Make sure you mark your calendar for the 5th annual Welcome to Stittsville Multicultural Festival on Saturday, June 20th at Village Square Park. The Stittsville Front Porch Concerts event is returning for another year of music throughout Stittsville on June 18th. Regular meetings are being held between city staff and the federal government to plan for the four-day return to office transportation schedule. Ottawa Public Health and the City have shared information on staying cool during hot summer days. On June 28th, Councillor Gower is leading a Family Bike Ride in Stittsville – register at the link provided below. Good news – the roadwork on Stittsville Main was completed sooner than thought and the 417 road construction will also be ahead of schedule. The Ottawa Police Service Hate and Bias Crime Unit has two ongoing investigations in our area. Councillor Gower extends thanks to Felicity from EnviroCentre for her recent bike ride with Stittsville residents. As always, should you require assistance, please reach out to Councillor Gower’s office at the contact information shared below.
Welcome to Stittsville Multicultural Festival on Saturday, June 20
We’re really looking forward to seeing everyone at the Welcome to Stittsville Multicultural Festival. It’s happening on Saturday, June 20 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Village Square Park (Stittsville Main @ Abbott). Our goal with this festival is to showcase our community’s diversity, welcome newcomers, and promote new connections between residents. This year’s event is presented in partnership with the Stittsville Rotary Club.
Things to know:
- This is the festival’s fifth year. There are over 135 participants this year including performers, exhibitors, community services, food trucks, and more. Follow our Facebook page for information about who is taking part.
- Admission to the event is FREE, but plan to bring payment for food trucks and vendors on site.
- Abbott Street will be closed between Stittsville Main and Carbery. Access is restricted to local traffic (Abbott Street residents) only. Please plan ahead and use an alternate route.
- We encourage visitors to walk, bike, or take the bus. Village Square Park is conveniently located along the Trans Canada Trail. The site is served by OC Transpo Route 61, and Route 163 stops nearby.
- Parking is available in the municipal parking lot on Stittsville Main. Parking is also available on nearby streets. Please do not park in restaurant or retail parking lots!
- The event runs rain or shine. However, we may pause or cancel in the event of extreme/dangerous weather. There is no rain date scheduled.
Thank you to all of the sponsors, volunteers, and participants who help to make this event a success!
Stittsville Front Porch Concerts on Thursday, June 18
Another great annual event taking place this week is the Stittsville Front Porch Concerts on Thursday, June 18. There are dozens of homes all over Stittsville hosting concerts on porches, lawns and driveways. Most concerts last 1-2 hours, scheduled between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
So take a walk or a bike ride around your neighbourhood and listen to some great live music from local performers. Here’s a list and map of locations and performers…
The event collects donations for local organizations that support a variety of important causes. To date, the Stittsville Front Porch Concerts has raised over $51,000. This year funds will go towards support Parkinson’s research. Click here to make a donation…
How OC Transpo is planning for RTO4
There’s a team at the City meeting regularly with senior leaders in the Federal government to plan for “RTO4” – the return to a 4-day in-office schedule for most employees in the public service. There’s a big focus on transportation and mobility: roads, parking, and of course OC Transpo.
The big concern is for September, when more people are back from vacation and RTO4 is combined with back-to-school for college and university students. OC Transpo has “origin-destination” data – areas in the city where public servants live and work. From that, they’ve identified 10 routes that will likely need more capacity.
In the west end, those are routes 61, 62, 63, 66. Other routes include 74 and 75 (Barrhaven/South End); 8 and 13 (into Gatineau); 5 and 24 (East End). In addition, all routes are being monitored for ridership, and OC Transpo is aiming to have additional spare buses and drivers available for additional service where it’s needed.
For more about OC Transpo including RTO plans, check out my recap of last week’s Transit Committee meeting…
Beat the Heat: Ways to stay cool this summer
Summertime is around the corner and with it comes the risk of preventable heat-related illnesses. The City of Ottawa, Ottawa Public Health (OPH), and many partners share heat safety information and provide supports so residents can stay safe and enjoy summer. OPH publishes an interactive map of places to cool off in Ottawa, including parks, pools, splash pads and libraries. Many air-conditioned City facilities are open during the hottest part of the day.
Visit the OPH Extreme Heat and Humidity website for info and resources including:
- The Beat the Heat factsheet in multiple languages,
- Infographics on cost-effective home, apartment, and condo heat protection.
- Guidance on staying safe during power outages in a heat wave.
- The “Find Your Way Community Resource Guide” with contacts for shelters and drop-in centres.
June 28: Stittsville Family Bike Ride
Join us for our fifth annual Family Bike Ride in Stittsville! It’s a great opportunity for families to connect with the community, exercise, and enjoy a leisurely weekend bike ride. We’ll ride together on a scenic, quiet 5.5km route through Stittsville. Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to explore Stittsville on two wheels with your family!
Date: Sunday, June 28
Arrive: 9:45 a.m. for a group photo and instructions
Departure: 10:00 a.m. sharp from CARDELREC (1500 Shea Road)
Route: Start at CARDELREC (1500 Shea Road); exact route to be announced.
Click here for FREE registration: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/stittsville-family-bike-ride-tickets-1990787430796
Construction updates
- The overnight work on Stittsville Main Street (between Abbott and Orville) wrapped up ahead of schedule. There is still some minor sidewalk and asphalt work that needs completed, which may require single-lane closures during off-peak hours during the week.
- As long as the weather co-operates, all lanes of the Queensway near Pinecrest will re-open on Monday, June 22, a few weeks ahead of scheduled. To accelerate the work, there will be overnight lane reductions this weekend, June 19-21. These are the final steps necessary to get the work done. If the weather is a factor, the work may be delayed to the following weekend. We’re almost there.
Ottawa Police updates
- The Ottawa Police Service is investigating a suspicious incident that occurred in the 1500 block of Corkery Road on June 7. At approximately 8:17 p.m., Ottawa Police Service received a report regarding damage to property on Corkery Road. Officers responded and discovered that a flagpole displaying a Pride flag had been cut down. The suspect is described as a heavy-set man between 25 and 40 years of age. He was observed wearing a dark-coloured hoodie and dark-coloured shorts and driving a four-door sedan.
- The OPS is investigating an assault that occurred in the 300 block of Michael Cowpland Drive on Saturday, June 6. At approximately 3:00 p.m., the victim was approached by a suspect riding a black mountain bike. The suspect made racial slurs, threatened and assaulted the victim before fleeing the area. Ottawa Paramedic Service personnel treated the victim at the scene. The suspect has not yet been identified and remains outstanding. He is described as White, in his 20s or 30s, approximately 5’11 – 6’ tall, with a medium build and short curly black hair. At the time of the incident, he was wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt.
- The OPS Hate and Bias Crime Unit is investigating both incidents. Anyone who has information about either unit is asked to call the Hate and Bias Crime Unit. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 or at crimestoppers.ca.
EnviroCentre’s Stittsville bike tour
Thank you to Felicity from EnviroCentre for leading us on a bike tour around the Blackstone and Fernbank area on Friday afternoon. In Ottawa, many of the trips that we all make on a day-to-day basis are less than 5 kilometres, and they’re often made by car. That distance is a little too long for a convenient walk, and a little too short for a bus ride – but it’s perfect for cycling.
Starting from Rouncey Park, we travelled around the neighbourhood to check out paths and infrastructure that offer safe and convenient access to shopping, parks, community facilities, schools, and more. Thanks to everyone who joined us. June is Let’s Bike Month in Ottawa, and this was one of many bike events that EnviroCentre is running across the city. You can learn more and sign up to track your rides at letsbike.ca. (Make sure you join “Team Stittsville”!)
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, or submit a request online at ottawa.ca/en/311. – Councillor Glen Gower