Action Sandy Hill notebook
The board of Action Sandy Hill met at the community centre on January 28. They received year-end reports from active committees, Sebastien Lemay of the Ottawa Police, Councillor Mathieu Fleury and treasurer Megan Reilkoff.
Bylaw report for November and December, 2018
During December 2018 and January 2019, the City bylaw officers inspected 32 potential violations of noise and waste-related infractions in Sandy Hill. This resulted in 19 violation notices issued. The bottom line, encouraging to ASH directors, was 7 charges laid.
Sandy Hill crime statistics for 2018
These numbers and trends for Sandy Hill, including the university campus, are now on the books.
• Robberies, involving two or more suspects — 7, down from 12 in 2017
• Sexual assaults, with one or more perpetrators — 39, up from 22 in 2017
• Break and enters, businesses — 36, up from 23 in 2017
• Break and enters, residences—70, down from 74 in 2017
• Bicycle theft — 111, up from 73 in 2017
• Vehicle theft — 131, up from 93 in 2017
• Apprehensions under the Mental Health Act — 48, up from 25 in 2017.
People should call 911 if there is a crime in progress, or 613 236-1222, ext 7300 to report a crime that has happened.
Nicholas and Laurier excavation
A round of work is ongoing just east of the Laurier Ave. bridge, where workers are stabilizing the bedrock level at the site of the sinkhole that appeared so dramatically during the spring melt in 2014.
Open house coming re Range Rd. improvements
City staff will organize an open house at the Youville Centre on Mann Avenue at the end of February about construction and parking changes proposed for Range Road, Templeton, Mann and Russell.
Light rail
The new line is expected, currently, on April 1. The opening must be preceded by 12 days of continuous, mistake-free operation. When the service does open, there will be a month of “parallel” bus and LRT operations and a gradual reimplementation of the Lees Avenue on-ramp and other LRT construction-related “temporary” measures. The dénouement will also include the completion of Rideau Street features between Dalhousie and Sussex, such as the William Street pedestrian mall and permanent bus stops.
Panda game debrief
An upcoming Town and Gown meeting in February will consider the impact on our neighbourhood of last October’s Panda football game between uOttawa and Carleton. Pre-game revels, starting at 9 a.m. along Russell Avenue, were controlled by police on sidewalks and street, but in many cases just moved onto private property. As the pre-game party is not a legal or official event, no one applied to close the street to traffic or attempted to move it onto the university campus. Action Sandy Hill seeks recommendations on additional measures to improve neighbourhood safety.
New Block Rep
John Fung is the newest neighbourhood recruit, to be ASH’s go-to person for his block on Blackburn Avenue. He will distribute timely information, encourage feedback and keep the folks on his block in touch with shared concerns. Fung signed up at a Sandy Hill 5-7 at allsaints’ Working Title café in January. A place living up to its name.
ASH in the black
The treasurer’s year-end report notes a balance of $16,512 in the ASH current account; $26,707 in the Homestead account earmarked for improvements to Strathcona Park, and $1,787 from the One + Only craft sale to be shared between Awesome Arts and the Strathcona Heights Homework Club.
— Jane Waterston
Demolition by neglect
The houses at 199 and 201 Wilbrod (in the photo at right, taken in 2012 before a construction fence was added around the property) have been a Sandy Hill eyesore for a very long time. After many complaints, the City took the owners (Gor-Fay Realty Company Limited) to court over various Building Code violations. On January 31, the Provincial Offences Court dismissed the charges, finding that the defendants had demonstrated due diligence in attempting to comply with various Building Code orders.
City staff is reviewing the decision to determine what next steps to take to address compliance. — François Bregha