New Barrhaven location near Woodroffe identified for possible sprung shelter

Good morning! 

I’ll start with some housekeeping items today: The Lookout team is working on a story about cell phones in schools in Ottawa. If you’re a parent interested in being interviewed about this story, reply to this email and we’ll connect you with our team member.

I’m also working on a story about the state of the ByWard Market and what officials are planning to do to make it more of a tourist and local attraction. I want to know what your biggest fears are for the historic spot and what you think it needs more of. Send me an email, and your thoughts might be included in an upcoming newsletter. 

Today's big story is the development of a proposed sprung structure encampment that could be coming to Barrhaven. A new possible location has been announced and the local councillors are not pleased. We have the details of what we know so far. 

Speaking of the ByWard Market, Lookout editor Geoff Sharpe got a bit confused over who wrote today’s newsletter (it happens to the best of us!), so we both contributed to the second story about the ByWard Market and some of the revitalization efforts it’s been taking.

A quick reminder there will be no newsletter on Monday due to Thanksgiving. But stay tuned for a special insider edition hitting your mailboxes soon. It will be the second part of our story about the transit changes coming to the city and where OC Transpo goes from here. Hint: it’s not a third phase of light rail. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

— Charlie Senack, [email protected].

PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign up for free.

WEATHER

Friday: 18 🌡️ 7 | 🌤️

Saturday: 12 🌡️ 2 | 🌤️

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Monday: 8 🌡️ 2 | 🌧️

Tuesday: 9 🌡️ 2 | ☁️

CITY HALL

New Barrhaven location near Woodroffe identified for possible sprung shelter

The issue: Ottawa is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. Newcomers are arriving at increasing rates and claiming refugee status with no place to live. It’s put pressure on the city’s shelter systems that are already struggling with a lack of beds. Some recreation facilities have been closed down to be used as shelter spaces. Now, city council is looking for quick ways to house the homeless. 

• “This is now a reality of our city and other cities across the country. Global migration has now hit locally ... so our systems need to shift and change,” said Clara Freire, the city's general manager of community and social services, according to CBC. 

A solution: One of the potential short-term solutions are sprung shelters, which could have beds for up to 300 refugees. Most of council is on board with the idea, but the question now is where they will be located. 

What are sprung shelters? According to the City of Ottawa, the structures are modular tension fabric buildings. Each sprung structure features aluminum arches that are integrally connected to an all-weather outer architectural membrane. They can be customized with a number of different accessories, including doors, windows, canopies, vestibules, covered walkway systems, connecting corridors, glazing walls, graphic enhancements, etc…

Barrhaven shortlisted: In July it was leaked to the media that one of the proposed locations was at Highbury Park and Greenbank Road in Barrhaven. The site was already sitting undeveloped to make way for a potential Phase 3 LRT extension out to the growing suburb of 100,000 residents, reported the Barrhaven Independent. 

Barrhaven West Coun. David Hill said that, at the time, he felt that the location and the sprung structures were a bad idea. 

• “Having lived in sprung structures myself before and having worked in areas overseas where there are refugee camps, I can attest that living in a cloth structure, especially for communal living, is not ideal. We could put something better up in the same timeframe with multiple floors that gives the advantage of density which our official plan speaks to. A number of developers have said they could do this from soup to nuts in a year. That’s a more dignified housing first model,” said Hill. 

A new Barrhaven location identified: The location was not well received by the community. In his weekly newsletter, Barrhaven East Coun. Wilson Lo said another Barrhaven location had been shortlisted — this time on an empty parcel of land between the Nepean Woods Park & Ride and Woodroffe Ave. 

• “Though staff did not share a list, they did share some of the other sites considered in this ‘second sweep,’ which consists mostly of underused park and rides and federal lands. Like the site at Greenbank/Highbury Park, though, its selection for consideration does not mean it’s a done deal, and nothing is proceeding right now,” wrote Lo. 

Next steps: As Lo stated, no firm location has been chosen and other locations are being looked at. Repeatedly since the summer, city staff were requested to share the full list of considered properties and the selection criteria. To date, that still hasn’t happened. 

Drastic measures taken: Because of the slowness in transparency, Councillor Lo’s office filed an information request under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) to obtain all information and documents relating to sprung structure shelters, including the list of all sites considered and selection criteria. Staff now have up to 30 calendar days to complete the request. 

Potential concerns: Barrhaven’s infrastructure has not been able to keep pace with its growth. Despite having over 30 schools, most are overcrowded — some by upwards of 50 per cent. The community is also far from services which are primarily located in the downtown core. Barrhaven is also underserved by public transit — which the residents of a sprung structure would use to get around the city. 

More dignified than community centers: Many councillors went after their Barrhaven colleagues for not supporting sprung structures in their community. Alta Vista Coun. Marty Carr said she would be happy to have one of these structures built in her ward, and said two locations off St. Laurent was proposed. Both potential sites don’t appear to have made the cut.

• Rideau-Vanier Councillor Staphanie Plante asked Lo and Hill if they have visited any of the current recreation centres converted into shelters and both replied no. She said the image of bunk beds piled on ice pads is “jarring” and that solutions are needed now.

Other options: Both Lo and Hill have stressed there are other options that can work instead of sprung structures. Temporary solutions would only add to Ottawa’s growing shelter system rather than dealing with the root cause of the problem, said Lo. He said organizations like Matthew House and Samaritan House are already housing newcomers in a more controlled and manageable environment.

• “Councillor Hill and I have made arguments for options which are more dignified and a more responsible long-term use of public funds using rapid construction/modular buildings and scaling up existing embedded programmes.For example, Kitchener-Waterloo proved it’s possible to take a project from concept to occupancy affordably and within a year (contrast that with our temporary structure’s 12-to-18-month timeline),” said Lo.

Will the structures happen? The city plans to build two of these structures. Its unlikely both will be in Barrhaven. The report does not require Council or Committee’s approval, which means the two sites ranked highest will automatically be selected for a sprung structure shelter, unless the Mayor and the majority of council agree to reopen the item at Council. That seems unlikely.

We’re working on more exclusive stories exploring the issues facing the Capital Region. Our publication is powered by readers, not big companies or venture capital firms. If you support our local journalism and want to see more stories like this, consider becoming a member today.

OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS

🏫 1,130: The number of fewer students attending Ottawa Carleton District Schools than what was initially projected. [Ottawa Citizen]

🏡 2.1%: The rental price increase seen in September, the lowest point it’s hit since Oct. 2021. [CBC]

🎉 4: The number Ottawa ranked for parties on an Uber survey. [CTV]

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COMMUNITY

The state of the ByWard Market

ByWard Market is in the midst of both challenges and transformation, as the historical area grapples with changing demands, public safety issues and envisioning what it could be in the future. 

Background: Like many downtown core areas in cities across Canada, the area is dealing with the problems associated with the opioid epidemic and the housing crisis. From 2022 to 2023, there was an 8 per cent increase in crime in the Rideau-Vanier Ward, including a 9.5 per cent increase in non-violent crime, according to CBC.

By the numbers: From 2020 onwards, opioid overdose ED visits peaked in July 2023 at 151, while deaths peaked at 71 in July 2023, according to tracking data from the city. Data from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care show that overdose deaths are concentrated in the downtown core.

Changing heritage plans: Both the Lowertown West and ByWard Market were recognized for their heritage buildings in the 1990s, which put certain restrictions in place. But now, more than 30 years later, the Built Heritage Committee has updated plans that will still preserve the neighbourhoods’ charm and character while also adapting to a modernized city, reported CityNews.

• The original ByWard Market Heritage Conservation District included roughly 145 properties, with another 560 properties in the the Lowertown West area. 

The changing space: Business owners have shared their experiences of the market’s changes in recent years, as it shifts away from being a food market, according to Ottawa Business Journal. Food prices have played a major role as more consumers are worried about the increasing cost of groceries. The wildly popular Saslove’s Meat Market closed down this year.

A modern twist: Shipping containers started popping up in the ByWard Market this year. They each held a storefront, some of which rotate through a variety of local, small businesses. 

• “It’s a very accessible model that allows a small business owner like me to have a storefront for a month and see how their work and ideas work in a brick-and-mortar model.” Imani Busby, founder and curator of The Gift Shop, told the Ottawa Business Journal. 

Re-imagine the space? Toon Dreeson, president of Architects DCA in Ottawa, took to the Ottawa Citizen in August to share his ideas for revitalizing the area. He likens its potential to the Toronto Distillery District, a space that has been completely revitalized as one of the most liveable neighbourhoods in the city. Granville Island in Vancouver is another one, which is anchored by a large food market and has become a space for Vancouver’s arts scene.

• Dreeson argues that the space needs more actual residents, not just tourists, and that the city should go beyond a normal RFP process and create a competition of ideas, soliciting different proposals and selecting them through public involvement. 

We interviewed Toon many months back about how he envisions transforming Ottawa. You can read that here. 

Where to eat in the Market area

We’re always keen to highlight local businesses in the city. Here are some of our food editor Ralf Joneikies most recent restaurant reviews of places in the ByWard Market area. It’s a great excuse to check out a part of the city you may not regularly visit. 

🍗 At Pili Pili, you will get a lot of chicken. This is a top-drawer restaurant to feed a family or entertain friends on a budget. This ByWard Market restaurant is a chicken dinner winner.

🧁 Many have heard about Elina Patisserie, but with so many new shops and eateries opening, it’s easy to get distracted. Nevertheless, it's a place you want to visit.  As soon as you step through the door you are awash with the aromas of butter and caramelizing sugar.

🥐 For premium subscribers: After the closure of the highly regarded Gray Jay, it was a certainty that the talented chef Dominique Dufour would soon land elsewhere. Elsewhere is 11 William St. in the ByWard Market at the new Buvette Daphnée, and it’s a date night destination of fab sharing plates.

🥗 At Cafe Tehran, you'll feel a little spoiled. Not with an overabundance of choices but by the level of care and experience that goes into cooking your food. Ottawa has many good Persian restaurants, but none are as impressive as Cafe Tehran.

THE AGENDA

After one year on the job, former Ottawa City Councillor Mathieu Fleury is out of his role as chief administrative officer for the City of Cornwall. No details were shared as to why he was let go, but Cornwall city council held a special meeting on Tuesday evening where Fleury’s employment may have been discussed. The only agenda item for the closed-door meeting was a “performance evaluation process.” [Ottawa Citizen]

🚍 It could be a reversal in progress for the city of Ottawa, which is considering buying more diesel buses. The sudden change in direction comes after the city struggles to purchase high-capacity electric buses due to delays. The transit union supports the deficit saying the current bus fleet is aging out of operation. [CBC]

🏥 For once a major construction project in Ottawa appears to be on time, so far. Work is well underway on the parking structure for the new Civic Campus of the Ottawa Hospital. The full project won’t be completed until 2029, with a final design expected within the next 12 months. [CTV]

🚑 Paramedics and police have begun patrolling the ByWard Market — one of the city’s most troubled neighbourhoods — to start providing on-the-ground care. The specialized teams decide what calls they take as opposed to immediately being dispatched to the scene. Paramedics in Ottawa typically transport about 70 per cent of the patients they see, but with the ByWard Market pilot, that number is 38 per cent. A total of 548 calls were responded to between July 2 and Sept. 30 of this year. [CBC]

🚎 It’s no secret that transit in Barrhaven sucks, so how does it compare to taking a vehicle? Taking an OC Transpo bus and light rail will add about 20 minutes to your commute. A lack of express buses and overcrowded modes of public transit are the route cause of issues for commuters. [CTV]

🏋️ The Kenwood Athletic Club in Arnprior has closed. First opened in 2005, its operations director online said they thought negotiations for a new lease were underway with the landlord. The post said the building had fallen into disrepair due to leaks in the roof and pipes. A sign on the door read that KAC failed to pay rent totalling $13,428.55. [CTV]

🇮🇹 When Italian immigrants first settled in Ottawa, it wasn’t actually on Preston Street. Much of the culture's early memories are preserved in the Italian Canadian Historical Centre, which is connected to Villa Marconi on Baseline Rd. The facility was created in 2013 after the Canadian government apologized for the internment of Italians during the Second World War. About $16 million was offered to make changes to the curriculum and preserve the community’s heritage. [Kitchissippi Times]

🐀 Kanata residents say they are living ‘in horror’ due to a rat infestation that has plagued their community for the last month. The cause, neighbours say, is a hoarder townhouse nearby which has thousands of items in its possession. [CTV]

🏒 Linus Ullmark will call Ottawa home for the next while. The Senators’ goalie signed a $8.25 million per year contract to stay with the team until the end of the 2028/29 season. He’ll be the NHL’s fourth highest-paid goalie, and he was acquired in June from the Bruins in the offseason. [TSN]

⚽️ And one last sporting news item: Katrine Pedersen will serve as the coach for the Ottawa Rapid FC women’s soccer team. She’s a legend of soccer from Denmark and comes from her role as a member of talent development at the Danish Football Association. [Ottawa Citizen]

🦃 Monday will see different opening and closing times for many places due to Thanksgiving. Some big ones include the Confederation Line and OC Transpo running on a Sunday schedule, garbage and green bins being delayed by a week, many recreation facilities and the LCBO being closed, and fewer grocery stores opening hours. [CTV]

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Fall Market at Vergers Villeneuve | Les Vergers Villeneuve and Blueberry Farm, 1341 Rollin Rd | Oct. 12 | Come buy delicious products from over 30 producers such as pumpkins from Misa farm, gelato from Nonna’s Gelato and chocolates from L'Éveil | Free.

Ottawa Friends of Tibet invites you to our fall event at 3.30 pm on Saturday, October 19 at the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa, 30 Cleary Avenue. We are raising money for projects in India in support of young Tibetan refugees working to improve their education. Tickets are $60 on line. Buy them online at OFT.ca. There will be Tibetan dancing and momos. Come join us! [Sponsored]

Carrot Fest | Ottawa Farm Fresh, 2811 Ramsayville Rd | Oct. 12 | Join the Ottawa Farm Fresh in the fields to help harvest thousands of pounds of carrots, connect with the land and people that grow your food and learn some of what it takes to tend and harvest the food that nourishes you all year long | Free. 

North Gower Farmers' Market | 2397 Roger Stevens Dr | Oct. 12 | Come purchase vegetables, honey, meat, sauces, cheese, and other goods from local producers in rural Ottawa | Free. 

613flea | Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne Park 1000 Exhibition Way | Oct. 12 | The free to attend event features an exciting (and ever-changing!) lineup of over 140 vendors who offer eclectic goods, hand made treasures, vintage finds and one-of-a-kinds | Free. 

Ottawa Flower Market Collective at the Parkdale Public Market | Parkdale Public Market, 366 Parkdale Ave | Oct. 12 | Your local farmer-florists are bringing an array of beautiful blooms from the Ottawa Valley to the Parkdale Public Market | Free. 

York Street Market | on York St | Visit the ByWard Market every other Sunday to explore 30+ vendors offering handmade goods like home decor, jewelry, cider, spices and more! | Free. 

Watson’s Mill Harvest Festival | Watson’s Mill, 5525 Dickinson St | Oct. 13 | Come to Watson's Mill for their annual Harvest Festival! There are a bunch of activities and crafts for the whole family | Free. 

One World Bazaar | 6110 Mitch Owens Road Manotick Station | Until Oct. 14 | Drop by in person and you'll discover a heritage barn packed with beautiful handmade goods from all over the planet | Free. 

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Awesome Ottawa September award supports “legacy squares” and shares life messages from seniors. [Apt613]

• A look at Hampton-Iona’s history with Standard Bread. [Kitchissippi Times]

• Chinatown’s Miam Miam General Store is an artisanal neighbourhood gem. [Apt613]

• La Ronde's halloween event looks terrifying and is just a spooky road trip from Ottawa. [Narcity]

• Here are a handful of activities to do in Ottawa this fall. [Kitchissippi Times]

• Want to have your announcement featured? Learn how here.

WORDLE

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