Regal Heights Residents’ Association Executive Meeting Tuesday March 17, 2015 at 2 Springmount Ave

Present: Rosa Cordiano, John Keating (Chair), Anita Kung (recorder), David Keith, Beth Marcilio, Dave Meslin, Peter Norman, Mary Anne Quance, Margaret Smith, Dick & Florence Watts,

Regrets: Marie Goldthorpe, Brigid Higgins, Harry Lay

1. Street Beautification
   1. Graffiti removal, planting, maintenance etc – Mary Anne reported that the new Parks and Rec contact person, Graham Parsons, has been contacted to seek their continued support of plant donations and assist with clean up day pick-ups.
      * Clean up day for the Rosemount & Springmount gardens is scheduled for April 11th with a raindate of April 12th. (email to be sent out March 29th).
      * graffiti in the laneway behind the library is particularly bad as is the community notice board. John will look into replacing the panels on the message board.
      * Environment days this year in our area fall on April 11th at Dufferin Mall parking lot; April 26th at the Wychwood barns; May 16th at Loretto College.
   2. Waste bin problem – nothing new to report
   3. Ice letter follow-up – the email urging residents to report people who don’t clear their ice and snow was well received and read by many who received it. The warm weather started to arrive shortly after the email was sent out. It was decided that this email should be sent out earlier in the season next year to be more proactive. E.g. following the first heavy snowfall.
   4. Mayor`s Cleanup day, Saturday April 18th – need to contact the City to arrange for pick up locations and any supplies available, prepare flyers to be posted on poles, and have an email sent out April 12th. John to co-ordinate this year.

    

2. Planning, Zoning, Construction
   1. Potential school closings – John has received some names to contact, from Marit Stiles, for support of fighting the closure of OCI and will contact them to begin planning a coalition to fight the potential closing.
   2. Access to TDSB facilities – Margaret reported that fees vary according to category. Category II includes ratepayer associations and receive a partial subsidy, while BIAs are included in Category III and are simply ‘cost recovery’.
      During the week, (school days), the hours for community use are from 6 pm to 10 pm.
      For category II, basic caretaking fees (to open and close the school) are included in the permit fee, if the permit falls within the stated hours for community use. Any additional service required e.g., AV technician, moving furniture, extra cleaning due to large attendance, is charged back to the permit.
      * Another organization that addresses this issue can be found on Facebook – Fix Our Schools.
   3. Communications update – Peter reported that is has been a quiet month with only 5 emails being sent out. The email about the ice removal plea was the most read.
   4. Oakwood Avenue Improvements – Margaret and Keith reported on the outcome of the public consultation meeting held March 4th. The purpose is to re-surface Oakwood Ave from St Clair Ave north to Eglinton and to beautify the area at the same time. As a result of complaints regarding the last-minute changes to the plans, and lack of time for proper public consultation, the construction project is being postponed until next year to address concerns raised.
   5. OCI Tennis court project – Margaret reported that a Carolynna Gabriel of Wilmington Tennis has been in consultation with OCI to revitalize the tennis courts at OCI which would be open to the public without any membership fees. The plans are to include a small clubhouse and garden. The estimated cost is $300K. This project was reported in the Globe and Mail in an article entitled `Tennis Start up keeps hitting the wall with TDSB`on December 15, 2014. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-growth/day-to-day/tennis-startup-keeps-hitting-the-wall-with-toronto-school-board/article21912742. It was suggested that Carolynna be invited to a RHRA meeting to share this proposal.

    

3. Special Events
   1. Location and guest speaker for AGM – OCI has been confirmed for use for the AGM on Tuesday May 19th, the room is still to be determined. Marit Stiles has agreed to provide a short presentation on the potential school closings.
   2. Locations for public executive meetings – so far available locations still come with a fee for use. Library $24/hr until 8:30 closing. Increased fee if goes later. The room can hold up to 60 persons. Cesar’s constituency office was offered but is a distance away. We will continue to seek out possibilities. If we cannot find space to use at minimal cost or for free, we may need to raise the membership fee or return to only two meetings a year to be held in a public location.http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-growth/day-to-day/tennis-startup-keeps-hitting-the-wall-with-toronto-school-board/article21912742
   3. Pub Night publicity – Beth has organized for RHRA’s next pub night at the Fox and the Fiddle for Thursday March 26th at 6:30 p.m. fFyers were passed around for distributing.http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-growth/day-to-day/tennis-startup-keeps-hitting-the-wall-with-toronto-school-board/article21912742
   4. Federal all-candidates meeting – no update
   5. Events calendar 2015
      April 11th – Springmount and Rosemount garden clean up
      April 18th – Mayors’ Clean up day in RHRA
      April towards the end – Heritage walk held jointly with Northcliffe Village Residents’ Association
      April or May – Daffodil Hill clean up date TBD (Richard C. )
      May 19th – Annual General Meeting for RHRA
      July 1st – Canada Day Parade
      July 5th, 12 – 5 p.m. – garden tour held jointly with Northcliffe Village Residents’ Association
      August 20th – Movie night in parkette held jointly with Northcliffe Village Residents’ Association
      October 25th, 3 p.m. – Pumpkin carving held jointly with Northcliffe Village Residents’ Association
      November – Fall General Meeting

    

4. Police Community partnership – deferred
6. Community Welcome Project – two packages have been handed out this past month.
8. Finances
   1. Finances – deferred
   2. Membership report and initiative to contact non-payers – Dave presented a chart of membership numbers over the past six years stating that it has been relatively constant. He would like to see a higher number of memberships. Dave to investigate the possibility of accessing the PayPal option to facilitate easier renewals for members.

    

9. Other
   1. David Suzuki foundation – Margaret reported on a home grown national project encouraging the planting of milkweed for the butterflies. There are some 25 initiatives along the Garrison Creek going south from Christie Pits. Yet, the Creek begins much further north and has not been included. David Keith shared a website that can access the route of the Garrison Creek. Here is a link to McGill university website of archive maps. http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/searchmapframes.php
   2. Metrolinx proposal to build an elevated rail track in the Earlscourt area. Article in the Globe gives more details: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/metrolinx-hopes-go-train-bridge-plan-will-win-over-junction-residents/article23513594/

Next Meeting: Tuesday April 21, 2015; 7 p.m., location TBD