GREENSPACE ALLIANCE OF CANADA’S CAPITAL
Greenspace Watch
General Meeting
October 30, 2012
Hintonburg Community Centre
1064 Wellington Street West
K1Y 2Y3
MINUTES
Present: Sol Shuster (chair), Elina Elnione (note taker), Erwin Dreessen, and Jason Kania
Regrets: Juan Pedro Unger, Amy Kempster and Martin Callsen
The meeting commenced at 7:15 p.m.
1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Changes to Agenda
Two new items were added to the issue list: Cooperating with Ecology Ottawa and Community Design Plan for Former Rockcliffe Airbase
3. Administration items
a. Treasurers report
Sol moved, seconded by Erwin, to allocate approximately 25.00$ for the purchase of flowers to Amy (chair) following her surgery. Agreed.
Jason moved, seconded by Sol, to pay 20.92$ to Erwin for printing expenses. Agreed.
b. Minutes of September 25 meeting
Elina moved, seconded by Erwin, to approve the Minutes of September 25 as circulated. Approved.
c. Items arising from minutes
Tree, Forest and Greenspace Meeting November 1, 2012
Erwin and Sol will attend the meeting on behalf of the Alliance and the Greenbelt Coalition respectively.
Planning Policy Statements Review
Subject to Martin Callsen’s availability the PPS working group will meet next week. Members of the working group will also research comments and proposals made by other organizations.
OPA – Natural Heritage Features
Council passed the designations of Natural Heritage Features. Members agreed that the schedules should provide more clarity by indicating the classifications of different types of natural heritage systems.
Lower Rideau Sub-watershed Report
Deferred.
d. Transition to new Not-for-profit corporations Act
Pending.
e. Screening of submissions to the email list
Members agreed against creating two lists but to continue practicing ‘soft’ moderation for non-relevant postings.
3. EAB report and FCA EAB Forum
Sol will follow up the deadline for the environmental project grant application. Subject to deadline EAB working group members will be contacted.
4. Greenbelt Report
On Friday, November 2, the Greenbelt Coalition will meet representatives from the NCC to discuss the Greenbelt boundary proposed by NCC. The Coalition also aims to receive feedback from their proposal for the Greenbelt’s boundary which was based on scientific evidence.
6. Urban Natural Features Report
No further changes to report.
7. Cooperation with Ecology Ottawa
As part of a proposal for a cooperation Ecology Ottawa has suggested ways to cooperate with the Alliance’s short, medium and long term goals. Many issues that the Alliance is working on are of an unpredictable (reactive) nature with short deadlines that can not be defined in advance. The dialogue will continue.
8. Community Design Plan for Rockcliffe Air Base
Al Crosby and Erwin will meet with Don Schultz (Canada Lands Corporation) tomorrow for a preliminary discussion of the recently revived development plans for the former Canadian Forces air base. The discussion will likely revolve about the governance model and the public consultation process. It was agreed that we should emphasize that the process should be open and transparent and that there should be no separate Technical and Public Advisory Committees.
The meeting adjourned at 9:13 p.m.
Next meeting of the Alliance will be on Tuesday, November 27, 20102, 7.15pm
Hintonburg Community Centre
1064 Wellington Street West
K1Y 2Y3