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Oakville Ward 3 Councillors Update 
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November 2019
Letter From Your Councillors
NO AMALGAMATION!.

Premier Ford and Minister Clark announced Friday morning that they will not force a top down approach to municipal governance.  Simply stated,  we remain the Town of Oakville and the Region of Halton.  Hallelujah!

Our thanks to We Love Oakville and to the more than 4400 citizens that sent in letters to the Minister championing local governance. Onward to continuing to take care of our great town and the challenges we face.

We share lots of information in this newsletter: Downtown update, Stormwater Management Master Plan, Infrastructure funding applications, great local events including Tree Lighting and Santa Claus Parade and more.

Stay well 
Dave and Janet
Important Dates
 
Nov 4 Colouring Contest Submissions due Town Hall
Nov 5 Council Meeting: Community Infrastructure Grants Town Hall
Nov 11 Remembrance Day St George’s Square
Nov 15 Tree lighting and Holiday Market Centennial Square
Nov 16 Santa Claus Parade Lakeshore Road
Nov 21 Deadline for Winter Windrow Seniors Applications  
Dec 3  Budget Delegations: 9 am and 7 pm Town Hall
TINY TOTS PARADE AT CENTENNIAL SQUARE
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Downtown Update
As many of you know the construction on Lakeshore Road and Navy has had its challenges. As of Friday morning,  the Town staff are committing to the following:
Lakeshore road will be open and construction removed in time for the Santa Claus parade. Navy to Thomas will be complete and the contractor has now deployed additional crews dedicated to the Thomas to Dunn block.  At our last meeting of Council, staff was directed  to provide a comprehensive report on lessons learned and Phase 2 recommendations. This was unanimously supported by Council and the report will be received on Dec 16th.  In addition, Town staff are meeting with local merchants on Nov 25th to discuss lessons learned and Phase 2. 
As we count down to completion let's get our shopping lists ready: the merchants are eagerly awaiting your return.
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Storm Water Master Plan
Oakville Town Council approved the staff report that highlighted the findings and recommendations in the town’s innovative Stormwater Master Plan (SWMP) called "Be Rain Ready". The SWMP focuses on the town’s more established community areas where storm water infrastructure systems tend to be older and designed to a standard reflective of the era in which they were built. Understanding the condition and limitations of these systems allow us to determine what needs to be improved to ensure these systems remain stable and functional while minimizing exposure to the risk of urban flooding.
The SWMP identifies immediate and long-term actions to enhance the town’s approach to stormwater management and climate change issues. It also provides advice to property owners on what they can do themselves to reduce flood risk and flood damage on their property.

The SWMP has three key phases to the study. Phase 1 assessed the condition of the existing stormwater system and collected background data. Phase 2 (recently completed) assessed the performance of the stormwater system to identify vulnerabilities, opportunities to decrease flood risk, and advice on best management practices for managing our systems in light of land use changes (e.g. infill development, land redevelopment) and climate change (e.g. increased rainfall frequency and intensity).

Phase 3 of the study will examine funding opportunities and options to support the implementation of the plan.
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Fall Loose leaf Collection
If it's your zone's collection week, please place loose leaves on the boulevard/shoulder of the road, not on catch basins, in bike lanes or in ditches. Remember to keep twigs out of the pile.  For details, please visit https://www.oakville.ca/residents/loose-leaf.html
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Investing in Canada:  Infrastructure Funding - Transit
Council approved the town’s application for transit funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) to purchase electric buses, and enhance/acquire new technology to improve the overall efficiency of transit operations and customer service.
Projects approved under this program would receive funding of 40 per cent from the federal government and 33.33 per cent from the Province. Municipalities who receive funding would be responsible for 26.67 per cent of the capital costs of any approved project, with initiatives to be started and completed within the next seven years (2020 to 2026).
 
The town will submit an application to support the purchase of more than 60 battery electric buses (BEBs) over the next seven years as well as other technology and infrastructure projects. If the application is approved, the town will receive $48.6 million in ICIP funding, with the capital projects to be referred to the town’s 2020 Budget Committee for review.
 
As a first step, staff is recommending that the town purchase six small capacity, fully accessible BEBs and the required light-duty charging infrastructure in 2020. Oakville Transit will also conduct a comprehensive needs assessment for heavy-duty electric buses to be added to its fleet.
 
“ICIP funding will support the town’s efforts to introduce green transit technology and could result in a complete transition to a fully electric bus fleet in Oakville by 2035,” said Barry Cole, director, Oakville Transit. 
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Investing in Canada:  Infrastructure Funding - Community, Culture & Recreation Stream
A Special Council workshop was held on Oct. 16th to discuss possible submissions for this grant funding stream. (see item 3 of the agenda) Several groups came forward to share their group infrastructure needs including Gymnastics club, Soccer club, Cricket club, LOST swimming and O’Connor Running group, Oakville Galleries and a basketball court request. We also reviewed those in the Capitol forecast which are numerous and already Town approved projects.  Finance is reviewing all of possibilities against the Federal and Provincial eligibility guidelines. All of the requests have merit and we have to make decisions based on what has the strongest business case against the criteria. We can choose to submit several applications. Finance will report back to Council on Nov 5.

We draw your attention to one submission which impacts the old Hospital Land development. The Town has been looking for a community use for old Oakville Trafalgar high school. A completed construction assessment for restoring this significant heritage building is a minimum of 24 million. As many of you know the Oakville Galleries has been seeking a location for several years to bring the collection under one roof, showcase additional collections that they do not have space for today  and allow them to continue to support community programs. They have come forward with a business proposal to restore old OT to museum standard (34 million). They are able to sustain the increased operating costs and have a capitol fundraising plan. If they are chosen for submission and successful in the grant application, a significant amount of the capital to restore the high school will be available. Calgary received 75% funding in a similar restoration. While decisions remain to be made and the province vets the submissions before they move to the Federal granting committee, we wanted you to be aware of this opportunity as it relates to the re-development of those lands.
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Remembrance Day Nov 11 11:00 am
Join us for celebration of the courage and commitment of those who have served our country and supported them at home. 11am Nov 11. The parade route has changed for this year. It will start at Wallace Park go south on  Reynolds, turn right onto Sumner and right onto Trafalgar stopping at the cenotaph at George's Square. The Oakville Historical Society (who kindly provided us with our former Mayor Barrett's photo bio) have curated a series of photos on large display panels to share with everyone. Lest we forget.
 
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Oakville pier closed for lighthouse replacement
The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) - (Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada) has determined that the lighthouse on the east pier in Oakville Harbour has come to its end of life and is in the process of being replaced. This work includes remediation of the concrete base and replacement of the metal structure and its infrastructure (lights, etc.). An alternate lit navigation aid ( as shown in this picture) will be in place while the work is being completed.
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Charterability Fundraiser Nov 2
Tickets still available for HELP FLOAT THE BOAT Dinner and Dancing fundraiser on Nov. 2. Proceeds will support purchasing a new Accessible Pontoon boat. Contact Charterability at 905 844 7208 or email info@charterability.com 
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The time honoured tradition of the Santa Claus Parade continues Sat Nov 16. 9 am. If you have budding artists click here to learn about the colouring contest. Deadline for submissions is Nov 4. 
 
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Driveway Snow Windrow Clearing
We hate to mention snow while we are enjoying the great fall weather but the deadline for Seniors to apply for the Winter Windrow clearing is Nov 21.The program runs between December 1 and March 31.

Further information and the application can be found here, 
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Rotary Online Auction
Want to support Rotary, and start your Christmas Shopping as well? Check out the Rotary Online Auction. Bidding for items goes live on November 2nd.
 
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Oakville Symphony Season Opening Nov 2/3
The Oakville Symphony hopes you will join them on either Nov 2 or 3 for their opening concerts.
 The evening will feature two melodic and Celtic influenced orchestral works. Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy and Mendelssohn’s sublime Symphony #3 (The Scottish) are the perfect way to open their  52nd season.
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Oakville Chamber Orchestra Nov 16/17
On November 16th and 17th, the Oakville Chamber Orchestra will be presenting their second concert of this season. You can expect three rhythmically exciting and dramatic works by Mozart, (with young phenom soloist, Richard Gao on piano), Haydn and J.S. Bach's most famous son, Carl Philipp Emanuel. Excellent live classical music, great value, and free parking! Saturday evening at St. Simon's and Sunday matinee at St. John's. Tickets available at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. 
 
Oakville Choral
Reflections: Rediscovering the Women of Classical Music
Oakville Choral’s concert program for December 2019 presents wonderful music by siblings Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn, and by Bach and Mozart.
The program puts focus on neglected female composers some of whom, such as Ana Magdalena Bach and Maria Anna Mozart, are known to us only as the wife or sister of a celebrated male composer. Where no works by these talented women survive, we look for reflections of their presence in the music of the men in their lives.
Saturday December 7th 2019 at 7:30 pm
ClearView Christian Reformed Church - 2300 Sheridan Garden Drive
Sunday 8th December at 3:00 pm - Chartwell Baptist Church - 228 Chartwell Road.
Tickets: http://oakvillechoral.com/order_tickets.php
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Environmental Tip of the Month
A local resident wrote to us about her participation in  GASP: "Grandmothers Act to Save the Planet". Her environmental ask of all of us is to remember  that we have a NO IDLING BYLAW. It is a violation for a vehicle to idle for more than three consecutive minutes except in certain circumstances.  
By not idling you will:
  • Help protect our climate and air—you will help reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions
  • Save money—idling for ten minutes a day wastes an average of 100 litres of gas per year
  • Reduce wear and tear on your vehicle's engine
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Councillor Contact Information

Town Councillor Haslett-Theall:

Email:    janet.haslett-theall@oakville.ca
Phone:   289-837-3923

Regional & Town Councillor Gittings:

Email:   dave.gittings@oakville.ca
Phone:  905-844-5513
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Your Ward 3 Councillors,
Dave and Janet
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