June 7, 1996 ucbE CNIIRAN IT):\k-E AirREI°Aoy Du Andi Plitz tkepart June 7, 1996 Vol. 24 No. 6 Glebe Community Centre The of & trust unraveling process the building. As BY JENNIE ALIMAN & the primary provider of ELIZABETH FRIESEN programming, GNAG For over 5 years, the Glebe Com- wrote to Suzanne McGlashan, Com- munity Centre has been working its missioner of Community Services way up the City's renovation prior- (formerly Culture and Recreation), on ity list. While the building con- March 14, requesting a timeline for the Department's tinues to deteriorate, the process recommenda- tion to has been repeatedly delayed and Council. On May 2, a reply thousands of tax dollars spent on was received from the Commis- sioner, meetings, feasibility studies and along with the draft recom- reports. mendation to combine Glebe and Old Ottawa South Community Since May 1994, a volunteer Cen- tres at Brewer Park. working committee of Glebe resi- The working committee was dents made up of Glebe Neighbour- very shocked and disappointed with this hood Activities Group (GNAG), and recommendation. We Glebe Community Assoc.ation have spent many volunteer hours working with (GCA) members has been meeting the City in good faith, and have with City staff regularly to develop followed guidelines of options for the renovation of the the process. The Brewer option, Community Centre. At the City's although never initiative, two public meetings were formally proposed by the City, is not a new one. When held to hear what the community "sounded out" several years ago, the would like to see in a renovated idea was re- jected by both Glebe and Old centre. In May 1995, the options of Ottawa South Community closing the building and investigat- representatives. To bring Old Ottawa South into the ing satellite sites were eliminated equation at by the City, this time and to recom- leaving three options mend a for renovation (minimum, medium Stephanie Montgomery collects signatures proposal that was never even an option is and maximum). In October 1995, a to save GCC. Photo: George Hiemstra blatant abuse of document entitled "Architectural ovation was not a viable option. work and implement a monitoring the partnership and an act of bad Analysis for the Glebe Community On March 7, 1996, a Health and programme by the Centre Director faith, indicating contempt for both Centre Renovation Options, Report Safety inspection of the building and caretaker. Restrictions were communities. No. 2" outlined these same three was carried out at the initiative of imposed on programming activities The Department of Community options. At no time during the pro- City staff. A plan was devised to in the Main and Basement Halls, Services Mission Statement says in cess did the City indicate that ren- carry out recommended remedial due to deteriorating conditions in Continued on page 2 Don't Forget Loeb Glebe reopens after fire ART IN THE PARK Saturday June 8 (R.D. 9th) Help Build the Glebe Dragon! Starting Friday, June 7 in Central Park West of Bank Street INSIDE Loeb Glebe Monday May 27th Photo: John Olson Get your Garage Sale donations in! Letters 5,6 BY !CATHRYN BRADFORD Last year residents of the Glebe Opinion 7 As the Glebe Report goes to It was raised a record-breaking $8,600 perfect weather for a GCA 8,9 press, (Tuesday June 4th), we are garage sale, and the Great Glebe for the Food Bank through the happy to announce that McKeen's Garage Sale proved yet again that it Garage Sale. Donations for this Profile 21 Loeb Glebe at 754 Bank Street has is truly the year, as of May 31, are $4,850. As giant of community Business 23 just opened. That is good news for garage sales as thousands of people a result of government cutbacks and this community which has missed came out to browse, bargain and tough times for many here in our Books 36 having this centrally located store buy. Now it's time to demonstrate city - and in our community - the available to them since a fire shut once again that we are a caring Food Bank's need has never been INEXT DEADLINE AUGUST 6, 1996 I it down the night of May 26th. See community, by making our Food greater. Your donation will make a the Loeb Glebe ad on page 20 for Bank donations from the proceeds difference - and it will pave the Quote of the month information on their re-opening of our sales. The suggested dona- way for next year's Sale. This is There's a blessing on the hearth celebrations. tion is 10% of the proceeds from because much of our publicity for A special providence for each sale. Continued on page 3 fatherhood! Robert Browning N EWS is linked to years of poor mainte- Committee are, simply put, the Glebe Community Centre, continued nance and neglect. While dollars maintenance of a centrally located, part "To plan and provide safe from the loss of walk-in and neigh- were spent on facilities in other walk-in community facility in the community and city-wide recre- bourhood-directed programming, communities, our building was Glebe which is important to the ational and cultural programmes ... and loss of the cultural and arts allowed to decay. existence of our community as a These activities provide opportu- programming (which benefits the The Glebe Neighbourhood Activi- secure, inner city neighbourhood; nities for: entire city) currently offered at the ties Group of volunteer residents continued service to our existing meeting community recre- Glebe Community Centre, the has continued to run successful and user groups, both in the community ational and cultural needs; recommendation represents a sub- popular programmes in spite of the and city wide and to achieve these fostering a spirit of community stantial reduction in service. In physical limitations of this build- goals as economically as possible. involvement and self-reliance; 1995 alone, Glebe Community Cen- ing. The building is well used and fostering personal involvement tre cerved over 85,000 clients. appreciated by city-wide arts and Jennie Aliman is Chair of the and enjoyment" Abandoning our centrally located cultural groups. We believe these Glebe Community Centre renovation The Brewer Park recommendation community centre and transplant- services are well worth continuing. committee. Liz Friesen is a member does not uphold that mandate! ing our local programmes to City The goals of the Renovation Working of the committee. We are fortunate in the Glebe and facilities at Brewer Park, in an area Old Ottawa South to have very ac- where extensive recreational com- tive Community Associations plex facilities already exist, does (GNAG, GCA, and OSCA). A com- nothing to enhance service. Brewer plex at Brewer Park, the operation Park is only accessible from the of which is likely to be put out to Glebe by busy regional roads, un- Morning For 2 1/2 to 5 tender as happened recently at the friendly to pedestrians and danger- Programs Don Gamble Centre in Ottawa East, year olds ous to children and cyclists. The Each Weekday would be the end of these Associa- Brewer Park proposal would mean Southside tions as we know them. It would be in effect the withdrawal of service Pre-School the end of community-directed pro- to these groups. Call gramming, in favour of strictly Of course it is necessary to be Pick Your 730-5819 profit-motivated programming. fiscally responsible. The current Licenced, The City staff proposed claim that community centre is expensive to Momings Educational closing the local centre and con- run and now requires 1.36 million 2, 3, 4 or 5 Atmosphere structing a new 3.5 million dollar dollars expenditures in asset pro- Located at Bank & Alymer- South Minster United Church complex at Brewer Park will en- tection alone. Clearly this is an hance services in this community. expensive proposition. However, we This is not the case. On the con- would like to point out that in the trary, when one takes into account name of fiscal restraint, the City the significant reduction in service allowed the building to deteriorate to the Glebe community resulting for years. The current repair bill Proposed new Centre at Ottawa Projet d'un nouveau centre Departrnent of Community Services Brewer Park Services communautaires au Parc Brewer The proposal seeks to investigate In order to ensure a continued deliv- Dans le cadre de ce projet, nous aime- Afin d'assurer le maintien de services and receive community input to the ery of quality recreation/cultural rions recueillir les commentaires et récréatifs et culturels de qualité, il con- option of building a new community services, a new strategy is required l'apport de la communauté au sujet de vient d'adopter une nouvelle stratégie centre, at Brewer Park, which would that better reflects the City's fmancial la construction d'un nouveau centre qui reflète mieux la situation finan- de la Il convient aussi de be linked to the existing pool and situation. Our reality includes an communautaire au parc Brewer qui cière Ville. serait relié à la piscine et â l'aréna afin dresser un inventaire exhaustif des arena to create a total recreation extensive inventory of aging buildings, de créer un complexe récréatif polyva- bâtiments vieillissants et de consigner complex.The proposed new centre increasing operating costs, and chang- lent. Le nouveau centre proposé rem- l'accroissement des frais d'exploitation would replace Glebe C.C. and ing recreational & cultural program- placerait le Centre communautaire du ainsi que les besoins changeants en Ottawa South C.C..This proposal ming needs.The proposal seeks to Glebe et le Centre communautaire matière de programmes récréatifs et would provide much improved address these needs in a way that is d'Ottawa-Sud.Ainsi, les deux commu- culturels.