Getting Involved in the Future Public Meeting on the Community Design Plan a Success
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THE BUZZ Dundonald Park: Backyard Beat, page 6 Bronson Avenue wall dismantled, page 3 JUNE 15, 2012 VOL. 17 NO. 6 At the heart of Ottawa since 1995 CENTRETOWNBUZZ.COM UZZ CHARLES AKBEN -MAR C HAND / THE BUZZ B Getting involved in the future Public meeting on the Community Design Plan a success ROB DEKKER of hands of the 150 people pres- what was supported in the CDP): need for more green space and af- ent at the meeting, about two- 1. Drastic increase in height of fordable housing, to the conversion he recent public meeting thirds were “relatively new to buildings; of the west lawn of the Canadian on the Community Design the CDP” and had not attended 2. Too much emphasis on mixed Museum of Nature to parking. T Plan (CDP), organized by the City-sponsored meetings held use zoning; and There were many comments, members of the CCCA Planning in 2010 and 2011. Clearly this 3. Secondary Main Street cat- ranging from the absence of poli- and Development Review Com- meeting was of interest to many: egory inappropriate for Somerset cies for families with children in the mittee, took place May 30. CDP perhaps helped by the advertising between Elgin and O’Connor. CDP, to the number of buildings re- consultants George Dark and Eric done by the CCCA and articles in Two presentations from Graeme cently either approved or proposed Turcotte, Graeme Hussey of the the April and May issues of The Hussey of the CCOC and Nancy that do not respect either the exist- Centretown Citizens Ottawa Cor- Centretown BUZZ. Oakley from Heritage Ottawa were ing Centretown Plan or the CDP. poration, Nancy Oakley from Her- Brian Bourns started the evening followed by a very respectful public Many expressed concern over the itage Ottawa, Brian Bourns and with a historical viewpoint, explain- forum. role of the Ontario Municipal Board the CCCA’s Judy Forrest spoke ing the original Centretown Plan As planned, over half the meet- regarding the CDP and whether the about the CDP and their perspec- from the 1970s. This was followed ing was devoted to the public fo- CDP would be respected by Plan- tives on the plan. Some City staff by a detailed presentation from rum. The questions and comments ning Committee and City Council members were in attendance, as George Dark on the proposed CDP. from the audience reflected a vari- after it was approved. was Somerset Ward Councillor Judy Forrest presented the CCCA’s ety of concerns on issues including Diane Holmes. Based on a show three main concerns (after stating increased heights and density, the Meeting, page 3 One year in, the Laurier bike lane encounters opposition by Kathryn Hunt at ottawacondos.com of the condo ridor to gather accurate information tracks the numbers of users, and units on Laurier west of Bank comes about the impact of the lane. posted a year-round total of more When the Laurier segregated to 1,124 units.) They are in favour As well, while the group says than 300,000 early this month. Alex bike lane was constructed in July of of reinstating parking on their end that four condos at the west end of de Vries, of Citizens for Safe Cy- 2011, it encountered some opposi- of Laurier, citing the needs of care- the lane don’t have legal stopping cling, said, “Before this pilot there tion, and it seems that nearly a year givers, service providers, delivery rights, impacting the elderly and was no safe or comfortable route later, the concerns of some residents trucks, residents and their visitors to people with disabilities, the City to get into or across the downtown and businesses along Laurier Av- have access to streetside parking. says that “Para Transpo vehicles core in an east/west direction. These enue have not gone away. In May, While a number of concerns and vehicles with accessible park- lanes address that problem and feed- a coalition of residents and business around access for emergency ve- ing permits are permitted to do pick- back to Citizens for Safe Cycling owners, the Bay/Bronson Residents’ hicles were raised both in the initial ups and drop-offs in loading zones, suggests that it is attracting new ENTRETOWNAction Group for Fair Access to the phases of the project, and now by no parking zones, and no stopping cyclists. Building a cycling route Road (BBRAGFAR,) began to raise BBRAGFAR, the City maintains, on zones along the corridor (without through the core, with many inter- the question again of whether the their website, that “measures have impeding traffic.)” sections and narrow streets, is diffi- bike lanes are fair to all users of been established to ensure access Cyclists are largely in favour of cult, and there is no perfect solution. Laurier Avenue. and response times are not compro- keeping the lane as it is, citing in- We think that there are tweaks that BBRAGFAR say they represent mised.” They stress that the City is creased ridership on the street since will make them easier to use and C 3,000 residents of the residential monitoring and regularly surveying the lane was first opened for use. A we’ll work with City staff to iden- section of Laurier West. (A count businesses and traffic along the cor- bike counter installed on the street tify those and find solutions.” 2 CENTRETOWNBUZZ.COM JUNE 15, 2012 June 15, 2012 — Vol. 17, No. 6 Letters to the Editor THE Bill to support families age them to pass the bill into were exactly the same. In- better treatment than this. CEN T RE T OWN with dementia passes law as soon as possible. jured members were on one Those who have been injured second reading or the other. in the performance of their Lynda Colley Last year, in response duties with the CF deserve Finally, there is some Alzheimer family mem- to appeals from veterans’ the same income support re- BUZZ good news for the over ber and volunteer member of groups, such as The Royal gardless of which program At the heart of Ottawa since 1995. 180,000 Ontarians living the Champlain Public Policy Canadian Legion, the federal they are on. This is only fair. with Alzheimer’s disease. Committee, Alzheimer Soci- government announced they It is inconceivable that 101-210 Gloucester St. On April 26, 2012, MPP ety of Ottawa and Renfrew would increase the benefit to institutions such as the CF Ottawa, ON Donna Cansfield introduced County ensure basic needs such as and the federal government K2P 2K4 a private member’s bill in the shelter, food, clothing, etc., can stand up and say we care Phone: 613-565-6012 Ontario legislature. The bill could be met. VAC imple- for our troops and we care proposes the creation of a mented the increased amount for our own when they treat council to advise the Minister Disappointed at the to the ELB program on Octo- the most vulnerable of our www.centretownbuzz.com of Health on the creation of a Department of National ber 3, 2011. The Department veterans so shoddily. twitter.com/centretownbuzz comprehensive Alzheimer’s Defence’s Inaction of National Defence (DND) Young men and women facebook.com/centretownbuzz strategy for Ontario. and CF did not. Therefore, today join the CF for a re- It is critical that Ontario How could two depart- there is now a huge inequity! warding career. To have it implement a comprehensive ments of the federal gov- Through no fault of their cut short by a debilitating strategy to deal with Al- ernment be so diametrically own we have some veterans injury is hard enough; how- zheimer’s disease and relat- opposed? I ask this question who have been injured due to ever, the loss of a suitable in- Centretown BUZZ Staff ed dementias. As Ontario’s because there are two eco- their military service being come, should they be unable population ages, the number nomic support programs for paid $40,000 per year and to work again is a two-fold Managing editor of people with Alzheimer’s our veterans in play here. some at less than $20,000. burden that they should not Kathryn Hunt | [email protected] disease is going to skyrocket. One is the Service Persons This is an unacceptable have to bear. There is currently no coordi- Income Security Insurance situation and needs to be Associate editor nated plan for how the prov- Plan Long Term Disability fixed now. We have given Patricia (Pat) Varga, Eleanor Sawyer ince is going to deal with that (SISIP LTD,) a mandatory DND and the CF ample time Dominion President of The reality. insurance program for Cana- to fix this inequity but there Royal Canadian Legion City editor Currently there are over dian Forces (CF) members, has been no commitment to David Gladstone | [email protected] 180,000 Ontarians with de- and the other is the Veterans date. Now, with the federal mentia; within a decade, this Affairs Canada Earnings government deficit reduction Distribution managers number is expected to in- Loss Benefit (VAC ELB.) a certainty, The Royal Cana- Thanks to Bell Pharmacy Archie Campbell & David Seaborn crease by 50 percent. Before October 2011 dian Legion is looking for a [email protected] The good news is that the the New Veterans Charter commitment and a firm date. Just had to take the time bill garnered the support of (NVC) and the Service Per- This is a substantive ex- to let our community know politicians from all political son’s’ Income Security Insur- ample of how the federal how generous and kind Bell parties—receiving unani- ance Plan (SISIP) provided government’s deficit reduc- Pharmacy on Gladstone Av- mous support in the Ontario for 75 percent of a Canadian tion program is being run enue has been to us in this Advertising legislature.