2012 Dec-Jan

December 2011 - January 2012 IMAGE décembre 2011 - janvier 2012 1 S A N D Y CÔTE-DE- H I L L SABLE DECEMBER 2011I - JANUARY 2012M A G DÉCEMBREE 2011 / JANVIER 2012 Action Sandy Hill discovers a good model for town-gown collaboration in London Coupled with the introduction of the code was the establishment of an Off- Christopher Collmorgen Campus Housing Services (OCHS) office hristopher Collmorgen and Sam that serves both UWO and Fanshawe Col- Almsaddi of Action Sandy Hill re- lege. The office is staffed with a full-time cently accompanied Sergeant Matt housing coordinator, 18 student advisors, CSkof and Officer Ryan Pierce of Ottawa and support staff. The office delivers many Police Services to London, Ontario, to services including: see how that municipality is managing the • Managing the off campus housing list- issues that typically plague near-campus ings (a preferred status is granted to units neighbourhoods, namely garbage, noise, that are licensed); listing fees cover the cost parking and poor property standards. of the extra police officer that exclusively Although Ottawa and London differ, patrols the near-campus neighbourhoods there are many elements of the London for ten weekends out of the year; model that merit further study and would • Training 18 student volunteers for peer- benefit not only Sandy Hill but all of Ot- to-peer education and mediation and the tawa’s near-campus neighbourhoods that delivery of 18,000 info kits to all residents serve the universities, Ottawa, Carleton, of near-campus neighbourhoods during St. Paul, and the colleges, Algonquin and Welcome Week, complete with schedule la Cité Collégiale. of activities, expectations of student be- Alternative economy In the 1980s, tension between the Lon- haviour, garbage and bylaw information, don community and the University of and a note to call the OCHS in the event Western Ontario came to a head over a of problems; thrives at November sales series of off-campus incidents involving • Receiving and managing calls from students. The UWO administration and the students and residents living in near- the student body agreed that a student code campus neighbourhoods concerning prob- of conduct was required. It encouraged lems with roommates, landlords, property students to “set for themselves the highest maintenance, noise and garbage; standards of behaviour off-campus, includ- • Sending monthly “Living Off-Campus” ing behaviour conducive to the peaceful e-newsletters to all students; and safe enjoyment of housing by both stu- • Setting up dumpsters at six locations dents and neighbours” and states that “the around UWO and Fanshawe at the end University does not condone behaviour that of each school year to collect excess infringes upon the rights of the University’s household waste, and coordinating a used- neighbours or that brings the University’s furniture exchange; good name into disrepute.” London visit — continued on page 6 photos Hélène Lacelle Bus route changes under fire to eastern Rideau Street via Chapel Street Jan Meldrum giving access to the Sandy Hill Health Centre, Rideau Library, supermarkets t was standing room only on Novem- and other stores. Even the number 5 route ber 8 at the Strathcona Heights meet- along Laurier now takes the Mackenzie ing room where a crowd of unhappy King Bridge instead of Rideau Street. Ipeople gathered to meet Councillor Fl- OC Transpo’s travel planner tells eury and a representative of OC Transpo. people who want to go to Rideau Street The people were angry and frustrated or the ByWard Market area to take the about the drastic changes on September 4 16 to Mackenzie King Bridge and then to the number 16 bus route and the elimi- walk through the Rideau Centre. It was nation of route number 316. As a result of emphasized by many in the crowd that, these changes there is now no bus access for people with limited mobility and/or to Rideau Street from most of Sandy Hill encumbered with parcels or strollers and and no bus along Main/Smyth to the hos- toddlers, walking through the Centre was pital. not possible. Those in wheelchairs or with Everyone who wanted to speak was walkers have sometimes found the eleva- given a chance and there were many of the tor broken so they cannot proceed. approximately 70 people who had much OC Transpo’s original description of to say. Some “venting” was done, showing the changes said that route 316 would be he weekend of November 18-19 was jam-packed for Sandy Hill shoppers ... and the high level of frustration caused by the “combined with route 16.” A man at the Tvolunteers. Jamaican High Commissioner Sheila Sealy Monteith and her daughter changes and cancellation. meeting called this idea of combination Mara found excellent gift baskets at the All Saints Bazaar. Patricia Rodi’s wares at the The main concern was the lack of access “a joke” since the routes were only paral- fabulous One & Only craft sale charmed Cathy McConkey and Anneke Jansen Van to Rideau Street. The 16 which formerly lel for a few blocks and the 316 went to Doorn Campbell, while happy but weary chef Peter Evanchuk and Sandy Hill elves arrived on Rideau Street at the Rideau a completely different section of Rideau Marc, François and Dallas kept the fantastic, and free, food coming. Full report on the Centre now travels via the Mackenzie Street. King Bridge. The 316 used to take riders craft sale on page 15, and Yvonne van Alphen’s annual Sandy Hill Christmas shopping Bus woes — continued on page 7 feature, celebrating our neighbourhood buyers and storefronts, is on page 10. 2 December 2011 - January 2012 IMAGE décembre 2011 - janvier 2012 IMAGE Founded in 1972 under the 22, av. Russell Ave. Fondé en 1972 sous la Our readers Courrier direction of Diane Wood Ottawa K1N 7W8 direction de Diane Wood write ... des lecteurs IMAGE, a non-profit community news- IMAGE est un journal communautaire à paper, is supported by its advertis- but non lucratif dont les seuls revenus Disastrous transit cuts our most vulnerable and they are being ers. Opinions expressed are those of viennent des annonceurs. Les textes forced to wait additional time, often in contributors and advertisers, and do not n’engagent que leurs auteurs et an- he cuts to public transit have been the cold or rain, as bus after bus passes necessarily represent those of the volun- nonceurs respectifs et ne reflètent pas Tdisastrous. Seniors who located their them by. And that does not include the teer editorial staff. nécessairement l’opinion de l’équipe accommodation close to public transit time waiting for buses that do not show de rédaction, qui est composée de routes have been stranded in their homes up at all. In 2011, IMAGE is published in Febru- bénévoles. because the routes they depended on But these are not the only problems ary, April, June, October and De- were cancelled or the hours significantly with the cutbacks in our public transit sys- cember. 7,500 copies are printed and En 2011, IMAGE sera publié en février, reduced. The routes to schools and uni- tem. The reduction in funding to public distributed free of charge to all residents avril, juin, octobre et décembre. Son versities have been cancelled and reduced transit in Ottawa shows the lack of com- of Sandy Hill. Free issues can also be tirage est de 7 500 exemplaires. Il est showing our students that public transit mitment of our councillors to addressing picked up at the community centre, distribué gratuitement partout dans la isn’t taken seriously and that their time is climate change, achieving a sustainable library and various commercial locations. Côte-de-Sable. On peut également not valued. Families who located near bus city, reducing air pollution, providing ser- l’obtenir au centre communautaire, à la routes that enabled them to get to work, vices that serve the less advantaged and IMAGE welcomes articles, letters, bibliothèque et dans plusieurs com- daycare and school have had their lives reducing congestion on our roads. The photographs, notices and other material merces du quartier. upended. Employees have been forced cut-backs will cause increased environ- of interest to its readers in the Sandy to quit their jobs because public transit mental degradation and health costs, a Hill community. Name and telephone Tous les articles, lettres, illustrations, makes it too difficult to get them to and large negative economic impact as com- number of contributor must be included. photos et autre documentation pouvant from work. mutes take longer causing an insatiable intéresser les lecteurs de la Côte- The buses I take now are full, requiring and costly demand for more roads. Thus, If you’d like to write articles, draw de-Sable sont les bienvenus. Leurs people to stand when previously everyone the savings are false savings. cartoons or other illustrations for stories, auteurs doivent indiquer leur nom et had a seat. Before you say that standing I encourage the councillors to reverse or take photographs on assignment, leur numéro de téléphone. on a bus is not unreasonable, ask yourself, their decision about the reduction in ser- please call and leave your name and when was the last time that you had to vice and routes and restore the funds that number at 613-237-8889. No age Les personnes intéressées à collabor- stand while travelling by car? And what were cut as well as implement the small restrictions. er à IMAGE sont invitées à téléphoner about the sick, handicapped and seniors increase in funding that is proposed in au 613-241-1059 ou au 613-237-8889, who cannot stand? Priority seating is not the draft budget.

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