November 19 Newsletter 2021

November 19, 2021 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.

As we come closer to the end of the year, the City is continuing to make progress toward the 2022 Budget. With this in mind, I would like to remind residents that the ward 12 and 13 budget survey is still available. Residents have until November 30 to give their feedback. Budget priorities for ward 13 are listed in the first item in this newsletter. The NCC is launching a three-year planning process for a renewed Sir George-Étienne Cartier riverfront park and this will be another opportunity for residents to share their feedback. A public consultation will be held on December 2 and residents may also take part in their online survey. Residents may also wish to take note of the Better Homes Ottawa Loan Program. With the program, homeowners may be eligible to receive a zero-interest loan for energy efficiency improvements.  

Coming up next week is the 27th annual Ottawa Children’s Storytelling Festival. Children are invited to take part in this fun festival from November 22 to 27 and escape into the world of storytelling. As the holiday season approaches, many local organizations and initiatives are looking for donations. If you are looking to give this season, please consider the Community Laundry Co-op and the Odawa Native Friendship Centre. 

With the return to normalcy continuing to progress, this year the City was able to hold the Order of Ottawa ceremonies for both 2020 and 2021. On Thursday, November 18, I had the privilege of being present when Manock Lual received the Brian Kilrea Award for Excellence in Coaching. Manock is truly deserving of this award, and he continues to do great things in the community through his organization Prezdential Basketball. 

Budget Priorities for Ward 13 
 
City staff unveiled the following ward investments for 2022 as part of the City budget: 

Infrastructure 

• $1.3 million to rehabilitate the Shopping Centre Road overpass at St. Laurent Boulevard
• $180,000 for the Hemlock Road culvert east of Lansdowne Road South
• $2.3 million for integrated road, sewer and water work on Montreal Road
• $1.6 million to rehabilitate the water system on Stanley Avenue
• $10,000 to replace streetlight poles on Soper Place
• $2.8 million to renew roads, including:

$300,000 on Crichton Street between Charles and Keefer streets 

$430,000 on Crichton Street between Dufferin Road and Beechwood Avenue 

$1.3 million on Donald Street between Vanier Parkway and Alesther Street 

$570,000 on Springfield Road between Beechwood Avenue and Maple Lane 

$210,000 on Stanley Avenue from Sussex Drive to Union Street 

Transportation 

• $100,000 to build sidewalks on Den Haag Drive east of Carson’s Road
• $50,000 for temporary traffic calming measures

Transit 

• Conduct a transit priority study for St. Laurent Boulevard between Hemlock and Innes roads

Parks and Facilities 

• $470,000 to replace the hydro vault equipment at the Gil-O-Julien Park fieldhouse
• $750,000 to replace elevators at Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Park
• $625,000 to build Veterans Park

Ward projects underway 

Infrastructure 

• $17.8 million for integrated road, sewer and water work on Montreal Road
• $8.4 million to renew the Brittany Drive Pumping Station

Transportation 

• Install an automated speed enforcement camera on St. Laurent Boulevard between Noranda and Clarke avenues
• Install a red-light camera on Vanier Parkway at Presland Road
• Install a pedestrian crossover on North River Road at Stevens Avenue
• Plan a multi-use pathway on Belfast Road between Coventry Road and Trainyards Drive

Transit 

• $7.4 million to rehabilitate the St. Laurent bus rapid transit station platform

Environment 

• $280,000 to improve drainage at Spartan Avenue between Eve and Lola streets

Parks and Facilities 

• $125,000 to replace the football scoreboard at Gil-O-Julien Park
• $1.1 million to rehabilitate waterproofing at Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Park
• $2.45 million to build Eugene Martineau Park
• $2,000 for pickleball line paint at New Edinburgh Park
• $12,000 for a splash pad post and rail fence at New Edinburgh Park
• $150,000 for pathway lighting at St. Paul Park

Housing 

• $24.7 million for an Ottawa Community Housing development at 715MikinakRoad, which includes 271 affordable housing units 
• $1.1 million for a Habitat for Humanity development at 455WanakiRoad, which includes eight affordable housing units  
   
  • $60,000 in pre-development funding to a planned Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation affordable housing development on Putman Avenue 
• $9,000 through the Ontario Renovates program to repair and modify homes to support independent living for low-income seniors and people with disabilities

Recently completed ward projects 

Infrastructure 

• $255,000 to replace a play structure and gazebo at Don-Gamble Community Centre
• $120,000 for streetscaping on Lola Street at Queen Mary Avenue
• $6.7 million for integrated road, sewer and water work on Borthwick Avenue, Quebec Street and Gardenvale Crescent 
• $1.9 million to resurface roads, including portions of Vanier Parkway and MacKay Street

Transportation 

• Installed a red-light camera on Montreal Road at Brittany Drive

Transit 

• Conducted an Environmental Assessment Study of the transit priority corridor on Montreal Road between St. Laurent Boulevard and Shefford Road, and on Blair Road between Blair Station and Montreal Road

Environment 

• $7.6 million to rehabilitate the Vanier Parkway and Presland Avenue Storm Sewer
• $390,000 to improve drainage on Wingham Place 

$420,000 to rehabilitate Ottawa River outfalls at Lisgar Road 

Parks and Facilities 

• $200,000 to renovate former Rideau High School for use by the Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre
• $50,000 for improvements to Lindenlea Park 
• $8,000 for a play structure at Queen Mary Street Public School

Housing 

• $7.6 million to Shepherds of Good Hope for 42 supportive units on Montreal Road
• $1.8 million to Multifaith Housing Initiative for 40 supportive units at 745MikinakRoad 

Child care 

• $1.7 million to open 49 newchild carespaces for children up to 13 years old 

  
You can provide input on the City-wide budget priorities by participating in our survey. 
 

City launches Better Homes Ottawa - Loan Program to help homeowners make energy efficiency improvements 

Through the new Better Homes Ottawa - Loan Program, homeowners can get a zero-interest loan of up to the lesser of $125,000 or 10 per cent of the current value of their home to cover the cost of home energy improvements. 

Measures eligible for financing through the program include: 

• Basement, attic and exterior wall insulation 
• Air sealing (such as weather stripping or caulking) 
• Window and door replacements 
• Air and ground source heat pumps 
• Solar hot water systems 
• Solar photovoltaic systems 
• Battery storage 
• Electric vehicle charging stations (level 2) 
• Additional dwellings such as granny suites or basement apartments (up to 30 per cent of the total loan amount) 

You can combine the Better Homes Ottawa - Loan Program with other available energy efficiency rebates and incentives such as the Canada Greener Homes Grant and Enbridge Home Efficiency Rebate. 

The City is working with EnviroCentre, an Ottawa based non-profit organization to administer the program. Find out more about the Better Homes Ottawa – Loan Program and apply at betterhomesottawa.ca. The new Better Homes Ottawa website also includes everything you need to know to make your home more energy efficient and climate friendly. 

Stories to suit every imagination at the 27th annual Ottawa Children’s Storytelling Festival November 22 to 27 

This year’s Ottawa Children’s Storytelling Festival promises to delight and enthrall kids of all ages.  It’s a chance to find comfort in magical worlds: a vital escape for our mental health, and especially for that of our children. We are thrilled to announce that the 27th edition of the Festival, presented by Ottawa StoryTellers (OST), Ottawa Public Library (OPL) and le Cercle des Conteurs et Conteuses de l’Est de l’Ontario (CCCEO), in partnership with Le Conseil des Écoles Catholiques Centre-Est (CECCE), Consortium Centre Jules-Léger (CCJL), and with participation from Odawa Native Friendship Centre, will be held online, November 22 to 27, 2021. The Festival is geared especially for kids aged 0 to 12. The Festival is generously supported by the City of Ottawa and the Province of Ontario. 

The teams behind this year’s Ottawa Children’s Storytelling Festival are excited to offer young children an opportunity to hear from a wide variety of storytellers from Ottawa and across Canada: 

• Bethany Ellis will recount what makes a “really-truly-friend" and why you should never trust a dancing rabbit. 
• Rachel Dunstan Muller adventures on a dark –and –stormy night where things go oh-so-wrong for her brave heroes – until, at the last possible moment, they get the last laugh. 
• Chantal Chagnon will share her Cree Ojibwe Métis Stories and Songs to entertain, engage and enlighten. 
• Anna Kertz’s tales of surprises, suspense and hilarity will tantalize your ears. 
• Venture into the magic and transformative power of stories from China, re-imagined by Diana Tso. 
• Louise Profeit-LeBlanc, “T’se Däna” (Beaver Woman) in her native language, will share stories of her relations from the Nacho River in the Yukon Territories.   

Storytelling events are organized by age group and language. Some tellers’ events will be available on demand with closed captioning. Others will perform their stories in real time on OPL’s Zoom. Select performances will have American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. 

Visit the OST’s website or OPL's Kid Zone webpage for the full schedule and more details. 

Sir George-Étienne Cartier Park Plan: Online Public Consultation Phase 1  

The NCC is launching a three-year planning process for a renewed Sir George-Étienne Cartier riverfront park. This plan is in line with the NCC’s planning priorities of enhancing the shoreline, placemaking and animating the Capital for all users.   

The NCC’s planning process is under way, and the first online public consultation session will be held on December 2, 2021. This consultation will seek public input to develop the future vision for the park, as well as suggestions regarding the planning opportunities and potential challenges for this area. 

Public consultation agenda  

6:30 pm Project presentation  

7:00 pm Group discussion  

7:45 pm Plenary  

8:15 pm Final thoughts / End of meeting  

Public consultation details  

What: Sir George-Étienne Cartier Park Plan, Public Consultation, Phase 1  

When: December 2, 2021, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm (HNE) 

Where: Online (Microsoft Teams platform)   

Registration: To take part in the December 2 online public consultation, please register by November 29 using the following link:  

SGEC Park Plan: Public Consultation - Phase 1  

If you require any special accommodation, please send an email to the NCC at [email protected].  

If you can’t take part in the online public consultation session, please share your thoughts through the online survey, which will be available on the project’s web page as of December 2.    

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the NCC at [email protected] or 613-239-5000. 

Changing Lives One Load at a Time 

Support your low-income neighbours by making a charitable donation today! 

The story of the Community Laundry Co-op is best told by its members. They come for clean clothes, but they receive much more: a welcoming environment with free on-site counselling, personalized support, community navigation, and a place to build community. Their unique model catches people who might otherwise fall through the cracks: over 95% of their members live below the poverty line and include many seniors, single parents, new Canadians, those experiencing homelessness, and people living with physical, developmental, substance use and mental health challenges. 

The CLC relies on donations, grants, and over 3000 hours of members’ volunteer work each year. In 2020, over 88% of their budget went directly to our programs. Your charitable contribution will help build community in a neighbourhood with the highest levels of inequity in the City. CLC hopes to expand their model to other high-needs neighbourhoods in Ottawa in the future. 

Odawa Native Friendship Centre: In the Spirit of Giving 

The Odawa Native Friendship Centre is asking for donations to support local Indigenous families this holiday. 

The Odawa Native Friendship has supported Ottawa's Urban Indigenous Community for over 40 years by providing social and cultural programs for children, youth, parents, and seniors. They also provide outreach support to our homeless community and those individuals involved in the criminal justice system. 

They provide a weekly food bank in addition to running their homeless outreach program (Bannock Bus), and they ensure vulnerable families receive any emergency supplies needed. 

Support for their endeavor is greatly appreciated as they continue to address food security, provide health and safety supplies, and gas vouchers for delivery of food and other supplies. 

Donations can be made here. 

Montreal Road Revitalization 

Please find below a two-week update (Monday, November 15 to Friday, November 26) for the Montreal Road Revitalization project. The work activities planned for the next two weeks will include: 

• Vanier Parkway/Montreal Road intersection – Construction of the concrete curb and sidewalk in the southwest quadrant of the intersection, and south on the Vanier Parkway has been completed. Once the concrete has cured, the east-west crosswalk will reopen, potentially at the end of this week or early next week.  

• North River Road to Vanier Parkway – Hydro Ottawa cut the existing hydro poles between North River Road and Palace Street last week. Removal of the bottom pole bases has started and will be completed within two weeks.   

• Vanier Parkway to Marier Avenue – The north side concrete curb, base asphalt, sidewalk, and asphalt cycle track are complete for this section. The curb, sidewalk, cycle track and tree cell installation on the south side is now complete. Paving of the second lift of asphalt between Vanier Parkway and Olmstead South is complete. The paver stone work is completed at Emond Street and Bradley Avenue. Landscaping will follow next year. Temporary streetlight pole removal has started and will continue this week.    

• Marier Avenue to Lafontaine Avenue – This section of road will be the primary focus for the next several weeks, specifically on the south side of the road. The concrete curb was completed last week and crews are continuing with sidewalk construction. Sidewalk areas that will not be finished with concrete over the next two weeks will be filled with temporary asphalt for the winter.     

• Lafontaine Avenue to de l’Église Street – Concrete curb, sidewalk and base lift asphalt is now complete between Cantin and Granville. The south side of Montreal Road from Ducharme Boulevard to de L’Église Street has been paved. All watermain work is now complete for the year.  

• De l’Église Street to St. Laurent Boulevard – Outstanding work for this section includes temporary road paving for winter conditions, which will continue until the end of November. The north side of the road will be occupied by both Enbridge and Hydro Ottawa early next year.  

• 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, except for Olmstead Street, Marier Avenue, Granville Street/Lafontaine Avenue and Cantin Street. Beginning December 19, 2021 until late April 2022, Montreal Road, between the Vanier Parkway and St. Laurent Boulevard, will reopen to two-way vehicle and transit traffic. In addition, all side streets with the exception of Savard Avenue will also reopen, providing full access to Montreal Road. The Transit and Vehicle impacts are depicted in the attached exhibits. 

• Month-long construction outlook – Construction for the year is winding down. Over the next month, the focus will be on preparing the site for winter conditions, including the temporary paving of granular surfaces, installation of temporary pinned curbs, line painting and site cleanup.