I and Somerset Ward Councillor Catherine McKenney are co-hosting a public budget consultation on October 8. It's an opportunity to share your budget ideas and priorities. The recent measures approved by Council to deal with a budget deficit are indicative of the significance of this fall's budget. Core services and social services are more critical to maintain than ever, but that will be a challenge. I hope all of you will come out that night to collaborate with us on how to build the city we all want.

Just a quick update for residents that we had a good Council meeting this morning. The re-zoning that will allow a mural to be painted at 3 Lowrey passed Planning Committee yesterday, and my colleagues agreed to accelerate the Council vote to today in order to commence work before the snow flies. That passed today with no issues.

Last week

• Asphalt was placed on Scott St. between Carruthers Ave. to Holland Ave. Monday, Sept. 14th and Tuesday, Sept. 15th.
• Two westbound lanes currently open to traffic on Scott St. from Bayview Rd. to Holland Ave.
• Curb-side catchbasin installation complete on Scott St. between Tunney’s Pasture to Smirle at the west limit of widening work.

This week

• Road excavation and gravel placement for widening underway from Holland Ave to Smirle Ave.

Multi-Use Pathways

For the past week-and-a-half, we've been working on and asked several times to shift the crossing guard currently at Beech and Laurel to Beech and Bayswater. As many have written, the move by Devonshire school to the St. Ambrose campus has significantly changed kids' walking routes.

Crossing guards are allocated according to warrants. If an intersection has over 10 kids crossing in a peak period, and non-compliance with the stop sign (such as rolling stops) is over 20%, it can be considered for a guard.

Here are the current applications for variances and divisions being heard on Wednesday, October 7th at the Committee of Adjustment. The meetings are open to the public and any interested party can appear before the Committee to present their views in support of or in opposition to an application. Public Hearings are held in the Council Chambers at Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Drive, and are regularly scheduled for 1pm.

On Tuesday, I'm seeking to have Planning Committee approve a re-zoning to allow a new ARPi mural at 3 Lowrey, facing Garland. My thanks go to Roger Senecal for suggesting the mural and making it possible, and to the Hintonburg Community Association for their support. Pictured is a mock-up of the proposed art. Can't wait!

On September 23 at the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park, the City is celebrating National Tree Day and, at the same time, getting underway with a new Urban Forest Management Plan consultation. I'm really pleased to be attending and introducing keynote speaker Philip van Wassaenaer, principal consulting arborist and founder of Urban Forest Innovations. The event begins at 6 pm with an expo, and then formal presentation at 7.

1445, 1451 Wellington Street West – Information Session

Date:  Thursday, September 24^th

Time: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Place: Kitchissippi United Church, 630 Island Park Drive

As many residents know, Mizrahi Developments has proposed a 12-storey development at the corner of Island Park and Wellington West. City Council disallowed the project, and the developer sought permission from the Ontario Municipal Board to proceed.

Lemieux Island has one of two water purification plants in the City. One of the issues the City is facing is the build up of "frazil" ice at the intake pipe, and it is looking at solutions through an Environmental Assessment (EA) process, in consultation with the feds and province. The City can contract temporary pumping services, but they're not a long-term fix. As part of the EA, the City is hosting a public open house to look at the alternatives being considered to modify the intake pipe.

I received the following update today on the St. Francis construction.

Hi Councillor Leiper

 

I have another update for you on the St. Francis –Edgar project. The portion of St. Francis north of Gladstone is now paved with base asphalt. We expect most of the boulevard restorations behind the new sidewalks (i.e sod and driveways) to be completed in this area by the end of this week. The school buses that are temporarily parking on Fairmont should be able to go back to using Duhamel Street / St. Francis Street next week.