Newsbites
Shrinking Besserer Park
Half Besserer Park has recently been torn up so that Richcraft may erect a sales office for the “Charlotte Place” condo at the corner of Cobourg and Rideau. Site plan details of that controversial project were finally worked out during the winter. Action Sandy Hill and neighbours opposed that development and contributed to the cost of an Ontario Municipal Board hearing. Though the hearing favoured the developer, some aspects of the original proposal have been modified to mitigate the more deleterious aspects.
New residence on Laurier
University of Ottawa officials made a last minute decision to manage the new student residence on Laurier at Friel (the Viner building), although the university does not actually own the property. The first set of students will move in this September. There is to be no exterior branding outside.
Seen any rats lately? Call 3-1-1
If you see a rat on your property, you can help the City’s efforts to control the rodent population by reporting it with a call to 3-1-1. Not that the City will send out an exterminator to rid your basement of the critters; you’re still responsible for that. However, as bylaw enforcement officers explained to Action Sandy Hill’s Board of Directors, it’s important to report rats so that your sighting gets added to a map that the City uses to determine where to put poison bait in the sewers. After what appeared to be a spike in the rat population, a two-year pilot project was started this year using closed-circuit television cameras in sanitary sewers to spot problem areas. Reports from residents can be an important addition to this information. Meanwhile, you can make your property inhospitable to this nasty pest by doing things like storing garbage in containers with tight-fitting lids and cleaning up debris around your house and yard. For more information on rat control, go to www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-health-topics/rat-control.aspx.
— Betsy Mann, with files from CBC.ca and the City of Ottawa Public Health website.