Citizen voices drive change, Minto Park Sale, Plant Your Place, and more!

Citizens voices matter, and they drive the positive change that we need in our city. That’s the message I got from a very long Public Works and Infrastructure meeting this week that included delegations from more than 70 residents and business owners. The two contentious items on the agenda included infrastructure that many of us would regard as very basic: sidewalks and bus lanes.

In Manor Park, a vocal group of residents opposed the construction of sidewalks on residential streets and sought to have them removed from a renewal project attached to sewer replacement. But when the matter came to committee on Tuesday, an equally passionate group of neighbours (many with young children) showed up to advocate for the installation of sidewalks.

The debate centred on accessibility, safety and a desire to preserve greenspace. It also highlighted the need for the city to build streets that are inclusive not just for current residents, but for the next generation. In the end, the committee voted 7-5 to include the sidewalks in the project. I argued that the accessibility and pedestrian safety standards in the city’s Transportation Master Plan should not be optional, because city streets are for everyone. But the voices of residents helped me understand that this particular debate was more nuanced than I would have believed it to be at the outset. That’s the power of citizen participation in city processes.

The second item on the agenda on Tuesday was a proposal to pilot bus-only lanes on certain portions of Bank Street in the Glebe. As you probably know from experience, the #6 bus is one of the slowest and most unreliable in the city and Bank Street is frequently a traffic nightmare. A missed or late bus can mean arriving late for work, missing an appointment or not making it to school on time. It has real economic consequences, particularly for people who can’t afford to own a car or take a taxi.

While many came to committee to argue that the proposal didn’t go far enough, we also heard impassioned pleas from business owners concerned about the removal of 17 parking spaces. In the end, I was much more swayed by the data showing that there is an abundant supply of parking in the neighbourhood (including a city-owned garage that is underused). While many advocates wanted us to go further and faster with bus lanes, I believe that a more limited pilot has the potential to get buy-in using a “show, don’t tell” approach.

After talking to community members in Centretown, I also brought forward a motion to include recommendations for the future feasibility of transit improvements along the section of Bank Street between the 417 and Wellington. Moving transit more quickly along part of the road is great, but we know that the issues don’t end at the Glebe boundary. But the good news is that the data from the Glebe project will help build the case for more and bigger projects of this nature in the future. This will include monitoring the pilot’s impact on the reliability of the bus and on the health of local businesses. A win-win, as far as I’m concerned.

Over the next few months, some big issues will come to council and committee, including the proposed “Safe Access to Social Infrastructure” bylaw on April 17th, a bylaw to prevent unjust renovictions, and the proposal for the Gladstone/Gilmour bikeway. I will reach out through my newsletter and on social media when the committee dates for the last two issues are confirmed. Because when people speak up, politicians like me have a better chance of getting it right.

Warmly,

Ariel

Ariel with Stephane Giguere, CEO of Ottawa Community Housing, and staffer Isabel Teramura at a tour of the Gladstone Lands development

Minto Park Sale

Somerset Ward’s Minto Park Sale is returning on June 6^th this year! Join your neighbours for this no-yard yard sale and browse dozens of tables of household items, crafts, clothing, plants, and artwork! Catch some free local music from the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition’s City Sounds Live series, connect with local elected officials, and learn more about resources in your community!

WHERE: Minto Park (Elgin & Lewis)

WHEN: Saturday, June 6^th, between 9am and 3pm

Do you have items you want to sell at a yard sale? Sign up here for a table at the sale.

A $10 fee per table is collected by the office to ensure commitment from vendors. All proceeds from those fees are donated to a local charity at the end of the sale.
Please note, spaces are limited and a table is not guaranteed until confirmed by staff in the councillor’s office.

Plant Your Place 2026

The Plant Your Place! program is starting up again this spring, which means more free trees in the ward! Households located in the ward's two priority planting areas (Dalhousie-Rochester Heights and Bank Street Centretown) can receive a site visit from an urban forestry professional who can assess the property and arrange tree planting at no cost. Residents in the Dalhousie-Rochester area will be able to register for a site visit starting April 8, while residents in the Centertown Bank area will be able to register starting May 4. Read more here to see if you are eligible.

Trees will also be available for pickup at 300 Coventry Road. Priority area residents are now able to register on a first-come-first-serve basis, while all other residents can register starting March 9th.

Find out more and register at plantyourplace.ca!

Commemorative Naming Applications

The City of Ottawa is now accepting spring nominations for the commemorative naming of municipal assets, including new streets, minor indoor and outdoor assets, major facilities and parks. This is your chance to honour the people, histories, and legacies that have shaped Ottawa’s community. The nomination period runs from March 20 to May 1.

All submitted proposals will be reviewed by the City and the Commemorative Working Group against established policy criteria. Nominations for a park or a facility that qualify will then undergo a minimum 30-day public consultation.

The next nomination period will take place from September 8 to October 20. For more information, visit the commemorative naming page or contact the commemorative naming team by email at [email protected].

New Garbage Collection Schedule

As a result of a change in the collection contract, new garbage, recycling, and green bin collection days took effect this week. Moving forward, all residents in Somerset Ward will have their garbage, green bin, and recycling collected on Mondays.

What’s changing:

Collection day changes: Approximately 50 per cent of curbside households will see a change to their collection day or weekly set-out schedule as of March 30, 2026.
Leaf and yard waste: Residents will now be required to set leaf and yard waste out separately from the green bin (in paper yard bags or an acceptable reusable container clearly marked “leaf and yard waste”) to support cost‑effective processing.

What’s not changing:

Collection frequency: Green bin and leaf and yard waste will continue weekly, and garbage will continue every two weeks.
Holiday push days: Holiday “push days” will continue. The first two weeks of the new contract include: Good Friday (April 3): Friday collection will be pushed to Saturday. Easter Monday (April 6): City-wide collection will shift by one day for the week.

To help ease the transition to new curbside collection schedules, the City will allow each curbside household to place up to six garbage items at the curb on their new scheduled collection day between March 30 and April 24, 2026. Residents are reminded to continue using all waste diversion programs, including the green bin and recycling, during and after this transition.

New collection schedules can be found at Garbage, recycling and organic waste | City of Ottawa

The Lonely Mitten Project

If you lament throwing out unmatched mittens during Spring Cleaning as much as we do, then we're thrilled to present the Lonely Mitten Project. Bring your lonely mittens and gloves to designated collection sites across Ottawa and reach out to your local schools and businesses for their lost and found items. We're also looking for volunteers! You can find out more about this project and find your nearest collection site here: https://www.osean.org/waste-diversion.

This initiative is being organized by the Ottawa South Eco-Action Network (OSEAN) and Eco West Enders. Other OSEAN initiatives include Pumpkins for the Planet, Pollinator Patches, Invasive Species Removal, and Waste Diversion programs. If you want to learn more about any of these initiatives - or even volunteer - we're happy to connect!

You can sign up to volunteer at https://forms.gle/Zfn1TTnRF8MycD9Y8, or contact us by email at [email protected].

Safe Apartments Campaign Launch

ACORN is bringing members and tenants from across Ottawa together to officially launch their Safe Apartments Bylaw campaign. Other municipalities have begun to introduce Bylaws targeted at ensuring safe, clean, and appropriately maintained spaces for all tenants, and ACORN is leading the charge her in Ottawa.

Join ACORN and supporters at Tom Brown Arena on April 11^th at 5pm, and learn more here on the event page.

An example of a Safe Apartment Bylaw can be found in the City of Hamilton for those interested.

Who to Call list

The Somerset West Community Health Centre has put together a “Who To Call” list for residents.

You can view the list and find a copy to print and share with neighbours online here.

Learning with T1D: Community Workshop

Join Diabetes Hope Foundation, T1D Included, and UOttawa Team Diabetes for a FREE informative and empowering workshop exploring your rights as a student living with type 1 diabetes in high school and post-secondary education.

WHEN: April 11^th, 1pm-4pm

WHERE: 2381 Ogilvie Rd

Through panel presentations and community-building opportunities, the event will offer practical tips, real‑life strategies, and resources from students & their caregivers, CHEO clincians and educational staff to help you navigate high school and post-secondary school with T1D.

Your input shapes the workshop content, examples, and Q&A so the conversation feels relevant and grounded in your day‑to‑day life at school.

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New Garbage Collection Schedule

As a result of a change in the collection contract, new garbage, recycling, and green bin collection days will take effect on March 30, 2026. Please see the information below for residents. Moving forward, all residents in Somerset Ward will have their garbage, green bin, and recycling collected on Mondays.