October 8 Newsletter 2021

October 8, 2021 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.

Fall is a busy time and there are many things going on at the City. First, I recently released a position paper on active transportation in Rideau-Rockcliffe ward. A link to read the full paper is included in the first item in this newsletter. Second, City budget time is now upon us and residents will have many opportunities to engage in the draft budget and participate in consultations. I would like to make residents aware of an upcoming public meeting on the Manor Park Estates Official Plan Amendment. The virtual meeting will take place on the evening of October 18 and residents may register in advance. Finally, I would like to wish all residents a happy and safe Thanksgiving weekend. Remember that with the holiday on Monday there will be quite a few scheduling changes, such as delayed curbside collection.  

Active Transportation  

I recently released a position paper that outlines my goal towards a continuous, well-connected, and safe active transportation network in Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward for residents. 

You can read my paper at www.rideau-rockcliffe.ca/active_transportation which identifies improved active transportation opportunities to enhance neighbourhood connectivity and increase mobility for users of all ages and abilities.  

Principles that I committed to include implementing proven traffic calming measures primarily on side streets and developing a cycling strategy that includes more bike lanes. 

To increase safer transportation, after listening to resident and community association concerns immediately after my election in April 2019, I began to reduce speed limits across the Ward with the introduction of residential gateway zones. The first zones were introduced in the Autumn 2020 to bring down maximum speeds to 40 km/h on residential streets. This process will continue with a goal to reduce speed limits on all applicable residential streets by the end of the 2018-2022 Council Term, with an aim to reduce speeds to 30 km/h where permissible by City-wide standards. 

City Budget  

It’s time to discuss the upcoming City budget. The draft budget is developed in the summer and fall. During this time, members of the community can provide input by asking questions, communicating with the Mayor and Council. During October, my office will host two virtual community consultations for both Ward residents and diverse ethnic communities, where residents can hear from the City’s finance team and workshop with our office to identify budget priorities. Learn how you can participate at www.rideau-rockcliffe.ca/budget2021.  

Manor Park Estates - Official Plan Amendment Meeting 

There will be a public update on the Manor Park official plan amendment on the evening of October 18 from 5:30pm to 7:00pm. The meeting will have a presentation of Manor Park Management’s recently submitted updated plans and studies with respect to the master plan exercise for Manor Park Estates and Gardens.  

Register in advance for this meeting here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

Thanksgiving Day Schedule Changes 

The City of Ottawa would like to remind residents of the following schedule changes on Thanksgiving Day, Monday, October 11.  

You can find a list of City services and facilities affected by COVID-19 on ottawa.ca and octranspo.com.  

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 

• There will be no curbside collection of green bins, recycling or garbage on Thanksgiving Day. Collection scheduled for Monday, October 11 will be collected on Tuesday, October 12. Collection will be delayed by one day for the rest of the week. 
• Garbage at multi-residential properties will be collected on the regularly scheduled day. Multi-residential recycling, green bin and bulky-item collection will be delayed by one day for the rest of the week. 
• The Trail Waste Facility will be open on Thanksgiving Day from 9 am to 5 pm. 

Parking 

• All parking restrictions will remain in effect. Unsigned overtime restrictions have a six-hour limit on statutory holidays. 

Transit  

• On Monday, October 11, all bus service, including R1 replacement bus service and O-Train Line 2 buses will operate on a Sunday schedule.  
  • Use OC Transpo’s Travel Planner to plan your trip. 
• The OC Transpo Customer Service Centre in the Rideau Centre will be open from 10 am to 4 pm. Plan ahead: call 613-560-5000 to book an appointment. 
  • All other OC Transpo Customer Service Centres are currently closed. 
• You can buy or load a Presto card: 
  • Using ticket machines at O-Train Line 1 stations, Greenboro Station and the Ottawa International Airport. 
    • Some ticket machines will be unavailable while R1 replacement bus service operates in place of O-Train Line 1. 
  • At Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaws and Real Canadian Superstore locations. 
  • Via prestocard.ca. 
  • By phone at 1-8-PRESTO-123 (1-877-378-6123). 
  • By downloading the PRESTO app. 

• You can load your ParaPay account at parapay.octranspo.com or by calling 613-560-5000. 
• Para Transpo operations: 
  • Para Transpo will operate a holiday service. Regular scheduled trips are automatically cancelled on Monday, October 11. Customers may start booking trips one week before by calling 613-560-5000 or using the online web form, beginning Monday, October 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 Coupon phone line will be closed. 
• Heartwood House (OC Transpo Lost and Found) will be closed. 
• For more information on Thanksgiving Day service, visit octranspo.com or call 613-560-5000. 

Recreation and cultural services 

• Some indoor pools will be open for public swimming, with modified schedules. 
• Some weight and cardio rooms will be open with modified schedules. 
• Some drop-in fitness and sport activities will be offered on a modified schedule. Check with your facility to confirm. 
• Most registered programs will be cancelled. Check with your facility to confirm, as there are some exceptions.  

Ottawa Public Health 

• Visit the OPH COVID-19 Vaccine page for vaccination clinic hours and availability. 
• Visit the OPH COVID-19 Testing Information page for hours of operation and to book appointments at assessment centres and care clinics in Ottawa. Some testing locations will have adjusted operating hours on Monday, October 11. Please review your local testing site’s hours before booking an appointment.  

Public Health Services 

• 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 Monday, October 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 Tuesday, October 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. 

Montreal Road Revitalization 

Please find below a two-week update (Monday, October 4 to Friday, October 15) for the Montreal Road Revitalization project. The work activities planned for the next two weeks will include: 

• Vanier Parkway/Montreal Road intersection – Work is ongoing in the southwest quadrant of the intersection with excavation and installation of underground utility ducts.  The work will continue into late October, and require the closure of the east-west crosswalk till mid October. Some intermittent lane closures along Montreal Road and Vanier Parkway will be required for the duration of the work.   

• 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 at the North River Road/Montreal Road intersection. Installation of new streetlight poles on the south side of Montreal Road is now complete. After the streetlights are connected and energized, removal of the existing hydro poles will start this fall. The North River Road/Montreal Road intersection will be completed next year.   

• 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 will be completed this week. The concrete sidewalk and planter curbs at Emond Street have been installed, and crews are continuing installation of the paver stones.   

• 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 are continuing work on the south side, including the section between Altha to Mona which will be completed this week. Paver stone work will be starting on Bradley Avenue this week. Underground utility and electrical work continues on the south side of Montreal Road between Marier Avenue and Altha Avenue.   

• Lafontaine Avenue to de l’Église Street – The north side of Montreal Road between Lafontaine Avenue and Cantin Street has been paved. The south side of Montreal Road from Ducharme Boulevard to de L’Eglise Street has been paved. Concrete curbs and sidewalk will be installed on the north side of Montreal Road between Cantin Street and Granville Street next week.  Mainline watermain work is now complete, and only the service connection buildings that remain outstanding are from Cantin to just east of L’Eglise. Temporary (8 to 12 hour) water shuts for this section of Montreal Road are tentatively scheduled next week.  The water shuts will be communicated at 48hours in advance.  

• De l’Église Street to St. Laurent Boulevard –Sanitary sewer work for this section is now complete.  

• Continued traffic impacts and road closures – Montreal Road is reduced to one westbound lane from Vanier Parkway to St. Laurent Boulevard. Lane reductions on Montreal Road and Vanier Parkway started Saturday, September 18 to facilitate the ongoing construction in the southwest quadrant of the Montreal Road/Vanier Parkway intersection. All streets are closed between Vanier Parkway and St. Laurent Boulevard, except for Olmstead Street, Marier Avenue, Granville Street/Lafontaine Avenue and Cantin Street. Traffic calming flex posts installed along Lafontaine Avenue, Deschamps Boulevard and Montfort Street have been restored with additional reinforcing, which should limit issues with cars detaching the flex posts from the asphalt.  

• Month-long construction outlook – Underground and aboveground work continues between Vanier Parkway and St. Laurent Boulevard. The curbs, sidewalk, cycle track and road paving is now complete between Vanier Parkway and Marier. Over the next month, concrete work will be wrapping up and the focus will be finishing the sidewalk between Marier and east of Lafontaine on both sides of Montreal Road.  Street lighting and Hydro work is continuing on North River Road with the goal of completing the east side multiuse path (MUP) in November.  Both Emond Street and Bradley Ave paver stone work is scheduled to be completed this month.  The Vanier Parkway/Montreal Road intersection work in the south west quadrant of the intersection will be completed this month.  Installation of pavers along the cycle track edges and other hard landscaping continues over the next month.   

• Hydro update – Hydro Ottawa removed their overhead power line between North River Road and Vanier Parkway on the weekend of July 17. Installation of new streetlight poles on the south side of Montreal Road is complete. After the streetlights are connected and energized, removal of the existing hydro poles will start this fall.