Category: - Rockwood Homeowners' Association

City Approves Forest Park

5/9/2016

On Monday, March 21, 2016, the City Planning Committee heard all the arguments against the Forest Park Development Plan, and then voted 7-2 to approve. Councillor Chris Fonseca and Councillor Karen Ras voted against the application. The Mayor left the Council Meeting before the vote was taken.

The bottom line was that, since the City Planners had already approved the plan, the developer indicated that they would take the City to the Ontario Municipal Board. In essence, the Council would be reversing the decision of its own staff. The legal council for the City, when questioned by Councillor Carolyn Parish, advised that fighting the decision at OMB would cost the City upwards of $200,000.

On these grounds, and faced with the fact that their track record was not good when fighting OMB, Council approved the development, with some conditions. The conditions included a list of upgrades to the existing buildings and removing paid parking prior to moving forward with the final plans.

This article was originally published in the Summer 2016 issue of the Rockwood Homeowners' Association quarterly newsletter, The Rockwood Times.

Cast your ballot on October 27th

10/19/2014

Author: Nicole Danesi
Director, Rockwood Homeowners' Association

On October 27, use your democratic right to vote in our City’s municipal election -- after all, this year’s election is not only historic, it will also change the course of our City’s future. Following nearly four decades as the City’s Chief Magistrate, 93-year-old Mayor Hazel McCallion will not be seeking reelection. It is now our choice to decide which of the 15 mayoral candidates will snag the City’s top job and lead Mississauga into a post-Hazel era.

Our historic mayoralty election should not, however, distract you from politics within Ward 3. Four candidates are campaigning to be our community’s Ward 3 City Councillor: Roma Ahmed, Phil Poyton, Elena Stoykovich, and incumbent, Chris Fonseca. Ward 3 will also be electing public and separate school board trustees. Public trustee candidates representing Ward 3 and 4 include: Rita Bindra, Evan Engering, Goran Saveski, and incumbent, Sue Lawton. Antu Maprani Chakkunny and incumbent, Mario Pascucci are also running to be trustee for Mississauga’s Ward 1 and 3 separate school board.

A great resource to research Mississauga’s mayoral, Council, and trustee candidates is www.mississaugavotes.ca. The site provides users with access to candidate websites and contact information in addition to complete instructions to ensure residents are registered on the voters’ list.

To ensure you are registered to cast your ballot, visit the website to complete a quick and easy voter look up which will notify you of your voter status. By registering, you will receive information as to the location of your local polling station on election day, in addition to other important election information. On election day, remember to bring at least one piece of government issued identification which you must disclose in order to cast your ballot.

Any election inquires can be directed to 905-615-VOTE or dial 3-1-1. Polls on Election Day, October 27th, 2014, will be open from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

*Please note this article was originally published in the Fall 2014 edition of The Rockwood Times.

Mississauga Rebranded; new logo unveiled

4/26/2014

If you ask someone outside Mississauga what comes to mind first when you think of our City, you will inevitably get the response: Hazel McCallion. Mississauga was Incorporated as a City in 1974. For 36 of those 40 years, the iconic Hazel McCallion has been the driving force in shaping our identity.

With the Mayor publicly stating that she will not seek another term in office, the timing seemed right to redefine the branding of Mississauga. The thinking is that things have changed since the original brand was developed, and today we are no longer a fledgling new commodity in the business of urban development.

Over the past 40 years, Mississauga’s population has more than tripled to 745,000 residents, making us the 6th largest City in Canada. No longer the bedroom community of the 70’s, there are now 54,000 businesses who call Mississauga home, 62 of which are leading Fortune 500 companies. And if that is not enough, there are now two post-secondary institutions located in Mississauga.

The City’s new vision is to “Inspire the world to see Mississauga as a dynamic and beautiful global city for creativity and innovation, with vibrant, safe and connected communities; where we celebrate the rich diversity of our cultures, our historic villages, Lake Ontario and the Credit River Valley. A place where people choose to be.”

A new brand story will portray today’s Mississauga as a dynamic city built on Welcoming World Culture, and Naturally Enriching and Inspiring Possibilities. The new logo communicates Mississauga’s promise for the future.

President's Report

4/26/2014

Hello, everyone!

It’s been a busy two months for RHA, attending many community events.

Late March, a delegation of RHA Directors and residents attended the City of Mississauga’s Planning and Development (P&D) Meeting to make a deputation on the proposal made by Beverly Homes for the lands at 1715 Audubon Blvd., requesting P&D make an amendment to the Mississauga Official Plan to change the Area Designation from Parkway Belt West to Residential Medium Density. In addition, they were asking to change the zoning for the land from Parkway Belt to allow 30 townhomes.

It was a long-awaited decision as our item on the Agenda did not go in front of the Committee until midnight. We had to wait, as the Committee listened to speakers discussing another development proposal on the Agenda for close to two hours! Residents from Audubon, Claypine Rise and surrounding Rockwood streets sat patiently in attendance. Both Councillor Fonseca and Ed Sajecki, Commissioner of Planning and Building for the City spoke to the City’s rezoning efforts to keep the lands zoned for Low Density Residential, Single Detached Dwellings.

RHA VP Joe Silva made a deputation to P&D Committee, and the good news is that the P&D Committee passed a motion that City Council should direct the City’s legal staff to defend the City’s
position of opposing the 30 Townhomes development as the proposal is set to be heard in April at the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB).

Early April, RHA VP Joe Silva spoke on behalf of residents regarding 1715 Audubon at the pre-hearing for the OMB. A hearing date has been set for January 12, 2015 for 10 business days. RHA will update you as soon as more information is available.

Recently TRCA (The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority) held a seminar at the Burnhamthorpe Library on “Greening Your Grounds” and how to landscape your property in an eco-friendly way. Great to see RHA Directors and residents attend this informative night.

We invite you to attend this year’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday, May 8. Come meet your local Councillor, hear from Peel Regional Police, get an update on the Bus Rapid Transit project behind Rockwood, and give your input to TRCA on environmental projects you want to see within the Burnhamthorpe SNAP (Sustainable Neighbourhood Retrofit Action Plan). Thanks to Class Productions for offering free tickets for a draw in their upcoming performances of “Goody Two Shoes” in May at the Maja Prentice Theatre. Please plan to attend-- you may just win!

I would like to thank our Board of Directors who have attended various meetings, run the organization, managed the newsletter, promoted RHA’s communications on the web and provided great insight and perspective into the issues we deal with affecting our Rockwood community. Your commitment to serving this volunteer organization is truly appreciated!

As always, we welcome your comments, questions and concerns. Reach us at rha.executive@gmail.com or through our Facebook and Twitter pages.

~ Simi Kapur, Rockwood Homeowners' Association President

*Please note this article was originally published in the Summer 2014 edition of The Rockwood Times.

City to Oppose Audubon Development

4/26/2014

It was a long evening for Rockwood residents who waited to be heard by the Planning Department on the issue of the Beverly Homes plan for development on the Audubon Boulevard lands.

Beverly Homes has applied for a change in zoning to allow 30 town home units to be built in the vacant land on Audubon. The land is currently zoned for low density, residential, single-detached
dwellings.

RHA was represented by its Vice-President, Joe Silva, a local resident. A neighbourhood case was made that the current zoning should be upheld by the City. Councillor Fonseca and Ed Sajecki, Commissioner of Planning and Building for the City, also spoke in support of the neighbourhood voices.

It was well after midnight when the Committee passed a motion that City Council would direct the City’s legal staff to defend the positions of the residents and Councils to oppose the townhouse development and maintain the current zoning.

While the first battle has been won, this is far from a done deal. Beverly Homes has already filed several appeals with the OMB (Ontario Municipal Board). The next step will be preparing for the preliminary OMB hearings. Ultimately, OMB will have the final say on the zoning of these lands.

*Please note this article was originally published in the Summer 2014 edition of The Rockwood Times.

Residental Secondary Units are now Legal

3/4/2014

Effective January 2014, Secondary units are now allowed in all residential areas of Mississauga. To be legal, there is of course some paperwork and some inspections.

A secondary unit is a separate unit in a home, which can be a nanny suite, an in-law suite or an apartment within any detached, semi-detached, or townhome. If it has a separate entrance, a kitchen a bathroom, and a living space, it qualifies as a secondary unit. For the suite to be legal, you must meet the zoning requirements, get electrical and fire inspections and then apply for a licence.

If you currently have a secondary unit in your home, whether or not you are renting it, if someone lives there it must be licensed. Should the City suspect that there is a secondary unit in your home, they do have the authority to enter your home to establish compliance with the by-law. If you do not have a licence, there will be penalties, and probably “cease and desist” orders.

The zoning conditions are fairly simple: you must provide a parking space on the property without adding an additional driveway (i.e. you have to give the tenant a portion of the existing driveway), entrances cannot be added which face the street, and side entrances must allow clearance of 1.5 m.

The more difficult part of the process is ensuring the unit meets current building code requirements (if retrofit was done after 1994) and can pass the fire and electrical inspections. Since the inspections must be done within 30 days of applying for the licence, make sure you have already requested a Certificate of Occupancy from the City before proceeding with the inspections.

For more information on the by-law and the process for applying for a Second Unit Licence, visit mississauga.ca/secondunits

*Please note this article was originally published in the Spring 2014 edition of The Rockwood Times.

CLEANING UP AFTER MOTHER NATURE

3/4/2014

While neighbourhood accounts and stories of “the Flood of 2013” are still going strong, a new disaster, “the ice storm of 2013,” is now sharing the spotlight. Hey, Mother Nature, what the heck did we do to you?

Fortunately, because we have underground power lines, there was no power loss here in Rockwood even though the storm caused damage to many mature trees. For those who did have damage, the City has cleaned up most of the debris from their property, and, commencing mid-February, will be removing city trees and debris that have fallen onto properties. If the tree or debris is not a City tree, you will need to deal with it yourself by contacting a landscape service or a contractor to remove damaged trees or fallen branches from your property. Please note that depending on the damage, you may need City approval to remove a tree from your property if it is not completely felled as a result of the storm.

In order to assist residents with the removal of excess wood and brush debris, the Region of Peel has begun collecting small bundles of wood and brush from the curb since January 13th on regularly scheduled collection days.

• Bundles of wood and brush must not exceed 1.2 m (4ft.) and 76 cm (30 in.) in diameter and weigh no more than 20 kg (44 lbs.) to ensure collector safety;

• Individual branches and tree limbs must not exceed 1.2 m (4 ft.) in length and 7.5 cm (3 in.) in diameter and weigh no more than 20 kg (44 lbs.); and

• Leave small bundles of yardwaste at the curb as the Region of Peel anticipates yard waste collection may not coincide with residents regularly scheduled collection day.

In order to mitigate the cost of this most recent disaster, the City has joined forces with 19 Mayors and 3 Regional Chairs in the GTA. They are collectively requesting the Provincial and Federal governments to share an estimated consolidated cost to GTA municipalities and Hydro of $275 million. Similar individual requests for flood relief last summer were denied. Without Federal and Provincial assistance, the taxpayer will bear the brunt of the cost through increases to property taxes or special assessments.

Trees--the loss of, protection for, or damage to--will be a big part of our future tax bills. We are already looking at a hit of $58 million for the Emerald Ash Borer Blight, and now, post ice storm, the cost of cleaning up and replacement of City trees.

*Please note this article was originally published in the Spring 2014 edition of The Rockwood Times.

Audubon zoning application goes before city

3/4/2014

The application for a zoning approval for Beverly Homes to move forward with a townhouse
development on Audubon and Fieldgate is scheduled to go before the City Planning Committee on March 24th. At that time, residents will have the opportunity to provide their input to the Planning and Development Committee. Councillor Fonseca, will be voicing her support of
upholding the current designated zoning for Residential Low Density housing. Beverly Homes
is requesting a zoning change that will allow the construction of 30 town homes.

If you would like to be heard at that meeting, contact Mumtaz Alikhan, Legislative
Coordinator at Mumtaz.Alikhan@mississauga.ca or 905-615-3200 x5425.

*Please note this article was originally published in the Spring 2014 edition of The Rockwood Times.

UTM requests $10 million from the city

12/2/2013

Photo courtesy of the University of Toronto Mississauga.

Author: Nicole Danesi, Director Rockwood Homeowners' Association

The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) has requested $10 million dollars from the City of Mississauga to help finance the cost of the new Institute for Management and Innovation building currently being constructed on the university campus.

The motion has been debated by MIRANET who has expressed concerns to both city council and UTM Principal, Deep Saini, regarding the proposal. UTM, however, has stressed the economic benefit the new institution will provide to the City of Mississauga.

If passed by city council, the City will provide $1 million dollars per year to the university over a ten-year period. It has been proposed to charge a special property tax levy in order to facilitate the cost. For now, this is just a proposal and has not been approved by Council.

For more information, please visit the RHA and MIRANET websites (www.miranet.ca) for future updates and changes regarding the proposed motion.

*Please note this article was originally published in the Winter 2013 edition of The Rockwood Times.

Presidents Report: Winter 2013

12/2/2013

Author: Simi Kapur
President, Rockwood Homeowners' Association

With the holidays just around the corner, we, on the RHA Board of Directors would like to express our gratitude for what we enjoy in our lives, and the great neighbourhood that we live in, Rockwood Village. This is also the time to help those in need and, in this regard, we’ve compiled a list of local charities that can benefit from your generosity. If you’re looking to give this year then please choose a charity from the list and contact them directly to make your donation.

Read inside about the latest developments on the proposed complex of 30 townhouses at 1715 Audubon Boulevard. The applicant is appealing the City’s decision on the Official Plan Amendment and the Rezoning Bylaw and is making its appeals to the OMB.

As this newsletter goes to print, City of Mississauga is in the 2014 Budget process. The budget process is open to the public. Details of the City’s Budget and future meeting dates can be found at mississauga.ca/budget.

I would like to thank our advertisers who make it possible to send out our newsletter. We are truly grateful for their support. I also thank our Board of Directors who volunteer their time and energy to the organization.We want to hear from you. If you would like to volunteer and get involved in your community, please contact us at rha.executive@gmail.com or through our Facebook and Twitter pages. I wish you a wonderful holiday season and a safe and Happy New Year!

~ Simi Kapur, Rockwood Homeowners' Association President

*Please note this article was originally published in the Winter 2013 edition of The Rockwood Times.

Going Legal...

4/16/2012

Mississauga is currently formulating new policies in regards to secondary units as the result of a mandate for all municipalities from the Ontario Government. A secondary unit is considered to be a basement apartment or a nanny suite.

While a secondary unit for family members is allowed, there are currently restrictions on renting out a basement apartment. In order to be deemed “legal” a basement apartment must first meet the standards set out by in the fire code. These include but are not limited to a secondary means of egress (two exits), fire doors and fire retardant drywall between units. Once the unit gets the fire department approval, the owner can then apply to the City for approval.

In the case of our area, this would probably require a zoning approval by means of an application for a minor variance to allow a change to the zoning to allow a rental unit. To approve the variance, all of your neighbours would be notified of your request and would have the option to oppose your application.

With a need for more affordable housing options, the Province is requiring all municipalities to now allow secondary units and could signal significant change to current by-laws and zoning.

The concerns for secondary units generally lie with the potential effect on the value of the neighbourhood property values; planning for sufficient services, such as schools, and emergency services; and possibly most importantly ensuring that the units are safe and will not end up as death traps in the event of fire.

For this reason, the City of Mississauga intends to reach out to residents for input in formulating a strategy for the implementation of the Provincial mandate on secondary units.

To this end, a series of public consultations will be held in February and March in various areas of the City culminating with a presentation on Rogers TV on March 6th. During this TV presentation, viewers will be able to go on line to make comments.

*Please note this article was originally published in the Spring 2012 edition of The Rockwood Times.

RHA - Keeping an eye out on city budget

3/18/2012

Author: Frank Medoro
Director, Rockwood Homeowners' Association

Who said you can’t fight City Hall? During recent budget discussions, three Rockwood Homeowner Association (RHA) Directors along with two Miranet Executives were successful in reversing an all but done deal which would have raised the salaries of Mississauga Councillors.

With tax increases of 7.5% about to be confirmed, on January 25th, our Directors and two Miranet Executives attended the City Budget Meeting, intending to challenge the committee to find more fat in the operating budget to avoid this large tax increase. But to the surprise of the homeowner representatives, Council actually put forward an unanticipated motion to increase their own salaries by 2%, even though taxes were to rise for the second year in a row. On February 8th, the Committee met to vote on the salary increases.

Once again, the community representatives attended, this time with a deputation by Miranet to persuade Councilors to reverse their plan to increase their salaries. During the deputation, several councillors expressed dismay that the Ratepayers Associations were wasting the City’s time about such a trivial amount. But Miranet fought back stating that in our present economic climate, it wasn’t the amount of $20,688, considered trivial by some councilors, but the principle of the matter that was important, as any increase in salary at this time would give the wrong signal to the community. Since our citizens are asked to “tighten their belts,” how can City Hall in good conscience give themselves a raise. When the Salary increase came to a vote, Council actually reversed their decision to raise their salaries.

The moral of the story is that community groups do have an impact on what happens at City Hall. We will continue to let City Hall know that how they spend our tax dollars is important to each and every homeowner.

City Hall Update

12/6/2010

Author: Leszek Pisarek, Director, Rockwood Homeowners' Association

1315 BOUGH BEECHES | The City of Mississauga, Planning Department has advised the RHA that as of November 9, 2010 there is no new information and no site plan application has been received by the City of Mississauga Planning Department. We will be informed if and when any new information is received. In 2008 zoning was approved and the project was included in the City’s Official Plan, in spite of community efforts to block permission to amend the zoning. Under the revised zoning, the maximum number of units (existing and new) permitted on the site is 683 units. As there are currently 270 units on this site, the maximum number of new units will be limited to 413 units and represents a maximum floor space index (FSI) of 2.56.

If the developer submits the new application and plans requesting construction beyond what the current zoning states (either through minor variance or rezoning), a public notification and full hearing process would be required. However, should the proposed construction plan be within current City’s Official Plan and zoning, it will not require a public notification or hearing. Members of the public will able to view the plans upon request.

AUDUBON PARK | Earlier this year, the ORC (Ontario Realty Corporation) advised the City of Mississauga of their intention to dispose of an empty lot on the North-East corner of Audubon Blvd. and Fieldgate Dr. This parcel is currently being leased by the City for green space. As the City has the right of first refusal on the property, they were approached to purchase the land. The City has declined to purchase the land as green space, and the ORC has now removed the land from the “Parkway Belt West” plan leaving the City free to initiate an Official Plan Amendment and Rezoning to apply designation and municipal zoning to this land.

It is expected that City will recommend a similar designation and zoning as the surrounding residential area (Low Density Residential). However, this process will be subject to the public process and area residents will be notified. A public meeting will be held in the New Year.

For more information please contact Diana Rusnov, Manager, Central Area Development and Design Div. Planning and Building Dept. 905.615.3200 ext.5534

*Please note this article was originally published in the Winter 2010 edition of The Rockwood Times.

A Conversation with Chris Fonseca

12/6/2010

Author: Stephen Roscoe, Director & Life Member, Rockwood Homeowners' Association

It was my pleasure to meet and speak with newly elected Ward 3 Councillor Chris Fonseca about her recent election and her goals in her new role. Ms. Fonseca assumed office on December 1st with a solid understanding of what lays ahead.

No stranger to life in public service, Councillor Fonseca worked closely with her husband, MPP Peter Fonseca, in his past two successful Provincial elections. But Chris was first motivated to community service, as a volunteer with a variety of organizations, inspired by her parents involvement in the community.

Ms Fonseca believed that this election was ‘the right time’ to take what she had learned from running a small business in the health and wellness sector and working collaboratively with many people in her professional role as a Regional Director of Swim Ontario, and to apply these skill sets to serve the Ward 3 community.

Councillor Fonseca’s enthusiasm to give to the community was very evident. In a very articulate manner she outlined her four key goals for the next four years:

Customer Service & Communication - To respond to community concerns within 24 hours. Continuous dialogue through her website, e-newsletters, surveycards to yield feedback and regularly attending community events such as the Career Night at Applewood which she attended last week. Meeting as many people as possible is paramount to being an effective voice and partner in making improvements in the region.

Neighbourhood Safety - Listening to the community to work towards improvements. Some of these are: better lighting in our parks, smart traffic control systems that adjust depending on the needs of pedestrians and automobiles, pedestrian crossing signals that give a visual countdown and an auditory countdown for the visually impaired, etc.

Seniors and Youth - Developing a win-win system whereby youth earn community service hours by helping Seniors with their various needs such as: lawn care, snow removal, computer training, accompaniment on walks, etc.

Business & Community Improvement - To initiate an effective process where businesses, homeowners’ associations and other parties can work together towards maintaining high standards for visually appealing signage and landscaping, regulation of curbside storefronts and the preservation of community heritage. On the environmental front, every Spring she will organize clean-ups of all parks in Ward 3.

Beyond these goals, Ms Fonseca expressed a desire to bring changes in the way Federal and Provincial governments work with Regions like Peel. Still viewed as a rural region since the 80s, when it comes to funding, Fonseca is committed to working with the Mayor and the Council to seek a fairer share of Provincial and Federal funding allocated for social services and infrastructure. On the positive side, Peel was effective in capitalizing on the federal stimulus dollars. We all saw how much activity there was this past year: resurfacing roads, renovating libraries and pools and upgrading water-main systems.

Councillor Fonseca had high praise for the Rockwood Homeowners’ Association’s ongoing initiatives and accomplishments and stated she has already enjoyed working with the RHA. Councillor Fonseca encourages all residents in the area to join the RHA and get involved. A community is always the sum total of the members’ contributions.

By the end of our meeting, I was convinced that Councillor Fonseca will be a collaborative, passionate and effective leader who will work with true dedication towards improving our part of Mississauga which we all proudly call home. Ms Fonseca got my nod as a worthy successor to our excellent but now retired Councillor Maja Prentice.

Chris Fonseca will meet with Council every week to bring our concerns forward. She can be reached at: 416.821.8587 chris.fonseca@mississauga.ca 300 City Centre Drive Mississauga, ON L5B 3C1

*Please note this article was originally published in the Winter 2010 edition of The Rockwood Times.

Congratulations Councillor Prentice

10/11/2010

Author: Stephen Roscoe, Director and Life Member, Rockwood Homeowners' Association

The Rockwood Homeowners’ Association is pleased to congratulate Councillor Maja Prentice on her twenty-five years of exemplary service in municipal politics. We in Rockwood and all of Mississauga have benefited greatly from Maja Prentice’s tireless efforts to improve this great city we live in.

Maja Prentice was first elected to City Council in 1985 and since then she has brought to fruition a remarkable number of positive initiatives that have improved our community. The Councillor: has chaired the Mississauga Committee on Obscenity , was elected President of Peel Living from 1989 to 1996, sat on the Board of Directors of the Living Arts Centre and the Mississauga International Children’s Festival, and protected our environmental interests as a member of the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority (TRCA) and Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) Noise Management Committee . Furthermore, Councillor Prentice also served on the Greater Toronto Services Board (GTSB) as an alternate for the Mayor and was her representative on the Board. Councillor Prentice has always been a staunch supporter of the Rockwood Homeowners’ Association, often making time to attend our meetings and always promptly responding to RHA concerns. Residents of Rockwood will be interested to know of several accomplishments that brought immediate improvement to the Rockwood neighbourhood.

Over the years, Councillor Prentice has
1. Collaborated with the RHA to establish the Etobicoke Creek Trail system from Burnhamthorpe Rd. to Eglinton, including erection of 4 pedestrian bridges crossing the Etobicoke Creek.

2. In harmony with RHA & Parks Dept., established the Lorrie Mitoff Bike trail through Rockwood Community commencing in Garnetwood Park and winding through to Audubon Park.

3. Teamed with the City of Mississauga & RHA to fight and win the battle to keep the McLennan lands as a Prestige Industrial Park vs the proposal by a Developer for a high-density residential slum development.

4. Chaired the Public Committee to restrict unbridled development of the existing Apartment at Dixie/Rathburn.

5. Pursued, with the RHA, the various bank stabilization projects along the west bank of the Etobicoke Creek to prevent erosion of residential properties both single family and town house units.

6. Worked effectively with the RHA and Parks Department to initiate the connection of a safe walking path from the terminal end of Rathburn Rd. to the Etobicoke Creek.

7. Co-operated in the organization of numerous tree planting programs and Green workshops within the Community in harmony with RHA , City Parks and the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority.

These improvements to our neighbourhood are certainly testimony to Councillor Maja Prentice’s effective leadership in Municipal government. For all of us in the RHA, it has been our honor to work collaboratively with Councillor Prentice for more than a decade. Her goodwill, integrity, dedication and class are the hallmarks of her exemplary character.

For your 25 year legacy of good works which all of us enjoy today, we thank you. You are truly appreciated. Congratulations on your retirement! We would also like to wish you a Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary and the best of times ahead spent with your family.

President Report: Fall 2010

10/11/2010

Author: Simi Kapur
President, Rockwood Homeowners' Association

With the summer break behind us, the RHA is back in action as we swing into fall and a new term. Our AGM was held in May 2010 at Sts. Martha and Mary school and was a considerable success. Mayor Hazel McCallion, Councillor Maja Prentice and Dorothy Tomiuk, MIRANET addressed the group and responded to questions from the floor. As the newly elected President, I would like to extend a warm thank you to our past President, Ved Parkash, and welcome our Executive and Directors to another term.

This year, our focus will include interactive community based events and activities to foster community spirit and provide an opportunity to meet our neighbours. RHA will be conducting fundraising activities to support the production and installation of gateway signs to entrances of the community. More to
follow!

As a member of the Mississauga Residents’ Association Network (MIRANET), we are fortunate to provide input into the City of Mississauga’s Strategic Plan, working with MIRANET on city wide issues affecting Mississauga residents including Rockwood Village.

With a municipal election coming up on October 25th, 2010, RHA will once again hold an All-Candidates Meeting to meet the candidates.

On behalf of the RHA and our community, we would like to thank Councillor Maja Prentice 25 years of tireless service as our council representative. Your hard work and commitment has not gone unnoticed! We wish you health and happiness for the future.

As the only active Homeowners’ Association in Ward 3, we welcome your support and participation in the RHA. This is your community and we encourage each of you to find a topic, project or activity in the Rockwood community that you are passionate about and share it with us.

We are a team of volunteers, working on community initiatives in our spare time. We can only serve you better with your support. Join the RHA!

~ Simi Kapur, Rockwood Homeowners' Association President

Presidents Report: Summer 2010

5/10/2010

"Our vision of the future”

Author: Ved Parkash, President, Rockwood Homeowners' Association

Our quarterly newsletter is now in color and looks very attractive. Dale Biason and Simi Kapur deserve the credit for the successful launch of the new colored newsletter. We will appreciate your comments as to what you like and what you don’t, so that we may improve it for the future. Residents of Rockwood are encouraged to submit articles, events and news of interest for inclusion in the newsletter.

Mississauga’s Strategic Plan is composed as – Our Vision of the Future

“Mississauga will inspire the world as a dynamic and beautiful global city for creativity and innovation, with vibrant, safe and connected communities; where we celebrate the rich diversity of our cultures, our historic villages and the Credit River Valley. A place where people choose to be”. We are a member of MIRANET (Mississauga Ratepayers’ Association Network).

The City of Mississauga’s Strategic Plan has 28 strategic goals. MIRANET committee is currently working on making recommendations for prioritizing these goals. In April, the MIRANET committee selected the following six as the most critical/important to target first:

1. Build a reliable and convenient transit system – Move Pillar.
2. Support aging in place – Belong Pillar.
3. Develop walkable connected neighborhoods – Connect Pillar.
4. Create great public spaces – Connect Pillar.
5. Create partnerships for innovation– Prosper Pillar.
6. Lead and encourage environmentallyresponsible approaches – Green Pillar.

Join your RHA and provide input to make it more beneficial for residents of Rockwood and Mississauga. Send your comments, concerns and any suggestions for improvement via email to: rhaboard@your-mail.com*.

*Please note the Rockwood Homeowners' Association new email address is rha.executive@gmail.com
*Please note this article was originally published in the Summer 2010 edition of The Rockwood Times.