Thin ice warnings come early this year

By Kimberley Molina, CBC News Ottawa, March 2, 2018

Winter sports enthusiasts, beware: thinning ice is quickly becoming a danger as temperatures warm up across eastern Ontario.

Daytime temperatures in Ottawa have been reaching highs well above zero over the last week, hitting 9.9 C on Wednesday.

The early spring thaw comes just as snowmobilers and ice fishermen are hoping to eke out a few final weeks of winter fun. On Friday morning, two ice fishing tents could still be seen out on the Ottawa River near Petrie Island.

Gatineau's historic Moore Farm to reopen with fresh funding

By Tom Spears, Ottawa Citizen, March 2, 2018

Months after the rain washed away its income and forced it to close, the Moore Farm in Gatineau is about to reopen thanks to fresh support and better drainage.

 

(...)Now Sylvain Bertrand, president of the co-operative that runs the farm, says it should reopen in the next few weeks for rentals by everything from small groups to wedding parties.

“We also have a bistro that will be open on weekends in the next few weeks,” he said.

The farm produces organic vegetables on 38 acres of land, and two years ago it struggled through a drought and still managed to earn $55,000 from sales.

Flat earthers from around the globe coming to Canada for international conference

By Trevor Robb, Ottawa Citizen, March 2, 2018

People from all around the (flat) world are expected to come to Edmonton in August for the Flat Earth International Conference Canada at West Edmonton Mall.

“History will be made in Canada this year and Edmonton will be put on the flat map!” reads an excerpt from the event’s Facebook page.

The conference is slated to be held Aug. 9-10.

Forget the groundhogs, this spotted salamander thinks it's already spring

By Megan Gillis, Ottawa Citizen, March 2, 2018

Spring has sprung according to at least one yellow-spotted salamander.

While there’s some light snow and bluster in Friday’s forecast, we can expect sunshine and 5 C by Sunday in a return to unseasonably glorious weather.

Patrick Scott of the Fresh Air Experience in Wellington West spotted the amphibian on video while skiing on the Fortune Lake Parkway near Fortune Lake earlier this week.

“Wild west” zoning on Roosevelt Avenue?

By Alyson Queen, Kitchissippi Times, March 2, 2018

Westboro is a hot destination for new business and development in Ottawa, especially as it prepares for its next chapter with LRT later this year.

But a new proposal received for 398, 402 and 406 Roosevelt Avenue has once again highlights the lack of an actual development plan in the midst of this change.

Domicile Developments has filed a proposal with the City of Ottawa to demolish three residential homes, now owned by Domicile, and permit re-zoning for a six-storey mixed-use building that includes two commercial units, 35 dwelling units, underground parking and rear surface parking.

Weather expert's 'good news' for Canadians: warmer and drier spring for most

By CTV News Ottawa, March 1, 2018

Canadians east of Saskatchewan can expect a warm spring as temperatures are expected to surge up to 70 per cent above the seasonal norm at times, according to Environment Canada’s latest long-term forecast.

In the West, the agency’s outlook calls for seasonally average temperatures on the heels of a cold winter.

Dave Phillips, Environment Canada’s senior climatologist, is optimistic that Canadians nation-wide will be content with the weather spring has in store. Environment Canada is not expecting any colder-than-normal conditions on the horizon between March and May.

Ottawa's LRT project logs more safety orders than comparable worksites

By Ryan Tumilty, CBC News Ottawa, March 1, 2018

Ottawa's Confederation Line light rail project has racked up considerably more workplace safety orders than two other major transit projects in Ontario, despite having the shortest tunnel and smallest budget of the three.

Numbers provided by the Ministry of Labour show the Ottawa project has received 721 corrective orders since it began in March 2013, and has been under an additional 111 stop-work orders.

Analysis Letting bikes on LRT during peak hours a calculated risk

By Joanne Chianello, CBC News Ottawa, March 1, 2018

In a rare occurrence at City Hall, council voted 15 to 9 Wednesday against a staff recommendation to ban bicycles on the new LRT system during rush hours.

It was also one of the rare times the city has decided not to take the cautious route.

That's not really the way Ottawa usually rolls.

But something about this issue led council, which followed the lead of the transit commission that started this mini-revolt last week, to actually try something a teeny bit gutsy.

February 2018 was the warmest in 2 decades

By CBC News Ottawa, March 1, 2018

February 2018 was the warmest one Ottawa has had in 20 years.

The monthly average high last month was 0 C, according to Environment Canada data.

That is the highest since 1998 when the monthly average high was 0.6 C.

City spending $150K fix to clear stinky pond air in Riverside South

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, March 1, 2018

The city government thinks it can finally kill the stench coming from a stormwater pond in Riverside South.

The pond between Dusty Miller Crescent and Limebank Road stinks. The sulphur smell has made the area reek like rotten eggs in the winter. It’s been on city hall’s radar for years, but it hasn’t been able to stop the stench. Construction of new stormwater ponds in the community have made residents nervous.

But now, a $150,000 solution for the stinky pond is in the works and it could finally clear the air in this corner of the southern suburb. City staff brought in researchers from the University of Ottawa, and together, they believe they have come up with an answer. http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/city-spending-150k-fix-to-clear-the-stinky-pond-air-in-riverside-south

Barrhaven bus users fed up with service

By CTV News Ottawa, February 28, 2018

Frustrated bus users from Barrhaven spent the evening outlining their public transit problems at a neighbourhood meeting organized by city councillors in the area.

On Tuesday, councillors Jan Harder, Scott Moffat and Michael Qaqish held a Barrhaven transit forum at Pierre-Savard Catholic Secondary School.

There users voiced their concerns about major delays travelling to and from Barrhaven during peak hours, being left stranded at Fallowfield station, and over-crowding on buses.

Council: OK given to bikes on LRT and pets on transit, city reserve funds need boost

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, February 28, 2018

Council voted 15-9 to allow bikes on Confederation Line trains at all hours of operation when the LRT line opens in November.

Cyclists will be required to board the train at a specific door and stand with their bikes at the nearest multi-use space on the car. There’s an initial 15-month period for the bikes to be allowed. Transpo will review how it’s working out after the first year of LRT operations.

Bikes are already allowed on Trillium Line trains.