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Covid-19 updates
After a very intense week last week, I don't have many pandemic updates that residents haven't likely already seen in the news. The most important one to note is the pregnant people can now begin pre-registering, along with those who have the highest health risks. See the details of that announcement here. The City's community clinics are temporarily all booked until there's further deliveries of supplies. I think the last we heard they are full
through April 30. Thus far, what we've seen is that appointments generally open for booking again before we run out without interruption.
I was cheered yesterday by the stat on Ottawa Public Health's vaccination dashboard (here) that 29% of Ottawa residents over 16 have now received a first dose. Things are starting to move at speed as we race to get to a level of vaccination that will provide "herd" immunity. While it's still critical that we get our most essential workers in fields like child care and education, transit, groceries etc., and people with high-risk health
conditions prioritized, at this stage there is also a race simply to get as many people vaccinated as possible. Please, if you have a chance to get any of the vaccines, don't hesitate. If you score a pharmacy appointment, please also take a few minutes to remove yourself from any other pharmacy waitlists that you might be on; the email confirmation you received that the pharmacy has received your information and placed you on the list probably has a link near the bottom allowing yourself to quickly remove yourself from those other lists.
Find all the latest news about the pandemic, including special statements by Dr. Vera Etches and other officials here.
Pop-up office hours May 1
I'll be hosting Zoom pop-up office hours on on Saturday May 1 from 10 am - 12 pm. Send me an email for the link to join us one-on-one with no appointment during those hours to chat about whatever's on your mind.
Committee of Adjustment May 5
The Committee of Adjustment will hear two applications in our ward on May 5. Find the details of those here.
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At 508 (& 506) Roosevelt, the owners are seeking permsision to sever the lot and build two new single-detached homes. They're seeking variances for lot width and area and for height to be allowed to build to 8.2m instead of the required 8. I've flagged this one for planning staff since the new infill rules for this part of the neighbourhood are now in effect, and I'm uncertain that these are the correct variances for which the owner needs to apply.
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At 81 Pinhey, the owners are seeking to sub-divide the lot, retain one single-detached dwelling, and build a second single. They're seeking variances for lot width and for a reduced side-yard setback between the two properties.
LRT open house April 29
I'll be hosting an open house along with the McKellar Park Community Association on April 29 to explore construction progress on the Stage 2 LRT line in the west end of the ward (Kichi Sibi to Woodroffe). Get more details here.
May 18 active transportation open house
I'll have a formal notice in the next newsletter, but will provide a head's-up now that on the evening of May 18 Councillors Brockington, Kavanagh and I, along with College Ward, will be hosting an open house looking at the upcoming Active Transportation plan that is part of the Transportation Master Plan/Official Plan process. It's an opportunity to talk about sidewalks and cycling links. Stay tuned for details.
Assistance for Dovercourt
I meant to note last week that at our most recent Council meeting I brought a motion seconded by Mayor Watson to provide emergency assistance to the Dovercourt Recreation Association, which runs programming at Dovercourt. Revenues are precipitously down as a result of the pandemic, and Council voted to provide $300,000 in emergency relief that will be funded half through the citywide cash-in-lieu of parkland fund, and half from our ward cash-in-lieu of parkland account. Council approved the motion recognizing that Dovercourt made a very significant capital investment in the City-owned facility prior
to the pandemic. Fiona and I have ensured that the funding from our parks fund does not imperil the continuing work to refresh Laroche Park.
Tom Brown respite to move to weekdays
I'm expecting the final weekend of hours at the Tom Brown respite centre to be May 1/2 as the same services begin to be offered elsewhere in the city, notably at St. Luke's. If that changes, I'll let people know. The much-needed services at Tom Brown would continue on weekdays during the pandemic.
Top 40 singles for week ending April 25, 1992
Only the world’s biggest stadiums could contain the power of global R&B and rock acts in late April 1992 and the top 40 chart that week was chock-a-block with century-defining acts. In a CD-slick list of artists that included Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and Celine Dion, Kriss Kross’ Jump was propelled on the strength of Gen X’s pomo vibe into the number one spot. Bono was Bonoing hard in the number 13 spot fronting U2’s One having missed the memo that
we’re-doing-irony-this-week from Right Said Fred (I’m Too Sexy at 23) and Genesis (I Can’t Dance at 13). En Vogue’s smash My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It) rose to fifth spot while upstart TLC’s debut single Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg tucked in just behind at number 6 with their left-coast hip-hop infused take on the R&B genre. In seventh spot, Mariah Carey churched up an upbeat synth and drum machine dance collab with C+C Music Factory’s David Cole and Robert Clivillés to tell her rise-to-fame story Make
it Happen. Hair metal was still standing in its truth in 1992: the inimitable (and so highly imitated) Ozzy Osbourne’s Mama I’m Coming Home was a Lemmy Kilmister-written power ballad featuring some sweet picking as well as face-melting guitar work by Zakk Wylde. It fell from 33rd spot from 28th that week. Ozzy heirs Metallica’s waltz Nothing Else Matters was just starting a brief foray onto the charts. Def Leppard, the Nickelback of their day, offered up Let’s Get Rocked at number 26. Hair-of-the-dogging our collective way out of the 80s hangover, Nirvana followed up
their explosive Smells Like Teen Spirit with Come As You Are charting at 34 that week. View the full list here.
Showtune Showdown tonight!
Despite the pandemic, Tone Cluster - quite a queer choir was able to record a 2021 edition of one of the most riotous music events in the city, the Showtune Showdown. It will premiere tonight on its YouTube channel from 7:30-9:30 pm and be available until May 7. They've got a stellar list of judges this year including CBC host Alan Neal, the wicked and talented Lynn Miles, and choir director Robert Filion whose De La
Salle squads are consistently among the best in the country. Our ward's own Bob LeDrew co-hosts along with Claire Voyance. Get more info here.
Join my Run For Women team!
I'm really pleased to join the annual Run For Women 5k/10k event, this year as a team captain. Consider joining my 5k run/walk team, WalkABitRunABit, here or making a donation. The proceeds will go directly to The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre's women's mental health program that is doing such critical work across the city right here in our ward. The event, of course, is virtual and participants will take part any time between July 4-11.
Connaught plant sale fundraiser
Dear neighbours: feel good about growing your garden while supporting Connaught PS’s graduating classes. Please go to plantables.ca and use code CONNAUGHTPS. Connaught gets 10% of the purchase. Delivery is to your home - the perfect pandemic lockdown choice. Order 12 or more plants and get free delivery (did we mention this is for home delivery?). Thanks for your support!
At City Hall
Team Kitchissippi
We're getting a somewhat higher volume than normal these days of requests through social media like Facebook and Twitter. If I may, I'd just like to remind residents of our outstanding request that if you need us to see something or become engaged with an issue, please email us. All five of us in the office see email coming in and it's triaged and prioritized. We can also keep a file of similar notes for our periodic meetings with City staff on different issues and initiatives. You can Tweet or FB us, but we're likely to ask you to email the office.
I'd also like to note in response to requests that we're continuing to work on opening Byron for pedestrians for one more year as I've noted in previous blog posts and newsletters. We've also been asked whether we can accomplish some summertime discouragement to traffic on Foster and Sims that we're pursuing.
Our YouTube repository of open house recordings continues to grow as we've pivoted to the online format for those during the pandemic. Check out the latest including the Dovercourt sidewalk open house and most recent 979 Wellington proposal here.
City Council
On April 28, City Council meets with what appears to be a no-surprises agenda of confirming the recommendations put forward by our various committees. The highest-profile item may be the new short-term rental rules that may generate some further discussion after unanimous passage by the joint committee debating those this week. There may also be some further discussion of the transit service evaluation criteria. there will also be introductions and readings by Ottawa's new Poet Laureates. See Council's full agenda here.
Finance and Economic Development
On May 4, FEDCO will meet with what will be a very high-profile update from The Ottawa Hospital on its plans for a new Civic campus. There are no decisions in front of the committee, but residents will likely want to tune in or make a presentation. See that agenda here.
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