Lazy Bay Commons Update

Following up on Lazy Bay Commons: Trees Not Embassies, Heather writes:

A key gain is that The NCC’s parkland commitments have risen from a low of 9.2% of the site in their initial proposal, to 17.9% in their amended proposal, to the current 24.3%. Among other agreed-upon conditions are some that will limit the amount of outdoor surface parking. A perfect ending would have been for the entire site to be retained as part of the Ottawa River linear park, but, at least as far as we know, only one embassy currently has any interest in taking out a long term lease on NCC land at Lazy Bay Commons. Most of the site should remain greenspace until or unless others show interest.

Heather

Mechanicsville’s Press Release: https://bigtreeskitch.wixsite.com/trees/single-post/settlement-announced-on-lazy-bay-commons

CBC article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/embassy-row-mechanicsville-deal-approved-1.6786880

Rosemount Library READ Meeting – May 17

via Lynne via Jeff Leiper…

Do you love your local library – Rosemount? Have ideas on how it can be even better?

READ is looking for you! We’re having a brainstorming and next steps meeting the evening of Wednesday May 17th. We would love to have more Rosemount library users join us in the discussion and also consider joining the READ working group. RSVP here if you want to attend OR learn more. Bring your ideas and enthusiasm for our local branch!
Continue reading “Rosemount Library READ Meeting – May 17” →

Wellington West Big Heart Day – February 25

On Saturday, February 25 something BIG is coming to Wellington West this HEART Season! Join together on Wellington St W between 11am – 2pm for the BIG HEART Challenge Activity Day!

All to raise money for the Ottawa Heart Institute. Proudly presented by our sponsor Wellington West Retirement Community, and in partnership with Run Ottawa.

Lining 2km of Wellington St. West are games, activities, obstacles, and challenge stations! Grab a ballot from one of the stations and begin checking off your activities as you complete challenges. Want a neat way to try all the activities? Start at one of the two start/finish makers and make your way down the street! Invite your friends and family out and have fun while raising money for the Ottawa Heart Institute through the BIG HEART Challenge!

Event page: https://wellingtonwest.ca/the-big-heart-challenge-activity-day/
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1899970357020600

Some interesting challenges in the list there, and fortunately there is snow in the forecast so there can be some snowball action. I also see “FREE Stubbe chocolate for every challenge completed!” so there’s a prize even if you only do one of the ten challenges. Hmmm, should that milk jug toss challenge be a milk bag toss? 🙂

– Alex

Community Association Board Meeting – February 28

Agenda

Champlain Park Community Association (CPCA) Board Meeting

Tuesday February 28, 2023
7:30 PM via Google Meet
Everybody Welcome

Board meetings will have an open session for community residents to observe business discussions. Non board community members will also be invited to participate at certain times by the chair and there will be “in camera” topics for the board members only. Please contact the secretary via champlainpark@gmail.com to request a link to join the meeting.

Open session

  1. Approval of minutes of January 24, 2023 – Liz
  2. Report of interim motions – all
  3. Use of the Planning and Zoning Fund (discussion) – Heather – 30 minutes
  4. Having an area on the website for jobs and services offered (decision) – Liz – 10 minutes
  5. History of Champlain Park: Update on Book – Bob Grainger – 10 minutes
  6. Membership Drive – Need coordinator (advertise?), dates – Lynne – 5 minutes
  7. Other Business
  8. Next Meeting

Agenda last updated on February 24, 18:37. Please contact the secretary to add topics.

Cashmere & Chocolate Sale – February 11

Saturday February 11 2023 from 10am to 3pm at the Champlain Park field house, 149 Cowley Avenue.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, an afternoon that combines some of our favourite things.

On display and for sale will be high quality used and vintage cashmere sweaters and scarves and designer handbags. Several vintage clothing dealers will be hand. Expect to also find knitted hats and scarves, jewellery, exquisite chocolates and other tasty sweets.

And wait! There’s more, including double chocolate cake with tea!

[Poster for the Cashmere, Chocolate and Vintage Show, 2023]
Poster.pdf

1934 Robbery, Police Chase, Shooting Story

Just for the record, if you haven’t seen the private Facebook post or public Tweet…

Local historian Dave Allston has dug up a 1934 story about some kids who idealised John Dillinger way too much, leading to a robbery and a dramatic chase across town with the young robbers shooting at the police from a stolen car, that ended up in our neighbourhood (at Pontiac and Cowley) with the thieves escaping into the forest. You can read about it on his web site at:

https://kitchissippimuseum.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-1934-hintonburg-island-park-drive.html

Neighbour Debra e-mailed Dave and wondered if Pontiac Street connected directly to Island Park Drive (there are remnants of the road with manholes in the woods, and the related old sewer line caused backflow in the 2019 flood and has since been plugged up). Dave replied back, with this 1926 map:

[Map of Champlain Park area roads in 1926]

There’s also a 1950’s map in our Roads in the Woods – Pontiac and Other Street Expansion Plans post.

It’s interesting to see how First Street became Premier Avenue, and now it’s Amanda (name of a neighbour’s child) to avoid duplicate names across the amalgamated Ottawa.

Later on Dave commented that it became Carlou Avenue briefly, from 1947 to the early 1950s. Here’s the fire insurance map he mentioned:

[1948 Fire Insurance Map where First Street becomes Carlou in 1947]

Lazy Bay Commons: Trees Not Embassies

At the meeting on January 24, the CPCA Board voted to donate $250.00 to Mechanicsville’s Lazy Bay Commons, Trees Not Embassies Legal Defence Fund. Background is here: 20230124 Presentation Lazy Bay Commons.pdf This unique cause has the support of our Councillor, our MPP and our MP, community associations and other volunteer organisations in Ottawa. Ottawa City Council rejected the NCC’s Application to build embassies in this location.

[Map of the Trees Affected and Surrounding Area]

The NCC appealed Council’s decision to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT), the “independent adjudicative tribunal responsible for resolving appeals and applications on a variety of contentious municipal and land use planning matters.”

Mechanicsville continues to raise funds to hire a Professional Planner and Lawyer, so they can participate meaningfully in the Appeal process. Donations may be made here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/trees-not-embassies-legal-defense-fund

Heather