In August of 2011, resident Tiana Dargent of Convent Glen, approached Councillor Bob Monette and expressed interest in revitalizing the defunct Convent Glen Community Association (CGCA). The community had been without an association since the early 1980’s. Monette agreed saying “The best tool for an elected official is a community association. They’re the eyes and ears of the community” and, from a political point of view, residents in a community association have a stronger voice, “You’re not just dealing with individual voices, you’re dealing with an entity”.
Convent Glen is considered an “established community” in the sense it has been around longer than other Orléans communities, which was a challenge, according to Dargent. However, on September 22, 2011, 23 people attended the very first meeting which was a great turnout – eight people volunteered to take part in the Board of Directors for the community.
In Summer 2012, Louis Caron, Christine Walton and Ian Gadbois held a series of meetings that set a course of action for the establishment of the Convent Glen – Orléans Wood Community Association (CGOWCA) and they developed a Planning Committee in order to realize the formation of the CGOWCA. They recruited 12 members of the community to accomplish this task. The members of the Planning Committee were: Jacques Bedard, Louis Caron, Bob Elrick, Julia Ginley, Jacqueline Grenon, Jane Leblanc, Jean Lepage, André Pinard, Jean Richer, Genevieve Trottier, Christine Walton, and chaired by Ian Gadbois.
Throughout the many meetings, Jean Lepage observed the positive interventions of this dynamic group. The committee members pooled their resources, formed subcommittees, sought advice from other knowledgeable persons, performed innumerable tasks, and worked relentlessly in a spirit of collaboration and respect. “Their diligence and professionalism were impressive. That explains my boundless optimism,” said Jean Lepage during the founding meeting of the Community association, in February 2013. Throughout this process, the Committee was encouraged and supported by Councillor Bob Monette.
At the inaugural meeting, held in February 2013 and attended by over 50 community members, the Board was elected.
