RE: GREENFIELD VILLAGE: A THRIVING
CORNER OF OUR COMMUNITY
In response to Tara Hogeterp’s article in last month’s Mainstreeter, I’m hoping to provide a bit of historical background on the origin and boundaries of “Greenfield Village” which has formally existed for 34 years within the area she writes about.
In the early 1980s a group of developers built an extensive series of freehold and condominium housing projects on Greenfield Ave., Montcalm St. and Havelock St. One of these developers, Pick Laurnic Inc., erected a series of 51 condominium townhouses named “Greenfield Village”. As the sales pitch and brochures boasted at the time, “Greenfield Village combines village-like privacy with the advantages of downtown living. The village consists of 51 townhomes in 4 distinct clusters; Greenfield Court, Montcalm Court, Wolfe Lane and Havelock Place”. Greenfield Village was incorporated in 1984 as CCC246 and I have resided there for the past 30 years.
Over time, real estate agents quick to adopt a selling point when they heard one, began referring to the area surrounding us as “the Greenfield Village area”, and thus began the current confusion. We will be celebrating the 35th anniversary of Greenfield Village’s incorporation next year. Perhaps it’s time to erect proper village signage, which in hindsight would have prevented this current mix-up.
— Stewart Grenzowski
DANGEROUS INTERSECTION AT MAIN
AND HAZEL
I write to express my concern over the potential for a bicycle and vehicle collision at the intersection of Main and Hazel streets.
My concern relates to southbound vehicular traffic turning off Main onto Hazel westbound, and the lack of visibility of cyclists from Main Street.
There is parking on the west side of Main from the Subway restaurant to Watson’s Pharmacy, and cars are parked there pretty much throughout the day.
The presence of the parked cars makes it very difficult for drivers turning right onto Hazel Street to see the cyclists and determine the speed they are travelling. And they are often travelling quickly.
Cars turning and slowing to check on cyclists risk an accident from behind. If they don’t slow and check for cyclists, they risk an accident with the cyclist.
I would suggest, as one way to perhaps eliminate the risk of accident, the de-synchronization of the two sets of lights: vehicle and bicycle. However, perhaps others have better suggestions. I would contend that the current situation should be reviewed and not be allowed to continue as at present.
— Barb Grisdale,
Hazel Street
RE: DANGEROUS INTERSECTION AT
MAIN AND HAZEL
Editor’s Note: Barb Grisdale’s concern was also communicated to the office of Councillor David Chernushenko, whose Assistant, Ian Grabina responded, in edited part, as follows:
You are not the first community-member to flag this concern to us. As an avid cyclist who uses this pathway, I can echo the concern from a cyclist’s point-of-view of motorists not seeing (or looking) for cyclists on the cycle track. I personally tend to err on the side of caution ensuring that I have eye contact with the driver prior to proceeding through the intersection. As not all users feel or act the same, or know they need to be cautious, it can lead to a dangerous situation for everyone.
This leads to the recent request for an evaluation of road safety for all users of the entire Main Street corridor, which our office has brought through to the City’s Traffic Safety Engineer. As a result, a Road Safety Audit [was] conducted [in June 2018] using, in part, a list of over 15 “trouble” areas that we and the community have identified which will form part of their evaluation criteria. The Audit involved a Consultant and their team assessing the street for compliance with the Highway Traffic Act, but more importantly, looking at how it functions, where the “danger” spots might be and how the City may go about improving these areas through education, signage changes or infrastructure improvements.
As all users become more familiar with how this new infrastructure functions, they also recognize how they must respect each other and ensure everyone’s safety. Our hope is that the Road Safety Audit will identify opportunities for further improvement. We will be working with the City’s Traffic Engineer over the summer to review the results of the audit with the findings being presented by City staff to the community in the early fall.
— Ian Grabina
Assistant to Councillor David Chernushenko
RE: “SYRIAN REFUGEES — THE ONES
LEFT BEHIND”
We are very lucky to live in such a caring community. Earlier this year, Old Ottawa East residents generously contributed 90% of the required funds to sponsor a Syrian refugee family — the second family sponsored by the Brantwood Sponsorship Group.
Local businesses then stepped up to put us over the top. The Green Door Restaurant hosted a fundraising dinner May 28th for 90 people (thanks again Ron and Poppy!). Other businesses contributed silent auction items: Watson’s Pharmacy, 3 Trees, Singing Pebble Books, Mike Galazka Service Center, Kirk Law Office, Embrace the Knight Jewellery, Phat Moose Cycle, Only You Esthetics, and Furry Friends Dog Spa.
Thanks to all the readers of the Mainstreeter for opening your hearts to “the ones left behind” — we will soon welcome another family to safety and freedom in Canada.
— Pauline Lynch & Carol Buckley
Brantwood Sponsorship Group
