At last evening’s all-candidates meeting hosted by Riverview Park Community Association (RPCA) four candidates running for councillor in Ward 18 were in attendance (Clinton Cowan, Kevin Hogan, Peter Hume and Ernie Lauzon). Six candidates running for mayor also attended (Clive Doucet, Cesar Bello, Andy Haydon, Mike Maguire, Charlie Taylor and Jim Watson). All 20 were invited.
Each candidate was given five minutes to present their platform and the there was a short question and answer period. All three opponents to incumbent councillor Peter Hume did a convincing job, persuading people that changes are needed at city hall and in Ward 18 in particular.
Some of the audience questions directed a Hume asked for clarification on council decisions he has made in connection with development plans that affect Riverview Park residents. The first questioner received a weak response from Hume. In fact he failed to answer the question at all. The detailed question asked:
“The TrainYards complex provides only uncertain and low paying jobs to residents of Ottawa and increases traffic, yet again, on Industrial Ave, not the sort of conditions that will encourage people to settle in the community to help it be a safe and beautiful place to raise a family.
“Could you explain to me what the benefit is, to Riverview Park and indeed to the city of Ottawa, of the still-growing TrainYards big-box store complex when it serves to dilute business from downtown and the Byward Market, 10minutes away, from one of the oldest and most established shopping centres in Ottawa, St Laurent Shopping Centre, which is just around the corner, and from other shopping close by in the area: Alta Vista Plaza and Elmvale Acres.”
In response Hume indicated that we (council) were unable to negotiate an entirely satisfactory commitment from the developer to a multi-used industrial/business/retail area that would provide employment and retail opportunities. He suggested that instead they tried to make the shopping complex more community friendly. Clearly Hume, his committee and council friends as well as his developer friends failed badly here. Not only is the complex not community friendly it’s not even shopper friendly when you need a car to go from one store to another. Hume never did address the question of benefits to Riverview Park or any of the other issues raised by the questioner.
Unfortunately there was no time for a rebuttal to Hume’s statements by his opponents. However candidate Clinton Cowan is already on record, stating “How else can one explain how a Walmart and a large-box store development has ended up in our ward, ten minutes from downtown? This is a dagger in the hearts of our locally owned businesses! If this is an example of high quality development then we must ask whether we have let our guard down or was the backdoor left open?”
Showing posts with label Ottawa Train Yards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ottawa Train Yards. Show all posts
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
2010 election special
2010 Election Special – this is the introductory title to Peter Hume’s flyer detailing his past accomplishments and future plans. I take a very jaundiced view of most of his claims. For example:
Negotiated Browning Corridor exclusion as a high-speed bus route: In my view the inclusion of this route was always a red herring and Hume was on safe ground knowing that it would be eliminated from consideration. In fact, the contributors who identified viable solutions to the high speed bus corridor were individual residents of the Riverview Park community. They accomplished this by attending open houses on the project, communicating with the study consultants and writing articles in local community newspapers. On the topic of roads and transit, one wishes that Hume might have actively campaigned to exclude the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor from the city’s official plan.
Hosts annual Riverview Park Corn Roast…: Firstly, this annual event is funded partly using (wasting) tax payers’ dollars. I fail to see this and similar events to be more than a photo-op and an opportunity to watch the councillor eat!
Led major improvements to the Lansdowne Park redevelopment and design: Unfortunately Hume broke his commitment with Councillor Clive Doucet for an international design competition for the entire park (not just the grassy bits). Instead, he approved a sole-source contract agreement with a group of developers; several of whom donated to his election campaigns on 2003 and 2006 either as corporations or individuals.
Altered Ottawa Train Yards development to improve aesthetics: What Hume fails to acknowledge is that the Ottawa Train Yards development is largely populated by retail chains, most of them U.S. owned, that take away business from established businesses that are just blocks away. The inclusion of a WallMart store as the anchor tenant of a mall that is only 10 minutes from down-town and less than 5 minutes from St. Laurent Shopping Centre further dilutes revenue streams for established businesses. There is only so much retail money to spread around and adding acres of new retail space does not help. Most of the local jobs resulting from the Train Yards development are low paying (minimum wage). The original plans for this site included space for businesses that would employ skilled people, thus making it possible for some local residents to find attractive work opportunities close to home. It is unclear if or when this might happen.
President of Association of Municipalities of Ontario: Hume’s involvement with this group has resulted in him having among the worst attendance records at city council meetings. Some might say that his participation was for the greater good, but in reality it has resulted in his neglecting the needs and concerns of ward residents.
I could go on but the truth is that this councillor has been in office too long and is taking us for granted. In Hume’s flyer, ward resident Sam Ibrahim claims that Hume’s incumbency at city hall is not a weakness. For some Councillors this might be correct, but in the case of Councillor Hume it’s time for a Fresh Start.
Negotiated Browning Corridor exclusion as a high-speed bus route: In my view the inclusion of this route was always a red herring and Hume was on safe ground knowing that it would be eliminated from consideration. In fact, the contributors who identified viable solutions to the high speed bus corridor were individual residents of the Riverview Park community. They accomplished this by attending open houses on the project, communicating with the study consultants and writing articles in local community newspapers. On the topic of roads and transit, one wishes that Hume might have actively campaigned to exclude the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor from the city’s official plan.
Hosts annual Riverview Park Corn Roast…: Firstly, this annual event is funded partly using (wasting) tax payers’ dollars. I fail to see this and similar events to be more than a photo-op and an opportunity to watch the councillor eat!
Led major improvements to the Lansdowne Park redevelopment and design: Unfortunately Hume broke his commitment with Councillor Clive Doucet for an international design competition for the entire park (not just the grassy bits). Instead, he approved a sole-source contract agreement with a group of developers; several of whom donated to his election campaigns on 2003 and 2006 either as corporations or individuals.
Altered Ottawa Train Yards development to improve aesthetics: What Hume fails to acknowledge is that the Ottawa Train Yards development is largely populated by retail chains, most of them U.S. owned, that take away business from established businesses that are just blocks away. The inclusion of a WallMart store as the anchor tenant of a mall that is only 10 minutes from down-town and less than 5 minutes from St. Laurent Shopping Centre further dilutes revenue streams for established businesses. There is only so much retail money to spread around and adding acres of new retail space does not help. Most of the local jobs resulting from the Train Yards development are low paying (minimum wage). The original plans for this site included space for businesses that would employ skilled people, thus making it possible for some local residents to find attractive work opportunities close to home. It is unclear if or when this might happen.
President of Association of Municipalities of Ontario: Hume’s involvement with this group has resulted in him having among the worst attendance records at city council meetings. Some might say that his participation was for the greater good, but in reality it has resulted in his neglecting the needs and concerns of ward residents.
I could go on but the truth is that this councillor has been in office too long and is taking us for granted. In Hume’s flyer, ward resident Sam Ibrahim claims that Hume’s incumbency at city hall is not a weakness. For some Councillors this might be correct, but in the case of Councillor Hume it’s time for a Fresh Start.
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