Submitted by Jeff Leiper, Kitchissippi Ward Councillor
Welcome to 2022, Kitchissippi! Sending you and your loved ones best wishes for a safe, happy, and fulfilling new year. I know 2021 brought us many unexpected challenges, but I am full of optimism for what 2022 has in store.
The vaccine appointment Hunger Games are now over; Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is posting near-daily updates about walk-in capacity, and vaccine availability is holding steady. Additionally, OPH announced on Jan. 20 that they are resuming after-school vaccine clinics. A total of 49 after-school clinics will operate on a rotating basis. Visit the OPH website to see that schedule, which will be updated regularly to reflect availability. If you haven’t gotten your booster, I urge you to do so. If you’ve already had your booster, please help your friends, family members, and neighbours book theirs.
Churchill Alternative School is taking on a big fundraiser to make their kindergarten yard a fun, accessible, creative space. The total cost of the renovation is estimated to be between $90,000 and $130,000, so every contribution matters. The main goals of the renovation are to increase the variety of materials in the yard, which is currently fairly sand-heavy, and to add new areas for creative and active play.
You can find more information about the plans for the new yard and make a donation on the project website for the Churchill Alternative Kinder Yard Renewal. You can find that by simply searching Charitable Registration # 119249233 RR 0003 in your browser of choice.
Phase three of the City’s Transportation Master Plan update is currently underway. The public is invited to provide feedback on approximately 70 proposed transportation-related policies to be included in Part 1 of the TMP. These draft policies include building a sustainable and equitable transportation system, improving walkability, and building safe, multimodal streets, among many other proposals. Head to engage.ottawa.ca to view the proposed changes and complete online surveys. You can also send your feedback directly to tmpupdate@ottawa.ca.The feedback period for this phase closes Feb. 18.
Team Kitchissippi are back in their home offices and in the swing of things again after the holidays. As always, you can reach us by phone at 613-580-2485 and by email at jeff.leiper@ottawa.ca. I encourage you to register for my email newsletter if you haven’t already, so you can get weekly updates from the office and be aware of the schedule for our virtual pop-up office hours. Shoot us an email to get signed up.
Stay cozy, Kitchissippi!