May 12, 2023 Newsletter

May 12, 2023 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.

A Message from Councillor King

Emergency Preparedness Week, observed this week (May 7 to 13, 2023), has been a national event for over 25 years and aims to promote awareness about the importance of knowing what to do before, during and after an emergency. 

We know that emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere and can affect everyone. We also know some people are impacted more than others, particularly those living in densely populated areas and those with less access to resources.

As members of this community, we all have a role in an emergency. This week is an opportunity for us to take action to ensure we are prepared to ensure that we, along with our families, friends and communities, are safe during an emergency. This year, the national theme is "Be prepared. Know your risks," which is intended to encourage residents to understand the risks where they live and to learn about what actions they can take.

So, what can we do to be prepared and know our risks? Get to know our neighbours! 

A connected community is a resilient community. We can reduce health inequities by fostering connections within our communities and sharing information about how neighbours can help neighbours before, during, and after emergencies and where to go if they need further support.

An excellent example of a community-based emergency response model was the Ottawa Cares initiative undertaken during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Ottawa Cares began as an initiative of the Manor Park Community Council, with the support of several Ottawa community associations, including Cardinal Glen, Lindenlea, New Edinburgh, Manor Park, Overbrook, Rockcliffe Park and Vanier, whereby neighbours supported neighbours.

Learn more about your risks by visiting the City of Ottawa's Emergency Preparedness webpage: https://ottawa.ca/en/health-and-public-safety/emergency-preparedness/

You can also obtain access to health and public safety information and resources on my Web site at:

https://www.rideau-rockcliffe.ca/health_public_safety

Your Councillor in the Community

Thank you to everyone from Wards 12, 13 and 14 for attending the Transit Townhall I co-hosted on May 10 with Councillors Stéphanie Plante and Ariel Troster to discuss the results of our recent transit-use survey and what more can be done to have a reliable service we can trust. Your feedback and ideas are greatly appreciated.

Happy to join Councillor Laura Dudas, Chair of the Community Services Committee, at the Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre on May 9 today to discuss ways to enhance the United Way of Eastern Ontario's Gifts In Kind program. Over the last 7 years, the program has distributed over $5 million worth of donations to Ottawa non-profit agencies.

It was an honour to attend the May 8th launch reception of the exhibition commemorating over 50 years of immigration of the Ismaili Muslims to Canada, hosted by the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat.

Great to have attended the Rockcliffe Park Village Clean-up last weekend.

Rideau-Rockcliffe News, Events and Engagement Opportunities

Road Rehabilitation Works in Rideau-Rockcliffe and Rideau-Vanier

As part of the City of Ottawa’s annual infrastructure maintenance cycle, road resurfacing will occur in the following locations:

• Clarke Avenue from St. Laurent Boulevard to Claude Street - May 25 to early July
• Donald Street from Vera Street to Alesther Street - May 25 to early September
• McArthur Avenue from Lafontaine Avenue to St. Laurent Boulevard - July 10 to October
• And in nearby Ward 12:
  • Belisle Street from McArthur Avenue north to the dead end - July 31 to late August
  • Eastwood Place from McArthur Avenue west to the dead end - August 10 to late September

Work on these roadways will typically be daytime working hours with the exception of some evening work on McArthur Avenue. The roads will remain open to traffic with lane closures expected. Traffic control personnel will direct traffic. The City has retained contractor R.W. Tomlinson to complete the work. 

Collection of tree debris from recent ice storm

The City is entering the sixth week of recovery efforts following the April 5th ice storm. The Public Works Department is still operating under an emergency structure and for many services within the department, this is not business as usual. Staff recognize there have been some service delays and they continue to make every effort to minimize the impacts of those delays. There are still several weeks of cleanup ahead of, but staff are making every effort to get through it as quickly as they can. On Monday, May 15th, staff will also begin collecting leaf and yard waste separately from green bin collection which will help to clean up smaller debris piles throughout the city. On May 16th, staff will mobilize the entire Parks team to do a City-wide, one-day blitz of ALL locations that have yet to receive a single pass.

It is important to remember that all crews will do a single pass for tree debris collection. Should some smaller debris be left behind, we encourage and thank residents for collecting it and leaving it on the curb for regular leaf and yard waste removal. We recognize that there is a lot of work that remains and many neighbourhoods to address once we complete the hardest hit wards. We will continue to spread our resources across the city until the work is complete. 

As of May 12th crews have cleared 5,067 lane km of debris across the city, or 39 per cent of our roads. We expect the percentages to rise more quickly once we are through the hardest-hit areas. Rideau-Rockcliffe has more than 82 per cent of the on-street chipping and debris collection complete.

 Stay up to date on progress being made by clicking here.

Montreal Road Revitalization update

Work along Montreal Road has resumed. Paving of the second layer of asphalt on Montreal Road between Mona Street and St. Laurent Boulevard was completed earlier this week at night. The night work was required given daytime lane closures would significantly impact transit operations and traffic along the three lane Montreal Road. Night work is undertaken only when necessary and will be limited as much as possible. The final lift of asphalt from east of Marier Avenue to St. Laurent Boulevard is tentatively scheduled as night work for late June/early July 2023. Once a more definitive date is known, updates will be sent out. 

• Olmstead Street to St. Laurent Boulevard – Miscellaneous concrete sidewalk work and landscaping
• McArthur Avenue /Vanier Parkway Intersection – Begin reinstatement of the intersection to pre-detour conditions which include removal of the double southbound left lane and reinstatement of the center median on McArthur Avenue. As part of the work, the existing paver crosswalks will be removed and replaced with new painted crosswalks. The work is scheduled to occur over several weeks with some night work required given the heavy traffic volumes along the Vanier Parkway.
• McArthur Avenue /St. Laurent Boulevard intersection – Begin reinstatement of the intersection to pre-detour conditions which include removal of the double eastbound lane, new paint lines, and concrete median work. The work is scheduled to occur over several weeks.  

[email protected]

ottawa.ca/montrealroad

New Edinburgh Garden Day & Plant Sale - May 13

The Crichton Community Council in New Edinburgh invite you to New Edinburgh Garden Day on Saturday, May 13 from 9 am to 1 pm at New Edinburgh Park, 203 Stanley Avenue. The event will feature a garden sale and a speaker series on the Fieldhouse lawn.

Fieldhouse Film in New Edinburgh - May 13

Cap off Garden Day in New Edinburgh on May 13 with the film classic, Little Shop of Horrors, from 7:30 to 9:30 pm at the New Edinburgh Park Fieldhouse, 203 Stanley Avenue. Click here for more Fieldhouse Films details.

Rockcliffe Park Public School's 100th Anniversary - May 13

Throughout the months of May and June, Rockcliffe Park Public School will be celebrating our 100th anniversary. On May 13, 2 to 5 pm, the RPPS School Council will be hosting a High Tea in the Jubilee Gardens at Rockcliffe Park. Community members, alumni, and former staff welcome!

Click here to RSVP.

Manor Park Community Council Spring Sports for Kids - May 13

The Manor Park Community Council hosts its Spring Sports for Kids! Sessions will start with skills & drills designed to meet your child's age and skill level, all while promoting physical literacy. Skills and drills will transition quickly into games, games, games!  All MPCC sports programs for children are proudly co-ed and welcome players from all neighbourhoods, abilities, and skill levels. We hope you’ll get active with us outside this spring in Manor Park.

Starting May 13; 100 Thornwood Road

Visit manorpark.ca for details and to register.

Wellness, Stigma & Stress virtual workshop - May 15

The Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre's Together We Can and Ottawa Public Health present a workshop in English about Wellness, Stigma & Stress on May 15, from 6 to 7:30 pm on Zoom. This is a free virtual event open to all Black, African and Caribbean teens. Register for the workshop link here.

MacKay United Church Women's Unit hosts a special event regarding intimate partner violence/femicide - May 24

On May 24 at 7 pm, authors of The Castleton Massacre, Sharon Cook and Margaret Carson, will discuss femicide, using the context of their family's tragedy with a question and answer session following the presentation. The Castleton Massacre was listed as one of Canada's best non-fiction books in 2022 by the Globe and Mail. Margaret Carson, a young child at the time, escaped the killing by running away from the family home and hiding in a ditch. The event is free. All are welcome. It will be held in person at 39 Dufferin Road, and also streamed live at this link.

Rockcliffe Park Speaker Series - May 24

May 24 at 8 pm at the Rockcliffe Park Community Hall, 380 Springfield Road.

Former curator of both contemporary and modern art at the National Gallery for 21 years, and author of “Women at the Helm” about the first three women directors of the gallery, Diana Nemiroff was one of the signatories to a public letter that launched a media storm over the recent turmoil that has engulfed the gallery. She will bring her deep experience and sharp mind to a talk about the past, present, and future of this iconic institution. For details, please click here. 

Tree Trimming and Power Outage - Merriman Avenue, Arundel Avenue, Dunvegan Road, Birch Avenue and Farnham Crescent - May 25

Hydro Ottawa has advised my office that they and their forestry contractor Asplundh Canada, will complete tree trimming work on May 25, 2023, as part of our efforts to prevent trees and branches from coming into contact with overhead power lines. A power outage is scheduled as a result of this work. All impacted residents will be notified. 

Affected streets: Merriman Avenue, Arundel Avenue, Dunvegan Road, Birch Avenue and Farnham Crescent

Date: May 25, 2023

Power outage: 8 am to 1 pm.

Contractor on site: Asplundh Canada

Customers impacted: 31

Manor Park Public School Mayfair Event - May 27

Manor Park Public School presents its Mayfair event on May 27 from 10 am to 3 pmon the school grounds. The event will feature a silent auction, face painting, food, games, balloon animals, a book sale and more. 

Ottawa Marathon Cheer Stations in Rideau-Rockcliffe - May 28

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is fast approaching with this year’s largest Canadian multi-day running event taking place May 27 and 28. 

The following cheer stations will be participating in Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward:

• The Crichton Community Council hosts a cheer station at the corner of MacKay Street and Dufferin Avenue (255 MacKay Street), May 28 from 7 am to 12 pm. For details, please click here.
  
  
• A cheer station will be set up by the Woodshed Collective at the corner of Lisgar Street and the Sir-George-Etienne-Cartier Parkway, on May 28.
  
  
• Educator and performer Luciano Porto will host a cheer station at the corner of Birch Avenue and Sir-George-Etienne Cartier Parkway, on May 28.

Each of the stations have been asked to be set up by 8:15 am. Elite athletes will be passing by before 8:30 am. Runners will be going by for approximately four hours. Live nearby? You are welcome to join your neighbours at these cheer stations in support of the marathon runners as they race by.

Climate Resiliency Community Workshop for Rideau-Rockcliffe residents - May 30

The City’s Climate Change and Resiliency unit is looking to hear from communities across Ottawa to inform the Climate Resiliency Strategy and programming, recognizing that people will face different impacts based on many factors including geographic location, age, gender, race, and income. CAFES and The City of Ottawa are hosting in-person Climate Resiliency Community Dialogues in partnership with Community and Citizens Associations. These Community Dialogues will focus on climate resiliency and community preparedness for climate impacts such as extreme weather events, flooding, and higher temperatures.  The goal of these dialogues is to foster discussion around what climate impacts residents and communities are most concerned about, how prepared they feel, and what strategies can mitigate these impacts. 

Wards 12 & 13 - Lindenlea, Manor Park, New Edinburgh, Overbrook, Rockcliffe Park and Vanier

May 30, 6:30 to 8:30 pm

Location: Richelieu-Vanier Community Centre, 300 Des Peres-Blancs Avenue

Register for the meeting link here.

There are several other opportunities for you to contribute your ideas to help design the strategy:

• Visit Engage Ottawa to learn more about climate trends and risks and share your ideas through a virtual comments board
• Organize your own climate conversation with your friends or neighbours. Contact [email protected] for resources to help

Noise Exemption Permit Application - May 31

The Ottawa Riverkeeper has applied to the City of Ottawa for a noise exemption for a fundraising event at the River House at 501 Sir-George-Etienne-Cartier Parkway the evening of May 31. The gala will host an estimated 350 guests and live music and speeches are planned. There is the potential to exceed standard noise levels. 

Development Townhall for Overbrook and Eastway Gardens residents - June 15

Live or work in Overbrook or Alta Vista Ward's Eastway Gardens community? You are invited to a virtual townhall I am co-hosting with Alta Vista Councillor Marty Carr on June 15 at 6:30 pm to learn about upcoming development projects.

Please click here to register for the meeting link.

Overbrook resident presents play at Ottawa Fringe Festival - June 16 to 24

Overbrook resident Ron Davies's play, Transitions, will be produced at the 2023 Ottawa Fringe Festival. Winner of the 2023 Hamilton Fringe New Play Contest, Transitions is a family drama about change. Family members from three generations -- an ailing grandfather, a beleaguered mother and a transgender teen -- struggle to understand each other's life changes ... and to deal with their own. Performances take place at the Arts Court Theatre, 2 Daly Ave., from June 16 to 24. The play runs 55 minutes. Tickets at $12 (plus $3.00 for a Fringe pin) will be available through the Ottawa Fringe Festival site at ottawafringe.com. For more information about the play, visit transitionstheplay.ca or follow Overbridge Productions on Facebook, and Instagram. For more information about Ron Davies, visit ron-davies.ca or email [email protected].

City of Ottawa News, Events, Meetings and Engagement Opportunities

Naval gun salute to kick off Tulip Festival - May 13

The 2023 Canadian Tulip Festival will kick off with a single-round gun salute on Saturday, May 13 at approximately 11 am. This display will conclude the official opening ceremonies of the festival, which will take place at Dow’s Lake. This year marks the 71^st year of the Canadian Tulip Festival, a yearly celebration of the historic Royal gift from the Dutch to the Canadians immediately following the Second World War as a symbol of international friendship. The use of the naval gun is a tribute to the Royal Canadian Navy forces that played a critical role in liberating the Dutch people during World War II. Click here for details.

Updates to the City of Ottawa's Use and Care of Roads By-law 2003-498

City staff are interested in resident feedback regarding proposed regulations to allow for residential gardening, little free libraries and retail vending in the City’s right of way. Curious what a right-of-way is or what each of these projects entail? The project website has definitions, explanations of the projects, proposed changes, FAQs as well as contact information of staff who can answer any additional questions. Staff will be bringing these proposals to Transportation Committee in June for debate and a recommendation to Council on a final decision regarding approval.

Pothole Repair Operational Update

The City's pothole crews have continued their work on temporary repairs, and since April 14, 134 crews have been assigned and filled over 30,000 potholes! This brings our year-to-date total – January 1 to May 4 – to more than 106,400 potholes filled. The number of potholes filled between January 1 and May 4, 2023 (106,400) is 20% above the 3-year average (88,356) for this period. Work has wrapped up in both the East and West Suburban areas, but the Python Pothole Patchers still have work to do in the urban and rural areas. Now that warmer temperatures are on the horizon, crews will be transitioning to hot mix asphalt. Crews will continue with pothole repair work through the summer! While our pothole repairs are not permanent, the work we do in warmer, dryer conditions is often longer lasting.  Residents can report a pothole on the road.

You can say ‘no’ to the tow – here’s why

Need a tow? Protect yourself from a lost vehicle and overcharging - use a licensed operator. We have a list and more. Please click here for details.

May at the Museopark

The Vanier Museopark's summer camps are back for the 2023 summertime! For details, please click here. To register, please click here.

Road Safety Week is May 16 to 22

• Warmer weather is officially here, and this means an increase in pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and e-scooter users on our roads. These are important transportation options for all of us – but leave those road users vulnerable when interacting with vehicles. 
• Vulnerable road users have a significantly higher risk of fatal or major injury when there are vehicular collisions on our roads. Of all fatal and major injury collisions:

• • 25% involve pedestrians
  • 14% involving motorcyclists
  • 10% involving cyclists

• More than half of fatal and major injury collisions occur at or very near to intersections. No matter how you’re getting around this spring, please be extra vigilant at intersections:
  • Make full stops at stop signs and red lights – no rolling stops.
  • Never stop your car or motorcycle in crosswalks as it forces pedestrians into traffic.
  • Always use your signals and look for other road users in all directions before completing your turn.
  • Left-turning drivers should check diligently for pedestrians after opposing traffic has cleared and always pay close attention to the travel speeds of nearby motorcyclists
  • When on two wheels, always ride defensively as vehicles can’t always see you clearly. 
• Looking out for other road users, especially children walking or biking, can mean the difference between life and death – and no destination is more important than that.
• As part of Road Safety Week, the Ottawa Police Service will be increasing their traffic enforcement and communication efforts across the city. They are adopting an integrated enforcement model where they use intelligence-led deployments of several units working together at high collision intersections and areas of interest provided by the public. Traffic complaints can be reported through the OPS traffic complaint page.
• We also rely on your help to ensure road signs and signals are in proper working order at all times. If you notice damaged or non-functioning equipment, please call 3-1-1 as soon as you can.
• To learn more about the City’s Road Safety Action Plan, and the many initiatives getting underway this year to increase road safety, please visit Road Safety Action Plan | City of Ottawa

Ottawa Public Health Update 

Emergency Preparedness Week - May 7-13, 2023

Emergency Preparedness Week has been a national event for over 25 years and aims to promote awareness about the importance of knowing what to do before, during and after an emergency. We know that emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere and can affect everyone. We also know some people are impacted more than others, particularly those living in densely populated areas and those with less access to resources. 

Learn your risks by visiting the City of Ottawa’s Emergency Preparedness webpage: Before an emergency | City of Ottawa.

OC Transpo Bus Route Review

OC Transpo has launched a bus route review, which will look at how bus routes are planned in our city. Through this survey, they are asking customers how they use the transit system and what they want the future of transit to look like. Please click herefor details and the survey. You are also welcome to share your feedback by emailing [email protected]. Stay tuned for details about three open houses in the works.

NCC Weekend Bikedays are back starting May 13

Every weekend from May to October, the NCC reserves some of its parkways in Ottawa for active use. Whether you’re biking, walking, in-line skating, using a wheelchair, or pushing a stroller, this program is for you! These car-free roads are a great way to experience the beauty of the National Capital Region in a fun, safe, and environmentally friendly way. Click here for the routes and schedules.  

The Queen Elizabeth Driveway active use program is also back. Click here for more information.

Lansdowne 2.0 - Public Realm/Urban Park Consultation - May 17

Don't miss this opportunity to help shape the future of Lansdowne Park! Register for the City's Public Realm/Urban Park virtual engagement on May 17 at 6 pm. Please click here to register for the meeting link.

OAG’s Give to Get Art Auction 2023 - May 18

For more than 20 years, the Ottawa Art Gallery has welcomed attendees for the Give to Get Art Auction, an annual fundraising event in support of local art, artists, and the OAG’s public exhibitions, permanent collection, and community programming. This prominent annual event will take place on May 18, 5:30 to 8:30 pm, in the Alma Duncan Salon on the third floor of the OAG at 10 Daly Avenue. For details, please click here.

City of Ottawa budget survey - open until May 24 

Do you get involved in the City’s budget process? If not, why? Is there a better way to help you understand the budget? Are we offering appropriate opportunities to get involved? We want to hear from you! These are all questions to consider when completing the following survey; it’s open until May 24 and won’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Visit engage.ottawa.ca/city-budget-process for more information.

The Beechwood Stroll - May 28

The Beechwood Cemetery Stroll is a free, family-friendly guided historical tour through Beechwood, the National Cemetery of Canada. Tours are given on the last Sunday of each month, rain or shine, and begin at 1 pm. Tours start from the Beechwood National Memorial Centre, located just off our Beechwood Avenue entrance. For more information, please click here. To register for the May 28th tour, please click here.

AccessAbility Day 2023 - May 31

Join us in celebrating the 20th annual AccessAbility Day, presented by the City of Ottawa in collaboration with the Canadian Accessibility Network and the Institute of Public Administration of Canada – National Capital Region. Please join Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, who will deliver the Proclamation of AccessAbility Day in Ottawa. This will be followed by a variety of engaging speakers who will share their perspectives on the topic, including a keynote speech from Stephanie Cadieux, Canada’s Chief Accessibility Officer.     

When: May 31, 2023    

Time: 12 – 2 pm

Location: Zoom    

Please register online.

Emergency Services News

Ottawa Police Warn of Grandparent Scam

If someone calls and says they are representing a police service such as the RCMP or the Ottawa Police, look up their phone number and call them directly to verify any information. If you can’t find a number, call 2-1-1, they can help, and ask them to connect you with the actual police service. It’s always a good idea to call a trusted family member to discuss suspicious phone calls from strangers. You can read more Ottawa Police Grandparent scam tips online or visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre for more information on this and other scams. For more information, please click here.

Ottawa Police takes an integrated enforcement approach to speeding & unnecessary noise

This past weekend, as part of the Integrated Enforcement Initiative, Ottawa Police continued to address aggressive driving, speeding & related noise violations in the South/East, Market & West End with a focus on popular meet-up locations including the Strandherd Drive corridor. Click here for details.

City Council and Committee News

For meeting agendas, please visit ottawa.ca/agendas or call 3-1-1.

For information on how to participate in individual meetings, please consult the specific meeting’s agenda at ottawa.ca/agendas.

To watch the meetings on Youtube, please click here.

• Planning and Housing Committee - May 17 at 9:30 am
• Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee - May 18 at 9:30 am

Best wishes, 

Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe
http://www.rideau-rockcliffe.ca/