Monthly Meeting
February 4, 2013
Attendees:
- John Sankey, President
- Peter Foulger, Treasurer
- Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
- Gisèle Loiselle
- Christine Johnson
- Sylva Baroody
- Nichole Hoover, Assistant to the Councillor
- Lesley LeMarquand
- Marc Rivard
- Aija Auzina
- Steve Long
- Abbas Mokabbery
- Keith Hendricks
- Theresa Hendricks
- Andrea Fowler
- Crystal Karam
- Bob Andrews
John Sankey: Presented the agenda and asked for approval.
Christine Johnson: Introduced people from Wisteria. Wisteria is south of Hunt Club and is not part of River Ward.
Motion: Given that the neighbourhood known as Wisteria Community bounded by Hunt Club Rd to the north, Uplands to the east, the airbase to the south and the DND woods to the west, shares the same roadways, traffic concerns, community centre, shopping facilities, service providers, schools and green spaces as the rest of our Hunt Club Community and Given that a representative number of residents from Wisteria Community have indicated interest in joining our HCCO and Given that the Wisteria neighbourhood is the most recently built housing development off of Hunt Club and adjacent to Paul Anka Drive that the HCCO officially welcomes the Wisteria Community into its organization and adjusts its boundaries accordingly to reflect this extension of our Hunt Club Community. Moved by Christine Johnson, Andrea Fowler, carried.
John Sankey: Welcomed the people from Wisteria and described the role of the Hunt Club Community Organization. It is concerned about issues that impact our area, its goal is to make this a better place to live.
Motion: To appoint Steve Long and Keith Hendricks as directors to the Hunt Club Community Organization. Moved by John Sankey, seconded by Peter Foulger, carried.
Nichole Hoover: She has a response to the question: what options do we have to restrict left-hand turns from the T & T parking lot onto Hunt Club Road. Response:
Available traffic counts for the intersections of Hunt Club Road at 225 m east of Riverside Drive (T & T access). These counts indicate that the left turning volumes during peak period from the T&T site are very minor and contribute minimally, if at all, to any traffic flow issues in the corridor. The east-west traffic and other turning volumes at the Riverside Drive and Prince of Wales Drive intersections are such that significant delays are experienced, resulting in significant queues throughout the area.
In conversation with staff at Signals it was indicated that the queues currently experienced along Hunt Club Road through the T&T access would occur even if the access did not exist. As a result of the signal timing plans put into place through this corridor no direct impacts resulting from the T&T access have been identified.
In consideration of the above, especially that impacts relating to left turns from the site onto Hunt Club Road are minimal at this time the Department is not in a position to recommend removal of the left turns during peak periods.
John Sankey: In the new Traffic Plan three arterial roads have been downgraded. As well as maintaining their role as arterial roads they now have equal priority to providing access to adjoining properties. Walkley Road is one of the arterial roads. In addition, the new Traffic Plan promotes access to pedestrians and cyclists on all arterial roads. This runs counter to our recommendations. The role of arterials such as Bronson Avenue should be to move through traffic, where traffic is understood to be cars and trucks. It is impossible to provide efficient access to traffic while at the same time making cycling pleasant and safe. In the case of Bronson Avenue, there are two low volume streets that run parallel to it – Percy and Lyon. They should be the cycling routes.
Aija Auzina: She is interested in reducing greenhouse gases and global warming. Something should be done at the municipal level.
John Sankey: The average temperature in Ottawa has risen but 60% of the increase is due to the heat created by activities in the City itself. Heating and cooling buildings give off heat. Driving vehicles gives off heat. Improving the insulation in buildings and improving the efficiency of appliances such as refrigerators can reduce the heat given off.
Gisèle Loiselle: Many drivers fail to make proper turns. They don’t keep to their lanes and they don’t signal.
Motion: To approve the January minutes. Moved by Christine Johnson, seconded by Sylva Baroody, carried.
John Sankey: At the last meeting we discussed our membership fees. Issie Berish surveyed other community associations in Ottawa and the average is $10.
Gisèle Loiselle: Leave it at $3.
Christine Johnson: $10 is not a lot to ask. If someone cannot afford it then they contribute in some other way.
Peter Brimacombe: In the late 1970’s, Ottawa East was under tremendous pressure from plans to expand the road network. As a group we met three or four nights a week. We organized presentations at City Hall and prepared briefs to the Ontario Municipal Board. Donations of $20 were common. They helped to pay for signs, typing and courier services. $10 is a minimum.
Aija Auzina: $3 is not a serious commitment.
Lesley LeMarquand: $10 is not a big commitment.
Motion: To raise the membership fee to $10.00 effective August 1, 2013. Moved by Peter Brimacombe, seconded by Gisèle Loiselle.
There was a general discussion on the motion.
Vote on motion: carried.
Christine Johnson: Presented an update on the newsletter Hunt Club My Community. Articles are ready for the April edition which should be ready March 25. There are spots in the newsletter for six sponsors, four have already signed up for the April edition: T&T, Shawarma Planet, Tire Changers and Royal LePage.
Peter Foulger: Presented the Treasurer’s Report. Alan Asselstine the former Treasurer has forwarded an electronic summary of previous transactions for the period 2005 to the present. He will turn over the paper copies for the period 1990 to 2005. TD Canada Trust at the T&T plaza holds our account. It charges a fee of $1.95 a month. In addition the Alterna Bank holds a term account of $8,615.00.
Christine Johnson: The Federation of Citizens Association met on 10 January 2013. People at the meeting are committed and engaged. The number one issue is to update the zoning bylaw so that there is not a constant stream of zoning amendments.
Peter Foulger: The Zoning Committee is really the Re-zoning Committee.
Christine Johnson: We are the heart of the City. We are centrally located north of the new sub-divisions in River Road south and south of the older developed areas.
Peter Brimacombe: The Southern Corridor runs across our territory, it follows the railway line. Apart from the Central Experimental Farm, it is the largest undeveloped parcel of land in the City. That it be developed is natural and inevitable.
John Sankey: The western half of the Southern Corridor holds no special value in terms of bio-diversity.
Christine Johnson: There is a proposal to build four commercial buildings at 700 Hunt Club. She would like to ask four questions: there is currently a sign advertising that 28 new townhouses will be built on the site, is this still the case? one of the commercial buildings will be a fast food outlet. Which one? all the affected homeowners were not notified. Why not? the site plan calls for Hunt Club Rd to be widened. Where would it be widened?
Motion: To delegate Christine Johnson to forward questions regarding the site plan proposed for 700 Hunt Club Road to the City on behalf of the HCCO. Moved by Peter Foulger, seconded by Peter Brimacombe, carried.
Next meeting: Monday March 4, 2013 at 19:00