COUNCILLOR JAN HARDER’S NEWSLETTER
“PLAYING, WORKING, GROWING A COMMUNITY TOGETHER”

BARRHAVEN, WELCOME HOME….

March 5, 2010

OC Transpo News:

As you know, we are carrying high levels of ridership north from Fallowfield Station in the morning peak period.  Crowding is greatest leaving Fallowfield between 08:00 and 08:15.  Starting tomorrow, March 5, we are adding one more trip, to provide additional capacity.  This trip will be marked as Route 70 to Hurdman on the front of the bus and will operate as an express trip at express fare from Fallowfield Station to downtown.  The bus will be scheduled to pull up to the platform at 08:07, to wait there to receive passengers, and to pull away at 08:09.  (Note that this trip will not be operating over all of Route 70 through Barrhaven; it will start only at Fallowfield Station.)

Southwest Transitway Extension Riocan Marketplace Mall Update

The construction has begun at the Riocan Marketplace Mall for the new transit station within Marketplace Mall and will connect with Fallowfield Station to the north. 

OC Transpo Route Detours

Some detours will occur for existing OC Transpo routes through the Marketplace mall.  Route 95 Orleans and route 181 Bayshore will be removed from the stops on westbound Marketplace and northbound Greenbank, (north of Marketplace) and will be moved to the bus stops on Riocan Drive.  Route 73 will be making detour along Marketplace Ave to access Strandherd Transit Station, but will not be stopping along the detour.  Signage will be posted at all affected stops to advise transit users of the changes. 

No parking Zones to be reinforced on Riocan Drive

Please be award of the no parking zones that will be posted along Riocan Drive at Marketplace Drive, this is to enforce the already no parking zone in this area.  This will help improve sightlines in either direction.

Congratulations

To Scott Towaij, Barrhaven resident on the release of his new CD “Sons of Light”.  My office staff and myself had a listen and it is wonderful! Check out his website www.scotttowaij.ca

Spring Cleaning the Capital – April 15 to May 15, 2010
Show your community pride and join the many volunteers who take part each year in the City’s Spring and Fall Cleaning the Capital campaigns! Clean up public property where you live, work or play and help keep Ottawa clean, green, graffiti-free and litter-free.

Each year the Spring and Fall Cleaning the Capital campaigns encourage and support community involvement in the City’s cleanup and graffiti removal efforts. Entire communities – including schools, neighbourhood organizations and associations, businesses, families, friends and individuals take up the Cleaning the Capital challenge. A record 87,409 participants made Spring and Fall Cleaning the Capital 2009 the most successful campaign to date. Let’s build on this success and make our Spring campaign a record one!

Check (www.ottawa.ca) during the month of March for campaign details and to register your spring cleanup project.

March 27 from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Earth Hour is about more than just turning off your lights for one hour. It’s a reminder of the importance of energy conservation and taking steps to reduce our environmental footprint.

Get started now! Take action and learn more!

1. First, sign up as a supporter of Earth Hour at www.earthhourcanada.org, and tell all your friends and family to do the same.

2. That old, inefficient refrigerator or freezer of yours is wasting up to $120 per year in electricity. Through the Great Refrigerator Roundup program, you can have it picked up for free – they’ll even haul it out of your basement for you. Go to www.hydroottawa.com or call 1-877-797-9473 to learn more.

3. Join Hydro Ottawa’s peaksaver® program, and receive a programmable thermostat (a $350 value) for free, including installation! Enroll online at www.hydroottawa.com or call 1-866-813-2226.

4. Borrow a Kill-a-Watt meter from the Ottawa Public Library, and identify the high energy users in your home.

It’s About Timers

1. TVs, stereos, computers, game consoles, DVD players, etc. waste power throughout the day when no one is home. A power bar with a timer can stop these silent daytime users.

2. Cell phone and Blackberry chargers waste energy when left plugged into outlets. Create a charging station for your mobile devices using a power bar timer. Set it to turn on overnight and off during the day.

3. Outdoor lights left on during the day can add up on your bill. A timer is the perfect way to ensure your outdoor lighting is off for the day and automatically back on to welcome you home in the evening.

4. Time is on your side with a programmable thermostat. Program it to automatically lower the heat in your home when you’re not there or sleeping, and warm it up in the morning or prior to your return.

Home Improvements

1. Weather stripping and caulking around windows, ducts and doors can cut your heating costs.

2. A dirty furnace filter reduces airflow and makes your furnace work harder. Clean your filters regularly.

3. Wash your clothes in cold or warm water. Approximately 90 percent of the energy used by washing machines is to heat the water.

4. When using the dishwasher, turn off the drying cycle’s heating element or open the dishwasher after washing, and let your dishes air-dry.

Lights, Habits, Action

1. Get your family in the habit of turning off lights when leaving rooms.

2. Replace incandescent light bulbs with Compact Florescent Light (CFL) bulbs. They use 75 percent less electricity and last much longer. Choose the correct bulb for the application.

3. Consider solar powered lights, timers or motion sensor equipped light fixtures for outdoor security.

4. Before leaving on a trip or weekend getaway, take a walk around your home to make sure there are no unessential lights left on.

5. Home Depot, IKEA and numerous other retail stores across the city will environmentally dispose of your burned out CFL bulbs, free of charge. For a complete list, visit the City of Ottawa website at www.ottawa.ca.

6. Natural sunlight is naturally cheaper. Keep drapes and shades open during the day to allow sunlight into your home

 
Nominate a deserving volunteer for the 2010 Civic Appreciation Awards 
Ottawa – You can show your gratitude to that special individual by nominating them for a City of Ottawa Civic Appreciation Award.

The City’s Civic Appreciation Awards ceremony is held each spring following National Volunteer Week. This volunteer appreciation program provides an opportunity to nominate and recognize individuals, groups and organizations that volunteer in a variety of ways throughout the city.

Deadline for nominations is Friday, March 26, 2010. Nominations can be completed online at ottawa.ca or you can also download and print the form. Nomination forms are also available at any Client Service Centre or any branch of the Ottawa Public Library.

Awards will be presented in the following categories:

Citizen of the Year Award (youth, adult and senior)
Brian Kilrea Award – for excellence in coaching in amateur sports
Distinguished Civic Award
Arts and Culture
Recreation and Sports
Education / Training
Environment
Health
Heritage
Humanitarianism
Rural/Agriculture
Community Activism (youth, adult, senior and group)
For more information on the Civic Appreciation Awards, visit ottawa.ca/volunteering or call 3-1-1.
 

As always, you can contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Check out my website for updates www.janharder.com

Jan