Gladstone Village [933 Gladstone Ave/1010 Somerset St] | U/C

[Har13]

Originally Posted by AR-OTT

A turf field here would be a massive amenity, especially if it was domed in the winter.

Yes we need turf fields in ottawa. Montreal full of them. Helps kids stay out of trouble. Nepean higshchool was considering one up to 2018/19 but was blocked by westboro NIMBYS. Prolly cause they can’t let their dogs shit on turf.

[Westbro]

Originally Posted by Har13

Yes we need turf fields in ottawa. Montreal full of them. Helps kids stay out of trouble. Nepean higshchool was considering one up to 2018/19 but was blocked by westboro NIMBYS. Prolly cause they can’t let their dogs shit on turf.

I take offense to this. I don't like turf because my dog WON'T shit on it, not because I can't let my dog shit on it.

In seriousness, most NIMBY's here have no reason for opposing things other than for something to do. All arguments are made only because they think they might be successful not because they actually think there is merit. Once you realize that it makes much more sense.

[Badyouken]

Originally Posted by Westbro

I take offense to this. I don't like turf because my dog WON'T shit on it, not because I can't let my dog shit on it.

In seriousness, most NIMBY's here have no reason for opposing things other than for something to do. All arguments are made only because they think they might be successful not because they actually think there is merit. Once you realize that it makes much more sense.

Nice username

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by Badyouken

Nice username

[rocketphish]

New Ottawa school won't be built on Plouffe Park, ward councillor says
The new École élémentaire publique Louise-Arbour school is just one part of an ambitious interconnected project in West Centretown.

Marlo Glass, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jan 30, 2024 • Last updated 21 minutes ago • 2 minute read

A new French-language school in central Ottawa will not be built at the expense of a 100-year-old park following outcry from neighbourhood residents.

Somerset Ward Coun. Ariel Troster said Tuesday city staff were still working to determine the exact location of the new school, but lengthy consultation with residents showed “the vast majority of people want to see Plouffe Park preserved.”

The new École élémentaire publique Louise-Arbour school is just one part of an ambitious interconnected project in West Centretown, which also includes community and affordable housing, expanded recreation space at the Plant Recreation Centre, and more.

“I keep saying it’s a matter of making all the Tetris pieces work,” Troster said in an interview. “There’s going to be a lot going on there.”

Troster said local residents wanted to see the school built on Somerset Street, with green space extending from Oak Street to the multi-use pathway on Preston Street, in line with the city’s community plan.

City staff “put their heads together” in workshopping a new design plan, which should be released soon for more public feedback, Troster said.

Initial renderings for the project known as 1010 Somerset showed the French-language elementary school placed directly on Plouffe Park, moving that green space to the west and leaving residents worried they would be without a park during the years-long construction process.

Troster said the original plan “set up a conflict that didn’t need to exist” between families of students at the French-language school and the surrounding community. It comes as 7,000 to 10,000 households are expected to be added to the neighbourhood over the next decade, many of them in high- or low-rise apartments without green space of their own.

But, Troster added, students at the French school are “in an unacceptable temporary location” and “the goal is to have a new school built as quickly as possible.”

The Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario, the public school board responsible for French-language schools in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario, declined an interview request, but said construction of the school remained a priority.

“We continue to work in collaboration with the City of Ottawa and our stakeholders to bring this project to fruition as quickly as possible in order to offer our school community a quality educational experience in modern facilities, at a prime location,” the board’s media spokesperson wrote in an email.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/new-o...ouncillor-says

[Harley613]

'It comes as 7,000 to 10,000 households are expected to be added to the neighbourhood over the next decade, many of them in high- or low-rise apartments without green space of their own.'

This neighbourhood is the meat in a greenspace sandwich. I can't think of many better situated places for greenspace in an urban environment in Canada. A few blocks from the massive Experimental Farm, Arboretum, Fletcher Wildlife Gardens. A few blocks from a massive 8km long waterfront linear park.

I'm glad they saved the soccer field from disappearing for a few years though...

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

[B][SIZE="4"]

Troster said the original plan “set up a conflict that didn’t need to exist” between families of students at the French-language school and the surrounding community. It comes as 7,000 to 10,000 households are expected to be added to the neighbourhood over the next decade, many of them in high- or low-rise apartments without green space of their own.

Not sure how it didn't need to exist. We have a housing crisis, need a new school and have limited green space. There is lots of basically unused scrub land where we will build apartments. Not sure why we only build French schools in this city but if it's needed this is a terrible lack of leadership to delay it for years.

[OTownandDown]

If its a school in Little Italy we need, why not build it on the site of the Adult High School? Surely there's space next door or in the parking lot?

[phil235]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

If its a school in Little Italy we need, why not build it on the site of the Adult High School? Surely there's space next door or in the parking lot?

Unless you take the soccer field, I’m not sure there is room. Maybe a very urban, vertical school on the city lot, but it’s not very big for a school and playground.

[Louis-Riel]

New 1010 Somerset development preserves Plouffe Park
May 15, 2024
Alayne McGregor

Plouffe Park will be preserved in the revised City of Ottawa concept plan for the empty area near Somerset and Preston.

The new 1010 Somerset plan places the new École Louise Arbour school in the middle of the development, between Plouffe Park to the east and the new one-hectare sports field to the west. The French-language public school will be just north of the new Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) Gladstone Village development.

A three-floor recreational and cultural facility will be built on Somerset Street West, just west of the current Plant Recreation Centre. Plans also include a childcare facility and a district energy plant.

Further west on Somerset residential buildings are planned, possibly also replacing the current commercial buildings there. The concept plan shows both a high-rise and a mid-rise building.

The new plan can be seen at https://engage.ottawa.ca/1010-somerset. The city promises a virtual engagement session over Zoom for the public to comment on the new plan, but has not yet given dates and or how to register.

It went live May 15, just as the latest issue of The BUZZ was being delivered by our printer. The city had presented the plan earlier to stakeholders, including the École Louise Arbour school council and the P4X Coalition of community associations for their comments.

Previous revision meant Plouffe Park lost to the community for almost a decade
The initial draft of the plan, released last June, placed the new school in the current location of Plouffe Park, with the park lost to community use for almost a decade. This prompted strong opposition; 1,260 people commented on the Engage Ottawa page.

The first plan was eventually withdrawn, and city staff were told to conduct a full review with the issues raised by residents taken into consideration.

School access a stumbling block
On the Engage Ottawa page, staff said that there were “insurmountable functional and operational issues with placing all buildings in the north half of the site to preserve the park corridor in the southern half.” Instead, the new school will be placed between the current Plouffe Park and the new sports field.

A new lane from Somerset to Oak Street will only allow bus access to the school. The plan also includes a drop-off area for parents on Oak Street which staff say will minimize “traffic impacts in the area.”

Next steps
The next step in the process will be an amendment to the city’s Official Plan to support the concept plan and federal government requirements.

Somerset Ward Councillor Ariel Troster had previously emphasized that there would continue to be consultation on the detailed plans for the different buildings, greenspace, and site access.

In the works for years
The city bought the land – adjoining LRT Line 2 from Somerset Street West to Gladstone – from the federal government in 2021 in an agreement that required that 70 percent of the site be allocated to “public uses” and that 150 units of affordable housing and 150 units of market-rate housing be built there. The land had previously contained federal storage and warehouses.

OCH was allocated the southern part of the tract for Gladstone Village, which will eventually include 1,100 new homes. Phase 1 near Oak Street is currently under construction.

The city’s Corso Italia Secondary Plan, approved in 2021, envisioned the northern half including a new 1.2 ha sports field, improved recreation facilities, affordable housing, and the new school building (replacing the current old and inadequate school facilities on Beech Street).

Other issues
One issue not mentioned in the new plan is that Plouffe Park is currently a temporary stormwater/flood retention basin to handle overflows during heavy thunderstorms. Previous plans had envisioned a new storm sewer eventually replacing this use.

It’s also not clear whether the primary target audience for the new recreation facility would be local residents or people from across Ottawa. With many new developments now underway in Dalhousie or over the bridge in Hintonburg, the number of residents in the area is expected to hugely increase in the next decade.

https://centretownbuzz.ca/2024/05/ne...-plouffe-park/

[Louis-Riel]

Wondering how the NIMBYs will react to this. I suppose they'll be happy to preserve the worst park in Ottawa.

Originally Posted by Louis-Riel

New 1010 Somerset development preserves Plouffe Park
May 15, 2024
Alayne McGregor

Plouffe Park will be preserved in the revised City of Ottawa concept plan for the empty area near Somerset and Preston.

The new 1010 Somerset plan places the new École Louise Arbour school in the middle of the development, between Plouffe Park to the east and the new one-hectare sports field to the west. The French-language public school will be just north of the new Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) Gladstone Village development.

A three-floor recreational and cultural facility will be built on Somerset Street West, just west of the current Plant Recreation Centre. Plans also include a childcare facility and a district energy plant.

Further west on Somerset residential buildings are planned, possibly also replacing the current commercial buildings there. The concept plan shows both a high-rise and a mid-rise building.

The new plan can be seen at https://engage.ottawa.ca/1010-somerset. The city promises a virtual engagement session over Zoom for the public to comment on the new plan, but has not yet given dates and or how to register.

It went live May 15, just as the latest issue of The BUZZ was being delivered by our printer. The city had presented the plan earlier to stakeholders, including the École Louise Arbour school council and the P4X Coalition of community associations for their comments.

Previous revision meant Plouffe Park lost to the community for almost a decade
The initial draft of the plan, released last June, placed the new school in the current location of Plouffe Park, with the park lost to community use for almost a decade. This prompted strong opposition; 1,260 people commented on the Engage Ottawa page.

The first plan was eventually withdrawn, and city staff were told to conduct a full review with the issues raised by residents taken into consideration.

School access a stumbling block
On the Engage Ottawa page, staff said that there were “insurmountable functional and operational issues with placing all buildings in the north half of the site to preserve the park corridor in the southern half.” Instead, the new school will be placed between the current Plouffe Park and the new sports field.

A new lane from Somerset to Oak Street will only allow bus access to the school. The plan also includes a drop-off area for parents on Oak Street which staff say will minimize “traffic impacts in the area.”

Next steps
The next step in the process will be an amendment to the city’s Official Plan to support the concept plan and federal government requirements.

Somerset Ward Councillor Ariel Troster had previously emphasized that there would continue to be consultation on the detailed plans for the different buildings, greenspace, and site access.

In the works for years
The city bought the land – adjoining LRT Line 2 from Somerset Street West to Gladstone – from the federal government in 2021 in an agreement that required that 70 percent of the site be allocated to “public uses” and that 150 units of affordable housing and 150 units of market-rate housing be built there. The land had previously contained federal storage and warehouses.

OCH was allocated the southern part of the tract for Gladstone Village, which will eventually include 1,100 new homes. Phase 1 near Oak Street is currently under construction.

The city’s Corso Italia Secondary Plan, approved in 2021, envisioned the northern half including a new 1.2 ha sports field, improved recreation facilities, affordable housing, and the new school building (replacing the current old and inadequate school facilities on Beech Street).

Other issues
One issue not mentioned in the new plan is that Plouffe Park is currently a temporary stormwater/flood retention basin to handle overflows during heavy thunderstorms. Previous plans had envisioned a new storm sewer eventually replacing this use.

It’s also not clear whether the primary target audience for the new recreation facility would be local residents or people from across Ottawa. With many new developments now underway in Dalhousie or over the bridge in Hintonburg, the number of residents in the area is expected to hugely increase in the next decade.

https://centretownbuzz.ca/2024/05/ne...-plouffe-park/

[rocketphish]

https://engage.ottawa.ca/1010-somerset

[Williamoforange]

Originally Posted by Louis-Riel

Wondering how the NIMBYs will react to this. I suppose they'll be happy to preserve the worst park in Ottawa.

I think there going to have a big issues once they realize that a good portion of that park will be blocked off from September to the start of July for use as a school yard....

Cause I really don't know where else a schoolyard is going to go unless that school is uselessly small...

[J.OT13]

This is a far better plan. They've removed a significant amount of asphalt and useless parallel roads. Some surface parking remains unfortunately, but it’s not too significant.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by Williamoforange

I think there going to have a big issues once they realize that a good portion of that park will be blocked off from September to the start of July for use as a school yard....

Cause I really don't know where else a schoolyard is going to go unless that school is uselessly small...

Isn't the schoolyard immediately to the west of the school? Looks pretty comparable to most downtown school yards at first glance. Either way, I don't think school yards are typically blocked off from September to July. They tend to be quite accessible outside of recesses and lunches.

Originally Posted by J.OT13

This is a far better plan. They've removed a significant amount of asphalt and useless parallel roads. Some surface parking remains unfortunately, but it’s not too significant.

Agreed, this is night and day better. I particularly like that it will encourage parents to drop their kids off a little ways away from the school and have them walk the last bit.

[Badyouken]

This is a lot better. I like that the buildings would be right on Somerset, which will be good for street-level feel.

I still think Plouffe Park is a weird plot of (largely underused) land, but this new plan should help get the whole project over the finish line.

[rocketphish]

New plan saves Little Italy park, moves school next door — but concerns remain
Community association had opposed placement of school atop Plouffe Park

Guy Quenneville · CBC News
Posted: May 27, 2024 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours ago

The city's latest plan for a mixed-use redevelopment in Little Italy saves an existing park, to the relief of the local community association — but other elements have left them disappointed.

The City of Ottawa wants to build a new recreation facility at the southwest corner of Somerset and Preston streets, next to Plant Recreation Centre.

The corner would also see the addition of market-rate and affordable housing, a new building to replace the aging école élémentaire publique Louise-Arbour (currently located further south on Beech Street), additional green space besides Plouffe Park, and a district energy system to power the whole site.

An earlier version of the plan released last year caused concern because it plunked the new school atop Plouffe Park, one of few remaining green spaces in that part of the city.

That prompted city planners to rethink things. Under a new plan unveiled earlier this month, the school would be located between Plouffe Park to the east and an extra one hectare of green space to the west.

The Dalhousie Community Association said it's not against having a school at the site.

But it feels the school's new location disrupts what could otherwise be "a very green swath in a neighbourhood that is extremely deficient in green space," association president Catherine Boucher said.

The new green space will still not be visible from Somerset and Preston, the association says.

It adds it's not keen on a school bus road running between Plouffe Park and the school, in part because kids would have to cross it to get back after recess.

The road would also demolish a basketball court the city installed a year ago that's "getting [a] huge amount of use," Boucher said.

"We do hope to be proven wrong, but we do feel we have lost green space there."

Somerset Coun. Ariel Troster has spent hours discussing the project with local residents and school parents over the past months.

Citing "intense work by many city departments," Troster said she's convinced the new plan is "the best one that we are going to get."

Any lingering concerns can be addressed in the final detailed design, she added.

"This is a valuable, very central piece of land and people have a right to care deeply about it," she said of the passions the project has stirred up.

Sheena McLeish, a parent of a Louise-Arbour student and a member of the school council, said it's been "a long time coming to get to this point" and that other parents are also anxious to see the project finally move ahead.

Like Troster, she's hopeful any remaining concerns can be addressed without further delaying things.

"Most if not all of the parents [and] students at our school also live in this community and … also want to see green space maximized," McLeish said.

Troster said the city hopes to put the project approval decision before city councillors in late 2024 or early 2025. The school can proceed with initial designs in the meantime, she said.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottaw...main-1.7215360

[kwoldtimer]

New school, new park, new recreational facility, new affordable housing - the complaints seem rather petty.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

New school, new park, new recreational facility, new affordable housing - the complaints seem rather petty.

Fully agree. This is a much better plan. The fact that you can't see the greenspace from a particular intersection is not exactly an indictment of the project. You've got greenspace on Preston and greenspace fronting the MUP. Seems like a pretty obvious win. And the minor inconvenience of a road for school buses that will be used briefly a couple of times a day is barely worth mentioning.

[Louis-Riel]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

New school, new park, new recreational facility, new affordable housing - the complaints seem rather petty.

No kidding. What a bunch of Nimby clowns. Never satisfied. Will only accept green space.