John Dance

Residents’ advocacy at planning committee meeting scales back housing blueprint,
saves greenspace and trees

A crowd of 32 people and six dogs recently showed their support for retaining 185 Hawthorne Avenue as a greenspace. The large, irregularly shaped plot of land predominantly occupies the eastern end of Hawthorne but also has an extension to Concord Street South. Photo by John Dance

Many residents of the Hawthorne Avenue neighbourhood east of Main Street recently mounted a concerted defence of the City-owned greenspace at the eastern end of Hawthorne. As a result, the City has modified its related rezoning proposal so that some publicly accessible greenspace at “185 Hawthorne” will be maintained and some trees will be retained when the lot is developed for deeply affordable housing.

The community effort came after residents were surprised by the City’s October 5 proposal to rezone the large lot that it had deemed surplus. Residents immediately organized to seek changes that would preserve the green space that has been used and maintained by the neighbours for about 50 years.

However, although amended to deal with greenspace and trees, the approved rezoning of the lot will allow four storeys, rather than the existing three, and will allow such things as reduced rear yards, as the City paves the way for selling its lot to a “not-for-profit” housing development agency so it may build about 10 units.

While residents expressed their support for additional affordable housing in Old Ottawa East, they noted that there were larger city-owned lots that would be easier to develop and closer to the Lees LRT station. In response, City staff said the Hawthorne lot and five others elsewhere were “the most developable“ surplus lands in the City. When the rezoning of the six vacant lots was considered at the November meeting of the City’s Planning and Housing Committee, only 185 Hawthorne was contested. Not only were there five “delegations” in support of preserving the Hawthorne greenspace, but organizers had also rapidly collected 170 signatures on a petition requesting preservation.

“This space, deeply integrated into the fabric of our community, has served multiple generations with immeasurable ecological, social, and health benefits,” Hawthorne resident Michael Bassett told members of the housing committee. “This petition is a testament to the community’s deep connection to and valuation of this greenspace.”

“185 Hawthorne has been a vital green buffer, a playground, and a sanctuary maintained by the people, for the people,” said Bassett. “Although not officially designated, it functions as a true park in every sense that matters to those who cherish it.”

Strong advocacy by residents at the eastern end of Hawthorne Avenue has succeeded in preserving trees and greenspace at 185 Hawthorne. Photo by Lorne Abugov

Bassett said an “alarming” amount of greenspace has already been eliminated in Old Ottawa East over the last 10 years and, specifically, cited the loss of the Immaculata field, the Oblates green space, and Ballantyne Park which has been converted to a seemingly perpetual construction staging area. He also noted the pending threat of the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor consuming what the community considers to be the People’s Park.

Before the committee meeting, Councillor Shawn Menard met with Hawthorne residents to discuss the proposal. Subsequently, Menard worked with staff and fellow councillors to amend the original proposal to include three provisions: retaining as many trees as possible and replanting where retention is not possible; requesting that the not-for profit developer provide “publicly accessible greenspace on the site;” and maintaining the existing curbside parking capacity.

“This site has been used for decades as community space in an area where greenspace is at a premium,” Menard told The Mainstreeter. “I understand the desire to keep spaces like these, while at the same time the need for real not-for-profit housing is at crisis levels in our city. It was these priorities we tried to balance by getting support for a motion at Planning and Housing Committee. Resident involvement and advocacy here means that some trees and greenspace will be preserved at this site for public use.”

Although the rezoning has now been approved by City Council, there are numerous steps ahead. Concord Street South resident Steve Abboud, who lives beside where the irregular lot also has frontage, spoke at the committee and noted that remediation of the contaminated land may cost “millions.”

Abboud suggested that potential widening of the Queensway could deter any would be purchaser of the lot. He and others also raised the question of how many deeply affordable housing units would actually be built on the site.