ISSUE 12 • 2021
Aldershot Christmas Tree Lighting and Festivities
Childrenʼs Dentistry Preventive & Restorative Dentistry Precision Dental Implants Root Canal Therapy In-Office Tooth Whitening Veneers, Crowns & Bridges Non-Surgical Laser Periodontal Therapy Extractions Nitrous Oxide Sedation (Laughing Gas) W ate
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6 Aldershot Christmas E VE N T
Tree Lighting and Festivities
9 Festive Bread R E CI PE
Pudding
11 Rosie & Alice: F E AT U R E
Burlington’s Blooming Secret
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Neighbourhood Aldershot Magazine is published and delivered monthly to selected Homes in Aldershot by Canada Post, agreement #41362062. Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to publish this magazine as accurately as possible; however errors and omissions can occur. THN Media, their employees, agents, representatives and vendors are not liable for any damages relating to errors or omissions in the editorials or advertising, which may appear herein except where a specific charge has been made. In such cases, THN Media shall have limited liability only to the charge for such advertising or editorials.
IT IS THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT SHOPPING AND RETHINKING THE HOW, WHERE AND WHY! Our local business owners on Plains Road are ready to help you get all the items needed to make this Christmas the best one yet. There are so many great reasons to Purchase on Plains, Shop Local and Shop Aldershot!
Small local businesses are the largest employers nationally and we need to keep our community here at home working and contributing to the local economy.
Shopping at a local store in Aldershot means you can get an expert opinion about the products that you’re purchasing! Our retailers know their businesses and products!
Parking!! There is always a spot out front at our local businesses in Aldershot. Avoid the long walk from the lot and enjoy shorter lines. Who doesn’t want less stress and hassle when it comes to getting what you need from a business?
Looking for better service? Local business owners do what they do because they are passionate about their products and services and typically take more time to get to know their customers, clients and patients needs.
Get to know the local owners behind the businesses. Take a peek at our People on Plains Series on Instagram and IGTV! Their business is their passion and they appreciate every single dollar you spend.
Elevate the local economy and SHOP ALDERSHOT this Holiday Season! NEIGHBOURHOODMAGA ZINE .CA
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Aldershot
CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING AND FESTIVITIES By Leslie Styles ■ Photography by Aldershot BIA
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The Aldershot BIA held a very successful tree lighting at Downsview Plaza on the chilly afternoon of November 20th. The yearly tradition has become a favourite among the local community and its business members. Starting at 3pm, the ever growing crowd were treated to music, food and fun while waiting for the tree lighting. Santa entertained the kiddies as Burlington's own Emma Whale treated the crowd to Christmas songs; singing and playing guitar. Other music was provided by the Hand Bell Choir of St. Matthews Church and Enchorus Children's Choir. To warm their bellies, the crowd was treated to free samples of tasty potato or mulligatawny soup, generously offered by District Kitchen and Bar. Scrumptious!
Little people lined up to receive a twisted balloon candy cane or balloon animal. Officer Bochsler of the Halton Police proudly represented the Cram-acruiser program; accepting food donations for Halton's Compassion Society. The Holiday Vendor Market was a hit once again as numerous local vendors such as Crattoria Creations, Art by Cori and Basketful Boutique, made their products available to the delight of the Christmas shoppers. West Plains United sold honey produced from the six bee colonies living behind the church, that collect nectar from flowers in Hendrie Park and other nearby gardens. Horse drawn Carriage rides were back this year, but had to be pre-booked.
A little after 6pm, spirits soared when the multicoloured lights popped on, illuminating the gigantic tree at Plains and Downsview that has brought Christmas joy to so many over the years. The BIA would like to thank everyone who came out and a special thank you to the title sponsors Councillor Kelvin Galbraith and Leslie Bullock of Team Bullock Real Estate.
Merry Christmas everyone!
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Season’s Greetings!
T
he holiday season is once again upon us and hopefully you have some plans to visit with family and friends again this year. Last year, we were within lockdown restrictions and many did not see family or travel as they were accustomed to during the holiday season. My family did an outdoor Christmas with a few warm fires and a barbecue. As many holiday celebrations follow the same routine, I can certainly say that the 2020 version was different and will be the most memorable. We are hoping that our current case count of Covid19 does not escalate and we can have a relatively normal holiday season again this year and celebrations can be indoors. Canadian weather is often not that friendly at this time of year. I wanted to thank all of those who made it to our annual Christmas tree lighting event this year at the Downsview plaza. Our local Aldershot Village BIA has been running this event for 15 years now and we were back with relatively normal activities this year. We had many booths to resemble a mini-Christmas
Kelvin with his family (left), Kelvin Galbraith promoting local shopping this holiday season.
market and I also had a booth and was available to discuss anything Ward 1 related. I have not had many opportunities to be publicly available in person over the past 1.5 years so it was great to see some people. We as a board were pleasantly surprised with the turnout this year and was likely the greatest attendance that the event has ever had. I think people are really looking forward to getting out and socializing in a safe environment which outdoor events can easily offer. The tree gets larger every year and really lights up Plains road at night when you drive by the new District Bar and Restaurant. We are still not back in city hall in any capacity but I have been offering some in person meetings where necessary. We will likely return in the new year to a hybrid model where some meetings will have a combination of public and virtual attendance. Development in Aldershot is always a hot topic with much activity over the past few years in terms of new condo developments on Plains Road and surrounding area. Staff at the city have been working on the final Major Transit Area Plans that surround our Aldershot GO station. See the City of Burlington website under MSTA for more details. The province has directed future growth in the GTA to these transit stations and Burlington has 3 of them. Our planning needs to conform to the Provincial and Regional planning policy and meet certain growth numbers. Burlington’s future growth will not be like its past growth where we had available land and new communities were built of single-family home living. Our future is going to be more of mid-rise and high-rise condominium development and in Aldershot that will mean a transition to condominium living especially surrounding the GO station. Wishing you all the very best this Holiday Season. Stay safe and healthy, Kelvin Galbraith Ward 1 Burlington City and Regional Councillor
Kelvin Galbraith Ward 1 City and Regional Councillor City of Burlington/Halton Region 905-335-7600 Ext. 7587 / kelvin.galbraith@burlington.ca
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to satisfy your hunger and your health! There are a lot of temptations during the holidays. Between desserts, drinks and special occasion foods, you may consume more sugar than usual. To help keep your health in check, here is a handy tip and a delicious festive dessert idea:
Don’t go to a dinner party or potluck unprepared. Normally loaded with refined sugar and carbs, desserts can get tricky — especially if you have a health condition such as diabetes. Bringing a lower-sugar dessert is a great way to keep you on track at a potluck, and still enjoy a delicious treat with the rest of the party. Try this fragrant and sweet pudding, which has 5.2 grams of fibre and 9 grams of protein per serving to keep you nourished and full. It’s drizzled in a fresh, fruity homemade syrup that will satisfy your sweet tooth and keep your glucose balanced.
DIRECTIONS STEP 1 / Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 175°C (350°F). STEP 2 / Butter an 8" x 11" (20 cm x 28 cm) mould. STEP 3 / Butter an 8" x 11" (20 cm x 28 cm) mould. STEP 4 / Mix Glucerna and eggs in a bowl and pour over bread. STEP 5 / Let sit for 30 minutes until liquid is absorbed, pressing bread from time to time. STEP 6 / Bake for 1 hour or until centre is firm.
BREAD PUDDING Prep Time: 45 mins + 5 mins | Cook Time: 1 hr + 5 mins | Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS • 3 bottles (237 mL each) vanilla Glucerna, a nutritional drink with a low glycemic index • 5 slices whole-wheat bread, cut into 2 cm cubes • 375 mL (1 1/2 cups) bran flake cereal • 3 eggs • 500 mL (2 cups) fresh or frozen soft fruit • 30 mL (2 tbsp) lemon juice • 2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) cinnamon • 2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract • 30 mL (2 tbsp) water
STEP 7 / For the topping, put fruit, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla extract and water in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside or refrigerate. If you struggle to consistently monitor your glucose levels, a flash glucose monitoring system may be right for you. The Abbott FreeStyle Libre 2 system is a digital health tool that makes it easier to keep on top of your glucose levels. This technology allows you to check your glucose levels discreetly and consistently without the need to finger prick. Results are available in real-time on your smartphone, allowing you to make informed food choices. Find more information at myfreestyle.ca.
newscanada.com
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EVENTS For full calendar event details, visit online
burlingtonpac.ca
DLUX Puppets: ALICE IN WONDERLAND B PA C P R E S E N T S
DLUX Puppets: PETER PAN B PA C P R E S E N T S
MONDAY, DEC 27, 2021 - 4pm & 7pm TUESDAY, DEC 28, 2021 - 1pm & 4pm
WEDNESDAY, DEC 29, 2021 - 4pm & 7pm THURSDAY, DEC 30, 2021 - 1pm & 4pm
A fun musical adaptation with actors, high-quality puppetry and digitally projected scenery the whole family.
A fun new multimedia adaptation of Peter Pan that will teach children the power of their choices in life.
Air Supply
LIVE & LOCAL Hosted by The Mark Lalama Trio
B PA C P R E S E N T S
B PA C P R E S E N T S
ANDY KIM New Year’s Eve Gala B PA C P R E S E N T S
FRIDAY, DEC 31, 2021 - 8:00pm The much-anticipated, star-studded fundraising concert is back! Join Andy Kim and friends on this rockin’ New Year’s Eve.
Canadian Jazz All-Stars B PA C P R E S E N T S
THURSDAY, JAN 13, 2022 - 8:00pm
SUNDAY, JAN 16, 2022 - 4:00pm
FRIDAY, DEC 21, 2022 - 8:00pm
The trademark sound of Air Supply comes to BPAC!
BPAC’s Live & Local series! Each show features both emerging and established homegrown talent, backed on-stage by seasoned industry professionals.
Some of Canada’s finest jazz musicians come together for a phenomenal evening of music including Guido Basso, Heather Bambrick, Mike Murley, and more!
Purchase tickets online or call the box office: 905-681-6000 440 Locust Street, Burlington The Burlington Performing Arts Centre (BPAC)
ROSIE & ALICE:
BURLINGTON'S BLOOMING Secret
Article by Adrienne Roman
Photo Credit: Noble Touch Photography nobletouchphotography.com
Historically, we read stories about how parents encourage their children to pursue their dreams, but often in life it can work the other way around.
Meet entrepreneurial daughter Rosie, and her free-spirited mom Alice, who are both producing a charcuterie of chocolate in their own creative ways.
a sugar substitute called Isomalt, which is derived from beets, both her tea and chocolate bombs are low calorie, completely sugar-free, and safe for diabetics.
This dynamic mother-daughter duo have found themselves popularly planted at the heart of their Burlington community, making their rapidly growing customers happy, one delicious dessert at a time.
With Rosie's full support Alice then opened her own small chocolate business, 'Sweet Stop', providing a completely different array of options for special events including smash cakes, chocolate pretzels, and home-baked sugar cookies with customizable edible images.
Rosie Calogero was working toward her Bachelor of Engineering degree at the University of Guelph in 2018 when she decided to design and sell strawberry bouquets and personalized fruit arrangements. She soon realized that focusing primarily on making chocolate covered strawberries would be the perfect hobby to supplement her income and support her ongoing education. "Blooming Fruit" was born, word spread, and Burlington began to buzz. Tapping into her creativity, she quickly evolved her menu to include a wider range of edible art. "We're truly blessed to live in such a great city, I'm always happy to work with my customers ideas and provide suggestions," said Rosie. One day her motorcycle-riding mother Alice decided to make some hot chocolate bombs of her own and posted them on Facebook Marketplace. She soon found herself producing 300 a day. Using
Quality products and fair prices are two of the many reasons why their loyal customers keep coming back for more. Spend some time with these fun-loving dessert artists and it's clear why the community has embraced them. Friendly and always approachable, they both work closely with their clients to accommodate their needs according to their individual budgets and requests, prioritizing open communication and consistent customer service. It's been a winning combination for both of them. Two peas in a chocolate pod.
"I LOVE GETTING TO BE A PART OF PEOPLE'S LIFE EVENTS," SAID ALICE. "I'M NOT THERE, BUT IN A WAY I AM." With a love of the natural environment, Alice is always looking to her surroundings for inspiration. "Give me a challenge and I'll accept it. I work with my clients in all aspects of the research and creation of an order to make sure they're happy with the final product. We're a team." In this generational tale, chocolate became the catalyst that helped to support both of their local businesses, while simultaneously forging a stronger bond between mother and daughter. In these unsettled times when people are often more divided than connected, Rosie and Alice are showing Burlington a little taste of what truly matters, following their passions together as a family and finding it leads to great places.
LIFE IS SHORT, AND THE BEST THINGS IN IT ARE OFTEN THE SWEETEST.
BLOOMING FRUIT DESSERT SHOP
SWEET STOP
Facebook: Blooming Fruit Instagram: @blooming.fruit
Facebook: www.sweetstop.ca Instagram: @sweetstop.ca NEIGHBOURHOODMAGA ZINE .CA
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YO U A N D YO U R LOV ED O N E S A V E RY M E R RY CH R I S TM A S A N D A H A P PY N E W Y E A R
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TO THE KETTLES Article by Leslie Styles
November 18th marked The Salvation Army's 2021 Burlington Christmas KETTLE KICKOFF, launched at Mapleview Centre.
"We are so thankful that Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and Councillor Kelvin Galbraith were able to come out and support the launch", remarked the Salvation Army's Heather Crossing. "The Burlington Christmas Kettle Campaign supports the city's Community Centre programs all year round." The Salvation Army's Christmas Kettle Campaign is one of Canada's largest and most recognizable annual charitable events. In addition to the critical fundraising impact of the Campaign, the Christmas kettles boost the Army's visibility and awareness. In fact, there are more than 2,000 kettle locations across Canada that support a wide range of Salvation Army programs. As mentioned in the briefs by Mayor Meed Ward and Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith, the Army's Burlington target this year is to raise $330,000. They ask that Burlington dig deep with their donations as the money collected is needed for Christmas toys, food hampers and much more. Both the Mayor and Councillor Galbraith were among the first to donate at the kickoff.
Due to the pandemic, the transition to a cash-lite society has accelerated, impacting everything from tip jars to charity donations. At the kettles, Canadians will see a pre-set amount to donate $5 with an option to tap up to 10 times on the same unit to increase their donation if desired. Cash donations are still welcomed. The Salvation Army would like you to know that they can't reach their goal without you! If you have free time in the days ahead before Christmas and would like to help with collecting (2 hour shifts available) please contact the Kettle Assistant directly at 905 962 2800 or email stephanie.brown@kambio.io or the Kettle Team at heather.crossing@salvationarmy.ca to serve at one of 13 Burlington Kettle locations.
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Burlington
COUGARS TOY DRIVE By Leslie Styles ■ Photography by David Joubarne
This year's very successful TOY DRIVE was a real community happening to help support the Salvation Army's Christmas effort.
Together with the Burlington Professional Firefighters Association, the Burlington Cougars Jr A Hockey Club held this charitable event on November 14, in spite of rainy weather. Appleby Line Toys R Us proudly hosted the gathering outside the store, offering discount coupons to encourage generosity and Tim Hortons also got in on the act as they thanked the first hundred donators with a Tim's gift card. "This is about community and support and coming together as a team to help each other," remarked Tiffany Wirth, Event Coordinator for the Burlington Cougars. "We have amazing young men who are part of our Jr A hockey team and we want to bring the love of hockey back to Burlington but first, we want to help those in need." The event was unfortunately cut short when heavy rain poured down but latecomers were still able to deposit toys to the Salvation Army bin at the Toys R Us. Overall, it was a very successful venture. Thank you to all the supporters. 14
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29 Plains Road West, Burlington
905-639-5270
www.homehardware.ca
DON’T PANIC! There's still time to drop by the store and pick up that last minute gift. We have in stock many stocking stuffers for that hard to get for family member or friend on your list. The staff at Aldershot Home Hardware wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year. Store hours: Mon to Friday: 8am - 6pm Sat: 9am - 5pm and Sun: 10am - 4pm
Article and Photography by Peeter Poldre
he Canada Goose must really know how to keep warm in our cold winters since it has given its name to a world-famous winter coat company. The intricate layers of outer feathers are the first barrier to keep out the damp and cold. These photos were taken with a Nikon 80-400mm zoom telephoto lens on a Nikon D850 body at a distance of 10 meters.
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