A few things across our news desk lately…
Fringewood Drive traffic study begins
The City of Ottawa has begun an Area Traffic Management (ATM) study to examine potential for traffic calming measures along Fringewood Drive.
Fringewood is one of many streets in Stittsville experiencing problems with drivers traveling too fast. The study will look at measures such as speed bumps or narrowings, Coun. Shad Qadri says in his latest newsletter.
As the project continues, the city is asking residents to provide feedback online. The survey is open until Sept. 9.
(Here’s a column from last year about traffic calming and why it could use a dose of creativity.)
Chicanes on Rosehill Avenue
Will this put an end to the “Rosehill Expressway”?
The city is looking at installing some chicanes on Rosehill Avenue between Santolina and Mazon Streets.
It’s a type of traffic calming measure that curves segments of the road inward, requiring drivers to occasionally yield to incoming traffic.
Coun. Shad Qadri says in his newsletter to contact City Clerk Rick O’Connor with objections by Aug. 13:
City Clerk
110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 1J1
Flooded dog park
A developer that was draining water into the Shea Woods has been told to stop.
This newspaper was copied in on some emails on Friday between concerned residents and Coun. Shad Qadri about it.
Ron Coleman also reached out to us with some receipts.
“The result has been a very large area now being turned into a swamp full of brackish and filthy milk-coloured water that is saturated with clay and stone dust,” Coleman said. “I can’t imagine what the area will look like once the water is absorbed with all those pollutant sediments left behind.”
Later in the day, Qadri responded saying the city visited the development site and told them to knock it off.
“The developer will not be pumping water into this area any longer, instead they will be directing it into the storm pond,” Qadri wrote.
Fellow resident Betty Harris sent along a photo of the aftermath on Monday.
The Shea Woods is a cedar forest located southeast of Holy Spirit Church and a popular spot for dog walkers. Last year the city agreed to purchase it for $1.5 million from CRT Developments, who is building nearby.
(If you’re annoyed about something in your neighbourhood feel free to email us: feedback@stittsvillecentral.ca)
It is really disappointing to hear that the developer would do this, given the agreement they have with the City for the purchase and subsequent conservation of the woods. Thank you to those who reported it.
Totally agree.
Shame on them, not only do they need to stop, They should clean their mess up!
Couldn’t agree more!
Thank you for this important reporting. Couple of questions to follow up on:
– what does the developer have to say about this? How does this deviate from their own company’s environmental policy?
– discharging water in an uncontrolled manner is likely non-compliant with some environmental regulations. What does the City and Provincial MOECC say about it?
– Is there any financial penalty and other consequences to the developer?
– What did the current Councillor know about it, and could he have been proactive in preventing this mess, rather than being reactive?
Is there a clause in the agreement of purchase and sale with the landowner which forbids this sort of action until the City pays the $1.5 million for the property? The city would have far more authority when it is the owner of the property.
It would seem appropriate that the city could ask for the vendor to clean up of the chalky residue left on the site before assuming ownership.
Regards
Phil Sweetnam
Thank-you for your comments. Hope you get answers to your questions.
Is there not an environmental infraction that has taken place? Who will be responsible for cleaning up the site? I don’t think City staff telling a developer to ‘knock it off’ is a regulatory response to an environmental issue. These old cedar trees will be killed if any chemicals from the old farmer’s field have been pumped into the area and being saturated surely is also not helping the root system. The provincial environmental regulators should be called in to assess any damage and the developer should have a ‘stop build’ action placed against them until the area is returned to its natural state at the developer’s cost. The developer also needs to be fined accordingly for doing this end of!!
I completely agree with you. I heard they were cleaning it up but haven’t been there to see what action was taken and wonder if it’s enough.
I agree with making the developers accountable.
Too often they get away with it. Withhold funds from the purchase of the land for the park. Stop the build until reparation us made. Long term damage should be accounted for. Disgraceful behavior can’t trust anyone to do the right thing anymore.