February 7, 2025 Newsletter
January 31, 2025 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.
December 22, 2023 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.
As we approach the end of the year, I am pleased to reflect on the incredible progress and achievements we have made together in our community. The past year has been marked by substantial investments, more than $75 million, in roads, active transportation, transit, the environment, and community amenities, all aimed at enhancing the overall quality of life in Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward.
One of our major accomplishments, nearing completion, is the public housing development in Wateridge Village, which obtained an additional $40-million investment from the City this year. This project, supported by more than $100 million from senior levels of government and $55 million in overall City funding, is scheduled for occupancy in early 2024. In the latest City budget, we have allocated an unprecedented $33.5 million in municipal funds to improve housing access and support services, to address homelessness, and provide enhanced housing benefits through Ontario Works. The City is also committing $5 million to advance its transitional housing strategy and is contributing a record $30 million to affordable housing for immediate capital investment.
Our commitment to enhancing infrastructure included significant resurfacing projects on key streets such as Donald Street, Springfield Road, and Stanley Avenue. The completion of these projects this year, with a total value exceeding $2 million, not only improves the condition of our roads but also enhances active transportation options. The addition of cycling lanes, accessibility features, and traffic-calming measures, in line with the City's Complete Streets Policy, further contributes to making our community more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly.
I am also pleased to share that OC Transpo has responded to community input with proposed bus service improvements. These include new weekday peak period services, regular 15-minute service, and route extensions that will positively impact our residents, especially in Wateridge Village.
Through an inquiry to the Transportation Committee, we have successfully advocated for amendments to the Use and Care of Roads Bylaw, now making "boulevard gardening" legal. This change empowers residents and community members to contribute to more beautiful, interesting, and ecologically diverse streets, fostering community pride. In various neighbourhoods across Rideau-Rockcliffe, capital funding projects have been approved for community initiatives, including $15,000 for the establishment of a cross-country ski trailhead in Manor Park, $150,000 for Centennial Garden improvements in Rockcliffe Park, $55,000 for accessible backyard enhancements at the Lindenlea Community Centre, the allocation of $700,000 for the creation of a new park near Coventry Road in Overbrook, and the grand opening of the $2.4-million Eugène Martineau Park in Wateridge Village.
These investments underscore my dedication to building a more vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward.
As we look ahead to the coming year, I am eager to continue working collaboratively with residents, community organizations, social service agencies, City staff, and elected colleagues to build better neighbourhoods. In my capacity as Council Liaison for Antiracism and Ethnocultural Relations Initiatives, I was happy to have secured an extra $120,000 specifically for the expansion of Black-led community initiatives, as part of the City’s Anti-Racism Strategy commitments, as well as allocate resources for the creation of new City-wide anti-hate initiatives. Together, we will continue to pursue further enhancements to social services and infrastructure designed to strengthen our communities.
Thank you for your ongoing support. Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a prosperous New Year!
Please note: My office is closed from December 23 until January 5. My team and I will be intermittently checking emails and voicemails to my Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward 13 office. During this time, please call 3-1-1 to report urgent issues or submit non-urgent requests by emailing [email protected] and copying [email protected] or submitting a Service Request online at ottawa.ca/en/3-1-1. Regular weekly editions of the newsletter will resume January 12, 2024.
I had an amazing time serving holiday meals to residents at Ottawa Community Housing's 500 St. Laurent community on Dec. 20. What amazing community spirit! Thank you to OCH staff and tenant volunteers.
Holiday Season Schedule Changes
The City of Ottawa would like to remind residents of the following schedule changes for the holiday season between Sunday, December 24 and Monday, January 1. Visit this link for details.
Local Health Units join voices to remind you to protect yourself and others from respiratory illnesses this holiday season
OC Transpo Updates
What's Happening around Ottawa
Donate your used Christmas Tree to the Rideau Canada Skateway
After the holidays, don’t throw your Christmas tree to the curb – the Rideau Canal Skateway team wants to recycle it! Bring it on over to their tree drop off, before January 26 so they can reuse it at a rest area on the Skateway. The drop off location is on Colonel By Drive, just west of the Bronson Avenue Bridge.
Jaku Konbit Kwanzaa Celebration - Dec. 30
Join Jaku Konbit this Kwanzaa, where you can enjoy music, food, crafts, and stories that reflect the spirit of this festive occasion. Don't miss this opportunity to connect with your roots and share your traditions with others. (Kids 11 and under enter for free!) The Ottawa Kwanzaa 2023 celebration, taking place Dec. 30 at the Mosaic Convention Centre at 3750 North Bowesville Road, will include a dynamic showcase of cultural dancers, drumming, singing, music, and authentic African and Caribbean cuisine - entertainment for the entire family. It offers an excellent opportunity to experience the sights, sounds and taste of the Ottawa-Gatineau Black Community. Click here for tickets. Click here for details. Doors open at 3 pm. The programming starts at 4 pm. Dinner is served at 5:30 pm. Kwanzaa is a non-religious cultural holiday that is celebrated around the world from December 26 to January 1 of the New Year. The celebration is designed to promote cultural pride, dignity, and foster a vibrant and healthy community. Jaku Konbit's mission is to support and improve the lives of disadvantaged individuals and families of African and Caribbean descent through partnership with all communities and programming that results in everyone’s successful economic and civic participation in Canadian society.
January 31, 2025 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.
January 31, 2025 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.
January 24, 2025 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.