From the Desk of Councillor Jan Harder

 Heart’s Desire News  November, 2004 Such a beautiful (and lengthy) fall! Already Christmas is fast approaching. Some great news! Thanks to Grant Knowles, our secretary, we have started a Heart’s Desire Community website to keep our residents informed. It is still in its infancy but you will find this newsletter posted, updates from the Land Development Committee, and important contact numbers. I will soon be posting a rough draft of the Heart’s Desire History for people to preview. The address is http://www3.sympatico.ca/gd.knowles/heartsdesire.htm. Please feel free to make suggestions or offer help in this very worthwhile endeavor. Attached to this newsletter you will find a copy of the Leachate Petition and an Update on the Borello Application for Plan of Subdivision from the Land Development Committee. Jen Cotter 823-6628 Stop the trail road leachate pipeline! As most of you have heard the city’s consultants recommended a pipeline as the preferred treatment of the leachate and contaminated groundwater from the Trail Road and Nepean landfill sites. The pipeline would run along Cambrian Road, north on Jockvale to the parking lot just before the bridge, then a short distance east to empty into the South Nepean Collector. This collector (to be laid this winter) runs through the Stonebridge Golf course, crosses under the Jock River a few meters upstream from the weir and tunnels under the Heart’s Desire Forest out to the intersection of Woodroffe and Highway 16. It ends up at the sewage treatment centre in the east end (Robert O. Pickard Environmental Centre). At the October 26th meeting Jan Harder came out and said that she would oppose this method of treatment in favour of the other closely competing (but more expensive) on-site treatment alternative. This is in response to very vocal opposition from local residents particularly from the Stonebridge community and other interested groups such as the Friends of the Jock. It is also in response to a very real belief that the on-site treatment option is more consistent with the prevailing environmental approach of dealing with pollution problems where they exist (as supported in the Official Plan). An on-site treatment facility would treat the leachate and contaminated groundwater to a higher standard than the treatment plant in the east end which is designed to treat human sewage. A particular issue for our residents is the risk to our aquifer should there be a leak in the sewage pipe carrying the leachate (this is a small risk but one we would rather not take). The release of the treated water into the Jock River and its watershed would also benefit water levels in the Jock. Jan Harder’s office has launched a campaign to vote against the pipeline and for the on site treatment facility at the upcoming Planning and Environment Committee meeting on Tuesday, November 23 at 9:30 a.m. in the Champlain Room at City Hall. You are encouraged show your support for this position by sending in the “Stop the Pipeline” petition carried in the local papers last week, filling out the SAY YES TO ON SITE TREATMENT forms delivered with this newsletter, or by registering your opposition to the pipeline on e-petition located online at Jan’s website www.janharder.com. You are welcome to attend the meeting on the 23rd at City Hall to protest the pipeline. Your community association has voiced its opposition to the pipeline and now it’s your turn! Political action campaign in opposition to the Borello Aplication for Plan of Subdivision p.e.c. Meeting on Tuesday, December 14th --please see details in the”Update” delivered with this newsletter Heart’s Desire Email Contacts: This will be a great way to keep in contact with our “political action group.” Jen will be sending out a “test” email to those addresses that she already has. If you do not receive an email by Friday, November 19 then email [email protected] and you will get on the list. Once you are hooked up by email, you will be sent a “primer” (basically, some letters and point form notes for those who feel they need help with “what” to say in your emails, faxes and calls). If you feel confident go ahead (there a few tips below, as well). Don’t forget that you can participate in this campaign by simply writing that you support the position of your Community Association. In order to keep track of the output from the community, please cc all emails to Jennifer Cotter and Grant Knowles. Don’t forget to include Jan Harder even though we already have her support. Don’t Have Access to the Internet?: The contact numbers for the Planning and Environment Committee members are listed below. Fax numbers and addresses can be obtained by calling the phone numbers or you can register yourself as a supporter by calling Jen Cotter @ 823-6628 and receive postage paid and addressed envelopes. You will also receive any information sent out to the residents with email. You can also have your letter copied and faxed by dropping it off to either Grant Knowles or Jennifer Cotter. Don’t forget to check out the Heart’s Desire Community Association Website: http://www3.sympatico.ca/gd.knowles/heartsdesire.htm Planning and Environment Committee (PEC) Contact Numbers: Chair: Councillor Peter Hume: 580-2488 [email protected] Vice Chair: Councillor Peggy Feltmate: 580-2474 [email protected]

Councillors: Georges Bedard: 580-2482 [email protected] Michel Bellemare: 580-2481 [email protected] Alex Cullen: 580-2477 [email protected] Jan Harder: 580-2473 [email protected] Diane Holmes: 580-2484 [email protected] Gord Hunter: 580-2479 [email protected] Herb Kreling: 580-2471 [email protected] Cc: Grant Knowles [email protected] Jennifer Cotter [email protected] INITIAL TIPS: **All letters should reference: The Borello Application for the Proposed Plan of Subdivision at 3400 and 3428 Woodroffe Avenue You can use arguments found in the following Land Development Committee publication to compose a letter: 1. Report from the LDC from September 2. Letter to the Borellos on the website 3. “Update” included with this newsletter. You can also use the following:  It helps to mention that you support the position of the community association.  Make sure to include your address and perhaps how long you have lived there.  The protections placed in the Official Plan were negotiated during a public consultation process for the creation of the South Urban Community. It is essentially a covenant between the City and this community.  The lands are clearly in the boundaries of the Heart’s Desire Subdivision and therefore the Official Plan requirements apply. The objection here is that the application seeks to have the Borello properties treated as lands outside the Heart’s Desire subdivision when clearly they are not.  The arguments made for infill and intensification were made at the time of the negotiations and were deemed a threat to the integrity of this neighbourhood. The subdivision of Heart’s Desire was zoned “Private Services Residential” in order to preserve the distinctive character of this “rural” community from the pressure of the intensely “urban” development around us.  You may include that you do not oppose the development of the land as long as it is within the requirements of the Official Plan.  The City must not hide behind the notion of case by case decision-making when to ignore our protections in favour of this application would put in jeopardy all of the other protections for Heart’s Desire in the Official Plan (a good outline of these are in the “Update” from the LDC).  You may wish to include why you think Heart’s Desire is so special.  Mention whether or not you will be planning to attend the meeting so that we can keep track of numbers.  While you may feel very strongly about this issue, it is very important not to attack in a personal way the Borello family, the city, the councilors or the planners. Don’t forget that as this is a political action initiative, numbers count. You may send more than one letter per household and even per person if you think of something else to say at a later date. I’d like to thank you for your support and please keep us informed of your involvement so that we can plan for a successful outcome to the meeting on December 14th. Annual general meeting Due to the large amount of work being undertaken by the executive at this time and the demands for meetings, the executive has decided to delay the AGM until early in the New Year. If you wish to have an item included in the agenda please forward it to a member of the executive. Their phone numbers and emails are on the website or in the phone directory. One item that has come up (again!) that will be on the agenda is traffic and speeding on Bren Maur Road. Complaints to the city fall on deaf ears when members of our own community are often the culprits. Residents along Bren Maur are lobbying for a stop sign (possibly at Eisenhower) as the city will not consider speed bumps. To lower the amount of cut through traffic, the Stonebridge Community Association has been contacted and we may get a sign “No Through Traffic” posted at either end of Bren Maur. It has been proposed that the Community Association fund the printing of one or two dozen signs to place on the front lawns of residents along Bren Maura asking motorists not to speed. These are some things to think about for the next AGM. Jock River Flood Risk maps—Open house WHEN: Monday, November 22, 2004 TIME: 6-8 p.m. (no presentation) WHERE: Community Room at the Barrhaven Loblaws Superstore The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority will be hosting an Open House on in order that residents may view and discuss the new flood risk maps for the Jock River—from the Rideau River to the Village of Ashton. They are looking to provide information and draw on local knowledge and experiences to help make them more accurate. For further information, the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority’s website is www.rideauvalley.on.ca , or you can call Ferdous Ahmed at 692- 3571, ext. 1170. Friends of the Jock If you don’t already know, the FRIENDS OF THE JOCK is a non-profit organization established in 1997 by area residents during the development of the Jock River Watershed Plan. They provide community leadership towards improving the health of the river’s watershed ecosystems. More information about this organization and memberships can be found on their website www.geocities/jockriver. Their meetings are held on the first Tuesdays of each month at the Barrhaven Loblaws Community Room. Our contact in Heart’s Desire is Brian Finch (the President) and he is a valuable source of help in all issues regarding the Jock River. Social committee news Winter Carnival and Heart’s Desire BBQ Once again the Social Committee has put together another great carnival and BBQ this year. A big thank you goes out to Paul Leblanc and all those who help both before and on the day of the events. It is also important to thank all those who attend what are special community events where residents get a chance to meet new people, see old friends and have some fun. Community Sponsored Door Prizes: Thank you so much for all your great donations this year. It took some pressure off this year but we have some volunteers to solicit local businesses for next year, so we hope to have a great year ahead for what is a very popular part of the BBQ. There were so many door prizes brought directly to the BBQ, so I didn’t get most of the sponsors. Those I did get were: On the Green Marlene Thomas for Nikken Products Joekan Fixit Michael Cotter for Nesbitt Burns Heart’s Desire Garden Club If I missed you and you would like to be acknowledged, please let Jen Cotter know for the next newsletter. Picnic Tables for Next Year: The City will no longer deliver picnic tables for our BBQ, even for a fee, so Paul Leblanc was forced to rent a truck, get some help, load and pick up the tables and then do it all over again to return them—all at great expense and effort. If anyone can think of some way to help solve this problem for next year, please call Paul Leblanc at 825-6046. Garden Club—Plant sale June 4, 2005 This year’s plant sale was such a success that the garden club has decided to hold an even bigger and better one next year. It has yet to be decided if there will be enough interest in holding the garage sale again, but a grateful thank you goes out to Mark and Nancy Norman for organizing the event this year. Some money was raised for the sign fund at the sale which will be put in the Association account for the time being. A few people generously offered to make an independent donation to the sign fund but it was decided to have them hold on to their money until we get further along in the process. If you have any empty pots you need to get rid off, please drop them off at Jen Cotter’s house, as we will need a lot in the spring. Announcements Membership Drive Thank you again to Brenda Wilson for organizing the membership drive again this year. It is not an easy job and it is greatly appreciated. Thank you also to those of you who continue to support your community association with your membership. If you were somehow missed, you can drop your fee off to Brenda at your earliest convenience. The telephone directories will be delivered in the next few weeks. Coyote Alert A pair of coyotes has recently been spotted along Bren Maur at Eisenhower and again at Barcham in the evening. Please be on the alert. Also, if at all possible wear reflective clothing when walking at night to be more visible to motorists. Ice rink on the Jock This is the time of year when the city sends our application for the “puddle rink” at Davidson Park. As there does not seem to be a lot of interest in this rink we will not be renewing this application unless we hear from residents who wish to keep this going. We seem to get a far better ice surface on the Jock River when it is maintained. If you are interested in helping to clear, flood or maintain a rink on the river please call Paul Coyle at 825- 3356. Pitch Moth An infestation of a parasite known as the Pitch Moth has been identified in our neighbourhood. The feeding larvae cause copious amounts of unsightly resin to be produced on pine trees. The infestation is more likely present in wounded or recently pruned trees. While it rarely kills a tree, it can weaken it and cause limb death. The clump of resin or sap (with the larvae) can be scraped off the tree and disposed of to prevent further infestation. Advertisement Marlene Thomas at 60 Eisenhower Crescent My home has been designated as a “Wellness Home” by the company I represent as an independent consultant. Imagine a home that not only offers warmth, shelter and security, but also provides the optimum in health and wellness benefits for the entire family, balancing all areas of life: a healthy body, healthy mind, healthy family, healthy society and healthy finances. There is such a dwelling. Call Marlene Thomas for a personalized tour. And don’t forget to ask for a complimentary magnetic back massage.