Giant Hogweed on Town Propery

As warmer weather is now approaching Town of Halton Hills staff will once again be vigilant in their efforts to control and destroy Giant Hogweed, an invasive noxious plant species.

This plant produces a clear, toxic watery sap that can cause severe skin reactions commonly known as photosensitivity. It is important that people do not touch or attempt to remove this plant without ensuring they are totally protected against contact from the sap. If you are unsure of how to deal with this plant you should avoid it altogether, and contact a licensed weed control company.

This is an invasive species that has the potential to cause severe reactions to residents who come in contact with the plant’s sap. I encourage everyone to contact the proper authorities should they discover the weed on Town or their property. The best course of action in dealing with this plant is to avoid it if possible. Valuable information is available from the Halton Region Conservation Authority and I would encourage anyone who has knowledge of the presence of this plant to contact the HRCA or the Town of Halton Hills to have this invasive weed removed.

Last year a large test site on the Third Line near the Scotch Block reservoir was set up by the Chief Weed Inspector of Ontario and the University of Guelph to determine the most effective means to destroy this plant using selective herbicides.

Now that the test has been completed along the Third Line, near the Scotch Block reservoir, the Town will destroy the Giant Hogweed within the road allowance. The` timing of the work will be weather dependent and staff expects to have this completed by the end of May. Signage will be placed prior to the work being undertaken as set out in the Town of Halton Hills Pesticide Application in Turf Areas policy.

Further information on the Giant Hogweed is available from Conservation Halton at www.conservationhalton.on.ca ,or through the Provincial web site at www.weedinfo.ca .

If you have Giant Hogweed on your property, lawn care companies are licensed to spray herbicides that can assist in eradicating this noxious weed.

If you find Giant Hogweed on Town property, please contact the Town of Halton Hills Infrastructure Services Department at (905) 873-2601, extension 2603. The Town will take appropriate actions to destroy the Giant Hogweed.

Smart Commute Arrives in Halton Hills

On May 3, 2011, Smart Commute Halton officially welcomed the Town of Halton Hills into the Smart Commute family of organizations and businesses committed to encouraging more sustainable travel options.

Smart Commute is a joint venture between Metrolinx and area municipalities. It is a transportation demand management program focused on reducing traffic congestion, improving air quality, providing more sustainable travel options and reducing commuting costs. At present, more than 170 employers, with a total of 355,000 employees, have joined Smart Commute. Members of the public can also access free Smart Commute services, especially the Carpool Zone – an online ride-matching service: www.smartcommute.ca

Speaking about the Town’s participation in Smart Commute, Mayor Bonnette said:

"Our participation in Smart Commute is yet another practical example of the Town’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and Green Plan implementation. Through Smart Commute, we are helping our employees take advantage of more environmentally-responsible commuting options, reduce their carbon footprint and reduce commuting costs. The Town of Halton Hills has always been an environmental leader. This program is just a continuation of our efforts.”

Alicia Jakaitis, Program Manager for Smart Commute Halton, commented:

"We have all experienced the stress and frustration facing commuters in the Greater Toronto Area. When environmental leaders like the Town of Halton Hills partner with Smart Commute, they demonstrate the proactive role that employers can take to make commuting easier for their employees."

In welcoming Halton Hills to the Smart Commute family, Smart Commute Halton hosted a staff engagement event on May 3rd to recognize the Town’s commitment to reducing congestion, being an environmental leader, and to increase awareness of the program. The event featured an official presentation of one of the Town’s new dedicated carpool parking signs by Smart Commute Halton to Mayor Bonnette. In addition, to highlight carpooling as a ‘green’ commuting option, one of the parking spaces was temporarily converted into a ‘park’.

Participation in Smart Commute helps implement recommendations of the Town’s Green Plan. For example, Recommendation #66 of the Green Plan calls on the Town to work with other proactive organizations to improve the environment. Participation in Smart Commute is one way of implementing this recommendation. The Green Plan also references the need to address greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. Reducing the number of single occupancy vehicle trips taken by Town staff by providing sustainable transportation options through Smart Commute is one means of achieving this.

About Smart Commute Halton and Benefits

Smart Commute Halton is a program of Halton Region with funding and support from Metrolinx and Halton Region. Smart Commute Halton currently services ten local employers with more than 7,000 employees.

Benefits of participating in Smart Commute include reduced on-site parking demand, decreased facility costs, reduced traffic congestion, lower greenhouse gas emissions, improved employee retention and improved productivity. Benefits to employees include improved transportation options, travel cost savings, improved health, and enhanced access and mobility options.

For more information on the Town’s sustainability initiatives, please contact Damian Szybalski (Sustainability Coordinator) at 905.873.2601 ext. 2289 or visit www.haltonhills.ca/sustainability. Businesses and organizations interested in joining Smart Commute are invited to contact Alicia Jakaitis (Program Manager, Smart Commute Halton) at 905.825.6000 ext. 7556 or Alicia.jakaitis@halton.ca

Halton Hills Celebrates Earth HourTM

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

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.

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.

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!

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.