River Ward City Councillor Maria McRae cordially invites you to Maria McRae's Annual Christmas Lights Tour for River Ward Seniors Monday, December 11, 2006 Hunt Club Riverside Community Centre 3320 Paul Anka Drive (at McCarthy Road) Board Bus: Departure: Christmas Treats: 6:45 p.m. 7:00 p.m. sharp 9:15 p.m. (approximately) Featuring Christmas Carols with "Ottawa's Singing Policeman" Dominic D'Arcy Limited Bus Seating Please R.S.V.P. before December 4, 2006 by calling 613-580-2486 to reserve your free ticket(s).
As I indicated in my October report, last month, the traffic safety targets were: speeding and vehicle occupant restraint use. This initiative resulted in 3,310 speeding charges and 233 charges of failing to buckle up and failing to ensure that passengers were either buckled up or secured in child car/booster seats.
During the October blitz, Ottawa Police and Ottawa Public Health nurses set up spot-checks at various locations throughout the city to check that seatbelts were being used and that the use of booster seats was appropriate for the child's weight, height and age. With respect to the booster seat part of the initiative, of the 29 booster seats that were observed during the spot-checks, 17 were used in compliance with manufacturer's instructions and therefore appropriate for the children secured in them. Six of fourteen children observed wearing seatbelts during the spot-checks should have been secured in a booster seat.
As of September 1, 2005 booster seats are required for all children who have outgrown their car seats and are:
A child can start using a seatbelt only once he/she has exceeded one or more of the above criteria. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in the driver receiving a fine of $110.00 and 2 demerit points.
This month, the Integrated Road Safety Program is focussing on:
1. Tailgating, and
2. Red light running.
In 2005, 4,244 reportable collisions occurred on Ottawa roads due to drivers following other vehicles too close. This accounted for 30% of Ottawa's collisions last year. These collisions resulted in 1,394 injuries, 14 of them life-threatening, and five deaths. Also in 2005, 868 reportable collisions occurred on Ottawa roads as a result of drivers failing to stop for red lights. These collisions led to 409 injuries, 13 of which were serious, and two deaths.
The City of Ottawa is responsible for the collection, diversion and disposal of waste generated from households and some small businesses in Ottawa. All other businesses and institutions -such as schools, offices and restaurants - are responsible for the management of their own solid waste, which is classified as industrial, commercial and institutional (IC&I) waste.
The City is commencing a study of IC&I sector waste in order to answer the following questions, and to develop a strategy to increase diversion of IC&I waste from landfill:
City of Ottawa residents are invited to attend one of four Open Houses that will outline what is known today, the proposed scope and workplan for the study, and to provide your comments regarding the matters to be considered during the course of this project. Public input will be reflected in a Scoping Document (to be completed in early 2007) that will clearly define the expectations for this project.
City Staff and the consulting team will be available during the Open Houses to discuss the project and your ideas and concerns. If you are unable to attend one of the events, please feel free to forward your comments to ICI@ottawa.ca by December 15, 2006 to ensure that your voice is heard during this initial stage of the project.
The Open House details are as follows:
Ottawa Public Health is once again hosting free flu shot clinics. The flu shot is free for
all Ontario residents six months of age and over. Children 13 years of age and under
must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian. Appointments are not necessary.
In our area this week, the clinic is being held as follows:
Thursday, December 7
Jim Durrell Recreation Centre
1265 Walkley Road, Ottawa
3:30-8:30 p.m.
For a complete list of clinics or for more information about the vaccine, please visit ottawa.ca or call Ottawa Public Health Information at 613-580-6744.
Winter overnight parking regulations came into effect throughout the city on November 15, 2006 and remain in effect until April 1, 2007. This means that you cannot park on City streets between 1:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. when a snow accumulation of 7 cm or more is forecast by Environment Canada in the Ottawa area. This includes any forecast for a range of snow of more than 7 cm, for example 5 to 10 cm.
When a snow accumulation of 7 cm or more is forecast, the City automatically initiates an enforcement of winter overnight parking restrictions. To inform residents and motorists, a special advisory is issued to the local media announcing that an overnight parking restriction is in effect. Enforcement of winter overnight parking restrictions will continue each evening until snow clearing is completed and the City issues a special advisory indicating that the overnight parking restriction has been lifted.
The City's Traffic and Parking Operations Branch, in conjunction with Stantec Consulting Limited, is actively leading the study to develop the Pedestrian Plan, which will guide the City of Ottawa in planning, designing and implementing pedestrian facilities and programs with an emphasis on promoting walking as a viable alternative transportation mode. The City is committed, through polices in both the Official Plan and Transportation Master Plan, to developing a Pedestrian Plan, to changing public travel choices and reducing dependence on the automobile through the promotion of alternate travel modes, including walking, to reach sustainable transportation objectives under the Transportation Demand Management umbrella.
The development of the Pedestrian Plan is being conducted in three phases: Phase 1 - Review and Research; Phase 2 - Pedestrian Network Opportunities; and Phase 3 - Recommendations, to determine strategies to improve the pedestrian environment, prioritize missing links and to promote walking in a collaborative and cost effective manner.
The Pedestrian Plan is being developed through a collaborative planning and creative consultation approach to ensure input for a broad cross section of the public, and to draw on the knowledge and expertise of City staff from across various Departments, particularly with those who will ultimately be implementing the recommendations of the Pedestrian Plan.
In support of these consultation objectives, three Public Open Houses will be conducted to solicit valuable community input at each of the key phases in the development of the Pedestrian Plan. The Phase 1 Public Open House will take place Tuesday, 28 November 2006, 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Jean Piggott Hall, Ottawa City Hall. The primary intent of the Phase 1 Public Open House is to introduce the Pedestrian Plan Study and review and discuss key principles and themes for creating pedestrian environments that support and promote walking for transportation, health, and quality of life.
The Department of Public Works and Services is committed to improving the pedestrian environment and recognizes that walking and its promotion is an integral part of Transportation Demand Management and TravelWise, the City's programs that encourage alternatives to the single occupant car mode of travel as well as a publicly supported and balanced transportation system. Should you require any further information regarding the Pedestrian Plan or the Phase 1 Public Open House, please contact Wilf Koppert, Program Manager, Transportation Demand Management, Cycling and Pedestrian Facilities, at extension 13789 or Gill Wilson, Pedestrian Facilities Coordinator, at extension 13766.
I would like to thank all River Ward residents who recently renewed my mandate to represent them at City Hall. I look forward to continuing to work in partnership with the Board of the Hunt Club Community Organization to make the Hunt Club community a great place to call home. As always, I welcome your comments, thoughts and advise regarding municipal issues.
As 2006 comes to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all Hunt Club residents a joyous Christmas season and all the best for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2007. If you will be travelling during the holidays, I wish you a safe journey.