As many residents know by now, I and colleague Diane Deans are asking our City Council colleagues to support the CRTC's recent decision to make fibre-to-the-home networks available to competitors. I've spoken so far a lot about the advantages for residents in having multiple providers from which to choose. Last week, I received a letter that serves as a good reminder that competition also helps create jobs and supports small Ottawa businesses.
Kendall Lougheed wrote to me to say:
This week, OC Transpo provided its techncial briefing on the second phase of detours. There are two key updates for our ward. First, beginning in March, the Tunney's Pasture ramp out of the ditch will be shut, and then in June the full detour will take effect as buses travel the whole length of Tunney's Pasture to Merton Street.
When the ramp at Tunney's is shut from March to June, the 176 and 86 will begin using Scott Street rather than entering the Transitway. This shouldn't result in any delay under normal traffic conditions.
A City consultation has opened to recognize the contribution by former City Councillor Shawn Little to our ward by re-naming Somerset Square, at 2 Spadina, “Shawn Little Park.”
Below, I’ve copied the City’s material, which is on the official consultation release that you can find here.
Today, I made a notice of motion - alerting Council that I intend to bring a motion to the next Council meeting, seconded by my colleague Councillor Diane Deans - that would voice the City's support for the CRTC's decision in favour of providing small ISPs access to large ISPs' networks. I'm looking forward to hearing residents' views. You can read the background to this discussion at http://kitchissippiward.ca/content/mayors-views-broadband-competition-counterpoint.
Earlier this week, I received the latest cash-in-lieu of parkland balances. These funds derive from a payment that's made by developers (large and small) instead of providing parkland.
The Kitchissippi balance as of December 31, 2015 is better news than I was expecting. We had as of a couple of months ago a balance of $340,107 available for capital expenditures on parks in the ward. It's important to note that while this looks healthy, I'll soon be authorizing most of that to re-pay a debt we incurred earlier in this term of Council.
Reid Park Re-Development
click on the image (right) to enlarge
As many of you know, we wrapped up our public consultation process to re-design Reid Park. We’ve submitted our wish-list to City planners, who have in-turn created professional preliminary concept plans. Going forward with this process, we are in the planner’s hands; they are as excited about this project as we are.
Last night, I spent a while on the phone with a Kitchissippi resident who has heard that the neighbouring property is likely to be torn down, and a larger home built if approved by the Committee of Adjustment. It's a conversation I have a few times a month. We're seeing a march of infill development in the ward that's replacing the existing housing stock, and people have lots of questions.
To the management of XYZ Heating and Cooling,
Today, the two plans for Lebreton Flats were revealed. Both see a major revitalization of the Flats with thousands of new residents, a new home for professional hockey in Ottawa, and truly exciting proposals for public amenities and a new contribution to a dynamic urban fabric downtown.
UPDATE: I've posted a video to highlight the newly-opened multi-use path that runs next to Tom Brown, and the January 31 construction closure.
On January 31, a portion of the MUP connecting the newly-opened northern MUP to Bayview station will be closed as Rideau Transit Group demolishes, then re-builds, the structure to handle the future LRT.