River Ward City Councillor Maria McRae's Report to the Hunt Club Community Organization 7 June 2010

Hunt Club-Riverside Park Community Centre Expansion

On May 7, 2010,1 had the distinct pleasure of hosting the Grand Opening celebration for the expanded Hunt Club-Riverside Park Community Centre. Hundreds of residents joined me, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, Mayor Larry O'Brien, Councillor Jan Harder - Chair of the Ottawa Public Library Board, Ottawa South MP David McGuinty, City Manager Kent Kirkpatrick, other special guests and City staff, for the exciting festivities.

Thank you to the many residents who attended the celebration, and thank you to the HCCO for your interest and support throughout the expansion process. It was an evening of fun, food, music, dancing and celebration as we formally acknowledged the team who worked on the expansion. A special thank you to the many volunteers and City staff who worked with my office to ensure that the event was a success. In addition to their assistance, our wonderful sponsors, who donated their time, talent, goods and door prizes, enhanced the celebration.

New Library Services in Our Community

The Hunt Club-Riverside Park Community Centre is home to Canada's first Library Kiosks. Additionally, dedicated Ottawa Public Library Staff are available on Monday's from 4:00 to 7:30 p.m. AND Saturday's from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. You can register for a new library card, meet with the librarian and you can now reserve books online and pick up holds at the HC-RP Community Centre during the dedicated office hours. Please feel free to call my office at 613-580-2486 for more information.

Infrastructure Investment in Hunt Club

This summer you will notice the installation of new concrete sidewalks: In an effort to connect missing links, construction will soon begin on a multi-use pathway from Walkley Road to Hunt Club Road. This new pathway will completely connect the pathway system in the Sawmill Creek Constructed Watershed.

Councillor Maria McRae's Annual Strawberry Social for River Ward Seniors

Date: Friday, June 18, 2010 Time: 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Place: Hunt Club-Riverside Park Community Centre 3320 Paul Anka Drive (at McCarthy Road) Entertainment by Dominic D'Arcy Refreshments and Snacks Door Prizes Seniors Information Booth R.S.V.P.

Ottawa's Supervised Beaches to Open for the Summer on June 19, 2010

Ottawa's four supervised beaches - Britannia, Westboro, Mooney's Bay and Petrie Island will officially open for the 2010 summer season on Saturday, June 19, 2010. Despite the warm weather, swimming in Ottawa's unsupervised lakes and rivers may pose great personal risk. Residents are encouraged to enjoy Ottawa's outdoor spaces, however for their own safety are advised to avoid swimming. As of Saturday, June 19th, lifeguards will be on duty every day from noon to 7 p.m.

Every day during the beach season, Ottawa Public Health takes water samples from all four beaches and tests for bacteria levels. If unusually high levels of bacteria are found, a 'no swim' advisory is issued. Residents can check the daily updates on water quality before they head to the beach. Starting June 19,2010 updates will be available by calling the City at 3-1-1 or 613-580-6744, ext. 13219, via RSS feeds, or on www.ottawa.ca/health. Site signage and flag indicators will also indicate whether a 'no swim' advisory is in effect at that location.

City beaches will close for the season on Sunday, August 22,2010.

Integrated Road Safety Program (IRSP) April Results

The Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) focus on seatbelt and child car seat safety, and red light running resulted in 1,008 charges being laid in April - according to the City's Integrated Road Safety Program (IRSP). Specifically, 553 tickets were issued for vehicle occupants failing to use a seatbelt or ensuring the proper use of child car seats. Red light running resulted in 455 charges being laid.

June Initiative: Ottawa Police will be placing impaired driving and cycling safety in the spotlight for the City's Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) in June. STEP is a monthly initiative operated by the City of Ottawa's Integrated Road Safety Program (IRSP). In addition, the IRSP is teaming up with the CAA North & East Ontario to deliver additional R.I.D.E. checkpoints in June. In 2008, 373 impaired driving-related collisions occurred on Ottawa roads, resulting in seven deaths and 154 injuries (17 of them serious). Eighty one percent of the impaired drivers are male and 34 percent are between the ages of 16 and 25.

In spring and summer, cycling safety becomes a serious issue that warrants particular attention. Like pedestrians, cyclists are vulnerable road users. In 2008, 262 cyclists were injured in traffic collisions on Ottawa roads, 20 of which were life-altering. The cycling safety initiative will target drivers who violate cyclists' rights, and cyclists who disobey the rules of the road. It will include both education and enforcement. Sharing the road in a safe manner is essential so that our roads remain safe for all users.

Tips for Drivers to Increase the Safety of Cyclists:

Tips for Cyclists to Increase Their Safety Be bright at night. Use a headlight, taillight, reflectors and light-coloured or retro-reflective clothing so drivers can see you.

Bike to Work Week

The City, EnviroCentre and community partners are launching Bike to Work Week in Ottawa, featuring a series of events to raise awareness, promote safe cycling and encourage residents to cycle to work for fun, fitness and the environment. I encourage you to complete an online pledge to cycle to work and be eligible for great prizes including a bike, gear for commuting, gift certificates for local bike stores and a free CAN-BIKE course. These and many other prizes are provided by official sponsors of Bike to Work Week including: the Bank Street Promenade, Full Cycle, Bridgehead, Kunstadt Sports, Canadian Cycling Association, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ottawa, Fosters Sports Center and Cocoa Camino.

The full schedule of events is available at www.ottawa.ca/b2ww and on the EnviroCentre Website and includes an all-day informative "Cycling Celebration Station" on the Ottawa River Pathway by the Canadian War Museum, a "Lunch and Learn" workshops, and a BBQ on Thursday, June 10, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 156 Bank Street with special guest, His Excellency, Ambassador Wilhelmus Geerts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The BBQ is a fundraiser for the Ottawa Helmets on Kids Initiative and will include free bike tune-ups provided by Fosters Sports Center. The BBQ event will also feature entertainment and the presentation of the Bruce Timmermans Cycling Award to recognize outstanding contributions in the encouragement of cycling in Ottawa.

Lansdowne Park Stadium and Mixed-use Area Designs

The Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) unveiled the designs for the stadium and mixed-use are for, the proposed redevelopment of Lansdowne Park. I encourage you to provide their comments on the proposed designs by June 13, 2010. The feedback received will be collected and reviewed by the Lansdowne Strategic Design Review and Advisory Panel and City Council. The designs are on display from May 28 until June 13, 2010 at City Hall, 110 Laurier Ave.W, across from information desk or can be viewed at www.ottawa.ca.

Help Keep our Collection Operators Safe

The City of Ottawa is calling on all residents to be vigilant when disposing of their unwanted or old pool chemicals. Pool chemicals are hazardous wastes and can cause serious injury to collection operators and homeowners if placed into your regular garbage. Please do not place pool chemicals in the garbage. Residents are reminded to use up all pool chemicals that they purchase. However, if you need to dispose of excess pool chemicals, the City's one-day mobile household hazardous waste depots are a good option to dispose of this dangerous material. The depots provide a convenient way for you to help keep the environment free of hazardous household waste and most importantly depots help to prevent injury to you, your family and the waste collection operators.

For more information about dates and future locations as well as items that can be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Depots, please visit the City's website at www.ottawa.ca/hhw, check the collection calendar or call 3 -1 -1.

Sustainability Summit

As part of the Choosing our Future initiative, I would like to invite you to participate and join the conversation at a Sustainability Summit that will take place on June 11, 2010. Participants will have the opportunity to listen, learn and be inspired by community leaders with ideas about how we can become a more sustainable, resilient and livable Capital Region.

The Sustainability Summit will be held: Date: Friday, June 11, 2010 Time: 8:30 am to 4pm Place: Jean Pigott Place, Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West

Keynote speaker for the Summit is John F. Helliwell, co-director of the Social Interactions, Identity and Well-Being program at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. Mr. Helliwell's presentation on Sustainability and Well-Being will lead off a series of short 10-minute talks by community leaders active in our social, economic, culture and environment sectors:

Participants will have the opportunity to discuss these issues and are invited to share their passions, ideas and experiences as the day unfolds. To register, visit www.choosingourfuture.ca, e-mail info@choosingourfuture.ca or call 3-1-1.

Choosing our Future is an exciting initiative of the City of Ottawa, the City of Gatineau and the NCC to prepare Canada's Capital Region to be successful in meeting the challenges of the 21st century by integrating Sustainability, resiliency and livability into all facets of the region.

Have Your Say in Ottawa's Financial Future

As per my previous e-mail to the HCCO Board of Directors, I encourage Riverside Park residents to get involved and share your ideas for Ottawa's 2011 Budget and long-term financial plan. City Council will consider and approve a budget for 2011 early next year. The City is also revising its long-term financial plan and is inviting residents to give us your ideas and suggestions on how to balance services within the financial resources of the City.

One way to get involved is to take part in the Financial Sustainability Summit on Tuesday, June 22 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Ottawa City Hall. We're asking people to help us by going to www.ottawa.ca/financialsummit in advance. Submit your questions and ideas on anything involving City finances. Questions and responses will be posted on the Financial Summit web page.

During the Financial Sustainability Summit on June 22, discussions will centre on the questions and ideas that have been submitted online. Note that the summit will be open to the public but new questions or comments will not be accepted at the event. So please consider visiting www.ottawa.ca/financialsummit. Questions can be submitted to financialsummit@ottawa.ca by June 15.

Looking for an Environment Week Diversion? Rethink Garbage

The City of Ottawa provides weekly garbage pickup for residents of Ottawa. While the City collects, recyclables, organic waste and garbage, not all materials can be disposed at the curb. Due to hazards posed by some items, the City offers the following programs to deal with waste that should NEVER be thrown out in your garbage.
Household Hazardous Waste
Are you looking for an environmentally responsible way to dispose of household hazardous waste like cleaning products, propane tanks, disinfectants, fire extinguishers and pharmaceuticals? The City of Ottawa can help! Keep an eye out for the City of Ottawa's one-day mobile household hazardous waste depots. These depots provide a convenient way for you to help keep the environment free of hazardous household waste. Other materials that can be dropped off include: Residents are reminded that only household waste will be accepted (maximum of 100 litres) at the depot. No commercial waste will be accepted. For more information about dates and future locations as well as items that can be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Depots, please visit the City's website at www.ottawa.ca/hhw. More information on the disposal of hazardous materials can be found at http://www.dowhatyoucan.ca/.

For a listing of Green Alternatives for household products, visit www.ottawa.ca/greenalternatives.

Free disposal of e-waste
Residents of Ottawa can dispose of e-waste at no charge at Ontario Electronics Stewardship (OES) registered permanent depots across the City. The program has now been expanded to include audio/visual equipment such as: Residents will still be able to recycle computer towers, monitors, televisions and peripherals at permanent OES-approved depots listed at http://www.dowhatyoucan.ca/.
Free disposal of tires
Visit http://www.ontariots.ca for information on how to dispose of tires at no charge at Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS) registered permanent depots located across the City.
Take it Back!
The Take it Back! program ensures that more than 135 household products are reused, recycled or disposed of properly instead of going to the landfill. For more information, please visit www.ottawa.ca/takeitback.
Reminder
Bakery and produce plastics such as strawberry or cake containers (also known as clam shells), are not collected in the City's recycling program. Please place this material in your regular garbage. To determine what items are part of the City's recycling program, residents are encouraged to visit www.ottawa.ca/recycle, check the collection calendar or call 3-1-1 for a list of acceptable items:

The City of Ottawa reminds residents who have not already started using their Green Bin to please start using it. And don't forget to feed your green bin with extra leaf and yard waste! For information about what goes in your green bin check your collection calendar or visit www.ottawa.ca/greenbin

Have a Wonderful Summer

I wish you and your family a happy and restful summer.