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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, March 12, 2015 | 10 Activist is proposing ways municipalities can get in on the action continued from p.5 "It's the easiest way to get a major point across on climate change, so why not?" Shirkey is the executive director of Our Horizon, a non-profit organization he founded two years ago. The slogan of his organization is, Think Globally, Act Municipally. And that's just what he's doing. He has been travelling around the country, pitching his initiative to anyone who will listen, and is noticing his idea is gaining traction. On Jan. 26, West Vancouver's council passed a resolution for consideration in advance of the 2015 Federation of Canadian Municipalities convention taking place in Edmonton this June. It proposes, "all vendors of retail petroleum products in Canada be legislated to provide warning labels on all pump handles." In his capacity as a lawyer, Shirkey has come up with several ways municipal governments can get behind the warning labels being placed at the pumps. He said a municipality can use its licensing powers to pass a bylaw, ask the Province to amend the Municipal Act to explicitly allow cities and towns to implement the policy, or pass a resolution to support West Vancouver's position on the labeling program. Shirkey said he would like to see progress like this take place in Oakville and he's getting a little help from his friends. Dibiase and some of his colleagues from the Bronte Creek Project are already planning to address Oakville's town council about enacting the climate change warning label policy. A teacher at the Bronte Creek Project, Hilary Coburn, said it's no surprise that her students have taken up the torch to advocate for the environment out in the community. "A council meeting becomes a place where you can actually make change and not just read about it," she said. "You can sit in and talk and discuss and be part of the conversation." www.oakville.ca Spring thaw reminders for residents Stay away from stormwater management ponds As the temperature outside rises and falls, residents are reminded that for your safety recreational use of stormwater management ponds (SWMPs) is prohibited. SWMPs are designed to collect and treat runoff from our local storm sewer systems. They are not safe for recreational winter activities such as skating or for crossing on foot. The fluctuating temperatures, as well as the use of road salts, can create hazardous conditions and it's not uncommon for thin or unstable ice to appear solid. Weather permitting, the town continues to offer public skating venues at local arenas and a number of neighbourhood rinks. For a full list of locations, please refer to the town's website at oakville.ca. Please stay off and stay safe. Be aware of creek conditions Both Conservation Halton and Credit Valley Conservation monitor local creek system conditions and provide updates, which are also available on the town's website at oakville.ca. Help keep catch basins clear Snow covered catch basins prevent melting snow from properly draining into the town's storm sewer system. Help prevent street flooding and icing by knowing the location of catch basins on your street and clearing snow and ice away. Residents are encouraged to clear snow-covered catch basins or to notify ServiceOakville at 905-845-6601 or ServiceOakville@oakville.ca Municipal Events Strategy The Town of Oakville is currently in the process of developing a municipal Event Strategy. Individuals and organizations that currently coordinate outdoor public/community events in Oakville are invited to participate in one of two community consultation sessions as part of this process. Join us: Thursday, March 12, 2015 6-7:30 p.m. Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre Program Room 3 2302 Bridge Road Monday, March 16, 2015 6-7:30 p.m. Iroquois Ridge Community Centre Northridge Room 1051 Glenashton Drive To confirm your attendance at one of these two sessions, please R.S.V.P. to events@oakville.ca. For more information visit oakville.ca. Do you/your organization coordinate an outdoor public/ community event in Oakville? If so, the Town of Oakville would like to connect with you. Skate and Helmet Rentals Now available at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex! $3 ­ helmet $6 ­ skates $7 ­ combo (skates and helmet) Identification required to rent skates and/or helmets. Acceptable forms of ID include a driver's license, passport, birth certificate or citizenship card. Quantities are limited, and will be rented on a first-come, first-served basis. Skate and helmet rentals are also available at River Oaks Community Centre and Maple Grove Arena. Active Transportation Master Plan Update Workshop Tuesday, March 24, 2015 6:30­9 p.m. (presentation at 7 p.m.) Town Hall -- Oakville/Trafalgar Rooms What is the workshop about? It's time to update the town's Active Transportation Master Plan (ATMP) and we want to start with you! What do you think we need to include in this study? Do you have ideas on how we can improve the current ATMP? We want to hear from you now before we even start to put together the project team of staff and consultants. RSVP & more information: Please let us know you're coming by emailing us at chris.clapham@oakville.ca by March 20, 2015. If you can't make it, but want to be updated on the study progress or if you want more information contact Chris Clapham through email or by phone at 905-845-6601, ext. 3306. If you have any accessibility needs, please let us know by March 20, 2015 by contacting Chris Clapham 905-845-6601, ext. 3306 (TTY: 905-338-4200), chris.clapham@oakville.ca or by filling out the accessible online feedback form on oakville.ca.