Open Streets Hamilton

OSH Event Planning Committee Meeting – YWCA Hamilton, 75 MacNab Street South, Rm. 108

Thursday April 18th, 2013 5:45pm-7:45pm

Attendance:  Kathryn (filling in as Chair), Sandra (NEN), Bill (Beasley), Reem (returning volunteer) and Leshia (rep from Bike for Mike group)

Regrets:  Sunil (regular Chair), Lina

Minutes: Mike (sent out by Kathryn)

**Immediate Volunteer Call Out**

Beasley Fair, Saturday, April 20th, 12pm to 3pm – Beasley Park (Wilson & Mary) – ask for Bill (dress for appropriate weather – this is an outdoor event)

Introductions

Mention of rotating Chair (Sunil absent, no pre-selected co-Chair), no decision

Review of last meeting

• Present from last meeting: Bill, Mike and Sandra

• Road Closure issue was sorted – Mike

• full road closure from King to Guise confirmed

• print sponsors?

• no YWCA reps re: programming/outreach updates

• t-shirt sales update – Bill

• inventory notes given to Sandra – full count next meeting

• Eileen and Lina – both responded to last call out re: volunteer roles

• Lina (met with Kathryn on Monday April 15th) – helping with programming follow up (online sign up form), available on Mondays, will work from home

• Eileen (sent email on April 11th) – willing to help with scheduling event volunteers, May Art Crawl, Bike for Mike (needs details on location)

Fundraising Initiative

• Coffee

• Coffee cards (“I, __________, donate a portion of this coffee sale to Open Streets Hamilton…”) available at Homegrown Hamilton – portion of bag of coffee sales goes to OSH

• Online – link is http://www.homegrownhamilton.com/shop (put information about OSH donation in comments section or delivery/contact information boxes)

• paper order forms – Kathryn to find them and send them out

• T-Shirts

• Peter Ormond made original contribution for shirts

• Only smaller sizes left – Bill recommended printing larger sizes

• need inventory of current t-shirt supply – Sandra to follow up

• check with Centre 3, Humblepie and Peter Ormond

Outreach & Promotions

• New Partner(s)

• Leshia reviewed Bike for Mike group and “Yes We Cannon” efforts for segregated two-way bike lanes on Cannon – more information to be provided at launch (Bike for Mike)

• Motion: to include “Yes We Cannon” and other like-minded groups to share human resources in an effort to get OSH word out

• moved by Mike Cameron, seconded by Bill, motion carried.

• Upcoming Events

• April 20th – Beasley Fair

• OSH has a table

• Kathryn & Bill to staff table – need others to help out

• will bring coffee cards to give out and t-shirts to sell

• need to sign up volunteers – Kathryn to print volunteer sign up forms for Saturday

• May 5th – Bike for Mike

• Leshia’s group has a spot already

• coordinate to provide info for OSH too?

• May 10th – Art Crawl

• two volunteers committed – Reem & Eileen

• can we get more?

• send out call out with minutes

• see below for ideas for Art Crawl promotion

• May 18th – ribbon cutting ceremony in North End regarding 30km traffic calming initiative (re: OMB hearing)

• does OSH want a table there?

• do we have any volunteers?

• Sandra will find someone for the table if we can’t

• we can sell t-shirts, promote event, and give away coffee cards

• information about traffic calming is online – find out where to post on our networks

• May 27th – Bike to Work Day

• Leshia’s group working to host “Bike to Work and School” ride with kids along King Street

• see previous motion

• May 28th, 29th, 30th – EcoFest (Earth Day Hamilton/Burlington)

• school-age children’s eco festival

• look into getting a table for promotion – need volunteer to look into this

• contact Kim Dunlop at Waste Watchers/Earth Day Hamilton/Burlington

• June 14th – Art Crawl

• have promotional materials ready to hand out by this date (i.e. flyers, etc)

• Engagement Ideas

• Bus Posters – Reem suggested this as most effective past advertising campaign

• Kathryn confirmed with Cindy Slinn at HSR – OSH can post for 2 months starting end of April

• need to get posters printed and designed – print sponsor?  225 posters needed on cardstock

• need volunteer to find print sponsor

• Sell cups of coffee at Art Crawl

• great way to engage people as they walk by

• sell cups of coffee

• need tent?

• need to look into permit/requirements

• hand out coffee cards

• sell t-shirts

• Parking space party/activity zone

• double-dutch competition

• skipping ropes – already have some in supplies

• have someone on roller blades

• do a skit

• sidewalk chalk

• already have some in supplies – need to make sure we get it back at end of events?

• look into chalk sponsor?

Volunteers

• What is needed?

• looking for 40-60 event day volunteers

• also need help with promotions in advance of event day (5 volunteers needed)

• Current volunteer recruiting efforts

• Reem has promoted to groups at Westdale High School

• will continue to recommend volunteering at OSH

• any tools needed?

• Green Venture posted our call out on their site

• social media – twitter, facebook

• ask at outreach events

• other suggestions?

Programming

• YWCA doing outreach re: art

• is our logo on outreach materials?

• need food on the street

• food trucks?

• discussion about how food trucks fit into event

• is there enough business for trucks?

• waste/energy issues? generators, grease disposal

• location – bridge is best

• could local restaurants prepare easy-to-serve take-away lunches?

• Sandra to engage local restaurants to see what options would work for food (inside and outside)

• issues raised around difficulty of permits for smaller restaurants

• barriers for smaller restaurants to serve food outside

• can we have our own BBQ?

• do we need a license?

• activities

• local groups to host sports games, dancing, etc. on the street?

• Sandra to connect with local groups about programming

• questions around insurance (see below)

• bike programming

• Leshia to inquire about bike repair/clinics coming out

• Re-Create?

• New Hope Bike Co-op?

• what programming is YWCA planning?

• Walk a Mile

• need details about artists, activities, layout

• other programming?

• zumba, dance, etc?

Amenities/Administration

• Insurance

• who is liable for “programming” injuries?

• what is the scope of coverage

• information good to provide to other organized groups (i.e. soccer groups)

• Washrooms

• can local establishments provide washrooms to customers?

• Sandra to ask for commitment from businesses on James Street

• accessibility?

• Water

• can Hamilton Jeweller’s provide water again?

• need to contact Robert for permission

• other water sources?

Next Meeting:  Thursday, May 2nd, 5:45pm-7:45pm (YWCA Hamilton, 75 MacNab – rm. TBA)

REMINDER: **Immediate Volunteer Call Out**

Beasley Fair, Saturday, April 20th, 12pm to 3pm – Beasley Park (Wilson & Mary) – ask for Bill (dress for appropriate weather – this is an outdoor event)

OSH Event Planning Committee volunteer meeting
Thursday, April 4th @ 5:45pm

 In attendance: Sunil (Chair), Mike, Bill, Cassandra, Eileen, Lindsay, Sandra, Alex
Regrets:  Kathryn, Reem, Leslie, Uzma, Paul, Brandon, Susan, Jackie

 Administration and finances

• Eileen is interested in helping with admin, taking notes at future meetings

• Eileen is involved with Take Back the Night, has contacts that might be helpful for us

• Suggested that OSH revisits vendor fees, possibly increase them to help cover costs

 Walk a Mile in Her Shoes:

• Website and facebook content is up and running

• Past walkers and participants have been contacted

• New promo video being developed

• Revamped logo, promotional materials being developed

• Sunil to coordinate with Leslie on outreach + logistics

• Alex to see if we can get contact list for athletics and activities groups at McMaster

• YWCA bringing additional programming and activities to the street this year

• Suggested that OSH should ask Hamilton Spectator to be an in-kind sponsor

• Walk a Mile might be able to help print some promotional materials for us in-kind

 Bringing more activities to the event

• People are drawn to the event because of it being family-centric, giving back to the community

• Cassandra can help source out activities, recreational programming for the event

• Connect us with youth groups

• OSH is trying to bring more activities to the street, ie sports, recreation for families and youth

• OSH is purely volunteer-run this year, so we need more support and volunteers to help organize the event

• Looking for volunteers to help with outreach and administration, contacting exhibitors

• Trying to get YMCA’s Y on Wheels to participate at the event

• Sunil to circulate various forms, sign up links for people to circulate

 Media:

• Cable 14 can do a spot on OSH closer to the event, plus a spot on the Bike Valet program as well

• Mike looking into Cable 14 sponsoring the Kiwanis Skateboard park at OSH

 Other suggested groups to contact to attend OSH June 2013:

• Hammercity Roller Girls

• Bulldogs/Ticats

• Blackbird Studios

• Rollerskate rink at the Waterfront

• Bixi

• Pan Am Games

• Ancaster Avalanche

 Next meeting scheduled for Thursday April 18th at 5:45pm-7:30pm at YWCA Hamilton on MacNab St.

Congratulations to all our Silent Auction contributors and winners – we’re so grateful for your support!  Thanks to you and everyone who joined us at our Holiday Fundraiser, we’ve raised  

Over

Five Hundred 

Dollars!

Congratulations to all of you for your dedication and support!  Your help got us one step closer to our goal for 2013!  

A big thanks too to our generous performers, Mary Simon, Barry Mac, Sara Dishart and Matthew De Zoete!  We couldn’t have done it without you – thanks for showing your love of Open Streets!

There were some great prizes that were won at the party thanks to our friends from around town:

• Two door prize giveaways of 100 business cards from Peter at Copydog!
• Helmet toque liner and face warmer courtesy of the folks at Downtown Bike Hounds!
• Gift certificate for 100 buttons from Joanna and Todd at The Button Pushers!
• Limited edition holiday print (signed!) & more thanks to Mike Gagnon at Hammer Comics!
• Two great gift packages from Valerie Cousens & friends at Homegrown Wellness Collective!
• Coffee, hot chocolate, tea and chocolate from Mike, Beth and Tim at Homegrown Hamilton!

We also received lots of suggestions for next year’s events, including:

• More healthy food options
• More free activities for families and kids
• More local artsits and musicians
• More publicity
• AND More Open Streets!

Make an online donation!  You can now donate on our website, at wwwopenstreetshamilton.ca/donate/, and help support all our future events and programming!   And of course, you can always send us a donation by cheque to:

Thank you again for all your continued support in 2012!  Looking forward to seeing all of you on the street in 2013!

Sunil Angrish
Chair, Open Streets Hamilton Steering Committee
Founding Director
[email protected]

**Open Streets Hamilton is looking forward to its fourth consecutive year hosting a series of car-free events promoting active transportation, healthy living, and bringing Hamilton’s communities together.

Open Streets Hamilton would like to invite you to join us at our next event, celebrating two fantastic open streets locations:
James Street North, 10am – 5pm AND McMaster University campus, 11am – 4pm
Sunday, September 23rd, 2012

Check the link below to read about the spectator’s coverage of Hamilton 350′s Practice Ride on August 27th.

The riders chose a route that went by the development happening at the airport aerotropolis site.

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/585590–activists-ride-against-aerotropolis

To find out more about becoming a rider at this upcoming ride, visit http://hamilton350.com/events or email [email protected] to sign up!

Check it out:

Click on it to see a larger version.

Join Hamilton 350 volunteers as they prepare for the upcoming ride to Nanticoke coal station!

First practice ride group will meet at 8:30am on Saturday, July 30th outside My Dog Joe in Westdale – inexperienced riders welcome!

Please email [email protected] for more details and to sign up to receive information about this and future rides!

Visit http://hamilton350.com/events for more details on September’s ride to Nanticoke and follow the links to see what else Hamilton 350 is working on!