The Centretown Citizens Community Association held its annual general meeting tonight, with a new president and board members acclaimed to their positions.
Former vice-president Jordan Charbonneau accepted his new position as CCCA president, taking over for Charles Akben-Marchand. The former president stepped down from his role last month after accepting a job with the office of Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes.
Charbonneau was acting as interim president until tonight’s meeting.
Of the seven board member vacancies, only six CCCA members were nominated to fill the seats.
Akben-Marchand, David Gladstone, Francois Belanger, Patricia Marsden-Dole, Shawn Barber and Shawn Menard all acclaimed their seats on the board without facing opposition.
Charbonneau said this year he would focus on reviving the association’s membership base and getting more people involved in the committees that need volunteers.
“I’m a public servant, so I really like the administrative aspects of things,” he said. “So I think I’m going to focus a lot on procedures, the way we organize ourselves and how we focus on things,” he said, adding that he would be able to help CCCA members with big visions.
CCCA members addressed major concerns and plans they have been working on for the past year.
Holmes was present at the meeting, along with newly re-elected Ottawa Centre MPP Yasir Naqvi.
Naqvi discussed the concerns of members about the Ontario Municipal Board’s involvement with the development in Centretown and possible strategies for OMB reform.
“We know there are significant challenges when it comes to intensification,” Naqvi said. “The community has lost its voice when it comes to making decisions.”
CCCA members also discussed improvements to the streetscape, the mid-Centretown design plan, and ongoing traffic and transportation issues.