Opaque Clarity

The co-op, in a newsbrief earlier this month, has dedicated themselves to transparency in all things.  In fact, they have vowed to divulge how much money they have raised to date for the playpark and (eventually) it will be posted on the bulletin board in the common unit.  Of course, they would have known how much money they had raised before they bought the playpark structure, but they will not answer that simple question. 

The co-op has stated that they will be looking at some safety features for the toddler area come Spring.  Let's hope that children won't use the icy slide in the Winter time.     

The co-op is endeavouring to strike up some committees - the Diversity Committee being one of them.  Catchy name!  The Block Committee will be the strong arm of the co-op, as they will be responsible for taking in 'participation slips'.  At the moment I cannot envision anything more bizarre than handing in a piece of paper every time I rake or pick up garbage.  The units in the co-op are rented out to anyone who will take them.  The co-op will not evict these members for non-participation, as it will ultimately entail huge vacancy losses.  The co-op will, however, attempt to evict a vulnerable few, which is a loss unto itself.

The co-op is in the process of hiring a permanent property management firm to be in place by January, 2013.

Lastly, the newsbrief contains a very strong admonishment to the effect that Board members, under no circumstances, will address individual complaints.  The Board will only address member concerns at a properly held meeting, being professional and all. 

If the weather isn't too adverse, I may from time to time shuffle on over to the common unit to see if the Board has yet to post how much money they have raised to date for the playpark.

Email notifications don't exist, you see.  It's all a matter of how one views transparency.

CRIES

Dim light

Black night

Kid's park

In the dark

Car coming

Kids running

Car creeping

Shadows weaving  

Danger!

Danger!

                            

Concoctions

The figure which appears on an ODSP stub as Shelter Allowance must be used for the calculation of one's subsidy, not the maximum Shelter Allowance, which does not appear.  The co-op may not assign a maximum Shelter Allowance until that member receives same.  The utility allowances listed on the co-op's confirmation of housing charge must not be decreased willy-nilly, in order to ascertain a fictitious housing charge.  

It was stated at an All Members Meeting last night that 35% of a member's income was used to calculate one's subsidy in Phase 1 because of our Solvency By-law.  Well, the Solvency By-law is now over, so reduce the 35% to 30% back to where it should be.   

The Sneeze

Oh my goodness, this cold is hard to shake.  Coughing, sneezing, breathing difficulties.  Yes, and dealing with cat fur as well.  Nice time for knitting and quilting and watching TV.  Seeing that the nice weather is here, raking leaves might be a possibility.

Warmth

This is one of the lampshades I've made over the years.  I'd spend hours and hours beading fringes, sometimes up to a metre in length.  I'd browse through second-hand stores for old glass lamps, disassemble them and rebuild them anew.  On this particular lamp I handbeaded black seedbeads over the separator couplings.

I love the intimacy of Victorian and Flapper-style lampshades. In period movie settings, replica lampshades are like product placements - sometimes three or four are featured in a single camera angle. 

Lately, I've been going through my beads and supplies, not letting go just yet.  Maybe, just maybe, I'll find the passion once more to feel and see these lampshades come to life before my very eyes.

The light is beckoning me . . .

WHEW!

DEAR BOARD:

This is the letter I emailed to the Board of Directors of our co-op on October 30, 2012:


*****

The placement of the play structure slide is extremely dangerous for children as it is built right out to the roadway and is not fenced in.  When ____ Housing Co-op was built back in the 1980s, the architect designed a buffer zone (greenspace) in front of the play park for two reasons:  safety and visibility.  You will note that these buffer zone greenspaces are also around all the units in the co-op.  The architect's design enclosed the play park on three sides for a reason - children's safety. 

Children dart about in frenzied delight when they play and without a moment's hesitation will run into the roadway.  Children love to tightrope walk on wooden beams and last night I saw such an activity -  a car came within inches of a 7-8 year old child while she was balancing herself on the beams.  Children could be clipped by passing cars if they play or sit on these beams.

The greenspace buffer zone also allowed for a margin of error for cars, delivery and garbage trucks.  The co-op has experienced on occasion, cars careening in and out of the co-op squealing their tires. The exposed play park is at the helm of  the U-shaped track used for this illegal and hazardous activity.  The park is the co-op's legal responsibility.  As it now stands, the park's lack of protection for children is negligent in the extreme.  It is incumbent upon the co-op to move the play structure into the centre of the park where the old structure was, and fence in the entire play area.  Many members are in disbelief with the present location of the structure because of the danger it presents for children.

The wooden beams will soon be covered with snow.  Snowplows and/or cars could very well destroy these beams, damaging their vehicles in the process. 

On a visual level - the location of the large structure has no aesthetic appeal.  It is not pleasing to the eye and does not flow with the existing structures.  The natural play park in ___ Park has such a flow.

On a financial level - the co-op must publish the names of the play park sponsors and the amounts they donated.  It does not suffice to merely acknowledge the donors' names in a speech.  Standard bookkeeping methods must be adhered to, including the cost of the play structure and any monies owing thereunto.  The co-op has a judiciary duty to its members to produce such information, with no exceptions.

Thank you.