Eric Darwin has a vision for Dalhousie – the community on the west side of Centretown where he has lived for 30 years.
Having never owned a car in his life, Darwin says he favours more pedestrian-focused development: provisions in streetscaping for trees and wider sidewalks and more bike paths like the one that cuts through Dalhousie to Britannia or Dow’s Lake.
But one of Darwin’s main goals has been to raise the profile of Dalhousie because, right now, nobody seems to know exactly where it is.
“It’s an unfortunate name, I admit – people always think you’re referring to that street in the (Byward) Market,” he says.
Darwin has been the president of the Dalhousie Community Association president and resident blogger since June of 2009 when he sold his printing business, located in the City Centre complex, and took an early retirement.
“It became apparent to me that the image of Dalhousie had gone nowhere or was disappearing,” he says. “But there is a lot happening here.”
He refers to the many infill and social housing projects that come to the affordable neigbourhood so close to the downtown core. He speaks favourably of some – such as the Cornerstone women’s housing apartment building going in at the Corner of Booth and Eccles streets – but says he is wary of having too many elements brought to area strictly because other neighbourhoods don’t want them.
His two blogs, Dalhousie Community Association and West Side Action, describe and comment on these projects and his posts get more than 4,000 hits a month.
Darwin’s work – with also includes interacting with local BIAs and sitting on multiple committees – has been a boon to the city, says Somerset Ward Coun. Diane Holmes.
She says she shares Darwin’s passion for the Dalhousie community and its unique position as the “historic entry ward for new immigrants,” at once home the commercial heart of the Italian and Asian communities in Ottawa.
“Eric is so knowledgeable and experienced… the detailed work he’s done has been really helpful in preserving the colour and life of the area,” says Holmes.
Darwin also collaborates with other community associations on what Amanda Farris, president of the Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association, calls “hot issues” such as the community design plan for the Carling-Bayview light-rail transit.
“I think it’s important to have a good relationship with other associations so that united we provide a stronger voice and presence,” says Farris.
Shawn Menard, president of the Centretown Citizens Community Association, works closely with the DCA as the only other community association in the Somerset Ward.
“We’re a tight-knit community living in close quarters (and) we work together to try and represent everyone,” says Menard of the relationship. “It really helps when dealing with the cross-pollination of issues that come up.”
He also says that collaboration is key since community associations are no longer funded by the city – which is why Darwin says it’s important to get more residents involved at earlier stages of community projects. He says designs are developed years before the public sees the presentation before a DCA council meeting – plans for the redevelopment of Preston Street spent years in backroom battles before construction started.
“But if you get in early you can slip some trees in, you can slip in ideas for other details,” says Darwin. “You don’t want to just keep working for the benefit of fictional grandchildren. You want to do things as well because you want to enjoy them as well.”