Hi neighbour,
I hope you had a great week and are keeping cool in this humidity! Last weekend, I had a great time exploring some Bay Ward gems during Doors Open Ottawa. I, along with thousands of others, enjoyed a tour of the Britannia Water Filtration Plant. We can be proud of this municipal facility that provides us all with top quality drinking water across the city. I also explored Fairfields Heritage House, a museum right here in Bay Ward. I’ll be sharing more about summer events at Fairfields in upcoming newsletters.
Here’s what I’ve been working on this week:
Updates from City Hall
At City Council on Wednesday, I was proud to present Ottawa Community Housing (OCH)’s Annual Report, alongside OCH CEO Stéphane Giguère. At a time when many are struggling with the cost of living, including not being able to afford private market rents, the need to protect and strengthen community housing has never been more important. It’s an honour to serve as Chair of the Board for OCH, a vital partner in delivering and maintaining affordable housing across Ottawa.
Also at Council, I welcomed the report from my colleague Councillor Plante, officially titled “Strengthening Protections Against Construction Encroachment and Enforcing Committee of Adjustment Conditions”. This report looks at how the City can strengthen protections for residents of properties adjacent to in-fill development across the City. I’m looking forward to supporting this work moving forward, to ensure we can support the development of much needed housing in Ottawa’s urban wards, while protecting the safety and well-being of current residents, and mitigating disruption and damage to neighbouring properties.
Council also approved the zoning by-law amendment application for 500 & 508 Edgeworth Avenue, to permit a high-rise residential building of up to 24 storeys (link to Council remarks). I want to thank the Woodpark Community Association, and all the residents from Woodpark and the surrounding communities who took the time to share their feedback with planning staff, and my office on this development. Moving forward, there are several key issues that I’ll be working on with the community and the applicant at the site plan control application stage, including community amenities (such as greenspace), ensuring year-round access to the Lincoln Fields Transit Station, and construction management.
Informal Community Q & A: Carlingwood Shopping Centre Parking Lot Plans (Monday, June 15, 4:30-6:30 pm)
In response to requests from Carlingwood residents and the Carlingwood Community Association, I reached out to Fotenn (the design firm), and Anthem Properties (the owners of Carlingwood Shopping Centre) to arrange for an informal, drop-in Q&A on the plans for the parking lot at the northside of their building. Drop by the Hub Community Space at Carlingwood Shopping Centre on Monday, June 15th to meet with representatives from Anthem Properties, and learn more about the single-story parking lot that will be replacing the recently demolished two-tier parking structure. Community members are invited to review designs, and have their questions answered directly from Anthem. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Read this week’s newsletter for more news and events across Bay Ward!
