KANATA NORTH NEWS Marianne Wilkinson Councillor, Kanata North TRANSIT AND TRANSPORTATION PLAN
This week city staff released the results of the public consultation on the Transportation Master Plan along with much more information on costs and benefits of various transit route options and their recommendations for the first phase of development of both rail and bus transitways. They have also reduced the number of roads that can be funded during the next 5 years (Terry Fox, Goulbourn Forced Road, Kanata Ave and Campeau remain). Their recommendations will be debated at a joint Transportation/Transit Committee meeting on Nov. 19 at City Hall. If you wish to make a 5 minute presentation to the committee, register with Rosemary Nelson (613) 580-2424, ext. 21624, Rosemary.Nelson@ottawa.ca. Staff have responded positively to the public which overwhelmingly supported developing light rail in an east-west direction before going south. Their financial evaluation also supports this. They are recommending that we start with the downtown tunnel with rail running from Blair to Tunneys Pasture and a rail yard near the Ottawa railway station. The next part would include extension to the west to the station at Baseline and south to Greenboro. The third part adds bus transitways to Scotiabank Place and along Innes in Orleans. The timing and extent of development for each part would depend on obtaining two thirds of the cost from the federal and provincial governments. Extending rail through the Greenbelt in any direction (including south) would follow later once a series of conditions are met, including density, ridership and funding availability. This plan is a great improvement on the east-south plan touted by some Councillors and staff earlier this fall. It deals with the biggest problem in the system, which is severe congestion of buses in the downtown core, so that we will eventually have an integrated system including a rail line to Kanata. In the meantime, completion of missing sections of the transitway and an extension to Scotiabank Place will provide a much better system for getting to and from Kanata. Some of my colleagues are not satisfied and want more for their particular part of the City. That is a very shortsighted view, as those Councillors would not be looking at what is best for the city as a whole. It is essential that we take a holistic view of our transit system rather than being parochial so Im prepared to accept this first step in modernizing our transit system.
CITY OFFICIAL PLAN
Changes to the Citys Official Plan, which controls the types of development in the City, will be debated on Nov. 24 at City Hall at the Citys Planning Committee,
starting at 9:30 am. If you have any issue to address you can make a 5-minute presentation to the committee.
WARD COUNCIL ALERT
Mark your calendar on Nov. 24 at 7 pm for the next Kanata North Ward Council which will feature discussion on many of the municipal issues presently under debate as well as a presentation by Tega on their proposed development between All Saints High School and the homes on Stikine with access to Kanata Ave.
BUDGET MEETINGS
We have held local budget meetings in Kanata but it is not too late to send in your views to city staff and myself. There is a feedback form on the city website (click on budget on the right side of the main page) or you can address all of Council, sitting as Committee of the Whole, who will hear from the public on Dec. 1, 2 and possibly 3 at City Hall. Meetings start at 10 am and go into the evening. Each person/group is allowed 5 minutes. To register and get an update on the meetings call 613-580-2424 ext. 12487. Please send a copy of your presentation to BudgetDelegations@ottawa.ca and it will be distributed to all Council members.
KANATA ART CLUB GIFT OF ART SHOW
Support your community by attend the annual Art Club show and sale at the Mlacak Centre on Nov. 22-23. The show runs from 10-5 each day and there is no admission charge.
COMING EVENTS:
Nov 19 9:30 am onward, Committee Recommendation on the first stage of transit, Council Chambers, City Hall Nov 22-23 10-5 pm, Kanata Gift of Art Show and Sale, Mlacak Centre Nov 24 7 pm, Ward Council, Program Room, Seniors Centre, Mlacak Centre Nov 24 9:30 am, City Planning Committee debates the Official Plan, Champlain Room, City Hall
Serving the residents and businesses in Kanata North
To receive the Kanata North Newsletter, to deal with a concern or make a suggestion contact me at 613-580-2474, email Marianne.Wilkinson@ottawa.ca or through www.mariannewilkinson.com.
