Newsletter January 14, 2025

COUNCILLOR’S MESSAGE 

Happy New Year to you all, and my best wishes for 2025. Of course, we’re starting off the year in the most precarious and tenuous of political circumstances, but I won’t let that stop me from being optimistic about what’s to come for Ward 9 and the City of Ottawa.  

While I was very grateful for the holiday break, it’s not easy for me to sit idle for two weeks, especially when I love my job, and there’s so much to do. Over the holidays, I created a long list of projects and initiatives that I want to focus on for 2025, which I’ll speak about below. But first, I wanted to take a look backwards, before we take a look forward. And so... 

What we accomplished in 2024 

In the last year we have witnessed a lot of change, some of it deeply challenging but some of it very positive. Through it all, I have been working with my team to keep making things better for the residents of Ward 9. Here’s just a few accomplishments from last year:  

• Road safety was a key concern for Ward 9 residents in the 2022 election and last year we delivered more road safety enhancements, including new Automated Speed Enforcement cameras in a couple of key locations where residents have been calling for action for years; 

• We also pushed back against a new route plan for OC Transpo buses and preserved critical service to routes like Chesterton that serve many seniors and vulnerable residents; 

• We held a well-attended, engaging, and informative Older Adults Summit at the Nepean Sportsplex; 

• We helped secure more funds in the 2025 budget to address the urgent needs for local road and sidewalks, as well as new money for streetlights and lifeguards at our outdoor beaches;  

• We held our Summer of Infrastructure campaign, which included a street-by-street audit of all roads in Ward 9, as well as a community-led investigation of vulnerable sewer infrastructure in one area of the community. We have now secured commitments to infrastructure improvements because of this process.  

• We worked with colleagues to achieve a workable compromise around the new bag limits for household waste that will help us make the most of our remaining landfill space while also providing some flexibility to residents; 

• We have driven a conversation between housing innovators and city staff, a conversation that now has the city looking at more innovative ways to bring more affordable housing to our communities, quickly and at a lower cost; 

• We have kept the pressure on to produce a new Merivale Secondary Plan that will ensure the commercial core of our Ward is designed for the world and community we now live in, rather than around the outdated requirements of a 1960’s suburb. Work on that plan will get going this year; and finally, 

• We continued to write and publish our comprehensive newsletters every two weeks, as we aim to be as transparent and as accessible as we can, to keep our residents properly informed about their municipal government. 

My priorities for 2025 

Over the holidays I put together a detailed list of the various projects and initiatives that I want my team to focus on. I will be focusing our efforts on projects that are not only relevant and important, but that are also feasible and practical.  

Here is a quick look at a few of the things we will be focusing our attention on this year.  

Housing 

A tragedy happened last week in Ottawa, where a homeless individual froze to death on our city streets. While there are likely many societal factors that contributed to this incident, it’s hard not see this tragedy as a direct result of our failure to properly address increasing homelessness. In fact, this week the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) released their report Ending Chronic Homelessness in Ontario, which detailed how more than 80,000 are currently experiencing homelessness in Ontario, and that this represents a 22% increase since 2022. The report also lays out a plan to address this over the next 10 years, which would require $11 billion in investment from all levels of government.  

From my perspective, I need to focus primarily on what I can do locally—here in the City of Ottawa and here in Ward 9. Here are just a few of the initiatives that I’m involved in:  

• As mentioned above, I’ve been working for the past several months to help advance some innovative housing projects, some of which will take place in Ward 9. This includes using surplus municipal lands for affordable housing, as well as creating new models for non-profit housing companies to get affordable housing units built at lower costs. Stay tuned for some announcements on some of these projects later this Spring! 

• While there are many ways that our city’s Planning / Building Code Services departments can accelerate the approvals process to help get new homes built, I’m also looking to explore ways to incentivize builders and developers to not leave vacant land undeveloped. There are way too many instances of builders being issued permits to build, but they’re holding off to wait for “better market conditions”.  

• Last year I started working with Building Code Services to help Ottawa adopt a policy to allow for Single Egress Stair buildings as a way of allowing for more design flexibility to supply more “missing middle” housing. Briefly, single egress stair construction is being adopted by jurisdictions all over the world, including in Toronto and Vancouver, which allows for apartment buildings to be constructed with only one stairwell, which then allows for a much wider range of building options.   

• Last year I also started meeting with a company called Pallet Shelter, which specializes in the creation of “tiny home” villages. They have set up such villages in cities across North America. I’ll soon be arranging meetings with the city’s Housing department to explore how these kinds of innovative methods can offer much more dignified, cost-effective solutions to our homelessness crisis than some of our current practices. 

• And finally, I’ll be looking to help the city advance something similar to the Anti-Renoviction By-Law passed last year in Hamilton, working with city staff to overcome potential challenges with such an initiative.  

All of Ottawa residents need to understand just how serious this problem is, and just how costly it will become for everyone the longer we wait to do something about it. 

Transportation 

2025 is going to be a very important year for the future of transportation in Ottawa, as we will be approving the update to the Transportation Master Plan, which will determine Ottawa’s transportation planning and capital projects for the next generation. This plan needs to reflect where the city is growing, but it also needs to address the safety and mobility need of a city’s that is changing how it moves around.  

Traffic congestion is likely going to continue being a problem in Ottawa, even with the successful launch of LRT Line 2 & 4. While that new transit line is great for north-south traffic, we’ve still got major problems with our east-west traffic, whether on the 417, Baseline, Hunt Club, or other main arteries. 

Here are some of the local and city-wide transportation projects I’m focused on for 2025: 

• One of the key projects that my office remains focused on is safety enhancements to Ward 9’s major east-west corridors. This is to address the fact that most of the complaints my office receives about speeding and dangerous driving are connected to these kinds of roads, where observed average speed is often quite far over the posted speed limits, and where drivers frequently pass other cars, even when there’s only one lane. I’m pleased to announce that Viewmount Drive (between Grant Carmen and Fisher) and Knoxdale Road have both been added to the project list for the Neighbourhood Traffic Calming program, and that Meadowlands Drive (between Chesterton and Fisher) might also be going through a re-design. Each of these initiatives should lead to lower speed and safer driving and will also provide new active transportation options for other road users.  

• For this year’s Ward 9 Temporary Traffic Calming recommendations, I’m hoping to implement some more innovative measures beyond what’s in the city’s catalogue. This will include measures like road narrowings, curb extensions, chicanes, mini-roundabouts, and speed humps.  

• This Spring I’ll be attending the Good Roads Conference in Toronto, which is an industry-leading annual event focused on urban transportation. I hope to use what I learn there to help influence decisions and policies here in Ottawa. I’ll also be traveling to Montreal to meet with local councillors from the governing Projet Montréal party, who were instrumental in creating innovative traffic safety measures across that city.  

• Last year I started meeting with Communauto, a Canadian car-sharing company, to start discussions about their goal to bring their Communauto Flex service to Ottawa and Gatineau. This “Flex” program has already been adopted in Hamilton and Toronto, and dramatically increases user flexibility, which reinforces alternatives to car ownership. I’ve been working with Communauto and the Mayor’s office, and we’re confident that Communauto Flex could start as a pilot project in Ottawa at some point in late 2025. 

• Ward 9 residents will start to see major work start this year on at least three intersections that impact Ward 9 residents: Greenbank @ West Hunt Club, Greenbank @ Baseline, and Meadowlands @ Fisher. My office will be closely involved to ensure that the best design and construction plans are in place. I’ll also be looking to seek safety enhancements to Merivale @ Viewmount, even though historically the city has been hesitant in implementing changes to this high-risk intersection.    

• When it comes to transit concerns, my primary concern is about the changes that will be coming with OC Transpo’s New Ways to Bus network, which launches in Spring 2025. My worry is that this will result, overall, in diminished service for Ward 9. My team will be carefully monitoring these changes.  

• Finally, I’m eager to continue working with senior leadership at OC Transpo who have expressed interest in trying out some form of bus rapid transit (BRT) line along Baseline.   

Infrastructure 

I’m excited to see some new recreational assets coming to parks in Ward 9, including the Trend Arlington outdoor pavilion, which should be completed in Spring 2025, as well as a new splashpad in Tanglewood, which we hope will start construction in 2025. I’m also eager to use some of my discretionary funding for some small-scale recreational assets across the ward.  

As mentioned above, our Summer of Infrastructure campaign in 2024 should result in some renewed focus on the state of municipal infrastructure in Ward 9. City staff have already begun and will continue doing assessments on local roads and sewers, including a thorough assessment of historic flooding concerns in the Fisher Glen / Carleton Heights neighbourhood. While I’m grateful that our ward is finally getting the attention it requires, staff have indicated that it will take many years to make the necessary improvements.  

Finally, I’m going to continue pushing the city to adopt climate resilient infrastructure, especially when it comes to stormwater management or other mitigations against extreme weather. One rapidly advancing technology that I’m enthused with is permeable pavement, and I have taken the initiative to draw the attention of city staff to local innovators such as Ottawa-based PurePave.     

Newcomer Reception Centre 

(UPDATE: As we were finalizing today’s newsletter, news came that the procurement for the proposed structure had been launched. This is not a surprise, as the timelines for this project are tight and work will need to get underway promptly. That said, I will take a closer look at today’s procurement announcement, as I already have some questions for city staff about the procurement details. Today’s announcement, however, changes nothing about my ongoing concerns about this project. Over the last few weeks, throughout the holiday, I have been communicating with staff to address some of those key issues and will continue to push for substantive answers. As of now, what follows is where my work on this file stands).  

As residents across Ottawa are aware, a site in Ward 9 has been selected as the first location for a Newcomer Reception Centre. This facility would be a modular, semi-permanent tensile membrane structure, located at 1645 Woodroffe, adjacent to the Nepean Sportsplex. This Newcomer Reception Centre is one of three components of the city’s plan to address the increase of asylum seekers coming to Ottawa.   

I still have significant concerns over this proposal. Certainly, something has to be done to address our current system for managing asylum seekers coming to Ottawa, because the current system is unsustainable and costly. Any extension of our shelter system, i.e. any program that seeks to rely on temporary shelters as opposed to more permanent housing, is far from ideal. Several housing advocates have already expressed concern with the federal and municipal governments’ plan to invest this much funding into more temporary shelters.  

We are also likely to see a change in federal government soon. And Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has already taken a critical stance against this Newcomer Reception Centre, which may have an impact on potential federal funding for this program. Certainly, the program should not proceed without federal funding, as it’s a federal responsibility.  

My approach to this issue remains the same:  

• First, I need to ensure that the city’s strategy to manage the increase in asylum seekers coming to Ottawa is the right strategy. 

• Second, if the Newcomer Reception Centre at 1645 Woodroffe does proceed, then I need to ensure that it’s done safely and responsibly, while also protecting the interests of local residents. 

Over the Christmas holidays, and during the first weeks of January, I’ve continued to be in contact with city staff to get further information on some ongoing areas of concern which include:  

• Getting clarity on the status of contaminants at the site: A preliminary environmental review has been conducted recently by Stantec which has indicated that residual contaminants (hydrocarbons) located at the Confederation Education Centre are sufficiently and safely distant from the proposed site. A third-party consultant will be conducting groundwater testing later this month, and the results will be issued soon. I hope to issue a more detailed update about this shortly.  

• Future use of the structure: The city has always claimed that the Newcomer Reception Centre is to be a temporary solution to handling asylum seekers. But the structure itself has a lifespan of 25 years. My goal is to ensure that there’s a time limit for how long this site could be used as a shelter for asylum seekers, and that any future use of a structure at Nepean Sportsplex be for recreational and/or community purposes, with the decision to be informed through community consultation. I plan to bring a motion to City Council soon to address this.  

• Getting clarity over the project financing: I’ve received confirmation that the city has secured sufficient federal funding to proceed with the initial costs of this program, i.e. the construction, renovation or purchase of the various program components. The city is awaiting results on additional federal funding applications for this program. As mentioned above, I’m concerned about any shifts in federal government priorities which may impact program funding.  

• Holding public meetings: Specifically, I’m looking to hold meetings with local communities / community associations and city staff, so that residents can continue to learn about the program and to have any outstanding questions answered by city staff.  

Food insecurity in Ottawa 

Last week we learned that the Ottawa Food Bank (OFB) will be cutting food donations to almost 100 of its partner agencies this year, as it deals with increasing demand from the public, and the escalating costs it faces in buying food.  

Currently, the City of Ottawa’s contribution to the Ottawa Food Bank represents only 1.4% of the organization’s budget. Food banks are similarly underfunded by the provincial and federal governments. Historically, food banks have relied on the generosity of the community, through individuals and the private sector. But the radically escalating growth of clientele over the last several years and the skyrocketing costs for purchasing food have made it impossible for food banks to meet demand. 

This is a crisis. And it’s a crisis that goes beyond the capacity of the local community to respond to. It is these kinds of crises that require government intervention.  

During last year’s budget deliberations, I was working on an initiative called “Step Up / Round Up”. What I wanted was for the City of Ottawa to “step up” and meet this crisis through a small increase to our property tax. The property tax increase had been set at 2.9%. I had proposed to “round up” the tax increase to 3.0%.  

That small 0.1% increase in taxes would have generated $2 million in additional revenue, which I wanted to use exclusively for poverty-related concerns, with the bulk of the funding going towards food banks. That small 0.1% increase in taxes would have cost the average taxpayer less than $8 - for the entire year.   

But through conversations with Council colleagues, I knew that such a motion would fail. And that’s a sad comment on the state of our current political culture at City Hall.   

While it may be too late for the 2025 budget, it’s not too late to act. I’ll be meeting with Council colleagues and staff this week to see what actions can be taken to address this crisis now.  

CITY WORKS 

Early birds, get your VUT declaration in 

Every year, Ottawa homeowners are asked to submit their declaration of residency for the Vacant Unit Tax (VUT) program. The portal for making those 2025 declarations is now open, with all declarations due by March 20, 2025. The easiest way to submit yours is online through your My ServiceOttawa account. It takes less than a minute. If you don’t have an account, there are other ways you can declare. You can find more information about filing your VUT declaration on the city’s VUT web page or by calling 613-580-2444. 

Traffic calming survey 

As we continue to work towards improving traffic safety across Ward 9, we're looking to get suggestions from residents across Knoxdale-Merivale about how to use our annual Temporary Traffic Calming (TTC) budget. With these funds, our office recommends the installation of various traffic calming measures, like flex-stakes, speed display boards, signage, speed humps, and many other tools. We make these recommendations based on our team's knowledge of the ward, through consultation with community associations, and through direct input from residents. Please take a moment to fill out our Ward 9 TTC submission form. Also, please note that not all traffic-related problems can be addressed with TTC. We will be submitting our recommendations by mid-February, so please get your suggestions to us as soon as possible.   

OC Transpo update: the launch of LRT Lines 2 & 4 

This past week marked the successful launch of O-Train Lines 2 and 4, which officially began revenue service on January 6. Since then, both lines have been operating as planned, providing reliable transit options for Ottawa residents. 

As part of the phased opening, service on Lines 2 and 4 will continue daily from 6 a.m. to midnight on weekdays. However, there will be no service this weekend (Saturday and Sunday). Regular operations will resume on Monday, January 13, at 6 a.m. 

Here are some ridership highlights: 

• On the first day of service, nearly 21,000 customer trips were made on Line 2—almost three times the number of trips recorded on the previous replacement bus service last fall. 

• Throughout the week, Line 4 averaged 400 daily trips to and from Airport Station. 

• The Park and Ride lots at Greenboro, Leitrim, and Bowesville have been well-utilized, with Greenboro seeing the highest use at 50% capacity. All lots have ample space available to support future ridership growth. 

• Looking ahead, OC Transpo is preparing for the next phase of the opening, which will add Saturday service.  

City of Ottawa camp offerings for March break 

The city has got something fun planned for your kids over the March break. Check out register.ottawa.ca for a wide variety of themes, activities, and interests at affordable prices. Registration starts is Tuesday, January 21 at 9 pm. Get the most out of registration night by preparing your account on register.ottawa.ca in advance. We recommend that you: 

• Create an account on register.ottawa.ca or ensure you can log into your existing account. 

• Confirm your account details are up to date, including your family members and credit card information. 

• Make a wish list with a few of your preferred activities just in case your first choice is full. 

Clean-up of NCC’s Pinhey Forest  

The National Capital Commission (NCC) will soon begin maintenance work in Pinhey Forest to remove fallen and dead trees as part of the ongoing post-derecho clean-up following the May 2022 windstorm. 

Supervised by an NCC arborist and biologist, the work will focus on cutting fallen trees while minimizing impacts on the soil and sensitive natural features. A contractor familiar with NCC lands has been retained to ensure responsible practices. A map of the affected areas is included below. 

Work began the week of December 20, 2024, and will continue for several weeks. 

Hydro One vegetation maintenance 

Every few years, Hydro One needs to do vegetation maintenance along its transmission line corridors, to prevent large branches from coming into contact with power lines, and to ensure that Hydro One vehicles can always access their towers in case of emergency. This work is always done carefully, with the aim of only removing vegetation if necessary, and having minimal disruption to residents. Hydro One will be doing this work on two separate corridors that touch Ward 9, with work starting in January and lasting approximately 5 weeks. We’ve uploaded the relevant information to our Google Drive. For an explanation of the work and methodology as well as Map-1, please click here. For Map-2, please click here.   

Merivale Transformer Station project update 

Residents in the Tanglewood area are already family with the multi-year construction for the renovation and upgrade to the Hydro One Merivale Transformer Station, which is one of the most important distribution centers for electrical power across Ottawa. Councillor Devine and Councillor Johnson visited the construction site back in November to get an update on construction (see photo below). The following is a list of some of the questions that residents are eager to get answers to: 

Is the project currently on schedule? 

Yes, the project remains on schedule, with substantial completion anticipated for 2028. However, some equipment removal work may extend into 2029. 

Will work continue through this winter? 

Yes, we anticipate 50 to 100 construction workers and equipment on-site daily as construction continues. 

Will there be weekend work scheduled? 

Weekend work is not part of the baseline plan. However, it may occur to accommodate outage constraints. (Power outage to customers is not expected) 

If there will be weekend work, will residents get advance notice? 

Yes, we are committed to providing advance notice to Councillor Devine and nearby residents who requested to be added to our project contact list if weekend work is scheduled. 

Is there an opportunity for a public meeting (even just online) to address questions? 

We are committed to keeping the community informed and plan to hold a pop-up engagement event in early spring 2025. Throughout the project, our team is available to address community questions. Residents can contact us via email at [email protected] or call 1-877-345-6799. 

What is the status of reinstating the closed bike path? 

We are committed to reinstating the walking and bike path once construction in the area is complete. 

What is the status of temporary bike path detours? 

We encourage residents to continue using the detour plan until the permanent bike path near Merivale Station is re-opened. We are in the process of posting new detour signs for the ones that have been weathered. 

What are the plans for light pollution post-construction? 

We are mindful of nearby residences and will take measures to mitigate light pollution post-construction. 

What are the landscaping plans post-construction? 

A beautification and landscaping plan is being developed with the awareness and feedback of the City of Ottawa. 

How to report illegal dumping 

Illegal dumping is a problem that impacts us all. It harms our community, costs local businesses and taxpayers, and damages our parks and wildlife. Thankfully, it is now easier than ever to report illegal dumping in Ottawa thanks to a new online reporting tool available at ottawa.ca. You can also continue to report incidents by calling 3-1-1. Anyone caught dumping waste illegally can face fines. 

Common Examples of Illegal Dumping: 

• Household garbage left in parks or greenspaces 

• Garbage or unwanted items abandoned around dumpsters or donation boxes 

• Adding your trash to someone else’s curbside collection or shared waste collection areas (common pad) 

• Dumping garbage on roads, ditches, culverts, or private property 

How to Properly Dispose of Waste: 

Households with curbside waste collection can set out up to three garbage items on their collection day. There is no limit for recycling, green bin, or leaf and yard waste. If you need additional bins, you can request a blue, green, or black bin to be delivered to your home. 

For those who need to dispose of more than the three-item limit, yellow bags are available for purchase. There’s no limit to how many yellow bags can be set out.  

Waste Disposal Tools: 

If you’re unsure where to dispose of a specific item, the Waste Explorer tool can help you determine which bin an item belongs in or if it can be returned to a retailer through the Take It Back! program. 

The City also offers several events throughout the year where you can safely dispose of specialty waste, such as electronics and hazardous materials.  

Ontario home renovation grants 

On January 7, the Government of Ontario unveiled 14 new and expanded energy-efficiency initiatives, including the Home Renovation Savings Program, as part of a $10.9 billion investment aimed at helping families and businesses reduce costs. 

Save on Energy and Enbridge Gas, with the support of the Ontario government, have collaborated to introduce this program to enhance home efficiency* and comfort for Ontarians. Regardless of whether your home is heated with natural gas or electricity†, the program offers substantial rebates for energy-efficient upgrades such as insulation, heat pumps, smart thermostats, solar panels, and more. Save on Energy.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT  

Learn About the Baseline Road BRT Corridor – A City Staff-Led Webinar 

Join Councillor Johnson (Ward 8) for an informative webinar on the Baseline Road Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor, an important city-wide public transit project that will improve transportation options for Ottawa residents. This project aims to provide a reliable and efficient transit service for east-west travel, connecting key destinations across the city. 

Webinar Details: 

Date: Jan 16, 2025 

Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm 

To register: https://www.college-ward.ca/baseline_brt_webinar 

The proposed BRT facility will: 

• Offer a high-quality transit alternative for cross-town trips, avoiding the need to travel through downtown 

• Connect major transit stations such as Bayshore, Baseline, Confederation (Trillium Line), and Billings Bridge 

• Help accommodate growing travel demand across Ottawa and meet targets outlined in the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) 

• Support City-building objectives by linking significant employment, commercial, and higher-density residential areas to the rapid transit network 

• Expand and improve Ottawa's rapid transit network 

• Include infrastructure improvements for pedestrians and cyclists 

Why It Matters: 

Baseline Road is classified as a four-lane arterial roadway with a median separating east and west traffic. The road is a key part of the city's plan to enhance transportation and provide more options for moving throughout the city. 

The project also considers intersections with other major roads such as Richmond Road, Greenbank Road, Woodroffe Avenue, and Merivale Road, all of which experience significant traffic during peak periods. 

Tennis & Pickleball strategy 

Last December our office received an update from the Recreation, Culture and Facilities Services department about the City of Ottawa’s Tennis & Pickleball Strategy. As the city’s tennis courts continue to be well-utilized, while the demand for outdoor pickleball is steadily increasing across Ottawa, a strategy is required to help address the heavy demand for both of these services.  

Over the last year, the city engaged with over 1400 residents and municipal tennis and pickleball clubs through consultation, surveys, and email communications. This feedback, shared in the What We Learned Report, will inform the strategy’s overall direction and key considerations.  

The city anticipates that the draft strategy will be shared on Engage Ottawa in Q1 2025, at which point residents and partners will be invited to share feedback. 

Lansdowne 2.0 

The next phase of development at Lansdowne is moving forward. Tomorrow night, January 15, there is an in-person public information session that will give residents an opportunity to see the preliminary plans for the new north side stands and the event centre. There is also a virtual meeting available on Thursday night. You can explore the new renderings now and visit Engage Ottawa to learn more about the project. You can also get in touch with the Lansdowne team by email, any time. 

In-person public meeting details:  

Wednesday, January 15 

6:30 pm to 8 pm 

Inside Gate 2 at TD Place Arena, 1015 Bank Street 

Virtual public meeting details: 

Thursday, January 16 

6:30 pm to 8 pm 

Online, Register here 

PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY  

Respiratory disease update 

As is so often the case, the holiday season brings family gatherings and fun social times. But it also brings a spike in the rates of respiratory viruses. This year is no exception. The rates of flu have increased significantly since our last update, and there are increasing cases of RSV and COVID-19 with hospitalization rates at a very high level for all three infections. So, make sure you are taking appropriate precautions: wearing a mask in busy places, cracking a window, and using indoor air filters to help clear the air. 

Country Place break-ins 

Our office has been made aware of a series of burglaries and other suspicious activity in the Country Place area, including multiple break-ins and reports of vehicles “casing” the neighbourhood. The Councillor has already reached out to Ottawa Police Services to make sure that my office is briefed on any investigations, but it's important that residents report these incidents. And please note that for home break-ins, residents cannot use the online reporting website. Home break-ins must be reported in person, or on the phone. To report by phone, please call 613-236-1222 ext. 7300.   

Emerald Plaza wellness hub 

PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT 

2175 Prince of Wales: Zoning By-Law Amendment 

The owner of 2175 Prince of Wales has submitted an application for rezoning. The lot, located at the southeast corner of Hunt Club and Prince of Wales, is currently vacant. The application is looking to rezone the lot as General Industrial, with a narrow and specific list of possible uses. To learn more about what the owner is proposing, you can view the application on the city’s development applications page. 

Our office has already been in touch with the Country Place Community Association as well as the Glens Community Association, who have expressed an interest in holding a meeting with the owner / developer to convey some community concerns. Our office will try to facilitate such a meeting as soon as possible. 

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS 

Climate Fresk workshop in Trend Arlington 

When: Febraury 13, 2025

Time: 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Where: 50 Bellman Drive

The Climate Fresk workshop model is an engaging and informative way to learn about the science and effects of climate change in just 3 hours. It is designed for both novices and experts. With a team of up to 7 participants per table, you and your team will organize 42 Climate Fresk cards according to cause and effect and complete the Fresk by drawing the interconnections between the cards. You will then finish the workshop with a discussion on possible actions to combat climate change and join the ranks of some 2.0M+ Freskers worldwide.

The workshop will be facilitated by Westboro resident Don Sproule and Knoxvale-Merivale resident Don Ball. There is a maximum of 14 for the workshop.

The suggested fee is a donation to the Trend Arlington Community Association.

To register and learn more, visit: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/climate-fresk-citizens-workshop-ottawa-tickets-1059681308319?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=1  

For more informaton, please contact Don at [email protected].

Winter Carnivals in Ward 9 

Ward 9 is excited to host several winter carnivals in the coming weeks, offering a variety of fun, family-friendly activities for residents to enjoy throughout the season. 

• Tanglewood Community Centre Winter Family Carnival on Saturday, January 25, 2025 from 1:00 – 4:00 pm at 30 Woodfield Drive. Enjoy free food and activities with a THCA Membership (or purchase one on-site) for a $4 food ticket and don’t miss out on the fun. 

• Fisher Heights and Area Community Association Winter Carnival on Saturday, February 1st from 12-3pm. Enjoy free outdoor activities at 31 Sutton Place.  Volunteers are welcome to help; contact Megan at [email protected]. 

• Manordale Woodvale Winter Carnival on Saturday, February 1st, from 11am to 3pm, with games, activities, food service, and more. Volunteers are welcome, please contact [email protected]. 

FREE Come try ringette event 

The Nepean Ravens will be hosting a free “Come Try Ringette” even on Saturday January 18th from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Howard Darwin Centennial Arena. This is a great opportunity for girls aged 4 – 11 to try out this amazing sport...for free! To register please visit their website.  

Family literacy day