Newsletter Date Councillor’s Newsletter June 2, 2017 KEEPING YOU INFORMED Councillor’s View INSIDE THIS ISSUE Stittsville Farmers Market Update 2 Dear Residents, Poole Creek Village Operations Update 3 City Chat: Coyote Information Session 3 Stittsville Sanitary Sewer Cleaning 4 Today, I had the pleasure of stopping by Sacred Wild Parsnip 4 Kanata LRT Study Open House 5 Heart High School for their participation in the …and more! Relay For Life. For those of you who do not know, Relay For Foundation, or any of the several other Life is a community based fundraising event worthwhile charitable fundraisers of your choice, organized by the Canadian Cancer Society. I would like to thank all residents who will be Thanks in part to enthusiastic community taking the time this summer to participate in an volunteers, Relay for Life has been the biggest event, have sponsored someone who is, or show fundraising event in Canada for over 15 years their support on behalf of someone you know and has raised over $28 million toward cancer and love. Regardless of the cause, I appreciate all research. Each year, more than 5,000 Relay For you do. Life events take place in over twenty countries. I would also like to take this moment to I am always thrilled to see activism in the encourage all residents to get involved in one of community, particularly when large groups of these great initiatives. It only takes a moment to youth volunteers come together in an initiative take the first step. to promote change, raise funds, and support research for issues such as these. The first step you take toward improving the lives of others is the most important. It is the Cancer is a disease that affects us all and it is first step toward creating a world free from through great initiatives such as these that we horrible diseases such as cancer. On behalf the may continue to study it and learn to treat community, I would like to thank you for your victims across Canada. efforts. Whether it be through the Relay for Life, the Thank you. Walk for Alzheimers, the Heart & Stroke -Shad Page 2 Keeping You Informed Stittsville Farmer’s Market Update I am happy to share that Village Square Park located at Abbott Street and Stittsville Main Street is in the process of acquiring a Farmer’s Market. The market will be operated by Ottawa Farmers’ Markets as they have expressed an interested in expanding their markets in the City and would work with local farmers and residents in the operation of a market in Stittsville. The idea of a Farmers’ Market in Stittsville has been raised in the past and there have been some markets in the past in the community. The suggestion of Village Square Park as a location came forward when the Ottawa Farmers’ Market approached me with the idea to operate a market in this location. I am very pleased with this proposal and look forward to market making its roots in Stittsville. The Market is planned to open toward the end of June with more details to be released in my electronic newsletter as they come. In the meantime, interested vendors are encouraged to visit http://ottawafarmersmarket.ca/about/become-a-vendor/ for more information on how to apply. Interested volunteers can also visit http://ottawafarmersmarket.ca/get-involve/ I would like to thank the Ottawa Farmer’s Market for looking at Stittsville to set up market and wish them the best of luck moving forward as I believe it is a great use of venue and results should be fruitful! For questions, please visit http://ottawafarmersmarket.ca/contact/ or contact: Steph Kittmer, Manager, Ottawa Farmers' Market Association, 613-698-8657, [email protected]. Keeping You Informed Page 3 Poole Creek Village Operations Update I have received notice that a commence work order has been issued for servicing in Poole Creek Village phase 2. Blasting operations will commence on Monday and are expected to last approximately 2 weeks. The blasting sub-contractor is completing their pre-blasting surveys and is informing the community as well. A full-size map plan of the blasting area relative to the existing community is attached here. More information will be made available as it is provided to my office. City Chat: Coyotes information Session with Dr. Nick Stow Over the last month, I have heard from several residents in different areas of the Stittsville community voicing concerns towards the presence of coyotes around their neighbourhoods. On June 12th, I invite you to join me along with Dr. Nick Stow from the City’s Planning, Infrastructure & Economic Development Department, at the Stittsville Public Library from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for a public information session. Dr. Stow will discuss; the character and importance of Coyotes in maintaining a healthy eco-system, what we can do to as residents to co-exist, along with a number of other important points to consider. After Dr. Stow’s presentation there will be an opportunity to voice any concerns or questions that you may have. As there is a limited capacity of 42 people in the Library’s Board room I ask that you kindly RSVP by 8th June should wish to attend the session. It will be on a first come first serve basis. Page 4 Keeping You Informed Stittsville Sanitary Sewer Cleaning Schedule With warmer weather upon us, the City of Ottawa is proceeding to clean out Sanitary Sewers across communities. Upon my office request I have been provided a list of Stittsville streets scheduled for cleaning next week June 5-9 which you can find attached here. In case of backflow, affected households should be cognizant to ensure that toilet lids are kept closed during this time. For more information related to the wastewater collection system and system cleaning, please visit http://ottawa.ca/en/residents/water-and-environment/wastewater-and-sewers/wastewater- collection-and-treatment As more updates come regarding the rest of Stittsville, I will be certain to include them in my upcoming weekly electronic newsletters. Wild Parsnip The 2017 Wild Parsnip Program has now begun. Similar to last year, the goal is to reduce the growth of wild parsnip in areas that are highly infested while ensuring that environmentally sensitive areas and public safety are not adversely impacted. Wild Parsnip is an invasive plant that is increasingly common within the City of Ottawa in areas of uncultivated land, roadside ditches, nature trails, as well as on and surrounding rural and residential properties. Wild Parsnip may pose a health risk to humans. The plant sap contains chemicals that may cause skin and eye irritation and make the skin prone to burning and blistering when exposed to the sun. The blisters typically occur one to two days after contact with the plant. This can result in long-term scarring of the skin. The best way to avoid contact with Wild Parsnip is to become familiar with what the plant looks like so you do not accidently come in contact with the plant. Keeping You Informed Page 5 The program will use Clearview Herbicide (PCP #29752, containing aminopyralid and metsulfuron- methyl) and Truvist (PCP #30920, containing aminocyclopyrachlor and chlorsulfuron) under the Pest Control Products Act (Canada). For more information on the city’s wild parsnip strategy, please visit http://ottawa.ca/en/residents/water-and-environment/plants-and-animals/invasive-species#wild- parsnip or contact 3-1-1. Kanata LRT Extension EA Study Open House I would like to advise residents that an Open House regarding the Kanata Light Rail Transit (LRT) Environmental Assessment (EA) Study will be held on Monday June 5th. The Open House will take place from 5:30- 8:30 PM, with a presentation at 6:30PM at the Kanata Recreation Complex, Hall A (100 Charlie Rogers Way). An EA is conducted prior to all large projects within the City of Ottawa to ensure that the area being built or developed on will not be negatively impacted by the construction. This future extension of the LRT will connect from the Western Moodie Extension and will travel north of Highway 417 in Kanata and then will end at the Canadian Tire Centre in Stittsville. While the majority of this route will be located in Kanata it is important to note it will bring benefits to Stittsville and also the surrounding communities of West Carlton and Rideau-Goulbourn. The west-end Councillors have been working together on ensuring that the project timelines can be pushed forward to provide an increased level of transit service that is desperately needed to service Stittsville and our neighboring communities. I would like to invite all residents to join the discussion regarding this phase of the LRT extension further into the west-end including Stittsville. For more information on this EA please visit here. Page 6 Keeping You Informed Tim Hortons Camp Day This week, I had the privilege of volunteering for the Tim Hortons Camp Day. This is an excellent initiative in which every coffee purchase goes toward supporting children from low income families to attend a Tim Hortons Camp. I would like to thank all residents who took the time to come out and support this great cause and for all of the hard workers at Tim Hortons for helping to contribute to the day’s success. AccessAbility Day This week, I had the pleasure of attending the City of Ottawa’s 14th annual AccessAbility Day. AccessAbility day is an accessible initiatives showcase hosted each year by the City. The day’s celebrations focused on employment and were co-sponsored by the United Way's Employment Accessibility Resource Network (EARN).