Wild Parsnip, Rural Clean Water Program, Cleaning the Capital & More

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With spring on the way, By-law & Regulatory Services (BLRS) would like to remind residents that not all small wild animals found alone without an adult are orphans. It is very common for mothers to leave their babies in the nest or den while they forage for food. In the majority of cases, these mothers will return to their young. If you find a baby wild mammal on its own (skunk, raccoon, rabbit, squirrel, etc.), please contact the Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary first before calling 3-1-1. Please do not attempt to move the animal from its den/nest or to feed it. If a resident has already touched the animal, please return it to where it was found. It is a myth that the mother will reject her babies if they have been touched. In addition, please note BLRS only responds to calls about injured or sick small wild animals .

With spring on the way, By-law & Regulatory Services (BLRS) would like to remind residents that not all small wild animals found alone without an adult are orphans. It is very common for mothers to leave their babies in the nest or den while they forage for food. In the majority of cases, these mothers will return to their young. If you find a baby wild mammal on its own (skunk, raccoon, rabbit, squirrel, etc.), please contact the Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary first before calling 3-1-1.

Please do not attempt to move the animal from its den/nest or to feed it. If a resident has already touched the animal, please return it to where it was found. It is a myth that the mother will reject her babies if they have been touched. In addition, please note BLRS only responds to calls about injured or sick small wild animals.

With Spring possibly upon us, I am hopeful that I will not have to cancel any of our rescheduled Town Hall meetings due to snow. As you already are aware, our Rideau-Goulbourn team has hosted a number of town hall meetings throughout the ward since the start of 2019. Unfortunately, due to the less popular Lionel Richie/Diana Ross collaboration, Endless Winter, we had to cancel a few meetings.

Our rescheduled Town Halls will be held on the following dates:

  • Monday, April 15th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at the Kars RA Centre (1604 Old Wellington Street)

  • Tuesday, April 23rd from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at St. Philip’s Parish Hall (127 Burke Street)

  • Saturday, May 4th from 10:00am to Noon at Christ Church (8948 Flewellyn Road)

  • Saturday, May 4th from 1:00pm to 3:00pm at Munster Community Centre (58 Dogwood Drive)

Drop in to Chat in Goulbourn

Our inaugural drop in session last week in North Gower was very successful. Our next "Drop in to Chat" session will be on Wednesday, April 17th at the Goulbourn Town Hall (2135 Huntley Road) from 10:00am to 3:00pm. We host "Drop in the Chat" sessions on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month at different locations across the ward. On these days, you are invited to stop by to chat about any concerns or issues that you have. Our following session will be on Wednesday, May 1st, tentatively scheduled for the new Morning Owl Café in Manotick.

If there is a specific location you would like us to hold one of these sessions, please let us know! We are open to suggestions. The only requirement is that we need Wi-Fi.

Wild parsnip management

Wild parsnip is an invasive plant that is increasingly common within the City of Ottawa in areas of uncultivated land, roadside ditches, nature trails, as well as on and surrounding rural and residential properties. Wild parsnip may pose a health risk to humans. The plant sap contains chemicals that may cause skin and eye irritation and make the skin prone to burning and blistering when exposed to the sun.

While the Public Works and Environmental Services Department has been proactively mapping out and controlling wild parsnip growth on public property, By-law & Regulatory Services would like to remind residents that they are responsible for removing invasive weeds on their private properties.

In accordance with the Property Maintenance By-law, the owner or occupant of a residential property must clear the lands of heavy undergrowth, long grass and/or weeds so that it is consistent with the surrounding environment.

Section 3(4) of the By-law also requires yards be clean and free from objects or conditions that may create a health or accident hazard. If a property owner fails to comply with an order to remove wild parsnip, the City is able to contract out the work at the expense of the property owner. In addition, the Ontario Weeds Act requires residents to destroy any noxious weeds, including wild parsnip growing on their properties.

We appreciate residents' help in managing wild parsnip! 

Apply Now for Grants through the Ottawa Rural Clean Water Program

The Ottawa Rural Clean Water Program (ORCWP) provides funding to landowners and non-profit organizations for projects that protect surface water and groundwater quality. Grants of up to $15,000 are available for 18 kinds of projects related to nutrient management, soil protection, water management, land stewardship, and education and innovation.

The next application deadline is May 1, 2019.

Farmers from rural and urban Ottawa along with landowners within rural Ottawa are eligible to apply. Approved applicants must complete a 3rd or 4th Edition Environmental Farm Plan (farm projects), or Healthy Home Guidebook (non-farm projects). Canadian Organic Certification is also accepted for some farm projects. Non-profit organizations can apply for education and innovation projects.

Applications will be accepted through the LandOwner Resource Centre, which works in partnership with the Mississippi Valley, Rideau Valley, and South Nation Conservation Authorities and the City of Ottawa. 

Contact the LandOwner Resource Centre at 613-692-3571 or toll free at 1-800-267-3504 ext. 1136. Visit www.ottawa.ca/cleanwater to see a full list of eligible projects and to download an application form.

Cleaning the Capital Spring Campaign

After the winter snow, frigid temperatures and ice, you can now turn your attention to the City of Ottawa’s 2019 GLAD Cleaning the Capital campaign, taking place from April 15 to May 15.
 
Registering is quick and easy:

Visit ottawa.ca/clean or call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) to register your cleanup. Our interactive map will show you which locations have already been claimed, and our online registration form will allow you to choose your own project site and indicate the cleanup supplies that you need. Select a location, such as a park, ravine, shoreline, bus stop or pathway – any public area that requires litter pickup or graffiti removal.

Thank you to everyone who has participated in the past and helped Rideau-Goulbourn win the Cleaning the Capital "Ward Award" for the greatest participation based on project participants per capita two years in a row!

Community Dancing in Manotick

Join the Ever Hopeful Stringband and caller Pippa Hall for a family-friendly, alcohol-free evening of community dancing, including circles, squares and contras on Friday, April 26th, from 7:00pm to 9:30pm, at the Manotick United Church. Each dance is taught and the whole family is invited. The evening begins with simple dances, followed by dances that build on skills as the evening progresses.  Admission for adults is $10, $5 for those aged 12-18 while kids under 12 are free. There is a family maximum admission of $20. For more information, call 613-692-4576 or visit http://dance.manotick.net.

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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.

LRT Stage 2, Potholes, Drop in to Chat with Us and More

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At Ottawa City Hall on March 6th, City Council approved the next phase of the long term light rail plans, known as LRT Stage 2. In recent weeks, there has been much press on this project and not all of it has been accurate. Seeing as I supported moving forward with Stage 2, I just wanted to use this opportunity to speak to the project and address some recent misconceptions.

To begin, I think it is important to highlight the timeline for Stage 2. This is not something that has been rushed into. During my first six years on Council, we have approved various milestones leading toward extending the initial phase of LRT, which itself began during the 2006-2010 term of Council. In March 2017, Council approved the procurement process for awarding Stage 2 of LRT. At that time, we set the March 29th, 2019 date for signing the contract. Therefore, this current contract award process has been going on for the last two years. All bids had to meet certain criteria to get shortlisted and then the successful bidder was chosen from the short list. You have likely heard accusations of rushing the process. As you can see, that is not the case. Staff have just been following the Council approved schedule.

In terms of the timing of approving Stage 2 before Stage 1 is open and running. Based on the timeline above, it was never suggested by staff or committed to by Council that one was contingent on the other. The reality is that Stage 1 is close to the finish line and the Rideau Transit Group is under contract to deliver the project. Failure is not an option. Handing over an incomplete project is not an option. It is essential they get this right and we have made that clear to them. In fact, we haven’t even paid them since February 2018. They are only paid when they reach certain milestones. Rideau Transit Group also has the 30-year maintenance contract for LRT so this isn’t a group that is going to wrap it up and walk away. It is in their best interest to complete the contract as approved and ensure it operates how we expect it to.

Since Council agreed to a contract date of March 29, 2019, it is not just a simple task to delay a decision to wait for Stage 1 to be operational. We know the system will open. Stage 1 makes no sense without Stage 2. If we delayed beyond this month, we run the risk of contravening Council’s own procurement process. Even a six month delay would equate to an inflated construction cost of $100M. Starting over on the procurement process would result in a 1-2 year delay.

Finally, media reports have suggested that LRT does not work in the winter. This is simply not true. RTG has been running trains along the entire 12km track all winter. There were certain times where weather has impacted the testing but this has been during times that would not be replicated during normal operations. Normal operations on the track will help keep snow clear from the line. Additionally, RTG is sourcing snow melting equipment for the line that could be used overnight while the trains are not running. The one benefit of the delayed open date is that it has afforded RTG more time for winter testing during the worst winter in recent memory.

With the new contract, we also integrate lessons learned from the previous contract. One such change will be the Liquidated Damages aspect. In Stage 1, when RTG missed their in service deadline, they were had to pay $1M in liquidated damages. On a $2.1B project, I am not certain that $1M is a significant amount. As a result, the Stage 2 contract will feature a $10M cost assessed should the contractor not meet the handover date as set out in the contract.

In the end, I believe that moving forward with Stage 2 is the right thing to do. During the 2006 election, the sentiment was clear that the public wanted something different from the North-South O-Train proposal. Larry O’Brien was elected and the current plan was born. Over the last eight years, it has been our job to deliver and we have done that so far. The longer we defer the more money this project will cost. LRT Stage 2 will bring rail closer to Manotick in Riverside South and will drastically improve the commute for those on the 283 with a transfer at Bayshore. The main issues with the 283 in recent years have all taken place along the transitway in the urban core.

If anyone has any questions on this project, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

2019 Town Hall Series

Over the last two months, our Rideau-Goulbourn team has hosted a number of town hall meetings throughout the ward. Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, this has not been an ideal winter. As a result, we had to cancel a few meetings. While we are still working on rescheduling all of those meetings, we have rescheduled our Richmond Town Hall, which was postponed due to the Richmond Village Association Annual General Meeting. Our town hall meeting in Richmond will be held on Tuesday, April 23rd at 7:00pm at St. Philip’s Parish Hall. Tentatively, we are looking at Monday, April 15th for our Kars Town Hall. Stay tuned for dates for our town halls in Goulbourn, Ashton and Munster.

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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.

Manotick Town Hall Meeting and Other November Updates from Rideau-Goulbourn

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To begin this week, I would like to offer my condolences to the family of Mitch Owens on behalf of the residents of Rideau-Goulbourn and the City of Ottawa. Unfortunately, I never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Owens but I’m sure many reading this column knew him from his time representing the City of Gloucester as Councillor, Deputy Reeve and Mayor from 1966 until 1991.  It takes a special person to serve 25 years in public office, not to mention the countless other jobs that Mr. Owens had in his 95 years. He will be missed.

Manotick Town Hall Meeting

Last week, we had a great turnout at the Mid-Term Town Hall meeting. I’d very much like to thank everyone for taking the time to attend. While most of our meetings end before 9 p.m., many attendees stayed closer to 10 p.m. and some after. We discussed many items but the one that garnered the most attention was David Bartlett Park. The next steps in our discussion about shared uses of the park will include the formation of a working group. This was a suggestion made during the meeting and one that I am happy to implement. I look forward to continuing this conversation with all interested parties. By the discussion at the meeting, that’s a lot of interested parties.

Richmond Forcemain Improvements

In my November 1st Stittsville News column, I announced that the contract for the Richmond Forcemain improvements and upgrades had been awarded to Robert Excavating and that work would commence imminently. Three weeks removed from that time, nearby residents will have noticed that the contractor has mobilized and construction has begun.

Users of the lagoon trail system will have already noticed an impact as the trail and parkland behind homes along Dallaire Crescent has been closed. Further, the parking lot off of Eagleson, near Barnsdale Road, has also been closed. We have been working on any concerns that have been brought forward as a result of project startup. Streets in the construction zone will be monitored daily for construction debris as required.

The Project Manager on this file, Danny Palermo, has been providing me with weekly updates on construction. I will be relaying that information to nearby residents via email. If you would like to receive such updates, please send me an email and let me know.

Remembrance Park

In recent weeks, the successful bidder on the Remembrance Park project, DB Contracting, began mobilizing on the site of the future Remembrance Park. Between now and the winter shutdown, the contractor will be working on site preparation and the installation of the hard infrastructure, such as the garden walls and the armour stone walls. In April, the work will reconvene in earnest with the target opening of the park slated for July 1st, 2017.

This park will be a great addition to the village and specifically, the cenotaph. This project couldn’t have been done without the work of the community and the initial acquisition of the property by my predecessor, Glenn Brooks. The now-defunct Manotick Mill Quarter Community Development Corporation saw the transfer of this property from the Corporation’s oversight to the City’s Parks & Recreation Department. The efforts of the Remembrance Park Organizing Committee have led us to this point and the community is grateful for their work.

New Year’s Eve Celebrations at City Hall

Countdown to the New Year and kick off the Ottawa 2017 festivities during an energizing and momentum-building event! Join the fun on December 31st, 2016, for this early-evening, family-friendly celebration that will include the lighting of a spectacular cauldron at Ottawa City Hall. The sparking of this special landmark will cue hundreds of Ottawa-area students to form a human chain, connecting young people from diverse backgrounds and weaving a line of youthful optimism through downtown Ottawa streets.

The evening will be crowned by a musical show and fireworks on Parliament Hill. The Ottawa 2017 Bureau is working closely with the school Boards and indigenous community to recruit the participating students. For more info on the spectacular Ottawa 2017 programming and to learn how to get involved, visit the http://www.ottawa2017.ca/! Check the online calendar often as we keep adding new events!

Mixing it up

The West Ottawa Ladies Chorus (WOLC) is presenting a Kaleidoscope of colourful tones to celebrate the season of winter and Christmas. A Christmas Kaleidoscope will delight the audience and please everyone's taste in music. The chorus works diligently to blend soprano, second soprano and first and second alto to a seamless sound. Under the direction of Robert Dueck, the WOLC strives for the highest standards from the top ranges to the lowest notes. Blending notes, like colours creates patterns of sound – a kaleidoscope.

This season, the audience will experience colourful tunes from spiritual to jazz to rag to show tunes. Although the concert is a celebration of Christmas, it is also a celebration of winter and will appeal to all cultures. The WOLC is committed to giving back to the community and visits several senior's residences to take the gift of music to those who may not be able to attend a public performance.

A Christmas Kaleidoscope by the WOLC will be performed on Saturday, December 3rd at 7:00pm at St. Paul's Anglican Church, 20 Young Rd., Kanata and on Sunday December 4th at 2:30 pm at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1817 Richardson Side Rd., Carp. Tickets will be available soon. For more details contact [email protected].

Isle in the River Theatre Company

From November 25th to the 27th, ITR Theatre Company is presenting a Norm Foster Double-Double. This includes two one-act plays, My Narrator and The Death of Me, at each of the 6 performances at the Osgoode Community Centre. Tickets are available through http://itrtheatre.com/ or by calling 613-800-1165 or e-mailing [email protected].

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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.

Dickinson Square Update and Upcoming Town Halls

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Our Rideau-Goulbourn Mid-Term Town Hall Series continues on Tuesday, November 15th with our Manotick meeting. As usual, we will cover a number of city-wide issues that have been making the news over the last 20 months. We’ll also focus on local issues. At our Manotick meeting, I will be focusing on a variety of issues but will specifically discuss David Bartlett Park and the Falls House.

Over the past couple of months, I have been having conversations with various community groups regarding the use of David Bartlett Park as well as the parking issues. I have been floating plans for a parking lot expansion as well as the notion of creating an on-leash area on the south end of the park abutting the Bravar Drive properties. While nothing is imminent, we’ll continue this conversation on the 15th.

For the Falls House, I will be discussing the background, the future and showing the virtual tour of the building that was filmed prior to demolition. In addition, we’ll provide updates on other goings on in and around Manotick, including some of the agricultural issues with MPAC and LEAR. These meetings are always general in nature and any topic is up for discussion. The meeting will be at the Manotick Arena beginning at 7:00pm.

After the Manotick Town Hall, we’ll be hosting a meeting at the Kars RA Centre on Wednesday, November 23 at 7:00 pm. The following, and second last meeting, will be in Richmond at the Agricultural Dining Hall on November 30th. This meeting will be a bit different as there will also be a public meeting on the Shea Road development application at 6:00 pm with our town hall to follow. As usual, we will cover a number of city-wide issues that have been making the news over the last 20 months. We’ll also focus on local issues, such as development and infrastructure projects.

Dickinson Square Update

Another topic that we’ll touch on next week is Dickinson Square. Last week, the Finance & Economic Development Committee approved my report that recommended the retention of the Carriage Shed and Dickinson House in City ownership. As many of you know, these properties were purchased alongside four other Dickinson Square properties and placed under the care of the Manotick Mill Quarter Community Development Corporation. Following the retention of the Holloway Property and the sale of the Weaver House, the Ayres Building and the Clapp Property, the MMQCDC was left with just the Carriage Shed and Dickinson House.

The approved report means that these two buildings will remain in the City’s ownership and that the MMQCDC will be dissolved. The next steps will see the City enter into long term agreements with Watson’s Mill and the Rideau Township Historical Society to occupy the buildings.  While we still have some work to do, I just want to take a moment and thank Margot Belanger and Gerald Reasbeck, who have been members of the MMQCDC with me since 2010. I would also like to thank the member groups of Dickinson Square Heritage Management Inc., who have helped advise me throughout the Dickinson Square process. Last, but not least, I’d like to thank former Councillor Glenn Brooks, who helped guide the acquisition of the Dickinson Square properties through Council.

Richmond Library PD Day Program

The Richmond library has a really exciting PD Day program planned for Friday November 18th from 2:00-4:00pm (drop-in). It’s a PD DAY Pop up Makerspace and Lego Block Party.  We will have the pop up 3D printer at the branch!  Children are invited to: 

Get Creative! Test your building ability with our Lego® challenges and participate in our Lego® scavenger hunt! Join in on our community colouring project or explore our makey-makeys and LED-throwies. Check out our 3D printer demonstration to see what you can build at our Imagine Space.

North Gower Library Turns 125!

The North Gower branch of the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) is celebrating its 125th anniversary on Monday, November 14th in style. To mark 125 years of service, the branch is inviting Library customers and the community to dress up in the style of their favourite decade, or to pull from the tickle trunk, to represent the one-and-a-quarter centuries of library services, learning and community connections.

Join your neighbours on November 14th from 7:00pm to 8:30pm to enjoy interactive activities, entertainment, a photo opportunity with Queen Elizabeth in 2D, and refreshments by Dolly Doll Bakery. OPL Board Chair Tim Tierney will join the event to say a few words from 7:30pm – 7:45pm.

The North Gower branch fosters community relationships in many ways, while acting as a catalyst for exploration and discovery. Its local flavour is cultivated by the active surrounding rural community of artists, families, farmers, local businesses and entrepreneurs. The branch has strong links to the artistic community and is the site of a monthly local art display. The recently refurbished branch features a large, colourful mural created by local artist Becky Marr-Johnson.

More information about North Gower’s 125th Anniversary is available on the OPL website. OPL’s North Gower branch is located at 6579 Fourth Line Rd, North Gower, ON K0A 2T0.

Isle in the River Theatre Company

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From November 18th to 20th and from the 25th to the 27th, ITR Theatre Company is presenting a Norm Foster Double-Double. This includes two one-act plays, My Narrator and The Death of Me, at each of the 6 performances at the Osgoode Community Centre. Tickets are available through http://www.itrtheatre.com/ or by calling 613-800-1165 or e-mailing [email protected]. Tickets for the dinner theatres on November 19 and 26 are selling out quickly.

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If you have any comments about anything other than No Tractor signs, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or contact me by phone at 613-580-2491. If you really do want to know more about No Tractor signs, Google “Scott Moffatt No Tractor”.  There is plenty of material out there.

Coach Houses and Land Evaluation and Area Review (LEAR)

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To begin this week, I just wanted to correct a comment that I have made in recent weeks.  When providing background on the stormwater issue, I had said that Council made the decision to shift all stormwater costs to the water and sewer rate in April of 2001.  In fact, it was the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee that dealt with the issue in April. They ended up deferring the matter to their July 3rd meeting and Council did not approve it until their July 11th meeting.

The report was titled “Financing Methods – Funding City Services” and included two key points that led us to the situation we are in today.  One was that the General Tax Levy “include all services formerly included in the general levies of the area municipalities except…stormwater management.” Further along in the same motion, the Committee recommended to Council that “the stormwater management and sanitary sewerage programs be totally funded from sewer surcharges.” This passed at Committee and again at Council.  Interestingly enough, Councillor Janet Stavinga actually voted against the matter at Committee.  We are only dealing with this matter today because the rest of Council did not follow her lead. If you would be interested in reading the minutes or the report for yourself, please contact my office.

For those of you who have attended one of our Mid-Term Town Hall meetings, you will know that we discuss the stormwater issue there.  Although this item has been discussed at Committee this past Tuesday, I will continue to focus on the matter at future town hall meetings. With meetings in North Gower and Munster having occurred earlier this week, our next Town Hall meeting will take place at the Christ Church in Ashton on Wednesday, November 1st followed by our rural Stittsville meeting at the Goulbourn Town Hall on Monday, November 7th.  Both meetings will begin at 7:00pm.

Coach Houses

The report on Coach Houses came before the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee on Thursday, October 6th.  Some of the recommendations contained in the report stemmed from consultations in the urban area but the ensuing recommendation had a city-wide impact.  As a result, ARAC voted to alter a recommended decrease in accessory building heights because this was not a prevalent issue in the rural area.  Further, we discussed the minimum lot size for a coach house.  The recommendation calls for a minimum lot size of 2 acres on private services.  This is something that we are reviewing and, at the very least, members of ARAC will be pursuing a decrease in that minimum to 1 acre at the October 26th meeting of Council.

The main point, however, is that the City has developed a process that will permit the addition of coach houses in the rural area and across the city.  All that is left to work out are some fine details surrounding lot sizes and permitting.  I will keep you updated on the matter in future columns.

Land Evaluation and Area Review (LEAR)

In November, the updated report on LEAR will come to both the Planning Committee and the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.  As Chair of the LEAR Working Group, this is something we have been working on for the better part of four years.  The most interested parties in this endeavour would be landowners in or adjacent to lands already designated as Agricultural Resource Area on Schedule A of the City’s Official Plan.

The Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton identified the existing Agricultural Resource Area in 1997 using a Land Evaluation and Area Review (LEAR) system. Key components of the LEAR system are soil capability for agriculture, land use and parcel size. New soils mapping and changes in land use and the size and nature of farms in the city over the last 20 years warrant re-examining and updating the existing LEAR system.  The Ontario Municipal Board has also directed the City to complete this update. 

The LEAR Working Group is finalizing the changes to the LEAR system. Recommendations on possible changes, if any, to the Agricultural Resource Area will be made and notice of changes will be sent to all affected land owners. A draft Official Plan Amendment will be advertised, circulated and presented to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Planning Committees in November 2016 and Council in December 2016/ January 2017.

If you have any questions on this review, please contact Bruce Finlay, Planner, at 613-580-2424, ext. 21850 or by e-mail at [email protected].

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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.

Falls House And More Updates from Rideau-Goulbourn

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Our Mid-Term Town Hall series continues next week with meetings in North Gower and Munster. Residents are invited to come out to the Alfred Taylor Recreation Centre on Monday, October 17th and/or the Munster Community Centre on Wednesday, October 19th. Both meetings begin at 7 p.m. The meetings are general in nature and will discuss various city-wide issues as well as local issues. The stormwater matter comes to Environment Committee on Tuesday, October 18th so the North Gower meeting would be good to attend if you wish to chat with me in person prior to any vote on the proposed stormwater fee.

5514 Manotick Main Street

As you have read in this column previously, the owner for the building known as the Falls House at the corner of Bridge Street and Manotick Main Street had applied for a demolition permit. The demolition permit was officially issued on September 26th. This week, you will likely begin to see some work around the property as the owner will be removing parts of the home that can be reused in any future development.

Over the last few weeks, I have been working with the owner on some last ditch efforts to salvage the home, including relocating it to the other vacant parcel across the road. Unfortunately, that effort proved fruitless. From the standpoint of documenting the property, I did another walk through on Thanksgiving Monday and took pictures and video of the interior. My office will get the video and the pictures on our website as soon as possible so that every resident can take a virtual walk through.

In the meantime, I continue to work with the property owner on design for the replacement office building. As of now, nothing is set in stone while we carry out these discussions. My work on this involves consultation with the same community leaders that first toured the property with me several months ago. Community organizations that are represented in this group include: the Manotick Village & Community Association; the Manotick Culture, Parks & Recreation Association; the Manotick Business Improvement Area; and the Rideau Township Historical Society. They have all been a tremendous resource for guidance as we move forward on this difficult file.

Manotick Arena Expansion

Over the last couple of years, the community has been working on a plan to expand the dressing rooms at the Manotick Arena. I always hear rumours out there so wanted to provide a brief update. The City has been finalizing floor plans for the four new dressing rooms in recent weeks in partnership with our local committee and the Osgoode-Rideau Minor Hockey Association. The second floor expansion plans were coordinated with Rural Ottawa South Support Services and the Youth Association of Manotick.

The finances are in place for this and once we get the design finalized, we'll move into the tendering phase. Construction is slated to begin in March or April. Should the dressing rooms not be completed by October, the City will take the necessary steps to find alternative rooms on a temporary basis. I do know that the Manotick Culture, Parks & Recreation Association plans to host a meeting with the community to showcase the final plans as soon as they are available. I will be working with them to co-host this meeting. Stay tuned to this column for updates.

Richmond Youth Centre Open House

The Richmond Village Association and the Richmond Youth Centre Volunteers are excited to announce the expansion of the youth centre to everyone between the ages of 8 and 11.  As a result, they want to invite everyone to stop by and check out their Open House on Friday, October 14th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. This will be an opportunity to meet the facilitator and volunteers as well.

The Richmond Youth Centre’s new programming will begin on October 28th.  The program will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for ages 8-11 and from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. for ages 12-16. The Youth Centre is located on the second floor of the Richmond Memorial Community Centre and is free to attend.

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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.

Town hall meetings throughout Rideau-Goulbourn

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View full information about dates, times, and locations on our events page .

View full information about dates, times, and locations on our events page.

Last week, in this column and in the newsletter that was mailed out to all residents, I announced a series of Town Hall meetings. The first was this past Tuesday, February 17 and I am hosting two more this week: Thursday, February 19th at the Kars Recreation Centre, between 7:00pm and 9:00pm, and in Burritt’s Rapids on Saturday, February 21st at the Burritt’s Rapids Community Hall, beginning at 10:30am.  The purpose of the meetings is to provide a general update on City-wide issues, local issues and discuss the term ahead.  Hope to see you there!

I will also be hosting three Town Hall meetings in March:

  • Monday, March 2nd at the Munster Community Centre;
  • Thursday, March 5th at the Fallowfield United Church; and
  • Tuesday, March 10th at the Christ Church in Ashton. 

All of these meetings will begin at 7:00pm.

Richmond Forcemain Repair

Last week, residents in the immediate surrounding area of the pumping station on Royal York Street were notified of field investigation works as part of a design phase of a repair to the forcemain in Richmond, between the pumping station and Eagleson Road.  As indicated in a previous letter in August 2014, the City of Ottawa will be making repairs and modifications to the Richmond Forcemain. The work involves repairing the existing 500mm forcemain, the installation of a new 300mm forcemain to facilitate the repairs, and the installation of a new section of 600mm forcemain for the proposed future development within the Village of Richmond.

The original forcemain was built in the early 1980’s and is in need of repair. As part of the repair process, these preliminary investigations are necessary to complete the detailed design for the future construction activity.  The investigation work will include geotechnical, environmental, and archeological investigations. It will also include the inspection of existing maintenance hole structures, topographical surveying, and locates for underground utilities in the vicinity of the existing forcemain. The use of both staff and equipment will be required to conduct this work.

The field investigation work will take place from mid February to early April 2015.

Gerry Lines Bowling Alley

On February 11th, Council unanimously approved of a proposal to rename the North Gower Bowling Alley to the Gerry Lines Bowling Alley.  Gerry Lines served as President of the North Gower Community Centre Board for 11 years. During that time, the Board managed the community centre, the ball diamond, boys’ and girls’ ball teams as well as the outdoor arena and hockey.

Gerry Lines was also a member of the building committee for the new community centre complex in North Gower. In this capacity, he was instrumental in the fundraising for, as well as the design and construction of the North Gower Recreation Association Centre, now known as the Alfred Taylor Recreation Centre.

Gerry was also instrumental in the development and construction of various recreational facilities in North Gower, including the North Gower Ball Diamond, soccer / football field, playground and the North Gower Bowling Alley. Many of these facilities continue to be enjoyed by residents of North Gower.

In 1988, Gerry was awarded a Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister of Canada in recognition of his contribution to his community. Gerry and his wife Hazel were also recipients of the 5thAnnual Edgar Leach Memorial Citizenship Award for their contribution to the development of the community.

North Gower Nursery School Casino Night & Silent Auction

On Saturday, February 21st, come out to the Annual Casino Night & Silent Auction and help raise money for the North Gower Cooperative Nursery School.  The fun begins at 8:00pm and includes a number of fun casino games and the always popular silent auction tables.  Come out for your chance to bid on many great items, including Senators tickets and box seats to the sold out Luke Bryan concert at the Canadian Tire Centre on May 2nd.  If that isn’t enough, for the third year in a row I will be taking on Master of Ceremonies duties!  Maybe my presence isn’t as exciting as I’d like to think it is but this NGCNS fundraising event is always a fun time and I hope to see you there!

2015 March Break Camp at O-YA

The Osgoode Youth Association will be hosting March Break camps at their home on Osgoode Main Street from Monday, March 16 to Friday, March 20, 2015.  The camps, for children in grades 2-6, will run from 8:00am to 4:30pm (After care is available until 5:30pm if booked in advance). The cost is $40 per day or $180 for the entire week.  After care is $10 per day or $40 for the entire week.

The themes are as follows:

Monday: Pirate Day Theme
Tuesday: St. Patrick's Day Theme
Wednesday: Build It Day Theme
Thursday: Beach Day Theme
Friday: PJ Day Theme

To register, download the Registration Form at http://www.o-ya.ca/march-break-camps.html.
Please print, fill out the form and bring it to O-YA with your payment (you can also scan and email your completed forms to [email protected] to reserve your spot). Space is limited, and advanced registration and payment are required. Registration deadline: Wednesday, March 11, 2015 at 5:00pm.  For more information, please visit O-YA’s website at www.o-ya.ca.

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.

Column: Town Hall Meetings - Fall 2012

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Between September and December, I’d like to hold informal town hall meetings in nearly every community in this ward. The idea will be for me to provide an update on what has transpired in the first 24 months and it will also serve as an opportunity for you to raise any issues that you feel I should be focusing on for the next 24 months as well.
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