SOMERSET WEST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK RESOURCE COMMITTEE

M I N U T E S
April 6, 2009  2:00 pm
Somerset West Community Health Centre

PRESENT:  Robin McNeil (LO), Michael Cairns (OCH), Jack McCarthy (SWCHC), Emilie Hayes (SWCHC), Vicky Smallman (SWCHC), Tyrus Cameron (OPS), Grace Xin (SCBIA), Linda McQuarrie (Diane Holmes’ Office), Annie Hillis (WWBIA), Lisa Petch (City/Ott), Abid Jan (CDF/Co.), Clara Freire (City/Ott), Lori Mellor (PBIA), Jennifer McKenzie (OCDSB).

REGRETS:  Rosemary Jones (SWCHC), Diane Holmes (Councillor), Therese Maloney Cousineau (OCSB)

ABSENT:  Ric Watson (LO), Samir Mousa (LO), Leigh Thorpe (LO)

  • Welcome and introductions – Vicky Smallman
  • Vicky welcomed all members
  • Members were asked to review Terms of Reference
  • Discussion on using “Neighbourhood Action Plans” as opposed to “Community Action Plans” to ensure great clarity. 
  • Discussion of role of committee members – Jack noted that role of committee members will likely become more clear when we get to the stage of reviewing Action Plans.
  • Concern of confidentiality portion of TOR due to the necessity to represent the interests of their organization/BIA. 
  • This concern has come up at other Committee meetings.  Lisa will send suggested revision to this portion to Emilie. 
  • Membership of the Resource Committee – Emilie Hayes
  • Based on discussion at the last meeting, Emilie extended invitations to the Public and Catholic School Board Trustees, and representatives from both the Plant Pool Recreation Association (PPRA) and the Dalhousie Community Association (DCA).
  • Jennifer McKenzie, OCDSB Trustee for Zone 10 has joined the committee
  • Therese Maloney Cousineau, Catholic School Board Trustee for Zone 10 has also joined the committee but had to send her regrets for today’s meeting
  • Both the PPRA and the DCA have been contacted.  The Presidents of both associations are unable to attend, but are asking their Boards for representation.
  • Roundtable discussion of each agency/organization/BIA mandate
  • All members introduced themselves and provided an overview of their agency/organization/BIA mandate
  • Discussion of neighbourhoods – Emilie Hayes
  • Confirmed that while the Committee will accept Action Plans from all neighbourhoods within the Somerset West catchment area, we will focus our energy and outreach on Rochester Heights and Lebreton neighbourhoods which are defined by the Ottawa Community Housing communities.  This is where we will disseminate the survey, conduct outreach, etc.
  • There was a decision at the last meeting to look at data on West Centretown.
  • Lisa provided the Neighbourhood Profile for West Centrerown and data on Lebreton and Rochester Heights, based on census tracts
  • Jack asked if there was ethnocultural data available from OCH or the School Board.  There is data of first language and country of origin through the schools.  OCH does not collect this kind of data.
  • Discussion of Bell Street area as an important pocket to explore in this first phase of the CDF.  There was agreement that this is a ‘hot spot’, but the challenge is that it is not a contained neighbourhood.  Lisa noted that Carlington has also selected an area that is not defined solely as an OCH neighbourhood, but includes an OCH community, apartments, single dwellings, etc.
  • Consensus to begin with Rochester Heights and Bell Street in this first phase.  Important to consult with the DCA and others in the Bell Street area to define its ‘boundaries’.  Also important to recruit a member of the DCA to the Committee.

Action:

  • Emilie will work with the DCA and others in the area to define the Bell Street ‘boundaries’
  • Survey update and discussion of survey dissemination – Lisa Petch
  • The neighbourhood survey will be finalized this week, and will be reviewed by a literacy specialist and translated by the end of April.  The Knowledge Transfer Table will analyze the survey data.
  • The survey will be available in hard copy form and online.
  • The Committee needs to decide how to disseminate the survey and the logistics of how to pick up, drop off, etc.
  • Vicky asked for volunteers for a Survey Working Group, which will include: Michael Cairns, Robin McNeil, Lori Mellor, Emilie Hayes, Lisa Petch, Abid Jan, and someone from the DCA (perhaps Pam Connelly)
  • The Working Group will connect via email prior to the next Committee meeting.
  • Lisa suggested examining an incentive structure for completing the survey.
  • Fauza Mohamed (Rochester Heights Community House Coordinator) and Kim Nelson (Principal of Cambridge Street PS) were suggested as important resources in the survey dissemination.

      
Action:

  • Survey Working Group will connect prior to the next committee meeting to discuss survey dissemination
  • Inventory of resources / asset mapping – Emilie Hayes
  • We will be compiling an inventory of resources in the neighbourhood(s).  Abid Jan has recommended that this process begin now so that we have a strong sense of the neighbourhood’s assets and resources before the survey data is analyzed.  This will allow us to better identify resource gaps, etc. and move forward with Action Plans.
  • Discussion of other asset mapping processes in the area to tap into (i.e. CPO, Aboriginal community, previous SWCHC projects)
  • Success By 6 and the City have mapping software that can be used.
  • Discussion of what would be considered assets and resources.  This would be programs and services that are considered resources and assets from the neighbourhood resident’s perspective.

Action:

  • Emilie will send a link of a sample inventory of resources to the Committee.
  • Emilie will begin compiling inventory of resources, gathering information from previous mapping processes
  • Discussion of CDF Launch – Abid Jan, Emilie Hayes
  • Discussion of possible community events that we could tie in with the CDF launch in West Centretown (i.e. Grand Opening of Rochester Heights Community House?)
  • Need the survey ready first and also need to define the boundaries of the Bell Street neighbourhood before we can determine a launch date.
  • Possibility of launch in RH and another for Bell Street (i.e. St. Luke’s or Cambridge PS)
  • Next Steps
  • Determine boundaries of Bell Street neighbourhood
  • Meeting of Survey Working Group
  • Survey finalization and dissemination
  • Inventory of resources / asset mapping
  • Launch date(s)
  • Next Meeting
  • Monday, May 4th, 2-4pm, SWCHC Booth Room
  • June 1st, 2009, 2pm, SWCHC Board Room

 

Meeting adjourned at 4pm.

 

 

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