COMMUNITY NOTES: from the desk of Councillor Gower

February has arrived and it seems that winter’s cold temperatures and snow have finally come our way. In this week’s updates, Councillor Gower has some important updates for the community. Firstly, he wants to remind the community with regard to safety and steps to take in light of the recent suspicious incidents occurring in our area. Did you know that over 20,000 vehicle collisions took place last year? The Ottawa Police have released the data. For multicultural important dates, the Councillor publishes a monthly calendar for your reference. Have you thought about participating in the Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser? Councillor Gower has a team and would love if you would join him in support of Lionhearts Inc. who are hosting Stittsville’s walk. The Councillor is holding two online information meetings to receive feedback on traffic safety measures. All of the Ottawa school boards are accepting applications for children to attend Kindergarten in the fall of 2025 – more information below. Below are details on local development updates. City Council highlights are shared as well. Would you like to be more involved? Join a City of Ottawa committee or board. And, if you need assistance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the Councillor’s office at the contact information below.

Police safety reminder
Last week, police received reports of some suspicious incidents of males knocking on doors in the Stittsville area and trying to force their way into homes. Our Community Police Officer is ensuring that all officers in our sector are aware and he has requested additional patrols. Please read these important safety tips and stay vigilant…

Make the right call: Please report any suspicious activity to Ottawa Police using the numbers below. Police remind residents that posting on social media is not the same as making a report.

Close to 20,000 vehicle collisions in 2024
Also from Ottawa Police last week, they’ve released their annual report on vehicle collisions. There were 19,777 collisions in 2024 (over 50 per day on average), including:

  • 18 fatal collisions
  • 218 collisions involving pedestrians
  • 123 collisions involving cyclists
  • 218 collisions involving impaired drivers
  • Over 2,000 collisions occurred in parking lots where the drivers left the scene
  • About 85% of the collisions occurred on clear days

See the full report here…

February 2025 Multicultural and Human Rights Calendar
We publish a monthly calendar listing the main commemorative dates of different religions and cultures, as well as important dates related to the strengthening of human rights and diversity. Highlights for February include:

  • Black History Month
  • Pink Triangle Day (February 14)
  • National Flag Day (February 15)
  • Pink Shirt Day (February 26)
  • Start of Ramadan (February 28, depending on the sighting of the moon)

See the full calendar here…

Coldest Night of the Year
Join us on Saturday, February 22 for the annual Coldest Night of the Year fundraising walk in support of Lionhearts Inc., 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.

Sign up to walk with us!  There is no cost to register.  You can join our team (Councillor Glen & Friends), or create your own team with friends, neighbours, co-workers, etc. There is no cost to register. If you can’t join us for the walk, consider making a donation to Lionhearts. You can donate directly online, and contributions of $20 or more will receive a tax receipt.

Traffic safety meetings for residents of Timbermere and Amberwood
We’re hosting two online information meetings in the coming weeks to gather resident feedback about potential traffic safety measures:

Also, we’ve launched a survey for residents on Randall James Drive and Kathleen Crescent to gather feedback about the flex stakes that were installed last year. Take the survey here: glengower.ca/forest-creek/

Kindergarten registration
Do you have a child turning 4 before December 31, 2025? Are you looking to have them start school in September? All schools in the Stittsville area are now registering new students for September 2025. It’s important to register your child early, since all schools begin their planning for projected staffing by mid-February. Visit your local school’s website or give them a call for more information regarding registration.

  • English Public: Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) ocdsb.ca
  • English Catholic: Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) ocsb.ca
  • French Public: Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario cepeo.on.ca
  • French Catholic: Écoles catholiques Centre-Est ecolecatholique.ca

Local development updates
The City of Ottawa has received an Official Plan Amendment application for 6070 Fernbank Road, and 5993 and 6115 Flewellyn Road (known as Stittsville South W-4) to lift the “Future Neighbourhood Overlay” and allow for the development of a residential subdivision. More info…

Highlights from City Council
Council approved developing a new housing taskforce that will evaluate ideas to advance housing projects and reduce approval times for development applications. Staff will report back to a joint meeting of the Planning and Housing Committee and the Finance and Corporate Services Committee later this year with the results of their research, recommendations and opportunities for early adoption. More info…

Get involved in your city: join a committee or board
Make a difference in your community by volunteering on one of the City of Ottawa’s committees or boards. The City is recruiting residents to be public members on several committees and boards. These volunteer positions are opportunities for qualified residents to provide their expertise, knowledge and lived experience to advise on the City’s work. More info…

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

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