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$1 swim, activities on April Pools Day
It's April Pools Day at the St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre this Saturday (April 6).
The Lifesaving Society and the City of St. Catharines are helping families get ready for splashing good times this summer in the pool and in open water with a Leisure Swim and fun, water-smart activities, Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
April Pools Day will also feature water safety awareness and drowning prevention information, and other activities relating to boating and ice safety activities.
Admission is by a minimum donation of $1. Proceeds from the event go to the Lifesaving Society's drowning prevention campaign.
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Volunteers needed for Youth Forum Task Force and Advisory Committee on Older Adults
Applications
are now being accepted for the Advisory Committee on Older Adults, as well as a Youth Forum Task Force. Applications are due by 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 11.
The Youth Forum Task Force will be responsible for the planning, implementation and coordination of funding for an annual youth forum. Membership will consist of 12 student members, currently in high school, along with two task force leaders between the ages of 19 and 30. High school members will be appointed for a one-year term coinciding with the school year, while the leaders will be appointed for the term of council (lasting until 2022), or as otherwise determined by City Council.
The Advisory Committee on Older Adults will lead a review and support the implementation of the City's Older Adult Plan. The committee will also provide advice and support related to the City's membership for the World Health Organization Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities, and at the request of City Council will comment on strategic priorities, policies, programs and initiatives that impact older adults.
The City is looking for four citizen members to join the committee, falling within one or more of the criteria of older adult, professional occupational and / or social interest in the quality of life for older adults. Appointments are for the term of council, or as otherwise determined by council.
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Last call for applications for our River Lions tickets
We are offering up our seats to local community youth groups and charities the chance to cheer on the Niagara River Lions at the Meridian Centre or use for fundraising purposes.
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Curbside battery collection April 22-26
Been saving your used batteries to be recycled? The week you've been waiting for is coming up on
April 22 - 26
Place batteries in a sealed plastic bag beside your Blue or Grey Box by 7 a.m. on the morning of your regular collection day between April 22-26.
Recycle your alkaline, 6 volt, 9 volt, button cell batteries and rechargeable battery packs. Visit niagararegion.ca/waste for more information.
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Add a little colour to your business
Want to add a little colour to your business this summer? The City of St. Catharines and the City's Green Advisory Committee can help.
Businesses can sponsor professionally designed and planted 27-inch pots filled with colourful flowers and plants for the front of their stores, offices and businesses.
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Dog Run street party tonight
Get 'ready' for Niagara IceDogs playoff action at our pregame street party tonight and before every playoff game at the Meridian Centre.
Dog Run street parties take place on a section of St. Paul Street, from Queen Street to Helliwell Lane / Rankin Gateway pedestrian bridge. Festivities include:
- Minibox hockey games
- Music
- Inflatable bouncers
- Photo booth
- and more
The next Dog Run is set for tonight (Friday, April 5) ahead of Game 1 of the Ontario Hockey Leagues East Semi-finals between the IceDogs and the Oshawa Generals. the Dog Run takes place from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
Game 2 is set for Sunday, April 7. The Dog Run will take place from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m.
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City donates fire truck to First Nation community
The City of St. Catharines has donated a fire truck to Lac Seul First Nation, a northern Ontario
in need of firefighting equipment.
Last November, St. Catharines City Council authorized St. Catharines Fire and Emergency Services to donate a fire truck the City recently took out of service to Lac Seul First Nation. Two St. Catharines firefighters, Captain Kevin Beamer and Firefighter Greg Clark,volunteered to make the 2,000-kilometre road trip to the Northern Ontario community,
to deliver the fire truck.
The City worked with Firefighters Without Borders, a non-profit organization that works with communities to address their needs relating to fire safety, to complete the donation.
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St. Catharines Museum launches online portal to its collection
The St. Catharines Museum recently launched
eMuseum, an online portal providing access to thousands of objects from the museum's collection.
eMuseum is a new public digital initiative that provides audiences greater access to the museum's collections, and an opportunity to explore, discover and research its digitized collection at any time of the day, and from anywhere in the world.
Through eMuseum's searchable online database, anyone can search for specific objects, view images, browse current, past and upcoming exhibitions, and more. The database can be conveniently searched by title, keywords, names, timeline and more.
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A report from Mayor Walter Sendzik
The Mayor's Poetry Challenge has returned in recognition of Poetry Month.
This is a great way to engage poets in our community to use their creative minds to expand on how we see our city. This year, we are shining a spotlight on the water that surrounds us. We are a city on Lake Ontario. We have the Welland Canal that runs through our city, and creeks and rivers coursing through our parks and neighbourhoods. Water is an important part of who we are and I am looking forward to reading how poets make the connection with the water that surrounds us.
Poems should be sent to
poetry@stcatharines.ca by April 24 to be considered. The winning poet will be invited to recite their poem at the April 29 City Council meeting.
The Province has extended the deadline for commenting on their Regional Government Review. So please take fifteen minutes out of your day and give your input on something that will affect our community for the next fifty to one hundred years. Also, the Ontario government is now inviting members of the public to make presentations to the Special Advisers
on the governance, decision-making, and service delivery functions for regional governments and member municipalities. Click this link to learn more.
Take care.
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City continues to invest in high quality drinking water for residents
The City of St. Catharines will invest $8.2 million in its water and wastewater system in 2019 to continue its work improving underground pipes and sewers and enhance water service.
City Council passed the 2019 water and wastewater budget with a rate increase of 5.28 per cent. The 2019 water / wastewater budget includes $5.7 million to replace aging water pipes, the first increase in spending for the City's watermain replacement program in 10 years. The construction program will help reduce the number of watermain breaks the City encounters and replace old cast iron pipes in areas of St. Catharines where residents experience coloured water.
The 2019 water / wastewater budget also earmarks $2.5 million to replace or fix sewers.
City Council also approved the hiring of a full-time employee for water / wastewater asset management to oversee the maintenance of the underground infrastructure and maximize investments, including meeting the requirements of Provincial Regulation 588/17. The City's Water Collection Policy was also amended for the tenant mailing contracts to allow for the first unpaid billing by the tenant to be added to the landlord's property taxes.
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Finanacial plans for water / wastewater system approved
City Council approved water and wastewater financial plans and directed staff to guide the preparation of water and wastewater budgets over the next 10 years.
Council also directed the City to submit the financial plans, which indicate the City's drinking water and wastewater system is financially viable to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing as required.
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Council to consider private tree by-law
City Council will consider staff recommendations for a new City by-law to regulate trees on private property after a public meeting to be scheduled for a later date. The City will also reach out to the community for feedback on the potential by-law.
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City to review its energy use
City Council granted the City approval to engage the engineering firm Internat Energy Solutions Canada Inc. for the review, analysis and update / creation of the City's Conservation and Demand Management Plan at a total estimated cost of $58,000 plus HST.
The consultants will review the City's existing Energy Management Plan, analyse the City's performance in meeting the objectives outlined in the original plan, benchmark
St. Catharines' performance to other similar-sized municipalities, assist in establishing new goals for conservation, conduct energy audits on some of City facilities and highlight conservation initiatives that would allow the City to meet its goals.
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Other business
Governance Review Task force
City Council approve the terms of reference for the City's Governance Review Task Force and appointed Councillors Carlos Garcia, Joe Kushner, Lori Littleton, Bill Phillips and Bruce Williamson.
Swimming pools
Council directed the City to review regulations relating to swimming pool setbacks, including the location of decking and ancillary equipment in the City's zoning by-law to ensure adequate space exists to accommodate grading and storm water infrastructure. The review will take place during the City's next zoning by-law housekeeping exercise planned for this fall.
Code of Conduct
City Council endorsed a certificate of compliance as part of its Code of Conduct, to be signed annually by each member of Council and filed with the City Clerk's office.
Rowing
City Council endorsed the bid application from St. Catharines World Rowing to host the 2024 World Rowing Senior, Under 23 and Junior Championships.
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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 Meeting
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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