Festival organizers say four trees along the Ottawa River, planted to commemorate the opening of the museum 25 years ago, block spectator sight lines and must be cut down.
The museum is OK with that. But so far the National Capital Commission, which must sign off on the plan, is balking.
By Steph Willems, Ottawa Community News, April 10, 2014
The National Capital Commission wants the public's take on what it should do with its many land holdings in the Ottawa-Gatineau area.
The federal body is planning for the future with its capital urban lands master plan, which covers parks, green space around waterways, the Experimental Farm, and the city's many parkways. In addition to an online questionnaire, a public workshop was held March 26 at the National War Museum.
By Joanne Chianello, Ottawa Citizen, April 10, 2014
OTTAWA — The City of Ottawa will not compel transit buses to stop at all railway crossings automatically after an independent study suggested that doing so would increase the chances of a crash by as much as 17 per cent.
In the weeks after the tragic collision between an OC Transpo bus and a Via Rail train last September, many members of the public called for buses to be required to stop at all railway crossings as an additional safety measure. Coun. Diane Deans, chair of Ottawa’s transit committee, acknowledged that making all buses stop might seem ideal but underlined the need not to set policy on “gut feelings.” Instead, the city hired MMM Group to review existing research on whether stopping at all rail crossings — even if the lights aren’t flashing and the barrier isn’t engaged — would increase safety.
By Alison Sandor, CFRA News, April 9, 2014
The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority is keeping a close eye on flooding in specific areas along the Rideau River.
Those areas include a portion of the surface of Rideau River Drive in Old Ottawa South and Hilly Lane in North Grenville.
Patrick Larson with the Authority says they're concerned about ice jams in the Lower Rideau, below Hog's Back.
By Don Butler, Ottawa Citizen, April 9, 2014
OTTAWA — Ottawa residents and visitors will be able to rent bicycles this year from a bike-sharing system, even though the Montreal company that operated the Bixi system under contract filed for bankruptcy in January.
National Capital Commission CEO Mark Kristmanson said Wednesday the NCC — which owns the bikes and stations around downtown Ottawa and Gatineau — is negotiating with a proponent “for the current Bixi season and going forward.”
By Don Butler, Ottawa Citizen, April 9, 2014
A long-lost fountain dating from the late 1800s could be resurrected as part of National Capital Commission plans to spruce up some of its property in LeBreton Flats.
Pieces of the Lilias W. Fleck Fountain were discovered in 2013 during the removal of contaminated soil from LeBreton Flats, which has remained largely vacant since buildings on it were demolished in the 1960s.
By John Willing, Ottawa Sun, April 9, 2014
It would be dangerous if OC Transpo buses were required to stop before crossing train tracks when the warning signals aren't on, according to an OC Transpo consultant hired just after last September's fatal crash in Barrhaven.
MMM Group is largely basing its findings on a 1985 study by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration which said there's a 17.4% net increase in crashes between trains and passenger buses when buses are required to stop.
