Minutes of Meeting 12 April 1999

Attendees:

Motions: Victoria Day, Internet-based funding, Town of Hunt Club, Bus bays, Celebrate Southern Corridor

Regional Councillor, Wendy Stewart, submitted a report on the following:

March minutes were approved.

Lucy Corbin is coordinating the Victoria Day celebration at Pauline Vanier Park, Monday May 24, 1999; she sent us a letter to ask for a donation.

Motion: Kathy Ablett moved to give her $75. Seconded by Anne Brandel. Carried.

Anne Brandel described the work of the South Ottawa Gloucester Community Resource Action Team(SOGCRAT). SOGCRAT provides free services and activities to young people: organizers provide bus tours to the tulip festival and the YMCA, they sponsor a youth night every Friday. SOGCRAT has a budget of $50,000 a year.

Shelley Parlow took the course in media relations.

Peter Vasdi reported that our web site http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/hunt-club/ is being visited by an increasing number of people, and currently averages some 14 visits a week.

Motion: He moved that a committee be formed to canvas local businesses to support the HCCO in exchange for visibility on the community website. Contributions would be structured at $1/month from time mention is added to website to end of HCCO's fiscal year (31 July). Seconded by Anne Brandel. Carried unanimously. Peter Brimacombe offered to coordinate the sales effort.

Peter Vasdi raised the idea of a Town of Hunt Club.

Motion: He moved that the Organization explore new models for representation within a one-tier government. Seconded by Kathy Ablett. Carried. Kathy will take this matter forward.

Nancy Seaby reported that the Region proposes to eliminate the bus bays on Riverside Drive. She wrote to the Region, expressing her opposition.

Motion: Kathy Ablett moved to support Nancy's letter: that is that the Hunt Club Community Organization is in favour of keeping the bus bays as they are now. Seconded by Anne Brandel. Carried.

Kathy Ablett proposed we send O/C Transpo a letter expressing our sympathy for the recent killings at O/C Transpo and our appreciation for their workers who returned to work as soon as possible to provide service to us.

Kathy raised the issue of the dangerous intersection at McCarthy and Hunt Club.

Wendy Stewart said that Regional staff is aware of the problem.

Southern Corridor:

Brian Gifford reported that Kathy Ablett, Shelley Parlow, and he met with John Manley (MP) on the issue of the southern corridor. John Manley advised the group to ask the City to stop the Neighbourhood Study.

Curry Wood of the NCC wrote that if the City wanted to defer the Neighbourhood Study then the NCC would not object.

Shelley and Brian sent a letter to the NCC saying that the NCC should put greater emphasis on preserving grassland and that the City and the Region should have greater involvement.

Brian made a video on the southern corridor including the Uplands meadow.

Brian met with Chief Robert Whiteduck. Chief Robert Whiteduck expressed support for the idea of a Site of Reconcilation.

Anne Brandel said the pressure on the southern corridor is immense so we must be prepared to work very hard to keep it.

Peter Brimacombe said that because the pressure is so great, we must be prepared to accept development.

Nancy Seaby said that some development is inevitable, she fears that friction within the Community could split it.

Alan Asselstine said that the Neighbourhood Study is for the whole community but it has been dominated by the southern corridor. Ten years ago, the Community went before the Ontario Municipal Board to oppose plans to develop the area west of Riverside at Uplands. Unfortunately we lost, but the experience shows us the importance of having a Neighbourhood Plan to give us legal status. He said that it is in our interest to have an approved and legal Neighbourhood Plan. "You ain't seen nothing, real estate prices are going up, pressure is building."

Jim Bickford said that he has not discussed the issue with City Council, but he would meet with Ted Robison, Commissioner of Urban Planning. He believes that the NCC was driving the process and that the City has an interest in extra tax revenue.

Brian Gifford said that the community needs a plan because it provides assurances. He and his family love the greenspace but the wishes of one family are not enough to preserve it, support for keeping the greenspace has to be inclusive, comi ng from the broader community. He is aware that unrestricted development poses a tremendous threat: new population brings with it more traffic , greater need for social and recreational services.

Wendy Stewart said that development could be an opportunity to bargain and that rezoning does not automatically include infrastructure.

Peter Vasdi said the problem with the existing Neighbourhood Study was that the City developed the concepts but didn't really organize a team of community volunteers to help with the plan. He said that the City should coach the Community to develop its own plan.

Motion: Brian Gifford moved that an event be organized to celebrate and promote the greenspace of the southern corridor. Seconded by Alan Asselstine.

Next meeting: Mon 3 May 1999 at 7:30pm