All Categories

President's letter to Mayor Sutcliffe

3/4/2023

PO Box 53050 Rideau Centre PO
CP 53050 BP Centre Rideau
Ottawa ON K1N 1C5
info@lowertown-basseville.ca
4th March 2023
Reference: The Ghettoization of Ward 12 and its Safety and Security Impacts

Dear Mayor Sutcliffe:
We are writing to you today to share with you our concerns in relation to the shooting /homicide that took place on February 21, 2023, on York Street. This tragic event is yet another ever-growing security concerns unfolding in Ward 12, and more specifically in the Lowertown/Byward market area.

The Lowertown Community Association (LCA) prides itself on its citizen engagement efforts and keeps a watchful eye on all activities happening in its neighbourhoods. We are witnessing that many violent crimes tend to occur in proximity to emergency shelters.

Ottawa’s approach to providing aid to individuals experiencing homelessness, substance abuse, and other mental health issues have concentrated the city’s residents most in need into one area. The Rideau-Vanier Ward has 12 emergency shelters with the addition of two hotels that serve a similar function. The Bernard Grandmaître arena is also scheduled be converted into another emergency shelter for the 2023 summer season.

This over-concentration is unfortunately facilitating predatory actions in the vicinity (e.g., drug dealing, gang recruiting, pimping/prostitution, reckoning, trafficking). To put it simply, this approach is enabling wolves to prey upon the vulnerable.

The LCA participated in the Social Services Budget Consultation on February 28, 2023 and we were astounded at the number of delegations expressing serious concerns about their safety and security in Ward 12. A few examples among many:

§ The General Manager of Les Suites Hotel walking staff to the LRT at night as
they are too afraid to go out on their own (and the hotel has lost significant
long-term tenants);
§ Fitzroy Harbour Youth with mental health issues being driven to George
Street in the Byward Market (and finding the program full);
§ The Theo University residence at Rideau & King-Edward finding human feces
regularly at its entrance and expending massive amounts to try and add
security to the building;
§ Young Rideau Centre employees who refuse to use the stairwells (feces, urine,
sexual activity, people shooting up), who cannot get in the elevators when
others are present and who are harassed, threatened and assaulted.

It is unbelievable that residents and businesses in the downtown core of the capital city of Canada have to live in fear. It’s even worse for the vulnerable who are preyed upon.

Your leadership is required to ensure that all citizens of the city of Ottawa are safe and secure, especially those who are in a precarious situation. Mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness are a citywide challenge. All wards have a duty of care towards their citizens and must share the responsibility if we are truly going to provide proper aid and care (with long-term success). Studies show that small-scale centres that deliver social services across a city foster better outcomes on the short, medium, and long-term. As such. we are calling upon you to initiate a new way forward by working with your city councillors to:

1. Establish by the end of 2023 an action plan to de-cluster the city’s approach to mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness;
2. Implement, as part of this action plan, a prioritizing framework where all wards are considered and ranked on the introduction of new social services. Mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness, especially with the current housing crises, do not discriminate. Every ward in Ottawa is facing these challenges and implementation of social services across the 24 wards must be achieved. It is no longer reasonable nor responsible to ask the Rideau-Vanier ward to exclusively assume this responsibility; and
3. Adopt new dedicated funding streams to ensure long-term success of the
identified milestones pertaining to the action plan. Lack of funding can no longer be a hurdle that inhibits the progressive care your citizens require.

We thank you for your time and we are open and willing to provide any assistance to support a positive change.

Yours sincerely,
Sylvie Bigras
President
Lowertown Community Association/Association communautaire de la Basse-Ville

Cc.
Stephanie Plante, Councillor Ward 12
City of Ottawa Councillors
Kalin McCluskey – City of Ottawa Mayor’s Office
Mona Fortier – MP
Lucille Collard - MPP

Have your say on our Heritage

11/15/2022

0 Comments

The City of Ottawa is undertaking the development of an update to the ByWard Market Heritage Conservation District (HCD) and the Lowertown West Heritage Conservation District (HCD) and their associated management guidelines. The updates will result in new Heritage Conservation District Plans as required under the Ontario Heritage Act.
The HCD Plans outline objectives, policies, and guidelines for how these HCDs should be conserved and protected, as well as how they should grow and evolve. This project also provides an opportunity to review the reasons that each HCD is significant, what elements or attributes, spaces, places or features express the important values of each HCD, and clarify how the areas should continue to grow and evolve into the future.
By completing these surveys, you will help Heritage Planning staff ensure they’ve captured those cultural heritage values, attributes and objectives for the Plan. The information collected will form part of the study record and will be used to inform the draft plan and make recommendations to City Council.
Follow the links given below for each of the surveys

Click on this for the ByWard Market HCD survey

Follow this link for the Lowertown West HCD

0 Comments

Op-Ed: Congratulations Mayor-Elect Mark Sutcliffe and Councillor-Elect Stéphanie Plante - Now is Your Time to Act to Help Ottawa’s Historic Neighbourhood!

10/26/2022

0 Comments

The Lowertown Community Association (LCA) congratulates all newly elected municipal officials, and we thank each and every one of the 210 individuals who stepped forward as candidates in this election. Running for public office is not an easy task but it is the foundation of our democracy and your participation ensured healthy and stimulating debates on many issues.

Congratulations Mayor-Elect Sutcliffe and Councillor-Elect Plante; now is your time to act! While public transport, roads and other priorities were discussed as priorities over the past few months, we want to bring your attention to what is fast becoming a crisis in Lowertown and the Byward Market. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss these issues impacting the oldest and most historic communities in our nation’s capital. Safety and security is top of the list; it is unbelievable that right here in the center of Ottawa, families are afraid to go out at night, have their children walk to school or even play in their front yards. Those who are most vulnerable are even more at risk in terms of safety; they are often the target of violence and abuse. While Ottawa’s social service agencies are well-intentioned and indeed, do save lives, the services currently in place provide a bare minimum. Helping our most vulnerable needs to be a priority. Studies clearly indicate that smaller service models (not all concentrated in the same area) provide longer-term impact and more successful outcomes. We need to change our approach so that the services we provide at considerable social and monetary costs to all the residents of Ottawa are providing long term solutions rather than merely magnifying the problems. The image of our downtown core, our beloved Byward Market, historic neighbourhoods, as well as the entire city depends on finding the right solutions, as does the safety and security of our residents and visitors. We can and must do better.

It is important to note that we have been involved in many discussions and meetings with social service providers and have received excellent collaboration. They are dedicated and, in many cases, trying to do the impossible. We are working together to try and find the solutions necessary to these issues, but the entire city of Ottawa needs to be engaged in finding solutions and delivering better support to those who need it, starting with affordable housing (transitional and permanent). Each of the 24 Wards in this city could and should have its own social services centre, thus providing help in a smaller setting and providing services throughout the city. You, as our new Mayor and new Ward 12 Councillor can take the lead on this, and work with our communities to effect needed change.

And while we have you, we also urge you to support a big picture examination of inter-provincial traffic between Ottawa and Gatineau. Lowertown and Sandy Hill have suffered the responsibility of the main trucking route going through our neighbourhoods and this must stop. There must be an urgent study of overall movement between the two cities, taking into account all of the crossings that currently exist, and building into it public transit as well.

Congratulations once again on your election! We very much look forward to working with you to stop the erosion of the quality of life in our neighbourhoods, in addition to supporting those most vulnerable as well as our residents, businesses and visitors.

Yours sincerely,

Sylvie Bigras
President │ Présidente
Lowertown Community Association│ Association communautaire de la Basse-Ville

0 Comments

LCA priorities - Priorités de l'ACB

9/15/2022

0 Comments

The Board of the Lowertown Community Association has set out its priorities and committee objectives for the coming year.

Overall LCA Priorities
Social services - continue to work with leaders in the Community to better provide services to the most vulnerable, while ensuring a safe community in which to live and raise our families;
King-Edward - continue to work with varioius partners in looking at alternative options for routing truck traffic from Gatineau to the Ottawa area which will lessen the volume of trucks on King-Edward from MacDonald-Cartier Bridge (currently causing safety, environmental and traffic issues)
Enhancing our community through traffic calming, beautification, new & animated community spaces, respecting the heritage character of our community.

Transportation
Ensuring the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists by increasing the walkability and biking infrastructure in Lowertown
Plan for parking in the Byward Market and surrounding area: if we solve walking, cycling and public transit issues then that will reduce the number of people driving
Explore the city’s plans for a tram from Ottawa to Hull – which would go along Sussex
Alternatives for trucking route which would reduce King-Edward truck use

Housing and Homelessness
Decentralization of social services for people who experience homelessness across the city of Ottawa (homeless is a city wide challenge, not just a Lowertown issue)
Ensure that social service provided in Lowertown and elsewhere have positive impacts on recipients and the community
Study alternative modes to tackle the housing crisis and develop a policy paper for consideration by our elected officials.

Planning
The city-wide rezoning required as a result of the new Official Plan (which is still awaiting Provincial approval)
The new Official Plan's promised Byward Market secondary plan
Negotiating a community benefit agreement with Ottawa Community Housing

Heritage
Completion of the Byward Market and Lowertown West Heritage Conservation District plans, including detailed guidelines and communication by the end of 2023
Development of Macdonald Gardens Heritage Conservation District work plan, with completion date for the plan in 2024

Safety and Security
Commitment for increased community policing focused on prevention of crime and local problem solving through increased foot and bicycle patrols
Engage Crime Prevention Ottawa in a project that focuses on the decreased sense of security for residents concerned about the concentration of social services

Friends of Lowertown Parks
Completion and implementation of the heritage conservation plan for Macdonald Gardens Park in 2023 (designated in 2017)
Completion of Bingham Park revitalization in consultation with community completion by end 2023

You are invited to join in on the efforts to pursue these objectives over the coming year. It’s as easy as sending a message to info@lowertown-basseville.ca

Le conseil d'administration de l'Association communautaire de la Basse-Ville a établi ses priorités et objectifs pour ses comités pour l'année à venir.

Priorités globales de l'ACB
Services sociaux - continuer à travailler avec les dirigeants de la communauté pour mieux fournir des services aux plus vulnérables, tout en garantissant une communauté sûre dans laquelle vivre et élever nos familles ;
King-Edward - continuer à travailler avec divers partenaires pour rechercher des options alternatives pour acheminer le trafic de camions de Gatineau vers la région d'Ottawa, ce qui réduira le volume de camions sur King-Edward à partir du pont MacDonald-Cartier (causant actuellement des problèmes de sécurité, d'environnement et de circulation )
Améliorer notre communauté par l'apaisement de la circulation, l'embellissement, de nouveaux espaces communautaires animés, en respectant le caractère patrimonial de notre communauté.

Transport
Assurer la sécurité des piétons et des cyclistes en augmentant le potentiel piétonnier et les infrastructures cyclables dans la Basse-Ville
Planifier le stationnement dans le marché By et ses environs : si nous résolvons les problèmes de marche, de vélo et de transport en commun, cela réduira le nombre de personnes qui conduisent
Explorez les plans de la ville pour un tramway d'Ottawa à Hull - qui longerait Sussex
Alternatives pour les itinéraires de camionnage qui réduiraient l'utilisation des camions King-Edward

Logement et itinérance
Décentralisation des services sociaux pour les personnes sans abri dans toute la ville d'Ottawa (l'itinérance est un défi à l'échelle de la ville, pas seulement un problème de la Basse-Ville)
Veiller à ce que les services sociaux offerts dans la Basse-Ville et ailleurs aient des impacts positifs sur les bénéficiaires et la communauté
Étudier des modes alternatifs pour faire face à la crise du logement et élaborer un document d'orientation à l'attention de nos élus.

Planification
Le rezonage requis en raison du nouveau plan officiel (qui attend toujours l'approbation provinciale)
Le plan secondaire du Marché By promis par le nouveau Plan officiel
Négociation d'une entente sur les avantages communautaires avec Logement communautaire d'Ottawa

Patrimoine
Achèvement des plans du marché By et du district de conservation du patrimoine de la Basse-Ville Ouest, y compris les lignes directrices détaillées et la communication d'ici la fin de 2023
Élaboration du plan de travail du Macdonald Gardens Heritage Conservation District, avec date d'achèvement du plan en 2024

Sûreté et sécurité
Engagement à accroître les services de police communautaires axés sur la prévention du crime et la résolution de problèmes locaux grâce à une augmentation des patrouilles à pied et à vélo
Faire participer Prévention du crime Ottawa à un projet axé sur la diminution du sentiment de sécurité des résidents préoccupés par la concentration des services sociaux

Amis des parcs de la Basse-Ville
Achèvement et mise en œuvre du plan de conservation du patrimoine du parc des Jardins Macdonald en 2023 (désigné en 2017)
Achèvement de la revitalisation de Bingham Park en consultation avec l'achèvement de la communauté d'ici la fin 2023

Vous êtes invités à vous joindre aux efforts visant à poursuivre ces objectifs au cours de la prochaine année. C'est aussi simple que d'envoyer un courriel à info@lowertown-basseville.ca

0 Comments

No LCA Meeting on August 8, 2022

8/8/2022

0 Comments

LCA has NOT called a community meeting tonight (August 8, 2022). There is information circulating about one but it has not come from us. Our next community meeting is September.

L’ACBV n’a PAS organisé une rencontre communautaire ce soir (le 8 août 2022). La prochaine rencontre communautaire est en septembre.

0 Comments

SIlent Auction to raise funds underway

6/15/2022

0 Comments

Here is your chance to get a bargain and help the community at the same time. Visit the LCRC/CRCBV action site with more that 70 items to bid on from a private 45 minute airplane ride over the city for two adults and two children, unique Lowertown momentos, gift certificates and more.
Auction ends on Monday, June 20. New items are being added as they come in, so check often, and bid.
Go to 32auctions.com/crcbv2022 to place your bids.

0 Comments

The Annual General MeetingJune 13, 7pm--------- L'Assemblée générale annuelleLe 13 juin, 19:00hrs

6/6/2022

0 Comments

Dear neighbours / Chers voisins,

Please join us for the AGM of the Lowertown Community Association / Veuillez vous joindre à nous pour l'Assemblée générale annuelle de l'Association communautaire de la Basse-Ville

Here is the ZOOM link for the meeting/ Voici le lien:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84354051103?pwd=TWtwUUNQSWtPR2dnZUdrM2hiQURkZz09

Meeting ID: 843 5405 1103
Passcode: 622325

LCA AGM Agenda - June 13, 2022

Reports / Rapports
1. Welcome / Mot de bienvenue
2. Lowertown crime statistics / Statistiques sur la criminalité – Constable Sebastien Lemay
3. Messages from our elected representatives / Messages de nos élus
4. Report of the Community Engagement Team, City of Ottawa - Rapport de l'équipe d'engagement communautaire, Ville d'Ottawa - - Kent Hugh
5. Update from Committee Chairs / Mise à jour par les présidents des commissions

AGM Business/Elections / Affaires/ élections de l'AGA:
Archie Campbell, Chair
- Quorum
- President's Report / Le rapport du président
- Treasurer's Report / Le rapport du trésorier
- Motion to accept Treasurer’s Report / Motion d'acceptation du rapport du trésorier
- Other Business / Questions diverses

Elections / Élections - Archie Campbell, Elections Chair / président des élections

Current candidates / Candidats actuels:
- President / Présidente - Sylvie Bigras
- Vice-Presidents / Vice-présidents (2) Sandra Milton, Warren Waters
- Secretary / Secrétaire -Vacant
- Treasurer / Trésorier - Lloyd Morrison
- Directors - minimum 6,maximum 10 / Administrateurs - minimum 6, maximum 10:
- Transport / Transports - Dominic Santos
- Safety & Security / Sûreté et sécurité - Sandra Milton & Julie Lanteigne
- Planning / Planification - Warren Waters
- Housing & Homelessness / Logement et itinérance - Bruce Kelly
- Heritage / Patrimoine - Andrew Waldron & Nancy Miller Chenier
- Friends of Lowertown Parks / Amis des parcs de la Basse-Ville - Sandra Milton
- Communications - vacant
- Arts & Culture - Kendra Hughes & Fiona Barbaro Sant

You can find the transcript from last year’s AGM here / Vous pouvez trouver la transcription de l'AGA de l'année dernière ici.

0 Comments

Lowertown Needs Your Help!

6/5/2022

0 Comments

May 19th, 2022

5/19/2022

0 Comments

Lowertown Community Association Monthly Meeting / Réunion mensuelle de l'Association communautaire de la Basse-Ville

5/6/2022

0 Comments

Time: May 9, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86041131034?pwd=S0FJN2puL2Q4b08xdklRQlF3UlNpZz09

Meeting ID: 860 4113 1034
Passcode: 129797

Agenda / ordre du jour
19h00 - 19h05 Welcome / Mot de bienvenue
19h05 - 19h25 Update from Councillor Mathieu Fleury's office / Mise à jour du bureau du conseiller Mathieu Fleury
19h25- 19h40 - Ottawa Police Services - Update from Constable Lemay "Rolling Thunder"/ Services de police d'Ottawa - Mise à jour de l'agent Lemay « Rolling Thunder »
19h40 - 19h55 NCC Byward Market Improvement Projects / Projets d'amélioration du marché CCN - Ariane Larocque
19h55 - 20h10 Lowertown Community Resource Centre Report / Rapport du Centre de ressources communautaires de la Basse-Ville - Matthew Beutel
20h10 - 20h15 - AGM - Save The Date - Elections update (candidates standing for election and current vacancies) / AGA - Save The Date - Mise à jour sur les élections (candidats aux élections et postes vacants actuels)
20h15 - 20h30 Update from Committee Chairs / Mise à jour par les présidents des commissions

0 Comments

Cleaning the Capital Program

4/12/2022

0 Comments

Registration for Cleaning the Capital is open!Register
Registration is now open for the spring campaign, from March 15, 2022 until April 30, 2022.

Clean-up kits will be made available for pick-up at seven City facilities that are able to safely accommodate their distribution.

https://ottawa.ca/en/living-ottawa/environment-conservation-and-climate/community-environmental-and-beautification-programs/cleaning-capital-program .

0 Comments

Champagne Pool and Fitness Centre TEMPORARILY CLOSED / Champagne Pool and Fitness Centre TEMPORARILY CLOSED

4/11/2022

0 Comments

The historic downtown building is currently closed for major structural improvements. Foundation cracking and settlement at the northwest corner of the facility has been present for several years and has increased in severity over the last few years. Prompt remediation of the foundation is required to stop the propagation of the cracks and to address structural concerns. It is believed that the cracking and settlement of the foundations in this location of the building are due to the proximity of the large trees alongside the building and the sensitive underlying clay at the site. The scope of work of the project involves removing three existing trees at the northwest corner of the facility and excavating and repairing the deteriorated foundation walls. The landscaping on the north side of the building will be restored once the excavation is completed, and Serviceberry trees will be planted in the area to replace removed trees. Serviceberry trees have a low water demand that minimizes their impact on the soils around building foundations. Work is expected to start in April. Currently the facility’s annual maintenance tasks unrelated to the foundation project are being completed so that the facility is ready to open when construction work ends. All areas of the building will be impacted by the foundation work since it will impede entrances, requires the complete removal of the building’s ventilation system, involves structural foundation repairs immediately below the Fitness Centre, and involves noisy concrete chipping and drilling throughout the project. As well, the facility parking lot will be used as the staging area for the project, and no on-site parking will be available. The facility is set to reopen between mid-July to early August. Every effort will be made to reopen the entire facility as soon as possible. It is expected that the Fitness Centre may be able reopen ahead of the swimming pool during the pool refilling and water treatment process.

Le bâtiment historique du centre-ville est actuellement fermé pour d’importants travaux d’amélioration structurelle. Il y a, depuis plusieurs années, des fissures et un tassement présents dans les fondations à l’angle nordouest du bâtiment, qui se sont aggravés au cours des dernières années. Il faut remettre rapidement les fondations en état afin d’empêcher la propagation des fissures et de régler les problèmes de structurelle. On pense que les fissures et le tassement des fondations à cet endroit du bâtiment sont provoqués par la présence de grands arbres le long du bâtiment et par la fragilité de l’argile sous-jacente. Les travaux à réaliser dans le cadre du projet consistent à enlever trois arbres situés à l’angle nord-ouest du bâtiment et à excaver et à réparer les murs de fondation détériorés. Dès que les travaux d’excavation seront terminés, l’aménagement paysager du côté nord du bâtiment sera restauré et des amélanchiers seront plantés à cet endroit pour remplacer les arbres abattus. L’amélanchier demande peu d’eau, ce qui minimise ses effets sur le sol autour des fondations du bâtiment. Les travaux devraient commencer en avril. En ce moment, on effectue les tâches d’entretien annuel du bâtiment qui ne sont pas liées au projet de remise en état des fondations, afin que le bâtiment soit prêt à ouvrir à la fin des travaux de construction. Tous les secteurs du bâtiment seront touchés par les travaux relatifs aux fondations, car ils entraveront les entrées et nécessiteront le retrait complet du système de ventilation et la réparation des fondations structurelles juste en dessous du centre de conditionnement physique, ainsi que des travaux de concassage et de forage du béton qui occasionneront du bruit tout au long du projet. De plus, le stationnement du bâtiment servira d’aire de préparation des travaux du projet. Par conséquent, il n’y aura pas de stationnement sur place. La réouverture du bâtiment est prévue entre la mi-juillet et le début août. Tous les efforts seront déployés pour rouvrir tout le bâtiment dès que possible. Il est prévu que le centre de conditionnement physique puisse rouvrir avant l’ouverture de la piscine, durant le processus de remplissage de la piscine et de traitement de l’eau

0 Comments

Lowertown Community Association Monthly Meeting / Réunion mensuelle de l'Association communautaire de la Basse-Ville

4/10/2022

0 Comments

is is a Text Block. Use this to provide text...
April 11 2022
Time: 7:00 PM
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87048774117?pwd=OG9RWjhNWGF0ZGkrSEdTMXdmZWcvUT09
Meeting ID: 870 4877 4117
Passcode: 990371

Agenda / ordre du jou

19h00 - 19h05 Welcome / Mot de bienvenue

19h05 - 19h15 Lowertown crime statistics / Statistiques sur la criminalité – Constable Sebastien Lemay

19h15 - 19h25 Annual General Meeting / Assemblée générale annuelle
       *Save the Date! 13 June / Enregistre la date 13 juin*
       Upcoming Executive Vacancies / Postes de direction à venir

19h25 - 19h40 Ottawa Markets / Marchés d'Ottawa

19h40 - 19h50 Alexandra Bridge - City of Ottawa Consultations / Pont Alexandra - Consultations de la Ville d'Ottawa https://iaac-aeic.gc.ca/050/evaluations/proj/83444?culture=en-CA

19h50 - 20h10 Update from Committee Chairs / Mise à jour par les présidents des commissions

20h10 - 20h30 Update from Councillor Mathieu Fleury's office / Mise à jour du bureau du conseiller Mathieu Fleury

Next meeting 9 May / prochaine réunion 9 mai
You can find the audio and chat transcript from our last meeting here / Vous pouvez trouver l'audio et la copie du chat de notre dernière réunion ici:
  Documents - My Lowertown | Ma BasseVille (lowertown-basseville.ca)

edit.

0 Comments

Lowertown Community Association Concerns Unheard by the City

3/20/2022

0 Comments

Lowertown Community Association Monthly Meeting / Réunion mensuelle de l'Association communautaire de la Basse-Ville

3/12/2022

0 Comments

March 14 / 14 mars
Time: 7:00 PM
https://zoom.us/j/95128514400?pwd=Ykl3bytYd21ibG1oeXlwMTJ2NXJZdz09
Meeting ID: 951 2851 4400
Passcode: 022938

Agenda / ordre du jour

19h00 - 19h05 Welcome / Mot de bienvenue

19h05 - 19h20 Update from Councillor Mathieu Fleury's office / Update from Councillor Mathieu Fleury's office

19h20- 20h40 - Challenges with City of Ottawa consultation process and LCA's letter to the Mayor and Councillor Fleury / Défis liés au processus de consultation de la Ville d'Ottawa et à la lettre au maire et au conseiller Fleury

20h40 - 20h30 Update from Committee Chairs / Mise à jour par les présidents des commissions

20h30 Next meeting

You can find the audio and chat transcript from our last meeting here / Vous pouvez trouver l'audio et la copie du chat de notre dernière réunion ici:
Documents - My Lowertown | Ma BasseVille (lowertown-basseville.ca)

We are looking for input (photos, memories, observations) on the past three months under COVID restrictions and, in particular, the CONVOY occupation of our community last month.
Any contributions you wish to make will be happily received. Please send these to editor@lowertownecho.ca before March 21st.

Nous recherchons des informations (photos, souvenirs, observations) sur les trois derniers mois sous restrictions COVID et, en particulier, sur l'occupation de notre communauté par le Freedom Convoy le mois dernier.

Toutes les contributions que vous souhaitez apporter seront reçues avec plaisir. Veuillez les envoyer à editor@lowertownecho.ca avant le 21 mars.

0 Comments

Lowertown Community Association Monthly Meeting / Réunion mensuelle de l'Association communautaire de la Basse-Ville

2/11/2022

0 Comments

February 14 / 14 février
Time: 7:00 PM
https://zoom.us/j/93839220967?pwd=RjhHaG8zbVBockxkc2xhdFRoa1FOUT09
Meeting ID: 938 3922 0967
Passcode: 501019
Agenda / ordre du jour

1. 19h00 - 19h05 Welcome / Mot de bienvenue

2. 19h05- 19h25 Update from Councillor Mathieu Fleury / Mise à jour du conseiller Mathieu Fleury

3. 19h25 - 19h40 City of Ottawa Community Outreach Program / Programme de sensibilisation communautaire de la Ville d'Ottawa

4. 19h40 - 20h00 Ottawa Occupation / L'occupation d'ottawa

5. 20h00 - 20h10 Bingham park survey / Sondage du parc Bingham

6. 20h10 - 20h30 Update from Committee Chairs / Mise à jour par les présidents des commissions

7. 20h30 Next meeting 14 March / prochaine réunion 14 mars

You can find the audio and chat transcript from our last meeting here / Vous pouvez trouver l'audio et la copie du chat de notre dernière réunion ici:
Documents - My Lowertown | Ma BasseVille (lowertown-basseville.ca)

0 Comments

Have your say! Development proposal - 641 Rideau Street - Deadline 26 January (4pm)

1/25/2022

0 Comments

The 641 Rideau Street development proposal will go to the City's Planning Committee on Thursday, January 27 and for final approval to City Council on February 9, 2022.
The Lowertown Community Association continues to oppose the project proposal.

HAVE YOUR SAY NOW and act before January 26, 4pm.
Here’s how:
The general public can provide submissions to the Members of the Planning Committee and City Council, as follows:

Submit comments in writing, send email the Committee Coordinator (eric.pelot@ottawa.ca ). Deadline for submitting written comments is Wednesday, January 26, 2022, 4pm.
Submit verbal comments in advance of the meeting:
Call the Committee Coordinator, Eric Pelot before Jan 26, 2022, 4pm to have comments transcribed (613-580-2424, x22953).
Register to speak for up to five minutes during the Committee meeting:
- Register by phone (Eric Pelot 613-580-2424, x22953 before January 26, 2022, 4pm
Please ask for further details in case you wish to make visual presentations to the committee.
- Register by email (eric.pelot@ottawa.ca) - no later than 7:30 am on Thursday, January 27, 2022

0 Comments

10 January Community Meeting

1/7/2022

0 Comments

Lowertown Community Association Monthly Meeting / Réunion mensuelle de l'Association communautaire de la Basse-Ville
January 10 / 10 janvier
Time: Jan 10, 7:00 PM
https://zoom.us/j/93611656839?pwd=NTZ1L1ZnZ1dOTW5wcUptMVpYOVExUT09
Meeting ID: 936 1165 6839
Passcode: 376812

Agenda / ordre du jour

1. 19h00 - 19h05 Welcome / Mot de bienvenue

2. 19h05- 19h15 Lowertown crime statistics / Statistiques sur la criminalité – Constable Sebastien Lemay

3. 19h15 - 19h35 Update from Councillor Mathieu Fleury / Mise à jour du conseiller Mathieu Fleury

5.19h35 - 19h45 Quick review - major themes from last LCA Meeting / Revue brève - thèmes principaux de la dernière réunion de l'ACB

4. 19h 45 - 20h00 Update from Committee Chairs / Mise à jour par les présidents des commissions

7. 20h00 Next meeting 14 February / prochaine réunion 14 février

You can find the audio and chat transcript from our last meeting here / Vous pouvez trouver l'audio et la copie du chat de notre dernière réunion ici:

Documents - My Lowertown | Ma BasseVille (lowertown-basseville.ca)

0 Comments

Volunteers needed for an interview on the proposed CCTV Pilot Project in the ByWard Market

12/11/2021

0 Comments

Volunteers needed for an interview on the proposed CCTV Pilot Project in the ByWard Market

Carleton University graduate student looking for volunteers for an interview to discuss their opinions on the proposed CCTV Pilot Project in the ByWard Market. The study aims to understand how and why individuals support or resist the introduction of open-street surveillance cameras. Understanding why people support or resist CCTV, and what actions they take is essential to understanding the politics behind implementing CCTV.

To be eligible you must be at least 18 years old and comfortable in the English language.

The interview would take approximately 30 minutes and would be focused on your thoughts about implementing open-street CCTV surveillance in Ottawa. Interviews would take place via Zoom; these interviews would be audio and video recorded with the consent of the participant.

All data gathered from interviews would be anonymous, and participants would have the right to withdraw from the study up to four weeks after the interview was completed.

If you are interested, please email Diana Cave at dianacave@cmail.carleton.ca for more details on participating.

This research has been cleared by Carleton University Research Ethics Board A Clearance #116136
Should you have any ethical concerns with the study, please contact the REB Chair, Carleton University Research Ethics Board-A by email: ethics@carleton.ca. For all other questions about the study, please contact the researcher.

0 Comments

In case you missed it - Consultation Background Information; Lowertown West and ByWard Market Heritage Conservation Districts

12/11/2021

0 Comments

On 30 November, City of Ottawa heritage planners held the first information session about the development of plans for the Lowertown West and ByWard Market Heritage Conservation Districts.

The following slides provide a succinct overview of the background and the process for moving forward on this project.

Sign up for more information at: heritage@ottawa.ca

Ongoing updates are available at: ottawa.ca/lowertownbywardHCD

lowertown_west_and_byward_market_hcd_update_email.pdf
File Size:	2307 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

0 Comments

December 13 | le 13 décembre Lowertown Community Meeting | Réunion de la communauté de la Basse-ville

12/5/2021

0 Comments

Lowertown Community Association Monthly Meeting

Time: December 13 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time

Link: https://zoom.us/j/94332491445?pwd=dG5DMHI5cWUrVEJQZXE4YnRqUmp4UT09

Meeting ID: 943 3249 1445
Passcode: 781940

Agenda to be published.

0 Comments

Come Shoot Some Hoops! | Jouer au basket!

11/15/2021

0 Comments

The Building Blocks of the Lowertown Mental Health Centre

11/8/2021

0 Comments

Phase One-Program Development through Action
In Phase One, the residents, businesses, property owners and service providers will work together to develop the Lowertown Mental Health strategy.
Phase One will provide the opportunity to complete 4 key building blocks which are critical to future success and which will inform a proposal for a mental health strategy for the Byward Market community.

1) Community Leadership and Governance A small Steering Committee/ Task Force? will be formed to lead the project consisting of representatives of the key stakeholders. The role will be to 1) manage the process towards achieving milestones, 2) establish the methodology for gathering, analyzing and utilizing data regarding community needs, 3) develop a rolling plan of action to address community needs based on the priorities identified from the data collection, 4) identify critical pathways which need to be changed or improved to support achieving the shared objective of a healthy balanced community in the Byward Market neighborhood.

2) Community Data Collection and Response (may be time limited). Establish a community data collection system which maps the location and nature of social disorder in real time. Establish a process for community members to input data into the system in real time and link the input of data to a 24/7 community response team. The 24 hour community response team will physically attend incidents to support residents, businesses and service providers with a primary goal of immediately defusing or managing the situation and if not possible, activating other first response systems including City of Ottawa services (fire, police, social services, Bylaw, housing etc)

3) Data Analysis and Strategic Planning The Steering Committee will meet regularly to review the data and develop a methodology to act on what is learned. It is expected that future action will focus on a) changes to programs, services, resources available to people living and working in the Byward Market b) development of the Lowertown Mental Health Centre rooted in the needs identified through the process c) negotiated changed to other systems and care pathways to improve outcomes for people who need to access care.

4) Action to Address Needs The Steering Committee will leverage capacity at the community, municipal, provincial and federal levels to establish and operate the Byward Market Mental Health Centre. Beyond the direct services the Centre will focus on improving the mental health of people and organizations who live and work in the Byward Market by:

Providing direct treatment and care to those living with complex mental health needs with a focus on complex trauma treatment
Reducing social disorder and improving community safety by engaging the stakeholders in the community to keep their community and its members safe and healthy
Address the risks of the toxic drug supply and its direct impact on the health of the community through a variety of means which engage people who use drugs in solutions which benefit them and their community
Addressing barriers to access to health, employment, housing

Year One Costs

Secretariat Costs-project management, Steering Committee support, data analysis and reporting, IT costs to operate data collection system, communication costs to encourage community members to report data
24/7 Community Crisis Response team
Program Development Costs

0 Comments

November 8 / le 8 novembreLowertown Community Meeting / Réunion de la communauté de la Basse-ville

11/6/2021

0 Comments

Topic: Lowertown Community Association Monthly Meeting
Time: Nov 8, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Here is the link / Voici le lien:
https://zoom.us/j/97448664019?pwd=TmMxZUhWbkpHNm9Za3RnVWo1ZG04UT09
Meeting ID: 974 4866 4019
Passcode: 884752

AGENDA
1. 19:00 – 19:05 Welcome / Mot de bienvenue
2. 19:05 - 19:15 Friends of the Parks - facilities reopening and updates / Amis des parcs - réouverture des installations et mises à jour
3. 19:15 - 19:30 Mental Health Blueprint in Lowertown / Plan de santé mentale dans la Basse-Ville
4. 19:30 – 19:45 Update from Committee Chairs / Mise à jour par les présidents des commissions
5. 19:45 - 20:05 Update from Councillor Mathieu Fleury / Mise à jour du conseiller Mathieu Fleury
6. 20:10 - 20:30 What's your vision for this Executive? What are your community priorities? / Quelle est votre vision pour cet Exécutif ? Quelles sont vos priorités communautaires?

Audio transcript and accompanyning documents from the last meeting can be found here / La transcription audio et les documents d'accompagnement de la dernière réunion peuvent être trouvés ici

The Lowertown Community Association
Information : info@lowertown-basseville.ca

0 Comments

President's Report 18 October AGM

10/18/2021

0 Comments

Lowertown Community Association
Annual General Meeting
October 21, 2021

President’s Report

A year ago, I made my first report to you as President of the LCA. We were still in the first year of COVID and it was already clear that the pandemic would have an especially large impact on our community. I noted at that time that members of the community and the governments supporting us were working well together to deal with the health crisis. I was hopeful that the new vision developed by the LCA for our community would provide a useful part of the plans for dealing with the pandemic and for managing the eventual return to normal. I am not so optimistic now.

There were some successes for Lowertown and the LCA in the last year.

-Our Association has thrived in the ZOOM era. The average monthly participation in our meetings has climbed from about 20 to over 40. The new people who have gotten involved have broadened our scope of activities.

-We have launched two new areas of involvement: Arts and Culture, and a focus on our parks

-We have supported efforts to expand affordable housing options across the city and in our community

-We were leaders in creating and supporting the Coalition to save the Alexandra Bridge

-We have continued to support the ECHO, our dynamic community newspaper.

-We finally managed to get the old Porter Island Bridge designated as a heritage asset.

-We even saved few mature trees that were slated for removal to create a cycle route on a street where there was ample room to reduce the space for motor vehicles and accommodate a cycle lane.

THE LCA WORKING COMMITTEES

Looking more closely at the actions of the LCA working committees, you get a picture of the many areas in which we are making a contribution:

The Planning Committee:
We have followed closely and commented extensively on the development of the new Official Plan for the city. We welcome the decision to focus on the differing needs of the urban, suburban and rural districts in our city. Too often Lowertown has suffered from the one size fits all approach of the current plan. But we regret the fact that the new OP seems to endorse the idea that a large part of our community should be designated as an “entertainment district” with little or no though of how residents or other small commercial operations will fit in to that model. We view the commitments to affordable housing to be so weak that no progress is likely to be made in reducing the number of homeless persons on our streets. We note that the new OP offers no roadmap to the removal of interprovincial trucking from our community. To counter these weaknesses, we have asked the city to move quickly to develop a secondary development plan for our community, with a clear opportunity for residents, businesses and institutions to influence the plan.

At the same time the planning committee has been dealing with a growing number of specific development approvals, many of which seek exemptions form the current bylaw limits. In our Vision 2035 we endorsed infill and expansion of residential buildings to accommodate a large increase in the Lowertown population for individuals and families through mid-rise developments. Instead, most the developments seem to be in high rise buildings aimed at singles and visitors. For a full list of the current development projects see the report of the planning committee on our website.

THE COMMUNITY SAFETY COMMITTEE

This year, as last, has seen a twofold impact on crime in our community. The greatly reduced flow of people to Lowertown has been accompanied by a fall in crimes against the person, but the increasingly desperate situation of the homeless population has meant that crimes against property (such as thefts and break-ins) have risen significantly. The work of the safety committee has focused primarily on finding better ways to respond to the unpredictable, aggressive and sometimes violent behaviours seen on our streets. The capacity of the city to respond to crises on the street has been woefully inadequate. Calls to 311 go unanswered, social services are uncoordinated, police are the only consistently available frontline service. As a result, our residents and the LCA members have had to become front line workers themselves.

THE FRIENDS OF LOWERTOWN PARKS:

The Friends of Lowertown Parks initiated in 2020 are dedicated to promoting the health of our parks and facilities and to supporting the City of Ottawa to keep our parks accessible and safe for all who use them.

Initiatives: Bingham Park revitalisation; Bordeleau pop-up history boards; MacDonald Gardens Heritage Conservation Plan; Raphael Brunet garbage can installation; Jules Morin rink improvements; Rose Park revitalisation/enhancements. Promoting Champagne Baths Fitness Centre and Routhier Centre reopening’s and upgrades.

General Advocacy: Providing input into the City’s Parks and Recreational Master plan; continued adoption of parks and Cleaning the Capital; control of Gypsy Moth Caterpillars. Ongoing support of the Causeway Needle Hunter Program,

HERITAGE COMMITTEE

Our heritage committee has continued its successful involvement in the protection of the built heritage. The groundwork has been laid for the review and renewal of the existing protection in Lowertown and a significant public consultation of the heritage districts in Lowertown will take place in the next year. The Porter Island Bridge was given designation. York Street School should be designated by next year on its 100th anniversary. There continue to be many pressures from developers on our heritage districts. Often the building heights sought within heritage districts or just on their boundaries can destroy the fabric of that district. There are ways to accommodate development that enhance heritage but this is rarely the approach that we see.

HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS
The main efforts of the housing and homelessness committee this year has been to lead and to support efforts to the city and other levels of government to expand the creation of much more affordable housing. The city is far too dependent on shelters and transition housing and very under supplied in supportive housing, subsidised housing and low-cost commercial housing. The existing shelter services are far too concentrated in and around Lowertown one part of the city. We have been active advocates for increased affordable housing across the city, working with the Alliance to end Homelessness, the Vanier Community Association and other downtown communities to advocate for more spending on new affordable housing units, inclusionary zoning, a vacancy tax, and more accountability in the 10 year housing plan.

ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE

It is first year our AC committee got a real boost when Ottawa Markets provided a $10, 000. One time grant to the LCA to help build community support for the markets. The Arts and Culture Committee was able to work with residents and in partnership with a community arts organisation to enliven a part of the market area with an exiting new mural. Residents not only had a chance to contribute ideas for the mural but also to participate in painting the mural. It was a great way to underline that Lowertown is a community where arts and culture play a very important role.

The Committee has begun to network with the many active players in the arts and culture community in Lowertown and it will expand these connections in the next year. Now (fingers crossed) that more arts venues can function at full capacity we can really show off our talent and determination.

THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

This year the transportation committee continued to advocate for short- and long-term measures to reduce the damage caused by the truck route and commuter arterial through our community. There has been very little progress on the King Edward file. The city has ignored it in the new Official Plan. Talk of a sixth crossing seems lost in confusion and obfuscation. Maybe we should just accept the status quo, erect some bleachers on Rideau between Waller and King Edward and charge visitors for the privilege of watching 18-wheelers navigate through and around pedestrians and cyclists.

A new concern emerged this year when the federal government confirmed its intention to destroy the Alexandra bridge and replace it with a new structure to service the same traffic needs. The LCA has taken a lead role in creating and supporting the coalition to preserve the present Alexandra Bridge. We believe that the present structure has many years of useful life ahead of it as an active transportation and perhaps a tramway loop. The federal government says that it has engineering studies which prove that the bridge must be destroyed but they have not shown us the studies or the terms of reference that were given to the engineers. We shall continue to oppose this expensive and environmentally destructive project and to promote the vision of the Alexandra Bridge as a symbol of how Canadian engineering expertise can be renewed and adapted to the needs of a greener economy.

ENVIRONMENT AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

The LCA remained very active in the leadership of the city-wide CAFE network of community groups working to defend the environment. Through Café we made extensive comments on the new Official Plan and we took stands on specific urban issues such as the ill-considered decision of Council to expand the urban boundary. We also engaged in local issues, trying to ensure that proposed spending on the public realm in the ByWard Market will make provision for lots of trees. Here a few our actions this year *Urging passage of ByWard Market Public Realm plan and improving public space, support local food, active transportation, 40% tree canopy and a secondary plan (2020-2021)

*Urging action at Environment Committee for tree protection for trees impacted by the gypsy moth infestation

*Supporting passage of Energy Evolution strategy

*Supporting Alexandra Bridge Coalition re environment / active transportation elements and encouraging other environmental organizations to join

*Supporting motion for urging Ontario to develop and implement a plan for gas phaseout by 2030 which passed Council last week

*Participating in Official Plan work related to environment largely through People’s Official Plan group (POP) coalition.

In spite of these achievements in so many areas, last year was discouraging overall. Vision 2035: Last year we presented to this AGM a community build vision for Lowertown that was well balanced to meet the needs of the city and residents in this community. It called for a large increase in residential accommodation, with a special focus on housing suitable for young families. The vision contained a commitment to an expanding commercial sector based on a diversity of activities. And the vision had concrete ideas for attacking the causes of crime and insecurity in Lowertown. There is no sign that the city staff have even looked at this vision and certainly many of the actions will undermine it.

Three Specific Examples of frustration:

The Emergency Shelter at le Patro: The decision to house an emergency Covid treatment center for the homeless population in the middle of a vulnerable residential area without any consultation. From the outset of the pandemic the homeless shelters had been identified as potential areas where the virus could spread. An initial site to treat and isolate Covid patients in the Routhier Centre was effective and supported in the community. It was understood that the Routhier Centre would not be large enough to handle a major outbreak but none of the authorities involved in preparing emergency plans ever consulted with Lowertown residents about the options being considered for a larger centre. The residents around 40 Coburg, home of le Patro, site of a pool, home to children’s activities, adjacent to a major active park and near two schools never expected that this site would be chosen for an emergency shelter and people were understandably angry when it was announced. There should have been consultation prior to this decision, there should have been more active listening after the decision was announced. Other sites might have been identified and certainly ways to mitigate impacts could have been found. This is the kind of cavaliere treatment of communities that undermines trust.
The Public Realm Plan: This is a very needed plan for investment in the street and sidewalks of the ByWard Market neighbourhood. The infrastructure has been run down and neglected for years. The LCA has supported this plan from the beginning but has always argued that the new investments have to based on a vision and plan for the ByWard Market that are consistent with the a mixed commercial, residential and events-based area. Instead, without meaningful consultation on the kind of neighbourhood that would be best for business, visitors, residents and the city, the public realm plan was developed around the contested vision of ByWard as an “entertainment district”. Residents have opposed this vision and it is not all clear that this is the kind of offering that tourists want and businesses need to prosper. The last, best chance for getting this right is the development of a secondary development plan for ByWard.
The Development of Supportive Housing at 216 Murray: This issue has divided the LCA and the community. The LCA believes that the city needs more supportive housing for people now in shelters. These are the most vulnerable members of our society and the shelter environment is very destructive for them. Building supportive housing right beside a shelter will mean that residents of the new supportive housing units will be exposed every day to the threats and temptations of the shelter community they are trying to leave. Shepherds of Good Hope argue that they can manage this conflict and that residents in the supportive housing will be much better off than where they are now in the shelters. Members of the LCA have been sympathetic to both of these views. If the city would do the right thing and help SGH to find a suitable site for its supportive housing (there is already a very successful site on St Andrew) the LCA would back it. In the end the LCA did not take a position on this file but it fully understands the frustration that has led many residents to oppose the project.

My Last AGM

I am coming to the end of my term as President of the LCA. I end my mandate proud of the dynamism and generosity of this community. I share the pleasure of living here and I believe that the problems faced here can be solved with goodwill, determination, openness and care. Ottawa will be a better place to live and visit if Lowertown is healthy. For me that means a good mixed of residents and different kinds of business, a healthy farmer’s market drawing on the amazing agricultural resources of our city and region, a flourish restaurant and culinary culture. I have every confidence that the executive you will elect today will help to move Lowertown and Ottawa in that direction.

Let me end by thanking members of this community for your interest and support; our elected representatives for their leadership through these pandemic year; and finally the members of the LCA Executive team who have put in countless hours in unpaid works because they care about our Community and our city.

0 Comments

<<Previous

Click on this for the ByWard Market HCD survey

Follow this link for the Lowertown West HCD

Categories

Blog archives