Part of the OCDSB Alternative program, Churchill Alternative Public School Council sent the following invitation to the community:
Check out Churchill Alternative Public School: A great option for K-6 students in our neighbourhood!
The school council of Churchill Alternative PS invites families to check us out — students west of the O-Train line, east of Sherbourne, and north of Carling are eligible to attend this unique and really amazing OCDSB program! All types of students thrive in our learning environment. While some families choose the school from the very start of kindergarten because of the Alternative approach, other students move to Churchill throughout the primary and junior grades to find the right fit.
At the core of the Alternative program are the seven tenets which are intentionally infused throughout all the classrooms and the school as a whole. You can learn about the tenets and what they look like in practice here: www.ocdsb.ca/alternative. There’s so much that makes Churchill unique from the regular tree family activities where students from various grades work together on projects right down to the fact that the school staff are known to students and parents by their first names. 🙂
Our school council is reaching out because we keep on hearing from new families that they didn’t know about the program and the only way they found out was by word-of-mouth. So we’re spreading the word! If you want to learn more, here’s how:
Attend the Kindergarten Information Night on January 31st @ 6:30pm at Churchill (345 Ravenhill)
Email Alison Boyd (our principal – alison.boyd@ocdsb.ca) – she is available to answer any questions about the school and program
Request a tour of the school through our school council churchillschoolnews@gmail.com. We can also connect you with other parents who can talk about their experience.
Note: If you are considering Churchill for the 2023-2024 school year, Alison has pointed out that it’s extremely helpful to register before the end of March because the OCDSB starts staff planning in the spring based on pre-registration numbers.
Thanks and we hope to hear from you! The Churchill Alternative School Council
Update: The date in this notice has been revised. The road will reopen at the end of January.
As part of the Stage 2 O-Train Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, Byron Avenue will be closed to vehicles between Sherbourne Road and Redwood Avenue.
What
Long-term closure, Byron Avenue, Sherbourne Road and Redwood Avenue.
When
The road will reopen at the end of January.
Why
The closure of Byron Avenue is required to facilitate construction of the Cut and Cover Byron Tunnel in this area. The work zone is required to prepare the area for a future detour of Richmond Road, and includes utility relocations, construction of a temporary bridge, backfill of completed tunnel sections, and road construction once underground work is completed.
Where
Byron Avenue between Sherbourne Road and Redwood Avenue.
Anticipated Impacts
Motorists travelling eastbound on Byron Avenue will have to turn right on to Sherbourne Road. Motorists travelling westbound on Byron Avenue will have to turn left on to Redwood Avenue.
Motorists should adhere to detours, traffic control signage, posted speed limits, allow for added travel time and use extra caution when moving through active construction corridors as traffic patterns change.
Pedestrians and cyclists should use extra caution and adhere to posted signage to ensure safety.
The construction work outlined in this notice is subject to change. Work may be delayed or extended due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
Accessibility is an important consideration for the Stage 2 LRT project. The Stage 2 team makes every effort to provide access through and around construction sites. If you require special accommodation, please contact stage2@ottawa.ca.
The safety of the public and workers is paramount, and we thank you for your patience during construction.
Future work is required in this area. Additional construction updates, such as changes to work sequencing and the duration or impact of this work will be communicated via the Stage 2 project e-newsletter. To receive these electronic updates please sign up at Ottawa.ca/Stage2 and click ‘Connect with Us’ and select updates for “Sherbourne Station”. For other accommodations, or questions, please contact:
per OLRT Stage 2 Rail Construction Program Office:
Notice of Long-Term Road Realignment
Richmond Road at Cleary Avenue December 2022
As part of the Stage 2 O-Train Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, Richmond Road will be realigned at Cleary Avenue.
What Long-term realignment of Richmond Road at Cleary Avenue, shifting Richmond Road approximately 15m south. A new signalized intersection has been constructed at Richmond Road and Redwood Avenue. Cleary Avenue at Richmond Road was closed on November 21 and a new access road with a signalized intersection was opened from Richmond Road through Kristy’s (909 Richmond Road) to Cleary Avenue.
When As early as Friday, January 6, 2023 until end of 2024.
Why The realignment of Richmond Road is required to facilitate construction of the Cut and Cover Byron Tunnel, from Byron Linear Park to the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway (SJAM), crossing Richmond Road.
Where Richmond Road at Cleary Avenue.
Anticipated Impacts Motorists should adhere to detours, traffic control signage, posted speed limits, allow for added travel time and use extra caution when moving through active construction corridors as traffic patterns change.
New signalized intersections have been constructed at Richmond Road and Redwood Avenue and Richmond Road and Kristy’s (809 Richmond Road).
The existing sidewalk on the north side of Richmond Road, south of 75 Cleary Avenue will be closed. A new temporary pathway on the north side of Richmond Road and alongside the realigned roadway has been constructed
As part of the closure of Cleary Avenue, a new temporary pathway has been constructed from Richmond Road along the private roadway and north of the overflow parking lot.
Pedestrians and cyclists should use extra caution and adhere to posted signage to ensure safety.
The construction work outlined in this notice is subject to change. Work may be delayed or extended due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
Accessibility Accessibility is an important consideration for the Stage 2 LRT project. The Stage 2 team makes every effort to provide access through and around construction sites. If you require special accommodation, please contact stage2@ottawa.ca.
The safety of the public and workers is paramount, and we thank you for your patience during construction.
Future work is required in this area. Additional construction updates, such as changes to work sequencing and the duration or impact of this work will be communicated via the Stage 2 project e-newsletter. To receive these electronic updates please sign up at Ottawa.ca/Stage2 and click ‘Connect with Us’ and select updates for “Sherbourne Station”. For other accommodations, or questions, please contact:
[Minutes are “draft” until approved by the next Annual General Meeting]
McKellar Park Annual General Meeting, Monday November 20, 2022
Virtual meeting via ZOOM, start time 7:00 pm Executive Members: Sybil Powell; Dan O’Hagan; Rob McCrae; Derek Jackson Volunteers: David Broscoe; Dorothy Tweedie Attendees: 51 participants
1. S. Powell, President of MPCA, welcome to everyone
Minutes from AGM November 29, 2021 –D. O’Hagan moved a motion to approve meeting minutes, 2nd by D. Broscoe; all in favour, motion carried
Agenda for the meeting – S. Powell moved a motion to approve the agenda, 2nd by Jeannine Lewis; all in favour, motion carried
2. LRT – update on construction to McKellar Park neighbour – introduced by S. Powell Presenter: City of Ottawa Team: Damon Berlin, Stakeholder Relations, Rail Construction Program, damon.berlin@ottawa.ca; Campbell Inwood, Program Manager-Traffic KEV Team: Jamie Robinson, Director of Communications; Susan Barrett, Communication Manager
presentation will cover the area from Rochester field to New Orchard stations
once completed 77% of Ottawa residents will be within 5 km of light rail
Byron tunnel is progressing, 50% completed, to be completed in 2024, behind schedule due to union strikes and covid-19
Rochester field will be reinstated once LRT is completed
Sherbourne station to be completed in March 2025
building of Sherbourne station contracted to PCL
summer of 2023 removal of Woodroffe bridge, intersection may be closed for 13 days to complete
New Orchard station to be completed January 2025
Green roofs will be part of the stations (New Orchard, Sherbourne) to allow for future outdoor programming of the space
Cleary road closed, detour to commence on November 21, 2022, access road has been built beside Kristy’s restaurant and will allow access to 75 Cleary, Unitarian house and Child care centre – reinstatement Fall 2024
early December 2022 part of Richmond Road will be closed to allow for the alignment of the Parkway tunnel to Byron tunnel – reinstatement Fall 2024
September 11, 2022 westbound Richmond Road was detoured to New Orchard, Ambleside then McEwen before resuming on Richmond Road
eastbound traffic on Richmond Road not affected
detour will be in effect for approximately 16 months
there will be 4 SJAM connectivity paths, a mixture of underpasses and signalized
crossings (from Churchill to Cleary Avenue)
Thank you to Damon and his team for the presentation. Damon can be reached @ damon.berlin@ottawa.ca; to receive electronic updates please sign up at Ottawa.ca/Stage2 and click ‘Connect with Us’ and select updates for ‘Sherbourne Station’.
3. Theresa Kavanagh, Councillor for Bay Ward – introduced by D. O’Hagan
inauguration and swearing of new Councillors to City Hall has now happened, Councillor T. Kavanagh is now our councillor for Bay Ward, Ward 7
T. Kavanagh is one of the senior councillors on the council
mentioned Bill 23 which came right after the Municipal election, a difficult Bill,
concerns about the impact of this legislation on conservation and land development, changes that will affect how things are done at City Hall, Theresa encouraged residents to check out the City’s response to the new legislation
strong Mayor legislation now in place, only a 1/3 of votes required to over ride decisions at City Hall
Official Plan was reviewed by the province, 30 changes made to the plan
concern about lack of affordable housing
expanding of the city boundaries to suburbs, there will be less control on vehicle traffic
concern about Bill 23 affecting property taxes
Theresa mentioned she meets weekly with LRT/O Train/Stage 2 group
Question from the floor:
What can citizens do with regards to Bill 23 and changes to the Official Plan?
Response: Theresa encourages residents to write to their MPP – Joel Harden, cc T. Kavanagh, Bayward@ottawa.ca, how these changes are affecting democracy
Theresa’s team: Georgie Gosham-Hamer; Marlene Legault and Sue Garvey
Theresa hopes to have a Bay Ward wide meeting in the near future
Sybil thanked Theresa for attending and MPCA AGM
4. Treasurer’s Report: Rob McCrae
Time Frame January 1-November 20, 2022
Income
$5,186 (donations $4,140, event income $1,045.70)
Expenses
$3,823.61
Overall
$1,362.39 surplus
Balance Sheet
Assets
$7,383.81
$ 95.15
Liabilities
$ 0.00
Equity
$7,478.96
Rob moved a motion to adopt the treasurer’s report, 2nd by Dan O’Hagan; all in favour, motion carried
5. Amendment to Bylaw regarding eastern boundary of MPCA
Current Bylaws
The boundaries of the Association are:
a) To the east, Fraser Avenue, east onto Carling, including Bromley East and the commercial property at the corner of Carling and Sherbourne;
b) To the west, western boundary of Kitchissippi ward;
c) To the north, the Ottawa River Parkway;
d) To the south, east of Sherbourne Road up to Carling Avenue
Proposed Bylaws
The boundaries of the Association are:
a) To the east:
the western side of Denbury Ave. between Richmond Rd. and Tillbury Ave. and then extending in the same direction as Denbury (roughly S/SE) to Carling;
north of Richmond Rd. the eastern boundary will extend across Rochester Field in the same direction as Denbury (roughly N/NW) to the Ottawa River;
b) To the west, Sherbourne Ave. from Carling Ave. to Byron Ave. and then direct to the Ottawa River;
c) To the north, the Ottawa River;
d) To the south, Carling Ave.
D. O’Hagan moved a motion to adopt the changes to the boundary changes for McKellar Park, 2nd by D. Broscoe, no questions or objections from the floor, motion accepted and adopted
6. President’s Report: S. Powell
4 events completed in the year:
Rain Ready Ottawa – Zoom presentation, March 2022
Egg Hunt in McKellar Park – April, 2022
All Candidates/Provincial meeting – May 2022
Garage Sale – June 2022
Fall Festival – a great success, support form a number of vendors: Amstead; Magnolia; Kelly Ebbs; Liam Kealy, Westboro BIA; Bridgehead coffee; Produce Depot – September 2022
Derecho storm in May hit parts of McKellar Park hard, some residents without electricity for 10 days, concern on how we can best support residents in the community during these unpredictable storms
Tillbury park has been renamed, David Shentow, who was a holocaust survivor and lived in the in the community
new cross walk with lights installed on Richmond Road @ Gainsborough, thank you to Councillor Leiper’s office for making this happen
new Gazebo to be installed in McKellar Park next summer 2023, thank you to Councillor Leiper
McKellar Park is now part of Bay Ward, Ward 7, T. Kavanagh is the councillor for the ward
thank you to Councillor Leiper of Kitchissippi ward for his help over the years
Challenges:
zoning will be an issue in McKellar Park especially due to proximity to Light rail
Bill 23 will have an effect on the R1 zoning of MP
check out Councillor’s Kavanagh and Leiper’s website for up-to-date information
Insurance:
changes to how local community associations are covered for events
an issue for McKellar Park
a complicated issue, expensive and time consuming to do
City of Ottawa is reviewing
Thank you to our volunteers, Rich Brandau, David Broscoe, Emma Mallach, Dorothy Tweedie, and the Hosers for their operation of the ice rink during the winter
Call out for more volunteers for a number of projects/activities:
Zoning
By-law update as per the Ontario Not-for-profit Corporations (ONCA) requires all non profit corporations to update their by-laws, deadline October 2024
fund raising activities
Sybil mentioned the need for an accountant to review the financial books
7. Election of new board for 2022-2023 – Dan O’Hagan
MPCA by-laws allows 10 executives on the board, there are 6 positions vacant
Dan requesting people to get involved in McKellar Park especially as there will be major changes affecting the community, due to the Official Plan, zoning changes, tree cover is being threatened, not enough park area in McKellar Park
mentioned the FCA active on environmental issues
the current Executives will continue: Sybil Powell as President, Dan O’Hagan, Derek Jackson, Rob McCrae as Treasurer
no new volunteers stepped forward; it was suggested to they could contact MPCA after the AGM if they would like to volunteer
D. O’Hagan moved a motion to continue with the current 4 Executive members, no objections, 2nd by D. Broscoe, motion carried/approved
D. Tweedie moved a motion to adjourn the meeting @ 8:45, 2nd by R. McCrae, all in favour, motion carried
Theresa Kavanagh outlines her thoughts regarding the report on Ottawa Light Rail Transit Public Inquiry. This was first in the Bay Ward Bulletin on December 2, 2022.
Report of the Ottawa Light Rail Transit Public Inquiry
In October 2021, I wrote an op-ed article for the Ottawa Citizen calling for a public inquiry into the Light Rail Transit system. I was concerned about the lack of information available to councillors and the public. I appreciated that the provincial government set up an inquiry and on November 30, 2022 we received the very damming report on the LRT governance. This fulsome report stated what councillors and the public should have been informed about but were not.
This week we received The Honorable William Hourigan’s report on the Ottawa Light Rail Transit Public Inquiry. The inquiry looked into a broad scope of Stage 1 LRT elements. These included; design, contractual agreements, testing and commissioning, city governance of the project before and during substantial completion, relationship between the City of Ottawa and Rideau Transit Group (RTG), and safety issues that arose along the way.
The Commission’s primary role was to provide answers about what happened and why, and to make recommendations to avoid a repetition of the project’s problems. While human errors can be anticipated, deliberate malfeasance is unacceptable in a public project. When participants deliberately mislead the public regarding the status of a public undertaking, they violate a fundamental obligation to act in a manner that furthers the broader public interest. There are two instances in the OLRT1 project that amounted to egregious violations of the public trust.
First is the conduct of RTG and Ottawa Light Rail Transit Constructors (OLRT-C) in providing estimated completion dates that they knew were entirely unrealistic with the goal of increasing commercial pressure on the City. The deliberate communication of unachievable dates compromised RTG’s commercial position with the City and increased the mistrust that developed between the parties. It represents a troubling lack of concern for the fact that this misinformation adversely impacted the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of Ottawa citizens. The people of Ottawa trusted RTG and OLRT-C to be straight with the City and tell them honestly when the system would be ready. The Commission found that they betrayed that trust.
Second is the conduct of senior City staff and the Mayor in not sharing information about trial running. This prevented councillors from fulfilling their statutory duties to the people of Ottawa. Moreover, it is part of a concerning approach taken by senior City officials to control the narrative by the nondisclosure of vital information or outright misrepresentation. Because the conduct was wilful and deliberate, the Commission voices serious concerns about the good faith of senior City staff and raises questions about where their loyalties lie, finding that “it is difficult to imagine the successful completion of any significant project while these attitudes prevail within the municipal government.” Throughout the hearings, the City published, at taxpayers’ expense, a summary of the proceedings that was a blatant attempt to spin the testimony in a way that was favourable to the City. The Commission found that this appears to be unprecedented in Canadian judicial history and is part of a troubling pattern of controlling and shaping information flow to Council and the public.
In the end, the problems with the OLRT1 were a consequence of myriad factors, including the reliance on new vehicles and new relationships, a lack of integration, decisions to rush the system into service, an inadequate investment in maintenance, and several other factors, some of which were beyond the control of the parties. The result was a flawed LRT that failed to meet the needs of the people of Ottawa. In conclusion, the report presents a very disturbing prognosis: “…until such time as the private and public entities involved in the OLRT1 project understand that their first obligation is to the public, there is reason to be concerned that the project will continue to suffer problems.”
While disturbing and discouraging, this news is confirmation of something that has been a concern for some time now. In September last year, I and a number of other City Councillors, began to call for the inquiry. There was an increasing sense that the facts were not being made available to Councillors, Transit Commission members and the public in a way that was transparent, fulsome and credible. It was our belief that only an independent, transparent inquiry would get all the facts out on the table and give us what we need to chart a whole new path forward. This report will help us to do that.
Ironically the provincial government who ordered this independent public inquiry are encouraging centralized decision making through their Strong Mayor legislation as well as stating that only one third of a council needs to agree with the direction the city goes on major decisions such as the LRT operations. The province is confirming what was criticized by the public inquiry as being centralized control by putting it into permanent practice. I appreciate that Mayor Sutcliffe has stated he will not use the Strong Mayor powers however these powers are in place and even though the legislation is supposed to be targeted at housing plans it could have a direct effect on other major decisions of the city such as infrastructure projects like the LRT.
The next steps of this council are to ensure that all reports on the OLRT1 and OLRT2 are fulsome. The public has a right to know what is going on with this major investment including when the updates are not necessarily positive. Given the extensive construction of the Stage 2 LRT in Bay Ward I will continue to ask for updates and ask questions on this project. We need to continue to be informed on all aspects of this major piece of infrastructure.
Notice of Night Work within the Byron and Parkway Tunnels
November 2022
As part of the Stage 2 O-Train Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, KEV will be pursuing their concrete pour program throughout the winter months in the Byron Tunnel and Parkway Tunnels. The cold weather will require heaters to properly cure the concrete and will be required to operate overnight.
What
Overnight activity in the Byron and Parkway Tunnels, at various locations.
When
Monday, November 28, 2022, throughout the winter, until March 31, 2023. This is in addition to daytime activities on weekdays and weekends.
Why
Fueling, equipment maintenance and servicing, and site housekeeping, installation and maintenance of heaters and tarps required to ensure that any concrete that is poured can cure properly, as well as the installation of form work for tunnel walls and roof.
Where
Byron Tunnel, Woodland Avenue to Allison Avenue, and north of Richmond and Redwood Avenue, adjacent to 727 Richmond Avenue. As well as, within the Parkway Tunnel, behind Fraser Avenue, east to Rochester Field.
Anticipated Impacts
Night work is required to fuel, service and maintain equipment, and to meet the schedule on this large and complex project. Heaters are required to maintain a consistent temperature for any poured concrete and forms during the colder winter months. Generators required to run the heaters will be in the tunnels or wrapped in noise barriers.
Site lighting is required to maintain safe working conditions for workers. The use of lights will be minimized where possible and special attention paid to ensure that it is not impacting nearby residences at surface.
The construction work outlined in this notice is subject to change. Work may be delayed or extended due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
Accessibility
Accessibility is an important consideration for the Stage 2 LRT project. The Stage 2 team makes every effort to provide access through and around construction sites. If you require special accommodation, please contact stage2@ottawa.ca.
The safety of the public and workers is paramount, and we thank you for your patience during construction.
Future work is required in this area. Additional construction updates, such as changes to work sequencing and the duration or impact of this work will be communicated via the Stage 2 project e-newsletter. To receive these electronic updates please sign up at Ottawa.ca/Stage2 and click ‘Connect with Us’ and select updates for “New Orchard Station and Sherbourne Station”. For other accommodations, or questions, please contact:
Together we can shine a light on those who need our support the most this holiday season.
This December we invite you to join us in Westboro Village as we shine a light on three important charities who support our neighbours during the Light Up the Village campaign.
Meet us in the village Saturday, December 3, 10, and 17th for donation drives in support of Toy Mountain, Cornerstone Housing for Women and the Westboro Region Foodbank.
Saturday, December 3rd, Frontline Financial Credit Union
Toy Mountain (https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/toy-mountain) provides toys for children ages 0-12 years old and have supported over 7500 families annually. They look for donations of unwrapped gifts with the following as their highest need:
Toys for 0–2-year-old
Toys for 11–12-year-old
Lego
Board games
Sports equipment
Saturday, December 10th, 255 Richmond Road
Every year over the holidays, Cornerstone Housing for Women (https://cornerstonewomen.ca/ways-to-give/donate-2/) works to ensure their residents all receive a bag with some key items. They are looking for donations of these items this holidays season:
Pyjamas, sizes S – 4XL, larger sizes are needed most.
Box of chocolate or candy
A $10 gift card to places such as Superstore, Shoppers Drug Mart, Dairy Queen
A card with a simple holiday greeting
Saturday, December 17th, All Saints Anglican Church Courtyard
The Westboro Region Food Bank (https://www.westbororegionfoodbank.com/) has been serving the community since the early 1980’s. They continue to grow and evolve to meet the needs of clients in the area. Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, the Westboro Region Food Bank has doubled the number of families they support and supplement the contributions from the central food bank with additional purchases of $9,000-$10,000 a month for essentials and fresh produce.
This holiday season they are looking for these key essentials not provided in weekly deliveries from the Ottawa Food Bank:
Canned Stews and Chili
Cooking Oils (Regular size bottles, no club pack)
Dried herbs and spices (in new unopened packages)
Granola bars
Nuts
Feminine Hygiene Products (preferably pads all sizes, no tampons)
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Laundry Detergent (Regular size, no club pack)
Shampoo
Deodorant
Soap
Baby wipes
Toilet Paper
If you are unable to join us on these days, the businesses are supporting these charities in other ways, have a look at our Light Up the Village page (www.westborovillage.com/lightupthevillage) for all of the details.
At our Annual General Meeting on November 20, 2022 Damon Berlin from the City of Ottawa provided an update on the LRT construction in our neighbourhood and west to Lincoln Fields .
Below is the video he showed as well as his slides.
If you are interested in Bill 23 “More Homes Built Faster”, you may want to attend the webinar Jeff Leiper is holding this Wednesday, November 23, as well as reading his thoughts linked below.
More Homes Built Faster Q&A webinar November 23
Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster, has massive implications for city planning across Ontario. Councillor Gower and I have assembled a number of experts to help answer your questions next Wednesday night. We’ll skip the long presentations and run quickly into an open question-and-answer session with heritage, planning, legal, housing and environment experts from 7-9. Get the link and more information here. My perspective on the More Homes Built Faster bill
I’ve bulleted as best I can my overview of Queens Park’s Bill 23 looking at the big shifts it would create in how Ontario cities make planning decisions, along with changes to Ottawa’s Official Plan recently announced. Settle in and take a read here.
Join your McKellar Park community at the Annual General Meeting this Sunday, 20 November 2022, at 7pm, by Zoom. Get an update on LRT construction in the neighbourhood, meet our new City Councillor, Theresa Kavanagh, review Community Association activities and plans, and elect volunteers for the coming year.
McKellar Park Community Association 