Chalk River Near Surface Disposal Facility for nuclear waste:

JP had circulated a draft of the points he wished to cover in the submission to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission that he is preparing on behalf of the GA. Members discussed and offered suggestions. Erwin and David expanded on the points they would cover in submissions they will be making in their own name. In the end, everyone was satisfied that the GA and members thereof would give a good account of themselves in writing and oral interventions at the May 31 hearings.

Action: JP to circulate final draft for review and send the final GA submission before the April 11 deadline.

Paul provided a brief summary of this development proposal, of which we were alerted by a few rural correspondents. It was agreed that information on this threat would be communicated widely through our network. Iola indicated that the Ottawa Field-Naturalists Club should be advised.  A defense will be mounted according to what we learn about the situation.

Pinesi portage project:

Paul reported on the quotes he obtained for general liability insurance, which is a City of Ottawa requirement for the outdoor art installation we are sponsoring through this project at Stanley Park. A commercial insurance broker provided a quote of $1200 per year for $2 million general liability coverage. The same level of coverage is available through Volunteer Canada for $803, although we would need to become members, which requires a $200 membership fee to be paid. It was agreed that the latter would be preferable, as it comes with associated membership benefits, but that before proceeding we should check with the New Edinburgh Community Alliance to see if this outdoor art installation could be covered under liability insurance they already have.

Action: Paul to follow up with the NECA.

Paul reported on the submission he made on behalf of the GA to Transportation Committee on March 2 regarding the path of this new proposed corridor through the Greenbelt from Orleans South to Blair Road. Committee deferred its decision on the matter, launching instead a 100-day period of intense negotiation to achieve a compromise between Option 1 (use existing Blackburn Hamlet bypass corridor, favoured by NCC, and supported by the GA) and Option 7, a new corridor through the Greenbelt, supported by the City. The issue is complex, with strong arguments advanced for Option 7, in particular by local community associations on behalf of their residents, who are extremely poorly served by transit. Erwin suggested that rather than just stand on Option 1, we should also work to understand and refute the arguments put forward by residents for Option 7.

Action: Paul to contact Rachelle Lecours, the leading voice on the residents’ side, to open a dialogue on the matter.

The NCC has appealed Council’s decision to deny their development application for building a suite of embassies on greenspace along the Sir John A MacDonald Parkway to the Ontario Land Tribunal. The potential loss of this greenspace is therefore still in play.

Daniel reported on the loss of approximately 60 mature trees where the now closed Transitway joins the SJAM parkway. This loss of trees was due to a slight change to the south of the path of the new LRT line decided without notice and against what local residents believed had been agreed in previous consultations. After learning of the imminent threat, the GA supported local residents in a flurry of contacts with the LRT authorities, and was present on the morning of the planned removal, managing to convince staff to spare a few mature specimens. Unfortunately, the team returned the next day and removed even these few spared trees. These operations were conducted by contractors hired by the construction consortium operating under the P3 umbrella, which represents essentially a state within a state, which can act with impunity and without any public accountability even to City Hall, let alone residents and citizens associations. The lesson is you can fight City Hall, but you can’t fight the LRT administration.

We were alerted to the imminent removal of about 60 to 100 trees on a school property in Stittsville to make way for expanding a school playground. Upon investigation, it was found that all of the trees had already been cut and chipped. School Boards represent another opaque institutional structure, barely accountable to the community.

Paul reported that he submitted an ATIP request to the City of Ottawa regarding the removal of a distinctive tree in old Ottawa East, on a file that we have been following for some time now.

Manor Park Estates redevelopment

Planning Committee has approved a master site plan for the redevelopment of Manor Park Estates, a large single owner rental community in that neighbourhood. Iola provided a report on what was approved and opined that there could be lessons drawn from a number of perspectives: community involvement; the avoidance of “demoviction” for current tenants; the preservation of greenspace; livable density and the provision of local amenities. There are several large single owner redevelopment projects foreseen in Ottawa over the next many years and it was suggested that it would be a good exercise to document the Manor Park experience as a template for these. This could be a good research project for a volunteer.

Action: Paul to seek out a volunteer for such a research project.