Durand Neighbourhood Association

HESS STREET TRAFFIC STUDY – VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Durand Neighbourhood Association — Sat, 25 May 2013 12:49:56 +0000

Dear Duranders and Friends of the Durand
Would you give a few hours of your time and volunteer to monitor traffic on Hess Street South. We’re trying to take advantage of the fact that the Queen Street hill closes on June 3rd to see how much of the traffic on Hess South is attributable to commuters from Queen Street. We need volunteers from 7am to 9am Monday June 3, Friday June 7, and June 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14. Your help in this matter would be most appreciated. We appealed to our Councillor to ask for the Traffic Department to do this for us. We have heard nothing, so we are asking Duranders to help. As you may or may not know, HESS STREET SOUTH is not an ARTERIAL ROAD. Traffic from the Queen Street Hill should be going along Herkimer and down Bay ( or make Queen 2 way )

This evidence will perhaps help the City Traffic Department to make the necessary changes to quiet down Hess Street South.
At this link, you’ll find all the documents necessary to help make this a success:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B_740BT3Mv_tbGlqb3NQcUJpa1k&usp=sharing

The documents are:
1) an information sheet that gives precise instructions on how to count the cars as accurately as possible. We don’t want to give the city any excuses to not take this seriously.
2) A schedule for the 10 days. You should be able to edit this schedule and all changes are saved automatically, just put your name in for a day between 7 and 9 when you can help out.
3) A sheet to print off and use to count the cars. Please try to count the cars in each 15 minute time window so that we can make this as precise as possible.
Yours, Simon Kiss

********************
Simon J. Kiss, PhD
Assistant Professor, Wilfrid Laurier University
73 George Street
Brantford, Ontario, Canada
N3T 2C9
Cell: +1 905 746 7606

Public Meeting – Closure of Queen Street Hill – May 21 (7pm)

Durand Neighbourhood Association — Tue, 21 May 2013 05:30:05 +0000

The Queen Street Hill (Beckett Drive) is scheduled to be closed for reconstruction from early June until the end of August. Staff will provide details of the construction, alternative routes, alternative modes of transportation, and the HSR detour route at a public meeting:

Date: Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Council Chambers, City Hall
Address: 71 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario (Google Maps)

Participatory Budget Info Sessions & New Horizon in the Media

Durand Neighbourhood Association — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:08:01 +0000

Participatory Budget Ward 2 Update
Thanks to everyone who came out to the PB Ward 2 (PBW2) special Durand Board meeting. As you know, this gives resident’s of ward 2 direct control over 1 million dollars to spend on infrastructure in their neighbourhood. Get all the details at one of many sessions going on in the ward.

New Horizon Homes Phase 3 – In the media …

Our president is interviewed in a CBC Hamilton article on the New Horizon Homes 17 story third tower (Phase 3) issue.

Durand Residents Kelly Foyle and Simon Kiss wrote a great article providing reflections on the New Horizon Homes Phase 3 Public Information Centre

Have a great weekend Duranders!

Special Durand Meeting Reminder – Tues. May 14

Durand Neighbourhood Association — Tue, 14 May 2013 01:12:10 +0000

[REMINDER] The Durand Neighbourhood Association Hosts A Special Meeting – You Are Invited!

Durand participates in City budgeting.

Date: Tuesday 14 May
Time: 7:00 pm
Place: City Hall Room 192/193

In more than a thousand cities around the world, residents like you are directly determining how their cities spend their budgets. Starting in May 2013, you can, too! Norman Kearney, the facilitator for Ward 2′s Participatory Budgeting (PB) project will explain the process and answer questions. PB gives you and your neighbours the power to reshape the places you live, work, and play. It’s tangible, it’s empowering, and it’s fun!

Participating online is easy too. Simply visit pbhamont.ca/participate to find out when, where, and how. Or call our office at 905.523.4444 x 112.

DURAND NEIGHBOURHOOD ASSOCIATION’S OBJECTION TO DENY 17 STOREYS

Durand Neighbourhood Association — Sun, 12 May 2013 16:14:11 +0000

Please see the letter that the Durand Neighbourhood Association submitted to the Planning Department regarding New Horizon Home’s latest proposal for a 17 storey tower on Block 3 and our reasons for denying this application. I have also posted for your reference the MOS from 1996.

DNA – May 2013 Letter to Planning Committee re Thistle

DNA – Minutes of Settlement January 1996

NASTY RUMOUR – JUST THE FACTS!

Durand Neighbourhood Association — Sun, 12 May 2013 13:48:48 +0000

Someone is spreading a nasty rumour that the DNA is behind a secret conspiracy to cut down all the trees in Durand Park. – NOT TRUE!

As part of the Durand Park Revitalization project, which begins this spring, the city’s forestry department will review all the trees in the Park.

Based on their assessment, trees that are in poor health, hazardous, suckering trees, dead, invasive or harmful to the environment will be removed.

As of recently, the City’s forestry department has identified some Ash trees in the berm at the corner of Charlton and Park that have suffered the ravage of the Ash Borer and need to be taken down. As well, the dwarf pines in the same berm will be removed because they were meant to be shrubs and are now scraggy water sucking trees. Additionally, the trees that back onto the 2 houses on Charlton need be removed as the roots have eroded the retaining wall and the area has been deemed unsafe. The retaining wall will be rebuilt and new trees will be planted.

Please Note: Many New Trees are included in the revitalization and will be selected and planted as per landscape designs, yet to be finalized!!

These are positive developments for Durand Park and the “Users of Durand Park”

This issue and many other topics will be discussed at the DNA Board meeting taking place this Tuesday, May 14th at 7 pm, City Hall, Rooms 192/193.

Please feel free to attend and spread the word! We need engaged citizens.

DURANDERS “Please help promote Participatory Budget Process Saturday May 16th.

Durand Neighbourhood Association — Fri, 10 May 2013 22:08:08 +0000

This is short notice, but if you have some time tomorrow, Norman Kearney is looking for volunteers who could help to promote the Participatory Budget Process this Saturday morning at 9am in Front of City Hall.

Contact Norman Kearney if you can help out:

Norman M. Kearney
Founder & Facilitator, Participatory Budgeting Ward 2
267 King Street East, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 1B9
Tel: 905.523.4444 x 112 | Web: www.pbhamont.ca

We meet in front of City Hall at 9am. I will distribute flyers
and registration forms. We will go door-to-door in the neighbourhoods where
there was no participation. We will collect phone numbers and email
addresses, and we will get people excited about the $1 million that they
control. Our goal is to get 20 people out per assembly next Wednesday. We
will follow up with residents by phone and email on Tuesday.

Residents can register online at www.pbhamont.ca/register.

Thank you,
Norman

Duranders Tell New Horizon Homes “NO” to 17 and “YES” to 4 !

Durand Neighbourhood Association — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:27:06 +0000

Over 100 Duranders attended the information meeting last night Thursday, May 9th to tell New Horizon Homes and more specifically Mr Paikin that 17 storeys is not acceptable. To NHH’s credit, the presentation was brief as Duranders certainly knew what the original proposal called for. For over 90 minutes, Duranders expressed their dismay, their anger, and outrage with the application to amend the zoning bylaw to allow for 17 storeys. They questioned both the planner and Mr Paikin and it was obvious Duranders were not buying the song and dance.

Thank you to Nicholas Kevlahan, who presented an overview of what exactly this developer bought into when he partnered with Dundurn Edge to develop the former Thistle Site. Mr Paikin continued to deny that he was aware of the “Minutes of Settlement” signed in 1996 which outlined height restrictions for this property and that was 7 storeys, 8 storeys and 4 storeys on Park Street South. Would this not be “due diligence” on the part of New Horizon Homes?

And for those of you who were not there last night, Duranders were informed that on previous occasions New Horizon Homes and Mr Paikin had come to the DNA to share his plans to request 2 additional storeys on each of the 2 Towers. The DNA was supportive even though several Duranders were upset with our decision to not go to Committee of Adjustment to deny his request. However, for whatever reason New Horizon Homes never bothered to contact us with the new application for 17 storeys and we did not become aware until one of our Board members happened by the sign posted at Robinson and Park South and an email from a resident who had received a notice to attend this very meeting last night. Quite a change and certainly for the DNA and Duranders, disrespectful of our neighbourhood.

By the way, that letter only goes to residents that live within 120 metres of the proposed application. Had it not been for those Duranders who delivered over 500 flyers this past weekend and our DNA blogs, most of us would have had no idea of this meeting. Not only that those that have already purchased in Tower 1 and Tower 2 have no idea what they will be looking at. We had in attendance 3 new purchasers that got wind of this meeting. They were very vocal about how upset they are and would not have purchased had they known that they could be looking at a 17 storey tower. Not only that, they have a clause in their agreement saying that they can not oppose any zoning amendments!

Besides the 17 storeys, visitor parking that was originally to be located on the west side of the property has now been moved to what was to be lovely gardens and green space between the 2 towers. So those residents now will be looking at vehicles in the centre of their space and a black hole of 17 storeys.

This is just beginning. On the way out of the meeting, Mr Paikin informed me that no one would WIN! We must stay the course. If you have not already submitted your letters to to the planning department and Councillor Farr, please do so. The next step is for planning to review, accept, deny or make recommendations to the developer. It will then go to the Council members of the Planning Committee, where we will again have the opportunity to present our objections and then to Council. Should the developer be denied. He can then go to Committee of Adjustment and then to the OMB. We, too can go to the OMB. It works both ways. It is imperative that Councillor Farr be aware of your objections and to have our City support the best interests of our neighbourhood

This could be a very long process!

The DNA will keep you informed by way of this blog. Thank you once again for your passion, your commitment for continuing the battle to preserve this fabulous historic southwest neighbourhood ” DURAND”. Lets not let developers destroy what we fought so hard for. Good Urban Planning! Not walls of towers that Torontonians are trying to escape from.

Durand & Participatory Budget / Hamilton SPN Launch / New Horizon Issue in RTH

Durand Neighbourhood Association — Thu, 09 May 2013 04:36:57 +0000

As usual, there is a lot going on in the Durand, here is this week’s update:

1. Durand is hosting a special meeting of the Participatory Budget
Join fellow Duranders at City Hall, Rm. 192/193, Tuesday May 14 at 7 pm. Get the details here.

2. The Sustainability Professionals Network (SPN) is launching in Hamilton.

On Wednesday May 15th at 7 pm at the Pheasant Plucker on Augusta. If you intend to come, please register for free on the event brite page. Help shape the mandate of the group that aims to connect sustainably professionals and develop community projects to further the sustainability of the community.

3. Durand Neighbourhood ‘Betrayed’ By New Horizon Rezoning Application

Read the article in Raise the Hammer on the New Horizon Homes issue and attend the meeting tonight (May 9th) at 7pm at Ryerson Recreation Centre to have your voice heard.

Sustainability Professionals Network – Launch Event May 15th

Durand Neighbourhood Association — Thu, 09 May 2013 04:16:46 +0000

Help launch Hamilton’s first Sustainability Professionals Network!
IGNITE session, Networking event, Idea sharing

Wednesday, May 15, 2013
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Pheasant Plucker, 20 Augusta Street, Hamilton ON, L8N LP7 RSVP(No cost): http://hamiltonspnlaunch.eventbrite.com/

Join us on May 15, 2013 from 6pm-9pm for the launch of Hamilton’s first Sustainability Professionals Network (SPN). The SPN hopes to engage both individuals and groups that work in or study the field of sustainability and provide networking opportunities so that we can collaborate on projects and potentially develop new projects together in order to further sustainability in Hamilton.

We are excited about the launch of this group, and hope that it will continue to inspire collaboration in Hamilton and augment existing efforts in our City, such as the Durand Neighbourhood Association. Please consider sending a representative from your group to share more about the work that you are doing. Also, please spread the word to your networks!

Highlights include:

* IGNITE: a concise, fast-paced, and engaging presentation format in which local professionals will further the conversation around sustainability

* Networking with professionals, entrepreneurs, technical and creative people who are committed to building a more sustainable future for Hamilton!

* Hors d’oeuvres will be served

* Opportunity to shape the development of the SPN

Please register through Eventbrite: http://hamiltonspnlaunch.eventbrite.com/

For more event details, visit the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/566344910065145/

The launch has been made possible by two key SPN sponsors: LURA Consulting and EcoStride Group