General Meeting – 13 December 2000

Greenspace Alliance of Canada’s Capital
Minutes of General Meeting
December 13, 2000
Richmond Room, RMOC, 7:30 p.m.

Members Present

Barbara Barr, Al Crosby, Erwin Dreessen, Albert Dugal, Bryan Hawley, Dean Jones, Amy Kempster, Judy Lascelles, Mike Lascelles, David McNicoll, Bill Royds

Documents Circulated

Revised Proposed Agenda; Minutes of October 18 and November 15 (general meeting); preliminary map of Leitrim Corridor

Dean moved and Mike seconded a motion to approve the agenda. Carried.

Dean moved and Albert seconded a motion to approve the minutes of October 18 and November 15 (general meeting). Carried.

Subject

Action Required

1. Business Arising (see also mail file)

The Treasurer has now opened a bank account with the Ontario Savings Bank.

The items on 3170 Conroy Road and Clearview Woods did not go to City of Ottawa Planning Committee and will come before the new city.   
Bryan still to draft a letter to J. Manley re imminent sale of Heron/Walkley. Erwin spoke with Frank Licari – Claridge Homes is tightlipped.  Bryan: Draft and circulate letter from GACC to J. Manley asap.
Southern Corridor – WestNCC deal gave land to City of Nepean to build storm sewers. City of Nepean agreed to change land use from institutional to industrial. Awaiting further news from Ross McAlpine. Erwin: Follow up with Ross McAlpine.
Run for Greenspace

Requires two organizers.

Carl Britney is interested in being an organizer. Amy agreed to be the second organizer if no one else is interested.

Al:  Will contact George Wilson for clarification of duties and post an advert to GACC email list.
Sierra Club 2nd Workshop on Urban Sprawl

Will be rescheduled for January because few people attended November 30 session.

All:  Contact Dan Van Vliet (tel. 233-7889, email: dsvv@hotmail.com) for details.
2. Brief Reports/Updates/Next Steps

Upper Poole Creek Wetland, Stittsville

Amy presented a brief on behalf of GACC. Hearing postponed until March.

 
Web Site Redesign

Committee of five people working on an organizational plan. Should there be two parts to Web site, one for members and one for non-members? Perhaps email can be viewed on Web site rather than sent to members.

Bryan: Will post plan so far and prepare further recommendations.
Recruitment Brochure

Committee of three formed to update brochure.

Erwin, Amy, and Bryan: Will draft updated brochure and circulate.
Transition Board – Environmental Charter Report

Final report a mixture of good and bad. No resources.

All: Read terms of reference (4 pages).
Speakers for General MeetingsPossible speakers suggested are·         Trish Trainer from South Nation

·         Mark Denhez, trust lawyer and NCC Commissioner

·         Dennis Jacobs, Manager of Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure Policy.

Al: Send email to Dennis Jacobs asking if he is available for Jan or Feb meeting.
Mayoralty Debate

Bryan moved and Amy seconded a motion to reimburse Erwin $30.14 for expenses. Carried.

Barbara: Pay Erwin when invoice submitted.
WildCanada.net Subscription

Amy moved and Albert seconded a motion for members to decide whether they wish to join. Carried. Bill suggested we should consider joining the Ontario Environmental network and possibly the Canadian Environmental Network.

Bill: Will post addresses of WildCanada.net and other groups and ask members’ views on whether we should join.
Hawthorne Marsh

The old City of Ottawa Environmental Management Branch is anxious to hear argument on why the marsh should be saved. Volunteer requested to speak with the City.

Bill: Will take on this project.

Barbara: Phone Councillor Deans.

South Urban Community OPA – Gloucester

Erwin attended but did not present. Decision to send a letter to the Transition Board saying that we disapprove and want this issue on the agenda of the new City.

Erwin: Draft and circulate letter to members for review.
Urban Forest Citizens’ Committee

Committee active in 80s and 90s but wants to be revived. Al thinks they should combine with GACC.

Al: Follow up with Art Mathewson.
NCC – Shortliffe Report

The report is just out. GACC intends to both cooperate with implementation of its recommendations and possibly engage in the debate on NCC governance.

All: Look at report and consider a reaction.
Rideau River Roundtable

Mike is the RRR’s liaison with GACC. The RRR has received $138,000 in grants from the Trillium Foundation and $20,000 from MNR. It plans to line up $80,000 from EcoAction 2000.

Mike: Provide information about funding applications to Bill and Westboro Beach Community Association.
3. Priorities for 2001

In the course of about one hour’s discussion, the following decisions were arrived at:

 
NCC

Objective with NCC to include not only change in mandate but also zoning status of greenspace.

 
New City’s Environmental Advisory and Environmental Management Issues

This has to be a fourth component of our strategic thrust. Committee formed – Mary Hegan (who had volunteered), Dean, and Adrian Scott (or Amy). Immediate task is to ask that Regional EHAG continue until the new City EAC begins.

Committee: Draft letter to Mayor and Councillors.
Leitrim Wetlands

Mike distributed map and list of advantages of establishing a corridor. Discussed changing name of corridor from “Southern Green Corridor” to “Southeast Corridor” or “Leitrim Headlands Corridor.” Committee formed for Leitrim as well as this Corridor – Bryan, Bill, Mike, and Albert, with Erwin to be alternate for Bill.

Albert, Bryan, Erwin, and Bill: Suggest improvements and expansion for Mike to make by early January 2001.
Poets’ Pathway / NCC / Land Trust W.G.

The “Leitrim Headlands Corridor” to be added to this cluster of issues. Erwin to replace Shelley at the Land Trust W.G. A meeting of the W.G. was held on December 7. 

 
Leamy Lake Golf Course

Erwin, Joseph Potvin, and David McNicoll will continue with the file.

Ottawa River Project

Mary and John Almstedt to explore possible actions.

 
Priority Greenspaces

A fifth project on which some work has been done (Amy, Barbara) is the identification of priority greenspaces. The only project to be pursued right now is the Web site redesign (see above).

 

Adjournment

Amy moved and Mike seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:12 p.m. Carried.

Next General Meeting

January 17, 2001 at 7:30 p.m., Billings Room, RMOC.

In the Mail File

  • Around the Rideau (Environmental Information for Municipalities in the Rideau Valley) Nov.-Dec. 2000
  • 7th Generation Initiative (Mike Nickerson; Oct. 20) [SHOULD WE CONNECT?]
  • Trail Waste Facility Landfill – notice of submission of Terms of Reference
  • Trans Canada Trail – October 2000
  • Our letter to Carleton University (Oct. 23) and their reply (Oct. 30)
  • The Ottawa Botanical Garden Society: “Ottawa: The Garden City”
  • Green Party of Canada – 2000 Election Platform
  • Two letters to Minister Dhaliwal, on Leitrim and on Leamy (Nov. 27)
  • Our letter to DFO, re Access to Information on Leamy (Nov. 27) & their acknowledgment of receipt
  • NCC – Annual Report 1999-2000
  • Our letter to all those elected to the new Council, cc all other Regional
    Councillors, as well as to Messrs. Thom, Lathrop, Jacobs, Moser and
    December 4, 2000
  • Living Planet 2000 report — a 2 MB+ file, downloadable from the
  • The report from Gloucester City staff on the South Urban Community
    Official Plan Amendment, discussed by Council on December 5, 2000.
  • Hawthorne Marsh – file from Greg Montcalm (City of Ottawa)
  • NCC – Shortliffe report: Press Release and Recommendations
  • Proposed GACC letterhead [COMMENTS INVITED]

Copies Were Available of:

  • Living Planet 2000 report
  • Sussex Circle NCC Report and press kit.