CORRECTION: Please note that the Information Session for the George Street Plaza Development was previously announced in error. This information session will not be held on March 24, 2016. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
The National Capital Commission’s Plan for the Canada’s Capital
On February 23rd, 2016, Planning Committee welcomed Steve Willis from the National Capital Commission(NCC) to present to the committee members and guest Councillors on the NCC’s vision for the next iteration of the Plan for Canada’s Capital. It was a very well received presentation and it is my hope that all Councillors will submit their big ideas to the City, as requested by Mr. Willis, so that they can be formally submitted to the NCC for consideration for inclusion in the plan. The NCC will then issue a draft plan in April/May that will invite more community feedback. Stay tuned for more updates from the NCC. I have already invited Mr. Willis to present the draft to Planning Committee when he is ready.
outline the vision for the use of federal lands, buildings, parks, transportation facilities and symbolic spaces in the Capital
ensure that the Capital continues to be nationally significant and supportive of federal institutions and
identify the strategic principles and key projects in the Capital that will reflect our growth as a nation, build a lasting legacy for future generations, and serve as a platform for Canada’s influence in the world.
The plan will lay out a long-term vision for the future of the Capital, as well as three main themes that will guide its development.
Please visit the NCC’s website for more details on the plan.
– Jan Harder
Councillor and Chair of Planning Committee
Announcing Registration: Planning Primer Elective – Planning for Healthy Communities
This new elective will provide the background and legislative context for planning healthy communities in Ottawa, and will discuss the built environment, its health issues and mitigating solutions.
Please register. Seating is limited to 45 residents per session. A minimum of 10 participants must be registered for each course to occur.
Course dates:
April 2 or 4, 2016 – Course offered in English
City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West
Festival Control Room, First Floor
9:00 a.m. to noon
May 9, 2016 – Course offered in French
City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West
Billings Boardroom, Second Floor
9:00 a.m. to noon
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Ben Franklin Place
101 Centrepointe Drive
6 to 7 p.m. Citizen science displays
7 to 8 p.m. Presentations
Citizen science has become an increasingly popular and important method of scientific investigation. Propelled by new technologies, especially social media, it allows researchers to collect and analyze scientific data at scales and in volumes that were never before feasible or affordable. From the analysis of ocean sounds to the tracking of butterfly migration, from global change to backyard bio-blitzes, citizen science is drawing ordinary people into some of the most important and transformative research of the 21 Century.
Dr. Jeremy Kerr from the University of Ottawa is a co-founder of Bumblebeewatch.org and a pioneer in citizen science. He will discuss his experiences and how the public can become involved in ongoing research programs. Dr. Kerr is an engaging speaker, whose work and research has been featured in the journals Science and Nature, CBC’s Quirks and Quarks, The National, and the Rick Mercer Report.
Andy Kenney is a Senior Lecturer Emeritus from the University of Toronto. He will present a new community-based approach to urban forest stewardship: the Neighbourwoods Program. The basis of the program is a comprehensive inventory approach that can be carried out by volunteers to inform the development of a neighbourhood stewardship strategy.
The event will include displays by organizations active in citizen science in Ottawa. Participants will learn how they can get involved in a wide range of exciting projects.
Making a presentation at Planning Committee or Agricultural and Rural Affairs Commitee
Any individual or group is welcome to make a presentation at Planning Committee or at Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee. Presentations are made in the same order of the items or applications as they appear on the meeting agenda for that particular session. However, the Committees do have the flexibility to change the order of the items.
If you would like to make a presentation or a statement to the Committee, fill out a form that is available on a table at the entrance of the meeting room. These forms are collected by the Committee Coordinator, just prior to the start of the meeting, and delivered to the Chair of the Committee. When the item you have asked to speak about comes up on the agenda, the Committee Chair will call your name and ask you to come forward and make your presentation or comments. If you arrive after the start of a meeting, you can still fill in a “request to speak” form and have it taken to the Committee Coordinator.
Presentations are limited to five minutes. This is about one typewritten page of material. Sometimes larger groups of people attend a meeting because of concern about a particular application. Designating one or a few people to represent the group and to make a presentation is often the most efficient way of informing the Committee of your group’s position on a particular application. If more than one presents, they should each cover different points and not repeat each other.
Bruce Timmermans Cycling Award
Do you know an individual or cycling organization that has made an outstanding contribution in the encouragement of cycling in 2015?
Bruce Timmermans was a long-time cycling educator and advocate , an active member of the Ottawa Bicycle Club and a founding member of Citizens for Safe Cycling. Bruce worked tirelessly to promote cycling and safety for cyclists. His legacy lives on through the awards program created by the City of Ottawa to recognize individuals and organizations committed to cycling in our community.
Get involved at an upcoming event
Beechwood Complete Street Open House
March 9, 2016
4 to 8 p.m.
Chartwell New Edinburgh Square Retirement Residence
420 MacKay Street
This new elective will provide the background and legislative context for planning healthy communities in Ottawa, and will discuss the built environment, its health issues and mitigating solutions.
