OOS Community Garden, Infill Issues, Digital Signs, OSCAR Editor Leaving
A Community Garden in Old Ottawa South
At its January meeting the Board heard a presentation from Lori Waller and Danielle Cantin on a proposal for a community garden in Brewer Park. Community gardens are becoming very popular in Ottawa; they provide an opportunity for those without the space to do some serious gardening and can be a very useful source of fresh produce. Indeed, some community gardens donate food to local food banks and charities.
For some time now a group in Old Ottawa South has been looking at the possibility of establishing a community garden; the major issue has been finding a suitable space on public land that is not being used for other recreational or community purposes. It now appears that the area in Brewer Park between the swimming pool and Westboro Academy is available and would be an ideal spot with sufficient size, no other alternative uses for the site and easy accessibility. A public meeting was recently held in which a number of local residents turned out to indicate an interest in using the facility. As a result, the Board approved a motion of support for the garden and has provided a letter of support for a funding application to help launch the facility. Hopefully, if the organizing committee is successful with its fundraising initiatives, we will soon see this new facility at Brewer Park.
Infill Issues
Intensification is becoming a fact of life in the community and the number of infill projects is growing steadily. Initially these projects simply consisted of building a new (usually large) house on a vacant lot, but increasingly what we are seeing are moves to put multiple housing units on a subdivided lot, or demolishing a house to erect multiple houses on the property, or some combination of both. The economic pressures driving these developments are difficult to control with rising land values and growing numbers of people wanting to live in central urban neighbourhoods such as ours.
Unfortunately, developers are leveraging these opportunities and they are pushing the envelope by putting ever larger numbers of housing units, of the largest possible size, on a given lot. This is producing a lot of badly designed housing. Designs that ruin streetscapes with house frontages dominated by garages, sometimes with front doors at the side of a house; large paved parking areas with little or no green space in front and none of the iconic Old Ottawa South porches in sight; or very tall houses built very close to the lot lines that reduce the amenity value and privacy of neighbours’ properties. Often we are seeing developers push the limits of zoning requirements by seeking “minor variances” that undermine the intent of the zoning in the first place. In other cases we are seeing attempts to change the zoning on a spot basis so that a higher density development can be built.
Brendan McCoy, co-chair of OSWatch, has written an article for this issue of OSCAR on just one example of this problem, the proposed rezoning of 337 Sunnyside Avenue. It is one of a long list of battles we are fighting, and will be fighting, in order to get positive benefits from intensification for the community. In the long term it may be necessary to revisit the adequacy of our zoning structure, as well as consideration of a Community Design Plan. In the meantime, at our and other community associations’ urgings, the City is developing a set of design guidelines for infill housing which will address at least some of the problems with how infill houses impact the streetscape and neighbouring properties. While we still have reservations about how complete these guidelines are, their development is an important first step in addressing the infill issue. We hope to see the final proposal from the City soon and to comment on it before it is finally approved by councillors.
Digital Signs
Digital technology is coming to billboards and building signs in urban areas across Canada and city staff is starting a consultation process on how they should be regulated in Ottawa. It is not hard to see why digital signs would be popular with advertisers. Digital signs can be animated in full colour, they can stream video images, their content can be changed remotely and at little cost and they use energy efficient new lighting technologies. So more visual impact and flexibility at lower operating costs; you can see why the advertising industry would be keen and why potentially there will be pressure to have more billboards and other advertising venues throughout the city. Of course the downside is more light pollution, distractions for motorists, and visual intrusion, especially for residents whose properties abut new electronic signs. Over the last decade traditional billboards have been declining in the city and they have gradually been removed from a number of locations, including in Old Ottawa South, in part as a result of more restrictive controls. This trend may be reversed given that a new technology may revolutionize the appeal and economics of outdoor advertising.
OSCA will be participating in the consultation and will be trying to get a better understanding of both the impacts this technology can bring and how effectively digital signs can be controlled. You will be hearing more on this issue in the future.
OSCAR Editor is Leaving
It is with some considerable regret that I have to tell you that our editor, Mary Anne Thompson, will be leaving the position with the completion of the July issue of the paper. Mary Anne is moving from Ottawa to be closer to her family and she tells me it was a very difficult decision to make as she has enjoyed her many years with us as editor. During Mary Anne’s tenure OSCAR has prospered as a community paper, its size has grown and its finances are secure. It is today one of the more significant community papers in the city. We are very grateful as a community association and as a community for all the hard work Mary Anne has put in to build the paper and she has our heartfelt thanks.
Mary Anne’s departure was announced at OSCA’s January board meeting and it was decided to establish a search committee to find her replacement. The committee will be appointed at our February meeting and will aim to have a winning candidate by the late spring. Advertisements will appear in the March issue of the OSCAR and on our website announcing the competition and providing instructions on how to apply.