Please find below the HCA’s recent letter and a follow-up note to the consultant, Mayor Watson and Kitchissippi Councillor Leiper responding to the newly added option 6 for City Council’s consideration in redrawing ward boundaries for the next several elections.
The follow-up letter reflects the solidarity of all Kitchissippi community associations in their preference for an amendment to option 6 to reflect that no changes to the boundaries of Kitchissippi be implented in this review. In the absence of such an amendment, we still fully support option 6.
Please read on.
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September 15, 2020
Attention: Beate Bowron, Project Manager – Ward Boundaries Review
Subject: Ward Boundaries Review – Hintonburg Community Association’s (HCA) response to newly added Option 6
Dear Beate Bowron,
The Hintonburg Community Association fully supports Option 6 as the best possible choice for council to adopt for the following reasons:
– Hintonburg remains whole within Kitchissippi Ward. This is the highest priority for the HCA to ensure that this historic community is served by one councillor and one councillor’s office staff.
– The entire jurisdiction of the Wellington West BIA remains within the Kitchissippi Ward, enabling the BIA to continue its important work towards building a community of communities around a thriving commercial main-street district, and creating conditions that support the success and prosperity of local businesses thus enhancing the quality of life within Kitchissippi Ward..
– Our traditional partner associations bordering directly upon Hintonburg: Civic Hospital, Mechanicsville, and Wellington Village remain within Kitchissippi Ward. This is very important to us as we are truly communities of shared interests with a long history of partnerships in celebrating our shared rich histories, managing/advocating for and coordinating our green spaces, community hubs and soft infrastructure and fostering unity on Ottawa’s old west end.
– Efforts made in option six elsewhere in the city to avoid splitting traditional neighbourhoods and communities of shared character and interest are appreciated and we are supportive of these measures.
– Addressing ward inequity especially in Barrhaven and Cumberland is applauded. Those communities deserve equitable representation.
– The challenges of the rural wards in terms of sheer breadth of geography being balanced by lower ward populations being served works well enough but some worry remains that rural votes count more than urban votes. For this review we are supportive of the measures in option 6.
– Adding one council seat is applauded given the significant increase in population since 2005 and a similar uptick if current population projections come true. More seats would be ideal, but we recognize the financial pressures being foisted upon all levels of government by the COVID-19 pandemic. Perhaps a review of boundaries before the 2030 election would be prudent.
Thank you,
Linda Brown
President
Hintonburg Community Association
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September 21, 2020
Attention: Beate Bowron, Project Manager – Ward Boundary Review 2020
Subject: Follow up – Ward Boundary Review – Hintonburg Community Association’s (HCA) response to newly added Option 6
Dear Beate Bowron,
I am writing you today, to follow up on my previous letter of September 15, in support of Option 6.
The Hintonburg Community Association works closely with neighbouring community associations indeed, the community associations are strong and organized within the Kitchissippi Ward. As such, a modified Option 6 that keeps our current boundaries intact would be desirable. In short, Option 6 or a modified Option 6 has our full support.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Brown
President
Hintonburg Community Association
