Attendees:

• John Sankey President
• Alan Asselstine Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe Secretary
• Fred McLennan
• Shelley Parlow
• Nichole Hoover Assistant to the Councillor
• John Reid
• Sheena Bolton

Nichole Hoover: presented the Councillor’s Report.

The City has drafted a Statement of Work to study the Pathway Connection between the Hunt Club Community and South Keys. The Transit Committte will consider this matter at its meeting Wednesday, June 4 at 13:30. There was complete agreement to support the Pathway Connection.
Alan Asselstine: There has always been an informal pathway between Plante Drive and Bank Street.

Peter Brimacombe: He attended the Rapid Transit Open House at the Jim Durrell Arena. He was in favour of Option 4 but thought the extension to Bowesville Road was too expensive.

Motion: To approve the May minutes. Moved by Alan Asselstine, seconded by Shelley Parlow, carried.

John Sankey: He has received no answer from City staff on the junk mail motion passed April 2008. Another motion passed May 2008 requested that the City review its property standards bylaws because they are affected by the provincial ban on pesticides. Susan Jones, Director of Bylaw Services said that the City would not take action unless public health or safety was involved. On the one hand there are the Property Standards bylaw and the Use and Care of Roads bylaw and on the other hand there is the stated enforcement policy. There is a substantial discrepancy between the bylaws and the enforcement policy.

Shelley Parlow: The OMB held mediation talks with three parties: the City, the NCC and the Greenspace Alliance over the zoning of three areas: Rochester Fields, the Nepean Corridor and the Southern Corridor. The parties have agreed not to proceed with a hearing at this time. Rather, the NCC will proceed with its Capital Urban Lands Master Plan Study. Following the completion of this study and its consideration and approval by the NCC, a re-examination of the position of the parties will be able to take place including up to one year being available to the City of Ottawa to conduct further studies should the City wish to do so. Until 2011, there will be no change in use or ownership, except sale or lease to the City, or lease to a community for uses allowed by the existing zoning. If the NCC’s Urban Lands study comes out against retaining these parcels as Open Space, then the City has a year to do its own study to bolster its case for Open Space in a hearing. The mediation is adjourned without a date and a verbal agreement is in the works saying that the OMB member who did this mediation will continue to manage the case

Shelley Parlow: Greenspace Alliance is holding a benefit concert on June 24: We should renew our membership ($15)
John Sankey: We currently pay memberships to the Greenspace Alliance ($15) and the NCF ($20). We should pay these memberships as recurring annual expenses.
Alan Asselstine: We should also continue our membership in the Federation of Citizens’ Associations of Ottawa-Carleton (FCAOC) ($30).
Motion: To pay our memberships in three organizations as recurring annual expenses: Greenspace Alliance, NCF, FCAOC Moved by Alan Asselstine, seconded by Shelley Parlow, carried.

Alan Asselstine: The 2003 Regional Transit Program did not go because the extension to Barhaven would have resulted in a $16 million loss and because the east-west corridor would have gone to South Keys rather than through downtown. The new proposal is to build from the centre out and is a much better proposal.
John Sankey: There will be pressure to add more stops than needed – there should be only 3 stops plus the 2 stops at both ends. John is keeping a scrapbook of items that relate to the HCCO. If anyone finds something of interest bring it to him.

John Reid: He lives on Vanhurst and is a member of the Arts, Heritage and Culture Advisory Committee. He expressed concern that River Ward does not have a library, noting the community benefit, especially to kids and immigrants. As the work plan for the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) Board includes an item on kiosk service at the Hunt Club/Riverside Community Centre, he asked that the HCCO ensure the community be consulted before such a service be implemented.
John Sankey: The OPL allows on-line ordering of books which can be picked up at the bookmobile.
Alan Asselstine: The bookmobile stops at Bayview Public School located on Owl Drive and at the A&P Shopping Plaza.
Motion: To draft a letter of inquiry to the OPL clarifying the role of the bookmobile and library kiosks. John Reid and John Sankey will draft the letter. The HCCO supports improved library service in our neighbourhood. Moved by Alan Asselstine, seconded by Shelley Parlow, carried.

Next meeting: Monday September 8, 2008 at 19:30

Attendees:

• John Sankey, President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Fred McLennan,
• Shelley Parlow,
• Art Miskew,
• Nichole Hoover, Assistant to the Councillor
• Liz Russell

Motion: To accept the April 2007, minutes, moved by John Sankey, seconded by Alan Asselstine, carried.

Liz Russell: has adopted McCarthy Road, she picks up the garbage and removes the graffiti along its entire length. Corporate sponsors donate equipment and supply cleaning products to remove the graffiti.

Shelly Parlow: The OMB presided over mediation talks among three parties concerning the Southern Corridor: the NCC, the City and the Greenspace Alliance. The three parties were asked not to reveal the details of the discussions. Shelly feels that we will probably be reasonably happy.

Nichole Hoover: Presented the Councillor’s report.

Shelley Parlow: Can we remove graffiti from poles along the street?
Nichole Hoover: The kit is for smooth surfaces only. She is not sure if it will work on concrete poles.

Alan Asselstine: The 50 km/hour speed limit on Walkley Road is too low. It should be 60 km/hour like Riverside Drive and Hunt Club Road.
John Sankey: A speed limit that is too low infuriates drivers and makes the road unsafe.

Alan Asselstine: Again stated that the HCCO sees the expansion of the Hunt Club/Riverside Community Centre as very important and is very interested in the governance issue. On another topic, he noted that there are new stop lights on Riverside Drive at Mooney’s Bay Place but wondered how drivers using Riverside were consulted.
Nichole Hoover: Lights were installed because traffic and pedestrian volume met the warrants.

John Sankey: There was a request for a zoning variance to allow signs along River Road south of Hunt Club Road. There are big commercial signs along River Road but it is being widened from two lanes to four, the signs cannot be moved back because of the airport fence. John wrote to deny the request to allow the signs based on safety and noted that the intersection at Hunt Club and Riverside is one of the most dangerous in the City.

John Sankey: Next spring, the province of Ontario is restricting the use of lawn pesticides. As has already happened in municipalities that passed their own pesticide bylaws, more people in Ottawa will switch to natural gardens from pesticide-dependent lawns. This will increase complaints based on property standards bylaws and on encroachments onto city-owned rights of way adjacent to homeowner properties. The City should review its property standards and encroachment bylaws to ensure that they take account recent court rulings in Toronto, which disallow aesthetic considerations in such bylaws.
Shelley Parlow: Property standards say that you have to have grass on property but the pesticide ban will make it harder to maintain the grass. On Gillespie Drive, a woman has extended her cactus garden onto the City right-of-way. The City may find it is contrary to the property standards.
Motion: Whereas cosmetic use of pesticides will be banned for household use, on January, 2009 and water costs and restrictions are increasing, the HCCO requests that the City review the regulations – the property standard bylaw and the bylaw respecting City right-of-way where residents maintain City property. moved by Alan Asselstine, seconded by Liz Russell, carried.

John Sankey: The Hunt Club Golf Course asked the City for a grant to add flowers to City property along Hunt Club Road. Result is a stretch with very pretty shrubs and flowers below the spruce trees.

Liz Russell: has picked up garbage along McCarthy Road this spring and has another day planned on May 10 from 8:00 till 13:00. She has asked the City to put up garbage cans at five locations along McCarthy Road – Provost, Southmore, Plante, Cahill and Pigeon Terrace. The garbage cans would help people keep the Road clean. On another subject, there will be a free CPR course on Saturday May 10 [ to be confirmed ] from 9:00 to 13:00 at the Ottawa Paramedic Service, 2465 Don Reid Drive. Register by phone – 613 580-2424 or by e-mail cpr@ottawa.ca
Motion: To thank Liz Russell for her work in adopting McCarthy Road. moved by Alan Asselstine, seconded by Peter Brimacombe, carried.

Next meeting: Monday June 2 at 19:30

Attendees:

• John Sankey, President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Fred McLennan,
• Shelley Parlow,
• Art Miskew,
• Gisèle Loiselle-Branch,
• Nichole Hoover, Assistant to the Councillor
• Sheena Bolton, The News EMC

Nichole Hoover: Presented the councillor’s report.

Alan Asselstine: The In-Service Review of Hunt Club road from the Airport Parkway to Albion Rd. should take into account that Hunt Club at the Airport Parkway is very unfriendly to pedestrians and cyclists.
John Sankey: The fact that Hunt Club Road is not friendly to pedestrians and cyclists makes the Pedestrian Pathway to South Keys more important.

Alan Asselstine: It is very important to examine and comment on the latest transit plan to ensure it is well done because the last one done in 2003 wasn’t.
John Sankey: The new Transit Study is very important. Taking a bus to Merivale produces more carbon dioxide than taking a car. A well-designed transit system would result in less carbon dioxide emissions.

Alan Asselstine: Is there anything new on Landsdown Park?
Nichole Hoover: Councillors Monette and McRae are interested. Studies are ongoing.

Motion: To accept the March minutes as amended. Moved by Alan Asselstine, seconded by Fred McLennan, carried.

John Sankey introduced the expansion of the Hunt Club/Riverside Community Centre.
Alan Asselstine: The Hunt Club Community Organization does take an active interest and notes that the expansion has been approved and money allocated. The outstanding issue is the governance which is directly related to the two service organizations: the Hunt Club Riverside Services Centre and the Hunt Club Riverside Recreation Association

John Sankey: There will be a strategy meeting next week on the Southern Corridor. John will be there.
Shelley Parlow: The Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) will hold mediation meetings with the City, the NCC and the Greenspace Alliance on April 24th and 25th at City Hall. She is looking for material that shows that the Community was opposed to development in the Southern Corridor.
Peter Brimacombe: Most people were opposed and the petitions and motions that were passed reflect that opinion. Even so, the long term increase in transportation costs is making further expansion of the suburbs impossible which makes more urgent the development of the Southern Corridor.
Gisèle Loiselle-Branch: As people get older they won’t need their houses so overall the City won’t need more houses.

John Sankey: The City has a by-law that provides a no-junk-mail sign that residents may post. The bylaw specifies that this sign will not apply to prevent the distribution of newspapers delivered to paid subscribers; community newspapers; material produced in the context of a campaign for elected office; or information circulars produced by governments or their agencies.
Motion: That the City use whenever possible distributors who respect the by-law and deliver the specified material to residences posting the sign. Moved by John Sankey, seconded by Alan Asselstine, carried.

Shelley Parlow: Last week a family lost a two-year-old in a fire. The family is moving into our community and we wish them well.
Everyone agreed.

Next meeting: Monday 5 May 2008 at 19:30

Attendees:

• John Sankey, President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Fred MacLennan
• Shelley Parlow
• Maria McRae, Councillor
• Nichole Hoover, Assistant to the Councillor

Motion: To accept the February minutes. moved by Alan Asselstine, seconded by Fred McLennan, carried.

John Sankey: Has located copies of various environmental studies concerning the Constructed Wetlands. He is planning a study on the effect of the Wetlands on the plants and animals.
Alan Asselstine: The Transitway made a mess of the Sawmill Creek but near the Sawmill Creek Swimming Pool, the Creek is quite beautiful.

Maria McRae presented her report.

Shelley Parlow: The NCC has turned down our request to be a party to the mediation between it and the City. The Crestwood Community Association wants to presents some documents to the OMB. We should put forward some of the motions and documents that came from the Hunt Club Neighbourhood Study. The OMB mediation will be on April 24 and 25, 2008.

John Sankey: There is an application to approve a new shopping centre at 300 Hunt Club Road (south side of Hunt Club, east of the Rideau River). There are height restrictions because it is so close to the Airport.
Alan Asselstine: We don’t need another traffic light on Hunt Club.

Next meeting: April 7, 2008 at 19:30

Attendees:

• John Sankey, President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Fred McLennan
• Gisèle Loiselle-Branch, Membership Director
• Nichole Hoover, Assistant to the Councillor
• Marilyn Koch
• Kemi Abdurrahman

Motion: To accept last month’s minutes as amended. moved by Alan Asselstine, seconded by Fred McLennan, carried.

John Sankey: Bill Royds last month raised the issue of municipal taxes on parking lots. The City gives the same treatment to parking at South Keys as it does to parking at downtown parking lots.
Alan Asselstine: Bill meant that the City taxes parking lots at very low rates as opposed to much higher rates for parking garages such as the one at Bayshore.

Gisèle Loiselle-Branch: The City should put more priority on clearing the sidewalks that serve elderly and disabled persons.
Fred McLennan: Inevitably, after a heavy snowfall sidewalks will be blocked with snow. The City can only clear the sidewalks so fast.
Alan Asselstine: Sometimes the big snow plows that do the roads will block off the sidewalks which have been previously cleared by the small plows that do the sidewalks. Parents walking their children to school find their way blocked.

John Sankey: Presented Fred McLennan with a Certificate of Appreciation from MP David McGuinty for his service as President of the Hunt Club Community Organization.

Alan Asselstine: What did Maria McRae think about the pictures of Sawmill Creek? Alan offered to do a walk-about of the area to review his proposals for better access to the Constructed Wetlands and South Keys.
Nichole Hoover: Maria will look at this again when she gets back from Sudbury. In the meantime staff will follow up. A pathway to South Keys would increase transit use and so improve the modal split.
Gisèle Loiselle-Branch: A young man died crossing the Airport Parkway last summer.

There was a general discussion about how vegetation would grow in the Constructed Wetlands and how animals would adapt there.
John Sankey: Designed the pond at the Fletcher Park. In three years the pond looked completely natural.
Alan Asselstine: The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority has a complete study of the flora and fauna of the Sawmill Creek Watershed.

John Sankey: Shelley Parlow sends her regrets but reports that the NCC has refused our request to be a party to the mediation between the NCC and City. There will be a mediation hearing on April 24 and 25 at City Hall.

John Sankey: Councillor Christine Leadman sent an e-mail that details how parking rates will increase: rates will increase to $3/hour and be enforced until 9:00 PM Monday to Saturday and to 5:30 PM Sunday and she asked for our support in fighting it.

Next meeting: Monday 3 March at 7:30 pm

Attendees:

• John Sankey, President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Fred McLennan
• Gisèle Loiselle-Branch, Membership Director
• Shelley Parlow
• Nichole Hoover, Assistant to the Councillor
• Bill Royds

Motion: To accept last month’s minutes as presented. moved by Shelley Parlow, seconded by Peter Brimacombe, carried.

Motion: To proceed with Peter Brimacombe as Secretary, Gisèle Loiselle-Branch as Membership Director and Fred McLennan as director. moved by Shelley Parlow, seconded by Gisèle Loiselle-Branch, carried.

Nichole Hoover: Councillor Maria McCrae is visiting her mother-in-law in Sudbury this week. Nichole will bring items to Maria as requested.

Alan Asselstine: The City has purchased the former Bayview School on Riverside Drive. It could be used for recreation in which case the HCRCC http://hcrcc.ca/ should operate the recreation program.
Nichole Hoover: The HCRCC Board did discuss this at its last meeting.
Motion: The HCCO supports the concept that the HCRCC operate the recreational programs out of the former Bayview School on Riverside Drive. moved by Alan Asselstine, seconded by Peter Brimacombe, carried.

Shelley Parlow: On December 6, 2007 the City and the NCC appeared at a pre-hearing of the OMB and asked for a deferment. They agreed to mediation among the parties: the NCC, the City and the Greenspace Alliance. Mediation is to take place on April 24th and 25th with another pre-hearing scheduled for May 6, 2008.
Motion: Whereas the HCCO is a participant in the appeals process, we request to be a party in the mediation process. moved by Shelley Parlow, seconded by Fred McLennan, carried.

Motion: To renew our membership in the Greenspace Alliance. Fee is $10. moved by Shelley Parlow, seconded by Fred McLennan, carried.

Bill Royds: Presented the Poet’s Path. The Greenspace Alliance wants the NCC to preserve land for parklands rather than development. Would we be interested in including the Poet’s Pathway in community activities?
Alan Asselstine: Ottawa will continue to grow and there are two options: it can go up or out. You can’t say not here and not there. At some time the City will have to decide to go up somewhere!
Motion: That the HCCO support in principle the notion that the Poet’s Pathway run through our neighbourhood. Moved by Shelley Parlow, seconded by Gisèle Loiselle-Branch.
Fred McLennan: We are not defining the width of the Poet’s Pathway.
Motion was carried.

Alan Asselstine has studied ways of getting access from our neighbourhood to the constructed wetlands and South Keys. He presented a map of the constructed wetlands and described seven potential access routes. Updated documentation is attached for comment and then presented to Councillor Maria McRae. There was a general expression of appreciation for Alan’s work.

John Sankey: The Hunt Club/Riverside Community Services Centre has a Homework Club where high school students can get special tutoring. However, the people running the Centre cannot offer this service to more students because they have only a very small room. John is trying to find more room.

Peter Brimacombe: In the last year, there has been a 50% increase in oil prices. This increase is an indication that we have reached peak oil. The major oil fields of the world are in decline. Housing developments like Findlay Creek and Riverside South make less and less economic sense. As energy costs continue to rise, we need higher density developments in the core because they allow us to develop more efficient infrastructure like transportation, water and sewers. The Southern Corridor is an obvious place to put such developments.
John Sankey: $100/barrel oil is what is needed to develop the oil sands. Syncrude was started with the prospect of $100/barrel oil. Shell Oil also is developing the oil sands. The higher price of oil should allow for more efficient use of water and the development of nuclear energy to extract the oil from the sand.
Bill Royds: The oil is still being exhausted. Greenspace is still essential within the urban areas because plants filter out toxins in the air and water. You can plan to have higher density and keep the greenspace.
Alan Asselstine: In Essen, Germany, people live in high density housing but have vegetable gardens in nearby open space. Ownership of the gardens is separate from the housing.

John Sankey: receives planning documents concerning our neighbourhood. He would like someone with more experience in our neighbourhood to review them.
Bill Royds: The City provides “Heads Up” notices of the planning documents.
Fred McLennan: will ask Nichole for the Heads Up notices. On another subject, the new downtown parking rates are too much and should be reviewed.
Bill Royds: South Key merchants have an advantage over downtown merchants because the South Key merchants pay minimal tax on their parking lot.

Next meeting: Monday February 4, 2008 at 19:30

Attendees:

• Fred McLennan, President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Gisèle Loiselle-Branch
• Shelley Parlow
• Nichole Hoover, Assistant to the Councillor
• Frank Horger
• Barbara Horger
• Liz Russell

Nichole Hoover presented the Councillor’s report.

Liz Russell: has adopted McCarthy Road from Hunt Club Road to Walkley Road. She walks along the Road and cleans up the garbage. Last spring she organized a cleanup of the area north of Art Miskew’s house on the bush side of the fence. On Sunday, October 28 she is organizing another cleanup. She has asked the City for two benches at the bus stops: one at Provost Drive and another at Southmore Drive and she asked the City to provide and maintain five garbage containers on the east side of McCarthy Road. She wants the City to install concrete barriers between the road and the eastsidewalk to protect pedestrians. The City has suggested metal barriers but they just won’t do.

Gisèle Loiselle-Branch: Peter Cameron died when the car in which he = was riding hit the hydro pole on McCarthy Road:

Shelley Parlow: The City and the NCC were negotiating the zoning to the Southern Corridor. Nichole could you check if there is an update, please.

Alan Asselstine: Mayor Larry O’Brien and Councillor Clive Doucet were out for the official opening of the Constructed Wetlands next to the Airport Parkway. It is such a beautiful site that we should have better access but the best way is from Hunt Club Road up the paved pathway beside the Airport Parkway.

Nichole Hoover: Maria wants to provide better access to the Constructed Wetlands.

Motion: To spend up to $150 to advertise the Annual General Meeting.
Moved by Shelley Parlow, seconded by Liz Russell, carried.

Gisèle Loiselle-Branch: Is the Sequoia Co-op going to get the big green recycle bins?

Alan Asselstine: The existing program (that has the green bins) is a pilot project but the plans to extend it have been delayed. Part of the problem of garbage in the City is commercial and hospital waste for which the City has no authority. The challenge is for people to sort their garbage and to divert garbage from the land fill site.

Fred McLennan: Saturday October 13 is give-away day. Put your old treasures out by the street with a free sign!

Next meeting will be the Annual General Meeting on Monday 3 December at 19:30.

Attendees:

• Fred McLennan, President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Shelley Parlow
• John Sankey
• Gisèle Loiselle-Branch
• Maria McRae, Councillor
• Nichole Hoover, Assistant to the Councillor
• Peter Foulger

Maria McRae tabled her report which included the announcement of the Official Opening of the Sawmill Creek Constructed Wetland, Thursday Sept 27. She would like to improve the access to the Constructed Wetland which she sees as a passive park. Also in her report was an announcement of an Open House describing a new arterial road linking Hunt Club with the 417.

Alan Asselstine: The pathways around the Constructed Wetland should link up with the other pathways.

Maria McRae: The Urbandale proposal on Light Rail has twin tunnels under the downtown core.

Fred McLennan: The Annual General Meeting will be Monday, October 29. Maria will advise on a speaker. Fred wrote a letter in support of the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club which is planting plants and flowers on city property along Riverside Drive.

Motion: To pay $20 for the HCCO website. moved by John Sankey, seconded by Peter Brimacombe. carried.

Peter Foulger: Dead trees and branches are falling into Hunt Club Creek but the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority says that they provide natural cover for wildlife.

Next meeting: Monday October 1, 2007 at 19:30

Attendees:

• Fred McLennan, President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Shelley Parlow
• John Sankey
• Gisèle Loiselle-Branch
• Pat Murphy, Assistant to the Councillor
• Nichole Hoover, Assistant to the Councillor
• Gillian Villeneuve
• Frank Horger
• Barbara Horger

Nichole Hoover: presented the Councillor’s report.

Fred McLennan: attended a Police Meeting on Sawmill Creek talking about graffiti.

Shelley Parlow: There is graffiti on four light standards near Gillespie Drive. To report graffiti to the City, you have to have the address. Shelley complimented Barbara Horger on her garden that she planted in Vanhurst Place.

John Sankey: Hunt Club’s western boundary is the Rideau River and the Community Centre (HCRCC) should include Quinterra. John discovered that the Official Plan, Amendment Proposal, Schedule 24 will change the zoning near the Petro Canada station on Hunt Club from Urban Natural Features to Employment Area. Since the area is a steep embankment, it is hard to make sense of the change in zoning.

Motion: That the HCCO is opposed to the change in status of the land immediately to the south-east of the intersection of Hunt Club Road with the Rideau River from Urban Natural Feature to Employment Area by the Official Plan Amendment dated 15 March 2007 (Schedule 24). Moved by John Sankey, seconded by Shelley Parlow, carried.

Alan Asselstine: The Ottawa Citizen reported that a man dragged a 12-year-old girl off her bicycle in the area of Uplands Drive but she managed to escape.
Pat Murphy: Councillor Maria McRae is aware of the incident and the Police are investigating.

Fred McLennan: Commented on the Mayors Task Force on Transportation and the Rapid Transit Expansion Study (RTES).

Motion: To approve last month’s minutes, May 2007. Moved by John Sankey, seconded by Alan Asselstine, carried.

Frank Horger: Despite my best efforts, the 41 bus has been cancelled. In our area near Uplands Drive, many single mothers took the 41 bus. OC Transpo’s response shows that it sees the 41 ridership as just not important.
Pat Murphy: Councillor Maria McRae has expressed her concern over the cancellation of the 41 bus to OC Transpo.
Shelley Parlow: We would like to thank Maria McRae for her efforts to keep the 41 bus.
John Sankey: The answer to our motion by OCTranspo means that they put more value on a slight convenience for a small group of people, even of only one person, than they do on the effectiveness of bus service to our entire community or on the efficiency of transportation services city-wide.

Peter Brimacombe: Randall Denley reported in the Ottawa Citizen that before amalgamation the City had a surplus of $240 per household but now it has a debt of $1200 per household. In the US housing market, the effects of widespread debt are just starting to be seen. Running a deficit is wrong. The City needs to pay as it goes.

Next meeting: Monday, September 10 at 19:30

Attendees:

• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Shelley Parlow
• John Sankey
• Pat Murphy, Assistant to the Councillor
• Gillian Villeneuve
• Frank Horger
• Barbara Horger

Frank Horger: The 41 rush hour bus is being eliminated, it goes from Uplands Drive to Bronson Avenue and it’s the only bus that goes the length of Bronson.
John Sankey: OC Transpo is cutting service due to budget cuts and it is taking 50 buses out of service.
Gillian Villeneuve: doesn’t take the 41 because it’s very inconvenient – an eight minute car ride takes an hour and a half on the 41 bus.
There was a general understanding of the importance of the 41 to the community especially those going to points west of downtown and that the 87 is not a acceptable alternative. The 87 is irregular and goes the long way to downtown.

Motion: a) The HCCO sees the 41 Bus as an important service and sees its cancellation as disruptive to our community. b) That a letter be sent to the Councillor, Maria McRae moved by Peter Brimacombe, seconded by John Sankey, carried.

Alan Asselstine: The City is going to redo the Rapid Transit Expansion Study. As a community we need to monitor this study as it will have impacts on us.

Motion: To accept the April 2007 minutes. moved by John Sankey, seconded by Peter Brimacombe, carried.

Pat Murphy asked for support of Laura Brisson’s application to beautify the entrance to Quintera/Riverwood.

Motion: To support Laura Brisson’s application to the City’s Green Partnership Program to beautify the entrance to Quintera/Riverwood. moved by Shelley Parlow, seconded by Peter Brimacombe, carried.

Pat Murphy tabled the Councillor’s report. The issue of fluorescent light bulbs was raised as a means of saving electricity. The Comprehensive Zoning By-law is now available in draft form.
John Sankey: Fluorescent light bulbs do contain mercury but because they are extremely efficient they result in less over-all emission of mercury into the environment than incandescent light bulbs. However, if compact florescent light bulbs are used in bathrooms or other places where they are turned on and off a lot then their life expectancy is the same as incandescent light bulbs. Their benefits are lost in those situations.

Shelley Parlow: She attended the OMB pre-hearing on April 23, 2007. The City and the NCC asked for a postponement. The Comprehensive Zoning By-law could affect the Southern Corridor and other aspects of our community and so should be monitored.

Peter Brimacombe: Councillor Peter Hume has proposed that seniors could defer their property taxes and the unpaid taxes would be collected when their houses were sold. The proposed program would be open to abuse and fraud. The City would lose revenue and it would put itself in the position of a mortgage company. There are mortgage companies that do reverse mortgages, the City shouldn’t get into this business.
Shelley Parlow: The City of Victoria allows seniors to defer their property taxes. She assumes that the program’s effectiveness would be protected with a system of checks and balances and that she would need to see evidence of abuse.
Alan Asselstine: There are already private sector solutions. The cost of a City program would be a concern.
Frank Horger: Rising house values could force someone to leave his house.

Alan Asselstine: Peter Vasdi wrote a letter expressing concern about gangs at the A & P Plaza and proposed that the HCCO take a lead role in addressing this issue.
This issue was discussed. There are existing organizations that address youth issues: the Hunt Club/Riverside Community Centre and the Community Services Centre. The HCCO lacks the numbers, skills and time to take the lead.

Next meeting: Monday, June 11 at 19:30

Attendees:

• Fred MacLennan, President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• John Sankey
• Gisèle Loiselle-Branch
• Maria McRae, Councillor
• Pat Murphy, Assistant to the Councillor

Alan Asselstine: There is continuous community support for a footpath to the South Keys Shopping Centre.

Maria McRae presented her April Report to the Hunt Club Community Organization.

Fred McLennan: The proposed move of the Hunt Club/Riverside Community Services Centre to a larger store in the A&P Plaza would cost an extra $20,000. The Amendment Proposal of the Official Plan would change the designation of the area around the Community Centre from General Urban Area to Major Open Space (Schedule 12).

Next Meeting: Monday May 7 at 19:30