Dog seen wandering in our neighbourhood

This dog was laying on a neighbours back deck earlier this afternoon on Keyworth Ave. It took off crying towards the park. They think it maybe lost as it is very thin. Posting in case anybody has lost this dog or may recognize and know who’s the dog owner to let them know of sighting.

Volunteers Needed! Champlain Park – Out Door Rink (ODR)

Rink Volunteers Urgently needed!

Help required with supervision, shoveling and flooding the rink.

Corporate sponsorship is also welcomed and encouraged to help pay for equipment.

We need you!

Please contact Jim Kot phone 613-722-7519 or e-mail kris.tom@sympatico.ca

High school students can earn Community Volunteer credit hours by helping out.

Notice of Change in Agenda for Tomorrow’s AGM

Catherine McKenna has sent her regrets, as she will not be able to attend tomorrow’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Champlain Park Community Association (CPCA).

However, we will still be welcoming Councillor Jeff Leiper and a representative of the Ottawa Mosque.

Please join us at 7:15 for refreshments; 7:30 for the meeting.

More details here:

Champlain Park – Parkland Expansion project – moving forward

<snippet source from:>

November 20, 2016 Jeff Leiper -Kitchissippi Ward Newsletter #72

pontiac-park-expansion

Moving forward with next steps on potential Pontiac closure

Over the past couple of months, we’ve heard a lot of feedback on whether to press ahead with a proposal I originally heard from community members to close a portion of Pontiac in order to join Champlain Park with the NCC property to the north. That idea captured my and others’ imagination, and we’ve had a rich consultation on it.

As we go into the Champlain Park Community Association annual general meeting next week, I’m preparing to let folks know I’ve decided to proceed with next steps toward achieving that. There’s no guarantee we can accomplish it, but I’ve had enough discussions with the City to be confident that the plan is achievable.

Clearly, it would have pros and cons. Our consultation has raised a number of separate but notionally-related issues on which we’ll also have to work. But, I’ve heard the overwhelming support, counted the traffic, listened to the concerns, and am feeling very comfortable that this step would be to the overall benefit of the quality of life year-round in Champlain Park. Read more here.

Champlain Park Community Association AGM

The Champlain Park Community Association is holding its AGM on Tuesday, November 22 in the field house at 149 Cowley Avenue. I’ll be on hand to provide an update about potential next steps for the Pontiac closure.

How we got here!

22-Nov-2016 CPCA – AGM Meeting Jeff Leiper to provide update
20-Nov-2016 Jeff Leiper -Kitchissippi Ward Newsletter #72
21-Oct-2016 Update: Champlain Park – Park Land Expansion Proposal
01-Oct-2016 Jeff Leiper – Kitchissippi Ward Newsletter #65
27-Sept-2016 Friendly Reminder: Park Expansion Opportunity, We need your support!
25-Sept-2016 Jeff Leiper – Kitchissippi Ward Newsletter #64
20-Sept-2016 Park Expansion Opportunity, We need your support!
28-April-2016 The Park Extension was first proposed to Jeff by Carol Arnason on behalf of Adrian Bradley, who was unable to attend this meeting with Jeff. Adrian later met with Jeff at one of his pop-up meetings held at the Van Lang Fieldhouse to follow up on the status of this proposal. Where Jeff indicated he was looking into it, and would be setting up meeting with community to discuss further.

Traffic Counts along Pontiac

Traffic counts September 22 and 23, 2016 (snippet source: from Jeff’s Newsletter #65)

I want to understand the traffic implications better, so did some quick counts on Thursday and Friday.

On Friday, I was out from 3:15-5:05 and counted on Pontiac in the stretch we’re floating closing:

15 cars westbound that came from Northwestern
4 cars westbound that came from Carleton
17 cars eastbound from Cowley. My impression is that these were almost all Tunney’s parkers.
17 cars eastbound from Keyworth, including 7 that had a child visible in the car (my assumption is that these are pick-ups from the school), and 3 buses
10 cars eastbound from Patricia, including 6 that had a child visible in the car (again, I’m making an assumption of pick-ups)
2 bikes eastbound, and 15 bikes westbound
14 pedestrians eastbound, and 25 pedestrians westbound. As you might imagine, a very large number of these westbound pedestrians looked like they were headed to their car from Tunney’s Pasture.

As an observation, the school rush lasts for about 10 minutes immediately after the bell. Traffic is extremely light outside of that period.

On Thursday morning, I did a count from 7:30 to 9:15 am.

On Pontiac westbound I observed:

From Northwestern: 9 vehicles, of which 8 had kids visible
From Carleton: 14 vehicles, of which 10 had kids visible and one bus
4 bikes
10 pedestrians

On Pontiac eastbound I observed:

One vehicle – a resident of the Keyworth/Cowley block
One vehicle from Cowley
12 vehicles from Keyworth, of which 4 were buses
7 vehicles from Patricia, of which 1 was a bus
33 bikes
6 pedestrians

Ottawa Mosque – Champlain Park Neighbour

The Champlain Park Community Association (CPCA) was shocked and deeply concerned to learn of the vandalism and hate-filled messages that targeted the Ottawa Central Mosque in our small community last night.

We are deeply honoured that the Ottawa Muslim Association calls our neighbourhood home. And to our neighbours and friends we say: you are welcome here. We stand with you today, and we offer you our support, help, and vigilance to prevent future acts of hatred.

To our residents, please keep an eye out for any suspicious activity around the Mosque.

And if you have any information that could help with the current investigation, please contact Ottawa Police at 613-230-6211.

Community Meeting – Champlain Park Urban Forest and Green Spaces

Urban Forest and Green Spaces

When: Thursday, November 17, 2016
Time: 7 pm to 9 pm
Where: Champlain Park Fieldhouse

Learn about recent efforts to foster a healthy urban forest and green space in Champlain Park:

Community mapping of trees and tree health
Tree planting in the NCC forest
The Little Woods at Clearview and Patricia

Bring your ideas for enhancing the green spaces in the neighbourhood and reducing the environmental footprint of our community.

All are welcome!

Update: Champlain Park – Park Land Expansion Proposal

Important:

Closing date for Councillor receiving your comments is October 31, 2016.

We would like to give a big thank-you to all those who made it to our best attended community meeting on September 27, 2016 with Councillor Jeff Leiper, discussing the proposed park land expansion within Champlain Park, involving the closure and conversion of a portion of Pontiac street.

On the following Thursday and Friday after the meeting, Jeff did his own traffic survey of the traffic flow along the part of Pontiac Street in question. Below is a snippet of Jeff’s traffic survey counts which were published in his weekly Kitchissipi Ward Newsletter. For the complete article of Jeff’s observations, comments and counts regarding this proposal, please see his newsletter at: http://kitchissippiward.ca/content/update-potential-pontiac-closure

Traffic counts (snippet from Jeff’s Kitchissippi Ward Newsletter – October 1)
On Thursday morning, I did a count from 7:30 to 9:15 am.
On Pontiac westbound I observed:
From Northwestern: 9 vehicles, of which 8 had kids visible
From Carleton: 14 vehicles, of which 10 had kids visible and one bus
4 bikes
10 pedestrians
On Pontiac eastbound I observed:
One vehicle – a resident of the Keyworth/Cowley block
One vehicle from Cowley
12 vehicles from Keyworth, of which 4 were buses
7 vehicles from Patricia, of which 1 was a bus
33 bikes
6 pedestrians
On Friday, I was out from 3:15-5:05 and counted on Pontiac in the stretch we’re floating closing:
15 cars westbound that came from Northwestern
4 cars westbound that came from Carleton
17 cars eastbound from Cowley. My impression is that these were almost all Tunney’s parkers.
17 cars eastbound from Keyworth, including 7 that had a child visible in the car (my assumption is that these are pick-ups from the school), and 3 buses
10 cars eastbound from Patricia, including 6 that had a child visible in the car (again, I’m making an assumption of pick-ups)
2 bikes eastbound, and 15 bikes westbound
14 pedestrians eastbound, and 25 pedestrians westbound. As you might imagine, a very large number of these westbound pedestrians looked like they were headed to their car from Tunney’s Pasture.
As an observation, the school rush lasts for about 10 minutes immediately after the bell. Traffic is extremely light outside of that period.

Councillors next update
Jeff Leiper will be updating the Community on this proposal in a mid-November time-frame after he has received additional community comments and made further consultations. Jeff has also done a preliminary discussion of the proposal with the City and he found there were no infrastructure issues and that there may be funding options available through grants.

October 31, 2016 – Closing date for receiving your comments
We strongly encouraged you to send your comments if you haven’t already done so before the closing date to: Councillor Jeff Leiper Jeff.Leiper@Ottawa.ca

Email Correction: Trimming help wanted with SJAM Winter Trail within our forest

Oops Sorry! Email address correction to this post , should have read as follows:

If you can help with the trimming of buckthorn bushes and small branches along the edges of the proposed Winter trail in the NCC forest please send your email to champlainpark@hotmail.ca with your contact information and you will be added to a mail listing. This list will be used to contact volunteers with dates and times for trimming parties. If you are available, your help will be greatly appreciated.

i.e. Please send to champlainpark@hotmail.ca

Thanks

Trimming help wanted with SJAM Winter Trail within our forest

Looking for volunteers who would be able to help in trimming small bushes and branches along the proposed 2016 Winter trail within the NCC forest. This forest trail will be joining up with the main Sir John A. MacDonald (SJAM) Winter trail network which be running along the SJAM Parkway.

champlain-woods-x-ski-trail-2016 — 2016 Proposed SJAM Winter Trail within the NCC – Champlain Park forest area

We plan to start trimmings on Sat Oct 22 weekend and continue with additional weekend mornings over the next few weeks as required.

Please contact Adrian Bradley is you have any questions: 613-722-2248;

Project Details

Work involved
– trimming back buckthorn brushes at base where possible
– trimming over head branches of bushes
– trimming over head branches of small trees
– placing and spreading all trimmings flat on the forest floor away from the trail (as there will be no chipping provided). Placed so they don’t stick up for safety purposes

Equipment:
– No mechanical equipment will be used
– Only manual garden tools will be used. i.e. Small garden saws and garden clippers.
– Volunteers asked to provide their on equipment, suggest wear garden gloves and safety glasses

When?
– Will be staring late-October 2016
– We expect trimmings to take place at various times over a 3 week period

Steps for this Project Activity:
– All volunteers will be asked to sign our waiver form when they sign up as volunteers

Benefits: The trimming of Buckthorn bushes and small over-hanging branches along the edges of the proposed Winter trail in the NCC Forest is to ensure the accessibility and safety of all users of the trail. This work has been coordinated with agreement between the NCC, Nakkertok and the CPCA’s sponsored activity approval.

Other Trail related

SJAM Winter Trail grooming fund

If you wish to contribute, any amount however small would be most welcome!
For donation details for SJAM Winter trail grooming fund please check here.
This is a crowd sourced funding initiative which has a closing date of November 14, 2016.

Champlain Park Halloween Fun Run October 29, 2016 at 9:30am

Hello everyone!

Please email me if you have any questions at peterlaughton@rogers.com

This year’s 5th annual run will be held on October 29th starting at 9:30am meeting at the Play Structure on Carleton Avenue.

The route will be the same as previous years, taking runners aged 5 and over from the start line by the play structure on Carleton Ave. through a trail in the Champlain Woods.

Those aged 4 and under will do a slightly shorter route and should probably be accompanied by a helper.

Candy medals will be given to all participants. Food and drink will be available at the finish line. Nut-free donations welcomed.

Volunteers welcomed! Please sign-up at Genius:

Last year the weather cooperated and the 100 plus kids and adults in attendance managed to raise a record $500 for Right to Play Canada (RTP)

Over the past 4 years, I estimate that we have raised close to $1000.

No registration required. Entry fee by donation (suggested $10 or whatever you can afford). The CPCA will cover the costs of food, drinks, prizes and treats. All proceeds go directly to RTP Canada. Costumes encouraged (something kids can run in).

Run will happen rain or shine (the route may be modified).

Thanks and see you on the 29th,
Pete

Please forward this message to friends who may not have heard.

Please also see Halloween Safety Tips