Letters: Estrellita Karsh a staunch friend of the Château Laurier

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Karsh supported Château’s heritage

Re: ‘Ahead of her time’: Tributes galore for Estrellita Karsh, Apil 3.

It was sad to learn of the death of Estrellita Karsh, who lived with her husband, photographer Yousef Karsh, for many years at the Château Laurier.

In recent years, she was very kind to offer a statement in support of protecting the building from changes that would damage its classic look. She wrote at the time: “The memories of our time at the Château Laurier are very precious to us, but it has been 20 years since then and the world has changed. I do not know the current situation in Ottawa, but I personally would not like to see any contemporary architectural addition to the Château Laurier.”

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The campaign to protect the integrity of the existing building did not officially succeed, but the owner has not yet proceeded with a neo-modernist addition.

Robin Collins, Ottawa

A truly wonderful, generous lady

Thank you for the heartwarming and meaningful description of Estrellita Karsh. Ken Warren captured the essence of what a brilliant, witty human  and generous philanthropist Mrs. Karsh was.

Researching and distilling the words of people who really knew Mrs. Karsh provided for a powerful glimpse of this wonderful lady.

Rest in peace Mrs. Karsh. Thank you for your “legacy of philanthropy.” You will be dearly missed.

Steve Georgopoulos, Ottawa

Housing solutions? Try the co-op model

One of the main issues in the federal election campaign seems to be housing. Although some of the parties are locked into an unseemly bidding war to give money to people to buy houses that I would consider expensive (the GST off houses up to $1 million, countered by a GST cut for houses up to $1.3 million), there have been few incentives provided for affordable housing outside the market, such as co-op housing.

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I have lived in my co-op for almost 47 years; first as a young mother and now as a senior looking to “age in place.” I am not the only one who has been here since the beginning in 1978.

Co-ops are more than just housing; they create communities. In line wth the international co-op principles, they provide training and democratic functioning, co-operation with each other and support for local communities.

There are some 50 housing co-ops in the Ottawa area, with plenty of room for more. Learn more about co-op housing by browsing the Co-operative Housing of Canada website at chfcanada.coop, or check out our local organization, the Co-operatve Housing Association of Eastern Ontario, at  chaseo.coop.

From the 1970s to the 1990s, the federal government promoted these diverse, mixed-income communities, enabling them to be built and providing subsidies so that low-income Canadians could participate. Let us look beyond the incentives to buy in the market, and support this tried and true type of housing.

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Carol Evoy, Ottawa

Sensible to convert federal buildings

Re: How Canada Wins: Housing in former federal office buildings can revitalize Ottawa neighbourhoods, March 28.

Offering up federal or public buildings for housing makes so much sense.

Moving forward, we will never return to people going back to work 100 per cent of the time, so more and more buildings and space will be empty.  Turning them into affordable housing is a great solution.

I realize it’s not easy and would be costly but housing is such a serious problem in most cities that we need to cut through all the red tape and just make it happen.

Both prime ministerial candidates have said housing is a priority. They’ve also said they would streamline government bureaucracy to make things happen faster. This is one area where that is desperately needed and where some decent federal dollars should be going, and quickly.

Marlena Floyd, Ottawa

‘Temporary’ work means just that

Re: Unions rally against 3,300 job cuts, March 28.

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I really feel for the colleague on a “temporary contract” who was let go with 30 days’ notice and “is now without work.” I’ve been there — and with a mortgage and young child, believe me when I say it wasn’t pretty.

But I read and understood the terms of the contract I signed. The key is in the definition of “temporary: lasting for only a limited period; not permanent.” Also, 30 days’ notice (with accompanying pay) is more generous than a lot of other employers provide.

Erin Scullion, Ottawa

What about stress in the private sector?

Re: Four steps new public servants can take to deal with stress, March 31.

This was an interesting article about public service stress and fears of job loss. Yet being a public servant brings with it one of the best benefit packages, pension and identified job security in the whole workforce.

Would it be possible to also complete a comparable article specific to work force adjustment and fear of job reduction in the private sectorm where these issues appear to be far greater than for the union-protected jobs within the public service.

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To be fair, fear of job loss, irrespective of where, is significant. However, please compare. The inflated size of the public service has been well documented and should be the subject of scrutiny. The private sector has already been subject to cutbacks thanks to the “Trump” vision.

Denzil Ferguson, Pakenham

City byelection is a waste of money

Re: Denley, City’s $2-million land deal a waste of taxpayers’ money, April 1.

This fiasco is on top of the $500,000 for a needless byelection in Osgoode to cover 18 months. Just appoint someone for the rest of the term.

To increase my frustration, the Citizen didn’t tell me how councillors voted on this spending decision. People should know which councillors decided to waste our tax dollars on this.

Deryk McGrath, Manotick

There are better ways to fix our roads

Re: Adam, Potholes are back, and so are crumbling roads, March 27.

This recurring problem is at best uncomfortable for drivers, and at worst dangerous.

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I had the misfortune to be in an ambulance recently and the pain from bumping through rough roads made the discomfort I was already in much worse. This is inexcusable for a city like ours. It is very costly as well.

I know from other winter cities and from reading that there are much more effective products to surface roads than plain old asphalt.

I just Googled “road surfaces for winter climates” and was inundated with options. One I read about, “stormflow surfacing,” is slip-resistant and has enhanced snow and ice melt. The company states that it “priorizes safety.”

Have city engineers in Ottawa not done any research on this important subject? I don’t care, or really believe, that it would be too costly. When the city spends $12.3 million on potholes (none on the roads I travel) and is planning to spend $89.6 million for resurfacing, could it please look into the alternatives that would save money and be safer for drivers and pedestrians?

Patty Deline, Ottawa

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ByWard Market could host ‘elbows up’ hub

Re: Deachman, How to make the ByWard Market actually stand for something, March 25.

This article about making the ByWard Market the hub of the “elbows up” campaign was fantastic. I really hope that all these points are taken up by the councillor and the Market area. In fact, I will write them also as I really think this is what the market needs.

Ottawa residents and tourists would flock to the market if the changes were made.

Faye Shrivell, Ottawa

The Market needs more parking

Re: Adam, Fixing the ByWard Market — we’ll still need places to park, March 20.

Thank you Mohammed Adam; someone actually gets this. I so miss going to the Market, and have to say the main reason is the lack of parking.

For many years, I shopped there or met colleagues on weekends for lunch or dinner. We are all from different areas of the city, also working in different locations, so a meet at the market worked for everyone.

We found over the years that we were going less and less and instead finding new eateries and pubs where parking was readily available.

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I realize the City of Ottawa has, for some reason, an extreme aversion to vehicle traffic, but realistically it should know how many are simply turned off going into the downtown core. Ottawa is a wide, spread-out city, with many living on the fringe or even outside the city limits who must use a vehicle to take advantage of such places as the market. As for shopping, there is also no way I am going to haul all my purchases onto a bus or train or bicycle or just walk.

So let’s face reality. For a city the size of Ottawa, vehicles are here to stay and very much needed.  If you look at the many photos of the Market that the Citizen has published, covering some of the history, every one has a multitude of vehicles parked up and down the streets — and that’s when the Market boomed!

Pat Tierney, Cardinal

Parking at DND still a bargain

Re: Parking rates to more than double at DND’s Carling Campus, March 28.

I doubt that very many people will shed a tear for the DND employees who will have to pay $75 a month to park their cars.

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In 2012, I was paying slightly over $100 to park at Tunney’s Pasture and the walk from the parking lot to my building was close to half a kilometre (seemed like twice that distance on a -20 day in mid-February).

They should be thankful they are not working downtown where $250 a month to park a car is almost a bargain.

Les Shinder, Nepean

Carney has no duty to disclose his assets

Re: Carney must disclose: polls, April 2.

You would most certainly already be aware that Canadian politicians do not, and have not ever, been required to disclose their financial holdings. Placing all holdings in a blind trust is all that is required, which Mark Carney has already done.

Stop trying to make it appear that he is avoiding an obligation.

Pat Shea, Stittsville

Buy Australian? It DOES make sense

Re: Letter, Buy Australian?  It makes no sense, March 31.

By purchasing the radar from Australia, maybe Mark Carney is working on a trade agreement with them, ensuring that we have what we need to strengthen our defences in the North until we can set up a Canadian company.

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Australia is already an intelligence ally as one of the “Five Eyes” with the United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada.

Denise Polson, Metcalfe

Let’s diversify our fight-jet purchase

Re: Canadian general who recommended F-35 deal now calls for purchase of other jets, March 27.

I agree with retired Lt.-Gen. Yvan Blondin that Canada should diversify its purchase of jets. Any alternative is likely to have a lower per-unit cost than the F-35.

In addition, F-35s require a minimum of 3.8 hours of maintenance per flight hour, according to Lockheed Martin. Any alternative is likely to have a lower per-hour maintenance cost.

An alternative would make us less vulnerable to the U.S. for spare parts, including refreshing the anti-radar coating. If the alternative is significantly cheaper, it would also give us the option of having a larger force.

Bruce Couchman, Ottawa

Trump is just fiddling with a five-iron

I noticed reports of U.S. President Donald Trump boarding Airforce One with his clubs packed so he could participate in Pro/AM round at his Florida golf course.

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I don’t think that is what Americans of all stripes want to see after he has upset the world economy. But history has a way a way of repeating itself. Nero fiddled while Rome burned. I know Trump is not an emperor, yet. But you can be sure he wants to be one.

Dennis Dunster, Ottawa

Recruit health-care workers from U.S.

Perhaps now is the time to send our medical recruiters to the United States? If we concentrate on offering two- to four-year locums to those who are Donald Trump’s targets of hate and derision — such as people of colour, the LGBTQ community, laid-off U.S. civil servants etc. — might we be able to staff our health-care facilities properly until our new educational programs process the other health staff we need?

Two to four years keeps these Americans safe until the U.S. midterms or the next presidential elections, and gives our health-care system and staff  time to recover.

Dan Pearlman, Almonte

Thanks for the help with snow-shovelling

I am in my early 70s and was shovelling heavy snow in that recent big snowstorm. A car drove up and a young man got out to see if I wanted help shovelling.

He did not want anything for his efforts. He did say that I looked tired and he thought I could use help. His name was Patrick and he lives close by.

I had never met this generous young man before. So, I want to thank him again for his generous help. This kind of attitude and behaviour should be lauded and encouraged.

Steve Pynn, Ottawa

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