July 23 Newsletter 2021

July 23, 2021 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.

As of today 83 percent of the city’s population aged 12 and up have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 68 percent are fully vaccinated. As more and more residents continue to do their part, the City has been able to open up City-run community clinics to drops ins for first and second doses daily from 10am to 7pm. It is so encouraging to see vaccination rates rise, all while things start to feel a little more normal. I hope that everyone is enjoying this well-deserved beautiful summer. 

Pop-up clinics are now open to all Ottawa residents age 12 and up for 1st and 2nd doses 

Expanding eligibility will help increase access to COVID-19 vaccines for anyone in Ottawa. Pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinics will continue to be planned to reduce barriers in neighbourhoods experiencing lower rates of vaccination. 

Upcoming pop-up clinics: 

Monday July 26 and Tuesday July 27 – 12:45 to 7:30 pm 

• Canada Science and Technology Museum – 1867 St. Laurent Boulevard 

Tuesday, July 27 – 12:15 to 7 pm 

• St Joseph's Adult High School – 330 Lajoie Street  

Wednesday, July 28 – 12:15 to 7 pm 

• Canterbury Recreation Complex – 2185 Arch Street  

Thursday, July 29 – 12:15 to 7 pm 

• Merivale High School – 1755 Merivale Road 

Friday July 30 – 12:15 to 7 pm 

• Ahlul-Bayt Islamic School – 3025 Albion Road North 

Saturday, July 31 – 9:45 am to 4:30 pm 

• Ridgemont High School – 2597 Alta Vista Drive  

Sunday, August 1 – 9:45 am to 4:30 pm 

• AMA Community Centre 1216 – Hunt Club Road  

Upcoming youth pop-up clinics (ages 12 to 17 from any neighbourhood and adults who come with them):  

July 26, 27, 28 and 29 – 8 am to 8 pm 

• University of Ottawa Minto Sports Complex - 801 King Edward Avenue 

Vax Aide: Help With Vaccination Appointments 

Do you know someone who needs help booking a vaccination appointment? 

Would you like to advance your appointment? 

Do you need a ride to your appointment? 

Go online www.vaxaide.ca or call 613-869-8221 

Escapade Music Festival to host vaccination clinic this Saturday! 

If you’ve been missing summer music festival vibes, we’ve got good news for you. 

To help make sure you can safely attend parties, music festivals and other events this summer and fall, the City and Ottawa Public Health are working with Escapade Music Festival to hold a COVID-19 vaccine pop-up clinic at RCGT Park (Ottawa Baseball Stadium), 300 Coventry Road. The clinic will be held inside the stadium on Saturday, July 24 from 10 am to 8 pm. Free parking is available, and the clinic is within walking distance from Tremblay Station. 

Escapade Music Festival has announced that only fully vaccinated residents will be able to attend its festival, planned to occur this September. There is still time to get your two doses before the beat drops this fall! You can snag a virtual ticket online at escapademf.com/vaccination to ensure your spot. Limited drop-ins will also be available while supplies last. 

Arts for Social Justice FREE workshops July 26 - August 27 with spoken word artists JustJamaalThePoet and muralist @drippin_soul 

Limited spots! More info and registration, write to [email protected] 

Who: Youth 12-19 from Overbrook  

Where: Overbrook Park/Community Centre  

When: Afternoons 3-6PM 

What: Explore the meaning and impact of discrimination with local artists. Learn how to use arts to amplify your voice. Create a mural and a social media campaign. You can sign up for one or both workshops.  

Perks: Earn volunteer hours for school, gift voucher for completion of program, snacks! Engage with City community leaders and organizations, share your experience and ideas! 

WISE Neighbourhood Walk for Women's Safety 

From July 25th - August 2nd, WISE invites Ottawa residents to explore their neighbourhood to show their support for the safety of all women* and to make an impact to end gender-based violence. Follow them, on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to learn more. 

*WISE uses an inclusive definition of “woman” and they welcome trans women, genderqueer women, and non-binary people. 

To participate: 

• Explore your nearby neighbourhood
• Identify a possible safety concern
• Snap a picture of the concern
• Use the hashtag #WISESafetyWalk

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/wise-neighbourhood-walk-for-womens-safety-tickets-163087604415  

Ottawa Public Library adds more in-person services Monday, July 26 

Starting Monday, July 26, 2021, Ottawa Public Library (OPL) will provide more in-person services, as part of Step 3 of the provincial reopening plan. Additional services include access passes to museums and parks, the resumption of book donations to the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association, an increased holds limit, and the reopening of the Imagine Space and Labs, as well as the kiosk at the Hunt Club-Riverside Park Community Centre. Curbside or front desk library services to long-term care facilities will also resume, where permitted. 

Browsing, access to public computers, newspapers and magazines continue inside branches, where space permits. The Bookmobile may also allow one to two customers on board for in-person browsing, depending on the ability to physically distance.  

Capacity inside open branches will be limited to allow for two metres of physical distancing, as per provincial regulations. Customers may have to wait outside if the capacity limit is reached inside the branch. Given limited seating and capacity, customers will be asked to limit their time reading newspapers and magazines so that others can also enjoy them.  

The number of holds that can be placed on items has been increased to 200. Customers can manage their accounts online by checking, pausing, or cancelling holds to avoid the restocking fee of $1 per item. 

Traffic impacts in Ottawa beginning Friday, July 23 

Highway 417 will undergo regular biennial inspections of its structures. Weather permitting, both the eastbound and westbound median lanes will close as follows: 

• Saturday, July 24 from 6 to 10 am between Clyde and Bronson Avenues  
• Saturday, July 25 from 6 to 10 am between Percy Street and Cyrville Road 

Vanier Parkway will have intermittent lane interruptions between Highway 417 and McArthur Avenue during off-peak hours and overnight between 8 pm and 6 am starting Sunday, July 25 until the end of August, due to resurfacing. Signs will be in place. Pedestrian and cyclist access will be maintained. Temporary impacts to bus stops may be required. Visit octranspo.com for more information.