31st SVSACS Members Meeting Minutes
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Call to Order
The 31st regular monthly meeting of the Southeast Vancouver Seniors Arts & Cultural Society (SVSACS) was called to order at 10:10 a.m., on Thursday, April 29, 2010, at Killarney Community Centre.
Attendance
The following members were present:
Manfred Hagen, George Grant, Mohinder Sidhu, Amarjit Gill, Des Burke, Gail McKay, Tom Chin, Joyce Leong, Danny Li, Constable Heather Brown, Elsa Hui, Mabel Leung, Kamlesh Sethi, Art Lum, Barbara Warner, Wendy Enslander, Donna Davies, Joan Wright, Lorna Gibbs
Regrets: Dan Chapelski, Keith Jacobson, Bert Massiah, Jazmin Miranda, John Pawluk, Tom Holmes
Approval of April 29 Agenda
Manfred Hagen made a motion to approve the agenda. Seconded. Carried.
Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
Manfred Hagen made a motion to approve the March 4 Meeting Minutes. Seconded by George Grant. Carried.
Correspondence
Correspondence file folder was circulated.
President's Report: Lorna Gibbs
New Horizons for Seniors Project – The Mixing Bowl: Inaugural event was held April 27 at South Vancouver Neignbourhood House (SVNH) Reception Hall. Guests included City Councillor Suzanne Anton, the Constituency Assistant from Mable Elmore's office, South Vancouver Neighbourhood House Directors, Margaret Homonnay and Barbara Warner from Champlain Heights Community Centre, and Art Lum representing Killarney Seniors Society.
Congratulations and thanks to hostesses Mabel Leung and Selina Lau, Sharon Lau Ying Tong and the SVNH Visioning Group. Every detail was planned with infinite care to ensure a memorable occasion. Entertainment included musicians and dancers of professional status, antique displays, Chinese brush-painting with Master Wong, traditional tea ceremony, and a beautiful Tai Chi demonstration. Each guest took home good feelings, good memories, and a gift of special chopsticks and instructions. The recipes used for the delicious food served will be published with stories and photographs in a book entitled, "The Mixing Bowl."
Representatives from SVSACS also participated in several street festivals and community events, including: the Vasaikhi Festival on Fraser and Main Streets, the Victoria-Fraserview-Killarney Annual Community Meeting, and Earth Day at Everett Crowley Park.
Monthly "Tea" and "Friday Afternoon at the Movies" events continued through March and April, with 35 seniors present in March, and 25 in April. These movie matinees bring considerable pleasure to local seniors who do not travel downtown.
Meeting Schedule: Both May and June meetings will be held at 7 p.m. at Killarney Community Centre in the Boardroom. In July, we will begin to alternate times so that the July Meeting will be at 10 a.m., and the September meeting will be at 7 p.m.
Seniors Centre Update: Keith Jacobson (not available)
Treasurers Report: Dan Chapelski (not available)
Fundraising Report: Jazmin Miranda (on vacation)
Safety for Seniors: Constable Heather Brown, Collingwood Community Policing Centre
A new Inspector, Jeff Simms, has been appointed for Collingwood Area which covers Killarney and Champlain Heights. Crime statistics are reported as low over the last week with seven residential break-&-enters centred around the Joyce-Collingwood and Mount Pleasant areas. Hot spots are identified and monitored by bike squads. Break-&-enters occur especially during warmer weather, when residents leave doors and windows open or unlocked on ground and/or second-storey levels. If you require assistance, someone from the Collingwood Community Policing Centre will come and check your sliding doors for security. Phone: 604-717-2935
The best security is to know your neighbours and one good way to accomplish this is to hold a "Block Party." Grants are available to assist residents to put a Block Party together, and police will also close off streets.
Dealing with unexpected knocks on the door:
- Don't sit silently and scared.
- Acknowledge the knock by shouting something like: "Okay honey, I'll get the door."
- Shout through the door. (Don't open it.) "Yes, can I help you?"
- If you don't recognize the caller, simply say through the door, "No thanks. We're not interested."
- If the knock is persistent, or you are suspicious, call "911".
Other suggestions:
- Lock up recycle boxes so binners don't become regulars rifling your trash.
- Keep tidy premises, store tools and other items out of sight.
- Call non-emergency numbers if strangers are coming into your yard.
- Report fires in neighbourhood parks to the Fire Department.
Prompt reporting of any suspicious activity to the Policing Centre is vital. When several calls from a specific area are noted, patrols are assigned. If no calls are received, the Policing Centre assumes all is well and patrols are not assigned. If you suspect drug-dealing in your neighbourhood, and you can safely get licence numbers of cars frequenting that address, report them to "911". To receive weekly crime statistics for your area, go to the VPD website (http://www.vpd.ca), and register by using your postal code.
Victoria-Fraserview-Killarney Committee:
George Grant, Chairman
The Annual Community Meeting was not well-attended. There were several other events, and lack of funding for adequate advertising certainly played a role. Constable Heather Brown was the keynote speaker, and her messages were:
- Get to know your neighbours;
- Start a Neighbourhood Watch Group; and
- Make prompt reports to the Vancouver Police Department about suspicious activities.
Victoria-Fraserview-Killarney's (VFK) achievements include upgrades to Tecumseh and Fraserview Parks. Tecumseh is nearing completion, and Fraserview will be substantially complete by March 2011. George continues to monitor the Norquay Neighbourhood Centre planning, and receives input from the Norquay Residents Association and others monitoring this City of Vancouver planning proposal.
ParkLane's request to alter the schedule of development of the East Fraser Lands was
approved by City Council in January 2010, and preliminary work is underway near Kent and Kerr Streets.
City Planners have proposed the development of 19 neighbourhood centres as part of a masterplan to create "a city of neighbourhoods." One of these is centered around 41st and Victoria Drive, and would stretch south to at least East 49th. The timeline for this has not been set.
The development in Kensington-Cedar Cottage at Knight and Kingsway was the first neighbourhood centre, and Norquay is the second in Community Visions Program areas adjacent to VFK. Zoning changes normally extend several blocks around the centre, and are done to increase density. Rezoning may impact the tax value of property. There is concern that rezoning may result in increased taxes, which may force residents to sell and move. George will be distributing his notes from the citizens' meeting on April 29, 2010 concerning Norquay. Housing, community amenities and transportation are the issues of most concern to residents.
Consultations for the City of Vancouver's next Capital Plan (2012-2014) will probably begin in June of this year, in time for the 2011 civic election.
The next VFK meeting will be Thursday, May 27, 7 p.m., at Killarney Community Centre, and you are invited and encouraged to attend.
George has compiled a "Community Resources List" (attached), and would appreciate hearing of any organizations not included, or corrections, to ensure the accuracy of the list.
Other Discussion
Des Burke questioned value of using of petition sheets, as he had experienced reluctance from some people to sign anything, while others thought he was trying to sell them something. He wondered if there was a better way for people to express support.
Joan explained that signatures are useful for collecting statistics on the numbers of residents (voters) who want a local seniors' centre, and that recorded supporter numbers do count. People who sign and want more information can be contacted. Contact information allow us to recruit those interested for new members to SVSACS. A database has been started, but a volunteer is needed to input data.
Next Meeting
The next SVSACS meeting will be on will be May 20, 7 p.m., at Killarney Community Centre, Boardroom.
Adjournment
Meeting adjourned 11:30 a.m.
— Joan Wright, Recorder
— Lorna Gibbs, Chair
Please Note
Correction: Correction was required following the meeting to change date of Annual General Meeting. Our AGM has been re-scheduled for June 17 due to technical difficulties.
Nominating Committee for 2010: Volunteers needed to run the nominating committee, or nominations may be accepted from floor at the meeting. Lorna requests help preparing and distributing ballots, if required. Membership Coordinator, Tom Chin will be available for a half-hour before commencement of the May 20 meeting, so check your membership and renew if necessary.
May 18 "The Mixing Bowl": The next "Mixing Bowl" event will be presented by the Italian group, and is tentatively scheduled for May 18. Space is limited, so all "Mixing Bowl" events are by invitation. If you would like to participate, please call Lorna at: 604-325-0163.
May 27 VFK Committee Meeting: Please attend VFK meeting on May 27, 7 p.m., at the Killarney Community Centre.
May 28 Friday Afternoon at the Movies: The Blind Side, May 28, 1:30 p.m., at Champlain Heights Community Centre. Movies and refreshments are offered free of charge on the final Friday of each month. This involves some work (of course), so your participation will be appreciated.
June 5 Public Event Participation: Volunteers for SVSACS/VFK joint booth at Champlain Heights Summer Festival on June 5 are: Manfred, Mohinder, Wendy, George and Lorna. Other committee members are encouraged to come and help out. It is not difficult. just be there to smile; tell people about the lack of a seniors' centre; and invite them to join our society and help with organizing movies and other events to promote our cause.
