Lowertown Community Association – working for you

Arts + culture 

The main focus of our work is the Lowertown Arts Festival, which we will be hosting from October 3rd  to 5th. We are planning to include a wide range of fun and engaging activities that reflect the diverse forms of creative expression found in our community – art, movement, performance, literature. We are finalizing the festival schedule and extending invitations to artists and venues. A summer student will be joining us shortly to coordinate the details of the festival and to develop promotional materials for the various events. Want to get involved? Connect with us at lowertownartsfestival@gmail.com.

Heritage

We are encouraging the City of Ottawa to conserve three properties on St. Patrick Street threatened with demolition by neglect. We also advocated, unsuccessfully, with the city’s Built Heritage Committee (BHC), for a greater separation distance between the new Andaz Hotel addition on York and Claridge’s planned 20-story condo development on George, both just east of Dalhousie. 

Members are also working hard to mitigate new provincial legislation effectively abolishing the city’s Heritage Registry. We are developing a priority list for new Part IV designations under the Ontario Heritage Act to protect buildings outside the ByWard Market and Lowertown West Heritage Conservation Districts (HCDs). As well, our members have lobbied the city for a new HCD in Lowertown East just north of Macdonald Gardens Park. Unfortunately, the BHC has recommended instead a feasibility study for a future HCD study – further delaying the designation of an area which the LCA has sought to protect for over 20 years.  

We created an innovative “Welcome Kit” for realtors and new heritage property owners, outlining the benefits and obligations of owning heritage properties. The city has endorsed this work and will translate and help distribute these documents shortly as a pilot project. And, we are trying to arrange a community consultation about two large developments proposed for Dalhousie Street . . . stay tuned!

Housing and homelessness

The Housing Committee is newly re-formed. We are discussing positive, proactive solutions to the housing crisis in our city that our neighbourhood disproportionately experiences. Our goals for this year are to recruit more members, advocate, raise awareness of effective solutions, and build co-operation with groups and communities working on the same issue in different parts of the city. We have set a particular focus on engaging with renters, co-op owners, and people with lived experiences of housing precariousness. If you are interested in joining us, please contact us at info@lowertown-basseville.ca. 

Parks

Friends of Lowertown Parks promote our community’s parks, collaborate with residents to protect existing spaces, and assist in planning the future for parks and parkettes in the area. The “Cleaning the Capital” spring event provided an opportunity for community engagement and meeting neighbours in several parks – Raphael Brunet, Jules Morin, Bordeleau, King Edward, Rose, Linear, Macdonald Gardens, Cumberland, and Cathcart Square parks were cleaned. The Friends of Bingham Park are working tirelessly on the Bingham Park revitalization with the councillor and the city. The children’s wading pool is expected to open this summer. The Friends of Macdonald Gardens Park continue to work with city staff and community volunteers to develop a heritage conservation plan for this Part IV heritage designated park. The Friends are looking to have some replacement trees planted for the approximately 10 large trees that will be cut this year. 

Parks

Friends of Lowertown Parks promote our community’s parks, collaborate with residents to protect existing spaces, and assist in planning the future for parks and parkettes in the area. The “Cleaning the Capital” spring event provided an opportunity for community engagement and meeting neighbours in several parks – Raphael Brunet, Jules Morin, Bordeleau, King Edward, Rose, Linear, Macdonald Gardens, Cumberland, and Cathcart Square parks were cleaned. The Friends of Bingham Park are working tirelessly on the Bingham Park revitalization with the councillor and the city. The children’s wading pool is expected to open this summer. The Friends of Macdonald Gardens Park continue to work with city staff and community volunteers to develop a heritage conservation plan for this Part IV heritage designated park. The Friends are looking to have some replacement trees planted for the approximately 10 large trees that will be cut this year. 

Transportation

The Transportation Committee’s main priority continues to be the downtown truck route. We recently co-signed a submission to the Ontario Human Rights Commission created by environmental organizations to recognize that the air pollution caused by the downtown truck route is a violation of the human rights of protected groups.

We recognize the advantages of Lowertown as a 15-minute community and strive to build on our proximity to an abundance of amenities by advocating for a safe and comfortable pedestrian experience, a car-free ByWard Market, connecting missing links in our active mobility network, and prioritizing transit. We are in discussions with city planners regarding the addition of active mobility lanes along York Street and a safe crossing where it intersects King Edward Avenue to connect more Lowertowners to Ottawa’s ever-growing active mobility network. Additionally, we are a signatory to a letter requesting that the city upgrade and extend the Rideau Street bus lanes to get residents moving faster with transit.

As one of the most historic and amenity-rich neighbourhoods in the nation’s capital, we have an opportunity to demonstrate what it means to take real climate action and provide residents with efficient transportation options.

Planning

The Planning Committee expects to hold an in-person meeting in late June to refresh our vision and strategy, and we are always in need of more eyes, hearts, and minds to review upcoming proposals. Contact Warren Waters at waters@fca-fac.ca for details. Some properties are being considered for development, including:

• 112 & 134 Nelson (near Rideau) 
• Eglise Evangelique, 284 King Edward (at Clarence)
• 231 St. Patrick (west of Dalhousie)
• 200 & 201 Friel (at Chapel & Beausoleil Dr)
• 253, 255 and 257 York Street and 78 and 80 Nelson (at York)
• 109-115 Dalhousie (near Bolton)
• 275 King Edward (at Murray)
• 641 Rideau (near Cummings Bridge)
• 211 Clarence (near Cumberland)
• 110 York, 137 and 141 George (east of Dalhousie) 
• 132 Bruyère Street, 135 & 137 St. Andrew Street, and 175, 179 & 183 Dalhousie Street 

The Federation of Citizens Associations held a special meeting after the city staff rezoning report was released (and this issue of the Echo includes our guess about the impact on Lowertown) but as the staff report only gives a high-level overview, we are encouraging everyone to check how your home and our community are being rezoned. It will affect everything the city is responsible for, from taxes to services. The detailed maps were released May 31. For more information, visit Engage Ottawa: https://engage.ottawa.ca/zoning

Safety

The Safety Committee monitors and researches key issues affecting public safety in Lowertown. It liaises as needed with the Ottawa Police Service, by-law services, social service agencies, businesses, and community members to provide information related to crime prevention and harm reduction. The following actions highlight some of the committee’s efforts.

• Delegation to Ottawa Police Services Board, May 2024: Presentation to highlight community views regarding the Community Outreach Response and Engagement (CORE) Strategy. This includes an action plan focused on reducing crime in specific areas of Ottawa by dealing with the root issues.
• Monthly meeting with Dr Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health for Ottawa Public Health: Recent discussions provided updates on the lack of health care options available to residents. LCA highlighted concerns about broken inhalation supplies discarded in public spaces and the lack of accessible public toilets in Lowertown. A new portable toilet is located in Raphael Brunet Park.
• Participation in the Sandy Hill Community Liaison Committee: Working meetings included multiple stakeholders to discuss the impact of the toxic drug supply and strategies to reduce conflict among all groups. The Committee is currently working towards a Good Neighbours policy, with guidelines that Lowertown hopes to adopt. 
• ByWard Market Balanced Community Task Force : A newly created Block Leader program, where clients of the Shepherds of Good Hope and Salvation Army are receiving training in preparation for expansion of the program into areas of the ByWard Market. 

Alexandra Bridge Sub-committee

The National Capital Commission (NCC) plans to select three bridge designs in spring 2024. These designs will serve as potential options for the Alexandra Bridge’s replacement. During spring and summer 2024, the NCC will engage with community groups, including the Lowertown Community Association. They will discuss the proposed designs, seeking input and feedback from the community. 

The final decision on the bridge’s fate will consider both technical feasibility and community preferences. Transparency in this process is crucial to ensure the best outcome for all stakeholders. The NCC and Public Services and Procurement Canada continue to refuse to put forth a plan to restore the bridge rather than demolish it to their panel of experts. We will continue to pressure for this, along with other members of the Public Advisory Group (on the Alexandra Bridge Replacement Project) with the NCC.