LINX Transit Service begins August 2018
Simcoe
County residents will soon have a new public transportation service to
connect communities across the region with the first route starting
August 2018. County Councillors gathered at the County of Simcoe
Administration Centre in Midhurst to unveil the Simcoe County LINX
transit service, showcasing the new buses and outlining the first route
and five year plan to link Simcoe County residents to key service and
labour hubs across the region.
“This is a huge milestone for
our County and we’re pleased to offer another crucial service to our
residents and communities,” said Warden Gerry Marshall.
“Our
region has a large geographical footprint and we have a growing
population of seniors, students and residents who need affordable and
reliable transportation options to access health services, jobs and
education hubs in other communities.”
Route 1 launches August 7,
2018 and runs from Penetanguishene/Midland to Barrie with stops in
Wyebridge, Waverley, Elmvale and Midhurst. To introduce the service, the
County is offering complimentary fares between August 7-September 4,
with regular fare rates starting after Labour Day. The County is also
offering an accessible door to door transit service for individuals with
mobility needs called the LINX+. Residents are asked to complete a
registration form to access the service by visiting linx.simcoe.ca or by
calling 1-800-263-3199.
In 2017, as part of the County’s Transit
Implementation Plan, County Council approved a 5-year, $5 million plan
to create a regional transit service. Recognizing the need to increase
public transit within Simcoe County, the Government of Ontario recently
topped up funding with a significant $8.4 million contribution.
As
part of a five year roll out of the LINX Service, the following
proposed routes will be considered: Orillia to Barrie (2019),
Collingwood to Barrie (2019/2020), Alliston to Bradford West Gwillimbury
and Midland to Orillia (2020/2021). The County will also assume some
existing inter-municipal routes currently operating throughout the
County. Visit linx.simcoe.ca to learn more.
Simcoe County youth educate adults about waste, organics, future
Councillors
received a first-hand look at the County of Simcoe’s new green bin
marketing and events campaign during Council on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.
As the County strives to increase its diversion rate and grow
participation in its green bin program, it is rolling out a
multi-platform campaign to engage, motivate and educate County residents
about the benefits of using their green bins, with a heavy emphasis on
regional youth educating today’s parents and adults.
The campaign
leads with a call to action: Grow Your Green Bin. Not Your Garbage! It
is being promoted through TV ads, online videos, print, billboard and
radio ads, social media and a household mailer. There is also a contest
running on local radio throughout the summer for a chance to win great
prizes.
The campaign features children educating the public about the benefits of using greens bins.
It also aligns with the County’s Learning and Living Green program
where more than 100 local schools participate in waste education and
diversion initiatives. Another component of the campaign is a summer
festival and event series where the County’s green bin team is touring
to all 16 member municipalities to attend events and raise awareness
about the use of green bins. The event includes a 9-metre-high
inflatable green bin to drive home the message.
County publishes annual report card
The
County of Simcoe has published its fourth annual report card, entitled
Housing Our Future: 2017 Annual Report, to measure and evaluate the
implementation of recommendations contained in its Our Community 10-Year
Affordable Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategy.
“As we
complete phase one of our 10 year plan, we’re pleased to announce that
we have surpassed our 895 unit phase one target by creating more than
1,000 new units since 2014,” said Warden Gerry Marshall. “We’re making
an impact by investing in multiple strategies, such as secondary suites,
new apartment buildings, motel conversions, community improvement
plans, financial incentive programs and rural builds to help meet the
growing need for more affordable housing in our communities.
”As
the Consolidated Municipal Service Manager for this region, the County
of Simcoe is responsible for developing and implementing Our Community
10-Year Affordable Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategy. The
Strategy was approved by County Council in 2014.
Paramedic andSeniors’ Services expanding in Elmvale
The
County of Simcoe is investing in the development of a new facility in
the village of Elmvale that will house a Paramedic Services station and
the Long Term Care and Seniors’ Services Adult Day Program Centre for
the surrounding area.
“With an aging population and rising
paramedic call volumes across the region, we continue to make strategic
investments which enable us to expand and enhance our services to meet
the needs of our residents and communities,” said Warden Gerry Marshall.
“This new dual use facility will serve residents in Springwater, Wasaga
Beach, Oro-Medonte, Tiny and Tay for years to come and we thank our
partners at Springwater Township for working with us on this important
venture.”
The County has acquired 191 Queen Street West in
Elmvale. The facility will consist of a two bay Paramedic Services
station, allowing the County to expand services to the area and address
increased call volumes. The County has outgrown its current leased space
at the Elmvale Fire Hall, which was originally set up for a single
paramedic response unit 12-hours per day and is now being used to house a
24-hour, fully staffed paramedic transport unit. This space no longer
meets the operational needs of Paramedic Services and is anticipated to
be used by Springwater Fire.
The Adult Day Program Centre will
enable the County to expand its current program operating out of leased
space at the Manse of St-John’s United Church in Elmvale. The new space
will allow for an increase in capacity and reduce the existing waitlists
for the program. The County’s Adult Day Program operates in
Penetanguishene and Elmvale and provides daytime respite, support,
education and activities for families and caregivers. Potential clients
for the program are referred through a variety of sources such as
Community Care Access Centres, program clientele, physicians, friends
and relatives.
Construction of the facility is anticipated to
commence in late 2018, and be completed in mid-2019. The estimated cost
of constructing the facility is $3.9 million, inclusive of land
acquisition and construction.
Getting a charge out of the County
Three
new electric vehicle charging stations are ready for use across Simcoe
County thanks to funding from the provincial government.
Through
the County’s Sustainable Operations program $267,350 was applied for and
received to install three “Level 3” supercharger stations that can be
found at the following locations:
• Simcoe County Museum1151 Highway 26, Midhurst
• Washago Carpool Lotcorner of Highway 169 and Highway 11, Washago
• Station Park212 Huron Street, Stayner
These
superchargers are able to charge a fully electric vehicle within an
average of 30-45 minutes, depending on the model of electric vehicle and
quantity of power required making them ideal for highway travel. This
past Canada Day long weekend saw more than 20 electric vehicle owners
take advantage of these units, with Washago alone servicing 14.
“With
more than 465,000 residents and 9 million visitors to our region each
year, it is vital that we invest in initiatives that reduce our carbon
footprint and highlight our commitment to being sound environmental
stewards,” said Warden Gerry Marshall. “Investing in these charging
stations has strengthened our sustainable infrastructure and provided
more environmental options to our residents and visitors.”
The
County of Simcoe charges a fee of $0.25 per minute to use the vehicle
chargers. A typical fill-up – lasting approximately 30 minutes – would
cost the user $7.50. Charging fees create a revenue neutral operation
for the County to maintain the charging stations while ensuring
affordability for users.
