james
New Member
Posts: 15
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Post by james on Jun 12, 2013 11:39:45 GMT -5
Hi James - As Playground Co-Chairs, Mark and I raised the issue of the fencing last year. Brian opened work orders for those issues. I am assuming the work orders are buried at the bottom of the board's to-do list, but could be mentioned. snip Thanks Meg. I'm not sure how much I would want to push that there are outstanding work orders prior to the broader work being done on the yard, so I may hold off. Good to know though. In theory Facilities should be aware of them and has prioritized them. If facilities were actually to deny the issue it would be useful in a follow up. Its the thing of yes the work should be done now, but if they were actually to repair/ replace existing fencing etc asap it would be harder to argue for fencing being pushed back at least to the property line after the fact, if Facilities has just invested money repaired it. I would like to try to get a commitment from the trustees that parking and yard improvements are separate issues, then work away at the rest based on intent of trustees. I realize this is not what should be done safety wise, but I do worry about how long term options are affected by potentially accelerating needed maintenance. That said it is on facility's to do list, so if they get motivated to do it, we can argue the details then with the intention to respect long term options. Hope this makes sense?? BTW if playground wishes to use any portions of our letter feel free. |
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Post by kellskitchen on Jun 16, 2013 14:00:20 GMT -5
OCDSB Backs Down in GlebeSo the OCDSB is listening to the Glebe Community, but we have to express our opposition to a similar plan every year for the past 3 years? I will be attending the OCDSB meeting on Tuesday to ask a question of the staff and trustees. Any suggestions on what that question should be?
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james
New Member
Posts: 15
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Post by james on Jun 17, 2013 11:22:57 GMT -5
OCDSB Backs Down in GlebeSo the OCDSB is listening to the Glebe Community, but we have to express our opposition to a similar plan every year for the past 3 years? I will be attending the OCDSB meeting on Tuesday to ask a question of the staff and trustees. Any suggestions on what that question should be? Hi Kelly, I just forwarded you a copy of my comments to the OCDSB regarding report 13-090. The issue is that after multiple attempts, 3 of which in the last 3 years, it has gone from a request or OCDSB Facilities recommendation, to harassment and bullying of the school community by the OCDSB and funded on the taxpayers dollar, to support an unofficial policy that goes against school community wishes and the intent and policy of upper levels of government. I think we need to ask the trustees to clearly direct facilities management that Devonshire yard improvements and yard improvement budgets are not to be tied to the provision of additional parking, that OCDSB Facilities is to stop bringing parking solutions which repurpose existing yard and green space at Devonshire for use for teacher parking, as it has been clearly rejected, and that if OCDSB Facilities wishes to provide additional teacher parking, that it be found off site or underground without negatively impacting exterior usable spaces. Jamie |
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Post by Jennifer McKenzie on Jun 17, 2013 15:07:40 GMT -5
This is good news. The ten on-street parking spots that she and I negotiated last year have been confirmed as long-term by Councillor Diane Holmes. Jennifer McKenzie OCDSB Trustee Hello Jennifer, I want to confirm for you the long-term nature of the on-street City parking permits provided for teachers at Devonshire school, in exchange for parking spots provided for City use at the Ottawa Tech. site. There are no plans to revoke the on-street City parking permits for teachers at Devonshire school. They can be considered a long-term solution to the parking issues at this location. Sincerely, Diane Councillor Diane Holmes Somerset Ward 613-580-2484 Diane.Holmes@ottawa.ca www.dianeholmes.ca |
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Post by Nicholas Olmstead on Jun 18, 2013 23:13:41 GMT -5
Well, the Board passed the funding this evening without the parking restrictions so, it looks like we get the yard improvements without the parking clawback. I don't remember the exact wording of the motion (there was a flurry of amendments and points of order going about) but Jennifer tried really hard to get some generic wording put in the motion preventing playspace clawback in all urban schools but I think it was finally decided to just limit that to Devonshire. So, we shouldn't have to go through this again next summer.
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Post by Jennifer McKenzie on Jun 19, 2013 7:03:22 GMT -5
Two important motions passed through Committee last night (still to be ratified by Board)
The first is a motion by Trustee Campbell (Mutchmor's trustee) which directs staff to develop a Green Employer Active Transport, Commuting and Parking Support Policy which covers among other things parking space planning and allocation and develops a set of progressive active transportation and pro-public transit/carpooling supports and expectations.
The second is a modification to the staff recommendation to essentially proceed with playground parking as follows:
A. THAT the Board approve the project budget of $2.8 million for Devonshire Community Public School as detailed in Report 13-090 except that no parking spaces are to be created in the play yard as was outlined in Paragraph 4; and
B. That the school community be consulted before plans for yard improvements are finalized; and
C. THAT the project be financed from the School Condition Improvement grant as part of the Board's annual budgets in the years the work is undertaken; and
D. THAT staff be directed not to recommend any further parking spots be created in the play yard at Devonshire Community Public School until such time as a Green Employer Parking Policy is developed and approved by the Board;
A further part E directing staff to explore the feasibility of using EDC (developer charges) to buy land need schools with severely restricted parking was put off to another meeting. We have been talking a lot about this and lobbying the Province to allow us to use EDCs to buy school buildings as well as land. Also additions in for growth in established areas of the City. This is a more long term project.
I also inquired about how Heritage work would be done, particularly as the windows are replaced. Staff will be hiring a heritage consultant to assist with the work. They also answered questions about the elevator placement. Total renovation budget is for $4 Million once all is said and done and previous work included.
Jennifer McKenzie
613 729 1021
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