NEWS ARCHIVESOctober 23, 2009 City releases refined LRT system cost estimate City Staff have released more detailed costing information for the Downtown Ottawa Transit Tunnel (DOTT) and light rail transit (LRT) system. The refined cost estimate for running LRT between Blair Road and Tunney’s Pasture, including the construction of the tunnel, is $2.1 billion. This is up from the original, high-level assessment of $1.74 billion. City Staff has also provided Council with a detailed analysis indicating the City has the financial capacity to fund its share of the cost of the project. There is an assumption that the Federal and Provincial governments will each contribute one-third of the projected $2.1 billion cost. The estimate has also been subjected to a third-party review by a major, international engineering and project management firm. Following recommendations made by the third-party review, City Staff added a $100 million Director’s Contingency that is included in the estimate. In the first phase of the proposed transit plan, LRT would run along existing Transitway corridors from Blair Road in the east to Tunney’s Pasture in the west. Trains will run through a 3.2-kilometre tunnel between the University of Ottawa and LeBreton Flats. The next major step toward implementation will be taken in December, when Transit Committee will be asked to approve the functional design of the project. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to
contact my office. H1N1 flu vaccination clinics open Ottawa Public Health (OPH) began providing free H1N1 flu vaccinations to residents on October 26. OPH will focus on providing the vaccine to those with chronic medical conditions, pregnant women, children between 6 months and five years of age, health care workers, care providers of infants younger than six months, and those with compromised immune systems. Women will also have the option to receive the non-adjuvanted H1N1 vaccine, which is expected to be delivered in mid-November. As more vaccine supply is delivered, more information on when and where all residents can get the vaccine will be released. For more information on the H1N1 virus and vaccine and
updates on the vaccine clinics, visit
www.ottawa.ca/health
or contact the Ottawa Public Health Information Line at 613-580-6744. OWAA gallery celebrates birthday The OWAA gallery, our community’s hub for artistic expression, is celebrating its 1st birthday on November 1. You, your family and friends are invited to share in the OWAA celebrations from 1-4pm in the lobby of the Goulbourn Recreation Complex. Artists will be offering painting demonstrations and
giving away their completed works as door prizes. There will also be live jazz
music, a birthday cake and other goodies. Historical Society seeking members The Goulbourn Township Historical Society Board of Directors is seeking two members interested in serving on the Board. The election will take place at the Annual General Meeting held in January. If you are interested, or might know someone who would be
interested in serving on the Board, please contact Robin Derrick by phone at
613-836-7931 or by e-mail at
rderrick@rogers.com. The City of Ottawa launches distracted driving campaign The City has launched a public education campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of driving while distracted. The campaign, titled Distractions Impair! Driving Requires Your Full Attention, encourages changes in driving behaviour. The campaign coincides with new provincial legislation that took effect on October 26 making it illegal for drivers to talk, text, type, dial or e-mail using hand-held cell phones and other hand-held communications and entertainment devices. In Ottawa between 2006 and 2008, approximately 5,500 collisions were caused by driver inattention, resulting in eight deaths, almost 1,940 injuries and social costs estimated at $300 million. When the new law is in place, drivers using any hand-held device can face fines of up to $500. Until February 1, the focus will be on driver education and awareness. Police also have the ability to charge a driver with careless driving when not paying full attention. If convicted of careless driving, a driver will automatically receive six demerit points, fines up to $1,000 and a possible jail term of six months. In some cases, a driver’s licence may be suspended for up to two years. For more information visit
www.ottawa.ca/roadsafety. TREE Program helps residents fight EAB The City’s Trees, Reforestation and Environmental Enhancement (TREE) Program is closing in on its goal of planting 100,000 trees planted in only four years. The primary objective of the program, in addition to enhancing our environment, is to replace trees that will be killed by the invasive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Improvements have been made to the program to allow households that have already planted a free tree to apply for another. To make things easier for residents, all trees will now be
delivered directly to homeowners who register. Residents may register for a tree
for the spring 2010 season at
www.ottawa.ca/TREE or by
calling 311. 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 9-4pm, and Saturday 9-1pm. Please do not hesitate to pay us a visit. I welcome your call or e-mail to arrange an appointment. If you are not part of my electronic outreach list and would like to be added, please contact my office to ensure you receive pertinent information concerning our community. |