Present:

• Fred McLennan, President
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Shelley Parlow
• John Sankey
• Gisèle Loiselle-Branch
• Pat Murphy Assistant to the Councillor

Motion: To accept the February minutes. moved by John Sankey, seconded by Fred McLennan. carried

Pat Murphy tabled the Councillor’s report. Part of the report describes the City’s Stormwater Management Strategy.
Shelley Parlow: Stormwater management is an important issue and she supports the City’s initiative. What is happening with the Southern Corridor?
Pat Murphy: She will check for developments.

Fred McLennan: Thanks to Maria McRae for the Certificates of Appreciation which she gave to the directors.

John Sankey: At the last meeting, there were four motions concerning bus stops. The public input at the meeting did not represent the views of the people who live next to the bus stops and the people that voted against the Huntwood Stop do not use it. We should consider how to better gather public input for future meetings.
Peter Brimacombe: If we are considering the removal of a bus stop, we could relax the requirement that 90% of the people in our community be within a certain distance of a bus stop. We could distribute notice to the people at the bus stop since they would be the ones most affected.
Shelley Parlow: Garbage cans at bus stops would actually increase costs. If we are considering the removal of a bus stop then all taxpayers should be considered and not just the ones found at the bus stops.
Gisèle Loiselle-Branch: The bus stop at the Quickie on McCarthy Road needs a garbage can. Has OC Transpo held public consultations in office buildings?
John Sankey: We have to look for savings because OC Transpo costs are up 7% but fares are up only 2%. The City makes up the difference.

Fred McLennan: This year, the budget raided the reserve fund making future budgets more difficult.

John Sankey: With the help of Peter Vasdi, the transfer of the website is now complete and satisfies our concerns: http://hunt-club.ncf.ca/

Motion: To appoint John Sankey as Web Master. Moved by Shelley Parlow, seconded by Peter Brimacombe. carried.

Fred McLennan: Barbara Squire Hunt Club/Riverside Community Services Centre has sent us a letter, asking for our support for their move to a bigger store in the A&P Plaza.
Shelley Parlow: We need more information about what we are supporting. Would they consider moving to the expanded Community Centre?
Fred McLennan: He will ask Barbara Squire about the Community Centre and what is the extra cost of the bigger store.

Next meeting: Monday, April 2 at 19:30

Attendees:

• Fred McLennan, President
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Shelley Parlow
• John Sankey
• Art Miskew
• Pat Murphy, Assistant to the Councillor
• Gillian Villeneuve
• Carol Evoy
• Karen Izzard
• Jean Bourdeau
• Sylvie Bourdeau
• Ivy-Lea Lunau
• Ron Brulé
• Diane Brulé
• Natalie Brulé
• Romeo Lafleur
• Karen Gravelle
• Margaret Burvill

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:

• Corrine Mack, President Coady Co-op, stated that the Coady Co-op has not taken a position on this matter.
• Martha Heyerdahl, Coady Co-op, objected to moving bus stop 4167
• Nancy Kelly registered her opposition to the relocation of bus stop 4167.
• Carol Evoy, Coady Co-op registered her objection to move bus stop 4167.

Eight residents verbally contacted the HCCO prior to the meeting

• Hugh & Suzanne Donoghue agree with both bus stop moves.
• Pierrette Downey fully supports reducing the number of bus stops.
• Katie Holts is in favour of the general aims of the moves.
• Gillian Villeneuve is in favour of the moves.
• Mary Burgess, opposes move because she might lose the bus shelter.
• Doug Izzard, opposes a bus stop in front of his house because of litter.
• Jorge Chira opposes move – keep stop 4167 in the same place.

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

Attendees:

• Fred MacLennan, President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Shelley Parlow, Director
• John Sankey, Director
• Gisèle Loiselle-Branch, Director
• Pat Murphy, Assistant to the Councillor
• David Gibbons, Community Outreach Officer
• Gillian Villeneuve

Alan Asselstine: The HCCO received $180 from the Hunt Club/Riverside Community Centre. The Community Centre gives the HCCO the equivalent of the dues of 60 members (60 X $3.00 = $180).

Motion: To accept the December 2006 minutes. moved by John Sankey, seconded by Alan Asselstine. carried.

Pat Murphy: Wished everybody a happy new year and presented Maria McRae’s January report.

Gisèle Loiselle-Branch: What are we going to do for Winterlude if the weather stays so warm? We could have a Festival of Lights (fireworks).

Fred McLennan: When will we get the budget?
Alan Asselstine: Council must discuss and approve the parameters for the budget and then staff prepares the options.

John Sankey: What does a zero increase in property tax mean? Property taxes depend on the assessed value, the mill rate and the number of dwellings.
David Gibbons: Zero means dollars per assessed residence will not increase.

Fred McLennan: Property taxes do not include charges for water, sewer or electricity.

Peter Brimacombe: Who owns Ottawa Hydro?
David Gibbons: The City of Ottawa owns Ottawa Hydro.

Shelley Parlow: The City requires that each household put its garbage into separate containers: one for paper, one for plastics and glass, one for organic waste and one for landfill. Our present kitchens are not designed to store the extra containers.

Motion: The HCCO would encourage the City not to increase the mill rate. Moved by Alan Asselstine, seconded by Shelley Parlow. carried.

John Sankey noted that the City should hold increases to the rate of inflation to maintain services.

David Gibbons: Explained his role as Mayor, Larry O’Brien’s eyes and ears with the communities throughout the city. He is to complement and in no way diminish the role of the ward councillors. He met with Alan Asselstine and Fred McLennan and discussed community concerns such as the pathway to the South Keys transit station, the Southern Corridor and the expansion of the Community Centre. There are 127 community associations in the City and he has met with 102 so far.

Alan Asselstine: The Hunt Club/Riverside Community Centre provides superb value due to the dedication of the Director Sharon Moore and her staff and the efforts of the President Linda Poulson.

John Sankey: Reviewed the HCCO website with Peter Vasdi. Only items approved by the Board will be included in the website. Other material will be moved to another website. John presented the Home Page.

Motion: To approve in principle, the home page and the contact list. moved by John Sankey, seconded by Alan Asselstine. carried.

John Sankey proposes two modifications to the bus stops on Uplands Drive: to combine two bus stops into one and to move another. The principle is that elimination of bus stops improves service and reduces cost. Service is improved because the buses can go faster and costs are reduced because the buses can maintain a more constant speed. John presented a notice describing the changes.
Shelley Parlow talked to neighbours: some were concerned about snow removal, others about handicap access and others about moving the bus stops away from the bus shelters.
John talked to five homeowners on Uplands affected by the proposed changes. Four were in favour and one against.

Motion: To approve the notice and its distribution to neighbours. Moved by Alan Asselstine, seconded by Peter Brimacombe. carried.

Shelley Parlow: There is a prehearing before the OMB concerning all remaining issues concerning the City Official Plan. Shelley is unable to attend, can anyone else represent the HCCO?
John Sankey can be present at the prehearing.

Alan Asselstine: There is a new sign on Bronson Ave northbound warning of a turn restriction. This sign is confusing because it does not refer to the immediate turn onto Findlay Avenue but the turn onto the Driveway four turns later.

Next meeting: Monday February 5 at 19:30

Attendees:

• Fred MacLennan, President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Shelley Parlow, Director
• John Sankey, Director
• Pat Murphy, Assistant to the Councillor
• Gillian Villeneuve
• Jim Brown

Fred McLennan attended the meeting with the Police at the Barrett Arena on Leitrim Road.

Motion: To reimburse Alan Asselstine $34.20 for printing the flyers for the Annual General Meeting, last month. Moved by John Sankey, seconded by Shelley Parlow, carried.

Jim Brown is a former high school principal and a concerned citizen: The HCCO should have organized an All Candidates Meeting as a key element of the Municipal Elections.

Fred McLennan: We are an all-volunteer organization but we will endeavor to organize one for the next municipal elections.

Motion: To congratulate Maria McRae on her re-election as Councillor. Moved by Shelley Parlow, seconded by Peter Brimacombe, carried.

Pat Murphy tabled Maria McRae’s Report.

John Sankey: Wants to improve the efficiency of the bus service by eliminating unnecessary bus stops. Specifically he has reviewed the bus stops on Uplands Avenue. John Sankey and Peter Brimacombe met with the Board of Directors of the Coady Co-op where John presented his recommendation to amalgamate two bus stops into one. John and Peter were well received and the Board of the Coady Co-op will follow up with its meeting in January.

Gillian Villeneuve lives on Uplands Drive and is upset that the City moved the bus stop in front of her house.

Shelley Parlow: is concerned about the cost of moving facilities and the impacts on Coady residents.

Alan Asselstine: O/C Transpo has to be more efficient. The elimination of one third of all bus stops represents an enormous gain in efficiency. We cannot hold up rules for the community as a whole unless we are willing to apply them to ourselves.

Fred McLennan: The bus stop issue will be tabled for further investigation until January or February next year.

Next meeting: Monday January 8 at 19:30

Attendees:

• Fred MacLennan, President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Gisèle Loiselle-Branch, Director
• Shelley Parlow, Director
• John Sankey, Director
• Pat Murphy, Councillor’s Office
• Maria McRae, City councillor

Motion: To pay $20 to the National Capital Freenet to renew our account. Moved by John Sankey, seconded by Alan Asselstine. Carried.

Motion: To invite Rod Bryden to our Annual General Meeting, 6 Nov 2006 at 19:30. Moved by Alan Asselstine, seconded by Shelley Parlow. Carried.

City councillor, Maria McRae reported on the following:

• She sent a letter to seniors asking their opinion of expanding the Community Centre. She will follow up with a meeting.
• OC Transpo will introduce the Transit Smart Card in 2008 as a convenient way of buying services.
• The City is developing a pilot program to provide snow removal services for needy seniors. The program is a fee-for-service with a volunteer component and various organizations providing the service. Community groups will be contracted to provide the service similar to the way the outdoor ice rinks are maintained.
• While commenting on a stabbing on a bus, the Police Chief assured the public that there will be incidents but the data shows that we live in a safe city.
• The City will once again hold a Short Story Contest for residents 55 and older.

Fred McLennan started a discussion about the Hunt Club website http://hunt-club.ncf.ca/

Alan Asselstine described the pathways along the constructed wetlands. He provided copies of maps and described how the wetlands would connect to the new train station at South Keys.

Next meeting: Annual General Meeting, Mon 6 Nov 2006 at 7:30pm

Attendees:

• Fred MacLennan, President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Shelley Parlow, Director
• Fred Winters, Director
• John Sankey, Director
• Pat Murphy, Councillor’s Office
• Ivy-Lea Lunau, David McGuinty’s office
• Maria McRae, City councillor

Motion: Where as: Ottawa Council has approved a South Keys light rail station (on the north-south line) adjacent to the existing Transitway station and the South Keys shopping mall;
Where as: The soon to be completed Sawmill Creek constructed wetland, located primarily in the vacant land bounded by Hunt Club Road, Walkley Road, the Transitway and the Airport Parkway, will consist of a series of ponds and control structures in a landscaped, park-like setting with recreational paths;
And where as: For over 40 years, there has been an informal foot path from Cahill Drive West at Plante Drive to the west side of Bank Street, as people prefer that route over the pedestrian unfriendly Hunt Club Road.
Be it moved that the Hunt Club Community Organization requests the city to construct a footpath from Cahill Street West at Plante to the South Keys Rail /Transitway Station.

Such a path would be a constructive way to facilitate use of both the city’s light rail and bus public transit systems. It would allow the residents of both South Keys and Hunt Club to safely utilize the park-like setting being established with the Sawmill Creek constructed wetland. It would be safer then the current informal path or walking/biking on the parallel section of Hunt Club Road.

The construction of this path would involve the construction of a foot bridge over the Airport Parkway, a small bridge over the Cahill tributary of Sawmill creek and a western access door to the South Keys Rail /Transitway Station.

Now is the time to embark on this project. The South Keys station is now being planned and so the additional access can be planned and installed at minimum costs. The wetlands project is being completed and the path could be incorporated in the project. The bridge over the Airport parkway would be the most costly aspect of the project. However, this area of the parkway is lit and so electricity is available. Moved by Alan Asselstine; seconded by John Sankey. Carried.

Motion: Whereas: The city’s East/West Light Rail environmental assessment is at the stage of having a preliminary recommended route within the approved corridor between Walkley road and Hunt Club road from St. Laurent boulevard and the Rideau River;
Whereas: The preliminary route follows Walkley road from St. Laurent to the Airport parkway as this route is nearest to the most potential train users;
Whereas: After the Airport parkway the preliminary route goes south beside the parkway to the hydro lines and then west along the hydro line corridor to Riverside drive and then to the Rideau river;
Whereas: The alternate route from the Airport parkway and Walkley drive goes along Walkley drive to Riverside drive then south on Riverside to the Hydro lines;
Whereas: The Walkley/Riverside route is technical feasible but scored slightly fewer points then the Parkway/Hydro Lines route;
Whereas: The Walkley/Riverside route would serve more potential users as there are residents on both sides of Walkley and Riverside plus it would be near Mooney’s Bay Park and facilities;
And whereas: The Walkley/Riverside would avoid a crossing of McCarthy (McCarthy ends at Walkley) and bridge at the Via/CN rail line as the Walkley rail bridge can accommodate both the road and the East/West Light Rail line.
It is moved that: The HCCO request the city to utilize the Walkley/ Riverside corridor for the proposed East/West Light Rail line.

Note: although it is not certain there will be an East/West Light Rail line, it is important that we make our views known now before decisions are made. Moved by Alan Asselstine; seconded by Shelley Parlow. Carried.

City councillor, Maria McRae submitted a written report.

Fred McLennan: Fred Winters has moved and has resigned as director.

John Sankey has researched the frequency of bus stops in the City. OC Transpo says that in determining bus stops, it does balance convenience against efficiency. John wants to study two bus stops on Uplands drive with a view to improve efficiency. There was a general agreement that this study would be worthwhile.

Fred McLennan: The HCCO website is http://hunt-club.ncf.ca/ The website was discussed and everyone agreed that it should be restricted to items approved by the HCCO executive such as the agendas and the final minutes.

Fred McLennan: The annual general meeting will be held Monday 6 November 2006.

Next HCCO meeting: Mon 2 Oct 2006 at 7:30pm

Attendees:

• Fred MacLennan, President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Fred Winters, Director
• John Sankey, Director
• Pat Murphy, Councillor’s Office
• Maria McRae, City councillor

City Councillor Maria McRae submitted a written report.

Fred McLennan led the discussion on Ottawa’s LRT system: There are two lines: north-south and east-west.

Alan Asselstine: Walkley Road is the preferred route for the east-west route from St Laurent to the Airport Parkway. At the parkway it will go south to the hydro right of way. It will follow the hydro right of way behind the South Riverside residents to Riverside Drive. It has the two advantages – it is already developed and would have a higher ridership and would preserve the existing CNR route for important freight traffic. Alan feels that West of the Airport Parkway the line should continue along Walkley until Riverside Drive and then turn south to the existing CNR bridge over the Rideau River.

John Sankey noted that he is mapping the paths through McCarthy Woods.

John Sankey: Bus stops are too close together – the constant pressure to add bus stops is slowing down the whole system. The guidelines are routinely ignored: bus stops should not be closer than 250 meters and 90% of the population near bus routes should not have to walk more than 450 meters. A group will formulate questions to OC Transpo so that it will give greater weight to this issue.

Fred Winters: The snow-removal operation last winter took out a section of the curb on Sparrow Way. He asked about the constructed-wetlands near the O-Train line.

Maria McRae: Took note of the damage to the curb. The constructed-wetlands reduce pollution and erosion along Sawmill Creek.

Next meeting: Tue 5 Sep 2006 at 7:30pm

Attendees:

• Fred MacLennan, President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Gisèle Loiselle-Branch, Director
• Shelley Parlow, Director
• Fred Winters, Director
• John Sankey, Director
• Gillian Villeneuve
• Pat Murphy, Councillor’s Office
• Maria McRae, City councillor

Motion: To thank Maria and City Council for their initiative with respect to the Firefighters and Workplace Safety and Insurance Act. Moved by Shelley Parlow; seconded by John Sankey. Carried.

Motion: To approve the April minutes. Moved by Fred McLennan; seconded by Fred Winters. Carried.

City Councillor, Maria McRae, submitted a report

Maria McRae: The City and the NCC have agreed on the terms of reference for the birding study in the Southern Corridor. There will not be any action before November 2006. Maria will speak at the walk through McCarthy Woods. The walk will take place on Sunday May 21 between 13:00 and 15:00, rendezvous at Hunt Club Riverside Community Centre. Maria supports the present enforcement of bylaws in the parks and is impressed with the way the police and bylaw officers do their work. She would like to be informed about graffiti.

Alan Asselstine: Clive Doucet would like to close Findlay Drive, which provides access to Queen Elizabeth Drive from Bronson; but he has opposition within his own ward. Alan is member of the committee to review the east-west rapid transit corridor. The proposed route along the existing railway lines does provide convenient access to the downtown core where people actually need to go. Rapid transit needs to go along Albert and Slater Streets – this is the real bottleneck! The north-south rapid transit line gives us an opportunity to push for a pedestrian bridge over the Airport Parkway. The other alternative is a pedestrian bridge along-side the CN railway.

Post note: The larvicide to control the mosquito population is made from non-toxic bacteria that occur naturally in the soil. People who have ponds may want to stock them with fish rather than apply larvicide. It would not be practical for the City to stock surface waters such as road-side ditches and the standing water along the O-Train line. The Lansdowne Park Farmers Market will be for Ottawa vendors only – vendors from the Province of Quebec will not be permitted.

Next meeting: Mon 5 Jun 2006 at 7:30pm

Attendees:

• Fred MacLennan, President
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Shelley Parlow, Director
• John Sankey, Director
• Gillian Villeneuve

Motion: To give $100 towards the Victoria Day Fireworks and Gala. Moved by Shelley Parlow; seconded by Peter Brimacombe. Carried.

Motion: To approve the March 2006 minutes as amended. Moved by John Sankey; seconded by Shelley Parlow. Carried.

City Councillor Maria McRae submitted a written report.

John Sankey: The HCCO, in cooperation with other interested parties, is developing a logo to represent Hunt Club. An announcement will appear in The News.

Fred McLennan: received a flyer from the Task Force on Assessment and Property Tax (http://www.OuchAssessment.ca). MPAC (http://www.mpac.ca/) is the government agency that does the assessments.

John Sankey: A property owner can ask MPAC to reconsider its assessment of a property – MPAC does not charge to reconsider an assessment. However, a favorable reconsideration is good only for one year. If the property owner is not satisfied with the reconsideration, he may appeal, in which case MPAC charges $285. This charge is strictly an administrative fee; he would likely have to spend many times that amount to present his case.

Gillian Villeneuve: For two years in a row she asked for reconsideration and received a favorable answer; but last year she asked a third time and was turned down.

Shelley Parlow: The City has adopted an acquistion policy whereby at the request of the landowner, it would purchase land designated as Urban Natural Feature or Major Open Space. This policy may be relevant to the Southern Corridor. The City will present the acquistion policy before the Ontario Municipal Board. PL031324 is the relevant OMB Case No. The question of a minimum requirement for parks for a neighbourhood will be discussed at an environ-mental hearing on 9 May 2006.

Next meeting: Mon 1 May 2006 at 7:30pm

Attendees:

• Fred MacLennan, President
• Art Miskew, Vice-President
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Gisèle Loiselle-Branch, Director
• Shelley Parlow, Director
• John Sankey, Director
• Pat Murphy, Councillor’s Office
• Maria McRae, City councillor
• Ivy-Lea Lunau, David McGunity’s Office

Motion: The HCCO supports in principle the creation of a logo to represent the Hunt Club Community. Moved by John Sankey, seconded by Gisèle Loiselle-Branch. Carried.

Motion: To continue our membership in Federation of Citizens’ Associations of Ottawa-Carleton (FCAOC). Cost of membership is $30. moved by Shelley Parlow, seconded by Gisèle Loiselle-Branch. carried.

City Councillor, Maria McRae, presented her report.

Gisèle Loiselle-Branch: Thanks to Maria McRae for the sign warning motorists of pedestrians on Twyford.

Fred McLennan: Shelley Parlow was reimbursed $10 for our membership in the Greenspace Alliance.

Shelley Parlow: Every month Peter Brimacombe has pushed development in the Southern Corridor. This development would trade the greenspace that we now enjoy for a theoretical improvement in energy efficiency. Values and logic dictate that the Southern Corridor should be preserved. Peter is afraid that the coming energy crisis will threaten our security and proposes that development in the Southern Corridor will alleviate the general crisis and provide special protection to our community. However population and air pollution would increase and we would lose our greenspace. I value our quality of life more than I fear for our security. Logically how will development of the Southern Corridor provide a significant relief from an energy crisis? No one has asked us to sacrifice our greenspace in favour of development. Why should we?

Peter Brimacombe: Peak oil is a global phenomenon, the problems posed by peak oil will grow in magnitude until they sweep through every aspect of society. Development of efficient infrastructure will be the difference between plenty and want, between life and death. The Southern Corridor provides a tremendous opportunity to develop efficient infrastructure and the HCCO is directly responsible for it. Everyone should take the time to do his own study – the following links provide compelling evidence:

• Crude Awakening is a City-sponsored forum on peak oil http://www.crudeawakening.net/.
• Audio Quicktime: the first hour deals with an analysis of the world’s largest oil fields http://www.netcastdaily.com/broadcast/fsn2005-0618-3.mp3.
• To hear this in RealPlayer, WinAmp, or Windows Media, follow this link and find June 18 http://financialsense.com/fsn/2005.html.
• Twilight in the Desert.pdf by Matthew R. Simmons the pdf is 2 million bytes! I have attached the title page http://www.simmonsco-intl.com/files/Twilight%20in%20the%20Desert%20Presentation.pdf.
• Contra arguments: http://dpodbori.livejournal.com/3590.html.

John Sankey: We are not running out of oil; it will just get a bit more expensive. There is sufficient oil in the Alberta tar sands alone to supply the entire world for 300 years to come. All it needs is a $100 per barrel price for crude oil.

Next meeting: Mon 3 Apr 2006 at 7:30pm

Attendees:

• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• John Sankey, Director
• Pat Murphy, City councillor’s office

Peter Brimacombe attended “Crude Awakening Preparing Ottawa-Gatineau for Peak Oil” on Saturday January 29, 2006. There were over 150 people of all ages, they were intelligent and aware. The Mayor Bob Chiarelli said “we are in a race against the clock”. Councillor Clive Doucet spoke of the urgent need to create an infrastructure that can survive peak oil. In the break-out sessions, Peter Brimacombe said that the Southern Corridor was an obvious choice for intensive development because it is in the City core and is next to the proposed east-west rapid transit line. The people at the break-out sessions understood that green space was at stake and reserved judgement.

Alan Asselstine remarked that the speed limit on Walkley Road was too low. The speed limit on Riverside Drive is 60 km/hour and there is no reason that Walkley be 50 km/hour. He asked that the City review the speed limit on Walkley.

Phase II of the constructed wetland has begun – it can be seen to the east of the O-Train just north of Greenboro Station at South Keyes. The constructed wetlands will reduce erosion from storm runoff and improve the water quality of Sawmill Creek. Pedestrian access to the constructed wetland will depend on the north-south rail line.

Bell Canada has asked for a special three-year levy (tax or surcharge above the original bill) to eliminate long-distance charges within the City. For example a call between Orleans and Barrhaven is billed as a long-distance call. Alan is against against a general levy and favours either the status quo or a levy directly to those who would benefit.

Pat Murphy thanked Alan for his work on Sawmill Creek and said that the City would review access to the constructed wetlands and the speed limit on Walkley. She presented Maria McRea’s report.

The Mayor’s State of the City address was circulated.

Next meeting: Mon 6 Mar 2006 at 7:30pm