Architects seek input on shared and public spaces in the new Ottawa Public Library and Library and Archives Canada joint facility

Here is some info received from the City regarding public consultation:

Ottawa –  Registration is now open for the next design workshops on Spaces and Relationships in the new Ottawa Public Library (OPL) and Library and Archives Canada (LAC) joint facility, which is set to open in the heart of the National Capital Region in 2024.

At this workshop, participants can provide input on how spaces inside the new facility can complement one another, the exterior and the views.

Participants can also take a fresh look at what LAC and OPL spaces and services will be offered in the new facility, and help inspire a design that is flexible and can adapt to customer expectations for generations to come.

Bring your inspiration to this exciting project! Register now at Inspire555.ca for one of two design workshops:

• Date:   Wednesday, May 1
• Time:   6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
• Place:  Jim Durrell Recreation Centre, Ellwood Hall, 1265 Walkley Road (free parking)

 

• Date:   Saturday, May 4
• Time:   9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
• Place:  Library and Archives Canada, Pellan Room, 395 Wellington Street

All Canadians and anyone unable to attend the workshops will soon be asked to provide input online at Inspire555.ca.

The workshops and online activities are part of a year-long local and national engagement process to inspire the design of this iconic installation destined to become a must-see attraction in Ottawa. The Inspire555 engagement series will include additional design workshops, a series of pop-up events, and online activities and engagement (local and national).

Last month, 800 people took part in workshops and online activities to provide input on preliminary concepts for the facility as well as preferred viewpoints and site features. At the upcoming sessions, the architects will report back on what they heard, and demonstrate how public input is being incorporated into the design.

The architects and representatives from the City of Ottawa, Ottawa Public Library and Library and Archives Canada also visited the Pikwàkanagàn and Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Algonquin communities to meet with and learn from Elders and community members, and to share knowledge about the project. Additional meetings, design workshops and knowledge sharing events are planned with these Algonquin communities, and with local urban and national Indigenous organizations.

About the new Ottawa Public Library and Library and Archives Canada joint facility

Set to open in 2024, the joint facility will become a landmark destination built on the shared values of the partner institutions. The facility will deliver a rich customer experience through the Ottawa Public Library’s Central Library and Library and Archives Canada’s public services, exhibitions and events, which showcase Canada’s heritage. The joint programming and services will make this a truly unique offering in Canada. It will be a modern, iconic facility that will respond to rapidly developing technology, growing customer expectations and changing demographics.

For more information on the Ottawa Public Library and Library and Archives Canada joint facility, and the Inspire555 Series, please visit Inspire555.ca.

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Rummage Sale April 13

The 2019 Rummage Sale will take place on Saturday, April 13 from 9 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. at the Community Building, 31 Sutton Place. This is a well-established annual spring event that attracts about 20 vendors and many buyers on the lookout for bargains and one-of-a-kind items.

Beyond the bargains, coffee and cookies will be available for purchase. Vendors can rent a six-foot table for $12 or a five-foot table for $10 and do their own selling.  As of right now, there are only three 6 ft. tables left unreserved for the event. The cost of using one is $12.00.  Please call Margaret McPherson at 613-723-0169 if you wish to have one.

 

Tree Canada Grant Program for Trees Lost During the Tornado

Tree Canada has announced funding for those who have lost trees during last year’s tornado.  They will be providing funding to private landowners (i.e. residences, condominiums, institutional) who own/manage a property and who had individual trees destroyed by the tornadoes to plant trees on their property.

The media release and application information can be found at links below.  Please note that they are only accepting applications until April 21^st.

Media Release:

https://treecanada.ca/news-releases/tree-canadas-operation-releaf-ottawa-gatineau-responds-to-devastation-by-tornadoes/

Application:

https://treecanada.ca/operationreleaf/ottawa-gatineau/

Dymon Submits Revised Plans for Baseline and Clyde Property

Coun. Egli announced that Dymon Storage has submitted a revised application for its site at the corner of Baseline Road and Clyde Avenue.  As referenced in the newsletter, this article includes some of the new plans (site plan, landscaping plan, and the softscape and hardscape plans), as well as the Planning Rationale:

2019-March – 1375 Clyde – Site Plan

2019-March – 1375 Clyde – Landscape Plan

2019-March – 1375 Clyde – Softscape and Hardscape Plan

2019-March – 1375 Clyde – Planning Rationale Addendum

You may also go to this link to see the entire municipal planning file for this project: https://app01.ottawa.ca/postingplans/appDetails.jsf?lang=en&appId=__AOFEAY

Dymon released its initial plan for the property in mid-2017, to include a five-storey self-storage warehouse on Clyde beside the Petro Canada gas station, which is not part of this project. The storage building would be similar to other Dymon buildings in the city, with indoor parking for clients and 24/7 access.

A standalone sitdown restaurant is proposed for the frontage on Baseline Road, and the existing retail space, previously a Canadian Tire and then a Value Village, has already been renovated and houses Motor Sports World, a dealer in small recreational vehicles such as motorcycles, ATVs and snowmobiles.

Dymon also proposes a five-storey addition beside the existing retail building, at the far corner of the property.

The proposal requires a zoning change because a warehouse is not currently an allowed use of the property.

Association representatives who discussed the plan with Dymon and the city in 2017 were particularly concerned about making the site, a “gateway property” in Coun. Egli’s words, as green, pedestrian friendly and visually and architecturally attractive as possible. Most of the Merivale Road / Clyde Avenue retail strip is car-centric, and there have been suggestions for decades to improve its overall appearance.

For this site, any improvements have to be made as part of this proposal, since the buildings will exist for decades to come.

Last fall, Coun. Egli stated that he had “significant concerns” about the entire proposal.” “I believe that so much more could be done at this corner, which is really a gateway property, other than a self-storage warehouse.” He said any proposal for this property, in conjunction with the development of the adjacent Triangle lands (immediately east of this site, extending to the Loblaws plaza), should “aid in the rehabilitation of this area into something other than strip malls and big-box retailers” – namely a “viable multi-use proposal with residences, restaurants and shopping along with some innovative greening.” He said a self-storage warehouse does not “rise to the challenge and promise” of this property and sets a “less than ideal precedent” for development of the Triangle lands.

The new plan does not change the overall concept, but Dymon now proposes to operate its own retail store on the first floor of the five-storey addition; the restaurant has been moved west to abut the gas station to allow a wider access to the site from Baseline eastbound; and there has been landscaping improvements to the site.

As the newsletter went to press, Coun. Egli said he will be meeting with the city planner and Dymon to review the revised plan, but “after the quick review that I have done thus far I still have questions and concerns … at this point I am still not a booster of this project.”

Residents who wish to comment on this proposal should promptly e-mail Coun. Egli at Ward9@ottawa.ca, and include a copy to the city planner, Mary Dickinson, mary.dickinson@ottawa.ca

 

 

Upcoming Events in the Community

Here is a quick list of some upcoming events that may be of interest.  More information for each is included below.

• Ward 9 Seniors Summit (Councillor Egli) – April 5, 1pm to 4pm at the Sportsplex
• Fostering Diversity while Strengthening Inclusion Conference (The Lebanese & Arab Social Services Agency) – March 29 at the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre
• NROCRC’s Got Talent! (Nepean Rideau Osgoode Community Resource Centre) – March 22, 6:30pm to 9:30pm at Broadway’s Prince of Wales

Ward 9 Seniors Summit

Fostering Diversity while Strengthening Inclusion Conference

As engaged members of the Ottawa community, The Lebanese & Arab Social Services Agency (LASSA) would like to invite you to our last event as part of our year long Fostering Diversity project – the Fostering Diversity while Strengthening Inclusion Conference on March 29th, 2019 at the Ottawa Conference & Event Centre.  Please see invitation letter, basic agenda, and flyer attached.  We hope you are able to support this event and circulate it to members of your community as we strive to assist the integration of newcomers to Ottawa and address prejudice and discrimination in our communities.  We look forward to hearing from you.  We have an exciting line-up of speakers including:

1) Kory Wilson –   ED Indigenous Initiatives and Partnerships, BCIT

2) Yasir Naqvi – CEO -Institute for Canadian Citizenship

3) Renata Brum – former Senior Citizenship Judge

4) Rawda Harb – Researcher, Someone Project

If interested, you can confirm your attendance with me directly by email or register online.

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fostering-diversity-while-strengthening-inclusion-conference-tickets-56661790942?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

NROCRC’s Got Talent!

Join us Friday, March 22, 2019  
For an Amateur Musical Talent Competition!

Hosted with Broadway Bar & Grill
(1896 Prince of Wales Drive, Nepean) 
6:30-9:30 PM

Do you sing or play an instrument?
Do you dream of performing live?

NROCRC wants to showcase your
Special Musical Talent
at an Amateur Talent Competition!

All ages are invited & participation is free!
Vocal & instrumental welcome (no bands please)

Winners will be invited to perform at NROCRC’s
SHINE A LIGHT ON OUR COMMUNITY GALA
on April 27, 2019

Click HERE for Contest Details

Dinner reservations recommended for March 22nd,
please call Broadway @ (613) 224-7004

Rink Closed for the Season

With the weather (finally) turning warmer the rink at Fisher Heights is now closed.  It was a great skating season with the rink opening before Christmas and staying open until mid-March.

A big thank you has to be given to Joe and Francesco Martello for getting the ice up and running and keeping it in top shape throughout the year, and the rest of the rink staff as well for keeping the dressing room clean and available.  Our rink has one of the longest seasons in the City, and that is due to all the hard work put in by this team.

We look forward to next year’s rink, though we do need to have a summer first!

 

New warning about ‘distraction’ thefts in Ottawa

Below is a press release from the City of Ottawa that may be of interest to members of the community:

New warning about ‘distraction’ thefts in Ottawa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, March 1st, 2019    1:10pm

(Ottawa) – The Ottawa Police Service Criminal Investigation Unit is investigating a number of Distraction Thefts throughout Ottawa targeting our senior population (but not exclusive to seniors). These thefts occur near retail locations across the city of Ottawa and investigators have identified 10 known cases in the past four days.

Most of the occurrences are happening between 12:00 (noon) and 4:00pm. Victims are approached by the suspects in public areas and parking lots. The suspect(s) offer a form of assistance to the targeted victims, such as an offer to help carry purchases, state that the victim dropped money or point out an issue with the victim’s vehicle. While the victim is distracted the suspects steal their debit or credit cards.

The suspects appear to work in groups of two or more and are a combination of male and female.

Ottawa Police are reminding people to remain vigilant as a potential victim or witness to their surroundings and immediately report any similarly suspicious encounters to the Ottawa Police Service. Please remember to hide your PIN when using your debit or credit cards, lock your vehicle with your keys in hand even if you step away from it for a brief period.

Anyone with information about this type of distraction thefts can contact the Ottawa Police at 613-236-1222, ext. 7300. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or by downloading the Ottawa Police app.

For more information on theft prevention tips see commons scams and crime prevention for seniors.