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Finding Space in our Schools
This house, at 117 Clarendon Ave, will soon be demolished and replaced with two semidetached homes. Photo by John Taylor
Obituary for The Pond House Treasured home lost to intensification By Mary Ellen Kot
It is with heavy hearts that the residents of Wellington West, in Kitchissippi ward, in the city of Ottawa, announce the passing of the house at 117 Clarendon Avenue, known fondly as The Pond House, 1925 to 2013. The red brick dwelling, in its 88th year, has lost its short battle with over-intensification.
Its decline began shortly after being sold last year. Bought as an investment property, it never had a chance. All along, the plan was to demolish the house, sever the property and build a double. For a while the patient rallied and there was a glimmer of hope, as neighbours came to its defense. Special thanks to all those who wrote emails and letters, offered advice and support, attended meetings of the city’s committee of adjustment or made presentations. Among the supporters were Kitchissippi’s councillor, Katherine Hobbs, who wrote to the committee of adjustment, expressing her concerns, including, “The application for a variance to the front yard setback is directly in opposition to the intention of the by-law passed last year by council.” In the end, it was all to no avail. The death sentence came in the form of a letter, issued following the April 3 meeting of the committee of adjustment. The committee decided to grant the
builder the variances from city by-laws that he sought; therefore the double will be built, resulting in the loss of the grand old house. Friends and neighbours have been paying their respects over the past few weeks as they passed by the corner of Clarendon and Faraday and recalled happier times, when people bought into the neighbourhood because they valued the houses, yards, trees, porches and sense of community. In lieu of flowers, folks have admired and enjoyed the scent of lilacs before those trees vanish, along with the house. Final arrangements have yet to be confirmed, pending the eviction of the current tenant on June 1 and the acquisition of a demolition permit. There should be no difficulty with the permit as Kitchissippi ward now has the city’s dubious distinction of losing the greatest number of houses in a mature neighbourhood, over a recent three-year period. This explains the constant state of disbelief among Kitchissippi residents as their streetscapes are transformed at such a steady rate. A large yellow bulldozer will officiate at the service. As for burial arrangements, the remains of the Pond House will be unceremoniously deposited in the city dump. It will join 151 other Continued on page 12
By Amanda Farris and Stefan Matiation, Co-Chairs, Near West Review Working Group About ten years ago, Devonshire Public School in Hintonburg was identified by the OttawaCarleton District School Board (OCDSB) for potential closure due to low enrollment. Luckily, the community rose up to defend the school, a focal point for families in the area for more than 100 years, and challenged the OCDSB’s projections of declining enrollment going forward. As we all know, Hintonburg, West Wellington and, more recently, Mechanicsville, have been booming ever since, and there is a good chance that the next boom will be right next door in Dalhousie, also known as Chinatown/Little Italy. Two Near West schools are now bursting with kids: Devonshire in Hintonburg and Elmdale Public School on Iona Street in West Wellington. These schools are small but in high demand if you are looking for Early French Immersion (EFI). Full-day kindergarten,to be implemented in both schools in September 2014, will require additional classrooms. The growth in the student populations of Devonshire and Elmdale are a good thing: another sign that our communities are doing well. However, more classroom space is needed. The OCDSB is now in the midst of a review
June 6, 2013
of Near West schools. In addition to Devonshire and Elmdale, this review includes Hilson, Fisher Park/Summit, Connaught, Cambridge and Elgin Public Schools. The review is essentially a study to be undertaken in consultation with community members to determine how best to rebalance programming and enrollment to reduce the number of kids at Devonshire and Elmdale so that they can operate closer to the capacity they were designed for: approximately 350 to 400 kids each. Currently, an OCDSBmandated Working Group of parent council and community association representatives is considering various scenarios to better use school space across the Near West. The OCDSB and Working Group will hold a public consultation on June 20 at Nepean High School from 7 to 9 pm to describe some possible scenarios and hear from parents and others in the community who have questions or wish to provide feedback. Input can also be provided through an OCDSB email at NearWestReviewPublicComments@ocdsb.ca. Additional information about the review is available at www. ocdsb.ca. Finding a solution to accommodation pressures at Devonshire and Elmdale is not going to be easy. The demand for the different programs Continued on page 12
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