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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Svcs - 2003-11-17COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE MINUTES NOVEMBER 17~ 2003 CITY OF KITCHENER The Community Services Committee met this date Chaired by Councillor G. Lorentz, commencing at 3:53 p.m. with the following members present: Mayor C. Zehr and Councillors C. Weylie, B. Vrbanovic, J. Smola and J. Gazzola. Officials Present: J. Fielding, C. Ladd, P. Houston, G. Sosnoski, G. Stewart, F. Pizzuto, L. MacDonald, R. Pitfield, S. Adams, K. Baulk, K. Currier, B. Scott and R. Gosse CSD-03-158- REQUEST FOR AFFILIATION STATUS - CITY'S AFFILIATION POLICY - RESURRECTION NEIGHBOURHOOD ASSOCIATION NEIGHBOURHOOD The Committee was in receipt of Community Services Department report CSD-03-158, dated October 27, 2003, recommending approval of the request from the Resurrection Neighbourhood Association to become an affiliated neighbourhood association. On motion by Councillor J. Smola - it was resolved: "That the request of the Resurrection Neighbourhood Association to affiliated Neighbourhood Association with the City of Kitchener be approved." become an CSD-03-168 INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S GAMES - CITY OF KITCHENER PARTICIPATION The Committee was in receipt of Community Services Department report CSD-03-168, dated November 7, 2003, recommending the City's support and registration of a team to participate in the International Children's Games in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2004. On motion by Councillor J. Smola - it was resolved: "That the City of Kitchener, in conjunction with the City of Waterloo and the KW Sports Council, register and support a team of 24 athletes and 6 coaches to participate in the International Children's Games in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2004; and further, That the appropriate local minor sport groups be contacted and invited to participate on this team." CSD-03-163 PUBLICINFORMATION MEETING-ST. GEORGE'S FOREST HILL ANGLICAN CHURCH INPUT ON PROPOSED CREMATION SCATTERING GROUND ON THE CHURCH PROPERTY The Committee was in receipt of Community Services Department report CSD-03-163, dated November 7, 2003, recommending that a public meeting to be hosted by St. George's Forest Hill Anglican Church on a proposed cremation scattering ground, be endorsed. On motion by Councillor J. Smola - it was resolved: "That a public meeting to be hosted by St. Georges Forest Hill Anglican Church to receive input on a proposed cremation scattering ground on their property at 321 Fischer-Hallman Road be endorsed." DELEGATION - CONTEMPORARY ART FORUM KITCHENER & AREA (CAFKA) Ms. Caroline Chisholm, Coordinator for the 2003 CAFKA exhibit attended to publicly and officially thank those individuals and organizations that contributed to the success of the exhibition and to outline future direction for the festival. She advised that there were 20 art projects in this years exhibition by artists from around the world and that 2 symposiums and 6 public lectures were presented as part of the festival. Approximately 8000 people attended over the 9 days making COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE MINUTES November 17~ 2003 - 67' - CITY OF KITCHENER 4. DELEGATION - CONTEMPORARY ART FORUM KITCHENER & AREA (CAFKA) (CONT'D) the 2003 event an overwhelming success. Ms. Chisholm pointed out that currently the City provides a cash grant of $8,000. and in-kind services grant in the amount of $11,000. For 2004 the Organizing Committee is requesting that both grants be raised to $15,000. Ms. Chisholm concluded her presentation thanking the City of Kitchener, its staff and Council for its on-going support. Mr. AIf Bogusky, Director of the K-W Art Gallery, attended to advise the Committee of the importance of the CAFKA exhibition and he encouraged Council to continue it's support for the program. Mr. Marty Schreiter, Director of the Kitchener Downtown Business Association attended advising the Committee that the KDBA has supported CAFKA for the past 3 years and that the exhibition has a direct positive impact on the downtown area. He requested Council's continued support of the exhibition especially in light of the downtown revitalization plan. Chair G. Lorentz expressed Council's appreciation to the Organizing Committee of CAFKA and advised that their request for an increase in grants would be considered during the 2004 Budget process. CSD-03-162 DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN VOLUME II - THE FRAMEWORK The Committee was in receipt of Community Services Department report CSD-03-162, dated November 12, 2003, recommending that the Downtown Strategic Plan Volume II - The Framework be endorsed in principle. F. Pizzuto, General Manager Downtown Development and Community Services Department, attended advising that in 2002 Council endorsed the downtown strategic plan which remains the guiding principle in making downtown Kitchener a proud and thriving downtown. The proposed Downtown Strategic Plan Volume II - The Framework provides the strategies, tactics and focus areas for moving the downtown strategic plan forward. With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation Mr. Pizzuto provided an outline of the various districts in the downtown area and the strategies to be used to enhance those districts. He also provided an outline of the tactical approaches to be taken to implement the downtown strategic plan and the investment strategies for the enhancement of the downtown area. F. Pizzuto then requested that the Committee recess in order to attend a media announcement at the St. Jerome's property on Duke Street which relates to the Downtown Strategic Plan. The meeting then recessed at 4:24 p.m. and reconvened at 4:50 p.m. Chaired by Councillor G. Lorentz with all members present except Councillor M. Galloway. Councillor J. Smola brought forward a motion to approve the staff recommendation contained in report CSD-03-162. Mayor C. Zehr advised that he heard many times during the recent election campaign that the public has a certain amount of comfort with the direction being taken by Council with respect to the downtown revitalization and that to do nothing was not an option. Councillor B. Vrbanovic advised of his support in the direction of the strategic plan adding that the plan is a living document which will continue to evolve much like the downtown community. He further added that the announcement made this date during the Committee's recess regarding the possible relocation of Laurier University's Facility of Social Work to the St. Jerome's property on Duke Street, is indicative of the goals outlined in the strategic plan. Chair G. Lorentz was of the opinion that the Strategic Plan is visionary yet realistic and provides goals that the City can work towards and achieve. COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE MINUTES November 17~ 2003 - 68 - CITY OF KITCHENER 5. CSD-03-162- DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN VOLUME II - THE FRAMEWORK (CONT'D) Councillor J. Smola's motion was carried unanimously on a recorded vote as follows: it was resolved: "That the "Downtown Strategic P/an Vo/ume //- The Framework" attached to Community Services Department report CSD-03-162, be endorsed in principle. CSD-03-169 - WILFRED LAURIER UNIVERSITY - FACULTY OF SOCIAL WORK ST. JEROME'S BUILDING The Committee was in receipt this date of Community Services Department report CSD-03-169, dated November 12, 2003, recommending that the City endorse in principle the relocation of the Faculty of Social Work, Wilfred Laurier University, to the St. Jerome's building and approve funding of $20,000. to assist the University with the purchase and renovations. On question from Councillor J. Gazzola, F. Pizzuto advised that the $20,000. funding is to assist the University in undertaking a structural analysis of the building to determine a cost to renovate the historic site and to have a consultant prepare a business case of the proposal. The following motion of Councillor B. Vrbanovic was carried unanimously on a recorded vote. it was resolved - "That the move of the Faculty of Social Work, Wilfrid Laurier University, to the St. Jerome's Buildings be endorsed in principle; and, That the City approve funding of $20,000. to investigate the potential to assist Wilfrid Laurier University with the purchase and renovations of the St. Jerome's buildings, by assisting in a structural analysis of the buildings and business case development to determine the economic benefit of any investment; and further, That the City and Wilfrid Laurier University hold public information forums on the community opportunities provided by this initiative." CSD-03-171 - GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES WITH EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN DOWNTOWN KITCHENER The Committee was in receipt this date of Community Services Department report CSD-03-171, dated November 12, 2003 recommending that the City endorse in principle the investigation of growth opportunities with the University of Waterloo in downtown Kitchener. F. Pizzuto advised that although the recommendation specifies the investigation of growth opportunities with the University of Waterloo, the investigation could apply to any educational institution that wishes to move or establish itself in the downtown area. It was agreed by the Committee to amend the recommendation contained in report CSD-03-171 to include other educational institutions. The following motion of Councillor J. Gazzola was carried unanimously on a recorded vote. it was resolved - "That the investigation of growth opportunities with the University of Waterloo and other educational institutions in downtown Kitchener be endorsed in principle." INFORMATION ITEMS Councillor J. Gazzola raised a concern regarding information report CSD-03-170 regarding a Kitchener Minor Soccer programming update and asked if all participants in the program have received the letter attached to the report. F. Pizzuto advised that initially the letter was sent to COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE MINUTES November 17, 2003 - 69 - CITY OF KITCHENER $. INFORMATION ITEMS (CONT'D) 680 parents, volunteers and coaches to provided information that would directly affect them but that all participants in the program would receive the letter by the end of November 2003. In answer to concerns raised with respect to information report CSD-03-164 regarding the leaf collection program, F. Pizzuto advised that the operations division was continuing to pick up leaves and that a full report on the program would be coming back to the Committee early in 2004 in order to assess the program and develop policies to follow in future leaf pick-up programs. Councillor J. Gazzola requested further information on information report CSD-03-165 regarding the 2003/2004 Winter Operations Program. K. Currier, Director of Operations, advised that the order in which streets are plowed will be based on the type of street to ensure that collector roads and bus routes are cleared first. He added that the public will be advised of street clearing procedures through various means such as the media and hand-outs. J. Fielding, Chief Administrative Officer, added that staff have taken the previous concerns of Council under advisement and will upgrade and improve the service for the upcoming winter season. Mayor C. Zehr suggested that the order in which the streets are plowed not be changed but if possible to reverse the snowplowing routes on occasion so that the same roads are not always being plowed last. 9. ADJOURNMENT On motion, the meeting adjourned at 5:17 p.m. Randy Gosse Deputy City Clerk