Category: Front Page

By Nick Greenfield

The fate of Centretown schools, which was to be decided by community working groups, will be left to the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board after all.

And after months of meetings, studies and speculation, the community working group set up to advise the school board on closures has recommended that no schools be closed in Centretown. The group released its report earlier this week and will present their study to trustees at a meeting Nov.10.
The community reports will be studied by school board staff which will make recommendations on Nov. 24. The final decision by trustees will be made public Dec. 21. read more

By Bonnie Van Toen

Ottawa Centre MPP Richard Patten has launched himself into the next provincial election race.
Patten expects to be acclaimed because he is the only Liberal to have expressed an interest in the nomination.

Other nominees need to give fair warning of their intention to compete so that “a sitting member doesn’t get bushwhacked,” says Patten. read more

By Dan McHardie

With overflowing bookshelves and a lack of meeting rooms, the Ottawa Public Library is looking for municipal funding to renovate its facilities or find a new home.

Barbara Clubb, the chief librarian of the Ottawa Public Library, says the different branches need $10 million in upgrades to eliminate piles of books mounting on top of each other because of a shortage of shelves. read more

By Melanie Richmond

Ottawa’s planning committee has passed a staff report that “strongly objects” to the expansion of Metcalfe Street.

On Sept. 29, the committee voted 3-1 in favour of passing the staff report which included two recommendations that objected to the National Capital Commission’s proposal to turn Metcalfe Street into a grand boulevard leading to Parliament Hill. read more