Compared to Edmonton, for instance, one of several smaller sized Canadian cities, Ottawa suffers a huge shortfall in community centres for building communities instead of sprawl, reducing loneliness, resulting in a city of strangers. By taking over official buildings and running them with professional staff directly, Ottawa’s expensive practice cannot afford more. Current policy as was raised at the Manotick/Osgoode meeting, the City is pricing scarce space out of reach of volunteers giving their time to community service and development.
Can school downsizing help inside the Greenbelt, as Alex reminded the Overbrook General Meeting, City policy used to encourage repurposing of schools and other buildings declared surplus. Can adapting Ottawa’s historic farm legacies outside the Greenbelt help villages and former towns — and new populations? Could adapted community centres link occasionally through Webinar, Skype, for efficient issue-meetings? Let’s help Ottawa revisit and rebuild its adaptive use policy — get on with facilitating effective centres of consultation across vastly separated communities. A coffee clatch? President@fca-fac.ca Curious? see Edmonton Strategy: (look for sidebar at http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/projects_redevelopment/approved-plans-strategies.aspx )
