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December 13, 1999 Meeting Notes

  1. Introductions & background on International Brownfield Exchange (IBE)

    Participants introduced themselves and described recent initiatives with which they have been involved. Gary Praetzel noted that Jim Glynn (Maid of the Mist) and Assemblymember Paul Tokasz are valuable contacts. John Sheffer explained that Assembymember Tokasz has $80,000 of State funding that can be appropriated to cultural tourism initiatives. Tokasz has asked a group of people to convene to discuss the implementation of cultural tourism initiatives (this group of 12 individuals has already met twice). Tokasz is also interested in meeting with Ontario’s Minister of Tourism.

    Beth Benson provided background on the International Brownfield Exchange Program and results of recent workshops. She indicated that what has emerged through work completed to date is and understanding that the brownfield agenda is no longer scientific and technical, instead it needs to be embraced in a design, development and new institutional frameworks. She suggested that a binational parks symposium could be a way of positioning the brownfields work while at the same time boosting local initiatives and strategic plans. The IBE program has some seed money from Environment Canada, the EPA and Niagara Parks Commission to help plan the symposium.

  2. Roundtable Discussion

    The group generated the following list of benefits of an international park from lake to lake:

    3. The following is a list of initiatives/projects currently underway which could be linked to the symposium:

     

    Participants discussed possible characteristics of a 21st Century park. Their ideas are listed below. A 21st Century park:

    Goals of the symposium

    The following were suggested as goals for the binational Parks symposium:

    Next Steps

    It was agreed that 2 events should be organized – a preparatory meeting or workshop (within 3 months) followed by a symposium (within 6 months).

    The preparatory workshop would help create a good package before senior stakeholders/decision makers are involved in the symposium. This preparatory meeting could:

     

    Staff of the Waterfront Trust will collaborate with members of the Urban Design Project/SUNY in a planning session to identify invitees to the preparatory workshop and a preliminary program.

    Participants of the December 13th meeting agreed to be a resource team that would assist as necessary in preparing background documentation.