Hi all,
Great possibilities ahead!
1) SUMMER ARTS CAMP IN DOUG FLUHRER PARK? Thanks so much to Greg Tilson of the Kingston Arts Council for connecting us with Chaka of Africville. Have a look at www.outofthecity.org. We are really excited about the possibility of two week summer arts camp in Doug Fluhrer Park for about 15 kids of all ages. They will make Zimbabwian stone sculptures and engage in other arts activities as well. Really hoping this will all work out in the days ahead.
2) SPRING CLEAN-UPS a) Sunday, April 28 Doug Fluhrer Park. Meet in the park at 9 am. Free coffee, juice and muffins.
b) Sunday, May 5 The old rail line from River St. to Belle Park. Free coffee, juice and muffins.
Rain or shine for both events.
Last year these were fun events. Not so many old tires, beds and sofas this year. Mostly regular junk.
But it will look great when it is all cleaned up for the season!
Do come and bring the whole family- even for just an hour. Bring gloves and a rake if you have one.
3) CASINO SURVEY RESULTS: Not surprisingly, 97 % of respondents said `NO`to a casino in Kingston
4) KINGSTON ROWING CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT: YOUTH COACHING CLINIC Date: Saturday April 6, 2013
Price: ONLY $16 + tax and lunch will be provided
Time: 8:30am to 5:30pm
Location: Queen’s University in the Alumni Lounge
To Register:
click here KRC does have paid youth coaching opportunities. Once you have completed this course, contact them for more info.
5) WEBPAGE IMPROVEMENTS!!: CALENDAR, LINKS, PICS EMBEDDED + GALLERY Thanks so much for suggestions made – especially to James Brown for the calendar, to son Andrew for webpage changes and to Edward Farrar and Melissa Hurley for contributing photos. http://friendsofinnerharbour.com
If you have photos you would like to contribute e-mail them to inverarymary@yahoo.com.
Check out the calendar from time to time throughout the month as items are posted when received.
6) PUBLIC VISIONING EXERCISE FOR DOUG FLUHRER PARK: A request for proposals went out in February for a consultant (See attachment – Final F31…). Public meetings will be scheduled for May and June with a final public meeting in September. The Wellington St. Extension remains an issue. Stay tuned.
7) THE TRAIL: LANDSCAPE PLAN, LAYOUT AND GRADING PLAN FOR THE FIRST SECTION has been completed! Work is to begun this spring. Hoping for volunteers willing to help with landscaping in either late spring or in the fall. More in May update.
8) QUEEN CITY OIL COMPANY (9 NORTH ST.) Working behind the scenes with the City to do something with this designated heritage building whose roof fell in over a year ago. Details to follow when plans become more firm.
9) I AM WATER – EXHIBIT A reminder about this excellent multi-media arts event including boat builders, artists and academics at the Pump House Steam Museum. See April Calendar in webpage.
10) KINGSTON JANE’S WALKS In honour of the work of urban activist Jane Jacobs, walks are currently being planned in Kingston for May 4th and 5th, 2013. These walks will look at sites and oral histories possibly including Kingston’s Black History, Jewish History, Gay and Lesbian Histories, or history of Public Art. The idea is to engage in discussion about these communities’ in the past, present and future.
Click Here, or email Kingston Organizer Claire Grady-Smith at claire.gradysmith@gmail.com. Claire is particularly interested to know if anyone can lead a walk to illuminate the rich history of this area’s First Nations communities.
11) CITY’S PARKLAND BY-LAW: what text do you want FYI: If you are interested in signing a petition to protect the amount of green space builders would be required to provide in areas of high density housing, here is a link submitted by the newly formed community group, the Parks and Climate Network (Kingston, ON)
(Right click to open link in new tab).
Click on this link
12) PUBLIC MEETINGS re Enbridge’s Line 9 Pipeline bringing heavy crude from Alberta to the east coast.
Concern: If there is a break in the pipeline it could wreak havok in the Great Cataraqui River and the Inner Harbour.
a) Rural Advisory Committee Meeting, Tuesday, Apr 2, Loyalist Rm. City Hall. 7-9 pm
b) National Energy Board Public Info Meeting: Holiday Inn Express, 11 Benson St. Wed. April 3, 6:30-8:30 pm.
13) NORTH BLOCK DEVELOPMENT The City is asking for your opinion as to how the parking lot beside the KROCK Centre should be developed. Three options: a) Low-rise condos, b) high-rise condos, c) high-rise hotel and convention centre. To leave your comments and suggestions, visit the City`s excellent page at www.cityofkingston.ca/northblock and fill out the form from the Open House held March 28 or email your suggestions to northblockproject@cityofkingston.ca.
14) PUBLIC OPEN HO– USE TO DEVELOP POPULATION PROJECTIONS FOR THE CITY OF KINGSTON
April 10, 6:30 – 8:30. The Wilson Room, Kingston Public Library, 130 Johnson St. Kingston. The City will prepare low, medium and high projections to be used to plan housing, infrastructure, development and service delivery in the years to come – plans that will have a direct bearing on Inner Harbour concerns.
15) SHORELINE SHUFFLE – SUNDAY, JUNE 23. You are all invited to what will be an amazing waterfront awareness event. Walkers, cyclists, wheel chairs, skateboarders, kayakers, canoers, boaters of all sorts are welcome to join together at 10:30 am in Doug Fluhrer Park and proceed to Lake Ontario Park. An Aboriginal Water Ceremony will begin the event followed by a welcome from David McDonald of the Water Access Group. Leaders/guides will be present on both land and water. Walkers will proceed via Kingston’s Waterfront Pathway; cyclists on downtown roads – safe on Sunday mornings. Art Installations will be placed strategically along the way. We will be looking at the good, the bad and the ugly and will later take participants’ suggestion for improving our waterfront to the City.
More details next month.
16) OTHER EVENTS IN THE PARK THIS SUMMER: If you have ideas for events this summer and/or might be willing to help out with organization please do get in touch. Thanks to Barry Lloyd for volunteering to lead a few Inner Harbour Heritage Tours, to Bardi for offering to help with heritage documents and event planning, to Mike and Jane Cole-Hamilton for offering to help with publicity. It will be great to have the Sunday Drumming Circles back again. Thanks to Alicia and Julian for that. We could use someone to organize a couple of dog walking events – meet and greets perhaps? Will be in touch again next month about getting some sort of summer schedule organized.
ONGOING INITIATIVES AND CONCERNS
1) Grant application for audio tour and map/brochure (Community Foundation): still pending
2) Grant application for summer student (Service Canada): still pending
3) Charitable Status Application (Charities Directorate, Ottawa): still pending
4) Spring/Summer Tour and Event Schedule: still to be formulated
5) Frontenac Arch Biosphere Paddling Trails Trail Head: consultation ongoing between Frontenac Arch Biosphere and Kingston Marina
6) Belle Park: working group organized and working hard to improve the municipal golf course.
Happy Springtime!
Mary Farrar
President,
Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour