Creek park. Some came from as far away as New York and Pennsylvania to get nestled between the trees.
 Thousands of cars – all British – and a perfect day. There is such a rich variety among British motor vehicles that are distinctively different from the typical style of North American cars. Whether it is their soft curved lines, google-eye headlights, or being slung low to the ground.
 Proud – very British – posh! Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Land Rover
Majestic people carriers suitable for a chauffeur to romp across a country estate. One Rolls Royce there claims to be the original used in the old Grey Poupon mustard advert.
 Meant for narrow windy roads – with the wind in your hair. Triumph, McLaren, TVR
Sporty models built to easily traverse the thin winding two lane back roads of England.
Austin Mini, Sunbeam, MG
Tiny ones that can dart through the busy congested city of London a la Mr. Bean.
 They look like Smarties in a bowl – all bright colours – great for skipping about crowded streets. De Lorean
Famous from the Back to the Future movies. About 11 made it to the show in their typical stainless steel silver plus and one in a bronze gold colour. Being made in Belfast Northern Ireland they are welcome among the other Brit-Mobiles. Yes all the flux capacitors were functioning.
Lotus, Aston Martin
High tech cars James Bond can do his spy business with.
Isn’t car manufacturing dead in the UK? No. There are over 30 car manufacturers in Britain with total output being just over half the number made in Canada. Well “somebody” needs to keep making the cars with a steering wheel on the wrong side.
 A grateful child – with a picnic basket to make the day perfect. Boots and Bonnets
Visitors were asked to vote on their favourite and with so many excellent choices — it was impossible task for this visitor.
 By Staff
September 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
This article has been revised – an error was made in understanding the time of day the accident took place.
A 31 year old Flamborough man was operating a 2007 Kawasaki motorcycle southbound on Guelph Line, north of Colling Road when just before noon on Sunday he collided with a car that was turning into the Mt. Nemo Conservation area.
The motorcycle rider suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Due to the fatality, the Collision Reconstruction Unit (C.R.U.) was called in and took carriage of the investigation.
Guelph Line was closed in both directions for approximately three hours while the C.R.U. conducted their At-Scene investigation.
Police will not be releasing the name of the decedent at this time.
The northbound vehicle would have been making a right hand turn – the motorcycle going south would have been on the other side of the road.
How the two managed to collide is what the police needed hours to figure out – someone was not on the side of the road they were supposed to be on.
A terrible way to die.
Any witnesses to this collision are asked to contact the C.R.U. at 905.825.4747 ext.5065.
 By Staff
September 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police Service, Burlington station, is reaching out to the public to help locate wanted persons and hold them accountable for their actions. This is the 22nd time the police service has reached out to the public. The program has been a significant success.
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.
Every Friday, the Burlington Offender Management Unit will share information on a wanted person in hopes that the public can assist in locating the individual.
We will share “Fugitive Friday” information on our website and via social media through Twitter @HRPSBurl and @HaltonPolice.
 Brennan HOWE-PATTISON 19 years old, of Hamilton, ON. #3 District- Burlington Offender Management Unit is searching for Brennan HOWE-PATTISON 19 years old, of Hamilton, ON.
It is alleged:
– In September of 2014 the accused was engaged in a verbal argument with a male in his 50’s when it escalated and the accused punched the victim
– The accused also damaged property in the victim’s home as well as the apartment building where the assault occurred while he was leaving the scene
– Officers conducted an investigation and were able to locate the accused a short time later
– The accused was arrested, charged with Assault and two counts of Mischief under $5000 and was later released on a recognizance
– The accused was scheduled to re-attend court in September of 2015 which he failed to do and a warrant was issued for his arrest
He is now wanted by the Halton Regional Police Service for:
Assault
Mischief under $5000 x 2
Fail to Re-Attend Court
The accused is also wanted by Hamilton Police service for:
Possession over $5000
Fail to Re-Attend Court x 2
HOWE-PATTISON is described as 5’9”, 135lbs, blue eyes and blonde hair. HOWE-PATTISON has ties to Burlington, Hamilton and the surrounding areas.
Anyone who may have witnessed this male or has information that would assist investigators in identifying him are asked to contact Detective Constable 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
September 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Bus detours around downtown Brant Street
On Sunday Sept. 20, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Brant Street between Elgin and Caroline will be closed due to “The Amazing Bed Race”.
Buses using Brant Street between the Terminal and the Burlington GO will be detoured as follows:
From the Terminal
North on John Street to Caroline
Left on Caroline to Brant Street
Right on Brant Street
Resume regular routing
 From the Burlington GO
South on Brant Street to Caroline
Left on Caroline to John Street
Right on John Street
Continue south into Terminal
By Staff
September 18, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Lakeshore Road Lane Restrictions for Terry Fox Run – Sept. 20
 The northbound land of Lakeshore Road will be closed from Maple Avenue to the Halton Skyway Waste Water Treatment Plan between 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20 for the Terry Fox Run.
The southbound lane will remain open.
By Staff
September 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Waterfront Trail Closure and Detour Starting Sept. 21, 2015
 Construction work related to the Joseph Brant Hospital will result in a bit of a detour for the Waterfront Trail
A section of the Waterfront Trail, at the west end of Spencer Smith Park, south of Joseph Brant Hospital, will be closed for construction starting Monday, Sept. 21.
A detour route made from crushed gravel will run adjacent to the closed section of the trail.
The closure is expected to last until October 2015.
 By Walter Byj
September 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Despite what seemed like a lengthy and potentially controversial agenda, the September 16th meeting of the Halton District School Board went smoothly and relatively quickly. Items covered during the meeting were as follows;
Program Viability Committee
The Halton District School Board initiated a committee to examine program viability in both the English program and the French Immersion program and to make a recommendation to the Board no later than June 2015. The committee will be chaired by the Associate Director and will be composed of the Superintendent of Program, Superintendent of Student Success, System Principal of French Program, System Principal of School Program, Principals of dual track elementary schools, elementary single track English schools, elementary single track French Schools, French Immersion programs in High School, single track English programs in high schools and three trustees who currently sit on the French advisory committee.
A more detailed report on this item will be published later in the week.
Active Transportation
Active Transportation to school and work is defined as human powered transportation such as walking, cycling, wheeling, rolling and using mobility devices. Students and their families and staff who make active transportation a choice, over automobile travel, experience benefits in mental and physical health and well-being, are more prepared to learn and promote community connections.
 Burlington school board trustee Andrea Grebenc wants to see more walking to school. Reducing automobile use around schools by choosing active transportation modes and/or school buses/public transit improves air quality around schools for students, staff and the whole community. Supporting such active and sustainable travel choices reflects the principles of Ontario’s Foundation for a Healthy School.
Trustee Grebnec introduced a motion that will be debated at a future date.
Ontario Ombudsman
Effective September 1, 2015 the Ontario Ombudsman obtains jurisdiction for school boards. We have been asked by the Ombudsman’s office to supply a list of procedures the public can access to regarding challenges to Board procedures. Many of the Board’s procedures have been listed in the survey (transportation, discipline, suspension/expulsion, etc.), all prefaced by the Board’s Process for Public Concerns, attached to this document as an administrative procedure.
Background:
The Ontario Ombudsman under the Ombudsman Act has broad powers that include the ability to assist the public in matter of school boards’ jurisdiction. The general role of the Ombudsman is to respond to complaints and seek to resolve concerns raised by the public. The Ombudsman’s website (www.ombudsman.on.ca) details the breadth and depth of the work performed by that office.
Generally speaking, the Ombudsman will look to refer concerns to existing internal resolutions procedures (discipline appeals, human rights procedures, staff grievances). I believe that is the reason why we have been asked to supply an overview of our various procedures for public and parent concerns. The Ombudsman refers to itself as “an office of last resort”, meaning that other internal mechanisms for disputes should be exercised first. In the case where a complaint cannot be resolved, the Ombudsman determines whether an investigation is warranted and the Board is notified. The Ombudsman then investigates and reports publicly. It should be noted that the decisions of the Ombudsman are not binding and do not overturn decisions of the Board; however, it is my understanding that the wisdom and impartiality of the office is usually acknowledged with a review of the decisions.
Most of the items on the agenda were of the FYI nature and will be summarized in the near future. However, both the program viability committee and active transportation agenda items will be reported in more detail as they have the potential to be controversial and have a profound impact on the community.
 Walter Byj has been the Gazette reporter on education for more than a year. He is a long time resident of the city and as a parent has in the past delegated to the school board.
By Pepper Parr
September 18th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
A select group of people saw the Premier of Flash Flood – a Cogeco TV documentary on the flood that drowned parts of Burlington on August 4th 2014.
The 28 minute film will be shown on Cogeco Cable – channel 23 and 700 for HD
Airdates are:
Sun, Sep 20, 2015 20:00:00
Mon, Sep 21, 2015 17:00:00
Wed, Sep 23, 2015 19:00:00
Thu, Sep 24, 2015 15:30:00
Sat, Sep 26, 2015 17:30:00
Sat, Sep 26, 2015 22:00:00
Kristin Demeny was the lead reporter on the project that started the day the rains fell. She didn’t become aware of the flooding until around 4:30 that day by which time many people had everything in their basements floating in several feet of water.
 Kristin Demeny, Cogeco’s lead reporter on the August 2014 flood, was everywhere during the days after the flood. she was in the homes that were ruined and talked with hundreds of people whose lives had been forever changed. She was literally everywhere the first few days after and said she crawled through close a 100 basements to personally see and record the damage. “There was a woman in her 90’s – there with her son looking at all the ceiling tile that had come down in the basement. Her husband, no longer alive, had built the home for the two of them. It was heartbreaking to meet and talk to these people.”
Kristin did her first piece of broadcast reporting when she was 17 – “I fell in love with the business that day and have been in broadcast all of my career”. She includes her formal training at Loyalist College as part of that career.
She worked with CKWS in Kingston, the CBC television affiliate and proudly point to two stories that went network wide.
Demeny has been with Cogeco for five years.
Ben Lyman, Manager, Programming and Community Relations at Cogeco Cable, is recognized as the Executive producer of the documentary and said that “, we had documented so much footage at the start of the flood for our new local news program, we knew we could take it a step further.”
“At that time we decided we can produce what could be considered a historical documentary on this flood. That we would sit down with residents that were affected, let them tell their stories of how devastating this flood actually was to them and the city as a whole.
 It was a flash flood – and the damage done was significant. Most of the city wasn’t even aware that it had happened – the rain fell in just one part of the city – 191 mm in a single day, “We knew a documentary was the way to move forward with this project. Kristin Demeny who had been our lead reporter in covering the flood was the lead producer for the project and with the help of Daniel Ricottone’s editing skills (he directed/edited TVCogeco’s Special on Chris Hadfield before he took command of ISS), we knew this duo would be able to tell the stories that needed to be told and create a lasting impact for our viewers.
“Once you watch this documentary, you really empathize with the victims of the flood and you realize how much work needed to be completed to get their lives back on track. As the station manager, I was very proud of the work our team completed in producing this doc. and was very pleased to see, in particular the vision I had for this flood documentary come to fruition this fall.”
It is certainly worth watching.
 By Staff
September 17, 2105
BURLINGTON, ON
All the work, all the anticipation and then the scurrying around to make it actually happen – and we realize that it comes down to the weather.
There are some people who don’t know about the event – where have they been?
It is Supernova – takes place on Old Lakeshore Road from 7 to midnight. More than 20 artists showing you what they do.
 Last year it was called the Cirque – 3500 people showed up – this year it is a Supernova on Old Lakeshore Road. Worth the walk. Last year the event took place at the Village Square – 3500 people showed up.
This year there is a lot more space – enjoy the night.
One of the artists has created a Wishing Forest. Here is how he tells that story.
By Staff
September 17, 2105
BURLINGTON, ON
Orchard Community Park Splash Pad
The splash pad at Orchard Community Park will experience some disruptions between Sept. 21 and 25 as a result of construction work on the soccer field. We apologize for the inconvenience.
 By Pepper Parr
September 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Tom Muir, an Aldershot resident known for his persistent questions at city council meetings and what his council member might call ongoing badgering.
Muir is one of those guys that wants to look at the details – for he knows the devil is always in those details.
He currently wants to know why the city did not have a position on the application the ADI Development Group had made for Official Plan and zoning changes to the property at the south north corner of Lakeshore Road and Martha Street.
City council did debate the application at a Standing Committee and Staff put forward an excellent report which set out what the Planning department thought. During the debates at the Standing Committee it was pretty clear that no one at city council was on for this project and most of the hands went up saying this isn’t for us – but those votes are not recorded and have no standing.
 Not on single member of city council was for the ADI development – but they never got to vote officially against the project. some either forgot to count the number of days before ADI could go to the OMB or there was plain rank incompetence somewhere. It is the votes at city council that matter – and there was never a vote by city council because – wait for it – the 180 day period had ended the day before city council was to meet – and the ADI Development Group had taken their application to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) arguing that the city had failed to make a decision on their application within the 180 day deadline.
“I would like an explanation” asked Muir “of how the staff report on this project did not make it to Council within the 180 days mandated in the legislation.” The fact is the planning staff did get their report to city council and it was debated at Standing Committee. The other fact is that the Mayor either couldn’t count out 180 days or didn’t think it mattered all that much.
 It is a very large building – the highest ever proposed for this city and is on a very small lot. The city planners recommended it not be approved – a Standing Committee agreed – but city council never got to officially vote no on the project. There was more than enough evidence to indicate how ADI was going to behave – they had already taken the city to the OMB on a different development.
Muir is quite right however – there has never been a word from the office of the Mayor on the ADI development – there was a discussion at Standing Committee earlier in the week on a confidential matter related to the Lakeshore Road development.
Muir calls this a “a failure of transparency and accountability” – the failure is in the city not realizing the kind of developer they were up against. ADI knew what the rules were and he played by them.
The city did not have a scheduled council meeting and didn’t see any reason, apparently, to suggest to the Mayor that he call a special council meeting – he has the authority to do that.
 The city has a major beef with this sign – don’t think it is legal. The failure is that the city council apparently did not see this coming – when they should have. The Director of Planning should have had a meeting with the Mayor to advise him of the seriousness of a delay and then followed that up with a memo to cover his butt.
The Mayor should have seen this one coming.
The ADI development was on the agenda the evening council met to vote officially on the proposal. When city staff got word that ADI had taken their application to the OMB council was no longer permitted to discuss the issue – it was now in the hands of an OMB Commissioner.
Muir wants to “know the line of responsibility for this failure”. Look to the planning department, the city’s Solicitor and the office of the Mayor.
 The ADI Development Group is converting a lower Brant retail location into a sales office for their Nautique project – as yet approved – for the corner of LAkeshore Road and Martha Should ADI prevail at the OMB hearing, and there are a number of reasons to believe they will, the city will pay a high price in terms of the way they want to develop their downtown core.
There are better ways to run a city. The first hearing of the ADI application to the OMB is scheduled for March of next year.
Meanwhile ADI has opened up a sales office on Brant Street. They have redone the outside of the building and appear to be putting up a high end sales office. Many people are asking how they can do this when the project has yet to be approved by anyone. Good question. ADI can open an office to sell whatever he wishes – what he will be doing is taking registrations and perhaps a deposit from people who think they would like to purchase a unit.
 ADI redid the front of the sales office location with stucco giving it a softer look. The detailing on the inside is very polished and sophisticated. There will be a lot of muscle behind their sales and marketing program. Their advertisements are already seen on web site with a considerable amount of newspaper advertising as well The ADI people don’t do very much without the advice of their legal counsel – and they have retained a very competent firm, Weir & Foulds, to represent them. Expensive – but they are tough guys to beat.
 By Pepper Parr
September 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It was an evening during which half a dozen people spoke glowingly about a man who is a classic introvert and in public settings painfully shy. A crowd of perhaps 100 people wandered around the Family Room of the Performing Arts Centre (now to be called The Centre) and gossiped, got caught up on things and then listened as various people spoke about Brian McCurdy, the retiring Executive Director of The Centre.
 An apprehensive Brian McCurdy listens as he is lauded and recognized during a goodbye reception
 A smiling Brian McCurdy – he is going to be missed. while with us he did a superb job. His replacement, Suzanne Haines was on hand – the people who are at the centre of much of what happens in this city introduced themselves to her.
The Centre’s first Executive director was on hand to watch the passing of the torch. She was given some of the credit and recognition she should have been given before she left the position several years ago.
Mayor Goldring spoke about the difference the Centre has made to the city and the growth that has taken place in the arts. During McCurdy’s time the program grew to include more local talent and a broadening of the program plus a significant increase in the number of performances on the two stages.
McCurdy commented on what is involved in opening a new theatre. “I have opened three new theatres and know that it is not easy. What I was able to build during my time here was due in no small measure to what was done before I got here.”
There was more than one occasion when city council had to speak rather forcefully to a former Chair of the theatre board about the size of the subsidy that was needed. When the $500,000 a year the city was prepared to live with ballooned to $1.2 million – Council came down hard on the theatre board – changes were needed and the then Executive Director left the position.
Wednesday evening was a time to celebrate and those taking part in the pleasant goodbye got a chance to see how McCurdy worked with his staff. The star of the evening was the young man who runs the ticket office. Ty Howie told of a Brian McCurdy most people seldom see – a series of anecdotes and jokes and McCurdy’s difficulty with the GO train schedule gave us a glimpse of the man.
 From the left: Theatre Board chair Ilene Elkaim former Executive Director Brenda Heatherington, retiring Executive Director Brian McCurdy and newly appointed Executive Director Suzanne Haines. The words staff watched for very carefully was when McCurdy said “I have an idea” – they knew changes were coming. Those ideas resulted in the 80 performances put on last season and the 100+ that are expected during the season we are now into.
A man with more than 35 years’ experience in the theatre world had seen it all and brought that depth of talent to the footlights of the Centre’s stages – the results were evident.
McCurdy started his career wanting to play the trombone – that wasn’t where he belonged. Brian Coulter, a colleague of McCurdy’s who recently retired from an arts position in Oakville said McCurdy is the kind of person you “hear of long before you meet him”
Watching McCurdy as all these accolades flooded around him was awkward for him. “It was kind of surreal” he said – “they were talking about me.” It just wasn’t something he was used to or comfortable with.
Ty Howie, the ticket manager, told the audience how McCurdy would continually ratchet up the goals and things just worked out.
The Jazz in the Plaza series was an astounding success – expect that to be expanded next year; making stage and rehearsal space in the Studio Theatre available to community groups was a particular joy for McCurdy. Instead of booking a show and working with agents – he was working directly with the talent and having the time of his life. “That’s why we get up in the morning” he said during his remarks in which he set out just how much had been done.
 Newly appointed Executive Director of the Performing Arts Centre: Suzanne Haines The programming base for the season we are into has been set, there is a solid management team in place. The Board is well rounded with an energetic chair. Combine that with a new Executive Director and a level of satisfaction at city council we can now watch to see how Suzanne Haines builds on what was done before her.
One of the most positive notes was McCurdy telling the audience that a Council member recently said to him: “I don’t get calls anymore.”
By Pepper Parr
September 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Look in almost any car in a mall parking lot and you will see a car seat for a child in the back. Legally required and gratefully used by every parent – was the seat properly installed?
A the leading provider of Canadian car seats is sponsoring the Canadian Walmart Car Seat Clinic that will take place in the parking lot of the Walmart located at 4515 Dundas Street W on September 26 from 10 AM – 4 PM.
The sponsors are encouraging people to make an appointment on their website (www.gracobaby.ca/news), but we will also take drop-ins.
 There is a right way and a wrong way to install a car seat. You have to have one – might as well do it properly. Appointments will last for approximately 30 minutes (per car seat). The technicians will check and install seats for all ages and stages and any brand car seat. They encourage people to bring the manuals for both their vehicle and their car seat, along with their child if possible.
Graco Canada, the sponsors of the event, claim that 90% of Canadian car seats are installed improperly and/or misused. Common errors include a missing top tether, an improperly positioned chest clip, and loose harness straps, not to mention children riding in seats that do not accord with their weight, height, and age.
The simple habit of a child wearing a winter coat within their car seat can render the seat ineffective. The reality is that parents and caretakers love their children, but they don’t always know how to best protect them in a motor vehicle.
By Pepper Parr
September 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The recommendation in the Staff report was to Dissolve the Flood Disaster Relief Committee and direct the City Clerk to notify the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing of the dissolution of the City of Burlington’s Flood Disaster Relief Committee.
Dry, cold, bureaucratic wording that added: the purpose was to comply with the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP) Guidelines that require municipal councils to pass a resolution to dissolve their volunteer disaster relief committees.
 The storm came in from the west and hovered over the headwaters of the creeks – and stayed there for more than six hours. And that was it – Burlington’s response to the August 4, 2014 flood was now officially closed.
Yesterday, many of the people involved with responding to the flood gathered at the Performing Arts Centre (now to be known as The Centre) to congratulate those who had done so much and hand out the obligatory plaques, which are an important part of the process, and to watch, as Mayor Goldring put it, “the world Premiere of the half hour documentary: Flash Flood produced by Cogeco TV”
The film told the story of how on Aug. 14, 2014, ten days after the rainstorm, at a special meeting of Council, the city unanimously supported requesting the Province of Ontario to declare the City of Burlington a disaster area for the purposes of seeking funding (both the public and private components) through ODRAP.
The Burlington Community Foundation was approached to assist with the establishment of a Flood Disaster Relief Committee (DRC) to help address the financial needs of the residents impacted by the storm. Colleen Mulholland was given a plaque and for the first time in the past year she had her picture taken without a cardboard donation cheque in front if her. Ron Foxcroft, who can now take Colleen’s phone number out of his speed dial list said his city was “aggressively generous” – and it was.
The documentary told the story of how the community pulled itself together, helped each other and fought hard, and it was a fight, to get financial support from the province.
There were perhaps 50 people in the room watching the documentary was shown. The strongest point that came across was the way people managed the loss of personal property – pictures, mementos, keepsakes that were gone forever.
One woman had the shoes she was to be married in stored in her basement – they were saved and she wore them several months later.
One couple told of learning that there insurance was limited to $5000 – with a $1000 deductible.
The audience learned that the Mayor, whose home was badly flooded, was just settling the finer points of his claim with his insurance company.
 Mark Preston on the left was one of the insurance brokers evaluating the claims – Rick Burgess on the right gave legal advice through the claims process. Mark Preston, an Aldershot based insurance broker said that he had three clients that were flooded and that the local group of insurance brokers had more than 40 claims on the go.
Mayor Goldring made the comment that those who bought their insurance on-line learned the hard way of the real value an insurance broker brings to the table.
 Nancy Swietek, on the right, listen to a flood victim during a public meeting. Colleen Mulholland and Ron Foxcroft were once again lauded for the outstanding work they did – it was well deserved. The three insurance experts who were drafted – which is the best way of explaining how they ended up doing the job they did – were also recognized. The two men and one woman worked for hours every second week as they reviewed every claim and determined what could be paid out. Those three insurance people, Mark Preston, Nancy Swietek and Bruce Russell didn’t get paid a dime. Nor did Rick Burgess, who sat in on all the meetings of the Claims committee providing legal advice.
The Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP) allowed the agency that co-ordinated the fund raising and the claims process to be paid for the reasonable expenses they incurred. The Community Foundation submitted a bill for less than $85,000 – the bargain of the century for the city.
The final speaker, at an event with an open bar, not something done in this city very often, was Eleanor McMahon, who at that time was newly elected and had never heard the acronym ODRAP – neither had any one at city hall for that matter. “We learned what that meant pretty quickly” said McMahon who did a fine job of binding the city’s wounds and putting a soft, dignified close the a disaster that while local was nevertheless devastating for those whose homes filled with water much faster than they thought possible.
 Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon at the Elwood Street party months after the flood. “We had people in this city whose lives were on their front lawns” said McMahon, “going through an experience they believed they would only see on television”. But it happened in Burlington where people learned very quickly how to ask: “How can I help?”
One man told of a lady who went door to door in the Regal Road area with green plastic bags asking people to put their laundry in the bag and she would return with it washed and folded. The speaker in the documentary had difficulty telling that story – he kept gulping. While she would not want us to say who she is – it was Carol Gottlob who walked around taking in laundry.
Councillors Dennison and Sharman made hundreds of visits to homes even though there wasn’t all that much they could do personally other than follow up on matters.
The handling of the claims and the concerns had been outsourced by city hall to the Burlington Community foundation – which is what the ODRAP regulations required. All the city was permitted to do was pick up the reasonable costs incurred by the foundation.
For many people in the flooded areas – it was the occasion when they met many of their neighbours for the first time.
The city and Regional Council have set aside $110 million to improve the management of storm water. An additional person has been added to the payroll to set up procedures and over see this kind of problem in the future –a future that everyone believes will include more weather related problems – climate change and its consequences are being visited upon us.
 The Storm Water Management tax is going to hit the strip malls heavily – the asphalt covering didn’t allow for storm water to drain off quickly. There is expected to be an additional line on the tax bill related to the management of storm water – the Fairview strip malls and the large mall parking lots are going to feel the weight of this tax more than anyone else. The huge swaths if asphalt that cover those parking lots meant the flood waters had nowhere to do – expect that problem to get some hard nosed thinking at city hall
 For many residents it was a very personal experience and they needed help – badly. The documentary Flash Flood will premiere for the public this Sunday (Sept 20th) at 8:00 pm
Kristen Demeny was the camera operator and interviewer and the energy behind the production. Joey Ricottone did the editing and Ben Lyman was the Executive producer.
In the not too distant future a plaque with the names of the major donours and the people that were there when they were needed will be bolted to a boulder in Civic Square – future generations will glance at it and know next to nothing of the day that 191 mm of rain fell on a part of the city in less than seven hours and damaged more than 3500 homes and scarred the hearts of many for life.
“Whenever it rains” said one man in the documentary “I look outside and wonder how long it is going to rain this time.”
By Staff
September 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Walkers Line – Nighttime Closure on Sept. 16
All northbound lanes of Walkers Line will be closed at North Service Road for excavation work starting Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 10 p.m. to Thursday, Sept. 17 at 5 a.m.
Northbound traffic will be detoured along North Service Road.
Southbound lanes on Walkers Line are not impacted.
By Staff
September 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 PRESTO transactions are now available at the Downtown Transit Terminal (430 John St.).
A technical problem disrupted the service – it is now back to normal.
 By Staff
September 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Part 3 of a 3 part feature
All of the artists taking part in the Supernova this Friday are looking at the weather forecasts – this is an outdoor event.
throughout the area are gathering together the material and tools they will need to set up their art installations along Old Lakeshore Road for the third annual No Vacancy event – which this year is being called Supernova.
 Dozens of art ventures will appear on the Old Lakeshore Road, immediately outside, adjacent to and across the road from Emma’s Back Porch the evening of Friday, September 18th beginning at 7 pm – the installations will be in place until just after midnight and then disappear just as quickly as they appeared.
The now annual event that began in 2013 at the Waterfront Hotel where new ground was broken in the Burlington arts world. The second year drew 3500 people to the Village Square made No Vacancy, which is given a different title each year, an event that was now a must for the city.
Selena Eckersal and her crew – the people making all this happen with a piddling $5000 in financial support have announced that The Poacher Ukulele Band will be performing at SUPERNOVA on September 18th on Old Lakeshore Rd in Downtown Burlington, Ontario. They are a fun, passionate group that will have you singing and dancing along with them! Stay tuned to find out exactly what time and where they will be playing.
The Gazette has given a bit of a background on each of the participants – there are about 20+ of them – all up for one enchanting evening.
We start this time with:
 Emilio Portal
My practice is based on hunting and creating stories, scenarios and objects that explore the hidden, oppressed, unexpected, appalling, subtle and forgotten.
I am of mixed ancestry: my father is Peruvian; my mother, French Canadian. My origin is a constant personal reminder of the complex story of colonialism, expansion, growth, and its precarious and paradoxical terrain.
Through a multiplicity of means, (story-telling, photography, drawing, printmaking, poetry, video, sound, woodworking, installations and slow performances) I contemplate the questions:
How do we make meaning?
What is our ethos?
emilioportal.com
 Liz Little
Liz Little is a multidisciplinary artist working mainly in drawing, printmaking, and installation. She is a recent MFA graduate from the University of Waterloo and received a BFA with Distinction from Concordia University in 2010. Her work has been exhibited in Canada, the United States, and Germany and is part of national and international private collections. She is the recipient of several scholarships and awards, including the Sylvia Knight Award in Fine Arts, the Keith and Win Shantz Fellowship, and the Bill Watson Memorial Award for Printmaking. She currently lives and works in Toronto, ON.
lizlittle.org
 Caitlyn Jean McMillan
Caitlyn Jean McMillan earned her Bachelor’s Degree at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay ON in 2008, her Masters of Fine Arts at the University of Regina in Regina, SK in 2012, and completed two residencies at the Banff Centre for the Arts in 2008 and 2010. Since graduating, Caitlyn has shown in Thunder Bay, Toronto, Sudbury, and Sarnia, where she currently juggles art-making while working as the Community Arts Educator at the Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery.
Caitlyn Jean works in a variety of media, from painting and drawing to new media and projection. Sometimes she enlists the help of Lisa Smith for her expertise with new media work.
caitlynjean.com
Miles Rufelds
 Miles Rufelds is a video and media artist from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He received his Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Ottawa in the spring of 2015. Coming from a background of abstract drawing and painting, he has come to work primarily in video and installation art, but branches at times into photography, sculpture, and audio. Rufelds’ art addresses the absurd and often-contradictory relationships that have existed between human beings and inanimate objects throughout history, abstractly questioning the role that nonhuman things can play in both the construction and diagnosis of the post-industrial human psyche. He has exhibited in various channels of the Ontario art community, such as the University of Ottawa’s Gallery 115 and Paradigm Gallery, as well as Cambridge, Ontario’s Idea Exchange gallery.
 And All Was Bright
And All Was Bright (Ben Robertson) is a musician and multimedia installation artist from Burlington, Ontario, Canada. His sound arrangements are progressive, emotive and strongly driven by concept; they span the spectrum of melodic dronescapes, noise, and heavy distortion. His video arrangements are abstract yet convey the underlying concepts behind the work. The installations are fully immersive. He fills the performance space with heavily-processed sound, projected visuals and controlled lighting, occupying the viewers’ auditory, visual, and physical senses.
andallwasbright.com
 VERSA
Versa is an audio/visual collaboration between process-based artist Monika Hauck and musician Alex Ricci. Influenced by contemporary soundscape, instrumental post-rock and 60’s psychedelic, the project combines heavily effected bass guitar compositions with projected visuals created live on stage. The composition of the music serves as a cause for the visuals, and vice versa; the need for movement in the visuals dictates choices made in the arrangement.
Tomy Bewick
Tomy Bewick is the founder, host and artistic director of the Burlington Slam Project (BSP), a monthly poetry platform in Burlington, On. He is a poet familiar with national and international finals stages, as well as a full-time professional with a specialty in environmentally sustainable construction (LEED AP, BD+C). Tomy has published two collections of poems, released three full length spoken word CD’s and featured across Canada, with multiple appearances in the US. He enjoys working with new poetic voices in his community, as well as continuing to provide a platform for local and international artists to share their words, at the BSP.
www.burlingtonslam.wordpress.com
 Klaus Pinter
Klaus Pinter is an International Artist who Lives and works in Vienna. Quite how he wound up in Burlington is something you can ask him when yiou meet him Friday evening.
klaus-pinter.net
 Frances Adair McKenzie
Picture
Frances Adair Mckenzie lives and works in Montréal. She combines genres and technologies to invoke fantastical internal and external worlds. Her work results in a din of concentrated effects, melding both high and low cultural references.
Frances attained a diploma in New Media from B.C.I.T. and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University. The National Film Board of Canada has com- missioned her animations and her work has been exhibited at the Musée de art Contemporain de Montréal, and the Société des Arts Technologiques. Frances also collaborates with Aleks Schurmer, to form the collective Party Like it’s 1699. The collective’s aim is to take classical music from the confines of the modern concert hall and reclaim it as a popular medium in the form of a digital Baroque opera.
 Brody Robinmeyer
Brody Robinmeyer is of European-Dominican descent, was born in Toronto moved to Iceland and then back to Ontario. Briefly studied in the U.K. as well as Germany. Graduated with a fine arts degree from Ryerson University. His artistic practice is strongly influenced by current scientific understanding and its intersection with eastern philosophies (i.e. hsin hsin ming). Currently working from his atelier in Hamilton.
Ms. Anonymous
 Ms. Anonymous has been namelessly creating art for almost two decades. You may have already seen her work without knowing it was hers, been in her presence without noticing her, and been touched by her work in some way. Ms. Anonymous prefers to remain nameless, faceless and unknown without the need for any recognition. She wishes for her art to speak for itself, with a voice of its own and an energy and life force that lives beyond the need for a creative host. Ms. Anonymous believes that it is her anonymity that allows her to be bold, provocative and unafraid in art.
Part 1 of a 3 part feature.
Part 2 of a 3 part feature
Late Night transit service on route 51 has a detour for September 16th and 17th.
North Bound traffic on Walkers Line will be detoured from 10 p.m. on Wednesday Sept. 16 until approximately 5 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17.
As a result, Late Night Service Route 51 will detour as follows:
Regular routing to Walkers Line at North Service Road
Right at North Service Road
Left at Heritage Road
Left at Mainway
Right at Walkers Line
Resume Regular Routing
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Burlington South
Burlington Northeast
Burlington Northwest
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Routes 50, 51, and 52
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Late night service. Runs to the Burlington GO station.
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By Pepper Parr
September 15, 20-15
BURLINGTON, ON
It is a step – a baby step but everything has to start somewhere.
A note from the Clerks department to the Mayor and Members of Council.
“We are happy to inform you that the Clerk’s department has posted a link to the tracking of all recorded votes taken at Council. We will update this document after each Council meeting.
“The tracking covers all recorded votes taken at Council in 2014 and 2015 to date.”
Sounds good – but is isn’t as good as it sounds. What the Clerk’s office is doing is posting the results of just the recorded votes.
 The diva of recorded votes in Burlington is ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward. Here she is the lone person voting against an issue A recorded vote takes place when any member of Council asks that the vote about to take place be recorded which means every member of Council is polled by the Clerk and they have to stand until the count is complete.
Most of the votes at city council meetings are not recorded – all the public gets to know from the minutes is how the vote went – that how many voted for the motion and how many voted against.
It is worse than that though. In Burlington every issue goes to one of the three Standing Committee: Development and Infrastructure and Community and Corporate Services. There is also a Committee of the Whole that tends to operate in a worship style.
Everything done at the Standing Committee level has to go to Council for the vote that results in a bylaw. The serious debate takes place at the Standing Committee level – it is at this level that the public gets to see who had what to say and how Council members voted. Those votes are not even written down.
A council member who voted for an issue can change their vote at the City Council meeting and that indeed has happened. When bike lanes on Lakeshore Road were being debated at the Standing Committee level Mayor Goldring was for them. When the matter got to city council the Mayor voted against the motion.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with a member of council changing their mind – the public however does have a right to know why they changed their mind – did new information become available or did vested interests lean on the member of Council.
The Halton District school Board has an automatic voting system – whenever there is a vote all the trustee does is press a button and in seconds the result of the vote shows up on a screen and is part of the public record.
Burlington’s city council is not there yet. The voters will probably have to embarrass them into letting the people who put them in office know what they did while there.
For those interested in how recorded votes went in 2014 and so far in 2015 – click on the link.
 By Pepper Parr
September 15, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Richelle Pain took a rather circuitous route to becoming a school board trustee. She originally thought about running in 1991 – it didn’t seem right to her at the time.
 Richelle Papin describes the board she serves on as cohesive and that serving as a trustee takes up a lot more time than she expected. When she did run in 2010 and lost she found “losing was hard” At the time she had no special passion, no particular issue to run her campaign on – she just felt it was time for her to be in some form of public office.
She moved sometime after the 2010 race and now lived in ward 4 where she decided to run in 2014 and won the seat at the public board of education. She had grown to the point where she felt the school boards had to be accountable and she wanted to be part of the process that ensured accountability was in place.
Papin is more of a bureaucrat than an issues person – process matters to her which reflects her years of working in the public sector – currently as an information technologist.
Papin found the discussion around the French immersion programs all consuming and pointed out that in some western cities in Canada the second language is Spanish.
Papin describes the board she serves on as cohesive, “one that works well together” but she was not able to point to anything that she felt she had achieved in her first year as a trustee.
 Papin, like every other trustee, said the board’s web site is “lousy”. As the only trustee with as full time job she finds that role requires more work that she thought it would take to get the job done.
The leadership conference the board held recently was one she appreciated – “I took quite a bit away from that”
Papin said she doesn’t have a strong policy on communicating with parents in her ward – she does have a Face book page but doesn’t get much traffic from it.
She wonders if our schools are what we think they are. She mentioned that Tuck, which has one of the best reputations in the city, had problems getting enough parent volunteers to help out at the annual Fun Fair.
Households today are not what they once were. The demands and strains on parents are a lot different – many parents don’t have the time needed to be fully active in their community. Those that commute aren’t back in Burlington until pretty close to 6 pm – and if they’re children are involved in some activity – a family around the table dinner often gets a pass.
Papin, like every other trustee, said the board’s web site is “lousy” – the current Director of Education has said $100,000 has been committed to upgrading the web site – but no one has attached a time line to the planned upgrade.
Papin admits that she doesn’t have nor does she want a high public profile. She feels her job is to look things over and be involved in the process of managing the issues before the board.
 “That’s a good question” she said – “it isn’t something I, given any thought to – I am certainly going to finish this term.” While some trustees had an issue with schools being used for voting purposes – Pain doesn’t see any problem with such a practice. “I’m certainly not against it” she said and pointed out that the one parent who delegated at city council and met with people at the board of education is married to a police officer and that may have influenced some of her thinking.
Papin says she has a very good working relationship with the ward Councillor Jack Dennison, a former boss. “He copies me on anything that is even remotely related to school board matters”, she said.
Is there a political life beyond the school board for Papin? “That’s a good question” she said – “it isn’t something I, given any thought to – I am certainly going to finish this term.”
Papin was born in West Africa raised in Aldershot and attended Aldershot High school and earned a degree at the University of Guelph that had majors in English and sociology. “I gave some thought to becoming a teacher but life took me in another direction.”
Related articles
First in the series
Second in the series
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By Allan Harrington
