Hampton Iona Community Group

GREAT WEB SITE – THANKS SO MUCH FOR POSTING IT! WENDY

Dear Lorne, Hope all is well. Thanks for all your work with Ashcroft. Lorne I couldnt stay for the afternoon yesterday but I was wondering: was Ashcroft promised more height and density in exchange for supposed agreement to section37 or was this just a “possible” increase in height and density. Im concerned because the proposed Ashcroft plan is already too dense and high in my opinion. Id look forward to hearing your thoughts. Best regards, Sam.

Another proposed zoning amendment in the area that I just received notice of that you should look into/be concerned about (though not on the same scale as the convent) is file# D02-02-11-0102 published on Dec 13/11. Proposal is for 9 stories on the N-W corner of Kirkwood & Richmond Rd. Comments must be submitted to Melanie Knight in the Ott Planning Dept (melanie.knight@ottawa.ca) no later than Jan. 13, 2012.

Will The garage sale be on sundy ?

We had a rather terrifying experience yesterday afternoon and I’d like to track down a local dog owner or walker.

I was walking in Hampton Park with my kids and a neighbours son, Rory’s age, plus our own dog Ollie, an English field Springer Spaniel. We walked through the dog field where we were passed by a lady I have seen before in Hampton, with her closely clipped white labradoodle and a large german shepherd. I had not noticed her walk the GS before so it may not be her own dog. At one point the GS picked up Ollies ball and the lady used commands that were not English (and I can’t be sure if they were even French) to get him to release the ball. It was at this point that I noticed that the dog was wearing a choke chain collar; the kind that has spikes that dig into the neck when the collar is pulled.

After the ball was returned to Ollie the lady and her two dogs went their way and we went to the play park. Rory and his friend were on the big swings, Rose in a baby swing and Ollie was tied to our stroller.

I noticed, after a while, the lady walk round the baseball diamonds and then returned in the direction of the dog field. Shortly after the GS came racing up to the play park. I looked about for the lady and the other dog but they were nowhere to be seen. The dog sniffed about near where Ollie was and then came over to the baby swings where he narrowly missed Rose clipping him with her feet as she swung by. He then raced over to the big swings and started dancing on his hind legs, seemingly trying to push them or something. I was at this point I began to be concerned that the boys might kick him or that the dog might knock them off their swings. As I started across the play park towards the swings Rory’s friend jumped off the swing and landed on the sand. The dog raced after him, jumping up, trying to bite him. At one point the dog actually had his leg in his mouth. There was a scratch in the skin but the skin was not broken and there was no blood.

I reached Rory’s friend, picked him up and we climbed up onto the climbing structure where the dog did not follow us. The dog then ran off towards the dog field, in the same direction as the lady. We did not see him again, thankfully. Rory’s friend is fine. He was terrified at the time but his usual cheery self quickly returned. He will have an awesome story to tell in the school yard come September!

My concern is that this dog is a danger, especially in a park where children play. He should not be let off a leash, in my opinion, but since the walker/owner is unaware of what happened, he will presumably continue to be walked off leash and hence the risk of a serious dog attack will remain.

If you think you might know who this dog and owner/walker are please help me contact them. I don’t wish any harm to come to the dog and harbor no resentment towards the owner/walker, but do want to prevent this from happening again, or (God forbid) anything worse happening.

I have contacted both the police and By Law. Neither of them are interested in doing anything because I am not the parent of the child who was hurt. We were at the park again this evening, at about 6pm. I spent the entire visit watching out for the dog and owner/walker but did not spot them. We did, however experience many people walking their dogs off leash past the play park. I called out asking them to leash their dogs when walking past the play area which they did, but only after making uncalled for comments. My children, despite being raised around dogs, were visibly uncomfortable when unleashed dogs came past the play park.

I am frustrated by the lack of effort or concern that Bylaw and the police have in this matter and wonder if you have any suggestions for a way forward. Perhaps the community group is able to put some pressure on someone about this matter.

I am a dog walker and use Hampton Park a lot. It is a great space where my whole family can get their outdoor needs met. I am also a parent and want to know that my children, and any other children for that matter, can play safely in the park without the worry or danger of a dog causing them harm.

I look forward to hearing from you about this matter.

Thanks in advance.

What is Happening at Loblaw Big Box?
Hello HICG: When Loblies bullied its big box store onto its current site in Westboro, the only, minor concession to major community concerns was to preserve a narrow strip at the rear of the lot, paralleling Byron, for future residential use. However, after being used, almost from the get-go, as an unofficial parking lot for the big box, the area has been recently converted to a seemingly permanent extension of the official parking lot. Please explain the recent developments on this site and the position of HICG as to its development (previously HICG supported residential only), and also the status of the proposal to use the land for a seniors’ residence, which appeared about a year ago, but apparently has made no progress. Sincerely, Tim Marta; 532 Laderoute Avenue, Ottawa, December 6, 2017.

FOLLOW-UP to Previous Comment by Tim Marta
Hello Again: I just found the HICG submission, dated March 2021, of comments on the new Official Plan. Very well done! Thank you for doing that. Tim Marta, 15/10/21