Upcoming Town Hall – June 10th, 2026
Ward 9 Park’s Grass Cutting to be Maintained
During deliberations of the Mayor’s Budget directions with regard to reducing and eliminating city grass cutting across the city. I raised concerns that the proposed elimination of grass cutting in Albion Estates Park, Aylmer Parkette and Tapleytown Men’s Club Park would be a real loss for local residents and students. I pointed out that these parks are in close proximity between two schools and private residents. I raised the concerns that such a plan would raise the risk of tick bites and possible tick borne illness.
Subsequently, Councillor Tom Jackson and I moved an amendment to pause the reductions for one year during the budget debate. Regrettably, our amendment was defeated by the majority of councillors.
Included in the grass cutting reductions were the following parks and parkettes
a) Albion Estates Park – grass cutting reduction (park)
b) Aylmer Parkette – grass cutting reduction (parkette)
c) Tapleytown Men’s Club Park – grass cutting reduction (park)
Subsequently, I corresponded with the Director of Environmental Services requesting that if the decision to cut grass cutting services to Albion Estates Park, Aylmer Parkette, and Tapleytown Men’s Club Park was solely to reduce costs then I would suggest funding through the landfill royalties. I stated that I remained concerned that these parks are well used by local communities and allowing them to naturalize will like increase the risk of tick exposure, and bites. The Director of Environmental Services responded, I checked with staff and none of these locations are slated for mowing reductions. While they were on the list initially, they were removed in the final version. No funding needed!
Thank You!
We are grateful that environmental services management and staff reviewed these parks and decided to continue maintaining them as in past years. My residents living close to these parks as well as several hundred students from Billy Green and St Paul Elementary Schools are truly grateful.
March 2026 HPS Ward Reports
HSR Next – Year 1 Service Change
HSR wants to hear from you! Share your input on upcoming HSR service changes and help improve transit across Hamilton. Take the survey here.
As a thank you for participation, respondents may choose to enter the HSR NEXT Survey Contest for a chance to win some great prizes:
Grand Prize: $200 PRESTO card, a collectible HSR 150 bus set, and a pair of tickets to a Hamilton Tiger-Cats home opener game and your choice of a Forge FC home game in the 2026 season.
Plus five additional prizes: Each includes a $50 PRESTO card and a pair Hamilton Tiger-Cats tickets.
Nominations are open for the Senior of the Year Awards
Nominations are now open for the Senior of the Year Awards, an annual City of Hamilton initiative that honours seniors who voluntarily contribute their time, talents, and leadership to strengthen our community.
Through this initiative, we aim to celebrate and recognize the achievements, dedication, and meaningful contributions of seniors aged 65 years and older who enrich our city’s social, cultural, and civic life.
Nominations are open from April 28 to June 30, and we are celebrating the 31st year of the Senior of the Year Awards.
Key Information
- Nominations open: April 28 to June 30, 2026
- Who is eligible: Seniors aged 65 and over who have made outstanding voluntary contributions to the community
- How to nominate:
- Online nomination form
- Printable PDF nomination form (submission instructions included on the form)
- Awards Ceremony: October 15, 2026, at Michelangelo Events and Conference Centre
Nomination packages are available online and in printed formats at Municipal Service Centres and Seniors Centres (Ancaster Senior Achievement Centre, Flamborough Seniors Centre, Sackville Hill Seniors Recreation Centre).
Nomination details are available be visiting www.hamilton.ca/SeniorsAwards.
2026 Hamilton Monarch Garden Awards
What Are the Monarch Awards?
The Monarch Awards recognize gardeners who want their yards to do more than look beautiful — to provide habitat, support pollinators, nourish birds, and build biodiversity right in our neighbourhoods. Four levels of achievement are recognized: Good Start, Caterpillar, Chrysalis, and Monarch, with every level celebrated through certificates, garden signs, or plaques.
Supporting Hamilton’s Environmental Goals
The Monarch Awards align directly with two of Hamilton’s most important environmental commitments. The City’s Biodiversity Action Plan is a multi-partner, five-year plan of actions to protect, enhance, explore and restore biodiversity in Hamilton and ecological front yard gardens are a tangible, resident-driven contribution to exactly that goal. As the BAP recognizes, biodiversity is interconnected, and even the smallest spaces in a city can provide habitat and connections for local plants, insects and wildlife. At the same time, in 2019 the City of Hamilton declared a Climate Change Emergency and set a goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Ecological gardens support that commitment too — native plantings sequester carbon, manage stormwater, filter air, and reduce the need for energy-intensive lawn maintenance. Every Monarch Awards garden is a small but meaningful piece of Hamilton’s climate resilience.
Ecological Gardening Is a Journey
One of the things we love most about this program is that gardens at every stage of the journey are welcome to participate. The award levels are designed to honour progress, not perfection. Gardeners who have previously received a Good Start, Caterpillar, or Chrysalis award are encouraged to apply again as their garden evolves and grows — working their way along until they achieve the Monarch Award.
Who Is Eligible?
To apply, gardeners must rent or own a home within the municipality of Hamilton and have a front yard garden that supports nature. Applications are open to residents across all Hamilton wards, and we hope to see participation from every corner of the city.
Applications open May 15, 2026, at haltonmastergardeners.com/events/monarch-awards. The online application takes about 20 minutes. The Monarch Awards Team will make garden visits between July 13 – August 23 — gardeners do not need to be present.
The closing date for award applications is June 26th.
Recipients will be announced in September 2026, with presentations made at a final celebration in October.
Brad Clark Report 
You must be logged in to post a comment.