Another busy week for Councillor Gower as he shares updates and pertinent information for our community. He provides information on the upgrade status of Carp Road and the topographic surveys to take place; the watermain break on Stittsville Main Street last week; be prepared for summer storms in any situation; the Fernbank-Hartsmere upgrades to sidewalks and accessibility that are coming soon; the 2024 traffic calming measures coming to our community; what’s coming to 620 Bobolink; and, energy efficiency home improvement loans availability with Better Homes Ottawa. As always, if you have an issue that the Councillor and his staff can assist with, contact them at the information provided below.
Carp Road topographic surveys – A small but important step marking progress towards the upgrade of Carp Road:
Over the next few weeks, field crews will be conducting topographic surveys on properties along Carp Road between Hazeldean and the Queensway. It’s one of the steps necessary before construction can start to build two lanes in each direction on Carp, along with safe pedestrian and cycling infrastructure on both sides of the road. You can learn more about the survey work here. More substantial construction work is expected to begin in 2025 on this much-needed transportation renewal.
Last week’s watermain break on Stittsville Main
A big thank you to residents and businesses for your patience during last week’s watermain break and road closure on Stittsville Main Street. There was no water or vehicle access for more than 12 hours on Tuesday as crews worked hard to fix the break. Thank you to City of Ottawa public works staff and to Ottawa Police for assisting during the outage.
So what happened? Repair crews found a 2-inch hole in the watermain at Stittsville Main and Mulkins. Their inspection of the pipe did not find any pitting or other signs of overall pipe degradation. A clear cause of failure was not determined for this break. Watermain breaks occur throughout the system and the cause of the break is not always clearly evident. (The City experiences an average of almost 200 breaks per year and crews are skilled at repairing breaks effectively and efficiently so that the system can be returned to service with minimal disruptions to residents.)
This pipe was installed 46 years ago and does not have a history of failure. Ductile iron pipes like this one have a life span of about 85 years old and with the repairs last week it still has many service years remaining.
The City tracks the condition and performance of every watermain so that watermain replacement can be prioritized within available funding envelopes and the distribution system is kept in good condition. Watermain breaks (in addition to other factors) are used to prioritize watermain replacement so the replacement of a watermain with a higher break frequency will be actioned more quickly. Staff also takes measures to help extend the life of our pipes, including cathodic protection.
Summer storms: Be aware, be prepared.
During the summer, weather conditions like heat and humidity, create the potential for severe storms. That’s why it’s important to stay updated with weather reports and always be prepared at home or on the road. Check out these tips on how to prepare and how to react to a summer storm…
Pedestrian and accessibility upgrades in the Fernbank/Hartsmere area
Work starts soon to construct short sidewalk segments, concrete pads, curb depressions, pedestrian accessible ramps and Tactile Walking Surface Indicators (TWSI) at several intersections in the Fernbank/Hartsmere area. More info here…
New traffic calming measures for 2024
City crews will be installing traffic calming measures at several new locations in the coming weeks, including flex stakes on several streets in Stittsville. See a full list here…
Construction info for 620 Bobolink
Richcraft Homes Ltd. is starting construction on seven four-storey stacked townhouse blocks with 12 units each for a total of 84 homes located along the west side of Robert Grant in the Westwood subdivision between Bobolink Ridge and Cope Drive.Here’s what to expect with construction…
Better Homes Ottawa Loan Program continues to support homeowners in making energy efficiency home improvements
Through the Better Homes Ottawa Loan Program, Ottawa property owners can get a low-interest loan of up to the lesser of $125,000 or 10 per cent of the current value of their home to cover the cost of home energy improvements. Applicants who meet the program’s income qualification criteria can obtain an interest free loan.
Get in touch!
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. – Councillor Glen Gower