Welcome to my
February E-Newsletter
January was a difficult month for the City of Mississauga. As many of you know, we lost Ward 1 Councillor, Jim Tovey on January 15 th . I was privileged to call Jim my friend. As a rookie councillor, he always had time for me, which I will forever be grateful. He was a true community builder, taking on many big projects in his beloved Port Credit and Lakeview. Please click here for Councillor Tovey's obituary.
The Ward 1 Council seat has been declared vacant and the process is underway to fill the position by appointment, until the end of this term, which runs until November 30, 2018. If you would like more information about this process, please visit here .
Ward 2 Staffing Changes
I would like to advise that there are upcoming staff changes in my office. Jennifer Waye, my Executive Assistant, is leaving February 9 th for a new role outside the city. Gaggan Gill will assume the Executive Assistant role and joining my office, as Administrative Assistant, will be Tara McCarthy. Congratulations to all in their new roles!
Traffic Light Approved at South Sheridan Way & Indian Road
For those in the Lorne Park area, I think you will be pleased to learn that a traffic signal has been approved at South Sheridan Way and Indian Road. This installation will not occur for a number of months, but it is certainly something to look forward to from a safety perspective.  
Geotechnical Investigation on Lakeshore Road West:
Lane Closures/Restrictions
The Region is currently undertaking a Class Environmental Assessment for the decommissioning of the Front Street Sewage Pumping Station and re-routing the flows to the west by constructing a trunk (large diameter) sanitary sewer along Lakeshore Road West, as shown below.
This project has been selected to receive Infrastructure Canada funding under the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund. The Region has decided to advance the geotechnical work for detailed design of the proposed trunk sewer to reach the project milestones set by the funding program.
 
A geotechnical investigation has been initiated, which includes drilling boreholes and installing monitoring wells along the entire alignment, as part of the detailed design for the trunk sanitary sewer. The sewer, when constructed, will be in a tunnel underneath the municipal right-of-way, with minimal impact on traffic.
 
The geotechnical investigation for the Lakeshore Trunk Sewer will result in lane closures on Lakeshore Road West as per the details below:
 
Name of the Road to be closed : Sections 100-200 m in length on Lakeshore Road West between Front Street and Owenwood Drive.
 
Date & Time for the closure : January 15 to May 31, 2018, between 9 am and 4 pm
 
Apart from Lakeshore Road West, boreholes will also be drilled on the following side streets, resulting in a lane closure lasting only for one day for each street, between 7 am and 7 pm:
  • John Street South
  • Peter Street South
  • Mississauga Road South
  • Benson Avenue
  • Pine Avenue North
  • Maple Avenue North
  • Maple Avenue South
  • Broadview Avenue
  • Shawnmarr Road
  • Crozier Court
  • Ibar Way
Be a Good Neighbour, Clear Your Walk
Play your role in keeping your community safe by keeping your sidewalk clear of snow and ice after a snowfall ends.
Offer a helping hand to older adults and persons with physical disabilities in your neighbourhood by clearing their sidewalks.
Treat slippery surfaces in front of your home to ensure that older adults, students walking to schools and bus stops, and other pedestrians have a safe path to travel in front of your home. You can make this a fun winter activity by involving kids and young family members.

Always remember when you dig out your car or shovel your driveway, place the snow on your lawn and not on the street. Placing snow from your driveway or parking lot on the road is illegal under the Obstructing Highways By-law. 

The City of Mississauga clears sidewalks along major roads and other priority areas where there is access to hospitals, schools and transit. To see a map of these sidewalks visit mississauga.ca/snow.

For snow information and updates: Follow us on Twitter @MississaugaSnow for current conditions and progress. Visit mississauga.ca/snow for live updates, details, routes and maps. To track plows/salters travelling routes, visit our snow plow tracker webpage.

Call 3-1-1 or (905-615-4311 outside city limits) for general inquiries and information. 
Winter Maintenance Service Requests
Residents are encouraged to call 3-1-1 for any winter maintenance concerns. During a storm, Customer Service Agents are trained to explain service levels and can escalate urgent safety concerns, as required. Calls made to 3-1-1 after-hours are similarly responded to by Transportation and Works Dispatch.

Please be reminded that service requests will not be issued during active operations unless there is an urgent safety concern. We thank residents for their patience and ask that they wait until service level timeframes have expired before reporting non-emergency concerns to 3-1-1. This ensures that crews have had adequate time to reach all areas of the City.
Simple Steps to Thaw Your Frozen Water Pipes
Your home's water pipes have frozen leaving you without water. Here are three steps to thaw them.

1.Locate the suspected frozen area of the water pipe (it is commonly adjacent to an exterior wall or where the water service enters the home through the foundation).
2. Leave a cold water tap downstream of the location open, so that when the water
begin to flow again, you know the pipe has thawed.

3. Apply heat* to the area or section of pipe using one of the following methods:
  •  An electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe,
  • An electric hair dryer
  •  A portable heater (be sure not to place near flammable materials)
 
Use caution when leaving electrical appliances unattended for long periods of time.
If after following these instructions you are unable to thaw the frozen pipe, please contact the Region at 905-791-7800 for further help and to log a service call.

You can also visit peelregion.ca/frozenpipes to see a short video on winterizing your indoor pipes. 
Park Closures & Winter Parks Waste Management Update
Last winter, I received calls and emails from residents about waste containers that were removed from parks. This is a regular part of the winter maintenance program. All park areas, accessible trails, leash free zones, paved parking lots and toboggan hills, that are open throughout the winter, receive regular maintenance and retain waste containers, allowing park users to dispose of garbage, recycling and dog waste. 
 
Containers are removed in some areas to prevent damage to park trails and grass, from trucks needing to access to remove the waste. However last year, many residents and pet walkers felt it was okay to just leave their pet waste in piles on the trails, rather than carry it to the nearest bins. This creates a mess in our parks and shows disrespect for public land. Council asked staff to leave as many cans as possible this year and in strategic locations. All trails have enough waste cans for disposal, so please use them. It may mean you have to carry a bag of pet waste a short distance, but it protects our parks and keeps them clean.
 
There are some sites that do not receive winter maintenance; include gravel parking lots, portions of trails, closed amenities (i.e. sport fields, spray pads) and locations that are unattainable due to winter conditions. Signs are posted of these winter maintenance changes. As these sites have limited use and are not easily accessible by crews, most waste containers have been removed.

Park waste is emptied on a scheduled basis. If you come across a can that is full, please report it by calling 3-1-1.

Help keep our parks clean! Report littering, illegal dumping or problems with waste in parks by calling 3-1-1. 
Cankerworm – Tree Banding Update
Forestry staff are recommending that now is an appropriate time to remove the sticky bands from the trees. The City just finished removing the bands on city-owned trees in early January. This is because most, if not all of the female cankerworm moths have finished emerging from the ground. This will give the trees some time to dry out (breathe) before another band is placed in April to catch the caterpillars.
Please click here for more information on gypsy moth and cankerworm lifecycles and approximate timing of control measures to help out. 
 
There will be open houses this Spring with additional updates and aerial spraying information. I will update you with these dates, when available.
Mississauga Library System Hosts Sock Drive for the Homeless
As the cold weather continues, the Mississauga Library System is organizing a sock drive for those in need. Put a Sock on it ‘Sauga , aims to provide the homeless in Mississauga with socks to ensure their feet stay warm and dry. This initiative is part of the Library’s Open Window Hub pilot project which helps homeless and vulnerable youth and adults in the city.
Socks are the most requested item at shelters and the least donated,” said Rose Vespa, Director of Library Services. “Through our outreach program, we want to make sure our homeless population has the supplies they need to get through this cold winter. Put a Sock on it ‘Sauga is one unique way to assist the local homeless community.”
Donations for new socks, mittens, gloves and hats will be accepted at any Mississauga Library location until February 28, 2018.
 
The Library’s Homelessness Prevention Outreach Worker will be available to meet individuals across the city who are in need of donated items. Items can also be picked up from the Central Library.
 
For more information about the sock drive, call 905-615-3200, ext. 3541. 
Free Family Day Activities at Clarkson Community Centre
On Family Day, why not make time for family fun? Enjoy FREE activities like swimming, skating and playing on February 19, 2018 at Mississauga Community Centres, Pools, Arenas and SportZone.

For a list of free activities, visit, here.
Glen Oak Academy Visit
I recently had the opportunity to tour the new Glen Oak Academy on Clarkson Rd. North. They take a specialized approach to servicing students into two streams: those who require an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and those who excel. In either case, they design their learning and programming to the unique needs of the students, that also includes space for private health care providers, such as speech language pathologists, occupational therapists and psychologists. For more information, visit: