Friends of the Greenspace Alliance
Monthly Meeting, 7:00 pm, 17 Dec 2009
Location: Champlain Field House
Members present: Amy Kempster, Janice Seline, Cheryl Doran, Joseph Potvin
Guest: Gregory Richardson
1. “Urban Tree Canopy”.
Guest Gregory Richardson requested that FGA provide the organizational/promotional support to his coordination of a speaking series to be held during February-March 2010 on the value of urban trees. He would like the invitation to be circulated on the FGA list, and it would also go to members of Ottawa’s Forest and Greenspace Committee (OFGAC).
2. Treasurer’s Report
2.1 Mik Svilans has provided an invoice of $181.86 for the Fernbank Appeal (OMB OPA77). Janice emphasized that the Treasurer needs to receive an estimate of expenses ahead of time, to assist good financial management. Motion: Janice moved to pay the amount, seconded by Amy.
2.2 Eco-Justice sent a bill for $30.00, but Janice needs to check with them on the details. This will be dealt with at our next meeting.
2.3 Janice noted that the FGA corporate filing for 2009 needs to be done.
3. “Greenspace Wardens / Gardiens des espaces verts”
The group agreed on the value of this initiative, and decided to launch the Greenspace Wardens campaign on Earth Day, 22 April 2010. Joseph will advance and circulate the draft text for comment ahead of the January meeting.
4. Stony Swamp
Cheryl Doran reported that there is a Lafarge quarry by Moodie Drive that pumps water from the quarry into Stony Swamp and Graham’s Creek. The Gravel Watch group http://www.gravelwatch.org/ was notified in Sept 08 of an issue for species at risk. Lafarge applied to pump 11,000 olympic pools worth of water into the wetland. Golder did the EIA report to the Minister of the Environment. The NCC is the owner of the Stony Swamp Conservation Area, which comprises almost 2000 hectares of woodland, wetland and regenerating old field, and has the largest forested area in the Greenbelt. Cheryl will collect more information about the water discharge consideration and report back to FGA.
5. Interprovincial Transportation
Janice attended the first public event of “Phase 2” of the Interprovincial Transportation Study, organized by the NCC with the Société de transport Outaouais and OC-Transpo. She got the impression that the focus was exceptionally narrow, not open to discussion, and that the scope was only to discuss “which of three described corridors would be the one”. Meanwhile, Joseph mentioned that as part of FGA’s collaboration with Transport Action (formerly called Transport 2000), there will be a 2010 planning meeting on 29 Dec 2009 at the Transport Action office, 10 am, Bronson Centre.
6. Agro-Residential Development
Joseph will draft a letter to “The Low Down,” Chelsea’s newspaper, to encourage the new municipal council in Chelsea to advance the proposed “Common Ground” development in time for spring work. He will send the draft to the FGA board for comment.
Adjourned.