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The

Markham

Exchange

June 12 2022

Edition 6

More Parks Coming Your Way

It was a great afternoon today in Markham-Thornhill as we reopened Grandview Park highlighting its many new and enhanced features. The kids and local Ward 1 Councillor Keith Irish had a blast running through the splashpad. Watch for more park openings this summer. See below about Franklin Carmichael Park also in Thornhill.

With all the recent news about carjackings, now there's a new kind of specialist, the catalytic converter thief. As well, thieves are using Apple Air tags to track and steal high end vehicles. See stories below. Always park your vehicle in your locked garage or in as visibly open and well lit a space as possible. If you see anything suspicious call 911.

This week I was asked by the Director of the Markham Food Bank to place a notice about their Spring Food Drive in the TME. Please read the notice below and offer help to our local Markham Food Bank, if you are able. I am.

Friends of the Markham Museum are offering cards for sale as a fundraiser. I've bought some, will you? Details below.

Markham Music Festival is next weekend. Markham Little Theatre has another great play in store for the community. See below.

Have a safe and enjoyable week.

email - don.hamilton@rogers.com

In This Issue

Storm Update
Property Taxes Mailed
Spring Food Drive
Pedestrian Safety
Markham Village Music Festival
York Farm Fresh
YRP Updates
Celebrating Seniors Month
Early Learning PD
Markham Little Theatre
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 as of June 10

The emergency storm clean up continues after the wild storm that hit the City on May 21. The Operations Department continues to have a total of 10 City and Contractor arborist crews engaged in storm clean-up efforts. As of June 6th, a crane truck crew was added to assist with the collection and disposal of large wood and standing trees which require removal. City staff are now inspecting areas of low impact, based on Service Requests, to determine the additional areas requiring attention.

Next Steps

clean up continues City wide
City staff continue to inspect completed areas to inventory and prepare for the next phase in recovery i.e. replant the affected City trees to our municipal standards
Recovery Phase will include tree structural pruning, tree removal, stump grinding and tree replacement

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.

You can place properly prepared tree debris at the curb for collection on your regular leaf and yard material collection day - markham.ca/CollectionSchedule. Also on Saturdays and Mondays, Miller Waste crews will be working due to the increased amount of leaf and yard material at the curb. More information about debris pick-up can be found here.

Property Taxes Mailed Friday

The 2022 final tax bills for residential properties were mailed on June 10. The City collects property taxes on behalf of the City of Markham, York Region, and the Province of Ontario for education.

How are the property taxes shared among the three levels of governments?

City Share - 24.19%
Region Share - 52.09%
Province of Ontario (Education) Share - 23.72%

In addition to the 2022 final tax bill for resident properties, the envelope will include:

brochure providing information on the 2022 Final Tax Bill - here
information slip promoting the 2022 Municipal Election and Staff Recruitment - here

Markham issued the 2022 final residential property tax bills to 108,522 property owners. Of the 108,522 final residential property tax bills, 77,006 accounts are regular instalment type and 31,516 are Pre-authorized Tax Payment Program (PTP) accounts. Learn more at markham.ca/ePropertyTax. In the case of PTP tax accounts, the City of Markham withdraws the property tax amounts directly from the owner’s bank account. More information about your property taxes can be found here.

Spring Food Drive

This week (June 15 - 19), the Markham Food Bank will be having a Spring Food Drive to support local families.

Why a spring food drive? You often think about donating to a food bank at specific times of the year, typically Thanksgiving and the winter holidays. As food insecurity continues to be an issue all year round, food banks often have their food inventories depleted by the time summer arrives. When you donate to the Markham Food Bank 100% of the donations are given back to the community. Please consider making a donation of non-perishable food items or a financial contributions to your local food bank.

For more inforamtion on how to donate, including their most needed items, drop off times and locations or how to make a financial donations, please:

visit markhamfoodbank.ca/donate
call 905.472.2437
email markhamfoodbank@yahoo.ca

Pedestrian Safety is Everyone’s Job

By August 2022, 26 existing supervised school crossings will be upgraded to Level 2, Type “D” crossovers.

Drivers, you must stop for pedestrians waiting to cross. It’s the law!

Learn more at markham.ca/PXO.

Markham Village Music Festival

Next up is the Markham Village Music Festival which is also back this year in person on Main Street Markham. Since 1978, the MVMF had been an annual event that the community looks forward to. They look forward to seeing you next weekend.

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 taking place on June 17-18 including the performers found here.

Celebrating Local Food with York Farm Fresh

Summer just got a whole lot fresher (and tastier) – the York Farm Fresh 2022 Guide Map is hot off the press this week.

The York Farm Fresh Guide Map serves as a guide to finding locally grown and produced farm fresh products across York Region. It lists 38 farms, farmers’ markets and driving routes to help you easily source a variety of local food. The Guide helps to celebrate and recognize the hardworking farmers who keep food on our plates and support healthy communities. Not only is local food fresher and better for the environment, but when you eat local, you support the many farms that call York Region home.

The map is available here and you can even download the mobile app. The app can also be translated into seven languages to help our diverse communities find local food nearby.

York Farm Fresh is also renewing their Passport to Fresh contest encouraging you to visit as many of the farms on the map as possible for a chance to win a Thanksgiving Harvest Basket valued at $250.

York Regional Police Investigators from District 5 CIB arrested two male suspects from Toronto after a series of catalytic converter thefts were reported between May 2 and June 8 in Markham - more detail here.

Apple AirTag's and other similar products that help people keep track of their keys, luggage and other ealsily lost items are now also being used to track cars. More specifically, car thieves identify high-end vehicles, place a tracking device on the vehicle and then later steal the vehicle.

Celebrating Seniors Month by Staying Active, Connected and Safe

This June, we are celebrating seniors! Recognized all over Ontario, Seniors Month is a time to celebrate the important contributions of older adults and the impacts they have made and continue to make within our communities. The 2022 theme is Stay Active, Connected, and Safe.

Stay physically active and mentally healthy
Stay connected through social, cultural, learning, volunteer and recreational programs
Stay safe through vaccination, fall prevention, community supports and protection from financial scams and fraud.

Seniors are the fastest growing age group in York Region and approximately 200,000 seniors call York Region home. All residents are encouraged to reach out this month and connect with the older adults who have shaped our communities and made a meaningful difference in our personal, professional and community life. The Province has an Award to recognize seniors in the community - learn more here.

York Region remains committed to supporting the health and well-being of our aging population through the York Region Seniors Strategy. It offers a variety of programs and services including:

To learn more visit york.ca/seniors.

Early Learning Professional Development

If you love working with children and want to provide quality, licensed home child care in York Region, join the online information session to:

explore York Region programs and services and available supports
learn about becoming a licensed home child care provider from a licensed agency and provider
participate in a professional development webinar on “Sharing Sensitive News with Parents/Guardians” by Early Interventionist Filomena Tyndall
York Region supports you in providing quality child care.

This online information session will take place on Monday June 20 from 6:30pm to 8pm. This event is free for all participants - register here.

Markham Little Theatre

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.

Antony and Rosemary are two introverted misfits. Anthony has spent his entire life on a farm in rural Ireland. Rosemary lives next door, watching the lonely years slip away. With Anthony’s father threatening to disinherit him and a land feud simmering between their families, the two lonely neighbours decide to give themselves one more chance at happiness.

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 15-18 and June 22-25 - all shows begin at 8pm
General admission tickets are $24
MLT’s Backstage Theatre is located on the grounds of the Markham Museum

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

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.

"over the moon with joy" - Newmarket welcomes one of the first babies born in Canada to a Ukrainian refugee - read more

The Frie nds of the Markham Museum have introduced new note cards featuring scenes from the Museum grounds. Brother Andre SS students submitted their Museum images and the top four images were selected and transformed into 4” x 5” blank note cards. FoMM are selling packages of 4 cards and envelopes for $15(including tax) with all proceeds going to the Museum.

You can contact the FoMM

museuminfo@markham.ca to order the cards.

The City of Markham is hosting a Virtual Public Open House on construction of a multi-purpose court in Thornhill's Franklin Carmichael Park at 235 Green Lane.

The online meeting will take place on Tuesday June 14 from 6pm to 8pm. Proposed new features could include tennis, basket/pickle ball and a winter ice surface - register here.

Want to make a difference in our community?

Local government and school boards deliver services that residents rely on every day.

Run for office in the 2022 Markham Municipal Election - find out how.

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.

York Regional Police are celebrating seniors at YRP's upcoming Seniors' Day celebration at the Community Safety Village in Bruce's Mill Conservation Area.

On June 15, YRP provide some important personal, home and financial tips to ensure those golden years stay golden.

Please register for this free event at yrp.ca/SeniorsDay.

As of Saturday June 11, masking in most indoor public settings is no longer required. Face masks continue to be required in long-term care and retirement homes across the Province.

Residents should assess their own risk and continue to wear a mask if they feel it is right for them. Remember the 3Cs - confined spaces, crowds and close contact with someone especially if they are immunocompromised or vulnerable.

While masking requirements are expiring, organizations may still implement their own policies. You should continue to wear a mask if you feel it is right, are at high risk for severe illness, recovering from COVID-19, have symptoms of the virus or are a close contact of someone with COVID-19.

Guided walks in the Rouge National Urban Park are back! Here are the upcoming walks:

Registration is required in order to participate. Click on the links above for more detail.

If you'd prefer to hit the trail on your own schedule, there are a number of trails for various abilities - details here.

The Community Safety and Well-Being Plan for York Region was recently approved by York Region Council. While York Region is a great place to live, work and play and it is also considered one of the safest communities in Canada, there’s room for improvement.

This first Community Safety and Well-Being Plan for York Region will focus on social development and prevention. The Plan is intended to serve as a long-term tool to enhance safety and well-being through proactive, targeted, community-driven actions.

If you would like to learn more about the Plan and how you can get involved with the Community Action Table, you can find more detail and information here or by visiting York.ca/CommunityAction.

With the warm weather here, it’s great to get outdoors. When heading out, make sure to take precautions against Lyme disease and black-legged ticks.

Visit york.ca/LymeDisease for more inforamtion.

Did you know that the average dishwasher uses about 22 litres of water compared to 103 litres to wash dishes in the sink.

Be Water Smart and learn more tips in this video.

Check out the latest edition of York Region Matters for tips to protect yourself against West Nile virus and Lyme disease, reducing the impact of spongy moth and more.

Visit york.ca/yorkregionmatters to learn more about current happenings in York Region and for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate.

Markham it’s time to celebrate… in-person!

Join the City on Canada Day at a new location in Markham Centre. There are plans to have an action packed day with fun for the whole family to enjoy.

Stay tuned for more information.

Help prevent illness at camp this summer. Keep your kids home if they are sick; ensure their vaccinations are up to date (including COVID-19) and encourage them to clean their hands often and sneeze and cough into their sleeve.

York Region Public Health reminds parents and staff to follow proper practices to prevent and control the spread of infection. More information can be found here.

More detailed information can be found on the fact sheet: Preventing Illnesses at Day and Recreational Camps.

Attention drivers on Kennedy Road!

Starting at 7am on Tuesday June 14 until Saturday June 18, Kennedy Road between The Bridle Trail and 16th Avenue will be reduced to one lane in each direction for storm sewer installation. While these are the anticipated days when the construction will take place, there could be delays due to weather and other unexpected situations. Please be prepared for additional traffic in the area and additional noise while the construction is taking place.

The traffic chaos on Highway 7 is expected to continue for another day as Metrolinx works to rehabilitate the railway crossing on Highway 7 320m west of Main Street Unonville.

The work is expected to be completed by 9pm on Monday June 13th. More information can be found here.

Did you know that you can get a more accurate COVID-19 rapid antigen test result if you swab both the inside of your mouth and then your nose?

Omicron can be detected in the mouth before the nose.

Stay safe and continue to test if feeling unwell - learn more.

Want to work at the Varley Gallery? They're looking for an Information Services Attendant to working the gallery's reception welcoming visitors and providing information to the public.

The deadline to apply is June 13 - apply now.

You’re invited to review the Region’s updated Water and Wastewater Master Plan.

More information is

available here.

You have until July 3 to submit your comments to water@york.ca.

As a reminder, please help keep the CIty of Markham beautiful by placing your household garbage near the curb in front of your house during garbage collection days.

Please do not throw household garbage in the parks' trash receptacles.