Christmas Tree Lighting Event in Clarkson

Mark your calendars for Thursday, November 28 and make your way into Clarkson Village for the annual Christmas Tree Lighting event starting around 5:00 p.m.  This outdoor event is happening on the front lawn of Clarkson Community Church on Lakeshore Road (opposite HomeSense plaza). 

The artisan market and petting zoo open at 5 p.m., with the arrival of Santa and the tree lighting to take place at 6 p.m. There will also be live music by the students of Sing! Music Studio, games, crafts, visits with Santa, hot chocolate, soup, cookies, popcorn, and more.

The evening begins at 5:00 p.m. and lasts until the market closes at 8:00 p.m. The evening is free and open to everyone of all ages. Join your neighbours and other members of the community for this wonderful beginning to the Christmas and Holiday season. Stroll the Village, browse the market, and enjoy a hot chocolate and cookie while doing so.  See you there!

Final Yard Waste Pickups of 2024

 You have three more weeks in 2024 to put your yard waste to the curb.  The final pickup dates are:

• Monday, November 25
• Monday, December 2
• Monday, December 9

And, because Christmas Day and New Year's Day happen on a Wednesday, your regular waste, recycling, and organics pickup will not be changed for either of those two weeks. Garbage and organics will be on Monday, December 23; recycling and organics will be on Monday, December 30. 

Mark your calendars for these events. You can also access the waste schedule online through Peel Region

Mississauga Marathon this weekend, Sunday, April 28

 It is Mississauga Marathon time again! This year, all Marathon races are being run on Sunday, April 28, 2024. Most are being localized around City Hall and Square One. All except the full marathon, which will go along Burnhamthorpe to Mississauga Road, to Indian Road, onto South Service Road, down Clarkson Road to Balsam Avenue and along to Southdown Road, south to Orr Road (with a loop south through Lakeside Park and back to Orr), to Meadow Wood. From there it will go east on Lakeshore Road to Ben Machree and along the lakefront to Front Street, back to Lakeshore and east to Stavebank, south to Port Street, and along the lakefront to the finish at Lakefront Promenade Park. This will start from Celebration Square at 7:30 a.m. and will see our roads in Clarkson affected with lane closures from 8:30 onward, at least until noon. 

Plan your activities on Sunday with these thoughts in mind.

See the complete race route at https://www.racepoint.ca/maps/mississauga.html. Information on road closures can be found at https://www.mississaugamarathon.com/race-weekend-2/.

Daylight Savings Time begins this weekend!

 

Whether you like it or not, Daylight Savings Time does begin this weekend, specifically between 2:00 - 3:00 AM on Sunday, March 10. Yes, you will lose an hour's sleep overnight -- or you can just get up an hour later than usual.

Remember to set your clocks ahead one hour either before you retire for the niight, or when you get up in the morning.

Weekly Yard Waste Pickup Resuming

 As we look forward to Spring 2024, please note that weekly collection of yard waste has now begun (as of March 4). You can use either containers or bags. If using bags, use only brown kraft paper bags, which can be purchased from any grocery store, hardware store, and other retail locations. If you wish to use a reusable container, it must be open and rigid and labled with "yard waste" stickers which are available from any Peel Community Recycling Centre or by callling 905-791-9499. A container must weigh less than 20kg. Do not use one of the wheeled bins provided by Peel for garbage, recycling or organics.

Acceptable yard waste items include:

• leaves and grass rakings 
• tree trimmings and branches
• brush and hedge trimmings
• household and garden plants (minus the soil)

What Type of Fireworks Dislays Are Permitted in Mississauga?

Over the past year, Mississauga City Council has been debating when and where private and public fireworks display can and should be permitted within the City. This is a touchy subject because fireworks have become such an integral part of celebrating holidays such as Canada Day and Victoria Day in Canada. Also many people who come to Canada from other countries have holidays unique to their countries and cultures which involve setting off fireworks. City Council has taken these into consideration and has consulted with group representatives and industry experts to craft a by-law that can be applied and enacted across the City and its residents.

Overview

The Fireworks By-law regulates the sale and use of fireworks in Mississauga. Fireworks in Mississauga are currently permitted on private property until midnight on Victoria Day, Canada Day, Lunar New Year and Diwali. Fireworks are not permitted on a public street, park or road without a permit.

Frequently asked questions

• When are fireworks permitted?
• Fireworks on private property may be used without a permit only on Lunar New Year, Victoria Day, Canada Day and Diwali. Fireworks are currently permitted until midnight and only for the holiday, not the days before or after.
• To use fireworks on private property any other day of the year, residents must obtain a permit from Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services.
• What kinds of fireworks are permitted?
• “F1” Family Class (low-hazard fireworks) are permitted on designated fireworks holidays without a permit. Members of the general public are not permitted to buy professional-grade fireworks.
• Where are fireworks permitted?
• Fireworks are permitted on private property that you own/occupy or the property of someone else with their consent. 
• Residents are not allowed to set off fireworks in a street, public property such as a park or any private property that is not their own.

Dangers of Fake Spider Webs as Halloween Decorations

Many homeowners have already begun to decorate their homes and yards for Halloween. This is  just a note of caution to consider all forms of wildlife that may inhabit or visit your yard while you are preparing to decorate.

Every year, birds from the size of hummingbirds to owls become entangled in seemingly harmless decorations. Fake spider webs can also be detrimental to small mammals such as chipmunks and squirrels. Even the insects that play a crucial role in keeping our ecosystem healthy can be affected.

Often, if wildlife is not injured when they first enter the fake web, they almost always sustain injuries while attempting to free themselves from the sticky material. So, for this Spooky Season (and future ones), ditch the fake webs to help keep the birds, insects, and other critters safe from harm.

NOTE: Many of us, including this writer, have been guilty of using the fake webs to help create a spooky atmosphere. Mine have now been consigned to the garbage pail. We hope yours have as well.

Have a safe and happy Halloween. Small children should always be accompanied by an adult, 
 

Yard Waste Collection

Our yard waste will be collected weekly until the beginning of December. Our final day for yard waste pickup in 2023 will be on Monday, December 4. 

Acceptable yard waste items

• Leaves and yard rakings with debris
• Tree trimmings, branches
• Brush, hedge trimmings
• Household and garden plants
• Please remove excess soil from roots before disposal
• Halloween pumpkins (without the candle).

Remember that yard waste should be in either paper yard waste bags or an open container (e.g. an old garbage can). For further information on using bins and containers for yard waste, go to https://www.peelregion.ca/waste/yard-waste.

Halloween in Clarkson Village 2023

Bring your children (all ages) in costume to Clarkson Village on Saturday, October 28 from 10 am to 2 pm. Stroll along Lakeshore Road West and stop by the many stores, merchants, and restaurants to sample some Halloween candy and goodies.

Fall Vacuum Leaf Pickup 2023.

It is that time of the year when autumn leaves fall from the trees and we have to find a way to get rid of them. You can "recycle" the leaves by using them as compost and mulch to cover your flower beds for the winter. Or you could rake them up and place them at the curb for vacuum pickup by the City. If you choose this latter option, our neighbourhood is included in the GREEN ROUTE. This involves pickup during two separate weeks in November -- Nov.6-10 and Nov.27-Dec.1, 2023. If you miss those dates, place leaves in yard waste bags for pickup on our regular waste pickup days (Monday). Please follow the steps outlined in the accompanying image. It is very important to move parked cars off the street and to keep the area free to allow the vacuum trucks access to the boulevard.

This will be the fifth year that we have had vacuum leaf pickup. For additional information, consult the post we made on November 3, 2018
 

Absence of new posts over past year

 Our Board executives have not actively been adding posts to this blog over the past year, mainly because effort has been redirected to the Facebook page for the Birch Glen Residents' Association (https://www.facebook.com/pg/birchglenresidentsassociation).

We are not abandoning this blog!

It is always a challenge to determine the best means of getting information to the people we think are the readers of this blog. In a perfect world, the authors, editors, and administrators of our sites should be able to type/enter information for a post once and have it appear on/in every site in the appropriate format. Or at least be able to share the post from one site to another. We still have not been able to determine how to do this across platforms.

Until we can figure this out, we are required to retype the information separately -- once on this blog, again on Facebook, and once again on the website. We haven't figured how to "cut and paste" from one platform to another.  Since this is time-consuming, we have been focusing on our Facebook page. Unfortunately, not all residents of our Association are Facebook users. 

Ah, it was simple when our only means of communication was the printed newsletter! We would gather the information and attempt to publish it in a timely manner with one newsletter every quarter (every three months). Of course, that did not allow for items that came across our desks after the newsletter had been printed. This was a great incentive to going online, knowing full well that many older residents were not computer savvy.

We will attempt to post news items to this blog in a timely manner. However, we also ask that people do check out our Facebook page (above) and LIKE and FOLLOW that page.

Meanwhile, please stay safe. The Covid-19 coronavirus is still very much present worldwide and we will be living with it for quite some time to come. 

It is that time of year again to Fall Back!

Remember that Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend. Turn back your clocks one hour Saturday night before going to bed (so you have an extra hour of sleep Sunday morning).

Great News! Fall Leaf Pickup coming to Birch Glen!

Fall Leaf Pickup During the fall, the City of Mississauga provides Vacuum Leaf Pickup service to streets that are more than 35 years old and contain many mature large trees. Streets with fewer and younger trees are not included in the program. Addresses eligible for Leaf Pickup will receive a direct-mail notice that indicates when leaves will be picked up in their area.  Our neighbourhood (and surrounding area north of the Lakeshore) qualify under the GREEN Flyer Schedule, which means our leaves will be vacuumed the weeks of Nov. 5-9 and Nov. 26-30.  Rake leaves to the edge of the grass by Sunday of the week before your scheduled vacuum leaf pickup. Do not rake leaves onto the road. Do not mix items such as wood, brick or brush with the leaves as they can damage equipment or injure workers. Help reduce potential flooding by keeping curbside storm drains clear of leaves. Help our crews by removing cars from the street during leaf pickup. http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/residents/leafpick-up Missed Leaf Pickup? Here are your options for disposing leaves: The Region of Peel will also pick up leaves on your regular waste collection day until December 13, 2018. Leaves must be placed curbside in open, reusable containers such as bushel baskets, labelled rigid plastic containers or paper yard waste bags weighing less than 20 kgs (44 lbs) when full. Do not use plastic bags or recycling boxes. You can also compost your leaves or spread them around the base of your trees. Leaves will fertilize the soil and act as a buffer against extreme temperatures. Remember that oak leaves are difficult to compost. Questions? For more information on the City's Leaf Pickup program, contact 3-1-1 (or 905-615-4311 from outside the City) from Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. For more information on Region of Peel yard waste collection, call 905-791-9499 or visit their website.

Clarkson Road butcher shop building demolished!

Another old building that was a part of the history of Clarkson has been relegated to the dust bin of history! The building that most recently housed the Doug Auld & Son Butchers Shop, at 1109 Clarkson Road North, was demolished this week to potentially pave the way for a new development. The proposed development is for five 4-storey back-to-back stacked townhouse buildings comprising 136 units to be built on the site which has been home to the former butcher shop, a former car detailing business, a wellness centre, an outdoor storage unit, a yoga studio, and a bicycle shop.

The Auld Butcher Shop circa 2011 (Google Street View)

Building in 2016 (Google Street View)

As noted in previous posts, this group of buildings, plus the buildings on the northwest side of the railway track and a house on the northeast side of the tracks, are known historically as the original Clarkson Corners. The former Clarkson railway station was located close by. The current yoga studio building was a cold storage unit for preserving produce. The building that was just demolished began its life as the original post office for Clarkson, then a bank, before becoming Auld's Butcher Shop. It has been an integral part of the community for well over 150 years, and it will be missed.

The City of Mississauga and Heritage Mississauga had wanted to preserve some of the buildings on this site and were supposed to be meeting with the developer to discuss possibilities. The developer has already appealed to the OMB because the City is opposed to the development as currently proposed.

We will now never know the possibile outcome of those meetings. It would have been great to have seen the buildings restored as historical reminders of Clarkson's past. The residents of Clarkson are proud of its history and the role the village played in the settlement of Mississauga. This is the first European settlement in the area, and the Clarkson family was instrumental in its formation as a village. Clarkson Corners was definitely its heart. We are fortunate to be home to two fantastic musuem properties -- Benares Historial House on Clarkson Road North, and the Bradley House Museum on Orr Road at Meadowwood Road. This latter property already houses several historical buildings, but there was no indication that the butcher shop would have been added to the site. It is a mute point now. All we have left are photographs and memories, and a sense that there has been a disruption in the time continuum. We will have to wait to seee what the future brings.

Recent Change in Ownership for Petro-Canada Lubricants

Below is the official notice from the new owners of the local Petro-Canada Lubricants facility at the foot of Southdown Road in Clarkson.

February 1, 2017: - HollyFrontier Corporation completed the acquisition of the Petro-Canada Lubricants (PCLI) business, which is based in Mississauga, Ontario. 

HollyFrontier Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is an independent petroleum refiner and marketer that produces high value light products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel and other specialty products.  With the addition of the Petro-Canada Lubricants business, HollyFrontier becomes the fourth largest lubricants producer in North America.

Although the ownership has transitioned, the values that are held at PCLI are shared with HFC and will remain unchanged.  Commitment to safety, environmental stewardship, continuous improvement and good corporate citizenship continue to be the priority.  

The facility has been a part of the Clarkson landscape since 1943, and has changed ownership and name several times over the years -- first as British American Oil, then Gulf Oil, to Petro-Canada Lubricants in 1985. Under HollyFrontier, it will continue to operate under the Petro-Canada Lubricants, Inc. name and it will be business as usual for PCLI and the community.

The Community Liaison Committee,  of which the Birch Glen Residents' Association has been a functioning member for over 20 years, will continue to meet bi-monthly with senior staff at Petro-Canada throughout the year, bringing community concerns to management, and relaying information back to the community.

Residents can still call the Community Emergency Response/Notification line at 1-866-644-5678 to file noise or odour complaints or to receive up to the moment information about specific situations.

Earth Day 2017

This coming Saturday, April 22, is Earth Day. Although we have not organized a formal neighbourhood cleanup this year, some residents may be in the park and wandering the streets picking up litter. We would ask residents to celebrate the day by cleaning up their own properties and boulevards or joining with neighbours to clean up their streets.

Housing Developments in Clarkson-Lorne Park area

The landscape of Clarkson-Lorne Park is changing with a number of housing and business developments being proposed during the latter part of 2016 and the early part of 2017. Here are some of the applications being considered by the City of Mississauga Planning & Building staff:

1. 1190-1200 Lorne Park Road -- This is the site of the now-closed St. Paul's Anglican Church, just north of the plaza, and on the corner of Lorne Park Road and Garden Road. The applicant's proposal is to revise the official plan and zoning to permit a condominium development consisting of 4 semidetached homes and 6 townhouses on the east portion of the property, plus 2 freehold detached and 2 freehold semi-detached homes fronting onto Garden Road. Information can be found on the City of Mississauga's website at https://www7.mississauga.ca/documents/PublicNotices/2017/oz16014_notice-complete_application_n3.pdf 
2. 1101-1109 Clarkson Road North -- Currently, this site houses a couple of vacated properties (the former Auld & Son butcher shop, and a former luxury car sales and detailing operation), as well as a yoga studio, bicycle shop, medical facilities  The developer is proposing four (or five) buildings that could possibly house 136 four-storey stacked back-to-back townhouses parallel to Clarkson Road on the south side of the railroad tracks. Also proposed -- some retail adjacent to, and parallel to, the tracks, with the road/driveway access on the north side of the property between the retail buildings and the townhouses. City Council and residents oppose this application, The developer has already appealed this decision to the OMB.  http://www7.mississauga.ca/documents/PublicNotices/2015/Public_Notice_-_OZ15003.pdf
3. 1137 and 1141 Clarkson Road North -- This heritage property is located immediately north of the railroad tracks on the east side of Clarkson Road. The applicant is proposing to revise the official plan and zoning to permit two detached homes on Hollow Oak Terrace and additional commercial and office uses within the existing heritage dwelling known as The Clarkson Paisley House (1141 Clarkson Road North). https://www7.mississauga.ca/documents/PublicNotices/2016/public_notice_-_OZ_16012CompApp.pdf  
4. 2200 Bromsgrove Road -- The plan here is to develop 84 three-storey back-to-back stacked townhouses. This property is immediately east of a newly-proposed 104 townhouse development by a different applicant and owner.    https://www7.mississauga.ca/documents/PublicNotices/2017/oz16015_notice-complete_application_n3.pdf
5. 1516-1526 Southdown Road  -- The applicatant is proposing build a two-storey office building on what is currently a residential property.    https://www7.mississauga.ca/documents/PublicNotices/2016/Public_Notice-OZ_15010.pdf

Public meetings have already been held for each of these proposed developments. However, if you are interested in information on any of these projects, you can search for information online either through the Google search engine or on the City of Mississauga website. It is interesting to note that three of the four housing applications are for back-to-back stacked townhouses. A public information centre was held at the Living Arts Centre on March 29 to discuss how the City of Mississauga will approach and handle applications for stacked, back-to-back, and stacked back-to-back townhouses. The discussion was lively and some interesting points were raised regarding accessibility, appearance, setback, and landscaping.

Check out our Facebook page!

We try not to do too much duplication over our social media sites. However, we do realize that some readers and residents are not "on" all forms of social media.

If you are on Facebook as well, go to http://www.facebook.com/birchglenresidentsassociation to keep abreast of what is posted there.

Let us know which format you prefer.

Canada 150 Celebrations in Clarkson

Stay tuned for information on what will be happening in Clarkson Village for Canada 150!

The Clarkson BIA and the ratepayer associations of Clarkson-Lorne Park will be celebrating Canada 150 along Lakeshore Road West in Clarkson Village on June 24, 2017, starting at 12 noon and continuing on through the day until 5 p.m.

We will provide a poster and details as they become available.