Archive 1997-2016
By Erin Conway-Smith
A recent National Capital Commission decision to ditch a long-debated plan for a plaza at the corner of Sparks and Metcalfe streets has some Sparks Street retailers breathing a sigh of relief.
The proposed project would have meant the destruction of buildings on Metcalfe Street to build a public plaza and an underground parking garage. The plan might also have required the relocation of several heritage buildings.
They gather around Bob Jessome like soldiers around a general. He stands taller than six feet, but it isn't his physical presence that demands attention. It's his booming voice . . .
Winter is around the corner and for Centretown residents parking on downtown streets, that not only means snow, but a new burden on their pocketbooks.
When Somerset councillor-elect Diane Holmes takes office in December, her first priority will be making sure the cash-strapped city can pay for a pedestrian bridge across the Rideau Canal and an expanded transit system — two campaign promises that helped propel her to a landslide victory in this month's municipal election.