Dear Residents,

For those in our community feeling conflicted as to how to celebrate our country we are so Blessed to live in. First Nations Indigenous peoples are experiencing deep sadness and grief from the recent finding of Indigenous children’s bodies in mass graves. As part of Canada Day, it is important that we look to First Nations peoples to lead our community in ways to show we can respect their rights and show meaningful support to them. The Brantford Region Indigenous Support Centre is hosting an “Every Child Matters” peaceful march on Canada Day, Thursday July 1st at 11am to march in unity to the Mohawk Institute. Meeting at the Civic Centre parking lot at 11:00 am, the march will begin at 12:00 pm and conclude at the Mohawk Institute. I encourage everyone to attend and show their support at the march, lead by the Brantford Region Indigenous Support Centre.

We are stronger together.

Kind Regards,
Councillor Judi Partridge
Welcome~Boozhoo~Miigwetch

Dear Residents,

This week on Sunday June 27, we celebrate Canadian Multiculturalism Day. I encourage everyone to reflect on the diverse communities we are so Blessed to have in Waterdown, Flamborough, Hamilton and beyond. With the discovery of more Indigenous graves across Canada, it is hard to reconcile the grief and the multitude of feelings that come with it. Now more than ever, it is important to embrace all of our neighbours, friends, brothers and sisters, in all cultures and religions, to ensure they feel the support of our community. Learning our history and valuing our multiculturalism are vital ~ we are stronger together. God Bless Everyone and God Bless Canada.

Kind Regards
Councillor Judi Partridge
Welcome~Boozhoo~Miigwetch

Dear Residents,

A motion that staff and I put together (https://bit.ly/2RUoS1f) , presented today at Public Works Committee meeting, was unanimously approved to direct staff to bring back aerial spraying in their plans to combat gypsy moth larvae and caterpillars hatching in springtime. As I am not on the committee, Councillor Ferguson and Councillor VanderBeek moved it for me while I attended. Staff will bring it into the 2022 budget and control program.

The infestation is the worst I’ve seen. Hiking through Valen’s on the weekend and on our own rural property, the caterpillars eating the leaves sounds like rain in the forest. Trees foliage everywhere are devastated. The city and conservation not aerial spraying this spring to combat gypsy moth larvae and caterpillars, really got it wrong this year.

Staff are continuing to ground spray trees on public lands around Freelton and other areas across Flamborough and Hamilton, using a natural herbicide Bacillus thuringiensis ‘kurstaki’ (BTK), as well as doing egg mass removal, scraping, burlap banding for city trees and some parks. For more information, please click here: https://bit.ly/3cD1Pze

Kind Regards
Councillor Judi Partridge
Welcome~Boozhoo~Miigwetch

Councillor Partridge encourages residents to please have your say and attend the final Waterdown Secondary Plan Study virtual public meeting on Thursday June 17, 2021, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm on WebEx (Pre-Registration Required) for the Phase 3 / final presentation of the draft Secondary Plan, Urban Design Guidelines, and the recommendations of the Cultural Heritage Review.

As this is the final presentation, this will be YOUR last chance and call for your feedback before these plans and guidelines go to Council for approval. The deadline for providing comments and feedback online at this link for Phase 3 materials is June 30th.

Background: The overall population of Waterdown has been growing significantly and further growth is expected in the future. To deal with these opportunities and challenges, a long term land use plan is being created for the Waterdown Community Node to help guide change, providing direction for the future form and function of the area.

Learn more here.

As part of the ongoing consultation with residents for the Truck Route Master Plan Review across the city of Hamilton, staff are holding the second city-wide Virtual Public Information Centre (PIC) for this project on Thursday June 24, 2021 from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Materials will be available at the project web page from June 17 to July 9, 2021. For more information, please click here.

The study is exploring opportunities to advance the safe and efficient passage of trucks across the city, 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.

The study is being conducted in accordance with the requirements of Phases 1 and 2 of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment, which is an approved process under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act.

The Hamilton Public Health Services mobile vaccination team has implemented a “Book One, Bring One” option for the below mobile pop-up vaccine clinics from June 8 to June 14, 2021. In order to increase access to the COVID-19 vaccine across Hamilton, every youth aged 12-17 that has a booked appointment can bring an individual aged 12+ along as a walk-in. This additional individual (a friend, parent, sibling, grandparent, etc.) can receive a first dose of vaccine, or a second dose if currently eligible to do so.

• Harry Howell Twin-Pad Arena, 27 Hwy 5 W., Flamborough – June 11
• Bernie Morelli Recreation Centre, 876 Cannon St. E. – June 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
• Norman Pinky Lewis Recreation Centre, 192 Wentworth St. N. – June 8, 9, 11
• Ancaster Rotary Centre, 385 Jerseyville Rd W., Ancaster – June 9
• Dundas Community Centre, 29 Market St. S, Dundas – June 10
• Glanbrook Arena, 4300 Binbrook Rd., Binbrook – June 12, 13
• Sackville Hill Seniors Recreation Centre, 780 Upper Wentworth St. – June 12, 13, 14

Booking an appointmentAppointments for the above clinics can be booked through the Provincial online booking system found at www.hamilton.ca/VaccineBooking or by calling the Provincial call centre at 1-888-999-6488. 

For those who do not have a Green Ontario photo health card, please call the Public Health Services COVID-19 Hotline at 905-974-9848, option 7 to book an appointment. Due to potential call volumes expected at the call centre, the City of Hamilton encourages everyone to self-register online if able to so, it’s the quickest process to get an appointment. The hotline is trying to focus on those without health cards and those without computer access.

Recently in Waterdown, a racist incident occurred toward a mother and her child. It is beyond disgusting and abhorrent. Let me be clear, there is no room any time or any place for this completely unacceptable behavior toward another person – racist acts, hate crimes/attacks must be reported to police. 

The attack in London, Ontario this week is hard for me to process. Many of you may feel the same way. I find myself incredibly angry, despondent and sad almost at the same time. But also an urgency to take action. A beautiful family of five was targeted while out for an evening walk, run down with a truck and murdered. Only their 9 year old child survived. Let’s call it what it is, a terrorist attack and a hate crime against a Muslim family.  

We must call out racist behavior and hold ALL those responsible to account for ANY racist harassment and actions towards another person – this is non-negotiable. We all have an obligation to hold everyone in our communities responsible and must take every step to make communities and cities safe places to live. When we do nothing, we are guilty, we enable racism. 

Please report all racism/racist Hate Crimes and incidents to police for their investigation so that action can be taken swiftly – report online at https://hamiltonpolice.on.ca/…/report-hate-crime-online , or call 905-546-4925 – in emergencies please call 911.

Kid’s Help Phone:
1-800-668-6868
Text 686868

Human Rights Legal Support Centre:
Toll Free: 1-866-625-5179
Website: www.hrlsc.on.ca

We can do better, and we must do better.

To safely complete bridge repairs, the City of Hamilton has reduced the Dundas St E bridge in Waterdown between Mill St and Reynold St to one lane in each direction. The construction began end of May and will take place until approximately mid to late June.

Once the repairs are complete, the Dundas St E bridge will remain as a two-way road with single lanes in the east and westbound direction.

Service delays are expected to occur on HSR Route 18 – WATERDOWN during the work and passengers should allow extra time for travel.

The City of Hamilton thanks motorists, pedestrians and cyclists for their patience as we complete these important infrastructure repairs.

The City will be installing “No Parking Anytime” restrictions on both sides of Main Street South from Griffin Street to Thomson Drive. This change is necessary to address parking concerns created by visitors to nearby Smokey Hollow waterfalls. This is considered a temporary change and will be monitored over the next 6 months.  Please note that alternative parking is available at neighbouring Sealy Park for those residents who periodically rely on on-street parking for their guests.

Staff expect the new parking signs to be in place sometime before the end of July 2021. Once the signs are installed, Parking Enforcement will be monitoring as part of the Waterfall enforcement project.  

As this is a significant change and over the next six months, we welcome feedback from area residents about its impact and whether residents would support keeping it in place permanently.  

Residents can provide feedback in one of two ways: by email: parkingsurvey@hamilton.ca , or by calling: 905-546-2424 extension 6018

Whether providing feedback by email or phone, we ask residents to include their name and address along with their comments. The email and phone line will be monitored for responses over the next six months. All responses will be documented.  

Those who know me, know I have a passion for our heritage and history so I am pleased to share that 12 historical plaques are underway with planned installation throughout 2021-2022 in the Waterdown Village Heritage District and at significant Flamborough heritage landmarks. Two plaques are provisionally complete for Waterdown Memorial Hall and Waterdown Memorial Park for installation this summer, with plaques for Sealy Park, Waterdown Heights subdivision, The Great Fire/Fires and the 2020 Solidarity March to come by the Fall.

The Task Force doing creative design, writing and research includes the Waterdown BIA, Flamborough Archives and The Waterdown-East Flamborough Heritage Society, working together with myself and staff. These heritage plaques will be wonderful reflections of our rich history that everyone will be able to enjoy around our Waterdown village and perhaps result in a Heritage Walk event throughout our wonderful community of Waterdown.