May 14 Newsletter 2021

May 14, 2021 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.

COVID-19 Updates

• To date, more than 455,000 doses of vaccines have been administered in Ottawa.
• The declaration of emergency and province-wide Stay-at-Home orderhave been extended until June 2, 2021, requiring everyone to remain at home except for essential purposes.
• More risk groups, essential workers and adults 40 and older can book vaccine appointments.
• The City added a new community clinic at the Infinity Convention Centre that can accommodate residents from the provincially-designated “hot spots” in Ottawa. Residents 18 and older in these locations can book an appointment at the Infinity Centre or at any other community clinic through ca/bookvaccine.
• Visit the City’s updated Vaccine Distribution page to see who is eligible for vaccines, including individuals with at risk, high-risk and highest-risk health conditions, the first group of essential workers, and second group of essential workers who cannot work from home.

Manor Park Official Plan Amendment

An Official Plan amendment planning application was submitted to the City’s planning staff by Manor Park Management concerning their land holdings.

Their application is currently within its technical comments stage, and as your City Councillor, I will listen to all feedback (mainly resident concerns) concerning the proposal throughout the public consultation process and then I will make wider recommendations on this application.

While I have not made any final determination on this application submission, I will recommend to the builder that their application attempt to align with the building height expectations of the community, as well as provide adequate greenspace and community amenities.

An Official Plan Amendment must also be debated and voted on at Planning Committee, which will give residents the opportunity to bring delegations in front of the Committee.

While the Province only requires one meeting to be held for Official Plan amendments, the developer has currently agreed to three public meetings, which will provide an opportunity for presentations to the general public on their proposal, as well as for a resident question and answer period. All the presentations will be attended by the City planner, as well as by myself, my staff and the developer and their team.

The first meeting is intended for residents currently living within the areas to be re-developed, the second meeting is a presentation only and the third meeting is the companion question and answer period following the presentation, one week later.  I encourage you to register for these meetings below to learn more about the amendment and process:

You may register for the meetings below: 

1. Meeting for Residents Only
   June 1, 2021; 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
2. Presentation Night
   June 7, 2021; 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm:
3. Community Q&A
   June 14, 2021; 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm:

Library sets up new ways to provide computer, internet and printing access

Ottawa Public Library has put in place safe access to printing, WiFi and computers, during the current provincial stay-at-home order, to help address the disparity in access to technology in our community. As one of the largest providers of public computing in Ottawa, the Library is a lifeline for printing and internet for many.

Printing services are available at all open OPL branch locations. Chromebooks are also now available for 3-hour loans with outdoor WiFi access at the following 22 branches: Alta Vista, Beaverbrook, Carlingwood, Centennial, Greenboro, North Gloucester, Rideau, St. Laurent, Stittsville, Vanier, Main, Emerald Plaza, Elmvale Acres, Cumberland, Orléans, Rosemount, Sunnyside, Manotick, Carp, Hazeldean, Nepean Centrepointe and Ruth E. Dickinson. Additional WiFi hotspots will be based on community need, as supply increases.

Chromebooks must be reserved due to provincial regulations. Reservations can be made up to 3 days in advance via the OPL website or by calling InfoService at 613-580-2940. Customers can submit a print request using the form on the OPL website. form on the OPL website.

Marriage Licenses

ServiceOttawa will commence the on-line receipt of applications for marriage licences as of Wednesday May 12, 2021. This is the first step in the process and ServiceOttawa staff are available to support residents to ensure that their application is complete. 

Residents will be able to pick up their applications on a by-appointment, priority basis following the lifting of the Stay at Home Order. Should the province extend the Stay at Home Order which was previously scheduled to expire May 20, ServiceOttawa is planning a curbside pick-up service to enable residents to continue to access this important service.  

More details are available on the City’s website, Getting a Marriage Licence.

Virtual Consultation Event on Montreal Road

May 17 to June 11, 2021

ottawa.ca/montrealblairroad

You are invited to participate in the final public consultation event for the Montreal-Blair Road Transit Priority Corridor EA study. This study is investigating options to improve transit service efficiency and travel environment for all modes.

Due to the public health guidelines for COVID-19, this consultation will occur online for a period of four weeks. It consists of a recorded video presentation and supporting information that will provide:

• A review of the study objectives, need and opportunities, existing conditions and evaluation of alternative solutions
• Evaluation of alternative designs
• Preliminary Preferred Design for Montreal Road and Blair Road
• Preliminary impact assessment and property requirements
• Implementation and staging recommendations

Public participation is critical to the success of the study. Please provide your feedback and let us know what is important to you at ottawa.ca/montrealblairroad

Montreal Road Revitalization

Please find below a two-week update (May 10 to May 21) for the Montreal Road Revitalization project. The work activities planned for the next two weeks will include:

• Vanier Parkway/Montreal Road intersection – Crews are continuing work on the south side of the intersection and will continue in the intersection for the duration of May. The work includes installing underground traffic signal infrastructure, reconstructing the median, and building the road box. Work will take place this weekend (beginning Friday, May 14), requiring the closure of one northbound lane on Vanier Parkway which will reopen on Monday, May 17. Three out of four crosswalks will be open to allow pedestrian movement around the intersection. 
• Vanier Parkway to de l’Église Street – Excavations are underway at Dupuis Street, Emond Street, Bradley Avenue, Hannah Street, Lajoie Street, Mona Avenue and Lafontaine Avenue. The work focuses on underground construction, including electrical ducts, sewer replacement and underground utilities. Some installation of underground tree soil cells will also take place. Concrete curb construction will start early next week between Vanier Parkway and Olmstead Street on the north side of Montreal Road. No watermain shuts are expected for the next two weeks. Any water shuts are communicated at least 24 hours in advance.
• De l’Église Street to St. Laurent Boulevard – Excavations have started at de l’Église Street and the intersection is closed. Watermain work, including commissioning a 150 m section of pipe east of St. Laurent Boulevard, is underway. No water shuts are expected over the next two weeks. Work is planned to start late this month/early June at Ducharme Boulevard
• Adjustments to bus and vehicle detour – Traffic calming measures will be implemented starting this week/early next week along Lafontaine Avenue between McArthur Avenue and Montreal Road. Some minor adjustments have taken place and will continue over the next month along Montreal Road, the bus detour route, and McArthur Avenue at St. Laurent Boulevard and Vanier Parkway. The adjustments include reinforcing road closures at certain streets, additional signage, signal timing adjustments and pavement markings. Over the next month or so, we expect some congestion and cut-through traffic as residents and commuters navigate the detour and discover the numerous side street closures, as well as the closure of eastbound Montreal Road at all intersections. Once traffic patterns are established, we anticipate the majority of vehicle traffic will follow the detour or use an alternative route, such as Highway 417, to bypass Montreal Road. 
• Continued traffic impacts and road closures – Montreal Road is reduced to one westbound lane from Vanier Parkway to St. Laurent Boulevard. Vanier Parkway northbound and southbound lane closures will continue intermittently throughout the month of May. Expect delays. All streets are closed between Vanier Parkway and St. Laurent Boulevard, with the exception of Olmstead Street, Bégin Street, Marier Avenue, Granville Street/Lafontaine Avenue and Cantin Street.