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May 22 2022

Edition 3

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WOW! That was Quite the Storm

Saturday's storm was quite the event and emergency alert gave a bit of time to batten down the hatches. The severe storm and strong winds have caused many fallen trees across the City and power outages. The City and Alectra have received a high volume of calls and they are responding in order of priority. It is going to take quite some time to clean up after the storm and your patience is appreciated. Alectra has recently made a statement that some areas require major reconstruction, that work is underway and crews will continue to work throughout the night and into tomorrow. Repairs are being made as quickly as possible and they hope to have power restored by tomorrow in most areas.

Milne Dam Conservation Park is closed due to extensive damage to trees and debris from the storm. Operations staff are working hard with post-storm clean-up around the City to clear downed trees and branches. If you still need to report a damaged City tree,  you can do so here. The maintenance of private trees is the responsibility of the property owner.

Please do not idle your vehicle in an attempt to charge your devices. It poses a risk for carbon monoxide poisoning and car theft. Some community centres are open and you are able to charge your mobile devices there. More information about available City resources can be found here.

• Storm recovery continues across York Region

If you haven't done so already, now is a great time to make sure you have an emergency plan for your home. Details at markham.ca/areyouready.

It's Back!

The wait is almost over and the Unionville Festival will be back on Saturday June 4th.

Main Street Unionville will be closed for the day. While the Festival will be a bit different this year as it is a one day event, there will lots of activities for everyone.

Learn more about the history of the Unionville Festival in this video from TVO Docs - watch it here.

Why Do I Need More Doses?

Getting a COVID-19 booster will help to protect you from getting seriously ill and help prevent people around you from getting sick. Get your fourth dose now if you are eligible. Visit york.ca.covid19vaccine for more information.

As we enjoy a cautious return to more "normal" pre-pandemic activities, COVID-19 vaccines continue to protect against severe COVID-19 symptoms, hospitalization and death.

At the peak of the Omicron wave, unvaccinated residents were 3.4 times more likely to be hospitalized due to COVID-19 than vaccinated residents. Since emerging evidence suggests vaccination protection can wane over time, staying up-to-date with your booster dose helps extend the protection, especially in those who are at most risk for severe outcomes of the virus. Learn more

As always, york.ca/covid19 remains the trusted source of information for COVID-19 and vaccinations in York Region. We can all continue to do our part to reduce the impact of COVID-19

• get fully vaccinated when eligible
• wear a mask in confined, crowded and close contact situations
• stay home when sick.

Keep Markham Safe by Following the Fireworks Rules

A quick reminder for the May long weekend from Markham Fire and Emergency Services to stay safe by using family fireworks legally and appropriately.

General applications for Family Fireworks Permits must be made online at least seven days before the planned event date. Violators may be fined up to $5,000 under the Provincial Offences Act. While a Family Fireworks Permit is not required on the day before Victoria Day, Victoria Day, the day before Canada Day and Canada Day, family fireworks can still pose a danger and should be used safely and responsibly. 

Family fireworks may only be set off on private property, and with permission from the property owner. Fireworks may not be set off on City property, which includes parks, fields and roads. Improper disposal of fireworks can also cause fire; used or unused fireworks should never be put in the Blue bin. Before disposing of used or unused fireworks, they should be soaked in water overnight and put in the household garbage once they have cooled.

Visit markham.ca/fireworks for more information on how to safely use and dispose of fireworks, and visit markham.ca/fire for additional fire safety tips.

Plant Trees for Less with the LEAF Backyard Tree Planting Program

Markham residents who are looking to green their property can benefit from a City of Markham partnership with the York Region that offers discounted trees through Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (LEAF). Program participants will receive professional arborist advice to help them choose the right trees for their space, plus tree care instructions to help newly planted trees flourish.

Endorsed by Markham's Trees for Tomorrow initiative, the LEAF Backyard Tree Planting Program offers native trees to residential, multi-unit and commercial property owners for a subsidized price. There are two options with LEAF, the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Tree Planting or Full Service Planting. The DIY Program offers customers a virtual consultation with an arborist, contactless delivery and the opportunity for customers to plant their tree themselves. The Full Service Program offers an in-person arborist consultation and a full planting service from the LEAF tree planting team.

Through the partnership, Markham property owners pay only $50+HST for each evergreen tree and $100+HST for each deciduous tree chosen from a select species list. The fee also includes planting and/or delivery, mulch and a tree care guide. Learn more and apply to book an arborist at yourleaf.org or 416.413.9244.

Trees provide so many benefits to property owners and the wider community, from stormwater management to summer cooling. LEAF plants native species, which are well-suited to our climatic conditions, typically require less maintenance than non-native species and provide essential habitat for wildlife - learn more.

Black-Legged Ticks and Lyme Disease

It's that time of year again when we all need to be careful and take precautions against Lyme Disease.

York Region is a Lyme disease risk area. The Region has been doing surveillance for 10 years and by 2019, had found that black-legged ticks are present in most areas in York Region. Health units in other areas of Ontario have found the same trends. There has been an increasing trend all across Canada in part due to climate change and the ticks are gaining a foothold in natural areas so there will be greater numbers as time goes on. Also, the black-legged tick habitat is expanding into Canada from migratory birds from the United States.

Going outdoors to enjoy nature is really important but it’s also important to protect yourself. Not all ticks carry the bacteria that can cause Lyme disease. Personal protection is the best defense and something to be mindful of every time you are heading out to enjoy nature. Be sure to take precautions when outside, especially in areas where black-legged ticks are commonly found. Here are some tips to consider:

• Walk in the middle of the trail
• Use insect repellent containing DEET or icaridin when outside and apply it according to the manufacturer’s instructions
• Cover up exposed skin when you go outside by wearing long-sleeved shirts or jackets, long pants and socks
• Search your body for ticks after spending time outdoors
• Shower or take a bath to wash off any unattached ticks and do your tick check
• Remove attached ticks from your body as soon as possible and pay special attention to the following body areas - groin, scalp, underarm areas and back
• It is also important to check your pets regularly for ticks and speak to your veterinarian about tick protection for your pets
• Permethrin-treated clothing may provide protection against ticks and mosquitoes

If you get bit, what do you do?

• Remove the tick:
• Grasp the tick with a set of tweezers as close to the skin as possible
• Slowly pull the tick straight out until it is removed
• Do not squeeze the tick
• Do not put anything on the tick or try to burn it off
• After removing the tick, thoroughly cleanse the bite site with rubbing alcohol and/or soap and water
• Visit etick.ca for free tick identification. Ticks removed from both animals and humans can be submitted to see if it is a black-legged tick, the species that can carry the Lyme disease bacteria
• Consult with your physician if the tick has been attached for more than 24 hours or you are feeling unwell in the weeks following a tick bite or after being in a natural area.

Learn more at york.ca/lymedisease. 

Be Prepared for Traffic Chaos at Hwy 7 Unionville Crossing

Workers for Metrolinx will be removing and replacing all of the ballast, and installing a new track panel, concrete and asphalt. This work will require a full closure of Highway 7 and construction activities will continuously take place 24 hours a day from June 10 at 9pm to June 13 at 5am.

Every effort will be made to minimize noise and visual impacts as much as possible. You are asked for your patience as this necessary work is completed. As with all construction notices, work may be adjusted, rescheduled or extended due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances.

Protecting Our Pollinators

Did you know that pollinators such as birds, bats, bees and butterflies are responsible for pollinating one-third of the food we eat? Unfortunately, food and shelter for these awesome creatures is disappearing at an alarming rate due to pesticide use, land development and invasive species. To help create homes for pollinators, York Region recently conducted a controlled burn of a tallgrass prairie found in the York Regional Forest.

Learn more about pollinators and how you can create a pollinator friendly habitat in your own garden.

GO and Explore

GO Transit is bringing back seasonal weekend and holiday service to Niagara Falls and increasing service on UP Express, Barrie, Kitchener and Stouffville Lines. Click here for the full story and check out all the schedules available on the GO Transit website.

Carjackings on the Rise

This video is from York Regional Police. These are real-life carjackings taking place in York Region and unfortunately the cases of carjackings are on the rise. 

Learn more about this emerging trend and read some tips on how to stay safe.

Pedestrian Crossovers

Pedestrian safety is everyone’s job!

By August, 26 existing supervised school crossings will be upgraded to Level 2, Type “D” crossovers (as pictured). While these crossings will continue to be supervised by a school crossing guard during the AM and PM school travel periods, the additional PXO features will prioritize pedestrians by requiring drivers to stop for pedestrians waiting to cross. This will be applicable at all times of the day, at any day of the week.  

Drivers, you must stop for pedestrians waiting to cross. It’s the law. Learn more at markham.ca/PXO.

Other Items

York Region has a summary of the resources that are currently available to the people escaping the conflict in Ukraine. The information may help York Region residents and service providers support people affected by the conflict in Ukraine. 

• Federal and Provincial government services and supports
• York Region settlement services and supports
• additional settlement services and supports
• how residents, organizations and businesses can help

As new information and details become available, the resources will be updated. The resources can be found here on the York Region website.

Join York Region Local Immigration Partnership and COSTI Immigrant Services at a live Public Information Session to learn about Ukraine settlement and how you can get involved. The event will take place on Thursday May 26 at 7pm - details.

As a reminder, the Markham Group of Artists continue to run the Sunflower Project, a virtual art show, in support of Ukraine. The show will run until the end of June.

A local Markham group has organized a fundraiser to sponsor Ukrainian families to help bring them to a safer place here in Canada. The goal is to collect money to assist with airfare, rent, paperwork, medical exams and other expenses. More details and how to support their efforts can be found here.

Mark your calendar as it's almost Bike Month! Starting May 30, log your cycling trips on the Smart Commute website or mobile app available on Android and iOS for a chance to win 1 of 6 $50 e-gift cards or a $100 grand prize e-gift card!

Bike Month is also hosting a series of contests, events, and webinars throughout May and June, visit their website for more information.

Share your adventures with Smart Commute and be sure to tag @SmartCommuteMRH and use the hashtags #BikeMonth #BikeYorkRegion. Happy cycling!

Markham is filled with scenic parks and trails that are perfect for leisurely walks, hikes, picnics, and cycling. As a bonus, many of these trails are located a short walk or drive from one of our Markham Public Library branches. Now that the warm weather is here why not take a walk along with a trip to the library. Here are 5 trails to explore near MPL branches - read more.

Here are some of the happenings at MPL:

• 10th edition of Markham Reads - more details
• 5 myths that hinder post secondary success - May 26 at 6:30pm - details
• outdoor storytime at the library branches - details
• full list of upcoming events can be found here 
• online customer satisfaction survey is open until June 4 - complete it now for a chance to win - survey is here

Join the Markham Garden Club at their annual plant sale.

It will take place at the Markham Village Community Centre (6041 Highway 7, Markham) on Saturday May 28th starting at 9am. Get some great additions for your garden including a large variety of beautiful perennials grown by their members. The event will run, rain or shine, until sell out. Be sure to get their before everything is sold out. There is something for everyone at great prices. Cash only sales so you may need to make a stop at the ATM first.

The Markham Garden Club also hosts monthly events on various topics for gardeners. Here's a couple of the upcoming sessions:

• Shade Gardening - Monday May 31 at 7:30pm - details
• Perennial Cacti - Monday June 27 at 7:30pm - details 

Spongy Moth caterpillars are starting to hatch. Soon they will grow to about 2.5 cm and begin moving down trees during the day to hide from the sun. This is when burlap bands can be used to collect caterpillars to help protect your trees - learn more.

While surveys indicate this year may be the start of a declining moth population, they're still expected to reach high numbers in some areas of Markham causing heavy to severe defoliation. More information is available at markham.ca/lddmoth.

• 10 things York Region residents need to know to protect trees from spongy moths - read article

Be the first to discover the new Diamond Season performances that will be coming to the Flato Markham Theatre.

On June 6, enjoy an evening featuring a sample of the world class artists coming to Markham's theatre in upcoming season and a post-launch artist meet and greet. Book your tickets here.

Also, back by popular demand, the Magic of Motown will be back at the Theatre on June 8. Tickets are available here.

Hand in Hands is an action based non-profit organization made up of volunteers from over 10 schools across York Region as well as many passionate community members. Their current project is a Sustainable Market addressing the increasing consumption of fast fashion and the dangerous effects of unethical labor on the environment. Their goal is to educate members of our community about sustainable shopping by shining a spotlight on many hard working vendors in our community. 

With over 20 sustainable vendors, ranging from food and jewellery to soaps and clothes will be at the Sustainable Market. There will also be live music and interactive activities including pledges and photo opportunities. You don’t want to miss out. 

Come out to the Stiver Mill on Saturday May 28th from 11am - 4pm to support, learn and shop! Together we can make a difference! For more information contact shanta@thegivingtreeunionville.ca.

The Markham Village Music Festival is back this year in person on Main Street Markham and they are thrilled to announce a few of their featured artists for the 2022 festival: 

• Goodnight, Sunrise
• Lazo Finn
• Quisha Wint
• Blackboard Blues Band and many more

With 5 stages, food trucks galore and a family fun zone the festival promises to have something for everyone. Learn more about the Markham Village Music Festival that will take place on June 17-18 - details.

Have you visited one of the City's self-guided Shinrin Yoku trails in Markham?

Shinrin Yoku is the Japanese practice also known as Forest Therapy that connects people to forest environments through gentle sensory-based invitations.

Learn more abount Shinrin Yoku and find a trail here.

If you see an animal unattended in a hot vehicle, act fast and report it! You could save its life.

Call 911.

You can also report animal related concerns to the City’s Animal Care team at 905.415.7531.

The Markham Public Library is hosting two community conversations to learn about our community's perspective on our Black Heritage Collection. MPL is looking for those who identify as Black to be a part of these community consultation sessions. Participants will be entered into a raffle for a gift card - learn more.

Check out the May newsletter from the City's Economic Development department. It includes details on webinars, events to kick off the summer, major developments going on in Markham and exciting opportunities for businesses - read it here.

Eat, play, stay and SAVE in Markham this Spring!

Discover all that Markham has to offer with your Markham Savings Pass with various discounts at restaurants, attractions, retailers, hotels, spas and more - details here.

Upcoming Meetings

• General Committee Meeting - May 24 at 9:30am - details
• Special Council Meeting - May 24 at 3pm - details
• Development Services Public Meeting - May 24 at 7pm - details
• YR Council Meeting - May 26 at 9am - details
• Special Development Services Committee Meeting - May 26 at 7pm - details
• Development Services Committee Meeting - May 30 at 9:30am - details
• Council Meeting - May 31 at 1pm - details
• General Committee Meeting - June 7 at 9:30am - details
• Development Services Public Meeting - June 7 at 7pm - details
• General Committee Meeting - June 8 at 1pm - details
• Housing York - June 9 at 9am - details
• YR Audit Committee - June 9 at 1pm - details
• Development Services Committee Meeting - June 13 at 9:30am - details
• Council Meeting - June 14 at 1pm - details
• YR Committee of the Whole - June 16 at 9am - details
• General Committee Meeting - June 20 at 9:30am - details
• Development Services Public Meeting - June 21 at 7pm - details
• Development Service Committee Meeting - June 22 at 9:30am - details
• YR Accessibility Advisory Committee - June 22 at 4pm - details
• YR Special Meeting - June 23 at 9am - details
• Development Services Committee Meeting - June 27 at 9:30am - details
• Development Services Committee Meeting - June 28 at 9am - details
• Council Meeting - June 28 at 1pm - details
• YR Council Meeting - June 30 at 9am - details

• Markham Committee Meetings - details

York Region Update

York Region Council meetings and live streaming details can be found here.

Details of upcoming YR meetings and past sessions are available here. 

• Storm recovery continues across York Region
• York Region celebrates Personal Support Workers
• Paramedic Services Week - May 22 to May 28

Community Meetings and Events

• What's on at the Library? - click here

• MBT B2B Networking Expo - May 26 at 5pm - details
• Ukraine settlement and how you can get involved - May 26 at 7pm - details
• Markham Garden Club Plant Sale - May 28 at 9am - details
• 10,000 Trees for the Rouge Planting event - May 28 - details
• Markham Craft Guild Sale - May 28 from 9am to 2pm - details
• Markham Garden Club - Shade Gardening - May 31 at 7:30pm - details
• Varley Gallery Lunch and Learn - June 1 at 12:30pm - details
• Unionville Festival - June 4 - details
• MBT Good Morning Markham Networking - June 9 at 10am - details
• Group of Seven Walking Tour in Thornhill- June 12 - details
• Lucky Lion Night Market at Markville Mall - June 16-19 - details
• Markham Village Music Festival - June 17 and 18 - details
• Union Villa Charity Golf Classic - June 22 - details
• KSO presents Metamorphoses - June 24 at 8pm - details
• Taste of Asia - June 24 to 26 - details
• 31st World Hakka Conference - June 24 to 26 - details
• KSO presents Fate and Transformation - June 25 at 8pm - details
• Markham Garden Club - Perennial Cacti - June 27 at 7:30pm - details
• KSO's Canada Day Celebration at the Unionville Bandstand - July 1 at 8pm
• Night It Up - August 6-7 - details
• Markham Jazz Festival - August 19 - 21 - details
• Markham Garden Club - Never Seen Plants - August 22 at 7:30pm - details 
• Terry Fox Run - Sunday September 18
• Markham Garden Club - The Magic Six - September 26 at 7:30pm - details

I'd be pleased to highlight other community meetings in future newsletters.

Please forward the details to don.hamilton@rogers.com.

Working together to make Markham better!

Don Hamilton

don.hamilton@rogers.com

www.donhamilton.ca

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