Community Kitchen Meeting, Friday February 29, 2007

Attendance:
Mount Dennis Community Kitchen: Noni, Antoinette, Rebekka, Dave, Jean, Felecia, Caitlin, Dwan, Keith, Keli, Judy, Jim, Carl, Cathy, Iko, Lin, Richard.
al&d: Giampaolo, Pam T., Pam C., Cara, Harry, Larry, Jamie, Jesse, Luke, Scott, Gene
regrets: Nicko, Graham

The meeting was structured such that each of the five student groups presented to each of five resident groups for 10 minutes (5 minute presentations and 5 minutes of feedback). At the end of the 5 rounds there were 15 minutes of general comments.

Graham, Gene

In general all groups liked the idea of the one unit that serves all needs and purposes, the “kit like” entity where everything unfolds from within being spectacle as well as performative. Under each group are the points of reservations and criticisms surrounding the unit.

Round 1 Lynn. . .
-Too large for a small group to move.
- Does it dismantle?
- Can it fit in an elevator?
- Where do we store it?

Round 2 Carl. . .
- No reservations

Round 3 Youngins’. . .
- Sick
- Needs a sink, a W/C and a place to sleep

Round 4 Rebekka . . .
- Might be too imposing
- Would like too be able to see over or through it

Round 5 Noni . . .
- Too large for small group to use
- Would like to be behind a table as opposed to in front of shelves when selling food (customer/patron, farmers market scenario)
- People could steal the produce from the shelves

To all this I explained that, except for the W/C and bed, the unit could be accommodating to most of these requirements (scale, number, dismantlability, transparency, imposition, theft).

Luke, Scott, Jesse

Round 1, Cathy, Carl, Jim, Judy
- very versatile. different configurations, flexibility for each eventis very important.
- attracts your attention. eye catching. people would see it from afarand want to find out more about it.
- likes the idea that members of the community would adopt one andbring it to each event. this would bring them closer so each of thembecomes part of the gathering.
- very exciting yet simple.
- bbq should be propane.

Round 2: (Felecia, Caitlin, Dwan, Keith, Keli)
- is it too heavy?
- they cook chicken, burgers, and veggies at the events.
- maybe a resting unit would be good since sometimes people get drunkor tired at the events.- music is important. put a boom box in one.
- the ability to wash your hands on the road would be sick.
- this is a hotdog stand with everything you need!

Round 3, Jean, Dave, Rebekka
- questions materials. maybe too heavy or problematic.
- what about sinking in the mud? flat bottoms would help on the chairs.
- like the component and the versatility they offer. the possibilityof different combinations is great. that way you don't need to bringeverything to every event (only the pieces you need).- hibanchi grills are light. maybe use one of those.
- the overall size is right. especially the bbq which needs to be big.incorporate hooks for tongs etc.
- the pushing mechanism and handles need some work. they are too fiddly.
- easy installation/assembly is very important.

Round 4, Noni, Antoinette
- jesse is mr. cube
- more coverage with the canopy is needed. sections could role up toavoid going over the bbq.
- seats could attach as a larger bench which would fit more people.
- likes the idea that they could be moved as individual units or as a group.
- likes the ability to arrange however is best suited to the currentevent. versatile.
- loves the children's playing block look. kitchen lego.

Round 5, Richard, Lin, Iko
- likes the chairs. specifically how they nest and how they can beused for storage.
- likes the lego-like aspect and the connectivity.
- the ability to put it together with no tools is great.
- love how simple, open, and adaptive it is.- screw bottons are to fussy. but still useful for when there is uneven ground.

Pam T., Giampaolo

Round 1, Noni, Antoinette
- dirt on tires could be a problem around food
- fold-out legs under table don’t look stable enough
- canopy could be extended over more seats
- a useful addition to the table would be a paper-towel or condiment holder
- resemblance to an old airplane is neat

Round 2, Richard, Lin, Iko
- likes lightness, mobility, and simplicity of scheme
- can clearly see metal cans as a barbecue or corn roast
- there is concern that tires would go missing (stolen)
- what are the specifics of transporting the objects?

Round 3, Cathy, Carl, Jim, Judy
- likes lightness, mobility, and ease of storage
- tire could be a roulette, a turning surface, maybe place to put condiments… a “lazy Susan”
- likes reconfigurability

Round 4, Felecia, Caitlin, Dwan, Keith, Keli
- very interested in painting and decorating the objects (what colour is it?)
- boxes in tables to put stuff in
- interprets the folded wooden slabs between wheels during transport as seating
- needs sink, maybe there are too many wheels, there needs to be “cleanable wood”

Round 5, Jean, Dave, Rebekka
- likes the metal can containers a lot
- concerned about the instability of tables and chairs, but really likes the barbecue, –metal storage containers, could have supplies that get rolled out, or hold recycled materials
- lightness and ease of storage is a big plus’

Harry, Jamie, Larry

Group 1, Noni, Antoinette
- the way the cook serves food to the person receiving food might needto be re-thought
- Noni doesn't like the idea that serving is off toside of cook, interaction should be frontal
- facing the people you serve
- likes the modularity of the accordian structure (Noni - personalinterest in modular)
- interlocking tubes suggested for canopy structure
- is bbq large enough for the amount of hamburgers required?

Group 2, Jean, Dave, Rebekka
- multi-use, canopy, incorporation of bbq is good
- likes the idea that the unit is one piece
- can the greenhouse adequately be ventilated
- cost of materials?
- construction of accordian structure might be difficult

Group 3, Felecia, Caitlin, Dwan, Keith, Keli
- can use canopy/tarp to put signage
- canopy should be made of glass, would look cool
- shape of greenhouse is cool, but function is boring
- bbq is too close to the people eating

Group 4, Cathy, Carl, Jim, Judy
- greenhouse could be good to house turtles
- suggestion of fan to pressurize greenhouse double skin
- canopy can possibly adjust so to not cover bbq
- misreading that the accordian can actually swivel and createdifferent orientation from bbq
- bbq itself could be detached
- where will it be stored? inside
- City of Toronto Works has a spot that could possibly be a place of storage near EAG (Kevin Bowser is the contact)

Group 5, Richard, Lin, Iko
- what are the materials?
- is it durable enough?
- suggestion that the unit could be modified to accommodate bikes asthe vehicle for moving the unit around
- could it incorporate storage for chairs as well
- greenhouse needs electricity
- mistaken the frame of greenhouse for shelving (which was well received)
- shape of greenhouse might not be strong enough, especially in largersnow loads
- because snow can accumulate on the greenhouse, it defeats the purpose
- some problems with the shape of greenhouse, which promotes snow accumulation


Pam, Nicko, Cara - Earth, Water, Fire Vehicles Group

Round 1, Jean, Dave, Rebekka
- BBQ and open fire pit is a great idea. Concerned that contained fire pit will be allowed for usage.
- Why is it on 3 wheels?
- Emmett Ave will benefit from having big bike tires. Shopping cart tires wouldn't work there.
- Make materials such that they can be left outside for long amounts of time.
- Having 3 different carts is a great idea. All 3 are useful.
- Suggest more lawnchair storage and less folding out of benches. They like their lawnchairs and are willing to bring them.
- Weston Rd. Year End BBQ takes place in a parking lot. Canopy that provides initial height is a good idea.

Round 2, Noni and Antoinette
- Noni: Maybe need to provide 2 grills to handle all of the cooking going on during events.
Make it easy to take apart and sturdy.

Round 3, Richard, Lin, Iko
- Questions about the weight of materials.
- Materials need to be weather resistant and waterproof.
- Vertical member could collapse for easier storage.
- Coordination might be needed for storing each cart at a different location.
- Lin: Can place a hanging bookshelf (ex. IKEA) on BBQ vertical member that could put cooking utensils on etc.

Round 4, Cathy, Carl, Jim, Judy
- Concerned about finding storage room for them.
- Making materials weather resistant, placing a tarp over them and leaving them outside could work.
- Think the washing machine drum grill is a brilliant idea. (Note: Judy later said she has a contact at a scrap yard and thinks she can find us 2 washing machine drums. She was very impressed by this idea and wants to help.)
- Jim: Put some kind of safety guard around the grill. Make sure a grease fire extinguisher is located nearby.
- Provide a hook so can either pull it with a bike or push it by hand. Provide the options.

Round 5, Felecia, Caitlin, Dwan, Keith, Keli (although we only had 2 kids present: 2 girls and 1 boy)
- Especially concerned about how hot it gets during the summer. Interested in shading, ice, and fans.
- Concerned that you could knock your head on the vertical members.

Concluding Remarks - 9:15 – 9:30pm

Lin - Love the versatility
- there is a difficult tradeoff between sturdiness and versatility
- love bicycle the tires

Noni
- appreciated all the projects a lot
- likes the shape of G&G’s proposal
- appreciated the modularity of other projects
- how can these be integrated?
- market and barbeque together is great!
- is nervous about the stability of the projects and the possibility of fire (especially overhead canopies above barbeques)

Judy
- loved the washing machine barbeque

Richard
- thought the hothouse could extend the barbeque season all year round

Carl
- wouldn’t know how to choose between them

Keli
- they are all cool and useful

Jim
- really appreciated the fact that they are environmentally friendly, without engines, powered by person power

Rebekka
- Wondered how Tuesday will go
- each project has really good qualities, hopefully they all can be profitably combined.
- like Lin concerned about the tradeoffs between studiness and mobility
- the existing furniture in the park has been destroyed

Iko
- missed the small stage
- feels the stage could be used anytime
- for music or events
- a way to animate the market