Glebe Report March 2015 by Glebe Report

Serving the Glebe community since 1973 www.glebereport.ca ISSN 0702-7796 Issue no. 468 FREE

Vol. 43 No. 3

PHOTO: tom tanner

March 13, 2015

From rooming house to cozy home By Tom Tanner

We were enthused by the possibilities and prepared to overlook the reality. Well, almost – the dining room made an impression. The sliding doors to the foyer were wired shut and there were three locks on the smaller door. Boxes of empty beer bottles filled the alcove and there was a mattress on the floor. But the motorcycle was the biggest surprise; we did not even notice the charming china cabinet built into the wall on that side of the room.

The sorry condition of the Glebe Avenue property was not a deal breaker in 1978 when we decided to buy the large semi-detached that operated as a rooming house. An opening between the two sides meant the landlord rented 11 rooms and three apartments. Every room had at least one lock. When we took possession the seller rummaged through the trunk of his car where he kept several boxes full of keys – for our new home and his other properties. During the 1970s the possibility of shared housing was a lively topic among our group of friends. Why

MARK YOUR CALENDARS Mar. 1–29 Mar. 14 Mar. 18 Mar. 24 Mar. 26–29 Mar. 27 Mar. 28 Mar. 28 Mar. 30 Apr. 10

Incredible India: Photographs, GCC Art Gallery Great Bowls of Fire Ottawa Food Bank fundraiser GCC, 5–8 p.m. Voyage à Paris, concert Southminster United Church, noon GCA meeting, GCC, 7 p.m. Oliver! the musical, Main Hall, GCC, 7 p.m. Artist Ellen MacIsaac, Abbotsford, 7:30–9 p.m. Songs in honour of International Women’s Day Oliver! the musical, Main Hall, GCC, 2 p.m. Photography for community newspapers workshop GCC Board Room, 10:30 a.m. “Writing Lives” Topical Talk by Colin Morton Abbotsford, 10 a.m. Be in the Band Pub Night, GCC, 7 p.m.

should every family need their own washing machine, lawn mower or power tools? Co-operative living could mean help with child care, home renovation and other tasks. Eventually two sets of families actually bought homes in the Glebe. Of these four families, we are the only ones still living in our (now individualized) communal house. The Glebe was quite affordable in the late 1970s. “Doit-yourself” (DIY) was the watchword. But the Glebe Continued on page 2

WHAT’S INSIDE Abbotsford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 39–40

Homes . . . . . . . . . 2, 13, 19–21

Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Home Buying . . . . . . . . . 14–16

Business Buzz . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Home Selling . . . . . . . . . 24–25

Councillor’s Report . . . . . . . 32

Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Downsizing . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Memoirs . . . . . . . . . . . . 35–36

Film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

MP’s Report . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22–23

Renovating . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

GCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37–38

GNAG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

next issue: Friday, April 10, 2015 EDITORIAL DEADLINE: Friday, March 20, 2015 ADVERTISING DEADLINE: Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Full Service online grocery shopping and home delivery, now 7 days a week. 754 Bank Street 613.232.9466 metroglebe.com

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homes

PHOTOs: TOM TANNER

2 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

This large semi-detached brick house built on Glebe Avenue in 1909 has a storied history.

Continued from page 1

Traffic Plan was installed in its initial temporary form, the Glebe Community Centre had opened and the Glebe Report had been publishing since 1973. The key players in the renaissance of our community were in place. There were still improvements to come; I remember standing at the corner of Lyon and Glebe in the spring before we moved in. Melting snow was exposing an abundance of dog “dirt” on tired lawns. The “stoop and scoop” law for pet owners was not yet in force. 136/138 Glebe Avenue reflects the stages of our community. Built by Ernest A. Hurdman, secretary of the Hurdman Lumber Company in 1909/1910, the building was under one deed with the owners living in 136 and renting 138. Milton H. Pettypiece, an osteopath, is listed as owner in 1919. There were tennis courts on the east side when George A. Clarke bought the house in 1928, but that didn’t last long as the next year saw construction begin for the new St. Matthew’s. The onset of the Great

Depression made church financing a challenge, and we have been told that our house and two others were put up as collateral for a loan to finish the roof. When George A. Clark died, ownership passed to his wife Iva until 1950 when Rene and Lena Cholette bought the property. There are a lot of other names recorded as tenants. The house sheltered many people – as did many Glebe homes, especially during the Second World War when people flocked to the capital to help the war effort. In 1960 or 1961, another era began when Ethel McCormick set up “Melanie Rest Inn for Aged”. We assume that this is when passages were knocked through the common wall between 136 and 138. The nursing home operated until 1972 or 1973. By 1975, Bill Levine was running a rooming house. The Tanner and Kuelz families purchased the property in 1978 and had it severed, Tanners buying 136 while Kuelzs bought 138. The neighbours were pleased to see two families moving from the suburbs intent on restoring a property that needed more than a bit of TLC.

George Clark, son of George A. Clark, lived in 136 from 1928 until 1946. His mother died when he was four (the Iva Clark mentioned above was his stepmother) and the third stained glass window on the west side of the St. Matthew’s sanctuary is dedicated to her memory. In 2007, George showed up in our back yard and came in to see his old home. Of course he told us some history. For example, the mismatched exterior bricks in the chimney for the foyer fireplace had always puzzled us. It turns out this is where a hole was knocked in the wall to release George who had been let down three storeys to clean out the chimney. He was a “scrawny kid,” but got stuck and could not be pulled up. The fire department was called but could not get him free so the bricks were removed to release him. When we moved into 136/138, the passage was open between the two halves on the ground floor and in the basement. There was a lot of co-operation and sharing. This pioneering phase saw constant activity and the five children (two Tanners and three Keulzs – ages seven, six,

five, four and three when we moved in) always had playmates. The openings between the houses inspired Joan Boswell, then living on Third Avenue, to include such a feature in Cut Off His Tale, a mystery novel set in the Glebe. After five years, however, the passages were closed as Tanners were going to Australia for a year of sabbatical leave. The two dwellings have been separate since 1983 and 138 has been sold twice. Vision and hard work brought the Glebe back to being a desirable family neighbourhood. Now the battles are over intensification, and familiar houses are being replaced with modern multifamily designs. But the cream stone walls of St. Matthew’s reflect winter sun into our windows and the organ provides backyard concerts on summer evenings. Thirty-seven years after viewing the rundown rooming house in a community then somewhat shabby, we know we made the right decision. Tom Tanner has been a Glebe Avenue resident for 37 years, and is a member of the Glebe Report board of directors.

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abbotsford

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Fancy footwork at Abbotsford Hope springs eternal and at Abbotsford we are really hoping that spring is on its way. Many brave and industrious members have been singing, exercising, painting, potting, playing ping-pong and enjoying coffee klatches at Abbotsford for the past two months but now we are gearing up for spring and the programming that comes with it. Spring will bring more occasions to feel good while you get fit. We have Folk Dancing (dances from around the world) and Latin Dancing Levels I and II in the new spring lineup. Susan Barker is our folk dancing instructor. She has a veritable smorgasbord of varied cultural dances to share. Barker takes her classes on an adventure every week, spanning the globe. Whether in Europe, Asia, Scandinavia or the Americas you will have travelled and feel better for it! Her classes help develop agility, motor skills, rhythm, spatial awareness, balance and endurance. All this while having fun! And there is no need for partners or experience. Abbotsford is also starting a new dance program with instructor

PHOTO: PAT GOYECHE

By Pat Goyeche

Instructor Michael Markov and a few Abbotsford members trying out Latin dancing.

Michael Markov. His Latin Dancing classes are meant to keep you fit while you have fun to a Latin beat. Markov says he likes teaching “dancing routines in a group party atmosphere, making each class a fiesta.” Everyone is welcome. No experience is necessary, just a willingness to try … and again no partners required. You can pick from Levels I or II, depending on your personal level of fitness and dance acumen. The Spring Program Guide will be available mid-March and will high-

light the full roster of classes that begin in early April. Abbotsford programs are for adults 55+. If you have never visited Abbotsford please come in and look around, ask some questions, drop in on a class you think you might want to take and find out more about us. Current programming will continue until the end of March … come see for yourself what you can do! Abbotsford is your community support centre for adults 55+. We provide the community programs of The

ST. JAMES •

TENNIS CLUB

Glebe Centre Inc., a charitable, notfor-profit, organization that includes a 254-bed long-term care home. Find out more about our services by dropping by 950 Bank Street (the old stone house) from Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, telephoning 613-230-5730 or by checking out all of the Glebe Centre facilities and community programs on our website www.glebecentre.ca. Pat Goyeche is coordinator of community programs at Abbotsford at The Glebe Centre.

St. James Tennis Club Registration

Please mail cheque and form to: St. James Tennis Club P.O. Box 4701 Station E Ottawa, ON K1S 5H8

Name _______________________________________________ ' Junior ' Adult Name _______________________________________________ Third Ave. at Lyon Open 9am-11pm Saturday, April 25, to Sunday, Sept. 27. ' Junior ' Adult Email: glebestjamestennis@gmail.com Website: www.stjamestennis.ca Name _______________________________________________ ' Junior ' Adult Free Tennis Lessons for Kids age 3-17! Name _______________________________________________ From May 4 - June 13, kids and junior members receive FREE ' Junior ' Adult AFTER-SCHOOL LESSONS with their memberships! Our program is recognized as one of the highest quality Kids’ Tennis Name _______________________________________________ ' Adult programs in the country, using age-appropriate equipment and ' Junior

WHERE EVERYONE IS WELCOME

game-based activities to develop young athletes. They are a great way to get your kids ready for an active summer!

Programs for All Ages and Abilities! St. James offers a wide range of programs to our members, especially our younger ones acquiring a passion for the game for the first time. The numerous club tournaments, social events, leagues, and round-robins are always open to all. Awesome Summer Camps! In association with Glebe Neighborhood Activities Group (GNAG), St. James offers a variety of weekly tennis and sports camps. Choose from tennis, soccer, multi-sport, badminton or volleyball, OR combine 2 camps together! Gender-specific camps also available.

Social Events! Round-Robins, Family Day, Summer BBQs, Tournaments, Exhibition Matches, and more!

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL Receive 10% off when you mail your form before April 18th!

Address_____________________________________________ Postal Code_________________________________________ Phone_______________________________________________ Email________________________________________________ Adult $110_______ Junior $60_______ Couples $190_______ No Refunds Families $225_______ Sub Total $_______ Early Bird Discount 10% _______ Mary Thompson Award Contribution $_______ Total $_______

Membership Types Family: 2 adults and 2 juniors at same address Couple: 2 adults at same address Junior: Under 18 years of age

business buzz

4 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Chris Green Stamps

By Ben Bulmer

You can collect planes, trains and automobiles, or countries that no longer exist, add them to your monarchs and dictators, spring flowers and Canadian wildlife and file them with your bicycles and bees – it’s all in an afternoon for a philatelist. Chris Green Stamps opened its doors to philatelists and the public alike at the beginning of October. It is a store filled with thousands upon thousands of stamps, postcards and postal history. “I like the ability to tangentially work with a piece of history,” says Chris Green of what attracted him to philately, “they’re little pieces of art.” Green has been collecting stamps since he was a student, working at Ian Kimmerley Stamps on Sparks Street during the summer whilst at university. After several years of working on Parliament Hill in communications and parliamentary affairs, Green returned to work for Ian Kimmerley and when Kim-

merley retired and closed his store after three decades, Green took the opportunity to open up on his own. “This had always been a passion and when that opportunity to open up the shop came, I thought I would take it,” says Green. The Sparks Street store closed its doors on the Saturday and Green opened up the following week. Green had amassed a collection over the years and bought a proportion of the Sparks Street stock. The business is tucked behind Capital Home Hardware, but with its unique product, it doesn’t need the walk-in traffic Bank Street generates, says Green. “It’s a great neighbourhood for niche businesses, and it’s a nice neighbourhood for my customers who come in from out of town or other parts of Ottawa to pop in, find a nice place for lunch, if the weather is nice go for a walk along the canal.” Although the telephone and email have reduced the post office to a fraction of what it once was, the hobby of collecting stamps is

CMY

PHOTO: BEN BULMER

Around the world in an afternoon

Chris Green, philatelist, owner of Chris Green Stamps, surrounded by thousands of stamps, postcards and other artefacts of postal history. Green is optimistic about the future of collecting.

still popular and still growing, says Green. Although the heyday when every kid had a stamp collection may have ended, Green is optimistic about the future of collecting. “Do fewer people collect because maybe they don’t get as many letters or they’re not as exposed to it? Or maybe is it the other side – it’s more of a novelty because you don’t see it anymore and there is an attraction to it because it’s sort of representative of a past way of communicating,” says Green. “It’s fun to look at a postcard that was sent a hundred odd years ago and it just says a reminder, ‘I’m coming for tea tomorrow at two o’clock,’ because the mail was delivered so frequently and there was no other way to confirm appointments. We send a text now, they sent a postcard.” Although Green does sell online, many collectors still prefer to come into the store to browse for stamps. “It’s more fun to stumble across something. There’s no serendipity [with the Internet],” says Green. It’s also a very social thing. “Many times on a Saturday afternoon it’s almost a bit of a stamp club here with collectors.” “Collectors might come in for a good portion of the day. They spend a bit of time going through the stock and looking for what they’re trying to find, but you might spend1 an15-02-04 hour GMSElemAdGeoGR15.pdf chatting with other collectors about

what you’re looking for and what you collect,” says Green. So what do people collect?

“There are as many categories as there are collectors,” says Green. “You can pretty much find something to collect in any range of budget and interest.” Some collectors collect by country, some by topic, others just collect one particular series of stamps. And although some single stamps are a little pricey, you can also buy many thousands for a dollar or two, says Green. “That’s one of the great things about the hobby, you can pursue a very neat little niche on a limited budget,” says Green. If the art of the stamp doesn’t interest you there’s always what’s written on the back. Some people collect envelopes (covers as they are known in the trade) based on where they were sent to or sent from. “In some cases it’s much more interesting what was written on them than the stamp itself,” says Green. “It all comes back to a very tangential way of experiencing that history and getting to enjoy it.” Ben Bulmer, a recent arrival to the Glebe, is a regular contributor of “Business Buzz” articles to the Glebe 1:12 PM Report.

music PHOTO: ERIN SAOIRSE ADAIR

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

David Wiffen (right) makes a point with Glebe resident Arthur II

David Wiffen appearing at Compact Music Saturday, March 21, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. 785 1/2 Bank Street 613-233-8922 compact@sympatico.ca www.compactmusic.ca

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David Wiffen in the Glebe By David MacMillan

Ottawa-based, English-born Canadian singer, guitarist and widely acclaimed songwriter David Wiffen will make a rare appearance at Compact Music’s Glebe location on Saturday, March 21 (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.) to sign copies of his recently released CD, Songs from the Lost & Found. Songs from the Lost & Found consists of 12 unreleased songs dating from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, along with five alternative versions of songs previously released on the 1999 album, South of Somewhere. Whether recorded solo, in small combos or with a full band, they are some of the finest material Wiffen has written. These are songs of longing, experience, travel, reflection, love lost and love won, all sung with his incredible baritone voice. According to HELLO! Canada, “the veteran Canadian singer-songwriter makes a welcome return with stellar, previously unreleased numbers from the ‘70s.” Lithium Magazine says, “The release of these previously unheard tracks reiterates Wiffen’s musical legacy as one of Canada’s most important and valuable songwriters.” On a further local note, the CD cover, photographs, layout and design of “Songs from the Lost & Found” were done by Glebe resident Arthur II. David MacMillan is responsible for marketing services at True North Records, the indie record label that has released Songs from the Lost & Found.

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art

6 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Sketching Canada geese in London By Bhat Boy

I am spending the winter in London, England. I am not sure if you would expect to find Canada geese here, but they are in almost every royal park year round. Usually referred to incorrectly as “Canadian geese” in Britain, these non-passport-carrying birds are unknowingly ambassadors to our home and native land. Sometimes loved, often despised, they waddle back and forth in front of Buckingham Palace playing second fiddle to their much larger cousin, the swan. All swans in the United Kingdom belong to the Queen, and as such have royal status. Our black swans that spend the summer on the River Rideau are similarly the property of the Queen, though I am sure they would not be able to pick her out in a crowd during a royal visit. Somehow their royal status makes them seem more exotic nonetheless. As an artist, I am drawn to iconic Canadian symbols. Canada geese, along with moose and Mounties, have long been favourite subjects of mine. Nuns have no place here in London, having mostly been banished or burnt by Henry VIII almost 500 years ago, but the presence of Canada geese is tantalizing when I go out to sketch amongst the daffodils on a sunny February afternoon. I have been using

Pen and ink sketch of Canada goose over St. James’s Park, 2015. Buckingham Palace is in the top centre, Canada House is in Trafalgar Square on the lower right.

this quiet time, removed from the daily hustle and bustle of my life in the Glebe, to develop sketches for new paintings that I will complete later in the year. Painting Canada geese flying over the royal parks is a way of expressing my own identity, having been born in the U.K. and immigrating to Canada. I think of these geese as transient, representing the seasons in their comings and goings, and this too reflects my own migration back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean, so they speak to me on many levels. I look forward to returning to my home on Brown’s Inlet in the spring. I will eagerly await the return of Edwin, my favourite Canada goose, who for the last three years has allowed me to hand-feed him toast twice a day for the month of May. I am often asked how I know it is the same goose. I am

Sketch painting of Edwin over St James’s Park. I often make smaller practice paintings to work out details about colours and composition before embarking on larger scale works. 16 x 20 acrylic on panel, 2015.

sure it is, just as, mysterious to the other geese, Edwin can distinguish me from other humans (unlike the black swans on the Rideau who couldn’t pick the Queen out of a

crowd of chimney sweeps). Bhat Boy is an artist, Glebe resident and frequent contributor to the Glebe Report.

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film

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Deux jours, une nuit Directed by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, (Belgium, 2014) By Paul Green

Mr Turner

Writer/Director Mike Leigh (UK, France, Germany, 2014) Biographical drama of British painter J.M.W. Turner (1775–1851) By Lois Siegel

Mr. Turner is a must-see for anyone interested in the arts or history. The film covers the last quarter century of the painter’s life starting when he is 51 years old. Nineteenth-century England is recreated in detail. It’s a fascinating history lesson with pictures of the era and scenes of epic proportions, much like the paintings of Turner – sensitive impressions of light and colour. By the age of 14, Turner was in the British Royal Academy of Arts, but he wasn’t like prodigies we are accustomed to. He came from a working class family. His demeanor was rather brusque. He constantly grunted, was rather sullen and quite eccentric. Actor Timothy Spall plays a captivating Turner, who is intently focused on his painting. He travels in order to find magnificent land and seascapes. At one point we see him strapped to the mast of a ship so that he can paint a snowstorm. An unusual character, Turner has lovers, but remains single. He’s not a family man. He’s visited by a lady who claims he is the father of her two children. Turner will have nothing to do with her or her daughters. He has a dedicated housekeeper who occasionally satisfies his sexual needs, and he frequents brothels but also mingles with aristocrats, artists and architects. The film opens on a vast landscape with a windmill. People appear out of the background. A man is sketching: J.M.W. Turner. He lives with his

father in his London studio. The elder Turner, a former barber, becomes his studio assistant. His mother spent time in St. Luke’s Hospital for Lunatics. As a painter, Turner experiments with materials, sometimes stabbing the canvas with his brush. He blows powder on a painting, uses his finger and a cloth to rub it, and even spits to bind the pigments. Other artists laugh and make fun of him. He is not always appreciated. But we do sometimes see his sensitive side, once when he is listening to a woman play the piano and another time when he sketches a young prostitute and then cries when he discovers she is only 22 years old. Michael Leigh’s screenplay: “Turner now breaks down. Uncontrollable tears grow into a painful howl of despair.” Turner consults with a Mrs. Somerville, a “natural philosopher” who experiments with magnetic properties and prisms of colour. She says, “It is my strong belief that all things on this earth are connected. Nothing exists in isolation. You are a man of great vision, Mr. Turner. The universe is chaotic and you make us see it.” Spall spent almost two years learning how to paint in preparation for his role. He says, “Turner knew he was a man of destiny.” This cinematographic masterpiece was nominated for four Oscars – Cinematography: Dick Pope, Costume Design: Jacqueline Durran, Original Score: Gary Yershon and Production Design: Suzie Davies and Charlotte Watts. Spall won Best Actor at Cannes, along with Pope who won a Special Jury Prize for Cinematography.

There’s a lovely scene in this film in which the stressed-out couple at the centre of the story are driving in their car when a song comes on the radio. They turn up the music and for a couple of minutes, it’s as though they hadn’t a care in the world. (The song is a Frenchlanguage version of the old Jackie DeShannon hit Needles and Pins ... and it’s great!) The scene is all the more remarkable as it involves a rare release of tension – and not only for Sandra and Manu, but the viewer as well. Belgium’s Dardenne brothers make austere, compact films about ordinary people faced with Hobbesian choices or moral dilemmas; they are films about the human condition that shine a harsh light on the parlous, profit-driven times we live in. In Two Days, One Night, Sandra, portrayed by an incandescent Marion Cotillion, struggles to keep her job with a firm that manufactures solar panels. As they face stiff competition from Asia, management has hit upon the expedient of asking workers to choose between retaining their bonuses (1000 Euros) and terminating Sandra’s position. The outcome of this dubious exercise, held on a Friday with Sandra still away on sick leave recovering from depression, was never in doubt. Only two of her 16 coworkers voted to dump their bonus and retain Sandra’s position. And so it begins; Sandra gets a phone call from a colleague who relays the bad news. There is little exposition, no setting the scene or foregrounding the story ... it simply unfolds before us. This, I believe, is what is meant by the word “austere” in the context of a Dardenne brothers film. Sandra and her colleague persuade their boss to hold a second vote, which means she has the weekend to convince 14 co-workers to change their vote – a daunting prospect for a young mother plagued with self-doubt and a little shaky from the medication she’s

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been taking. There is no escaping Marion Cotillion; repeated close-ups and relentless tracking shots place her in almost every frame. As she talks to her co-workers on their doorstep or in their home, tracking them down to a soccer pitch or where they are moonlighting, she learns more about people over one weekend than some of us do in a lifetime. Sandra’s co-workers are not a bad lot; they just need the bonus. Some of the reasons they cite are even plausible: someone’s husband is unemployed, another has education expenses and then there is the young wife who says she and her husband need a patio for their house. Most moving is the young man on the soccer pitch; he is nearly in tears as Sandra approaches: “I’m so glad you came,” he says, “I voted against you and I feel so ashamed. I will vote for you on Monday.” This one had found his humanity and was grateful for the chance to redeem himself. In the world of the Dardenne brothers, that is to say, our world, competition and being competitive are the great “whatsits” of our age: competitiveness is why workers suffer wage cuts and redundancies; competitiveness is why incoming CEOs command generous compensation packages; it is why outgoing presidents are graced with lavish severance payments. Sandra’s co-workers are struggling to keep their head above water, but some of them remember their shared humanity and in doing so, transcend the squalor of that struggle. All this by way of saying that Two Days, One Night, in which nary a shot is wasted, is essential viewing.

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EDITORIAL PAGE

8 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Images of the Glebe

Glebe comings and goings NEW TO THE GLEBE

Beaver’s Mug Café is now open at 857A Bank Street, taking over from Francesco’s Coffee Company, but still selling locally roasted Francesco’s coffee. “Freshly locally roasted fair trade coffee in a cup or by the pound! Did we mention our delicious homemade sandwiches?” (Facebook)

PHOTO: liz mckeen

CHANGES AFOOT

Wedding party on ice at Patterson’s Creek

Home, sweet Glebe Welcome to the first themed issue of the Glebe Report on homes in the Glebe. This issue brings together several perspectives on homes and houses in our neighbourhood, including the ins and outs of buying and selling, the heritage nature of many of our homes and the stories that grow up around them and their inhabitants. We also touch on home financing and affordability (not very!), how to showcase your house with gardens and plants, renovation, tips on downsizing and designs for “living small” in the Glebe. The picture of the Glebe neighbourhood, drawn in the brief statistical profile on page 12, is a familiar one – compared with the overall Ottawa average, our neighbourhood has almost double the population density, with a high proportion of people in their twenties (the students) and six-

ties (the baby boomers, a number of whom are retired.) On the whole, we are well educated and well off. We tend to have a higher than average participation in civic elections, and are much more likely to use non-car modes of transportation to get to work – 23 per cent of us walk to work and 13 per cent bike. Mind you, fewer of us use public transit, maybe due to sparse bus service between the Glebe and Centretown. On the downside, we have less than half the square metres of parks and paths, and our houses are in somewhat more need of repair than the average. But statistics can hide troubling issues. A significant number of people have older homes, perhaps bought in the 1950s, 60s or 70s when houses were more affordable, and who now have solid assets but not necessar-

ily the income needed to maintain them. The problem of lack of affordable housing is acute in the Glebe, with Glebe homes on average twice the price of other Ottawa homes (see page 15). Young adults who grew up in the Glebe are not able to set up their own households here. The Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa underlines some policies pertinent to the Glebe – the City’s Official Plan target that 25 per cent of new residential development be affordable, and the need to monitor the loss of affordable housing through demolition and conversions. High rents are also a problem, especially for students. While I don’t wish to overstate the problem, we cannot lose sight of these real housing issues. – Liz McKeen

www.glebereport.ca Established in 1973, the Glebe Report, published by the Glebe Report Association is a monthly not for-profit community newspaper with a circulation of 7,000 copies. It is delivered free to Glebe homes and businesses. Advertising from merchants in the Glebe and elsewhere pays all its costs, and the paper receives no government grants or direct subsidies. The Glebe Report, made available at select locations such as the Glebe Community Centre and the Old Ottawa South Community Centre and Brewer Pool, is printed by Winchester Print. EDITOR Liz McKeen editor@glebereport.ca COPY EDITOR Gillian Campbell LAYOUT DESIGNER Jock Smith layout@glebereport.ca GRAPEVINE EDITOR Micheline Boyle grapevine@glebereport.ca WEB EDITOR Elizabeth Chiang website@glebereport.ca ADVERTISING MANAGER Judy Field 613-231-4938 advertising@glebereport.ca BUSINESS MANAGER Sheila Pocock 613-233-3047 CIRCULATION MANAGER Zita Taylor 613-235-1214 circulation@glebereport.ca PROOFREADERS Valerie Bryce, Joann Garbig, Teena Hendelman, Carol MacLeod, Fionn McKercher, Susan Bell. AREA CAPTAINS

Martha Bowers, Donna Edwards, Judy Field, McE and Bobby Galbreath, Gary Greenwood, Ginny Grimshaw, Jono Hamer-Wilson, Martin Harris, Christian Hurlow, Gord Yule.

175 Third Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 2K2 Please submit articles to editor@glebereport.ca. Call 613-236-4955 @glebereport

DEADLINES For Glebe Report advertising deadlines and rates, call the advertising manager. Advertising rates are for electronic material supplied in pdf format with fonts embedded in the file. Deadlines for submissions: Friday, March 20 for articles Wednesday, March 25 for advertising The next issue of the Glebe Report: Friday, April 10, 2015

Please note that except for July, the paper is published monthly. An electronic version of the print publication is subsequently uploaded with text, photos, drawings and advertisements as a pdf to www.glebereport.ca. Selected articles will be highlighted on the website.

COVER: “Dow’s Lake in early March” by Liz McKeen.

Views expressed in the articles and letters submitted to the Glebe Report are those of our contributors.

FRONT PAGE: “136/138 Glebe Avenue” by Tom Tanner.

Glebe BIA: “We want to … make the [Glebe] even more vibrant through the development of murals and art installations. With a theme of ‘Bringing Spaces to Life’ … we are seeking compelling proposals that evoke a sense of style. Help us showcase the Glebe’s unique character and contribute to the growing number of art projects in the National Capital Region. Entries should conceptualize a painting, mosaic artwork or art installation applied to exterior walls. The creation of these murals will add to the community and an on-street experience by creating landmarks, demonstrating community identity and pride; declaring a building’s purpose, enlivening the area; and deterring graffiti and involving youth.” (Glebe BIA blog) GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Juno Gems at 835 Bank Street closed up shop in late February. McIntosh & Watts is having a “lease ending” sale. “Founded on Bank Street in 1906, McIntosh & Watts has been an Ottawa institution known for quality, service and value. Gregory McIntosh and Christina Watts were the brother and sister combination which founded the company as a tea and spice emporium that also imported dinnerware and accessories … McIntosh & Watts has survived depressions and recessions, world wars, good times and bad ones.” (Website)

Contributors this issue Kathy Ablett Erin Saoirse Adair Seema Akhtar Diane Allingham Stuart Arnett Paul Beckwith Bhat Boy Micheline Boyle Sheila Brady Anne Brammer Ben Bulmer Valerie Burton David Chernushenko Jennifer Dawson Paul Dewar Clive Doucet Cara Elizabeth Andrew Elliott Ann Ellis Adelle Farrelly Baz Ghannoum Sheri Segal Glick Pat Goyeche Paul Green Rochelle Handelman Derek Hooper

Bob Irvine Puck Janes Will Jessup Tom Korski John Last David MacMillan Mike Mankowski Eric Martin Veronica Martin Christine McAllister Diana McCarthy Peter McKercher Dan Moloughney Urszula Muntean Patricia Paul-Carson Clare Pearson Penelope Anne S. Ellen Schowalter Lois Siegel Karen Smith Zenah Surani Tom Tanner Julie Teskey Mary Tsai Anne Woolley Zeus

Views expressed in the Glebe Report are those of our contributors. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Articles selected for publication will be published in both a printed version and an online version on the Glebe Report’s website: www.glebereport.ca.

letters

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

‘Defending’ the TD sign decision Open letter to Chris Stamper, Senior Vice President, Corporate Marketing, TD Bank Group Dear Mr. Stamper, Be assured from the outset I am in your corner. It bothers me when someone in your lofty position is badgered by people who insist that you tell them the truth behind your decisions. I am referring, sir, to your correspondence with residents of the Glebe who had the audacity to ask why on earth you made the choice to put a huge lit TD sign on what was a beautiful wood ribbed structure that screened the stadium in Ottawa. I know you have neither the time nor the inclination to explain yourself to people like that, people who enjoy the neighborhood benefits that your decisions provide and then question the manner in which you provide them. You would prefer that they just thank you and go on their way – but they won’t do that because their kind think they are entitled to an honest answer. That thought, of course, is ludicrous. Every high school dropout working in corporate marketing knows that corporate decisions are not about touchy-feely values like beauty, architectural integrity or community. They are about putting the screws to ill-fated opponents and twisting until they finally give up, shut up, and open an account in your bank. Well, sir, this country was not built by people who gave up. Nor was it built by dog walkers, skaters, joggers, kayakers, fitness trainers, artsy types

or moms pushing strollers. It was built by trappers, railroaders, lumberjacks and log rollers, cattle breeders, miners, farmers and swamp developers – people who saw what they wanted, drooled and took it. You sir, are one of these. You saw an opportunity, grabbed it with both hands, and plastered the TD Bank logo at TD Place on anything to which it would stick. Stay with that approach, sir. It is what got you to the dance. But avoid all future attempts to appear as if you care about the concerns of citizens who have to walk, drive or sail past your sign. One more thing – you switched the question from “Why did you make your decision?” to “Am I comfortable with the sign’s design?” when you thought everyone had fallen asleep waiting two months for your reply. Bad form, sir. No one is concerned about your level of comfort. What concerns them is that your sign looks like a humongous green zit hanging on the face of the stadium. Continue to pretend you are open to feedback, but make it clear that you have no intention of backing down on this issue. There will be no admission about mistakes having been made, no wringing of hands or rending of garments, no sackcloth and ashes, no “Regrets, I’ve had a few.” You are the man, sir. You got your sign. I dare say, sir, the locals do know what is really going on and will continue to stay on your case. You can bank on it. Mike Mankowski Glebe resident

Parking perils Editor, Glebe Report

Small businesses and speeding on Bank Street Editor, Glebe Report I don’t mean to sound grumpy but I had literally just paid the window washer, and as soon as he stepped away, speeding traffic did this! Small business owners are already feeling the crunch of a bitterly cold winter, and there have been so many business closures that the street is starting to resemble a ghost town (in areas) and now this – it’s just too much. Fellow businesses (the ones that are left!) mention OC Transpo as the culprit but I’ve watched many other speeding vehicles of assorted shapes and sizes that don’t resemble city buses. Speeding is a real (and new) problem! All my customers need is one splash like my windows are getting and I think they won’t come back, or at least they won’t come back until summer, exacerbating the winter slump (in sales) exponentially! Anne Woolley Cats R Us

Bikeway fears Editor, Glebe Report (Letter to Glebe Community Association and David Chernushenko, Capital Ward Councillor, excerpted by permission) Words cannot describe how distressed and discouraged my wife Karen and I were after reading Brian [Mitchell]’s report in the most recent issue of the Glebe Report. Brian’s report was thorough and clear and our quarrel is not at all with Brian, the messenger. There were two points in Brian’s report that we found particularly distressing, both concerning the Glebe Neighbourhood Bikeway. The first was “the possible removal … of some stop signs on O’Connor.” Given the amount of traffic congestion now on Bank Street (especially southbound on weekends), non-neighbourhood drivers are inevitably going to search for alternative routes to travel north-south through the Glebe. If stop signs are removed on O’Connor, you’re just going to create a second major channel for this nonneighbourhood, cut-through traffic. Think of what Percy would be like if stop signs were removed from it: all of the non-neighbourhood drivers heading northbound on Bronson would hop over to Percy to get downtown (while avoiding traffic tie-ups on Bronson). The scenario that I’m describing is exactly

what will happen to O’Connor if you remove stop signs from it. In effect, you will channel traffic onto O’Connor (in addition to Bank), irrevocably changing the character of O’Connor from a quiet residential street to a throughway for cutthrough traffic (in the name of creating a bikeway). How perverse can public policy get? What is even more saddening is that some of the stop signs on O’Connor were placed there after extensive study and community consultations. Take for example the north-south stop signs on O’Connor at Glebe Avenue (just south of Patterson Creek). My wife and I and a number of other parents of children going to First Avenue School were concerned in the early 1990s about the speed of traffic heading south on O’Connor. I talked to Jim Watson, our then councillor, who arranged for a traffic study of the intersection, which showed that stop signs on O’Connor were indeed warranted, and were installed (parents at First Avenue School called them “Bob’s stop signs”). Our second concern relates to the proposed “partial closure of Craig at Fifth.” Because of the now-chronic congestion on Bank Street, Karen and I take evasive action to drive to the south part of the Glebe. We know little dipsy-doodles on the back streets of the Glebe that the suburban, cut-through drivers don’t know. But now it sounds like our options will be reduced, again in the name of the Glebe Neighbourhood Bikeway. What Karen and I feel – or at least

perceive – is that careful plans and decisions about traffic-planning in the Glebe that were made through the years now seem to be up for grabs. If Karen and I were Aboriginal elders, we would be viewed as having valuable traditional knowledge that should be tapped. Bob Irvine and Karen Smith Response from David Chernushenko: Thank you Bob and Karen for your thorough and helpful commentary. It is indeed very difficult to try and make changes in a mature neighbourhood with all its history and “traditional knowledge.” What city staff has been trying to do is to look not just for ways to make improvements for cycling, but to use the opportunity to make overall improvements to pedestrian, cyclist and driver safety. The idea of removing one or two stop signs on O’Connor would only move forward if the net result was as good as the status quo, or perhaps better, as a result of additional but different types of traffic calming measures. The Fifth and Craig intersection issue is a complicated one, upon which the city has heard many disparate views. Any changes would certainly only be endorsed by me if it resulted in a clearer (to all users) situation. No decisions have been made at this time, so your input is very welcome and helpful.

I have been a resident in the Glebe for the past 40 plus years and have lived on various streets during that time. I have been in constant bother by the lack of parking for residents. I rarely have lived in a home with parking and have been forced either to spend hours watching the clock to avoid tickets or pay for street parking. Currently, I live on Second Avenue, where we are in the throes of having the “Glebe Parking Garage” constructed. With this construction, we have more vehicles – those belonging to the construction workers and the patrons that used to park behind the Metro. To add to the chaos, there are the poorly ploughed streets and the neighbours who dump snow from their laneways onto the street. As I am a nurse, I work various shifts and when I finish work the last thing I want to do is drive around the now single-lane streets hoping to find somewhere to park that has a “permit holders exempt” sign posted, then try and fight the snow banks and fast moving traffic to position my car on a rut or snow bank. Or I could always walk along the poorly cleared sidewalks from another street and take the chance of being ticketed, as I’m out of my permit zone. I think Ottawa needs to look at downtown Montreal or another city with harsh snowy winters. It really is nasty being in Canada in winter, so we should try and fix what we can. We need to consider our neighbours when clearing the snow, drive more slowly, give permit holders preferential parking on their streets and make zones larger for permit holders. We can fix this mess by enforcing the bylaws and ticket people who dump their snow on road, invent their own parking places and speed on residential streets. Penelope Anne S.

I beg to differ Re: “Brittons – a social institution that will not be replaced” and “How best to pay tribute to Ted Britton?” (February Glebe Report) Editor, Glebe Report You can imagine the comic manner in which I spewed my coffee on reading the moist-eyed tributes to Britton in the pages of the Glebe Report. The old neighbourhood will never be the same, readers were told; no more walkies to Brittons with sheltie; no more “cheery” Ted. If only we’d had a chance to say goodbye, before Britton fled the city. One writer asked what tribute would best honour Ted Britton? I suggest we engrave the names of his creditors on a tasteful plaque – er, better make it two plaques – and send it on to his forwarding address. Good luck finding that. Tom Korski

gca

10 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

GCA survey results Join our team and keep the city clean. April 15 to May 15

Did you know that almost 1,400 of the 4,600 households in the Glebe are GCA members? We were extremely pleased that over 200 completed our survey, as we seek to better understand our community’s perspectives on local issues as well as perceptions of the GCA. We’ve learned some interesting things from our survey results. Read on …

Christine McAllister www.glebeca.ca

Participation in the GCA

Step 1: Register a project Starting March 15, register at ottawa.ca/clean or by calling 3-1-1. Step 2: Get Cleaning Encourage others to join you! 2015018005_09

Step 3: Win prizes!

One of my strong beliefs is that for the GCA to advocate on behalf of the community, we need to have a lot of involvement from residents – something we work very hard at doing. While the most active way of being involved is by sitting on the board (which 31 residents currently do), there are other means as well. For instance, probably another 80 or so residents sit on committees, although 75 per cent of survey respondents said they have never participated in a GCA committee. Clearly, we have some work to do in getting more residents involved in our committees. But there are other ways of being involved – residents attending monthly board meetings and participating in the discussions are an important means for the board to find out what residents are thinking. Of the over 200 survey respondents, almost 45 per cent said they had attended a board meeting. Not surprisingly, 80 per cent of respondents said they had attended a GCA-sponsored event. In fact, our larger community consultations are almost always very well attended – for instance, the Lansdowne traffic management meeting last spring and also our successful education forum a couple of years ago. These events correspond well with what people said were the main benefits of membership in the GCA, primarily providing knowledge about local community issues and increasing the community’s voice by advocating for local issues. What Glebites value

A few questions in our survey were to help us understand what residents value in the neighbourhood. When asked why people moved to the Glebe, the most popular reasons were its central location, its walkability and bike-friendliness, its character as a mixed-use neighbourhood and its heritage character. While there was a lot of consistency in why people moved here, there was more variety in issues of concern to people. The character of the buildings, traffic congestion, building density and bikeability all had support as high-priority issues. There was not much support for increasing density in the neighbourhood. But a survey has its limitations and while good at identifying the top issues, it doesn’t provide the reasons that underlie individual responses. We are hoping to get a better understanding of these at our March 8 GCA Community Consultation. The role of the GCA

General Interest Classes Spring 2015 Continuing Education Register Today! Look for our exciting Spring courses at our many school sites. Classes start the week of April 20th.

To register call 613-239-2751 or go to https://e-connect.ocdsb.ca

UPDATED for Spring ‘15

Continuing Education 440 Albert Street Phone: 613-239-2751 Fax: 613-239-2679 interestclassesinottawa.com

Several people provided detailed comments about the GCA and its advocacy. I loved seeing the variety of opinions, some of which reinforced a number of responses calling on the GCA to have a “balanced approach” that can be at times “difficult to achieve, as it is hard to gauge the opinion of a neighbourhood.” This is, in fact, the key challenge for the GCA, one which I see play out in committees on a regular basis. A great example is the traffic committee, whose members represent cycling enthusiasts, residents concerned about parking (on both sides – too much and not enough), traffic experts and people new to working on traffic concerns. Generally, committees examine issues from many sides before presenting resolutions to the board for its consideration. For their part, board members (committee chairs and area representatives) contribute to lively discussion and debate on resolutions to try to find what will contribute to a strong neighbourhood. Resolutions, when passed, become positions on which the GCA advocates. Some examples of recently-passed motions include: • That the City fund needed investments in local parks; • That the City undertake an Area Traffic Management Study for Powell Avenue and work with residents and the GCA to identify and implement measures to reduce traffic speed and improve safety on this street; and • That the City analyse more thoroughly the impact on the “downstream” neighbourhoods (i.e. the Glebe) of widening the Bronson/Airport Parkway, from a traffic congestion and a pedestrian/cyclist perspective. The Glebe is a great neighbourhood to participate and live in. The GCA advocating on issues of concern to residents contributes, albeit in small ways, to the strength and character of the neighbourhood. I hope readers will consider dedicating some of their volunteer time to our community association, so that we can continue to grow our understanding of the issues, develop balanced responses and contribute to the ongoing liveability of the neighbourhood.

To join our e-mail list, please contact jane.jones@ocdsb.ca

glebe community association Twitter: @glebeca Email: gca@glebeca.ca

gnag

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Action packed GNAG!

GNAG Dance Instructor Needed! Salary: $22–$40 per hour

Registration has begun

With over 500 programs, camps and activities to choose from, spring and summer 2015 with GNAG is going to be amazing! Find us at www. gnag.ca and discover what your community centre has to offer!

Mary Tsai www.gnag.ca

Teaching opportunities include (but are not limited to): 3 – 5 years Mondays 2:00 – 2:45 p.m. Mar 30 – Jun 15 4 – 6 years Mondays 4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Mar 30 – Jun 15 4 – 6 years Fridays 4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Apr 10 – Jun 12 6 – 7 years Fridays 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Apr 10 – Jun 12 8 – 9 years Thursdays 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. Apr 2 – Jun 11 10 – 12 years Tuesdays 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. Mar 31 – Jun 9

Summer Camps are GNAG’s specialty

The best of the best will include Glebe Leadership, Musical Theatre, Dance, Tennis, Multisports, Art, Circus, Extreme Girls & Guys, Camping Adventure and more. We are thrilled to introduce new camps such as: Photography, Claymation Mania, App Maker Extreme, Interior Design, Sculpture, Broadway Musical, Girls on Fire and Gymnastics just to name a few! We are also bringing back our old favourites like the Odyssey Camps, CAT Squad, Kinder Construction, Zoo Crew, Computer Camps by Future Kids, Volleyball, Badminton Camp, Magic and Fantasy Camps, DIY Fashion, Sports Leadership and more. If your child has ever attended GCC’s camps, then you know how wonderful they are and how fast they fill up. Don’t sit in front of your calendar on the last day of school wondering what you are going to be doing with your children for summer. Register now! Spring Soccer Registration (ages 3–12)

GNAG Soccer is a fun league open to boys and girls from ages 3 to 12. Over 300 children participate each year. Games are played only among GNAG soccer teams. Every player receives equal attention and playing time. We emphasize fun, and encourage a winning effort and fair play. We keep score during games, but not over the season. This is the best way to kick off your soccer season. This league is coached by parent volunteers so please sign up to help your child’s team. April 10 is Pub Night

Three groups from the RBC Bluesfest Be in the Band program will provide exceptional entertainment at our annual Pub Night. Some lucky young Ottawa musicians could end up performing at this year’s RBC Bluesfest. Come out for a good time and cheer on RBC Bluesfest Be in the Band artists during this special showcase night. Friday, April 10, 2015 at 7 p.m. Admission is free, cash bar for adults, light snacks and refreshments are provided. Thank you to executive director of the RBC Ottawa Bluesfest, Mark Monahan, who launched RBC Bluesfest Be in the Band with the help of artists Todd Snelgrove and GNAG’s very own music artists, Jacob Monson and Jenn Atyeo. This is a remarkable opportunity for the youth in our community. St. James outdoor rink celebrates another successful season!

Many Glebe families celebrated their Valentine’s Day at GNAG’s community rink party. The day started off with an energetic adult shinny hockey tournament followed by a slew of winter games fit for party-goers of all ages. It was a perfect winter day and the ice conditions were excellent! One of the highlights was curling. Players big and small launched mini curling rocks down a mini sheet that was built for the day. Thank you to Rick Collins from the Rideau Curling Club for providing the mini rocks, they were very popular. Although the St. James tennis courts are covered in snow and ice, you can’t keep tennis out! Once again, mini-tennis matches on ice challenged St. James members to a round of tennis on skates. There was nothing mini about these games. Players could not help themselves to a friendly competition playing doubles. This year’s rink project was a huge success. It could not have happened without all the commitment and enthusiasm of our staff, volunteers, friends and neighbours. On behalf of GNAG, the City of Ottawa and St. James Tennis Club, we offer everyone a heartfelt thank you!

GNAG’s CAT Squad built a snow sculpture of the Glebe Community Centre at Lansdowne Park Snowscapes during Winterlude.

Oliver! the musical March 26 – 29, 7 p.m., March 28 at 2 p.m. Tickets: $22 (Adults) $17 (Seniors & Students) Get your tickets by calling 613-233-8713 or come in person to the GCC! March 25 dress rehearsal

Now Open Until April 19

pancake house & sugar bush

Open daily 9 am - 4 pm

Broker of Record Dan@OttawaUrbanRealty.com

NEW! A Walk Through Time on our Heritage Maple Path with Chad Clifford

NEW OFFICE

Oliver! the musical

Based on Charles Dickens’ classic novel, Oliver Twist, this lively musical is about a young boy’s extraordinary adventures on the streets of London. Until he is nine years old, Oliver spends his life in a workhouse orphanage, where he becomes notorious for daring to ask for more food. When he runs away to London, he falls into the company of a gang of pickpockets, including Fagin, Bill Sikes and the Artful Dodger. Oliver’s future looks uncertain until a mysterious plot against him is unraveled by the kind Mr. Brownlow. Employment opportunity – dance instructor needed

We are seeking a talented dance instructor to grow GNAG’s dance program for preschoolers, children and youth. GNAG believes in providing the highest caliber of instruction to all ages. Do you have experience teaching hip-hop, ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap, Broadway and modern, etc. for all ages? Are you creative and flexible and possess strong interpersonal skills? Are you organized, fun and dynamic? If so, please apply and be part of the GNAG team! To apply, send your resumé no later than March 18, attention Mary Tsai, GNAG Executive Director. By mail or in person: Glebe Community Centre, 175 Third Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1S 2K2. Email: tsaidavies@gnag.ca.

613-233-8713 Email: info@gnag.ca

Dan Moloughney

Activities Every Weekend, March Break and Easter Weekend 11 am - 3 pm Horse drawn sleigh rides, face painting, music, and maple taffy Bring your skis & snowshoes!

Come Play in Our Backyard! 613-256-3867 info@fultons.ca www.fultons.ca

Ofﬁce: 613.233.2323

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glebe today

12 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

A statistical profile of the Glebe By Rochelle Handelman

In 1980, when my husband and I decided to buy our first house, location was our prime concern since neither of us drove. We wanted to be in a pedestrian-friendly environment near good public transportation and such amenities as grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, parks and schools. We chose the Glebe. Why? Here is a brief look at the Glebe’s demographic profile and amenities in comparison with that of the rest of Ottawa. My main sources of information have been the University of Ottawa’s Ottawa Neighbourhood Survey (ONS) (neighbourhoodstudy. ca/), Statistics Canada’s 2006 and 2011 censuses and the 2011 National Household Survey. In the 1950s, Glebe went from a middle-class to a predominantly working-class neighbourhood, with the houses subdivided into multiple apartments or rooming houses. In the 1970s it underwent significant gentrification and became one of Ottawa’s elite neighbourhoods. These changes are evident in the census. From 1971 to 1996, the percentage of the population with university degrees rose from 10 to 60 per cent. Whitecollar employment grew from less than half to some 95 per cent. While in 1971 Glebe residents were 14 per cent poorer than the average citizen of Ottawa, in 1996 they were 18 per cent wealthier. The Glebe neighbourhood has more recently been characterized by the ONS as follows: “There is an extremely well educated population who are well engaged in the political process, an active community association, good access to recreational opportunities, a high proportion of residents who feel a strong sense of belonging to their community and high employment.

Income levels are generally high. One concern is the high number of homes in need of major repairs and the relatively high numbers of people who have unaffordable housing. This neighbourhood is committed to active transportation; many residents either walk or cycle to their workplace. Residents have excellent access to healthy food outlets and a very good selection of restaurants; specialty stores and restaurants are within easy walking distance for most residents. Residents are fortunate enough to have the Rideau Canal bordering the neighbourhood, adding to the available parkland and green space. The neighbourhood also has a vibrant cultural life. Reproductive health, self-rated health, and rates of ER visits and hospitalizations are all excellent. School readiness of children is also very good.” The table describes the Glebe/ Dow’s Lake area in statistical terms. This table includes an overall walkability score. Another walkability index I found at www.walkscore.com produced these results for my postal code. You can try the site using your own postal code. Note that the index is out of 100. • Walk score: 91 (Daily errands do not require a car.) • Transit score: 59 (Many nearby public transportation options.) • Bike score: 78 (Flat as a pancake, good bike lanes.) The Glebe is currently undergoing changes mainly due to the Lansdowne Park redevelopment. It will be interesting to observe how the Glebe neighbourhood profile evolves, given the influx of new residents and amenities. One of the major challenges facing residents of the Glebe continues to be traffic congestion and a lack of parking. Thanks to Trish Cillis from Statistics Canada and David Hole from

Yasir Naqvi, MPP Ottawa Centre

Here to help you! Community Office 109 Catherine Street Ottawa ON K2P 0P4 T: 613-722-6414 | F: 613-722-6703 ynaqvi.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org www.yasirnaqvimpp.ca fb facebook.com/yasirnaqvimpp | tw @yasir_naqvi

the ONS for their help with this article. Dedicated to the memory of Maryanne Webber, a Glebe resident and a talented and dedicated Statistics Canada employee who, sadly, passed

away in January. Rochelle Handelman is a Glebe resident and before retirement was a population analyst at Statistics Canada.

Lawyer JaMeS MCCULLOCH 76 Chamberlain Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1S 1V9 Real Estate (purchases and sales) Wills and Estates, Business Law Family Law (divorce, support, property and custody) Tel: 613 565-5297 / Fax: 613 422-1110 email: mccullochlawyer@rogers.com

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Electrical Contractor License No. 7005472

Real Estate, Litigation, Business/Commercial, Wills, Estates and Family Law. 1010-141 Laurier Ave W, Ottawa, ON K1P 5J3 P: 613-563-1010 F: 613-563-1011 www.sulaw.ca

office: 613-257-5257 fax: 613-257-1844 email: info@mcquillanelectric.ca ESA Registered, Insured & Qualified

COMMERCIAL SERVICES Renovations Store/Restaurant fit ups Ground-up construction Electrical service upgrades Lighting retrofits Service & repair Equipment hook-up Fire alarm installation Condominiums Garage/warehouse

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homes

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Good lighting can change your life! Days are getting longer and brighter with the winter season coming to a close. One way to get through this final cold stretch is to update your lighting throughout your home. Lighting design can make a huge impact on any space in your home and small updates on your present lighting is all you need to make dark and dreary more bright and cheery. My nofail designer tricks are to update your bulbs, use different types of lights, dim everything and light differently for day and night. Update your bulbs

Get rid of all your “natural light” or “daylight” bulbs. The only time you look good under bright blue light is when you’re on a surgical table. I’m always surprised by the popularity of these bulbs, and it even took a while to convince my own parents to make the switch. Every dinner at their place I would ask my Dad if he was performing an appendectomy after dessert. Replacing your light bulbs is the fastest and most economical way to transform any space. Warm and soft incandescent lights are best for any person, pet, piece of furniture or artwork. Everything looks better under warm lighting. Standard incandescent bulbs are currently under review and there is a plan to ban these bulbs in Canada over the next few years, but the lighting industry has made great strides in florescent, LED and halo-

PHOTOS: URSZULA MUNTEAN PHOTOGRAPHY

By Veronica Martin

Lighting design can make a huge impact on any space in your home.

gen incandescent. As long as you read your labels and look for tag words like “warm,” “soft” or “incandescent,” you should be fine. Use different types of lights

There are three main types of lights to use in a space: general, task and accent – use all of them! General is your ambient lighting in a space and provides the basic glow in your room. Pot lights are a great choice for general lighting as they give a consistent level of light throughout. Task lighting is important for performing certain tasks or jobs. Kitchen island pendants or a floor lamp for reading beside a lounge chair are examples of task lighting. Accent lighting is important for providing impact on important features of a space. If you buy art, always budget for lighting the piece to accent it in a room. Dim everything

This is a designer’s secret trick. Talk

There are three main types of lights: general, task and accent – use them all!

with an electrician to replace your wall light switch to a dimmable switch in your most used rooms. Controlling your light intensity will change your life by giving you the ability to customize the lighting levels in your space. Dimmable switches can be found at any big or small box hardware stores. But there’s more – dim your floor or table lamps too! Most hardware stores now carry plug-in dimmers into which you can plug any lamp. Light differently for day and night

For the most part, what we do during the day is different from what we do at night – good lighting should flawlessly carry you from daytime tasks

into evening functions. If we take a cue from nature, during the day overhead lights are best for maximizing a space (think sunlight). But at night, overhead lights should be minimized and floor or table lighting (think campfire or candle light) should control the lighting levels in a space. Evening lights should be kept at head height and project a softer and lighter glow. After you make these simple switches and updates, I guarantee your home will feel fresher, younger and brighter, and as a bonus, you will too! Veronica Martin is principal interior designer with Veronica Martin Design Studio (www.veronicamartindesignstudio.com).

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home buying

14 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

By Derek Hooper

Whether you’re planning on buying a home this year or making longer term plans for the purchase of your dream home, it’s critical to understand the buying process – from initial search to signing an offer to purchase. In a competitive market like the Glebe, having a good understanding of the buying process and engaging a realtor who understands the local market will allow you to move quickly when you find the right home. I’ve put together this brief primer to help you understand how the buying process works, including some tips on making it work better for you. Choose a realtor

A realtor can help you navigate what can be a complex business transaction. Your realtor acts on your behalf throughout the buying process – from helping you search through negotiating the final purchase. And to

101

buying

Home

• Choose a realtor • set your price • search • make an offer

estate.org is a good place to start, there are a number of independent online sources of valuable information about buying a home. These include realtor. ca, oreb.ca, and cmhc.ca. Offline, you can check local newspapers or ask around – word of mouth can be a great way to find a new home. Your realtor will also keep you informed of new listings as they come on the market. And of course, visit open houses, even when a home doesn’t quite fit your criteria. These visits will help you better understand the market.

• close the deal

ensure both you and your realtor agree on how you will work together you should always sign a Buyer Representation Agreement, a legal document that establishes the duty of the brokerage to represent your interests. Set your price

Every buyer should have a price in mind. Do your research to better understand the market. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) website is a great place to find the latest statistical information and analysis of housing trends. A realtor who understands the local real estate market will help you determine a realistic price range given the features you want, neighbourhood preferences and other factors. Search

If you’re like 92 per cent of buyers, you will use the Internet in your home search.* Although the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) at ottawareal-

Tips to improve your search success

Keep records: as you visit homes, record things like the home’s energy rating, utility costs, property taxes and major repairs that may be needed. These will affect your monthly housing expenses. CMHC offers a Home Hunting Comparison Worksheet on their website to help you record the information you need to compare homes. Take a second look: you may think you have found the perfect home. But after falling in love with a home you should return with a more critical eye, and try to look beyond the features that attracted you at first. Chat with the neighbours to find out about things like schools, community life and amenities. Know your neighbourhoods: knowing a city’s neighbourhoods and their characteristics will help focus your search. Finding a seasoned realtor who has worked in that market is critical. Clients tell us that this indepth knowledge helps them focus on neighbourhoods that truly offer what they need and want.

Get pre-approved

I recommend getting a mortgage pre-approval to anyone who is serious about purchasing a home. This ensures that you know how much you can afford and that you have secured the best financing rate. But it’s important to understand that this is not a full approval. While mortgage advisers can “pre-qualify” you, the lender must next approve the agreement by looking at the details and value of the home you are purchasing. The final approval is typically received within a week of making a conditional offer to purchase. Make an offer

You’ve found your dream home! But it doesn’t end there. Your realtor has the expertise to help you develop an offer that suits you, which starts with a market evaluation on the property and developing an offer strategy tailored to your needs. Close the deal

After the seller accepts your offer, your lawyer commences the title search and other closing procedures. Your realtor stays with you right through to the closing and can continue to be your partner in real estate, helping with ongoing market information, contractor referrals and advice. Derek Hooper is a real estate broker at The Hooper Home Team. He can be reached at 613-788-2514 or Derek. Hooper@kwottawa.ca. The Hooper Home Team has a full neighbourhood guide on its website at Hooperhometeam.com/neighbourhoods. *Source: 2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers

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home buying

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Glebe home affordability By Dan Moloughney

Although many homeowners from across the Ottawa area may argue that the “affordability” of Glebe homes is non-existent, there are those of us who are willing (and able) to pay the price to live in our green and central neighbourhood. According to the Ottawa Real Estate Board, the average sale price of a residential (non-condo) home in Ottawa in January 2015 was $370,442. For the same month and property type in the Glebe, the average sale price was $617,000. The average for the Glebe for all of 2014 was just over $721,000 (January 2015 was an “off” month with a small sample size). For most first-time buyers or people moving within the city, Glebe home prices may seem incredibly high, but for families moving from some of Canada’s larger cities, these numbers actually seem quite reasonable. For homebuyers from international locations the Glebe is almost inexpensive. What about some real statistics, you may ask. You have to be careful with these statistics, as there are certain months where the sample size (number of properties sold) is low, so the statistics can be deceptive (also note these are for MLS sales). These statistics are Glebe-specific, for residential homes (non-condo, non-multifamily). How would you interpret these graphs? Certainly there are trends that are season dependent. The sold-to-ask ratio is interesting as well. Remember, though, that this ratio applies only to homes that sold, and that the original asking price may have been reduced prior to final sale. So where is the value proposition that makes the Glebe “affordable” to some? Why are you and I willing to spend possibly twice as much as the average Ottawa homeowner to buy a home that probably needs more renovations, costs more to heat, has a smaller yard and property taxes that would pay for the monthly lease of a nice car? The fact is that some people make more money than others – not a surprise. Another financial factor is that

not every Glebe homeowner paid the prices we’ve seen in the last 15 years. It wasn’t that long ago there was less of a discrepancy between pricing of homes in the core of Ottawa and those further out. Those having bought in the 1990s or earlier have done well. Find a neighbour that bought in the 1960s or 1970s and ask them what they paid!

“Maybe we could measure a neighbourhood’s Pleasant Social Interaction (PSI) factor each day. I don’t have statistics for the Glebe’s PSI (since I just made it up), but for my money, it’s one of the highest around.” What about the current value proposition? We all know the saying “time is money.” How do you perceive the worth of your time? Is that why you pay more to be in the Glebe? Are you walking to work, walking the kids to school and walking to get your groceries? Is it the healthier choice that keeps you here? The environmental impact? Less time driving and less gas burned? How about that neighbourhood feel? Does every single block have a street party? It sure feels like it. We had at least two on our block last year. I find value in all these aspects of living in the Glebe and have been happy to pay the higher price for over 13 years now. That being said, each March and June, as I pay my everincreasing property taxes, I take a minute to reconsider that value proposition. I think about the traffic on Bank (which seems worse of late), the 100-year-old sewers under my street (not looking forward to the summer they rebuild them), the occasional smog day in the summer, the urban noise factor, as well as the other unsavoury aspects of an urban lifestyle. I then think about walking my kids

through the park, past the inlet, to a great school where I see lots of other parents and friends taking an active role in their children’s lives. I consider the Glebe Community Centre and all its offerings. Walking to my office and seeing business owners along the way, I consider how many pleasant social interactions I have with neighbours, dog walkers and people living in the rental units on our block each day. Maybe we could measure a neighbourhood’s Pleasant Social Interaction

(PSI) factor per day. I don’t have statistics for the Glebe’s PSI (since I just made it up), but for my money, it’s one of the highest around. What about PSI per dollar of total home ownership cost? Again, my money is still on the Glebe being one of the most “affordable” neighbourhoods. Dan Moloughney is Broker of Record, Ottawa Urban Realty Inc., Brokerage (Bank at Second Avenue), and a longtime Glebe resident.

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home buying

16 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Should the Bank of Mom and Dad finance an adult child’s home purchase? By Patricia Paul-Carson

My general rule of thumb for parenting is to let children, be they 5 or 35, do as much as possible for themselves. It makes them feel strong and competent and that goes a long way to making them feel happy. While many parents are quick to help their adult children buy a house, my husband and I have not helped finance our children’s mortgages. I am happy with our arrangement as it leaves us with much less complicated relationships. Our children don’t feel financially beholden to us and because we have no proprietary interest in their property, we’re more likely to refrain from giving unwanted advice. In addition, our children do not have a sense of entitlement to our other assets. I have seen this happen occasionally when parents help with mortgages and understandably, the parents are resentful. However, our daughters and their husbands have been able to afford mortgages without our help. One son-in-law received a loan from his parents before he married our daughter. Our youngest child has yet to show an interest in buying a house and with his current income it would be impossible. So we may yet be providing help with a mortgage. If we do help, there are pitfalls to be avoided. Scott Hannah, President and Chief Executive Officer for Credit Counselling Society, warns parents that children ultimately need to be responsible for their own financial well-being. “You really want them to have some skin in the game,” he says. “The worst case I’ve seen was a woman who came to me and said she helped her son and his wife with a $150,000 down payment for a $600,000 home. They ran up a line of credit that they couldn’t manage and the parents bailed them out. I told her ‘If you don’t help your son get financially independent, he’ll be coming to you in his 40s.’ The

“Eli Boucher, branch manager at the TD branch in the Glebe, says the easiest and most direct way to help is to give a cash gift.” line went silent and she said, ‘He’s 43.’” Eli Boucher, branch manager at the TD branch in the Glebe, says the easiest and most direct way to help is to give a cash gift. This is particularly useful

if it brings the child’s down payment up to at least 20 per cent of the value of the house, which is needed to bypass the costs of Canada Mortgage and Housing loan insurance. To avoid your gift being split between your child and his or her spouse in the case of a marriage breakup, financial advisors often suggest that couples sign an agreement stating that the entire amount would be the sole property of your child and not a marital asset to be divided between them. Paul Stead, manager of Scotiabank branch in the Glebe, suggests that if parents are helping with a large amount, they take out a second mortgage on the home. The parents will still have a claim on that amount if a marriage breakup occurs and the property cannot be refinanced without the involvement of the parents. Another way of helping is to co-sign the mortgage. Boucher says this typically happens when the child has a poor credit rating or does not have the capacity to repay the mortgage. However, the parents could find themselves paying for the entire mortgage if the child does not honour his or her commitment. As for us, if we do help our son, we will need to ensure we play a fair game and give our daughters a similar gift. Stead reported that he has seen cases where children expect that when parents help one child financially, the siblings expect the same. At times, this can create animosity amongst the children, he said. And for those parents who cannot afford to help their children, he had the most reassuring words: “Money can’t replace love.” Patricia Paul-Carson is an Ottawa resident who blogs about being a parent of adult children at www. parentingadultchildren.ca, and writes occasionally for the Glebe Report.

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downsizing

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

tion, begin weeding out the items today asking yourself the same questions as above. Although you will likely have to tweak your belongings again before you finally do move, you will know that the bulk of the contents are items you use and love. From there it is a matter of choosing your favourites. Who can I give this stuff to?

By Jennifer Dawson

The process of downsizing can be a lengthy one. The longer you have lived in your home, the longer it will take to winnow your belongings down to what will fit into your new location. Begin the process long before you have a concrete vision of where you will be moving. If you have lived in your home for 25 years or more, the contents are also likely not yours alone. Grown children may still be warehousing belongings and you may even have items from your siblings if you are in the “family” home. There is a surprising amount of emotional value connected to stuff. People often struggle with the memories that belongings trigger and the fear is if the items go, so will the memories. Books can provide another highly emotional con-

nection and many people worry that if the books are gone, so too is the knowledge associated with them. So where do you start?

If you already know where you are moving, the reality is you can keep only what will fit into your new space. If moving to a condo, most of the items in your garage and back shed can be easily downsized and hold little emotional attachment. The rest of your contents are going to be more of a challenge. Here are a few simple questions to ask yourself: • Do I use it? • Do I love it? • Does it fit? • What is the worst thing that will happen if I do not keep this item and can I live with the consequences? Even if you do not yet have a loca-

CATHERINE McKENNA

Official Liberal candidate in Ottawa Centre

Once the downsizing process begins, a common stumbling block is “who do I give this to?” Often we have unrealistic ideas about just how valuable our belongings are. The family china that was once so treasured has little value to today’s generation. If it cannot go in the microwave or the dishwasher today’s generation do not consider it of value at all. That goes for the family silver as well. I know in my own life, my kids do not want to inherit Grandma’s silver because none of them see value in having to polish it. Check with your kids and family, see what they want, be specific about when you would like them to take the “wanted” items out of the house and let them know that if they still remain after the “out-the-door date” they will be donated to charity. Having this deadline is especially important if your home has been the warehouse for all things family. There are many resources in Ottawa where you can donate belongings – send them to auction, consignment shops or charities. Think about what are the right options for your family. If you decide to consign them, can you realistically take them to the shop and meet all their rules and time frames? For many this option

becomes too cumbersome and it is more expedient to donate belongings to Value Village, Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Value Village is one of my favourites because it provides local employment, which helps the local economy, it donates to charity, it recycles fabric that it cannot sell, and best of all, when I pull up in my Adventures In Organizing van, they help me unload – that is magical in my world. Paperwork!

This is another area where downsizing should begin early and it is an area no one wants to do – can you say b-or-i-n-g. Whether we want to or not, it does need to be accomplished. Find a “paper buddy” or two, book a date together and get at it. Dealing with mountains of paper goes faster and keeps you accountable when doing it with someone else. Determine a time frame such as “two hours each Tuesday.” Start with your most current papers and be ruthless! Check with CRA about retention guidelines at http://bit.ly/1Fa5mik. Moving is never easy, downsizing is even less so. Letting go of items that you have invested time, energy, money and emotion into can be a challenge. Consider having friends help or hiring a professional organizer to assist you with the process. Having a nonbiased support team can help you work through some of the feelings you may encounter as you begin shedding items that have been part of your life for many years. Jennifer Dawson is owner and lead organizer at Ottawa based adventuresinorganizing.ca.

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renovating

18 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Reno realities By Sheila Brady

Sylvie Chiasson, her partner Antonio Estable, and his 10-year-old daughter, Katerina, initially walked away from the charming 1900 red-brick home on Fifth Avenue, but returned last fall with a detailed plan to renovate it.

PHOTOS: STUART ARNETT

It takes a fine eye, imagination and a keen attention to dollars and cents to pull off a successful renovation. Sylvie Chiasson has the eye, the imagination, the fiscal control and now a charming 1900 red brick home that is snuggled up against an expanded Mutchmor Public School on Fifth Avenue. Seven months ago Chiasson, who is the senior interior designer for the House of Commons, her partner, Antonio Estable and his 10-year-old daughter, Katerina, had to bolt for the outdoors because of the overriding stench of tobacco in the house. The couple had been looking for a Glebe address for 14 months, initially walked away from 195 Fifth Avenue a year ago, returning last fall with new determination and a detailed plan to rehabilitate the modest house of many walls and small spaces. “I could see the potential,” says Chiasson, who already had a major renovation of a Glebe home under her belt and a smaller reno of a New Edinburgh duplex. “You have to have a big plan, but also take one step at a time.” There was some thought about tearing down the house and starting from scratch, but it would have ended up costing $1.2 million and the pair did not have the money. They paid $437,000 for the two-bedroom house that sits on a 25 by 105 foot lot, spending $50,000 gutting the main level and taking down walls in a back addition that had a laundry room, which was actually larger than the tiny kitchen, and a dark den.

The family is comfortable in their revamped home, but is looking ahead to more major renovations.

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with a working kitchen, a generous island and sunny spaces to relax in a pair of leather chairs. It is not an elaborate renovation because the couple are thinking ahead to possibly tearing down the single storey addition, adding two floors and extra bedroom and bathroom space on the second level. “You have to think in steps. Why put in a lot of money to a new kitchen or a bathroom if you are going to tear it all out in two years,” says Estable, who realized the house would work for their family when new windows were installed at the front of the house, with some being recycled to the back. Chiasson, the modernist at heart, designed simple yet deep mouldings that mimicked the size of the original mouldings still visible near the front door and stairs. “I opted for single hung windows to respect the age and style of the house,” says Chiasson, who is actively mulling over how to handle the staircase, whether to open it up to the basement and show off the thick stone foundation walls. “It would respect the history of the house.” Chiasson is a big fan of Sarah Susanka, the British-born architect who launched a movement in the United States in the late 1990s to pare down spaces and put money into finishing touches. The first phase of the renovation – the gutting, cleaning and painting the walls to get rid of the tobacco smell – is now complete. They also ripped out a line of scraggly trees on the east side of the lot and cleaned up the backyard where there is now room for two cars to park. The front has also been cleaned up. A white picket fence is gone, the porch has been rebuilt and black trim and a black door welcome family and guests. “It has been a success because our aim was to make the house liveable,

live for a while and then move on to the next step,” says Estable. “It took someone with a renovation history and good sense to see the potential,” says Meeka Proudfoot, the Tracy Arnett real estate agent who worked with the couple for 14 months to find the right house. “It is a small house and it will always be a small house, but it is now a charming small house,” says Proudfoot, who says most younger buyers don’t have the money to take on major renovations, while older buyers often think they can do a renovation, but then pay someone to finish the job. Renovations can be a dangerous exercise, says Tracy Arnett, owner of Tracy Arnett Realty, with a majority of buyers not keen on buying a Glebe home that needs a lot of work. It is important to consider how long you intend to live in the house to recoup your investment, says Arnett, who renovated six of her family’s homes, always selling them for a neat profit. “I have never lost on a house,” says Arnett, who is now renovating a duplex on Ella Street, with plans to rent the units for five years and then likely sell. The key, Arnett says, is to find an honest contractor you can trust, who passes along discounts they get when buying materials. Keep control on costs, make sure the structure is solid and avoid homes that need foundation work. “You end up spending $50,000, nobody cares. The easiest and best renos are kitchens, bathrooms and floors.” Sheila Brady is an amateur decorator, dedicated painter, tree pruner and semi-retired journalist, who spent some of her most satisfying professional years as Homes Editor of the Ottawa Citizen.

homes

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Living small in the Glebe By Seema Akhtar

Culling

The first, possibly most arduous step, was culling possessions to eliminate clutter in their new smaller space. In the weeks and months before moving, they looked through everything they owned: clothes, kitchen stuff, sports gear, decorations, paintings, furniture. Everything. They started sorting things into categories: keep because we love it and/or we use it regularly, give away or sell because we don’t love it anymore and we hardly use it at all, but it might still have value for someone else, and recycle or throw away for items that had really seen better days. They were ruthless. Anything they had two of, they got rid of; anything they hadn’t used in a while, they got rid of. But at the same time, they held onto things of importance, like the old cabinet to store old-fashioned dyes that doesn’t serve any useful purpose, but that Chiasson’s grandfather used to have in his general store. The cabinet provides a sense of history, culture and family, not to mention joy, in the modern home. Renovation

Next, Chiasson and her family tackled renovation. They made minor improvements that made a huge difference: replacing all the windows and window trims and baseboards in the house to create cleaner lines and a more streamlined feeling (not to mention the environmental benefits of new windows). They also eliminated non-load bearing walls in the kitchen area, giving them an openconcept space that does double duty: kitchen and informal living space where family members or friends can hang out while Chiasson cooks. In the kitchen, they also replaced regularsized appliances with smaller ones, to allow room for more functional workspaces in the kitchen. They recycled the kitchen island from their last home in this new kitchen to excellent effect. But perhaps the most important thing Chiasson and her family did to improve the feel of the house was to paint … and paint … and paint. They painted all of the walls in the house

Can you find the dye cabinet that made it through Chiasson’s rigorous culling process? The artwork over the sofa was found in a Cuban flea market. PHOTOS: Sylvie Chiasson

Sitting in Sylvie Chiasson’s beautiful living room, artfully decorated with a contemporary aesthetic, with light streaming in the big front window, you don’t feel like you’re in a small space. A tiny space really. But you are. At 900 square feet for the original home (circa 1900) and 350 square feet for a small one-floor addition that is now the kitchen, Chiasson’s house is much smaller than the average home in the Glebe. In fact, it may well be the smallest single family home in the Glebe! But, with some smart planning, a concerted effort to reduce the plethora of useless possessions most of us have (who really needs an asparagus steamer?), and some minor renovations that pack a big punch, as well as a few tricks and a whole lot of style, Chiasson, who is an interior designer by trade, has made her tiny family home feel much larger. And the best part is that Chiasson says, “Anyone can do this!” So how exactly did Chiasson and her family do it?

This painting by Chelsea artist MarieFrance Nitsky makes a bold statement in the kitchen/living area.

a light colour – Decorators White by Benjamin Moore – creating a sense of greater space and bringing in more light. And they painted the old wornout pine floors on the staircase and the second level to give them a new lease on life and to keep costs under control. But the house is not antiseptic, far from it. There are shots of colour, personality and levity everywhere: in the stunning one-of-a-kind (some of which is even inexpensive!) artwork on the walls, in an artfully arranged vase of flowers on the dining room table, in a throw cushion on the couch. Storage

And finally, storage. They incorporated innovative, practical solutions everywhere. The two bedrooms are tiny, but include well planned out, personalized walls of storage to eliminate clutter. The bathroom is so small that it had to be divided into two bathrooms because all of the fixtures could not fit into one space. So, they have two mini-bathrooms: one with a tub and sink and one with a toilet and sink. An oddity turns into a practicality on a busy weekday morning when three people are getting ready for work and school! And both minibathrooms maximize storage so that bottles of shampoo and cream, toilet paper, cleaning products, towels – all the banal but necessary things – are hidden from view, keeping the space simple and serene. Spa like, on a tiny scale. So, Chiasson and her family show us how people who didn’t think they could afford to own in a central downtown neighbourhood because of rising real estate costs, may be able to after all. By carefully considering what they need to live well, re-thinking how they use their living spaces, keeping things simple, and throwing in a whole lot of creativity, it is possible to live “small” in a fabulous central neighbourhood like the Glebe. Seema Akhtar also lives (somewhat) small, in the top half of a duplex in the Glebe.

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homes

20 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

PHOTO: PETER MCKERCHER

Immediate Occupancy

“My preference has always been to emphasize the fireplace as a focal point and an outstanding feature of the house.”

Give your 1920s brick fireplace a facelift By Peter McKercher

Available unit sizes

1607 - 2148 sq. ft. priced from the mid-$900S

108 lisgar street across from city hall

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Contact 613.567.7800

I love old houses, which explains why I have been renovating in the Glebe for myself and others for over 25 years. It’s hard to explain why, but even as a child moving around the country with my parents, I far preferred the idiosyncrasies of a vintage house to the pristine character of a tract home – so many nooks and crannies to explore and a wonderful sensory patina to savour. Our Glebe homes have this in spades – three floors of living space to get lost in, formal dining and sitting areas, millwork from a time long past, history and character galore. However, there is one thing that can detract from them and that is the fireplace. Of course, I have been in a number of Glebe homes that have splendid examples, but by and large, the majority of these homes built in the 1920s have the original roughfaced brick wood-burning fireplaces, unbefitting the character of their surroundings. One simple solution is to “paint it out.” This is sometimes effective, but my preference has always been to emphasize the fireplace as a focal point and an outstanding feature of the house, rather than to make it disappear, or worse, to remove it. The options for improvement are limitless, with one exception. The hearth and the immediate firebox surround must be fireproof. That means leaving a margin of the original brick exposed or selecting an overlay from a wide range of superb fireproof finishes

such as ceramic, porcelain, glass, granite, cultured stone, marble or metal. It’s a matter of your taste, budget and how the end result will fit with the surrounding house style and decor. For the surround and mantel, the sky is the limit. For a period look, materials should blend with existing millwork and may incorporate traditional pilasters, plinths, coves and corbels in natural or painted finishes, as much a piece of heirloom furniture as a part of the house. This look might also incorporate shelving or cabinetry flanking either side of the fireplace. If you lean away from the traditional to something more contemporary, you may want to unify the look and feel of your fireplace with its surroundings. Rather than focusing on it as a single element, the whole wall can become a feature by extending millwork to the ceiling and finishing it in the same style and colour. This makes a great backdrop for artwork or other cherished items. Or expand laterally to incorporate wall-to-wall built-ins, allowing you to be drawn into it rather than towards it. No matter what approach you choose, incorporating these ideas can significantly impact your living experience as well as the value of your home by enhancing both design and function. Peter McKercher is a Glebe resident and president of McKercher Renovations, a general contractor in the Glebe community. www.mckercherrenovations.ca.

homes

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

By Andrew Elliott

In recent issues of the Glebe Report, we’ve learned about the importance of trees on the neighbourhood’s streets and about the historical significance of its street names. We’ve heard about Lansdowne traffic and parking challenges, and preliminary ideas for the Glebe’s future look and feel. All these issues relate to one of the Glebe’s key features: it is an area of historical character. As such, its streets and buildings are worthy of commemoration and protection. I recently read the article “Does Adaptive Reuse Pay? A Study of the Business of Building Renovation in Ontario, Canada” (www. se e deng r.com / Does%20Ad aptive%20Reuse%20Pay.pdf). Here, a trio of heritage conservation experts explain, “older buildings represent an important aesthetic, cultural and economic resource – as well as a non-renewable one.” Numerous historic structures have been demolished in Ontario over the past several decades because developers have argued, “the costs of renovating and adapting these buildings for new uses is too high. Demolition of the existing buildings and replacement with new structures ... is the only way for investors to make a reasonable profit from the land.” These heritage conservation experts, reporting on interviews with contractors and owners about old building adaptive reuse projects, identified four main constraints affecting success. One of these constraints is the building code. The building code

The building code constraint appears to cause the most trouble. On its own, the code is a fairly reasonable document that is meant to create standards for safety, but is also meant to be sufficiently flexible to permit adaptive reuse. There is even a section that allows inspectors to accept alternative standards in existing older structures. Problems arise when contractors try to get the code to interact with a) various fire regulations, site plan approvals and local zoning regulations; and b) accessibility issues such as handicap compliance or parking areas. Additional problems arise because of a general lack of coordination amongst the various inspectors, most of whom do not have training in heritage practices or historic designs. As one developer noted, “The code is problematic; it should be handled case by case and not by fitting the project into a very general category.” Heritage designation myths

There is a belief out there that when a building is designated as “heritage”– either individually or in a conservation district – this limits what can be done to it, and may even result in reduced property values. The Heritage Resources Centre at the University of Waterloo has proven that these beliefs are unfounded. Two of its recent studies, entitled Heritage Districts Work! (2009 – http://goo.gl/Q6etD5 and 2012 – http://goo.gl/DAnozA) show that property values of heritage-designated buildings do better in the long run compared to buildings that do not have such designation. Heritage advocacy groups, architectural heritage conser vation

experts, and city heritage planners will tell you that that the existence of a designation is mostly hasslefree: most protective easements apply to a building’s exterior, not its interior. Also, minor proposed changes to a designated building’s exterior will generally be accepted without much fuss. It is only when changes affect the building’s architectural character that further steps for approval are required (see www.ottawa.ca/en/ city-hall/planning-and-development/ how-develop-property/heritagealterations). Additionally, a heritage designation allows a building owner to be eligible for grants of up to $5,000 in matching funding (for details, see http://goo.gl/gorZ2x). Other cities have larger grants and generous tax rebates as well. Next steps

So, if you’re interested in moving forward in an adaptive reuse or restoration project, here are some tips to assist you: 1. Consult Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada (www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/standards-normes. aspx) and for additional assistance, the Ontario Heritage Toolkit (www.mtc. gov.on.ca/en/heritage/heritage_toolkit. shtml) and the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario’s Preservation Myths and Facts (www.arconserv.ca/buildings_at_risk/myths_facts.cfm). 2. For further advice or guidance, contact the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (www.cahpacecp.ca). 3. For inspiration, check out architectural design resources, such as Willowbank School for Restoration Arts or the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (www.heritageottawa. org/organizations/architectural-designresources). 4. For additional historical background inspiration, research local or national archives for evidence of past architectural practices (or hire a professional researcher.) You might find original designs (see www.data2. archives.ca/nmc/n0019042k-v6.jpg) or historic streetscape photos (see this shot of Lisgar and O’Connor, 1938: www.data2.archives.ca/e/e438/ e010934932-v8.jpg). 5. Contact companies that have the training and expertise to do a good job: one is Denys Builds Designs (www.denys.ca / heritagerenovations.php); another is Heritage Grade Architectural Restoration Services (wwwheritagegrade.com); or the Glebe’s own 707 Construction (www.707construction.com). 6. Employ people who have taken courses at the Algonquin Trades Heritage Institute, located in Perth, Ontario (see example: www.habicurious.com/ framing-fine-carpentry/). 7. Read the City of Ottawa’s policy statements, procedures and guidelines relating to heritage resources: (http:// goo.gl/70Sous). Restoration: the good, the bad and the ugly

Here’s what happens when a perfectly good-looking old building is ruined by a bad job. In the Glebe Annex, there was once a red brick house with a wraparound veranda on a corner. Now there is an awful addition covered with aluminum siding

PHOTO: brian glenn

Heritage homes in the Glebe

20 Clemow Avenue

that makes no attempt to fit in with the streetscape or existing historical structure (see Glebesite for further details, www.glebeheritageblog.wordpress.com). Compare this example to the more sensitive restoration, addition or infill projects that were recently recognized at the city of Ottawa’s Architectural Heritage Conservation Awards (www.ottawa.ca/en/ city-hall/planning-and-development/ built-heritage/2012-2014-award-winners). One award was for excellent work done on 20 Clemow Avenue. Another was for stunning work done on 31 Sweetland Avenue, an 1884 house in Sandy Hill. The award recognized the effort made to use historical materials in the restoration, and to follow historical evidence in bringing back a building that was in a “severely degraded condition.” The jury noted, “the addition harmonizes well with the existing structure, and demonstrates that a combination of careful attention to details, materials and scale does not add significantly to immediate costs but adds value to the

property over time ... This restoration project proves that heritage structures can be brought back from the brink, and should be.” Too often, we overlook the importance of things that are right in front of our eyes. Isn’t it worth it to conserve and reuse the old buildings that we’ve inherited from our ancestors? Although we generally think we “own” our old buildings, perhaps we should start thinking of ourselves not as owners but more as responsible stewards. As stewards, we are less interested in ourselves and more interested in community. As stewards, it is our duty to respect the work of past generations and pass it on in reasonable shape to future generations. Maybe this is the radical idea for our times. Andrew Elliott, Glebe resident, writes for the blog Apt613 and is the creator of the blog Glebesite. He is a member of the Glebe Heritage Committee and Heritage Ottawa and is an archivist at Library and Archives Canada. He can be reached at ajg.elliott@utoronto.ca.

gardens

22 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Curb appeal: how to garden for the perfect look Landscaping, architectural symmetry and property upkeep all play a crucial role in the creation of a beautiful exterior for your home – your pride and joy. Viewers should be presented with a simple, neat and tidy exterior. A great, well-designed garden with colourful, coordinated blooming periods throughout the seasons will give your house the wow factor and make you the envy of the neighbourhood. A visually attractive exterior, or “curb appeal” (a term coined by realtors), creates a great first impression of your home. Even if you aren’t selling, you want to maintain landscaping that is attractive for yourself and for your friends and neighbours. If you are selling your house, an overgrown, messy garden can discourage potential buyers.

illuminate gardens, entrances, walks and driveways. You can conceal flaws in the visual presentation of the house, like air conditioners, pipes and meters, with judicious plant placement. You can also add decorative elements such as patio furniture, lighting and walkways to add appeal to the overall design. You can even use recycled or repurposed items, like old bricks for lawn edging, to improve landscaping.

How to create curb appeal? Stand at a distance from your property and assess. Do you like what you see?

How to create curb appeal? Be your own critic.

Stand at a distance from your property. Do you like what you see? Assess flaws in its appearance and imagine how changes in your garden could add to the beauty of your home. Take photographs to identify problem areas and to aid in planning improvements. Think about harmonizing components of the garden with well-maintained architectural details of the house – chimneys, porches and window shutters. Keep these basic rules in mind: if it’s dirty, clean it, if it’s worn out or broken, fix it and if it’s cluttered, get rid of it. Exterior lighting can be added to

PHOTOS: VALERIE BURTON

By Valerie Burton

The garden is an important aspect of your home’s appeal. Make sure it is cleaned up and trimmed, and divide or remove scraggly bushes and leggy, overgrown perennials. It can be then restructured, taking into consideration the trees, bushes and plants that will remain. The soil in your garden is very important. Soil (usually a mixture of clay, silt and sand), can always be improved by loosening the topsoil and modifying it by adding manures, compost and other organic fertilizers. Have a sample of soil from your garden analyzed. If your soil is acidic, you can

plant acid-loving flowering bushes like hydrangeas, rhododendrons, and azaleas. If it is alkaline, there are many plants you can choose from, like lilies or lilacs. Soil components can also be different in front and back yards. Measure the garden and sketch a plan including a choice of plants that appeal to you. Consider several elements of your plan: the characteristics of your soil and the requirements of the chosen plants themselves. How tall will they ultimately grow? What are the light conditions? Is your garden site exposed to a lot of wind? When does each plant bloom? What colours will go well together if they bloom at the same time? These considerations may seem complicated, but each plant has a tag with these facts, and garden designers and consultants in garden centres can

give you additional information. The key to the right garden design is regenerative practices: plants that are in the right location, that can be easily cared for, will bloom correctly for the season and will prove sustainable over time. Simplicity is important in backyard spaces – think grass and flowering bushes and trees – as children play there and adults may use this space to relax. If you have a lawn, it will need to be reseeded, resodded, mown and fertilized to maintain quality. Care is most critical. Water everything deeply once or twice a week, especially new evergreens and trees. Instead of many light waterings, a lot of water less frequently, will give deeper root structure to plants and keep them alive through periods of

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gardens

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Measure the garden and sketch a plan including a choice of plants that appeal to you.

a home in which anyone would like to live. If you do all this work yourself, you may save a lot of money. Alternatively, you can seek the advice and collaboration of an expert to develop an improvement plan – and make the job a little less stressful.

drought. Water the garden very well in the late fall, before you finally put the hose away, as dehydration is the major killer of plants over the winter. Top plant beds with mulch to keep down

weeds, which compete with your plants for nourishment and moisture. You are the director of your home’s curb appeal. Present your house as interesting, even dramatic, but also as

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home selling

PHOTO: liz mckeen

24 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Sage advice for the home seller By Diane Allingham

Sundays 10 am - 3 pm Aberdeen Pavilion Lansdowne Park

@ottawafarmmkt ottawafarmersmarket.ca

We mean local. Grown and made within 100km of Ottawa

Whether you have sold a home before or not, the experience can be surprisingly stressful. Some days it can almost take your breath away. So, the more prepared and educated you are in advance, the easier the whole thing will be on you and those around you. And in the end, there is a huge upside, of course. You get to move on to wherever your next life journey is taking you. The importance of preparing your home properly is everywhere – on HGTV, in home magazines and blogs, and from the mouths of all good real estate agents. If you are blessed with an innate sense of style, this part will be easy, almost enjoyable. If you are like the majority of the population, this can be quite daunting. To begin the process, invite an expert into your home to provide free advice. A realtor is a great resource who can tell you what is worthwhile and what may be unnecessary for resale. Next, give yourself a realistic timeline to get things done and engage the professionals who can best help you. The sales person at your local storage facility is a good person to have on your list, as is a painter. And for those whose organizational skills are not their forte, there are even professional organizers out there who make a living making you feel good (or bad as the case may be!). Never ever feel guilty about paying someone to do the work. Taking on a large list of things you think you can do can make you feel overwhelmed. Time is a valuable commodity and sometimes it’s just better value to let someone else do it. While you are busy digging yourself out of the clutter and renewing your home to a state that makes you fall in love with it all over again, you will want to be watching the market around you. Check the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) listings in your neighbourhood and engage with friends and neighbours who have recently bought or sold. Knowing what is going on around you will facilitate receiving the news from your realtor when it comes time to set your price and strategy.

Getting your home ready for sale is the most labour intensive part of the process. Once you have that under control, you need to engage those around you and obtain buy-in from the rest of your household. Keeping a house in show condition can be frustrating if everyone is not on the same page. Kids can be especially challenging, but also most open to compromise, negotiation and yes, even bribery. A reward system works wonders for those motivated by that! Set aside a few minutes each morning before you leave the house to wipe counters, make beds and pick up dirty laundry. From the moment your home hits the market, you will spend your days wondering: What did that buyer not like? Why don’t I know what the buyer thought? When is the offer coming? How many more days do I have to keep this place clean? What more can I do? The list is as endless as there are people and everyone experiences the sale of their home differently. There will be bursts of activity and sometimes bouts of silence. The ebb and flow may seem quite mystifying. You can expect the most qualified and interested buyers to book showings quickly. If you are hosting an open house, there will be all kinds of visitors, from tire-kickers and neighbours to new buyers and those whose kids are now out of the house. And don’t belittle the importance of those neighbours. Sometimes they are the strongest endorsement for your home and street! What you think you want most is a quick sale. But then you wonder if quick equates to underpriced! What you definitely don’t want is a long, drawn-out process that requires cleanup and organization for an indeterminate period of time. Well, the market is a funny place and you need to be prepared for all possible scenarios. Surrounding yourself with professionals will provide immense relief on many fronts, so always make enlisting them a priority. And breathe, breathe, breathe. Diane Allingham is a real estate broker with Royal Lepage Team Realty.

home selling

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

All the world’s a stage Staging is preparing a home for sale so the buyer can mentally move in. De-personalizing a home has now become essential to creating a welcoming atmosphere for potential buyers. The Internet has changed the way people buy and sell homes so that now how a home shows is more important than ever. First impressions have always been important. Now with YouTube videos, Internet ads and multiple interior photos on web sites, a buyer visits your home before stepping through the front door. These online photos make a very important impression to the potential buyer and that comes down to what is broadly known as “staging.” Staging can come in many different forms, from cleaning to styling, from fluffing to de-cluttering, to moving or even renting furniture. It can be overwhelming for a homeowner when starting the process, but there are some simple points that can help. Curb Appeal

Many of us neglect our front entrance. Buyers may do a drive-by and you want to make a good impression. Paint or stain the front steps, railing, and porches; paint the front door a colour that accents the home; replace old house numbers and mailboxes. Add a planter of flowers or seasonal decoration, along with a new doormat … It all says “welcome home” to a new buyer and shows pride of ownership. Clutter

Remember, less is more. Counters, tops of furniture, tables, desktops, closets and bookcases should be purged of anything you no longer want. Put away or store personal items such as family photos and personal collectables. You can bring all these items back once the house has sold – the idea of space is important in the eyes of a buyer. Rearrange or remove furniture to make rooms look larger. Sometimes you may have to rent a storage locker for a while but it is worth it. Remember that you are trying to appeal to as many potential buyers as possible; so a clean palette is important for them to see the house properly with their things. closets and cupboards

Buyers will look in your closets

and pull out built-in drawers. Closet space is a big selling point for buyers so show your closets off to full advantage – aim to have around a quarter of the space open to give the impression of spaciousness. PHOTO: BAZ GHANNOUM, BMG STUDIO

By Julie Teskey

Cleaning

This is so important. Even though we think our homes are clean, using a cleaning company just before you put your house on the market or have photos taken of your home is worthwhile. Photos and videos take close-ups of such things as taps and flooring so everything should sparkle. Even if a kitchen or bathroom is dated, if it is clean it makes a huge difference in the eyes of a buyer. Overcrowding

Don’t crowd the room: rearrange the furniture. Walk through the house as if you were seeing it for the first time. Can you easily move around the rooms? Can you move from room to room without having to go around furniture? Can you get to and look out windows without furniture blocking the access? Symmetrical arrangements usually work well in main rooms – create a conversation area and remove oversized furniture from the spaces. Think hotel

When sprucing up a bathroom, stay with neutral colours and accents. For a pop of colour a piece of artwork and a small vase of fresh flowers work well. Bathrooms should be spotless with lots of fresh white towels. The master bedroom should be gender neutral in colour, again free of personal items. Crisp linens, a nice piece of artwork and organized linen closets will appeal to everyone. Tone it down

When photos are taken of a home and there are strong colours on the walls, what you see is the colour and not the house or room. Repaint boldly coloured rooms (especially main rooms) to a more neutral tone. Earthy tones and rich mid-tone neutrals create a backdrop that makes rooms look large and inviting without being stark.

Create a welcoming atmosphere for potential buyers by de-cluttering, arranging furniture for optimum effect, making good use of light and colour, and other staging techniques.

gardens weeded (you don’t want it to look like it is high maintenance). Play up small spaces with a café table and chairs (even a place setting) so a buyer sees that it is a lovely place to have a coffee or a glass of wine. Basements

Purge, purge, purge. Get rid of anything you no longer want or use. Organize the remaining objects in one area so that the basement walls and floors are visible. Make sure that the area around the electricals, plumbing stack and furnace is easily accessible and visible. Sweep the floor and paint the concrete if the area is not finished. If you have a finished basement, remember that if you are marketing the basement as a living space, make sure it shows like the rest of the house. This is usually the last place a buyer goes and it leaves a lasting impression.

Lighting

Take advantage of your windows by having them cleaned and keep the drapes open. Replace outdated and broken light fixtures and dust and clean remaining ones, including exterior lights. Add lamps and supplementary lighting to dark areas or rooms. Make sure the basement is well lit as well. You are preparing to sell a valuable asset and the time spent on getting your home “fit to sell” is worth it. Julie Teskey (julie@teskey.com) is an award-winning realtor with Re/max Metro City and has specialized in the Glebe her entire 30-year career. She offers professional expertise and advice from getting your home ready to handling offers and closing a sale. She now works in partnership with Stephanie Cartwright, who also works and lives in the Glebe.

This year, take a break from winter

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pottery

26 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

This apprentice potter is stepping out Look for Amy Bell at the 5th annual Westend Pottery Sale

Potter Bruce Jones and apprentice Amy Bell will show their pottery at the Westend Pottery Sale on April 11 and 12.

PHOTOS: PUCK JANES

By Puck Janes

The relationship between mentor and apprentice is unique because there is great potential for learning, sharing and growth. This is especially true in the craft arts where formal educational programs are limited and the path from hobbyist to professional is not clearly outlined. Mentors can pave the way, providing much-needed encouragement and guidance. The apprentice can spark a new interest in an old practice. The Glebe Community Centre Pottery Studio has been the learning ground for potter apprentice Amy Bell and her mentors, pottery instructors Carolynne Pynn-Trudeau and Steve Sanger. Like many community members, Amy took lessons with these

talented Glebe pottery teachers. After moving through beginner and intermediate levels, however, she wanted a greater challenge to improve her skills. She wanted to move towards becoming a production potter. As part of that challenge, Pynn-Trudeau encouraged Bell to create work for community events and her first exhibition and sale. Her efforts were rewarded, and Bell was recently invited by her peers to join over 20 ceramic artists in her first show and sale. Bell and established potter Bruce Jones, another Glebe pottery instructor, will be at the Westend Pottery Sale in April. Please come out and support these Glebe potters: Amy Bell at the beginning of her career, and Bruce Jones enjoying the fruits of his long career as a production potter. The show and sale is designed to promote excellence in ceramic art available in our community. Meet over 20 local and regional artists. All work is original, handcrafted by the maker. You can find more information at www.westendpotterysale.com. Like us on Facebook. Puck Janes is a potter, new to Ottawa, who has also been invited to exhibit at the Westend Pottery Sale. 5th Annual Westend Pottery Sale Saturday, April 11, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m Sunday, April 12, 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Churchill Seniors’ Centre 345 Richmond Road (at Churchill) Free admission and daily draws! Catered by the Black Walnut Bakery, offering fair-trade coffee, tea and snacks.

Teskey

cartwright

Amy Bell with mentor, potter Carolynne Pynn-Trudeau

julie teskey

stephanie cartwright

We have moved to you serve Are Fit to sell ! you better. metro city brokerage ltd.

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grandfathers

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Four-year-old clocks world record at Eugene Forsey Park

PHOTOS: clive doucet

Felix, age 9, sails to the finish line.

Evangeline, age 4, finds laughing interferes with running.

By Clive Doucet

In the depths of an Ottawa Valley winter, a neighbourhood park can look pretty sad. A clump of white between houses and a lonely looking climbing structure that looms out of knee-deep snow. It’s easy to forget then what a great thing even the smallest neighbourhood park can be. The closest to my house is Eugene Forsey Park at the edge of Bronson across from Holmwood. It’s more than twice the size of the busy Lionel Britton parkette at the corner of Fifth and O’Connor, but in winter it’s entirely empty.

The basketball court is covered in snow. The play structure has no children. Sometimes, the tire swing will have a child and a Dad pushing it and that’s it, but in summer ahh! That’s a different thing. The big trees provide wonderful shade on hot days. The basketball court, which is just below a slight rise and out of sight of the traffic of Bronson Avenue, is busy with players. The play structure has children climbing and playing. My last visit to it with my grandchildren, son Julian and sister Anna, was at Thanksgiving, and we invented a “field day” just for ourselves. Did you have a school field day at your school? At Fisher Park High in the spring we got an afternoon off from lessons to play athlete and compete against our classmates in field sports like the mile, the hundred yard dash and so on. The “Fisher Mile” was particularly loathed by those who found four trips around the oval a tough slog and loved by those who could run it. At Eugene Forsey Park, we decided to have our own field day. My grandchildren – little Evangeline who is four, Clea who is seven and Felix who is nine – sprinted the width of the park, timed by my son Julian. Not to be outdone, I also ran as did Julian and Anna. So we had quite an age spread. Julian timed us with his smart phone and we clocked some impressive times from fence line to the largest tree

and back again. I remember being in the lead for a while but wasn’t at the end, although who was the ultimate winner I can’t say now. What I do remember was how much fun we had. There was much hooting and hollering and cries of “Faster! Faster! Go Evangeline! Go Anna! Great time! You’re in the lead!” You would think that with all the apps and toys available to children and adults today such a simple thing as running on the grass between a fence line and tree would be of no interest at all. When I look at the photographs of us running and see the excited smiles on our faces as we gave it our best – I mean what was all that excitement about? I can’t really explain it except to say: we humans are hard wired to walk and run. We’ve been doing this for several hundred thousand years. There is something inexplicably gratifying about thick grass beneath your feet and the sun dappling through trees as you run between the shadows of the sun. The noise of the city traffic is forgotten and for a small moment a different reality is possible from the cement and asphalt envelope of the city streets. The trees and grass and beauty of our humble, street corner parks may be hibernating now but they are just resting, waiting to awake with the spring sun. Each one has its own personality, its own joy and if I could wave a magic wand there would be many more. Clive Doucet is a grandfather in the Glebe who writes occasionally about being a grandfather.

Three generations have a field day in the park.

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climate

28 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Climate disruption and wild weather: global to Glebe By Paul Beckwith

Recently, on a cold and dark night (Tuesday, February 10) I gave a well-attended talk in the main room at Ecclesiax Church in the Glebe about our changing climate system. I spoke about the root causes of extreme weather and discussed how the latest science, including my research, indicates that these events will increase quickly in frequency of occurrence, severity and duration. I also discussed the impacts that we can expect globally and in the Glebe, and what we can do about it. This talk was sponsored by the Glebe Community Association Environment Committee, the baked goods were excellent, and I welcome any and all invitations from groups who wish to educate their members on the wrenching changes to our world that we can expect now and in the next few years. My background is engineering (B.Eng. in Engineering Physics) and physics (M.Sc. in Laser Physics) and I teach climatology, meteorology and geographical approaches to environmental issues (second and third year courses) in the Department of Geography at the University of Ottawa. My Ph.D. research topic is “Abrupt Climate Change.” I study how rapidly the climate system has changed in the past (using paleo-records such as ice

Birds’ eye view of North Pole showing jet stream locations (near white borders) and regions of cold air (purple shaded areas). Left image is disrupted situation (wavy, distorted fractured jet stream) and right image is more “normal” situation). Similar disruptions in 2015 are causing our present deep freeze.

core and sediment proxies), and I analyze how quickly it is changing today and how quickly it can change in the near future. At the talk, I spoke on my overall view of the global climate system changes. This summary has appeared in various publications, and it follows here. Abrupt climate change. It is happening today, big time. We have changed the chemistry of our atmosphere with fossil fuel emissions. Climate system statistics are now different. Rates of change have surpassed tipping points. Extreme weather events are skyrocketing in frequency, intensity and duration. Societal and economic costs are already substantial and are rapidly accelerating. Oceans are acidifying. Global food supplies are threatened. We are still at very early stages. Climate change is just getting warmed up. Powerful feedbacks have caused enormous Arctic temperature amplification with exponential collapse of sea ice and snow cover. Thawing terrestrial and sub-sea permafrost is releasing ever-increasing amounts of powerful cli-

mate-warming methane. Atmospheric circulation patterns without guidance from stable jet streams are water vapour turbocharged from increased evaporation. Regions unlucky in our new climate casino are inundated by torrential rainfall and becoming water-worlds. Or baked from persistent heat waves and drought and fires exploding in size, frequency and severity. Or buried by snow and ice storms. Lives are in turmoil. Infrastructure like houses, roads, train tracks and pipelines are being hammered. What next? There is no new normal. Far from it. We have lost our stable familiar climate. Likely permanently. Rates of change greatly exceed anything recorded in paleo-records by at least 10 to 30 times. Greenland and Antarctic ice caps are melting and calving at unprecedented and accelerating rates. Large chunks will soon slide into the ocean, causing tsunamis and abrupt sea level rise, swamping coastlines. We are heading to a much warmer world. Abruptly. Within decades. The transition will be brutal for civilization. Global flora and fauna

face a sixth mass-extinction. There is hope. Knowledge of this climate threat is spreading widely to our society, which has been brainwashed into inaction by fossil fuel corporations and their subservient governments who maintain the status quo. More and more people see trees dying in their backyards. Devastation to their houses, roads and cities from extreme weather events are awakening them to the grave dangers. Soon a threshold will be crossed and a tipping point reached in human behaviour – a wisdom reached on the reality of the risks that we face. And finally global concerted action to slash emissions and embrace renewable energies. And change our ways, retool our economies and reset our priorities. And not take our life on this planet for granted. What about the Glebe and Ottawa? Every city needs to prepare for torrential rains like those experienced in Calgary and Toronto in the summer of 2013 (four to six months of rainfall in a day or two) with economic costs above $6 billion and $1 billion, respectively. Are we prepared for an extreme heat wave like that experienced by Moscow in 2010 (temperatures over 30oC and high humidity for 35 days straight)? I do not think so, even though the city released an updated climate change plan recently. Time will tell. Sooner than you may expect. Paul Beckwith, a Glebe resident, is a part-time professor teaching climatology, meteorology and geographical approaches to environmental issues at the University of Ottawa. Twitter: @PaulHBeckwith; Facebook: Paul Beckwith; email: phbeckwith@rogers.com.

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The Glebe according to Zeus

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

In the land of Glebe

A guinea pig’s perspective on the Glebe

In The Language Garden Mortgaging your Future? By Adelle Farrelly

Securing a future – home ownership for your guinea pig property taxes are exorbitant!” burst out Obelix, notorious Glebe socialite pig. “Personally, I see nothing wrong with being a pigolo – I’m booked in advance and sleep in a different bed every night. Unlike the hutch-poor pigs, I can afford fine dining at Wild Oat or Naji’s!” There is a third, less-discussed option: co-operatives. Indeed, the Glebe guinea pigs have started a greeting card business in the lobby of 779 Bank Street to fund a deal with Ninto Construction for a multi-storey communal hutch on city land. Rumour has it Ninto already secured a prime spot for $1 per year. But Colleen has sage advice: pigs should decide for themselves what option best suits their unique needs and financial situations.

our glebe

To admire the GiddyPigs greeting cards, visit the lobby of Glebe Video at 779 Bank Street, second floor. Cartoon by Glebe resident Eric J. Martin

During uncertain economic times, many are turning to real estate to secure their loved ones’ future. “If something happens to us, we want our guinea pigs to know that they will always have a roof over their head,” says Colleen, who leads a free monthly seminar “Hutch Owning for Pigs” (HOPs). “Of course, credit can be an obstacle,” explains Zeus, Glebe guinea pig and hutch-owner. “Initially, I faced significant prejudice. I’m selfemployed and with an average lifespan of 4 to 8 years, a 25-year mortgage was a challenge. But finally GP Canada Trust came through – my first mortgage was $9 amortized over 30 years, with an interest rebate if I did promotional work for the bank. I now own over 16 hutches that I rent at a handsome profit – some are two storeys and fleece lined.” Others feel ownership is not the way to go. “There’s a hutch bubble! And

Bank advertisements would have you believe that taking out a mortgage to buy a house brings a life of freedom to the borrower, but those with a little knowledge of French or Latin will be forgiven for suspecting otherwise. The word “death,” after all, is in the very word: mortuus in Latin, mort in French. The word arrived in English via Middle French’s mortgage, in turn from Old French’s mort gage, or “death pledge.” Gage is a word not often used in English anymore, but it is attested in Shakespeare and connotes not only pledges, but wagers, wages and even engagements and weddings. Taking out a mortgage agreement is serious business, and in the Middle Ages it was not always clear whether the borrower would be able to repay his loan within his lifetime. If he

died before repayment, his land was seized by the borrower as part of the terms of the mortgage agreement, and thus the idea of a death pledge. Fortunately, the chances of one paying off one’s mortgage before death are much higher these days. Still, as recent years and financial crises have shown, mortgage debts can be crushing and the death moniker does not seem so far off for some. Taking on a mortgage is a big decision, one of the big markers in life caught up in the “gage” bundle of meanings – career (wage), marriage (engagement, wed) and mortgage. One funny thing about all this, of course, is that French no longer includes the word mortgage, preferring instead the more cerebral, Greek-originated hypothèque (underplace). Adelle Farrelly brings us her insights on the meaning and origins of words every month.

health

30 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Vitamin D and how we northerners can get enough By Zenah Surani

Vitamin D is one of the most talked about supplements in the media – there are a lot of studies being done about it and its increasingly important role in our health. It is definitely the supplement I get the most questions about at the pharmacy. My goal is to help you better understand how much vitamin D you need, and why it is essential to our health. The most common form of vitamin D is D3, cholecalciferol (the “sunshine” vitamin), and is obtained in the diet in small amounts through some limited animal sources and can also be made in the skin upon exposure to UVB rays. Vitamin D2 is sourced from plants and is an appropriate form of supplementation for vegans, however D3 provides a higher amount of vitamin D for the body to convert to its active form, calcitriol (activated by the kidneys). Vitamin D is important for a variety of reasons. It’s especially important for maintaining calcium levels in the body. Through a series of steps, it stimulates the absorption of calcium into the blood stream by acting on the cells in the lining of the intestine. It works also with the parathyroid hormone to balance calcium levels in the body, which in turn contributes to the formation and maintenance of healthy bones. There have been Canadian studies done on the link between vitamin D and conditions such as multiple sclerosis and prostate cancer – showing that people with higher levels of vitamin D have better health outcomes. There is limited but promising research on the positive link between vitamin D levels and diseases such as heart disease, schizophrenia and diabetes. A Statistics Canada study done in 2013 found that over a third of Canadians had inadequate blood levels of vitamin D, and that 10 per cent were deficient. Those aged from 20 to 39 years old had the lowest levels. Low levels of vitamin D can cause calcium to be leached from the bones to maintain normal calcium levels in the bloodstream. This in turn could cause rickets (in children), osteomalacia (softening

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of the bones in adults), or osteoporosis – a common progressive bone disease that leads to decreased bone strength and increased risk of fracture. There are differing Canadian guidelines on vitamin D recommendations. There is evidence that supports supplementation from 400 to 1000 IU of vitamin D per day for most people, and up to 2000 IU per day for those at risk of deficiency or during the winter. Breastfed infants should supplement with 400 IU per day, while women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should consider supplementing with up to 2000 IU per day, especially during the winter. As Canadians, we are all vulnerable to vitamin D deficiency as all of Canada is located north of the 42nd parallel, where UVB radiation is not strong enough to allow for production of vitamin D in the skin. Without supplementing in the winter, it is fair to say that Canadians cannot get the amount of vitamin D that the body needs. Those with dark skin are also at risk of deficiency since melanin (skin pigment) is inefficient in allowing vitamin D to be converted to its active form. Also, as we age, the body becomes less efficient at producing vitamin D from the sun. And, although sunscreen is a good idea to prevent skin damage from the sun’s rays, it can also block helpful rays that we need to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D absorption can be impaired in people on certain medications, as well as those with certain types of kidney disease. In contrast to calcium, it is difficult to get vitamin D from food sources alone; for instance, 100g of cooked beef contains about 25 IU of vitamin D. As a result, many foods in Canada, such as milk, are fortified with vitamin D. Non-dietary supplementation is necessary in those unable to reach their daily recommended amount through food alone. It is indeed possible to get too much vitamin D, as it is a fat-soluble vitamin and can build up in the body. If excessive amounts are taken, it can lead to excessive calcium levels in the body that can do damage to the heart, blood vessels and kidneys. Vitamin D supplements exist in many forms – in

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books

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Engaging book describes heritage of Old Ottawa South Reviewed by Tom Tanner

Exploring the Built Heritage of Old Ottawa South. Ottawa South History Project, December 2013 Old Ottawa South was annexed by the City of Ottawa in 1907. The Ottawa South History Project was initiated to commemorate the 100th anniversary of this event, and in 2009 the Heritage Survey of Old Ottawa South obtained grants to hire two students for the summer. This publication is the engaging result of these efforts. The Glebe and Old Ottawa South are both clearly defined, attractive neighbourhoods where the City of Ottawa is encouraging intensification. In both communities, some development proposals have provoked strong opposition because they are not in harmony with the historic character of the neighbourhood. In order to make the argument that a proposed new structure or renovation is “out of character,” residents need to articulate clearly their definition of “the heritage of the neighbourhood.” This attractive book documents what is meant by “the heritage of Old Ottawa South.” It is also a helpful template for presenting documentation and includes a useful case study of the rewards and pitfalls of managing a project aimed at recording and defining heritage. Geography always shapes settlement. Old Ottawa South was remote from early settlement around the Ottawa River. With the coming of the Rideau Canal, it was further defined and cut off from development to the north. Bridge building, land speculation and the coming of streetcars shaped the location of streets and the nature of housing construction. Historic maps and illustrations help readers envision development patterns and the social structure of the community as it moved from rural to suburban to urban. Significant structures define a community.

The Gorman house built in 1896 on Euclid Avenue in Old Ottawa South.

Hopewell Avenue Public School, the Monastery of the Precious Blood (now the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada), the Mayfair Theatre and Southminster United Church are among the prominent buildings profiled. Homes representing every era from 1820 to the1930s are described and illustrated. A “Field Guide to the Front Porches of Old Ottawa South” can be fully applied in the Glebe. This “exploration” will help the reader see older neighbourhoods with new eyes. It defines and illustrates heritage characteristics that deserve preservation. It also offers insight into the effort required to gather and publish accurate information. It will help residents of many historic Ottawa areas appreciate their surroundings in new ways. It should also help them articulate why heritage preservation is vital to the continued vitality of their beloved community. Exploring the Built Heritage of Old Ottawa South, by members of the Ottawa South History Project and the 2009 Heritage Survey of Old Ottawa South. Ottawa South History Project, December 2013. Available from Heritage Ottawa (www.heritageottawa.org) $15.

Hoopla and AVoD at the library Thousands of movies, television shows and music albums are available for mobile and online access at the Ottawa Public Library through Hoopla and Access Video on Demand (AVoD). These new services allow library cardholders to download or stream music and videos on demand. The Hoopla Digital collection has more than 230,000 classic and popular movies, television shows and music albums. Customers can stream or temporarily download up to eight titles per month. The AVoD collection includes popular documentaries originally produced for National Geographic, BBC, TED Talks, PBS and more. AVoD features more than 220,000 videos.

Tom Tanner is a reader, history buff, long-time resident of the Glebe and a member of the Glebe Report board of directors.

WHAT YOUR NEIGHBOURS ARE READING Here is a list of some titles read and discussed recently in various local book clubs: TITLE (for adults)

AUTHOR

Spies1

Michael Frayn Sean Michaels

Us Conductors2

David Epstein

The Sports Gene

Revolution4

Russell Brand

The Children Act

Ian McEwan

Never Turn Your Back on an Angus Cow: My Life as a Country Vet6

Jan Pol

The Wood Cutter7

Reginald Hill

The Amber Coast8

Ilse Zandstra

Victims9

Jonathan Kellerman

Into the Abyss: How a Deadly Plane Crash Changed the Lives of a Pilot, a Politician, a Criminal and a Cop10

Carol Shaben

Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage11

Alice Munro

Outlander

Diane Gabaldon

Waverly

Walter Scott

The Goldfinch13

Donna Tartt

The Morning After14

Chantal Hébert

TITLE (children and teens)

AUTHOR

Ocean at the End of the Lane15

Neil Gaiman

Marina16

Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Le petit chevalier aux jambes molles17

Pierre Chartray et Sylvie Rancourt

Al Capone Does My Shirts18

Gennifer Choldenko

Lulu and the Brontosaurus

Judith Viorst

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Broadway Book Club Can’ Litterers Helen’s Book Club OnLine Audio Book Club: www.DearReader.com OnLine Fiction Book Club: www.DearReader.com OnLine Nonfiction Book Club: www.DearReader.com OPL Sunnyside Adult Book Club OPL Sunnyside European Book Club OPL Mystery Book Club OPL Non-Fiction Book Club

11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

OPL Sunnyside Branch Second Friday Adult Book Club Seriously No-Name Book Club The Book Club The Topless Book Club Glebe Collegiate Book Club OnLine Teen Book Club: www.DearReader.com OPL Sunnyside Branch Club de lecture en français pour les enfants 18. OPL Sunnyside Branch Guysread 19. OPL Sunnyside Branch Mother-Daughter Book Club

If your book club would like to share its reading list, please email it to Micheline Boyle at grapevine@glebereport.ca

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32 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

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Speak up about the future of the Airport Parkway

Councillor David Chernushenko

While the focus of this issue of the Glebe Report www.capitalward.ca is on housing, I have little to report beyond the City of Ottawa’s intention to invest $19 million in affordable housing this year, which represents a modest increase. City staff will soon make its final recommendations to Planning Committee and City Council on the proposed set of zoning changes to guide the scale of new low-rise housing development inside the Greenbelt. Infill 2, as it is known, addresses issues such as the size of new houses, building heights and requirements for setbacks and rear yards in a way that allows discreet intensification on larger residential lots while ensuring the protection of neighbourhood character. There’s a non-housing issue that’s currently worrying many Glebe residents: the City of Ottawa has initiated an Environmental Assessment (EA) Study to look at widening the Airport Parkway south of Brookfield Avenue and Lester Road to accommodate increasing transportation requirements in the growing communities south of Hunt Club Road. Not surprisingly, many people in Capital Ward and some of my colleagues on City Council are opposed to this idea, and I share their concerns. At a time when the City espouses the benefits of Complete Streets and expansion of public transit, and when funding for a new footbridge over the Rideau Canal remains elusive, why would we consider spending many millions of dollars on widening existing roads, least of all to entice drivers towards a known bottleneck on Bronson Avenue? Why would we risk seriously undermining major investments in public transit by making it easier for more private vehicles to access the already-congested centre of the city? Why not, as many have already suggested, first extend the O-Train southward as planned, then wait a few years to see if road widening is really needed? What’s the rush? Well, it seems that population and traffic projections indicate there will be a “need” for this additional road capacity by 2031, so it was included in the longterm Transportation Master Plan. It also appears that the project would be mostly funded – to the tune of 94 per cent – by development charges raised in the surrounding new communities; these same funds cannot be spent on urban projects like a canal footbridge. Luckily, the EA for the road widening just marks the beginning of a process meant to develop, assess and evaluate alternatives, which will result in a recommended plan to eventually be presented to City Council. Approval of the road widening is by no means a done deal, and neither is its eventual funding. Now is the time to get involved and voice your opinions. Are you worried about increased commuter traffic through the Glebe? Do you think wider roads are counterproductive to the City’s long-term transportation goals, not to mention our finances? I invite you to find out more about the project and how to participate in the debate by visiting the City’s web page at ottawa.ca/airportparkway. Road renewal planned for 2015

Some Glebe residents are bracing themselves for major roadwork this year and/or next as the City of Ottawa prepares to rehabilitate a number of streets. Ongoing work on First Avenue (Bronson to O’Connor) should be completed in August, while reconstruction of Broadway Avenue (Torrington to Ralph), plus the sections of Craig Street and Ralph Street south of Holmwood is expected to start in May. Reconstruction of Renfrew Avenue, Wilton Crescent, Wilton Lane and Lakeview Terrace is scheduled to begin in 2016. Although dates and details are not yet set, Holmwood Avenue (east of Bank) and part of Chamberlain Avenue are slated for resurfacing. Bus service improvements

OC Transpo plans to increase weekend bus service on Routes 1 and 7 to make public transit a more attractive option for people travelling along Bank Street. These changes, along with the recent service increase on Route 6 and ongoing improvements to local pedestrian and cycling facilities (see next item), are expected to reduce parking pressures and congestion in the Glebe, especially around Lansdowne Park. Road safety

Pending budget approval and completion of detailed designs, the City plans to implement various safety improvements on Bronson Avenue by the end of this year. The measures include a signalized pedestrian/cycling crossing just south of the Rideau Canal, safer on- and off-ramps connecting to Colonel By Drive, and new, separated bike paths and tracks on that part of Bronson. Plans are also afoot for (yet another) round of safety improvements on the Bank Street Bridge to make the curb lanes safer and thus more inviting to cyclists, with the benefit of freeing the sidewalks for pedestrians alone. Clearer signage, increased pavement markings and, crucially, a concerted user education campaign with “how and where to ride” videos are planned for this spring. Yes, there will be a spring!

613-580-2487 david.chernushenko@ottawa.ca

mp’s report

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

One of 308 conversations In November, I had the pleasure of moderating a roundtable discussion of 35 people from a varMP iety of backgrounds as part of the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s 308 Conversations on Paul Dewar Suicide Prevention. The meeting was divided www.pauldewar.ca into two parts: the first part was a discussion of the gaps and weaknesses in suicide prevention measures, while the second was a discussion of strengths and successes. Over the course of two hours, I learned an enormous deal about the nature of suicide in our society. For instance, I learned that last year more kids died by suicide than from cancer; that men die from suicide at a rate up to four times higher than that of women; and that First Nations, and especially Inuit, have suicide rates higher than any other group in this country. Ottawa Police have noticed that the number of calls they receive related to mental health has been rising steadily in the last few years. In discussing the weaknesses of suicide prevention in Ottawa, a variety of issues and examples were brought up, ranging from the very specific to the broad and structural. The list of issues is shockingly long. A few key highlights include that there is a severe shortage of psychiatrists in Ottawa, making it difficult for many to get help. This is compounded by the tragic reality that those without any medical coverage cannot afford to get help, even though they are often the ones that need it the most. There is little public education about mental health in schools, despite teenagers being a high-risk group for mental illness. The waiting lists to receive treatment are atrociously long. After discussing the weaknesses of the current mental health system, we then turned to the successes of suicide prevention in Ottawa. Again, many examples were raised – too many to list here. Of particular note were the breakthroughs Ottawa Police have had in working with mental health professionals to help connect people with the care they need, as well as improving officers’ understanding of mental health problems and how to handle individuals in a more sensitive and tolerant manner. The work of various organizations, including Psychiatric Survivors Ottawa, community health centres and the Suicide Prevention Coalition to educate the public is increasing awareness of mental health and suicide, and enhancing dialogue with those that need help. Following the discussion, the participants agreed on a few recommendations. First, a durable, national approach to suicide prevention demands serious and sustained funding. There also needs to be more emphasis put on youth and marginalized groups. There were many ideas, big and small, on how to realize these aims, including a great deal of support for a badly needed national strategy for mental health. If I were to summarize the main take-away messages from this meeting, they would be the following: talk to everyone you know about mental illness so we can fight the stigma, especially those that you know have problems; let them know you care; and consider what you can do, on your own and as part of our community, to help prevent more deaths by suicide.

613-946-8682 paul.dewar@parl.gc.ca Twitter @PaulDewar www.pauldewar.ndp.ca

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34 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Identity crisis By Mike Mankowski

“Glebite” sounds like something the guy renovating your basement discovers while tearing out the mouldy drywall. “Your basement is full of glebites,” he might announce. You shriek, grab your children and run to your neighbour’s front porch. You imagine nasty beasties with mean little eyes and pinchers and “waaaay” too many hairy legs. In the epic German poem, Das Glebelungenlied, the Glebelungi are a great people with big shouldered, thick-thighed women who can hurl a spear 75 yards with one hand. The men are hellacious warriors who fight to the death and are renowned for making the best mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwiches in the valley. We Glebe folk need to reclaim the honour of the Glebelungi. We need to create an identity less like roaches and more like action figures who take smack from no one and break a lot of furniture while not taking it. I asked several members of my book club for suggestions. Carol on Fourth Avenue recommended Glebians. Sunset’s Susan proposed Glebbies. And a Carleton University student, Alex from the Annex, voted for Gleberzz. The group rejected all of these suggestions. Not enough pizzazz. Nancy, a student in religious studies at uOttawa who moonlights as an organist at St. Matthew’s, came up with Glebelonians. Her suggestion, though sincere, was scratched because it sounded too much like a special interest group to which St. Paul might have written a letter. Jim, the neighbourhood’s king of takeout food, offered Gleburgers. Really? Don, a consultant on Monkland, proposed Gleburbians. Meh! And the favourite piano teacher of

every child on Holmwood, Sheila, added a creative twist with her contribution: The Gleberace! Round one goes to Sheila. Back on the avenues, Al, a retired paratrooper, pushed for The Gleberets. Bill, a photographer, offered the Gleberazzi. The group agreed that while it had a certain appeal, it carried negative undertones. Trevor, a retired Glebe Collegiate English teacher living in a half-double on Strathcona, recommended Gleberati, which many liked initially but later vetoed as snooty. They feared CFRA would mock us for it, along with our socks under salt-stained Crocs and our love of baby strollers the size of Smart cars. Among business owners, the best suggestion came from Ernesto, a legendary hair stylist on Bank Street, who weighed in with Los Gleberatoros and invited us to do the following exercise. Picture yourself as the amazing man in the Dos Equis beer commercials. Be that guy and show a few chest hairs. Guys, I said a few. Look at the camera, stare into the lens, and, using your best Spanish accent, say: “I don’t admire very many people, but the ones I admire most are Los Gleberatoros. Stay hungry, my friends.” Goose-bumpy, eh? Try it. Soon you will notice people looking at you, whispering to others as you stroller bump a Westboritta into a telephone pole on Bank Street, or yank the last of the pulled pork at Whole Foods away from a Sandy Hillraiser. “She is one of them,” they will say. “So is he.” “One of whom?” “Los Gleberatoros!” Saddle up, neighbour. We ride tonight! Mike Mankowski is a Glebe resident and a certified member of the Glebelungian Book Club.

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Mayor to give city new name in 2017 Consultations to start April 1 By Bob Irvine

In a bold move to commemorate Canada’s 150th birthday, Mayor Jim Watson has announced plans to find a new name for Canada’s capital. “In the wake of frequent political scandals, ‘Ottawa’ now has bad connotations in the minds of most Canadians. Canada’s sesquicentennial offers a perfect opportunity to start afresh with a new name for Canada’s capital,” said the Mayor at a meeting of the Glebe Hysterical Society. In a bid to celebrate the city’s seven months of snow, sleet and ice (followed by five months of tough sledding), Watson is suggesting that the capital’s new name have a winter theme. A panel of local authors, artists and historians – headed by Ima Jimpal – has ably responded to the mayor’s challenge to rebrand our city. Public consultations to finalize a new name start April 1.

Here are the proposed names – many with winter themes – as suggested by the panel: • Moscow-on-the-Rideau • Inuvik-with-Poutine • Ice Station Ottawa • Watsongrad • St. Harpersburg • Slushawa • Lansdownobirsk • Ottawa, D.C. (District of Canuckistan) • Ottavostok (our city would be twinned with Vladivostok) • Mapohoba (short for “many pot holes breaking axles”) • Eltimhor (“Ellesmere Island with Tim Hortons”) • Nocifoomaw (“no city for old men and women”) • Bidbila (“Baffin Island with dedicated bike lanes”) Copies of the panel’s full report will be available on April 1 for anyone who has not realized that this is Bob’s early April Fool’s Day prank. Bob Irvine is a Glebe resident who takes an interest in civic affairs on April 1.

Glebe Streetsmarts There are 17 Glebe street names hidden below – spelled forward, backward, up, down or diagonally. Find them all!

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memoir

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

A solution to boredom Editor’s note: The course in “Writing your Memoirs,” offered at Abbotsford House and taught by Anne Le Dressay, has brought out some wonderful stories by local residents. We share below a story by Diana McCarthy. By Diana McCarthy

I was often bored as a child. Often I would feel so bored that I would be anxious, that is until I found something to fill the time, like playing make-believe, fooling around on the piano, tossing the football with my sister, or simply lying on the small hill in our backyard watching the clouds drift by. One time I decided that the only thing that could break the boredom would be to eat, or rather search for something sweet to eat. My mom knew I loved sweets so she’d hidden my Halloween candy on the top shelf of a cupboard in the kitchen. I waited patiently until my mom and dad went outside to do yard work and my siblings were occupied reading in remote parts of the house. The hidden sweets were my quarry. My mouth watered and I quivered like a cat waiting for the moment to pounce on its prey. I quietly pulled up a grey vinyl-covered chair from the kitchen breakfast nook and hoisted myself up on the counter. The first set of cupboard doors I opened yielded the sweets, hidden behind a tin. I stretched and strained but my arms were just not long enough to reach them. The only way up to the sweets was to step on the bright yellow toaster

shelf attached to the wall with several “L” brackets. I had to have those sweets, so I removed the toaster. I stepped cautiously onto the shelf. Just as I was reaching the bag of candies, the shelf broke away from the wall along with several large chunks of plaster, which hurled to the floor. The tin can clanked onto the counter and then the linoleum. In trying to find a footing on the countertop, I lost hold of the corner of the bag and it spilled across the floor. My siblings’ books must have been engrossing; there was no immediate reaction to the havoc I had created. Luckily my loot had sprayed across the floor, along with the plaster and shelf. I sat amongst it ravenously gnawing at the Halloween kisses while separating the Double Bubble and Chiclet gums from the Tootsie Rolls and the hard candy discs. I planned to spirit the favourites upstairs to my bedroom. But how was I to camouflage the huge holes in the wall where the toaster had been? At that moment, I heard the aluminum back door open and my mom enter. She climbed the three steps up from the back hall and came into the kitchen. I am pretty sure she stood stock still and then groaned, “How could you?” The answer remains, “It was easy.” Each fall I think I must be related to animals that store their food and ready themselves for winter. I can still sniff out anything sweet hiding in the back of cupboards in my house. Diana McCarthy is a long-time music teacher who is writing her memoirs.

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memoir

36 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

PHOTOS: JOHN LAST

The Adelaide Star

Dr. John Last aboard the Adelaide Star in the 1940s

Catching an albatross Editor’s note: The course in “Writing your Memoirs,” offered at Abbotsford House and taught by Anne Le Dressay, has brought out some wonderful stories by local residents. We share below a story by John Last. By John Last

Few of life’s pleasures can beat a long ocean voyage. In 1954 I hitched a ride as ship’s surgeon on a freighter, a cheap way for young doctors to travel between England and Australia in those days. The voyage lasted nearly two months, including four weeks without a port – from a refueling stop at Tenerife in the Canary Islands to Adelaide. We sailed past Cape Town

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Dr. John Last is an Australian-born doctor who has been a professor of epidemiology and public health at the University of Ottawa since 1969. He still teaches and is writing his memoirs.

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to do. Observing him, I tried to be a detached clinician: was I about to see a man actually having an apoplectic stroke? Gritting his teeth, he ordered us to get rid of the bird and clean up the mess. His demeanor made it clear that failure to comply, and quickly, would have dire consequences. In the end one of the other officers launched the bird by running along the deck with it, like getting a kite aloft. Not before he’d slipped and slid on his bottom in the guano, however. We three miscreants who had started all this didn’t escape so easily. We were on our hands and knees until after dusk, cleaning and scrubbing the deck to restore it to its pristine pre-albatross condition. Next day the pants I’d been wearing went over the side, stinking past all hope of ever being cleansed of the mess that covered them. Good pants too, my second-best pair. In those days, the standard British Board of Trade rate of pay for ship’s surgeons who got a free passage across the world in this way was a shilling a month, plus keep. I should have received two shillings. When I collected my discharge certificate in Sydney at the end of what was, all things considered, a voyage that I still regard as one of the highlights of my life, I got only one shilling. I didn’t dare ask why.

Pilates

without stopping, on a sparkling sunny day, so close we could see the colours of the dresses the girls ashore were wearing. As we rounded the Cape of Good Hope several albatross took station as escorts above our stern. For two weeks, until landfall off Kangaroo Island in South Australia, these great, graceful creatures glided effortlessly in our slipstream. It was the best journey in the world. It was a good time to read Apsley Cherry-Garrard’s classic, The Worst Journey in the World. Cherry-Garrard described how, before reaching Antarctica, he caught an albatross by trailing a weighted line in the wake of the ship. This was for research he was doing on bird life near Antarctica. The weight bobs up and

down on the surface, sustained there by the momentum of the fast-moving ship. To an albatross, it looks like a fish, a tasty morsel worth swooping to swallow; but because the albatross comes in from ahead and to one side, the weight causes the line to tangle about the bird’s wings or feet, so it can be hauled aboard. Apsley Cherry-Garrard didn’t say what happened after that. It works. At the first cast, the largest of our escorts swooped down, and just as Cherry-Garrard described, the weighted line wrapped itself around the bird’s legs, and we hauled it aboard, its wings flapping ineffectually. An airborne albatross is one of the noblest sights one could ever wish to see. On the pitching and rolling deck of our ship on a blustery sea in the Roaring Forties, it was disconsolate, deeply embarrassed, very frightened, very angry – and very incontinent. At both ends. I can’t recall all these years later what came first, the vomited-up half-digested fish, the voided bowels, or whether both happened together. It covered most of the well-scrubbed deck with a stinking mess that had the consistency of fish glue and smelled unimaginably abominable. There was another problem. Mindful of the Ancient Mariner’s fate, we wanted to release our albatross, but it couldn’t or wouldn’t take off from the deck. It was unfortunate that the ship’s captain, a descendent of Bligh of the Bounty I shouldn’t wonder, chose to make his daily inspection of the aft decks while we were wondering what

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schools

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Putting students first

Peter Howe, M.S.W., RSW. Social Worker

Semester one exams are now over at Immaculata High School and students are well into the OCSB Trustee second semester. Corpus Christi is keeping very busy with upcoming Blues in School days, the Kathy Ablett monthly iWalk to School Day, and Grade 6 www.capitalward.ca Confirmation Mass. Please keep in touch with your school for many more exciting events. Before we know it, Spring Break will be upon us. Spring Break dates this year are from March 16 to 20 inclusive. This will be a time to re-energize and have some fun! Good News!

The Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) has been named a Top Employer in the National Capital Region for 2015! To celebrate, we are calling on members of our community to help us recognize inspiring employees who make the OCSB a great place to work and learn. See the OCSB website for further details. School Transportation Bell Time Review – Update

Further to my last column, I wish to report that, through successful collaboration with parents, Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) staff, trustees and board personnel, Immaculata bell times will remain unchanged. Start time will remain at 8:20 a.m.

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From OCSB to CCSTA

Following a Canada-wide search, the Canadian Catholic School Trustees’ Association (CCSTA) has announced that Julian Hanlon has been named executive director of its association, effective July 1, 2015. Mr. Hanlon will retire as the OCSB Director of Education in June 2015. Mr. Hanlon stated, “Over the years, CCSTA has been a strong voice and advocate for Catholic Education in Canada. I’m excited about working with such an organization, and hope to continue the tradition of working closely with the Catholic community to strengthen and promote Catholic schools across the nation.” CCSTA is the national voice for Catholic trustees, representing French and English boards in Canada that serve over 850,000 students in Catholic schools. Calendar dates for the next school year

The OCSB proposes calendar dates for the next school year sometime in the early spring (March or April). These proposed calendar dates will be made available on our website, but the dates cannot be considered confirmed until they are approved by the Ministry of Education in May. If, at any time, I can be of assistance to you please do not hesitate to call me at 613-526-9512.

Glebe Report Association AGM Wednesday, May 20, 7 p.m., Glebe Community Centre The Annual General Meeting of the Glebe Report Association (the publisher of the Glebe Report) will held at the Glebe Community Centre on Wednesday, May 20 at 7 p.m. All members of the association are invited to attend, and new members are welcome. You are eligible for membership if you are over 18 and live, work or volunteer in the Glebe.

Kathy Ablett Trustee Zone 9 Capital/River Wards 613-526-9512

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CALL Zita Taylor at 613-235-1214, e-mail: circulation@glebereport.ca, if you are willing to deliver a route for us.

schools

38 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

PHOTO: SHERI SEGAL GLICK

Glebe Co-op Nursery School

Rush hour traffic at the Glebe Co-op Nursery School

Anatomy of a duty day By Sheri Segal Glick

One of the perks of being at a cooperative nursery school is getting to go back to preschool for a day every couple of months when you are the duty parent. Here is the anatomy of a duty day: 8:35 a.m.: Arrive at the school, hang out in the playground with the teachers and the kids. Try to stay clean(ish). 9:00: Walk in with the kids, help them remove outside clothing and boots. Convince two children to put

their shoes on the proper feet. Give up trying to convince your own child. 9:07: Enter the classroom and watch the kids greet their little friends as though they haven’t seen each other in months (rather than mere minutes). 9:10: Check out the art table and paint station. Talk a child into wearing a smock. Feel like you have just successfully negotiated the Dayton Accords. 9:20: Check out the play dough table. Play with said play dough. Make it look like you are doing grown-

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up-duty-parent stuff when a teacher walks by. 9:30: Walk over to the playhouse. Allow the children to serve you a lovely dinner of plastic eggs, muffins, chicken and fancy air-tea while you get your hair “done” in the “salon.” 9:45: Play with blocks. Remember to share blocks with the children. 9:55: Wipe a runny nose and take a child to wash her hands. Feel good that your child is not the only one who makes a huge puddle every time she gets near a tap. 10:00: Read a book (or ten) on the couch. Feel like a rock star as all of the kids try to sit on your lap/touch you/get a piece of you. 10:10: Watch with pride as your child, the duty child, turns out the lights and gets to utter 1 her15-01-30 longGMSSummerJan15.pdf

rehearsed line: “Tidy up time!” 10:15: Help tidy, wipe down tables and put out sippy cups and the snack that you prepared at home. Witness how easily the teachers get the kids to wash their hands. 10:25: Feel like Martha Stewart when the kids ask for seconds and thirds of the muffins you made (and the cheese and fruit you not only selected, but sliced!) 10:40: Listen to circle time (of course your kid is the smartest!) as you clean up the snack area, rinse cups and put them back into school bags. 11:00: Help kids put on outdoor clothing and walk with the esteemed duty child at the front of the line as the kids go either outside or to the gymnasium in inclement weather. Help said duty child hold the door, but only from behind so she thinks that she is doing it herself. 11:15: Watch as the kids play with dolls, strollers, plasma cars, peddle cars, balls and mats in the gym. Use the opportunity to take a bunch of pictures of your child and her besties. 11:30: Greet parents arriving to pick up their children. Tell everyone how cute their child is (and mean it). 11:35: Stuff leftover snack into your mouth (you can get a lot of mini muffins in there). Leave happy and exhausted. Wonder how the teachers do it every day. 11:55: Recap with your child. Look on the calendar to find your next duty day. You are looking forward to it already. Registration is Underway!

Registration for the 2015–2016 school year has started, but it’s not too late! Packages are available at the school (downstairs at the Glebe Community Centre) or for download on our website at ottawapreschool.com. Sheri Segal Glick is the communications chair of the GCNS board. This is her fourth year doing duty days and yet she still needed to be reminded what time snack time starts and ends for the purposes of this article. 3:53 PM

art

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

Glebe Community Centre Gallery 175 Third Avenue Ann Ellis and Anne Brammer Incredible India: Photographs March 1 – 29 Ann Ellis

I am an amateur photographer who has lived in Ottawa for the past 13 years. Photography has always been a part of my life. I am most content when I am travelling to an exotic locale with my camera in tow. I have always had the desire to wander and capture the world around me through photographs and stories that reflect my adventures. I believe that photography can transform your travel experience and bring you closer to the culture that you are visiting. As you search for that perfect shot, you begin to notice light, colours, patterns and textures and become intensely aware of your surroundings. My goal is to capture the depth and breadth of the places I visit – the beautiful landscapes, unique architecture, local food, markets and traditions, and anything quirky and unusual. The greatest moments for me are in photographing and interacting with people. Language and culture need not be a barrier. With a camera in hand, you can connect with people in a unique and moving way. This exhibit celebrates the people of India who have so willingly allowed me to photograph them and shared their country with me.

Anne BrammeR

I am an enthusiastic amateur photographer, who loves the feel of a camera in my hands. I use the camera to document the amazing places I have visited and the fascinating people I have met. I was born and raised in England and immigrated to Canada in 1967. I still describe myself as “mid-Atlantic.” I developed a passion for flowers, trees and nature in my homeland. My career in social work introduced me to people from all walks of life and this has given me an insight and appreciation of people photography. As an avid traveller to exotic destinations such as India, Mongolia, Mali and Nepal, I have been privileged to photograph these different cultures and their people. I am diverse in the topics I like to photograph but flowers are a favourite. I am currently interested in exploring the work of Freeman Patterson and creating abstract impressionist images of nature. The friendship with my co-exhibitor, Ann Ellis, developed from joint courses we participated in at the School of Photographic Art of Ottawa. Our mutual love of photography and travel inspired us to exhibit images from our separate trips to the extraordinary country of India.

art

40 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

“Hey Blue Bird” by Cara Elizabeth, multimedia on canvas, 2014

Cara Elizabeth spreads her joy at Roast ’n Brew By Bhat Boy

Cara Elizabeth is like a streak of colour through the Glebe. “I live in the house with the red door; it speaks how I feel,” she says of her home on Powell Avenue. Never satisfied with her own joy, Elizabeth is always trying to bring joy to others. Her painting, “Sleepwalker,” is almost the distilled essence of her character – a twelve-storey bird walking about town spreading joy in its sleep. She describes the Glebe as an incredible oasis, a little village in the big city of Ottawa. “Hey Blue Bird” is the perfect metaphor for Elizabeth, who lives in the Glebe like Bambi lives in the forest. All things are bright and beautiful to her. It is in the eye of the beholder. Cara Elizabeth’s paintings are on exhibit at Roast ’n Brew (corner of Bank and Fifth) from March 26 until April 30. “Sleepwalker” by Cara Elizabeth, multimedia on canvas, 2014

Wild Oat Café Birch April 1–30 By Clare Pearson

“Time Moves On,” encaustic on birch panel.

This exhibit is an exploration of birch – as a subject using acrylic paint, and as a surface for encaustic. I am drawn to the patterns and textures on the birch trunk and have tried to create their variations using acrylic paint with palette knife and minimal brushwork. Encaustic is an ancient technique dating back over 2,000 years, where heat is used to melt wax into a liquid state. The word comes from the Greek enkaiein meaning “to burn in,” referring to the process of fusing the paint. The encaustic painting technique in my work uses heated beeswax. Pigment is then mixed in and applied to the surface. Each abstract is on a birch panel and has many layers, each fused using heat. Originally from England, I moved to Canada with my husband and two young children in 1998. I grew up in a big family with both parents enjoying many styles of art and a father keen on photography. During a career in physiotherapy for many years, I loved the variety of clinical areas, teaching and research that I was able to work in. However, after a life-changing event, I began to pursue my love and appreciation of art. It is proving to be a very different and exciting journey. My work with acrylic media continues to evolve as I experiment with differ-

“Overcome by Colour,” acrylic on canvas

ent techniques, textures and styles to convey my love of light and colour. I enjoy the look and feel of many layers and heavily textured paintings. Come and enjoy my art in the relaxed atmosphere of the Wild Oat Café from April 1 to 30. Clare Pearson, a largely self-taught artist, can be reached at www.clarebearart.com.

travel

PHOTOS: BOB IRVINE

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

A stony trail leads up the slopes of Machu Picchu.

A walk to the Sun Gate By Bob Irvine

“Next stop Machu Picchu!” our Peruvian guide Victor shouts. A green bus hurtles out of the morning mist and lurches to a halt at our hotel steps. Like commuters at rush hour, seven of us file into the packed bus and find the last empty seats. I squeeze next to a barrel-chested German at the back doing final checks on his camera. Karen is somewhere in the crowd. As it navigates umpteen hairpin turns on its short journey, the bus sounds like an international cocktail party on wheels. People chat excitedly in countless languages at the prospect of exploring this wonder of the world. On a hill past the entry gate, we pause to view Machu Picchu shrouded in mist and then start our hike. We are walking on the Inca Trail. After just a few steps, I begin to marvel at the path. Under foot, large stones have been laid close together. At rocky outcrops, Incan workers have carved steps in the stone. Where the trail traverses a gully, they have built a base that could support a Brinks truck. There are countless drains all fashioned from stone. The Incans have also laid a sturdy, stone retaining wall along side much of the trail. Where the trail narrows, I place my hand against it for support. Victor explains that the Incans who did all this more than half a millennium ago were about five feet tall. They lacked iron or steel implements, using only stone wedges and axes. Despite these challenges, the Incans fitted stones so tightly together a knife blade invariably cannot pass between them. I am impressed at a personal level: at our summer cottage, I need a week (and sometimes later physiotherapy sessions) to complete a knee-high retaining wall. I try to clear my mind and savour the moment – I am walking where runners have sped, carrying messages from across Tahuantinsuyu, the vast Incan “realm of the four parts,” which stretched from southern Colombia to northern Argentina. We pause to catch our breath and survey the wider scene. The earlymorning mists have given way to wisps of cloud that dance above us. On the horizon, snow-capped peaks glisten in the sun. Closer by and standing like a row of silent sentries are smaller mountains. They have dome-shaped

tops and are cloaked in dark-green vegetation. Victor explains how the Incans were animists, believing that major peaks of the Andes were apus, gods in the form of sacred summits, each with its own personality. From a philosophy class decades ago, the words of Thales of Miletus come to mind – “all things are full of gods.” For me the nearby mountains have become hooded friars of an ancient order shuffling to morning mass. We continue hiking toward the Sun Gate. The beauty around us is both panoramic and infinitesimal. A nearby cliff face, dotted with bromeliads in shades of mauve and maroon, resembles a brocaded shawl. Far below, our train readying for its run back to Cusco looks like an inchworm. The nearby Urubamba River, which this morning was an angry, mud-filled torrent clawing at its banks, is far less sinister from our new vantage point. Now bathed in sunlight, Machu Picchu glows below us. But I also find beauty in small places. Sometimes tiny ferns and wildflowers have gained footholds amongst the stones of the trailside wall. The blue and white of the flowers are a counterpoint to the greens and rusts of the ferns, lichens and mosses. Set against the grey stones laid so carefully by the Incans, the patchwork looks like a raffle quilt at a country fair. We finally reach the Sun Gate. Its high stone columns are set on a ridge. The Inca Trail beyond beckons us to venture further but Victor points at his watch. We toast our accomplishment with our water jugs. An Aussie offers to snap a photo of Karen and me with our camera. We return the favour, drink in the view one last time, and start our journey back.

Karen Smith and Bob Irvine on the site of the ancient Inca ruins at Machu Picchu.

Walking down to Machu Picchu and the park gate proves fast and easy. After a bumpy bus ride and a quick lunch, we scurry to the station. Karen and I settle into our seats on the train and compare notes on our morning trek. Later as the evening sky darkens

and mountains give way to farmlands dotted by lonely houses, we both fall sound asleep. Bob Irvine is a Glebe resident and intrepid traveller who finds beauty in places big and small.

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42 Glebe Report March 13, 2015

GRAPEVINE

This space acts as a free community bulletin board for Glebe residents. Drop off your GRAPEVINE message or COMMUNITY NOTICE at the Glebe Report office, 175 Third Avenue, including your name, address and phone number or email grapevine@glebereport.ca. FOR SALE items must be less than $1,000.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS CALLING GLEBE ARTISTS! The GLEBE ART IN OUR GARDENS AND STUDIO TOUR 2015 will take place July 4–5. Applications from Glebe artists accepted until April 30. Please send an email to: glebearttour@ hotmail.ca for info and an application form. CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY DOORTO-DOOR APPEAL FOR DONATIONS. April is cancer month, and as in the past, there will be a residential canvass in the Glebe, east of Bank St. Team captains Jackie Byrne, Susan CaplanFirestone, Rosemary Cunliffe and Allison Dingle are organizing volunteers to canvass their neighbours, rain or shine, on the designated blitz night of Tues., Apr. 14, 6–8 p.m., or another evening in April. Please give generously. CARLETON RETIRED PROFESSORS LECTURES. “How I Got Radium in My Bones,” is the title of a talk by Carleton University retired chemistry professor Don Wiles to take place in the Glebe Community Centre Thurs., March 26, from 7–9 p.m. This is the second of a series of lectures by Carleton retired professors, sponsored by the Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group. All lectures are free and open to the public. CONCERT AT ST. GILES CHURCH, 729 Bank St. at the corner of First Ave. on Mon., Mar. 16, 7:30 p.m. Seraphina presents “Return to the Isles: Folk meets Baroque”. Dawn Bailey (soprano and storyteller) with Susan Toman (celtic harp and harpsichord). The concert is a cross-over between traditional melodies, instrumental jigs and reels, and Baroque pieces by Purcell, Corelli and Playford. Mon., Mar. 16, 7:30 p.m. Tickets at the door $20 adults & $15 students/seniors. This all ages, Celtic/British Isles themed concert anticipates St. Patrick’s day. www. ensembleseraphina.com or St. Giles 613-235-2551. DOORS OPEN FOR MUSIC AT SOU T HMINS T ER W EDNE SDAY NOON CONCERT SERIES, Southminster United Church, 15 Aylmer Ave., 12 p.m.–1 p.m. Mar. 18: “Voyage à Paris,” opera arias and cabaret songs by composers inspired by “la Ville Lumière” with Ghislaine

Deschambault, mezzo-soprano, Pamela Reimer, piano. – March 25: “Duo Rideau: Dances and Legends,” delightful piano duets by Brahms, Dvorak and Piazzolla with Catherine Donkin & Amelie Langlois, piano. – April 1: “Duo Arietis Showcase,” famous sonatas for cello and piano by César Franck and J. S. Bach with Michel-Alexandre Broekaert, piano, Julie Hereish, cello. Freewill offerings are gratefully accepted to support the series. Go to: http:// www.southminsterunitedchurch. com/#!wednesday-noon-concerts/ c1it7 for concert program. FIRST AVENUE PUBLIC SCHOOL BOOK SALE. The 32nd annual book sale will be held at 73 First Ave. from Thursday, April 23 to Sunday, April 26. This school fundraiser features tens of thousands of good quality used books at reasonable prices. For more information and hours please visit the school website. FRIENDS OF THE FARM MASTER GARDENER LECTURE, Apr. 7, 7–9 p.m. Plant for Incredible Edibles with David Hinks. Yes indeed you can grow a bounty of vegetables in your urban space. FCEF members $12, non-members $15, Bldg 72 CEF Arboretum, east exit off Prince of Wales roundabout. Info: www.friendsofthefarm.ca/events.htm#lectures or 613-230-3276. IRISH SOCIE T Y DROP-IN-CENTRE FOR SENIORS 50+ meets every Tuesday, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. at St. Margaret Mary’s Church Hall, corner of Sunnyside and Fairbarn. Info: Kay O’Hegarty 613-829-8467. LEARN AND EXPLORE SPEAKERS’S SERIES AT ABBOTSFORD HOUSE, 950 Bank St., each Wednesday, 1–2:30 p.m. $2 admission, includes speaker, tea/coffee and a homemade treat! – March 25 & April 1: Laura Polegato, Outreach Facilitator at Abbotsford and Tyler Rotteau, student, will be presenting VON’s Neighbours Helping Neighbours on two consecutive Wednesdays. Learn how to be an effective and helpful neighbour. Enjoy a complimentary lunch, registration required at reception 613-230-5730.

THE NEXT NEW OTTAWA DOLL SHOW AND SALE will take place on May 2 at the Ernst and Young Centre, 4899 Uplands Dr., Ottawa, ON, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Featuring dolls, toys, teddy bears and miniatures. Admission: a cash donation to the Ottawa Food Bank (minimum $2 please).

VIOLIN TEACHER. Come and learn the violin with Reiko! I am a classical violinist offering creative and fun music lessons in the Glebe. All ages are welcome! I also play for events (weddings, dinner parties, etc). Info: violin.reiko@gmail.com or 613-8980040.

OLD OTTAWA SOUTH GARDEN CLUB meets on the second Tuesday of the month, 7–9 p.m. at Ottawa South Community Centre (The Firehall), 260 Sunnyside Ave. Membership is $25 per year; $40 for a family and drop in fee $7 per meeting. – April 13 meeting: The Contained Garden - Christine Libon, a local horticulturist (clibon@magma.ca), will share her expertise in container gardening. Christine will cover creative choices for plant material, selection of appropriate containers and planting medium, general maintenance, and illustrate her talk with examples of the numerous containers she has designed.

wanted

OTTAWA BRAHMS CHOIR, under direction of Christopher Askwith and accompanist Ioulia Blinova, presents “Springtime Melodies” on Sun., Apr. 19, 3 p.m., at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 2345 Alta Vista Dr. Tickets from St. Thomas the Apostle Anglican Church Secretariat, Leading Note on Elgin, and Compact Music stores on Bank St. Info: www. OttawaBrahmsChoir.ca / 613-7492391 / 819-568-8169. TOPICAL TALKS AT ABBOTSFORD HOUSE, 950 Bank St. on Mon., March 30 – Colin Morton is a writer of fiction and poetry. He will be presenting: Writing Lives, which illustrates his story of poems and the joys and trials of writing life. Refreshments (a muffin, juice and coffee) served at 9:45 a.m. Talk begins at 10 a.m. sharp! Cost is $3.

available PIANO TEACHER. Bachelor of Music student with grade 8 RCM. Looking to teach beginners, young and old. Will come to your house (provided you live in the Glebe or nearby)! Info: email: piano.teacher.nic@gmail.com or call Nic @ 613-234-6395, please leave a message.

Where to find the glebe report

GLEBE APARTMENT. Semi-retired writer/researcher seeks self-contained 1 bedroom apt in Glebe area to rent, May 1 or sooner. I’m quiet, clean, a non-smoker, very reliable and happy to help out with simple building maintenance and in the garden. Excellent references. Please leave a detailed message at: 613-627-6050. PARKING IN THE GLEBE, Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Ask for Melissa @ 613-614-6340. VOLUNTEER AT THE 2015 CANADIAN TULIP FESTIVAL FROM MAY 8–18! Are you a social butterfly? Do you love interacting with the public? The Canadian Tulip Festival is looking for volunteers in the following areas: Leadership/Supervisors, Pageantry, Gleam Team, Logistics, Restaurant Servers, Programmed Activity Support, Festival Boutique and more. Call Suzanne Landis at the festival office at 613-567-5757 for more information.

VOLUNTEERS TO RAISE PUPPIES FOR CANADIAN GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND. The organization is seeking volunteers to teach basic obedience and socialization, in the hopes that our pups will one day qualify to be trained as guide dogs. To participate, you must reside in certain geographical areas where the Puppy Walking Program operates, which includes Ottawa and Eastern Ontario and along the Hwy 401 corridor to the Greater Toronto Area. To learn more about fostering a puppy for Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, phone 613-692-7777 or email info@guidedogs.ca.

In addition to free home delivery, you can find copies of the Glebe Report at Abbas Grocery, Acorn Nursery, Adishesha Yoga, Arrow & Loon, Bank of Montreal, B.G.G.O., Bloomfields Flowers, Booster Juice, Brewer Arena, Brewer Pool, Bridgehead, Brown’s Cleaners, Corner Bar and Grill, Douvris Martial Arts, Ernesto’s Barber Shop, Escape, Farm Team Cookhouse and Bar, Feleena’s, The Flag Shop, Flight Centre Travel, 107 Fourth Avenue Wine Bar, The French Baker, Glebe Apothecary, Glebe Community Centre, Glebe Fashion Cleaners, Glebe Meat Market, Glebe Pet Hospital, Glebe Smoke Shop, Glebe Tailoring, Glebe Trotters, Glebe Video, Hillary Cleaners, Hogan’s Food Store, Il Negozio Nicastro, Irene’s Pub, Isabella Pizza, Jericho Café, Kardish Foods, Kettleman’s Bagel Co., Kunstadt Sports, Marble Slab, Mayfair Theatre, McKeen Metro Glebe, Mister Muffler, Morala’s Café, Naji’s Lebanese Restaurant, Olga’s Deli and Catering, Pints & Quarts, The Palisades, The Pantry, Pet Valu, ReadiSetGo, RBC/Royal Bank, Reflections, Roast’n Brew, 7-Eleven, Scotiabank, Second Avenue Sweets, Shafali Bazaar, Silver Scissors, Spa Royale, Subway, SushiGo, TD Bank, Third Avenue Spa, Von’s Bistro, Watson’s Pharmacy and Wellness Centre, Whole Foods, The Wild Oat, Yarn Forward & Sew-On, The Works, ZaZaZa Pizza.

Glebe Report March 13, 2015

marketplace

For rates on boxed ads appearing on this page, please contact Judy Field at 613-231-4938 or by e-mail advertising@glebereport.ca

NaNcyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s FreNch Daycare Space available in home day care in Old Ottawa South running for the last 18 years. I only speak French to the children so they are immersed 5 days a week in the French language. My program fosters childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development in different ways because of all sorts of stimulating and fun activities, creative crafts, play groups, outings at the library and at area public parks. My spacious home has a sunny playroom with large windows, overlooking the backyard. The children can enjoy the climber in the fenced-in backyard. There are nutritious snacks in the morning and afternoon, as well as healthy and wholesome lunches. I am certified in CPR. Please call Nancy at 613-730-2400 or 613-983-1808.

marketplace caught your eye! For information on advertising on the Marketplace page, please email advertising@glebereport.ca or call Judy at 613.231.4938.

HOME RENOS AND REPAIR - interior/exterior painting; all types of flooring; drywall repair and installation; plumbing repairs and much more. Please call Jamie Nininger @ 613-852-8511.

DUTCH-SPEAKING BABYSITTER McGill student will be in Ottawa June to August. Experienced child care in English and Dutch (some French). Contact Maia: maiadegraaf@gmail.com

30 years in the Glebe A treasure for both cinophiles and the every day moviegoer

cleaning service Over 10 years experience References available Eco-friendly products Marianne Andersen (613) 755-8797 mandersen11@gmail.com

Film-knowledgeable, Friendly, and Helpful Staff Rare Films Documentaries Strong International and Classics Collections American Canadian TV Series

handyman Will do plumbing, electrical, carpentry, drywall, painting, ceramic work. Bathroom, kitchen, and basement renovations. Warranted, insured, bonded. Peter: 613.797.9905.

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Volunteer Drivers Abbotsford@The Glebe Centre Our community support program urgently needs volunteers to drive local seniors to medical appointments. Volunteers pick up the clients at their home, drive them to their medical appointments and back home.

trendy office/commercial space in the glebe Located on the main floor, renovated, wood floor, brick wall, 3 windows. 575 square feet (main floor) plus a basement which provides a lot of storage space, as well as a shower and a small kitchen for employees. Available now. 101 Fourth Avenue 613 233-2626 veraquin.ottawa@gmail.com

By donating your time, you will enable seniors in our community to access the medical care they need. We serve clients in the following areas: Glebe, Old Ottawa South, Ottawa East, Hunt Club, Riverside Park, Billings and Carleton Heights. Police check is required. If interested please contact: Lonelle Butler Coordinator of Volunteer Services volunteer@glebecentre.ca 613 238-2727 ext. 353

PHOTO: liz mckeen

March 13, 2015

Dow’s Lake in early March. Opened on January 10, the Rideau Canal Skateway broke the record this year for the longest consecutive run of days open.

GNAG Summer Camps 2015

www.gnag.ca

Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group Glebe Community Centre

175 Third Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1S 2K2 Tel: 613-233-8713 or 613-564-1058

GNAG Registration

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GNAG Theatre presents

Spring & Summer Programs Spring Soccer Summer Camps ongoing online

FREE ADMISSION CASH BAR

FEATURING THREE BANDS STARRING LOCAL YOUTH

Glebe Community Centre

175 Third Avenue

GLAMOUR IN THE GLEBE

Bring your girlfriends, make a night of it!

Jewellery Show

strut your stuff

Music, lyrics and book by Lionel Bart. Licensed by Arrangement with Oliver Productions, Ltd and Oliver Promotions, Ltd.

Glebe’s Got Talent

FOR

Mother’s Day Weekend

0 - 9:30

Opening Party: May 8, 6:3 May 9, 10 - 4 pm

March 26: 7 pm March 27: 7 pm March 28: 2 & 7 pm March 29: 7 pm

Tickets: 613-233-8713

BE IN THE BAND PUBNIGHT APRIL 10 7 PM

March 25: Dress Rehearsal 7 pm

art show & sale

emerging

artists of all ages & any media Details: info@gnag.ca

Glebe Community Centre: May 4 - 11, 2015 Opening reception: Thursday, May 7, 6 - 7:30 pm Submission dates: Monday, April 27 - Friday, May 1