10 Friday, December 16, 2016brooklintowncrier.com Blooming in Brooklin By Ken Brown Outdoor Garden Closed - Indoor Chores Begin Snow! It really is a love-hate relationship with that fluffy white stuff, which we love when it's fluffy, but hate when it's wet or frozen. It made a permanent appearance in my garden this week and that allowed me to declare the outdoor gardening season closed. Still, there are a few chores to attend to. I checked the rain barrel at the back of the house and was happy to see it wasn't frozen yet. Hopefully I'll get it emptied before it does freeze. The Town finally sodded the road construction in front of the house and I immediately emptied the front rain barrel on it, but that's probably also going to be the destination of the back barrel's water. I'd really like that sod to survive the winter as I can't imagine the contractor returning in the spring to replace any. I'll be happy to see more fluffy white stuff lying on it as it will act as a great insulator and will help insure its survival. I also bought a new snow blower. The old one had served well for over 20 years. I'll be disappointed if I don't get a chance to use it. If you're a garden addict like me, then a bit of snow just slows us down and changes our venue. Many summer deck plants have been moved indoors. The first cymbidium orchids are about to burst open with perhaps 20 large, bright, yellow flowers that will enliven the solarium/kitchen for about three months. I'll be watching the others carefully as I may have left them outside a bit late. They like a few cool nights, but the warm days ended a couple of weeks ago. The orchids' soil balls were solid when I carried them in. A few leaves on each plant are looking a little sad and brown so I'll watch patiently to see if they bloom in the new year as they normally would. The dream garden also starts now as the seed catalogues start to pour into the mailbox. I open each one and immediately turn to the "what's new section" to add to my list of must-haves for next spring. That list always greatly exceeds the available garden space, but in January it's just a dream garden, mostly because there are no weeds in it. The begonia and dahlia tubers are tucked into their shredded paper winter beds and are happily sleeping in a cool corner of the basement. The box of amaryllis bulbs have arrived. I'll plant one immediately and then start planning who will get these amazing bulbs as Christmas presents. They're great fun to give to the grandchildren. It's a bit of a Christmas tradition to get down and dirty with each family member as Grandpa helps the kids plant their own bulbs. Inevitably a whose-is-growing-fastest competition breaks out among the siblings. If you have a dedicated gardener to buy a present for, then the ideal item is the Toronto Gardener's Journal and Source Book. Published yearly by a garden writer friend, it's a wealth of current gardening information supplied at the correct season of the year with a page for each day to record garden successes and failures. It's available online at http://torontogardenbook.com/ Our Councillor's Report by Rhonda Mulcahy North Ward Councillor, Town of Whitby • mulcahyr@whitby.ca Reflections on 2016 As we approach the end of 2016, I'm grateful for the opportunities I have been graced with. Undoubtedly, the June 16 by-election win is a stand out for me. I remain humbled and honoured to have been chosen by the community to represent you at Town Hall. I am steadfast in my goals and am finding my place on Council. Over the course of the year we've seen Lorne Coe leave council to represent us as MPP. I was elected to fill the void as the Ward Councillor; Fire Chief Speed became Whitby's temporary CAO then Doug Barnes was interim CAO; and Mayor Mitchell was temporarily absent while recovering from some health issues. I'm happy to report, however, that it's business as usual at Town Hall. Earlier in 2016, we held the third and final Public Information Centre (PIC) for the Brooklin Secondary Plan. Dozens of people came out and feedback was great. We hope to see the Brooklin Secondary Plan come back to us at Council in early 2017. Recently we held a PIC for the Whitby Official Plan at Town Hall. Again, turn out was good. I have to commend the Planning Department for the amount of work they are doing on these plans. It is a huge undertaking. The Emerald Ash Borer decimated our streetscapes this year. Brooklin was the last to see the tree removals. It's painful to watch. New plantings will happen next year. The 407 opening was my first official gig as councillor. Fun stuff. Very soon we are going to see tolls put in place for the new highway. Take advantage of the free days left. Council has written to the MTO requesting the tolls be removed from the 412 (note: the 407 phase from east of Brock Road is owned by the province, not 407 ETR). There is also an online petition for those who wish to support this initiative. (Visit www.change.org and search 412 non-toll) In the meantime, I continue to scratch my head over orange traffic cones. Trust me, they are my nemesis. Recently we held Christmas in the Village in Grass Park. Despite my singing performance, we saw thousands attend. Our social media sites saw more action for this event than any other Town event ever. Over 60,000 hits! I'm floored. But then again, Brooklin likes its social media. When elected, I was clear that one of my focuses would be directed towards safer streets. I can assure you we have several ongoing traffic studies. Most studies occur in May and October as these are, apparently, the most "real" numbers. We also suspect our numbers in various areas will change when the 407 tolls are a reality. Regardless, I'm eagerly awaiting results in a few areas and will be following up with these in the new year. I did have some success in budgeting a traffic light for the intersection of Thickson and Gateway Court. This is the intersection just to the north of the Metro Grocery store. Those who live on that street are trapped in an increasingly dangerous situation. Council was unanimous. I am thankful for the support of my peers. Things to look forward to in 2017 will include the finalization of the Brooklin Secondary Plan, the 2017 Budget (perhaps "looking forward to it" may be a stretch), replacement of Emerald Ash trees, groundbreaking for at least two new builds at the corners of George and Baldwin Streets as well at Baldwin and Way Streets. For now, I'm looking forward to some time with my husband and kids over the Christmas break. I hope you all get to enjoy the time as well. From my family to yours, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I look forward to serving you through 2017. Get Smart About Salt This Winter Central Lake Ontario Conservation is asking for your help this winter to help keep you safe and protect the environment. Each year in Canada, we use an average of 5 million tonnes of road salts as de-icers and spend over $1 billion on winter maintenance to keep roads, sidewalks, and parking areas safe and passable. In Ontario the majority of road salt is applied by the Ministry of Transportation, municipalities and, of course, you, the businesses and homeowners. If we use too much salt or store it improperly exposing it to weather, we could be causing negative impacts on the environment. According to a University of Michigan study in 2009, approximately 70 percent of salt applied in the winter is retained in a watershed. You likely cannot see it, but it's there and the water quality data we collect from our creeks and groundwater confirms chloride and sodium are trending upward. This will continue to have serious consequences to our health as well as the plants, wildlife, soil and water. Here are some facts to help you get smart about salt this winter: Salt only works when the outside temperature is between 0 degrees and minus 12 degrees Celsius. Check your thermometer before you grab the salt. Consider the use of kitty litter or sand as a low impact alternative to give you that much needed traction. Put away your flip flops and wear sturdy footwear designed for snow and ice to help prevent slips and falls. Be proactive and redirect downspouts away from walkways and paved surfaces to prevent ice buildup in those high traffic areas. Clear your snow from driveways and walkways as soon as possible. Not only is it good exercise if done properly, it can prevent the ice from forming in the first place. Put snow tires on your car and give yourself extra time to get to your destination on time. If you must use salt or a de-icing product, read the directions and apply a small amount on icy areas only. Give the salt product time to do its work. Do you contract a service for snow clearing? Ask them if they have taken 'Smart About Salt' train- ing. If they haven't, they may con- tact the Smart About Salt Council at www.smartaboutsalt.com. Driver Cooperation Required On Friday, Dec. 24, Mr. S. Claus will be making deliveries throughout the night. Drivers are asked to kindly yield the right of way to his, um, vehicle which will be led by his service animals.