Welcome to the May 2015 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 have.  Please don't hesitate to contact my office directly at 905-896-5011 or

[email protected].   

 

Mississauga Benefit for Nepal Earthquake Relief

May 17, 2015

12pm - 6:30pm

Streetsville Village Square (corner of Queen Street South and Main Street)

 

The benefit will be hosted by CBC and Rogers TV personality, Randy Persaud (emcee of the MARTYS 2015 Awards show), and over 25 performing acts will entertain at this FREE outdoor show.  Perfomers include Arlene Paculan, Elyse Saunders, David O'Hearn and Isaac Eng. Groups such as Time Trip, Retro Therapy, Blackboard Blues Band, Evolution, Age of Reason, Latin Train and Streetfire are also on the bill. Comedy by Jeff E, Michael Morrison, Ricardo Mejias, Azfar Ali and the Something Sketchy Comedy Troupe.

 

If you would like to make a donation to support those in Nepal, visit www.rotarymeadowvale.ca.  Donations may also be made in-person at the concert on May 17th.  ALL funds raised will go to Nepal relief and qualify not only for the Canadian government 1:1 matching; but also for Rotary Global Grant funds matching (3:5 to 1), resulting in $4.50 for every $1 raised.  Find out more on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/NepalBenefit or on Facebook "Mississauga Benefit for Nepal Earthquake Relief."  Top 

MiWay Five will lead to a transit system that reflects travel needs. It builds upon a comprehensive customer travel survey completed last year. Your input to this study-through stakeholder and public consultations-will help shape tomorrow's transit services.

 

2.    Linking destinations

MiWay Five will improve access to key destinations across the city, making it easier to use transit to get to work, school, and fun.

 

3.    Connecting neighbours

MiWay Five will look to improve transit connections with our regional neighbours. Whether it's improved service to GO Transit and TTC, or better integration with Brampton Transit, our goal is to better meet your needs.

 

4.    Getting ready for rapid transit

The Mississauga Transitway is coming and planning for the Hurontario-Main LRT is underway. MiWay Five will position the transit network to work well with our growing rapid transit services.

 

5.    Support growth

Mississauga continues to be one of the fastest growing municipalities in the country. MiWay Five will ensure transit services meet residents' needs as the city continues to grow.

As part of developing the MiWay Five plan, the City of Mississauga would like to obtain comments and feedback from Mississauga residents, so please consider attending the MiWay Five public open houses scheduled throughout the City as follows:

 

Monday, May 25, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Malton Community Centre | Hall A | 3540 Morning Star Drive

 

Tuesday, May 26, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School | Cafeteria | 2800 Erin Centre Boulevard

 

Wednesday, May 27, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Port Credit Memorial Arena | Credit Room | 40 Stavebank Road North

 

Thursday, May 28, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Mississauga Civic Centre | The Great Hall | 300 City Centre Drive

 

For more information about MiWay Five, www.miway.ca/miway5 or send an email to [email protected] .   Top  

 

I am very pleased to inform you that MP Brad Butt and I will be hosting a great safety seminar for seniors in downtown Streetsville that will be facilitated by the Peel Regional Police.  

The crime prevention experts at Peel Regional Police have designed a certificate, seminar program for seniors that is called "Safety for Seniors."  This very useful seminar covers the following important safety topics specifically geared towards seniors, including:

• Keeping yourself and your property safe
• Personal and property protection
• Cyber safety and fraud prevention with special emphasis on crime that targets seniors such as elder abuse, fraud and door to door sales

This safety seminar is offered FREE of charge and available to residents in the Region of Peel.  You must register to attend this seminar.  Please click HERE to register or click the poster to register.  The details of this seminar are as follows:

 

Safety for Seniors Seminar

Thursday, May 21, 2015, at 11:30am
Banquet Hall, Vic Johnston CC
Refreshments and snacks will be provided

 

If you are a senior, consider attending this seminar to learn some useful strategies to keep yourself and your property safe.  If you know of any seniors who may be interested in this safety seminar, please feel free to share this information with them.

 

For more information about this safety seminar, please contact Constable Thomas McKay at (905) 453-3311, ext. 4025 or e-mail at [email protected].  I look forward to seeing you on May 21st and learning some great safety tips from the Peel Regional Police. Top 

 

Spring is finally here, and I'm sure you are looking for some beautiful plants for your spring gardens!  Well, look no further than the Streetsville Horticultural Society Annual Spring Plant Sale.  The plant sale will take place on:

 

Streetsville Horticultural Society Annual Spring Plant Sale

Saturday, May 23, 2015

8:00am to 2:00pm

Leslie Log House
4415 Mississauga Rd (south of Eglinton Ave W)

 

The plant sale offers a wide variety of quality perennials, annuals, and herbs as well as bird houses and bee lodges.  If you'd like to bring the little ones, there is also children's programing and seed planting.  For more information, please visit www.streetsvillehort.ca or e-mail [email protected].  Top 

 

Spring is here, and I know you and your family are excited for the one and only Bread & Honey Festival!  The 2015 Bread & Honey Festival will be held during the weekend of June 5th to June 7th.  The 43rd annual festival promises to be the very best yet, with a spectacular lineup of performers and exciting activities for the whole family.  There is so much fun to be had at this year's festival, so be sure to head over to Streetsville Memorial Park to join in on the fun, including the Bread & Honey parade, carnival rides, games, and the delicious bread and honey.  This year, the parade takes place on Saturday, June 6th from 10am to 12pm along Queen Street South, from Britannia Road down to Church Street, so be sure to catch the great floats, characters, and costumes.  Highlights of this year's festival include the petting zoo, magicians, carnival, beach volleyball, as well as phenomenal entertainment and band performances on the main stage!

 

While you are at the Bread & Honey, don't forget to check out the Streetsville Rotary Consumer market at Vic Johnston Community Centre with over 100 vendors.  The Streetsville Rotary Club's annual Pancake Breakfast will take place on Sunday, June 7th in the Banquet Hall of the Vic Johnston Community Centre, and all funds raised will support Easter Seals.  Across the bridge--on the island--explore a wide variety of craft vendors while the kids can enjoy pony rides, face painting, inflatable bouncers, free train rides and the entertaining performers on the Busy Bee Children's Island Stage.

 

The festival wouldn't be complete without the Bread & Honey booth, so don't forget to stop by to sample the fluffy white or whole-wheat bread coated with local honey.  For the fishing enthusiasts out there, head down 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 get ready to fish for great prizes!  For more information about the festival, visit www.breadandhoney.com.  I look forward to seeing you and your family at the Bread & Honey this year!  Top 

 

The City of Mississauga will be organizing a special Official Opening Celebration to mark the opening of the Streetsville Village Square to the community.  The Streetsville Village Square Official Opening Celebration festivities will be held during the weekend of the spectacular Bread & Honey Festival, which takes place June 5th to 7th.  The Official Opening celebrations will begin with a FREE two-hour performance by Johnny Max at the Village Square on Friday, June 5th, from 7pm to 9pm. 

 

The Official Opening Ceremony will be held on Saturday, June 6th, at the Village Square, from 12pm-12:30pm, following the Bread & Honey parade and will include the Streetsville Cadet Band, the Streetsville Legion Colour Guard, and Justus singing O Canada.  After the opening ceremony, don't forget to catch the great live bands performing at the Village Square until 3pm, including the David Leask Duo and the Christian James Band, as well as buskers along Main Street and Queen Street. 

 

Please note that the following road closures will be in effect to accommodate the weekend festivities:

 

• Main Street, between Queen Street and Church Street, Friday at 4pm to Sunday at 5pm
• Queen Street South, between Thomas Street and Tannery Street, Saturday 1pm - 3pm

I look forward to celebrating with you and your family at the Village Square!  Top 

 

I am very pleased to report that Miway's Freedom Pass pilot program, which was implemented in 2014, was a huge success and will now be adopted on a full-time basis going forward.

 

As such, beginning July 1, 2015, Mississauga teens ages 12 to 14 can ride MiWay for free using the City's new Freedom Pass. Teens can take unlimited bus rides, on all routes, around Mississauga, with the exception of route 88 Wonderland. They can also use their pass to swim for free at both indoor and outdoor City-owned pools during public swim time.

 

The Freedom Pass is a great way to introduce transit to young people and encourage them to support more environmentally friendly modes of transportation.  Last year's Freedom Pass pilot project was a great success, with more than 5,000 Passes being distributed. Teens also used their pass 12,300 times at City-owned pools.  As such, this year the number of passes will be doubled, so that more young people can travel independently and explore Mississauga this summer. 

 

Freedom Pass applications will be accepted starting Friday, May 1. There will be 10,000 passes available citywide.  You can apply for your Freedom Pass as follows:

 

• visit one of the City's community centres with a valid piece of photo ID displaying proof of age (e.g. health card or passport)
• complete a Freedom Pass application form -  parental/guardian approval is needed
  a photo of the pass holder will be taken during the application process

 

For more information about the Freedom Pass, visit www.mississauga.ca/freedompass.  To plan your MiWay trip, please visit www.miway.ca or call 905-615-INFO (4636) for customized route and schedule information.  Top 

 

Courtneypark Library celebrated their 10th anniversary on April 18, 2015 and I was very pleased to celebrate this milestone with everyone in attendance.  The community was invited to partake in all the fun festivities to commemorate this special milestone.  Guests were treated to an exciting magic show, refreshments, and there were photo opportunities with special character guests, including Anne of Green Gables and the Queen of Hearts! Courtneypark Library is a great community branch library, with lots of wonderful programs and amenities for everyone to enjoy, so be sure to drop by and check out what your library has to offer.  Courtnepark Library is located at 730 Courtney Park Drive West. For more information, please call the library at 905-615-4745. Happy 10th Anniversary Courtneypark Library!  Top 

 

Our historic Village of Streetsville is home to the largest number of historic buildings in Mississauga, and they are certainly beautiful historic buildings that you should see, so be sure to check out the wonderful historical walking tours that are offered in the Village each year.  During these tours, you will get to view these properties and learn about their rich history.  The first walking tour of 2015 will take place on:

 

Historical Walking Tour

Sat. May 31, 2015

1pm-4pm

The schedule for the 2015 walking tours is as follows:

 

2015 Dates                             Time                           Type of Tour

Sunday, May 31st                   1:00 - 4:00pm              Historical Walking Tour

Saturday, June 20th               10:00 am - 1:00 pm      Historical Walking Tour

Sunday, July 19th                   1:00 - 4:00 pm             Historical Walking Tour

Friday, August 21st                 7:00 - 9:00 pm             Historical Candlelight Walking Tour

Saturday, September 12th     10:00 am - 1:00 pm      Historical Walking Tour

Sunday, October 18th             1:00 - 4:00pm              Historical Walking Tour

 

No registration is required to participate in the tours.  All tours meet at the Streetsville BIA Office, which is located at 280 Queen Street South.  For more information about the walking tours, please visit www.villageofstreetsville.com/historicalwalkingtours.  Top 

 

Mississauga among Safest Cities in Canada

Mississauga has been named one of the safest cities in Canada for the 15th consecutive year, based on research conducted by Safe City Mississauga.  "Mississauga's communities and neighbourhoods are among the safest in the country, which makes our city a great place in which to live, raise a family, or start a business.  I routinely work with City of Mississauga By-law Staff, Peel Regional Police, and Safe City Mississauga to keep our parks, streets, and schools safe for everyone, and I am very proud that Mississauga has been recognized yet again as being one of our country's safest cities," said Councillor George Carlson.

 

Each year, Safe City Mississauga releases its "Safest Cities Report," which provides information about crime and safety within Mississauga.  The report looks at crime rates and statistics; analyses of crime rates and the severity of crimes in Mississauga; and comparisons to other Canadian cities.  The "Safest Cities Report" looked at crime data from 2013 and revealed that Mississauga continues to have among the lowest crime rates among large cities in Canada and a crime rate lower than that for the nation as a whole.  In 2013, Mississauga had an overall crime rate of 2,270 per 100,000 people, which represented a 12.1% decrease from 2012's crime rate of 2,582 per 100,000 people. The majority of these incidents fell under the category of property crime (68.5%) followed by crimes against persons (18.9%) and 'other' Criminal Code offences (12.6%).  2013 represented another year of declining crime rates and a decrease in the severity index for Mississauga.  Mississauga's comparatively low rate of crime indicates that it remains one of the safest cities in Canada when compared to other high-density cities.  If you would like to view the "Safest Cities Report," please visit www.safecitymississauga.on.ca.  Top 

 

As you may know, Mississauga has been named one of the safest cities in Canada for the 15th consecutive year, based on research conducted by Safe City Mississauga.  To this end, the excellent programs and services offered by Safe City Mississauga play an important role in keeping our communities and neighbourhoods safe for everyone, and I would like to thank all of the staff at Safe City Mississauga for the excellent work that they do on a daily basis to make our city one of the safest in the country.  Safe City Mississauga offers many great programs and services to keep our communities safe, and I would like to provide you with some information on two particular programs that would be great for promoting safety in your own neighbourhood:  

 

Neighbourhood Watch
Safe City Mississauga's Neighbourhood Watch Program is a great way to rally residents together in keeping their neighbourhood safe from crime. The program comes with a Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) Audit of your neighbourhood, a community meeting with Peel Police, and crime prevention presentations, materials, and support - all at no cost. For more information, visit http://safecitymississauga.on.ca/ or call 905-615-4155 ext. 4479. 

 

Neighbours Night Out
Looking to get to know your neighbours, while building a safer, crime-free community? Look no further: Safe City Mississauga would like to help you throw your own Neighbours Night Out! Whether it's a BBQ, pot-luck, clean-up, or evening of activities, we'd like to help you bring your community closer! Our kit comes with crime prevention information and materials, a list of by-laws you'll need to know, and some goodies to get the party started! To sign up, please visit http://tinyurl.com/mtwstz4 or call 905-615-4155 ext. 4479.  Top 

 

I am very pleased to report that, as a result of the City of Mississauga's 12th Annual Accessibility Plan, 2014 was a very successful year in ensuring that Mississauga is a city that is accessible to everyone. 

 

Park playground upgrades, transportation improvements and facility renovations are some of the many ways Mississauga is creating a barrier-free community for residents, visitors and employees.  Some highlights and achievements of Mississauga's 12th Annual Accessibility Plan include:

 

• 30 park playgrounds had accessible features added like paved routes, accessible swings and transfer platforms.
• MiWay introduced electronic pre-boarding announcements. This was done three years ahead of the compliance timeline.
• Transitway stations incorporated Universal Design Principles like tactile wayfinding panels and warning indicators.
• Council approved a new Employee Recruitment policy in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) that ensures accommodations are provided throughout the employment life cycle.
• The Zoning By-law was amended to include new accessible parking space sizes and required number of accessible parking spaces for non-residential sites.
• Seven building renovation projects including Woodlands Library, Don McLean Westacres Outdoor Pool, River Grove Community Centre and Streetsville Library provide better access for persons with disabilities.
• A new fully accessible welcome desk at the Civic Centre.
• The Friends of the Library donated accessible equipment to be used throughout Mississauga's Library system like daisy disc players, magnifiers, large print keyboards and licences for Zoom Text.
• The Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) hosted the Second Annual Abilities Awards in partnership with the Abilities Ministries, Able Living, Peel Regional Police, Victorian Order of Nurses, Coalition for Persons with Disabilities, ROP and the Next Step to Active Living Program and
• Plain language training for staff to promote better understanding amongst all citizens.

For more info, about the Accessibility Plan, visit www.mississauga.ca/accessibility.  Top 

 

If you are looking for a great way to give back to the community, meet new people, learn new skills, or complete your high school volunteer hours, Volunteer MBC can certainly help you out. 

 

Volunteer MBC is a volunteer centre that serves the cities of Mississauga and Brampton, and the Town of Caledon, and provides a wide variety of services and programs to individuals who are interested in volunteering, as well as community service organizations who are looking for volunteers to help out.  Volunteer MBC offers the following programs and services to assist volunteers and community service organizations:

 

1.    A referral/matching service for volunteer placement within the community for all ages to include youth, seniors, newcomers and groups.

• Individuals who are interested in volunteering in the Region of Peel community (Mississauga, Brampton or Caledon), can search the on-line volunteer opportunity database for roles based on their areas of interest, skills or passion.
• In-person consultation with a Referral Team Specialist is also available at any one of our three convenient locations.

2.    Programming services that engage individual and team volunteering.

• Businesses and corporations who are interested in linking their employees to volunteer opportunities in the community can gain access to the Employee Volunteer Program. 

 3.    Education and support for volunteers and community service agencies and organizations

• Volunteer MBC offers a wide array of topic and issue related workshops, comprehensive and informative programs, and community outreach to help organizations engage volunteers to be part of their organizations and promote volunteerism.

For more information about Volunteer MBC and how they can help you with volunteering, please visit their website at www.volunteermbc.org.  Top 

 

Constable Thomas McKay, a specialist in Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) with the Peel Regional Police, recently wrote an excellent article on using gardening to deter criminal activity and promote safety in your community.  With the spring season in full bloom, I'm sure you must be getting your spring gardens in shape, so I thought I would share these excellent tips from Constable McKay on how to create a safer community through gardening.  I hope you find this information useful.

 

1.    Plant a tree

• Trees get people outside and encourage people to sit or stroll, become more neighborly or simply watch out for their community.  Potential troublemakers pick up on this and see a block lined with healthy trees as a tight-knit area where people look out for each other. So planting some trees could potentially deter troublemakers from your community.

2.    Take a fresh look at your property

• Take a fresh look at your property, as if you were the criminal. What opportunities do you see? Are critical views of your windows or doors from neighboring properties obscured by overgrown landscaping? Are there adult-sized hiding spots between your landscaping and accessible windows? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you should consider re-establishing those critical sightlines by pruning and/or selectively culling aggressive growing plant species in favor of more modest ones -nothing more than three feet in these circumstances fully grown

3.    Plant beautiful flower beds

• Planting flower beds allows you to spend more time in your garden where you can keep an eye out for troublemakers.  It also encourages your neighbours and individuals passing by to stop and admire your garden.  In this sense, flower beds promote natural surveillance of your property and discourage criminal activity by promoting witness potential.

4.    Develop a rapport with your neighbours

• Take full advantage of your time in the garden, to speak to neighbors, develop a rapport or otherwise take note of suspicious activity on or around their property.  It may simply be someone that doesn't belong or something that you know is out of place.  You should pass along your suspicions to Police at your earliest opportunity. This can be done by giving a quick call to Police Communications at 905-453-3311. And don't forget to call 9-1-1, if you know that a crime is happening.

5.    Protect your property

• Always remember to protect your property by keeping any exterior doors and gates that are not within your line of sight closed and locked while working around the house.

For more useful crime prevention resources from the Peel Regional Police, please visit their website at www.peelpolice.on.ca/en/crimeprevention.asp.  Top 

 

To better serve the residents of the City of Mississauga, the Peel Regional Police Records Search Unit will be expanding its services into the Square One Community Station.  These services were previously provided solely at Peel Regional Police headquarters located in Brampton.

 

Members of the public, who are seeking records checks for employment or volunteer work; such as Police Information checks, Vulnerable Sector checks, and Volunteer checks, can now acquire these services at the Square One Community Station.  The Records Search Unit is also offering some fingerprinting services.

 

The Records Search Unit at the Square One Community Station is in operation Monday through Friday, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.  The Records Search Unit will also continue to service residents at the Peel Regional Police headquarters, located at 7750 Hurontario Street, Brampton.  For more information about the Records Search Unit and its services, please visit www.peelpolice.on.ca/en/services/recordschecks.asp.  Top 

 

Spring is here, and I'm sure you and your family will be doing your fair share of gardening.  As we know, water is a natural resource that we should work very hard to conserve, so I would like to share some helpful outdoor water saving tips from the Region of Peel with you, to help you conserve water while you're out in the garden this spring and summer.

 

1. Choosing perennials, shrubs and trees will save you time and water as they grow each year and need minimal watering after they are established. Take a look at our Fusion Garden plant list for ideas.
2. Adding a three inch layer of mulch to your garden will help retain moisture in the soil.
3. Water in the early morning to help reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation.
4. Add compost to your gardens. Compost works like a sponge and will help retain the moisture in the soil. 
5. Sweep don't spray. Use a broom to clear driveways, sidewalks and patios as a great alternative to using a hose.
6. When running your sprinkler, position it to avoid watering hard surfaces like driveways and patios. 
7. Weed on a regular basis. Weeds use water and other nutrients that are needed to sustain healthy plants in the garden. 
8. Install a soaker hose or drip line. Soaker hoses and drip lines add water slowly to the garden, supporting healthy root systems and can be covered by mulch.
9. Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. The longer grass will shade the roots and help retain moisture in the soil. 
10. If you have an automated irrigation system, install a rain sensor. Rain sensors save water by turning off your system when it rains.

For more useful tips on water efficiency and conservation, please visit the Region of Peel's Water Smart Peel website at www.peelregion.ca/watersmartpeel.  Top