November 2016 MRA Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes for MRA Board of Directors meeting

Tuesday November 15, 2016

Meeting at the home of JoAnne M., at 7:30 pm.

Present: Chris, John, Leanne, Dana, Leigh, Leslie, Deb, JoAnne

Regrets: Mary, Dan, Kyra

Guests: Werner, Nina, Brian – members of Mystic Point and Area Residence Association (MPARA)

As quorum was present Chris moved to open the meeting @ 7:38

1. Approval of October 18/16 MRA board minutes.

• Update SLT- The community meeting held at the Polish Hall was covered in the Guardian. We need to wait and see what happens with the SLT appeal of the OMB decision.
• Go station: Leigh spoke with the Spinal Cord Injury of Ontario requesting their support for accessibility at Mimico Go Station. They are supportive, but slow in showing action.  No further action at this time
• Update on MRA Board member(s) – Joanne C resigned in October.  Gavin has resigned.  Mary will be stepping down at the AGM in March.  Leigh will be joining in March.  Leanne has neighbors that are interested in joining. Deb has a friend that may be interested in joining.  Action: Put interested new members in contact with Chris for an initial meeting
• Leslie moved to accept the minutes for October 2016, seconded by Leanne.  All in favor, motion passed.

2. Halloween Dance Close-Out.

• Dance attendance was a bit lower this year.
• We made $500 less than last year.
• Several parents noted that the older children were hanging out in the bathroom.
• Ways to improve for next year for Next Year
  • Schedule the dance for Friday as the venue rental cost are significantly less expensive.
  • Assign someone to monitor outside the bathroom entrances to ensure groups are not running through the bathrooms
  • Better signage, better lighting, and more time to set up (45-1 hour).

3. Grand Manitoba Park – Previously shared plan that included multiple sports fields and off-leash dog park has been wiped clean. The city has hired a moderator and independent landscape architect to design the park.  The moderator (Jane Farrow) is member of Park people.  On line survey that was open to the GTA found that the participants wanted a play area, dog off leash area, naturalized trails, and sports fields.  Action:  Publicize future public meetings to encourage community involvement.

4. Mimico Judson Secondary Plan and Freed Development Update. Involves the triangle to the east of Royal York Ave and area west of Royal York Ave.

• Eleven appeals have been filed to the Ontario Municipal Board citing various objections regarding the approved Secondary Plan.
• The appeals will be grouped into split hearings east and west of Royal York Road.
  • The concerns east of Royal York have to do with increasing density and heights of new buildings.
  • West of Royal York, Metrolinx is appealing the city council’s decion to allow residential in the area south of Judson and adjacent to the Willowbrooke rail yard.
• Freed is one of the eleven appellants to the OMB. If Freed is inclined to appeal their development application to the OMB, this would be a separate appeal from their existing appeal of the Secondary Plan. The City’s vision is 4 storeys at street level, and 6-8 storeys (max) beyond street level.  Freed want 8 storeys at street level and 5 towers with varied heights up to 32 storeys.  The shadows will affect homes on both north and south sides of the tracks. Action: Raise this as a point during our December meeting with Mark Grimes and get his thoughts how to protect the Secondary Plan.  Chris will ask Judy and Martin (MLCN) when a letter to the OMB would be useful/timely to help with the RY triangle/Freed appeals.

5. TPLC would like to present to the MRA as well as the community about crime hotspots.
   Action: Add this to agenda for Jan Meeting

6. Topics for December meeting with Mark.

• Update on Mimico Judson Secondary Plan. Confirm that the City has made a final decision to fight the OMB appeals. Need to ensure City Planning has the resources and the right people to effectively defend the secondary plan against the many OMB appeals.
• Toronto Parks and Rec programs at John English are Free and therefore always full. Is there discussion at city hall about this?
• Traffic concerns in Mimico. Is there a need for more current studies? Some areas of specific concern: Mimico Ave, Cavell, Superior, Manitoba (Grand and Legion).
• South Mimico Trail & Bonar Creek Storm water Management Facility. Update?
• Ideas for Community Building (Scarecrow fest, etc)

7. 39 Newcastle Public Consultation – MLCN have suggested a sign in sheet at community meetings asking for the emails address of the attendees. The sign in sheets would include options as to the amount of info they would like to receive. Action: Chris to ask Mary how difficult it would be to add email address.

8. Mark Grimes provided the MRA with a certificate in honour of our 10 year anniversary – Action: Chris to ask Mary to thank Mark on Facebook for this recognition.

Dana moved to terminate the meeting, seconded by Deb.  The meeting was terminated @9:28 PM

Next meeting @ JoAnne M on Tuesday December 6^th, has been confirmed with Mark