Bus-train crash memorial, Daniel Alfredsson ceremony planned by city

The City of Ottawa will work toward a permanent bus-train crash memorial and give former Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson a key to the city in 2015, Mayor Jim Watson said Wednesday.

In his annual state of the city address before the first city council meeting of the year, Watson added details to familiar themes and introduced new initiatives for the year ahead.

• Read Watson's full speech
• Ottawa bus-train crash: Events of Sept. 18, 2013
• Daniel Alfredsson announces retirement from NHL

Among them is to formally begin work on a permanent memorial for the fatal bus-train crash in September 2013, which killed five passengers and the bus driver.

"We've narrowed it down to a couple of locations in the area that are on city land, that are safe for people to come and go to, and we will get the approval of the families [as to] what the memorial will look like," he said after the speech.

"It could be a simple plaque, it could be benches, they'll make the final decision on that."

Barrhaven Coun. Jan Harder, whom Watson said will be working with him on the creation of a memorial, said she wants to have it up before the two-year anniversary of the crash on on Sept. 18, 2015, if not earlier.

Alfie gets key to the city March 5

Watson also announced that former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson will get a key to the city on March 5.

"He was humbled… he first said 'This is very kind of you' and I think (was) a little bit reluctant to get all of the attention," Watson said. "He got back to me a day or two after I approached him, he talked to his wife and said he'd be very honoured.

"I think the team did a great job of his final skate at the Canadian Tire Centre but this is a chance for the broader community to say thank you for a job well done."

Alfredsson spent 17 seasons as an Ottawa Senator before what turned out to be his final season in Detroit.

He retired because of injuries, including recurring ones to his back, and signed a ceremonial contract to retire as a Senator in December.

Other sports figures who have been awarded the key to the city include Barbara Ann Scott, former Ottawa Rough Riders Russ Jackson and Moe Racine, and former Ottawa 67's coach Brian Kilrea.

Other new plans

Among the other topics Watson touched on Wednesday:

• A vow to work on phase two of the city's light rail plan, including ironing out a route for the western extension with the National Capital Commission, before submitting a formal funding request to the provincial and federal governments in the next 10 to 12 months.
• Hold a public meeting to brainstorm ideas for the new central public library branch in March. Harder, the outgoing chair of the city's library board, said she hopes council will have a location to consider in June.
• Hold a "tourism summit" to work on a long-term plan for the city, including how to avoid a "2017 hangover" in the years after Canada's 150th birthday.
• Expanding the "Ottawa 2017" signs up at places such as City Hall and the Tremblay train station to the Ottawa International Airport, city streets and businesses. There are also plans for two more Highway 417 underpass murals at Bank Street and Carling Avenue west of Kirkwood Avenue.
• Work with universities, Invest Ottawa, the city's economic development and innovation committee and the private sector to find ways to make Ottawa more attractive to live and work. "Ottawa is very good at tourism marketing… but this kind of message will be focused on attracting people for a lifetime," Watson said.
• Allowing local businesses more ways to pilot new technologies with the city, with the economic development and innovation committee choosing a select number every year.

The speech came ahead of the draft city budget, which will be released next week.