Liz Bernstein, LCA president
Dear neighbours,
As I write, I hear the birds outside the window. They’re back! We’ve had a week of closing of the canal skateway season, blasting of the ice on the Rideau, longer days. Spring is coming.
It’s also been budget week at City Hall. And I learned some interesting things. As Joanne Chianello said (Ottawa Citizen, March 12) “Consider that most councillors were stunned to discover at a recent transportation meeting that the cycling infrastructure was not included in that department’s budget, even though the cycling program was already approved as part of the transportation master plan. Instead, cycling is to be funded through a so-called ‘strategic initiative’ pot of money that councillors will battle over later this year.”
Many Lowertown residents joined citizens across the city in working hard to include a Complete Streets Policy in that Transportation Master Plan last year. We celebrated when it passed, thinking that, at last, sidewalks & bike paths were prioritized with roads. But alas, follow the money. We have to keep telling our Councillors we want safe, walkable, healthy streets. We’ve conducted walkability and cycling audits and just did another winter audit (read about the latest one on page 9).
I was just in Chicago, and thrilled to see Chicago Complete Streets signs proclaiming “Chicagoans stop for pedestrians”. Millenium Park was an inspiring hive of activity, a beautifully designed public space, filled with gorgeous public art, like the iconic “bean” sculpture Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoor, that thousands of residents and visitors alike were interacting with. They were sitting on benches, under umbrellas, on steps, on the ground with feet up on the bean, taking selfies, eating, drinking, hanging out. What vision in that park.
Then there is our beloved ByWard Market and dreams of revitalization, could we, too, aspire to such a world class public space? Can it be such a destination, one with public spaces, public art, with wide sidewalks, benches, trees, art, public washrooms – a place that invites residents and visitors to shop, play, meet neighbours, celebrate our heritage? What can be done in time for the 2017 Anniversary of Confederation celebrations?
Can we be as bold as Daniel Burnham, Chicago’s leading architect and urban planner (1846-1912) advised: “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably will not themselves be realized.”
What can get the support of Council to secure commitment to a vision forward and funding to realize it? Regardless of the outcome of the battle for funding from “strategic initiatives”, we want to take action. With all of you, our neighbours in Sandy Hill and Vanier, with the BIA and Councillor Fleury, City staff and a host of other community groups, we look forward to working together to truly renew ByWard Market. We have some exciting ideas.
Join us. Contact us to get involved at info@lowertown-basseville.ca
See you around on the streets of Lowertown!