HomeMy WebLinkAboutEDAC - 2016-05-25
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
May 25, 2016 City of Kitchener
The Economic Development Advisory Committee met on this date, chaired by Councillor Paul Singh with the following
members present: Johanna Classon-Romero, Bil Ioannidis, Glenn Koehler, Jeff Hoekeman, Thusenth Dhavaloganathan,
Ashely Reid and Shantal Myers.
Staff in attendance: Silvia Di Donato, Rod Regier, Chris Farrell and Tracey Murray
Guest in attendance: Michelle Drake
Business Items
1. Motion to accept the minutes of April 27th was carried.
Councillor Singh asked that Tracey Murray send out a reminder to members of the committee of their attendance
requirements.
Information Items/Unfinished Business
2. Michelle Drake, Neighbourhood Strategy Project Manager, provided an outline of the community engagement phase
and had the committee participate in a focus group for organizations to provide feedback from EDAC’s perspective on
the neighbourhood strategy. The following feedback was received.
Identified connected, engaged and resilient as the top 3 characteristics of a great neighbourhood
Stationary planning, staying connected, economic, resilient, creating a catalyst, bike lane improvements,
student engagement within the neighbourhoods, connecting college and university groups, develop
commercial opportunities, increased feeling of neighbourhood, improved accessibility, adapting aging
neighbourhoods for younger families
Neighbourhood meetings to get to know your neighbours, on line bulletin boards that are not social media,
information sharing and engagement for involvement, more mini community centres, identify and implement
neighbourhood central areas (similar to Williamsburg) more trails, group collaboration to strengthen
awareness, cross community participation in events, engage neighbourhood businesses to be involved
3. Silvia Di Donato presented an update on Arts and Culture and an overview of the upcoming report to Council on May
30, regarding 48 Ontario. She reviewed the proposal and consulting process. The resources required and noted the
need for an arts hub had been identified by the community in various workshops. The consolation process for the
facility at 48 Ontario (Legion) will include a session with the committee
4. Project Updates: Rod Regier provided an update on the recent mission to Tel Aviv and the startup community there
and the government involvement in fostering the growth of that environment.
On motion, the meeting adjourned at 1 p.m.
Tracey Murray
Committee Administrator