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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDowntown Advisory - 2001-02-08DOWNTOWN ADVISORY COMMITTEE February 8, 2001 The Kitchener Downtown Advisory Committee met this day under the chairmanship of Councillor Christina Weylie, with the following members present: Councillor John Smola, Councillor Berry Vrbanovic, David Corks, Fred Bishop, Tom Brennand, Doug Hoch, Donna Kuehl, Howard Marr, Anita Petsche-Good, Con Papenhuyzen, Howard Rotberg, Denise Shelbourne, Debbie Schlichter, Karen Taylor-Harrison, Michele Hodgins Others:Mike Teppo, Doug Rankin Regrets:Trudy Beaulne, Neil Carver, Chris Cowie, Mary Drandzyk, Mike Peng, Denise Strong, Peggy Walshe, Berry Zehr 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA A motion was made to approve the agenda for the meeting of February 8, 2001. Moved by: Howard Marr Seconded by: Fred Bishop CARRIED 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion was made to approve the minutes from the meeting of January 11, 2001. Moved by: Anita Petsche-Good Seconded by:Marty Schreiter CARRIED 3. KITCHENER DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE - Doug Rankin Doug Rankin, Community Development Worker, from the Kitchener Downtown Community Health Centre gave a PowerPoint presentation about the new Health Centre, located at the corner of Duke and Frederick Streets. (see attached). Doug explained the different services that the Health Centre offer. Originally it was started to help new Canadians receive health care. Today, it also helps KITCHENER DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE cont’d. with programs such as “Share the Warmth” which pays one heating bill for below, at or slightly above poverty level clients. The Centre also helps homeless people get proper identification, e.g. health card, birth certificate, etc. By the late spring of 2002 the Centre hopes to move to a more permanent site. A question was asked why they would want to move to a new location? Doug explained that currently, the space they are in is only12,000 sq ft. and more space is needed as they grow. At the present time they have a mandated for 2.5 physicians, and currently only have 1. Their goal is to become a full Health Centre, offering more services and would require more space to expand. The Ministry of Health agreed to locate them at Duke and Frederick Streets for a short term position. Currently, there are 400 people signed up as patients, and are taking new patients every day. They expect to serve between 5-6,000 people in 2-3 years time in when they will be operating as full Health Centre. People currently not getting help are reached by the Centre’s Outreach Programs by speaking to the homeless and contacting seniors, who often are homebound, and don’t have a doctor. The Health Centre admits this is a challenge. Eventually, the Centre will have more patients than they can handle, and will operate much like a regular family practice and have to cap the number of patients they can take in David Corks asked if the Health Centre demand grows, will the existing location expand or will a second Health Centre open? Doug didn’t know, and explained that there are 3 Health Centres located in the Region; Cambridge, Woolwich and Kitchener. Currently they will accept patients who do not have health cards, but will encourage them to get one. 4. UP-DATE BY DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT TEAM (City and KDBA) The KDBA Strategic Plan is expected to be completed by April. § The new Kitchener Market consultants are organizing public meetings to § discuss what the public would like to see in a new market. Meetings to be held on February 21, 2001 and April 4, 2001 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at City Hall. Downtown staff are looking for partners in the new market and are applying to the Provincial Government for partnership funding. There is a meeting with the Metropolis people to discuss a possible § agreement on liquor license terms and we are optimistic for a good outcome. Housing – KDBA are partnering with developers in the downtown to create § more housing and will make a presentation to KDBA board. UP-DATE BY DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT TEAM (City and KDBA) cont’d. KDBA (Marty Schreiter) has been asked to chair the SCIPI funding group. § th The liquor license hearing for Metropolis is June 6. § nd Kaufman building bids closing on March 2, we should have an answer soon § after that as to who has bought the building. An application by Manulife has been made to extend their parking lot at Water § and Joseph Streets. They want to take down 2 vacant homes on this site and develop their parking lot, but do not want to have the bad press that Clarica faced when they were in a similar situation. The City’s long term plans would be to see housing developed in this area. David Corks will be speaking to the Kiwanis Club about the downtown, § office/retail use. There is a strong demand for office space. The residential is doing well, and we are encouraged that the retail will pick up. Panhandling – what can we do? Safe Streets Act (see attached), gives § restrictions on what they can and cannot do. We do have an educational brochure on how to handle this too. (see attached) Arrow building will likely be closed, nothing is official yet. § Forsyth building – expecting the model suite to be open in May. § EDCO (Economic Developers Council of Ontario) Awards were given out and § the City of Kitchener’s Economic Development Division won 6 out of 15 categories. They are as follows: · Award of Distinction in the Non-Illustrated General Publications category for our “Industrial Land Strategy” publication · Aware of Excellence in the Non-Illustrated Business Directory category for our “Business Directory” publication · Award of Excellence in the Non-Illustrated Community Profile category for our “Community Profile” publication · Aware of Distinction in the Illustrated Newsletter category for our “GroundBreaker” publication · Award of Distinction in the Tourism category for our “Visit Us!” publication · Award of Excellence in the Non-Traditional Promotion category for our “Sky-Dancer” promotion Celebrating Success is coming up on Tuesday, February 27, 2001 starting at § 5:30 p.m. at the Walper Terrace Hotel. 5. NEIGHBOURHOOD ASSOCIATION UP-DATES rd Mill-CourtlandKaren Taylor-Harrison reported that the 3 Friday in February, the Black Walnut group will be playing folk music, at Mill Courtland Community Centre starting at 8 p.m. This is a non-alcoholic event, but some refreshments will be available. NEIGHBOURHOOD ASSOCIATION UP-DATES cont’d. Central Frederick Con Papenhuyzen, being the new representative for this area had nothing to report, but did inquire about the Louis Knell House in their neighbourhood. He commented on it being in poor shape/run-down and asked what can be done about this. It was suggested Con contact the City of Kitchener’s Property Standards Division in this regard. Civic CentreDonna Kuehl advised that their Neighbourhood Association is having a meeting to meet their new councillor, and to discuss preserving their neighbourhoods. She went on to say that there seems to be a parking problem in their area from an apartment building being renovated and wondered if other Neighbourhood Associations were having this same problem. David Corks replied that he would talk to the Planning Dept. and report back to the Committee. Howard Rotberg, although not reporting for a Neighbourhood Association, did ask for their support in a writing campaign against the proposed closing of an inner-city high school. Howard expressed his concerns in the closings of any inner-city schools and the effects they would have on our downtown neighbourhoods. Much discussion followed on various opinions on this topic and it was suggested we have this as a future DAC agenda item. Howard Rotberg set forth the following resolution: That the Downtown Advisory Committee ask City Council, in view of Compass Kitchener’s emphasis on healthy downtown neighbourhoods, to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent the closing of any inner-city schools. Seconded by:Karen Taylor-Harrison CARRIED Councillor John Smola suggested we hold a special meeting, perhaps in April, and invite school boards trustees, members of DAC, and presidents of Neighbourhood Associations to discuss this possibility and become educated in their plans for inner-city schools. *** This meeting has been arranged for Thursday, April 5, 2001 at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers, City of Kitchener. 6. HOMELESSNESS UP-DATE Deb Schlichter reported that the SCIPI money the Federal Government is giving us (Kitchener) would be available for use throughout the entire Region of Waterloo, and not strictly for the City of Kitchener. Marty Schreiter is chairing the funding meetings. There is a group working on the Community Plan to help understand what is needed for homelessness. Deb also advised that the group would be applying for funding for staff to handle administrative duties, as it is all being done on a volunteer basis. Deb hopes to have more information by the end of March. 7. NEW BUSINESS * Downtown Ambassador program – mentioned in previous meetings, the KDBA and City staff would like to launch an ambassador program for the downtown. However, staff realized that this is a large job, and no resources are available at this time to develop it. Staff also recognized that this program needs to be well organized and hope to be able to run this program in the future. A motion was made to adjourn the meeting. Moved by:Denise Shelbourne Seconded by:Karen Taylor-Harrison CARRIED LIST OF ATTACHMENTS 1. Kitchener Downtown Community Health Centre presentation 2. Kitchener Downtown Community Health Centre information pamphlet 3. Real Change, Not Spare Change pamphlet 4. Bill 8, regarding panhandling 5. DAC Resolution – Possible Closing of an Inner-City High School 6. Council’s Resolution