Meetings & Documents
 

March 1, 2010


Monthly Meeting
March 1, 2010


Attendees:

  • John Sankey, President
  • Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
  • Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
  • Fred McLennan
  • Gisèle Loiselle-Branch, Membership
  • Peter Foulger
  • Liz Russell
  • Ches Croft
  • John Leslie
  • Michael Nihmey

Motion: To approve February minutes with one minor change, moved by Fred McLennan, seconded by Peter Foulger, carried.

John Sankey: Concerning the dogs in Owl Park, Jerry Beausoleil was going to prepare a draft brochure. He did but Sarah Brimacombe does not agree with it and will proceed on her own. Jerry will proceed with his and hand it out to dog owners in the Park.

John Sankey: Last meeting some people presented their concerns over Mike Nihmey’s traffic proposals. Tonight Mike Nihmey is here to present them himself.
Mike Nihmey: He has been dealing with traffic since 1995. Just around that time, traffic on McCarthy Road in front of his house increased three fold. There were two factors: new ramps from the Airport Parkway and the opening of South Keys Shopping Mall. He made many proposals to reduce the traffic, he presented them to Councillor Wendy Stewart but everything he proposed was turned down. However there were no new ramps from the Airport Parkway. Recently after talks with John Sankey, he came up with new proposals which he put together in a package. (Copies were handed out.)
John Sankey: He didn’t design the proposals.
Mike Nihmey: The package was circulated door-to-door in three blocks in his neighbourhood and residents were invited to sign a form in support. In the first block 72% (21/29) signed the form. In the second block 52% (13/25) signed and in the third block nobody signed. He spoke personally to people who objected.
Liz Russell: She finds the proposals irritating. The proposals would interfere with the flow of traffic and frustrate the people who drive it everyday. McCarthy is a major artery and you don’t reduce the flow. She does agree that speed on McCarthy is out of hand especially the dangerous curve just south of the railway tracks.
Ches Croft: McCarthy is the main thoroughfare from Hunt Club to Cahill. The curve is dangerous as evidenced by the destruction of a car by a hit-and-run vehicle. The next block has parking on only one side of the road, so the block with the curve should have parking on only one side. This restriction on parking would improve safety. Another reason to restrict parking at the curve is that the Road is narrower there.
Several Board members asked for more accurate diagrams of McCarthy Road and data on traffic volume and speed.
Fred McLennan: The warrants do not justify traffic lights at McCarthy and Cahill so you’re never going to get stop signs at the south end of Plante. Also the 146 bus goes south on McCarthy and turns onto Plante. You cannot interfere with it.

John Sankey: Councillor Maria McRae prepared and distributed her report for March. (Copies were handed out.)

Liz Russell: She spoke to the City concerning McCarthy Road south of the railway tracks. Constant resurfacing of the Road has raised it and has effectively lowered the curb. The fence on the east is down in two spots. She continues to advocate for concrete barriers between the Road and the sidewalk. She has asked the City to supply four waste bins which have not been replaced. There are 500 to 1000 people a day who walk along McCarthy. She phoned CN Rail to ask that it remove the sneakers hanging from the wires to its signal box. There is graffiti on the box but in the cold, she cannot remove it. There will be a spring cleanup May 15 of McCarthy Road and Paul Landry Park. Volunteers should meet at the north end of Plante at 8:00 on Saturday May 15.
Motion: To register the HCCO with the City as the spring cleaner of McCarthy Road on May 15. Moved by Alan Asselstine, seconded by Fred McLennan, carried.

Peter Brimacombe: He sent an e-mail to Councillors Maria McRae, Alex Cullen, Rick Chiarelli, and Peter Hume, to Mayor Larry O’Brien, to MPP Jim Watson and to Premier Dalton McGuinty stating his opposition to expansion of the boundaries of the City. Councillor Alex Cullen replied saying “There is no reason to revisit this issue now, except at the behest of those developers contesting the City’s very legitimate position.”

Alan Asselstine: A group asked him if the HCCO would be interested in a huge outdoor display suitable for presenting sports or other events. He asked if anyone was interested in pursuing this. No takers.

Next meeting: Monday, April 5 at 19:30 (this meeting was cancelled)