03 Mar, 2011
Avenue Q for Quagmire: the Ashcroft Convent Fiasco
Posted by andrea tomkins in: - Westboro|Ottawa|Yaktivism
This post does not reflect the views of the Westboro Community Association, of which I am a board member. These opinions are entirely my own.
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Last night I went to the second of a series of public meetings about what I am now calling the Ashcroft Convent Fiasco.
I am sad and angry and many shades in between.
There are a lot of angry Westies out there right now, in fact. These are people, like myself, who have invested financially and emotionally in their community. It’s heartbreaking to see how unhappy people are in their own neighborhoods. We’re in it for the long haul, and the fine balance we’ve found here is precariously close to being overturned.
I had the pleasure of chatting with John Doran (president of Domicile Developments) about this at the unveiling of Domicile’s new condo development in Little Italy. I asked him about the overdevelopment on Richmond Road. When will it end, I asked. He admitted that there had to be an end at some point (hmmm, when we run out of room?), but otherwise didn’t give me a satisfactory answer. In fact, he suggested that we get used to the traffic.
For me this issue is not just about traffic. Traffic is a symptom of a larger problem.
Sidebar: If you live in Ottawa and aren’t planning on reading any further (especially if you live in Kitchissippi Ward) you MUST do one thing. Write to your councillor (here’s a handy contact list) and tell them how you feel about losing the opportunity to build something amazing on the site of the old Convent. Councillor Hobbs said, in no uncertain terms, that she’s going to decide what she’s going to do based on YOUR emails and phone calls. If you are at all concerned about this development – about the density, the traffic, the height, the heritage, the greenspace – it is critical that you convey those feelings to her immediately. YOU, yes, YOU, are going to help decide what Ottawa is going to look like, and every email counts.
There was talk of a referendum but it’s not going to happen.
This whole process is pitting neighbour against neighbour… an uncomfortable situation at best.
This article summarizes the first meeting about the Ashcroft Convent Fiasco. I have a few niggling thoughts about the whole thing.
There is no doubt in my mind that the problem started as soon as the for sale sign went up. The City blew it, big time. They should have had some foresight and bought it. If there was no money in the coffers, they should have imposed a levy across all Ottawa households.
Why does Ashcroft have the upper hand? Why isn’t the City of Ottawa holding all the cards and working with the community about how this kind of development will unfold?
A handful of community meetings does not cut it.
There was a news item on CBC radio this morning about a cloistered order of nuns in Winnipeg who are renovating their convent to use as a retirement home – both for themselves and for the community that supported them for so many years. Our nuns just sold to the highest bidder.
I know that some people out there disagree with me, but Ottawans everywhere must recognize the value – the aesthetic value, environmental value, the historical and heritage value, the economical value – of this property. Preserving our history as a city benefits all Ottawans, and preserving trees and green space does too.
A word about the levy for the greenspace: it has been calculated at $97/year for ten years if you live in a home that has been valued at $380,000. Households that are assessed at more will pay more. Businesses will pay an annual $500 annually for every $1million valuation. What’s more, they’re telling us that the levy would only be paid by the people in this ward because it is believed that we would be the only ones to “benefit” from this parkland. I totally disagree. If I have a big tree on my front lawn, am I the only person who benefits from it? No. We ALL benefit.
For some reason it’s all come down to this levy. No other funding is being entertained. I predict that no one but Ashcroft is going to get what they want. At the end of this sorry process Hobbs (who will be a one-term councillor) is going to say to us: You said you wanted to save some greenspace but didn’t want to pay for it! SORRY IT DIDN’T WORK OUT FOR YOU.
I am feeling sick and disheartened with our Councillor. I think she’s in over her head and she’s not properly representing our collective interests. Someone in the audience asked whether she could approach the other ward councillors and ask to them about casting a wider net and spreading the levy across the rest of the city. Her answer did not inspire confidence. She should have said: YES, I WILL FIGHT FOR YOU BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT AND IT MAKES SENSE. Instead she hemmed and hawed: Um, a levy is a touchy subject – a tough sell – you know. She’s not going to sell it to anyone. She’s going to walk into the other councillors offices with a great big sigh and say: I know this is going to sound crazy but my ward wants YOUR ward to pony up and pay for this “PARK” they want. Not a great idea, right?
That’s the feeling I got last night. And I know I’m not alone.
Someone commented on the WCA blog about being disappointed that the issue of the convent has been totally overshadowed by the levy. I couldn’t agree more. What happened to the issues of density and height? Why is the Community Design Plan being disregarded. And when will the development stop? Can we at least press the pause button and assess how it’s working out?
What do you think? My gut tells me that we’ve lost and Ashcroft has won. They have us over a barrel. The City is impotent. The Councillor is ineffective. We are doomed to live in a windy canyon of beige condos.
For more updates on this issue you must check out this site. It’ll tell you everything you need to know.
