By Pepper Parr
January 15th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
We goofed.
The annual delivery of the State of the City address by the Mayor to the Burlington Chamber of Commerce has always taken place at the Burlington Convention Centre – usually to a packed audience.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward talking to a business person at her first State of the City address to the Chamber of Commerce.
It was an occasion when those that matter in the world of business and those that matter in the world of local politics gather in one huge room and tell each other tall tales.
We assumed the venue would be the same this year.
We were wrong – the State of the City address will take place at the Performing arts Centre, around the corner from city hall.
The sit down breakfast will have to be a buffet in the Family Room with the address being given in the large theatre.
At this point we should perhaps say less until we have done a follow up.
Last year Mayor Meed Ward told Chamber members that her five priorities for the year ahead were:
Reasonable Growth, Not Overdevelopment
Get Traffic Moving, While Keeping it Safe
Reduce Flood Risk, Enhance Greenspace
Reduce Tax Increases, Keep to Your Priorities
Rebuild Trust, Create an Open Government
The political and commercial elites will gather in the Performing Arts Centre on the 30th to hear the Mayor talk about the State of the City.
Last year this request was made and the event was live-streamed on Facebook.
Will this be live-streamed? Many residents are unable to attend an 8am session, and for some it is not possible to pay to hear the Mayor speak.
Editor’s Note: In the past Cogeco has filmed the event and broadcast it on their cable TV network.