HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-10-023 - Chandler Mowat Neighbourhood 2008 FON GrantREPORT
REPORT TO:
Community Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
April 12, 2010
SUBMITTED BY:
Mark Hildebrand, Director, Community Programs and
Services
PREPARED BY:
Bonnie Snyder, Facilitator, Community Resource Centres
WARD(S) INVOLVED:
4 - South Ward
DATE OF REPORT: March 31, 2010
REPORT NO.: CSD-10-023
SUBJECT:
CHANDLER MOWAT NEIGHBOURHOOD 2008 FESTIVAL
OF NEIGHBOURHOOD CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT GRANT
RECOMMENDATION:
That the 2008 Festival of Neighbourhoods Capital Improvement Grant to the Chandler
Mowat Neighbourhood Association be used for outdoor furnishings and community
garden enhancements on the Chandler Mowat Community Centre property.
BACKGROUND:
The Chandler Mowat Neighbourhood Association (CMNA) won the 2008 Festival of
Neighbourhoods $10,000 Capital Improvement Grant from the City of Kitchener. This grant is
awarded each year by random draw to one neighbourhood group that has a registered
community event at the annual Festival of Neighbourhoods celebration. The 2008 winning
Festival ballot was for the Chandler Mowat Neighbourhood Association’s Family Fun Day
celebration that was held on June 4, 2008 at the Chandler Mowat Community Centre. The
CMNA’s event was designed to help bring neighbours together for fun and socialization.
Everyone enjoyed a variety of games, activities, displays, food and entertainment.
REPORT:
Following their win, the Chandler Mowat Neighbourhood Association undertook a community
consultation process in the Fall 2008 by sharing the good news in their newsletter and asking
for feedback and suggestions on how to spend the $10K grant.
Over the next year, they continued to gather ideas from their neighbours by advertising on their
outdoor sign, posting flyers and ballots throughout the Chandler Mowat Community Centre,
manning a feedback display table at their annual 2009 Summer Fun Day and holding a public
meeting in the Fall of 2009.
After gathering feedback, the CMNA reps and community stakeholders reviewed all suggestions
and ideas and made the decision to focus their attention on the outdoor property at the
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Chandler Mowat Community Centre, which is enjoyed all year round by many neighbours. The
outdoor focal points located on the property are the splashpad, community garden, children’s
playground area and basketball court/winter rink.
The Festival of Neighbourhood grant will be used to enhance this community space. Plans
include the addition of benches, picnic tables, and bike racks; the installation of a picket fence
around the perimeter of their community garden; and painting court boundary lines on the
outdoor basketball court. These enhancements will encourage the increased usage of this
outdoor space by the local community. The volunteer group will be working closely with City of
Kitchener staff throughout the planning and implementation stages of their project. The target
for project completion is Summer 2010.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
A yearly allotment of $10,000 is budgeted for the Festival of Neighbourhoods capital grant.
Approximate costs of the community space enhancement include:
Benches, picnic tables and bike racks: $7,000
Fencing: $2,500
Line Painting: $ 250
CONCLUSION:
The Festival of Neighbourhoods provides a platform for the citizenship of Kitchener to meet and
socialize with each other. The grant provided each year for capital improvements is a unique
opportunity for both City of Kitchener staff and community to look at ways to enhance the local
infrastructure and encourage a local flavour. The Chandler Mowat project is exciting and
provides a unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of local residents by supporting
increased usage of the community space at the Chandler Mowat Community Centre.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Pauline Houston, General Manager, Community Services
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