“Everyone says it will never work…That is the one essential ingredient in every great success story”
        • Lloyd Dobler, Say Anything, by Cameron Crowe.

I have lived in Bells Corners for over 20 years but it didn’t fall under my jurisdiction until the start of last term on Council. In a community with many who don’t like change, most still recognized that this area had reached a low point and needed dramatic change just to survive as a sustainable community featuring both jobs and residents. Bells Corners needed to be reborn.

A few decades ago Bells Corners boomed because shoppers had to go there. The business strip didn’t need to do anything to thrive because it was the only game in town. But as Kanata, Barrhaven and Ottawa West developed their own sizable shopping areas, that success melted away. The disintegration of Bells Corners’ biggest employer, Nortel, was really the final blow that left its business sector with a 40% bite taken out of its traditional customer base.

We all set to work. When I initiated the creation of an association of Bells Corners businesses (Business Improvement Area, or “BIA”) many thought the businesses would not buy-in to the long term potential just because they wouldn’t want to pay the annual costs of financing the organization and its investments in the community. But, at formation, the Bells Corners BIA had fewer objectors than any BIA formation in recent memory.

Together with economic development experts, we took a look at what should be our obvious market niche and, for the first time, we have a “focus” that is taking advantage of the fact that seven out of 10 tourists to Ottawa are not coming to see the Parliament Buildings but are, instead, coming to participate in the Capital’s dozens of annual festivals and hockey and soccer tournaments.

Bells Corners is located at the confluence of the 416, the Queensway, Hwy 7 and Hunt Club Road. That means those festival and tournament visitors, who are almost all driving into town, actually have to pass Bells Corners on their way. Our new hospitality focus is growing our hotel, drug store and restaurant presence in order to get some of those visitors to stop here and enjoy some better prices and our unique access to the Greenbelt, biking, free parking and other amenities – very appealing to those who want to avoid the pressure-packed downtown.

We have made successful improvements already. These help build on our focus and grow back our business sector’s previously vanishing customer base.

The rebuild began with some take downs. We were able to convince the owners of the iconic eyesore building formerly known as the Vox to demolish their building ahead of schedule. The decontamination process is well underway on the site. The building has been for sale for many months and we have been working to encourage potential applicants who are specifically geared toward constructing something on the site that is within the strip’s new hospitality focus. There is a good chance that, very soon, a hotel will made a bid for the property. That would give us a critical mass of hotels which would form a legitimate “cluster” on online booking sites like Expedia – and that means proven synergy for all in the cluster.

In the event that a hotel does not make a bid, we have also been trying to attract highrise residential builders to consider the property.

Further down the strip, the old Hooters building will soon come down. Tim Hortons will build a new larger store at the site. After public consultation, I have just signed-off on site plan approval so construction can begin very soon.

So you see, the welcome demolitions are leading to more renewal and construction. Sidewalks have been reconstructed through much of the main business strip, after receiving significant public input, we enjoyed the very successful creation of one single road name for the strip (the whole road will soon be called “Robertson Road” instead of the former two names on the same street, Richmond and Robertson which was confusing to the out-of-towners we are now trying to attract), we have installed a new signalized intersection at Timm Drive to improve traffic flow on event days at Scotiabank Place and, of course, thanks to the the support of people like MP Pierre Poilievre and John Baird, we have a new large employer coming to Bells Corners with the location of DND where Nortel used to be.

Change is always difficult for some, but in Bells Corners most demand it. They see that the pieces are falling into place. The foundation for success is being poured. They also see that Bells Corners today is dramatically better than the Bells Corners of four years ago. And that, as we consult with residents in 2012 on an improved vision for the area, a decade from now, things will be even better as Bells Corners becomes a place go to, instead of a place to drive through.

Friday, Jan. 27

When: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Scotiabank NHL Fan Fair™

Where: Ottawa Convention Centre

The official fan festival for the 2012 NHL® All-Star Weekend continues for the second of three days of family-friendly activities.

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When: 7 p.m.

Energizer® Night Skate™ at NHL® All-Star

Where: Rideau Canal Skateway

Energizer®, the NHL and the Sens Foundation will host the first-ever Energizer Night Skate, a one-of-a-kind 5KM  skating event on the Rideau Canal Skateway that will benefit the Sens Foundation. Under the blanket of the night sky, families, friends and hockey fans will don headlights that will light up the evening as they skate the Rideau Canal Skateway to raise money to construct future outdoor ice rinks in eastern Ontario and western Quebec. Entry to participate in this event requires registration and is $20 per person or $15 for those aged 12-and-under. All entrants receive an Energizer LED headlight and an Energizer Night Skate commemorative toque for their participation and donation. To register, visit

www.energizernightskate.ca.

*EVENT WILL NOW BE TAKING PLACE AT CITY HALL “RINK OF DREAMS” DUE TO WARM WEATHER CONDITIONS ON THE CANAL.

Saturday, Jan. 28
When: 9 a.m. to noon
2012 Canadian Tire NHL Junior Skills™ National Championship
Where: Rideau Canal Skateway The Canadian Tire NHL Junior SkillsTM

Competition was a program launched in September to find the most skilled hockey players between the ages of seven and 12 in Canada. This nation-wide competition culminates in Ottawa, as finalists from the regional competitions gather on the Rideau Canal Skateway to showcase their skills in fastest skating, shooting accuracy, puck control and passing accuracy in front of a national audience during All-Star Weekend. The championship will feature a special guest and NHL alumni and will be taped for a segment on CBC that will air as part of the All-Star coverage.
For more information, visit canadiantirehockeyschool.ca/nhljuniorskills

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When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Scotiabank NHL Fan Fair™
Where: Ottawa Convention Centre

The official fan festival for the 2012 NHL® All-Star Weekend, the 2012 Scotiabank NHL Fan Fair™ wraps up with its third day of activities.

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When: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. 2012
Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Skills Competition™
Where: Scotiabank Place, (CBC, RDS, NBC Sports Network)

The NHL All-Stars show off their skating, puck-handling and shooting skills in the Molson Canadian NHL All-Star -Skills Competition

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Sunday, Jan. 29
When: 4 p.m. 2012
Tim Hortons NHL® All-Star Game®
Where: Scotiabank Place, (CBC, RDS, NBC Sports Network)

The League’s mid-season spectacular concludes with the 59th annual NHL All-Star Game. Live television coverage of the event will be provided by CBC and RDS in Canada and NBC Sports Network in the U.S. NHL, the NHL Shield and Stanley Cup are registered trademarks and the NHL All-Star Game logo, NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft, NHL Fan Fair, NHL Junior Skills and NHL All-Star Skills Competition are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All Rights Reserved. Canadian Tire® and the Canadian Tire logo are trademarks of Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited. Used under license.

When: 7:30 PM, January 17th, 2012

Where: St. John the Apostle School, 30 Costello Avenue, Nepean

Background:

In the summer of 2011, Brigil Platinum filed an application with the City to develop 2940 Baseline. The application detailed 4 residential buildings of varying heights.

I held a community meeting which was well attended and the developers presented the full details of their plan. Many in the community expressed concerns with the proposal so we formed a Steering Committee of residents to formulate options for a community response.

Since August we have been in communication with Brigil to urge the developer to address as many of our concerns as possible before we reassemble the community to reach our final position on the 2940 Baseline Road application and before the Planning Hearing.

We asked Brigil to

A) address the excessive height of the proposed buildings;

B) specify what it plans to do with the adjacent property which it had acquired such that we do not face an additional application for a mirror project of residential towers on that property too;

C) address the excess traffic pressures that high rise developments on both properties would produce especially during a.m. and p.m. peaks;

D) address our need to maintain commercial zoning in the area such that we could one day see a “farm boy type” of grocery store move to the area.

Although Brigil has not yet responded to each concern exactly as we have hoped, it has recently indicated a significant change. As a result of our efforts and those of the Steering Committee, Brigil is now suggesting it will not simply revise its application, but will withdraw its application and replace it with a brand new one.

It is suggesting that, in February, it will advance a new proposal which includes both 2940 Baseline AND the adjacent property at the same time-complying with a key request from the community’s Steering Committee.

I want to ensure the whole community gets to see the brand new plan prior to any filing which could happen as early as February. That leaves very little time, so I am calling a community-wide meeting for January 17th at 7:30pm at St. John the Apostle School.

At the January 17th meeting, Brigil will respond to our concerns and will present a new concept plan for these properties. After the presentation, the Steering Committee and I will meet the community in private (ie without the applicant or media present) to discuss our options.

Please come out to see the proposal and to ask any questions you may have. If you cannot make it out but have comments, please call me at 613-580-2478 or email

Voted “Best Place to be on New Year’s Eve” by a CTV Ottawa poll and attracting more than six thousand guests annually, Rick Chiarelli’s Alcohol Free New Year’s Eve Celebration is not to be missed!

From 6:30pm to 10:00pm at Ben Franklin Place guests can enjoy free sleigh rides, live music, magicians, dance showcases, Ice skating, Games, Face Painting, and Contests, ending with a beautiful display of fireworks as a Grand Finale at 10pm. There are also snacks and warm drinks at a cost of $1 with proceeds going to MADD and OSAID

For further information about the event contact Courtney at 613-266-6099…and for those wishing to skate don’t forget to bring your skates along!

Rick Chiarelli would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and hopes to see you all for what promises to be his best New Year’s Eve Event to date!
Rick’s daughter Natalia tells us more:

Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centerpointe Dr. December 31, 6:30pm – 10:00pm

On hand for the unveiling were myself, members of the Mitchell Family, John Baird, Mayor Jim Watson, and the community. The event, held in the park, kicked off with remembrances from John Baird, who said that Mitchell was an influential figure in his life and recalled volunteering for him when he was just 15.

Mitchell was a true gentleman who also helped contribute to my appreciation for democracy as a teen. After protesting Bob Mitchell when I was 17, he helped me take my case to the Provincial Government by arranging a meeting for me with then-Premier Bill Davis.

In addition to his professional service to our Community, Bob was personally involved with many community organizations and was awarded Crestview Citizen of the Year. I was honoured to be able to work towards honouring this man, and hosting this community event to remember his contributions.

Through the course of the past two years, I have been in constant communication with the project’s managers in order to flag construction issues for residents as they emerge and to ensure the store takes measures necessary to eliminate as much of the construction aggravation as possible.

As part of my promise to keep you informed, I am please to announce that construction is expected to be completed, on schedule, next month.

We have always been proud to have Ikea in our ward, and look forward to the Grand Opening of the new store, which will happen in December.

While the new Ikea will benefit everyone, we all owe a big thank you to the neighbours on Iris and surrounding streets for patiently enduring the many construction inconveniences and intrusions and for making some very valuable suggestions along the way.

Those in the immediate area will be treated to a sneak peak at the new building, the second floor restaurant with a view of the Gatineau Hills, and all the great deals inside. So those in the area, watch your mail for details on the pre-opening.

Ikea has always been a positive presence in College Ward. In its early days, it was a key attraction on the Bells Corners strip. It quickly outgrew that location. Around that time, the Carleton Ward Traffic Strategy process (along with the economy) called for the conversion of the old Pinecrest Mall from a neighbourhood commercial complex into a “Regional draw” to make the Queensway the main traffic route for the development instead of many more neighbourhood streets. Ikea arrived just in time to fill that role.

In the mid 2000s Ikea was again outgrowing its home. The store considered moving out of the community. That would have damaged jobs and our ward’s economy and it also would have exposed us to the possibility of the Pinecrest complex again becoming a severe traffic irritant for Queensway Terrace South. After many discussions, Ikea agreed to try to stay at its present location and to expand and construct instead.

We held a number of advertised and well-attended public meetings. Residents made very constructive suggestions and requests. One of those was to see more on-site parking so that fewer store customers would park on neighbourhood streets. The result: most of the first floor of the new Ikea will be parking and storage.

The new Ikea will be big. But Ikea experts do not expect that it will necessarily draw many more people to the location. Instead, its marketing will be aimed at keeping customers there longer. This is good news for all business in the area because it means more customers will likely take advantage of all the other great local shops and services that College Ward has to offer.