By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON March 21, 2013 Here we go again. A magazine that promotes its readership with a list of the best place to live, the safest place to live and maybe even the nicest place to live and then all those locations promote this specious recognition.
Burlington, Burlington, Burlington! We are better than some phony recognition given to us by a magazine promoting their circulation.
Unfortunately, you can bet real money that the Mayor will tout this phrase every opportunity he gets and the members of city council will do the same damn, stupid thing.
The nicest thing about this graphic put out by the city is the picture.
This city has huge potential but we will never rise above our provincial past as long as we let others define us.
It is what we do with what we have been given that should make us important.
Can we grow to the point where leading corporations choose this city because it has the very best schools, the very best sports organizations for our children and a performing arts centre that is the envy of the country because of the type of event it brings to its stage?
The Burlington Art Centre has one of the very best ceramics collections in North America – and we have it stuffed into boxes because there isn’t any adequate space to display that collection.
Much of the city grew out of a land grant given to a native who served the British Army during the American revolutionary war. Born a native, became a savage warrior and grew into one of this country’s early statesmen – Joseph Brant is recognized by a pathetic little museum. He was a great Canadian but we don’t seem to be able to tell our citizens that story.
Why oh why, oh why do we need outsiders to tell us how good we are?
The late Jane Irwin reminded city council that we are called Borington for a reason. Time to grow up and be who we really are.
Has anyone noticed how vibrant the Alton Village community is becoming? Are we aware of the way our downtown is going to change in the next five years?
Do we use the Escarpment as a place that provides the fresh vegetables we consume or do we just talk about how nice it is?
Can we grow beyond the festivals that take place on the waterfront?
There are a lot of things done in the city that are superb and we don’t need a magazine with a circulation smaller than the population of the city to tell us what we have going for us.
Perhaps the Residents of Burlington should decide if they think that we are living in the best midsize City. You know, when we are sitting in Emergency at the Joseph Brant Hospital for 4-6 hours to be seen and then to be on a bed in the corridors because there is no room available. Or when on the way to the Burlington Performing Art Centre (the one that will bleed this community for eternity) and our car gets stuck in the large potholes in the road because of the lack of funds to keep up with the infrastructure required. Last but not least when we walk the 10 meters (ok so I am exaggerating, but not much) to the end of our Pier to nowhere, that we as residents will never know the full cost of.
I would think that to be considered #1 for midsize cities the quality of life should be tantamount. This will be a wonderful photo op for the members of council, and I am certain they will take full advantage of it.
Um, a note of caution about this ranking.
Calgary is rated #1 large city. As a former Calgarian I have to note that the metrics of this survey have to be heavily weighted towards CAR CULTURE in fact one of the criteria is “Number of New Car Ownership”. Who paid for this FORD?
I could go on at some length about the problems of Calgary, crime, weather (40 below at halloween anyone?), house prices, difficulty in getting around, Flames Fans…
(Full disclosure Habs sont la!)
Look at any other of the many rankings of this kind & Calgary is never rated above Vancouver or Toronto.
Don’t get me wrong, Burlington is great, I’ve lived here almost 28 years, but you’re right it has lots of room for improvement. If Burlie truly is the #1 medium sized city in Canada; God save Canada. But hey, to hear we’re better than Oakville, – that is all I care about!
😎
Calgary and Burlington have 1 thing in common – horrendous traffic jams.
You are right James, we need to look at the criteria of these surveys. Most people will not read more than the headline.
There are many positive aspects to Burlington, but also many areas where we could do better.
Perhaps the word perception could be used here. Knowing too there is a saying ‘you have to know when you live there.’ Burlington residents are intelligent so there is a great move afoot do not let them know too much.
I am all for full disclosure which would change the thinking of those who think we are #1. It could be the world of Ontario is even more dreadful just like Burlington therefore #1.
God Bless us all if Council lives with the shiney button of ‘#1’ without listening to the residents!
Why always so negative?
I couldn’t find anything any measure in the comparatives which dealt with an aging population. I noticed in the last budget only two councillors [ Meed Ward & Taylor ] made any reference to seniors living on the margins.
Are we s’posed to draw comfort from the most-recent Heart & Stroke ads … to the affect ‘the last 10 years of our lives will be spent in sickness?’ Cue me up for No Contribution.