I received the following email from the manager of the ByWard Market building this week after she read my story out of a committee meeting on a new market study. After the meeting I wandered down to the market to see these washrooms that received some attention. It was in the middle of the day, so things weren’t very horrific, but it looks like they cause staff a lot of headaches.

The short story? The market probably needs more public washrooms.

The email was also sent to Rideau-Vanier Coun. Mathieu Fleury.

Subject: How is the market doing?

As my subject line states I am writing to you in response to your article in the Ottawa Sun dated Wed. June 12.

I have been the building manager for 55 Byward Market Square for the past 13 years. Our caretaker greeted me Wed. morning with your article. Needless to say he was very disturbed with the comments that you both made regarding the washroom facilities.

Firstly, they are the ONLY public washrooms in the market area. On any given day especially in the summer market season they service more than 1000 people per day 7 days per week.

These patrons include tourists, locals, market vendors and farmers.

There have been numerous obstacles we have had to deal with over the years.

-street people hiding out to get a nights’ sleep.
-washrooms used to “bathe” in the morning
-drug use. We have installed needle boxes in each stall ( men and women), one of which was actually stolen off the wall,smoke detectors that will detect not only cigarette smoke but also smoke from drug use.
-flush valve stolen
-vandalism (abuse of the facilities as well as graffiti)

As being the only washrooms whenever the tour buses arrive the first question asked is “where is the washroom”?

If it weren’t for our facility they would be at the mercy of store owners and/ or restaurants non of whom are welcoming the business and most refuse.

On the Tues. you commented on the urinal had been reported that morning that it was out of service and was fixed that afternoon. The hand dryer was working sporadically but has since been fixed. Please remember that this is not a hotel lobby (the Westin locks most of their facilities to the public) nor a restaurant with limited patrons. However, have you ever been to another public facility with new toilets and urinals, new sinks and taps, new mirrors, fresh paint and granite top counters. I venture to say no you haven’t.

Mr. Fleury you might want to check out the washrooms at the Bay!! Try any Wal-Mart. Then you’ll see what filth looks like.

We have cleaners on site 12 hours each day, 7 days per week. Washrooms are always a challenge just getting in to clean is a problem

The very least I expect from both of you would be an apology to these 2 people and more research done by you on what a dirty bathroom really looks like.

I trust you will give this letter your attention.

Marilyn Taller, Manager, Byward Market Square.

The third annual City Hall vs. media hockey game last night was a tight contest, with City Hall managing to squeak out a 3-2 victory at Tom Brown Arena. Great goaltending on both ends of the ice. Two councillors laced them up this year, Tim Tierney and Mathieu Fleury. The youthful City Hall team had some first-period coaching by Mayor Jim Watson.

Kudos to Mike Bureau in Tierney’s office for organizing this year’s game. Once again we raised money for Canadian Tire Jumpstart, which helps families put their kids in organized sports.

The chirp of the night went to CBC’s Alistair Steele. Something like, “At least we block shots and not emails.”

The National Capital Commission presented to council’s transportation committee today on the interprovincial bridge study. Here’s the presentation…

01 – En REVISED Presentation Re Interprovincial Crossing

Place your bets…

I should mention that this was for the annual Food Aid Day at City Hall. Watson told me later the secret is moistening your fingers first before grabbing the udders. And I’m pretty sure Harper brought her own stool to the competition. Yeah, it’s serious business.

Below is an email sent to council earlier today from city solicitor Rick O’Connor regarding the ongoing fight over 287 Cumberland St. Check out the last full paragraph. Sounds like there’s good reason why Lauzon didn’t want his engineering report released.

Advantage: City.

Mayor and Members of Council:

Further to my communiqué of May 24th, 2013, the purpose of this e-mail is to advise Members that this afternoon the Superior Court of Justice released its written reasons in the form of the attached Endorsement in relation to its Decision made on May 23, 2013 in the above-noted matter. Members will recall that on May 23rd, Justice Smith of the Superior Court dismissed a motion brought by Mr. Lauzon seeking to stay the Decision requiring the disclosure to the Chief Building Official of the engineering report of Mr. John Cooke, P.Eng, relating to the building at 287 Cumberland Street. The Court has concluded that the Decision should not be stayed and that the balance of convenience favours the City in not staying the Order for production. At Paragraphs 11 and 12 of the Endorsement Justice Smith comments:

11. Providing the City with all of the available and most reliable information about the Building before it makes a further decision does not substantially harm Mr. Lauzon’s interests. I find that the release of the Cooke report to the City for its consideration would only cause potential harm to Lauzon’s financial interests as he wishes to demolish the Building without incurring possible extra expenses to preserve its heritage aspects.

12. As a result there is potential harm to Mr. Lauzon’s financial interest but potential benefit to the City and the public interest of preserving the heritage aspects of buildings in the City. I find that any harm caused to Lauzon as a result of allowing the City to review the Cooke report is not substantial.

The Court dismissed Mr. Lauzon’s motion with costs to the City. The amount of costs is yet to be determined. As noted previously, an appeal of the Court’s Decision has been commenced by Mr. Lauzon. A hearing date for the appeal has not been scheduled.

I can advise that the Chief Building Official continues to address the state of the building at 287 Cumberland Street in light of having recently received the engineering report of Mr. John Cooke, P.Eng. While the Chief Building Official is not in a position to release the report publically, she is satisfied that the information in the report clearly presents an alternative course of action to the complete demolition of the building, as sought by the property owner. Given the fact that there is ongoing litigation before the courts relating to the building in question, and in further recognition of the requirements of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy legislation, the City is not in a position to release the report at this point in time.

I trust that the above is satisfactory.

M. Rick O’Connor, CMO

Certified Specialist (Municipal Law: Local Government) | Spécialiste agréé (Loi sur les municipalités: gouvernement local)

City Clerk and Solicitor | Greffier de la Ville et chef du contentieux