Weekly newsletter: July 7, 2026
Hello Barr-B-Q-Haven!
It’s July, and don’t we know it!
Fallowfield Road resurfacing
Project underway, but why this stretch of road?
Several residents have reached out by email wondering why Fallowfield between Greenbank and the railway was prioritised over others in the ward and across the City.
Fair question! Fallowfield Road is still fairly smooth, but despite that relatively smooth feel, it has been worn down by 20 years sun exposure, traffic, and water. In fact, this is the first major roadwork in this section of Fallowfield since it was widened in 2006.
Sun exposure causes the finer binding layer that holds larger particles together (and what makes new asphalt black) to dry out and become brittle, making it easier for traffic to “sweep” the material away, effectively thinning the road surface.
As the asphalt loses its depth, vehicle weights are spread less evenly and fatigue cracks develop, leading to potholes and other damage, also exposing the roadbed to more water infiltration and possible erosion.
Damage, both superficial and structural, is most obvious where vehicles stop and start the most, such as traffic signals and bus stops, or where there are intrusions like manholes, catch basins, and previous damage.
There being so few signals, and the fact the road is straight, is partly why that asphalt has lasted as long as it has, and why the wear and tear is less obvious than around Woodroffe/Strandherd or Fallowfield up to 600 metres east of Woodroffe.
Speaking of Fallowfield east of Woodroffe, staff have a major culvert renewal planned for that location in the next year or two and will either bundle or coordinate road resurfacing. Other locations on staff’s radar include Woodroffe between Claridge-Stoneway and Strandherd, Strandherd between the Metro plaza and Crestway, and Strandherd between Greenbank and Longfields.
The current work on Fallowfield is a thin mill and overlay, a grade below full resurfacing. It prolongs the road surface’s life to keep more water out and slow down deterioration without the cost and work of a full-scale resurfacing. It also restores the binding particles and removes the cracks and potholes that have formed since 2006.
Some residents (and I) have also asked about collector and residential streets like Bren-Maur and Rideaucrest. While those street types also have a process to determine need and rank for resurfacing, more of the road budget goes to arterial roads due to their higher use. I don’t completely disagree with that reason, but I also think collectors deserve more care. City staff received direction from Council recently to re-evaluate that process.
On Fallowfield, crews will be completing catch basin, curb, and sidewalk repairs (including required accessibility upgrades) this week before shifting to milling and paving next week. That work will be completed overnight to reduce traffic impact. Works are expected to be completed by the end of the month.
Flood waste disposal
Compilation of information and updates since Thursday.
(IMPORTANT: Households submitting insurance claims should confirm those arrangements first, as some insurance providers have included driveway dumpsters as part of a claim. Residents are encouraged to document all flood damage, even if there is no insurance claim.)
Although the worst impacts from the heavy rainfall on Canada Day spared Barrhaven East, 12 households across the ward have reported flooded basements.
For any residents who have not yet done so, please report basement flooding to 3-1-1 by phone or webform↗. City staff will inspect nearby underground infrastructure for anything the City may need to correct and to provide further guidance.
Impacted households are entitled to special privileges for related waste disposal, but those items will be collected on a separate cycle as to not overload the regular service (truck capacity is a consideration in route planning).
Flood-related waste is not subject to the three-item limit and impacted households will be permitted up to two household bins of construction waste (eg. drywall, treated wood, insulation, etc.).
After placing flood-related waste items at the curb, call 3-1-1 to request service. Crews will attend only households that have reported basement flooding.
Additional construction waste will need to be brought to the Trail Road Landfill↗. Disposal fees (formally the tipping fee) will be waived for impacted households — please bring proof of address and have your 3-1-1 service request number handy.
The provincial government is also assessing the situation to determine if Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO)↗ funding will be activated. If activated, affected households have four months from activation date to apply. More information will be shared if the provincial government activates DRAO.
Affected households should also check if they are eligible for the City’s compassionate grant program↗, which provides a one-time $1,000 grant to eligible property owners and tenants affected by flooding. Documentation of flooding damage is required.
For more general information about basement flooding, please see Ottawa.ca/flooding↗.
The airport recorded 118 millimetres of rainfall on Canada Day (some areas received more). For comparison, the average rainfall the City receives for all of July is 102 millimetres.
To my knowledge, all stormwater catch basins in the ward drained after the rainfall ended, but please let me know if there were any that didn’t drain fully more than six hours after the rainfall ended.
Bite-sized updates
Sorted alphabetically. New/updated items marked with asterisk (*).
Beatrice/Queensbury (bus stop 3345) shelter – Tender in progress. Staff anticipate concrete pad extension and shelter installation in August.
Development application, 3400 Woodroffe↗ – Minutes and supplementary information for April’s public information meeting were shared previously. The developer has indicated they expect to have an update some time in July.
*Earl Mulligan Drive – Final works related to traffic calming construction, including road painting, should be complete this week, with pedestrian crossover activation early next week. See Ottawa.ca/EarlMulliganDrive↗ for more information, including a project overview.
*Fallowfield Road resurfacing – Resurfacing between Greenbank and the railway is in progress. Crews are currently completing catch basin, curb, and sidewalk repairs, including accessibility upgrades. Resurfacing should begin next week and will include overnight works. A separate request has been opened to smoothen the railway crossing, as work at the crossing requires additional permission from Transport Canada.
*Fieldgate/Grouse (north) – Crews will begin work next week to replace the streetlight’s underground wiring and connect it to a new power source (currently to a transformer in someone’s backyard).
*Flooding – See above.
*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 Lyon Street westbound onramp is scheduled to reopen July 31. The eastbound right lane from Parkdale to Rochester will be closed until the end of the summer for sound barrier replacement.
Household hazardous waste – This year’s drop-off depot near 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)
*Kennedy Craig Forest – The pathway bridges are closed as they were shifted by large tree limbs carried by the creek runoff during the heavy rain on Canada Day. Crews will attend later this week to remove the debris, reset the footings, and make any necessary repairs to the bridges. Updates will follow.
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) – The market has restarted for the year and will continue every Sunday, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, at the Nepean Woods Park and Ride.
Police office hours – Due to space conflicts at Walter Baker, police office hours have been suspended until the end of August. Residents may still reach out to the Ottawa Police Service for general inquiries, non-emergency concerns, and more from 8:00 am to 6:30 pm every day at 613-236-1222, ext. 7300. Call 9-1-1 in an emergency.
*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.
*Transitway resurfacing – Resurfacing of the Transitway between Berrigan and Fallowfield began two days early on Monday. Works are expected to take two weeks, with minimal impact to transit service. Faulty traffic signal detection loops at Fallowfield Road will also be replaced during the project.
Have a great week ahead!
-Wilson