Ken Gray: NIMBY watch

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by KHOOLE

They come here and spend money here to see historical buildings, historical structures like the Rideau Canal, historical areas like the Market, Chinatown and Little Italy and, yes, green space and parks.

---

Ideas anyone?

I don't know anybody who has visited a city, let alone Ottawa, because of its parks and greenspace. Not even New York which has Central Park and Bryant Park. If Ottawa had parks like that, or even like High Park or Centre Island in Toronto, I'd be there a few times per month. Our idea of a park is that piece of grass next to the war museum that the NCC calls Lebreton Flats Park.

On the topic of the public service cuts, I think some good can come of it. This could lead some people into entrepreneurship. OCRI aka Invest Ottawa should already be trying to promote entrepreneurship specifically to public servants. Nevertheless, I actually think Invest Ottawa is going in the right direction in diversifying the industries they promote. Aside from tourism, film, television, and digital media has potential. We already host the largest animation festival in North America, attracting people from around the world. Why not leverage that exposure? If we also had a renouned animation program at one of our colleges and univerisities animation would have big potential.

I also wonder why we have the most rural land of any city in Canada, but we haven't found a way to put it to use and build the economy.

[KHOOLE]

waterloowarrior:

Thanks for the 2010 copy of the Ottawa Annual Development Report.

We should be reminded that we are now in 2012 and that the data in that 2010 report is, considering the present economic situation, quite dated. It is using data from 2008 and 2009 when Barack Obama was elected President of the U.S. (Nov 2008) and Tiger Woods had his matrimonial problems (2009). However, I would agree that it is the best we have at the moment.

A few observations:

Page v average personal income grew by 2.4% while inflation increased by 2.6%
the private sector jobs are down
Page 4 migration to Ottawa dropped while migration to Ottawa-Gatineau increased
Page 7 the Ottawa region population increased by 1.4%
Page 10 employment went up by 15,400 jobs from 2009 to 2010
Page 11 private sector employment is down
Hi-tech employment went down from 58,900 to 46,600 from 2009 to 2010
Personal income per capita is $42,715
Page 12 while being behind Calgary and Edmonton in average personal income growth of 2.4%, the Conference Board forecast is that Ottawa is last one of major Canadian cities at 1.3%.
The inflation rate is 2.6%
Page 35 Tourism is one of Ottawa’s main industries.
In 2007 visitor spending totaled 2.2 billion dollars
While hotel occupancy rate went up by 4% in Toronto and Montreal and
3% in Vancouver, Ottawa’s hotel occupancy only went up by 1%

Conclusion: Ottawa’s planning department is doing the same mistake now as it did in 2001 when the entire hi-tech industry imploded. It is making linear projections as if every will be fine and rosy forever. That’s not what honest and truthful planning is about.
On page 28, it does make allusion to the “slump” of 2008 and that’s fine. This document is a promotional document for the outside world but not for our City Council.

However, we are in 2012 and world events in Europe and the Islamic world have created an new economic environment that is much different from what it was two years ago.. A loss of 20,000 jobs in the area will affect all levels of business and industries in the area, including health care and municipal employment. 2.9% of the employment base that waterloowarrior mentions is an awful lot of loose change and Sens games and trips to Future Shop. The building industry and its related secondary industries may very well suffer also. Time will tell.

The city planners should focus more on the tourist industry. There may be a lot more people looking for jobs this summer.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Jamaican-Phoenix

In other news, what are peoples
opinions about the new Rideau Canal shelters?

Like! And it pisses off the lameass cheapskate small-town douchefest OMG IT COST MONEY DOLLARS!!! crowd, which only makes me like them more.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by KHOOLE

and Little Italy and, yes, green space and parks.

I have never met anyone who came to Ottawa for the parks.

I have never gone to any city anywhere to check out its parks.

I don't know anyone who has ever gushed about going to [CITY] because of the parks.

Never.

I would like, some day, to meet one of these creatures who travels to cities because of their parks.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by KHOOLE

The only other industry of relevance in town is the tourist industry. Tourists do not come to Ottawa to visit shopping malls and suburbs and tall condos. They come here and spend money here to see historical buildings, historical structures like the Rideau Canal, historical areas like the Market, Chinatown and Little Italy and, yes, green space and parks.

...

So, I wouldn't put down parks. There may be too much unused green open space along the Ottawa River, I agree. The NCC has been sitting on LeBreton Flats for the past 50 years and a plan to redevelop the Ottawa Chaudiere islands for at least 20 years. The city’s Strathcona Park is a gem and so are each and every one of possibly over a hundred protected areas that the city has for its citizens to use for leisure and play. Quality of life is what defines a city and parks are part of it.
...
The City has probably reached its optimum size anyway. Any bigger, the City may end up by spending much more to maintain itself that it can take in, even if taxes are increased considerably. Development can't go on forever in Ottawa. There is a limit to the number of jobs and to disposable income.

So, maybe we need a new planning model.

I think you are overestimating the value of parks to the tourist industry. I'm quite confident that Strathcona park is not and has never been a tourist draw. "Quality of life" is great for residents, but not particularly relevant for tourists.

I'm also wondering by what measure you have decided that Ottawa has reached its optimum size or that there is a limit to the number of jobs that can exist here. Seems like a pretty arbitrary argument.

While I think a continuation of low-density sprawl is going to cause a financial crisis at some point, bigger, denser cities tend to be cheaper to run. For instance, property taxes are on average significantly lower in Toronto than they are here, and Toronto passed what you call an optimal size quite some time ago.

[S-Man]

Not surprising that on a recent post Ken Grey called out Ottawa as being a government-only town now and forever, with no hope of ever attracting private business or entrepreneurship. In fact, he spelled out every reason why no one should ever try - this was, of course, in response to John Baird calling on the city to foster private business growth. Clearly a horrific idea coming from someone who isn't Pierre Trudeau, thus Ken has it in for the guy, and his city by association.

So, Len takes it upon himself - as he always does - to argue fervently for the exact thing that would continue a city's decline, or at least guarantee its stagnancy; much like 'overextremification', he never lets an opportunity to put his own hate-fueled personal interests ahead of the greater good of the city.

History will show him to be the embodiment of everything that was wrong with the city at this point in time. What a legacy.

[S-Man]

As for parks - people go to state forests and things like Yosemite, big tourists draws, not city parks. I have no desire to go back to NYC solely to see Central Park. It was on my 6th or 7th trip to Montreal that I actually ventured up Mont Royal. An so on and so on. Don't think that Ottawa's parks are going to bring in tourist dollars, except maybe Gatineau as a park on the side kinda thing.

Face it - park are remarkably similar. Nce to have, but we already have them, plus a hell of a lot more greenspace in and around downtown. There is no need for more useless greenspace - people who don't like living near people downtown complain about this, but that's because their fantasy is to sit in an isolated house downtown surrounded by a city-funded green buffer zone so that no one can look at them or 'ruin their quality of life'.

What other major city can you name in North America that has a farm downtown (Experimental Farm), which is also bordered by the sprawling Arboretum (more hectares and hectares of green!)? I like the Arboretum, but we've got greenspace coming out our asses as it is, no need for more of it downtown while we bulldoze actual greenspace out in the country.

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by S-Man

Not surprising that on a recent post Ken Grey called out Ottawa as being a government-only town now and forever, with no hope of ever attracting private business or entrepreneurship. In fact, he spelled out every reason why no one should ever try - this was, of course, in response to John Baird calling on the city to foster private business growth. Clearly a horrific idea coming from someone who isn't Pierre Trudeau, thus Ken has it in for the guy, and his city by association.

So, Len takes it upon himself - as he always does - to argue fervently for the exact thing that would continue a city's decline, or at least guarantee its stagnancy; much like 'overextremification', he never lets an opportunity to put his own hate-fueled personal interests ahead of the greater good of the city.

History will show him to be the embodiment of everything that was wrong with the city at this point in time. What a legacy.

I have a hard time when some say Ottawa has little or no private business the fact is Ottawa does have a good size private sector and for attracting more private business i think we could see more compansy ect move to Ottawa as it could be cheaper for rent and so on then some other markets.

[Ottawan]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

I also wonder why we have the most rural land of any city in Canada, but we haven't found a way to put it to use and build the economy.

Ummm... our agricultural land is hugely productive, and already contributing quite a bit to the local economy. This is part of why sprawl is so bad. Check out Ottawa on Google Maps (Satellite Overlay). Aside from Southwestern Ontario and the Saint Lawrence Valley, we have some of the only (and most productive) agricultural land in Eastern Canada.

Should this be leveraged to create eco-tourism, food tourism, & synergies with the urban environment? Absolutely. But several organizations, including Just Food and Savour Ottawa are working hard (quite successfully) to do exactly that (http://www.justfood.ca/; http://www.savourottawa.ca/). Witness also the fact that the 'farmers market' movement is extremely strong in Ottawa.

[S-Man]

Talking to the people who grew the food you just bought is a nice thing. Also there are lots of people who bake one hell of a pie.

[Kitchissippi]

Food for thought:

• Video Link

Our generation might not value farmland close to cities, but future generations might, especially because cheap imports are driven by relatively cheap oil.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by S-Man

Face it - park are remarkably similar. Nce to have, but we already have them, plus a hell of a lot more greenspace in and around downtown. There is no need for more useless greenspace - people who don't like living near people downtown complain about this, but that's because their fantasy is to sit in an isolated house downtown surrounded by a city-funded green buffer zone so that no one can look at them or 'ruin their quality of life'.

WITH KILLER BALCONIES!

Sorry, still trying to get over that latest example of - what's it called again? SEED?

[S-Man]

Something like that. Scary men standing in tubs fully dressed with binoculars.

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by Ottawan

Ummm... our agricultural land is hugely productive, and already contributing quite a bit to the local economy. This is part of why sprawl is so bad. Check out Ottawa on Google Maps (Satellite Overlay). Aside from Southwestern Ontario and the Saint Lawrence Valley, we have some of the only (and most productive) agricultural land in Eastern Canada.

Should this be leveraged to create eco-tourism, food tourism, & synergies with the urban environment? Absolutely. But several organizations, including Just Food and Savour Ottawa are working hard (quite successfully) to do exactly that (http://www.justfood.ca/; http://www.savourottawa.ca/). Witness also the fact that the 'farmers market' movement is extremely strong in Ottawa.

I checked out the links; sounds good. But when leaders in this city talk about economic development or diversifying the local economy I never hear them talk about farming or other agricultural uses. I don't hear anybody talking about the growth/economic potential in our farmland.

I wonder how far Ottawa produce is reaching. Is it being shipped and sold across the province/country? I'm not an agricultural expert, but with no local food terminal in this city I question whether Ottawa is a major player in Canada when it comes to agriculture.

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

I checked out the links; sounds good. But when leaders in this city talk about economic development or diversifying the local economy I never hear them talk about farming or other agricultural uses. I don't hear anybody talking about the growth/economic potential in our farmland.

I wonder how far Ottawa produce is reaching. Is it being shipped and sold across the province/country? I'm not an agricultural expert, but with no local food terminal in this city I question whether Ottawa is a major player in Canada when it comes to agriculture.

The Ottawa area is some what limited as we don't have a ton of grade a farm land now with that said the area does have farmers that do grow things such as pumpkins/corn and apples etc does it have a huge reach no i don't think so its a regional reach eastern ontario and parts of western quebec however there are a few places such as Suntec tomato's based in Maonotick they do have a big reach and sure there are a few others likes that but i don't think there is enough.

[Marcus CLS]

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/bi...154/story.html

Given the nimby watch and the above article, how can we prevent urban sprawl and pay for these exuborant infrastucture maitenance costs. This represents what we have to pay for today. Intensification is obvious given these costs. Continued urban sprawl will result in a infrastucture maintenance bill that is most likley twice as much as this one is 20 years from now.

The anti intensification nimby's do not have a clue because these costs are going to have to be tagged on your property taxes. So you better clue in soon. Intensification vs continued urban sprawl.

One will lower your costs the other will increase it.

It's your choice?

[S-Man]

The massive Woodroffe watermain's failure at half (or less) of its lifespan last year should make anyone worried about the state of shoddy infrastructure installed during the cheap gas/sprawl days of the 1970s.

To put that into perspective, the Woodroffe Watermain, built in circa 1975, failed in 2011.

The recent Elgin Street watermain, built in circa 1875, failed in 2012.

Doesn't seem the 1970s were built Ford tough. Joanne Chianello has a column in the Citizen today regarding the lack of infrastructure maintenance spending in the 1990s catching up with the city. Sadly, all I can remember from the 90s is sprawl, sprawl, sprawl. What does that tell you about the future?

[Cre47]

The high cost of suburplosion indeed.

[Cre47]

Looks like we might be able to post comments on his blog now, although notice he stopped for quite some time on posting stories about future buildings. Though still not less anonying since about half of the posts are about baseball

[Dr.Z]

Originally Posted by reidjr

The Ottawa area is some what limited as we don't have a ton of grade a farm land now with that said the area does have farmers that do grow things such as pumpkins/corn and apples etc does it have a huge reach no i don't think so its a regional reach eastern ontario and parts of western quebec however there are a few places such as Suntec tomato's based in Maonotick they do have a big reach and sure there are a few others likes that but i don't think there is enough.

There are a couple of big outfits within the Ottawa area proper but the biggest ones are outside of the City limits but effectively within the Greater Ottawa area. There are a few big dairy farmers and a milk plant or two. Most crop grown here are exported soya beans and cattle feed. Much of the corn you see along the arterials or county roads are for cattle consumption.

As we all know Canada produces more ag than we consume, hence we are a net exporter. Global competition culminating with Regan-onmics and NAFTA means that farms in Canada become more specialised via competitive advantage. So farms in Eastern On do not feed the region first and export the rest and they are no longer geared to do just that. It is just not efficient or cost effective in our global economy for the farms to feed their surrounding regions first, nor would the local buyers be able to afford such produce (low supply, high demand for tomatoes lets say = high price). The direct support sector still benefits though, being the machinary dealers, mechanics and seed manufacturers, grain elevators, custom farmers and arguably some of the banks and lenders for farm loans, which collectively employ a lot folks in the rural and outlying areas.