Manotick Village & Community Association
Working for you every day on issues facing our community
Photo by Rod Brazier
Upcoming Events
2021 Community Garage Sale
Saturday, October 2
8:00 am - 2:00 pm
Soap Box Derby
CANCELLED for 2021
Picnic in the Park
CANCELLED for 2021
Community Updates
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MVCA Truck Survey Report is now available
About 800 large trucks go through the intersection at Bridge and Main every week day. Those are the results of a truck survey conducted this spring by the Board of the Manotick Village and Community Association.
MVCA decided to do the survey to convince the City to re-examine Bridge Street as part of the City’s truck route network due to the dangers to pedestrians and cyclists as well as the detrimental impact of the noise and noxious fumes on area residents and businesses. We have lobbied for years for changes to the truck route and has also conducted two walkability audits in the Village core which have highlighted the dangers to pedestrians at the Bridge/Main intersection.
City of Ottawa's New Official Plan
The City has announced that residents can provide input on the draft Official Plan at a public open house slated for September 29. Details on location, etc are to be released shortly.
It also announced that the joint Planning Committee and Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee meeting to discuss the Official Plan has been moved to October 14. This is another opportunity for residents to provide feedback on the Plan. Details are yet to be released.
Two weeks later, the Plan will go to full City council for approval. You can read the draft official Plan and get info on the upcoming consultations, when available, at https://engage.ottawa.ca/the-new-official-plan
Climate Change survey
The potential impact of climate change was raised several times during the consultation process so the City has launched a specific consultation on the topic. The City is looking for input from residents on how climate change is affecting them, what future impacts concern them the most and how can the City prepare for these changes in the future. The input will be used to develop a Climate Resiliency Strategy.
To help residents understand some of the risks and become familiar with what the City has done to date, staff have posted background papers on the Engage Ottawa site. The papers have identified the following changes in our environment: warming temperatures, shorter winters, more rain but less snow, and more freezing rain. Each of these could have an impact on the living environment through greater risk of flooding or another ice storm for example. You can read the papers and do the survey at https://engage.ottawa.ca/climate-resiliency
Transportation Master Plan
The FAQs on the draft Official Plan have also provided an update on the timeline for the draft Transportation Master Plan (TMP) – a critical document for Manotick as it will outline future road network designations.
It notes that the completion date for the TMP has been pushed back to 2031. This is due to the delay in undertaking an Origin-Destination Survey which would provide insights into travel trends throughout the City. The Survey has been delayed until the fall when it is assumed that residents will be operating in a non-pandemic environment. A Survey taken now would be skewed by the number of residents who are either working from home or not working due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
Beryl Gaffney Park
Next steps - The MVCA is on board for a proposed Task Force to look at how to move forward with additional amenities to Beryl Gaffney Park. The Manotick Culture, Parks and Recreation Association has proposed bringing together the surrounding community associations as well as Friends of Beryl Gaffney Park and representatives from the Beryl Gaffney family. They have suggested a process that includes a community survey on possible amenities, a review of the current Master Plan and the creation of a Ten Year Development Plan. They are hoping to have the process completed within 9 months. Details on the proposal can be found here: https://www.mcpra.org/beryl-gaffney-park
The City of Ottawa is moving to make improvements to Beryl Gaffney Park using funds retained specifically for this purpose. These funds were generated through an agreement with the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority when the City transferred land for their new building at the corner of Prince of Wales Drive and Rideau Valley Drive North. Close to $1 million is now available for enhancements to the Park.