ou are undoubtedly aware of the development proposal for a three unit townhouse on the toboggan hill behind St. Margaret Mary's Church.
I have been opposing construction on the grounds that the hill has been an important recreational resource for the Old Ottawa South community and that the community has not been consulted about the change in usage.
Below is a copy of a letter submitted to the City's Planning Branch. I attended the September OSCA board meeting with a neighbor, to express people's concerns. Board members explained that they were saddened by the loss of the hill, but felt that they were powerless to stop a development on privately-owned land.
The fact that the hill is owned by a developer needn't be an insurmountable obstacle, as community interests do occasionally take precedence over privateproperty. If you don't pay your taxes, the land soon ceases to be yours. Properties are expropriated for roadways and park use.
The City has an established policy of encouraging infill housing, so the process has an unfortunate momentum in that direction. They have currently approved a narrowing of the Church's back yard in order to permit enough area for the housing units and the zoning has been changed from institutional to residential usage.
However, I do not believe that it is too late to do anything about it. If enough people object, the City can be persuaded to revisit their decisions. If the toboggan hill is developed, our children and all subsequent children in this community will be the losers. I would be grateful if you could publish my letter to the Planning Branch.
July 7, 2000
Planning Branch
111 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON K1N 5A1
Re: Zoning Amendment & Site Plan Control Application to permit construction of 3 townhouses at 230, 232, 234 Sunnyside Avenue, with associated amendment at 7 Fairbairn.
I attended the hearing at City Hall, yesterday with two other families, where we presented a letter opposing the development of the hill behind St. Margaret Mary Church.
As we discussed, Church Hill has been used by generations of Ottawa South residents for winter tobogganing and other recreational activities. It is a unique and valuable community resource, which should remain available for our children's children.
As matters stand, the community has not been consulted on whether the land should be developed or not. It has been treated procedurally as a simple infill proposal for empty lots,with notification limited only to the immediate neighbors. This ignores the history of community usage.
Development shouldn't be a fait accompli. Please return the decision-making process to the Ottawa South community, so that people can decide the future of the site. There is a possibility that the land can be acquired and retained as a park.
I have noticed that governments are beginning to consider 'Social Currency' in their decision-making. The term refers to the things that people do to build relationships and community, which are not represented well in statistics. This includes volunteerism, and other activities where money doesn't change hands. Church Hill is loaded with social currency. Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
M. Lindsay Lambert