Les Soeurs de la Visitation convent

For those interested but who were unable to make the February 1 meeting, the Westboro Community Association has posted the presentation given by the Ashcroft architect at the Feb. 1 public meeting on Planning and Design Guidelines for the Convent site:

http://lovewestboro.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/presentation-feb10.pdf

Also, here is a link to Ken Gray’s Citizen column on the same subject:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/columnists/will+speak+convent/2543702/story.html

OC Transpo Route 18

from Councillor Leadman’s office:

Hello Everyone,

Marc Chenier, a member of the Champlain Park Community Association who is spearheading the 18 petition, sent this information along to me regarding the petition and asked me to pass it along to all of you . If you know of any members of your community affected by the cancellation of Route 18 who would like to participate, could you please pass this information on to them. If you have any questions please let me know.

A petition is being circulated about the loss of the Route 18 bus west of LeBreton.

It reads as follows:

“WHEREAS we the residents of Kitchissippi Ward find changes in Trans PLAN 2009 resulted in transit being more difficult to use throughout the day. The changes increased our walking time, increased transfers to crowded buses and contributed to lower service on local routes.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT we the residents of Kitchissippi Ward wish to petition the City for the reinstatement of OC Transpo route 18 west of Lebreton Station.”

Councillor Leadman is hoping as many people as possible will sign it to help strengthen her arguments to have the route re-instated. Indeed, OC Transpo has indicated that proof of demand for the service is required before it will consider reinstating the route. Ms Leadman believes if she can make a strong argument –backed by large community support– she can be successful.

Starting last week, a few Champlain Park residents have covered the whole Champlain Park neighbourhood in a door-to-door canvass to circulate this petition. An opportunity was also offered for those who were not home when the door-to-door canvass occurred to come to the fieldhouse last Wednesday, to sign the petition.

These efforts have been very encouraging, and to date, over 250 signatures from our neighbourhood have been obtained, in addition to other petitions from other sources that Ms. Leadman has already received.

But we want more signatures, to ensure that the case presented to OC Transpo is as solid as possible. As such, we need help in these areas:

• we need canvassers to cover other affected neighbourhoods, such as Westboro Beach, Wellington West Village, West Village Private and other neighbourhoods along the former route of the No. 18. If you are interested in helping in such a canvass, please call Marc Chénier (613-798-9384);
• If the loss of the route has been a hot topic of conversation at work, school, or play and you feel that your colleagues will be interested in signing the petition, please  call Marc for copies of the petition;

• we will hold another signing session at the Champlain Park fieldhouse (149 Cowley) on Wednesday, February 17, from 8 pm to 9 pm. Anyone who did not yet sign the petition, but wishes to do so, can come to the fieldhouse at that time;

• we need you to forward this e-mail to anyone and everyone who you think has been affected by the loss of Route 18, and who may be interested in participating.

Thank you for your help!

Kindest regards,

Jennifer Young

Office of Christine Leadman

Budget consultation for Kitchissippi Ward

The budget consultation for Kitchissippi Ward (and 3 other central city Wards) takes place this evening at City Hall from 7-9 p.m.  This is the final public consultation before Council starts deliberating on the proposed budget next week. Summary documents are available from the City website or the Councillor’s office.

Lansdowne Live update from Councillor Leadman’s office

On November 16^th 2009, City Council, on behalf of the residents of the City of Ottawa, approved the Lansdowne Partnership Plan (LPP) between the City and the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG). It is clear that Lansdowne has been left to deteriorate over successive Councils and is in need of rehabilitation. I am very supportive of redevelopment of the site but financial oversight is critical. Any project must be viewed past its vision into its fundamentals.

I am hoping that when this issue comes back to council in June 2010 evaluation of these fundamentals will be provided through the reports that are now set to be completed. Only then can we be better able to see if the proposal is, in fact, good for residents and the City as a whole.

The information that needs to be provided includes:

• A fair market impact study. The studies conducted to date forecasted limited impact but had the entire core of Ottawa as the impacted region. As the proposal would see the amount of commercial space in that area double, the scope is being broadened to provide a more accurate picture of the impact on local businesses.
• A firm financial model. The operating system and financial plan is currently a ‘closed system’ with little to no details. The operating system has a large impact on the potential subsidies the City will be providing OSEG and the structure in which the City will receive revenues. Additionally, the current financial plan was not audited for accuracy and will be evaluated by our Auditor-General.
• The redesign that will be initiated under George Dark will potentially impact the revenue stream and possibly add to the tax burden.
• Effects on transportation. While football games were held at Lansdowne in the past, they operated under different conditions than what is being proposed. Access to the Queen Elizabeth Driveway has not been acquired for transit use during regular games. Nor has any of the critical offsite parking locations been confirmed. Finally, The OSEG study predicted 30 to 35 per cent of trips not being taken by car. Past football games were only in the 3 to 6 per cent range.
• Transparency and accountability regarding the incremental tax revenues generated from the site and impacts on the overall tax base.
• Clarity in that this project is not “revenue-neutral” as has been claimed.

In conclusion, this proposal originates from great proponents, with their vision; however, the deal still has critical flaws and gaps. The fact that these flaws were not solved in advance of the vote was unfortunate and I felt it irresponsible to vote for the plan at this time. I am hopeful that this information will be available for the vote next spring.

I will endeavour to examine and judge the proposal on its merits. I will, as always, continue to work to ensure taxpayers are getting the best return on their investment.

Please contact my office if you wish to discuss this or any other civic topic further by email at email hidden; JavaScript is required or by phone at 613-580-2485.

Sincerely,

Christine Leadman

ROTIS Line Offers Help to Vulnerable Seniors

Help the Aged (Canada) has collaborated with Ottawa Public Health, the Regional Geriatric Program of Eastern Ontario, VHA Health and Home Support, and a network of community resources to offer the Reaching Out to Isolated Seniors (ROTIS) program. ROTIS allows community members to help connect vulnerable seniors with assistance they might need as they age.  Vulnerable seniors may have difficulty caring for themselves, experience unexplained changes in personality, have little social support when they need it, and are vulnerable to falling through cracks in the medical and social systems.  ROTIS helps seniors maintain their independence and overall well-being by connecting them to appropriate services such as fall prevention, chronic disease management, mental health support, spiritual care, home helpers, and friendly visitors.  If you are concerned about a senior in your community, please speak with them or call the ROTIS line at 613-562-6381.  For more information about ROTIS, including volunteering opportunities or to book presentations for your workplace or community group, please contact Olivia Guiliani (email hidden; JavaScript is required) or Andrea Monahan (email hidden; JavaScript is required), call 613-232-0727, or visit www.isolatedseniors.ca.

Phase 2 Update

From the WWBIA:
The rain and bad weather certainly affected the progress of this summer’s construction on Wellington St W but by how much? If you’re curious to know details of the project and want to ask specific questions, please plan to attend an evening meeting with the City of Ottawa’s construction project manager Max Ross, hosted by WWBIA.

Find out how much has been completed and what is still to come.

Date: Thursday, August 27, 2009
Location: Hintonburg Community Centre, 1064 Wellington St W
Time: 7:00pm – 8:30pm

For more info, please call 613 875.2242

2009 Ottawa Urban Design Awards

From the City of Ottawa:
The 2009 Ottawa Urban Design Awards celebrate projects built in the City of Ottawa that exhibit urban design excellence. The awards will honour exceptional projects built in the city between September 1, 2007 and September 1, 2009. This is the third in the biannual awards program.

Please note the deadline for entries is less than two weeks away. Submissions must be received by 4 p.m. on August 20, 2009 in the 4th floor lobby area of the Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability Department at Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West.

Details are on our Website at for submission entry forms, program guidelines and juror information. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Falkner at 613-580-2424 ext 27913 or by email at email hidden; JavaScript is required

We look forward to receiving your submissions for the 2009 Ottawa Urban Design Awards.

Live Local! Love Local! Shop Local!

From our friends at the WWBIA:
Wellington West Business Improvement Area is pleased to announce the launch of a new ‘Shop Local’ marketing campaign and contest. “Live Local! Love Local! Shop Local!” is designed to support Hintonburg businesses as they struggle to overcome the disruption caused by Phase 2 of the Wellington St. West Road Reconstruction (Parkdale Ave east to Bayview Ave.)

Buying a gift? Going out for dinner? Need a haircut? Make a point of spending your money locally! Win great prizes and strengthen our local economy and our community!

Phase 2 is one of the most ambitious road reconstruction projects attempted by the City of Ottawa (1.4 km in a single summer!). And while we welcome this investment in our Main Street, there is no denying that it has had a significant impact on local businesses. With sidewalks crowded by machinery, traffic down to a single bumpy lane, construction noise and dust, it has been a challenge to say the least. Some businesses are even in danger of closing due to the construction, which will not end until late November.

That is why our new campaign invites residents to make a concerted effort to shop locally for the next few months to str engthen our local economy and community. We have circulated 10,000 “Live Local! Love Local! Shop Local!” postcards, both through direct mail to homes and via shops along Wellington St West. By simply filling in the name of the business where a customer has shopped locally and supplying contact info, shoppers can win one of 10 gift certificates ($25 each) to local businesses each month. Postcards can be dropped off at the Hintonburg Community Centre (1064 Wellington West). Winners will be announced in the Kitchissippi Times as well as on this website. Draws will be held on the 15th of each month until the end of construction.

Our businesses are essential to the fabric of our community. When Wellington West has been resurfaced and beautified, with new streetlights, benches, public art, sidewalks, trees and more, we want all of our local businesses to be around to benefit.

Live Loc al! Love Local Shop Local!

How to Start a Community Garden Workshop

NOW is the time to start working on gardens for next growing season.  In fact, it can take up to a year (or more) to get a Community Garden started.  If you are interested in starting a garden in your neighbourhood, be sure to attend this free workshop where we will learn about the steps involved in starting a community garden, the supports that are available, tips for organizing the garden, and much more.

“How to Start a Community Garden” Workshop

July 8, 2009

7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Just Food Office Boardroom

280 Metcalfe St., 5th Floor

Please call Terri at 613-236-9300 x309 or e-mail email hidden; JavaScript is required to reserve your spot.

Ottawa to Host Light Rail Transit (LRT) Technology Forum June 20, 2009

Ottawa City Council approved the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) in November 2008, including a vision for achieving an integrated, citywide transit solution to better serve communities across Ottawa. The specific type of technology needed to achieve this vision has yet to be identified.

To address the technology issue, the City of Ottawa is hosting an LRT Technology Forum on June 20, 2009 that will bring together the public, transit experts, technology providers and key stakeholders to identify the best transit technology options for the City’s new LRT system.

You are invited to take part in the Forum on Saturday, June 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 at City Hall.  Presentations by staff and technology providers will be followed by small group discussions. There will also be an opportunity to visit displays and engage with other participants and technology providers.

Have a look at the schedule of events to find out more about who is speaking and when.

Want to learn more?

The City has prepared a series of background documents to highlight the technology related issues associated with building the new LRT system. Get informed by reading the papers. Then, send your comments no later than July 15, 2009.

Your chance to get involved starts now

You can contribute to the technology discussion by:

• Reading and commenting on the technical background documents
• Attending the Forum on June 20. Seating is limited for the small group discussions, so please register in advance to save your spot.
• E-mailing your comments and opinions no later than July 15, 2009.

Direct your questions to:

Barbara Backland
Forum Coordinator
E-mail: email hidden; JavaScript is required
613-580-2424, ext. 14953