Category: City of Ottawa

Notices and other information from the City of Ottawa that is of relevance to our neighbourhood.

May 16 WLRT Meeting to be Re-Scheduled

On behalf of Councillor Hobbs.

May 16 WLRT Meeting to be Re-Scheduled

Dear Neighbours,
I wanted to notify you officially that the Western Light Rail Transit (WLRT) May 16 meeting scheduled from 4 -6 at Churchill Seniors Centre is cancelled.  I do not yet have a firm date for the rescheduled meeting, but many neighbours had indicated that the timing was not good, and there was no flexibility at the Churchill centre to extend the meeting later.
To make sure as many of you as possible can attend City staff are looking at the beginning of June.
In the interim period since the 5 hour Public Open House where neighbours shared concerns and issues I have been working hard to ensure that everything said is being addressed in the planning of this preferred route. I am continuing to work hard for you to ensure we maintain the beauty of your homes and the quality of life along the parkway. This includes looking at the burying of the line.
I want to reiterate that I made a public commitment to residents in June of last year at Council that I will not allow northern rail to destroy our area.  So please be assured I am working hard for you to retain the value and beauty of your area, and to ensure the City maintains the land along the parkway for everyone in the neighbourhood, for other residents of Ottawa and for visitors to Ottawa.
Katherine

Building a Liveable Ottawa 2031 review

If you bike or walk around Ottawa – our latest online consultation may be of interest to you!

As part of the Building a Liveable Ottawa 2031 review of the Cycling and Pedestrian Master Plans, we are asking Ottawa residents to provide their input on the future of walking and cycling using a unique online tool.

The tool is available at ottawa.ca/liveableottawa between May 7 and June 7, 2013.

For more details please see Building a Liveable Ottawa 2031

Abandoned building – 248 Cowley Avenue

Letter to Mayor and Councillors from the CPCA

248 Cowley AveDear Mayor and Councillors
Re: Abandoned building, 248 Cowley Avenue
The Champlain Park Community Association is pleased to learn that the City is undertaking a review of its policies and by-laws regarding abandoned buildings.  Abandoned buildings have been an issue of  broad concern across the city and the current review and consideration of new policies and action to address the associated problems are welcomed.
We would like to bring your particular attention to an abandoned house and property in our neighbourhood at 248 Cowley Avenue.  The house on the property has been vacant for close to 20 years and is currently in an unsalvageable state of repair. It is an eyesore and more importantly is a real and potential hazard especially to the adjoining property owners.  The roof is open to the weather at several points, soffits have collapsed and the walls are at similar risk.  Materials that have fallen from the house litter the property and the yard is not maintained. The property is partially boarded up but it clearly meets neither the requirements of the Property Standards By-law 2005-207 nor the Board-Up By-law 2010-211.
In response to these concerns we would urge the following:
·         That the Property Standards and Board-Up by-law requirements be immediately and fully enforced at 248 Cowley Avenue and that the owner be required to act promptly to remediate the property appropriately;

·         That 248 Cowley be added to the list of properties that the City is investigating as part of the current review of policies and  by-laws regarding abandoned buildings;

·         That as part of the review that policies and guidelines be considered to allow demolitions before the submission of plans for a replacement building (for example demolition could be allowed without immediate plans for redevelopment if the owner landscapes the lot and maintains it) , and

·         That the Champlain Park Community Association be notified and invited to participate in the planned consultations on this issue.

We look forward to prompt action by the City regarding 248 Cowley Avenue. We will be following this issue with interest and hope that a new set of policies and revised by-laws will help to prevent  similar situations in the future.

We look forward to hearing from you,
Sincerely,
CoChair1, Co-chair and Duncan Bury, Member-at-large
Champlain Park Community Association

Public Open House on Light Rail Transit for Bayview to Baseline

Western Light Rail Transit Corridor Bayview to Baseline Planning and Environmental Assessment Study

Public Open House #2

Thursday, April 25, 2013
Jean Pigott Hall
City Hall
110 Laurier Avenue West
6:30 to 9 p.m., presentation: 7:30 p.m.

The City of Ottawa is continuing its planning and environmental assessment study for the proposed Western Light Rail Transit Corridor (WLRTC) and is seeking public input. The goal of this study is to identify the most effective way to build on the first phase of LRT currently under construction (Confederation Line) to bring service to Baseline Station, increase transit use and provide higher quality transit service. This study will consider alternative options and designs toward determining a final alignment to inform the City’s Transportation Master Plan (TMP).

Study Area
The Study Area stretches between Bayview and Baseline Station and includes the area from the Sir John A Macdonald Parkway south to Carling Avenue and from the O-Train west to Lincoln Fields and Baseline Station.

LightRailMap20130417

Consultation
This Open House will provide an overview of the study progress to-date, including the alternative corridors and their evaluation. Your participation in the study is important.

The study is being undertaken in accordance with the transit project assessment process as prescribed in Ontario Regulation 231/08, Transit Projects. The Project Environmental Assessment phase will be initiated after completion of the Project Planning phase. Information on the WLRTC study is available on the City’s project web site at: http://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/public-consultations/transit/western-corridor-light-rail-transit-environmental-assessment

You can send comments by e-mail, regular mail or fax using the following contact information:

Kornel Mucsi, PhD, P.Eng.
Program Manager, Transportation Strategic Planning
110 Laurier Avenue West, 4th Floor
Fax: 613-580-2578
E-mail: Kornel.Mucsi@ottawa.ca

Fees for Laneway Encroachment

As mentioned in the Ottawa Citizen article, the city will charge fees for people using land that belongs to a city laneway, or require them to clear their stuff off the roadway. I don’t think there are any in our neighbourhood, though further south there are such lanes behind the houses along Island Park Drive.

For those who are interested, this item regarding Municipal Laneways will be dealt with by the Transportation Committee on Wednesday April 3.

Public Engagement Consultations for City of Ottawa

Public Engagement Strategy and Consultations

During 2013, the City of Ottawa will develop new Public Engagement guidelines and tools to assist City staff to effectively and consistently engage with residents on issues that affect them.

During the months of March and April 2013, the City wants to hear about your ideas for improving how City staff routinely engage and consult with residents. Your input will be used to inform the guidelines and toolkit.

Residents are encouraged to attend a community consultation session or participate online.

Community Consultation Sessions

Four consultation sessions have been scheduled in various areas of the city.  Please note that you must register to participate in one of the sessions.

You can register online at www.ottawa.ca, by phoning 3-1-1, or by speaking to a City employee at any Client Service Centre. Note that there is a maximum capacity of 30 people per session.

All sessions will be fully bilingual.

Dates and places are listed in the attached PDF file.

Public Engagement - Consultation Information.pdf
Public Engagement – Consultation Information.pdf

Calling all young artists for Young at Art 2013

Visual artists between 12 to 19 years of age as of January 1, 2013 who live or go to school in Ottawa are eligible to enter Young at Art.

Wouldn’t it be fantastic if a young artist from Champlain Park won this?

Young at Art is a juried art exhibition that brings the work of young visual artists to local art galleries across the City of Ottawa. The exhibition, held annually since 1996, represents a tremendous opportunity for the public exhibition and recognition of the creative efforts of these young local artists. Creators of accepted works will have their pieces displayed in a community gallery – often near where they live – and are eligible for a number of prizes and awards contributed by the City of Ottawa and Young at Art Sponsors.

For deadlines, registration, and program details please refer to the Young at Art Details

How to Prepare your Artwork for Gallery Exhibition : Tips and pointers to prepare and present your artwork for exhibition.

Carleton Avenue Closed February 25 to March 1

From: Andrew.Hickey@ottawa.ca
Sent: 21/02/2013 11:59:48 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: Carleton Avenue closure heads up

Just a quick heads up about a road closure.

Carleton Avenue (from Sunneymede to Clearview) will be closed from Monday, 25 February to Friday, 1 March. The road will be open during non-work hours and on the weekend.

The contractor, Capital Excavation will be connecting new site services at 192-194 Carleton Avenue.

Thanks.

Andrew Hickey
Manager, Community Relations and Communications
Gestionnaire, Relations avec la communauté et Communications
Office of Councillor/Bureau de la Conseillère Katherine Hobbs
Ward/Quartier 15: Kitchissippi
T: 613-580-2424 ext. 26689
Our Kitchissippi Notre Kitchissippi
Twitter and Facebook
City of Ottawa/Ville d’ Ottawa
110 Laurier Avenue West/110 ave Laurier Ouest
Ottawa, ON  K1P 1J1

2013 Planning Primer Program – Learn about Planning

A free course on development, suggested by our co-chair Heather. Original text in English and French at http://secure.campaigner.com/Campaigner/Public/t.show?54f3a–2kqh3-3zdlgq0&_v=2 Registration direct link is https://app06.ottawa.ca/survey/planning_primer/form_en.html


2013 Planning Primer Program

Have you ever wondered how land-use planning is done? What those black and white signs in your community mean? How a zoning application is made? How to make a presentation to Planning Committee? What land-use planners do for your community?

Now is your time to find out

The Planning and Growth Management Department is offering the Planning Primer Program to help residents become more aware of, and more involved in, the land-use planning process.  The program is a series of half-day courses.  The series includes two core courses and two elective courses.

  • The core courses, called Primer I and Primer II, describe the legislative and policy basis under which land-use planning decisions are made, the way policy documents are amended and how to make a development application.
  • The first elective course on April 20 and repeated on April 22 will focus on the Ontario Municipal Board. Registration will open April 8, 2013. The second elective course will be confirmed later this year.

To make the most of the information being presented, residents must attend the Primer I course before attending Primer II and attend both the Primer I and II courses before attending an elective course. The content of these Primer courses is the same as those offered in previous years.

Take the Primer I & II courses

Primer I Course
Saturday, February 23, 2013 or
Monday, February 25, 2013

Primer II Course
Saturday, March 23, 2013 or
Monday, March 25, 2013

Location
Primer I – City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West,
Colonel By Room, Second Floor
8:30 a.m. to noon

NOTE: The Primer I course is a pre-requisite for the Primer II course. Registration for Primer II will open on March 11, 2013

Register today!

Space is limited, so register soon

Questions?

Please send your questions to primer@ottawa.ca