• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

November 9, 2009 Vol. 39 No. 10 Serving the Glebe community since 1973 FREE LOOK INSIDE! On the reverse side of our centre spread you willin yourfind windowa poster to which urge councillorsyou can display to: “ Vote NO to Bad Process” URCO T PHOTO: VICTOR On Sunday, June 14, over 500 people from all over the city gathered in front of the Aberdeen Pavilion at a rally organized by the Friends of Lansdowne Park. Rally for Lansdowne Park set for November 13 It’s crunch time for the Lansdowne Live proposal! City council will vote voices heard. The Lansdowne Live proposal has followed a flawed process and on whether or not to proceed with Lansdowne Live, as early as the afternoon is a bad plan. So we need to keep the momentum going. of Friday, November 13. It will be a close vote – a big shift from months To make sure that councillors continue to hear us, the Friends of Lansdowne ago when approval for the Lansdowne Live proposal looked like a sure thing. Park are holding a rally. continued on page 3 That’s because we, the citizens of Ottawa, have paid attention and made our Mark your calendars WHAT’S INSIDE November 12-13 City Council to hear public delegations Abbotsford . 18 GNAG............ 12 regarding Lansdowne Park 10 a.m., Council Chambers, City Hall Art . 25 Good Old Days . 11 November 13 Rally for Lansdowne Park, 12 noon, City Hall November 13-15 Glebe Craft and Artisan Fair, GCC Books..........38-40 Grapevine . 42-43 (see back page) November 20 Glebe Centre Silent Auction and Art Show Business . .13-15 Letters . .5-6 6-8 p.m., (see page 22 and 23) December 5 Help Santa Toy Parade, 6 p.m. Councillor’s Report . 9 Music ..........28-29 www.toyparade.org for new route and times. December 8, 9 & 10 GNAG online winter registration begins Editorial ........... 4 Religion .......... 41 Dec. 8 – Dance, Dec.9 – Preschool Dec. 10 – all other programs, www.gnag.ca Entertainment ..... 26 Schools . 30-35 December 12 Snowflake Special, 6 - 9 p.m.GCC December 10-20 Originals Craft Show and Sale GCA . 8 Theatre........... 27 Lansdowne Park, www.originalsshow.ca January 14, 2010 Taste in the Glebe, 5:30-8 p.m., GCC NEXT DEADLINE: FOR THE DECEMBER 11 ISSUE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2009 2 Glebe Report November 9, 2009 LANSDOWNE PARK Glebe residents speak up BY JUNE CREELMAN When over 300 people arrived at the Glebe Community Centre on October 20 for a special GCA meeting on Lansdowne Park, one thing was clear. Glebe residents are tired of being denied a voice on the proposed development of Lansdowne Park. The city has still not held a single community consultation where the people most affected by the proposal could ask questions or make comments. City officials were invited to the GCA’s October 20 meeting but they declined–just as they declined an invitation to answer questions in June. Never has the GCA seen so little consultation on a major development. So when the mikes were opened up for comments on October 20, the crowd needed no prompting. For two hours, people shared their perspectives on the Lansdowne Park proposal. Virtually everyone was well-informed on the issues and had thoughtful comments to make. Many were quite emotional. And it became clear that the community is united in saying that the current process for developing Lansdowne Park is fundamentally wrong. A show of hands re- vealed virtually unanimous support for: • a fair, open and competitive process • meaningful public engagement and consultation processes • maintaining public control and full public/community access to the site • the need for more transparent financial information that fully explains the costs and risks Participants also filled out comment cards on different aspects of the project. Again there was overwhelming (over 90 per cent ) support for certain ideas: • making the Aberdeen Pavilion and adjacent outdoor space a permanent home for the Ottawa Farmers’ Market • respecting heritage buildings and the overall heritage character of the site • offering public recreational and sports facilities • creating dedicated, permanent green space on at least one-third of the site. There were some areas where opinion was a little more divided. For example, while a majority thought the stadium should be razed so that Lansdowne could be revitalized, a significant minority would support minor improvements to allow it to be used while a permanent solution for the stadium is found. Most think no public land should be sold, but some 20 per cent would be open to some land being sold if the profits were used to redevelop Lansdowne Park into a great public space. Finally, while few liked the housing proposed in the One of the BIA’s campaign posters current plan, just over half would be open to some housing if it were of appro- priate type and scale. These findings are just the tip of the iceberg. A summary report, courtesy Glebe BIA group of the Conference Publishers, and over 25 pages of detailed comments can be found on the Glebe Community Association website at www.glebeca.ca. launches new campaign It is great to have all this input not only to fight the current scheme, but also BY CATHERINE LINDQUIST to inspire future planning efforts. We do want Lansdowne Park to be revital- As a part of the final drive to decision day for city council on the Lansdowne ized. We hope that concerned citizens from all over the city will speak out at Partnership Plan, the Glebe Business Improvement Area (BIA) has created a council on November 12 and 13. We are crossing our fingers that in the next final call to action campaign to urge Ottawa citizens to give a clear message to issue of the Glebe Report, we will be able to tell you that Council has done their councillors: Say yes to development. Say no to the Mall. Before Friday the right thing, rejected this unsolicited proposal and returned to normal public November 13, newspaper ads, emails, signage, posters and postcards are call- planning processes. Stay tuned. ing on citizens city-wide to visit www.stoplansdownemall.ca and email their councillors,giving them a clear directive to vote no to the Lansdowne Partner- ship Plan. Recipient of the Ministers Award While people are being encouraged to use their own words to convey their for Outstanding Achievement message as this has the greatest impact, they may also select pre-written email statements on a series of topics addressing business, heritage, transportation Proudly serving the neighbourhood since 1984 and financial issues. AQF s and links to other websites and a Facebook page are Professional Painting Service also provided for those who want to get better informed . • Interior / Exterior Through the media, the Glebe BIA has also informed the public about the • Quality Workmanship site, reminding them that despite the rushed public consultation process in Oc- • Fully Insured tober, there is still time to tell councillors that this is the wrong plan for Lans- • Two Year Guarantee downe Park. And that time is now. Glebe Report readers are encouraged to email the www.stoplansdownemall. ca website link to as many of their contacts as possible — especially those in For your FREE estimate wards where councillors may be undecided about their decision on the Lans- call: James Cleary downe Partnership Plan — and to ask their contacts to do the same. 722-3375 Catherine Lindquist is Executive Director of the Glebe BIA Sunnyside branch renovations The Sunnyside branch of the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) will be closed Gifts!�Gifts!�Gifts! for major renovations on Monday, November 30 and will reopen in the spring of 2010. �Shaving�equipment �Shaving�products Please visit the branch or the website for details regarding improvements to the branch, loan periods or closest alternate service locations. Stocking�Stuffers! Gifts�certificates�for�shaves The book drop at the branch will not be open during the renovations. � Library materials may be returned to any of OPL’s 33 locations. �Gifts�certificates�for�haircuts We at OPL apologize for any inconvenience the closure may cause our clients. While we regret having to close the branch for a few months, we know the investment in time will mean an improved and beauti ed branch for the residents of the area. We look forward to seeing you all in the spring! Sunnyside branch: 613-730-1082 www.BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca LANSDOWNE PARK Glebe Report November 9, 2009 3 Rally for Lansdowne Park set for November 13 Rally for Lansdowne Park Continued from page 1 TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE We need to show city council once more that people from across the city Let’s Get It Right! are upset about the way the proposal is being railroaded through council without adequate public input. They are saying “no” to sole-sourcing and City Hall at Lisgar Street want a new vision for the redevelop- ment that respects Lansdowne Park as URCO T a public space. A big rally with representation from Friday, November 13 at noon all over the city can have an impact on votes. It will complement all of the work that so many have been doing to PHOTO: VICTOR Children came out to rally on June 14 stop the sole sourcing of the develop- ment of this public area. For more about Lansdowne Park, see pages 4-10 Here’s what you can do to make the rally a success: • Put up posters and deliver flyers for the rally to your office, place of wor- ship, social clubs. • Send the email announcement to your friends and email lists.

Load more

  44

Copy Link