March edition

Hello, Ward 12, and welcome to spring. We made it! With any luck, all of the large snowfalls are behind us. Outside our office, we have heard the bird chatter increase and have observed the gardens start to peak out of the ground. We actually have big plans for some of those gardens and will share more on that another time. It’s also budget season and the 2023 budget is about to be finalized, so look for another update on that important topic in the next few days. In the meantime, please enjoy the items we have assembled for you in this March issue of Craig’s Current.

We have begun creating a map to highlight areas around Ward 12 that have been identified as having concerns related to safety. This map will be updated on an ongoing basis to reflect additions, as well as what steps are underway to address them. The hope is that residents can use this tool to see the issues that have been identified and the work that is being done to make our Ward safer.

Click on the map image above to access the live version via our website. Each marker is clickable.

Join the Ward 12 office and Nature at McMaster for an evening of conversation, stewardship, and community engagement at The River International Church!

Discover the beautiful McMaster Carbon Sink during a guided walk from 6:30 - 7pm and learn about stewardship, restoration, ecology and volunteer opportunities. Featured speakers will be Noah Stegman from Nature at McMaster and Jeff Stock of the Hamilton Conservation Authority. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with fellow community members, conservation experts, and local representatives.

RSVP HERE

Let’s work together to protect and restore the Lower Ancaster Creek watershed!  

📍 Location: The River International Church, 1221 Wilson Street East, Hamilton

🗓 Date: April 19th

⏰ Time: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Did you know the City offers a program that in some cases will cover the costs associated with blocked or partially blocked sewer laterals? Sewer laterals are privately-owned sewer service lines that connect a property to the City’s main sewer. Sewer laterals transport wastewater from sanitary fixtures and drains in your building to the public sewer system.

If the property has not previously taken advantage of the Sewer Lateral Management Program allowance, you will be given the option to use the City’s contractor to perform a cleaning and a Complete Sewer Lateral Investigation. To learn more click HERE

Have you ever wondered if a heritage house has received a heritage designation? Do you wish you could see a map of properties that are designated in Hamilton? Look no further! From the city website: “The City of Hamilton’s Municipal Heritage Register is a publicly accessible official record of cultural heritage properties that have been identified as being important to the community. It is a planning and research tool that helps promote knowledge of the City’s heritage, which contributes to its sense of place and the quality of life of its residents.” Learn more HERE 

Trees are a hot topic in Ward 12. In our ward we are fortunate to have among the highest tree canopy coverage in Hamilton at 26.1% compared to other wards with rates as low as 7.7% (based on city of Hamilton 2017 canopy cover estimates) Tree equity, tree preservation, tree planting are all top of mind. Hamilton is in the midst of developing an Urban Forest Strategy which is planned to ensure the long-term health of Hamilton’s urban forest. The Urban Forest Strategy (UFS) guides the protection, care, and planting of the City’s trees and forests on public and privately-owned land in the urban area. Learn more about the Urban Forest Strategy HERE

There are so many opportunities for citizen input on dozens of different projects and initiatives across Hamilton. Share your voice! Help shape our city! Browse through the many different city initiatives and provide your feedback HERE 

If you are curious about what happens in City Council chambers why not tune in? At our website you’ll find the links to all the different committee and council agendas, as well as the video links to the meetings as they happen live. Want to catch up on a prior meeting? Head over the the City of Hamilton YouTube channel where you’ll find recordings of past meetings that you can watch at your leisure.

Access those sites via our website at CraigCassar.ca 

We know inquiring minds want to know, so here you go!

All are welcome to join this evening’s community meeting to dicuss the townhouse development application at 509 Southcote Road. The meeting will take place online but our office will provide the ability to attend in person as well. We will have a video link set up in the Murray Ferguson room at 300 Wilson Street East, Ancaster tonight at 6pm. Please call 905-546-3196 or email [email protected] to let us know you will attend in person.

Learn more HERE

RSVP for tonight’s online meeting HERE

All the best from the three of us in the Ward 12 office, to all of you in these first few days of spring!