Comments to Dundas Works, in reverse chronological order
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From: j. chapman <jchapman@295.ca> Date: Mon, Jan 1, 2018 at 6:38 PM
Hi folks,
You having been doing great work. However, there is nary a mention of the Urquhart Butterfly Garden as being a Dundas attraction, and it is. It should be included on signage. Easy to walk to, on a bus route, not far from downtown, next to Canal Park.
Thought it was worth a mention., Joanna (Chapman)
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From: Marie Dynes <mdynes1@cogeco.ca> Date: Mon, Jan 1, 2018 at 3:03 PM
Hello friends
Your work and your news is so enthusiastic and inspiring. I was ill for the last two meetings, but thank you for keeping your emails and updates for all Dundasians. It is also good to see that the media are keeping aware of the Roundtable. 2018 promises to be a good year for our town. Happy New Year to the committee and to us.
Marie Dynes
Angela Sirrs suggested we focus on some things at risk, her big example was that McMaster Hospital will disconnect from HHS within the decade.
Here's what I found on the matter:
https://www.thesil.ca/plans-mcmasters-childrens-hospital-works
https://www.thespec.com/news-story/6759889-hhs-to-pull-out-of-st-peter-s-and-mcmaster-hospitals/
I commented on elementary school review in 2019 as at risk spaces. And here's an email from Sara Woods below encouraging us to do more than talk. I guess maybe people feel a sense of urgency... perhaps our words when speaking of great spaces should be to assess our risk of losing them...
Ciao for now, Michelle
p.s. Andrea Bradshaw has been invited but I do not know for sure if she is coming, but certainly thank her for her letter Jim whether she is there or not. It is good that others will speak instead of the media hearing from us five all the time.
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From: Sara Woods <sarawoods777@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Sep 11, 2017 at 10:59 PM
Subject: Re: Reminder: Dundas Roundtable #2 - Tuesday September 19th 7pm.
To: Dundas Works <dundasworks2020@gmail.com>
Happy to receive these! I will be leaving for Italy so will not be able to attend this one however.
Please allow me to raise something ...whilst it is great to have these discussion nights, as someone who has limited time (and don’t we all?) I am more eager to choose a project next and focus in what we can do no, practically, rather then evenings of ‘sharing visions' of our community’. I would be more interested to hear about what we will DO as a group to ‘make things happen’... strategies, plans, work-days to be carried out. Getting trucks off of King Street for example or better sidewalks on the Main Street with interlocking brick as other small towns have like St Mary’s, Owen Sound and Ancaster !? where 'no one’ walks the Main Street (Wilson street does not have the pedestrian traffic King Street has) Dundas IMHO deserves better sidewalk infrastructure.
Soo… indeed I am looking forward to hearing about the action steps to be taken that I can get involved in.
Very best! We have a fabulous town and can make it even better! ~ Sara J Woods
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From: christine parr <christineparr@icloud.com> Date: Thu, Jun 15, 2017 at 8:19 AM
Subject: Re: Thank you from Dundas Works! To: Dundas Works <dundasworks2020@gmail.com>
Hello Dundas Works
It was certainly an interesting evening for someone like me who is new to Dundas. But I was left feeling concerned about the future of Dundas. It was unfortunate that Dundas was not represented well.....the downtown of Dundas was represented, but the breadth of Dundas was not. The majority of people who attended clearly want nothing to change, except for the sidewalks to be repaired, and even in this point there was gentle disagreement.
The future of Dundas, it's crumbling community centre, care of streets, fragile financial infrastructure were not really addressed.... just the fear of change. This is unfortunate, because change is inevitable and Dundas needs to consider who they want to attract to their community so it can continue to be sustained. It was pointed out that many retired people are settling in Dundas. I would agree with this observation; but is this good? If young families cannot find what they need and want in a thriving community they will go to Ancaster or StoneyCreek where organizations and community centres are new and busy. This will mean further closing of schools and takes away potential financial support of the downtown....which currently caters, for the most part, to those who are 50 and over . Retired people are usually on a fixed income. Dundas needs to attract people from all generations and walks of life. The focus should be on what can be done in the next 10 years to sustain Dundas for the next 30.
I was disappointed with the fixation of exclusion rather than inclusion and the apparent divide between downtown Dundas and the 'suburbs'.
Why are we not concerned about the community pool, how we can improve and expand the Dundas theatre, the derelict buildings further up and down town? Who do we want to be here to support a thriving Dundas? What kinds of activities and shopping opportunities are missing but could support the 'small town' feel of Dundas?
What is the vision besides no change? Where is the fair representation of all of Dundas?
Thank you for the opportunity to express my feelings. I look forward to future discussions
Christine Parr
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Your Name Jackie Norris Your Email hillrisephoto@gmail.com
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Subject One street at a time!
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Message Following the Round Table on June 6, when three households from my street of forty houses were represented, our street e-news letter has shared my account of the evening, and at least one participant has already responded with support for moving to 'next steps'. This is encouraging! Sent on: 10 June, 2017
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From: Julia Kollek Creative Services <jkollek2@gmail.com> Date: Wed, Jun 7, 2017 at 8:20 AM
Subject: Thank You! - & Secondary Plan suggestion To: jim sweetman <jsweetman2@cogeco.ca>, Michelle Chin <mcmcmcmc@gmail.com>
Hello everyone, Thank you for an inspiring evening last night - & for inviting me. You all did a great job of keeping people on track - no mean feat!
If you decide to explore the idea of creating a Secondary Plan for Dundas, here's some info on the process here in Hamilton - - & you'll see several communities are already undergoing these.
Look forward to keeping in touch,
Best wishes,
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From: Emrik Suichies <piaemrik@bell.net> Date: Tue, Jun 6, 2017 at 2:23 PM
Subject: RE: Dundas Works Hosts Community Roundtable Series. To: Michelle Chin <mcmcmcmc@gmail.com>
Hi Michelle:
Thank you for including me in your invitation to attend tonight’s Roundtable discussion on Dundas’ near-term future. Unfortunately, I will not be there tonight.
I imagine that at least part of the focus of the Roundtable Discussion Series will be on the reality that, since about the turn of the century, the town has become integral to one of the most dynamic urban growth areas on the continent. This fact, combined with Dundas’ exceptional natural and urban/historical amenities contribute to the town’s growing attractiveness to new real estate development. The scale of the projects that have located in the town during the last decade or so, tends to reflect market conditions/demand rather than policies of the Official Plan or building form(s) that have been dominant in Dundas. They were built (and are proposed) on properties that were mostly vacant lands or lands that could be assembled readily.
Apart from being vastly out of scale when compared to the predominant building form in the town, these projects located on some of Dundas’ former employment areas, have relatively limited visual impact on Dundas’ retail/service core. In fact, their impact on this core may be interpreted as generally positive as their residents support the demand for goods and services. They do not interfere with the businesses in the core
It is noted that there are a number of other significant vacant sites/properties in the town, several of which are essentially within the core as outlined in the Official Plan. These include several larger and attractive sites such as the ones used by the annual midway, by the weekly Summer/Fall market, and properties that currently serve as parking lots. They are located on either side of the core.
I do not know who owns these properties and what kind of development is being considered for them today, if any, or what kind of land use/density policies apply to them. These lands are part of the town’s central business district, and their development (in response to market conditions/demand) will impact on it, its form and ongoing viability. The most important of the potential impacts may contribute to a change in the current business ownership pattern (the unique and original/dominant pattern of independent family-owned businesses lining King Street within the town’s Business Improvement Area) to retail/service establishment representing larger organizations located elsewhere (franchises).
A weakening of the independent ownership pattern within Dundas’ BIA would drastically change the feel and function of the town’s business core and its initiatives/community activities, and likely turn it into a linear shopping centre of mostly branch operations with little or any connection to the community.
That would be an unhappy outcome for all of Dundas. It is with this in mind that I would like to suggest that the Roundtable consider taking an early look at the currently vacant lands within the central business district, their ownership and current approved uses, as well as longer term development intentions. Based on this information, the Roundtable might consider, as one of its early activities, preparing a series of land use/development policies for these vacant lands within the area identified as Dundas’ central commercial area/central business district and try to have these incorporated in the Official Plan that currently governs land use development approvals in the town.
Sincerely, Emrik
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Your Name Noor Nizam
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Your Email noornizam7@yahoo.ca
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Subject Wish to be a member of your team.
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Message My name is Noor Nizam and I live in Dundas. I am very much interested in joining your team as a member please. Noor Nizam. No: 10, John Street, Dundas, ON Postal code: L9H 6J3. Email: noornizam7@yahoo.ca Tel: 289 238 9743.
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Sent on: 3 June, 2017
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