Musicians lined up. Check! Lanterns ready. Check! Light dimming strategy in place. Double check!

WWF Canada

Written by Colin Campbell, Ward 5 Councillor, City of Markham 
After months of planning, I think everything is finally ready for the City of Markham’s 2014 Earth Hour celebration. I’m hosting it and I couldn’t be more excited. It’s a brand-new celebration and will be held at the Cornell Community Centre, a fabulous venue located in Markham’s beautiful east end.

City of Markham
Ward Councillor Colin Campbell has been a leader in developing Markham’s inaugural community Earth Hour event. © City of Markham

We are hosting a sustainability fair, featuring local environmental agencies and groups, as well as children’s activities. That will be followed by an outdoor lantern walk around dusk at 7:45 p.m. We will count down to the beginning of Earth Hour, then we’re holding an outdoor concert featuring a diverse array of awesome entertainment.
This is going to be a great event that should appeal to all ages. I’m hoping families from all over Markham come out to celebrate Earth Hour.
Not only is this a great way to have fun with your neighbours, it’s an opportunity to look at your habits and see what changes you can make to lessen your ecological footprint. We are really focusing our attention on helping attendees look ‘beyond the hour’ – making sustainable choice year-round. Our sustainability fair will include sustainability champions like Smart Commute, Powerstream, the Markham Environmental Advisory Committee and the City of Markham’s Sustainability Office. They will support and encourage residents as they make pledges to live a more eco-friendly life.
This is very important to me and the City of Markham at large. An event like this aligns with the priorities of The Greenprint, Markham’s Sustainability Plan, and the City’s goal to achieve net zero energy, water, waste and emissions by 2050.
Markham
City of Markham’s Earth Hour Event Details © City of Markham

So come on out if you are in or around the Markham area! The Cornell Community Centre is located at 3201 Bur Oak Avenue, right behind Markham Stouffville Hospital. The sustainability fair will begin at 6 p.m. The lantern walk will begin at 7:45. Words of welcome, a countdown to Earth Hour and the outdoor concert begin at 8:20.
Hope to see you there. If you are stopping by, please come up and say hello!
Celebrate Earth Hour, 8:30-9:30 p.m. on March 29, and let us know what you’ll be thinking about during your #momentofdarkness atwwf.ca/earthhour.