Rehabilitation of Kos Blvd. Culvert over Birchwood Creek

To residents of Kos Blvd. in particular: --

You will have received a Construction Notice this week from the City of Mississauga regarding some construction work that will be undertaken starting this month and possibly lasting through the Fall and early Winter months.

The City will be rehabilitating the culvert through which the creek runs under the western section of Kos Blvd. -- by the entrance to Birchwood Park. The description of the construction work is projected to include:

• removal and replacement of the damaged corrugated steel panels
• reconstruction of the retaining wall
• asphalt replacement
• improvements to the surrounding area

The City has indicated that the project will have an impact on traffic along the west arm of Kos Blvd. Although the road will remain open to traffic at all time during the construction, residents may experience some delays.

Residents who live north of the creek on Kos Blvd. will be affected most by this construction and may want to travel east along Kos to exit.

A special note to all residents of Birch Glen from the Residents' Association:

• parking along the west section of Kos Blvd. will certainly be affected during the construction period
• we ask that you do not park along this stretch of the road once construction begins.  

Your cooperation in this matter will be greatly appreciated. If you have any questions or need more information,  please contact Mr. Zeljko Subic, P.Eng. at 905-615-3200 ext. 5830.

We will be keeping an eye on the project once it begins and will update you here as needs arise.

Steampunk Invasion: Through the Looking Glass -- July 24

Are you a fan of Alice in Wonderland or Alice Through the Looking Glass? Would you like to experience a trip through the looking glass into the Victorian Era -- along with two sisters who actually lived at Benares Historic House?

Well, here's your chance! Come out to Benares at 1507 Clarkson Rd. N., Mississauga on Sunday, July 24 at noon for a fun afternoon of games, crafts, vendors, performances and live music. 

Don't be afraid of the term "steampunk".  Steampunk can be considered an inspired movement of creativity and imagination. With a backdrop of either Victorian England or America’s Wild West at hand, modern technologies are re-imagined and realized as elaborate works of art, fashion, and mechanics. If Jules Verne or H.G. Wells were writing their science fiction today, it would be considered “steampunk.”

So, with that in mind, pack up the kids and head to Benares for an interesting experience. See you there!

1. /CULTURE
 
2. STEAMPUNK INVASION

Steampunk Invasion

Through the Looking Glass

Sunday, July 24, 2016 -

12:00pm to 4:00pm

It’s 1892 and Annie and Naomi Harris have stepped through the looking glass and emerged in a new steampunk reality. Join them for an afternoon of games, crafts, vendors, peculiar performances and live music.

On the Verandah Summer Concerts at Benares Historic House

It is time for the "On the Verandah Summer Concerts"  at Benares Historic House, 1507 Clarkson Road N. in Clarkson. These concerts are hosted by the Friends of the Museums

The concerts take place every Friday night during the summer months of June, July and August and are held on the lawn (in front of the verandah) of our own historic house and museum. Although the concerts are open to anyone who wants to attend, they are "Pay-What-You-Can", with a suggested donation of $10.

We are a bit late in posting the scheduled concerts (we missed all of June), so we will start with the July offerings:

• July 1      Jazz Plazma
• July 8      Age of Reason
• July 15    The OCTOKATS
• July 22    Rob Tardik
• July 27    Cooper and Maciag
• Aug 5      Laura Fernandez
• Aug 12    Quantum Brass
• Aug 19    Tala — South Asian Music Night
• Aug 26    Burlington Welsh Male Chorus

The concerts are a regular summer happening in Clarkson and are well worth the outing. On your own, on a date, with friends or with the whole family, try to attend at least one of these concerts this summer. Who knows ... it could become a regular weekly outing! 

Support the Friends of the Museums and let them know you are interested in more events of this sort. You could also search them out on Facebook! Or check out the brochure at   https://www7.mississauga.ca/documents/culture/museums/SummerAtTheMuseums_Flyer_8x11_web.pdf

Yard Waste Update

As of the beginning of July, yard waste collection has changed to bi-weekly pickup. Yard waste will still be collected on Mondays, but only every second week -- on recycling days -- during July, August and September.  To refresh your memory on what will be picked up when, visit www.peelregion.ca/waste and click on "When Does It Go?" and type in your address.

Weekly yard waste collection will resume after Thanksgiving.

Green Bin, Blue & Garbage Receptacle Take Back Event in Peel!

Do you still have your "old" green bin cluttering up your garage or yard? The Region of Peel will hold a series of "Take Back Events" throughout the region in July and August at which residents will be able to bring their unwanted old (small) green bins and blue bins. 

Ward 2 residents can bring their old bins to the Lakeview Water Trestment Facility, 920 East Ave., Mississauga on Saturday, July 23, 2016, 8:00 a.m. to 1;00 p.m.

For details on which containers are accepted at this event, visit  http://www.peelregion.ca/waste/carts#carts-old-bins. This link will also provice information on additional dates and sites for return of unwanted bins. 

However, if you wish to keep your old blue and green bins for use around the yard, the Region has these ideas for re-using the containers:

• Use your old green bin to store pet food, bird seed, barbeque charcoal, sand or sidewalk salt.
• (Editor's note: I would not recommend this use -- the bin covers always leaked during a rainstorm and allowed rainwater to seep into the bins. I would be concerned about moisture getting in and spoiling any of the above suggestions)!
• Use your old blue box or grey box to:
  • Hold recyclables before putting them in your recycling cart.
  • Hold yard waste for setting on the curb. A blue/grey box must be clearly labelled with a yard waste sticker or “Yard Waste” clearly written in paint or permanent marker.
  • Store items around your home or in your shed or garage.

Battery Collection

The Region of Peel is collecting single-use household batteries from the curb in March and November. Our first Battery Pickup Day is Monday, March 21, 2016! 

Gather your A, AA, AAA, C, D, 9 volt and button cell batteries. Residents with curbside collection will receive a battery collection bag in the mail the first week of March. Put your batteries in the bag and seal it. You can also put your batteries in a regular zip-locked bag. Learn more about battery collection by watching this video or reading this page.

Yard Waste Collection starts in March

With Spring around the corner, the Region of Peel begins weekly Yard Waste collection the week of March 14, 2016. Our collection day in Clarkson/Lorne Park is Monday -- that means our first YW pickup is on Monday, March 14, 2016.

Of Note: -- Shredded paper can be disposed of with your yard waste!

Changes to Waste/Recycling Collection Schedule Now in Effect

As of the beginning of January 2016, the proposed changes to the weekly garbage and recycling schedule are now in effect.

The changes are as follows:

• collection day is now on Monday
• garbage and recycling collection is biweekly -- garbage one week and recycling the next
• visit  http://www.peelregion.ca/waste/collection-schedules 
• organics collection is weekly

We are now using the new waste, recycling and organics bins that were delivered in December. Each bin you received has a special code that is printed on the side indicating your address.

You selected either small, medium or large waste and recycling bins. If you have discovered that the size you chose is either too small or too large for the amount you put out every two weeks, you may contact the Region of Peel Wasteline by phone or through their website to change to a different size.

• Carts cannot be exchanged until April 1, 2016.

• From April 1 to April 30, 2016, cart exchanges are FREE

•  Starting May 1, 2016, an exchange fee of $25 per cart will apply (covers the cost to pick up and clean your carts and deliver and register new ones

What about the old blue bins and organics bins we used before? Go to http://www.peelregion.ca/waste/carts#carts-old-bins for more information.

Summer Bi-weekly Yard Waste Collection Now in Effect

From the beginning of July until September 24, 2015, your yard waste will be collected every second week. As usual, all yard waste must be in either specifically designed paper yard waste bags or in rigid, reusable and open bins labelled with a Region of Peel yard waste sticker (call 905-791-9499 for information on where to get these stickers). Please do not use plastic bags.

The following are accepted as yard waste:

• tree trimmings, branches
• grass clippings
• brush, hedge trimmings
• leaves
• shredded paper
• household and garden plants (soil removed)

Every household should have received the 2015/2016 Collection Calendar sometime earlier this year. In it, there is a pull-out page indicating which services will be provided each week for the whole year. Our collection day for Clarkson and Ward 2 is Tuesday.

The yard waste schedule for our area is:

• Tuesday, July 14 and 28
• Tuesday, August 11 and 25
• Wednesday, September 9 and Tuesday, Sept. 22

Remember that the collection of garbage, recycling and organics is still weekly for the remainder of 2015. If you want further or more detailed information regarding curbside collection, go to www.peelregion.ca/waste/collection-schedules#curbside.  

Birch Glen now on Google+

For many years now, we have maintained our website -- www.birchglen.com -- and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The website and this blog have worked in tandem to attempt to keep our residents informed and up-to-date with news and events in the neighbourhood and in the general Clarkson and Lorne Park area.

Recently, we decided to incorporate Googe+ in our communication package. Basically, items posted on this blog will show up on our Google+ page. Any feedback will be appreciated. Over the next while, we will be contacting those residents whose email addresses we have to invite them to join our circle on Google+.

Do you think this is a good move? Would you prefer that we start a Facebook page instead? Please comment below.