The latest conversations....

Well, the community ministry team (still waiting for a catchier title to replace that name) has met several times now and we have shared with each other some of the conversations we have been having in the community as well as the 'word on the street'.

The word on the street:

• The Farmer's Market is moving to Ottawa street the second weekend in March and they will have a grand opening sometime in May.
• The owner of the Spice Imporium is looking to move across the street and expand his business to include coffee/latte's (hooorrraay), baked goods etc.
• There is a Pentecostal church meeting in the old Dofasco building. The pastor there is new and it was suggested we connect with him at some point to explore interests etc.
• Most of the vendors from Centre Mall are looking on Barton, Ottawa and Kenilworth to open up a store
  

Some of the people we have connected to:

• Patty Despinic of the BIA (gave ideas for how as a community we could serve this neighbourhood together)
• David Milmine. Former employee of Dofasco, currently connected with City Kidz, Wraparound, Promise Keepers. He is very well connected with business owners in the Ottawa St. area and encouraged maintaining Kiwanis as a resource in order to get to know and be connected with the families in this community.
• Marg Kowalski from the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction (they should also invest in a shorter/catchier name). The new motto for Hamilton is "Hamilton, the best place to raise a child". The recognition for the involvements of neighbourhoods to be instigators for change has led to a conversation with Marg about the Ottawa St. neighbourhood and we are working together to pull voices from the community with other leaders to address the issues identified.
  
• Jorge from Poco Loco's. He shared some of the things he hears about the neighbourhood through the customers that come (much of it revealed some of the negative perceptions of others who live here)