Click here to read in your browser

The

Markham

Exchange

June 19 2022

Edition 7

Former Students Make Great Entrepreneurs!

I was so pleased and honoured to attend the grand opening of Inspire Montessori School in Markham. One of my former students, Carey Chan, has taken the new business "plunge" and opened her own school. She was an amazing student and is now an inspirational teacher and entrepreneur. I'm very happy that our children are in her care.

I cannot believe how many bikers, scooters, skateboarders ... manual and e-powered ... there are on our roads and sidewalks. See below for an available list of trail maps so you can safely enjoy your mode of transportation. Don't forget to yield to pedestrians.

This week is the Main Street Unionville Revitalization meeting. You can provide your input via Zoom on this multi-million dollar project. Find out what's happening to the jewel of Unionville. Details below.

Come out and support Markham Little Theatre, your local home grown theatre company, at their new production next weekend. Why not join me there? Information below.

I hope all the Dads had an enjoyable and happy Father's Day! I miss you son and thank you for the call. 🙂

Have a safe and enjoyable week.

email - don.hamilton@rogers.com

In This Issue

Storm Update
TNATB is Back!
Happy Bike Month
Be Water Smart
Respect Animals and Stay Safe
Want to go out to the Ball Game?
Other Items
Upcoming Meetings
York Region Update
Community Meetings and Events

Please forward this update to anyone

that may find it of interest.

Find Your Ward Councillor

Please continue to remember the Ukraine and its suffering people in your thoughts and prayers.

Click here for my last eNews

Storm Update

Many areas have been cleaned up from the severe storm on May 21 but there is still tree debris across the City that needs to be cleared. Some areas of the City and certain types of trees are impacted more severely than others. The Operations Department continues to have 10 City and contractor arborist crews engaged in storm clean-up efforts including a crane truck crew to assist with the collection and disposal of large wood and trees that require removal. City staff are now inspecting areas of low impact, based on Service Requests, to determine the additional areas requiring attention.

City staff continue to inspect completed areas to inventory and prepare for the next phase in recovery which will include structural pruning, tree removal, stump grinding and tree replacement
residents are responsible for the maintenance of private trees

Miller Waste will continue to collect tree debris set out for leaf and yard material collection that is prepared as follows:

branches, brush and sticks less than 1.2 metre (4 feet) in length
branches less than 15 centimetres (6 inches) in diameter
bags, bundles and containers less than 22 kilograms (50 pounds) in weight
all bundles must be tied with string, not wire

You can place properly prepared tree debris at the curb for collection on your regular leaf and yard material collection day. Miller Waste is also collecting yard waste on Saturdays and Mondays due to the increased amount of leaf and yard material at the curb. Miller Waste trucks are equipped to handle typical leaf and yard material, and not large branches, trunks, logs or other large tree debris. Large tree debris that cannot be collected by Miller Waste will be marked with orange spray paint and left to be chipped by specialized staff and equipment.

If you haven't already done so, you can report a damaged City tree by visiting the City's Request a Service page. Should you have any questions, please contact the Contact Centre at 905.477.5530 or by email at customerservice@markham. By making a report to the Contact Centre, your request can be properly tracked and it helps to efficiently prioritize and dispatch the proper City staff member.

TNATB is Back!

The popular, free summer live music series Thursday Nights at the Bandstand returns this year for a 4-event series in July and August at Unionville’s Millennium Bandstand at the corner of Main Street and Fred Varley Drive. More information is available here.

This year's line-up kicks off in mid July and all performances will run from 7:30pm to 9pm. The 2022 series will be:

July 14 - Epic Eagles
July 28 - ABBA Revisited
August 11 - Elton Rohn
August 25 - Magic of Motown

Happy Bike Month

Do you have a copy of the York Region Cycling Map? The map shows bike lanes, multi-use paths and trails in York Region. A copy of the map is available here or you can request a printed copy by emailing transportation@york.ca.

Looking for biking trails closer to home? Markham is a great place to explore by bicycle, on foot and other forms of active transportation. The City of Markham continues to deliver projects and programs to improve safe walking and cycling for people of all ages and abilities - learn more here.

Be Water Smart

Conserving water is important for our communities. Using less water helps protect our environment and ensures we have enough supply for emergencies.

Did you know the average household in York Region uses about 716 litres of water per day? That’s more than two full bathtubs worth of water.

Learn tips to save water inside and outside your home - read more.

The Outdoor Water-use Bylaw is now in effect. In Markham, homes with even numbers can water on even-numbered days; odd numbers on odd-numbered days. You can choose to water your lawn between 6am and 9am or between 6pm and 9pm, but not both - learn more here.

Respect Animals and Stay Safe

As we venture outside to enjoy the warmer weather, we may see more animals as well. Whether it’s a dog out for a walk with its owner or an animal in its natural habitat, it’s important to be safe. Never touch a dog without the owner’s permission. Be safe by staying away from wild animals. Never feed, handle, transport or relocate wildlife.

For rabies safety, keep dogs and cats up to date with their vaccinations and prevent them from interacting with wild animals. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, report the incident to York Region Public Health and seek medical attention. Learn more at york.ca/rabies.

Want to Go Out to the Ball Game?

Join in on July 16 as the Blue Jays celebrate Markham’s own Jordan Romano. The City has negotiated discounted tickets in various sections of Rogers Centre as the Jays take on the Kansas City Royals. It's your chance to show Jordan that his hometown is behind him.

Saturday July 16 with a 3:07pm start
Toronto Blue Jays versus Kansas City Royals at the Rogers Centre

Don’t delay as there is a limited number of discounted tickets are available here. On that day the first 15,000 attendees to the ballpark will also receive a commemorative Jordan Romano hat. Seats in various sections have been reserved for you to cheer Jordan on.

Other Items

York Region has pulled together information that may help residents and service providers support people affected by the conflict in Ukraine including:

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 at york.ca/supportUkraine.

Starting June 25, some GO Train schedules will be adjusted by a few minutes to better reflect current travel times.

Visit the GO website to learn more - details here.

The Kindred Spirits Orchestra will be at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Perforning Arts for an evening of classical music next Friday at 8pm (June 24th). You can book your seat or find more information - here.

Join the KSO at the Unionville Bandstand on Canada Day - July 1st at 8pm. Enjoy music from your favourite movies, Broadway and light classics at this free open air concert.

Face masks are still required in long-term care, retirement homes and all York Region hospitals. Let’s work together to keep everyone safe.

More information is available at york.ca/covid19.

Exciting news! Markham Public Library's Musical Instrument Library is now open.

You can borrow from a collection of over 50 musical instruments including guitars, violins, ukuleles, keyboards and more for free with a MPL library card.

Explore now

Join Markham Public Library's 2022 Summer Reading Club to engage your kids in reading, learning, and socializing throughout the summer.

Join our virtual meetups and library visits for in-person activities. Let the fun begin.

Registration is now open

Walk-ins are currently welcomed at all York Region COVID-19 clinics for:

1st and 2nd doses for 5+
Booster doses for 18+
Fourth doses for 60+

Visit york.ca/covid19vaccine for information on eligibility and to find the closest clinic near you. Also the GO VAXX Bus has some clinics in and around Markham this week too - see the schedule here.

The Markham Little Theatre are please to announce their upcoming fundraising event that will be happening this month. MLT will be offering Outside Mullingar, by renowned playwright John Patrick Shanley, which is a hilarious and heartbreakingly sweet show to life.

MLT is an award-winning community theatre group. With a cast and crew comprised entirely of dedicated volunteers, they have been bringing quality theatre to Markham for over fifty years. This performance will not disappoint and MLT invites you to share in some laughter.

June 22-25 - all shows begin at 8pm at the MLT’s Backstage Theatre which is located on the grounds of the Markham Museum
General admission tickets are $24

Reserve your tickets now by contacting the Markham Little Theatre Box Office.

An action-packed day with fun for the whole family awaits you at Markham’s Canada Day celebration. Join in at Markham Centre from 3pm to 10:30pm for:

free entertainment
food trucks
fireworks
children’s activities
free parking

More information can be found at markham.ca/CanadaDay.

Markham, at the centre of Canada’s second largest ICT cluster, is excited to deliver a series of new investment announcements at the Collision Conference on Tuesday June 21 at 2:30pm. Don’t miss it!

More information is available at markham.ca/collision.

The CIty's Community Energy Plan will guide energy related decisions for both buildings and transportation while aligning new development with Markham’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

Learn more at

yourvoicemarkham.ca/CommunityEnergyPlan.

If you own, manage or are renting a property within the Don Mills Channel area, your property and assets may be at risk due to flooding damage from intense storms.

For more information on how to protect yourself and your business visit markham.ca/CommercialFloodProofing.

The City wants to hear from you as Markham has exciting initiatives that your ideas can help shape.

The Smart City Strategy for Markham Centre supports the promotion of economic growth and enhancement of quality of life in Markham Centre.

Get involved today at YourVoiceMarkham.ca/SmartCityStratityStrategy.

Found a tick on your pet? Take it to your vet. If your pet loves to walk in forests and tall grass, make sure to check them for ticks.

If you spot a tick on your pet, remove it promptly.

Remember to check yourself too.

Visit york.ca/LymeDisease for more information about Lyme Disease.

If you are interested in volunteering with Markham Museum Camps, remember to sign up for the Summer Camp Volunteer Orientation and Training Session taking place at the museum on Saturday June 25 from 10am to 2pm. To reserve your spot - click here.

Join the YRDSB on June 23 at 12pm for a Co-op Meet and Greet Event for local businesses to learn more about Co-operative Education Programming in Markham schools - register here.

Learn more:

what are co-op programs
what are the benefits of participating in a co-op program
what are workplaces responsible for when involved with a co-op program
how to express interest in hosting a student
hear testimonials from co-op students and employers involved in the program

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.

Wild in the City!

Urban Coyotes sightings are on the rise. No need to panic, follow the link here for helpful tips on living harmoniously with them.

Coyotes can become distressed when protecting their young. Please don't approach a coyote den to take pictures or see pups. Negative interactions between humans and wildlife can lead to unnecessary relocation or destruction of animals.

Additional information is available at markham.ca/wildlife.