Weekly newsletter: August 4, 2026
Hi everyone!
It’s the first week of August, and summer is half over! I hope you were able to enjoy the long weekend. My son started crawling forwards (he was previously able to crawl backwards only), so I spent most of the weekend following him around the house slowly. Fun times ahead!
To comply with the Elections-Related Resources Policy and the Municipal Elections Act, this will be our last newsletter until after the municipal election in October.
Police station update
Progressing well towards a spring 2027 completion and opening.
Last week, the Ottawa Police Service provided me with an update and short tour of the upcoming south district headquarters at 3505 Prince of Wales Drive, south of Strandherd.
Construction has progressed well after initial foundation-related delays were resolved in 2024. The main structure is complete and fully enclosed, and substantive construction activities have moved to the interior.
All walls have been framed, some on the lower levels have even been painted. Flooring and millwork have started in most of the building, while some of the building’s systems have begun testing. Outside, the exterior building cladding is nearing completion, while landscaping works are expected to begin soon.
The remainder of 2026 will focus mostly on completing the interior, life safety systems, and other finishing works, like fixtures, doors, painting, and more. Exterior works like landscaping, paving, and the remainder of the cladding is also expected to be complete by the end of the year.
Staff, equipment, and services will begin the relocation process in the new year, with an anticipated operational date of April 30, 2027. There are early discussions for an open house or something after the facility opens.
We are at an exciting stage of a project that’s been almost 15 years in the making. During the tour, the OPS project team also shared their appreciation to their future neighbours and the wider community for their patience as construction progressed.
Residents with questions and concerns about construction or who’d like general information about the project may reach out to the project team at info@OttawaPolice.ca.
The next major update is anticipated for the autumn.
Bite-sized updates
Sorted alphabetically. New/updated items marked with asterisk (*).
Autumn recreation – Activities now available for viewing at Register.Ottawa.ca↗. Registration for aquatics activities on August 11 at 9:00 pm, for all other activities on August 13 at 9:00 pm.
*Beatrice/Queensbury (bus stop 3345) shelter – Concrete pad extension and shelter installation scheduled to begin the week of August 17.
Chapman Mills Conservation Area – This month, the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority will begin preliminary works for the rebuild of the boardwalk closest to the parking lot. No construction-related closures are expected. The works are part of a three-year renewal of the whole conservation area.
Claridge Drive – Minor resurfacing and sidewalk rebuild (both sides) between Strandherd and Oakfield scheduled to begin September 21.
*Clarke Bellinger storm ponds – Construction to decommission the structures around the stormwater ponds will begin in the autumn, as part of a project to convert the ponds into a passive facility. Notices will be distributed to households closest the site prior to works beginning. See Ottawa.ca/CBstormwater↗ for project details.
Clearbrook Drive – Neighbourhood traffic calming study initiated. See Ottawa.ca/ClearbrookDrive↗ for details, concept plan, and a link to the survey (deadline August 27, 11:00 pm).
*Development application, 3400 Woodroffe↗ – Minutes and supplementary information for April’s public information meeting were shared previously. The update anticipated for July has not been provided. The file will not proceed without an update.
*Earl Mulligan Drive – The contractor has been ordered to rebuild six of eight speed cushions at their expense after City inspectors found them to be deficient. Works should be complete this week (delayed from last week due to weather impacting the contractor’s other projects). The remainder of the project is complete. For more information about the project, see Ottawa.ca/EarlMulliganDrive↗.
*Fallowfield Road – Following a weather delay last week, overnight milling and paving is expected to be complete by midweek. Finishing works, including landscaping, line painting, and cleanup, should be completed by the end of the week.
Fieldgate/Grouse (north) – Works will begin late-September to replace the streetlight’s underground wiring and connect it to a new power source. The first 100 metres of Fieldgate (north leg) west of Wolfgang will also be resurfaced starting September 8.
Free summer transit for youth – Youths aged 11 to 18 can use OC Transpo for free↗ until August 31. A Presto card is still needed to enter fare gates and board buses. Please ensure the card is set to youth fare to take advantage of the free fares (youths with school-issued Presto cards can use those over the summer). Kids aged 10 and under still ride for free year-round.
*Highway 417 – The MTO has extended the closure of the Lyon Street westbound onramp until the end of the summer so “additional geotechnical investigations” can occur. The eastbound right lane from Parkdale to Rochester will be closed until the end of the summer for sound barrier replacement.
Household hazardous waste – The drop-off depot closest to Barrhaven is noted below. See Ottawa.ca/HHW↗ for instructions and depots scheduled for other dates and further away from Barrhaven. Many items, like light bulbs, spent batteries, old tires, paint, electronics, and more, can also be dropped off at retailers and other locations↗ throughout the year.
October 17, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm – Strandherd snow dump, 4061 Strandherd Drive↗ (enter via Dealership Drive)
*Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe – Closed until at least the end of the year due to damage and specialised repairs required following Canada Day floods. Ticket holders will be refunded. Contact the box office at 613-580-2700 or BilletterieTMTCPBoxoffice@ottawa.ca for details.
NCC Bike Days – The National Capital Commission’s weekend and holiday closures↗ of the Queen Elizabeth Driveway have resumed. Like previous years, the driveway will be closed to motorised traffic between Fifth Avenue and Somerset Street West weekends and holidays from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm until Thanksgiving. Similar closures also affect the Kichi Zībī Mīkan and the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway.
Ottawa Farmers’ Market (Barrhaven) – Every Sunday 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Nepean Woods Park and Ride. Autumn edition of the I ❤︎ Barrhaven Market (semi-annual joint market with the Barrhaven BIA and Locally Crafted Markets) scheduled for Sunday, September 20.
Riverside/Bank – As part of ongoing Bank Street construction, lane reductions on Riverside Drive at Bank are in effect until the end of the summer. Starting Monday, July 13, Riverside’s travel lanes will shift to the other half of the intersection with Bank Street. See Ottawa.ca↗ for more information.
*School buses – OSTA’s parent portal for the 2026 to 2027 school year opens August 18. Check eligibility, route details, and more at OttawaSchoolBus.ca↗. No information for the CTSO↗ (French school boards) was found.
*Transitway resurfacing – Resurfacing between Berrigan and Fallowfield is complete.
*Waste collection – Delayed by one day as Monday was the Civic Holiday. See Ottawa.ca/CollectionCalendar↗ for information specific to your address.
Enjoy the week ahead and the rest of your summer!
-Wilson