Recent articles and broadcasts in the local media highlight controversy surrounding a walking and cycling path that is being built in the green space in Alta Vista (Alta Vista path sparks controversy, CBC News Aug 26, 2010; Cyclists excited about new Alta Vista “Pathway,” Tony Spears, Ottawa Sun, September 1, 2010). It is difficult to deny the potential benefits fromf this pathway. However the process through which the project was planned and approved by Ottawa City Council with the support of Alta Vista Councillor, Peter Hume is entirely wrong.
Many of the on-line comments endorse this pathway and the benefits that it will bring to the community. But some comments are critical of the process; in particular the fact that the community was never consulted on this planned development. This concern is heightened by arrogant statement from Peter Hume, such as: “…the $250,000.00 project was too small for a full public consultation….” How many other $250K projects, that are “too small,” are there in the works at City Hall?
This clearly demonstrates a lack of commitment to transparency within Ward 18 and more widely within our city. The value of a project has little to do with showing residents respect. Councillor Hume is taking the community for granted. Dozens of residents whose homes back on to the path have indicated that they had no idea that a path was being built until construction started. They were however well informed about Councillor Hume’s movie night for the community! This is shameful!
Another recent example in the Ward concerning late and inadequate public consultation include the OC Transpo Bus Garage on Industrial Avenue, the "garage mahal." Community concern over this project eventually stimulated the Councillor to explore alternate access to/from the site via Belfast Road. He even put out a special community news sheet announcing it.
Whether this access will ultimately be presented to the public before it is approved is still not known. Neither will the public likely get to learn whether any back room deals have been negotiated with landowners.
Then of course there's the Lansdowne Partnership Plan; enough said! If it's good for Councillor Hume's developer friends then surely it's good for Alta Vista Ward residents and for the city as a whole!
Showing posts with label OC Transpo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OC Transpo. Show all posts
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Community information or election propaganda?
Earlier this summer Councillor Peter Hume distributed a flyer “Riverview Community Update – July 2010” in which he provided important information on some community issues including the Industrial Avenue Bus Garage.
The city has been presented an opportunity that would permit access to the new Industrial Avenue bus garage from Belfast Road. This would eliminate westbound morning bus traffic on Industrial Avenue and all returning busses would access the site from Belfast Road. If this proposed change comes to pass it will eliminate one of the contentious issues associated with the location of the garage on Industrial.
Proposed remediation measures to minimize levels of noise and air pollution still need to be proven however. It is unfortunate that residents of Riverview Park were never properly consulted before a decision on the Industrial Avenue location for the garage was taken in the first place. In the views of many, Industrial Avenue is not the best site on which to locate such a large bus garage.
Councillor Hume states that the improved access for the bus facility results from an agreement with a local landowner to provide the new bus garage with access to Belfast road. Details of a proposed arrangement between the landowner and the city are being negotiated and apparently the proposal will be presented for public comment when finalized.
Nice as all this seems it is unlikely that a landowner would provide the right of way to Belfast without some consideration (financial and/or otherwise). It is the “otherwise” that concerns me. This could include measures that might not otherwise pass muster with the City (zoning concessions, waivers on design/construction issues, etc.). Residents need to examine the details and demand changes if the proposed conditions appear questionable. Such conditions might well influence the direction of future developments in the area, leaving residents powerless to influence design and implementation decisions.
The timing of Councillor Hume’s announcement is interesting. The issue of the bus garage was a hot topic in the Riverview Park community last winter and at that time the Councillor was less than willing to consider significant changes to proposed plans for the garage design. Now, with a municipal election in the offing, everything appears to have changed and significant changes seem to be possible. The community must ensure that it is not being sold a “bill of goods.”
The city has been presented an opportunity that would permit access to the new Industrial Avenue bus garage from Belfast Road. This would eliminate westbound morning bus traffic on Industrial Avenue and all returning busses would access the site from Belfast Road. If this proposed change comes to pass it will eliminate one of the contentious issues associated with the location of the garage on Industrial.
Proposed remediation measures to minimize levels of noise and air pollution still need to be proven however. It is unfortunate that residents of Riverview Park were never properly consulted before a decision on the Industrial Avenue location for the garage was taken in the first place. In the views of many, Industrial Avenue is not the best site on which to locate such a large bus garage.
Councillor Hume states that the improved access for the bus facility results from an agreement with a local landowner to provide the new bus garage with access to Belfast road. Details of a proposed arrangement between the landowner and the city are being negotiated and apparently the proposal will be presented for public comment when finalized.
Nice as all this seems it is unlikely that a landowner would provide the right of way to Belfast without some consideration (financial and/or otherwise). It is the “otherwise” that concerns me. This could include measures that might not otherwise pass muster with the City (zoning concessions, waivers on design/construction issues, etc.). Residents need to examine the details and demand changes if the proposed conditions appear questionable. Such conditions might well influence the direction of future developments in the area, leaving residents powerless to influence design and implementation decisions.
The timing of Councillor Hume’s announcement is interesting. The issue of the bus garage was a hot topic in the Riverview Park community last winter and at that time the Councillor was less than willing to consider significant changes to proposed plans for the garage design. Now, with a municipal election in the offing, everything appears to have changed and significant changes seem to be possible. The community must ensure that it is not being sold a “bill of goods.”
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
An interview with Clinton Cowan
Clinton Cowan a Candidate for Councillor in Ward 18
I recently interviewed Clinton Cowan on behalf of my community newspaper, Riverview Park Review. People living outside Riverview Park who might be interested in learning more about Mr. Cowan. Here is a copy of the article.
Clinton Cowan, a long-time resident of Alta Vista, is running for councillor in Alta Vista/Canterbury/Riverview Ward in the upcoming October municipal election. Clinton is a husband and father with a determination to improve the quality of living in Ottawa. Clinton has worked in the public, private, and non-profit sectors helping to build vibrant communities and he currently works in the field of labour relations. His education includes Carleton University - Public Administration and University of Ottawa - Communications. Clinton has served the community in many volunteer roles including: South-East Ottawa’s Community Health Centre; Ottawa Valley Autistic Homes; Byward Market Safety and Security Committee; CHEO, the Ottawa Food Bank and the Salvation Army.
Mr. Cowan made the decision to run for councillor in the upcoming election because he has observed that there is a broken relationship between the community and the current councillor. Clinton wants to work with residents to return strong leadership to City Hall by repairing the disconnect and using every avenue in keeping the people informed so that residents can participate in shaping our unique community.
Riverview Park Review asked each of the three candidates running for council in Ward 18 questions on several issues. Here are Clinton’s responses:
Some members of council have proposed that referendum questions on homelessness be included in the 2010 ballot. What are your thoughts about homelessness in Ottawa? “We have a tremendous amount of intellectual and, at times, financial resources available but we have challenges in addressing the populations at risk because of the competitive duplication in providing services. Competing, or near-competing, groups could be brought together to work on a strategic long term approach. Individual cases are unique, requiring a holistic consistent approach to people at risk. The most important thing we can do is to show individuals what support is available to them and where to find support. Interestingly, in Ward 18, one in four people lives at or below the government defined poverty line.”
What can be done to improve local transit links within the community and accelerate a comprehensive light rail plan for the city while making public transit affordable to everyone?
“Light rail dependent on expropriation is a symptom of poor planning. That approach cannot continue in our city if we hope to shape it properly for future growth.
“The greatest challenge is not where transit goes but who uses it. It is now a competition for people to decide whether to use personal transportation with personal music and climate control which contributes to traffic congestion and air pollution, or use the bus. To encourage ridership in the short term what is needed is an expansion of the Eco Pass program and to tip the balance in favour of transit use versus car use. If the current council were truly sincere about encouraging ridership, they would minimize new road building. A shift in the funding ratio is needed and this requires innovative thinking. There is a piecemeal approach to road use, development of corridors, and traffic. The new bus garage at Industrial Ave. and Russell Road will likely saturate roadways in the area but only token notice and communication to community have occurred during this major development. Communities are willing to share growing pains but they must be able raise awareness to what is not feasible or sustainable or acceptable to a community.
What are your views on intensification projects within the community? How can changes be effectively integrated while respecting existing communities (residents and infrastructure)? “Wonderful communities have developed over many years and intensification decisions need to respect the nature of communities. The City over-inflated projected populations within planning time-horizons. We must be honest about intensification targets and we must look at all the options if intensification is to be kept in scale with what we need and if we are to make it truly successful. There is a history of poor planning resulting in increased traffic, increased pollution and a community divided by major arterial walls.”
Some construction projects being funded under the governments’ Economic Action Plan have been fast forwarded so that they can be completed within the deadlines imposed. What are your views on this approach? “This financial opportunity was put in place to help mitigate the effects of a global crisis. We cannot ignore this; however the municipality should have requested an amendment asking that the city be allowed to implement its normal practices. Rushed projects provide minimal opportunity for community participation. Good decisions take time.”
What do you think can be done to build neighbourhoods where people can live, work and play? “Neighbourhoods matter. I am a supporter of sustainable communities that enhance quality of life. Currently I am working on a movement to increase the capacity of home care spaces in our community, which has one of the highest unfulfilled demands for spaces in the city. Changes in land use occur frequently and we rarely look at the need to support the current mix of residential, commercial, institutional land use that makes them sustainable. Not counting gas stations, Alta Vista has three convenience stores. The corner store does not exist. Walmart is not a corner store. There is a lot of room for improvement; any change must involve the community.”
Do you think that tax increases can be set at or below inflation with a balanced focus on economic, social, and environmental sustainability? “In an ideal setting it would be wonderful if there were no need for continual tax increases. However, the challenge to predetermining a tax rate does not account for the needs and wants of the community. Ottawa has greater needs than wants. We are looking at capital expenditures for our transit system, to resolve neglected waste water infrastructure, to build a new public library, and to develop Lansdowne. We need to take a look at what is needed today, to minimize stress on taxpayers. Currently we have a 3.7% increase to our taxes but we still have increasing user fees, including higher water rates coming shortly, and we have to deal with levy after levy. Most of it is money required to fix problems that should have been addressed or avoided a long time ago. It is apparent that we need a Fresh Start at the council table.”
Do you think that debate and citizen engagement on governance issues (amalgamation, borough councils, and ward councils) should be encouraged? “Should I have the honor of representing Alta Vista Ward I will make every effort to encourage community engagement, using every tool available to a councillor. The fact is that our city was not amalgamated by our choice. As a city we exist by a legislative act from the province. Dialogue must be brought up to the provincial level to initiate change. I have talked to community associations and business improvement associations across the city and it is clear that a lot more interchange between civic leaders and members of the community is needed.”
What are your views on the OSEG/Lansdowne Live proposal? Do you agree that projects of the magnitude of Lansdowne Live should be contracted on a sole-source basis and have so much financial risk transferred to the City? Do you think Lansdowne Live fits in with the neighbourhood? “At this point we will likely never know if this proposal represents the best possible use of this land. It is worrisome that the city has not looked at other alternatives. Do we have the right eyes at the table? Seven of ten architects review panel resigned. In a hiccup our councillor was able to pull his team from across country; locals are only minimally involved. Will they do this with other developments (e.g. the downtown tunnel)?”
At all levels of government voters complain that they only hear from their elected representative at election time. What would you do to engage community members regularly, to listen to their concerns and to respond constructively? “As a candidate I believe I have broken new ground for how residents can become and stay involved and I will provide uncensored opportunities for people to communicate, not just on election day, every day. That commitment is on my website (http://www.clintoncowan.ca/). I make the effort to come to people; I do not expect them to take time off to come to me. I will attend community associations and I will always try to maximize opportunities for community engagement. I have the commitment, the vision and the energy to bring City Hall to the people.”
Monday, April 12, 2010
Why all the admiration for Peter Hume?
I was surprised to read so much admiration by members of the Ottawa Citizen’s editorial board for Councillor Peter Hume in his run for office in the 2010 Ottawa municipal election campaign (“No self-immolation”, The Ottawa Citizen, April 9, 2010 and “No guts, no glory also true in Politics”, Randall Denley, Ottawa Citizen, April 6, 2010).
The April 9 editorial piece observes that because Hume acknowledges he would likely not win the mayoral competition he has wisely decided to run as councillor again in Ward 18; otherwise he would likely be jobless. This suggests, what some already believe, that Hume is in the competition for the job and not because of any personal convictions. If Hume really believes he would make a change as mayor, he should step forward. Even if he loses it is unlikely he will be out of a job for too long, given the depth of his personal contacts in the Ottawa development community.
As the incumbent in Alta vista, he stands a very good chance for reelection. Someone observed to me yesterday “One always hears the comment ‘Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know’, but nobody ever says ‘Better the devil you know than the angel you don’t know.’” It’s really time somebody else was given a chance in Ward 18.
Hume has been in the media a lot recently, it’s worth noting some of his comments:
On the issue of homelessness Hume is proposing a question on a citywide funding initiative with the goal of ending chronic homelessness in Ottawa by 2014. Several people have commented recently that Hume fails to note that homelessness is really a symptom of larger issues: abuse, poverty and lack of physical and mental health care for people of low income. All levels of government must be brought to the table and people who have a better level of understanding must be consulted. Simply investing in low income housing will not solve the problem. Interestingly there is a candidate running in Ward 18 who has a far better understanding of issues surrounding poverty and homelessness than “Red Tory” Peter Hume.
In the April 3, 2010 release from Hume’s office he states that “My work in Ottawa is not yet finished…Intensification and infill building proposals are heating up in Alta Vista…I want to make sure that the highest quality urban development occurs – the City of Ottawa and Alta Vista deserves no less.” I’m not sure that all residents of Ward 18 would agree that Hume’s stewardship over development in the Ward under his tenure deserves many accolades. If what Hume means is to turn quiet neighborhoods into combined industrial/residential ones that are so noisy as to make life uncomfortable for residents who have lived here for years then Hume simply proves that he is not a man of vision and care but rather an opportunist seeing an open spot on a map and saying “That would be a good spot to develop” with little or no understanding of the effects of development on communities.
It was also interesting to watch his recent rant on CBC TV over Via Rail plans to develop their property around the Ottawa Train Station. He appears to be upset that neither he nor his beloved planning and environment committee have been consulted about Via Rail’s plans; sour grapes? His own failure to effectively consult his local community is one of the reasons that local residents have some serious concerns about the haphazard way that the community is being developed. As an example, objections to and concerns about current O.C. Transpo plans to expand the new bus garage on Industrial Avenue adjacent to Riverview Park communities have largely fallen on deaf ears of Hume, City Council and O.C Transpo.
Then there’s Lansdowne Park! The current design competition that Hume helped negotiate is a long, long way from the original proposal he supported in cooperation with Councillor Clive Doucet - shame on Hume for his about-face on this issue.
The April 9 editorial piece observes that because Hume acknowledges he would likely not win the mayoral competition he has wisely decided to run as councillor again in Ward 18; otherwise he would likely be jobless. This suggests, what some already believe, that Hume is in the competition for the job and not because of any personal convictions. If Hume really believes he would make a change as mayor, he should step forward. Even if he loses it is unlikely he will be out of a job for too long, given the depth of his personal contacts in the Ottawa development community.
As the incumbent in Alta vista, he stands a very good chance for reelection. Someone observed to me yesterday “One always hears the comment ‘Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know’, but nobody ever says ‘Better the devil you know than the angel you don’t know.’” It’s really time somebody else was given a chance in Ward 18.
Hume has been in the media a lot recently, it’s worth noting some of his comments:
On the issue of homelessness Hume is proposing a question on a citywide funding initiative with the goal of ending chronic homelessness in Ottawa by 2014. Several people have commented recently that Hume fails to note that homelessness is really a symptom of larger issues: abuse, poverty and lack of physical and mental health care for people of low income. All levels of government must be brought to the table and people who have a better level of understanding must be consulted. Simply investing in low income housing will not solve the problem. Interestingly there is a candidate running in Ward 18 who has a far better understanding of issues surrounding poverty and homelessness than “Red Tory” Peter Hume.
In the April 3, 2010 release from Hume’s office he states that “My work in Ottawa is not yet finished…Intensification and infill building proposals are heating up in Alta Vista…I want to make sure that the highest quality urban development occurs – the City of Ottawa and Alta Vista deserves no less.” I’m not sure that all residents of Ward 18 would agree that Hume’s stewardship over development in the Ward under his tenure deserves many accolades. If what Hume means is to turn quiet neighborhoods into combined industrial/residential ones that are so noisy as to make life uncomfortable for residents who have lived here for years then Hume simply proves that he is not a man of vision and care but rather an opportunist seeing an open spot on a map and saying “That would be a good spot to develop” with little or no understanding of the effects of development on communities.
It was also interesting to watch his recent rant on CBC TV over Via Rail plans to develop their property around the Ottawa Train Station. He appears to be upset that neither he nor his beloved planning and environment committee have been consulted about Via Rail’s plans; sour grapes? His own failure to effectively consult his local community is one of the reasons that local residents have some serious concerns about the haphazard way that the community is being developed. As an example, objections to and concerns about current O.C. Transpo plans to expand the new bus garage on Industrial Avenue adjacent to Riverview Park communities have largely fallen on deaf ears of Hume, City Council and O.C Transpo.
Then there’s Lansdowne Park! The current design competition that Hume helped negotiate is a long, long way from the original proposal he supported in cooperation with Councillor Clive Doucet - shame on Hume for his about-face on this issue.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Holding the urban boundary and other council debates
Yesterday (Feb 24) council voted not to revisit their earlier compromise decision to accommodate a 222 hectare change in the urban boundary rather than by the 842 hectares originally recommended by city staff. The vote was quite decisive 17 for and 3 against. Dissenting votes were registered by Mayor O’Brien and Councillors Hunter and Thompson.
Unfortunately I confused local residents in my community last evening when passing on details of the decision. During the CBC NEWS: OTTAWA 6:00 pm TV news broadcast Hannah Thibedeau reporting live from City Hall, identified councillor Peter Hume as one of the three dissenting votes. This was very disturbing as Hume had previously indicated to residents that he and other councillors were working not to revisit the decision. Also it was Councillor Hume’s motion to defend council’s orignal decision. There was considerable relief when the situation was clarified.
The Hold the Line rally outside city hall at noon was well attended, especially considering the weather. There were some excellent speakers. Special thanks to members of Our Ottawa and Ecology Ottawa for organizing this event. I noted a couple of councillors in the audience. It is disappointing that more members of city council did not take the time to hear the opinions of citizens of Ottawa on this issue. It will be a subject of much further discussion once OMB becomes involved.
During the morning session of council various motions to audit or review OC Transpo’s operations, organization and projects were debated. They eventually supported a motion by Councillor Eli El-Chantiry that the American Public Transit Association (APTA) conduct a peer review of OC Transpo's bus programs and strategies, including areas such as bus operations, customer service, staffing, training and recruitment. Auditor general Alain Lalonde will examine the review panel's work and assess its recommendations.
I was disappointed by Coucillor Alex Cullen’s comments on the OC Transpo issue. He went to some lengths detailing various individual audits of particular projects, services and operations that have taken place over the past few years. However, it is many years since a full audit of this operation has taken place and we are right to expect excellence in service and operations from them. I do not understand why as chair of Transit Committee he finds it necessary to defend OC Transpo.
Unfortunately I confused local residents in my community last evening when passing on details of the decision. During the CBC NEWS: OTTAWA 6:00 pm TV news broadcast Hannah Thibedeau reporting live from City Hall, identified councillor Peter Hume as one of the three dissenting votes. This was very disturbing as Hume had previously indicated to residents that he and other councillors were working not to revisit the decision. Also it was Councillor Hume’s motion to defend council’s orignal decision. There was considerable relief when the situation was clarified.
The Hold the Line rally outside city hall at noon was well attended, especially considering the weather. There were some excellent speakers. Special thanks to members of Our Ottawa and Ecology Ottawa for organizing this event. I noted a couple of councillors in the audience. It is disappointing that more members of city council did not take the time to hear the opinions of citizens of Ottawa on this issue. It will be a subject of much further discussion once OMB becomes involved.
During the morning session of council various motions to audit or review OC Transpo’s operations, organization and projects were debated. They eventually supported a motion by Councillor Eli El-Chantiry that the American Public Transit Association (APTA) conduct a peer review of OC Transpo's bus programs and strategies, including areas such as bus operations, customer service, staffing, training and recruitment. Auditor general Alain Lalonde will examine the review panel's work and assess its recommendations.
I was disappointed by Coucillor Alex Cullen’s comments on the OC Transpo issue. He went to some lengths detailing various individual audits of particular projects, services and operations that have taken place over the past few years. However, it is many years since a full audit of this operation has taken place and we are right to expect excellence in service and operations from them. I do not understand why as chair of Transit Committee he finds it necessary to defend OC Transpo.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
A very interesting committee meeting
Yesterday (Feb 8, 2010) at City Hall there was a joint meeting of the Transportation and Transit committees to to consider the Lansdowne Transportation Impact and Assessment Study and Transportation Demand Management Plan. Committee debate focussed on two main issues: the terms of reference for the work and the sole sourcing of a major part of the work to Delcan. One hopes that lessons learned from this debate will be applied to other city projects in the community where I live and elsewhere across the city.
Several public delegations commented on the terms of reference and on the contracting arrangement and there was considerable discussion between presenters, councillors and city staff. Debate over possible conflict of interest if Delcan was selected to perform the study, revealed that the contractor would be required to review its own work; work undertaken in previous studies for which Delcan was contracted by Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG).
Several motions, including one that would require the city to choose a consultant without prior connection with the project, were debated. Voting on this was preempted when Delcan Vice President, Ron Jack, was allowed to address the committee and elected to withdraw Delcan’s participation in the project. It was also agreed that work undertaken by the selected contractor would be subject to critical overview by an independent contractor.
Much of the debate focused on the terms of reference for the study and planning activity. Several of the presenters expressed concern about the public consultation process in earlier phases of this work. It was agreed that proactive public involvement was needed and specific steps will now be incorporated to:
- Ensure that the public is notified well in advance of public meetings;
- Relevant documentation will be made available for public review well ahead of meetings;
- Minutes of meetings with the public will be provided; and
- Adequate time will be provided to enable public delegations to submit comments and suggestions to the city.
Interestingly lack of timely public involvement is major concern surrounding the OC Transpo Bus Garage currently under construction an Industrial Avenue. If effective communications and timely public involvement had been facilitated by the city, many of the community and city-wide concerns that are only now being raised could have been resolved before construction began. I am sure that there a many other project across the city that would also benefit from this kind of foresight. The process needs to be much more open and transparent.
Also, one wonders if Delcan should have been allowed to participate in detailed design of the hospital link section of the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor (AVTC) given their role for many years in the environmental assessment for this roadway. Granted Delcan was contracted directly by the city for all of this work, but there was no independent review of work undertaken during the EA process before design work commenced.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Member of city staff and OC Transpo missing
Last evening (Jan 27, 2010) there was a meeting of Riverview Park Community Association (RPCA) to discuss the proposed expansion of the OC Transpo bus garage on Industrial Avenue that is currently under construction. There are many concerns about this development (pollution, noise and congestion) that have never been adequately discussed with the community.
At last night’s meeting members of the community were given the opportunity to air their concerns and to call for action. The meeting was well attended and the event was included in CTV’s 11:30 pm local newscast. Unfortunately there was not a single representative from the city, OC Transpo or city council in attendance.
RPCA was informed that Councillor Peter Hume had a previous engagement and was unable to attend. This is understandable but it is also unfortunate that Hume did not ask RPCA to reschedule the meeting to a date when he could attend and hear first hand the concerns of residents in his ward.
RPCA was also notified that The City official who had planned to come tonight is unavailable due to an illness in the family. It is unfortunate that attendance was not delegated to another member of city staff.
There was not a single representative from OC Transpo in attendance; this is shameful.
The meeting produced a number of recommendations and observations that will now be presented by members of RPCA’s executive to a smaller group from the city including, Councillor Hume, and OC Transpo.
The new bus garage has been a major issue for debate at city hall this week, with OC Transpo requesting an additional $17M to complete the project, a grand total of $97M. Some councillors are asking for a review of the entire project and for OC Transpo’s operations in general. Nancy Schepers, the deputy city manager in charge of transit, has admitted there have been some problems with the management of the construction of the garage.
In light of all this, the community’s concerns are clearly justified and need to be heard.
At last night’s meeting members of the community were given the opportunity to air their concerns and to call for action. The meeting was well attended and the event was included in CTV’s 11:30 pm local newscast. Unfortunately there was not a single representative from the city, OC Transpo or city council in attendance.
RPCA was informed that Councillor Peter Hume had a previous engagement and was unable to attend. This is understandable but it is also unfortunate that Hume did not ask RPCA to reschedule the meeting to a date when he could attend and hear first hand the concerns of residents in his ward.
RPCA was also notified that The City official who had planned to come tonight is unavailable due to an illness in the family. It is unfortunate that attendance was not delegated to another member of city staff.
There was not a single representative from OC Transpo in attendance; this is shameful.
The meeting produced a number of recommendations and observations that will now be presented by members of RPCA’s executive to a smaller group from the city including, Councillor Hume, and OC Transpo.
The new bus garage has been a major issue for debate at city hall this week, with OC Transpo requesting an additional $17M to complete the project, a grand total of $97M. Some councillors are asking for a review of the entire project and for OC Transpo’s operations in general. Nancy Schepers, the deputy city manager in charge of transit, has admitted there have been some problems with the management of the construction of the garage.
In light of all this, the community’s concerns are clearly justified and need to be heard.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Is Hume the man to watch?
Following is the text from a letter to the editor I wrote to the Ottawa Citizen last weekend. As they chose not to publish, I decided it was worth posting here.
In his article in the Ottawa Citizen on Saturday January 23, 2010 (Hume is the man to watch) Randall Denley suggests that Councillor Peter Hume would make an excellent mayoral candidate in the coming municipal election. Some of the observations Denley makes about Hume are questionable and ignore problematic aspects of his performance.
Like most politicians one of Hume’s attributes includes a more than adequate share of arrogance and he tends to punish those who disagree with him; including members of the local community. This is not a quality seen in visionaries but it is a quality that makes bad managers. We have already seen arrogance in abundance from the present occupant of the mayor’s chair and it is not something we need to see repeated any time soon.
In action, Hume sits on the fence over many issues, and eventually often votes against the wishes of people in his ward and he often reneges on agreements previously made with fellow Councillors. Issues that come to mind include the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor (AVTC), the negotiated agreement with the Lansdowne Live group and currently, his response to Riverview Park residents in Ward 18 over their concerns about plans to expand the new OC Transpo Bus Garage on Industrial Avenue.
Hume’s performance on the rejuvenation of Lansdowne Park is far from the good example of how he operates that Denley suggests. The design competition he is currently endorsing is a far cry from the international design competition he originally supported in cooperation with Councillor Clive Doucet and others. His reversal on this issue during the final stages of city council’s debate has all but eliminated the possibility of alternative viable proponents coming forward.
At a recent open house in Riverview Park that offered a long overdue opportunity for the community to comment on the OC Transpo bus garage expansion it appeared that Councillor Hume was more interested in mediation - providing other facilities/services in the neighborhood - than in mitigating possible damage to residents’ quality of life and home values from noise and pollution. Residents are so concerned about this expansion that they are holding an extraordinary meeting of the community association tonight. They have invited members of city staff and OC Transpo. Councillor Hume has indicated he will not be able to attend.
Many people in the communitywould be quite pleased if Hume was to put his name forward for mayor, not because they hope he will be successful, but rather to improve the odds for new viable candidates to run in Ward 18. Hume has represented this Ward for far too long.
In his article in the Ottawa Citizen on Saturday January 23, 2010 (Hume is the man to watch) Randall Denley suggests that Councillor Peter Hume would make an excellent mayoral candidate in the coming municipal election. Some of the observations Denley makes about Hume are questionable and ignore problematic aspects of his performance.
Like most politicians one of Hume’s attributes includes a more than adequate share of arrogance and he tends to punish those who disagree with him; including members of the local community. This is not a quality seen in visionaries but it is a quality that makes bad managers. We have already seen arrogance in abundance from the present occupant of the mayor’s chair and it is not something we need to see repeated any time soon.
In action, Hume sits on the fence over many issues, and eventually often votes against the wishes of people in his ward and he often reneges on agreements previously made with fellow Councillors. Issues that come to mind include the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor (AVTC), the negotiated agreement with the Lansdowne Live group and currently, his response to Riverview Park residents in Ward 18 over their concerns about plans to expand the new OC Transpo Bus Garage on Industrial Avenue.
Hume’s performance on the rejuvenation of Lansdowne Park is far from the good example of how he operates that Denley suggests. The design competition he is currently endorsing is a far cry from the international design competition he originally supported in cooperation with Councillor Clive Doucet and others. His reversal on this issue during the final stages of city council’s debate has all but eliminated the possibility of alternative viable proponents coming forward.
At a recent open house in Riverview Park that offered a long overdue opportunity for the community to comment on the OC Transpo bus garage expansion it appeared that Councillor Hume was more interested in mediation - providing other facilities/services in the neighborhood - than in mitigating possible damage to residents’ quality of life and home values from noise and pollution. Residents are so concerned about this expansion that they are holding an extraordinary meeting of the community association tonight. They have invited members of city staff and OC Transpo. Councillor Hume has indicated he will not be able to attend.
Many people in the communitywould be quite pleased if Hume was to put his name forward for mayor, not because they hope he will be successful, but rather to improve the odds for new viable candidates to run in Ward 18. Hume has represented this Ward for far too long.
Friday, January 15, 2010
City handling of public consultations on development projects is less than fair
On January 11, 2009, along with a number of Riverview Park residents and people from outside the community, I attended an open house to review and respond to an amended environmental assessment that will facilitate expansion to the OC Transpo Garage that is currently under construction on Industrial Avenue.
The site currently under construction will accommodate some 145 or more articulated buses and the planned expansion is to provide parking space for an additional 80 buses. The first phase of the project is now well advanced and a new garage facility is projected to start operations this fall.
The open house specifically addressed the expansion but many of the Riverview Park residents attending were quite surprised to learn about the size and the potential impact of the facility that is currently approved and under construction.
People expressed concern about potential noise and air pollution. Heavy bus traffic along Industrial Avenue at certain hours is also a concern as well as the number of busses idling for long periods before going into service.
Councillor Peter Hume sent out community invitations to this event, but apparently many residents living closest to the new facility did not receive them. Councillor Hume was in attendance. There were a number of OC Transpo representatives and City consultants present to address specialized concerns - noise levels, pollution levels, architecture, etc. These people went to some length in describing the detailed analysis they had performed and the measures that will be introduced to mitigate undesirable effects.
One factor revealed by the consultants is that the planned facility meets all provincially mandated standards for an industrial facility. The problem is that this “industrial facility” is immediately adjacent to a large residential community. The community will likely be seriously affected by the facility in many ways and the city does not seem inclined to do much more to mitigate them. Rather, it appeared that the City (Councillor Hume at least) is more interested in mediation – providing other facilities/services in the neighborhood (sidewalks etc.) that will do nothing to mitigate damage to residents’ quality of life and home values from noise and pollution.
Information on the project was presented on storyboards but there were no handouts to take away, the information is not immediately available on-line, and the unrealistic timeline for submitting comments (January 29, 2010) was not clearly identified. Fortunately, Riverview Park Community Association (RPCA) was able to obtain electronic copies of the storyboards from the consultants after the meeting. Time is of the essence for this project and OC Transpo wants to move on quickly and damn the torpedoes.
OC Transpo did not invite anyone from the consulting group doing an environmental assessment for the proposed Cumberland Bus Transit-way to the open house. This is disturbing as the preferred route for the transit-way encroaches on the bus garage expansion being planned. Neither have they held proactive meetings with RPCA or communicated with them throughout the process?
It has taken nearly 8 months for this open house to be arranged. The consultation process is reminiscent of that used for Lansdowne Live. It is interesting to contrast this to the speed with which Councillor Hume moved when it was learned that a site for parole office was being considered on Industrial Avenue.
Many residents left the open house feeling less than happy and are unsure of the next step. Fortunately RPCA was well represented at the open house and they are following up aggressively on a number of issues.
Questions beyond specifics of the site that need to be answered include:
- How was this proposed garage presented to the public in the first place?
- What of the specifics of bus ingress and egress to/from the OC Transpo site?
- Why is the process for consulting with local stakeholders not more proactive?
- Why was a site with close proximity to an established residential area selected (the existing OC - Transpo Garage and St. Laurent is located in an area that is exclusively industrial)?
- Is any OC Transpo follow-up with members of the Riverview Park community planned?
The site currently under construction will accommodate some 145 or more articulated buses and the planned expansion is to provide parking space for an additional 80 buses. The first phase of the project is now well advanced and a new garage facility is projected to start operations this fall.
The open house specifically addressed the expansion but many of the Riverview Park residents attending were quite surprised to learn about the size and the potential impact of the facility that is currently approved and under construction.
People expressed concern about potential noise and air pollution. Heavy bus traffic along Industrial Avenue at certain hours is also a concern as well as the number of busses idling for long periods before going into service.
Councillor Peter Hume sent out community invitations to this event, but apparently many residents living closest to the new facility did not receive them. Councillor Hume was in attendance. There were a number of OC Transpo representatives and City consultants present to address specialized concerns - noise levels, pollution levels, architecture, etc. These people went to some length in describing the detailed analysis they had performed and the measures that will be introduced to mitigate undesirable effects.
One factor revealed by the consultants is that the planned facility meets all provincially mandated standards for an industrial facility. The problem is that this “industrial facility” is immediately adjacent to a large residential community. The community will likely be seriously affected by the facility in many ways and the city does not seem inclined to do much more to mitigate them. Rather, it appeared that the City (Councillor Hume at least) is more interested in mediation – providing other facilities/services in the neighborhood (sidewalks etc.) that will do nothing to mitigate damage to residents’ quality of life and home values from noise and pollution.
Information on the project was presented on storyboards but there were no handouts to take away, the information is not immediately available on-line, and the unrealistic timeline for submitting comments (January 29, 2010) was not clearly identified. Fortunately, Riverview Park Community Association (RPCA) was able to obtain electronic copies of the storyboards from the consultants after the meeting. Time is of the essence for this project and OC Transpo wants to move on quickly and damn the torpedoes.
OC Transpo did not invite anyone from the consulting group doing an environmental assessment for the proposed Cumberland Bus Transit-way to the open house. This is disturbing as the preferred route for the transit-way encroaches on the bus garage expansion being planned. Neither have they held proactive meetings with RPCA or communicated with them throughout the process?
It has taken nearly 8 months for this open house to be arranged. The consultation process is reminiscent of that used for Lansdowne Live. It is interesting to contrast this to the speed with which Councillor Hume moved when it was learned that a site for parole office was being considered on Industrial Avenue.
Many residents left the open house feeling less than happy and are unsure of the next step. Fortunately RPCA was well represented at the open house and they are following up aggressively on a number of issues.
Questions beyond specifics of the site that need to be answered include:
- How was this proposed garage presented to the public in the first place?
- What of the specifics of bus ingress and egress to/from the OC Transpo site?
- Why is the process for consulting with local stakeholders not more proactive?
- Why was a site with close proximity to an established residential area selected (the existing OC - Transpo Garage and St. Laurent is located in an area that is exclusively industrial)?
- Is any OC Transpo follow-up with members of the Riverview Park community planned?
Friday, December 11, 2009
Make Alta Vista Transportation Corridor (AVTC) a 2010 City Budget Issue
Yesterday the following message was posted to the Our-Ottawa discussion group, courtesy of Michael Richardson. Now is a good time for Ottawa city councillors to discuss the need for this road and to put any design/development work on hold pending a decision to have the road removed from the official plan at the earliest opportunity. The Ottawa Hospital, General Campus would be better served by simply providing improved bus services along existing corridors. Contact you ward councillor on this issue today. Have the AVTC removed from the 2010 city budget.
“The first phase is a $70+ million for a 1.2 km link from Riverside Drive to the General Hospital (on Smyth) -- $5 million is set aside in the 2010 budget for design work. The lead consultant is Delcan -- who also conducted the EA recommending that the road go ahead (while declining to include a transit-only option in the study) despite the Ottawa 2020 Plan that included a goal of trying to get people to use other means of transportation besides private vehicles. Ironically, as I understand it, the hospital that this link is supposed to service has never formally come out in favour of the road -- and in fact has made it clear that it does not want a transit corridor road to bisect the hospital grounds per se (which kind of defeats the purpose of having a dedicated transit link to the hospital).
“It's worse than that. There is $45M in the ‘LRT tunnel’ plan to build a second transit bridge across the Rideau River next to the current one so that buses can ‘temporarily’ use that bridge while the tracks are being laid. ‘Temporary’ is something like 10 years.
“That bridge aligns with Nicolas and the AV parkway. Delcan is also one of the leads on parts of the LRT tunnel work. It's important to understand that the current "LRT tunnel" plan isreally just an excuse to build a lot of really expensive roads.”
“The first phase is a $70+ million for a 1.2 km link from Riverside Drive to the General Hospital (on Smyth) -- $5 million is set aside in the 2010 budget for design work. The lead consultant is Delcan -- who also conducted the EA recommending that the road go ahead (while declining to include a transit-only option in the study) despite the Ottawa 2020 Plan that included a goal of trying to get people to use other means of transportation besides private vehicles. Ironically, as I understand it, the hospital that this link is supposed to service has never formally come out in favour of the road -- and in fact has made it clear that it does not want a transit corridor road to bisect the hospital grounds per se (which kind of defeats the purpose of having a dedicated transit link to the hospital).
“It's worse than that. There is $45M in the ‘LRT tunnel’ plan to build a second transit bridge across the Rideau River next to the current one so that buses can ‘temporarily’ use that bridge while the tracks are being laid. ‘Temporary’ is something like 10 years.
“That bridge aligns with Nicolas and the AV parkway. Delcan is also one of the leads on parts of the LRT tunnel work. It's important to understand that the current "LRT tunnel" plan isreally just an excuse to build a lot of really expensive roads.”
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Kudos to VIA Rail and Teamsters Canada Rail Conference
An excellent letter in the Ottawa Citizen today (http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Desirable+relations/1839388/story.html). I was mulling over writing one in a similar vein, but Keith Egli beat me to it! I never expected to be singing the praises of VIA Rail but OC Transpo and the Amalgamated Transit Union could certainly learn something about consideration of public interests from this example.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Hospital Link-Cumberland Transit Study Open House
There was good attendance at this open house held at the Jim Durrell Centre on April 29, 2009. The purpose of the open house is to present preliminary plans for the environmental assessment of the proposed Hospital Link – Browning Avenue section of the bus transit corridor that is now under way.
The presentation is in the form of display boards that include a summary of plans including specific ground rules for the project.
Representatives from the City of Ottawa and from the consulting firm that is undertaking the study (Morrison Hershfield Limited) were available to answer questions. Attendees were invited to submit written comments on forms provided and many people seemed to be taking advantage of this opportunity.
The display boards contain a lot of information, much of which is difficult to interpret and in many cases representatives were unable to clarify details satisfactorily. However, we were told that all the information on display at the open house would be uploaded to the City of Ottawa website, http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/public_consults/hospital_cumberland/index_en.html, giving people an opportunity to review it in more detail prior to submitting comments. This will also provide an opportunity for people who were unable to attend the open house to review the plans.
Unfortunately, there has been a significant delay in making this information available, and as time is of the essence for this study it is possible that the deadline for submitting comments might pass without members of the public having the opportunity to submit informed comments. Today I was informed that the information should be available by Friday May 8. I’m continuing to hold my breath!
The presentation is in the form of display boards that include a summary of plans including specific ground rules for the project.
Representatives from the City of Ottawa and from the consulting firm that is undertaking the study (Morrison Hershfield Limited) were available to answer questions. Attendees were invited to submit written comments on forms provided and many people seemed to be taking advantage of this opportunity.
The display boards contain a lot of information, much of which is difficult to interpret and in many cases representatives were unable to clarify details satisfactorily. However, we were told that all the information on display at the open house would be uploaded to the City of Ottawa website, http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/public_consults/hospital_cumberland/index_en.html, giving people an opportunity to review it in more detail prior to submitting comments. This will also provide an opportunity for people who were unable to attend the open house to review the plans.
Unfortunately, there has been a significant delay in making this information available, and as time is of the essence for this study it is possible that the deadline for submitting comments might pass without members of the public having the opportunity to submit informed comments. Today I was informed that the information should be available by Friday May 8. I’m continuing to hold my breath!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Hard to believe
I was amazed to learn that Ottawa City Council was unable to debate the issue of the pilot project for a transit pass for University of Ottawa students (24,000 of them) on what appears to be a rules of procedure technicality. So there will be no pilot project even though council’s transportation committee had voted unanimously in favor of the program.
According to Patrick Dare (Ottawa Citizen, Councillors vote against waiving rules for debate, March 12, 2009) city solicitor Rick O'Connor said council should waive the rules of procedure because the university pass issue was already debated on in December 2008 and he was supported on this issue by the mayor. The required three quarters majority required to waive the rules was of course not there, good going Mr. Mayor!
To my recollection this debate was never completed, because council agreed to resume debate on the issue after the budget was passed and this indication was certainly given to students attending the council meeting back in December. And of course the transit strike has further delayed resumption of any discussions.
It is now unlikely that a student pass will be available in the City of Ottawa for several years. This is particularly unfortunate at a time when the city is trying to recover ridership figures again after a long and inconvenient transit strike.
According to Patrick Dare (Ottawa Citizen, Councillors vote against waiving rules for debate, March 12, 2009) city solicitor Rick O'Connor said council should waive the rules of procedure because the university pass issue was already debated on in December 2008 and he was supported on this issue by the mayor. The required three quarters majority required to waive the rules was of course not there, good going Mr. Mayor!
To my recollection this debate was never completed, because council agreed to resume debate on the issue after the budget was passed and this indication was certainly given to students attending the council meeting back in December. And of course the transit strike has further delayed resumption of any discussions.
It is now unlikely that a student pass will be available in the City of Ottawa for several years. This is particularly unfortunate at a time when the city is trying to recover ridership figures again after a long and inconvenient transit strike.
Friday, January 30, 2009
The transit strike is over; really?
I just read on the CBC Ottawa website that the O-train should be running onMonday (Feb 2) but busses will not be in service for a further week (Feb 9)! Give us a break, surely OC Transpo can do better than this?
At least get transit moving along the main corridors from Orleans, Barrhaven, Kanata. This would help make many peoples lives easier again; surely a hundred or mor busses can be put into service by mid week?
The city should also be flexible and forgiving with parking tickets if park & rides overflow until full service levels are restored. A much better idea than several weeks more of the high level of downtown congestion we have experience over the past 51 days.
At least get transit moving along the main corridors from Orleans, Barrhaven, Kanata. This would help make many peoples lives easier again; surely a hundred or mor busses can be put into service by mid week?
The city should also be flexible and forgiving with parking tickets if park & rides overflow until full service levels are restored. A much better idea than several weeks more of the high level of downtown congestion we have experience over the past 51 days.
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