WWCA Meeting Minutes, April 12, 2010

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 WWCA April 12 2010 Minutes

WWCA letter re: development on McRae Avenue: the Westboro Collection

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 WWCA Letter re proposed McRae devt, April 10

Convent rezoning application

Our friends with the Westboro Community Association posted this news about a rezoning application for the Convent site:

http://lovewestboro.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/convent-rezoning-application/

WWCA Meeting Minutes, March 8, 2010

Traffic Concerns? Come, Learn and Talk

Elmdale School Gym

Thursday April 15, 2010

7:00 to 9:00

 Focus: West Wellington area

Speakers:

Councillor Christine Leadman

City Hall traffic expert Greg Kent

Green Communities travel specialist Wallace Beaton

Sponsored by Wellington West Community Association and Elmdale School Council

Newswest Student Writing Contest

Newswest, Kitchissippi’s volunteer-run community newspaper invites high school students 14-18 either
resident or attending school in Kitchissippi Ward to submit entries on the theme of “Community”. First prize
will be an iPod Touch; the runner up will win a second-gen iPod Shuffle.

Topic suggestions include (or develop your own!):

What does “community” mean?
Why is community important?
What communities do you consider yourself part of?
How can you make a positive impact in your community?

1500-word maximum / Deadline for submission is May 15, 2010 / Winners announcement June 17, 2010

Entries will be judged on clarity and logic, the effective use of rhetorical and metaphorical devices, ageappropriate
vocabulary, originality, and emotional appeal.
Send entries and inquiries to email hidden; JavaScript is required. Include your full name, age, address, and school.
www.newswest.org

Entries will be judged by a panel of Kitchissippi bloggers:
Bob LeDrew, FlackLife blogger (www.translucid.ca)
Vicky Smallman, Miss Vicky’s Offhand Remarks (www.offhand.ca) blogger
Andrea Tomkins, a peek inside the fishbowl blogger (www.quietfish.com/notebook)

Historic Designation for the Soeur de la Visitation Convent and Site

From the Hampton Iona Community Group:

On April 14, City Council will be debating whether to give the Soeur de la Visitation site heritage status.  Staff recommended that the convent and the land north of the convent to Richmond Road should receive heritage status.  Planning Committee overruled this recommendation and voted to give the convent and the entire site heritage status.  While this would not prevent Ashcroft from developing the site, by giving the entire site heritage status, Ashcroft will have to be much more respectful of the site and the site lines of the convent building from the surrounding community.  Development will have to take into account not just the convent building but its relationship to the site as well.  In addition, unlike the zoning approvals that will be required, heritage designation cannot be appealed to the OMB.
 
It is important that the full Council agrees to give the entire site heritage status.  Councillor Leadman has been lobbying her fellow councillors and it appears that there is good support to give the entire site heritage status.  That being said, our community needs to support this initiative.  Living next to the convent, we have a unique perspective on what it has meant to our community which we should share with councillors throughout the city.   That being said, while it would be useful for all of us to write/email the various city councillors and mayor, councillors outside of the area are much more likely to listen if they hear from their own constituents.  If you have friends or family in other parts of the City, please ask them to also write their councillors on this issue.
 
Ottawa is not a city with a lot of heritage buildings.  It is important that we preserve what we have, especially those buildings that are as unique architecturally and historically and as well maintained as the Soeur de la Visitation Convent.  As this was a cloistered convent, the 5 acres on which it sits, played an important part in its history.  The Sisters seldom left the property so this site was in effect their entire world.  To only designate the building and part of the land would not give proper appreciation to the full meaning of the site or the nature of life behind the walls of the convent.
 
Interestingly, the City’s Heritage Report refers to the site as a monastery.  For those of you unaware, a convent that is cloistered is also referred to as a monastery.

Councillor Christine Leadman has released the slides and handout that were prepared for her 31st March Community Meeting on the convent development.  They can be found here.

Also, there are still spots available for those interested in participating in the 10 April charette concerning uses for the convent building.  For more information, please see here.

HICG has been maintaining a list of meetings, documents, and press clipping concerning the development.  Information can be found here.  Please feel free to leave your comments on the development at the bottom of the page.

www.hamptoniona.ca

Planning charette on the Soeurs de la Visitation Convent site

From the Hampton Iona Community Group:

As we are all aware, the Soeurs de la Visitation Convent site was recently purchased by Ashcroft Homes for redevelopment.   The convent building will have historic designation and Ashroft has indicated its interest in providing some kind of community space in the Convent building as part of its adaptive re-use.  This could entail part or all of the building.  Several local community groups and individuals have come together to look at options for the adaptive re-use of the convent building.  There are many possibilities for the building which can include: 

• Art gallery
• Performance space
• Incubator for community organizations
• Recreation space
• Your idea???

On April 10, 2010 from 10:00 to 12:30, the community will be holding a planning charette to discuss potential uses for the convent building (Ashcroft is not part of this event but will be made aware of the results).  We are aiming for approximately 70-80 people to attend with about half being residents in the community and half from the arts, social enterprises, local businesses, recreations, the non-profit sectors.   Each of the local community groups will be approaching their membership for volunteers to attend.  We want to hear what you think of the various options, what are your ideas and how you would like to see the convent developed for your neighbourhood.

Given space limitations, however, we only have room for 4 residents from  West Wellington.  If you are interested in attending or would like further details,  please reply to this email and we will provide you with further details.  Unfortunately, given space limitations, we will have to take names on a first-come, first-serve basis, but we will have a waiting list.

Please note the purpose of the meeting is limited to only discussing the adaptive use of the convent building and not to address other issues regarding the proposed development. 

For additional information on the proposed convent development, check the website of our neighbours, the Hampton Iona Community Group: 

www.hamptoniona.ca