This edition of the Ward 1 newsletter includes:

• Ward 1 Town Hall Recap
• Seasonal Maintenance
• Tree Giveaway
• Seasonal Clean-up Events
• Changes to the Blue Box Recycling Program
• Just Over Two Weeks Left to Submit Your Vacant Unit Tax Declaration
• Air Conditioner Support
• Bike Share Funded
• Kirkendall Neighbourhood Association Annual General Meeting
• Events

Ward 1 Town Hall Recap

Thanks to all the Ward 1 residents who participated in the town hall held on April 1, 2025, at McMaster Innovation Park. We heard from representatives of the Hamilton Police Service and both the City of Hamilton's Transportation and Finance Departments about issues of concern for Ward 1 residents. The conversations were productive, insightful, and informative.

If you missed the town hall, you can watch a recording of the event here:

You can also read through the presentations at this link.

Seasonal Maintenance 

Though it may be hard to believe, warmer weather is just around the corner. As temperatures rise, City of Hamilton crews are getting our parks and roads ready for the season. Residents usually have many questions about when maintenance will be done or when their favourite facilities will be open. Here are some important seasonal operation dates to keep in mind: 

• Waste and litter:  
  • City staff will begin distributing an extra 670 trash receptacles in late April and early May to meet increased demands. The number of receptacles varies over the year, allowing staff to prioritize high-activity areas. Receptacles are typically emptied two or three times a week in high-activity areas.  
  • Beginning in late April, staff will start a large-scale spring clean-up of parks to collect and remove all the litter and debris that has accumulated over the winter and repair any damage sustained during the colder months. 
• Grass cutting:  
  • Once fields and parks are dry enough to support heavy equipment without damaging the turf, staff will begin regular grass maintenance, focusing on healthy turf over pesticides to keep parks looking wonderful. 
  • Larger sports fields, like those with bleachers or fieldhouses, will be mowed every five working days, while all other parks will be mowed every seven working days. Parks staff anticipates 17 to 22 mowing cycles over the spring and summer, weather permitting.  
  • Roads staff will begin assessing grassy areas along the sides of major roads and in medians over the next few weeks, with the goal of starting roadside grass cutting.  
  • Grass-cutting is prohibited in naturalized areas and pollinator gardens. This practice supports the City's Biodiversity Action Plan.
• Park facilities:
  • Staff have already begun assessing tennis, basketball, and splash pad courts to ensure they are ready to open over the May long weekend, but earlier is possible. 
• Street sweeping:  
  • The spring street-sweeping program for streets where parking remains on the same side 365 days a year begins after the long weekend in May and continues into June. On streets where this is the case, streets will be swept once in spring and in late fall. 
  • Streets with alternate side parking (mid-month moving of vehicles) are swept each month (April- November)

Tree Giveaway

The City of Hamilton's annual tree giveaway is back. Every year, the City gives away a variety of native tree or shrub species to plant in your yard. Select your tree or shrub and register for your pickup date and location at hamilton.ca/treegiveaway. 

This year, trees and shrubs will be distributed at two locations: 

• Bayfront Park 
  • 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM on April 26, May 10, and May 31. 
• Mohawk College Parking Lot P1 
  • 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM on May 3 and May 24. 

One tree or shrub per property. Pre-registration is required. Upon pickup, residents are asked to bring their driver's licence or property tax bill for confirmation. 

Seasonal Clean-up Events

It's that time of year again! Join your neighbours as Hamiltonians pitch in to help keep our parks, alleys, and shared spaces clean and healthy. The City of Hamilton's Team Up to Clean Up Program provides all the tools needed to run a community clean-up, including gloves and specially marked recycling and garbage bags. 

Interested in hosting or participating in a neighbourhood clean-up? It's as easy as 1,2,3:

1. Register your team/event at least 2 weeks before your event
2. Pick up your supplies provided by the City
3. Start cleaning!

For details or to register, visit www.hamilton.ca/teamuptocleanup  

Or, if you want to make your alley beautiful, check out Hamilton's Beautiful Alley Program

You can also join some of the community clean-up events that groups across Ward 1 have already organized. Here are some of the events already planned in our community:

Strathcona Community Council Team Up to Clean Up Event

• Time: Saturday, April 12, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
  • Rain Date: Sunday, April 13, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
• Location: Victoria Park Fieldhouse, 500 King St W, Hamilton
• Info: Join the Strathcona Community Council for a seasonal community clean-up and "seed bomb" making event. Gloves and bags will be provided, as well as coffee and hot chocolate (please bring your reusable mugs).

Beautiful Alleys Spring Clean in Westdale 

• Time: Saturday, April 26, 2025, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM 
• Location: Meet at Marion Ave S at King St W by the Bike Share stands.
• Info: Join your neighbours and make new friends. Let's beautify our community and ensure our neighbourhood is safe and enjoyable.

Changes to the Blue Box Recycling Program

Hamilton's Blue Box program has changed. Starting April 1, 2025, the City's Blue Box recycling program was taken over by Circular Materials Ontario, a not-for-profit producer responsibility organization. Under new provincial Blue Box Regulations, the organizations responsible for making packaging are now 100% responsible for operating and funding the recycling program.

Your recycling pickup day will not change during the "transition period" between April 1 and December 31, 2025. During this time, you can continue to use one blue box for containers and one blue box for paper and cardboard. After January 1, 2026, the "Common Collection System" will launch across Ontario. We will provide more updates once they are made available.            

Since April 1, the City of Hamilton has NO longer been operationally or financially responsible for the Blue Box Program. Any recycling issues or inquiries can be directed to [email protected] or 1-844-415-4351.

For more information, please visit hamilton.ca/blueboxtransition. 

Just Over Two Weeks Left to Submit Your Vacant Unit Tax Declaration

The deadline to submit your Vacant Unit Tax (VUT) Declaration is April 30, 2025. All residential property owners in Hamilton must complete a VUT declaration if a residential unit in their home or building was vacant for more than 183 days last year. The VUT is an additional 1% of a property's assessed value.

You can find more information and a link to submit your declaration online at the City of Hamilton's Vacant Unit Tax website.

Alternatively, you can access a PDF copy of the declaration here. If you would like a physical copy dropped off at your residence, please contact the Ward 1 office by email or phone at 905-546-2416.

Air Conditioner Support

In June 2024, the Hamilton City Council approved a motion expanding subsidies for air conditioning to low-income households across the City.

This year, the program is expanding to anyone who meets Statistics Canada's Low-Income Measure threshold, regardless of whether they receive social assistance. Eligible households will receive a one-time $350.00 subsidy to purchase an air conditioner. Between May 1 and September 30, 2025, the program can support up to 50 households.

For more information on the program, including eligibility requirements and how to apply, please visit the City of Hamilton's Special Supports Program website.

Bike Share Funded

On April 9, 2025, Hamilton City Council's General Issues Committee discussed funding Hamilton's Bike Share Program. During the meeting, the Council heard from many community members, who shared their stories about how the SoBi program has made it easier, safer, and more enjoyable for them to get around our City. You can watch those delegations on the City's YouTube channel.

City staff presented an update on the bike share system (which you can view at this link) that outlines how important this program is for Hamiltonians. During the presentation, the Council was informed that 81% of bike share riders use the program as a primary form of transportation, helping get cars off the road and improving our City's road congestion. Delegates spoke about how the program makes women and girls feel safer getting around Hamilton, how people of all income levels are afforded more accessibility through SoBi, and how an expanded SoBi system can help us work toward a cleaner and healthier environment. 

In response, the Council unanimously approved the Hamilton Bike Share funding, which will keep Hamiltonians connected and moving through active transportation.

Please visit their website for more information on the Hamilton Bike Share program.

Kirkendall Neighbourhood Association Annual General Meeting

Come hear updates on local projects, share your ideas, and connect with your neighbours. We'll review the past year, elect new board members, and discuss what's ahead for our community.

Everyone is welcome—let's shape the future of our neighbourhood together!

We hope to see you there!

• April 24, 2025, at 7:00 PM
  • McMaster Innovation Park, 175 Longwood Rd S.
    MIP is accessible by all modes of transit, including the HSR. A Hamilton bike share station is immediately adjacent, and parking is available on-site.
• Guests: Councillor Maureen Wilson, Hamilton Police Services Crime Manager, City of Hamilton Placemaking, Public Art and Projects Manager, Metrolinx Representative

As more details become available, see the KNA website.

Events

Kidical Mass Family-Friendly Slow Roll

• Time: Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 10:00 AM
• Location: Churchill Park Playground at Parkside and Glen
• Info: Join Kidical Mass Hamilton for the first ride of the year on Saturday, April 12, 2025. Meet at the corner of Parkside and Glen in Westdale and enjoy a relaxed ride through the community. We will ride rain or shine, snacks will be provided, and we encourage everyone to bring their own bikes, helmets, and smiles. 

Kirkendall Neighbourhood Association Food Drive

• Time: Saturday, May 3, 2025
• Location: Throughout Kirkendall
• Info: The annual KNA "Fill a Bus, Feed a Family" Food Drive in support of Mission Services Good Food Centre is back for its 17th year! As always, we need lots of volunteers, both before the event and on Food Drive day, and we hope that you'll consider helping out. Have a look through the volunteer opportunities below:
  • Food Drive Event Materials Prep: April 23
  • Food Bag Delivery: Friday, April 25 -April 30
  • Poster Hanging: Sunday, April 12 - April 20
  • Poster Take-down: Sunday, May 4 - May 11
  • Event day roles at McMaster Innovation Park, on our HSR bus, or as a Car Collection Team in the neighbourhood: Saturday, May 3

Further details about these roles can be found on our Food Drive webpage.

MMIWG2S Red Dress Memorial

• Time: Monday, May 5, 2025, 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon
• Location: Honouring the Circle, 21 Rosedene Avenue (off the Clairmont Access)
• Info: Community members are invited to the 2025 day of remembrance event for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people. Light refreshments and snacks will be provided as community members perform a ceremony to honour those missing and lost.

Community Information Meeting re: Sacajawea's 95 Dundurn St S project

• Time: Monday, May 5, 2025, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
• Location: First Unitarian Church, 170 Dundurn Street South
• Info: Save the date for a community information meeting regarding Sacajawea and Flourish housing's new housing development for Indigenous post-secondary students that will be at 95 Dundurn Street South. More information will be made available closer to the date.

Kirkendall Neighbourhood Association Annual Compost Sale

• Time: Saturday, May 10, 2025
• Location: Blessings Christian Church, 115 Stanley Avenue
• Info: Mark your calendar for the KNA's annual compost sale. Pre-orders are accepted. The compost prices: $4.50 per bag / 5 bags for $21 / 10 bags for $41. Email [email protected] with your order. Many thanks to Monaghan Mushrooms Ltd., D'Orazio Infrastructure and Blessings Christian Church for their event support!

Kirkendall Neighbourhood Association Community Yard Sale

• Time: Saturday, May 31, 2025
• Location: Throughout Kirkendall, locations TBD
• Info: Are you planning to purge household items, kids' toys, or clothing this Spring? Do you have too many tools in the tool shed? Consider joining our Kirkendall Community Yard Sale on Saturday, May 31. Register here if you're interested, and we'll promote the event on the KNA website, social media sites, and Newsletter emails to the Kirkendall neighbourhood. 

  Need a place to set up your table? Blessings Christian Church has offered their parking to residents needing a place to set up. The KNA will assemble a map showing all the sale locations and give participants a link to a downloadable poster to post near their location. Have questions? Please direct them to [email protected]

Greener Ward 1

Let's do our part in Ward 1 to create healthy, biodiverse neighbourhoods for all living things! Check out Greener Ward 1!

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