Budget includes infrastructure improvements for south-end residents

EMC News - South end councillors say they are generally pleased with the final outcome of the 2010 city budget as it secures funding for important local infrastructure projects, saves local transit routes and allows post secondary students to try a new university bus pass. With the approved budget, taxes will increase 3.77% this year.

"It's always a difficult choice for council to find the correct balance between providing the services as citizens we need and want, and all the while keeping taxes as low as possible," said Diane Deans, Gloucester Southgate Councillor. "I think this was a good effort by council and I think we got as close to the right balance as we could."

After a little over a month of public consultations, councillors had a better understanding of what residents didn't want to see cut, she said. The main concerns were bus routes, tree stump removal and Crime Prevention Ottawa.

In Gloucester Southgate, three bus routes were up for reduction in services, and all have been maintained. Coun. Deans said she is also pleased with the new university pass, as there are a lot of post secondary students in her ward.

This budget also gave funding to a lot of minor park improvements and lifecycle renewal projects in her ward including the replacement of the senior play structure in Sawmill Creek Pool Park, walkways in Elizabeth Manley Park, tennis court replacement in Greenboro Park, park benches and trees at Wisteria, new play equipment at Heatherington Park and a rink shack replacement at Aladdin Park.

Alta Vista Ward Councillor Peter Hume said he feels this budget will have a positive impact on his residents as well.

"For a community like Alta Vista, where the issues are not about new things but about maintaining your existing infrastructure, in that regard I think we've been very lucky to see a lot of that," said Coun. Hume.

These investments include phase three of the Pleasant Park sewer and water reconstruction project, which is an ongoing project that was lacking funding, as well as a new road overlay along Smyth Rd. from Elmvale Acres to Alta Vista Dr. The Billings Bridge will receive a $6 million investment to make structural repairs and upgrades to traffic signals.

Alta Vita will also see new multipurpose pedestrian pathways and new sidewalks in several areas. The one thing he said he didn't like about the budget was the lack of funding for the tree rehabilitation work, especially with the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) beetle.

Gloucester South-Nepean Councillor Steve Desroches said he is happy about receiving money for the major infrastructure projects in his ward, including $8 million to further widen Limebbank Rd. between Spratt Rd. and Earl Armstrong Dr..

"The other part of the budget this year is the new South Ottawa Police Station and with the progress we have made on the Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge, we were able to advance in the police budget, approximately $50 million for a 100 square foot facility that would house the Ottawa Police Services, (and) their emergency and call centers," he said. "It's very important for the south because it is growing rapidly and there is a need for this service and the bridge is critical for serving these communities for emergency services."

River Ward also received money for major infrastructure projects, including the money for construction of the Hunt Club Pedestrian Overpass, a project that has been in the works for many years. The ward will also see much needed improvements to roads," explained Coun. Maria McRae. The O-Train Bridge over the Rideau River will also see some major structural repairs. Local parks, specifically Cahill Park, will benefit from new funding for improvements.

sbolton@thenewsemc.ca