Forest Wellness Walks with Forest Therapy Ottawa

By Green Living Ottawa, October 6, 2018

What a great time of year for a rejuvenating forest walk! Andrea Prazmowski at Forest Therapy Ottawa leads Forest Wellness Walks in and around Ottawa-Gatineau. These gentle walks provide an opportunity to slow down, take time to experience nature and be mindful of the wonder and life around us.

The guided walks are also a wonderful way to experience some lesser-known but notable natural areas around the city, judging by the list of upcoming public walks this month:

  • Thanksgiving Forest Walk at Morris Island Conservation Area, on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018 from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday Wellness Walks at Stony Swamp, on Wednesday Oct. 10, 17 or 24, 9:30 a.m.-noon.
  • Crazy Horse Trail in the Carp Hills on Saturday, Oct. 13, 1-3:30 p.m.

Algonquin college goes smoke free

By Glennis Lane, 1310 News, October 7, 2018

Algonquin college will be moving toward smoke free campuses in Ottawa, Perth and Pembroke.

President, Cheryl Jensen posted an update on the Algonquin college website stating that they will have a new interim policy in place from Oct. 15, 2018 until Jan. 1, 2019.

Jensen writes, this comes as a result of the recent Ontario Government introduction of Bill 36, Cannabis Statute Law Amendment Act, 2018 that will allow cannabis smoking wherever tobacco is permitted.

New survey shows a disconnect between Canadians and nature

By Jeff Slack, 1310 News, October 8, 2018

As we expand our waist lines this thanksgiving weekend, the Nature Conservancy of Canada is encouraging people to get outside and embrace the fall colours.

A new survey by the NCC showed a growing disconnect between people and the outdoors, with 74 per cent saying it's easier to spend time indoors and 66 per cent say they spend less time in nature compared to their youth.

Some of the reasons behind this were that it's too hot, too cold, rainy or people were too busy.

"Nature not only provides us with incredible health benefits but it also provides us with, what scientist call, ecological services," The NCC's Dan Kraus said. "Free stuff that nature provides us, like cleaning and storing our water or helping to purify our air."

Watson skips city electric-bus demonstration for fear of conflict of interest

By David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen, October 5, 2018

Jim Watson skipped an OC Transpo demonstration of an all-electric bus to avoid concerns that he was using the city transit agency for a campaign event, his office says.

On Thursday, the incumbent mayor released a set of environment-related promises as he seeks re-election on Oct. 22. The list included a pledge to “implement an electric bus pilot project in Ottawa.”

Later that day, the city government invited reporters to a show-and-tell at a city garage, where OC Transpo would have an electric bus giving test rides and Watson would take part.

Strong slate vies to replace Jody Mitic in Innes ward

(...)Laura Dudas, Donna Leith-Gudbranson, Tammy Lynch and François Trépanier agree the main issue facing Innes ward is transportation.

Homes and stores keep going up south of Innes Road, but the roads and transit service aren't keeping pace.

That area is also a bit too far south of the future second phase of light rail to connect into it easily, they say, so an extension to Brian Coburn Boulevard must be a priority.

Rideau-Vanier candidates debate taxes, transit

By Joanne Chianello, CBC News Ottawa, October 5, 2018

The incumbent for Rideau-Vanier wants to stick to a two-per-cent property tax increase for the next term of council, but would argue for a one-per-cent levy targeted to a couple of key issues.

Mathieu Fleury floated the plan at a Rideau-Vanier debate Thursday night at the Sandy Hill Community Centre.

About 150 people gathered to hear Fleury and challengers Thierry Harris and Matt Lowe discuss issues ranging from student rooming houses and affordable housing to transit and snow clearing for sidewalks and cycling lanes.

Ticks more widespread in Ottawa than initially thought

By CBC News Ottawa, October 5, 2018

Ottawa's tick population is more widespread than initially thought, with the critters popping up near residential areas of the city sooner than researchers at the University of Ottawa had been expecting.

A team of university scientists is currently in the second year of a three-year study measuring the distribution and density of black-legged ticks in Ottawa.

The researchers are also looking at the rates of ticks infected with the bacteria known to cause Lyme disease.

Hands off: Don't pet or lick that cute fuzzy caterpillar

By Tom Spears, Ottawa Sun, October 4, 2018

Hickory tussock moth caterpillars are on the move, looking for a winter home. They are fuzzy, bright and cute. Don’t pet them.

Also, don’t lick them.

Eastern Ontario is home to this bug, and it’s sort of toxic, or at least irritating if you handle it. Doctors aren’t sure exactly how it causes the reaction, but insect scientist Amanda Roe says its cute hairs that look like fur are in fact barbed, a little like porcupine quills.

Once lodged in the skin they can cause a rash similar to poison ivy or stinging nettles, whether this is from something chemical or just the fact that tiny barbs in the skin are irritating. Unfortunately, they attract children who want to pet the furry caterpillars.

Trees, bees and buses among Watson's green election promises

By Joanne Chianello, CBC News Ottawa, October 4, 2018

Jim Watson is promising to launch an electric bus pilot project, plant trees and open the door to backyard beehives if he's elected as Ottawa's mayor for a third consecutive term.

Watson released his environmental platform through a statement on Wednesday.

He pledged to expand the mandate of Hydro Ottawa so that the utility could collaborate with not-for-profit social housing providers to retrofit buildings. He also promised to work with the federal government to look at connecting Ottawa City Hall and the new central library to a district energy system.

Bus route changes a hot election issue in Innes

By Kate Porter, CBC News Ottawa, October 4, 2018

Residents in some east Ottawa neighbourhoods are so frustrated by recent bus route changes that the issue has become one of the top complaints that candidates in Innes ward hear about at the door.

Life has become especially inconvenient for high school students in Chapel Hill and Blackburn Hamlet, as they try to keep up jobs and after-school activities, the candidates say.

"It's a toss up now. It was traffic and the road network, but now it really is transit and the lack of local routes in the area. A lot of residents are really upset," said candidate Tammy Lynch.

Rideau-Vanier debate likely to tackle intensification issues, Salvation Army

By Joanne Chianello, CBC News Ottawa, October 4, 2018

(...)Action Sandy Hill says it has gathered nearly 3,000 signatures on a petition asking candidates running in this fall's election "to protect the historic neighbourhood of Sandy Hill and to actively support its revitalization as a healthy, viable and attractive place to live, work and play."

Are traffic sensors common sense for pedestrians, cyclists?

By Giacomo Panico, CBC News Ottawa, October 4, 2018

Efficiency vs. Safety?

What do you think? Tweet @giacomopanico and we will gather your reaction.

You're probably already aware that most traffic lights in Ottawa are linked to sensors under the asphalt. When you roll up to a red light in your car, the sensor detects your presence and hopefully you get a green light sooner than you otherwise would. It is the same for cyclists when the intersection has the three yellow dots that sense bikes.
But watch what happens in the video above. It's a situation I've spotted at many intersections in Ottawa and it's not a glitch. It starts with the traffic on Holland Avenue having a green light. I'm exiting Fisher Park Public School and I have a red light.

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