LETTERS
Glebe Report February 11, 2022
Cookbook evokes memories
Glebe needs affordable housing
Editor, Glebe Report Re: The Story of a cookbook, Glebe Report, December 2021 My name is Philip Sexsmith, and I live in Fredericton, New Brunswick. A student of mine sent me a link to your publication, and I wanted to thank you and your columnist Marisa Romano for bringing back some wonderful memories. I grew up in Ottawa. I lived in Nepean and attended Century Public School and Sir Winston Churchill Secondary. When my parents retired, we moved to New Brunswick where I’ve lived for the last 50 years. I was privileged to direct a performing group called Characters Incorporated for over 15 years. We were able to tour Canada and much of the world. We often performed for the National Capital Commission and appeared on the main-stage, noonhour show with Alanis Morissette and Buffy Sainte-Marie for Canada 125. We also performed in our nation’s capital on several other occasions. Ottawa was always a highlight for my kids, especially the chance to experience Sparks Street, the Byward Market and buying milkshakes at Zaks! I still have my copy of the cookbook that Marisa references. It was compiled by my wife April and a few parent volunteers, printed and bound by hand! Little did we know that 25 years later it would somehow find its way from Fredericton to Ottawa. We still use that cookbook. Even though online recipes have made cookbooks somewhat obsolete, my wife is preparing a few recipes from it this very weekend. I can’t thank you enough for this article. Not only did it bring back some beautiful memories, but it reminds me just how fortunate I was to have worked with so many wonderful and talented young people. Thank you both for your publication. It was like receiving an early Christmas present. Philip Sexsmith Fredericton, NB
Glebe Spree feedback
Editor, Glebe Report
The last remnant of the Bank Street streetcar needs a commemorative plaque. PHOTO: JAY MILLER
Last vestige of Bank Street streetcar
Editor, Glebe Report The one remaining vestige of the former Bank Street streetcar line is the tall, dark red electrical pylon still standing on the west side of Bank, south of Chamberlain between Rosebery and Strathcona (outside The Works restaurant). This was brought to my attention through a talk given by author David McGee, who highlights the pylon in one of his Lost Ottawa books. I thought putting a plaque on it to commemorate local history would be a nice gesture.
Caren von Merveldt Owner, Von’s and Flippers restaurants
Seyda Ipek Assistant Professor, Department of Physics Carleton University
Jay Miller
And the dogs appreciate it Editor, Glebe Report One of the joys of winter in the Glebe is to see residents in their Canada Goose parkas diligently walking their lovely dogs around the neighbourhood. Long may it continue. Ian Ferguson
Our Volunteer Carriers Jide Afolabi, Jennie Aliman, Tyler, Luke & Claire Allan, Lawrence Ambler, Ella Åsell, James Attwood, Aubry family, Miko Bartosik, Alessandra & Stefania Bartucci, Adrian Becklumb, Beckman family, Joanne Benoit, Inez Berg, Naéma and Raphaëlle Bergevin Hemsing, Carolyn Best, Daisy & Nettie Bonsall, Robert & Heidi Boraks, Martha Bowers, Bowie family, Adélaïde and Éléonore Bridgett, Bob Brocklebank, Ben Campbell-Rosser, Stella Cauchi, Bill Congdon, Tony Carricato, Ava & Olivia Carpenter, Ryan & Charlotte Cartwright, Tillie Chiu, Sarah Chown, Sebastian, Cameron & Anna Cino, Avery & Darcy Cole, Denys Cooper, June Creelman, Marni Crossley, Richard DesRochers, Davies Family, Marilyn Deschamps, Diekmeyer-Bastianon family, Dingle family, Delia Elkin, Nicholas, Reuben, Dave & Sandra Elgersma, Thomas and William Fairhead, Patrick Farley, James & Oliver Frank, Judy Field, Federico Family, Maria Fobes, Florencia Furbatto, Liane Gallop, Joann Garbig, Madeleine Gomery, de Groot family, Barbara Greenwood, Ginny Grimshaw, Henry Hanson, Oliver, Martin and Simon Hicks, Hook family, Cheryle Hothersall, Jeevan & Amara Isfeld, Jungclaus Family, Janna Justa, Michael Khare, Lambert family, Leith and Lulu Lambert, Jamie, Alexander & Louisa Lem, Brams and Jane Leswick, Aanika, Jaiden and Vinay Lodha, Vanessa Lyon, William Maguire, Pat Marshall, Alicia McCarthy & family, Catherine McArthur, Ruby McCreary, Ian McKercher, Julie Monaghan, Karen Mount, Diane Munier, Mary Nicoll, Xavier and Heath Nuss, Sachiko Okuda, Matteo and Adriano Padoin-Castillo, Brenda Perras, Ann Pill, Brenda Quinlan, Annabel and Joseph Quon, Beatrice Raffoul, Bruce Rayfuse, Kate Reekie, Thomas Reevely, Mary & Steve Reid, Jacqueline Reiley-King, Anna Roper, Lene Rudin-Brown, Sabine Rudin-Brown, Casimir & Tristan Seywerd, Jugal James Shah, Short family, Kathy Simons, Abigail Steen, Stephenson family, Ruth Swyers, Saul Taler, Brigitte Theriault, Christine Thiesen, John & Maggie Thomson, Tom Trottier, Trudeau family, Zosia Vanderveen, Veevers family, Camilo Velez, Nick Walker, Erica Waugh, Vanessa Wen, Paul Wernick, Zoe & Nicole Wolfenden, Howard & Elizabeth Wong, Ella & Ethan Wood, Nathaniel & Maggie Wightman, Fil Young/ Harriet Smith, Murray and Christie Wong.
Salt, please Editor, Glebe Report
Editor, Glebe Report Every year businesses are doing the Glebe Spree. This year customers were not as enthusiastic as in previous years. While COVID is a factor, it’s not the real reason. Most customers felt that they were not going to win the $10,000. I have suggested over the years making the prize ten times $1,000, which would be more fun: small prizes from our businesses – they do not have to be big. The whole idea is to foster community spirit. On another note, businesses were left with tons of entry forms and stickers – we were told to throw them out! What a waste!
Letters to the editor on housing development, in the Glebe Report or any other newspaper, always raise questions for me: Does the letter writer own a house already? If so, when did they buy that house? The housing crisis we hopeful new homebuyers are facing requires a much more thoughtful response than “we want to preserve our neighbourhood.” It is obvious that buying a house is very different now compared to even five years ago. For starters, my colleagues at Carleton University could afford a house here when they started their positions as faculty members. I cannot. Why is wanting affordable housing considered to be destroying the neighbourhood? More importantly, why shouldn’t people working in the Glebe be able to afford to live in the Glebe as well – aren’t they also part of the Glebe neighbourhood spirit? To me, any new housing is better than a lack of affordable housing. A neighbourhood needs neighbours – unless the letter writers only want to be neighbours with people who can afford to buy an already existing, exorbitantly expensive house here.
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Thank you Editor, Glebe Report A heartfelt thank you to those community members who generously donated holiday gifts to the Canadian veterans living at Ottawa’s new Andy Carswell building. Your kindness makes our community a special place to live and has given hope to those in need. Also, a huge thanks to local businesses for their donations, including Nat’s Bakery, Lightning St Organics, Ben’s Barbecue Sauce and Jacobson’s. Erinn Nowiski
The snow and ice have started to accumulate again, making the sidewalks treacherous for pedestrians. After the snow, rain and subsequent freeze in early December, I was disappointed to note that very few people had put salt out even two days afterwards. Glebe residents, please salt your sidewalks (and those of your neighbours if you have the extra two minutes) to help keep our neighbourhood safe for winter walking. The city gets around to it eventually but in the meantime, it’s a quick and thoughtful gesture we can make for the safety of our community. We will have many more opportunities this winter to show this small kindness. Stefania Bartucci
AVAILABLE DELIVERY ROUTES Jackson and Frederick Place Holmwood Monk to Ralph Fifth Avenue south side Bank to Craig
CONTACT: circulation@glebereport.ca
