Once again, the Town, residents, businesses, schools and other organizations collaborated to celebrate the global Earth Hour event, focusing on energy conservation and fighting climate change. Many of our residents enjoyed a successful star-gazing presentation at Christ the King Catholic Secondary School. Local businesses took part by helping to spread the message about Earth Hour. Everyone’s participation was valuable.
Earth Hour 2011 marked the fourth time that Halton Hills participated. This year, the Town achieved an electricity reduction of about 1% or 0.52 megawatts. This is equivalent to the electricity needs of about 426 homes for an hour or nearly 8,700 60-watt light bulbs being powered for an hour. Since first participating in Earth Hour in 2008, the Town has saved enough electricity to power a total of about 15,500 homes for one hour.
According to the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), across Ontario, Earth Hour reduced electricity demand by 2.1% or 360 megawatts. This is equivalent to the average peak energy needs of Windsor or as similar sized city. In light of the lower electricity savings when compared to previous years, the IESO noted that: “Energy conservation has become a year-round commitment for many Ontarians, and we’re starting to see reductions in the demand for electricity.”
To celebrate Earth Hour, the following initiatives were implemented by the Town:
• All non-essential lights at all Town facilities were turned off during Earth Hour, without jeopardizing public safety and security, and interrupting regular service.
• In partnership with Christ the King Catholic Secondary School and Halton Hills Hydro, the Town hosted a free and fun ‘Star Gazing Event’ during Earth Hour. About 150 residents attended this successful event, more than double the number the last time when this event was held. Attendees enjoyed an informative and engaging indoor presentation of the solar system followed by an outdoor star viewing session using large telescopes. Union Gas was on site providing free energy savings kits. These kits save homeowners $100 on their natural gas and water bills every year. Refreshments were donated by Saputo.
• Town facilities and local businesses promoted Earth Hour to their employees and customers. Some restaurants, for example, offered candlelight dinners and Earth Hour menu specials.
• On Friday March 25th, all Town facilities participated in a mini Earth Hour celebration between noon and 2 p.m. as many of the facilities were closed during the official Earth Hour which took place on Saturday March 26th.
For example, at the Civic Centre, actions taken by Town staff to reduce energy use resulted in a 50% decline in consumption when compared to the same time on Thursday March 24th.
• To encourage Earth Hour participation during the hour and throughout the year, a draw was held for an ‘energy-efficiency’ prize package.
Worldwide, a record 134 countries and territories took part in Earth Hour. Across Canada, over 420 communities participated, an increase of 38%.
Earth Hour is a symbolic event and it alone will not reverse climate change. Therefore, this year, take steps to go beyond the hour, by embracing a green lifestyle throughout the year. For useful conservation tips, visit: www.haltonhills.ca/sustainability and www.haltonhillshydro.com
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Diane Penrice Citizen of the Year
How much do you volunteer? Last night I was at the Georgetown Citizen of the Year award and this year's recipient is Diane Penrice. Diane was chosen by the Georgetown Lion's Club as the 2010 Citizen of the year. Her many hours of volunteering makes her an excellent choice. Here is an example of the Diane's committees and organizations she has volunteered over the years. She was a Girl Guide leader, the Jacette's, Crazy Boat Race, Arts Alive Committee for the Halton Hills Library and Cultural Center. She is active on the relatively new Halton Hills Cultural Round Table. Last year she volunteered on the successful Big Daddy Festiva. Diane and a group were instrumental in the formation of Cancer Assistance Services of Halton Hills ( CAShh ). This is a wonderful organization that has given support to many throughout Halton Hills who have been touched by this dreaded disease called cancer.
If that wasn't enough Diane Penrice volunteered her time to the the biggest party in Georgetown in decades and that was the Georgetown Homecoming that together back 1000's of past and current residents for a great party long weekend.
In 2008 Diane was still not done she joined Gerry Kentner as a volunteer to Light Up the Hills. Along the way of the hours spent volunteering she also was an active canvasser for Heart and Stroke, Kidney and Cancer Society. All of these hours volunteering while still be a mother, wife and holding a job sellng real estate.
Diane Penrice breaths community and this year she was an excellent choice being selected Citizen of the Year in Georgetown. Her husband Doug is also an active volunteer. It is volunteers like the Penrice's who enrich our community.
Congratulations to Diane Penrice.
If that wasn't enough Diane Penrice volunteered her time to the the biggest party in Georgetown in decades and that was the Georgetown Homecoming that together back 1000's of past and current residents for a great party long weekend.
In 2008 Diane was still not done she joined Gerry Kentner as a volunteer to Light Up the Hills. Along the way of the hours spent volunteering she also was an active canvasser for Heart and Stroke, Kidney and Cancer Society. All of these hours volunteering while still be a mother, wife and holding a job sellng real estate.
Diane Penrice breaths community and this year she was an excellent choice being selected Citizen of the Year in Georgetown. Her husband Doug is also an active volunteer. It is volunteers like the Penrice's who enrich our community.
Congratulations to Diane Penrice.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The True Story of the New Arenas Program
A lot has been written (letters to the editor, emails) and said about Council’s recent decision respecting the arenas, much of it not based on fact. This is a story about Council fulfilling its mandate. The purpose of the Town is to ensure a good quality of life for its citizens. It provides facilities and programs that allow its citizens to have fulsome lives for them and their families. The Town identifies needs (not wants) for diverse leisure and active living. The significant growth in the community over the last 25 years has meant means an accelerated need for facilities and programs. This has led to the two new fire stations, and an upgraded third one for fire safety; extensive new indoor and outdoor soccer facilities; two new libraries; upgraded cultural facilities; the gallery and the theatre; to support for theatre production companies like Globe by keeping the Armories, preserving heritage through the Devereaux House; building of the Gellert Centre with its great pool facility and meeting rooms and assembly areas.
In 2006 a Recreation Master Plan was adopted addressing the needs for recreation facilities to 2016. In keeping with that Plan the Town has already built parks, trails and soccer fields. The Plan identified the need for at least two new ice pads. Council did not simply proceed to build those two new ice pads but rather appointed an “Arenas Task Force” to clarify the need, and to make suggestions as to how best to meet that need.
The Task Force indicated a need for three new ice pads, not just two. Council, on February 28th last, decided that two new pads was all that could be afforded especially in the face of still providing other needed leisure and active living facilities. The third pad to be constructed as part of the program is to replace the 89 year old Memorial Arena which can no longer be maintained in a fiscally prudent manner. Any capital dollars put into the Memorial Arena would be wasted dollars as the Memorial Arena would continue to lose $145,000 a year in operating costs.
With the two new arena pads at Moldmasters, the Moldmasters “quad” will generate a significant “profit” aside from the capital investment. With the addition of a new pad to the Acton Arena “twinning” will also generate a “profit” on an operating basis.
In terms of the capital dollars needed, the program will cost $29.2M over the next five years but only 1/6th ($5.2M) of that capital will require new tax dollars. The remainder will come from existing tax dollars ($14.8M), user rate surcharges ($2.4M), users funding campaign ($1M), development charges ($4.8M) and developer contributions ($1M). It is also important to recognize that new growth, whether in Acton or Georgetown, has been over the last 20 years and will continue in the future to contribute development charges to new arenas. So this is a commitment that previous Councils have given long ago by collecting development charges for these facilities. This is not a new commitment.
I should also state that these arenas are “community centres” no different than the Gellert Community Centre. The Moldmaster complex and the Acton Arena and Community Centre Complex are community gathering places. They are not just hockey places. There are many other activities that are carried on now and for which the new arena pads will provide greater opportunities. These include winter activities like figure skating, speed skating, more recreational skating, broomball, ringette. In the summer, there is lacrosse, ball hockey, inline hockey. They will also allow for expanded community activities like “homecomings”, trade shows, dog shows, and community celebrations.
Some have asked but what about the new gymnasium and a senior’s centre for Gellert? Those are identified needs that will be provided in the future when Council can afford them. But Council is committed to them as demonstrated by its budgeting in the capital forecast for the design of those facilities.
In closing, let me add that the new tax dollars of 5.2M will be raised by small dedicated tax increases of only .2% in 2013 and 1% in each of 2014 and 2015. That will amount to only a $2.45 in increase in 2013; and a $12.40 increase in each of 2014 and 2015 on a house assessed at $350,000. That small investment will provide these new facilities for the benefit of the entire community for the next 50 years or more. In my books this story is about the Town doing what it should be doing in a financially responsible manner to achieve needed facilities that will last a very long time and provide years and years of enjoyment in many different ways to the citizens of the Town. This is a good story. This is a good investment.
In 2006 a Recreation Master Plan was adopted addressing the needs for recreation facilities to 2016. In keeping with that Plan the Town has already built parks, trails and soccer fields. The Plan identified the need for at least two new ice pads. Council did not simply proceed to build those two new ice pads but rather appointed an “Arenas Task Force” to clarify the need, and to make suggestions as to how best to meet that need.
The Task Force indicated a need for three new ice pads, not just two. Council, on February 28th last, decided that two new pads was all that could be afforded especially in the face of still providing other needed leisure and active living facilities. The third pad to be constructed as part of the program is to replace the 89 year old Memorial Arena which can no longer be maintained in a fiscally prudent manner. Any capital dollars put into the Memorial Arena would be wasted dollars as the Memorial Arena would continue to lose $145,000 a year in operating costs.
With the two new arena pads at Moldmasters, the Moldmasters “quad” will generate a significant “profit” aside from the capital investment. With the addition of a new pad to the Acton Arena “twinning” will also generate a “profit” on an operating basis.
In terms of the capital dollars needed, the program will cost $29.2M over the next five years but only 1/6th ($5.2M) of that capital will require new tax dollars. The remainder will come from existing tax dollars ($14.8M), user rate surcharges ($2.4M), users funding campaign ($1M), development charges ($4.8M) and developer contributions ($1M). It is also important to recognize that new growth, whether in Acton or Georgetown, has been over the last 20 years and will continue in the future to contribute development charges to new arenas. So this is a commitment that previous Councils have given long ago by collecting development charges for these facilities. This is not a new commitment.
I should also state that these arenas are “community centres” no different than the Gellert Community Centre. The Moldmaster complex and the Acton Arena and Community Centre Complex are community gathering places. They are not just hockey places. There are many other activities that are carried on now and for which the new arena pads will provide greater opportunities. These include winter activities like figure skating, speed skating, more recreational skating, broomball, ringette. In the summer, there is lacrosse, ball hockey, inline hockey. They will also allow for expanded community activities like “homecomings”, trade shows, dog shows, and community celebrations.
Some have asked but what about the new gymnasium and a senior’s centre for Gellert? Those are identified needs that will be provided in the future when Council can afford them. But Council is committed to them as demonstrated by its budgeting in the capital forecast for the design of those facilities.
In closing, let me add that the new tax dollars of 5.2M will be raised by small dedicated tax increases of only .2% in 2013 and 1% in each of 2014 and 2015. That will amount to only a $2.45 in increase in 2013; and a $12.40 increase in each of 2014 and 2015 on a house assessed at $350,000. That small investment will provide these new facilities for the benefit of the entire community for the next 50 years or more. In my books this story is about the Town doing what it should be doing in a financially responsible manner to achieve needed facilities that will last a very long time and provide years and years of enjoyment in many different ways to the citizens of the Town. This is a good story. This is a good investment.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Geraldine Hardcastle is Georgetown Hockey Recipient
Tonight I will be attending the annual Georgetown Hockey Heritage Award dinner. Georgetown has a long history of volunteers who supported the sport of hockey for years. This years recipient is Geraldine Hardcastle who started volunteering as young teenage waitress during the Georgetown International Hockey Tournament. Geraldine became involved in an effort to assist needy families to make their registration payments. She was so adept that the funds were raised in one day and a few phone calls.
In 1993 she became involved in organizing the Georgetown International Bantam tournament and for seven years helped provide a very well recognized component of our Hockey Scene.
Geraldine has been an active volunteer for minor hockey over the years. She had positions from convener, scheduling, providing training for coaches and trainers in our area.
She also participated in " Shave Off Heads for Cancer , the Dudley Hewitt Cup and the Hockeyville submissions.
As you can see Geraldine Hardcastle is a most worth recipient of the Georgetown Hockey Heritage Award. This dinner is always a lot of fun as there a few former N.H.L. players and Olympic Athletes who attend.
Congratulations to Geraldine as you make this community so proud!
In 1993 she became involved in organizing the Georgetown International Bantam tournament and for seven years helped provide a very well recognized component of our Hockey Scene.
Geraldine has been an active volunteer for minor hockey over the years. She had positions from convener, scheduling, providing training for coaches and trainers in our area.
She also participated in " Shave Off Heads for Cancer , the Dudley Hewitt Cup and the Hockeyville submissions.
As you can see Geraldine Hardcastle is a most worth recipient of the Georgetown Hockey Heritage Award. This dinner is always a lot of fun as there a few former N.H.L. players and Olympic Athletes who attend.
Congratulations to Geraldine as you make this community so proud!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Meeting with Minister of Health
This week I met with the Minister of Health Deb Matthews. The purpose of the meeting is to get Provincial funding for the expansion of the Georgetown Hospital and CT Scanner. This is a $12.2 million project. The Town of Halton Hills is being asked to fund $4.5 million and the rest will be fundraised or raised through parking at the hospital. I feel the Ministry of Health should be putting some money into this very worthwhile project. Myself and Councillor Jon Hurst attended the meeting.
I knew going into the meeting that there were only a two scenarios. One being the Minister would listen and not make a committment right then or two where the Minister would listen and then flat out deny our request.
Well we got the best case scenario. The Minister listened and we left with another strategy for funding that I will present to the Minister in another letter to her. I am not optimistic as we are behind the eight ball. The best that we are trying to do is to come up with options that Minister Mathews can't refuse.
I knew going into the meeting that there were only a two scenarios. One being the Minister would listen and not make a committment right then or two where the Minister would listen and then flat out deny our request.
Well we got the best case scenario. The Minister listened and we left with another strategy for funding that I will present to the Minister in another letter to her. I am not optimistic as we are behind the eight ball. The best that we are trying to do is to come up with options that Minister Mathews can't refuse.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Civic Action - Greater Toronto Summit
The G.T.A. economy was hit hard by the global financial crisis and resulting downturn that began in September 2008. In 2009, the G.T.A. economy's had the worst showing since the recession of the early 1990's. The job market was sideswiped by the global recession. Employment fell by 1% in 2009.
Fortunately the economy began to recover and to some a lot quicker than first thought. The Municipal economies in the GTA region are highly interconnected and dependent. Regional strengths and challenges do cut across munipal boundaries. The problem is economic efforts are generally localized, fragmented and often competing. This is a serious issue.
A week a go I attended the two day Civic Action Summit held in Toronto and was chaired by CFRB radio host John Tory. It was very interesting as this was not the usual conference or summit attended by politicians. It was actually attended by few politicians but really a cross section of various business entrepreneurs, executives etc. There were many workshops on opportunities for action. There were over 600 delegates at this conference.
All of the material from the workshops will be sent out. I was pleased to have attended as this one was really business driven not politically driven. It was worthwhile and I hope to attend next year.
Fortunately the economy began to recover and to some a lot quicker than first thought. The Municipal economies in the GTA region are highly interconnected and dependent. Regional strengths and challenges do cut across munipal boundaries. The problem is economic efforts are generally localized, fragmented and often competing. This is a serious issue.
A week a go I attended the two day Civic Action Summit held in Toronto and was chaired by CFRB radio host John Tory. It was very interesting as this was not the usual conference or summit attended by politicians. It was actually attended by few politicians but really a cross section of various business entrepreneurs, executives etc. There were many workshops on opportunities for action. There were over 600 delegates at this conference.
All of the material from the workshops will be sent out. I was pleased to have attended as this one was really business driven not politically driven. It was worthwhile and I hope to attend next year.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Enjoy Family Day Holiday in Halton Hills
This will be the third year that this will be a long weekend in Ontario. Premier McGuinty pronounced Family Weekend after just be re-elected for a second term. There was some push back as this may cost money to companies having to pay employees for a new statutory holiday. Personally, I like the idea of a long weekend in February. It's just a long month or as some would say we are in the " winter blahs". Not a bad weekend for some to exercise and enjoy what winter brings.
This year our Recreation and Parks are asking our residents not to forget that there are free activities on Family Day Feb. 21st. It's all fun and fun for all thanks to our generous sponsors - Canadian Tire Georgetown, RBC Georgetown, Tim Horton'. Come on out and enjoy swimming, skating,c rafts, yoga, ZUMBA and a Youth Room.
For more information visit www.haltonhills.ca/familyday for the day's activity schedule.
This year our Recreation and Parks are asking our residents not to forget that there are free activities on Family Day Feb. 21st. It's all fun and fun for all thanks to our generous sponsors - Canadian Tire Georgetown, RBC Georgetown, Tim Horton'. Come on out and enjoy swimming, skating,c rafts, yoga, ZUMBA and a Youth Room.
For more information visit www.haltonhills.ca/familyday for the day's activity schedule.
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