Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

Today’s letters: Snowstorms, consultations, electoral reform

Ottawa Citizen

By Mark Seaby, Ottawa Citizen Letter to the Editor, December 17, 2016

Don’t forget the pedestrians

Monday morning while driving down O’Connor Street, I noticed that the sidewalks had not been cleared, but the bike lanes were cleared better than the roads. As a result, the pedestrians staged a revolution and took over the bike lanes for walking. Perhaps it is time for the City of Ottawa to get its priorities straight, and serve the majority of its citizens (pedestrians), rather than constantly cater to every noisy minority that comes along

New OC Transpo fares, passes starting New Year’s Day

Ottawa Citizen

By Denise Sproule, Ottawa Citizen, December 15, 2016

The new year will be bringing big changes to OC Transpo fares and pass systems.

As of Jan. 1, all OC Transpo routes will require regular fare only, including “Connexion” routes (formerly known as Express routes). In preparation for the O-Train Confederation Line, set to launch in 2018, OC Transpo has created a unified monthly pass to replace the regular and express passes. The express pass will no longer be valid as of Jan.

Windmill asks for $62M from city to clean up and redevelop Zibi site

Ottawa Citizen

By Elizabeth Payne, Ottawa Citizen, December 15, 2016

The companies behind the massive Zibi development are seeking up to $60 million from the City of Ottawa to restore heritage buildings, remove soil and clean up toxic chemicals on the former Domtar site.

The return for the investment, say the companies, will not only be a cleaned up and accessible community and tourist draw, but an increase in property tax revenues of more than $10 million a year by 2019. The community is expected to include 1,200 residential units, businesses, retail, parks and a hotel.

Reevely: Ottawa’s new central library site could be great if we don’t cheap out

Ottawa Citizen

By David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen, December 15, 2016

To make Ottawa’s plans for a new central library work, we’ll be counting on LeBreton Flats really coming alive. And on redevelopment in the northwest corner of Centretown. And on the library to encourage both. While being an urban bridge between the two neighbourhoods, over physically difficult terrain.

It’s asking a lot.

In a presentation Thursday afternoon, library staffers said 557 Wellington St., land just northwest of Albert Street and Bronson Avenue now used as a staging ground for excavating the light-rail tunnel, is the best place for a $168-million new temple of culture they’ll share with Library and Archives Canada.

Today’s letters: Call it the ‘Red Chesterfield Tour’

Ottawa Citizen

By Fran Dawson, Ottawa Citizen, December 14, 2016

City should focus on clearing snow from bus stops

In Tuesday’s Citizen, Julie Oliver’s photograph of the lady exiting an OC Transpo bus is an excellent example of what bus users had to put up with last winter. Because the City of Ottawa wants us to stop using our cars, the clearing of bus stops should be a priority for the safety of those travelling by OC Transpo.

Council approves 2017 city budget. Here’s what you’ll be paying in taxes

Ottawa Citizen

By John Willing, Ottawa Citizen, December 14, 2016

Property taxes will increase by two per cent and water bills will go up by five per cent now that council has approved the 2017 city budget.

Council passed the budget Wednesday with a 24-0 vote.Mayor Jim Watson said he’s “proud with the balance we have achieved.

”The transit tax on property tax bills will increase by 2.5 per cent. The annual flat garbage fee, which is a separate line item on property tax bills, will be $84, up from $82.

City looks for feedback on Feedmill Creek rehab plan

StittsvilleCentral.ca

By Glen Gower, StittsvilleCentral, December 7, 2016

Feedmill Creek is sort of a “forgotten waterway” in Stittsville. That’s probably because up until very recently, it traversed mostly undeveloped private property.

The creek starts at the stormwater ponds in Timbermere Park on the west side of Carp Road, heads west underground and then through the future Potter’s Key neighbourhood and north of Jackson Trails, before heading north under the Queensway, then east through the Tanger Outlets mall before emptying into the Carp River.

Mayor Jim Watson says LRT to Gatineau makes long-term sense

Metro Ottawa

By Ryan Tumilty, Ottawa Metro News, December 12, 2016

Mayor Jim Watson said extending the LRT system into Gatineau should be in the city’s long-term plans after the train reaches Kanata.

In a year-end interview with Metro, Watson said he is excited that the progress on the city’s LRT system will continue and expects there will be a commitment from the federal government for Phase 2 soon.

“It’s just a matter of time, crossing T’s and dotting I’s,” he said.

Feeling safer yet? Collision mapper polling people of Ottawa on cycling

Metro Ottawa

By Adam Kveton, Ottawa Metro News, December 12, 2016

An organization that crowd-sources cycling collision and danger data wants to know if its map is making you feel better about cycling.

BikeMaps.org – a project partially funded by the federal government to the tune of approximately $930,000 – has been collecting citizen-reported cycling collision data in the area since early this year.

The stats are accessible through their app or website on a worldwide mapping system, which breaks down when and where cycling collisions occurred. It also shows near-misses, hazards, bike thefts and if an official police report was made.

Four-building development planned for Innovation

By Jessica Cunha, Ottawa Community News, December 13, 2016

A new four-building development is being proposed for Innovation Drive in north Kanata.The site, located at 5045 Innovation Dr., would feature a gas station, two quick-service restaurants, and a third restaurant or retail store. A site plan hasn’t yet been submitted to the city.

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Pedestrian and cycling links have been designed to connect the new park-and-ride lot located on Innovation Drive with the employment area, Morgan’s Grant and the Richcraft Recreation Complex.

KNL tree cutting can begin

By Jessica Cunha, Ottawa Community News, December 13, 2016

Tree cutting could begin before Christmas on the Kanata Lakes North Development Group’s lands in the South March Highlands.

KNL Development has received an “overall benefit permit” from the Ministry of Natural Resources that allows them to remove trees for phases 7 and 8, encompassing about 75 to 100 hectares of land. The city has also granted permission to cut.

“I’m sad about it,” said Kanata North Coun. Marianne Wilkinson, who estimated the work would involve about 100 hectares of land. “The city has given permission to take down all the trees, except along any on city-owned land – they have to leave six metres of trees on their property.”

St. Isidore school takes action against plastic

By Ottawa Community News, December 13, 2016

St. Isidore Catholic School in north Kanata has developed a passion to keep the world clean and students and staff are taking the initiative to reduce plastic in landfills and raise awareness about its negative effects.

Ottawa does not have the facilities to properly recycle plastic grocery bags. This means the bags end up in landfills where they leach toxins and take up to 1,000 years to decompose.