Rod Abbas, owner of Abbas Grocery on Bell Street, says his store is one of the few small stores with a grocery section.
City of Ottawa staff is consulting the public about possible changes to old bylaws that threaten the tradition of independent corner stores in downtown residential communities.
Under current rules, owners of businesses in residential areas forfeit their zoning rights when they are sold and in time the stores will be replaced by housing. The bylaw does not force existing store owners to concede their commercial zoning rights, but could prevent an owner from selling the business, but not the property.
Capital Coun. David Chernushenko says the bylaw stems from an era of city planning based in the 1960s when there was a push for segregated residential and business zones.
“I would say we made a pretty big mistake North America-wide to segregate those zones and the result is you’ve got to drive just to get a litre of milk,” says Chernushenko.
Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes says the public consultation launched on the City of Ottawa website is a “planning committee initiative” as part of the city’s goal to become more environmentally friendly. The consultation will remain accessible until the end of January.
“Instead of having people drive to get bread,” says Holmes, “it would be so much healthier if we could get people walking.”
Once the consultation period ends, a review of the public’s comments will take place for two months. A proposed amendment to the bylaw would not be made to the committee until July.
The committee would need to approve any changes before the issue could be voted on by city council.
Centretown businessman Rod Abbas, owner of Abbas Grocery at the corner of Bell and Henry Streets, says he is in favour of a change.
“I would sooner see a neighbourhood with six or seven small, local stores than a mall,” says Abbas. “As long as it’s not industrial or disturbing the neighbourhood, I don’t think there’s a difference.”
Abbas’ parents originally opened the small neighbourhood grocery store in 1962. Abbas took over the store in 1980 and gradually converted it to a corner convenience store, but half the store remains stocked with everyday grocery items from milk and bread to bacon and pasta.
“It’s just convenient when you don’t need much,” says Caroline Bell, a regular customer at Abbas Grocery. “You don’t want to spend three dollars on bus tokens to go to Walmart just for milk.”
The atmosphere of a residential corner store like Abbas’ is important for some consumers and can determine where they shop.
“You get to know the store owners and build a relationship which you might not get with a Quickie,” says Loredonna Deffett, a Centretown resident.
Chernushenko says gas stations, dry-cleaners, chemical related operations, and drive-thru fast food stores likely would not be on the list of approved business.
“It will be essential to define quite clearly what sorts of activities are appropriate and compatible with a residential street,” says Chernushenko.