Dear Neighbours,

I want to thank those who have volunteered this Fall in various community-led initiatives in #OurWard3. Special shout out to those of you who helped with the Beautiful Alleys fall cleanups, the Birge Street natural meadow planting, and those who volunteered on the Depave projects on Barton Street to help beautify our neighbourhoods.

Congratulations to the 20 White Trillium Award winners and an extra round of applause to Sandi Mousseau from Clyde Street who received the Pink Trillium Award for Ward 3. The program promotes and encourages community pride through the recognition of excellence in landscape design, maintenance and effort to beautify properties making a positive contribution to the City of Hamilton.

I want to share some quick infrastructure and city service updates with you that are pertinent to the Gibson and Landsdale neighbourhoods.

Sherman Ave Reconstruction – Phase 1 Project Details

This is the first LRT enabling project in the City. Here is a quick breakdown of what is underway and when it is planned to wrap up:

  • Watermain installation– on Sherman Ave from Wilson to Dunsmure ought to be complete by the time you read this issue of the GALA Herald. Next up is testing to ensure it is fully functioning and ready to be put back in service. Once this test is cleared, the new watermain will be connected to the existing system. Only then can Staff begin to transfer residents back to the watermain and remove the temporary by-pass system that we are currently using for water supply to the properties affected. This should occur by early November.
  • Concrete sidewalk replacement along Dunsmure from Sherman to St. Clair is also scheduled to start the first week of November,
  • Concrete road base construction between Wilson and King Streets will follow next.
  • Concrete curbs and apronsalong the west side of Sherman from King to Dunsmure will be completed the second week of November. Please note, residents will not have access to their driveways for several days to allow the concrete to cure.
  • Paving – Weather permitting, milling and re-paving the full road width between Wilson and just south of King Street is scheduled to be complete by December 1st.

Staff feel confident they will achieve the completion date for Phase 1 on December 1st, 2023. Phase 2 will begin in the spring of 2024, with a focus south along Sherman Avenue, from Dunsmure through to Cumberland Ave.

Hygiene Supports & Services

Staff from Housing Focused Street Outreach, Recreation, and Corporate Security have worked to identify and operationalize 24/7 washroom access, shower access, and drinking water access throughout the city for individuals who are unsheltered. Over 100 Recreation Passes have been given out to encamped residents across the city to enable dignified access to showers, washrooms and other services. Encamped residents are welcome to use any City of Hamilton recreation facility for these supports.

Winter Access to Public Washrooms

In order to improve public washroom services in parks across Hamilton, Council has approved a winterization plan that enables better and more equitable access. Requests for increasing the hours of public washrooms has been a topic residents have raised for years prior to the pandemic. Families, seniors, children, joggers, walkers, and those simply outside moving about our city have repeatedly expressed the need for increased access to public washroom facilities. Universal access is the key to quality public service.

Phase 1 of the winterization pilot project included assessing all existing washrooms to determine what was required from a capital and operating perspective. Based on this, staff identified the washrooms that would enable quickest opening as they required doable changes. In Ward 3, that included the winterization of Woodland Park and Gage Park bathroom facilities (spray pad and baseball diamonds). Phase 2 expansion is to include JC Beemer Park.

There are many Hamiltonians, of varying needs, who appreciate better and year-round access to public washrooms in parks. As a member of Council it is essential for me to listen to the varying view points and govern in a way that ensures public services are delivered in a universal manner and account for equity in access.

The next Ward 3 Office pop-up is scheduled for Thursday, November 16 from 4pm-6pm at Helping Hands Street Mission (349 Barton St E). Keep your eye on our e-Newsletters and social media for the final Ward 3 events before the close of 2023. I look forward to connecting with you and offering access to the support of my team! Until then, please contact my office at ward3@hamilton.ca or call 905-546-2702.

Yours in community,
Councillor Nrinder Nann