Names Wanted for Our Riverside Park

The NCC is asking for names for their newly planned riverside park. Currently it is known as the Ottawa River South Shore Riverfront Park, which is descriptive but not too catchy.

They want names which are, in their words:

  • A person of national stature who has made a substantial contribution to the building of Canada and its identity in the world, or to an aspect of Canadian culture worthy of special recognition.
  • A place or event with a significant historical or cultural legacy in Canada.
  • A local or regional figure who has contributed to the building of the Capital.

Submit your suggestions by October 23rd on the NCC’s web site (which also has more information about the park, and naming rules – Toponymy is the word of the day) at:

http://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/our-projects/ottawa-river-south-shore-riverfront-park-plan/ncc-seeking-ideas-to-name-the-ottawa-river-south-shore-riverfront-park

http://ccn-ncc.gc.ca/nos-projets/plan-du-parc-riverain-de-la-berge-sud-de-la-riviere-des-outaouais/la-ccn-sollicite-des-idees-pour-nommer-le-parc-riverain-de-la-berge-sud-de-la-riviere-des-outaouais

By the way, Dan Wilcock volunteered at the last board meeting to represent our community on the NCC’s naming committee. Thanks Dan!

Sir John A. Macdonald Riverfront Park Plan Survey

http://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/our-projects/sir-john-a-macdonald-riverfront-park has background information and a draft (very extensive, detailed, well researched, chapter 5.3 is about our neighbourhood, seem to have thought of everything) of the NCC’s plan for the river park. That web page lists the general highlights:
Continue reading “Sir John A. Macdonald Riverfront Park Plan Survey”

Forest Work in Progress

Maybe this Facebook post from the winter trail people https://www.facebook.com/SJAM.Winter.Trail/posts/1547964968605663 about improving the trail in Kitchissippi Woods and this forestry work notice from the NCC are related…

Subject: Ash tree removal along the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway by Island Park Drive/ Abattage de frênes le long de la promenade Sir-John-A.-Macdonald à proximité de la promenade Island Park CRM:0025365
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2018 16:40:55 -0500
From: Jocelyne Moncion <jocelyne.moncion@ncc-ccn.ca>

(le texte français suit)

Hello,

As part of its emerald ash borer management strategy, the National Capital Commission (NCC) will be removing ash trees affected by the emerald ash borer along the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway close to Island Park Drive.
Continue reading “Forest Work in Progress”

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:

Community Meeting – Champlain Park Urban Forest and Green Spaces

cropped-td-forests-image21

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!

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

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.

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. 

 

 

 

SJAM Winter Trail Grooming Funding

I just came across a tweet from @SJAMWinterTrail mentioning their new web site http://www.wintertrail.ca/ with information about the Sir John A. Macdonald parkway riverside multi-use pathway trail winter snow grooming project and a request for donations. There’s also a related crowd funding site at https://fundrazr.com/SJAM.Winter.Trail, which makes nice use of the trail map as a progress indicator.

The Winter Trail web site is nicely done; besides a crisp concise look it has good coverage of the topic and related questions. If you hunt around the Internet, you can find a video about the trail, which includes our local neighbour Dennis, at https://twitter.com/SJAMWinterTrail/media or on YouTube:

I definitely appreciate the easier walking of a groomed trail in winter, particularly after an ice storm makes the uneven foot pounded snow path treacherous or a heavy snow confuses the solid walking path with soft trails left by skiers. Judging by the very popular test last winter, the skiers enjoy it too!

– Alex

NCC Ottawa (Civic) Hospital Relocation Survey

The NCC is consulting the public about the new location of the Civic hospital. Since one of the locations is the nearby Tunney’s Pasture campus, and it’s a locally used hospital, I think it’s worthwhile to point out the NCC’s survey, which is available until October 6th. Have a look at:

http://www.ncc-ccn.gc.ca/property-management/what-we-manage/ottawa-hospital-site-review

– Alex