Harbord Village Residents’ Association
Minutes of HVRA Board Meeting
July 18, 2006 7:30 p.m.
Kensington Gardens

Present: Gus Sinclair, Sandra DeAthe, Gord Brown, Susan Pfeiffer, Richard Gilbert, Sue Dexter, Stuart Schoenfeld, Tim Grant, Michael Heydon, Jane Auster, Maria Perin

Regrets: David Booz, Richard Longley, Margaret Beare

Guest: Maria Santos, St. Stephens Community House

1. Chair’s Welcome: The meeting commenced at 7:35 p.m.

2. Agenda: The agenda was approved with the addition of one item under Other Business b), Poor Alex, by Gus, and Solar Energy i.) under the Environment Committee Reports. Moved by Jane Auster, seconded by Michael Heydon. Carried

3. Approval of Minutes: The minutes of June 20, 2006 were approved as presented, moved by Sue Dexter, seconded by Jane Auster. Carried

Maria Santos spoke to the Board about the Drop-In Centre at 260 Augusta to inform the Board of the activities of the Centre, and to express the wish to jointly address any issues that may arise. They would like to remain good neighbours to the community they are serving. The Board agreed to have a table for the Drop-In Centre at the Fall Fair.

4. Committee Reports

a. Environment

i. Solar Energy Tim Grant

A flyer on the solar project attracted 12 volunteers, and a meeting is planned for late August. We hope to learn from the WISE project (West Toronto Initiative for Solar Energy) which has the support of Toronto Hydro. Hydro may act as a go-between between the Province and the homeowners for the entire city, and will assume responsibility for the installation, warranty and maintenance for the solar collectors. Silva’s office is donating one staff member to us to help with the project .. We will have a public meeting in the fall.

ii. Trees Tim Grant

The tree inventory plan has been re-vamped. A student will train several people in the neighbourhood to identify certain basic species, then the student will identify those the residents can’t. We need to alert people at the AGM that if they’ve had gardening done to get a list of their tree species. Other tasks for this committee include: collecting the name of absentee landlords; investigating fund-raising opportunities; drafting a flyer for the Fall Fair; determining if similar inventories have been done in the Province.

iii. Graffiti Michael Heydon

One of the main difficulties with graffiti removal project is getting agreement from the homeowners. Michael has drafted a negative option letter that says, in effect, “if you don’t want your garage painted, sign here”. The Board is in agreement with the negative option letter for garage painting, but felt that negative option is not possible for a mural – in that case it must be a clear “yes”.

Michael received a letter of support from the Mayor for his graffiti removal work. Congrats. Michael!

b. Membership Maria Perin

The most up-to-date list will be completed on the weekend and Maria will send it out. Any new members or renewals from this date forward will be for the 2006/07 year.

We should be able to renew and pay online. Action: Gord Brown will look into this.

c. Community Liaison

Nothing to report

d. College St. Gord Brown

Council passed a watered down version of the clearway; they approved a clearway, but not one next to buildings. Owners of patios can be part of the experiment for a clearway , or by-law officers will enforce the existing by-law. We need feedback from the pilot to go to the Council in January. There is a lot of work still to be done.

Integrated Street Furnishing – guidelines to Council next week, RFP in August to put in place August 2007.

e. Zoning

The Croft St. issue goes to the OMB on August 10th.

f. Communications Jane Auster

Jane needs copy for the fall Newsletter by September 18, 2006.

g. U of T Liaison Sue Dexter

U to T wants to get rid of the housing protection for the Huron/Sussex neighbourhood (Part 2 of the U of T Plan). The Liaison Committee was not told this. The University tried taking two routes into developing Huron/Sussex; approaching the OMB, and also Ted Tindorf, the Head of Planning for the City. U of T is now in litigation with the City over this issue, so there will not be a decision about re-opening Part 2 of the U of T plan until that is over. U of T has also said they will get their own planner to design the changes. A decision from the litigation is expected in the new year.

5. Business Arising
None

6. Other Business

a. Robert Street Rink Stuart Schoenfeld

Stuart presented for discussion a draft position statement from HVRA on the Robert Street field. The general orientation of the U of T proposal was a change in use of the field, rather than a moderation of the use; we need to convince them that what they are asking for is inappropriate for the neighbourhood.

Question: Is U of T entitled now to build an intramural field, or is re-zoning required? Action: Sue Dexter will find out what uses are permitted now, and whether it would require an Official Plan change.

Discussion on this item was quite robust. We need to get the facts and prepare a package of what we want. This will be on the next agenda, and there will be ongoing discussions.

b. Poor Alex Gus Sinclair

Gus and Martin Silva spoke to the new owner about the various issues around his proposed plans, and he has now hired a planner. It was also made clear to him that a club is not wanted, and that there would not be a patio in the immediate future.

The meeting adjourned at 9:20 p.m. Next meeting August 15th, 7 p.m., same place.