By Staff
June 8, 2105
BURLINGTON, ON
All diamonds and grass playing fields are closed for the balance of Monday June 8, 2015:
All Diamonds and Rectangular fields, with exception of Turf fields, are also closed due to inclement weather.
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May 25, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON There will be water in city operated swimming pools – but the pool at Nelson will not be one that opens – this year.  Beats the heat doesn’t it? Your tax dollars at work. Nelson Outdoor Pool was scheduled to open for the 2015 summer season. As part of preparing for the summer opening, city staff conducted a pool inspection after the winter season. The pool structure has been deemed unsafe for public use by a structural engineer. Attempts were made to see if any short term solutions could be found for this summer season however, repairs measures are too extensive. As a result, Nelson Pool will not open for the summer 2015 season. “The pool was to reopen June 13, but with two severe winter seasons back-to-back, the steel tank at Nelson Pool has seen an accelerated rate of deterioration.” said Glenn. “Ensuring public safety is our top priority, and thus the need to keep Nelson Pool closed. Plans have been made to accommodate program participants and renters at other city pools.” With the bad news out of the way the Director of Parks and Recreation Chris Glenn sang a happier tune and said the City of Burlington wants to help residents splash into summer and that all the city’s splash pads, including the Dofasco Waterjet Park at Discovery Landing, are open for the summer. “With the warm weather, we’re pleased to have splash pads around Burlington open for the season earlier than usual. There are splash pads in parks across the city for families to enjoy the outdoors and cool off throughout the summer.” Mountainside Outdoor Pool and La Salle Splash Pad will open on Saturday, June 13 to the public for the summer swimming season.  Mountainsides bran new pool will see its first customers Saturday June 13th
The Tim Hortons free swims scheduled for July 6 and Aug. 9 at Nelson Pool will be relocated to Centennial Pool, 5151 New St. The July 6 swim will run from 1:30 to 4 p.m. and the Aug. 9 swim will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
May 13, 2015 BURLINGTON,ON North America will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope on July 13, 2015. Terry Fox visited Burlington during that first event.  The Terry Fox Run to Cure Cancer has been a Burlington event from the beginning 35 years ago. Last year the organizers of the event set up a booth in the Car Free Sunday in Alton. The city has been approached by the Burlington Terry Fox organization requesting a plaque or monument be installed along the waterfront, on the border between Wards 1 and 2, to mark the 35th anniversary. Terry Fox ran along Spencer Smith Park during his cross Canada run, and the annual race takes place in Spencer Smith/Beachway Parks. Direct the Manager of Arts and Culture to consult with the Burlington Terry Fox Foundation in the design of a monument to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Terry Fox Run with funding provided by the Terry Fox Foundation for implementation; Direct the Executive Director of Capital Works to consult with Halton Region on a location of the monument in alignment with the Beach Master Plan; and Direct the City Clerk to write a letter of support for the project to the Burlington Terry Fox Foundation.  The tension between Councillors Meed Ward and Craven is close to measurable at times. It will be interesting to see how they manage to cooperate at the unveiling of the plaque the city is considering. , It will be interesting to see how the Councillors for wards 1 and 2 manage to co=operate on this event. They are not known for the conviviality of their relationship. The plaque itself is a wonderful idea – Burlington has been a consistent supporter of the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope since its earliest days.
May 13, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON The route for the Pan Am Torch run has been determined. It will go through Burlington on Friday June 19 and start at Brant and Leighland and proceed south to Caroline where it will turn west along Caroline to Locust. South on Locust to Elgin West on Elgin to Maple and south on Maple into Spencer Smith Park. The Torch Route will start at 17:40 (5:40 pm) arriving at the stage at Spencer Smith Park at 18:25. (6:25) pm These times need to finalized with TO2015, which we anticipate shortly.  Pan Am Torch route – Friday June 19, The 19th of June is Sound of Music time of year – so the Torch run will somehow become part of the Sound of Music. There are hordes of people involved in the Pan Am event. Corporations are being asked to think in terms of possible staggered hours for their employees or have them work from home. Traffic is expected to be a bit of a mess for the whole of the Pan Am and the Para Am games.  This is the torch Burlington’s representative will carry June 19th Burlington has what the bureaucrats are calling “non-event” status – which is a polite way of saying nothing is going to take place in Burlington other than the practice soccer games that will take place at City View park – but the public will not be allowed to watch those games. All these decisions were made before Burlington was recognized as the best mid-sized city in Canada to live in.  Dr. Ashley Worobec will carry the Pan Am Torch through Burlington and into Spencer Smith Park. Dr. Ashley Worobec will carry the Torch for the Burlington portion of the run into Hamilton. Worobec is a Burlington based chiropractor at the Burlington Sports and Spine Clinic. She is also an avid Crossfit practitioner. A mother of two young children, she is actively engaged in numerous community activities and blogs about her community, her practice, parenting and staying fit and healthy.
May 11, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON Ouch – 10 to 1 – for the other guys. The Burlington Bandits, this city’s entry into the Inter County Baseball League held took part in a game on Saturday and took a drubbing.  The Majors just hit too many of the balls Perego was throwing. The London Majors pounded out 15 hits and took advantage of five Burlington errors in a season-opening 10-1 win over the Bandits Saturday aMajors third baseman Alex Martinez went 3-for-5 with a run scored, as five London batters had multi-hit games. Cody Mombourquette, Larry Gonzalez, Brett Sabourin and Argenis Vargas each had two hits. Majors leadoff hitter Humberto Ruiz had a double and scored three runs. London starter Oscar Perez went five innings, giving up one run on two hits. He walked three and struck out three. For Burlington, starting pitcher Dylan Perego was tagged for four runs (three earned) on eight hits in six innings. He struck out three and didn’t walk a batter. Adam Odd had the lone RBI, a sacrifice fly that scored Brad Bedford in the bottom of the first. London (1-0) will host Hamilton May 15 at 7:35 p.m. at Labatt Park, while Burlington (0-1) hosts Brantford May 16 at 1 p.m. as it opens the season with four games at Nelson Park.
April 23, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON For the second consecutive year Burlington’s Supreme Chearleading won the senior level division of the Ontario Cheerleading Federation’s National Championships last weekend, The Burlington participants along with participants from Oakville and Hamilton were crowned Grand Champions for their respective levels.  Burlington’s Supreme Cheerleaders win 1st place and are named National Champions The event took place in Brampton and featured hundreds of performances by teams representing clubs from across the country. The Supreme athletes represented our city well and produced fun and entertaining performances, which left their coaches, parents and spectators feeling proud! All athletes represented Supreme Cheerleading and the City of Burlington with great pride, energy and sportsmanship throughout the entire event. The final results of all the Supreme teams: Tiny Twinkles (Ages 4-5): Tiny Prep level 1 division – NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!  Supreme’s doing a Stardust Pyramid Supreme Cheerleading will be hosting their annual Showcase at Notre Dame Secondary School on May 9th, 2015. The event will feature performances by all competitive teams, pre-competitive teams and even a special parent performance. Athletes ages 4-18 who wish to join the program for the 2015-2016 season can attend Team Placements which take place at the Supreme Cheerleading Gym – Burlington’s only dedicated All-Star Cheerleading facility (at 4-845 Harrington Court) on May 19th-23rd 2015. More details can be found online at www.supremeallstars.com or by emailing coaches@supremeallstars.com.
April 12, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON Two world class marathoner’s who ran in the 2014 Chilly Half Marathon last February just might be on their way to the 2016 Rio Olympics.  Reid Coolsaet crossing the finish line at the Chilly Half Marathon in Burlington. Reid Coolsaet and Krista DuChene both headed to the Netherlands in search of what they hoped would be an Olympic qualifying time, as well as a shot a Canadian record. The two appear to have qualified for Olympic berths at Rotterdam today. Both took part in Burlington’s Chilly Half Marathon last March.  Krista DuChene being carried after finishing a race on Montreal just over a year ago with a broken femur. One year ago, DuChene, the Mother of two children, broke her femur running a half-marathon in Montreal. On Sunday in Rotterdam, she flirted with the Canadian record, and finished with her second fastest ever marathon time in 2:29:37.
Coolsaet also came to the Rotterdam course in the hunt for the Canadian record (2:10:09). He ended up with a strong seventh place finish in a tough field, finishing in 2:11:23. In previous years, the Canadian Olympic standard for the men’s marathon has been 2:11:29. Is Burlington’s Chilly Half about to become the accepted training ground for Olympic level runners?
April 10, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON We got this late in the day – Due to a mechanical issue at Angela Coughlan Pool, the scheduled Leisure Swim from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. is cancelled. We apologize for the inconvenience. Swimmers are encouraged to attend the 7:30 to 9 p.m. Family Swim at Burlington Centennial Pool or 7:30 to 9 p.m. Fun Swim at Tansley Woods Pool.
Marcvh 30, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON Dr. AshleyWorobec a Burlington chiropractor at the Burlington Sports and Spine Clinic, is an avid Crossfit practitioner at Crossfit Altitude in Burlington. The torch relay will visit Burlington on Friday, June 19, 2015 and will feature Dr. Worobec as the community torchbearer. The Burlington Pan Am Community Engagement Committee accepted applications and nominations until Dec. 14. To be considered, applicants or nominators submitted a photo and a letter of interest explaining the connection to Burlington and what being Burlington’s community torchbearer would mean to him or her. The finalist who received the most votes was Dr. Worobec. Nominated by Marnie Post, Dr. Worobec is a Chiropractor at the Burlington Sports and Spine Clinic, an avid Crossfit practitioner at Crossfit Altitude in Burlington, and an avid runner, participating in numerous runs in and around the city. A mother of two young children, she is actively engaged in numerous community activities and blogs about her community, her practice, parenting and staying fit and healthy. During the 41-day torch relay, each of the 3,000 torchbearers will complete, on average, a 200-metre relay segment. The torch will be carried by more than 60 modes of transportation and exceed 5,000 kilometres on the road and 15,000 kilometres by air. “The torch is a unique symbol of the Pan Am Games and carries a powerful energy that will unite Canadians,” said Saäd Rafi, chief executive officer, TO2015. “The torchbearers will proudly carry the flame through more than 130 communities, igniting the Pan Am spirit as they go.” Featured on the torch are the United We Play! pictograms — colourful depictions of people in motion —symbolizing the assembly of athletes through the celebration of sport and culture. The aluminum torch stands 65 centimetres high and weighs 1.2 kilograms (or roughly the same weight as a baseball bat). With a burn time of 10 to 12 minutes, the flame can withstand winds of up to 70 kilometres per hour and is visible in all kinds of weather conditions.
March 6, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON For many sports and gambling enthusiasts, new games and new ways to win big are now being offered . In Ontario, betting and gambling are overseen by OLG and PlayOLG is the brand new official site where residents of this province can do all their online gambling including sports betting. It is secure and legal and perfect for those that want to gamble from the comfort of their own home. OLG offers a number of online gambling options and they are set to add more in the future including peer-to-peer poker, bingo, sports betting and more. This brand new site opened its doors in early January 2015 and it provides the government with another opportunity to expand their revenue from gambling.
Sports Betting in Ontario OLG’s Pro-Line online sports betting website is available to all Ontario residents over the age of 18 and here you will find all the days listed events, links to the sports offered and the lines for these events. The Pro-Line betting grid lists available betting options and you will need to make your selections and then print out your betting slip. The betting options available are very limited especially when you compare these to international online sports betting websites. The Pro-Line bets are comprised of picking 3-6 outcomes and that is it. They also offer Point Spread and Pro Picks but it still doesn’t compare to the international sites. Canada’s Legal Sports betting Bill – C290 Here they can place whatever bets they want. The parlay rule has been subject to a lot of debate over recent years and many Canadians are hoping that the C290 bill will get passed. It has been tied up in the senate for a long time now and once passed this will remove the parlay wager rule and allow Canadians to bet on single game results and so much more. For sporting fans this will be a very welcome change as it will allow them to bet on single results such as the NFL final, football, and so much more. So far we still don’t know when this bill will be passed or even if it will be passed and because of this, Canadians are doing their sports betting elsewhere and opting to use international websites that allow bets from Canadian gamblers. The downside to this, is that the government is losing out on massive revenues each year and this is the argument for the passing of the C290 bill as once passed, these revenues can be kept in Canada and pumped back into Ontario’s economy. Legal betting and online gambling in Ontario is done through OLG and their provincially run website PlayOLG is for residents of this province only. There are advantages to this in that you know that everything you do is legal and the site is safe. The disadvantages of course are that you are only playing against residents of Ontario and the jackpots up for grabs aren’t as big as those offered by huge international websites. If you are planning on placing wagers on sporting events this year, including the NFL’s Superbowl final or this year’s Stanley Cup final, then like many others, you will be hoping the C290 bill issue is resolved sooner rather than later. You can read about the NFL final predictions and what sites are offering the best odds so that you know where to place your wagers for the best return. There is also valuable information for those who will be placing parlay bets too.
March 5, 2015 BURLINGTON, ON The Burlington Girls Hockey Club (BGHC) better known as the Baracudas; brought home three tournament medals, two GOLD and one SILVER, from two tournaments held this past weekend in Clearview and Oshawa (February 27 – March 1, 2015). The not-for-profit hockey organization offers girls a fun environment to play Canada’s favourite sport has more than 750 girls (and growing) and offers programs for girls ages 4 to 21 at both the house league and competitive (rep) levels.  The Atom BB’s were gold medalists The Atom BB were Gold medalists at the Cleaview March Madness tournament.  They are pretty proud of themselves – and they should be: Novice take gold The Novice House league Blue Rebels were also Gold medalists at the Oshawa Lady Generals Spring Classic.  The Panthers are letting it all hang out – hockey players that became divas. Silver for this team The Bantam House League Panthers were Silver medalists
The University of Pittsburgh’s second go-around at the ACC Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships couldn’t have gone any better for Dani des Tombe , a Nelson high graduate.  University of Pittsburgh Senior Dani des Tombe and |Nelson high graduate in the water Overall, 14 student-athletes appeared in 21 finals competitions including two A Finals, five B Finals, 11 C Finals and three diving finals. FREESTYLE des Tombe was also the team’s only participant in the 200 free as she put forth a sixth-place (22nd) time of 1:49.55.
December 31, 2014 BURLINGTON, ON Burlington’s not-for-profit hockey organization offers girls a fun environment to play Canada’s favourite sport – hockey.  Midget AA Silver medal winners at the Mississauga Chiefs Christmas Classic – Burlington Barracudas  Barracuda Peewee DS level they took bronze at the Mississauga Chief’s Annual Classic They brought home a Midget AA Silver Medal and at the Peewee DS level they took bronze. Founded in 1996, The Burlington Girls Hockey Club provides a safe and fun place for more than 750 young female athletes to play hockey. The not-for-profit organization offers programs for girls ages 4 to 21 at both the house league and competitive (rep) levels.
December 29, 2014 BURLINGTON, ON. Roy Brooke is an avid cyclist who lives in Victoria BC. On a trip to Copenhagen Denmark he experienced physically separated bikes and cars with a dedicated cycle tracks. Brooke tells his story: “Visitors to Copenhagen tend to notice that it is tough to take a photograph without a cyclist or bicycle in it. Cyclists seem to be everywhere, and statistics bear out the impression — 55 per cent of Copenhagers’ use bicycles each day and 41 per cent of people arrive to work or school by bike in the Danish capital.  In Copenhagen cycling is not limited. any any one demographic “On a visit to Denmark I started to notice who was actually doing the cycling as much as their sheer numbers — old, middle-aged and young people, families with children, women in high heels, people doing chores, people just getting around; every possible segment of society seemed to travel by bike. “As a parent, what surprised me were the many mothers and fathers in the downtown core with children on their bikes. “At home in Victoria, I bike on quiet residential streets with my four-year old on the back in his carrier. However, I never venture downtown with him on my bike. In my judgment as a parent, neither the core of our city or the roads that lead to it are safe enough for me to travel by bicycle with my son. “Yet in Copenhagen, a much larger and more bustling city than Victoria, families ventured into the busy core at all hours with children. “I rented a three-speed cruiser at my hotel and set forth to find out why. After a few hours biking around Copenhagen, I had several clear impressions. Foremost, during the entire time I biked around town, I never once felt like I was running a gauntlet of death between parked cars on one side and speeding traffic on the other. Almost every route physically separated bikes and cars with a dedicated cycle track. “In some areas, this was a bike lane on raised pavement. In others, simply but ingeniously, parked cars rather than people were the ones in the road nearest the traffic. This let bikers and pedestrians use the calm, safe space between parked cars and buildings.  Lanes created for bicycles where they don’t put riders in harms way and pedestrians have the sidewalks to themselves. In Copenhagen it isn’t a “them” and “us” – cars and bikes each have their place.  Traffic management includes instructions for cyclists. “In places without physical barriers between cyclists and car traffic, thick lines painted on the pavement and wide cycle tracks kept cars at a distance, and all intersections were marked to prioritize cyclists. “I also didn’t need to think much to bike. It was clear where I had to go because cycle routes were clearly delineated. It was clear when I had to go or stop because there were usually stoplights just for bicycles. And, it was clear where I could park or rent bicycles: just about anywhere. “In short, things were designed not only for motorists but cyclists also. “My overall impression is that Copenhagen’s physical separation of bike and car routes and having fully integrated design takes the “us versus them” out of cycling. I never felt irritated by motorists because I never came near them. I assume that I never bothered motorists, for the same reason. Pedestrians, motorists and cyclists thrived side by side because the urban system was built with everyone in mind. “Above all, I understood why parents took their children into Copenhagen’s core on bikes. If Victoria had similarly modern cycling infrastructure, I would do the same here. “Many other cities — Barcelona, Paris, Dublin for example — have made similarly large and fast leaps. Separated bike lanes, bike-share systems and lowered speed limits were common denominators in their success.”  Burlington has recently marked lanes to alert car drivers to merging bicycle traffic. Is the time right for Burlington to make a similar leap? A start has been made. We have the chevron markers and there are now several bike lanes clearly marked with green paint alerting drivers to the merging of bicycle tragic, During the recent municipal elections very little was heard from the cyclist lobby and as close to nothing from any of the candidates. Mayor Goldring seems to have assumed that he has learned a lesson after his flip flop on bicycle lanes along Lakeshore Road. Burlington could join the ranks of leading, livable cities, not through a dialogue that is about cars versus bikes, but one based on the actual evidence: that proper, modern biking (and pedestrian) infrastructure makes life better for everyone. New Street is scheduled to have some major infrastructure work done in the next few years. There was a proposal that dedicated bike lanes be part of that infrastructure upgrade – it wasn’t going to be cheap. The argument was to add the dedicated lanes while an upgrade was being done. That item will come up during the budget debates in February.
December 17, 2014 BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington is being considered a major celebration community for the Pan Am Torch Relay, and has asked its citizens to help choose a local resident to carry the Pan Am flame on behalf of the city when the torch relay comes to Burlington next year.
The public is now being asked vote on a short list of names selected by the committee. Torchbearer finalists are, in alphabetical order: Kelly Arnott There is something either ironic or fitting that Kelly Arnott be on the finalist list. Ms Arnott runs some of the most successful races in Ontario. Just last week she held the Santa Claus run which brought hundreds of Santa Claus clad runner streaming through the city. Residents are invited to vote for Burlington’s community torch bearer. Voting will close on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015. The selected torch bearer will be notified in mid-January. The relay begins in May 2015 with the traditional Aztec lighting ceremony at the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan, Mexico. The Canadian journey for the flame starts with its arrival in Toronto on May 30, 2015. It will then visit five cities in Canada, as well as 130 communities across Ontario.
November 6, 2014 BURLINGTON, ON.
Will we make the Guinness Book of Records for this – having the first green bike lanes in the province? They are being installed this week at the intersections of Fairview Street and Guelph Line and Prospect Street and Guelph Line.  That’s not grass – that is green paint intended to help car drivers understand the road is to be shared and to let cyclists know it is safe for them to use the bike lanes. The green bike lanes are intended to help highlight the bike lane portion of the road, reminding motorists and cyclists to be aware of each other and drive with caution. This is especially important at intersections where cars must cross over the bike lane to make a right-hand turn. The new road markings are being installed as part of the resurfacing project on Guelph Line and Fairview Street. Robert Narejko, a former chair of the city’s Cycling Committee is delighted with the road colouring and said: “Bringing awareness to cycling issues is a positive step forward for the safety of all road users.  Rob Narejko, a former Cycling Committee chair looks forward to streets with green bike lanes. “In our car centered culture, the green lanes will provide an ever present reminder of extremely vulnerable road users whose only protection is the vigilance of the car driver. Just as a cyclist wants to come home safely, no car driver wants the memory of clipping a cyclist causing injuries that may never heal.” Let’s see how the public takes to the new colour scheme – they are not going to be easy to miss.
September 6, 2014 BURLINGTON, ON.  Stephen Lowe – winding it up. The International Long Drive Challenge Canadian Long Drive Championships was held over labour day weekend in Port Rowan, Ontario at Starks Golf Course. Seems like an odd place to have a long drive event? However, the long drivers need a long flat hole about 450 yards wide with no obstructions in place, and therefore a golf hole works perfectly, and Starks generously donates all 9 holes for the weekend event. Blistery winds set the tone for some super hitting Aug 30 and 31st at the ILDC Canadian Long Drive Championships at Starks Golf Course in Port Rowan, Ontario. Ladies began the day with two time defending champion Fareen Samji of Burlington opening the day with a personal best 329 yards. ” There was a nice right to left breeze all day long and I worked really hard to get a draw swing going to have the wind help me a little and it paid off, ” said Samji of her incredible drive which was followed by sets of 317, 325 and 321. In an interesting turn of events, youngster and newcomer Cory Ann Pond of Simcoe, a second year student at Georgian College defeated Lisa “longball” Vlooswyk of Calgary in the Semifinals with a drive of 325 yards. In the final set, Samji bombed a 321 yard drive to defeat Pond and become the 3 Time ILDC Canadian Women’s Long Drive Champion. Samji will once again represent Team Canada 1 at the International Team Finals in the Dominican Republic Nov 16-23rd.” I always enjoy hitting against Lisa and she is such a great competitor having won this event so many times ” says Samji. “It was nice to see Cory hitting the ball so well and let’s face it, she is 20 and I am 40 this year! She kept me on my toes,” exclaimed the Burlingtonian Samji, who is a Pedorthist and very active in the Burlington community.  Fareen Samji , a Burlingtonian swings for one of those really long drives Port Rowan’s own Bill Stark began the seniors division ( over 45 ) on fire with a crushing 357 yards to make it to the final round. Contenders Ron Lampmans, Todd Herold and Stephen Lowe battled it out to see who would meet Stark in the finals and Burlington’s Stephen Lowe edged out Lampmans with 345 yards to get to the final round. The event is a double elimination knockout so Lowe had to beat Stark twice in the finals to defend his title. Lowe’s mental prowess prevailed and drives of 361 yards and 351 yards proved enough to beat Stark and become the 2 time ILDC Canadian Seniors Long Drive Champion.” It was a tough ride coming through the losers bracket, but I knew I had it in me, ” said Lowe. ” I have been working on tweaking a few things and some new equipment and it all just seemed to come together at the right time, ” said Lowe, a national accounts manager with PPG Industries.  Fareen Samji with her cup – she has taken this award before. Her next challenge is at the International level in November. The day ended with an incredible display of power from the Men’s open division and Ottawa’s David Dahms set a grid record of 408 yards. The battle was on and drives of 370 yards were being eliminated! Niilo Schonfeld of Toronto was in fine form and got into the final round early with a 384 yard bomb. David Dahms of Ottawa and Connor Hadaway who both hit it over 400 yards several times during the day, battled it out with Hadaway edging out Dahms to meet Schonfeld in the finals. In the first final, Hadaway narrowly edged out Schonfeld by 5 yards to force a second set. However, Schonfeld came back with an incredible answer to Dahm’s record and set a new grid record of 412 yards with his sixth and final ball to claim the title as the new 2014 ILDC Canadian Men’s Long Drive Champion. The top three men, the top senior and the top woman receive an all-expenses paid trip to the Dominican Republic to hit for the ILDC Team Canada 1 at the International Long Drive team finals Nov 16-23rd 2014. Lowe, Samji and Schonfeld were all Team Canada last year and are the defending champions in the team category and this year are looking forward to joining their team mates Hadaway and Dahms to regain their title.
June 29, 2014 BURLINGTON, ON It was the scare of a life time. Shortly before 5 PM, the Halton Regional Police along with fire and ambulance responded to an address on Hereford Crescent in Burlington; a 6 year old child had been pulled unconscious from a swimming pool.
The 6 year old child has been treated and released from hospital. She is in apparent good health. This incident, police remind the public, should serve as a reminder to the community that with the arrival of hot weather and swimming comes the need for constant vigilance of young children in or near the water.
May 29, 2014 BURLINGTON, ON On the night that the Montreal Canadiens were showing North America that they really knew how to play the game by beating the New York Rangers 7-4 – 175 sports people took part in the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame 2014 Inductee event. (Two night later the Habs lost the game and the semi-final series.) Mayor Rick Goldring presented a certificate with a pin from Council to Jesse Lumsden in recognition of his participation in the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. The inductees were – Dr Frank Hayden, Ken and Elaine Lake – long time track and field officials, Jesse Lumsden – Olympic Bobsledder – former football player and Nelson grad and Melanie McKay – Olympic Swimmer  Elaine and Ken Lake – tireless workers. Elaine and Ken officiated in Edmonton at the World Outdoor Championships, at the Vancouver Commonwealth (1994), at the PAN AM Junior in Windsor, at the World Junior in Charlettown, and finally in Toronto at the 2012 World Athletics Deaf Championships. At the NOC Level, Elaine served as Vice Chair for Human resources for six years, and when she left in 1992, she passed the position on to Ken. Both performances have been excellent and most of their work is still applied today. At the provincial Level, Elaine served as the Ontario Officials’ Council Chair for 1977 -78 while Ken covered the same position during 1984-85. In addition, Ken acted as OOC’s Vice Chair, Evaluator and Clinician, and member of the Provincial Test. Lance Nethery – NHL Hockey Player – is currently CEO of the Cologne Sharks in the German Hockey League. Centre Lance Nethery played 41 NHL games during the early ’80s. He was a fine goal scorer who put up impressive numbers in college, the minors, and European leagues. The Toronto native scored 91 goals in four seasons at Cornell University. After scoring 32 times in 29 games, he was chosen 131st overall by the New York Rangers in 1977. He was named to the ECAC first all-star team twice and the second team once and was a two-time selection to NCAA east first all-American team. During the 1979-80 season Nethery adjusted well to the pros by scoring 62 points for the New Have Nighthawks of the AHL. He was called up by the Rangers in 1980-81 and scored 23 points in 33 games but eventually lost out to centres Mike Rogers, Mark Pavelich, Mike Allison, and Robbie Ftorek. Nethery began the 1981-82 season on Manhattan but was returned to the minors then traded to the Edmonton Oilers for veteran goalie Eddie Mio. He played three games in Edmonton but spent most of his time with the CHL’s Wichita Wind where he scored 35 goals in only 46 contests. He battled injuries in 1982-83 before joining the HC Davos club of Switzerland the next year. Nethery was a dominant scorer for his new club and led the Swiss League with 46 goals in 1985-86. He retired in 1988 after leading Davos to two Swiss Elite League championships. Mayor Goldring added in a comment later that he and Lance are the same age – went to school together from Kindergarten or Grade 1 to Grade 13 – two Nelson Grads. “We played on the same house league team when we were eight. One of my more vivid memories is scoring my first goals in organized hockey with Lance being the first to congratulate me.”  Jesse Lumsden – set records that have yet to be broken. JESSE LUMSDEN: is a hometown boy who loved to play all kinds of sports. But his passion was football and he was good – so good in fact that in 2004 this former McMaster Marauder was awarded the HEC CRIGHTON trophy recognizing the most outstanding collegiate football player in Canada. In the same year Jesse was honoured by the CIS as not just the best football player in the country but the best university ATHLETE in the country. Jesse followed in the footsteps of his father Neil who had an accomplished career at the University of Ottawa and ten remarkable years in the CFL. 2014 is a memorable year for this father-son team. Later this year Neil will be inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame while his son is recognized now in his hometown as a member of the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame. Jesse earned football prominence very early in his Nelson High School career. He captained the 1999 Nelson Lords to an undefeated season, earning a trip to the Metro Bowl played in Toronto’s Skydome. A clear underdog, Nelson defeated a bigger and much older Toronto Central Tech team to win the provincial title. This gifted running back was named the game’s MOST VALUABLE OFFENSIVE PLAYER AWARD and a Greater Toronto Area All-Star. Heavily recruited, Jesse selected McMaster where he made an immediate impact. He electrified spectators (and coaches too) with his speed and elusiveness. In his third year he broke the single season O.U.A. rushing mark gaining a remarkable 1497 yards and averaging 8.4 yards per carry. He also tied the single season touchdown record with 20. His sensational season earned the Nelson grad McMaster’s Male Athlete of the Year. In his senior season he continued to tear up the turf rushing for 1816 yards – averaging 10.2 yards per carry and establishing a record 21 touchdowns. He was named OUA 1st Team All-Star and CIS All-Canadian and he repeated as Mac’s Athlete of the Year As a young man Jesse dreamt about playing pro ball in the NFL. Even though drafted in 2004 in the first round by the Hamilton Tiger Cats he was drawn south of the border where he signed as a free agent with the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks. The Cats hoped he would return to Tigertown. And he did. Jesse had an incredible rookie season and earned a spot as an Eastern all-star. Injuries short-circuited the talented young man’s six year CFL career. This gifted athlete recently turned his athleticism to bobsledding. Recognized as one of the top brakemen in the world, the Nelson grad has twice worn the Canadian singlet on the world stage at the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Games. Today we recognize his football talent and welcome “hometown hero” – Jesse Lumsden – to the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame. DR. FRANK HAYDEN: Frank Hayden had a high school named after him but before that he was a major moving force in the creation of what was first known as the Special Olympics. A pioneer sets out to explore and find new territory. He/she must have vision but along with this rare quality must come perseverance, tenacity and diligence. Dr. Frank Hayden displayed these qualities and much more in his quest to provide sporting opportunities for those who are developmentally disabled and intellectually challenged.  Frank Hayden with Ontario Lt Governor after receiving the Order of Ontario In the early sixties, testing of children with intellectual disabilities revealed that they were only half as physically fit as their non-disabled peers. It was assumed that their low fitness levels were a direct result of their disability. Dr. Hayden questioned this assumption. He conducted research which concluded that, given the opportunity, intellectually disabled people could become physically fit, and acquire the physical skills necessary to participate in sport. His belief and understanding led him to conceive the idea of Special Olympics, a national sports program for people with an intellectually disability. His proposal was originally rejected by the Canadian government, however, his research became known to the Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation in Washington D.C. So he went to work with Eunice Kennedy Shriver for the next seven years. Here he served as Director at the Kennedy Foundation and was the catalyst in establishing federal legislation to assist persons with a disability. He returned to Canada and worked to establish a similar program here. Canada’s first games were held in Toronto in 1969 with 1400 athletes. In 1975 and assumed the position of Director of the School of Physical Education and Athletics at McMaster. From there Dr. Hayden persisted with his dream and established the Special Olympics Office of International Development , assisting with the growth of International programs from 15 to 50. His list of achievements and awards is remarkable. Here are a few: Honorary Member of the Canadian Olympic Association; Officer of the Order of Canada in 1999 and Order of Canada in 2000. Also, he was recognized recently by the Halton Board of Education as the name of their newest and ‘state of the art’ secondary school here in Burlington is Frank Hayden High School. Dr. Hayden legally incorporated “Special Olympics Inc.” and today the program provides training and competition for more than three million athletes in more than 170 countries. Olympic swimmer Melanie McKay was also recognized and inducted into the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame. A biography of Ms McKay was not available.
May 28, 2014 BURLINGTON, ON. You have to understand Ron Foxcroft and his affinity with the world of sports. He has been around every game that is played and while he can, on occasion, get the ball in the basket – that isn’t what he is known for.  The whistle business all started on the floor of a basketball court. Earlier in the week there was a need to talk with Ron Foxcroft – getting to him is not easy – he is on the go from just after seven to late into the evening most days. But get through we did – and started our conversation asking if he had caught the game – that being the one where the Habs took a hockey game in the direction it was meant to go – 7-4 with a hat trick for the Canadiens too boot. “Of course I got to the game – I had to rush out of the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame inductee event but I saw that game.”  The Official Whistle of the NHL with a logoed edition for the Stanley Cup finals provided by a high school dropout who lives in Aldershot.
No we did not know that – would you send us a picture? And here it is. Another Foxcroft product. We chatted about the stupendous game goalie Dustin Tokarski is putting in as he stands between the pipes. Of course we all know the kid used to play for the Hamilton Bulldogs – which at one point was owned by Ron Foxcroft. What matters of course are those whistles – will they blow at the right time? For the right team? We will be watching the two remaining games and hopefully the cup – the Stanley Cup, will rest where it belongs – in the head office of the Le Club de Hockey Canadien. It really should be at the Forum, just along St. Catherine Street in Montreal – half a block from the Toe Blake Tavern. That was a different era – but the hockey then was still the same – great! Jean Beliveau, Maurice Richard, Guy Lafleur – the dream goes on. Background links:
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By launching this brand new online gambling website, the OLG is hoping to tap into the estimated $400 million that Ontario gamblers are spending annually on international sites. They are hoping to secure up to $375 million in additional profits in the next five years. Ontario now joins British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec and all of the Atlantic Provinces in offering online gambling and casino style games to their residents. Players at PlayOLG will be able to set their own wagering limits up to $9,999 per week. They must be at least 18 years of age and must be an Ontario resident and play within the province.
The Burlington Pan Am Community Engagement Committee accepted applications and nominations until December 14th. 
By Pepper Parr
By Pepper Parr
Then he adds – “did you know that Foxcroft International made the whistles