By It is an honour and a privilege to continue to be your strong voice at City Hall. I look forward to continuing working with you to ensure that our city remains a great place to live, visit, do business and raise a family.
New Splash Pad Water Park for Celebration Park
On April 24, 2010, at the Central Park Spring Cleaning the Capital event, I had the pleasure of announcing the installation of a $130 K Splash Pad Water Park in Celebration Park. In June 2010, Central Park residents joined me at an Open House to help choose the colours and fixtures for the Splash Pad. In September 2010, I hosted a Sod Turning for the residents of Central Park to officially begin the construction process. Staff are currently installing the services and anticipate that the Splash Pad will be operational June 2011.
Central Park Spring Cleaning the Capital
Thank you to the Central Park Community Association and the residents of Central Park who participated in the Spring Cleaning the Capital Event on April 24, 2010. Everyone did a wonderful job working together to keep Central Park clean, green, litter and graffiti free. Congratulations and thank you!
Neighbourhood Watch Information Session
Thank you to the residents of Central Park who attended this information session on September 8, 2010. Anyone who would like more information on this initiative is encouraged to call my office at 613-580-2486.
A special thank you to the volunteers who dedicated their time to handing out flyers for this information session.
Laurentian Place
Construction on Phase 1 of Laurentian Place began in early May 2010, and I made special arrangements with SmartCentres to provide you with a dedicated contact person to address any noise complaints, etc., relating to construction. SmartCentres has formally instructed their contractors to do their best to minimize any inconvenience to the community and has instructed them to comply with all City of Ottawa regulations for noise abatement, hours of work, safety, etc.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to directly contact Aaron Clodd, SmartCentres, at 613-721-2200, ext. 230 or by e-mail at aclodd@smartcentres.com. SmartCentres will regularly update my office regarding any concerns that are raised and you can be sure that I will let them know about any concerns that you bring to my attention. Mr. Clodd will respond to construction related-issues and is not in a position to comment on tenancy agreements, future development, etc.
Wal-Mart is scheduled to open in January, 2011. All intersection modifications taking place at Baseline Road and Clyde Avenue are on schedule and should be completed prior to the opening of Wal-Mart. The Scout Street Pathway is scheduled to open in January, 2011 as well, and the pathway connecting Jenscott Private to the SmartCentres development should be completed and ready for use soon.
SmartCentres has also confirmed that the construction of the two buildings bordering Baseline Road will begin later this month. The tenants of these buildings were identified as a dentist’s office, a Chinese restaurant, a Mucho Burrito restaurant, and a CIBC. These businesses are scheduled to open throughout the spring and summer of 2011.
Parking Changes in Central Park
A number of parking changes were implemented in the Central Park community this year, including:
- “No Parking” Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Central Park Drive
- “No Parking” near the condominium access on Central Park Drive
- “No Parking” on the curved portions of Scout Street
- 15 Meter “No Parking” corner clearances at all intersections along Central Park Drive to increase intersection sightlines
- 15 Meter “No Parking” corner clearances at the driveway accesses to 110 and 112 Central Park Drive
- 9 Meter “No Parking” zones on the inside portions of the horizontal curves along Scout Street (near 30 and 150 Scout Street)
- Staff are in the process of reviewing a request to implement “No Parking” regulations on the south side of Staten Way
In 2010 to date, hundreds of tickets were issued on Central Park Drive and Manhattan Crescent.
New Concrete Sidewalk on Merivale Road
As you may have noticed, a new concrete sidewalk on the east side of Merivale Road, from Baseline Road to Caldwell Avenue, was installed this year. This new sidewalk will create a safe environment for pedestrians wishing to travel south to Baseline Road and beyond, or north to Caldwell Avenue and beyond.
Rideau Canoe Club Expansion and Renovations
The newly expanded Rideau Canoe Club (RCC) opened its doors with a Grand Opening event on September 8, 2010. I also participated in the Commemorative Naming of the Mike Scott Lounge on Saturday, November 20, 2010. Mike has volunteered at the Rideau Canoe Club for over 60 years!
The $1.8 Million project includes extensive renovations to the RCC clubhouse, a new boathouse and a state of the art Multipurpose Room with several new pieces of training equipment. The joint federal, provincial and municipal funding was announced under the under the Recreational Infrastructure Canada program in Ontario (RInC Ontario) and Reacreation Ontario (Ontario REC).
The RCC is recognized as one of Canada’s best training centres for paddle sports and this expansion will attract even more national and international paddling events to our beautiful city. Through this expansion, the RCC will also become the first fully-accessible canoe/kayak club in Canada.
The RCC was built on a foundation of volunteers and I would like to extend my sincere congratulations and thanks to all RCC members for their tremendous work in making this expansion a reality.
Green Bin
The Green Bin Program was implemented this year. This program is an easy way to dispose of household organic waste such as food scraps, soiled paper products and more.
Ottawa’s Green Bin program accepts a wide range of organic waste including: fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy, grains, baked goods, cooking oils, yard waste (such as grass clippings, twigs, leaves) and houseplants and soiled paper products including pizza boxes, used tissues and paper plates.
The Green Bin program is an environmentally friendly way to reduce the amount of garbage sent to our landfills, extending their useful lifecycle. By using the green bin, you can help prolong the life of our landfills and save the City money.
Please note that over the winter months, Green Bin collection will take place every 2 weeks. The bi-weekly pick-up of Green Bins will start next week or the following week, depending on which of the four schedules residents are using (collection calendars A & C or B & D). However, all residents will have Green Bin pick up this week.
Residents using collection calendars B & D will not have Green Bin pickup during the week of November 29 to December 3.
Residents using collection calendars A & C will not have Green Bin pick up during the week of December 6 to 10.
Weekly Green Bin and leaf and yard waste collection will begin again in April 2011.
For more information, including a complete list of items that can be put in the green bin, visit: www.ottawa.ca/greenbin or www.greenbinottawa.ca.
Integrated Site Plan for Lansdowne Redevelopment Wins Council Approval
An integrated site plan that aims to make Lansdowne Park a highly sustainable and accessible gathering place was approved on Monday by Ottawa City Council.
City Council voted 16 to 5 to approve the site plan, which is subject to meeting certain conditions before the final approval process is completed in 2011. “The plans for the new Lansdowne have evolved and improved,” said Mayor Larry O’Brien. This plan will create an exciting urban place that is accessible to all and is a shining example of community and environmental sustainability.”
In addition to approving the site plan, which focuses on: building locations; on-site circulation for pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, and vehicles; conceptual landscaping for public greenspace; site grading and stormwater management, Council also approved the relocation of the Horticulture Building, 120 metres to the east of its current location. The Horticulture Building, currently in a deteriorated state and used only for storage, is to be moved in one piece by an expert team, refurbished and made into a public building that anchors the new urban park at Lansdowne.
The Integrated Site Plan for Lansdowne includes:
- a large new urban park, designed by Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg landscape architects;
- a refurbished stadium and Civic Centre, designed by Cannon Design;
- a mixed-use area near Bank Street that includes shops, restaurants, services, offices, a cinema and housing, designed by architects Ritchard Brisbin and Barry Hobin;
- a proposed home for a Farmers’ Market next to the historic Aberdeen Pavilion; and
- a possible new home for the Ottawa Art Gallery.
“The approved site plan shows that the City has listened and made important changes to the project to reflect public input and direction provided from the Lansdowne Strategic Design Review and Advisory Panel,” said Councillor Peter Hume, Chair of the Planning and Environment Committee. “A huge amount of the planning and technical work has been accomplished, but there is still much to be done. This project will continue to evolve based on the conditions approved by Council.”
Working with its partners, the City of Ottawa is setting a new community sustainability standard by striving to achieve a LEED Gold Neighbourhood Development designation for the redevelopment, which is based on principles of smart growth, urbanism and green building. Highlights of the next steps for the project include: defining and refining the final plans; responding to conditions as directed by Council; heritage approvals; programming for public spaces; establishing the governance structure for the new Lansdowne Park; finalizing an agreement for a Farmers’ Market; integrating the project with the reconstruction of Bank Street; and completing a number of detailed studies and plans.
This work is to be undertaken over the next several months and is scheduled to conclude in spring 2011. Construction is scheduled to commence in June 2011.
For detailed information about the integrated site plan for Lansdowne, or for further information on the project, please visit ottawa.ca/lansdownepartnership.
Feel free to contact me at 613-580-2486 for more information.
Council Approves Cycling-Friendly Initiatives
The City of Ottawa will explore a cost-sharing partnership with the National Capital Commission (NCC) for five proposed new off-road pathway projects for use by cyclists, pedestrians and nonmotorized vehicles.
Expansion of the pathways supports the City’s objective of strengthening existing communities and developing new environmentally sustainable smart growth communities. The Ottawa Cycling Plan, approved by Council in 2008, identifies the need to improve existing off-road multi-use pathways and on-road cycling facilities and to complete missing links in the City’s cycling network.
Residents and visitors alike in Ottawa will benefit from sustainable transportation options that create positive social impacts, improve our health and reduce emissions.
The City and the NCC are working to increase access to respective pathway and cycling networks and to develop the system in a collaborative way. Several projects to that end are planned for 2011. The proposed pathway and corridor projects, which will be included in the 2011 draft capital budget, are:
- Champagne/O-Train Corridor Pathway (parallels the O-Train corridor between the Ottawa River and Dow’s Lake
- Rideau River Western Pathway (Belmont Street to Ottawa University’s Lees Campus)
- Sawmill Creek/LRT Corridor Pathway (Brookfield Pathway to Walkley Road)
- Hampton Park Pathway (Sebring Avenue to Island Park/Merivale intersection)
- Aviation Parkway (Innes Road to Prescott-Russell Pathway)
On August 25, 2010, I introduced a motion at City Council that was unanimously approved by my colleagues directing staff to develop a comprehensive cycling detour plan to be put into effect during road and pathway construction or maintenance to provide a safe and direct as possible alternate route for cyclists. Construction activity can dramatically affect cycling routes. Detour opportunities often exist but are not clearly signed.
Ottawa is a cycling-friendly community and by creating a cycling detour plan, the City is putting the needs of cyclists alongside those of motorists. This will create a safe alternative for cyclists and motorists and reduce disruption and confusion.
Free Flu Vaccine Clinics
Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is helping Ottawa residents stay healthy this season by offering free flu vaccine clinics. The flu vaccine is also available at doctors’ offices, community health centres and walk-in clinics.
The following is a list of OPH flu vaccine clinics scheduled for the remainder of this week:
Wednesday, November 24
Sacred Heart High School
5870 Abbott Road, Stitsville
3:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, November 25*
City of Ottawa Facility
100 Constellation Drive,
3:30 to 8:30 p.m.
*Please note clinic is by appointment only. Please call Ottawa Public Health at 613-580-6744 (TTY: 613-580-9656) between the hours of 9 am and 4 pm to book your appointment.
Saturday, November 27
Ridgemont High School
2597 Alta Vista Drive
8:30 to 3:30 p.m.
The flu spreads easily from person to person usually through coughing, sneezing or touching contaminated objects. Even if you do not have flu-like symptoms, you can pass the virus to someone. Protect yourself and your loved ones from getting sick this flu season by getting the flu vaccine. It is safe, easy and free.
The flu vaccine is recommended for all Ontario residents over six months of age.
Visit ottawa.ca/flu or call Ottawa Public Health Information at 613-580-6744 or 3-1-1 to obtain a list of health care providers and community clinics that are administering the flu vaccine.
Integrated Road Safety Program (IRSP)
October Initiative
Ottawa Police focused on those who failed to buckle up or comply with child car seat requirements, as well as drivers who made unsafe lane changes in October.
In Ottawa, from 2005 to 2009, 24 people were killed, 47 suffered life-threatening injuries and another 228 were injured as a result of not wearing vehicle occupant restraints. Of the 24 people that were killed, 18 were male.
At different times in the month, Ottawa Public Health nurses and the Ottawa Police will be setting up roadside spot-checks at locations in the city to ensure that motor vehicle occupants are wearing their seatbelts, and that child car seats and booster seats are suitable and properly installed.
Unsafe lane changing is also a serious issue on Ottawa roads. In fact, 1,162 reportable collisions occurred on Ottawa roads in 2009 due to unsafe lane changes. These collisions resulted in 142 injuries, three of them life-threatening, and one death.
I will provide results for the October Initiative in my next report.
November Initiative
Ottawa Police will focus on motorists who disregard reserved transit lanes, stop lights and travel the wrong way on roadways.
In 2009, motorists’ improper use of reserved transit lanes caused 34 collisions – resulting in 11 injuries and one death. The fine for this infraction is $150.
Driving the wrong way on a roadway is also a serious issue on Ottawa roads. Between 2007 and 2009, 76 collisions were caused by motorists driving the wrong way on roadways – resulting in 39 injuries, three of which were serious.
Running red lights also made a large impact on 2009 traffic with 773 collisions reported. These collisions resulted in one death and 376 injuries – 18 of them life-threatening.