Blog Archives

Proposed CBM Caledon Quarry

4/30/2022

Concerned citizens are encouraged to join Forks of the Credit Preservation Group. The proposed project location of this blasting quarry, is less than 2 km. south of Alton Village, and is posted on the CBM Caledon Quarry website.
Link: Reform Gravel Mining Coalition The DAMN! campaign is endorsed by a diverse range of community groups also opposing new approvals for gravel mining in their communities.

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The Old Alton Public School

4/2/2022

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by Steve Hertzberg, Historic Alton Schoolhouse Committee (HASC)

The Historic Alton Schoolhouse has been vacant for the past eight years. During this time, community efforts have taken place to have the Town renovate and preserve this heritage landmark building for public use. In 2018, the Town hired consultants to do a Feasibility Study that made recommendations for the Schoolhouse reuse – but no action followed. See link below to the Study.

Last year, the AVA formed the Historic Alton Schoolhouse Committee to re-engage the Town in discussions on the future of the Schoolhouse – The Committee’s Vision for the Schoolhouse is (like other communities have recreation centres) – The West Caledon Creative Community Hub is a meeting space for residents, community groups and tourists to thrive by supporting their learning, leisure and social needs through a variety of quality programs and services.

On January 20, 2022 the Committee met with Town officials and Councillors Kiernan & Sinclair to discuss how to best move forward together. The Committee made a Presentation for the Schoolhouse reuse that included: 1) Delivery of the Town’s recreation + leisure programs, 2) A store selling locally made products, and 3) A One Room Museum showcasing local history exhibits. See link below to the Presentation.

There have been further exchanges with the Town since January, but with COVID-19 things have moved slowly. When we have a better idea of what direction the Town would like to proceed, we will be back to the community with a further update.

Link: Presentation for the Schoolhouse reuse from HASC.
Link: Feasibility Report - The Old Alton Public School

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Alton Village Square Community Gardens

4/2/2022

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The Veggie Gardens

by Emily Quinton, Director, AGA, (Alton Village Square Gardens Committee), April, 2022

Did you know that the Alton Village Square is home to 4 raised planters and a number of perennial fruit shrubs like currants and gooseberries?

For the last few years, I’ve had the pleasure of planting, weeding and watering this space for the community to taste, enjoy and watch grow. This year we have an exciting new addition to the square – a pollinator planter! Attracting pollinator species to a space is critical for many of the reasons that Julie explains under the Alton Village Butterflyway news, but some of the vegetable varieties planted in the raised beds (such as pumpkin, squash, zucchini and cucumber) also require the work of pollinators to produce fruit.

This year, you can expect to see a variety of vegetables in the Village Square garden including tomatoes, squash, kale, peppers, onions, herbs, carrots and peas. Soil and compost are being added next week, and planting will begin on the first weekend of June.

Please feel free to stop by and see what’s growing! edit.

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Alton Village Butterflyway

4/1/2022

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by Julie Pomeroy, Director, AVA (Alton Village Butterflyway Project Committee)

The Alton Village Butterflyway is an initiative of the Alton Village Association. We are a group of keen volunteers, residents and businesses, creating native habitat, "one fun butterfly-friendly" planting at a time. We do what we can to help the environment, create beautiful spaces, and promote community well-being with the wonderful gardens that we plant. Our mission is to promote and plant a network of diverse and sustainable native plant gardens in our community, that will meet the objectives of the David Suzuki (DSF) Butterflyway, add colourful character to our neighbourhood and foster a spirit of community pride now and for future generations.
This year a planter has been selected in the Alton Village Square to initiate our first butterfly garden. THANK YOU to Lynx and Hare Cycles, Stephan Schneider and Shannon McCauley, for your kind and generous offer to sponsor this garden. The plants have been ordered and planting will begin sometime in June. Please come join us!

Links for more information:

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Alton Historical District

4/1/2022

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The Town of Caledon has one Heritage Conservation District (HCD) in the Village of Bolton and is working on a second Heritage Conservation District in Alton. A Heritage Conservation District designation includes buildings, streets, landscapes and views within a specific area.
By designating a Heritage Conservation District, a municipality can manage and guide future change to preserve the identity of a heritage community as outlined in Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act.

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West Caledon Communities Group (WCCG)

4/1/2022

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by Mary Cooney, President, AVA

Directors from the AVA and members from our community and others have joined together to form the West Caledon Communities Group (WCCG). Our objectives are to address common community concerns raised by our residents.
The WCCG is comprised of the following members:

Belfountain Community Organization
Caledon Village Association
Alton Village Association
Forks of the Credit/Brimstone Residents Association
Terra Cotta Traffic Association
Cheltenham Community Representatives
Cataract Community Representatives
Green Lake Property Owners Association
Forks of the Credit Preservation Group

Three common concerns addressed by WCCG with the Town of Caledon Council to date are: Aggregate, Traffic and Tourism.

Aggregate:

Members conducted an Aggregate Policy Review with recommendations to incorporate concerns in the Official Plan. Presentations have been made to Caledon Council and the Region of Peel.

Traffic:

Speeding, reckless driving, aggressive drivers of some large trucks, i.e. running red lights etc. noisy vehicles etc. Again, the group is working on developing recommended solutions to problems being experienced.

Tourism:

We welcome people to West Caledon. However, during the pandemic some areas experienced an overwhelming number of visitors. The unexpected numbers put immense pressure and strain on parks, roads and residents at some locations. We are pleased that the Town of Caledon Tourism Department has been engaging citizens throughout Caledon to sit on a Visitor Management Taskforce in an attempt to develop solutions to both current and looming future problems. For example, parking, village or area capacity, washroom facilities, traffic, etc.
We support a Caledon Village bypass to handle growing traffic concerns.
We thank our local politicians for Ward 1 and Ward 2 and Town of Caledon staff for their ongoing support of WCCG. The current representatives from Alton on the WCCG are AVA Directors: Pam Stratton, Eric Wood, and Mary Cooney. Residents from the village have also participated.

Link: Presentation to Town of Caledon on September 21, 2021

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Alton Village Environmental Assessment Committee

4/1/2022

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by Steve Hertzberg, AV Environmental Assessment Committee

As most residents are aware, the Town of Caledon is planning road reconstruction to Alton on Queen Street West and Main Street North. To this end, they recently completed the Alton Environmental Study Report that included consultations and technical studies. In addressing the need to reconstruct the road, the Report recommends improvements to active transportation (pedestrian and cyclist) facilities, rehabilitation of the Main Street Bridge (at Queen Street), improvements to drainage and stormwater management and enhancing the streetscape throughout the Village. See link below to the Report.

However, the Report only includes some 30% of the design decisions – while laying out recommendations for decisions to be made next - in the “Detailed Design and Consultation Phase”. Further, most areas of concern raised by residents will only be addressed in the Detailed Design Phase planned for later in 2022. Reconstruction work is planned for 2024.

For this Detailed Design Phase, the AVA is reaching out to strengthen relationships with Town officials. Also, to ensure the best possible outcome, we have requested improved consultation and decision making processes. In reply to date, the Town has committed “to the involvement of key stakeholders such as the Alton Village Association during detail design on key items including streetlighting (type, placement, shielding etc.), streetscaping (locations, types), and traffic calming measures (locations and types).”

There is much community work ahead to preserve our Village’s unique character.

Link: Alton Village Environmental Assessment - Town of Caledon

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Proposed CBM Caledon Quarry

The Old Alton Public School

Alton Village Square Community Gardens

Alton Village Butterflyway

Alton Historical District

West Caledon Communities Group (WCCG)

Alton Village Environmental Assessment Committee

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