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:

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.