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Second City, Second Metro: Ottawa Board of Trade Calls for Growth

The Ottawa Board of Trade (members pictured here in 1955), recommended Ottawa’s expansion to the outer boundary of the Greenbelt. Image: City of Ottawa Archives, CA035720.

Having appeared with a last-minute submission before the Jones Commission, officials of the Ottawa Board of Trade recommended a two-municipality structure similar to that envisioned by earlier deputants.

Second City, Second Metro: Unaccountable Capital Commission

Messrs. D.C. MacPhail, O. Fisher, and Mrs. F.T. Graves appeared before the Jones Commission to raise the issue of a secretive and unaccountable National Capital Commission making liberal use of its powers of expropriation.

Second City, Second Metro: Another Voice for Regional Government

Michael Lackner appeared before the Jones Commission in support of a regional government.

Second City, Second Metro: Dissent in Gloucester Township

Gloucester Council was not singing from the same hymnal when it came to the future of the Township. Image: City of Ottawa Archives, RG9000 – GLOU-QAA-CG – 25 G10-01- Governance and Corporate Management : Elections : Election Ballots (prototypes), File 8-21.

Gloucester Councillors Robert W. MacQuarrie and Federick G. Barrett were not in agreement with their colleagues views on what was to come.

Second City, Second Metro: Collegiate Board Members Should be Elected

A.L. Dubé, a teacher in Ottawa for 35 years between 1923 and 1958, offered the following observations.

Second City, Second Metro: An Independent Nepean

Nepean Reeve Aubrey Moodie made no bones about wanting to keep Nepean independent. Image: City of Ottawa Archives, CA031270.

Nepean Reeve Aubrey Moodie attended a session of the Jones Commission to make the case that Nepean should be left well enough alone.

Second City, Second Metro: Cumberland’s Unsupported County Roads

Nelson Charlebois, Reeve of Cumberland Township, appeared separately to support the township’s submission to the Jones Commission. Top of mind was the disproportionately low share of road funds the township received from Prescott and Russell County.

County Road and Township	Vehicles per day	Underlined Twp. Contribution to County Roads	Underlined Twp. Road Program Apportionment
No. 1 CUMBERLAND	750-900	$43,380.00	$72,000.00
No. 15 ALFRED-S. PLANTAGENET	150	$17,505.00	$28,000.00
No. 5 CAMBRIDGE-RUSSELL BOUNDARY	280-360	$15,683.00	$50,000.00

Reproduced above, this table (rejected by the County) represents what Charlebois considered to be a fair deal.

Second City, Second Metro: Eastview to Maintain Local Autonomy

Eastview Council wanted to maintain its local autonomy. Image: Muséoparc Vanier.

Members of Eastview (Vanier) Council informed the Jones Commission that most residents were prepared to accept a lower standard of services relative to Ottawa if it meant remaining independent.

Second City, Second Metro: A Regional Government is Favoured

Perkins Lumber founder and former North Gower Reeve Howard L. Perkins appeared before the Jones Commission to support the implementation of a regional form of government. Image: Google Maps.

Howard L. Perkins, former North Gower Reeve, appeared before the Jones Commission to support the implementation of a regional form of government.

Second City, Second Metro: Steady as she goes in Marlborough Township

Marlborough Township Hall, Pierce’s Corners, 2019. Image: Google Maps.

Marlborough Township Council appeared before the Jones Commission to suggest that everything was fine as-is.

Second City, Second Metro: “realistically one must accept that this is one City”

Ottawa Mayor Don Reid (pictured here with Nancy Greene in 1968), appeared in front of the Jones Commission with a team to outline Ottawa’s position. Image: J. Primrose / Library and Archives Canada / e011196790.

When Ottawa Mayor Don Reid and a team of other municipal politicians and officials appeared before Murray Jones, they highlighted the need for an amalgamated single-tier municipality inside the Greenbelt. While the City of Ottawa clearly did not get its wish granted by the Jones Commission, it would as part of the 2001 amalgamation – and then some.

Second City, Second Metro: Annexations Unwelcome at Merivale Gardens

Homeowners in Merivale Gardens were not interested in being swallowed by Ottawa. Image: geoOttawa.

Perhaps unsurprisingly at this point, the Jones Commission heard from another Greenbelt community that independence was preferred.