The ?? Residents Association

Minutes of May 1, 2006

 

Present:          Paul Farnan (chair), Pat Chastang (Councillor Fletcher’s office), Maureen Allen-Doorley, Cynthia Brouse, Susan Fletcher (recorder)

Regrets:         Natasha Lemire-Blair

 

1.                  Next Meeting

7 p.m. on Monday, June 5 at Applegrove

(60 Woodfield Road in the Duke of Connaught School)

 

2.                  Welcome and Agenda

            Paul noted Natasha’s regrets and everyone introduced themselves.  With the small number of participants, the group had a wide-ranging discussion focussing on the name and activities for the residents association.

 

3.                  Name and Issues

a.                   Boundaries

            The last meeting discussed using Greenwood, Coxwell, Dundas and the railway tracks as the boundaries.  The sample website showed Queen as the southern boundary.  The group agreed that if the boundary was Queen, it might as well be Eastern; however, we were not sure whether the website map was an error or a recommendation. 

 

b.                  Group Name

            Paul noted the irony that we need a name to say who we are, in order to have a contest to determine the name of the group! 

 

            The following issues were noted in discussion:

·   the Ashbridges estate is a defining point for the southern part of the area, just as the Indian Bazaar is for the northern part.

·   the neighbourhood lacks identity – Riverdale, Leslieville and The Beach(es) all have neighbourhood names, but this area does not.

 

c.                   Greenwood Park and the Jeffery Baldwin Memorial

            Pat reported that there will be a big festival at Greenwood Park in September.

 

            There current memorial in the park includes a tree and a bench.  There has been some discussion about possibly re-naming the park, although the park’s name has significant history and conforms to the City’s practice for park names.  Renaming other parks is also being considered.  Members suggested naming Greenwood’s playground area “Jeffery’s Place”.

 

d.                  Survey

            Members agreed that we should survey local residents in June.  There would be a combination of closed-ended and open-ended questions including:

·   a name for the group

·   boundaries

·   Greenwood Park/Jeffery memorial

·   top neighbourhood issues

·   the “best things” about the neighbourhood.

 

            Canada Post charges to deliver “unaddressed mail”, and we do not have enough members/volunteers to hand deliver surveys to each home.  Consequently, the group recommended:

·   hard-copy surveys at existing events, including local school fun fairs and Neighbours Night Out

·   having drop-boxes in several businesses, Applegrove and the library.

·   investigating SurveyMonkey.com, an on-line survey tool.  (See below for info from its website)

A basic subscription is totally free and includes all of the basic features of SurveyMonkey.  It's a great option for individuals, students, and anyone who doesn't need the advanced features of SurveyMonkey.  Unlike other services, there are no annoying banner ads on your surveys.  In addition, all of your survey responses remain absolutely private.  Please note that basic subscribers are limited to a total of 10 questions and 100 responses per survey.

 

A professional subscription is only $19.95 USD/month (or only $200.00 USD/year), and includes up to 1000 responses per month.  If you exceed 1000 survey responses in any given month, there is an additional charge of $0.05 USD per survey response.  There are no long-term contracts, and you can cancel at any time. 

 

            We will finalize the survey at the next meeting, distribute it and collect responses in June, and collage and analyse it over the summer.  Pat offered to collate responses, but was not sure about analysis.  Members agreed that there should be prize for the best name, and suggested the prize be awarded at the Greenwood Park festival – possibly the prize could be a special role at the festival.

 

4.                  Activities/Linkages

a.                   Other local groups

i)        The Walpole residents are organizing themselves and working with Toronto Community Housing staff.  (Walpole runs east from Greenwood, immediately south of the tracks.)

ii)       The Redwood residents have an annual street party.

iii)     Residents on the west side of Woodfield, south of Dundas, have held a “lane party” behind their homes for the last 2 years.

iv)     In the past, the Woodfield residents south of Queen held a street party.

v)      S.H. Armstrong Recreation Centre, Applegrove and the Duke of Connaught school organize “Neighbours Night Out” on the 3rd Tuesday of June (this year it is on the 20th).

 

b.                  Linkages

            Members considered how this group could link with and support other existing groups.  Examples included posting events on the website and a “shared learnings” section such as “if you want to hold a street party, here are some things other groups have learned”.

 

c.                   Other Possible Activities

·   essay contest for school age children – what I like about my neighbourhood

·   local history project: memoirs, Murmur, etc.

 

d.                  Fundraising

            Other Residents’ Associations hold fundraisers and pay dues so they will have money.  Susan noted that Applegrove could be the group’s trustee until the association opens a bank account, or if the group does not want to have an account.

 

5.                  Next Steps/Action Items

a.                   Diane will draft a flyer/survey.

b.                  Pat will follow up with Jeffery’s family.

 

6.                  Next Meeting

7 p.m. on Monday, June 5 at Applegrove

(60 Woodfield Road in the Duke of Connaught School)