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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-11-03 SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES NOVEMBER 3, 2011 CITY OF KITCHENER The Safe and Healthy Community Advisory Committee met this date, commencing at 4:00 p.m. Present: Mr. P. Doherty, Chair Councillors S. Davey, F. Etherington and D. Glenn-Graham, Ms. K. Kwiatkowski, Ms. J. Metzger, Mr K. Euler, Mr. M. Garner, and Supt. A. Darmon. Staff: S. Weare, Strategic Initiatives Associate S. Adams, Director of Strategic Planning & Innovation L. Korabo, Committee Administrator H. Colman, MSW Intern COMMITTEE COMPOSITION 1. The Committee was circulated with an application for appointment to the Safe & Healthy Community Advisory Committee for the current term, ending November 30, 2012. It was noted that this applicant would be a candidate for the vacant social planning representative position. On motion by Councillor D. Glenn-Graham - It was resolved: “That Dina Etmanskie be appointed to the Safe & Healthy Community Advisory Committee (social planning) for a term ending November 30, 2012.” YOUTH ENGAGEMENT PROJECT TEAM - UPDATE 2. Ms. L. Palubeski, Manager, Program and Resources Services, provided an update on the Youth Engagement Project Team which received a grant from the Committee in 2010. For the benefit of new Committee members, Ms. Palubeski provided background information advising Council approved a Youth Services Strategy in May 2010. The Strategy included various priorities focused on how youth might be better engaged in programs, policies, committees, etc. Staff concentrated their work around this priority and, in 2010, presented a concept of a youth engagement project to the Safe & Healthy Community Advisory Committee, requested and received funding to begin work in 2011. The Youth Engagement Project Team is comprised of four youth staff who are working in partnership with and under the supervision of the City’s Youth Co-ordinator. The goal of this Team is to make recommendations and develop resources for staff that will increase youth engagement and leadership opportunities available through the City. The work being undertaken by the Team will help the Corporation achieve the following: learn how staff are currently engaging young people; determine how to increase opportunities for youth engagement and leadership development; ensure that staff who interact with youth have the training, knowledge and resources to be successful and confident in their interactions; and, study youth-adult partnerships as part of a national research project being led by the Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement. Ms. Palubeski commented that having young people lead this project will facilitate positive youth-adult interactions and provide staff with opportunities to seek input from young people in a safe and supportive environment. She further noted that this work to develop leadership and community engagement is linked to a key community priority in both ‘A Plan for a Healthy Kitchener’ and the City’s Strategic Plan. In closing, Ms. Palubeski advised that Team members have been hired and have begun their training and orientation. In January 2012, they will begin meeting with staff to determine the types of engagement and leadership opportunities which currently exist for youth. It is anticipated that a further presentation in future to share the results of their research. In response to questions, Ms. Palubeski advised that funding is in place until September 2012 after which time a decision will need to be made on how to sustain the project. A suggestion SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES NOVEMBER 3, 2011 - 23 - CITY OF KITCHENER YOUTH ENGAGEMENT PROJECT TEAM – UPDATE (CONT’D) 2. was made the look at connecting with either the Kitchener Youth Action Council (KYAC) and / or Compass Kitchener. Councillor D. Glenn-Graham requested that staff consider presenting information on the Youth Engagement Project Team at an upcoming Council Strategy Session. COMMITTEE BUDGET OVERVIEW 3. Ms. S. Adams provided an overview of disbursements against the Committee’s 2011 Capital Budget. Total funding of $36,000. was approved and has been used to: pay for the retention of the Strategic Initiatives Associate position who has been supporting the Committee; provide a grant for the recent Placemaking events; provide a grant to the Kitchener Downtown BIA to combat graffiti; and, pay for meeting refreshments. In response to a question concerning funding approved in the past in favour of The Working Centre’s Outreach Program, it was noted that this grant request is now being submitted to the City’s Tier 1 funding process and will no longer be coming before this Committee. Councillor S. Davey requested that a copy of the budget be circulated via email to Committee members. “THE SPACE LAB” EVENT 4. Ms. J. Metzger advised that the Space Lab event spanned two days and consisted of a speaker on Day 1 and a workshop on Day 2. The speaker for the event was Cynthia Nikitin of the Project for Public Space from New York, NY. Ms. Nikitin spoke on learning how our community can create vibrant, dynamic and safe public spaces through the use of ‘placemaking’. At the Day 2 workshop attendees participated in safety audits of public spaces. Ms. Metzger noted that the event has received positive feedback from a good cross-section of attendees for providing a new way to look at crime prevention beyond the traditional CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) components. She is now working on an event summary report that will outline emerging themes and potential recommendations. This information will then be used to build on what is already established and known to be working well. Recommendations will also include ideas for ‘quick fixes’ that neighbourhoods can undertake to reduce crime in their immediate area. Councillor D. Glenn-Graham suggested that the Committee consider scheduling a safety audit or a series of audits. Debriefing sessions could be held after each walkabout. Ms. Metzger advised that the Project for Public Spaces is currently working on revising their ‘Safe Place Audit’ tool. Once available, this tool could be used by the Committee. DOWNTOWN ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATE 5. Ms. M. Garner advised that the Downtown Advisory Committee received a presentation on the draft Economic Development Strategy, which is a subset of the Downtown Strategic Plan focusing on the core area. The Economic Development Strategy is focusing on three items of interest, being: King Street; cluster development; and, intensification of the core. A questionnaire is being developed to obtain feedback and this Committee will be asked for input. Plans are in place for extensive community engagement after which, a work plan spanning the next several years, will be developed. All of the data received will be synthesized and presented to Council in early 2012. Respecting the annual funding request to aid with graffiti removal in the Downtown, Mr. Garner advised that no request will be made in 2012 as costs to remove graffiti have been significantly lessened through the implementation of a flat charge for removal rather than a per square foot cost. SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES NOVEMBER 3, 2011 - 24 - CITY OF KITCHENER SAFE NEIGHBOURHOODS STRATEGY 6. Ms. S. Weare advised members that development of a Safe Neighbourhoods Strategy is an item on the Committee’s current work plan. The first step to developing a strategy is to articulate the City’s approach to crime prevention and establishing a vision for community safety. Members of the Committee held a brainstorming session identifying responses to the questions ‘What does a safe neighbourhood mean to you?’ and ‘What approach to community safety should the City take?’. Following the brainstorming session, Ms. Weare advised that she will use the input received to draft a framework for the next steps in the development of a Safe Neighbourhoods Strategy and will bring this back to the Committee for consideration early in 2012. 2012 MEETING SCHEDULE 7. A schedule of Committee meetings for 2012 was attached to the agenda for the information of members. ADJOURNMENT 8. On motion, the meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m. L. Korabo Committee Administrator