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:
- Administrative and Support Services
- Building, Roads, Forestry and Parks Maintenance
- By-Law Services
- Engineering and Science
- Environmental Science
- Finance and Accounting
- Human Resources
- Information Technology and Geomatics
- Laboratory Technologist/Chemistry
- Library Services
- Paramedic Services
- Parks and Recreation Services
- Public Health Services
- Recreation, Heritage, Community and Social Services
- Traffic and Parking Operations
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:
- Initiate the formal, expedited environmental assessment (EA) process using the
functional
design to define the undertaking and file the Environmental Project Report with the Ministry
of the Environment;
- Following Ministerial approval of the EA, and provided that project funding is approved as
part of the 2010 budget, initiate the process of acquiring property for the project;
- Initiate the preliminary engineering and the procurement management process; and,
- Undertake an urban design study and a transportation study for the downtown that takes into
account pedestrian, cycling facilities, and residual transit service for post-DOTT implementation.
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.