Minutes of Meeting 2 May 2005

Attendees:

• Fred MacLennan, President
• Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
• Shelley Parlow, Director
• Mike Nihmey
• Carole Gudz
• Pat Murphy, City councillor's office

Motion: To donate the same amount as last year to the Victoria Day Celebration. Moved by Peter Brimacombe, seconded by Shelley Parlow. carried.

Pat Murphy presented a written report from City Councillor Maria McRae.

Carole Gudz and Mike Nihmey presented their proposal for a Car Free Day (CFD). Car Free Day is an initiative of the Sierra Club, it is a series of events to show the benefits of restricting automobiles within cities. The proposal is to close a small stretch of McCarthy Road between Hunt Club Road and the south-end of Plante Drive on Thursday September 22, 2005. The Road would be closed for four hours from 13:00 to 17:00. There could be fun events such as a community quilt where people would paint murals on canvas or other material and put them together on the Road. There could be a giant snakes-and-ladders game where the pieces are real people. Mike Nihmey has approached different schools to see if their students could participate.

Shelley Parlow: thought the idea was good.

Peter Brimacombe: we need at least 50% of the people that live on that stretch of road to sign on.

Fred McLennan: some people are going to be angry. It's important that the event be well advertised. The issue will be deferred until next meeting.

Pat Murphy (representing Maria McRae) presented the Councillor's Report:

• Uplands Park, City Council has approved $35,000 to replace the school-age play-structure. Thanks to Sarah McCormack for her help
• Rack and Roll is a program whereby cyclists can put their bikes on a bike rack and get on the bus. Not all buses are equipped with bike racks but there are 200 buses with them and ten designated routes. See http://www.octranspo.com/
• Maria McRae will host a strawberry social at the end of June. Contact Maria McRae at 580-2486 for tickets
• sewer backups, City Council has expanded the subsidy program for the installation of protective plumbing. See http://ottawa.ca/city_services/grants/10_15_en.shtml
• compost for sale at Trail Road, $5.15 to fill a container in a car and $15.45 to fill a pick-up truck. See http://ottawa.ca/gc/compost_awareness_en.shtml
• smoke alarms, Ottawa Fire Services reminds us to have working smoke alarms!
• West Nile virus protection, the City is continuing its program which includes applying larvicide as needed. See http://ottawa.ca/city_services/yourhealth/environmental/westnile_faq_en.shtml

Shelley Parlow asked for a garbage collection calendar. Pat Murphy will send her one. It's also available online: http://ottawa.ca/gc/zone7f_en.shtml.

Fred McLennan: Erwin Dreessen has asked for a donation to the Victoria Day Celebration.

Shelley Parlow: Erwin Dreessen and Bill Royds will present the Poets' Pathway to the National Capital Commission (NCC) on Tuesday May 3.

Fred McLennan: Longwood Building Corporation has submitted a plan for the development of 96 townhouses, south of Hunt Club Road, behind the BMW dealership.

Shelley Parlow: the main concern is that the water quality of creeks through the property be protected.

Next meeting: Mon 6 Jun 2005 at 7:30pm