River Ward City Councillor Maria McRae's Report to Hunt Club Community Organization 1 February 2010

Airport Parkway Pathway Connection: Environmental Assessment Update

I am pleased to inform you that on January 28, 2010, City Council unanimously approved the funding for the Hunt Club Pedestrian Overpass as part of the 2010 Budget. Thank you to the HCCO and to the residents of Hunt Club for your continued support of this important initiative. I look forward to continuing working with you and will keep you updated regarding the progress of this project.

Mooney's Bay Ski trails temporarily closed

The City of Ottawa has temporarily closed the Terry Fox Athletic Facility, Mooney's Bay Cross Country Ski Centre trails due to changing weather conditions, which has resulted in unsafe conditions for skiing. The City of Ottawa urges the public to keep personal safety in mind and remain off the ski trail until further notice. The trails will only be reopened after a significant snowfall and trail conditions are deemed safe. Notification of the re-opening of the trails will be available on the City's website at Ottawa, ca or by calling the centre at 613-247-4883.

Registration for March Break Programming Now Open

All residents are welcome to register now for March Break programs. Plenty of great programming is available during the week of March 15-19, 2010 when most school-aged children are away from school. Register your children or grandchildren for programs like swimming, dance, arts and all sorts of other activities and interests for children of all ages. You can register online at www.ottawa.ca , by phone at 613-580-2588, or in person at any Client Service Centre or recreation facility. For more information on March Break programs, please visit www.ottawa.ca/recreation.

Sno-Bus Service for Winterlude

OC Transpo will once again offer the popular Sno-Bus service for Winterlude this year - the best way to travel during North America's greatest winter celebration. The Sno-Bus will operate on all three Winterlude weekends - February 6 to 7, 13 to 14, and 20 to 21 - and travel from Confederation Square downtown to all the sites along the Rideau Canal and Dow's Lake. For service to Jacques-Carrier Park, customers can transfer downtown to the STO Sno-Bus in front of the National Arts Centre.

Winterlude enthusiasts can also park for free at Greenboro Park and Ride lot and take the O-Train to Carling Station where they can enjoy the activities at Dow's Lake or connect with the Sno-Bus. Parking is free at all OC Transpo Park & Ride lots during Winterlude weekends. The Sno-Bus is free for children 11 and under. Customers 12 and older pay $3 - cash only - and can ride the Sno-Bus all day with their Sno-Bus ticket. Passes, transfers, bus tickets, O-Train tickets and STO Smart Cards will not be accepted on the Sno-Bus. Customers can transfer between the OC Transpo and STO Sno-Bus services with their Sno-Bus ticket, which is only valid on the Sno-Bus.

For further transit information, you can call OC Transpo at 613-741-4390 or visit www.octranspo.com.

City of Ottawa 55+ Short Story Contest

The City of Ottawa's 13th annual 55 + Short Story Contest invites submissions of original, unpublished short stories or memoirs of 2000 words or less by Ottawa residents 55 years or older. Eight entrants will be named to the 2010 Winners Circle, sharing recognition and prize money of $400. They will be recognized at An Afternoon of Readings on Wednesday April 28, 2010 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Heron Seniors' Centre, 1480 Heron Road. One of the winning stories will be selected for publication in the spring issue of Forever Young newspaper. Though contestants may submit multiple entries, they will only be eligible to win one prize.

An entry fee of $5 per story is applicable. Deadline for submissions is Monday, March 15, 2010. This contest is co-sponsored by the Colonel By Retirement Residence and the Forever Young newspaper. For full contest details, pick up a brochure at any City of Ottawa Client Service Centre or call the Heron Seniors' Centre at 613-247-4808 ext.l

Integrated Road Safety Program (IRSP) December Results

The Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) focus on speeding and impaired driving resulted in 1,488 charges being laid in December, according to the City's Integrated Road Safety Program (IRSP). Specifically, 1,378 tickets were issued for speeding and the impaired driving initiative resulted in 110 alcohol-related criminal charges (the result of 59 drivers caught driving under the influence). During the four IRSP/CAA-sponsored R.I.D.E. initiatives conducted in December, approximately 2,000 vehicles were stopped, one driver was charged and seven 3-day driver's license suspensions were handed out.

February Initiative: The City's Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) is placing its attention on stopping distracted driving and unsafe lane changes on Ottawa roads this February.

Between 2006 and 2008, driver distraction was either fully or partially attributed to being the cause of 5,490 traffic collisions in Ottawa, resulting in 1,938 injuries and eight deaths. Distracted driving is the focus of the IRSP's major public awareness campaign, entitled Distractions Impair! Driving requires your full attention. The campaign began on 26 October 2009 - the same day the Province initiated the new legislation banning the use of hand-held communications and entertainment devices while driving. Since the law came into effect, the emphasis has been on education. But on February 1, it shifts to enforcement.

Unsafe lane changing is also a serious issue on Ottawa roadways. In fact, 1,060 reportable collisions occurred on Ottawa roads in 2008 due to unsafe lane changes. These collisions resulted in 127 injuries - with three of them life-threatening.

City of Ottawa 2010 Summer Student Employment Program

The Summer Student Employment Program is a great opportunity to gain valuable work experience and insight into today's workforce, discover a career path, showcase skills and enhance academic goals. Positions are available in the following areas: For more information including eligibility criteria and other requirements, visit ottawa.ca/careers. Applications will be accepted until Monday, February 22, 2010.

Lansdowne Park Update

On January 14, 2010, the City of Ottawa introduced a group of distinguished urban-design experts who will lead an intensive planning and public process on what will be built at the new Lansdowne Park. The Strategic Design Review and Advisory Panel is comprised of: George Dark, an urban designer and landscape architect whose projects include the award-winning University of Toronto Open Space Master Plan and the Downtown Ottawa Urban Design Strategy; Rick Haldenby, Director of the School of Architecture at the University of Waterloo since 1988, whose research interests include the design of mid-sized cities; and Marianne McKenna, an internationally acclaimed architect and founding partner of the Toronto architectural firm, KPMB. The panel will review the designs for the three elements of the Lansdowne redevelopment: the new green front yard next to the Rideau Canal, integrating use of the two heritage buildings at Lansdowne, the Aberdeen Pavilion and the Horticulture Building; the mixed-use building of stores, restaurants, offices, cinemas, hotel and residential units; and the reconstructed Frank Clair Stadium and Civic Centre.

In addition to the release of the membership of the Strategic Design Review and Advisory Panel, a Request for Qualifications for design companies interested in the public-space design competition will be released this week. Between three and five firms will be selected to participate in the competition. Each of the short-listed companies will receive $75,000 in recognition of the time commitment and expenses incurred. Part of the design process for the public space will be a workshop in the spring where the design firms can express their ideas while gaining input from citizens and interested community groups about what city residents want to see in the development.

The City of Ottawa, in co-operation with the National Capital Commission and Parks Canada, is overseeing a juried competition for the design of the open space at Lansdowne, a project that is being jointly paid for by the City and OSEG. The members of that jury are: George Dark, who leads the design review panel for the new Lansdowne; Councillor Hume; a representative of the National Capital Commission; and a representative from Parks Canada. Opinions collected in last year's public consultations will be made available to both the Strategic Design Review and Advisory Panel and the jury for the design competition. The public will also be able to provide comments through the city's website and through the formal committee and Council process.

For more information on the Lansdowne Partnership Plan and for upcoming committee dates and locations, visit www.ottawa.ca/lansdownepartnership or contact the City of Ottawa at 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401).

HlNl and Seasonal Flu Vaccination 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 www.ottawa.ca/health or contact the Ottawa Public Health Information Line at 613-580-6744.

Light Rail Implementation Update

On January 13, 2010 City Council approved the Recommended Plan for the Downtown Ottawa Transit Tunnel (DOTT) Planning and Environmental Assessment Study. Approval of the Recommended Plan represents the next major step toward the transformation of public transit in Ottawa by constructing a light rail transit (LRT) link between Tunney's Pasture and Blair Road, with trains passing below downtown through twin 3.2-kilometre tunnels. City Council's decision to accept the Recommended Plan means the functional design for the LRT corridor and the Maintenance and Storage Facility are now approved, and directs staff to start work in several key areas: The LRT system will cut the number of buses travelling through the city's downtown core in half, while the number of buses running along Rideau and Wellington streets will be reduced from 2,600 per day to 600 per day. With a virtually emissions-free LRT system in operation and fewer buses and other vehicles on the road, the city will be able to reduce fuel consumption by as much as 10 million litres a year, and cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 27 million kilograms a year. Combined with a redesigned bus system, LRT is expected to reduce transit-related operating costs by up to $100 million annually starting in 2019 - providing citizens a significant return on investment. With the launch of the expedited EA process for public transit projects, provincial approval for the LRT project could be granted as early as May 2010.