OMDREB Community Events
OMDREB Flash Mob for Habitat® Halton
Oakville/Milton, October 11, 2011 – They built a house in 3 min, 7 sec. in the centre of Downtown Oakville. While dancing.
“They” comprised a 40-person Flash Mob that broke out Thanksgiving Saturday in Oakville’s Towne Square. Dancing participants – REALTORS® and staff from the Oakville, Milton and District Real Estate Board (OMDREB) – carried in pieces of a shed and put it together to catchy home-themed music, while a delighted crowd of almost 200 watched, videoed and snapped photos.
It was all in support of Habitat for Humanity® Halton. The shelter-based local organization became OMDREB’s Charity of Choice last year and was the focus of Board fundraising during the 2010 President’s Charity of Choice Gala.
“Many of our Members told us how much they appreciated our choice of Habitat® Halton and so when I became President I decided to renew our commitment to the organization for 2011,” says Jack McCrudden, OMDREB 2011 President.
Many of those members were part of the October 8 Flash Mob and many more were in the audience, as participants danced up a storm. The idea came from OMDREB Member, Sandra Gilraine, who raised it in a meeting and found herself organizing the event. “We ran with the idea and rehearsed a very intricate dance routine for a couple of months,” she explains. “Thanks to terrific choreography put together for us by two amazing young dance students from The Turning Pointe Dance Studio, the end result was terrific, fun and helped support a great cause!”
The flash mob was a lead- in to this year’s President’s Charity of Choice Gala, comments Marta Sponder, OMDREB’s Executive Officer.
“For the second consecutive year, OMDREB is holding its President’s Charity of Choice Gala in support of Habitat® Halton,” she says. “Last year, we raised sufficient funds to become a Habitat® Blueprint sponsor and our Members were able to participate as volunteers in a Habitat® Build day in Oakville. This year, the organization will be building homes in Milton for the first time ever, and we are enthusiastically looking forward to being part of it again.”
Themed, “An Affair to Remember”, the gala will be held November 19th at the Teatro Conference & Event Centre in Milton. Tickets are $125 each or $1,125 for a table of 10 and are available through the Board office at 905-844-6491.
“The flash mob is just the start,” comments Sponder. “There are lots of surprises in store at the Gala!”
Monitoring Milton's Economy
Source: Q3 2011 Economic Development E-Newsletter
Some industrial and commercial developments and two key infrastructure projects have contributed to the industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) building activity to date this year. While new ICI construction for 2011 as of the end of September was at 375,435 square feet and lower than at the same time last year, the Town is expected to release building permits for at least one significant project in the coming weeks which will greatly increase numbers for this year. On the residential side, the number of housing starts and construction value in 2011 is outpacing 2010 to date, while the average year-to-date price of a house in Milton by the end of September 2011 was $428,620, a 7% increase over last year.
| Indicators | Q3 2010 | Year-to-Date 2010 | Q3 2011 | Year-to-Date 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Construction Value1 | $182,928,963 | $359,819,397 | $82,439,250 | $269,945,757 |
| Residential Construction Value1 | $93,868,980 | $181,659,411 | $73,320,714 | $209,234,899 |
| Industrial Construction Value1 | $24,975,000 | $41,185,000 | $927,500 | $7,103,800 |
| Commercial, Institutional Construction Value1 | $59,277,420 | $123,445,295 | $8,064,500 | $46,309,000 |
| Average House Price2 | $400,491 | $400,831 | $453,696 | $428,620 |
| Housing Permits(Single Family Units)1 | 201 | 598 | 299 | 719 |
| Population Estimate1 | 88,873 | 88,873 | 93,195 | 93,195 |
| New Industrial, Commercial & Institutional Space (sq. ft.)3 | 154,007 | 697,679 | 25,783 | 375,435 |
| Unemployment Rate4 | 9.2% | 9.2% | 7.9% | 7.9% |
Sources:
1 Monthly Building Report, Town of Milton Planning Department, Month-End September 2011.
2 Toronto Real Estate Board, Market Watch Report, September 2010, September 2011.
3 Economic Development Department, Town of Milton.
4 Labour Force Characteristics, Seasonally Adjusted, by Census Metropolitan Area 3 Month Moving Average Toronto CMA. September 2010, September 2011.
Community Info
The Board area is located to the north of Lake Ontario, midway between Toronto and Hamilton encompassing the Towns of Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills (formerly the Town of Acton).
The Town of Oakville is one of tourism’s best kept secrets. It's many attractions include a historic harbour, great shopping, wonderful dining opportunities and exciting cultural events - truly something for everyone to enjoy. Founded in 1827, this picturesque, historic town has two beautiful harbours, gorgeous parks, numerous art galleries, unique and diverse shopping, an annual Waterfront Festival, Jazz Festival, and Summer Theatre, plus numerous emerald golf courses, including Glen Abbey and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Museum. The Erchless Estate, located on the lakefront is a museum dedicated to preserving artifacts of the founding family, The Chisholms. Oakville’s determination to preserve its heritage is evident everywhere, especially in the downtown area where 19th century buildings house many fine shops and restaurants. This attractive downtown has been used as a location for a variety of movies. Oakville is a 30 minute drive from downtown Toronto and an hours drive to the U.S. border. Oakville boasts a $88 million tourism industry with over 1.4 million visitors annually.
The Town of Milton abounds with attractions and features, for example the Ontario Agricultural Museum, the Street Car Museum, and recreational sites such as Kelso/Glen Eden, Crawford Lake and the Bruce Trail. The community’s desire to retain country appeal and charm only serves to complement Milton’s many urban amenities. Literally millions of people live within an hour’s drive of Milton’s vast conservation areas, parks and attraction. Yet Milton has retained a unique town and country atmosphere. It is a place for people to savor the beauty of the Niagara Escarpment and browse the friendly shops, studios and galleries at a slower pace than city living and careers will allow. Within minutes of Metro Toronto, the Town of Milton offers a successful blend of old and new, of town and country, of families and business. It offers the advantages of small town living with proximity to metropolitan markets.
The Town of Halton Hills (formerly Acton), at the northerly end of the Board’s jurisdiction, is a small rural community famous, in particular, for leather goods. It is known as "Leathertown". Since the 1800's, leather has been an important part of Acton’s heritage and it attracts many visitors to its leather goods stores. As well, there are interesting shops and cozy restaurants, as well as great golfing, swimming and fishing. People choose to live in Halton Hills as a result of its natural beauty, charm, healthy environment, recreation amenities, and growing employment opportunities. With the advantage of being located at the intersection of Ontario’s two main highways, the 401 and 407, the newly serviced Gateway Business Park is poised for growth. Halton Hills offers the best of both worlds: Urban amenities with the quiet small town lifestyle.
