Culture Days coming up
Local artists and cultural organizations are encouraging residents to get creative and try something new with free activities at Culture Days.
Abstract painting, performances, drawing, music, poetry, facility tours and other hands-on activities will all be part of this year's St. Catharines Culture Days celebrations Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.
The City is partnering with local artists and cultural organizations from across St. Catharines so residents can enjoy a variety of free activities and discover the joy of participating in arts and culture.
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Final weekend for Guided Spirit Walks
Enjoy a spirited walk through history at Victoria Lawn Cemetery this weekend.
The St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre presents One Dominion: On the Path to Confederation, for its 2017 season of Guided Spirit Walks. Walks take place at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15 and Saturday, Sept. 16. Tickets are on sale at the museum: $10.25 (HST included) per person.
Guided Spirit Walks feature a cast of volunteer actors who bring the story of Confederation in St. Catharines to life - there was more conflict and drama involved than you think.
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Register now for City recreation programs
Check out the fall and winter Leisure Guide. Then, register online for the programs you're interested in.
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City receives national marketing awards
Campaigns promoting the Garden City as a great place to visit and do business have garnered the City of St. Catharines two prestigious Marketing Canada Awards from the Economic Development Association of Canada.
The City received the Marketing Canada Award for best website from the Economic Developers Association of Canada (EDAC) for its tourism website: www.tourismstcatharines.ca.
The City of St. Catharines' grocery brochure also received the Marketing Canada Award for Best Single Publication - Over Four Pages. The grocery brochure is part of the City's campaign to attract a grocery store to downtown St. Catharines.
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Volunteers needed for Pumpkinville
Do you like working with children? Have a few hours to spare on Saturday, Oct. 14? The City needs about 50 volunteers to help at the annual fall family event. Duties range from setup and tear down and down and helping with various activities at the event, such as pumpkin carving, scarecrow building, the hay dive.
Let us know if you're interested.
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Farmers Market open during roof renovations
Roof replacement work at Market Square will begin mid-September and last into November.
One half of the roof will be replaced at a time, which will allow the St. Catharines Farmers Market to remain open while work takes place. Crews will first remove and replace the roof on the west end of the building, then move to the east end to remove and replace its roof.
Parking will be limited to one side of the building while work takes place and there may be parking restrictions in the Market Square Parking Lot to accommodate the work. Accessible parking will not be affected.
Hoarding walls will be installed around Market Square but sidewalk access will be maintained for the duration of the project.
The St. Catharines Farmers Market is held every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Market Square is located at 91 King St.
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Revitalization of Centennial Park continues this week
The revitalization of St. Catharines' Centennial Park continues with the construction of a new staircase, trail enhancements and a new sun shelter beginning this week.
The park, community gardens and parking lot will remain open while construction is underway. However, the Gale Crescent staircase will be temporarily closed during replacement and access to portions of the disc golf course will be limited. Park users can still access Centennial Gardens from Beard Place, Riordon Street and the parking lot on Oakdale Avenue.
The section of the Merritt Trail that runs through Centennial Gardens will also remain open during construction. However, parts of the accessible trail will be temporarily closed from time-to-time to permit the enhancements. The work is expected to be complete in November.
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|  Have a say on the 2018 budget
The Budget Standing Committee and City staff are hosting three days of public engagement to gather opinions and ideas from residents on the 2018 operating budget.
Mayor Walter Sendzik, Coun. Mat Siscoe, chair of the Budget Standing Committee, and City staff will answer questions about the 2018 operating budget during a telephone town hall on Wednesday, Oct. 25 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Now in its fourth year, the telephone town hall operates similar to a radio call-in show, except instead of individuals calling in, 30,000 residents will be called at home and asked to participate. Residents will be randomly called to participate, but anyone who wants to guarantee their participation can register in advance by calling 905.688.5600 or visiting www.stcatharines.ca/budgettalk. Advance registration closes Tuesday, Oct. 24 at noon.
Want to give feedback in person? Open houses will be held Tuesday, Oct. 24 at the Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre and Thursday, Oct. 26 at the St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre. The Budget Standing Committee and City staff will be on hand to answer questions from the audience about the budget. Both open houses will run from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. No RSVP is required.
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Work begins on Welland Canal Fallen Workers Memorial
A memorial to commemorate the 137 workers who lost their lives during the construction of the Welland Canal is one step closer to completion.
Crews began construction of the Welland Canal Fallen Workers Memorial this week at Lock 3 along the Welland Canal, just north of the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre.
The museum will remain open throughout construction, as will the main parking lot south of the museum. However, the trail leading to the playground beside the St. Catharines Museum will be closed for the duration of the project. Work will be completed in late fall.
A Community Fundraising Campaign to raise $50,000 for the memorial continues. For more information on the memorial or to make a contribution, visit
www.stcatharines.ca/donate or call 1.800.305.5134 (between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.)
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No public access to public works yard during renovations
The next phase of renovations at the Lake Street Service Centre, the main public works yard for the City of St. Catharines, began Monday, Sept. 11.
During the renovations, the public will not be able to access the Lake Street Service Centre. Instead, residents with any customer service issues can:
- Visit the Citizens First counter at City Hall
- Call 905.688.5600
Renovations will not affect traffic on Lake Street or neighbouring businesses and residential areas.
The City expects to complete renovations by early 2018. The facility is being renovated to accommodate moving staff and equipment from the City's Parks, Recreation and Culture Services building on Geneva Street to the Lake Street Service Centre.
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Take part in our Transportation Master Plan
It's been a while since the City created a transportation plan (1965, to be exact),
which is why City staff are hard at work creating a new Transportation Master Plan to shape the future of walking, driving, cycling and commuting in St. Catharines.
The public can give input on the transportation needs of the city by taking part in MetroQuest, an interactive, online activity that guides residents through questions and scenarios related to cars, transit and cycling.
Additional public feedback opportunities will be available in the fall, including a series of open houses and an online survey.
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A report from Mayor Walter Sendzik
It is hard to believe we are already mid-way through September.
Construction has wrapped up on St. Paul Street and the road has re-opened to traffic. Ontario Sreet is also complete and Queenston Street is on track for completion at the end of the year. I want to acknowledge the local residents and businesses for their patience throughout construction. We know it's been challenging to deal with. Ultimately, these projects will improve pedestrian crossings, traffic flow and help make way for new developments across the city.
Lakeside Park has officially re-opened. The revitalization of Centennial Gardens continues with park improvements and a new staircase being built this fall. The new washrooms and playground at West Park are almost complete. The repairs to the St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre are also on track and fall programs will start on Monday, Oct. 2.
This weekend is homecoming for Brock University and the entire community is welcome to attend the Steel Blade Classic hockey game and other weekend events. The 66th annual Grape and Wine Festival ramps up in St. Catharines this weekend as well. Saturday is the 44th annual Mayor's Grape Stomp, hosted by JCI St. Catharines. This fun event is also a fundraiser for local food banks and I'll be stomping for Community Care again this year. Please come by Montebello Park after the Pied Piper parade with your donations and help show your support.
We will be back next weekend to collect more donations during the Grande Parade. Hope to see many of you out at Montebello Park.
There is much more coming up this fall, including a traditional pow wow in Montebello Park on Sunday, Oct. 1. Learn more about many of the other community events and celebrations coming up this month by watching the Mayor's Report. Looking forward to connecting with you.
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City Council offers funds to help with Facer facelift
City Council established a $10,000 Facer District Revitalization Partnership Fund for 2018 and directed staff to report back on how to set it up in a way similar to the Centennial Gardens Partnership Fund.
The program will offer community groups and private organizations completing volunteer public realm improvements and restorations in the Facer District matching funds for their projects.
City Council also referred the request to the Budget Standing Committee to consider for 2019.
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Updates to park and rec facility naming policy
What's in a name? City Council is encouraging names acknowledging the area's history, heritage and environment for parks and recreation facilities through its update to the City's naming policy.
The updated policy establishes a fair and open process that encourages the public to participate. While the City's naming policy ensures parks, trails and recreation facilities are easily identified and located, it will also help celebrate, commemorate and inform residents and visitors about locally significant places, events and individuals.
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Sponsorship policy approved
City Council adopted a sponsorship and advertising policy to help guide sales of marketing opportunities, including naming rights, at City facilities and events.
The new policy authorizes City staff to approve all sponsorship and marketing opportunities under $50,000. Opportunities that are more than $50,000 will require council approval.
City Council also supported the development of a revenue generation strategy.
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Other news
New bike lanes
City Council requested Niagara Region to add bicycle lanes to Ontario Street between Carlton Street and Lake Street.
Culture investment policy
City Council added to the St. Catharines Cultural Investment Policy to make organizations owned by educational institutions eligible for the funding program, subject to some conditions.
Other additions to the policy include allowing first-time applicants to apply for SCCIP funding outside usual deadlines.
Shoreline protection
City Council increased a construction contract for emergency shoreline repairs to cover additional repairs to City-owned land on Shore Boulevard after more severe damage and erosion were discovered after work began.
City Council also awarded a $51,000 contract to Shoreplan Engineering Limited to design permanent shoreline protection for the area.
Stop signs
The City will install stop signs in the following locations:
- Burness Drive at Alexandra Boulevard
- Melbourne Avenue at Collier Street
- Chapleau Gate at Lafayette Drive
- Vanier Court at Lafayette Drive
- Carousel Circle at Lafayette Drive
City Council also delegated authority to City staff to approve installing and removing stop controls, yield controls and other parking related prohibitions.
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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.
City Council meeting agendas and minutes are available online.
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City Council
6:30 p.m., City Hall
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| Oakdale Avenue from Westchester
Crescent to Lincoln Avenue will be under construction from summer 2017 to spring 2018.
Construction continues on
Queenston Street until the end of the year. Rolling road blocks will be in place weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. between Page Street and Eastchester Avenue. One lane of traffic will be open on evenings and weekends.
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Click here to learn about construction projects happening in the City.
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