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BURLINGTON, ON July 29, 2012 Burlington has three native citizens in the 2012 Olympics..  Burlington’s Sinead Russell comes out of her start in fine form during the semi finals for backstroke event. (Photo courtesy Ian Macnicol/Swimming Canada Sinead Russell advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s 100 backstroke at the 2012 Olympic Games. She will compete in the finals if she qualifies in Monday and Tuesday.
BURLINGTON, ON July 25, 2012 If you haven`t figured out what you want to do with the little ones during August the city might have a solution for you. There are still spaces available in the City of Burlington’s Summer Neighbourhood Activity Program (SNAP) camps.  Funny hats and smiling faces – all part of the summer day camp experience. SNAP camps are for children between five and 10 years of age, with mini-SNAP for children from three to five years. SNAP offers a variety of activities including games, sports, crafts, songs, and fun weekly events and trips. The SNAP camps are $27 a day (except on trip days), and provide a safe, fun environment for children. The locations with availability are: Aldershot Community Pool: 50 Fairwood Place (Adjacent to Aldershot High School)Burlington, ON, L7T 1E5Phone: (905) 637-5688 Fax: (905) 637-4966 Rotary Youth Club: 560 Guelph Line (in Central Park) Burlington, ON, L7R 3M4 Phone: (905) 335-7738 Fax: (905) 335-7837 Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Elementary School: 2222 Country Club Drive, Burlington, ON L7M 4S5 (905) 331-4656 St. Elizabeth Seaton Catholic Elementary School: 5070 Dryden Avenue, Burlington, ON L7L 6Y3 (905) 331-7246 Skyway Arena: 129 Kenwood Avenue Burlington, ON, L7R 3Z6Phone: (905) 632-1717 Fax: (905) 632-8839 Brant Hills Community Centre: 2255 Brant Street, Burlington, ON, L7P 5C8 Phone: (905) 335-7720  Summer Neighbourhood Activity Program (SNAP) locations: SNAP spaces are also available from Aug. 20 to 24 at the Brant Hills and Rotary Youth Centre locations. To register, visit RecExpress on the city web site. If you are new to Parks & Recreation you will need to apply for your Family PIN and Client I.D. Numbers. Go online to www.burlington.ca and go to RecExpress /My Basket / Create New Account. Registering is easier said than done. It`s certainly not a user friendly site but here is the rigmarole you have to go through. When you get to the RecExpress web site: Click on the Login button (top right hand corner). That is IF you are already a register RecExpress user – if you aren`t scroll on down and learn how to register Enter your Client ID and Family PIN Numbers. Search for programs by clicking on the Program Icon, Program Tab or use the Continue Shopping Button. Click the Add Button to add your selection to your “shopping” Basket. Select Client Selection to assign a family member to a course. Select either the Continue Shopping Button if you wish to register for more programs OR if you are finished shopping, click the Go to Checkout Button and make your payment. You must make a payment to finalize your purchases. Print a copy of your confirmation as a copy of your transactions.  There is no age limit for summer camp. Once your payment transaction has been authorized by your credit card company, your registration will be confirmed and you will be mailed a detailed confirmation. During non-peak registration times your credit card will be authorized while you wait. I don’t have or want to use a credit card over the Internet. Can I still use RecExpress to register? You can make a payment on your Parks & Recreation Registration Account in person at a Customer Service site. Customer Service sites accept the following forms of payment: cash, cheques, debit card, American Express, MasterCard and Visa. Once the credit is applied to your account, you will be able to register via RecExpress and the cost of the registration will be deducted from the credit balance on your account. You will need to ensure that you have a sufficient balance to cover the full cost of your purchase(s). RecExpress will only validate your shopping trip if all programs are paid in full. If you`re not registered – here`s the drill on doing that. What are Family PINS and Client I.D. Numbers? To use both self-serve options – RecExpress by phone and RecExpress through the Internet, you must have your access numbers: a Family Personal Identification Number (PIN) and Client Identification (I.D.) Number(s). If you are a current client with Parks & Recreation your family has been set up with its own Parks & Recreation account and has been given a Family PIN number that is shared with all family members. Each member of your family also has their own Client I.D. Number. In RecExpress any family member can sign in and register other family members. Your Family PIN Number identifies your Family to the system. Your Client I.D. Number tells the system which individual is signing in. Both numbers are combined to provide an extra level of security for you within our database. Your PIN Number should be kept confidential and can be changed by you at the top right of the My Account screen. If you are new to Parks & Recreation you will need to apply for your Family PIN and Client I.D. Numbers. Go online to www.burlington.ca and go to RecExpress /My Basket / Create New Account. What is a TTR (Barcode) number? Each course is identified by The Technology Registration (TTR)number assigned in the database. Customers use this number to select a specific course with both self-serve options – RecExpress by phone and RecExpress through the Internet. You can find a course TTR number by looking in our current Live & Play Guide. Once you know the TTR number of the course you want, you can register using the express route in RecExpress. If you do not know the TTR number you can browse through our listing of activities. I told you this wasn’t easy. Call your Council member.
BURLINGTON, ON July 23, 2012 The first thing that occurs to you when you see Michele Benoit is her size – she’s close to tiny, and then the question: wasn’t a long distance swimmer supposed to be quite big enters your mind.  This is what a 42 year old pixie of a long distance swimmer looks like. Look out Lake Ontario – she is coming your way. And you wonder too – a 42 year old is swimming Lake Ontario – isn’t that a game for younger people. When you meet Benoit – you are a little stunned – she doesn’t look 42 at all – maybe 32, somewhere in there. But she is going to swim Lake Ontario starting at night out of Port Dalhousie and swimming the 45 km to Burlington where she expects to land at Spencer Smith Park – ideally in that small “instant Beach” that has been formed on the west side of the under construction Pier. Why would someone this age decide to swim across Lake Ontario? We will get to the why in a bit. The how you get yourself physically and psychologically to the point where you can start and actually finish something like this is an incredible story. Benoit was born in Montreal and lived a childhood that had her believing anything was possible. If you really wanted to do it – you just did it. She took ballet. She was always a good swimmer – placed very well in the provincial finals in the province in breast stroke. Other than that her only really emotional experience related to swimming was when her Mother came close to drowning. Benoit was one of those children that no one quite knew what to do with. She was bright, hugely energetic and driven. But there was no direction in her life. The family moved to Ontario and Michele studied Landscape Architecture, which in those days wasn’t what it is today. During her time in the field it was mostly doing the front of commercial buildings or parking lots – very little art in the architecture she wanted to practice. “I wasn’t happy doing the work I was doing”, explains Benoit. Like every young person growing into adulthood – there were some rough spots and Benoit has had her share of those.  Were it not for the fact that we know Michele Benoit is going to swim across Lake Ontario August 17-18th – the picture suggests she is a model for wet suit swim wear. With the landscaping world going nowhere for her, Benoit, who has always been fit, got into personal training and ended up as the Aquatics Director at a Burlington health club where she worked for six years. Health, physical fitness, good nutrition – there was a sense of direction revealing itself by the time Benoit enrolled as a Natural Sciences student at McMaster. “I thought of dentistry but it didn’t take long for me to realize that wasn’t my calling” says Benoit. Well then what was her calling – and here is where the Benoit story takes one of those twists you read about but don’t quite understand. “A friend asked me to go to church with him and because I knew that his faith life was important I went. I was baptized a Catholic and I went to Mass at Christmas and Easter. I knew about Jesus but I’d never read the Bible. I knew about Noah’s Ark but God wasn’t part of my life.” But then, suddenly, Michele Benoit came out of a very sound sleep and had a very up close and personal relationship with God. She then knew she was going to swim across Lake Ontario and raise money for people in Africa. Weird ? – not for Benoit. Did she have a complete plan in front of her – sort of like a blue print? Nope, but for her it was as plain as the nose on her face and that is the force that drives her. There is more to the Michele Benoit story; how she prepares for an arduous 45km swim across one of the hardest lakes in the world; how she exercises and prepares both physically and emotionally. We will follow this remarkable woman and her quest. If supporting something like this financially – click into the web sitethat was set up with more of the story. Meanwhile – we will stay with this story and keep you up to date.
BURLINGTON, ON July 18, 2012 The Halton Region Health Department monitors the water quality at public beaches throughout Halton. Beach water monitoring on July 17 revealed the following beaches are safe for swimming: Safe for swimming: Burlington – Beachway Park Halton Hills – Prospect Park Old Beach Milton – Kelso Conservation Area Oakville – Coronation Park East, Bronte Park Beach The following beaches are unsafe for swimming: Oakville – Coronation Park West
BURLINGTON, ON July 13, 2012 Burlington is going to pull out all the stop for this second car free Sunday. The first car free day was in the east end of the city where large parts of Appleby Line were closed to cars. Turnout was good – could have been more but it was far from a disaster. Now that the city administration knows the public can be gotten out of the houses and onto the streets to have fun and mingle – this second effort in the downtown core will leave officials know if this kind of thing can be done more frequently. There wasn’t all that much opportunity for the retail market to experience all that much of a boost on Appleby Line – but Brant Street has a much different commercial makeup. Merchants can take advantage of larger crowds and perhaps even see more in the way of traffic than they see on a good Saturday with cars on the street. It’s a gamble but something has to be done to get people out on the streets.  Streets that will be car free Sunday July 15th. Read the detail carefully. Full lane closure on Brant Street between Blenheim Street and Lakeshore Road.The north two lanes on Lakeshore Road between Brant Street and Locust Street will be closed and the northbound lane on Locust between Lakeshore Road and Blenheim Street will be closed. The stretch of city streets that will be closed on Sunday between 2 and 7 pm will include: full lane closure on Brant Street between Blenheim Street and Lakeshore Road. The north two lanes on Lakeshore Road between Brant Street and Locust Street will be closed and the northbound lane on Locust between Lakeshore Road and Blenheim Street will be closed. The initiative came about when Councillors Dennison and Sharman took the idea to Council where the Mayor who is an environmental advocate bought into it and while Councillor Meed Ward didn’t buy into the idea at first she was big enough to admit that she hadn’t gotten it right the first time but knew a good thing when she saw one and dug out her blades and joined the parade. The Downtown event will feature different groups with their tents out on the street one of which will be the Community Engagement Charter crowd – and they need help. This is a group that has the right idea but has not managed to attract nearly enough people to their cause. If things continue the way they are going this city might find itself with a Community Engagement Charter written by a group of less than 50 people. The group will have a table and a tent at Caroline and Brant – drop in and hear what they have to say. They are talking about your city and how it can work better. The Country & Blues BBQ Festival will be taking place in Spencer Smith Park The Burlington Teen Tour Band will parade during the event. There will be food and drink vendors out on the street, there will be a Marketplace and Pony rides. There will be live music from Tori Sutherland, Harrison Kennedy, Michelle Titian, Mary Simon and the Hill Brothers. One of the Mayors favourite city’s, Portland Oregon, has been doing things like this for years and our Mayor is convinced events like this can work and are good for the city. Let’s see if he is right. What matters most with this event is this – will is draw people from Aldershot and the communities north of the QEW hump? If it does, it will be a great success. Getting people from all over the city, not just those who live in the core and can ride safely to the stretch of streets that will be closed.
BURLINGTON, ON July 2nd, 2012 Canada Day – 145 years out and Burlington celebrates the day with Ashley MacIsaac on stage doing what he does so well with his fiddle. He then tried telling the citizens to do everything they can to ensure that the current prime minister isn’t in office on the 150th anniversary. That appeal fell on deaf ears.  Homes on the Beachway left no doubt about what they were celebrating. He was as good on his fiddle as he usually is – but he shouldn’t try to sing. Spencer Smith Park filled up as the evening approached after a day when a crowd of new Canadians took to the stage one by one to be made “Canadians” with Citizenship Court Judge Frank Hayden swearing them all in and giving them his “being a Canadian” pep talk. It was a wonderfully sunny day; crowds were out and the Beachway part of the city had hundreds of families out on the grass with hundreds of kids in the water.  If you didn't have a bright red T shirt - there was a booth you could buy one at. Parking was close to impossible and the city had additional staff handing out parking tickets. There was a subtle change in the uniforms the men were wearing – instead of the shirts with the By Law enforcement shoulder patches these men had Provincial Offences Enforcement, which meant they could give people tickets for provincial offences and not just parking – no drinking in public parks.  Families out on the grass - enjoying great weather and a day to remember. It was interesting to note that the people on the Beachway tended to be large families that had hibachis and all the gear needed for a picnic. Many were people of colour, dressed traditionally and while quiet were very friendly. Soccer was the predominant sport but we did see one little tyke who had put together twigs for a camp fire in what any Scout master would have given him a badge for. The child was being very well supervised, there was no chance that he was going to light a fire.  Police officer told us he was on "bikini patrol" and that he loved his job. The Regional police had officers out on bicycles patrolling what we were told was a quiet day.  Her name was Jade - she just seemed to love the camera.  Captivated with the cell phone - this young man was having the time of his life. The mood and the scene at The Joseph Brant Museum was quite different. There was entertainment for the young people and displays to look over with plenty of shaded space to sit and eat more of that ice cream with fresh fruit than we perhaps should have. Quite a different feel than that out on the Beachway. The Canadiana Tent the city set up was both a smart thing to do and the best deal available on the waterfront during the weekend. It was a place to sit and relax, for those who had been on their feet for several hours, the $20 price was worth every penny. You got a meal, an alcoholic beverage, a cold drink, a Maple Leaf cookie and reasonably comfortable seats plus shade. You can do that one again city hall. And that extra drink you wanted was nicely priced – less than we paid for the same drink in Grimsby the day before. You also got a small flag. As dusk approached the waterfront filled up quickly for the fireworks. The SeaDoo races around an obstacle course kept the air filled with the sounds of those roaring engines but no one seemed to mind. It was just one of those pleasant sunny summer days – no doubt whatsoever that summer was here and staying for awhile. A national holiday, celebration of the founding of the country. Most born in the country Canadians take it all for granted; those who chose to come to this country knew what they were doing. We can learn from them just how fortunate we are.
BURLINGTON, ON June 25, 2012 Cindy Mercanti, who has worked in Community Services for almost three years, where she was instrumental in reviewing and enhancing programs and processes within Parks and Recreation, has put her foot on the corporate ladder and is joining the General Managers office on a secondment until December 2013. This position will make use of her operational skill set and take her out of an environment where people skills were vital. Mercanti, was involved in getting the Alton community centre off the ground as well as working with the construction company building the North Burlington Skate Park that is part of the Norton Park across the street.  Cindy Mercanti is joining the General Managers office for a secondment that will last until December 2013. Here she looks over construction plans at the North Burlington Skate Park. Mercanti, who was Manager of recreational Services at Parks and Recreation, will be involved in the leadership team roll out of the deployment of performance measurement based on “results based accountability”, and the implementation of business plans for all services. Cindy Mercanti will be beginning her assignment June 25th. Results based accountability is the approach city manager Jeff Fielding brought to Burlington. The concept is considerably different than the approach taken previously and it means training senior staff just how it works and then having the concept work its way down into each department. This operational side of city hall is where it is hoped Mercanti will excel, while others work on the people side of things at Parks and Recreation where relationships with the Seniors’ Centre are in the process of being repaired and grown.
BURLINGTON, ON June 21, 2012 – The Halton Region Health Department monitors the water quality at public beaches throughout Halton.  Beachway North is not yet safe for swimming Beach water monitoring on June 19 revealed the following beaches are safe for swimming: • Milton – Kelso Conservation Area • Oakville – Coronation Park East, Bronte Park Beach • Halton Hills – Prospect Park Old Beach • Burlington – Beachway Park South The following beaches are unsafe for swimming: Boundary markers for Beachway Park North and South • Burlington – Beachway Park North • Oakville – Coronation Park West
BURLINGTON ON June 20, 2012 The city of Burlington has extended the pool hours for the following locations. :  The best way to keep cool - in a public pool. Hours for city pools extended. LaSalle Wading Pool11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Nelson Wading Pool4 to 8 p.m.
 Beats the heat doesn't it? Your tax dollars at work. Tansley Woods Pool4 to 9 p.m.
This extreme heat can cause heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke and even death. The public is asked to take precautions to reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses and to keep a lookout for the most vulnerable in your community.
By Lake Ontario Waterkeeper BURLINGTON, ON June 14, 2012 “No Fishing” signs popped up across Toronto’s waterfront recently. Will we see signs like this in Burlington? The public backlash in Toronto was immediate and fierce and city Councillors quickly voted to have the signs removed. Lake Ontario is a vibrant and historic fishing location, even in Toronto’s borders. There are at least 10,000 anglers within the city’s borders, part of the community of 7.5-million fishing Canadians.  These signs went up in Toronto on Tuesday with no news announcements. Will this happen in Burlington? The timing of Toronto’s “No Fishing” experiment sent chills up our spines. As the signs went up, Members of Parliament gathered in Ottawa to debate the omnibus budget bill that will dismantle protection for fish and fish habitats across the country. Sure, the government says that the new Fisheries Act will still protect fish of commercial, cultural, or recreational value. But Toronto, with one small action, demonstrated the meaninglessness of that approach to environmental protection. One of the reasons Waterkeeper has been so concerned about the changes to the Fisheries Act is because the new legalese actually creates incentives not to protect the act of fishing. It encourages the disenfranchisement of anglers rather than encouraging the protection of fish, fish habitat, and the restoration of fisheries. If you live in a place like Toronto where the commercial fishery has already been wiped out, there are no fish of “commercial value”. The Fisheries Act won’t protect your fish. If you live in a place where traditional fishing practices have been eliminated, there are no fish of “cultural value”. The Fisheries Act won’t protect your fish. If you live in a place where a city can simply erect a “No Fishing” sign to keep recreational anglers away, fish of “recreational value” can disappear overnight. The Fisheries Act won’t protect your fish. See how easy it is?  The environmental changes tucked into the budget bill being debated in the House of Commons today is going to be more painful than that hook in that finger. The federal Fisheries Act rollbacks are crammed into an 800-page bill that affects every Canadian in dozens of different ways. It is hard to predict exactly what it will all mean for Canadians or when the impacts will first be felt. The one thing we know for certain is that none of the changes are intended to improve protections for fish, habitat, or the people who enjoy those resources. It is too late to tell your MP how you feel. In this city our guy in the capital is voting for the bill. Don’t think he fishes – but he will fish for your votes at some point in the future. Remember that. This is going to be more painful for people who like to fish than getting a fishing hook stuck in your finger. Toronto reversed the fishing ban decision they made – but the total lack of notice was not a good sign.
BURLINGTON, ON June 8, 2012 The Halton Region Health Department monitors the water quality at public beaches throughout Halton. Beach water samples taken on June 5 revealed the following beaches have acceptable levels of bacteria and are safe for swimming: • Halton Hills – Prospect Park Old Beach • Milton – Kelso Conservation Area  Not all the area beaches are safe yet. The following beaches have high levels of bacteria and are unsafe for swimming: • Burlington – Beachway Park North, Beachway Park South • Oakville – Coronation Park East, Coronation Park West, Bronte Park Beach Residents can also call Halton Region to find out which beaches have acceptable levels of bacteria or which have been posted as unsafe for swimming due to poor water quality. Beach water quality information is available 24 hours a day by dialing 311 or calling 905-825-6000, toll free 1-866-442-5866 or TTY 905-827-9983. During regular business hours ask for beach information, and after regular business hours press 2 for health information.
BURLINGTON, ON May 28, 2012 There weren’t traffic jams around city hall but there were more than fifty people who made it to the breakfast served by the city to mark the first Bike to Work Day which was part of the Smart Commute Halton, that the city and the Chamber of Commerce got behind this year. It was a start, marred by some political bafflegab that seems to have to be said. Here`s a sample:  With a hearty breakfast in their tummies the cyclists that made it to city hall for the first Bike to Work Day in Burlington, pose and are now part of the city's history. Photo supplied by Region) “Transportation is an important issue for Halton residents,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “By partnering with the Metrolinx Smart Commute program, Halton Region is proud to offer Halton businesses and residents an easy to use alternative to driving alone. By working with the City of Burlington and the Burlington Chamber of Commerce, we’re excited to have motivating events like Bike to Work Day where cyclists can be thanked for their contribution towards making Halton a great place to live, work, raise a family and retire.” “We encourage Burlington residents and employees to seek alternate means of transport whenever possible,” says Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring. “Whether you’re riding, walking or rolling, we hope to see you get up, get out and get moving.” It would have been nice to hear an announcement about specific road improvements that would make it possible for people north of the QEW to actually cycle into the downtown core. It`s still a divided city for cyclists. The next item on the agenda of those who would have us our bicycles every day of the week is two Car Free Sundays – June 10 and July 15.
By Pepper Parr BURLINGTON, ON May 15, 2012 It’s a laudable objective – have the public marina at LaSalle Park become the 400th Safe Harbour in Ontario. Burlington is one of the very last communities on Lake Ontario to have a Safe Harbour – and given that we are the Second Best City in Canada to live in – a Safe Harbour would seem essential.  LaSalle Park Marina as it looks today - 219 slips with wave breaker and docks that have to be brought ashore every winter. For John Birch it is more than essential – a Safe Harbour out at LaSalle Park is an opportunity to add to the goals of the fisheries people, especially the Hamilton Harbour and Watershed Fisheries Management Plan. Given all the toxic waste Hamilton has created in this end of Lake Ontario getting new fish species in the water is far more than a laudable goal – it’s an essential one. And that is where Birch has been steering his boat for the past couple of years. By advocating for a form of wave barrier that will result in a Safe Harbour, Birch envisions 1,500 linear feet of an environmentally friendly, state of the art, riparian rock island fish and wildlife habitat wave breaker that will provide all weather protection for the city’s marina. It is a bold step. The LaSalle Park Marina Association operates the marina at the foot of LaSalle Park and has done so since 1981 without so much as a dime of city money. “We are a non-profit that built this facility from scratch and have it to the point where there are 219 slips available to members of the Burlington Boating and Sailing Club. There is a boat launching ramp for public use as well. The Marina currently has 219 slips. The docks have to be brought ashore every winter and the current wave reduction system doesn’t work particularly well. The LPMA wants to have a riparian rock island fish and wildlife habitat wave breaker built at a cost of $7 million that Birch expects to see paid for much the same way they built what they have today: a significant portion from the federal government with a close to matching amount from the provincial government and the rest coming from the association through some form of debenture they will pay off over time.  The option the LaSalle Park Marina Association hopes is chosen through the Environmental Assessment due March 2013. The design will add 100 slips plus 20 available for transient use and more significantly provide a solid barrier that will allow fish stocks to return and breed and put an end to the wave agitation The Association has to be one of the gems for the city to work with. Founded in 1981 the LPMA put together a joint venture with the city that works this way. The land is owned by the city of Hamilton and is leased by Burlington and then sub-let to the LPMA. In 1998 LPMA borrowed $250,000 from the city as part of their joint venture agreement and built a new wave breaker that has a 20 year life span. That loan was fully retired in 2008 – without a payment being missed. The city now has a marina on land they lease and operated by the LPMA. Close to 90% of the lease expense is paid by the LPMA and the Burlington Boating and Sailing Club – the city picks up 10% which pays for the public ramp. While the wave reduction devices help – they aren’t up to the job of preventing significant damage to boats tied up in the 219 slips.  There is always someone below deck cleaning up - some things never change. The demand for additional slips is consistent. The Association turns people away every year and don’t expect to have any problems renting out the additional 100 slips that will become available when the project is completed. The association saw an opportunity to take their two needs and add to them a third – a significant environmental improvement and improving the fish habitat in the area – the result being what the LPMA hopes will become Ontario’s 400th Safe Harbour. All hinges on a positive environmental Assessment which the LPMA expects to see completed by March of 2013. Birch believes there are funds available for a project like the one they are proposing and that those funds will be spent somewhere – he just wants to see them spent in Burlington.  Another boat is hoisted out of the yard and into the water as the LaSalle Park Marina opens for another season. The LPMA is confident that they can continue to operate what can only be described as a very successful business model. The club provides an excellent marina to the city and is debt free. It believe it will be able to bear its share of the $ 7 million it is going to cost to get the barrier in place and their hope is that the Environmental Assessment decision is for the option they have chosen. They expect that the province will pick up 25% of the cost and the federal government an additional 25%. With LPMA picking up the balance. This is one of those Mother of all Stakeholder partnerships. There is the MOE, the MNR, the COB, CH, the TSP people and BARC plus DOF, to name some of the people who will sit at this table. All have to be placated and accommodated. There are several options before the various levels of government. The details are a little on the mundane side unless you sit on the LPMA Board. The option the association likes is one that will provide everything the sailors want and given that they are going to end up paying the lion’s share of the cost – one would think the governments involved will decide in their favour.
BURLINGTON, ON April 11, 2012 He isn’t known as the Dean of City Council just because he has been there longer than anyone else – he’s the Dean because he gets things done. Last night city council, after eight years of work, approved the revitalization of the Mountainside Community Arena and Pool. John Taylor shepherded and guided this project and made sure it was done well within the budget available. This was HIS baby and he wasn’t going to not let it happen – nor was he going to let it disrupt the summer pool schedule either.  The Mountainside recreational complex will be a much different place when the revitalization that was approved by Council is completed in 2013 Taylor worked the phones, and probably twisted some arms as well, to ensure that there was a provision in the construction tender that will go out once the drawings are completed, to keep the pool open during the summer months. While there were rumours that the whole project was going to be shut down – Taylor squelched those – he also told the public last night that the pool would not be shut down while work was being done on the arena upgrade. The project now goes to the architects who will do the final drawings that the contractor who wins the tender will work from. There will be a little disruption on the site but come the fall of 2013 the arena will be completed and the disruption will have been well worth it. Will Councillor Taylor be on hand to drop the puck for the first hockey game once the arens is opened? With a municipal election following shortly after the Official Opening, Councillor Taylor will have quite a feather in his hat. Good on him.
BURLINGTON, ON April 2, 2012 It was eight years in the making, but Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor sat at a Community Services Committee meeting beaming with pride as he watched a presentation on the revitalization of the Mountainside Arena and Pool. Then he said – twice – for emphasis – that the site was not being closed. It would Taylor explained be closed for a season while the construction and upgrade work was done – which will be in the summer of 2014 – oops, that’s an election year isn’t it? Taylor has such a high following that he can withstand some community dissatisfaction while an important community recreational site is closed to be upgraded.  Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor As is Taylor’s way – the Committee went with the least expensive of the three possible approaches to the significant upgrade planned for the site. Council will meet on April 10th and put a stamp of approval on the project. The next step will be the issuing of a purchasing order for the detailed design phase of the project which lets the architects begin the detailed drawings. The entrance to the complex will now be at the top of the site with a large parking lot that Parks and Recreation people expect will hold most of the cars that pull up.  An aerial view of the Mountainside recreational complex that will undergo revitalization in 2013 The buildings will now have a much more presentable entrance with a small pull into lane for those that want to drop off kids with those massive bags that hold their hockey equipment. There will be better change rooms, a concession area as well as two community meeting rooms. Expect Councillor Taylor to make considerable use of these. The splash pool that was paid for with federal/provincial government Stimulus money will remain with very minor modifications.  An architectural rendering of the site with the view from the north looking south. Parking and entrance have been re-oriented making it a much easier site to move in and out of - also has much better facilities inside. The architects commented that it was a challenging site with homes on the west side that objected to headlights from cars parking in the lower lot so they moved the orientation of that lot to face east. The long, thin site the architects had to work with was hedged in by a woodlot on the east and an incline to get to the upper level parking lot. Someone should have explained to the architect that there is a reason for calling the place “Mountainside”.  A look at the detail once revitalization has been completed. With the entrance now moved to the northern end of the site it might be a little difficult to figure out where you’re supposed to go the first time you visit but after that – it will make a lot of sense and be a lot easier to get in and out of the building. Burlington is currently on a bit of a sign blitz – so expect there to be good signage at the entrance to the site. It is going to be a very significant improvement to a site that is heavily used by the community. Good on John Taylor for steering the development of this project for his ward. Burlington has seven arenas with two that are older than Mountainside: Nelson is 47 years old and Central is 44 years old. The newest is the arena on Appleby. The Mountainside site was first opened forty two years ago. The pool was opened in 1962 and an arena added in 1969. ZAS Architects have done some very innovative work on the lower Don River part of Toronto and based on their presentation they have brought the same innovation and quality to the Mountainside site.
By Pepper Parr
The city isn`t all that concerned about the money – it just wants to find a way to be able to control the people that are behaving recklessly and feels that a $75. fine will do the trick. Problem with the fine is that there are all kinds of legal and Highway Traffic Act concerns. This is a delicate area – just about every kid that doesn`t use a bike, uses a skate board to get around and the law as it stands now says you cannot use a skateboard on a public road. You can use it on a side walk or in the bike lane. All the police can do now is talk to you – there is no penalty for them to levy. The city thinks that giving the police a tool they can use will solve the problem – and when they do that they shift that problem to the police who are going to be expected to exercise discretion. The problem is with gangs that see skate boarding as almost an extreme sport. Ward 1 councillor Rick Craven reports that there are kids who gather at night on Kerns Road where the hills and the grades are great for skate boarding. They get out there with a van and a video camera, film the thrill ride of someone speeding down the hill and post it on You Tube. The police are powerless for the most part because even if they do catch the kids behaving recklessly they can only warn them off. Council wants to give the police a bigger stick and wanted to talk about ways that a system of fines could be put in place. But they didn`t want the police to be slapping a $75. ticket on every kid using a skate board on a public street – they wanted the police to use their discretion.  Can you imagine drivving up the street and seeing this coming at you? Not reckless but not the safest thing to do either. Police didn`t attend the Committee of the Whole meeting – city staff said they were invited, the police say they weren`t. Our information from our media man at Regional Police was that :“ I have spoken with the Burlington Operational Inspector who advised me they were aware of the meeting you are referring to, but they (police) were not asked to be in attendance for it.“ Go figure. Methinks staff were being a little disingenuous. The police are aware of the problem and they too would like to see a solution. They are the people that have to attend when there is an accident and report that a young person has suffered serious head injuries. Giving police the ability to issue a ticket and then expecting them to use their discretion reflects a bit of misunderstanding as to what police do. They are there to enforce the law. Give them clear rules and they will do their job – expect them to use their discretion and you invite nothing but problems. I suspect too that traffic offence lawyers will have great fun with this one should a ticket case every get to traffic court. That said, there is a problem. Kids are creating dangerous situations in parts of the city where there are really good hills they can speed down. The city put up signs saying Skate Boarding was Prohibited – the kids tore down the signs. The problem however is not limited to parts of the city with steep grades. Recently there was a serious accident involving a van and a young man on a skate board who was luging along a flat street. Luging is when a person lays flat on a skate board. The driver of the van just didn`t see the person on the skate board. This problem is going to call for some very creative thinking by people who are very familiar with the Highway Traffic Act. A new fine of $75. and expecting the HRPS to exercise discretion isn`t the answer to this problem. Educating the kids isn`t going to solve this problem either. The vast majority of the kids who glide along quiet residential streets with buds plugged into their ears meaning they don`t hear traffic approaching are harming no one. It is just a few that are creating a problem – let`s find a stick that won`t cripple them when they are hit with it – but let`s not put our police in a situation where they have to solve a problem we can`t solve. The Highway Traffic Act says that bicycles can be used on the streets. Blades and boards can be used on a sidewalk or in a bicycle lane if one exists. Can you imagine the howls from the public if all the skate boards are suddenly on the side walk ? Sergeant Dave Cross, the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) media man, advises that HRPS does not have a Skate Board Swat Team, so we shouldn`t expect to see cruisers out on the prowl along Kerns Road every night And as for Officer who gave me a speeding ticket for doing more than 60 on Walkers Line, ( I thought the limit was 80) – he did exercise some discretion and cut it back a bit and saved me some points. Will that kind of discretion solve our skate board problem ? Is it worth a try ? The officer who caught me was parked behind a cluster of bushes – are we going to see officer hiding in hedges along Kerns Road with bicycles at the ready to race after skate board miscreants ? [Facebook]
By Pepper Parr
The Canadian Cycling Association has given the rights to the 2011 and 2012 qualifying events to Mid-Week Cycling who then approached Burlington and the  We could have become a great place for elite level cyclists to develop their skills. Not this time but the geography we are blessed will be there for the next attempt. city along with the Burlington Hotel Association put up a total of $50,000. to support the initiative that was to see exciting Criterion races in the downtown core of the city o n Canada Day. But it was not to happen. In 2010 Parks and Recreation staff bent over backwards to make the event happen. The Halton Regional Police spent hours working through traffic plans and routing possibilities. But time and again the Mid Week Cycling Club failed to deliver documentation and details. The last time around in 2010 and 2011 everyone worked very hard and there was the one race event in the Aldershot areas that most people felt went off very well. But the city tired of never really knowing of the cycling people were going to come through. At one point in the comedy of errors on the part of the Mid Week Cycling Club a required payment was made to the Halton Regional Police but the cheque bounced. Police turned a blind eye to the offence and continued with all the field work. It amounted to nothing. The contract was for a two year agreement and 2012 was to be the year that it all came together. This time the city was not going to be run around in circles. The Parks and Recreation people at the direction of Council established deadlines that had to be met and October 3rd was one of them. If event route data was not in the hands of the city by 5:00 of the 3rd – the event was off and the agreement would be terminated. There was nothing in hand by 5:00 pm. So no cycling races in Burlington during the summer of 2012. City hall staff were not as disappointed as they had been in the past. They learned some hard lessons last summer and were not going to make the same mistakes twice. [Facebook]
By Pepper Parr
The first step in having elite cycle racing take part in Burlington started during the Jackson administration when a group known as MidWeek Cycling appeared before a Council Committee asking for financial support for a plan they had to run two cycling event in the downtown core and at other venues around the city and elsewhere in the region. Then Mayor Jackson however didn’t like the look of the idea and was disturbed over the fact that the project wasn’t properly documented and that the promoter hadn’t showed up for a critical meeting. We should have paid attention to that red flag. On a recorded vote it passed but Jackson didn’t go for it. On that one he was right. More than a year later, a lot of egg on our faces and hours and hours of time pout in by staff and the Regional Police – and guess what? We are looking at the event again. This time however – it is going to be a lot different. The biggest change is at the MidWeek Cycling club level. Crag Fagan, the guy that drove people at city hall and the Regional police offices nuts, will not be part of the next attempt to bring elite cycling to the city. Why are we doing this a second time? The original agreement was for a two year period. The thinking at the time was that 2011 races were to be a lead up to the 2012 races which were 2014 Olympic qualifying events.  Chris Glenn has kept his staff focused on the objective, it wasn’t always easy working with an event organizer who didn’t appear to be able to meet commitments. Many saw this as an opportunity for Burlington to take advantage of the geography and put the city on the map as the place to hold first class racing events. The plans to hold a Criterion event in the downtown core had a lot of people excited. The Burlington Down Business Association and the Burlington Hotel Association were all a twitter over the possibilities. They liked the idea so much that they petitioned the Region for permission to have retailers remain open for the Canada Day Race. They could just see the dollars rolling in. Councillor Jack Dennison, a keen cycler did everything he could to make the event happen but it was just one problem after another that had city hall staff doing far more than they should have. That won’t be happening again. The event is actually the Canadian National Road Cycling Championships which are held by the Canadian Cycling Association. That association doesn’t really put on the event. They look for a local association to put on the event and chose MidWeek Cycling to do that job. MidWeek had Crag Fagan lead the project for the club. That was a terrible mistake. Fagan came close to getting himself arrested when he had MidWeek issue a cheque to the Regional Police to cover some permits. The cheque bounced. Bouncing a cheque made out to the police isn’t exactly a positive career move. Things are going to be much tighter and much more disciplined. City hall staff now have a much better understanding as to how these events take place and what the dynamics are and what they need to do and what they need the partners in the events have to do. During early 2010 staff did everything but send a cab to Toronto to pick up Fagan so that he would actually be at meetings. It was dispiriting for the staff and disappointing for everyone involved – but Scott Stewart, currently the Acting City Manager but in real life the General Manager of Community Services could see the potential and he worked with his staff to figure out how they could salvage something from the experience. Stewart’s team has put together a list of what has to be done and by when – and made it very, very clear that if a deadline is missed – no excuses this time, the deal is off. The deal amount to $30,000. From the city and $20,000 from the hotel association. The cycling association has to have the following worked out and documentation delivered to the city and the Regional police by October 3rd. No extensions. If they come up with documentation on the timing, the staging of the event, worked out the logistics that are involved, worked out how residents in the affected areas will be notified, how the general public will be kept aware of what is happening and provide a preliminary traffic management plan – things will go forward. But – the city has made it very clear – the deadline is October 3rd. Traffic management was a major hurdle that really wasn’t overcome during the 2011 experience. The costs police were looking to have covered were seen as just too high by the MidWeek Cycling people. The belief is that the police have also learned something from this experience and the intention seems to be to make more use of the volunteer police. Acting City Manager Scott Stewart mentioned that someone had suggested the police volunteer some of their time. Stewart commented that “that one wasn’t on – the idea didn’t fly:, which is unfortunate. Our police are well paid and policing in Burlington isn’t exactly hard work. Giving a little back is part of the Burlington culture that could work its way into the police service. There were some valuable lessons learned from the summer of 2011 experience. The city now knows that cycling events work best when roads being used are closed with escorting available for those who must drive along the cycling route. There were other lessons learned as well – the biggest one being to insist that deadlines get met by the sponsors of the event. We will know on October 3rd if that lesson has really been learned.
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By Pepper Parr
George Curran is Manager of Facilities at the Burlington Gymnastics Club where he makes sure the place runs smoothly and that all the systems work the way they are supposed to work. “We had to install a heavier duty air conditioner a number of years ago and that meant bracing the roof a bit, but we got that done. With this heat – the girls sure appreciate that bigger machine on the roof”, added Curran  They are like a bunch of little pixies. They scamper about and then suddenly they are flying through the air coming off a spring board. They seem to have bottomless energy and somehow stay focused on the athletic routines they do. Kathy Kline has a significantly different problem, more like a challenge actually. She works under the roof that George Curran knows needs to be replaced. Kline’s focus is on the 25 or so gymnasts that range in age from about 8 or 9 to 18, who take part in the Peer to Peer Program offered by the Burlington Gymnastics Club. The all female group spends Friday afternoons at the gym working through different routines until they have them perfect. “The program” explains Kline “is intended to build character and skill as an athlete.”  The first part of this gymnastic routine is to mount the small bar. The athlete has to run towards the small bar on the floor, reach down with her hands and grasp the bar and then swing her body into an upright position and hold her body steady as she prepares to move into the twirl part of the routine. Here Kathy Kline, the athlete who runs the program prepares to steady an athlete.
 Now the actual twirl. Having grasped the bar the athletes then releases one hand and begin to place left hand over right hand and in the process twirling her body – all the while keeping her legs straight up into the air. Getting to the point where the mount the bar, do the twirl and then dismount takes hours and hours of hard work.  Once the twirl has been completed the athlete then has to dismount and have her feet on the floor and be standing perfectly erect with her hands at her side. The complete movement takes a matter of seconds to complete but requires many, many months of practice. It is not as simple as it sounds but when done perfectly the movement is close to ballet and almost poetic. Chris Glenn, Acting Director of Parks and Recreation in Burlington is aware of the problem with the roof, he also very well aware of the program Kathy Kline runs and is delighted it is in place and pleased as all get out when an organization that draws 900 young female athletes to an annual event that takes place in one of the arenas he is responsible for and it doesn’t cost the city a dime. This is win, win, win for Chris Glenn. But about that roof? That will get taken care of and will be part of the new Joint Venture Agreement the city will put in place with the gymnastic club. Last fall when the Executive Director of the Club, Betty Tate, appeared before a city council committee asking if the city would allow the club to sell their own Gatorade and power bars during the weekend Spring Cup competition the city had a bit of a problem. Chris Glenn, Acting Director of Parks and Recreation, was in the process of entering into a new contract with a concession that would handle all food and beverage sales at the Central Arena. “All they wanted” explained Glenn, “was the right to sell the kind of treats and liquids they were good for athletes. This was an easy request to go along with. I could live with every request being that simple to fill.” Parks and Recreation is about providing a service to the community. The challenge for Glenn is to provide that service within the budget City council approves; runs programs relevant to the community and do the longer range thinking that will position the city to be able to meet the needs of a changing demographic. The link between the Peer to Peer class that Kathy Kline runs and the roof that needs repairs at the gymnastics club and the work Glenn is doing to put better Joint Venture agreements in place with the community organizations that provide services is pretty straight line – just a matter of following the dots. The city of Burlington doesn’t have a soccer program or a baseball program. The city has facilities that are used by different groups that create the programs. “Burlington is a community where different groups of people set up programs and then work with the city to ensure that the facilities needed are in place. George Curran will explain to you that the gymnastic building was put up some 40 years ago by the city. “We use it and take care of it” The parents whose children are enrolled at the Gymnastics Club are a resourceful lot. The scan the supermarket flyers and whenever Gatorade is on sale the word goes out and the parents buy the limit and store the stuff in their basements – come Spring Cup time they have a low cost inventory that generates revenue for the club.  Kathy Kline runs the Peer to Peer program at the Burlington Gymnastics Club along with her associate xxx xxx. The two know the strengths and weaknesses of each of the athletes and work tirelessly to help each one advance to the next level. Values, determination and constantly striving to do your best and reach new goals are a large part of the Peer to Peer program Kline runs along with her helper Jenna Gleza. “Character isn’t something you measure on a scale”, explains Kline. “A person isn’t a 1 or a 7 – character gets built over time and consistent interaction with adults and their peers. “I can tell in almost an instant if there is something that is bothering one of my girls. This is a very tightly knit group of kids,” adds Kline. “The girls are expected to work hard and to be consistent in getting to classes. They are here to train and to become top flight gymnasts. Kline, who was an active gymnast in her younger days, understands how hard it is to complete some of the routines but “you master a skill by practice, practice and more practice”, explains Kline and “you have the constant support of your peers throughout your growth as an athlete.” These young girls are not female “jocks”. There is a sense of determination in every routine they go through. They are at the gymnasium to become better athletes and in the process develop perseverance, depth of character and an ability to start something and follow though until the task is done.  Claudia Bartoszek rings the cowbell to signal to her peers that she has perfected a routine and wants to show her peers what she is now able to do. The bell doesn’t get rung often – it takes hours and hours to perfect a routine – and it all comes together at the Burlington Gymnastics Club Spring cup event where Burlington athletes compete against others in the province. Whenever a gymnast perfects a routine they run into a little closet space and pick up the cowbell that sits in a shelf and give it a little ring – everyone in the gym knows that the athlete has achieved a new level of perfection and they all share in the joy and the knowledge that they too will be supported by their peers. It doesn’t get much better than that.
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White construction helmet instead of a tiara and pink work boots – Burlington Beauty Queen graduatesBy Pepper Parr
 Construction crews can now get onto the sit and begin shaoing it as a soccer field and a play area with plenty of shade trees and parking. The site that construction crews were finally able to get to into now that the sun is drying up the fields will be home to a soccer field a playing field with plenty of parking spaces and some housing along one edge. The street leading into the soccer field, Palladium Way is separated by a stretch of employment lands, that have yet to be developed, and the 407 on the north with the project itself east off Walkers Line and north of Dundas. Residents in the area have been waiting for the soccer fields to get built and if the weather holds those fields should be accessible well before the kids are back in school.  Always making a fashion statement – the pink boots Councillor Lancaster wears on a construction site turn an eye just as well as the tiara did. These “ceremonial events” are pretty hum drum but if you pay attention there is usually something that can be picked up for what the politicians call the “photo op”. In this situation the photographer from “another news source that get published in Burlington” wanted to frame people in front of a large crane. Here is their intrepid photographer in action. Becky Ellis, a city landscaping technician was on hand to show the Mayor and the Council member around the site which has houses within a very short distance allowing parents to wander over to the park and playfield where there children are. What was missed and so typical of what Councilor Lancaster does(she does have a sense of fashion) were the pink construction boots she wore on the site. The neighbour hood is going through significant growth – a storey we will tell you about later in the month. [retweet]
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