NEWS ARCHIVESMay 29, 2009 Celebrate the summer at Shad's Park Party On June 13, my office and I will be holding a Park Party and BBQ for the community at Village Square Park on Stittsville Main Street from noon-4pm. The Canadian Beef Farmers Association has graciously volunteered their time and will cover a portion of the costs as well as handle the BBQ duties. In addition, there will be free beverages, snow cones and cotton candy. There will be entertainment for all ages with Little Ray's Reptile Zoo, Crash the Clown, a children's inflatable bounce ride, and a demonstration by the Stittsville-Goulbourn Horticultural Society. Goulbourn Recreation Complex staff will be on hand to give demonstrations throughout the afternoon on various City programs such as Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Zuma and Dance Fit, Hip Hop, and Twinkling Toes. Members from the local emergency and health departments will be offering services and educational material for families. I hope you and your family are able to join me at the park to celebrate the summer, and to get to know your neighbours. I look forward to seeing you on June 13! Ottawa Police Services Media Release To keep the community informed, I am providing a media release that was distributed by the Ottawa Police Services regarding the sexual assault that occurred along the Trans Canada Trail. My office has been in direct contact with our community police officer, Constable Ryan Strotmann, and he has indicated that the investigation is still on-going. Further information, including updates and press releases, can be found at www.ottawapolice.ca as developments arise. It is vital that our community is a safe environment for everyone. Please do not hesitate to report any incidents of suspicious activity to the police. For violent crimes in progress, please call 911. Call 613-230-6211 for other emergencies and call 613-236-1222 to reach our Community Police Centre for other inquiries. The press release reads as follows: The Ottawa Police Service is investigating the report of a sexual assault that occurred on May 25 in Stittsville. At approximately 8pm an 18-year old woman was walking two dogs along the Trans Canada Trail east of Abbott Street when an unknown male approached her from behind. The male grabbed the woman, pointed a gun at her and requested that she accompany him into the woods. The woman struck the male in the face and he subsequently fled southbound into a wooded area. The suspect is described as a white male, 168 cm (5'6), 12 to 14 years old, thin build, brown hair, brown eyes, wearing a dark coloured toque, a blue shirt and a dark coloured neck warmer with a white stripe. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ottawa Police
Service Sexual Assault/Child Abuse Unit at 613-236- 1222 ext: 5944 or Phone
Crime Stoppers at 613-233-8477 (TIPS) or toll free at 1-800-222-8477. Dribbling our way to a new basketball court I am excited to advise the proposed basketball court at Alexander Grove Court is moving forward. In partnership with the Stittsville District Lions Club Inc., a meeting was held on May 21 and it appears the community supports the proposal, as residents did not attend to raise any concerns. The basketball court location is in the northeast corner of the park; an existing basketball net is presently in place. There has been consultation on past locations and we believe this location is ideal as there is no negative affect on existing park users. This site is centrally located in the community, on the new bus route 163, near a City staffed facility with access to washrooms, telephones and emergence assistance if required during facility hours. The site is easily viewed and has natural surveillance by city staff, neighbouring businesses and police. The court will be open to the public and cater to all members of the community of Stittsville, the greater surrounding areas and will especially benefit the youth. Currently there are an inadequate number of community level basketball courts for the size of our growing population. There are some basketball courts, but they are either focused on nearby neighbourhoods or single basketball nets that do not facilitate full court games. This basketball court will provide youth with access to an inexpensive activity and will promote physical activity. The next steps are to work on design plans and secure the
remaining funding required. I truly appreciate the leadership the Stittsville
Lions have taken on this project and believe this will be a great feature to add
to our community. Stittsville gets creative The artistic side of our community was on display this past weekend during Art and Authors in the Park at Village Square Park. This was a tremendous opportunity for artists and authors to showcase their talents to the public and allow residents a chance to interact with the people behind the art. Art and Authors in the Park celebrates the artistic spirit of our community and brings out our creative best. This event underscores the niche art has carved for itself within Stittsville. This is the first year that artists and authors have jointly
come together to display their work in Village Square Park, and this is
something to be celebrated. I am looking forward to this partnership continuing
for many years in the future. Coyote Park amenities public consultation Residents are invited to attend a public meeting to discuss the park amenities for Coyote Park. The meeting will take place on June 9 at 7pm at the Stittsville & District Community Centre, Upper Hall located at 10 Warner Colpitts Drive in Stittsville. Construction is currently underway for Coyote Park, located on
West Ridge Drive, and I am looking forward to providing some features to the
park this year. Shopping Plaza proposed for Hazeldean Road An applicant has submitted a site plan application to permit a shopping plaza at 20 Cedarow Court. The site is located on the north side of Hazeldean Road and at the east end of Cedarow Court in Kanata West. The purpose of the application is to permit a shopping plaza with a gross floor area of 5,679 square metres in 4 buildings. The applicant will present the proposal to the Stittsville Village Association on June 11 at 7pm at the Goulbourn Municipal Building located at 2135 Huntley Road. For more information, and to provide comments, please contact
my office and the City Planner, Burl Walker, at 613-580-2424 ext. 27891 or
Burl.Walker@ottawa.ca. Discover hidden treasures through Give Away Weekend One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, so don't put your unwanted bounty in the garbage. Instead, set them out at the curb on Give Away Weekend for a treasure hunter to discover. On June 6 and 7, the City’s Spring Give Away Weekend will wrap up Environment Week. Old furniture and small appliances, kitchen gadgets, pots and pans, books, CDs and DVDs are just some of the treasures you may find lining your neighbourhood streets. Please place any items you have to give away at your curb and mark them “free.” Ensure any items that you want to keep are away from your treasures or tucked away safely in your garage. At the end of the day, bring any uncollected gems back to your home. I wish you the best of luck in finding some hidden treasures
and I thank you for taking part in this eco-friendly treasure hunt. Doors open throughout Ottawa Buildings of architectural, historical or functional significance will open their doors to the public on June 6 and 7. Elaborate embassies, peaceful places of worship, mind-blowing museums, green gardens, amazing artist studios, sensational science labs and more will all be open to curious on-lookers free of charge. This is a fantastic way to experience the rich cultural and architectural history of our City, and to truly immerse yourself in everything Ottawa has to offer. Within our community, the Goulbourn Museum will be open for you to visit. From 10am-4pm, you and your family will have the chance to explore some of Ottawa’s hidden – and not-so-hidden – gems. Please visit the City’s website at
www.ottawa.ca and follow the
links to Doors Open Ottawa, as there are specific times and availability of
buildings throughout the City. Safety for Seniors The Ottawa Police Services Board encourages seniors across the Ottawa region to attend a special meeting being held in collaboration with the Council on Aging of Ottawa to discuss “Safety for Seniors.” The meeting is part of the Public Interest Agenda aimed at enhancing community engagement and education about issues concerning the residents of our City. Seniors will learn about issues that they are particularly vulnerable to, and how seniors can safeguard themselves and mitigate risk. The meeting will take place on June 8 from 1-3pm inside the
Council Chambers located at City Hall. 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. |