Glebe Report

Community association elects new board members
G CA
By Jim McCarthy
This month I have two
meetings to report on, our
Annual General Meeting of
May 22 and our monthly meeting
on May 27.
Our AGM was well-attended
and good-humoured, thanks to
the efficiency of Beatrice
Raffoul and the co-operation
of the Glebe Community Centre
and its new director,
Tania Kamienski.
The highlights of the AGM
were the election of our new
board of directors, speeches
by our three elected representatives
at the federal,
provincial and municipal
levels and a presentation on
the Federal Land Use Plan by
Mr. Jaap Schouten, Executive
Director, Planning Branch,
NCC.
New members
We welcome eight new members
to our board: David
Dowse, Dave Hagerman, Bryce
Schurr, Kent Gooderham, Inez
Berg, Nancy Courtright , Bob
Clark and Audrey Godfrey.
Retirements from the board
include Wendy Sailman,
George Papadas, ,Renate Mohr,
Barbara Liddy and Harold .
Jones. All these have done
their share, but we particularly
express our appreciation
to Barbara Liddy, who
has served for several years
in some of the tougher jobs
we have (membership!) and
Harold Jones, who served on
the very first GCA board of
directors and has been our
long-term treasurer.
In his speech, Michael
Cassidy, M.P., spoke of the
importance of community consultation
by organizations
like the NCC, which has such
an impact on Ottawa and
neighbourhoods like ours
while having a federal government
mandate.
Claude Bennett, M.P.P.,
noted the value of community
organizations which can anticipate
and respond early to
developments in the community
and thus be a part of
resolving difficulties.
Alderman Rob Quinn spoke
of his first months at City
Hall and the importance of a
credible community association.
He complimented our
Glebe Business Group on its
progress since its founding
meeting barely a year ago.
Presentation
The NCC's presentation on
its new Federal Land Use
Plan was detailed and exhaustive,
but useful to us
who live surrounded by NCC
land. .14e were encouraged to
study the issues and respond
to the planning proposals.
In his presentation, Mr.
Schouten did not flinch from
answering tough questions
posed to him, precipitated
by recent incidents such as
proposals to put the U.S.
Embassy at Mile Circle and
the closing of Rideau Hall
grounds. Questions revolved
around the designation of
NCC land in terms of its
vulnerability to development
for federal purposes.
In particular, Mr. Schouten
cautioned us that the list
of available sites suitable
to NCC/Federal uses is limited
and reminded us that some
vacant NCC lands (eg. at
Preston and Carling and at
Cartier Square) are vacant
pending future needs. Temporary
use as parks does not
imply or grant some right
that such land will never be
reconverted to more intensive
use.
Interest in the subjects
under review made for a long
meeting and we adjourned at
10:30 p.m. after the usual
fun drawing door prizes,.
In terms of our regukar
business it has also been:a
busy time. We reacted quickly
to infill proposals on
Powell Avenue and Ella
Street. The first was withdrawn
and the second was denied
at the Committee of Adjustment.
Both would have
caused increased densities
inappropriate to their locations
and the Ella Street
proposal would have aggravated
a bad parking situation
on a narrow street. Critical
to both successes was the
way residents in the immediate
areas mobilized effectively
to present their views
Mile Circle
We lent our support to the
group trying to Save Mile
Circle and the New Edinburgh
Community Association in its
opposition to the closing of
Rideau Hall grounds. Both
groups were highly appreciative.
We hope our support
makes some contribution to
their eventual success.
At our monthly meeting we
received a detailed presentation
on development proposals
on Patterson Avenue east
of Bank Street overlooking
the park. Although more
dense than we might have
wished to see according to
the zoning, we were impressed
by the support of the
proposal by neighbouring
residents, some of whom have
over the years been in the
forefront of concerns that
this vulnerable spot could
be subject to highrise development.
Consistent with
the neighbours' views, we
expressed ourselves in favour
of the proposal. The
quality of the design by
Barry Robin, who has done
much work in our area, was a
major factor in our decision.
The differing neighbours'
reactions to the three Glebe
development proposals just
mentioned are what make much
of the GCA's work so difficult
and so interesting.
Strict consistency with our
Neighbourhood Plan and the
zoning bylaws is not always
possible in a neighbourhood
that conforms to so little
in the planners' handbooks.
Yet we have to maintain adherence
to the spirit of the
Neighbourhood Plan.
We were requested to support
plans for a pilot project
to implement adult
crossing guards for school
children at key intersections.
While there was much
sympathy around the table,
the majority of directors
felt that more information
should be forthcoming from
the city on such issues as
cost. This issue will be
back on our June agenda.
Public meetings
Between this writing and
publication there will be
public meetings on two very
sensitive issues in the
Glebe: a new application by
Sobriety House to expand
physically to accommodate
more residents and the trade
off with community recreation
space at Lansdowne created
by the Glebe Parents'
Day Care Centre's wishes to
locate in the same area.
Our neighbourhood is a
constant source of controversies
- I guess it keeps
us young.
GCA board for 1986-87
President
Vice-president
Vice-president
Secretary
Treasurer
Past president (alderman)
Membership co-ordinator
Assistant co-ordinator
Publicity
COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS
Business
Education
Heritage
Lansdowne Park
Neighbourhood planning
Recreation
Social planning
Tenants
Traffic
Seniors
AREA DIRECTORS
Zone 1
Dow's .,Lake
Zone 2
Southwest
Zone 3
Midwest
Zone 4
Northwest
Zone 5
Southeast
Zone 6
Northeast
Jim McCarthy
Marilyn Marshall
Brian Jonah
David Dowse
Wayne Kauk
Rob Quinn
Geoff Davidson
Dave Hagerman
Linda Thorne
Myrna Fenton
Ernie Saar
Beatrice Raffoul
Richard Raycraft
Chris Leggett
Bryce Schurr
Don Finless
Bill Lippman
Joan Over
Roger Short
Kent Gooderham
232-7688
233-0397
236-2299
237-2662
233-6068
235-5179
235-0397
235-1375
232-9028
232-3614
237-3115
237-0857
236-5920
234-6666
236-2299
233-2054
234-1371
234-5106
Martha Quan 232-5433
Ursula Mount 237-0081
Eric Meek 232-8765
Inez Berg 233-6063
Joan Miller 233-5460
Michel Blais 235-3982
Loretta Mahoney 234-9863
Nancy Courtright 235-6985
Ann Sheflin 236-6547
Bob Clark 235-3043
Pat Kealey 233-6868
Audrey Godfrey 230-6528
June 6, 1986, GLEBE REPORT -21