Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

Clegg Street pedestrian and cycling bridge gets provincial funding

Metro Ottawa

By Alex Abdalwahab, Ottawa Metro News, June 25, 2017

A new bridge over the Rideau Canal that will connect Clegg Street and Fifth Avenue is a step closer to being built.

On Friday, the provincial government announced it was committing $5 million to build the pedestrian and cycling bridge that will join the neighbourhoods of Old Ottawa East and the Glebe.

The bridge will stretch from the boulevard west of Queen Elizabeth Driveway, on the west side of the canal, over both the Rideau Canal and Colonel by Drive, to the median between Echo Drive and Colonel By, on the east side of the canal, according to the project description.

St. Isidore certified platinum eco-school

OttawaCommunityNews.com

By Jack Davies, Ottawa Community News, June 26, 2017

There were some dirty jobs to be done, but the students of St. Isidore Catholic School rolled up their sleeves, got to work and helped make the school a certified platinum eco-school.

St. Isidore has been an Ontario eco-school for several years, but 2017 is the first time the school has been certified platinum (certification ranges from bronze to platinum). On Monday, June 26, St. Isidore principal Caroline O’Connor hosted a full-school assembly to congratulate the students on their achievement.

Ontario eco-schools' mission is to nurture environmental leaders, reduce the ecological impact of schools and build environmentally responsible school communities.

Ottawa researcher says 1 in 3 ticks carrying Lyme disease in city's west end

CTV Ottawa News

By Joanne Schnurr, CTV News, June 26, 2017

An Ottawa researcher is trying to figure out why the west end of our city is seeing a dramatic rise in the number of ticks carrying Lyme disease. Epidemiologist Dr. Manisha Kulkarni says her research shows that at least one in every three ticks is carrying the bacteria that can cause a chronic and debilitating illness. The research so far shows about 30 to 40 percent of those west end ticks are testing positive for Lyme disease but Dr. Kulkarni believes it could be higher than that.Brown bagging it has a whole new meaning at this University of Ottawa lab.

“So these are the samples that have come in from Ottawa Public Health,” says Dr. Kulkarni, as she opens a fridge in her uOttawa lab.

Elgin Street pubs the next target of city’s drinking water promos

Ottawa Citizen

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, June 26, 2017

The City of Ottawa, which has been trying to get more people to drink tap water over the past 10 years, has targeted pub tables as a medium for its message ahead of the deluge of Canada Day revellers.

Public works and environmental services paid $3,000 to produce 35,000 cardboard coasters, which have been distributed to a dozen pubs and restaurants on Elgin Street in the lead-up to the celebrations.

Leslie Vanclief, the department’s section manager of stakeholder relations, said the coasters promote Ottawa’s tap water as a “safe, healthy and affordable option.”

StittsvilleCentral.ca

By Glen Gower, StittsvilleCentral, June 24, 2017

FARMERS’ MARKET UPDATE

There’s still no date set for the opening of the “official” Ottawa Farmers’ Market at Village Square Park, but Suzanne Bird is forging ahead anyways with a mini market next door at “The Barn”. Bird owns the old log building on the east side of Village Square Park. The first event will be on Friday, June 30 from 4:00pm-7:00pm, and will feature two Ontario CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farmers. More info here…

Auditor General finds no issues with city’s transition plan to LRT

Metro Ottawa

By Alex Abdelwahab, Ottawa Metro News, June 22, 2017

An audit of the city’s transition plan to LRT has found no areas of high risk or gaps.

The Auditor General’s report, which was tabled Thursday, examined where the city is prepared to successfully transition from operating a primarily bus system to a combined bus and rail network when the O-Train Confederation Line opens in 2018.

The report looked specifically at 17 key areas, assessing the city’s readiness for transition, the effectiveness of the governance structure, and whether the key elements are well understood.

OC Transpo launches summer schedule

By Jenn Pritchard, CFRA News, June 25, 2017

OC Transpo made some changes to certain routes around the city as they launched their summer schedule on Sunday. In an effort to prepare for light rail, 15 routes have been renumbered, including route number 1 which is now the number 6 bus. There have been schedule adjustments made to reflect lower demand for certain routes in the summer months.

Strawberries thriving in Ottawa-area despite conditions that stifled other plants - Ottawa - CBC News

By Andrew Foote, CBC News Ottawa, June 25, 2017

Ottawa-area strawberry growers are enjoying the fruits of a good harvest this year, after a wet spring set other crops back.

Around 325 millimetres of rain fell at the Ottawa International Airport in April and May, according to Environment Canada, delaying the planting season for crops such as corn and soybeans for weeks.

Local strawberry farmers said they're starting their traditional harvesting season right on time, despite all the rain, and the results are looking sweet.

Rising right whale death toll could be "catastrophic": marine biologist

By The Canadian Press, Ottawa Citizen, June 25, 2017

MONCTON, N.B. — A marine mammal expert says the fate of a critically endangered species could hang in the balance with the death of six North Atlantic right whales found floating in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Tonya Wimmer of the Marine Animal Response Society says the string of deaths is "unprecedented," amounting to more than one per cent of the 500 North Atlantic right whales believed to be roaming the seas."For a species that's sort on the brink like this, every individual counts," says Wimmer. "Every year we might have a few individuals that are found dead, and those are devastating in themselves ... We're at six (deaths) confirmed, and that's quite catastrophic for this population."

City hall blog: Forgotten training tab should be last LRT surprise, commission told

Ottawa Citizen

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, June 21, 2017

OC Transpo had to figure out where to get $4.8 million for teaching bus operators how drive LRT trains because apparently the transit department forgot to budget the money.

That’s what the transit commission learned on Wednesday during a quick meeting at City Hall.

Transit management needed the commission’s approval to shift money between internal accounts, including $4.8 million from a bus refurbishment fund to an LRT account.As we reported this week, Transpo is getting ready to train about 100 workers on running the Alstom Citadis Spirit vehicles and controlling the LRT system. First the Rideau Transit Group will hand over the training materials, then the trainers will share their knowledge with the future train operators and controllers. The training will last right up until Confederation Line LRT opens in 2018.

No-swim advisory for three Ottawa beaches

Ottawa Citizen

By Wayne Scanlan, Ottawa Citizen, June 25, 2017

The Ottawa public health department has issued a no-swim advisory at three area beaches, following Saturday evening’s rainfall.

Mooney’s Bay, Westboro and the Petrie Island River beaches were all red flagged Sunday morning.

Ottawa Public Health collects water samples daily. The results take 18 to 24 hours to process. Test results indicate the level of E.coli per 100 mL of water.

Food for thought: Why some of us believe a sustainable-farming revolution is underway in Ontario

Ottawa Citizen

By Stephen Le, Ottawa Citizen, June 23, 2017

Somewhere in Ottawa, a shopping cart is being steered through a cavernous supermarket. Like a scene from a sci-fi horror flick, the soulless aisles brim with microwaveable frankenfood and flavourless produce. Mindless pop tunes drone hypnotically in the background. Antiseptic fumes waft from the floor. “Didyafindeverythinyouwerelookinfor?” chime the cashiers. “Anddidyaneedabagtoday?” Neon yellow signs trumpet, “Our prices will surely never ever be beat!”

Somewhere else in Ottawa, a folk singer is serenading a crowd. Farmers display baskets of freshly picked produce. Sheep’s milk yogurt is sold here, alongside honey and wild boar meat. These farmers know where their food comes from, how it was sown and grown. Of course, farmers’ market prices will “surely always forever be beat” by supermarkets, but wedged within that price differential lie stirring exploits and a profound debate.