1. Website – should we go ahead with a website? Ben suggested that if we get a domain we can have our own email (e.g info@uptownwest.ca). It would cost approx. $50 per year. Pat applied for funding for a domain name and an honorarium to help put something together. Ben is interested in volunteering to help put the website together. Tenille is going to ask a friend who just moved into the neighbourhood if he is willing to help put together a website in conjunction with Ben. Tenille, Pat and Ben volunteered to be on a web sub-committee. Jenn suggested that is should easily updateable – Tenille suggested using Wordpress. It was agreed that this would be a good CMS for the website.
2. Sign – We received $1850 for a sign/notice board. The City wants to have a standard look and feel – but there isn’t one at the moment. Still some questions about design of sign and who builds it that the City of Waterloo needs to approve and also decide where the sign will be located in Alexandra Park. Pat asked if we could also have a book exchange library ‘nook’ built in but the City didn’t like that idea. Pat built in $200 for fridge magnets – but we are not obliged to get magnets – it just has to be related to the neighbourhood association.
3. Update from Tamarack on Summer Activities. The students have put together a summary of what they did this summer. Handed out approx. 1000 newsletters and got 112 people to sign up to get UWNA news. No major issues. Talked about how to get information to the people who live in the Seagram Lofts to make sure they are included. Paul said they have their own newsletter – maybe we could tap into that. Jenn offered to talk to a colleague who lives there to see if he has any ideas. Historical stories – interviewed one man over on Erb. Others who were interested in sharing stories about the neighbourhood. Looked at a lot of initiatives that other neighbourhood organizations are doing. Will suggested talking to a man on William who has been living there since the 60s to get stories from him. Carmen asked if anyone showed interest in being involved in the UWNA (e.g. as a board member). Emerson and Sara noted one or two who seemed interested. Carmen - maybe we could add this to our next newsletter (i.e. asking people if they want to be more involved). Sara mentioned that it is a large and diverse area to try and get people to feel the sense of place. Different areas have different issues (e.g. closer to Erb St. the issues are more related to students; other areas, the issues are more related to organizing street parties). Sara suggested that if we were doing this again, having a specific event to publicize or focus on with the visits, that would help direct the conservation. Paul discussed how things went with the canvassing – he thought things went well but that they perhaps needed to be more methodical about keeping track of response from each household. Paul thinks this should be an annual event – we could almost make it a set weekend each year where we go out with 40 volunteers. We could also try to get a volunteer responsible for each street. It would be an interesting exercise to create a plan to map the neighbourhood (as one would map an ecosystem). Paul is suggesting recruiting 40 volunteers who are our ‘super-board’. Will help us plan what we want to do long term. How can we support people in need? If we are in need, how do we get support (e.g. one goal could be to keep older people in their homes five years longer by giving them the support we need).
4. Fall Harvest Event - Venue – we have outgrown the venue on Dunbar – looking for other options, Erb St. Mennonite only holds 80 seated – need to look at Lourdes church; First United is another option but there is a cost. Looking at possible dates – right now we have penciled in Tuesday October 23 (or sometime that week depending on availability of venue). Tennille to look into Lourdes church; Pat to look into First United).
5. Pumpkin Patch – meet at 6:15 in playground of Lourdes School for 6:30pm departure; event goes between 6:30 and 8pm. If people don’t want to do the parade, they can go straight to the park. Have prize for best pumpkin – vote.
6. Possible future events:
a. Book exchange - Wed. Nov. 28th - Carmen to organize -maybe towards the end of November with some refreshments – Erb St. Mennonite Church;
b. Neighbourhood garage sale - Spring – Plan at a later date c. Lourdes – sports/games nights (Lisa) – she has booked a few Monday nights – badminton? volleyball? Dodgeball? – Oct 4th (sport); Nov 1 - might possibly change this to the Nov 8th (cards and board games); Dec 6th (sport). Carmen to promote via our various communication mediums. 6:00pm-8pm. Dodgeball at 6pm – Volleyball at 7pm. Make sure to communicate that people need to bring non-marking shoes.
7. Sponsors - Christa (who was absent at the meeting but passed on questions to Tennille about getting sponsors). She was wondering how many newsletters we would need to get advertising for. We think we will have a few electronic newsletters and one printed one per year. Perhaps we could see if we could get sponsors for the UWNA as whole and then we would say that we would get ‘x’ advertising (at events, newsletter etc).
8. Clothesline initiative – think about partnering with REEP and getting some funding through TD Friends of Environment; KW Community Foundation; OPA Conservation Fund. We will ask people at the AGM who is interested in being part of a committee to build this initiative. Carry Forward Items: 1. Website sub-committee to meet to talk about design of website and get back to the board. 2. Tennille to ask new neighbour if he is interested in helping to put a website together 3. Need to decide whether we want to go ahead with fridge magnets or with another ‘business supply’ to hand out to UWNA residents. 4. Jenn to ask colleague how to reach out to residents of Seagram lofts 5. Reflect on what we did accomplish over the past year and prepare a short report to present at AGM. 6. Send a call out for additional volunteers for the Board. 7. Emerson/Sara to send an email version of the report they put together from the work they did this summer. 8. Firm up venue and date for Fall Harvest Event Items to add to AGM/harvest event - ask people how many meetings a year to be open to everyone (two, four?...) - give report of what has been accomplished, plans for 2012/2013 – celebrate accomplishments - call for additional board members - announce upcoming events - possible craft for kids related to Pumpkin Patch – lantern
2. Sign – We received $1850 for a sign/notice board. The City wants to have a standard look and feel – but there isn’t one at the moment. Still some questions about design of sign and who builds it that the City of Waterloo needs to approve and also decide where the sign will be located in Alexandra Park. Pat asked if we could also have a book exchange library ‘nook’ built in but the City didn’t like that idea. Pat built in $200 for fridge magnets – but we are not obliged to get magnets – it just has to be related to the neighbourhood association.
3. Update from Tamarack on Summer Activities. The students have put together a summary of what they did this summer. Handed out approx. 1000 newsletters and got 112 people to sign up to get UWNA news. No major issues. Talked about how to get information to the people who live in the Seagram Lofts to make sure they are included. Paul said they have their own newsletter – maybe we could tap into that. Jenn offered to talk to a colleague who lives there to see if he has any ideas. Historical stories – interviewed one man over on Erb. Others who were interested in sharing stories about the neighbourhood. Looked at a lot of initiatives that other neighbourhood organizations are doing. Will suggested talking to a man on William who has been living there since the 60s to get stories from him. Carmen asked if anyone showed interest in being involved in the UWNA (e.g. as a board member). Emerson and Sara noted one or two who seemed interested. Carmen - maybe we could add this to our next newsletter (i.e. asking people if they want to be more involved). Sara mentioned that it is a large and diverse area to try and get people to feel the sense of place. Different areas have different issues (e.g. closer to Erb St. the issues are more related to students; other areas, the issues are more related to organizing street parties). Sara suggested that if we were doing this again, having a specific event to publicize or focus on with the visits, that would help direct the conservation. Paul discussed how things went with the canvassing – he thought things went well but that they perhaps needed to be more methodical about keeping track of response from each household. Paul thinks this should be an annual event – we could almost make it a set weekend each year where we go out with 40 volunteers. We could also try to get a volunteer responsible for each street. It would be an interesting exercise to create a plan to map the neighbourhood (as one would map an ecosystem). Paul is suggesting recruiting 40 volunteers who are our ‘super-board’. Will help us plan what we want to do long term. How can we support people in need? If we are in need, how do we get support (e.g. one goal could be to keep older people in their homes five years longer by giving them the support we need).
4. Fall Harvest Event - Venue – we have outgrown the venue on Dunbar – looking for other options, Erb St. Mennonite only holds 80 seated – need to look at Lourdes church; First United is another option but there is a cost. Looking at possible dates – right now we have penciled in Tuesday October 23 (or sometime that week depending on availability of venue). Tennille to look into Lourdes church; Pat to look into First United).
5. Pumpkin Patch – meet at 6:15 in playground of Lourdes School for 6:30pm departure; event goes between 6:30 and 8pm. If people don’t want to do the parade, they can go straight to the park. Have prize for best pumpkin – vote.
6. Possible future events:
a. Book exchange - Wed. Nov. 28th - Carmen to organize -maybe towards the end of November with some refreshments – Erb St. Mennonite Church;
b. Neighbourhood garage sale - Spring – Plan at a later date c. Lourdes – sports/games nights (Lisa) – she has booked a few Monday nights – badminton? volleyball? Dodgeball? – Oct 4th (sport); Nov 1 - might possibly change this to the Nov 8th (cards and board games); Dec 6th (sport). Carmen to promote via our various communication mediums. 6:00pm-8pm. Dodgeball at 6pm – Volleyball at 7pm. Make sure to communicate that people need to bring non-marking shoes.
7. Sponsors - Christa (who was absent at the meeting but passed on questions to Tennille about getting sponsors). She was wondering how many newsletters we would need to get advertising for. We think we will have a few electronic newsletters and one printed one per year. Perhaps we could see if we could get sponsors for the UWNA as whole and then we would say that we would get ‘x’ advertising (at events, newsletter etc).
8. Clothesline initiative – think about partnering with REEP and getting some funding through TD Friends of Environment; KW Community Foundation; OPA Conservation Fund. We will ask people at the AGM who is interested in being part of a committee to build this initiative. Carry Forward Items: 1. Website sub-committee to meet to talk about design of website and get back to the board. 2. Tennille to ask new neighbour if he is interested in helping to put a website together 3. Need to decide whether we want to go ahead with fridge magnets or with another ‘business supply’ to hand out to UWNA residents. 4. Jenn to ask colleague how to reach out to residents of Seagram lofts 5. Reflect on what we did accomplish over the past year and prepare a short report to present at AGM. 6. Send a call out for additional volunteers for the Board. 7. Emerson/Sara to send an email version of the report they put together from the work they did this summer. 8. Firm up venue and date for Fall Harvest Event Items to add to AGM/harvest event - ask people how many meetings a year to be open to everyone (two, four?...) - give report of what has been accomplished, plans for 2012/2013 – celebrate accomplishments - call for additional board members - announce upcoming events - possible craft for kids related to Pumpkin Patch – lantern
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