Ward 1 News from Councillor Kelvin Galbraith
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IN THIS ISSUE:
- Greetings from Councillor Galbraith
- Ward 1's Next Drop In Meeting
- Ward 1 Tyandaga Neighbourhood Meeting
- Red Tape Red Carpet Task Force - Update
- Gypsy Moth Aerial Spraying
- Customer Relationship Management Project (CRM)
- Ward 1 Development
- Ward 1 Construction
- FAQ's from Ward 1 - new!
- News from City Hall
- Community Events, News & Links
- Local Boards and Community Involvement
- Stay Connected
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Dear friends and neighbours, welcome to the May edition of Ward 1 News!
Again another busy month at City Hall and Regional Council. We have had some big items on our agenda this month including the re-examination of the adopted Official Plan. With several policy changes from the province coming in every week, we must consider these changes when we look at conformity with both the Regional Official Plan and the new Provincial policies.
We have also been looking at our Strategic Plan and breaking out a work plan that is more reflective of this Council's priorities moving forward. The Strategic Plan has four key strategic goals - a City that Grows, a City that Moves, a Healthy and Greener City, and an Engaging City. In addition to our Climate Change declaration, these goals act as a framework for all of our decision making as a Council moving forward.
There is much information in this newsletter but if you feel that I have missed something or you would like an update on anything else in Ward 1, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at
ward1@burlington.ca
What I've been up to this month:
- Council & Committee meetings
- Partnering Aldershot meeting
- Drop In - Community Lunch & tour of Next Door Social Space
- Canada Netherlands Friendship Day
- Mandarin MS Walk Greetings
- Burlington Museum Foundation AGM
- Burlington Hydro Annual Shareholders Meeting
- Juno 75 Commemoration
- McHappy Day
- CAMA Woodlands Best Practice Spotlight Organization Kick-off
- Burlington's Best Awards Celebration
- Aldershot BIA meetings
- Greater Bay Area Sub-Committee Meeting
- Red Tape Red Carpet Focus Group and Task Force Meetings
- Burlington Tourism Board Meeting
- Lunch with Minister of Finance Vic Fedeli
- Site Tour - Station West
- Burlington Tourism Public AGM
- Site Tour - Notre Dame Convent
- Bike to Work Day
- IKEA Tree Planting
- BPAC Season Launch??
- Burlington Sports Hall of Fame Celebration
- Meetings with Community members to discuss ward issues
If you would like to
stay up to date on events both at City Hall and in and around Burlington, be sure to Like our
Facebook Page
, Follow on
Twitter
or
Instagram
.
As always, you can contact my office with Ward 1 related issues. We'd be happy to help.
Kelvin Galbraith
Ward 1 City and Regional Councillor
City Of Burlington
kelvin.galbraith@burlington.ca
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Ward 1 Drop In - Please join me!
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Please join me at my upcoming Ward Drop In meeting at Shoppers Drug on Plains Road.
Residents are invited to stop in, enjoy some Seniors' Day deals and chat with me about any Ward 1 issues and concerns they may have. I will be meeting with residents in 15 minute time slots.
If you would like to pre-submit questions for consideration, please email me at
ward1@burlington.ca and note "Drop In Session" in the subject line.
I look forward to seeing you there!
Date: June 27, 2019
Time: 1:00-3:00 just inside the store entrance
Location: Shoppers Drug Mart 503 Plains Rd E, Burlington, ON L7T 2E2
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Ward 1 Tyandaga Neighbourhood Meeting
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Date: June 5, 2019
Time: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Location: Tyandaga Golf and Country Club
I am looking forward to meeting with Tyandaga Ward One residents to discuss several topics including:
- City View Park improvements
- Tyandaga-area Development news
- Tyandaga-area Construction projects
- Meridian Quarry updates
- General Ward One news
Seating will be limited to 100 people, but we will endeavour to once again livestream this meeting on FB Live for those who cannot attend in person. This video will be uploaded and saved to my Facebook page for viewing.
If you have questions that you would like addressed, please forward them to me at
ward1@burlington.ca, and note in the subject line "
Ward One Meeting Question".
I hope to see you there!
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Red Tape Red Carpet Task Force - Update
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The Red Tape Red Carpet Task Force sub groups have been meeting for several weeks to have ongoing discussions around red-tape issues identified in the Task Force Town Hall.
These groups have included small-sized business, large-sized business and one on one meetings. Now that all the sub group meetings have been completed, the Task Force has been formed.
I have been happy to co-chair the Red Tape Red Carpet task force with Mayor Marianne Meed Ward. Being a business owner and entrepreneur for most of my working life, I share similar values to many business owners in our local economy. The purpose of the RTRC task force is to identify and address the challenges and obstacles facing growth and relocation of businesses in Burlington, and develop actionable solutions to be presented to Burlington City Council.
Our most recent group event was the rural business group and they identified some very unique challenges that they face in trying to advance their businesses. As much of the retail and manufacturing businesses are evolving with new technology and online shopping, the rural based businesses are also looking for new ways to remain competitive and viable in this changing economy.
Updates on the Task Force can be found by visiting Mayor Meed Ward's blog at
https://bit.ly/2W1AGiR. If you would like to connect with me on these issues, please contact me at
ward1@burlington.ca, and note "
Task Force Question" in the subject line.
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Gypsy Moth Aerial Spraying
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As part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program, the City of Burlington will be using a low-flying helicopter to apply a bio-pesticide over four wooded areas to control gypsy moth populations which causes significant defoliation and potential long-term impact to the City’s urban forest.
The areas include:
• Forestvale/Kerncliff Park
• LaSalle Park
• Lowville Park
• Mountainside Park
Spraying was expected to be done May 29, however was delayed by inclement weather. New expected is Friday, May 29.
Any updates to this program will be posted on the City’s Twitter and Facebook accounts @CityBurlington and online at
burlington.ca/gypsymoth
at least 48-hours before the spraying. Residents can visit this page and subscribe to receive real-time updates via email. I will also share those posts on my own social media outlets.
If you have further questions or concerns about this initiative, please email
ward1@burlington.ca and note "
Gypsy Moth Question/Concern" in the subject line.
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Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
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The City of Burlington is always committed to providing excellent customer service.
The City has launched a new Customer Contact Centre and has implemented a new piece of technology to improve our level of customer service. By implementing a Customer Relationship Management system (CRM), staff are able to capture customer information and what they are requesting. This allows staff to track these requests and get back to customers more efficiently and ensures staff are closing the loop.
Residents who provide their contact information will be emailed a CRM case number.
As part of this new system, residents are asked to use the following email addresses when contacting the city regarding service requests:
city@burlington.ca ;
ward1@burlington.ca or
mayor@burlington.ca . These emails are monitored during regular business hours and customers can expect notification that their email has been received and in some instances a case number may be assigned to help track your request.
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101 Masonry Court - Station West
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I had an opportunity to do an on-site tour at this new development, guided by Saud Adi. This phase will include 433 new units, with first occupancy as early as December 2019.
This development will include the following:
140 stacked townhomes
58 back to back townhomes
35 regular townhomes
16 rear lane townhomes
172 apartment units
Underground parking provided for stacked townhomes and apartment buildings
New neighbourhood park to be dedicated to the city.
Supporting documents can be found by visiting
here, and more information on the development itself can be found by visiting the Adi Developments Station West webpage
here
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This development application is currently appealed to LPAT. To learn more about the appeals process, please visit
here
An LPAT Appeal Update can be found
here
The proposed development requests
Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw amendments to permit a six storey, 49 unit apartment building with ground floor office/commercial uses.
Planning Overview can be found
here
Phone: 905-335-7600, ext. 7788
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La Salle Park Improvements - now complete!
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Based on community input through the ‘Love My Playground’ engagement in 2017, the changes to the park and playground included:
- removal of existing playground equipment
- installation of new playground equipment and swings (see image below)
- new accessible playground safety surfacing
- new concrete perimeter curbing for playground and swing areas
- placement of concrete transition curbs in both curbed areas
- new accessible asphalt pathways from existing path system to new playground
- new benches
- renewed bike racks
- drinking fountain area renewed and reinstalled
- irrigation system modifications
The park is now open and ready for you to enjoy!
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The current Francis Road Trail will be closed during construction June to September 2019 to allow for improvements along the bikeway. This will serve to improve accessibility, safety, connectivity and Active Transportation - all of which are important to our city.
The renewed trail will include:
- a four metre-wide paved surface,
- more gradual slopes - less than 4 per cent,
- benches every 150 metres,
- garbage cans,
- bollards and curb ramps at intersections and
- trailhead signs.
A rendering of what the path will look like can be seen
here
his project is partially funded by the Ontario Municipal Commuter Cycling Program
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To view all Ward One development projects, please visit
here
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Maple Avenue Area Minor Reconstruction
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Work on this project is ongoing, and Maple Avenue area residents can stay up to date on this initiative by visiting and subscribing to the project page
here. Residents who wish to stay up to date on in project can subscribe to the page and will receive email notifications of any project updates as they are made available.
The tentative construction timeline is from February 2019 to September 2019 (weather permitting). Area residents may experience disruption in access, parking, water services, and mail. More information on the project and the possible impacts to residents can be found
here. Your patience is greatly appreciated as you navigate your way through this construction zone.
For day to day construction inquiries regarding road, curb, storm sewer and other general inquiries, please contact Ryan Stoneman, Contract Administrator 905-335-7600 x7818
ryan.stoneman@burlington.ca.
For day to day construction inquiries regarding watermain and water service replacement, please contact Imtiaz Ahmad, Project Manager 905-825-6000 3226
imtiaz.ahmad@halton.ca
We will continue to share information as it becomes available
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Ester Drive Area Minor Reconstruction
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LATEST UPDATE FROM CITY OF BURLINGTON:
The City of Burlington and the Region of Halton are making improvements to various streets in the Ester Drive area. King Paving & Construction Co. was awarded the project. The project map, included with this update, outlines which streets are included. This is a two-year project in consideration of the amount of Region of Halton infrastructure being replaced
We have been contacted by several residents of Ian Road inquiring as to why Ian was not included in the project. Halton Region staff advise the following:
Asset replacements are identified and prioritized based on condition and risk to service, not age. Halton Region continuously monitors and assesses water and wastewater infrastructure needs through our Asset Management Program.
Upon review, the watermains on Ian Road, as well as Crozier, Bryanston and Christina Courts, were found to be in good condition and do not need replacement at this time. The review also confirmed that the sanitary sewers are in good condition on Crozier, Bryanston and Christina Court. There will be some trenchless maintenance work completed on the sanitary sewer on Ian Road in 2020 however it should not cause disturbance to the local roadway or residents.
Please be assured that the assets are performing adequately and in satisfactory-condition at this time. If the condition or service delivery of the asset changes it will be added to the Capital Program for replacement.
More information about this project can be found
here
For day to day construction inquiries, please contact Dave Hill Construction Inspector 289-983-5003. For Construction and watermain inquiries, please contact Rod McFarlane Construction Inspector 647-290-5893.
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IN THIS NEWEST SECTION OF OUR NEWSLETTER, WE WILL INCLUDE THOSE QUESTIONS WE MOST FREQUENTLY RECEIVED IN THE PAST MONTH
There's a huge bump on Plains Road in front of a construction site - can this be fixed?
I have received a number of complaints about this section of roadway - staff are currently working with the site manager to remedy this issue. It is our hope that the road will be returned to pristine condition once the construction project, known as Affinity Condominiums, is complete. If you would like to submit a complaint about this or any other road condition issue, please email
ward1@burlington.ca and we will have staff address it.
What is the city doing about panhandlers?
This is another concern that we hear about often.
According to Halton Regional Police, no laws are being broken by these individuals standing on corners and medians across the city, so long as they do not step into traffic. However, the presence of someone inches from your vehicle is intimidating to some, and traffic flow can be slowed by those collecting donations.
As a result of the increase of panhandlers across our city, Mayor Meed Ward brought forth a staff direction which states:
Direct the Director of City Building to assign appropriate staff to consult with Halton Regional Police Services and the Halton Region Health and Social Services Department, and report back on options to eliminate panhandling in busy intersections in Burlington, and identify social supports available to residents in need by Q2 2019.
I am hopeful that this will lead to a resolution of some kind and will update you with any further information as it becomes available. In the meantime, those wishing to be generous to those in need can find several local organizations who support our residents by visiting
here.
What do I do when I see overflowing garbage cans at public parks? What do I do if my curbside garbage was not picked up?
With the warmer weather now upon us, activity will increase in our public parks. Along with that will come an increase in garbage can use. Occasionally you may encounter an overflowing or even tipped over garbage can. There are two options for you - please email either
ward1@burlington.ca or
rpf@burlington.ca and staff will be assigned to attend the location.
If you put your garbage out for collection and it is not picked up, you can contact Halton Region by dialing 311 (or 905-825-6000) or by emailing
access@halton.ca. Staff will be dispatched to pick up your garbage as soon as possible.
If you have a question that you would like to see appear in this section, please email
ward1@burlington.ca
and note "FAQ Section" in the subject line.
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- National AccessABILITY Week is May 26-June 1 more info
- Soggy spring leads to trail closures, boat launch closures more info
- Free transit for seniors 65+, starting June 3 more info
- Opening of sports fields delayed due to unsafe conditions more info
- Have your say - View and give feedback on public art shade structures for Civic Square more info
- City of Burlington launches Citizen Action Labs more info
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Road Safety Lawn Sign Campaign - approved at P&D Committee May 14:
A Lawn Sign Safety Campaign provides another tool to confront the issue of speeding on residential streets. The intent is to raise awareness to the issue of speeding and to remind drivers of the importance to drive safely and obey the speed limit. Transportation staff have investigated lawn sign programs in other municipalities and recommended the adoption of a Lawn Sign Road Safety Campaign for Burlington.
This was approved by Council and the signs will be available on a first-come first-served basis soon. I will share information on how to request your sign as soon as it becomes available.
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I was thrilled to be in attendance at our recent Burlington's Best Awards celebration to witness Ward 1's own Karen Phelps named as Burlington's Citizen of the Year!
The Burlington’s Best awards highlight the achievements of locals in the fields of heritage, the arts, the environment and community service.
Karen's win is well deserved as she has been an active contributor to her community and the lives of those all around her. Included in her long list of achievements are Alderfest, the Aldershot Community Honour Roll, Next Door Social Space and the Age-Friendly Council. She founded the Warwick-Surrey Community Association, the Partnership West Food Bank and Partnering Aldershot. She also organized the Aldershot Garden Festival and the Melon Ball.
Karen has been tireless in her dedication to her community and I can't imagine a better candidate for this award. Thank you Karen!
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Ward 1 Community News & Events
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Aldershot Community Honour Roll
Celebrating over 10 years of outstanding citizens of Aldershot!
Nominations are now closed. For more information on this celebration, please visit
achr.ca
Celebration date May 29, 2019, 7:00 - 9:00pm at LaSalle Park Pavillion
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Bring your old or defective household item – and have it fixed, good as new, avoiding the global garbage heap and making it useable again. This is a Free service, if parts are needed there may be a small cost – parts only, volunteers help you with repairs.
WHAT
• Small household items/appliances (no refrigerators, laundry, autos, couches, etc.)
• Repairable items (no new items to be assembled)
• Bring any manuals or tools that might help
WHO
• You, your friends, neighbours – let everyone know
• Our volunteers are here to help
• Knowledge of our volunteers varies, we will do our best to make repairs
WHEN
• Sat. June 22, 9am - 1pm
WHERE
• Bingo Connection Plaza, 484 Plains Rd. E. (part of the Aldershot BIA Outdoor Market)
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You’re invited to be a part of something bigger. You’re invited to Join the J.
Joseph Brant Hospital is a place where many of life’s most important moments take place. And it is these moments that join us together.
The Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation is inviting our community to
Join the J
in support of local healthcare. Joining the J is about making a difference and supporting leading practice healthcare close to home. It is a call to action, an invitation to come together as a community to make big things happen. For more information, please visit
here
Join me every Saturday in June at The Fitness Firm.
Make a donation and get your fitness on from 8:00am – 1:00pm every Saturday during the month of June. No membership required, donations welcome to support the urgent priorities of Joseph Brant Hospital. For more information, visit
here
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Local Boards & Community Involvement
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In addition to serving as Ward 1 City and Regional Councillor, I have the opportunity to sit on a few other local boards and committees:
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Royal Botanical Gardens Board
As a member of the Board of Directors for Ward 1's own Royal Botanical Gardens, I meet with a team of ## dedicated individuals, aimed at serving Burlington and beyond.
We meet roughly every 3 months, with the Annual General Meeting occurring in June.
For more information on the Royal Botanical Gardens, please visit
www.rbg.ca
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Tourism Burlington Board
Tourism Burlington is overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors who represent various sectors of the Tourism, Industry and Business sectors in the City of Burlington. The Board meets September to November and February to May on the 3rd Thursday of the month, with the Annual General Meeting held in May of each year.
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Aldershot Village BIA (Business Improvement Area)
The Aldershot Village BIA identifies Aldershot as a distinct community for shopping, dining and for doing business. The BIA contributes to a variety of initiatives including the completion of a full interchange at Waterdown Road and revitalization and development along the Plains Road corridor.
The BIA partners with several other Aldershot groups including the Aldershot Community Honour Roll, Plains Road Village Vision Group, Partnering Aldershot, Alderfest Community Festival and others to build support for approximately 250 retailers and service professionals.
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I have committed to sharing frequent updates via social media channels. I would love to connect with you there to be able to share day to day information. If there are specific items you would like me to address, send me a note!
You can find me here:
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In compliance with Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation, recipients of this newsletter may unsubscribe at any time. Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to friends, family, neighbours and colleagues so that they can sign up as well.
Please add kelvin.galbraith@burlington.ca to your address book so that this correspondence will be sure to arrive in your inbox.
As always, you can contact my office at any time through email, telephone, social media or by attending neighbourhood and public open house meetings.
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City of Burlington & Region of Halton
Ward 1 Councillor
905-335-7600 x7587
fax: 905-335-7881
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