GACA Board Meeting – April 16, 2019

Published on by glebeannex

Minutes, Glebe Annex Community Association Executive Meeting – Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Location: Glebe Community Centre, 175 Third Ave, Meeting Room

Present:

  • Carrie Bolton
  • Cathy
  • Joanne Benoit
  • David Perkins
  • Sue Stefko
  • Maja Rakocevic
  • Sylvia Milne
  • Jonathan McLeod (Assistant, Office of Shawn Menard, City Councillor, Capital Ward)

1. Call to Order

  • The meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m.

2. Approval of Agenda

  • The motion was made to accept the agenda with an amendment to include a summary from Carrie on the Chamberlain design study meeting held earlier today. The motion was made by Carrie and seconded by Maja.

3. Acceptance of minutes of March 19, 2019 board meeting

  • There was a proposed change to the March 19th minutes for the sake of clarification. It asks for the replacement of the first bullet under 5.4 OC Transpo Bus Service Bronson/Carling to now read:
    • Routes 101 and 103 will be combined into route 55. Route 55 will go between Bayshore (will no longer go to Moodie) and Elmvale, Monday – Saturday. From Bayshore, the 55 will take Carling to Booth and up to Chamberlain/Isabella to Lees Station and then south along Main. It will no longer travel to Hurdman or St-Laurent but will instead go to the hospital General Campus and then on to Elmvale. On Sunday, it will only go between the General Campus and Elmvale.
  • A motion to accept the minutes with this amendment was made by Joanne and seconded by Sue, carried.

4. Business Arising from the Minutes of March 19, 2019

  • The Mascot for GACA’s June 22nd Park Party – this item was moved to the park party discussion, item 6.2

5. Update from City Councillor Shaw Menard’s Office (Jonathan)

5.1

  • OC Transpo – Bus route number 10 will be reducing service when the LRT service begins. However, Jon could not find any information regarding this on the OC Transpo website. He is going to ask for clarification from OC Transpo.
  • At the last meeting it was asked why there are so many out of service OC Transpo buses, and whether or not buses at the end of their assigned route could be used move passengers to the start of the buses’ next route. Jon explained why it would be difficult – there are many factors involved, including buses frequently being re-routed, and thus the lack of a predictable schedule for transit riders. Jon said that they can relook at the possible use of out of service buses for express routes when the LRT is up and running. No new date for when the LRT will be in operation has been announced.

5.2

  • Traffic calming measure – our councillor’s office is looking at the possibility of getting planters installed on streets like Powell, and other Glebe Annex streets, similar to those throughout Centretown and in the Glebe, among other areas. Measures like planters give drivers more of a sense that they are in residential space, versus just a road. They also serve to slightly narrow the street.
  • Jonathan referred to a traffic study that Sue had sent him. He will investigate to see if other research exists that identifies problem areas in our neighbourhood.

5.3

  • There will be a second public consultation for the Bank Street Height and Character Study. It will take place on Thursday June 20th from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm at the Glebe Community Centre.

5.4

  • Environment Committee – the motion to delay the use of plastic bags in the green bin did not pass. The declaration of a climate emergency did pass, however. This includes a list of several steps the city is going to take to meet the mandate of fighting climate change. Ariela is the new environment contact for Shawn Menard’s office. Please continue to copy Jonathan on emails, however, to ensure broader awareness of issues we may raise.

5.5

  • Jon took questions/comments from the board. On another environment note, Cathy suggested reaching out to apartment buildings to turn off the heat in building vestibules in the winter. Many are extremely warm. However, it was noted that the reason the heat is kept so high is to prevent slush from turning to ice, so that entrances are not slippery. New buildings may have better systems in place; Jon will mention this issue to Ariela.
  • A point was raised regarding OC Transpo’s route number 10. If route 10 is going to be reduced in service, GACA would like to mount a campaign against this change. Given this route also serves Carleton University, we may get additional support in our efforts.

6. Events (Sue)

6.1

  • Capital Spikes Rodeo is taking place for the second time in Old Ottawa South, May 31- June 2. This event is designed to explore and promote safe bike routes, and they will hold a bike ride, free tune-up and rodeo on June 2nd. They are inviting all Capital Ward associations to take part. No GACA board members are available to help with the event, but we will promote it so that people in our community are aware of it.

6.2

  • GACA Park Party – will be held June 22. Carleton University’s CKCU radio station has confirmed they will participate.
  • GACA did not get the TD grant, so this will be our only event of the season. Sue is proposing we make it a little bigger event given that it’s our only one of the year.
  • It was suggested and supported that we hold the event 1 to 4 p.m. (post lunch)
  • The party will have food: hot dogs, freezies, snacky items, a sundae bar is a possibility, water/pop etc. Some activities include a freeze dance competition, a bubble making station, frisbees, popcorn, and a hula hoop competition. Sue will ask the Glebe Community Association (GCA) for insurance.
  • David, Maja, Joanne, Gabrielle and Sue will help at the event. Gabrielle is going to design the poster.
  • Sue made a motion to approve a $350.00 budget for the park party, seconded by Carrie, which was carried.
  • Jonathan did not hear back from The Ottawa Champions, but we may be getting one of Lansdowne Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group’s (OSEG) mascots.
  • The Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) has been asked to come and set up a craft station.
  • If we have competitions at the park party, we would like to give out prizes. Ideas include Haunted Walk and Mayfair movie tickets.
  • Everyone was supportive of the plans introduced for the party in the park.

6.3

  • Glebe Garage Sale – May 25 – the driveway that we used last year has been offered again, thanks to Lee’s connections. Lee will provide plants and can be there most of the day. There is value in that it is a community event. The location is on Powell, just past Percy. David, Sue, Carrie, and Alex, who volunteered last year, will help.

6.4

  • Spring Clean Reminder – It will take place on Saturday, May 4th with a rain date of Sunday, May 5th. 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Coffee and donuts will be provided again by the Buduchnist Credit Union.

7. Constitution Revision (Sue)

  • The GACA constitution has not be revised since GACA started in 2013. Changes to the GACA constitution need to take place at an AGM. Approval requires two thirds of the people present to vote. We will circulate any proposed changes prior to, and then again at the AGM. The main reason we started to look at the constitution was to accept Maja being on our board, as she lives outside the GACA community. Our current constitution requires that you live in the Glebe Annex.
  • Sue’s proposed changes include the “Maja clause”. Some other potential changes were discussed, such as the number of board meetings between annual general meetings. While it was suggested that we only hold ourselves to six, the board decided that keeping eight was more appropriate. Most of the other proposed changes are related to formatting.
  • Sue will circulate the changes discussed prior to the AGM, where they will be proposed for approval.
  • The proposed amended constitution is appendix A, to the April 16th minutes.

8. GACA May 9th AGM (Sue)

  • Sign in Sheet – David suggested we ask people to sign in as they enter, and to indicate whether or not they are a member, as only members can vote on changing the constitution.
  • Maja, Sylvia and Carrie will help with sign in and memberships.

9. GACA Membership

  • The membership drive will get underway at the AGM and we will start our campaign end of May/early June. Sue will circulate the final material.
  • David brought the new template for the membership pamphlet. Everyone really liked the new design and layout. The cost to print 500 pamphlets is $130.00, though we could also print less at a higher per unit cost. Maja made the motion that we approve the cost of $130 to print 500 pamphlets, seconded by Joanne, and carried.

10. Chamber Design Study (Carrie)

  • This Functional Design Study, which had started last year and then paused, has since been revived. It encompasses Chamberlain between Percy and Elgin as well as Catherine between Elgin and Bronson, Bank between Catherine and Isabella, and Metcalfe from Argyle to Catherine. The study is considering traffic impacts, and ways to improve walking, cycling, and traffic circulation. There will be another meeting in June.

11. 289 Carling Avenue – Other JHS Buildings and Neighbourhood Impact

11.1

  • The Lakelander will be holding an information session on 289 Carling. The John Howard Society will be presenting. It will be held on Tuesday, April 30th, at 6:30 p.m. We are welcome to attend. Sylvia will reach out to Krikor to verify we can send the notice to our community.

11.2

  • We will discuss the impact of other JHS buildings in other communities at our next meeting

12. May 21st GACA Board Meeting

  • The meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m.

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