Procedure for lodging a 'Notice of Issue' to the Community Association

Current Issues

November, 2002

Re: The future of our community building

Dear Qualicum/Graham Park Resident,

A City staff report has recommended that the Qualicum/Graham Park community building (a wing of exclusive community space attached to the school building located at 25 Esquimault) be leased out during the day to generate revenue for the City and, consequently, that current exclusive space be shared and that the building only be available for community use after hours.

I am a member of the Committee that received the recommendation and I was able to get it deferred so that I could gather your input. In that vein, when I attended the community association's Annual Meeting I discussed the matter with everyone there. There was a strong consensus that we should do what we can to stop the plan because it could begin a domino effect that could undermine the future viability of the community space.

I grew up in this neighbourhood and I remember the community having to settle for access to meeting rooms and space for community programs, brownies etc at times when a school didn't need it. Most felt this was inadequate and many worked for improvement. The creation of the community facility owes its very existence to the neighbourhood. It was the community that raised over $13,000 to contribute to its construction, and the community that took the lead to help secure grants from senior levels of government to cover a significant portion of the costs. It was people right here in the neighbourhood - people like Elizabeth Barrett, Larry Woods, Joel McGrath - who worked with Council to ovecome significant obstacles and to make the project happen.

The staff report is correct that community use of the facility has dropped off over the past few years. However, I believe this is partly because of cyclical demographics and partly because of an exceptional disruption in usual operations that flowed from the discovery of an underground oil spill on the site. As we turn the corner on these challenges, I believe the community is now in an excellent position to focus on development.

I normally insist the City maximize its revenue opportunities from public facilities. However, I recognize that programming community uses after 5 p.m. is more difficult when pre-5 p.m. time slots are not available. I also agree that we will risk a great deal if we start down the slippery slope of reducing the presence of the center in the community. Having said that, we all need to recognize that the political reality of the newly amalgamated Ottawa means that the center can only survive in the long run, if we commit to improving community usage.

I need your help. I expect this matter to be voted on early next month so I need to be armed with your opinions in order to present them to other members of Council. Specifically, I need you to write to me to indicate whether you support a request to have Council maintain the current community facility for community use only. Secondly, I need you to tell me whether you believe the community will be able to achieve increased usage at the building in the coming year to eighteen months.

Committe will deal with the issue in a couple of weeks. I am working with the community association to ensure we have a strong presence at the meeting itself, but you, as a resident, can help a lot by sending me your thoughts.

Thank you for yor time.

Sincerely,

Rick Chiarelli

City Councillor, Baseline Ward

Phone: (613) 580-2478

Email Address: Rick.Chiarelli@ottawa.ca

Civic Address: 110 Laurier Avenue West. Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1J1