Heritage Committee
The LCA had much to celebrate during Canada’s 150th! Though the work of community researchers, city heritage staff and Councillor Fleury, Macdonald Gardens Park was designated as a heritage landscape and is now protected under The Ontario Heritage Act.
The park was designed by landscape architect Frederick Todd in 1914 on the grounds of “the old cemeteries on the Sandy Hill.” Buildings on neighbouring streets provided rich grounds for research for our Canada Summer Jobs students, Lillian Kruzsely, Stephany Chevalier-Crockett and Karen-Luz Sison. The LCA’s community celebration on August 15 drew a crowd of about 300 to the park. It was a great day, thanks to all our volunteers, sponsors and exhibitors. The spectacular research results were a popular attraction–watch for a future publication.
In April, 130 Lowertown buildings and structures judged to be of heritage value and interest, mainly located east of King Edward Avenue, were added to the city’s Heritage Register. The Register provides guidance for future designations as well as demolitions.
In a response to our inquiry about Our Lady’s School, the city noted in October that the owner’s heritage permit will expire on January 29, 2018; to date no applications for building permits or other development approvals have been submitted.
There are specific property maintenance standards for all vacant buildings and particularly for heritage properties (By-Law 2013-416). The city relies on individuals to report online, in person, or via phone to 3-1-1 when they see poorly maintained properties.
The LCA Heritage Committee continues to identify, document and advocate for the protection of heritage buildings, historic landscapes and places of cultural significance in Lowertown. It also educates and communicates with residents about the benefits of preserving our Lowertown heritage.
Join us in our work. info@lowertown-basseville.ca
Planning Committee
The Planning Committee contributes to a longer-term vision of the future development of Lowertown by responding proactively to planning and zoning issues affecting Lowertown and by reflecting and advocating the community’s position on development proposals and planning studies or initiatives affecting the community.
The LCA believes that the more community residents understand how planning works, the more they will be involved in helping to shape a better community. To this end, our role at the planning committee should be to help educate the LCA Board, and the community, on planning policies and zoning regulations affecting Lowertown. The Planning Committee should also communicate planning activities happening in Lowertown to residents and provide a platform to allow them to voice their opinions.
Peter Ferguson and Thierry Harris are co-chairs of the committee. Committee members include Sylvie Grenier, John Chenier, Liz McKenzie, Donna Kearns, Bob Tritt, Ilona Horvath, Joan Kennedy, Nancy Miller Chenier, and Beth Evans.
The committee meets on a monthly basis except in July and August. Some work is done through email. Recommendations for action are made to the President and/or the Board for follow-up. The Committee reports on priority issues at monthly LCA meetings and regularly through electronic means. Members are expected to participate in or coordinate specific projects and keep the Committee informed.
In the longer term, the Committee reviews development proposals as required, including requests for minor variances circulated by the City of Ottawa, and recommends a response to the President and the Board. It also provides input on City policy development and special projects as they arise; collaborates with the Heritage Committee on planning issues affecting heritage buildings and landscapes; liaises and works with stakeholders including the Lowertown community in seeking solutions to issues; and undertakes LCA-initiated planning projects or files deemed beneficial to Lowertown.
Current priorities in the ByWard Market include meeting with the Municipal Services Corporation Board members concerning the future of the Market area including a signage and illumination plan; meeting with Market vendor associations to identify measures to improve access to food and retail goods; developing a strategy that will address the problem of the density of bars and restaurants in the Market area; and identifying measures that will create a better environment for pedestrians. The Committee will also monitor active development applications and provide advice to the City and developers on zoning-amendment proposals and site-control plans as appropriate; continue to participate in public consultations on the review of R4 zoning and changes to the Site Plan Control process; convene interested parties in a forum to address strategies for development in the Lowertown West heritage area; develop a primer on “Understanding Residential Zoning in Lowertown”; and review the effectiveness of internal and external communications, identify gaps, to better target and inform the Lowertown community.
LCA Communications Team
Lowertown is much older than the LCA and some of the families here have deep roots that go back generations. But Lowertown is also constantly changing, with people moving in and out of the neighbourhood. They want to know more about activities, news, politics and issues affecting the community. This is where the LCA’s communications team steps in. Our mission is to act as a bridge between community members. We provide a forum for residents to voice their views and share information about the neighbourhood. We use different platforms to do so.
One of the platforms is our website, www.lowertown-basseville.ca. Here you will be able to find out more about Lowertown and the LCA as well as our partners in the community. You’ll get the latest news from our committees and find letters we’ve written to elected officials and city staff in Ottawa.
We also have our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LowertownBasseville. Here you can keep up to date on local events, news stories, partner activities and everything else to do with Lowertown. We have a Twitter account as well at @MyLowertown. If you want to keep up to date on events, another way to stay in touch with us is by signing up to our newsletter. You can do so by going to our webpage and signing up on the right hand side of the page.
We are always looking for volunteers to help out with communications. Many hands make for lighter work and if you are keen on working with a fun team of people let us know at info@lowertown-basseville.ca.
Links:
Website: http://www.lowertown-basseville.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LowertownBasseville/
Twitter: @MyLowertown
email: info@lowertown-basseville.ca