Regal Heights Residents’ Association Annual Meeting
Tuesday May 20, 2014; 7 pm at Oakwood Collegiate School

Chairman John Keating opened the meeting to welcome some 40 people to the annual meeting. He introduced a number of guests who then shared a few words with the attendees.

Ellen Austrom, Principal of Oakwood Collegiate, welcomed the community to OCI. She reported that Oakwood had a great year with the basketball team winning at OFSAA. The extended French and disabled programs will be expanding next year. As a result of this growth, OCI will be running at full capacity in the fall. After four great years at OCI, Principal Austrom reported that, it is with mixed feelings, she will be leaving Oakwood. She is being transferred to Birchmount Collegiate in Scarborough in the Fall. As students of OCI are continuing to work on improving their behaviour in the community, the community is reminded to work on being respectful when using the playing field. Please pick up after your dogs, and discourage the dogs from digging up the field as this causes problems for the students using the field. A student tripped on a divot on the field last week and fractured her wrist. RHRA wishes to thank Principal Austrom for her commitment to our community over the last four years and wishes her the best in her new position.

Susie Stamatopoulos, Vice-principal of Regal Road Public School, spoke about the upcoming school centenary. They will be having an open house on Saturday November 8, 2014 to celebrate the centennial event. All are welcome to attend. Rhonda McEwan, a professor of telecommunications, talked about an initiative to produce a commemorative book to mark the occasion. She plans to include photos, stories, poems and history in the book. The book will be available for purchase at the centennial event.

Evan Castel, chair of the Davenport Neighbourhood Association, introduced the association he has been chairing for the past 7 years. Its borders are Dupont to Davenport, and Ossington to Dufferin. Their meeting minutes can be Googled.

Maurice Williams, chair of Northcliffe Village Residents’ Association also introduced their association, which covers St. Clair to Rosecliffe, and Lauder to Dufferin. They have been hosting a number of events over the last 7 years and have begun to host joint ventures with the RHV BIA and RHRA.

Tony Bolla, chair of the Regal Heights Village BIA (RHV BIA), presented a synopsis of their activities and goals. The results from the K-9 Design survey of the area’s needs will be used to develop a plan for the next 5 years. The goals are: to improve communication with members and residents; to improve the streetscape; to develop a commercial village atmosphere; to have events and promotions partnered with interested community groups; to focus on a retail mix; to continue the Regal Tender currency program and to hold a contest amongst the members to dress up the street to reflect the World Cup.

Councillor Cesar Palacio spoke of some changes coming to St. Clair Ave: 2 parking lots to be built in our area with one at 94 Northcliffe Ave., to be operational within the next few months, and another one on Westmount Ave. The northwest quadrant of St. Clair land designation has been changed to allow art designation.

Other guests in attendance were acknowledged: MPP Jonah Schein, and Ward 17 Councillor candidates Saeed Selvam and Alejandra Bravo.

1. Street Beautification
   1. Gardens and graffiti removal – Florence reported that the gardens are in bloom. Graffiti removal is an ongoing endeavour. Marie reported on behalf of Mary Ann that summer flowers are expected from the City in the next month. Many thanks to the following who have agreed to help water and maintain our many barrel planters: Lois and Joan Weber, Shendah Davy, Julie Mah, Margaret Rao, Sheryl Wanagas, Vaneena Watt, Florence Watts, Linda DeGiorgio and Marie Goldthorpe.
   2. Clean up Day – Harry reported that the mayor’s clean up day was successful with many bags of litter collected. Thanks to all who came out and participated. A special thanks to Mike Makrigiorgos who was the first to arrive and the last to leave.
   3. Irrigation on Rosemount and Springmount gardens – Mike reported that both gardens should have working irrigation systems in place within the next month.
   4. Daffodil Hill – the daffodils are still in bloom. The spring clean up was done in time before the daffodils came out.
   5. Birdhouse sculpture – the birdhouse has been operational for the past year. The artist, Alex Moyle, built a concrete step at the base to better enable people to step up to look into the periscope.
2. Planning, Zoning, Construction
   1. Presentation by Lou Moretto, Manager, City of Toronto West District – Lou shared a presentation outlining the planning framework in place to manage growth and change in Toronto. He focused his talk around our Davenport Ward 17 area. A few highlights: Growth will be focused on avenues and major arteries, which include St. Clair Ave. and Eglinton Ave. Mid-rise buildings are expected to be built (building to be no higher than the width of the right of way the building is to be on), and at 80% the height is to taper back to 45 degrees to allow for natural lighting on the street. A transition protocol for the rear of buildings that back onto laneways and other existing residential housing is also in place; There is a new initiative going on to develop a permit system that would combine the zoning and committee of adjustment process into one permit system; the City is looking at new ways to get public input beyond holding public consultations. This will most likely involve the use of social media in some way.
   2. Business Improvement Association and RHRA liaison – a joint initiative between the RHRA, Northcliffe Village Association and the RHV BIA will be hosting an all-candidates meeting, for the provincial election, at OCI on Tuesday, May 27th at 7 pm in the auditorium. All are welcome.
   3. Crossing guard at Rosemount and Oakwood – we are still awaiting to hear the results of the police traffic survey.
3. Special Events
   1. Regal Heights/ Northcliffe Village Garden Tour – will be sponsored by the RHV BIA this year and will take place on Sunday July 6th.
   2. Regal Heights Street Sale – will be held this year on Saturday June 21st. Linda and Anita have agreed to co-ordinate the street sale.
   3. Canada Day Parade – will be on Tuesday July 1st this year. Residents will meet at OCI at 11am. Then we will parade through the streets of our neighbourhood with our noise makers while dressed in red and white. The parade will end about an hour later at Regal Road School.
   4. Carol Sing – our Carol sing in December was well attended. The extra lighting provided by the BIA with the ornamentally lit deer added an extra touch to the occasion.
4. Police Community partnership – Rosa was happy to share statistics from the Crime Management Community Report: break and enters, robberies and stolen vehicles in Division 13 from 2004 to 2013 have all been trending downwards. As the weather warms up, residents are reminded not to leave ladders out in the open where they can easily be used to access second floor windows; and to lock your vehicles. Call 416 808-2222 to report crimes in your neighbourhood. Even when they may seem minor, the more similar calls received the more attention is given to the issue.
6. Community Welcome Project – Jamie Chow was welcomed to the meeting. She came as a result of having received a welcome package where she learned about the RHRA. Please continue to help us welcome newcomers to the area by informing RHRA of new residents whether they are owners or tenants.
8. Finances and Membership
   Membership – Dave reported that we now have 84 paid memberships. He hopes to increase that number to 100 or 150 if possible. There were 15 renewals made tonight.

   Finances	April 15/14	May 20/14
   Operating Fund	$2121	$2116
   Heritage Fund	992	992
   Mt Royal Bump-out (in trust)	745	745
   Street Sale (in trust)	87	72
   Petty Cash	72	52
   Total	$4017	$3977

10. RHRA Meetings & Election of Executive
    1. Schedule of meetings for 2014- 2015 season -TBD
    2. Election of 2014 – 2015 Executive Committee – Former chairman Dick Watts led the election. The following persons were nominated to sit on the committee and agreed to stand for it: Rosa Cordiano, Linda DeGiorgio, Marie Goldthorpe, John Keating, Anita Kung, Harry Lay, Dave Meslin, Peter Norman, Margaret Smith, Florence Watts, and Dick Watts. The following persons were nominated, however were absent and unable to state their agreement to stand for the positions. They will be asked at the next meeting: Richard Cavanagh, Beth Marcilio, Mary Ann Quance, and Robert Szachrajuk.

The meeting came to a close at 9pm. Chairman John Keating thanked everyone for attending.