NEWS ARCHIVESApril 24, 2009 Thanking those who shape our community The 2008-2009 Stittsville Appreciation Awards were presented to Luc and Nancy Therien from Stittsville Glass and Sign, Katrina Harder, Mary Durling and Sterling Howie at a celebration evening on April 21. Luc and Nancy Therien, the recipients of the Business of the Year award, were described by nominators as incredibly supportive of local community charities and initiatives. Their willingness to promote community spirit fuels a sense of togetherness. Likewise, Katrina Harder, the recipient of the Youth Citizen of the Year award, was recognized for her considerable contributions to local community events, including Canada Day, Parade of Lights, Villagefest and Canada Day. She has proven that, despite her age, she is a true leader and example who works tirelessly to build a better community. Mary Durling, the Senior Citizen of the Year recipient, has been living in our community since 1967, and raised four terrific boys as a single mother. She is an active member of the Ladies Auxiliary at the Legion, and next year will be her 40th anniversary. She canvasses door to door for numerous charities, such as the Canadian Cancer Society, March of Dimes and the Kidney Foundation. In previous years she was involved with the Heart and Stroke Foundation, CNIB and the Arthritis Society of Canada. She has raised thousands of dollars for these initiatives. Sterling Howie, the Roger Griffiths Memorial Citizen of the Year award recipient, has been a volunteer firefighter in our community for over 40 years. He’s been a mentor to new firefighters helping them become better firefighters, better people and better community members. He’s worked tirelessly for charities and community initiatives in order to improve the quality of life in Stittsville. It was a great honour to have Bee Griffith, the wife of the late Roger Griffith, on hand to present this award. Nominees included Brown’s Your Independent Grocer, owned by Todd Brown for Business of the Year; Jessica Fitzpatrick, Victoria Roberts, and Sam Sabourin for Youth Citizen of the Year; David Fairbrother, Art Gibbard, and Patricia Warford for Senior Citizen of the Year; and, Metin Akgun, Father Steve Amesse, Jean Pierre Beauline, Cathy Brunsdon, Robin Derrick, the founding members of Ottawa West Arts Association (Beverly Ashford, Louise Barker, John Madden, Sue Perley-Robertson, Terry Sametz, Gerald Smith), Elisa Frost, Miriam Mas, Sandy Sutherland, Mike O’Rourke, Sue Perley-Robertson, and Janice Upton for the Roger Griffiths Memorial Citizen of the Year. The Stittsville Appreciation Awards follow in the success footsteps of the Goulbourn Recognition Awards, which ended in 2002. I wanted to revive these awards as I felt it necessary to honour the many individuals who shape our local community. Your contributions should not go unnoticed, and each of you deserve this recognition and appreciation. The 2008-2009 Stittsville Appreciation Award recipients, along with the past recipients of the Goulbourn Recognition Award, will be honoured through a new plaque located inside the Goulbourn Recreation Complex. Their legacy will continue to be celebrated for many years to come. I also want to thank our Nominating Committee, who selected the final recipients from the many nominations. The Nomination Committee was comprised of Kimberley Mantas, Melanie Yasinski, John Leroux, Daintry Topshee, and Maggie Kassis. Thank you to all of those who participated in honouring
these deserving individuals. It is always important that we take the time to
recognize the many individuals who go out of their way to better our community
and improve our quality of life. Revitalizing Lansdowne confirmed as stadium priority project Following a narrow 14-9 vote, Council has directed Staff to negotiate a partnership agreement with the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) to redevelop Lansdowne Park. The fundamentals of the Lansdowne Live proposal includes a revitalized Frank Clair stadium and Civic Centre, at the cost of the City, enhancing trade and consumer show space, protecting the Ottawa Farmers’ Market with a permanent home, restaurants, retail and office units, and a hotel. The greening initiatives, as indicated in the Lansdowne Live promotional material, are not part of the actual proposal. If the City elected to include those elements – recreational sports fields, gardens and an amphitheatre – it would be at the City’s expense. As well, the City would be required to replace the lost parking, which is an expensive endeavour. Council included a number of conditions to the negotiations with OSEG, including the City continue to support the Exhibition’s relocation to the Albion Road site; the municipal contribution to the project be limited to a dollar amount to be established during the negotiations and not increase the overall cost to the taxpayer; and, any revenues generated from a revitalized Lansdowne Park will not be used to subsidize any professional sports teams. Further, Council requested the elimination of the residential component of the proposal and a caveat is in place to not allow any suburban-style commercial units, such as box stores. City Council has asked staff to complete their negotiations with OSEG in 60 days. Following the negotiations, staff will report back to Council, and residents will have an opportunity to review and comment on any proposed development plans. I was one of the Councillors that supported the motion for the City to enter further negotiations with the OSEG. I also wanted the City to further investigate Eugene Melnyk's west-end stadium proposal. That is not to suggest I think the City can support two outdoor stadiums, but that the business cases of these two proponents should be given equal consideration and a level playing field as we move forward. Unfortunately, the will of Council did not support this objective, and the Melnyk proposal will not be dealt with until after the 60-day review period of Lansdowne Live. I fully support the need to revitalize Lansdowne Park; its upkeep is costing taxpayers millions each year, for little return, but I still need more information from the Lansdowne Live proponents before I can give them my full support. I have concerns with the cost to taxpayers, poor infrastructure in and around Lansdowne Park, substandard public transit access, and a private group of companies carving up public property. This will be a major investment for the City, so it has to meet the needs of residents for the short-term and long-term future. This has to be more than just football versus soccer; it has to be a civic-building exercise that maximizes a public asset and investment. Please feel free to direct your comments to my office. I
can be reached at 613-580-2476 or
Shad.Qadri@ottawa.ca. For more information on the stadium proposals
evaluation, visit
www.ottawa.ca/stadiums. Results of Councillor’s Report Card Thank you to all the residents who took the time to fill out my annual Councillor’s Report Card. I appreciate your feedback and concerns regarding our community and my performance. Based on the results, the most pressing issue for our residents is planning and development. Residents want to ensure the development that occurs in our community respects the rich heritage of our village. Three other important issues for respondents were transit, infrastructure and taxes. This is reflective of some of the steps we have taken to improving the Stittsville-Kanata West ward, including a new enhanced public transit service in the community, and a request to the federal government to fund the widening of Hazeldean Road, which would be the single largest investment the City has ever made in our community. It is important I hear your feedback, positive or negative, to ensure I can do the best possible job representing your needs at City Hall. I encourage you to contact my office and voice your opinions. Once again, thank you for taking the time to respond. No expansion of landfill proposed You may have read some news coverage concerning the proposed expansion of the Carp Landfill. I want to assure you that at this time, no expansion has been proposed. It is my understanding that Waste Management will submit a request; as soon as this request is made and more information becomes available, I will inform the community. Rest assured I will not support any expansion to landfill
activity, although I am amendable to looking at the site for other uses, such as
recycling. New Official Plan recommendations to be released During the week of May 4 the finalized staff report providing recommendations for the Official Plan will be released to the public. The staff report will provide a list of recommended lands to be included in the urban boundary based on a criteria rating system including the results of a servicing report released a few weeks ago. There are four areas of land abutting Stittsville being reviewed for inclusion to the urban boundary: land north of Jackson Trails and Echowoods subdivisions; land west of Timbermere subdivision; lands located within the Fernbank Community Design Plan, between Iber and Terry Fox; and, lands south and east of Upcountry and West Winds subdivision. The report will be discussed at a joint meeting between the Planning and Environment Committee and the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee the following week at City hall in Council Chambers. May 11 from 9:30am to 12:30pm will entail a staff presentation and questions; May 12 and 14 are reserved for public delegates beginning at 9:30am and on May 15 starting at 9:30am Committee debate and motions will take place. For the public to register to speak on May 12 or 14 or provide written comments, please contact Rob Tremblay, Committee Coordinator, at Rob.Tremblay@ottawa.ca or 613-580-2424 ext. 28828. More information on the Official Plan Review, please visit
the City’s website at
www.ottawa.ca/beyondottawa2020. Try It … it’s free! Parks and Recreation will be offering free classes and activities during the month of May. There are lots of ways to keep you active and fit. Enjoy free fitness classes, weights, treadmills, bikes, ellipticals and much more. Beginning May 1, pick-up your free five-day Try It pass at the Goulbourn Recreation Complex and get fit in the month of May. |