April 19, 2024 Newsletter
April 19, 2024 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.
March 31, 2023 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.
A Message from Councillor King
This week, the City's Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee received the results of the after-action review of the City’s response to the May 2022 derecho storm. The review assessed what worked well in terms of the City’s emergency preparedness, response and communications, along with potential areas for improvement.
The review recommends areas for improvement, including that the City continue to build greater depth in its capacity to staff crucial roles; enhance public education and awareness of emergency preparedness at the individual and community levels; develop formal response protocols for key supports, including food security, wellness visits and volunteer management; build a formal network of external partners to enhance collaboration before, during and after an emergency; and seek additional ways to communicate effectively with the public during prolonged power outages
While the impacts of the sudden historic storm were severe, the City conducted a well-coordinated response. The review found that the City had successfully implemented its comprehensive emergency management program during the critical incident and had successfully mobilized its emergency operations centre and frontline operations in order to help residents in need and provide community supports. All municipalities in Ontario must have an emergency management program. The Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act outlines the responsibilities that a municipality must follow and implement.
During the meeting, I asked staff to develop standard operating procedures in vulnerable neighbourhoods and communities, as well as to increase the speed of response in the wake of future critical incidents. Staff will address all recommendations and report back to the Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee on progress through the Public Safety Service annual report.
Councillor Riley Brockington, the Committee Chair, also asked City staff for an expedited response from Hydro Ottawa concerning the action plan that both Councillor Brockington and I requested in the wake of the storm to ensure that extended power outages do not negatively impact the City at scale again.
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My website now features Public Safety information, including important emergency preparedness resources, such as the City's Community Emergency Tool Kit. Learn what to do before, during and after an emergency. The Tool Kit features a guide to helping others, a video guide to building an emergency kit and steps to emergency preparedness.
Councillor King in the Community
Great first community coffee meet and greet event at the Rideau Community Hub on March 31. Thank you to all the volunteers who made this event possible. The Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre and incubator13 host a Community Coffee Day the last Friday of each month from March to November in Room 124 at the Hub, located at 815 St. Laurent Boulevard.
I attended the official inauguration and opening of the brand new Vanier Sugar Shack on March 28.
I attended the proclamation of Bangla Heritage Month at City Hall on March 30 with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe. Ottawa is home to a large and vibrant Bengali community from South Asia where Bangla is one of the languages spoken. Since the first Bengali immigrants arrived in Canada in the early 20th century, they have made significant contributions throughout Ontario and Canada.
I enjoyed the 16th annual Soup(e) Splash event during this year’s Sugar Festival at Vanier Museopark on March 27. Excellent, friendly competition featuring BiBi’s, Dhruvees, Epicuria, Fraser Cafe, Le St-Laurent and Play Food and Wine restaurants.
I attended the incredible grand entry during the 23th annual Ottawa Indigenous Children & Youth Pow Pow on March 25 at the Shaw Centre.
Rideau-Rockcliffe News, Events and Engagement Opportunities
Shop Local at the Farm Store - in person and online
The Farm Store will be open Saturday 9 am-noon at 1805 Gaspe Avenue. For details, please click here.
Help the fire-impacted Overbrook residents
For residents wishing to help those affected by the fire in Overbrook on Presland Road in February, visit this Canada Helps page to make donations. Please select Fund 10- Presland Road Fire Victims.
Designing for and at the Rideau Community Hub: Student Showcase and Exhibitions - April 4
The public is invited to a special event hosted by the Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre on Tuesday, April 4, between 10:30 am and 4:30 pm at the Rideau Community Hub, 815 St. Laurent Blvd. The event is free, but please RSVP for organizational purposes. For details and to register, please visit this link.
Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off Event - April 23
Every year, the City of Ottawa hosts drop-off events to ensure that resident’s hazardous waste is safely collected, transported, and appropriately recycled or disposed. This helps to protect the environment and decreases the risk of toxic materials ending up in our collection vehicles or landfills.
The first drop-off event for 2023 will take place at RCGT Stadium at 300 Coventry Road on Sunday, April 23, from 8 am to 4 pm.
For the most up-to-date schedule, and to see the list of acceptable items, please click here.
Free Income Tax Clinic - until April 28
The Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre is hosting a free income tax clinic for residents with a K1K (and some K1M and K1G) postal code until April 28, 2023.
To register and for details, please visit www.crcrr.org/incometax2022.
City of Ottawa News, Events, Meetings and Engagement Opportunities
Spring Flooding Update for March 31
The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority has issued a Flood Watch statement, meaning it is possible some areas along the Rideau River may experience localized flooding. Monitoring will continue and additional info will be provided when available. For details, please click here. City crews will continue to monitor areas for response as required. If your property is at risk, call 3-1-1. If it is an emergency situation, call 9-1-1.
Be part of the community - Become a Crossing Guard!
Join the Ottawa Safety Council’s (OSC) dedicated, community-minded team of Adult Crossing Guards! Great reasons to join the OSC’s crossing guard team:
- Make a real difference in your own community!
- Get to know your neighbours
- Help local families
- Become a trusted face in your neck of the woods
- Enjoy supplementary income and perks
Being a Crossing Guard provides a meaningful employment opportunity that puts a smile on everyone’s face. Interested in learning more? Get all the details on becoming a crossing guard from our website at ottawasafetycouncil.ca/employment-opportunities or contact Stephanie at [email protected].
Ottawa Public Library - April is Poetry Month
Poetry is for everyone, and the Ottawa Public Library is here to spread the poetic joy! During this 25th annual Poetry Month, join OPL in appreciating poetry, reading poetry, listening to poetry, writing poetry, and sharing poetry. The Library is offering a variety of programs from all through April that will help to foster an interest in poetry and encourage its creation. OPL has engaged talented educators and poets, for free events that everyone can enjoy. Registration is now open with programs for kids, teens and adults! Visit OPL's event listing to register for these events. Mark your calendar for April 29: Poem in Your Pocket Day. Select a poem, carry it with you, and share it with others. Everybody could benefit from some poetic inspiration and beauty! Discover new favorite poetry in OPL’s physical and digital collections.
Help Make Ottawa Rain Ready
A rain barrel fundraiser is a great way to raise funds for your cause and help residents of Ottawa make better use of rainwater. Learn more about hosting a rain barrel fundraiser by visiting rainbarrel.ca. Learn more about how you can be rain ready and contact the Rain Ready team at ottawa.ca/rain.
Registration for the City's Cleaning the Capital Campaign - Now Open
Registration is now open for the City's Cleaning the Capital Spring Campaign, with cleanup projects taking place between April 15 and May 31.
- April 15, 2023 - May 31, 2023: Spring Cleaning the Capital campaign
- April 22, 2023: Earth Day
- May 1, 2023: Registration closes
- June 15, 2023: Deadline to submit your online cleanup report
Visit ottawa.ca/clean for more information.
Vanier Museopark: Sugar Festival 2023 - until April 2
After three editions disrupted by the pandemic and the devastating fire at the sugar shack, the Vanier Sugar Festival is back in person from March 27 to April 2, at Richelieu Park. A flagship event in the Museopark’s public programming, the Sugar Festival celebrates the sugar season and allows visitors to reconnect or become familiar with the artisanal way of producing maple syrup.
For details, please visit museoparc.ca/sugar-festival.
The Great Egg Race - April 1
The City of Ottawa hosts The Great Egg Race at the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park on Saturday, April 1 from 9 am to 4 pm. Design an egg car, build it, and compete in The Great Egg Race at the Horticulture Building in Lansdowne Park. There’ll be three races plus free family activities! All materials are provided. To participate in the race, sign up on Register Ottawa. Email [email protected] with any questions.
Get ready for summer camp registration and take advantage of 10 per cent discount
- Browse summer camps, swimming lessons and activities online now at register.ottawa.ca.
- Register for summer swimming lessons on Monday, April 3 starting at 9 pm.
- Register for summer camps, recreation, arts and virtual activities on Tuesday, April 4 starting at 9 pm.
Summer camps 10 per cent discount and payment plan option
To help make summer camps more affordable for families this summer, residents will receive a 10 per cent discount on summer camp registrations. The discount has been applied to the fees displayed online and will show on the receipt at the point of payment. For families registering for multiple camps throughout the summer, consider the payment plan option at no extra cost. Rather than paying in full for all camps at the time of registration, stagger the payments for each camp throughout the summer. Your credit card will be charged on the Sunday two weeks in advance of the camp start date.
To help make summer camps more affordable for families this summer, residents will receive a 10 per cent discount on summer camp registrations. The discount has been applied to the fees displayed online and will show on the receipt at the point of payment. For families registering for multiple camps throughout the summer, consider the payment plan option at no extra cost. Rather than paying in full for all camps at the time of registration, stagger the payments for each camp throughout the summer. Your credit card will be charged on the Sunday two weeks in advance of the camp start date.
Looking for French arts programming? Shenkman Arts Centre also offers summer camps.
Creating a Climate Resilient Ottawa - April 4
Tuesday, April 4
6:30 – 8 pm
Zoom
In the last few years, Ottawa’s temperature has increased, and we’ve experienced extreme heat, a derecho, tornadoes and flooding. Climate change is here, and we need to be prepared. The good news is that there are solutions we can all take to ensure Ottawa is ready for these ongoing changes. Hear from Joanna Eyquem, from the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, and City staff about how we can prepare for the realities of climate change and how you can get involved in shaping the City’s Climate Resiliency Strategy. Click here to register for the meeting link.
6:30 – 8 pm
Zoom
In the last few years, Ottawa’s temperature has increased, and we’ve experienced extreme heat, a derecho, tornadoes and flooding. Climate change is here, and we need to be prepared. The good news is that there are solutions we can all take to ensure Ottawa is ready for these ongoing changes. Hear from Joanna Eyquem, from the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, and City staff about how we can prepare for the realities of climate change and how you can get involved in shaping the City’s Climate Resiliency Strategy. Click here to register for the meeting link.
Easter Weekend Schedule Changes - April 7-10
The City of Ottawa would like to remind residents of the following schedule changes and impacts to City services for the Easter holiday from Friday, April 7 to Monday, April 10.
For details, please click here.
Council on Aging of Ottawa Spring Luncheon - April 25
The Council on Aging of Ottawa hosts its Spring Luncheon on April 25 from 11 am to 2 pm at the St. Elias Centre, 750 Ridgewood Avenue. Andre Picard, a health reporter and clumnist for the Globe and Mail, will speak on "An Accessible, Inclusive Ottawa: What it should mean for Ottawa's Older Adults. To register and purchase a ticket and for more event details, please click here.
Crime Prevention Ottawa - Paint it Up! Deadlines Extended - April 28
Paint it Up! applications to CPO are now due on April 28, 2023. This application must include a location that has been approved by the City of Ottawa’s Mural Review Panel. For details, please click here.
Emergency Services News
➤ Collaboration with partners yields improved support for victims and survivors
For victims and survivors of sexual assault or intimate partner violence, sometimes coming forward to report it to police can be the hardest thing they can do. It takes great courage and a strong support network in order to speak up. That is why the Ottawa Police Service has made strategic investments to better-support victims and survivors. Click here for more information.
City Council and Committee News
To stay up to date on Ottawa City Council and Committee news, please click here.
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