Newsletter - 3 July 2026
From the desk of Councillor David Brown
Supporting Residents after Severe Rainfall
After Wednesday’s severe rainfall, many Ottawa households are dealing with flooded basements, damaged belongings, and ongoing cleanup. Residents should report basement flooding through the City’s online reporting tool.
Ward Updates
Keeping Our Parks Ready for Summer
July is here, and with it comes a busy season for out Parks Maintenance crews.
The City maintains roughly 4,300 hectares of green space, broken into 286 maintenance beats covering parks and roadsides. Each beat follows a cycle based on how the area is used and the City’s maintenance standards. Every beat across the City is on or ahead of its fourth mowing pass.
How often a space gets cut depends on what it's used for. Sports fields and ball diamonds are mowed every three to seven days to keep playing conditions safe. Regular park areas are cut every one or two weeks. You’ll notice longer grass around the base of some trees; that’s intentional, since trimming too close can damage the bark and harm the tree. Naturalized areas are mowed only once or twice a year to control invasive species while supporting local wildlife and filtering stormwater runoff.
For rural roadsides and boulevards, crews cut five to nine times a year to maintain clear sightlines for drivers and pedestrians. Roads and Parking Services handles the rural ditches and guard rails. A reminder for residents: under the Use and Care of Roads By-law, you’re responsible for cutting the grass and weeds on the boulevard next to your property, including both sides of a corner lot.
If you spot something in a park that needs attention, the fastest way to get it addressed is a service request through 3-1-1. And whether you’re at a park or one of our beaches this summer, please take your garbage with you so we can keep these spaces clean for everyone.
Out & About
Sweet treats and local history! I loved catching up with everyone at the Goulbourn Township Historical Society’s annual Strawberry Social on June 21, beautifully hosted by Cathy Skinner.
Bouncy castles, games, and a VIP lift from the Station 82 crew! I had a fantastic time celebrating with the community at the St. Philip Catholic School Fun Fair on June 24.
Connecting with PLEO Family Peer Support at my North Gower office. If you are a parent of a child or youth facing mental health challenges, their peer-led groups in Richmond and Manotick offer a safe, supportive space to connect.
Richmond Group: Last Monday of the month (6:30 PM - 8:00 PM) at Willow Wellness, 5944 Perth Street.
Manotick Group: Third Thursday of the month (6:30 PM - 8:00 PM) at 1139C Mill Street.
I had the honour of planting the first tree at the North Gower Tiny Forest Planting event June 26. Neighbours joined forces to plant hundreds of native species to strengthen our local ecosystem. This fantastic project was brought to life by Forêt Capitale Forest and Rural Woodlands Ottawa. My sincere thanks to them for their leadership, to the North Gower Gardeners for helping promote the event and recruit volunteers, and to everyone who lent a helping hand to grow our local canopy!
I had a blast at the grand opening of the new disc golf course at Marlborough Park. Huge thanks to the Ottawa Disc Golf Club, MCRA, and every community member who came out to grab a bite, get some free coaching, and test their throw. Grab your family and head out to Pierce’s Corners to try disc golf this summer!
Good times at the Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27 at Richmond Lions Community Park. I had a wonderful time connecting with neighbours and meeting a few young entrepreneurs. It was great to see the community out for an afternoon of soccer games, music, and delicious food.
Before the Richmond Village Association ultimately had to make the tough, safety-first call to cancel the June 30th Kick-off to Canada Day fireworks, our community spirit was still shining bright! I got a quick photo alongside the dedicated crew from Station 82, MP Fanjoy, Selena from the RVA, and MPP George Darouze. Rain or shine, we are always grateful for the incredible volunteers and first responders who work tirelessly to plan and protect our local events.
I had a fantastic time celebrating the 83rd Canada Day in North Gower! Despite the sweltering heat, it was wonderful chatting with residents and getting to announce the incredibly creative winners of this year's FIFA World Cup-themed bike parade.
Left: Making the most of a Canada Day downpour at Munster Park.
Right: The skies eventually cleared, rewarding patient residents with a fantastic fireworks finale. Thank you the Munster Community Association for pulling off a great event despite the rain!
Construction Updates
Road Resurfacing & Construction Impacts
A number of resurfacing, maintenance, and preservation projects are scheduled across Ward 21 in the coming months. Some work will include nighttime construction between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., which may result in temporary noise impacts for nearby residents.
We will continue to share updates as these projects progress and appreciate your patience during this work to improve our roads.
Bridge Rehabilitation
Rideau Valley Drive South from Roger Stevens Drive to Lockhead Road East will be closed starting on Monday, June 29th, until late September for work to rehabilitate a bridge in the south end of Kars Village
Temporary access for pedestrians and cyclists will remain during construction on the bridge
Third Line Road South from Prince of Wales Drive to Roger Stevens Drive will be closed from Monday, June 29th until mid-November for work to rehabilitate the Stevens Creek Bridge northwest of North Gower Village
Culvert Renewals
June
Biltmore Crescent (0.21 km west of Munster Rd) - road closure from Mon, June 29th to Fri, July 10th
William McEwen Drive (0.15 km north of Century Rd W) - road closure from Weds, June 29th to Tues, July 3rd
Farmstead Ridge - road closure from Tues, June 30th to Mon, July 6th
July
Fallowfield Road (0.02 km east of Munster Rd) - work starting on July 2nd
Roger Stevens Drive (0.14 km west of McKenna Rd) - work starting on July 6th
Fourth Line Road (0.06 km south of Callendor Rd) twin culvert renewal - starting on July 15th, with a road closure required for approximately 2 weeks
Fourth Line Road (0.15 km north of Dilworth Rd) - starting on July 15th, with a road closure required for approximately 2 weeks
August
Stratton Drive (0.01 km west of Third Line Rd) - starting on August 13th, with a road closure required for approximately 1 week
2nd Line Road South (0.10 km north of Roger Stevens Dr) - starting on August 4th, with a road closure required for approximately 2 weeks
Road Renewal Projects
Bankfield Road, from Kilreen Lane to 370 metres west of Prince of Wales Drive
Work expected to start the week of July 6th
Black’s Side Road, from Fernbank Road to Ridingview Crescent
Work expected to start the week of August 31st
Brophy Drive, from Eagleson Road to Fourth Line Road
Work expected to start the week of August 4th
Community Way, from Fourth Line Road to Relin Way
Work expected to start the week of July 6th
Doctor Leach Drive, residential, from Beaverwood Road to Potter Drive
Work expected to start the week of July 6th
Fallowfield Road, from Munster Road to Dwyer Hill Road
Work expected to start the week of August 10th
Farmstead Ridge, crack sealing, from Church Street to Church Street
Work completed
Fernbank Road, from Jinkinson Road to Munster Road
Work expected to start the week of September 8th
Fourth Line Road, from Lockhead Road West to Shellstar Drive
Work ongoing
Harbison Road, gravel road upgrade to hard asphalt surface, from Proven Line Road to McCordick Road
Work expected to start the week of July 13th
Jinkinson Road, from Fernbank Road to 2.7 kilometres north of Fernbank Road
Work expected to start the week of August 24th
McBean Street, from Perth Street to Strachan Street
Phelan Road West, slurry seal, from Prince of Wales Drive to Ormond Road
Work expected to start the week of July 20th
Rideau Valley Drive South, crack sealing, Dilworth Road to Roger Stevens Drive
Work expected to start the week of August 10th
Shea Road, crack sealing, from Hemphill Street to Fernbank Road
Other Construction Projects
➔ Hydro Work Supporting Dwyer Hill Training Facility Expansion
Hydro Ottawa is working on major electrical upgrades in Ward 21 to support the long-term expansion of the Department of National Defence’s Dwyer Hill Training Centre, a project scheduled to continue through 2034.
Phase 1: Hydro Pole and Equipment Installation on Dwyer Hill Road
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Phase 1 has been completed.
Phase 2: Transformer Installation and Infrastructure Upgrade on Garvin Road
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Phase 2 has been completed.
➔ Pole Installation on Franktown Road
Hydro Ottawa continues to install new hydro poles and equipment along Franktown Road. This work is being carried out by Bradley Kelly Construction Ltd. and is ongoing.
For a full list of current and upcoming road work in Ward 21, visit the Ward 21 website. Major construction notices will be shared in future newsletters and community updates.
To explore citywide construction projects, use the City of Ottawa Interactive Construction Map.
Community Events
You can check out the Ward 21 website at any time to see an up-to-date list of upcoming events.
In case you missed this week’s event newsletter, click here: Upcoming Community Events in Ward 21!
Stay in touch!
I want to hear from you! Stay connected and keep informed by:
📱 Following us on social media – Click the icons below to stay updated.
🌐 Visiting our website: www.ward21.ca
📧 Emailing your concerns: ward21@ottawa.ca
📞 Calling our office: 613-580-2491
📅 Want to meet with Councillor Brown at his North Gower office? Email ward21@ottawa.ca to book an appointment.
Looking forward to connecting with you!