Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

Sneak peek: five things you’ll find in the new light rail stations

Metro News

By Emma Jackson, Ottawa Metro News, October 19, 2016

The 13 light rail stations opening in 2018 aren’t your regular O-Train platforms. Far from it: these state-of-the-art buildings will be packed with all-new integrated signage, ticket booths, digital schedules and, if you’re lucky, cafes and convenience stores. Check out the coolest features transit commission approved at its meeting Wednesday.

On the run

Grab a fresh muffin on your way to work, or pick up your dry cleaning on the way home: these are the kinds of services that will keep customers riding the rails, OC Transpo staff said Wednesday. There’s retail space planned at Tunney’s Pasture, Rideau, Hurdman and Blair stations, and staff want them filled with bright, open-concept cafes, convenience stores and services. Kiosks, vending machines and ATMs could also make an appearance. But the city doesn’t stand to make much money from the deals: securing the right services for customers – regardless of what the owner can pay in rent – is as important as making money, staff said.

One lane for cars, two for bikes in pilot project

Metro News

By Adam Kveton, Ottawa Metro News, October 19, 2016

The question when building cycling infrastructure is where to draw the line – paint a new lane for cyclists, or paint images of bikes on the road to remind drivers to share the space.

But when it comes to the city’s new “advisory cycling lane” pilot project, the decision was to remove a line – in this case, the yellow dividing line between both directions of vehicle traffic.

O'Connor Street bike lane set to open Thursday - Ottawa - CBC News

By CBC News Ottawa, October 19, 2016

The O'Connor Street bike lane will open to cyclists on Thursday, according to the City of Ottawa. The new lane stretches 1.7 kilometres from Laurier Avenue downtown to Fifth Avenue in the Glebe.

From Laurier to the Queensway, it's a bidirectional segregated bike lane running along the east side of the street. In the Glebe it's a combination of painted and segregated lanes.

Rideau Street closure causes slew of changes for bus routes - Ottawa - CBC News

By CBC News Ottawa, October 19, 2016

The closure of a short — but critical — stretch of Rideau Street is causing a range of detours and changes that vary depending on your route.

Construction delays caused by the massive sinkhole on Rideau Street in June prompted the city to close the busy stretch of the road between Sussex Drive and Dalhousie Street to all vehicular traffic — from 8 p.m. Wednesday and until the end of December.

Transit commission OKs the O-Train’s big red O

Ottawa Citizen

By Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen, October 19, 2016

The big red O is a go.Illuminated Os — which will mark the stops on Ottawa’s LRT system and help the city establish a new brand for public transportation in Canada’s capital — were given the green light by the transit commission Tuesday.

The design of the O comes from the existing logos for the O-Train and OC Transpo. It will be featured prominently at LRT stations, starting with the 13 stops on the first phase of the Confederation Line.

City Hall Blog: Qaqish plants seed for new farmers’ market

Ottawa Citizen

By Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen, October 19, 2016

Residents of Barrhaven and Riverside South might soon have a new place to buy their heirloom tomatoes and organic kale.Gloucester-South Nepean Coun. Michael Qaqish will ask the planning committee on Tuesday to direct staff to initiate a rezoning to permit a new farmers’ market at the Riverview park and ride.

The land is currently zoned ‘Development Reserve,” which recognizes lands intended for future urban development and limits the range of permitted uses to those that won’t preclude future development options.

Major mixed use development proposed for Huntmar near Palladium

StittsvilleCentral.ca

By StittsvilleCentral, October 18, 2016

A significant new development proposal has been submitted to the City for a parcel of land on the north part of Huntmar Drive near Palladium. The proposal includes detached homes, townhouses, a low-rise apartment building, commercial automotive dealerships and a large district park.

The 135.7-acre (54.9 hectare) property has an address at 195 Huntmar Drive, and extends quite a ways west and then north towards Palladium Drive. The land is undeveloped and is mostly farm fields, brush and trees. It’s located immediately south and west of the existing police station, and north of Fairwinds.

The proposal calls for:

Struggling to fill office space, east Ottawa landlords await LRT completion

Metro News

By Ottawa Business Journal, Ottawa Metro News, October 18, 2016

Office vacancy rates east of the Rideau River could drop as the completion date of Ottawa’s Confederation LRT Line draws closer, according to a local commercial real estate services firm.

The Ottawa East submarket contains slightly less than 10 per cent of the city’s supply of office space and has historically posted some of the area’s highest vacancy rates.

In a report released Monday, the Ottawa office of Colliers International said the area had a challenging third quarter as the vacancy rate rose from 13.6 per cent at mid-year to 15.2 per cent at the end of September.

Raw deal for Mooney's Bay sewage problems, Brockington says

Metro News

By Emma Jackson, Ottawa Metro News, October 18, 2016

The chance to finally flush out Mooney’s Bay’s bathroom issues may be going down the drain.

River ward Coun. Riley Brockington complained at environment committee Tuesday that the park pavilion’s “antiquated” wastewater system wasn’t included on the city’s list of 41 priority water and sewer projects to be submitted for federal and provincial funding this month.

Toilets at the pavilion, which houses the privately-run Baja Grill as well as city-owned public washrooms, can’t keep up with demand during busy beach days and major festivals.

St. Anthony School unveils new yard

By Melissa Murray, Ottawa Community News, October 18, 2016

St. Anthony School’s yard went from one of the ugliest in the city, to an urban oasis.

The new yard was unveiled on Oct. 14, after being completed in about three weeks over the summer.

“You told us you used to have the ugliest playground,” said Mayor Jim Watson during the yard’s grand opening. “I think you now have the most beautiful yard in the city.”

Rideau Street to close as sinkhole repair slows tunnel construction - Ottawa - CBC News

By CBC News Ottawa, October 18, 2016

Construction delays precipitated by June's sinkhole on Rideau Street have prompted the City of Ottawa to shut down a busy stretch of the road to all vehicular traffic so crews scrambling to complete the light rail tunnel underneath can work around the clock.

The closure, from Sussex Drive to Dalhousie Street, will go into effect at 8 p.m. Wednesday and will remain in effect until the end of December, the city said. Buses will be re-routed, and taxis and deliveries will be forced to steer clear of the area.

Bald eagle recovering from fractured wings, pellet wounds at Ottawa bird centre - Ottawa - CBC News

By CBC News Ottawa, October 18, 2016

A young bald eagle that was shot with a pellet gun and stuck with a fish hook is recovering at Ottawa's Wild Bird Care Centre.

Staff at the centre said the eagle was dropped off about two weeks ago by a group of people who spotted him on the ground.

He also has two fractured wings, in addition to the three pellets from a pellet gun and a fish hook inside of him.