Another busy week has passed for Councillor Gower. This week, he shares updates and pertinent information for our community such as his excitement for the launch of the city-wide program – Ottawa Alert. Hazeldean Gardens will again be celebrating Victoria Day with fireworks; the City is seeking feedback on the design concept of a new play area in Crossway Terrace Park; the Planning and Housing Committee has approved delegating authority to staff to negotiate and enter into affordable rental unit agreements on behalf of the City; a Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Control Application have been received by the City for 1412 Stittsville Main Street; the City has received a second submission for an Official Plan Amendment application for the area known as “Stittsville South W4”; a second info meeting is being planned by City staff in June for the Stittsville North W2 area west of Timbermere; a new Zoning By-Law is being created by City staff and they are seeking feedback. Councillor Gower reminds residents that dirt bikes/motor bikes are not allowed in parks or on pathways/trails in Stittsville. There will be some upcoming temporary lane closures on Abbott, east of Robert Grant. The Finance and Corporate Services Committee received an update on the City’s Accessibility plans. The Councillor provides a ‘look back’ at this year’s Jane’s Walk. A reminder that the fourth annual Welcome to Stittsville Multicultural Festival is taking place in Village Square Park on June 7th. Should you require any assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to Councillor Gower’s office at the contact information below.
Sign up for emergency notifications with Ottawa Alert
One of the findings from our review of the 2022 derecho response was the need for better ways to communicate with residents during an emergency. And one of the action items was to explore options for SMS (text) messaging.
So I’m really excited to see the launch of a new City-wide program called Ottawa Alert. Residents can now sign up to receive emergency notifications via an app, SMS, email, telephone, and other channels. It’s available in English and French, with in-app machine translation available for more than 30 languages.
Click here for more information about the service and how you can subscribe…
Emergency notifications from the City of Ottawa could include:
- Important updates and recovery information following an emergency, such as when emergency shelters or family reunification centres are opened.
- Urgent safety instructions, such as clearing snow from furnace and dryer vents after major snowstorms to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Advisory alerts to provide instructions following high impact situations, such as avoiding areas damaged by a tornado, ice storm or other events.
Emergency notifications from the Ottawa Police Service could include:
- Critical alerts for situations posing an immediate danger to public safety.
- Information about keeping the public safe and away from potential harm, such as when there is an active police investigation or threat to public safety.
Ottawa Alert is not a replacement for systems that provide advance notice of emergency situations, such as notifications from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Alert Ready. In the Alertable app settings, subscribers can choose to receive alerts from ECCC and Alert Ready through Ottawa Alert. The City and Ottawa Police Service will not send notifications for weather or traffic updates.
Please take a moment to sign up. It’s a small step that you can take to make sure you’re more prepared for an emergency situation.
Victoria Day Fireworks at Hazeldean Gardens
Hazeldean Gardens will be staging their annual fireworks display on Victoria Day, May 19, at dusk (approximately 8:30 p.m.) The public can view the display from along Neil Avenue or across Hazeldean Road in the Giant Tiger parking lot. Accessible via OC Transpo routes 61 and 163.
Concept designs for a new playground at Crossway Park (Connections community)
The City is looking for your feedback on the design concept of a new play area in Crossway Park located in the Connections community.
The design concept with images of the options for the play structure, swing set, and sandbox are available for review. Residents are invited to participate in the survey on Engage Ottawa to share insights and preferences. Your feedback is important in shaping the future of this new play area.
A play structure was not part of the original neighbourhood design for Connections, but due to significant interest from residents I’ve secured funds from other sources including the Ward 6 Cash in Lieu reserve, and through the Waste Management Host Community Fund.
Committee moves to encourage more new affordable rentals
The Planning and Housing Committee has approved delegating authority to staff to negotiate and enter into affordable rental unit agreements on behalf of the City. When new rental developments propose to offer units at affordable rents, the Province requires that municipalities provide the opportunity for applicants to enter into affordable rental unit agreements in exchange for exemptions from development charges, as well as for reduced community benefit charges or reduced parkland dedication requirements. The aim is to encourage the development of more new residential rental units at affordable rates. More info…
1412 Stittsville Main Street: Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Control application
The City of Ottawa has received a Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Control application for the property at 1412 Stittsville Main Street. The applicant is proposing to build a three-storey, 18-unit apartment building, which would include 4 studio apartments, 10 one-bedroom apartments and 4 one-bedroom apartments with a den. An outdoor amenity is proposed at the back of the building. A total of 18 parking spaces and 18 bicycle parking spaces are provided and also located at the back of the property. More info…
Stittsville South – new community update
The City of Ottawa has received a second submission for an Official Plan Amendment application for the area known as “Stittsville South W-4” to allow for the eventual development of a residential subdivision. The latest proposal from Caivan is for a residential subdivision with 1,692 homes, including detached homes, townhouses, and stacked townhouses. It also includes areas for parks, environmental buffers, stormwater management ponds, and several public streets. More info…
Stittsville North – new community update
Thanks to residents who joined us last week for the open house about the future neighbourhood west of Timbermere known as “Stittsville North”. City staff are planning a second info meeting in June. You can find more information about the process and sign up to receive updates here…
You can find all the latest updates on planning and development in Stittsville at glengower.ca/development/
Draft zoning-bylaw
City planners are nearing the end of a marathon process to create a new Zoning By-Law. Staff are now accepting feedback from residents on Draft #2. It’s a huge amount of information, so I’ve created a series of posts to help Stittsville residents understand how the proposed updates may affect your property and neighbourhood. Read more…
Dirt bikes and motor bikes
A reminder that dirt bikes/motor bikes are not allowed in parks or on pathways/trails in Stittsville. We’re hearing a lot from residents about this. You can call 9-1-1 to report dangerous driving like this to police, or make a report online at https://ottawapolice.ca/report/. Your reports can help pinpoint location, dates, and times that can help police in their enforcement.
CONSTRUCTION NOTICE: Temporary lane closures on Abbott, east of Robert Grant
Minto is completing curbs, sidewalks, and landscaping along Abbott Street East in front of the Abbott’s Run neighbourhood. Throughout May and into early June, there will be temporary partial lane closures to ensure safe working conditions. More info…
Committee receives update on City’s accessibility plans
The Finance and Corporate Services Committee received an update on the City’s provincial and federal accessibility plans and its commitment to ensuring the accessibility of all programs, services, goods and facilities. The City continues to be fully compliant with all applicable requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, with two exceptions: accessible websites and web content under the Information and Communication Standard, and exterior paths of travel under the Design of Public Spaces Standard. More info…
Meet me on Stittsville Main Street: A recap of this year’s Jane’s Walk
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2025 edition of Jane’s Walk on Stittsville Main Street. The walk was one of dozens of free, citizen-led walking tours during Jane’s Walk Ottawa. I’ve been organizing the Stittsville Main Street walk since 2016, and each year we talk about the past, present, and future of the street. This year’s theme was “Meet me on Stittsville Main Street”, focused on “third places” in the community. If your “first place” is your home, and your “second place” is your workspace, a “third place” is someplace where you gather with other people. Read more…
June 7: Welcome to Stittsville Multicultural Festival
Join us on Saturday, June 7 for the fourth annual Welcome to Stittsville Multicultural Festival at Village Square Park. The event is free! This event showcases our diverse community, promotes new connections with residents, and welcome new immigrants.
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