THIS EDITION OF THE WARD 1 NEWSLETTER INCLUDES:
- Every Child Matters
- Ward 1 - Online Information Sessions with Q7A
- Alexander Park Future Improvements - Initial Consultation Kick-Off
- H.A.A.A. Renewal Plan -Phase 2 Public Consultation
- Hamilton's Future Growth Survey
- Hamilton’s Monarch Awards - deadline June 20, 2021
- Royal Botanical Gardens Gypsy Moth Management ends June 1st
- City of Hamilton Gypsy Moth Management
- Garlic Mustard - Invading Species
- Ontario Community Changemakers Grant
- Other Events:
- City of Hamilton Arts Awards Live June 12, 2021
- HamOnt Cycling Research Forum; June 17, 2021
- The KNA Fill a Van Feed a Family Food Drive is Back! July 10, 2021
Every Child Matters
As a Hamilton city councillor representing Ward 1 and a settler on Turtle Island, I wish to express my deep sorrow to the families, the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation, residential school survivors and Indigenous communities across Canada for the inhumane loss of 215 once vibrant Indigenous children. There are no adequate words to convey the devastation Canada’s residential school program wrought on the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people.
Canada’s history is not the just society many would like to believe. Canada, too has evidence of atrocities born of racism and colonialism. Acknowledging our complicity in distant and contemporary history is only the beginning of reconciliation. We must remember this moment, and we must acknowledge the generational trauma inflicted at residential schools.
June is National Indigenous History month; let us also reflect on our harmful history and, from that reflection, actively seek ways to work for healing and reconciliation with the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island.
This year, National Indigenous History Month is dedicated to the missing children, the families left behind, and residential schools' survivors.
- National resources
- Local Resources
Alexander Park Future Improvements - Initial Consultation Kick-Off
Alexander Park is in for two incredible new enhancements, a skate park and a community hub retrofit of the exiting field house. Join City staff in the kick-off consultation for these new elements within the park.
June 8, 2021, at 7:30 PM Registration, is required. For additional information on the skate park project, contact Ken Wheaton ([email protected]). Contact the Ward 1 office for more information on the community hub.
Alexander Skate Park
The proposed facility will accommodate BMX riders, in-line skaters, scooter riders, quad skaters, skateboarders and other wheeled sports.
The city is seeking your feedback on the proposed skate park and is looking for interested individuals to become part of a rider-focused working group. The working group will assist the design team in determining the desired layout and features of the skate park.
For more information, please visit the skate park project’s web page: www.Hamilton.ca/AlexanderPark
Alexander Park Community Hub Building
The proposed retrofit of the Alexander Park building will aim to increase community use within the park through a Community Hub facility. The current location and footprint of the building will remain but undergo interior renovation to improve facility use and accessibility.
The city is seeking community input for the Alexander Park Community Hub building retrofit project to identify building needs and programming opportunities.
H.A.A.A. Renewal Plan -Phase 2 Public Consultation
The City of Hamilton is co-hosting the second phase of public information meetings with the Ward 1 office to present two (2) concept drawings of the Hamilton Amateur Athletic Association Grounds (H.A.A.A.) Renewal Plan.
H.A.A.A. is a 7-acre community park located within the Kirkendall Neighborhood of Ward 1 at 250 Charlton Avenue West, just east of Locke Street. It’s home to the Hamilton Tennis Club along its northern edge. It abuts Ryerson Recreation Centre and Ryerson Middle School on its east side, with private properties backing onto the park’s westerly limits.
The City of Hamilton’s Landscape Architectural Services (LAS) launched a park Renewal Plan for the HAAA Grounds in February 2021. At that time, we hosted the projects first PIC (PIC No. 1) and collected valuable feedback from the community using various engagement tools. We’ve reviewed and compiled the feedback and have developed (2) two concept plans that we will present at this upcoming online meeting. The project goal is to create a single overall concept plan of the park that will be used to coordinate future upgrades and changes in a phased multi-year approach.
Please join us virtually at one of the following sessions as we present our preliminary concepts. Registration is required.
- Thursday June 17, 2021 @ 7:30pm To register or,
- Saturday June 19, 2021 @ 10:00am To register
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The meetings will be hosted virtually through Zoom, and each session will present similar information. For more information on the project, go to Engage Hamilton - H.A.A.A. Renewal Plan
Survey Says! Hamilton's Urban Boundary Review
Why am I getting a city of Hamilton survey in my mailbox? How does my survey response help inform the future shape of Hamilton and where people live? What on earth does GRIDS mean?
In June, every Hamilton household will receive a survey from the City of Hamilton on the future of Hamilton’s urban boundary. The city is calculating how best to plan for 236,000 new residents to the year 2051. It is an important topic with significant financial, environmental, social and health impacts for existing and future residents. Hamiltonians will have until early July to submit their survey responses.
A Ward 1 public information meeting will be held to offer residents:
- information on this survey;
- the city of Hamilton’s urban boundary review process;
- the implications for rural and agricultural lands;
- the Government of Ontario’s directives; and
- the options on how to best accommodate more housing to meet population forecasts
Please join us on June 24, 2021, at 7:30 PM to discuss the future of Hamilton. This event is an online meeting. Registration is required.
Some background information.
GRIDS 2 and Municipal Comprehensive Review
What is GRIDS 2?
In 2006, City Council approved the first Growth Related Integrated Development Strategy (GRIDS). GRIDS was an integrated planning process that identified a broad land use structure, associated infrastructure, economic development strategy and financial implications for growth options to serve Hamilton for 30 years. GRIDS planned for growth up to 2031.
GRIDS needs to be updated to plan for the City’s population and job growth to 2051. This update is known as GRIDS 2.
The Province of Ontario provides population and employment growth forecasts for Hamilton through the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
Between the years 2021 and 2051, Hamilton is expected to grow by 236,000 people and 122,000 jobs.
GRIDS 2 will plan for how and where this additional population and employment growth can be accommodated and will determine the impact on the Infrastructure Master Plans (Water/Wastewater, Stormwater, Transportation).
What is the Municipal Comprehensive Review?
A municipal comprehensive review (MCR) is a requirement of the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) at the time of the City’s 5-year Official Plan review. The MCR is the process by which the City brings its Official Plans into conformity with updated policies of the various Provincial plans which apply to Hamilton (PPS, Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, Niagara Escarpment Plan, Greenbelt Plan). The population and job forecasts of the Growth Plan to 2051 need to be planned for and accommodated through the MCR.
Many of the studies that are required as part of the MCR are also required as part of GRIDS 2. Therefore, the City has determined that it is appropriate to combine GRIDS 2 and the MCR into one integrated process, resulting in a transparent and straightforward process involving stakeholders and citizens.
The next phase of GRIDS 2/MCR will be the evaluation of where and when the City will grow to the year 2051. Staff have developed draft evaluation tools to guide the evaluation of growth options (“where the City will grow”) and the phasing of growth (“when the City will grow")
We want to hear from you about how you think Hamilton should accommodate this future population growth.
Hamilton’s Monarch Awards - deadline June 20, 2021
The Monarch Awards recognises gardens and gardeners for their contribution to a biodiverse, sustainable environment. The awards are a standard of excellence for gardeners making a difference for pollinators and biodiversity. An award-winning garden is more than just beautiful plants - it is an ecosystem. The deadline is June 20th - check out the Monarch Awards website for information.
Royal Botanical Gardens Gypsy Moth Management ends June 1st
As of June 1st, the Royal Botanical Gardens final aerial spray application will be complete as part of its gypsy moth management program. T
You may have seen a low-flying helicopter applying the spray to mitigate the gypsy moth outbreak over the RBG’s natural land properties at Rock Chapel and the south shore of Cootes Paradise. The applications were isolated to those two areas. The spraying was be conducted by Zimmer Air Inc. using bio-pesticide Btk. For more information, visit the RBG's Gypsy Moth Management website.
City of Hamilton Gypsy Moth Management
The City of Hamilton is not conducting aerial spraying for gypsy moths this year. You can learn more about the city’s gypsy moth management program and what residents can do to help control them.
If European Gypsy Moth infestations are suspected on publicly owned trees, please contact the Customer Contact Centre at (905) 546-2489 to be connected with the City’s Forestry Operations Centre.
Garlic Mustard - Invading Species
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Many of you may already be aware of this invasive plant and have noticed it becoming increasingly pervasive in private gardens and natural areas. It isn’t directly harmful to humans, so it doesn’t meet the provincial definition of a noxious weed. However, it is a highly invasive, non-native plant that not only crowds out the native understory plants pollinators need to survive but can kill the fungi and nutrients in the soil needed by young trees, threatening the survival of our forests. |
Some things you can do from Ontario’s Invading Species Awareness Program:
- Learn how to identify garlic mustard and other invasive plants
- Learn how to manage garlic mustard on your property effectively. The guide to Best Management Practices for Garlic Mustard describes the most effective and environmentally safe control practices for this species
- Avoid using invasive plants in gardens and landscaping
- Buy native or non-invasive plants from reputable garden suppliers. Native plants provide habitat and food sources for native wildlife. See Grow Me Instead: Beautiful Non-Invasive Plants for Your Garden
- Dispose of invasive plants in the garbage. Do not put them in the compost or discard them in natural areas. Discarded flowers may produce seeds
- When hiking, prevent the spread of invasive plants by staying on trails and keeping pets on a leash
- If you find Garlic Mustard or other invasive species in the wild, please contact the Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711, or visit EDDMapS Ontario to report a sighting
- The website Invading Species provide more information on Garlic Mustard
Ontario Community Changemakers Grant
Ontario Community Changemakers (OCC) is a new micro-grant program created for young Ontario residents to help spark new ideas and invigorate change in their local communities. This program seeks innovative mindsets from all backgrounds to make a difference in their communities through creative and fresh ideas that will activate public space, enhance civic engagement, and/or foster social inclusion.
The program’s mission is to elevate the voices of new and emerging civic leaders in communities across Ontario to inspire and enact change. No project is too bold or daring as we believe outside-the-box thinking will propel us forward in creating equitable change. The Ontario Community Changemakers program is open to those residing in the Province of Ontario between the ages of 19 to 35 that have a creative solution to a challenge related to public space, civic engagement and/or social inclusion. Applicants may be activists, tactical urbanists, designers, artists, educators, entrepreneurs and more. The OCC greatly encourages applications from BIPOC and LGBT2Q+ backgrounds and individuals with lived experiences that are currently underrepresented in the placemaking sector.
Learn more about the grant through the OCC website.
Events:
- City of Hamilton Arts Awards June 3-12, 2021
The 2021 Arts Award recipients will be announced and profiled in a series of online podcast-style episodes from Thursday, June 3 to Saturday, June 12, 2021. Congratulations to Ward 3 nominees: Stephanie Hope Lawlor, Andrew O’Connor, Hamilton Aerial Group, James (Jim) Ruxton, and Yuman Hester.
Watch the Arts Awards segments on Facebook and City of Hamilton’s Youtube Channel.
- HamOnt Cycling Research Forum; June 17, 2021, at 7:00 PM, ONLINE. Registration required
More and more people are choosing to bike in Hamilton. With a growing network of cycling facilities and a public bicycle share program, Hamilton is an ideal place to study how bicyclists travel in a mid-sized city and to examine their behaviours and experiences on both personal and shared bicycles. Such local research can inform program, policy, and intervention decisions that support more people of all ages and abilities in cycling. Join this free virtual event held on Zoom to learn more about recent research on cycling in Hamilton and ask the panel questions.
Elise Desjardins (PhD student) and Raj Ubhi (Master's student) from the School of Earth, Environment & Society at McMaster University will be presenting the findings and policy implications of their recent research on cycling.
Raj Ubhi -- Are Dominant Routes the Least Stressful Routes? An Investigation of Hamilton Bike Share using Weighted Level of Traffic Stress
Elise Desjardins -- Exploring the Influence of the Built Environment on the Route Choice of Regular Bicyclists in Hamilton
- The Kirkendall Neighbourhood Association Fill a Van Feed a Family Food Drive is Back! July 10, 2021, 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Curbside drop-off at Blessings Church @ Stanley and Locke. Visit the KNA Food Drive website for more information.
Email [email protected] if you would like a food collection bag delivered to your residence between June 25th and June 30th.
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The City of Hamilton is situated upon the traditional territories of the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas. This land is covered by the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, which was an agreement between the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabek to share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. We further acknowledge that this land is covered by the Between the Lakes Purchase, 1792, between the Crown and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
Today, the City of Hamilton is home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island (North America), and we recognise that we must do more to learn about the rich history of this land so that we can better understand our roles as residents, neighbours, partners and caretakers.