Where have all the laneways gone? ALLAN SCHWARTZ As some of us attain a certain age, there is a tendency to reflect back on our life experiences as opposed to looking forward. This was very much the case as I strolled through my childhood neighbourhood the other day. Talk about the apple not falling…
School Trustee candidates make their best pitch Six candidates seeking election to Ottawa’s four school boards outline their priorities and tell Old Ottawa East voters why they deserve their support. The Mainstreeter asked some of the school trustee candidates on the October 26th election ballots within Old Ottawa East to provide our readers…
Celebrating our community volunteer organizations Together, we built a better Old Ottawa East JOHN DANCE While we tend to focus on pressing issues, once in awhile it’s worth stepping back and taking a look at the Old Ottawa East (OOE) community organizations and their volunteers who are truly worth celebrating. To this end,…
Progress, preservation and plenty of questions at Lansdowne The $419-million redevelopment remains on track while heritage restoration, tree health, signage and the loss of the Ottawa Charge generate fresh debate JOHN DANCE Lansdowne 2.0 is well underway: on schedule and within budget with conspicuous progress on the new event centre just to the east…
Would Indigenous reconciliation be better served without another footbridge? JOHN BENNETT Is a new footbridge across the Rideau River at Brantwood Park needed – and would building one be a good way to contribute to Indigenous reconciliation? Brantwood Park is one of the most beautiful parks in Ottawa, largely because of its location on a…
The height of controversy surrounds plan to demolish 441 Echo Drive apartments A proposed seven-storey development across from the Flora Footbridge sparks debate over planning rules, affordable housing and fit within the neighbourhood. JOHN DANCE Developer JB Holdings proposes to demolish its 441 Echo Drive 16-unit low-rise apartment building just to the north…
Presses stop in Winchester, but The Mainstreeter rolls on Sudden shutdown of Winchester Print’s newspaper publishing division sends local newspapers scrambling for new printing homes in Montreal and Toronto MAINSTREETER STAFF The volunteers of The Mainstreeter, like those at many other community newspapers in and around Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley, woke up to…
Community members step forward with bold plans to reimagine the Brantwood Park shoreline Neighbourhood advocates announce community engagement proposals ranging from new tree plantings and picnic and gathering area to a new footbridge twinned with Indigenous Healing Forests along the Rideau River. LORNE ABUGOV In what The Mainstreeter has called the Year of Community…
Food For Life: How some organizations in Ottawa are addressing the food insecurity gap Ottawa Horticultural Society’s recent panel discussion on food insecurity sheds light on the growing crisis in our communities LORI GANDY In late March, the Ottawa Horticultural Society (OHS) hosted a panel discussion with speakers from the Ottawa area who are…
After community outcry, Lady Evelyn School gets a lifeline The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has backed down on its wind-down plan, though the neighbourhood school’s long-term future remains uncertain. JOHN DANCE The Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) has reversed its decision to wind down Lady Evelyn School but the future of Old Ottawa…
