Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

LETTER: Better bus service and cycling routes would help reduce traffic

By Stephen Hickson, StittsvilleCentral, February 20, 2018

Re: QADRI: Send me your traffic calming suggestions

First, we need to properly address why there is so much traffic in Stittsville. Stittsville, like many North American exurban areas was built with the car in mind. It is nearly impossible to survive in Stittsville without a car. I believe that this can change through proper urban planning.

Stittsville continues to lack a proper North-South cycling route and bus service is only effective during peak hours. While I applaud the current and future efforts for cycling and transit infrastructure on and around Robert Grant, I believe that this is simply too little and too late. People oriented transportation should be easily accessible which is why I think that there should be cycling facilities on West Ridge and at least Main Street north of Abbott where people can use them to run errands, visit friends and get to work.

Regulator sparks questions about future of Prince of Wales Bridge

By Marc André Cossette, CBC News Ottawa, February 20, 2018

A decision by the Canadian Transportation Agency is sparking questions about the future of the abandoned Prince of Wales Bridge, with some in Ottawa hoping to see it back in operation much sooner than expected.

In a ruling issued Friday, the agency gave the City of Ottawa two options.

It can either try to sell a portion of the rail line leading to the Prince of Wales Bridge, which spans the Ottawa River just west of the city's downtown — which could lead to it being permanently closed if there are no buyers.

Or it can instead restore the tracks — including those that run over the bridge — so they can accommodate rail traffic within 12 months

Today's letters: The gun lobby, the château, and love

By Brian Vachon, Ottawa Citizen Letter to the Editor, February 20, 2018

Casino LRT spur would help the South end

Re: Hard Rock wants rail spur to new casino, Feb. 15.

Do not think of it as a casino spur line, but rather a stop to relieve the commuter congestion from the South going into Ottawa. An LRT station and associated park-and-ride at Albion and Rideau Roads could be built on city-owned contaminated property that was to be “loaned” to the Central Canada Exhibition. That’s truly a better use of land than just a vacant block.

This site could be joined to the Riverside South LRT line at Earl Armstrong Road. All that would be needed is about 1.5 kilometres of track, pocket change to the city. We are spending more on artwork in the LRT system than this bare-bones extension would cost.

Perry: Saving downtown means pivoting to biking and walking

By Michelle Perry, Ottawa Citizen, February 19, 2018

The following is a rebuttal to Tyler Dawson’s recent column, “It’s not a Sparks Street problem, it’s a downtown problem”:

Tyler Dawson says that improving Sparks Street requires “a wholesale change to how Ottawa thinks of downtown” and that “for the city, the best bet is to make all of downtown, not just Sparks, a place people can get to and around with some degree of comfort.”

Yes, absolutely. But, strangely, he limits the discussion to transit and driving: “It could be the most beautiful laneway in the city, with brilliant cuisine and dazzling entertainment, but still nobody would come if it was hard to get to either by transit or car, and if either option was too pricey or parking too much of a pain.”

Firefighters mop up diesel spill after south-end crash

By Megan Gillis, Ottawa Citizen, February 20, 2018

No one was hurt but fire crews had to mop up a mess after a pick-up and a transport truck collided south of Manotick Tuesday afternoon.

Firefighters called to Bankfield Road and Prince of Wales Drive reported that they didn’t have to free anyone trapped in the wreckage but asked motorists to avoid the area as they cleaned up fluid and debris.

QADRI: Send me your traffic calming suggestions

By Shad Qadri, StittsvilleCentral, February 15, 2018

As many residents may be aware, the Temporary Traffic Calming Measures (TTCM) program was implemented in 2013 as a means to deter speeding in local communities. Each year, City Councillors are granted $40,000 outside of their annual office budget to implement these measures in locations across their ward identified as most in need.

Some of these measures include:

• Flex Stakes / Cyclo-Zone Delineators
• Pavement Markings
  • Speed Pavement Markings
  • Slow Pavement Markings
  • School Pavement Markings
  • Stop Ahead Pavement Markings

NOTEBOOK: Stewardship Council lends its support to a food forest for Blackstone Park

By Glen Gower, StittsvilleCentral, February 13, 2018

You may remember Paul Wilson’s idea for a permaculture food forest at Blackstone Park that we published a couple of weeks ago. Now the idea is getting support from the Ottawa Stewardship Council (OSC), a local volunteer organization that promotes and maintains healthy environments.

Avoid riverbanks and lakes along Rideau watershed, conservation authority warns

By CBC News Ottawa, February 17, 2018

People should avoid ice surfaces on riverbanks and lakes along the Rideau River watershed over the next few days, the local conservation authority is warning.

The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) says significant rainfall and snow melt on Monday and Tuesday could cause water levels to rise and the ice to become unstable.

The authority also warned that water could form small ponds on top of the ice, making it even weaker.

Weather: Latest warmer weather forecast leads to pothole caution from city

By the Ottawa Citizen, February 18, 2018

It’s the last weekend of Winterlude and, while celebrants couldn’t ask for better weather, but the warmish temperatures could have some unplesant side effects.

The Rideau Skateway reopened Saturday after a warm weather rest, but officials are keeping an eagle eye on conditions.

The upcoming thaw also prompted an alert from the city about a new crop of potholes.

Rideau Canal Skateway to re-open Saturday at 8 a.m.

By CBC News Ottawa, February 16, 2018

The National Capital Commission (NCC) has announced the full length of the Rideau Canal Skateway will re-open Saturday, Feb. 17 at 8 a.m.

The NCC closed the canal earlier this week after temperatures reached 6 C but has deemed it safe now.

It's the last weekend of Winterlude in Ottawa, with sun in the forecast and temperatures around 2 C according to Environment Canada.

Adam: There's no excuse for lack of transparency on Ottawa's LRT plan

By Mohammed Adam, Ottawa Citizen, February 15, 2018

The light rail construction delay saga roiling the city is a classic example of how things can go wrong when government cloaks itself in secrecy and becomes less accountable.

After a storm of criticism over how the city allowed the Rideau Transit Group (RTG) to escape payment of a $1-million penalty for missing its original May 24 handover date of the $2.1-billion LRT project, the city manager sent a memo to councillors Wednesday detailing how the contract protects taxpayers from cost overruns.

OC Transpo wants to allow small pets on buses and trains

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, February 14, 2018

OC Transpo is finally ready to welcome your pets on the transit system.

A report published Wednesday ahead of a the transit commission meeting next week recommends allowing small pets on buses and trains, as long as the animals are in a carrier or crate that can sit on the customer’s lap.

“This recommendation is consistent with most other major public transit agencies in North America and is supported by Ottawa Public Health staff,” the report says.