Max Finkelstein lives on the corner of Edison and Kenwood, directly across from the proposed Maison Jeanne d’Arc development. He kindly gave me permission to republish a letter that appeared in Tuesday’s edition of the Ottawa Citizen.
Here it is:
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The proposal to develop the site of the Jeanne d’Arc Institute in Westboro, building four double and twelve single homes on half a city block, is yet another dagger in the heart of this community.
The original Jeanne d’Arc building, built in the early 1930s as a residence for nuns, is an imposing structure. Tearing this down is not only wasteful from an environmental perspective, but the building adds dignity, variety, and a sense of history to the neighbourhood. A visiting builder from England, upon learning of the plans for the site, said “Yes, we made those same mistakes in England. We lost a lot of our lovely old buildings that were replaced with supposedly superior modern structures. However, eventually people realized what a mistake it was. The destruction of this building would most likely be illegal in England.”
Can we not learn from past mistakes, and keep the characteristics that make Westboro the attractive neighbourhood that it is, and not replace those very characteristics with dulling uniformity in the pursuit of maximum monetary gain.
At a recent public meeting, residents unanimously expressed their desire to keep the original building. With a little imagination, once can envision how the Jeanne d’Arc building could be converted into luxury condos, a senior citizen home or many other purposes.
There are also a large number of mature trees on the Jeanne d’Arc property. The benefits of trees range from improving air quality, providing shade, improving the biodiversity of the urban environment, and contributing to the sense of place that defines a neighbourhood. Again, our English friend informed us that a developer in England would face large fines and possible imprisonment for destroying mature trees. Yet there seems to be no protection for the mature trees on the Jeanne d’Arc property, or anywhere else in Ottawa.
Is it not up to the City to step in and ensure that this site is developed in a way that is sensitive to the character and uniqueness of Westboro? Does the City of Ottawa have any power or will to consider this proposed development in light of preserving heritage, neighbourhood, a sense of place, and a healthy urban environment? Can someone turn on that light, please?
Connie Downes
Max Finkelstein
