Hi neighbour,
It’s been another very busy week at City Hall. I hope you’re all doing well, and you have plenty of leftover Halloween candy to get you through these first weeks of November!
Honouring Elsa Lessard
Yesterday at City Hall, it was my privilege to attend an event celebrating Elsa Lessard, a Bay Ward resident who passed away last July at the age of 103. Since enlisting in the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRCNS) during the Second World War in 1943, Elsa worked tirelessly to increase public awareness of women’s contributions during the Second World War and dedicated her life to honouring the sacrifice of those who died during the Battle of the Atlantic. You can read more about Elsa’s significant contributions on the City of Ottawa website. To honour Elsa’s legacy, a street in Rideau-Rockliffe Ward will be named after her. It was the highlight of my week to be at the commemorative street naming ceremony at city hall, and to celebrate Elsa’s legacy with council colleagues, Elsa’s family, and some of her neighbours from the Ambleside Community.
Reminder: Bay Ward Remembrance Day Ceremony – Tuesday, November 11 at 9 am
Join my team and I, as well as members of the community for our annual Bay Ward Remembrance Day Ceremony on Tuesday, November 11th at 9 am at the Blood Red Memorial Flagpole in Britannia Park. More details are in the event section below.
This week at City Hall: Planning and Housing Committee and Lansdowne 2.0
This week the Planning and Housing Committee approved a zoning by-law amendment for 3055 Richmond Road (link to report), to permit the construction of a 5-storey, 21 unit apartment building. Given this site’s proximity to the Bayshore transit station will have reduced parking. The building will be four storeys above grade, with 9 underground parking spots. I appreciate the developer’s willingness to implement a car-share program for residents. This project will also benefit from the upcoming renewal of that section of Richmond Road.
Lansdowne 2.0
Today, City Council met to vote on Lansdowne 2.0. I’ve already made my position clear on this project, and did not vote in favour of the plan. Earlier this week at Audit Committee, we reviewed the Auditor General (AG)’s Agile Audit of Lansdowne 2.0 (link), and it raised a lot of the same concerns I’ve heard from hundreds of Bay Ward residents over the past few months- concerns that I also share. The AG report highlighted overly optimistic estimates for construction costs for the project, as well as revenue projections for the Red Blacks that are out of step with the franchise’s current performance. I was particularly struck by the reference to “opportunity costs”- the city spending money on Lansdowne that could be used to meet other municipal needs, of which we have so many such as our own Belltown Dome that has reached the end of its lifecycle and needs funds. Instead of voting to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Lansdowne 2.0, I continue to advocate for investments in programs and infrastructure that make our communities safe and livable for all- including improving or replacing aging recreational facilities and making public transit an affordable option for residents.
While Lansdowne 2.0 was approved by Council, I was heartened to see that the allocation of funding for affordable housing was increased, and steps will be made to ensure more public space is available on the site, so Lansdowne can become a space that is shared by all, and not just those who can afford premium-priced tickets.
Thanks, as always, to residents who reached out to my office to share their perspectives on this issue. If you have questions, concerns or ideas for how we can make this city more livable for everyone, please don’t hesitate to continue reaching out to us.
Read the full newsletter for more news and events across Bay Ward!
