Safer Streets Update, Ward 3 Parks and Major Projects, July Office Pop-Up Schedule & more
Dear Neighbour,
This week is a concentrated committee and council schedule. Rather than meeting over two weeks this month, everything is condensed into one week. That is why we won’t be hosting a pop-up of office hours in the community this week. However we will have two next week! Please see below for more detail on those.
Thank you to all the #OurWard3 neighbours who participated in the two community meetings my office hosted last month and dropped in for direct support at the pop-ups. Here is the link for a good neighbours meeting about Tim Horton’s Field, and the Ward 3 Complete Streets Report review which you can submit comments until the end of the day today.
Yours in Community,
Councillor Nrinder Nann
Safer Streets Update
This week’s Public Works Committee had a big focus on safer streets. We received the annual collision report, the Complete Streets Design Manual, report back on an in-service safety audit I requested, and motions to continue our ward-specific progress.
The collision report outlined that though the number of collisions has reduced, the number of deaths increased to sixteen people. In 2022, we have already had ten people killed in the first half of the year. As a city, we are facing a ten year high in the number of pedestrians harmed or killed due to being struck by drivers. And, more and more of those fatal collisions are happening in intersections, at crosswalks or on sidewalks.
There is a collision every 63 mins, there is a death every 26 days, a person is injured every 6 hours, a pedestrian hit every 1.5 days, and a cyclist struck every 2.5 days. This reality requires the City to redesign our roadways for safety and community living. That’s where the Complete Streets Design Manual approved at PW Committee yesterday comes in. It functions as a transformative design tool to set a new standard informing every reconstruction, every new repaving and new roadway construction across Hamilton. It gives residents an opportunity to have a say in shaping our communities along the way. At its core, it is about design, but also about what and who we value as we strive to achieve zero injuries and zero deaths on our roads.
The first wave of major roadways in Ward 3 that will see this design manual applied include Wilson, Sherman, Barton, Main and King. The principles were also applied to the Ward 3 Comprehensive Complete Streets Report which recommends over 128 safety enhancements to our neighbourhood roadways that you can review and still provide input on until the end of the day today.
Many of the short-term safety enhancement measures for Main and King Streets are outlined in this update in response to the motion Councillor Wilson and I brought forward in May. Council will have the opportunity to discuss these measures this Friday.
Also at this week’s meeting, I tabled a notice of motion to have Wentworth Street reviewed to identify and implement safety enhancements and reduce the speed limit to 30 km/hr after a young neighbour was struck by a truck. The accident left the youth with severe facial fractures, and occurred beside Cathy Wever Elementary School. I’m also working with staff to bring forward a motion to review parts of Sherman Avenue. This week a four year old was struck at Sherman and Clinton by a driver in a pickup truck.
We also received an update from the safety audit I called for of the intersection at Barton and Wellington where Mr. DeSouza was killed after being struck by a dump truck last year. Staff will be implementing immediate and long term safety enhancements to the intersection starting this year.
In the face of so many devastating injuries and deaths, I remain hopeful that we can get things right in Hamilton. The reports and discussion at this week’s Committee meeting along with the Ward 3 specific solutions we have implemented show the systemic response many residents have been waiting decades for to achieve safer streets and to create better, more liveable communities.
Semi-Autonomous Board of Health Structure
In an effort to deepen expertise and representation to ensure we meet population health targets, some residents, governance experts and councillors believe we need to evolve the Hamilton Board of Health make up. So, on Wednesday, the Board of Health approved direction to get more information from the Ministry of Health about what may be both possible and required in moving towards a semi-autonomous structure that would see a new make up of some Councillors and some selected community members. A decision towards enacting a change would be determined by a future term of council.
Transitioning From Emergency Supports Towards a Sustainable Response to Homelessness
In response to the increased need during the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Hamilton has expanded its emergency shelter response in the family, women, and men’s emergency shelter systems, both with additional beds and support services. While hotel spaces have been a critical resource for the homeless-serving system throughout COVID-19, maintaining the current level of response is financially and operationally unsustainable.
According to the report being discussed today at Emergency & Community Services Committee, we can anticipate the maximizing of capacity at the Good Shepherd Cathedral temporary women’s shelter to 100 by September 30, 2022. I will be inquiring about the concerns raised about upkeep of the facility and projected closure of this temporary location today.
I encourage residents to read this report and pay attention to the next one coming in August to better understand how the City is responding to the complex needs of residents experiencing homelessness.
A new Community Garden at JC Beemer Park
The City will be partnering with the Roots For Justice program to establish boxes and a community access food garden at JC Beemer Park this summer. At ECS today, I will be supporting this program with an allocation of $5000 from the Ward 3 Bell Tower account which we have used this term to support smaller, resident-led initiatives across the ward.
Monkeypox
The City of Hamilton has confirmed its first case of monkeypox in a resident of Hamilton, who was most likely infected during a recent visit to the City of Toronto. The individual is currently isolating and Hamilton Public Health Services has notified all close contacts.
Based on the encouraging uptake from last week’s pop-up monkeypox vaccination clinic where over 60 at-risk community members received a monkeypox vaccine, Hamilton Public Health Services will be holding a second pop-up monkeypox vaccination clinic for at-risk community members at the East End Public Health Clinic (247 Centennial Pkwy N, Unit 8, Hamilton) on Thursday, July 7, 2022. The clinic is operating from 9 am to 11 am and 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm by appointment only. Hamilton Public Health Services continues to work collaboratively with community partners, such as The AIDS Network, to ensure at-risk community members are provided with information about the virus and the upcoming clinic.
While the risk to Hamiltonians from this infection remains very low, Hamilton Public Health Services is working closely with the Ontario Ministry of Health, Toronto Public Health and other Public Health Units in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area to ensure there are proactive actions taken in response to the virus. For more information on vaccine eligibility, and for appointment-booking information, please visit here.
COVID-19 Status Update
COVID-19 transmission in Hamilton is beginning to increase. Most recently, there has been an increased frequency of the BA.2.12.1 and BA.5 sub-variants.
To stay updated, please visit here.
Vaccination remains the most important way to protect against COVID-19 and its health effects. It is critical to stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccination by receiving all eligible doses. Hamilton Public Health Services strongly recommends wearing a well-fitting mask indoors, especially when it’s crowded. As much as possible, people should limit their social contacts.
Vaccination Availability
Fourth doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are available for those age 60 and older and First Nation, Inuit and Métis individuals and their non-Indigenous household members aged 18 and over, 5 months (140 days) after their previous booster dose. Fourth doses are available by appointment only.
You can book your vaccine appointment online if you:
Have an Ontario health card (green photo health card OR red and white health card)
Have an email address OR a cell phone that can receive SMS messages (texts)
If you do not have access to online booking, call the COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline at 905-974-9848, option 7 to book an appointment. Translation services are available by phone.
Vaccine Clinics
For a full list of clinics across the City, please see here: hamilton.ca/GetYourVaccine.
Brightside Park Update
Transforming a brown field into a state of art city park is taking longer than anticipated at the Brightside Park site. I wanted to provide residents with an update as to why.
Last year, when the city tore down remaining structures on the property to discourage trespassing it unearthed two transformer vault rooms. An area of the site where “unexpectedly high levels of contamination” was discovered. Also, in February this year, consultants discovered that before development of the factory in the early 1900s, a “waterway ran through the property.” Although the site has been filled for over 100 years, the waterway could still be flowing underground. This discovery could explain high water levels on the land and could potentially act as a pathway for contaminants.
As such, the City must carry out our utmost diligence in this environmental assessment. This in turn pushes the project timeline forward beyond what was initially projected. The project webpage for Brightside Park has been updated including information on the revised timeline:
• 2021 to 2024 - Detailed design of park and field house, including environmental mitigation measures, Ministry approvals and permits
• 2024 - Possible start of park construction, pending Ministry and budget approvals
If you have any questions, please reach out to Sarah Eakins, Landscape Architect at sarah.eakins@hamilton.ca or by calling 905-546-2424 ext. 4667.
Woodlands Park Spray Pad Update
The new spray pad for Woodlands Park was initially projected for construction in the summer of 2022. This timing was identified by City staff in the December 2021 PIC. The community engagement survey results indicated a strong desire to include Indigenous Heritage in the theme of the spray pad. To ensure a good relations approach to celebrate and include aspects of Indigenous culture within the design, City Staff have been working with Niwasa and Indigenous representatives from Hamilton, Brantford, and surrounding areas. Staff have met and corresponded with this Indigenous stakeholder group over the past 6 months to finalize details of the design. This consultation has been very important and will lead to a meaningful inclusion of Indigenous languages into the final design. And so, in order to do things well, the original timeline has shifted.
Staff now anticipate construction to begin in the fall of 2022. Please keep in mind that there is potential that construction will carry over into spring of 2023, due to the nature of the work and potential weather impacts late in the year. The plan is to have the spray pad ready for the 2023 season.
We will share further information when the project page is updated.
DepaveParadise Project – Green Venture – July 9 & 16
Green Venture is holding two volunteer opportunities at 342 Barton Street East this coming Saturday, July 9, and the following Saturday, July 16. For more detail on each event, please visit here.
This #DepaveParadise project is a smaller part of the “depave Barton” ongoing initiatives. Green Venture, in partnership with the Barton Village BIA, Adele Pierre - Landscape Architect, and the City of Hamilton, are introducing more plants, more permeable paving, and more seating space to the Barton Village. This project was made possible through capital funds made available by the Ward 3 Office, and with support from the Green Communities Canada Depave Paradise program.
To register for these events, please visit here. Please note that registration is required, and space is limited.
4Twelve Barton Project – St. Matthew’s House
St. Matthew’s House has developed the 4Twelve Barton Project to act with a targeted response and model of how to address the need for safe affordable housing with supports for seniors who face multiple barriers. The property at 412 Barton, next door to St. Matthew’s House Children’s Centre, will be converted to 12 deeply affordable units. They are intended for seniors facing homelessness, with a special focus on Indigenous and Black older adults 55+, designating 50% of the units for women. The units will be deeply accessible and adaptable to physical challenges.
St. Matthew’s House understands that it takes more than just four walls to make a place feel like a home. They will have a team on site to connect tenants to supports which address their needs of mental health, mobility issues, food insecurity and other barriers for a more wholistic approach to community. Therefore, they are seeking funds through a Capital Campaign for The 4Twelve Barton Project. These funds will contribute to unit construction and furnishings, community food security centre, facilities and storage capacities for tenants.
For more information on the project, and to donate in support, please visit StMatthewsHouse.ca/4Twelve-Barton.
Food Strategy in Hamilton – Survey Closes July 22
Engage Hamilton is seeking community input on the Hamilton’s Food Strategy, about new food programs, and food education. The Food Strategy provides a vision for Hamilton as a city with a sustainable food system where all people at all times have economic and physical access to enough safe, nutritious food to meet their needs.
Hamilton’s Food Strategy outlines a roadmap of actions to achieve these goals based on input from the community and was adopted as a ten-year strategy in 2016. They are now halfway through this commitment and looking to assess the progress towards these goals. Residents can provide input through this survey here until July 22.
The results of this survey will be summarized in a report that will be submitted to Public Health. Your feedback will help the City determine how far this strategy has come, and where they need to focus their efforts between now and 2026.
For more information, please visit here.
Ward 3 Office Community Pop Ups – July Schedule
The Ward 3 office is “popping up” four times this month:
• Tuesday, July 12 – 1-3 pm
430 Cumberland Avenue
• Thursday, July 14 – 6:30-8:30 pm
JC Beemer (68 Victoria Avenue North)
• Tuesday, July 19 – 1-3 pm
The “Box” at St. Matthew’s House (414 Barton Street East)
• Tuesday, July 26 – 1-3 pm
Bishop’s Park (91 East Avenue South)
These Pop-Ups are an opportunity to connect one-on-one with neighbours in #OurWard3. Our objective with this roaming casework initiative is to listen to the issues that matter most to you and identify the next steps to help address them.
Please note that many issues require consultation with City Staff, so we may not be able to bring everything to immediate resolution. Where that is the case, we will be sure to follow up and keep you in the loop as we work toward getting you the answers and support you need.
Please make sure to keep your mask on when you come by. And help get the word out to our neighbours without Internet access.