Ottawa's Choice
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MAY 15, 2020 VOL. 25 NO. 5 THE CENTRETOWN BUZZ Health Centre pivots to do more, 3 Skyline: Moments from the City Archives, 6 Advocacy group gives transit riders a voice Alayne McGregor tening, and so you’d have these transit commission ne year ago, fed-up meetings and nobody would public transit riders be speaking for the riders! O in Ottawa formed a Public transit works both group to speak up for better ways. You can have the best service and a better system. transit system in the world In their first successful but if you don’t have the rid- year, the Ottawa Transit Rid- ership to sustain it then it’s ers Association (OTRA) has worthless.” advocated for a fare freeze, Centretown residents should for online booking for Para- get involved in OTRA in order Transpo, and for greater to make OC Transpo less fo- transparency and account- cused on commuting from ability at OC Transpo. downtown to the far suburbs, Stuart MacKay, a found- MacKay said. “We cannot ing OTRA board member create just a commuter ser- who lives in Centretown, told vice. We need to develop a The BUZZ that OC Transpo service where transit is not has had a paternalistic rela- the last option but is actually tionship with its riders where the first option for people to it “basically says we’re doing get from point A to point B.” this–and like it or lump it.” In Centretown, he said, OTRA has a different vi- it’s the local routes like the sion: that riders are Transpo’s 6 or 7 or 11 that are impor- biggest resource. tant. “It’s not just about get- “You need to incorporate ting people in and out of the the voice of the riders into downtown core, but it’s ac- any transit system. [They’re] tually about having a transit the people that tell you what’s system where you can get working, what’s not, what ar- from one neighbourhood to Centretown resident Stuart MacKay helped found the Ottawa Transit Riders Association after eas of improvement you can another to do your shopping, do. to visit friends.” BRETT DELMAGE/THE BUZZ being frustrated by jam-packed buses “Nobody was really lis- cont on page 4 Ottawa’s choice: a compact city vs sprawl Jack Hanna change, it cannot permit good transit and be close to more suburban sprawl, ar- food stores, employment t is being called a gues Paul Johanis, chair of nodes and other amenities. “once-in-a-generation” the Greenspace Alliance of That means residents will I choice for the City of Canada’s Capital. have fewer cars, he said. Ottawa’s future. Johanis says the trend of Suburbs are costly for City Council is about ever-sprawling suburbs has taxpayers. Studies show a to decide how Ottawa will resulted in “a big part of our city has to pay a third to a house a projected 40 percent collective contribution to the half more to provide services increase in population over climate crisis we now face. to a house on the edge of the the next quarter century. The We need to stop this pattern suburbs, compared to one in choice is between suburban now.” The online debate on May 7 included CCA moderators Shawn an established neighbour- sprawl, or shoehorning infill The two exchanged views hood. It is costlier, year in houses and apartment build- at a virtual panel discussion Barber and Mindy Sichel, Miguel Tremblay of FoTenn, Paul and year out, to pay for the ings into existing neighbour- hosted by the Centretown Johanis of the Greenspace Alliance, and Councillors Catherine upkeep of lengthy roads and hoods. Community Association sewer and water lines, and to SCREENSHOT/THE BUZZ This issue goes to City (CCA). McKenney and Glen Gower. provide police and fire ser- Council on May 27. It was City staff are recom- and other housing types to Future suburbs, Tremblay vices over a greater area. the subject of a Centretown mending greater intensifica- achieve intensification.” says, can be designed to have cont on page 2 debate on May 7. tion within existing neigh- Johanis says car-centric Miguel Tremblay, a part- bourhoods but say that won’t suburbs are driving global ner in Fotenn Planning + De- be enough. They recommend warming. sign, Ottawa’s largest devel- adding 15 square kilometres “We put huge populations The BUZZ is online opment consulting firm, says of new suburbs. into communities that don’t people in existing neighbour- City Councillor Cathe- have amenities and are very The May 2020 issue of The BUZZ will only hoods will not accept a lot of rine McKenney, an opponent car-dependent. You can’t be available online. Download or read the infill and apartment build- of sprawl, also took part in do anything without a car. paper as a PDF at centretownbuzz.com. ings. the panel discussion. Households normally have “It is very difficult to in- The councillor said the two cars.” Don’t miss an issue! ject new residential into ex- city can keep within its exist- However, Tremblay ar- isting communities. There is ing urban boundary. Howev- gues new suburbs have been Join our mailing list so you don’t miss The resistance and discomfort.” er, that might require a shift better designed than the old BUZZ, online and when we return to print: But if this city is seri- away from single-family suburbs. [email protected] ous about fighting climate homes towards “townhouses “The density is greater.” 2 AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA MAY 15, 2020 May 15, 2020 — Vol. 25, No. 5 The Good, the Bad, and the Bumpy THE Ryan Lythall sis. While it’s important to as music, storytelling, and Go outside: We may not keep up on current events, comedy. You can also talk be able to go far right now or CENTRETOWN f you’re like me, by especially now, there is such to friends on Zoom, and I’ve have much green space, but now you’re probably a thing as too much news. used it for appointments with try to go where you can. It BUZZ I sick and tired of hear- When I put the news on TV my therapist. may only be a few feet from ing about a certain pan- or radio, I usually have it on Most social media plat- your home, but you can sit in AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA SINCE 1995. demic. And not just tired: for about 15 minutes, more forms also offer private your chair, listen to music, the discussion can also or less depending on what chats. That’s a great way to have a drink, and relax. 101-210 Gloucester St. have a huge impact on your they’re talking about or who avoid an onslaught of infor- Create: I’ve seen several Ottawa, ON mental health. they’re interviewing. mation. The only problem is people in my neighbourhood K2P 2K4 That’s an extremely im- As for those press confer- if your friend still wants to create beautiful art. It can be Phone: 613-565-6012 portant issue for me, and one ences with Justin Trudeau or send you links related to the something as simple as writ- that’s rarely discussed. Over Doug Ford, I don’t usually pandemic. I have sometimes ing an encouraging message the past several weeks, I’ve watch them live. It’s pretty asked my friends politely to on a paper heart, or a mes- centretownbuzz.com been experiencing anxiety, easy to find a brief recap of stop. I do my best to limit the sage on a sidewalk using twitter.com/centretownbuzz severe lack of sleep, feeling what was said online shortly amount of time that I’m on chalk. It can be whatever you facebook.com/centretownbuzz overwhelmed, sadness, lone- after they finished. social media, but it’s tough. want, and for whomever you liness, confusion, and more. Speaking of online, let’s If you’re stuck at home want. It’s good for the mind. BUZZ Staff This month, I will dis- talk about social media. or going out very little, Now I realize that you’ve cuss ways on how to look af- I’m very active on so- there’s other things you can probably heard some of these Managing editor ter your mental health during cial media–but being so do to pass the time. before, or you’ve done them. Alayne McGregor | [email protected] these difficult times. connected can quickly be- Read: If you’re physi- I also know that if you’re Please keep in mind that come overwhelming. You cally unable to hold a book struggling, it’s easy to for- Associate editor I’m not an expert in mental get bombarded with news (like myself) or can’t use an get what may help you, es- Eleanor Sawyer health by any means. I’m articles, discussion of news, e-reader, get an audiobook. pecially in the moment. For just a person that writes a advertising, and maybe cer- I love them, and if you have those of you that may forget, City Editor: monthly column, usually tain things that you just don’t an OPL card, you can bor- I encourage you to save this, Robert Smythe | [email protected] about wheelchair accessibly want to see. It adds up pretty row free downloadable au- maybe put it on the wall or and issues related to people fast. diobooks online. somewhere near you. Distribution manager: with disabilities.