Waterdown is (to me) so centrally located. We are accessible to so many areas. In 10 minutes we can be in downtown Hamilton or 20 minutes to downtown Burlington.
In Burlington, there is such a pretty Waterfront... it is a vibrant area which attracts people all day, every day of the year. Yesterday, the long awaited Burlington Pier opened with the start of the Sound of Music Festival.... and an official community celebration is taking place tomorrow.
Taken from the City of Burlington website....
"The City of Burlington will celebrate the opening of the Brant Street Pier on Saturday, June 15 as part of
Burlington’s Sound of Music Festival, one of Ontario’s top festivals.
The pier’s opening will take place from noon to 3 p.m. at Spencer Smith Park, following the Sound of Music parade.
“The Brant Street Pier is nearly completed, and will be a
waterfront icon at the foot of Brant Street for families to enjoy for generations to come,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “There is still some outstanding business regarding legal action related to the pier. The city will be as open as possible in sharing that information.”
The
Burlington Teen Tour Band will lead City Council, members of the community and federal and provincial politicians onto the pier to enjoy its waterfront view as well as some free refreshments and live entertainment. Part of the pier will close at 3 p.m. to allow Sound of Music organizers to get ready for evening fireworks.
The seven Burlington children who left their
handprints on a commemorative plaque on the pier will also be asked to join the official opening. They will attend a plaque unveiling at the pier with the city’s funding partners on Friday, June 14 at 1 p.m.
“People will be thrilled when they see the astounding view of Lake Ontario and Burlington’s skyline from the Brant Street Pier,” said City Manager Jeff Fielding. “The completed Brant Street Pier is one more feature in this city that makes Burlington truly special, and one of Canada’s best cities.”
The pier has been the product of years of challenges that include the uniqueness of constructing in and around water. The city worked with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ministry of Natural Resources and Conservation Halton to ensure protection of both waterfront and land, especially the aquatic habitat.
“This has been a challenging but rewarding project for city staff,” said Scott Stewart, General Manager of Development and Infrastructure. “I would like to give my sincere thanks to the construction team that has helped
get the Brant Street Pier where it is today—ready for opening in June of 2013.”
The Brant Street Pier construction team includes Graham Infrastructure, Morrison Hershfield and project manager METTKO.
The total cost of the Brant Street Pier construction is $14.4 million. The Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program is funding $4.4 million of this amount while Halton Region is providing $2.5 million.
“In Burlington, we do great things together,” said Mayor Goldring. “The Brant Street Pier is an example of a government partnership that will attract tourists, create another anchor in the downtown, and stand out as an example of the creative vision this city has for a continuously high quality of life for residents.”
About the Brant Street Pier
The Brant Street Pier is being built to a high design standard with a minimum 75-year operational life.
The unique S-shaped pier will be a signature destination and attraction at The Waterfront at Downtown Burlington. The pier extends 132 metres (about 430 feet) from Spencer Smith Park over Lake Ontario, providing unique views of the lake and Burlington's shoreline. The pier deck is elevated above the surface of the water with the lookout node another nearly four metres (about 13 feet) above the main deck.
The Brant Street Pier includes environmentally friendly features, such as energy-efficient LED lighting. A concrete walkway will connect the pier to the existing promenade in the east end of the park. For more information, visit www.burlington.ca/pier or email pier@burlington.ca.
About the Sound of Music FestivalBurlington’s Sound of Music Festival is Canada’s largest free music festival. More than 200,000 people each year come to the four-day festival to enjoy live concerts featuring all types of music, including jazz; rock; folk; pop; blues; Latin; Big Band; Celtic; country; and children’s entertainment.
The festival features more than 10 performance areas throughout Burlington's downtown and waterfront. For more about Burlington’s Sound of Music Festival, visit
www.soundofmusic.ca "
What a great weekend it will be to celebrate the opening of the Pier and catch some wonderful FREE entertainment, food & fun at the Sound of Music Festival... all taking place down at the Burlington Waterfront.
In Waterdown, "THE" event of the summer is taking place at Memorial Park... I believe it's the 4th Annual "Oh Canada Ribfest". Lots of great food like bbq ribs/chicken/pulled pork, colossal onions, donuts, lemonade, ice cream etc... Also lots of local businesses, vendors and artisans have booths selling their services or products. Then, there is the stage for entertainment (you can watch ME dancing with my Adult Hip Hop group dancing with Live Dream Dance on Saturday at 11am, and then a big attraction on Sunday night is local rising star Jaclyn Kenyon) and of course all the midway/games. Monday, special Canada Day activities are planned like the swearing in of new Canadians (130pm Main Stage) and then everything finishes off Monday night at 10pm with FIREWORKS!!!
