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9 Glebe Report February 6,1998 FEATURE Old walls hold a multitude of memories BY CYNTHIA STEERS If only the walls could talk! Old buildings hold the secrets and stories of the lives lived in them over all their years. The building at the corner of First Avenue and Lyon, just sold by the Ottawa Board of Education to Routeburn Urban Developments, is a case in point. In each of its many incarnations that old building has centred on young people and has been closely connected with the history of Ottawa, and its changing society. The serene red brick building was built originally as a girls school, Ottawa Ladies College. It was a boarding and day school and drew thousands of young women who left their imprint, the hopes and dreams and anguishes of their adolescent years. A "casualty of the war" as it was called, the school was expropriated in 1942 by the Canadian army for use of the Canadian Women's Army Corps, and dedicated to the serious business of war. Following the war, no longer needed for the war effort, the building took on a new life as the home of the fledging Carleton College, serving the needs of the returning service men and women determined to get a further education and get on with their lives. The more light-hearted young people of Ottawa flocked to it, so the college soon outgrew the old walls, and moved out to the campus it now occupies as Carleton University. The Ottawa Board of Education, faced with a rapidly expanding school population, needed a centre for its operations, and found the building served its needs as an administrative centre. But again times moved on, and, with the recent amalgamation of school boards in the region, the Board made the decision to sell it. The thousands of people who have spent time in the building have their own vibrant memories, and to each it has a special character. Mention it in any group of "old Ottawans" and you will likely hear of their experiences wearing the short blue uniform with the red and white crescent Back row: Pam Cross, Mary Jane Jones, Bey Brown, Margot Cottee, Barb Crysdale. Front: Cynthia Steers, Mary Baxter. Photo: Nonie Bermingham crest, OLC, identifying them as students at Ottawa Ladies College. Jean Piggott is one who has fond memories and a high regard for the old school. Charlotte Whitton was a trustee. Recently a group of friends of more than 50 years gathered to greet one of their number who was on a trip from her home in Aus- tralia. They had formed fast friendships in junior school before the war time expropriation ended the school's life. They relived their days at the school, their young lives shaped by the national concentration on the war. Many of their fathers or brothers were away during those years, their mothers preoccupied and involved in the war effort. Their lives were changed, living with grandparents, or sharing house room with "war guests." "The acceptance of greater responsibility in the difficult and dark days of the future will have to extend even to school children," they were told by their principal, Miss Kathleen Bowlby. War did not seem all that far away with their families involved, and in the presence of the British "war guests," students sent to safety in Canada. At the outbreak of war, 18 Scottish girls were stranded in Canada and spent time at the college. At one time 30 girls from Britain boarded at the school, or lived with families and attended the school. THORNE ei CO. a garden and gift store Children being children, however, light-heartedness prevailed most of the time, and those were the memories brought to mind at lunch at the home of Pam McCullough Cross for now-Australian friend Mary Jane Kerr Jones. About the Scottish girls, one, Anne Hutchinson MacKay, was not only a brilliant student, she amazed the Canadian girls by wearing knee socks well into winter rather than shifting to the heavy stockings prescribed by the uniform. Another, Rona Anderson, returned to Britain to become a movie star, marrying "Hudson" of Upstairs Downstairs fame. For the rest, it was stories about classmates and events: the May Pole Dance on May 1, archery, tennis, gym displays, swimming lessons at the Chateau Laurier, Christmas pageants, as-- sembly - and classes. Those present included Nonie Melville Bermingham of Kingston, Mary Little Baxter, Bey Burland Brown, Margot Cardinal Cottee, Barb Turk Crysdale, Cynthia Clark Steers. The new school was long established in Ottawa at its close, well rooted in the history of the city. Leading citizens in 1869 had petitioned the Ontario government for the passing of an Act for the establishment of a school for girls in Ottawa "for the purpose of establishing and conducting a seminary of learning of a collegiate character for the education of female youth." It was to b e called the Ottawa Ladies College. The people involved were such historical figures as E.B. Eddy, John Rochester, Henry Bronson, J.R. Booth, Robert Blackburn and others. The original school building was a stone building on Albert St. that later was sold to the provincial government as a technical school. The new school was built in 1914 at its First Avenue location. Briefly known as the ,Presbyterian Ladies College (1898 - 1902), the school was managed by the Presbyterian Church until church union in 1925 when the United Church took it over. Reflecting society's ups and downs, the school had a rocky time during the depression. A special committee was set up to decide its future, either closure or new management. Again, leading citizens were involved in its fate. In 1935, a new Board and new internal management was established. The new Board of Trustees included such people as Dr. O.D. Skelton, Under Secretary of State for External Affairs; Senator H.H. Horsey; Dr. Charlotte Whitton; Dr. H.M. Tory, formerly President of the University of Alberta and the National Research Council; Dr. W.C. Clark, Deputy Minister of Finance: the Very Rev. Dr. J.W. Woodside of Chalmers Church; C. Fraser Elliott, K.C., and others. Kathleen Bowlby, who later went on to a distinguished career at the United Nations, was named principal of the school. At its closing in 1942, the school had more than 200 pupils, and a staff of 18. The chairman of the Board of Trustees, Fraser Elliott, K.C. said, in announcing the expropriation, "The war needs of the country make it imperative for the government to take and use the building. It is with deep regret that those responsible for the maintenance of the college see its long and fruitful career come to an end. It is indeed a war casualty and it is sincerely mourned." Cynthia Steers was a student at the Ottawa Ladies College when her father's job brought the family to Ottawa during the war. She founded the public relations firm Steers Communication Associates with her husband. Our SEEDS have arrived! We have a great selection of Thompson & Morgan and McKenzie seeds. Plus seedtrays, grow lights, soilless mixes and tabletop grow lamps. 802 Bank Street 252-6565 MAIM I%fi 111 Yealmou,Firiî . 1111 411.11111m Drawing by John Leaning Titfrilk4k1- 1 A A. 5ee.re. vcrt .f Oth. rst AJtONI, Eck.o..t,on .5er- L- $ t,tti$$ L Lieretan, C_Otitee.
N EWS Regional Councillor report I had hoped to spend the first two or three months listening and learning about how I could best serve on the various committees and commissions that I have been appointed to at Regional Council: Transportation, OC Transpo, Children's Aid, Community and Social Services and the Arts. It hasn't worked out that way. HUNT CLUB RAMPS The first item for business on the transportation committee's agenda was one that will affect our ward intimately, the construction of the Hunt Club ramps onto the Airport Parkway. These ramps are part of the continuing conversion of the airport parkway into a southeast commuter route. It began, as many of you know, with the $34-million expansion of the Dunbar Bridge into an 8- lane road, opening up of the airport parkway at Lester Road to southeast commuter traffic, followed by widening Bronson to six lanes between Carleton University and Old Ottawa South- -and now the construction of ramps at Hunt Club and Walkley. Cpuncillor Holmes (Somerset Ward) and myself discussed this issue with the Regional Chairman, Mr. Chiarelli, on a number of occasions. At each meeting, we impressed on him how destructive road widenings and higher intensity auto traffic were for inner city communities, giving him examples of community streets like Sunnyside, Lyon, and Main, whose character had been irrevocably changed by being forced to become access routes for high-volume, high-intensity regional roads. We proposed that a motion be brought forward to council via the Transportation Committee that would have delayed the construction of the Hunt Club ramps until the north-south light rail pilot projectwas up and runnitig. It was our belief that this would give this light rail pilot a better chance of success and it would also enable the Region to complete the impact study of changes to the airport parkway, which is now underway. APPROVAL FOR LIGHT RAIL Mr. Chiarelli was convinced of the logic of our argument but not of its political chance for success. His reading of the composition of council was that it would fail and in failing he might also alienate support for the light rail project. Hence he proposed a compromise package which would see light rail up and running by December 1, 1999 and at the same time the Hunt Club ramps would go ahead, along with a commit- By Councillor Clive Doucet ment for the Walkley ramps, with the exception of the north-east ramp. Part of the package was also to take twinning of the parkway out of the Official Plan. This motion was moved by M r. Chiarelli at Transportation Committee. Approval of the light rail project was unanimous and there was a 7-4 division on the Hunt Club ramps with Mr. Chiarelli voting for the ramps. It was and remains Councillor Holmes' opinion, my opinion, and the opinion of others at council, that this is not a good deal for all those communities downstream of the Hunt Club and Walkley ramps; that regardless of whether twinning is officially in or officially out of the Regional Plan, all of these additions and changes to the two-lane airport parkway will create an unstoppable pressure to twin the Parkway and eventually increase the carrying capacity of both the driveways along the canal and Bronson. In Capital Ward, ,Old Ottawa South, the Glebe, Ottawa East and Heron Park have been fighting road expansions through their neighbourhoods for a very long time. The Old Ottawa South Community Association began as a rieighbourhood organization in response to city bulldozers appearing on Sunnyside to tear down trees and expand this quiet two-lane, one-way street with a tram into a four-lane transfer road between Bank and Bronson. In the Glebe, it was the threat of expanding Carling down Glebe Avenue which galvanized the community. Bronson has brought me to Regional Council. And we will continue the fight. I am confident that the traffic committee will come up with some useful, realizable recommendations for the Glebe and Dow's Lake. "I dwell in possibility," wrote Emily Dickenson. I think w e should also. The news is not all bad. Light rail is going to make a positive difference and the new Chair is sympathetic to our concerns. FOR INFORMATION Telephone: 560-1224 Fax: 560-6075 E-mail: doucetcl@rmoc.on.ca Glebe Report February 6,1998 1 0 Missed the Seat Sale? We'll take you to the Caribbean for only 79- . HERE'S HOW. 1. Leave the cold outside and come in to Flipper's for a hot lunch until February 16. .-2. Order our Caribbean Curried Shrimp for only $7.99 3. When it arrives, close your eyes and inhale the hot & spicy smells of the Caribbean. 4. Now be sure to open your eyes to savour all the flavours of the islands. Louise Tardif FCSI, Investment Advisor 236-0103 to 4 v SOFTWARE DESIGN & SYSTEM SUPPORT Marlene Wheeler, CMA Accounting Bookkeeping Income Tax 54 Orrin Avenue Ottawa, Ontario Tel: (613) 798-1666 KlY 3X7 Fax: (613) 798-8230 Access Database Design Web Page Design Internet Training MS Office Application Training Troubleshooting Software Installation ap596 freenet.carleton.ca OR topsey@ storm.ca httpilwww.storm.ca/-topsey JAMES HALLS - (613) 236-2013
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Page 15 and 16: SPORTS An Olympic dream that didn't
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