Raise the Hammer

Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow is embarking on an eight-city speaking tour aimed at protecting the Great Lakes from private interests and government complacency and restoring more democratic control over them. The speaking tour arrives tomorrow in Hamilton.

"The Great Lakes of North America are in serious trouble," says Barlow. "Multipoint pollution, climate change, over-extraction, invasive species, and wetland loss are all taking their toll on the watershed that provides life and livelihood to more than 40 million people and thousands of species that live around it."

"On this tour to Great Lakes Basin communities, we'll be discussing an exciting new proposal to designate the lakes and their tributary waters as a lived Commons, to be shared, protected, carefully managed and enjoyed by all who live around them," adds Barlow.

The list of speakers at this event includes:

• Hillfield Strathallan Environment Club students
• Linda Lukasik, Executive Director of Environment Hamilton
• Mark Mattson, Lake Ontario Waterkeepers
• Maude Barlow, The Council of Canadians

Join us for a great night of music and fun at Club Absinthe!

Tickets are $5, all proceeds support Open Streets Hamilton! You can pick up your tickets starting at this Friday's Art Crawl!

More details to come soon!

If you want to reserve tickets to the show you can also email kathryn@openstreetshamilton.ca

Open Streets Hamilton returns to James Street North on Sunday, June 24th, 2012, from 10am-5pm. Make the streets your playground!

Get ready for Bike to Work Day on May 28th by brushing up on your cycling skills. Join Green Venture and New Hope Bike Co-op on Tuesday May 22nd from 11:30AM until 1:00PM at the Hamilton Farmer's Market for a short 30 minute demonstration on cycling in the city.

The demonstration will focus on: •An A-B-C Quick Safety Check to complete before riding each time •Tube Replacement •4 Key Principles - Manouverability, Visibility, Predictability, Communicate

If you've always wanted to try cycling to work but aren't sure you can safely ride, come to the Hamilton Farmer's Market on Tuesday May 22nd over your lunch hour and find out how easy it can be.

Bryan Prince Bookseller and the Hamilton Public Library are pleased to welcome Nora Young of CBC's Spark program to Hamilton for an engaging lecture about digital technology.

Ms Young will be speaking about her new book, "The Virtual Self: How Our Digital Lives Are Altering the World Around Us".

Tickets $15. Include refreshments.

Hamilton No. 1 Toastmasters will host its Sixtieth Anniversary Celebration and celebrate sixty years of leadership and communication training in Hamilton by having a dinner and dance at Liuna Station. The club wishes to extend an invitation to any and all members of Toastmasters, past and present, and past members of Toastmistress Clubs, to the dinner and dance. As well, any donations or loans of old Toastmaster or Toastmistress material for a historical display planned for the celebration would be greatly appreciated. Tickets are $45 per person or $80 per couple.

Dance in support of Lucene Charles' final application to remain in Canada with her boys.

Cash bar, BBQ, prizes. Live Band: Backroom 11, Vintage R&B and Soul infused with Rock, Blues & Jazz influences: www.backroom11.com

Tickets $15 available from Canadians for Lucene Charles website or Picks and Sticks (Cash only), 140 Locke St. S. (905) 528-6058

Michael Shuman is an author, lawyer, economist & fellow with the Post Carbon Institute, known for his groundbreaking work around relocalization and building healthy, sustainable local economies. Shuman will be speaking about his latest book, "Local Dollars, Local Sense: How to Shift Your Money From Wall Street to Main Street and Achieve Real Prosperity".

Event presented by Environment Hamiltons Greening Our Local Economy project, along with Bryan Prince Bookseller.

Free Admission, everyone welcome.

The Westdale Children's School 16th Annual Mayfair

Saturday, May 26, 2012 11am-3pm At the Aviary Gardens in Westdale

Come and enjoy the whimsy and charm of a traditional children's celebration! Music, games, crafts, food and more....

The Westdale Children's School (WCS) is a caring, safe and inspiring environment for learning, socializing and playing.

Our pressure-free gentle approach is inspired by Waldorf Early Childhood Education and is noticeably different than that of other preschool programs. We focus on imaginative free play, healthy snacks and plenty of time outdoors, including weekly nature hikes. These activities support children's natural development and help prepare them for academics.

WCS offers a morning and afternoon Kindergarten curriculum for children 3 to 6 years. We also offer two Parent and Child programs: "Babes in Arms" for infants up to 12 months of age, and a second program for children between 12 months and 4 years. WCS offers one-week Summer Camp programs for 3 to 6 year olds and 7 to 10 year olds. More information and registration details are available on the website.

Founded in 1996, the Westdale Children's School is licensed under the Day Nurseries Act and is a non-profit, registered charitable organization as well as a developing member of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America. The school gratefully acknowledges a grant received from the Ontario Trillium Foundation in 2007.

Hi Y'all!

Join us for a fun-filled day with line dancers, live music, a magician, face painting, old-fashioned games (like three-legged race, egg & spoon!) BBQ - and much more at the:

Off The Streets Hoe Down Steeles Park (next to East Kiwanis Boys & Girls Club) Ellis Avenue, Hamilton

See the attached flyer: feel free to forward this on & look forward to seeing you there - - yeehaw!

Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Citizens of the Crown Point Community, we have a wonderful opportunity. The Hamilton Community Foundation has awarded a $1000 grant to the Crown Point Neighbourhood Association to create a Pipeline Walk Community Garden!

As a member of the garden sub-committee, I am seeking passionate gardeners, concerned citizens, community groups and organizations who wish to participate in this garden's creation. Anyone who is interested may contact me or visit the Pipeline Project meeting at 80 Ellis Ave (Compass Point Church by Center Mall), Monday May 28th at 5:00 PM. All are welcome.

The Crown Point neighbourhood is among the most vibrant in Hamilton, Ontario, with the expansive Gage Park, the fruitful Ottawa Street Farmers' Market, access to the Niagara Escarpment and more. I hope to see you there.

Update May 09: The date has been postponed from May 21st to May 28th due to the long holiday weekend. Julia Kollek from Environment Hamilton along with Clare Wagner from HCGN and Green Venture, have graciously offered to host this meeting an hour and a half prior to the general meeting of the Crown Point Community at the same location. I have also contacted our ward 4 councilor Sam Merulla and he "strongly supports" this endeavor.

Make a statement for cycling in Hamilton by riding to work on May 28th! Join other cyclists at the 7:30 am reception in Gore Park and get rewarded for your ride. Challenge your friends and co-workers to join you on your ride. Gore Park too far out of the way? Let us know you rode to work through social media, and spread the word to your friends and co-workers. Details and registration at SmartCommuteHamilton.ca

Come Celebrate with Us!

The Green Sacred Spaces Award recognizes the contributions that faith communities have made toward making our environment more sustainable. 2012 Award recipients are Melrose United Church and Grace Lutheran Church.

There will be refreshments and an opportunity to network. Event is free. If you would like a poster just send me a quick email.

Come join in our 4th Annual Step Into Summer Diabetes Awareness Event. There will be many information booths to visit to help you manage and/or prevent diabetes. A great opportunity to meet nurses, dieticians, foot care providers, exercise specialists and many more. We look forward to seeing you!

We welcome you to an afternoon of information and networking with others engaged in renewable energy cooperative projects. The OPA has released its 2.0 version of the FIT and MicroFIt program, and community groups have an opportunity to profit from this program. Key note speaker is Rob Yost, President of Local Initiative for Future Energy (LIFE) Co-op.

Greetings from Burlington’s Mayor Goldring and Hamilton City Councillor Brian McHattie

Feature presentations include: • Information about community power projects in Ontario • How to use the co-op model to benefit from Ontario’s Feed-In-Tariff Program • How to finance & support your renewable energy co-operative (Ontario Sustainable Energy Association -OSEA). . Considerations for Collaboratives, Joint-Ventures and Community-Corporate Partnerships (TREC Renewable Energy Co-operative). • Getting your project connected to the electricity grid (Horizon Energy Solutions Inc).

The event includes local technology vendors and exhibitors. If you would like to be an exhibitor contact us.

Doors open at 12pm. Workshops from: 1-5pm We are offering a Community Power 101 crash course, starting at 12pm. Entrance is FREE and light refreshments will be provided.

Registration required. http://www.eventbrite.ca/event/3522631285 https://www.facebook.com/events/330296420372873/?context=create

For more information contact: Halton Region: Andrea at: hheat@haltonenvironment.ca Call 416-726-3671 Hamilton Region: Beatrice at: hheat@environmenthamilton.org Call 905 549 0900

Links to HHEAT Presentations We invite you to check out the links to our past presentations at http://hheathub.blogspot.com/

On Sunday, June 24th 2012, park your car and take a stroll through the core! This year’s Open Streets Hamilton includes over 2 kilometres of car-free roads for pedestrians, cyclists, scooters, skateboards, wheelchairs, and more!

Sunday, June 24th - 10am-5pm James Street North & Gore Park! Featuring: NEW SECTION! James North between York & King YWCA Walk a Mile in Her Shoes (LiUNA Station) Gore Park Promenade Open to the Core Sat, June 23rd lead-in event on King William Street Pathways to Peace (1-4pm at The Lister Block)