Ecology Ottawa

News Clippings

Qadri and planners get rough ride over Johnwoods “proposal”

StittsvilleCentral.ca

By Glen Gower, StittsvilleCentral, May 4, 2016

What we had here was a failure to communicate.

I was one of about 100 people who showed up at a public meeting tonight at Johnny Leroux Arena to hear about the city’s plans to convert the north end of Johnwoods into a linear park and bike path.

Councillor Shad Qadri couldn’t get through his opening introduction without being shouted down by residents opposed to the plan. The main complaint: they weren’t consulted. In his weekly newsletter, Qadri has been referring to the plan as a “proposal”, but it was clear at the meeting this is pretty much a done deal.

580 CFRA News Talk Radio :: City councillor wants municipal say on future wind projects :: News - Article

By Ted Raymond, CFRA News, May 5, 2016

Rideau-Goulbourn councillor Scott Moffatt wants the City to be able to have a say on where future wind turbines are placed.He's tabling a report at Thursday's Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meeting, recommending Council ask the Province of Ontario to change the law, to give municipalities "a substantive and meaningful role" in deciding where future wind power projects will go.

The report says municipalities deserve a role in the process, because "the siting of wind power projects has local planning implications" and decisions on renewable energy projects need to take place "within the context of community sustainability."

South Ottawa communities banding together for 'Next Great Garage Sale'

By Erin McCracken, Ottawa Community News, May 4, 2016

Spring-cleaning is well under way in three south Ottawa communities as residents gear up for what they hope will quickly become the largest annual neighbourhood garage sale this side of the Glebe.

The South Keys Greenboro Community Association is once again hosting The Next Great Garage Sale, but this time is co-ordinating the event's timing with similar events in the Wisteria Park and Hunt Club Park communities on May 21, rain or shine.

By working together with other neighbourhood associations, the hope is the sale will one day mirror the success of the Great Glebe Garage Sale, which is attracts thousands of people every spring.

City on the road to using photo radar after committee vote

By Jennifer McIntosh, Ottawa Community News, May 4, 2016

The city’s transportation committee set the wheels in motion on May 4 for a photo radar program that will enforce speed limits in some school zones.

The motion, originally the brainchild of River Coun. Riley Brockington, will petition the province for the power to use photo radar and reduce the speed limit of some residential roads.

Jim Watson now open to photo radar, but only in school zones - Ottawa - CBC News

By Kate Porter, CBC News Ottawa, May 4, 2016

Ottawa's mayor is urging city councillors to support a pilot project that would see photo radar in school zones, and to ask the Ontario government for the power to use the technology.

It's a change of stance on the mayor's part, as Watson had earlier said he was "not convinced" of the public demand for photo radar, and worried the technology could become a "cash grab" for the city.

Your letters for Wednesday May 4: Lisa MacLeod, LeBreton Flats

Ottawa Citizen

By SuzAnne Doré, Ottawa Citizen Letter to the Editor, May 4, 2016

Will it be more than mediocre?

Re: NCC goes smaller, safer with its LeBreton Plans, April 29.

David Reevely’s article qualified the newly approved LeBreton plans as “better to be second-rate than vacant.” Unfortunately it captures the spirit of Ottawa’s planning approach perfectly.My home of 45 years overlooks LeBreton Flats. In the ’90s, a visitor from Poland who did not speak a word of English walked onto my balcony and, at the view of the wide green space of the then-rejuvenated LeBreton Flats and the Ottawa River, took in a deep breath and expressed in one word what we all felt and understood: “Panorama!” She was mesmerized by the view and the green space so close to Parliament Hill. The consensus was that the locale was a perfect jewel.

Suzuki: Meeting our greenhouse gas targets requires a ‘Leap’

Ottawa Citizen

By David Suzuki, Ottawa Citizen, May 4, 2016

I’m a proud signatory and supporter of the Leap Manifesto, which takes the challenge of climate change and the 2015 Paris Agreement seriously. It’s been shocking to see the response within the NDP and national media. For like Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical, Laudato si, Leap enfolds social justice, employment, poverty and hunger, inequity and the environment to map a way out of the crisis we face.

Not all councillors happy with school zone photo radar motion

Ottawa Citizen

By Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen, May 4, 2016

A plan to ask the provincial government for permission to use photo radar in school zones on a trial basis doesn’t go far enough for some city councillors.

“Something is better than nothing,” is how River ward Coun. Riley Brockington summed up the transportation committee’s four-hour debate on Wednesday.

Speeding is an issue across the city and efforts to curb it have, so far, fallen short, he says. His view is that photo radar is just another tool the city could use to enforce speed on its streets, if the province was so inclined.

OC Transpo’s $432K budget gamble stymied by Senators

Ottawa Citizen

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, May 5, 2016

OC Transpo’s high-risk gamble of plugging $432,000 of revenue into its budget to cover the cost of extra bus service to the Canadian Tire Centre won’t pay off.

The transit agency doesn’t think it can get the cash from the Kanata arena, which is owned by the Ottawa Senators.

580 CFRA News Talk Radio :: FEDCo approves Byward Market revitalization, George Street plaza plans :: News - Article

By Cassie Aylward, CFRA News, May 3, 2016

The city's Finance and Economic Development Committee has voted to send a plan to revitalize the Byward Market to council, including the $1 million creation of a pedestrian plaza on George Street.

That plan, according to Mayor Jim Watson, involves clearing the space in front of the city-owned Byward Market building and putting in benches and other seating spaces.

"I think probably the most beautiful building in the whole market is the Byward Market building," he said. "And when you're coming down George Street, where the LRT station is going to be, right now you can't see it because it's basically blocked by plastic tarp stand holders."

Photo radar comes to a vote at Transportation Committee Wednesday

CTV Ottawa News

By CTV News Ottawa, May 3, 2016

Councillors on the Transportation Committee are getting ready to vote on photo radar.

The controversial technology used to nab speeding drivers is up for debate Wednesday when the committee meets. The debate comes several months after Councillor Riley Brockington proposed a motion requesting the province allow the city of Ottawa to install photo radar. The motion was seconded by Ward 5 Councillor Eli El-Chantiry.

"It's not going to replace a police officer. We know the benefit of having a police officer present, but we can't be on every street corner and on every street," El-Chantiry said.

Revitalization plan for ByWard, Parkdale markets moves forward - Ottawa - CBC News

By Giacomo Panico, CBC News Ottawa, May 3, 2016

Councillors on Ottawa's finance and economic development committee hope turning over Ottawa's ByWard and Parkdale markets to a new not-for-profit corporation will inject new life into the markets.

In a unanimous vote Tuesday, committee members approved a revitalization plan that includes creating a public plaza on George Street, in front of the ByWard Market building.

City council must still approve the plan.