Thursday 17 June 2010 at the Civic Center, Salon A, Landsdowne Park at 19:30 (doors open at 19:00)
The City is not holding any public meetings to discuss the future of Landsdowne Park before the Councillors vote 0n 28 June. This consortia of community associations and the Friends of Landsdowne Park are. Come and hear a panel discuss the plans and issues and voice your opinions. For more information see the website www.letsgetitright.ca
On 8 June 2010 Pam and Orrin Clayton, Carole Moult and Chris Mark represented the RPCA Board of Directors at the sod turning for the new Wellspring house at the corner of Alta Vista and Caledon Aves. Over 150 dignitaries and guests 
also attended. Wellspring Ottawa programs will provide those living with cancer a variety of unique mechanisms for coping with the diagnosis the disease and its effects on patients and their families.
By Chris Mark, Secretary of Parks, Recreation and Environment, Riverview Park Community Association“Many hands make light work” came true on May 7 when once again families and staff from Blair Court Community joined with the Riverview Park Community Association to make Coronation Park a more inviting place to play.
More than 30 enthusiastic children and their moms teamed up to see who could collect the most garbage. Kristi Donnelly, Director and her staff, Nancy Manuel and Nicole McKenzie, worked with the children from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. scouring the playground and to woods for candy wrappers, cans and other debris left lying around from over the winter leaving the park ready for a summer of fun.
After a job well done, with many garbage bags filled, all of the participants enjoyed their slices of pizza and a variety of cold drinks supplied by the Riverview Park Community Association. Numerous children commented that they had helped in the years before and really liked having their park cleaned up for the spring.
This annual park clean up over the years has resulted in hundreds of children of all ages assisting the RPCA as part of the Community Association’s Adopt-a-Park Program. Probably one of the most popular locations in Riverview Park, Coronation Park has now been made ready for another year of fun. Congratulations to everyone who came out to help and for working together so well to help our community.
Due to our great spring weather and thanks to the efforts of the Parks, Buildings and Grounds Maintenance crews, the City of Ottawa sports fields will open on Friday, May 7 at 16:00
Peter Hume March 3, 2010
Councillor
City of Ottawa
Dear Peter
The City of Ottawa needs to take action about the increasing population of crows in our community for the following reasons:
1) The crows are a menace to the health of our community because of the voluminous bird droppings on our properties, streets and parks. In addition the ever increasing numbers of crows provides increased chance of transmission of avian flu in our area.
2) The crows are destroying property as they are pecking gravel off roof shingles, droppings are damaging paint on houses and cars and spreading of garbage.
3) The ceaseless cawing of crows is a noise that is a constant irritant though out the day, and particularly in the early morning hours. It is intolerable.
4) Occupants of two homes in our immediate neighbourhood continue to put out food for the crows in their yards and nearby Coronation Park which encourages crows into our area. Houses close to the park and these homes have guano problems.
5) Crows have scared away nearly all the song birds.
6) Air ambulance helicopters have problems flying to the Ottawa General Hospital because of the crow population in their area.
Understanding that crows are a protected species because they are migratory could this problem be brought to the attention of the responsible provincial and federal ministries which could change the regulations so that culling of the crow population could be allowed? Perhaps other municipalities which have the same problem with crows could also lobby the powers so effective action can be taken.
In the meantime could the City fire and police departments become involved by noise and water hosing of the areas where the crows roost. Also those residents feeding crows should be advised by the City that they are causing a problem. It appears that Chatham Ontario took such action.
Orrin Clayton
Riverview Park resident
For more information see……
The RPCA and the 710 Coronation working group (CPWG) met with Councillor Hume, OC Transpo and City officials on 4 February 2010 to discuss the proposed expansion of the bus garage on Industrial. We were very disappointed to learn that the expansion is a fait accompli and that our only option now is to identify mitigation measures to limit the impact on our community.
To that end, the RPCA and the CPWG have agreed to work collaboratively with the City to ensure that the City satisfactorily mitigates the potential adverse effects of the facility on the residents of Riverview Park. The next step will be for the City staff to prepare a workplan to address the three main areas of concern: noise pollution, air pollution, and traffic congestion.
Once we have all reached agreement on the workplan, the City has agreed to prepare a Commitment Letter, requiring the City to execute the workplan, including baseline measurements, impact measurements and mitigation implementation, using already approved funding.
Only once the baseline measurements have been taken (after the facility is at full operation) will we know whether the effects of the bus garage exceed pre-defined standards. At that point we be in a position to discuss which mitigation measures are necessary and in which priority order.
The RPCA looks forward to working in collaboration with all our residents, the CPWG and our Councillor on this next step. Updates will be posted on this website. Attached you can read the letter sent by the RPCA following the meeting.
http://rpca.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/letter-re-bus-garage-meeting-5-feb-20101.pdf
Riverview Park Community Association Meeting on the Proposed Expansion of the OC Transpo Bus Garage, January 27, 2010
Overall the meeting was a success, even though our elected officials, the City and OC Transpo all were unable to attend. Over 60 Riverview Park residents attended and shared their views and ideas on how to mitigate the impact of the bus garage. Several were interviewed by CTV and EMC.
The community residents indicated that:
a) They are very upset about this industrial growth next to our community and the lack of consultation with the broader community. All voiced many concerns about noise, pollution and congestion
b) They were appalled that no representatives for OC Transpo and the City were present
Next steps: The residents requested that
a) The RCPA insist that the abandoned Rail Corridor be used as a dedicated route for both the entrance and exit of all buses using the garage and/or parking lots. This would move the buses off Industrial and away from our community.
b) The RPCA push to have OC Transpo store the extra 80 buses elsewhere. Suggestions included the OC Transpo lot by St Laurent or near Hurdman on the old dump site.
c) The RPCA insist that additional dense landscaping be installed (evergreen) all along Coronation
d) The RPCA insist that the wall be replaced
e) The RPCA continue to contact businesses along Industrial to inform them of this project and also to understand their position on this issue. Carole Moult has already spoken with Metro and the Post Office and will visit other businesses this week.
f) The RPCA gather data on the current levels of usage of Industrial (i.e. trucks, post office vans etc) in order to assess the capacity of the street infrastructure to handle this extra load.
Many were shocked to discover that there is no covered storage for the buses and all the buses will be stored outside. One of the parking lots (with the 150 buses) will have plug-ins for the buses but they will still require some idling time to warm up. The proposed extra parking for the 80 buses would not have any plug-ins and so they would require up to 30 minutes idling to warm up during inclement weather.
Follow up:
Many residents requested contact information so that they could write to the City and OC Transpo. The RCPA provided them with a contact list.
The RPCA will be sending out the minutes of the meeting to all who attended and will post them on our website.
Finally, Councillor Hume is holding a small roundtable meeting of stakeholders next Thursday (Feb 4, 2010) at 8:00 at OC Transpo HQ to discuss ways of mitigating the situation with the Bus Garage. RPCA President Karin Keyes Endemann and board members Kris Nanda, Chris Mark and Carole Moult will attend on behalf of the community. Other invited attendees include Paul Hussar, Project Manager from the City and OC Transpo representatives. We have suggested to Councillor Hume’s office that a representative from the Cumberland Transit Study Team also be invited. The RPCA will be preparing documentation/evidence etc. in advance of the meeting on Feb 4, 2010.
Contact Karin Keyes Endemann or Kris Nanda if you can help or want more information.
Please see our website for more information www.riverviewpark.ca
The City and OC Transpo are proposing to expand the bus garage on Industrial Ave. by an additional 80 buses. This means ……
562 additional bus trips every day on Industrial Avenue
240 buses stored: 60% increase over the original figure (150 in 2008)
281 articulated buses on Industrial Ave. every 24 hours
200 articulated buses will make left turns across traffic on Industrial
153 buses exiting the facility between 6:00 and 9:00 and 104 buses entering the facility between 19:00 and 21:00
Each bus idling 20 minutes as warm up (winter)
This proposal limits the options for the proposed Cumberland/Hospital Link Transitway Connection as it encroaches on an abandoned railway corridor which has been identified as a potential route
We need to your help to mitigate the impact this will have on our peace and quiet – and on our housing prices
Voice your concerns: 27 January 2010 Riverview Park School 19:00
Read the full letter sent by the RPCA to the Mayor and Councillor on behalf of our residents on 18 January 2010 …..
http://rpca.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/letter-from-rpca-president-re-bus-garage-18-jan-2010.pdf
Books for Blooms: Used books would be greatly appreciated for our used book sale on June 26 & 27. Drop off February 6 & March 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please no encyclopedias, magazines, text books, or condensed books. East exit off the Prince of Wales traffic circle, white and green building.
Winter Propagation Workshop, February 23, 7 to 9 p.m. Building 72, Arboretum, Central Experimental Farm. Hands on, learn to take and care for winter cuttings and how to start trees, shrubs and perennials from seed. Cost $15. Information/register 613-230-3276, info@friendsofthefarm.ca, www.friendsofthefarm.ca
The Ontario Early Years Centre Ottawa South is a place where parents and caregivers can get answers to questions, information about programs and services which are available for young children and have an opportunity to talk to early years professionals as well as other parents and caregivers in the community. The OEYC Ottawa South offers a range of free services in English and in French, these include ……
With the enthusiastic support of the Riverview Park Community Association, the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind and the City of Ottawa we now have a Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind brick patio in Balena Park. It is located at the site of the Ellen Lanthier Memorial Bench and garden in Balena Park. As a result, you now have the opportunity to celebrate and commemorate the life of your best animal friend— your pet ! You can do this and at the same time support the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind by purchasing a brick destined to become part of the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind patio in Balena Park. Your brick will be engraved with the inscription of your choice and placed in the pet memorial patio in Balena Park. More information is attached….
