Jones Commission – Page 3

Second City, Second Metro: Cumberland Council Seeks Divorce From Prescott and Russell

Cumberland Township’s Council looked over the border to Gloucester and wanted a new relationship. Image: Excerpt from Archives of Ontario, RG 1-100-0-0-417 Map #10.

Had nearly all the other voices in Cumberland Township not been enough to drive the point home that alignment with Carleton County, rather than remaining with Prescott and Russell, was what was wanted, then the voice of Cumberland Township’s Council might have been what was needed to seal the deal.

Second City, Second Metro: Carleton County “is a form of regional government”

Carleton County officers in 1956. Image: City of Ottawa Archives, CA036364.

Carleton County Council, as the representative body most geographically aligned with the study area, had a whole lot to say to Commissioner Jones in its favour.

Second City, Second Metro: Parish of Bearbrook Joins the Chorus

Trinity, Bearbrook Anglican Parish on Russell Road. Image: Google Maps, May 2018.

Bearbrook Parish in Cumberland Township joined the existing chorus of township figures (somewhat reluctantly, it seems) and set out its conditions for joining with Carleton County.

Second City, Second Metro: Eastview Planning Board – “[Eastview] feels more like a family”

The Eastview Planning Board wanted to keep it this way. Image: Muséoparc Vanier.

When it came to discussions about what a Metropolitan or Regional Government would mean for the Ottawa region, the small municipalities that came to be surrounded by Ottawa were just as reluctant to enter into civic matrimony as many of the township municipalities at the city’s edge.

Second City, Second Metro: Electrical Contractors’ Association wants Regulatory Harmony

“Electricity Sparks the 60’s” Source: *Ottawa Journal*,

The Electrical Contractors’ Association of Ottawa appeared before Jones with one request: that any Metropolitan style city that emerges from the process retain the existing City of Ottawa Bylaw 172, regulating electrical work.

Second City, Second Metro: The Green Belt Property Owners’ Association – ‘victims of government’

The Greenbelt Property Owners’ Association never did much care for the National Capital Commission’s approach to the Greenbelt. Source: Ottawa Journal, March 3, 1961, 3.

It was not just the Townships of Nepean and Gloucester that had a hard time with the National Capital Commission’s approach to the Greenbelt: those who owned property in what became the Greenbelt weren’t entirely impressed either.

Second City, Second Metro: The Civic Hospital Wants [More] Independence

Civic Hospital in the 1940s. Image: City of Ottawa Archives, CA002489.

When a small team of administrators from the Ottawa Civic Hospital appeared before the Jones Commission on March 31, 1965, it was pretty clear that they did so with one thing in mind: money. Unlike many others to appear, they did not come with ideas for local governance, with (much of) a vision for the future, or with technical critiques of the practice of local government in Ontario. To be certain, all of these themes were present in one way or another, but it was the lack of money and inefficient administration requirements that were at the front of mind.

Second City, Second Metro: The Women’s Institute of Navan Seconds the Call for Alignment with Carleton County

Presenting on the same day as the Navan Lion’s Club, the Women’s Institute of Navan appeared before Murray Jones on March 31 to make the case for separation from the United Counties of Prescott and Russell and an alignment with Carleton County.¹”Navan Briefs: More Urge Link To Carleton County,” Ottawa Journal, March 31, 1965, 1.

Notes[+]

Notes
↥1	”Navan Briefs: More Urge Link To Carleton County,” Ottawa Journal, March 31, 1965, 1.

Second City, Second Metro: The Lion’s Club of Navan Wants Cumberland to Join Carleton County

The Lions Club of Navan would have been more than happy to join up with Carleton County. Image: Shell Highway Map of Quebec, 1955.

Arguing that Cumberland Township’s life was oriented towards Ottawa, rather than to Prescott-Russell seat in L’Orignal, the Navan Lion’s Club appeared before Jones on March 31, 1965 to make the case.

Second City, Second Metro: Harold E. Denman Finds Inspiration in Metropolitan Toronto

Harold Denman was scheduled to offer his input on March 30, 1965 at 4:45pm. Source: Ottawa Citizen, March 23, 1965, 33.

On March 30, 1965, Bell’s Corners resident Harold E. Denman appeared before Murray Jones to offer his thoughts on regional government.

Second City, Second Metro: John H. McDonald Calls For a Separate National Capital Region

McDonald called for a National Capital Region to be pried from the hands of those in Quebec City and in Toronto. Image: By DPenner1 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58019866.

I’m sure that, if you’ve been following along with these entries from the Jones Commission that I’ve been transcribing, you’ve likely found that they’ve been, in the main, stunningly repetitive in what they have stated. If so, you’re hardly the only one. Reporters charged with following the testimonies offered up at the Commission noticed too, and were perhaps a little bored with the assignment.

Second City, Second Metro: North Gower Sees Greater Role for Carleton County

Although the rural Township of North Gower had a list of things that needed improvement, an expanded role for the County government was envisioned. Image: Hellmut W. Schade / National Capital Commission / Library and Archives Canada RG 34 R1181 Acc. 1986-004 NPC Box 302 Item 5066298.

The Township of North Gower, which in 1965 remained chiefly rural in nature, knew that growth was inevitable and had already implemented some planning functions.