The Hume Blog is Moving!!!

Ladies and gentlemen, loyal readers, please take note: the Hume Blog has moved over to its permanent home on the brand-new peterhume.ca website!

Now all of the Hume communications will be easily accessible from one central location on the new Hume site. Social media like Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook will continue as always.

We look forward to seeing your comments and views on the new Hume Blog!

The EAB Campaign Continues...

COUNCILLOR HUME MOVES EAB SIGNS AROUND THE WARD. 

Councillor Hume and his team have just completed repositioning large Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) educational signs around the Alta Vista ward; the goal of the signs is to help guide residents to the new EAB web page put together by the Councillor.

The signs depict a large EAB beetle and say, “The EAB Could Be In Your Tree”—the tagline for Councillor Hume’s entire summer EAB educational campaign. Like the three short videos he released last week, the signs direct residents to eab.peterhume.ca, a web page put together by Hume and his team for the latest news and information about the EAB scourge.

Approximately forty signs went out into the community, strung around trees at intersections where cars and pedestrians will see them. In 3-4 weeks, the signs will be moved to other areas in the ward. Another ten signs will be placed by volunteers at and near garden centres—where people’s minds are already on their trees and plants.

The entire ‘EAB Could Be In Your Tree’ campaign was begun by Councillor Hume to augment efforts already made by his office to better educate the Alta Vista community—an area of town where ash trees are numerous and badly hit by the beetle. More public education strategies will be occurring this summer; stay tuned to the Hume Blog.

The Hume Team places EAB signs.

WHY ARE WE PUTTING UP SIGNS? 

 The EAB signs have been placed around Alta Vista to direct residents to the newest EAB information available—all updated on our EAB web page, eab.peterhume.ca. The QR code on the beetle’s back can be scanned with a smartphone to immediately access the web page.

WHY ARE THEY IN ALTA VISTA ONLY? 

This is a Peter Hume initiative. The Councillor’s residents specifically asked Peter to provide them with an EAB web page, and more public education to help people find information they may need. Other councillors may have their own strategies and approaches to communicating EAB info to their residents.

WHY IS COUNCILLOR HUME USING THE WEB, VIDEOS, AND QR CODES? 

Traditional methods of spreading the information were only partially effective. In an attempt to increase how many people learn about the EAB and what can be done about it, Councillor Hume has expanded his communications strategy into new media channels.

WHY ARE THEY POSTED ON TREES THAT ARE NOT ASH TREES? 

The Hume Team opted to post signs at locations that made for most effective visibility; not all these spots had ash trees available for hanging the signage. As well, trees that were marked for removal were not logical candidates for hanging a sign, as the tree might be removed and the sign with it. The signs are on City trees of all species, but placed at some of the key intersections in the area.

News bite: Peter on CTV Morning on the EAB

Last week, Peter was interviewed on CTV Morning about his 'The EAB Could Be In Your Tree' campaign. Watch it here:




Be sure to stay informed by visiting eab.peterhume.ca

EAB Signs Are Up! Emerald Ash Borer Signs Around the Ward.

COUNCILLOR HUME PLACES EAB SIGNS AROUND THE WARD. 

Councillor Hume and his team have just completed placing large Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) educational signs around the Alta Vista ward; the goal of the signs is to help guide residents to the new EAB web page put together by the Councillor. 

The signs depict a large EAB beetle and say, “The EAB Could Be In Your Tree”—the tagline for Councillor Hume’s entire summer EAB educational campaign. Like the three short videos he released last week, the signs direct residents to eab.peterhume.ca, a web page put together by Hume and his team for the latest news and information about the EAB scourge.

Forty signs went out into the community, strung around trees at intersections where cars and pedestrians will see them. In 3-4 weeks, the signs will be moved to other areas in the ward. Another ten signs will be placed by volunteers at and near garden centres—where people’s minds are already on their trees and plants.

The entire ‘EAB Could Be In Your Tree’ campaign was begun by Councillor Hume to augment efforts already made by his office to better educate the Alta Vista community—an area of town where ash trees are numerous and badly hit by the beetle. More public education strategies will be occurring this summer; stay tuned to the Hume Blog. 

Hume Team putting up signs!

WHY ARE WE PUTTING UP SIGNS?

The EAB signs have been placed around Alta Vista to direct residents to the newest EAB information available—all updated on our EAB web page, eab.peterhume.ca. The QR code on the beetle’s back can be scanned with a smartphone to immediately access the web page.

WHY ARE THEY IN ALTA VISTA ONLY?

This is a Peter Hume initiative. The Councillor’s residents specifically asked Peter to provide them with an EAB web page, and more public education to help people find information they may need. Other councillors may have their own strategies and approaches to communicating EAB info to their residents.

WHY IS COUNCILLOR HUME USING THE WEB, VIDEOS, AND QR CODES?

Traditional methods of spreading the information were only partially effective. In an attempt to increase how many people learn about the EAB and what can be done about it, Councillor Hume has expanded his communications strategy into new media channels.

Our summer student placing signs!

WHY ARE THEY POSTED ON TREES THAT ARE NOT ASH TREES?

The Hume Team opted to post signs at locations that made for most effective visibility; not all these spots had ash trees available for hanging the signage. As well, trees that were marked for removal were not logical candidates for hanging a sign, as the tree might be removed and the sign with it. The signs are on City trees of all species, but placed at some of the key intersections in the area.

WILL THEY BE MOVED?

In a few weeks, the location of the signs will be evaluated, and some or all may be moved to again reach a greater audience.

Video 3: The EAB Could Be In Your Tree!

THE EAB COULD BE IN YOUR TREE: THIRD VIDEO GOES LIVE!

This morning, Councillor Hume released his third video in a three-part series geared to raise awareness of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) beetle that is devastating ash trees across the city—and especially in Alta Vista ward.

The videos are explained here on the Councillor’s blog; each video focuses on a different aspect of identification of the EAB and its effect on ash trees. This third video shows an artist sketching an infected ash tree, with an explanation of what options are available for treatment or containment of the EAB infection.

The videos are part of a larger EAB communications campaign, rolling out throughout the summer; Councillor Hume is responding to residents’ requests for further education and awareness-raising on the invading beetle. Using videos (posted on both Youtube and the Councillor’s social media channels) will provide a way for residents to share the information easily with their friends, families, and neighbours.

We encourage all Alta Vista residents to share the videos via email and social media channels. Help raise awareness of the dangers of the EAB, and the options for treatment and containment.

The videos and upcoming PSA materials all direct residents to the web page eab.peterhume.ca, where residents can see the latest up-to-date information about the EAB and what options residents have in protecting their own trees, as well as City trees they may wish to help.

Link to the second video on Youtube: http://bit.ly/EABAshTree

Video 2: The EAB Could Be In Your Tree!

THE EAB COULD BE IN YOUR TREE: SECOND VIDEO GOES LIVE!

This morning, Councillor Hume released his second video in a three-part series geared to raise awareness of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) beetle that is devastating ash trees across the city—and especially in Alta Vista ward.

The videos are explained here on the Councillor’s blog; each video focuses on a different aspect of identification of the EAB and its effect on ash trees. This second video shows an artist sketching ash leaves, with an explanation of how to determine if your own tree is an ash.

The videos are part of a larger EAB communications campaign, rolling out throughout the summer; Councillor Hume is responding to residents’ requests for further education and awareness-raising on the invading beetle. Using videos (posted on both Youtube and the Councillor’s social media channels) will provide a way for residents to share the information easily with their friends, families, and neighbours.

We encourage all Alta Vista residents to share the videos via email and social media channels. Help raise awareness of the dangers of the EAB, and the options for treatment and containment.

The videos and upcoming PSA materials all direct residents to the web page eab.peterhume.ca, where residents can see the latest up-to-date information about the EAB and what options residents have in protecting their own trees, as well as City trees they may wish to help.

Link to the second video on Youtube: http://bit.ly/EABashleaves

Premier of The EAB Could Be In Your Tree Video Series!

THE EAB COULD BE IN YOUR TREE: VIDEOS TO RAISE AWARENESS

This morning Councillor Hume just released the first of three videos aimed at educating residents on the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) beetle that has been devastating the ash tree population in Ottawa. The first video in the series starts by showing residents how to identify an EAB.

The videos feature an artist, recorded in stop-motion style, sketching: first, an EAB beetle; next, an ash tree branch; and last, an image of an infected ash tree. Each video educates the viewer on an aspect of the EAB scourge, and refers them to the Councillor’s new EAB webpage for more information on treatment and containment: eab.peterhume.ca.

“We’ve found that residents in our ward were asking for more ways to spread the word about EAB amongst their neighbours,” explains Councillor Hume. “The video series is a catchy, cleaver way to raise awareness with their peers.” With the videos available via Hume’s Twitter, Facebook, Blog and Youtube pages, residents are encouraged to share the clips through their own social media channels. “By creating something so easily shared, it allows residents to reach out to each other.”

Councillor Hume will be continuing public education efforts in Alta Vista over the next few weeks by placing EAB signage on trees around the community, placing ads in community papers, and working with the City’s forestry department to keep the eab.peterhume.ca page updated with the newest information on the beetle.

“Our best defense right now is education,” says Hume. “Residents need to know their options: properly-conducted tree removal for badly infected trees, vaccine for milder cases, and interplanting of new species to replace those trees taken down. It’s important that residents understand: a badly infected ash tree becomes a major safety hazard.”

More information on the battle with EAB will be available on the eab.peterhume.ca page, along with all three videos being released throughout the week.

Link to the first video here: http://bit.ly/EABbeetle .

Free Ice Cream at Weston Park! A Hume Parks Project.

Saturday July 23, 12 noon, Weston Park!
Free icecream to the first 100 visitors!

 WESTON PARK FANS: YOU’RE INVITED!

Alta Vista residents who use Weston Park: we invite you to join us this Saturday June 23, 2012 at Weston Park, at noon sharp, for a free frozen treat!

Over the course of the last three years, Alta Vista ward has accrued a reserve of money provided by building developers; this money is called ‘cash-in-lieu-of-parkland’ money, and it is earmarked for the improvement and development of local parks. As promised during the election, Councillor Hume is working hard to have these funds put towards as many parks as possible.

Over the course of this term of council, the Hume office will be coordinating rejuvenation and renovation projects in as many parks within the ward as possible; these projects are above and beyond the scope of the City’s regularly-scheduled maintenance and replacement plans. Councillor Hume is seeking input on the parks as each project is begun. Work is already underway on plans Grasshopper Park, Canterbury Park, and Balena. Our next stop is Weston Park!

We hope that you’ll join us on Saturday at noon to share your ideas and have a treat. The Merry Dairy, a new local food truck, will be on site providing their incredible frozen custard to the first 100 residents who share their park input.

We will be spreading the word about the Hume Parks Projects over the course of the summer; stay tuned for more blog posts, on-site promotion, and other initiatives to gather public feedback. If you’d like to share your ideas on Weston Park but cannot make it down on Saturday, click thislink to head straight to a feedback form where you can share your ideas with us right now.

MORE ABOUT THE MERRY DAIRY:

The Merry Dairy, in its first year of operation, is owned by West Wellington resident Marlene Haley, who was inspired to introduce frozen custard to Ottawa while living in the United States. Frozen custard is a type of ice cream, that has a high cream content and egg yolk, and as a result has a smooth, rich taste.  Frozen custard was invented in the 1920s in Coney Island, however, today many acknowledge the frozen custard capital to be Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

The Merry Dairy Frozen Custard Truck makes its frozen custard fresh every day with the following ingredients: cream, sugar, pasteurized egg yolk, and vanilla.  The truck is a nut free truck.  It is also powered by Google Latitude so that customers can track where in Ottawa the truck happens to be that day via themerrydairy.com, or through Facebook and Twitter.

Map of Weston Park

Safe Streets Campaign Rolls On!

SAFE STREETS CAMPAIGN ROLLS ON!

During the election campaign, many residents raised concerns with me about traffic and the safety of our neighbourhood streets. I launched the Alta Vista Safe Streets Campaign in June 2011 to provide an immediate and direct response to traffic concerns brought to my attention. We purchased an electronic radar sign,
placed it at 18 different street locations so far, and it has just been placed on Tremblay Road. The neighbours in past areas where we have placed the sign have reported a reduction in the number of speeders, and overall the results are very positive.

We have now purchased a second radar sign, and it has been set up on Featherston Drive. I’m seeking your feedback on where you’d like to see these placed in the future. Let me know of any streets where drivers could use a reminder. Email me today and share your thoughts! avsafestreets@ottawa.ca

We are also adding a new feature to both our signs: they will now capture and record
all automobile speeds, providing us with a report. One is already set up to record, and the other soon will do the same. We will then be able to establish how many drivers are over the speed limit. This information will be helpful in establishing where our Safe Streets campaign is most needed.

-Peter

This article originally shared in March 2012; updated version seen here.

Scrapbook Page: Alta Vista CA Picnic

COUNCILLOR HUME ATTENDS THE AVCA PICNIC

The Billings Estate Museum

This past Sunday, June 10^th, Councillor Hume and his team helped out at the annual fun-filled AVCA Picnic at the Billings Estate. The picnic is a community tradition, offering horse & wagon rides, bouncy castles, Ray's Reptiles, face painting, and even free Timbits and coffee supplied by Rogers. The Fiddleheads music group played under the big white tent, and Enbridge Gas helped to prepare tons of fantatic jumbo hotdogs.

The Hume Team was there with some great summer swag: the groovy new Hume water bottles, and plantable seed cards that sprout into wildflowers. Kids loved the magic of the seed paper, and all ages were delighted with their swanky new water bottles. Councillor Hume walked around the picnic and chatted with locals; he even brought Mayor Watson along for the chat.

With the exception of eating way too many sno-cones, the Hume Team had a great day. Peter is a long-time supporter of the AVCA picnic, and this year was happy to provide brand new signage for the association. All-in-all, it was a great day of music, munchies, and family time!

Let's look at some photos!

The Hume Tent, with drinking water and swag!

Volunteers at the Enbridge Gas BBQ making great hotdogs.

Horse and wagon rides were popular!

Firefighters were on site; we gave them waterbottles and lots of thanks!

Tiny people were everywhere, and they loved the seed-growing cards!

A young AVCA volunteers serves the Mayor and Councillor sno-cones.

Peter with his wife and daughter.

Mayor Watson picks up a waterbottle at the Hume Tent.

Those fiddlers went all day long!

Busting The Paris Myth:

BUSTING THE PARIS MYTH 

Paris streetscape. Source.

There has been an on-going debate about how high buildings should be in Ottawa, and there’s no end in sight to this discussion. Lately, some have been advocating for a Paris-style height limit at six stories. The argument is that Paris is a dense urban city that has been able to grow without having buildings above six stories; it’s working great there, and everyone loves it...therefore, we should be able to achieve the same thing here in Ottawa by imposing a six-storey height limit and preventing high-rise development.

Sounds great, doesn’t it? No high-rise condos, trendy six-storey buildings with ground floor retail, and all this in a very attractive human scale with great architecture. Why, this is absolutely wonderful!

THE DIFFERENCE WITH OTTAWA.

Paris at night. Source.

Why is there a difference? I’ve only been to Paris twice—both times I stayed within 5 km of the heart of the downtown—and I can’t think of any neighbourhood that was dominated by single-family homes on single lots with abundant parking. That is the key difference.

We strive to protect the core of our residential neighbourhoods, which in many cases are comprised of single-family homes; so just imagine the outrage if the City proposed allowing six-storey buildings along, say, Monkland Avenue in the Glebe.

Single-family homes. Source.

But as an example, take the proximity of Monkland Avenue or Alta Vista Drive to the centre of the City, and then look at the same relative proximity in Paris: you won’t find one single-family home there. There are lots of six-storey buildings, most certainly, but no single-family homes on large lots.

So until we are prepared to allow our low-density neighbourhood to transition to six-storey developments, comparing Ottawa to Paris is akin to comparing apples to oranges.

As long as we continue to protect our single-family homes on single lots, we are going to have to find other locations that allow higher heights and higher density.

Being like Paris is appealing, but in reality it is not achievable. We need to focus our efforts on determining the most appropriate places in our City for higher heights and higher density. This is exactly what the City is going to do in the upcoming Official Plan.

-Peter

Hume in the Media: Trash 2 Cash article in the EMC South

 Eddie Rwema of the Ottawa South EMC covered the Trash 2 Cash grand finale; read his article here:

Alta Vista family wins ward's bi-weekly trash challenge - News - By Eddie Rwema Ottawa South Local Community News

The O'Donnell-van Schaayk family, big winners, with Councillor Hume!

Trash 2 Cash: the Grand Finale Scrapbook

TRASH 2 CASH COMES TO A CLOSE, AND WE HAVE A WINNER!

Chris and Erin with Councillor Hume

This Sunday, we wrapped up the Trash 2 Cash challenge. After five weeks, about 700 submitted photos, and the same number of completed surveys, we have concluded the challenge and named a winner.

Congratulations to Chris O'Donnell and Erin van Schaayk of Vincent Street for their win of $1000 towards their property taxes, and a year's supply of CompostGenie!

The grand finale event was fun in the sun. We had a great turnout and some great goodies for the attendees! CompostGenie was on site, offering info and samples of their product for all who wanted some; Orgaworld provided two heaping complimentary piles of compost for all residents to use; and the Hume Team brought nifty water bottles along with some other swag for everyone to enjoy.

It was great for Councillor Hume and the whole Hume Team to shake hands and meet so many of the Trash 2 Cash challengers. After weeks of looking through their photos, many faces had become quite familiar. Even Templeton and Axeminster were present!

Councillor Hume shared a few words, thanking the residents for their participation and their enthusiasm towards the project. It was a great success, and the support from each resident who participated was wonderful. The next step will be gathering some of our challengers in November for some helpful advice for all our other residents who will be starting biweekly garbage pickup in the fall.

The comment we heard the most at the finale was, "This challenge was so much easier than I'd thought it would be." This sentiment, shared by so many, gives us great encouragement for how well all our residents will fare with the changes this autumn.

Once more, a great big thank you to the households and families who participated in the Trash 2 Cash challenge. Each one of you made it a success. Be proud of your commitment, your stamina, and your courage in looking a bit odd as you stood on your driveways and took photos of your garbage while your neighbours looked on in confusion. Way to go!

Thanks to CompostGenie for being such great supporters of the T2C challenge!

Our thanks again to Orgaworld for the great heaps of compost!

Councillor Hume chatting with residents by the Kilborn Allotment Gardens.