Weekly newsletter: March 24, 2026
Hi, everyone.
This morning, I learned of the death of Peter Clark, the crossing guard who was struck yesterday at Cedarview/Kennevale by reckless driver that fled the scene. He died in service to the community keeping children safe. My sincerest condolences to Peter’s family, friends, colleagues, and those who knew and encountered him in his work.
Any witnesses with information, including homes in the area with cameras, are encouraged to share that with the Ottawa Police Service at 613-236-1222, ext. 2345. The driver responsible for Peter's death is still out there and needs be held accountable for their actions. See the police press release here↗.
Waste collection changes next week
Special garbage drop-off on Saturday April 4, 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm, at the Nepean Woods Park and Ride to offset two weeks without garbage collection. Details below.
More changes are coming to waste collection starting next week, as a new curbside collection contract begins.
With the new contract, some waste collection routes have been adjusted to improve balance and efficiency, as new neighbourhoods built over the last 15 years were simply added to the nearest existing route.
Collection day in the Holitman-Foxfield neighbourhood will change to Thursdays, as it gets shifted to a route that also services the west side of Greenbank. The change eliminates a long section of out-of-service travel to cross the railway.
Collection day in the rest of the ward will remain on Tuesdays.
Please also note April 6 is Easter Monday, so waste collection will be delayed to Wednesday and Friday that week.
Most importantly, the new contract will begin on a paper recycling week, meaning (with this week), there will be two weeks in a row without garbage and glass/metal/plastic recycling. The cycle change aligns Barrhaven with the rest of the city west of the Rideau River.
To offset that, the garbage limit will temporarily be increased to six items for the two garbage days in the month of April. Special consideration pickup will also be provided for the two weeks without garbage collection.
To further offset the two weeks without garbage collection, I’ve arranged for a garbage truck to be stationed at the Nepean Woods Park and Ride on Saturday, April 4 from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm for residents to drop off one bag of garbage. Proof of address in Barrhaven East will be required. Details will be shared in next week’s newsletter and on social media when available. Thank you to City staff for their help on this!
I’ve also produced a flyer that includes important information related to this change (here’s my comms background coming out) to help ensure you are not caught off guard and are putting out the correct items on the correct day. Flyers will be distributed this week.
The flyer includes the neighbourhood-specific collection information for the first 10 weeks of the new schedule, as well as contact information.
Most households will receive it by mail, while some in areas where postal routes overlap with another ward or an area with a different collection day will have it hand delivered to their door.
For more information and information specific to your household, please visit Ottawa.ca/CollectionCalendar↗.
Cleaning the Capital
Registration for the spring 2026 campaign opens March 27!
Cleaning the Capital↗ is a community initiative that allows residents, community groups, and schools to register light cleanup projects at parks and other public spaces. It’s also a great way for high school students to get volunteer hours.
Interested participants may register (individually or as a group) a cleanup project to take place any time between April 15 and May 31. Projects may be at a park, most roadsides and pathways, and other public spaces.
Residents are encouraged to check out the interactive map prior to registering to view the locations and dates of all registered cleanup projects in their communities.
The City provides participants with cleanup kits, which includes gloves and yellow City-branded garbage bags; they can be picked up at several locations across Ottawa. Instructions will be provided upon registration.
Barrhaven East had the most registered and completed cleanup projects in the autumn 2025 campaign, an impossible achievement without the participation, care, and dedication from our residents, community groups, and schools. There’s no going back now, we must get that PDF certificate again!
Thank you to all participants!
Amazon
Resharing an update from last month following recent news stories.
Over the last two months, Broccolini has been disassembling the steel frame structure at the Amazon site off Leikin Drive, work that will continue for about another month. The structure will be reassembled following some foundation-related work.
Amazon will also tweak the interior floor plan to accommodate a new generation of technology, but there will be no changes to the building footprint.
A revised construction timeline will be available after reassembly begins, but the expected operational date is now in 2028. No further information was made available to me.
I am still committed to a public information session for the project, which Amazon has agreed to attend and participate in. It was originally scheduled for last October, but with the ongoing rebuilding, it will be delayed to the spring 2027 timeframe. Date, time, and location will be shared once those details are worked out.
Bite-sized updates
Sorted alphabetically. New or updated items marked with an asterisk (*).
Beatrice/Queensbury (stop 3345) bus shelter – Installation tentatively scheduled for the spring.
Development application, 3400 Woodroffe↗ – The City received an application to construct 160 homes divided amongst stacked townhouses, back-to-back townhouses, and traditional townhouses. The developer is seeking rezoning to allow the desired density. Given public interest in the file, I am organising a public information session, aiming for mid-April. Details to come.
*Police office hours – South District officers are testing out open office hours as an added form of community outreach. Officers will be upstairs at the Walter Baker Sports Centre from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm every other Thursday, with their next day on April 2. No registration or scheduling needed.
Recycling – Friendly reminder that all recycling inquiries, including service issues and replacement bin requests should be directed to Miller Waste at 1-888-852-2374 or Area2@MillerWaste.ca. Garbage, green bin, and yard waste remain responsibilities of the city.
Riverside South Community Centre and Library – Over in Riverside South, City staff are hosting a public meeting on March 24 (tonight) about the new community centre and library planned for near Limebank Station. Details at EngageOttawa↗.
*Watershield neighbourhood street parking – Effective April 1, the existing winter one-side parking restrictions will be extended to apply year-round. Signage on Cicely, Coralroot, Gentian, Springbeauty, Sweetflag, Tawyblade, and Watershield has been updated. Thank you to residents in the neighbourhood for the ongoing engagement on the issue over the last few years.
The image at the top is the inside of Queen’s Park, which I visited for the first time last week (even though I grew up in Toronto). Thank you to MPP Tyler Watt and his staff for hosting and showing us around!
I also hope you had an enjoyable March Break. We spent the second half visiting family in Toronto. It’s astounding the amount of baggage a baby comes with!
Have a great week ahead.
-Wilson