By Pepper Parr with content from CNET
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, more than 10,000 children in 46 countries were born with deformities as a consequence of thalidomide use. Thalidomide was sold in a number of countries 1957 until 1961 when it was withdrawn from the market after being found to be a cause of birth defects in what has been called “one of the biggest medical tragedies of modern times”.
Medical science has done a lot for us.. Penicillin, the polio vaccine, heart transplants – the list is endless but mistakes get made and we do need to be mindful and pay attention to the technology. Ask questions now because in the past we rushed to get a new medicine and new products to market. Have we done that with cell phones?
Thalidomide was introduced as a sedative drug and was found to act as an effective tranquilizer and painkiller and was proclaimed a “wonder drug” for insomnia, coughs, colds and headaches. It was also found to be an effective inhibitor on morning sickness, and so thousands of pregnant women took the drug to relieve their symptoms.
In the United Kingdom the drug was licensed in 1958 and, of the approximately 2000 babies born with defects, 466 survived. The drug was withdrawn in 1961 and in 1968, after a long campaign by The Sunday Times newspaper, a compensation settlement for the UK victims was reached with Distillers Company Limited.
1962: FDA inspector Frances Oldham Kelsey receives an award from President John F. Kennedy for blocking sale of thalidomide in the United States.
The impact in the United States was minimized when pharmacologist and M.D. Frances Oldham Kelsey refused Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Canada was the last country to stop the sales of the drug, in early 1962.
We tell you all this because there “might”, and that might needs to be stressed, be a link between that terrible thalidomide experience and the ubiquitous use of cell phones. This is not meant to be alarmist – but questions can and should be asked.
Research ‘suggests’ that cell phone use “excites” the brain.
We picked up the following from Kent German writing for CNET; lhttps://www.cnet.com/
Here are his comments and observations:
[box type=info]If you cover the wireless industry, you’re never far from the ongoing debate over whether cell phones are harmful. And the debate usually goes something like this: the scientific community produces a study that explores the issue, and then the wireless industry rushes to interpret that study to its advantage.
Cell phones are ubiquitous – most people use them and in some countries that’s all there is.
Such was the case with a report published yesterday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that in healthy volunteer participants, cell phone exposure was associated with increased metabolism of glucose in the region of the brain closest to the antenna. So as CNET blogger Lance Whitney put it, the study suggested that cell phone use “excites” the brain.
Whether that increased brain activity is harmful, however, remains to be seen. The study’s authors also concluded that their findings were of “unknown clinical significance” and that more research is needed. And, not surprisingly, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA), the wireless industry’s lobbying arm in Washington, D.C., highlighted the former point in a statement.
“The authors acknowledge that the results provide no information as to potential health effects of cell phones,” the statement said. “As with any study, scientific organizations will review the results of this one in the context of the significant body of research and published literature on cell phone safety that has already been amassed.”
What’s really important
So, as I said, the scientific community reports a study and the wireless industry takes the study and highlights the points that it likes the best. Yes, that’s much how the debate between science and industry has largely progressed throughout history, but it bothers me that in the process, consumers get only the information that organizations like the CTIA want them to hear.
Is that data correct – if it is we certainly want to know more and have someone study this and not take the word of the telephone industry.
Absolutely, CTIA is correct to highlight that the study makes no conclusions as to whether cell phones are harmful. Yet, dwelling on that point misses the most significant aspect of the study, which is that cell phone use can affect how your brain functions, even temporarily. Proving that point alone–and I realize that this one study doesn’t “prove” anything, but it does demonstrate it–has been the focus of much of the previous research over whether cell phones were potentially harmful. Lots of other things also affect the brain–food, sex, alcohol, drugs, to name a few–but not everything pumps out electromagnetic radiation next to your brain.
Dr. Devra Davis–an epidemiologist, environmental health researcher, and founder of Environmental Health Trust–characterizes the finding as stunning. “This demonstrates that cell phone use affects brain activity,” she told CNET. “The study used real people and was as close as you can get to a biopsy on a living brain.”
Davis, who authored the 2010 book “Disconnect: The Truth about Cell Phone Radiation, What the Industry Has Done to Hide it and How to Protect Your Family,” also cautioned against making firm conclusions from the study, but she takes a forceful role in advocating for more research. “The notion that we have enough information is completely wrong,” she said.
More research
As other, and usually inconclusive, studies continue to be published, I would be skeptical of anyone arguing that the case should be closed. Even the CTIA has argued for more research, and a spokeswoman confirmed that point with me today. Yet, I see a gap between the industry group’s actions and its vow to take the issues seriously.
For example, when the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a law last year requiring cell phone manufacturers to display the specific absorption rate (SAR) for each handset sold, the CTIA effectively stopped playing, took its ball, and went home. Not only did it blast San Francisco in a statement, but it also decided to move its autumn trade show to San Diego to punish the city.
Some standards
I’m not a staunch defender of San Francisco’s law–indeed, there’s plenty about my city’s government that makes me roll my eyes–but the CTIA’s reaction suggested that the “are they harmful/not harmful?” debate wasn’t worth its time. Yes, there’s no proof that a lower-radiation cell phone is safer. And, yes, information about a phone’s specific absorption rate (SAR) is widely available. Yet, as long as San Francisco is not making scientific claims about cell phone use, I don’t see the problem in giving consumers information and making it available when they buy the phone.
The CTIA mainly argued that San Francisco didn’t have the authority for such legislation. That’s possible, but as with most things, it’s never about what it’s about. As it has done in response to almost every study (including the one above) the industry also fell back on the notion that all cell phones sold in the United States are safe because they conform to FCC standards for safety (a SAR of 1.6 watts per kilogram or lower is legally considered “safe”). This is unfortunate. What most consumers don’t know is that the FCC’s standards were developed in 1993 using a model of a human who was 6 feet 2 inches tall, weighed 200 pounds, and had an 11-pound head. That’s hardly a fair representation of the average adult, let alone a child (remember, also, that kids have thinner skulls and their brains are still developing). What’s more, the digital phones we use today weren’t around 18 years ago. So maybe I’m a pessimist, but perhaps we should take a look at developing new standards.
Is this what our heads look like? Is that a good thing? Can we know that – please.
I’m not a scientist, so I’m not about to interpret the findings of this or any study. But if cell phone use can really affect brain activity, then we are nowhere near laying this argument to rest. Though much of my job is devoted to helping CNET readers find the best phone, neither CNET nor I has any interest in putting our heads in the sand and guaranteeing you that cell phones are safe. To do so would be irresponsible.
Until we can determine if cell phone use can adversely affect your health through DNA mutation–and frankly, we may not be able to determine that for many years, if we ever can at all–the industry needs to take the issue seriously. Blowing off concerned parties, alarmist as they may be, doesn’t help the situation. Nor does it help to continually point to government reports and convenient studies that find that nothing is wrong.
[/box]
The same thing happened with the thalidomide debate – but the terrible results could not be ignored. Not to be alarmist – but could someone spend some time and money on this issue – it is not exactly a “no-brainer”.
[retweet]
By Pepper Parr
Identity theft and acts of fraud that take place can be a nightmare for anyone trying to repair the damage to their credit rating and reputation after becoming a victim. Thieves prowl through your garbage or pick up a receipt you carelessly threw away – and suddenly your bank account is accessed, charges are made to your credit card – and worse still – your house gets a mortgage put on it that you know nothing about. These things happen but you can safeguard yourself by being careful and vigilant.
 Crime Stoppers is teaming up with Shred-It to help protect people from identity theft by hosting Community Shred-It events to give residents of the region the opportunity to have any unwanted private papers or sensitive documents safely destroyed.
Identity theft has become one of the fastest growing crimes in the country and is now robbing the Canadian economy of more than $2.5 billion a year.
“One of the best ways to protect yourself from identity theft is to shred any paper that has your name and other personal information,” said Cal Millar, chair of Halton’s Crime Stoppers program.
“Criminals can use a few details collected from a discard utility bill or bank statement to fraudulently obtain credit cards, driver’s licenses, health cards or other forms of identification in your name,” he said. A Community Shred-It events will be held on March 26 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Burlington Mall.
Kelly Gorven, chair of the project, said this is a fundraising event and Crime Stoppers will be asking for a donation of $5 to shred a shopping bag of personal papers or $10 for the equivalent of a banker’s box.
“It’s a unique fundraising initiative,” she said. “We want people to shred personal information to prevent the crime of identity theft and we’re raising money to pay for tips that may help solve numerous crimes. Everyone wins when we work together to combat crime and keep our community safe.”
 Gorven said while people are spring cleaning or going through financial records to prepare taxes they should set aside any documents with sensitive information and bring them to one of the Community Shred-It locations. “You risk becoming a victim of identity theft if you throw anything in the garbage that has your name, address or other pertinent information,” she said.
“Losses”, according to a senior Halton police official, “ can come from someone simply forging your name on a cheque or using your credit card. They get that information from documents you just put in the garbage. “You reduce the possibility of becoming a victim when you are aware of the various frauds that are being committed today, especially those involving identity theft” he said.
Halton Crime Stoppers is hoping its partnership with Shred-It will not only increase the awareness of identity theft and the crime that stems from it, but will directly protect residents in this area from becoming victims.
[retweet]
By staff
BURLINGTON, ON, February 24, 2011 – He isn’t the candidate yet but that isn’t stopping Burlington lawyer and Chair of the city’s 2010-11 successful United Way campaign, Karmel Sakran from getting out the word that he wants his name on the ballot for the October 6, provincial election. Sakran is seeking the Liberal nomination which becomes an interesting contest with the retirement announcement of MPP Joyce Savoline last week. The Progressive conservatives have held the riding for more than 40 years
Burlington lawyer Karmel Sakran announces he will be a candidate for the Liberal Party nomination.
Sakran recently announced that he would seek the Burlington Provincial Liberal nomination. Alyssa Brierley, another lawyer has also announced she will seek the nomination. The nomination meeting is expected to take place some time in April
Sakran grew up in Burlington and talks of us his experience. “Growing up in downtown Burlington on Ontario Street behind my late father’s little grocery store on Ontario Street taught me the importance of community,” said 46-year-old Sakran, who arrived in Burlington at age 13. “From behind that counter, I saw how he treated people with friendship and respect and how they returned it in kind. It was a powerful message that will stay with me forever.”
Reflecting that early influence, Sakran has become well known in Burlington for his community involvement. A long-time Rotarian, former Regional Chair of the Halton Community Consultation Committees, he is a founding board member of The Carpenter Hospice.
Sakran is currently a member the Board of Governors at Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital since 2006 and member of its executive, chairing its Human Resource Policy and Compensation Committee. He is the board representative on the hospital’s Foundation Campaign Steering Committee whose target is to raise $60 million for much-needed capital re-development.
For Sakran, chairing Burlington’s United Way campaign, which raised a record $2.2 million this year, was an eye-opener. “People don’t typically think of Burlington as having citizens in need, but we do,” he says. “Many youth, families, and seniors benefit from the 44 social programs and services funded by the United Way.”
Seeking the Liberal nomination in Burlington is Sakran’s way of continuing to work for his community. Originally from Nazareth, Israel, of Christian Arab parents, he arrived in Canada at the age of 3 and moved to Burlington when he was 13. Sakran attended Central High School and later Assumption Secondary School, because “I didn’t make the football team at Central and at Assumption, I made the team”.
Sakran later attended the University of Windsor and, after graduating in law, articled for the Criminal Appeals Division of the Attorney General of Ontario in Toronto. He returned to Burlington after being called to the bar. “I always wanted to live and work in Burlington – that is where my heart is,” he said. “Burlington has been my home and my community for the past 34 years, and my goal is to win the nomination and then represent Burlington in the Ontario Legislature.”
Boundaries for voters in Burlington. Provincial Liberals in Burlington gear up for an election they think they can win – after 40+ in the wilderness.
For Sakran, “It’s time Burlington had a Liberal at Queen’s Park.” Conservatives have represented this riding for decades, he notes, adding that they have been less than effective in upholding Burlington’s unique heritage and its integral role as the hub between the GTA, Hamilton and Niagara Corridor. “Burlington has a leadership role to play in what is happening around and inside its border and we can’t allow another four-year term to pass with us taking a spectator role. The Conservatives want to pave paradise with the mid-peninsula highway and, despite having a Conservative MPP for all this time, no provincial money has been secured for capital re-development of our hospital in the past 40 years.”
A matrimonial lawyer in Burlington, Sakran recently founded Roseland Law Chambers, a group of seven sole-practitioner lawyers with wide experience across all aspects of the law. He is married and has 2 daughters; his youngest is 5 ½ years old.
[retweet]
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON,ON February 21, 2010 – It was one of those meetings where all the heavy weight activists were on hand. People from COPE, (Citizens Opposed to Paving the Escarpment) PERL, (Protecting the Escarpment and Rural Lands) Burlington Green, a city councillor, a senior rep from the Region along with Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring and his spear carrier Frank McKeown.
Early on the agenda was a name change – they met as BHCAG – Burlington Halton Community Action Group and left as STOP the Escarpment Highway Coalition. The word coalition is what it was all about because the activist didn’t want the show run by the politicians. But this group did much more than change their name – they showed that politicians and community groups could work together for a common cause even though at times their individual interests might go off in different directions.
This group was in for the long haul when they met early in February. The full range of community activists in the Halton Region gathered around a table in a room that was too small for the size of the attendees and set out how the politicians, the bureaucrats and the activist would each be able to do their thing and at the same time put forward a common front. This was citizen participation at its very best.
It all began in December of 2009, when the region approved Regional Official Plan Amendment 38 (ROPA 38) – which included protection for escarpment and rural lands – and submitted it to the province for approval. Regional chair Gary Carr took great pride in the three year effort to get all four municipalities in the Region on side.
By June 2010, with the Environmental Assessment incomplete, the province returned with a draft transportation development strategy that included optimizing existing road networks and planning for a new transportation corridor. In October 2010, the province modified ROPA 38, placing a proposed transportation corridor across escarpment lands in rural Burlington. The revised document was mailed to the Region and its municipalities a few days after the municipal election. Then “it” hit the fan
The objective was to STOP the highway. The city of Burlington does not want a highway anywhere near the Escarpment and they had decided to engage their citizens in that battle. Because it is a regional issue as well that brought in groups from all over the place. Close to a dozen groups, some small and ineffectual, some very experienced and battle scarred, some poor and some well funded – all with one objective – STOP the highway.
The offending document is referred to as ROPA 38 Decision-2 and was brought to the public’s attention at a December community meeting in Burlington. Burlington council members Taylor and Lancaster led that parade through a hall with more than 800 people that had every politician getting a pay cheque in the room.
That was when citizens learned that the province had asked the Region to amend their Official Plan to accommodate a new highway, which an Ontario ministry described as a concept. The province sent the request to all the municipalities and the Region a few days after the municipal election.
This was the Environmental Assessment map that gave first light to what got called a concept.
John Taylor, Burlington Ward 3 council member, wasn’t buying the province’s request and he organized a community meeting that had every politician you could name on hand to swear that this was never going to happen. Even the two Tory members were on hand to speak against the proposed road, while their leader was in nearby Flamborough saying “jobs trumped the environment and the road meant jobs”. Taylor made it very clear at the December meeting that the community had to organize now even though the highway “would probably not get built in my lifetime”. Well John Taylor is still with us and the committee with the new name is in place to fight the good fight and tell their story should the idea of a highway near the Escarpment come up again.
The main thrust at that December meeting was to get petitions signed but as a representative from Citizens Opposed to Paving the Escarpment – COPE – later put it – getting ROPA 38 reversed is “first dragon to be slayed” and petitions will be a part of that battle “but the second dragon will be the MTO Environmental Assessment and we will have a battle – GET BLANCE IN HERE.
With names on petitions the meeting ended and the phone calls between everyone began and out of it came a decision to find a way to join forces and have the activists, the city and the Region work together. But the activists didn’t want the politicians leading the parade and the politicians weren’t about to give up the exposure one gets from leading a hugely popular xxx in the community.
There were some pretty smart marketing people in the room and they pushed for the word coalition in the name because that is how they see themselves – citizens in a coalition with two levels of government. It is quite a coalition and may be the first occasion when a Regional government, a municipal government and more than half a dozen active community groups joined forces for a common cause, which in this case was the stopping the idea of constructing a highway that would cut right through the villages of Lowville and be very, very close to Kilbride.
If the first part of the battle was to get petitions signed this group did a great job and in the process learned that not everyone is one same page of the hymn book and they came face to face with “corporate interests” that got put before the welfare of the community.
Angela Scrannage, John Timmis and Janie Moorse with sign the Stop the Escarpment Highway Coalition were going to plaster the Region with.
Janie Moorse, the person heading up the petition campaign, reported that she had well over 1000 petitions signed and that her team was out every weekend with a kiosk telling the story. Angela Scrannage told of the success at Lowville during the Winter Fair and of the problems with the YMCA and Mountain Co-op – they were unable to get inside those locations – are you ready for this – they didn’t want their clients to be harassed and asked to sign a petition.
The supermarkets have no problem in asking you for a loonie for some charity but the YMCA – the YMCA – doesn’t want their client base harassed over an environmental issue. Don’t think the Y or Mountain equipment Co-op really understand their clients. Tumblehome on Brant Street, however is one of the most successful petition gathering locations. Scrannage reported that Tumblehome staff ask their clients if they will sign the petition. They clearly know which side their bread is buttered on.
The Burlington Library apparently won’t allow a kiosk where people are asked if they would like to sign the petition. Makes you wonder why the library is there if it isn’t to serve as a source of information. The goal was to have 10,000 signatures on petitions and Moorse, who is not shy about asking people for their signature, reported that she had close to 2000 in hand before the campaign was closed down when the province backed off with their plan..
This is he map that told the story best – we could see the communities it was going to rip right through. It had to be stopped
– it was stopped.
One of the problems the Coalition had was that the people north of Dundas get the problem – if you live in Lowville you care – but the urban people south of Upper Middle Road apparently don’t see the issue of a road ripping through the escarpment as all that serious. The Coalition had plans to set up guided tours through the escarpment in the Spring and hold a “Rural Fest” event at a later date
The approach that was to be taken to this hugely important objective is unique and quite frankly, kind of gutsy for Burlington. We have a Region, which has an agenda of its own. We have Burlington which has a very vocal population in the north end of the city who will lay down across the roads before a bulldozer can even start working at shaping a highway and then there are more than half a dozen citizen activist groups that have years and years of experience at this game of voicing the concerns of the taxpayer. Herding cats might be easier.
No one knows if the sounds coming from the growing community opposition made any difference or if the impending provincial election made the Ministry re-think the plan or if someone on the Transportation Ministry realized it was just a dumb idea – the fact is at this point that the highway is not on any Official Plans.
So – no highway. Big win but the win for the community was much bigger than just stopping a highway. The activists learned that they could organize themselves into a coalition and have as much clout as the City or the Region and could be treated as equals around the table.
The activist knew they could not do this by themselves and the politicians knew that they needed the boots on the ground that the activist had.
The was really a new approach to community engagement and there was no rule book yet – so the Coalition began to write the rule book while they are playing the game. Interesting and pretty brave on the part of the City and the Region. It looks as if the Coalition was going to strive to create several groups: A Community Working Group that would work independently of city hall; a City Working Group and a Regional Working Group that would be joined together as a Coalition, constantly communicating with each other to ensure that the actions of one Working Group did not limit the actions of another.
The province has been playing around with all kinds of ideas – they just want to move traffic and if it means encroaching on the Escarpment – they seem prepared to do just that.
The activists wanted to ensure that they were not seen as an appendage to what the city and the Region was creating. They wanted to ensure they could speak for themselves and at the same time allow the politicians could play their role. Tricky stuff and would never work if anyone with a large ego got let loose.
The city’s working group is accountable to city council and adheres to city policy. The advocacy groups have to remain independent with their own structure and governance. So far, so good. But this was going to be a long, long, LONG term project.
It was all going to cost money. Where would the money come from?. The Community Group certainly doesn’t want to appear to be a “kept woman” and have the city pay all the bills but some of the costs might be beyond what can be done through local fund raising.
One of the ideas that came up during the organizational meeting was that bus tours could be arranged. The city has a fleet of busses – but how do they justify letting them be used to transport people to the Escarpment for tours to educate people on the highway issue and not make those same busses available to a group of Seniors who want to take in a tour of the RBG to smell the roses?
Cash donations from the city would be inappropriate but in-kind support could perhaps work. What about tax receipts ? Most groups don’t have charitable status – they couldn’t get such status because they are advocating and that is against donation tax receipt rules. The city does have a legal department that can be very helpful.
These people are basically taking a cat skinning course. They are venturing into uncharted waters but Burlington is Joseph Brant country and they know how to make canoes. And it looks as if there is a whole tribe of restless natives prepared to take up paddles and stroke their way through those waters.
But it all came to a halt when the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Rick Bartolucci, met with Regional Chair Carr and Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring to say the province wasn’t going to plan on building a road through the Escarpment area after all. And so what are we left with? Does the Coalition just fold up their tents and try to sell the several hundred plastic signs they had made up on eBay?
[box type=”warning”]Province caved in and said: “We are not going to require you to put the highway in your Official Plans.”[/box]
There was some exceptional work done by this Coalition and that experience has probably taught not only the community activist but the politicians as well, that they can work together and they can bring about change.
 However, the idea of a highway cutting through the Escarpment has been kicking around for a long time. Tim Hudak, leader of the opposition at Queen’s Park said publicly that jobs trumped the environment and much of what we make rolls along highways into the United States.
Kelly Baker, a spokesperson for the office of Transportation Minister Kathleen Wynne, said it was the province’s understanding that the arrows indicating a corridor in the Halton Official Plan were only conceptual. “Until a new transportation corridor is identified as needed, it is premature to assume that any corridor location has been selected,” Baker said. The idea for the highway was originally proposed by the provincial Conservative government in 2001 and then fell off the agenda for a while. Baker contends that the past government’s plans for building a mega-highway through the Niagara Escarpment is not what the current government is doing.
“We want to get it right,” Baker said. “That’s why we used a research- and an evidence-based approach. We are not going to just assume we need to pave a mega highway through the escarpment.” And if you believe that my friends – let me tell you about the tooth fairy.
Our geography looks pretty attractive to people who play fast and loose with environmental concerns and jerk the public interest around when they are running for office. The Coalition would be well advised to adopt the Burlington motto – Stand By – and keep a watch on what those rascals at Queen’s Park are up to.
[retweet]
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON February 22, 2011 – The province had a great idea to use technology to make it easier for transit riders to move from system to system. Get a Presto card, swipe it at Aldershot and swipe it again at Union station and your trip is a seamless one.
The technology can do all that – BUT as we all know, it seldom works out quite the way it was supposed to the first time. Burlington and Oakville were early adopters of the system – early adopters is a name for the guys who ride in front and have to handle all the mistakes and the cost over runs. And there have been cost over runs.
 - Don’t leave home without it – and don’t lose it.
It was billed as the latest in smart card technology, it’s the size of a debit card, made of durable plastic and fits easily into your wallet, purse or pocket. No need to dig around searching for tickets or tokens. You just have to dig around to find the Presto card amongst the dozen or so you already have. No need to buy whole new fares when transferring transit systems. Just Tap your card on the reader on the bus or at the station. See the system instantly deduct the fare from your card balance. PRESTO! You’re on your way! And when you lose the card – you lose everything – anyone who finds it can use it until it’s empty. This was SMART?
The system didn’t come with a magician and Burlington, not exactly Silicon Valley North, found itself with a system that worked – but it wasn’t flawless in the early days.
Promoted as an added bonus for users, the card can be set up to automatically reload when your balance runs low. Advantages to that – you never have to line up to buy tickets.
To get started, all you need to do is register your card, and then follow the steps online. It’s that easy!
[retweet]
By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON February 22, 2011 – Requests for a total of $108,000 in grants landed on the City Manager’s desk but he has suggested to council that although each has merit the city should stick to its decision to not give grants to community groups.
Grants to community organizations were phased out in 1994 but staff have found that requests are still coming from external agencies. The requests range from fee waivers to help with annual operating costs. Some of the more recent grant requests are a result of an end to funding support from the Province, with the provincial Trillium Foundation being one of the organizations that ends funding at some point and the group has to look elsewhere.
 - Group needs funding – looks to the city for help.
Creative Burlington is in just that kind of a bind. They have benefited from Trillium Funding for a number of years but that ends this October. The non-profit organization that was a prime mover for a Performing Arts Centre now finds itself watching the BPAC get more than half a million dollars in start up money and have more than $10 million raised within the community to work with, while it, Creative Burlington, may soon find itself struggling to meet the payroll.
Tough one to handle but if the City Manager’s advice is to not provide the $65,000. Creative Burlington has asked for – some hard decisions have to made at the little house on Old Lakeshore Road.
The City Manger asks council for some direction and a policy that can be applied to funding requests “Should the City begin providing community grants, further requests will undoubtedly flow. In order to determine which groups should be funded and to what level, a policy should be developed” is the view of staff as set out in their report
Council may not want to belly up to that idea. Should there be a policy every group that wants funding will lobby council members seeking a vote at council. The Soccer Mom’s did that and they prevailed. The cycling group convinced the city to kick in $30,000. with the argument that it would be good for business.
Deb Tymstra, Executive Director of Creative Burlington could give an equally strong argument about the arts being good for business. If Ms Tymstra were to ride a bicycle in the Canada Day race – would that help her application.
 - Brant was always pretty good at getting grants from the British, but this Council probably isn’t going to hear his argument.
It’s dicey one and there has to be a policy for city staff to dole out funds. Is this Council ready to think about giving funds to community groups? Jack Dennison would float the Joseph Brant Museum away on Lake Ontario – so his vote can’t be counted on.
Burlington Green is asking for $10,000; the Burlington Sport Alliance is looking for an annual grant of $5000. while Civic Rose and Joseph Brant Day want stage and facility fee waivers. The Halton District School Board wants $25,000. for an Active and Safe Routes to School program.
As Roman Martiuk stated in his report – they all have merit but he needs a Direction from Council and a policy to work within.
[retweet]
By Pepper Parr
This will be the year the Burlington celebrates the opening of the Burlington Performing Arts Center – on time and within budget. So that means we have a healthy thriving arts community? Well, yes, but make that a qualified yes.
Deb Tymstra, Executive Director of Creative Burlington, the organization that was really the womb within which the idea of a performing arts centre for Burlington was conceived, will tell you that there is an arts community in Burlington but it needs nurturing and care to bring the talent in the community to the surface.
One of the prime driving forces in making the performing arts centre real was the work done by Mike Wallace when he was a member of city council. Mike was the man who brought Deb Tymstra into the organization that spent ten long years doing the essential ground work that resulted in the Burlington Performing Arts Center which will open this fall. In the days when Mike Wallace was a city council member, he got tired of doing the books for what was then Performing Arts Burlington and asked Tymstra to take on the task and that became the first step of a new passion for her.
- Fun, colourful, and inviting, with blocks symbolizing
the foundation on which they can build.
Creative Burling has completed the re-think it had to do when its name, Performing Arts Burlington, went somewhere else. Today Tymstra says: “we are a ‘community business’. We are a resource for arts information, everything from where to find a photographer or dance class, to who’s playing at Boston Manor. We collaborate on initiatives with artists, arts organizations and others to provide events and develop programs and partnerships. We are looking to the future of Burlington as a recognized arts destination and believe that there is a role for us to play in the artistic and cultural development of Burlington, both in planning and integration.”
Tymstra believes that the city needs a number of things for it to become a thriving arts community. First, a champion at city hall. “We have a parks and recreation department to take care of and develop the skating rinks, the swimming pools and the programs that go with the buildings. We have a fire department that is equipped and manned. Those are things that every city has – the really great cities have a vibrant arts community and a champion within city hall.
Tymstra will fill your ears with her passion and dedication to the arts in the community and convince you in no time at all that the arts are not an extra but that they are vital to the very core and well being of a healthy community. Oakville has a three person staff in what they call a cultural office – Burlington isn’t there yet and with this council focusing on better value for the money spent, staff increases aren’t on the radar set.
The opening of the Performing Arts Center in the fall will put Burlington in a different league in terms of its performing arts capacity and that will open up all kinds of opportunities and Tymstra is delighted that this is happening. But she adds, the arts is not just the performing arts. There is a large community of arts people that supported the creation of a building and Tymstra would like to see better funding for that underbelly.
 - Newest promotional product.
A steal at $15.
Tymstra will tell you again and again – that the arts is not about bricks and mortar – it is about people who perform and who do the critical backstage work like set design, carpentry and the multitude of trades and skills that exist in the community to say nothing of the marketing and promotional work that has to be done.
Deb Tymstra was born in Toronto moved to Burlington more than 25 years ago and fell in love with the place. Her background was accounting and she has an accounting services company that she operates when she isn’t going flat out with the arts. If you’re in the arts – you have a part time job somewhere else or you don’t eat regular meals.
There are a few changes Tymstra would like to see in the way the city is both promoted and positioned in the minds of those who decide to visit the city. “We are more than a restaurant destination” Tymstra will tell you and “every event we hold does not have to be at Spencer Smith Park” she adds.
Art and culture have to be seen at the street level and Tymstra applauds both the art work on the bicycle stands the city recently installed (you will see more of these when the snow disappears) and has nothing but great appreciation for the work done being done by the Public Art Committee and heaps of praise for the leadership Pam Mulholland has shown with that program.
“I am so passionate about the value of arts in our daily lives, and the positive effects arts have on our health, our welfare, our economy and our personal and community growth: says Tymstra. She goes on to say: “I have spent the last 10 years advocating for why and how arts matter. Our Creative Burlington logo signifies Inclusivity of all the arts, the building of a community and the brilliance of what the arts contribute to our lives and lifestyles. It’s fun, colourful, and inviting, with blocks symbolizing the foundation on which we can build. Creative Burlington is my passion as well as my profession.” Whew, this woman was steaming!
 - Tymstra is passionate about
the work she does.
Burlington, Tymstra will tell you is past its bedroom community phase. “We are a city now and we need to grow into this new role. “The public doesn’t fully understand the role the arts play, not only in the economic health of the community but its over all well being” claims Tymstra. She will tell you that a really successful concert in a park will leave people feeling better about themselves and with a little more spring in their step even though they have left a couple of hundred dollars in restaurants and with local merchants.
The arts is more than buying a ticket to a performance – it is a state of mind and the sign of a sophisticated city. Burlington is bound by its boundaries and there are a number of arts oriented silos that do great work – but they could do even more if they worked within an arts community mind frame. Royal Botanical Gardens is a great asset and anchors the western end of the city; the Burlington Arts Centre sits in the very core of the city and
will soon be joined by the Burlington Performing Arts Center. Each though is currently working in a silo and not getting the benefit of the synergies that are available.
Tymstra swings from great excitement for the potential and some despair over the lack of any buy in at city hall. The arts matter she will tell you as she leans forward with intensity and you kind of expect her to say “damn it – the arts do matter – they make a difference” and while she doesn’t say the words – you certainly feel them.
 - All business when it’s about business
– and the arts is a business.
So then, why isn’t this woman on the Board of the Burlington Performing Arts Center? She could serve as a bridge between the people who do the “arts” locally and the productions the Burlington Performance Arts Centre is going to need to stay alive financially. That plus, she was there in the trenches when it was hard, hard work, to convince people to support a performing arts centre. Tymstra doesn’t have an answer and takes the view that “we worked for ten years to make it happen – and now that is has happened we can focus our attention on other issues in the community.
When the struggle to get a performing arts centre in Burlington was just getting off the ground the group that Tymstra led came up with $64,000 as their donation. “That money was a collection of $10, $20 and sometimes a $50 donations plus some large amounts from people who had more, which we passed along to the fund raising cabinet that Keith strong and Walter Mulkewich headed up.
The BPAC accepted the donation and took the name Burlington Performing Arts with it. Tymstra had to find a new name and then go through a significant branding exercise to develop and then launch what is now Creative Burlington, an organization that is part advocate for the arts, caters to the people that are the under pinning of the arts community in this town and promotes events as well as organizes events on behalf of the “entertainment” community.
With the re-banding done the next step is a re-working of the Board which will be announced at the organizations Annual Meeting February 7th. There will be a smaller board and the confirmation of the new strategic plan and probably a tighter budget. “at this point in time we cannot seek additional funding and don’t have immediate plans to make another application in the immediate future.
The organization had Trillium Funding in 2004 and 2008 but that source has run out and “at this point in time we cannot seek additional funding and don’t have immediate plans to make another application in the immediate future”, said Tymstra. But she has new initiatives that can produce revenue. The cubby hole of a building they occupy on Lakeshore Road is courtesy of Carriage House and they are probably safe for at least a couple of years. They will work through the problems – remember – Tymstra is an accountant.
[retweet]
It’s a horse race!
Lawyer and community leader Karmel Sakran and Alyssa Brierley, also a lawyer who works in the regulatory regime for refugees while completing a PhD in international politics, officially threw their hats into the ring at a Burlington Provincial Liberal Association (BPLA) Board meeting, Feb. 19th.
 
And while the pair promises a spirited race for the nomination in April, they agreed on one thing: the Burlington provincial riding is winnable for the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty.
“No matter who the Tories put forward in the October election, we can win Burlington for the Liberal Party,” said Brierley.
All Burlington Liberals need to do is ensure voters here know that Liberal policies are far more humane than those of the Hudak Tories, who hearken back to the rigid neo-conservatism of the old Mike Harris governments, Sakran said.
Still in High School when the Harris government was in power, Brierley recalled she often brought coffee to her teachers who were on strike and picketing. “The McGuinty government not only made peace with teachers in Ontario, it established a clear, positive direction for education that will benefit our children for generations to come.”
Sakran, who just completed a stint heading up the Burlington United Way campaign, went to Burlington’s Central High School and took a law degree at the University of Windsor. He’s also currently serving his fifth year on the Board of Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital.
For him, the issues in Burlington will include the mid-Peninsula Highway, which Tory leader Tim Hudak says he will immediately launch – despite strong environmental opposition in Burlington to paving over more farmland.
“When you consider that Burlington is the hub of Hamilton, the Niagara Peninsula and the GTA, it’s peculiar that we always seem to be passed over – despite the fact Tory MPPs represented this riding for more than six decades,” said Sakran. “We must take our place in the provincial agenda and if I’m fortunate enough to win the nomination and get elected, I’ll be working for that.”
[retweet]
Your taxes and how you get heard are on the Council agenda.
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON February 22, 2011 – During the balance of February and all of March, city hall staff and your council will beaver away at the budgets, which will determine what you are going to be looking at when your tax bill arrives in the mail. At approximately the same time staff will deliver its response to the Shape Burlington report, which if you recall had eight recommendations, the most important of which were an information deficit and citizens not being given a real opportunity to be part of the decision making process. The Shape Burlington report can be founds in its entirety here.
[box type=”shadow”]
February 22 – Current Budget Overview at Budget and Corporate Services Committee; 9:30 am, Council Cambers
March 2 – Current Budget, Community Meeting/Workshop, Tansley Woods Community Centre, 1196 Itabashi Way, Rooms 1&2. 7-9:30 pm
March 5 – Capital Budget – Community Meeting/Workshop, Burlington Arts Centre, 1333 Lakeshore Road. 9:00 –11:30 am
March 8 – Review Capital Budget at Corporate Services Committee; 9:30 am Council Chambers.
March 21 – Council to Approve Capital Budget; 7 pm Council Chambers
March 29 – Review and Approve Current Budget at Budget and Corporate Servce Committee, 9:30 am Council Chambers.
March 31 – (If required) More review of Current Budget: 9:30 am, Council Chambers.
April 11 – Council to Approve Current Budget;
[/box]
Let’s look at the two issues separately, even though they are very much joined at the hip. The Budget. Burlington has just come out of a four year period when the increases grew like topsy – on average more than 5% each year. The citizens said ENOUGH and got themselves a significantly different Council in the process. While Council members got used to working with each other, some differences of opinion on what the tax increase should be became evident. Mayor Rick Goldring said he felt he could keep things at a 2.5% to 3.5% each year and not go above a total of 10% during his four year term.
That wasn’t quite the way Ward 5 Council member Paul Sharman saw it and at a Committee meeting that stunned several senior staff members, Sharman came out for a 0% increase in year 1 and said the Council represented the will of the people and that taxpayers wanted taxes kept low. Zero percent is low.
At the time Councillors Taylor and Dennison seemed to side with Sharman but that support may have slipped a little. Blair Lancaster, Ward 6 tends to side with the more conservative side of the council. Meed Ward , Ward 2, hasn’t found her sea legs quite yet and hasn’t let us know where she stands fiscally other then wanting to know what is being done with the money spent. Craven, Ward 1, just wants to be sure that Aldershot gets its share and doesn’t lose any of what it has.
In the weeks ahead they get to do the line by line look at the numbers and each Council member will have to decide what they can live with in their Ward and what is best for the city.
One area that everyone is looking at is the cost of the bureaucracy. Sharman wanted no increase in salaries but did want to see some form of merit pay. The Mayor recently posted a piece on his Face Book page, in which another Mayor talked about some help from the province on reigning in costs at City Hall. Was the Mayor giving us a hint as to where he is coming from? Don’t think that link on his Face Book page was a coincidence. And the province is in the process of pruning an additional 1000 senior people from its staff. So, staff cuts are in the air and no one is going to complain all that much if City Hall staff take it in the neck for a couple of years. There are a lot of households in the city that are still hurting from the recession and they feel that City Hall didn’t share much of the pain they went through.
And that gets us to – how the taxpayers get to make their point. They get to vote every four years but society is now at a point where citizens wants input into decisions that are going to impact them directly and are no longer prepared to leave all that to the bureaucrats or the council members.
Meed Ward holds Community meetings and informs her fans with a Newsletter that is better than anything the city puts out. The turn out for her events isn’t huge (25 – to 40 people) but she is clearly the most aware of what the voters want from their politicians. She has senior staff coming out to her meetings to explain how things work and gives her constituents a chance to ask questions. On that level – she can’t be beat. Pity the politician that decides at some point to run against her.
[box type=”info”]
The Shape Report Recommendations
Engagement: Transform the City Hall culture to promote active citizen and civic engagement.
Vision: Shift City Hall processes to greater involvement of all citizens in a shared vision of our city.
Communication: Empower people by overcoming the communications deficit.
Trust: Improve the public’s trust and confidence in city government
Belonging: Build a caring and inclusive community.
Participation: Empower Committees and Community organizations that work for people
Youth: Reach out to the next generation
Governance: Define Roles and responsibilities
[/box]
The Strategic Plan is a document in which Council sets out what it wants to get done in its four year term. In the past that document has been worth less than the paper you printed it on. This crowd isn’t going to produce that kind of a document. The Strategic Plan is currently called Future Focus, and we are currently at the 7th version. The Mayor has plans for a much more ‘promotable’ name. Staff and Council members have done their home work and taken part in several work shops that have helped them better understand how citizens can be more involved in the development of the Strategic Plan, which won’t be completed until sometime in September. The Shape Burlington Report was the document that got this whole “more involvement” process started. The recommendations were seen as so important to the people who were involved in the development of the report that they re-invented themselves as Shaping Burlington and have stuck around to make sure that both the bureaucrats and Council members deliver on the recommendations. Who are these people?
Not every Council member is all that fond of the Shape Report but two of those elected for the first time this term were members of the original group. They are onside – to what degree only time will tell. The mayor is onside intellectually. Taylor and Dennison seem prepared to live with some of it. Meed Ward doesn’t say much about it – she wasn’t invited to sit on the original group. Craven isn’t the kind of Team player that was needed on the committee.
So you have a Council that has to respond to the public pressure and they have shown that they can listen and are capable of hearing. Staff have learned a lot in the process and appear to be coming around. They have met with citizens to discuss the document that will be made public on March 8th. The document will certainly address many of the recommendations in the original report – will it give what is needed? Do bureaucrats or politicians ever give away power?
The citizens of the city will have to decide if they have been well served by servants. If the report is not adequate – will the citizens demand that it be sent back for a re-think? Hmmm, this is Burlington, so let’s not get our hopes up too high. That the report got written in the first place and that both Council and City Hall staff` have at least responded to the document is a big step forward. Let us not falter at this point.
[box type=”shadow”]
[retweet]
[/box]
Basically it is a bunch of people who give a damn. The logged in hundreds of hour producing a report they felt could not be left to gather dust on a shelf and so they organized and lobbied and delegated and now wait to see what the city is going to do.
The only complaint one ‘might’ have with the group is that they are ‘self’ appointed. You can apply to be part of the group but the group decides who will become members. This approach invites the description: A “self appointed interest group” that was used by one Council member at a recent meeting.
Shaping Burlington consists of former members of the Mayor’s Citizen Committee on Civic Engagement (Shape Burlington) working to encourage the implementation of the Shape Burlington Report recommendations by the City of Burlington.
 |
David Auger
David Auger has lived in Burlington for twenty-five years. His career spanned banking, marketing, planning, and publishing at financial, technology, and non-profit organizations. In 2009, David founded Community Media Burlington on the notion that individuals and communities benefit from a broad-based and inclusive exchange of public dialogue, news, and information. |
 |
John Boich
John is a retired educator who has been active in local government through involvement in a number of advisory committees to City Council. |
| |
David Conrath
Dave is a retired academic (information systems) who, after 25 years at the University of Waterloo, moved into administration, most recently as the Dean of Business at McMaster and then at San Jose State (CA). He is a political neophyte who hopes to bring the perspective of an outsider to Shaping Burlington. |
| |
Ken Edwards
Ken has been active in municipal government affairs for 20 years, when he chaired a local residential committee in negotiating a large land development proposal. Since then, Ken has participated in a number of city, community and regional committees, including the redevelopment of the Burlington Art Centre, the City of Burlington Smoking Committee, Waste Water Management Committee, an information gathering committee pertaining to Governance in Halton Region, among others. |
| |
Larissa Fenn
Larissa Fenn is a Burlington-based communications professional with a background in public policy. She has developed and implemented communications and government relations strategies on topics ranging from municipal infrastructure projects, to environmental and consumer financial issues. Larissa currently leads the Communications function at a GTA Conservation Authority. |
 |
Shannon Gillies
After more than a decade working in the publishing industry, Shannon is now a teacher with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board. A lifelong resident of Burlington, she lives in the downtown core. |
| |
Mark Henderson
Mark has been an active Burlington citizen and educator for years. Currently a member of the Ward 2 Citizen’s Advisory Committee, Burlington High School Parent Council, worked on the Shape Burlington Mayor’s Advisory Committee, and helps train Chinese teachers of English in China in his spare time. |
 |
Paul Mitchell
Paul worked for more than 30 years in daily journalism, including 27 years at the Hamilton Spectator where he was Business Editor and Business Columnist. After leaving The Spectator, he joined Brickworks Communications in Burlington, where he worked with clients in both the public and private sectors, including the City of Burlington and Burlington Transit. Paul graduated from Princeton University with a bachelor’s degree in Politics and worked at the BBC in London before immigrating to Canada. |
 |
Walter Mulkewich
A Halton Regional and Burlington City Councillor from 1976 to 1991 and Mayor of Burlington from 1991 to 1997, Walter has had successful careers in education, business, and social services, and has been an active participant and leader in Burlington political and community life since 1962. |
 |
Liz Nield
For over 10 years, Liz has been involved in collaborative planning and community engagement throughout many different communities in Canada – on a wide range of topics and issues. Most of her work has been focused on public sector policy development and planning. Her passion is to better engage communities, committees, organizations, schools through all ranges of audiences. She is currently the CEO of Lura Consulting an organization focused on community-based planning and collaboration. |
 |
Peggy Russell
Peggy was a very active Halton District School Board Trustee for 10 years, including being elected Vice Chair, and continues to be involved in a wide variety of community activities regarding children, women’s and family issues. For example, she is currently a member of the Burlington Transit Advisory Committee and Poverty Free Halton as well as being involved in fund raising for the United Way via Burlington’s Amazing RACE. She has received numerous awards for her community work, including Halton Woman of the Year. |
| |
John Searles
John moved to Burlington 13 years ago from the United States where he practiced law for many years. Experience includes several years as a small business consultant in Canada and the USA. Married to a Burlington native in 1997; became Canadian citizen in 2007. |
 |
James Smith
A resident of Burlington for 23 years, James is a Designer, CAD Technologist & Instructor working with a wide range of clients across Canada and the United States and is part of Phillip H. Carter Architects Design Team that was recently given an Ontario Library Award of Excellence for Toronto’s S. Walter Stewart Branch. He is a founding member of the Burlington Conserver Society and was a member of Burlington’s Official Plan citizens advisory committee as well as serving on the board of the Burlington Arts Centre. |
| |
Roland Tanner
Roland Tanner is co-owner of Tanner Ritchie Publishing and Tanner Ritchie Web Applications, and has been based in Burlington since 2003. He manages development of websites and applications for a number of Burlington voluntary organizations and businesses, as well as publishing academic resources for leading universities and research institutions worldwide. Prior to coming to Canada, Roland worked as a historian, specializing in parliament. |
| |
Chris Walker (Chair)
Chris is a retired professional planner with wide community involvement experience e.g. the Burlington Sustainable Development Committee, the Rolling Meadows School Council, City of Burlington Council citizen representative on the Conservation Halton Board of Directors, and Shape Burlington. He is currently on the Niagara to GTA Corridor Study Community Advisory Group and the Stakeholder Advisory Group for the Dundas St. Improvement Study. He also serves on the Burlington Transit Advisory Committee and is Chair of Shaping Burlington. |
Wait a minute that’s a skate board.
By Pepper Parr
 - It doesn’t have turn signals – approach with caution.
BURLINGTON, ON February 19, 2011 – The wind was up.
And it would have been a great day for some serious sailing. One just didn’t expect to see someone sailing down Apple Valley Ln in the middle of the day.
The “sailor” didn’t look all that nautical, the helmet took away from that look, and he didn’t really have control over the tiller – basically because there was no tiller – but he was getting an A for effort and there was the sense that the perseverance he was showing was going to pay off and one could expect to see him flying up Walkers Line with a police cruiser in hot pursuit suggesting that he – well just what would the police officer have to say ? The device doesn’t need a license and I’m pretty sure it didn’t come under the Highway Traffic Act.
If you’re driving in that part of town – you might want to keep an eye out for this one.
By Staff
 - Guess this wasn’t to be campaign literature.
BURLINGTON, ON, February 21, 2011 – She isn’t going to run again. Joyce Savoline, MPP announced on Monday that she would not run for the provincial seat of Burlington that she has held since 2007. She is the third member of the Progressive Conservative Caucus to announce they will not run in the October provincial election.
Savoline has served Burlington for some time. She was with Halton Region from 1994 to 2006. In 2000 she was elected Chair of the Region.
She ran in the 2007 provincial by-election that was held when Cam Jackson gave up his Queen’s Park Seat. Savoline beat Marianne Meed Ward, but not by all that much; 21,517 for Savoline and 19,693 for Meed Ward.
Savoline was born in Shanghai, China and moved to Canada with her parents and sister in 1953. She and her husband moved to Burlington in 1973.
The race for the Burlington seat is beginning to take shape. The provincial Liberals have at least two candidates who are planning to seek the nomination.
 - Alyssa Brierley seeking the Liberal nomination.
Meanwhile Alyssa Brierly, has announced that she will seek the Burlington Liberal a student during the Mike Harris years, and I experienced first-hand the impact that the devastating cuts had on our public education and health care systems. The Liberal government has worked hard to reinvest in these areas and we simply can’t allow ourselves to go backwards.
A second Liberal with plans to see the nomination has yet to publicly announce.
Cam Jackson, a former Burlington Mayor and MPP for Burlington as well said that he has been “getting lots of phone calls” and says there is a lot of time to “think about the shifting political ground”.
By staff
It’s still not complete (is changing the look of something ever done) and there are some small changes we want to make, but the new look is basically in place and we are able to give you much more to work with and we hope a much more visually pleasant experience.
We chose a picture of the waterfront and Mt. Nemo – a sort of from the bottom to the top of the city. Over time we will change these pictures but stick with that bottom – waterfront pictures and then something from the top of the city. In about 2013 we will have a picture of the GRAND OPENING of the Brant Street Pier and maybe learn to call it (Name of some Corporation) who will pay the city huge naming rights fees to cover with the cost over runs or the legal fees the Mayor doesn’t want to tell us about – yet.
 Our Burlington – a newspaper on a web site – is very much an experiment, which so far is working out quite well. The user numbers were just fine and indicate that people read what is written. They also respond – sometimes very directly we might add. We’ve made mistakes and have posted corrections which get the same prominence as any other story – no putting them in small, small type and tucking them away in a corner.
In the months ahead we will be reaching out to the community in a number of joint ventures with other community organizations.
Recall that the objective was to run an electronic newspaper that “builds” community, gives the facts and puts what is happening or being done in context so you can understand what it means to you, your family and the business you may run in Burlington.
We have found several very senior staff members to be very open, candid and prepared to speak for background on forthcoming issues. We cover just about every Committee meeting and every Council meeting. The Council meetings are a joke, necessary but our Mayor hasn’t yet figured out how to work with the camera that records everything for Cogeco Cable broadcasts. The camera likes him – all he needs to do is trust the camera, look into the lens and speak to his constituents.
Those pictures you see down the right hand side of the screen are a delight and we thank Cal Millar for bringing them to our attention.
No station for it to stop at in Burlington.
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON February 2, 2011 – Well – there is a committee – but don’t expect that committee to keep the Freeman Station in Burlington. It is being led by council members Blair Lancaster and Marianne Meed Ward but they aren’t going to lead – they are going to facilitate.
“It is the community that is going to make this happen” declared Meed Ward at a very short city council meeting last Monday night.
Meed Ward’s comments followed a delegation by Jane Irwin who explained that the Save our Station group that was operational from 1993 to 1997 was disbanded when CNR, the people who owned the station, sold it.
 - There was a time when the Burlington station served the community just the way the Aurora station served it’s community. Can Burlington do what Aurora has done?
Irwin explained some of the history and said that the ‘what to do with the Freeman station’ question has been out there for some tine – there is reference to the station in a 1985 Waterfront Report.
The Committee that Meed Ward and Lancaster has formed will meet in February to see what the interest level is but they don’t have a lot of time to waste. There is a time limit to the effort to get back to Council with an update. Council agreed to halt any demolition efforts until the community had one last chance to save the station. Council is expecting an update at the end of April and appeared willing to give an extension then if there were positive signs that something was going to get done.
A number of months ago city hall asked for expressions of interest from people who wanted to do something with the station and while there was some response there were complaints that the requirement to post a very large bond deterred at least one group from taking up the opportunity. City staff admitted that the requirement for a bond was perhaps not the best idea.
At that Council meeting, Paul Sharman, Ward 5, patiently and graciously asked all the people who delegated at the meeting that if whatever group was formed was unable to come back to council with a solution then would they give up and let the life of the Freeman Station come to an end, and each, reluctantly agreed that this was the last chance for the station.
It was further agreed at that meeting that the group was not to revisit any of the places that Council had already turned down. This had to be a fresh approach.
Council had given up – much to their everlasting shame – and if the community does manage to come up with the solution there had better not be a single politician in sight when they cut that ribbon. Absolutely disgraceful behaviour on the part of councils going back as far as at least 1985. The various historical groups in the city don’t deserve much in the way of pats on the back either.
Irwin spoke to Council of three reports that had been prepared, one of which Irwin thought would be very valuable – Meed Ward had not heard of it and wanted to know where a copy could be obtained. Irwin advised Meed Ward that the document was in the Historical Society collection of documents at the library.
Irwin advised Council that the building could probably be designated but that it had to be on a site and not sitting in a parking lot – which is where it is now.. “The building can’t be homeless” advised Irwin – but once it has a home – it can be moved to some other location.
o it would seem that the first step is to find a decent location for the building where it can be worked on and refurbished. Meed Ward appears to expect the community to join in with the actual refurbishing and renovation of the structure.
Irwin pointed out that Aurora had managed to save its old railway station and that the Burlington station was an even better structure. Their station was just as much as mess as our station is” said Irwin implying that if we can get our act together we can have a beautifully restored building too.
 - Aurora managed to save its old railway station.
“The overwhelming wish of the community” said Irwin, “is to find a home for the station and save it.
As Irwin was preparing to end her delegation Lancaster recruited her to work on the committee that is being formed. So there is now at least four members of the community prepared to do something to save the station.
Later in the meeting when Council members had an opportunity to make comments on issues Meed Ward advised Council that she was in the process of setting up a Citizens Committee and that she has had many expressions of interest and several hundred dollars in pledges.
There will be a web site set up for this initiative (of course) and then Meed Ward asked for volunteers who could help with restoration work, grant writing, serving on a Board.
 - Looks like a good deal as fire wood.
Meed Ward advised that she and Lancaster would be stepping into the background and serving as facilitators
Lancaster did her usual positive twist and advised that there were different options being considered and all seemed very viable – but we didn’t hear a word on what some of those options might be. There’s that transparency – accountability deficiency again
The federal Stimulus money that was to be used for the station went to paving a road somewhere else in the city, so other than $145,000. that is in a fund at city hall – there is no money available to do any reconstruction. It doesn’t look very promising.
The size of the opportunity and the risk for the community has to be fully assessed. The optics could be a stumbling block.
By Pepper Parr
It was THE buzz in every coffee shop in both Hamilton and Burlington and all the truck stops in between. The following from TSN – The Sports Network
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are having a serious look at moving down the road to nearby Burlington, Ontario.
The Cats are in negotiation with a Burlington developer and his partners that would see a private consortium contribute $30 million to the Pan-Am Games stadium project that would become the new home of the CFL team.
The Tiger-Cats had been working with the city of Hamilton over the past year, but that process ended last week when Hamilton council voted down the only two options the team said made economic sense.
It is believed talks between the Tiger-Cats and the Paletta family of Burlington go back months, with the understanding that a deal would only go forward if options dried up in Hamilton. That being the case, the two sides are now working towards being able to present a business case to the Pan-Am Games committee by February 1st.
The Paletta’s own 125 acres of land located east of the Aldershot GO station and bordered on the north by Highway 403 and on the west by King Road. The land has already been zoned for sport-entertainment use.
It’s not clear how much the City of Burlington or Halton Region might be asked to contribute to the project.
 - Council is going to hear from a lot of people. Need to look for the facts and see special interests for what they are..
“I think ideally you need to have the land and a significant private-sector component and this has both,” said Tiger-Cat president Scott Mitchell. “But as it relates to Burlington it’s very preliminary and they have to make sure this works for them.”
Provincial and federal government representatives have been working with the Tiger-Cats over the past several months and would likely look favourably on a deal that would keep the team within the region.
The proposed stadium site is almost as close to downtown Hamilton as downtown Burlington and would provide easy access by car or rail for fans from Hamilton.
Ian Troop, CEO of the Pan-Am Games committee, was cautious in assessing the Ticats latest direction. The committee already has its own Plan B process underway, having already short listed Mississauga, Brampton and Markham as possible sites for a potential smaller soccer-only facility in case the CFL partnership fell through.
”I call (Burlington) an emerging idea,” said Troop. ”I understand their motives but all ideas will be subject to the same criteria we’ve been using in Hamilton. They’ve got to have the financing and the legacy in place and have it all done up with a bow by Feb. 1. There’s a lot of work to be done to have something we would consider a complete proposal.”
Some comments from TSN followers. These are a little like talk radio stuff, usually more emotional than rationale but they do give a sense of what the sports fns think – and remember – they are the people buying the tickets.
It time to get the wrecking ball warmed up, cause Ivor Wynne is going to need to be demo’d next year!!! That’s what Hamilton City council has decided to have happen!! Maybe the city should (beg) sell that land to a home developer, so they could build some new housing on that lot!! Oh by the way, Cat fans will now need to drive to Burlington, to see their team play in a brand new stadium!!! I say the city of Hamilton gain some money in the short term and they may get some nice new houses for the downtown core, as a result of Ivor Wynne’s demo!! But they lose long term, not having the football team’s as a tenant!! Whatever happens, it’s all on Hamilton city council heads for this mess they created!!!
 - There are going to be a lot of opinions in the next month.
Another comment: The City of Glendale built a rink because their land was cheaper than that in Phoenix and it was a great opportunity for them. The team is called Phoenix Coyotes. The senators play in Kanata, there are lots of examples like this. Hamilton simply does not have a suitable location, Burlington has a great location available. Let Burlington reap the rewards of being closely located to Hamilton and build a stadium. Hamiltonians enjoy Burlington amenities and vise versa….big deal! This area deserves to continue to have CFL football, and this will accomplish this. Way to go Bob Young. I hope something terrific gets built at the West Harbor site in Hamilton, not some office building.
And yet another: Been a Ticat fan for more than 50 years and now drive 300 km to get to the games. I’ll miss IWS because it’s a great place to watch a football game but it makes absolutely no difference to me if they move to a stadium in Aldershot. It just makes getting to the games a whole lot simpler with easy access from the 403. And yes I’m sure they’d still be called the Hamilton Tiger Cats.
These are opinions and they shed some light on feelings. The decision Burlington is going to make has to be based on facts. Let’s get the facts.
By Pepper Parr
Like Sgt. Friday in the old TV series “Dragnet” used to say, “Only the facts M’am. Just give me the facts.” Eric Cunningham, former member of the provincial legislature for a Hamilton constituency and a consultant for both the Paletta family as well as a consultant for the Tiger Cats – sounds like he is the guy who acts as the go between – is trying to get some facts on the table but can’t get heard with all the noise in the room
Cunningham points out that a move to Burlington for the team is not the end of the world for Tiger Cat fans – they will be given an opportunity to get their seasons tickets on a first come first served basis and the team will recognize the rights of all the existing ticket holders. “And”, adds Cunningham, “the name of the team is not going to change.” One commentator points out that the Ottawa Senators don’t play in Ottawa, their arena is in Kanata, a couple of miles from downtown Ottawa. Almost the same distance between Hamilton and Burlington – a hop, skip and a jump
Cunningham has a problem with some of what he calls “really stupid remarks by people who should know better” and points to comments made earlier in the week by Marianne Meed Ward on a Hamilton television station. Cunningham was “horribly disappointed with MA Meed Ward comments on CHCH” She was “against a proposal that she has not seen. I know she is new but??? there is no ask yet. He added: “She has no idea how much the tiger Cats etc could bring in. Troubling.” Meed Ward is the council member for Ward in Burlington. Remember now, Cunningham does earn an income from two of the players in this game – that doesn’t mean his comments don’t count, he is closer to one set of facts than anyone else at this point.
 What our Council has to do is dig out those facts and determine if there is a real opportunity for the city. A number of years ago the Economic Development Corporation did a feasibility study on a hockey arena – are we digging out that report, updating it and putting more facts on the table?
Were this a corporate situation – there would be a team of smart people crunching numbers and asking the hard questions. They would be working long hours. Did anyone burn any midnight oil at city hall over the holidays? Most of the council members have been on the telephone much of the time the last few days.
Based on the city’s organization chart it is safe to assume that Scott Stewart, General Manager – Community Services, will lead the task of pulling together the data and writing the report the Mayor has asked for. Stewart is a solid guy – no nonsense with him, however he doesn’t have all that much in the way of bench strength to support him and there isn’t much time to bring in outside help. But Stewart will put his shoulder to the wheel and get this done.
 - We are going to have to push hard to get the homework done. Stewart can do it and we will have the facts we need.
Just what is it we are looking at here?
What we are looking at is a situation where the PanAm Games organizers will have to determine on February 1st whether or not Hamilton is going to be able to build the stadium needed for the soccer games and if Hamilton can’t do that, they – The Games organizers – have to find another location, and they don’t have a lot of time. We don’t know for certain if Hamilton is not going to be able to agree to actually build a stadium but the prospects don’t look all that good.
Burlington has this very narrow window of opportunity to determine if this is a good thing for the city. It could be but we don’t know that yet. And in the next few weeks there will be any number of people with special interests of their own trying to convince the city to do what they want. The city has to look at just the facts.
We have two people on Council with well honed business smarts and a couple who have been around a long time and know how things work in the municipal world and the ways of developers. We also have two new members who are learning and this is there opportunity to learn – listen, look at the data and make a reasoned, sound judgment.
This Council has an opportunity to go forward and do something right. Let’s use the brains we have and show the world that Burlington is a “smart” community. The Pier is a fiasco – this opportunity doesn’t need to go down the same path.
Cunningham makes a point. Lets get the facts on the table and then debate. Ward 5 council member Paul Sharman is choosing to be very cautious. He wants something in the way of guarantees to ensure that the city doesn’t get stuck with costs that will force it to cut back on other projects. Very good point but as that political wag John Boich pointed out: “This is the opportunity of a century and we need to look at it very, very closely.”
Let’s do that.
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON December 28, 2010 – Mayor Rick Goldring and Ward 1 Council member Rick Craven met with the owners of the Hamilton Tiger Cats after a Christmas Eve telephone call about the “possibility” of the team locating in Burlington at a site in the Aldershot community
There is talk of a triple A hockey team coming to the community which would add an arena to the mix. Add in the parking lots and the hotel that would be part of the complex and you have a financial draw that would result in restaurants, clubs and all the other commercial ventures that cluster around this type of economic focal point.
A spokesperson from the Mayors office said the rest of the Council had been advised of the discussions and that there was enough interest for the Mayor to get into more detailed discussions. City staff has been directed to prepare a detailed report for a January 6th meeting – so much for their holiday.
The proposed site is a piece of property between Waterdown Road and King Road and between the 403 and the GO train tracks.
The Tiger Cats are basically going to be without a stadium to play in – with the Hamilton city council unable to agree on a location for a new stadium that meets needs of the football team’s owners and the group organizing the PanAm games to be played in 2015.
Hamilton couldn’t agree on Coronation Park, couldn’t afford the millions for the CPR yards, the west harbour didn’t work for the team owners and the Mountain site was also out.
 With nowhere to go – unless significant sums were sunk into renovating the old Ivor Wynne Stadium the Hamilton football team was running out of options. There was never going to be another opportunity like the one the PanAm games had dropped on their doorstep.
Wowy Kazowy – this is big time stuff … in Burlington?
The Aldershot location gives the football team owners what they need and that is exposure on a main traffic route – it doesn’t get much more main than the 403. Access to public transit – the GO train tracks are right beside the property which is owned by the Paletta family who are reported to own 54% of the employment lands in Burlington.
Those requirements are exactly what the PanAm games people were looking for as well. One can see talk of a swap that would have Burlington employments lands rezoned for housing and the Aldershot property becoming available at a price the players can afford. This now is pure speculation – but then that is what developers do – they speculate.
Burlington doesn’t have a dime to contribute to this initiative however it does have zoning power and the Paletta family and the planners will surely have one of those “you give us this and we could give you that” conversations. Developers like to call these “win-win” situations.
Queen’s Park has money and the PanAm Games organization would dearly love to get a soccer stadium in place in time for those games in 2015. Gosh, Burlington might yet get Pan Am Games soccer.
While Queen’s Park has the dollars Burlington doesn’t have the Rolodex that former Mayor Cam Jackson had and no one on city council knows quite who to call.
Enter stage left: Halton Region Chair Gary Carr who does have a Rolodex and people will take his calls. Carr can certainly see the huge economic boost that a sports complex would bring to Halton. As one politically connected wag put it: “This is one of those once in a century opportunities for Burlington but we have to have real good political smarts to pull this off.” Carr could well end up being the guy who carries the pig skin.
Queen’s Park would love to send Burlington money but we have to ask for it and we don’t know quite how to do that. Come October there are two provincial government seats up for grabs, Burlington and Halton. The Liberals want those seats and a sports complex could be just the trick to take them both away from the Tories. Joyce Savoline is said to be ready to retire but there isn’t the name of a candidate they can put on a lawn sign yet – unless the lawyer with the political ambitions decides he can find the energy to actually run a campaign. Ted Chudleigh could also go down if there were a serious challenge.
The trick then is to bring the community on side. An opportunity for the Burlington council to show how they would use the words: transparency, public input and community involvement is staring our Council in the face. Are they up to it? They aren’t doing all that well with the Pier but that wasn’t a problem they created (well some of them certainly have to wear some of that responsibility for that one, but all will be redeemed if the Hamilton Tiger Cats play on a field in Burlington.
If the city can build enough public support for an Aldershot sports complex they could overcome the bad taste the Pier with it’s 2013 “grand opening” day and $10 million price tag have left in the mouths of many. Pulling off something like this also gives the Region of Halton one heck of a financial boost.
A stadium in the Aldershot community would shift the financial focus of Burlington from Brant Street west because the plans being discussed include a football field that could accommodate soccer and with very few additions a track and field facilities.
The Burlington Downtown Business Association will become small fish when compared to what the Aldershot BIA grows into – and what do you think this opportunity is going to do to the development of the city’s Strategic Plan?
Mayor Goldring has shown some leadership in that unlike some of our previous Mayors he consulted with his team and is listening to what they have to say. Kudos for the Mayor on that one.
How did all this come about …
It all started with a Christmas Eve phone call from Scott Mitchell, president of the Hamilton Tiger Cat Football Club to Mayor Goldring which led to a led to a meeting with Mayor Goldring and ward 1 council member Rick Craven who has been an advocate for sorts facilities in his ward for some time.
But it all goes back even further than that. This is actually a circle that began when Goldring, then ward 5 council member, voted for the PanAm soccer games being played in Sherwood Forest park. He reversed his vote on that idea when his constituents revolted and said not in our back yard. That took the location for soccer games to New City Park which doesn’t yet have a building permit.
Meanwhile, down the road a bit Hamilton proves that it is even more dysfunctional than Burlington and keeps voting against different proposals for a new stadium in that city.
In deep background is the fact that the Paletta family own a chunk of land that the Hamilton Tiger Cats are said to covet but no one wants to makes a move until Hamilton completes their self destruction.
The municipal election puts a new Mayor in both the Hamilton city council and the Burlington Council. Burlington gets a guy that is quite a bit softer in approach than his predecessor while Hamilton gets a radio announcer who isn’t able to get his council to agree on a location for a stadium in that city.
 - Stadium looks a little crowded – team needs more room.
An outfit called HOSTCO (they are the people that are organizing the PanAm games) are getting really antsy and they tell Hamilton that they have to make a decision by February 1st on a stadium location or the soccer games go somewhere else – with Markham, Mississauga and Brampton getting mention as possibilities.
With Hamilton going nowhere that’s when the Christmas Eve phone calls get made – and the making of a deal begins to take shape.
HOSTCO doesn’t say – “this is a great idea” – they wait for Hamilton to completely self destruct. Meanwhile the Paletta people, the Hamilton Tiger Cat organization and Burlington’s city council meet and pow wow and see what can be done.
If there is a sports complex in the Aldershot community by 2015 it will be because Hamilton really blew it and Rick Goldring reversed his vote on Sherwood Forest.
Could this really happen?
There are enough people with the kind of money needed who are ‘interested’ in being at the table but Hamilton has to first finish with screwing up the opportunity they have.
The Tiger Cat ownership may well be using their meeting with Mayor Goldring to squeeze the Hamilton city Council – that’s the way the big money guys play the game.
BUT – if Hamilton does fail to come up with a location that is acceptable to the HOSTCO guys then Burlington is certainly in the running. Ya gotta know that the telephone lines are burning with everyone calling everyone.
All it will take to get this through Burlington’s council is four votes and the Mayor has what he needs to make this happen if the financial numbers are right. Craven is in, Taylor and Dennison will be in – if the numbers are right. Sharman will love the idea – this is just the kind of game he loves to play – and he is good at it. He will be in. Lancaster will want to ensure that best practices are followed and then her vote will be in. Could Meed Ward be the odd man out on this one?
Both Ward 2 council member Marianne Meed Ward and Craven of Ward 1 put a note on their Facebook pages. Craven linked his people to the Spec article and Meed Ward commented that there was a $30 million shortfall in the funding and said “this is not a done deal.” It would be nice to see this Council, after looking at all the numbers and doing the due diligence, stand and give a unanimous vote to go forward. A chance to show Hamilton how it’s done. Goldring has instructed city staff` to prepare a report for a January 6th meeting. Good solid first step Mr. Mayor – keep your cards close to your chest and don’t give away the farm – but bring the bacon home.
The PanAm Games in Burlington, in a new sports complex in 2015 – do you suppose the first soccer game could take place before the Pier opens?
By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON December 31, 2010 – The city of Burlington has begun to set the ground rules for any business it might do with the Hamilton Tiger Cats. You want to deal with us, says the city – put it in writing.
Yesterday the city formally requested an Expression of Interest from the Tiger Cats. “Without something in writing we don t really have anything to consider”, said a spokes person for the Mayor.
Let’s see what the football players come back with. Good on our guys for doing it right. Up front, out front and transparent.
Stay tuned as this story breaks.
Women’s soccer teams
Want time slots back.
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON January 9, 2011 – A soccer Mom is someone you do not want to tangle with and a soccer Mom that also plays soccer – well steer clear of her and for heaven’s sake don’t get into an argument.
The Burlington Youth Soccer Club management is about to learn that lesson – they have run afoul of the Burlington Woman’s Recreational Soccer League, a 120 member organization that has been getting out on the soccer field for more than ten years, usually on Monday evenings and they are ticked because someone has taken their Monday night time slots – and they want them back.
 The field on which this argument is taking place is at Sherwood Forest Park in the east end of the city. Two domes are located in the park along with an a number of outdoor soccer pitches. The facility is managed by the Burlington Youth Soccer Club (BYSC) who are responsible for allocating the time available. The park is owned by the city; the domes were paid for by the city under an arrangement where they city created a debenture that the BYSC pays down each month. The first dome proved to be very so successful that a second dome was erected.
The woman got into the habit pf playing their games on Monday nights and that worked for awhile but then things got out of whack and the woman found that their time slot was not longer available to them and they tried to work out a better arrangement with the BYSC but that got them nowhere.
The city parks staff got involved and that didn’t get as far as the woman wanted it to get – they just wanted their Monday night time slot back. So they took their complaint to city council where everyone appeared before Community Services Committee.
Each side got up to tell their side of the story and the facts offered weren’t always the same. The BYSC explained that the Burlington Soccer League had put up $100,000. of the cost of the first dome for which they got exclusive rights to 15 hours a week, Monday to Friday
The woman began to wonder if there wasn’t a bit of gender discrimination going on and so they had a lawyer send a letter – and whenever individual rights and the abuse of those rights gets thrown into the mix and a lawyer’s letter is added – everyone sits up and pays attention.
Council members really didn’t want the problem on their hands but now that is was in front of them – they began asking questions. The BYSC is going to wish that they had just given the woman what they wanted because now council wants to know what happens to all the money that is raised through rentals of the domed fields. Mention was made of kick boxing events, rugby games and field hockey. How much money is raised wondered Ward 5 council member Paul Sharman and he wanted staff to have an audit done on the agreement the BYSC has with the city.
When the manager of the Burlington Soccer League (these are the people that put up the $100,000 and in return got exclusive use of 15 hours of after 8 pm time five days a week) admitted that his League didn’t always use the time that was theirs and that they were then re-selling that time to other organizations the woman were crying foul and Sharman wanted to take a closer look at the books,
Matters weren’t helped when the manager of the Soccer League described himself as the “hired gun” for the League and then admitted that the Monday evening time slot in dome 2 was being used for pick up soccer games, other council members looked somewhat askance.
By the time all the council members had their say – it was evident that things weren’t running smoothly with BYSC but Council didn’t want to have to resolve the problem so they agreed to send it back to the Parks and Recreation staff with a clear direction to solve the problem. Scott Stewart, General Manager, Community Services was described by Mayor Goldring as “the perfect guy with the perfect style” and given the task to clean up the mess.
The woman will get their time slot, auditors will take a closer look at the contract BYSC has with the city and, well you never know what you find when you open the books. BYSC is described as an organization that spends more on staff then they do on uniforms and equipment for the youth playing soccer. A staff of eight people run the organization that has a president earning in excess of $90,000 a year.
BYSC is the oldest not for profit soccer organization in Canada, established in 1962. The BYSC today has over 7,900 male and female youth soccer players, ranging in age from U4 – U21, enrolled in numerous outdoor and indoor programs. It is run by a volunteer board. Someone on that Board is going to ask why this situation got so out of hand that it got to city council and now the auditors are going to start asking all kinds of questions.
Score one for the Moms.
Delivered at a Burlington Chamber of Commerce Breakfast
January 20, 2011
I have to tell you….the first time I became aware of this event was September 22, at the Chamber Lunch where General Rick Hillier was guest speaker.
A PowerPoint presentation announced the Mayor’s State of the City Address would take place on January 20th. It was a very sobering moment during the campaign as I remember thinking, THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE I could be the one delivering that address.
I have so much respect for both the current and past leadership as well as the members of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce.
During the late 80’s and early 90’s, I had the opportunity to serve on the Chamber Board as Chair of the Political Action Committee, Chair of the Financial Trade Show Committee as well as a member of the Career Education Committee.
During the election campaign, I would often think of how I would be spending my time if I was not successful. In addition to being back full time in business, I would definitely want to play a meaningful role in this organization.
I am honoured to be able to present a State of the City address this morning.
My first draft simply stated “things are great…any questions”………. however, I expect that everyone here is looking for a little more insight than that.
My remarks today will focus on the current State of our City; what my Vision is for the City; and a five-step action plan to achieve these objectives.
When you leave this morning, I hope you remember just four things:
- My Vision for Burlington is a place that is viewed as affordable, inclusive and complete.
- I will lead our City by listening and learning from others and wherever possible building consensus.
- Working together, we will tackle the challenges ahead with a measured approach that balances our wants, our needs and our ability to pay.
- What you see is what you get. Expect me to be honest, direct, clear and enthusiastic. A Mayor that values gaining and maintaining your trust and confidence.
Now a little bit of background about me.
- I speak honestly and directly. I haven’t yet learned the art of the non-answer.
- The Pan Am/Ticat Aldershot stadium discussion provided me with great on the job training but I still have a lot to learn.
- I am a sports fan and love going to live events especially NASCAR races. I go to several races a year with some long time friends and don’t see that changing.
- I was a hardcore runner and ran on average 35 miles per week for 20 years and completed five full marathons. However I am now happy to get to the “Y” 3-4 times a week.
- Many people know that Cheryl and I have seven daughters between us.
- And oh yes, I recently changed jobs.
Current State of the City
As you all know in this room, we have all just come through a global recession. Canada has weathered the storm very well. While Ontario has experienced challenges especially in the manufacturing sector and Burlington has experienced some of this, we have come through the recession in good shape.
Our local unemployment rate peaked in 2009 at 9.2% and is now reported at 7.6%. This is higher than we would like to see, however the trend is going in the right direction.
The Burlington Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) reports that we have added 852 new jobs in Burlington, up from 577 in 2009. We remain prosperous.
Burlington has the 16th highest family income in Canada and remains more affordable than Oakville, Newmarket, Mississauga, Milton, Hamilton, Toronto, and Richmond Hill.
At both City and Regional Council, we like to talk about complete communities and 2010 saw progress in this area.
The City has started setting aside funds to support the $312 million Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital re-development and expansion.
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre that is on time and on budget will be open in the fall of this year. This is a significant addition to the cultural fabric of the whole city and will provide significant positive impact to the continuing development of our downtown.
Individuals and corporations have contributed over 10.3 million dollars toward the capital cost of the facility. The facility is governed by an independent board composed of a broad cross section of people including entrepreneurs, business owners, executives, as well as people with experience in the arts.
A new twin pad opened at Appleby Ice Centre in the fall of 2010, providing continuing opportunities for youth and adults to remain active. The Users have funded a large part of the project.
In 2010, the DeGroote School of Business of McMaster University opened the new Ron Joyce Centre in Burlington. This outstanding facility is the centre for the DeGroote MBA program.
Also, Charles Sturt University, one of Australia’s largest publically funded universities has expanded its Ontario Campus in Burlington to offer Degrees in Education, Science, and Business with plans to add Degrees in Nursing and other fields and to grow into a full-fledged multi-disciplinary University.
Yes, there has been capital spending, however because of the recession, much of the spending was at costs lower than originally budgeted.
One of the best times for the public sector to build is during an economic downturn when resources are available and costs are reduced. As an example, the projected cost of the Appleby Arena dropped by over $3.0 million with the recession and Performing Arts Centre was able to include many important components to the building that we originally thought would be deferred into the future.
Federal and provincial stimulus dollars have helped this City and province manage through the recession.
In total, the City received some $22.4 million in Senior Government Funding through various stimulus programs. This stimulus funding provided for among others:
- Appleby Arena
- New dressing rooms at Nelson Arena
- Paving of multi-use pathways which are seeing increased use
- Northeast Burlington Fire Station # 8
- New Transit Operations Centre
In addition, at the Regional level we received $90 million towards the upgrade and expansion of the Skyway Wastewater facility on the Beachway. Not very exciting, but a very important investment in our Regional infrastructure.
Traffic is being improved with the King Road Grade Separation and the Waterdown Road Interchange.
Our City also saw some key improvements in Public Transit.
The Presto fare payment system was introduced in May this year and will ultimately improve the usability of our system and connect Burlington’s transit system with the GTA network.
Burlington Transit ridership increased by 5.4% in 2010 and the introduction of low floor fully accessible buses has dramatically improved accessibility.
The Burlington Public Library is reaching customers in new ways and has put access to the Library in the palm of your hand with the City’s first mobile APP.
Our best practices and outstanding staff were recognized this year with a number of awards and honours.
The City continues to be an innovative municipal leader.
City Finances
I think it appropriate to also speak to the financial status of the City itself.
Based on my education and experience I’d give us a B+.
Taxes are comparable with other communities. Our balance sheet has a little more debt than I would like to see and we have seen a moderate deterioration in asset maintenance spending.
The City has $2.0 billion in fair market value assets. Roads and facilities are the bulk of the assets. We need to spend about 2% per year of fair market value just to protect and maintain these assets. We have not been doing that.
Municipal councils throughout Canada have similar challenges and have to juggle priorities and balance the need for infrastructure renewal, with additional services and other community needs.
Over the last four years the City portion of property taxes increased by 29%.
I have set a target of 10% over the next four years and I want to keep this number a priority in our civic agenda.
I’d like to talk a little bit about why 10%.
- First, we need to set targets that are meaningful and achievable and I believe that this target is both.
- Second, I believe that it is time to review our services and operating structure. Our operating structure has been relatively static for 15 plus years and the City has changed in culture, size, demographics, development profile and needs.
It is my observation that despite the tax rate increases that we have experienced, council continues to ask staff to do more with less and this cannot continue. We need to take a different approach.
- Thirdly, the City has to think long term about its human resources. Over the next four years we have a number of staff retiring. If we want the right people, the City should be an attractive place to work and build a career. It is in all our best interests.
- Fourth, I believe that the City has to review its processes and its use of technology and communications tools to be more productive and more effective.
- Lastly, I want to restore a culture at the City of Burlington where Council, Staff and Community are working together to fulfill the long term vision of the city.
I believe that our circumstances call for an focused, collaborative and measured approach with the objective being an updated City Hall operation which deals with 21st century issues using 21st century technology, people and processes and which demonstrates the ability to operate within a sustainable economic plan.
As we move forward together we have some key challenges:
- Burlington is now growing more slowly than any other community in the GTA and will see less revenue as a result.
We will have to approach City operations and services in a different way.
- Burlington’s demographics are changing. Burlington is soon expected to have 20% of its population at retirement age or older.
These key issues lead us to the key questions that we as a community have to address:
- How do we live within our means with slower growth and a changing demographic profile?
- How do we re-align the City’s services to meet the needs and priorities of the community?
- How do we keep a motivated professional staff in place at the City and deal with the costs?
- How do we support and grow our local economy to maintain our quality of life?
Some thoughts on City Issues of the Day
Community Engagement: We have a very engaged community with an abundance of service groups, special interest groups, volunteer sports groups, foundations and fundraising organizations. That said, we can do a better job getting the views of our citizens.
During my first term as a Ward Councillor I conducted several leading edge community consultation processes. These were very effective and helpful and I believe that this type of engagement is an example of ways to improve our connection with the community.
Downtown and the Waterfront: We have an excellent Downtown / Waterfront Plan which was developed with extensive public consultation and included input from over 1400 citizens.
I plan to revisit it through a public symposium, and update it to ensure it continues to reflect a 10-20 year community vision. We also have to expand this neighborhood approach to other areas of the City.
The Pier: The new Council has spent 14 hours in briefings on this issue and is united in our resolve to complete this project. We will fix this as quickly and as cost effectively as possible.
Thinking of community-building brings to mind a recent inspiring speech by Barack Obama last week.
Some of the themes spoke to me and I’d like to share with you now.
– We need to keep the ‘civil’ in civil society.
– We need to be more respectful towards others, and rediscover the virtue of humility and modesty in private and public life.
– We need less ego. In City-building, we need more ‘we’ not ‘me’.
– We need to accept that we live in a complex world. The challenges we face are complex.
– The truth is not always black and white.
– Solutions to every problem are not always quick, easy, simple or even possible.
– We need to listen better.
– We need to be willing to work with others to achieve agreement, even if it means compromise.
– We need to accept that a meaningful community debate means sometimes hearing what isn’t popular. Achieving good public policy is most often a messy process.
– We need to have the courage to share our ideas with one another and encourage others to contribute and improve on these ideas.
A Vision of Burlington
So it’s fair to ask, what is my Vision of the City, and how will we achieve it together?
I feel we should continue to strive to make Burlington an affordable, inclusive, complete community.
Affordable so new families can move here and seniors can stay in their community. Inclusive and complete communities offer an attractive quality of life.
It’s time to take a regional view of the place we call home. Let’s appreciate and embrace the amenities, services and facilities next door as part of our unique Quality of Life.
McMaster, a university ranked in the top one percent of comprehensive universities globally is a 10 minute drive away and we have easy access to Mohawk and Sheridan Colleges.
We have an emerging technology centre in Kitchener-Waterloo an hour away with one of the most successful technology companies in the world.
We also have a world recognized wine district in Niagara.
And Burlington sits in the epicenter of all these amenities and attractions.
My Vision for the City also rests on a foundation of entrepreneurship and innovation.
Enterprise and the amazing contribution business create through wealth-generation, jobs and prosperity is what will help keep Burlington an affordable, inclusive and complete community. The Burlington business community must continue to thrive for all of us to prosper.
So what will Burlington look like 25 years from now?
Imagine:
– A city of about 193,000 nestled on the lake with an escarpment and a rural backyard.
– A city with a strong local economy which allows more people to work close to home.
– A public transportation network which connects Burlington with the GTHA and allows us all to move around better and preserve the environment.
– Increased access to lifelong learning opportunities so that our community can compete and thrive in a global economy.
– An inclusive community which provides for youth and seniors and is a tolerant and cultural oasis in the region.
– A beautiful and well-maintained city with unique and diverse neighbourhoods that are pedestrian and cycle friendly.
– A community that values and achieves sustainability through clearly defined ecological and environmental practices
To achieve this Vision I’m proposing a five-step action plan.
- We need a New Strategic Planning process for the community. Council will be defining a very different process that will provide all citizens a variety of opportunities to provide input into the future of our city. The result will be a more meaningful and measureable civic strategic plan.
- I am proposing to start a new relationship with our community stakeholders with the Mayor’s Community Roundtable. We will have our first conversation next week. The 25 or so Community leaders attending represent a broad cross section of the community through their members, congregations and participants.
- I will be introducing a series of lectures leading up to our next Official Plan review to inspire Burlington to look at ways of changing and improving our quality of life.
- We need to support efforts of the BEDC and the Chamber and others to bring new business to our community and to help existing businesses be successful. Burlington needs to be open for Business including not-for-profit, co-ops and other forms of emerging social entrepreneurship.
- We will create a 4 year financial plan to maintain a manageable level of taxation and live within our means while delivering the services the community wants and this plan will be sustainable in the long term.
In summary, we live in a prosperous caring community blessed with a tremendous natural environment. We have the opportunity to live an urban, suburban or a rural lifestyle. We have the infrastructure and the services needed to provide for the community and most importantly we have a community of citizens that show their commitment every day to our city and the people that live in it. Our opportunities are many and it is up to all of us to build our community to care for those around us. I have complete confidence that we can do this together.
Thank You.
|
|
