People in Centretown are very generous. I know that so many of you donate your time or your money to worthy organizations in our community.
What we spend tells us who we are. That is always the mantra I take into every budget season, as I comb through spreadsheets to try and uncover how council’s decisions will impact the everyday lives of residents in Somerset Ward.
We are so lucky to have such an engaged group of residents in the downtown core. When Councillor Jeff Leiper and I hosted People Powered Budget consultation at Plant Resreaction Centre in June, the room was packed, and the care and passion you all have for our city was evident.
There is no stadium emergency. That is what I am hearing overwhelmingly from residents of Somerset Ward when it comes to Lansdowne 2.0 and the proposal for the city to take on $340 million in more debt to rebuild facilities that have many years of life left in them.
Streets are for people. That is the message that came out loud and clear after we surveyed you about the impact of our groundbreaking Street Seats in Centretown, which ran from July till October on Frank, Florence and MacLaren streets.
I don’t know about you, but these days it can be hard to find reasons for optimism. In a time of war, rising hatred and global instability, I find that what grounds me is focusing on what we can do locally.
This Wednesday (September 17), the city will be hosting a combined open house for the Bay Street integrated renewal and the Gladstone/Gilmour bikeway, and on September 18, EnviroCentre will be hosting a Bike Info Booth at Albert and Bronson!
“Don’t tell me where your priorities are. Show me where you spend your money, and I’ll tell you what they are.” James Frick could have been talking about the City of Ottawa budget when he wrote those words.
For those of you who don’t know, there is a reason why we celebrate Capital Pride in August, instead of in June, like in many other cities in Canada.
Residents and road users can expect some traffic impacts in the downtown core this weekend for the Capital Pride parade.
“Build it and they will come.” The famous line from Field of Dreams has been in my head these last couple of weeks, as I have seen all the amazing events that have been popping up in the new Uncommon Spaces off of Bank Street on Florence, Frank and MacLaren.