By Liz Bernstein
Dear neighbours,
The days are shorter and colder, the sidewalks harder to navigate for many in our community given the increased cycles of snow, melting and freezing. It is just one of the ways climate change impacts us in Ottawa, with greater fluctuations, but nothing is stopping many of you from working to ensure the new year, and the new Term of Council, starts off as an improvement for our residents. (Yet if you are also concerned about walking in winter, you can help by being a snow moles – complete a questionnaire about winter walkability for seniors and other pedestrians – download at coaottawa.ca)
Just before the holidays, the LCA, together with the Glebe Community Association, co-hosted a meeting of community, associations to urge the new city council to place much more importance on environmental issues. Community Associations Forum on Environmental Sustainability (CAFES) representatives from 30 community associations – urban, suburban and rural – created a list of 24 environmental initiatives for the City to consider.
The comprehensive list includes items ranging from creating a “climate resilience and adaptation plan” to improving the environment for birds and bees, street tree protection and renewal, low impact development for storm water management, a waste plan and improving the active transportation network (for the full list of CAFES priorities please check the LCA website).
Yet as such priorities were being discussed, the composition of committees at City Hall was released. We at LCA sent a letter to the Mayor expressing our concern “over the lack of meaningful representation on key city committees by councilors who represent Ottawa’s downtown wards.” We’re particularly concerned over the lack of representation on the Finance & Economic Development Committee (follow the money!) and Planning Committee. (see letter on LCA website).
Our first meeting of the year featured a special discussion on Homelessness: What do we know? organized by board member Catherine Hacksel. More than 40 residents participated in a conversation with experts from various fields (see page 4) It was a fascinating presentation on homelessness in our City, what has worked in the past and what could work now – as we begin a new Term of Council – prescriptions for budget allocations as well as policy ones were discussed and we all left with not only a greater understanding of the problem but of solutions-we as a city can deal with this, it’s not rocket science. As Senior Researcher Steve Pomeroy noted “Housing first means housing first.”
In addition to urging City Council to include addressing housing and homelessness and environmental issues as a priority this term, another priority of course is our beloved ByWard Market. Two hundred people packed the National Gallery to hear placemaking expert Gil Penalosa discuss what makes great places. He reminded us to design for an 8 year old as well as an 80 year old, so it is safe for all, and to remember connectivity, benches, trees, tables, for human connection and socialization. As consultations continue, we urge all of you to continue to participate in the Public Realm improvements for our Market (see website). Of course it all takes money, and as Budget 2019 consultations begin, we’ll be there but urge you to all turn out to make your priorities heard. We look forward to working together to ensure our communities’ priorities, and money for them, are included in this term of council. Join us.
Liz Bernstein,
President, Lowertown Community association Président, association de la communauté de la