The Glebe Report August 2019 Issue

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Serving the Glebe community since 1973

TFI@glebereport www.glebereport.ca

PHOTO: ANITA ROULSTON

August 16, 2019

ISSN 0702-7796 Vol. 47 No. 6 Issue no. 515 FREE

The heavens smile on the new Flora Footbridge with a double rainbow.

EASTWARD HO! FLORA OPENS By John Dance

The Glebe’s neighbours just got a lot closer as a result of the recent opening of the Flora Footbridge over the Rideau Canal at Fifth Avenue and Clegg Street in Old Ottawa East. The Flora Footbridge opened in late June four months earlier than scheduled, cost $2 million less than budgeted, generated greater use than

forecast and as a bonus provided a glorious new public space overlooking the Rideau Canal. With a degree of fanfare, politicians and young students from local schools cut the ribbon on June 26 for the new bridge and two days later the bridge was quietly opened to the public. Then, on July 20, the Glebe Community Association and its two sister community associations, which had long lobbied for a bridge, held their own celebration of Flora with about 150 people in attendance. Many parties deserve credit for getting the bridge approved and built.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS Aug 17, 21, 28....... Lansdowne Movies, Great Lawn: (17) Storks (21) Hidden Figures ............................... (28) Ready Player One Aug. 18, 25............. Summer Arts Showcase, Aberdeen Pavilion Aug. 29................... GNAG fall online registration begins, 7 p.m., gnag.ca Sep. 5..................... Abbotsford Open House, 1–3 p.m. Sep. 5..................... Scouts info night, 7–8:30 p.m., Glebe-St. James Church Sep. 9..................... Deadline to comment on tree bylaw, Ottawa.ca/treebylawreview Sep. 9..................... An Act of Grace opens at the Gladstone Sep. 12–15............. CityFolk Festival, Lansdowne Sep. 14, 15............. Glebe Fine Art Show, GCC Sep. 14, 15............. Marvest music showcase, various venues Sep. 15................... Glebe House Tour, 1–4 p.m. Sep. 25................... Candidates Meeting, federal election, GCC, 7 p.m.

However, the efforts of community members were fundamental to its conception and progress. The Midtown Footbridge Group formed in 2008 with members from the Glebe, Old Ottawa East and Old Ottawa South and it worked tirelessly to bring politicians and other parties on side. In particular, Glebe residents Allison Dingle and Carol MacLeod played key roles over the last decade by convincing people of the bridge’s merits and ensuring that the bridge would work well. In the end, nine community associations, five school councils, local

businesses and various other parties ranging from the Glebe Little League to the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre endorsed the idea of a new bridge across the canal between the Bank and Pretoria bridges. The City bought into the concept and included it in the cycling, pedestrian and transportation master plans. Then money was approved for an environmental assessment that was begun in 2011. Three public open houses followed and in 2012 a bridge with an estimated cost of $17.5 milContinued on page 2

WHAT’S INSIDE

Glebe house tour...................... Page 6, 7

Marvest..................................... Page 14

NEXT ISSUE: Friday, September 13, 2019 EDITORIAL DEADLINE: Friday, August 23, 2019 ADVERTISING ARTWORK DEADLINE*: Wednesday, August 28, 2019 *Book ads well in advance to ensure space availability.

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