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OOECA Briefing Note: Request for commemorative naming of Springhurst Park to Barbara McInnes Park

  • Date of Request: May 31, 2025
  • Requested Action: OOECA board consideration and motion for support/concurrence
  • Briefing note prepared by: Kristine Houde for June 10 OOECA Board meeting
  • Attachments: Glenn McInnes Email dated May 31, Barbara McInnes Biography and References

1. Introduction & Request

Glenn McInnes is respectfully seeking concurrence from Old Ottawa East Community Association (OOECA) for an application to the City of Ottawa to commemorate Barbara McInnes by renaming Springhurst Park as Barbara McInnes Park. The application must be filed by July 2, 2025.

Barbara McInnes was a dedicated community leader and philanthropist whose impact on Ottawa is significant and far-reaching. Her commitment to community service and her efforts to improve the lives of Ottawa residents make her a worthy candidate for this honour. Please see the attached three-page biography for further details.

2. Chronology of Events

2019:

  • The initiative to rename Springhurst Park began with Stéphanie Plante, then a resident and Action Sandy Hill member.
  • Stéphanie recognized the lack of places in Ottawa named for women and sought to address this, one park at a time.
  • She successfully advocated for the renaming of Annie Pootoogook Park and initiated the process for Springhurst Park to be renamed after Barbara McInnes.

July 1, 2021:

  • Barbara McInnes passed away.

May 2022:

  • Stéphanie Plante reached out to my daughter, Leah, to seek our family’s concurrence on renaming Springhurst Park. Stéphanie cited several reasons for selecting Springhurst Park. Our family provided its concurrence.
  • Central location surrounded by diverse communities and amenities.
  • The current name is based on the street, so the word ‘Springhurst’ would remain in the City’s toponymy.
  • The park is a downtown getaway with accessible parking and public transit.
  • It is in Capital Ward, home to the Ottawa Community Foundation and many organizations supported by OCF.

July 14, 2022:

  • Stéphanie updated us that letters of support were being collected for the application, including a notable letter from the Executive Director of OrKidstra.

November 2022:

  • Stéphanie Plante was elected Councillor of Rideau Vanier.

May 2023:

  • Stéphanie informed us that Springhurst Park is in Ward 17 (Capital, represented by Shawn Menard), not Ward 12 (Rideau-Vanier).
  • She also noted a proposed zoning bylaw amendment for a 360-spot parking lot in Springhurst Park.

January 8, 2025:

  • The City’s Recreation, Cultural, and Facility Services Department resolved to preserve Springhurst Park’s greenspace by revising the parking lot plan to be outside the park.

May 2025:

  • The group is now completing the application process that Stéphanie began.

3. Barbara McInnes Biography and References

A detailed 3-page biography of Barbara McInnes is attached, as well as 11 excerpts from the book outlining her lifetime achievements and contributions to Ottawa and its communities.

4. Letters of Support and Additional Advocacy

  • The McInnes family understands that the City has received 4 letters of support from Stéphanie Plante’s advocacy in 2022.
    • Note that OOECA has no record or copies of these letters in our files or archives.
  • A book celebrating Barbara McInnes’s philanthropic legacy will be published on September 15, 2025, featuring stories from 36 contributors. See: barbaraslegacy.ca/about-the-book/.
  • Glenn McInnes is requesting additional letters of support from several contributors, including:
    • Alex Munter – Former Ottawa City Councillor, Board of Directors, Community Foundation of Ottawa, and CEO, Canadian Medical Association.
    • Elspeth McKay – Retired Executive Director, Operation Come Home.
    • Jackie Holzman – Former Mayor, City of Ottawa, and Volunteer, Community Foundation of Ottawa.
    • Michael Maidment – Former City of Ottawa Poverty Reduction Committee and President and CEO, Ottawa Community Foundation.
    • Wendy Muckle, C.M. – Co-Founder, Ottawa Inner City Health.

Request to OOECA Board

I respectfully request that the OOECA Board consider and provide concurrence for the application to rename Springhurst Park as Barbara McInnes Park.

Should you require any additional information, please let me know. Both Jackie Holzman and I will be available at your meeting on June 10th to answer any questions or provide further details.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Glenn McInnes
613-220-4922

2025 juneboardbriefing notecommunity request