July 29 Newsletter 2022

July 29, 2022 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.

For many, this weekend is an awaited long weekend. A reminder to residents that due to the holiday, there will be a number of schedule changes. As of this week, parents and guardians are able to book appointments for children aged six months to under five years for the paediatric COVID-19 vaccine. More information on the vaccine and how to book an appointment can be found in this newsletter. Finally, work on City projects, including the Montreal Road revitalization has resumed after a collective agreement was ratified between LiUNALocal 527 members and the National Capital Road Builders Association (NCRBA.) The weekly Montreal Road revitalization update can once again be found at the end of this newsletter. 

Colonel By Day schedule changes 

The City of Ottawa would like to remind residents of the following schedule changes and impacts to City services for the Colonel By Day holiday on Monday, August 1.  

Client Service Centres 

• The City’s 3-1-1 Contact Centre will be open for urgent matters only. Please visit ottawa.ca/311 for more information. 
• The Client Services Centres at Ottawa City Hall, Ben Franklin Place, 580 Terry Fox Drive, 255 Centrum Boulevard and the City’s Provincial Offences Court at 100 Constellation Drive will be closed. 
• The Business Licensing Centre at 735 Industrial Avenue will be closed. 

Green bin, recycling and garbage collection 

• There will be no curbside green bin, recycling, garbage or bulky item collection on Monday, August 1. Collection scheduled for Monday will be collected on Tuesday, August 2. Collection will be delayed by one day for the entire week. 
• Multi-residential garbage containers will be collected on the regular collection day. Multi-residential bulky items, recycling, and green bin collection scheduled for Monday, August 1 will be collected on Tuesday, August 2. Collection for these items will also be delayed by one day for the rest of the week.  
• The Trail Waste Facility will be open on Monday, August 1.  

Parking 

• All City parking regulations and restrictions apply. 

Transit service 

• OC Transpo bus service will operate on a Sunday schedule, with increased service on busy routes. Select trips on Routes 61, 63, and 75 will extend to Gatineau in the morning peak period and from Gatineau in the afternoon peak period.  
• O-Train Line 1 will operate on a reduced weekday schedule.  
• The whole family can ride all day on a Family DayPass for only $11.25. A family can be made up of as many as six people, with a maximum of two aged 13 and older.  
• OC Transpo Customer Service (613-560-5000) will be open from 7 am to 9 pm. 
• OC Transpo’s Rideau Centre Customer Service Centre will be open from 10 am to 6 pm. You can book an appointment in advance using OC Transpo’s new Virtual Line.   
  • All other OC Transpo Customer Service Centres are currently closed. 
• OC Transpo Lost and Found (Heartwood House) will be closed on Monday, August 1.  
• For Para Transpo Services: 
  • Para Transpo will operate on a holiday service on Monday, August 1. 
  • Regular bookings on Monday, August 1, are automatically cancelled.  
  • Customers can book trips for Colonel By Day starting on Monday, July 25, by using My Para Transpo or calling 613-560-5000. 
  • The Taxi Coupon phone line will be closed. 
  • The reservations phone line will be open from 7 am to 5 pm, while the trip information and cancellation line will be open from 6 am to 12:30 am.  

For more information on Colonel By Day service, visit octranspo.com or call 613-560-5000. You can also connect with OC Transpo through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

Recreation and cultural services 

• Wading pools, indoor pools, outdoor pools, arenas as well as recreation and fitness centres will operate on modified schedules. Please check ottawa.ca for details. Please note that some regular public swims may be cancelled on short notice due to a shortage of lifeguards. It is recommended you confirm by checking with the facility before leaving home. 
• Splash pads are open. 
• Beaches at Mooney’s Bay, Britannia and Petrie Island are open and supervised between 11 am and 7 pm.
• No summer camps or swimming lessons are scheduled on Monday, August 1.  
• Most art centres and museums will be closed on Monday, August 1. Please check with the centre or museum directly for details.  
• City Hall Art Gallery and Karsh-Masson Gallery will be closed on Monday, August 1.  
• Shenkman Arts Centre and Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe are closed on Monday, August 1.    
• The City of Ottawa Archives and Gallery 112 will be closed on Monday, August 1.  

Ottawa Public Health 

• Visit the OPH COVID-19 Vaccine page for vaccination clinic hours and availability. 
• Visit the OPH COVID-19 Testing page for testing centre and care clinic hours and availability. 
• The Ottawa Public Health COVID-19 Vaccine Booking Line will be closed on Monday, August 1. 
• The Sexual Health Clinic and satellite clinics will be closed. 
• The Site program office and supervised consumption services at 179 Clarence Street will be closed. The Site mobile van will operate from 5 pm to 11:30 pm. 
• The Ottawa Public Health Information Centre and COVID-19 Information Line will be closed. 
• Dental clinics will be closed. 

Community and Social Services 

The Tom Brown respite centre at 141 Bayview Station Road will be closed on Monday, August 1. 

The Bernard Grandmaître respite centre at 309 McArthur Avenue will be closed on Monday, August 1. 

Municipal child care services 

• All municipal child care centres will be closed. 

Library Services 

• All Ottawa Public Library branches will be closed on Monday, August 1. Virtual services, loans and programs can be accessed on the Ottawa Public Library website. 

Ottawa Public Health expands COVID-19 vaccine clinics for children aged six months to under five years 

Last week, the Province of Ontario announced that starting at 8 am on Thursday, July 28, 2022 parents and guardians will be able to book appointments for children aged six months to under five years for the paediatric COVID-19 vaccine. Immunocompromised youth aged 12 to 17 will also be able to schedule their second booster (fifth dose) at least six months or 168 days after their first booster (fourth dose). 

This lower dose paediatric COVID-19 vaccine, by Moderna, has gone through a very strict approval process from Health Canada. Health Canada and The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) have reviewed how the vaccine benefits individuals, while also looking at any risk for possible side effects from the vaccine. The paediatric vaccine has been approved as safe and effective. 

Children under five have been the only major population group without the protection offered from vaccination, leaving many parents worried about their children and the effects of a potential COVID-19 infection, including for people at higher risk around them. Having a vaccine for this age group is a vital step in protecting many more children during this resurgence of COVID-19 in our community and ahead of the school year. 

Appointments can be booked through the provincial COVID-19 vaccination portal, by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-390 or by checking local pharmacies to find locations that provide the paediatric COVID-19 vaccine. Parents and guardians are encouraged to make an appointment for their children as drop-in availability will be limited at community vaccine clinics. Some primary care physicians and paediatricians may also provide this vaccine to their clients. 

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is working with partners to expand its current COVID-19 clinics to offer additional options for children and their families. Children in Ottawa can look forward to being vaccinated through various initiatives, including: 

• Smaller, rotating family-friendly vaccination clinics operated by OPH across the city: 
  • City of Ottawa buildings at 255 Centrum Boulevard, Mary Pitt Centre at 100 Constellation Drive, Walter Baker Sports Centre, Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park, and Richelieu-Vanier Community Centre and more locations to be added and communicated over the next few weeks. 
  • Various partner agencies across the city, including some EarlyON centres and the Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre, to be launched and communicated over the next few weeks. 
  • OPH Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs. 
• The Kids Come First Clinic at CHEO offers vaccinations to children who can’t attend a community vaccination clinic. Visit CHEO’s Vaccination page for details. 

OPH expects to receive paediatric vaccine supply this week, with clinics welcoming this new age group as of July 28, 2022. Visit the OPH website at OttawaPublicHealth.ca/ChildCOVID19Vaccine for additional clinic details. New clinics and more appointments will be added to meet demand and as more vaccine supply is received. 

OPH is working to make vaccination for children and their families as easy and comfortable as possible, with the option of smaller vaccine clinic spaces, COVID-19 safety precautions, immunization staff trained in administering vaccines to children, superhero photo stations and fun stickers to take home. Parents and guardians can visit our website to get tips on how to prepare for their child’s appointment, such as giving children a snack beforehand and bringing a comforting toy or music to listen to. 

For more information about COVID-19, please visit OttawaPublicHealth.ca/COVID19. 

Montreal Road Revitalization 

Work activities planned for the next two weeks (July 25 to August 5) include: 

• Montreal Road / Granville Street intersection – watermain work and catch basin installation continue on the south side of the intersection. 
• Montreal Road from Cantin / Ducharme to St-Laurent Boulevard – preparation for sidewalk and placement of concrete sidewalk on the south side of Montreal Road. 
• Landscaping and streetscaping North River Road to Mona Avenue —Landscape and street furniture installation is continuing, including the installation of bike racks, benches and garbage receptacles. Shrub planting in the numerous low-lying concrete planters has also started.  
• Vanier Parkway at Montreal Road – Milling of the existing Vanier Parkway asphalt surface is tentatively scheduled for two nights the week of Monday, August 1. The purpose of the milling is to remove the top asphalt surface and replace with a new asphalt overlay the week of Monday, August 8. 
• Hydro Ottawa pole topping — Hydro Ottawa has resumed works in order to remove their overhead cables between de L’Eglise and Lajoie this week. Hydro will return at a later date to remove the top 1/3 of the poles.  
• Civic Holiday: Monday, August 1 – No planned construction activities.