Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

Cash for parks piling up in city’s wards

Ottawa Citizen

By Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen, February 10, 2017

Hiring two new park planners should make it quicker and easier for Ottawa city councillors to spend the money that’s been piling up in their special cash-for-parks accounts.

As of Dec. 31, councillors collectively had $11.2 million at their discretion to buy new parkland, install or replace play structures, splash pads and benches, or pursue other recreation projects in the city’s 23 wards. That’s up from $8.1 million at the end of 2015.

While some of those dollars have been set aside for projects yet to be completed, millions remain uncommitted.

City and junk yard face off in zoning scrap

StittsvilleCentral.ca

By Devyn Barrie, StittsvilleCentral, February 8, 2017

A four-year-old zoning scrap between the City of Ottawa and a Goulbourn scrapyard could wind up back in court, as the area’s city councillor criticizes what he says is “blatant” noncompliance by yard management.

The controversy for Cash for Trash at 7628 Flewellyn Road surrounds how it uses its 50-acre property. The facility opened in 2012, much to the displeasure of residents who live nearby. The business salvages old vehicles, stripping them for useful parts and storing old wrecked vehicles on site. A large fire broke out in the scrapyard in July 2015.

The purists vs. the baiters: Fowl play in Ottawa's birding country

Ottawa & Re

By Tom Spears, Ottawa Sun, February 9, 2017

Shouting matches and crude language have invaded a world of bucolic harmony: birding.

The bird world has rival human factions: purists who admire birds from a distance, and some photographers who put out bait — live mice from a pet store — to get the dramatic shot of a bird of prey swooping in.The two sides don’t play nicely.

And conflict has grown since digital cameras opened up nature photography to amateurs, while cellphones, Facebook and GPS help crowds converge on rare birds.

Rat Watch: Council's rat pack sniffs out rodent data

Ottawa & Region

News

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Sun, February 9, 2017

Allan Hubley and Mathieu Fleury make an unlikely rat pack.One represents the suburban ward of Kanata South. The other represents the central Rideau-Vanier district.

Both councillors have the same worry about rodents roaming public property.

They came together on the floor of council Wednesday to file questions about the city’s efforts to reduce the rat population in Ottawa. Hubley had plans to enter the questions during the previous council meeting but didn’t want to upstage the mayor’s state of the city address.

Ottawa group wants province to top-up low income transit pass

Metro Ottawa

By Ryan Tumilty, Ottawa Metro News, February 8, 2017

Worried a new low-income bus pass won’t do enough for Ottawans struggling to make ends meet, the Healthy Transport Coalition is asking the Ontario government to fill the void.

Councillors approved the new Equipass during budget consultations. It will cost riders $57 per month and is estimated to benefit 8,800 people.

The coalition, along with other community groups, had hoped the city would bring the price down to the same cost as the community pass, which is for people on Ontario Disability payments — currently $42.25. A regular adult monthly pass costs $113.75.

Council gives final OK to LeBreton Flats location for central library

Metro Ottawa

By Haley Ritchie, Ottawa Metro News, February 8, 2017

Ottawa City Council has made its final choice for the new central library's location, approving the site at LeBreton flats, with one dissenting vote and one abstaining.

Wednesday’s decision will mean city staff will begin the process of selling off the current branch of the library, at Laurier and Metcalfe. Money from the sale will help fund the $168-million project.Coun. Tim Tierney, chair of the library board, ended the meeting on a victorious note.

“After 20 years of dithering, we finally have a solid, workable plan, the support of our mayor and the unparalleled opportunity to partner with Library and Archives Canada,” he said. “What I’ve been hearing form the people is ‘get on with it’ and we want to see what this library could look like in the future.”

Ottawa’s suburbs are getting a lot denser — but a lot less varied

Ottawa Citizen

By David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen, February 8, 2017

Ottawa’s suburbs are getting downtown density but without the mix of housing and shopping that usually makes for lively neighbourhoods, according to numbers in a new city report.

The suburbs are getting more duplexes and townhouses, smaller detached houses, and even apartments. But there are fewer places to buy milk or headache pills or a birthday card — and still hardly anywhere it’s easy to walk or bike to, which is worrying if we’re at all serious about building a city where you don’t have to drive to do everything. The city government is very conscious of preserving corner stores in downtown neighbourhoods, having realized a bit late that zoning rules aimed at wiping them out were bad, but it’s not getting them included in new neighbourhoods being built from scratch.

Are rats running rampant? 2 Ottawa councillors want to find out - Ottawa - CBC News

By CBC News Ottawa, February 8, 2017

After increasingly hearing about rats being spotted in public parks and on city streets, two Ottawa councillors have asked staff to report back on the city's rodent population

.Councillors Mathieu Fleury and Allan Hubley tabled an inquiry at the end of Wednesday's council meeting, asking what the city is doing "to resolve community concerns relating to rodents in the public realm."

Baseline bus rapid transit corridor design gets council's OK - Ottawa - CBC News

By Joanne Chianello, CBC News Ottawa, February 8, 2017

Ottawa city council has unanimously approved a proposal to build a cross-town rapid transit corridor along Baseline and Heron roads.

The new transit corridor would see 24 new stations built about 600 metres apart, and would eventually connect Heron Station near Billings Bridge to Bayshore Shopping Centre.

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The proposal calls for bus lanes to run down the centre of the road, with two vehicle lanes on either side, as well as cycling lanes and sidewalks.

Presto readers failing to cope with OC Transpo route changes - Ottawa - CBC News

By CBC News Ottawa, February 8, 2017

OC Transpo says recent failures with Presto card readers aren't being caused by the system itself, but a glitch in how the card readers process information they receive from computers on board buses.

"We made a number of fare changes and route changes at the end of last year and we uploaded a new database," said Pat Scrimgeour, director of transit customer systems and planning at OC Transpo.

Some riders have been contacting the transit authority directly — by phone and social media — to express their frustrations with the malfunctioning card readers.

Police issue warning over hallucinatory flower seed - Ottawa - CBC News

By Hillary Johnstone, CBC News Ottawa, February 7, 2017

A Renfrew, Ont., hardware store has pulled seeds of a flowering vine called morning glory from its shelves over concerns young people have been snatching up the packets to get high.

Renfrew OPP are warning parents to be on the lookout for the seeds after Scott & Sons Hardware store in Renfrew reported it sold "an abundance" of them last week, mostly to teens and young adults.

The seeds contain LSA, a milder form of LSD, and can cause people to hallucinate when ingested in large quantities.

City of Ottawa set to replace 'sandpaper-like' Minto turf after just 2 years - Ottawa - CBC News

By Kate Porter, CBC News Ottawa, February 7, 2017

The City of Ottawa is looking at replacing up to $500,000 worth of artificial turf at Minto Field behind the Nepean Sportsplex, just two years after it was installed.

The turf, installed in 2015, was intended for field hockey, soccer and football.

But some of the young athletes soon began complaining of cuts, scrapes and ripped equipment after falling on the surface some described as feeling "like sandpaper."

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Even thought the turf at Minto Field is being replaced after just two years, the ward councillor doesn't consider the replacement project a complete waste of money.

That's because the underlay that was also upgraded in a bid to prevent concussions will remain, Coun. Keith Egli said.

The city may also redeploy the scratchy turf at other city facilities such as lawn bowling greens, batting cages or putting greens, where athletes don't typically fall or skid, Egli said.