The
Deputy Mayor's
Exchange
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It's Not Goodbye,
Just Farewell for Now
I started The Deputy Mayor's Exchange as a weekly communication tool during this term of Council as a way to reach out, engage and let residents know some of the things that were happening around the City. The DME is produced and distributed without cost to the City.
Publishing a weekly electronic newsletter was a first for me. No other Regional Councillor has provided this service. Never did I expect that the DME would become such a popular means of relaying important information to the community through the COVID-19 pandemic.
This Fall is the Municipal election and as such, there are guidelines that Members of Council must follow with respect to mass communications. These rules take effect May 1st which is why you are receiving the DME tonight.
So this, the 153rd edition of the DME, may in fact be the last one for awhile or perhaps forever, depending on the outcome of the election.
Thanks to my creative team and the many contributors to the DME who continue to make this publication possible.
Perhaps it's time for change. ⏰
Have a safe and enjoyable week.
Email - dhamilton@markham.ca
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- Fourth Dose Eligibility
- Helping Those Escaping Conflict
- Have Your Say
- New Exhibit at the Varley
- Theatre Summer Camps
- Make a Difference
- Be Prepared
- Get Out and Walk
- Markham Cycles
- A Chance to Give Back
- Other Items
- Upcoming Meetings
- York Region Update
- Community Meetings and Events
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Please forward this update to anyone
that may find it of interest.
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Please continue to remember the Ukraine and its suffering people in your thoughts and prayers.
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Click here to read the previous edition of The Deputy Mayor's Exchange | |
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Are you eligible for a fourth dose of a COVID-19 vaccine? The recommended interval for a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine is at least five months (140 days) after receiving a booster dose and the minimum interval is three months (84 days). Vaccine details can be found at york.ca/covid19vaccine.
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.
The latest details from York Region on COVID-19 testing, anti-viral treatments and masking updates can be found here.
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Helping Those Escaping the Conflict in Ukraine
York Region has pulled together a some 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.
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Have Your Say
Join in on the virtual Open House being hosted by York Region on May 12 at 5pm. It's your opportunity to learn more and provide your feedback on the York Region Official Plan update and what they have learned so far in the update process. Learn more and sign up for the Open House here.
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Markham Museum Reopening!
After more than two years of being closed due to COVID-19, the Markham Museum will fully reopen to the public on Wednesday May 4.
Just in time for Summer, the Museum will be offering a variety of in-person camp programs with registration now open at markham.ca/MuseumCamps. Some of the Summer camp programs available include:
- Science Magic
- Future Engineers
- Superhero Science
- Pottery Camp
The Museum will also be available for rentals to the public, for occasions including weddings, family events and public gatherings.
Due to the closure of Markham Museum during the pandemic, Museum memberships have been extended until May 4, 2023. If you have any questions about your membership, please contact the Museum.
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Gathering Fictions: A Dialogue on Painting, will run from May 7 to September 4 at the Varley Gallery on Main Street Unionville.
Janet Jones and Michel Daigneault are contemporary painters who question and challenge our understanding of abstraction. Aware of and informed by historical and formal definitions of the genre, they see abstraction as moving beyond specific movements to convey broader meaning today.
Both artists look to abstraction as a way to explore different realities, or as modes of perceiving what is true and is what is not. Both employ similar methods– layering, patterning, and collage– to assemble their narratives from a diversity of sources. The resulting paintings, however, differ significantly in scale, imagery and intent. Established artists and peers, Jones and Daigneault intentionally cultivate a collegial relationship that thrives on debate, on creating space for dialogue that permits both different ideas and approaches to art making to flourish.
Opening Reception - Saturday May 7 from 2pm to 5pm
Artists Janet Jones and Michel Daigneault will lead a walkthrough of the exhibition discussing their different approaches to abstraction. Talks will begin promptly at 3pm.
There will also be a lunch and learn presentation about the exhibit on June 1 at 12:30pm. More information is available here.
More information is available by contacting the Varley 905.477.7000 x3261 or by email at varley@markham.ca.
Registration is now open for the Varley's online education workshops for students from Kindergarten to grade 8. Details of the May workshops can be found here.
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The Flato Markham Theatre will be running camps this summer for the little actors in your family from ages 4 to 11.
More information and registration details can be found here.
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Want to make a difference in the community?
You can run for City Council or School Board Trustee in the 2022 Markham Municipal Election this Fall.
Register online from May 2 at 9am until August 19 at 2pm.
More information is available at electionsmarkham.ca.
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Are you prepared for Emergency Preparedness week which takes place from May 1-7.
Everyone has a role to play in an emergency.
- make a plan
- get an emergency kit
- practice it
Learn more at markham.ca/areyouready and there's even a chance to win.
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Get Out and Walk
Don't forget that Jane's Walk is taking place again next weekend. It's a great opportunity to learn something new about our community.
It's a series of free citizen led walking tours inspired by the late internationally renowned urbanist Jane Jacobs.
The walks get people to tell stories about their communities, explore their cities and connect with neighbours.
Walks are taking in many locations including 3 walks in the City of Markham. The details of the Markham walks taking place in Thornhill, Markham Village and Cornell are noted in graphic. Click here to learn about other locations that will be hosting walks.
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Markham Cycles
Markham Cycles is Markham's community bicycle hub with a goal to build the cycling culture in the City. They offer free programs including bike lending, repair workshops and community rides. Check out their various programs including a drop-in repair clinic on May 7th at their Centennial location and a webinar on May 19 about where to ride in Markham. More information about Markham Cycles can be found here.
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A Chance to Give Back
Are you interested in becoming a volunteer and giving back to the community? Oak Valley Health has almost 800 volunteers at the Markham Stouffville Hospital site who work alongside the staff and physicians to provide an extraordinary experience to patients and families.
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Meet Rohan (pictured), a volunteer at Markham Stouffville Hospital's Gift Shop. He says the hospital holds a special place in his heart and that's why he donates his time to the organization. "I was born here. My mother received care here for her cancer treatment. Volunteering and interacting with patients and staff offered me the chance to give back and make a difference in the community, while pursuing my passion for a health-related career as a student."
Volunteers bring a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience to the hospital and reflect our diverse community. Volunteers play many roles in clinical and non-clinical areas including clerical assistance, patient support and customer service. For more on how to become a volunteer, click here or if you have questions, send them an email at volunteering@msh.on.ca.
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The City of Markham, York Region District School Board and York Region are conducting a school street test pilot on Stricker Avenue at John McCrae Public School every Wednesday in May.
This test will involve closing a section of the street to traffic during morning and afternoon bell times, to improve student safety, improve air quality and encourage walking and biking to school. To evaluate this pilot test, the initiative includes surveys of residents before, during and after the closures. The School Streets committee is looking for input from residents across Markham with a view to possibly expanding the program. Please take a moment to fill out the survey and note that the "before" survey closes on May 3. For more information, visit markham.ca/schoolstreets.
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Ward 1 Councillor, Keith Irish, this week has released his latest newsletter with updates for Thornhill residents. It hightlights a number of development projects in the area. Even if you aren't a resident of Ward 1, you may want to have a look at his update for other items too including the naming of the Kerry Stratton Commons.
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Kerry, a long-time Markham-Thornhill resident, world-renowned celebrated conductor, music director and radio personality, passed away from ALS. Kerry’s family has created “Birders For ALS” to raise awareness and funds for ALS Canada and to promote the mental health benefits of birding. The campaign begins on World Migratory Bird Day, May 14th, and continues through to the end of September. Details can be found here.
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Ward 3 Councillor, Reid McAlpine, this week has sent out his latest newsletter. His newsletter highlights a number of topics specific to Unionville residents but there are also many topics of interest to all Markham residents including details on some of the upcoming development projects.
It's that time of the year, and after two years of cancelled spring cleaning events, the place is in need of a freshening. There are two spring cleanups scheduled in Ward 3.
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Saturday May 7 from 9am to 4pm, South Unionville Avenue at Piera Gardens, sponsored by the South Unionville Residents Forum and the South Unionville Community Association
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Saturday May 14 from 9am to 11am, meet at the Bandstand, Main Street Unionville, sponsored by the Unionville Villagers Association.
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Ward 4 Councillor, Karen Rea, today has sent out her latest newsletter. She covers a number of issues that are not only important to the residents in her Ward but across the City too. It also covers several upcoming Statutory meetings and other community news.
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Ward 8 Councillor, Isa Lee, this week also sent out her latest newsletter. It highlights upcoming applications at Development Services meeting and other happenings in Ward 8.
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This week was the groundbreaking for two winterized tennis bubbles covering six tennis courts at Markham Tennis Club. A partnership with Premier Racquet Club will make tennis and pickleball accessible to Markham residents year round. | | |
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As a reminder, if you are a rider of York Region Transit please be aware that service changes have gone into effect May 1st.
If you are a transit rider, you are encouraged to visit yrt.ca/servicechanges to review the impacted routes.
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Destination Markham is launching a partnership program to provide support to tourism organizations who are working through the pandemic to keep their business open and facilitating projects for the recovery and revitalization of the visitor economy in Markham.
Learn more here
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The Spongy Moth, new name but same pest, has been responsible for large scale defoliation on trees in Markham for the past few years. Last summer many of the trees in Markham were eaten bare by the caterpillar stage of these moths.
Now is the time to check local trees for their spongy egg masses (shown in picture 3) that are a part of the moth's lifecycle. Protect your trees from the caterpillars before they hatch by scraping egg masses into a bucket of soapy water, stirring and then disposing of them after a day or two - 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.
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Spring is here and the Markham Operations staff are busy preparing the beautiful planters that will be placed around the City.
Remember to stop and smell the flowers. Also, why not take a picture of the lovely display so that I can share with the staff that tend and care for the flowers. 🌺🌷🌼
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Please help keep Markham beautiful by placing your household garbage near the curb in front of your house during garbage collection days.
Trash receptables in parks are not for your household garbage. If you leave your household waste in parks it becomes a source of food for wild animals and it makes a large mess in our outdoor spaces. Household garbage belongs curbside and dumping household waste in parks and open spaces is illegal.
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Markham is home to a variety of wild animals including coyotes, foxes, raccoons and more. To ensure a peaceful co-existence:
- Do not leave food outside
- Do not put waste bins out too early
- Do not leave small pets outdoors unattended
As a reminder, coyotes can become distressed when protecting their young. Please don't approach a coyote den to takes pictures or see their pups. Negative interactions between humans and wildlife can lead to unnecessary relocation or destruction of animals.
For more information can be found at markham.ca/wildlife.
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The Markham Group of Artists is holding the Sunflower🌻Project Art Show, a fundraiser in response to the war in Ukraine. Artwork in the MGA online Sunflower Project show is selling fast. Consider supporting Ukrainian refugees while acquiring a beautiful work of art for your collection or perhaps for a Mother’s Day gift.
The Markham Group of Artists will donate all show entry fees to a registered charity aiding Ukrainian refugees and artists are donating all or a portion of the sale of their works to charity. This virtual show will be featured on the MGA website gallery until June 30. You can view the art show here.
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Now that the nicer weather is here, why not get out and take a walk on one of the many York Region Forest trails.
You can plan ahead and visit one of the 22 tracks using the Everyday Guide to the YRF.
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As of May 1, all dogs must remain on-leash, in all York Regional Forest tracts, except in designated areas in the Bendor and Graves and Davis Drive Tracts. This change will help protect the Forest and make it safe and enjoyable for all visitors.
More detail here.
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The deadline to apply for the 2022 Kevin Doherty Scholarship is May 20.
The annual scholarship awards $1,500 to a graduating high school student or postsecondary student who is enrolled in a graphic or communication design program at a Canadian post-secondary college or university.
The scholarship recipient will have demonstrated their commitment to any of the digital arts or marketing disciplines including digital illustration, web design, graphic design, user experience, copywriting, marketing and communications. More detail about the scholarship can be found here.
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Keep your unwanted clothing, footwear and household textiles out of landfills.
There are over 160 Markham donation bins located across the City.
Learn more at markham.ca/textiles
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Markham’s curbside garbage is collected in clear garbage bags only.
No dark, tinted or white bags accepted
No recyclable or organic material
No bag limits
markham.ca/ClearBagGarbage
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National Public Works Week will take place from May 14 to 21 to celebrate the hard work that takes place to ensure delivery of essential services to residents every day. This year’s theme is Ready and Resilient and will be highlighted in a number of virtual activities planned for the week. Public works services include:
- Providing safe and clean drinking water
- Leading ground-breaking work to sample for traces of the COVID-19 virus at wastewater treatment facilities
- Protecting source water
- Monitoring traffic control and signal operations
- Maintaining and constructing roads
- Providing transit
More information on the fun and educational virtual events taking place throughout the week will be updated on York.ca/publicworks.
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Have you checked yet to see if you're on the the Municipal Voters' List? - have a look.
Our local government and school boards deliver services to residents that they rely on every day. This Fall is your opportunity to have your say and vote for Markham Council and your local School Board Trustee. More information about the upcoming election can be found at electionsmarkham.ca.
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Have you been back to the Flato Markham Theatre yet? It's a great place to get out of the house and enjoy a performance close to home.
Right now you can use the promo code SAVE30 to receive 30% some of the upcoming performances including:
- 6 Guitars on May 13 at 8pm - details
- Classic Albums Live - Billy Joel's The Stranger on May 14 at 8pm - details
- Magic of Motown on June 8 at 8pm - details
Additional details about other performances at the Theatre can be found here.
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Join the Village Voices on May 15 at 2:30pm as they perform their first concert since the pandemic began. To celebrate admission to their Spring concert, Homeward Bound, will be free. It is recommended that anyone wishing to attend reserve tickets in advance that can be picked up at the door on the day of the event. The concert will take place at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Main Street Markham. Instructions on how to reserve tickets can be found at villagevoices.ca/upcoming-events.
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The Markham Public Library is hiring and looking for qualified candidates for the following positions:
- Community Librarian
- Part-Time Library Services Associate
- Digital Literacy Specialist
- Contract Full-Time Library Services Associate.
More information about these positions and how to apply can be found here.
The last of the MPL branches opened this week after the COVID-19 shutdowns. Many of the services that were in effect during the closures, such as online programming and curbside pickup, will remain in effect now that the branches have reopened. More details are available here.
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In celebration of National AccessAbility Week (May 29 to June 4), you are invited to join the Markham Public Library and the Markham Advisory Committee on Accessibility on June 1 at 7pm for a free virtual event, Can’t Read, Can’t Write: The Journey by author Michael Jacques, and his father Marcel.
We celebrate National AccessAbility Week with a spotlight on non-evident disabilities through Michael’s powerful stories and a panel discussion. More information about the presentation can be found here.
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Upcoming Meetings
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YR Committee of the Whole - May 5 at 9am - details
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General Committee Meeting - May 9 at 9:30am - details
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Development Services Committee Meeting - May 10 at 9:30am - details
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Development Services Public Meeting - May 10 at 7pm - details
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Development Services Committee Meeting - May 16 at 9:30am - details
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Council Meeting - May 17 at 1pm - details
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YR Committee of the Whole Special Meeting - Municipal Comprehensive Review - May 19 at 9am - details
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YR Committee of the Whole Special Meeting - Water and Wastewater Master Plan - May 19 at 1pm - details
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General Committee Meeting - May 24 at 9:30am - details
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Development Services Public Meeting - May 24 at 7pm - details
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YR Council Meeting - May 26 at 9am - details
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Development Services Committee Meeting - May 30 at 9:30am - details
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Council Meeting - May 31 at 1pm - details
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General Committee Meeting - June 7 at 9:30am - details
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Development Services Public Meeting - June 7 at 7pm - details
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Housing York - June 9 at 9am - details
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YR Audit Committee - June 9 at 1pm - details
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Development Services Committee Meeting - June 13 at 9:30am - details
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Council Meeting - June 14 at 1pm - details
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YR Committee of the Whole - June 16 at 9am - details
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General Committee Meeting - June 20 at 9:30am - details
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Development Services Public Meeting - June 21 at 7pm - details
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YR Accessibility Advisory Committee - June 22 at 4pm - details
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YR Special Meeting - June 23 at 9am - details
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Development Services Committee Meeting - June 27 at 9:30am - details
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Council Meeting - June 28 at 1pm - details
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YR Council Meeting - June 30 at 9am - details
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Markham Committee Meetings - details
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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.
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- York Region April Council Highlights including
- hybrid YR Council meetings to begin in May
- road and transit infrastructure investments
- harmonizing transit fares
- electrifying York Region buses
- changing speed limits on some Regional roads
- and more - further details
- YR lifts State of Emergency more than two years after declaration - details
- National Immunization Awareness Week - details
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Community Meetings and Events
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Virtual Vintages at the Varley - May 5 - details
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Jane's Walk - May 6 to 8 - details
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Unionville Residents Association Meeting - May 9 at 7pm - details
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MBT Good Morning Markham - May 12 at 7:30am - details
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YR Official Plan Update - May 12 at 5pm - details
- Unionville Clean-Up - May 14 from 9am to 11am - meet at the Bandstand
- Village Voices Homeward Bound concert - May 15 at 2:30pm - details
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KSO presents Love and Turmoil - May 21 at 8pm - details
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MBT B2B Networking Expo - May 26 at 5pm - details
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10,000 Trees for the Rouge Planting event - May 28 - details
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Varley Gallery Lunch and Learn - June 1 at 12:30pm - details
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Unionville Festival - June 4 - details
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Lucky Lion Night Market at Markville Mall - June 16-19 - details
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Markham Village Music Festival - June 17 and 18 - details
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Union Villa Charity Golf Classic - June 22 - details
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KSO presents Metamorphoses - June 24 at 8pm - details
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Taste of Asia - June 24 to 26 - details
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31st World Hakka Conference - June 24 to 26 - details
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KSO presents Fate and Transformation - June 25 at 8pm - details
- KSO presents Canada Day Celebration - July 1 at 8pm
- Night It Up - August 6-7 - details
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Markham Jazz Festival - August 19 - 21 - details
- Terry Fox Run - Sunday September 18
I'd be pleased to highlight other community meetings in future newsletters.
Please forward the details to dhamilton@markham.ca.
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Working together to make Markham better! | | | | |
