Latest DIG Meeting Minutes

Dwight Improvement Group
And
Discover Dwight

Dwight Community Planning Meeting Follow Up
Township Chambers

June 15, 2010



18 in attendance including Mayor Janet Peake, Councilors Nancy Tapley and Margaret Casey, Marie Poirier, Gary Sanderson, Janine Scott, Linda Keown, John Lilly, Karen Szykoluk

Marie welcomed every one and explained how the data from the previous community meeting from May 11th was divided into six planning headings of which were printed on handouts and put up on a flip chart. The Planning Headings are: Recreation, Aesthetics, Economic, Heritage/Culture, Coordination and Funding. Corresponding columns were Heading Components, Committee Members and Possible Project. attached

Janet Peake - A community plan needs to be a process. We need to identify the projects and the participants who can do them.
The first category of Recreation was briefly discussed.
John suggested we need a project that has minimum cost and could be done quickly, such as adding information such as Festivals to the website, www.discoverdwight.com.
Margaret Casey – may need more discussion on the Planning Headings.
Linda – would be a liaison between the Recreation Committee and the Parks/Recreation Trails (PRT) committee. Re the Dwight rink - partnership of school and fire dept.
Margo Cook – interested in bike and walking trails.
Irene from Spring Lake – interested in ATV trails and if bylaws could be changed. This activity could promote more businesses in Dwight.
Janet – we need to get Dwight vibrant enough to attract a business like a gas station.
Marie - If something is identified as a need or priority, we should plan for it and keep it in mind. For example dealing with MTO when planning for certain projects.
Janet – We need more then ‘keeping it in mind’. A community plan is a guiding, leading document. Commercial needs have to be identified in the strategic plan. What does the community want to spend their money on.
Peggy Hurley – The time line is important. Focus on what we can do.
Nancy – Told of the bike and walking trails being put into Echo Hills.





Aesthetics:
Signs are important. Three ‘Welcome to Dwight’ signs were discussed previously.
There are no signs directing the public to the library or school. She would like an electronic sign to display events. The original sign funds for Baysville came from festivals. The Lions club would help fund raise for signs.
Discussion of how some initiatives have to go through a lot of red tape within the township which is time consuming.
Nancy – talked about the Bigwin window project and the Paddles project which are currently being undertaken by various local Artists.
Economic:
Janet – There may be a possibility to jump start some projects.
John – Partnership is important, go through our councilor to find the best way to expedite some ideas.
Marie – let the group know that there is subgroup of Lake of Bays looking at Dwight for a center for rural health, the Gateway Research Centre from which several systems may flow. www.getewayreserch.ca/node/1
Sub committees for the Strategic Plan already exist. Councilor Ginny Burgess is the contact person for all the current strategy planning groups.

Heritage and Culture:
Peggy – Explained the 3 year plan the Friends of the Library are working on. They have been donated a small building, the‘book nook’ by the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce.
The friends will plant educational gardens with identified plants and a vegetable garden. They will involve the students from Irwin school. The friends are looking for partners for a grant
Peggy – would like to piggy back on the successful Firefest event. One idea she had was the longest picnic table of which every community group could be involved and split the proceeds.

Funding:
Nancy – Once we are ready with certain projects, we can look at obtaining financial partners. Dorset had a funding partner’s lunch with corporate sponsors.
Peggy – is learning how to use the grants software program that the township has acquired.

Coordination:
Marie - What is the feeling of the group?
Janine - We need more public input, have a sign up sheet for interested community members.
Need to identify 2 or 3 ideas to focus on.
Garry – Thinks that signs are one thing to focus on. Businesses should partner with township and MTO. Washrooms is another, protect the beach at all costs. The plans are already in place
from the previous DIG submission to the G8. He said the Langford canoe garage could be taken back from the township for extended parking if a building is put the existing lot site.
Nancy - As a first step before a building is put up, consider handicap porto potties which are larger, could double as a change room, and have running water. It could be anchored down in a pergola structure, or bolted to a pole.





A Community Plan to be developed for long term.
Aubrey would identify the needs of the seniors club, the DIG to work with the businesses.
Create a contact list for all community groups with names of key persons. Address each group to what they feel is important to them.
Margo Brown – would like to be the Irwin School liason
Peggy – the last community meeting was very positive, we need to keep in touch will all concerned. Make use of the Dwight News and Up Coming Events for information.
Janet Peake- would like if at every meeting, people identify themselves.
Margaret Casey – Would like if the DIG group could present to the community their submission to the G8 as presented to the township
Peggy – We could then build upon what the DIG group started. What are the 5 things that were applied for and were turned down. Could a copy of the presentation be put at the library.

Marie - Recap:
Narrow down the ideas
Create short term projects
Get more information out to the community – beef up the media – information on the website.
Put a list of groups together to assist in a longer community plan. Work with Councilor Ginny Burgess with ideas

Next Meeting Date: Wednesday, July 28th, 7:00 township office.

Scribe – Karen Szykoluk