International Women's Day, Temporary Shelter @ 378 Main St. E, Sidewalk Repairs, City Housing Update
Dear Neighbours,
Thank you to all who attended the Community Meeting with Hamilton Water on Feb 28 to discuss the combined sewer and stormwater misconnections and historical sewer odour issues in the Burlington St E area. Hamilton Water recorded the meeting and once they have completed their edits, we will share it.
There was also good engagement regarding the private development rental housing project in Stinson at the former Emerald Lodge. The developer (Realty Holdings Group) has listened closely to the input and my office will share updates on the file as it relates to the City approvals side in an upcoming e-newsletter.
In honour of International Women’s Day, I popped by the Eva Rothwell Centre Mom’s Group to connect with multiple generations of moms from the Keith Neighbourhood. This group was started by Carole MacVicar whose dedication and service over the years to moms and children was recently acknowledged with the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce’s 2023 Citizen of the Year Award. Carole’s unwavering commitment to people through volunteer work is a true testament to community-building. To learn more about the various programs offered at the centre, please visit their website.
Special shout out to the students and staff at Prince of Wales and Memorial elementary schools who I got to join for The Great Big Crunch event in recognition of nutrition month. Thank you also to the dedicated volunteers who help ensure kids across #OurWard3 have something good to eat everyday.
This newsletter includes a number of updates from Council and on the Temporary Shelter at 378 Main St E, sidewalk repairs, truck routes, road closures, engagement opportunities, and many events in Ward 3.
Personally, I’m looking forward to spending quality time with my daughter during her Spring Break this week. The Ward 3 Office Squad will remain responsive and available if you need any specific support.
Yours in community,
Nrinder Nann
Snowy photo of City Hall with “Hamilton” sign illuminated purple. Transparent white box in centre with navy text reads "Council & Committee Updates"
Update - Temporary Shelter at 378 Main St E
Due to labour and supply shortages the opening of the Good Shepherd women’s housing project on Arkledun has been further delayed and possession is now scheduled for April, 2023 as a result. This impacts the decommission date of the temporary women’s shelter at 378 Main St E.
On March 23rd, Housing Services staff will be recommending to Emergency and Community Services Committee that the temporary shelter remain open until May 31, 2023. This would be the absolute latest date it will remain in operation. Staff are working diligently to accomplish the transition sooner. I have confirmation that this will be the final time that City staff will recommend extending the shelter at this location and will speak to that at ECS.
In collaboration with Good Shepherd, Housing Services have already initiated shelter decommissioning plans. As residents move over to Arkledun or into other housing placements, there will continue to be fewer residents using the shelter at this location over the coming two months as no new intakes will take place.
It has been clear that the women and family shelter systems are under-resourced and will need to be ‘right-sized’ to accommodate the need we see in our communities. While staff work toward ‘right-sizing’ the system, they are also recommending that the overflow space on West Ave serve as a temporary buffer to the women and family shelter system for up to 20 residents until Dec 31, 2023, to ensure the City is not displacing unhoused residents onto the streets.
The report will be posted on the City’s website between March 17th & 20th.
I have asked Housing Services to host a Community Information meeting to answer any questions community may have. The meeting has been scheduled on March 21st from 6:30-8pm. Good Shepherd will also be in attendance.
My office has reserved space at Central Memorial Recreation Centre to host the hybrid meeting. Pre-registration will be required as there is a physical capacity of only 20 people in person.
In person - please email ward3@hamilton.ca to register to attend.
Virtual - if you would like to join online, please register here.
Sidewalk Repairs
This year, the Landsdale neighbourhood will see improvements to our sidewalk tiles with repairs and replacements. City staff have identified 126 major trip hazards in this neighbourhood. In order to ensure all the required repairs could be made, a total investment of $200,000 has been allocated from the Ward 3 Minor Maintenance account, as well as, from this year’s Capital and Operating budgets.
I will continue to put yearly funding toward neighbourhoods, improving our sidewalks so we can ensure all residents can safely get to where they are going. When this important tile replacement work is occurring, please be sure to avoid the wet concrete. If you see anyone tampering with it, please contact 905-546-CITY.
CHH Update
This term, I have the honour of serving as President of the Board of Directors for City Housing Hamilton. Last month we approved a new Strategic Plan that emphasizes investment in transformative projects across our housing portfolio to maximize social benefits and contribute to the long-term financial sustainability of the organization.
Along with my board colleagues, we will be paying close attention to addressing safety concerns, operational improvements that support positive communities across the CHH portfolio of buildings, and to ensure empty units are addressed quickly so more residents can live in dignified and affordable housing.
We are also working on a plan to have 476 units online for occupancy by the end of December, 2024.
Last week, I toured CHH’s newest building - a 103 unit building at 8 Roxanne Ave that includes 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom units. Also, 20% of the units include accessibility modifications with aging in place design considerations. The building is built to passive house standards to reduce its energy consumption, costs and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. And, it is designed to use 40% less energy and emit 44% less GHG than a traditional building.
One of my favourite interior design touches is the window sills big enough for a cozy reading nook or plant haven! These units are well designed with quality finishings, and I was also impressed with how warm the windows were to the touch on a cold day.
Tenants begin moving into the building in April with units first made available to households previously living in the former housing in the Roxborough area.
Left: Blurry picture of a blue truck driving beside a Hamilton bike lane. Right: Photo of the Barton Bus stopping at one of its stops. Transparent white box in centre with navy text reads "City Service Update"
City to Begin Installing New Truck Route Signage Next Week
Starting next week, the City will be installing new and modified truck route signage throughout Hamilton to implement the recommendations of the 2022 Truck Route Master Plan Update.
Key changes include:
the restriction of trucks over 4-axles from traveling within areas of the downtown and other parts of the lower city (Ward 3 areas of impact are King St, Main St, Sherman Ave N, as well as Victoria Ave & Wellington St up to the Claremont Access)
removal of selected streets from the truck route network
modifications to certain time of day restrictions.
These changes aim to improve overall community livability and contribute to improved environmental and public health outcomes, while supporting regional economic prosperity.
Signage installations will take approximately six weeks to complete, with over 600 signs being installed throughout Hamilton, beginning in the lower city then expanding to other areas. All installations are expected to be complete by April 30, 2023, weather permitting.
Members of the community who identify trucks disobeying the City’s By-law can report it to Hamilton Police Service via the non-emergency line at 905-546-4925.
For more details, visit:www.hamilton.ca/truckroute
Upcoming Road Closures & HSR Delays
Over the next few weeks there will be a few road closures and anticipated HSR delays for filming, water-main installation, development works, and the Around the Bay Road Race. The road closures and HSR delay details are as follows:
March 14th, 7am to 11pm - HSR Delays - Barton St. Route between Ottawa and Balmoral due to filming.
March 14th, 8am until March 16th, 5pm - King William St - from Steven St to Ashley St for a water-main installation
March 20, 9am until March 31, 2023 at 9:00pm - King William St from Wellington St to Jarvis St starting for development works.
March 26th - Around the Bay Race - expect delays from 6am to 4pm with impacts on York Blvd, Plains Rd, Queen St, Bay St, Dundurn St, King St and eastbound Nikola Tesla Blvd from Parkdale to Woodward.
Recycling & Waste Calendar & Tags Arriving Soon!
The 2023/2024 Recycling and Waste Calendar along with 12 pink trash tags will be mailed out to residents beginning Friday March 10, 2023, continuing over a two week period.
A few items highlights from the calendar for your attention:
Seasonal weekly yard waste collection resumed Monday March 6, 2023 and continues until Friday December 8, 2023. Residential yard waste can be taken for free to a Community Recycling Centre all year round.
Residents are encouraged to download the Recycle Coach Waste App and to follow our programs on social media;
An updated “What Goes Where?” sorting poster provides tips to reduce single use plastics and reporting illegal dumping;
Waste Collection Safety tips and proper disposal of hazardous waste; and
Provincial blue box program information in advance of the April 2025 transition.
As in previous years, residents can request an additional 14 trash tags to be picked up or mailed to them for use between April 2023 and March 2024. This can be done by visiting a Municipal Service Centre or City Hall, calling 905-546-CITY(2489) or by requesting them electronically.
Left: Photo of Building at 832 King St. E that is scheduled for demolition for the LRT. Right: Image of proposed Hamilton LRT vehicle driving down a street. Transparent white box in centre with navy text reads "LRT Updates"
Upcoming Building Demolition at 832 King St. E
This weekend Metrolinx began their demolition of 832 King St. E to enable works required for the Hamilton LRT project. It is scheduled to be completed by the end of March.
Residents and businesses near demolition sites can anticipate noise from excavators and construction equipment, and the removal of debris. Hours of work will be weekdays, 7am to 5pm, and the work will occur over one weekend at the start of the demolition. The contractor, Budget Demolition, will abide by all City of Hamilton bylaws for dust mitigation.
One section of sidewalk will be closed along King St E for the duration of the demolition. Pedestrians are asked to please exercise caution near all demolition areas and follow the direction of signage.
For general information, please contact Hamilton Community Engagement: 905-521-1003 Hamilton@metrolinx.com.
If you require urgent assistance after business hours, contact Del Management Solutions at 1-833-213-0813.
LRT Subcommittee
The first meeting of the LRT Subcommittee for the 2022-2026 term will take place on March 31st at 10am. I look forward to joining my colleagues along the LRT corridor on this Committee to help ensure excellence in the design, construction and communication processes. As I discussed with City Staff and Metrolinx last month, and will continue to reiterate in Committee, excellent communication with residents and businesses along the LRT corridor will be imperative as we move toward the early works and construction timelines.
Photo of a Muslim family of five walking together holding hands. Transparent white box in centre with navy text reads "Community Updates"
The Carlisle Retirement Residence Closure & Transition to Wesley
On February 21st, the Ward 3 Office received notification from the Carlisle Retirement Residence regarding their closure and the leasing of their building to Wesley - a local non-profit, offering support for people experiencing poverty, homelessness, and barriers in the community.
The private retirement home will cease operations within 120 days. The current residents are all being transitioned to new retirement homes with a fulsome approach centring the needs of residents and families. Any questions around the Carlisle Retirement Residence move can be directed to Julie Curtis at 226-935-8406.
Meanwhile, Wesley will be moving to 467 Main St E over the winter of 2023-2024. The programs they offer range from refugee resettlement, transitional housing to child care, youth and family programs. The site will provide housing primarily to newcomers who will live in individual suites with support from Wesley staff and allied professionals. The other population to receive live-in support are clients in the harm reduction and managed alcohol program who require special care.
All other Wesley programs at 52 Catharine, including the Special Care Unit, will also be moving to the new site except the Wesley Day Centre, a drop-in centre for unhoused people, which is closing on March 31, 2023. Please visit Wesley’s website for more information or email info@wesley.ca.
Graphic Images of community events. Left to right and top to bottom the graphics are: Barton Village Community Meetup on the 4th Wednesday of each month at 9:30am; Spring Bulb Show at Gage Park from March 10-March 19 free entry and parking; Barton Street Library image. Transparent white box in centre with navy text reads "Community Events"
Spring Bulb Show Kicks Off this weekend at Gage Park
Spring is in the air at the Gage Park Greenhouse. The Spring Tide Bulb Show will be in full bloom beginning this Friday, March 10 and will run until Sunday, March 19, 2023.
The theme this year is “Spring at the Cottage” and features over 45,000 plants including tulips, pansies, snapdragons, daffodils and more. Stroll leisurely among the displays or participate in our family friendly scavenger hunt.
The event this year also features a vendor marketplace, café and flower shop on site. The show is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission and parking is free, however food and monetary donations to Hamilton Food Share are encouraged.
Hamilton Public Library Barton Events
Be sure to check out all of the wonderful programs taking place @hamiltonlibrary Barton Branch this March. For program dates and times, please visit www.hpl.ca/barton.
Revitalization of HPL Barton Branch Grounds - Planning Session
Green Venture, Hamilton Public Library, the Barton Village BIA, the GALA Community Planning Team, Adele Pierre Landscape Architect, and the City of Hamilton’s Ward 3 have joined forces to continue greening Barton Village Boulevards.
This summer, the Hamilton Public Library Barton Branch will be revitalizing their outdoor space by adding more inviting and naturalized elements. Join us at 5pm on Tuesday, March 14th at the Hamilton Public Library Barton Branch to learn about the project and provide your input on design concepts for the space. More information and registration (required) at the link below!
Barton Village Community Meetups starting this spring!
Starting Wednesday March 22nd at 9:30am, the community surrounding Barton is welcome to gather together to connect, chat about ideas, share thoughts, and rally community around the incredibly valuable resource that is Woodlands Park. Join us!
Images of Opportunities for Engagement from left to right: A Black librarian smiling with the words now hiring; City of Hamilton sign in the background with a graphic of diverse people and abilities in the forefront.
Advisory Committees Recruitment
Help shape our city and join one of the various resident roles on our agencies, boards, and committees. Serving in this role enables residents to support decision making at the City. We strongly encourage applications from all equity-deserving groups, including persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2IA+, Black, Indigenous, and racialized people, and women. You can find more information here.
City Job Opportunities
The Hamilton Public Library is currently looking to hire students for their 10 Summer Literacy Worker positions. More information on the role and how to apply can be found in the job description here.
The City is currently hiring for various roles and throughout various departments. If you are interested in finding out more about which positions are available, please visit the City’s careers website.