February 19 Newsletter 2021

February 19, 2021 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.

Overbrook Community Association Annual General Meeting 

The Overbrook Community Association will be hosting their Annual General Meeting virtually this year, on Thursday February 25 at 7:00 pm. All Overbrook and Castle Heights residents are encouraged to register for the event. Those interested in attending the meeting can register here. After registering for the event, residents will receive the agenda, the report and a zoom link for the meeting. Guest speakers will include Peter Nor, Chair of the Rideau Winter Trail Board, and myself. For more information visit https://www.overbrook.ca/.  

Black History Month Activities Continue 

Don’t miss the Anti-Racism Secretariat’s Virtual panel discussion on the topic “Towards a Racially Just Workforce: Leadership and the Black Experience”. Taking place next Friday February 26th from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, this discussion will feature leaders from across the city including The Honourable Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard (Senate of Canada), Camille Williams-Taylor (Director of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board), and myself. Learn more about the event and register here if you are interested in attending. 

Learn more about how the City’s Official Plan will help meet Ottawa’s climate goals 

On February 23, Ottawa residents are invited to attend a virtual information session to learn how climate change is being addressed in the City’s new Official Plan.  

The session includes a presentation on how the City will use planning policies and guidelines to facilitate local action on climate change as well as prepare us for the impacts of a changing climate. Residents can ask questions of the climate change and official plan teams following the presentation.  

The session will be held on Zoom on Tuesday, February 23, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Those interested in attending can register here. 

The link to join the meeting will be emailed to all registered attendees prior to the meeting. Once registration closes, residents can access the session by livestream. The video will be available following the session as well. 

If you have any questions about the session, please email [email protected].   

Online Engagement Opportunity – Have your say in the Community Safety & Well-Being Plan 

This is an opportunity to help shape the City’s Community Safety & Well-Being (CSWB) Plan and share your ideas as residents. Every voice is important, and together we can ensure Ottawa is a safe, healthy and vibrant community to live, work and play in. 

City Council has approved six local priorities that will be the focus of the first CSWB Plan: 

1. Discrimination, marginalization and racism 
2. Financial security and poverty reduction 
3. Gender-based violence and violence against women 
4. Housing 
5. Integrated and simpler systems 
6. Mental well-being 

The City is offering opportunities until February 28, and wants your ideas to help set strategic objectives, strategies and actions for the six priorities. 

How to participate:  

• Visit the CSWB website at ottawa.ca/CSWBP to complete the survey, add your comments to the virtual forum or drop a pin on the map so the City can gather input of where you experience gaps in services related to the CSWB priorities. 
• Register here for a virtual community conversation. Each session will discuss one of the CSWB priorities in a small group setting. The virtual meeting will include a brief overview followed by facilitated virtual break-out sessions. Check out our CSWB Resources before your session to learn more about each of the priority areas. The following sessions will be taking place next week:  

• Monday, February 22 from 6 to 7:30 pm: Housing 
• Tuesday, February 23 from 10 to 11:30 am: Integrated and Simpler Systems 

Online Engagement Opportunity – Have your say on the future of municipal parks and recreation facilities 

You are invited to share your knowledge and experiences to help the City plan for the future of municipal parks, recreation and community activity spaces. The City wants to hear from residents, community associations, sports organizations, arts and cultural organizations, the homebuilders, residents interested in accessibility, equity and diversity and other recreation partners and user groups.  

The City will be holding six bilingual online facilitated consultation sessions to get your opinions and ideas on the City’s first-ever combined Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan (PRFMP), in support of the new Official Plan (OP). 

The sessions will gather input on satisfaction with the number and location of existing parks and recreation facilities; to learn about gaps and barriers that exist; to identify trends in park and facility use, and to receive your suggestions for future enhancements. The feedback from public consultations will assist in developing recommendations to Council for new parks and recreation facilities and the improvement of existing recreation to meet Ottawa’s projected growth by 2031. 

The following sessions will be held next week:  

• Monday, February 22, 2021 from 1 to 3 pm; Register here 
• Tuesday, February 23, 2021 from 1 to 3 pm; Register here 
• Tuesday, February 23, 2021 from 7 to 9 pm; Register here 
• Wednesday, February 24, 2021 from 7 to 9 pm; Register here  
• Thursday, February 25, 2021 from 9:30 to 11:30 am; Register here 

For those who cannot attend the live virtual sessions, you can have your say: 

• Two online surveys – on Engage.Ottawa.ca 

• Parks and Outdoor Recreation Facilities survey: open now until Sunday, February 21 
• Indoor Recreation Facilities survey: open now until Friday, March 12 

If you require a disability related accommodation to fully participate in this event, please contact 613-580-2424 ext. 25192 or RCFS-[email protected]. For deaf community members, our facilitators can engage using Canada Video Relay Service or via the chat within the meeting. 

For more information, please visit https://ottawa.ca/en/news/have-your-say-future-municipal-parks-and-recreation-facilities. 

Open your home to delicious dishes with the Ottawa Public Library’s cooking classes! 

We have been confined for months, our homes converted into offices, schools and daycares. Healthy, tasty meals are more than essential, they can bring pleasure and comfort during this particularly challenging winter. Ottawa Public Library is here to add some new variety to your cooking repertoire with a fresh batch of cooking classes with an international flair, starting February 23. 

• Tuesday, February 23, at 7 pm: Cooking class with Spaicy Bazile (Vegan Creole Secrets): What better way to celebrate Black History Month than by exploring Creole cuisine.  Spaicy Bazile will surprise and entertain you with some easy – and some spicy – recipes from her cookbook. 

These classes highlight nutrition, taste, affordability and availability of ingredients, all wrapped up in a fun and welcoming virtual event for all. The Ottawa Public Library has also put together a list of cookbooks and nutrition resources to help you on the path to healthy eating.  

More cooking classes are planned through the month of March, so stay tuned to OPL’s website and social media to make sure you don’t miss out on these culinary happenings. For more information or to sign up for a class, visit BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca 

Additional library services resuming at several branches starting Monday, Feb. 22 

Starting Monday, 25 out of the 28 open Ottawa Public Library branches will welcome customers inside for returns and holds pick up, with additional services, such as browsing and use of public computers. Due to provincial regulations, branch capacity will be limited, and masks must be worn both inside the branches and in lineups outside. 

The 25 branches offering these additional in-person services are:    

 Alta Vista, Beaverbrook, Blackburn Hamlet, Carlingwood, Carp, Centennial, Cumberland, Elmvale Acres, Emerald Plaza, Greely, Greenboro, Hazeldean,  Main, Manotick, Nepean Centrepointe, North Gloucester, North Gower, Richmond, Rideau, Rockcliffe Park, Ruth E. Dickinson, Sunnyside, Stittsville, St.  Laurent, and Vanier.   

The Bookmobile will offer a small collection for browsing at all its stops, as well as contactless returns and holds pick up. 

Hours of operation remain the same. Library customers are encouraged to check their branch’s webpage before visiting in-person. For additional details on current services, please visit BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca. 

The Latest COVID-19 Updates for the City of Ottawa  

• On Tuesday, February 16, 2021 The City of Ottawa moved back into Orange-Restrict zone of the province's COVID-19 response framework. This impacts organized events, establishments, facilities, personal care services and social gatherings.  Read the province's news release. 
• Ottawa is back in the Orange zone and there are many reasons to stay focused on being vigilant. This video is a massive one. Please watch it. 
• The City of Ottawa is supporting the administering of the vaccine to residents locally. Visit the City’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution page for more information and check out our FAQs page for answers to questions frequently asked by residents. 
• This weekend, mobile vaccination teams will continue to administer first dose vaccines to retirement home residents. 
• More information, including the location of future community clinics and other logistical considerations, will be provided to Council at its regular meeting next Wednesday. 
• Ontario Delays March Break to Reduce Community Transmission of COVID-19, learn more here. 
• OC Transpo launches customer trial to offer new touchless payment choices during the COVID-19 pandemic.