Action Sandy Hill February meeting covers a lot of ground

Ralph Blaine

The Board of Action Sandy Hill met on the evening of February 23, as they do on the last Monday of each month. The following is a summary of some of the key points from the view of a resident; it does not represent official communication from ASH. The official meeting minutes will be available on the ASH website before the next meeting and posted on the website at www.ash-acs.ca.

Councillor Stéphanie Plante opened the meeting with a reminder that she holds regular in-person sessions where residents of Sandy Hill can share their concerns. She also announced that free trees are available to Ottawa residents. For more information visit https://plantyourplace.ca/.

The City wants to reopen the Waller Street Mall (between Rideau and George streets) which was closed due to problems with open drug use and encampments. There are ongoing discussions about how to reopen the space while avoiding past problems.

The ASH Environment Committee announced native wildflower potting workshops from 1-3 pm on March 7, 14, and 28 at the Conservation Co-op. Advance registration is required. (See details page 1.)

The Homestead Fund is a sum of money (now amounting to $30,000) given to Action Sandy Hill 10 years ago by the local developer (as obligated under Section 41 of Schedule D to the Site Plan Control Agreement) for the property at 99 Range Road. The money must be used to create a “public amenity.” Over the years several options have been explored, but none was deemed suitable. Several working groups, including the Environment Committee, are busy preparing proposals for the use of this money. The ASH membership will have a chance to vote on the Board’s recommendation at the ASH AGM on April 27.

Constable James Kennedy of Ottawa Police Services talked about the recent efforts of the CORE program which involves police on the beat in the Byward market and adjacent areas up to Daly Avenue. They are now addressing open drug use and drug dealing in this area. He also mentioned that the police services are exploring the idea of having transit officers deputized to help efforts at stemming open drug use. Residents are encouraged to report any matters of concern along these lines to the police. He also noted their success last year controlling the St. Patrick’s Day activities in Sandy Hill and pledged to continue this initiative in 2026.

Sandy Hill will be affected by City rezoning. In 2022, in preparation for an increasing population, the City of Ottawa passed an “Official Plan” that called for increased urban density. Two months ago this led to a rezoning of Somerset East here in Sandy Hill as a “minor corridor,” the same designation as Laurier East. This change will allow taller buildings and greater density on Somerset East. At the request of ASH our councillor made an effort to reverse this rezoning, but it was narrowly rebuffed at City Council. ASH is now looking into the possibility of launching an appeal of this decision. See page 5 where residents express their concerns.

Finally, the Board passed a motion supporting the position of the Downtown BIA (Business Improvement Association) which calls for more effective efforts to reduce the impact of the supervised injection site at the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre on Rideau Street.

ASH Board meetings are open to all residents of Sandy Hill and are held jointly online and in person. To receive meeting reminders, email info@ash-acs.ca or actionsandyhill@gmail.com.