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Haldimand County summer Playbook for recreation, leisure and culture now available

Haldimand County’s Playbook, its guide for all things summer programming, activities and experiences, is now available online or at the Cayuga Administration Building, library branches and County museums.

The Playbook includes information about registering for summer aquatics, week-long recreation and museum camps, heritage and culture presentations and library programming.

New this year, the County is offering youth and adult pickleball programs. Participants can learn the basics of one of North America’s fastest-growing sports, or build their skills with intermediate clinics. Sessions take place in Dunnville Lions Park.

The Playbook also highlights non-registered recreation options for residents to enjoy at their leisure, such as parks, trails, pools, and splash pads. Many county parks and greenspaces include amenities like skate parks, ball diamonds, tennis/pickleball and multi-use courts, and picnic areas, offering a wide variety of recreation opportunities for all interests. For walkers and cyclists, Haldimand offers more than 40 km of off-road pathways and trails and hundreds of kilometres of on-road cycling routes throughout the county and along the Grand River.

For those looking to explore the farthest reaches of the County, the Haldimand GeoTour challenges adventurers of all ages to find twenty geocaches stashed throughout the community. Rated the second-most-popular geocaching experience in southwestern Ontario in 2021, the GeoTour includes a specially-designed geocoin for anyone who completes the entire tour. For a more leisurely pace, the PATH (Public Art Tour Haldimand) offers residents and visitors a county-wide route of more than 25 handmade wooden paddles painted by local artists.

For more information, visit www.haldimandcounty.ca/recreation-guide/.

Haldimand County unveils new aerial truck, donates unused medical equipment to Ukraine

On Tuesday, June 21, 2022, the county’s new, state-of-the art aerial truck made a stop out front of the Haldimand County Administration Building. Emergency Services staff provided Council with a tour of the new vehicle and showcased surplus PPE/medical supplies that will be donated to Ukraine.

The new aerial truck was custom-built for Haldimand’s specific needs and will be permanently stationed in Caledonia.

It is equipped with a 107-foot extension ladder that will allow firefighters to get on top of emergencies in more densely populated areas of west Haldimand and enhance their ability to fight fires in tall structures (including barns).

Combined with aerial trucks in Jarvis and Dunnville, the new vehicle will enable the Fire Department to respond with an aerial truck anywhere in the county within ten minutes.

In tandem with Council’s tour of the new truck, Emergency Services staff revealed some of the surplus medical equipment that is being donated to Ukraine. Staff worked to identify key supply needs and ‘matches’ with some of the county’s surplus items.

“The surplus equipment – which includes medical bags, stair chairs and spinal boards – would normally go on the GovDeals.ca auction site and generate a small profit for the County,” said Jason Gallagher, Haldimand County’s Fire Chief and Manager of Emergency Services.

“The benefit of donating these extra supplies where they’re desperately needed in Ukraine, far outweighs any revenue benefit we would receive. I am proud of our team for coordinating this initiative and know that it will make an impact,” Gallagher continued.

The new aerial truck will go into service in July and medical supplies will be shipped to Ukraine later this month.

For more information about Haldimand County Emergency Services programs and services, visit HaldimandCounty.ca or follow along on Twitter or Instagram (@HaldEmerg).

Haldimand County Fire Department aerial truck parked out front of the County administration building with extension ladder fully extended.

Above: Haldimand County’s new aerial truck.

Below: Unused medical equipment that will be donated to Ukraine.

Unused medial equipment displayed in front of the County administration building that will be donated to Ukraine.

Haldimand County Museums annual car and truck show returns June 26

Haldimand Museums will be welcoming back classic car and truck enthusiasts for the 16th Annual Car & Truck Show on Sunday, June 26 at Selkirk Community Park (17 Kent St., Selkirk) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission to this family-friendly event is by donation; a $5 entry fee applies to participating vehicles.

Returning after a two-year pause, the popular annual event provides a place for vintage vehicle enthusiasts from around southern Ontario to celebrate their shared love of all things automotive.

“We’re looking forward to hosting our classic vehicles again this year,” says Dana Stavinga, Wilson MacDonald Memorial School Museum Curator. “Two years is a long time not to have been able to get together!”

While the event is centred around cars and trucks, there will be a silent auction, door prizes and trophies for drivers. DJ Frank Vessero will be on site playing music from the 50s and 60s and Shelly’s Family Dining from Kohler will be serving up a variety of tasty food.

For information about the Car Show please contact the Wilson MacDonald Memorial School Museum at (905) 776-3319.

From left to right: Kyle Schweyer (1960 Chevy Half Ton Pick-up), Rick Koson (1953 Ford Mercury), Bob Tietz (Haldimand Museums).

Haldimand County puts out call for artists for phase two of Paddle Art Tour Haldimand

Submissions are now open for phase two of Paddle Art Tour Haldimand (PATH), an initiative that celebrates the municipality’s local talent and the importance of the Grand River and Lake Erie to Haldimand County.

Launched in 2021, the PATH became a popular activity for Haldimand County for both residents and visitors, showcasing 24 unique designs created by 23 local artists who used wooden paddles—hand-made by local high school students—to create art portraying the area’s natural landscapes, wildlife, history and more.

Building on the popularity of the tour, the County is inviting local emerging and established artists to submit a sketch and description of an image they would like to paint on one of six new paddles that will be added to the PATH this year. Each paddle blade is a surface of 28″ x 7″ and will be installed handle upright. Selected artists will receive an honorarium of  $500. The paddles will be installed at Haldimand County trail locations.

Interested artists can send submissions electronically to partnerships@haldimandcounty.on.ca, in person or by mail to the Haldimand County Administration Building c/o Community Development & Partnerships, 53 Thorburn St. S., Cayuga, ON  N0A 1E0.

The closing date for submissions is July 7, 2022, at 4 p.m. and selected artists will be notified by July 14, 2022.

Registration for Haldimand County Public Library summer programs and reading clubs to open June 21

Starting Tuesday, June 21, registration for Haldimand County Public Library’s summer programs opens at all six Haldimand Library branches. This year’s theme is “Once Upon a Time; Myths and Legends,” and offers a magical summer of fun with parties, Storytimes, crafts and more.

The programs are open to children aged 3-12, with in-person registration required. Program dates, times and costs are available at local branches and on the Library’s website.

In addition to the registered programs, the Library is also offering free summer reading clubs for children and teens. Children aged 12 and under can register for the Junior Reading Club while teens 13-18 can sign up for the Teen Summer Reading Club.

Participants in both clubs will receive a ballot for every library book they read throughout the summer, entering them into draws for a chance to win cash and other prizes. Draw dates can be found at each branch. In addition to the draws, Junior Reading Club participants will also get to choose a special prize from the library treasure chest for every 15 library books they read.

For more information on summer programs and clubs, visit the Haldimand County Public Library website.

Haldimand County Public Library announces winners of 9th annual April Poetry Contest

The Haldimand County Public Library has selected the winners of their 9th annual April Poetry Contest. The contest saw a great response from the community with more than 200 submissions from individuals across the County.

This year’s theme—Back to Nature—asked entrants to express through poetry how nature impacts and inspires them, how they connect with nature, or how their actions affect the natural environment. Winners were awarded across five categories based on the writer’s age.

An awards ceremony and poetry reading will be held at the Jarvis Branch on Monday, June 20 at 6:30 p.m. All members of the public are welcome to attend.

The Library would like to extend a special thank you to their local sponsors, whose generous donations helped make this contest possible: The Selkirk Lions, the Women’s Institute-Haldimand District, The Friends of the Dunnville Library and The Friends of the Jarvis Library.

2022 Winners

Primary (Kindergarten-Grade 3)

1st & 2nd – Peyton Bosch
3rd – Lily Wooloff

Junior (Grade 4 – Grade 6)

1st – Lyla Yager
2nd – Ava Silva
3rd – Roman Maccallini

Intermediate (Grade 7 – Grade 10)

1st – Reese Vanderwier
2nd & 3rd – Lincoln Vanderwier

Senior (Grade 11 – Grade 12)

1st – Madison Barlow

Adult (age 18+)

1st – Christine McClung
2nd – Sarah Butcher
3rd – Rebecca Clifford

Collaboration Between Social Services and Community Paramedics Serves to provide Street Outreach to Vulnerable Residents

Haldimand-Norfolk Housing and Homelessness Prevention services has teamed up with the community paramedic programs in both Haldimand and Norfolk to provide street outreach and housing-related follow-up support to assist people who are experiencing homelessness. 

A new collaboration between community paramedics in both counties and specialized outreach workers reduces barriers to care faced by vulnerable, underserved, and hard-to-reach residents. The goal is to connect people to services they may require, including housing and health care.  

“We recognized this as an opportunity to be proactive and meet people where they are, making the services more accessible and responsive,” said Louise Lovell, program manager for Haldimand-Norfolk Homeless Prevention Services. “Combining a social services staff member and a community paramedic offers a wider range of services to more people.”  

Sarah Page, chief of Norfolk Paramedic Services, and Jason Gallagher, fire chief and manager of Haldimand Paramedic Services, both expressed praise for this partnership. “Expanding our community paramedicine programs to provide access across our counties to those in need of care outside our normal health care system is what we are striving to accomplish,” said Sarah Page. “Both Chief Gallagher and I recognize that this partnership with Haldimand-Norfolk Social Services highlights our regions’ ability to collaborate and find innovative solutions in rural areas for health care delivery and access to support.”

The pilot began early in 2022 and is expected to continue through the end of the year. The teams are deployed in Haldimand on Tuesdays and Norfolk on Wednesdays. Members of the general public or agencies that have clientele that might be served by a visit can call the following numbers: in Norfolk: 519-426-6170 or 519-582-3579 or in Haldimand: 905-318-6623 at Ext. 3134 and a team can be deployed.  Callers are asked to provide a specific location or a description of where they have seen people. 

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Haldimand County seeking public input to enhance Selkirk Waterfront Way through survey, in-person consultation

Haldimand County is seeking community input to enhance Selkirk’s Waterfront Way. A survey has been developed to collect feedback from residents and establish a community-driven vision for the Waterfront Way. An in-person consultation session is also planned.

In its present state, Waterfront Way is a scenic site offering views of Lake Erie, Selkirk Creek and a forested environment. This site features an existing trail with a pedestrian bridge connecting Erie St. South to Blue Water Parkway.

Specifically, feedback is being sought for the parkette leading to the Waterfront Way Trail – a part of the larger Great Lakes Waterfront Trail.

Landscape architecture and planning firm Stempski Kelly Associates Inc. will be facilitating the community engagement process and have produced conceptual designs for the Waterfront Way Parkette leading to the trail.

Conceptual designs are available on the county website at www.haldimancounty.ca/projects-initiatives/selkirk-waterfront-way and highlight several considerations – from walkway/dock configuration and materials to decorative planters, shade structures and seating.

Residents are encouraged to take the survey online and provide comments by Sunday, June 19, 2022.

Members of the public may also attend an in-person consultation session at the Selkirk Centennial Community Centre (34 Main St W, Selkirk) on Monday, June 20, 2022 from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. to learn more and provide input. Registration is not required and all are welcome.

Feedback collected through the survey and in-person consultation will be used to inform the final designs for the parkette.

Anyone seeking further information about the survey or Selkirk Waterfront Way enhancements in general are encouraged to call 905-318-5932 or e-mail Haldimand County’s Community Development & Partnerships division at cdp@haldimandcounty.on.ca.

Haldimand County Public Library announces this year’s One Book One Haldimand selection: ‘Everyone In This Room Will Someday be Dead’ By Emily Austin

Haldimand County Public Library’s One Book One Haldimand program is back for 2022 with Everyone In This Room Will Someday be Dead, written by Canadian author Emily Austin, who explores the human condition using a blend of deadpan humor and observation.

An annual favourite, the program encourages individuals across Haldimand County to read a selected Canadian title and join the author and other community members for an evening of exciting discussion.

Copies of Everyone In This Room will Someday Be Dead are available at your local Haldimand County Library branch in print format and from the library’s CloudLibrary and Libby digital services in e-book and e-audio formats. Residents can visit their local branch or the library’s website to borrow a copy or call (289) 674-0400 to reserve one.

A virtual author visit will take place online over Zoom on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. Participants will enjoy a short reading, a book talk and a Q&A session facilitated by library staff. A library membership is not required to join the discussion.

To register, visit or call your local branch at (289) 674-0400 or e-mail the library’s Outreach Coordinator at kkrupicz@haldimandcounty.on.ca and indicate “OBOH” in your email’s subject line.

Haldimand County welcomes My Main Street Ambassadors to provide on-the-ground support for local businesses and entrepreneurs

Haldimand County’s Economic Development and Tourism  Department is pleased to introduce Main Street Ambassadors Jenna Beemer and Jessica Easson as part of our community’s participation in the My Main Street Local Business Accelerator program.

Through the Government of Canada’s My Main Street Local Business Accelerator, delivered by the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO), businesses and entrepreneurs in Haldimand County will have access to these dedicated Main Street Ambassadors who will offer insight and support to help revitalize the main street community. The Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), provided EDCO and the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) with a $23.25-million investment to deliver My Main Street support across southern Ontario.

“Our government is committed to supporting small businesses to drive economic growth in communities across Southern Ontario,” says the Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario. “The My Main Street program invests in local small businesses and communities to keep our neighbourhoods vibrant, grow our economy and make sure Canadians have access to good jobs.”

“We have a great business community and passionate business owners, and we are looking forward to working with them to further improve the retail mix and increase the diversity of business offerings,” says Lidy Romanuk, Haldimand County’s Manager of Economic Development and Tourism.

In their roles, Jenna and Jessica, will be working over the next year to help grow existing businesses and welcome new entrepreneurs—and business ideas—to the area. As a part of the Local Business Accelerator program, Caledonia, Cayuga, Jarvis, Hagersville, Dunnville and Selkirk business owners will be eligible for detailed market research, data analysis, business support and more.

For more information, please contact Jenna Beemer at jbeemer@haldimandcounty.on.ca or Jessica Easson at jeasson@haldimandcounty.on.ca and visit the My Main Street website. For local program updates the Haldimand County website.

Background:

The Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) is delivering the My Main Street, Local Business Accelerator program stream, which is supporting the revitalization of main street communities and provides non-repayable contributions for more than 650 local businesses across southern Ontario. The program focuses on creating and maintaining vibrant and inclusive local main streets while providing residents, new entrepreneurs, and existing businesses with economic opportunities in our communities.

For more than 12 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impacts the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our pivotal projects, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Haldimand Logo, My Main St Logo, Government of Canada Logo