General Update/Rumour thread [Archive] - Page 46

rocketphish

Jul 2, 2015, 5:01 PM

Federal departments jockey to take over former e-spy headquarters

David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: July 1, 2015 | Last Updated: July 1, 2015 6:00 PM EDT

http://wpmedia.ottawacitizen.com/2015/06/ottawa-04-30-02-the-sir-leonard-tilley-building-is-designed.jpg?quality=55&strip=all&w=660

Federal government departments are jockeying to take over Ottawa buildings once occupied by Canada’s electronic spies, but such a move could cost as much as $400 million, according to documents obtained by the Citizen.

The two buildings, Edward Drake and Sir Leonard Tilley, were used by the Communications Security Establishment, but that spy organization has since moved into a brand new complex on Ogilvie Road.

That move freed up the organization’s buildings, known as the Confederation Heights Campus, at the corners of Riverside, Bronson and Heron.

It also sparked interest from a number of federal organizations to take over the former CSE facilities.

The Department of National Defence was keen to acquire the buildings to establish what it described as a centre for “intelligence enabled military operations,” according to January 2014 documents obtained by the Citizen.

DND officials pointed out that the security features of the buildings, including specialized shielding to prevent eavesdropping from outside, would allow it to save money instead of having to invest in that type of protection in another location.

“There could be cost avoidance and savings for the Crown in re-using existing secure infrastructure in these buildings,” DND officials noted.

But they worried they would lose the site to Corrections Canada.

Having another federal department take over the site could cost as much as $400 million, DND officials added.

The DND proposal to move into the building, however, did not happen.

“We’re actually not considering the building,” said DND spokesman Dan Blouin. “PW (Public Works) contacted us and a couple of other departments and we determined it didn’t fit our needs.”

Public Works is now working on a plan to refit the buildings and is looking for new tenants. It has not yet been confirmed who would take over the buildings, said Public Works spokeswoman Michele LaRose.

“Once confirmed, the new tenants will be relocated in a phased approach over 2018 and 2019 as the newly fit-up office space is ready to occupy,” she added.

The buildings will be refitted to meet the federal government’s Workplace 2.0 standard. That includes “open, flexible and dynamic workspaces, which allow for innovative designs and better use of space,” explained LaRose.

“The fit-up standards also promote sustainable design principles and productive work environments to accommodate employees.”

The buildings will require seismic, electrical and mechanical updates to meet modern building standards, she also noted.

“The cost of the fit-up has not been calculated as new tenants have not yet been confirmed,” said LaRose. “Once confirmed, the fit-up scope will be defined and project costs will be developed.”

But sources tell the Citizen that the Canada Revenue Agency and the Canada Border Services Agency are the two organizations being considered as tenants.

CSE has moved to its new $1 billion campus in the east end of Ottawa.

CSE management objected when officials with the Union of National Defence Employees dubbed the 72,000-square-metre complex the Taj Mahal because of its numerous amenities.

But the Citizen reported in 2012 that the federal government had its own moniker for the new facility: Camelot, named for the mythical castle and court of King Arthur.

The documents released at that time by the Department of National Defence under the Access to Information law noted that Project Camelot would deliver a world-class facility while at the same time solving CSE’s need for modern accommodation and increased electrical power.

“It will also distinguish Canada as a leader among its intelligence allies for this type of show-case facility,” stated the records.

CSE intercepts, decodes, translates and analyzes the communications of Canada’s adversaries. It also safeguards government computer systems.

In February it named its new facility on Ogilvie Road as the Edward Drake Building.

In 1946 Drake was named to head the spy organization that eventually became the Communications Security Establishment.

dpugliese@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/davidpugliese

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/federal-government-organizations-jockey-to-take-over-former-spy-headquarters-in-ottawa

c_speed3108

Jul 3, 2015, 2:50 PM

The interesting thing about Shoppers is some people insist they're expensive, others insist they're cheap. Perhaps it depends on the items one buys.

I remember seeing an article on Walmarts pricing on food a while. Basically it came down to no store can be cheaper on everything or they would make no money as margins are really low. The idea is to get enough items that are cheaper to create the perception of cheaper overall. Walmart was around 2/3 of items apparently. (the article said avoid the meat counter... :haha: ) The remaining items then come in at higher prices to make some money back.

Shoppers is really cheap on milk, eggs, and has a slate of items that are very frequently on sale like chocolate milk, tissue, paper towels etc... All that stuff gets you in the store and are located far from the door. There are hundreds of items in between that they make a mint on.

Harley613

Jul 7, 2015, 8:52 PM

The old Catholic school board building at Bronson and the 417 is coming down!! This is amazing! I wonder what the plan is..
http://imgur.com/aOzvYKU.jpg

1overcosc

Jul 7, 2015, 8:56 PM

phil235

Jul 7, 2015, 9:04 PM

^ Moving the 417 EB -> Bronson offramp so it connects directly to Chamberlain.

I believe it's going to be used as a staging area for all the bridge replacements for a few years before they get around to that, though.

Yep, the re-alignment has been delayed until the bridge replacements are done. It will be a staging area for a couple of years.

Norman Bates

Jul 7, 2015, 9:46 PM

The old Catholic school board building at Bronson and the 417 is coming down!! This is amazing! I wonder what the plan is..
http://imgur.com/aOzvYKU.jpg

As I recall, that building was once a Coca-Cola bottling plant.

emannigol

Jul 7, 2015, 10:34 PM

Weren't they going to use it as a staging are for tunnelling the north-south segment of the CSST? And then re-align with chamberlain once that project is done?

emannigol

Jul 7, 2015, 10:39 PM

See pg. 3.1
http://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/documents.ottawa.ca/files/documents/CSST_Addendum.pdf

rocketphish

Jul 16, 2015, 5:08 PM

ByWard Market's Mercury Court sells for $22 million

OBJ Staff
Published on July 15, 2015

http://www.obj.ca/media/photos/unis/2015/07/15/2015-07-15-03-00-03-20150714_C8549_PHOTO_EN_445740%20%281%29.jpg

A private investor has purchased a landmark ByWard Market property for $22 million, Primecorp Commercial Realty announced late Tuesday.

Mercury Court is a 51,459-square-foot, three-storey office building with ground-floor retail on the corner of George and Dalhousie streets. Its anchor tenants include the Lone Star Texas Grill, Second Cup and Gabriel Pizza.

The building was formerly owned by local property management company Toth Equity Ltd. The deal was completed by Primecorp’s National Commercial Group, led by CEO Aik Aliferis and president Nick Pantieras.

“Seldom do properties such as this trade in any Canadian market; the opportunity to acquire such an asset is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Mr. Aliferis said in a statement, adding the location makes it a “trophy acquisition” for the unnamed buyer. “Typically, private investors will keep this type of property in the family for generations.”

“With the addition of this asset, he has added an exceptional and significant property to his growing portfolio," Mr. Aliferis said.

http://www.obj.ca/Real-Estate/Non-residential/2015-07-15/article-4215275/ByWard-Markets-Mercury-Court-sells-for-%2422-million/1

Boxster

Jul 16, 2015, 5:40 PM

Uhuniau

Jul 17, 2015, 12:24 AM

I just love the looks of this building plus all the retail on the ground floor. :)

I just wish they'd replace the clock.

J.OT13

Jul 18, 2015, 1:10 AM

The old Catholic school board building at Bronson and the 417 is coming down!! This is amazing! I wonder what the plan is..
http://imgur.com/aOzvYKU.jpg

Damn! I loved that building.

Norman Bates

Jul 19, 2015, 2:53 AM

As I recall, this was originally a coca-cola bottling plant.

MountainView

Jul 23, 2015, 1:34 PM

Along with the Jack Astor's at the Lowes Plaza on Merivale near Hunt Club will be a Baton Rouge. I guess 'Chop' steak house as advertised on Trinity's webpage may not be coming to Ottawa. Anyone know if they are moving forward with building a hotel here? A Sandman brand I believe.

DEWLine

Jul 26, 2015, 9:13 PM

Who actually shops at Shopper's Drug Mart anymore? I haven't entered one in years. Their prices are so ridiculous...it makes me laugh.

Mine's within ten minutes' walking distance. Occasionally, there's stuff worth getting. I do hope to see their books+magazines section expanded further, mind you.

YOWflier

Jul 27, 2015, 11:02 AM

On this morning's traffic report it was mentioned that Sparks is closed between Bronson and Bay for the "assembly of a crane". Is this for the cathedral hill office tower?

waterloowarrior

Aug 1, 2015, 12:46 PM

Gas bar/convenience store coming Heron/Walkley
http://app01.ottawa.ca/postingplans/appDetails.jsf?lang=en&appId=__0NBAL4

Harley613

Aug 26, 2015, 10:57 PM

I can't seem to find the thread for Summerhill at Dow's Lake anywhere... I drove by today and the sales centre was shuttered and all the promotional material removed.

rocketphish

Aug 27, 2015, 12:12 AM

I can't seem to find the thread for Summerhill at Dow's Lake anywhere... I drove by today and the sales centre was shuttered and all the promotional material removed.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=200816

rocketphish

Aug 27, 2015, 2:17 AM

Planning committee approves amendments to cash-for-parks policy

Adam Feibel, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: August 25, 2015 | Last Updated: August 25, 2015 6:51 PM EDT

The city’s planning committee has approved amendments to its cash-in-lieu for parkland policy that would now give councillors the ability to repair parks and recreational amenities using money originally designated only for new park space.

A report first submitted in July recommended sweeping changes to make the policy better reflect the city’s transparency and accountability goals, allow for an expanded range of projects and ensure funds are used in a “fair and consistent manner.”

The cash-in-lieu money comes from property developers: When they build something new, they have to hand over either land for parks for the new residents to whom they’re selling homes, or cash for the city to use on parks instead.

The funds have strict guidelines that state that they must only go to creating new parks or new and upgraded amenities at existing parks.

Debate at Tuesday’s committee meeting centred on a recommendation to allow those funds to also be used for repairs and replacement of existing amenities.

River Coun. Riley Brockington said he was concerned that wards “blessed with development” will end up with “Cadillac-style” parks because they’re in areas with more development and thus better access to cash-in-lieu funds than others.

But what might look like a “pot of gold” in certain wards could actually be for a much-needed, expensive long-term project, said Capital Coun. David Chernushenko. He said there’s a “double-edged sword” with putting pressure on repairs and neglecting new projects to account for growth.

Several councillors argued that park renewals are supposed to be covered by the city budget, paid for by taxes, rather than coming from cash-in-lieu funds based on ward intensification.

Dan Chenier, the city’s general manager of parks, recreation and cultural services, said his department mostly gets requests to spend cash-in-lieu funds when amenities desperately need renewal and aren’t being used because of it.

Another amendment called for cash-in-lieu funds to not be allowed to pay for plaques engraved with the names of councillors whose offices paid for a park or recreational facility.

Coun. Allan Hubley objected to the recommendation — which came after former River Ward councillor Maria McRae spent thousands of dollars in her final year in office on commemorative benches, many of which feature $570 bronze plaques emblazoned with her name — that sought to prevent those dollars from funding anything that could be perceived as “promotional.”

“I find it very objectionable that you suggested councillors were using them to promote themselves,” Hubley said at Tuesday’s meeting. “It’s not about putting up a $200,000 splash pad just so we can put our name on it … It’s a thank-you.”

Instead, councillors voted to allow recognition of cash-in-lieu funding sources only on projects over $10,000, and remove the word “promotional” from the policy amendment.

The committee eventually voted 6-3 to approve the amendments, minus one recommendation to create permanent cash-in-lieu project planner positions.

The matter goes to council for approval on Sept. 9.

afeibel@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/adamfeibel

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/planning-committee-meets

cityguy

Aug 27, 2015, 12:00 PM

I've been told that a sandman inn is coming to the w hunt club area ,near the lowe's

MountainView

Aug 27, 2015, 1:40 PM

I've been told that a sandman inn is coming to the w hunt club area ,near the lowe's

That has been the plan on Trinity's website for years now. But other stores on their plan have not showed up and have been replaces with others so I will wait and see. They are currently building something where the hotel is suppose to go according to their site plan.

http://www.trinity-group.com/properties/new-large-format-centres/ottawa-on/hunt-club-and-merivale/

rocketphish

Aug 29, 2015, 2:40 AM

Ottawa's former planning boss goes into business with former Minto VP

David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: August 28, 2015 | Last Updated: August 28, 2015 9:09 PM EDT

Longtime Ottawa planning committee chairman Peter Hume has gone into business as a development consultant with former Minto vice-president Jack Stirling.

They’ve “formed a strategic partnership to pursue development projects and to advise both the private and public sector on how to build a better and more prosperous City” says the minimal website for the venture, called HP Urban (http://www.hpurban.ca/). Hume is its chief strategist.

He quit politics in 2014 after spending half his life as a local councillor for Alta Vista. For the last 11 years, he chaired city council’s planning committee, making him the point man for Ottawa’s urban-planning decisions.

He walked a difficult line, often loudly demanding better-quality projects from the city’s builders and more efficient approvals from the city’s staff. Under his supervision, the city rewrote its master land-use plan twice and took up numerous plans for particular neighbourhoods, to try to give what he called “certainty” to existing residents and builders who wanted to redevelop strip malls and parking lots.

Hume also raked in tens of thousands of dollars in developer contributions to his re-election campaigns, and after he announced he was quitting, he was involved in organizing fundraisers hosted by commercial developer Michael Casey (an old friend of his, a vice-president at Arnon Corp.) for several candidates. They included Hume’s successor, Jean Cloutier.

Stirling has worked on both sides of the urban-planning table. He was cashiered as Nepean’s planning commissioner when it amalgamated with Ottawa in 2001 and then went to work as Minto’s vice-president of development, shepherding downtown condo projects and suburban subdivisions through the city’s approval processes.

He left Minto in a corporate shakeup last fall, about a year after the guy who hired him for the family business, Roger Greenberg, stepped down as chief executive.

Stirling is in his early 60s, Hume his early 50s. City councillors make more money than most people, about $90,000 a year, but after 20 years in politics Hume’s likely in no position to retire: he has to do something and planning’s what he knows best. He knows Ottawa’s urban-design policies inside-out, having helped write them, and he has a nose for political problems that plenty of stats-bound professional planners don’t.

Well, he didn’t respond to my attempts to talk to him about his new gig, which maybe isn’t ideal. But Hume’s got genuine expertise to sell, and a history that shows he really cares about building a better city. A builder would be lucky to have his advice.

And yet. Hume joins a list of people who’ve made their names regulating Ottawa’s development industry and then gone to join it.

Two of the top people at the city’s biggest planning consultancy FoTenn — founding partner Ted Fobert and senior vice-president Pamela Sweet — were respectively the senior planners for the pre-amalgamation Ottawa and the regional government. They now help the biggest builders in town with their most contentious projects.

The city’s former director of planning policy Dennis Jacobs lobbies the city as a freelance development consultant. Jacobs’ biggest visible success, to be fair, has been representing local residents opposing a project on Roosevelt Avenue in Westboro, but his company’s client list includes Minto and Claridge and Mattamy.

The urban-planning business is high-profile but pretty small. There’s not a lot of money in working for community associations that have to pass the hat to cover a planner’s fees; the people who do it are like legal-aid lawyers but with even less business. With very, very few exceptions, you’re either working for a government that regulates things or for a company that’s trying to get that government’s approval.

And if you’re working for such a company, your ultimate mission will be to get it the most wiggle room possible under the numerous overlapping and sometime conflicting sets of rules that govern its work. If builders didn’t want to push the limits, they wouldn’t need development consultants.

Peter Hume’s evident popularity with Ottawa’s developers was always a problem for his credibility as a regulator of their industry. He’d be impatient and irritable with them in public, but under his leadership the city rarely said no to proposals of theirs that came to votes and at election times they always showed up with those bags of money.

He’s a private citizen now and he has a perfect right to do as he pleases. But if you’re one of the many people who don’t have much faith in the city’s ability to stick up for citizens when it deals with planning applications, this will not help.

dreevely@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/davidreevely

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/reevely-ottawas-former-planning-boss-goes-into-business-with

rocketphish

Sep 4, 2015, 5:08 PM

Westboro at risk of losing Westfest

By Craig Lord, The Kitchissippi Times
September 2, 2015

https://kitchissippitimes.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/westfest2015featurepic-bytedsimpon.jpg?w=700

In a unanimous decision, the Westboro BIA Board of Directors voted to utilize its opt-out clause in its two-year contract agreement as the title sponsor of Westfest. The vote was held during the most recent BIA board meeting in early July, even as the positive feedback from the latest iteration of Westfest was still flowing in.

Elaina Martin, who has worked with the Westboro BIA to produce the event since its inception, says she was “very shocked” to hear the BIA wanted to end the relationship.

“This was one of the most successful Westfests ever. The Board of Directors of the BIA just decided they wanted to do something different with their marketing budget,” says Martin.

The board and Martin recently renegotiated a two-year contract for Westfest in Westboro, with an opt-out clause included for both parties after the first year. The renegotiated contract meant a reduced festival sponsorship, down from $150,000 to $125,000, but still represented 65 per cent of the BIA’s annual marketing budget. After year one, the Board of Directors decided that amount was still too steep to pay for an ever-growing festival.

Elaina Martin notes that nearly all of the money she receives from the BIA goes towards closing down the streets to have the party. Other sponsorships are required to pay for artists’ hotel rooms, stages, and other Westfest necessities.

“It’s not because there was a problem with the festival itself. It’s simply just we have other initiatives we need to pursue,” says Dan Hwang, chairman of the Westboro BIA Board of Directors.

Hwang says that putting 65 per cent of the budget into a two-day event was difficult to justify. The board would like to branch out into other initiatives: year-round programming for the new Winston Square installation and continued streetscape beautification efforts, for example. In other words, more long-term projects rather than one big short-term boost.

“We still want to do a summer festival in order to highlight all of the things that are great about Westboro, and to try to achieve the most benefit for our members. We’re just trying to make the financially responsible decision,” says Hwang.

Business improvement areas in the city are funded entirely by local merchants who pay a levy to the city for registration and accordingly receive that levy back in the form of an annual budget. The city acts as the accountant, but all funds come from the members. The mandate of a BIA, then, is to use that money to market and promote businesses in the area, and divide their budget to what the board feels will provide the greatest return on investment.

Martin says that she isn’t soured on relations with the BIA — realizing it was strictly a financial decision — and is still open to renegotiating. She says she feels bad for the business owners who didn’t have a say in the process.

“It’s a pretty big deal to a lot of people on the street there,” Martin says.

Many businesses in the Westboro BIA are upset with terminating sponsorship. An email was sent from the BIA board to its members on July 10 outlining the decision and justifications, but a number of businesses didn’t receive the email and heard about the outcome much later in the summer when Martin sent a farewell message of her own.

Sheba Schmidt, owner of West End Kids, says she was dismayed when she finally heard what had happened.

“They made a decision on an event that is huge revenue for us,” she says. “I was so hot with frustration.”

Along with Don Cogan, owner of Whispers restaurant, she began contacting other businesses to rally their support behind Westfest. Many owners responded to throw their support behind the campaign.

“I was not happy,” says Valerie Ventola, owner of The Cuckoo’s Nest. “Westfest was a really good income generator for us, and we also get a lot of visibility from all over Ottawa. So we end up getting additional sales for weeks afterwards.”

Tracy Smith, the owner of Brio (and whose husband, Gilbert Russell, is on the Board of Directors), says she enjoys Westfest but sees the benefit of more regular programming.

“It would be nice to have some of that… maybe spread over the year, to have more impact,” she says.

The Village Quire owner Molly van der Schee agrees, but wants to see proof that other events can be done successfully before getting rid of a sure-thing in Westfest.

“Westfest puts Westboro on the map,” says van der Schee.

Not all hope is lost, however. Councillor Jeff Leiper recently facilitated a meeting between Cogan, Schmidt and representatives of the board. Leiper does sit on the board, but says his role is representative of the voters of Kitchissippi, and as such abstained from putting his vote into an affair solely between the BIA board and its members.

“I’m urging the BIA board to take that reconsideration very seriously, but I’m not advocating that they do or not. I’m just making sure they’re listening,” Leiper says. He notes, though, that Westfest has been a substantial community-building initiative for years.

After Cogan and Schmidt voiced the concerns they’d gathered from residents, the board agreed to reconsider its decision and gather more direct feedback from BIA members in a forum soon to be determined.

“They listened to us loud and clear,” Schmidt says. “Westboro members have a fighting chance.”

The original plan saw the BIA seek proposals for a new, smaller budget festival. Westfest Inc. was welcome to apply to the request, but Martin says she was not open to that option. This plan remains in place until the board chooses an alternate approach, or reinstates Westfest’s sponsorship.

Martin says that while she has been actively seeking a new venue for Westfest, she’s encouraged by the support and would like to see a speedy resolution to keep the festival in its original home.

“I’m not going to be the one that lets them down, that’s for sure,” she says.

https://kitchissippitimes.wordpress.com/2015/09/02/westfest/

Norman Bates

Sep 4, 2015, 6:41 PM

Seems like another one of those shortsighted decisions so endemic in Ottawa.

mykl

Sep 4, 2015, 11:00 PM

Honestly, I go to Westfest every year and never really enjoy myself. I agree that's a lot of money to pump into a glorified overcrowded sidewalk sale with generally low-grade musical acts designed by yuppies for yuppies to show the rest of the city why they think they're better than everyone else.

phil235

Sep 5, 2015, 2:32 AM

mykl

Sep 6, 2015, 7:18 PM

Why do you go every year?

In hopes there might be something different? Because I'd rather be outside trying to enjoy my city than sitting at home doing nothing? Its not like I go for every minute of the festival.

Why do people go to Canada Day? That's the same every year but people do it anyway.

canabiz

Sep 8, 2015, 6:02 PM

Anyone knows what they are building in the Fairlawn Plaza on Carling, across from Swiss Chalet and TD?

I drove by the site today and the hole has been dug, didn't have a chance to see if there is any sign.

AuxTown

Sep 8, 2015, 7:43 PM

OK, I'm way behind on this stuff. Does anyone have a map showing the different projects proposed and under construction around Dow's Lake? What is the tallest one with the crane right now?

MountainView

Sep 9, 2015, 2:15 AM

OK, I'm way behind on this stuff. Does anyone have a map showing the different projects proposed and under construction around Dow's Lake? What is the tallest one with the crane right now?

If you are talking about the one on Champagne behind SOHO Champagne that is 'Envie' - a residence for students being sold to investors.
Envie Thread (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=197036)

OR at the corner of Preston and Carling is Claridge Icon which definitely does not have a crane yet (hopefully within a year though)
Icon Thread (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=199138)

The old Dow Honda building on Carling beside the O-train is Richcraft's Sky Condos (which are proposed and not selling units yet, drawings are still preliminary). Proposed at 55 storeys & over 150m
Sky Thread (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=204605)

Welcome back!

rocketphish

Sep 14, 2015, 5:06 PM

Maintenance projects added to cash-for-parks policy
Fears regular parks budget will be slashed

By Emma Jackson
Ottawa West News, Sep 10, 2015

Despite Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper’s best efforts, the city will now let councillors use their ward accounts to renew and repair existing parks instead of create new ones.

Each ward across the city has a cash-in-lieu account that gets filled up as developers build in their wards.

While the city’s first choice is to have the developers install new parks to accommodate residential growth, sometimes that’s not always possible – particularly downtown, where there’s little room for new green space. In those cases, the builder can instead pay cash in lieu of parkland.

Sixty per cent of the payment is given to the ward account, which the councillor controls. The other 40 per cent goes into a citywide account to fund larger projects like the Lansdowne redevelopment.

Until now, the cash-in-lieu money could only be used to expand or create new park facilities, not to repair or renew existing ones. But in a policy review earlier this spring, staff said adding this kind of lifecycle repair would give councillors the flexibility to more quickly address problems with aging infrastructure in their neighbourhoods – especially if the park in question was far down the waiting list for regular budgetary funding.

That sparked a debate between councillors who believe strongly that repairs and maintenance should come from taxpayer dollars – Leiper, Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney, Capital Coun. David Chernushenko and College Coun. Rick Chiarelli were among the most vocal – and those who wanted the flexibility to take care of repairs more efficiently if they so choose.

LACK OF SUPPORT

Leiper said his downtown parks can barely support their existing communities, let alone the thousands of new residents who are moving into new condos and infill throughout his ward.

“We’re diverting money meant to mitigate development and growth, and instead using it to backstop repairs,” Leiper said. He argued that park maintenance is a “municipal necessity” that should be funded through the tax-supported budget.

Chiarelli was less diplomatic.

“Committee was sent out to buy some groceries and came back with a bag of magic beans,” Chiarelli said. “Cash-in-lieu (payments) are a consolation prize. We require developers to give us parks … or to instead give us money so we can add to our inventory of parkland and park facilities. It was never meant to be a secondary source of our maintenance funds.”

The concern is that staff will now have an excuse to strip down the city’s already meagre parks maintenance budget and tell councillors to use up their cash-in-lieu accounts for maintenance first.

City treasurer Marian Simulik denied this possibility, noting that maintenance and renewal priorities are decided separately from cash-in-lieu requests.

“We would not build into the budget an assumption that a piece of work was going to be funded by the cash-in-lieu account in the ward,” Simulik said.

Any lifecycle projects done through a ward’s development accounts would be a bonus, and would simply free up space on the waiting list to potentially get other projects done faster too, she added.

Mayor Jim Watson supported adding lifecycle repairs to the policy, on the grounds that it gives councillors more choice.

“It’s perfectly reasonable, and perfectly permissible under provincial law, to allow you that flexibility,” Watson told council on Sept. 9 before they voted on a motion from Leiper to remove repairs from the policy. “For those who do not support this, the answer is simple: don’t use it for lifecycle. Just say to your community that, on principle, you won’t use it for that.”

Leiper’s motion was defeated five to 18. Another motion from Rideau-Rockcliffe Coun. Tobi Nussbaum was deferred to the larger budget debate expected later this fall.

Nussbaum wanted to change how two temporary park planners are paid from the cash-in-lieu program.

Right now every project over $100,000 skims 10 per cent of the project cost from the ward account toward the planners’ salaries.

Nussbaum wanted their salaries to be instead taken out of the citywide account off the top every year, to make it more equitable between wards and to offer some predictability for staffing and budgeting.

Staff have made it clear that the current staffing model is causing problems, because it’s hard to attract and retain talent with temporary positions.

http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/news-story/5837665-maintenance-projects-added-to-cash-for-parks-policy/

rocketphish

Sep 17, 2015, 11:52 PM

City will expropriate under some Lowertown homes for sewer work

Tom Spears, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: September 17, 2015 | Last Updated: September 17, 2015 3:17 PM EDT

http://wpmedia.ottawacitizen.com/2015/09/key-plan-city-of-ottawa-red-lines-who-the-north-south-and-ea.jpeg?quality=55&strip=all&w=1000

The City of Ottawa is moving to expropriate land far beneath about 19 homes in Lowertown as part of a plan to store sewage that spills into the Ottawa River during storms.

The city is building two sewer lines totalling 6.6 kilometres to hold back the sewage that overflows into the river when heavy rain combines with it.

One new tunnel will run under Kent Street, the other from LeBreton Flats east to New Edinburgh’s Stanley Park.

And where the eastbound sewer goes under the area of Bolton Street and King Edward Avenue in Lowertown, the city wants to expropriate the underground land.

It won’t expropriate the houses above the sewer line, but drilling through rock with a smaller version of the Light Rail Transit tunnel machine will create noise and possibly vibration for them.

Most of the planned tunnel system is under city streets, but where it crosses under private property the city needs to acquire the right to tunnel there. It’s starting expropriation proceedings now because this process can take a long time, but hopes to come to private agreements with the landowners, which is simpler.

The value would be based on the market value of bedrock.

“Just the way the angle goes, there are 19 properties that are affected,” said Rideau-Vanier Coun. Mathieu Fleury. “We’re expropriating the underground rights, but it’s in the bedrock. It doesn’t affect the surface.”

He said he believes there are other private properties affected in other wards.

“My understanding is that it’s minimal impact, but I can understand how a property owner for the first time receiving this letter would be surprised,” he said. He promised to follow up with the residents who are affected.

As with the LRT tunnelling, the city offers compensation in case the work causes cracks or other damage to the buildings overhead.

Construction of the whole system is expected to take from 2016 until 2019. When finished, it will hold 43,000 cubic metres of water, retaining it until the flood conditions end and the water can go to the sewage treatment plant.

Since they run below existing sewers, the new tunnels will be very deep. A planning document from the engineering firm Stantec says: “The tunnels range from 20 m (metres) to 35 m deep with six major drop shafts 2 m to 3 m in diameter.”

Drop shafts are points where they connect with the regular sewer system.

Tunnels will be three metres in diameter.

tspears@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/TomSpears1

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/city-will-expropriate-under-some-lowertown-towns-for-sewer-work

bartlebooth

Sep 18, 2015, 4:17 PM

For anyone interested, Ottawa Architecture Week starts this Sunday and runs until the 26th. All events are free to attend. You can find out more here- http://ottawaarchitectureweek.com

canabiz

Sep 30, 2015, 12:41 AM

http://www.obj.ca/Sponsored-Content/2015-09-28/article-4291987/Revitalizing-Ottawa%26rsquo%3Bs-core/1

J.OT13

Oct 1, 2015, 11:20 PM

Not an urban issue, but it needs to be posted: Max Keeping passes away on October 1, 2015.

http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/ottawa-loses-a-true-champion-broadcasting-legend-max-keeping-passes-away-1.2299491

Norman Bates

Oct 1, 2015, 11:43 PM

I wasn't necessarily a fan of his broadcasting but he did a metric tonne of community work.

He was neither an old-man's version of Howard stern like lowel Greene nor a seething raving ideologue like Steve Madly: both obsessed with their own greed and ego.

And that's why Max will be genuinely missed.

rocketphish

Oct 8, 2015, 5:37 PM

Where's My Snowplow app set to be launched by City of Ottawa next month
You bothered councillors and clogged up the city's info line, so here it is: magic of GPS used to track plows

CBC News Posted: Oct 08, 2015 7:15 AM ET Last Updated: Oct 08, 2015 7:55 AM ET

It's the question on 99 out of 100 minds any February morning following a fresh snowfall in the nation's capital, and after more than a year of work an app to tell you the precise location of your city snowplow is nearly ready.

Yes. Take a breath. Feel the muscles in your shoulders begin to relax. It's almost here.

"Where's My Plow" is set to be launched in November by the public works department. It's the end result of years of queries from residents to councillors and the city's 311 hotline, demanding to know where the plows are.

It's one of the most common questions the city gets, said Coun. Scott Moffatt, who represents the large rural ward of Rideau-Goulbourn.

"It's something that people want to know and the reality is, in the rural areas, the plow beats take a little bit longer," Moffatt said.

"And if we can give information to residents that helps them know where it's going to be or when it's going to be there, I can tell you it makes shovelling your laneway a bit nicer because you know that once you're done shovelling your laneway the plow's not going to come by and dump a big pile of snow in your freshly shoveled laneway."

Too right, councillor. That's a bummer every time.

Montreal unveiled a similar app last year, with a kink or two to iron out, and other Canadian and U.S. towns and cities have adopted the technology as well.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/where-s-my-snowplow-app-set-to-be-launched-by-city-of-ottawa-next-month-1.3262034

rocketphish

Oct 9, 2015, 1:22 AM

Westfest finds a new location in Mechanicsville

Blair Crawford, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: October 8, 2015 | Last Updated: October 8, 2015 7:25 PM EDT

Westfest is moving east.

Not far east, mind you. Its new home in Laroche Park in Mechanicsville is just 3.5 kilometres from the corner of Churchill Avenue and Richmond Road, epicentre of Westfest for the past 12 years.

Westfest director Elaina Martin said the new spot is perfect for the free festival, which will take place June 10-12, 2016.

“Laroche Park has still got its old roots and it’s such a blend of people,” Martin said. “It’s kind of like Westboro was 13 years ago. Back then, when I talked to people about Westboro, they’d say, ‘Where’s that?'”

“We’re bringing the stimulation of everything we offer to an area that needs a little love and attention.”

The announcement comes a month after the Westboro BIA cut its $125,000 subsidy to the half-million-dollar festival, a move that “shocked” Martin and even caught many Westboro businesses by surprise. But Martin says she harbours no hard feelings.

“We feel like we did our job and provided great stimulus for that area. If you remember Westboro from 12 years ago, it’s a completely transformed neighbourhood. We have nothing but great memories and great respect for everyone in that neighbourhood.”

Tucked between Parkdale and Bayswater avenues near the Ottawa River, Laroche Park has a high concentration of public housing and has been identified by the city as a disadvantaged community. A planned community skating rink sponsored by the Ottawa Senators Foundation was derailed last summer when soil tests showed the area would require expensive decontamination during construction.

But Martin touts its advantages as a festival site. It’s seconds off the Ottawa River bike path and adjacent to the Bayview Transit Station, and there are thousands of parking spots three blocks away at Tunney’s Pasture.

What it doesn’t have are the shops, restaurants and beer patios that were a big draw in Westboro, but Martin says she’s heard from about 30 vendors — from Westboro and nearby Hintonburg — who want to have booths at the new site. Food will come from an “urban food truck zone,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Westboro BIA is asking for proposals for a new, as-yet-unnamed street festival next year, said president Dan Hwang, a dentist on Byron Avenue. The organization has already applied for a street closure permit for the same weekend as Westfest, though that will now likely be changed to avoid a conflict.

The $125,000 Westfest subsidy consumed 65 per cent of the BIA’s budget, and the organization wanted to fund a better mix of year-round programming, Hwang said.

The Corner Bar and Grill was one of the Westboro businesses surprised by the BIA’s decision to pull its sponsorship. General manager Michael Hall said Westfest was the busiest weekend of the year for his restaurant.

“No staff booked that weekend off. They wanted to work. It was big, it was busy, it was fun,” he said.

He’s hopeful the new festival will help to plug the hole left by Westfest’s departure.

“The festival itself is important to have, but I don’t think the name matters much,” Hall said. “But if we’re sitting here in June and there is no festival coming our way, then that’s when we’ll be, ‘This kind of sucks’.”

But Hall wondered whether Westfest had grown too big. Last year’s headliner, Sarah Harmer, was a big draw for music fans but might have had less benefit for Richmond Road retailers.

“The ambitions of Westfest as a whole, as far as the music that was going on, may have been a little grandiose. It could have focused more on having people come out and having a good time, not necessarily on having a big headlining act,” Hall said.

bcrawford@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/getBAC

http://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/local-arts/westfest-finds-a-new-location-in-mechanicsville

rocketphish

Oct 14, 2015, 4:57 PM

Costco's move to Shoppers City East still up in the air?

OBJ Staff
Published on October 13, 2015

http://www.obj.ca/media/photos/unis/2015/10/13/photo_2963550/article.jpg

It now appears Costco's move to Shoppers City East isn't official after all.

Trinity Development Group, which owns the Gloucester retail complex, has posted an illustration on its website (http://trinity-group.com/property/shoppers-city-east/) showing a completely refurbished Shoppers City East with Costco as the dominant tenant.

But late Tuesday afternoon, the company revised the site plan to remove the Costco logo from a space that had been identified as the new home of the big-box store and removed Costco from the list of tenants. Instead, it listed 155,000 square feet of real estate as being "available."

According to Trinity's website, the 209,000-square-foot redevelopment will include the Beer Store, Gabriel Pizza and Shoppers Drug Mart, which currently have outlets at the Ogilvie Road site, along with a couple of new additions – the first Ottawa location of restaurant chain Chop Steakhouse & Bar and a D’Arcy McGee’s pub.

The website says the new-look plaza will open in summer 2016. Officials from Costco and Trinity did not return calls for comment on Tuesday afternoon.

When OBJ first reported Costco’s decision to move its Gloucester location from the corner of Cyrville and Innes roads to Shoppers City East, retail analyst Barry Nabatian said it was no surprise the bulk warehouse vendor was looking elsewhere in the east end for space.

“The major problem is they do not have enough parking,” he told OBJ in June. “No matter where you go there, parking is awful.”

Costco’s current Innes location is about 100,000 square feet. Mr. Nabatian, director of market research at Shore Tanner & Associates, said he expects the new Ogilvie store to be about 50 per cent larger.

While a big-box tenant such as Costco provides a stable anchor for a strip mall, such retailers generally pay far less rent than smaller stores, he added – often as little as $9 or $10 per square foot compared with $20 and up for smaller retailers.

“Having these huge stores is beneficial only if you have lots of other smaller stores that can benefit from the large store, and therefore you can charge them higher rent to compensate for (lower rent at) the large store,” Mr. Nabatian said.

Costco Canada, which is headquartered in Ottawa, operates 89 stores in nine provinces. The chain’s Canadian operations generated more than $17 billion in revenue in 2014.

http://www.obj.ca/Local/Retail/2015-10-13/article-4308024/UPDATE%3A-Costcos-move-to-Shoppers-City-East-still-up-in-the-air%3F/1

acottawa

Oct 26, 2015, 9:21 PM

Sorry if there is a 24 Sussex thread I couldn't find, but Trudeau is apparently moving into Rideau Cottage until a decision on 24 Sussex is taken.

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/trudeau-to-call-22-room-rideau-cottage-home-while-deciding-on-whether-to-move-into-24-sussex

Trudeaus to call 22-room Rideau Cottage home while deciding on whether to move into 24 Sussex

Don Butler, Postmedia News | October 26, 2015 4:54 PM ET

Justin Trudeau and his family will be immediately relocated to Rideau Cottage, part of the Rideau Hall grounds in the National Capital Region, his office announced Monday.

The Trudeau family will reside at Rideau Cottage until further notice, his office said in a statement, adding that the prime minister-designate will decide whether to move into 24 Sussex Dr. “once he has been fully briefed by officials.”

rocketphish

Oct 26, 2015, 11:53 PM

Infill development making sawdust out of Ottawa tree bylaw

Hugh Adami, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: October 26, 2015 | Last Updated: October 26, 2015 6:32 PM EDT

It doesn’t take a genius to realize that an excavation for a so-called monster home will result in major root damage to any large tree near the periphery of the hole.

But Ottawa City Hall doesn’t seem to get it — or at least not the city’s committee of adjustment, which deals with infill development when zoning issues such as minor variances and severances are required. Though developers must take steps to protect a “distinctive” tree near a construction area — encircling it with mesh fencing and hiring an arborist, for example — how does that actually protect anything if a large portion of the roots are in the way of the excavation?

When it comes to infill development — encouraged by the city and province to reduce urban sprawl — trees are sitting ducks and Ottawa’s urban tree conservation bylaw is basically useless.

True, the city can impose huge fines on developers — as much as $100,000. But how hypocritical is that? If a developer proposes a building footprint that comes within a metre of a tree’s trunk, why isn’t the city telling the builder to go small rather than playing Russian roulette?

Last month, a majestic black walnut on Daniel Avenue in Champlain Park, near Westboro, had to be removed after half its roots were ripped apart during an excavation for a big semi-detached double on the neighbouring lot. The same thing happened to another walnut on the street two years earlier.

And last Wednesday, two pre-Confederation bur oaks in Champlain Park — one on Carleton Avenue and the other, two blocks away, on Keyworth Avenue where the house is being enlarged — suffered a significant amount of root damage during excavations.

The city’s forestry department is trying to determine whether the oaks will die from the damage or are now unstable and could topple. Either situation would require removal.

Some residents, including members of the Champlain Oaks Project, a tree advocacy group, are enraged by the continuing damage to their neighbourhood’s tree canopy brought on by infill on lots that once featured a typical single-family home and a decent-sized yard. At least 20 large singles or detached doubles have been built or are under construction on Carleton alone. Champlain Oaks estimates the neighbourhood has, in recent months, lost 15 large trees considered “distinctive” under the tree bylaw because their trunks are at least 50 centimetres in diameter.

The group is ratcheting up demands that the city get tough with builders. Maybe the message is being heard, but that doesn’t make the city any less complicit.

Michel Maatouk, who is squeezing a large double on the Carleton lot, says he has already been told he faces a fine for at least damaging the tree, which straddles the property line. And some residents have already made him feel “like a criminal” over the matter.

Maatouk says the committee of adjustment knew how close the foundation was going to be to the tree, based on his plans, yet the excavation and construction were approved. He says he took measures to protect the tree before the excavation started — though it is pretty evident nothing could be done to avoid slicing into its roots. Still, Maatouk says the arborist he hired thinks the tree will survive because most of its roots are under the neighbouring property.

In an email, Champlain Oaks founder Daniel Buckles says the committee was presented with a site plan that inaccurately placed the tree farther to the rear of the property than it actually is.

Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper says that although the committee of adjustment process is not supposed to be political, he finds himself writing “more and more” to the committee on behalf of his constituents to offer advice on various matters, including the protection of trees. Leiper says he has also noticed a rise in city staff recommendations to the committee to reject plans if trees are in danger.

Leiper says large infill developments should be reined in by proposed zoning changes to the city’s infill bylaw. Rear yard and side setbacks being proposed would decrease the footprint of new homes, and Leiper says he hopes that “will do a lot to protect some of those trees.”

Is something bothering you? Please contact: thepubliccitizen@ottawacitizen.com

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/adami-infill-development-making-sawdust-out-of-ottawa-tree-bylaw

rocketphish

Oct 29, 2015, 4:55 PM

City wants three-month limit on memorials for traffic victims

David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: October 28, 2015 | Last Updated: October 28, 2015 7:39 PM EDT

Impromptu memorials to people killed in traffic on Ottawa’s streets could only stay up for 90 days, under a new policy proposed by city staff.

But people could instead pay for permanent memorials that the city would design, install and maintain.

Often the temporary memorials are “ghost bikes,” old bicycles spray-painted white and locked to something in memory of a downed cyclist. They’re both monuments to a person and political statements meant to draw attention to a corner or a stretch of road where bad design, bad behaviour or both led to someone’s death.

One on Queen Street downtown memorialized Danielle Naçu, a cyclist knocked off her bike when a driver opened a door into her path. Another on the west side of Bronson Avenue near the Rideau Canal was for Carleton University grad student Krista Johnson, whose death in 2012 led the city to redesign several hundred metres of Bronson Avenue.

One at the corner of Bank Street and Riverside Drive is in memory of Meg Dussault, a cyclist who died in 2013 when she was hit by a cement truck. It’s been up for more than two years and is pretty elaborate, with plants and seasonal decorations. It also occupies some of a narrow piece of sidewalk and some people have complained it’s a distraction for drivers at a spot that’s already self-evidently dangerous.

Under the new policy, which city council’s transportation committee is to take up next Wednesday, it would have come down the autumn after Dussault’s death.

Ninety days is long enough to “balance compassion while ensuring public safety is not compromised,” the report says. Staff surveyed 20 other municipalities and made up a policy based on their “best practices,” though the report notes that only two of the cities they looked at have 90-day limits. Most allow memorials to stay up for one or two years, or leave them up as long as somebody’s tending them.

Existing memorials would be taken down by the city three months after city council approves the policy. City staff say families who want permanent memorials could instead pay the city to install something more discreet and that wouldn’t become an eyesore.

dreevely@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/davidreevely

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/city-wants-three-month-limit-on-memorials-for-traffic-victims

rocketphish

Oct 29, 2015, 4:57 PM

:previous: Hear, hear.

Yes, it's tragic that somebody got killed. Yes, there should be a grieving period. But at some point, these impromptu memorials usually become unkept and unsightly. They are no different looking to me than that bent wheel-less bike frame that emerges from a snowbank in Spring, locked to a post. And it's not just ghost bikes, but also the crosses and flowers you see at the sides of roads all around the region. These memorials are generally erected without permission on public land. I have nothing against a memorial on private land, but as a taxpayer and therefore a part-owner of the public land in this city, I agree with this plan.

danishh

Oct 29, 2015, 10:54 PM

Mexico has been eyeing the old US embassy site on wellington for their own embassy. Discussions have already occurred foreign affairs and public works.
http://www.embassynews.ca/news/2015/10/28/Mexico-wants-prime-new-embassy-digs-across-from-Parliament/47799

I wasnt personally aware of this, though the article seems to suggest it's been discussed openly before (references asking MP-elect Catherine McKenna about housing another embassy in that building)

rocketphish

Oct 30, 2015, 1:45 AM

rocketphish

Oct 30, 2015, 1:47 AM

City proposes reducing parking spots for new buildings

Joanne Laucius, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: October 29, 2015 | Last Updated: October 29, 2015 6:47 PM EDT

The city wants more people in the urban core — but not more cars. That’s why planners are recommending eliminating the minimum number of parking spots required for most new small developments in the inner urban area.

This wouldn’t eliminate existing parking spaces, but it would mean not adding new ones for new small-scale development, says planner Tim Moerman.

Existing parking requirements are squeezing neighbourhoods built before the Second World War by requiring parking based on 1960s standards. Parking requirements have also dictated architectural form, he said.

Here are the draft recommendations in a nutshell:

The inner urban area: Small-scale development, both residential and non-residential, would be exempt from minimum parking requirements. Where parking is required for non-residential uses, like retail, it would be reduced by half.
Mainstreet and urban mixed-use areas: Exemptions for parking spaces would be applicable to low-rise apartment buildings (under four storeys), apartments in mixed-use buildings, businesses under 5,500 square feet, grocery stores under 10,700 square feet and offices on or above the second storey.
Near selected rapid transit stations: Most of these areas are already exempt, but this would be expanded to the area between Bayview Station and Tunney’s Pasture, the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, and to centres outside the urban area including Baseline, Blair, Billings Bridge/Confederation Heights/Heron, Orléans Town Centre and certain lands around South Keys.
Near rapid transit stations outside of these areas: Parking rates on non-residential land would be reduced by 25 to 50 per cent.

Consultations began in May and will continue until Dec. 18 before the city starts to draft formal recommendations. There will be another round of consultations before final recommendations go to planning committee next spring.

So far, about two dozen people have responded, some urging the city to get even tougher on parking. “Yes, some people are car dependent. But if they can pay for their gasoline, they can pay for their parking,” said one resident.

Others feared that reducing parking spaces while increasing density would put pressure on street parking, or expressed concern that public transit was not sufficiently developed.

“Public transportation is not the solution for everyone,” remarked one resident from a neighbourhood near the University of Ottawa. “Students will walk a long way to save on parking charges, and so we often have lineups of cars circling the block looking for a spot.”

Business response has been ambivalent. Some said reducing the parking requirement will give small businesses an opportunity to expand. Others feared it would discourage shoppers from coming into the city centre.

Moerman says the requirement to provide parking for grocery stores has been a conundrum. Urban residents want more small groceries stores within walking distance, but stores are discouraged from opening because they must provide parking according to their floor area.

If the recommendations (http://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/public-consultations/planning-and-infrastructure/draft-recommendations-now-available) are passed, it will be the first major change to Ottawa parking requirements in more than 50 years — and it would spark a slow evolution in building form and urban lifestyle, said Moerman. To comment, email minimumparking@ottawa.ca.

“We see the results in places like Montreal. A lot of cities are stuck in the kind of parking paradigm where inner cities are treated like a greenfields area.”

BY THE NUMBERS

1 in 7: Proportion of Ottawa households that don’t have a vehicle
93 per cent: Proportion of households in Ottawa Centre that have one or no car
61 per cent: Proportion of Barrhaven households that have two or more cars
0: How many parking spaces that would be required for new low-rise apartments under the recommendations
0.5: Number of parking spaces, per dwelling unit, that would be required for buildings with more than 12 units
1: Number of visitor parking spaces required for every 12 units
0: Number of parking spaces that would be required for grocery stores under 10,700 square feet in the inner urban area
0: Number of parking spaces required for businesses under 5,500 square feet.
95 per cent: Proportion of inner urban businesses that are under 5,500 square feet

jlaucius@ottawacitizen.com

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/city-proposes-reduction-in-minimum-parking-requirements

danishh

Oct 30, 2015, 5:07 AM

i'm all for the portrait gallery plan too, wonder if the liberals can find room for that spending in their infrastructure plan. Safe to say it's too late to get it up and running for some time in 2017?

portrait gallery, fixing up 24 sussex, solving our science museum connundrum... would really nice to see the liberals play catch-up on these lost projects of the past decade. Hey, maybe by the end of this parliament we'll see a downtown arena approved as well!

Buggys

Oct 30, 2015, 11:40 AM

What is the point of a portrait gallery? It's a waste of money. Lots of portraits can be easily viewed online.

A science museum with hands-on displays & activities on the other hand, brings more value for the public.

Buggys

Oct 30, 2015, 11:44 AM

Reducing parking requirements will just increase the hassle for snow removal. The key to increasing density is additional height and better public transportation.

Norman Bates

Oct 31, 2015, 3:14 AM

What is the point of a portrait gallery? It's a waste of money. Lots of portraits can be easily viewed online.

I reject the premise of that question. And clearly the Harper Government did as well. Sadly they couldn't make the deal work in Calgary.

A portrait gallery is something that explains the story of the nation through the people who built it. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that we are the only G8 country without one.

I was fortunate enough to have had a private visit to the archives facility in Gatineau where I was led into one of the vaults and shown (at a considerable distance) several portraits and told the stories of the nation builders behind them.

I specifically recall a stirring portrait of John George Diefenbaker and told of his landmark achievements of Canada's Bill of Rights and Canada's first female minister of the crown.

Seeing the same thing on my iPad is at best a facsimile. At worst a lost opportunity.

Think of the people visiting Ottawa, and ask yourself: Are esoteric works of art hanging in the national gallery more accessible and relevant to the Tim Hortons crowd than portraits of real Canadians who have left an enduring legacy for today?

It's about our self-respect as a nation, and telling our stories to a citezenry weened on dancing with the Stars.

m0nkyman

Oct 31, 2015, 5:23 AM

Well said sir. Quoted for truth:I reject the premise of that question. And clearly the Harper Government did as well. Sadly they couldn't make the deal work in Calgary.

A portrait gallery is something that explains the story of the nation through the people who built it. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that we are the only G8 country without one.

I was fortunate enough to have had a private visit to the archives facility in Gatineau where I was led into one of the vaults and shown (at a considerable distance) several portraits and told the stories of the nation builders behind them.

I specifically recall a stirring portrait of John George Diefenbaker and told of his landmark achievements of Canada's Bill of Rights and Canada's first female minister of the crown.

Seeing the same thing on my iPad is at best a facsimile. At worst a lost opportunity.

Think of the people visiting Ottawa, and ask yourself: Are esoteric works of art hanging in the national gallery more accessible and relevant to the Tim Hortons crowd than portraits of real Canadians who have left an enduring legacy for today?

It's about our self-respect as a nation, and telling our stories to a citezenry weened on dancing with the Stars.

Buggys

Oct 31, 2015, 12:11 PM

If the emphasis is Canadian history (& key people involved), then just call it that. I'm not opposed to a Museum of Canadian history, or inclusion of it in an existing museum -- e.g. National Gallery of Art and Canadian History.

Canadian history includes more than key people though, so it should include relics of significance as well -- totem poles, traditional canoes, mini models of traditional logging operations, etc.

We don't need a big expensive museum full of famous people's portraits -- Sir John A. MacDonald, Pocahontas, Hitler, Kim Kardashian.

Norman Bates

Oct 31, 2015, 1:12 PM

We don't need a big expensive museum full of famous people's portraits -- Sir John A. MacDonald, Pocahontas, Hitler, Kim Kardashian.

Again you fail to understand both the purpose and need of a national portrait gallery by presenting arguments that are utterly divergent from its goals.

Only one of the names you cite is Canadian. And that is the only one that had an impact on the development of Canada and its people.

To paraphrase a famous Canadian: 'Friends, let me be clear' a Canadian portrait gallery is not for the display of black light posters of Jim Hendrix, national enquirer clippings of Avril Lavigne, or pop culture portrayals of foreign nationals. It is for Canadians, by Canadians and of Canadians.

People like Clifford Sifton, Marshall McLuhan, Laura Secord, and pretty much anyone who is a companion of the order of Canada. Perhaps also anyone who was given honorary Canadian citizenship.

It is for people who stood and delivered. People who did what needed to be done for Canada when others were too frightened or apathetic to take the necessary action. It is not for people who sit on the sidelines and snip at others for doing something when they themselves do nothing. It is to inspire our sense of nation. And as we know, people are the core of a nation.

acottawa

Oct 31, 2015, 3:59 PM

I reject the premise of that question. And clearly the Harper Government did as well. Sadly they couldn't make the deal work in Calgary.

A portrait gallery is something that explains the story of the nation through the people who built it. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that we are the only G8 country without one.

If G8 means US and UK.

I have no particular opinion one way or the other, but it seems to me proponents need to make a case for why telling the story of the nation through the people who built it isn't the mandate of the history museum (where biographies could be weaved into the historical context). It sounds like what a lot of people really want is a Hall of Fame, which really doesn't need to be tied to portraits (and would probably get more visitors if it wasn't.

silvergate

Nov 2, 2015, 10:59 PM

Again you fail to understand both the purpose and need of a national portrait gallery by presenting arguments that are utterly divergent from its goals.

Only one of the names you cite is Canadian. And that is the only one that had an impact on the development of Canada and its people.

To paraphrase a famous Canadian: 'Friends, let me be clear' a Canadian portrait gallery is not for the display of black light posters of Jim Hendrix, national enquirer clippings of Avril Lavigne, or pop culture portrayals of foreign nationals. It is for Canadians, by Canadians and of Canadians.

People like Clifford Sifton, Marshall McLuhan, Laura Secord, and pretty much anyone who is a companion of the order of Canada. Perhaps also anyone who was given honorary Canadian citizenship.

It is for people who stood and delivered. People who did what needed to be done for Canada when others were too frightened or apathetic to take the necessary action. It is not for people who sit on the sidelines and snip at others for doing something when they themselves do nothing. It is to inspire our sense of nation. And as we know, people are the core of a nation.

If you could make that museum actually worth visiting (like every portrait is actually a TV that plays a heritage minute), people might actually care. As it is, how many people, especially those "weened on dancing with the stars", would actually visit.

rocketphish

Nov 10, 2015, 6:22 PM

More development on Beechwood Ave...

http://i.imgur.com/1u6yY4p.png

Plans and renderings:
http://ottwatch.ca/meetings/file/318147/Document_9_Cultural_Heritage_Impact_Statement_pdf_Item_APPLICATION_FOR_DEMOLITION_AND_NEW_CONSTRUCTION_AT_259_BEECHWOOD_AVENUE_A_PROPERTY_DESIGNATED_UNDER_PART_V_OF_THE_ONTARIO_HERITAGE_ACT_AND_LOCATED_IN_THE_ROCKCLIFFE_PARK_HERITAGE_CONSERVATION_DISTRICT_Meeting_Built_Heritage_Sub_Committee_Date_2015_11_09_09_30_00&usg=AFQjCNFr5EyTEozn8xiTDYLKsWHzcAvc_w&bvm=bv.106923889,d.eWE

Built heritage sub-committee gives greenlight for demolition of Beechwood home
Resident asks councillors to consider cultural heritage impact, community design plan

By Jen McIntosh
Ottawa East News, Nov 9, 2015

One resident wants the city to consider new uses for properties along Beechwood Avenue.

Susan Ross, a resident of Corona Avenue, spoke to the city’s built heritage sub-committee about an application to demolish 259 Beechwood Ave. to make way for three, two-storey units with varying setbacks. The sub-committee has given the greenlight for the home in question to be demolished.

Ross told the sub-committee that she thought the proponent – Arcon Homes – was co-operative and neighbourly, but would have liked to see the applicant pay more attention to the cultural heritage impact assessment.

“The heritage assessment was limited in scope,” she said, adding it didn’t take into consideration the landscape.

Ross said the Beechwood Community Design Plan wasn’t taken into consideration as part of the assessment.

“The boundaries need to be better defined,” she said, adding she’d like to see a gateway into the area along Hemlock Road.

“We don’t see rowhouses with separate garages on a typical main street,” she said.

Part of the design plan includes a main street feel to Beechwood Avenue – something that won’t work if there are too many residential units approved along the thoroughfare, Ross said.

Rideau-Rockliffe Coun. Tobi Nussbaum, who is the sub-committee chair, said Ross raised points that needed to be considered as part of the CDP and the Rockliffe Park Secondary Plan.

“I can assure you that a lot of thought will be going into the CDP,” he said.

The original structure is a one-and-a-half storey single family home. It was built in 1953. It fronts onto Beechwood Avenue and has a stone wall marking the change in grade from the sidewalk to the front yard. The zoning already permits multiple residences and other ancillary uses.

The city’s planning committee will hear the application at its Nov. 24 meeting.

http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/news-story/6098327-built-heritage-sub-committee-gives-greenlight-for-demolition-of-beechwood-home/

McC

Nov 11, 2015, 1:08 AM

She's right, townhouses with garages are not right for a Traditional Main Street, they should make up infill on the blocks off of the Trad Main St.

Capital Shaun

Nov 12, 2015, 3:09 PM

More development on Beechwood Ave...

http://i.imgur.com/1u6yY4p.png

Nice building but row houses like this don't belong on a mainstreet like Beechwood.

Norman Bates

Nov 17, 2015, 1:48 AM

I heard that longtime CFRA morning man Steve Madely has "retired".

Let us hope that Lorne Greene won't be far behind and that their replacements won't be sun news alumni.

Acajack

Nov 17, 2015, 1:50 AM

I heard that longtime CFRA morning man Steve Madely has "retired".

Let us hope that Lorne Greene won't be far behind and that their replacements won't be sun news alumni.

You mean Lowell Green, right?

YOWflier

Nov 17, 2015, 2:21 AM

^ Do not feed.

Kitchissippi

Nov 17, 2015, 3:59 AM

Well, both of them have done narration for shows with apes and monkeys.

Norman Bates

Nov 17, 2015, 8:55 PM

Now the splendid Shelley MacLean and Carol Anne Meehan have both been cut from CFRA / CJOH along with somebody named Rick gibbons. Sad to see the ladies go. Both added something to my day.

citydwlr

Nov 17, 2015, 10:54 PM

Now the splendid Shelley MacLean and Carol Anne Meehan have both been cut from CFRA / CJOH along with somebody named Rick gibbons. Sad to see the ladies go. Both added something to my day.

Lois Lee (previously on Rogers local), Eric Longley, and Carolyn Waldo were also let go, according to these tweets:
- https://twitter.com/sladurantaye/status/666733149393715202
- https://twitter.com/LoisLeeTV/status/666732774502432768

rocketphish

Nov 18, 2015, 12:52 AM

CTV co-anchor, CFRA staff laid off in Bell Media job cuts

Chris Cobb, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: November 17, 2015 | Last Updated: November 17, 2015 4:54 PM EST

Longtime CTV News Ottawa co-anchor Carol Anne Meehan was one of a number of casualties Tuesday in a swath of job cuts at the local CTV station, as well as radio station CFRA, both owned by Bell Media.

Meehan confirmed her departure in an interview with the Citizen but refused further comment.

“I am in shock,” she said. “I don’t want to say any more than that. It’s a tough day.”

Meehan’s colleague, Olympic gold medal winner-turned-sports reporter Carolyn Waldo also lost her job.

It isn’t yet clear whether Meehan will be replaced or whether the evening newscast will continue with Graham Richardson as sole anchor.

Meehan was hired in 1989 by the station, followed by Waldo a year later.

CTV Ottawa now has three full-time and three part-time reporters left and one of the full-time reporters is currently on maternity leave.

Among other casualties were CFRA on-air staffers, Lunch Bunch host Rick Gibbons and traffic and weather reporter Shelley McLean, plus many behind-the-scenes staff at both stations including engineers, producers and several sales people.

Their departures the Monday retirement of veteran morning show host Steve Madely who told the Citizen that his departure was pre-planned and voluntary.

Ottawa Newspaper Guild president Debbie Cole – whose union represents CTV reporters, as well as both Meehan and Waldo – said the two women were the “face” of the six o’clock news.

“We are shocked and disappointed,’ she said. “These are two women who people in Ottawa have been looking to for decades for their news and sports. I don’t think this is going to help their image as a news leader in the city. It is a very shortsighted decision.”

Both women have three days to consider their options, said Cole, and under a seniority clause in the union-management contract have an option to take lesser roles at the station – a move that would mean two shorter serving employees losing their jobs.

“These are hard decisions for them to make,” added Cole.

News of the layoffs sparked an outpouring from Citizen readers who by late afternoon had left 270 comments on the newspaper’s Facebook page and dozens more under the story on its website (www.ottawacitizen.com)

The comments were overwhelmingly supportive of Meehan.

“Wow I am in shock also she has been in our family home every night since my son has been born well I myself am done watching the news on this network wow what a slap in her face!!”

“After Max, Carol Anne is exactly why we watch the 6pm news. She is an absolute pleasure to listen to. Quite a slap in the face for your viewers CTV. Sad day all around. More money for someone’s pockets.”

“Nooooo, say it ain’t so…..when will media bosses realize that having reporters who KNOW THEIR COMMUNITIES really matters? I guess we have to tell them with our pocket books. Meehan is definitely a person who knows the place she covers!”

“Carol Anne is part of our family. Send your thoughts to CTV… let them know.”

“I’ve got to let you know. BEll Media – I won’t be watching CTV news as a direct result of you letting Carole Anne go. She was a great anchor!!!! I’ll be watching CBC.”

Tuesday’s layoffs in Ottawa follow hundreds of job cuts at stations in Toronto and Montreal. Bell Media president Mary Ann Turcke earlier this month said cuts would be made on a “building-by-building” basis to help the company continue to “lead.”

Bell Media spokesman Matthew Garrow echoed Turcke’s rationale for the layoffs.

“While it is very difficult to part ways with valued colleagues,” he said, “the changes are an essential step in ensuring that Bell Media’s cost structure reflect the realities of revenue performance in media and broadcasting, and that we remain leaders in a fast-changing industry.”

Bell Media, a division of Bell Canada Enterprises, made an “adjusted” profit of $183 million last year.

Meehan spent much of her career at CJOH – later re-branded as CTV Ottawa – as co-anchor of the evening news with the late Max Keeping.

When Meehan’s husband Greg Etue committed suicide in 2012, viewers reacted with an outpouring of sympathy for her and her two children, a signal of the connection the newscaster has with the community.

Shortly before returning to work after his death, she said:

“What has helped us so much is the love and support that we have received, not just from our family and my friends and colleagues and my bosses here at work, but from all of you who sent cards and letters or simply gave me a hug when you encountered me out in public.

“I just don’t have the words to thank you all enough.”

Bell Media refused to say exactly how many Ottawa jobs it had axed Tuesday but according to various sources, it is about 20.

ccobb@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/chrisicobb

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ctv-co-anchor-cfra-staff-laid-off-in-bell-media-job-cuts

Cre47

Nov 18, 2015, 2:08 AM

I wish they would have kicked Lowell Green out instead. Of course, that will never happen, but retirement coming soon anyways for him... thank god.

Cre47

Nov 18, 2015, 2:16 AM

citydwlr

Nov 18, 2015, 2:52 AM

Ottawa would be a good place for Rogers to launch a station like CITY-TV in Toronto. Considering CTV and Bell are going in freefall mode, I think Rogers might have a big opportunity here. I know CBC might get a boost thanks to this fiasco and now with a less hostile government in place.

I was thinking something along those lines tonight as well. But, seeing as more people are getting their news from online media sources, I was thinking a company like Rogers would be smart developing a 24-hour online news service, specifically targeting cord-cutters who have bought into Netflix (or Shomi), for example. Maybe even set it up like an App for the Roku, Chromecast, Playstation, XBox, or AppleTV. Heck, they could even make it a low-fee subscription service ($1-2 a month, for example) and I think enough people would buy in, especially if they hired reputable (even veteran) anchors...

Norman Bates

Nov 18, 2015, 3:18 AM

Does Ottawa would be a good place for Rogers to launch a station like CITY-TV in Toronto. Considering CTV and Bell are going in freefall mode, I think Rogers might have a big opportunity here. I know CBC might get a boost thanks to this fiasco and now with a less hostile government in place.

We had our own version of city tv. It was called the new RO. That market media mall was built for them.

Then CJOH burnt down and the corporate takeovers started.

Mr. Greene is at least a decade past even Bismarck's age of retirement. No matter how many bankruptcies and failed ventures he's had nothing seems to stop him. The power of his own ego is that strong. Physically he's a very imposing man. Intellectually not so much. If you ever listen to American talk radio you'll recognize that much of his schtick has been lifted from people like Michael Savage and the now deceased David Brudnoy.

lrt's friend

Nov 18, 2015, 3:30 AM

And the spiral to the bottom continues, necessitated by an economic revolution. Yet, our democracy depends on a strong press and it is worrisome as we move to a very splintered, more opinion based Internet news model.

Acajack

Nov 18, 2015, 4:23 AM

That's very sad for Mrs. Meehan, who was by all accounts an extremely nice and classy lady in addition to being an excellent anchorwoman.

It was only a couple of years ago that her husband died in tragic circumstances.

Rough times.

McC

Nov 18, 2015, 2:30 PM

Glad they're moving rapidly to rebuild at Bank and Fifth, but it's unfortunate that a consequence is missing the opportunity to put in a midrise instead.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/glebe-building-rebuild-1.3322819

...many of the original tenants — including Mac's Milk and Pizza Hut — have expressed an interest in coming back, partly because the new building will hold true to the old design.

"We made a commitment after the fire that we'd rebuild exactly what was there," he said.

"If we actually deviate from the site plan, it would take months to get the new site plan process in place. We don't have months. We have tenants who are eager to come back in. They want to get their businesses re-established."

The owners are expecting the contractor to break ground in February 2016, and are aiming for a completion date of September 2016.

eternallyme

Nov 19, 2015, 2:21 AM

We had our own version of city tv. It was called the new RO. That market media mall was built for them.

Then CJOH burnt down and the corporate takeovers started.

Mr. Greene is at least a decade past even Bismarck's age of retirement. No matter how many bankruptcies and failed ventures he's had nothing seems to stop him. The power of his own ego is that strong. Physically he's a very imposing man. Intellectually not so much. If you ever listen to American talk radio you'll recognize that much of his schtick has been lifted from people like Michael Savage and the now deceased David Brudnoy.

I think if looking at media for Ottawa and a new source, the easiest path might be for someone to set up a new TV station at the border from one of their companies...with news focused on Ottawa and the transmitter pointing straight north. Any new entrant would be shot down by Bell et. al. in Canada, despite them not caring at all.

rocketphish

Nov 19, 2015, 3:06 AM

The purpose of this zoning by-law amendment is to add "broadcasting studio" as a permitted use at 1391 Wellington Street West, to accommodate CHIN radio station within the existing building on the lot. It is proposed to accommodate the radio station within the existing two-storey building at 1391 Wellington Street. The building is currently for lease. A large reception area will occupy the front portion of the first floor of the building. The broadcasting studio will occupy the front portion of the second floor of the building, with large, sound-proofed windows facing the street. The radio signal will be transmitted via an internet connection, with no external broadcasting antenna. Parking will be provided in an existing parking area at the rear of the lot.

Zoning application:
http://app01.ottawa.ca/postingplans/appDetails.jsf?lang=en&appId=__0R95VP

Sounds glamourous, doesn't it? Until you see the building in question...

Streetview:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.3980705,-75.7397625,3a,48.5y,319.41h,92.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s_Pru6YKy6Mc-jD4RRspP0w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

kevinbottawa

Nov 19, 2015, 8:39 PM

Bank Street commercial rebuild has rental apartments on the horizon

Paula McCooey, Ottawa Citizen

Published on: November 19, 2015 | Last Updated: November 19, 2015 12:46 PM EST

A Glebe commercial plaza that was deliberately torched this spring will rebuild in the new year with plans to include rental apartments on top, says the property owner.

The fire began at 857 Bank St. with a series of explosions late in the evening of April 9 inside the Beaver’s Mug coffee shop and destroyed the neighbouring businesses. The Ottawa police arson unit confirmed the fire was deliberately set. However the file is now considered “inactive” until the force gathers more evidence to make an arrest.

“We are still waiting for a file report from the Office of the (Ontario) Fire Marshal,” said Ottawa police Sgt. Dave Christie. “They’ve taken some samples and sent them for testing.”

Shortly after the devastating spring fire, the owners George Helal and Sam Bellama stood out front of the charred block and vowed to rebuild. They are following through with the plan, and given Lansdowne now draws more visitors, they hope to have a mixed-use building that will include six commercial spaces and as many as 30 rental apartments.

As for how the exterior will look, Bellama said he can’t comment until they meet with builder Bassi Construction Ltd. this week.
A fireman walks past the remains of the Beaver's Mug Cafe and Silver Scissors Hair salon after a structure fire that ultimately spread to the neighbouring Pizza Hut, Mac's corner store and the Encino Taco shop at 11pm on Thursday, April 9. The Bank St. fire started from an explosion in the Beaver's Mug and continued long into the night.

“We don’t know yet, we’ll meet with the builder and we’ll take it from there,” said Bellama. “We can’t wait to see it finished … the tenants have been calling us every day. They want to come back, and now with the Lansdowne Park now, it’s going crazy that area.”

Bellama said Mac’s Convenience store will return and has requested to double its space, and Pizza Hut is on board with an extra 100 square feet. However he said the coffee shop will not be returning.

He said the rent will also increase from about $25 per square foot to $40.

Don Herweyer, manager, urban development review confirmed the property is zoned “Traditional Main Street TM (15) with a 15-metre limit.

“Residential is permitted/encouraged above the ground floor,” said Herweyer in a written response. “Based on the existing zoning and height limit, a four-storey mixed-use building could be constructed.”

He said that in terms of approval, the owners would need to submit for site plan control approval and a building permit application for the redevelopment of the site, which they have yet to do.

“The owners have not had discussions with City staff regarding a mixed commercial/residential development,” he said.

Silver Scissors owner Eli Saikaley moved his business to another location on Bank Street after the fire. He confirmed they will be opening another salon style business when the location is rebuilt, but Silver Scissors will stay put. Also, he said his son place to reopen his restaurant Encino Taco shop, of the businesses destroyed in the fire. As for the rent increase, he says, it’s on par with surrounding commercial spaces given the buzz around Lansdowne.

“Lansdowne Park is hot now and the Glebe is hot, market values have gone through the roof, so all the rents have gone up,” said Saikaley. “But you are going to get more exposure, more walk-in, more clientele, more traffic.”

pmccooey@ottawacitizen.com

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/bank-street-commercial-rebuild-has-rental-apartments-on-the-horizon

McC

Nov 19, 2015, 11:46 PM

Weird, that's the exact opposite of what they told CBC this week.

YOWetal

Nov 20, 2015, 8:55 AM

Weird, that's the exact opposite of what they told CBC this week.

Hmm rundown low-rise building in prime location burns down and then is rebuilt with more height. Funny how these locations seem to burn down a lot.

citydwlr

Nov 20, 2015, 11:28 PM

Walked by the old Laura Secord at Bank and Queen (https://www.google.ca/maps/place/bank+and+queen+street,+ottawa/@45.4205472,-75.7007845,3a,75y,17.55h,87.24t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1skZNzUti2X6A66tRMPgKlSA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xa6d6ad0993175a1d!6m1!1e1) and noticed a new Roast & Brew is moving in, sadly. That corner could have used something better in my opinion.

citydwlr

Nov 24, 2015, 6:37 PM

Suzie Q Doughnuts just announced (https://twitter.com/suzyqdoughnuts/status/669221221221974017) that they are officially moving to the old spot occupied by the West End Well, in Hintonburg:

‏@suzyqdoughnuts (https://twitter.com/suzyqdoughnuts):

So it's official, we ARE moving!

Within a few weeks, you should see us at the ol' West End Well location, 969 Wellington St W

Excited???

J.OT13

Nov 26, 2015, 12:25 AM

YOWflier

Nov 26, 2015, 2:41 AM

About time. But talk is cheap...need to execute.

waterloowarrior

Nov 27, 2015, 1:27 AM

Colonnade Management merging with BridgePort Realty
http://www.colonnadedevelopment.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=75&cntnt01detailtemplate=news_detail&cntnt01returnid=68

bartlebooth

Nov 27, 2015, 5:00 PM

Exciting news for the National Gallery of Canada today with the announcement of a $10 million donation from Scotiabank to start a Canadian Photography Institute.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/national-gallery-creates-new-photography-institute-with-aid-from-scotiabank-david-thomson/article27506410/

Also, significant contributions from David Thompson for the institute. Big day for the gallery.

YOWflier

Nov 29, 2015, 9:50 PM

I saw someone driving a Tesla (Model S, I think) here in town yesterday. I was a bit surprised because I didn't think they had a showroom here in town. So, I checked.

The short answer is that they don't ... yet. This is what Tesla's web site shows:

http://s22.postimg.org/ywtpp1zu9/Tesla.png

rocketphish

Nov 29, 2015, 10:52 PM

I saw someone driving a Tesla (Model S, I think) here in town yesterday.

I see them in Kanata all the time. But it might be the same half-dozen again and again... I don't know.

kevinbottawa

Nov 30, 2015, 12:22 AM

That map is showing the World Exchange Plaza. Odd location.

theoldv

Nov 30, 2015, 3:17 AM

There's plenty of them in town, I see them very often.

They set up shop out of the Brookstreet and do test drives every couple of months.

I'd care a lot less about a showroom and more about a service centre anyways.

JHikka

Nov 30, 2015, 3:57 AM

TESLA has been doing the occasional testing service at Brookstreet in Kanata for the past year or so. Their reservations fill up pretty quick.

Harley613

Nov 30, 2015, 5:27 AM

Two people on my street own Model S's, I see them every day!

YOWflier

Nov 30, 2015, 2:26 PM

Long time coming.

City seeking theme park, "House of Sport" to boost economy

OBJ StaffPublished on November 25, 2015

The city is hoping to land a theme park or other large-scale tourist attraction and is eyeing a home for major sports organizations as part of its economic development strategy, a new report says.

...

http://www.obj.ca/Local/City-Hall/2015-11-25/article-4355589/City-seeking-theme-park%2C-House-of-Sport-to-boost-economy/1

This story and the one below (see emboldened text near the bottom) must be related. Speculation?

Mission accomplished in China, says Watson

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson calls his latest trip to Asia a success, even if it’s taking some time to get over the jetlag.

“Still having a hard time getting up in the morning, but work to do so you gotta keep plugging away, set the alarm clock,” he said Thursday.

The mayor began the trip with a visit to Beijing from Nov. 16-19 to promote Ottawa as a business partner before heading to Thailand for the One Young World Conference from Nov. 20-22. Ottawa hosts the event next year.

Mr. Watson said there is always a cost associated with leading business and tourism delegations, adding the money is well worth it.

“In the global world, if you stay at home, you’re falling further and further behind in terms of the global economy,” he said. “Quite frankly, when I came back, it was Bangkok to Tokyo to Calgary to Toronto to Ottawa all in one day. I would be quite happy to stay at home and never get on an airplane again for the rest of my life.”

The mayor said spending 12- and 13-hour days in windowless meeting rooms and convention halls is not his idea of a “boondoggle or a junket,” and is all part of his role as “salesman-in-chief for the city.”

Protocol is very important when doing business with the Chinese, Mr. Watson said, and having the mayor on the trip helped Ottawa’s business delegates gain access to “more senior decision-makers.”

Mr. Watson said the delegates would be a better gauge of how successful the trip was, and the feedback they gave him was positive.

“They were all very enthusiastic and positive about the level of meetings and the number of meetings they were getting and the contacts they were making and the deals and potential deals that would come out of this trip,” he said.

It is now time for those business delegates to follow up on the contacts they made in China and turn potential deals into concrete results. For at least one of them, the Graphite Software Corporation, the trip is already paying off.

The virtual phone solution provider was involved in two of the five deals signed during the trip. It signed a $5-million investment deal with the Zhongguancun Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (ZVCA) that will help Graphite double its Ottawa workforce. It also signed a global partner agreement with Beijing NationSky Network Technology and announced it is opening an office in China.

The ZVCA also signed a co-operation agreement with Invest Ottawa to help accelerate domestic and international deals.

In addition, the Ottawa agency inked two agreements with the Zhongguancun Development Group (ZDG) that will see that organization’s incubator remain at the Invest Ottawa office for the next two years.

The incubator is already at full capacity, Mr. Watson said, adding ZDG wants to expand it when Invest Ottawa moves to its new home in the Innovation Centre at Bayview Yards next fall.

“The question we have is whether we’re going to have enough room. We’ll certainly accommodate their current needs,” Mr. Watson said.

The incubator gives small Ottawa companies access to the Chinese market they wouldn’t otherwise have. Mr. Watson calls it “a feather in the cap” for the city that ZDG chose Ottawa for one of its three North American incubators. The other two are in Minneapolis and Silicon Valley.

Mr. Watson says Ottawa companies are strong innovators but struggle to commercialize their products, while Chinese companies have the opposite problem. He says the sister city agreement the cities have had since 1999 has been extremely beneficial to both communities.

“It’s a perfect marriage between our two countries and our two cities,” he said.

While the trip was mostly focused on high-tech industries, there was some tourism talk as well, but Mr. Watson said he couldn’t say more yet about negotiations with a significant investor to bring a major attraction to Ottawa.

He did invite Beijing’s mayor to come for 2017 festivities, an invitation that was accepted.

“That’s significant,” he said. “We’ve never had the mayor of Beijing come to our capital before and with that, he will bring Chinese media and other investors and it’s a pretty big coup to get the mayor. Having him come over here sends another signal to their industry that this is a serious relationship.”
http://www.obj.ca/Local/2015-11-27/article-4357828/Mission-accomplished-in-China%2C-says-Watson/1