Here are the minutes in PDF Form…
Annual General meeting minutes
Feb 18, 2014
Held at Rosedale United Church
Board members in attendance– Alan McFarland – Meeting Chair, Chris Fraser, Leo Schotte and Gavin Brimer
Also in attendance– Ward 29 City Councillor Mary Fragedakis, Daryl Finlayson
Meeting was called to order
President Alan McFarland introduced Councillor Fragedakis and Daryl Finlayson as well as the other members of the Board who spoke to their years living in the neighbourhood and number of years on the Board.
- Alan McFarland offered highlights of the GBRA involvement with residents over the past year in Governor’s Bridge:
- A March 2013 issue with a dog being bitten by other dogs
- On-street parking complaints and ticketing initiated by Governor’s Bridge residents
- Further improvements in planting and re-sodding at Nesbitt Park using Section 37 (Conservatory Group) monies from the City
- Flooding in July and impact on Governor’s Bridge
- The success of the 46th Annual BBQ/Corn Roast in Sept
- Nov 21st participation with other Resident Associations in the Toronto Centre “All Candidates” Debate
- Launching in Dec of the Little Free Library (LFL) in Nesbitt Park
- December Ice Storm and need for better community collaboration
- The re-installation of the ice rink. Gary Strothers kindly purchased a new rink liner
- Gavin detailed the Report from the Treasurer.
- Opening balance $4666.16 and closing balance $3944.14.
- The BBQ ran a deficit of $381.81 this year.
- At time of report, paid # of families was 58 in 2013 vs 72 in 2012 and 68 in 2011
- Motion to reconfirm existing Board Members Alan, Gavin, Chris and Leo and the election of Jeff Hanemaayer from Douglas Crescent put forth by Jacqueline Jordan and seconded by Leo Schotte. Passed.
- A motion to hold GBRA Board Meetings every two months was put forth by Chris Fraser and seconded by Alan McFarland. Passed.
- Councillor Mary Fragedakis spoke to the group with an update from City Hall and issues in the Ward.
- Mary’s office was happy to help facilitate the Section 37 monies for Nesbitt Park improvements. Thanks to Councillor Fragedakis’s sleuthing, Section 37 monies collected from the Minto Sky development also went to another park in her ward.
- Councillor Fragedakis is very supportive of the Little Free Library and would like to see more in the Ward. The only other one is on Cambridge Ave. Mary would like to share with the community issues facing libraries generally.
- Councillor Fragedakis also shared the concern around issues during the ice storm. Power and back-up power at the Emergency Preparedness Centre in Don Mills failed. Operations had to be moved to City Hall. Mary has put forth a motion at City Hall to question why there is not a back-up for the back-up power source
- Mary helped ensure warming stations were opened in the Ward.
- How information is disseminated during emergencies needs to be looked at. Using traditional media such as press conferences are not effective if TVs and the computers can’t be powered on.
- With respect to the trains traveling through the City (and GB) and restrictions around speed, cargo they carry, type of cars carrying hazardous products, what type the City can do is limited as these laws fall under Federal jurisdiction. Councillor Fragedakis has put forth a motion at City Hall on this file.
- Councillor Fragedakis has put forth a motion for Toronto to establish a Food and Beverage Innovation Centre. Motion has been referred to the Economic Development Committee
- Redway Road. Councilor Parker wants traffic from Leaside to be able to access Bayview via an extension of Redway Road. There are obvious concerns around an increase in volume on the Bayview extension and through traffic into Rosedale. Neither Mary nor Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam is in favor of a Redway extension.
- Councillor Fragedakis opened the floor to questions.
- Concern from the floor about the speed of the trains traveling though GB.
- Jacqueline Jordan from Douglas Crescent feels that the GBRA should take the lead on pressing the Federal Gov’t on the issue of railway emergency preparedness.
- Councillor Fragedakis added that she has put forth a motion at City Hall for an Environmental Assessment for the reconfiguration of Bayview Ave from Moore Ave to River Street- a “Bayview Redesign Strategy”
- Chris Fraser offered an update on Nesbitt Park.
- Thanks go out to Councillor Fragedakis and Daryl Finlayson for their continued support.
- A special shout out to Michelle Reid at the Toronto Parks and Rec. for really looking after Nesbitt Park.
- Thanks to Jacqueline Jordan for spearheading the Little Free Library project
- Thanks to John Marrota and Gary Stothers (and others) for the ice rink
- The idea of investigating the installation of birdhouses in the neighbourhood was proposed.
- Open issues from the floor
- Concerns around the lack of TTC access in the neighbourhood. No bus stops on Bayview at Nesbitt with the closest bus stop being at Chorley Park
- Need to ensure GBRA email list is up to date and readily available for information to be shared on a timely basis.
- A membership drive is required to increase participation
- #2 True Davidson. Resident asked about status of the vacant lot. The Conservatory Group has been granted permission to build one (not two) houses on the lot.
- Question around when we might expect Super Mailboxes in the neighbourhood.
- Other- Outside of board members and representatives from the Councilor’s Office, there were only 4 residents present at the AGM. Minutes will be put on the GBRA website.
Motion to adjourn the meeting from Chris Fraser and Alan McFarland