By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON October 10, 2012 Under the circumstances it was the best they could do.
Later this month seven names will be drawn from those who enter the draw to have an impression of their hands made out of plaster that will later be poured into concrete and become a part of the decoration for the pier when it open – which we note is now set for the “summer” of 2013. The draw location is HERE. You have until October 16th to submit your name. Children must have the permission of a parent or guardian and must provide name, age and contact information.
Seven elementary students will have plaster molds made of their hands which will later be turned into concrete castings that will be used to decorate the pier when it is open to the public – date set for summer of 2013
“This is an exciting opportunity for children to interact with Burlington’s newest landmark,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “I encourage all Burlington elementary school-aged children to enter to have your name drawn to leave a lasting impression on the Brant Street Pier.”
The selected children’s hand print impressions will be taken during a celebration event on Saturday, Oct. 20 at 1 p.m. in Spencer Smith Park, just east of the pier. Prior to the event, Mayor Goldring and each of the city’s six ward Councillors will draw one name from each ward and one extra name for a total of seven. The children will be asked to place a nut and bolt into one of the pier’s connecting plates for one of the final steel girders.
“Everyone is invited to witness this milestone, sip a hot cider and enjoy this celebration at the pier,” said Scott Stewart, General Manager of Development and Infrastructure. “Having children become part of the pier construction connects the Burlington community with the pier they will enjoy for many years to come.”
It’s a good idea – but it could have been better. The contractor sort of got in the way of an idea that would have given everyone and anyone in Burlington a chance to leave their mark on the pier.
A couple of months ago we took a trip to Kitchener to look around one of the companies that was doing the welding of those beams that created so much difficulty for both the city and the contractor.
On the way back from that tour an idea got put out and everyone in the car liked the idea and people that can make things happen at city hall began to look into it.
The idea was to have one of the girders that is to be installed on the pier set out on the promenade in front of the construction site. The girder would be mounted on a platform where everyone and anyone could sign their names to the 40 foot length of steel.
The hope was that thousands would show up and take advantage of the opportunity to be part of the history of the city. People in Burlington would be telling their grandchildren that their signature was on one of the steel beams out on that pier.
But alas – it wasn’t to be. The construction company owns the site and they get to decide on what gets done with the steel and all the other parts of the pier. And they weren’t able or prepared to loan the city a steel girder for part of a Saturday afternoon.
This pier is so far behind schedule that half a day just wasn’t available.
So the city has to live with the impression of the hands of seven elementary school children.
