01 Aug River Ward E-Newsletter, August 1, 2026 | Bulletin électronique du Quartier Rivière, 1 aôut 2026
Dear Friends and Neighbours!
I hope you are having an enjoyable summer. The arrival of August brings on-going summer fun, cooler nights and back-to-school shopping.
Regrettably, July started off with a string of heavy storms on Canada Day that resulted in over 7,000 households in Ottawa being flooded, River Ward was no exception. If you have not yet reported a flooded basement, please call 3-1-1 to register with the City. The City needs a better understanding of where flooding occurred and where infrastructure needs to be assessed.
Later this month, I will be escorting the General Manager and Senior Manager of Water and Infrastructure Services to three locations in River Ward where households were impacted both in July 2026 and August 2023 by heavy rains and water penetration.
Why were households impacted, how can stormwater be better managed, what public property and private property mitigation initiatives can be undertaken to offer enhanced protection. If you have photos or video of either storm mentioned above, please send me an email.
I would like to draw your attention to a number of events happening this month: Emancipation Day (August 1), Bytown Day (August 3), Bowman’s Bar and Grill IPA Day (August 6), Jazz in Carleton Heights Park, 7pm (August 7), Raven Park Day (August 13, see full list of activities at bottom of e-newsletter), Greekfest (August 13-16 and 20-23) and the Capital Pride Festival (August 22-30, with parade on August 30)
I will return to six wading pools this month to meet summer campers and other children in the park, to offer post-lunch popsicles. It is always a fun time to meet campers but also thank summer camp staff, as well as lifeguards who are in attendance, for their service.
Finally, if you or your neighbour or household in your neighbourhood has a front garden that is flourishing and colourful and deserves recognition and praise, please nominate them via my office for a community greenthumb award. I like to offer praise for those who go all out and have a garden worth celebrating.
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