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Haldimand County is recruiting members for its new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee. This committee will advise Council, staff and the Police Services Board on promoting inclusion, respect, understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity within the community.
The committee will consist of seven members, including one member from the Accessibility Advisory Committee, Seniors Advisory Committee, and Youth Advisory Committee. Members will meet at least four times yearly, or more frequently if required.
As a committee, members will be responsible for advising Council, staff and the Police Services Board on a number of matters, including (but not limited to):
Removing barriers to inclusion for all residents;
Policies, procedures and practices that foster diversity and inclusion;
Effectively engaging with diverse communities for input on municipal initiatives;
Initiatives that will achieve a greater understanding of the increasingly diverse communities in Haldimand County.
It’s that time of the year again for community groups and not-for-profit organizations to get creative and apply for a Haldimand County Community Beautification grant.
Each year, the County sets aside $60,000 in partnership funding for beautification projects on municipal property. These grants support the efforts of volunteer groups in enhancing the vitality, sense of pride and overall quality of life within Haldimand County.
Groups may apply for grant funding of up to 50% of the total cost of the proposed project to a maximum of $4,000 per year per project.
Depending upon the number of requests received, the County may be able to fund more than one application per community group. Proposed projects must take place on property owned by Haldimand County. Organizations submitting more than one application are asked to rank their requests in priority order.
Community and volunteer groups who are interested in applying are encouraged to get in touch with staff to discuss their ideas. After speaking with staff, groups may access the online application package at dev.haldimandcounty.ca/main_website/community-partnerships/.
Applications — including all supporting materials — must be received online by Monday, October 4, 2021 at 4:00 p.m.
For more information about the Community Beautification Grant program, please contact the county’s Community Partnerships Liaison by e-mail (amoodie@haldimandcounty.on.ca) or phone: 905-318-5932 ext. 6119.
Patio setup located on a municipal sidewalk within the Caledonia BIA. This project was brought to fruition with support from the Caledonia BIA and CBF funds.
Haldimand County is continuing to recruit members for its new youth and seniors advisory committees. These committees will advise Council about issues and policies that impact the quality of life for these groups.
The Youth Advisory Committee is looking for members from ages 16 to 24 years from across the county, while the Seniors Advisory Committee welcomes interested residents 60 years and older.
Both committees will have ten members and will work with staff to establish a vision and work plan with action steps, timelines and outcomes for each term of Council.
Youth committee members will act as representatives for the county’s youngest residents, advising on ways to enrich and enhance their health and quality of life.
Seniors committee participants will share information about issues impacting seniors while developing recommendations and action plans to build supports for older adults.
Both committees offer opportunities to make new connections, gain knowledge and skills and make a meaningful contribution to Haldimand County.
“This is the time to get involved if you have a desire to influence positive change and help shape policies and programs that meet the evolving needs of our youth and seniors,” said Haldimand County Mayor Ken Hewitt.
Applications will be accepted until September 15, 2021. For more information about the committees, application process, terms of reference or the expectations of members, visit dev.haldimandcounty.ca/main_website/community-partnerships or contact Andrea Moodie at 905-318-5932 ext. 6119.
Haldimand County will be using safe and environmentally-friendly dye to study flows in the Grand River on Thursday, August 26, 2021. The test is part of ongoing monitoring studies related to the County’s wastewater treatment operations.
Dye will be added to the Grand River via the Caledonia wastewater treatment plant on Thursday, August 26, 2021 from 7:00 a.m. to approximately 8:00 p.m. It is expected that people may see a pink tint in the river for up to 24 hours after the test between the treatment plant, located at the end of Forfar St. E, and the King St. bridge in York.
Dye tracers are a common way to see effluent spreads in rivers and other waterways. The dye dilutes quickly as it moves downstream, doesn’t reduce dissolved oxygen levels in the river and is safe for people, pets, aquatic life and other wildlife.
The study’s purpose is to further understand the Caledonia wastewater treatment plant’s effluent plume (treated wastewater).
The major aim of wastewater treatment is to remove as much of the suspended solids and nutrients as possible before the remaining water, called effluent, is discharged back to the environment.
Haldimand’s wastewater treatment processes operate under strict regulations and meets or exceeds standards set by the provincial and federal government to protect public health and the environment.
Edinburgh Square Heritage & Cultural Centre in Caledonia welcomes back children this August for lots of fun-filled activities and adventures!
Join in the excitement and explore workshops with various themes from arts and science to mystery and mayhem including:
August 10: Mad Science – To Infinity and Beyond: Shoot for the stars and explore the universe with us!;
August 12: Art Attack – Hands-on painting, drawing and sculpting;
August 17: Who Dunnit? – A special Edinburgh Square Mystery featuring Wade the Wandering Heron;
August 18: Eco-Art in the Square – The wonderful world of ecology, insects, animals and plants; and,
August 19: Castles and Dragons – A magical, medieval adventure awaits young Ladies, Lords, and Knights.
The Centre’s staff have taken care to ensure the safety of its young participants, with staff following protocols established by the Provincial and Haldimand Norfolk Public Heath Units including smaller group sizes, health screening, hand washing, mask wearing, physical distancing and increased facility cleaning.
Summer Discovery Days take place at Edinburgh Square Heritage & Cultural Centre, 80 Caithness Street East, Caledonia. Workshops are suitable for children aged 6 to 10 years and will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Cost is $27.50 per child and registration is available online at www.link.haldimandcounty.ca or in person at the Haldimand County Cayuga Administration office.
For additional information contact the Centre at 905-765-3134.
Haldimand Museums is excited to announce the reopening of its three sites to the public following recent pandemic closures.
As of Tuesday July 27, Wilson MacDonald Memorial School Museum in Selkirk and Edinburgh Square Heritage and Cultural Centre in Caledonia will be open to visitors, along with the already-reopened Heritage Centre located in the Cayuga Public Library.
Residents and visitors are encouraged to check out a diverse range of on-site and online programming and activities for the summer and fall, including:
You Can’t Live Without It, the newest exhibit at the Heritage Centre—located at 19 Talbot Street, Cayuga—runs until September 30 and highlights the history of advertising and how this form of communication was and is used by businesses to promote their wares and activities.
On August 18 at 1:00 pm, join Heritage Centre staff via Zoom for the presentation Historical Kitchen Gardens, which looks at how early settlers tended their kitchen gardens, a vital part of their families’ survival. Advance registration at www.link.haldimandcounty.ca.
Edinburgh Square Heritage and Cultural Centre (80 Caithness Street, Caledonia) tips its cap to the history of headgear with A Head for Fashion, an exhibition featuring some very unique hats, their significance and the stories they tell.
Edinburgh Square will also be offering in-person its popular summer Discovery Days workshops for children during the month of August – from arts and science to mystery and mayhem. Check out www.link.haldimandcounty.ca for a complete list of Discovery Days programs and to register.
Stop by the Wilson MacDonald Memorial School Museum to experience The Life and Times of Lyric Poet Wilson MacDonald, with displays highlighting the history of rural education and the heritage of the surrounding community. This original one-room school house is located at 3513 Rainham Road, Selkirk.
Registration for all Haldimand Museums programs and special events is open, and residents and visitors can reserve their space using the County’s online reservation system www.link.haldimandcounty.ca or by visiting the Haldimand County office in Cayuga.
Pandemic-related protocols which allow patrons to safely explore our local arts, heritage and culture remain in place. Visitors to Wilson MacDonald Memorial School Museum and Edinburgh Square Heritage and Cultural Centre will be required to wear a non-medical face mask and physical distance while on site. Visitors are encouraged to book their visit in advance where possible. A maximum number of four patrons may be admitted at one time, with each visit limited to 45 minutes. Visitors without a prior reservation may be admitted if capacity allows.
At this time, the archives and reference collections located within the Haldimand Museums sites and all in-person services will remain closed until further notice. These services continue to be available upon request through email at museums@haldimandcounty.on.ca.
If you’re looking to make new summer memories, the Haldimand Playbook—which hit resident mailboxes this week and is also available online—is your guide to our County and all it has to offer.
The Playbook includes information about registering for summer aquatics and camp programming, heritage and culture workshops and Library programming.
If you’d rather take a less scheduled approach to your plans, visit our splash pads or wading pool to cool off on a hot day. Enjoy our parks and greenspaces including skate parks, ball diamonds, tennis and multi-use courts and picnic areas in several communities as well as disc golf in Caledonia’s LaFortune Park. Visit one of our many trails and pathways throughout the County and along the Grand River.
If tennis is something you’ve always wanted to try, the County is hosting an Introduction to Tennis program, offered in Caledonia, Dunnville and Jarvis. Check the County’s website for more details.
For anyone looking to explore the farthest reaches of the County there are two new tours: the geotour is suitable for adventurers of all ages and skill levels, with twenty geocaches stashed throughout Haldimand, while the public art tour is a County-wide display of 24 handmade wooden paddles painted by local artists. Details are available online and both tours include ongoing contests.
Remember to stop and enjoy a meal or snack at our local eateries, or hit the local shops to experience the County’s many unique offerings as you build out your Haldimand experience.
As always during these unusual times, we ask that you follow the current provincial and public health COVID-19 guidelines when visiting our parks, facilities and trails or participating in programming and activities. Please be respectful of others and do not litter; dispose of garbage or take out what you brought in.
The Playbook also includes a survey—on the back cover or online—about how the County can better stay connected to you. Please let us know how we can best communicate with you!
Haldimand County Council and Norfolk County Council, as joint owners of the Canborough Landfill Facility located at 499 James Road Dunnville, considered an unsolicited proposal made by a private sector entity for the use of the property. After deliberations, both Councils agreed to not accept the proposal. In accordance with the conditions of the offer, the details will remain confidential.
Join fellow Haldimand County readers by participating in this year’s One Book One Haldimand program!
One Book One Haldimand is an annual community-wide reading program through which individuals across Haldimand County are encouraged to read a selected Canadian title and join the author and other community members for a virtual reading and Q&A in early December.
This year’s selection, Precious Cargo, written by Canadian author Craig Davidson, was a finalist for Canada Reads in 2018 and was shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. The book follows a young Craig Davison before he became a critically acclaimed writer.
“Broke and living alone while trying unsuccessfully to write, Davison plucked a flyer out of his mailbox. It read “Bus Drivers Wanted,” and it marked his first step towards an unlikely new career: driving a school bus for kids with special needs. Fortified only with a sense of humour similar to that of his charges, a creative approach to the challenge of driving an awkward vehicle while corralling a rowdy gang of schoolchildren, and unexpected reserves of empathy, Davison takes us along for the ride.” – Inside Cover
Copies of Precious Cargo are available now at all library branches. Individuals who wish to read the book may call 289-674-0400 to arrange a curbside pickup.
More information about the virtual author visit will be shared and posted on the library’s website and social medial pages in late October.
Share your love of reading and community by participating in One Book One Haldimand 2021. For more information or to suggest a title by an Ontario author for 2022, please contact Katrina Krupicz, Community Outreach Coordinator at 905-318-5932 ext. 6118.
Haldimand County, OPP and the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) encourages all local residents and visitors to the County to take personal responsibility and make water safety for themselves and their children a priority this summer. It is extremely important for everyone to be aware of safe boating and swimming practices while enjoying the waterways in Haldimand County.
On Tuesday June 8, 2021 at 2:53 p.m., OPP responded to the dam area of the Grand River in Caledonia for a report of a dangerous condition. A concerned passerby noticed a group of youths walking along and swimming in the dam area.
Investigation revealed the youths entered a prohibited area, marked by red and white danger signs, and into the water. Fortunately no one was injured and all parties were accounted for. Tragedy can happen very quickly and the danger of the waters should never be underestimated.
Every year, emergency service personnel respond to many marine related calls including stranded boaters, people fishing or swimming in unsafe areas. Many times, misadventure can lead to tragedy.
It can’t be stressed enough that everyone using the waterways understand the importance of not swimming or boating in prohibited areas. The dam areas in Dunnville and Caledonia are often used by individuals but the water conditions are extremely dangerous.
’Run of the river’ dams, like those in Caledonia and Dunnville may not be as visible from upstream and pose a great risk to river users who disregard warning signs. Like larger dams, low-head dams can also create an underwater recirculating current downstream that is nearly impossible to escape. This current can be so strong that it has the ability to pull people under water, even while wearing a lifejacket. Never swim, walk on, fish, or boat near these dams.
GRCA dams are marked by red and white danger signs. There are also fences, buoys and booms warning you to keep out. You should always:
Stay a safe distance outside of the marked danger areas when fishing, boating and swimming
Stay off all dams. Use only approved walkways or observation areas.
All parents and caregivers are encouraged to speak with their children about water safety and the dangers of prohibited areas.
The prevention of drownings requires law enforcement efforts and public education but most importantly, prevention starts with you.
There is no one single cause that leads to drownings but there are common contributors. Basic safety practices such as learning to swim at an early age; wearing a lifejacket or a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) while on a vessel or in water; adult supervision of children while swimming; and not drinking and boating can make the difference between surviving, or not.
OPP is also reminding all boaters to ensure they have all of the required safety equipment on board as well as all the required documents to operate a vessel.
