Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

City sticks with controversial widening, off-ramp proposal for Airport Parkway

Ottawa Citizen

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, May 26, 2016

The city is undeterred by opposition to a $91-million blueprint that would widen the Airport Parkway, create an off-ramp at Walkley Road and build a roundabout at the top of the ramp.

An environmental assessment up for approval by council sticks to the idea of widening the parkway from two to four lanes between Brookfield and Hunt Club roads. The city is keen on relieving the rush-hour pinch point on the parkway south of Brookfield Road where there is one lane in each direction.

Uber posts 93% satisfaction rate in Ottawa, survey shows

Ottawa Citizen

By Megan Gillies, Ottawa Citizen, May 26, 2016

Is Ottawa honeymooning with Uber?Three in 10 Ottawa residents have used the international ride-sharing service and they’re four times happier with it than with traditional taxi services, according to a new poll.

People in the capital – where Uber has been operating illegally since 2014 – are even more rhapsodic than those in Toronto, where it rolled out in 2012.

Reevely: Lansdowne failing in people-first design: site’s lead designer

Ottawa Citizen

By David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen, May 26, 2016

The city’s doing a poor job keeping Lansdowne Park the car-lite people place it’s supposed to be, says the man who oversaw its design.

“There were a lot of us who worked very, very hard to convert Lansdowne from a parking lot into something,” says George Dark, the Toronto-based urban designer who spent years working on the Lansdowne plans.

Ottawa Boat Cruise electric vessel set for trials

By the Ottawa Citizen, May 26, 2016

The Queen Elizabeth, the first of two new electrically propelled vessels that Ottawa Boat Cruise plans to use in tours along the Rideau Canal, was lowered into the Ottawa River in Gatineau Thursday for trials in preparation for an an expected mid-June launch. Each of the locally built vessels is capable of holding about 100 passengers.…

Carlington to vote on controversial bike park

Metro News

By Lucy Scholey, Ottawa Metro News, May 24, 2016

Carlington residents are poised to vote on a divisive bike park planned for the neighbourhood’s old ski hill.

The Ottawa Mountain Bike Association (OMBA), a volunteer-run bike group, wants to build a closed-loop pump track made of dirt and a skills section with “skinnies,” which are like narrow bridges. Mountain bikers of all levels will be able to cruise along the tracks.

Airport Parkway widening report going before committee

By Erin McCracken, Ottawa Community News, May 24, 2016

The environmental study report on the future widening of the Airport Parkway and Lester Road, including an updated price tag, will be in the hands of the city’s transportation committee as of June 1.

Committee members can choose to discuss the assessment, which was expected to take about two years to complete, and will have the option of directing staff to explore additional elements.

Work to fix clogged pipes at Lemieux Island water purification plant gets OK

By Jennifer McIntosh, Ottawa Community News, May 24, 2016

A possible fix for jammed intake pipes at the Lemieux Island water filtration plant could cost $18.5 million, a staff report says.

The environment committee approved the plan on May 17 to extend the intake pipes deeper into the Ottawa River and go below the ice to prevent “frazil” from getting into the pipes.

Brockington will try to halt Mooney's Bay playground - Ottawa - CBC News

By Joanne Chianello, CBC News Ottawa, May 24, 2016

Bowing to pressure from the community, Coun. Riley Brockington plans to move a motion at Wednesday's council meeting to halt all work on the increasingly controversial playground headed for Mooney's Bay, less than two weeks after describing the proposal as "a landmark attraction."

The motion, which can only be heard if three-quarters of Ottawa city councillors vote to waive the rules, calls for all site preparation and construction work at Mooney's Bay to stop immediately.

Urban homeowners face new tree fee - Ottawa - CBC News

By CBC News Ottawa, May 24, 2016

Homeowners in Ottawa's urban core will now have to pony up a $100 application fee for the right to remove a large tree from their own property, if the city considers the tree "distinctive."

The city's urban tree conservation bylaw, which date back to 2009, defines distinctive trees on private property less than one hectare in area as those with a diameter of 50 centimetres at chest height.

Bluesfest adding $2 transit surcharge from June 1

Ottawa Citizen

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, May 24, 2016

Anyone buying a Bluesfest ticket as of June 1 will pay an extra $2 to cover OC Transpo service, the music festival said Tuesday.

Bluesfest and Transpo struck a deal last week after the transit agency pursued an annual $200,000 transit charge against the festival to offset the costs of providing extra buses.

The two sides settled on $100,000 annually for five years, with the fee increasing at the same rate as the transit levy on urban tax bills.

Ticketholders will get free transit service for three hours before gates open and until two hours after the final act leaves the stage each day.

Reevely: The Mooney’s Bay playground can’t be that great, but at least we’re getting it cheap

Ottawa Citizen

By David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen, May 24, 2016

Mooney’s Bay cannot get a great playground for $2 million.

Councillors, eager to get half the costs of a playground by the Rideau River covered by a production company that’ll make a documentary series about it, gloss over that. A big playground, yes, which is what we’re being promised. But not a great one.

City adds more bird-proofing to glassy skywalk at city hall

Ottawa Citizen

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, May 24, 2016

The skywalk at city hall is now more feather friendly.The city started installing dotted stickers on the outside of the glassy bridge Tuesday so more birds won’t crash into it and die.

It’s been an ongoing problem with the structure, which connects the heritage and newer buildings of city hall. Waxwings often smash into the bridge after taking off from trees that line a walkway below. Mass avian casualties often pile up in the winter and early spring.