Dear neighbours,
I am so thrilled that so many members of our association have been so very
active over the past few months. While I hiked in national and provincial parks
from Ottawa to the west coast for three months this summer, those left behind for
Canada 150 at home conducted another successful AGM, organized a major event
to celebrate the heritage designation of Macdonald Gardens Park, advanced plans
for revitalization of Cathcart and Rose Parks for the enjoyment of all, helped implement
traffic calming measures and made plans to resurrect our beloved community
newspaper, the Echo.
With the help from three students hired through the Canada Summer Job
program, members of the heritage committee worked all summer preparing to stage
a major event to mark the designation of the park. Councillor Fleury attended as did
several hundred others. There was cake for all all. Read more about the successful
celebration in the report from the Heritage Committee.
I arrived back in Ottawa just as we were witnessing the Opioid crisis in Ottawa
finally reach the boiling point. Many people including Mayor Watson expected the
LCA to take some action on the pop-up site in Brunet Park. However, in the view of
the Board, the primary role of the LCA was to provide a forum for residents to learn,
ask questions and express their concerns. We provided a meeting and an online
survey for those unable to attend. Our September meeting was probably one of the
most heated meetings in my time as your president.
Our view was that all levels of government have failed to respond to a growing
national and local crisis in a timely manner. There is an urgent need for services, yet
all levels of government seem to be dragging their feet in providing the necessary
funding and approvals to set up supervised injection sites. In a reply to a letter from
Mayor Watson, the Board expressed its dismay at the lack of effort by the city to
tackle this problem.
In line with the sentiments expressed by residents following a presentation by
Wendy Muckle, Executive Director of Ottawa Inner City Health, at the monthly
meeting in January as well as the views expressed in the recent survey conducted
by the LCA, the Board has agreed to write a letter of support for groups seeking
permission and funding to establish supervised injection sites.
Due to a mix-up in room scheduling, the October meeting was held in the gymnasium
of the Routier Centre. A presentation on the Good Food Box and MarketMobile
programs, a report on the most recent crime statistics along with the councillor’s
remarks prompted many questions from residents. It is also budget time, and many
residents participated in consultations. We have urged increased funding for health,
social services and affordable housing – and community policing as well as action on
climate change – given the recent floods we’ve witnessed – through funding for the
Renewable Energy Strategy in Budget 2018.
Looking ahead to winter, we are calling for volunteers to help maintain the ice
rink in Bingham Park, which is enjoyed by so many. If the rink is not your passion,
whatever it is we welcome your contribution: join neighbours working on the new
Echo, or engage in planning, heritage, safety and security, housing and homelessness
or environment and active transportation committees. I hope to see you at our
November 13 meeting – or around Lowertown. Thank you for all you do,
Liz Bernstein