Broken brakes lead to LRT breakdown

The LRT had its first issue in less than two weeks, plus restaurants are pitching this new name for a downtown district.

Good morning!

Hate to do this to you once again, but this is once again a “the LRT broke” newsletter. Not the most serious failure yet, but not exactly the best.

That didn’t stop me from rolling the dice to take the train downtown last night to go to a restaurant, but maybe it’s not ideal that using the phrase “rolling the dice” when talking about the LRT doesn’t sound outrageous. Might be a bit of a problem there.

Anyway, if you’re reading this, it means I didn’t get stuck on a train somewhere.

So let’s get to it.

— Robert Hiltz, managing editor

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Weather Report

Wednesday: -5 🌡️ -5 | ❄️

Thursday: -4 🌡️ -15| ❄️

Friday: -5🌡️ -6 | ☀️

TRANSIT

LRT shuts down for hours with new problem, winter woes for suburban riders 

What happened: Less than two weeks from its last failure, service on the LRT was disrupted for stations in the west end when a train had a brake failure, CTV reported. For three hours there was only eastbound service at Lyon, Pimisi and Bayview stations because of a stalled train.

  • Globe and Mail reporter Shannon Proudfoot, inadvertently playing the role of transit reporter, said on Twitter she saw a number of people going to a closed platform because there were no staff to direct people to replacement buses.

Service was eventually restored just after noon. Passengers on the stalled train were stuck on it for about half an hour before they were able to get the train into the station, according to OC Transpo.

Storm schedule: Transit users in Kanata South may be out of luck during a storm. OC Transpo put a notice on bus stops, posted by Reddit user bluenoser613, explaining its new severe storm schedule that there will be no service for six regular routes and all school routes.

What’s closed: Routes 161, 164, 168, 252, 256, and 257 will not have service in at least parts of Kanata South. The physical notice doesn’t line up with the list of routes that won’t or will operate on a modified schedule posted on OC Transpo’s website. Routes 164 and 252 don’t show up online as ones that will be cancelled, modified, or have stops out of service.

  • Editor’s note: We’ve asked the city if they can help explain the discrepancy. Unfortunately, we only noticed the difference between the notice and the website late in the day so they weren’t able to get us an answer in time to publish in today’s newsletter. We hope to have an answer for you Friday!

When it happens: The system will switch to its severe storm schedule if more than 30 cm of snow is forecast, or winter weather involving heavy snow, freezing rain, or some other combination hits the city. OC Transpo said the best way to keep up to date on whether a severe storm has been declared is to register for its My Alerts service, or by checking the OC Transpo Live Twitter account.

The ward is represented by former transit chair Coun. Allan Hubley, who was re-elected with 34 percent of the vote.

OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS

🤑 11.3%: Grocery profits at Metro Inc. rose this much in the first quarter, rising to $231.1 million from $207.7 over the same period last year. The company raised its dividend to shareholders by 10 percent in response. [The Canadian Press]

🗝️ $12 million: The amount Parks Canada is investing in heritage sites in eastern Ontario, including Laurier House, which features Ottawa’s oldest elevator. [Ottawa Citizen]

🚨 131 km/h: Ottawa police charged a driver for going this fast while passing two plows going 35 km/h on Limebank Road, in an 80 zone. [CTV]

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OUTSIDE DOWNTOWN

Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod revealed she was hospitalized during last year’s provincial election campaign to receive treatment for bipolar disorder. [Ottawa Citizen]

In Fallingbrook firefighters rescued two people from an overturned car following a crash on Trim Road. [Ottawa Citizen]

An ATV driver was charged with impaired driving by police in Embrun, after they received a complaint of someone driving an ATV on a snowmobile trail. [Ottawa Citizen]

More 2,000 families in Orléans will lose their family doctor when three physicians leave a local clinic. [Orléans Star]

Kate Babineau of Kanata has been named to the Ontario ringette team at the upcoming Canada Winter Games. [Stittsville Central]

POLICE

Police board changes move forward, budget direction approved

What happened: The Ottawa Police Services Board will move forward with changes to public meetings that will severely limit how much feedback the public can give to the public body that oversees the police force, CTV reported.

The changes: Only four of the seven members of the police board would need to be present to hear from the public, presentations would only take place between noon and 1 pm on days the board is meeting, and presenters would get only five minutes of time, or three minutes if there are more than 12 people looking to speak.

The criticism: By putting the meetings in the middle of the work day, the board is making meetings less accessible to the public.

  • “What these proposed bylaws make me think is that you believe that public engagement is simply a nuisance, something to be glossed over and rushed through so we can get through a meeting as quickly as possible. That isn’t what residents want,” Sam Hersh of Horizon Ottawa said to the board, according to CTV.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe is one of the architects of the policy change. A member of the board, he said public delegations aren’t the only way to share concerns with board members.

More time: Board member Coun. Marty Carr of Alta Vista said they should put more thought into how to change meetings. “It’s quite restrictive, in terms of the times, it seems to the bylaw, as drafted, is overly prescriptive in terms of timeframes and what we’re asking,” Carr said.

The board will debate the changes at their Feb. 27 meeting.

2.5% increase: Meanwhile, the board approved general budget directions for the force based on a 2.5 percent tax increase and an expected growth in the overall tax base of 2.2 percent, CTV reported. It’s expected the draft police budget will be about $400 million.

Public consultation on the budget will run from Feb. 1 to Feb. 20, and the board will vote on whether to approve it Feb. 27.

  • The board also approved $1.4 million for new Tasers and approved the plan to build a new $178-million station outside Barrhaven which has had its price increase $50 million since 2021.

Convoy anniversary: New Police Chief Eric Stubbs said the force will “dismantle” any vehicle protests for the upcoming one-year anniversary of the convoy, according to CTV. He said the force isn’t expecting any large-scale protests, but has plans in place to deal with them if they arise.

HOUSE OF THE WEEK

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THE AGENDA

🛹 With the cancer that took his sight in remission, 10-year-old Ollie wants to live his dream of pro skateboarding. [Ottawa Citizen]

🏥 Cataract surgeries done at private clinics in Ottawa will be overseen by The Ottawa Hospital. It’s estimated the surgeries at the clinics will cost OHIP $605 per surgery, compared to the $455 average at a hospital. [Ottawa Citizen]

🗳️ Strike votes for about 120,000 public service workers who are a part of the Public Service Alliance of Canada will be held from February to April. Talks have stalled over pay increases that are below inflation. [CBC]

⌨️ The network issue that took out critical computer systems at the Queensway Carleton Hospital persists. The hospital has been operating on a backup system since September. Outages of minutes or hours are frequent. [CBC]

🌊 A contractor hired by the city is on the hook for a faulty replacement of a water meter that left a homeowner with a flooded basement. [CTV]

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
  • The restaurant that brought sushi to Ottawa, C’est Japon À Suisha, will close July 1 to make way for a condo development. [Ottawa Citizen]

  • One of the Hydro Quebec workers who helped restore power in the 98 Ice Storm described the pride he felt when the lights came back on. [CBC]

  • The decor is fabulous, and the coffee devine at Luxe Blooms Cafe.

  • Where’s the winter weather? Winterlude is fast approaching and the Canal is still closed. [CBC]

  • Ottawa paramedics have several tips to stay safe while sledding. The biggest: pick a hill approved by the city. [CityNews]

  • Want to have your announcement featured? Contact our partnership team for more info.

DOWNTOWN

We’re calling it SoPa now(?)

SoPa!

The map of the proposed “SoPa” district. SoPa/Handout

What happened: Restaurant owners downtown are looking to rebrand much of the core as “SoPa” (South of Parliament). The area is roughly from Elgin to Bronson, and Wellington to Cooper, CTV reported. The name draws inspiration from SoHo, the New York neighbourhood.

They hope to bring attention to the area through the new name as a downtown entertainment district.

  • Launch party: Feb. 8 at 7 pm, they’re officially launching SoPa at Queen St. Fare, 170 Queen St. Chefs from several of the participating restaurants will be serving food and serving drinks. Tickets are $81.

Will it catch on? Who knows! It certainly could, but the public has to buy into it. The Cummings Bridge over the Rideau is named after a family that owned a general store on (you guessed it) Cummings Island, in the middle of the river. When the city replaced the original wooden bridge with a steel one in 1896, they tried to name it for former mayor Samuel Bingham. It’s still called Cummings Bridge a century after the family it’s named for abandoned the island.

SPORTS

🤕 Only back for three games, Sens centre Josh Norris has reinjured his shoulder and will be out for the season. [CTV]

🏒 Sens assistant coach Bob Jones has been diagnosed with ALS. The team said he has their full support to continue working, and to take as much time as he needs off to focus on his health and family. [Sportsnet]

⛳️ Brooke Henderson is now Canada’s winningest professional golfer with 13 wins, and is the No. 1 ranked golfer on the LPGA Tour. [Sportsnet]

OTTAWA GUESSER

Google Maps

Congrats to Adam, Sandra C, Gord, Sandra K. and Chantal who all knew that the Cummings Bridge connects Lowertown and Sandy Hill to Vanier.

Do you know where today’s OttawaGuesser is? The first five people to respond get their names mentioned in the newsletter.

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