Capital Ward Bulletin: Ward Updates, What to Do on March Break and a Celebration at Lees Field!

Schools in Capital Ward

Recently I sent a letter to the Ottawa Carleton District School Board regarding the importance of schools and our community in Capital Ward and had a follow-up meeting with the new Director of Education at the OCDSB. I was pleased with our conversation and feel confident that any forthcoming reviews will ensure that Lady Evelyn school will remain a vital part of our community as an active OCDSB school.

The determination of programming and catchment area enrollment would come as part of that review. We had a good discussion about the boundary walking options for schools in the area including Elgin Street, Lady Evelyn and First Avenue, where the new Flora Footbridge offers better connectivity than the catchment area previously identified.

Although this is not a municipal responsibility, it affects our community with many parents writing to our office, and I will do what I can to assist as the local councillor.

Brewer Pool Update

On March 2, Brewer Pool re-opened to the public with a modified schedule and next week there will be an adjusted schedule to accommodate March Break programming. Beginning March 23, we will have a full return to regular programming for the spring session.

All schedules, and any updates, will also be posted on the Brewer Pool webpage.

Bus Stop Improvements in Capital Ward

We’re happy to announce that we have improvements coming to some bus stops in Capital Ward, this year.

Main Street Bus Stops

Last year, we had bus stops implemented on Main Street near Centennial Boulevard. These replace stops that were lost during the Main Street re-construction. Because it was late in the season when they were implemented, OC Transpo erected temporary bus stops. This year, OC Transpo will be installing permanent concrete pads to better allow people to get on and off the bus.

Heron Road Bus Shelter

This year, OC Transpo will also be installing a new bus shelter for the bus stop on the south side of Heron at Kaladar Avenue.

This Month at Your Library

Much is happening at our local library branch. Be sure to check it out!

75th Anniversary of Sunnyside branch

January 2026 marked 75 years of Sunnyside branch at our current location. Join us on Saturday, March 28, for a full day of celebrations to commemorate this milestone.

Magic Show with John Pert at 10:30 am, registration required.

Face painting and button making from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm

Official Remarks from CEO/Chief Librarian, Sonia Bebbington at 2:00 pm, dessert and refreshments to be served.

Meet mammals and reptiles from Zoo Crew at 3:15 pm, registration required.

March Break Activities for Kids—Curious Creatures and Much More

From March 16 to 21, OPL is putting on nearly a hundred programs across its 33 branches for children ages 4 to 12, in both English and French. Kids are invited to explore the world of the curious creatures that surround us, in all its fantastic, imagined and scientific glory. Come for the animals and creatures, stay for the crafts, games, science, dance, music, arts, storytime and so much more. March Break at OPL means learning while having fun and sharing sweet family moments in a free welcoming space for everyone. OPL is where curiosity comes to life. Grab your library card and sign your children up today!

March Break for Teens Is All About Creativity and Life Skills

Fuel your teen’s curiosity with fun and learning this March Break! Whether they’re into costumes, cooking, arts, make-up, video games or dreaming about their future after high school, the Library has everything to get their creative juices flowing and brighten their March Break. Registration is now open.

Save the Date: People’s Park Celebration & BBQ

Join us for free food and fun at our People's Park Celebration & BBQ on Saturday May 9 from 12:00 to 2:00 pm! RSVP here: https://www.shawnmenard.ca/bbq

We will gather on Lees Field (aka the People's Park) for a barbecue and to celebrate the removal of the Capital Ward section of the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor (AVTC) from the Transportation Master Plan.

The construction of this portion of the AVTC would have paved over this well-used community greenspace, dividing the Lees towers from the broader Old Ottawa East community and disrupted swaths of sensitive ecosystems by crossing the Rideau River. It would have come with a massive carbon footprint, both from the construction of the freeway as well as the emissions from the resulting increase in traffic.

It was a long journey to defeat the AVTC in Capital Ward. Together with residents, the Old Ottawa East Community Association, and city staff, we worked for years to see this proposal removed from the city’s official documents. Over that time, we held public consultations and gathered thousands of signatures that opposed the plan. We campaigned across the ward – digitally, door-to-door, and on the street.

Our hard work paid off and together, we saved People’s Park. Now it's time to celebrate!

Please save the date:

People's Park Celebration & BBQ
Saturday May 9 from 12-2pm
Lees Field, 160 Lees Avenue, beside Springhurst Park

We hope that you'll be able to join us!

Your Capital Ward

Photo by MJ Hawley

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.

Glebe Collegiate Fundraising Concert

On March 27 at 7:00 pm, Glebe Collegiate students are putting on a fundraising concert to support a school trip to Spain in April. The funds will be used to support students who would be otherwise unable to participate in the trip.

The concert will be held at Southminster United Church at the corner of Bank and Aylmer.

Click here for more information or to purchase tickets please.

Calorie Coming to the Mayfair

On Thursday, April 2, the Mayfair will be showing Calorie, by Quebec-based filmmaker Eisha Marjara. The film is a work of historical fiction based on the events of the 1985 Air India tragedy, which was planned and executed in Canada. There is a memorial dedicated to victims of the bombing in Commissioner's Park.

Doors open at 6:00 pm.

A Conversation for our Times with Carol Off

Award-winning Canadian broadcaster Carol Off brought out a book in early September that addresses this issue. At a Loss for Words: Conversation in an Age of Rage explains the changed and intentional distortion of meaning of six essential terms for public discourse, including freedom and democracy. You may already be familiar with this book.

On Sunday March 22 at 2:30 pm, St. Basil’s parish will be hosting an online presentation. You are invited to watch the presentation and participate in the online discussion. You can register for the event here.

Recycling Bin Replacements

As the province has shifted recycling duties away from the city to a third-party collection company, Circular Materials, there has been confusion about how to get a replacement recycling bin if yours gets damaged.

Circular Materials has confirmed that they are changing their policy, and now new bins to replace damaged bins will be delivered to residents, if requested. If you need a new recycling bin, please contact their contractor Miller Waste at 1 (888) 852-2374 or [email protected].

Please note that Circular Materials is phasing out black bins, and blue bins can be used for both types of recycling.

In addition, plastic, glass and metal recyclables can also be placed in a clear plastic bag, and paper and cardboard can go in a larger cardboard box instead of—or in addition to—the bin.

Stay Informed: Flood Watches Active for Local Watersheds

The warm temperatures and recent precipitation have led to significant snowmelt and rising water levels across many of our local watersheds. As a result, flood watches are currently in effect.

Residents living near waterways are encouraged to monitor conditions closely and consult the latest updates and resources on our Spring Flooding webpage.

Residents should also visit their local conservation authority for the latest information and sign up for alerts:

Current Situation

The Rideau Valley and Mississippi Valley conservation authorities have issued Water Safety statements due to high water levels.

Flood Watches have been issued for:

South Nation Conservation Authority: All waterways
Rideau Valley Conservation Authority: North Gower area
Mississippi Conservation Authority: Carp River

The Ottawa River continues to see water levels remain at close to seasonal values. Slightly higher water levels may occur in the Ottawa area due to the increased flows coming from smaller waterways including the Rideau River.

Visit the city’s website for information on for the latest sandbag filling locations, current road and pathway closures, and other support information.

Available sandbag filling locations:

2145 Roger Stevens Drive
4127 John Shaw Road
29 Hurdman Road
911 Industrial Avenue

Current road closures:

The pathway at Linda Thom Park, under Billings Bridge
Ray Wilson Road, between York’s Corners Road and Gregoire Road
Pathway under Hurdman LRT Bridge

If you come across a flooded road, park or pathway, avoid travelling through the flooded area. Check-in with friends and family in the area and report the location to 3-1-1:

Snow Melt—Overland Pooling and Flooding

The spring melt may also cause water pooling and urban flooding when combined with significant rainfall.

Melting snow combined with precipitation may cause water to pool water at the end of driveways and on the streets in your neighbourhood. Clearing snow and ice from nearby catch basins will help drain the water into the stormwater sewer system.

The Basement Flooding webpage also contains information for homeowners to take proactive steps to prevent basement flooding, such sealing basement windows and disconnecting downspouts. Visit the City’s Basement flooding page for more preventative steps and what to do if your basement floods.

Get Notified Quickly About Potential Plumbing Leaks—with My ServiceOttawa

Getting a My ServiceOttawa account is not only convenient for managing water billing and payments, but you can view your water consumption and receive alerts quicker about any potential plumbing leaks in your home, to try and help save you both time and money.

Since 2014, the city has been using automated metering to track hourly water usage. The same technology is used to help detect and advise homeowners about any extremely high continuous water use, possibly indicating a leak. The city would then send a courtesy letter notification to the homeowner by mail, which can take several days to arrive.

Homeowners with a My ServiceOttawa account will now get email notifications quickly when our system detects continuous uninterrupted water flow over a seven-day period. This allows a quicker turnaround to identify and resolve the issue or contact a licensed plumber, if needed, potentially avoiding higher water consumption and unexpected water bill charges.

Please keep in mind that these courtesy alerts usually point to a leak on private property. Homeowners are responsible for all water usage on their property, leak monitoring as well as the repair and maintenance of plumbing fixtures.

Registering for a My ServiceOttawa account is easy:

Visit My ServiceOttawaon ottawa.ca and select “Create an account”
Enter a valid email and create a secure password.
Activate the account by clicking the activation link in the email sent to you (valid for 48 hours).
Once logged into the account, you can add services, such as
- Water Utility Bill: Need an account number and most recent billed amount.
- Property taxes: The 19-digit roll number and access code are required (found on your last paper property tax bill)

Account users can also select other alert options on the water billing tile, including Daily Average Usage and Monthly Usage.