Kitchissippi Ward Forum - January 17 notes

Thank you to everyone who came to the inaugural Kitchissippi Forum on January 17 2015. It was a great Saturday and lovely to see many in the community come and join in discussions. After the forum, Jeff and the team received really great feedback about how we can adapt the forum for next quarter and we will certainly take this into account.

It was also a good opportunity for people to make connections with groups they may not normally have spoken to. It was also helpful for individuals and associations to realise that there is a lot of commonality in what they are doing and the things that the community is concerned about.

Along with the ward pop-up offices which are happening at least twice a month, the forum will be another vehicle to engage with Jeff about the issues and priorities that matter to the community. We will continue to do these quarterly, so look out for the date and location of the next Forum in April 2015.

A summary of the forum is attached below. For updates of future forums and events, please sign up at https://kitchissippiward.ca/civicrm/profile/create?gid=14&reset=1

Kitchissippi Forum – Saturday January 17^th 2015

Approximately 125 in attendance. Thanks to MP Paul Dewar and Trustee Erica Braunovan for participating, as well as Wellington West BIA executive Directory Zachary Dayler and Westboro BIA executive director Mary Thorne.

Part 1 – Community Association updates. The order in which associations delivered their updates was determined by random drawing from a hat.

McKellar Park Community Association (Seema Lamba)

Priorities:

Light rail:

• Would like more involvement of community and for plans to proceed with their need in mind
• It does benefit all communities
• Further discussions require an ongoing dialogue
• Concerned about its effect on homes, green space, station placement and traffic
• Concerned about increase in speed and cut-through traffic
• Would like an updated traffic study that integrates pedestrians, drivers and cyclists

Development

• Would like more consultation when it comes to potential new developments
• There is already limited park/green space and it needs to be protected
• Have a focus group already underway to help with tracking trees/tree type
• Maintain Rochester park and Byron park

Champlain Park Community Association (Heather Pearl)

Priorities:

Transit/Light Rail

• Bus re-routes on Scott St. and Albert St. are of concern
• Cut-through traffic from Island Park Drive and Scott Street.

Development

• New zoning by-laws are important to all communities
• Concerned with height restrictions for flat versus peaked roofs
• Tree preservation
• Voiced the need for substance reports prior to demolition

Hintonburg Community Association (Matt Whitehead)  

Priorities:

Traffic

• This includes cars, pedestrians and cyclists
• Snow removal and prioritization of sidewalks

Development

• In terms of infill, what is and isn’t allowed to be built

Mixed-income housing

• Want to maintain a balance and variety in terms of the kind of people who live in the area

Light Rail

• Plans need to be in place, specifically in terms of Scott St.
• Need to ensure it is a fully operational street

Westboro Community Association (Jean McKibbon)

Priorities:

Infill

• It is changing the character of the neighbourhood

Light Rail

• Will affect green space and parks

Parking

• Specifically on Richmond Rd. there is not enough parking and the limited road space is of concern for access and ease of emergency vehicles

Trees

• Need better communication with developers and hydro in terms of restriction of tree/tree height to help prevent unnecessary loss

Hampton Iona Community Group (Lorne Cutler)

Priorities:

Infill

• Need to ensure everything meets zoning requirements
• Keep as many trees as possible
• If areas are re-zoned the process can’t just be left up to staff, community members need a say
• With intensification occurring on main streets there needs to be a process for developers to communicate with the community

Increase in transparency

Traffic

• Richmond Rd. and Wellington street west are not bike-friendly

Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association (Karen Wright)

Priorities

Farm announcement

• Ensure residents are informed and consulted
• Plan to have a public meeting in April

Hospital

• Respect the neighbourhood
• Need the best communication between the Ottawa Hospital (TOH) and residents as possible

Other

• Traffic
• High rises
• Pushing for off-peak parking on Carling Avenue
• Community mailbox (not ideal for mature neighbourhoods)
• Establishing a heritage community
• Refresh the Rosemount expansion

Island Park (resident – Heather Mitchell)

In lieu of a community association representative, a resident volunteered to speak about some of the issues facing Island Park residents

Priorities

1. Traffic
2. Closer relationship need with NCC

Westboro Beach Community Association (Don Stewart)

Priorities

Trees

• Protect trees
• Inforce bylaw (mirror the one in Toronto where 3 trees must be replanted if one is cut down)

Green space

• Try to get creative with green space (corner of Workman and Churchill)

• Have a pre concept/plan for 250 Lanark
• Water quality at the beach needs to be improved
• William community park maintenance

Wellington Village Community Association (Catherine James-McGuinty)

Priorities

Traffic

• Speeding

Development

• Ensure development adheres to the Community design plan (CDP)

Civic Hospital expansion

• Process hasn’t been ideal
• Land is being handed over without consultation of community members/public

Part 2: Q & A with Jeff (attendees were able to stand up and raise concerns about specific issues which Jeff then addressed)

Jeff and team are working to put together a group that will help to prioritize, inventory and help solve traffic related issues that have been brought to his attention.

Questions/Comments

• Need to look at the issues at their principles. Not accommodate cut through traffic, area has been overrun. Less traffic mean less sidewalks, and therefore less snow removal needed.
• Need integrated approach with development, infill and traffic.
• Busses 2, 14, and 4 (interior busses) need more buses on their routes.

Jeff

• Wants to decrease the number of buses that will be rerouted to Scott. St.
• Snow removal begins after heavy snowfalls. 5 meters is the standard (snow banks etc.), anything less than that is not priority. There is a new person who is involved with urban problems who will be making tweaks to the prioritization of snow removal. If there are any specific issues please let his office know.

Question/Comment

• In regards to the 2500 buses a day, the Preston St. detour is already not functioning well, which is cause for concern. If commuter buses that are to run down Scott St. are not successful there is risk of the 16 being cut.

Jeff

• Design details and discussion on this are to come

Question/Comment

• Concerned about LRT’s path through McKellar Park. Although multiple plans have been proposed there has been a lack of process and respect to the people in McKellar Park.
• The 100 day negotiation process between the federal government, the city and the NCC needs to involve residents
• Fear of losing the parkway as a linear route and trees
• Overall there has been poor planning

Jeff

• If the NCC continues to say no to the City, only then will there be the oppportunity to talk about Plan B
• Write to the NCC to let them know how you feel

Question/Comment

• Buried the LRT is too expensive, but above it destroys green space and isn’t really accessible
• If buried by Rochester and by linear parkway it will be less costly and destroy less greenspace
• People who are living in the 2500 busses a day area are in the first phase and will have no protection. No wall is going to be built to protect the houses.  Need support for a re-design of phase one.
• There have been no studies on air quality or vibration increase/affects

Jeff

• Having a timetable for key discussions is very important
• There has not been a lot of decision on point of where the LRT is going to run
• There is no opportunity for revisit the decision currently
• There is no vote coming up on anything, the route was chosen by the previous council
• The NCC and the city are to reach a decision on use of the parkway early March. If they agree on the route then they will need to talk in detail about station locations.
• Jeff will fight to have opportunity for input

Question/Comment

• What is happening with the design of the new library?

Jeff

• New central library will be a priority
• Would like to see a world class design, with Ottawa architects to be involved

Question/Comment

• Important to remember culture and heritage in mature areas
• Lack of integrity in planning and consultation of the public
• Plans get changed and that costs the taxpayers, public is not taken into consideration

Jeff

• I hear your frustration
• Need to have better conversations moving forward
• He has been knocking on doors to talk to people to make sure they know what is going on and he knows public’s concerns
• Keep up with his blog, or email or call if you want to know something

Jeff

• City and NCC discuss if city is allowed to use the Sir John A. MacDonald parkway or not.
• Will be putting on pressure to ensure chosen route is least impactful as possible

Question/Comment

• Issues of environment conservation (global warming)

Jeff

• Wants to restore corporate target in City’s action plan