Capital Ward Cup 2026
Join us for an annual tradition where Capital Ward residents join community teams to compete in a friendly game of shinny for the Capital Ward Cup. The Capital Ward Cup was first awarded in 2008.
This year the Old Ottawa East Hosers will be defending their title at Windsor Park on February 14. Festivities start at 10:00 am.
Come and watch the Capital Ward Cup and cheer on your local community team!
Want to join a team and play for the cup? RSVP here by end-of-day Tuesday February 10.
Transit Issues
Transit riders in Ottawa have been suffering through bus cancellations, late buses and now a reduction in the number of LRT trains being run, due to a bearing issue. This is not acceptable. We need consistent and reliable transit service, and our office is working with staff to address the service issues.
Bus Service Reliability
We know that residents of Ottawa and of Capital Ward are experiencing significant issues with bus service and reliability. We appreciate everyone who has written in to help document the extent of the problem. It is important that senior leadership at OC Transpo and at City Hall understand the scale of the issue.
We have followed up with OC Transpo about bus reliability issues and confirmed the following three emergency measures to help get some relief to riders:
- OC Transpo is leveraging mechanic resources through the use of overtime, vacation deferrals, etc. to increase the time that mechanics are actively working on buses.
- OC Transpo is now sending some buses out-of-town to reputable service agencies for refurbishment and repair. We expect the first unit back in the next couple of weeks, followed by a steady rate of approximately one per week.
- OC Transpo is looking for more used buses to augment its fleet. Staff are in talks with another city that may have surplus buses due to that city’s LRT launch.
Right now, we need all-hands-on deck effort from the organization to get this right.
Compensation for Bus and Train Riders
With the ongoing bus reliability issues and the recent problems with bearings on our LRT trains, we believe that consideration and compensation should be made to transit riders who are suffering through such poor service.
At the city council meeting on Wednesday, I submitted a notice of motion reading:
….that staff be directed to explore scenarios to compensate transit users for the latest transit disruptions, which could include refunds, capital improvements to reliability, discounted future service or another method of compensation or combination thereof, and report back to a future meeting of the Transit Committee in Q1 2026.
This motion will be debated and voted on at the February 11 meeting of city council.
Transportation Updates
While most of the city’s road construction and traffic management work is done in the other three seasons of the year, this winter, we have a few ongoing transportation files that we are working on with city staff.
Bank & Sunnyside Intersection Update
Last year, we held meetings with city staff, the Old Ottawa South Community Association and local residents about the Bank and Sunnyside intersection. This is a highly-used intersection with significant numbers of pedestrians, motorists, buses and bicyclists. Hopewell Avenue Public School sits at this intersection, and both Bank and Sunnyside are important routes for the neighbourhood.
With all this in mind, staff have come up with improved designs for the intersection:
- Shifting the traffic pole at the northwest corner so it is in a better position for pedestrians crossing Bank Street
- Realigning the north, east and west crosswalks to move pedestrians further away from traffic, create shorter crossings for pedestrians and improve sidewalk space for pedestrians waiting to cross the street
- Installing new tactile walking surface indicators to provide greater accessibility for residents with vision impairments
- Improving light timing so that some of the back-ups occurring on Sunnyside are mitigated
We expect these draft improvements to be implemented in the summer. If you have any feedback, we would welcome hearing from you.
Transportation staff are also working with OC Transpo on the southwest corner to provide better safety and proper room for buses making a right-hand turn from Sunnyside onto Bank, including the type of buses allowed to operate on route 48.
Finally, at our request city staff have removed the no-left turn sign (often covered with a garbage bag) facing southbound traffic on Bank Street. In the past, the city has uncovered it in order to ban left turns as part of the transportation management plan for some events at Lansdowne.
We know this sign has caused confusion, and we are glad that staff have agreed to permanently remove it, ensuring that residents can turn left at this intersection.
My team and I would like to thank city staff for all their work on this issue, and the residents who engaged with our office and with staff.
Sunnyside Avenue Drop-Off Zone
As part of our review of transportation issues on Sunnyside Avenue, city staff alerted us to an unusual parking restriction. Just west of Hopewell Avenue Public School, there is a school drop-off area that spans approximately three houses. Currently, that zone is signed with a five-minute time limit, and it is not confined to school drop-off and pick-up ours.
The city will be correcting this error. Soon, you will see signage that expands the parking limit to 15 minutes, and it will only be in effect during the morning and afternoon drop-offs during the school year.
This will align with other school drop-off zones, and will free up parking on Sunnyside during the day and evening, on weekends and during summer months.
Lansdowne 2.0 Construction Traffic
Preliminary construction work has begun at Lansdowne, and construction traffic has been using Queen Elizabeth Place as a connection between Lansdowne Park and Bank Street. This has caused some problems: there has been signage put up blocking sidewalks, there hasn’t been proper winter maintenance of the pedestrian detour, and traffic signage has been unclear or confusing.
We have raised these issues with city staff, and they are currently reviewing the plans to address the problems that we, residents and the community association have raised.
Further, we will be having more meetings between the project team, our office and the local community associations to identify and rectify construction traffic issues.
We will expect to see an improved plan from the project team.
Illegal Parking on Des Oblats at Main
With the recent opening of a fast-food restaurant at the corner of Des Oblats Avenue and Main Street, we have seen a significant amount of illegal parking on Des Oblats near the intersection. This is inappropriate and dangerous because there is not sufficient space in the eastbound lane for parking, and drivers turning off Main may be surprised to suddenly encounter a car blocking the street.
We appreciate all the reports, photos and videos that residents have shared. We have shared these with staff, and we have asked for pro-active monitoring by Bylaw Services to help deter this behaviour.
As well, our office has visited the site in person to see the problem first-hand. We will be meeting with city staff soon to consider potential solutions to improve the situation.
Your Capital Ward
Photo by Jamie Brougham
If you have a photo you’d like to share in an upcoming bulletin, please send it to [email protected], with the subject line Your Capital Ward. Please give us your name for attribution…or tell us if you’d rather not have your name shared.
Heron Park Winter Carnival
The Heron Park Community Association will be hosting their Winter Carnival at the Kaladar Park outdoor rink on February 7 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.
Come out for music, games, hot chocolate and more!
Sylvia Holden Rink
As we’ve mentioned before, this year the city is conducting a pilot project, installing a boarded rink at Sylvia Holden Park. This was done after it was no longer possible for the city to install a boarded rink in the Mutchmor schoolyard.
Come the spring, we will be reviewing the success of the rink with city staff. If you have thoughts on the rink, please let us know. We want to hear from the community before any decisions are made about the future of the rink.
You can send your feedback to [email protected]. Please include “Sylvia Holden Rink” in the subject line, for ease of reference.
OCDSB Changes
Like many residents, I was disheartened to learn of the proposed changes by the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board to Lady Evelyn Alternative School and to First Avenue Public School.
While neither the city nor our office has an official role in these decisions, we have written to the Ministry and the Board about the importance of our local schools to the community, and we do not want to see them lost or diminished.
Community Conversation on Homelessness #2 2026: Focus on How
The Planning Committee for Community Conversation on Homelessness is hosting its second Community Conversation on Homelessness on Thursday February 5 from 6:00 to 8:30 pm at Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Lisgar Street.
The evening will feature leaders running some of the most effective supportive housing programs in Canada, followed by a panel discussion with federal, provincial, and municipal representatives on what it would take to scale up these models in Ottawa.
Panelists include:
- Yasir Naqvi, Member of Parliament
- Catherine McKenney, Member of Provincial Parliament
- Ariel Troster, Ottawa City Councillor
- Keith Hambly, CEO of Fred Victor
(who operates Dunn House in cooperation with UHN Social Medicine) - Rob Boyd, CEO of Ottawa Inner City Health
Doors open at 5:30 pm for refreshments and conversations.
For more information or to RSVP, click here.
Planning Committee for Community Conversation on Homelessness
Centretown Community Association
Dalhousie Community Association
Glebe Community Association
Lowertown Community Association
Action Sandy Hill
With financial and in-kind support from Centretown Community Health Centre and a number of sponsors.
Sneak Preview of Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
The Zonta Club of Ottawa is partnering with the Ottawa Little Theatre (OLT) for an exclusive fundraising preview of Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. The OLT will generously contribute all funds raised towards Zonta’s annual education awards program, which is open to girls and women in need throughout the Greater Ottawa/Outaouais Area.
The performance is set for Sunday February 22 at 2:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased here for $30.
Launching the Waste Reduction Champion Program
Want to make a difference in your apartment or condo? Become a Waste Reduction Champion! Volunteer and help your neighbours learn simple ways to reduce waste. It could include activities like:
- Promoting recycling and composting in your building
- Organizing events like litter clean ups or clothing swaps
- Setting up collection bins for batteries or textiles
The city will provide full training, tools and ongoing support. You don’t need to be an expert, just someone who cares! Sign up now.
