Latest news with #Bondy
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Essex, Amherstburg officially open Co-An Park's new playground
As co-owners of the 40-acre Co-An Park in McGregor, Essex and Amherstburg jointly worked on a Master Plan for over two-years to map out a multi-year document to help guide future development of the park. That Master Plan was adopted by both municipal Councils last year. One of the outcomes of the Master Plan was to add a playground to the outdoor sports facility. After further collaboration between both municipalities, that playground has been installed. A ribbon cutting was hosted last Friday afternoon. 'Today is really exciting,' Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy said, while youths sat atop the slide, ready to head down to the bottom. Most importantly, the ribbon cutting was exciting for the families and children, who now get to enjoy the new playground facility. The new playground replaces an existing structure that was smaller and older. Staff and Council members of both municipalities, in addition to members of the Co-An Park Advisory Committee and the Town of Essex Accessibility Advisory Committee, took part in the ribbon cutting on Friday afternoon, officially opening the new playground. They all had a hand in developing the Master Plan. Bondy called it a 'bold plan that outlines thoughtful future improvements to this beloved park,' while prioritizing accessibility, inclusivity, recreation, and bringing people together. As part of developing the Master Plan, a public survey highlighted the desire to add a playground and splashpad, with administration noting previously that adding the latter feature will be more complex. 'This project is a true example of collaboration and action. Funded equally by the Town of Essex and the Town of Amherstburg, it reflects what we can do when we work together to accomplish a shared vision for our communities,' Bondy said. Adding the playground, Bondy commented, is one of the first steps in the implementation of action items set out in the Co-An Park Master Plan. She thanked the members of the Co-An Park Advisory Committee and the Town of Essex Accessibility Advisory Committee for their input and guidance. She also extended appreciation to New World Playground Solutions for providing the playground's design. In selecting the playground design, three companies, with each providing two designs, submitted to the process. Four of the six designs were ranked high enough to qualify for the public feedback portion. To obtain public input the Town of Essex held a two-week virtual vote in February, allowing the public to review and rank the four designs. Back in March, Essex Council awarded the Request for Proposal to design, supply, and install the playground equipment for Co-An Park to New World Park Solutions Inc in the amount of $389,791, with half of the cost coming from Amherstburg. That was after Essex put $200,000 aside for the playground. So too did Amherstburg. 'This playground is more than just slides, it is where families can come together, where friendships form, and where the community feels a little bit closer,' Bondy added. 'It is our duty to ensure these spaces are not only safe and fun, but accessible.' 'This is a really important playground,' Amherstburg Mayor Michale Prue added, also recognizing the work Amherstburg's Accessibility and Park committees contributed to the Master Plan. He acknowledged the park is not located in his municipality, but it is 'part of Amherstburg's soul.' He noted people on both sides of Walker Road in McGregor – the municipal boundary line – come and utilize this park. 'I'm really delighted how it has turned out,' he added, because he often says not enough is done for accessible groups. 'This playground is a testament to all of the people who worked on it. It is a testament to how many hours went into making sure every child – and I mean every child – has the opportunity to come out and play.' The park has sensory features and rubber matting. Prue hopes the facility will be well utilized. Co-An Park was established in 1977. The playground is added to the facility that already houses an array of amenities, such as six baseball diamonds, three soccer fields, two tennis courts, washrooms, pavilion and canteen, walking paths, and the Essex County Steam and Gas Engine Museum. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Ontario announces funding for Windsor physicians providing care to the unhoused in shelters
The Ontario government has committed up to $3.8 million to a physician group in Windsor that provides health-care services to people in homeless shelters in the city and to some people who have housing but require support. The money has allowed Windsor Shelter Health Associates to expand from two physicians working a total of around nine hours a week to 11 physicians working six days a week, said medical director Jennifer Bondy. It's also allowed them to build a team of family physicians, addiction medicine physicians, palliative care physicians, an infectious disease physician and psychiatry, Bondy said. "I used to see a lot of wound care at the very beginning before we were funded in any way," Bondy told reporters at an event Wednesday announcing the funding, which she said began flowing at the start of 2024. "Now we are able to regularly see people for their continuous care needs like diabetes, for example. Or if they might have a primary psychiatric diagnosis, we can see them for their schizophrenia, for example, and really make a dent in the care delivery." Bondy began providing services to unhoused people in 2021, partly as a volunteer and partly while working for the Canadian Mental Health Association, she told CBC. New funding model Another physician joined a couple of years ago, she said. Then at the start of 2024, Bondy's service received recognition under a new provincial funding model called the Homeless Shelter Alternate Payment Plan, which does not require patients to roster with physicians and which compensates physicians both for their time and for the complexity of their patients' needs, she said. "We've been able to go from three half-day clinics a week to multiple half-day clinics across five different sites," she said. Shelter Health serves people at the Salvation Army Men's Emergency Shelter, the Homelessness and Housing Help Hub (H4), the Welcome Centre Shelter for Women and Families, the Downtown Mission of Windsor, and Journey Home Hospice, according to a news release from the province. It also provides services to people who have housing but require support. Shelter Health secured Interprofessional Primary Care Team Funding through Ontario Health in the spring of 2024 to supplement the physician funding, Bondy said. That funding flows through the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), she added. CMHA Windsor CEO Nicole Sbrocca said providing health care in shelters isn't just compassionate; it's evidence-based. "When care meets people where they are at, we prevent crises," she said at the news conference. "We build trust, and we contribute to healthier individuals and a stronger community." Program getting results: mental health association CEO Over the past fiscal year, the interprofessional team has provided more than 5,000 visits across the shelter sites, Sbrocca said. Physicians see an average of 200 unique patients per month. What's more, she said, there has been a reduction in emergency department use for issues that are being addressed on site in the shelters, and doctors are seeing an improvement in medication adherence. There have also been success stories, Sbrocca said. "We have attached nearly 200 people to primary care," she said. "We've achieved housing for individuals, and we have made meaningful steps forward in terms of wellness and recovery on an individual basis." Asked what the funding means to the program, Bondy told reporters it means "sustainability." "It means that we are going to be able to continue to provide services," she said. "We know we can future plan, and we can ensure that we have programs that are developed with our partners knowing that we're going to be able to continue to do the work that we're doing." Last month, the Windsor Essex By-Names Prioritized List for housing showed 899 households were experiencing some form of homelessness, of which 682 households, or 75.8 per cent, were experiencing long-term or chronic homelessness, according to data provided by the City of Windsor.
Daily Tribune
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
Bahraini Parliament Speaker Highlights Strong Ties with U.S. During Meeting with Ambassador
Speaker of Bahrain's Council of Representatives, Ahmed bin Salman Al-Musallam, reaffirmed the strength of the longstanding friendship and growing strategic partnership between Bahrain and the United States. During a meeting with U.S. Ambassador Steven C. Bondy at the Council's headquarters, Al-Musallam emphasized the two nations' shared commitment to enhancing bilateral parliamentary cooperation that supports mutual goals and benefits the people of both countries. The meeting was also attended by First Deputy Speaker Abdulnabi Salman Ahmed. Al-Musallam praised Ambassador Bondy's efforts in strengthening Bahrain-U.S. relations across various sectors and wished him continued success in his future diplomatic endeavors. For his part, Ambassador Bondy expressed appreciation for Bahrain's ongoing progress and the active role of its parliament. He reiterated the United States' commitment to further expanding areas of cooperation, aiming to fulfill the shared aspirations of both nations. Bondy also extended his best wishes for Bahrain's continued development and prosperity.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio doubles limit on cannabis 'flower' customers can purchase
Jun. 5—Ohio has reported more than $555 million in recreational cannabis sales, and starting this week Ohio dispensaries are permitted to sell more than twice the amount of cannabis flower they have sold to nonmedical customers since the program's launch. Dispensaries can now sell up to 2.5 ounces of dried marijuana plant material per customer per day, according to the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control. When Ohio's recreational cannabis program launched in August 2024, dispensaries were permitted to sell up to a single ounce of flower per customer, per day. Roughly 25 of the state's 147 dispensaries that are licensed to sell recreational cannabis are located in the Dayton region. Grace Bondy, spokesperson for Verano and Zen Leaf Dispensaries, said dispensaries welcome the change. Zen Leaf operates a Riverside location. "Allowing larger purchase quantities brings Ohio more in-line with neighboring states and mature cannabis markets, and is a win-win for consumers, businesses and the state," said Bondy. "Cannabis consumers will have increased purchase options, Ohio's legal cannabis retailers and cultivators have the opportunity to benefit from increased sales quantities, and local communities and the state stand to receive additional tax revenue from larger purchases." State officials said the lower limits were in place to ensure that access for Ohio's 454,947 registered medical marijuana patients was not inhibited. "The Division's priority continues to be ensuring medical marijuana patients have adequate supply and maintain their medical marijuana card, and the Division knows that licensees share that priority," the division said in its announcement. "Since non-medical cannabis sales began in August 2024, the market has demonstrated the ability to support both medical marijuana patients and non-medical consumers alike." "We are encouraged by the Division of Cannabis Control's updated guidance based on the market's ability to support both medical and adult use consumers, and look forward to celebrating one year of adult use cannabis in Ohio this upcoming August," Bondy said. Ohioans passed Issue 2 in 2023. Under Ohio law, customers 21 and older can buy up to 2.5 ounces of recreational cannabis at licensed dispensaries. Jennifer Cron, the general manager of Pure Ohio Wellness' dispensary in London, said the daily limits have been frustrating to dispensary operators and customers alike -many customers have wanted to purchase more than the state's limit, but they can't. "With an ounce taking all of the ten-day allotment, it left no room for additional items such as edibles or concentrates, therefore limiting their options of getting the variety they were looking to purchase," said Cron. "Many people drive quite a distance, and they prefer to buy larger quantities to prevent multiple trips. Being limited to that arbitrary number was definitely an issue that people consistently voiced their opinion on." Since the program's 2024 launch, a total of 84,537 pounds of plant material have been sold by Ohio dispensaries. An additional 9.3 million units of manufactured cannabis products have also been sold. The plant sales average for a one-tenth ounce in plant material was $18.74 as of this week, according to the Division of Cannabis Control's weekly sales report. This is a nearly 30% drop in price since the recreational program's start. Erick Rodriguez, VP of retail of The Cannabist Company, said the Columbia Care dispensary on Wayne Avenue in Dayton will be ready to meet any uptick in demand that results from the rule change. "We support Ohio's decision to increase daily purchase limits, which gives adult-use customers more flexibility and better reflects how people actually shop and consume cannabis," Rodriguez said. Under the updated rules, for purchases other than plant material, customers can buy up to 15,000 mg of THC between edibles, vapes and other products. All other products apply toward the customers' cannabis product limit of 15,000 mg of total THC content, according to the Division of Cannabis Control. These updated rules only apply to non-medical customers, the division said. Ohio medical marijuana patients and caregivers can purchase up to a 90-day supply of cannabis.
Daily Tribune
09-04-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain, US celebrate new era of cooperation
TDT | Manama 'Bahrain is truly the home of motorsport in the Middle East,' says His Excellency Steven C. Bondy, the US Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain. Team Bahrain and the US are working hand-in-hand across multiple sectors, driven by the visionary leadership of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. The recent signing of the Comprehensive Security and Economic Partnership Agreement (C-SEPA) marked a major milestone in bilateral relations, establishing a formal framework for deepened cooperation in commerce, science, and technology. Highlighting the robust ties between the two nations, Ambassador Bondy spoke during a reception to commemorate the 249th Independence Day of the US, held at the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa in Manama last night. The event welcomed prominent dignitaries, including the evening's guest of honor, H.E. Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy, along with several ministers and officials. In his address, Ambassador Bondy emphasised the shared commitment of both countries to regional stability, security, and economic prosperity. Peace-building efforts He praised the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, noting the Kingdom's active role in peace-building efforts, including a pivotal peace summit held in Cairo, which further demonstrated Bahrain's unwavering commitment to regional dialogue and cooperation. The Ambassador also commended Bahrain's recent strides in technological advancement, particularly the successful launch of the Al Munther satellite, calling it 'a monumental achievement that places Bahrain in orbit — both literally and figuratively — among nations investing in future-ready innovation.' Bahrain is also preparing to shine on the global stage this weekend as it hosts another thrilling edition of the Formula 1 Grand Prix. 'Bahrain is truly the home of motorsport in the Middle East,' said Ambassador Bondy, acknowledging the Kingdom's world-class infrastructure and unwavering enthusiasm for the sport.
