Construction in Rideau-Goulbourn and Drop-In Sessions

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Congratulations to Rideau-Goulbourn residents Sanchit and Riya Gupta on receiving the Mayor’s City Builder Award at Council on Wednesday, May 22. The Guptas established a chapter of MealCare, a non-profit organization that aims to combat food waste, in Ottawa. Working with local restaurants, university cafeterias and grocery stores, the Guptas take in surplus food, and, with the help of fellow volunteers, redirect it to shelters and soup kitchens where it is needed most.

Congratulations to Rideau-Goulbourn residents Sanchit and Riya Gupta on receiving the Mayor’s City Builder Award at Council on Wednesday, May 22. The Guptas established a chapter of MealCare, a non-profit organization that aims to combat food waste, in Ottawa. Working with local restaurants, university cafeterias and grocery stores, the Guptas take in surplus food, and, with the help of fellow volunteers, redirect it to shelters and soup kitchens where it is needed most.

In my most recent column, at the beginning of May, I highlighted the many culvert replacement projects that were scheduled to take place this summer. Many of these culvert renewals will lead directly into our roads program for 2020, such as Roger Stevens Drive and the other part of Rideau Valley Drive North. For now, though, I would like to focus on 2019 and let you know what you can expect to see under construction throughout Rideau-Goulbourn. Spoiler Alert: It is a lot.

We will begin with three major capital projects, two of which are ongoing. The McBean Street Bridge is still on schedule to re-open in December 2019. Construction will continue throughout the summer. The west side of the bridge is nearing completion following which the east side of the bridge will be dismantled, requiring another full closure of the bridge. We will continue to provide updates on this project. The Kanata South Link project continues as well with the widening of Old Richmond Road, between Hope Side Road and West Hunt Club as well as the construction of the roundabout at Hope Side Road. Finally, the intersection of Prince of Wales Drive and Bankfield Road will be under construction this summer as the City adds turning lanes in all directions. Additionally, Bankfield Road will be widened back to First Line Road and a signalized intersection will be installed at that point.

Onto road renewal, we have a number of Fall 2018 projects that were delayed due to the early winter that will get underway as soon as possible. Those include the McBean Street intersection with Goodstown Road, the Owlshead Road intersection with Munster Road, as well as portions of Dobson Lane, McCordick Road, and Third Line Road. These projects have already been awarded and will begin when half load restrictions are lifted from our roads. The list of 2019 road renewal projects in Rideau-Goulbourn include: 

  • Joy’s Road (Ottawa to Franktown)

  • Rideau Valley Drive North (Roger Stevens to Rideau Narrows)

  • Fallowfield Road (Eagleson to Huntley)

  • Barnsdale Road (Moodie to 416)

  • Barnsdale Road (Greenbank to Prince of Wales)

  • Hazeldean Road (Jinkinson to Carp)

  • McBean Street (Rail Crossing)

  • Dwyer Hill Road (Rail Crossing)

  • Manotick Main Street (Bankfield to Bridge)

  • Strachan (West of McBean)

  • Longfields Drive (Prince of Wales to Golflinks)

  • Carp Road (Hazeldean to Westbrook)

  • Mackey Road (Malakoff to Viola)

On our gravel roads, Paden Road will see its final lift in the two step rural road upgrade process between Harnett Road and Malakoff Road. Black’s Side Road will be upgraded using the same process this year and next between Ridingview Crescent and Flewellyn Road. McCordick Road, between Mackey Road and Cowell Road, will see new guiderails installed.

Some construction will also take place in a few of Rideau-Goulbourn’s many parks and also on a new one. Sarah McCarthy Park will see construction begin this month with a slated completion date of July. It will be Richmond’s newest park located on Cedarstone Drive. Keeping in Richmond, some final touches will be done on the work that took place in King’s Grant Park last year and the play structures at Richmond Lions Park will be replaced shortly. In Manotick, a collaborative effort between residents and my office has resulted in some new features being added to Gordon & Ivy Scharf Park. That work will also begin shortly.

Finally, in some less exciting but important nonetheless news, nearly $20M will be spent at our Trail Road waste facility which includes the replacement of the scale house and the capping of Stage 2 of the landfill. The landfill has a total of five stages. This is form part of a larger discussion in June as the Environment Committee begins discussing waste diversion and the Solid Waste Master Plan.

Drop-In Sessions

Our drop in sessions will be going on hiatus during the month of June due to the pending addition to my family but we will be back on schedule in July. I can imagine the stress this might cause you so, as always, feel free to contact my office anytime and we will do our best to assist. July will come before you know it and you can come visit at one of our next drop in sessions, with the first likely being held in Richmond.

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If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or contact me by phone at 613-580-2491. For information on Rideau-Goulbourn issues, please visit RideauGoulbourn.ca.

Construction Season, New Parking Rules & More

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It was great having a little piece of home downtown at City Hall on June 1st at the Mayor's Annual Rural Expo. Thanks to all those who participated!  

It was great having a little piece of home downtown at City Hall on June 1st at the Mayor's Annual Rural Expo. Thanks to all those who participated!  

Over the next few weeks and months, several construction projects may affect your daily commute. Road resurfacing projects will be undertaken on Rideau Valley Drive South, Potter Drive, and Barnsdale Road, between Twin Elm Road and Moodie Drive. Microsurfacing projects will also be undertaken along certain parts of Fourth Line Road, Eagleson Road, Dwyer Hill Road and Old Richmond Road. These were approved in early 2018 with the allocation of an additional $10M for road projects. Rideau-Goulbourn is the recipient of $2M of those funds. Finally, Gallagher Road, between Mackey and Malakoff, will receive its final treatment as part of the rural road upgrade that commenced last summer.

The replacement of the McBean Street bridge will commence shortly. The project has been awarded to Aecon. This massive project is expected to be carried out over the next 18 months. There will be impacts to traffic, specifically for heavy vehicles and buses. I will be providing a more detailed update on this project in the Richmond Hub shortly.

The sewer works along Martin Street are ongoing. As a part of this project, a Road Close Authorization has been granted for Fortune Street from Martin Street to Royal York Street. The road is scheduled to be closed from Friday, June 22nd to Wednesday, August 15th. On behalf of Richmond Village Ltd. (Caivan), Ottawa Greenbelt Construction Co. Ltd. will be undertaking the replacement of a sanitary trunk sewer. Notification signs will be posted. There will be a signed detour. Local and emergency vehicle access will be maintained.

Additional construction projects scheduled for this summer include the following replacements/rehabilitations:

  • Ashton Station Road Bridge
  • Munster Road Bridge (south of Jock Trail)
  • Old Richmond Road Bridge (south of Fallowfield Road)
  • Various culverts along Dwyer Hill Road, Longfields Drive, Roger Stevens Drive, Joy’s Road, Donnelly Drive, Eagleson Road, Rideau Valley Drive North

If you have any questions about these projects, please let me know.

Need new garbage, recycling bins? It just got easier!

As of June 4th, 2018, residents of Ottawa who require a new blue, black, or green bin will no longer need to request a Canadian Tire coupon to receive new bins. A new delivery service is being implemented that will simplify the process for residents to obtain recycling containers. Recycling containers will be delivered directly to the resident’s home.

Residents can now request a new recycling container by:

  • Making an online request for new bins. Once a request has been received, the bins will be delivered to the resident’s home within five (5) business days.
  • Contacting 311 to make a request for new bins. Once a request has been received, the bins will be delivered to the resident’s home within five (5) business days.
  • Visiting a City Client Service Centre (CSC) and requesting the bins. The CSC will create a service request to have the bin delivered to the resident’s home within five (5) business days.

The new delivery system will address the issue where residents had concerns about transporting the bins due to size. The service will also address and meet the requirements for the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Residents who previously received coupons for the replacement of their bins must redeem their coupons on or before June 30th. After June 30th, the coupons will no longer be valid.

New, Relaxed Parking Rules in Effect

Following the approval of the Traffic and Parking By-law Update 2017 report by Council on September 13th, 2017, the Traffic and Parking By-law (No. 2017-301), and corresponding set fines approved by the Ontario Court of Justice are now in effect as of June 1st, 2018.

As part of the approved report, a significant change in the new by-law relates to the long-standing 3-Hour Parking Rule, as it applies to weekends and statutory holidays. Under the previous by-law, on weekends and statutory holidays, motorists would only be allowed to park for three consecutive hours (between 7:00am and 7:00pm), on streets where there are no parking limit signs. As of June 1st, 2018, on weekends and statutory holidays, motorists are now able to park for up to six consecutive hours (between 7:00am and 7:00pm) on streets where there are no parking limit signs.

KOTR Evening of Information

On June 20th, the Kars on the Rideau Public School Parent Council invites parents to an evening of information on supporting their children during the middle and tween years to maintain healthy lifestyles. This session is aimed at parents of children in grade 4 to 8.

This session is presented in collaboration with the City of Ottawa’s Public Health unit and Rideauwood Addiction and Family Services. Speakers will be present from both agencies discussing a number of issues, including the use of cannabis, vaping and opioids.

This session will take place at the school between 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm. Participants are encouraged to register as space is limited. You can do so at the following link: www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening-of-information-tickets-46664058455.

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If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or contact me by phone at 613-580-2491. For information on Rideau-Goulbourn issues, please visit RideauGoulbourn.ca.

Get Ready for Construction Season!

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With the snow finally behind us (I think), it is now time to look ahead to our other season in Ottawa: Construction. Once again this summer, there are a number of road projects that will impact Rideau-Goulbourn. I would like to take this opportunity to list those projects here.

Since 2012, the City has made an increased commitment to resurfacing roads throughout the City of Ottawa. The total contribution to infrastructure renewal has increased year over year during that time. For 2017, our rehabilitation program has just been awarded to Cavanagh Construction and will include the following Rideau-Goulbourn roads:

  • Shea Road (Hemphill Street to Fernbank Road)
  • William McEwen Drive (South of Brophy Road)
  • Bleeks Road (Dwyer Hill Road to 80m East of Munster Road)

Road resurfacing projects are to be carried out between April 24th and October 24th of this year. I will have more specific details on timelines in the coming weeks as the contractor presents their schedule. Another project that could have significant impacts for Rideau-Goulbourn residents will be the resurfacing of Prince of Wales Drive from Hunt Club to Strandherd Road.

Gravel road resurfacing will be carried out on Bleeks Road, Bowrin Road, Conley Road, Goodstown Road, McLinton Road, O’Neil Road, Rushmore Road and Woods Road in Goulbourn. In Rideau, residents can expect to see gravel resurfacing on Callendor Road, Flood Road, Gilroy Road, Harbison Road, Mackey Road, Paden Road and Weedmark Road. This work involves the addition of new gravel, a reshaping of the crown of the road to ensure proper drainage and a calcium application to reduce dust. Gravel roads have a lifecycle of four years. The roads listed above were last done in 2013, except for McLinton Road, which was done in 2012.

As for gravel roads being upgraded from gravel to hard surface, 2017 will see the completion of work on Mackey Road that begun in 2016. Additionally, Gallagher Road, from Mackey Road to Malakoff Road, will be upgraded from gravel to a hard surface. Pavement preservation projects will be carried out on Third Line Road (South of Lockhead Road), McCordick Road (Donnelly Drive to Mackey Road), Harnett Road and Donnelly Drive (Merlyn Wilson Road to the City boundary). Pavement preservation is generally a microsurfacing of the road which sees a layer of asphalt added to add life to the road at a fraction of the cost of resurfacing. These works have been awarded to Miller Paving with works scheduled to be carried out between April 24th and August 11th.

5514 Manotick Main Street Update

Over the last year, I have spoken about the Falls House at 5514 Manotick Main Street in this column and also during the November 15th Town Hall meeting in Manotick. Since last fall, the property owner has been working with an architect on the proposed building. Since last winter, the owner has also been consulting, through my office, with several community leaders. Having said that, the owner has submitted a zoning by-law amendment to the City prior to sharing this with our ad-hoc consultation group. The application and the proposed design are now available for public comment.

The property is zoned VM9 which is a mixed use zone specifically for villages in which commercial and residential is permitted. The 9 refers to the prohibitions imposed through our recent Manotick Secondary Plan Review, such as gas bar, townhouse dwelling, funeral home, automobile service station and so on. In terms of height, it is the village standard 11 metres, or three storeys.

As mentioned, a zoning by-law amendment (ZBA) has recently been submitted for this application. The main part of the amendment only applies to a small portion of the property. Recently, the property owner was approved for a lot line adjustment between 5514 Manotick Main Street and 1157 Maple Street that was necessary for access purposes. 1157 Maple is zoned Village Residential so that portion needs to be rezoned to make it consistent with the balance of the property. However, the ZBA also seeks to change the building height from 11m to 12.5m as well as some other less significant proposals on setbacks.

Ultimately, we all know this intersection is changing with the plaza having approved an expansion, the former McNeil Motors property for sale and the demolition of the Falls House. The good news for the village is that the owners of 5514 Manotick Main Street are from the village and have shown a strong willingness to work with the community since the initial acquisition in 2015.

More details and information are available at www.rideaugoulbourn.ca/fallshouse. Your comments are welcome.

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If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or contact me by phone at 613-580-2491. For information on Rideau-Goulbourn issues, please visit RideauGoulbourn.ca.

Looking back at 2016

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With 2017 and Canada’s 150th year-long birthday celebration merely days away, it’s time to look back at 2016 for a year in review. The past twelve months were busy with many issues directly impacting rural Ottawa. It was also a year for progress on several files and increased planning on many more.

2016 was a year of progress. More of Rideau-Goulbourn’s roads saw improvements with varying degrees of upgrades conducted on Bridge Street, Royal York Street, Ottawa Street, Moodie Drive, Mackey Road and Flewellyn Road. The village of Kars finally saw the end of construction on Rideau Valley Drive South and the end result was a main street that actually feels like a village main street. We reached a conclusion in our efforts to protect and promote Dickinson Square as a heritage district with the retention of the Carriage Shed and Dickinson House in City ownership. We also began construction on the new Remembrance Park on Dickinson Street, a beautiful addition to the Square. In North Gower, the Alfred Taylor Recreation Centre was the recipient of a new canteen building and new play equipment.

2016 was a year of controversy. City Council had many issues before it that were polarizing. In April, we brought forward a Vehicle-For-Hire By-Law creating a new policy in which ridesharing companies like Uber could legally operate within the City of Ottawa. At the same time, we loosened some of the regulations on the taxi industry recognizing the fact that, over the years, the industry had become over-regulated. In October, Council instituted a new Water, Sewer and Stormwater Rate Structure creating a system where the water and sewer rate budget can be managed in a more predictable manner with the aim of avoiding large rate hikes in the future. The new structure also balanced cost recovery of stormwater services across the City imposing a new fee on approximately 45,000 properties and lowering the fee on others. Earlier this month, Council approved an update to the Land Evaluation & Area Review which saw several changes to land designations, altering some from General Rural to Agricultural Resource Area and vice versa. Last, but not least this year, the City’s Public Library Board proposed a site for the future home of the Central Library. The new home is proposed to be at 557 Wellington Street, approximately 1.2 km west of the existing home at 120 Metcalfe.

2016 was also a year for community collaboration. The Remembrance Park became a reality thanks to the hard work of local residents and various community organizations, including the Manotick Legion. The preservation of Dickinson Square wouldn’t have been possible without Dickinson Square Heritage Management Inc., a group that represents over a dozen local organizations. The Manotick Arena Expansion is inching closer to construction thanks to groups like the Manotick Culture, Parks & Recreation Association. Community groups in Richmond have all come together to start planning the village’s bicentennial celebrations in 2018. Community organizations are what make our communities ever greater. My job would be impossible without them for which I am grateful. Whether it’s Burritt’s Rapids, Ashton, Fallowfield Village or any community in between, the countless local organizations work in partnership with my office, each other and the City to the benefit of all of us and that was never more obvious to me than in these past twelve months.

I hope that everyone had a pleasant Christmas and I wish you all a Happy New Year. See you in 2017!

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If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or contact me by phone at 613-580-2491. For information on Rideau-Goulbourn issues, please visit RideauGoulbourn.ca.

2017 Draft Budget and Future Projects in Rideau-Goulbourn

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The 2017 Draft Budget was tabled on November 9, 2016. As part of the pre-budget consultation process, Councillors conducted information sessions from mid-September to mid-October, providing information on the municipal budget process to residents and getting views and ideas on the priorities for this draft budget. With the 2017 Draft Budget tabled, there are still opportunities for residents to offer comments and input before the final Budget goes to Council for consideration on Wednesday, December 14th.  Information on the 2017 Budget is available at Ottawa.ca/budget2017 and you can submit comments via email at [email protected].

The draft budget includes a predictable 2% increase in keeping with the previous three budgets. It takes into account recent changes in the bureaucracy at City Hall that created an annual operating savings of approximately $18M. It features more money for roads, snow maintenance and parks. It also features the introduction of a low income transit pass.

In Rideau-Goulbourn, residents can expect to see a continuation of our commitment to infrastructure renewal with the resurfacing of William McEwen Drive, Shea Road and Bleeks Road. Outside of the ward, Prince of Wales Drive will also be resurfaced between Strandherd Drive and Hunt Club Road. The hard surfacing of Mackey Road will be completed this summer and pavement preservation treatment projects will take place along McCordick Road (South of Mackey Road), Third Line Road and Harnett Road. The City will also be microsurfacing Donnelly Drive between Merlyn Wilson and the City of Ottawa boundary, just west of Burritt’s Rapids. Residents on the north end of Long Island in Manotick will see the renewal of the McLean Bridge near the entrance to David Bartlett Park.

When it comes to sidewalks and cycling projects, the Federal Government has provided some funding that will go toward improving cycling in the rural area in the form of paved shoulders. These projects are not yet determined. There is also federal money that will be spent on exploring opportunities to improve cycling along Bridge Street. The primary focus will be the two bridges. With bridge reconstruction still several years away, planning now will feed into that work down the road. The 2017 Budget also identifies upgrades to the Beaverwood sidewalk, between Manotick Main Street and Ann Street. This will bring the sidewalk up to current standards.

There are several Parks & Recreation projects around the ward as well including two previously funded projects; the Manotick Arena expansion and the Remembrance Park in Dickinson Square. There is also design and construction on two parks in Richmond; King’s Grant Park and a new park on Nixon Farm Drive which will be named Sarah McCarthy Park. These two were also partially funded and announced in the 2016 Budget. In addition to the expansion at the Manotick Arena, there will also be lifecycle works completed at the same time in the form of roof replacement, septic system decommissioning, fire alarm system replacement and new flooring. Design work will also begin on replacing play structure equipment in Blue Rock Park in Kars and Richmond Lions Park.

As mentioned earlier, more information on the budget is available at www.ottawa.ca/budget2017. Please don’t hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.

Snow Go Program

Need help clearing your driveway and/or walkway during the winter? The Snow Go Program can help you. This program is divided into two parts to match your individual needs to the appropriate service. The two programs are as follows:

The Snow Go Program provides a matching service for seniors and people with disabilities looking to hire an individual or contractor to clear snow from private driveways and walkways. Residents who participate in this program are responsible for paying the individual or contractor removing the snow.

The Snow Go Assist Program provides financial assistance to eligible low-income seniors or persons with disabilities looking to hire an individual or contractor to clear snow from private driveways and walkways.  Approved participants may be reimbursed for 50% of the cost of snow clearing per event, up to a seasonal maximum of $250. Rural applicants, who pay excessively high costs for snow removal, as defined by staff, are eligible up to 50% of the cost of snow clearing for their private driveways and walkways per event, up to a maximum of $450 per term.

Check ottawa.ca/snowgo to find the agency that services your neighbourhood.

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If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or contact me by phone at 613-580-2491. For information on Rideau-Goulbourn issues, please visit RideauGoulbourn.ca.