River Ward City Councillor Maria McRae's Report to Hunt Club Community Organization 4 January 2010

Happy New Year!

I would like to start by wishing everyone a Happy New Year, and by letting you know that I look forward to working with the HCCO and the Hunt Club community in 2010.

Airport Parkway Pathway Connection: Environmental Assessment Update

The staff report for the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the formal pathway to link the Hunt Club community to the Southeast Transitway will be presented to Transportation Committee on Wednesday, January 6, 2010. City staff are recommending that Committee and Council approve the Environmental Assessment study's recommended plan for the pathway connection between the Hunt Club community (at Cahill Drive West) and the Southeast Transitway (at the South Keys Transitway station) as detailed in the report and approve the fmalization of the Environmental Study Report for the Hunt Club Community Pathway Connection to the Southeast Transitway project and posting of the Notice of Study Completion.

Thank you to the HCCO and residents of the Hunt Club Community who are supportive of this important initiative.

3860 and 3930 Riverside Drive

The application to amend the zoning on this property was approved by the Planning and Environment Committee on December 8, 2009 and will rise to City Council on January 13, 2010.

Integrated Road Safety Program (IRSP)

November Results: In November, the City of Ottawa's Integrated Road Safety Program (IRSP), through its Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), laid 421 charges for failing to use Reserved Transit Lanes properly and failing to stop at red lights. Specifically, the safe use of Reserved Transit Lanes initiative resulted in the laying of 10 charges and 411 tickets were issued to drivers for failing to stop at red lights.

December Initiative: In December, the City of Ottawa's Integrated Road Safety Program (IRSP), through its Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), focused on motorists who drive impaired and speed.

January Initiative: This month, the City of Ottawa's Integrated Road Safety Program (IRSP), through its Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), is focusing on drivers that follow the vehicle ahead too closely and those that do not obey stop signs.

In 2007, tailgating caused 4,716 rear-end collisions - the most frequent type of collision accounting for one-third of Ottawa's total collisions. These collisions resulted in four deaths and 1,470 injuries - 17 of them life-threatening. Failing to stop at stop signs is also a serious issue on Ottawa roads. In 2007, 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.

Green Bin

Bi-weekly collection begins on January 4,2010. The Green Bin program is an easy way to dispose of household organic waste such as food scraps, soiled paper products and more. Check your new 2009-2011 Collection Calendar to confirm when pickup begins in your neighbourhood.

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. For a complete list of items that can be put in the green bin, visit: www.ottawa.ca/greenbin or www.greenbinottawa.ca.

February HlNl and Seasonal Flu Vaccination Clinics Announced

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) will hold 28 H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccination clinics beginning on Wednesday, January 6. Both the HlNl and seasonal flu vaccines will be available at all clinics.

The traditional flu season usually begins in February and this year both the seasonal and the HlNl flu viruses are circulating. Getting both vaccines will provide you with the best protection for this flu season. Both vaccines are also available at many local doctors' offices, community health care centres, university campuses and some workplaces.

For more information, visit ottawa.ca/health or contact the Ottawa Public Health Information Line at 613-580-6744.

Electronic Waste Pick-up Changes

Effective January 1, 2010 the City of Ottawa will be limiting the types of electronic waste (e-waste) they accept for disposal as part of its curbside garbage collection program. E-waste accounts for 3,000 tonnes or about 300 garbage trucks full of refuse added to our landfills each year. Much of this e-waste consists of steel, glass, copper, aluminum, plastics and precious metals that can be recycled and reused instead.

Residents wishing to dispose of e-waste can visit www.dowhatyoucan.ca/electronics to find one of 17 locations in Ottawa that will accept and recycle e-waste. Items that can be dropped off include:

More items and locations will be added to the list in April 2010. These materials can be dropped off free of charge but please check the website for what materials are accepted at each location as there are some restrictions. If items need to be picked up, some locations may offer a collection service at additional cost. For information on where to dispose of e-waste materials currently not on the list, please consult the City's Take it Back! program for a list of retailers who will properly dispose, recycle or reuse the materials.

Residents who set out e-waste put for collection after January 1, 2010 will not have their items collected and will be left with an information notice on how to properly recycle the material through www.dowhatyoucan.ca.