February 2020 Why bus route 9 and its service need fixing Op-Ed by Sarah Anson- Cartwright Ottawa’s unreliable bus ser- vice was the subject of media investigations and revelations long before the launch of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) last fall. Last year, the lived real- ity of bus riders was backed up in media reports with hard evidence. Journalists report- ed, for example, that more than 6,000 bus trips were can- celled in one month alone in 2019 based on OC Transpo www.newedinburgh.ca data – and the public were not informed of all those cancel- lations in real-time, either. Service to and from New Edinburgh has suffered over the past few years, too. Given the most recent change to bus route 9, as well as continuing performance issues, it is time to stake a claim. Let’s start with the changes to route 9. The westbound route now ends at the Rideau Centre rather than continuing Photo by Alexander McKenzie Modest changes to route 9 would improve people’s experience com- to the downtown core where ing and going from New Edinburgh. tens of thousands of people work. Bus 9 riders who work in the core now have to take – which also ended at the core. Since Jan. 5, route 12 a second bus from the Rideau ends at O’Connor and Queen Centre or board the LRT for Rideau Centre when head- one stop to reach Parliament ing westbound, effective last Streets (at Parliament Station) Station. October – OC Transpo was and leaves the core from After the public outcry to persuaded to change the 12’s Metcalfe and Queen Streets the same change to route 12 route to reach the downtown Continued on page 18 Minto purchases Lauzon Properties The properties on Beechwood Avenue’s south side once owned by the Lauzon fam- ily have been purchased by Minto and are slated for demolition and redevelop- ment in the near term. While the sale took place several months ago and has been widely known among those close to the Beechwood development scene, it was only recently confirmed to the NEN by Minto High Rise Development Manager Kevin Harper. Photo by Alexander McKenzie The specific properties Properties formerly owned by the Lauzon family, including 78–90 purchased by Minto include Beechwood Ave., have been sold to Minto. 78–90 Beechwood Ave. and 77–93 Barrette St. The Quickie block, 96 Beechwood residential units above. No local councillors in the near Ave. (the former Arturo’s/ decision has yet been taken term to discuss the vision, the El Meson Restaurant) and on whether the residential next steps and the timing.” Monson’s Cleaners are not portion will be rental or con- Minto actually began pre- part of the Minto package, dominium or a combination liminary consultations with Send us your letters and remain separately owned. of both. some community members Letters to the editor must include writer’s name, There are as yet few details Kevin reports that “we have several months ago when the address and contact info.. Editor reserves the confirmed about Minto’s an architect in place and are sale transaction took place. A redevelopment of the site, but in the early stages of vision- group of representatives from right to edit for length and content. Send your the broad plan entails a mid- ing the project internally. We the surrounding communities, letters to [email protected] rise, mixed-use building with will be reaching out to the street-front retail stores and community associations and Continued on page 8 Page 2 New Edinburgh News February 2020 What’s the New Edinburgh It’s election time…again Community Alliance? in the Park Vision Working Group, please contact Nicole: [email protected]. NECA is the umbrella organization for all residents and community organizations in our neighbourhood. Every R4 Zoning resident of New Edinburgh is automatically a member of Did you know that large por- NECA. Cindy Parkanyi tions of New Edinburgh, including within the Heritage Its mandate is to develop and foster a sense of community NECA President Conservation District, are among the residents; to research, develop positions and considered R4 Zones? The make representations to various levels of government on City of Ottawa has produced matters affecting the community; and to coordinate activi- Back in mid-summer, then- We will post information a Discussion Paper propos- ties between organizations. Liberal MPP Nathalie Des about these events on ing changes to the R4 family NECA’s committees include Traffic and Safety, Heritage Rosiers announced that the community website of zones, in order to enable and encourage the develop- and Development, Beechwood Development, Park Vision she would step down from newedinburgh.ca as they the Provincial legislature become available, so visit ment of small, affordable and and Environment and Climate Change. It also publishes context-sensitive infill apart- this newspaper. to pursue an opportunity regularly for updates. as President of Toronto’s ment dwellings in and around The NECA board meets nine times a year, normally on Input on CSST downtown. The Discussion Massey College. Recently, reinstatement the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. (no meetings we have seen signs for can- Paper and other materi- in July, August or December). Its annual general meeting didates appearing throughout The Park Vision Working als can be found at Ottawa. takes place in October. the area as we are now within Group, under the excellent ca/R4Zoning. Residents are leadership of Nicole Poitras, being consulted on the pro- Meetings are open to all New Edinburgh residents. Anyone 60 days of the election (which must be called by Feb. 2). So held a community forum in posed changes and can pro- wishing to make a presentation to the board should please who’s running? The Liberals early January to check in vide their comments until Feb. contact Cindy Parkanyi in advance at newedinburgh@ have selected Lucille Collard with residents before submit- 21, 2020. For more on this, outlook.com. to run under their banner; ting input on the Combined please see Gail McEachern’s article on page 15. Our next meetings will take place Tuesday, Feb. 18, 7:30 Myriam Djilane will run for Sewage Storage Tunnel (CSST) reinstatement plan p.m. and Tuesday Mar. 17, 7:30 p.m. the NDP and the Progressive Opportunities to Conservatives have select- to the City. A memorandum participate Check newedinburgh.ca for meeting location. ed Patrick Mayangi. The has now been submitted to NECA’s newly-established the CSST Project Team with Your NECA Representatives 2019-2020 Community Collective of Environment and Climate nearby community associa- community recommendations Change Committee meets Ari Abonyi [email protected] tions is once again gearing up based on the recent forum as every second Saturday of the 613-255-1741 to host a candidates’ forum, well as earlier fora and sub- month at 4 p.m. If you would and the New Edinburgh mitted feedback. Dave Arnold [email protected] like to join the group, please Community Alliance’s The overarching sentiment is contact the chair, Tamara Ted Bennett Treasurer Environment and Climate that restoring and preserving Sorger (tamarasorger@ the natural environment in [email protected] Change Committee is work- yahoo.com). ing on an environment-cen- the park is of the utmost NECA’s Traffic and Safety Roslyn Butler Secretary tred debate event. (See page importance, particularly in Committee is also looking for 613-746-8037 25 for more details.) light of the need for regular interested volunteers. Please access for City operations [email protected] contact the committee chair, in the park (spring ice Marc D’Orgeville (marc. Natasha Cappon [email protected] Keep up with breaking, for example). The [email protected]). memorandum is available If you would like to Marc d’Orgeville [email protected] The Burgh on the Park Vision page of know more about NECA’s Sean Flynn Chair of NECTAR newedinburgh.ca. committees and working online! Although the community’s [email protected] groups, please contact me at input on the reinstatement [email protected] Heather Matthews [email protected] portion of the CSST project or come to the next NECA Gail McEachern Heritage & Development was required by the end of Board meeting on Feb. 18 January, this does not mean [email protected] at 7:30 p.m. at the New an end to the work of the Edinburgh Fieldhouse, 203 Cindy Parkanyi President, NECA Park Vision group. The Stanley Ave. 613-745-8734 group will be monitoring the If you are not yet receiving level of CSST activity in the [email protected] the monthly NECA updates www.newedinburgh.ca park and consulting with the by email and would like Tamara Sorger Environment & Climate City and National Capital to be included on the list, [email protected] newednews Commission on longer-term please send me an email park vision elements. If you request or sign up through the Chris Straka President NewEdinburghCA are interested in taking part community website. Crichton Community Council [email protected] Ex officio: Christina Leadlay New Edinburgh News 613-261-0442 [email protected] Learn more at www.newedinburgh.ca February 2020 www.newedinburgh.ca Page 3 Reflections on Ottawa 2020 and NEW EDINBURGH NEWS visions for the future 203 Stanley Ave., Ottawa, ON K1M 1P2 Op-Ed by Chris Penton Beechwood revamp sity and height, lack virtue Publication dates: Oct. 1, Dec. 1, Feb. 1, April 1, June 1 and are – at the root – quite I enjoyed reading Randall Good intentions aside, the Deadlines: Sept.