News & Announcements

Community associations, condo boards and other stakeholders were yesterday given a head’s up by the City that it has undertaken to revise the Official Plan to settle the question of Rochester Field’s future. The proposal, part and parcel of the agreement to use NCC land for light rail, would see a major portion of the land preserved as open space, with much of it allowed for development.

We had a great time yesterday painting the corner of Beech and Bayswater with kids' footprints to remind drivers that the kids start heading back to school next week. I put together a short video last night with some colour around the event, as well as getting Livable Bayswater's George Laing's take on the event. Thanks to a couple of nearby daycares who joined in, as well as Bayswater-area parents, we had 50 kids out! (We might have counted a couple of them twice - kids move fast).

I was pleased recently to be asked to serve on a sub-committee looking at how Para Transpo handles eligibility for its service, and its booking processes. We've got a pretty robust public consultation planned - hope to see you to one of the consultation sessions. For more info, including a copy of the survey that's being used to gather feedback, please visit http://www.octranspo1.com/accessibility/para_transpo_stakeholder_consultation_eligibility_and_booking.

I and Liveable Bayswater are hosting an event tomorrow to draw attention to the need be careful on the roads as the kids head back to school. 

Where: corner of Bayswater and Beech

When: 10 am, August 27

Here's the bumph, .pdf attachment below.

27 August 2015 – The kids start going back to school beginning September 2. Kitchissippi Councillor Jeff Leiper, joined by Liveable Bayswater, wants drivers to pay special attention as children begin walking and biking to school again.

In late spring this year, Council passed a new zoning by-law that protects existing and creates new "local commercial" zoning, something I've been looking at since the beginning of the year (http://www.kitchissippiward.ca/content/corner-store-zoning). 

Just a head's up for everyone, there will be an upcoming household hazardous waste depot coming up September 20th at Tunney's Pasture. In response to a very reasonable noise complaint I got after the last one - the loudest part of set-up and take-down is directly adjacent to Northwestern neighbours - I asked for some re-jigging before providing my concurrence for the September one. Much of the activity is now being re-located to the other side of Sir Fredrick Banting, a couple of hundred metres further away from houses and with trees and a small berm acting as a buffer.

Earlier this week, I posted my letter to the Committee of Adjustment with respect to a proposal at 434 Hilson to add four units on the property where this is currently one. I found the proposal grasping, and the requested variances from current zoning to be unreasonable. I urged our staff to oppose the variances in the strongest terms, and was pleased to see significant pushback by individual residents and the community association.

Just a quick reminder that our Kitchissippi Ward Forum is tomorrow, at the beautiful Orpheus Theatre (17 Fairmont Ave) from 10:00am - 1:00pm. We will have updates from Jeff, Staff, Community Associations, our BIAs, and our Community Partners. 

Light snacks, coffee, tea and water will be provided.

Please note that parking is limited, but don't forget there is a lovely bike corral at Fairmont and Wellington. 

Hope to see many of you there!

Yesterday afternoon, I was very pleased to join Safer Roads Ottawa, the Ottawa Police Service and the City to actively seek out the opinion of cyclists on how the new "dooring zone" markings are working for them. We got a lot of feedback from cyclists from whom we might not have otherwise heard. It was mixed, of course!

My thanks to all involved. It was a productive afternoon under that hot sun, and our understanding of how these are working was advanced. I shot a little video of how the afternoon went for those who would like a bit of the flavour.

I've written this morning to the Committee of Adjustment about the application to sub-divide and provide variances to create four, three-storey units at the corner of Hilson and Byron. It goes to hearing tomorrow. I don't write often to the Committee: it's deliberately a hands-off-to-politicians process. But, in this instance, it's not a run-of-the-mill application.