Update from Councillor Cathy Curry
With school starting up, parents and children have a lot of questions! I am finding that I am getting a lot of questions about school buses and schools. As those questions are best answered by the various school board trustees and leaders, I thought you might appreciate the contact information for the various school board leaders who can help get you answers. Below are the names and email addresses of the people who can help you with all things related to schools.
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board– Due to the OCDSB being under provincial supervision, school board trustees are not currently active in their work. The best way to get your questions answered would be to contact enquiries@ocdsb.ca or call 613-721-1820.
Ottawa Catholic School Board– Sandra Moore, Board Trustee, Zone 2 -Email: Sandra.Moore@ocsb.ca
Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est – Jolène Savoie-Day, Secteur 4 -Email: savoij@ecolecatholique.ca
Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario – Jacinthe Marcil, Secteur 11- Email: jacinthe.marcil@cepeo.on.ca
Ottawa Student Transportation Authority – Welcome To OSTA – Ottawa School Bus
I have also had a number of people reach out about their safety concerns regarding electric scooters and bicycles driven on sidewalks. Residents are telling me that people on scooters are whizzing by them on our sidewalks, not slowing down, not ringing a bell or anything to let them know that they are approaching. Please review the rules regarding scooters and bicycles. Youth riders need to be reminded of these rules and reminded that some people are hard of hearing, people cannot hear electric vehicles approaching, and that there is basic etiquette to slow down when passing anyone on a pathway. For more information on the rules regarding sidewalks and pathways, please go to E-scooters (By-law No. 2020 – 174) | City of Ottawa.
A resident recently reached out to me regarding an incident in South March Highlands regarding dogs being allowed off leash. Please remember that even if there doesn’t seem to be anyone around, dogs have to stay on leash. There have been incidents where dogs have been let off leash just for a quick run and a person, walking, came around the corner and startled the dog. Situations like these can result in a normally friendly dog biting a person. Please try to remember this when you are walking your dog in our greenspaces. Please obey the signs.