May 28 Newsletter 2021

May 28, 2021 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.

New Official Plan Position Paper 

I wrote a paper on the New Official Plan to clearly enumerate my position on the issue. The new Plan will determine how the City evolves over the next quarter century. It will be the foundation concerning the type of City, neighbourhoods, communities, and environment we leave for the next generation.  

You can read my full statement here.  

Scooters are BACK! 

The City is pleased to announce that following the selection of three shared e-scooter providers (Bird Canada, Lime and Neuron), e-scooters will start to roll out on Ottawa streets today to support essential travel needs. The service will operate until November 30, 2021. E-scooters can be found within the designated deployment area shown in the brown area below. This year’s pilot includes an increase in the number of shared e-scooters to 1,200 in an expanded central deployment area. 

Wateridge Parks Construction update 

Parc Lt Colonel William G Barker VC Park (Park 8)   

Park 8 will be located at Codd’s road and Hemlock road and serve as a gathering place to celebrate the RCAF and the Former Rockcliffe Air Base, equipped for multi-season use and to host events. Features in the park will include plants and trees that provide shaded areas as well as design features reminiscent of the military presence on the site and those that celebrate the Algonquins.    

Parc Kishkabika Park (Park 1)  

Public consultation for Parc Kishkabika Park (Park 1), located near the waterfall, will begin in the coming months. The park plan includes play equipment, water play, a rink, space for community garden plots, and open space for community gathering. The park name Kishkabika is Algonquin for Rock Cliff. Algonquin history will be celebrated and prioritized in this park with elements such as a belvedere, ceremonial firepit and designs incorporated to honour the Algonquin community. Keep an eye out for further information on how you can share your thoughts on Park 1 through virtual public engagement. 

Fundraiser for People, Words, & Change 

Join professional artist and art instructor Hamid Ayoub for an online workshop on June 5th, 2021 to benefit People, Words, & Change’s continued efforts to provide free literacy tutoring to vulnerable adults in the Ottawa area. Mr. Ayoub will take participants through the steps of painting a landscape while encouraging exploration of inner experiences. Participants will learn how to become immersed in creativity and expression, receive helpful feedback, and create a piece of art to keep. Sign up HERE! 

Montreal Road Community Improvement Plan grant 

Council approved a Montreal Road Community Improvement Plan grant application to support an auto dealership that would help rejuvenate the corridor and create $17-million economic activity and jobs. The grant fulfilled the application criteria and is not a cost to taxpayers as it is derived completely from the applicant and does not negatively impact the City budget by drawing allocated dollars away from social services or infrastructure. Increased property taxes for the redeveloped site are anticipated to deliver more than $970,000 in additional net tax revenue to the City in the first 10 years, and more than $5 million in the subsequent decade (a 1,400% increase in tax revenue from the property), for a total of approximately $6 million. Council has pledged to commit all those revenues to fund affordable or social housing initiatives across the city. Due to concerns about the efficacy and function of these grant programs, I successfully moved a motion for City staff to undertake a cost-benefit analysis of the program. 

Montreal Road Revitalization 

Please find below a two-week update (May 24 to June 4) 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 in the southeast quadrant of the intersection, which will continue until the end of June. The work includes installing underground traffic signal infrastructure, concrete curbs, the sidewalk and building the road box. Three out of four crosswalks will be open to allow pedestrian movement around the intersection. Upcoming work on the east leg of the intersection will require shifting the north-south crosswalk approximately 30 m east, which will be controlled by flaggers during working hours. During non-working hours, the crosswalk will operate as per normal conditions. 

• Vanier Parkway to Olmstead Street North – Concrete curb, sidewalk, road box and tree soil cell work is continuing along the north side of Montreal Road. Road excavations and are underway at Emond Street, which is a designated public space area. Construction on Bradley Street working north will start early next week. Arrangements are being made to maintain parking and access to the Wabano Centre.   

• Lajoie Street to de l’Église Street – Continued underground and aboveground work will take place including tree soil cells, concrete curbs and sidewalks between Altha Avenue and Mona Avenue. Sanitary sewer and water service construction is ongoing between Lajoie Street and Lalemant Street, as well from Lafontaine Street to de l’Église Street. Work will soon begin at Ducharme Boulevard which, will have to close starting early next week, tentatively until the end of July.   

• 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 almost complete. A water shut for this section is planned in early June and is being coordinated with impacted businesses/institutions.  

• Continued traffic impacts and road closures – Montreal Road is reduced to one westbound lane from Vanier Parkway to St. Laurent Boulevard. 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. Durcharme Boulevard will close starting next week. 

• Traffic calming measures – The layout and implementation of traffic calming measures have started on Lafontaine Street and Deschamps Avenue. 

• Month-long construction outlook – Underground and aboveground work between Vanier Parkway and St. Laurent Boulevard will continue, with the majority of work occurring on the north side of Montreal Road. Most of the work in the southeast quadrant of the Montreal Road/Vanier Parkway intersection will be completed. Excavations and construction of the Emond Street space will continue, and work along Bradley Avenue will begin.     

Traffic Impacts 

• Highway 417 – The following ramps will close overnight, if weather permits: 
• The eastbound St. Laurent Boulevard on-ramp will close from 10 pm on Thursday, May 27 to 5:30 am on Friday, May 28.  
• The eastbound Nicholas Street and Lees Avenue off-ramps will close from 10 pm on Thursday, May 27 to 1 am on Friday, May 28.  
• The westbound Nicholas Street off-ramp will close from 1 am to 2 am on Friday, May 28. 
• The eastbound Nicholas Street on-ramp will close from 2 am to 5:30 am on Friday, May 28.  
• The westbound Greenfield Avenue and Nicholas Street on-ramps will close from 10 pm on Friday, May 28 to 5:30 am on Saturday, May 29. 
• Highway 174 – The following ramps and lanes will close for Stage 2 LRT roadwork: 
• The eastbound Blair Road off-ramp will close nightly between 9 pm and 5:30 am from Monday, May 31 to Sunday, June 6.