November 5 Newsletter 2021

November 5, 2021 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.

Some of the last few trees to hold their fall colour are now dropping their leaves, making it a wonderful sight for residents to take in. The colder November weather and falling leaves are a reminder that next Thursday is Remembrance Day and there will be some schedule changes to take note of.  

This week the Finance and Economic Development Committee received an update about progress on the City’s anti-racism strategy. Key points from the update can be found in the first item in this newsletter. The Ottawa Police Services Board is looking for feedback from the community and is inviting members of the public to attend its Finance and Audit Committee meeting on November 9. Information on how to participate can be found below. The 13th Annual crime Prevention Awards will take place on Monday, November 8. This event to celebrate leaders in community safety will be streamed live on YouTube. Youth in the community are encouraged to apply for a Crime Prevention Ottawa youth arts microgrant to help their artistic endeavours come to fruition. The deadline to apply is November 26! 

Committee receives update from the Anti-Racism Secretariat 

The City’s Finance and Economic Development Committee received an update from the Anti-Racism Secretariat about progress on the City’s anti-racism strategy. 

More than 600 Ottawa residents have provided feedback so far about proposed recommendations to address systemic racism. Feedback has focused on six key priority areas: employment equity, housing, governance, economic development, health and youth. 

The City has also established a 24-person anti-racism table, with staff, leaders and individuals from Indigenous and racialized communities. The table will provide subject-matter expertise and ensure community voices guide the City’s anti-racism strategy.  

Following a third round of public engagement to discuss the six key priority areas, with residents and the table, the City will bring forward a final strategy to Council in 2021. 
 
As Council Liaison for Anti-Racism and Ethnocultural Relations Initiatives, I was pleased to establish the Anti-Racism Secretariat in 2020. 

Ottawa Police Services Board welcomes delegations to speak, written comments, on the draft 2022 Ottawa Police Budget 

On Wednesday, November 3rd the Ottawa Police Services Board tabled the 2022 Draft Operating and Capital Budgets for the Ottawa Police Service. You can access the budget documents online.  

The Board is looking to hear from the community regarding the draft budget and is inviting members of the public to attend its Finance and Audit Committee meeting Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at 1:00pm.  

The meeting will be held via Zoom at the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85481129600 [us02web.zoom.us].  

Community members looking to speak at the meeting can request to be added to the speakers list by registering in advance with Hannah Logan at [email protected]. Delegations will have up to five minutes to speak.  

The Board is also accepting written comments from those who do not wish to speak but would like to provide their feedback. You may email your written submission to [email protected].  

The budget will be going before the Board for approval at its November 22 monthly meeting. City Council will be considering the police budget at its meeting on December 8, 2021. 

Invitation to the 13th annual Crime Prevention Ottawa Awards 

Next Monday, November 8, we will celebrate leaders in community safety at the Crime Prevention Ottawa Awards. The awards will once again be held online to ensure that everyone can attend safely. The media and the public are invited to join us for this special event. 

The CPO Awards recognize outstanding contributions that make our city a better place to live. Past winners include volunteers, youth, community groups, community leaders and programs. 

Our 2021 event, to be held live on YouTube, will feature the inspiring stories of this year’s Crime Prevention Ottawa Award winners. The event will be hosted by Crime Prevention Ottawa Board Chair, Councillor Diane Deans and Councillor Rawlson King, member of the CPO Board of Directors.  

The Awards will kick off Crime Prevention Week (November 7–13). The theme this year is “Safer Communities, Stronger Ontario.” 

Date: Monday, November 8, 2021 

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. 

Location: YouTube live event:  English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX736vq3jG4 

French: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFyaidb1je4 

SHINE: Youth Arts Microgrants  
Apply Now! 
 
Let your artistic talents shine bright this winter. Apply for a Crime Prevention Ottawa (CPO) youth arts microgrant to help bring your ideas to life. The call for proposals is now available and are due on Friday, November 26, 2021. 

This grant is to support artists aged 12-25. Lead applicants must be 18 years old or older. Community agencies supporting youth artists are also welcome to apply. For inspiration check out the highlight reel from last year’s grants! 

For more information about funding, please visit crimepreventionottawa.ca for the program guidelines and application form.  

Remembrance Day events and schedule changes 

The National Remembrance Day Ceremony will take place at the National War Memorial on Thursday, November 11 and will be modified in accordance with local health guidelines. If you plan on attending, here are some tips to be COVID-Wise at the ceremony.The Royal Canadian Legion will broadcast the ceremony live from their Facebook page. Reach out to your local legion for more information events planned in your community.  

Below is a list of City services, noting any impacts to schedules on Remembrance Day. 

Client Service Centres 

• The City’s 3-1-1 Contact Centre will be open for urgent matters only. Please visit ottawa.ca/311 for more information. 
• The Client Services Centres at Ottawa City Hall, Ben Franklin Place, 580 Terry Fox Drive and 255 Centrum Boulevard and the City’s Provincial Offences Court at 100 Constellation Drive will be closed. 

Green bin, recycling and garbage collection 

• Green bins, recycling and garbage will be collected as normally scheduled. 
• The Trail Waste Facility will be open. 

Parking 

• All City parking regulations and restrictions apply. 
• Veterans who wear their medals or uniforms or who have a veteran’s license plate on their vehicle can park for free at City Hall on Thursday, November 11 between 7:30 am and 1 pm. 

OC Transpo 

• Veterans who wear their medals or uniforms during National Veterans’ Week, from Friday, November 5 to Thursday, November 11, can ride OC Transpo, Para Transpo and Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) buses and paratransit service for no charge. Companions accompanying veterans also ride at no charge. 
• Service will operate on a regular weekday schedule on Thursday, November 11. 
  • Use the OC Transpo Travel Planner to plan your trip. 
• OC Transpo and Para Transpo buses will pull over to the side of the road at 11 am on Remembrance Day to observe two minutes of silence, if it is safe to do so. 
• The OC Transpo Customer Service Centre at the Rideau Centre will be open from 12:30 pm until 7 pm. Plan ahead: call 613-560-5000 to book an appointment. 
  • All other OC Transpo Customer Service Centres currently remain closed. 
• Para Transpo operations: 
  • Para Transpo will operate on a regular service. Regularly scheduled trips are not cancelled. Customers who do not need their scheduled trip on Thursday, November 11 should call 613-560-5000 or cancel their booking online.  
  • Customers may start booking trips one week before by calling 613-560-5000 or by booking online beginning Thursday, November 4. 
  • The reservations line will be open from 7 am until 5 pm. 
  • The trip cancellation line will be open from 6 am until 12:30 am. 
• The Taxi Coupons line for Para Transpo customers (613-842-3670) will be closed.  
• Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) will operate a reduced weekday service on Thursday, November 11. You can plan STO trips using Plani-Bus. 
• For more information on Remembrance Day service, visit octranspo.com or call 613-560-5000. 

Recreation and cultural services 

• Recreation programs, drop-in and sport activities will operate on regular schedules. This includes public swimming, swimming lessons, public skating, weight and cardio rooms and fitness classes. 
• Museums and theatres will be closed. 

Ottawa Public Health 

• Visit the OPH COVID-19 Vaccine page for vaccination clinic hours and availability. 
• The Centretown Community Health Centre will be closed for COVID-19 testing on Thursday, November 11. All other testing locations in Ottawa will be open with regular operating hours. Visit the OPH COVID-19 Testing Information page for hours of operation and to book appointments at assessment centres and care clinics in Ottawa 
• The Sexual Health Clinic and satellite clinics will be closed. 
• The Site program office and supervised consumption services at 179 Clarence Street will be closed. The Site mobile van will operate from 5 pm to 11:30 pm. 
• The Ottawa Public Health Information Centre and COVID-19 Information Line will be closed. 
• The Ottawa Public Health COVID-19 Vaccine Booking line at 613-691-5505 will be open from 8:30 am to 4 pm on Thursday, November 11. 
• Dental clinics will be closed. 
• The Baby Help Line will be closed. 

Community and Social Services 

• The Tom Brown respite centre, at 141 Bayview Station Road, and the Bernard Grandmaître respite centre, at 309 McArthur Avenue, will be closed. The centres will reopen on Friday, November 12 during regular operating hours. 

Municipal child-care services 

• All municipal childcare centres will be closed. 

Library Services 

• All Ottawa Public Library branches will be closed. Virtual services, loans and programs can be accessed on the Ottawa Public Library website. 

Retail businesses 

In recognition of Remembrance Day and in accordance with the City’s Remembrance Day By-law, most retail businesses cannot open until 12:30 pm. 

Montreal Road Revitalization 

Please find below a two-week update (Monday, November 1 to Friday, November 12) for the Montreal Road Revitalization project. The work activities planned for the next two weeks will include: 

• Vanier Parkway/Montreal Road intersection – Construction of concrete curb in the southwest quadrant of the intersection has been delayed and is scheduled to start mid-next week weather permitting.  Once the curb is constructed and reinstatement behind the curb is complete, the east-west crosswalk will be reopened.  One more short-term closure of the crosswalk will be required when crews pour concrete sidewalk in the quadrant scheduled for mid November.   

• North River Road to Vanier Parkway – The sidewalk on both the north and south side of Montreal Road is complete, except for sections near hydro poles and at the North River Road/Montreal Road intersection. Installation of new streetlight poles and pedestrian lights on the south side of Montreal Road is now complete.  Hydro Ottawa is tentatively scheduled to cut the hydro poles at the base next week.  Removal of the pole bases will follow.  

• Vanier Parkway to Marier Avenue – The north side concrete curb, base asphalt, sidewalk, and the 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, with the exception of some areas around maintenance holes.  Landscaping will follow next year. Temporary streetlight pole removal has started and will continue this week.    

• Marier Avenue to Lafontaine Avenue – The sidewalk is now complete on the north side of Montreal Road from Marier Avenue to Bradley Avenue. Concrete crews work has been delayed and will resume next week on the south side, including the section between Altha to Marier and Altha to Lacasse.  Paver stone work is completed at Bradley Avenue.   

• Lafontaine Avenue to de l’Église Street – Concrete curb and sidewalk is continuing this week between Cantin and Granville. The south side of Montreal Road from Ducharme Boulevard to de L’Eglise Street has been paved. Road construction, including base lift paving between Cantin and to de L’Église, will be completed this week. Several water service connections to buildings between Cantin and de L’Église will be completed this week (notifications have been sent out).  No more water shuts are scheduled for this year.  

• De l’Église Street to St. Laurent Boulevard – Outstanding work for this section includes catch basin connections and temporary road paving for winter conditions which will continue until the end of November. 

• 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. Over the winter months Montreal Road will be reopened to two lanes (one eastbound and one westbound lane) between Vanier Parkway and St Laurent Boulevard with side street openings. Details will be provided in the coming weeks. Traffic calming flex posts installed along Lafontaine Avenue, Deschamps Boulevard and Montfort Street, which are part of the current vehicle and bus detour route, will be removed next month in preparation for the winter snow clearing. 

• Month-long construction outlook – Underground work between Vanier Parkway and St. Laurent Boulevard is now complete, with the exception of some minor electrical work. Interlock buffer and construction of concrete collars around tree cells will continue into November.  The curbs, sidewalk, cycle track and road paving are now complete between Vanier Parkway and Marier Avenue. Over the next 4 weeks, concrete work will be wrapping up and the focus will be finishing as much sidewalk as possible. Gravel surface areas will be paved with temporary asphalt to allow for snow removal and pedestrian use during the winter. Work on North River Road over the next month will involve paving of the Multi Use Pathway currently on a gravel surface.  Both Emond Street and Bradley Avenue paver stone work is now complete for the year. Curb in the south west quadrant of the Vanier Parkway/Montreal Road intersection will be completed in the next two weeks, allowing for opening of the east-west crosswalk. Installation of pavers along the cycle track edges and other hard landscaping continues over the next month. Preparation for winter conditions will be starting in November.  

• Hydro update – Hydro Ottawa is tentatively scheduled to cut the hydro poles between North River Road and east of Palace Street next week.  The pole bases in the ground will be removed shortly after and sidewalks will be reinstated.