Spring is in the air!
After what feels like a long winter dealing with some challenging weather, we are finally starting to get a sneak peak of spring. Birds are chirping, tree buds are slowly emerging, day light hours are getting longer, and the snow is melting!
Another clear sign of spring came today as the Britannia Winter Trail Association (BWTA) made the announcement that their trail season has officially ended. This year marked a milestone for the Britannia Winter Trail as its longest season yet! Thank you and congratulations to all of the amazing volunteers who dedicated their time and energy, persevering through some major snow falls and freezing rain, to keep the almost 17 kilometres multi-use trail well maintained for the enjoyment of residents from Bay Ward and beyond. Please take a moment to watch this wonderful video, produced by Judy Dudley on behalf of the BWTA, capturing some of this season’s memories on the trail. We are so fortunate to have this beautiful feature in our community in addition to being able to access the Ottawa West Winter Trail.
Although they are not volunteers, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize and thank our City’s Public Works Department for all of their efforts over this past winter. This is the group of people who are out at all hours and in all-weather to keep our roads, sidewalks and cycling routes clear and passable. The Roads and Parking Services staff maintain approximately 6,000 kilometres of roads!
As we begin to pack up our winter gear it is important to be mindful that with the warmer temperatures there will be an increase in pedestrians and cyclists of all ages using our roads and pathways. It is important to be alert. The first defense against accidents is to be aware of your surroundings and considerate of other users. You are never too old or too young to learn how to improve your safety and the safety of others. I encourage residents to visit Ottawa Public Health for tips on staying safe while active and walking and cycling safety.
Wishing everyone a happy and safe weekend ahead!
