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Latest NewsWorkshop on 2 The Parkway: CORRECTIONThe date for the workshop on 2 The Parkway will be on Tuesday, JANUARY 24th, 2012. Unfortunately, we realized that the copy we submitted to the Kanata Kourier-Standard contained an error and indicated that the date would be in February. Again, the correct date is in January for this important workshop regarding what you would like to see happening at this site. I apologize for any inconvenience or confusion that this has caused. Workshop on 2 The Parkway Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Earl of March Secondary School Cafeteria (4 The Parkway) For more information, contact marianne.wilkinson@ottawa.ca Remembering Jean Pigott The family of the late Jean Pigott have extended an invitation to friends and members of the public to join them for a Farewell Tea in celebration of her life. A Book of Remembrance will be available for signing in Council Chambers (Andrew S. Haydon Hall). In addition, a video corner will be set up where those in attendance can record a short story or memory of Jean. Join us on Thursday, January 19th, 2012 between 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at Jean Pigott Place (Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Ave W.) At 4:00 p.m., Mayor Jim Watson and John Pigott, Jean’s eldest son, will join other speakers to share a few words in Jean’s honour. Max Keeping, CTV Ottawa’s Ambassador to the Community and Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer, National Capital Commission, will serve as Co-Masters of Ceremony. Briarbrook Morgan's Grant Community Association Winter Family Fun Day Join the BMGCA on January 22, 2012 between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. in a NEW location (Sandhil Park, corner of Kinghorn and Marconi). There will be free hot drinks and games for BMGCA members! Dress warm, bring your skates, helemts and hockey sticks or your toboggan for some outdoor winter fun! Join or renew your BMGCA membership for just $10.00. More information is available at bmgca.ca. 2011 By-Law & Regulatory Services Branch Statistics In 2011, the By-Law & Regulatory Services Branch experienced a 3.5% increase in overall call volume, receiving a total of over 76,000 calls (over 1700 of which came from residents of Kanata North). Overall, the City experienced increases in call volume on sign complaints, parking control enforcement, and the care of streets with a decrease in call volume on private property graffiti. In Kanata North, the majority of calls for the By-Law & Regulatory Services Branch were related to parking (36% of calls), animals (20% of calls), and noise (15% of calls). To view a summary of the statistics, download the following PDFs: (Kanata North 2011 Year-End By-Law Stats (PDF) or City of Ottawa 2011 Year-End By-Law Stats (PDF)). Civic Events Fund 2012 Deadline Local not-for-profit organizations, such as volunteer-based community or recreation associations, are invited to apply for funding to provide a one-to-two-day civic event and/or civic celebration. The event should foster civic pride, develop community cohesion and offer free admission. The City’s Civic Events Fund supports events linked to and celebrating a civic or statutory holiday in Ontario, held in Ottawa and encompassing a broad range of activities, including family entertainment. The maximum allocation is $3,000 and deadline to apply is March 5, 2012. Program guidelines and application forms are available at ottawa.ca or by visiting City of Ottawa Client Service Centres. For more information contact 613-580-2424, ext. 20029 or e-mail: rec-info@ottawa.ca. Hazeldean Library Branch Renovations The Hazeldean Library branch will be closed as of Monday, January 23rd for improvements and will re-open in June, 2012. The branch will be reconfiguring and centralizing the Borrower Services and Information Services area, expanding the self-checkout service, and improving materials processing and movement within the branch. There will also be accessibility improvements throughout the branch. Beginning on January 28th, you’ll be able to return borrowed items, pick up holds and check-out Express items at the Hazeldean Library Depot, in the meeting room of the Hazeldean branch (anything on hold as of January 22 when the Library closes will be transferred to the depot and expiry dates extended to February 4). The depot will operate on Monday to Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday from 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday to Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For complete details, visit the Ottawa Public Library website at biblioottawalibrary.ca Scotiabank Place Park & Ride The new Park & Ride at Scotiabank Place is now open. Located in the north lot, close to Highway 417 at the existing platform for the 400 route series, 100 additional parking spots are available for commuters in Kanata/Stittsville. This joint initiative with OC Transpo and the Ottawa Senators will improve commuting for west end transit users and ease some of the pressure on the Eagleson Road and Terry Fox Drive Park & Rides. The Park & Ride is being served ‘on request’ by Express Routes 261 and 263, weekdays only, with direct rush hour service to downtown. ‘On request’ means that only when there are customers waiting at the Park & Ride, bus routes 261 or 263 will be signalled to deviate from its original route and pick them up. The ‘on request’ system is similar to the operations currently used on the Queensway at Moodie Drive and Montreal Road. To get picked up, customers must press the ‘Request Stop’ button on the pole at the Scotiabank Park & Ride shelter. When the button is pushed, the ‘OC’ sign near the top of the pole will light up, confirming that the request has been received. The operator of the next bus approaching will then proceed to the Park & Ride lot. For the return trip home, transit riders simply need to ring the bell once the bus exits the 417. Briarbrook Morgan's Grant Community Association - General Meeting Join the BMGCA for a general meeting on Monday, January 16th beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Old March Town Hall (821 March Road, access off of Klondike Road). The BMGCA will be discussing topics such as radon gas awareness, neighbourhood news, and the upcoming BMGCA Winter Family Fun Day. More information is available on their website at bmgca.ca. Pre-Design Public Consultation for the West District Library Planning for the new West District Library of the Ottawa Public Library (OPL), at the site of the existing Beaverbrook branch, is currently underway. It will be an improved neighbourhood library for North Kanata residents, and provide District Library service to residents of West Carleton, Goulbourn and Kanata. OPL is inviting members of the public to have their say as to what they would like their Library to offer, for them to share their dreams and ideas. Pre-design public consultation for the West District Library Thursday, December 15, 2011 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Mlacak Community Centre Participants will attend a presentation then take part in their choice of roundtable workshops. Themes will include services for children, teens and seniors, functional elements, sustainability, Kanata’s personality and the ideal library. Advance registration is appreciated in order to prepare for the event but is not required. To register, e-mail RSVP@BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca or call 613-580-2424 x14382. For more information, e-mail WestDistrict@BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca. Community Information Meeting & Comment Session for Proposed Zoning By-law Amendment Application for 2 The Parkway You are invited to attend a public meeting regarding this application on: Monday, December 12, 2011 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM 2500 Campeau Drive, Mlacak Centre, Hall A & B This application is to rezone lands from I1A, Minor Institutional, to Residential High Density to permit a 16-storey high-rise building with residential underground parking and at-grade visitor parking. The property is located at the southwest corner of the intersection of The Parkway and Teron Road. It is approximately 0.49 hectares with an existing 1-storey building, which was formerly a Kanata Post Office (now vacant). The service area and parking was provided at grade with two accesses along The Parkway. For additional information, please contact: Marc Magierowicz Planning and Growth Management Department Tel: 613-580-2424, ext. 27820 Fax: 613-560-6006 E-mail: Marc.Magierowicz@ottawa.ca Kanata North Business Park BIA Thank you to those who attended the Information Meeting on the proposed Kanata North Business Park Business Improvement Area. The meeting was well attended and interest in a unique Business Improvement Area for Kanata North continues to grow. If you were not able to attend the meeting, please take the time to review the slideshow that was presented (available to download by clicking here). I would like to encourage you to provide your input to, or get involved with, the Kanata North Business Park BIA Steering Committee. You can contact the Steering Committee by e-mailing them at KanataNorthBIA@ottawa.ca. To view a report from the meeting, click here (.doc). I would also encourage you to attend the next Public Meeting, which will take place on February 29th - location to be announced closer to the date, check back to my website or e-mail KanataNorthBIA@ottawa.ca to be notified. CHANGE IN DATE: Ward Council Meeting on Thursday, November 24th Please note that the meeting date and location for this month's Ward Council has changed and will now be held on THURSDAY, November 24th from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Mlacak Centre. Kanata North Recreation Complex Public Art Competition Winners Selected The Kanata North Recreation Complex, with construction to begin shortly at 4101 Innovation Drive, will feature three permanent and distinct public art commissions integrated into different areas of the complex following the completion of construction in 2013. Congratulations to Jean-Yves Vigneau, Maskull Lasserre and the team of Anna Williams and Erin Robertson, who were selected as the winning artists in the public art commission by an Art Selection Committee. Anna Williams & Erin Robertson's sculpture "Chase," consisting of seven red foxes cast in bronze and finished with a realistic patina will crown the entrance to the complex. Jean-Yves Vigneau's nautical-themed sculpture "Skiff," will be suspended inside the recreation complex. Maskull Lasserre's three-part installation will animate the space facing Trillium Woods on the publicly accessible patio of the rear roof. Remembrance Day Services & City Schedule Changes The Royal Canadian Legion (Kanata Branch 638) will hold a parade along The Parkway, Teron and Colchester Square, ending at the Cenotaph for a ceremonial service. I plan to attend and hope that you will join me in remembering our veterans on November 11th in Kanata. During National Veterans' Week, war veterans who wear their medals and/or uniforms may ride OC Transpo and STO for free (November 5th to 11th), along wtih their companions accompanying them. There will be a number of schedule changes for the City on Remembrance Day - City Hall and the Client Service Centres will be closed, although the 3-1-1 Call Centre will be open for urgent matters. Curbside green bin, recycling, garbage and leaf and yard waste collection will take place on its regular day all week, including Remembrance Day. OC Transpo will operate on a regular weekday schedule on Friday, November 11th and will pull over to the side of the road (where it is safe to do so) to observe a moment of silence at 11:00 a.m. Recreation services such as swimming, skating, and fitness classes will be open, however I would encourage you to check ottawa.ca to confirm for your exact location and programme. Arts centres, archives, galleries, museums and theatres will not offer their programming on Remembrance Day, however you are again encouraged to check ottawa.ca as there may be some exceptions. City-operated childcare services and Ottawa Public Library branches will all be closed on Remembrance Day. Local Food Challenge Ottawa is the agricultural capital of Eastern Ontario, with more than 120,000 hectares of farmland covering an area more than twice the size of Toronto! There are about 1,250 farms in Ottawa producing dairy, meat, fruit, vegetables and field crops with a value of over $164 million in gross farm revenue. Visit a Savour Ottawa Retailer or the Parkdale Field House (open from November 5th to December 17th on Saturdays only from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). The Parkdale Market stays open until December 24th from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, the Lansdowne Market is still open on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. but will take place inside the Aberdeen Pavilion on November 20, November 27, December 4, and December 18. Both the ByWard Market and Ottawa Organic Farmers Market (every Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) are open year round. Final One-Day Depot for Household Hazardous Waste on November 5 The City is joining with Drain-All Ltd. to host a one-day mobile household hazardous waste collection depot on Saturday, November 5th. The depot will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Drain-Hall Ltd., 2705 Stevenage Drive between Hawthorne Road and Russell Road, south of Walkley. For more information, visit ottawa.ca/hhw. 38th Annual Craft Christmas Gift Sale Opens November 2 Get your holiday shopping started at the 38th annual Craft Christmas Gift Sale at the Nepean Sportplex from Wednesday, November 2 to Sunday, November 6. WIth over 140 vendors from all over Canada, there's sure to be something for everyone on your list. One-of-a-kind gifts include jewellery, clothing, health and body care, fine art and edible treats. All items are handmade in Canada. Plenty of free parking and free admission on Wednesday and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., other times admission is $7.00 for adults & students, $3.50 for seniors, and free for children under 12. The Craft and Gift Sale runs from Wednesday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Santa Claus is Coming to Town! Come on down to the Kanata Santa Claus Parade on Saturday, November 12th at 10:00 a.m.! The parade route runs from Terry Fox along Castlefrank to Abbey Hill and then on to the Hazeldean Mall. Please bring a non-perishable food item or cash to donate to the Kanata Food Cupboard. Flu Vaccine Clinics Ottawa Public Health recommends that all residents get the free flu vaccine. There will be 33 clinics in locations across the city until mid-December, and last year, the average reported wait time for an OPH clinic was only nine minutes. Please note that some clinics require an appointment, which can be made in advance at fluclinicsottawa.ca or by phoning 613-580-6744 (TTY: 613-580-9656) from Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visit ottawa.ca/flu or call the Ottawa Public Health Information Line at 613-580-6744 (TTY: 613-580-9656) to obtain a list of health care providers and community clinics that are administering the flu vaccine. You can also connect wtih OPH on Facebook and Twitter (@ottawahealth) for the latest public health information. 2012 City of Ottawa Budget The City of Ottawa 2012 Budget was tabled today at Council, and it is now available on ottawa.ca/budget2012. You are able to participate in the public consultation process through one of the four regional multi-ward consultation meetings between November 1st and November 4th, or by attending the Standing Committee meetings. To make a presentation at the Standing Committee meetings, please note that you must register in advance by contacting the respective committee coordinator. Information on the delegation process, meeting times and locations, and contact information for coordinators, is available at ottawa.ca/budget2012/public_delegations. The Mayor began our meeting today on the budget with an address, the text of which is available on ottawa.ca. Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay Join us in welcoming Canadian icon Rick Hansen to Ottawa City Hall as part of the 25th anniversary of the Man in Motion World Tour. On Friday, October 28th, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. you can join the Mayor and Rick Hansen as we proclaim Rick Hansen Relay Day in Ottawa and share in some light refreshments. For full details on the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay, visit RickHansenRelay.com. Ottawa LRT The City and Infrastructure Ontario have recently announced the three consortia short-listed to submit proposals to design, build, finance and maintain the Ottawa Light Rail Transit (OLRT) project. Companies from across Canada and the world participated in the rigorous, competitive Request for Qualifications process that evaluated their design, construction, maintenance and financing abilities to deliver the highest quality LRT project – on time and on budget. The shortlist of three consortia, made up of world-class firms with extensive expertise in transit infrastructure projects, is as follows alphabetically:
The firms will compete throughout the Request-for-Proposals process, scheduled to begin later this October and close in July, 2012. Working with our commercial procurement lead, Infrastructure Ontario, the City will select a winning proposal in late 2012 for approval by the City Council with construction to commence in Q1 2013. This project, the best and most cost-effective solution to our long-term transit needs, will generate more than $3 billion of economic activity and 20,000 person-years of employment during construction alone! To find out more about the OLRT project, please visit www.ottawalightrail.ca. For more information about Infrastructure Ontario, please visit www.infrastructureontario.ca. Electric Ice Resurfacers Earlier this week, the City unveiled one of its new zero-emissions electric ice resurfacers at the Nepean Sportsplex. The ice resurfacer is one of four units recently purchased as part of the City’s Municipal Green Fleet Plan. The resurfacer is powered by electric motors and will replace aging propane powered ice resurfacers, reducing the City’s dependency on less efficient forms of fuel. The units’ on-board batteries are fully recyclable and can be recharged between uses while parked in the normal storage area. The new resurfacers will be housed at the Nepean Sportsplex and Tom Brown Arena. Ottawa Book Award Winners The 2011 Ottawa Book Awards will take place on Thursday, October 27th, 2011 at an event hosted by Lucy van Oldenbarneveld, co-host of CBC News Ottawa and Isabelle Brisebois, Cultural Reporter for Le monde selon Mathieu, Radio-Canada. For more information, visit ottawa.ca. Permanent Signs on Private Property By-Law Public Consultation The Permanent Signs on Private Property By-Law has recently been reviewed, and is now undergoing Public Consultation, which will all go to the Planning Committee in December. You can review the proposed changes, and participate in the Public Consultation online at ottawa.ca. Ottawa’s Smoke-Free By-Laws Ottawa Public Health is conducting Public Consultations on the expansion of the City’s smoke-free by-laws between October 18th and January 20th, 2012. The objective of the consultation is to ensure residents, businesses and other community representatives have an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed expansion of the city’s smoke-free by-laws to include all public beaches and parks, all municipal properties and all outdoor patios and terraces. You will also have the opportunity to provide feedback on other options that would protect the public from the harms of second-hand smoke, including new regulations relating to the use of water-pipes in public establishments. There are a number of ways to participate:
Attend one of the following public meetings, which will include a presentation on relevant health concerns, an explanation on the proposed by-law update and an extensive discussion period with bilingual OPH staff and written materials.
Revised Ward Council Location Please note that Monday, October 24th's Ward Council meeting will be taking place at the Mlacak Centre in Halls C & D (2500 Campeau Drive) at 7:00 p.m. OCRI's execTALKS On Tuesday, October 25th, 2011 the season premiere of execTALKS takes place with Richard McBee, President & CEO of Mitel. Richard will provide his insights of how to re-invent a company steeped in history and tradition, respect for the past and aimed at the future. He will provide useful examples and techniques to motivate emploeyes to get the most performance out of an organization. This will be a great session to attend as OCRI kicks off the new season of execTALKS. Visit ocri.ca for program information and registration details. OC Transpo Celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the O-Train The O-Train just turned ten and to celebrate the milestone, Mayor Watson, Transit Commission Chair Diane Deans, OC Transpo Staff and others, including myself, were on hand to greet riders at the Greenboro Station. OC Transpo announced in September, 2011 that it had reached an agreement with train supplier Alstom to purchase six new trains that will begin O-Train service in early 2014. The expanded O-Train service will offer eight-minute intervals between trains, an improvement to the current 15 minute intervals. It will attract new riders and provide customers travelling from Bayview to South Keys with more frequent and reliable rail service. The O-Train was introduced as a pilot project in October 2001 and was Ottawa's first modern experience with rail transit. The initial ridership target was between 5,100 and 6,400 customer-trips per day. These targets more than doubled in the years since it was introduced, with ridership has now reaching more than 12,000 customer-trips per day due to outstanding reliability and the convenience of good connections for students and commuters whether on foot, bicycle or connecting by bus. The one millionth O-Train rider was celebrated in 2002, the five millionth rider in 2005, and as of September 30th, 2011, more than 18 million passengers have boarded the O-Train. In 2010, the three trains of the O-Train surpassed the million kilometre mark. West District Library Professional Architectural Services Contract AwardedThe Ottawa Public Library Board has agreed to award the Professional Architectural Services contract for the new West District Library to Moriyama and Teshima Architects. On November 15, 2010, following a series of public presentations and discussions with community associations and partners, the OPL Board approved the selection of the existing Beaverbrook branch, attached to the Mlacak Centre, as the preferred location for the new West District Library. A two storey addition and renovations to the existing branch will expand the 11,000 sq ft library to 25,000 sq feet. Occupancy of the new library facility is anticipated to be December, 2013. For more information, visit BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca or call the Ottawa Public Library Info Service Line at 613-580-2940. 2012 Budget Timeline In September, Council approved the process and timetable for developing and approving the 2012 Budget. In June, Council endorsed a budget strategy that sets the increase in the municipal portion of the tax bill to a maximum increase of 2.5% per year. All departmetns will develop 2012 operating budget requirements based on this Council-approved funding framework. You can begin to submit your feedback now, by sending your feedback to Mayor Watson at budget2012@ottawa.ca. Important 2012 Budget Dates:
Next Ward Council Meeting: October 24, 2011 featuring a Town Hall on OC Transpo Bus Service to Kanata The next Kanata North Ward Council Meeting will be held on Monday, October 24th from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at a revised location, Mlacak Centre Halls C & D (2500 Campeau Drive). The majority of the meeting will be a Town Hall on the bus service in Kanata North, and this portion of the meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. Ottawa Police Service Let’s Chat Youth Café The Ottawa Police Service and Ottawa Police Services Board is hosting a Let’s Chat Youth Café. Come join a real police-youth conversation and explore the questions and issues that matter most to you and your friends in small group table chats. The Let’s Chat event will take place on Wednesday, October 26th, 2011 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Nepean Sportsplex, Hall A (1701 Woodroffe Ave). To find out more or to register, visit ottawapolice.ca Flu Vaccine Now Available The seasonal flu vaccine is now available from participating physicians and health care providers throughout the city. Ottawa Public Health is currently distributing 90,000 doses of the influenza vaccine to physicians, hospitals and workplaces, which are received from the province on a weekly basis in order to meet demand. The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care provided three strains of influenza vaccines for distribution, including the 2009 H1N1 strain, the influenza A/H3N2 strain, and an influenza B strain. Ottawa Public Health will receive enough vaccine for every resident who wishes to be immunized. You can get your flu vaccine in a number of ways:
It is important as well to take precautions such as washing your hands often with soap and water or using hand sanitizer, covering your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your arm as opposed to your hand, and staying at home if you are sick. Long-Term Waste Management Plan The City is seeking your input on the development of a 30-year plan to manage and minimize waste through four Waste and Recycling Fairs to learn about and provide input into the long-term waste plan. At these events there will be displays on recycling programs, water conservation, and more. Each event kicks off with a complimentary pancake breakfast sponsored by Enbridge, Moncion’s Your Independent Grocer, Quaker Canada and Tim Hortons. You can also participate online by filling out a questionnaire at ottawa.ca/talkwaste – help define the vision, goals and targets of this plan and establish priorities for waste management in the City. The fairs will take place: - Saturday, October 22nd from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at both the Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex and Walter Baker Sports Centre - Saturday, October 29th from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at both the Jim Durrell Recreation Centre and Stittsville Community Centre. A report will be tabled at the November 15, 2011 Environment Committee outlining the State One findings based on your feedback, and this will in turn go to City Council on November 23, 2011. 2011 City of Ottawa Accessibility Plan Highlights The City of Ottawa’s goal is to identify, remove and prevent barriers to allow residents, visitors and employees with disabilities full participation in everything that Ottawa has to offer. To view the highlights, visit ottawa.ca. This information is available in accessible formats upon request. Small Business Week Lunch & Learn Speaker Series at the Ottawa Public Library The Ottawa Public Library’s Lunch & Learn Speaker Series will take place daily from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. during Small Business Week, October 17th to 21st in the auditorium of the Main Library (120 Metcalfe Street). The programs are free to attend and are open to the public. For a complete listing, visit biblioottawalibrary.ca Older Adult Plan Consultation The City of Ottawa is currently in the process of developing an Older Adult Plan with the goal to effectively serve and be responsive to the needs of older adults now and in the future. During the months of October and November, the City wants to hear about your experiences and ideas for improving City services and making Ottawa an age-friendly city. You can participate by attending a community consultation session or completing a consultation survey. For more information, visit ottawa.ca 2012 Non-Renewable Community Project Funding Applications Non-profit community organizations in Ottawa are invited to submit applications for new projects that address emerging community needs and support the priorities of the Community Project Fundign Program. For complete details on project eligibility guidelines, application forms, and details on information sessions as well as contact details for more information, visit ottawa.ca. The deadline for receipt of applications is Thursday, December 1, 2011. Origin-Destination Survey Origin-Destination survey calls have begun and will continue for a number of weeks. Professional interviewers will call thousands of randomly selected residents on both sides of the Ottawa River to gather information about daily travel patterns. If you see the words Origin-Destination on your call display, I would like to strongly encourage you to answer the phone. Telling the interviewer how you travelled today will help improve travel for tomorrow. The survey takes approximately ten minutes to complete, and the data collected will be used by transportation planners for years to come. Results are expected to be available by summer 2012. They will show, for example, how people’s travel choices have changed: In 2005, when the last Origin-Destination survey took place in the National Capital Region, cars were used for 71 per cent of all trips made. Biking accounted only for 1 per cent of all trips. Since then, the City has made a serious effort in supporting alternative modes of transportation, such as building Ontario’s first segregated bike lanes along Laurier Avenue. The survey presents an excellent opportunity to start to measure the success of these policies and to base plans for future investments on solid data. Information gathered in the 2005 Origin-Destination survey has also contributed to road improvements such as the Environmental Assessment for new Interprovincial Bridge, Prince of Wales Drive and Strandherd Bridge, and various transit undertakings such as Downtown Ottawa Transit Tunnel, Interprovincial Transit Strategy, the Ottawa Western Light Rail Corridor and Hospital Link and the STO Rapibus. If you would like more information on the Origin-Destination Survey, visit the City's website at ottawa.ca, or the official Survey Website, O-DSurvey.ca. Green Fleet The City of Ottawa added its first electrict plug-in car, a 2012 Chevrolet Volt, to its growing fleet of environmentally friendly vehicles. This makes the City of Ottawa one of the first municipalities in the country to use an electric car, and this particular vehicle is ideal for Ottawa's climate and geography. A traditional plug-in electric car can only travel 60 km without needing a recharge, and this distance is reduced on a winter's day with the heater and defroster operating. The Chevy Volt, however, has an on-board generator, which kicks in when the batteries start to run down providing a maximum range of 560 km! The Green Fleet Plan is part of the City's overall commitment to reduce carbon emissions and generate long-term savings in energy costs for residents. To date, we have acquired 36 hybrid vehicles as part of the Green Fleet Plan; these vehicles reduce fuel consumption by approximately 28% every year, saving up to $1,150 per vehicle. Fall Cleaning the Capital The Fall Cleaning the Capital Program is currently under way! The campaign runs from September 15th until October 15th, and I encourage you to register your project to help us make this the most successful campaign yet - last year a whopping 91,305 residents participated. You can register by calling 3-1-1 or visiting ottawa.ca/clean. Think of a project in our community - anything from litter pickup to graffiti removal - and then register with the City. Once you've completed your project, submit your clean-up report and you will be entered to win prizes donated by sponsors. Kanata North Recreation Complex - Site Plan Submission We continue to move forward on the plans for the Kanata North Recreation Complex. The design-build contract has been awarded and the Site Plan and other planning documentation has been formally submitted to the city. As a reminder, you can view any site plans or other planning submissions that are made to the city on ottawa.ca/devapps (devapps being Development Applications). Simply visit ottawa.ca/devapps and, in this case, search for 4101 Innovation Drive, the address for the KNRC. Kanata North Recreation Complex - Additional Opportunity for Artists! The Kanata North Recreation Complex Fundraising Committee is inviting artists to apply to develop, design, and implement up to a maximum of 20 sculptures to be integrated in a Sculpture Garden to be located at the Kanata North Recreation Complex. You can view the opportunity details online on the City's website, ottawa.ca. Please note that there is a typo that at the time of this web update has not yet been corrected in the proposal deadline -- the submission deadline is Thursday, November 10th at 12:00 p.m. 2nd Annual Sports4 Kanata Race DayJoin us at the second annual Sports4 Kanata Race Day on Sunday, September 11th. This year we've added a 5K race to the original 1K fun-walk/run/roll. The goal of Kanata Race Day is to raise awareness, and funds, for the Kanata North Recreation Complex. The run/walk begins and ends on Innovation Drive in Kanata, near the site of the future complex in the heart of the Kanata Technology Park. The 5k course, which will begin at 9 a.m., will follow through the Monk Conservation Area in Kanata Lakes and Morgan’s Grant. The 1k race will start at 10 a.m. Full details, including registration fees, pledge forms, course map, and other activity info, is available at BuildingRecreation.org. I look forward to seeing many of you there! Public Art Consultation for the Kanata North Recreation Complex In keeping with the Percent for Art Policy, the City of Ottawa’s Public Art Program initiated a competition to commission three site-specific public art pieces to be integrated into various sites of the complex. The selection process for that art is now underway and the City is encouraging residents to voice their opinions. The finalists will present preliminary sketches, scale models or maquettes and detailed work plans including budgets of the proposed artworks at a public meeting to be held on Tuesday, September 13th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at St. John's Anglican Church (325 Sandhill Road). For more information, please contact 613-244-4261 or publicartprogram@ottawa.ca. Fifth Annual Kanata North Picnic The Kanata North Picnic is back in its fifth year on Wednesday, July 27th from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Sandwell Green Park, across from Earl of March Secondary School. As always, the event will be a free BBQ and free family entertainment, so come join us in the park. Please remember to bring your own lawn chair or picnic blanket as seating is limited, and bring your refillable water bottle for the evening as we are trying to reduce waste by providing free municipal tap water. Donations of non-perishable food items will also be accepted on site for the Kanata Food Cupboard. Media Sponsorship by Kanata Kourier-Standard. We look forward to seeing you there! Public Meeting on Sewer Replacement Projects in Beaverbrook On Tuesday, July 26th from 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Mlacak Centre, I will be with staff and members of the consulting team to discuss the Sewer Replacement Project. Your questions and comments are welcome at the meeting, and will also be received by staff until August 10th, 2011. For more information, please contact Senior Engineer, Infrastructure Projects, Max Ross, P. Eng. Max can be reached: Max Ross, P. Eng., Senior Engineer, Infastructure Projects Infrastructure Services Department City of Ottawa, 100 Constellation Cres, 6th Floor Ottawa, ON K2G 6J8 Phone: 613-580-2424 x16011 Fax: 613-580-2587 E-mail: Max.Ross@ottawa.ca West Ottawa Soccer Pepsi Refresh Challenge Together with the West Ottawa Soccer Club, I am asking everyone to vote online once per day for the duration of the contest from May 1 to June 30. Vote at http://pep.si/irwfug, and visit the West Ottawa Soccer Club online for more information. Public Meeting: KNL Lands North of the Beaver Pond Wednesday, June 22nd 2011 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. All Saints Catholic High School (Gymnasium) - 5115 Kanata Ave KNL Developments has organized this meeting to present plans for their development of the subdivision north of the Beaver Pond, at a Public Meeting on Wednesday, June 22nd from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at All Saints Catholic High School (5115 Kanata Avenue). Councillor Marianne Wilkinson will be chairing the meeting, and representatives from KNL will present the proposed plan of subdivision for the next phase of development and respond to questions. A City of Ottawa planner will also be in attendance. To view the communications plan, visit the KNL Lands Section of the website. Blue Box Recycling City Awarded for Ghana Water Project The City of Ottawa received an Award for Outstanding International Volunteer Contribution at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ annual conference in Halifax on June 5th. The award was presented in recognition of Be A Germ Stopper (BAGS), a hygiene and hand washing programme introduced by City and Ottawa Public Health officials in Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA), Ghana. The BAGS programme, introduced in four KEEA schools between 2007 and 2009, encourages the local community to become involved in promoting simple hygiene preventative measures that can save the lives of children. The BAGS programme was successfully implemented in four pilot schools in KEEA with 1739 students, with a training manual developed for KEEA teachers and health workers to run the program and continue it outside of the pilot schools. Congratulations and well done to our Ottawa Public Health officials! 2010 Consolidated Financial Statements & 2010 Annual Report City Council approved the City of Ottawa’s 2010 Consolidated Financial Statements and received the new online format for the 2010 Annual Report on June 8, 2011. This year, for the first time, Ottawa’s Annual Report will be paperless. This will improve our environmental footprint, enhance the usability of the Annual Report, and save taxpayers $45,000 that was previously spent on design, production and printing. Reference copies of the Consolidated Financial Statements and Management Report are available at Ottawa Public Library branches across the city. Please contact 3-1-1 should you require an alternate format. Changes to Ottawa’s Website You may have noticed changes recently to the City’s website, ottawa.ca. The changes are intended to make it easier for you to access information you want. The home page and related pages have been updated to feature eight new information gateways: roads & transportation, water & environment, garbage & recycling, recreation & culture, health & safety, licenses & permits, social & community services, and city hall. Please help the City to continue improving its website by completing this survey at ottawa.ca. 2010 Crime Statistics for Kanata North The 2010 Crime, Police and Traffic Statistics Report, which provides a snapshot of policing activity from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010 are now available online. You can view these reports for the City and other wards by visiting ottawapolice.ca, or by downloading the City of Ottawa 2010 Trends (PDF) or Kanata North 2010 Trends (PDF). Emergency Detour Routes Ottawa Named One of the World’s Most Bike-Friendly Cities CNN/The Matador Network has recognized the City of Ottawa as one of the fifteen most bike-friendly cities in the world! For the full story, visit cnn.com. Briarbrook Morgan's Grant Community Association Annual Summer BBQ June 18: Briarbrook and Morgan’s Grant Community Association annual summer barbecue. Free lunch for BMGCA members. Events run from noon to 3 p.m. Kids’ games, bouncey castle, arts and crafts, facepainting, dog competition, live performances, crime prevention and community info booths and more! Decorated kids’ bike parade gathers at 11:45 a.m. Schedule/info: www.bmgca.ca. Volunteers contact pr@bmgca.ca. Donations welcome. Briarbrook Morgan’s Grant Community Association Greening Projects Residents of Breckenridge Crescent will have a better view after June 4, thanks to a greening project by the Briarbrook Morgan’s Grant Community Association. The plan is to plant native grasses and flowers in front of 352 and 366 Breckenridge Crescent in two gardens . Volunteers are needed to make this plan a reality! Residents are invited to lend a hand and a shovel on June 4th starting at 10:00 a.m. on Breckenridge Crescent. Please come dressed to garden and bring your own gardening gloves. The BMGCA received $6,000 for the greening project from Trinity Developments, who is building the commercial centre that includes the Sobey’s. These gardens are phase one of the project and will serve as a test for the suitability of the plants to the location and stresses such as road salt. In the future, the BMGCA hopes to plant along March Road from the Old Town Hall to the storm water management pond and along the recreation path near Maxwell Bridge. If you are interested in volunteering, contact vp@bmgca.ca or pr@bmgca.ca. More information on the BMGCA, its events and activities, can be found at bmgca.ca. Ecology Ottawa Meeting Have you wanted to be part or given thought to being part of the clean energy (r)evolution? Don’t know where to start? Find out by attending one of Ecology Ottawa's Building Community Power Meetings in Kanata! This is your invitation to our first Building Community Power Clean Energy Community Meeting in your community on Wednesday, June 8th from 7-9 PM at the Beaverbrook Community Centre (2 Beaverbrook rd). At this meeting you will learn about opportunities to generate solar power, learn about which roofs in your area have solar potential and learn about financing options that are available. By working with others in your community, you can turn your community into a renewable energy powerhouse! Ecology Ottawa’s team will help you get there. For more information, see the Building Community Power brochure attached to this email and contact Janice.ashworth@ecologyottawa.ca or call Ecology Ottawa at (613) 860 5353 BMGCA Spring Clean-Up Event June 11: The Briarbrook and Morgan’s Grant Community Association (BMGCA) is holding a spring clean-up along the railroad tracks backing onto Applecross, Macara, Catterick and Aberfoyle on Saturday, June 11 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. We’ll meet at 102 Macara to hand out garbage bags and vinyl gloves before heading out to pick up litter. Please help make our community a beautiful and safe place to live! Bring your gardening gloves, sturdy shoes and your family! Info: www.bmgca.ca or pr@bmgca.ca. City contingency plan in the event of a postal strike The City of Ottawa wants to ensure the public it can continue to keep in touch with us in the event of a mail strike. A contingency plan is in place to ensure that letters, correspondence and payments are received and that important mailings and information get to you. General correspondence, which in normal circumstances you would have mailed to the City, can be dropped off at all Client Service Centres, including:
Property tax, water and accounts receivable bill payments can be made in person at any Client Service Centre or by depositing them in the Centre’s drop box. For your own security, please enclose a cheque or money order, rather than cash. Payments can also be made in person or electronically through your financial institution. Parking tickets can also be paid in person at any Client Service Centre, at the Provincial Offences Court offices at 100 Constellation Crescent and 110 Laurier Avenue West, or by depositing them in the Court’s drop box at these locations or on-line at ottawa.ca Provincial offence fines for speeding tickets, by-law infractions or other offences can be paid in person at the Provincial Offences Court at 100 Constellation Crescent and 110 Laurier Avenue West, by depositing them in the Court’s drop box or on-line at ottawa.ca Original invoices for goods and services can be submitted to Accounts Payable by email. Invoices must be in PDF format and emailed to AP-CF@ottawa.ca. Each PDF file must be a single invoice, but multiple files can be attached to the email. The invoice address to be shown on invoices is City of Ottawa Accounts Payable PO Box 3426 Stn D Ottawa, ON K1P 0B9 Attention: Invoice Contact Name The invoice contact name allows the City to efficiently route invoices to the person who will approve payment. The Invoice Contact Name can be found on new Purchase Orders (POs) issued by the City. If there is no Invoice Contact Name identified, then please use the name of your established City client/customer as the invoice contact name. The purchase order number must be shown on the invoice if one was provided. Omitting invoice contact name and purchase order number will delay invoice payment. Cheques will not be mailed during an interruption; however, payment by direct deposit is unaffected. Please register for direct deposit by completing the form available at ottawa.ca. The completed form and voided cheque/encoded deposit slip can be emailed to AccountsPayable@ottawa.ca or faxed to the 613-580-2568. Ontario Works clients who do not have direct bank deposit are reminded to pick up their June payment at their respective Social Services Centre. Clients will need to show identification and sign for their cheques. June payments were available as of Monday, May 30. The four Social Services Centres are located at:
In Ottawa, approximately 70 per cent of Ontario Works clients have direct bank deposit. These recipients will have their payments deposited electronically into their bank accounts as usual. Anyone who is unable to travel to one of the four Social Services Centres should call their case worker to discuss other options or if they have any other questions. 30 Day Opportunity to Submit Nominations for Central Archives Ottawa Public Library Materials CentreNominees for commemoration should meet at least one of the following criteria:
The new Central Archives Ottawa Public Library Materials Cetnre is located at 100 Tallwood Drive (corner of Woodroffe Ave). Commemorative naming proposals for the facility must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 30, 2011. If you would like to submit a name for consideration or require further information, send an e-mail to namingottawa@ottawa.ca or call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401). Supervised Beaches Open June 18 Ottawa’s four supervised beaches, Britannia, Westboro, Mooney’s Bay and Petrie Island will officially open for the 2011 summer season on Saturday, June 18th. Despite the warm weather, swimming in Ottawa’s unsupervised lakes and rivers may pose great personal risk. You are encouraged to enjoy our communities’ outdoor spaces, however, for your own safety are advised to avoid swimming in unsupervised lakes and rivers. The City is reminding residents to be especially vigilant of children and to use caution around lakes and rivers. Water levels are high and currents strong due to the spring rain and the water is still cold. It is important to note that lifeguards are not on duty until opening day, Saturday June 18th, when they will be on duty every day from noon until 7:00 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. You can check the daily updates on water quality before heading to the beach as of June 18th, by calling 3-1-1 or 613-580-6744 x13219 or at ottawa.ca/health. One-day depot for household hazardous waste May 29 The City and Waste Management will host a one-day mobile household hazardous waste collection depot on Sunday, May 29. The depot will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 254 Westbrook Road (off Carp Road, south of Highway 417). This depot provides a convenient way for residents to help keep the environment free of hazardous household waste such as pesticides, paint thinners, and pool chemicals. It is surprisingly fast and easy to participate and remember that only household waste will be accepted (maximum 100 litres) at the depot. No commercial waste will be accepted. For a complete listing of acceptable household hazardous waste, visit the City’s website at ottawa.ca/hhw. For more information on waste management and recycling, visit ottawa.ca/recycle or call 3-1-1. Badgeley Barrier Update Badgeley Avenue is temporarily closed at the intersection of Badgeley Avenue and Goulbourn Forced Rd. to prevent traffic from using this neighbourhood street instead of the more suitable detour route on Kanata Avenue. However, many residents have experienced an issue with the barrier being moved aside and traffic then going through. To fix this problem, steel drums that are currently installed will be reinforced with 8 foot high heavy weight metal construction fencing to prevent the barrier from being moved aside. Installation of the reinforcement to the barrier should be completed on May 18th. Stream Watch Program The City Stream Watch program is holding two “Stream Watch” training sessions for community volunteers on May 28th and 29th. These volunteer scientists can take part in monitoring three city streams in Ottawa in 2011. Take this free opportunity to try your hand at being a citizen scientist, learn about stream environments and make a positive impact on our urban and rural ecosystems. All necessary equipment is provided and there is no cost to volunteers. This is a great chance for interested members of the community to learn about, and help care for, your local streams and also meet other dedicated stream stewards. For more information about the program, including the reports of streams previously studied, please visit: rvca.ca. 2011 Hydrant Full Flow Notification Between May 16 to May 27, 2011, fire hydrant testing will take place in the neighbourhoods of Beaverbrook, Brookside Manor, Kanata Lakes, Kanata North Business Park, Marchwood Lakeside, Morgan's Grant and Shirley's Brook. If you are experiencing a brown or rusty/discoloured water, you should not drink the water or wash laundry. WHile discoloured water is not harmful your health, it can stain your laundry. If your laundry is stained from discoloured water, please contact 3-1-1. You may also notice a loss in water pressure. More information is available at ottawa.ca. West Ottawa Soccer Club Pepsi Refresh Challenge The West Ottawa Soccer Club has entered the "Pepsi Refresh Everything Challenge". This is an internet voting contest with a prize of $100,000 that the Club would use to replace the artificial turf and training equipment lost in the fire at the Thunderbird indoor training facility. We are asking all members to vote once per day during the duration of the contest from May 1 to June 30. Alternatively, you can vote directly through the Facebook link on the Pepsi site (although make sure your privacy settings are set high). As part of the campaign we will send reminders and updates. Please forward details of this contest to your friends and families. Pepsi Refresh Challenge: http://pep.si/irwfug NEW West Ottawa Soccer website: www.wosc.com Facebook Facebook.com/pages/West-Ottawa-Soccer Twitter: @WOSsoccer National Capital Commission Greenbelt Master Plan Review The National Capital Commission (NCC) is currently reviewing its Greenbelt Master Plan, which will guide the management of the Greenbelt through to 2060. Previous consultations on the vision for the plan have been completed and the NCC is now moving to the next phase of the project, which is to develop strategic statements and land use concept plans. The NCC is currently seeking input and feedback through their website and Public Consultations. To view the NCC's Greenbelt Master Plan Review information, visit canadascapital.gc.ca. More details on the Public Consultations, including agendas and background documentation, are available online at the NCC's website. For your information, however, the dates of the Public Consultations are: Tuesday, May 24th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. National Arts Centre, Panorama Room (53 Elgin Street) Thursday, May 26th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Nepean Sportsplex, Room B (1701 Woodroffe Ave) Wednesday, June 1st from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Chimo Hotel, Mackenzie Room (1199 Joseph Cyr Road) If you are unable to attend, comments can be sent to the National Capital Commission before June 24th, 2011 via e-mail at info@ncc-ccn.ca, telephone at 613-239-5000, TTY at 613-239-5090, or fax at 613-239-5274. Rain Barrels Thank you to those who brought to my attention the difficulties with the link regarding Rain Barrels that are available for sale through rainbarrel.ca and the Kanata March Horticulture Society, that was provided in my most recent Newsletter. The link should be working now, and as a reminder is rainbarrel.ca/kanata-gardeners. If you did not receive the newsletter and would like to, simply send an e-mail to KanataNorth@ottawa.ca. For those who may have missed the last Newsletter, I included information on purchasing a rain barrel (which collects water for outside use such as watering your plants, and is a great money-saver). The City is providing a $50.00 rebate on rain barrels purchased after April 27, 2011. I have ordered mine through the Kanata March Horticulture Society. You can pre-order at the above website and pay in advance, though I have heard that there are very few left. If you are not able to pre-order, consider attending All Saints HS on May 21st beginning at 1:30 p.m. and purchase an unsold barrel. Any barrels that were ordered for cash pick up which have not been claimed by 2:00 p.m. will be sold on a first come, first served basis for the same cost as on-line ($55.00) though sales will be cash only. Debit is not available on site, and again, they are first-come/first-served. A Taste for Life, 2011 - April 27th Once again I will be hosting A Taste for Life at Lapointe's Seafood Grill in Kanata at Colchester Square on 27 April 2011. This is the third year that I will be hosting A Taste for Life, a night of great food for a great cause. On the evening of Wednesday, April 27th 2011 all you have to do is enjoy a meal out at a participating restaurant, like Lapointe's Seafood Grill, and the restaurant takes care of the rest - that evening, Lapointe's will generously donate 25% of your bill to Bruce House and Snowy Owl AIDS Foundation, supporting those in need in our community. If you would like to be included in my reservation, contact my office at 613-580-2474. Otherwise, please contact Lapointe's directly for your reservation, at 613-599-1424. My staff and I look forward to seeing you on April 27th! Transit Commission Report on Route Optimization AvailableThe Staff Report to the Transit Commission (which will be meeting on Wednesday, April 20th) is now available online. You can view the maps (PDF) by clicking here or view the report by clicking here. This information is also available through the OC Transpo website octranspo.com. Brookside Manor Watermain Maintenance On Wednesday night, April 13th and Thursday night, April 14th, Drinking Water staff will be conducting night maintenance activities on watermains in the Brookside Manor area of Kanata. Between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on Thursday morning, and 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on Friday morning, flow will be monitored and pressure reduced as part of a strategy to determine the amount of leakage in the area. Staff will be on-site for the duration of the testing and the system will be returned to normal operating conditions by 5:00 a.m. Businesses, schools and apartment property managers in the affected area have been contacted separately to notify them of the maintenance activities. View a PDF map of the impacted area by clicking here. Next Meeting of Kanata North Ward Council: Monday, April 18 at 7:00 p.m. The next meeting of the Kanata North Ward Council will be on Monday, April 18 at 7:00 p.m. at the Kanata Seniors' Centre Program Room (2500 Campeau Drive). In addition to some of the usual items covered such as our member/community forum and Community Policing report, we will also have plans for Broughton Park presented by staff as well as a presentation on the Brigil Development in Heritage Hills. I will also discuss the Bus Route Optimization process, provide an update on Dogs in Parks for those who were unable to attend the joint-KBCA-KLCA meeting on that subject, staff recommendations on Garbage Collection, an update on the Kanata West Environmental Assessment, and the April 6th NCC Board of Directors and AGM Meetings, at which a number of key City issues were discussed including the Interprovincial Crossing, Greenbelt Concept Options, and Ottawa Light Rail Downtown Tunnel alignment. Proposed Bus Adjustments in Kanata North On April 7, 2011 I met with Transit Services staff to review the feedback I have been receiving through your e-mails, telephone calls, and participation in several Public Meetings, including the April 4, 2011 workshop on transit routes, which was very productive. Below, you will find the summary of proposed adjustments that I submitted and discussed with staff. As a reminder, the proposed changes to the Transit System will be discussed at the Transit Commission meeting on Wednesday, April 20 2011. Proposed Savings
Proposed Changes
Other Comments
Ottawa-Gatineau Tops List of Best Places to Live Ottawa-Gatineau has been rated Canada’s best city to live in by MoneySense magazine’s Best Places to Live survey for the second consecutive year. The survey is based on data compiled from 179 Canadian cities and towns with populations over 10,000, and based on climate, prosperity, access to healthcare, home affordability, crime rates and lifestyle with subcategories in each area. The complete report is available at www.moneysense.ca. Awesome Authors Youth Writing Contest Winners The winners of this year’s Awesome Authors youth writing contest, which ran from October 2010 to January 2011, were announced recently with prizes handed out to Ottawa-area youth between the ages of 9 and 17 who submitted poems and/or short stories in French and/or English. Congratulations to a number of Kanata North winners: - Short Story (Age 9-11) Honourable Mention to Michael Zhang of Jack Donohue Public School for The Quest - Short Story (Age 12-14) Third Place to Christelle Tan of Earl of March Secondary School for A Ship’s Tale - Short Story (Age 12-14) Honourable Mention to Yukine Sudo of Stephen Leacock Public School for Sky Drive For the full list of winners visit www.BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca. Ottawa Police Service 2010 Year in ReviewThe Ottawa Police Service released the Annual Report ‘2010: A Year in Review’ at the Police Services Board meeting of 28 March 2011. The Annual Report is available electronically in an interactive format while still being available in a downloadable print format. Visit ottawapolice.ca to view the report; if you have any questions or inquiries, please contact the Planning, Performance and Analytics section at 613-236-1222 x5456 or corporateplanning@ottawapolice.ca. Weekly Green Bin and Leaf and Yard Waste Collection Has Begun As of Monday, April 4, your green bins and leaf and yard waste will be collected every week. Organic food scraps, soiled paper products and other allowable waste from residential homes can now be placed at the curb for weekly collection. Weekly collection will continue during the spring, summer and fall. In December, green bins will return to collection every other week. For more information about what goes in your green bin and collection dates, check your collection calendar or visit ottawa.ca/recycle and ottawa.ca/greenbin. Community Environmental Projects Grants Program (CEPGP) If you have a great idea for an environmental project, or a proposal to improve the local environment and benefit the community, the City’s Environmental Projects Grants Program is your opportunity to put your plan into action. This Community Environment Fund is available for community-based initiatives and non-profit organizations interested in improving and preserving our Ottawa environment. The application deadline is Friday, April 29, 2011 before 4:00 p.m. An online form and details on funding eligibility criteria are available at ottawa.ca/cepgp, or you can call 3-1-1 for more information. Spring Sweeping The annual springtime sweeping of streets and sidewalks has started. Operations will include both daytime and night time work, to remove dust, debris and sand that have accumulated during the winter. Full details on the City’s street sweeping operations are available on ottawa.ca or by calling 3-1-1. Upgrades to Water Meter Reading Devices The first phase of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure project was launched recently in Blackburn Hamlet. This project will see all water meter reading devices located outside residents’ homes upgraded, ensuring that all water bills will be based on actual consumption. Currently, the equipment requires manual water meter readings whereas the Advanced Metering Infrastructure system reads water meters through radio frequency transmissions. The initial installation phase of the new units will begin in Blackburn Hamlet for approximately 1,500 customers in mid-May and will be rolled out city-wide over the next two years. For the majority of residents, you do not need to be home during the upgrade. The installation of the new transmitter is a simple 20-minute process that can be completed outside the home. There are some homes where the installer will have to gain entry to install the upgrade because of the location of the older unit, or the way it has been wired. In these cases, you will receive a notification from the City with details about scheduling an appointment. For more information, visit ottawa.ca. Carling Avenue Improvements Carling Avenue from the Queensway to Merivale Road will be undergoing significant improvements starting today, April 11. Although this section of Carling Avenue is not in Kanata North, Carling is nevertheless a road many Kanata residents frequent, particularly during the morning and evening commute. At a cost of $43 million and timeline of 18 months, this is one of the City’s largest infrastructure projects. Improvements will include the replacement of sidewalks to make it safer for pedestrians and the rehabilitation of watermains and sewer lines. Improvements will also include the reconstruction of Carling Avenue and streetscaping from the Carling Eastbound off-ramp from the Queensway to Merivale Road, as well as Merivale Road from Carling Ave to the Queensway. Two lanes of traffic in each direction on Carling Avenue will be maintained during peak hours but may be temporarily reduced to one lane in each direction during some non-peak times during the construction period. Transit services and pedestrian access through or around the construction site will be maintained. Merivale Road, north of Carling Ave, will be closed until the end of August. To assist shoppers and visitors to the area, access to pedestrians and traffic will be maintained to all businesses and shopping malls along Carling Ave throughout the construction period. Signage will be clearly visible, indicating that businesses remain open. Signage along these roads and Highway 417, as well as Public Service Announcements, will be used to inform motorists about the construction, temporary road closures and alternate routes to discourage cut-through traffic using neighbourhood streets. You can request more information about the project by e-mailing Carling.Rehab@ottawa.ca. Bus Changes Workshop - April 4 @ 7:30 p.m., St. John's Church I URGENTLY NEED YOUR HELP on April 4th to work on changes to improve the routes that have been recommended for deletion or modification in the Network Optimization Plan released by OC Transpo staff. This workshop is scheduled for the community members to review and work out details to improvements to the recommended routes, which I will then submit to OC Transpo. I am confident that we can develop changes that will retain the cost savings projected for our area while reducing the distance to both express and local bus service. Please contact my office at 613-580-2474 or email KanataNorth@ottawa.ca if you are able to attend and/or to submit ideas in advance. For more information on the proposed changes, read my most recent columns (March 24 (.doc) and March 31 (.doc)) and visit the OC Transpo Website on the Route Optimization Changes. Joint KBCA/KLCA Meeting on Dogs in Parks and Bus Route Changes Bus Route changes and new designations for Dogs in Parks in Kanata North will be discussed at a joint meeting of the Kanata Beaverbrook Community Association and kanata Lakes Community Association on Wednesday, April 6th at the Beaverbrook Community Centre (2 Beaverbrook Rd) starting at 7:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to come out to this meeting to hear about the changes to the bus routes and fill out your form with your recommendations to OC Transpo. Bylaw staff will be present to review the revised designations on Dogs in Parks which have been under discussion for the past year. Following this meeting staff will be making the final approval on whether a park will have dogs on leash or permit them to be off leash. Download the present list (as a PDF document) by clicking here. Public Meeting on changes to Garbage Pickup The City is holding a public open house in Kanata at the Kanata Recreation Centre, 100 Walter Baker Place, on Wed. April 6th from 4:30 to 8:30 pm to discuss the recommendation to move to garbage collection to every 2 weeks instead of weekly with green bin pickup weekly and blue and black box pickup unchanged. For more information on the proposed changes, visit ottawa.ca. Spring Cleaning the Capital It is time once again for the annual Spring Cleaning the Capital Campaign! Each year, schools, neighbourhood organizations and community associations, businesses, friends, families and individuals take up the Cleaning the Capital Challenge. In 2010 we had a record 91,300 participants across the City, and with your help the 2011 campaign can be even bigger and better. The campaign runs from April 15th to May 15th and early bird registration is now open. Register before April 14th for your chance tow in early-bird prizes, and submit your Cleanup Report by May 31st to be eligible for a prize. Full details on Cleaning the Capital are available at ottawa.ca/clean or by calling 3-1-1. Help Support Japan On behalf of Council and the City, Mayor Watson expressed concern and sympathy for the people of Japan and their many relatives and friends abroad, including those in our communities, in the aftermath of the recent devastating earthquake and tsunami. You can support Red Cross relief efforts by making a financial donation to the Canadian Red Cross Japan Earthquake / Asia-Pacific Tsunami fund online at redcross.ca/helpnow, at your local branch office, or by calling toll free 1-800-418-1111. The Embassy of Japan in Canada is also accepting donations to its dedicated account for the Tohoku Pacific Earthquake. Donations through the Embassy must be by cheque only, as follows – please specify to which entity you would like to send your donation: the Government of Japan or the Japanese Red Cross Society. In case no entity is specified, donations will go to the Government of Japan. Payable To: Embassy of Japan in Canada Note: Japan Earthquake Relief Fund (Government of Japan) or Japan Earthquake Relief Fund (Japanese Red Cross Society) Mail to: 255 Sussex Drive, Ottawa ON K1N 9E6 (Attn: Japan Earthquake Relief Fund) Public Members Appointed to Transit Commission The City of Ottawa’s Interim Transit Commission, on which I sit, has appointed four residents bringing a broad range of experience and knowledge to transit issues facing our city. Welcome to our members, Blair Crew, Justin Ferrabee, Emily Rahn, and Cyrus Reporter. The two-year appointment of public members follows a successful recruitment process that took place in January and February 2011, which yielded nearly 170 applications from interested residents. The Council-appointed selection panel comprised of Councillors Tierney, Egli, Commission Chair Deans, and Mayor Watson. The four public members will take their seat on 20 April, 2011. Again, welcome. Doors Open Ottawa In three months, the doors of Ottawa’s most interesting buildings will be unlocked, giving you the opportunity to look behind the doros and into spaces not normally open for public exploration. Doors Open Ottawa takes place on June 4th and 5th this year, and since 2002 has seen nearly 500,000 visitors. Locations span the entire geographic region of Ottawa, and if you know of a building that could be part of this event, consider encouraging the building owners to check out ottawa.ca/doorsopen for more information. Applications are being accepted until March 31st, 2011. Public Consultation on Land Use in Rural Areas Throughout 2011 the City will be consulting residents on five different land use projects in the rural area as part of a review of the rural policies in the Official Plan: - Future village development – including land use, servicing and infrastructure, environmental protection, greenspace and community design - Clustering of country estate lots – what kind of development is appropriate and how much? - Land Evaluation and Area Review (LEAR) – a process to review and confirm prime agricultural land designations - Mineral resource study – a review of the best management practise of the aggregate industry - Drive-through facilities in village core areas –new policies for the Central Area and Village designations Attend an upcoming meeting to learn more about the projects and ask questions of City staff. All meetings include a presentation by staff, small group discussions and a Q&A period. More information and the meeting schedule are available online at Ottawa.ca/ruralreview. 2011 Budget City Council adopted the 2011 Budget with a tax increase of 2.45%. The Ottawa Public Library Board and the Ottawa Police Services Board have also adopted budgets in line with 2.5%. Some of the budget highlights include: - Freezing recreation fees for activities for the first time since amalgamation; - 22 front line paramedics with two new, fully equipped ambulances and two new technicians; - 45 new firefighters to staff two new fire stations; - $10 million investment in Housing and Poverty Reduction initiatives that is in addition to a $4 million capital investment for housing initiatives; - $161 million towards projects and programmes to improve and streamline the bus system; - Provisions to expand the free transit period for seniors from Wednesdays only to include Mondays and Fridays after 12:00 p.m., beginning in April - 74 new bus drivers to improve service and reduce overtime; - $500,000 funding envelope for priority environmental initiatives; - $2.8 million per year for new cycling initiatives across the city; - $2 million allocated for economic development initiatives; and more. Full details on the 2011 Budget are available online at ottawa.ca/budget2011 Infrastructure for New Subdivisions Residents in new neighbourhoods will see important elements of their subdivisions completed sooner than in the past, as Council has established timelines for the installation of infrastructure such as streetlighting, sidewalks, parks and the paved roads in developing communities. The change comes through an amendment to the Schedule of Works in the Standard Subdivision Agreement. In the Auditor General’s 2007 review of the Development Review Process, the issue of ensuring new homeowners move into “complete communities” as soon as possible after homes are first occupied was raised. Pedestrian Footbridge between VIA Train Station and Coventry Road A new multi-use pathway and footbridge structure over the Queensway between the VIA Train Station and Coventry Road has had its environmental study report approved at Council. The footbridge will provide safer and improved access for pedestrians and cyclists entering the Transitway at the train station on the south side of the Queensway from the community to the north. The bridge will encourage transit-oriented development along Coventry Road and provide a valuable link for pedestrians and cyclists with transit and business on both sides of the Queensway. Approval of the budget authority for this project has been deferred until the Ottawa Stadium redevelopment report is before Council for consideration. April 2011 Regular Transit Service Changes Starting in April, 2011 a number of transit service changes will be made. OC Transpo schedules regular change four times a year, in April, June, September, and December. This spring, the new schedule period begins on Sunday, April 17th – routes that operate on Sunday will change that day, and routes that operate only Monday to Friday will change on April 18th. Among these transit service changes are new direct trips in the afternoon peak period from Gatineau to Kanata on Route 96. This will remove the need for some individuals to need to transfer at LeBreton Station, and will provide more open capacity for customers transferring from the O-Train at Bayview Station or boarding at Tunney’s Pasture Station,a n will reduce operational congestion on Albert Street. Another change you will notice is the stopping procedure on inbound express routes to downtown in the morning peak period, in order to reduce travel times and accommodate ridership levels more productively. Express buses will no longer make request stops to pick up customers on the main part of the Transitway. The last stop to pick up customers on Kanata and Stittsville routes will be at Pinecrest Station. You may still request to be dropped off at any station along the Transitway. Transit Services was allocated $10.17 million in productivity improvement targets as part of the 2010 budget. One of the ways that these improvements are being achieved is to use new articulated buses on express routes to carry the same number of riders at a lower cost than is possible with 40-foot buses. During the busiest hour of the morning and the afternoon peak periods, most trips on express routes will operate with articulated buses, and along with this, the schedules of most express routes will change. Ine very case, the new schedule will provide sufficient capacity for current ridership levels and for at least a 10% growth in ridership above current levels. All About Apps! Ottawa is one of the cities leading the open data movement in Canada, with 36 data sets currently available at ottawa.ca and more data sets to be added as they become available. The Apps4Ottawa contest winners were recently announced, with the best overall app awarded to Ekwa Jacob Duala-Ekoko for his Ottawa Guide app for Android, displaying real-time digital information about your current location on objects such as landmarks or attractions using your phone’s camera. For the full list of winners or more information, visit Ottawa.ca/open and apps4ottawa.ca. The Ottawa Public Library’s iPhone App was also recently introduced, offering all OPL catalogue features. Using the iPhone app, you can search for items and use geo-locator to find the closest location, manage your account, renew items, place holds and view what has been checked out, or check out recent arrivals to the Library and read what others are saying. An Android app and mobile website for use on any smartphone is still to come. Mayor Jim Watson and Ottawa Tourism President and CEO Noel Buckley have officially launched the Discover Ottawa app, the official bilingual Smartphone destination application for Ottawa. Use Discover Ottawa to discover what to do, where to go, what’s happening, where to shop, dine, and have fun in Ottawa. Currently Discover Ottawa is available for Apple products (iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad) but versions for Blackberry and Android are planned and will be available later this year. Visit www.discoverthecityofottawa.ca to download the app, or access it through Apple’s App Store. Civic Events Funding Program Local not-for-profit organizations, such as volunteer-based community or recreation associations, are invited to apply for funding to provide one to two-day civic events with free admission that foster civic pride and develop community cohesion. These events are linked to and celebrate a civic/statutory holiday in Ontario (i.e. New Year’s Day, Family Day, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Civic Holiday, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day), are held in a specific geographic district in Ottawa, and encompass a broad range of activities and family entertainment. The maximum allocation is $3,000 and the deadline to apply is March 23, 2011. Applications are available at all Client Service Centres or online at Ottawa.ca. For more information, contact 613-580-2424 ext. 26459 or e-mail rec-info@ottawa.ca. March is Nutrition Month! Ottawa Public Health is reminding residents that March is Nutrition Month across Canada by highlighting some tips and resources available to make eating right a little easier to do. Visit Ottawa.ca/health/nutrition, e-mail nutrition@ottawa.ca, or call 613-580-6744 x23403 to find out more about decoding the Nutrition Label, reducing sodium, finding healthy recipes, and more. You can also connect with Ottawa Public Health on Facebook and Twitter (@ottawahealth) for the latest news and more information. Rooftop Signs Feedback What do you think about rooftop signs in your neighbourhood? Businesses have requested consideration to install signs on the roof of buildings as another form of advertising, though this is not currently permitted under City By-law No. 2005-439. Visit Ottawa.ca to review the discussion paper, see photos of examples, and complete the questionnaire. You can also visit a Client Service Centre (580 Terry Fox Dr), or contact 3-1-1 to obtain an information package and questionnaire. This will be considered at the public meeting of the City’s Planning Committee this spring. For full details visit Ottawa.ca/rooftopsigns. Earth Hour The City is supporting Earth Hour once again, and is asking all of us to participate in the global campaign on Saturday, March 26th from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. All non-essential lighting at City buildings will be turned off for Earth Hour. The City of Ottawa has programs in place to reduce the usage of energy in all its buildings and facilities 365 days a year. You can sign up on the Earth Hour website or visit Ottawa.ca for more information. Schools Encouraged to Join Green Bin Program Almost 40 schools have joined the Green Bins at Schools Program. This program gives schools green bins and picks them up by its regular residential collection teams. All area school boards have been contacted and are encouraged to sign up for the program. Electronics Recycling Residents of Ottawa recycled more electronic waste during Ontario Electronic Stewardship’s mobile e-drive tour last fall than any other municipality in the province! The City worked closely with Ontario Electronic Stewardship to promote the disposal of things like desktop and laptop computers, electronic accessories, televisions and printers. In the fall of 2010, OES visited 14 cities on its mobile tour and at the Ottawa stop collected 45 tonnes of e-waste. For more information electronic waste recycling and other waste diversion programs, visit Ottawa.ca/recycle or www.recycleyourelectronics.ca. Segregated Cycling Lane Council has recently approved a pilot project for segregated bike lanes across the downtown core. The lanes will run east-west along Laurier Avenue, between Elgin St and Bronson Ave. Cyclists will travel adjacent to the sidewalk in each direction and be separated from motor vehicles by a physical barrier. The lanes are expected to be ready for cyclists by the end of the summer. Laurier was selected because it has the highest number of cyclists in the downtown area. The section of road is straight and flat with many key destinations for bicycle commuters. Staff will monitor the pilot project over the next two cycling seasons and report back to Council with their findings. Evaluation will include a traffic-impact assessment and a survey of businesses along Laurier, as well as cyclists who use the new lanes. The project has already been subjected to a peer review by Vélo Quebec. At the end of the pilot, Council will consider whether to remove the bike lanes or make the project permanent. Highway 417 Work You have likely received a notice in your mail in the past week from th Ontario Government regarding upcoming work to be done on the Eagleson Rd Interchange, Castlefrank Rd Interchange, and the Queensway between Eagleson Road and Highway 7. I have asked staff to arrange for a briefing on the work to be done at an upcoming Transportation Committee meeting, and I will keep you informed of when that briefing will take place. All Standing Committee meetings at the City are open to the public, so stay tuned for more information on this briefing. In the meantime, information on the Highway 417 project can be found at the website highway417expansion.com or by contacting the project team members below. Note that the project team is seeking comments from the public on the upcoming ramp closures before January 28, 2011. Please contact one of the following individuals with the Province of Ontario with your feedback:
Let's Talk Trash Public Consultations The City wants your input on possible changes to residential solid waste collection services. Do you like the status quo? Are there ways you think the City can service you better when it comes to garbage, recycling and green bin pickup? Make your opinions heard by dropping by one of the public consultation locations or completing the online questionnaire to provide feedback on the proposed service level changes. The input the City receives will help shape the recommendations that will be made on the future of garbage. You will have a second chance to provide your input in the spring, once these recommendations have been made. The Public Consultations in Kanata will be held on both January 18th and January 20th, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Kanata Recreation Centre (Upper Hall A, 100 Walter Baker Place). More information, and the questionnaire, can be found at ottawa.ca. Ward Council Resumes January 24th Regular Ward Council meetings will resume for Kanata North on January 24th, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. with the first meeting of the new year being held in the Kanata Seniors' Centre, 2500 Campeau Drive. 2011 Budget Dates The key dates for the 2011 Budget timetable and multi-ward Public Consultations have been finalized.
New Term of Council Our first official Council Meeting in December was a productive one, setting the governance ground rules for the remainder of the term. The first steps in creating a new Transit Commission were taken, and a package of measures including a monthly posting of City Council expenses, creating a Code of Conduct for Council members, and creating a registry for lobbyists at City Hall was also approved. The Committee Structure has been revised as well, and with these revisions come changes to my membership on some committees. The Council Standing Committees will be:
The Finance and Economic Development Committee will have four subcommittees, including:
Committees marked with an asterisk ( * ) are ones on which I will serve. I am also a member of the Transit Commission and will continue to serve on the Ottawa Public Library Board. Winterlude Sno-Bus OC Transpo’s Sno-Bus will be running once again this year, offering the best way to travel during Winterlude. The Sno-Bus will operate on all three weekends, February 5/6, 12/13, and 19/20 and travel between Confederation Square downtown to all sites along the Rideau Canal and Dow’s Lake. For service to Jacques-Cartier Park, you can transfer downtown to the STO Sno-Bus in front of the National Arts Centre. 2011 Awesome Authors Contest If you are a writer between the age of 9 and 17, I would encourage you to enter the Ottawa Public Library’s Awesome Authors Youth Writing Contest by Monday, January 31st, 2011. Full details are available on the Ottawa Public Library website, www.BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca. Ottawa 55+ Short Story Contest The 14th Annual 55+ Short Story Contest is underway, and if you are an Ottawa resident aged 55 or older you are invited to enter this contest. Eight entrants will be named to the 2011 Winners Circle, sharing recognition and prize money of $400. An entry fee of $6.25 per story is applicable, and the deadline for submissions is Tuesday, March 15, 2011. For full details, pick up a brochure at any City of Ottawa Client Service Centre or call the Heron Seniors’ Centre at 613-247-4808 ext. 2. Terry Fox Drive Extension Update Terry Fox Drive north bound, from Campeau Drive to Richardson Side Road, is now open to traffic. Also, Kanata Avenue from Stikine to Terry Fox Drive has been re-opened, providing a connecting loop. The direct connection between Kanata Avenue and Richardson Side Road will not re-open for safety reasons. These road openings should ease some of the traffic congestion in the area, and provide better access once again to businesses along the Richardson Side Road. The remainder of Terry Fox Drive is scheduled to open in June, 2011. For more information on the Terry Fox Drive project, visit ottawa.ca. March Road Widening Update All of March Road’s newly constructed lanes opened between Morgan’s Grant Way and Maxwell Bridge on Monday, December 6th. North of Maxwell Bridge, a temporary interim configuration has been provided that transitions the new multi-lanes to the existing two-lane road section. No additional work will be taking place for the rest of the year on March Road, but will resume in spring of 2011, requiring some lane reductions at that time again. In the Spring, the ultimate widening north of Maxwell Bridge, sidewalks along the west side of March Road, retaining walls where required, final grading, topsoil, seeding, sodding and final surface course asphalt placement will take place. For more information on the March Road project visit ottawa.ca Snow Go & Snow Go Assist Programs The City of Ottawa is partnering with the Senior Citizens Council and a number of community support agencies to provide the Snow Go and Snow Go Assist programs to assist seniors and persons with disabilities with snow removal needs. For details on the Snow Go Program and Snow Go Assist Program, including eligibility requirements and how to apply, contact one of the participating community support agencies listed online at ottawa.ca/snowgo or call the City at 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401). Winter Overnight Parking Regulations Now in Effect As a reminder, the City’s winter overnight parking regulations are now in effect until April 1, to ensure that the City’s snow-clearing crews are able to keep Ottawa’s roads safe and clear for motorists, public transit, pedestrians and cyclists. For details on the regulations, and to sign up for free e-mail or Twitter notifications of when an overnight parking restriction is in effect, visit ottawa.ca/winterparking. You can also find out if an overnight parking restriction is in effect by calling 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or by tuning to local media announcements. You should also keep in mind that snow may be removed from streets even when no snow is forecast. When daytime or night-time snow removal operations are planned, temporary “No Parking” snow removal signs will be posted before the snow removal begins. Bi-Weekly Green Bin Pick-Up During the winter months, Green Bin collection will take place every two weeks. Visit the ottawa.ca Collection Calendar website or the ottawa.ca Waste Explorer website for directions on how to properly dispose of any household items. Weekly Green Bin collection will resume in April, 2011. PUBLIC NOTICE - POSSIBLE FRAUD IN KANATA We have received a report that people are going door to door, soliciting to raise money to buy 2 electric wheelchairs for the Kanata Seniors Centre or a Kanata Retirement Residence. The Kanata Senior Centre has advised that this is not valid and it has been reported to the police. We encourage you to call the police to report any such solicitation you may receive at 613 236-1222. 2010 Election Results Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2010 Municipal Election, whether it was by voting, running for office, or supporting a candidate. Thank you for your participation, and thank you for re-electing me to continue to serve you over the next four years. I look forward to continuing to work on the important projects and issues affecting Kanata North and the City of Ottawa. The new term of Council will begin on December 1, 2010, though as always regular City business continues and I will be hosting two public meetings this month - on November 8th regarding Transit and, with a special date and location, on November 23rd for Ward Council. Public Meeting on Bus Service in Kanata North On Monday, November 8th beginning at 7:00 p.m. there will be a Public Meeting on bus service in Kanata North at the Mlacak Centre, Hall A (2500 Campeau Drive). Senior OC Transpo staff will be at the meeting to discuss the concerns residents are having over transit in Kanata North, particularly with repsect to Express Routes 60, 65, and 68, and at the Park & Rides. Please join staff and me at this meeting to help identify problems and discuss solutions. Remembrance Day The Kanata Branch (638) of the Royal Canadian Legion will be holding a Remembrance Day services from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., with a procession from Earl of March High School along The Parkway, Teron Road, and Colchester Square before a ceremony at the Kanata Cenotaph. There will be some changes to the City's schedule on November 11th, as City Hall and Client Service Centres will be closed. The 3-1-1 Contact Centre will remain open for urgent matters as always. Curbside garbage, recycling, green bin and leafe and yard waste collection will see no changes to the schedule. OC Transpo will operate on a regular weekday schedule, with free service for veterans wearing their uniform or medals; veterans and their companions may ride OC Transpo and STO free throughout National Veterans' Week, November 5 to 11, whiel wearing their medals and/or uniforms. Seasonal Influenza Seasonal Influenza, or the flu, is easily spread from person-to-person foten by a cough or a sneeze. On average, people who get teh flu are bed-ridden from seven to 10 days. Everyone is at risk, and you can protect yourself and your loved ones from getting sick by getting the flu vaccine. The flu vaccine is safe, free, and recommended for all residents over six months of age. For a complete listing of where and when you can get your flu vaccine, visit ottawa.ca/flu or contact the Ottawa Public Health Information Line at 613-580-6744 for more information. On Saturday, November 13th there will be an Ottawa Public Health Flu Vaccine Clinic at All Saints High School (5115 Kanata Ave) from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Apps 4 Ottawa The Apps4Ottawa public contest has been launched to develop applications from open City data, with cash prizes totalling $50,000 to be won. Ontario residents are invited to create, or submit an idea for, an app to help get more information to people where and when they're looking for it. You can also vote on idea submissions now. Vote tallies on the pap ideas will help developers determine which apps are most popular and in demand. Idea submissions will be entered into a draw for a cash prize. The judging of apps entries will take palce from January 4 to January 28, 2011 with prizes to be awarded in the following five categories: 1. Having Fun in Ottawa 2. Getting Around 3. Green Environment/Sustainability 4. Community Building 5. Economic Development For more information visit ottawa.ca/open or apps4ottawa.ca. Transit between Ottawa and Gatineau Transit travellers going between Ottawa and Gatineau can now find their way with just a couple of clicks on your computer or mobile device. OC Transpo and Gatineau's public transit authority, STO, have merged their transit planning databases. You can access the OC Transpo route planner, with this added feature, at octranspo.com. 2009 Annual Report The City of Ottawa's 2009 Annual Report, Strengthening the Foundation. Building the Future. was released, providing highlights of key initiatives and accomplishments that the City undertook during 2009. It is posted online at ottawa.ca in an accessible PDF format. Printed copies and CDs are also available at Client Service Centres and Ottawa Public Library branches across the city. For more news, view the archiveLast Updated: 2012-01-24 |
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