 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON June 7, 2012 “Democracy or Harper”, is the theme for a group in Hamilton that intends to march on the office of Hamilton area MP David Sweet, the member of the House of Commons for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale riding. The marchers are protesting the 425-page ‘budget implementation act’ – would change over 70 laws ranging from nearly every federal environmental law, to the pension age and rules for the unemployed.
 Marvelous Mike Wallace amongst friends - but are they constituents? There are apparently no plans for such a protest from Burlington citizens – we apparently don’t do that type of thing here. If a person is unemployed they probably come from Hamilton and that’s there problem. As for the environment – well, what to say. The turbine that was to go on the pier wasn’t going to make all that much of a difference was it?
The groups are also organizing a public forum on Saturday, June 16 in the Dundas Town Hall (Osler and Governor’s Road) from 1 to 3 pm, to which they are inviting all local MP’s to speak about the omnibus bill and explain their positions.
Don’t expect Marvelous Mike to be at that one.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON June 7, 2012 They first of all ensure that you aren’
 The police cannot protect our propert without help from the public. t home by either ringing your doorbell or calling the house.
If you`re not home – they kick in the door and proceed to ransack daytime residential break-ins that have occurred in the Headon Forest, Millcroft, Alton Village and Orchard communities of Burlington.
The Halton Regional Police are investigating a number of daytime residential break-ins that have occurred in the Headon Forest, Millcroft, Alton Village and Orchard communities of Burlington.
Eight reported incidents have occurred since February 25th and investigation has revealed these occurrences are likely connected. In all eight cases the front door is kicked open and the suspects primarily search for gold jewellery. Gold jewellery of South Asian origin is particularly sought after.
What can a homeowner do? Short of putting a stout piece of wood or an iron bar across the door – which kind of takes something away from the décor of the house doesn’it – all the public can rely upon is watchful neighbours or some kind of home alarm system. These are not that expensive and certainly worth looking into. There is one with a $99 set up and $495 a month -0 less than the repairs you would have to do if you got an unwelcome call.
As always – keep the police informed – they can`t do their job without your help.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON June 6, 2012 There are fewer of them every year. Those that do show up carry the scars from their experiences and memories that are old but not forgotten.
D Day – the day the allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy and began the process of taking Europe back from the Axis forces.
 D Day flag party approaching the Naval Memorial at Spencer Smith Park. Some 15,000 Canadian troops stormed those beaches. The day before nine minesweepers had crept in under the cover of darkness to clear shipping lanes for the landing craft with soldiers and equipment aboard.
More than 1,500 of the men who stormed the beach never made it home.
 Hamilton was represented at the D Day service This morning at the Naval Memorial a group of maybe 40 people were on hand. The sun was bright, the colour party, showing its age trooped along the waterfront walkway and presented their colours. The salute was taken, prayers were said. It was quiet.
Our MP was in Ottawa, his wife filled in for him. Our MPP was at Queen’s Park; one of her administrative assistants filled in for her. The Regional Chair was on hand.
The city was not represented. Six council members and a Mayor on our city council. Too busy I guess.
The veterans have a piece of poetry that is brought out on occasions like this. It goes:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn. `At the going down of the sun and in the morning. We will remember them.
We will indeed remember a city council that was unable to muster the decency to respect the memory of the men and the ships we lost to protect a democracy that allows them to hold office.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON June 6th, 2012 – Advocacy is getting a little bit slicker in Burlington. The people that want to make it a better world and do it on their own dime are now sporting flashy corporate logo and getting their proceedings on cable television. – and bringing in some heavy hitters when it comes to speakers.
If Burlington is going to see any real change in the transit service it offers – the crowd behind Bfast, – Burlington for Accessible Transit is going to need all the clout it can muster. At the Public session on the new “interim” routes transit is going to try for a period of about 18 months, our people in the field tell us that not a single politician appeared. In Aldershot the ward Councillor did appear but other than a student who we think might have been lost there was no public.
 Former Planning chief for Toronto and a past director of Metrolinx, Paul Bedford will speak to transit advocates at the Public Library June 11. BFAST has invited former Toronto Chief Planner and director of Metrolinx, Paul Bedford to talk about how transit can be adequately funded. Council is meeting at the same time and so will miss the presentation. However it will be on Cogeco Cable – they can catch it there.
Takes place on Monday, June 11 at 7.00 p.m. in the Centennial Room at the Burlington Central Public Library, 2331 New Street. He will speak on transit issues in urban areas, the GTA and funding the Metrolinx Big Move.
 BFAST will provide information about its mission, the current issues with Burlington transit, especially the proposed cuts to service in the proposed Burlington Transit Interim Transit Plan.
BFAST is a new citizens group in Burlington. It is a coalition of interested individuals and organizations whose purpose is “To make transit better for Burlington residents and businesses.” You can contact this new group at BFASTransit@gmail.com
While Burlington fusses over its 54 bus fleet and people complain about empty buses driving by their homes the province looks at a much bigger picture and searches for a way to integrate transportation between the various communities stretching through what is referred to as the GTHA – The Greater Toronto Hamilton Area – and Burlington is part of the west end of that reach into Hamilton.
 The solution the province came up with was a document called The Big Move that was put together to a significant degree by former Burlington Mayor Rob MacIsaac. It’s the $50 billion transportation plan the Toronto region can’t afford not to build. But where the money will come from still has to be figured out.
With 100 specific projects in the plan, the Metrolinx proposals will add 1,150 kilometres of new transit lines over the next 25 years.
Titled The Big Move: Transforming Transportation in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, the recommendations would ensure that 75 per cent of residents find themselves living within 2 kilometres of a dedicated rapid transit line, up from 42 per cent now.
 Paul Bedford, transit advocate who will speak to Burlington Bfast types, has some well developed opinions on transit. should be a good listen. Although the car would remain the dominant mode of transport in the large region under the Metrolinx vision, the percentage of trips taken on transit would increase to about 26 per cent, up from 16.5. Greenhouse gas emissions from cars would decline to 1.5 tonnes from 2.4 tonnes today.
Metrolinx hopes to spend $500 million on building 7,500 kilometres of on- and off-road bike lanes. It also wants a series of transportation hubs around the region to make it easy to transfer from one mode of transportation to another.
That’s the bigger picture – Burlington meanwhile is looking for ways to stop the bleeding on the financial side of its transit system by moving service levels to the routes that have decent ridership.
We have some distance to go on getting transit right in this city.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON June 6, 2012 Mayor Rick Goldring has upped the ante with his Inspire speaker series – bringing in motivational speaker Chris Crowley, who has been on the New York Times best seller for a book he co-authored with Henry S. Lodge M.D. They’ve sold over a million copies and have been translated into 20 languages worldwide.
Crowley a refugee from Wall Street, will be speaking at the Ron Joyce Centre, DeGroote School of Business on June 12, 2012 at 7 p.m. The online registration is now closed. If you would like to attend – please call 905-335-7607.
Admission is Free and open to all; seats available on first-come, first-served basis with registration. We will be offering a shuttle bus service from the Burlington Downtown Terminal at 6:15 p.m., with one stop at the Burlington Mall in the parking lot on the north west corner at 6:30 p.m. and arrival at DeGroote for 6:45 p.m. The shuttle will return along the same route, leaving DeGroote at approximately 8:45 p.m.
If audience reaction is any measure – Crowley is going to be a smash hit:
“Chris spoke to our manufacturing leadership team last Saturday morning. Wow! What a hit! Everyone is talking about it and they want to know when can he come back! I strongly recommend Chris to anyone, who is interested in improving their health or influencing others too improve. ”
—Dave Clark, VP of Operations, Bath Iron Works (Builder of major, surface ships for the U.S. Navy)
“What a pleasure!…All the audience responses rated you ‘excellent’. THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.”
“From the moment you began until the very end, you had the audience’s undivided attention . You were ENTERTAINING, INFORMATIVE ANED DEFINITELY THOUGHT PROVOKING. You are spreading AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE THAT IS CHANGING LIVES EVERYWHERE. How rewarding that must feel for you. Congratulations and keep up the good work.” ”
Teresa Trembreull, President, The Business Bank, Minneapolis Minnesota
“Chris spoke at the annual retreat of our informal group of senior executives and I have to say he was one of the most inspiring speakers we have ever had over the two decades we’ve been getting together. Our views of the future were completely changed and each one of us is already at work becoming younger next year.”
Joni Evans, Former Chairman — Simon & Schuster, super agent at William Morris etc. New York City
“Let me say how much I and everyone else enjoyed your talk at La Quinta. You were terrific!”
David Beck, President — American College of Trial Lawyers
“What a home run! You were the perfect catalyst and Keynote Speaker for our “Reversing The Aging Process …Symposium….a trumpet call that gives us hope.”
Bill White, CEO THW Design, International Architects, and Founder, The Vital Nation. Atlanta, Georgia
“He is a terrific speaker, the topic was electrifying and our members loved it.”
Tom Kittredge, Mountain States Young Presidents Organization. Charleston W. Va.
 So – what is all the fuss about? According to the blurb on the book – here s what Crowley is talking about.
“Turn back your biological clock. A breakthrough book for men—as much fun to read as it is persuasive— draws on the very latest science of aging to show how men 50 or older can become functionally younger every year for the next five to ten years, and continue to live like fifty-year-olds until well into their eighties. To enjoy life and be stronger, healthier, and more alert. To stave off 70% of the normal decay associated with aging (weakness, sore joints, apathy), and to eliminate over 50% of all illness and potential injuries. This is the real thing, a program that will work for anyone who decides to apply himself to “Harry’s Rules.”
Newsweek magazine had this to say:
What can you say about a 70-year-old guy who can kick your butt in spin class? Outdoors, it’s below freezing, and, though technically morning, still dark as night. But there he is, bouncing along on his stationary bike like a jack rabbit and grinning happily at his heart-rate monitor, while I, nearly 30 years younger, manage to keep up only by visualizing coffee. “Just 20 minutes till coffee, just 12 minutes till coffee…”
When the class is over, he places one leg up on the bike seat as if it were a ballet barre and gracefully touches his nose to his knee. Back at his apartment, over a bowl of oatmeal and bananas, he chats nonstop about fitness. The coffee arrives quickly, thank God.
 Looks pretty good for a 70 year old. Might be worth listening to. Meet Chris Crowley, who, together with his doctor, Harry Lodge, is on a mission to change your life. Their fast-selling new book, “Younger Next Year: A Guide to Living Like 50 Until You’re 80 and Beyond,” is a wisecracking but scientifically serious guide to health for middle-aged men who may be looking at their widening paunches, their aging spouses and their fast-approaching retirement dates with helplessness or panic. “Younger Next Year” has one main message: stay very fit and you will live a healthier, happier life, with more sex and less depression, well into your old age. What sets the book apart from its self-help brethren is its ebullient personality–which is mostly Chris’s. Describing himself as “lazy and self-indulgent,” Chris laces his very practical how-to advice with hilarious, self-effacing personal anecdotes, like the time he skied so hard “it hurt to sleep.” Then, just when Chris’s abundant cheeriness starts to grate, 46-year-old Harry steps in with sober chapters on body chemistry, which explain why fitness is the best medicine.
On this point, Chris and Harry are zealots: living a sedentary life is not just lazy, it’s lunacy. That’s why they follow what they call “Harry’s Rules” and think everyone else should, too. There are seven, chief among them: “Exercise six days a week for the rest of your life.” And “Quit eating crap.” Any book that advocates an easier way is, says Chris, “horses–t.” A lapsed fitness buff with plenty of excuses–a full-time job, a toddler, a life–I’m hoping these guys can get me back on track.
Chris and Harry met five years ago, when Chris began searching for a doctor in New York City. They liked each other instantly. Both grew up near Boston and share similar, old-school values having to do with discipline and hard work. At their first meeting, Chris was 40 pounds overweight and exercised only sporadically. Harry was already profoundly frustrated by the number of his patients who had diabetes and other “lifestyle” diseases. Harry started preaching the benefits of intense, regular exercise, and it wasn’t long before Chris got religion. He took up spinning, lost 40 pounds and began hounding Harry to help him write this book.
Chris is the flamboyant one: he’s larger than life. Married and a father by 20, he had two more children in quick succession, divorced at 32, made partner at the white-shoe Manhattan law firm Davis Polk at 37, married again, divorced again. After a long stint of dating (see chapter 20 for a wonderful description of a middle-aged man trying to ascend a ladder to a loft bed in a young woman’s studio apartment), he married again in 1993, and this time, “we’re never getting divorced.” Chris writes like he talks, in full paragraphs laced with profanity, but always hammering at his point. “I’m a world of fun and all that, but I’m a closet Virgo,” he says. “Very, very disciplined.”
Harry is the earnest one. Built like a cross-country runner, Harry works out each night on a 1970s-era NordicTrack machine he bought used for $25. He prides himself on being a “mildly Calvinistic Northeasterner. I tend to eat small portions and I don’t like spending money.” His passion is his work, and the quick success of their book fills him with joy. “We think we’re going to start a little revolution,” he says.
As for me, I’m trying. After that humiliating spin class, I vowed to follow Harry’s rules but already I’m slipping. I’ve eaten egg rolls for dinner and brownies for lunch. I’ve skipped scheduled workouts. As inspiring as they are, it turns out Chris and Harry can’t make you go to the gym, and reading their book won’t make you healthier either. The best they can do–and they know this as well as anyone–is give you a kick in the pants.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON June 6th , 2012 There is going to be some public art on the plaza at the front of the Performing Arts Centre at the intersection of Locus and Elgin – and the artist chosen will, we understand, come from either, Montreal, Maine or New Brunswick – according to sources who should know.
Deadline for first round consideration closed mid-April. Submissions were received from artists at the international, national, provincial and regional as well as local levels. The jury that is doing the selection has narrowed their choices down to three artists who have been asked to submit their drawings. No date on just when those drawings and the backgrounds on these artists will be made public. The city’s communications department appears to have run short of pencils and isn’t moving much copy these days.
Burlington insurance company owner Dan Laurie very generously put up a large part of the cost of the art work and he too is looking forward to a public announcement.
 The public art that is being chosen for the plaza in front of the Performing Arts Centre will get installed before the pier opens. With the pier however we know who is doing the work - can`t say the same for the public art. The information we have is that each of the artists has made a major contribution to public art in their communities and that whichever artist Burlington chooses we can expect to see some very good public art in front of a building that will serve as a fine platform.
Burlington is a little on the timid and conservative side of things when it comes to public displays. We are told that at least two of the artists are known to “stretch the envelope” and so we just might see something that will make amends for the unfortunate placement of the very delightful “orchids” on Upper Middle Road west of Appleby Line.
 Our Burlington thought the "orchids"would have looked great in front of the Performing Arts Centre but a jury of some very qualified people think otherwise and have narrowed the choice down to three people. You can be forgiven if you’ve never seen the work – it sits at the bottom of a grade separation on a road that has quite a bit of traffic. Nice art though and at some point the city might find the right location for the orchids.
City hall, which is handling the communications on the art that will go in front of the Performing Arts Centre appears to be sitting on the file and not saying a word.
The city hired Cobalt Connects to oversee the art selection jury and based on what little we know they have been doing a good job. The number of submissions was quite a bit higher than expected amd we are told that the quality was superb.
The art that eventually gets installed will be seen by Burlingtonians for a long long time. Given that public money is being used to pay for a large part of the art – it would be nice if the public could be told a little bit more about who the jury is looking at considering. Burlington is still suffering from the information deficit identified in the Shape Burlington report.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON June 4, 2012 Is that culture with a K Sir ?– and would you like fries on the side?
Just what is culture? There is a gang of guys that meets at the Queen’s Head on Friday’s for games of pool and conversation – they’ve been doing that for years. This city has numerous Bible Study groups, a number of book reading clubs. The crowd that gathers at the Legion for Fish and Chips on Friday – does they constitute culture? Or is it just “the arts” that are culture.
 Is this culture or is it craft and does it make a difference which it is? Burlington has realized that culture is business – big business of you do it right. The Sound of Music is said the bring $4million to the city (we would like to see how THAT number was arrived at); The Burlington Arts Centre will have 100 artisans selling their wares later this month and Art in Action will be holding a Silent auction at which 36 artists will put their work up for sale with the proceeds going to fund two scholarships.
Lots going on – but does the city really have a handle on the cultural file and are we making the most of the opportunity? Sometime back the city became aware of some provincial funding that was available for the development of cultural plans and decided to add funds of their own to the pot and is using the $100,000 to develop a Cultural Plan for the city.
During the first cut of the idea that was made to a Council workshop Jeremy Freiburger, the cultural honcho behind the drive, was asked by Councillor Meed Ward – what is culture. Like beauty – it is in the eye of the beholder. That and $5.00 and you’ve got a cup of latte, to which Freiburger is very partial.
So what do you get for $100,000 – it could turn out to be quite a bit more than first realized. Freiburger has made culture a business and he’s good at it. He has taken a number of old buildings in Hamilton and found a new life for them – getting different arts groups in space that works for them in terms of décor and setting and at a cost they can manage.
 Is Freiburger up a ladder on this assignment or is he up there getting a good look at the bigger culture picture in Burlington? Now he has to apply his expertise and experience to Burlington’s situation. The exercise is going to consist asking a lot of questions – and to get the answers to the questions Freiburger plans to go right into the community to the grass roots level and ask questions.
He has set up a Cultural Conversation in each of the six wards and managed to tick off the Council member for the wards when he sort of “uninvited” them to the event. Freiburger wants to hear from the citizens and he felt he would have a better conversation with the Council members out of the room. The politicians didn’t particularly like that one – but Freiburger knows what he is doing.
During his workshop presentation he asked council members some very direct questions. “Do you want more direct input throughout the process? And :How would you like to be kept up to date?
 Councillor Lancaster wants people that don't work at city hall on the Steering Committee. Blair Lancaster wanted citizens on the Steering Committee in a leadership role and “not just sitting there once a month getting an update”. She felt it essential that this look into culture “not be led by staff at city hall”. The Steering Committee currently keeps the following people occupied:
Chris Glenn, Director Parks and Recreation
Karen Sabzali, Manager, Community Development Services
Angela Paparizo, Recreation Planner
Brenda Heatherington, Executive Director BPAC
Jody Wellings, Special Business Area Coordinator (Downtown)
Ian Ross, Burlington Art Centre
Carla Marshall, Festivals and Event, City of Burlington
Barbara Teatero, Museums of Burlington
Maureen Barry, Burlington Public Library
Andreas Kyprianou, Royal Botanical Gardens
There are a couple there that won’t do much more than warm a seat; remove them and add at least four citizens, with at least two of them university students and Freiburger will have more in the way of bench strength. He is going to need it.
 Freiburger wants to get to the grass roots and ask questions; Councillor Lancaster wants to see some of those grass roots on the Steering Committee. Freiburger tends towards having data, fresh data and using that data to drive his decision making process. He mentioned during the Workshop presentation that there were two data bases that had approximately 650 names each – but when they dug down into the data there were something just over 150 that were still active. Freiburger wants better data, and his focus is to go to the community and to the stakeholders and ask a lot of questions.
 Freiburger and his team expect to have thousands of dots placed on maps - that data will tell him what people do culturally and where they do it. For example he wants to know what Burlingtonians identify as “cultural” locations. He will be asking people to put a little sticker on a map. By the time he has finished he will have a very valid representation of where people think culture can be found in Burlington. Then he takes it one step further and asks people: Where do you spend your money on culture? This is an excellent question. He may find that people tell him there are all kinds of cultural locations in Burlington but they don’t spend their money at these locations. His next question is to find out why.
In order to set out a Cultural Action Plan there has to of course be a plan to work from in the first place. Freiburger points out that culture is unique to each community and that what works in Kingston may not work in Burlington and what they do in Hamilton just isn’t a fit for the people of Burlington. It would be kind of nice though wouldn’t it, if there were Art Crawls in Burlington?
Freiburger wants to determine just what we have in the way of cultural resources. Yes, there is the museum, the Art Centre, the Performing Art Centre, Drury Lane and a dozen or so others. But Freiburger wants to go deeper – is there something that is being missed.
One of the things he will be doing is setting up a booth at the Sound of Music Festival and pulling people in to ask questions. He then plans to take part in the Children’s Festival and has some very unique ideas for learning what the young people think culture is and what it isn’t.
 As a video it was called The Sweater as a book it was The Hockey Sweater - a book for every boy and girl in the country. But is it culture ? Freiburger wants his data to be cross cultural and that means getting to the sports groups and hearing what they have to say. While sports at first glance may not fit the cultural lens a lot of people use – watch the British at their soccer matches – that’s cultural. Don Cherry doesn’t fit my cultural lens – but I would argue that Wayne Gretzky and Maurice Richard and Roch Carrier ’s book The Hockey Sweater is as Canadian culture as you’re going to get.
The first step in the developing of a Cultural Plan for the city is a “launch” which will take place at the Performing Arts Centre this Wednesday – June 6th. Go to eventbrite.com and enter Cultural Plan – Burlington and get yourself a free ticket.
There is more to tell about how this Cultural Plan is going to be developed – let’s see how the launch goes and we will follow up from there. In the meantime – check out the dates and times for the Cultural Conversations – and if this stuff is important to you – make a point of getting together with your neighbours and getting your views out on the table. Jeremy Freiburger is sincere, passionate about what he does and he not only wants to listen but he knows how to listen and when he isn’t sure he fully understood what you wanted to say – he will ask you questions.
Freiburger is one of those guys that you would describe as a bon vivant; the kind of person you want at a dinner party.
The question for Burlington as we go forward with the development of a Cultural Plan is this. Freiburger knows how to listen, and wants to listen. Will he be listened to?
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON June 1, 2012 It was a painful evening for our civic administration when they informed council about the problems surrounding the installation of a turbine on the Pier. Turns out that no one even knew about the availability of a process called “net metering”, a procedure we could be using tomorrow that gets around all the nonsense and misunderstanding about the ability to send energy from the turbine to the electrical grid.
Council chose to just walk from the whole thing – foolish, irresponsible and bad stewardship but unless someone decides to revive the matter – that is a dead duck. BurlingtonGreen, an organization not known for giving up easily, is expected to be back at Council June 11th and we will see what they can do. The turbine is not over yet.
 Geese know a good thing when they see it. Mini- beach formed on the west side of the pier will be shored up with large boulders that were delivered on Friday. The other news about the Pier is the delay in getting fully tested steel to the fabricators so they can cut the plates of steel which are 7/8ths of an inch thick; 40 feet long and ten feet wide. It has to be tested and the documentation that came with it has to be checked and if that’s a go – then the process of cutting the steel begins.
The sense at this point in time is that we will not see steel beams on the site until sometime in July and more likely late in the month at that.
As difficult and as embarrassing as all this is for the city administration they are not going to let this delay result in attempt to take short cuts to make up the lost time. There will be some work done on what city manager Jeff Fielding calls, schedule mitigation – looking for ways to shift work around and do tasks now that were scheduled for later in the construction process.
One such task is shoring up the western side of the pier site where a natural beach has formed. This wasn’t a planned feature – just a small benefit that came our way and with this project the city will take every benefit it can get.
 A flat bed truck delivered a load of large boulders that will be used to shore up the waters edge on the west side. Once the steel is tested, cutting will begin followed by welding and galvanizing. Large boulders are being trucked in and will set down and create an edge to this natural beach area. The work was done on one of those days when it wouldn’t have been possible to do much else on the site.
Staff believes that with the fifty four weeks left until Sound of Music 2013 they can get the job done. That will call for several breaks weather wise and we may have had all the breaks we are going to get. We had a very easy Winter and Spring was good to us for the most part. That time was lost.
The one thing city hall is going to ensure doesn’t happen – no more screw ups because they didn’t know what was happening. The city has two consultants in place to oversee and advise on what is being bought and ensuring that what is bought is thoroughly tested before it gets used.
The steel used for the beams that will form the deck of the pier has been a problem from the beginning. I’m not competent to tell you what the problem was and it appears that many in the engineering department were in over their heads as well. That is not going to happen this time around.
The city has brought in Mettko to oversee the testing and to ensure the testing done is thorough and complete. Bill Katsiroumpas, P.Eng. a Principal in the company and the Senior Project Manager on this task, explains what is being done:
The Quality Program is developed to ensure the quality of the work, thus protect the interest of the City of Burlington. It essentially involves two parts, the Quality Control (QC) Program which is implemented by the Contractor and the Quality Assurance (QA) Program which is implemented by the Consultant. The QC Program is specified in the Contract Document, while the QA Program is developed by the Consultant based on industry standards and experience.
 With this kind of weather there wasn't going to be much work done on the Pier. We will need a great second half of July, August and September to get caught up. Prayers are acceptable at city hall.. The Quality Program is applied to all work components, in particular granular base and sub-base, concrete and steel. In general, the Contractor is required by the specifications to perform QC tests in accordance with stipulated standards to demonstrate conformance. Some common standards are the American Society for Test Methods and Canadian Standards Association (ASTM and CSA). Another component of the QC program requires that qualification certificates from the accredited institutions be provided for companies and individual performing work on the project, for example Canadian Institute of Steel Construction or the Canadian Welding Bureau.
The Consultant performs independent QA tests to ensure quality compliance. The QA tests performed by the Consultants are approximately equal to 25% of the QC tests performed by the Contractor in accordance with the requirements of the stipulated standards. The Consultants also review and verify that the qualification certificates provided meet the requirements of the contract documents.
There is very little doubt that anything faulty is going to get through this kind of process. And that explains a large part of why there is no steel with workmen bolting it all together on the deck of the pier in weather that was made for outdoor construction work.
It will get done and it will get done properly.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON June 4, 2012 More than 100 artists and artisans will be selling their original fine art and crafts in and around the Burlington Art Centre (BAC) on June 9 and 10.
 Work by Billy-Jack Miligan There will be two events – The Fine Art and Craft Festival and Kaleidoscope of the Arts, both taking place on the same weekend, and both at the BAC
The place will be filled with a unique selection of artwork to see and buy, from jewellery, clothes, accessories, and home décor to pottery, photography, fine art, weaving and unique crafts, all created by Canadian artists and craftspeople. It’s one-stop shopping at its best, with the added bonus of hands-on activities for all ages and entertainment by musicians John and Sheila Ludgate and friends.
 Rich Baker of Richcraft Ironworks The Fine Art and Craft Festival attracts artists and artisans from Burlington, Hamilton, Oakville, Dundas, Mississauga, Toronto and beyond.
Kaleidoscope features sales of the work of members of six guilds at the BAC, plus hands-on activities for the family in guild studios: create and develop a photogram, weave a mugmat on a loom, finish and decorate a woodcarving or make and paint a sculpture, try rug hooking, and decorate a raku bowl and watch the firing (Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm, $8) or create an urban smoke-fired pendant (Sunday, 12 to 3 pm, $5).
John and Sheila Ludgate and friends will perform throughout the weekend. John and Sheila are award-winning Burlington-based musicians known for their strong rhythms, vocal harmonies, and original and cover songs. Special guests Ian Reid, David Lum, Jericho (Jeremiah Budnark and Eric Bower), Dave Jensen and friends, and Shawn Brush also will entertain.
The whole weekend is a great way to see art in action. There is no admission charge. The BAC also is participating in Doors Open Burlington.
 John and Sheila Ludgate will perform throughout the weekend.
Hours are: Saturday, June 9, from 10 am to 6 pm, and on Sunday, June 10, from 11 am to 5 pm.
You would have to try hard to miss the Burlington Art Centre – on Lakeshore right across from Spencer’s and the Discovery Centre. Plenty of parking in the rear off Elgin Street.
By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON June 2, 2012 If Monday evenings are quiet for you – give some thought to getting out for part of an evening on June 11th, and taking in the Art in Action’s silent night fund raising auction taking place at Rayoon’s Persian Fare, a Burlington secret in the Village Square.
Tickets are $30.00 each and include a drink and appetizers. The food at Rayoon’s is an experience you don’t want to miss.
 A Helen Griffith's piece of fine art should tempt many bidders to the Art in Action Silent Auction. Thirty six artists are donating their work to the Silent auction. Included are hand turned wood bowls, fine art paintings, goldsmithing, iron and stained glass works as well as photography and jewellery.
New this year is the $50 table – bid $50 and you take it home. You might want to get there on time for this table.
This is the 10th anniversary year for Art in Action and to celebrate the event they will be creating two $1000. Scholarships for Halton Region students intending to pursue full time, post secondary education this fall.
THAT is Art in Action.
 A necklace by Terry Silvana will be amongst the items up for the Silent Auction. The group holds an art studio tour every fall – the dates for this year are Saturday November 3 and Sunday November 4th , 2012. If you’ve not been – mark the dates on your calendar – it is a fun experience driving from studio to studio.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON June 2, 2012 It’s sort of like what the big marketing organizations do – they call it brand extension. When you take a brand – say Tide, which every one knows is washing detergents with a very distinctive look and extend that brand say, into hand soap – always a tricky thing to do.
Ian Cameron over at Different Drummer Books is extending his brand from books, for which he is well known, into music – small quintets, trios, quiet, dignified. There will be no Silverstein at A Different Drummer Books, if you don’t mind.
 Cottonwood Brass will play some material from the War of 1812 era, plus some of their usual fine work. Sunday June 10, at 3:00 pm The Cottonwood Brass will be doing pieces under the theme: “Brass from the Past”, it’s a session of rousing vintage music played on antique instruments.
Their repertoire includes two fascinating recently discovered pieces of local origin and a generous helping of music spanning the years from the War of 1812 to the early 20th century.
The artists are Graham Young and Ryan Baker on cornets, Johnny Bissell on horn, Mary Ann Pearson on euphonium and Dave Pearson on tuba.
Tickets are $15, available here at A Different Drummer. Refreshments will be served after the concert.
You can contact Ian at : (905) 639 0925 or diffdrum@mac.com to reserve.
 BURLINGTON, ON June 2, 2012 There is something absolutely delicious about over hearing a conversation others are having about someone you know. Our parents told us it wasn’t polite to listen in and perhaps it isn’t polite – but we listen in nevertheless. And we can’t wait to pass on what we heard.
Our source for what follows is impeccable – we would trust our first born with this man. He was sitting in the lobby of a public building – attending a by invitation only event.
Two ladies of a certain age were seated nearby and noticed Burlington’s MPP Jane McKenna walk into the space and one said to the other:
Oh, it’s going to be one of those events – Marvelous Mike will be here soon too.
To which the second lady replied:
Where have I heard that – the Marvelous Mike thing?
The first lady explains – It’s on that web site, the one done by the guy with the white hair.
Yes, said the second lady. I don’t understand the thing. What does he mean by cheeky and irrelevant.
The first lady corrects her friend and says – he says : cheeky and irreverent.
Oh responds the second lady of a certain age.
And continue with
“Why does he always talk about the kimono having to be open?”
The first responds with:
I think he must have had a bad experience in a Japanese brothel.
Ms McKenna stayed at the by invitation only event.
Marvelous Mike was in Ottawa doing the nation’s business.
Pepper Parr has never been to Japan
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON May 30, 2012 – More than 200 people gathered at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre today for Burlington’s Accessibility Awards. This first-time event, organized by the city’s accessibility advisory committee, celebrates business owners, service providers and community members who have made significant steps toward improving accessibility for people with disabilities in Burlington.
“Today we applaud and thank those who have become champions of accessibility in our community,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “The collective actions of this year’s 16 award recipients signal that our city’s residents and the local business community are ready and committed to making Burlington a more inclusive and accessible city for all residents and visitors.”
The Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario attended as keynote speaker and praised recipients for their efforts in making Burlington a more accessible city.
 Row one: The Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario; Chris Chandler; Sue Shea and Sarah Lisi (Swiss Chalet)Row two: David Fisher (Burlington Accessibility Advisory Committee); Robin Rogers (Burlington Youth Soccer Club); Bob Wercholoz; Jim Casey (Able Sail); Don Green(Rotary Mobility Cup); Catherine Hawkins; Ian Ross (Burlington Arts Centre); Nancy MacMillan (Shell); Gwen Piller; Maria Condello (Longo’s); Mayor Rick Goldring; Councillor Blair Lancaster;Row three (back): Scott Wallace (Burlington Taxi); Dr. Stephen F. Hopkins (St. Christopher’s); Peter Summers (Burlington Youth Soccer Club); Martin McInally (Burlington Arts Centre); Bruce Whitehouse (Whiting Group of Canada); Dr. James Kraemer (Caroline Medical Group); Carole Ward The following is a list of this year’s award recipients in each category:
Education: Catherine Hawkins. Employment: Longo’s, Fairview Street, Swiss Chalet, Bruce Whitehouse, Whiting Group of Canada. Customer Service: Nancy MacMillan, Shell, Scott Wallace, Burlington Taxi. Recreation: Chris Chandler, Burlington Youth Soccer Club, Able Sail, • Rotary Mobility Cup 2011.
Volunteer: Bob Wercholoz , Carole Ward, Gwen Piller. Other: Burlington Art Centre, St Christopher’s Anglican Church, Caroline Medical Group
The awards were presented during National Access Awareness Week, which was established in 1988 following Rick Hanson’s 40,000 kilometre Man in Motion World Tour. The week allowed people to pause and think about accessibility in Burlington, to provide information to others and to call residents of the community to work toward equal access and full participation for people with disabilities.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON June 1, 2012 The Halton Region is experiencing a weather system that will provide rainfall to the watershed throughout the day and into tomorrow and Sunday. Our watershed has generally received between 15mm on average from this storm system thus far and we are expected to receive an additional 30 to 40mm of rainfall. Rain heavy at times with isolated showers is predicted under today’s forecast.
 Water levels in watershed creeks will rise significantly during the weekend. Caution around the edges of creeks - especially with children. Given our dry conditions, flows are expected to increase but flooding is not expected to occur. At this time, while flooding is not anticipated, flows in most creek systems will be elevated and Conservation Halton warns that all stream banks and slopes will become slippery and dangerous.
This storm event may be accompanied by isolated heavy downpours; we can expect to see the potential of localized flooding in some low-lying areas. Specifically, urbanized areas may expect increases in water levels where heavy downpours and thunderstorms occur.
Our reservoirs are functioning with large amounts of storage capacity available.
The public is advised to use extreme caution around bodies of water and stay well back from stream banks. Alert children in your care of these imminent dangers.
Conservation Halton will continue to monitor stream and weather conditions and will issue further messages as necessary.
Conservation Halton will issue an update to this only if significant changes in the forecasts occur. This Water Safety Statement will be in effect through to the end of Sunday June 3, 2012.
By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON June 1, 2015 They are going to sell them by the truck load and at $40 they are a steal. Trucks will be near the Hudson’s Bay entrance
in the lower parking lot on Saturday June 9 and will be on location from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.
 At $40 they are a bargain. Long life - see them as a feeder for the envirment.
Each rain barrel is priced at $40 – cash only – and will hold 208 litre – 55 gallons of water. They are made of a durable plastic containing recycled content. The rain barrels fit into the back seat of an average sized vehicle and require minimal assembly. Residents are responsible for adapting their downspout to flow into the rain barrel. All the instructions you need come with the barrel.
Putting in and using a rain barrel is an important part of outdoor water conservation; it allows you to reuse rain water that would otherwise go to waste,” said Gary Carr, Halton’s Regional Chair. He added that “Since Halton began the truckload sales in 2009, almost 13,000 rain barrels have been sold, which at full use has the potential to reduce water consumption by 2.6 million litres.”
For more information about the rain barrel sales events or the water efficiency program please contact Halton Region by dialing 311 or 905-825-6000, toll free 1-866-442-5866, TTY 905-827-9833 or visit us online at www.halton.ca/waterconservation
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON May 31, 2012 The meeting started with comments from the city manager who said there was information that had to be made public, that is both ” painful and embarrassing” but had to be told if he was to adhere to his policy of being transparent. It is certainly not what Jeff Fielding cam to Burlington to do. As he put it – “this is not good for the administration”.
His question to council was that “if you had this information would you have made the same decision” – and he then turned the microphone to city engineer Tom Eichenbaum who took the meeting through a disappointing series of events where misunderstandings were not clarified and the knowledge level needed to deal with the way wind power can be harnessed, measured and put to a positive environmental use was not in the hands of the city engineer.
This latest pier situation came to light when city engineer Tom Eichenbaum said he was told by Burlington Hydro that the energy from the turbine that was to be built on the pier could not be fed into the power grid.
Eichenbaum did what a good bureaucrat does; wrote a report setting out the problem and included some options. Install a battery pack in the utility room beneath the turbine – cost: $70,000 or forget about using a turbine at all and just buy power from hydro and light the 12 lamps that will illuminate the pier and the LED lights that will illuminate the tower that the turbine was to sit on top of.
Council was surprised, certainly didn’t want to spend anymore money on the pier and decided to kill the turbine. That didn’t fit all that well with BurlingtonGreen and they delegated to council two weeks later – but council said – no we don’t want to do anything and approved the cancelling of the turbine.
What we didn’t know then, but know now is that (a) a battery pack was available for $20,000 and not the $70,000, and that Council was not told on April 18th that there was a program available now that would let the power from the turbine feed into the power grid. Nor did the city know that this program would result in no electricity bill the powering the lights on the pier. The program is part of the Green energy Act and has been available since 2007
This is a little technical but bear with me.
When the idea of a turbine was first proposed it was going to be paid for with a grant Burlington Hydro got from the provincial government under the RESOP program. Burlington Hydro was the lead on this application. The program has since gone through several changes as has everything in the field of alternative energy.
 A crane toppling over and falling into the water was the beginning of a sad, expensive story for the city. When the crane accident took place in 2008 the idea of a turbine sort of got lost. Was there even going to be a pier was the question on the front page. Most people thought the pier was going to be THE issue in the 2010 municipal election. The winner for the ward two council seat in that election made the pier her number one issue and while she had scared the daylights out of the Cam Jackson campaign it was Jackson’s record as a Mayor that did him in. The people in ward two kind of liked the sound of Marianne Meed Ward and chose her over Peter Thoem. Candidates Dave Bodini and Shannon Gillies didn’t rank.
The change in council meant there was a new Mayor and three new council members with Meed Ward wanting to go back and negotiate with the original contractor Henry Schilthuis and Sons Ltd., and get the project back on track. Council decided not to talk to Schilthuis and continue with the law- suit and re-tender the pier.
All was going well. The city surrounded themselves with consultants who would ensure that the job got done right and it looked as if progress was being made.
Then the bumps. The problem with getting power from the generator into the electricity grid became known mid April and the problem with the delivery of the steel that could pass the quality control tests emerged. The first was an irritant that council solved by cancelling the turbine.. The second was much more serious and had the potential to delay the opening of the pier which could have very serious political implications.
Burlington Green didn’t buy the council committee decision to cancel the turbine and delegated to council and pointed out that the MicroFIT program the city said was not available was in fact available. Eichenbaum did not appear to know that. The MicroFIT program did have a waiting list but it looked as if the wait would not impact on the city’s schedule.
More to the point – there was a second program called “net metering” that was also available and could be made operational just as soon as the turbine was installed. The meters to measure the flow of electricity were already installed in the utility room.
The “net” – the difference between what we send and what we use is what we pay for. Given Burlington’s situation we will, most of the time, send in more energy than we use. The only down side is that we don’t get any money for the energy we feed into the grid and don’t use. Burlington can live with that downside. Eichenbaum did not appear to be aware that the program even existed.
Some significant mistakes had been made relating to information about getting a turbine in place and using the energy from the turbine to power the lights on the pier. The city engineer had to take the meeting through a painful explanation as to what happened, where the mistakes were made and what steps were taken to fix the mistakes. It was not a pretty picture.
We will take you through the sorry story:
On February 15th the engineering staff was told the transformer station on Cumberland Street could not accept an energy feed from the wind turbine. The public first heard this news April 18th at a council committee when Council decided not to go along with the idea of a battery pack solution and to instead cancel the turbine. BurlingtonGreen heard about this piece of news and delegated to the council meeting to advise the city that the grid could accept power under a program known as micro Fit that had been around since 2009.
That information goes to council committee and they decide to cancel the turbine. It then goes to Council where BurlingtonGreen tries to get the decision reversed. Council still decides to cancel the turbine.
Engineering staff nevertheless follow up on what BurlingtonGreen taught them. The city manager realizes that staff has misled council and prepares a document that goes to Committee May 30th and asks council this question. “Given this new information we now have – would you still make the decision you made April 30th“.
At that May 30th meeting Eichenbaum explains in considerable detail what went wrong. It was not a pretty picture.
Before Eichenbaum gave his version of things at that meeting, two delegations spoke to Council, both from people well versed in the alternative energy business. Martin Ince, a consultant who does what are known as “big wind” projects was familiar with the wind on our part of Lake Ontario and advised council that they were doing the right thing.
Deborah Power from Niagara Wind Power, the company that was to be the supplier of the turbine that was going to be used, explained that the turbines she was supplying could be used for both the MicroFIT program and the “net metering” program; it was just a matter of which model you ordered, the cost was the same.
Net metering was apparently something Eichenbaum had not heard of before nor did anyone on council seem to know anything about this program.
Deborah Power of Niagara Wind Power explained how “net metering” worked to Councillor Meed Ward who appeared to be the only council member interested enough to ask questions.
 This is what the turbine that is supposed to be installed on the pier. Burlington Hydro provided the funds to pay for it and once installed it will generate power at no cost to the city for as long as 50 years. Council still chose to cancel the turbine. The hydro bill for electricity to light up the pier will come in at $35,000 annually - forever. When the turbine is creating energy, Power explained, it sends it to the electrical grid and the meter that reads the flow of energy turns BACK. The lights are powered by electricity drawn from the electrical grid. When we draw energy a meter that reads the energy used goes FORWARD . The difference between the forward and the backward meters is the number that determines what our hydro bill is going to be.
Given the size of the generator Burlington was going to install and the projected need determined by the consultants – there would be no energy cost for lighting up the pier. If there was an energy cost it would be very low.
Ms Power wasn’t able to say what Burlington’s energy cost is going to be without getting some basic information, like how many light standards are there going to be and how many LED lights – but she said with that information in hand she could tell the city almost to the dime what it will cost to light the pier with a turbine. The number of $3200 per month was floated but it could not be verified. $3200 x 12 amounts to $38,400 – forever. And with the cost of energy sure to rise – well you get the picture.
 A pier in North Carolina that reaches out into the Atlantic ocean has three turbines identical to the ones planned for Burlington. With the microFit program the city would have entered into an agreement with the province to sell them energy at a fixed price for twenty years. The city would then have to buy power from hydro at the going rate, which right now is lower than the going rate but we all know hydro is going to increase for those occasions when the turbine is not providing enough energy.
Despite this information – council chose to walk away from using a turbine.
Despite the foolish comments made by Councillor Sharman about ROI, return on investment – the turbine was being paid for by funds that Burlington Hydro got from the provincial government on our behalf. That grant was for $100,000 and the cost of the turbine, installed and made operational was $ about $85,000 The city just didn’t have this data, didn’t know about net metering. Your council lost the opportunity to make a wise, financially beneficial and environmentally friendly decision. They didn’t have to cancel the turbine Wednesday night – they could have voted to defer and get all the facts. They didn’t.
Councillor Dennison kept asking why the city wasn’t using solar – it was explained that solar wouldn’t work on the pier setting. What Dennison didn’t tell anyone was that his Cedar Spring Health club operation was one of the 297 organizations in line for entry into the microFit program. That information isn’t necessarily a conflict of interest but it was certainly relevant.
Councillor Taylor listened to the people from Niagara Power and had one question: “Do you have a claim against the city due to the cancellation of the turbine?” When M’s Power said no Taylor wanted to know why staff did not mention net metering. The answer was because they didn’t know. Taylor said he had never heard about the option before.
Councilor Lancaster didn’t appear to fully understand the issues and was busy chairing the meeting.
Councillor Craven didn’t appear to have an opinion – he asked just the one question about when the public would get out on the pier.
The Mayor chose not to lead the discussion and instead turned to staff asking: “What should we do?”
Staff had a bigger fish that had to be fried. Getting the Pier done in time to open in 2013 is their single focus – if that doesn’t happen – they might well be out of that frying pan and into the fire.
The city managers view was that “all things being equal we should leave the turbine our”.
Disturbing was that not one council member could see the financial benefit and ask staff to take a hard look at the information they had been given. Niagara Wind Power had nothing to gain – they already had a contract to provide the turbine. They just felt there was a better deal for the city if they went the “net metering” route rather than the microFit. Niagara Wind Power would and could install a turbine to do either.
Council was confused and thinking about the fall out if the pier was delayed. Goldring seemed unable to lead. Stewart is totally focused on getting the pier completed and from his perspective the matter of a turbine is “small potatoes” and he was prepared to live without one. He did add that “this was awful from an environmental aspect”.
Meed Ward had all kinds of questions about net metering which brought all kinds of information to the surface. Eichenbaum didn’t know anything about the subject. What Meed Ward missed was the significance of the real savings and long term advantage of going the net metering route.
The ward two Councillor asked: “What else don’t we know? How is it possible that we didn’t know about net metering? Did you know about this when you wrote your report?” she asked of Eichmann?
 A council that just couldn't get its head around a very real cost savings for the lighting of the pier. The focus was instead on getting the pier completed for the summer of 2013. The delay until July of delivery of steel beams that meet the quality control specifications has put the 2013 date in serious jeopardy. If there is a hard winter and a late Spring the project will not make it for 2013. The next municipal election is in 2014. If the pier doesn't open the summer of 2013 - guess what the campaign issues will be? Ms Power explained that the meters to do the measurement were already in the utility room. Meed Ward has to be given credit for asking the questions about net metering and getting it on the table.
The Mayor wanted to thank staff for being candid and said: “In some ways this is a good thing, now we are saying no for other reasons. I’m happy that we don’t have to worry about it now”.
Meeting in committee council chose to receive and file the report from Eichenbaum and not take the opportunity to seriously consider the turbine issue – they wanted to put it behind them. The city manager gave them the opportunity to change their minds. Two delegations presented more than enough information to at least ask for a delay and verify the data.
Any Schnurr of Burlington Green had written the Mayor earlier in the week. Mayor Goldring responded in a letter that can only be seen as a brush off and what would appear to be an abandonment of his environmental position as a federal Green Party candidate.
In the Mayors response to Schnurr he said: At last night’s Community Service Committee, Council was asked to review new information about the wind turbine that was removed from the pier project.
Council received and filed the report last night. This means that the turbine project was not reconsidered and remains out of the project scope.
Council and staff are focused on completing the pier. The wind turbine was a project initiated by Burlington Hydro in 2005. At that time, renewable energy was in its infancy relative to local projects. The project was for demonstration purposes.
Since 2006, when the pier project was originally rendered, technology and implementation of renewable energy projects has progressed. The City recently implemented a significant project at Fire Station # 8 and is continuing to look at appropriate opportunities for renewable energy use. The City has also initiated the Community Energy Program to look at long term energy sustainability and this project will include, energy conservation and renewable energy generation as part of the long term plan.
A wind turbine at the end of the pier presents some challenges. Given the option, Council has chosen to minimize any of those issues and I am sure will continue to look at viable renewable projects in the future.
Most of those comments are true – what the Mayor fails to recognize is the the city will have to spend more than $35,000 a year forever to pay for the electricity that will light up the pier.
That may be an email the Mayor will come to wish he had not sent.
The problem with the turbine has been confusing and perplexing. The whole pier project has been xxx The meeting at which all this got worked through had its own form of “black humour” Deborah Powers had told Meed Ward that short of a plane crashing into the turbine it would last 50 years. Almost simultaneously council members responded with – “what if a crane fell onto it? It was that kind of meeting.
The city’s communication department chose to issue a short statement saying: City staff yesterday gave the Community Services Committee some key updates related to the Brant Street Pier—including details about steel delivery, the wind turbine and the city’s legal activity.
The committee heard that despite the steel installation scheduled for July, several months behind schedule, the delivery date of the completed pier will still be June 2013. The project remains on budget, according to the amount approved by council in September 2011.
 It was a glum looking city manager who talked of being "embarrassed" at how council was mislead over the turbine matter. He has taken the view that the pier completion date 54 weeks from now can still be met. He is however figuring out what mitigation measures he should be taking. “We wanted to confirm that the right quality of steel has been ordered,” said City Manager Jeff Fielding. “We are reviewing our timelines, but I believe that we can make up for any schedule delays.”
Wind turbine: Staff also introduced a report providing information about the wind turbine and renewable energy options for the pier project. City Council removed the wind turbine in April after being told the city could not hook up to the power grid. Staff then cancelled the order for the wind turbine.
In May, city staff met with hydro officials and discovered that the city may be able to connect to the grid through the MicroFIT program run by the Ontario Power Authority.
Committee chose not to reverse the wind turbine decision, instead considering renewable energy opportunities as part of the city’s Community Energy Plan in conjunction with Burlington Hydro.
Legal update: The city’s legal team provided a confidential update to the Community Services Committee. The city is entering the next phase of litigation proceedings which includes the exchange of documents and discoveries.
I don’t think the city has heard the last of this issue. BurlingtonGreen will probably be back; Meed Ward may decide she wants to attempt to revive the issue.
Stay tuned.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON May 31, 2012 The Fraud unit of the Halton Regional Police is keeping very busy – they recently arrested three people who have been stealing identities and using those identities to purchase high value items at big box stores in a stretch of Ontario that runs from Mississauga to Brantford.
Detective Brad Murray, Regional Fraud Unit, who was involved in the arrest of a group that were skimming data from Automatic Teller Machines a number of months ago has put his experience with identity fraud to this most recent case.
The investigation into his most recent challenge began back in April and culminated on May 23rd with the arrest of three individuals and a search warrant on their residence. Police recovered an assortment of gift cards, $8000.00 in US and Canadian currency along with $20,000.00 in jewellery.
 Also located in the home were over 27 different identities and a taser/stun gun. Police are in the process of contacting the victims of the identity thefts and the investigation is still ongoing as investigators anticipate laying additional charges.
Charges are Craig Alanzo McIntosh (37), Kevin Oneil McIntosh (35) and Jennifer Halyk (32) all of Mississauga. The trio face over 95 criminal code charges relating to Fraud, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime and Possession of Identity Information. All are scheduled to appear in Milton Court on the 19th of June, 2012.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON May 31, 2012 It was a tough night for the Pier – bad news galore and some serious cock ups as well. A city council committee learned in considerable detail what the problems were with the turbine and learned as well that the actual construction of the pier will get a later start than planned.
It was a long meeting, individual interests intruded on the process, it became evident that a senior staff member didn’t have a firm grip on the file but there was a hint that there was some light at the end of the tunnel.
 Stripped of the beams installed by the first contractor - the Burlington Pier sits naked waiting for beams made of steel that has been fully tested. That testing, which is essential just might delay the opening of the pier. And that wouldn't be a bad thing. That platform to the right is a working trestle that will be dismantled when the construction work is completed. Lets start with the Pier. The steel needed to build the deck with had to be returned because it did not meet the specifications. Having had disastrous problems with the steel used in the first attempt to build a pier out into Lake Ontario the city decided it was not going to make that mistake again and hired a consulting firm to test every piece of steel that went to the fabricator. Fabricators cut, weld and bend steel based on the design plans they are given.
A shipment of steel that went to the fabricator recently was tested, found deficient and was returned to the manufacturer. The search then began for steel that would pass the tests from a North American supplier – it looked as if none could be found and that steel would have to be sourced from China – which would have meant a very significant delay.
Steel was found, a batch was sent to the fabricator, it passed the tests and so the contractor ordered all the steel needed. Guess what? CP rail went on strike, which meant using trucks to ship the steel. Guess what? All the people who used to use rail were now scrambling to get trucks so the contractor is still waiting for the steel to arrive.
And that is why we will not see any construction work being done on the building of the deck of the Pier that will reach out into Lake Ontario.
Scott Stewart, General Manager Community Services commented that “this project did not go as smoothly as it should have”. He got that right – it has been a colossal and consistent mess that Stewart is trying to get back on track and on schedule – and the breaks are just not coming his way.
Stewart wasn’t with the city when the pier project started and he wasn’t all that involved during the city’s experience with the first contractor. He is the point man on the project now and is doing all that can be done to get it to completion. He isn’t getting the level of professionalism he needs from some of his staff.
The problems with the turbine are not helping either.
The delays in getting the steel beams in place does create problems. Once the steel beams are in, the concrete has to be poured and that can become dicey in colder weather. The hope – and that’s about all it is at this point – is that the weather will be mild in December so that the concrete can be poured. If the concrete is not poured in December an opening date of June 2013, in time for Sound of Music, becomes difficult to achieve.
The Mayor, in his enthusiasm to see this project through, said many months ago that he looked forward to seeing the pier officially opened during Sound of Music in 2013. It was a bit of local booster-ism and his way of showing his unqualified support for a project that has been nothing but problem after problem since the day it started but Goldring was committed to seeing it through to completion.
 All those beams, in place but useless. They were removed and now the city waits for new steel beams so that construction can begin - again. It might make some sense to begin preparing the public for an opening date beyond 2013. Are we going to do this on time or are we going to do it right. We certainly aren’t going to do it on budget.
Staff are being resolute on insisting that they do it right and that pressure from the community not result in short cuts being taken.
The engineering people are working on mitigation plans – those are the plans you put in place when it looks as if the original plans are not going to work out.
The contractors will now begin work on the front part of the pier, the apron section that leads up to the actual deck part of the project. This is work that was going to be done later in the project but with no work that can be done installing steel beams the contractor will do whatever they can to show some progress.
The city met with the president of the construction company, Graham Infrastructure, to ensure that they fully understood and appreciated the situation the city faces.
No mention was made of any additional cost due to the delays in getting the kind of steel that is needed.
That’s the Pier part of the story. The turbine is another part that we tell you elsewhere. That one is both a real mess and a glaring failure on the part of the engineering staff. Burlington Hydro doesn’t come out of this looking very good either.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON May 30, 2012 Council will meet this evening and probably approve the repairs to the Drury Lane pedestrian bridge, approve a bunch of paving contracts. They will also hear from the BurlingtonGreen people about the turbine they want to see on the Pier. It won’t be a long meeting, there doesn’t appear to be anything contentious on the agenda.
What I hope we hear this evening is an announcement from the Mayor that he and Councillors Lancaster and Sharman will be off to Saskatoon to attend the Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual conference. So far we have not heard a word about this event at a public meeting.
Politicians tend to shy away from talking about those occasions when they are going to be spending public funds on themselves. Mayor Goldring is given a sum to be spent on the things a Mayor does. He proudly reported that he had not spent all the money he has given – which I personally think is failing to do his job. He was given the money to use – use it.
 Three of the magnificent Seven are off to Saskatoon. Goldring, Sharman and Lancaster pack their bags for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities convention. The rest of the country gets to see what we have to offer. The community elects people to represent them. The seven people we elected in Burlington oversee the spending of $ 116 million operating budget and close to $22 million in capital spending and the employment of more than 1000 people. The decisions they make impact directly on the quality of life we live in this city. We need to trust them and they need to trust us – and that means telling us everything they do.
In the past few days, as I drive down Guelph Line (in my car and not on my bike) I have seen dozens of young men and woman wearing those bright safety vests planting plants, flowers and shrubs. My tax dollars are being used to pay for those people and plants and in the next few weeks I am going to be treated to what I think will be a delightful scene. I think that was good spending.
I think sending Goldring, Lancaster and Sharman to Saskatoon is also good spending – but while the Mayor will comment on the plants and how nice they make the city look – he is loath to talk about occasions when funds are spent on sending Council members to conventions.
At this point we don’t have an adequate process for determining what we should pay these Council members and if they dare increase their salaries by more than $100 there is a huge howl from the public.
I don’t agree with some of the decisions they make. Some of the comments made at Council border on real dumb and uninformed. There are times when a Council member hasn’t done their homework. There are times when they get into the details of a project – that’s what staff are there to do – but on balance this is a good council doing good work. This is our Council. They work hard, they are diligent.
We have a new city manager who left a larger city to come to Burlington because the Council where he was didn’t work the way the Burlington Council works. And the Mayor he parted ways with in London was an experience he did not want to endure any longer.
Let three members of our Council be off to Saskatoon – serve us well and don’t mention that Burlington is the second best city in the country to live in too often – it will grate on your colleagues. Also, a real close look at the data that got us the award isn’t all that positive.
And please, be more open with your citizens – trust them so they can trust you. You didn’t intend to hide anything – you just didn’t want to raise the ire of those who howl when you spend anything and then complain loudly when you don’t rake up the leaves fast enough or clear their sidewalks of snow in the winter. You’re dealing with the public – the good, the less than good and the very unpleasant.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON May 30, 2012. Halton Regional Police report the arrest of one of their own on a mischief charge. You don’t see that very often. Police tend to protect their own.
A 27-year-old Halton Regional Police Service officer has been charged with Mischief following an incident in Oakville.
Constable Chris Peters, 27, of Oakville was charged with mischief and will appear in court in Milton June 19th. The officer, a three year member of the force, was suspended from active duty with pay.
Halton had a significant number of its officers taking part in the GTA conference in Toronto last year where things got very out of hand and police were seen to be abusing their authority. In the near future we will see at least 30 senior Toronto police officers charged under the Police Act – some careers may come to an end. We’ve not heard anything about the Halton Police involvement.
 Last time retiring police chief Gary Crowell appears in uniform with his senior officers. Will one of the two become the next chief? Police Services Board is expected to make an announcement soon. Tomorrow, Thursday, is the last day Gary Crowell serves as Halton’s Chief of Police. Deputy police chief Andrew Fletcher will take over and do so on a rotating basis with Bob Percy, the other deputy chief until a new chief is announced.
The Halton Police Services Board is expected to make an announcement very soon.
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