March 21/06 Report
Scheduled start of meeting: 1:30 pm. Actual start of meeting: 1:38 pm. Meeting adjourned: 2:23 pm

CATCH: C. E. Babb.

[Disclaimer: The notes below reflect what the reporter was able to record and to transcribe on key matters dealt with. Care was taken in preparing these notes; however errors, omissions etc may have occurred and often what is said is paraphrased. For greater certainty, the reader is referred to the tape of the meeting.]

Committee members present:
Chair T. Jackson 1:30 pm , in; P. Bruckler 1:30 pm, in; B. Morelli 1:30 pm , in`T. Whitehead 1:30 pm , in; A. Samson 1:30 pm , in; D. Mitchell 1:45 pm , in.

Staff present:
J. Kay, V. Woodcox, B. Fenwick, A. Bradford, S. Paparella

No changes were made to the agenda. No declarations of interest were advanced.

3.1 Community Services Committee Meeting Minutes, dated February 14, 2006
The minutes of the meeting of the committee of February 14, 2006 were approved.

CONSENT ITEMS

5.1 Impact on Norman "Pinky" Lewis Recreation Centre in 2010 if Sanford Avenue School is Closed (CSO6009) (Ward 3)

Bruckler was concerned about 5.1 (Pinky Lewis) and the reason for not joining those 2 facilities as they are now. Was this a Board decision? Fenwick : yes, it was a Board decision when they looked at the new site they decided to put their location on the site and that's why the closing will not take place until 2010 when the new school is built. That's a decision the Board made and we've been trying to negotiate with them (the Board) and Councillor Morelli has been involved in this. Morelli : as recently as this morning there's been an ongoing dialogue and hopefully we'll reach some conclusion that will be responsive to the neighbourhood.

5.2 Annual Subsidy for Citys Historical And Cultural Sites (CS06013) (City Wide)

5.3 Advisory Committee and Board Meeting Minutes - For Information

(a) Seniors' Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes, dated January 6, 2006

(b) Seniors' Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes, dated February 3, 2006

(c) Arts Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes, dated January 24, 2006  

(d) Hamilton Historical Board Meeting Minutes, dated December 13, 2005  

(e) Hamilton Historical Board Meeting Minutes, dated January 10, 2006  

(f) Hamilton Historical Board Meeting Minutes, dated February 14, 2006

The 3 consent items were approved.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

8.1 First Place Hamilton Senior Service Centre (CS06005) (Ward 3)

( First Place Hamilton Senior Service Centre) Morelli said that there was a meeting in the morning and he said that when you refer this to the Community Partnership Program, it's ok, but he wants to be sure that we are going to commit to the $25,000 and find the source of this and he wants to salute staff and be sure that First Place fits into our scheme so that people from throughout the community can use this facility. First Place is not a sole operation and is the hub of a huge collection of seniors, the residence of 700 people and is currently under stress and receivership. The speaker continued on in support of the approval of the $25,000.

V. Woodcox said that she had checked and learned that the submission of $25,000 was in and that the final decision would be April 30, 2006 and that if the $25,000 weren't approved there would be an alternative source of funding then that the City commit to the funding. The Chair said to the Secretary that Item B be deleted. Whitehead concurred with Morelli's comments and said he was quite familiar with First Place and questioned the logistics and wondered if it would not be good to approve the $25,000 and let staff find the funding. Morelli said that some econometric and qualitative issues to be dealt with connected with the receivership and that he was ok with a slight delay. Whitehead said he backed off on his motion and supports that of Morelli. Samson said that they ( First Place ) receive $5640 from Culture and Recreation and $9812 from Comm. Partnership Program, so we'd like to get the whole $25,000 from Comm. Partnership, but Jackson said this ($25,000) would be over and above the 2 figures mentioned. Bruckler said he supports the initiative and referred to memberships flowing over into other departments, that is, centres. Is membership at first place the same as for other centres? Answer: you have access to other centres. It's a good news story. There is concern that some seniors pay $10 and others pay $25; it's a question of fairness. There may be some slight variance among centres.

On this matter ( First Place ) it was approved that the submission requesting $25,000 to support the volunteer/recreation program be referred to the 2006 Community Partnership Program and that if this is not successful that the city commit to alternative funding.

8.2  Sponsorshipfor a Symposium on the Hamilton&Scourge (CS06014) (City Wide)

A. Bradford said that a citizen had written Councillor McHattie suggesting that City Council fund a $100,000 symposium but that staff was not supporting this move in light of a symposium being held in 2005 and that we are no further ahead and we are just talking at this time and that staff recommends that the Committee receive his request and continue with the work now underway. Morelli said that he had supported this effort and that a report be prepared at some time to inform those who don't know what has been involved and $100,000 are not needed at this time. Bradford suggested that a power point presentation could be made on the matter and that there is a $9800 budget for the project and thus not a great deal can be done. She suggested leaving the ships in situ because it'd cost millions of dollars to advance the project and that there isn't the knowledge about how to bring the ships to the surface. Morelli suggested this be brought up during historic week next year. Bruckler noted that there was $120,000 for archeological work and welcomed the upcoming report and questionned the benefit of spending this amount of money every 3 to 5 years and that the ships were American ships and were off the shores of another community and that the responsibility for these ships lies more appropriately with the federal government or the American government and that staff might look into these factors. Morelli said we've been there, that is, into this matter and mentioned that there was a dentist interested and we're buried with paper and that there was a very active committed under Bill McCulloch who almost got the ships out of the water at Confederation Park . Whitehead alluded to history and also to revenue-generation and wanted the thought not to be lost on that and that private interests were interested and that a doctor from National Geographic had been down and had seen the ships and that there has been lots of dialogue and discussion and that there be virtual live feed to the ships.

GENERAL INFORMATION/OTHER BUSINESS

11.1 Outstanding Business List Items:

(a) MOU with the YMCA - Outstanding Business Item "B" (Due March 21, 2006 - no copy) - New Due Date Required

(b) Creating a Healthy Nutrition Environment - Outstanding Business Item "F" (Due March 21, 2006 - no copy) - New Due Date Required

(c) Supervised Park Program (Supie) for Dundas - Outstanding Business List "L" (Due March 21, 2006 - no copy) - New Due Date Required

(d) Hamilton Farmer's Market - Outstanding Business List Item "E" - Requires New Due Date for Final Report

(e) Impact on Norman "Pinky" Lewis Recreation Centre in 2010 if Sanford Avenue School is Closed - Outstanding Business Item "K" - Requires New Due Date for Final Report

(f) Canadian Arts and Heritage Centre - Custom House - Outstanding Business List Item "P" - Due Date Required

New due dates were set:

(a) MOU with the YMCA - 2nd quarter 06. ( Whitehead expressed concern that he didn't know what was taking place on this matter; staff is to inform him.);

(b) Creating a Healthy Nutrition Environment - Apr 11 06;

(c) Supervised Park Program for Dundas - Apr 11 06;

(d) Hamilton Farmer's Market - Sept 12 06;

(e) Impact on Norman "Pinky" Lewis Rec. Centre in 2010 if Sanford Ave School is closed - 3rd quarter 06.

Item F - Canadian Arts and Heritage Centre, Custom House, was deleted and referred to COW budget deliberations.

Upon a questions by Whitehead Staff was directed to follow up with the YWCA about locating a YWCA at the former Chedoke Hospital site, with contact back to Whitehead.

re. Strategy to Manage Greenspace and Open Space Deficiencies - this matter is to be dealt with on Apr 11 06 with staff from affected groups to be involved.

Whitehead was concerned that James MacDonald School might be closed down and it would be devastating in future if this school ends up on a surplus list because there's a report showing that there is not adequate green space within the Gordy neighbourhood, a dense neighbourhood, so that neighbourhoods not lose their green space. Jackson replied that he thought there was a report about a year ago prioritizing communities. Fenwick commented that green space/open space is part of the official plan and deficiencies will be highlighted in the master plan staff is working on currently. And there is to be a report about joint-use to build relations back with the Board where the community was the first focus. Whitehead said there's a high school which will be closing on the mountain and that there should be dialogue with the Board about this. It would not be good to lose a .5 acre open space. Mitchell said that with intensification of development funds for new land could be dealt with in development charges; this is a tool. Samson said this was a problem close to his heart and that in Dundas and Ward 13 there is a problem. He continued that Burlington buys land during the 90 day window and they take what they need and sell the rest to the developer; it seems to work well in Burlington . And, there is no need for the school board to consider the needs of the residents of a particular area; they are concerned about selling the land; they are not concerned about recreation - recreation, which is our charge. And he said he was concerned about the 90 days and this should be a minimum of 180 days and there must be some way where the school board is consulting with the neighbourhood and he referred to his contact with MPP McMeekin who has been appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education who is going to be pushing for the 180 days and we, in the city, need to make this known to the Minister (of Educaton), that is 180 day window. Samson said he wanted a report back on this matter.

The meeting adjourned at 2:23 pm.