MEDIA RELEASE April 2, 2015

Celebrating Earth Day 2015 in Halton Hills HALTON HILLS, ON – Earth Day is fast approaching! Wednesday April 22, 2015, will mark the 45 anniversary of Earth Day. To promote environmental awareness and celebrate Earth Day the Town of Halton Hills is hosting Earth Week Celebrations which includes the following activities: Community Clean-up, 22-Minute Makeover, Halton Hills Earth Day at the Robert C. Austin Operations Centre, and the Earth Day and Sustainability Fair. “We rely on everyone’s support and participation to make these events successful,” said Mayor Rick Bonnette said. “We have activities to clean-up the Town and plant trees to improve your garden. We have educational opportunities at the Earth Day and Sustainability Fair at the Georgetown Market Place for the entire family. These initiatives take hundreds of volunteers and I want to thank everyone in advance for their participation as well as our sponsors of the events. The actions we take today will create a more sustainable future with an even greater quality of life of Halton Hills residents.” Events will take place from Saturday, April 18 to Saturday, April 25 and include: 

Community Clean-Up: Halton Hills is celebrating the 15 year anniversary of its annual spring clean-up. On April 18, join neighbours and community groups to help clean-up the Town to scour parks, ravines and roadsides of Halton Hills to pick-up litter and assorted debris. If you see graffiti please report it to [email protected] to have it removed. Free posters are available on the Town’s website to advertise your clean-up event. Free gloves and garbage bags are available from the Robert C. Austin Operations Centre located at 11620 Trafalgar Road (Georgetown), and also at participating McDonald’s Halton Hills restaurants. Thank you to our sponsors: Superior Glove, Tim Hortons and McDonald’s Halton Hills Restaurants for your support. To participate with other residents and to help us keep track of all the areas in the town that are cleaned please e-mail [email protected]

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22- Minute Makeover: Over the past years, we have had 100 percent participation from area schools and a growing number of businesses participate and we are hoping to attract even more this year! On Wednesday April 22, take 22 minutes to clean-up the community! Free posters to advertise your clean-up

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are available on the Town’s website. Free gloves and bags will be available from the Robert C. Austin Operations Centre at 11620 Trafalgar Road (Georgetown), and at participating McDonald’s Halton Hills restaurants. Please register at [email protected] to help us keep track of all the areas in the town that are cleaned.  Earth Day and Tree Sales at the Robert C. Austin Operations Centre: Earth Day activities will take place on Saturday, April 25 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Robert C. Austin Operations Centre, 11620 Trafalgar Road, Georgetown. Trees are available for a fee of $5. Free compost and wood chips are available (please bring your own shovel). Free drop-off of household hazardous and electronic waste is accepted. An annual BBQ breakfast and lunch will be available for a nominal fee. Refreshments are donated by Tim Hortons. Food donations for the Georgetown Bread Basket and the Acton Food Share are gratefully appreciated. More details are available at: www.haltonhills.ca/earthday 

Earth Day and Sustainability Fair: On Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Earth Day and Sustainability Fair will take place at the Georgetown Market Place (280 Guelph St., Georgetown) featuring Mountsberg ‘Birds of Prey’, live reptiles from ‘Sciensational Sssnakes’, family activities, and local environmental, cultural, social and economic organizations promoting their good work. Food donations for local food banks are gratefully accepted. ‘Green Leadership Tours’ are available throughout the Town on Saturday, April 25, 2015. Visit Halton Hills Library in Acton and Georgetown to learn about the energy and water conservation features in these buildings. Take the Greenwalk at the newly expanded and energy efficient Mold-Masters SportsPlex. Willow Park in Norval is encouraging families to visit and enjoy the afternoon outside. Wastewise in Georgetown is offering tours of their recycling facility. For more information about the ‘green leadership tours’ on April 25 and all the other Earth Week Celebrations please visit: www.haltonhills.ca/earthday

Please visit Earth Week Celebrations for more information: www.haltonhills.ca/earthday

About the Town of Halton Hills The Town of Halton Hills, with a population of approximately 60,000, consists of two urban centres, Georgetown and Acton, the Halton Hills Premier Gateway employment area, three hamlets – Glen Williams, Stewarttown and Norval – and several smaller settlements. Halton Hills has long been recognized for its natural beauty, active agricultural community, high quality of life and proximity to major centres, including Brampton, Mississauga and Toronto. The Town is the 2013 recipient of the National Municipal Environmental Award from the Canadian Association of Municipal

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Administrators and is ranked as one of the top small communities in Canada by a national magazine.

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For further information contact: Jennifer Spence Sustainability Outreach Officer Planning, Development and Sustainability 905.873.2601 ext. 2290 [email protected]