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April
2001 Newsletter
Favourable
Response from City to Proposals for Cooperative Work in
the Valley
We
reported in our last newsletter that we had approached the
City in January with proposals for cooperative work to enhance
the trails and other valley features. At the invitation
of City staff, three members of Friends' board met on March
21 with the directors of parks operations and parks design
and outlined our proposals. These were subsequently presented
to Council on March 27 and then referred back to staff for
action.
Our
proposals fall into five general categories: cleanup, signage,
trail improvements, publicity for the valley and re-establishment
of a revitalization committee.
Under
cleanup, we are now doing weekly litter pickups as well
as organizing several group events, and the mass cleanup
effort on May 5. We have invited the city to join us in
this effort, to supply additional garbage cans and more
regularized pickup of their contents, and to respond to
specific requests for pickup of larger items. Much of this
cooperation was at least partly in place with the old City
of Hamilton.
Under
signage, Friends will implement a millenium project to purchase
and erect signs at major road crossings of the valley. The
signs will simply say "Red Hill Valley". We have
asked the new City to repair trail signage that has been
damaged or lost, and to complete the signage in the northern
part of the valley trail. We have also suggested the addition
of "stoop and scoop" and anti-litter signage,
and we have offered to apply for foundation funding, in
cooperation with the city, to pay for interpretative signage.
Trail
improvements form a major part of our proposals. We have
offered to seek funding, again in cooperation with the City,
to add various trail amenities including washrooms, benches
and picnic tables. City staff has agreed to accompany us
on a trail tour to help identify areas where erosion has
damaged trails. We have also suggested a resumption of police
patrols to deter illegal use of the trails by motorized
vehicles.
Under
publicity, we have asked for City cooperation in promoting
the valley and its events and for assistance in the circulation
of the trails map and the video produced by the Red Hill
Revitalization Committee.
Finally,
we have suggested that the Revitalization Committee be re-established
as a forum for stakeholders to develop and implement further
restoration plans for the valley. We have offered to help
seek funding for the operation of the committee and its
projects, and suggested that some basic funding support
from the City would also be desirable and helpful.
It
appears that we have a good opportunity to expand our efforts
to enhance and promote the valley and its trails. We have
set up a working committee to advance this work and we call
upon our members to join us as active volunteers in this
important development. Please call Don at 664-8796 if you
can assist in any way.
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