Vancouver Mountain View annual meeting minutes

Adrien Balazs, Executive Director of South Vancouver Community Policing, encourages people to get involved in their non-profit crime prevention organization.

KEEP VANCOUVER SPECTACULAR: Jeannie Kamins has offered to organize the event and the date will be Saturday, May 27th, from 9AM to 12PM – location will be at the corner of 27th & Prince Albert. The City supplies a garbage truck and bin for metal items. We will need 2 or 3 pickups to go around the neighbourhood to pick up debris and obviously workers.

FOOT PATROL: The next patrol is Sunday, 9PM at the 28th & Pr. Albert traffic circle. There are 4-5 people in attendance and the group has been patrolling for a year now, usually twice a month for an hour each night. The group reports suspicious activities, outdated or no license plates. We need more people to become involved and they can be trained for free through the SVCP by taking a 1 ½ hour course. If there were more people we could patrol a larger area, say, 3 or 4 groups of 3-4 people.

Lionel suggested that we need signs saying “crime prevention area.” He has approached the SVCP about vests with a logo on it.

A reminder for people to call 911 regarding suspicious activities (no matter how small), prostitutes and/or alleged drug houses – these calls are logged and the City Police will become aware of problem areas. Mention MV when you call.

Niki reported that she has joined a group of runners (“The Mountain View Mamas”) who run at 8:30PM and if you contact her the dates will be organized by email. Adrien has ordered more vests and suggests that they be worn for more visibility/safety. Note: you can’t wear the vests and call yourself a patrol unless you’ve taken the course. Adrien handed out crime stats comparison between ’04 and ’05. She mentioned that our neighbourhood has not been affected by the general increase in crime. Tom felt that criminals hate organized neighbourhoods.

Lionel suggested that we advertise in the KCC newspaper, which has 3 editions a year, for new people to get involved (possibly with a picture.)

FRASER STREET BANNERS: If we can’t find a way of getting money to put up new banners and the old ones have to come down, the City will take down the stanchions as well and they will have to be stored somewhere.

Nike felt if we were to run our banner project like the original one 3 years ago, with community input, meetings, a painting bee, etc we could probably get the grant. New batch of banners would be $9,000.00 minimum. Adrien mentioned that banks and insurance companies have a budget for community projects. Jackie will approach Giffin Insurance at 33rd & Fraser. Harry mentioned Olympic 2010 banners but they’re only up for 6 weeks.

Sub-Committee: Mike, Niki, Sharole, and Tom.

Alain to email the MV groups to ask if someone is willing to organize the banner project.

Sharole to let Susan Gordon know that we are attempting to resurrect the project.

Banner meeting to be held at Mike’s at 7:30PM on Wednesday, February 1st.

MURALS: this is on our wish list. Jackie to approach Alex’s Automotive at 24th & Fraser to see if they will let us use their South wall. Apparently there is City money for a mural program.

LITTER: Litter is an increasing issue. Mike personally cleans up his block and encourages everyone to follow his example. Maybe governments need to be approached to start a litter-free campaign. Maybe this could be part of our ad in the KCC newspaper with a “deposit litter in your own garbage can” ad. Suggest that we need signage and approach the local schools to see if we can encourage the students to do clean-ups. Diego offered to hand deliver flyers to homes but wonders if this will have any affect. There are a lot less garbage cans on the streets than is required. Harry will pass along Jim Heaves (Manitoba Yards) contact number. Tom suggested having about 200 flyers at our KVS day for handout to people.

CITY PLAN: (12th to 41st & Fraser to Renfrew) Tom is on the advisory committee at City Hall. Next meeting February 4th, 7PM Trout Lake CC. He will see if there’s any $ for banners. There may be an “IGA size” grocery store at the Kingsway & Knight development. SE corner of Fraser and 25th has been sold and re-sold and the NE corner is in the courts with a dispute between the City and Imperial Oil. There is a rumour that developers are looking at re-developing the 29th Market complex.

6TH ANNIVERSARY BBQ: We need one person to organize the events for August 26th from 4-7PM, to be held in the Country Lane, the 700 block between 27th & 28th. They will need to organize City barricades which include the insurance and delegate other items with a work party. Lilli will be a consultant with the new organizer. Diego offered to provide entertainment. What about a bouncing castle as there were a lot of children.

Wish List: a sign over 25th & Fraser saying “Welcome to Mountain View.”

Tom informed us that there is a meeting January 31st, 3-5PM, at the Roundhouse CC on “how to minimize inappropriate discarding of needles” if anyone is interested in attending.

Adjourned at 11:50AM with thanks to Mike for chairing a good meeting.

Submitted by Jackie Larson, Secretary, for the MOUNTAIN VIEW NEIGHBOURHOOD GROUP

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