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City recognizes athlete, sportsperson of the year
Congratulations to
Abu Kigab, the 2017 Athlete of the Year and recipient of the Jimmy Joy Memorial Trophy for his dedication to the sport of basketball.
Abu's recent accomplishments include earning gold for Team Canada at the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup and being named a 'Top 5' at the world championship tournament. Abu is an outstanding role model to our youth involved in sports.
Congratulations Doug Geddie and Keith Shaver, the 2017 Co-Sportsperson and recipients of the Rex Stimers Memorial Trophy for their achievements and dedication to curling.
This award celebrates the contributions they have made to the City of St. Catharines through raising the profile of curling in our community and for their leadership role in bringing the Scotties Tournament of Hearts to the Garden City.
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Service interruptions this Saturday
Residents will experience service interruptions tomorrow (March 24) while we upgrade our network.
- Residents will not be able to call or email City staff or facilities. - Emergency Services is NOT affected - residents can continue to call 911 for emergencies.
- Credit card / debit systems and public Wi-Fi will not be available at City facilities.
- Recreation programs will run as scheduled. Payment for drop-in programs will be by cash only.
Work will start at 8 a.m. and should wrap up by late morning / early afternoon.
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Easter Holiday hours
City hall, the St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre and most other
City facilities will be closed on Good Friday (Friday, March 30) and Easter Sunday (Sunday, April 1).
All City facilities return to regular business hours Monday, April 2.
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Know where to park for IceDogs playoff games
Taking in Niagara IceDogs playoff action this weekend? Special event parking will be available at City parking garages on Ontario Street and Carlisle Street / Garden Park and City parking lots at Head Street, Race Street, IceDogs Way and Garden Park.
Parking at the Meridian Centre is limited to accessible spots with a government issued permit.
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Ontario Street Parking Garage open during renovations
Ontario Street Parking Garage renovations will close a section of the William Street sidewalk until the end of the year.
Both stairways at the Ontario Street Parking Garage, including the stairs, landings and railings, their enclosures and the elevator lobby, on the William Street side of the building will be removed and replaced.
The renovations will mean the part of the sidewalk in front of the Ontario Street Parking Garage on William Street will close for the duration of the project starting this week. Downtown visitors are asked to use the sidewalk on the other side of William Street and to cross the road safely using crosswalks at intersections.
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DocuPet going door-to-door with City dog tag information
DocuPet, which runs the online pet licensing program for the City of St. Catharines, is going door-to-door to raise awareness about why residents need dog tags for their family pets.
DocuPet representatives will go door-door between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on weekdays to drop off hand-outs with information about the City's dog licensing program at the homes they visit. DocuPet representatives will comply with new provincial regulations for door-to-door salespeople and will not be knocking on doors, ringing doorbells or selling anything at the door.
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Register now for Leisure programs
Want to play? Then don't delay.
Online registration is open. Want to register in person? Walk-in registration is 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.
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Celebrating Earth Hour? Be fire safe
Are you planning to celebrate Earth Hour Saturday night? Acting Fire Chief Jeff McCormick urges everyone to keep fire safety in mind when the lights go out.
The City is turning off non-essential lights at City Hall and some other City buildings Saturday, March 24 from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. to show its support for Earth Hour. For residents turning out their own lights, the acting fire chief recommends using flash lights, battery powered lanterns and flameless candles during Earth Hour.
If you do plan to use traditional candles, McCormick says they must be placed in sturdy candle holders in a location where they can't be knocked over. Burning candles should be kept away from children, pets and things that can catch fire. Never leave candles unattended and always extinguish candles before leaving the room.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms should also have backup battery power to keep everyone safe if the hydro goes out.
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Apply now to have special event fees waived
Organizations and event planners with events taking place between July 1 and December 31, 2018 can
apply now to have up to 50 per cent of the City fees associated with running single or multi-day events waived.
Applications must be submitted by Saturday, March 31.
Fees eligible to be waived include items managed or operated by the City of St. Catharines, such as park permits and rental fees. Items like liability insurance, damage deposits and non-City fees are not eligible under the program.
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An easier way to pay property taxes
Pay property taxes on time every time with our pre-authorized payment plan.
Enroll in our
pre-authorized payment plan to have property taxes paid over 10 months automatically without having to visit City Hall or send cheques in the mail. Plus, November and December are free of payments.
Remaining property tax payment due dates:
- Monday, April 30
- Friday, June 29
- Friday, Sept. 28
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What's on at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre
TOWER OF POWER
Sunday, March 25 - Partridge Hall
For close to 50 years, Tower of Power has been creating their own kind of funky soul music, appearing before sold out crowds as they tour the world each year.
Now playing at the Film House:
Oscar nominated films such as Lady Bird, Dunkirk, Loving Vincent, Three Billboard Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Call Me By Your Name and more. Visit us online for showtimes and trailers.
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A report from Mayor Walter Sendzik
On Monday night Council had a productive meeting where we approved new investments in affordable housing, heard about new funding for public transit and the St. Catharines GO train station, and approved the water and wastewater budget.
We also had an update on our Strategic Plan. The economic update showed many positive signs of progress on our economic goals: new businesses opening up, positive job numbers and growth in building permits and construction.
While we still have work to do, I look forward to working together with our partners in business, government and community to build on this momentum.
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Water and wastewater budget approved
Water bills are going up by about two per cent for the average customer.
City Council approved the 2018 water and wastewater budget, including the new rates for water and wastewater (sewer) services.
The rate increase is comparable to the rate of inflation and means water and wastewater bills will be about $15 more for the average user consuming 170 cubic metres of water a year.
The City's water system is fully-funded by the water and wastewater rates customers pay and doesn't rely on property taxes. Rates are a combination of fixed charges and consumption charges based on the amount of water used.
City Council also directed staff to report to the Budget Standing Committee about increasing the City's annual budget for upgrading the water system.
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Council supports waiving property taxes for affordable housing
City Council reaffirmed its support for Niagara Regional Housing reducing what it pays in property taxes so those funds can be used for other services in St. Catharines.
City Council declared Niagara Regional Housing properties as municipal capital facilities and created a transitional grant program. The grants will be reduced by 25 per cent a year over four years starting in 2020 until phased out.
City council also directed that the proportion of City property taxes waived be allocated towards the creation of new long-term affordable housing units within in St. Catharines.
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Budget committee to consider rat rebate program
City Council forwarded a proposed pilot program to the Budget Standing Committee that offers a one-time rebate to residents for 50 per cent of the costs, up to $200, of rat control services from a licensed pest control expert. The proposed budget for the program is $20,000.
Council also directed that a total of $10,000 be available in 2018 for the proactive baiting of sewers and that staff monitor the issue and report back on the success of the programs with recommendations for future steps at the end of the year.
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Other business
Port Dalhousie plan
City Council directed that the original draft of the consultant's report for the City's Port Dalhousie Secondary Plan and Heritage Conservation District Plan be released to the public.
The draft report by Macaulay Shiomi Howson Ltd. submitted in November 2016 will be made available before a public meeting is held regarding the plan.
Contracts
City Council awarded the following contracts:
- $204,000 (plus HST) for sewer flushing and cleaning to Envirosystems Incorporated. Council authorized staff to renew the contract in 2019 and 2020, subject to budget approval.
- $1.77 million (plus HST) for a watermain replacement project on Glendale Avenue to O'Hara Trucking and Excavating Inc.
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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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Click here to learn about construction projects happening in the City.
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