 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON November 6, 2012 As of last Friday, the Burlington arm of the Burlington/Hamilton United Way Campaign had realized 31% of its target because thousands of people do something; they give money, they put in hours of volunteer time and they cooperate with their peers to make something happen.
 The purpose of a corporate logo is to catch your attention. Now that we have your attention – what will you do this week to help the United Way met its target of $2.1 million? Savvy Couture uses this piece on their web site.   We wrote of a Fashion Show held at the Rude Native Sunday before last. What we had not been made aware of was the remarkable level of cooperation between seven retail operations that compete for the same customer but joined together to make an event happen for the greater good of the community.
As of Friday, November 2nd, Burlington has raised 31% of its $2,100,000 goal. Hamilton has reached 39% of its target. A lot more work to be done but when you get retail merchants working together the way this group did – the potential to not only reach but exceed the target is possible.
Who are these merchants and why did they do what they did?
 We can tell you who they are – best way to do that is to put their corporate logos in front of you – you’ll recognize them immediately.
While Fashion certainly pulls people into an event – getting rid of electronic equipment you don’t want or need is something that you might want to give some thought to as well. Not as sexy as fashion – but keeping electronic stuff out of landfills is more important than what you wear.
  November 24th, area electronic retailers will be accepting electronic equipment you don’t want or need anymore. In Best Burlington Buy on Brant Street will be taking in what you don’t want between 10:00 AM AND 4:00 PM.
 Later in the month the United Way leadership team will be holding a small event to recognize the contribution made by those food trucks – that was an astounding event. Maybe, just maybe the Gorilla Cheese truck will be open for business when the recognition event takes place. Those are great grilled cheese sandwiches.
Middle of December William Shatner of both Startrek and Boston Legal fame will be in Hamilton at the Copps Coliseum December 15th, for a show that will see funds going to the United Way campaign. There will be two performances – one at 2:00 pm and a second at 8:00 pm. Tickets are available through HECFI
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON November 6, 2012 — The environment, global warming – yeah, yeah, I know. Those icebergs that are falling apart way up north. And the hot summer – it all means something – at least that’s what they tell us…but then there are those who tell us it is just a phase the earth is going through.
I know there is something different about the weather – it was certainly hotter last spring and that false signal all the tender fruit trees got put a big dent in the fresh fruit market. But was that global warming or was it just a weird stretch of weather?
Sometime we need a big bold signal. And that was what Bloomberg’s Newsweek magazine said with its cover this week.
It was also a part of what Metrolinx CEO Bruce McCuaig said recently about GO transit capacity and the crucn we are facing as the Region grows by 100,000 people each year. Then he made a statement that stunned me. He said “A full 70% of residents in the GHTA never use transit.”
GHTA means the Greater Hamilton Toronto Area. I checked with the GO press relations people to be sure that number was right. It was.
GO ridership has increased 21% over the past five years and at peak times is operating at 110% of capacity. McCuaig adds that “without at least doubling transit mode share, the average daily commute will jump from 82 to 109 minutes in 25 years. In rush hour, using the QEW to get to downtown Toronto the commute is easily 90 minutes. Being able to use the HOV lane cuts that quite a bit – but that lane is certainly not anywhere near its capacity.
After reading the McCuaig comments my mind went back to that Newsweek cover and suddenly the dots were connected. It is the environment – and we are stupid.
 Bloomerberg Newsweek magazine cover – has the point been made yet? The article in the magazine set out the point and the problem.
When mainline media take on an issue and use their ability to put up stunning graphics you know something is amiss.
New York magazine had a very strong visual showing New York city with part of it in close to total darkness while other parts of the city had power.
Parts of Burlington were without power for a period of time – not short to those who had no light and a fridge that would only keep its temperature for so long.
What does a single person do. If you’re one of the 70% in the GHTA who hasn’t taken transit – there is a simple step you can take.
 New York city. This is what it looks like when the lights go out in a major city. Global warming? If you live in Burlington and you don’t drive and you are attending a city council meting and want to take part in the debate as a delegation you want to hope that you are up early if the list is long. I have seen situations where d delegation has had to leave because if they did not they would miss their bus.
Last budget the city took thousands of dollars out of the transit side of the budget and used it to “shave and pave roads that were said to be in serious need of repair.
We close down bus routes and limit the schedule. And we continue to build communities where a car is essential.
It is global warming and we really can be stupid – this time our stupidity has the potential to make it impossible to live on this planet.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON November 6, 2012 The kids attending John Boich school won’t be affected but there are parents who are going to need to find a different way out of their community at Sutton Drive and Dundas the weekend of November 9th and 10th.
The Region is re-paving the intersection after extensive water main work at the intersection.
 Sutton Drive and Dundas Road intersection to be closed November 9 and 10 Sutton Drive in north Burlington will be closed at the Dundas Street intersection on Friday, November 9 at 7 p.m. until Saturday, November 10 at 7 p.m. as the intersection is repaved by Halton Region.
 The John Boich Public School hadn’t been built when this picture was taken – but it is very much a part of the community today. Boich passed away almost two years ago.
The intersection will be closed for the weekend of November 9/10 Paving work is being done overnight on a weekend to limit the disruption to local residents and John William Boich Public School. If the work is not completed, due to unforeseen circumstances, the same overnight closure will occur the following weekend on Friday, November 16 to Saturday, November 17.
The work is part of a larger water main installation project on Dundas Street (Regional Road 5), stretching from Appleby Line (Regional Road 20) to Bronte Road (Regional Road 25).
The project is part of Building a Better Halton, the Region’s infrastructure construction plan for roads, water, wastewater, and waste management projects across Halton Region.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON November 5, 2012 City hall staff were in a bit of a hurry on this one – they wanted to know what you thought of the current sign by-law and were looking for feedback as it prepares to review its sign bylaw regarding the use of banner-type signs throughout the city.
 Is this the kind of thing the city wants to change? The city’s current sign bylaw outlines the use of signs throughout the city, including guidelines regarding the colour, size, design and location of signs. It also limits the use of banner- type signs to charitable organizations only. These signs are considered incidental signs and do not require a permit.
“We have heard from the sign industry and local businesses that they would like to see some changes to the city’s current bylaw,” said Tracey Burrows, manager of bylaw enforcement and licensing. “We are looking at how these signs are being used on private property and the issues around size, location and the length of time the signs can be displayed.”
The City of Burlington is gathering input on possible amendments to the bylaw. An online survey is available on the city’s website www.burlington.ca/bylaws. People who don’t have Internet access that are interested in providing comments can call 905-335-7731 to complete the survey over the phone. The comments received from this questionnaire will be used to develop a recommendation to the city’s community development committee. Input and comments must be received before Nov. 5 to be included.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON November 1, 2012 You want to talk to someone at city hall; you know the department but you don’t know the full name of the person you want to speak to. Or you know their name but don’t know their phone number.
Learning who does what at Burlington city hall is a challenge – and that’s the way the city wants it. They don’t want you calling people, who are in meetings more often than not. Kim Phillips, a city general manager who oversees Budget and Corporate affairs wants to drive the public to the city web site, which if you haven’t noticed, hasn’t won any awards for ease of use.
 City General Manager Kim Phillips will handle the e-government file – is she a true believer in getting useful data into the hands of citizens or is she more concerned about cost containment and keeping her staff off the telephones? Phillips once said to a committee meeting that she didn’t want to see the city staff directory on the web site. Her preference is to drive traffic to the web site where citizens can learn what they want to know. Have you ever tried to navigate that web site? Have you ever tried to do a search for something? It’s easier to just call someone – they can usually give you a fast answer – if you can catch them at their desks.
City Manager Jeff Fielding thinks his staff hold far too many meetings and that the meetings they hold last far too long. And if you ever find yourself in a meeting with Fielding – don’t expect to be there very long. This guy wants you in and then he wants you out. Nice guy, friendly, very helpful but he isn’t there to talk about the weather.
 When you want to find someone in London, Ontario, former roosting spot for our city manager. It was easy to find any of the rascals. Don’t expect to be able to find the same level of access in Burlington. London does it quite a bit differently. Go to their web site and just pick out the staff directory from the city’s web site; it’s there on the main menu. Type in the name and you get the person, the title, the telephone and the local and which floor of the building they are on. Doesn’t get much better than that.
Burlington put in a new telephone system a while ago – it was chaos for more than a month. At one point the women at reception had to deal with three different telephone sets.
Any other corporation installing a new telephone system would never tolerate this level of service. Crews would arrive on the Friday to install everything and it would be fully operation on the next work day. For some reason the municipal world seems to be able to get away with this kind of really sloppy service.
It is not all doom and gloom. There are services that are fully electronic – and they work very well. Just not enough of them. One that we found to be excellent, was getting an on-street parking permit while the drive way was being paved. Went on line at 2:00 am, (insomnia) and it was a breeze. The only hitch was that it wanted the second part of the Street name (Ie: Drive, Avenue, Crescent) which wasn’t immediately evident to me. After that I just typed in the data and got a document to put on the dash board. These permits allow you up to 15 days a year of on street parking at night. The document you get tells you how many days you have left. That’s service, which perhaps makes Kim Phillips’ point – drive them to the web site. Fine – but deliver top level service so that I don’t have to phone anyone.
City Manager Jeff Fielding was very recently awarded the first ever Local Government Program Alumni Society Award of Excellence. There just might be some bright days ahead for Burlington taxpayers.
Hope they are working hard on making it real easy to vote on line. No more election night lineups – easier to get rid of the rascals.
The City is providing adequate online service delivery in comparison to other municipalities, but needs to evolve its model to remove the risk of falling behind. The e-Government Strategy proposes that Burlington be positioned as a Digital City – a city that uses technology to its full potential and fully engages the community in delivering excellent, innovative and efficient customer service. This innovative model will provide Burlington a competitive advantage for attracting knowledge and technology based business and community initiatives.
The city`s e-Government Strategy presents four strategic cornerstones for successful delivery of an effective e-Government program:
1. Build a Customer First Service Delivery model. Design and build programs and services in a truly customer first way.
2. Build a Customer Centric Technology Architecture. Build a core foundation based on new and enhanced portal
technologies that deliver more robust, flexible and updated functionality and provide integration to a Customer Relationship Management system.
3. Prioritize an Internet First model, while supporting channel choice. Design services so that the Internet is the primary service channel over other costly channels, while supporting and enabling delivery through conventional channels.
4. Embrace Open Government, Citizen Engagement and Government 2.0. Embrace Open Government and Open Data initiatives to encourage participation, interaction and transparency. The strategy requires an investment of approximately $2 million in technology and resources over the next three years. This will build the technology platform to power the e-Government and online service programs for the future.
There a lot of those buzz words bureaucrats like to use. But the essence is that they want you to go to the web site and get your water from that tap and don`t come into the kitchen with your cup in hand. It costs the city too much to provide the number of staff needed to answer all the questions.
That`s good cost containment talk but it doesn`t do much for the citizen wanting information. Burlington has a population that is aging and at the same time there are sections of the city with young families and parents on the go with smart phones in their hands far too often – even as they drive. Dumb.
 Christrine Iamonaco, on the right, was brought in to develop a Citizen’s Engagement Charter for the city – her document goes to a Council Committee this month – don’t expect it to be smooth sailing. Much of that spending on e-government got the chop in the 2012 Budget – the civic administration wasn’t really ready, and at the time they weren‘t effectively staffed up. A former IT type who did one round of changes on the city web site found greener grass at the federal level and moved on. Cuts at the federal level brought him back to Burlington.
This file gets back to the committee – let`s see what we can get done this time around.
The Citizen`s engagement Charter comes up at about the same time. Some had hoped that e-government, a process that would make tons of data available and result in a citizenry that had everything they needed to work with city hall to advance their fondest hopes and dream, gets to put its best effort on the table as well. We will keep you up to date on how that one goes.
 Will the zeal that he had in his early days as part of the Shape Burlington committee still be there when the Citizens Engagement Charter gets put before council?  Councillor Blair Lancaster was an original member of the Shape Burlington Committee; left to run for public office. Will we see any serious commitment to the concept of citizens having strong rights and access to the information they want? Is Lancaster positioning herself for a shot at the top job when Goldring decides to retire? Many of the people who were heavily involved in the development of the document think it is too long – will real life get breathed into it before the end of the year? Don`t hold your breath. City Council as a group isn’t feeling all warm and fuzzy about the idea of an Engagement Charter – most went along with it as a motherhood and apple pie issue – they didn’t know how to say no to what the Share Burlington report was recommending.
The two council members who were members of the original Shape Burlington committee that produced the report went on to bigger and better things and now sit on city council where they will determine the fate of the Charter that is being put forward.
It will be interesting to see how Councillors Lancaster and Sharman stick handle this one.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON November 5, 2012 There was a banquet recently at which awards were given out by the Automotive Journalists of Canada association. Burlington`s Lorraine Sommerfeld always wins an award for something – there`s that sense of entitlement she has to which you have to add that she is really pretty good. Damn good actually.
She brings to her columns as an automotive writer a sparkle, a sharp wit and more technical knowledge than some of the guys over at Canadian Tire.
We first met Sommerfeld at a Shape Burlington community event and then got to know her a bit better when we realized she and her boys were a part of the Boich family and was a best friend supporter to Arlene Miller, the late John Boich`s wife. She`s the kind of person that is `there ‘when you need her. During some of the darker days at the Boich household Sommerfeld would show up with a car that only a high maintenance wife would get to drive around and she and Arlene would head up into the Escarpment to give Arlene a sense of what it meant to really own the road.
A couple of weeks ago was – well let her tell the full story. “Last night was the AJAC banquet, where they name annual winners in the automotive journalism world. There are 5 writing categories, one photography one and one layout. I won a writing one. I really wanted to win one for my picture of the red car with the stork thing, but, they were having none of that, apparently.
“Wakefield/Castrol offers an award in Technical Topics. I submitted several of my pieces and one of them won.. It was a column of mine that has a Ferris Bueller quote in it. And the word ‘penis’.
“The problem was, I was at a table chatting away with friends, and we weren’t paying attention. Then they said my name. And we all started laughing. I finally got up and prayed I wouldn’t catch my heel on the table cloth or something, and was giggling like an idiot. After I sat down, I decided to look and see what I’d won, because of that not paying attention thing. When I read ‘technical topics’ I realized why the room had gotten so quiet. I got told later even my editor looked shocked. And my other editor told people it was because of the headline I won. He writes the headlines.
 Lorraine Sommerfeld, learning to dance. she’s normally in a pair of jeans and behind the wheel of a car Sommerfeld can be found in the Globe and Mail, the Spectator and on Rogers Cable. Maybe she will write for Our Burlington? She never offered to take me for a spin in one of those really fancy cars she gets to drive as an automotive journalist.
That`s Lorraine Sommerfeld – oh, she dances too.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON November 4, 2012 November sort of seems like a lead up to the coming holiday season. The time is busier; work makes more demands of us and our social lives get busier. Life around us is more active; there is so much more to do. That lazy summer weekend seems so long ago.
 It’s a small, independent bookstore that has been in business for more than forty years and continues to draw top level authors. Burlington is one of the few Canadians cities that consistently offers these events. We human being seems to go through these cycles and our friends over at the Different Drummer are adding to the mix of all the things we can do, want to do and would like to do.
Ian Elliott, proprietor at the bookstore on Locust Street has put together a November program you are going to want to take part in.
Globe and Mail writer Doug Saunders, will talk about his new title, The Myth of the Muslim Tide: Do Immigrants Threaten the West? at the Burlington Public Library on New Street Monday, November 19th at 7:00 pm – tickets $10.
Very few Canadians understand the change that is taking place in our society with the immigration influx. Will these new people change our core values; what will they bring to Canada that we don’t already have? It is time for more Canadians to begin to understand what these new Canadians offer – more than you may realize.
 A broadcasting career that ran for more than 40 years during which tens of million Canadians learned what had gone on during the day. Lloyd Robertson was the most popular news anchor of his time. On Monday, November 26th at 7:00 pm Lloyd Robertson, former news anchor with CTV News, and many may not know, a onetime lead broadcaster with CBC will be at Royal Botanical Gardens 680 Plains Road West Burlington, 7:00 pm to talk about his illustrious career as a news anchor and reflect upon his six decades as a journalist. The Kind of Life It’s Been is a personal look at a career we all watched take place. Robertson will offer wonderful insights and some laughs as well. Tickets to the event are $10. The event is being sponsored by A Different Drummer and Bryan Prince, Bookseller.
Clair Carver Dias will be at the Different Drummer Sunday, November 11th at 2:00 pm. An Olympic medal winner Dias will talk about her novel; a riveting chronicle of six athletes staking everything and battling personal and professional odds for the ultimate goal – a chance to compete at The Games. Ian Elliott tells us that Dias is an accomplished writer, a superlative speaker and wonderful company.
 Dr. Neil Turok will deliver the CBC Massey Lecture for 2012. He will be speaking at the McMaster University Club. Neil Turok, the person giving the Massey Lecture this year, at the McMaster University Club, 1280 Main Street West, in Hamilton on November 27th; 7:00 pm. Tickets are $10. The Massey subject this year is : The Universe Within: From Quantum to Cosmos. Turok, Director of the Perimeter Institute, presents a vision of the future based on the workings of the human mind.
This is pretty heavily stuff but highly relevant – tickets will go quickly. The event is being put on by A Different Drummer in partnership with Bryan Prince Bookseller and House of Anansi Press.
All the speakers are informed, highly engaging and well worth the time. A Different Drummer Bookstore.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON November 5, 2012 With less than a year under his belt as city manager, Jeff Fielding gets a call from his old stomping ground and is told he is the recipient of the first ever award given by the Local Government Alumni Society at Western University to a civil servant for excellence in his field.
The award was announced at the annual conference held at Museum London. Fielding, served as City Manager for the City of London from 2004-2012, was honoured for his 30 years of significant contributions to municipal administration.
 City Manager Jeff Fielding has been at his desk for close to a year now and has figured out who the performers are and who isn’t pulling their weight. He recently admitted to council that he is understaffed at the top levels but has yet to find the person he is looking for to fill the third General Manager position that is waiting to be filled. Fielding would rather go with too few people than find himself with people are aren’t going to deliver. Refreshing. The Local Government Program Alumni Society Award of Excellence was established to honour and recognize an individual who inspires others and demonstrates public service excellence. The award is presented each fall at the Local Government Program Alumni Society conference.
In presenting the award, Jody Johnson, Local Government Program Alumni Society President said: ” Jeff is a leader who has consistently demonstrated public service excellence through his longstanding commitment to improve the quality of life for all citizens,”
Fielding said the usual obligatory remarks in his response when he was given the award: “I am honoured to be the first recipient of the Award of Excellence from Western University’s Local Government Program Alumni Society. I consider being a public servant a privilege, and I thank the alumni society for this recognition”.
But behind those words is a tightly focused manager who expects nothing but excellence from those he leads. When he arrived in Burlington he took up the vacant city manager office on the eighth floor of city hall but soon moved down to the sixth floor where the two city managers and other members of their team work. Being around the corner from the Mayor on the eighth floor was not the way Fielding was going to lead his team – he was going to be right in the thick of it with them.
 City Manager Jeff Fielding on the lift with General Managers Kim Phillips and Scott Stewart. Fielding moved from the floor he used to share with the Mayor to the floor in city hall where his General Managers keep the city running. Being with them isn’t enough for him though; he leads by example; he expects to make mistakes and when he does (and he has made a few) he apologizes and learns from his mistakes. He expects the same of his staff.
Fielding managed to squirrel away $80,000 for staff training that will be delivered through a curriculum being prepared by the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University on the south Service Road in Burlington. The classes are for staff from Supervisor level up – and they are mandatory – and don’t fail the course.
“The Local Government Program Alumni Society is one of Western’s most influential and active alumni groups. The establishment of an award of excellence for both alumni and non-alumni is another example of their leadership in recognizing and honouring great public service throughout Canada”, said Josh Morgan, Recruitment and Development Officer, Western University.
Mayor Goldring said: “We are fortunate at the City of Burlington to have someone like Jeff Fielding who is wholly committed to excellence in public service. Western University’s Local Government Program Alumni Society clearly recognizes Jeff’s contributions to inspiring those around him and creating an environment of innovation”. That demand for excellence applies not just to the staff Fielding leads but the council that serves as his board.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON November 2, 2012 Many of us are still cleaning up after the hurricane that devastated large parts of the American eastern seaboard. The wild winds that blew through Burlington brought down whole trees and a lot of twigs and branches as well – those branches CANNOT be added to the piles of leaves the city will be picking up.
 Twigs and branches cannot be part of the fall leaves pick up. They have to be bundled separately.  Cathy Robertson who runs the Parks and Recreation Maintenance program for the city and tells everyone that the branches that came down during the wind storm CANNOT be put out with leaves the city is collecting. Cathy Robertson, director of roads and parks maintenance explains that: “The equipment we use to collect loose leaves is not capable of managing sticks and branches.”
“If there is anything other than leaves in the leaf piles, the operator will have no choice but to leave the piles behind.”
The city collects loose leaf piles, the Region manages the yard waste paper bag program in Burlington.
In urban Burlington, the Region will pick up branches and twigs during standard yard waste collection every other week until Dec. 14, 2012. Brush must be tied in bundles no larger than 1.2 m x 0.6 m (4 ft x 2 ft) wide, with branches a maximum of 7.5 cm (3 inches in diameter).
In rural areas of Burlington, branches and twigs may be brought to the Halton Waste Management Site. Standard fees apply. Visit https://halton.ca/cms/One.aspx?portalId=8310&pageId=12662 for more information.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON October 30, 2012 The name doesn’t do much for me but the concept certainly resonates – giving young people an opportunity to test their entrepreneurial ideas and raise some of the money they need to get an idea off the ground. Then they have mentors to work with as they make their mistakes and learn that what they thought was a great idea, that was going to make them oodles of money, bumped into the cold hard reality of the market place.
While the idea is a bit of a copy – and a the pinching of an idea from CBC’s very popular Dragon’s Den TV show – the Rotarians have taken it quite a bit further.
 The Pythons’ Pit leadership Team: From the right Dr Melina Head, McMaster University, DeGroote School of Business; Rotarian Fareen Samji with fellow Rotarian Tom McLeod and Joe Pagano, a representative from the Royal Bank. Rotary works from the premise that ‘service is above self’. One of the arms of the organization is vocational service. Fareen Samji, a Rotarian, had in the past been asked to take part in mock Dragon’s Dens events at Alexander Public School where she was really impressed with the ideas the grade 8 students had. So impressed that it occurred to her that this was something Rotary could do.
Fareen is a dangerous woman with an idea. With the idea in her head it wasn’t long before her Rotary Club said – sure, we could do that. Now at Rotary if they go along with an idea you have – it is yours to achieve. So there she was with approval from her Rotary Club to do a Pythons’ Pit.
Why stop with just the one Rotary Club she asked – and thus a Rotary Road show took place where she managed to get all ten Halton Rotary Clubs to get behind the idea.
Fareen knew that while this was her project to get done on behalf of the Rotary community in Halton Region, she also knew she couldn’t do it by herself. Next step was the political level and she got a buy in from all four Mayors: Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills.
Then the other service organizations had to be cued up – Fareen needed to ensure she wasn’t stepping on any toes. The Chamber of Commerce was onside.
 Dr Melina Head of McMaster University saw the Pythons’ Pit idea as a natural for the School of Business. Training people for business in a world that is much more competitive and global as well meant there had to be an academic component – so the people at McMaster University got a call. Fareen got lucky again when Milena Head, who runs the MBA program at the DeGroote School of Business, took to the idea instantly.
Fareen, who is the chair of the Pythons’ Pit project works with Tom McLeod who serves as vice chair. Fareen and Tom McLeod approached McMaster as a team and brought them into the idea.
All this is a long way of getting to the point where we can tell you in some detail how this is going to work. The most important thing we can tell you is that applications to be part of the program must be in no later than December 1, 2012. There is a lot of work to get done – so start now.
There are two categories; a High School students category and a General category which means anyone who isn’t a high school student.
There are cash prizes for the students.
There are no cash prizes for the General.
The entry fees for both categories have been waived.
The Pythons’ Pit web site has all the forms and the metrics on which entrants will be judged. Fareen Samji has no idea how many applications there will be – “we really won’t know until December 1st”, she said. “People will download the forms and begin putting together their applications – and that will take some time” she added.
Here are the links to the forms:
Student application form
General category application form
Next week we will tell you more about how this came together, how it will work and who the Pythons who will invest in the winning projects are and why they are doing this.
To come:
Part 2 The corporate participants and sponsors
Part 3 – The Pythons
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON November 2, 2012 Is this Friday? Then Mike Wallace, Burlington’s member of parliament is in town and he is either running a workshop, meeting a group of constituents or handing out cheques and getting his picture taken.
This Friday Wallace was hitting a triple base hit. While he didn’t have the cheque in his pocket he did make the cheque for the new gas fired kiln at the Burlington Art centre possible and he was on hand to look at the equipment purchased and learn more than he ever wanted to know about pottery and gas fired kilns.
 Ever the politician and a very solid constituency man at that – Mike Wallace chats with Helen, a member of the Pottery Guild who once delegated to city council when Wallace was a city Councillor. “I was able to solve a small problem for her” said Wallace. That was the base hit part of the day. He moved to second base when he bumped into a constituent he has known for some time and was able to take a moment to catch up on some of the local happenings. Then he was taken on a short tour of the Art Centre and got to look at some art that he understood, but didn’t understand what the value of the collection was to the Art Centre. “Where’s the value” was the question he had for the Ceramics Curator Jonathan Smith. Smith was explaining that the Art centre buys a full place setting for eight people from Canadian ceramic artists that become part of the permanent collection. The BAC has the most extensive collection in the country of Canadian ceramic art .
 Wallace didn’t quite believe what he was looking at was a photograph and took his glasses off to get an even closer look. He was certainly impressed with what he saw. Wallace also got to look at some art that amazed him – he asked several times if what he was looking at was a painting or a photograph. He was quite impressed with what he was looking at.
The third base drive for Wallace though was the television crew that followed him around. CPAC , the cable channel owned by the six of the cable television companies in Canada is doing a program on Burlington’s MP – not sure when they will broadcast the program – we will tell you when we know. They spent a full day following him around filming what an MP does when they are in the constituency for a day.
Much to Wallace’s chagrin – all that is likely to make it to air is about five minutes of tape. Turns out CPAC does these profiles of MP’s; keeps them on file and when they have a program that doesn’t fill in the hour or half hour allotted – they fall back to the film library and drag up whatever they have on hand that fits the slot. As Wallace put it: “It’s basically filler” but he’s going to ask for a copy of whatever they have and he’ll put it up on his web site.
Creepers – we thought federal bureaucrats could waste time and money – all day with an MP for a possible miserable five minutes. Yikes, but the spending is being done by the cable television companies, not the government.
The federal governments Cultural Spaces Canada program donated $31,900 for the purchase of the new kiln. That donation covered close to half of the total cost.
 $30,000 + of taxpayers money – and the folks at the Burlington Art centre are delighted. Burlington MP Mike Wallace was touring the Centre and getting a look at the gas fired kiln that will glaze all the bowls being used for the annual Soup Bowl event – always a BAC sold out event.  George Wale, Director of Programs at the Art Centre, on the right, thanks Burlington MP Mike Wallace for the funding from the federal government. The acquisition of the kiln was the culmination of 10 years of work that started when Frank Friedman began advocating for the piece of equipment that has allowed potters at the Art Centre to do much more sophisticated work.
 Burlington MP Mike Wallace has a piece of art explained to him by BAC Curator of Education Leslie Page The Burlington Art Centre is renowned in Canada for its collection that is the largest of Canadian ceramic work consisting of more than 2000 objects that have been collected during the last 30 years. Jonathan Smith, Curator of the ceramic collection, explained that there are artists from Vancouver to Halifax in the collection.
The BAC collection also has some late 18th century and 19th century porcelain in its collection. “People who know porcelain travel to Burlington to see what we have while others just stumble upon the collection while they are here.
The bowls that will be sold as part of the annual Soup Bowl event – November 15 to 18 – usually a sold out event were in the kiln while Wallace was being told how the thing works and why it was so appreciated by the Art Centre.
 Mike Wallace, Burlington’s MP looks at a place setting that is part of the BAC collection. Photo was taken through a glass display stand where Wallace wondered where the value was for the Centre in having place settings for eight people in the collection. When a politician does a tour and works to get funding for an organization there is often a small token of appreciation given by the group that got the funding. Ian Ross knows the game well and he made sure there was a small gift for Wallace who gratefully accepted the box with the bowl and a vase and said “he now had a Christmas gift for his wife”. It’s a nice gift Caroline – but Mike didn’t pay for it, so look under that Christmas tree again.
Wallace has been very supportive of the arts in Burlington. He helps where he can and when he can. The Ireland Farm has been given financial support and if Wallace could he would see a plaque in Burlington noting that the Burlington Races took place somewhere off the shore of the city in 1813 – turns out that’s a provincial thing and the federal people never meddle in provincial stuff.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON November 2, 2012 It’s one of those things you know you should do – some of us used to do it New Year’s Day – but there were first day’s of the year when the idea of climbing up on a ladder was not such a good idea.
Then a fire chief somewhere came up with a really neat idea – he said “why not remember to change the batteries in your smoke alarms on the Sunday that the clocks go forward or backward?
That was a really good idea and it seems to have become the practice at least in Canada.
 They work – but only if they have fresh batteries. Every year, we read stories of apartments or houses that catch fire and often, all too often there is some loss of life and we hear a despondent fire chief explaining to a television camera that the smoke alarms did not work because the batteries were dead.
There may be some juice in the batteries you have in that smoke alarm now – but why take the chance. Figure out what size of battery you need and climb up on that ladder and make the change.
This is fall so the clocks go back an hour Saturday night and you get an extra hour of sleep
“Smoke alarms can only do what they are designed to do if they are working,” explained Public Education Officer Lisa Cockerill. “At least once a year, replace the batteries in your smoke alarm with new batteries and test all smoke alarms once a month.”
Push the test button for 10 seconds. If you hear the alarm it means its working. No alarm? It’s time to replace the battery or the unit. Smoke alarms should be replaced after 10 years.
It’s the law to have working smoke alarms on every storey of the home and outside all sleeping areas. For added protection, it is recommended to also install smoke alarms inside all bedrooms. In order to survive a fire, you need to be provided with an early warning and know what to do when the smoke alarms sound. Have a fire escape plan with a meeting place that everyone in your family knows.
Assistance is available for seniors and persons with disabilities in the community who are unable to replace batteries or test their smoke alarms on their own. For more information or request assistance with your smoke alarm or for fire safety information please call 905 333-0772, ext. 6333.
Tampering with, or removing the batteries from your smoke alarm is against the law. Failure to comply with the Fire Code smoke alarm requirements can result in a ticket for $235 or a fine of up to $50,000. For further information visit www.burlington.ca/fire.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON November 2, 2012 Crunch by crunch the walls come down. First the top floors and then down into the lower levels and eventually it will be just a flat empty site; a local icon will be no more. The Riviera Motel will be gone.
 Level by level the Riviera is taken apart by construction equipment. Gone is the view from the units on the lakeside and many many untold stories as well. One wonders how many Mr. and Mrs Smith’s registered there. The Riviera went from one of the nicer places to stay when you were in town with three levels overlooking the lake – the sunsets would have been magnificent from those small balconies.
Time passed the place by – it was bought in 1985 and while it remained open for business, the business that it did get got a little on the seedy side. The Region began to rent space in it for families that needed housing.
Building inspectors condemned the site and it was finally shut down and boarded up. Then the building was set on fire by what police believed were vandals.
 What is now fairly open space will begin to fill, first with a seven storey hotel that will be a little higher than the Waterfront Hotel that is on the far right. Once the land is fully cleared the site will be readied for the first of three structures that will go on the property. GET
The three structures will be built in stages with the first being a seven storey hotel, basically the same height as the Waterfront Hotel to the west.
Many people in Burlington don’t know that the site is zoned for a structure that will be 22 storeys high. That height was approved back in 1985 and isn’t going to be changed. The wonder is that there isn’t a 22 storey structure on the property now. There are at least four, eight to ten storey condominiums, several built by the Molinaro Group, on the north side of Lakeshore Road now. The resale market for those units is brisk.
 This condominium, on the north side of Lakeshore, is directly across the street from the Mayrose Tyco development that will have two seven storey structures and one 22 storey building – the view for the condo on the north side will never be the same. While 22 storeys is something Burlington will have to get used to – those condo units will attract buyers because there is never going to be anything that will block their view across the lake. The view from those upper floors will be quite something. The value of the units on the north side of Lakeshore will take a bit of a hit – the view will get blocked by the new structures – not something the real estate agents selling units tell people about.
 The developers are asking for an adjustment to the zoning by-law – they want permission to build an additional storey for a building that is now zoned for seven storeys. The Committee of Adjustment meetings are public – will anyone show up to object?  With the top floor partially gone – the Riviera Motel will soon disappear completely. Construction on the much more upscale Delta Hotel will begin sometime in the New Year. will it be completed before the official opening of the pier? While the demolition of the Riviera proceeds so does the application by the developers to have one more storey added to the permissible height. The first structure will be a hotel to be operated by Delta Hotels is asking the Committee of Adjustment to permit the building of an eighth floor that will allow one full floor for administrative offices. That’s a nice way of putting the grab for additional space.
Is the lake shore ready for structures that are higher than the city is used to? The WAPAC (Waterfront Access and Protection Advisory Committee )that has been served the same fate as the Riviera Motel – the motel will be gone by the end of November, the advisory committee will be gone by the end of the year. While still active, the advisory committee has had nothing to say on the application at the Committee of Adjustment for an eighth storey by the developer.
That Advisory Committee hasn’t had much to say about the Mayrose Tyco project; it just accepted the fact that the approvals for the heights; two seven storey buildings and one 22 storey building were a done deal.
When former Toronto Mayor David Crombie made a presentation to the advisory committee in its early days he pointed out that while the committee may not have much real clout it did have the power of the bully pulpit which it could use very effectively if it chose to. It never really did say much.
 Will Councillor Meed Ward create a committee on the waterfront that will have real clout? will Council choose to listen to the committee? Is this a rejuvenated Save our Waterfront committee? Once the Advisory Committee is dead officially December 31st, Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward is expected to call to order the unofficial committee project she has created that will work out of her office. She has said that the committee will meet in the evenings, that she will chair the meetings but that she will not have a vote. Meed Ward has said that all the members of the former advisory committee have said they will become members of the Meed Ward committee.
At one point Mayor Goldring said he would also set up a committee to oversee waterfront matters but so far nothing has come to pass at that level.
This proliferation of committees reminds one of the now apparently defunct SOW operation. Save Our Waterfront was used by Meed Ward very effectively to propel her election campaign in 2010. Once elected Meed Ward left the committee; it hasn’t managed to do much since.
2013 might be a year during which we see Meed Ward’s committee begin to do the job the committee set up by former Mayor Cam Jackson was not able to do. One wonders how the Meed Ward committee will use the clout it hopes to have. It will surely have a strong membership – the Save our Waterfront committee had a reported 4000 members from across the city.
It will hold its meetings in the evenings and invite the public to delegate. The official Waterfront Access and Protection Advisory Committee did not meet in the evenings and the record doesn’t show any public delegations every appearing before it.
Should the Meed Ward waterfront committee actually come up with recommendations that city council adopts and if the Meed Ward committee has the same membership as the official committee – can one conclude that the problem with the official committee was one of leadership? Just asking.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON November 1, 2012 Just after midnight on October 31st, a construction trailer, parked on Benson Drive, was broken into and several tools were stolen.
The stolen items are as follows:
• 1-Hilti Model DX 76 PTR Powder Actuated Tool c/w custom MX76 Nail Magazine – Value $3000.
• 1-Hilti Model DX 460 F10 Powder Actuated – Value $3000.
• 4-Dewalt DC822KL LITHIUM ION IMPACT WRENCH.
• 1-Milwakee cordless grinder.
 Looks like someone wants to get into the construction business – or is there someone out there who deals in used equipment. Be wary of any special offers.
Anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON October 30, 2012 They opened the place 35 years ago – times does fly.
When did that orange piece of metal work outside the building go up? That long ago eh? Maybe I’m actually getting used to it.
 Placed outside the Art Centre in 1978 the aluminum structure has drawn attention to the Centre. The structure is A Space Composition for Rebecca by artist Haydn Llewellyn Davies, who died in 2008. It is orange aluminum and has been a fixture outside the building since 1978.
The Burlington Art Centre Foundation is going to hold a three part auction with thirty five items in each part to highlight and focus public attention on their 35th year of existence.
Applications to be considered for the Art Auction in 2013 close November 23, at 5:00 pm.
 The three parts are 35 Live, 35 Onsite and 35 Online auctions for objects from visual artists working in all medium. Entries for the three auctions will be selected by a jury of experts to ensure quality and an offering of unique and original pieces.
Each category will include a range of art forms and values. Category selection will be made, in part, by a determination of which pieces will be best suited to which audience, thereby increasing the opportunities for a successful sale.
Artists must submit a completed Art Auction 2013 Submission Form, along with a digital image of the artwork, by Friday, November 23, 2012, 5:00 p.m.
This call is:
Open to all artists who are residents of Canada
Members of the BACF Art Auction Committee are not eligible
Works submitted must be original works of art or fine craft, created within the past two years
New Media/Digital & Photographic artwork must be signed, limited editions, with a maximum of 10 prints of that image, in any size
Two dimensional artwork must be mounted or framed, wired and ready for hanging Archival quality materials must be used.
Each artist may submit a maximum of two pieces through the Call for Entry process, but no more that one piece from each artist can be accepted for the auction.
For complete details and a submission form please go to www.theBAC.ca/call
Please review the information on the Call For Entry Pamphlet and send a completed Submission Form, along with all required information and a digital image of your artwork, by Friday, November 23, 2012, 5:00 p.m., for consideration by the jury.
We prefer that you use the Art Auction 2013 Submission Form that can be completed and saved in Word. However, if this is not possible, you may print out a form or the pamphlet and complete the information by hand. Please help us by printing legibly.
Label your images with your last name, first initial, 2013, and the title of your piece. (e.g. smithj2013sunrise.jpg)
Email submissions to auction@theBAC.ca (preferred), or deliver, in person or by mail, to:
Burlington Art Centre, Art Auction. 1333 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, L7S 1A9
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON October 30th, 2012 Last week was a great week for the United Way in Burlington, announcing that they had reached the 25% level of the $2.1 million they need to raise – and we are not about to stop at that level are we? One of the United Way agencies put on an event in the parking lot of the United Way offices on Harvester Road that had three Food Trucks on the property selling lunches.
Cup Cake Diner had to pull out at the 25 minute mark – they were sold out. Gorilla Cheese and HankDaddy BBQ each had line ups of more than 50 people in front of their trucks. That is called a SELL OUT!
Then on Sunday there was a Fashion Shoe at the Rude Native on Brant. $25 got you a light lunch and a look at some new fashion pieces.
 C heck out the apparel that was on display. Burlington United Way Chair Paddy Torsney and one of her side kicks Kendra Mullen took to the runway – sorry, we don’t have the names of the other models.
Our reports are that it was a fun event that everyone enjoyed.
The city of Burlington held their annual truck pulling event outside city hall which was a successful event. Kim Phillips, one of the city’s two General Managers is working on the rest of the public sector to increase the giving at that level – that being the federal and provincial governments and agencies.
What really works for the United Way – and for you the citizen, is the payroll deduction plan. It can be as little as a dollar a paycheque – choose the number that reflects what you can manage. And if you need to bow out for a period of time – all that takes is a phone call.
Here’s what happens when you go the payroll deduction route. You see the gross payroll figure and then you see the CPP deductions (you will retire at some point) and then you see the EI deduction and hope you never have to make a claim. Then you see the United Way deduction and you can pause for a second, smile and know that you’re helping. It may not be much but when Len Loftus, chief cheese of the United Way operation for Burlington and Hamilton sees those combined numbers he is one happy camper – because he is the guy that has to figure out how much he can make available to the Food for Thought people – they are the ones who make meals available to kids who leave the house in the morning without a breakfast in their tummies. Or how much he is going to send to the Nelson Youth Centre that provides group based treatment intervention which supports and strengthens the ability of children and youth to develop more effective social and emotional skills. This program includes a mandatory parental program.
 Why do people line up like this to buy lunch? Because they know a portion of the proceeds are going to the United Way. The Food Truck program was such as success that plans are already being made for a repeat performance next year. The agencies that get the funds the United Way collects came up with the idea for the Food Truck event. It went so well that Gayle Cruikshank said the agencies want to make this a yearly event with proceeds going to the UW.
They all matter, they all need help and there is never enough to cover all the bases. Loftus has to wiggle and jiggle his numbers and hope that there is at least enough to cover those bases.
When you sign that payroll deduction card you are doing two things – helping in a real, measurable way and cutting down on the amount of wiggling and jiggling that Len Loftus has to do each year.
The theme for the United Way this year is Change starts here – it really starts at your pay cheque and being prepared to give some of it to those who need help.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON October 30, 2012 We made it through the storm of the century. Our friends to the south took huge hits but while Burlington had the reported highest win speed – 97 KMH – there was no serious damage and no one was hurt. General Manager Scott Stewart reports that: We had about 21 fair size tree and limb damage over the evening hours, the crews worked through the evening and morning hours cleaning up debris and opening roads where necessary.
The majority of the calls were from areas south of the QEW.
 The hollowed trunk of an old willow brought down by the storm of the century. The wonder was what kept the tree up at all – and what about the other willow a few feet away? Some minor flooding continued on roads due to leaves plugging up catch basin’s, staff managed to continue to keep the catch basin’s clear, we appreciated the help from residents who did this on their streets.
 City work crews moved quickly to clean up the more than 20 trees that came down during the storm. The rains diminished in intensity throughout the early morning.
There was some damage to signal lights and street lights due to the wind. Signal staff were in overnight to deal with the problems. Clean-up will continue today.
Construction work on the pier was limited – there was no visible damage to that construction site as a result of the high winds.
 The top floor of the east side of the Riviera is gone and the rest of the structure will be down before the end of the week. How many stories disappear with the close to iconic Burlington motel? But a couple of hundred yards to the east, a local, not quite iconic Burlington structure began to meet its end as construction equipment tore at the walls and brought the building down. The stories those rooms could tell if they had the chance. Lanmar Demolition expects to need three weeks to bring the building down and then clean up the site to make it ready for construction crews that will begin work on the first of the three structures approved for the site.
Approved for the site back in 1985 are two seven storey structures and a 22 storey building. Construction on an eight story Delta Hotel will begin early in the New Year. The developers are asking the city’s Committee of Adjustment for an eight floor that will house administrative offices.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON October 30th, 2012 More changes on the staffing side at city hall. The search for a third general manager doesn`t appear to be going all that well. Could the city manager do the job with just the two general managers? Can Kim Phillips who handles the corporate and administrative side of things and Scott Stewart doing the heavy lifting on the operational side keep the good ship Burlington on an even keel?
 Alan Magi, foreground in blue shirt, listens intently during the development of the Strategic Plan last year. Magi wasn’t able to get people to listen during the recent governance review of that Strategic Plan; partly because he didn’t have much to say. City Manager Jeff Fielding explained to a city council workshop that he was stretched pretty thin on the senior staff side and has a couple of people who aren’t pulling their weight.
Alan Magi certainly didn’t cover himself with glory when he lead council and staff through a governance review and a closer look at the strategic plan now that we are well into our first year with that document.
While Kyle Benham isn’t a city “employee” he too is getting a stern second look by both his board and city council. There are those who think that board is far too large to be effective and many wonder if it can do an effective performance review of their Executive Director.
The mess with the IKEA plans to move from their Aldershot location on Plains Road to a site on the North Service Road just west of Walkers Line threatens the efforts on the part of the city to retain IKEA as a corporate client.
 Kyle Benham, Executive Director, Burlington Economic Development Corporation – will he make it past the performance review? The Economic Development Corporation hasn’t been bringing forward very much in the way of new business to the city. Other than running full page advertisements in the business press telling the commercial world that we are the second best place to live in the country there isn’t much to see for what is being spent on that department. Those who are betting people won’t even need odds to get a return on their money if they bet on major changes over at the Burlington Economic Development Corporation.
There are some really smart people at city hall who think the whole thing should be blown up and re-created as a much smaller board; say seven members rather than the 20 people who populate that board now.
Economic development is far too important a matter to play around with. The Molinaro project next to the GO station is going to result in 1000 housing units; the ADI project on Guelph Line is going to result in 70+ units; the project being worked up for Ghent Street is looking for more than 50 units. Many of the people that move into that housing might want to work in Burlington – but there have to be jobs for them. The city also needs the tax revenue from the ICI (Industrial, Corporate, Institutional) portion of the property base.
Tax revenue from ICI for 2012 looks like it will be less than it was during 2011 – not a good sign and one that is giving the city manager and the treasurer heart burn.
Frank McKeown advised the mayor a few months ago that he wanted to move on from his role as Chief of Staff. Many wonder if Rick Goldring is ready to fly on his own and if Jackie Isada, who is moving from the sinking ship over at economic development and into the Mayor’s office, will be able to fully replace
McKeown. Many think that is a stretch.
 Frank McKeown, on the left talks with Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman during the Strategic Plan sessions. McKeough leaves the Mayor’s office at the end of the year – is there a future for him elsewhere at city hall? Many hope so – the talent is needed. Frank on the other hand still talks about a political role in his future and is on record as saying that if there were a seat open he might go for it. The rumour is that he kind of likes the look of Ward 4 – is Jack Dennison ready to throw the towel in over there?
McKeown doesn’t have to work but his administrative and analytical skills are both in demand and badly needed at city hall. Expect to see him staying on after he finishes the transition out of the Mayor’s office and in some senior role where he would work very closely with the city manager.
City Manager Jeff Fielding is doing everything he can to upgrade the skill sets and the competencies of his staff and will have everyone from Supervisor level up taking courses created for the city by people at the DeGroote campus of Master University on the South Service Road.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON October 29, 2012 It’s going to get a little on the windy side out there this evening and may last through to sometime Wednesday.
Everyone is watching the weather forecasts and hopefully checking to make sure they are as prepared as they can be.
 No one is expecting this level of damage but if the ground is thoroughly soaked – big trees can be brought down by strong winds – and there are going to be very strong winds for the next few days. The city of Burlington has set up an Emergency Number to report damaged or uprooted trees or significant debris on the road, 905-333-6166.
Mayor Goldring advises that: “We have extra staff on duty to respond to the needs of our citizens, so if you do find yourself making an emergency call, please be patient and know that staff will be there as soon as possible.”
The Region of Halton advises that the strongest winds and most of the rain will occur tonight and into early Tuesday.
“As with any severe weather event, it is important to take steps to be prepared,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “I encourage residents to stay informed by checking Halton’s emergency preparedness website, halton.ca/beprepared, following @BPreparedHalton on Twitter or dialing 311.”
Residents are advised to secure household items that might be blown around or torn loose such as garbage cans and lawn furniture. Place waste collection materials out securely on the morning of your collection day by 7 a.m., not the night before. To help prevent litter and debris, do not overfill bins. If wind is significant, please consider holding on to your Blue Box and Green cart materials until your next collection day. Follow Waste Management on Twitter @HaltonRecycles for updated collection information.
Situations like this can be confusing when it comes to figuring out who to call with a problem.
Surface flooding such as storm sewer catch basins – call the city.
Backup of water and/or sewage in your home, contact Halton Region by dialing 311.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON October 29, 2012 With the impact of Hurricane Sandy already beginning to make itself felt the city has begun to staff up to respond to what looks like a very nasty situation.
Storm sewer catch basins are the prime focus for the early part of the storm that may last through to Thursday of this week.
Once the hard part of the weather has passed, the focus will shift to emergency response work where they have to deal with fallen trees, blocked roads and downed hydro lines.
 Avoid this – by cleaning the catch basins outside your home – and if there are seniors on your street – do theirs as well. To help prevent flooding on street level, the city encourages residents to pitch in by clearing nearby street catch basins of leaves and debris. At the same time, the city reminds residents that creek catch basins and culverts are dangerous during storms, and residents are reminded to keep a safe distance from open water.
 This is what we need to avoid. If you clear the catch basin a couple of times the next few days we can avoid problems like this. “These are exceptional circumstances,” said Scott Stewart, general manager of development and infrastructure. “The wind has blown most of our leaves off at once, and the rain is driving them towards catch basins. We’re clearing the grates as quickly as we can, but it would make a huge difference if folks took the time to make sure the sewer grates on their streets are free of debris and flowing smoothly. We’re in this together.”
Roads and parks maintenance department staff will be working through the evening and overnight to monitor conditions and address situations as they arise
The fire department is scheduling extra firefighters and 9-1-1 emergency communications staff to address an anticipated spike in emergency incidents.
The city will update its website, www.burlington.ca, as further information becomes available.
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