Weekly newsletter: August 27, 2024

Hi everyone!

Last week, I got to drive a tractor and plough a short section of a farmer’s field as part of a ploughing competition. I don’t know how I did, but the person accompanying me said it was “very good for a first timer.” At least I didn’t fall off the tractor.

I also visited a community run wellness clinic at the Ambleside apartments in Bay Ward. The initiative brings together local health care providers, corporate sponsors, and the paramedic service to provide a monthly clinic available to residents.

It’s a great example of the community care model I’m working on with provincial partners to bring to Barrhaven, as it brings services closer to residents, diverts visits from the hospital, and makes health care more accessible.

We are a community of 105,000, after all!

Labour Day reminder

Friendly reminder next Monday is Labour Day. Many city services including transit, recreation, libraries, and client services will operate on modified schedules or be closed.

Next week’s garbage, blue, and green bin will be delayed by one day to Wednesday in Barrhaven East. Readers from outside Barrhaven East should check their collection calendars.

Back to school

Students at the two French school boards return from summer vacation today!

Please take care in school zones and be safe and responsible when using and crossing streets, as there may be more chaos than usual as parents, students, and school staff adjust to a new routine.

School zone speed limits will once again be enforced starting September 1. Between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm until June 30, it’s 40 km/h in school zones.

Lastly, Ottawa Public Health is encouraging families to help prevent the spread of illnesses and get up to date on vaccines as children go back to school↗.

Quelques parents vont rire, d'autres vont pleurer. Bon retour!

Waste containers in parks

Improvements to waste collection at parks are coming over the next few years.

Waste in parks has been a common topic of discussion in resident emails and conversations over the last year, particularly the inadequate (and sometimes unsightly) containers currently used plus the lack of recycling, composting, and pet waste options.

Some of those emails also express frustration at the availability of the large three-stream bins at Greenpointe, Ken Ross, and Water Dragon parks, while the barrels and small bins overflow on a weekly basis elsewhere in the ward.

The existing three-stream bins at Greenpointe and Ken Ross parks were installed in 2017 as part of a diversion in parks pilot programme. One more park per ward was added in 2024—Water Dragon Park in our ward’s case.

As a pilot, funding and staffing were siloed, and just two or three city crews were given to service the three-stream bins citywide. That’s why despite many requests to add the bins to more parks, the programme did not expand. It’s not an efficient use of resources, but the pilot was unexpectedly extended because of the pandemic.

Earlier this year, City Council approved the new Solid Waste Master Plan↗, which among other things, addresses the landfill nearing capacity and future garbage processing options (which I wrote about back in March) and waste diversion in public spaces.

A broad waste diversion programme at city parks and public spaces will replace the pilot, with an expected implementation timeline of 2025-28, depending on yearly budget approvals.

Part of the plan includes a review of the types, size, and appearance of the receptacles used by the city to collect waste at parks. The review looks at the serviceability, usability, and consistency of the containers across the city, as many residents, staff, and I are aware existing bins are either too small and fragile or unsightly and a magnet for pests.

However, the review also means new initiatives are paused. Earlier this year, I wanted to use some of the ward’s discretionary parks funds to install large in-ground bins at Cresthaven and Stonecrest parks, but it was denied until after the review is complete. It’s likely I’ll wait for the results of the review before reviving the idea (in case the new bins are better than what I have in mind).

Additionally, cities in Ontario are transitioning to a new provincially mandated recycling programme, which shifts the responsibility and costs of recycling to producers. One by-product is it takes away a lot of local decision-making abilities (including blue and black box design, which is another popular topic). Staff are engaging with the provincial government to determine how the transition will affect programmes in public spaces.

Regardless, there are several things moving behind the scenes to get us to a better place in terms of waste collection overall in our parks and public spaces. New diversion options will help the city get closer to its diversion rate goals, while better containers will help keep our parks looking better.

I’m just hoping for something for pet waste, to be honest, so we can reduce the number of, uh…Christmas ornaments in the community.

Updates will be shared regularly over the next few years as other action suites in the Solid Waste Master Plan are discussed, voted on, and implemented. Stay tuned!

Have a great week!

-Wilson