December 17 Newsletter 2021

December 17, 2021 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.

This newsletter will be our last until the new year. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all residents a merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a joyful new year. I look forward to continuing working on behalf of all residents in 2022. I would also like to advise residents that my office will be closed from Monday, December 20, 2021 to Monday, January 3, 2022. We will be able to serve residents and respond to inquiries when we return on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. As many residents may already be aware, individuals aged 18 and over will be eligible for a booster dose appointment starting Monday, December 20 if three months have elapsed since a second dose. Ottawa Public Health is working extremely hard to increase capacity in order to accommodate as many residents as possible.  

Residents may be interested in the transportation master plan update. Feedback on this plan is extremely important, and can be given by visiting the Engage Ottawa project page. Also, a reminder that OC Transpo’s winter service begins Sunday, December 19. Looking to the new year, a town hall meeting on the topic of making a Community Benefits Agreement related to the redevelopment of the Manor Park Estates is scheduled to take place on Thursday, January 13, 2022 at 6pm. Further details on registration and meeting participation will be forthcoming. 

Office Closed  

In order to give my staff a well-deserved break over the holidays, our office will be closed from December 20, 2021 to January 3, 2022. We will respond to your inquiries when we return. For service requests please call 3-1-1 or go online to the service request centre.  

Individuals aged 18+ eligible for COVID-19 booster dose appointment starting Monday, December 20 

Starting Monday, December 20, 2021, individuals aged 18 and over will be eligible to schedule their booster dose appointment through the Ontario’s booking portal, by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre, through Indigenous-led vaccination clinics, participating pharmacies and primary care settings. Appointments will be booked three months (84 days) after a second dose as the province urgently expands booster eligibility to millions more individuals. 

At this time, there is very limited availability of appointments at Ottawa Public Health (OPH) community clinics and walk-ins for booster doses have been suspended at these clinics until further notice. OPH is working very hard to increase capacity for Monday. Additionally, they often announce when new appointments have been added to the provincial booking portal via their Twitter. Residents can also book appointments and be added to waitlists at participating pharmacies. Please remember to be kind and patient to healthcare workers and those working at clinics and pharmacies during this time. If you get an appointment earlier than expected, remember to cancel any other existing appointments and remove yourself from waitlists to ensure availability for other residents. 

SAVE THE DATE: Town Hall Meeting: Thursday, January 13, 2022 6 p.m.  

My office will hold a town hall meeting to discuss the creation of a Community Benefits Agreement for Manor Park, including the formation of a working group involving community members. Details on how to access and sign up for the meeting will be forthcoming in the New Year. 

Transportation Master Plan Update 

The City of Ottawa continues to invest in and advance active transportation, including policies that will support walking and cycling in the city. The launch last week of Phase 3 of the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) Public Consultation provides the public with an opportunity to review draft TMP policies, give feedback on the pedestrian and cycling projects proposed for implementation from 2023 onwards, and provide input on a proposed network of rural area paved shoulders. The Public is invited to share their thoughts on the draft policies through surveys posted on the project website and directly through email at [email protected]. 

OC Transpo winter service begins Sunday, December 19 

OC Transpo is implementing Stage 2 construction detours, school service improvements and service adjustments, starting Sunday, December 19. A special holiday service will be in place from Monday, December 20 to Saturday, January 1. New winter schedules and holiday schedules are available at octranspo.com or by calling 613-560-5000. 

Detours – Highway 417 westbound off-ramp at Pinecrest Road 

To accommodate construction of the Stage 2 O-Train west extension, and closure of the Highway 417 westbound off-ramp at Pinecrest Road, customers should note changes to the following routes: 

• Routes 61, 62, 282, 283, 301, 303 and 404 will travel to Pinecrest Station via Carling, Richmond and Pinecrest, and then will return to their regular routing. 
• Routes 63, 64, 66, 258, 406 and 454 will remain on their regular routes but will bypass Pinecrest Station, travelling directly to Bayshore Station, serving the local bus loop at Bayshore Station. 
• Customers at Pinecrest Station destined to Kanata North can take Routes 61 or 62 and connect to Routes 63 or 64 at Moodie Station.  

Customers travelling westbound on all affected routes should plan for increased travel times. Some boarding locations at Lincoln Fields and Bayshore Stations will be changed and station signage will help direct customers to their new bus stops.  

There will be no changes to eastbound service. 

Montréal Road Revitalization project 

Montréal Road will temporarily reopen in both directions for the winter, affecting the detours that have been in place since the spring. 

• Routes 15 and 20 will return to their regular routing on Montréal Road between Vanier Parkway and St-Laurent Boulevard. 
• Route 12 will continue to operate between Blair and St-Laurent Stations. 

Service frequencies will remain unchanged. 

Service adjustments 

• Route 55: An early morning eastbound trip that currently starts at The Ottawa Hospital, General Campus, at 6:09 a.m. and travels to Elmvale will be withdrawn due to very low ridership. No other trips on the route will be affected. 
• Routes 99 and 110: Trip times will be adjusted to better accommodate the shift times at the new Amazon facility in Barrhaven, expected to open early in 2022. 

Special holiday service 

OC Transpo holiday service will run from December 20 to January 1. Shopper routes will operate on a normal schedule throughout the holiday period. 

Visit octranspo.com for information on hours of operation, frequency adjustments and schedules for bus routes and O-Train Line 1 during the holidays. Customers can get real-time schedule information, 24 hours a day, by calling 613-560-1000 or texting 560560 plus their four-digit bus stop number or first three letters of the station name. 

Para Transpo holiday bookings 

Para Transpo will operate a holiday service on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day. Regular scheduled trips are automatically cancelled, but customers may book trips for these days by calling 613-560-5000, or by using the online web form, up to seven days prior to the holiday. Customers are reminded to suspend their regular booking if they will be on vacation during the holiday season. Para Transpo services will be extended until 3 am on New Year’s Eve (with the last trips booked for 2:30 am). 

Reminder: Unlimited no-charge transit in December 

Throughout December, you can ride OC Transpo all day, without having to pay. No-charge transit is available on all buses, the O-Train and Para Transpo. Plan your trip at octranspo.com or by calling 613-560-5000. 

Montreal Road Revitalization 

This will be the last Montreal Road project update for 2021. The weekly updates will resume in late March 2022 when construction resumes for the final year along Montreal Road.  

This week crews are completing final adjustments and preparing the site for the eastbound Montreal Road opening between the Vanier Parkway and St Laurent Boulevard on Sunday, December 19. Some minor work will continue into next week, including street sign installations and construction of a short temporary median east of the Vanier Parkway. Starting in January/February 2022, Enbridge Gas and Hydro Ottawa will be completing underground utility work on the North side of Montreal Road between de L’Église street and St Laurent Boulevard. The work is expected to continue through the winter months.