NEWS ARCHIVESJune 20, 2008 Highway 417 expanding to Highway 7 Highway 417 is slated for expansion from Eagleson Road to Highway 7, and details of the project were released last week to the public. Two additional lanes will be added in each direction from Eagleson Road to Palladium Drive, with one of those lanes in each direction being a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane. One lane will be added in each direction from Eagleson Road to Highway 7. In addition, rehabilitation of existing lanes will occur, and re-surfacing of ramps, as required, are also planned. Eagleson Road, Huntmar Road and Carp Road bridges will all be rehabilitated. This expansion is slated to take three full construction seasons, beginning when expansion of the current Highway 417 from Bayshore Drive to Eagleson Road is complete. This necessary infrastructure renewal and expansion process is vital for our community, and will assist in the traffic flow in and out of Stittsville. Please visit my website at
www.shadqadri.com and visit the
Infrastructure and Planning page for more information on the planned expansion. New wetlands identified by Provincial Government The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has identified new Provincially-Significant Wetlands. This updated mapping adds 3,600 hectares (9,000 acres) of new Provincially-Significant Wetlands and removes 775 hectares (1,900 acres) that were previously designated. Our ward will be affected by new designations within the Goulbourn and Fernbank Wetlands Complexes. Provincial policy requires the City add these new wetlands to the Official Plan in 2009 as part of the ongoing Official Plan review. The changes being requested by MNR contradict the Wetlands Resolution Workplan that was approved by Council in July 2006 relating to Goulbourn Wetlands. Through this workplan, Council adopted various recommendations on the treatment of the Goulbourn wetlands. These recommendations cancelled the Goulbourn Wetlands designation process and set conditions for the re-evaluation of these wetlands. City staff has been implementing these recommendations and an update on their status has been issued to affected residents. The City is required by provincial policy to identify the Wetlands in our Official Plan despite the workplan that is in place for the Goulbourn Wetlands. While the MNR has not directly notified property owners, the City feel it is important that residents affected by this change are notified directly. The City has begun issuing notifications to affected
residents, as well as providing contact information for the MNR. Ottawa on the Move In an effort to stimulate recreational cycling and encourage cycling as a mode of travel, the City has released a long-term vision on cycling. The Ottawa Cycling Plan (OCP) is a long-term, 20-year strategy that consists of two phases. The first phase is a ten-year implementation plan that includes network infrastructure, program initiatives and associated costs. This phase is designed to enhance and complement the City’s Capital Works Plan, Transportation Master Plan and Official Plan. The second phase, which forms the longer-term strategy from years 10 to 20, is presented as input to long-term planning initiatives. When the OCP is updated in the future, elements of the long-term strategy will be reviewed and if confirmed, would be incorporated into an updated ten-year implementation plan. It has been determined that the entire OCP, including the network, will be reviewed and updated every five years. The routes on the maps are conceptual only, and the true alignment is determined at implementation time and can vary from the dotted lines. The proposed pathways do not have to follow the exact location of the dotted line on the proposal. When the implementation of any pathway plan comes forward in the future, there will have to be community consultation. It is at this point we as a community can have our input to either change or alter any portion of the plan. Some residents have raised concern about the pathways coming near their homes. Please note this is still a long-term proposal and is years from implementation. Furthermore, public consultations will have to occur prior to the implementation of a pathway. It is at that time residents can inform City Staff of their concerns and we can examine alternate routes. The proposed cycling plan will be brought to Council in the coming weeks. To view the plan in detail, please visit the City’s website at www.ottawa.ca and search for the City’s Cycling Plan. I encourage residents to submit their comments to my
office by e-mail at Shad.Qadri@ottawa.ca,
or contact my office by phone at 613-580-2476. Canada’s birthday bash July 1 is a day for all Canadians to take pride in our country and celebrate our nation’s rich past, present and future. The Stittsville Village Association’s Canada Day event promises to be a great day for families to celebrate Canada’s birthday. The event will begin at 3pm and occur adjacent to the Goulbourn Recreation Complex. Local musical talent Joel and Kyle Curry will perform the national anthem, while members of the Stittsville Legion will raise the Canadian flag. Musical guests include Take Five, The Weeds and Jessica Fitzgerald and magician Chris Pilsworth takes the stage to trick the mind with mystifying magic and daring illusions. Katie O’Rourke, the Canadian Irish Dancing Champion from the Sue Fay Healy School for Irish Dance, will be giving a performance demonstrating why she is a champion. Clowns, games and midways are all available to delight the young – and young at heart – in attendance. Fireworks will light up the evening sky and paint a patriotic canopy across our community. I look forward to seeing you and your family at the
festivities. Canada Day schedule changes I would like to remind residents of several schedule changes as a result of Canada Day. City Hall and all six Client Service Centres will be closed on Canada Day. There will be no curbside garbage and recycling pickup on Canada Day. Canada Day’s pickup will take place on July 2. In addition, the curbside collection of garbage and recycling materials will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week. OC Transpo service will operate a Sunday schedule on Canada Day with extra service added during the day and after the fireworks, and free service after 10 p.m. Some pools, arenas and fitness centers will be open on Canada Day for public swimming, skating and fitness classes with modified schedules. Please check the City’s website at www.otttawa.ca or the facility of your choice for details. Most registration programs at swimming pools, community centers and arenas are cancelled on Canada Day. All branches of the Ottawa Public Library are closed Canada Day and there will be no bookmobile service. My office will be closed on Canada Day, but should an
urgent matter develop which requires the City's immediate attention, please
contact a client service representative by calling 311. Tree-clearing for the next phase of Deer Run subdivision Starting this week tree clearing will begin in preparation of the final phase of the Deer Run Subdivision. This area is located west of West Ridge Drive between the Trans Canada Trail and Fernbank Road. Please contact my office for more information. Summer hours for Police Station Front desk services at our community police station will be operating on a summer schedule beginning July 7 to August 22. The new hours will be Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm, at the Kanata station, located at 95 Abbeyhill Dr. Regardless of the summer months, you can still ‘Make the Right Call!’ For life-threatening emergencies or crimes in progress, please call 911. To report a theft, property damage, missing person or stolen vehicle, please contact the call centre at 613-236-1222, ext 7300. For community Police Centres and all other enquiries call
613-236-1222. New OC Transpo summer schedules start June 22 On June 22, OC Transpo implemented summer schedules for most routes to reflect the lower demand for service during the summer vacation period. As part of the summer schedule reduction, the 96 will be affected. Please visit www.octranspo.com or call 613-560-1000 with your 4-digit bus stop number to ensure you are aware of the reductions. The complete list of changes is posted on
www.octranspo.com, and
will be in the daily newspapers and in pamphlets carried on the bus. “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. Sincerely, [ close window ] |
