01 Oct River Ward E-Newsletter, October 1, 2026 | Bulletin électronique du Quartier Rivière, 1 octobre 2026
Dear Friends and Neighbours!
October – what a great month. The brilliant leaves, bright-orange pumpkins, cooler nights,roast turkey, ghosts and goblins. Enjoy everything this month has to offer. Before the snow flies, get outside across River Ward and explore our parks and wooded areas, this is a fantastic month.
In October, special holidays and events include: Navratri (October 11-19), Thanksgiving (October 12), Dussehra (October 20), Municipal Election Day (October 26) and Halloween (October 31).
On September 19, I toured the Alexander Community Centre with Minister of Sport, Brian Saunderson of the provincial government. The Ministry has contributed over $8 million towards the expansion of the community centre, and I am grateful for this support and investment in our community. The interior is already being gutted and progress is being made.
Various integrated renewal projects, which include road redesigns are slowly coming to an end for the calendar year. These projects will recommence in the spring.
Normandy (North) and Valmarie, as well as Meadowlands and Fisher will be new projects breaking ground in 2027.
City staff continue to assess, at a macro level, the state of the City’s water infrastructure, as directed by City Council at our July 15 meeting. This follows the severe July 1 storm that impacted hundreds of households in River Ward and thousands across Ottawa. I am keen to receive the findings and allocate resources, where warranted, to improve the City’s water infrastructure, particularly, in its ability to receive large volumes of storm water.
I would like to extend my best wishes to the members and staff of the Carleton Heights Curling Club that is set to reopen this coming Sunday, after extensive renovations, following a devastating fire on April 24, 2025. It will be great to see everyone on the weekend for this special occasion.
Please reach out any time if my office can be of assistance. Remember to drive slow and be attentive in school zones and on October 31, as our youngest residents criss-cross streets as they trick or treat.
Sincerely,
Riley
