|
 Dear
Friends:
As your Councillor,
I feel privileged to serve and represent all
of Kanata.
Kanata is continuing to grow rapidly. The challenge
continues to be making sure our infrastructure
keeps pace with growth and that growth takes
place in ways that minimize the impact on existing
communities.
I am proud
to be Kanata’s representative on Council
in this great city, and I always appreciate
receiving feedback from residents in the community.
Sincerely,
I am delighted
to be able to report that the southern extension
of Terry Fox is open as far as Fernbank. Work
will now start on the extension to Eagleson
and Hope Side Road. This will ease traffic congestion
in Bridlewood, Glen Cairn and Katimavik./Hazeldean.
New traffic
lights at Fernbank and Eagleson will allow people
in the south end of Kanata to make use of the
extension of Terry Fox as well as responding
to safety concerns about the intersection.
In November
2004, $6.3 million dollars was approved to help
complete the southern extension of Terry Fox
Drive.
Extending Terry
Fox to Eagleson Road and Hope Side Road will
alleviate many of the traffic problems at the
intersection of Fernbank Road and Eagleson Road.
In addition,
by providing an alternate route for residents
traveling between Bridlewood and other parts
of Kanata, the extension will relieve some of
the traffic volume on Stonehaven - particularly
as roads in and out of Bridlewood connect to
Hope Side Road.
The extension
will also relieve some of the pressure from
residential streets in Glen Cairn and from Castlefrank
Road in Katimavik/Hazeldean.
For all residents of Kanata, making sure our
infrastructure keeps pace with growth is a priority.
For residents of Bridlewood, I know infrastructure
improvements are of particular concern.
The
extension will not solve all of our traffic
challenges in Kanata South, but it is an important
step forward.
A Community
Safety Forum that I held on October 22 provided
an opportunity for the community to come together
and share their concerns and suggest solutions
to community safety issues in Kanata.
During the Open House portion of the Forum,
residents and business owners talked with City
staff, community partners and police. Participants
then identified the issues they wanted addressed
throughout the day: vandalism, traffic safety
and police resources.
Working collaboratively
with police, staff from traffic and sidewalk
safety, community street lighting, by-law services,
OC Transpo and community partners such as Neighbourhood
Watch, the Kanata Community Safety Partnership,
and the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre,
participants came up with suggestions to address
many of the issues identified. A subsequent
report was drafted, and can be viewed at: www.feltmateforkanata.com
 Peggy
congratulates Ashley Walker after she sang the
national anthem for City Council in April. Ashley
is a very talented student at Katimavik Elementary
School with an up-and-coming career in music.
The 2005 budget
responded to residents’ concerns about
the appearance of our community. The budget
for grass cutting was reduced in 2004, and this
year’s budget increased roadside grass
cutting from three times per year to five. I
have been hearing from residents that the result
has been a noticeable improvement.
The most recent
estimates place Kanata’s population at
68,000 people. That’s five times the size
of Ottawa’s smallest ward.
Representation
by population is a basic democratic principle
and Kanata residents were treated unfairly by
this imbalance.
To address
this issue, new ward boundaries will come into
effect for the next municipal election. Urban
Kanata will be divided in two at the Queensway
to form Kanata North and Kanata South. Rural
Kanata will join Ward 5, West Carleton.
The new boundaries
that have been adopted by Council are not perfect.
Like many others, I would have preferred not
to increase the number of councillors but to
have more equal population distributions. The
ward boundary changes do provide fair representation
for the residents of Kanata.
 Peggy attends Remembrance
Day ceremonies in Kanata.
The Kanata
Cenotaph is a memorial to the sacrifices made
by our veterans. How it looks says a lot about
how seriously we take the debt we owe them.
Like many of
you, I was concerned about the condition of
the Cenotaph. In the 2005 budget, a colleague
and I moved a motion to provide funding for
the maintenance of cenotaphs on City property.
The increased expense of $10,000 is a small
amount compared to the immense sacrifices made
by veterans of the First and Second World Wars
and the Korean War.
Declaring 2005
as the Year of the Veteran. prompted many of
us to reflect on the 177,000 Canadians who have
died in the service of our country. We owe it
to their memories to ensure their sacrifices
are never forgotten. Ensuring the Kanata cenotaph
and others across the City are properly maintained
contributes in a small way to that remembrance.
Getting children
safely to school is a priority for all of us.
Adult crossing guards were installed at five
additional intersections in Kanata.
Peggy and a
fellow Sens fan at Glen Cairn Safety Day in
October.
Accessing non-emergency
City services is now as easy as dialling 3-1-1
For all Emergencies: 9-1-1
For Police non-emergency: 230-6211
The opening
of the Terry Fox Transitway station completes
the relocation of the transfer point for bus
routes in Kanata to the Centrum Mall. The station
provides additional Park ‘n Ride space
and improved bus access to this busy shopping
area.
Kanata has
a strong tradition of community volunteers.
Their hard work and dedication contributes in
a large way to making Kanata the great community
it is. I want to thank all volunteers for the
difference they make to our community.
Council has
approved the widening of March Road between
Morgan’s Grant Way and Old Carp Road.
The widening
of March Road through Briarbrook/Morgan’s
Grant is long overdue. Growth in both rural
Kanata and Briarbrook/Morgan’s Grant has
resulted in a substantial increase in traffic
and future development plans will only add to
the congestion.
I worked hard
at Council to speed-up the widening of March
Road and opposed changes to the official plan
allowing further development until guarantees
were in place to widen the roadway.
Kanata residents
have made it very clear that they value both
essential services and the services that contribute
to our quality of life. The 2005 budget responded
by:
> increasing
roadside grass cutting
> restoring leaf/yard waste collection
> hiring 38 new paramedics
> improved bus service in Kanata
> adding a paramedic post by Centrum
> improving the intersection of Richmond
and Stonehaven
> funding for renovations to Kanata Recreation
Complex
> installing traffic lights at Fernbank and
Eagleson
Having lived
in Kanata for over 22 years, it is an honour
and a privilege to represent our community on
City Council.
One of the
things that makes Kanata a great place to live
is its strong tradition of community participation.
People feel they can and should have a voice
in decisions being made by our City.
I value that tradition and I want to keep that
tradition alive. Your comments, questions and
ideas help me do just that.
The input I
receive from people in the community also helps
me ensure that Kanata’s unique concerns
are addressed.
I appreciate
hearing from you about issues affecting our
community at community association meetings,
by phone, by e-mail or by letter. I assure you
that I will continue to work hard on your behalf
at City Hall to make sure local interests are
represented. You can reach me at:
City of Ottawa: 311
Peggy Feltmate: 580-2474 phone
580-2514 fax
Email: Peggy.Feltmate@ottawa.ca
Mail: Peggy
Feltmate
City Councillor
Kanata Ward
110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, ON K1P 1J1 |