Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

Rochester Street's cottonwood was cut down — and unexpectedly healthy

By Tom Spears, Ottawa Citizen, April 11, 2018

All that’s left of LeBreton’s biggest tree is a stump. But what a stump.

The cutting of the 110-foot-tall cottonwood on Rochester Street, estimated at 115 years old, began Tuesday. And by Wednesday morning all that was left was the enormous base, and a single massive branch rising from it where there used to be four or five others just like it.

The chainsaw was working intermittently, as it took time to lower the enormous sections of the branches down to a waiting truck.

Feel like your Route 6, 7 and 12 buses are late more than others? You're right

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, April 11, 2018

Customers of OC Transpo Routes 6, 7 and 12 are right to think their buses don’t show up on time more often than other routes.

Statistics published Wednesday by the transit agency show the three routes have a higher-than-average cancellation rate than the rest of the bus system.

The figures are in a response to questions from Coun. Tobi Nussbaum and are attached to a transit commission agenda. The commission meets next Wednesday.

Nussbaum wanted Transpo to explain why those three routes experience high cancellation rates and how the agency could reduce the cancellations. It’s something that had perplexed him and fellow central-east Coun. Mathieu Fleury.

After massive investments, Trudeau government puts public transit on track

By Carl Meyer, National Observer, April 11, 2018

Salwan Bahia smiled warmly on a cold winter day.

“It’ll be a lot more convenient," said the 18-year old university student, as he waited for his bus from a downtown Ottawa shopping mall on Dec. 18, 2017. "There’ll be no more traffic, so it’ll be better for me.”

Transit advocacy groups say it’s the first time Canada has had such a long-term, dedicated program for public transit. #cdnpoli

“It’ll definitely shorten the commute time so it's not as tiring,” chimed in fellow student Nihar Dave, standing beside him.

Major weather system hitting southern Ontario

By CTV News Ottawa, April 11, 2018

Get ready for a tough weekend of weather here in eastern Ontario. Environment Canada says a major ice storm is expected to hit this Saturday and Sunday. The special weather statement is issued for areas around Belleville to Brockville including Leeds and Grenville.

A slow moving system may start as rain and with northeasterly cold winds, it is expected to switch over to freezing rain. Environment Canada says more than 20 millimetres of ice accumulation is possible with gusty winds up to 60 km/h. This will cause hazardous driving conditions, fallen tree limbs and downed power lines.

Tree said to be one of the tallest in Ottawa comes down

By Laurie Fagan, CBC News Ottawa, April 11, 2018

An eastern cottonwood tree estimated to be more than 100 years old is being cut down from the backyard of a Rochester Street home over concerns falling branches might damage nearby properties.

The tree is more than three metres in diameter and stands about 35 metres tall. Its canopy can be seen towering above properties from several streets away.

The tree — a Carolinian poplar species with heart-shaped leaves and pointed tips — was planted around 1901 by the home's original builder and owner Michael Doherty, who was a CPR engineer, according to current owner Lynn Griffiths.

McDowell: Political birds of a feather don't always flock together

By Ian McDowell, Ottawa Citizen, April 10, 2018

Our house backs onto a river near Ottawa, and one recent morning, after a wild night of howling, tree-bending winds, my wife and I surveyed a forlorn group of Canada geese, huddled on a remaining jut of ice at the river’s edge. They looked so cold and miserable that we wondered why they had come north so early.

So I pulled up my boots and coat collar and went down to interview them.

The cacophony of responses announced substantial discord in the group. Several “Fly North Early” party members claimed that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had promised a warm reception and, besides, the Mar-a-Lago golfers were becoming intolerable in their lack of acceptance of the natural processes of bird digestion and defecation.

McLeod: An ode to the plastic bag

By Jonathan McLeod, Ottawa Sun, April 9, 2018

I. Love. Plastic. Bags.

I know. That sounds kind of weird, right? Let me tell you a little story.

It was winter and I was in Grade 1 at Bel-Air Public School (RIP). I would, on occasion, ask my mom to give me a plastic bag to take to school in case there was a handout or newsletter to bring home. That’s right, kids, there was no email, no websites, no social media. We used printed … well, mimeographed sheets of paper to inform parents of things like tryouts for the school play (we did Winnie the Pooh; I was a skunk).

Freeze-thaw cycles create maple syrup bonanza in Ottawa-Gatineau

By CBC News Ottawa, April 9, 2018

Rollercoaster weather patterns this winter and spring have been a boon for maple syrup producers in the National Capital Region.

Nicolas Simard, production manager at Proulx Maple and Berry Farm in Cumberland, Ont., said this season has been especially strong.

"We've had a really good season," he said. "We actually really need the cold nights — so frost at night and in the day, between one and five degrees Celsius, is the ideal temperature."

Today's letters: Thumbs down for plastic bags in green bins

By Hubert McClelland and others, Ottawa Citizen Letters to the Editor, April 8, 2018

We don’t need more plastic

Re: Here’s why plastic bags shouldn’t be in the green bin, April 2.

The City of Ottawa has come to an agreement with Orgaworld to accept animal feces and other organic waste contained in plastic, in order to get citizens to better  participate in organic waste recycling.

I do not believe that Orgaworld can do such a task adequately. When the oceans are already reported to contain micro-fibres of plastic that are being consumed and assimilated into seafood that will be in our future diet, we should not accept the company’s bold guarantee just to correct a bad economic deal for the city.

Mainly sunny skies but risk of flurries or rain the forecast

By Megan Gillis, Ottawa Citizen, April 9, 2018

If April showers bring May flowers, what do April flurries bring?

We may find out with a risk of either rain or flakes every day through next weekend in Environment Canada’s forecast.

Monday is mainly sunny – there’s even a UV index of 5 or moderate – but with increasing cloudiness by late afternoon and 30 per cent chance of overnight flurries. The high is 2 C and low -4 C.

Egan: How downtown has grown to hate your car

By Kelly Egan, Ottawa Citizen, April 8, 2018

A few weeks ago, I had to rush downtown to National Capital Commission headquarters on Elgin Street, expecting to park in my old faithful, the World Exchange Plaza at Metcalfe and Queen streets. So handy.

The underground lot, which holds close to 1,100 cars, was full. No panic, no big deal, lots of time for plan B. Slip over to the National Arts Centre — oops, all 800 spots taken. Over the Rideau Canal to the Rideau Centre, now getting jittery. Full, all 1,666 spots. Back across the canal to Ottawa City Hall — every stinking spot taken, all 850.

(...)It is all well and good to say, “Boo-hoo Citizen man, cab it, bus it, stupid, get with the program,” but this misses the point. Surely, there is a public policy component to ensuring there is an adequate amount of parking in the central area on a regular weekday basis. If not, warn motorists to stay away, like we were London or Tokyo.

QADRI: City to begin preventative maintenance of metallic water mains in May

By Shad Qadri, StittsvilleCentral, April 7, 2018

In May of 2018, Water Services will begin preventive maintenance on metallic water mains as part of its annual Cathodic Protection Program. The program extends the life of a community’s metallic water main by attaching magnesium rods to the water main in the City’s right of way. These rods provide corrosion protection to the water main.

Impacts to residents are typically minimal. There will be noise associated with the excavation, which is done by hydro-excavation. The installation process takes minutes and the resulting 30 cm (1 foot) diameter holes are refilled the same day. There will be no impact to water quality or pressure, as all work takes place on the outside of the water main. Traffic and pedestrian impacts will be minimal.