SUSTAINABLE LIVING OTTAWA EAST (SLOE)

MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 17, 2007

KEY INFO AND ACTION ITEMS

 

Present: Keith, Julia, Don, Akua, Sean, Brianna, Rebecca A, Barbara Jane Heath, Jessica Lax (Otesha Project), Lynda Hall (COG Ottawa – Growing Up Organic)

 

Regrets: John D, Jan D, Rebecca G, Valerie G

 

OOE as a cutting edge green community

SLOE members to promote this idea whenever/wherever possible, so that the individual projects are seen in larger context we have mapped out

Ask OECA to endorse the intention to make OOE a leading “green community”

Action: Rebecca A to draft some wording for SLOE mandate and OECA (with Kaye Fulton).

 

SLOE website

Currently have html link from the OECA website -- http://www.ottawaeast.ca/SLOE.html

Annette Hegel has started to develop more comprehensive website, with links to key current projects (with the Rideau River Nature Trail being the main current focus)

Actions: Rebecca A to continue to work with Annette, and send link when ready for feedback.

 

Farmers Market

Very successful all ‘round. See article for upcoming Mainstreeter

Plan full season next year, with expanded number of suppliers

Income this year in order of $750, but potential income of ap $30K gross; some can feed back into other SLOE projects

Need to hire a coordinator for next year, maybe St Paul student via HRSDC program

Good opportunity for SLOE/OECA to build bridges with other communities – e.g., many customers from Alta Vista. May be launch-pad for new SLOE initiative on green commuting.

Akua and Rebecca G moving away from Ottawa; need new people for leadership roles

Actions: Team debrief on Thursday evening. Akua, Sean, Rebecca A to meet with Chantal B, Roger G et al at SPU. Sarah (??) to ensure clear bookkeeping and prepare financial statement [Rebecca A to check what is needed]. [AL1] Sean to prepare list of media “hits” for future SLOE ref.

 

Community Garden

Harvest feast 5.30 Sept 28 at 88 Main (SHCHC); existing & interested plot holders and family and friends welcome

$1500 from Community Garden network. Most spent on topsoil etc. Also modest income from charge for plots ($20 per plot).

Green Partnership fund verbally confirmed, but no money yet and must be spent before year end; will need to look at terms to see what is possible

Can grow from current 16 plots to total of 24 plots next year; would be good to be able to expand more, but where?

Need to find alternative site for longer term, given library expansion plans

Actions: Keith to call Chantal B to advise against skating rink on garden. Keith to work with others to assess actions once grant money received. Rebecca A to insert reference to community garden in principles for redevelopment of Oblate land. Keith and Celeste (?) to ensure clear bookkeeping and prepare financial statement [Rebecca A to check what is needed].

 

Children’s Garden

About 8 people and 4 organizations (SLOE, CAG, SHCHC and COG) interested in helping to get a fuller program going for next year

Question of whether to keep as part of community garden or try to establish it in Leggett needs further discussion

Actions: Rebecca A to call a meeting of interested people.

 

 

Parks

SLOE signs now prominent in adopted parks. Translation to French is Viabilité écologique d’Ottawa Est

Parks clean-up set for Sept 29. If enough response via Mainstreeter email update list, postering will not be as critical

Based on Julia’s walk in Brantwood Pk with Julie Jackson (Forestry Division), City is replacing lost/damaged trees. Silver maple being planted to replace cottonwood. Also sugar maple. Not much encouragement from Julie re grove at south end, but ideas from RVCA forester are being incorporated in Rideau R Nature Trail plans

Hope is to combine some tree planting with the spring clean-up (a “taking care of our parks and shoreline” day)

City staff remove trees not shown on park plans

Actions: Julia to put out notification of clean-up via Mainstreeter email update list and ask for quick response re intention to participate. Julia to check on CAG profile on adoption signs. Julia, Mary, Rebecca A to work on funding and ideas for spring planting

 

Rideau R Nature Trail

More detailed draft plan now developed, incorporating input from 2 walk-throughs

Community walk-through planned for Oct 20

Over 10 people on sign-up sheets, many indicated willingness to help out

Clive Doucet to include funding for dock at base of Clegg in ward budget submission

Securing right-of-way through Oblate property now critical given anticipated sale of land

Steve Fick (cartographer) to help develop map/visual content as “log sheet” for participants on community walk-through

In addition to SLOE website, Annette H to develop a RRNT blog, where members (anyone interested) can contribute ideas. Blog could include a “nature journal” for posting info on what is happening along river

Scott Findlay at UofO willing to assign student to do eco-profile based on existing info, as part of Conservation Biology course in winter term

Continued intention to include RRNT focus in Valerie Gleeson’s interdisciplinary studies course (part of focus program on environment) at Immaculata HS in 2008/09 academic year

Variable deadlines for potential fundings sources (to verify: CEPGP Oct 5, trees grant Dec 1, Minor Capital Grant May 1)

Actions: Rebecca A & John D to continue planning for community walk-through; Rebecca to send out email update with draft plan to all who have indicated an interest; Mary & Rebecca to look at funding options for short-term projects identified in draft plan

 

Other and Future Projects

Keeping up on above projects will take a fair bit of SLOE member time. But so far is others have come on board on specific projects of interest without necessarily being interested in SLOE per se. What else can we take on this year? The following are some agreed first steps to see where the possibilities lie:

Sean to explore whether/what it would take to get OOE designated as Bullfrog Power’s leading “green-powered pond” (community) in Ont, (based on highest uptake in relevant postal codes). Could also work to encourage highest uptake of home energy audits.

Rebecca A to look into how we can find an experienced gardener/farmer willing to do urban market gardening in OOE next summer. Once we have a farmer, finding enough land should be relatively easy, and there will be a ready-made market!

Jan and Rebecca A to continue to network to see about feasibility of sustainable commuter launch pad in OOE. Concept is to encourage small group of through-commuters to park in existing available spaces and use bikes, blades or feet from here.

Rebecca A to contact Ottawa U sustainable transpo coordinator to see about ways to support a sustainable transportation plan for SPU.

Other things to keep at least on back burner include fruit-tree inventory (Ian McCrae identified as possible resource) and geothermal on city land (e.g., Brantwood Pk)

 [AL1] Jan D’Arcy says that a simple statement would suffice. In the case of expenditures, identifying amounts and who cheques are issued to. In the case of revenues, identifying the categories of incoming funds – e.g., there might only be two or three lines for the Community Garden income statement: revenue from plots and revenue from grants (naming the grant would be a simple way to keep the records). This kind of record would serve two purposes; it would be the base for the project volunteers to set targets or anticipate revenues in future years; and it would provide a transparent record. Regarding timing, Don will be providing a financial report at the Annual meeting (November 13). I'm assuming he has all the information he needs from you based on the in/out records for this level of reporting.

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