Regional Councillor Wendy Stewart's

Report to all River Ward Community Associations

April 2000

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New Police Chief Appointed

After conducting a national search to fill the position, the Ottawa-Carleton Police Services Board has announced the appointment of Vince Bevan as our new Police Chief. Since joining the Ottawa-Carleton Service two years ago, Mr. Bevan has played a key role in implementing community policing which has included deploying more police officers on the streets. He has also established a strong relationship with the Police Assoc.

The new Chief will be called upon to manage the third largest police force in the province, with an operating budget of $131 million and employing a staff of 1,469.

Riverside Drive - Turning lane for Cognos

Design of right turning lane for Cognos expansion off of Riverside Drive is scheduled to come to Transportation Committee on April 19th, 1:30 p.m. No signalization recommended. Please call for copy of report if more information required.

OC Transpo Ridership Still Climbing

The trend of year-over-year ridership increases has continued for the fourteenth month in a row, with February climbing to 6.5% over last year’s February numbers. With January’s 3.2% increase, the ridership to date is 4.8% over last year’s first two months. On the revenue side, we are in a good position with $68,000 over budget for the first two months of 2000.

Transit Summit 2000

Public transportation is essential to the health and economic well-being of people living in Canadian urban centres. In the Ottawa area, transit ridership is increasing, but rapid growth and development in the suburban areas means more pressure to expand services and develop the infrastructure needed to serve transit users. Pressing environmental issues, including deteriorating air quality and climate change, highlight the need for a strong public transit system.

Transit Summit 2000 is a public forum on Transit and Transportation Issues to be held at the Ottawa-Carleton Centre, 111 Lisgar Street, on Monday, April 10, 2000, from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The goal of Transit Summit 2000 is to focus attention on public transit in the Ottawa area. The forum is presented by Pollution Probe, Canadian Urban Transit Association and the Region of Ottawa-Carleton, and sponsored by Environment Canada and Transport Canada. Admission is free.

Compost Distribution Initiatives

The leaf and yard waste that the Region collects from curbside households is delivered to our Trail Road Facility. The continued conversion of this material into compost saves landfill space and protects local soil resources. This year it is anticipated that over 14,000 tonnes of finished compost will be available for distribution. This compost is an excellent soil amendment – it improves soil structure and reduces requirements for water, fertilizer and pesticides.

"U Bag It" is a pilot compost self-serve program set to begin at the Trail Waste Facility on April 29 (9:00 a.m., to 4:00 p.m.). Residents are requested to bring their own containers, trailers or pickup trucks to package, load and purchase small amounts of compost. Prices will be $2 for containers up to a blue box or garbage bag in size, $4 for a garbage can sized container, and $10 for a pickup truck or utility trailer.

Bagged compost will also be available for sale on a trail basis. Each bag weighs 18 kg and can be purchased for $3.50 (including tax). The bags of compost will be available at the Trail Waste Facility. They can also be purchased at the Trim Road Household Special Waste Mobile Depot to be held on May 6th, and Lansdowne Park in conjunction with the tree giveaway (below).

If you are one of the 7000 residents who ordered a tree through the "Plant for Tomorrow" program last fall, you will receive a complete "Tree Kit" that includes one 18 kg bag of compost and a bag of woodchips (from 1998 Ice Storm).The tree distribution will take place between April 22 and May 6.

Community groups and non-profit organizations who want compost will be charged $10/tonne; however, the hauling fee will be waived. Please contact my office for further details.

Garbage and Recycling Calendar Distribution

The updated calendars for the collection of garbage, recyclable material and leaf & yard waste have now been distributed by Canada Post. The 2000-20001 calendar features helpful graphics on Black Box/Blue Box materials, information on the use and sale of items recycled, as well as a colour-coded wall calendar illustrating the different collection weeks. This information is also available on the Regional Website - which includes a search feature for accessing calendar zones by street names.

Please note that mailboxes with "no admail" stickers cannot receive our calendar via Canada Post. If you haven’t received your copy yet, please call 560-1335.

Tougher No-Smoking By-laws

The City of Ottawa has joined Nepean and Kanata in passing tougher no-smoking by-laws for public places such as restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, bingo halls, billiard halls and lobbies. Ottawa’s decision is contingent on regional government stating its position on the matter. This issue is expected to come forward to the Region’s Community Service Committee on May 18, 2000 at 1:30 p.m. Note: The by-law is not to be enacted until May 31, 2001.

The Region’s Medical Officer of Health is urging the remaining municipalities to seriously discuss strengthening their no-smoking rules in public places and in workplaces. Dr. Robert Cushman, asserts that second-hand smoke is harmful. Objective research has found that no-smoking by-laws make good business sense and that the public wants and deserves the best protection possible.

I would appreciate hearing your opinions on this issue.

Ontario TimeShip 2000 Millennium Exhibition

The province of Ontario’s flagship millennium project, Ontario TimeShip 2000 will be in Ottawa from May 19th to 22nd in the Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne Park, hosted by the Region of Ottawa-Carleton.

This exhibition is a collaborative effort of the Ontario Science Centre, the Royal Ontario Museum and Science North. Ontario TimeShip 200 is a free, family-oriented travelling exhibition that will tour the province from May to October of this year. The exhibition will educate visitors on Ontario’s past and future, explore time and all of its dimensions through interactive displays and objects, live demonstrations and a multimedia theatre presentation.

NCC Unveils Planning Concept for Core

In March, the National Capital Commission released its planning concept for the core of Canada’s Capital Region- the centre of cultural, retail and business activities. This is the second phase of a three phase planning process that began with a Vision document in 1998. Detailed sector plans, to be initiated later this year, will mark the third phase.

The consultation process for the planning concept will proceed from March to June of this year. Presentations will be made to interest groups and municipal Councils, documents will be available in local libraries, and open houses will be held in Ottawa (April 11) and Hull (April 12).

There are seven proposals for the core area, including: The York Steps (completed in the early summer of 1999); The redevelopment of LeBreton Flats; The Victoria and Chaudiere Islands; The revitalization of Sparks Street; The connection to Gatineau Park; The extension of Bank Street; and The future of the industrial lands in Hull.

For further information, please call NCC Info at 239-5555.

Conference on Urban Diversity: Managing Multicultural Cities

RMOC, in conjunction with the Department of Canadian Heritage, marked International Day for the Fight Against Racism by sponsoring a conference on urban diversity. Participants examined how cities are being transformed by the growing diversity and focussed on ways to assess the importance of this information on urban planning.

Thanks to Andrei Grushman and Jim Hornsby of the Quinterra-Riverwood Community Association for representing River Ward at this forum. Both gentlemen have been working within their community to represent a range of issues resulting from the Tubman Funeral Home proposal for the former Fine’s Flowers site on Riverside Drive.

Development and Proposals Underway in River Ward (April 2000)

  1. Friendship Windmill: Hog’s Back Marina; current status - no application as yet.
  2. Fine’s Flowers/Tubman Funeral Home Proposal: 3600 Riverside Drive (Quinterra-Riverwood); current status - City approved re-zoning to allow for use as funeral home. Has been appealed to Ontario Municipal Board. Hearing scheduled for May 23, 2000 at 1:00 p.m. at Ottawa City Hall. Expected duration is 3 days.
  3. Minto Redevelopment/Fast Food Restaurant: corner of Fisher & Meadowlands (1530 Fisher); current status - Ottawa and Nepean approved re-zoning but rejected fast food component. closed
  4. Medical Centre/Hyperbaric Chamber: Bank & Vancouver: current status - City officials waiting for report from Provincial Fire Marshall prior to finalizing staff report and proceeding to Committee of Adjustment.
  5. Central Park/Ashcroft/Clyde Avenue Holdings: Merivale Road; current status -

a)Site Plan Control Proposal -Scout St/Whitestone Dr. Ashcroft Homes proposes

to construct 94 townhouses similar to existing townhouses to the east of site. Last date for comments to City, April 17, 2000. Approval targeted for June 2, 2000.

b)OMB appeal on 3rd access issue – decision to be announced within 30 days.

  1. Uplands on the Rideau; current status - As a result of the recent official plan amendment relating to airport noise, 3 vacant lots have had development rights removed. Regional staff have been directed to negotiate with landowners.
  2. Revelstoke & Dorothea: Application to subdivide 93, 95 Dorothea Drive & 3824 Revelstoke Drive into three separate parcels of land, dismissed by the Committee of Adjustment. Rationale: proposed new lot would not respect immediate environment of larger lots in the area, does not represent proper and orderly development. This decision has been appealed by the applicants to the Ontario Municipal Board, date to be scheduled.
  3. Heron/Walkley lands: The NCC tendered these lands (4 parcels) for the second time in November. Purchase still under negotiation.
  4. 895, 888 Churchill Avenue South and 875 Bellevue Avenue: Application received by City to remove holding zone. This will permit the development/leasing of all other permitted uses in this zone, including light industrial, research and high technology manufacturing uses. Office is permitted as a secondary use and retail and personal services are permitted with restrictions to size and other regulations.
  5. 882 Fisher Avenue: The purpose of the zoning amendment is to legalize the existing two-story triplex which has been in existence for approximately 40 years.