zorra-now-winter-2024

2 Zorra Now | Winter 2024 Zorra Now | Winter 2024 3 Message from the Mayor It’s hard to believe, but we are half way through this term of Council. Zorra continues to experience growth pressure in our own communities and the effects of growth in neighbouring communities. Did you know that the Ontario government gives Oxford County growth numbers every year that they are required to accommodate? This means that the growth is to some extent out of our control. Not entirely, and I wrote in my November blog about a motion I made at Oxford Council suggesting that we push back on the growth, and the cost in services and your tax dollars of that growth. We need to grow in a way that is sustainable for our communities. For Zorra we need to manage that growth to promote and support the agricultural sector, attract, retain and expand business investments to diversify the tax base and increase local employment, facilitate expanded housing diversity and supply to promote attainability, and adopt policies to promote densification in our urban settlements and protect agricultural land a and green spaces. Council must continue to prioritize a vibrant, prosperous, engaged, and environmentally conscious community. Ideas don’t divide us. We divide ourselves. People have different opinions. But they’re the same good neighbours and friends. They’re the same person you went to the fair with, the same person that helped you with a breakdown, the same person whose kids play hockey with your kids. Council in a small community is neighbours discussing the community we all want. We agree, we disagree, we do it respecting each other. Let’s not divide ourselves. Let’s be neighbours and friends discussing the community we want. Let’s prioritize a vibrant, prosperous, engaged, and environmentally conscious community. Together. Marcus Ryan Mayor, Zorra Township (and Warden, Oxford County) email: mryan@zorra.ca Phone: 1.519.425.2338 Zorra Now Magazine is published electronically and paper copies are available at all Township Facilities. If you have any questions or comments or would like to advertise in the magazine, please contact: Karen Martin, Director of Corporate & Protective Services Township of Zorra 163 Brock Street, PO Box 189 Thamesford, ON N0M 2M0 Ph. 519-485-2490 ext. 7228 Toll Free 1-888-699-3868 kmartin@zorra.ca www.zorra.ca COMMUNITY EVENTS & SERVICES MAGAZINE 4 Township Department Information 20 Purple Bench Project 22 Township Contacts 23 Community Contacts In this issue... 24 Hometown Hockey in Thamesford 27 Senior & Volunteer of the Year 28 Oxford 4-H Club 30 Lions Club 31 Thistle Theatre • • • • • • • • • • • The Township office will be closed on Friday, December 24, 2021 and reopen at 8:00 a.m. on Monday January 3, 2022. In case of an emergency requiring staff, please call 519-485-2490 and leave a message at extension 7226. Messages will be monitored on a daily basis and forwarded to a contact person. The Thamesford District Recreation Centre and the Embro Zorra Community Centre will close at 3:00 p.m. on December 24, 2021 and will reopen on December 27, 2021. They will also close at 3:00 p.m. on December 31, 2021 and reopen on January 2, 2022 Happy holidays from the Township of Zorra! Township Holiday Closures The Municipal Office will close at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 24, 2024 and will reopen on Thursday, January 2, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. In case of an emergency requiring Township staff, please call 519- 485-2490 and leave a message at extension 7225. Messages will be monitored daily and forwarded to a contact person. The Thamesford District Recreation Centre and the Embro-Zorra Community Centre will close at 3:00 p.m. on December 24, 2024, and will reopen on December 27, 2024. Both facilities will als close at 3:00 p.m. on December 31, 2024, and will reopen on January 2, 2025. Happy Holidays from the Township of Zorra! HOLIDAY COLLECTION GARBAGE AND RECYCLING WILL YOUR COLLECTION DAY CHANGE? Residences and businesses in Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Ingersoll, Norwich, South-West Oxford, Zorra and parts of Tillsonburg (North of Concession, West of Broadway) will have regularly scheduled collection during the holidays. TOWN OF TILLSONBURG ORIGINAL DAY NEW DAY Wednesday, Dec. 25 Saturday, Dec. 28 Wednesday, Jan. 1 Saturday, Jan. 4 Remember to have all garbage bags and recycling bins to the curb by 7:00 a.m. on your collection day. When severe weather hits this winter, collection may be delayed or cancelled. Monitor local news, visit www.wasteline.ca or download the wasteline app to receive service alerts. LOCATED IN WOODSTOCK? Please visit www.cityofwoodstock.ca for adjusted dates over the holidays. DON’T LET YOUR HOLIDAYS GO TOWASTE 1. Remove all tape, plastic film, twist ties and other decorative objects before recycling cardboard. 2. Flatten and bundle cardboard boxes no larger than 75 x 75 x 20 centimetres. 3. Recycle wrapping paper, except foil-based paper. 4. Remove all ribbons and bows. Save and reuse for next year where possible. 5. Bulky Styrofoam can be dropped off at the Oxford County Waste Management Facility, Tillsonburg Transfer Station and Woodstock EnviroDepot. HOLIDAY HOURS WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. CLOSED: Wednesday, December 25, 2024 Thursday, December 26, 2024 Wednesday, January 1, 2025 2025 TIPPING FEES: Please refer to the Fees and Charges By-law for 2025 pricing details at oxfordcounty.ca . 519-539-9800 1-800-755-0394 info@wasteline.ca wasteline.ca DOWNLOAD THE WASTELINE APP BATTERY RECYCLING The Township of Zorra has a free program for the recycling of household batteries through RawMaterials Company Inc. (RMC). The program is being offered at three locations throughout the Township: - Township of Zorra Municipal Office - 163 Brock Street, PO Box 189, Thamesford, ON N0M 2M0 – phone 519-485-2490 ext. 7221 - Thamesford Community Centre, 85 Middleton Street, Thamesford, ON N0M 2M0 – phone 519-485-2490 ext. 7245 - Embro Zorra Community Centre, 355644 35th Line, Embro, ON N0J 1J0 – phone 519-485-2490 ext. 7251 Please feel free to drop off your batteries at any of the above locations. Since the start of this program in September 2012, the Township of Zorra has collected and returned 3,424 lbs of batteries to Raw Materials Company for Recycling.