Les Soeurs convent: What can you do?

Last night was the latest meeting regarding the Les Soeurs de la Visitation convent. If you were there we’d love to hear your thoughts.

Many of you were wondering what can be done.

It is imperative that you speak up. Emails and phone calls count. Express your concerns about height and density on this site, taking cash-in-lieu for parks when this site is 5.6 acres and there’s a lack of green space in this area, the issue about  Byron Ave Linear Green Space access, and traffic issues.

Even before this development is concerned we are at 104% of the 2021 population outlined in the Westboro/Richmond Road CDP.

Please consider contacting the following, CCing the WCA at CC us at hellowestboro@yahoo.ca or leaving a copy of your email in the comments below this post:

• Larry O’Brien, Mayor, Larry.OBrien@ottawa.ca
• Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager, Nancy.Schepers@ottawa.ca
• John Moser, General Manager, Planning & Growth Management, John.Moser@ottawa.ca
• John Smit, Manager Development Review(Urban), John.Smit@ottawa.ca
• Doug James, Planner, Doug.James@ottawa.ca
• Caitlin Salter-MacDonald, Planning Committee Contact, Caitlin.Salter-MacDonald@ottawa.ca

The list of City Councillors is online here: http://ottawa.ca/city_hall/mayor_council/councillors/index_en.html

Clare Gardens Park Rejuvenation Project – an update!

By Irmi Elbert, Clare Park Committee

Since May, our park has been under-going an intensive renewal project to upgrade its paths, replace play structures that were past their due date, plus much more. Many residents have had questions about the project. The following chart should answer most of your questions. The City of Ottawa will be supplying us weekly updates so visit this site regularly for the latest on our park rejuvenation project.

If the answer you’re looking for isn’t included in the chart, email your question to: hellwestboro@yahoo.ca attention: Irmi Elbert. Answers to your questions will be included in the chart.

If you’re wondering where all the money came from for all the work on the hardscaping and play features in Clare Gardens Park, funding was supplied from the following sources:

• Lifecycle funding for play equipment
• Lifecycle funding for park lighting
• Parks & Recreation funding
• Cash in lieu of parkland funding managed by Councillor Leadman’s office
• Community fundraising through the Friends of Clare Park

For more details, as well as the status updates  - please view this PDF.

Thank you!

Public Meeting to Discuss the Development Application for Les Soeurs de la Visitation

WHAT: Councillor’s 114 Richmond Road Meeting
WHEN: Sept. 1 from 7 to 9 p.m.
WHERE: St. George’s Roman Catholic Church (415 Piccadilly Ave.)

Councillor Leadman would like to invite area residents to a meeting she’s holding on Sept. 1 to go over the changes made to the development application for this site. The councillor will be discussing the Design Review Panel’s recommendations and the modifications made to the application as a result. She will also explain the next steps in the process and how the community can participate.

If you wish to contact the councillor in advance please call her office at 613-
580-2485 or email kitchissippi@ottawa.ca.

More info here.

If you plan on attending the meeting and have a Twitter account, please  consider live-tweeting the event using the hashtag #ashcroftconvent so other residents can remotely follow the event. Thank you.

Lot severance at 463 Kenwood

We understand that the owners of 463 Kenwood have had two meetings with their neighbours and changes have been made to the initial plans. We’d like to find out if everyone is happy with the changes. The hearing before the Committee of Adjustment is scheduled for Aug 18th.

You can see a map with a bit more information on this PDF.

You can use the comments field to submit your feedback or contact us via email at hellowestboro@yahoo.ca.

Clare Park update

We hope you’ve had a chance to enjoy the new and improved Clare Park! There is, however, some work still left to do.

The Parks Committee is looking for your input on a proposal from the City regarding the school age structure. Residents have until noon on Thursday August 5 to register their feedback.

Below are the new drawings for the proposed school aged structure.  As discussed at the May 20 public meeting, the City was not sure we could accommodate everything the community wanted in the space available.  Since then, site measurements have been taken and the City has  tried to include as much as they  can.  It is now full, so if changes are desired, we will need to look at trading one piece for another as opposed to adding equipment.

The changes from the original proposed structure during our community meeting in May 2010 at Mothercraft are as follows:

• The monkey bars were replaced with the requested track ride  (there is still the 270 degree loop challenge that are also monkey bars)
• The tidal wave link has been replaced by the deck to deck cobra climber
• The spiral slide was replaced with a double wavy slide
• The corkscrew ladder, cobra climber and senior stepladder have all been lowered by 1 foot to reduce
• The requested high / low bar is not included in this design

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Note the colours on the drawing reflect what had been requested at the  May 20^th meeting but this was subsequently changed to the following:

• Geode Mega – tan rails, red balls (not burgundy) and black rope.
• School age structure – red slides, red posts (not burgundy), orange railings

Please email your comments and feedback to the WCA or to Irmi Elbert at irmi.elbert@sympatico.ca

West end Romeo and Juliet

A youth acting  troupe will be staging a production of Romeo and Juliet at Iona Park tonight (July 6) at 7pm.

Please note: The play was originally to be located at Clare Park, but was moved to Iona due to park construction.

From our neighbours in McKellar Park

This Friday, July 9th, is the grand opening of the new McKellar Park field house in McKellar Park on Wavell Avenue. To celebrate, there will be a BBQ and free movie in the park.

BBQ items will be on sale from Dovercourt’s Adam’s Apple Cafe. Dovercourt is sponsoring kid’s activities, including a bouncy castle.

Councillor Christine Leadman will be on hand for a ribbon cutting ceremony followed by free cake. Afterward, everyone will be invited to tour the new building.

At dusk, there’ll be a showing of Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland”, starring Johnny Depp.

All are welcome! And don’t forget your lawn chairs!

From our neighbours in Hampton Iona

It’s time for the annual Iona Park Summer Party!

Friday July 2
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Iona Park, off Iona Street & Wesley Ave., Westboro

This year we have many special guests lined up:

Ottawa Public Library will join us with the TD Summer Reading Club 2010 kick-off at 10:30; Special guest appearance by everyone’s favorite mascot, Dovercat at 11:30; and… Ottawa Firefighters will be joining us at 12:30!

Don’t miss these exciting activities as well as the pool opening, bouncy castle, FREE coffee for mom & dad & much, much more!  All activities are free and everyone is welcome.  There will also be a BBQ with hot dogs and drinks to buy.

Hope to see you all there!

Richmond Road/Westboro Transportation Management Implementation Plan Open House

As part of the Council approved Richmond Road/Westboro Community Design Plan direction was given to develop a Transportation Management Implementation Plan (TMIP) for this area.

The main aim of the project is to detail how over a period of years a lower automobile modal share could be achieved though the identification and evaluation of initiatives to promote transit and other non-vehicular modes of transportation (e.g. cycling, pedestrian, and other transportation demand management initiatives).

These measures would reduce vehicle dependency in order to accommodate anticipated development in the Richmond Road/Westboro community and to respond to future capacity deficiencies in the Richmond Road corridor.

You are invited to an Open House at:

Tuesday June 29, 2010
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
All Saints Anglican Church, Main Hall
347 Richmond Road

In order to:

• share feedback about existing barriers to non-vehicular modes of transportation
• get information about existing vehicle trips and future goals for trip reductions, current City of Ottawa citywide plans and other potential initiatives

View this PDF for details.

Tweedsmuir sidewalk update

For anyone following this issue, City Council has cancelled the proposed sidewalk for Tweedsmuir Ave. Therefore there will be no tree removal, no loss of parking, no widening of the road.