June 12th Glenelm Neighbourhood Meeting Agenda

Glenelm Neighbourhood Planning Meeting

Sunday, June 12^th, 2011

2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Glenelm School Gym

96 Carmen Avenue

Meeting Objective:

To receive input and guidance on the concerns and priorities

of Glenelm residents and businesses in order to

launch work on a neighbourhood plan

1.      Welcome -                                                  Cath McFarlane, Facilitator

Þ    Housekeeping notes                             River East Neighbourhood Network

Þ    Introductions

2.      Overview of activities to date                Gerry Ruchkall

Þ    Highlights on reverse page                   Interim Co-chair, GENA

3.      Facilitated large group discussion

Þ    What do you like about Glenelm?

Þ    What are your concerns / where do you see challenges?

Þ    If this were a perfect world, what would Glenelm look like in 5 years?

4.      Small group discussion

Based on the large group discussion:

Þ    What are your ideas for improving Glenelm?

Þ    What are the top three ideas? (note on flip chart)

Þ    How could we achieve them? (note on flip chart)

5.      Report back to large group

Þ    Spokesperson from each group highlights the project ideas

6.  Wrap up / concluding remarks           Cath McFarlane

Þ    Key themes

Þ    Next steps

o       Reporting back

o       Neighbourhood survey

o       Next neighbourhood meeting: 3^rd or 4^th week of September

Þ    Objective: Report back on survey results, share a draft report and develop an action plan

Glenelm Neighbourhood Developments: 2010 - 2011

Elmwood/Roxy Park enhancements

·         Spring/Summer 2010: small group of residents present to City of Winnipeg Parks team and the EK-Transcona Community Committee, highlighting concerns re: neglect of park, safety, etc.  

·         Glenelm residents submit application to become co-sponsor of ‘Adopt-a-Park’.

·         August: $136,000 secured from EK-Transcona Community Committee to support enhancements including more lighting, upgraded pathways, picnic tables

·         September: City initiates long overdue maintenance of trees and shrubs

·         October: ‘Party in the Park’:  launch of Adopt-a-Park and community celebration; applied for and received $600 through City Per Capita Grant.

·         November: Application to Community Places for capital improvements to park; receive confirmation of $5,000 grant in Spring 2011.

·         January: Meeting with Councillor Steen to discuss issues/options for Roxy Park.

·         May: Councillor Steen confirms a splash pad will be constructed in the park and City confirms ‘Free Play’ program in the park from July 4^th-August 12^th.

Kelvin CC site sale and re-zoning 

·         September/October: During the Civic election campaign, the sale and re-zoning the Kelvin CC was identified as an issue and debated.

·         November-April:  Elmwood residents organized opposition to the re-zoning of the Kelvin site, defeating the bid of one developer to establish a commercial enterprise.

·         May: The Elmwood Community Resource Centre held a community meeting to develop a new vision for the old Kelvin site; Councillor Steen was present, along with representatives of Bill Blaikie’s office.  There was almost unanimous support among residents for the reconstruction of a building on the Kelvin site: a multi-purpose ‘community hub’ for all residents of Elmwood.

·         June: ECRC intends to share the proposed vision for the community hub with Councillor Steen and the community.  Next steps to be determined.

Initial efforts to develop the Glenelm Neighbourhood Association (GENA)

·         September-November: To facilitate access to funding sources, a small group of residents developed draft constitution for the ‘Glenelm Neighbourhood Association’ (GENA) and identified interim board members.

·         December – March: The group applied to and received $3500 from Assiniboine Credit Union to develop a neighbourhood plan (including but not limited to Roxy Park).

·         The group applied to the Community Places Program and was awarded $5000 to enhance a capital structure in Roxy Park.

·         A Community Builder account was opened at ACU under the name ‘Glenelm Neighbourhood Association’.[1]

·         In Winter/Spring 2011, momentum and communication among the group decreased and plans to move ahead with the neighbourhood planning project stalled.

·         Work to launch neighbourhood planning process and survey resumed in May 2011, with a first neighbourhood meeting planned for June 12^th.

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[1] The ‘Glenelm Neighbourhood Association’ remains an informal, unincorporated entity.  Expressions of interest in formalizing the Association are welcome. Time needs to be invested in advancing work on the Constitution/Bylaws, planning a general meeting and electing an Executive Committee and Board.      

If you care about the future of Glenelm, join us on June 12th!

What is your vision of an ideal neighbourhood?  Are there things you'd like to see change in Glenelm?  Do you have ideas that could improve our neighbourhood? 

These are the questions  people who live and work in Glenelm will be asked to consider at our upcoming neighbourhood meeting on Sunday, June 12th, from 2-4 p.m. in the Glenelm School Gym. We need participation from all parts of our neighbourhood and hope you'll take the time to attend. Childcare will be available free of charge.

This gathering will launch a neighbourhood planning process Assiniboine Credit Union is sponsoring through a Community Sustainability Grant.  In Fall 2010, a group of Glenelm residents submitted a proposal for which we received $3500 to engage residents (and people who work in Glenelm) in the development of a plan for our neighbourhood's future.  

On June 12th, we need to develop an initial vision for Glenelm and identify concerns, ideas and priorities for action. This is your chance to bring forward what matters to you most, whether it's parks and green space, crime prevention, recreation, youth engagement, city services, community events, etc.

The concerns and ideas you identify will help shape a neighbourhood survey that will be completed in July and August through a door-to-door campaign, on-line (through Survey Monkey) and kitchen table discussions. The aim of the survey will be to collect more detailed information about the concerns, ideas and interests of Glenelm residents and business owners.

Results of the survey will form the core of a neighbourhood profile (who we are and what is important to us) and the foundation of a neighbourhood plan (how we intend to act on our priorities and make things happen). 

Throughout this process, residents of all ages will be invited to participate and comment on the reports and analysis. It will be important that perspectives of children, youth, working age adults and senior adults are reflected in the final report to be submitted to our funder by October 2011.    

In the short-term, this project will provide opportunities to express opinions and become actively engaged in our neighbourhood. If you're interested and willing to participate, you can assist with survey development and collection, meeting planning and coordination, research, analysis or report writing.  Or you could offer to host or help organize a 'kitchen table discussion', where a small group of neighbours meet to talk about issues and ideas for improving Glenelm.

Over the long-term, we believe this project will increase neighbourhood pride, including awareness of all the things that we value about Glenelm. It will also provide the evidence we need to convince governments and other funders to help us take action on things that need to change.

If you're not able to join us on June 12th but want to participate in this project, please send an email to caroline.krebs@gmail.com