Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

Boy drowns Constance Bay beach on Ottawa River

Ottawa Citizen

By Evelyn Harford, Ottawa Citizen, August 7, 2016

Residents of Constance Bay have called on the city to improve signage and increase public safety on their beach after a 10-year-old boy died off the shoreline on Saturday.

“It’s only a matter of time before it happens again,” said longtime resident Guy Presse.

The Toronto-area boy went missing off the northeast tip of the bay’s notoriously dangerous lip on Saturday afternoon. His body was recovered by police divers shortly before 11 p.m. that night.

NCC ‘violating’ master plan by not expropriating Gatineau Park land, says group

Ottawa Citizen

By Joanne Laucius, Ottawa Citizen, August 8, 2016

The NCC is violating its own master plan by allowing new homes to be built in Gatineau Park, says a watchdog group.

The Gatineau Park Protection Committee, which has about a dozen members, is calling for the NCC to expropriate a property at 787 Meech Lake Rd., where a house is under construction.

Ottawa library pedals books with new 'Bibliobike'

Metro News

By Lucy Scholey, Ottawa Metro News, August 7, 2016

While all library-related buzz has been around a new central branch, the Ottawa Public Library has been quietly pedaling a new mobile book service.

The “Bibliobike” is more or less what it sounds like – a book-filled wagon that attaches to the back of a bike.

It’s equipped with four pieces of plywood, an old bike trailer, straps and boxes of books. Librarians can easily cycle around to festivals or other events, where they then unfold the plywood into an A-frame, with about 25 books on display. With a laptop, they can also sign people up with a new library card and check out books.

On time, on budget: End in sight for Main Street reconstruction

Ottawa Citizen

By Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen, August 4, 2016

The long-awaited end to Main Street’s reconstruction is close enough that David Chernushenko is starting to think about planning a grand reopening party.

“We’re definitely past half way,” the Capital councillor said Thursday of the multi-year, multimillion-dollar project, which he said is about two-thirds finished.

Main Street’s infrastructure was at the end of its life cycle, so the city ordered up a top-to-bottom facelift from Echo Drive to the Rideau River.

Petition launched in support of farmers’ market at Village Square Park

StittsvilleCentral.ca

By Glen Gower, StittsvilleCentral, August 5, 2016

Suzanne Bird, the owner of the old log building at Village Square Park, has launched a petition in support of a farmers’ market at Village Square Park:

“Please add your signature and support for a Farmers Market being held in the Stittsville Village Square Park. In the last year there has been a growing voice from residents in social media for the Village Square Park, corner of Main St and Abbott St East, becoming a hub for community events in Stittsville.”

Ottawa woman says she was assaulted for cycling 'too slow' - Ottawa - CBC News

By Ashley Burke, CBC News Ottawa, August 4, 2016

An Ottawa woman says she was assaulted by another cyclist during her morning commute because she was "biking too slow.

"Marie-Hélène Villeneuve, 36, filed a police report on Thursday morning alleging a male cyclist hit her around 7:45 a.m. on Lyon Street near Wellington Street.

"He slapped my ass with his hand," Villeneuve told CBC news. "Then he kept cycling. I was in shock. I kind of couldn't comprehend what had just happened."

City marks 2 million trips on the Laurier Ave. bike lane - Ottawa - CBC News

By CBC News Ottawa, August 5, 2016

Five years after it opened to both compliments and complaints, the Laurier Avenue bike lane has hit a significant milestone: its two millionth ride.

On Friday, the city announced in a press release that the segregated bike lane had passed the two-million-trip mark.

"I think if you went out and you interviewed people today, you would see that most people just accept it as part of the city's infrastructure — and frankly a pretty cool part of the city's infrastructure," said Coun. Keith Egli, chair of the city's transportation committee, on CBC's All In A Day.

She’s 26, he’s 4: Loon scientist discovers his birds are cougars

Ottawa Citizen

By Tom Spears, Ottawa Citizen, August 5, 2016

This summer, Postmedia’s Tom Spears brings you the often offbeat science behind the season that calls us to go outdoors. It’s a series we call the Science of Summer. Today’s story takes another look at a long-running Wisconsin loon study that just keeps on giving.

The bird that floats serenely on our one-dollar coin takes a swim on the wild side more often than anyone knew.

For starters, we’re relying on the official, scientific terminology used by biologist Walter Piper of Chapman University. His headline in an online research blog: “When Loons are Cougars: Why Do Old Females Often Pair with Young Males?”

McLeod: Zero pedestrian deaths is what we should be reaching for

Ottawa Citizen

By Jonathan McLeod, Ottawa Citizen, August 5, 2016

It’s happened again.

A couple of weeks ago, another death, another person killed in our streets. Another driver has become a killer. I’m sickened that I’m writing about this again. Brian Thompson didn’t need to die at Somerset and Rochester.

And I’m sickened that since Brian Thompson’s death — since I wrote the first draft of this piece — people have kept getting hit by cars. Thankfully, no other deaths have been reported.

Following Poole Creek, Part 3

StittsvilleCentral.ca

By Glen Gower, StittsvilleCentral.ca, July 30, 2016

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Poole Creek may be Stittsville’s most important natural feature. It meanders from west to north east, crossing through neighbourhoods old and new, playing a crucial role in our community’s ecology. In the final part of this series, ecologist Nick Stow follows the creek as it crosses Hazeldean Road. There, it passes through one of Stittsville’s newest neighbourhoods, where it’s in the midst of a transformation from farmland to forest. All photos by Nick Stow.)

PAST SWEETNAM DRIVE, POOLE CREEK CHANGES CHARACTER AGAIN. After a short run out of sight, it crosses under busy Hazeldean Road and enters one of the City’s newest neighbourhoods. Where it once meandered through farmland, the creek nows winds between recent or still-developing subdivisions. Deeper, clay soils have allowed the creek to carve a valley dense in places with Manitoba maple, crack willow and thorny thickets. Following the creek becomes more difficult. With construction still underway, the trail remains incomplete. Good vantage points exist up and downstream of Huntmar Drive, beside one of the established subdivisions.

Cancel your campfire: a burn ban's in effect

Metro News

By Emma Jackson, Ottawa Metro News, August 3, 2016

Hope you like raw marshmallows.

Ottawa Fire Services has issued a city-wide burn ban as more hot weather rolls in.

With a heat warning in effect and little rain in the forecast, conditions are too dry to allow even rural residents with permits to light their fires, said department spokesperson Danielle Cardinal.

“You never know what the impact could be,” she said.

Environment Canada is calling for possible showers on Friday and Saturday, but Cardinal said that’s not enough keep fires from spreading.

Reevely: Battle grows over Ottawa ‘ghost bike’ — and the city deserves it

Ottawa Citizen

By David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen, August 2, 2016

The city’s efforts to squelch protests over its unsafe bridge across the Rideau River have turned a small memorial on the bridge into a petty war zone.

Fifty-five-year-old Meg Dussault was killed there, at the south end of Billings Bridge, when she was “right-hooked” by a cement truck that turned across her path. Three years ago this past weekend.