Concept  Proposal  Benefits

Suggestions re a Policy towards creating more ethnic/minority villages in Ottawa
- submitted by Peter Vasdi Dec 2006

Concept

People of distinct ethinicities, or belonging to certain minorities - in fact, all and any of us - benefit from being "with our own kind" from time to time. It makes us content with who we are. Being with our own kind, and even just knowing that we can have a place to go, is a relaxing feeling and makes it that much easier for us to deal with day-to-day issues, and for other people to deal with us.

Having "villages" or footprints in Ottawa for our own ethnicity makes Ottawa attractive to tourists of that ethnicity, and also gives Ottawa more color - another point of touristic interest. They serve as real education centers for us when growing up. We become more worldly, open, and broadminded. We encourage a more informed opinions about world issues. We become better people. In some cases, minorities, such as the gay minority, challenge our personal views, but again we become better people for having been so challenged.

Here are some things the City could do:

Advertize everywhere possible, all the ethnic/minority locations and opportunities avaiable in the City. Provide a budget and financial support to any initiative that has as its goal the creation of an ethnically oriented establishment or service. Provide incentives (financial discounts, tax advantages, advice, information) towards encouraging people to creating similar ethnic and minority establishments and services in close proximity to each other, thereby promoting the creation of a "village" inside the city. For example, making it known that having businesses with shared interests in close proximity to each other allows those business owners to lobby for visibility and change more effectively with City Hall.

Here some things the rest of us could do:

Here are some things those in particular ethnic, national, and minority groups could do:

Finally then we would have a point of interest and a little less reason to spend our lives sitting at home, watching TV, and gaining weight.

Benefits

The benefits to all of us would be:

• The stores would bring more life into the McCarthy Rd. Paul Anka intersection. Finally give our community a place to gather. A reason for going for a walk after supper.
• The bus stops right there, meaning that the stores would have a captive (and pedestrian) audience.
• The Hunt Club Community Centre is right across the street, providing the stores with yet more clients.
• The parking would be open and available right behind the new stores.
• The wasted space would generate revenue.
• Stores like the ones I'm envisaging (coffee house) would bring more adults into the area later at night, therefore, increasing the vigilance and decreasing security problems. Being right at the corner or the intersection (with a little bit of attractive frontage) means that people would not need to cross over to the mall itself (should such stores be situated in the existing mall). In fact, Starbucks (and perhaps 2nd Cup) is looking for new locations in the south end of Ottawa. There are already some nice sized trees there that could provide attractive cafe-style entry to the stores.