Mayoral Debate Set for September

🏆 The first-ever Blue Zone Cup Student Tournament is on.

Students take over our courts on Saturday, August 8, competing in pickleball and padel for prizes and bragging rights.

Parents, if you've got a kid at home who loves to compete, here's their chance to get on the court, face off against other players their age, and have some fun doing it.

Every skill level has a division. Students are placed in Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced based on experience, so first-timers and seasoned players each get balanced, competitive games.

Go solo or bring a partner. Students can sign up with a friend, or register on their own and we'll pair them with another student.

Open to students in high school and up. Registration is $30 ($20 for members), and tournament details will be released when registration closes August 5th.

Pickleball matches begin at 1:00 PM, followed by Padel at 4:00 PM.

Ready to compete? Pick a division and sign up:

Sign up for Pickleball | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced
Sign up for Padel

There's plenty of art to see in Burlington. Three exhibits are open at the Art Gallery of Burlington on Lakeshore Road, a couple of them closing soon, plus a brand-new water-themed show at Burlington Centre. Here's what to catch before summer runs out.

Celina Eceiza: A material called Earth fills the Lee-Chin gallery with hand-dyed, stitched and embroidered textiles next to large-scale drawings, an immersive room you step into rather than just look at. It's been up since May and comes down August 16, so catch it before it’s gone.

Chukwudubem Ukaigwe: Locutions spans ceramics, paint, sound and video, all circling the idea of containment: what things hold, and what leaks through anyway. The showstoppers are stacked ceramic vessels that swell and crack open like interrupted speech. Up in the Perry Gallery through August 30.

The gallery's Community Generator Series 4 runs alongside both, a rotating set of community-led shows built to put more local artists in front of more people. It's the always-something-new corner of the building, so pop your head in even if you've been recently.

New next week: Arts Burlington's all-Guild water show lands at the Burlington Centre (the mall on Guelph Line) from August 1 to 7. It's part of Heritage Week, themed "Waterways of Life" this year, and it's free with no registration, just wander through while you're there.

Four shows, two locations, and a good reason to duck out of the heat!

Burlington's mayoral race is now a three-way contest, with two sitting councillors lining up against the incumbent. Ward 2's Lisa Kearns and Ward 3's Rory Nisan have both declared against Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, and voters get to see all three side by side on September 17 at St. Christopher's Church.

The debate almost didn't happen. When no group volunteered to host one this year, the Burlington Men's Shed stepped in and organized it themselves. Nisan and Kearns have confirmed they'll be there. Meed Ward hasn't said yet.

The night starts at 7:15 p.m., with nearly 20 council candidates setting up tables to meet voters before the main event. Community Development Halton's Rishia Burke moderates the debate itself.

Cranes are installing taller hydro poles along Dundas Street near Guelph Line right now, clearing the way for Halton Region's next round of construction on the highway.

The $63-million project will widen Dundas from four to six lanes between Guelph Line and the Halton-Hamilton boundary, adding dedicated bike lanes, new sidewalks, upgraded traffic signals, and fixes to the high-collision intersection at Cedar Springs Road and Brant Street.

Tree crews spent the last several weeks clearing the corridor. Construction is expected to start later this year and wrap between 2028 and 2029.

Work has been ongoing along Dundas since 2021, moving west from Appleby Line. Drivers can expect similar lane closures to what they've been dealing with farther east.

🎉 What's Open and Closed for Monday’s Holiday

Jamie DeBruin qualified for the world over-35 waterski championships for the first time this year, then went to Calgary and came home with bronze. She wasn't expecting the podium in the slalom, but she advanced through three preliminary rounds before locking up third at the July 19–25 event.

Her three kids were there to watch, though her five-year-old was more interested in the hotel pool than the medal ceremony. DeBruin says she skis because it makes her a better mom, chasing long-term goals her kids get to watch her work toward.

She's already eyeing the 2028 championships in Chicago. This time, for gold.

The Burlington Lions Hall on James Street hosted its first Food and Craft Festival last Sunday afternoon, drawing a crowd to sample local vendors and street food.

Food options included barbecue, jerk chicken, tacos, cookies & brownies, and many more.

The event marked the Lions Hall's first try at a food-focused festival, bringing together locals for an afternoon of eating and browsing.

Friday, July 31
🌦️ Heavy drizzle
High: 27°C | Low: 17°C

Saturday, August 1
🌦️ Light drizzle
High: 28°C | Low: 20°C

Sunday, August 2
🌧️ Violent showers
High: 22°C | Low: 20°C

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~ Nick