hope all OSCAR readers have had a restful and enjoyable summer holiday.
It was a pleasure to see so many people out at the Ottawa South annual Porch Sale, September 9. The beautiful summer weather was an added bonus. Thanks to all the community volunteers and everyone who took part to make this fund raiser such a great success!
Last month, the water slide in the playground area of Brewer Park was destroyed by fire. This act of senseless vandalism occurred after hours, unnoticed or unreported by neighbourhood residents or passers by. When the destruction was discovered, several families did what they could to clean it up. My thanks, and sympathy go to them and to all the neighbourhood children who then held a used toy sale to raise money to help replace the slide.
I learned of the incident days later via a letter from these very disillusioned young children, with a neighbourhood petition asking for a new water slide. My office and City staff are now working on arranging a replacement, hopefully this fall. However it will not likely be replaced soon enough to be of benefit this year.
I am outraged and even more saddened that there are individuals who feel the need to behave so negatively toward something that brings pleasure to youngsters in our community. I appeal to anyone who may have knowledge of this vandalism to contact my office and the police.
I also appeal to residents to consider a neighbourhood watch program for the park If you would like to be part of such a program, please call my office at 244-5367. One local resident has done a commendable job of watching for, and painting over graffiti which is anon-going problem as well. It is my hope that our community can work together to prevent further vandalism of all kinds at Brewer Park.
Most of you will know by now that the Ottawa Carleton District School Board, has recommended the closure of nine elementary schools inside the Greenbelt. Mutchmor Public School in the Glebe on Fifth Avenue is one of those and is recommended to close in September 2001. The OCDS Board will be voting on this recommendation on October 23.
If they support the recommendation, Mutchmor students will be re-directed next fall to First Avenue and Hopewell Schools. Not only will the lives of these students be disrupted but there will be many serious ramifications for both these schools. In the long term our communities will be negatively affected as more younger families move in, and there is not enough elementary school capacity to meet the demand.
Earlier this year I introduced a motion at City Council, which passed unanimously, asking Ottawa-Carleton Public and Separate school boards to postpone decisions on school closures until such time in 2001 that more accurate, and encompassing demographic data becomes available upon which to base such decisions.
Currently, the Region of Ottawa-Carleton is embarking on a major demographic data gathering upon which to base future broad based planning in the new amalgamated City of Ottawa for the next five to 30 years.
Furthermore, at a time when the region and its municipalities are in such a state of flux, it is extremely injudicious to close schools until after amalgamation and a new official plan for the new city is in place. Clearly, the closure of community schools is an issue of critical concern to all ofus, not just those with school age children.
To get more information, please contact our local school trustee, Lynn Graham at 730-3366. Please come to the Mutchmor Information & Action Meeting being hosted by their Save our Schools Committee on Thursday, September 14, at 7:30 pm. It takes place in the Mutchmor School Gym, (entrance on Fourth Avenue just west of Lyon). It is time for all ourcommunities to support Trustee Graham in the fight for healthy communities, and a strong public school system in the new city of Ottawa.
Inez Berg, City Councilor,
111 Sussex Drive,
Ottawa, Ont, K1N 5A1
Tel: 244-5367 Fax: 244-5373
E-mail: bergi@city.ottawa.on.ca