I have strongly stated at the launch of the appeal, I would like to see as much protected public open space as possible, including the expansion of the protective area surrounding McCarthy Woods. In the Spring of 2006, both the NCC and the City of Ottawa hired consultants to study the boundaries of the Urban Natural Area, based on the assumption that the meadow provided prime raptor hunting and feeding habitat. As a result, both studies concluded that the McCarthy Woods proper and the adjacent scrub thicket habitat currently designated as an Urban Natural Feature are important to protect, along with a functional wildlife corridor along the railway tracks. The meadow was not considered to be important habitat.
On December 6, 2007 the NCC's appeal to the OMB was adjourned to a pre-hearing. As a result of this pre-hearing, the OMB directed the City and the NCC to enter into mediation on April 23 and 24, 2008. During the mediation, all parties were advised that the NCC is undertaking a Capital Urban Lands Master Plan study. It is anticipated that this study will be completed and adopted by the NCC sometime in 2009 or 2010. To allow time for this study to be completed and approved by the NCC, all parties agreed that there will be no change in the use or ownership of the lands prior to 2011.
It has always been my strong belief that an outside body should not determine the future of this treasured land. As the issue of the land designation is not yet settled, I will continue to work hard with residents, City staff, the NCC and other parties to find a solution to this issue.
An investigation was initiated at each intersection to identify potential hazards that may have contributed to the high number of collisions. During the course of this investigation, three factors were identified requiring special consideration: the layout of Hunt Club Road, which is unique across the city; the proximity of the three intersections and its impact on traffic operations; and the fact that this roadway serves multiple users.
The outcome of this preliminary assessment demonstrated that these intersections should be assessed using a corridor approach, given the multifunctional characteristics and traffic operations of this facility, rather than reviewing each intersection in isolation.
Under the conditions described above, City staff decided to conduct an In-Service Safety Review (ISSR). The ISSR is an independent and formal process conducted by a team of road safety experts who, based upon experience and expertise, provide opinions on safety issues from the perspective of all road users. This in-depth engineering study will assess the safety performance of the road and identify cost-effective recommendations that will improve road safety and operations for all road users.
The study area on Hunt Club Road comprised from the Airport Parkway (ramps) to Albion Road. The length of the corridor is approximately 1.2 km. As well, it includes about 100m of adjacent roads. The data collection component of this study was completed this summer. City staff have informed me that they are currently analyzing all of the data they collected, and will be able to provide me with a full update on their study in the first quarter of 2009. I will be pleased to update you at that time.
As part of the City of Ottawa's due diligence, it came to light there are some environmental issues pertaining to this property. During an attempt to resolve these issues before the sale of the property, the school board requested an extension of the closing date to December 1, 2008 on the sale to allow sufficient time to satisfactorily address the environmental issues.
Since it had been almost one year since Council first gave direction to staff to acquire the former Bayview School property and given the importance for the Board to provide a timely, clear and unequivocal position on the environmental issues pertaining to the property such that the City understands all factors related to the acquisition of the property, on September 24, 2008 I moved a motion that:
City Council passed my motion and granted the extension.
I am pleased to inform you that on Friday, October 31, 2008, the City of Ottawa finalized the purchase of the former Bayview Public School. Unfortunately, in order to fully remediate the site, the former Bayview Public School building will have to be demolished. In the new year, City staff will begin to work with my office and the community to create a development design plan for this property. I will provide you with further information on this matter as it becomes available.
Over the years, you have come to know me as a fiscally conservative Councillor who looks for opportunities to deliver services in the most efficient manner. This expansion provides an opportunity for our community to access services provided by both the community centre and the Hunt Club/Riverside Community Services Centre, currently located in the Hunt Club Plaza off McCarthy Road, under one roof. In essence, "one-stop shopping".
Following years of public feedback, on September 23, 2008, the community had the chance to view the draft concept drawings for the expanded Centre. Over the past few weeks, City staff and the architect have been working together to revise the plans to incorporate feedback received from the community, the Hunt Club Riverside Recreation Association and the Hunt Club Riverside Community Services Centre.
I look forward to continue working with the residents of Hunt Club and Riverside Park to successfully see through the expansion of the Centre.
OC Transpo buses will pull over to the side of the road (where it is safe to do so) to observe two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. Taps and Reveille will be played over the radios of OC Transpo buses. OC Transpo will run a revised weekday schedule with minor reductions on some routes. OC Transpo Sales and Information Centres will be closed with the exception of the Rideau Centre, which will be open from 12:30 to 9 p.m. For OC Transpo service information or travel planning, customers can call 613-741-4390 or visit www.octranspo.com. Automated schedule information is available 24 hours a day by calling 613-560-1000 plus the four-digit bus stop number.
STO will also operate a special service on November 11. Riders are invited to consult the User's Guide, the STO Web site at www.sto.ca or call 819-770-3242 for more details. The INFOBUS system will also provide the exact time that the next two buses are scheduled for a particular stop. Simply dial 819-778 + the bus stop number.
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 was added to the transit network and options for the staging and construction of the complete network were developed. As road expansion is needed to support efficient mobility throughout the city, a prioritized set of road improvements was also developed.
On September 11, 2008, City staff announced the staging and construction scenarios for public feedback. Public consultation for these scenarios took place from September 11, 2008 to September 30, 2008.
Making the right transportation choices for Ottawa is one of the most important decisions to be made by Council this year, and will be a reflection of consultation with Ottawa residents. I encourage you to continue to participate in the debate when the draft Transportation Master Plan is tabled at a joint meeting of the Transportation and Transit Committees on November 10, 2008.
January 2008 | Tailgating and Stop Sign Running | 61 charges for following too closely. 328 tickets for failing to stop at stop signs. |
February 2008 | Unsafe Lane Changing, Speeding to Heart | Data not available. |
March 2008 | Red Light Running and Tailgating | 558 charges for red light running 68 tickets for following too closely. |
April 2008 | Unsafe and Heavy Vehicles and Vehicle Occupants that Fail to Buckle Up or Fail to Use Required Child Car Seats. | 57 unsafe and heavy/commercial vehicle-related charges. 567 tickets to vehicle occupants for failing to buckle up or ensure the use of required child car seats. |
May 2008 | Stop Sign Violation and Speeding | 4,017 charges for speeding and 641 tickets issued for running stop signs. |
June 2008 | Motorists Exceeding Set Speed Limits in Construction Zones and Impaired Driving | 3,295 speeding charges, of which 207 were construction-zone related. 109 charges and 50 12-hour driver's license suspensions. |
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 | 157 cycling safety charges. Red-light running - resulted in the laying of 514 charges. |
September 2008 | Drivers Who Failed To Stop For School Buses and Stop Sign Runners | 203 chargers laid failing to stop for school buses when their flashing red lights were activated, and not obeying stop signs. |
October 2008 | Buckling Down on Vehicle Occupants That Fail To Use Their Seatbelts or Fail To Use Required Child Car Seats and Drivers Who Follow Vehicles Too Closely | Data not yet available. |
In 2007, 48 collisions occurred on Ottawa's roads where the improper use of Reserved Transit Lanes were to blame, resulting in eight injuries. The fine for driving illegally in a Reserved Transit Lane is $150. Red light running is also a serious issue on Ottawa roads. In 2007, 916 reportable collisions occurred on Ottawa roads due to drivers failing to stop for red lights. These collisions resulted in two deaths and 416 injuries - 14 of them life-threatening.
The following people will not be immunized at Ottawa Public Health community clinics and are referred to their family doctor:
The Meningococcal C vaccine for youth 12 to 21 years of age will be available at all flu shot clinics. For more information, call Ottawa Public Health Information at 613-580-6744, ext. 24179 (TTY: 613-580-9656) or toll free at 1-866-426-8885.
The following flu shot clinics are taking place near the Hunt Club community:
Location | Date & Time | Address | Details |
Ridgemont High School | Wednesday, November 12, 2008 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. | 2597 Alta Vista Drive | Cafeteria OC Transpo - routes 8, 88 and 111 Parking available on site |
Brookfield High School | Thursday, November 27,2008 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. | 824 Brookfield Road, | Cafeteria OC Transpo - route 140 Parking available on site |
Jim Durrell Recreation Centre | Wednesday, December 10,2008 2:30 to 8:30 p.m. | 1265 Walkley Road | Ellwood Room OC Transpo - routes 8 and 82 Parking available on site |
Snow Go Program: The Snow Go Program matches seniors and persons with disabilities with contractors and/or individuals who will perform the service of clearing snow and ice from their private driveways and walkways. The Snow Go Program snow removal workers have been screened by the Ottawa Police through a police record check, and a review of the service fee is performed to ensure an appropriate cost range is charged to the client. Once matched up with snow removal help, residents are responsible for making payments directly to the individual or contractor. To be matched with a snow removal provider, contact the participating community support agency closest to your area (see list below).
Snow Go Assist Pilot Program: Eligible low-income seniors and persons with disabilities may apply to receive financial assistance to pay for a portion of their snow and ice removal costs through the three-year Snow Go Assist Pilot Program. Approved participants may be reimbursed for up to 50 per cent of the cost of snow and ice clearing per event, up to a seasonal maximum of $250. The community support agencies have the ability to limit the funds allocated to participants if the demand is high. For more information about the Snow Go Program matching service and the Snow Go Assist Pilot Program eligibility criteria and application process, contact one of the participating community support agencies, or visit the Services for Seniors section on www.ottawa.ca or call 3-1-1.
Agency | Geographic Area | Phone | |
City of Ottawa | General Inquiries | 3-1-1 | 311@ottawa.ca |
Glebe Center (Abbotsford House) | between the Queensway and Hunt Club Road, between Fisher and the Rideau River | 613-230- 5730 | outreachservices@glebecentre.ca |
Senior Citizens Council | General Inquiries | 613-234-8044 | kayf@seniorcouncil.org |
The City of Ottawa generates more than 330,000 tonnes of residential waste each and every year. With a current recycling rate of approximately 30 per cent, the potential for an additional 30 per cent organics diversion from the Green Bin Program will move the City forward toward its goal of diverting 60 percent of the residential waste from landfill.
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.
The productivity target for 2008 is $23.7 million of which $23.2 has been achieved. The remaining $500,000 has been identified within Transit Services and will be achieved in 2009. The remaining $12.5 million of the overall 2008 efficiency target is comprised of $2 million in asset rationalization, and $10.5 million in procurement savings.
Management has identified $2.7 million in savings related to asset rationalization, which will be realized in 2009 and 2010 and will have minimal impact on existing programs or service levels. A report on further asset rationalization opportunities for Council's consideration will be brought forward as part of the 2009 Budget deliberations to facilitate public consultation.11
Council had been previously advised that procurement savings of $ 13 million are anticipated by 2010, less than the original $35 million target. In order to compensate for this and to remove the impact on the 2009 Operating Budget, the report recommends bringing forward the 2010 productivity improvements target of $13.75 million to 2009. The report further recommends carrying forward the remaining procurement savings target to 2010. A detailed explanation of each component is contained in the full report, which can be found at www.ottawa.ca.
Registration runs year-round and trees are available on a first-come, first-served basis, while quantities last. Once registration for the spring 2009 tree distribution is complete, residents may register to receive a tree that will be available in fall 2009.
The TREE Program is a four-year initiative that aims to enhance the City of Ottawa's urban and rural forests through tree planting. The program is nearing the halfway milestone towards the goal of planting 100,000 trees. The TREE Program empowers residents, businesses, community groups and schools to participate in planting trees to increase and maintain the city's forest cover and combat climate change.
Residents who have registered to receive a tree during the fall 2008 distribution are reminded to refer to their registration letter for the date and time of pick up. This fall, distributions will take place at the City of Ottawa's tree nursery and at community distribution sites across the city in partnership with local community associations. Only residents with a confirmation letter or who can provide proof of a municipal address to confirm that they are registered for the fall 2008 distribution period will be eligible to receive a tree. For more information on the TREE Program, visit ottawa.ca/TREE or call 3-1-1.
The need for a City Strategic Plan was first identified in the Ottawa 20/20 Growth Management Strategy approved in 2003, which establishes a vision for Ottawa's future. The City Strategic Plan establishes direction on how to achieve priorities within the context of Ottawa 20/20
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.
A comprehensive strategy to manage the impact of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in Ottawa was approved by the City's Planning & Environment Committee (PEC) on October 28th, 2008. The Committee Report will be presented to City Council in November.
Experts from the City and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) continue to evaluate the extent of the problem to determine best options for containment. The management strategy defines the City's responsibilities and outlines program elements for regulating the movement and disposal of infected ash trees, new-tree planting, and a public consultation and outreach campaign. The CFIA is the lead Federal Government agency in the fight against invasive alien pests and confirmed the presence of the EAB in Ottawa in July. Depending on climate conditions and the extent of an infestation, the beetle can kill ash trees within two to five years.
The City will continues to collect leaf and yard waste from infected areas and will take all steps necessary to dispose of the material and prevent further spread.