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Pathway proposal Inside looks to connect NEWS Manotick village Path to feature a ‘floating boardwalk’ Emma Jackson
emma.jackson@metroland.com
Three ‘heroes of history’ are honoured with Diamond Jubilee medals for their commitment to preserving the past. – Page 3
CITY HALL COMMUNITY
The Greely music and dance club honours a past president and one of its most dedicated volunteers. – Page 6
COMMUNITY COMMUNITY
A new suicide prevention program brings treatment to youth outside a hospital setting. – Page 21
EMC news - A new pathway proposal is paving the road for improved connectivity in Manotick village. The Manotick Culture, Parks and Recreation Association have released a concept plan for a Mahogany Harbour pathway link that would extend along the western shore of the Rideau River between Eastman Avenue and Firefly Lane. The idea grew from a survey and report the association published in April, Manotick on the Move, which called for better connectivity and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure throughout the village. With the new Mahogany residential development under construction south of the village core, the group met with the business improvement area board, members of the Manotick Kiwanis and Mahogany developer Minot to discuss the potential for a new path along Manotick Main Street that would connect the new development to the village core. “It’s pretty much the only public view to the river that’s close to the downtown part of the village, and it’s really underutilized,” said association member Lori Gadzala. “Right now it is a gravel shoulder with a railing that you have to leap over if you want any access to the shoreline.” She added that there’s nothing to separate cyclists and pedestrians from traffic. “It’s a busy spot and its not at all pedestrian friendly right now.” Gadzala said the group had several objectives when designing the concept, which is now on display for feedback at the Manotick branch of the Ottawa Public Library, 5499 South River Drive, until the new year.
“The first is encouraging active participation between the south part of Manotick and downtown,” Gadzala said. The group also wanted to provide better access to the river for tourists, boaters and anglers, she said. “That’s a very popular fishing spot. They sit on the culvert because there’s no where else to go.” The 200-metre path would pick up where the sidewalk ends at Eastman Avenue and continue south along Manotick Main, stopping just before Firefly Lane. It includes a paved twolane pedestrian pathway, with northern and southern lookouts offering views of Mahogany Harbour. The path also features a “floating boardwalk” that would provide a space for docking small boats and fishing. “That’s an interest of the BIA to have some short-term docking for boaters who want to visit Manotick businesses,” Gadzala said. Minto provided the services of its landscape architect, F.D. Fountain, at no cost to the association in order to sketch a basic concept. “Minto made a long standing commitment to Manotick to work with community groups on community based projects,” said Minto’s land development co-ordinator Erin O’Connor. Gadzala said the concept is currently a “pie in the sky” idea, and the group won’t go ahead if the community tells them they should put their resources elsewhere. “We’re in the really, really early stages right now. We don’t have any money or a plan,” she said. There are a number of regulatory hoops to jump through as well. The project would require approval from Parks Canada, Rideau Valley Conservation Authority and the city of Ottawa.
Brier Dodge/Metroland
Merry Christmas to all Lawrence and Audrey Renton, 91, pose with Santa at the Manotick Legion’s Breakfast with Santa on Dec. 8. It was only one of the weekend’s highlights for the Rentons, who celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary the next day.
Rural clean-water program celebrates 10th anniversary Emma Jackson
emma.jackson@metroland.com
EMC news - The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority is celebrating 10 years of partnership with rural landowners. The conservation authority and its many partners gathered at its headquarters in Manotick on Thursday, Dec. 13 to mark the 10th anniversary of the Rideau Valley rural clean water program and the city stream watch program. The authority administers two rural clean water grant programs, one inside the city of Ottawa and one in Rideau Valley. The city program, which is funded by the municipality, has been run by the RVCA since 2005.
The Rideau Valley program has been running for 10 years. Both programs offer technical advice and financial support to rural landowners and farmers to help them protect surface and ground water quality on their properties. Program manager Derek Matheson said the program was originally designed to help farmers who were implementing best practices on their land. It has since evolved to include grant opportunities for non-farming rural landowners, and the city program also offers well decommissioning and support for urban farm projects. Both programs help build run-off buffers, livestock fencing to keep cows away from clean water, and proper
septic systems. They also assist with nutrient management and erosion control. “It’s delightful to be part of a program that gets RVCA staff working closely with rural landowners,” said Ken Graham, chairman of the authority’s board of directors, at the anniversary party. Between the two programs, $1.4 million grant dollars have been distributed to 964 projects valued at more than $7.8 million. RVCA staff also celebrated the 10th anniversary for the city stream watch program, which relies on volunteers to document habitat conditions and conduct shoreline cleanups along urban tributaries. See CONSERVATION, page 2
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