September 24 Newsletter

September 24, 2021 newsletter from Rawlson King, City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe.

This week marks a period of adjustment for residents as the province’s proof of vaccination requirement came into effect in select settings. Proof of vaccination will also be required to enter City City recreation and cultural facilities. Next Thursday, September 30^th is Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The Ottawa Public Library will be running programming to mark the day. Additionally, some City services will be disrupted. I would like to call attention to the City’s Draft Budget 2022 survey which is now online. This initiative is intended to allow residents to learn more about the budget process and to have a chance to provide feedback.

Do you have a green thumb and would like to give back to your community? Social Harvest Ottawa is looking to build a team of growing assistants to help in their greenhouse. To learn more about how you can get involved, see the details in this newsletter. Finally, tomorrow there will be the grand reopening of Riverain Park from 10am to 1pm. Join my office and Councillor Fleury’s office for this long awaited celebration. There will be a free barbeque and many activities for attendees.

Indoor City recreation centres and cultural facilities will require proof of vaccination

Starting on Wednesday, September 22, proof of full COVID-19 vaccination will be required for those 12 and older to enter City recreation and cultural facilities, with some exceptions identified below.

Upon entering a recreation centre, swimming pool, arena, or theatre venue, a person must have an electronic or hard copy of their vaccination receipt confirming two doses received at least 14 days prior, and a piece of valid identification, such as:

• Driver’s licence
• Health Card
• Passport
• Birth certificate

Without a proof of vaccination, a person cannot access indoor recreational or cultural activities, including:

• Lane and public swims
• Fitness classes – including Aquafit
• Weight/Cardio drop-ins
• Instructional cooking, music or art classes
• Adult sports or drop-in activities
• Theatre or studio performance or cinema
• Rented spaces

Adults who accompany children or youth into a facility for activities – including but not limited to swimming lessons or Learn-to-Skate activities – require proof they have been fully vaccinated.

Residents are reminded to arrive a few minutes earlier before the scheduled session or activity. All COVID-related protocols remain in place – including reservations, capacity limits, masking and physical distancing.

Exceptions

• Organized sports for youth between the ages of 12 and 17, including on ice sports, sport leagues, badminton, table tennis, tennis, ball hockey, martial arts, dance, basketball, swimming lessons, aquatic certification courses or volleyball. However, this youth age group will require proof of vaccination for recreational swims, use of a cardio and weight room or attending an activity or sporting event as a spectator.
• Religious ceremonies, funeral services or wedding ceremonies hosted in City facilities (This does not include any social gatherings occurring before or after these events)
• Brief entry to use the washroom, pick up a participant, seek information or make a payment.

Other City facilities and in-person services

Other City facilities and in-person services do not require proof of vaccination.  These services and facilities include:

• Service Ottawa Client Service Centres
• Building Code Services
• Museums and art galleries
• Ottawa Public Library branches – with possible exceptions for meeting and program rooms
• Transit – including transit stations
• Employment and Social Services and Rent Supplement Program Offices
• Business Licensing Centre
• Provincial Offence Act Court

Stay informed, get involved with Draft Budget 2022 survey – now online

With the tabling of Draft Budget 2022 coming up this November, the City of Ottawa’s Draft Budget 2022 information and survey is now live on engage.ottawa.ca. This is your opportunity to learn more about the budget process and give your ideas and opinions for consideration in this budget, through a survey or direct message through the webpage.

The tabling of Draft Budget 2022 at Council will take place on Wednesday, November 3. In addition to the online feedback, Councillors will be holding virtual public consultations in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more details, dates and times.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation schedule changes

Thursday, September 30 marks Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This day provides an opportunity to bring awareness to the painful legacy and impacts of the residential school system and advance our reconciliation efforts. To learn more, please visit National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: how you can recognize the day.

The following services will operate on different schedules on Thursday, September 30.

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

• Green bins, recycling and garbage will be collected as normally scheduled.
• The Trail Waste Facility will be open on Thursday, September 30 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 service

• OC Transpo will operate on a regular weekday 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 all O-Train Line 1 stations, Greenboro Station and the Ottawa International Airport
  • 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 will operate on a regular service:
  • Regularly scheduled trips will not be cancelled. Customers who do not need their scheduled trip on Thursday, September 30 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, September 23.
  • 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, visit octranspo.com or call 613-560-5000.

Recreation services

• All facilities will be open as normally scheduled for drop-in activities.
• All registered programs at swimming pools will operate as normally scheduled. 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.

Public Health Services

• The Sexual Health Clinic 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 to 11:30 pm.
• The Ottawa Public Health Information Centre and the COVID-19 Information line at 613-580-6744 will be closed. Visit Ottawa Public Health’s website for more information.
• The Ottawa Public Health COVID-19 Vaccine Booking line at 613-691-5505 will be open from 8:30 am to 4 pm.
• 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, the Bernard Grandmaître respite centre at 309 McArthur Avenue, and the St. Paul’s Eastern United Church respite centre at 473 Cumberland Street will be closed. The centres will reopen on Friday, October 1, during regular operating hours.

Municipal child care services

• All municipal child care 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.

Cultural services 

• Museums, the City of Ottawa Archives and Gallery 112 will be closed.
• Programming will be modified at some City arts centres, galleries, and theatres. Check with your facility to confirm.

Every Child Matters – The Library commemorates the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

OPL is proud to support and participate in the Indigenous-led Every Child Matters movement and to mark Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with a series of virtual programs and initiatives: 

• On September 28, we invite children to join us for Orange Shirt Day Assembly: Live Stories with Christine Sioui Wawanoloath, a Wendat Abenaki author and artist. Join us at12:45 pm for the English program and at 1:45 pm for the French program. The programs will be live streamed on our OPL Facebook page, and the recordings will stay until October 5.  

• On September 29 at 7:00 pm, we invite you to join Jenny Buckshot Tenasco, a Residential School Survivor, and her daughter Anita Tenasco (members of the Kitigan Zibi  Anishinabeg community) forKìyàbadj Kidandanizimin. We are still here. They will give insight and reflect on how Canada's Residential School system has impacted First Nations communities.  

• On October 4 (French) and October 7 (English), KAIROS Canada is inviting us to a virtual KAIROS Blanket Exercise.Developed in collaboration with Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and educators, the KAIROS Blanket Exercise (KBE) is an interactive and experiential teaching tool that explores the historic and contemporary relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in the land we now know as Canada. Places are limited and registration required. 

Visit your local branch to find a special display highlighting Indigenous artifacts and recommended books for all ages. For children’s resources to read and share, be sure to check out our Orange Shirt Day Teaching Toolkit . 

In addition to inclusive and general messaging on OPL services and offering, the Library has dedicated a web hub for easy access to full range of Indigenous content and themes from Indigenous creators on the OPL Indigenous web page and at Indigenous-related community events. 

Volunteer Opportunity with Social Harvest Ottawa

Social Harvest Ottawa, a program of Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre, is looking to build a team of volunteer Growing Assistants to lend a hand with the daily operations of its greenhouse, as well as to assist with the community garden until the end of the season. This social enterprise greenhouse and community garden, located within the Rideau Hub (815 St. Laurent Boulevard), has the overarching goals to educate on urban agriculture, improve food security, and expand food literacy skills for community members of Ottawa's Ward 13 and beyond. Social Harvest is looking to build a team of volunteers who are available to help Mondays through Fridays from 9AM to 12PM and 1PM to 4PM. This is an ongoing volunteer opportunity and volunteers must have received two doses of an OPH approved vaccine prior to volunteering. The Growing Assistants will be supporting staff with the planting, harvesting and packaging of micro-greens and leafy greens grown within the Social Harvest greenhouse. This volunteer team will also be responsible for the daily maintenance tasks involved in the operations of a greenhouse, including watering and cleaning. Volunteers will also be asked to help with the maintenance of the community garden beds located behind the Social Harvest greenhouse. Duties will include watering, weeding, harvesting, general garden cleaning and care, and building more gardening beds. For more information about these volunteer opportunities or to apply, please email: [email protected]  or call (613) 745-0073 ext. 132. For more information about Social Harvest Ottawa, please visit: https://www.socialharvestottawa.ca/

Riverain Park Grand Reopening

Join us tomorrow from 10am to 1pm at Riverain Park to celebrate its grand reopening! There will be a free barbeque and many activities such as yoga, a basketball tournament, pickleball, badminton, a dance performance, a story walk, and more.

Montreal Road Revitalization & Traffic Impacts

Please find below a two-week update (Monday, September 20 to Friday, October 1) for the Montreal Road Revitalization project. The work activities planned for the next two weeks will include:

• Vanier Parkway/Montreal Road intersection– Work started in the southwest quadrant of the intersection on Saturday, September 18 and will continue into mid October. Closure of the east-west crosswalk on the south side of the intersection will be required for the duration of the work. Lane closures along Montreal Road will continue this week and possibly into next week. 

• 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 started this week. 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 and tree cell installation on the south side is now complete. Paving of the south side of the road and the section of cycle track between Savard Avenue and Olmstead Street is scheduled for this week. The concrete sidewalk and planter curbs at Emond Street have been installed and crews are scheduled to start installation of the paver stones this week.

• Marier Avenue to Lafontaine Avenue– Most of the sidewalk has been constructed on the north side of Montreal Road from Marier Avenue to Bradley Avenue. Paver stone work will be starting on Bradley Avenue in the coming weeks. Over the next two weeks, crews will be pouring concrete sidewalk on the south side of Montreal Road between Altha Avenue and Mona Avenue. Underground utility and electrical work continues on the south side of Monteral Road between Marier Avenue and Altha Avenue. 

• Lafontaine Avenue to de l’Église Street – Underground sewer and catch basin work continues. 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. Water services, fire hydrant and catch basin installations is occurring on the north side between Cantin Street and de l’Eglise Street over the next two weeks. Concrete curbs will also be installed on the north side of Montreal Road between Cantin Street and Granville Street. 

• De l’Église Street to St. Laurent Boulevard – Excavations for new sanitary sewers and the watermain continues at de L’Eglise Street with crews working east towards St. Laurent Boulevard. 

• 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 and sidewalk on the south side between Vanier Parkway and Olmstead Street are nearing completion. Over the next month, concrete work will focus on the south side between Bégin Street and Mona Avenue where certain sections are already in place. Road paving will take place on the south side of Montreal Road, east of the Vanier Parkway to Olmstead Street. Work on North River Road, including installation of permanent traffic calming measures and dedicated pedestrian crossings, is tentatively planned to start within the next month. City crews have started installing new traffic signals at Cantin Street, Lacasse Avenue, Hannah Street and Cody Avenue. Some pedestrian movement across the intersections will be disrupted while crews are working during the day. Paver stone work is scheduled to start on the Emond Street and Bradley Avenue plazas.  
  
  
• MacKay Street, from Beechwood Avenue to Dufferin Road will have intermittent lane closures on Monday, September 27 for resurfacing. Pedestrian and cyclist access will be maintained.

• 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 started this week. After the streetlights are connected and energized, removal of the existing hydro poles will start this fall.