Haldimand County is holding a scratch and win contest to win a tour of a garbage and recycling facility, among other prizes. The contest goes alongside the announcement of new curbside garbage and recycling collectors for Haldimand County residents in October 2023 and January 2024, respectively.

Select winners will learn more about where their recycling goes once it leaves their home, how certain items are recycled for other uses, and all of the heavy equipment that helps make it happen. Other prizes include fun items that encourage waste reduction.

Scratch and win cards will be handed out at Household Hazardous Waste Events on Sept. 16 in Dunnville and Oct. 14 in Hagersville, the Trucks to Touch event in Jarvis on Sept. 17, at the Haldimand County Administration Building in Cayuga, and at the Canborough Waste Management Facility.

Cards will be handed out on a first-come, first-serve basis, while supplies last.

The new garbage contractor for Haldimand County, Norfolk Disposal Services Ltd., will begin collection on October 16, 2023.

Responsibility for residential curbside recycling will transition to Circular Materials Ontario, per the Provincial Government, on January 1, 2024.

Residents should note that while their curbside collection day will not change, the time of day for their collection may be different. All garbage and recycling should be curbside before 7 a.m.

When asked why Haldimand County wanted to hold a contest, Brandon Hedges, Haldimand County’s Manager of Environmental Operations, responded “The upcoming changes to curbside collection will affect all residents. Garbage and recycling isn’t always top of mind, so we wanted to do something fun to get people talking about it. We don’t want anyone to miss a collection, which is why we’re urging everyone to make sure their garbage and recycling is out before 7 a.m. on their collection day.”

Prize winners should contact Haldimand County at 905-318-5932 or visit the Haldimand County Administration Building at 53 Thorburn Street South, Cayuga for information on how to collect their prize. For full contest rules and regulations, visit www.haldimandcounty.ca/bluebox.

Phase Three of Haldimand County’s popular Public Art Tour Haldimand (PATH)—”Bridging Communities”— will launch with the unveiling of eight new, original paddle designs and an artist meet-and-greet on Thursday September 7, from 5 – 9 p.m. at the Haldimand County Administration Building in Cayuga.

Once again led by local artist and PATH Project Coordinator Gina Wilson-McIntee, “Bridging Communities” began with a public call for artists to submit their designs showcasing the importance of the Grand River and Lake Erie to Haldimand County, including illustrations highlighting the area’s natural landscapes, wildlife and history.

The eight artists selected to recreate their designs on paddles—supported and mentored by Wilson-McIntee—include Laura Ashthorpe (Fisherville), Angela Bonitatibus (Cayuga), Cheyanne Bertrand (Fisherville), Sarah Butcher (Jarvis), Eirlys Evans (Cayuga), Andrea Johnston (Dunnville), Emily Mathewson (Hamilton) and Jessica Vander Vegte (Cayuga).

The new paddles will be installed along trails throughout the County in late October; a map showing the new locations will be available on the County’s website.

The September 7 event will also provide an opportunity to meet the artists from the original PATH project and features a special marketplace of the artists’ unique works for purchase.

To learn more about “Bridging Communities” or the opportunity to meet and support Haldimand County’s local artists, visit HaldimandCounty.ca/festivals-events/public-art-tour/. The Haldimand County Administration Building is located at 53 Thorburn Street South in Cayuga.

Haldimand County OPP has announced their new Detachment Commander, Inspector Jodi Kays. Since February 21, 2023, Insp. Kays has been serving as the interim Detachment Commander for Haldimand County.

“On behalf of Haldimand County Council, staff and the community, I am pleased to welcome Inspector Jodi Kays as the new Detachment Commander for the Haldimand OPP,” expressed Mayor Bentley.

Throughout a 30-year career with the OPP, Insp. Kays has acquired first-hand knowledge in a number of positions, including frontline officer, media relations officer, school resource officer, domestic violence investigator, and firearms instructor, as well as experience working in the OPP’s Child Sexual Exploitation Unit, the Provincial Intelligence Unit, Risk Management, and Criminal Operations.

“Jodi’s extensive experience combined with her familiarity of Haldimand County made her an excellent choice to lead our local detachment,” stated Lorne Boyko, Chair of Haldimand County Police Services Board.

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.

Proposed projects must take place on property owned by Haldimand County. The County may be able to fund more than one application per community group; organizations submitting more than one application are asked to rank their requests in priority order.

Community/volunteer groups can access the online application at: HaldimandCounty.ca/community-partnerships/community-beautification-application/ after speaking with Community Partnerships staff about their project.

Applications — including all supporting materials — must be received online by September 25, 2023 at 4:00 p.m.

For more information about the Community Beautification Grant program, please contact a Community Partnerships Liaison by e-mail partnerships@haldimandcounty.ca or phone: 905-318-5932 x 6119.

Haldimand County, in partnership with City School by Mohawk, will be providing a free Landscape Construction course to community members 19+ with little to no post-secondary education this summer in Caledonia.

In the Landscape Construction course, Introduction to Decks & Fences, students will learn basic construction techniques to build projects relating to landscape construction including:

• Learning how to interpret drawings;
• Learning how to read a bill of materials and build projects of varying sizes and complexity;
• Select appropriate tools and fasteners aligning with project requirements;
• Develop skills to support the construction of decks and fences on a smaller scale to serve as an introduction to the trade; and
• Explore landscape construction as a potential career.

This program will run from August 1 – 30, 2023 from 3:30 – 7:00 p.m. every Tuesday & Wednesday in the City School mobile classroom in the parking lot at the Haldimand County Caledonia Centre (HCCC) (100 Haddington Street).

“We are thrilled that City School by Mohawk is back in Haldimand County, providing access to post-secondary education to members of our community,” said Lidy Romanuk, Manager of Economic Development & Tourism at Haldimand County. “We are pleased to continue this valuable partnership with Mohawk College and encourage Haldimand residents to explore these local post-secondary offerings, various employment pathways, and embrace a commitment to lifelong learning.”

“We are so grateful for the partnership with Haldimand County, and the opportunity to increase the options Haldimand County residents have for entering, or re-entering, college education,” said Emily Ecker, Mohawk College Associate Dean, Community Partnerships & Learning.

Registration for the City School by Mohawk Landscape Construction course is now open and will close on July 25, 2023. You can register online at BusinessHaldimand.ca. Please note that registration is required, and space is limited.

Nominations open for Haldimand County’s Annual Volunteer Recognition Night

Haldimand County is pleased to be hosting its 21st Recognition Night, celebrating the volunteers, projects, events and activities that make the County a vibrant and engaging place to live.

“This year’s theme, “Growing Stronger Together”, is intended to reinforce the vital contribution volunteers make to our communities and how much the County values those contributions,” says Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley. “This is a wonderful opportunity to nominate your favourite volunteer community project, festival or event, organization or individual, highlighting the positive impact they have made within the community.”

Nominations are being accepted for the following award categories:

• Volunteer of the Year;
• Youth Volunteer of the Year;
• Community Organization or Group of the Year;
• Community Project Award;
• Community Festival & Event Award;
• Caring Haldimand Award;
• Heritage Haldimand Award;
• Community Culture Award; and,
• Wall of Fame Induction (Caledonia, Cayuga, Dunnville, Hagersville, Jarvis).

Nominations may be submitted by filling out the appropriate form on the County website or by contacting cdp@haldimandcounty.on.ca or calling 905-318-5932, ext. 6370 to assist in the completion of an online application.

Anyone submitting a nomination is asked to complete the application in full and provide as much detail and supporting documentation as possible. Nominations must be submitted by 4:00 pm, Tuesday, August 8, 2023, and will be judged by an independent committee.

Invitations to attend the 21st Annual Recognition Night will be sent to nominees, community groups, organizations and agencies. Anyone looking for further information can e-mail cdp@haldimandcounty.on.ca or call 905-318-5932 ext. 6370.