GPAC Meeting Minutes
GPAC Meeting Minutes from December 16, 2009
Grange Park Advisory Committee Meeting
Meeting of December 16, 2009
Held at the Centre for Social Innovation
Members in attendance:
Rupert Duchesne, Co-Chair, AGO
Councillor Adam Vaughan, Co-chair
John Burns, St. George the Martyr Church
Peter Caldwell, OCAD
Bev Carret, AGO
Peter Couto, resident
Mike Mahoney, AGO
Debbie McGuinness, resident
Pat McKendry, resident, social housing and co-ops
Mazyar Mortazavi, member-at-large
Ceta Ramkhalawansingh, resident
Debra Shime, University Settlement
Netami Stuart, City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation (alternate)
Observers and guests:
Ralph Daley, President, Grange Community Association
Regrets
Mark Emslie, City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation
Ken Greenberg, resource person, AGO
Marguerite Newell, resident
Matthew Teitelbaum, AGO
Margie Zeidler, member-at-large
Summary of Discussion:
Approval of the minutes of September 14, 2009
Minutes were approved
Business Arising from the minutes
- Grange Park Fence: Mike Mahoney noted that in the spring the AGO will replace the dead sod by the fence installed at the north-west corner of the park.
- Four Grange Road: Bev advised that the City Planning Department was looking to bring the re-zoning of Four Grange Road to the first committee meeting in 2010.
- Film Permit Protocol : Adam advised that a paid duty police officer will be assigned to all film shoots. The officer will be provided with a card that lists all the responsibilities that film crews must abide by. Adam agreed that a copy of the card will be provided to GPAC members.
Maintenance initiative for Grange Park
Bev informed the committee that the mulching of all the trees in Grange Park will happen before the end of December. The work will be done by Growers Choice, which submitted the most cost-effective bid to PMA Landscape Architects. As discussed and agreed upon by PMA, AGO and City of Toronto Parks, pine chip mulch with a wood base will be used, which will allow for the necessary aeration and proper drainage for the trees. Mulching will be put 2.5 meters around each tree, covering any exposed roots. The depth will be 3 inches. The total amount of mulch used will be approximately 410 yards.
This maintenance initiative was a good test case to begin developing a new protocol between AGO/GPAC and the City Parks Department regarding future contracted work in Grange. Discussions to formalize the protocol will start in the New Year. Ralph questioned how neighbourhood involvement will be incorporated into the process; it was agreed this element will need to be included as part of the protocol.
Toronto Entertainment District BIA Master Plan – John Street Corridor
The Master Plan brochure from the Toronto Entertainment District BIA was distributed for information. The plan includes a vision for the John Street Corridor from the waterfront up to Grange Park. It was agreed that when a landscape designer is engaged for Grange Park, consultation with the Toronto Entertainment District BIA will be critical to ensure aesthetic harmonization between the two projects. It was also noted that the heritage of John Street and its relationship to The Grange house will need to be recognized.
New Business
- Fundraising update
Rupert reported that the AGO is actively pursuing one or two major donors to fund the Grange Park revitalization project. Discussions are continuing with potential donors who have expressed interest in the project, not withstanding the current economic climate. This can be a gradual process but progress is being made.
Next Meeting
It was agreed to hold the next GPAC meeting the same evening as the neighbourhood meeting coordinated by the Grange Community Association.
Rupert summarized GPAC’s achievements since the creation of the committee in July 2008:
- Completed a comprehensive audit of Grange Park’s natural environment
- Developed a design brief (vision document) for Grange Park
- Provided progress reports at neighbourhod meetings in December 2008 and June 2009
- Circulated an information flyer recapping the June 2009 meeting to all households in the neighbourhood (postal walk)
- Created a Grange Park website
- Worked with the Grange Community Association to develop event permit criteria to protect the park’s natural environment
- Began discussions with the City to develop a new maintenance protocol
- Undertook the first maintenance initiative – mulching all the trees in Grange Park
GPAC will share this recap at the neighbourhood meeting.
Co-chairs Adam Vaughan and Rupert Duchesne thanked GPAC members for their hard work; the Committee ended the meeting giving a tribute to Grange Park and its future.
The next GPAC meeting will be held on Wednesday April 28, 5:30pm at OCAD, Room 284. The Grange Community Association meeting for neighbours will follow at 7:30 pm at OCAD, Main Lecture Hall,