River Ward City Councillor Maria McRae's Report to Hunt Club Community
Organization 4 May 2009
Annual Community Safety and Crime Prevention Meeting
You and your neighbours are invited to attend my annual Community Safety and Crime
Prevention Meeting for River Ward East. This year the meetings occur during Police Week, May
11 to 17, 2009, and I am delighted that Police Chief Vern White will join me to hear directly
from you. Meeting details are as follows:
Date: Monday, May 11,2009
Time: Meet the Chief and Visit Displays - 6:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Presentations and Q&A -7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Location: Jim Durrell Recreation Centre 1265 Walkley Road (near Bank Street)
Representatives of the following organizations and City of Ottawa departments will be in
attendance:
- By-Law and Regulatory Services
- Corporate Security
- Neighbourhood Watch
- Ottawa Fire Service
- Ottawa Police Service
- Ottawa Safety Council
- Public Works, including Graffiti Management
Environmental Assessment for Hunt Club Pathway to South Keys/Greenboro Transit
Stations - Update
I am pleased to confirm that the Contract Approval Request (CAR) for the Environmental
Assessment (EA) for the Hunt Club pathway to South Keys/Greenboro transit station has been
awarded to the consulting firm Genivar.
I will be meeting with City staff and the consultant soon to discuss further details of this project.
I will provide a thorough update once more information regarding the EA becomes available,
including participation of the HCCO.
Hunt Club Road In Service Safety Review - Update
The Hunt Club In Service Safety Review will be presented to the City's Transportation
Committee later this summer. The results of this report will be available one week prior to this
meeting. City staff are currently reviewing the results of the study and are preparing a report for
committee.
One-day Depot for Household Hazardous Waste May 10
The City of Ottawa is hosting a one-day household hazardous waste collection depot to provide a
convenient way for you to help keep the environment free of hazardous household waste. Depot
details are as follows:
Date: Sunday, May 10, 2009 Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Place: The Trail Waste Facility 4475 Trail Road (off Moodie Drive, south of Fallowfield Road)
Residents are reminded that only household waste will be accepted (maximum 100 litres) at the
depot. No commercial waste accepted. For a complete listing of acceptable household hazardous
waste, visit the City's website at ottawa.ca/hhw.
Project ERASE Conducts First "Race Night" of the Season
On Friday evening, May 1, 2009, the Ottawa Police Service conducted its first "Race Night" of
the season under Project ERASE (Eliminate Racing Activity On Streets Everywhere).
The Ottawa Police Service East and West Traffic Sections monitored hot spots for motorcycle
and car racing activity. During the evening about 175 vehicles were stopped for various traffic
infractions, including speeding (54), disobeying traffic signs, and various other traffic violations.
As well, two radar detectors were seized from vehicles.
No vehicles were seized under the stunting laws.
Further "Racing Nights" will continue throughout the summer months with a zero tolerance on
"stunting" and other traffic related offences.
Ottawa Prepared to Respond to H1N1 Virus
The City of Ottawa, Ottawa Public Health and the Hospital Emergency Preparedness Committee
of Ottawa (HEPCO) are working closely to prepare in case of the arrival of human swine
influenza in Ottawa.
As a result of the level 5 declaration by the World Health Organization, we have moved to the
Incident Management System; we are ensuring our core services will be available to the
community during this health event; and we continue to assess the situation and the science
around this new and evolving virus to make sure the most appropriate public health and clinical
measures are taken.
In response to the heightened alert, the Clinical Care Command Centre has been activated. This
joint decision centre is responsible for coordinating community and hospital-based assessment,
investigation and clinical management of influenza patients.
Each local hospital is screening all patients entering emergency departments. Patients diagnosed
with a respiratory infection that is a suspected case of human swine influenza will be tested and
will receive appropriate care.
All hospitals are enforcing visitor guidelines to keep the number of people coming into hospitals
to a minimum. Visitors are urged to check hospital websites for guidelines and visiting hours.
Patients and visitors will be asked to self-screen before entering the hospital. As is the case at any
time, visitors are asked to refrain from coming to the hospital except for required medical
treatment when they are unwell. In addition, hospitals are increasing enforcement of hand
hygiene programs to ensure infection prevention practices are practiced effectively and
consistently.
OC Transpo Family DayPass Now Available Saturdays
Starting Saturday, May 2, 2009, just in advance of the Tulip Festival and upcoming National
Capital events, the OC Transpo Family DayPass will now be valid on Saturdays, in addition to
Sundays and holidays. The price of the DayPass will also be reduced from $7.25 to $7, seven
days a week.
A DayPass is valid for one person Monday through Friday and for families on weekends and
statutory holidays. A family can include up to six people, with a maximum of two who are 12 or
older. The DayPass can only be purchased on the bus (exact fare required).
For more transit information, call OC Transpo at 613-741-4390 or visit octranspo.com.
Bank Street Detours Due to Construction
Bank Street between Somerset Street West and Catherine Street will be closed for watermain and
road construction work from April 27, 2009 to the end of November 2009. Bank Street
businesses in the construction zone will continue to be open and parking will be available on side
streets. Local and emergency vehicle access will be maintained. Traffic signs will clearly indicate
detour routes and some increased traffic congestion is expected on alternate streets.
Bus routes 1, 4 and 7 will be detoured southbound from Bank Street via Somerset, O'Connor and
Catherine, and northbound via Catherine, Kent and Somerset. Route 153 eastbound will travel
from Somerset via O'Connor to Gladstone. Temporary bus stops will be set up along the detour
routes.
For further transit information, call 613-741-4390 or visit octranspo.com.
Integrated Road Safety Program
March Results
Last month, the City of Ottawa's Integrated Road Safety Program (IRSP), through its
Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), laid 470 charges for failing to stop for red lights
and following too closely.
Specifically, 410 tickets were issued for red light running, while 60 charges were laid for
tailgating.
May Initiative
In May, STEP will focus on drivers who run stop signs and change lanes unsafely.
In 2008,1,671 collisions occurred at Ottawa's stop sign-controlled intersections. These collisions
resulted in one death and 456 injuries - 17 of them life-threatening.
In 2008,1,060 collisions occurred on Ottawa roads due to drivers changing lanes unsafely.
These collisions resulted in 127 injuries - three of them life-threatening.
Each month since 2004, STEP has been profiling and enforcing two initiatives that target specific
traffic safety priorities. These initiatives support larger IRSP public awareness and enforcement
campaigns.
Integrated Road Safety Program Reports a Decrease in Traffic Fatalities in 2008
Ottawa saw fewer collision-related fatalities and serious injuries on its roadways in 2008 than
was witnessed in the previous year, according to the City's Integrated Road Safety Program. The
2007 spike in fatalities broke a three-year trend where the numbers had steadily declined.
Although the number of licensed drivers and vehicles continue to increase, last year 30 people
lost their lives on Ottawa's roadways and 176 were seriously injured, compared to 40
collision-related deaths and 180 serious injuries in 2007.
The premise of the Integrated Road Safety Program is based on a 3 E approach to road safety
-Education, Engineering and Enforcement, and a goal to reduce collision-related fatalities or
serious injuries by 30 per cent by 2010.
The Integrated Road Safety Program combines the efforts of the City - Ottawa Public Health and
Public Works - with the Ottawa Police Services and various community partners. Over the past
five years, the Program has conducted several campaigns and initiatives to address traffic safety
on Ottawa roads.