SOMERSET WEST CDF Steering Table
October 5, 2009 2:00 pm
Vicky Smallman (SWCHC), Rosemary Jones (SWCHC), Jack McCarthy
(SWCHC), Tyrus Cameron (OPS), Clara Freire (City/Ott), Emilie Hayes (SWCHC), Lori
Mellor (PBIA), Lisa Petch (City/Ott), Abid Jan (CDF/Co.), Jennifer McKenzie (OCDSB),
Annie Hillis (WWBIA), Suzanne O’Byrne (SWCHC), Souleyman Haggar (resident, LO),
Linda Niksic (LO)
Diane Holmes (Councillor), Michael Cairns (OCH), Robin McNeil (LO),
Therese Maloney Cousineau (OCSB), Grace Xin (SCBIA)
1. Welcome and introductions
• Roundtable introductions
• Emilie showed the video created by Abid Jan of the CDF Launch
2. Approval of agenda
• Addition of announcements at the end of the meeting. Decided that this would
be a standing item for all future meetings.
3. Approval of minutes
• Correction of “Data Centre” to “Survey Centre”
• Minutes approved with amendment
4. CDF Learning Forum Follow Up
• Lisa noted that the CDF Learning Forum was well attended and a large amount
of feedback was collected
• Feedback has been compiled and a summary will be distributed shortly along
with an invitation to provide input on next steps
5. Funding and resident inclusion plan
• Emilie updated the Committee that SWCHC received funding from the
Community Foundation of Ottawa for the CDF. This money will be used to
increase staff time to assist with outreach as well as removing barriers to resident
participation (i.e. honouraria, child care, food, etc.)
• It was clarified that the Community Foundation consulted with the City on the
unsuccessful applications to the City’s community funding to ensure that all CDF
neighbourhoods received equal funding.
6. Update on needs assessment
• Discussion on neighbourhood selection. Emilie clarified that Rochester Heights
and Lebreton OCH neighbourhoods are slated as our first CDF neighbourhoods.
This means that residents of those communities will be the focus of resident
engagement and outreach efforts. The CDF is only one approach to community
development and one that has been found to work best in areas with a defined
neighbourhood identify, a manageable scale, and residents who are ready to
engage in the process. However, it is also recognized that residents of these
smaller communities exist within a broader community context and it will be
crucial to integrate these broader community issues in the CDF process. It will
be important to explore how the challenges on and around Bell St. may be
integrated into this process, with the possibility of engaging residents of Bell St.
more actively in the CDF in the future.
• Emilie presented the highlights from the survey and focus groups (appendix A)
• Discussion of survey results, particularly regarding reporting crime
• Clarification that the data is for the purpose of identifying priority issues for
residents and also to provide a baseline assessment with which to measure
change in future years
• Question regarding Ottawa Community Housing’s (OCH) roles/responsibilities in
maintaining units and common areas
• Ty will pull OPS data on Rochester Heights and surrounding area (Bronson to
Rochester; Queensway to Willow)
• Emilie distributed data from OCH. Michael can answer detailed questions at the
next meeting regarding data presented as well as what is feasible for additional
data.
• Emilie will ask Michael/OCH for security data from OCH
• Emilie presented the video created by the youth leadership camp at Rochester
Heights this summer
Action:
• Ty will pull OPS data on Rochester Heights and surrounding area
• Emilie will ask Michael/OCH for security data from OCH
• Emilie will circulate full report of survey analysis
7. Neighbourhood action plan
• Emilie described the neighbourhood action planning process with input from Lisa
on the systems tables:o All of the information compiled through the needs assessment will be
presented back to residents
o Residents will be asked if the data resonates with them – is there
anything missing?
o Residents will categorize and prioritize issues and discuss possible
solutions. This could take the form of new programs/services,
campaigns, developing materials, etc.
o This action plan will be brought to the SW Resource Committee.
Committee members will be asked how they may be able to support the
action plan as appropriate.
o For those issues that cannot be actioned at the neighbourhood level or at
the Resource Committee, issues will be brought forward to the systems
tables as appropriate• Discussion on how we advocate for increased funding from OCH for Rochester
Heights. May need to hear from residents first on their priorities before moving
forward.
• Discussion of the timeline for action planning process. Although we will be letting
the community guide this process, the process will begin immediately with an
action plan anticipated in December.
8. Committee membership and upcoming meetings
• Emilie provided an updated committee membership list. Given the next steps in
the process, does the committee want to invite new members? Emilie offered
suggestions.
• Lisa suggested a community liaison with Parks and Rec who could represent the
Hintonburg Community Centre, Plant Rec Centre, and Dalhousie Community
Centre.
• Emilie is seeking out another resident committee member.
• Discussed that specific representatives can be invited to meetings on an asneeded
basis.
• Based on Abid’s experience, it is recommended that we not schedule regular
meetings but instead call meetings as needed. It was asked that we keep the
meetings on the same day of week and time to avoid confusion and scheduling
conflicts.
• The 2-4pm timeframe is challenging for some parents. Emilie will send an email
to ask for committee member’s general availability.
Action:
• Emilie will ask committee members for general availability.
• Lisa will explore possibility of Parks and Rec representative.
9. Announcements
• Lori updated the Committee on her efforts to establish a farmer’s market in the
government warehouses on Gladstone just west of Preston St. She has met with
John Baird, Larry O’Brien, Diane Holmes, Yasir Naqvi, Jim Watson, and Paul
Dewar. All are supportive, though there has not been any tangible steps forward
regarding using the space in the warehouses which have some structural issues.
The goal is to have outdoor stalls next season to demonstrate its feasibility.
• Lisa noted that green bins are being distributed now but pick ups will not start
until January.
• Lisa shared information on “Let Them Be Kids”, an organization which helps to
build play structures. They provide 60% of funds, and the community provides
40% of funds. Emilie will send this information to Rosemary.
• Rosemary invited all Committee members to the Boys and Girls Club Open
House at Cambridge School. Emilie will send invitation via email.
Meeting adjourned at 4pm.
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Collaboration, Coordination, Community Participation and Leveraging of Resources
