HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO-09-051 - Compass Kitchener's Fall All Committee Gathering UpdateREPORT T0: Mayor and Council
DATE OF MEETING: November 23, 2009
SUBMITTED BY: Shelley Adams, Director of Community and Corporte
Planning, ext 2476
PREPARED BY: Shelley Adams, Director of Community and Corporte
Planning, ext 2476
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All
DATE OF REPORT: October 29, 2009
REPORT NO.: CAO-09-051
SUBJECT: COMPASS KITCHENER'S FALL ALL-COMMITTEE
GATHERING UPDATE
RECOMMENDATION:
For information only.
BACKGROUND:
In October 2006 Council received and adopted "A Plan for a Healthy Kitchener, 2007-2027"
(P4HK) as the community's vision for the next twenty years. P4HK provides a unified strategic
approach in key areas -quality of life, leadership and community engagement, diversity,
downtown, development and the environment -each essential to the health and well-being of
the City and, hence, to the citizen's and the communities of which they are a part.
Under the strategic directions for Leadership and Community Engagement, P4HK
recommended that:
"The number of meetings for Advisory Committees incorporate opportunities for
Compass Kitchener and committees to come together to review community priorities,
share information and insight, and identify areas where they can work together".
Compass Kitchener quickly undertook responsibility in this regard and have since hosted 5 all-
committee gatherings, variously focused on the community's priorities vis a vie committee
priorities and workplans, local trends and issues -current and emerging -and the identification
of opportunities to work together on specific initiatives.
REPORT:
On Saturday, October 3, 2009, Compass Kitchener hosted its 5t" "All-Committee" meeting, at
Rockway Golf Course. A combination of volunteer members and staff from all of Kitchener's
advisory committee's were in attendance, with the exception of Grand River Accessibility
Advisory Committee (GRAAC did take part "virtually" by forwarding requested information in
support of the day's objectives).
The purpose of this meeting was to share information specific to committee workplans and - as
importantly - to identify important linkages between committees to facilitate increased
awareness about and collaboration on shared priorities.
The session was well attended, lively, engaging, and appreciated. Participants left with the task
of reporting back to their committees about the day's learnings and -subsequently - to update
Compass Kitchener regarding any collaborative efforts that may result. For example, Safe and
Healthy Advisory Committee's downtown outreach, youth engagement and "safe Kitchener"
activities can be supported by Compass Kitchener's strategy, framework and tool development
in the areas of diversity and community engagement -and vise versa.
Attached you will find a reproduction of the "activity map" that evolved out of the October 3rd
meeting. As an unintended benefit, the diagram serves as a valuable summary of the many
varied activities that advisory committee members and staff are engaged in, in service to this
community. In addition, it highlights the complex nature of and multiple perspectives applied to
key areas of concern to the City and it's citizens.
While as yet unconfirmed, Compass Kitchener is considering using the Winter 2010 (February)
all-committee gathering as an opportunity to engage advisory committee members in dialogue
regarding the results of the Fall 2009 Environics survey. Overall, community consultation goals
of confirming survey findings and identifying potential responses to address issues will be
substantively enhanced by the participation and feedback from this group.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
NIA Costs associated with hosting bi-annual all-committee meetings are included in Compass
Kitchener's operating budget.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Shelley Adams, Director, Community and Corporate Planning