From Barrhaven Councillor Jan Harder

We are here to share and help during this lockdown

By Councillor Jan Harder

It’s glorious outside. That’s one thing to be thankful about. Another is certainly that the number of vaccines coming to Ottawa is increasing and many people I love and know have appointments.  How do you think you and your family will do with the month-long lockdown this time?  I don’t know. That’s a fact. I just don’t know. I read a letter to the editor from a Nana saying “little did I know I could have seen my children and grandchildren just by going to IKEA!  They cannot come to my house and I can’t go to theirs, but I can meet them at IKEA (insert a store name…your choice).  Is this how you feel?  Hang in there folks and if you can think of anything to fill your time please let me know. We are here to share and help as we can. 

Find out what is happening in your Barrhaven & City of Ottawa communities through my weekly email blast. To sign up for my email blast please email mark.bouwman@ottawa.ca.

In need of more community promotion? Send an email with what you would like to get promoted and see it in my email blast!

Barrhaven Traffic Update

Road Close Authorization for Jockvale Road from Greenbank Road to Longfields Drive.

The road will be closed:

• Thursday, April 29th, 2021 at 7:00pm until Friday, April 30th, 2021 at 6:00am

Aecon Construction Ontario East Limited will be performing work on the watermain and completing a watermain connection.

Walter Baker Swimming Pool Update

The pools are shutdown to July with anticipation of an extension to Sept. 1st. The Main and Dive pool has a major filtration issue with the “laterals” inside the filter. One of these laterals have broke and will start to see sand flowing entering the pools.

As it stands, City staff have found the filter with broken laterals for the main. The main is now empty and sand is on order so that the filtration system will be back on track.

Dynamic Dads – Being an emotionally healthy father and promoting your kid’s mental health

As part of our April Conversations at The Royal, presented by TD, Dr. Raj Bhatla, chief of staff at The Royal, as well as some special guests, will share how an emotionally healthy father can greatly improve their partner’s mental health and that of their kids. Join us on April 22nd at 7 pm. Special guests include: Mark Borowiecki, Dr. Raj Bhaltla & Ian Mendes. Visit www.theroyal.ca for more information.

Cleaning up the Capital now on pause

Cleaning the Capital’s spring campaign is underway, with 675 projects registered. Our sincere thanks go out to the thousands of incredible volunteer participants who, like every year, take the initiative to help keep our city clean and green with the support of our staff and valued sponsors.

In keeping with the Ontario-wide shutdown effective Saturday, April 3 at 12:01 am, and in line with recommended public health measures and safety guidance, the City is pressing “pause” on the spring Cleaning the Capital campaign until further notice.

Registration remains open until May 15; however, registrants who have already received clean-up kits are asked to hold off on scheduling clean-ups until public health guidance indicates it’s safe to do so. Further, clean-up kits will not be made available for pick-up until City facilities are able to safely accommodate their distribution.

Barrhaven Business Improvement Area (BBIA)

Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) – Premier Ford mentioned that paid sick leave is available via the Federal CRSB benefit. The Ontario Government supports unpaid sick leave for COVID related issues. For sick leave benefits, employees can apply here: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/recovery-sickness-benefit.html

Hydro Ottawa Support Available

For residents who are on a low income and struggling to pay their hydro bills, there is support available through the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP).
Eligible residents receive a monthly credit on their hydro bill, but they must apply to receive this credit. NROCRC is providing OESP application support to anyone within the city Ottawa.

Relay For Life Committee at the Ottawa Carleton Virtual Secondary School Message

OCDSB schools are making a difference for Canadians living with cancer by hosting a Relay For Life event in support of the Canadian Cancer Society.

Relay For Life is a community based fundraising event run by many schools that raises money to fund game-changing research in all cancers. On May 28th, our team will be hosting a Relay For Life event with several schools across the Ottawa Carleton District School Board from 2-4pm. Relay For Life is important to us because we want to fund Canada’s most promising and ground-breaking research against all cancers, as well as make a difference in our community. Our event is helping those living with cancer get to life-saving treatment appointments and providing access to other key support programs.

We are asking you for any kind donations to support our event. Your donation and support will go a long way to help us to achieve our fundraising goal of $10,000 to the Canadian Cancer Society. We would appreciate any sort of donation, for example, gift cards or items as could be given away as incentives to attend our event.  With your help, we can make this goal a reality, as we work together to create a world where no Canadian fears cancer. Message Kelly Pham at kpham1@ocdsb.ca for more information.

Street Sweeping Operations to Begin

It is the time of year when our Roads and Parking Services team is focused on cleaning our communities and making them as safe as possible for those summer commutes, cycling trips and leisurely walks. Our street sweeping operations are an important part of this clean-up work.

Street sweeping operations begin in early spring when most of the snow has melted from the edge of the roadways. We cannot sweep in the evenings when temperatures drop below zero as the water we use on the road can form into ice, creating dangerous conditions. If there is a winter weather event, operations will be stopped as our teams respond to the conditions – to clear and treat the roads.

Phase Two opens vaccination to age 60 and above

Ontario is moving into Phase Two of the COVID-19 vaccination plan. As the first step in the Phase Two plan, all Ottawa residents age 60 and over (born in or before 1961) can begin booking appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at community clinics today.

Visit Ontario.ca/bookvaccine to access the provincial booking system or call the provincial vaccine booking line at 1-833-943-3900 between 8 am and 8 pm, seven days a week. Only book or call if you are eligible.

The City will be adding additional bookings up until April 30, 2021. More vaccination appointments will be available after this date once vaccine deliveries are confirmed.

Appointments will be available at four community vaccination clinics:

• Nepean Sportsplex
• Ruddy Family YMCA-YWCA
• Eva James Memorial Community Centre
• Ottawa City Hall

The City’s Transportation Committee approved a new strategy to better meet residents’ bike parking needs.

The Public Bike Parking Strategy would provide the tools and framework to increase the availability of bike parking that meets the needs of the community, while supporting the growth of cycling in Ottawa and the City’s transportation goals. The strategy would ensure that Ottawa’s bike parking facilities are accessible, convenient, and accommodate all types of cyclists. Bike parking supply would be optimized by using data to inform planning, implementation and maintenance, and a Public Bike Parking Program would be created to coordinate administration and implementation.

After reviewing options for bike share programs concurrent with the development of the strategy, the City would not proceed with a bike share program at this time.

Help During Self Isolation

Do you need help during self-isolation? Call 2-1-1 for information on resources from the Community and Social Services Line.

Do you need a space to self-isolate safely?

The Voluntary Isolation Centre (VIC) is for people who do not have access to an adequate shelter or cannot self-isolate safely in their own homes. To find out more or to apply please call 613-580-2424 ext. 25890 or email OPHisolationcentre@ottawa.ca.

Here are some resources that might help:

• Access to food: goodfoodottawa.ca
• Access to mental wellness support: counsellingconnect.org
• Supports for seniors & adults with a disability: communitysupport.covidresponse.ca
• Delivery of food & supplies – Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre: 613-591-3686
• CRB- Canada Recovery Benefits information & support – Service in English & Arabic: Email hanadi.alashi@occsc.org or fidaa.osman@occsc.org