GCA turns a new leaf!

Laura Smith
President Glebe Community Association

Fall has definitely arrived in the Glebe! Leaves are changing, temperatures are cooler, squirrels are bulking up for winter and we are slowly adapting to our new routines as some of our regular activities start up again.

It was great to see so many of you for our annual general meeting in September. We heard from MP Catherine McKenna, MPP Joel Harden and Councillor Shawn Menard. Sarah Viehbeck, the outgoing president of the Glebe Community Association, shared some highlights and achievements of the past year and we elected the 2020-21 board. As I take on the role of president, I am grateful to Sarah for her dedicated leadership over the past two years. I am looking forward to working with the great team on the incoming GCA board as we continue to advocate for a liveable, sustainable and diverse community.

My partner Kevin and I moved to the Glebe in 2014, primarily because of its walkability. Not being car owners, we could easily visit local businesses for our everyday errands and enjoy lovely walks along the canal. Our only disappointment was the absence of a way for us to access the canal itself during the summer months. Not long after, we were so pleased to read in the Glebe Report that the GCA was advocating for increased canal access for paddle-craft. I joined the GCA parks committee to work on this initiative and have been involved in the association ever since! The dock at Patterson Creek was installed in 2016 and we get out in our kayak as often as we can during the summer.

The Glebe is a wonderful community, mainly because those who live and work here make it wonderful. Please consider becoming a member of the GCA (glebeca.ca) and getting involved with one of our committees. We have a particular need right now on our health, culture and housing committee for someone who is knowledgeable or interested in public health. Please reach out to health@glebeca.ca if you’re interested. You’re also welcome to attend (via videoconference, these days) our board meetings on the fourth Tuesday of every month. Our next meeting is on October 27 at 7 p.m.

Here are some of the things we’re working on these days:

Speed limits in the Glebe
Speed limits on the west side of Bank St. were lowered to 30 km/hour in the fall of 2019. At our September meeting, the GCA indicated our support for a similar reduction on the east side of Bank.

Evergreen Parks Plan
We are fortunate to have several wonderful neighbourhood parks. They have been particularly important over these past few months as neighbours have been looking to enjoy being outside close to home.

At our September board meeting, the GCA parks committee presented its Evergreen Parks Plan. This plan describes the parks found in the Glebe and some of their current challenges (such as bylaw enforcement, maintenance and dog waste disposal). At our September meeting, the GCA board endorsed the recommendations put forward in the report.

This document will be “evergreen,” updated every few years as circumstances change and new issues arise. You can take a look at the plan on our website – glebeca.ca. If you have any feedback or are interested in being involved in the parks committee’s work to promote parks in the Glebe, please be in touch at parks@glebeca.ca.

Drop off your empties
for a good cause
BottleWorks, a social enterprise of Operation Come Home, and the GCA have teamed up to give us the chance to help young people get on-the-job experience. You can help out by bringing your empty bottles and cans to a handy, pop-up location at Kundstadt Sports on Bank Street on the last Saturday of each of the next few months between 9:30 am and 12:30 pm. Your next opportunity to clear up some of that space in your basement or garage is October 31.

Have your say
The GCA is working with the Old Ottawa South and Old Ottawa East community associations as well as Councillor Menard’s office to host a consultation on October 19 at 7 p.m. regarding proposed changes to Aberdeen Square at Lansdowne Park. Stay tuned for more details.

The city will be hosting a public consultation on the Bank Street Height and Character Study. As you may remember from last month’s Glebe Report, the GCA planning committee will also provide an opportunity for you to see a model of the changes being proposed. The dates for these events have yet to be confirmed, so keep an eye out for updates on social media and in our email newsletters.