Dear Members,

Our current Common Room Policy and Roof Garden Use Policy, and associated paper-based booking forms, need a refresh. COHO staff and the AVC Board asked the AVC Policy Committee to update them to better reflect usage and shift from a paper-based booking request/ indemnification form to an electronic one. The hope is to have our new policy and booking procedures in place for when we are able to book our Common Room again.

Please find attached the updated and simplified “Common Room and Roof Gardens Use Policy.” The Policy Committee is asking for your feedback and will incorporate this into a final version to bring to our Board for approval. You can view the current versions in our Policies & Procedures.

Below is a summary of key changes:

·         Merged and simplified Common Room Policy and Roof Garden Policy.

·         Removed booking forms from Member Handbook and created online booking form: https://avcoop.igloodigitalworkplace.ca/resources/space_booking

·         Rules of Use for Common Room:

o    Added “vaping” to no smoking language

o    Added “except service animals” to no pets language

o    Added “loading and emptying dishwasher” to expectations for cleaning Common Room after use

o    Changed minimum age of unsupervised use from 19 to 8 as this is the standard for community centre and library usage

·         Rules of Use for North and South Gardens:

o    Added language asking Members to remove food waste and be responsible stewards of the garden areas

o    Clarified that bookable space refers to the picnic table area under the trellis in the North Garden, and the sitting area in the South Garden. A larger area of the gardens may be booked by special request only, and with approval of the Garden Committee. The gardens act as access points in and out of the building and are a shared space to be used cooperatively, so members are encouraged to use the space without booking if it is free, and with respect for others.*

·         Removed $100 damage deposit requirement for bookings in Indemnification Agreement

*Note: The Garden Committee will develop some signage around expectations and considerations for shared use and bookings in the North and South gardens.

Please share any input to matt.dolf@pm.me by Sunday, May 23rd.

Thank you,

Matt Dolf on behalf of the AVC Policy Committee