Wrap up Community Meeting Minutes
The meeting on November 14th, although sparsely attended compared to previous years, went very well!Our main outcome was the decision to proceed again next year with a Pedestrian Sunday on the last Sunday of the month from May to October, 2007. This format was agreed upon by all in attendance.Please follow this link for the full meeting minutes. Community Meeting - Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market Minutes – November 14, 2006 7 – 9pm SUMMARY NOTES 1. WelcomeMeeting filmed by Vitold Vidic for NFB documentary onPedestrian zones in TO.Slideshow presented of images from this season. 2. Things that worked
- Great to have on last Sunday from May to Oct – not just summer
- Create and maintain presence of PSK year round
- More organized
- Better connected to environmental concerns
- Enviro Packaging
- River walk
- Air quality
- Seasonal changes
- Various organizations
- NOW Toronto – ‘Best Community Project’
- Pushed the agenda beyond the market
- Influenced Harbourfront revitalization installation
- Numerous interviews with media and students
- Participatory activities
- Fantastic volunteers
- No cops
- Focus on Community
- Engagement of kids of all ages with fun activities
- Maypole
- Piñatas
- Labyrinths
- Many more shops participating this year
- More engaged volunteers
- Park – no noise problems
- Community Bridge Building
- Homemade aspects of community!!
- PSK as an example to the rest of the city
- Awareness raising
- Fun participatory way through festival to engage people in new ideas
- Successful examples worldwide
- Community – Culture - Ecology
- Theatre groups
- Petition car
- Petitions of various kinds - ammunition
3. Things that didn’t work
- By-law enforcement officers – lacking flexibility
- No funding – city let it slide, not in budget for second year
- PSK mistaken for any old festival
- Former Councilor unable to properly represent true nature of the initiative or even get the name right
- Sound conflict with nearby residents
- October too late in the year?
- Samba Elegua not after,,,
- Too much drums – scheduling to be reconsidered
- Not enough volunteers
- Road paint
- ‘Road closed’ vs. ‘Local Traffic only’ sign sometimes incorrect at – Baldwin and Spadina
- better signage required
4. Ideas for Next Year
- Invite more environmental organizations
- Slightly overdrawing the map to satisfy the bylaw officers while leaving room for spontaneity
- TALK TO YOUR neighbours!
- More volunteers from elsewhere
- School, enviro, university, activist groups
- More diversity – cultural and style
- Ex: more street theatre - fewer drums…
- Perhaps less amplification
- Year round, un-programmed future?
- More kids activities
- Every Sunday car-free, last Sunday per month a festival
- Change permit rules
- Make closures less difficult and labour intensive
- Buy barricades/not rent
- Merchants/residents/deliveries only
- Stronger lobby/activist presence
- Maybe a late closure on Kensington (8:30pm)
- Night market perhaps in tandem with Nuit Blanche next year
- Perhaps late closure becomes quieter – no loud stuff past 8:30pm or 9pm
5. Dates for 2007
- Last Sunday of the month from May to October, 2007
All present in favour.Meeting concluded at 9pm
