February 11, 2009

City Council Meeting Highlights

Mayor O’Brien delivers State of the City Address

Mayor Larry O’Brien delivered his State of the City Address and reviewed Council’s accomplishments over the past two years while noting that there is still much important work to be done in Council’s remaining term of less than two years.

“It has been rocky at times but that is the nature of transformation,” Mayor O’Brien said in congratulating Councillors for the work they have accomplished in the past two years. “We are past the halfway mark in our 1,000 days of transformation and we are doing well,” he said.

For the Mayor’s complete State of the City Address, please visit: www.ottawa.ca.

$2.4 million incentive plan approved to welcome back transit riders

To provide all transit users with an opportunity to benefit from new incentives as OC Transpo returns to full service, Council approved a $2.4 million allocation from the Transit Fund towards the following measures:

• December pass holders can purchase March passes for 60% off the regular price.
• By early April, as full Express service returns, December Express and Rural Express pass holders can purchase April and May Express and Rural Express passes at Regular fare.
• Anyone with an ECOPASS receives a payroll deduction holiday equal to the benefit conveyed to other December Regular and Express pass holders.
• Regular weekday cash and ticket fares are reduced by 50% for February.
• Riders who already received a refund for their December bus pass can buy them back to take advantage of new incentives. Visit an OC Transpo Sales Centre by February 15 and present one piece of identification and the receipt received for their December pass.
• Riders still wanting a refund of their December pass must do so by February 15 at an OC Transpo Sales Centre.

Other incentives remain in place:

• Bus service is free for everyone until February 15.
• Weekends are free for everyone for the month of February.
• December passes are valid until the end of February.

Council clarified that the $2.4 million to be used from the Transit Fund is in addition to $7.6 million in revenue already collected from riders for transit service that is being provided as service is fully restored by early April.

Council also changed the interim tax due date to March 30, 2009.

Integrated Street Furniture Program approved

Council approved the guiding principles to improve Ottawa streetscapes and preserve street identity through the Integrated Street Furniture Program. The principles were developed through research of best practices and extensive consultations with the public and other stakeholders.

The program, titled Simplicity, emphasizes design and coordination in a common approach to replacing and upgrading on-street furniture across the City. Street furniture includes waste and recycling bins, benches, multiple newspaper boxes, bus shelters and information way-finding kiosks.

Council approved the advertising-based funding model for the program, which is used in major cities around the world and aimed at cost avoidance and revenue generation.

Measures aimed at improving safety on Blackburn Hamlet Bypass

The Blackburn Hamlet Bypass will be receiving some improvements after Council approved recommendations in an engineering safety review.

The four-lane highway-style arterial road running 4.3 km between urban sections on Innes Road, has seen a high number of collisions over the past 10 years, despite the 80 km/h speed limit. A safety review found that “the look and feel of the roadway, fuelled by the stark rural characteristics of the adjacent land uses and absences of accesses, promotes very high operating speeds.”

Because steep slopes, a steep median and the absence of traffic barriers were among identified safety concerns, the planned new measures include adding signs and rumble strips, enhancing pavement markings, the driving surface and shoulders, and installing guiderails on curves.

OCHC Operating Agreement

Council approved the proposed operating agreement between Ottawa Community Housing Corporation and the City of Ottawa, which defines a funding formula for the OCHC Public Housing and will streamline and stabilize the funding arrangement.

As a wholly owned, arm’s-length corporation of the City of Ottawa, OCHC is the second largest landlord in Ontario, responsible for providing more than 14,800 housing units on behalf of the City, 12,272 of which are subsidized as rent-geared-to-income housing.

Westboro park named after Heather Crowe

A Westboro park has been named after anti-smoking campaigner Heather Crowe, who died of lung cancer at the age of 61 on May 22, 2006.

The long-time waitress, who never smoked, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2002 and waged a high-profile campaign against second-hand smoke.

Heather Crowe Park is along Scott Street at Island Park Drive. A dedication plaque will be installed in the spring.

Stittsville’s Jackson Trails Park renamed Pioneer Plains Park

Jackson Trails Park at 1018 Main Street, Stittsville, was renamed Pioneer Plains Park to better reflect and protect the historical significance and legacy of Ottawa communities for future generations. Jackson Stitt, a founder of Stittsville, and for whom Jackson Trails Park was named, remains prominent as the community’s pioneer.

Rural Issues

City to acquire improved boat launches from feds

Boaters can look forward to better launch facilities on the Ottawa River. Council endorsed an agreement with the federal government whereby the federal authorities will spend $240,000 to replace and improve the community launches at Fitzroy Harbour and Buckham’s Bay before selling them to the City for one dollar.

The city will invest $30,000 to upgrade the Fitzroy Harbour access road and assume the cost of maintaining the launches, estimated to be $13,300 per year. The federal government will also settle any outstanding land claims on the two properties.

Other items of interest

Mayor Larry O’Brien presented Governor General’s Certificates of Commendation to Ottawa residents Gordon McGregor and Rebecca Pirker.

On May 5, 2008 Mr. McGregor was instrumental in saving the life of a boy whose canoe had capsized in frigid waters of Camp Lake, near Sudbury.

On March 10, 2008 Ms. Pirker offered assistance to a motorist on Saunderson Drive near Smyth Road who was having a seizure. Paramedics credit Ms. Pirker and her husband with preventing the situation from becoming more serious.

The Governor General’s Certificate of Commendation was created in 1993 by the late Right Honourable Ramon Hnatyshyn, former Governor General of Canada, to recognize those who have made a significant contribution by providing assistance to another person in a selfless manner.

A moment of silence was held for Jessen Wentzell, former City of Ottawa Alderman for Rideau Ward from 1957-1962. Mr. Wentzell died on February 1, 2009 in his 88th year.

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