NEWS ARCHIVESApril 18, 2008 Ground breaking for a gas-to-energy facility at Carp Road Landfill In early March I released an editorial to our local community newspapers detailing Waste Management’s intention to develop a landfill gas-to-energy facility at the Carp Road landfill. An agreement was reached between a group of resident appellants, Waste Management (WM) and the Environmental Review Tribunal following an appeal made relating to the operation of a landfill, landfill gas-to-energy facility, and soil bioremediation processes. This agreement details operating conditions that the owner of the site must follow, including monitoring programs, remedial actions if odours are detected, a closure plan, and the creation of a Community Liaison Committee. This agreement paves the way for future operating conditions that WM will follow to deal with landfill gases. The landfill gas-to-energy plant is not something that requires any expansion of the landfill, as the plant utilizes the gases that are produced by the landfill as waste decomposes in the existing site. The gas is captured through the collection wells that are currently in place, and that will be augmented over the summer to increase the capture of the landfill gases, which are a large part of the reason for odours that escape from the pile. This plant does not consume any new waste, it does utilize the gases that are currently captured and burned off through the two existing flares and will in fact produce energy from a byproduct of the landfill that is currently wasted. It is part of the closure plan for this site and in the agreement reached with the appellants and WM at the Environmental Review Tribunal had conditions imposed on it's emissions for combustion related gases and for the first time in the province limited the discharge of Benzene. The Ministry of the Environment has also directed that air pockets and the old operation road leading up the north face of the landfill, which is presently enclosed by an interim cover, not be reopened for further waste land filling. These areas will be filled with inert bioremediation soils, which effectively remove 40,000 cubic meters of waste fill space from the landfill. This area, once re-profiled, will receive a final cover as part of a process that will eventually lead to the closing of this portion of the landfill operation. This means there is likely to be a reduction in the amount of residential waste the City of Ottawa directs to the facility from the current levels of 35,000 tonnes to 20,000 tonnes. As a community we have worked towards a resolution for the
odour issue affecting our residents. I encourage all residents to remain active
and voice your concerns to my office. Have your say on the City’s future light rail Light rail is steaming ahead in Ottawa, as City Staff tabled the results of a series of public consultations to Council members during a joint Transit and Transportation Committee meeting on April 16. The public consultations concluded that the public would like to see the City adopt option 4, which includes a tunnel in the downtown core to accommodate light rail transit, and bus to rail transfers at Baseline, Lincoln Fields, Hurdman, Blair, and Bowesville stations. The recommended proposal is scheduled for completion in 2031 and will cost approximately $4 billion. While our community will not directly benefit from light rail in this proposal, included in option 4 is an extension of the city’s bus rapid transit to the east, west and south. In Stittsville, a right of way has already been reserved for a bus rapid transit and arterial road through Kanata West and the Fernbank Community design plan, and that is the route that busses will take through our community. Option 4 will see the highest implementation cost, but the lowest operating cost. It will also produce the lowest emission levels and, most importantly, have the best long-term growth capacity. This ensures in the future light rail can be extended into the suburbs of our community, rather than strictly acting as a downtown transportation system. A public meeting is scheduled at Holy Trinity Catholic School from 7-9pm on May 6. This will give residents an opportunity to review the proposal and make suggestions to City Staff. I encourage everyone interested to attend this meeting. You can also visit my website at
www.shadqadri.com to view the proposal.
Please send your comments on this proposal to my office at
shad.qadri@ottawa.ca. Launch of Slow Down project May 3rd On May 3, I will be launching the Slow Down Sign Project in the communities of Granite Ridge and Fringewood, reminding residents to please obey the speed limit. With so many pockets of our community being home to young children, it is imperative that we make every effort to ensure their safety remains a priority, and we remain safe behind the wheel. The official unveiling of the slow down sign will take place at 11 a.m. on May 3 on Granite Ridge Drive near the Abbott Street intersection. If you witness speeding or other traffic infractions in
our community, I encourage you to contact our local community police centre at
613-236-1222 ext.7300. Fringewood meeting scheduled I am hosting a public meeting in the Fringewood Community on May 1 at 7 p.m. at the Fringewood Community Centre located at 14 Fringewood Dr. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss concerns these residents have in their neighbourhood. Topics of discussion will include speeding, road surfaces, park maintenance and policing concerns. I will be inviting appropriate City Staff to attend this meeting in order to discuss the community's concerns. Speeding on Fringewood has been a major concern to the
community and as a result we have decided to include Fringewood in the Slow Down
Project being launched in Granite Ridge on May 3. Spring Cleaning the Capital My office and I are pleased to be taking part in the Spring Cleaning the Capital program on May 2. Several community associations and dedicated volunteers have already signed up to take part in the program and I hope you follow their lead and assist in ensuring our community remains clean, green and litter-free. I encourage everyone interested to offer up some elbow
grease and join us for a community clean-up, or visit the city’s website at
www.ottawa.ca to register
your own team. Timbermere Hydro Corridor gets a makeover There will be a Community Planting Event on May 10th to beautify the Timbermere Hydro Corridor. The planting will take place in the Timbermere Hydro corridor off of Kittiwake Drive at the south end of the soccer field. Planting is to begin at 9am rain or shine. There will also be a BBQ at 12pm to help re-energize our green thumbs. Volunteers from the community, with supervision from Forestry staff, plan to plant 500 trees and install weed control mats around the trees. The City is providing a tree or shrub for each participant involved in the planting. There will be a limited number of shovels and buckets on site so please bring a shovel and bucket if they can. Those interested in more information can go to
www.timbermere.org. If
you are planning to attend, please RVSP on the website. Did snowplows damage your lawn? Some residents may find damage has been done to their lawns as a result of snowplowing operations. If this is the case, I encourage you to contact the City’s
helpline by phone at 3-1-1 or by e-mail at
311@ottawa.ca. “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-Kanata West. Please contact our office anytime by phone at 613-580-2476 or by e-mail at shad.qadri@ottawa.ca. Please note that you can also contact my ward office every Monday and Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and every Wednesday from 1 p.m.-8 p.m. at 613-580-2424 ext. 33440 or 33442. Also, feel free to stop by anytime at 1532 Stittsville Main Street. I will not be available at my ward office on April 25 or May 2 for the 1-5pm public drop-in. Sincerely, [ close window ] |
