River Ward City Councillor Maria McRae's Report to Hunt Club Community
Organization
dated 8 September 2008, delivered 6 October 2008
Welcome Back
I hope you all enjoyed the summer months. Despite all of the rain we received, I hope everyone
had the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and take some time off to relax. I look forward to
working with the HCCO over the next year, as we work together to address issues important to
the residents of Hunt Club.
CN Canadian Women's Open
From August 11 to 17, 2008, the CN Canadian Women's Open took place at the Ottawa Hunt
and Golf Club. This was a fantastic opportunity to showcase Canada's Capital to the golfers and
their families and fans from across Canada and around the world. Thanks to the generosity of
many residents, CHEO received a donation of $ 1,000,000.
Ottawa's Transportation Master Plan Update - Airport Parkway
As you know, the City of Ottawa is currently updating its Transportation Master Plan (TMP), a
city-building document that explains the need for future transit, roads, pathways and other
transportation infrastructure, and provide guidance on where and when they will be built. This
update, and the development of a new transit vision for Ottawa began in July of 2007.
Over the past year, extensive public consultation and planning exercises have provided input on
transportation and transit trends and issues, residents' priorities and potential solutions. A new
transit vision for Ottawa and four transit options were developed based on this information and
the need to address the city's main point of congestion, the downtown. On May 28, 2008, City
Council adopted 'Option 4' - a city wide light rail network that builds from the core out through a
downtown tunnel - as the new Rapid Transit Network for Ottawa. Council also provided
direction for further extensions of light rail to the east, west and south as population growth
warrants and funding becomes available.
Over the summer, further detail has been added to the transit network and options for the staging
and construction of the complete network have been developed. Work has also been underway on
the road component of the TMP. As road expansion is needed to support efficient mobility
throughout the city, a prioritized set of road improvements has been developed.
I want to bring to your attention the staff recommendation regarding the twinning of the Airport
Parkway from Brookfield Road to Hunt Club Road during Phase 1 from 2009 to 2015. Please
reference the web link below:
http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/public_consult/beyond_2020/tmp/transit/phase3/south_east_sect
or_en.html
Any associated infrastructure regarding the widening of this roadway such as noise berms,
cycling paths, etc. will be addressed during the Environmental Assessment phase.
I encourage you to contact me directly, by phone at 613-580-2486, or by e-mail at
Maria.McRae@ottawa.ca, to express your opinions on the City's Transportation Master Plan.
Integrated Road Safety Program (IRSP)
In 2003, the City of Ottawa and Ottawa Police Service strengthened their commitment to road
safety by initiating the Integrated Road Safety Program to reduce traffic fatalities or serious
injuries by 30% by the year 2010. In 2004, as part of the strategy, a campaign-based Selective
Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) was initiated where, on a monthly basis, two initiatives are
launched that target specific traffic offences.
Following are the statistics for the STEP program for the summer of 2008:
Month Initiative Result
June 2008 Motorists Exceeding Set Speed Limits in Construction Zones and Impaired
Driving 4,017 charges for speeding and 641 tickets issued for running stop signs
July 2008 Pedestrian Safety and Drivers Who Make Unsafe Lane Changes 27 charges
laid against both pedestrians and motorists -pedestrians for disobeying "Don't Walk" signals and
failing to use crosswalks and drivers for failing to yield to pedestrians 131 charges for unsafe
lane changes
August 2008 Cycling Safety and Drivers Who Run Red Lights Not yet available
September Initiative
This month, the City of Ottawa's Integrated Road Safety Program (IRSP), through its Selective
Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), is focussing its attention on motorists that violate school
bus traffic controls and fail to stop for stop signs.
Over the past five years, 43 collisions occurred on Ottawa roads involving school buses, some of
which were due to school bus traffic control violations, resulting in 18 injuries. Also notably, in
2007 alone, 1,666 reportable collisions occurred at Ottawa's stop sign-controlled intersections.
These collisions resulted in eight deaths and 588 injuries - 27 of them life-threatening. .
The penalties for a driver passing a stopped school bus with its upper red lights flashing include
fines ranging from $400 to $2,000 and six demerit points for a first offence. A second offence
yields the driver a fine between $1,000 and $4,000, six demerit points and a possible jail
sentence of up to six months.
Furthermore, the province recently reinforced school bus safety by now making it possible for
vehicle owners to also be charged for school bus traffic control violations. Fines for vehicle
owners range from $400 to $2,000.
In addition, a police officer does not need to witness the vehicle passing a stopped school bus
with its upper red lights flashing for charges to be laid against the vehicle owner. Citizens who
witness such occurrences can contact the police and provide the make, model, colour of vehicle;
license number; location, date and time of the incident; and, if possible, a description of the
driver.
Fall Cleaning the Capital
Mark your calendars for the official launch of the City's Fall Cleaning the Capital Campaign on:
Date: Thursday, September 18, 2008
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Place: Richelieu Vanier Park
300 Des Peres Blancs Avenue
Residents of all ages are invited to participate in the City's 2nd Fall Cleaning the Capital
campaign between September 15 and October 15, 2008. Fall Cleaning the Capital is a great
opportunity for high school students to get a head start on their Community Involvement
Program volunteer hours, and for families, friends, schools, neighbourhood groups or
organizations and businesses to band together on a community cleanup project to help keep
Ottawa clean, green and litter-free.
It's easy to get involved. Pick a cleanup location. For fall, cleanup efforts are encouraged in areas
where litter has accumulated over the summer months. It can be a park, a woodlot, ravine,
shoreline, bus stop, pathway, schoolyard or any public property requiring tidying up. Suggested
spots to target include along fence lines, in open spaces with tall grass, along trails, and around
drainage ditches and catch basins. While cleaning up open areas that are maintained and mowed
by the City, such as in our parks, please leave the leaves. Leaves will be mulched by City staff to
return their nutrients to the soil.
Once you have selected a cleanup location, registration is quick and easy. Register your project
online at Ottawa.ca/clean or by calling 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401). Register on or before
September 14 for a chance to win early bird prizes. Registration is ongoing until October 15,
2008 - the last day of the campaign.
Cleanup starter kits are available upon request (while quantities last) and include disposable vinyl
gloves, garbage bags and leaf-and-yard waste bags to assist your cleanup project.
Garbage, recycling and leaf-and-yard waste resulting from your fall cleanup project can be put
out
on your regularly scheduled collection day.
As a result of both the Spring and Fall Cleaning the Capital campaigns last year, close to 60,000
participants completed 1,031 registered cleanup projects. With your help, we can be bigger and
better in 2008!
City Adopts New Online Resource for Volunteers
Residents of Ottawa can now access all volunteer positions within the various branches of the
City by using a new online resource developed specifically for volunteers. This volunteer referral
system powered by MyVolunteerPage.com is a Canadian-based product that helps connect
individuals with organizations in need of volunteers.
In Ottawa alone, 300,000 volunteers donate nearly 487 million hours of service equivalent of
23,397 full time employees, representing a dollar value of invested capacity to our City of
$730,000,000 in service delivery.
City staff will now be able to manage their volunteer needs in 'real time' providing residents with
the most up-to-date details. Individuals can also apply online for any position that is of interest to
them.
For information on volunteering with the City of Ottawa, visit the Volunteer Opportunities
webpage: http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/volunteerservices/volunteer_ottawa_en.html. Volunteer
inquiries are also welcome by calling the City's Volunteer Hotline at 613-580-2624 or by e-mail
at volunteer@ottawa.ca.
In addition to volunteer opportunities with the City, I host a number of community events and am
grateful to the residents who assist me at these events. If you or someone you know is interested
in volunteering at any of my events, I encourage you to contact my office at 613-580-2486 for
more information.
Home Ownership and Down Payment Assistance Program
The City of Ottawa has received an allocation of $2.025 million from the Canada-Ontario
Affordable Housing Program to provide down payment assistance to 205 low and
moderate-income households on the purchase of their home. The Affordable Housing Unit
(AHU) in the Housing Branch is the Service Manager responsible for administering the
Canada-Ontario Home Ownership Assistance Program. There is a strict eligibility criteria that
must be met in order to apply for this program. If you or someone you know would be interested
in this program, I encourage you to call my office at 613-580-2486 for more information.
Waste Diversion: City Partnership with Businesses and Institutions
While waste generated by local stores, offices, manufacturing works, schools and health care
facilities is not managed by the City of Ottawa, it has a significant impact on the environment
within the City. Many municipalities including the City of Ottawa, have developed pro-active
programs to encourage diversion of waste from businesses and institutions away from disposal in
our landfills. Diversion 2015 is the City's Draft strategy outlining how we in Ottawa intend to
proactively address the disposal of waste from businesses and institutions. The draft strategy,
Diversion 2015, makes recommendations that will help the City move forward with aggressive
diversion in the industrial, commercial and institutional sectors and outlines how the City
proposes to address them. For more information about the Diversion 2015 I encourage you to
visit www.ottawa.ca, or to call my office at 613-580-2486.
OC Transpo: Smart Cards
On August 27, 2008, the City and Province announced joint funding for a new $21-million
Smartcard fare system for Ottawa's transit riders. With the City's contribution of $14 million
already earmarked by Council, the Honourable Jim Watson, Ontario's Minister of Municipal
Affairs and Housing, announced that the Province would provide $7 million for the project,
which is slated to begin implementation in mid-2010.
Once fully installed in 2011, the system will allow transit riders to ditch their passes in favour of
contact-free Smartcards, which riders will wave at a card reader as they board the bus, O-Train
and future rail lines. Transit users will be able to configure their cards as any one of a number of
period passes (monthly, annual, Ecopass, semester, etc.), or casual riders will be able to load the
cards up with money and have the fare deducted from the card every time they use transit.
Customers will also have the convenience of purchasing their fares from their home, office or
"on the go" through the Internet, telephone or pre-authorized debit payment. Customers who do
not have a Smartcard will still be able to pay their fare with cash.
The introduction of Smartcards will also allow riders to continue seamless transfers between the
Societe de transport de 1'Outaouais (STO) - which has had a Smartcard system since 1998 - and
OC Transpo's transit system. Card readers on Ottawa's buses, O-Train and future rail lines will be
able to read STO Smartcards. Alternatively, their readers will be able to read OC Transpo cards,
thanks to a $1.8-million technology upgrade the STO will undertake as part of their partnership
agreement with the City.
Fall and Winter Recreation Guide - Now Available
In the City of Ottawa's new Fall 2008/Winter 2009 Recreation Guide, you'll find thousands of
courses, programs and activities for all ages designed to help you get active, learn new skills, or
just have fun.
The 200-page Recreation Guide offers Ottawa's widest selection of recreation programs at
affordable prices and convenient locations. With a greater number of programs taking place at
more facilities than ever you are sure to find a perfect fit for you. Be sure to check out the new
and exciting additions to this year's guide including Snowshoeing, Mambo, Pottery Wheel
Workshops, and our intensive Hockey Conditioning boot camp.
This year you will also find individual English and French guides with detailed listings of
programs available in each language. Mon guide francophone des loisirs Automne-hiver
2008-2009 contains a complete inventory of French language programs. The guide can be picked
up at your neighbourhood recreation facility, which is the Hunt Club Riverside Community
Centre located at 3320 Paul Anka Drive, City's Client Service Centre, library, participating retail
outlets, or viewed online at www.ottawa.ca/recreation.
Registration for aquatic programs began August 12, 2008. Registration for all other programs
began on August 14, 2008. For quick and convenient registration simply follow the Guide's
touch-tone telephone instructions or direct your browser to www.ottawa.ca and click the 123 Go
Register Icon.
Councillor Maria McRae's Family Safety Day
I am pleased to invite River Ward Residents to join me on Family Safety Day. This is a perfect
opportunity for your whole family to enjoy a number of activities geared towards improving
safety awareness. Event details are as follows:
Date: Saturday, October 25, 2008
Event: FREE CPR and AED Training
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
(You must register to participate)
Information Displays and Activities 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Drug Abuse and
Smoking Cessation Seminar 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
BBQ Lunch (nominal cost) 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Location: - Hunt Club Riverside Community Centre
3320 Paul Anka Drive
This will be a fun and exciting learning experience for the whole family. This event will be
split into three sections:
- Free CPR and External Automated Defibrillator Training (You must register to participate)
From 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. a free CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) course,
taught by the Ottawa Paramedic Service, will take place. This four-hour class includes a short
lecture on patient assessment and clinical training. Participants who successfully complete the
course will receive a valid CPR C "Basic Rescuer" and AED certification.
You must be at least 12 years of age and must register to participate. Space is strictly limited and
I encourage you to call my office at 613-580-2486 as soon as possible to register.2. Free
Information Displays and Activities
- From 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., a number of displays and activities will be available for you
and your family to enjoy. The Ottawa Police Service, Ottawa Fire Service, Ottawa Paramedic
Service and a number of other City departments will be on hand with plenty of information and
activities. Come out and enjoy the activities, which will include taking a walk through the Fire
Safety House, having a picture taken in a Police Cruiser and a Fire Truck, Ident-A-Print to help
families find lost children and much more...
- Free Drug Awareness and Smoking Cessation Seminar
From 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Shopper's Drug Mart, located at 3320 McCarthy Road, will provide
a free Drug Abuse and Smoking Cessation seminar. This seminar will run for about one hour and
will promote awareness of both topics, provide an overview of the dangers of smoking and drug
abuse, and offer support and examples of how to help family members or friends who are in
need.
BBQ lunch will be made available to you and your family between 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at a
nominal cost.
Maria McRae's Annual Autumn Tea For River Ward Seniors
Friday, October 24, 2008, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Hunt Club/Riverside Community Centre 3320 Paul Anka Drive (at McCarthy Road)
Entertainment Refreshments and Snacks
Door Prizes
Seniors Information Table
R.S.V.P.
Please call 613-580-2486 to reserve your ticket(s)