Present:

Rebecca Aird (Chair), John Dance, Vicki Davis (Minutes), Jennifer Lee, Lyndsay MacArthur, Wayne Sawtell, Keith Shackleton, Julia Sneyd, Jayne Stoyles, Mary Trudeau, Natalia Vrystyuk

Introductions

Wayne Sawtell introduced himself as one of the conservation biology students from University of Ottawa who will be working on developing the ecological profile of the Rideau River related to the Rideau River Nature Trail (see below). He lives in Conservation Housing Co-operative in Sandy Hill.

Rideau River Nature Trail

Rebecca reported that Jennifer of the City’s Forestry Services has completed a vegetation management plan for the Rideau River Nature Trail. It covers the whole OOE shoreline, reflects lots of SLOE’s objectives, and includes some fairly extensive short-term planting of trees in Brantwood Park. This is a great step forward for the RRNT. The Plan will be posted in Watson’s Pharmacy. Volunteer coordination for the community’s role in working with the City to implement the VM plan will be critical.

Rebecca and Mary made a presentation to the City Environment Action Committee on RRNT. Charles Caccia on the committee offered to help with an amendment to the Official Plan if this is a good way to ensure that the City’s expressed intent lines up with the community’s. John and Rebecca will follow up on this. 

Presentations will soon be made to the Parks and Recreation and Forests and Greenspaces Advisory Committees. Parks and Recreation has put in writing its position that the City should acquire the land along the shoreline to maintain the public right-of-way when the Oblate land comes up for redevelopment.

Mary reported that four University of Ottawa students in 3rd year biology will be developing an ecological profile on the Rideau River (aquatic and riparian environments) for their term ending in April. They will make recommendations for options for rehabilitation. 

Jennifer, Lyndsay and Natalia – the nursing students doing a placement with SHCHC and working on engaging Lees Ave apartment residents in the RRNT – are planning to hold a snowman and snow-angel making event in Springhurst Park on February 2nd. Round up some kids and come on down.

SLOE’s input to the Community Design Plan
John is SLOE’s rep to the community group working on the Ottawa East Community Design Plan. He reported that community input will be sought on the proposed CDP -- the 20-25 year vision for what Ottawa East should look like -- at open houses March 1 and 3 to be held at St. Paul University. This plan will help shape future development in a number of ways, including potential influence on zoning and and associated by-laws. The RRNT will be well reflected as part of the plan, as are sustainability principles in general.

The SLOE website has a link to the CDP, and there will be an article about it in the next Mainstreeter. John is the SLOE representative for these discussions.

Childrens’ garden 

Julia reported that there is a lot of activity on this project. Lady Evelyn School students are designing the garden and 3 Carleton University students are also working on it. Sandy Hill Community Health Centre also has a co-op student working on it 2 days a week. An application for funding is being made to Community Foundation of Ottawa by February 1. There are still some hoops to go through regarding City approval for the Leggett Park site, but it looks promising.

The Main Farmers’ market 

Rebecca reported that planning for the 2008 season is very active. There was a meeting the previous week in which 3 farmers who are part of the Landsdowne Market attended. They are very keen on the continued success of the Main FM and are keen to help. They will promote the MFM and circulate application forms at their own annual general meeting. Their interest confirms that the MFM is fulfilling its intended function of helping to make farming for the local market an economically viable option.

Landsdowne has a full-time coordinator and hopes to have some 120 stalls next season. We need to set our vision for the Main FM, and it will likely include limits on size, and a continued explicit focus on the community-building as well as the farmer-support and local food angles. 

Justin Van Dyk and Isabelle Pannier have agreed to act as the hiring committee for a coordinator. Justin is also looking into wage subsidy and funding options. There is lots to do in prep for next season, and the project could use 2-3 more volunteers.

Community garden

Keith mentioned that there will be a seed starting workshop at the end of February.

He reported that all of the garden plots have been claimed and that a meeting is needed with the Oblate fathers to discuss expanding the plots. Rebecca and Keith will be involved in this.

SLOE website

There was some discussion around how to keep the site fresh and current. The idea was floated that each project lead could take responsibility for keeping their project content up to date. It was agreed that the “current events” section of the home page should be changed from the photo of the Oct RRNT walk, to a pic related to the Children’s Garden (ideally the Lady Evelyn students in their design activities). Rebecca will check with Annette to see about getting the project leads trained up to do basic maintenance.

Perhaps Mainstreeter articles could be shortened for the website. Photos related to all projects are needed.

 

Pedestrian bridge 

No Ottawa U students have expressed interest in working on studies related to the development of a pedestrian bridge between Clegg St. and 5th Avenue. Rebecca will send Jayne contact info for the Carleton U community service learning folks, since they have been great help on the children’s garden. Jayne will also see about making direct contact with some profs at Ottawa U who teach courses that might directly link (urban planning, poli sci courses oriented towards survey work, etc.).

Format of monthly meetings

It was agreed that this monthly forum to allow everyone to get quickly caught up on all the various SLOE initiatives – and to put out calls for input and help as needed -- continues to be a good idea.

Other

There is going to be an OOE energy futures “blue-skying” session at the end of the month, to identify all sorts of possibilities to put OOE on a better path to energy sustainability.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m. (It was Rebecca’s birthday and she wanted to go play hockey.)

 

 

 back to home page