All AWWCA Initiatives

  1. Purpose-Built Student Housing

    The 390 -student on-campus residence, combined with the 450-bed complex being built on the old CNIB site, will mean that approximately 120 residential houses being used for rentals will be freed up over the next two years.

  2. Community Assets

    We are thrilled to report that through the efforts of a neighbourhood group led by AWWCA member Penny Palmer, with the help of our Councillor Brian McHattie, the splash pad at Churchill Park was completed ahead of schedule, at the end of September 2006, ready for use the first warm day of summer 2007.

  3. Campus Town Association

    As you are aware, the CTA is an incorporated partnership of the AWWCA, the Westdale Business Improvement Area, and McMaster University. It was formed to make this one of the best near-campus communities to live in North America.

  4. Municipal Bylaws

    The board has set out an action plan to address the over 200 complaints from our community that the city does not have the capacity to address in a timely manner.

    If you have concerns, complaints, or feedback, we have created these specific email addresses:

  5. Noise Signs

    Led by Councillor McHattie, we now have signs warning of the noise bylaw at key points in our community.

  6. Traffic

    We continue to have excessive amounts of truck traffic in our community. Led by AWWCA member Ann McLaughlin, we are exploring ways to encourage traffic to flow through the university's main entrance, particularly during early morning hours.

    As of Jan. 31, 2008, heavy trucks destined to McMaster University may no longer travel on our residential streets. Rob Payne, chair of the AWWCA’s transportation committee, reports that as a result of the AWWCA’s active involvement, a new focus on collaborative solutions to traffic issues between the city and the university has been established.

  7. Property Taxation

    Led by AWWCA vice-president Alice Sabourin and MPP Judy Marsales, about 25 residents met on May 12, 2006, with representatives from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation to discuss how our assessments are affected by the significant number of student rental properties in our area.

  8. Graffiti

    Thanks to AWWCA board member Dimitri Malakov and member Ken Ockenden, we are seeing great strides being made in combating graffiti.

  9. WestFest and KidsFest

    WestFest, an annual event, held a celebration of 75 years of community life on June 10, 2006 in Westdale Village. The AWWCA had a history board on display at its booth, with articles from The Way We Were, as published in the newsletter of the AWWCA, Neighbourhood News & Views.

    Westdale Library celebrated its 50th Anniversary in the Westdale Village as WestFest on June 9, 2007. As in previous years, the AWWCA had a booth staffed by volunteers with membership information and back copies of Neighbourhood News & Views. The AWWCA’s radiant house buttons were available for everyone.

    WestFest, renamed KidsFest, took place on June 28, 2008 with even more family friendly events. The AWWCA's 10th Anniversary celebrations took centre stage at this event. Free cake and water were distributed to all in attendance by AWWCA board members. The AWWCA honoured volunteer Janet Woodward, a board member since the AWWCA’s inception, and presented her with a plaque from the board, a signed certificate from Mayor Eisenberger and Councillor McHattie, and a ceramic piece by local artist and AWWCA block representative, Catherine Weir. The AWWCA’s new radiant house sticker was introduced offered to all.

  10. Proposed Sign Bylaw

    The new sign bylaw was passed Feb. 1, 2007, incorporating some suggestions from the AWWCA, the only community group to make submissions. For more information, see the city's website; search Sign Bylaw.

  11. Student Behaviour

    Led by Staff Sergeant Scott Rastin, and supported financially by the MSU, an innovative restorative-justice program, called the Community Accountability Program, was launched in 2006.

  12. AWWCA Website

    After much deliberation and advice from AWWCA members with relevant experience, the board has decided to push forward with the development of a professional website for our organization.

  13. Town and Gown Association of Ontario

    A key for our community is to identify and implement legislative changes needed to give our city more flexibility when dealing with specific near-campus issues. Participation in provincial organizations is the key to effecting legislative change.

  14. Colorado Town and Gown Conference

    A number of ideas from the conference were collected for the board to examine for possible application in our community.

  15. Adopt-Your-Block

    Logo

    Initiated in May 2009 by board member and student liaison Shelli Eisenberg, the goal of Adopt-Your-Block is to keep our neighbourhood relatively garbage free.

  16. Community Cleanups

    Initiated by AWWCA former board member Dmitri Malakhov in 2002, AWWCA cleanups take place around Earth Day each year. In 2007, in addition to the Churchill Park station, we introduced a cleanup station at Cootes Drive and Sanders Boulevard. In 2008 we added two more stations: one on Haddon Avenue South and the other in front of MacNeill Baptist Church. A record 56 community members pitched in to clean up in 2008.