The city has made its list and checked it twice, and might soon find out if the federal government is going to be naughty or nice.
The list in question highlights the city’s “shovel-ready” infrastructure projects and outlines spending priorities in four key areas set by the federal government in its budget: infrastructure, social housing, recreational infrastructure and cultural initiatives.
One of the key conditions for receiving funds from the federal stimulus package is that projects must be “ready to go,” which means the projects must begin construction in the next two years, and be completed by March 31, 2011, according to a final report tabled at the corporate services and economic development committee meeting earlier this week.
The time to act is now, says Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes.
“We cannot miss this opportunity of getting as much provincial and federal money as we can to help us with our infrastructure backlog,” she says.
Among the potential benefits that could flow into Centretown are upgrades to 16 Ottawa Community Housing properties.
“It’s very good to get the province and the federal government back into funding social housing because those are the governments that built it in the first place, so I’m delighted they’re helping us maintain these buildings,” Holmes says.
Last month, the provincial government announced $632 million for social housing and increased child benefits. Jim Watson, the MPP for Ottawa West-Nepean and minister of municipal affairs and housing, made the announcement at a housing complex on Rochester Street.
The money for social housing can’t come soon enough. Ottawa Community Housing needs $340 million over the next five years to repair its aging buildings, says Laurene Wagner, executive director of tenant services.
They need new windows and doors to improve energy efficiency, landscaping, mold remediation and elevator repair, Wagner says.
She adds the housing corporation is not currently looking to acquire new properties in Centretown.
“Our focus is looking at the existing housing we own and bringing it to a standard that is acceptable,” Wagner says, adding the average age of the housing corporation’s properties is 35 years.
Wagner admits the task at hand is ambitious, but says they are up for the challenge.
“We are anxious to move these things forward. We have communities that need some pretty critical work,” she says.
Ottawa Community Housing has 162 properties across the city and about 9,500 households on the waiting list for social housing.
Holmes says she was happy three popular Centretown parks made the cut for recreational infrastructure funding. The report calls for spending close to $2 million to re-design Jack Purcell Park, Piazza Dante and St. Luke’s Park. The design work and public consultation on all three projects have already been completed, which means the projects are ready to go, she says.
A decorative gateway to Chinatown is the only Centretown-based project listed among the cultural initiatives vying for funds. The gateway is a twin-city project with Beijing, China and would be installed over Somerset Street at Cambridge Street.
“We are very happy the city put this project on the list,” says Grace Xin, executive director of the Somerset Chinatown BIA.
She adds the gateway is a symbol of friendship between China and Canada that will boost business in the neighbourhood.
“The gateway is going to serve as a tourist landmark and draw more traffic to the area,” Xin says, adding ground could be broken as early as this fall.