Attendees:
Motion: To accept January's minutes, moved by Fred McLennan, seconded by Peter Brimacombe. carried
Pat Murphy presented the Councillor's report.
John Sankey presented four bus stop motions
The motions were presented and discussed. On each motion
there was a general show of hands and the directors voted.
Four residents sent correspondence to the HCCO:
Eight residents verbally contacted the HCCO prior to the meeting
Bus Stop Motion 1: WHEREAS each extra OCTranspo stop increases travel time for members of our community, and WHEREAS each extra stop increases pollution and noise within our community, as well as increasing OCTranspo costs for fuel, snow clearing etc., and WHEREAS about 20% of OCTranspo stops system-wide are within 200 metres of an existing stop, closer than required to meet City Council directives regarding distances between residences and bus stops, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the HCCO requests OCTranspo to examine all routes serving the Hunt Club Community with a view to consolidating bus stops that are within 200 metres of each other. Moved by John Sankey, seconded by Peter Brimacombe.
John Sankey: 20% of bus stops in the City are too close. Buses must
stop more frequently which slows them down, wastes fuel and increases
maintenance costs. Each extra bus stop delays each person on the bus 20
seconds. Total slowdown per day is calculated by multiplying 20 seconds
by the number of people on the bus, multiplied by the number of buses on
Uplands Drive per day. Total slowdown is four hours a day.
Carol Evoy: is in favour but would like to expand the scope to the whole City.
Diane Brulé: the calculations are not that simple because at night the
buses will stop anywhere at request and often the buses don't stop at
any one stop.
Ron Brulé: is in favour of the first motion but questions the way the
total slowdown of four hours was calculated.
Jean Bourdeau: as a homeowner would like to be consulted. A bus stop
should never be put in front a house because it intrudes on the privacy
of the homeowner. People waiting for the bus might decide to wait on a
homeowner's porch.
Karen Gravelle: never saw anyone standing on anyone's front porch.
The bus stop should be moved towards the park instead. Everyone is used
to the bus stop at the Coady Co-op so why change it?
Sylvie Bourdeau: How is the HCCO elected? How was it formed?
Fred McLennan: The HCCO was founded in 1979, it represents the
community and accepts nominations for director at its Annual General
Meeting. It meets once a month, the directors are not paid.
Show of hands: 6 in favour, 4 opposed. Directors: 4 in favour, 1 opposed. carried
Bus Stop Motion 2: WHEREAS a major concern of residents living near OCTranspo bus stops is the amount of litter left by riders to blow around their area, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the HCCO requests OCTranspo to install and maintain refuse containers next to bus stops in our community where a litter problem is reported by local residents. Moved by John Sankey, seconded by Peter Brimacombe
John Sankey: proposed this motion because it is a way to mitigate the
problems caused by bus stops. He canvassed people at the bus stops and
they said that litter was the problem.
Karen Gravelle: her group put out their own garbage container at the bus
stop. Why are there bus shelters only on one side of the road?
Diane Brulé: City maintained garbage cans are poorly maintained and
are an extra cost.
Gillian Villeneuve: Who would be responsible for the garbage cans: The
City or OC Transpo?
Peter Brimacombe: We (the residents) look after and clean up our own
garbage cans.
Art Miskew: There seems to be a difference of opinion on garbage cans
at bus stops.
Ron Brulé: We look after our own garbage cans.
Show of hands: 1 in favour, 8 opposed The motion was withdrawn.
Bus Stop Motion 3: WHEREAS OCTranspo stop 8451 is located a very short distance from the all-way stop at Huntwood Court and Uplands Drive, thus requiring buses to stop twice there, and WHEREAS some residents feel uncomfortable using this stop because of its proximity to a dense woods, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the HCCO requests OCTranspo to move this stop to the north-east corner of Huntwood Court. Moved by John Sankey, seconded by Peter Brimacombe
John Sankey: He contacted six people in the area who are in favour of
changing the bus stops: Hugh & Suzanne Donoghue, Pierrette Downey, Katie
Holts, Gillian Villeneuve and Ron Brulé.
Ron Brulé: He was misunderstood because he is not in favour of
changing the bus stops. If the bus stop is right at the intersection,
the bus may block the view of the stop sign and a car might sail right
through the intersection. It would be better to move it the other way.
John Sankey: It is now OC Transpo policy to put bus stops right at the
stop signs.
Karen Gravelle: There are 74 housing units in the Coady Co-op, the
people go to the bus stop in front of the Coady Co-op. You should leave
it where it is.
Jean Bourdeau: You should move the bus stop the other direction. You
should have the least possible impact on an established neighbourhood.
Carol Evoy: Why not just eliminate it (bus stop 8451)?
John Sankey: The overall goal is to improve efficiency and reduce cost.
The two stops were chosen because they are close to home. A City Council
directive to OC Transpo requires that 90% of residences within the urban
area be within 400 meters of a bus stop during peak hours. This
directive effectively mandates a stop at the intersection of Country
Club to provide for residences on that street well south of Uplands; it
also mandates one at the east intersection of Gillespie to serve that
street and Hackett.
Ron Brulé: Move it to the east, towards the park instead.
Show of hands: 1 in favour, 10 opposed Directors: 1 in favour, 2 opposed. motion fails.
Bus Stop Motion 4: WHEREAS OCTranspo stops 4166 and 4167 are well within 200 metres of each other, and WHEREAS a stop at the corner of Gillespie Crescent and Uplands Drive is required in order to meet City Council directives on walking distance to bus stops, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the HCCO requests OCTranspo to consolidate these two stops to a location on the north-east corner of Gillespie Crescent and Uplands Drive and to install a bus shelter there on the city road allowance of Gillespie Crescent. Moved by John Sankey, seconded by Peter Brimacombe
Diane Brulé: There's a shelter and a map at the existing bus stop.
It's a waste to move it.
Karen Izzard: She represents the home owners in front of the proposed
bus stop. They object because it will adversely impact their property.
They prefer things the way they are.
Carol Evoy: The existing bus stop should be kept because it has room
to accommodate wheel chairs for the residents of the Coady Co-op.
Show of hands: 1 in favour, 10 opposed. Directors: 1 in favour, 4 opposed. motion fails.
Motion: To accept the HCCO Logo designed by Helen Dardick and to thank her for donating her professional design. Moved by Fred McLennan, seconded by Peter Brimacombe. carried.
Next Meeting: Monday, March 5 2007 at 19:30