Keeping people safe & well

United Way 2007 Community Builder Award for NCLB

 

EPIC Award 2007

 

First quarterly Report

July to October 2005

 

South East Ottawa Centre for a Healthy Community (SEOCHC) started working on No Community Left Behind (NCLB) Project in July 2005.  

A summary of its activities is given below and the relevant documents are enclosed as ready reference. 

  • During the Month of July 2005, two studies were conducted in Banff/Ledbury community: one for assessing community’s perception about safety and crime-related issues in their neighborhood and the other for exclusively capturing views of the community leaders about safety and other concerns in the community. 

A summary report of the safety survey has been submitted with the 1st project review in August 2005.  

  • The first Steering Committee meeting was held on August 03, 2005 at South East Ottawa Centre for Healthy Community. Participants were introduced to the project and a summary of the Safety Study was shared with them for their comments and further suggestions for improvement. Minutes of the meeting were submitted with the first review.  

  • Two meetings of the Steering Committee have taken place on September 20th and October 25, 2005. Minutes of both meetings are available here. In the first meeting, the Committee discussed all possible activities which could lead to achieving project objectives. In the subsequent meeting the main theme was the planning process undertaken by the community, the Community House and SEOCHCH, and the resultant work plan for approval.  

  • Members of the Steering Committee have increased and slightly changed since the first meeting. The updated list is as follows:  

    • Rose Wakeham, Co-Coordinator, Russell Heights Community House

    • Eileen Dooley, Vice President, Community Services, United Way

    • Superintendent Charles Bordeleau, Ottawa Police Services

    • Constable Norm Freill, Ottawa Police Services

    • Sylvie Manser, Director Banff Avenue Community House

    • Catherine Dubois, Manager, Community Services SEOCHC

    • Abid Jan, Project Coordinator, No Community Left Behind Project SEOCHC

    • Kelli Tonner, Health Promoter for Youth, SEOCHC

    • James Williams, Board Member SEOCHC

    • Matt Perkins, City of Ottawa Parks and Recreation

    • Luc Lavictoire, City of Ottawa, Parks and Recreation

    • Florence Break, Community Developer, OCH

    • Andrew Sparling, Osgoode Vet nary Clinic

    • Mohamoud Abdulle Youth Services Bureau

    • Saida Hassan, President Tenants Association

    • Sue Skinner, South Ottawa Community Legal Clinic

    • Cst. Len Vaz, Ottawa Police Services

    • Mike Tross, Youth Services Bureau

    • Rey Francis from Councilor Maria McRae’s Office  

  • Work with the community members and the Community House Director is completed on the development of a work-plan to cover the main components of the project. A detailed activity plan and schedule of activities are completed.  

  • SEOCHC and Banff Community House also worked on developing an inventory of resources, partners and programs to the community. The inventory helped in the planning process. Two versions of the inventory of resources, one classified by lead partners and the other by population groups.  

  • One of the most positive development of the first Quarter is the following announcement by the Deputy Superintendent Police, Charles Bordeleau at October 25 Steering Committee meeting. The text of his announcement is as follows:  

    “The escalating violence, the drug use, the gang presence, the fear of reporting crime and the apparent lack of trust in police in this community and others have caused us to re-think our approach to the services we currently provide. 

    “Effective next week - Contables Norm Freill and Leesa Baldwin, 2 of our Neighbourhood Officers will be assigned full time to work with the Banff Ledbury, Heatherington and Russell Road communities.  We are making a concrete investment in this community with the hope of dividends paying off in the long run. 

    “They will not replace our Community Police Centre officers, our patrol officers or our Youth Intervention Coordinator, they will enhance the important role these people currently fulfill in our community.  Their role will be to establish a solid relationship with you and the other communities by connecting with the existing networks, meeting with the residents, offer guidance, support, advice, referrals on community issues that requiring police intervention.  We want these officers to be the point of contact for you as we move forward together in building this community. They will work with the housing authority, community houses, tenants associations, youth serving agencies and the South-East Ottawa Centre in addition to working internally with our patrol officers, Community Police Centres, Youth, Gang and Drug Units. 

    “They will actively participate in providing input to my management team on crime issues facing this community in order to assist us in setting our priorities with respect to crime prevention and intervention strategies. 

     “It would make to sense for us to come in and impose crime prevention initiatives when there are lack of trust issues - so we recognize that we need to build that trust in order to effectively address crime and disorder issues.”   

  • Residents of Banff Avenue identified two locations in the community which they considered are used for illegal activities. The environment in these locations facilitates drug abuse and trade. A graphic presentation at Annex 6 shows one of these trouble spots. It is the narrow alleyway behind the residential units and high-rise on Bank Street, that provides cover and easy escape from police, and is isolated from the rest of the community space. The second location is comprised of bushes and trees on the NCC land underneath the power lines towards East of Banff Avenue. This is relatively small but popular place for the local youth to engage in illegal activities. 

Superintendent Charles Bordeleau has already put a request for CPTED (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design) audit through the City of Ottawa. Findings from this assessment will direct the Steering Committee in determining action for improvements to the physical environment and curb criminal activities in the neighborhood. 

Next Steering Committee meeting is scheduled for December 06, 2005, at 1:00 p.m. in which progress review of the approved work plan will take place.

 

© 2005-08 South-East Ottawa Community Health Centre
Centre de Sante Communautaire du Sud Est D'Ottawa

Contact: Abid Jan Tel./ Tél: (613) 737-5115  Fax/Télé: (613) 739-8199

NCLB matters because neighbourhoods matter