Glebe Report

1
GLEBE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
1984-1985 REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, MAY 14, 1985
INTRODUCTION
The Directors decided to publish
'rather than mail individual copies
of the Annual Report, which was
adopted unanimously at the Annual
General Meeting. This form of distribution
saves time and high postal
costs, supports the Glebe Report
and takes advantage of its
excellent circulation.
FINANCES
The GCA's net surplus under the
stewardship of Treasurer Harold
Jones increased from $5891 in 1984
to $8,031 in 1985. This results in
a substantial contribution to the
reserve for major contingencies.
MEMBERSHIP
The 1984-85 residential membership
drive did not produce the level of
past increases. Nevertheless, with
a membership of over 2200 adults,
the GCA remains one of the largest
associations, If not the largest,
of its type in the region.
Thanks for this achievement go to
the block reps, the area directors
and to coordinator Barbara Liddy,
who has been overseeing the computerization
of the membership list.
The next step is its transfer from
a commercial service to the GNAG's
IBM PC. This will cut costs, improve
access to the list and make
use of community-owned resources.
GLEBE BUSINESS GROUP
Business membership quadrupled
from a base of 21 to 85 businesses.
This remarkable increase
arose from the establishment of
the Glebe Business Group led by
Judy Richards of Davidson's Jewellers
and Myrna Fenton of the Two
Sister's Dress Shoppe.
Brooke Briggs, director for Business
interests undertook a survey
of Glebe businesses and thus helped
to lay the groundwork for this
successful initiative.
The Glebe Business Group plans to
work closely with the resident members
on matters of common concern
and also to pursue activities
unique to business concerns on a
self financing basis, for example,
special events and advertising.
The GCA may be the only Ottawa
neighbourhood association to unite
residents and businesses in one
organization.
In so doing, the GCA has provided
a common forum to (a) debate and
resolve potential conflicts, (b)
discuss and decide upon matters of
mutual interest and (c) pursue
them with a common front.
NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING
Last year's report referred to a
GCA appeal against a Committee of
Adjustment decision. The Association,
well represented by former
GCA vice president (and architect)
Herbert Otto, successfully argued
that six units was too dense for
the property at 5th and O'Connor.
The builders then proposed four
units and prior to the revised submission
to City Hall, discussed it
satisfactorily with the Board.
REGIONAL PLAN REVIEVV
The revision process of the Regional
Official Plan saw Wayne Kauk,
director for Neighbourhood Planning,
chairing a committee of citywide
community representatives who
met nearly every week all through
last summer. With Jim McCarthy, he
drafted the GCA's 10 page well received
brief to the Region.
AVALON IVIEVWS
In January 1985, Messrs. Sal Khan
and Michael Courdin met with the
directors to discuss plans for the
buildings on the west side of Bank
Street from McPherson's Gallery
(non-inclusive) to Second Avenue
and around the corner to the old
Avalon Theatre, which until recently
housed the Co-op Garage.
They proposed to renovate the Bank
Street stores and to convert the
old theatre into 36 small, rental
units. Mr. Khan also mentioned the
possible erection of an apartment
building "on stilts" over the parking
area.
The February Glebe Report produced
an illustrated front page feature
story. The GCA column provided the
names and telephone numbers of two
directors ready to take comments.
The column also stated that the
GCA would hold a public meeting if
there seemed to be sufficient interest.
There was but one call and
it was in favour of the project.
Mr. Khan undertook not to proceed
with the additional apartment building
over the parking area if the
community opposed it.
The Board concluded that the basic
project would (a) fit within the
Glebe Neighbourhood Plan, (h) upgrade
the quality of buildings in
the Bank Street area, (c) provide
improved parking and (d) increase
Ottawa's rental apartment accommodation,
which is in short supply.
Unfortunately, scandalously slow
handling of the application by
City staff, coupled with an unexpected
tightening in the availability
of Ontario Housing Corporation
funds, forced the cancellation of
the 36 apartments.
THE WHYTE HOUSE
A suddenly announced condominium
development of the former papal
legate's residence at 520 The
Driveway aroused a worried response
from neighbours and heritage
interests. City Hall had not received
any plans prior to the erection
of the sign in' front of the
Whyte house, which dates to 1876.
At the GCA's invitation, Messrs.
Morris Melamud and Peter Pivko,
the project architect, presented
their plans to the April monthly
meeting, which many neighbours
attended as well.
The Board concluded that Melgro
Developments' application to the
Committee of Adjustment for severances
was premature. The GCA supported
the Planning Branch's request
to delay the severances until
the Branch completed its examination
of the site plan and related
heritage aspects of the application.
(Subsequently Melgro withdrew
the application temporarily.)
Wayne Kauk chaired a committee of
directors and concerned neighbours
charged with the preparation of a
brief for Green Island and the NCC
by Friday, May 17, 1985. The results
may be one of the subjects
of next year's Annual Report.
TRAFFIC
Roger Short monitored the Queensway
Traffic Corridor Study, which
will continue into 1985-86. Recently
at a public display by the Ontario
Department of Highways and
Communications, Roger discovered
that the regional and provincial
road planners could improve their
"communications".
Apparently, the regional planners
are considering a new and better
eastbound access from Bronson onto
the Queensway. The Ontario Highways
engineers were not yet aware
of this interesti%g and potentially
attractive idea.
SOCIAL PLANNING
Mayor Dewar wrote to all community
associations to request their support
on last summer's day care crisis.
GCA directors, after a special
meeting in August, wrote to
the various governments to urge a
satisfactory solution of the matter.
Perhaps this action played a
small role in the eventual improvement
of the situation.
The directors also endorsed the
provision of space at Lansdowne
Park for the Glebe Daycare Centre,
which now operates in the Community
Centre and nearby schools.
The GCA made representations to
Council to support controls on the
location of "strip joints". The
GCA believes that the community
would not welcome them in the
Glebe and the neighbours in Ottawa
South definitely want to lose the
one they have.
RECREATION
With Christine Wilson as coordinator,
a GCA team entered Winterlude's
Great Canadian Bedrace,
completed the course, and won a
prize for best decorated-bed.
CANDIDATES FORUM
Under the able direction of Jim
McCarthy, the GCA sponsored two
political meetings. Dr. E.P. Weeks
chaired the August 1984 meeting
with great skill. The April 1985
meeting for the provincial candidates
was equally successful.
At the August meeting, two candidates
occupied the stage and demanded
to speak at a time of their
choosing rather than that of the
GCA. At the GCA's request, the
police removed these candidates
who were charged with trespassing.
While one charge is still pending,
the other led to a conviction.
That decision helps to reaffirm
the right to organize a political
meeting without fear of outside
interference or disruption.
LANSDOWNE PARK
There has been progress on the
Park and related activities.
THE EX
A public meeting held just after
the event concluded that the 1983
EX was the worst in living memory
for noise,
traffic and general
aggravation. Consequently, the
last two years witnessed a lot of
GCA work, much of it by Don Ray.
Notwithstanding a senior City
official's recommendation last
summer not to enforce the bylaw
againstTiwn parking, the end
result appears to be a positive
change of City Council's attitude
to EX-related problem.
The Central Canada Exhibition
Association appointed a new general
manager, former Ottawa mayor
Don Reid. He responded positively
to GCA requests to improve traffic
flows and to reduce noise.
The Glebe's consensus on the 1984
EX was that it was the "best in
forty years" with respect to noise
and general aggravation, in spite
of an all-time record attendance.
Mr. Reid has promised that for the
1985 EX, he will do better because
he will have had more time to work
on solutions to alleviate EX-originated
problems for the Glebe.
(NOTE: It was a pleasure to welcome
Don Reid to the Annual Meeting
at which he, as someone who
lives or works in the Glebe, became
a GCA memberi
EX Parking/Traffic Control
The EX over its ten day period concentrates
at Lansdowne Park and in
the Glebe an extraordinary number
of people, nearly 750,000 in 1984,
the equivalent of nearly every
man, woman and child in the OTTAWA-
HULL Census Metropolitan Area.
Hence, GCA representations to
Green Island, summarized in the
1984 brief on traffic control,
argued that effective parking
enforcement of off and on street
parking rules, coupled with practical
"park and ride", bus and
taxi services, were fundamental to
a safe and tolerable Ex.
Ottawa Transpo, with some political
and community encouragement,
seized the opportunity to provide
better service for the 1984 EX
with a temporary bus depot near
Lansdowne Park, together with the
use of satellite parking lots.
This arrangement, the GCA understands,
will continue, perhaps
with a combined TRANSPO/EX pass to
encourage greater use of the bus
to the 1985 EX.
Park Developnnent
In the words of Mayor Marion Dewar
(March 14, 1985 letter to Mr. Gerard
Robard, 650 O'Connor St.) the
"Development Plan for Lansdowne
Park is a concept plan only, which
has been approved in principle by
Council."
As taxpayers, GCA members must
remain positive but vigilant in
their outlook to ensure that Lansdowne
Park investments or expenditures
are both economic and consistent
with its inner city location
and limited access. This reflects
the basic message of the GCA brief
to Council prior to its adoption
of the "concept plan".
At a more immediate and practical
level, Council approved the installation
of a new public address system,
a long overdue improvement
the Association heartily endorses.
When it is operational, perhaps
the people in the stadium will
hear the speaker system and the
neighbours won't.
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
The formation of the Glebe Business
Group within the Association
originates in part because of the
need to rejuvenate the physical
image and structure of the Bank,
Bronson and Isabella retail areas.
Retail competition is keen throughout
Ottawa. To prosper, Glebe merchants
have to attract shoppers
from other parts of the City. That
means the Glebe must find ways to
improve its parking and traffic capacity
- without damaging the residential
area.
Another major City issue arises
from the need for relatively inexpensive
rental apartment accommodation.
It might be possible to
develop one or two floors of apartments
on existing Bank Street buildings.
The approved Glebe Neighbourhood
Plan refers to such a
concept (page 12, para. (iii)).
That sort of development, which
does not increase through traffic,
could also play an important part
In strengthening the market base
Glebe merchants need.
Defensive measures have of necessity
dominated GCA activities over
the years. The need for such vigilance
will unfortunately continue.
However, the directors are confident
that GCA members, resident
and business alike, now sense the
need to initiate positive, cooperative
action to improve the physical
structure and general wellbeing
of the community.
On behalf of the Directors
Rob Quinn
President, 1984-85
June 14, 1985, GLEBE REPORT - 9