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Ruskin Park Sub-Committee
Jan 2016 - City Finalizes Ruskin Lease
The City and TOH have finally come to an agreement on a lease for the use of the Ruskin lot. The use will be restricted to a surface lot only and the term is for 10 years with 2 x 5 years options. This timing is consistent with the intent of the "30" year agreement that was signed in late 1995 for a minimum of 30 years. If the hospital has an occupancy agreement to move to a new campus, they will be required to vacate the lot, we believe within 180 days, but need to confirm this timing.
CHNA is still looking for a confirmation from the City that at the end of the lease they will develop this property back into a city park, as was promised by successive City councils. The land is officially designated as City Parkland. At the February 02, 2016 meeting of the City's Finance Committee (FEDco), Councillor Leiper made this point to the Committee.
CHNA is still looking for a confirmation from the City that at the end of the lease they will develop this property back into a city park, as was promised by successive City councils. The land is officially designated as City Parkland. At the February 02, 2016 meeting of the City's Finance Committee (FEDco), Councillor Leiper made this point to the Committee.
Jun 2015 - Ruskin Lot Resurface and New Lot completion
The Ruskin Parking lot is in need of repairs and will be resurfaced this summer. The work will be done in 2 phases and is scheduled to be completed by late August/early September. Phase 1, beginning June 29th, will see work done on the eastern side (the majority of the lot) with the western portion remaining open. Once Phase 2 begins, the entire lot will be closed until completion.
The work will include removing the existing asphalt, placing new granular materials down and then repaving. As part of the project they are also redoing the lighting, provide handicap access to Ruskin from the lot and installing a new parking booth.
As well, work is underway to complete the new lot on Ruskin, accessible from P1 (where the old Clinical Studies building was before). Landscaping work will continue even after the lot is open for business.
The work will include removing the existing asphalt, placing new granular materials down and then repaving. As part of the project they are also redoing the lighting, provide handicap access to Ruskin from the lot and installing a new parking booth.
As well, work is underway to complete the new lot on Ruskin, accessible from P1 (where the old Clinical Studies building was before). Landscaping work will continue even after the lot is open for business.
Ruskin Park Garage will NOT proceed
Cameron Love, the CEO of the Ottawa Hospital provided the following statement: "The parking garage on Ruskin is not proceeding and we will be reassessing parking development options with the development of a new Civic Campus on the new land..."
The hospital formally withdrew their development application, it's been archived by the city and the signs have been removed.
The hospital formally withdrew their development application, it's been archived by the city and the signs have been removed.
Ruskin Park Postponed - Until at Least The Fall!
The Ottawa Hospital has decided to postpone their garage development plans for Ruskin Park and have put their rezoning application on hold until at least the FALl. The hospital tells us they want to ensure they have the “timing organized with the UOHI development” and once the building tenders for the UOHI expansion are awarded this fall and they have confirmed schedules with phasing, they will inform us as to when they will put the garage package through to planning committee. Meanwhile, the hospital is proceeding with plans to put at least 2 surface parking lots on their own property. A 20 stall lot has been approved by the city for the south side of the Parkdale Clinic and the work has already begun. They also plan to remove their outdated Clinical Studies building next to P1 and replace it with a 73 stall surface lot accessed via P1. This plan is still being reviewed by the City. Attached are the plans for your review.
We continue to stay close to this matter on your behalf; speaking with the city, the hospital and our councillor.
We continue to stay close to this matter on your behalf; speaking with the city, the hospital and our councillor.
| 13-1427_s101.pdf |
| 113025-gs_rev_04.pdf |
Important Ruskin Park Update
At the request of the hospital, the development application is ON HOLD and WILL NOT be heard on March 25th!
We do not have all the details as to why the hospital made this request nor have been informed as to what their current strategy is, but will update you as soon as we do. We do know that the hospital is currently looking at alternative parking options on their own property!!! Way to go TOH!!
We do not have all the details as to why the hospital made this request nor have been informed as to what their current strategy is, but will update you as soon as we do. We do know that the hospital is currently looking at alternative parking options on their own property!!! Way to go TOH!!
City Planner Report and Recommendations regarding 45 Ruskin Street Application
Here is a copy of the report made by the City staff that outlines their recommendations to Planning Committee regarding the development application.
As you can see, staff does recommend that the City approve the application, but they have recommended substantial changes before approval should be granted (e.g. the zoning should remain "Leisure" with a new exemption for the parking garage instead of the all encompassing "i2 Major Institutional" zoning that could have allowed a building on the site in the future. As well, the city is looking for compensation for the loss of $200,000 in annual revenue from street parking that will disappear due to this development. Staff also points out to to the councillors the cost to the city of this matter is appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board by the residents. You will also note that our councillor is not quoted as endorsing the application, merely as being "aware" of it.
As you can see, staff does recommend that the City approve the application, but they have recommended substantial changes before approval should be granted (e.g. the zoning should remain "Leisure" with a new exemption for the parking garage instead of the all encompassing "i2 Major Institutional" zoning that could have allowed a building on the site in the future. As well, the city is looking for compensation for the loss of $200,000 in annual revenue from street parking that will disappear due to this development. Staff also points out to to the councillors the cost to the city of this matter is appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board by the residents. You will also note that our councillor is not quoted as endorsing the application, merely as being "aware" of it.
| zoning_-_45_ruskin_street_-_doug_james_-_letter.pdf |
Ruskin Moved AGAIN!
Hot News...the meeting has moved again, to early Spring. So, thanks to those of you who were planning to attend..and get ready for a spring meeting!
Here is a complete update on the situation.
Here is a complete update on the situation.
| update_to_neighbours_jan_21_2014.docx |
45 Ruskin -Moved to Jan 28th Planning Committee Meeting
The city meeting to review the zoning application for 45 Ruskin has moved again and will now be heard at the January 28th Planning Committee meeting. We hope you will consider attending that meeting to show your opposition to this proposal and to put some real faces to our neighbourhood concerns.
The meeting is set to start at 9:30 am in the Champlain Room at 110 Laurier Avenue West (City Hall). When the full agenda is set, we will let you know when the zoning application is expected to be discussed.
The meeting is set to start at 9:30 am in the Champlain Room at 110 Laurier Avenue West (City Hall). When the full agenda is set, we will let you know when the zoning application is expected to be discussed.
45 Ruskin -Moved to Jan 28, 2014 for review at Planning Committee
Originally the city planned to review the zoning application for 45 Ruskin at the Nov. 12th Planning Committee meeting. However, the city planning department has received over 70 submissions from the public (ie all of us!) regarding this matter and the file of comments is over 4" thick! It will take some time to go through all of our comments and to properly prepare their report for the Planning Committee so this has been delayed and they are targeting the January 14th meeting.
Please note, the city is STILL willing to accept additional comments so if you didn't get to it before, you still have time to provide your point of view.
Please note, the city is STILL willing to accept additional comments so if you didn't get to it before, you still have time to provide your point of view.
Summary of 45 Ruskin Development Application Review
| summary_45_ruskin_st_development_application_review.pdf |
Fact Sheet from a technical review of the Development Application
| fact_sheet_technical_review_of_development_application.pdf |
Timeline of events that lead to change in city policy on 45 Ruskin
| backgrounder_change_in_direction_of_city_policy_for_45_ruskin_st.pdf |
Ruskin Park Aug. 28th Meeting
On Wednesday, Aug. 28
the CHNA executive and Ruskin Lot sub-committee held a meeting at St. Matthias
to review TOH's zoning application submission, what CHNA is doing on behalf of
our members, and how residents can and should participate in the process to
ensure your voice is heard. The attached document contains the
presentation given that night which you can use as you prepare your comments
for the city.
| ruskin_park_rezoning_ppt_final.pptx |
Ruskin Lot Q&A
The CHNA executive and Ruskin Lot sub- committee reviewed the studies that TOH provided to the City as part of their re-zoning application. The attached document contains the questions asked by CHNA and the responses given to us by TOH.
| chna_questions_to_toh_aug_27_2013_-_response.pdf |
Public Meeting - Wednesday, August 28, 2013 at 7:30 pm
A public meeting will be held on Wednesday August 28th at 7:30pm in the St. Matthias Church Hall to update and provide more details concerning the proposed development for 45 Ruskin St. Please plan on attending.
Letter to Residents - Update on 45 Ruskin St. - August 19, 2013
Parking Garage Proposal (Subset of slides from the June 24th meeting)
Information about the parking garage plans as well as several images showing what the proposed garage *might* look like. Click through the slides using the arrows at the bottom of the document holder.
Meeting Agenda - July 23, 2013
| Ruskin Agenda July 23/13 |
The Lease - Cart before the Horse?
The City of Ottawa Finance and Economic Development Committee met on July 9th to decide if they would recommend that City Council approve a 16 year lease (with the option for 15 additional years) to the Ottawa Hospital for the lot of land at 45 Ruskin (i.e. Ruskin Park) . The lease is based on the building of a multistory parking structure and cannot be executed unless all necessary Planning approvals including rezoning are completed successfully.
It is quite unusual for the lease for such a development to be approved by the City prior to the completion of the Planning process, which includes significant public consultation. It begs the question, what's the rush?
Issues abound with this lease pre-approval. It is likely to prejudice the Planning Committee's decisions regarding the Site Plan and zoning amendments that are required to allow the project to proceed. Additionally, the pre-emptive approval of the lease undermines the integrity of the required consultative process with the community as it would suggest that regardless of the input from our community on this matter, the answer will remain unchanged. As well, there is the fact that there is already a 30 year agreement in place signed by the City, the Ottawa Hospital and Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Residents, which places a moratorium on building on the site until 2025 at which time consideration would be given to reverting the land back to a park, so the pre-approval of a lease predicated on building a parking structure on land that has a building moratorium attached to it makes little sense.
CHNA attended the July 9th meeting and presented our concerns that regarding the lease pre-approval and requesting that the committee defer the approval recommendation until after the Planning process had completed. Attached you will find the information shared with the councillors. After our presentation, In the debate period, Councillor Peter Clark did question the need for rushing this decision, however the motion was carried and the matter will now go to City Council for final approval on July 17. The councillors will receive a copy of our presentation. Additionally, CHNA will be sending a letter to council prior to July 17th, explaining our concerns and requesting a deferral of this lease approval.
It is quite unusual for the lease for such a development to be approved by the City prior to the completion of the Planning process, which includes significant public consultation. It begs the question, what's the rush?
Issues abound with this lease pre-approval. It is likely to prejudice the Planning Committee's decisions regarding the Site Plan and zoning amendments that are required to allow the project to proceed. Additionally, the pre-emptive approval of the lease undermines the integrity of the required consultative process with the community as it would suggest that regardless of the input from our community on this matter, the answer will remain unchanged. As well, there is the fact that there is already a 30 year agreement in place signed by the City, the Ottawa Hospital and Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Residents, which places a moratorium on building on the site until 2025 at which time consideration would be given to reverting the land back to a park, so the pre-approval of a lease predicated on building a parking structure on land that has a building moratorium attached to it makes little sense.
CHNA attended the July 9th meeting and presented our concerns that regarding the lease pre-approval and requesting that the committee defer the approval recommendation until after the Planning process had completed. Attached you will find the information shared with the councillors. After our presentation, In the debate period, Councillor Peter Clark did question the need for rushing this decision, however the motion was carried and the matter will now go to City Council for final approval on July 17. The councillors will receive a copy of our presentation. Additionally, CHNA will be sending a letter to council prior to July 17th, explaining our concerns and requesting a deferral of this lease approval.
CBC News Article: Proposed Hospital Parking Lot Encounters Opposition
(June 25, 2013) Click here
June 24 Information Session Meeting Details (also images of proposed garage)
Ruskin Park Agreement
This attached document explains the history of Ruskin Park and the agreement in place today regarding its use.
| Ruskin Agreement |
1996 City of Ottawa Letter Indicating the plans to return this area to a park by 1996 at the latest:
A Neighbourhood Petition
On June 20th, the Ottawa Hospital invited our residents to an Information Session to review the Heart Institute expansion and the plan to build a multistory parking structure, replacing the parking lot at 45 Ruskin Street (i.e. Ruskin Park). In just 4 days, prior to the session, over 100 residents signed a petition requesting "No Parking Garage Development at 45 Ruskin Ave". This petition demonstrates the deep concern felt by many of our residents regarding the Hospitals plans to develop a parking structure on City owned land that is accessed via our residential streets, rather than on the hospital's own property where they could provide access to the parking off Carling Avenue, a road designed to handle the large volume of traffic anticipated by this parking development.
The petition asks that the City does not allow the development of a parking garage on the city owned land at 45 Ruskin Street (currently a surface parking lot opposite the University of Ottawa Heart Institute) and that the City honour the signed agreement currently in place between the hospital, the neighbourhood and the city that would restrict the building of a parking structure on Ruskin Park. The agreement specifically stipulates that for 30 years (that is, from 1995 to 2025) the land at 45 Ruskin Street is to be used as a surface lot, primarily for the use of Civic Hospital patients and visitors, and is limited to the 270 parking spots and the adjoining green space, all in existence as of 1995. Additionally, it is stipulated that at the end of the 30 years, the neighbourhood, the hospital and the city are to jointly discuss the property’s future and potential return to use as a park.
The petition is still being made available to residents to sign and if you would like to sign it, please contact [email protected]. Copies of the signed petition will be shared with our Ward Councillor, Kathryn Hobbs, as well as the other city councillors who will need to approve any plan to build a parking structure on Ruskin Park. A copy of the blank petition is attached for your review.
The petition asks that the City does not allow the development of a parking garage on the city owned land at 45 Ruskin Street (currently a surface parking lot opposite the University of Ottawa Heart Institute) and that the City honour the signed agreement currently in place between the hospital, the neighbourhood and the city that would restrict the building of a parking structure on Ruskin Park. The agreement specifically stipulates that for 30 years (that is, from 1995 to 2025) the land at 45 Ruskin Street is to be used as a surface lot, primarily for the use of Civic Hospital patients and visitors, and is limited to the 270 parking spots and the adjoining green space, all in existence as of 1995. Additionally, it is stipulated that at the end of the 30 years, the neighbourhood, the hospital and the city are to jointly discuss the property’s future and potential return to use as a park.
The petition is still being made available to residents to sign and if you would like to sign it, please contact [email protected]. Copies of the signed petition will be shared with our Ward Councillor, Kathryn Hobbs, as well as the other city councillors who will need to approve any plan to build a parking structure on Ruskin Park. A copy of the blank petition is attached for your review.
| Petition Form |