A Canadian winter is in full tilt and we hope everyone is warm and staying safe. This week, Councillor Gower shares details and photos from his team’s visit to Ottawa’s Traffic Operations Centre. The details of the monitoring the City staff perform are detailed below and on the Councillor’s website. Would you like to be a Waste Reduction Champion? The City is launching a new program. Were you caught off-guard when you received a letter from the City regarding the new Urban Fire Boundary and the tax increase affiliated with it – so was Councillor Gower. Below, he explains what occurred and shares links to his website with more details. He provides an update on the O-Train Line 1 and bus service delivery action plan. The Coldest Night of the Year annual walk is coming up on February 28th and Councillor Gower is asking residents to participate, donate or volunteer – he’d love to see you join his team. OC Transpo wants your feedback on their Accessibility Plan. The City would like to improve their public engagement strategy and Councillor Gower shares a link to the newly updated strategy and workbook as well as survey requesting feedback. Should you require assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Councillor Gower’s office at the contact information below.
A visit to the Traffic Operations Centre
Recently our team took a tour of Ottawa’s Traffic Operations Centre on Loretta Avenue. Tucked in beside the Queensway, this old industrial building is where staff monitor and adjust traffic signals, fabricate street signs, coordinate pavement line painting, and much more. You can see photos from our visit here.
DID YOU KNOW: Staff monitor video feeds from intersections all over the city. Every traffic light is connected to master control, and can be adjusted to keep traffic moving. Live traffic feeds are available online as well: https://traffic.ottawa.ca/en/traffic-map-data-lists-and-resources/traffic-camera-locations
Become a waste reduction champion
The City is launching a new Waste Reduction Champion Program to support waste reduction, recycling, and composting in apartments and condos. If you live in a multi-unit condo, townhome complex or apartment building and are passionate about making a difference where you live, then your community needs you!
Activities could include:
- Promoting recycling and composting in your building through newsletters, social media, posters or setting up a booth in the lobby
- Organizing events such as litter clean-ups, swap events or garage sales
- Setting up collection bins for batteries or textiles
- Working with your property manager to improve signage or bin placement
Click here for more information…
Changes to Stittsville’s fire coverage boundaries
About 5,000 property owners in Stittsville received letters this month with information about an increase to taxes due to revisions of the “Urban Fire Boundary”. A sample of the letter is included below. The letters took many people – including me – by surprise. Although this is an issue that I’ve discussed previously with Ottawa’s Fire Chief and with the tax department, the timing was unexpected and I want to apologize to residents for the confusion this letter has caused. Click here for a summary of what’s changing…
OC Transpo update: O-Train Line 1 and bus service delivery action plan
OC Transpo released new data on Friday that shows some improvement in bus fleet availability. Meanwhile, they identified a new problem with LRT Line 1 vehicles that is impacting the number of trains available for service. This information is being updated day-by-day and you can see the latest status here…
Join us for the Coldest Night of the Year
Are you a part of a big-hearted business, group or family?We invite you to join team “Councillor Glen & Friends” in support of Lionhearts Inc. Ottawa at the Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser on Saturday, February 28 in Stittsville. Lionhearts is an incredible Stittsville-based organization focused on food recovery and food security. They provide food to the Stittsville Food Bank, emergency shelters, and organizations across the city that serve low-income residents.
You can register or donate here: cnoy.org/location/ottawastittsville
When: Saturday, February 28, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Where: Starts and finishes at École Paul-Desmarais (Abbott East @ Robert Grant)
What: A family-friendly fundraising walk (2km or 5km) to raise money for Lionhearts Inc.
Registration is free! There is no cost to register or minimum fundraising amount. Our goal is to reach at least 200 walkers this year!
Provide input on the next OC Transpo Accessibility Plan
The plan is a three-year plan that includes ways in which OC Transpo will work to reduce or eliminate barriers people with disabilities face within our public transit programs, services and facilities over time. OC Transpo is committed to making continuous changes and to expanding the initiatives in the new plan as feedback is received, innovative practices emerge, or new standards are developed. More info…
How can we improve the City’s public engagement strategy?
The City of Ottawa conducts hundreds of public engagement activities each year to gather input on a range of municipal policies, programs, and initiatives. The engagements take many forms, including public meetings (both in-person and virtual), surveys, online forums, and workshops, and are designed to ensure that residents have meaningful and equitable opportunities to inform the decisions that shape their city. Review the proposed updated engagement strategy and workbook, and share your thoughts through a survey…
Get in touch! Écrivez-nous!
If we can help in any way, please email me at glen.gower@ottawa.ca or leave a voicemail at 613-580-2476. Please call 3-1-1 if you require immediate assistance, or submit a request online at ottawa.ca/en/311. – Councillor Glen Gower