Ward 11 E-Newsletter - May 2017
Councillor's Message

Welcome to the May 2017 issue of my Ward 11 E-Newsletter!  I hope you find this newsletter informative.   As always, I am pleased to assist you and your family with any municipal issue that you may have.  Please don't hesitate to contact my office directly at any time at 905-896-5011 or  george.carlson@mississauga.ca .  
In This Issue...
Explore Mississauga for Free with the Freedom Pass

For a third straight year, the City of Mississauga is offering the Freedom Pass to youth ages 12 to 14. This pass provides youth with the opportunity to go swimming for free at City pools and ride MiWay free all summer long. The pass begins on July 1 and is valid through to August 31.
 
The Freedom Pass allows youth to experience the freedom of travelling on MiWay throughout Mississauga and makes it easy for youth to meet with friends for a swim at their community swimming pool and see how easy it is to ride MiWay.  You may apply for a pass as follows:
  • Visit mississauga.ca/freedompass
  • Complete the application (parent/guardian signature is needed)
  • Bring the completed application, along with a piece of photo ID displaying proof of age, to any City-operated community centre
  • A photo will be taken by the customer service staff to create a personalized Freedom Pass
For more information on the Freedom Pass, please visit www.mississauga.ca/freedompass  .   Top  
Carassauga 2017

If you and your family like to experience and learn about the vibrant cultures of Mississauga, why not head down to the 2017 Carassauga Festival this weekend?  The festival runs from Friday, May 26 to Sunday, May 28.  Carassauga the largest multicultural Festival in Ontario and is now recognized as the 2nd largest cultural Festival in Canada.  I am very pleased to advise that 2 Carassauga pavilions are located in Ward 11 as follows:
 
Canada Pavilion
Location: 101 Church St, Streetsville On, L5M 1M6
This year, the festival will feature an all NEW Canada pavilion hosted by the Streetsville Legion.  The pavilion will celebrate Canada's 150th Birthday ...from coast to coast and will feature delicious cuisine and fabulous entertainment for all.  Enjoy great food and drinks at the Coast to Coast sampler featuring Alberta ceef, Bannock, butter tarts, Maple treats, Poutine, and Jiggs Dinner.  Entertainment will include Elyse Saunders, Bryan Adams tribute band, Fiddlestix, Screeched Inn, and many more.  All weekend long, enjoy live music, historical re-enactments, traditional dance, heritage exhibits, storytelling, costume displays, food and & craft vendors and great kids activities.  For more information, please visit www.streetsvillelegion.ca   or call 905-826-8672 .
 
Portugal Pavilion
Location: Portuguese Cultural Centre of Mississauga, 53 Queen St. North of Britannia Rd.
Don't miss the wonderful cuisine, dancing, and music of Portugal at the Portugal pavilion.  Come and enjoy the long tradition of folklore dancing and take a listen to great music, such as fandango, corridinho, vira or chamarita.  To satisfy your appetite, try some grilled or baked fish, shellfish, bacalhau, Galinha no Churassco, and the famous pastel de nata.  For more information, please contact 905-286-1311 or pccmississauga@hotmail.com .   Top  
2017 Bread & Honey Festival

The Bread & Honey Festival has been a long-standing tradition of great fun for everyone since 1973.  The 2017 festival will be held on the weekend of June 2-4, so be sure to mark your calendars!  The 45th annual festival promises to be an unforgettable celebration with an amazing line-up of performers and activities and special Canada 150 programming.  On Friday, June 2, the festivities kick off with a spectacular line-up of performers on the main stage starting at 6:15pm, including LatinTrain, Nasty Habits, and Fiddlestix.  Also, don't forget to swing by the Lions Carnival, from 4pm-11pm, with spectacular rides, concessions, and games all weekend. 
 
On Saturday, June 3, catch the Bread & Honey parade at 10am, going south on Queen St. to Old Station Rd., and be sure to check out the amazing live entertainment on the main stage starting at 11am, including Stephen's Garage, Streetfire, Christian James Band, and Tomahawk Love.  The Busy Bee Children's Island Stage is back again this year on Saturday and Sunday, with great performances and activities for kids, including face painting, pony rides, train rides, kids' crafts, and more.  Don't forget to stop by the Rotary Marketplace and Home Show on Saturday and Sunday, from 11am-6pm and 10am-5pm at Streetsville Arena. 
 
On Sunday, June 4, join us for the delicious Rotary Easter Seals Pancake breakfast starting at 8:30am at Streetsville Arena and a great line-up of performers starting at 11:30am, including the Mississauga Big Band, Turbo Street Funk, and 'Sauga Teens Got Talent.  If you like fishing, head over to the banks of the Credit River on Sunday (south of the Island Bridge) from 9-11am for my annual Fishing Derby. The derby is open to children 16 and under. Please bring your own fishing gear, and fish for great prizes! 
 
The road closures for the 2017 festival are as follows:
  • Closure of Queen St South between Britannia Road West and Erin Centre Boulevard between 9am and 1pm on Saturday June 3, 2017
  • Closure of Church Street between Queen Street and Old Pine Street from 9am Saturday June 3, 2017 to 6pm Sunday June 4, 2017
  • Closure of Millcreek Drive between HoganDrive and Britannia Road on Saturday June 3, 2017, from 7am to 12:00pm
  • Closure of Bristol Road between Rivergrove Avenue and The Credit River Bridge on Saturday June 3, 2017 from 9am to 1:00pm
  • Closure of Main Street between Queen Street South and Church Street from 9:00am to 7:00pm on Saturday June 3, 2017 and  Sunday June 4, 2017 ......Thomas Street eastbound closed at Broadway Street 9am to 1pm
The road closures and restrictions for the 2017 Bread & Honey Races are as follows:
  • Queen St. S. FULL CLOSURE Britannia Road to Erin Centre Blvd.  - 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
  • Northbound lanes will be open to traffic from Thomas Street to Britannia Road after 8:30 (when last runner clears Queen St)
  • Queen St. S. SOUTHBOUND LANE CLOSURE Britannia Road to Erin Centre Boulevard - 7:00am to 10:30am
  • RESTICTED ACCESS - Erin Mills Parkway - Britannia Road to Eglinton Avenue
  • RESTICTED ACCESS - Eglinton Avenue - Erin Mills Parkway to Creditview Road
  • RESTICTED ACCESS - Creditview Road - Eglinton Avenue to Brittania Road
  • RESTICTED ACCESS - Britannia Road - Creditview Road to Erin Mills Parkway
For info about the 2017 festival, visit www.breadandhoney.com .  See you at the Bread & Honey!   Top  
2017 Streetsville Canada Day Celebration

This year marks Canada's historic 150th birthday, and what better way to celebrate this national milestone than at the 2017 Streetsville Canada Day celebration!   The Streetsville Canada Day celebration will be held on Saturday, July 1, 2017.  This is the 25th annual Canada Day celebration, and it will feature an amazing fireworks display with music by Canadian artists and fun activities and performances for all.  The Streetsville Canada Day celebration is FREE, and celebrations will begin at 6pm at Streetsville Village Square.  Children can enjoy many fun and exciting activities, including balloon animals, face painting, children's entertainers, magicians, carnival games, mascots, clowns, kiddie and adult striker games, craft tables, artwork stations, and more.  Check out the spectacular live musical and dance performances on the main stage and grab a delicious bite to eat at the Rotary BBQ.  At 7pm join in for the Lion's Club Cake cutting and singing of "Happy Birthday!"  At the end of the night, enjoy the outstanding fireworks display at Memorial Park at 10pm.   
 
The success of Streetsville's Canada Day celebration would not be possible without the hard work of our community volunteers.  This event is run by community volunteers who organize all of the activities.  If you would like to volunteer at the 2017 celebration, please contact the Streetsville B.I.A. at info@villageofstreetsville.com or 905-858-5974.  For more information about Streetsville's Canada Day celebration, please visit www.villageofstreetsville.com .  I look forward to celebrating with you and your family on July 1st!   Top  
Streetsville Historical Walking Tours

Did you know that Streetsville is home to the highest concentration of historical buildings in Mississauga?  This summer, why not enjoy the gorgeous weather by discovering the rich history of Streetsville by going on a historical walking tour?  The tour details for this summer are as follows:
  • Saturday, June 17th  ~ 10am-1pm
  • Sunday, July 16th ~ 1-4pm
  • Friday, August 18th  ~ 7pm-9:30pm Candlelight Walking Tour
  • Saturday, September 30th  ~ 10am -1pm
All walks are FREE of charge and no pre-registration is required.  Walks begin at the Streetsville BIA office - 280 Queen Street South.  For more information, please visit www.villageofstreetsville.com .   Top  
Second Annual Older Adult Expo

If you are a senior or know any seniors, you may be interested to know that the City of Mississauga, in partnership with the Older Adult Advisory Panel and the Community Centre Older Adult Committees, is hosting the Older Adult Expo on June 6. The Expo will kick off Seniors' Month celebrations in Mississauga. The event will feature more than 50 vendors, an exciting Seniors' Got Talent Show, technology advice, information sessions, fitness demonstrations and more.  The details of the expo are as follows:
 
2017 Mississauga Older Adult Expo
Tuesday, June 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Hershey Community Rinks
5600 Rose Cherry Pl.
Mississauga, ON
 
The expo is FREE for Older Adults (55+).  The Older Adult Expo is an opportunity for older adults to socialize and learn about new technologies, products, services and programs.  To make it easier for older adults to attend, the City will provide a free shuttle service from various community centres around the city.  For more information about the event, visit www.mississauga.ca/olderadults .   Top  
Cycling Master Plan Open Houses
 
Do you and your family enjoy cycling?  The City of Mississauga has kicked off Does Cycling Move You - a project that will update the Cycling Master Plan. As part of that process, the Active Transportation team will host drop-in open houses to seek public input on the future of cycling in our City. The project team will be available to answer questions.  This is a great opportunity for residents to provide important feedback about cycling in Mississauga.  The details of the open houses are as follows:
 
Does Cycling Move You - Open House  #1
Wednesday June 21, 2017
3:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Living Arts Centre, BMO Room
 
Does Cycling Move You - Open House  #2
Wednesday September 27, 2017
3:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Living Arts Centre, BMO Room
 
Residents can also learn more about the Does Cycling Move You project by visiting the project website at www.doescyclingmoveyou.ca .  You may also provide your feedback online, via the an online survey, which is available at   https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mississaugacyclingsurvey  .   Top  
Funding Provides Improved Access to New Technology and Resources at Mississauga Libraries
 
I am very pleased to report that the Mississauga Library System was awarded approximately $76,000 in one-time grant funding from the Government of Ontario as part of the Ontario Libraries Capacity Fund . The grant helps libraries evolve with technology while improving access to digital and information technology (IT) resources for people of all ages.
 
Local library branches are popular neighbourhood hubs, offering quality programs and services enjoyed by residents of all ages. This investment will help improve our library services by introducing new technology and resources that are needed in today's digital world.
 
As one of Canada's largest library systems, all 18 City-owned libraries in Mississauga benefited from the grant funding as follows:
  • expand the Library's Maker Mississauga coding and robotics initiatives;
  • provide scanner capabilities to users;
  • introduce a new children's edutainment software system - creating a safe and stimulating environment where kids can improve their computer literacy at their own pace;
  • expand the collection of Daisy Readers for library users with print disabilities; and
  • grow the collection of eBooks.
The grant funding provided users with access to new tools, technology and resources that inspire lifelong learning and generate an interest in technology.  O ne of the areas that has really benefited from funding is the Maker Mississauga initiative. For more than two years, Maker Mississauga has provided inspiring programs on a variety of topics while continuing to build interest and develop skills in STEM-education.  More than 10,000 residents participated in the program last year.   For more information about the Mississauga Library System and its programs and services, visit www.mississauga.ca/library   .   Top  
Get Involved with the Mississauga City Youth Council
 
If you are a young person who wants to make your community a better place for youth, you may be interested in getting involved with the Mississauga City Youth Council (MCYC).  The City's Youth Council focuses on issues of importance to the youth of the city and works to ensure a better future.  

I am very pleased to announce our Youth Councillor for 2016-2018, Malvika Aeron.  Malvika is actively involved in making her school a better place by being involved in several initiatives.  Her dream for Ward 11 in the next couple years envisions an inclusive, respectful and closely connected community where everyone strives to make the youth of the community stronger and more independent. She wants to work with the youth closely to address problems they face every day in schools, neighbourhoods, etc. Please feel free to contact her regarding anything you think should be brought to the City Council's notice or the ward representative's notice; she may be reached at malvika.aeron@thecyc.ca .  For more information about the MCYC, please visit their website at www.mississauga.thecyc.ca .   Top  
Councillor George Carlson| | george.carlson@mississauga.ca | 300 City Centre Drive
Mississauga, ON   L5B 3C1