May 14 2019
The Deputy Mayor's Exchange
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What's the new job like Don?
Being the Deputy Mayor of Markham is certainly much different than being a local representative. There are many more committee and Council meetings to attend and much more reading to do in order to be properly prepared for those meetings.
I work with ratepayer organizations, parent councils, places of worship, automobile dealers, seniors homes, hospital personnel, charities, youth groups, builders, community activists, and of course my Council colleagues.
There are also lots of events to attend. This weekend started with a Legacy Community Ratepayers Association area clean-up. Then there was the Markham Arts Council showcase of arts and culture at the new Aaniin Community Centre. What a facility for the community to enjoy! There was a charity BBQ at the Warden/Hwy 7 No Frills store and the list of events continued.
Being a good son, I did make sure to spend some time with my 95 year old Mom on Mother's Day. My wife and I were surprised by a special visit by our son who is in town preparing for his new job as a commercial airline pilot.
I hope you have a great week whether you are at work, at home or on vacation.
Click here
to read the last edition of
The Deputy Mayor's Exchange.
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In this issue
- Measles Exposure in Markham
- Unionville Festival Turns 50
- Keeping Markham Safe
- Flato Theatre 2019-20 Season
- Left Turn Bike Boxes
- Canada Road Safety Week
- Stiver Mill Market Opening
- Community Meetings and Events
- Q&A - Hazardous Waste
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Please forward
Make sure you are on the list
for future updates.
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Looking for more information?
Any of the blue text, blue buttons and most of the graphics have links to further detail.
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Niagara Public Health is investigating a confirmed case of measles who traveled to the Markham area the first week of May. The details of the exposure can be found
here.
Measles spreads easily from person-to-person through droplets from the mouth, nose and throat of an infected person when talking, coughing, sneezing or less commonly through contact with items such as used tissues.
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More information about measles can be found in this
document
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If you are a long time resident of Unionville (like I am) it is hard to believe that the 50th edition of the Unionville Festival will be happening this year.
The planning committee is pulling out all the stops to make this year's festival one to remember. It will kick off with the season's first
Thursday Night at the Bandstand and continue all weekend.
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Details of all the
fun and festivities
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by Fire Chief
Dave Decker
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Everyday our emergency vehicles respond to urgent calls in the City of Markham. Any time lost getting to an emergency could mean the difference between life and death. As a driver, you can do your part to help save lives. There are certain steps you need to take when an
emergency vehicle is approaching in either direction.
- stay alert
- avoid distractions
- keep the noise level down
- use your signals to alert other drivers you intend to pull over
- check your rear-view mirrors, and look in front and on both sides of your vehicle
- when the emergency vehicle has passed, make sure the way is clear and signal before merging back into traffic
On a multi-lane highway: slow down, signal and move to the right. If possible, pull as close as you can to the right side of the roadway and stop when safe to do so. Don't move onto the shoulder.
On a two-lane road: signal and move to the right. Pull as close as possible to the right edge of the road, clear of any intersection, and stop.
In an intersection: traffic in all directions must yield to emergency vehicles. Don't block the intersection. If an emergency vehicle is approaching from behind you, don't make a left turn - proceed straight through the intersection, then pull to the right and stop.
Approaching a stopped emergency vehicle: If you see an emergency vehicle with its amber lights flashing stopped facing the same direction you are going, slow down and pass with caution. If the road has two or more lanes, you must leave a lane of space between you and the emergency vehicle, if you can do so safely.
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Have you been to the Flato Theatre? It is hard to believe that it will be celebrating its 35th anniversary season. They have recently made an announcement about some of the entertainment that will grace their stage next season. It is an impressive lineup and there is certainly something for all to see. Check out the coming attractions and be among the first to
purchase tickets
and subscriptions.
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What is a bike box?
It is a two-stage left turn, also known as a “Copenhagen left”, which offers bicyclists a safe way to cross multi-lane signalized intersections from a right side bike lane. These can be found in many locations along Highway 7.
The bike boxes provide:
- improved bicyclist ability to safely and comfortably make left turns
- a formal queuing space for bicyclists making a two-stage left turn
- reduced turning conflicts between bicyclists and motor vehicles
- prevention of conflicts arising from bicyclists queuing in a bike lane or crosswalk
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More information on bike boxes can be found
here
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York Region's most
recent statistics
show more than one third of collisions are caused by acts of aggressive driving, including following too closely, exceeding speed limits, driving too fast for conditions, improper passing and improper lane changes. As this week marks
National Road Safety Week
(May 14 to May 20), York Region in conjunction with York Regional Police are launching a road safety campaign.
This event raises awareness of behaviours that put road users at risk. There are a number of initiatives in place to increase road safety including:
- Red light cameras resulting in a significant reduction of right-angle collisions
- Bluetooth technology allowing York Region to address and resolve traffic issues in real-time
- Roundabouts benefiting traffic flow, lower travel speeds and fewer collisions
- Speed Monitoring Boards monitor the speeds of passing motorists and can be requested and place on Regional road
York Region is responsible for the operation and maintenance of more than 4,200 lane-kilometres of roads, traffic signals, transit planning and construction. Approximately 2.4 million trips are taken every day on Regional roads.
Have you witnessed unsafe driving and wished the police were around to see it too? YRP's
ROAD WATCH
is a community-driven program that provides citizens with a means to report aggressive or unlawful driving behaviour. Instances of speeding, unsafe lane changes, disobeying traffic lights and running stop signs are some types of behaviors that qualify for a
ROAD WATCH
submission. However if you see an impaired driver, street racing or other behaviour that is an immediate danger to human safety, please call 9-1-1.
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Mark June 9th on your calendar for the opening day of the 2019 summer season for the Market.
The Market will operate different hours this year and will be open 9am to 2pm each Sunday until Thanksgiving.
Additional information about the market, upcoming events and becoming a vendor can be found
here
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Community Meetings and Events
All City of Markham meetings are listed on the City's website at
Upcoming Council and Committee Meetings
. Unless noted differently on the link above, meetings are held at the Markham Civic Centre and are open to the public. If you aren't able to attend in person, meetings are live streamed.
The calendar of York Region meetings is available
here.
You can listen to meetings on line. The details from past meetings are available online.
I'd be pleased to highlight other community meetings in future newsletters. Please forward the details to
dhamilton@markham.ca
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Frequently Asked Questions...
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As an ongoing section in these email updates, I would like to provide answers to some commonly asked questions by residents.
If you have a question that you would like answered, please send me an email with your question.
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Question:
Where can I take household hazardous waste that can't put out with my regular garbage?
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Answer: Many goods and products that we use in our homes contain dangerous chemicals and need to be taken to the Hazardous Waste Depot on Rodick Road. The hours of operation and items that can be deposed of can be found
here
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Details about other York Region Waste Depots can be found
here
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Working together to make Markham better!
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