NEWS ARCHIVESJanuary 9, 2009 Transit Strike ongoing As many of you are aware, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 279 voted against the City’s latest offer, following a mandatory vote on January 8. The offer was rejected by a nearly three-to-one vote. There were 2,033 ballots cast of which 1,516 voted to reject the City’s offer while 517 voted to accept it. The City’s offer is both fair and reasonable. It includes a pay increase of 7.25 per cent over the next three years, two additional sick says, improvements to benefit packages, a one-time payment of $2,500 and a revised scheduling system. City Council is meeting on January 14 to consider what other options the City can put in place to mitigate the impact of the strike. It is Council’s intention to ensure we remain committed to the position we have taken. I recognize this is a difficult time for many, but the City has offered a reasonable offer to the ATU and it is unfortunate they voted to reject the proposal. Should you require a ride during the transit, please contact the City’s helpline at 3-1-1 or visit the City’s website at www.ottawa.ca. If you are able to provide rides for those in need, please contact my office by e-mail at Shad.Qadri@ottawa.ca and we will arrange this service. Shuttle service is also available for University students; please visit the websites of our City’s Universities for more information. Please do not hesitate to contact my office with your
thoughts on the transit strike. I have heard from many of you and I appreciate
your comments and concerns. Like you, I hope a resolution can be reached in an
appropriate amount of time and a fair agreement for all parties involved is
produced. Gold Rush in Ward 6 The drive for five was realized. Congratulations to Team Canada on its fifth straight gold medal at the World Junior Championship. In keeping with the theme of winning, the Stittsville Rams – Red were the Minor Atom A champions at the 10th Annual Bell Capital Cup. Congratulations to both teams; you have done your nation and community proud. More than 430,000 spectators were drawn to the 31 games, which smashed the overall attendance record - set in Vancouver in 2006 - by more than 60,000 fans. The tournament also set a record profit of approximately $14 million, up from the previous high of $9.5 million set in Vancouver. The good news did not end there; more than $50 million was poured into our local economy during the two-week long tournament. This is especially good news for west-end hotels and restaurants that were the beneficiary of hockey enthusiasts, as many of the games were held at Scotiabank Place. Hockey Canada will receive about 50 per cent of the tournament's profit - totalling about $7 million - to reinvest back into its national programs. Canadian Hockey League teams share 35 per cent of the profits and hockey associations across the country will receive the remaining dollars. Specifically for our City, the Ottawa District Hockey Association will receive about $650,000 to strengthen its programming and commitment to our City’s youth. Congratulations to the organizing committee, lead by Cyril Leeder and Eugene Melnyk, and the nearly 1,500 volunteers who made this event a remarkable success and emphasized why Ottawa is Hockey Country! From December 28 until January 1, the Bell Capital Cup was in play; it is the world’s largest hockey tournament, featuring over 900 games in the Ottawa-Gatineau area. This is a tremendous tournament for the youth of our City,
as we welcome thousands of hockey players from across the world in the spirit of
sportsmanship and competition. I look forward to next year’s tournament and
watching the Rams defend their title. 60 Sweetnam Drive Update City planning staff is currently awaiting the submission of outstanding information prior to approval of the site plan application for 60 Sweetnam Drive. The applicant has advised they continue to make final revisions to the plans and recently submitted revised plans to the City. The applicant has agreed to eliminate an entrance to the site from Harry Douglas Drive, which has been reflected on the most recent Site Plan and Landscape Plan submissions. The elimination of the Harry Douglas Drive entrance results in the applicant providing access and egress from two points onto Sweetnam Drive. Upon receipt of all outstanding site plan requirements, including engineering drawings and reports, staff will undertake a thorough review of the plans to ensure they reflect what was agreed to with the residents and at the Ontario Municipal Board hearing. The applicant has contacted the Ontario Municipal Board to request more time to finalize the required plans. The applicant intends on finalizing the plans with the City over the next few months. The applicant has advised the current economic climate has impacted their start date for the project. The applicant will continue to work with City staff to finalize the approvals so they are ready to submit building permits. In the late winter or early spring, the applicant will assess the economic climate and determine the appropriate time to proceed towards marketing and construction of the site. Please be assured when I receive further information I
will forward it to the community. 6303 Hazeldean Road Public Meeting The applicant has submitted revised plans for the proposed shopping plaza on the northwest corner of the Carp Road and Hazeldean Road intersection. The proposal includes six retail buildings including a 4,335 square metre supermarket building and one drive-thru establishment. The application for approval of the commercial development was originally submitted in 2006 and some revisions have been made to address the community's concerns. A public meeting to discuss the revised proposal will be held on January 26 from 7-9pm at the Fringewood Community Centre located at 14 Fringewood Drive in Stittsville. For more information, please contact my office at
613-580-2476 or the City Planner, Kalle Hakala, at
Kalle.Hakala@ottawa.ca or
613-580-2424 x16228. I encourage you to contact my office if you are interested
in this file and want to be included on the e-mail distribution list. Help keep traffic moving: Don’t dump snow on the road Please note that dumping, pushing and depositing snow onto roadways is not permitted by residents or private contractors, and may result in heavy fines under municipal by-law regulations. According to the Use and Care of Roads By-Law 2003-498, which forbids the throwing, pushing, plowing or dumping of snow on a roadway, the set fine for violation is $130.00 including the victim surcharge. The set fine for snowplow contractors is $255.00, including the victim surcharge. To keep traffic moving, it is imperative to keep roads and streets clear of obstructions, including large deposits of ice and snow. In addition, my office has received phone calls and e-mails from concerned residents who have witnessed snowplows, either City snowplows or private companies, operating in the middle of the night. Please note that City snowplows and those operated by private contractors are exempt from the City of Ottawa Noise By-Law No.2004-253. If a resident chooses to plow their driveway during the night with a snowblower, they too are exempt from this By-Law. However, I encourage you to speak with your neighbours to find a more amenable time. Please be sure to monitor the Winter Parking alerts. To sign-up for e-notifications, please visit www.ottawa.ca to register. For concerns about snowplowing of City streets, I encourage you to call the City’s helpline at 3-1-1 or e-mail 311@ottawa.ca. If you witness any violation of the above items, please contact 3-1-1. I thank all residents for their patience and
understanding. Always listening and acting on your concerns As your Councillor, I always welcome your keen input and ideas on how we can sustain and improve Stittsville. Please contact our office anytime by phone at 613-580-2476 or by e-mail at Shad.Qadri@ottawa.ca. My ward office is located in the Goulbourn Recreation Complex, located at 1500 Shea Road. The hours of operation are Mondays 9-2pm, Wednesdays 3-8pm, Fridays 9-5pm, and Saturday 9-1pm. Please do not hesitate to pay us a visit. Sincerely, |
