While everyone continues to wait for the 40% Agreement decision from the Ontario Court of Appeal, we’re keeping busy on your behalf. Our experts will work throughout October on their written opinions in advance of the October 29 submission deadline for the January Ontario Land Tribuna (OLT) hearing.
Time for Thanksgiving…
“We have so much to be thankful for. One day a year hardly seems adequate.” ~ Anonymous
Just what we needed…our special October weekend! Often focused around family and friends, it is special for the gathering, sharing and giving of thanks along with some wonderful food thrown in. We truly hope some or all of that good stuff is in your plans for this weekend!
While everyone continues to wait for the 40% Agreement decision from the Ontario Court of Appeal, we’re keeping busy on your behalf. Our experts will work throughout October on their written opinions in advance of the October 29 submission deadline for the January Ontario Land Tribuna (OLT) hearing. In November, they will review the opinions of the other parties (ClubLink, the City of Ottawa and those of other parties) and follow up with review commentary. Without a Court of Appeal decision in our favour, it is an expensive but unavoidable exercise.
And so, we’ve started to organize our next special fundraising event…
Fall for Greenspace
Tuesday, November 2 is the night! The Brookstreet Hotel is the place and the evening out you need! You’ll be served a 3 course feast prepared by Chef Lyness and his team while toe-tapping to the live music of Ottawa’s pop power duo Beats ’n Keys along with a few surprises.
Tickets are available online. Your choice of 3 menu options and seating details are there too. Space is limited. Buy your tickets early. It’s been a bit of time since we’ve seen you…
Rest assured, the Brookstreet team manages their four-diamond hotel to respect all of Ontario’s pandemic restrictions. Entrance will include a check of your Covid passport or proof of completed Covid vaccination with ID verification at the door; attendance will be limited to 50% of capacity with face masks required when not eating and drinking and tables of 2, 4, to a max of 10 arranged to respect all distancing guidelines.
If you can’t join us…. will you support us with your donation?
Should you be busy and unable to attend on Tuesday, November 2nd or perhaps, remain uncomfortable attending indoor events, we had hoped to offer you the option of a delivered at-home dinner choice. Unfortunately, the Brookstreet Hotel has been unable to hire fully to its pre-pandemic levels and, as a result, cannot staff to provide both events on the same day.
We still very much need your support. While a favourable Court of Appeal decision would allow us to avoid (or at least minimize) the above costs on the OLT front, we must remain on track by keeping all of our options open and that requires that we remain financially prepared.
So, if you cannot attend, could we ask you for a donation? The $125 value of a dinner ticket would be very much appreciated. All donations can be made on our website. We need your support to ensure the fight continues to SAVE OUR GREENSPACE!
Important Changes for Kanata North at City Hall
Wednesday, October 13 – Ottawa City Council You Tube Channel – 10am
This article was posted on CTV media yesterday stating that the City Clerk will recommend to City Council a January 2022 by-election at a cost of $566,676 to fill our Ward 4 – Kanata North council seat for a grand total of 10 months. We copied you last month on a letter by the Kanata North community and business associations recommending to city staff and council the nomination of Marianne Wilkinson, our retired city councillor, as a term replacement. We noted that this will ensure immediate, experienced representation for our community on consequential issues being decided in the coming weeks and months. The KGPC believes it will be helpful to have accomplished representation at City Hall on our greenspace issue for the year ahead.
Council will make its choice at Wednesday’s meeting. We believe they will be influenced should they hear from more Kanata North residents. We encourage you to drop a short email to Mayor Watson and copy all of the City Councillors and ask them to nominate a term replacement in Ward 4 and put the $566,676 in by-election costs to a more productive use. You can cut and paste their email addresses from the City website. Thank you!
Thursday, October 14 – Ottawa Joint Planning and ARA Committees – 10am
The draft Official Plan has been in the works at City Hall for several years. Its adoption is now coming down to the short stokes and the final redraft is to be presented by staff to this special joint meeting of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Planning committees on Thursday and, their decision will rise to City Council on October 27th for approval.
Thousands of residents have participated, responded and commented at in-person (pre-Covid) and online city consultations. Further, community associations and interest groups from across Ottawa have worked collaboratively on a comprehensive response entitled POP – The Peoples’ Official Plan. You will find here a concise synopsis of the positions these community groups have developed and the changes they propose to the staff document to guide city growth and improve development planning and neighbourhoods across Ottawa for the next 30 years.
GREENSPACE FOR ALL is one of their eight key policy focal points. The KGPC was pleased to participate in the change recommendations coming forward and are particularly grateful to all of the community associations and their hard-working volunteers who joined with us to provide feedback. The changes recommended for greenspace and urban canopy management policy will ensure that it is premised in transparent data analysis, the establishment of neighbourhood based metrics and fulsome and sustained consultation to protect our spaces and trees.
None of this hard work matters if good policy is not adopted by City Council. We’re pleased to report that several councillors are supporting the POP community efforts by bringing these great POP motions forward for consideration at committee. While those of us in Ward 4 -Kanata North may not have a councillor and a vote this time around, we can hope that good minds will prevail and carry the day. GREENSPACE FOR ALL… a wonderful thought!
We truly hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving and are able to make and enjoy some special memories, whatever you do.
Join us at The Brookstreet on November 2. We’re better together!
Barbara
chair@ourkanatagreenspace.ca
Kanata Greenspace Protection Coalition
ourkanatagreenspace.ca