Get ready for summer: Make your selections for Movies Under the Stars
 By Staff
April 18, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The people who toil on our behalf at city hall appear to be certain of something that many others may have in doubt – that there will be a summer.
The Burlington Festivals and Events people have announced the movie choices available at different parks during the summer.
Residents can vote online for the movies that will be played this summer at Movies Under the Stars. The program has been well-received in past years,” said Chris Glenn, the
city’s director of parks and recreation. “We are looking forward to another summer of fun-filled nights for families and friends to enjoy some of their favourite
movies in the great outdoors.”
 Night out in Burlington Movies Under the Stars is a city movie series that allows families to enjoy movies in neighbourhood parks. Supported by Tim Hortons, the series will feature a
different movie each Thursday between July 7 and Aug. 18. All movies start at dusk and are shown on an outdoor screen.
Residents are encouraged to vote each week to select the movies that will be featured during Movies Under the Stars at www.burlington.ca/movies
A new poll will be posted each week until May 18, giving voters a choice of three movies. Polls will instantly show which movie has the most votes.
Poll dates, Movie date and park
March 30 to April 6 – July 7, – Nelson Park
April 6 to 13 – July 14, – Aldershot Park
April 13 to 20 – July 21, Central Park Bandshell
April 20 to 27 – July 28, – Emerson Park
April 27 to May 4 – Aug. 4, – Kilbride Park
May 4 to 11 – Aug. 11, – Ireland Park
May 11 to 18 – Aug. 18, – Spencer Smith Park
 “Watch the votes climb and join the City of Burlington in thinking ahead to the warm
days of summer,” said Glenn. Bring your own chair and a blanket.
For more information and to cast your vote for the movie you want to see – visit www.burlington.ca/movies – email is at – festivalsandevents@burlington.ca or phone 905-335-7766.
 The Burlington Festivals and Events office offers support to community event Organizers. They are presenting Kite Festival, Canada Day, Movies Under the Stars, and Children’s Festival to the community for free. The community relies on sponsors, vendors and volunteers to keep our events free.
 By Staff
April 18, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It is one of the largest and most effective city – community groups Burlington has. They both advocate for the environment – they try hard, but not always successfully to hold city council accountable for the decisions they make that impact the environment.
BurlingtonGreen has initiated a number of projects that make a difference and they have invited world class speakers to the city. It is an organization that has real clout – it could be used more consistently and with more vigor at times.
REGISTRATION link is at the bottom of the page.
 Every age gets involved in the annual BurlingtonGreen Clean Up Every Spring thousands of citizens pull on a pair of gloves pick up a green plastic garbage bag and go picking up litter anywhere they can find it.
Called the Clean Up – it takes place on a Saturday morning with everyone, in the past, gathering at city hall for a burger, pop and a chance to chat up their friends.
The Clean Up this year takes place on Saturday the 23rd – people can go to the BurlingtonGreen web site and decide where they want to do their community work and just show up.
 The annual CleanUp campaign Burlington Green organizes ends with a gathering of the environmental clan – this year it will be at the Bandshelll in Central Park – right next to the library. There are perhaps hundreds of places to Clean Up – when the work is done everyone is encouraged to gather at Central Park and wander around the exhibits at the library or listen to music and have their burger and chat with friends on the grounds in front of the band stand. Entertainment is expected to be part of the event.
More than 55,000 participants have joined the collective effort resulting in cleaner parks, streams, school yards and neighbourhoods.
This citywide event invites citizens, schools, churches, businesses, neighbourhoods and community groups to come together to clean up and green up Burlington to help the planet locally. What a great and meaningful way to celebrate Earth Day 2016!
Registered Clean Up participants will receive free supplies (bags and gloves) to do their clean up activities and are invited to attend an Eco-‐fair Celebration at Central Park Bandshell/Library on April 23rd from 11:00am to 4:00pm. Festivities will include a BBQ courtesy of Turtle Jack’s and refreshments courtesy of Tim Hortons, along with fun button making for kids, a variety of local eco-‐display and opportunities to win free raffle prizes.
 Turtle Jacks will be there with their mobile kitchen. The line ups move quickly. There will be displays inside the library and music at the bandshell.
 Amy Schnurr, Burlington Green’s Executive Director explains that this is the 6th year the city and the BG people have worked together. It started in 2011 she said. BG and the City partner on this event with the City contributing $7,000 from the Parks and Road maintenance budget for event planning and execution costs.
Registration gets done – just click here:
 By Pepper Parr
April 18th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It was pretty simple to Griffin Gervais, a grade five student at Lakeshore Public school – just ask people how to get the ball diamond behind the school repaired and they would tell him what was needed and it would get done because he was the kind of kid that did things like that.
 Carrie Gervais and her son Griffin at Matching Fund meeting. Griffin had an occasion to meet Burlington’s MP, Karina Gould and asked her if she would help him with his plans for the ball diamond. The grounds needed a serious leveling out – they had little rises and small shallow spots. The bases needed bags that were properly anchored – third base is currently a small hole that collects water.
The back drop is close to being ready to fall down. And the benches are kind of crappy.
The ward 2 member of city council happened to be at the same event – Gould pointed Griffin to Meed Ward who was pretty sure what Griffin and his buddies wanted to do was possible under a program that was being rolled out by the city’s parks and recreation department.
 The city had created a Neighbourhood Community Matching Fund that could put up as much as $5000 into a project that is designed to improve a community.
If the success of the Neighbourhood fund depended on the effort of the Parks and Recreation people overseeing the program – the thing would be a raging success.
The purpose of the program is to get people involved in their communities by pulling together a group with a common cause.
 Home plate is the only base that has a bag – and it doesn’t line up properly with the other bases. As a school play ground it has been allowed to deteriorate badly. The Neighbourhood Community Matching Fund has Griffin Gervais’s name written all over it.
City hall staff were spending time in each ward meeting with people to explain what the program is and how it works.
They were in ward 2 last week explaining the program and taking people through the forms that have to be filled in. There are a lot of forms to be filled in.
 No base bag at third base – just an indentation in the ground where water gathers.  Was he out – Griffin Gervais didn’t think so – but there was no base bag to really know. To use the language of the retail sector – these people want your business and they will go well out of their way to make what you want to do in your community happens.
Julia Rogers, the lead contact person and the one who does the presentations, gets herself pretty wound up when she speaks. Griffin Gervais who as at the meeting with his Mom wants to see that baseball diamond at his school upgraded.
Traditionally, in Burlington at least, the school board and the city don’t cooperate all that well.
That isn’t slowing down the people running the Neighbourhood Matching Fund. They appear prepared to do whatever they have to do to get a spark going within a community that will grow into a nice flame that will ignite people in their communities to come together and do things that make Burlington a better place for everyone.
Carrie Gervais said she now has the quotes she needs from the Board of Education so “we now know what the target is. The parents added $200 to the budget for a party in the park to celebrate their success which is all part of the city’s objective. They want people to come together, work together to make their neighbourhoods better places.
 In no specific order: Sawyer Cobham. Scott Rose, Griffen Gervais, Kayden Maslanyk discuss the problems with their ball diamond The Matching fund is intended for a project people want to see done in their neighbourhood. The forms are not that difficult – everything is on line – and if you have a problem – the staff are there to help you.
The city has set aside $50,000 for the program this fiscal year.
Applications have to be in no later than April 29th – which doesn’t leave much time. Staff actually apologized for the late start – this is the first year of what they see as a multi-year effort.
There are two completed applications in hand with one coming in from Giffin and his buddies. There are six wards in the city – someone is going to be disappointed.
Every project submitted won’t need a full $5000 explained Rogers. So the $50,000 available for this year is expected to cover all the applications.
If the program works – parks and recreation staff are planning on asking for more funding for future years.
The City has been pumping out media releases to remind residents that applications are due Friday, April 29.
Chris Glenn, the city’s director of parks and recreation believes there are a lot of good ideas out there and says:. “If you have a proposal for something you think would bring your neighbourhood and community together and build strong connections, we want to hear about it. Even if you are not able to complete all of the information requested in the application form, I would encourage you to still submit it to the city by the April 29 deadline.” Glenn added that once a project is approved the sponsoring group has up to one full year to complete the work.
Griffin project is going to come in at about $11,000 – they are hoping they can get a full $5000 from the city and fund raise to pull in the balance.
The community is expected to raise half of the amount needed. That half can be cash, or in kind materials. Any work that people do on the project is counted at the rate of $17.02 for each hour worked. 50% of any professional services that are needed can be included in the budget.
Griffin’s parents set up a crowd funding account at: Gofundme.com/myzjbcwk There are no stones unturned with this group.
 Julia Rogers will guide anyone through the application process. It sounds a little complex – don’t worry about figuring out the details – Julia Rogers is a phone call away and she will take you through the application form line by line.
One of the issues on anything that involves the city or the board of education is insurance. That can be difficult to navigate. Denise Beard, Manager Community Development, said her staff will do everything they can to get you the insurance coverage you need.
Applications need to be in before the end of the month – approved projects will be announced in June.
 By Staff
April 17, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It was that kind of a weekend – the warm weather we have been waiting for blessed us and the citizens took to the streets and Spencer Smith Park and got out for walks.
Many of the sidewalk café locations were full, the Gelato location on Lakeshore Road at Brant had a line up.
Next weekend is the annual Clean up that BurlingtonGreen organizes and supervises – hopefully the weather will cooperate again and we can pick up some of the rubbish that seems to gather in the late fall and winter months.
Buds on the trees weren’t quite ready to sprout – they’ve been fooled before.
The birds seemed pretty sure that this was the real thing – if you stopped for a moment you could hear some full throated warbling.
 Busy but not overcrowded. Rising quietly in the background is the re-developed Joseph Brant hospital. There is a group of people in the Region that are looking at the cost of burying those hydro lines. Would Burlington be Burlington without them?  A lot of relationships in this city got started at this gazebo – these folks are chowing down the way good friends do.  The pier got a good work out.  Doesn’t get much better than this – does it? Here is how some of the people spent Sunday.
 By Pepper Parr
April 16, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
 Morgan, the axe throwing coach and instructor, points to where the axe was supposed to go. Many of the Brantford group managed to hit the bulls eye. There is a small club set up in an industrial space where people throw axes at a wall.
It’s entertainment and has grown into a business model that has expanded to eight locations in less than two years. Founder Mario Zelaya has plans to be in every major Canadian city. They say they are the #1 in Fun and Games in Toronto on Trip Advisor
The business went from a backyard hobby to a company that transformed a niche activity into one with mass appeal.
 Throwing an axe proved to be a little more difficult than expected.  Two women from Brantford throwing axes in Burlington.  The axe throwing party as held to celebrate the birthday of the gentleman on the left.  Not all the axes thrown were lodged in the targets – but they had fun learning how to throw. Friday evening a group of 13 people from Brampton came to town to celebrate a birthday. There is certainly nothing fancy or upscale about the site – it was a place people could rent and enjoy themselves. They brought their own beverages, a box of cupcakes to celebrate the birthday and the intention of having a good time.
They bring their own music which gets plugged into a speaker system.
Is it safe? Very. The instructor takes everyone through a safety lesson and watches everyone carefully to make sure no one does something stupid.
And then they begin to throw axes.
By Staff
April 13, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The inaugural Leading Ladies Charitable Dinner and Speaker Series, organized by the Junior League of Hamilton-Burlington, will take place on May 3, 2016 at LIUNA Station in Hamilton. Doors open at 5:30pm.
 Former Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion What makes this a newsworthy event? Former Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion is going to take the microphone – and it should be a barn burner of a talk.
Hamilton artist, author and philanthropist Patricia Gagic, will share the stage for an engaging and inspiring evening. The evening will be a dinner and exciting silent auction, with the proceeds supporting the charitable work of the Junior League of Hamilton-Burlington.
“Part of the Junior League’s mission is to develop the potential of women.” says Stephanie Fontaine, President of The Junior League of Hamilton-Burlington Inc. (JLHB).
At 95, Hazel McCallion still outworks colleagues half her age. She is passionate about causes that benefit the community and is thrilled to support the Junior League. “My career has spanned many decades but I have consistently championed education and the development of women leaders, two priorities that I share with the Junior League of Hamilton-Burlington.”
As one of WXN (Women’s Executive Network) Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada in 2015, Patricia Gagic’s talents have touched many aspects of the arts and beyond. She is also a dedicated community advocate both locally and internationally. “As a lifetime volunteer and advocate for children around the world, I am excited to share my story in hopes it will inspire others.”
Tickets for the evening (including dinner and speakers) are $100 each (charitable donation receipt available for a portion of the ticket cost), and are available online at www.juniorleague.ca or through the office at 289-337-9526 (Tuesday and Thursday).
The JLHB’s current focus of young women affected by poverty grounds their volunteer efforts and partnerships across the Hamilton-Burlington community.
 Former Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion – she can be as tough as nails when she has to be. While the Junior League of Hamilton-Burlington may be an organization of women committed to voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers purpose may be exclusively educational and charitable they are going to get an up close and persona look about the role women can and have played in the world of politics.
Hazel is going to lay a little of that political love on them.
 By Staff
April 12, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Will you be Carson or Cora?
Come to the April 15 meeting of the Halton British Club and have fun paying homage to your favorite Downton Abbey character. There will be prizes for the most authentic look, a quiz and a British style tea party to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday with some delicious birthday cake. Only $7 at the door.
When: 7:30 – 11 p.m. Friday, April 15
Where: Knights of Columbus Hall, 2400 Industrial St., Burlington
 Which character do you want to be? The Halton British Canadian Club Inc was established in 1984. Its purpose is to provide a setting where members can participate in social activities. The club meets on the third Friday of every month at the Knights of Columbus Hall.
For more information: hbcc.webs.com or contact
Jane or Russ Parker at: russjane2000@yahoo.ca
or (905) 465-3480.
 By Staff
April 12, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Why would 170 people want to read a story that was published in March of 2015?
 We have no idea – but when we looked into the stats on the story we found that more than 3500 people have read the piece with the headline Burlington lawyer claims Solid Gold is available by the hour on Plains Road in Aldershot.
One of the reasons they reasd the story of course was because they could – everything the Gazette publishes stays in the archives.
Is there something going on in Aldershot the rest of us don’t know about?
Check it out – is there something we are missing?
Solid Gold
By Staff
April 10, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
They need help with scraping and painting, window cleaning, cleanup of the grounds, moving and cleaning Whinstones, installing safety material on the windows, relocating
the TH&B car, and moving the security fence.
 The outside of the Freeman station is looking pretty good – lots more to be done on the inside. Does any of this appeal to you?
How about being a part of the team that has contributed over 3,000 hours of effort to get the Freeman Station to the point where they are thinking seriously in terms of setting a date for the place to open.
 The was the end of stage 1 – getting the station off blocks and to he location where it would rest on a foundation. That was phase two. The volunteers who are making this happen have put in more than 3000 hours of work – so far. The Freeman Station has a proud history, not because of what the majority of city council did to keep it from being sold for kindling – but proud because of the tiring efforts and hard work to first find a site for the structure and then to raise the funds to get it moved and then to get started on the work that will make it a destination for many visitors to the city.
The Friends of Freeman Station want you to dig out your work gloves and wear old clothes and then show up on one of the two (both if you are so inclined) volunteer dates: April 16th and April 30th.
 With the hardest part of winter behind them – the team will be out in full force. There is a lot to be done yet
The team would like to know what kind of talent is going to show up: alert them about your skills by emailing them at – info@freemanstation.ca and let them know what you can do.
By Staff
April 10th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
A group of Burlington-area performers have joined together to present a benefit concert in aid of Syrian refugees. Burlington impresario and artists manager Robert Missen put the call out to all of his Facebook friends when the tragic circumstances in Eastern Europe came to a head. He wondered if they would be interested in participating in a special concert to provide financial support to the cause. The reaction was swift and decisive.
Missen put the word out to his colleague, Stillman Matheson, Director of Music at Port Nelson United Church, who then took the idea to the church’s Syrian Refugee Sponsorship Group . Their response was equally positive. The church will provide the use of the sanctuary for the concert, and will support the presentation of the event from marketing and logistical perspectives. Mr. Matheson and the church choir will participate in the concert.
 Stuart Laughton Musicians from all genres- classical, jazz, folk, blues, musical theatre- will come together at 3:30 pm on Sunday April 17th. All of the artists will be donating their services. They include singer-songwriter Jude Johnson, trumpeter , sopranos Carol Ann Thomson, Elise Naccarato and Alix Kingston, KooGle Theatre’s Leslie and Chris Gray, pianist Charles Cozens, flutist Claire Sweeny, mime artist and singer-songwriter Andy Griffiths. Robert Missen will serve as Host.
All of the proceeds will be shared equally between The United Church of Canada’s Emergency Response – Syria Relief campaign for those in refugee camps overseas and the Port Nelson Refugee Sponsorship Group.
 Trevor Copp 5000 Miles Burlington is but one of several similar benefits that are being held across southern Ontario: Rosedale United Church in Toronto on Sunday November 8th ; Knox Presbyterian Church in Elora on Saturday November 28th ; and St. John’s Anglican in Ancaster on February 28th.
Tickets are $25 and are available through the Office of Port Nelson United Church, at Different Drummer Books, through Eventbrite and at the door. Children under 12 are admitted for free.
5000 MILES: A BENEFIT CONCERT FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES
SUNDAY APRIL 17TH, 3:30 PM
PORT NELSON UNITED CHURCH
3132 SOUTH DRIVE, BURLINGTON
905-637-5631
TICKETS $25, CHILDREN UNDER 12 FREE
By Staff
April 9, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
“ Yes we know you’ve heard it all already”, said David Low, president of Latow, the Burlington photography Guild, “but a week from now Latow will be holding its Annual Photography Weekend with David duChemin, who is regarded as one of the top photography educators anywhere.”
 David duChemin David duChemin is a world and humanitarian assignment photographer, best-selling author, digital publisher, and international workshop leader whose nomadic and adventurous life fuels his fire to create and share. When on assignment du Chemin creates powerful images that convey the hope and dignity of children, the vulnerable and oppressed for the international NGO community. Drawing on a previous career in comedy, du Chemin is a dynamic and engaging presenter and educator. A driven artist, creative professional, entrepreneur and life-long adventurer, du Chemin educates and inspires through stunning visuals and hilarious travel stories.
 From the David duChemin collection. Saturday’s full-day seminar, Photographically Speaking, – a day of inspiration and
instruction.
Sunday mini-seminars: three 2-hour sessions: A Stronger Approach to Travel
Photography, Stronger Landscape Photography, and The Visual Imagination.
Saturday evening Latow AV Festival – 10 presentations combining images and music in
innovative ways.
Latow is the photography guild associated with the Art Gallery of Burlington.
By Staff
April 9, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario is challenging high school students to “change the world” by volunteering for at least three hours in their communities.
The challenge runs from April 10 to May 23, coinciding with National Volunteer Week.
 This year’s goal is to have 39,000 students aged 14 to 18 participate in volunteering. The ChangeTheWorld challenge, which is delivered in partnership with the Ontario Volunteer Centre Network encourages young people to get involved in their communities and helps them develop important skills like teamwork and leadership.
Ontario high school student are required to put in 40 hours of volunteer time in order to graduate.
By Staff
April 7, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Each year, the Halton District School Board hosts public speaking competitions in Canada’s two official languages.
The English public speaking competition involving approximately 20 students in Grade 9-12 on Tuesday, April 12, 2016. It
starts at 6:30 p.m. at White Oaks Secondary School (1330 Montclair Dr., Oakville). The public can attend this free event.
The event provides separate competitions for Junior (Grade 9-10) and senior (Grade 11-12). Students speak on any subject they choose for 5-6 minutes
without a microphone and be judged on organization, effectiveness originality, grammar, delivery, voice, body language, eye contact, grammatical correctness, enthusiasm and pronunciation. The judging panel will include Associate Director of Education David Boag, Board trustees Kim Graves and Kelly Amos, and a member of the Oakville Toast Masters.
Kyle Stewart, White Oaks Secondary School teacher and co-organizer of the April 12 event, said public speaking is a skill that can benefit students in their education pursuits as well as in the workforce.
“This event is an opportunity for students to showcase their strengths in public speaking,” Stewart said. “We are expecting a tough competition and
fantastic speeches from these exceptional students.”
Prizes will be awarded to the winners in the Junior and Senior categories.
Last week, the Board held its French public speaking competition for more than two-dozen elementary and secondary students. The winning students will represent the Board at the Canadian Parents for French French Public Speaking Regionals at the Glendon campus of York University on *Saturday
May 14, 2016*.
The winners were in the following categories: Core French Junior – Manahil Sabrini W.H. Morden Public School; Intermediate – Urmi Sheth, W.H. Morden Public School; Extended French – Junior Alish Ahmed, W.H. Morden Public School, Intermediate – Sara Zia, W.H. Morden Public School; Francophone Plus (FSL+) Junior – Jose Milan, Forest Trail Public School, Intermediate – Julia Mistele, Sunningdale Public School, French Immersion – Junior Vanditha Widyalankar, Tiger Jeet Singh Public School; Intermediate – Abigayle Burnette, Rolling Meadows Public School.
Grade 11-12 student Nicolas Génier, White Oaks Secondary School (WOSS) – French as a mother tongue; Grade 11-12 student Abdulrahman Al Bochi, WOSS – French Immersion; Grade 11-12 student Afif Bhimani, WOSS – Extended French; Grade 9-10 student Danyaal Irfan, Iroquois Ridge – French Immersion; Grade 9-10 student Abi Sudharsham, WOSS – Core French.
By Staff
April 8, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Air Cadets of 715 Mohawk Squadron, Burlington, will be honouring the 3,600 Canadian lives lost at the Battle of Vimy Ridge by marching 3.6 kilometres from the
Royal Canadian Legion, Burlington Branch 60 to City Hall beginning at 9 a.m. on April 9.
 The march will result in lane closures. Streets will reopen as soon as possible following the completion of the march.
Traffic Lane Closures – 9 a.m. start time
The march will use one lane, expect delays:
Fairview Street travelling east, between Brant Street and Drury Lane; Drury Lane, south to Prospect Street; Prospect Street, west
to George Street’ George Street, south to Ghent Avenue Ghent Avenue, west to Brant Street.
Brant Street, south to City Hall, Civic Square
Emergency Services access will be maintained at all times along the event route.
Supervision
Police will direct traffic at major intersections and event volunteers will assist motorists at multi-residential driveways and on side streets.
By Staff
April 5, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
“From the time we are little, we are taught to share” declared Lawson Hunter. ”However, as we age, the desire to acquire ‘stuff’ grows as soon as we earn a little bit of money and join the consumer society. Advertising pushes us to buy the next best thing, a bigger, better, newer version, a complete set, to find happiness and fulfillment. That may be good for the economy but is it good for society?
 Uber taxi, while disruptive to the taxi industry, is one of the more popular sharing services. “Capitalism may be built on competition,” says Lawson Hunter, “but history shows that we progress much further if we co-operate with one another.” Collaboration, the sharing of ideas and resources, takes us leaps and bounds beyond the private, proprietary approach. Community has always meant working together to achieve good for everyone, not just the individual. Inequality results when many hands do the work but only a few grow wealthy because of it. Sharing brings everyone up to the same level and everyone benefits.
Some call it the ‘sharing economy’; the gig economy; the gift economy; peer-to-peer accommodation; or collaborative consumption, but at its core it is very simple – if you’re not using something why not let someone else use it?
Though not officially counted in the GDP, the sharing economy could grow to $335 billion by 2025, according to PriceWaterhouseCoopers. This is the foundation behind such revolutionary start-ups such as Uber, Lyft, Airbnb, TaskRabbit and dozens of other disruptive technologies that citizens and cities are embracing or challenging, depending on your point of view.
To that end, Hunter met with the Mayor to see if he could get something going at that level – the Mayor is going to think about it.
He has run the idea by a couple of council members – they didn’t day ‘not a hope’. Hunter, who is a letter carrier dabbles in some public relations consulting.
 Libraries are perhaps the original sharing service. The sharing economy has opened the door to more efficient uses of everyday items we own but do not use to their fullest capacity. For example, car ownership is ubiquitous and yet most cars sit parked for most of the day. Someone may purchase a drill only to use it a half a dozen times in total leaving it to lay in the toolbox for years. Books, clothing, household items may be used once or twice and then discarded. This is an incredible waste and unsustainable. Why not ‘share’ with someone else, reducing cost, optimizing resources, and extending the usefulness of thousands of articles?
Hunter points out that we already share quite a lot! We just don’t know about it or take it for granted. Libraries, food banks, used clothing stores, parks, public transit, recycled building materials, and even co-operative housing are examples of the sharing economy.
Volunteering to coach hockey, teaching someone to read, driving a patient to the hospital, carpooling, shoveling your neighbour’s sidewalk are just some of the ways we already ‘share’ our time and effort, goods and services. It’s important to measure, and celebrate, the many ways society shares its common resources. There is an international organization that wants every community to stand up and be counted in The Sharing Cities Network – www.shareable.net.
 Hunter explains an event called a mapjam – a time when people get together and map out just where sharing is done in a city. “You would be surprised ay just how much sharing goes on” and points to a number of situations in Burlington where people on a street collectively own a heavy duty snow blower.
More than 500 MapJams have been hosted in 60 countries – two have taken place in Canada – Elora and Toronto.
 Many cities around the world have created bicycle sharing services. Hunter wants Burlington to join that Network. To kick things off, he is hosting a ‘#Map Jam’ on Thursday, April 14, 7:30pm, Frank Rose Room, at the Burlington Central Library. Every organization that shares, opens its doors, facilitates exchanges, co-ordinates time-sharing or carpooling or food banks or little league sports, arts, and activities is invited to network, meet other sharing activists and exchange information. The general public is also invited to learn more about the sharing economy. “We may all be amazed at how we already are in the sharing economy,” says Hunter.
What Hunter is promoting is exactly what the Parks and Recreation department is trying to get going in the city.
Related news story – city prepared to fund projects
 By Staff
April 4, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The following sport fields are closed from Monday, April 4 to Sunday, April 10, 2016.
List of Parks and Facilities affected:
City View F1
City View F2
City View F3
Norton F1, F2
Orchard F2
Sherwood Forest F2
Nelson Stadium
By Staff
April 4, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Mother’s Day – May 7th this year. The florists will pick up on that one. All the pushy advertising aside – it is a special day. For many – their parents live in Burlington and their adult children live elsewhere.
With the warmer weather coming (it is coming isn’t it?) there are opportunities to get out.
The restaurants will be packed that Sunday and besides – you get out to restaurants often enough.
 Cheryl Golding and her colleagues at the Gallery 2 on Spring Garden Road are hosting a Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea on Saturday, May 7, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
They will be serving: tea/coffee, scones with cream, and a variety of sweet treats.
Cost: $30.00 per person.
 By Pepper Parr
April 2, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It really is all about the artist – but getting that exhibit set up is as exacting in its own way as the creative work that artist does.
Sunday afternoon Teresa Seaton will feature some of the work of Michelle van Maurik at the Seaton Gallery on Spring Garden Road out by the Royal Botanical gardens. The work is exquisite.
 Deciding which painting should go where – not as simple as one might imagine. Most people know of as the Maurik Canadian who was invited to show her work at the Louvre, which makes her an internationally recognized artist who isn’t seen often enough in Burlington.
Seaton, whose discipline is stained glass, has opened her gallery up to artists with different disciplines in the past. We at first thought that getting Maurik into the Seaton Gallery was a coup – turns out the two women go back a number of years. The crossed paths when both were exhibiting their work at the McMichael Gallery in Kleinberg.
“She took me under her wing at that event” said Michelle van Maurik and Seaton was taking her under her wing again as the two artists worked at figuring out which pictures should go where on the limited wall space.
Maurik is often working on several pieces of art at the same time. It is a mood thing for her – a day in the studio starts at around 10 am and ends at around 4 pm. “At times I have to leave a painting and come back to it with fresh eyes” on other occasions a change in the light will draw me back to a painting.
There was a time when Maurik did paintings of old trucks – she saw life in a rusting hulk of metal abandoned in a field. Those paintings are long gone – flowers, peonies in particular attracted Maurik and that work caught the eye of someone putting together a delegation of artists that were chosen by the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts to be part of the Canadian delegation in one of the most prestigious and oldest shows in Paris, France.
She got a message from an art dealer who had seen her work online and “ asked if I would like to be part of the show and told me to send some images.” Her Sunflower painting was chosen.
The SNBA was created 153 years ago to exhibit artists who were refused by the Academy of Fine Arts, including Rodin and Messonier. SNBA representative Bénédicte Lecat says she received Maurik’s images and sent it to the jury.
 Maurik work waiting to find its place on the gallery walls “The president of the jury said he chose Sunflower to enlighten the winter in Paris and the wall of the delegation. While Maurik’s career blossomed after the show in Paris what she will tell you about that city is it’s light. “There is something golden in the late afternoon sunlight in Paris” and the French do like her peonies.
The SNBA exhibits at the Carrousel du Louvre Salle Le Nôtre every December with approximately 10 foreign delegations with works in oils, mixed techniques, works on paper, engraving, tapestry or sculpture. The Canadian delegation includes 20 artists from Alberta, Ontario and Québec.
 Maurik saw life in a rusting hulk of metal abandoned in a field. Maurik, whose father was a billboard painter began to paint when she was six years old. She painted advertising murals on the sides of buildings across Canada.
Mostly self-taught, Maurik studied in New York under Daniel Greene, a renowned artist regarded as one of the top portrait painters in the U.S.
Maurik now concentrates on oils and pastels, her bold and at the same time delicate peonies are doing very well. One of her favourites will be done in a limited edition print run.
After she returned from Paris, Maurik kept on painting. Her work has appeared in many exhibitions, including the McMichael Canadian Art Gallery and the Hittite Gallery in Toronto. It is not surprising to see Maurik painting outside the Sea and Craft gallery on Kerr Street in Oakville.
 Pink peonies. “I wanted to do something different and be home with my daughter,” she said. In the last four years, things have taken off for Maurik. There is a risk in taking the route she has decided upon – a painting can take years to find a home but at some point someone will fall in love with a painting. Maurik has found that people see her work on her Facebook and decide they just have to have it.
 If you want to see just what it is people have to have – slip over to the Seaton Gallery on spring Garden Road – the exhibit is on until the end of May,
While you’re there – save some time for Gallery 2, right next door to the Seaton Gallery – Cheryl Goldring and Anne More have set up shop there. Well worth the time – on a good day Don Graves is at his easel adding to the experience.
By Staff
April 1, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It’s a great idea but the take up within the community hasn’t been as strong as the Parks and Recreation people would like it to have been.
Perhaps people don’t fully understand the process? Maybe it’s too bureaucratic? Whatever – the city is going to put some of their troops into the community and help people complete their applications before the April 29th deadline.
What is your idea for the community? The city wants to help groups that have a great idea for the community get up to $5,000 in funding to make those ideas happen.
The city is hosting five workshops to help groups complete their Neighbourhood Community Matching Fund applications before the April 29, 2016, deadline.
The fund will provide up to $5,000 to support projects led by neighbourhood and community groups. Approved projects will get up to 50 per cent of the funding for
the project from the city. The neighbourhood or community group will match this funding with an equal value through any combination of volunteer hours, donated
services, donated materials and supplies or other funds raised.
Workshops to offer both information and hands-on help will take place:
 Mountainside Recreation Centre Monday, April 4, 7 to 9 p.m.
Mountainside Recreation Centre, 2205 Mount Forest Dr.
Community Room 2
Wednesday, April 6, 7 to 9 p.m.
Appleby Ice Centre, 1201 Appleby Line
Multipurpose Room
Tuesday, April 12, 7 to 9 p.m.
Tansley Woods Community Centre, 1996 Itabashi Way
Holland Room
 Burlington Seniors’ Centre Wednesday, April 13, 7 to 9 p.m.
Burlington Seniors’ Centre, 2285 New St.
Boutique and Multipurpose Room
Thursday, April 14, 7 to 9 p.m.
Aldershot Arena, 494 Townsend Ave.
Community Room
Participants are asked to RSVP to
matchingfund@burlington.ca the day before the workshop they wish to attend.
Those who can’t attend can visit
https://www.burlington.ca/matchingfund for more information.
Next week the Gazette will be running a series of articles on the Love my Hood program the city is also offering. One way or another – the parks and recreation people are going to get you to do something to make this city a nicer, better place to live in.
By Pepper Parr
March 31, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
They decided to call it a party rather than a meeting and made a good effort to give the Parks and Recreation Event Strategy workshop a different tone and feel.
 It worked – sort of. There was half an hour at the front end of the meeting (oops, party) for socializing that included an open cash bar (two bottles of beer and one soft drink were sold) and then into the Workshop.
The purpose was to get ideas and feed back on what the city’s event Strategy should be – what worked and what doesn’t work asked the facilitator and what would you like to see, what would your vision be even if the idea was not feasible or practical. This was an occasion for some blue sky thinking – they didn’t quite rise up to the challenge.
 Manager of Community Development Services, Denise Beard A year and a half or so ago Manager of Community Development Services, Denise Beard got to listen to James Dier at a conference – she was mesmerized. Within months Beard got Diers to an event in Burlington where he blew the socks off a lot of people and showed an approach to building community that had a lot of people excited and wanting more.
Those who worked closely with communities understood immediately what Diers was saying – it took others a little longer to “get it”.
When Diers made a presentation to a Committee of the Whole at Geraldo’s it was priceless to see the expressions on the faces of the buttoned down consultants. Diers is a very “in your face” advocate for what he calls “Neighbourhood Power”. He changed the way Seattle involved its neighbourhoods in figuring out what was needed at the street level.
Much of what we now see coming out of the Parks and Recreation department now is the result of the Dier’s approach.
 Staff tried to create a sense of a play party with gimmicks that could be used illustrate some of the creative ideas. He isn’t for everyone. He is loud, forthright and gets excited. He once threw a live chicken into the office of the Mayor of Seattle to make a point. Watching the look on Councillor Craven’s face as Diers got himself wound up while explaining a point set out the stark contract between the two men – and contrasted the difference between the way the ward 1 Councillor works with his constituents and how others involve their citizens.
It’s pretty clear that the Parks and Recreation people are going to follow as much of the Diers philosophy as they can. The Gazette will report in more detail the approaches Diers created and what Burlington can expect to see in the months ahead.
The Tuesday evening “party” was the first time Parks and Recreation staff had an opportunity to field test some of their ideas.
A Workbook was given to all the participants who gathered in groups of six to eight around tables that had all kinds of play toys – plasticine, coloured paper and markers and large sheets of butcher paper to draw plans on.
The questions put to the groups were focused on the current experience people had had on an event that took place:
 What did they think about the current experience ? What is your experience with events held on City property now?
What do you love?
Why?
What’s working well?
What bugs/concerns you? Why?
What keeps you from attending? What draws you to these events?
Each group of people beavered away at the questions and then reported back.
 This is what the facilitator gathered from the participants – the future of festivals and events as they saw them. Next up was Future Experiences:
Given the trends and increasing demand for festivals and events in Burlington, the Workbook outlined, what would you like the experience of attending Future events to feel like? Look like? Who would be attending?
• What should we continue to do?
• What should we stop doing?
• What should we start doing?
Again the different groups worked through their ideas and reported back and the results were put up on a huge banner.
The last session was Advice to the city:
The workbook set out criteria the City could use to help them select appropriate festivals and events to host on City property.
Those taking part, there were about 75 people taking part – they were asked to:
1. Take a look at the criteria and choose the ones that you feel the City should use. Why should they choose these ones?
2. Have a discussion at your table.
3. As a table, look at the criteria again and together choose the top five criteria
 This is what the facilitator heard the 75 + participant say – it wasn’t as imaginative as some had expected. What advice do you have on criteria for the downtown festivals/events? What advice do you have on criteria for the neighborhood festivals/events? What did you clearly agree on at your table?
What did you have difficulty agreeing on?
The criteria put before the participants for selecting events:
Type of Sports Events
One time event attracting out of town athletes
On-going community/local activity (e.g. house league)
Fee to Attend Event
Paid Admission
Supporting our Community
Healthy and greener City by ensuring healthy food and activity options, environmentally friendly practices, encourages modal split
Focus on local talent, food, businesses and organizations
Diverse types of events
Celebrates diversity in our community
Family friendly for all ages
Who and what type of events should we give preference to when we’re deciding on applications for festivals and events on City property? Choose your preference to the following:
Type of Host
For Profit
Non-profit
Charity
Preference for Hosts of Events
from Burlington
from outside Burlington
Purpose of events
Community Development – build sense of community
Economic Development – bring dollars into community.
The community level work being done was part of a larger exercise. The people at city hall had begun to rethink the city and it brand. The two biggest festival events the city holds – Sound of Music and Rib Fest have both taken place in the city for more than 20 years.
Are they getting stale?
Did they really portray what Burlington is in the minds of its citizens?
Have times changed and is it perhaps time to look at what the city permits on the waterfront space?
 The sand castle competition is no longer a summer event in Burlington. While there hasn’t been a big announcement – the sandcastle competition held in the Beachway part of the waterfront will not take place in 2016.
The debate over what should be done with the 25+ homes in the Beachway clouded the discussion over the several different parks that are going to be created on that stretch of land from the Joseph Brant Museum and the canal.
 Discussion at all of the tables was wide open and wide ranging – there were some that felt there should be stronger security and that the festivals intruded on life for those who lived downtown. Unfortunately the public is not all that involved in the design of that park – planners at the Regional level are putting together the ideas. It will be a couple of decades before anything significant appears.
The intellectual guru behind the thinking taking place within the Parks and recreation department – and make no mistake about this – the city has swallowed the Kool Aid – they are all in at this point on the Diers philosophy.
The challenge now is to get the citizens to the point where they begin to understand that Neighbourhood Power is the direction staff is going – the biggest part of their job is to get citizens to buy in and begin thinking aloud what they want their city to look like; what kind of events do they want to see in the public places?
The facilitator, who brought a different visual approach to the documenting of the data and the comments made, asked the audience to do some ”blue sky” thinking – to talk about their vision which may not be feasible, probably no very practical either – she just wanted them think bigger than they normally do
 Chris Glenn,Director of Parks and Recreation. There wasn’t all that much in the way of responses. One table thought more use should be made of the water – and hold water based events.
 They decided to go for the big photo op – just the one city Councillor attended – the Mayor popped in to make the opening remarks. Another comment was to have more focus on the city’s history and tell more about the veterans.
The biggest concern was traffic – getting out of an event when everyone was heading for the same exists at the same time. There were suggestions about using shuttle buses and holding alternative events that would be part of the larger festivals.
No mention was made of the hydro towers and the thought that is being given to burying them.
There was a member of Rotary in attendance and the Sound of Music had several of their big guns at several tables. They, along with Brian Dean, General manager of the Burlington Downtown Business Association chose to be in a listening mode for the most part.
The task now for the parks and recreation people is to pull together all the data and comments they have collected from the various stakeholders and community groups and prepare a recommendations report for city council.
Festivals and events are one part of the mix that get reflected in the Strategic Plan – document the city will make official later this month.
Then what?
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