By Alex Robinson, Ottawa Community News, June 18, 2015
Ian Betty first heard the loud low-frequency sound in 2011. It permeated the air
and even drowned out noise from Highway 417, which sits close to his Robinson
Village home. Betty and his neighbours soon realized the sound was coming from
three rooftop chiller units that had been installed that year on top of a
Canadian Police Information Centre building on Vanier Parkway across the river
from their homes. via
Residents wrestle with feds over noise pollution.
By Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen, June 18, 2015
Jim Watson wants you to give him a call to talk about money. The mayor is set to
host his first tele-town hall meeting next week to give residents a chance to
ask questions about and provide input on the city’s 2016 budget. Watson said
he’ll be joined on the line by several senior city officials for the hour-long
chat. “I think it’s a modern way to actually reach out and allow input,” Watson
said. via
Mayor to host budget ‘tele-town hall’ next week | Ottawa Citizen.
By Haley Ritchie, Ottawa Metro News, June 17, 2015
OC Transpo may be known for its bright red vehicles, but that’s not a colour
they want to see on their books. So far this year, the transit service is
running a $3.5-million deficit. Transit general manager John Manconi said the
“cold, cold, cold” winter we had was partly to blame for the unexpected costs.
via
OC Transpo driving into the red with $3.5-million deficit | Metro.
By Alex Robinson, Ottawa Community News, June 17, 2015
Although Beechwood Avenue is not scheduled to be rebuilt any time soon, two city
councillors are appealing to residents to envision ways transportation can
improve along the corridor. Rideau-Vanier Coun. Mathieu Fleury and
Rideau-Rockcliffe Coun. Tobi Nussbaum have scheduled a meeting on June 24 to
discuss how the street can be altered to better accommodate pedestrians and
cyclists. via
Councillors invite residents to envision better Beechwood Avenue.
By Alex Robinson, Ottawa Community News, June 17, 2015
If a new community design plan is approved as proposed, Rideau Street could see towers as tall as 25 storeys popping up east of King Edward Avenue.
City staff has unveiled its preliminary revision of the Uptown Rideau Community Design Plan, a planning document that recommends densities and heights developers should build to. Staff presented the plan at Lowertown Community Association meeting on June 8.
By CBC News Ottawa, June 17, 2015
Many Canadian cities are falling short of testing drinking water for all
possible harmful contaminants, and experts say the long-term consequences could
be detrimental to people's health, a CBC News investigation has found. CBC asked
18 cities in every province and territory to provide a list of the
health-related contaminants they test in their water supplies. Only one — Ottawa
— tests for all 75 substances found in Health Canada's published guidelines for
Canadian drinking water. via
Drinking water in Canadian cities not always tested for all contaminants -
Manitoba - CBC News.
By Jeanne White, Ottawa Citizen Letter to the Editor, June 17, 2015
Re: Shell-shocked: Shaking eggs can deform baby geese, experts say, June 16;
and, City’s next plan of attack: Oil the eggs of Canada geese, June 15. Prior to
1914, no one would have likely imagined that the most abundant bird species, the
passenger pigeon, would have been obliterated thanks to mankind’s greed and
intolerance. With so many negative thoughts expressed toward our Canada geese
here and in the United States, the same could happen to the geese. via
Letter: Leave our Canada geese alone | Ottawa Citizen.
By Patrick Smith, Ottawa Citizen, June 17, 2015
A two-year-long wait finally paid off Wednesday, as OC Transpo introduced a new
online tool that will allow riders to report harassment. The service had
originally promised a security tool similar to this one in its 2013 10-point
safety plan, but consultations and discussions with a safety working group
delayed the process until now. via
OC Transpo launches new online tool to report harassment | Ottawa Citizen.
By Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen, June 17, 2015
The community and protective services committee will discuss the dozen strategic
initiatives within its portfolio when it meets on Thursday. They include:
Inclusive community initiative: This actually encompasses a number of
strategies, including the older adult plan, the youth action plan, the municipal
immigration strategy and the aboriginal service strategy, designed to respond to
Ottawa’s diverse population — $100,000 over four years in operating spending via
City Hall Blog: Strategic Initiatives explained, part 5 | Ottawa Citizen.
By Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen, June 17, 2015
OC Transpo is cracking down on people who don’t tap their Presto cards. After it
was revealed last month that most of the passengers nabbed in 2014 for not
paying to ride the bus or O-Train were let off with a verbal warning because
fare inspectors had been instructed to be lenient during the transition to the
Presto tap-and-go payment system, OC Transpo officials said Wednesday the free
ride is over. via
OC Transpo cracks down on Presto cheaters | Ottawa Citizen.
By Haley Ritchie, Ottawa Metro News, June 16, 2015
Ottawa residents got the chance Tuesday to weigh in on the environmental goals
in the city’s four-year plan. “If we don’t act now, we will certainly have to
act later. We’re looking for leadership from the city,” said Liz Bernstein of
the Lowertown Community Association, echoing many of the other delegates. While
most presenters commended the city’s goals around tree planting and renewable
energy, the absence of discussion on the Energy East pipeline came up more than
once. via
City of Ottawa won’t comment on Energy East pipeline until National Energy
Board finishes review | Metro.
By Michael Shulman, CTV News Ottawa, June 15, 2015
They're the fastest member of the animal kingdom, but experts say the peregrine
falcon's fight to claw back from the brink of extinction isn’t progressing fast
enough. The bird of prey became an endangered species in the 1960s in many areas
across the world because of the widespread use of certain pesticides, especially
DDT. via
Peregrine falcon populations on the road to recovery, but still face barriers
| CTV News.










