Councillor’s Message
What a week! It's not every day you get to experience a once in a lifetime astrological event! I hope you all had a chance to take in the solar eclipse on Monday, using Ottawa Public Health resources for enjoying safely. Since our last newsletter, a lot has taken place including progress for our community in key files like economic development, rural affairs, and our relationship with the provincial government. So settle in for a lengthy read!
One significant development worth celebrating is the province’s recent announcement to provide $543 million to Ottawa over 10 years in a special deal, recognizing the unique circumstances of our capital city. This funding will go toward many important initiatives including investments in our downtown, public safety, housing, rural roads and city infrastructure. Of particular interest to the east end, the province is beginning the process of uploading of Highway 174, a milestone for Ottawa. The 174 was downloaded to the municipality in the 90s and costs the City millions in maintenance costs annually.
At Council last week, I had the opportunity to commend Mayor Sutcliffe for negotiating this deal and to express my satisfaction with recent movement on key files, including the Renaud Road Realignment. However, I also pressed city staff on the importance of securing infrastructure investment for projects like the Cumberland BRT and widening of Brian Coburn for Orléans South-Navan. While the 174 uploading is a crucial cost-saving measure, we need capacity building to ensure our infrastructure can support the amount of housing planned.
I’d like to thank all those who attended the first rural summit ward workshop held at Navan Arena on Wednesday night. It was wonderful to be joined by Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and my rural colleagues for a great discussion about your concerns and ideas. This is the first of a series of rural ward sessions that will culminate in the City-wide rural summit in the fall. If you missed Wednesday’s session, Ward 19 rural residents have another opportunity to attend the workshop in Sarsfield on April 19 at the Sarsfield Community Hall at 7 pm. While all sessions are bilingual, this one will predominantly held in French. There will also be a session in Cumberland on May 27 at 7 pm at R.J. Kennedy Community Centre and Arena.
I also want to commend Luc Picknell and the Navan Community Association for securing $60,000 from the Rural Community Building Grant for Phase 1 of their outdoor pavilion project. I was grateful to receive unanimous support from my Agriculture and Rural Affairs colleagues for this investment in our community. This pavilion will be part of year-round activities and be used by several community groups, including: the Cumberland Township Agricultural Society, the Navan Market, Navan Fair and of course, for the outdoor rink!
Speaking of Navan, I’d like to encourage everyone to support our Navan Grads who are leading in the second round of the Bogart Cup Championship! Last Friday night, Rockland Councillor Kyle Cyr and I came together to support our local teams, the Navan Grads and Rockland Nationals Jr. 'A'. To add some friendly rivalry, we made a bet — the loser must wear the other team’s jersey to a future council meeting. Let's see who comes out on top 😉 Go Grads!
Eid Mubarak to all those who observed the holy month of Ramadan!
Full closure on eastbound Highway 174 between Champlain Street and Trim Road
Eastbound Highway 174 will be closed from Champlain to Trim starting tonight (Friday, April 12) at 7 pm until 6 am on Monday, April 15 while crews perform ditch excavations, slope finishing and line painting.
You’re asked to take the planned detour route along St. Joseph Boulevard. Please plan your trips accordingly and thanks in advance for your endless patience as this project continues to advance.
Major resurfacing on Innes Road
As part of the city’s annual road resurfacing and rehabilitation program, parts of Innes Road will see significant resurfacing work starting later this month, with wrap up scheduled for the fall.
This project involves sidewalk replacement, concrete repairs, milling, iron adjustments, and paving of surface asphalt.
The work will occur on:
Innes Road from Jeanne-d’Arc Boulevard to Tenth Line Road
Innes Road from Portobello Drive to 250 metres west of Frank Kenny Road
Innes will remain open at all times; however multiple lane closures will take place. The work will happen during normal work hours, however, milling and paving will take place both during the day and at night between 6 pm and 7 am.
Expect increased noise and vibrations during construction. Thank you for your patience and cooperation!
Since first sharing this update on social media, I've been made aware of safety concerns for cyclists in the stretch of Innes Road east of Frank Kenny to Cox Country. I have flagged to the infrastructure team and they are reviewing what can be done in both the short and long term.
We will continue to share updates as timelines for resurfacing projects get confirmed – like the eagerly awaited resurfacing of the final section of Frank Kenny!
Glenview’s The Commons Phase 2 construction update
In case you missed it, my office held an information session regarding construction activities for Glenview’s The Commons Phase 2 development off Lamarche Avenue. A recording of the meeting can be found here: https://ow.ly/zQ1I50Rav7Z.
During most of the construction of Ludis Way and Ventus Way, Glenview will be able to detour construction traffic without using Lamarche. However, when they go to construct the connection at Ludis and Ventus (circled in red), they will be unable to detour traffic north because there is a ditch along Richcraft’s property (in yellow), and occupied homes on Jargeau (in blue). This work is anticipated to take two weeks at most.
Additional questions about this development or its construction activities can be directed to Melissa Pettem at mpettem@glenview.ca.
Hosting Orléans South-Navan’s first business townhall!
It was great to welcome city staff, Invest Ottawa, the Ottawa Board of Trade, and over 20 local Orléans South—Navan businesses to my first ever ward-specific business townhall at the Barley Mow Orléans this morning.
During the townhall, attendees had the opportunity to participate in a forum and Q&A session with key city staff members from Economic Development, Planning, Ottawa Police Services, OC Transpo, Bylaw Services, and Transportation Planning. It was a valuable exchange of ideas and insights, and I'm grateful to City staff who took the time to join us.
I remain committed to driving economic development, and attracting businesses in Orléans South—Navan. Collaboration will be key as we continue working with local entrepreneurs, city departments, and organizations like Invest Ottawa. Your support and engagement are crucial as we work together to build a stronger and more vibrant business community in Ward 19.
Wall Road Expansion Lands open house
We had a good turnout this week at the City staff-led open house to discuss the Neighbourhood Plan for Wall Road Expansion Lands. I want to thank everyone from the community who came out to ask questions and provide feedback.
In 2020, before I was elected, City council made the decision to expand our urban boundary in line with provincial requirements to accommodate for the rapid growth of our city. 60% of the growth was also directed to intensifying the already built up area. This session was a very preliminary step in the planning process and future sessions will be considering the planning of this neighbourhood as it integrates with the existing residences. I encourage residents to stay engaged in the process that will take several years.
For those that have concerns about our infrastructure supporting this growth - I share them and speak about this constantly at committee, at council and with various stakeholders. I have been speaking to the mayor and City manager about the urgent need to address this if we are to proceed with the housing planned for our community. Stay tuned to this newsletter to stay informed on progress being made on that front and all future updates about planning applications and construction projects.
If you missed the session, or want to learn more, visit the Engage Ottawa project page: https://engage.ottawa.ca/neighbourhood-plan-for-wall-road
Millennium Park play structure closure
Crews from the city’s park maintenance team will be mobilizing in the coming weeks to perform maintenance and replace some components on the large castle play structure at Millennium Park.
This will require a brief closure of the structure and heavy equipment on site. For safety reasons, there will be construction fencing to contain the maintenance area. The remainder of the play features outside of the work area will still remain open to the public to enjoy.
The closure is anticipated to last for approximately 2-3 weeks once works starts. We do not have a start date at this time, but I wanted to provide this update in case work gets underway before our next e-newsletter is sent. Staff are prioritizing the work on this beloved feature in our community ahead of the busy summer season.
Décoeur Drive Linear Park community consultation
Have your say on the future Décoeur Drive Linear Park!
The City is seeking your input regarding the design of a forthcoming neighbourhood park. This new park will be situated at 2370 Tenth Line. It is a linear park with frontage on both Décoeur Drive and Brian Colburn Boulevard.
Although this is a developer-built park, it’s important to ensure accessibility features whenever we create a new public space. I've urged staff to make it a priority in our discussions. It's imperative that we create inclusive spaces that cater to the diverse needs of all community members.
The conceptual plan includes:
Open space with pathways, and plantings.
Entrance pathway with seating and a set of entrance steps
Picnic Table, bench, waste receptacle, park sign
Option 1:
Petanque court
Natural play structure with climbing web
Option 2:
Natural Play Structure with beams, climbing wall, log crawl, and stump
To provide comments, please visit: https://ow.ly/4vn250R7FPM
Geese management at Goose Lake stormwater pond
If you live in Bradley Estates, you may recall that last spring, there was a significant geese situation at the stormwater pond near Felicity Crescent and Keith Crescent due to the animal nesting at the pond rather than migrating north.
This year, staff are being proactive and implementing a new approach. They’ve installed black geotextile along the fence line of the pond to deter geese from staying in the area, with particular attention to what is believed to be a preferred nesting area. They’re hopeful that this measure will effectively address the issues encountered last year.
Staff are closely monitoring the site throughout the nesting season to gauge the effectiveness of this strategy, which is an experiment at this point, and have been in communication with my office.
2024 Hazardous Waste Drop Off Events released
Mark your calendars! The 2024 Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Event schedule has been released with one date in Orléans.
These events help to protect the environment and decrease the risk of toxic materials ending up in our collection vehicles or landfills.
Sunday, August 10, 2024 - Innes Snow Dump (2170 Mer Bleue Road)
For the most up-to-date schedule, and to see the list of acceptable items, please visit https://bit.ly/3nrqnDt.
Canadian Military Wives Choir sing the National Anthem at City Council
I had the pleasure last Wednesday to welcome the Canadian Military Wives Choirs Ottawa to perform the national anthem before a City Council meeting.
It has been a longstanding tradition of Ottawa City Council for Members to take turns arranging for the performance of the National Anthem at regular meetings of Council. Thank you for joining us!
Béatrice-Desloges senior girls volleyball team wins big
A huge congratulations to the senior girls volleyball team from École secondaire catholique Béatrice-Desloges!
They first won the city championship beating out other divisions and teams across the city, and did the same thing at the provincial level, capturing gold a couple of weeks ago! Well done ladies! You’ve made Orléans South-Navan proud!
Navan’s Rolly Hupe still looking for a donor
Rolly Hupé, our Navan neighbour, has nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and is on the transplant list for a liver. After a long career with the City of Ottawa helping others, Rolly needs help.
He needs a living liver donor aged 16 to 60 with blood type O+, O-, A+ or A- to donate at Toronto General Hospital. In Rolly’s case, a height of 5’ 10” or more will be helpful.
Living donors do not need to be relatives. A healthy person can donate a piece of their liver and save Rolly’s life. The liver is incredible and will grow back in 2-3 months! This surgery is more common than you might think—more than 1,000 living liver donor surgeries have been performed in Ontario alone.
To learn more and apply, visit the Liver Donor 4 Rolly Facebook page www.facebook.com/LiverDonor4RollyHupe, contact 416-340-5400 or livingorgandonation@uhn.ca
City Parks Maintenance Spring Update
The City can’t prep for spring and summer without cleaning up from winter activities. In March, City staff started removing the boards, gates, and safety netting from our outdoor rinks across the city. Safety precautions such as bales have also been removed from our sledding hills and staff are cleaning litter throughout our parks and along roadsides.
Ball fields
To get our 328 ball parks ready for the coming season in early May, staff are busy with inspections, necessary fencing repairs and reinstallation of any bleachers that were removed for the winter. We are also turning our irrigation systems back on and checking for leaks.
While staff groom the infields, they are also doing turf repairs, fertilizing, overseeding, topdressing and aerating the fields. (Overseeding and topdressing are our most effective methods of preventing weeds, and aerating the fields reduces compacted soils and promotes healthy turf grass for safe and fun season.) Grass cutting is also underway.
Tennis and pickleball courts
We hope to have 115 tennis and pickleball courts ready for use soon, but we caution that heavy precipitation can hamper our operations. If nets are installed too early with wet/soft ground conditions, tightening the nets will cause the posts to lean, requiring a costly re-instatement/replacement, delaying the season further. With heavy rain in the forecast for today and tomorrow, staff will be reviewing conditions and are still aiming to have nets installed for April 19.
Enclosed courts will remain locked until nets are installed to prevent improper use.
BMX and skate parks
Staff are also working to get our 15 BMX and skate parks open as soon as possible, and that means inspecting for any deficiencies and required repairs, sweeping the surfaces, and removing any debris that may have accumulated over the winter.
What’s next
Expect more about grass cutting beyond baseball diamonds and sports fields!
New grants available through the Ottawa Rural Clean Water Program
The Ottawa Rural Clean Water Program (ORCWP) provides funding for projects that protect surface water and groundwater quality.
Landowners completing projects in 2023 may be eligible for grants of up to $15,000 depending on the project they are undertaking. The next application deadline is May 1, 2024.
Contact the LandOwner Resource Centre at 613-692-3571 ext. 1136, toll free at 1-800-267-3504. Visit ottawa.ca/cleanwater to see a full list of eligible projects and to apply online.
City-wide street sweeping has started
Street sweeping typically begins as early as the weather will allow and occurs during both daytime and nighttime shifts.
These operations are an essential part of cleaning up the transportation network. While our Maintenance Quality Standards (MQS) require us to complete street sweeping operations by May 31st, our crews have started a little earlier this year and will work diligently over the coming weeks to complete the spring cleanup as soon as operationally possible.
Staff aim to complete residential sweeping during the day and move to main streets overnight, however, this may not be possible at all times. When the temperature drops below zero overnight, operations must be paused as the water we use on the road can form into ice, creating dangerous conditions.
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