Family in a Box

Have you ever had the thought that you wished your family was just "normal"?  That's the underlying theme in GNAG's most recent community theatre presentation "Family in a Box" which I saw (along with GCA Planning Committee chair, Bobby Galbreath and his wife Mackie) last night.

I have to hand it to the people who wrote the script (Glebe residents) and those acting.  It was a great representation of the daily challenges of family life: having dinner together, taking care of aging parents, focusing on school, relationships, shovelling snow (!).  I saw reflections of my daily life a few times, I saw friendly and support interactions between neighbours, and I had a rare glimpse into different perspectives (could that be how my kids really see me??).  I think theatre is great when you are still thinking about the play the next day, which I am.

The reflection of our neighbourhood was very well done, but I especially loved the very end, when one of the actors paid tribute to Eleanor Crowder.  Many readers will know that Eleanor has been a long-time driving force of community theatre here in the Glebe (and throughout Ottawa, of course).  As a result, many of us in the neighbourhood have the opportunity to express our creative selves, while the rest of us have the good fortune to enjoy the results of their creations.

Thanks GNAG, thanks to the actors, and thanks Eleanor for sharing your magical gifts with our community!

Christine

Swab to save a life

I feel very fortunate to live in a healthy community.  There are ample opportunities to be active, either as part of every day life or in a programmed activity in the Glebe.  We are surrounded by kids on bikes, runners, skiers and families involved in all kinds of recreation.

 

Given the general level of good health in our neighbourhood, I am always taken aback when one of our healthy neighbours is diagnosed with a serious disease.  Just last night I heard about someone in our neighbourhood, fit, active, a parent to two young children, diagnosed with Leukemia.  This post is a call to our community for help.

 

This Saturday, March 29th, there will be a Swab Event in support of finding a bone marrow donor for our neighbour, and for many other people suffering from Leukemia that need a bone marrow transplant.

In this Glebite's case, there is a desperate need for a bone marrow transplant, but given the individual has rare DNA, a match has not been found - even with the 22 million on the stem cell bank world wide! 

 

Stephen Beckta, and his wife Maureen, are hosting the Swabathon event at their Gezelig restaurant next Saturday, March 29th from 9:00am-1:00pm.   Please ask every  17 - 35 year old you know to please stop in at Gezelig for a very simple and painless Q-tip swab of your cheek and to please share (FB, Twitter, email, etc.) this information with as many people as possible in hopes that a match can be found for our neighbour.

 

Unfortunately, I've known a few people who have had serious illnesses.  At those times, I've seen our community come out in spades to provide support, be that with food, childcare or running errands.  This is another one of those times (I hope I don't see too many more).  And it is one of those times that defines a community for its care of each other.  Please swab!

 

Christine 

 

Theatre returns to the Avalon

Have you been to the Avalon Studio yet?  If not, it should rank high on your outing list!  It is the space above the Home Hardware(ish) on Bank Street, where, many years ago, the Avalon Theatre stood.  You may have noticed The Acting Company's sign on the sidewalk or door at some point. Chances are you have a child who takes a dance class there, or maybe an acting class.  But tonight was all about the adults!  Third Wall Theatre is currently presenting Harold Pinter's "The Dumb Waiter" in the Avalon Studio and I was able to go with five friends, in a crowd that totalled no more than 55.

This was my first Harold Pinter play, and I liked it so well I want to see more - not to mention my actress-neighbour Mary Ellis was in the play, and I always enjoy being so immersed in her character that I don't recognize her!  But I am even more excited about the simple fact that there is a place to see theatre right here in our neighbourhood (in addition to the community theatre produced each year by GNAG - speaking of which, do you have your tickets for "Family in a Box" yet?).  This is exactly the kind of business-diversity we need on Bank Street and is a great addition to Ottawa's cultural scene and programming space in the Glebe.

Kudos to co-founders Chris Ralph and John Muggleton and the rest of the Acting Company's team!  Thanks for the space for my daughter to learn dance and for me to connect with my love of live theatre!  And for all you blog readers, "The Dumb Waiter" is on March 23, March 28-30. 

Progress on Lansdowne traffic issues

Given the number of page views on my Lansdowne traffic-related blogs, and comments on my recent Glebe Report column about GCA's advocacy on the issue, I thought residents might be interested in an update of our meeting with the Mayor on Lansdowne traffic issues.   

The GCA (Brian Mitchell and myself), Ottawa South Community Association (Winnie Pietrykowski) and the Old Ottawa East Community Association (John Dance) met with the Mayor on March 3^rd.  Judging by the amount of time he spent with us (1 ½ hrs), his detailed knowledge of our area and our requests, and the number of City officials in attendance, it is clear that Mayor Watson places a high priority on the success of the Lansdowne development.  It is also clear that all parties are working with the best intentions to make Lansdowne a success and it was in this spirit that the meeting was arranged. 

 

While we were pleased to have had an opportunity to discuss the issues as we, the three communities most impacted by the development, understand them, it soon became clear that we have a completely different approach to planning for Lansdowne traffic than the City.  Based on our extensive community consultations (together, our community associations canvassed over 2,000 residents), we strongly believe that significant traffic measures should be implemented before Lansdowne opens.  The City strongly believes a “wait and see” approach is the most prudent, and monitoring once open makes the most sense. 

We presented our priority issues from the perspective of safety and security of children and pedestrians, active transportation to the Lansdowne site (in particular, connecting bridges) and establishing a buffer zone for the most impacted residents.  Brian’s excellent article in the Glebe Report outlines more of the specific requests (the same ones we’ve been advocating for at the Lansdowne Traffic Advisory Committee for the past year).  Although we made next to no progress on those requests, the Mayor did agree to some specific actions:

1. The City will look to advancing the building of the O’Connor bike lane;
2. At his regular meeting with the NCC president, the Mayor will advocate to move the construction of the signalized crossing for the Queen Elizabeth Driveway and Fifth Avenue to summer (now currently planned for the fall);
3. Reducing the speed limit on Bank Street, from Riverdale to Chamberlain, from 50 km to 40 km/hr (the Mayor’s idea, in relation to Bank St Bridge safety);  and
4. Considering a request to reducing parking from 3 hrs to 1 hr along with a guest parking permit for Holmwood Avenue (east of Bank St), should a significant portion of residents be supportive, for a trial period of the first six months following the opening of Lansdowne;
5. Regarding pedestrian safety at Sunnyside and Bank, the City will implement the Pedestrian Safety Evaluation Program, which could include a workplan for the spring and summer to identify potential safety measures.

These actions represent some progress for our community, and we will continue to advocate for our other well-developed positions.  There are many questions regarding the City’s monitoring program, however, we will also participate in this process to make sure the impacts to the community are known and suggestions for improvements are made. 

We owe our thanks to much of this work  to Brian Mitchell and the members of the Traffic Committee for all of the work they have done so far.  I have great admiration for their level of knowledge and attention to the many traffic issues we have in our neighbourhood.

 See you in the 'hood,

Christine

New Life for The Pantry

Many of you have by now heard of the potential closing of The Pantry as a result of its lease with the City expiring in June of this year.  Over 800 people (Glebites and Pantry patrons from outside of the neighbourhood) signed a petition to keep it open, a number of people wrote letters to the Editor of the Glebe Report (there was also a very good article by Bob Brockelbank on the subject) and the GCA heard expressions of concerns from residents as well.

There are many things that connect such a large number of people in a meaningful way with The Pantry.  For 38 years, first Ilsa Kyssa and now Carolyn Best, have provided a cosy and reflective place to stop the crazy train of every day life, at least for long enough to have lunch.  The food they provide is intended to nourish body and soul with healthy ingredients and a menu to appeal to all tastes.  The Pantry has always sourced ingredients locally, composted and practiced good environmental habits.  Along the way, they've shared their knowledge of nutrition and environmentalism with the many who have shared their tables. 

But the Pantry hasn't been just about food - it's been a community gathering place, where friendships are nurtured and action plans are forged (for a more detailed history, see The Glebe Report, September 2010).  I am told this is where planning started for lobbies to keep our local schools and the community centre open, and that the GCA has used the Pantry for meetings in the past as well.  There are a variety of activities that go on after "Pantry hours," including homework club (where I love to find my kids at pick-up time!). 

The Pantry truly has been an important part of this community for a long time.  So why the need to end the lease? 

Bob Brockelbank's article in the December Glebe Report was very insightful regarding the City's administration of community centres and the challenges since amalgamation.  One of the challenges has to do with costs - in fact, community programming hours have been reduced as a result of this (the community centre previously was staffed until 9 p.m. but is now only staffed until 8:30 p.m. - the GCA and others must pay for staff if we want to use the centre beyond 8:30).  Another challenge has to do with space for programming (hopefully, as Bob notes, additional community space will become available with the Aberdeen Pavillion and Horticulture Buildings at Lansdowne Park).

These didn't seem like good enough reasons to accept the closure of the Pantry.  So, as has happened before, interested community parties got together to figure out a better solution. Carolyn Best (from the Pantry), Kate McCartney, Brad Sigouin and Mary Tsai Davies (from GNAG),  residents Elaine Marlin (former Glebe Report Editor) and Diane McIntyre (former GCA President) met with David Chernushenko (our Councillor) and myself to discuss a way forward.  They are in process of developing an arrangement with the City which would preserve the Pantry as a place for the community to meet and enjoy a healthy meal in a quiet, nurturing atmosphere, and meet the various needs of the Community Centre and the community at large.  This is still a work in progress, but I am confident a complete solution is near and that it will have wide community support.  Once complete, it should protect this valued community nurturing place well into the future.

On behalf of the community, I would like to express my gratitude to Diane, Elaine, Carolyn, Mary, Kate, Brad and David for their hard work on this issue.  Once the solution is all wrapped up, I know a great little tea room in the heart of the Glebe Community Centre where we can have lunch to celebrate!

See you at the Pantry!
Christine

Skating at Glebe St. James Rink

What better way to work off some of those extra cookies than to spend part of New Year's Day at the new Glebe St. James skating rink?  Mind you, it could have been a bit less cold, but with the Glebe St. James Tennis Club clubhouse to warm up in, the cold hardly mattered:

I was excited to see the rink being well used.  When we arrived, there was already a game of shinny underway, but there was still lots of space for other non-shinny players, young and older:

What I loved most of all was the rink and club as a community gathering space.  I met one resident who hadn't been on the ice in three years since a serious surgery who was just getting his skating legs back (seems they never left him!);  there was the mom who had been a figure skater growing up, who joined in the pick up game so she could learn to play hockey (looked to me like she held her own);   the three young girls who won my admiration for their hockey-playing skills (a sport not many girls played when I was younger);  and the dad I recognized from the school yard but had never had a chance to formally meet.  I was happy to be recognized from my picture which runs with my column in the Glebe Report - which confirmed for me that people are reading the column!

My husband's parents are visiting from New Brunswick and joined us on the rink.  I think they are happy that we are raising our family in a friendly community that values fresh air and active lifestyles enough to provide local opportunities to have fun together.

I want to extend a very big thank you to the people at Glebe St. James Tennis Club, GNAG, the GCA, the City of Ottawa and a number of other supporters for your initiative in developing this fantastic community resource.  Although my toes still haven't warmed up, I'm looking forward to many more hours of skating.

See you on the rink!
Christine

Holidays in the Glebe

I've been admiring the decorations and lights throughout the neighbourhood, so thought I would share some with you.  I hope readers have had a wonderful holiday season and wish everyone health and happiness for 2014!

 

See you in the 'hood!

Christine

Lansdowne Traffic Meeting - Postscript

In a very general way, I might admit that I've heard some Glebe residents talk about having "Lansdowne fatigue" and that they want to be "for" something instead of "against" something.  Well, when it comes to Lansdowne-related traffic issues (I'm talking day-to-day and event-related traffic), there is definitely no fatigue and residents are very much for making Lansdowne traffic work. 

Between 150-180 residents (I stopped counting at 150) packed into the basement of St. Giles Church this evening to hear Councillor David Chernushenko and City staff present their plans for traffic management when Lansdowne opens.  While we had been concerned about attendance given the late setting of the meeting date and limited meeting notice publication, Church staff and others were surprised as they had only initially put out chairs for 50 people!

We knew going into the meeting that the plan to be presented was about monitoring traffic and not about taking action ahead of Lansdowne opening.  The GCA position on this is clear - failing to plan is planning to fail - so ensuring the success of Lansdowne means taking actions ahead of time (we've made a number of recommendations in that regard).  The phenomenal turnout for this meeting is a clear demonstration that residents are behind the GCA - in fact, Brian Mitchell, the GCA Traffic Committee Chair, received loud cheers following his address outlining our disappointment that not more is being done.

There were a number of questions from the community members as well.  I thought you might be interested in some, although I must apologize as I wasn't quick enough in noting the responses provided by the various panellists:

• Is there any plan to monitor the economic impacts of congestion that is anticipated to occur as a result of increased Lansdowne traffic?  and will there be a plan to recover those costs for the benefit of those negatively impacted?
• Why is monitoring being planned for October and March when there are fewer people cycling in those months?  Will parking studies be undertaken in March when there is still snow on the ground?
• Monitoring is all very well, but what actions will be taken when gridlock occurs?
• Will traffic monitoring results be made public?
• Currently, parking around Abbotsford and Glebe Centre is being taken up by some of the many construction workers, restricting parking options for others.  Where will retail employees of Lansdowne stores park when they finally open?
• Why are shuttle buses using residential streets instead of arterial roads?
• Can the City and OSEG to find funding for the Fifth Ave/Clegg footbridge?
• How will the traffic (and noise) resulting from people exiting theatres or bars late at night be managed?

From these questions and the very raucous crowd, it's clear that planning for the management of Lansdowne Traffic is an important issue for the GCA to continue to advocate for.  We'll also reach out to Bernie Ashe (CEO, OSEG), who in his remarks expressed OSEG's interest in working with the local community.  

Thanks to everyone from our community and neighbouring communities for attending the meeting tonight.  It shows that we all care about this issue.  If you would like to see the panel boards Brian presented at the meeting, they will be posted on our website (glebeca.ca) in the Traffic committee section in the near future.

See you in the 'hood,
Christine

Lansdowne Traffic

Well, it's getting closer, isn't it?  I don't mean Christmas (although it is getting closer too!), I'm talking about the launch of Lansdowne.  Have you been by there lately?  Wow!  I can almost imagine it in a finished state, even without the help of promo pictures.

To say it's been a long road for our community is an understatement.  However, we do seem to have turned a corner and are now starting to think about next June, when parts of the development will officially open.  One particular area the GCA has spent a significant amount of volunteer effort to engage residents in is with respect to traffic and how both day-to-day and special event traffic will impact not only our neighbourhood, but also the success of the development.  And make no mistake, we are invested in the success of Lansdowne - it will serve no one well if it isn't successful.

 Many readers will likely remember participating in the GCA Traffic Committee's numerous consultation efforts:  there was a large survey (with almost 700 respondents), community meetings, door-to-door interviews, flyer drops and posters on telephone polls.  A much larger consultation on this issue (or many others) than done by the City itself.

And what was the result of all that engagement?  Almost 50 prioritized, well-researched, thought-out and reasonable recommendations for the City to take advantage of when planning for getting City of Ottawa residents to and from Lansdowne Park as quickly and efficiently as possible.  Because, if it isn't quick and efficient, people might not come, and if fewer people visit Lansdowne, be it for shopping or special events, the less successful it will be.  The City is concerned about the success of Lansdowne, isn't it?

Then why are they taking a "let's wait and see how bad it will be" approach with regard to Lansdowne traffic?  Of the  45 recommendations regarding day-to-day traffic issues made by the GCA, 7 have been accepted for implementation before Lansdowne opens.  Of our 17 recommendations regarding special events and traffic monitoring, only 2 have been accepted.

Come hear for yourself.  The Lansdowne Traffic Advisory Committee (LTAC), struck to "consult" with impacted communities regarding Lansdowne Traffic, and David Chernushenko, our Councillor, will be presenting their monitoring plan for Lansdowne on Monday, December 9, from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at St. Giles Presbyterian Church (corner of Bank and First).  We'll be there too, along with Ottawa East Community Association and the Old Ottawa South Community Association. 

While we continue to advocate for changes with the Councillor, this may be one of the last opportunities for large-scale community input.

So, if Lansdowne traffic is something that concerns you, this is definitely a meeting you shouldn't miss.

See you Monday!
Christine

Top 5 things going on at the GCA

It's never a dull moment at the GCA.  Here are the big things we are working on these days:

5.  @GlebeCA twitter account:  We have been tweeting since June, but now have a dedicated volunteer, Basia Vanderveen, who is tweeting relevant GCA information and retweeting items of interest from the interesting people we follow.  If you have a Twitter account, follow us and we'll follow you!

4.  GCA Future Planning:  It's been a while since we've taken a look ahead and reflected on how we can positively impact our community.  We'll be sending out a survery in the next little while seeking your views on your community association and then plan to hold a community forum in the new year.  Stay tuned (or better yet, let us know if you are interested in helping!).

3.  2nd Avenue Parking Garage:  the GCA is working with people from GNAG, the Glebe BIA and our councillor, David Chernushenko, to see how the parking garage can be outfitted to accommodate special events (maybe movies, skateboarding, community parties, a specialty market or arts-based events) in the lower level of the garage.  Multi-purpose use makes sense given the scarcity of public spaces in the neighbourhood.

2.  Provincial Land Use Planning and OMB Appeals Process review:  the Ontario government has announced a consultation on these issues, which could give residents a more even playing field when appealing development decisions to the OMB.  The GCA Planning Committee will be taking a close look at these recommendations and developing a GCA position to contribute to the discussion.  A public consultation is slated for November 21st, at Carleton University.  For more information, check out:  http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page10355.aspx. 

1.  Lansdowne Traffic Advisory Committee:  while some progress was made on the numerous GCA Traffic Committee recommendations, the GCA is working with representatives from Old Ottawa East and Ottawa South Community Associations, along with David Chernushenko, to make further progress before Lansdowne is slated to open next summer. Increased traffic is a big concern in our neighbourhood, so this issue is the top issue for right now.   David is planning a community meeting on this topic for December 9 at the Glebe Community Centre.  More to come!


Let us know if you have particular ideas or concerns in these areas, or if you would like to contribute time or talent to our advocacy efforts.  All are welcome!

Christine

GCA Committees

I bet you don't know how many issues the GCA is dealing with at any given time.  To tell you the truth, I don't either, but I know it is a lot!

As part of my tendency to try to organize things in the month of September, I held a "committee chairs'" meeting tonight.  Representatives from 8 of 11 committees showed up (on a Monday night, no less!).  The committees represented included Environment, Traffic, Planning, Lansdowne, Education, Heritage, Health and Social Services and Membership. 

I can't believe the plethora of issues these people are working on:  naturalization of Browns Inlet, Lansdowne traffic, the 2nd Ave parking garage, zoning for conversions of single-family homes to multi-unit buildings (residential conversions), changes to the Official Plan, the Lansdowne development (and it's related issues), keeping an eye on construction at Mutchmor school, heritage research, security, membership outreach... but that's only top-dressing!  Dig a little deeper and I am struggling to find the time on the GCA's monthly agenda to have fulsome discussion about everything.

What I do know is this:  there is something here for everyone.  Pick a topic and you can get involved.  Want to join a committee?  no problem, I'll find you one!  Want to chair a committee?  While we have a full roster this year, we could probably find a co-chair role for you.  We certainly need for your contributions.  Come to the next Board meeting, Tuesday, September 24th (7 p.m. at the Glebe Community Centre) to see for yourself.  Our discussions are always lively and everyone is welcome to participate.  If you can't wait until then, come to our education session on residential conversions this Wednesday, September 11 (7 p.m. at the Glebe Community Centre).

The other thing I know is how very fortunate I am to be working with a group of committed individuals, who are giving of their time, knowledge and camaraderie.  Next time, I'll have to bring chocolate or wine to show my appreciation!

Thank you Garden Angels!

Have you ever noticed the large pebbly-stoned planters with gorgeous flowers and stunning plants on some corners in the Glebe?  Like these ones on the corner of Glebe and Lyon?

It may surprise you to know that they don't get to be that way on their own!  GCA volunteer Judith Slater, and a cadre of "Garden Angels" are to thank for adding greenery and colour to our streets. 
These guerilla gardeners take care not only of our planters, but many flower beds and grassy triangles throughout the neighbourhood, the Lord Lansdowne and even planters outside Randalls. 
Fran Arbour, store manager of Loblaws on Isabella (yes, the one being renovated), has been donating to the program for years and years from their garden centre - yet another community contribution by local businesses.  Last year, we received thousands of tulip bulbs from the Tulip Festival which have been planted all around the Glebe- be sure to look for them come next May!

The time and effort the GCA Garden Angels put into beautifying our neighbourhood reinforces my personal mandate as President to reach out and get people involved.  There are many contributions that make a neighbourhood great - they don't all involve committees or attending meetings, or even working on contentious issues (although we have a few of those!).  Without people like the Garden Angels (and many others doing all kinds of bits and bobs jobs), our neighbourhood culture would be far less rich than what it is.

 

So, I would like to say thank you to those who volunteer their time, but in this post, I would like specifically to thank the Garden Angels who include: Judith Slater, Danielle Breton, Linda Bruce, Joanne Cygler, Virginia Carver, Barbara Riley, Marina Rowbotham, Mindy Goldman, Lynne Watt, Karen Yundt, Jim Louter, Carol MacLeod, Linda Bruce, Karen Zabel and a few other individuals and families who contribute to the effort, but don't even tell us their names! 

Do you know which planter this angel lives in?

 



The next time you notice someone gardening in a bed or planter one on of our streets, please thank them!                                  

                                        

See you in the 'hood!
Christine

Guest Post - Catherine McKenna, GCA VP, on Parking at Mutchmor Field

When the Glebe Community Association found out in January that the Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) wanted to turn a fifth of the of the Mutchmor Field into parking, our thoughts turned to Joni Mitchell.  In particular, lyrics from her song Big Yellow Taxi: “They paved paradise to put up a parking lot”.

The Mutchmor Field between Third and Fourth Avenues is like paradise to so many members of the Glebe community.  It is located in the heart of the Glebe and is the primary recreational space in the area.  Not only is the field used by many children, two schools, GNAG programs, soccer and hockey players, but many adults in the neighbourhood grew up playing on that field.

The OCDSB’s rationale was that Mutchmor Field was needed for additional staff parking for Mutchmor Public School once First Avenue Public School and Mutchmor P.S.’s programs, students, and staff are “switched” in 2014.

From the perspective of the Glebe community, not only was this proposal completely unexpected and made without any consultation, it was completely unacceptable. 

It was heartening to see the Glebe community – including the Glebe Community Association (GCA), the Glebe Neighbourhood Activity Group (GNAG), the First Avenue School Council, the Mutchmor School Council, the St. James Tennis Club and the Ottawa Internationals Soccer Club – work together to save this important green space from parking.  Not only did we rally against the proposed parking lot but we also worked to identify solutions that found a balance between the OCDSB’s parking needs and the best interests of the Glebe community.   Action included letters outlining community concerns to the OCDSB and to our trustee, meetings with key stakeholders including Councillor David Chernushenko and MPP Yasir Naqvi, a fact sheet about the issue made available online and in the Glebe Report, and an online petition.

In good news, the OCDSB staff reviewed their position in response to community concerns, and presented options to the OCDSB trustees that did not include parking in the Mutchmor Field. Instead they recommended leasing space in a local municipal garage as a short-term solution and looking at long-term solutions that do not involve parking on the Mutchmor Field.  Credit must also be given to Councillor Chernushenko and the City for offering to lease spaces in the parking garage to the OCDSB even though the City does not generally offer long-term parking spaces at its lots (as part of its policy to discourage vehicle commuting).

While this was clearly a welcome outcome, the GCA will be watching this issue closely as a final decision by OCDSB staff has been deferred to April 2014.  In a cautionary tale, a similar issue arose at Devonshire Public School when a decision by the OCDSB two years ago to pave the school yard for parking was delayed due to community pressure. However, the OCDSB is reconsidering the option of paving the school yard.

Perhaps, the most important lesson that can be taken from this issue can be summed up in this line from Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax:  “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not.” 

The good news is that that the Glebe community cares about building a better community, a whole awful lot!  

When is a neighbourhood a community?

One of my first official duties as President of the GCA was to say a few words of congratulations to GNAG and the Glebe Report as we celebrated their 40^th birthday bash on June 21^st.  Both organizations had their roots in the GCA, which is just a little bit older (kind of like big sister status).  I read about the histories of the three groups and their contributions and activities over the years at the same time as I was gathering statistics about our neighbourhood and thinking about membership issues.

This led me to think about the difference between a neighbourhood and a community.  I’ve always defined a neighbourhood in terms its physical boundaries and a community in terms of its human interactions.  But this thinking was challenged when I attended the City’s public workshop on infill housing at the community centre on June 27^th.  As some of you might know, mature neighbourhoods throughout the City are seeing more and more infill development.  In some cases these add variety, diversity and interest, in other cases, infill developments push the extent of every rule possible and are completely out of keeping with the character of other nearby homes.  Allan Teramura, an architect who presented at the workshop on behalf of the GCA, Old Ottawa South, Ottawa East, Rideau Gardens and Dow’s Lake community associations, showed a number of examples of infill housing, some of which were nice and some, well, not so much.

But why was I bothered by the ones that didn’t fit in?  Was it just the look of them?  We’re all entitled to our own sense of style after all, why should that be any different in the style of house we decide to build?  I started to rethink my idea of a neighbourhood as only being defined by its boundaries.  In fact, I think what is also important is the amenities, if you will, house design provide in a neighbourhood.  Let me give you an example:  walk down any street in the Glebe and you will see a number of large trees (though sadly we are losing some of our ash trees), houses more or less the same distance in from the sidewalk (front yard setbacks), open porches where people sit by times and share stories of the day, a good sightline from your own porch of who else is on their porch, cars parked to the side or in-between houses (rather than in front-of-house garages).  These design characteristics contribute to the human interactions which make our community a great place to live.  Not all infills respect that.

The City is undertaking a study of infill developments to ensure they make a positive contribution to the character and quality of mature neighbourhoods such as the Glebe.  They are looking for ways to allow development while having compatibility with the established neighbourhood.  I think this study and any resulting recommendations will be incredibly important for us.  Done right, we will continue to have a lovely neighbourhood with new housing stock that reflects diversity in design and fits in with existing characteristics of the Glebe.  Done poorly, the face of our neighbourhood, and the human interactions which build our community, could be negatively impacted. 

Is this an issue that interests you?  The GCA planning committee is contributing to this study and we would like to encourage more Glebe residents to be knowledgeable about the issues and involved in the process.  You can read about the Urban Design Guidelines for Infill Housing to learn more, but you can learn the most by being involved!  Send us an email at gca@glebeca.ca or planning@glebeca.ca .

So, when is a neighbourhood a community?  In my opinion, when it creates the space for people to come together in organizations like the GCA, GNAG and the Glebe Report, that in turn provide more opportunities for the meaningful human interactions that make the Glebe such a great place to live.

See you in the ‘hood!

Christine

The New Art Festival in the Glebe

One of the things I love best about living in the Glebe is the variety of events throughout the year and the throngs of people who attend them.  The New Art Festival is one of the best, with so many talented and creative people showing off their skills.  I also really enjoy meeting other Glebites, those displaying their wares and those admiring. 

Glebe resident and artist Nicole Allen (www.nicoleallenart.com)
 



Nathalie Champagne Jewellery
 

 

Couldn't resist one of Nathalie's rings! 

 Everybody's favourite - The Pantry

 

 

Young admirers                  

 

 

Great Father's Day activity!  

                                          

 

First Avenue School parent and Panache Designs

owner, Martha Tobin, creates beautiful

scarves you can wear many ways and she supports two local

charities, Ecoequitable (www.ecoequitable.ca) and

Operation Come Home (www.operationcomehome.ca)

doing it!

 

Natalie Mezey, David Chernushenko's assistant

responsible for the Glebe & Dow's Lake, and Glebe

resident herself, with Mary Catherine Morin,

who creates beautiful jewellery from old silver cutlery!

 

Engage!

I am very excited to have been elected president of the GCA at Tuesday's AGM.  In my opinion, the GCA is one of the pillars that makes our community a great place to live (the others include GNAG, the Glebe Report, the Glebe BIA and its predecessor Glebe Business Group, the preschools/daycares/creative arts programming, the fantastic schools we are so lucky to have and many others).  I’ve had a number of roles with the GCA in the past and I’m looking forward to working with all the volunteers who devote time and energy to issues that are important to us as residents of the Glebe.

The GCA plays an important role as the voice of the community.  There are many decisions made by the City and other organizations (such as school boards) that affect our neighbourhood (a good example being the OCDSB idea to pave part of Mutchmor field for parking).  The GCA acts as a conduit to get information about these issues out to residents and then to feed information about impacts back to those organizations.  In many cases, the GCA advocates on behalf of the community when we think the negative impacts are unacceptable.

So, to me, I think the most important thing the GCA can do is to engage those of you who live and work in the Glebe.  That leads me to three questions that I will work on with the GCA Board:

1. How do we hear about issues in your part of the Glebe that the GCA should know about?
2. How do we get information from the City and other sources out to you, so that if there is something you are interested in, you will know about it?
3. How do we provide opportunities for you to be involved in the issues you care about?

Not everyone has the time to be on the Board or work on a committee (great if you do… call me!).  But on an issue you care about, you might have time to contribute in some way – doing research, making phone calls, putting up a poster, drafting a petition, commenting on a blog (hint!) or any number of other activities that contribute to effective advocacy.  

I’m hoping this blog will help with those three areas.  I’m not planning on blogging on a set time frame, but thought I would do so when I go to meetings or hear about issues I think some of you might be interested in.  The Board has talked in the past about the comment features on blogs as being one way to hear about what residents think, so I’m really hoping that you’ll use that feature.  And I don’t expect many issues to have unanimous opinions (such as the “kids not cars” and “parks not parking” sentiments about Mutchmor field). In fact I think we should look for all sides of an issue to be put forward.   If you have topic ideas, leave a comment.

My parting message for this blog is that the GCA wants to be fully engaged with its members.  We'll do our best to reach out in new ways, but to be effective, we need you to Engage! too.