Ed McKenna
Save The Date!
The Dalhousie Community Association will hold its 40th Annual General Meeting on Saturday, May 25 at 3 p.m. at the Plant Recreation Centre, 930 Somerset Street West.
The date was decided at the regular monthly meeting of the DCA Board, February 22. Some members were almost incredulous to learn that we’ve been around that long!
To celebrate the anniversary, we’re inviting the eight persons who have served as president since 1984, and we’ll hear from some of them about the achievements of the DCA over these many years.
In addition, we will again this year have a featured speaker for the AGM. Watch for an announcement closer to the meeting date.
Development Principles for Plouffe Park
These were outlined in a joint letter prepared by the Plant Pool Plouffe Park Expansion Coalition and parents of École élémentaire publique Louise-Arbour, which was tabled at the February DCA regular board meeting. The letter was delivered to the “1010 Somerset Team” at the city, and copied to the Somerset and Kitchissippi ward councillors, the mayor, and the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario.
The principles provide guidance to the city about how the new school, expanded greenspace, and local recreational facilities can complement each other at the 1010 Somerset site adjacent Plouffe Park.
The meeting was told that the city has yet to respond to the letter, nor has a date been provided for a community review of the revised site plan.
Public Realm Priorities
The DCA’s Public Realm committee reported that, during its February meeting, it agreed on five priority activities for 2024.
Top of the list are community gardens. And already there’s been some good news! First, Can Le, owner of the property at Somerset and Preston, has agreed to the use of the site by the community garden for another year.
Then there’s the plan to revive the Sweet Willow Community Garden on Rochester. The committee reported that Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation, who are responsible for the Rochester property, are willing to work with the DCA on the project. This will help ensure that Dalhousie will continue to have space for members of the community to produce some of their own food.
Canada Lands Company and the Booth Street Project
It’s been four years since the city approved the plan to redevelop the “Booth Complex,” a 6.5 acre site located in the heart of Dalhousie, which includes six heritage buildings and city-owned parkland. Expect at least two more years to pass before we’ll see any activity on the site, the DCA was told during its February meeting. The recent plan to sell the property to a private sector developer was promising, but has fallen through.
Will this slowdown affect the city’s plan to build a small but much-needed park at the northeast corner of Norman and Rochester? We hope not! However, Public Realm committee reported that the city remains silent about when the plan for the park will be finalized and then implemented.
Front-yard parking at 207, 209 and 211 Queen Street
After receiving letters from the DCA opposing an application for six parking spaces in the front yards of the historic properties at 207, 209 and 211 Queen, the city’s Committee of Adjustment has reserved its decision.
The committee planned to consider the application in February, but with opposition from the DCA, and several concerns raised by the city’s Planning, Real Estate, and Economic Development department, including the Heritage Conservation branch, the application was withdrawn.
A revised proposal was presented to the Committee of Adjustment March 6. In the amended application, front-yard parking is reduced to three spaces, and the landscaping improved. In response, city planning changed its position: They now have “no concerns.”
The Public Realm committee attended the meeting on behalf of the DCA, and provided the Committee of Adjustment with a second letter specifying the community’s concerns, while pressing for the removal of parking and the re-greening of the front yards.
The committee will make its decision publicly available March 15.
989 Somerset – “Blindsided”
The DCA’s planning and development committee was informed last month that the city has approved the proposal by Taggart Realty Management to build a 15-storey, 248-unit residential tower at 989 Somerset West (by the north side of the Somerset Bridge). There has been no community consultation.
Ah, but there will be a public meeting! Taggart will meet with interested community members, via Zoom, on March 20. But isn’t consultation supposed to take place before a decision is made on a development application?
There was consultation, claim city staff, who approved the application themselves without input from City Council.
We looked it up. Nearly 10 years ago, on May 29, 2014, a different developer, with a much different application but for the same site, held a public meeting to consult with the community. In June 2014, the DCA followed up with a written submission to the city.
The project languished for many years. When Taggart took over the development, it changed the plan for a mixed-use development to one that calls for a much larger residential tower, nearly twice the size.. Nevertheless, the city appears to have granted the realty company a credit for the consultation undertaken in 2014.
Councillor Troster has stated that “it’s frustrating to see that such a significant project to the community can be undertaken without significant consultation and notification.” Measures need to be taken “to ensure that the community isn’t blindsided.”
We’re told that city staff approved the application without consultation using authority they now possess under Ontario’s “More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022.” Should we be worried about the future of community consultation?
Become a DCA member!
Be prepared for the DCA AGM on May 25! Now’s the time to become a member, or renew your current membership!
Join us at our next regular meeting, on Thursday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m.
Contact: president@ottawadalhousie.ca, and visit our website: ottawadalhousie.ca