Belltown Neighbours' Association

Belltown Neighbours’ Association News www.belltown.ca [email protected]

In the News: February 2018

 Canada 150 a success!  Britannia Park re-vitalization  Fall micro-burst fells trees  Getting ready for Spring Survey

September micro-burst fells Belltown’s Canada 150 trees in Belltown, Britannia events a success

Last September 27th’s micro-burst storm roared down the Ot- - shall we do it again? tawa River and felled trees in Belltown, Britannia (including the Park), along the SJAM Parkway to Woodroffe North, into Car- Last summer’s Canada 150 Belltown events—a paddle parade on lingwood and McKellar Park, damaging houses and cars. Among Lac Deschenes followed by a community potluck picnic at the the worst hit was a pine stand in Mud Lake, blown down by Belltown Dome on Sunday July 2—were, by all accounts, a suc- winds that reached 160 kph at the Britannia Yacht Club(!). cess (true, it was windy on the lake, but we had fun!) as people came together and enjoyed good food and fine music (thank you Our tree cover is taking quite a beating from climate change, the Neptunes!). It seems a pity to wait another 50 years to cele- emerald ash borer, and wind storms like these. Perhaps it’s time brate—how about an Annual day-after Canada Day event for to take an inventory and develop a re-planting plan? Belltown? Tell us what you think at [email protected].

Remember last spring?

Last May’s spring flood was an experience Belltown will not soon forget! A sud- den thaw accompanied by persistent rain brought the Ottawa River at Lac Belltown Dome Deschenes to a 1-in-50 year flood level—a full 2 metres above normal! The City dumped sand & sandbags at Belltown Dome and a hardy crew filled thousands of Schedule bags. The outlet under the bike path near Maplehurst & Oakely let in water that threatened the 90+ homes in Belltown on the floodplain - quick work by Bell- Sunday: Family Skating 2:00-2:50pm town residents plugged that up before any damage. Now the City is looking at Monday: Shinny (Youth 13-17) 4:00-4:50pm better solutions to stop up that outlet. Better hurry—spring is coming! Tuesday: Public Skating 4:00-4:50pm Wednesday: N/A Thursday: Shinny (Child 6-12) 4:00-4:50pm Figure Skating 5:00-5:50pm Adult Hockey(18+)10:00-10:50pm Friday: Shinny (Child 6-12) 4:00-4:50pm Adult Hockey(18+) 5:00-5:50pm Saturday: Adult Hockey(18+) 9:00-9:50pm

For more info on fees, etc., go to https://ottawa.ca/en/residents/facilities/ belltown-dome

Britannia Park Re-vitalization Project resumes

In 2013 the City established a working group to look at rejuvenating the Ron Kolbus-Lakeside Centre, an aging facility in Britannia Park. The working group included residents from the surrounding neighbourhoods (including Belltown) and user groups, but despite a series of meetings nothing came of the exercise and in 2015 it fizzled to a halt.

However, the recently-announced federal infrastructure program ($187 billion over 12 years, of which $83 billion is new funding) has allocated funds for recreation infrastructure. This is a federal-provincial-municipal program, requiring cities to submit capital projects to the provinces (in our case the City of Ottawa to Ontario) which approves what it will fund, matched by federal funds.

As a result a new community-based working group has been organized to begin developing a new RKLC/Britannia Park re- vitalization project for City of Ottawa approval, to form part of the City’s list of projects for this infrastructure funding. More details will become available as we advance—for more information please contact [email protected].

Public consultation begins for NCC SJAM Riverfront Park

Plan The NCC has tabled its revised plan for the Sir John A. Macdonald Riverfront Park for public comment (deadline is February 11, 2018!). Among its proposals is increased public access to the Ottawa River shoreline, seasonal washrooms, a boardwalk, and segre- gated pedestrian/cyclist pathways. Among its more controversial proposals is reducing the number of car lanes on the SJAM Park- way from 4 to 2, from Island Park Drive west to Carling Ave., plus introducing curves on the bikepath running along the southern edge of Mud Lake.

To review the SJAM Riverfront Park Plan and answer a survey, please go to: http://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/documents/sjam-draft-plan. And let your MP Anita Vandenbeld know your views ([email protected]).

New future for Lincoln Fields Shopping Centre?

RioCan, the owner of Lincoln Fields Shopping Centre, has indicated that it wishes to redevelop this failing mall into a residential complex, taking advantage of the nearby Lincoln Fields Transitway/LRT Station, The City’s planning policies encourages higher density near LRT stations, so we can expect higher apartment and/or condo towers here.

In anticipation of the City receiving a redevelopment proposal from RioCan, 6 area community associations (including the Belltown Neighbours Association) have banded together to develop a community response to the expected proposal—where does the Metro store go? What about pedestrian & cycling linkages? What about greenspace? A public meeting place? What about restoring a tradi- tional mainstreet to Richmond Road?

We will keep you posted as to the progress of this file, and let you know when the opportunity for public input comes. For more information please contact [email protected]. Committee of Adjustment rejects 23 Boyce Are you on application for floodplain policy exemption Facebook?

The City’s Committee of Adjustment recently dealt with an application by Olympia If you are, then Homes, builders of a new home at 23 Boyce Ave., to permit conversion of loft storage space to living space, exceeding the 120% expansion limit for homes on the Ottawa join Belltown River 100-year floodplain. Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) floodplain rules limit such expansions in order to reduce possible flood damage. The Committee Neighbours and agreed with BNA concerns that permitting such an expansion would be unfair to other 90+ homes in Belltown on the 100-year floodplain who follow RVCA rules. stay connected!

However, the BNA is interested in changing our designation by obtaining floodfringe status from the RVCA for those homes on the 100-year floodplain, which would then permit 150% expansions. Yes? No? Contact us at [email protected]. The Belltown Neighbours Association executive is a small Next edition of the News: group of 9 people (room for more!) elected at a community meeting yearly (yes, we have a constitution). Issues we have been  Spring Clean the Capital dealing with include the Ottawa River floodplain, infill develop- ment, speeding on our streets, parking issues around Belltown  Survey on Belltown Needs Dome, run-off to the river, neighbourhood watch, and more.

To find out more, please go to our web site: www.belltown.ca; or Watch for your copy! contact us: [email protected].