Orléans South-Navan Community Update | August 22nd, 2025

Catherine Kitts
Aug 22
10 min read

Councillor's Message

Did the summer absolutely fly by for anyone else!?

I hope all the students, teachers, staff and bus drivers heading back to school starting next week have an excellent transition into the new scholastic year. A reminder to all that with more little ones on the road, please be mindful of your speeds and obey all traffic regulations, especially in school zones!

In my role as your Councillor, I am your local municipal representative, but I also serve in various capacities, including chairing the Ottawa Board of Health. This week, I had the opportunity to participate in the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference, which was conveniently held right here in Ottawa. During the four-day conference, I engaged in meaningful discussions with provincial ministers and opposition members about the current state of public health in both our city and the province.

During my meeting with the Minister of Health, I emphasized the need for equitable and sustained public health funding for Ottawa Public Health. I also spoke to the Minister of Housing about an integrated health and housing pilot project proposal, that would reduce hallway healthcare, prevent homelessness, support housing stability, and build safer communities. The model is ready, partners are on board, and we have identified the buildings, tenants, and frontline staff to get started. After encouraging discussions, I'm hopeful that the funding will come through to make our proposal a reality.

Beyond AMO, the past few weeks have been jam packed with community events, which are a great opportunity to connect with you directly. From Bradley Estates' Family Fun Day to Chapel Hill South’s Summer Sizzler and Greater Avalon’s Summer Fun Fest, it was wonderful to chat with so many of you! I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the community associations and countless volunteers who made these events possible. Your efforts are greatly appreciated and don’t go unnoticed.

I also took the time last week, ahead of the busy fall season, to meet directly in the ward with our City Manager, Wendy Stephanson. We had a valuable discussion on how city services are being delivered locally. We spoke about where improvements can be made and reviewed follow-ups on key projects underway in our community. These regular conversations are an important way to make sure our local priorities remain front and center at City Hall.

I also want to express my immense gratitude to the dedicated volunteers of the Navan Fair Board, who just wrapped up the 78th Navan Fair! This event is a community favourite, and it runs so smoothly every year thanks to the tireless efforts of volunteers who plan year-round. It was a blast seeing so many of you over the course of the four days, and a special thank you to those who stopped by my booth. I’m already looking forward to the 79th edition!

And finally, Happy Pride! It was great to be at the official flag raising earlier this week. I hope everyone has a blast at the parade downtown this Sunday.

Full closure of Highway 174 Westbound between Trim Road and Champlain Street this weekend

As part of the Stage 2 O-Train LRT project, crews will be carrying out asphalt work on Highway 174. This will require full westbound closures on two separate days, along with detours. Please plan ahead to avoid delays.

Saturday, August 23 (5 am – 6 pm)

Highway 174 westbound closed between Trim Road and Tenth Line Road.
Closed ramps:
- Westbound on-ramp from southbound Trim Road
- Westbound off-ramp to Tenth Line Road

Traffic will exit at Trim Road, travel south to St. Joseph Boulevard, head west to Tenth Line Road, then re-enter Highway 174 westbound.

Sunday, August 24 (5 am – 6 pm)

Highway 174 westbound closed between Tenth Line Road and Champlain Street.
Closed ramps:
- Westbound on-ramps from both northbound and southbound Tenth Line Road
- Westbound on-ramp from northbound Champlain Street
- Westbound off-ramp to Champlain Street

On Sunday, motorists travelling westbound on Highway 174 will be required to exit at Tenth Line Road, head south to St. Joseph Boulevard, continue west on St. Joseph, and then re-enter the highway using the westbound Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard on-ramp.

For those travelling north and south of Highway 174 at Tenth Line Road, as well as south of Highway 174 at Place d’Orléans, the detour will also direct traffic along St. Joseph Boulevard west to Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard, where drivers can access the highway via the westbound Jeanne d’Arc on-ramp.

Ongoing closures due to critical infrastructure work across Orléans South-Navan

Here’s a round-up of construction impacts around Ward 19:

🚧Navan from Falsetto to Renaud

Until Friday, August 29, phase two of the Navan Road closure will be in effect. This stage requires a full shutdown of both the Pagé/Renaud intersection and the Falsetto/Navan access that was open during phase one.

During this time, vehicular access is fully restricted on Navan between Falsetto and Renaud, with detours in place via Brian Coburn and Mer Bleue. Local access will be maintained for all homes and businesses before Falsetto.

OC Transpo has confirmed bus detours, stop impacts, and possible delays. Their Mobile Operations team is actively monitoring service throughout the closure. Detour details are available on OC Transpo’s alerts page.

I recognize this closure is challenging and I want to assure residents that I am speaking daily with the construction management team to make sure things run as smoothly as possible. Thank you for your patience as this necessary infrastructure work moves forward.

🚧Innes & Lamarche

Construction continues on important infrastructure servicing in the Orléans Village area to support the Caivan and Lépine subdivisions, as well as the future traffic signal at Innes and Lamarche.

Hydro Ottawa and Caivan crews are servicing 245 and 275 Lamarche via portion of Innes and Lamarche. Lépine will follow right behind Caivan with servicing for their 240 and 270 Lamarche subdivision, and then infrastructure work for the signalization of Innes and Lamarche is scheduled to begin mid-August, with full signalization completion expected and targeted by mid-November 2025.

On Lamarche Avenue, residents can expect the west sidewalk to be closed and one lane of traffic to be reduced with flaggers in place to help manage traffic flow. On Innes Road, there will be no sidewalk or lane closures, as work will take place within the boulevard and won’t impact traffic.

Work may occur in tandem on both Lamarche and Innes, but no weekend work is planned for this specific phase of construction.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as both servicing takes place for new homes, and critical work for the much-needed signalization happens.

🚧Sarsfield Road Bridge Replacement

The bridge on Sarsfield Road, about 1.1 km east of Dunning Road, is now closed for a full replacement.

It’s served us well but has reached the end of its service life. The new bridge will be wider and continue to accommodate two lanes of traffic. Local access is being maintained for the four farms in the area, but through traffic is detoured. The work is expected to continue until mid-November 2025.

🚧Roundabout Work at Navan & Milton

Utility relocation work has begun at the Navan and Milton intersection in preparation for a new roundabout. Enbridge, Bell, Rogers and Hydro One are all on-site moving infrastructure to make way for the new layout. While the roads remain open during this phase, there are off-peak single-lane closures—so please drive carefully. Construction of the roundabout is expected to begin in August, and this project has been shaped by valuable input from local farmers, truck operators and residents through multiple public sessions.

I know it’s disruptive, so thank you for your continued patience as we push forward on these much-needed infrastructure upgrades and road rehabilitation projects.

Full closure of Contour Street for four days

To facilitate bringing a private development online at 873 Contour, Contour Street from Trailsedge Way to Butterfly Walk will be fully closed from Tuesday, September 2 to Friday, September 5, 2025.

Local access for impacted residents within the closure will be maintained.

For any comments, questions, or feedback, please email Ante Bulat, Adria Concrete & Paving Ltd., at ante@adriaconcrete.ca or call 613-822-6602.

Traffic and transit impacts to be expected this weekend for the Capital Pride Parade

Residents and road users can expect some traffic impacts in the downtown core this weekend for the Capital Pride parade.

There will be impacts on select streets from 3 pm on Friday, August 22 to midnight on Sunday, August 24 for the Capital Pride Street Festival and Parade. For a full breakdown including impacted to OC Transpo, please click here.

Managing your well in times of low water

As our summers become hotter and drier, residents who rely on private wells often face challenges with water supply. South Nation Conservation Authority and the Province issue Low Water Advisories when drought conditions are significant. A Level 2 Advisory has been issued across the South Nation watershed, which includes the rural areas I represent, but we have been told that if we don't get a few days of solid rainfall, we can anticipate a Level 3 Advisory soon.

This means that residents and businesses who rely on private wells may experience water shortage issues if their wells are susceptible to going dry, i.e. shallower wells or wells in susceptible aquifers. At level 3 you’re strongly encouraged to suspend unnecessary water use.

If your well runs dry, you are not required to report it. However, sharing this information helps agencies track drought conditions and their impacts. Reports can be submitted to the Ontario Wells Help Desk at wellshelpdesk@ontario.ca or to SNC at info@nation.on.ca.

Monitoring your well is also important. SNC maintains a groundwater monitoring network that tracks general trends, but this doesn’t provide property-specific information. Residents often rely on their own observations, particularly if they have dug or shallow bedrock wells, which are more susceptible to shortages. If you’re unsure of your well type or depth, you can look it up on the Ontario Well Records Map.

If your well does run dry, it is not recommended to refill it directly with trucked water, as this can increase the risk of contamination. Instead, licensed water haulers can deliver treated drinking water to a temporary storage tank for household use. In the short term, bottled water or refill stations can also help with drinking and cooking needs.

For more detailed guidance, residents can consult the Ontario Wells Help Desk or review provincial advice on managing your water well during low water.

By staying informed and practicing conservation, we can all help protect our water supply as climate patterns continue to shift.

It’s also important to note that if you have a private well and run out of water, it’s important to have your well water tested once water returns. It’s recommended to boil your water once it returns until a safe water test result has been received.

City recreation facilities are available to residents in a pinch should you need to fill jugs of water or take showers to meet your needs while waiting for professional private water services.

For more information, visit: Extreme dry conditions | City of Ottawa

Ottawa Carleton Plowmen’s Association annual plowing match

One of my favourite events of the year! I was thrilled to bring home the gold for Ward 19 at this year's Ottawa Carleton Plowmen’s Association plowing match! Mayor Mark Sutcliffe & I tied for 1st in our category.

This was the 49th edition, bringing together Ottawa's rural communities for a friendly competition. It was great to compete against my council colleagues David Brown, Isabelle Skalski, and Laura Dudas.

A big thanks to all the organizers who worked so hard to put on this great event, and to the Walsh family on Clayton Road who hosted us on their land.

Co-hosting a 5 à 7 Networking Event with Heart of Orléans BIA

I’m excited to share that I’ll be co-hosting a special 5 à 7 Networking Event with the Heart of Orléans BIA on Monday, September 8, 2025, from 5-7 pm at the Shenkman Arts Centre (245 Centrum Boulevard).

This is a great opportunity for local entrepreneurs and community members to come together for conversation, collaboration, and connection.

Whether you’re a long-time business owner or just starting out, this event is designed to spark meaningful connections and highlight the opportunities we have right here in Orléans. Light refreshments will be provided.

Guest speakers from OC Transpo will share insights on how bus schedules will be altered in our community once the Stage 2 East extension comes online.

This builds on the work I’ve been doing the last three years to ensure small businesses in Orléans South are front and centre in our conversations about growth. From hosting a town hall to advocating for stronger promotion of businesses south of Innes, I remain committed to making sure our local entrepreneurs are supported as our community evolves.

Spots are limited—so be sure to register early and join us for what promises to be an engaging evening in the Heart of Orléans BIA. You can do so by clicking here.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Reminder to help us keep our parks clean and green

Many of us enjoy our beautiful parks and green spaces this time of year. Recently, I have received several complaints about the cleanliness of our parks. Please help keep them clean by taking your waste home whenever possible, limiting single-use plastics, and never using park bins for household dumping. Dog waste should also be disposed of at home in your green bin.

If you notice an overflowing bin, you can report it to 3-1-1.

Let’s all do our part to keep our parks welcoming and enjoyable for everyone.

Further down in my newsletter is the sign-up for the Fall Cleaning the Capital Campaign. I encourage you to sign-up to clean up a park or greenspace in Ward 19!

Be part of the community - Become a Crossing Guard!

Join the Ottawa Safety Council’s (OSC) dedicated, community-minded team of Adult Crossing Guards!

Great reasons to join the OSC’s crossing guard team:

Make a real difference in your own community!
Get to know your neighbours
Help local families
Become a trusted face in your neck of the woods
Enjoy supplementary income and perks

Being a Crossing Guard provides a meaningful employment opportunity that puts a smile on everyone’s face.

Interested in learning more? Get all the details here or contact Stewart at outreach@ottawasafetycouncil.ca

OC Transpo fall service begins this Sunday, August 24

These adjustments reflect seasonal changes in ridership.Use the Travel Planner or Transit app to check if your regular trips are affected.

Highlights

600-series school routes and special school trips on regular routes will resume.
Weekend service to summer destinations on Routes 8, 125, and 139 ends.
NEW Route 105 will run 7 days a week between the Airport and St-Laurent Station, serving VIA Rail at Tremblay Station and the Southeast Transitway.