Minutes of Meeting 8 April 2013

Attendees:

John Sankey: Presented the agenda and asked for approval.

Motion: To approve the March minutes. Moved by Peter Foulger, seconded by Christine Johnson, carried.

John Sankey: The question on traffic counts at the intersections of Hunt Club and Riverside and Hunt Club and Prince of Wales is still outstanding. Is there an update?
Almeera Ismail: The Councillor's Report has summary figures but she will get the detailed figures. She then presented the Councillor's Report.

John Sankey: Bray Construction is building the pedestrian bridge over the Airport Parkway. It is waiting for warmer weather to pour the upper portion.

Christine Johnson: Reported on the newsletter Hunt Club: Our Community. She is looking for a sponsorship co-ordinator. The next issue will be in September. Issie Berish has been very busy but the April issue should be delivered soon.

Peter Foulger: Presented the Treasurer's Report. The expense of printing and distributing the April issue was $608. The income received from sponsorships was $600. This difference is well within expectations.

Christine Johnson: The Federation of Citizens Associations made a presentation to the City's Official Plan Review. Here is a quote:

While the City has committed to a number of Community Design Plans like the proposed Centretown CDP being discussed today many residents feel there should be a principled statement on community character built into the Official Plan for every community in the City.  People want the City to recognize their communities for their distinctive values and needs
Old Ottawa South did a survey - should we do a survey? Here are some ideas:
John Sankey: 20 years ago there was a Neighbourhood Study. The proposed development of the Southern Corridor aroused fierce emotions. The issue remains potentially explosive.
Christine Johnson: Given that it is a generation later from the last survey, it would be appropriate to conduct another one. Our community is evolving both demographically and descriptively (new businesses, airport expansion, foot bridge over the parkway, Sawmill Creek Constructed Wetland project, new Wisteria community, etc.); these changes are impacting perceptions, perspectives and visions for our community. It would be timely to hear again from community members.

John Sankey: Sent out an email to the directors advising that the Transportation Committee was considering further restrictions on traffic on Bronson Avenue. Nine directors approved the idea that we were against further restrictions. Peter Brimacombe then presented before the Committee.
Peter Brimacombe: Read his presentation:

The HCCO opposes further restrictions on Bronson Avenue.  Bronson Avenue provides our community with access to downtown and to Gatineau.  For the City as a whole it is a crucial north-south arterial route for buses, trucks and cars.  It is vital to the economy of the City as a whole. There simply is no alternative to Bronson Avenue.  30 years ago I lived in Ottawa East off Main Street.  Even then, all the north - south routes through the downtown area were at capacity but there was the realization that these routes were vital to our economy.  Bronson Avenue is an established route, whatever restrictions you put on Bronson Avenue will negatively impact the City as a whole.  There is no way around it.
The LRT tunnel is important to Hunt Club because it allows east-west movement of trains without taking away from north-south capacity.

John Sankey: Presentations at city public meetings can be very intimidating. Last year he was at a city consultation meeting called by a councillor that was so stridently one-sided he felt he would be subject to uncontrolled verbal abuse if he made a presentation on behalf of the HCCO. The clearly organized group opposed measures to improve through traffic on Bronson Avenue north of the Queensway. On the issue before the Committee last week, here are the next steps:

John Sankey: Passed around maps that he had put on the website and asked for comments: Comments were favourable.
Fred McLennan: The Glebe fought tooth and nail to prevent off ramps from the Airport Parkway onto Hunt Club and Walkley.
Peter Foulger: A pedestrian bridge at Brewer over Bronson Avenue would be the best solution.

Next meeting: Monday May 6 at 19:00