By Laurentian High School Site – Update
Zoning
On October 14, 2009, with a strong majority (17 to 4), City Council approved the Planning & Environment Committee’s recommendation to proceed with the rezoning of the former Laurentian High School.
Site Plan
Last week, I received a copy of the draft Site Plan that SmartCentres has formally filed with the City. I will continue to work closely with City staff and representatives from SmartCentres to develop a Site Plan that meets the stringent Holding Provisions identified in the rezoning report. Since all of this property is contained in our Ward, I have absolute authority when signing off on the final Site Plan. You have my assurances that I will hold the developer and City staff accountable to ensure that the final Site Plan reflects the rigorous Holding Provisions approved by Council.
Connectivity During Demolition and Construction
For safety reasons, SmartCentres has advised the City that they will not be in a position to reopen the connectivity at this time, since the pathway is too close to where the demolition and remediation work is taking place. However, SmartCentres is committed to continue working with City staff to determine at what stage during the process they can safely re-open the pathway. I understand that this is frustrating, but your safety cannot be compromised.
I also asked City staff to investigate the option of immediately creating a pathway from Scout Street, near Jenscott Private, to connect to Clyde Avenue. As part of the Site Plan agreement with Ashcroft Homes, this area will ultimately be constructed as a formal pathway. Ashcroft is in the process of digging foundations for the new homes along Jenscott Private, and once those homes are fully constructed, this pathway will be completed.
Thank you to all residents and the Ottawa Central Park Community Association for taking the
time to provide feedback about the redevelopment of this site. I look forward to your continued
participation.
Crosswalks Installed on Central Park Drive
All-way stop controls, including crosswalks, were installed at the intersections of Central Park Drive at Whitestone Drive and Central Park Drive at Yorkville Street on July 21, 2009. These crosswalks are a welcome addition to the community and will ensure families a safe crossing of Central Park Drive.
Parking on Central Park Drive – Update
A number of residents raised concerns about parking on Central Park Drive, specifically the number of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) employees that park in the community.
In addition to requesting proactive by-law enforcement and a comprehensive traffic impact study for the community, I contacted Agriculture Canada and Transport Minister and Ottawa WestNepean M.P. John Baird about this issue. In a response from AAFC, they indicated the following actions were to address the current problem:
- A notice has been sent to all employees reminding them of their obligations to respect the proximity of the community and to encourage responsible actions on their parts that will maintain good relations with Central Park.
- A renewed effort to engage OC Transpo to improve effort to the site.
- A meeting has been set up with representatives of Larco Investments Ltd., who own the property, to determine of there are further mitigated parking strategies that could be implemented.
Further to my request, City staff recently completed their comprehensive traffic impact study. As a result, staff will implement the following measures:
- Paint a centerline on Central Park Drive;
- Install 15 metre “No Parking” corner clearances at all intersection along Central Park Drive to increase intersection sightlines;
- Install 15 metre “No Parking” corner clearances at the driveway accesses to 110 and 112 Central Park Drive;
- Develop and distribute an information pamphlet to employees who work in the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada building;
- Install 9 metre (minimum) “No Parking” zones on the inside portions of the horizontal curves along Scout Street (near 30 and 150 Scout)
The City’s Parking Enforcement Program Manager informed me that Parking Officers continue to chalk the area daily, sometimes twice a day. This is in addition to checking for intersection violations, etc. Staff issued almost 500 tickets between the time transit service fully resumed in March 2009 and November 22, 2009.
Violations include:
- Parking in a “No Parking” zone
- Intersection violations
- Sidewalk violations
- Parking within 300 meters of a prior space
- Parking over the time limit
Along with proactive enforcement, I encourage you to call 3-1-1 if you personally witness an infraction. The calls for service generate valuable statistics, which allows staff to allocate their resources accordingly.
Speeding and Other Traffic Violations on Central Park Drive and Adjacent Streets
The Ottawa Police Service will continue to provide enforcement regarding speeding, stop-sign running, etc. Please contact the police directly if you witness a driving infraction. As with parking violations, the calls for service generate valuable statistics, which allows the police to allocate their resources appropriately.
Parking at Celebration Park
Several months ago, I asked staff to review parking regulations regarding the parking lot at Celebration Park. Staff have confirmed that there are no Site Plan requirements to specifically reserve this lot for overflow residential parking.
Celebration Park Basketball Court Consultation – Update
On Tuesday, April 21, 2009, I hosted an Open House to discuss the proposed addition of a basketball court in Celebration Park. The majority of residents who attended the meeting voiced their opposition to the proposal. As a result, the proposal to construct a basketball court in Celebration park will not move forward and the monies allocated to this project will be reallocated to another project.
Following this meeting, the Ottawa Central Park Community Association expressed an interest in constructing a beach volleyball court in Celebration Park. I worked with City Staff over the past few months to determine whether or not this is a feasible option. I am pleased to announce that City staff are supportive and we will host an on site public meeting to discuss further details.
The Ottawa Older Adult Plan: Investing in Our Seniors
The number of senior citizens living in Ottawa is set to explode. Over the next 20 years, the number of people aged 65 and over will increase by 50%, creating significant demands and pressures for new services.
Through the implementation of the recently approved Ottawa Older Adult Plan, City Council will determine how to best address the needs of our aging population, determine what services are required, how to deliver them, and what partnerships can address this growing population. This comprehensive strategy will review a variety of factors including service delivery, organization and management, partnerships with agencies and governments, volunteer support, financial incentives and subsidies.
2010 Budget Process
This year, City Council approved a new process for the 2010 Budget to increase engagement by Councillors and the public at the beginning of the budget process. These changes also include an increased role for Standing Committees, including the creation of the new Audit, Budget and Finance Committee, of which I am a member. As Chair of the City’s Transportation Committee, I worked closely with senior staff reviewing and challenging the budgets for the departments under my responsibility.
The Ottawa Police Services Board and Ottawa Public Library Board will undergo separate budget reviews and will present their Budgets to Council on December 9, 2009.
Timeline
Review and Development of Budget Strategy by Audit, Budget and Finance Committee:
October 1, 2009 to November 27, 2009
Tabling of the Draft Budget by the Audit, Budget and Finance Committee:
December 9, 2009
Public Consultation Period:
December 10, 2009 to January 22, 2010
Committee of the Whole/Council Approval:
January 25, 2010 to February 5, 2010
I encourage you to contact me if you have any feedback regarding your priorities for the 2010 Budget.
Light Rail Transit
Transit Technology Choice
The Rail System Selection Report was tabled at the October 21, 2009, Transit Committee meeting, was referred to the November 18, 2009 Transit Committee meeting, and was approved by City Council earlier today, November 25, 2009.
The selection of the appropriate rail system technology for the City of Ottawa is a major component of the 2008 Transportation Master Plan (TMP) process and a set of principles that reflect the goals of the Council approved TMP were applied. Ultimately, city staff identified Light Rail (LRT) as the preferred technology choice for deployment in Ottawa, which was supported by the Transit Committee and was approved by City Council. I encourage you to visit the following web link to view the full report as presented by City Staff: http://ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/tc/2009/10-21/ACS2009-ICS-TRA-0017.htm
Refined Cost Estimate
On October 23, 2009 the City released more detailed costing information for the Downtown Ottawa Transit Tunnel (DOTT) and light rail transit (LRT) system. The refined cost estimate for running LRT between Blair Road and Tunney’s Pasture, including the construction of the tunnel, is $2.1 billion. City staff also provided Council with a detailed analysis regarding the City’s financial capacity to fund its share of the cost of the project.
To ensure the reliability of the estimate, City staff worked in consultation with some of the most experienced and respected transportation and tunneling project firms in the world – experts familiar with the types of challenges that can be expected in a project of this magnitude. The estimate has also been subjected to a third-party review by a major, international engineering and project management firm. Following recommendations made by the third-party review, City staff added a $100 million Director’s Contingency that is included in the above estimate.
This more refined estimate reflects the projected costs of land acquisition, as well as the expected cost of a number of significant changes to the design, including increasing the length of the tunnel by 30 percent, and building an underground, rather than above-ground station at the University of Ottawa. The new estimate also includes modifications to some existing stations, as
well as the cost of some additional work to prepare for the next stage of LRT construction in order to reduce capital costs for the next phase of implementation. This evolution in cost estimating is an accepted part of the implementation process in any large capital project.
The next major step in the process will take place in December, when Transit Committee will be asked to approve the functional design of the project. I encourage you to visit the following webpage to find further information on the City’s LRT plan:
http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/public_consult/transit_tunnel/index_en.htm
City’s Green Fleet Grows
As Chair of the Transportation Committee, on Wednesday, August 26, 2009 I was pleased to unveil some of the current “green” technologies that are part of the municipal fleet as well as potential acquisitions that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help the City become a leading-edge municipality in the area of environmentally responsible management. Hybrid vehicles and other technologies that reduce pollution are key components of the City’s new Municipal Green Fleet Plan.
The City’s original reduction target for green house gas was 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2007, which was met corporately in 2004. In September 2009 the Environmental Sustainability Branch will present a revised corporate target, which will commit the City to an emissions reduction of 30 per cent by 2012 based on 1990 levels. The transportation sector is a major emitter of air pollutants, producing nearly three quarters of carbon monoxide emissions, more than half of nitrogen oxide emissions and more than one-quarter of the volatile organic compounds affecting air quality. The Green Municipal Fleet Plan specifically targets the
transportation activities of the City and aims to reduce the City’s footprint in this major green house gas emission sector.
Ottawa River Water Quality Assessment
The City recently completed an innovative and comprehensive assessment of various impacts on the Ottawa River. This report was received by the City’s Planning and Environment Committee in June 2009 and addressed such municipal impacts as combined sewer overflows, sewage treatment plant effluents, stormwater discharges and natural rivers creeks and streams. From this assessment, the City developed a Short and Long Term Strategy to address the various impacts on a priority based approach. The Short Term Plan, which is well underway, represents some $203 million spending over the next twenty years, with much of the spending in the near term years allowing for significant beneficial impact.
Recognizing that protecting Ottawa River water quality is an issue that goes beyond the municipal boundaries of the city of Ottawa, City staff are working closely with both the National Capital Commission and Gatineau to develop this model.
The draft “Short-Term Protection Plan”, and evaluation criteria for future initiatives, was brought forward for public consultation last month. The goals of this consultation were to: engage the public; obtain feedback on the proposed strategy and evaluation criteria for future works and provide important information upon which the 2010 wastewater budget can be developed.
The second stage of the plan proposes a systematic and comprehensive evaluation of future projects based on criteria supported by public consultation: a public education and outreach campaign; monitoring and reporting to assess the success of the plan; and continuous improvement, with revisions as necessary, based on observed results. The public input on the recommended approach and evaluation criteria for the second stage of the plan will be summarized and brought forward to Council in the new year.
Good news came on Tuesday, September 22, 2009, when the Ontario’s Environment Commissioner, Mr. Gord Miller, gave the City his seal of approval after touring the City’s facilities and assessing the situation.
Please feel free to visit the following website for additional information: http://choosingourfuture.ca/futures_forum/foundation_papers/water_en.html