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WINTER | 2024

MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR THE VILLAGE OF CARP CARP’S RICH HISTORY UNVEILED ON THE WALLS OF THE MEMORIAL HALL THE CSS BUILDING A LOCAL FEAST — CARP’S HARVEST SUPPER 160TH CARP FAIR SPECIAL FOR PRESIDENT

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THE CARP VILLAGER | NEWSLETTER

MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR VILLAGE OF CARP BIA

The Village of Carp BIA Board Members: Jen Stewart, Chair Greg LeBlanc, Treasurer Tara Azulay, Board Member Lisa Kyte, Board Member Neil Falls, Board Member Devon Larock, Board Member Natalie Wilson, Board Member

Celebrating Achievements and Looking Ahead to 2024 in Carp! Dear Carp Villagers, I hope this message finds you well and filled with the same sense of pride and community spirit that has defined our village. As we reflect on the past year, there is much to celebrate and share with you all. The Carp Fair once again took centre stage, showcasing the heart and soul of our community. It was a resounding success, a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Fair Board, our community volunteers, organizers, and, of course, the incredible support from the Carp community. The fair continues to be a cherished tradition, bringing us together in celebration of our shared history and values.

Our small but mighty BIA has been a driving force behind many of our community initiatives. From leading the restoration and painting of the Memorial Hall to the creation of a stunning mural depicting the buildings and businesses integral to Carp's growth, the BIA's dedication to preserving our heritage is a cornerstone of our ‘why.’ These efforts serve as a visual reminder of our rich history and the collective progress we continue to make. As we turn the page to a new year, we are excited about the big plans on the horizon for 2024. The momentum and energy within our community are palpable, and we invite each and every one of you to stay engaged and be part of the exciting journey ahead. Stay in touch, and let's make 2024 a year to remember!

In addition to the Carp Fair, I am thrilled to report on the outstanding success of the BIA-hosted 'Harvest Supper.' This sold-out event not only brought our community members closer together but also resulted in a remarkable $10,000 donation to the West Carleton Food Access Centre. It is heartening to see our community come together for a cause that truly makes a difference in the lives of our neighbours.

Warm regards, Jennifer Stewart Chair Village of Carp BIA carpvillager@gmail.com

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Photo source: www.cssbuilding.ca

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAYLA BRYANT

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Photo by Jake Davies

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Village of Carp

CARP’S RICH HISTORY UNVEILED ON THE WALLS OF THE MEMORIAL HALL In an inspiring initiative led by the Village of Carp Business Improvement Association (BIA), Carp residents and visitors can now behold a visual tribute to the village’s rich history adorning Carp Memorial Hall. The mural project, funded by the City of Ottawa and the BIA, has transformed the Carp Road side of the hall into a living canvas, celebrating the village’s cherished heritage. Unveiling Carp's Past Through Art Carp Memorial Hall, an iconic community hub, has seen its exterior wall facing Carp Road come alive with the vivid strokes of local artist Kayla Bryant. Bryant was tasked with capturing Carp’s history in a colourful mural, highlighting key landmarks that have defined the village in the past. The mural offers a unique glimpse into Carp’s past and features former buildings that contributed greatly to the village’s development, including Carp Public School, the Carp Gas Station, The Carp Review newspaper office, the Carp Flour Mill, and the Carp Train Station on Salisbury St. These structures, some of which still stand today, represent Carp’s storied history. A Vision Realized For Carp residents, this mural is more than just a piece of art; it’s a symbol of unity and a representation of their deep connection to the past.

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The Village of Carp BIA, under the guidance of Chair Jennifer Stewart, took on the task of securing funding from the City of Ottawa to turn this vision into reality. Stewart shared, “The project pays homage to the roots of the village,” and the mural truly reflects that sentiment. The successful grant application and subsequent financial support from the City of Ottawa enabled Carp Memorial Hall to undergo a thorough cleaning and painting, setting the stage for the mural to be installed. At the Heart of the Community Carp Memorial Hall has been at the heart of Carp’s community life for decades, hosting countless events, meetings, and festivities. The mural not only adds a touch of artistic grandeur to the outside walls of the hall but also brings to the forefront the buildings and businesses that played an integral role in the village’s development and growth. “I hope residents stop and look at this mural and say, ’I remember that building and going there as a child,’ or ‘That would have been so neat to see that building in its day,’” Bryant said, adding that she wanted "to spark curiosity and intrigue in what was.” In the coming weeks, Carp residents and visitors are encouraged to visit Carp Memorial Hall and see the mural. It is a brilliant example of how art can serve as a bridge between the past and the present, unifying a community around its shared history.

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Village of Carp

THE CSS BUILDING

Welcome to a fascinating Q&A session about the CSS Building, a unique and historically significant structure located in Carp, Ontario. This building’s history is deeply intertwined with Canada’s military past, and it has evolved into a commercial property with a diverse range of uses. Allan Duncan owns the CSS building and has been closely involved with this structure since the late 1990s. Here are his insights into the structure’s history, its importance to the Carp community, and plans for the property. Can you explain the history of the building?

The property was developed by the Department of National Defence (DND) when it established Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Carp in the early 1960s. This was at the same time the government built the Diefenbunker, a large four-storey underground bunker and nuclear fallout shelter built to protect officials.

In support of Canada’s obligation to NATO, this property was the satellite uplink for secure military communication with the country’s allies during the Cold War. As the Cold War ended and the need for secure communications changed, the federal government sold this property to Canadian Space Services Ltd. (CSS) in 1999. The building, specifically the geodesic dome, became an excellent home and training centre for CSS, a private company that provides field service on radomes (radar domes) across Canada and around the world. In 2019, Canadian Space Services sold to new owners, but the building and property were not included in the transaction. I decided to keep the property and rename it CSS Building Inc. Today, it is a commercial property with a number of businesses operating along with a small event centre for community activities, educational workshops, training, and social gatherings.

Where is it located? The CSS Building’s address is 2336 Craig’s Side Road, Carp ON K0A 1L0. How did you become involved with this building? Why? I became involved with the building and property in 1997 when we were refurbishing the 68-ft. diameter radome, which included washing, sealing, and painting the exterior for DND. I asked if we (CSS) could schedule the next servicing and I was told that it was slated to be torn down. I then inquired at Crown Asset Disposal to see if the government would consider selling it. …We managed to work out a deal and we bought it in 1999. I saw it as a perfect training ground for our radome technicians to learn how to safely access radomes using rope and harness techniques for refurbishing radome structures on a commercial basis.

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What are your goals and plans for the building?

The building also provided plenty of office space, workshops, and a warehouse area for a new and growing service company. Are you from Carp? If not, when did you come to Carp? I grew up in Almonte; however, I lived in Carp, across from the fairgrounds, from 1998-2000. I now live in Barrhaven. How large is the building? The CSS Building is approximately 10,000 square feet and the property is just over 4.9 acres.

To continue as a commercial building with rental space for small business organisations. Also, we have repurposed the old satellite antenna, which is a 42 ft. in diameter (12.8m) parabolic dish, to be used for radio astronomy. One of the tenants in the building is a nonprofit organisation named the Canadian Centre for Experimental Radio Astronomy (CCERA). They work with various physics departments at universities to teach students the practical and hands-on aspects of gathering data from the galaxies. I understand that ultimately you would like to rent out space for events and gatherings. What kind of events and gatherings would you like to see use this space?

How important is this for Carp?

The building is such an iconic-looking place and well known in the Ottawa area as the ‘Carp Golf Ball.’ It lends itself to be the backdrop for everyone including photographers, community groups, and educators. It has a fairly small event space inside but can accommodate groups of 40-50 people.

I have seen Carp evolve over the past number of years into an interesting rural setting that offers all kinds of visitors an intimate taste of authentic history mixed with nature and harmony within the National Capital Region. Visit the website here.

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A LOCAL FEAST

CARP’S HARVEST SUPPER BY JAKE DAVIES WEST CARLETON ONLINE

CARP – It was a meal fit for a king, harvested right in Carp’s backyard. The first Village of Carp Business Improvement Area (BIA) Harvest Supper was held at the Carp Agricultural Hall last night (Sept 7, 2023) featuring a meal made by one of the village’s best chefs, using ingredients grown in West Carleton’s fertile soil on Ward 5’s famous farms. And it was enjoyed by a sold-out crowd featuring the political elite, past and present, the community’s leaders and guests from the Valley as well as the city’s urban core and far beyond. The only hiccup, the original plan was to host the amazing meal under the stars in the core of the village on Carp Road, but this summer’s weekly Thursday thunderstorms had other plans, and the event was moved inside the agricultural hall. But more important than the venue was the food. And it was fantastic. Almost all of it harvested or produced in West Carleton and put together perfectly by Eldon’s Pantry owner chef Cory Baird. There were vegan options, vegetarian options, gluten-free options, and protein options. The multi-course meal included fresh sourdough with grassfed butter, assorted cheeses with pickles and olives, veggies and dip.

A group of diners pose for a photo at one of the many full harvest tables inside the Carp Agricultural Hall. Photo by Jake Davies

There was tomato and cucumber salad with red onion, sumac and fresh herbs; a harvest salad with kale, red cabbage, apple and beets. Vegetarian mains included roasted heirloom squash with pot barley, autumn seeds, sage and brown butter; roasted potatoes with confit garlic and herbs de Provence; shucked corn with grass-fed butter. There was wood-fired chicken and chermoula and hot-smoked salmon and green goddess. To drink, there was locally brewed beer from Carp’s Ridge Rock Brewery and locally made wine Civil Grit Chardonnay and Gamay produced from grapes grown in Carp at KIN Vineyards. Other local producers included 1818 Farm and Cidery, Acorn Creek, Panmure Farms, Donridge Farms Ltd. Maple Holme Farms, Old Huntley Orchard, Munro Farms, Ottawa Valley Grain Products, Carp Garden Centre and several other producers, restaurants and suppliers.

Baird says it was pretty easy to come up with the evening’s incredible menu. “It’s been a lot fun, and a lot of the menu design is just looking at what the farmers are growing,” Baird told West Carleton Online from the kitchen while preparing the first course salads. “It’s the Harvest Dinner, so fall. So, a lot of just autumn things. Autumn colours, so squash, cabbage, kale, all the root veggies. That’s kind of it in terms of planning, you look at what the farmers have, and riff off them. I’ve had a blast; it’s been a great time and I’d love to do it again.” It was a long day for Baird and his cooking team which included some cooks dating back to his Glebe restaurant days.“I’ve been going since 6 a.m., but it’s not work if you love it,” he said.

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Diners enjoyed a meal with food and drink provided by more than 20 local producers. Photo by Jake Davies

Former and current politicians, from left, former City of Ottawa mayor Jim Watson, former Ward 5 councillor Eli El-Chantiry, Ward 5 Coun. Clarke Kelly, Arnprior Mayor Lisa McGee, Kanata-Carleton MPP Karen McCrimmon and Kanata-Carleton MP Jenna Sudds pose for a photo before dinner starts | Photo by Jake Davies

In the hall, the crowd was gathering while the band was setting up. Harvest tables and fall blooms filled the hall and the crowd was buzzing.

“The food your about to eat tonight was brought to you by more than 20 local producers which is pretty remarkable,” Stewart said. “We received so much sponsorship and support for this event. I want to thank our sponsors.

“We are so grateful that you can be with us to celebrate our farmers and our community,” Village of Carp BIA chair Jennifer Stewart told the crowd. “We came together as a board four years ago with a vision. A vision to celebrate our farmers, our restaurants and our local producers and we made that happen tonight.” While the agriculture and corporate community supported the Harvest Supper, Stewart wanted the event to support the community.

When our board decided to put on this event, we wanted it to mean something. We love our community and we wanted to give back to our community. I am so honoured we will be supporting the West Carleton Food Access Centre (WCFAC) and because of the support of our sponsors and our guests, we are making a $10,000 donation. Food security is a rising issued. The WCFAC works tirelessly day in and day out for our community.”

Following her speech, Stewart wanted to make a toast “to our farmers for putting this food on our table tonight and every night we are truly grateful.” WCFAC with co-chairs Mary Braun and Sharon Roper on hand to share some information about the non-profit organization with the diners and to thank the organizers “for this wonderful donation.”

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Village of Carp

160 CARP FAIR SPECIAL FOR PRESIDENT TH

BY JAKE DAVIES WEST CARLETON ONLINE

CARP – West Carleton’s biggest celebration wrapped up last Sunday (Sept. 24) with beautiful weather bringing out record crowds, and 2023 President of Homecraft Kathy McCord says it was a perfect weekend to celebrate the 160th Carp Fair. West Carleton Online spent all weekend at the fair and broke a record of its own, sending two reporters to cover the action for the first time for any event coverage in West Carleton. New volunteer reporter Nonie Smart wrote stories about the exhibitor drop-off night and then spent all day Friday (Sept. 22) at the fair. While publisher Jake Davies took photos all weekend long and covered Thursday (Sept. 21) night’s Homecoming.

The Carp Fair enjoyed record crowds and unseasonable warm weather this year making the 160th fair a special weekend in West Carleton. Photo by Jake Davies

McCord believes the weather is a big part of the large numbers – the weather was some of the warmest the fair had experienced in years. “That provided families an opportunity to come out for more than one day,” McCord said. “Or pick a day not based on the weather.”

“Watching parents take photos of their kids having fun was just incredible.” McCord says numbers aren’t in yet, but rough estimates say more than 50,000 people attended the fair over the four days.

On Monday (Sept. 25) evening, President McCord spoke to West Carleton Online about her experience at the fair as one of two 2023 Carp Fair presidents including President of Agriculture James Daley.

It isn’t easy to be a Carp Fair president. Volunteers must take their turn on each committee over roughly 13 years before they get their chance to represent the Best Little Fair in Canada.

It takes hundreds and hundreds of people to pull off a successful Carp Fair.

“Our job as presidents is to get to everything and be available,” McCord said. “It’s a different feeling when your president. It’s our job to showcase the fair to the public.”

“We worked really hard and to get that weather and record-breaking crowds was just incredible,” McCord said.

McCord, who has attended the fair since she was a kid starting in the ‘80s, said there was some personal memories made for her family during the 160th edition of the Carp Fair. This year, her sons were named Grand Champion Showperson and Reserve Grand Champion Showperson in a brand new 4-H Carleton County Club category known as the Showperson Showdown. The grand champion in each 4-H commodity class, would qualify to compete in the Showperson Showdown.

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McCord’s son Darren, 19, would win the Beef division and be named the Grand Champion in the Showperson Showdown and her youngest son Tim, 16, won the Swine division and would be named Reserve Grand Champion. “To do that in my president year is amazing,” McCord said of what the achievement meant to her. There’s always surprises at every fair, and McCord said for this one, it was another new class at the Carp Fair. “One of the biggest surprises was the Ottawa Valley Hitch Series,” McCord said. The series was a point-system for four-hitch horse events at fairs across the Valley all summer long. Teams would meet at the Carp Fair for the final event of the season and to name the champion for the series. “The final was Friday night at 7 p.m.,” McCord said. “We weren’t sure if we would get a crowd. We didn’t know how the series would go over. When the pipers piped and the hitches rolled in, you couldn’t find a seat. I was shocked at the number of families for this one class.”

“My days were busy the week before,” McCord said. “My job was feeding volunteers during the fair. Judging day in Homecraft is a huge day. On Friday the fair is in full swing, and our responsibility is to get to all the other departments and be a visible presence. We’re there before the gates are open in the morning and will be there long after the gates are closed in the evening. I’m tired to say the least.” Fair days are fun, but long. “The community support is huge,” McCord said. “People in the Carp area love the fair. James and I are so grateful for that support. The board of directors is so pleased. It very much is a community event.” But there is a bit more work for the presidents before they earn the ‘past’ title. “We’ll have our debrief in a couple weeks time,” McCord said. “We’ll let everyone get caught up in their real life, and then we’ll go over what went well and what needs improvement and then we’ll hand it off at the annual general meeting.” Visit the website here.

There are a million things going on at the fair every year, and every one attracted a large crowd. “The light horse shows at any given time,” McCord says. “When one event ends, you kind of wonder where the people are going. The crowd comes and watches and goes to the next thing. It’s wonderful to see them have a good time.” McCord says the presidents’ work is often busiest before the fair, attending meetings and fundraisers, and for McCord, whose job it was to feed the volunteers, that meant the week before the fair was extremely busy.

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HUNTLEY COMMUNITY CENTRE

OUTDOOR RINK

Carp Mess Hall

Carp Memorial Hall

Carleton Masonic Lodge 465