Depave Barton Project, Inclusionary Zoning, Vaccine Clinics, Barton Village Festival, & more
Dear Neighbour,
It was great to see so many of you virtually this past Tuesday during Coffee With Your Councillor for a live Q & A with Mike Field, Director (Acting), Transportation Operations & Maintenance. We gathered questions sent in by neighbours by email, on social media, and in the comments section during the live forum – thank you to all who engaged. Director Field shared his knowledge on the City’s road maintenance and operations, safer streets, and by-law regulations.
If you missed it, please watch the video here and check out the Transportation Operations & Maintenance webpage for more information.
I want to remind neighbours that my office is launching neighbourhood based Ward 3 Office Pop-Ups starting today, Friday, May 27th at 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. We will be set up at the “box” outside St. Matthew’s House on 414 Barton St E. When you come by please remember to keep your mask on.
This newsletter includes updates from Council and Committee regarding Inclusionary Zoning and a continuation of the Depave Barton initiative. As well as, vaccine clinic opportunities across Ward 3, City service updates, engagement opportunities and some exciting events coming in June.
Yours in Community,
Councillor Nrinder Nann
Inclusionary Zoning & OPA
Inclusionary zoning is a municipal planning tool granted by the province that enables cities to require private developers to include affordable housing in their builds.
The call for Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) has been championed locally by the Just Recovery Coalition and many more for years, prior to the pandemic. Certainly, IZ alone is not enough, however it is one tool towards addressing the housing crisis we face in Hamilton.
We discussed it at the LRT Sub Committee last week and ratified it at Council this week to include the stations stops along the LRT and Go stations into the Municipal Comprehensive Review.
I remain committed to working together with Council and the community for a policy that indicates a bold percentage of affordable units per build, clear incentives to support those builds, and ensures the city is using every tool available to us to deliver affordable and mixed housing communities that give all a place to belong.
Depave Barton Projects Continue
I’m proud to support the third Depave Barton project in #OurWard3. At GIC Committee Meeting on May 18, 2022 I moved to allocate funds towards the third Depave Barton initiative.
Green Venture is a registered not-for-profit charity focused on empowering Hamiltonians to implement greener practices in their homes and community to make our City a climate champion. They have been leading the depave Barton initiative in partnership with the Barton Village BIA for the past three years. Together, they have worked to depave city boulevards, plant trees and gardens, and install seating areas in order to reduce stormwater runoff, mitigate climate change, and beautify the Barton Village area.
The continuation of the depave initiatives is very well celebrated, and is a source of pride for residents and adjacent businesses that have agreed to take on these projects on Barton. It is also well celebrated through the Barton Village Festival. This project not only brings together volunteers, but also gives residents an educational opportunity to better understand how landscaping can have a direct impact on quality of life. Most importantly, depaving initiatives contribute to placemaking, where parts of the lower city have seen areas paved over and benches removed historically. This is bringing life and community back, and is very much in line with some of our principles around Complete Streets as well.
My motion to provide financial support in the amount of $50,000 for a new Depave Barton project was approved at Council this past Wednesday, May 25.
Vaccination Availability
As of April 7, 2022, 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.
Appointments can be booked up to 14 days in advance. Additional appointments are added daily.
Individuals age 30 and over will be offered the Moderna vaccine when arriving at a vaccine clinic; however individuals can request to receive the Pfizer vaccine. Pfizer vaccine will continue to be offered to those under the age of 30.
Vaccine Clinics in Ward 3
Please see below for clinic opportunities across Ward 3. For a full list of clinics across the City, please see here: hamilton.ca/GetYourVaccine.
WALK-IN CLINICS (No Appointment Required)
Hamilton Public Library, Barton Branch - 571 Barton St. E.
(operated by Refuge Newcomer Health, DJNO, HCCI + partners).
Saturday, May 28 - 12 pm to 3 pm
No appt or health card required, interpretation, transportation + more supports available - email covidvaccine@newcomerhealth.ca or call 905-526-0000 (Ages 5+)
St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church – 440 King St E, Hamilton, ON L8N 1C6
Friday, May 27 – 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm
(Outdoor clinic, dress for the weather) (Ages 5+)
Mission Services - 196 Wentworth St. N.
(use Good Food Centre/Community Services entrance)
Every Wednesday - 10 am to 12 pm
No appt or ID required, wheelchair accessible, support available in Spanish + booster shots to those eligible.
(Ages 12+)
APPOINTMENT ONLY CLINIC
De dwa da dehs nye>s Aboriginal Health Centre - 678 Main St E
Fridays (check DAHC website for all clinic dates and times)
For those age 12+, book appointment online at aboriginalhealthcentre.com/covid19info
For those age 5-11, book an appointment by emailing covid19vaccine@dahac.ca or calling 905-544-4320 Ext. 399.
PHARMACY CLINICS
There are a number of Ward 3 pharmacies participating in the vaccine clinics. Please see here: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations and enter your postal code to find the pharmacy closest to you.
Recreation Facilities to Resume Regular Access – June 6
In alignment with provincial changes, all City of Hamilton recreation facilities will resume regular access and admission processes for services starting June 6, 2022. Reservations will no longer be an option for drop-in programming.
Residents can access drop-in programs upon arrival at all recreation centre customer service counters across the city. Should emergency measures be reinstated for capacities, gatherings, or contact tracing, reservation requirements for drop-in programs will resume.
The return to pre-pandemic admission procedures will reduce barriers to access programs for those challenged with technology or internet access. This will also allow for improved customer service when arriving at a recreation facility, assist the City in returning Free programs and swims, and to resume regular capacities for programs.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Recreation General Information by email at recreation@hamilton.ca or call 905-546-2424 ext. 3747.
Service Line Warranty Program
Service Line Warranties of Canada (SLWC) is a private company that provides optional water and/or wastewater warranty plans to homeowners. The City of Hamilton has moved forward to work with SLWC to offer optional warranty plans to residents.
The warranty program makes optional affordable protection available to residents for unexpected costs of repairing or replacing non-functioning water and service lines, as well as, broken interior plumbing and drainage systems. It also functions to educate residential property owners about their responsibilities for the maintenance, repair and replacement of water and sewer service lines (from their homes to the property line).
To learn more about the program, optional plans available, and the City’s participation/relationship with SLWC, please visit here.
Community Benefits Charges Strategy – Share Input Before June 2022
The City of Hamilton has begun work to establish a new Community Benefits Charge (CBC) Strategy and By-law under the Planning Act. A CBC is a financial contribution that is paid to the municipality when land is being developed. This charge will be used to fund a service or facility that will benefit the community, the new development and the incoming population.
To set a community benefits charge, the City of Hamilton must develop a community benefits charge strategy that identifies the facilities, services, and matters that will be funded with CBCs and comply with prescribed requirements, as well as, pass a by-law. The By-law draft document is available now for public review and feedback.
The proposed Community Benefits Charge Strategy and By-law will be presented in June 2022 for consideration and must be passed by City Council prior to the end of the statutory transition period on September 18, 2022. For more information, please visit here.
New Truck Routes Comment Period – Ends June 17
I remain proud to have delivered this massive win for our communities to take heavy trucks out of our neighbourhoods. The updated Truck Route Network and Truck Route Master Plan Study Report was ratified by Council on April 13, 2022.
The network map and Report are available for public review and input now until June 17. Residents can provide written comments to Omar Shams, Project Manager, Transportation Planning, at transportation@hamilton.ca. If you would like to review the documents and comment in person, please see here for the list of locations.
The study is exploring opportunities to advance the safe and efficient passage of trucks in Hamilton, to support economic activities and the movement of goods while balancing the needs of residents and communities. The master plan will recommend an updated truck route network and will outline supporting policies and strategies.
For further details, and to learn more about the objectives of the Truck Route Master Plan Review, please visit here.
Ward 3 Complete Streets Review – Community Consultation – June 23
Please save the date to join us on Thursday, June 23 from 6:30 pm to 8 pm for a virtual community meeting to review the Ward 3 Complete Streets Report. The staff presentation will include recommendations from community-informed areas of concern and traffic studies.
Residents will have an opportunity to provide input on potential design interventions to enhance safety and reduce speed. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions.
For more information and to register in advance, please email our office at ward3@hamilton.ca.
Bike Month – “Bike Thru” – May 30
Hamilton’s Annual Bike Day will return in person on Monday, May 30 at City Hall Forecourt (71 Main St. West) between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. Residents are welcome to join the hundreds of cyclists who will converge onto City Hall from across the city on May 30, for a “Bike Thru”. Refreshments will be available while supplies last. To register, please see here.
It’s also the kick-off event to celebrate the annual Bike Month, which runs from throughout June. To view the event calendar and details, please visit here.
All are encouraged to register online, and pledge to cycle on Bike Day or during Bike Month, to win 1 of 3 prize packs which includes a $100 VISA gift card. Please visit hamilton.ca/BikeMonth for details.
Barton Village Festival – June 11
The Barton Village Festival is returning to the streets on June 11, 2022! It has been over two years since the Barton Village BIA has been able to have the festival, and they are eager to bring back everything that made this event so special in the past. In six years, the festival has grown from a small gathering in Woodlands Park, to 20,000+ people enjoying a car-free Barton Street. Each year brings exciting new opportunities for all to enjoy.
Please join in saving the date, and look forward to lots of great food, vendors, entertainment, art, children’s activities, and much more.
For more information, please visit the Barton Village website, and festival page.