Latest news with #Lisgar
CBC
11-08-2025
- Business
- CBC
Bank Street tenants facing 'demoviction' given 3-week eviction notice
A protracted fight against the "demoviction" of rent-controlled apartments on Bank Street is ending for a group of holdout tenants, some of whom have been ordered to vacate their units by the end of the month. "We're at the tragic end where we have to scramble to go and find a place to live and make sure that everybody's homed, and there's only three weeks to do so," said Julie Ivanoff, a PhD student in architecture who has lived in her apartment for four years. After buying the land in 2022, 211-231 Bank Street Holdings and Smart Living Properties have been seeking to demolish the buildings on a block of Bank Street between Nepean and Lisgar streets. They've wanted to replace several dozen affordable apartments with a nine-storey mixed-use building that includes 263 much smaller and more expensive rental units. About a dozen tenants have fought to remain in their homes, turning down buyout offers they say come from a landlord they don't trust and are insufficient compensation for their stabilized rent. They have also lobbied the city, saying rent-controlled homes are the only thing keeping some tenants from homelessness and that the planned new "micro-units" are no solution to Ottawa's housing crisis. Their last hope was a hearing at the Landlord and Tenant Tribunal in March, but this week some of the tenants received the board's decision, ordering them to vacate their homes by the end of the month. 'Good faith' demolition In the Aug. 6 order that Ivanoff received, and which CBC has seen a copy of, the board ruled that the landlords "in good faith intend to demolish the buildings" and granted their application to terminate the tenancy. Noting that the landlord had requested a termination date in April, the board wrote that "it would be fair to postpone the eviction until Aug. 31." Some tenants have lived there for decades, are reliant on pensions or disability payments, and may face homelessness if they can't find an affordable option within three weeks, Ivanoff said. She said the decision also means the end of both a longstanding artists' hub in the space and a vibrant community of neighbours who met several times a week to organize and look out for each other. "It's brutal to be reduced to a number," she said. "It's like, my income isn't high enough for me to have a greater consideration [in society]. How do you build a community like that?" CBC contacted Smart Living Properties for comment but did not hear back by deadline. The company previously said it had offered tenants the right to return to new apartments at the same rent with $20,000 compensation. The property owner, 211-231 Bank Street Holdings, previously told CBC in a statement that it would be "unreasonable to expect one development project can cater to all the diverse housing needs in the neighbourhood or city." A high concentration of studio apartments in the development, the company said, would "strategically offer lower-cost entry into newly constructed buildings." It also offered a "generous and comprehensive relocation assistance package" to existing tenants, based on feedback from the community. With their options to remain seemingly exhausted, the last tenants met on Saturday to begin preparations for moving out. "What's next is finding a place to live, making sure that none of my neighbours are homeless, seeing if we can find anything that's safe and secure for them," Ivanoff said. Eric Roberts, another tenant who's lived there since 2017, said he wasn't surprised by the decision of the board. He said he'll struggle to afford an apartment without rent stabilization when he's forced to leave. "The rent hike that we are facing on this block — just because these units were fairly deeply rent-controlled — is three to five times what we currently pay," he said. While he supports the goal of providing more housing in Ottawa, Roberts predicted the new units being proposed would likely end up as short-term rentals that most people can't afford. "We need housing that is accessible for low-income households, for seniors on fixed incomes, for students who are struggling with debt," he said.
Ottawa Citizen
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Everything you need to know about Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend
Not long from now, Michael Vieira should be able to sit back and replay the madness of planning and preparing a world-level running event. Article content Article content 'The dominoes are all set in the right order,' the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend director said in an interview. Article content 'Just waiting for the right time (to knock the first one down).' Article content But there's still work remaining to prepare for Canada's biggest running event. Article content Article content Vieira, an Ottawa native and Lisgar high graduate, is the former executive director of the Ottawa Gymnastics Centre and manager of Paralympic performance at the Canadian Paralympic Committee. He also previously ran in the event, but since taking over his new role he has become more keenly aware of its place among signature Ottawa events. Article content Article content Vieira says the number of racers in all events this year should total about 36,000. Sunday's marathon and half-marathon events are already sold out, while few spots remain for Saturday's 10k, 5k and 2k runs. Article content More than 200,000 spectators are expected to attend the two days. Visitors have lauded the event's festive atmosphere, with live entertainment, a beer garden, and a health and fitness expo. Article content Article content Article content On Saturday, May 24, roads including Elgin Street, Colonel By Drive, Queen Elizabeth Driveway and Wellington will all experience closures. Road closures begin at 11 a.m. and continue at rolling times throughout the day. All roads are expected to be reopened by 9 p.m. Article content Sunday's closures are more extensive for the full running of the marathon. Roads will be closed through downtown, from Tunney's Pasture in the west to the Rockliffe Park in the east. Closures along the Rideau Canal stretch as far south as Hog's Back Park, and in the north through Gatineau, crossing the river at the Alexandra Bridge and the Chaudiere crossing. Article content The major routes closed include the Kichi Zibi Mikan, Sussex Street, Colonel By Drive and Queen Elizabeth Driveway, George Étienne Cartier Parkway, and Wellington Street. Closures in both Ottawa and Gatineau begin at about 6 a.m. and most should be reopened by 3 p.m., with the exception of a stretch of Queen Elizabeth Drive, which will stay closed until 6 p.m.
