avril - mai 2018 volume 9 numéro 2 April - May 2018 Volume 9 Number 2 Next train late - six months late by John Chenier The delay in the LRT opening hen the new management has changed all that. The official group assumed control of launch of the “New Market” is still Wthe ByWard Market in Janu- planned for April 30th. However, for ary, there is little doubt they were ex- market merchants, the three peak pecting a different scenario than the one seasons of pedestrian traffic of 2018 currently unfolding. It was meant to be the start of a new chapter in the long Spring, Summer and Fall will history of ByWard. More and better be hampered by the absence of the space for programming was to go with LRT and the downright ugly, un- a new mandate to steer the Market back inviting main entrance. to the future; promising a better tomor- True, there are several gateways row for the three main user groups — to the market. The entrance down local residents, others from Ottawa, and the cascading stairs beside the US the thousands of tourists who visit every year. Embassy opening up into the York Street Plaza is definitely attractive. A key element to the new plan was to be the opening of the Confederation Not so, is the stop-go drive-in from Line. Not only would this deliver more the north along Dalhousie. But the people down to the market, but the new main entrance to the market is off of LRT station at the corner of William Rideau Street, especially for those and Rideau will form the gateway into arriving by public transit or crossing the market. People would emerge from from the newly refurbished Rideau the site of the big sinkhole (Is that de- Centre. livery van still down there some- where?) onto an open, landscaped plaza John Chenier lined by attractive patios. Not a welcoming sight or entrance. See LRT, Page 14 ByWard Market retailers adapt to new Farm Boy Contributors to this edition Liz Bernstein, John Chenier, Lynda Cox, Aysha Farouk, Peter Ferguson, Math- by Nicolas Moyer than was expected. It’s welcome news ieu Fleury, Mona Fortier, Danielle Gagne, Sylvie Grenier, Christine Kinfoil, he last two decades have wit- for what is a new model for Farm Boy. Ted Lawrence, Liz MacKenzie, Nancy Miller Chenier, Sandra Milton, Nicolas nessed an ongoing decline of According to Woodburn, this location Moyer Juliet O’Neill, Sandra Pilote, Michel Rossignol, Ana-Maria Tarres, Joel fresh food retail options for is nearly a third smaller on average than Weiner, Christine Williamson T their other Ottawa stores and it places a shoppers in the ByWard Market. Some Copy editors: Patricia Balcom Inside this edition heavier emphasis on prepared food. notable losses of the last decade in- Phillipe Doyon Words from representatives..2- 3 Any visitor during Talk about property...................4 cluded the closure Layout: Ed Antosz of the Ontario a weekday lunch Feature on parks .................5-13 hour can see a Photography: John Chenier Heritage ..............................5-10 Fruit Dealers, the Quiz 9-2..................................11 Sausage Kitchen steady stream of John McQuarrie Parks today ........................11-13 or butcher employees from and others Business ...........................14-15 the Rideau Centre Echo banner design: Jason Office Community........................16-20 Aubrey’s. As Culture & events..............21-24 they’ve witnessed and neighbouring imageonephotography.ca dwindling num- office towers bers of farmers’ grabbing a meal; stalls in the sum- or a few groceries. mer and an ever- There’s no expanding bar doubt the Farm scene, residents Boy will change have often feared food shopping a future without habits for many. traditional fresh While it is still food vendors in early to draw con- the Byward Market. clusions, some businesses in the Market Set against those changes, a recent are worried about what this might mean arrival is once more expanding food op- for their bottom line. Many ByWard tions for residents. As of its opening in Market business owners have already the Rideau Centre on December 9th, the been lamenting a decline in sales in re- new Farm Boy – a food retailer focused cent years. For reasons ranging from on local sourced products and prepared construction on Rideau, to the 2016 foods – has seen brisk business. In the sink-hole and the eradication of parking press of a busy lunch hour, Farms Boy’s spaces on York for last year’s Produce Manager, Korey Woodburn, is proud to note business is even better See Farm Boy, Page 14 Page 2 ECHO April - May 2018 LCA - ACB reports Letter from the President: for the same miracle but won’t actually The LCA recognizes that designing the key political leaders and asked them Liz Bernstein like any choice that is offered and there an addition to the existing structure is a to coordinate action to protect the By- are those who simply don’t want an ad- challenging task. How does one move Ward neighbourhood. We are pleased to his morning I heard a bright red dition on the back of the Hotel. forward with this project in such a frag- report that the City and the Province cardinal singing outside my win- The current offering stands in stark mented and tormented design environ- have begun the process to put in place Tdow. Truly a good sign for the contrast to the earlier designs that were ment? a task force to look at these issues that first day of spring! I love Lowertown in severely criticised. It has been likened Safety and Security: will involve local residents. the spring (ok, all seasons!) Though it to a contemporary condominium al- Sandra Milton The Committee has also been ac- though it seems more like a conserva- is still cold with a big pile of snow on As a follow-up of the LCA January tive on the issues of rising crime rates tory that could be filled with greenery. the ground, the days are longer, the sun workshop actions items, a meeting of in ByWard. The LCA has applied to get But even for those who sense some is shining and the promise of spring is invested persons from various sexual funding for two summer students to ex- merit in the current proposal, there are in the air. assault groups resulted in several ac- amine the crime data and interview some features that would need finess- We are fortunate that we are going tions and outcomes. local residents and business. The ing. Safety and Security Committee of the to celebrate improvements in two of our Alcohol Gaming Commission of For example, the massing of the ByWard Market BIA have agreed to parks as we begin spring – renovations Ontario (AGCO) and Sexual Assault proposed addition on the Mackenzie partner with LCA in this work. in Cathcart Square Park and we will Network (SAN) detailed a conversation Avenue (east) side of the addition max- plant trees to replace the ash ones that to be included in the SMART Serve The BIA is running a survey of its imizes the amount of accommodation we lost to the emerald ash borer. Stay course and focus on getting the sexual members this Spring. The Collective and enables the enclosure of the unat- tuned for the date of our community assault awareness / prevention into the Action Group of Lowertown Our Home tractive loading area for the existing celebration in Cathcart Square Park. provincial security guard training. is also preparing to conduct their 2018 hotel. But it also blocks the traditional Safety Survey of residents as part of In Rose Park adult fitness equip- sight lines north from Rideau Street in- The LCA Safety and Security ment was installed, again thanks to the Committee and the Planning Commit- their strategic plan. It would be interest- terfering with the view of Majors Hill ing to see how the safety concerns com- hard work of community activists. So I Park. The LCA has recommended to tee continue to be concerned about the know you’ll enjoy this issue, which in- rising number of bars and club in the pare from business to residents and the City that there be some reduction in from different parts of Lowertown cludes a focus on our parks – a centre the protrusion of the building at the Market. The LCA has reached out to spread on our community’s parks, arti- sidewalk on Mackenzie Avenue and cles on past events in our parks and the all loading and unloading should be how we can adopt a park. And we’re done from the new underground park- looking forward to joining communities ing facility. So which is it – the original across the city in Ecology Ottawa’s sight lines from Rideau Street or good Park Summit on Earth Day, April 21. architecture hiding some of the original In addition to our parks, many of building’s less that attractive features? our volunteers worked long and hard With regard to the use of glass and through the short winter days maintain- stone, the LCA feels that there should ing the skating rinks in Bingham Park be more stone incorporated vertically and Jules Morin, on monitoring devel- into the design of the structure. This opment projects, heritage plans, putting would help break up the monochromic The Echo, a non-profit community newspaper, is supported by its ad- Safety & Security action plans in place, feeling that is created by the sweeping monitoring snow removal for pedestri- vertisers and the Lowertown Community Association. Opinions ex- use of glass. The LCA also feels that pressed are those of contribu tors and advertisers and do not ans, and advocating for improved safety there should be more variety in the on King Edward Avenue.