The year in review in Manor Park
I’d like to thank my fellow board members of the Manor Park Community Association and all their committee members for the time and work they each put in to make the most positive impact possible in our community.
We welcome and really need more residents to step up and participate either as a committee member or a steering one. Please consider making getting more involved with your community one of your 2025 resolutions.
Hot topics from 2024—where to start? How about with this one . . .
Infrastructure renewal
As most everyone is aware by now, small bits of Manor Park are going to be receiving new separate sewer and storm water lines in 2025. With this renewal, now comes the “one size fits all” city policy of “traffic calming” and installing sidewalks as well as a new 30 km/h speed limit.
This caused an uproar for most residents and the letter-writing campaign to the city was strong.
The sidewalks Manor Park wants and needs are not the sidewalks that we were getting, and those aren’t even “on the books” at this time. We would really like to see a sidewalk on Eastbourne Ave. from St. Laurent Blvd. to Braemar St., and sidewalks all around the school and park so that kids and adults can move safely.
If that project could be of interest to you, then please reach out and you could spearhead some advocacy in that regard.
Another project somewhat related to the sidewalks above would be the improvement of the five-corners intersection. I’ve heard it would be imminent when Manor Park Estates are redeveloped but there is no timeline because that’s so far in the future.
It would be great if someone could spearhead a little pressure campaign to move these files forward at a less glacial pace.
We are hoping that the letters written to the city and the alternative solutions suggested will move the road planners away form the norm and to find a more Manor Park-adequate solution. Stay tuned for more updates.
Alvin Park and London Terrace Park
We are delighted to report that some progress is being made with respect to both these parks. Money was allocated at Alvin for some “upgrades” (more like repairs really) but a meeting with nearby residents, the councillor and his staff as well as the actual city park staff was very helpful in making everyone recognize how much love was needed here. Expect to see more happening there over the course of the coming summers.
The Environment Committee has been gathering all stakeholders to improve London Terrace Park which has been eroding as the marshlands creep further and further into the greenspace. We are hoping to see some improvements there soon although still working to get the NCC back on board to help with the management.
Manor Park Estates redevelopment
Crickets on this file. The Aggarwal family has publicly stated recently that they have no intention to start any new projects here or anywhere else until the current stock of rentals and condos is absorbed.
Hemlock Rd. and Beechwood Ave.
Hemlock Rd. at St. Laurent Blvd. will open in the near-ish future giving easy access downtown to the residents of Wateridge Village. This will have a significant impact on traffic in Manor Park and has the risk to spread the cars through the neighbourhood rather than being deadlocked on Hemlock Rd.
We were happy to see that our city councillor got some funds to study Beechwood Ave. to improve all aspects of transportation on it: vehicular, pedestrian and bikes. The Beechwood Village Alliance, which is a grouping of all communities sharing Beechwood, has been working on this and will continue to do so. The MPCA would really love to have some fresh faces at the table working in this group.
In a perfect world, Beechwood would get improved before Hemlock was opened but that is highly unlikely.
Can you help advocate and work on a committee for a better Beechwood Ave.?
Zoning
The MPCA, through the hard work of Elizabeth McAllister and Sean Schuck, has been working closely with the FCA (Federation of Citizens Associations) to advocate for better policies.
The new zoning bylaw could have significant impacts ton the look and feel of Manor Park with the new zoning rules so you should find out what it could mean to you.
With the number of units approved in the Manor Park Estates Official Plan Amendment, that redevelopment more than covers the city’s desired intensification for our area. Yet the rest of the neighbourhood is being subjected to what could possibly be very intense new builds and all of this without any commitment to improving and adding public infrastructure.
Budget and transit
Unfortunately, through poor management and foresight, the city has not been increasing taxes enough to maintain all the infrastructure and services we have in a meaningful way and, worse, has not been collecting enough reserves to deal with infrastructure renewal.
It’s no real surprise that the city started to use the Bernard Grandmaître Arena as a distancing shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic and now is using it as a newcomer shelter.
Does the city want us to forget about this important recreational facility as being just that? It is coming to the end of its life (as is the one in Alta Vista, being used for the same purpose) and if it’s not being used for hockey or other sports, maybe the thought is that there won’t be as much pushback when they just close it because there is no money to fix it?
If you are a hockey parent, you know full well you are driving all the way to Old Ottawa South’s Brewer rink to practice and play which is a huge barrier to many families. Our community deserves to have better recreation facilities. It is important to let the city council (not just Rideau-Rockcliffe Coun. Rawlson King) know how you feel about spending and what is important to you and your family.
That brings me to transport. Maybe you are not a transit rider, but your kids or grandkids probably are. And the non-affordability of a car, and the care for our environment, make it even more important to have an effective and reliable transit system. The city council seems in large part to say: “Build it and they will come”. This has not worked so far.
Frustrated riders have chosen to take cars or fight to continue to work from home as transit makes their days untenable now as the service is so poor. Please, speak up on this matter because the council does need to hear the voices on this. If no one speaks up, they will assume that they are going in the right direction.
And the sixth crossing
At time of writing, an announcement was made in the federal government’s Fall Economic Statement (FES), stating that a sixth crossing (possibly a bridge at Kettle Island) would be built. There is, at this time, no money allocated to this project. Some people feel that it’s inclusion in the FES is a transparent attempt to attract votes for area MPs in Quebec, where some residents view a potential bridge as beneficial.
We are monitoring the situation and are writing to our elected officials to reiterate how stupid this announcement was, but we are also not ignoring it as another future threat.
As always, we welcome and encourage your participation.
I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a healthy and peaceful 2025.
This column was written by Manor Park Community Association (MPCA) President Natalie Belovic.