By Emma Jackson, Ottawa Community News, December 19, 2013
News – Christmas came early on Dec. 17 when plans for the Dickinson Square development were finally revealed – and residents liked what they saw.
Three of the five properties put up for sale this summer met the city’s minimum bid requirements, leaving Dickinson House and the Carriage Shed in the city’s hands.
By Steph Willems, Ottawa Community News, December 19, 2013
News -The group tasked with building Phase 1 of the city\'s LRT system is planning to use Scott Street for Transitway buses for up to two years, while members of the neighbouring community want the buses somewhere else.
That\'s the short version of the drama that played out at the Tom Brown Arena during a heated Dec. 3 meeting on the controversial issue.
By Rachel Aello and Michael Woods, Ottawa Citizen, December 22, 2013
OTTAWA — A freezing rain warning remained in effect for the national capital region Sunday afternoon, with the major winter storm coating Central and Eastern Canada with ice wreaking havoc with holiday travellers’ schedules.
Environment Canada said the storm continues to produce “significant amounts of freezing rain” across Eastern Ontario, with an additional 10 to 15 millimetres possible before the storm tapers off Sunday night.
By Glen McGregor, Ottawa Citizen, December 22, 2013
OTTAWA — For the second time in two years, the federal government has spiked a plan to clear foreign trees from Parliament Hill.
Public Works and Government Services Canada and the National Capital Commission had tendered a contract to remove “invasive” species of trees on the slope from the hill behind the Parliament Buildings down to the Ottawa River.
By David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen, December 22, 2013
OTTAWA — A simpler way of saying yes or no to contentious development projects is catching on across Ontario, and Ottawa’s chief planning official in charge of reviewing them wants to take a look at it here.
Ontario has allowed “development permits” since 2007 as a complete alternative to the urban-planning system we have now. So far they’ve only been picked up by small towns, but it’s making urban planners buzz — and Toronto is on the verge of trying them out as an experiment.
By Megan Stacey, CFRA News, December 18, 2013
The Ottawa Drowning Prevention Coalition is reminding Ottawa residents to be vigilant about safety near any kind of water or ice this winter.
Dogs, children and even cautious adults can fall through thin ice at any moment.
Paramedic André Mollema says if you enter the water, get your breathing under control as you have a minute before going into hyperventilation.
By David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen, December 19, 2013
OTTAWA — Aiming to reverse rules that have been gradually extinguishing corner stores in old neighbourhoods, the city is asking residents what sorts of businesses should and shouldn’t be allowed amid residential areas.
“I think it’s great having them. Obviously it has to be appropriate for the location,” said Coun. David Chernushenko, whose Capital ward includes several neighbourhoods with convenience stores, small professional offices and art studios mixed in with houses. “I’ve never heard anybody complain about them. It just adds a little convenience and a little flavour.”
By Hugh Adami, Ottawa Citizen, December 19, 2013
With postage rates about to rise significantly and urban home delivery being scrapped in favour of community mailboxes, Canada Post doesn’t need some lazy and unscrupulous jerk it employs to add to the bad optics.
Real-estate agent Mike Robinson is a pretty good Canada Post customer, spending a tidy sum every year to have desktop calendars and flyers that advertise his services delivered to potential clients. The post office delivers about 12,000 calendars and another 20,000 flyers for Robinson, who has been in the home-selling business for 23 years. The charge is about 11 cents a pop for unaddressed ad mail, on top of the 78 cents he pays the printing companies for each calendar and the 15 cents or so per flyer. He sends another 1,300 calendars to specific addresses and pays the full postal rate for those.
By Joanne Chianello, Ottawa Citizen, December 19, 2013
Depending on your viewpoint, there’s lots to love or loathe about the massive Lansdowne Park redevelopment.
If you’re a football fan, you’re likely delighted by the seemingly daily RedBlacks announcements as they ramp up toward their first game in early summer. The skeptical wonder if the sport will be successful in Ottawa the third time around.