Meadowgreen Association Meeting - Dec. 15, 2009

A number of initiatives were the result of the Meadowgreen Community Association meeting on December 15, 2009. The Executive chose three types of signs to pursue to find the right sign for Meadowgreen. The sign will say "Meadowgreen Welcomes You!"
The sign(s) location is to determined - 22nd & Witney; west of Witney by the trees (west of the recycle bin) and Ave W near the apartment buildings are all locations to be explored. There was some thought to the new Circle Drive and whether a sign should be on the outside of Meadowgreen.

A monument/marker is to be put in the Old W.P.Bate location - the now called Dutchak Park on Ottawa Avenue and 19th Street. Bricks have been saved from the old school. One type of marker -that perhaps might work - is like the Leif Erickson Park (Ave P and 23rd Street.


A community gathering will be held in May - likely the last week in May. A safety fair will be held in the gym.

Rink Weather
It is time to get the Meadowgreen CA Rink up and going - now that the weather has turned cold. Check back for information on when the rink is ready for skating.

Letter to Editor - published Saskatoon Star Phoenix, Dec. 11, 2009

Saskatoon Breast better than Nest
The recent SP editorial on the new art gallery and Gerry Klein’s column on group homes described city councillors as standing clear-eyed and valiant against an ill-informed and emotional electorate.

What was most interesting was to have councillors gush like children who had just seen new puppies as they described their visit to the Eagle’s Nest group home. Swept up in emotion, they went on “objectively” to allow the homes to expand the number of spaces.

The one benefit from this public review of the Eagle’s Nest program is that it sets a price on motherhood. The cost per bed at the homes is just over $300 a day. In the absence of adequate parental care from conception to maturity, the societal cost is $9,000 monthly per child.

We have mothers poisoning infants in their wombs with nicotine, alcohol and illicit drugs daily. We have families neglecting, abusing, demeaning, and dehumanizing their growing children until these kids are devoid of emotion. The physically and mentally disabled child then becomes a public charge, and a thriving industry is developed to house this growing population.

To opt to have children in our society is virtually to take a vow of poverty, and in the desperation of poverty, bad things happen, especially to children.

The answer isn’t to be found in more Eagle’s Nests, but at the mothers’ breast. Let’s begin to pay mothers somewhat in proportion to the demonstrated value of the work they do in bringing the next generation to healthy maturity.
Gordon Wensley

MCA Newsletter Advertising and Submission Deadline

Recently the Meadowgreen Association has decided to put advertising in the Community Newsletter. This is a new venture for us and we are excited. If you are a resident of Meadowgreen and would like to advertise in your community newsletter the cost is
$25.00 per issue for business card size advertisement

If you have any questions or would like to submit an ad please email me at bradpetersca@gmail.com

Submission deadline is Friday Janaury 8, 2010

City Council approves increase to Group Home

Meadowgreen Community Association attended City Council November 30 to speak against the expansion to the Eagle Nest Group Home. Council Lorje, representing Ward 2, spoke in favour of the expansion and also voted in favour of increasing the number of Residents from 5 to 8. Councillors Heidt and Paulson abstained from the vote. Councillor Dubois was not present.

MCA goes to City Council regarding Eagle Nest Group Home

Members of the Meadowgreen Community Association will be appearing before City Council on Monday November 30th regarding Eagle Nest Group Home located on the corner of Witney and 18th Street. The duplex is presently home to 5 youth-at-risk for an approximate assessment period of one year. The youth will then be moved to another facilty.

Residents who have concerns about the proposed expansion of the group home from 5 to 8 residents should come to City Council Monday evening at 7 p.m. If you wish to write a letter it should be received by the City Clerk's office by 10 a.m. To send a letter go to www.saskatoon.ca on the left look at City Council and select send a letter to City Council.

SCAN Meeting Results

Approximately 25 community members attended the SCAN meeting held at W.P.Bate School on November 3, 2009. Attendees learned that SCAN deals with three main areas: drug dealing, prostitution and gangs. The Unit tends to do a lot of surveillance work thus people who are affected by any one of these areas should see a lot of coming and going from a house or apartment building. The results of their investigations is usually the eviction of the individual or individuals.

If you have noticed any unusual amounts of traffic to a house near you please phone 1-866-51-safer. This phone number goes to Regina but you will be phoned back by the Saskatoon Unit.

Please note that SCAN does not deal with "party" houses or neighbors causing issues if it doesn't fall into their three areas (prostitution, drugs and gangs).

If you would like to discuss an issue please contact Wayne Miners, Community Watch Director at 978-4658.

Information about SCAN - Nov. 3rd

The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act will improve community safety by targeting and, if necessary, shutting down residential and commercial buildings and land that are habitually used for illegal activities. These activities include: the possession, growth, use, consumption, sale, transfer or exchange of a controlled substance; prostitution or activities related to prostitution; the commission or promotion of criminal offences; the accommodation, aid, assistance or support of any nature of a gang or criminal organization of any of its activities; child sexual abuse or activities related to child sexual abuse.

This legislation empowers citizens to take back their neighbourhoods by reporting problem residences and businesses. It will also hold property owners accountable for threatening or disturbing activities regularly taking place on their property.

This Act promotes community safety by cleaning up properties that:
 negatively effect the health, safety or security of one or more persons in a neighbourhood; and/or
 interfere with the peaceful enjoyment of one or more properties in a community or neighbourhood.
If you are suspicious of a property in your neighbourhood, do not investigate it yourself or approach the occupants.

Please call the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Investigation Unit immediately. To contact the Saskatoon office, call (306) 933-8373. Or call the toll free number at 1-866-51-SAFER.

SCAN Meeting - Tues. Nov. 3rd, Community Room 7 p.m.

There will be a meeting about the Safer Communities and Neighborhoods (SCAN) organization on Tuesday, November 3rd at 7 p.m. at W.P. Bate School. Please watch here for more information about the organization and Meeting.

October Meeting

The Meadowgreen Community Association Executive(MCA) meeting was held on October 20th, 2009. A lot of plans were discussed.
The highlights of the meeting were:
- Holding a number of community meetings to discuss issues to address community safety. A meeting with SCAN will be forthcoming in November.
- The planning of signs to denote the Community of Meadowgreen like Sutherland, North Park, Montgomery Place etc.
- To create awareness regarding the removal of graffiti.
- Programs for 2010: Tai Chi, Band fitness (exercise with elastic bands); Seniors in motion; Learn to skate (under 8); Learn to play soccer (under 5)
- A sign at the Dutchak Park using bricks from Old Bate school.
- A newsletter is planned for November - information should be sent to Brad or Pat.
- Neighborhood density infill guidelines - Executive members send your ideas to Gordon.
- Research into whether or not a community garden should be established in Cahill Park on Ave X/Y and 21st Street.

It was a very productive meeting and every Executive member left with work to accomplish.

Annual General Meeting - October 7, 2009

The Annual General Meeting of the Meadowgreen Community Association was held on October 7, 2009 at 7 p.m. in the Community Room. There were 50 community members in attendance and a number of guests.

The Executive elected for 2009/2010 was Pat Tymchatyn,President; Gordon Wensley, Vice President; Peter Kozakavich, Civics Director; Bob Roy, Secretary; Vicki Roy, Treasurer; Diane Fisher, Seniors Director; Yvonne Boehr, Programs Director; Wayne Miner; Community Watch; Jerry Bartzen, Housing Director; Brad Peters, Newsletter Editor and Alfred Bobier, Rink Supervisor.

The meeting ended at approximately 8:30 p.m.