Family fun to tap for March Break
Skating, swimming, fun and games, face painting and a whole lot more.
March Break is almost here and the City of St. Catharines has plenty of fun activities to keep the whole family busy.
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March Break at the museum
With tea parties, arts and crafts, flashlight tours, fun with Lego and more, the St. Catharines Museums and Welland Canals Centre has much to offer visitors of all ages on March Break.
Some programs include a small fee and require pre-registration while others are drop-in with admission by donation.
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Register for the St. Catharines Youth Forum by March 17
The St. Catharines Youth Forum is set for Wednesday, March 22.
H
igh school students, post-secondary students and young people under age 25 are invited to discuss the issues they are facing in their city as well as ideas and actions to help make St. Catharines an even better place for young people to live, work and build a future.
Space is limited. Register by Friday, March 17.
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Help us recognize St. Catharines volunteers
Nominations are open for the City of St. Catharines' annual Volunteer Recognition Awards.
Nominations are due by Friday, March 17. The City will recognize award recipients during a celebration on Tuesday, April 11.
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The new Leisure Guide is out
The City's new look Spring/Summer Leisure Guide is out. Find it at City Hall, City recreation facilities and online.
Online registration for St. Catharines residents opens at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 21. Walk-in registration opens Wednesday, March 22 at 8:30 a.m. and will be available during regular business hours at the St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre, Citizens First at City Hall and the Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre.
Live outside St. Catharines? Non-resident registration opens Thursday, March 23.
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Collect winter wreaths from City cemeteries
by April 1
The winter wreath program at Victoria Lawn Cemetery and St. Andrew's Cemetery comes to a close April 1.
All wreaths and artificial flowers must be removed from the cemeteries before April 1 to allow staff to proceed with regular spring maintenance.
Wreaths and glass encased flowers remaining on the graves after April 1 will be removed by cemetery staff and disposed of.
For more information contact the Victoria Lawn Cemetery at 905.688.5600.
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An easier way to pay City bills
Have property tax bill payments paid automatically from your bank account and never miss a payment again.
Pre-authorized payments are the fastest and easiest way to pay property taxes and offer the convenience of automatic withdrawals from your bank account. Complete this form to enroll and enjoy the flexibility of making property tax bill payments in four instalments or 10 instalments and have peace of mind knowing payments will be paid on time.
New for 2017, property tax instalment due dates have changed to the last business day of installment months.
Remaining 2017 instalment dates:
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Are you in for the Niagara 2021 bid?
Show your support for Niagara's bid to host the 2021 Canada Summer Games. Visit www.niagara2021.com to show your support and help Niagara win the bid.
The winning bid will be announced March 30. Show your support for Niagara's bid on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the hastag #NiagaraAreYouIn and mentioning @Niagara2021 and @CanadaGames.
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Coming up at the PAC
Visit The Film House during March Break to enjoy the very best in family cinema, including the 2017 Oscar-nominated Red Turtle on March 11 at 4 p.m. and The Secret of Kells March 18 at 4 p.m.
Also coming up at the PAC:
Windmill Theatre's Grug and the Rainbow
Tuesday, March 21 - 12:30 p.m. | Partridge Hall
Grug embarks on an epic journey to find a rainbow that always seems just beyond his grasp. Great for children four and up.
Terri Clark
Thursday, March 23 - 7:30 p.m. | Partridge Hall
Terri Clark is the only Canadian woman to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry. She is an eight-time Canadian Country Music Award Entertainer of the Year, five-time Female Vocalist of the Year, and holds six number one singles in Canada and the USA.
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A report from Walter Sendzik
The last several weeks have been an exciting time for St. Catharines.
The Scotties Tournament of Hearts was a great success. The Niagara 2021 bid committee knocked it out of the park with their presentation to the Canada Games 2021 bid evaluation committee.
A second public meeting on residential infill and intensification was held March 2. City staff presented draft recommendations for review and comments from the public. The review is part of the interim control by-law review that Council approved in December after hearing about the impacts of some infill projects in established neighbourhoods. The purpose of the review is to support appropriate and compatible infill in residential neighbourhoods. City staff will present an update and draft recommendations at the March 27 Council meeting. Staff continue to accept comments on draft recommendations stemming from the review until Friday, March 31.
Check out the Mayor's Report video where I congratulate community members and organizations on their achievements this week.
I hope all have a safe March Break.
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Council: change how NPCA board members are selected
St. Catharines City Council is calling for a change in how to appoint members to the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority board.
Council endorsed a motion from Pelham Council calling for NPCA board members to be selected by area municipal councils from
a pool of resident who have applied. The process is intended to favour applicants who have expertise with the environment and conservation.
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City looking into incentives for heritage building renos
City Council wants to see designated heritage buildings in St. Catharines restored to better conditions and put to better use.
Council directed the City to review strategies and programs to help property owners get their heritage buildings back into shape more quickly and promote adaptive reuses. Council directed staff to look at similar programs offered in Thorold and Peterborough and to consult the downtown and Port Dalhousie BIAs.
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Council approves capital budget
City Council approved the 2017 capital budget, a $28.2 million spending program for City projects and construction. Some of the things covered under the 2017 capital budget include tree plantings, City building improvements, road and sidewalk construction and bus purchases for St. Catharines Transit.
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Other news
Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre
City Council directed staff to include replacing pad two as well as pad three at the Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre when the City undertakes phase two of improvements at the four-pad arena. Council expects to award the contract later this spring with construction to take place from May to the end of September.
Parking restrictions
City Council removed an 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ban on parking on the west side of South Drive from Rockcliffe Road to Ridgewood Road during school days.
City Council will remove two short-term parking zones from the east side of Lake Street between Black Night Road and Prince Edward Drive to install bicycle lanes on Lake Street from Lakeport Road and Lakeshore Road.
Greenbelt Plan
City Council directed staff to re-iterate and re-submit the City's recommendations concerning local requests for changes to the Greenbelt Plan boundaries to the Province of Ontario, including that land at 1406 Third St. Louth be re-designated for additional uses other than growing tender fruit and grapes.
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More council online
Council Highlights offers informal summaries of some of the recent decisions and business discussed during
St. Catharines City Council meetings. The Office of the City Clerk provides a full recap of decisions and motions in its official minutes, available on the Friday after every
St. Catharines City Council meeting.
Click here for City of
St. Catharines council meeting agendas and minutes.
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Digital versions of the Garden City Current are available. Click here to read past issues.
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City Council
6:30 p.m., City Hall
March 27
City Council
6:30 p.m., City Hall
Click here to learn about other upcoming meetings.
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Click here to learn about construction projects happening in the City.
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