Election candidates will have to post a $125 refundable deposit with the Town of Erin to cover possible enforcement costs if there are violations of the new election sign bylaw.
Clerk Dina Lundy drafted a bylaw that will apply to federal, provincial and municipal elections. Council approved it with minor modifications on March 6.
It includes a sign height restriction of one metre, an area restriction of three square metres and a list of where signs may not be placed (including within two metres of a roadway).
The town will notify candidates of infractions, and may remove illegally placed signs, destroy those not picked up by candidates and recover its costs.
The provincial election is on June 7 and the municipal election is on Oct. 22 this year.
Signs were to be allowed for 45 days leading up to a municipal election, but this was changed after Councillor John Brennan noted that such a short period would disadvantage new candidates who need to build up name recognition.
Council has decided that nominated municipal candidates can put up signs as of Sept. 1, which is 52 days before the election.
Nominations can be filed starting May 1, and the deadline (‘nomination day”) is now much earlier than in previous elections, moving from the second Friday in September to the fourth Friday in July.
There will be no referendum questions on the Erin ballot this year, since the deadline for placing such questions was March 1. Also, council has rejected the option of ranked ballots.
The town will continue to use the vote-by-mail system that has been in effect since 2006. Everyone on the Voters List will receive a voter kit, and have the option of mailing their ballot by Oct. 12, or dropping it off at Town Hall on election day.
Lundy had suggested charging candidates a $25 non-refundable fee to cover the cost of administering the new sign bylaw, but councillors said that would be unreasonable.
Initially, signs were to be prohibited within 30 feet of a street corner, to promote traffic safety with a “daylight triangle” of visibility. This has been changed to 10 feet.
All election signs must be removed with 96 hours of the election.
Showing posts with label Signs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Signs. Show all posts
March 15, 2018
September 17, 2014
New signs for Hillsburgh
Lloyd Turbitt, Chair of Let's Get Hillsburgh Growing, made a successful request to Town Council for $4,000 to help pay for new welcome signs at the north and south entrances to Hillsburgh. The old signs are quite weathered (below), and an artist's rendering (above) shows the new design. The group has already raised the rest of the funds needed for the $12,000 project, which is planned for this fall. The Town contribution will come from the $5,000 set aside in the budget for streetscaping.
December 04, 2013
15 Sideroad to be renamed
As published in The Erin Advocate
The Town will proceed with a bylaw to rename 15 Sideroad as Dundas Street East, out to Winston Churchill Boulevard, with no objections raised by residents at a public meeting on November 26.
The change will make the name consistent starting at Main Street. The route was called Dundas Street within the former Village of Erin, but 15 Sideroad in the former Township of Erin. Those names were retained at amalgamation and the urban boundary was later adjusted, but the change-over point in the road name was not clearly marked.
Residents will keep their current address numbers, and the name change will take effect early next year. Urban residents normally have one to three digit numbers, while four-digit numbers usually indicate to the Fire Department that it is a rural address without fire hydrants.
The issue arose after a 15 Sideroad family had delays in getting ambulance service because of confusion over their location in the 911 database.
“When I call 911, I want a quick response,” said Janet Collis. “That’s the only issue – I don’t care about the name or the number.”
Former Township Reeve Duncan Armstrong also attended the meeting, and spoke in favour of the name change. About 25 notices of the meeting were sent out to area residents.
There was also inconsistency in the name of the road west of Main Street, including a section with no homes retaining the name 15 Sideroad. That entire road out to the Eighth Line will now be called Dundas Street West.
The Town will proceed with a bylaw to rename 15 Sideroad as Dundas Street East, out to Winston Churchill Boulevard, with no objections raised by residents at a public meeting on November 26.
The change will make the name consistent starting at Main Street. The route was called Dundas Street within the former Village of Erin, but 15 Sideroad in the former Township of Erin. Those names were retained at amalgamation and the urban boundary was later adjusted, but the change-over point in the road name was not clearly marked.
Residents will keep their current address numbers, and the name change will take effect early next year. Urban residents normally have one to three digit numbers, while four-digit numbers usually indicate to the Fire Department that it is a rural address without fire hydrants.
The issue arose after a 15 Sideroad family had delays in getting ambulance service because of confusion over their location in the 911 database.
“When I call 911, I want a quick response,” said Janet Collis. “That’s the only issue – I don’t care about the name or the number.”
Former Township Reeve Duncan Armstrong also attended the meeting, and spoke in favour of the name change. About 25 notices of the meeting were sent out to area residents.
There was also inconsistency in the name of the road west of Main Street, including a section with no homes retaining the name 15 Sideroad. That entire road out to the Eighth Line will now be called Dundas Street West.
March 07, 2012
Terry speaks his mind to councillors
As published in The Erin Advocate
When Terry Hryhor sees something around town that is not quite right, he is more than glad to point it out to Erin politicians and staff.
After Mayor Lou Maieron recently urged people to get more involved in municipal affairs, Hryhor made an appointment to speak as a delegation before the regular meeting of Town Council on February 21.
He told the politicians that Erin needs to do a better job of communicating with residents, and of promoting the town as a great place to live and do business.
He wasn't happy with the amount of information on the notice board at McMillan Park, which for some time simply had "Happy 2012" and a request from last fall for people to bag their leaves. Hryhor would like to see that board actively managed as a source for a current community information.
The Town website, www.erin.ca, does have a lot of details about municipal business and community events, including various ways to make contact. The What's On section has both an event listing and a monthly calendar view. There are also sections for local Facts, History, Council, Departments, Public Notices, a Photo Gallery, a Community Directory, a Business Directory, and links to documents and to other public agenciess.
Not everyone is in the habit of checking the town website, however, and Hryhor suggested the Town reach out to people by putting more information in The Advocate, and publishing its calendar on paper for people to have handy.
He said there are various unresolved issues where the Town should be actively seeking solutions, noting for example that he first heard the discussion of a truck bypass for Erin village back in 1974.
He would like to see more affordable housing, along with a sewer system that would make it possible. He was surprised to see a country house for rent recently, at $4,000 per month.
"How many condos or apartments or semis have been built in the last 20 years? You could count them on one finger," he said, adding that the Town should promote basement apartments, making the regulations clear for homeowners.
"There was also a suggestion that you were going to try to bring industry to Erin, and if you look around there are several opportunities."
As for community celebrations, he feels the Town leaves too much of the burden on service clubs and other community groups. He recalled the big party at the Erin Village Centennial, but was disappointed see nothing similar on the 125th birthday in 2005. He lamented that, compared to other Wellington County communities, there is very little in Erin for Canada Day (other than the Orton fireworks) or the rest of July.
Erin has "great facilities" that are not getting enough use, noting that Stanley Park (which is privately owned) could be the site of some public events.
He also promoted the idea of a highly visible Farmers' Market (which the Agricultural Society is actively considering).
Hryhor is no stranger to community involvement. As a builder, he developed the Valu-Mart store and plaza. He was on the board of directors at East Wellington Community Services (formerly EWAG) and contributed significant time and materials for renovation of their building at 45 Main Street. In 2008, he was honoured with a spot on Erin's Wall of Fame.
There are many ways to get your opinions, questions or information to the Town. You can phone or email the mayor, councillors, town manager or departments heads. You can write a letter to council, that will appear as correspondence on the council agenda and be available for other members of the public to read – be sure to include your name.
To appear before council, you must fill out a form (by noon on the Thursday before the meeting), stating your purpose – which could be a specific request for action, or simply general information. This enables your issue to be put on the meeting agenda, normally a requirement for anyone addressing council. People make their presentations or present petitions at the start of council meetings, and then can leave if they wish.
Delegations are limited to 15 minutes, but if there are two speakers from a group, each can speak for up to 10 minutes if they have something different to say. Members of council can ask questions of the delegations, but are not supposed to enter into debate with them. Questions from deputations to council are addressed to the chair, normally the mayor.
Sometimes after a delegation is finished, council may vote on a motion related to the presentation. Sometimes they may refer an issue to staff or a committee for further investigation, or they may simply take the information and opinions into consideration for future decisions.
When Terry Hryhor sees something around town that is not quite right, he is more than glad to point it out to Erin politicians and staff.
After Mayor Lou Maieron recently urged people to get more involved in municipal affairs, Hryhor made an appointment to speak as a delegation before the regular meeting of Town Council on February 21.
He told the politicians that Erin needs to do a better job of communicating with residents, and of promoting the town as a great place to live and do business.
He wasn't happy with the amount of information on the notice board at McMillan Park, which for some time simply had "Happy 2012" and a request from last fall for people to bag their leaves. Hryhor would like to see that board actively managed as a source for a current community information.
The Town website, www.erin.ca, does have a lot of details about municipal business and community events, including various ways to make contact. The What's On section has both an event listing and a monthly calendar view. There are also sections for local Facts, History, Council, Departments, Public Notices, a Photo Gallery, a Community Directory, a Business Directory, and links to documents and to other public agenciess.
Not everyone is in the habit of checking the town website, however, and Hryhor suggested the Town reach out to people by putting more information in The Advocate, and publishing its calendar on paper for people to have handy.
He said there are various unresolved issues where the Town should be actively seeking solutions, noting for example that he first heard the discussion of a truck bypass for Erin village back in 1974.
He would like to see more affordable housing, along with a sewer system that would make it possible. He was surprised to see a country house for rent recently, at $4,000 per month.
"How many condos or apartments or semis have been built in the last 20 years? You could count them on one finger," he said, adding that the Town should promote basement apartments, making the regulations clear for homeowners.
"There was also a suggestion that you were going to try to bring industry to Erin, and if you look around there are several opportunities."
As for community celebrations, he feels the Town leaves too much of the burden on service clubs and other community groups. He recalled the big party at the Erin Village Centennial, but was disappointed see nothing similar on the 125th birthday in 2005. He lamented that, compared to other Wellington County communities, there is very little in Erin for Canada Day (other than the Orton fireworks) or the rest of July.
Erin has "great facilities" that are not getting enough use, noting that Stanley Park (which is privately owned) could be the site of some public events.
He also promoted the idea of a highly visible Farmers' Market (which the Agricultural Society is actively considering).
Hryhor is no stranger to community involvement. As a builder, he developed the Valu-Mart store and plaza. He was on the board of directors at East Wellington Community Services (formerly EWAG) and contributed significant time and materials for renovation of their building at 45 Main Street. In 2008, he was honoured with a spot on Erin's Wall of Fame.
There are many ways to get your opinions, questions or information to the Town. You can phone or email the mayor, councillors, town manager or departments heads. You can write a letter to council, that will appear as correspondence on the council agenda and be available for other members of the public to read – be sure to include your name.
To appear before council, you must fill out a form (by noon on the Thursday before the meeting), stating your purpose – which could be a specific request for action, or simply general information. This enables your issue to be put on the meeting agenda, normally a requirement for anyone addressing council. People make their presentations or present petitions at the start of council meetings, and then can leave if they wish.
Delegations are limited to 15 minutes, but if there are two speakers from a group, each can speak for up to 10 minutes if they have something different to say. Members of council can ask questions of the delegations, but are not supposed to enter into debate with them. Questions from deputations to council are addressed to the chair, normally the mayor.
Sometimes after a delegation is finished, council may vote on a motion related to the presentation. Sometimes they may refer an issue to staff or a committee for further investigation, or they may simply take the information and opinions into consideration for future decisions.
July 16, 2008
Tourism turmoil an opportunity for Erin
As published in The Erin Advocate
The high cost of travel could bring more visitors to Erin, as people look for economical ways to take a break from city living.
We've always attracted tourists seeking a rural community atmosphere, but more can be expected as high gas prices make people think twice about driving to more distant Ontario locations such as Muskoka.
Lisa Brusse, Executive Director of the Hills of Headwaters Tourism Association, has done an informal survey of tourist-related businesses in the district, which includes Erin, Orangeville, Caledon, Dufferin, Shelburne and Mono.
“We’re hearing that things are quite strong, with more day-trippers than weekend visitors,” she said. “There has been no decrease due to gas prices.”
With airlines and Via Rail adding fuel surcharges, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada predicts consumers will travel more strategically, with vacations taken closer to home.
Some destinations, such as the Forks of the Credit, already have a fairly high profile. The tourism association gets visitors to explore further by providing maps, profiling local shops, restaurants, natural attractions and accommodations, and developing customized tours through its website: www.thehillsofheadwaters.com. Promotional material is distributed through outlets like The Toronto Star.
"Erin village and Hillsburgh are very good pulls," said Cynthia Percival, Tourism & Membership Services Coordinator for Headwaters. ''There are many well-established businesses, but they can't afford major marketing on their own."
Once day-trippers get to Erin, some end up talking to Lindsay McCaslin. She is staffing the Visitor Information Kiosk on Main Street (across from the ValuMart parking lot), which is operated by Headwaters, in partnership with the Town of Erin and the Erin Economic Development Committee.
''There are lots of Toronto people," she said. "They want to know about places to eat or nice shops, and there are many requests for trail maps."
She said there are also a good number of Erin people dropping in to find out about local events.
High gas prices also give us another good reason to shop, dine and have fun locally. We can save money and boost the Erin economy at the same time. When we get out of our cars to stroll downtown, we stand a better chance of seeing familiar faces and learning more about the community.
Some visitors plan to hike or cycle here, and not spend much money, but making them feel welcome is important for boosting our image.
“Many people want to go and experience things that are free,” said Percival.
A prime example is the Bruce Trail, which can be accessed nearby in Belfountain and Halton Hills. It enables hikers to enjoy the Niagara Escarpment, which is designated by the United Nations as a World Biosphere Reserve.
The pattern for tourist traffic to the Headwaters area is mainly north-south, rather than east-west, with Hwy. 10 being the primary route north, said Percival.
Unfortunately, on that highway, there are no signs pointing the way to Erin. There are directional signs for Inglewood and Belfountain, and promotional signs for various Caledon businesses and Forks of the Credit Provincial Park.
Soon there will be more traffic on that route, since Hwy. 410 is being extended to bypass Brampton and join Hwy. 10.
As northbound drivers approach Caledon village, they'll see a sign pointing them north to Owen Sound, or west on Charleston Sideroad (124) towards Guelph. It would be better if they could also learn that north leads to Orangeville and west leads to Erin.
I don't know how much difference it would make, but it would certainly make the town's location known to more people. It's hard to be a destination when they don't know where you are.
Now might be an opportune time to have such a sign erected, since road construction is taking place in Caledon village and the existing sign is in poor condition.
The Town of Erin can send a request for such a sign to the Area Traffic Manager at the Ministry of Transportation in Downsview. They'll determine if it qualifies under their sign policy.
But sign or no sign, and regardless of the price of gas, Erin seems to be getting lots of visitors.
As they cruise the countryside looking for ways to spend their disposable income, let’s be extra friendly to them.
The high cost of travel could bring more visitors to Erin, as people look for economical ways to take a break from city living.
We've always attracted tourists seeking a rural community atmosphere, but more can be expected as high gas prices make people think twice about driving to more distant Ontario locations such as Muskoka.
Lisa Brusse, Executive Director of the Hills of Headwaters Tourism Association, has done an informal survey of tourist-related businesses in the district, which includes Erin, Orangeville, Caledon, Dufferin, Shelburne and Mono.
“We’re hearing that things are quite strong, with more day-trippers than weekend visitors,” she said. “There has been no decrease due to gas prices.”
With airlines and Via Rail adding fuel surcharges, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada predicts consumers will travel more strategically, with vacations taken closer to home.
Some destinations, such as the Forks of the Credit, already have a fairly high profile. The tourism association gets visitors to explore further by providing maps, profiling local shops, restaurants, natural attractions and accommodations, and developing customized tours through its website: www.thehillsofheadwaters.com. Promotional material is distributed through outlets like The Toronto Star.
"Erin village and Hillsburgh are very good pulls," said Cynthia Percival, Tourism & Membership Services Coordinator for Headwaters. ''There are many well-established businesses, but they can't afford major marketing on their own."
Once day-trippers get to Erin, some end up talking to Lindsay McCaslin. She is staffing the Visitor Information Kiosk on Main Street (across from the ValuMart parking lot), which is operated by Headwaters, in partnership with the Town of Erin and the Erin Economic Development Committee.
''There are lots of Toronto people," she said. "They want to know about places to eat or nice shops, and there are many requests for trail maps."
She said there are also a good number of Erin people dropping in to find out about local events.
High gas prices also give us another good reason to shop, dine and have fun locally. We can save money and boost the Erin economy at the same time. When we get out of our cars to stroll downtown, we stand a better chance of seeing familiar faces and learning more about the community.
Some visitors plan to hike or cycle here, and not spend much money, but making them feel welcome is important for boosting our image.
“Many people want to go and experience things that are free,” said Percival.
A prime example is the Bruce Trail, which can be accessed nearby in Belfountain and Halton Hills. It enables hikers to enjoy the Niagara Escarpment, which is designated by the United Nations as a World Biosphere Reserve.
The pattern for tourist traffic to the Headwaters area is mainly north-south, rather than east-west, with Hwy. 10 being the primary route north, said Percival.
Unfortunately, on that highway, there are no signs pointing the way to Erin. There are directional signs for Inglewood and Belfountain, and promotional signs for various Caledon businesses and Forks of the Credit Provincial Park.
Soon there will be more traffic on that route, since Hwy. 410 is being extended to bypass Brampton and join Hwy. 10.
As northbound drivers approach Caledon village, they'll see a sign pointing them north to Owen Sound, or west on Charleston Sideroad (124) towards Guelph. It would be better if they could also learn that north leads to Orangeville and west leads to Erin.
I don't know how much difference it would make, but it would certainly make the town's location known to more people. It's hard to be a destination when they don't know where you are.
Now might be an opportune time to have such a sign erected, since road construction is taking place in Caledon village and the existing sign is in poor condition.
The Town of Erin can send a request for such a sign to the Area Traffic Manager at the Ministry of Transportation in Downsview. They'll determine if it qualifies under their sign policy.
But sign or no sign, and regardless of the price of gas, Erin seems to be getting lots of visitors.
As they cruise the countryside looking for ways to spend their disposable income, let’s be extra friendly to them.
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