- the GTA has the worst commute in North America -82 minutes and increasing, and
- the Annual economic cost of congestion in the GTA is $6 billion, and
- Ontario’s $50 Billion BIG MOVE is only 20% funded, and
- that Madrid, Spain, has built more rapid transit in last 10 years than GTA total in 100 years ???

Join public leaders across the province who want to see some bold action:

MOVING FORWARD: a Public Forum on Transportation

May 12, 2012 1:00 PM to 3:45 PM

Council Chambers, 101 Town Centre Blvd, Markham, Ontario
more details are here:

We also need a few volunteers to travel in those vehicles. Please let Mary Lou know at 905-308-9678 or email, mlr.reiman@gmail.com, if you are able to help.

We meet at  9:15 on May 5th in the city works parking lot at the top of Studholme Dr. that runs off of Aberdeen beside the Chedoke Golf Course.

Last year we collected over 11,000 lbs of food and it would be great to match or surpass that! Please try to help.

Aberdeen Gardens is looking for vendors for our winter bazaar. This year it will be Sat. Nov. 3^rd 10:00 am -3 pm. The tables are full size banquet tables for $25 each. Contact details are on the poster. Please feel free to pass along to friends, family and post on visible bulletin/notice boards. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

The upgrade work on the Infrastructure Stimulus Funded West Cell of the Hillcrest Reservoir has now been completed and Alberici Constructors, the contractor demobilized from the site in February.

Next steps include tendering for construction of the new Highland Gardens Park Water Booster Pumping Station (early Summer 2012) and for the remainder of the Hillcrest Reservoir Condition Upgrades work (early 2013).  A CLC meeting will be held before the design of the Pumping Station is finalized (tentatively in late June).   Field work on the Pumping Station will begin in Fall 2012, and on the remaining Reservoir upgrades in early 2013.

There will likely be no work done in the rest of the park during much of 2012, as well as much of 2013.

The existing material laydown and storage area will remain in place at the east end of the park for the use of both upcoming contracts, and there will be contractor activity again at the east end of Hillcrest Avenue beginning in Fall 2012 for the new Pumping Station.

The rest of Highland Gardens Park will be accessible to the public most of the time.  Sometime in early 2013, the remainder of the park access stairs at Mountain and Hillcrest Avenues will be demolished, a new 750 mm diameter trunk watermain will be constructed from there diagonally across the east end of the park (roughly parallel to, but diverging slightly away from, Hillcrest Avenue) in order to meet the Reservoir access road at approximately the location of the existing material laydown and storage area. A new set of park access stairs will be constructed to meet modern standards.

More updates will be made available through the KNA’s facebook page

For those using Facebook, don’t forget that the KNA has facebook page, and the newsletter – and lots more news about the community – is available there too.

Marilyn Gear Pilling

poetry and prose

Thursday, February 16 2:00 pm

Please invite your friends – everyone is welcome! No registration is necessary, just a love of good books – which our neighbourhood has in abundance!

Chedoke Radial Trail Bridge

The Chedoke Rail Trail has reopened with the completion of the new bridge at Chedoke Falls.  The new bridge is significantly larger than the previous bridge. It has a larger overall width and height in order to deal with structural issues related to the length of the span required. The new longer structure deals with the problem of an eroding escarpment water course as well as the local slope instability at a significantly lower cost and less impact to the trail and the users than traditional slope stabilization and creek realignment treatments.

Trail users should note that the trail does not receive winter maintenance so they should use it at their own risk.

Aberdeen/Kent Pedestrian Light

Staff advise that the new pedestrian light at Aberdeen and Kent (approved by Council in June 2011) will be installed in summer 2012.

Stanley Avenue Speed Humps between Queen and Locke

Questionnaires have been delivered to the residents of Stanley Avenue to determine their support for two speed humps between Queen Street and Locke Street.  This is being done to discourage drivers coming down the Queen Street Hill to cut through the neighbourhood.

No Left Turn on Stanley from Queen Street South

Staff will be installing a “No Left Turn” prohibition from Queen Street to Stanley Avenue during the morning rush hour in the spring.  This will be a pilot project.

Transportation Demand Management

Staff are planning to start a social marketing pilot project for Kirkendall and Mountain residents in the spring to work on encouraging motorists to consider alternative forms of transportation.  Transportation Demand Management (TDM) refers to a suite of projects and programs designed to encourage reduced use of private automobiles in favour of car-pooling, working at home options, and moving to using transit, walking and cycling. The project here is being done to try to reduce the amount of traffic using the Queen Street Hill, in part to mitigate any back-up on the Hill that may occur as a result of the left-hand turn prohibition at Stanley.

Pedestrian Friendly Changes to Fortinos Parking Lot on Dundurn

Brian and City Staff have been meeting with Fortinos/Loblaws to discuss making it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to access the Fortinos store on Dundurn.  They have committed to making some changes and have provided some drawings to the city. The proposal is currently being discussed at the Loblaws Board re funding needs. Thank you to the Kirkendall Traffic Committee and city staff for initiating these changes.

New HSR Bus on Dundurn Street

We are planning to hold a public meeting to discuss the proposed new Dundurn bus route and related options, tentatively at the end of February. The new service is scheduled to go into operation in September 2012. The additional transit funding was the result of several years work by Brian to free up Provincial Gas Tax funding for new bus service. Note that this funding will also improve B-Line service along Main and King Streets by adding more buses. 

Strathcona Transportation Management Plan

Staff are currently working on a Transportation Management Plan for the Strathcona neighbourhood.  Improving the Main and King/Dundurn intersections are part of the study, as are pedestrian improvements on Main Street, and other important linkages between the two neighbourhoods.  A public meeting is being planned (date to be determined). We’ll let you know once it is scheduled.

When: Thursday February 2nd 2012
Where: Free Way Cafe (FRWY) 333 King Street East, Hamilton
Time: Doors open 6.30pm- 10pm (film starts at 7pm)

http://greeningsacredspaceshamilton.blogspot.com/2012/01/nourishing-hamilton-food-faith-and-our.html