 By Staff
April 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Last day to sign up.
Last year more than 12,000 people took part in the annual BurlingtonGreen Environmental Association Clean Up Green Up Day
The events starts at 9 am to noon on Saturday, April 25th, 2015. School and Business Clean-Ups are taking place during Earth Week (this week) from April 20th to 24th.
 As the city’s largest volunteer participation action event, Community Clean Up Green Up Day is an important (and fun) opportunity for citizens, community groups, schools, and businesses to come together, make a difference for our environment and take pride in our city by cleaning it up.
Once you’ve done your share – head back to city hall for a bite to eat and join in the celebration – the place is usually packed.
Registration closes on Friday, April 24th.
Register here;
 By Staff
April 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Due to construction, all lanes of the Toronto-bound QEW (Northbound) will be closed from Beach Boulevard to Burlington Skyway April 24 to 27 at select times:
Friday April 24, 2015 at 10 p.m. – Saturday April 25, 2015 at 6 a.m.
Saturday April 25, 2015 at 11 p.m. – Sunday April 26, 2015 at 8 a.m.
Sunday April 26, 2015 at 10 p.m. – Monday April 27, 2015 at 4 a.m.
Detour Routes:
During the closure, traffic will be routed off of the Toronto-bound QEW at Eastport Drive and detoured along Eastport Drive to rejoin the QEW.
Traffic detour signage will be in place and OPP traffic assistance present at traffic light intersections at Lakeshore Boulevard and Eastport Drive.
By Pepper Parr
April 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Those condominiums that First Capital Corporation wanted to build on the edge of the Appleby Village Mall will not be going up any time soon.
 The view of the proposed development from Pinedale. Was it sewer problems that held this development back? Councillor Paul Sharman advised Council last night that the Regional government will not have the services in place for the time frame the developer seems to have wanted.
Sharman faced two close to hostile audiences when the proposal was first put forward by First Capital – close to 300 people crowded into a public meeting to voice their opinion – “not here thank you” was the sentiment expressed by most.
 The two towers would have been in the upper right. It was their height that had the residents up in arms. There was a second meeting that didn’t go much better.
Sharman appeared to take some satisfaction in in delivering the news.
Expect this project to come back to the table at some point in the future; a combination of the developer wanting to wring as much profit out of their property as possible and the city’s need to intensify will see this one again.
The city will also like the look of the development charges and the tax revenue.
By Pepper Parr
April 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
At the end of each city council meeting members of Council get a couple of minutes to talk up the things they are doing in the weeks ahead.
They mention community meetings they are holding; right now the hot item is the CarFree Sundays that are taking place in May as a joint effort for wards 4 and 5 and a solo situation in ward 6. Each Councillor got a $10,000 stash of cash to put on the event.
 Councillor Dennison’s Lakeshore Road residence which has been designated as a heritage property is the subject of an Ontario Municipal Board hearing on whether or not the Councillor can seek a severance. Aldershot doesn’t appear to have a population that uses bikes, cycling isn’t the sport of choice for Councillor Taylor and Councillor Meed Ward, who has been seen on a bike prefers walking tours of her ward. She didn’t get any money for that. Aldershot will have a walking tour – its third – for which the Council member got $500.
The delivering of these little news items is done in a friendly easy going matter. The council meeting is broadcast live via Cogeco television – the hope being that the voters will see what they are paying for in terms of elected talent.
Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison either chose not to inform his voters that his long delayed Ontario Municipal Board hearing starts on Tuesday and is scheduled to last for four days.
 Councillor Jack Dennison tends to stick to his guns on an issue that impacts his personal interests. The need for a four day OMB hearing will cost the city a considerable amount of money. This is the hearing that has the ward Councillor fighting a city zoning and Official Plan so that he can sever part of his property on Lakeshore Road and build an additional dwelling.
The event is a don’t miss for many of the Roseland residents – they didn’t need to be told.
Councillor Dennison apparently didn’t want the rest of his ward to know where he was going to be for the rest of the week.
The hearing takes place at city hall
 By Pepper Parr
April 20, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Air Park issue is back on the table – on the hot plate actually with the heat being turned up.
In a very brief media release handed out during a city council meeting Monday evening the city said: The issue at the Air Park is of continuing concern to the residents of Burlington and there is a high degree of interest in this matter. For the purposes of informing the public the City Solicitor recommends that limited solicitor-client privilege be waives with respect to the following matters after final Council approval of this report as follows”:
Council waive solicitor client privilege with respect the advice/opinions contained in L-9-15 and its attachments strictly with respect to conveying to the public that:
 Barbara Sheldon look at 32 feet of landfill less than 50 feet from her kitchen window. All dumped without any permits because an airport is federally regulated. The city is now back in Court asking a Judge to compel the Air Park to file a site Alteration site |Plan does that mean some of the fill might get removed? Burlington city council takes the position that it has full legal Authority to enforce the provisions of its Site Alteration By-law as against Burlington Air Park Inc. and the Burlington Air Park Inc., has been given 30 days from March 20, 2015 to comply with the by-law.
This news is released April 20th – suggesting that lawyer Ian Blue will be at the County Courthouse tomorrow morning with a brief asking the Judge to order the Air Park to submit a Site Alteration plan.
The city media release goes on to say: “That in all other respects, solicitor-client privilege is maintained over all other legal advice/opinions contained in L-9-15 and its appendices.”
In other words – they aren’t going to tell us anything else.
So much for the city’s intention to communicate with the public.
City Manager James Ridge, who smiles frequently and suggests he wants to be nice added a few words to the release when asked just what it meant.
“We are asking a court to compel the Air Park to comply with the site by-law
They could have said that in one sentence and do away with all the baffle gab.
This certainly ups the ante – the Air Park has found reason after reason; excuse after excuse to not file the proper documents – they’ve been doing this for years.
The city and the Air Park sued each other over whether or not the city had the right to require a Site Alteration Plan. They lost the case. Justice Murphy said they were requires to submit a plan.
The Air Park appealed that decision – they lost the appeal.
They hired a consulting form with a good reputation for quality work – and that firm did meet with staff in the planning department – but a complete |Site Alteration plan never quite made it to the planners.
 Getting a single picture with most of the players in it is unusual. On the far left is outside counsel Ian Blue who won two court cases for the city and has been brought in to stick handle the most recent legal issue. To the rear of Blue is Blake Hurley who is with the city legal department. Scott |Stewart chats with rural Burlington residents Robert Goulet, Ken Woodruff and Montre Dennis. Vanessa Warren looks over their shoulders. Warren, Dennis and Pepper Parr, publisher of the Burlington Gazette have been sued by the Air Park. That case has yet to get to court. A month or so ago the city brought Ian Blue the lawyer who handled the two court cases, back in and sought his advice. That advice is now evident.
The city wants to hope that they appear once again in front of Justice Murphy.
In a media release put out several hours after city council adjourned a time line reflecting just how long this has been going on.
Timeline
• July 4, 2013 – The City of Burlington moved forward with a legal strategy to address concerns regarding noise and fill activities related to construction at the Burlington Airpark on Bell School Line.
• July 18, 2013 – The Burlington Airpark serves the City of Burlington with an application to take the city to court and seeks a court order to declare the city’s site alteration by-law does not apply to the airport’s operations and construction of aerodrome facilities.
• July 29, 2013 – The City of Burlington and the Burlington Airpark reach a settlement to stop fill operations at the airpark until a decision is made by the courts about whether the city has jurisdiction to regulate fill operations through its site alteration by-law.
• Nov. 13, 2013 – A Milton Superior Court rules the City of Burlington’s site alteration by-law applies to the Burlington Airpark.
• June 11, 2014 – The Court of Appeal for Ontario upholds the decision of the Milton Superior Court that the City of Burlington’s site alteration by-law applies to the Burlington Airpark.
Added to the time line was the following:
“The City of Burlington site alteration by-law 64-2014 regulates the placing, dumping, cutting and removal of fill or the alteration of grades or drainage on a piece of land. Individuals undertaking this type of work are first required to submit an application to the city for a site alteration permit.
“The Burlington Airpark Inc. has not submitted an application for a site alteration permit for the areas of the Airpark property where substantial quantities of fill were deposited between 2009 to 2014.”
“The Burlington Airpark continues to be of great interest to the residents of Burlington,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “The requirements set out in Burlington’s site alteration by-law are necessary to help regulate impacts to the environment and drainage patterns.”
 Dump trucks taking tonnes of landfill onto the Air Park property to level out part of the 200 acre site. They did so without any permits. The requirement for a site plan isn’t the only issue. The drilling of test holes to determine what if any toxicity exists at or near the water table as a result of the fill that has been dumped on the 200 acre plus site has yet to be resolved and something more than statement released from the provincial ministry that is involved in this mess on how it is going to inform the public.
The federal government is responsible for the regulations that determine what level of adherence the airport has to respect in terms of municipal bylaws.
The noose is getting tighter.
 By Pepper Parr
April 20, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
There are residents in the city who are not prepared to give up on decent looking windows on the lake; they don’t want to settle for something that is “minimalist” or a space that is neither comfortable nor inviting.
 This is the view from the bottom of the St. Paul Street road allowance. They are in the process of circulating a survey regarding the Windows to the Lake at the foot of Market, St. Paul and Green Streets. It will be shared with the Community & Corporate Services Committee of City Council on June 16, 6:30pm, at City Hall, when that committee reviews staff’s recommendations for windows to the lake development.
Some personal data is being collected to validate the accuracy of the data. It will not be shared with third parties; “I will destroy it after it’s used” said Brian Rose, one of the community group behind this initiative. He offered to “drop by and record your answer in person” reach him at – contact me @ bdarose@me.com if that is your pleasure.
 You wouldn’t know it – but this is public property and anyone can walk out to the end and look over the lake. City will now put signage indicating that the land is public. Great views. City Council gets presented with survey results often – they tend to treat the information as suspect: Councillor Dennison has in the past left the clear impression that he thinks the figures have been rigged.
Survey
This information is being collected by area residents who want to bring some objectivity to the discussion at city council. We have set out the questions BUT you have to go to the web site to enter your answers. You can only answer the survey questions one time.
The questions:
Are you aware you have access to public waterfront land at the base of Green Street, Market Street & St.Paul Street called Windows to the Lake?
Yes
No
The most important element of the Windows to the lake is
Open up the view by removing tree branches and undergrowth blocking the view
A place to sit and view the lake
Other (please specify)
Which of the following features do you consider to be important for a Window to the Lake?
Seating (Park bench)
Paved pathways (As required under AODA disability access legislation)
Security lighting
Waste bin
Bike Rack
Signage at road – Windows to the Lake Standard
Planter with plants it Shrubs
Other (please specify)
What kind of fencing would you like to see at the water’s edge?
None
3.5 foot Post with Chains (Like Port Nelson Park at the foot of Guelph line)
3.5 foot metal fencing (see through wrought iron)
Other (please specify)
Do you believe it’s important the public waterfront land is accessible to people with disabilities?
Yes
No
Other (please specify)
 This is an architects rendering of what the Window on the Lake could look like – and there will be signage letting you know that you are welcome. In addition to the already approved Windows to the lake at Market and St. Paul, designs were also presented to develop the neglected & overgrown window at the end of Green Street. please indicate what you support
Develop the window at Green Street as per presented plans – with input
Cleaning up the Window by removing brush, trees and pruning to open up the view?
Do nothing – I don’t like seeing the water
Bench, Sign & Simple Fence
Other (please specify)
I am a Burlington Resident Living in Ward
Ward 2
Ward 1
Ward 3
Ward 4
Ward 5
I am not a resident of Burlington
I am resident on one of the below streets In close proximity of the proposed windows.
Please provide your Name, Address & email this info is mandatory. (Only the first response from each residence will be used & the info will not be shared/sold etc)
Any other comments or feedback.
If you want to complete the survey – cut and paste the following link into your computer browser.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PWCFCVN
 By Pepper Parr
April 20, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The nominations for Burlington’s Best awards are in, and similar to previous years, the quality of individuals who were nominated is very high. It apparently took an extended deadline of seven additional days to pull in all that quality.
Having said that there are some exceptionally deserving names on the list.
“There is no shortage of incredible leaders and volunteers among our residents who help make Burlington the city we know and love,” says Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring. “This event gives special recognition to those who go above and beyond in their contributions to our community.” Paragraphs like that are what we pay Mayors to say.
 The 2012 winners recognized in 2013 Residents are invited to join some of Burlington’s finest civic-minded volunteers, advocates and community leaders on Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. at the Burlington Convention Centre, 1120 Burloak Dr., for the 2015 Burlington’s Best Awards, a gala evening in honour of Burlington’s most outstanding citizens.
“Every year I can’t help but be impressed by the incredible individuals who have received nominations,” said Mary Kay Aird, Chair of Burlington’s Best Committee. “Each Burlington’s Best nominee exemplifies the leadership and compassion shown among our residents, and we are proud to be able to recognize them for their tireless work.”
I have some difficulty squaring the above with the media release put out earlier extending the deadline
 The 2013 winners who were recognized in 2014 Tickets to this event are $35 per person; a table of the 10 is $280. The event includes a light buffet and cocktail reception. Tickets can be purchased at the Service Burlington counter at City Hall, 426 Brant St., or by contacting Wanda Tolone at 905-335-7600, ext. 7458 or wanda.tolone@burlington.ca.
Has the price of those tickets gone up? I have the sense that they were a little lighter on the pocketbook previous years.
The food on the buffet table came close to running out last year
The award winners will be announced at the event. This year’s nominees are:
Citizen of the Year – Angelo Bentivegna, Ron Foxcroft, Maibritt Bergman
Senior Citizen of the Year – Esperanza Peacock, Helen Deadder, Bonnie Purkis
Junior Citizen of the Year – Kevin Han, Caitlyn Kay, Connor Fraser
Environmental Award – Susan Fraser, Monte Dennis
Heritage Person of the Year – Alan Harrington, Mary Jane Pilling, the late Dave Morris
Arts Person of the Year – Chris Giroux, John Kemp, Leslie Gray, Tomy Bewick
Community Service Award – IronDames Group, Mary Nichol, Bob Vandenberg, Christine Karczmarczyk
There are some fine people on that list; there are some we have seen before.
The Gazette will publish profiles on each of the nominees later in the week.
 By Staff
April 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Dozens of groups spent last week thanking their volunteers – the city would not be the place it is without those volunteers.
 Red Cross volunteers being taken through the routines they were to follow during their door-to-door work during the flood last August. Sometimes the large organizations that have been around for more than a century get forgotten – the Canadian Red Cross is one of them
During the flooding last August it was the Red Cross that did much of the door to door work and learning where the flood damage was worst and passing that information along to the people that were doing the fixing up.
Throughout the year, volunteers from across the country, generously donate their time to improving the lives of the most vulnerable individuals and communities. “Not only this week, but each and every day, the Canadian Red Cross is sincerely thankful for the vast network of volunteers who are an integral part of this Society,” says Azima Vadsaria, Disaster Management Advisor for Halton, Hamilton and Niagara. “They are the reason we are able to make such a significant impact on those in need.”
The Red Cross has more than 20,000 volunteers nationally playing a critical role in contributing to all programs and services offered by the Red Cross.
 Peter Hodgson, a retired police Staff Sergeant pointing out where the damage was in a specific part of the city during the flood last August. More than 244 of those volunteers from across Halton and the province came together in Burlington to help those who had suffered devastating damage to their homes from the August 4th flood. In addition, volunteers delivered thousands of Meals on Wheels in Burlington, provided thousands of rides to medical appointments across the Region, and helped families that were forced from their homes by fires and other personal disasters and worked tirelessly in the Branch offices, ensuring that all programmes worked seamlessly.
 Helping out during the flood involved anyone with willing hands. “The passion and commitment that our volunteers carry out in their work is truly remarkable. It’s an honour to have such devoted individuals representing the work of the Red Cross from coast to coast across Canada,” added Vadsaria.
By Staff
April 20, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
We see it every summer – police reports of break-ins and theft of property during the day when people are at work – or out of the house.
 There was a report last year of a house being illegally entered at the front while the owners were in the back yard gardening.
Burlington is fortunate in that most people are quite vigilant and call 911 when they see something suspicious.
However, all too often the people making the phone call don’t have some of the information the police need.
Halton Regional Police Service recently put out a convenient form that they encourage people to use and stick up on the fridge.
You can print out this story and crate you own list of neighbours.
The police ask:
Do you know the first name of at least five (5) different neighbours?
Would you be able to tell police the address of the house behind you in the event you witnessed a break and enter?
Does your back door neighbour know your address?
If you answered ‘no’ to any of these questions, use the chart below and get to know your neighbours. And call 9-1-1 to report crimes in progress.
By Staff
April 20, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
If we are taught young enough – the lessons are usually learned for life.
 Young girls learn about the world they inhabit and get ready to learn what Burlington does every year during the BurlingtonGreen CleanUp GreenUp campaign – this Saturday. Last week the 24th Burlington Sparks and the 37th Burlington Brownies gathered at Rolling Meadows Public School for their introduction to keep the city we live in cleaner.
 Making their mark on the world they are going to grow up in.  Paying attention to detail. This Saturday, groups from around the city will be out gathering trash and tidying up after people who were less considerate.
Why so many tires end up in the creeks and ravines is hard to understand – but they are there.
 By Staff
April 19, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
What was thought to be more of an accident than anything else has been determined to have been a fire set by a youth playing with a lighter.
On Saturday April 18, 2015, at 4:30 pm, a grass fire was reported in the area of Dundas Street and the 407 highway in the City of Burlington. The Burlington Fire department responded and discovered that the grass fire had set a wooden hydro pole on fire which caused hydro wire to come down. There were some minor power outages in this area. Several residents of a townhouse complex adjacent to the fire on Headon Forest Drive had to leave their homes as a safety precaution for a short period of time until the fire was contained.
The Halton Regional Police Service investigated this matter and determined that a 14 year old youth was involved in starting the fire. The youth had been using a lighter to burn small items and this caused the dry grass to ignite and caused a fire that got rapidly out of control. The youth was arrested and later released from police custody and will be required to appear in the Ontario Youth Court of Justice at the Town of Milton in May 2015.
The youth is charged with one count of Arson, one count of Mischief to property of a value exceeding $5,000 and one count of Failing to comply with a youth probation order.
No details of the charged person will be released to the public as this disclosure is not permitted by the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Any person with additional information about this fire incident is requested to contact Detective Joe Barr of the Halton Regional Police Service (Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau) at 905-825-4747 ext. 2385 or ext. 2315 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the Internet at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes.)
 By Staff
April 13, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
2015 is shaping up to be a monumental year for the international climate movement, and Earth Day Canada wants to show the world that Canadians are ready, willing, and able to take meaningful action to support the health of our one and only planet.
 An Earth Day flag on display in Washington DC Inspired by their 1992 Earth Day Flag that collected a total of 500,000 signatures from across the country, Earth Day Canada is again calling all Canadians to sign their 2015 Earth Flag and make a commitment to make Earth Day every day by doing your part to reduce carbon emissions 20% by 2020.
The 2015 Earth Flag will be taken to the COP21 International Climate Conference held in Paris this December where a new international agreement on carbon emissions will be signed.
How it works:
Signatures will be collected in person (at community events, schools, specific sites) and electronically through our website over the five months period from Earth Day, April 22, to September 22, 2015. These signatures will be placed or printed on pieces of cloth that will be sewn together to create a mosaic flag.
What unfortunately is not clear is how a person can send a signature or who in Burlington is collecting signatures. We asked the Earth Day organization but have not heard back from them. We will do our best to keep you posted.
The flag will feature the Earth Day Every Day logo, as well as a 2015 pledge or pledges that represent the goals or commitments of Canadians to make deep carbon reductions.
The pledge:
I pledge to the best of my ability to help make the earth a safe and hospitable home for this and future generations.
We are working with school groups, youth organizations, First Nations, Faith Communities, Non-Governmental Organizations and individuals to revise the pledge for the 2015 Earth Flag. Stay tuned for the new pledge!
We plan to reveal the Earth Flag at an event in early November and collect the final signatures on the Earth Flag by those who will be representing Canadians at the Paris COP21 climate meeting.
In December at the COP21 meetings, Earth Day Canada will display the Earth Flag at a prominent location/event to portray the collective resolve of Canadians to reduce their carbon emissions.
 By Staff
April 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Just before 7 pm Friday evening a male and a female walked into the St George Pharmacy located at 5295 Lakeshore Road in Burlington and headed for the rear of the drugstore.
The male is reported to have been wearing a mask.
When the pharmacist began interacting with the male, (those are the words in the police report) the bandit pulled up his shirt to reveal his waistband.
The pharmacist quickly fled outside.
The male and the female suspects did the same thing – they were last seen fleeing northbound on Kenwood Avenue. No injuries were sustained during the robbery.
The male suspect is described as white, approximately 5’6”, thin, wearing a black mask, red/orange t-shirt and black pants.
The female is described as white, approximately 5”7’, wearing black tights, a black Columbia winter jacket and black toque.
Anyone who may have witnessed this incident or has information that would assist investigators in identifying the suspects are asked to contact Detective Phil Vandenbeukel – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext. 2343 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the Internet at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes.)
By Pepper Parr
April 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
There are numbers and then there are numbers and it’s hard to determine which ones to rely on. Earlier in the week we reported on some numbers relating to the purchase of two properties on Willow Street in the Beachway.
 115 on the left sold for $255,000 and 109 on the right is reported to have sold for $150,000 We reported that a total of $1,264,250 had been added to what the Region calls the Green fund and that these figures related to the purchase of the two willow Street properties.
The totals might relate to the purchase of the properties but that apparently isn’t what the Estate that owned the houses got. Lawyers, real estate agents, valuators and various other professionals were included. Not that it matters – it is all supplied by taxpayers.
When we reported we did say “numbers in the report are far from clear”
We have since been advised that the price shown on Registry records is 115 Willow Avenue; $255,000.00; 109 Willow Avenue: $150,000.00.
109 Willow was not much more than an Insulbrick shack.
 The Insulbrick is peeling away from the outside walls at the 109 willow property One wonders how quickly these two homes will have their appointment with a bulldozer. One of them, 115 Willow could be added to the affordable housing inventory.
 By Staff
April 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The SPRING POPUP; work of contemporary artists and makers from within a 50km radius. Pick up an original piece of art from an emerging local artist or buy some funky handmade one-of-a-kind things.
 SPRINGPOP
Art & Maker Mart
Location: 408 John Street, Burlington, ON, L7R 2K4
(Downtown: SW corner of John + Pine Street)
Dates: April 17th, 18th, and 19th
SpringPop Hours:
Friday: Opening Shop ‘n’ Party 6pm – 9pm
Saturday: 10am – 6pm
Sunday: 12pm – 5pm
 By Staff
April 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
On Thursday April 16th 2015 at about 3:50 PM, a citizen observed a male entering unlocked vehicles in a parking lot on John Street in downtown Burlington.
 Proceeds of crime Police responded to the area, located and arrested the male a short distance away. The male was found to have a small quantity of Canadian Tire money and a cell phone in his possession which is believed to be stolen property.
Arrested and held for bail is:
Wayne Gordon PUNTER (38 yrs) of Burlington
Charges:
• Theft under $5000
• Breach Probation
Anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Pepper Parr
April 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a sign of the way she would run the city if she ever gets to wear the chain of office.
Marianne Meed Ward, Councillor for ward 2 was presiding over a community meeting related to a projected that needed nothing more than an application for a Building Permit and the required fee to begin construction of the significant remake of Burlington Square Plaza a the corner of Brant and Ghent.
 It was a standing room only crowd = albeit – it was a small room – to get a first look at the plans for a significant upgrade to the Burlington square Plaza at Brant and Ghent. Meed Ward is not a fan of developers who come to Council looking for significant increases to height and density and changes to zoning and the Official Plan.
So when Cherishome Living talked to her about putting up a four storey add on to the property they own Meed Ward was delighted – these were her kind of guys.
There was no need for a public meeting but when there is a change being made to the neighbourhood – Meed Ward wants big input from as many people as she can reach.
Wednesday evening the room they booked was a standing room only situation; which Meed War apologized for and explained that they reserved space for those who registered and then some. She should do so well at the polls in 2018
There were no real issues with the project – just a lot of common sense questions for the property owner.
 Architect’s rendering of the new four storey upgrade to the south end of the project. This is the view from the corner of Brant and Olga. There is nothing wrong with the design – Cherishome has found that the large swaths of retail space in the building just weren’t getting rented and they knew there was a demand for residential rental space.
Jeff Usher, the Cherishome VP for development took the audience through a straightforward presentation. Decent looking buildings – he described the façade of the building as having a Frank Lloyd Wright look to it – that was a bit of a stretch. The land however is being put to much better use.
One of the things the upgrade could do is create a solid anchor for the new north end of the Burlington Downtown Business Association boundary. The design will still have the nice wide setback from the street that is about as good as it gets for an outdoor patio. The seven retail units were to be 1200 sq. ft. which should do it for a restaurant.
There will be 253 parking spaces – the rules call for just 240.
The 146 rental units, which will be registered as condominiums, will consist of 844 sq. ft. two bedroom units and 621 sq. ft. one bedroom units.
Amenities will be located on the roof of the parking space. There will be a community garden at the back of the building
Jodie Wellings, the woman at city hall responsible for making the downtown the vibrant place most people want it to be was listening to the presentation quietly as was planner Jamie Tellier.
 Everything on the right side will be demolished – the design emphasis will be on the street. Usher told the Gazette in an earlier interview that he had met with the people at the Region and talked about including a number of “affordable” units in the complex.
Mention was made of some problems tenants were having that were Landlord Tenant related – Meed Ward explained that these are not municipal issues and provided information tenants could use to follow up on.
Usher hopes to get site plan approval from the city by the end of the year; demolition will get done next Spring – the hope is to have the project ready for 2018
 By Staff
April 17, 2015
BURLINGTON,ON
Burlington has gone from being the best mid-sized city in Canada to one of the top 10 “Small American Cities of the Future” for Business Friendliness.
You know what this means – for the next several months you will hear this touted by every member of Council with the Mayor becoming the biggest booster.
 Prime Minister checks out the product at Ecysynthetix, one of the high tech manufacturers in the city. CEO John van Leeuwen is on the left. MP Mike Wallace is on the far right. On Monday, fDi Magazine announced the winners of this award: For the Business Friendliness category, Burlington was evaluated using criteria such as the number of companies in the advanced manufacturing and technology sectors, the number of days needed to start a business, ease of doing business, economic freedom, credit rating and annual jobs creation.
Data was collected from more than 400 regions throughout North America and compared using the categories of Economic Potential, Business Friendliness, Human Capital, Cost Effectiveness and Connectivity.
“Burlington is well positioned as an economic centre with its prime location in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area,” said Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring. “We also have a talent pool of approximately two million people to draw from within a 45-minute commute. Those factors, combined with the recent redevelopment of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation, add up to a bright future for economic development in our city.”
 Dave McPhail looks over a data collection device that Memmex created to change the way data is collected on a shop floor and placed in the hands of management in real time. “Burlington Economic Development Corporation is committed to bringing real value to our business community. Support for relocation and expansion is critical as is our active and connected business culture,” said Frank McKeown, Executive Director of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation. “Burlington is already recognized as one of the best places to live and raise a family in Canada and we will continue to work to make Burlington one of the very best places to do business. Hopefully this recognition is the first of many.”
Windsor, Waterloo and Cambridge were also named in the top 10 “Small American Cities of the Future.” Reflecting the strong business sectors in the province, a number of other Ontario communities also received recognition in other categories.
fDi Intelligence is a dedicated unit of The Financial Times that provides industry leading insight and analysis on foreign direct investment. The winners of the “American Cities of the Future” were published in fDi Magazine as part of the “Locations of the Future” series, which is presented by fDi Magazine to showcase the most promising locations for foreign direct investment.
This is all really good stuff – but we have to stop talking about it and actually doing it.
 Thordon Bearings Inc., operates a state-of-the-art polymer processing plant as well as in-house design, CAD and New Product Development facilities in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. There are some exceptionally good ideas coming out of the Economic development Corporation and the work they are doing with McMaster University and the Fraunhofer Institute that is working closely with both the university and the city.
More on that next week when the Gazette publishes an exclusive feature on the economic development potential – think in terms of 20,000 additional jobs – yes, that is the number that was used. Stay tuned
By Walter Byj
April 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board was in a longer than usual Closed Session – close to an hour this time. No sword on what they talked about – the sense I got was that they may have been talking about a possible high school strike for Halton.
Once the doors opened the meeting moved briskly through a number of issues. The school calendar for the 2015/2016 was approved unanimously.
 Are there too many high schools in the eastern side of the city? The board then passed a motion that has the Halton Student Transportation Services hiring consultants to undertake a bell time analysis for both secondary and elementary students in an effort to find efficiencies and cost savings. Bell time is the buzz word for when schools start their day.
This program is awaiting the Catholic board approval on the same motion next week. The parameters and cost of the study would then be determined.
A motion to have time set aside for recognition of excellent achievement within the Halton board, student or staff, was forwarded to the next meeting pending further clarification.
The Long Term Accommodation Plan was then presented by Domenico Renzella, Senior Manager of Planning and Lucy Veerman, Superintendent of Business Services. The LTAP, references what the board is going to need in terms of facilities based on enrollment projections. The enrollment projections from 2015 to 2024 and the identifying of new capital project initiatives for the Board from 2016/17 to 2019/2020 were part of the report which the Gazette will cover in more detail soon.
The key takeaway was the explosion of enrolment and new schools in the Milton area and northeast Oakville with the corresponding decline in enrolment in Burlington and parts of Oakville. This could lead to potential school consolidations in the near future. The trustees were advised that there would be public consultation.
The Halton Student Transportation Services annual report for the fiscal year of 2013/14, said there were a total of 448 routes which covered 34,058 daily kilometres and transported 29,268 students for the Halton board and the Catholic board combined. The Halton board transported 18,834 students at a cost of slightly more than $19 million.
Mark Zonneveld, Superintendent of Education (Student Services), presented the Gifted Screening Interim Report which outlined the procedures of identifying, nominating and then accepting students into the gifted program within Halton.
Of the students that are initially identified as gifted, only 35% enter the program after further testing. Over the past five years, the number of students identified as gifted by grade four has risen to 4.3% For the 2013/14 year, 61 students were placed in the Gifted Programme in East Halton, 29 in the West and 30 in the North
The meeting concluded with Stuart Miller, Associate Director of Education, giving a Program Viability update. Over the past years, the French Immersion program has impacted somewhat negatively on the English program and the Program Viability Committee was formed to study this matter.
The committee has met three times to date and is reviewing the situation within the Halton area along with studying how other boards are affected along with potential solutions. The committee will meet again on April 20th, hopefully a more detailed report will be available to the next board meeting. The public is not invited to take part in these meetings,
By Staff
April 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police Service, Drug, Gun and Gang Unit executed five (5) Controlled Drugs and Substances Act search warrants throughout Burlington (4 locations) and Hamilton (1 location).
One of the warrants executed was at the Venus Tanning Salon situated at 1035 Brant Street, Burlington. The search warrants were a result of a four month investigation into suspected cocaine traffickers in the City of Burlington.
Police have arrested five (5) individuals for drug related offences and seized the following evidence:
100 grams of cocaine • Scales • Packaging materials
$13,000.00 Canadian Currency •
5 grams of cannabis marihuana
500 ml of GHB
14 grams of MDMA
5 grams of methamphetamine
An Anabolic Steroid Production Lab
A GHB Production Lab
Large quantity of anabolic steroids
Police have charged the following individuals:
Jovan MASIREVIC (26 years of age) of Burlington is charged with:
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine •
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Methamphetamine
Andrew TEIXEIRA (27 years of age) of Burlington is charged with:
• Possession of Cannabis Marihuana
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Methamphetamine
Sukhvinder SINGH (44 years of age) of Hamilton is charged with:
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – MDMA
• Production of a Controlled Substance- Anabolic Steroid
• Production of a Controlled Substance- GHB
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Anabolic Steroid
• Possession of a Controlled Substance- Cannabis Marihuana
• Possession of a Controlled Substance- Oxycodone
Breach of Recognizance
Possession of a Controlled Substance- Methamphetamine
Possession of a Controlled Substance- Amphetamine
Laura SZOKE (27 years of age) of Hamilton is charged with:
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – MDMA
Production of a Controlled Substance- Anabolic Steroid • Production of a Controlled Substance- GHB
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Anabolic Steroid • Possession of a Controlled Substance- Cannabis Marihuana •
Possession of a Controlled Substance- Oxycodone •
Breach of Recognizance •
Possession of a Controlled Substance- Methamphetamine •
Possession of a Controlled Substance- Amphetamine
Brian SLAGTER (44 years of age) Burlington is charged with: •
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine
SINGH, SZOKE and MASIREVIC were held for a bail hearing and will appear in Milton Court on April 16th 2015.
TEIXEIRA and SLAGTER will appear in Milton Court on June 2nd 2015.
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