CFS Leitrim Question

[smithbrian86]

I've been accepted into Comm Rsrch recently. I will be attending the april 10th BMQ at Borden. My question pertains to when the training is complete however. Does CFS Leitrim have single quarters available? The only reason I ask is that I have been told its located outside an urban centre and I don't have a car to commute to and from the facility in.

Anyone have any information on this?
Regards.

 

[Thirstyson]

There is a bus that goes by on occasion (it's only a 10 minute drive out of Ottawa). Not sure if the bus is in sync with shifts though.

 

[smithbrian86]

So I take it thats a 'no' to the singles quarters?

 

[SweetNavyJustice]

That's a no.  There is no singles quarters at Leitrim.  Closest you can get is living in the Q's in south Ottawa.  I don't have a clue about the buses though, I've always had a car.

 

[smithbrian86]

Well thanks for the information. Looks like I need to get myself a car sometime during the next 65 weeks.

 

[Deleted member 15361]

You can get to know the guys on your shift. Most of them will be going to Uplands so you should be able to work out a drive no problem. And no there are no single quarters. You live in self help housing in uplands by the ottawa airport about 8km away from leitrim. If you are single with no children they will put 3 of you into a single 3 bedroom unit(unless that has changed).
Good luck,
Rob.

 

[ccdec]

Check this site www.octranspo.com. Check out bus 97 and 144, might not cover all of your shift schedule but could help for some.  When I worked there the bus used to turn around in the parking lot but that in the late 80s could be better now. Good Luck.

 

[291er]

Route 197 goes out to Leitrim, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, so it's only good for day workers.  I don't have a car and I've managed to get to work every day and I've been at Leitrim for almost 4 yrs.  Just hook up a carpool system with your fellow shifties, give them some gas money and you should be good to go.

 

[smithbrian86]

Its all in the details it seems. That gives me a better idea of the way things are. Thanks for the information all, it was a big help.

 

[janedoe]

Like everyone said you kinda need a car to get to leitrim or car pool with people. There is only one bus and it does not work out at all for shift workers. If you do live on base though there are quite a few that go to leitrim that you can pool with. Good luck on everything. I go to BMQ in June.

 

[Kokanee]

If you are single with no children they will put 3 of you into a single 3 bedroom unit(unless that has changed).
Good luck,
Rob.

Current policy is single members can move into "self help" during the moving off season
(usually 01 Oct - 31 Mar). During the posting season single members are SOL for uplands.

Last course to arrive Sep 05 had a large number of pers turned away because of their
single status, and had to arrange to live on the economy. I would suggest that you have
reliable transportation and take care of any outstanding large debts you may have, in case
you are eventually posted here during the posting season and have to fork out the
cash to live somewhere in the city.

At least that way you are prepared for the "worst case" scenario, and if you can swing
self-help, then bonus!

Good Luck on the course

 

[291er]

It's only a short 8km run to work if you live on Uplands as well  ;D though I would'nt recommend it in February or so....
I was'nt aware that the Self Help policy changed.....I'm sure there must be some way around it, there seems to be loads of
empty units around, and they're even letting Sgt's stay in after promotion now....I was'nt aware that anyone had been
turned away to date. 
If you're looking at living on the economy in Ottawa, be prepared to shell out some serious coinage.

 

[Deleted member 15361]

Damn, if thats the new policy that sucks. I remember a buddy of mine, had to live off of base down off of montreal road(I think thats what its called) and back in 2003 he was forking out 1200 a month for a single bedroom, but he was private 3. I imagine rates have gone up and trying to pay that on a private 2 salery would be very hard. Not to mention all the bills, phone, cable, gas, etc.
Hopefully you get self help bro.
Rob.

 

[Collin.t]

I never had the "chance" make it to Leitriem but I wanted to add that you will have plenty of time to save money. At least a year and a half, especially if you factor in your basic training.

Once in Kingston get yourself a computer and spend your time on it or at the gym. Try not to go downtown more than once a week 

oh and ask ex-fusiller for a nice way to make a little coin on the side.

 

[291er]

haha I never made a single cent, but then again, I never bought a single beer either... ;D

 

[janedoe]

HUH? Why would people be turned away? Everywhere I look there are empty units.

 

[COBRA-6]

If you are prepared to pound the pavement in Ottawa you can find some decent deals, I live downtown just off Elgin Street in a 1 bedroom with a cellar (old house renovated for rental units), includes heat, water and parking, runs $850 a month. I have friends in the neighbourhood paying less (bachelor for about $600). With the glut of condos going up the vacancy rate and the average rent have gone down in the last 5 years...

You should be able to find a decent place in the south Bank Street / Greenborough area for less than what I'm paying... and it's an easy bike commute to CFS Letrim from there... I know people that bike every day from Riverside South (way out past the airport) downtown to NDHQ every day...

 

[Kokanee]

HUH? Why would people be turned away? Everywhere I look there are empty units.

I was actually into the Self Help office today to speak to the IC there "Mr.Cohn". Unfortunately he is out for two weeks, but I did have a polite conversation w/ the receptionist.

As a single member, I've done my homework. Self Help is a civilian organisation, not a part of PSP or any govn't agency - they have been retained by the Gov'nt of Canada to administer the site, but they are not owned by the govn't. As such, they automatically fall under the Ontario Renter's Act, and the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Specifically in regards to the Human Rights Code, it is illegal to discriminate against a person in regards to renting a property for a number of things; race/age/marital status etc... The last one is what applies here.

Now, speaking w/ Self Help (SH), they are "not subject to the Ontario Renter's Act or the Human Rights Code", but they cannot say why.....

All things aside, I have been told that SH has a history of taking matters to your CO when they get backed into a corner or caught red handed on any small trivial matter. So I have made peace with the fact that if I go in weighed down with the above docs, pulling a "barrack room lawyer" act, I'm sure I will get my knuckles rapped pretty hard by my CO, as a nasty phone call from SH would surely follow..

Do I believe that SH needs to get their act together and start treating all military members fairly? Yes.  Am I going to make things better for myself or accomplish anything positive by trying to be the hero on this one? Absolutely not. So I have decided to wait out until October when the APS cycle is finished and single members can move in. I am currently second on the standby list, so it's pretty much a lock for myself.

Whom I really feel for are the new Pte's/OS's that get posted here and have to live on the economy, plus deal w/ transportation since they will most probably live a fair bit away from station.

Simply put, ASU Ottawa needs single quarters, but for that you need a base, with a chow hall etc...... But that is another discussion for another thread!

 

[George Wallace]

Kokanee

I am sure that you will find that the Self Help at Uplands, are still the property of DND.  Their 'administration' has been contracted out.  Big difference there.

I, for the life of me, can not figure out why DND demolished the Single Quarters and Mess Hall at Uplands, with not alternate facilities in the Area, seeing as they were in the process of selling off Rockcliffe.

Oh....by the way......There is a City bus route that goes out to Leitrim in the mornings and returns at night.  Route # 197

 

[291er]

Kokanee

I highly doubt that our CO would wrap your knuckles for trying to get a self help.  By all means, he may be the avenue to indeed get you a self help unit.  When I first arrived in Ottawa, they said that they did'nt have any self helps left for the single hands so they ended up putting 3 to a PMQ for almost $1000 a month.  Oddly enough, when we broached the subject with the SWO several months later, all of a sudden, three self help units magically appeared.
The CoC will help you just as long as you don't pee in anyone's cornflakes beforehand.