Glebe Report - November 2025

Lansdowne 2.0 approved

Flawed process with little public input

By June Creelman

It’s an understatement to say that the last few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity for Lansdowne 2.0. As the clock ticked down to a final decision, a series of revelations kept everyone guessing right up until November 7, when City Council voted 15 to 10 to go ahead with Lansdowne 2.0.

The biggest late surprise was the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s announcement that it did not support Lansdowne 2.0 due to the reduced seating capacity of the new arena. PWHL executives declared that the future of the Ottawa Charge is at risk if the project goes ahead in its current form. Why such a last-minute statement when the arena capacity has long been known? It turns out that City officials and OSEG had led the PWHL to believe that their seating needs would be addressed. It was only when the final report came out that the PWHL learned they had been misled. City councillors appeared gobsmacked by the women’s hockey protest, but they voted to proceed with the smaller arena anyway.

News that women’s hockey might leave Lansdowne (and Ottawa) was followed by an announcement from City Folk that it too may be forced out due to the decreased size of the Great Lawn and natural amphitheatre.

These issues – smaller arena and loss of green space – were two of the top reasons that Ottawa residents gave for opposing Lansdowne 2.0 in a city-wide survey conducted by Nanos Research. The polling results, made public on October 31, showed that 60 per cent of respondents are opposed or somewhat opposed to Lansdowne 2.0 and the more they knew about it, the less they liked it. Unsurprisingly, residents were concerned about the city taking on more debt and did not believe the project would be completed on time or on budget.

Risks related to cost overruns and tight construction deadlines were also the focus of the City’s Auditor General’s report in early November. She warned Council about the significant potential for cost overruns and observed that the 10-per-cent contingency might be insufficient. She also pointed out that the projected revenue streams were optimistic and not guaranteed. A key point in her report was the opportunity cost of spending on Lansdowne instead of other city projects and services. But

the Auditor General’s report came just a few days before the Council vote, and there was little indication that any changes would be made to the project scope or budget.

What was in the hundreds of pages of the final Lansdowne report released on October 20 that triggered all this activity?

The broad strokes of the Lansdowne 2.0 plan remain the same: demolish the existing TD Place and attached retail stores and replace them with a smaller arena, build new northside stands with fewer seats and no roof, and construct a new retail block topped by two highrise (40-storey) residential towers. The current green space at Lansdowne is to be significantly reduced since the arena will be built there.

But the report also contained a few surprises – an above-ground parking garage will be built on site, and there might be a hotel in the residential towers. We also discovered that the signature digital art sculpture “Moving Surfaces” would be “decommissioned.”

Public statements about Lansdowne 2.0 financials were contradictory.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe announced that the construction cost for the stadium/ arena came in at $418 million while others observed that when the costs for parking and the retail podium are included, the total taxpayer bill would be about $485 million.

The report did make clear that Ottawa taxpayers would entirely fund Lansdowne 2.0. The project budget showed an upfront public expenditure of about $50 million from City reserves followed by payments of $17.4 million a year for the next 40 years. To be fair, the project report identified potential revenue streams that might offset these public expenditures, including the sale of air rights, retail profits, a portion of the hotel tax and property taxes. But none of these are guaranteed and even in the best-case scenario, there would

be no significant revenues for 25 years. In my view, one of the most troubling aspects of the last few weeks has been the City’s rush to decision-making without meaningful public input. The mayor held a press conference releasing his views and selected details about the finances before the reports were made available to the media or the public. An extremely compressed schedule limited the time to review over 350 pages of dense documentation before public delegations. It is a credit to the citizens of Ottawa that more than 85 people (both critics and boosters) did their homework and chose to appear before the City’s Finance and Corporate Affairs Committee. As well, some 500 people took part in Better Ottawa’s November 3 public forum.

Also troubling is the breakdown of respectful civic discourse. The mayor publicly accused project critics of running a misinformation campaign, though he failed to cite a single example of false or misleading information. A few councillors made personal attacks on people making public delegations, and others were downright rude to PWHL executives. Some exchanges were cringeworthy.

No matter where you stand on Lansdowne 2.0, this is no way to make important decisions that shape the future of our city.

June Creelman is chair of the Glebe Community Association’s Lansdowne committee. She has followed the Lansdowne story for many years.

The half-billion-dollar Lansdowne 2.0 plan was approved by City Council on November 7.

Halloween Village made trick-or-treating accessible

On October 26, volunteers came together for the second year to create a Halloween experience that was accessible to kids with sensitivities or disabilities that make Halloween harrowing. The Glebe Halloween Village, on Glebe Avenue between Bank and Lyon, made it fun by making it possible for those with mobility difficulties, allergies, aural or visual sensitivities and other conditions to participate fully.

DO YOU WANT TO DIVEST from financial products that support the fossil fuel industry? LEARN HOW YOU CAN REINVEST for both returns and positive impacts — think renewable energy, and affordable housing! CLIMATE & YOUR CASH is your opportunity to discover sustainably focused organizations creating real change in the investment world!

Cheryl Randall, Shift Action: Influencing the Canada Pension Plan to align investments with a zero-carbon future

Adnan Shaikh, National Bank Financial: Strategies for climate-aware investing

Sunday 30 November 2025 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. Glebe Community Centre

Shauna Pollock and Matt Salvatore are the main organizers of the event, helped by Christina Anderson, dressed as a mermaid, a co-facilitator this year. PHOTOS: EMMA FAZAKAS

Kate Reekie, Glebe resident: Lived experience with divesting retirement funds

Moderator: Susan Rohac

Bringing Northern Vietnam to the Glebe

A New Culinary Experience Comes to Fourth Avenue

By Jessie-Lee Wallace

In the heart of the Glebe, a new Vietnamese restaurant is bringing authentic northern Vietnamese cuisine to Ottawa diners. Co-owners Chi Nguyen and Thao Tran have ambitious plans for their establishment, which has already begun to attract a steady clientele despite being open only for about two months.

The name of the establishment, “Cô Ơi Kitchen,” is a reference to the thriving street food culture throughout Vietnam, but especially in Hanoi, the largest citiy in the North and the country’s capital. Often, it is women who serve street food, and they are called “Aunties” or “Cô Ơi” as a sign of respect.

The restaurant’s northern Vietnamese cuisine features distinctive ingredients that set it apart from other Vietnamese restaurants in Ottawa. “We do not use hoisin,” Nguyen states definitively, referring to a sweet soybean paste sauce that many diners habitually add to Vietnamese dishes.

The owners also prioritise customer education about their unique offerings rather than simply serving unfamiliar dishes without context. “We’ll try to inform, right? And then share why we are using new or different flavours,” Nguyen says.

The restaurant’s dedication to authenticity has already created fans from far away.

In one particularly moving instance, a young woman drove all the way from Montreal specifically to try their wonton noodles, famous in Hanoi.

Co-owners Chi Nguyen and Thao Tran of the new Cô O̓i Kitchen, 103 Fourth Avenue, enjoy bringing authentic northern Vietnamese dishes to their clientele. PHOTOS: JL WALLACE

“Our patron was homesick,” says Ngugen. “She came here because she knew that we were North Vietnamese, and after a few bites she cried. She missed home so much, missing her parents.”

For the owners, such moments validate their approach. “I thanked her so much,” Tran adds. “It meant a lot that she had that experience and felt a little less lonely. We want this restaurant to be a safe and inclusive place for people to try new food and be themselves.”

The pair met nine years ago in Vietnam and decided to move to Canada together seven years ago. They are partners both in life and in business. Nguyen graduated from Algonquin’s Hotel and Restaurant Management

program and has always wanted to open a restaurant.

It took some convincing for Tran, but eventually the couple decided to jump into entrepreneurship together.

But the path to restaurant ownership wasn’t straightforward. Like many small business owners in the post-pandemic era, they’ve faced significant challenges. “Everything is very expensive, so for a long time we have kept our day jobs,” Tran reveals, who works as a data analyst when not cooking in the kitchen.

It’s been tough for the couple, but their dedication is paying off as community support continues to grow.

“We have more time now, because at first, we planned to wait until next year to open lunch. Thanks to the neighbourhood, it’s been busy,” Nguyen shares. This positive response has accelerated their timeline, allowing Nguyen to leave her day job to focus full-time on the restaurant.

Currently open daily from 5 to 10 p.m., the pair look forward to rolling out lunch offers in November and brunch this winter.

“We will offer quicker, convenient items,” Nguyen explains, ensuring that lunch customers can enjoy a fulfilling meal even with limited time.

“In Vietnam, when you have lunch, you need fuel to help you finish work in the afternoon. It’s the biggest meal. Lunch should be big, fast, filling, but always delicious,” Tran explains.

Beyond their commitment to authentic cuisine, the restaurant owners care about sustainability in their operations. “We make everything fresh,”

says Nguyen. “We shop every day.” Their focus is on the highest quality ingredients but also on minimizing food waste, a significant issue in the restaurant industry.

“We have cilantro, right? Most people will use only the cilantro’s stem and root. Throwing away everything else. Instead, we cook it for broth,” says Tran. This “cycle” of using all parts of ingredients reflects both traditional Vietnamese cooking practices and modern sustainability principles –“reduce, reuse, recycle” applied to culinary arts.

For Tran, this approach to cooking is about more than just economics. “For me, it’s not about money. It’s about how we treat our community and our environment.” Their deep sense of caring informs every aspect of their operation, from ingredient sourcing to preparation methods, creating a business model that respects both street food traditions and environmental responsibility.

As they expand their hours and offerings, the restaurant continues to build on its commitment to authentic northern Vietnamese cuisine, sustainability and community connection.

Jessie-Lee Wallace is a writer, non-profit leader and volunteer who believes in the strength of local community. She lives in the Glebe Annex.

Cô Ơ

A Glimpse of the Glebe

Contributors this month

ANTHONY ABATO

IVA APOSTOLOVA

RONNIE R. BROWN

SUSAN BULLER

GARY CLEVELAND

JUNE CREELMAN

JOHN CRUMP

WENDY M. T. DAVIES

ELLYN DUKE-WATSON

MYLES DUNN

EMMA FAZAKAS

PAM FITCH

KAREN GINSBERG

TAMARA GLAVINOVIC

JESSIE-LEE WALLACE

BETTY WARRINGTON-KEARSLEY

EDMUND WATSON

JUDITH WOUK ZEUS

MICHAEL HONEYMAN-DOBBIN

JULIA HURRELMANN

CAROLYN INCH

JULIE IRETON

MAUREEN KORP

JOHN LAW

SHIRLEY LEE

COOPER LOVE

CAROL MACLEOD

CATHERINE MCKENNEY

IAN MCKERCHER

KIM MCLEAN

SHAWN MENARD

YASIR NAQVI

MARGRET BRADY NANKIVELL

THUY ANH NGUYEN

ANGELA NIXON

BETH STUART OBRECHT

DICK PEACOCKE

JUDY PEACOCKE

LISA PROVOST

JOSH RACHLIS

LOUISE RACHLIS

PAIGE RAYMOND

STEVE REID

MARIE-FRANCE RICHARDS

PETER ROBB

LUKE ROBERTSON

SOPHIA ROUHANI

SARAH ROUTLIFFE

ADAM SCOTTI

MICHAEL SHEPPARD

JOCK SMITH

KITA SZPAK

MARGARET TERRETT

LUNA VO

Editorial

Art on the scrap heap

The stunning sculpture on top of the berm, Jill Anholt’s Moving Surfaces, was the one good thing that came out of Lansdowne 1.0.

The sculpture, when lit up as it was intended and especially at night, is a beautiful work of art that soars into the sky in an ecstatic curve that is both ethereal and solid, made of sturdy metal ribs that rise together in harmony.

Now the City, in its final report on Lansdowne 2.0, is recommending that it be scrapped. This, mere days before the final decision on Lansdowne was to be taken – a move kept under wraps, hidden from the light of day until the last minute.

I’m not clear how much of the berm, if any, will be left anyway after it’s destroyed to make way for the toosmall stadium.

This is just the latest in a long

line of disappointing, unwise and mean-spirited decisions that surround Lansdowne. Aside from the big-picture folly of Lansdowne 2.0 as a whole, councillors appear to have acceded along the way to every shortsighted, visionless component that staff could propose.

The City report recounts all the “reasons” why the sculpture must be scrapped, primarily financial. It appears that city staff had not accounted for any ongoing cost to maintain the sculpture. Not their job?

Moving Surfaces, in my opinion, is the best public art in the city. It elevates the moment and soothes the heart and partly (but only partly) redeems the soul of Lansdowne.

So, of course, we can’t have it. Ottawans can’t have nice things.

—Liz McKeen

Established in 1973, the Glebe Report, published by the Glebe Report Association, is a monthly not-forprofit community newspaper with a circulation of 7,500 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 is made available at select locations such as the Glebe Community Centre, the Old Ottawa South Community Centre and Brewer Pool, and is printed by Winchester Print www.glebereport.ca

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WELCOME TO:

Maisy Dance

Jill Anholt’s stunning sculpture Moving Surfaces is on its way to the scrap heap, thanks to the City’s lack of planning or vision around Lansdowne.

PHOTO: JOCK SMITH

Glebe Montessori love

Editor, Glebe Report

Our two children attended Glebe Montessori School for over 10 years, and we’re grateful for the education and care they received. We’d like to share our experience.

Tucked into the lower level of a local church, Glebe Montessori offers a nurturing and respectful environment where children learn with confidence. The principal runs the school with genuine dedication, creating a calm, well-organized place to grow.

The Casa teachers provide a warm and steady start for young children, and the transition through the junior and senior elementary programs builds both academic skills and independence. The teachers’ patience, consistency and commitment have been exceptional throughout our children’s time there.

The music program stands out, led by a professional opera singer whose talent and kindness inspired the children. The choir’s 2025 Kiwanis Festival win – earning the John G. Sutherland Trophy for School Choirs –was a proud moment for everyone.

One of the school’s greatest strengths is its staff retention. Over our decade with Glebe Montessori, we consistently saw the same passionate educators year after year, reflecting a strong, cohesive community.

Our children graduated from Glebe Montessori with curiosity, confidence and a solid academic foundation. We remain grateful for their time there and wish the school continued success.

The Cleveland Family

The Glebe

Business Buzz

Glebe Video, currently located in the basement of Fourth Avenue Baptist Church at 109A Fourth Avenue, has announced its closure after 40 years in business in the Glebe.

Fond memories of the Glebe

Re: “How Lionel Britton Park – now in redevelopment – rose from the ashes 50 years ago,” by Angus McCabe, Glebe Report, October 2025.

Editor, Glebe Report

As an old Glebite, I read your article about the Tot Lot with fond memories. I was at the opening of the Tot Lot those 50 years ago with three of my four children (Gwyn, Edward & Guy) to celebrate. In fact, another picture from the day’s celebration in the Glebe Report had a couple of my children and Ellen Bruce, a close family friend, on the swings and slide. I have that picture somewhere.

I really enjoy reading the Glebe Report and the memories it brings back, from Sarah of Sarah’s Clothes to the recent news of Doug McKeen’s passing and the rebuilding of the Patterson’s Creek Bridge, to name a few. We moved to Wakefield in 1977, but we still have close ties to the Glebe, and I can see myself ending up back there one day. My sister still lives in the house our grandparents built in 1927 and where I grew up.

All the best and keep up the great work you’re doing!

Beth Stuart Obrecht

P.S. I remember the very first edition of the Glebe Report turning up on our doorstep . . . so there is a long history there!

Correction

Climate & Your Cash Workshop November 30

“Mark Your Calendars” on the front page of the October Glebe Report had an incorrect date for the Climate & Your Cash Workshop. The correct information is Sunday, November 30, 9 – 11:30 a.m., Glebe Community Centre. $10. Register at Eventbrite.

Barnstormer Studio tattooing moved in November from 763 Bank Street to 591 Bank Street, also the home of Studio B Urban Modern Hair. If your Glebe baby was born in 2025, email to editor@glebereport.ca a high resolution digital colour photo suitable for print, your baby’s name and date of birth, both parents’ names, address and contact info (email or phone), which will not be published Deadline to submit is January 19, 2026. The issue will come out Feb. 6, 2026.

Vision for Lansdowne Park?

Editor, Glebe Report

“Lansdowne Park has been revitalized as a modern environmentally sustainable park that honours the rich heritage of our community and integrates the history, culture and art of the Algonquin peoples. This historic site provides Ottawa residents and visitors an urban greenspace to enjoy in all seasons.” (City of Ottawa, 2014 plaque outside TD Place)

Can anybody explain how the removal of greenspace, years of demolition and construction for a hotel, parking, two towers of luxury condos and additional retail fit in with the vision on the plaque?

Dick Peacocke

Close Bank Street to cars

Editor, Glebe Report

Re: “Whither Bank Street,” Glebe Report, October 2025

I read with interest the article about the City’s plan for Bank Street in the October issue of the Glebe Report. I moved to the Glebe with my family in January. We chose the Glebe because it stood out due to its strong community, beautiful homes and streetscapes and pedestrian-friendly shops, schools and recreation.

But while Bank Street functions as the commercial hub of the Glebe, it is sorely lacking in ambiance. The sidewalks are narrow and crowded, the streets are packed with bumperto-bumper traffic and parking, and transit is painfully slow. There are few outdoor patios or public spaces. Although it is deemed a main artery for commuters, it does not serve commuters well at all. Bank Street tries to be too many things, and it fails at all of them.

Babies of the Glebe

2025 Was your Glebe baby born in 2025?

Capital

Ernesto’s

Feleena’s

Glebe Central Pub

Glebe Collegiate Institute

Glebe Community Centre

Glebe Meat Market

Glebe Physiotherapy

Glebe Tailoring

Goldart Jewellery Studio

Happy Goat Coffee

Hillary's Cleaners

Hogan’s Food Store

Ichiban Bakery

Irene’s Pub

Isabella Pizza

Kettleman’s

It was disappointing to read that the newest proposal will do little to address this problem. A few changes to the hours for transit lanes here and there and a half-hearted attempt at accessibility will be both costly and ineffective. I was hoping to see more. I am thinking about the radical changes in places like Montreal and Halifax to make beautiful pedestrian-friendly outdoor shopping in the urban centre.

We need to close Bank Street to passenger cars and make it transit only.

The Glebe BIA seems to think that on-street parking is the only solution to serve businesses. But parking on Bank Street is already extremely difficult and limited. A better pedestrian experience would increase foot traffic. And with larger sidewalks and no cars, restaurants and cafés could increase their seating with outdoor terraces, directly supporting business revenue.

Customers can use a strategically located parkade at either end of Bank Street and walk to their destination, as they would at the Rideau Centre. If Bank Street were closed to passenger cars, like Vancouver’s Granville

Thr33's

Street, businesses would have better access to delivery vehicles and customers could walk or take transit much easier. It would be a win for everyone. These costly studies and consultations that result in only minor modifications ultimately do little to improve the Bank Street experience. Closing it entirely to passenger cars would serve the dual purpose of making it safer for children and pedestrians and more accessible for public transit. I am sure if BIA leadership asked business owners, they would agree.

Anthony Abato

Good Fortune a surprising delight

(US, 2025)

Director: Aziz Ansari

Review by Iva Apostolova

Albeit shot entirely in LA, Good Fortune is, in a way, very much a Canadian movie. It is directed by the East Indian American comedian Aziz Ansari whom viewers may remember from his first big role in the 2009-15 show Parks and Recreation. Ansari also assumes the role of the main protagonist. Where the Canadian connection comes in is the featuring of three of the biggest Canadian stars: Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogan and none other than her brilliant acting majesty Sandra Oh as Keanu’s boss angel, Martha. I will be very honest for a minute here: I have

never found Aziz Ansari or Seth Rogan particularly funny, to the point where I actually avoid movies starring either of them. And so, I really went to the theatre for Keanu Reeves, whom I consider nothing short of a national treasure. And although I risk being eviscerated by some readers, I will make another confession: for me, Keanu’s iconic status in Hollywood as well as at home does not necessarily come from his acting skills. While I still show in class The Matrix to illustrate Plato’s ideas about reality, let’s just say that the movie does not exactly rely on Keanu’s acting chops.

And so, what I expected from Good Fortune was a cheesy comedy, Canadian style, safe and unfunny, except when Keanu is being hilarious purely on account of his personality. The plot certainly lends itself to such an expectation. Keanu’s character is a low-ranking angel by the name of Gabriel, with wings that are far too small for him to even fly. Instead of doing his lowclerk celestial job of preventing people from texting while driving, he decides to help Arj (played by Aziz Ansari), a poor delivery/every other odd job guy, regain control of his life.

Despite having a college degree, Arj, who has moved to the U.S. from India

in the pursuit of the American dream, sleeps in his car and eats gas-station chips and sweets. That’s where Seth Rogan’s character, billionaire Jeff, comes in to throw a perfect twist in the plot.

What I got was a real delight. The plot is very well executed, something of a rarity these days, particularly where mainstream comedies are concerned. But what genuinely caught me by surprise was how multi-layered and rich the story line was. The movie does deal with the pervasive and ever-growing problem of poverty in North America, with not much sugar coating but instead with warmth and compassion that made me think back on some of the scenes weeks after I saw the movie. The viewer can also expect memorable, totally meme worthy, one-liners delivered by Keanu in his perfect non-acting acting style.

Running time: 1h 37m

Rated R

Playing in select theatres

Iva Apostolova is associate professor and vice-rector, research and academic, at Saint Paul University and a regular Glebe Report contributor on films and TV.

Ottawa filmmakers bring Cassandra home to the Mayfair

By Michael Sheppard

What began as a creative challenge between two Ottawa filmmakers has now become a full-length feature film, and it’s about to make its big-screen debut in the city where it all started.

On Saturday, November 22, the Mayfair Theatre will host the first public screening of Cassandra, a locally produced and deeply personal film by Ben Bergeron and Colin Ziraldo. The screening is presented by Sol One Arts Inc., an Ottawa-based arts organization dedicated to supporting emerging creators and independent film.

Cassandra tells the story of Seymour, an autistic musician whose life changes when his support worker, Cassandra, moves on. Left to navigate the world on his own, Seymour embarks on a turbulent journey of independence and self-discovery. It’s a film that explores vulnerability, resilience and the courage it takes to grow beyond the familiar.

But just as compelling as the story on screen is the story behind it.

In 2022, Bergeron and Ziraldo launched an ambitious creative experiment they called Twelve Tales, a yearlong project to create one short film every month for twelve months. Working within Ottawa’s thriving independent film scene, the duo used the challenge to sharpen their skills, tell new stories and push their creativity to new limits.

“Twelve Tales was all about consistency and growth,” says Bergeron.

“We wanted to see what would happen if we committed to the process, no matter how hard it got, and just kept creating.”

Each month’s film was produced on a shoestring budget, often with friends, local actors and borrowed equipment. By the end of the year, the project had grown into a collection of wildly different short films, all tied together by their inventive storytelling and heart.

One of those shorts stood out from the rest. Cassandra, a quiet, emotionally rich piece about connection and self-reliance, immediately resonated with audiences. It was first screened locally as part of Sol One Arts Inc.’s Twelve Tales showcase, a public event celebrating Ottawa’s homegrown film talent.

Shortly after that screening, the story took an unexpected turn. Cassandra caught the attention of Bell Fibe TV, which commissioned Bergeron and Ziraldo to expand it into a mini-series.

The series, produced with Bell’s support, aired in 2024 and introduced the story to audiences across Canada.

Now, after years of development, Bergeron and Ziraldo have once again reimagined the story – this time as a feature-length film.

“It’s surreal to look back and see where it started,” says Ziraldo. “What began as a short we made with a few friends has grown into a full production that we get to premiere at the Mayfair. It really shows what’s possible when you just keep saying yes to the work.”

The November 22 screening marks

not only the world premiere of Cassandra as a feature but also a celebration of Ottawa’s creative community.

It’s the kind of story that reminds people what can happen when local artists are supported and given the space to grow. Ben and Colin’s dedication and collaboration have built something special, and it all started right here.

Ottawa’s independent arts community has seen a steady rise in local film production in recent years, bolstered by grassroots organizations like Sol One Arts Inc. that provide platforms for artists to present new work. The Cassandra screening continues that mission, connecting filmmakers and audiences in the heart of the city.

Tickets for the premiere are now available through Sol One Arts Inc. and at the Mayfair Theatre. The evening promises to be both a celebration of storytelling and a testament to the persistence of local creators chasing their vision.

For those who’ve followed Twelve Tales from its earliest days, this is a full-circle moment. For those just discovering Cassandra, it’s a chance to see a local success story unfold on the big screen and to be part of Ottawa’s growing reputation as a city that nurtures independent film.

Mike Sheppard is the artistic director of Sol One Arts Inc. with almost 20 years of experience producing work in the performing arts.

Cassandra Feature film premiere Saturday, November 22 Mayfair Theatre Tickets available at www solonearts ca

iHostage a true-crime Dutch thriller

(The Netherlands, 2025)

Director: Bobby Boermans

Review by Thuy Anh Nguyen

When crime novelist Simon de Waal adapts a story, he brings the kind of insider knowledge only a former police officer can provide. His latest project, iHostage (2025), a Dutch thriller directed by Bobby Boermans, dramatizes the 2022 Apple Store hostage crisis in Amsterdam. Rather than a Hollywood spectacle, the film embraces realism, showing how fear lives in stillness, the pause before a demand, the held breath of a hostage and the quiet calculation of a negotiator.

Released globally on Netflix in April, iHostage recounts a night when Anmar (Soufiane Moussouli) stormed a tech store with explosives strapped to his chest, demanding 200 million euros in cryptocurrency (more than $325 million Canadian) and safe passage out of the city. Admir Šehović plays Ilian, a bystander caught in the standoff, while Loes Haverkort portrays Lynn, the negotiator tasked with keeping the situation under control. Emmanuel Ohene Boafo plays Mingus, an Apple Store employee who becomes an unexpected lifeline for the police, conveying details that could tip the balance between life and death.

The film moves fluidly between perspectives: we see Anmar navigating his own pressures, hostages grappling with fear and moral choices and police officers responding under intense scrutiny. There’s the tense rhythm of small gestures, an exchanged glance, a whispered word that carries the story forward as effectively as any action scene. Tension builds as negotiations unfold, hostages attempt subtle maneuvers to survive, and the clock ticks toward uncertainty, keeping viewers perched on the edge of their seats without need-

The movie quickly entered Netflix’s top 10, offering an intimate look at an event many outside the Netherlands may only know from headlines. Boerthat the dialogue and characters’ names were changed to protect identities. While the real standoff involved hundreds of people, the film concentrates on five central characters,

each from a different background, providing distinct viewpoints. iHostage is not escapist entertainment. Alternating between the gunman, hostages and police, it brings a news story to life while raising questions about isolation, radicalization and systemic failures that precede des-

directly in the hostage’s fear. Several sweeping drone shots capture the full scale of the crime scene, situating intimate terror within a larger public display. Inside, the hum of overhead lights, distant footstep and shallow breaths make the quiet moments feel charged with danger.

peration and violence. Mingus’s quiet heroism, whispering coordinates, tracking Anmar’s mood, underscores how courage often comes from ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.

Suspense in the film comes from restraint: trembling hands, whispered warnings, a glance held too long. Some characters are richly humanized, yet Anmar remains largely inscrutable, denying viewers empathy that could add moral complexity. The ending transforms a real-life controversy into unquestioned heroism, making the story gripping but morally simplified.

Performance drives the drama. Moussouli’s Anmar is volatile but humanized in fleeting moments of vulnerability. Šehović’s Ilian balances panic with resourcefulness, while Haverkort’s Lynn conveys calm authority, showing that negotiation relies on empathy and precision. Boafo’s Mingus adds a human pulse, demonstrating quiet courage that is both realistic and heartening.

Cinematography amplifies tension. Boermans uses space, sound and perspective to build suspense. The Apple Store’s glass walls frame both transparency and confinement simultaneously, while close-ups through the supply-room doorhole place viewers

Editing and pacing drive the psychological suspense. Conversations, pauses and the flicker of hesitation are magnified, letting audiences feel the weight of each decision. The mood remains claustrophobic and tense but gains dimensions through gestures, expressions and small choices. Viewers experience the standoff’s pressure and anxiety without seeing sensationalized violence.

While some supporting characters could have been deeper and the ending simplifies real-world controversy, the film redeems itself through focused performances, meticulous direction and a humanized approach to suspense. It turns a well-known news event into an intimate, almost lived-in experience.

iHostage may not reinvent the thriller, but it reminds viewers why the genre endures. In a landscape of streaming shows, it trusts in pauses, stares and silences to carry terror. Sometimes, the loudest fear is not a gunshot, it’s the breath held just before it.

Running time: 102 minutes

Thuy Anh Nguyen is a Carleton student in Journalism and Communications who writes about the movies and music she loves.

GNAG welcomes winter!

As I stood at the front door of this year’s Halloween party with Tanis Hodder, dressed head to toe in our disco costumes and checking in over 1,100 guests, we realized something special –in a time when so many conversations feel serious or complicated, moments of pure community joy remind us of what truly matters. For me, one of those things is a sense of community, a place to gather and in this case, a party where kids can truly be kids. Our community is fortunate to have a dedicated organization and a team that genuinely cares. I am so proud of everyone who made this event possible, from the full-time staff to volunteers and all our attendees. Thank you for keeping community alive.

GNAG Craft Fair

Discover an array of handcrafted treasures at the GNAG’s Craft & Artisan Fair the weekend of November 15-16. Over 50 local vendors will be showcasing their unique handmade goods on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 11a.m. to 4 p.m.

Not only is this event a shopper’s paradise, it’s also one of our most important fundraisers, and it supports local artisans. All proceeds benefit the GNAG Community Development Fund in support of crucial community programs, including subsidies, integration support and community projects. As a thank you for your support, every guest receives a free ticket to our

Sarah Routliffe

Executive Director

GNAG

N 613-233-8713

E info@gnag.ca gnag.ca

fantastic raffle, featuring prizes from our talented participants.

Winter Program and March Break Camp Registration

Registration opens Tuesday, December 9 at 7 p.m. for Winter Programs and March Break camps! Visit www. gnag.ca to explore the Winter Program Guide. If your child has their heart set on a specific camp, be sure to register early to secure your spot!

Holiday Break Camp Registration

Holiday Break Camp registration opened on November 11. Since it was so popular last year, we continue to offer a flexible model for parents. While GNAG closes its doors to give staff a well-deserved break, we will be open for camp this year on December 22-23 and 29-30. Parents can choose to register for all four days or select individual days. We hope this model continues to meet the needs of our community.

Youth Dance - Winter Formal

The Winter Wonderland Semi-Formal is the last dance of 2025 and will take place on December 12 for tweens in Grades 5 to 8.

Dances have evolved since my tween years – gone are the days of everyone knowing the “Stop” choreography by the Spice Girls or joining in for “The Macarena.” But let us never forget the feeling of getting dressed up and the

excitement that built as we walked into a dance with all our friends. We’re honoured to continue providing those experiences for the next generation –and even though those moments are hard to recreate in adulthood, we’ll keep trying.

Halloween at GNAG

What goes better with Halloween than disco? More specifically, a dead disco, which is exactly how GNAG’s lobby welcomed every guest to this year’s Halloween party! From the lively disco scene to a pirate adventure for preschoolers, every room was a throwback to simpler times. It was a true back-to-basics Halloween, filled with wholesome fun and a few genuinely terrifying moments in our dungeon-themed Haunted House!

With almost 500 tickets sold for kids and free admission for parents and

guardians, we welcomed an estimated 1,100 people for an evening filled with fun, laughter and Halloween magic!

To give the community a sense of the dedication behind this event, each member of our full-time team put in an extra 12 to 25 hours over the weekend! A huge thank you goes out to Paul O’Donnell, Jason Irvine, Lauren Kirk, Pete Wightman, Tanis Hodder, Erica Nowlan and Clare Davidson Rogers for their incredible commitment and hard work. A heartfelt thanks to all the staff, volunteers and Glebe Leadership kids who spent their weekend helping make this night unforgettable!

And a big thank you to our generous community supporters: City of Ottawa, Il Negozio Nicastro, Heritage Grade, Glebe St. James Tennis Club, World’s Greatest Balloons, Lavender Mills Farm, First Quality Sound and the National Arts Centre.

GNAG’s disco Halloween Party glowed with glam and glitter! PHOTO: ADAM SCOTTI

GCA working for you

Lansdowne followed a pattern

Ottawa City Council approved the Lansdowne 2.0 plan on November 7 with a vote of 15 to 10, following approval by the City’s Finance and Corporate Services Committee.

Ottawa taxpayers will be on the hook for nearly half a billion dollars. Money to support a public private partnership at Lansdowne until 2075 will mean hockey rinks, community centres and other important facilities will not be built in other parts of the city.

When City Council refused to consider extending the time needed to properly review the final Lansdowne report, it confirmed that nothing was learned from Justice William Hourigan’s 2022 inquiry into the light-rail fiasco. Justice Hourigan’s lengthy and detailed report outlined just what went wrong in the LRT decision-making process. He wrote about how the project was full of “egregious” errors and that it “was rushed into service”.

Among Justice Hourigan’s recommendations were two on page 483 that could have been written for the Lansdowne process:

“Public entities should consider ways they can identify and address the root causes of cognitive biases. Optimism bias in project planning, for example, leads people to underestimate project

John Crump President, Glebe Community Association www.glebeca.ca

similarities to established projects and learn from the outcomes of those projects.”

Lansdowne has been a textbook case of “optimism bias” since planning got underway for the original redevelopment more than 10 years ago. This bias led to erroneous assumptions that taxpayers would benefit financially. We have not.

“Uniqueness bias” speaks for itself. City staff, the mayor and many members of Council scattered rhetorical flower petals as they danced towards a decision, the financial consequences of which none of them will be around to see.

Bank Street plans

The GCA’s Transportation Committee met on October 21 to discuss a response to the City of Ottawa’s Bank Street Active Transportation and Transit Feasibility Study. The committee observed that the study focused primarily on transit feasibility rather than active transportation. We are developing a survey that will be sent to GCA members about suggested walking and cycling measures that could be added to the study’s recommendations. We

transportation plans remains to be

Trees, Greenspace & Your Cash

The GCA environment and parks committees have applied to Forêt Capitale/Tiny Forests Together program to develop a tiny forest at First Avenue Public School. The school principal and council supported the application. The site is in an area that lacks tree canopy and has the second highest rating on the City of Ottawa’s heat island map.

The Environment Committee is launching a three-part series called “Climate and Your Cash” looking at the impacts of climate change on personal finances. Partners in this series include Community Action for Environmental Sustainability (CAFES), the City of Ottawa and Councillor Shawn Menard. The first session is at the Glebe Community Centre on Sunday 30 November 30 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and features speakers who will give examples from personal experience on how to ensure your investments can make a “positive impact within your community.”

Motion on Noisy Buildings

Last June, the GCA approved a motion expressing concern about the noise coming from the air conditioning

units of The Clemow building. Work continues to find a permanent solution to this problem, but it isn’t the only example in the city. Given that the City of Ottawa has prioritized intensification in Ottawa, the GCA motion asks that the “City conduct a review of noise bylaws on a priority basis given this is currently affecting the health and wellbeing of residents across the City.”

Brown’s Inlet Park

In 2023, following concerns raised by area residents, the GCA passed a motion on the Long-Term Health and Viability of Brown’s Inlet Park. Recently, the City increased Bylaw presence there due to the ongoing infractions occurring in the park, notwithstanding its clear signage. Perhaps the City needs to take up the suggestion in our motion to organize a public engagement process “to explore measured, data-driven solutions that will promote the longterm health and usability of the park for all residents.” An open, respectful dialogue would go a long way to resolving outstanding issues.

Next meeting

The next GCA board of directors meeting will be at the Glebe Community Centre on Tuesday, November 25 at 7 p.m. Please join us.

Stormy skies couldn’t dampen the Halloween spirit in the Glebe Annex – these spooky visitors made it out to GACA’s celebration. PHOTO: CARRIE KIERSTEAD

seen.

Cochrane Photography

Lansdowne 2.0, Automated Speed Enforcement, Return-to-Office, and the Capital Ward Santa Movie Night / Holiday Party!

Lansdowne 2.0 update

After a marathon Finance and Corporate Services Committee and an extensive meeting of the Audit Committee, City Council approved the $483.9 million project 15-10.

This is a disappointing result for our city. In a recent Nanos survey, once residents became aware of the details of the proposal, they overwhelmingly opposed it. As the Auditor General’s report noted, this is a risky project.

Despite the rush through committee and council, limiting the opportunity for public scrutiny, we were able to pass some motions to improve the plan.

This has been a long fight. I know a lot of you care deeply about our city and I want to thank you for the tremendous effort you put into fighting for our city.

We must continue to push for transparency and accountability in the years ahead on this now 50-year public private partnership to 2075.

Save the date for Santa Movie Night / Capital Ward Holiday Party

On a lighter note, we will be hosting a Santa Movie Night and Capital Ward Holiday Party on Saturday December 6, from 4:30 to 6:30 pm at the Glebe Community Centre. There will be food, refreshments, a family movie and a chance to meet Santa. Everything is free. All our welcome!

Automated

Speed Enforcement

Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE or “speed cameras”) has been

Shawn Menard

Councillor, Capital Ward N 613-580-2487 www.shawnmenard.ca

in the news a lot recently. These cameras installed in school zones and near parks around the city make our streets safer. Nonetheless, the Premier has declared he wants to do away with this important and effective method of calming traffic.

Let’s be clear about this: Time and again, this provincial government and Doug Ford have shown that they ignore data and evidence when making these types of declarations. Let’s look at the stats of the cameras in Capital Ward to see what effect they’re having.

The city tracks statistics such as the average speed, speed-limit compliance, percentage of high-end speeders (drivers going more than 15 km/h over the speed limit).

Between January 2024 and February 2025, the camera on First Avenue near Glebe Collegiate saw speed-limit compliance increase from 55 to 73.3 per cent and high-end speeders drop from 3.4 to 0.79 per cent.

On Bronson near Brewer Park and Carleton University, average speeds dropped from 52 km/h to 46.6, speedlimit compliance rose from 83 to 95.8 per cent, and high-end speeders dropped from 1.5 to 0.15 per cent.

Last fall, a camera was installed on

Main Street, near Immaculata High School and Lady Evelyn Alternative School. Over five months, the average speed on Main Street dropped from 34.8 km/h to 32.6 km/h. More importantly, speed-limit compliance improved from 76.7 to 86.1 per cent, and the percentage of high-end speeders dropped from 0.85 to 0.34.

A camera was also set to be installed on Bank Street near the Bank Street Bridge but is now on hold because of the provincial government.

In 2019, the World Health Organization released a study on the survival rate of pedestrians when struck by cars. When a car is going 30 km/h, a pedestrian has a 90 per cent chance of survival. At 40 km/h, that drops to a 60 per cent chance of survival. At 50 km/h, it drops to 20 per cent. At 60 km/h, there is limited chance the pedestrian will live.

Minor speed improvements – a drop of five to 10 km/h – could save lives and prevent more life-altering injuries. When we have a way to do this –especially one that brings in money for other safety improvements – we should embrace it.

Last term, I was pleased to get a motion passed by council to have the City embrace the concept of Vision Zero

(bringing that the number of fatalities and serious injuries on our roads down to zero). I will continue to work to make our roads safer, and I will support the efforts of council to get the Premier to reverse his stance on speed cameras.

Return-to-Office

Recently, the city manager has decided that City employees currently working hybrid (remotely and in office) are to return to a five-days-in-office standard starting January 1.

I have spoken out against this move and have been providing statistics to the City manager that show productivity goes up, life satisfaction increases and retention is increased with flexible hybrid work environments.

Traffic congestion is getting worse, and I hope the connection is being made by commuters. Businesses in many parts of the city have also benefitted from hybrid work policies.

I believe the current hybrid working environment strikes an appropriate balance between the needs of the City and of its employees, and the interventions so far have given employees some backing to continue that flexibility.

Shawn Menard is City Councillor for Capital Ward. He can be reached at CapitalWard@ottawa.ca.

IN THE HEART OF THE glEbE

Richard Merrill Haney, Ph.D. (Counselling & Mediation) “You are your dreams...limited only by your fears.”

www.ottawacounselling.com

War and remembrance: memories from Malta

By Karen Ginsberg

The main reason my husband Ted and I went to Malta in 2010 was to see where the eldest of Ted’s 11 siblings, his brother Charlie, fought and died during World War II.

Charles Benn Ramsay, a handsome Spitfire pilot, was shot down over Malta in 1942. His body was never found. Ted and I wanted to learn more about the country and people Charlie experienced prior to his death. He was only 22 – so young, in fact, that he had not yet tasted an orange.

We hoped this trip would give us insights into what Charlie may have experienced. Ted was only six or seven when Charlie signed up for the Air Force, and he had limited memories of the war. Ted did remember ration coupons, victory gardens and that “most people talked about needing to make do.”

Our first stop was Malta’s Commonwealth War monument in Valletta, the capital city. The monument, in dolomite stone with metallic panels, prominently overlooks the Mediterranean. We easily found Charlie’s name etched among airmen from across the Commonwealth who died in Malta. The monument bears the poignant message: “The airmen whose names are recorded here fell in raid or sortie and have no known grave.” That text alone set the mood for our explorations. It was impossible to walk around Valletta’s seawalls and not think about those who “have no known grave.”

Malta’s Aviation Museum, our next stop, is operated by British expatriates who volunteer to ensure that Malta’s story and the sacrifices of those who fought there are not forgotten. From the moment Ted explained our interest to one of the volunteers, we were treated as honoured guests. One volunteer showed us the wartime airfields on a massive map, indicating from where Charlie likely flew and returned to. Another asked for Charlie’s name and squadron number and immediately pulled a book off the shelf – a book we had never seen before – that contained a picture of Charlie.

Among Ted’s family, there was already a complete file about Charlie, starting with references to when he enlisted and including medical exams and training reports. Finding this additional treasure to take home was astonishing. We were also shown a record of the German pilot who shot Charlie down. It was hard not to think that he, too, was likely very young, with a promising future – but luckier that day.

At the urging of the expats, we watched a video explaining Malta’s strategic importance and the hardships endured during the 1942 “Siege of Malta.” King George VI later awarded a medal to the entire country. We also learned of the postwar population boom and how the Maltese referred to these new children as “celebration babies.” We met several of these “celebration babies,” now in their 70s. After the heaviness of the film, I loved that label – what a hopeful script for those

born jut after dark times.

Each of these experiences brought us closer to imagining Charlie’s last months. For me, it was beginning to feel overwhelming. In the quiet of our hotel room, I asked Ted how this emotional journey felt to him. His first reply was that much of what he remembered came from Charlie’s letters to the family. I have seen them: well written, cheerful, caring. They describe a young man on a worldly adventure, talking about London and Scotland with their dances, blackouts, and cinemas. He wrote about a difficult eye test “to classify the pilots as day or night fighters.” Charlie mentioned bumping into people from home who were also enlisted and asked for candies to be sent, as sugar was scarce. No doubt Charlie’s letters were read aloud many times.

A few minutes later, Ted gave a second, more poignant reply. He remembered when Charlie came home on leave before going overseas. Charlie gave him a new toothbrush, likely from his kit. As Ted shared this tiny memory, tears rolled down his face. He, too, was beginning to feel overwhelmed.

As a Ramsay in-law for 45 years, I have always been moved by how Charlie’s memory has been invoked with love at every family gathering. Stories about him in his teen years and in service took pride of place so often that I feel as if I knew him. There is the story

of how he and two brothers – also in uniform – surprised their mother by coming home on leave together. Or how, when Charlie was missing in action, his girlfriend Doris asked his mother whether she should wait for him. Wisely, she told Doris to embrace the happiness she had found. Later, when Charlie’s death was confirmed, his parents received a personal note from his commander describing his strengths and the grief of his squadron mates.

Almost every Ramsay sibling has honoured Charlie by naming a child after him. My granddaughter Charlotte – nicknamed Charlie – carries his memory. Today, all Charlie’s siblings have died, but fragments of his story still circulate among the nieces and nephews he never met.

When I think of Charlie, three things come to mind: the powerful young man he must have been to sustain such enduring affection; the strength of love and remembrance in binding a family together; and the truth of that French phrase, “le synchronisme est tout –timing is everything.” Present regional conflicts aside, I appreciate my good fortune in having lived my whole life in peacetime.

Karen Ginsberg is a former senior federal public servant and occasional travel writer currently living in Rockliffe.

Charlie Ramsay, handsome Spitfire pilot and the author’s brother-in-law, was shot down in 1942 over Malta at the age of 22. His memory lives on in family lore.

Online Treasures Auction,

By Margret Brady Nankivell

Indigenous art, international and Canadian paintings, art glass, crystal and sterling will be on offer this month at St. Matthew’s 2025 Online Treasures Auction in November. The auction opens for bidding on Thursday, November 13 and runs until Sunday, November 23 closing at 4 p.m.

GLEBE SPREE IS BACK! NOV 15 - DEC 31

Shop the Glebe for your chance to win one or more prizes including four Grand Prize $2,500 Glebe Shopping Sprees. Enter by December 7 for a chance to win 1 of 2 $1,000 Early Bird Prizes!

PICK UP YOUR GLEBE SPREE BALLOT!

The catalogue includes paintings by important Canadian artists such as Georges Chavignaud, Langley Donges, Bruce le Dain, Hortense Gordon and Sidney Charles Mooney. International art includes works by English watercolourist George Stanfield Walters, Scottish landscape painter Robert McGowan Coventry, Japanese artist Nisabura Ito as well as British bronze greyhounds and an Australian bark painting.

block, Povungnituk artists carved the design onto the print block themselves.

The distinctive style of these prints comes through the rough texture and uneven harsh edges of the stone blocks.

Once again, we have certificates for vacation properties in the Caribbean and Panama which provide reduced per diem rates (airfare not included). Mouth-watering Christmas baked goods and meals will be offered.

Look for unusual books, Waterford crystal, fine china, jewellery and rare antique silver.

Capital Home Hardware and Amica

The Glebe are supporting us again. These sponsorships help defray auction costs such as the website, graphic design and promotion. We have also received extremely important assistance from Antique Silver and Davidson’s Jewellers.

Available at participating Glebe participating retailer, or download a ballot at glebespree.ca.

SHOP THE GLEBE!

Collect a sticker for every $15 purchase. When you reach $150, enter your ballot for your chance to win.

DOUBLE UP!

Every Tuesday each $15 purchase gets you TWO stickers!

SHOP OFTEN!

You never know when you can win an instant Any Day prize just for shopping at your favourite Glebe merchant! (Nov. 15-Dec. 15, 2025) 1 2 3 4

St. Matthew’s recently received the donation of seven stunning stonecuts from Povungnituk, which is located along the eastern shores of Hudson Bay in Nunavik (Arctic Quebec). Printmaking started there in 1961 as a project of the Povungnituk Cooperative, and annual print collections were shown from 1962 until 1989 when the print shop closed after the death of several prominent graphic artists.

Several of the stonecuts are by Davidialuk (1910-1976), known as one of the best stone-cutting artists from the community. Unlike the print artists of Cape Dorset who used print assistants to transfer the image onto the print

This year, the church’s outreach beneficiary will be the Youth Services Bureau in Ottawa. St. Matthew’s will sponsor a shelter room at the centre. Founded in 1960, the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa is one of the largest and most comprehensive nonprofit agencies serving youth in this community.

To register, please visit: auctria. events/StMattsAuction2025.

Margret Brady Nankivell is a longtime St. Matthew’s parishioner and organizer of the online Treasures Auction.

By Margaret Terrett

On Sunday, December 7, St. Matthew’s will present its annual Scarf and Jewellery Sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will be held downstairs in the church hall, which is accessed by the First Avenue entrance, just west of Bank Street. Twenty-five per cent of the sales will go to the Ottawa Food Bank, which especially needs funds at this time of the year.

Find fantastic Christmas gifts at non-inflationary prices. There will be a fine selection of accessories for both women and men, including scarves, ties, hats, gloves, mitts, belts, purses and wonderful costume and silver jewellery. Special Christmas season items will also be on sale. The premium table will offer name brands such as Birks, Michael Kors and Liberty as well as a collection by Kenneth J. Lane.

Fundraising is critical for all church communities as they strive to supplement their incomes for special projects. What started solely as fundraising at St. Matthew’s now includes a focus on the environment. People are provided

with year-round opportunities to reuse items that have been donated by others. Reducing the number of new items purchased helps shoppers meet the Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose goals before opting for the expensive Recycle option. We look forward to seeing you on December 7.

Margaret Terrett is a long-standing member of St. Matthew’s with a special interest in current environmental challenges.

St. Matthew’s Church annual

Davidialuk, “Loons Feeding on a Lake” PHOTO: MARGRET BRADY NANKIVELL

Dog versus tree

By Carol MacLeod

Our community is so lucky to have a park like Brown’s Inlet. Trees do many acknowledged good things for us, but to do these jobs, they need be healthy. Our community job is to protect our urban forest.

Many trees in the Glebe are struggling, the culprit being dog pee. You can see the damage starting as bleached bark at the base of the tree. It progresses to splits and peeling bark. When creatures invade the cambium, the tree dies.

I was saddened to learn that a 30-year-old maple at Brown`s Inlet was so afflicted. It fell into the upper inlet pond one day this summer, its trunk rotted through at ground level.

Many years ago, my friend Ginny Carver and I set up a committee to enhance Brown’s Inlet. Logs upon which turtles basked to digest their food had been removed. She installed rafts every spring to replace the logs. The ground cloth which was installed to prevent invasive yellow pond weed had the unintended effect of keeping frogs and other creatures from burrowing to overwinter in the sediment. Tadpole numbers declined, and there were fewer painted turtles.

We toured the ponds with city and NCC staffers and a person from the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority. One late-May Saturday morning, the Glebe Community Association sponsored a “Bioblitz” to do a wildlife

census with subject experts. We saw 25 species of birds, from English sparrows to peregrines to a flock of cedar waxwings. We saw several painted turtles, salamanders and a couple of frog or toad species. The pond had been newly filled, and the heron was catching minnows. At one time, the city identified 18 species of fish in the pond. In 2015, a Blandings turtle, a threatened species, was spotted laying eggs on the Wilton path. It has been seen since. This tiny park supports myriad wildlife.

The city did install ripwrap to prevent shore erosion and planted 12-yearold maples along the shore. How to give the trees the best chance? Most urban centres confront tree/dog problems. We researched options to protect the trees from dog pee. The best was to plant annuals at the base of each tree so that the pee couldn’t reach the bark, the approach used in New York’s Central Park. Another option was to install the type of barrier St. Giles used to protect trees in its minipark. But the city chose to do nothing.

The result, as we now know, is that one by one, the trees at Brown’s Inlet have succumbed, robbing park users of their lovely shade. Planting trees is not an inexpensive venture. When will the City of Ottawa learn to protect its urban forest?

Carol MacLeod is a long-time Glebe resident with an active interest in the environment and nature.

A maple tree at Brown’s Inlet, damaged over time by dog pee, recently succumbed to rot and fell into the pond. PHOTO: MICHAEL HONEYWELL-DOBBIN

By Julia Hurrelmann

A few Sundays ago, my living room transformed into an art show space filled with drawings, conversations and chai tea. Friends, neighbours and curious visitors stopped by to see what I’ve been working on over the last 18 months.

If you had told me two years ago that I’d become an artist, I probably would have laughed or said, “Sure, or maybe a butcher.” (I’m vegetarian.) When I resigned from my job, I had never drawn a picture before. But art came to me, knocked on my door and decided to stay.

In my new incarnation as a visual artist, I go by Julia by mes. I work primarily with alcohol markers and acrylic markers on paper or rocks, exploring themes of identities, trauma and healing. My work is full of contrasts and symbols. I love bright, vibrant colours and connecting lines that allow me to tell intuitive stories, linking past and present.

For a long time, I couldn’t find a label that described what I do. In October, it finally came to me: post-traumatic pop art. The term fits my art perfectly, colourful and accessible on the surface, yet holding something raw and real underneath.

Preparing my living room for the show felt surprisingly emotional. Most of my drawings were displayed on a large grid wall, but I framed my two most recent works and hung them above the fireplace. I had never seen

Art show in my living room

them framed before, and the moment I stepped back to look, I felt a wave of emotion. I remember thinking, wow, I did this. They’re really strong. I can’t believe I made these. It was a mix of pride, disbelief and deep gratitude for the strange, beautiful turn my life has taken.

Visitors immediately understood how vulnerable my art is. They could see that it isn’t decorative; it’s expressive and deeply personal. Some told me they felt like the drawings spoke to them, that they could see themselves and their own stories reflected in the work. I loved hearing that. That’s the most beautiful thing art can do, connect people through shared emotion.

For the show, I exhibited a selection of recent drawings alongside “The Feeling Stones,” a growing collection of about a hundred small, hand-painted rocks, each representing a feeling I’ve experienced. For one month, I painted a stone every time I could identify and name a feeling. The result is a colourful, shiny field of emotions, tangible and three-dimensional. It’s powerful to see so many feelings (many difficult ones) transformed into something small and beautiful that you can hold in your hand.

People were also intrigued by a work in progress: “Two Portraits, with Cat and Axe.” I wanted visitors to see how my process unfolds over time. Because it wasn’t finished, people could peek behind the curtain a bit. They asked whether I colour first and add lines later, what materials I use and where my ideas come from.

The truth is my drawings usually just pop up in my mind. Not as full, detailed images, but as concepts that I need to figure out how to bring onto paper. It’s like something invisible becomes visible enough, and my job is simply to translate it into form and colour.

Hosting my first solo show in my own living room was absolutely the right

decision. My art is vulnerable, and I needed a space that felt safe and personal. It allowed me to share not just my work, but the story behind it. One of the most meaningful moments was seeing how much “The Mother Shelf” resonated with people. They liked the opportunity to purchase prints of it because it touched something familiar in them. And then there was “Art Show” that became my first original piece ever sold, in a silent auction that added a joyful note to the afternoon.

I also had a stack of mini artworks with a thank-you note on the back that I gave to my guests. It felt important to thank everyone who came as part of this milestone. It wasn’t just an art

event, it was also a moment of connection, vulnerability and celebration. When the last guest left, my living room still filled with the quiet hum of conversation, I felt something shift inside me. I realized I hadn’t just hosted an art show, I had stepped fully into my life as an artist.

If you’d like to see more of my work, visit juliabymes.com or follow me on Instagram @juliabymes. I am honoured to share my art and my journey with you.

Julia Hurrelmann is an artist, author, workshop designer and facilitator who uses art to explore themes of identities, trauma and healing.

Julia by mes with “Art Show”, the first original she sold.

PHOTO: JULIA HURRELMANN

The Glebe according to Zeus

President Rump’s impromptu café visit: victory or failure?

The Glebe is abuzz with a recent sighting of Rump, President of United Neighbourhoods Association (UNA), in a local café trying to order a croissant.

“It was clear he didn’t understand a word the waiter said and had no idea how to order,” claimed Roam Vronsky, political pundit pigeon and eyewitness to the event. “I mean, yes, the waiter was from Gatineau and had a French accent, but everyone else could understand him.”

But why was Rump even at a local café? Vronsky claims it was a tactical attempt to gain back his base. “Rump designed his UNA platform to target the working rodent. But now they’re turning on him, especially as the price of everything has skyrocketed. His base is tarrifized – absolutely tarrifized – and this is his attempt to connect again.”

The attempt seems to have backfired. In addition to his inability to understand English, most found his choice of attire off-putting. “Of course, everyone knows the Glebe is the most stylish neighbourhood in the UNA – but Rump was both overdressed and badly dressed,” stated Weave Ste Amand, renowned Glebe fashion designer. “It’s fall, so a cape is fine, but faux fur is so 2018. And red? Not with his orange complexion! He looked like a pumpkin wearing a tomato! Who is dressing him?!”

Aside from the fashion crime, many were shocked that Rump had no idea how to eat a croissant. “Everyone knows you start from the end, not the middle. His Royal Rump seemed to try and eat it like a burger – like a carnivore!” provided Anonymouse, also present for the event though admits she didn’t have the best view from the floor.

We may never know the reasoning behind the blundered café visit, but even pro-Rumpers agree that his decision to order a croissant after tariffing flour was a bit tone deaf.

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The Glebe –my journey

By Wendy M.T. Davies

Though not a “born and bred Glebite” but having lived here for 48 years, I wish to pay tribute to this remarkable neighbourhood.

I immigrated to Canada in January 1972, when I made the life-changing decision to leave the U.K. and travel to Calgary to join my future husband.

Prior to that, I worked in the commercial theatre, with a career featuring dance, song, comedy, TV and film work. This included appearing in musicals and tours of both British and American military bases throughout Europe, at which time I had the interesting experience of working with many stars including the Beatles, Cliff Richard and the Shadows, Roy Orbison, Engelbert Humperdinck and Mia Farrow.

Emigrating meant a complete change in culture and lifestyle. I left everything behind and entered a different world in my new country.

After the birth of our first child, we decided to move east and picked Ottawa, as it appealed to us as a good place to settle and bring up our family. We took the train across Canada, arriving in Ottawa just as the crocuses were starting to bloom on Parliament Hill. A lovely welcome.

We lived in the suburbs for two years, but our interest in the Glebe was piqued every time we passed through it. I always asked myself, “Why aren’t we living here?” Living in the suburbs without a car (a long story) had become untenable. So, when a friend had an apartment to rent in the Glebe, we jumped at it.

We moved into the apartment on Oakland Avenue in 1976 and lived there for two years until we bought our house on Second Avenue, where we lived for 46 years.

Our years in the Glebe are full of memories. I was involved in all sorts of volunteer work: Girl Guides; St Matthew’s Church, where our son and daughter were baptized and confirmed and where our son sang in the boys’ choir; more volunteering at Mutchmor, which our children attended. I even managed to cram in some extra TV and voice work, while also acting as an assistant

in my husband’s office and being both a “hockey mom” and a “choir mom.” Then came a long stint caring for the elderly in the Glebe, working as a caregiver for Visiting Homemakers, followed by a few years of pet sitting. I think I knew almost every cat in the Glebe by name, and one or two dogs!

More memories exist in every corner of the Glebe. Playtimes at the tot lot when our children were very young.

The co-operative playgroup at the Glebe Community Centre. Teaching the children to skate on the canal – in later years, our daughter skated to classes at Carleton. Walking our basset hound in the park at Patterson’s Creek. Showing the Glebe to my dad, a frequent visitor from the U.K. Fishing in Brown’s Inlet. Family outings to the Ottawa 67s games at Lansdowne. Line dancing classes at the community centre. Anticipating the raising of the giant Christmas tree at the former Fifth Avenue Court. Endless visits to coffee shops with friends. Shopping and browsing in all the interesting stores on Bank Street. And, more recently, lunching at the charming, outdoor bistro at Patterson’s Creek.

The sheer convenience of everything in the Glebe was such a bonus – it was just a quick walk down the avenue to pick up groceries at Metro, our local, go-to grocery store.

Of course, the neighbourhood has changed a lot since we first moved here, but I hope it retains its charm and does not change too much.

However, time passes, the children have grown up, friends are starting to downsize and move. So, after 48 years in the Glebe, it was time for “repotting,” so to speak. Last year, we said a bittersweet farewell to our little house on Second Avenue and moved to the Glebe Annex where we are now happily ensconced. Our next chapter involves checking out the activities at Abbotsford House. I believe they have excellent programs for seniors.

Our serendipitous discovery of this community so many years ago led to the best move we ever made. We could not have chosen a better place to live and bring up our family. This is indeed a unique neighbourhood. Thank you, dear Glebe, for many happy years and so many happy memories.

Wendy Davies is a long-time Glebe resident whose life through the years has been intertwined with the life of the neighbourhood.

The author and her husband outside their house on Second Avenue where they lived for 46 years.

When pet sitting comes with a gift

By Lisa Provost

The best part of pet sitting is probably being introduced to new people and their pets.

Sometimes a pet-sitting situation comes at you disguised as a simple contract, but it unfolds as another journey altogether.

Not long ago, a lady named Trudy called looking for pet visits for her aging dog and rambunctious cat. She also mentioned she’d like me to care for her mother who had Alzheimer’s. I had worked with seniors before as a volunteer, so I accepted.

At our consultation, I could see that Trudy’s mom, Loretta, was elderly, but she seemed friendly and happy.

“She is in mid- to late-stage (Alzheimer’s) and is attending a day program nearby,” said Trudy. “Every Thursday, she needs someone to put her on the bus in the morning and take her off the bus in the afternoon. Also, if you could let our husky out for a pee a couple of times a day, that would be great.”

I spotted an older, somewhat arthritic dog sprawled out on the floor. Her name was Mable.

Trudy said: “She may need a little help with her back end. Especially on days when the weather is colder.”

I then noticed a second friend in the room, a tuxedo cat.

“This is Timmy,” Trudy offered. “He’s much younger than dear Mable. You must watch him when you let out Mable, as he tends to try to escape!”

I took a closer look and could see that Timmy had a devilish look on his face, as if he understood our conversation.

On my first Thursday morning, I arrived to see a personal support worker with Loretta – she needed help bathing and dressing.

“Trudy mentioned you would be starting today,” said Keiko, the PSW. “Nice to meet you.”

We all sat in the living room waiting for Loretta’s bus. Loretta was in a good mood and seemed happy about going out. She did struggle though. “Who are you?” Loretta asked. “Where am I going?”

I reassured her, saying I was the lady coming to care for the animals and to visit with her. Five minutes later, she asked the same question, and I repeated myself.

Keiko, the PSW, spoke up suddenly. “I think the bus is going to be late again, and I must catch my own!”

“Oh yes, of course, go ahead,” I said. While Loretta and I continued to wait, I let Mable out for her pee via the back deck which led onto a grassy area. However, I could see she was stiff and could only get as far as the deck before relieving herself.

Meanwhile, I could see Timmy clamouring behind the screen door for his chance to escape.

“Not today, Houdini!” I said, blocking his way.

We returned to the living room where Loretta sat quietly as the shuttle bus pulled up in front of the house. The doorbell rang, and we greeted the bus

attendant. I carefully passed Loretta over and watched them slowly make their way down the steps to the bus.

I then headed out to my next appointment. I knew I had to be back for Loretta later that afternoon.

I returned early enough to tend to Mable and let her out in the backyard. As we settled back inside, the bus pulled up, Loretta appeared on the front steps and I helped her in.

“Hi Loretta. I’m the lady who cares for the animals and will visit with you today,” I said in a reassuring voice.

“Oh. Where is my daughter?”

“She is away at work.”

Loretta looked at me with some puzzlement as she struggled to understand.

“Don’t worry Loretta, let’s have a cup of tea and a cookie.”

And that was the beginning of one of my favourite pet-sitting assignments. Twice a week, three times each day, I

would tend to the animals and sit with Loretta. We had the same conversations repeatedly. She always asked who I was and where her daughter was. And I always reassured her that all is well.

We were encouraged to look at photos and picture books. Loretta would chat about how much she loved animals –horses, cats and dogs.

Even though she suffered from this awful disease, I felt I could connect with her spirit. And while I certainly sensed her frustration, Loretta’s spirit remained strong. It helped me realize that even a disease like Alzheimer’s could not stop a vibrant connection on both a soulful and spiritual level.

Each day we have together in life is a gift, and even in the darkness you can find a friend who understands you.

Lisa Provost has run a pet-sitting business for over 20 years, caring for people’s pets while they are away.

The best part of pet sitting is being able to truly connect with people and their pets. PHOTO: CHATGPT

By Myles Dunn

In a city full of pubs and bars, Irene’s stands apart not just for its legendary live music and welcoming vibe but also for a menu that’s refreshingly thoughtful.

Nestled in the Glebe, this Ottawa institution offers comfort food with character, blending familiar favourites with creative twists that reflect the pub’s eclectic spirit.

The menu is one reason why Irene’s has lasted for so long. It recently celebrated its 40th anniversary with not only live music on its indoor stage, but also on a temporary outdoor one that was set up on the street and featured beloved local performers all day long. After 40 years of serving drinks and dishes and countless live shows, it’s hard to imagine the Glebe without Irene’s. The anniversary certainly justifies a closer look at their menu to see what flavours are bringing customers back time and time again.

Irene’s appetizer section sets the tone with options that are satisfying and snackable. The soup of the day is always a surprise and is carefully built around seasonal ingredients. A piping hot bowl on a chilly fall day is just the thing. For something crisp and fresh, the Seasonal Garden Salad delivers a medley of greens and veggies with choices of dressings, while the Caesar Salad adds a punch of garlic and crunch, all of it boosted with flavourful bacon and parmesan.

Being that Irene’s is a pub, it’s the fried fare that really gets the crowd going. House Cut Fries and Sweet Potato Fries, both served with chipotle mayo, are golden, crispy and perfect for sharing (or not). The Deep-Fried

Mozzarella is served breaded, gooey and paired with a tangy house marinara that elevates this classic comfort snack.

When it comes to mains, Irene’s sandwich lineup is again where the kitchen flexes its creativity. The Pulled Pork Sandwich is a smoky, saucy delight, featuring house-smoked pork shoulder and Kansas City-style BBQ sauce, topped with red cabbage slaw on a brioche bun.

For vegetarians, the Kasu Tofu Sandwich is a sleeper hit, with miso kasu-marinated tofu layered with pickled carrot, cucumber, daikon, cilantro and sriracha mayo. It’s bold, bright and beautifully balanced.

Chicken lovers have three choices. The Lemon Garlic Chicken Sandwich is simple and savoury with garlic aioli. The Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich is a crispy classic with chipotle mayo and pickles. For those who like a little heat, the Honey Hot Fried Chicken Sandwich adds a sweet-and-spicy kick that’s hard to resist.

With its late-night kitchen, friendly staff and menu that’s got a little something for everyone, Irene’s Pub remains a cornerstone of community dining in Ottawa and a Glebe institution. It’s the kind of place where the food is honest, the atmosphere is easygoing, and every dish feels like it was made with care. Whether you’re in for a quick bite before a show or settling in for a long evening on the cozy patio out back, Irene’s delivers food that’s as soulful as its music. Pair it with a local craft beer on tap and maybe even a dram from their excellent whiskey list.

Myles Dunn is a brewer at Flora Hall Brewing.

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A Capital Mystery a treat to savour

Review by Judy Peacocke

Anthologies are a treat to be savoured. They are like a nourishing soup on a raw winter’s day or a gâteau confection at a summer garden party – so much more than the sum of their individual ingredients.

I joyfully opened the brown envelope and out slid A Capital Mystery presented by Crime Writers of Canada, edited by Bernadette Cox and Mike Martin with an atmospheric cover design by Joanna D’Angelo and proofreading by Alex Zych. Many of the contributing authors, like Brenda Chapman and Barbara Fradkin, are fondly known to us and are intermingled with new names bringing original perspectives and styles. Each of the 21 stories is unique.

An anthology of mysteries must contain the key ingredients of both good short stories plus the tantalizing mystery classic clues and puzzles as to “who, why, when and how” which must be resolved to the reader’s satisfaction in a limited number of pages. No easy task!

As the title clearly tells us, A Capital Mystery is set in Ottawa, spanning Bytown in the 1850s to our city in the present. Don’t be fooled into thinking that this is the Ottawa you know. The landmarks may be familiar, but the perspectives of the characters and the action turn Ottawa into a whole other landscape.

Intrigue, fear, power imbalance, terror, all too human errors of judgement and a persistent dog of the local K9 police unit lead us into the web of stories. And where is safety or refuge to be found, how is there to be resolution and justice for those left behind when the trail has gone cold, how can a fragile widow, living in isolation, deal with blackmail? How does a tarot-card reader who claims intuition as a hallmark characteristic have a bag slipped over her head as she emerges from hiding in the washroom of a biker bar? How will a young woman at the Royal Ottawa Hospital cope with the consequences of her action taken for reasons of misperception? A young watercolourist in 1850s Bytown inadvertently sketches a crime scene. In a different story, a hundred years later in the 1950s, an heiress and a saleslady working at Ogilvy’s Department Store find that they have a link that is more than they are willing to share. Can the terrorizing of the leafy neighbourhood of Riverside South be unmanacled by a young boy? A wonderful holiday gift for Ottawans and for those we know in other places. On the bedside table, coffee table or in a hammock, A Capital Mystery can be slowly savoured or gobbled up and then revisited. That is the joy of anthologies.

Judy Peacocke is a microbiologist and epidemiologist. Her fiction includes Murder at the Avalon which was also produced by GNAG Theatre.

A Capital Mystery

Edited by Bernadette Cox and Mike Martin Ottawa, Ottawa Press and Publishing, 2025

Children have rights

By Luna Vo

With National Child Day coming up on November 20, the Ottawa Public Library has some book recommendations to help children learn about their rights and how to use their voices to speak up.

I Have the Right to be a Child, by Alain Serres

This book is beautifully depicted with bright, eye-catching colours that will draw the children’s attention. Using simple language, it is a great way to introduce the concept of human rights to children. From the right to food, water and shelter to the right to express themselves freely to the right to go to school, this book is narrated from a child’s point of view and is a great way to encourage discussion between adults and children.

Saturday at the Food Pantry, by Diane O’Neill

Molly and her mom are visiting a food pantry for the first time. While there, Molly runs into a classmate who is embarrassed to be seen needing help. “Everyone needs help sometimes.” This heartwarming story helps destigmatize people and families who are experiencing food insecurity and teaches children about kindness and empathy. It portrays poverty in an easyto-understand way and shows that there are others who are experiencing the same situation.

Every child has a right to healthy food.

This is My Body – I Get to Choose, by Brook Sitgraves Turner

Using photographs of real people, this book portrays children practicing consent. Some children use their voices and others use body language to express their feelings. This is a great book for young readers to learn that “my body is mine” and that when they don’t feel like giving hugs, they don’t have to.

Every child has a right to share their thoughts and feelings.

We Move Together, by Kelly Fritsch

Written by a local, this book highlights diversity and community. It depicts people with different abilities and lifestyles but stresses that we are all connected and that together we can make positive changes. This is a great way to introduce children to disability

justice and the importance of creating an accessible community for everyone. Children with disabilities have a right to special care and education so that they can live a full life.

My name is Bana, by Bana Alabed

This book follows the journey of a young girl who is experiencing displacement as a Syrian refugee. She asks her mother about the meaning of her name and learns that it means “strength.” She discovers strength and bravery throughout the war and by travelling to a new country. This heartwarming story is filled with love and resilience.

Every child has a right to be protected during war.

Salat in Secret, by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow

Muhammad is excited to receive his first salat rug for his birthday. He knows all the steps to follow for prayer and is happy that he is old enough to worship five times a day. Unfortunately, he sees how some people react when his father is praying and is worried about praying at school. This book is a great way to learn about Islamic rituals and prayers, and it also includes some Arabic terms at the end of the book.

Every child has a right to language, culture and religion.

Bodies are Cool, by Tyler Feder

This book features different types of bodies and how they are all beautiful and unique. It is a celebration of diversity and encourages body-positivity. It illustrates people of different ages, skin tones, abilities, religion, features and lifestyles. This is an uplifting book with a simple but important message to the readers.

All children have rights, no matter who they are. No child should be treated unfairly for any reason.

My Voice is a Trumpet, by Jamie Allen

No matter how loud or soft you speak, it is important to remember that your voice is powerful and can make changes in the world. This book has a lovely message that tells the reader that it is important to speak up for what is right, to use your voice to ask questions and to spread joy.

Children have the right to give their opinions freely on issues that affect them.

Luna Vo is a children’s program and public service assistant at the Sunnyside Branch of the Ottawa Public Library.

Glebe writer finds her voice in narrative poetry

Forget

/ Remember by Asee N. Silla

Review by Judith Wouk

As I advance through my senior years, what I forget becomes more of an issue and what I remember more of a concern. Our memories underlie who we are.

In Forget / Remember, her second book, longtime Glebe resident Asee N. Silla explores these issues through the life of a couple. They meet, separate, live disparate lives and eventually meet again. Their relationships with parents, siblings, spouses and children also play a part. This fictional memoir is told through a series of snapshots, some of them local:

He wanted to take her to Hog’s Back Hog’s Back was where his family went His family paid regular visits to Hog’s Back

She had never been to Hog’s Back Hog’s Back had a waterfall

Hog’s Back had a river

Hog’s Back had trails along the river

Forget / Remember gave Asee her voice. She realized that her writing style is narrative poetry: no words more than three syllables and few conjunctions. Her use of words is very intentional; the book is dedicated “to all the writers who believe words are expressed to unite not separate.”

This short book is designed to appeal to the senses. The centre justification

and lack of punctuation are a visual accompaniment to her words. The repetition and rhythm delight the ears, especially when read aloud.

At Hog’s Back

They looked at the falls

They heard the sound of the water

The sound of water splashing

The sound of water bouncing

Bouncing against the rocks

Bouncing against the boulders

Water drops bounced against each other

Combining fairy tales, internet stories, personal experiences, conversations, media images and scenes from films, this book is built on contrasts: forget/remember, happy/unhappy, alone/with family, home/not at home, talking/listening, hearing/being heard.

The central character, for example, is happy in the beginning of a relationship: “He liked her/ He liked her a lot/ He liked how she knew him/ She knew what he wanted/ She knew who he was/ He didn’t have to explain himself to her/ Was he in love / He didn’t know/ But she made him smile/ She made him laugh/ He was himself with her”.

He also becomes profoundly unhappy at times: “He was alone/ Again he was alone/ He didn’t like going home/ To an empty house/ A house with no laughter/ A house with no talking/ A house with no love/ A house with an empty bed”.

Many quotes illustrate the theme of talking and listening, hearing and being heard: “He shared his words/

spoke words/ Words filled with anger/ They did not listen/ The pain would not let them/ The pain would not let them hear each other”. This book explores the concept of home, positive or negative: “They lived a simple life/ With little/ They had plenty/ With little/ They had joy/ With little/ They were happy”.

But later: “He found a bar/ Nearby he found a bar/ A bar to make friends/ A bar to hear stories/ A bar to listen to others/ A bar to call home”.

And, of course, forget/remember: “He had forgotten something/ He wasn’t sure/ What it was”.

And on a public scale, “The media remembers the bad/ Forgetting the good/ People never read/ The corrections”.

The book explores the use of alcohol to forget and thereby lose sight of who we really are and how to integrate the past with the present for a better future.

I’ll end by spiraling back to the beginning, as the book does. To quote from the back cover:

They listened/ He shared his music/ They heard/ They liked his songs/ They liked his words/ They liked him”.

In relationships: “She was lovely/ she was smart/ he could talk to her/ she could listen to him/ He would talk to her/ She would hear him”. On the other hand, “They became silent/ They

“We all remember. We all forget. What do we remember? What do we forget? Why do we remember? Why do we forget? [This is] the story of two young sweethearts who share their dreams of a future together. When life’s circumstances pull them apart will they remember their words, their feelings and their dreams when they are reunited years later?”

Judith Wouk is a longtime Glebe resident.

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Forget / Remember

Asee N Sill Vanguard Press, 2025

Available through large online retailers E-book through Pegasus Audio book available by Christmas YouTube Aseensilla Tik Tok @aseensilla

The Poetry of sleep

Ah! The panacea of sleep! Of closing off the day and being alone at our core, succumbing to the miracle of sleep with its promise of rejuvenation. Few things are as gratifying, and few as disturbing as missing it. Shakespeare called it the “balm of hurt minds” and the “chief nourisher in life’s feast.”

Here at the Glebe Report’s Poetry Quarter, we asked you for poems about this most primal of human activities – be it the renewal of sleep, sleep disturbance or, as Freud called it, the mimic of death. Here are your poems.

The Glebe Report ’s Poetry Quarter is curated by Deborah-Anne Tunney.

POETRY QUARTER

To the City of Ottawa

From awakening to sleep

When the sternness of pale mornings Slowly fades away, You become yourself again, Shining silver-grey.

When the Parliament clock chimes, Its echo through my heart climbs; My heartbeat drums within, The bells softly ring.

When the afternoon at Major’s Hill Stretches out, calm and still, Each deep and tender sigh Whispers of love nearby.

When the starry evening Reveals its secret gleaming, The Rideau Canal slides in silence, Cradling you with gentle presence.

When the Peace Tower Pierces the jet-black hour, It prolongs your dreamful rest Until dawn’s ascetic quest.

Then when the sternness of pale mornings Slowly fades away, You become yourself again, City of rivers, shining silver-grey.

Marie-France Richards

Silver Sand

Nightmare asleep, at the wheel so they say. . . did he know before impact, even here a . . . black hole

Maureen Korp

Sonnet to the god Sleep

O Sleep, veiled god, white winter of mortals, Spread over our brows your fairy snow, Let your silvery breath, a prophetic blow, Renew the mind beneath bright laces of opals.

To beasts of night, to birds, to chapels, Grant the sacred oblivion of a greek goddess; Silence every care, O angelic caress, And leave your mark of tender marvels.

Morpheus, through your charm of immaculate silk, Protect humankind, the green forests, the rivers, Revive the vast earth in your cool secret bowers.

Then, under your thick cloak, let life rest in sweet peace, Until dawn, delivering a fire of sunbeams Awakens, in brilliance, the halo of our dreams.

Marie-France Richards

THE TELL-TALE CLOCK

Final exams. Cramming like there’s no tomorrow (even though tomorrow is almost here.) Pouring over her notes until the words start to blur. Sleep, she tells herself, just a few hours. But sleep is not available on command. Staring at the glowing face of her old alarm clock, its ticks growing louder by the minute, she keeps telling herself, if you go to sleep right now, you’ll get three and a half hours... if you go to sleep now, you’ll get three hours and fifteen minutes...if you go to sleep......

Ronnie R. Brown

Travels in Sleep

Such blissful trips often lay in my sleep that I could hardly wait to go to bed for, when I was in the compulsive grip of the teens; the incredible, countless dreams that bore me into places I hadn’t before ever seen

In Orleans outside of old Bytown when it’s time for bed the kids are told “fais dodo” or go make sleep. In the English house across the street they pray to the Lord their soul to keep, but all around town and across the land all good children must go down. As the sun goes down the Sandman comes drifting through the small town searching for children awake under warm down. His song is sweet scattering silver sand over closing eyes and continues his path under darkening skies.

As the sun goes down further to the west and the sky becomes lovely dark and deep the children lie without a peep, too tired now from counting sheep, and the Sandman keeps searching for more children to put to sleep.

John Law

Soul asleep, on a bench, there in the cold, in the dank outdoors. . . poor soul, cold-wrapped in dread not dead

Maureen Korp

Mariupol, Ukraine

At the sometime end of tomorrow, he said, we win. remember. . .we win until then, we’re here-here is pretty good for now, . . . when

While awake. Travels of riding high by camel; how come I’m in this desert scene, with sheiks? Arms linked, dancing? It’s Sinai. Bell’s ring! My camel chews up a whole bush. Tonight. A sign says I’m in Bolivia; ‘Laguna Blanco.’ ‘Laguna Verde’ and ‘Laguna Colorado.’ Lakes. of borax, copper and iron, and salt-flats; volcanoes Further up. Then, at fourteen, I recall a dream: I was about to receive a slice of chocolate cake At a birthday. With my longing heart, I reached out. Having never tasted such decorated luxury in my life, I extended my arms and expectant hands, eager to accept the plate when my eyes suddenly opened Wide into the dark: the cake, the plate, all disappeared! Only my empty hands, still at arm’s length! I shout, in total disbelief that this dream, so real, never happened!

Betty Warrington-Kearsley

do we go back home, mama. . . . go to sleep, little one, dream something pretty for mama we’ll know more tomorrow

Maureen Korp

The River Dream

There’s a place you go when you’re so asleep you’re awake

The edge of a river that mirrors the night sky I pray next your stillness only flutt’ring eyes forsake To dream of that shore where your soul might lie

Try as I may to meet by the river beyond space I’ve dreamed myself back to right where we began Now I lay alone with a dream once traced

Time has run its course and fate won’t be outran

And in the night’s haze, my ache goes on steeping By day rememb’ring you’re there when I’m sleeping

Luke Robertson

nightmare

sirens screaming in the night jolt me from my sleep. is there a fire? is someone dying? my heart is pounding I cannot catch my breath. a dream?

at the window the night is dark and quiet in bed I cannot sleep.

Susan Buller

falling off a cliff a crack in the beam a half moon to hear the scream

night after night, the nightmares knock, they sap life from my eyes drained like blood from prey bones dry by break of day

who let this soul into my home? who cast these shadows on my sheets? whose knuckles bleed between my teeth? woken eyes beneath wings in flight a crescent moon cuts death at night

Anonymous

Poor

Oh… What Was That Dream?

Toes root toward that cool patch under the blanket, blanket that warms the blood for rest, sleep...

Midnight dissolves: thoughts circling, flood waters around a drain, a car windshield in rain, static—cling—cling—upon the purple curtain dropping, drops one glimmering phrase for your big meeting tomorrow — by morning, only your shadow knows, now sleeping.

Edmund Watson

Not Nap Time

I sleep in movies in the dark.

On planes and trains, picnics in the park.

I’ve zzzzzed through live Macbeth, soundly slept in “Waiting for Godot.”

And in the passenger seat, On the 401 to To-ron-to.

Why, since it’s so easy then, Do I lie here eyes wide open, 3 a.m.!

Louise Rachlis

Winter in Ottawa – Eastern dream

Curled up in your armchair, eyes closed, The sheep file past in rows, She beside you, turns the page, Of a refrain from another age.

Stillness by the fireside

Often set lovers to collide Their youth glides along with ragtime These are truly ravages of time.

I dream of the riches of Carthage Of taking you to a brìght rivage To admire golden ruins shine While drinking Bordeaux heady wine.

I would hold your burning hand, Angular, sweet elegant; You would laugh watching dancers swirl dizzily for hours.

THE LAND OF NOD

No easy way to get there. Chanting childhood counting out rhymes like incantations, she can only hope. But sometimes the magic works and she is young again, walks (without a single twinge or ache) hand in hand with her one true love. Strolls through meadows in that Edenic place where old age and death do not exist.

Ronnie R. Brown

We would listen to the muffled hum Of a distant song, of a beating drum, - and to please your senses - of a madrigal, Vocal — or instrumental, No matter, if it carries you in your flight, Into the valley of delights Where lies in half slumber Your tender lover.

Marie-France Richards

MAGICAL MYSTERY TOURS

Nights when she can’t sleep she closes her eyes; revisits all her former homes. The third-floor walk-ups of her childhood (always too hot or too cold): the dorm rooms, shared with people she barely knew and rarely liked; the student place on an unlit, unpaved rural route, she shared with her new husband. On and on until dream partners with memory, doors appear where they never were; open to opulent rooms, or tunnels--leading out of reality and into places only her mind could create.

Ronnie R. Brown

Sleepless in Ottawa

Mom bought me a cassette tape to gently guide me to sleep

His soothing voice reminded me to Breathe deeply into my diaphragm

Each night I try to lose my day And shift into dreams

Setting myself familiar visions: Tidal waves lapping the shore, Fields of golden oats catching the wind…

Each night I cannot sleep I count the minutes of darkness Check my phone too often Read pages of boring books Pace

Sleep as elusive as a A good dream Yet

Each morning he asks me, Hopeful, “As-tu bien dormi mon amour?”

Paige Raymond

Sleep, Prince of Shadow

They call upon me at night, praying to my sweet realm, Yet they tremble, shivering, when I draw them to my helm, Into my secret depths, where the soul comes undone, Where love dissolves away, where hope is all gone.

I am like the slow tortoise of the ancient tale. I advance with prudence, yet my step does not fail; A sigh pushes me back, a whisper makes me fade, I depart without farewell, disturbed by the smallest shade.

Without me, your days crumble into arid ruins, With me, you dive into the clear abyss within; I am the promised land, the ark received, None lives without me, I was never deceived.

When dawn arises, I vanish without sound, Through closed curtains, with elegance profound; And you all call for me, faithful, every night, Fearing my dark absence, longing for my might.

Marie-France Richards

Starlight

the moon beckons; the dark ocean calls geese flock together in some starlit patch of sky the river water slowly shapes rocks and i, i hold a space in between time.

it is a worn summer’s day, memory of that summerfallow in fall, some say it is lonely, but catching up with our shadows takes time.

Edmund Watson

POETRY QUARTER

for February 2026

Beginnings

Call for submissions

The word “start” means “to begin,” yes, but it also means to startle, to jump, perhaps to be frightened. We all remember that feeling of beginning – beginning a new school or a new school year, a new job, a new city. Throughout our lives we have many beginnings: a new love blossoms, a child is born, retirement begins. Morning, the beginning of a new day, is a kind of reset button on our life, when all things are newly possible. Spring brings renewal in nature and with it, the joy of new life.

But beginnings can be hard –think of a writer sitting before a blank page (or screen).

Poets, send us your poetic thoughts and feelings on the theme of “beginnings.”

Let us begin.

As usual, poems should be:

• Original and unpublished in any medium (no poems submitted elsewhere, please);

• No more than 30 lines each;

• On any aspect of the theme within the bounds of public discourse; and

• Submitted on or before Monday, January 19, 2026.

Poets in the National Capital Region of all ages welcome (school-age poets, please indicate your grade and school). Please send your entries (up to five poems that meet the criteria) to editor@glebereport.ca. Remember to send us your contact information and your grade and school if you are in school.

Deadline: Monday, Jan. 19, 2026

Idle Thought awake . . . still asleep, who knows for sure. . . there from here any day of the week, to be certain

Maureen Korp

Happenstance

little one asleep in your bed. . . don’t worry. Hush. . . it’s okay. she’s sleeping. Santa will come

Maureen Korp

POETRY QUARTER

Rideau Chorale celebrates 10 years of music

By Peter Robb

A 10th anniversary is something worth marking.

For a community choir, the gift of music is what matters on these important milestones, and Rideau Chorale’s 10th anniversary gift is a December performance of Handel’s Messiah

Rideau Chorale began as the Tuesday Choir in the Ottawa Folklore Centre, an informal collection of interested singers working mainly on pop and folk pieces.

In 2014, Roland Graham, director of music at Southminster Church, assumed leadership of the group. Within a year, the Folklore Centre had closed but after discussion with the singers, Graham led the group into a new incarnation called the Rideau Chorale. The group pivoted to focus on classical works, beginning with a 2016 performance of Carmina Burana by Carl Orff.

Since then, the choir has grown to some 60 members from across Ottawa and west Quebec.

“The Rideau Chorale is a lovely

community of people, and I really enjoy stretching my abilities and technique,” says tenor Janice Manchee, the current chair of Rideau Chorale.

Tim Schobert, a member of the bass section, says the choir provides a great addition to his retirement activities.

A member since the early days, he says he has “enjoyed classical music since early childhood and the choir

enhances and broadens my experience of this wonderful genre of music.”

To prove his commitment to the form, Schobert has started and maintains classymusic.ca which offers a comprehensive listing of classical performances in the city.

His personal musical highlight with Rideau Chorale was a performance of Brahms’ A German Requiem, “a truly spiritual journey.”

He adds that he is very much looking forward to performing Messiah.

The choir has tackled a wide range of repertoire from composers such as Handel, Mozart, Duruflé, Fauré, Palestrina, Rutter, Haydn, Vaughn Williams and Charpentier, not to mention pieces written or arranged for them by local composers.

Graham stepped away from the choir in 2022. Kevin Reeves, who founded the Seventeen Voyces ensemble and who has worked with several choirs in the Ottawa area, soon took the baton.

For the 10th anniversary, Reeves decided to return to Messiah. Despite being performed many times by many choirs in many venues since its debut in Dublin, Ireland in 1742, the oratorio seems new and fresh in every performance.

“There is so much nutrition within

those pages,” says Reeves. “This is the beginning of my third season with the ensemble, and I’m constantly buoyed by the sheer enthusiasm of its singers. When I announced the prospect of singing Messiah for the anniversary, I was worried about a lacklustre response. But no, I received a chorus of polyphonic cheers.”

In the performance, the choir will be joined by soloists soprano Ania Hejnar, counter tenor Mark Donnelly, tenor Jean-Philippe Lazure, bass Alisdair Campbell and a small orchestra. A graduate of Ottawa’s School of Dance, Sarah Zaugg, will perform during the Pastorale.

“We know this work is a crowd-pleaser, but we want to make this a particularly special event, for our anniversary and for our audience,” Manchee said.

Rideau Chorale will perform Messiah on Saturday, December 13 at 7:30 p.m. in Southminster United Church. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/ rideau-chorale-messiah.

Information about Rideau Chorale and its upcoming performances can be found at rideauchorale.com.

Peter Robb sings tenor with Rideau Chorale.

The Rideau Chorale community choir will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a performance of the ever-fresh Handel’s Messiah on December 13.

Celebrate 50 years of music with Thirteen Strings

By Kita Szpak

This is a milestone season for Thirteen Strings as it celebrates 50 years as Ottawa’s premier professional chamber orchestra.

Founded in 1976 by conductor Brian Law and string players from the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Thirteen Strings has brought world-class performances, rich musical storytelling and unforgettable artistry to its audiences – and the 50th season is its most inspired yet. Five of six concerts remain to honour the orchestra’s legacy and look boldly to the future by featuring repertoire that reflects five decades of musical excellence – fresh, exciting compositions created for this golden anniversary and internationally acclaimed talent sharing the stage with its musicians.

The concerts include Gerald Finley and Thirteen Strings (December 14), A Journey in Rhythm: Music Across Traditions (February13), Exuberance (March 6), Metamorphosis (April 3) and Vivaldi meets Piazzolla! (May 13).

The orchestra’s annual festive concert on Sunday, December 14 at St. Matthew’s Church in the Glebe brings beloved conductor Matthew Larkin back to the hood along Grammy Award winner Canadian bass-baritone Gerald Finley. Both grace the stage in this special concert that has grown to be a seasonal favourite with Ottawa audiences.

Finley, hailed as one of the greatest dramatic interpreters of our time, born in Montreal and trained as a chorister at St. Matthew’s, has captivated audiences worldwide with his commanding presence and celebrated voice. A Commander of the Order of the British Empire and an Officer of the Order of Canada, he continues to inspire as a performer and educator. As part of his dedication to preserving and enhancing the singing tradition, he gives master classes throughout the world, most recently at the Juilliard School of Music, and he continues to work with

the Jette Parker Young Artists’ Program at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, the National Opera Studio and the Lindemann Program at the Met.

Finley’s concert work is a vital part of his flourishing career, with appearances with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Mahler Chamber and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.

In April, Festen, in which Finley played a role, won Best New Opera Production at the 2025 Olivier Awards, which recognize excellence in professional London theatre. The opera was composed by Mark-Anthony Turnage, with Finley creating the role of Helge. Not to be forgotten is Bluebeard’s Castle, with one of Finley’s signature roles as the Duke in the 2024 touring production. On a local note, one of the pieces on the concert program, Derek Holman’s Shakespeare Songs, was written for Finley and Thirteen Strings. The work premiered in Ottawa in 1991.

Of course, Matthew Larkin is no stranger to local music aficionados. One of Canada’s foremost liturgical musicians, Larkin has served as an organist and choral director at several of the country’s prominent churches: the Church of St. John the Divine in Victoria; St. James’ Cathedral and St. Thomas’ Church in Toronto; Christ Church Cathedral and St. Matthew’s here in Ottawa. He has also been director of music and organist at Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, and custodian for music and organist at St. Andrew’s Church.

Donna Edwards House Portraits 613 233 4775

www.donnaedwards houseportraits.com

FB: Donna Edwards Art

Judith Slater 613-600-1717 judith2slater@gmail.com

Larkin also formerly served as music director of several local singing groups including the Ottawa Choral Society, Euphonia Chamber Choir, the Anglican Chorale of Ottawa, the Larkin Singers, and he is the founding artistic director of Caelis Academy Ensemble. He has conducted Thirteen Strings several times as part of the Music and Beyond Festival.

Putting these two Canadian music giants together for a concert featuring festive works by Bach, Holman and Handel, the 50th Anniversary Fanfare for Strings piece by Hooshyar Khayam and an audience carol sing-along has the makings of an unforgettably joyfilled evening.

Especially important at this time of year is thinking of others. With a mandate to give back to the community, volunteers from Thirteen Strings will take up a collection for the Centretown Community Food Centre during intermission. For over 18 years, Thirteen Strings has supported the centre with a free-will offering at its Christmas concert. Let there be good tidings for all.

Mark your calendars for Sunday, December 14 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Matthew’s in the Glebe. A wonderful and generous way to usher in the holiday season! For tickets and further information, please visit www.thirteenstrings.ca.

Garden Sorceress Protector of Petals

Kita Szpak is the publicist for Thirteen Strings. A note of thanks to all our clients in the Glebe who used our services this spring, summer and fall. We hope you’ve enjoyed your gardens this year, as much as we’ve enjoyed caring for them. See you in 2026.

Gerald Finley, renowned home-grown bass-baritone, will be featured at the Thirteen Strings festive concert on December 14. PHOTO: MARSHALL LIGHT STUDIO

Voices of veterans: two exhibitions

By Maureen Korp

On November 11, Remembrance Day, what do we remember? Importantly, as we see and hear in two Canadian War Museum exhibitions, wars are not distant, half-forgotten memories for their veterans. “Last Voices of the Second World War” and “Encounters –Echoes of War” make extensive use of oral histories from the museum’s archives, a collection initiated by Dr. Tim Cook, the esteemed chief historian who died recently at the age of 54.

Last Voices of the Second World War

The entry area of “Last Voices” is entitled “Becoming a Veteran.” Homecoming was not easy. Yes, Welcome Home signs greeted veterans everywhere, and Canada’s Veterans Charter promised benefits aplenty. But, in truth, not readily for all.

Many in the post-war period experienced multiple levels of discrimination. Often enough for the usual miserable reasons – being black, indigenous, Asian heritage or simply being female.

For example, Douglas M. Johnson, a black soldier, served with the Irish Regiment of Canada. He was wounded in Italy but when he returned home, he “was treated like dirt,” his children state. Bits of these recordings may be heard privately in the exhibition’s set-aside areas.

Navy were not recognized as war veterans, not until 1992. Did they then receive pensions? Not until 2000. Why was that?

“Normandy Warrior,” Elaine Goble’s portrait of Philip Favel pulls us into more stories unspoken. When she painted it in 2020, Favel was 97. His gaze is steady. He knew what he had seen. Favel was the oldest surviving First Nations (Cree) veteran. On the wall nearby is a simple statement: “I don’t talk about it. They are secrets in my heart.”

How did these souls get through their days?

In the second area of the exhibition, “A Lifelong Journey,” is a large painting of a snowy shoreline. In its foreground of soft whites, pale blues and greens, we see a blur of a bird, almost erased save for its colourful tail. Will it fly again? “Returning as a Bird,” 1983, is by William Allister. It is the first one he painted after travelling to Japan in 1983. Allister described the work as arising from a place and time “where life and death held hands.” He knew whereof he spoke. For

D Day on June 6, 1944. On the back of the painting is a message Kaye wrote his grandchildren: “To Luka & Lain. There is no glory in war . . .”

Encounters – Echoes of War

The second exhibition sourced from the War Museum’s oral histories is nearby: “Encounters –Echoes of War.” It is a large, empty, black room filled only with drifts of soft sounds, low voices, a bit of light. Eight soft spotlights shine from above onto the floor. When you step into one, the halo brightens. You, and you alone, hear clearly words spoken by another. Someone asks: “What do I want to do with the rest of my life?” Someone else describes: “Made me fire 50 rounds.” Those words are meant for you, no one else. They are excerpts from 16 interviews selected from the museum’s oral history archives, telling stories of Korea, Afghanistan and other places. “Encounters” was created by iregular.io, a Montreal digital arts studio.

Moriyama Regeneration Hall

Walk downstairs into the Moriyama Regeneration Hall. It is crowded with the larger-than-life plaster maquettes that Walter Allward created for the Vimy War Memorial in France. They are beautifully conceived, idealistic renderings entitled “Truth,” “Knowledge,” “Honour,” et al. The artist intended them as protest. No whitewash of idealism can erase bloodied memories.

At the far end of this narrow room, its sharply angled black eaves reaching high into a darkness, is a window. Look through it. Architect Raymond Morayama aligned its view purposely: Parliament and the Peace Tower. During the Second World War, he was one of the 22,000 Japanese Canadians forcibly relocated to an internment camp.

How is it that wars begin? Ask a veteran.

Maureen Korp is a writer, historian, independent scholar and a military brat.

“Last Voices of the Second World War” John McCrae Gallery until January 18

“Encounter – Echoes of War” John McCrae Gallery until November 30

Moriyama Regeneration Hall, Lower level, ongoing

“Normandy Warrier,” 2020, Elaine Goble’s portrait of Philip Favel, on display in the Canadian War Museum’s exhibition “Last Voices of the Second World War” until January 18.

“Merchant Ship Leaving at Night,” 1943, is a drawing by Jack Nichols depicting men in the hold of a Canadian Merchant Navy ship during the Second World War, also on display at the Canadian War Museum.

Yasir Naqvi

MP, Ottawa Centre

N 613-946-8682

E yasir.naqvi@parl.gc.ca

A Place to call home for every Canadian

One of the concerns I hear about most often from our community is the need for more affordable housing. Across Canada and here in Ottawa Centre, the housing crisis is making it harder for families and young people to find a safe and affordable place to call home.

To tackle this challenge, the federal government recently launched Build Canada Homes, an initiative that combines the skills of our workforce, the strength of our industries and Canadian innovation to build homes for communities across the country. By working together in new ways, this effort will help build more homes, faster and where they are needed most.

So, what will Build Canada Homes actually do?

At the heart of this work is a simple idea: everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to live. For many Canadians, affordable housing means a home that costs no more than 30 per cent of their before-tax income. These homes help middle-income workers –our teachers, nurses and care providers – stay in the communities they serve and help those communities thrive.

For those living on lower or fixed incomes, deeply affordable housing offers the stability and security of a safe home within reach. It’s designed to support seniors, minimum-wage earners and others with limited means, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to put down roots in their community.

Supercharge affordable housing construction

Build Canada Homes has begun its work with an initial investment of $13 billion to support the construction of more affordable housing across the country. By bringing key parts of the process – financing, approvals, and access to land – under one roof, the goal is to make it simpler and faster for communities to get new homes built.

Unlock federal lands for new homes

Through the transfer of the Canada Lands Company, Build Canada Homes now has access to 88 federal sites across the country – roughly the size of downtown Ottawa. By putting this unused land to work for housing and

asking departments to identify more, the goal is to reduce the cost of land and make it easier to build affordable homes in communities where people need them.

Use innovative building methods to cut costs and timelines

Build Canada Homes will use new and more efficient ways to build. By embracing approaches like modular, factory-built and mass timber construction, homes can be completed in a fraction of the time and at a lower cost. These methods help get more homes built faster, while also reducing waste and lowering emissions to make the process more sustainable for communities across the country.

Support Canadian industries and create good jobs

Build Canada Homes will also support local industries and create good jobs for people across the country. Through a new Buy Canadian policy, housing projects will use materials made here at home, including lumber, steel and aluminum. This approach helps strengthen supply chains, support Canadian businesses, and create well-paying jobs in communities from coast to coast.

Laying the foundation for change

Build Canada Homes is already getting to work. Its first project will see 4,000 new factory-built homes constructed on federal lands in Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Dartmouth and Longueuil. These are just the beginning, with the potential to expand to 45,000 homes over time, creating affordable, mixed-income communities across the country.

The program is also taking steps to protect the housing we already have. A $1.5-billion Rental Protection Fund will help preserve existing affordable rental units, ensuring families can stay in their homes. Another $1 billion will go toward building transitional and supportive housing, working with provinces, territories, municipalities and Indigenous communities to help people who are homeless or at risk find stability, work opportunities and health supports.

In Nunavut, a new partnership with the Nunavut Housing Corporation will add more than 700 public, supportive and affordable homes, helping to address urgent housing needs in the North.

Making a difference for Canadians

Finding a safe, affordable home is a challenge for too many Canadians, but with Build Canada Homes, we are taking real, practical steps forward. By working together, supporting Canadian workers and industries and focusing on homes people can truly afford, we can build stronger, more connected communities for everyone.

Queen’s Park is back in session –here’s what you can expect

After 136 days, we are back in the Ontario Legislature.

Following a long summer of government inaction, people across the province continue to struggle. Eight hundred thousand Ontarians are out of work, and with every new headline we see the risk of more layoffs, more job losses and rising unemployment.

Despite the shocking state of the ongoing jobs crisis, Doug Ford’s priorities seem to be elsewhere. The Premier would much rather be musing about eliminating our democratically elected school boards, stripping tenants’ rights, banning speed enforcement cameras or defending his Minister of Labour’s sketchy Skills Development Fund allocation, the most recent example of the government’s fondness for backroom deals that benefit their wealthy friends.

The Skills Development Fund is a program that many unions and non-profits depend on to ensure they are training tomorrow’s workers and preparing them for the jobs of the future. It’s meant to be used as an investment in workers; instead it’s being used as a private fund for the minister’s friends, with millions of dollars being dished out to companies with personal links to Premier Ford and Labour Minister Dave Puccini. The Auditor General has already called out the process used to dish out the funds for not being “fair, transparent, or accountable,” words she has also used in the past to describe the government’s treatment of the Greenbelt and Ontario Place.

We’ll be pushing back hard against this blatant government misuse of funds that leaves high-ranking

Catherine McKenney

MPP, Ottawa Centre

N 613-722-6414

E CMcKenney-CO@ndp.on.ca

organizations without the funding they require to train workers and will advocate instead for transparency and solutions that support workers.

Doug Ford has also announced a new set of proposed changes to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) that would strip away key tenant protections, make it easier for your landlord to evict you and leave the door open to ending rent control as we know it in Ontario.

This is an attack on tenant rights.

The Ford government has the audacity to blame renters for their failure to build more homes and make housing more affordable, but tenants are not to blame for Landlord Tenant Board dysfunction, the government is to blame. The Ford government took a functioning LTB and broke it. Now their solution is to weaken tenant rights even further. It is vindictive and unjust.

Much of my own time in the coming weeks will be spent laser-focused on fighting against this attack on tenant rights and advocating for new affordability measures: reinstating real rent control, banning above-guideline rent increases and getting sustainable funding for public transit, just to name a few. With the number of new housing starts in Ontario at an all-time low and the need for more affordable housing skyrocketing, I will continue to push for the government to address homelessness by building more permanently affordable homes, including non-profit, co-op and supportive housing units.

There’s a lot of work to do in the weeks ahead, but my team and I will be keeping you informed every step of the way. Don’t hesitate to reach out (CMcKenney-CO@ndp.on.ca) if we can be of any support to you!

30 Years Ago in the Glebe Report

by Ian McKercher

November Crossword

By Ellyn Duke Watson & Cooper Love

GCC RENOVATION PLANS

At a public meeting October 25, city planner Josée Hélie and architect Paul Hussar presented an update on the Glebe Community Centre (GCC) Renovation Feasibility Study. The building as it stood had a projected lifespan of just three to five years. Concerns were expressed that the City had allowed one of its heritage buildings to deteriorate to this extent.

Three options were detailed with costs ranging from $1.5 million to $4.5 million. Writer Jennie Aliman cautioned that “. . . in times of restraint, we will have to fight to justify every dollar spent to achieve a Centre which will meet the community’s needs now and into the future.”

SCHOOL BOARD AMALGAMATION OPPOSED

Shanti Inman and Sheila Selley, co-chairs of the Glebe Collegiate Parent Advisory Committee, authored a letter to the editor strongly opposing the proposed amalgamation of the Ottawa and Carleton Boards of Education. They felt amalgamation would result in a lower quality of education for students, an increase in taxes for Ottawa rate payers and a significant reduction in representation by trustees. Innovative solutions to inner-city changing demographics would be diluted or costs increased. Dollar savings from combining the two administrations would be small and in no way compensate for the major disruptions anticipated.

Parents were encouraged to lobby provincial politicians to reject amalgamation.

EXPANSION OF GLEBE CENTRE

A two-storey, 70-bed addition to be built on the parking lot south of Abbotsford Senior Centre would be ready for occupancy by December 1996. The addition will allow local patrons of Abbottsford to have their long-term care needs met within their own community. The ground floor will provide special security for 33 residents with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. Multicultural groups have been invited to participate in planning the project. The local Dutch community expressed a keen interest.

This retrospective is filed bi-monthly by Ian McKercher of the Glebe Historical Society. The society welcomes the donation or loan (for copying) of any item documenting Glebe history (photographs, maps, surveys, news articles, posters, programs, memorabilia, etc.). Contact Ian at 613-235-4863 or ian.s.mckercher@gmail.com. Note: All back issues of the Glebe Report to June 1973 can be viewed on the Glebe Report website at www.glebereport.ca under the PAST ISSUES menu.

Toronto MLB team (4,4) 7 Four of 5-Down and you do this (4) 9 Love, in Italian (5) 10 Beanbag toss game (8) 11 Black and white whale (4) 13 Ave, Rd, Cres, for example (2)

Rock band from Michigan (5,3,5) 16 Let clothes hang without heat (3-3) 19 Similar to (4) 20 Game with daubers and cards (5) 21 Official who calls balls and strikes (6) 23 Everybody’s favourite green ogre (5) 24 Ready to pick (4) 26 Large Japanese dog breed (5)

Scores in baseball (4)

Singer of The Police (5)

Batter’s attempt at the ball (5)

Pitch outside the strike zone (4)

Something to aim for (6)

Police dog unit or average strikeouts per nine innings pitched (1-1)

Parent company of Instagram and Facebook (4)

13 If you get this three times you’re out (6)

15 Excessively particular (8)

17 Where players sit during the ball game (6)

18 Dinger, goner, homer, for example (4,3)

20 Curveball’s movement (5)

Long-legged wading bird (5)

Writing utensil (3)

Volume 23, Number 10, November 3, 1995 (32 pages)

A Pain in the butt

By Sue Reive

During my 38-year career, I have treated numerous injuries, and many start with a pain in the butt.

Weakness in the gluteal muscles (in the buttock) can lead to problems in the lumbar spine, hip, knee and ankle. Since the gluteal muscles help keep us balanced and stabilize the pelvis, any weakness, whether caused by injury a pinched nerver or hip arthritis, needs to be addressed. Physiotherapy can help.

The superficial muscles in the buttock consist of the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus and the tensor fascia lata (TFL). All three muscles and the TFL originate off the pelvic bone (ilium) and insert onto the thigh bone (femur). There is a strong band of fascia called the iliotibial band (ITB) which runs down the outside of the femur to just below the knee. The gluteus maximus and TFL both attach to the ITB. The gluteal muscles and TFL move the leg out sideways (abduction), rotate it inwards (internal rotation) and backwards (extension). Most importantly, they stabilize the pelvis during weight bearing and keep it level. The “glutes” work hard during running, squatting, stair climbing and lunging.

Weakness in the gluteal muscles causes the pelvis to drop during walking or a single leg stance. This is called a positive Trendelenburg sign; it occurs when a person is asked to stand on one leg and the opposite pelvis drops.

The weakness is in the glu teal muscles of the leg you are standing on. If you have ever watched a marathon race, you’ll notice many runners have quite the wiggle in their hips at the end of the race. No doubt their gluteal muscles are tired, weak and not functioning as well to stabilize the pelvis. Gluteal muscle weakness places a lot of stress on the lower back, hips and knees. The gluteus maximus and the TFL will pull on the ITB when they are weak or tight and possibly cause knee pain.

Gluteal muscle weakness can arise from a repetitive strain due to overuse or a traumatic injury from a fall or a direct blow to the muscle. It can also be caused by a pinched nerve in the back or hip arthritis.

Gluteal muscle injury involves a strain in either the muscle or the tendon that attaches the muscle to the bone. Strain can cause anything from a stretch of the muscle or a partial tear of the tendon. Patients most often complain of pain while walking, stair climbing, squatting and sometimes sitting because the muscles are tight and mobility is restricted. There will be pain and weakness in hip movements that

Return to the Earth

Community Deathcare Ottawa presented its annual “Return to the Earth” event at Glebe-St. James United Church on October 18, explaining and advocating for ecologically friendly choices for care of the dead, including shrouding, conservation burial and meaningful engagement with end-of-life and environmental stewardship.

engage the muscle: side leg lifts, leg lifts on the stomach, single leg stance and step ups.

Examination involves taking a good history to determine factors contributing to the injury and to understand the patient’s symptoms. Mobility in the entire lower quadrant (lumbar spine, hip, knee and ankle) is assessed to look for any changes.

A gluteal muscle strain will often cause a restriction in stretch that prevents a patient, for instance, from crossing their legs. Hip arthritis presents as restriction of specific movements in

specific proportions. Gait is assessed to look for changes in stride length of liming. Neurological testing will reveal if there is a pinched nerve causing weakness or pain. Palpation of the injured muscle will detect if there is tightness, swelling, warmth or atrophy of the muscle. It is important to rule out serious pathology like a fracture or an infection. If a patient has had a fall, an X-ray can ensure there is not a fracture. Tingling or numbness indicate a nerve issue, and fever indicates infection.

Treatment of a gluteal muscle strain includes efforts to help tissue healing, exercises to stretch and strengthen the injured muscle, soft tissue massage techniques to help restore mobility and gait re-education. The goal of treatment is to restore mobility, strength and full function so the patient can return to normal activities.

Gluteal muscle weakness should be addressed and treated. Ignoring the symptoms can lead to further stress on the hip, knee, lower back and ankle while increasing the risk of unwanted falls. Physiotherapy can help rehabilitate and improve function.

Sue Reive is a physiotherapist at Ottawa Physiotherapy and Sport Clinics Glebe.

Gluteus medius

Gluteus maximus

Gluteus minimus

Left to right, Michelle Olmstead, Chelsea Hoagland, Emma Griffin, Kyla Carson, Carole Trepanier, Heather Martel, Erin Bidlake, Mary Sinclair, are a group of practitioners and passionate supporters with Ottawa Community Deathcare, who organized the annual alternative deathcare event. PHOTOS: EMMA FAZAKAS

Village Canada – uniting old values with new design and technology

By Carolyn Inch

The Seniors Health Innovations Hub (SHIH), a group of senior volunteers in central Ottawa, is committed to improving our chances of aging in the community. So, when 465 acres of surplus federal land along Riverside Drive and Heron Road was presented to the public for ideas, we got very excited.

We know that older adults in central Ottawa want to stay here but need affordable next-stage housing with options for support. We also know that post-secondary students, many of whom pursue their studies at Carleton University, need housing. It wasn’t a stretch to conceive of a senior’s intergenerational village. A village which, by virtue of proximity and design, will encourage the young and old to provide mutual support. A vibrant, accessible, “15-minute” village that will offer recreational activities, promote social interactions and support seniors from independence to wrap-around care. After exploration of the site and discussion with the RA Centre, we developed an interest in the 23 acres that house the heritage Data Centre buildings directly behind the RA Centre.

Since then, about 20 organizations –senior’s groups, research experts and health service providers, including such familiar names as Abbotsford Seniors Centre, Glebe House, Abbeyfield Riverside, Perley Health, Southeast Ottawa Community Health Centre, Carleton University’s SAM3 AGE-WELL National Innovation Hub and School of Architecture and the RA Centre – have come onside. The consortium – those interested in building on or supporting Village Canada – has been steadily growing.

Village Canada – a non-profit, innovative seniors intergenerational village

The Village will combine a range of housing options from fully independent to assisted living to residential care for seniors, students and adults with disabilities. Students will also benefit from training and professional practicums, as well as employment opportunities. Apartments, group homes, co-ops and residence options will be developed by their sponsoring groups, coordinated at village level.

A complete range of health, social and community support services will be available on site, as well as congregate eating, socializing, fitness and recreation. Housing will be supported by leading edge technological supports for independence, care and sustainability. The Village will serve a diverse population with mixed income levels and affordable options. We are soliciting participation by indigenous partners.

The stars are aligning for Village Canada

At the political level, MP Yasir Naqvi and City councillor Shawn Menard are excited about the proposal, and a meeting with MPP John Fraser is scheduled. In a recent meeting with Canada Lands Company (CLC), we highlighted the intersections of vision between their master plan and ours, and it was agreed that our desire for quick development would be taken into consideration.

Other auspicious political circumstances, like the drive for Canadian autonomy and the need for affordable

housing, have led to a new federal Crown corporation called Build Canada Homes, in which the CLC is now included.

We submitted our Village Canada vision to Build Canada Homes after it solicited proposals. You can read their document and our response on the Seniors Health Innovations website under the Housing Team page. We note what excites us about their vision:

“We (SHIH) are encouraged by your objectives of building non-market housing at scale and responding to diverse needs for housing that will remain affordable in the long term. The words ‘building strong resilient communities,’

‘improving scalability, reducing environmental impacts’ and ‘supportive and transitional housing with wraparound services’ resonate with us.”

Does this idea appeal to you?

If you aren’t onside yet, take a drive up to the data centre at 875 Heron Road, walk to the cafeteria annex and enjoy the view over the Rideau River, the city and Gatineau Hills beyond. Then think about living in a community designed to maximize social interactions and active lifestyles with the latest in technology and sustainability with your living costs funding your lifestyle, not corporate profit. And since the property

would be acquired via long-term lease, the Village would remain in public hands to meet the needs of future generations.

If this vision appeals to you, please write to your MP, MPP and city councillor to tell them that you want this development to proceed. You can also write to the Canada Lands Company and the Minister of Housing. Tell them that you support Village Canada’s vision of non-profit, diverse intergenerational housing with wrap-around services on surplus federal land.

Carolyn Inch is a member of the Senior Health Innovations Hub Housing Team.

February January 19 January 21 February 6

March February 16 February 18 March 6

April March 23 March 25 April 10

May April 20 April 22 May 8

June May 18 May 20 June 5 NO

August July 27 July 29 August 14

September August 24 August 26 September 11

October September 28 September 30 October 16

November October 26 October 28 November 13

December November 23 November 25 December 11

465 acres of surplus federal land has been presented for possible housing. The 23 acres of interest for an intergenerational housing village called Village Canada is bounded by Data Centre Road, RA Centre (top), Bronson Avenue and Heron Road.

Glebe-St. James makes a difference in our community

By Pam Fitch

For generations, churches have represented key gathering places for our neighbourhoods. Different from home or work, churches may be considered as “third places or spaces,” according to the definition coined by American sociologist Ray Oldenburg. In third spaces, people connect with their community. Nobody is obligated to be there, and costs do not prevent people from attending. Third spaces help to build empathy and compassion for others because they expose individuals to different ways of being or seeing the world.

Glebe-St. James United, corner of First and Lyon, is a third space for many people. This affirming church welcomes people from all walks of life, all genders, races, abilities, ages and stories. It helps those who attend to find personal ways of making a difference in the world.

The church engages individuals in thoughtful reflection through its monthly labyrinth walk, Sunday services and adult learning events. Its choir creates a welcoming musical home for many, as it has for generations. Refugees and new Canadians living in hotels may book time in the kitchen so they can create home-cooked meals for their families. The church provides informal social times through

occasional suppers or lunches, Sunday coffee hour, the Men and Friends group, the Nattering Knitters or the Check Mates chess club. Compassionate care is available when people need to talk or have a visit.

The church’s volunteers make a difference by sharing time and talents with several outreach and social justice organizations, particularly in areas of food scarcity. Glebe-St. James contributes money and volunteer hours to the Centretown Churches Social Action Committee (CCSAC).

CCSAC is a group of 22 churches across central Ottawa who support people who are hungry, unhoused or living precariously. Glebe-St. James supports the Ottawa Food Bank, the Centretown Community Food Centre and manages the community fridge, Ottawa Public Foods. In the summer months, volunteer gardeners work with children from Glebe Montessori School to grow vegetables for Centre 507. The Women’s Intergenerational

Group collects snowsuits, baby clothes, toys and diapers for new mothers in 25 communities across Nunavut. The church’s quilters make dozens of baby quilts and donate them to new mothers at St. Mary’s Home. Glebe-St. James also contributes time and money to the Multifaith Housing Initiative which is building affordable housing for at-risk people.

One of the most enduring and familiar ways that Glebe-St. James reaches into the community is through its annual bazaar, this year slated for Nov. 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The ever-popular wool room is back, full of unusual yarns and colours, along with the Odds and Sods table, treasures, jewellery, games, puzzles and toys. A lunchroom offers delicious sustenance during this shopping bonanza, and the beautiful sanctuary is transformed into a Christmas market.

This year, we are also delighted to welcome the Assembly of Seven

Generations (A7G) to the bazaar. This national Indigenous youth platform and social enterprise supports community-building and land-based advocacy work. A7G operates a store in the Byward Market. They also sell at pop-up events and markets, and they set up a table at Glebe-St. James for the Great Glebe Garage Sale. At the bazaar, they will sell products from Kokum Scrunchies, Mitsoh, Moccasin Joe, Cedar Canoe Candles, Uasau Soaps and Awazibi Maple Syrup.

Glebe-St. James makes a difference in the community and inspires the lives of those who attend. Its joyful and welcoming community offers a local and accessible antidote to the world’s challenges and darkness. If you are interested in learning more, please go to: www.glebestjames.ca.

Pam Fitch is a long-time member of the Glebe-St. James congregation and sings in the choir.

Barb Coyle and George Ledrew work their magic at the Glebe-St. James Bazaar.

Baby quilts for St. Mary’s Home

New initiatives at Abbotsford Seniors Centre

By Julie Ireton

Day Away Program

Due to the overwhelming community need, Abbotsford at the Glebe Centre has expanded its “Day Away” program to four days a week.

The program, which provides a safe, familiar environment for people with early- to mid-stage dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, gives caregivers some much-needed respite and provides activities and engagement for clients.

But the waiting list to join has grown to about 80 people. “The need increased over the last year and a half,” said David O’Neill, manager of community programs at the Glebe Centre. “We’ve moved things around to make it work.”

“Day Away” now runs Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Staff members, along with two or three regular volunteers, guide the 10 or 12 clients through intellectual, physical and social activities throughout the day.

“The activities run for about 45 to 50 minutes, considering their shorter attention spans, and we change rooms after each activity, so they get a change of scenery,” said Cassandra Ford, program facilitator.

“We offer seated exercise programs, games, singing and crosswords. We try

to give structure to the day so there are similar activities, there’s a routine and they know what to expect.”

Participants all get a hot meal made in the Glebe Centre’s kitchen.

“The best part is making a connection with the client, even if it’s brief, and seeing their faces light up when they’re able to contribute,” said Ford.

Caregivers looking for respite for someone with early- to mid-stage dementia can call Home and Community Care for a referral.

Room rentals available at Abbotsford

The community support services provided by Abbotsford are only 60 per cent funded by Ontario Health, so programs depend on fundraising, donations and grants to operate, said O’Neill.

“There’s a lack of funding,” he said. “So, we’re looking at renting out our facility during hours it is not being

used – on weekends or in the evening.”

Abbotsford House, the heritage farmhouse across from Lansdowne Park, offers a dining room for 40 people, a multipurpose space for 80 and boardrooms to seat 15 to 20 people.

“There’s a sliding scale in terms of the cost of the space,” said O’Neill. “For not-for-profit renters it’s $50 an hour, and in terms of for-profit, it’s $100 an hour.”

a.m. to 2 p.m. On offer will be homemade crafts, ornaments, baby clothes, knitwear, pottery and handmade teddy bears. There will also be home-baked goodies, including frozen apple pies to go. The tearoom will be open all day, full of deliciousness.

Abbotsford Seniors Centre of The Glebe Centre Inc. is a charitable, notfor-profit, organization which includes a 254-bed long term care home. Find out more about our services and programming by dropping by 950 Bank Street (the old stone house) Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., telephoning 613-230-5730 or by checking out all The Glebe Centre facilities and seniors’ services on our website www.glebecentre.ca.

Julie Ireton is a journalist who often writes about Abbotsford for the

Abbotsford’s Day Away program offers singing, games and other structured activities to people with early- to mid-stage dementia and Alzheimer’s. PHOTOS: SHIRLEY LEE

Glebe Coop Nursery School kicks off a fantastic year

By Tamara Glavinovic

Over the last few months, the weather has slowly turned from warm fall days when we pretended it’s summer a little longer, to the comforting and cozy changes of autumn, to the cold, grey rain of November. The leaves turned beautiful yellow, red and orange and dropped to the ground, much- needed rain has fallen and change is in the air.

The toddler class has bravely overcome the transitions that come with starting a new school. Circle time remains a firm favourite with the bright scarves, gold stars and songbirds that they get to play with and explore. The toddlers got excited about Halloween and the costumes and spooky decorations and trick-or-treating.

The more seasoned preschool children have much of the fall settling in. Those who have been here before have been helpful and kind in showing new children where the books are, where their shoes go, where the finest toys are tucked

Project SnowBank: a student-led initiative

By Sophia Rouhani

away. Math, science and language-based activities during small groups are a great contrast to the wiggles and dancing of circle time. The kids have learned how to use a magnifying glass to explore and learn what flowers and leaves look like, and they made crafts with crispy fallen leaves.

This year, we are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to a new member to the teaching team, Emily Seward, a registered early childhood educator who recently moved to Ottawa. She is excited to join the team and get acquainted with everyone over the coming weeks and months.

We kicked off the year with our annual Glebe Coop Nursery School potluck October 4 as a welcoming event with the toddlers, preschoolers, and parents. The potluck was an opportunity to connect and enjoy delicious treats brought in by all the families. The littles ones had the chance to show their parents where they spend their mornings and to show off their artwork.

As Ottawa’s temperatures start to fall, Glebe Collegiate Institute is once again spreading warmth through community action. Project Snowbank, a student-led winter clothing drive that began as a small passion initiative last year, has returned for its second season. And this time, it’s reaching beyond the capital.

This year, Glebe students are teaming up and squaring off with Bishop Allen Academy in Toronto in a friendly competition to see which school can gather the most winter clothing donations. The city-to-city challenge adds a fun, spirited element to an already meaningful cause, inspiring students, families and community members to collect even more.

A fantastic addition to the nursery school this year is a collaboration with the team at Alliance Française – the toddlers and preschoolers get to enjoy monthly visits from the team and learn some basic French vocabulary through songs and stories.

A Halloween celebration marked the end of October, with the toddlers and preschoolers dressing up and enjoying spooky Halloween-themed activities for the day. The joy of dressing up in costume and being a crab or a wizard or a fairy was a delight for all.

Tamara Glavinovic is responsible for communications at Glebe Cooperative Nursery School.

The mission remains clear and powerful: to collect new or gently used winter essentials such as coats, mittens, hats, scarves, boots and snow pants for individuals and families in need. Donations are being accepted at three Ottawa drop-off points: inside Glebe Collegiate Institute, the Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group (GNAG) at 175 Third Avenue and the Old Ottawa South Community Association (OSCA) at 260 Sunnyside Avenue from November 3 to 24. Once gathered, all items will be distributed to local organizations that assist families facing financial hardship. Every single piece of donated clothing helps the community move one step closer to a warmer and more caring winter.

Project Snowbank began as a simple act of empathy. Ottawa winters can be harsh, and not everyone has access to

proper outerwear. Recognizing that need, students at Glebe Collegiate took initiative and launched the first drive last year. The community response was incredible; dozens of bags filled with coats, mittens, and hats poured in from students, staff and local residents eager to help. Encouraged by that success, organizers decided to bring Project Snowbank back on a larger scale this year.

The project is fully student-run, with young organizers managing everything from outreach and poster design to donation coordination and communication with community partners. Teachers and community partners have also played an important role in supporting the initiative. Both GNAG and OSCA quickly joined forces with Glebe Collegiate to serve as local dropoff points, making it easier for Ottawa

residents beyond the school to get involved.

With winter just around the corner, organizers are encouraging everyone in the Glebe and surrounding neighborhoods to take a moment to look through their closets. Those extra coats, gloves or snow pants could make a real difference for someone in need. Whether Ottawa or Toronto comes out on top, Project Snowbank’s return proves that compassion and community spirit can shine even in the coldest of seasons. And Ottawa students have one friendly message for their Toronto rivals – may the warmest hearts and the fullest boxes win.

Sophia Rouhani is a Grade 11 student at Glebe Collegiate Institute and one of the organizers of Project Snowbank.

In October, the toddlers and preschool children at Glebe Coop Nursery School made art with autumn leaves and painted pumpkins.

News from Glebe Collegiate Institute

Elliott Hartell exemplifies leadership with empathy

By Angela Nixon

“The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow,” Nelson Mandela once famously declared – a prime example of this is Eliott Hartell, a 2025 graduate of Glebe Collegiate.

Hartell had a 94.4-per-cent average, won the Michael O’Meara Award, received a French Immersion certificate, was an Ontario Scholar, MVP of the Unified Champion Schools team and captain of the senior boys’ basketball team.

To cap it all off, in late October, he was also awarded the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools (UCS) Partner of the Year for all of Ontario.

Unified Champion Schools is an organization that pairs students with Mild Intellectual Disabilities (MID) with their high school colleagues to play various sports together to compete for a spot at the yearly provincial games.

Hartell first got involved with UCS three years ago after a chance encounter with one of the coaches and some of the athletes. Hartell was appointed captain of the UCS team at Glebe and very quickly showed not only his leadership skills but also his heart. Hartell brought along a few friends, and they helped create a program that exudes acceptance, inclusion, friendship and, most of all, fun.

As one of five youth coaches, Hartell’s influence has changed the perception of disabilities within the Glebe Collegiate community, the OCDSB and the UCS. He has had a hand in creating a youth-run program, organizing practices, making teams, speaking out about inclusion, molding junior coaches and creating an empathic environment for all to feel safe. He exudes compassion, heart and equity.

Hartell has been involved in numerous presentations on UCS and its effect on not only the school, athletes and their families but also on himself as a person. He has been cheered by coaches and Special Olympics personnel around the province for his respect and inclusion. He has presented to school board officials, teachers, potential future Unified athletes and peers. Hartell has helped grow the team from a handful of Unified Partners after COVID to our current

40-plus partners. He was instrumental in piloting a “partner share,” where Unified partners from Glebe team up with athletes from other schools to give them the opportunity to participate in the Unified events.

Hartell’s legacy has been engraved in the halls of Glebe. His passion and leadership for acceptance, inclusion and fair play can be seen every day as students stop by to have lunch with their MID teammates who are included in lunch-time intramurals and every activity the athletic council organizes, recognized at the athletic awards banquet and cheered on by their peers as they represent Glebe Collegiate.

Although no longer in high school, Hartell continues to stop by for visits, and he cheered on his Glebe friends this fall at Ottawa East’s Track and Field Qualifiers. This young man has the leadership and ability to make a sweeping change in our world; this writer is beyond proud of his accomplishments and looking forward to the positive ripple of what he will do in years to come.

Angela Nixon is a Glebe Collegiate Unified Champion Schools co-coach.

Elliott Hartell, a recent Glebe Collegiate graduate, was awarded the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools (UCS) Partner of the Year for all of Ontario, one of many honours and achievements.

Sports Day the Girls’ Way inspires confidence

By Kim McLean

The field, courts and arena at TD Place and Lansdowne Park came alive on Monday, October 6 as more than 600 girls from local schools in Grades 4 to 8 took part in Sports Day the Girls’ Way. This signature event, hosted by the OSEG Foundation and presented by CAA North & East Ontario, brought together youth from across the region for a full day of sport, movement and empowerment designed entirely with girls in mind.

From soccer and flag football to basketball, wheelchair basketball to tennis, students rotated through a variety of activity zones led by local sport clubs and community leaders. For some participants, it was their first time trying a new sport, and the smiles, cheers and teamwork on display showed exactly why the event has become one of the most anticipated days on the OSEG Foundation calendar.

“I think that it’s so important for young girls to have the opportunity to try new sports,” said Rebecca Leslie who plays professional hockey with the Ottawa Charge and was one of the day’s speakers. “A day like today allows girls to get out of their comfort zone, try new sports, meet new friends, and I think that’s really important in their development as people.”

Now in its fourth year, Sports Day the Girls’ Way was created to break down the barriers that prevent girls from

participating in sport, whether due to lack of access, confidence or opportunity. Through fun, inclusive and beginner-friendly sessions, the day encourages girls to explore new activities in an environment built to celebrate their potential.

“Some of our girls already feel like the boys are more powerful and take over a sport, so for them to have a day to play at their own level with other girls and not feel intimidated is very important,” said a teacher from a participating school.

Beyond learning new skills, the event focuses on building confidence, leadership and connection, the foundations of lifelong participation in sport. For many girls, it’s not just about kicking a ball or shooting a basket, it’s also about discovering that sport can be a space where they belong.

A highlight of the day was the athlete panel, featuring an inspiring lineup of female professionals – the Charge’s Leslie was joined by former pro basketball Micaella Riche, national flag footballer Mathilde Renauld and wheelchair basketball Paralympian Kady Dandeneau. They shared stories of perseverance, teamwork and resilience, offering girls a glimpse into what’s possible when passion meets opportunity.

For the OSEG Foundation, Sports Day the Girls’ Way represents more than just one day of sport, it’s part of a larger commitment to empower youth through access, opportunity and inclusion, a mission rooted in the belief that every child deserves the chance to experience the lifelong benefits of sport and play, regardless of gender, background or ability.

When girls are given safe, supportive spaces to play, the ripple effects extend far beyond the field. They gain

confidence, leadership skills and friendships that will last a lifetime. The creation of intentional spaces for girls addresses the gender gap in sport participation and builds confidence in the next generation of athletes and leaders.

PRESENTS

Please Join Us for an enchanting afternoon filled with festive flavours and activities

Cocktails & Hors d’oeuvres

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4

2–4 p.m.

Dress your best

Participants had the opportunity to participate in a variety of sport stations, including flag football. PHOTO: OTTAWA SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

Kim McLean is the senior manager of community impact and engagement with the OSEG Foundation, the charitable arm of the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group.

This space is a free community bulletin board for Glebe residents Send your GRAPEVINE message and your name, email address, street address and phone number to grapevine@glebereport ca Messages without complete information will not be accepted. FOR SALE items must be less than $1,000.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

ABBOTSFORD HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR Sat Nov

29 10 a m to 2 p m , Abbotsford Seniors Centre, 950 Bank St Homemade crafts, ornaments, baby clothes, knitwear, pottery, handmade teddy bears, home-baked goodies, including frozen apple pies to go Tearoom for chat and tea Free admission

ABBOTSFORD Learn & Explore Speakers Series Nov 19, 1 p m Alex Neve free presentation on human rights, based on his book Universal: Renewing Human Rights in a Fractured World This session is full – wait list or ZOOM only is available Register by calling 613-230-5730

CHRISTMAS MARKET The May Court Club of Ottawa is having its annual Christmas Market on Sat Nov 22, 10 a m to 2 p m at 114A Cameron Ave Expect baked goods, knitted goods, quilted goods, new and vintage jewelry, crafts and more The money raised will go toward the May Court Hospice

CHURCH BAZAAR Glebe-St James Sat Nov 22nd, 10 a m to 2 p m at 650 Lyon Street S Collectables, baked goods, Xmas decorations, children’s toys, puzzles, fishpond current books, silent auction, odds and sods, and knitters Our wool room is open again Come early, enjoy a coffee, and stay for lunch

FROSTY’S FAIR CHRISTMAS BAZAAR Frosty’s Fair Christmas Bazaar: Sat Nov 22, 10:00 a m to 2:00 p m Christmas shopping, bake table, frozen food meals and soups Silent auction Handmade gifts – knitting, sewing, decorations, Christmas cards Jewellery shop Kid’s Gingerbread Room Gently used and new Christmas decorations and gifts Trinity Anglican Church, 56 Cameron Avenue www trinityottawa ca (613-733-7536)

PROBUS OTTAWA PROBUS Ottawa is welcoming new members from the Glebe and environs Join your fellow retirees, near retirees and want-to-be retirees for interesting speakers and discussions, not to mention relaxed socializing See our website: www probusoav ca for more detailed information about the club and its activities as well as contact points and membership information We will be meeting on Wed Nov 26 at 10 a m at Gloucester Presbyterian Church, 91 Pike Street, Ottawa for a presentation by Mark Phillips, a Canadian military veteran, about the Invictus Games and the Impact Marathon

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR St Andrew’s Church, downtown at 82 Kent St, holds its annual Scottish Tea and Christmas Bazaar on Sat Nov 29 from 1 p m to 3:30pm This classic event is a great place to find antiques, gifts, Christmas decorations, books, jewellery, art, linens, baking, jams and jellies, crafts, and knitting Be sure to take a break in the charming tearoom!

UKRAINIAN CHRISTMAS MARKET Sat Nov 29 from 10:00 a m to 2:00 p m at the Ukrainian Banquet & Convention Hall, 1000 Byron Ave in Ottawa The Ukrainian Women’s Association Ottawa Branch annual Christmas Market! Homemade Ukrainian food to go –varenyky / pyrohy, cabbage rolls, borshch, homemade sausages, homemade smoked sugar maple bacon, baked goods; Ukrainian icons, beeswax candles, and a variety of great gifts to choose from for the holidays! For more information, email uwacottawabranch@ gmail com

WREATH WORKSHOP Welcome the holiday season by creating a fresh wreath with Angela Firman of Wild Roots Floral & Garden at a Winter Wreath Workshop on Sun Nov 30 from 2 p m to 4:30 p m at The Old Firehall

(260 Sunnyside Ave) It will be made with a mix of natural greens, rustic pinecones, and natural accents The cost of the workshop is $45 per person and includes all supplies Please bring a pair of clippers (secateurs), a glue gun if you have one and anything else you may want to add to your wreath to personalize it Register online with the Old Ottawa South Community Association The final date to register is Sun Nov 23

RIDEAU CHORALE Rideau Chorale will perform Messiah on Sat Dec 13 at 7:30 p m in Southminster United Church Doors open at 7pm Tickets are available at www zeffy com/ en-CA/ticketing/rideau-chorale-messiah

MUSICA VIVA SINGERS Musica Viva Singers is excited to announce “Winter’s Tales,” a concert featuring musical settings of Shakespeare’s poetry from across five centuries, including works by some of Canada’s finest composers Local actor Robin Guy of Three Sisters Theatre Company will help bring the language to life Our collaboration will welcome winter with open arms! Tickets: $25 General Admission, $15 Limited-Income & Students, $70 Family Pass (two or more adults with any number of children) All ticket types are available from choir members about a month before the concert or can be purchased online through the MVS website at www musica-viva ca The concert will be on Mon Dec 15 at 7:30 p m at Centretown United Church (507 Bank Street) which is accessible by ramp LOST & FOUND

FOUND - WOMAN’S GOLD WEDDING BAND I found a gold wedding band last winter on Bank St If you lost your wedding band, text Pamela, 613-232-7670

AVAILABLE

YAMAHA BABY GRAND PIANO GC1 model, 161 cm by 149 cm to give away free to an instrument lover, someone who will cherish it Contact neliapietsch957200@hotmail com for details

fridge and pantry that provides food to needy residents of Centretown,

November 14, 2025

GNAG.ca

Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group

Glebe Community Centre

175 Third Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1S 2K2 613-233-8713 info@gnag.ca

Jan 28, 2026

Tickets available at GNAG.ca December 1, 7 pm

PA DAY: Nov 7

Registra?on begins Oct 24

PA DAY: Nov 28

Registra?on begins Nov 14

2026

Ottawa.ca

HOLIDAY BREAK CAMP

Dec 22, 23, 29, & 30

Registra?on begins Nov 11 at 7 pm Full descrip,ons online

Guide available online November 28

Registra6on begins December 9 at 7 pm

Sun, Nov 16, 11 am - 4 pm Sat, Nov 15, 10 am - 5 pm

“Moving Surfaces” by Jill Anholt, photographed by Clive Branson, October 2025