Pedestrian killed at Donald and Noth River Road

 It was a woman standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. A ghost bike stands testament. 

The incident was witnessed by long time resident Sheila Perry.

The grader operater while backing up, could not have seen her as they unintentionally and accidentally ran her over.

Despite the randomness of the event we do know several things:

1. Traffic is building up at that intersection which pits pedestrians, bikes, buses, cars and trucks at a poorly designed four way stop.

2. The Rideau Sports Centre, park, and Adawa footbridge are drawing more people to the intersection

3. Road maintenance has been spotty. People move unpredictably due to snow banks, puddles and intersection design.

4. CYCLE infrastruction is ad hoc.

Progress continues on Rideau River Pedestrian crossing

The stone coffers for two shoreline pillars have been poured, work is progressing rapidly.

How to built a cantilevered exit ramp

Underpass now open, just in type for cycling season on the "Psycholpath".

You might want to ring your bell! Still single lane is better than no lane.

The river has risen to the point where the area around the worksite has overflowed and destabilized the bank.

What's happening in Rideau River Park?

Its a river beaver, out getting some sun near the end of North River Road

Construction on the 417 over the Rideau, Details

Here is the latest news: apparently there is a good chance that the cycle path under the 417 will be opened as early as the end of March 2014. click

Spans going up on the 417 bridge.

The spans are done about half way across the Rideau river at this point. Note the open water on the west side and the new dome on the University of Ottawa's new football field.

Walking across the Rideau: ON THIN ICE!

I think the risk taker who left these tracks may have been inebriated.

ASH BORER HAVOC in Riverside Park

Initially the affected elm trees were blazed with red "X's". The park was posted as "closed".

Why do the trees have to come down. They are dead, killed by the larvae of the borer which dig channels between the bark and heartwood.

Construction Progresses on the 417 Bridge over the Rideau

Notice that the Rideau River pathway has been plowed to the project. This indicates that it is perfectly possible to have this pathway plowed in winter with the sufficient presence of political willpower.

Its not exactly clear what the issue is with the hoarding on top of each pilon but its likely that the original concrete pour  did not make the pilons the right height. It would be interesting to know what's going on.

Rideau River Bridge Planning (footpath) June 10th at 7 pm overbrooke community center

The Project

The City of Ottawa has identified a requirement for a multi-use pathway connection between Range Road and North River Road.  An Environmental Study Report was completed in January 2012. This project will include a new multi-use pathway including a bridge crossing the Rideau River and connections to existing pathways on the east and west side of the river.  The project also includes the resurfacing of the parking lot at Strathcona Park and the reconstruction of Donald Street.

Consultation

Members of the public, agencies and other interested persons are encouraged to participate in the Public Open House. The Public Open House for this project will be held on June 10, 2013 to review plans displaying existing conditions and preliminary design information on the scope and limits of the proposed works. You will have the opportunity to discuss the project with the City and Design Team Members and bring forth any issues that may have.
If you have any project-related questions, or have any accessibility requirements in order to participate in this project, please contact the Project Manager, Jeffrey Waara, at the following coordinates.
Jeffrey Waara, P.Eng.
Senior Project Manager, City of Ottawa
Infrastructure Services Department
Tel: (613) 580-2424 ext. 27805
Email: Jeffrey.Waara@ottawa.ca
Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, unless otherwise stated in the submission, any personal information such as name, address, telephone number and property location included in a submission will become part of the public record files for this matter and will be release, if requested, to any person.

Shopping in Overbrook, the monster Loblaw Store

Rideau River bike path, at Overbrook, a beautiful part of Ottawa, along the Rideau.

WEST Overbrook, Ottawa, Traffic Intersections - a pedestrian nightmare'

This is how you create a distinct community - West Overbrook...

 Coventry Road and Vanie (looking South - the Hampton Inn is on the left of the image)

Heading south, you'd cross seven lanes - a piece of cake!

 Vanier (looking north to McArthur from Donald - at this point the RCMP bldg cannot be seen in the distance - is over a quarter kilometer to the next intersection)

 Donald At Vanier (looking west - note the offramp to the left of the image) Heading west you'd cross five lanes!

 Vanier and Montreal Road (looking South note the on ramp to the left)
Heading West you would cross six lanes.

Vanier and McAurthur (looking North note the onramp to the left and the bewildered pedestrian
)
Heading east you'd cross six lanes and often be left unprotected, standing on an island.


All of these intersections require the pedestrian to cross multiple lanes. The speed limit is 60 KPH but often the traffic speed is much higher.

The Vanier Parkway effectively splits Overbrook into two distinct neighborhoods, one is to the east of the parkway, the other is to the west.

The next plan is to take a single pedestrian cross walk and turn it into yet another traffic intersection

Vanier at West Presland (pedestrian corridor) looking north, soon to be converted into another busy traffic intersection.

What choice is there? subsurface tunnels or pedestrian overpass - but the island is built and so it shall remain, WEST OVERBROOK!

And leaving West Overbrook is just as hard, if you live there, you can't escape, its like a legal venus fly trap.Time to get that bike, but remember the 5 months of winter, snow and ice.

New Community Snow Scoop Finds its way onto the Foot/Bike Path at Riverside Park

Its no sweat to push the scoop and if everybody takes a turn, the path is made better for all users!

Elm Ash Borer Takes Its toll on Riverside Park Ash Trees

These three trees have been marked for take-down as of January 5th, 2012. Many of the ash trees in the Riverside Park area have already been cut and many around the neighborhood have been flagged with the dreaded "red "x"".

These trees are found along the bike path to the west of the Rideau Tennis Club.

Overbrook in Winter

From the Rideau Tennis club down to the Queensway, is a snow covered wonderland during the winter of 2012. It would be much appreciated if the NCC could find a way to plough the path as the city has found a way to plough from Hurdman to the bridge.

Community Development in Overbrook - You don't have to be starving in Africa

These pillars are directed at empowering the entire community to break the cycle of poverty

• education, 
• alternative income and livelihood, 
• health care, 
•  clean water and sanitation, and 
• agriculture and food security.

 Create community projects designed to be owned and maintained by the community, and self-sustained within five years after project implementation is complete.

• promote solidarity, not charity.
• learn and share with community members in order to gain a valuable experience.
• begin making a difference, armed with a new perspective and understanding of our role in the global community.
• Hands-on volunteering and the opportunity to give back in a meaningful way
• Social issues education
• Renewed sense of community: Helping to redefine the sense of empathy, compassion and a full understanding of the power of communalism.
• Action planning: All participants set goals and build personalized action plans

Engaging and collaborating with local community members at the outset of any development project in order to address the issues that community members have identified as important.

Developing and building the capacity of community members to assume leadership and management of the implemented projects.

Providing families (especially women) with opportunities to participate in alternative income and micro-credit programs, and equipping them with the skills and tools—such as financial literacy training, business planning workshops and leadership seminars—to be successful entrepreneurs and give back to their community.

Developing the potential of "merry go rounds" (and other similar traditional lending and savings initiatives) to increase income and livelihood for families.

Tackling local environmental issues and providing solutions based on indigenous knowledge to ensure programs can be sustained by both community and the land.