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Rockcliffe
park newsletter
FÉVRIER 2008
Ashbury College Boy’s Dormitory
The College’s proposal was scheduled to be discussed at the
City’s Planning and Environment Committee on January 22nd.
Ashbury requested that the item be deferred so as to allow time
for the elements of an alternative design to be considered by
the surrounding communities and City staff. The alternative is
essentially the original proposal ‘flipped’ 180 degrees so that
only its ends, which house the housemasters and their families,
present themselves on Springfield Road and Maple Lane. It is now
scheduled to be considered on February 12th.
This alternative proposal followed the Local Architectural
Conservation Advisory Committee’s (LACAC) unanimous decision to
reject the initial proposal. The LACAC decision was strongly
supported by the RPRA and the Lindenlea Community Association.
Heritage Ottawa also opposed demolition of both houses. The two
communities had proposed an alternative which was also a
‘flipped’ design, eliminated one of the two internal housemaster
residences of the College’s preferred option and managed to
preserve both threatened residences. It remains to be seen
whether either or both of the buildings at 204 and 212
Springfield can be saved from demolition. Discussions are
ongoing with the College.
Rockcliffe’ Heritage Conservation District (HCD)
There are concerns that Heritage Conservation Districts in
general and Rockcliffe’s in particular are under threat (see
article in HERITAGE – the magazine of the Heritage Canada
Foundation - 2007 Vol. X, No. 4 – Rockcliffe is cited
frequently. I can provide copies of the article if requested).
As a result, RPRA members met recently with Nancy Schepers,
Deputy City Manager for Planning, Transit & the Environment.
Also attending were Councillors Bédard and Holmes as well as
your City representative. The discussion covered: - 1. the need
to bring Rockcliffe’s current HCD in conformity with the
Province’s new Heritage legislation; 2. the need for City staff
to support existing zoning and heritage covenants more
vigorously while allowing for intensification within that
zoning; 3. the need for City staff to provide expert comment to
the Committee of Adjustment which is faced with considering
zoning provisions that may be in conflict with heritage or other
limitations (this last request supported the Chair of the
Committee of Adjustment who had pleaded for such support as part
of the Budget process).
Ottawa Talks - Lansdowne Park Future
Once again, the future vision of Lansdowne Park is up for public
debate.
Over the course of the next 12 months, the City will host a
design competition to entice the best creative talent to help
create a bold, new vision for the 40-acre site. By using a
web-based discussion forum called “Ottawa Talks”, the City
expects that a large number of people will be able to make their
voices heard.
There will a second facilitated workshop on February 26 (there
was an Open House on January 22 to open discussions) on site
development issues and gather input on the suggested Guiding
Principles for Design. It is these Principles that are key to
instructing the design teams as they develop their vision.
Visit ottawa.ca/designlansdowne to register for the workshop
online and add your name to the contact list. You can also voice
your opinions anytime online starting January 22, on "Ottawa
Talks” - a web-based discussion forum.
Comprehensive Zoning By-law moves forward
One final public meeting on the new Zoning By-law will take
place at the end of March 2008, followed by Council adoption of
the new By-law in May 2008.
City surpasses corporate greenhouse gas emissions target
The City of Ottawa has surpassed its corporate greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions target. Council received a study of 2004 levels of air
contaminants and greenhouse gases which concluded that the
City’s emissions are down 24 per cent, surpassing the target of
a 20 per cent reduction below 1990 levels. The biggest
reductions came from waste management, which showed a 71 per
cent reduction in emissions through landfill gas conversion, as
well as water and sewage operations at ROPEC where co-generation
efforts resulted in a 68 per cent decrease. Other contributors
of note include energy efficiency initiatives for streetlights,
traffic lights and corporate buildings.
The City also has a commitment to reducing the community’s GHG
emissions by 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2012. The study
shows that although there are still four years remaining to
reach that goal, there has been a five per cent increase in
community emissions, mostly due to the building and
transportation sectors. Greenhouse gas emissions from the
transportation sector increased by 15 per cent. This was due to
an increased number of vehicles and a consumer shift from cars
to vans, SUVs and light-duty trucks. These larger vehicles (i.e.
vans, SUVs & light-duty trucks) emit up to 40 per cent more GHG
per kilometre than do cars. On the positive side, the community
waste sector saw a decrease of 44 per cent due to landfill gas
recovery and diversion initiatives like recycling, composting
and the Take it Back! program.
The City will be setting new corporate GHG targets in 2008.
Jacques Legendre
Councillor, Rideau-Rockcliffe
You can communicate with me at (please include a telephone
number):
City of Ottawa
110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa ON K1P 1J1
Tel: 580-2483, Fax: 580-2523
E-mail:
jacques.legendre@ottawa.ca
Web Site:
www.rideau-rockcliffe.com
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