November 3 2019
The Deputy Mayor's Exchange
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Time to Remember
I happen to think Canada is a great place to call home. We should all take some time to remember the Canadian Veterans who fought for, and in many cases gave their lives for, what we have today. If you can, please join me at the Cenotaph at Crosby Memorial Arena on Unionville Main Street for the annual Remembrance Day service. Other services are noted below. Please buy a
poppy and wear it proudly in support of our Veterans.
The Economist & Sun
front page article this week dealt with the raising of flags of foreign countries in Markham. The discussion is coming to Council surrounding this practice. As I mentioned in the
October 20th DME, I welcome all opinions on the issue and would be pleased to receive your comments.
The clocks have been turned back for the season which is an indicator of winter weather coming our way. Check those smoke detectors (even the hard wired ones) for expiry dates. If in doubt, replace them ... your life may depend on it.
This morning I was pleased to attend the
Step Up to Break The Silence and End Violence Against Women and Children event for
Yellow Brick House
held at St. Andrews College in Aurora. This was both a fundraiser and education awareness event. The stats they presented are not encouraging on the domestic violence front.
I hope to join our York Regional Police and York Region partners on
Wednesday when they address road safety for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers at McCowan and Highway 7. Help do your part to reduce injuries and fatalities - be safe, be alert and be visible.
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In this issue
- Remembrance Day Services
- A Timely Reminder
- November is CPR Month
- Be Seen Event in Markham
- YorkSafe
- Made in York Region
- Seniors Dental Care Program
- Water Open House
- Keeping Markham Safe
- Healthy Aging and Fall Prevention
- YRT Service Changes
- LEAF Programs
- MPL - More Than Just Books
- York Region Updates
- Community Meetings and Events
- Q & A - Condo Fire Safety
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Please forward this update to anyone that may find it of interest.
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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Click here
to read the last edition of
The Deputy Mayor's Exchange.
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On
Remembrance Day, we honour those individuals who served their country to keep our wonderful country free. These solemn ceremonies are attended by many to show their respect to these Canadian heros. Please join us in remembering at one of these ceremonies:
- one of the most powerful and moving ceremonies takes place outdoors at the cenotaph at Crosby Memorial Arena (Main Street Unionville and Carlton Road) at 10:45am on November 11th.
- there is also an outdoor service on November 9th led by the Markham Veterans Association starting at 10am (7 Washington Street Markham) with a parade to Veterans' Square and Cenotaph in Markham Village
- the City led indoor service at the Flato Markham Theatre on November 11th at 10:30am
Please note that
YRT will honour War Veterans on Remembrance Day by offering free travel for veterans plus one companion on Monday November 11.
All Veteran's will receive free admission to the
Markham Museum for the month of November.
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While I'm sure everyone has changed the time on their clocks, please take the time to
check
and
change the batteries
in your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms!
Make sure to test your detectors and check to make sure they are less than 10 years old. If they don't work properly or are more than a decade old, they need to be replaced.
More information.
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Do you know what to do if someone goes into cardiac arrest? Remember everyone can help. Doing
CPR
can help save a life.
Click
here
for more information and additional
video
.
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York Region and YRP want to remind travellers to be alert and visible as daylight hours get shorter as Standard Time returns. They will be hosting an upcoming road safety event as November is the month with the highest number of pedestrian-involved collisions, likely due to less number of daylight hours.
When:
Wednesday November 6 from 4pm to 6pm
Where:
Intersection of McCowan Road and Highway 7
What:
YRP will be conducting radar surveillance and joining York Region staff to remind motorists about the importance of being alert and watching for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as speaking to pedestrians and cyclists of the importance of being visible as daylight fades and it becomes dark.
To increase road safety,
motorists should
:
- Avoid distractions and be aware of pedestrians and cyclists
- Drive according to conditions
- Ensure windshield wiper fluid is full and wipers are functioning properly
- Make sure headlights are on when daylight is fading and it is dark
To increase safety,
pedestrians should
:
- Avoid wearing dark clothing at night
- Wear bright or light-coloured clothing or reflective strips and walk with a flashlight to be more visible to motorists
- Cross streets at designated crosswalks or intersections
- Avoid distractions and make eye contact with drivers when crossing the street
To increase safety,
cyclists should
:
- Have a white light at the front of their bicycle and a flashing red LED rear light
- Wear light coloured clothing
- Wear a safety vest or jacket with reflective material
- Wear a strobe light on your arm
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Find the current listing provided by YorkSafe health inspections
here. Again there are some Markham establishments on the list.
You can review all locations in York Region
here.
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The Future of Tech event is next week and there is still time to register for this free event.
Hear from industry leading speakers, meet local tech companies and watch a live pitch competition. More information and registration details are available
here
.
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Along with the Ministry of Health, York Region Public Health is working to provide dental services to those seniors that qualify for the new Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program (OSDCP).
Enrollment has started for eligible seniors. More information about the program and registration can be found
here.
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York Region's Water Open House will stop by Markham this week where residents:
- will be introduced to the WWMP Update project
- will learn more about their water and wastewater system and the Region’s water and wastewater programs and projects
- collect resident feedback
Feedback received will help shape the Plan, as well as existing and future water and wastewater programs, initiatives and public communications. The Markham Fall 2019 Open Houses will be held at:
Location:
Thornhill Community Centre
Date:
Saturday November 9
Time:
11am - 3pm
In addition, Open House content will be available online providing a convenient alternative for residents unable to attend. This “Online Open House” will be open from October 26 – November 30 on
york.ca/waterplan
.
For project updates,
subscribe to the Splash Newsletter
. Results and project updates will be shared along with information on environmental topics, contests and events.
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an update from Fire Chief Dave Decker - Enhancing Fire Safety Education and Prevention in the City of Markham
Ontario's Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week runs from November 1st to 7th, 2019. This week is dedicated to bringing an awareness of carbon monoxide, also known as the “the silent killer”. Carbon monoxide (CO) has been given this name because it is an invisible, tasteless and odourless gas that can be deadly. Exposure to CO can cause flu-like symptoms such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, as well as confusion, drowsiness, loss of consciousness and even death.
CO is produced when fuels such as propane, gasoline, natural gas, heating oil or wood do not burn completely in devices such as:
- furnaces
- gas or wood fireplaces
- hot water heaters
- stoves
- barbeques
- portable fuel-burning heaters
- generators
- vehicles
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In the province of Ontario, homeowners are required to provide a working CO alarm adjacent to each sleeping area if the home has a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage. If you live in a condominium or apartment building with a service room, CO alarms must be installed in the service room and adjacent to each sleeping area of all homes above, below, and beside the service room. In condominium or apartment buildings that have a garage, CO alarms must be installed adjacent to each sleeping area of all homes above, below, and beside the garage.
For added protection, a carbon monoxide alarm should be installed on every level of your home and all fuel-burning appliances in your home inspected annually by a qualified contractor. If your CO alarm sounds and you or other occupants suffer from symptoms of CO poisoning, get everyone out of the home immediately and then call 911 from outside the building.
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November is
Fall Prevention Month
. Speaking from personal experience with my Mom, falls can severely impact the quality of life for seniors. The most important thing adults can do to reduce their risk of falling is exercise and continuing to be active.
Did you know that falls:
- are the leading cause of injury in people over 65 years old
- account for 85 per cent of injuries resulting in hospitalizations
- are related to 40 per cent of all nursing home admissions
Details
about fall prevention and exercise classes can be found
here
. Additional resources are available through York Region Public Health
here
.
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As a reminder, there are a number of service changes going into effect as of November 3rd on various routes. If you are a YRT rider, please
check to see if your route is impacted.
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The
LEAF program
for Markham residents
help property owners plant trees and shrubs at a subsidized price. They offer both a full service program and a do-it-yourself option. More details are available
here
.
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Here are some of the upcoming events and programs available at the Markham Public Libraries:
- library winter program registration starts on November 12
- Award-winning Métis writer and editor Cherie Dimaline will visit - details
- Wellness Day at the Library - details
- BotQuest Robotics Tournament - details
- Maker Space - did you know that the library also provides opportunities to learn new technologies, work with creative software, build new skills, and inspire you to design, create and build. Some of the workshops are noted here and more information is available here.
A more complete listing of upcoming programs can be found
here.
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Highlights of the most recent Regional Council meeting can be found
here.
A calendar of York Region meetings and other information is available
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.
- Upcoming Markham Public Library Events - here
- Upcoming Varley Gallery Events - here
I'd be pleased to highlight other community meetings in future newsletters. Please forward the details to
dhamilton@markham.ca
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If you have a question that you would like answered, please send me an email with your question.
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Question: I'm new to condo living and really don't know what to do if there was a fire. What should I do?
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Answer: You should ask your Condominium Board of Directors to host a "What To Do In Case of a Fire" meeting. Our Fire Department will be happy to attend and do a presentation. Just contact me and I can arrange for them to attend. In the meantime, some information can be found
here.
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Working together to make Markham better!
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