On the thirteenth day of Christmas…my true love gave to me….
a KGPC Newsletter and … a partridge in a pear tree! Not quite, but close. That quaint old song has been rewritten just for our Kanata North community by a pair of Zokol Crescent songwriters, Edna and Martin McEwan. You’ll find it and much, much more in this week’s newsletter. Read on!
Our First Day in Court Changed… it’s now Thursday!
Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 10:00am, Courtroom 20
Ottawa Courthouse, 161 Elgin Street
On Thursday our lawyers will be presenting to the Court our KGPC Motion for Leave to Intervene as a Party in the matter of the 40% Agreement ongoing between the City of Ottawa and ClubLink. While ClubLink is opposing the Coalition’s recognition in the case, the City of Ottawa is not. The hearing is expected to last an hour or so and will take place at the Ottawa Courthouse, 161 Elgin Street at 10:00 am.
The Coalition is pursuing this intervention in order to ensure the rights and interests of the Kanata North residents and community members to access our open and green spaces are protected. While we are arguing in support of the City of Ottawa position, we will be assisting the Court in understanding that the community may suffer as a result of the outcome of the case, and that it is in the interest of the Court to hear from the community members as a group through the Coalition at the same time as the City’s case is before the Court (because this process will provide the Court efficiencies concerning costs and time).
The Coalition intends to bring a different perspective to that of the City because we are highlighting sections of the 40% Agreement which specifically dedicate the green space lands for the benefit of the surrounding community.
How are we planning to do that?
The Coalition intends to argue that these provisions give rise to either a restrictive covenant and/or a charitable purpose trust. Here is the Coles notes version of the legal arguments in play on Thursday.
A “restrictive covenant” is a clause that imposes a restriction on the use of land, and in this case, it is the access to and enjoyment of the golf course land that the KGPC maintains is to be preserved for the community. If the Court agrees, the covenant would prevent ClubLink from developing the open green space lands.
A “charitable purpose trust” would be an arrangement whereby ClubLink holds the open green space lands in title but also for the good of the community, i.e. the charitable purpose would be the benefit of the lands for community access and recreation which ClubLink would also have to protect. This could also prevent the redevelopment.
We expect the Court to release its decision at some point following the December 19 hearing date. Beyond that announcement, the next dates in Court will be the two day hearing of the 40% Agreement itself, which are currently scheduled for the last week of February 2020.
Let’s Carpool on Thursday December 19 to the Hearing
The KGPC has been trying since late last week to organize a school bus to get a group of our keen supporters down to the Ottawa Courthouse for this hearing; however, the last minute change in timing to 10am does not work for the various bus operators.
Nonetheless, we still very much want to show the Court that the residents in Kanata North are supportive of the KGPC and this Motion and want the Court to see that with their own eyes.
If you would like to join us downtown on Thursday, please let us know by writing to info@ourkanatagreenspace.ca. The assigned courtroom holds 40-50 people and so we can try to fill it. If you are able to drive and take some carpoolers along with you, please let us know. We are happy to help organize that via email.
Parking is a bear at the Courthouse. Plan to arrive by 9:15 am.
Next up… the KGPC is working on a communications strategy
The Coalition has been actively working to develop a communication and media strategy and we are currently interviewing firms that can help us in this regard. We will stay focused on this through the Holiday period in order to move forward quickly with a new campaign as 2020 rings in.
January 29, 2020 is the Night…and tables are filling quickly!
Please join us for
 How about organizing a table with your neighbours and friends? Bill Maga, a great volunteer for the Coalition, is organizing ‘Street Tables’ of friends and neighbours. To join a street table with your neighbours, please reach out to Bill at williammaga@rogers.com
Bill would be pleased to help you get organized!
You’ll want to join us for fabulous food, live entertainment, live and silent auctions and more.
Tickets are $150 and are available online
If you are interested in sponsorship activities please email our Events group
We are happy to receive donations for our live and silent auctions from individuals and businesses in Kanata. Please email our Events group if your interested.
It is the Holiday Season and we need your support.
Since the launch of the Make a Difference Campaign , we have raised almost $70,000. Thank you to all who donated! But we cannot stop. The KGPC must continue to hire the experts we need to ensure our community succeeds. This month it is communication experts.
Please help us fight the Goliath of ClubLink, Minto and Richcraft.
We need your donation by cheque or GoFundMe today. Instructions are here
Thank you for your ongoing support. Together we are better!
With warmest wishes,
Barbara
Barbara Ramsay
Chair, Kanata Greenspace Protection Coalition
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A New Ditty arrived in our inbox this week just in time for the Holiday Season …
The 13 days of Kanata Christmas 2018
On the first day last Christmas
Big Business said there’d be…Builders on a greedy wild spree.
On the second day last Christmas
Big Business said there’d be:
Covenant no more … and builders on a greedy wild spree.
On the third day last Christmas
Big Business said there’d be:
Three Big Wheels,
Covenant no more … and builders on a greedy wild spree.
On the fourth day last Christmas
Big Business said there’d be:
Fewer calling birds,
Three Big Wheels,
Covenant no more … and builders on a greedy wild spree.
On the fifth day last Christmas
Big Business said there’d be:
Five storm water ponds!
Fewer calling birds,
Three Big Wheels,
Covenant no more… and builders on a greedy wild spree.
On the sixth day last Christmas
Big Business said there’d be:
No golfers golfing… Five storm water ponds!
Fewer calling birds,
Three Big Wheels,
Covenant no more… and builders on a greedy wild spree.
On the seventh day last Christmas
Big Business said there’d be:
Blasted rocks a-flying,
No golfers golfing… Five storm water ponds!
Fewer calling birds,
Three Big Wheels,
Covenant no more… and builders on a greedy wild spree.
On the eighth day last Christmas
Big Business said there’d be:
Greenspace disappearing,
Blasted rocks a-flying,
No golfers golfing… Five storm water ponds!
Fewer calling birds,
Three Big Wheels,
Covenant no more… and builders on a greedy wild spree.
On the ninth day last Christmas
Big Business said there’d be:
Crowded tiny housing,
Greenspace disappearing,
Blasted rocks a-flying,
No golfers golfing… Five storm water ponds!
Fewer calling birds,
Three Big Wheels,
Covenant no more…and builders on a greedy wild spree.
On the tenth day last Christmas
Big Business said there’d be:
Tall condos looming,
Crowded tiny housing,
Greenspace disappearing,
Blasted rocks a-flying,
No golfers golfing… Five storm water ponds!
Fewer calling birds,
Three Big Wheels,
Covenant no more…and builders on a greedy wild spree.
On the eleventh day last Christmas
Big Business said there’d be:
Tiny parkettes playing,
Tall condos looming,
Crowded tiny housing,
Greenspace disappearing,
Blasted rocks a-flying,
No golfers golfing… Five storm water ponds!
Fewer calling birds,
Three Big Wheels,
Covenant no more…and builders on a greedy wild spree.
On the twelfth day last Christmas
Big Business said there’d be:
Useless buffers straggling,
Tiny parkettes playing,
Tall condos looming,
Crowded tiny housing,
Greenspace disappearing,
Blasted rocks a-flying,
No golfers golfing… Five storm water ponds!
Fewer calling birds,
Three Big Wheels,
Covenant no more…and builders on a greedy wild spree.
On the thirteenth day last Christmas
Big Business said there’d be:
Tons of traffic jamming,
Useless buffers straggling,
Tiny parkettes playing,
Tall condos looming,
Crowded tiny housing,
Greenspace disappearing,
Blasted rocks a-flying,
No golfers golfing… Five storm water ponds!
Fewer calling birds,
Three Big Wheels,
Covenant no more… and builders on a greedy wild spree.
Copyright 2019 Martin and Edna McEwan |
