For the week of November 30th, Councillor Gower is sharing information on the lighting up of the Village Square Park and a house decorating contest that the Stittsville Lions are hosting; winter maintenance – the city is requesting your feedback; coyotes in our neighbourhoods; Shea Woods dog walkers; Ottawa Public Library; and, an upcoming temporary closure of Huntmar Drive.
Lighting up Stittsville
The Stittsville Lions were joined by Santa on Saturday night for a small ceremony to officially turn on the lights at Village Square Park. The Lions have been decorating the park for years, and usually the tree lighting happens as part of the annual Parade of Lights – but of course this year everything is a bit different! Try to find an evening to take a stroll through the park some evening this month.
It’s great to see so many homes and businesses already lit up for the holidays. The Lions are also hosting a contest for the best decorated house in Stittsville. Send your photos to info@stittsvillelions.com with your phone number and address for a chance to win one of three prizes. Entries will be received until December 15 and winners announced December 20. (Only non-professional entries please)
Updating the City’s Winter Maintenance Quality Standards
223.5 cm (or just over 7 feet for those who still use imperial measurements). That’s the normal snowfall for the season in Ottawa. When that 223.5 cm starts to fall and accumulate, the City’s winter maintenance quality standards (WMQS) dictate when staff and equipment are mobilized to begin clearing the streets and sidewalks to keep drivers, pedestrians and cyclists safe.
The City’s current WMQS were adopted in 2003 and a great deal has changed since then. Between now and early 2021, the WMQS Project Team will be reviewing and developing new options for winter maintenance and they want to hear from you! For more information on the WMQS Review Project and ways to get involved please visit engage.ottawa.ca/wmqs.
Managing conflict with coyotes
With our proximity to so many natural areas, coyotes are a relatively common sight in Stittsville, especially at this time of year. The City does not manage coyote populations but Ottawa Police will respond to 911 calls regarding aggressive animals posing an immediate threat to safety. An aggressive animal is one that deliberately approaches closely to a person and which cannot be deterred by shouting, gesturing, or other threatening responses. We’ve shared some information and resources about coyotes here…
A reminder for Shea Woods dog walkers
Holy Spirit Parish asked me to share these reminders with the community:
– Please do not park in the church parking lot when snowplows and snow maintenance equipment are present.
– Please do not park in the church parking lot before 1:30pm on Sundays.
– Please do not park in the church parking lot after 3:00pm on December 24 (Christmas Eve)
Thanks for your co-operation!
The library is open!
The Stittsville branch of the Ottawa Public Library is open to the public for browsing, picking up holds and dropping off returns. There are no programs going on at the branch at the moment but there are lots of interesting programs, blogs and book recommendations to be found on the Ottawa library website: biblioottawalibrary.ca.
Huntmar Drive temporary road closure on December 15-16
Huntmar Drive will closed overnight from Tuesday, December 15 to the morning of Wednesday, December 16. Detour signage will be in place, and local and emergency access will be maintained.