The Snow Generals dig in to grow their snow removal business
By Oscar Gorall
The Glebe Snow Generals is undoubtedly the largest challenge I’ve faced in my young life and, for the exact same reasons, the most rewarding process.
I am the 16-year-old co-owner with my partner 17-year-old Nick Crichton of a snow-removal business. What began as a far-fetched idea with some jotted notes on lined paper has grown into a plethora of incredible experiences shared with many of our neighbours in the Glebe.
When we started two winters ago, it was immediately clear we would need to set ourselves apart in some way, given that we considered our youth to be a disadvantage. We asked ourselves, what does the snow-removal business lack? After discussions with neighbours and family friends, it seemed as if nobody in the business cares about their clients – the big companies overflowing with clients had distanced themselves from the very people who allow them to exist!
That helped us come up with the core values of our fledgling business – communication and flexibility. Our existing clients have heard it before but no matter what the request, we do everything possible to make it happen. We also make sure our patrons are completely in the loop on our operations, by updating them often on our plans to deal with storms. Along with these values, there are rules to which we are bound by being high-school students – we shovel by hand and come to do it after school.
The first winter flew by, teaching us a ton. We learned the importance of staying organized, so we didn’t miss a home. We learned how vital it is to go the extra mile for every client. As our second year rolled around, we were fuelled by our success and excited to implement our newly learned lessons. Expansion was on our minds.
Despite our eagerness to grow, we were kept grounded by the need to stick by the values we started with. As we started our search for clients with an initial email, we were joyfully shocked to see that all 17 of our first-year clients were returning. If all our clients were happy to stick with us despite our first-year errors, then once we cleaned up the mistakes, we knew we’d have something special on our hands. As we searched for new clients, it was shocking to see the number of people who mentioned one of our original clients and passed on glowing testimonials
they’d been given about our work. We virtually doubled our clientele in the second year from 17 to 33!
It proved to us the importance of creating and maintaining a relationship with each and every client. By doing something that big companies sometimes don’t, we were able to grow exponentially early on. Our second year was more of the same, struggling early on with the new-found responsibility and adapting as we went. We have learned perseverance in the face of seemingly unsolvable problems and broke through mental barriers that may have been holding us back because we doubted people would trust teenagers. We’ve learned lessons that will stay with us the rest of our lives.
We can’t express enough our gratitude to everyone around the neighbourhood who has supported us and to everyone who will support us in the future. This entire venture would not be possible without such kindness.
Speaking of the future, the Glebe Snow Generals 2024-25 season is on the
horizon. And we have new spots opening up! While sticking with our core values and promising a personal relationship with every client, we are opening eight new spots in the Glebe and, for the first time, five spots in Old Ottawa East/South. Expansion is a natural part of running and growing a business, and we are excited about it. We will build on lessons from our first two seasons to provide the best service possible.
If you’re interested in being served by the Glebe Snow Generals, please reach out through the contacts below. We can’t wait to be serving the Glebe for another year and hopefully meeting many more of you in the process!
Oscar Gorall is a high-school entrepreneur who launched the Glebe Snow Generals snow-clearing service with partner Nick Crichton. They look forward to a successful third year with a growing clientele.
Oscar Gorall and Nick Crichton are launching year three of their snow removal business, the Snow Generals.
“To me, it’s important in business these days to focus on something that you know you do well, that you find a niche,” says Macfarlane. “When you try to be everything to everybody, it’s never going to work. You have to be Sports 4, footwear specialists. That’s
While customers can shop online on the Sports 4 website, the business emphasizes the importance of in-person service. For Macfarlane, individualized consultations ensure that customers walk away with proper-fitting footwear, a change that can have
“If you have sore feet, it affects everything: your knees, your back and just your quality of life,” he says. “I know it seems like a small thing, but when you get the right shoe, it makes every-
Over the years, Sports 4 has had to adapt its products and services, especially given the demands of a digital, post-pandemic world. During COVID, the store adopted virtual consultations and delivery services to meet changing safety regulations. One rented car and two flat tires later, Macfarlane had managed to hand deliver 1,800 pairs of shoes across the city and even included seasonal touches like roses and Easter eggs to help lift his customers’ spirits.
Today, Sports 4 continues this service on a smaller scale, offering next-day delivery for any online or phoned-in purchases. The business also enhances the community by supporting various running groups, charitable events Footwear 4 Kids program, an Ottawa-based organization that donates gently used shoes to children
“That’s what I always tell my staff – yes, we’re a business, but we’re service oriented,” says Macfarlane. “We’re only selling people what they need, and we’re hopefully improving their lives. That’s why we’ve been around
To learn more, visit Sports4.com or drop by their Glebe location at the corner of Bank and Second.
Dana Mitchell works with the Glebe BIA as their Communications & Outreach Intern. She is a Glebe resident who is currently completing her PhD in English at Carleton
By Jaden Croucher
After a $1.7-million makeover both inside and out, the long-time site of Randall’s Paint is now a gleaming advertisement for two companies that hope to help spruce up your home, OakWood and Randall’s.
OakWood, Ottawa’s largest build-design renovator, is part of the Liptak Group of Companies that bought the building at 555 Bank Street five years ago, renovated the outside and two months ago opened a 4,000-squarefoot, second-floor showroom for midto high-end renovations, new kitchens, custom homes and multi-unit, rental-income buildings.
OakWood president John Liptak hopes the upgraded building at the northern entrance to the Glebe will help win more local business and also contribute to the revitalization of the neighbourhood.
“We’ve invested heavily in reinvigorating the Glebe, we’ve put our money where our mouth is,” he said in an interview. “But the goal wasn’t just to count the money we put into it but to serve our many clients in the downtown area and to strengthen our connection to the Glebe community.”
“What we’re doing is being a local builder, we’re in the neighbourhood. Our clients don’t have to drive far to come and see us.”
The Glebe address is a satellite of the company’s main headquarters at 865 Taylor Creek Drive in Orleans. It centres on a state-of-the-art, 27,000-squarefoot design and build studio in what Liptak calls “essentially an ultra-green, LEED platinum building,” which has won many local, provincial and national awards for design and build. But it’s a long trip for Glebites interested in a renovation, so Liptak decided to come closer, and the response has been very positive.
“We’re delighted with the Glebe people coming in to say how much they like the place,” said Liptak. “It was really nice to see that we were welcomed in the community like that.”
OakWood designs and builds about 350 new kitchens a year and currently has about 120 renovations and additions on the go at one time. It now has 12 custom homes under construction, ranging in price from $1.6 to $10.5 million.
The company started in 1956 after John Liptak Sr. came to Canada from a long line of skilled carpenters and cabinet makers in Germany. His son, John Jr, succeeded him in 1996 and diversified
by establishing several complementary companies in construction and technology. Continuing the family legacy, John’s daughters Angela and Patricia now serve, respectively, as chief financial officer and chief operations officer, and their mother is vice-president. The grandkids are being groomed as the fifth generation in the family business.
The lot at 555 Bank Street was vacant until 1991 when David Martin saw a future there for Randall’s Paint and developed a leading-edge building. In 2010, OakWood started to work with Randall’s and had a small venue inside its stores. In 2019, with Martin about to retire, his son Lee sold the building and the business to Liptak.
After Randall’s was consolidated at 555 Bank by closing other locations, Liptak then sold the paint business to current owner Marc Pilon who leases the bottom floor and basement. OakWood’s plans to renovate upstairs were stalled by COVID-19 but finally got going in 2023, even as other Glebe businesses continued to struggle.
“We wanted to be there as one of the first ones to stimulate the area and embark on renewal and show that we’re open for business,” says Liptak. Outside, upgrades have produced an innovative, environmentally sound site embellished with modernized awnings and heat-recovery wraps, beautifying the building and reducing the cost of air conditioning. They repaired planters and put in new trees and plants, fixed the interlocking stone, paved the parking lot and added new exterior lights.
Inside, the showroom features modern staged kitchens, a wide array of cabinetry and a variety of home designs, with lots of high tech to help clients plan their projects. There are also boardrooms, design areas and a large working kitchen with a floating 18-foot-long stone table, so OakWood can host events, even for other companies.
“What we’re trying to do is reinvigorate the area, and I think we’ve accomplished it with this building upgrade,” says Liptak. “Now we get people here every day. There’s a bit of a snowball effect, and that’ll help the whole community for sure.”
And with lots of Glebe interest in renovations, both OakWood and Randall’s hope to thrive in their newly upgraded location.
Jaden Croucher is a Carleton University journalism student and a writer for Her Campus Carleton.
Business Buzz
Pi Za takeout restaurant now open at 684 Bronson. 613-913-8972, or order through Uber Eats. Middle Eastern, Lebanese and Arab cuisine. Interestingly, not a pizza restaurant.
Papa Johns Pizza now open at 680 Bronson Avenue. Papa Johns is a U.S. pizza chain with four Ottawa locations. 613-237-7272.
The Papery Moving update, according to this sign posted at The Papery PopUp: “We will be closing this location as of 5 p.m. September 1, 2024, to start the move back to 850 Bank Street. We will strive to reopen as soon as we can, but we do not have a firm date at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience, and we thank you for your continued support.” And on The Papery website: “We hope to be fully restored in October, completely back to The Papery’s delightful self and ready to offer many more years of Paper Inspiration!” papery.ca.
Top of the World skateboard and snowboard shop at 581 Bank Street will close on September 27 after 31 years in business. “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of Top of the World. After years of dedicated service, we have made the difficult decision to shut down our operations. Our final day of business will be September 27, 2024.” (website)
Studio Sixty-Six has changed its name to de Montigny Contemporary. “Now seems like the perfect time to change the name of the gallery as we are growing our program and operations within Ottawa and beyond. The gallery will continue to build the legacy of artistic careers and the collections of our patrons. Thank you for your continued support.”– Brendan A. de Montigny
Contributors this month
IVA APOSTOLOVA
BUCKLEY
JANICE CAMERON
CAMPBELL-ROSSER
JADEN CROUCHER
GABRIELLA DALLAPORTA
VÉRO DUPUIS
LESLIE FIRTH
JESSICA FORREST
KAREN FRANK
SANDRA GARLAND
OSCAR GORALL
J. HALL
JOEL HARDEN
JENNIFER HUMPHRIES
IAN MCKERCHER
MENARD
MILLER DANA MITCHELL YASIR NAQVI TIM O’CONNOR
SUSAN PALMAI
CURTIS PERRY
KEVAN PIPE
LUCIANNE POOLE
LOUISE RACHLIS
SUE REIVE
ROUTLIFFE
SOPHIE SHIELDS
KEANE SHORE
JUDITH SLATER
DOROTHY SPEAK
SUE STEFKO
MARTHA TOBIN
DEBORAH ANNE TUNNEY
CECILE WILSON
DAVID WILSON
ZEUS
A Glimpse of the Glebe �
for publication will be published in both a printed version and an online version on the Glebe Report’s website: www. glebereport.ca. Please note: Except for January and July, the paper is published monthly. An electronic version of the print publication is subsequently uploaded online with text, photos, drawings and advertisements as a PDF to
Ojibwe, Chippewa, Odawa, Potawatomi, Algonquin, Saulteaux, Nipissing and Mississauga First Nations.
New beginnings
Back-to-school has happened, with all its anxious hope and nervous anticipation, followed rapidly (often) by crushing disappointment, settling into resigned acceptance and perhaps circling back to hope again. New gym memberships and schedules are in place. Choir is starting up again, with some new singers and some old. The book club’s summer hiatus is over, and the new list of books seems . . . interesting? Tryouts for sports are taking place. In short, lives are being set on a course for the year.
It is a time for new beginnings, exploring possibilities, with all the excitement and insecurities that entails. Can I try out a new look, maybe a new haircut? Will I be able to do Grade 12 math? Will my staff respect me as a new manager? Will
anyone notice my change in weight? “Do I dare to eat a peach?”
For some, the new beginning is more profound – perhaps a change in pronoun, is a new household to live in, illness or death in the family or a newly blended family. Perhaps someone is new to the city or the neighbourhood – a time of instability that requires real adjustment and emotional agility, a difficult and exhausting process but exhilarating too.
The Glebe is, for the most part, a place of safety, good will and opportunity – a place where most can thrive if given half a chance. But beginnings are hard, and we all sometimes need a helping hand or a kind word.
The Glebe is a neighbourhood. It’s at its best when it shows true neighbourliness.
—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
PROOFREADERS................ Martha Bowers, Jennifer D'Costa, Jeanette Rive
AREA CAPTAINS................. Martha Bowers, Bob Brocklebank, Judy Field, Deb Hogan & Dave Yurach, Lynn & Dave Johnston, Elena Kastritsa, Brenda Perras, Julie Stephens, Della Wilkinson
Jennie Aliman, Lawrence Ambler, Nico Arabackyj, Aubry family, Miko Bartosik, Alessandra & Stefania Bartucci, Selena Beattie, Adrian Becklumb, Joanne Benoit, Carolyn Best, Daisy & Nettie Bonsall, Martha Bowers, Bowie family, Adélaïde and Éléonore Bridgett, Bob Brocklebank, Naomi and Audrey Cabassu, Ben Campbell-Rosser, Nico Cauchi, Bill Congdon, Ava & Olivia Carpenter, ChiuPanczyk Family, Sebastian, Cameron & Anna Cino, Janis Ellis-Claypool, JJ Comptois, June Creelman, Marni Crossley, Olivia Dance, Mark Dance, Dawson family, Richard DesRochers, Davies Family, Nathan and Roslyn Demarsh, Marilyn Deschamps, Diekmeyer-Bastianon family, Dingle family, Delia Elkin, Nicholas, Reuben, Dave & Sandra Elgersma, Patrick Farley, James & Oliver Frank, Judy Field, Federico Family, The Foo Family, Liane Gallop, Joann Garbig, Camilo Velez Gorman, Barbara Greenwood, Marjolein Groenevelt, Oliver, Martin, Sarah & Simon Hicks, Cheryle Hothersall, Jennifer Humphries, Sandiso Johnston, Jungclaus Family, Elena Kastritsa, Kasper Raji Kermany, Michael Khare, Lambert family, Fenton & Cora Hui Litster, Leith and Lulu Lambert, Kathleen Larocque, Catherine Lawr, Jamie, Alexander & Louisa Lem, Brams and Jane Leswick, Alison Lobsinger, Aanika, Jaiden and Vinay Lodha, Andy Lunney, Vanessa Lyon, Pat Marshall, Patrick Collins Mayer, Catherine McArthur, Ian McKercher, John and Helen Marsland, Matthew McLinton, Josephine & Elise Meloche, Julie Monaghan, Thomas Morris, Vivian Moulds, Karen Mount, Maddy North, Diane Munier, Xavier and Heath Nuss, Sachiko Okuda, Matteo and Adriano Padoin-Castillo, Brenda Perras, Brenda Quinlan, Annabel and Joseph Quon, Beatrice Raffoul, Bruce Rayfuse, Kate Reekie, Thomas Reevely, Mary & Steve Reid, Jacqueline ReillyKing, Anna Roper, Sabine Rudin-Brown, Frank Schreiner, Short family, Deka Simon, Cathy Simons, Andrew Soares, Stephenson family, Cameron & Quinn Swords, Ruth Swyers, Saul Taler, Tomlin Boys, John & Maggie Thomson, Tom Trottier, Trudeau family, Will, Georgie & Blaire Turner, Zosia Vanderveen, Veevers family, Nick Walker, Vanessa Wen, Paul Wernick, Hope, Jax and Ash Wilson, Howard & Elizabeth Wong, Berkan Yazici, Martin Zak.
WELCOME TO:
The Foo Family Tomlin Boys Deka Simon
THANKS AND FAREWELL: Hudson Love
Jon Beckman
Joyce Goodhand
First day of school. LIZ MCKEEN
See you at Fridays for Future!
Editor, Glebe Report
Re: “Let’s deal with the root causes of climate breakdown,” Glebe Report, August 2024
I appreciated Cecile Wilson’s August article titled “Let’s deal with the root causes of climate breakdown.” As she wrote, climate change requires us to take adaptive measures; if we don’t put the brakes on global warming, we will be constantly working to adapt to new and unpredictable conditions. With more or less success, it could be added.
Wilson reminded us that the “carbon footprint” is a British Petroleum concept intended to shift responsibility from the corporation to the individual. Absolutely we should all make the lifestyle changes that we can, but the heavy lifting on GHG emissions reduction has to come from political leaders and corporations.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently said, “Current policies are taking the world to a 2.8degree temperature rise . . . that spells catastrophe, yet the collective response remains pitiful.”
Governments won’t take decisive climate action unless they get a clear message from the people who elect them. I echo Wilson’s call for everyone who can to participate in the September 21 Fridays for Future March.
Jennifer Humphries
Glebe has been robbed of green space
Editor, Glebe Report
Initially, we were told that Queen Elizabeth Drive would be closed to cars this summer from Somerset to Pretoria Bridge for “active transport,” i.e., cycling and walking. However, I see what the NCC has installed in the middle of the road: picnic tables, park benches, red-chair swings, static games, a cool mist station. In other words, they are trying to turn the road into a park.
Is this because the beautiful Queen Juliana Park was destroyed in favour of a mammoth and ugly parking garage? Is it because a huge section of the Arboretum was rezoned, without public input or consent, for the new Civic hospital, cutting down 700 trees in the process? Is it because we were denied the creation of a worldclass park at Lansdowne so that it could become a developers’ paradise? Is it because the proposed new arena will destroy the green tobogganing hill and the precious little green space remaining at Lansdowne?
Take a look at the maps of Centretown and the Glebe – you will see that we have only minuscule parks, none of them large enough for sports, strolling, cycling or community gatherings. We have been robbed of green space in this part of the city. Now the public is expected to be grateful for a stretch of asphalt, with no grass, no trees, no shade, no nature, no beauty whatsoever, and asked to see it as a park. I find this absurd and insulting.
Dorothy Speak
In the Glebe
By Josh Rachlis | SparkTheGenius.com
Day care amalgamation raises red flags
Editor, Glebe Report
Re: “Glebe day care amalgamation brings hope and confusion to community,” Glebe Report, August 2024
This story needs the expertise of a seasoned investigative reporter. There are so many red flags. Daycare staff members, who are the heart and soul of GPDC (Glebe Parents Day Care), were clearly blindsided by their board. The environment of secrecy around the GPDC board’s actions and their decision to have GPDC taken over by
Send your letters, comments and/or suggestions to
editor@glebereport.ca
Andrew Fleck’s board is shocking. How was this level of secrecy possible when GPDC is (was) a co-operative organization? Does co-operative not mean that daycare staff, parents and board members are ALL to be included in the decision-making process, especially a decision of this magnitude? No wonder people feel betrayed. It’s being called an “amalgamation,” but it sounds a lot like a hostile takeover.
J. Hall
POETRY QUARTER
Food, glorious food!
Food is a fundamental of survival. And yet it has become so much more. It can be a means of celebration, an acknowledgment of tradition or culture, a catalyst for community synergy, a tool for wielding power, a symbol of both privilege and want.
Our call for the next Poetry Quarter in November asks you to explore food in all its broad significance – from our hedonistic desire for the delicious, to the vegetarian option, to the threat of food insecurity and hunger, and beyond. We want to hear, in poetic form, your thoughts about food in all its flavours.
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, October 28, 2024.
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 5 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, October 28, 2024
The monolithic grey parking garage going up at the green and lovely convergence of Dow’s Lake, Commissioners’ Park and the Central Experimental Farm PHOTO: LIZ MCKEEN
The Booth Street Complex – past, present and possible future
By Sue Stefko
Past
The buildings still in use at the Booth Street Complex are on a site that was once part of JR Booth’s Fraserfield lumber yard and railway line, which operated from shortly before 1900 until the 1930s. A rail spur connected the yard to the Canadian Pacific Railway, providing a quick and convenient way to transport lumber.
In 1935, the JR Booth Company announced plans to clear lumber from its yards. The southern part of the property, below Carling Avenue, was developed into Commissioner’s Park and an exclusive community around Dow’s Lake, initially called Lakeside Park. The northern portion, deemed more industrialized and less desirable, was acquired by the then Department of Mines, now Natural Resources Canada, to expand its Booth Street Complex. This northern section remained largely empty for decades. Photos and maps from the 1940s show the land was mostly vacant, except for two gas stations at the southern end near Carling Avenue, a baseball stadium and a few homes at the northern end near Plymouth Street.
Following the Second World War, the federal government placed greater emphasis on mineral exploration and ore testing, leading to a need for expanded facilities. In March 1952, residents of Plymouth, Lebreton, and other nearby streets were given two months’ notice by the federal government to vacate the land, which was being expropriated to expand the Department of Mines. The short notice
William Logan Building (Headquarters) (580 Booth) and Administration (588 Booth).
and the destruction of homes amid a housing shortage sparked protests from many of the 78 families affected. Some voiced their concerns in the Evening Citizen newspaper, comparing the government’s actions to those of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. One resident predicted families would be hastily removed, only for the property to remain vacant for years before any construction took place. This prediction proved accurate, as the first building on the new site, located at 555 Booth, was not built until 1957. It took nearly two more decades to complete the complex.
The 555 Booth building originally bore the ominous name “Chemical and Radioactive Ores,” though it has since been renamed the more reassuring CanMET (Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology). The next building, 601 Booth, housing the Geological Survey of Canada, was completed in 1959. By 1961, it was connected
The Geological Survey at 601 and Surveys and Mapping at 615 Booth. The buildings are joined, though only 615 Booth (the right side) is currently planned for divestment.
DALLAPORTA
PHOTO: GABRIELLE
to 615 Booth, home to the Surveys and Mapping Branch. The Administration building at 588 Booth was also built in 1959, and the headquarters, the 22-story tower at 580 Booth (now the Sir William Logan Building), was completed in 1974.
Present
In recent decades, there has been much speculation that these buildings would be declared surplus. In 2008, the government remediated the land to prepare it for future redevelopment. In 2016, the Ottawa Citizen reported that redevelopment plans had been in place since 2005. National Resources Canada and the Canada Lands Company had created a plan in 2008 to build a new “headquarters showcase” tower, demolish 615 Booth and construct residential housing on the site. The plan included low-rise residential buildings around a central court and two new high-rise towers. The Citizen also reported that, according to internal documents from 2011, 601 and 615 Booth were in “critical condition and require replacement.”
While these plans didn’t materialize, in 2018 the government initiated the Laboratories Canada strategy, which aimed to build two new facilities in the national capital region to replace other federal buildings such as 580 and 588 Booth. The plan involved bringing together 1,600 scientists from different departments, including Natural Resources Canada, at a site at 599 Tremblay Road as part of a project called TerraCanada.
However, the Tremblay Road project was cancelled in early 2023. Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) reported that it is now working with Natural Resources Canada on alternative plans to replace those buildings. Meanwhile, some TerraCanada employees continue to work out of the headquarters building at 580 Booth, which is currently being modernized, possibly to extend its lifespan.
Future?
Plans to divest parts of the Booth Street Complex remain active. PSPC reports the intent to divest 615 Booth, the building with the largest footprint in the complex, which currently houses the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency. The intent is likely to build housing on the site. However, similar efforts have been slow to materialize, with other nearby land sitting vacant and undeveloped. This site presents additional challenges due to its connection to the 601 Booth building, an aging structure, which may be seen as more of a liability than an asset.
Sue Stefko is vice president of the Glebe Annex Community Association.
The buildings that make up the Booth Street Complex include CANMET (555 Booth), Geological Survey of Canada (601 Booth), Surveys and Mapping (615 Booth), Sir
Helping newcomers avoid homelessness
By Carol Buckley
A recent University of Ottawa evaluation found that a small local charity, OMRA, is helping newcomers maintain stable housing in the face of high and rising rents. OMRA is an all-volunteer charity that provides portable rent subsidies to selected newcomers to help them cover their rent.
OMRA raises funds through grocery card sales. Purchasers buy cards with $50 or $100 values, and the stores pay OMRA four to five per cent of the value of the cards. Loblaws/No Frills, Metro/Food Basics and Farm Boy participate in OMRA’s program. OMRA also collects tax-deductible donations directly and through Canada Helps.
OMRA has several Glebe connections. Glebe-St. James United Church and the Society of Friends were early supporters of OMRA’s grocery-card fundraiser. To this day, congregants of both organizations buy grocery cards from OMRA every month. Also, Glebe residents Karen Walker and Marisa Romano are current and former OMRA board members.
While rising rental costs are causing hardship for scores of families and individuals across Ottawa, they are of special concern for refugees who rely on government shelter allowances that have not been adjusted since 2018. The monthly shelter allowance for a family of four is only $756. This is inadequate to cover the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Ottawa, which according to CMHC, was $1,700 in 2023 for all apartments or, according to Rentals.ca, $2,400 for vacant apartments only.
The evaluation, funded by the Catherine Donnelly Foundation, looked at 81 refugee households helped by OMRA between 2017 and 2023; 80 per cent were families (including 24 single-parent families) and 20 per cent were individuals. In 2017, OMRA paid $24,000 in rental subsidies. By 2023, that number grew to $126,000 with OMRA supporting about seven times more families. The average rental subsidy was $420 a month.
On average, OMRA provides subsidies for just under two years, with a range of two months to five years.
The study found that OMRA contributed to positive education and employment outcomes. Eighty per cent of OMRA families had attendance in a school program, and 52 per cent of clients started work while receiving a subsidy. Several clients said that they would not have been able to study in their profession without OMRA subsidies; without it, they would have had to get an immediate job and forego long-term, more stable goals.
The study also assessed the type of housing for subsidy recipients. Eighty per cent of survey respondents were in private market housing, 12 per cent were in social or non-profit housing, and eight per cent were unsure of the housing type. Just under half of those studied did not move since arriving in Canada, while 28 per cent had moved once and 16 per cent moved twice or more. Some OMRA families indicated a desire to find larger or better-situated apartments, but affordability was a constant issue.
On a personal level, OMRA clients reported improvements in their daily life, such as increased connectedness and reduced loneliness. Newcomers are often isolated by lack of money, contacts and knowledge of English and French. OMRA volunteers provided much-needed contact. “They check on you. You feel like you’re not alone” said one OMRA client.
The evaluation provided recommendations for OMRA, including increasing subsidies, increasing the number of clients and exploring the possibility of linking to a larger, more stable organization. Consequently, OMRA is currently exploring broadening its client base as a pilot project called Rent Assist Allies in collaboration with Action Logement, a housing-loss-prevention group.
OMRA is proud to work closely with local partners. Nine faith-based and community groups come together to buy OMRA’s grocery cards. OMRA refers clients to both Helping with Furniture and Matthew House to help set up newcomers’ households. Local refugee sponsorship groups refer clients to OMRA as do the Catholic Centre for Immigrants and the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization. Some 30 volunteers help OMRA families with tutoring and moving tasks.
If you would like to know more about OMRA, please visit omraottawa.org. If you would like to purchase grocery cards, please contact: omrainquiries@gmail. com. You can donate to OMRA at Canada Helps.
Carol Buckley has been active in refugee sponsorship since 2016 and an OMRA board member since 2017. She is currently VP, OMRA and lives in Old Ottawa East.
This mother, pictured with her daughter, has gained two new Canadian work qualifications.
These two children first met in a Thai refugee camp and are now getting reacquainted here in Ottawa.
Walk for the Centre 2024
By Susan Palmai
In past years, Glebe residents have come out to support the Centretown Community Food Centre’s annual Walk for the Centre. On October 6, we will celebrate our ninth edition of the Walk.
This year the need is even more crucial than previous years. Food insecurity in Ottawa continues to be a tough reality for many people. All community food banks have concerns with the increased number of people accessing their service and the dwindling supply of food available.
The Centretown Community Food Centre (CCFC), located at 370 Catherine Street to serve people in The Glebe, Centretown, Old Ottawa South and others, is no exception. CCFC’s purpose is to help neighbours in need. For the past few months, more than 1,500 people, including a large number of children, have been served by the food centre’s friendly staff and volunteers.
The Centretown Churches Social Action Committee (CCSAC) is a collective of 22 churches in downtown Ottawa, including several in The Glebe. Since 1978, CCSAC’s main project has been oversight of the CCFC. The new location for the centre is accessible and a welcoming place for everyone.
CCSAC’s main fundraising event is the annual Walk for the Centre. Arrive early (starting at 1 p.m.) on Sunday, October 6 to enjoy the festivities at Jean
Pigott Place at Ottawa City Hall. There will be live music and guest speakers including Ariel Troster, city councillor for Somerset Ward. Pipers from the Sons of Scotland piper band will lead the walkers out the doors of City Hall as the Walk officially begins at 2 p.m.
The two-to-four-kilometre route runs along the picturesque Rideau Canal from Confederation Park to the Pretoria Bridge.
A number of local businesses sponsor the Walk with generous donations and prizes. We encourage participants to submit photos for the photo contest.
We ask for your support of this worthwhile and necessary fundraiser for the food bank. Online donations can be made at www.centretownchurches. org/walkathon. Alternatively, donations can be made by cheque (made payable to CCSAC) at the registration desk on October 6 or mailed directly to CCSAC at 507 Bank Street, Ottawa K2P 1Z5. Receipts will be issued for donations over $20.
The walk is also an opportunity to show support for improved food security for all our neighbours in Central Ottawa. We encourage you to come out and walk.
Looking forward to seeing you at our ninth annual Walk for the Centre!
Susan Palmai is chair of the Outreach Committee at Glebe-St. James United Church, a CCSAC member church.
Salute your unsung heroine!
Femmes remarquables Ottawa Distinguished Women is a volunteer community initiative to recognize the outstanding contributions and professional achievements of exceptional women in Ottawa. Please consider nominating someone whom you would like to see recognized at an annual gala for her contributions to our community.
Femmes remarquables Ottawa Distinguished Women is comprised of community leaders from various cultural communities and backgrounds with a shared passion for creating a lasting legacy of recognition. Our goal is to acknowledge and document local women whose achievements and contributions have enriched the quality of life for Ottawa’s citizens.
It is also to reflect Ottawa’s rich diversity, to inspire young women, to encourage city commemorations of women and to promote local initiatives and organizations that recognize the positive value and impact of these women to our city, to our nation and/or globally.
Femmes remarquables Ottawa Distinguished Women organizes an annual gala where these distinguished women are presented with certificates and lauded for their work. There are three categories for nomination: Lifetime Achievement, Pillars of the Community and Women of Influence. Most
importantly, this is not a competition but entirely merit based. There are no deadlines and nominations are accepted for review.
Not all nominees have to be well known, and many are unsung heroines whose contributions are genuinely making a difference to their communities and, in turn, to Ottawa as a whole. Some may have moved away, and others are now deceased, yet their legacies have impacted our lives and made us a better city.
Any person who is 18 years of age or older and a resident of Canada may submit a nomination application. Please consider nominating someone in your community whom you would like to see recognized for her contributions to our community.
For further information or to nominate an exceptional woman, please visit www.frottawadw.ca or you may reach us directly at frottawadw@gmail.com.
This year’s Walk for the Centre in support of the Centretown food bank will take place on October 6.
Sarah Routliffe GNAG Executive Director
N 613-233-8713
Fall forward at GNAG!
Take your first spin on the pottery wheel. Learn the art of fermentation by creating your own sauerkraut and kimchi with nutritionist Amy Longard. Refine your brush strokes with themed painting nights. Create beautiful soy wax candles that brighten your home. Unwind and experience the resonance of sound bath therapy.
These enriching new workshops will be offered at the Glebe Community Centre this fall, thanks to your feedback! We hope that even the busiest folks in our community can get a taste of what the Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group (GNAG) has to offer and become immersed with our vibrant community!
Fall Program Registration
Fall registration began on August 27. While some of our programs sold out right away, others still have spots available! Check out the Fall Program Guide at www.gnag.ca – and if you have any questions about our programs, please reach out to the front office or email info@gnag.ca.
The Glebe House Tour
We are excited to announce that the Glebe House Tour is returning on Sunday, September 15. Explore how owners of five homes have breathed new life into older properties, followed by tea and baked goods at the Glebe Community Centre.
Proceeds from this event will support the Community Development Fund, which helps finance our Financial Assistance and Integration Programs. Additionally, 10 per cent of ticket sales will be donated to Haven Too, an emergency youth shelter operating out of Fourth Avenue Baptist Church that provides essential services to vulnerable youth.
As of now, there are still tickets available for the tour! You can register through our website at www.gnag.ca. We are grateful to our wonderful sponsors; it truly takes a village to make this event happen!
Before and After School Care!
Our Breakfast Club (before school) & Quest-4-Fun (after school) programs offer quality activities for children who attend schools in the neighbourhood, from the arts and sciences to sports and adventure games. We strive to keep your child so entertained that they may not want to leave!
While we have limited spaces, openings come up throughout the year. For more information, please visit www. gnag.ca/q4 for the “Parent Fact Sheet” or contact info@gnag.ca, and we will do our best to find a spot for your child!
E info@gnag.ca gnag.ca Please support our advertisers!
GNAG Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting will be held in person at the Glebe Community Centre on Wednesday, October 16 at 7 p.m. We will review and celebrate all the amazing moments from last year, honour the 2023-24 board members and elect the new board of directors for 2024-25. The public is welcome to join us!
Are you interested in getting involved? Have a program idea or an initiative that you would like to share? Please email us at info@gnag.ca with your input!
A Fond Farewell to Summer
If you stopped by the centre this summer, you probably noticed our full-time team members were rarely at their desks, thanks to one of our busiest and most successful summers yet. When you hear how much fun the campers are having outside your door, it’s impossible not to join in!
To show you the true magnitude of our summer programs, we hosted a grand total of 174 camps this year! On average, we had around 336 children registered daily, including camps at the St. James Tennis Club.
For all of this to run smoothly, behind the scenes it takes 36 volunteers, eight full-time team members, 21 summer camp coordinators, 49 camp counselors, three staff for children with exceptionalities and two front-desk staff devoted to customer service.
I’d like to extend my gratitude to our full-time team, all the coordinators and counsellors, the junior leaders and especially the amazing volunteers. And to the City of Ottawa staff in the building, thank you for enduring the “all around the centre games” – we hope they lived up to their name! Lastly, thanks to the Canada Summer Jobs Grant, we were awarded six staff positions, which allowed us to add an additional integration staff this year.
To advertise on glebereport.ca and in the Glebe Report email advertising@glebereport.ca
IN THE HEART OF THE glEbE
Richard Merrill Haney, Ph.D. (Counselling & Mediation)
“You are your dreams...limited only by your fears.”
• Individual, Couple and Family Counselling
• Comprehensive Family Mediation (with or without lawyers)
• Hypnotherapy • Life Coaching
Bank St. at the canal email: richard@ottawacounselling.com 234-5678 (by appointment) www.ottawacounselling.com
The GNAG summer staff social on August 22 at the Titans Game PHOTO: TIM AUSTEN PHOTOGRAPHY
Another busy year ahead for GCA
By time you read this, the Glebe Community Association will have held its Annual General Meeting on September 12. A new board will be in place composed of people who are committed to working with city authorities, business and other communities on the challenges that face all parts of the city.
Our new board includes a number of returnees, some of whom are taking on new roles; there are also new faces – we welcome their new energy and ideas.
Welcome to new board members Jenny Pepall (communications), Simon Morris (transportation), Sam Wood (Great Glebe Garage Sale) and David
John Crump President, Glebe Community Association www.glebeca.ca
There is still room to get involved on a number of GCA committees. Check our website at www.glebeca.ca to see what interests you.
We are saying good-bye to Colette Downie, Anthony Carricato, Christina Honeywell-Dobbin, Elspeth Tory and Janna Rinaldi. Thank you for your contributions. It’s been great working with you.
A sampling of issues
Over the next year, the GCA will continue to advocate on everything from more affordable housing and improved
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public transportation to responding to the city’s declared climate emergency and pushing for more transparent decision making at City Hall. And of course, Lansdowne 2.0. We work through a series of committees – parks, environment, heritage, transportation as well as health, housing and social services, Lansdowne and the Great Glebe Garage Sale – which continue to demonstrate a strong commitment to volunteerism and the community.
The GCA will also continue to work with the Glebe Business Improvement Area (BIA), the Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group, the Federation of Citizens’ Associations and others to address community safety issues.
As fall rolls around, we will be looking ahead to next spring’s Great Glebe Garage Sale. This year’s sale raised (to date) $13,500 for the Ottawa Food Bank.
One of the main issues the transportation committee will have on its plate is the Active Transportation and Transit Priority Feasibility Study between Highway 417 and the Rideau Canal. The City held an open house in midJune, and a second session is planned for this fall (date to be announced)
with proposals to go to the politicians at City Hall in early 2025. There are four options being reviewed – one which leaves the street and sidewalks as they are and three others with different configurations. You can see the options online at https://engage. ottawa.ca/bank-street-active-transportation-and-transit-priority-feasibility-study.
Experience with the conversations around Bank Street show that people care deeply about what is both our community’s “main street” but also a major north-south arterial road. Given the narrow width of the roadway, there is no magic solution. The GCA is following this issue closely. We all want Bank Street to be successful. Area residents value our walkable neighbourhood which allows easy access to Bank Street businesses.
Remember streetcars on Bank?
If you do, you were here before they were taken off Ottawa’s roads in 1959. We had a glimpse of that history a few years ago when remnants were unearthed during the installation of new sewer and water lines.
The Ottawa Electric Railway ran throughout the city from 1891 to 1959 and to commemorate that history, the GCA’s heritage committee worked with local volunteers and city staff to install a sticker on one of the last remaining poles that supported overhead wires that powered the cars. The heritage sticker can be found just south of the Queensway, on the west side of Bank in front of The Works restaurant. It includes photos of the streetcars’ farewell parade on 2 May 1959 (see Jay Miller’s article on page 14 for more information).
Next meeting
The first fall meeting of the Glebe Community Association will take place at the Glebe Community Centre, Tuesday, September 24 from 7 to 9 p.m. Please join us.
Shawn Menard Councillor, Capital Ward
N 613-580-2487 www.shawnmenard.ca
A ‘sudden’ transit crisis in Ottawa?
Ottawa’s public transit system is in financial distress and the recent call for increased funding from provincial and federal governments has forced this issue into the spotlight. In fact, the situation is so dire that it is rumoured we may not even be able to open and operate Stage 2 LRT once completed –a system we have spent billions of dollars on to build.
But how did we get here? The way it’s being positioned, you would think that this is a sudden catastrophe, resulting from a strange mix of COVID hangover and stingy governments.
If, like me, you take the bus on occasion – or if you just follow the decisions made by city councils for the past decade and more – you wouldn’t be surprised by the “sudden” transit crisis.
Whether it’s long-delayed, private-sector-led LRT projects or route cuts or fare hikes or a rash of bus cancellations, most of us have seen the deterioration of OC Transpo for a long time.
It’s easy to point to COVID-19 and the change in work habits of our fellow residents as the cause of the decline of transit in Ottawa (never mind the positive benefits that have resulted from work-from-home policies and the need to focus on revitalizing our core), but, really, we need to look back much farther…back to 2011, in fact.
It may seem like a haze now, but back in 2011, transit was actually working pretty well for residents. In fact, we hit an all-time high of 103.5 million rides that year. And don’t forget, that was just two years after a bus strike which resulted in dampened ridership and low public confidence in the city’s transit system.
So, with things going well, what did the city do? They began slashing transit service, shortening routes, combining routes, eliminating runs, reducing service hours…and then the city increased fares heavily, making residents pay more for less.
Ridership dropped below 100 million within two years and kept declining until 2017, when it hit a low of 95.4 million trips. That’s about an 8 per cent drop in six years, despite increases in population of 14 per cent. It’d be impressive if not so depressing.
The pandemic may have been a huge hit to transit use, but it can’t be used as an excuse for a decade of mismanagement leading up to the outbreak.
Further, a pandemic that began in 2019 can’t be used as a scapegoat
forever. In January 2023, Transit Windsor announced that they were back to pre-pandemic ridership levels. Back in April, Hamilton announced that their Hamilton Street Railway was on pace to be back to pre-COVID numbers by the end of the year.
Last year, the American Public Transportation Association announced that transit service in nine metro areas had rebounded, surpassing 2019 numbers, with others like Cincinnati (97 per cent) and Kansas City (93 per cent) getting really close.
Of course, how you get these numbers is the big question, but it’s not exactly a mystery. You add routes. You add trips. You have buses and trains run frequently. You offer affordable service. You make sure you have enough buses and drivers to service all routes. You limit interlining (the practice of switching buses from one route to another multiple times a day), so that the entire system isn’t as fragile as it’s been for the last decade.
Ottawa, of course, is doing the opposite. We’ve increased fares, cut service, and now we’ve unveiled a “New Ways to Bus” campaign, stemming from the recent route review. For Capital Ward residents, we’ve done our best to mitigate the negatives that come with this change and have kept service relatively intact for our ward. We can dress it up however we want, but in the end, the changes will mean service cuts, about $10 million in total, my team has learned.
We need to do an about-face on transit. Should the provincial and federal governments contribute more, especially to operating costs? Of course they should – it’s been a long-standing call from organizations like the Federation of Canadian Municipalities – but we find ourselves in this financial crisis because of decisions made by successive administrations, not to mention the terrible budget-killing exercises of expanding the urban boundary, pouring hundreds of millions into Lansdowne or massive road expansions (instead of fixing the roads we already have).
This city cannot grow and flourish without functional transit. We’re over a million people now, and we need all forms of transportation to help contribute to the daily trips taken by residents.
The solution is clear to me – it’s ensuring that transit is an easy-to-use service that receives investment and renewal. It’s time to make a robust, functional system. No more cuts. No more fare hikes. Increased service. Better reliability and frequency. Greater affordability while acknowledging and confronting the mistakes of the past.
Hiring a contractor? Here are
By Adrian Becklumb
For the last 17 years, I have lived in the Glebe and have delivered the Glebe Report with my family. I am now retired and moving to the greener pastures of Comox, B.C.
I owned and operated an HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) installation company. Here are some tips for dealing with contractors working on your home. For a successful relationship, it is the small things that matter.
1. Allow contractors to park in your driveway. Finding a parking spot in the winter can be challenging. Make sure your driveway is clear of ice.
2. Clean the work area before the contractor arrives. No one wants to work beside your cat litter box. Stairways to the basement should be clear. Provide lights if your basement is dark.
3. Tell the contractor where your bathroom is.
4. Tell the contractor where your water shut off is and ensure it is accessible.
5. Tell the contractor where your electrical panel is and ensure it is accessible.
6. Offer tea, coffee, water and cookies twice a day. Contractors are like Labradors – they are motivated by food.
7. If your cat, dog, toddler, bird or bunny is an escape artist, take precautions.
8. Ask to see your contractor’s trade licences. Contractors will be proud to show their licences.
9. If your air conditioner is being removed, insist that the refrigerant is reclaimed. The refrigerant is a very strong greenhouse gas. It is a legal requirement that refrigerant be reclaimed, but disreputable contractors do not always follow the rules.
10. Safety is a huge issue. Falls from heights are the big killer. Scaffolding should be used when installing ductless splits. Allow the contractor to wear safety boots in your house.
11. Don’t buy used barbecues. The most common patients for plastic
some tips
surgeons are motorcycle crash victims and barbecue users.
12. Don’t hover over your contractor asking questions. When distracted, we make mistakes.
13. Talking of mistakes, don’t rush your contractor. If we make a mistake, your house could burn down due to an electrical fire, you and your neighbours’ house could blow up because of a gas leak, you could die from carbon monoxide poisoning, or your basement could flood.
14. Business relationships shouldn’t be a fight. Keep things civil, fun and friendly. Keep up good communications. Ask for updates every two hours, and remember that with a 120-year-old Glebe house, there will likely be surprises.
15. Listen to your contractor. Thirty minutes of Google research does not make you an expert.
TSSA (Technical Standards and Safety Authority) is the provincial regulator of HVAC workers. They have cut way back on work-site inspections. There are also no penalties for HVAC contractors who do not follow the rules if there is no injury, property damage or a major spill. To protect yourself, make sure you have carbon monoxide detectors installed. If you smell natural gas, call Enbridge immediately.
Adrian Becklumb is a retired HVAC contractor.
A hovering customer, “helping” to install gas piping for a barbeque. PHOTO: ADRIAN BECKLUMB
By Martha Tobin
Stuff has a way of accumulating over time and then one day you look around and realize that you’ve got more stuff than you have space for. Piles have started in various corners of your home, and you feel overwhelmed.
When you get to this point, decluttering is key. Many people tell me that one of the things that holds them back from letting go of items is that they are not sure where they can donate things that they no longer want or need.
Donations of items that are in good shape and working order can have wonderful second lives with others in need in our community.
Here is a list of some organizations in Ottawa and a sense of what donated items they accept. More information is available on their websites or at www.declutter4good.ca/charities
Where to donate items you no longer need or want
Belong Ottawa (formerly The Well) – New and unopened toiletries
Caldwell Family Centre – Clothing, unopened personal care items, linens, kitchen dishes and small appliances
Friends of the Ottawa Library – Books
Habitat for Humanity – Gently used home goods and building materials, furniture, housewares and décor, home appliances, electronics, fixtures, flooring, lighting, doors and windows, in good condition and full working order
Hakim Optical – Prescription eyeglasses (including both prescription and non-prescription sunglasses)
Heartwood House – Computer equipment and other electronics for reuse, repair or environmentally friendly recycling
Helping with Furniture – Small kitchen appliances, lamps, flatscreen TVs over 27 inches and stands, couches, love seats and living room chairs, curtains, brackets and rods, bed frames, box springs and mattresses, and tablets and laptops
Hijinx Ottawa – Housewares
House2Home – Furniture, bedding, kitchen supplies, towels, sewing machines, carpets and art
OrKidstra – Musical instruments in good working order, especially wind, brass and stringed instruments (no pianos, keyboards, guitars or drum kits)
Ottawa Outdoor Gear library – A broad range of outdoor gear
(i.e.. camping, outdoor sports and games, and yoga)
Ottawa Tool Library – Household tools in good working order
Product Care Recycling – Leftover residential paint and spray paint
Letting go of items you no longer need or want is always a win-winwin: you are going to get more space and feel calmer, those in need in our community will get items they require, and less will be going to landfills. If you need some help getting started, reach out to me at Declutter4Good.ca to chat. All consultations are free and confidential.
Martha Tobin is the owner of Declutter4Good, a decluttering service.
My nod to a vanished Ottawa
The Bank Street streetcar era
By Jay Miller
Back in July of 2021, I read a Lost Ottawa book by David McGee. He commented that there was only one remaining vestige of the Bank Street streetcar line, which is the electrical pylon on the west side of Bank, between Rosebery and Strathcona.
I went to look at this relic and found a forlorn pole with no indication that until 1959 it had helped streetcars trundle along Bank Street.
Back then, one route went south over the Canal and past the Mayfair Theatre. The northern route continued via the Alexandra Bridge over the Ottawa River and into Hull. Another went through the Fletcher Wildlife Garden. Still another route had its western terminus at Britannia Bay.
Being a long-time Glebe resident, I was impressed by this news and with what we had lost. Back in 1891, streetcars were electrically operated. Now,
a new diesel-powered line is about to operate to the Ottawa airport, somewhat of a throwback ecologically. Also, I could have hopped on our original light rail to take me across the Alexandra Bridge into Gatineau. Such a line is only just being dreamed about again.
I was fascinated with the history and wanted to make sure the City wouldn’t bring down this one surviving relic without at least some effort to preserve it.
Also, I was hoping it could be spruced up, as it was looking pretty ragged –130 years of Ottawa weather could certainly account for that!
I approached Heritage Ottawa and councillor Shawn Menard’s office to get the ball rolling – Menard’s staff put me in touch with City staff who were very willing to help move this along.
I would have been perfectly satisfied if the City had taken charge at this point, but I was asked to draft some suggestions for text for a plaque and suggest some images. We had several go-arounds, with each new version an improvement. The City Archives was most helpful.
I learned some surprising things in the process. The City archivist advised that contrary to published reports, Ottawa was not the first city in Canada to provide its residents with electric, heated streetcars. Although the switch was made from horse-drawn cars in 1891, Vancouver beat us to the electric punch by only a few days!!
We also found another surprise –another abandoned pole on Holmwood Avenue, at the corner of Monk Street west of Bank. So now we needed two plaques, not one.
Back then, the streetcar network was being expanded into some of the side streets, so you might have seen a streetcar going along Holmwood.
The text and choice of pictures evolved, and a French translation was provided by the City. A local supplier
quoted a very reasonable price for production and installation.
Two years on, we were finally ready to trigger the installation, but then another City department weighed in. Turns out there were issues of ownership, maintenance, safety and appropriateness of plaque attachment for longevity as well as safety. Plus, there was the issue of financing, though this was just a matter of a few hundred dollars.
The City, to this point, had not considered this to be a formal City project, but rather something sponsored by a resident or perhaps through the local councillor or the Glebe Community Association, both of which were generously amenable to considering paying for the project. The well-known Ottawa logo was not originally included as part of the design, for that reason.
Initially, there was a willingness to contribute to developing of some sort of memorial, but City staff became more enthused about the idea as time went on, and City Archives decided to bring the entire project in-house and fund it directly.
A completely different approach was devised, leading to the installation of a sticker wrapping around the pole, with QR codes leading to a website with much more information than could possibly be put on the pole itself. Go to the City Archives website at ottawa.ca/ en/arts-heritage-and-events/city-ottawa-archives/exhibits-and-events/ monuments-and-plaques.
The new memorial sign, which is in place as you read this, emphasizes how the development of the Glebe was stimulated by the breadth and sweep of the transportation network, quite an accomplishment in and of itself.
It’s taken three years to get to this point, but I am very pleased that we are commemorating our impressive transportation history, and that this noble old relic of the glory days is recognized and preserved.
I applaud the innovators of the last two centuries, and my thanks to the City for following through on this memorial and to Councillor Menard’s office and the Glebe Community Association for support along the way.
Text of the memorial sign on one of two remaining streetcar electrical pylons
Jay Miller is a long-time Glebe resident and streetcar enthusiast.
Jay Miller, instigator of the project to commemorate the remnant of Ottawa’s streetcar heritage, attended a ceremony unveiling the new memorial sign on August 29.
PHOTOS: LIZ MCKEEN
The electrical pylon on the corner of Bank and Rosebery with newly installed memorial sign
Time for climate accountability
By Cecile Wilson
CO2 at Mauna Loa, 25 August 2024: 421.72 ppm
There’s a lot of buzz around the measures we can take as individuals to lower our greenhouse gas emissions. Large or small, each of these measures makes an actual, physical difference. But if we’re going to reach emission-reduction targets set by municipal, provincial and federal governments and lower our chances of devastating weather events, we’re going to need governments, corporations and organizations to join us with timely, decisive action on climate change.
With this in mind, on Saturday, September 21, Fridays for Future (FFF) Ottawa-Gatineau will be calling out six “climate culprits” who are accused of “blocking effective climate policy, spreading misinformation and providing funding to the disastrous fossil-fuel industry.”
Background
Canada is the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions outlier of the G7. To meet our 2030 target, we need to get to 25 per cent below our 1990 level of emissions. Since 1990, however, Canada’s emissions have risen by 17 per cent.
If our governments and corporations had taken the Paris Agreement seriously in 2016, we would have had to reduce our emissions by 19 million tonnes of CO2 per year to meet the 2030 goal. By delaying significant action, we must now reduce yearly emissions
by 36 million tonnes, almost twice the amount.
Dirty energy
FFF Ottawa-Gatineau named the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and the Canadian Gas Association (CGA) as climate culprits because of their efforts to sabotage the transition to renewable energy by deliberately spreading misinformation and by lobbying governments for special treatment when it comes to regulating emissions.
CGA has paid for anonymous ads on various platforms by an advocacy group promoting fossil gas (aka ‘natural’ gas) as a clean source of energy. While it is true that fossil gas produces fewer emissions than coal, it is not emission-free. Fossil gas is mostly composed of methane, a gas that is shorter-lived than CO2 but much more potent.
CAPP puts much of its efforts into lobbying governments for policy decisions and regulations that are favourable to its industry. So far, its 23 registered lobbyists have been successful in fighting a cap on emissions. Despite fossil fuels being the largest contributor to Canada’s climate-destabilizing emissions, there are no limits to how much pollution fossil fuel companies can produce during extraction and refining. However, the federal government is in the process of drafting regulations to address this exception.
Dirty money
Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) make the climate culprit list because they fund fossil-fuel projects that are making climate disasters many times more likely. According to
fossil-fuel subsidies. On September 21, the Fridays for Future Climate March will be calling on EDC and six other organizations to stop favouring fossil fuels and commit to timely, decisive action on climate change.
Environmental Defense, EDC provided $7.3 billion dollars in fossil-fuel subsidies in 2023 alone.
Although all big-five Canadian banks are heavily invested in the fossil fuel sector, RBC has consistently been the top funder. According to the 2024 Banking on Climate Chaos report, RBC has invested $256 US billion in fossil fuels since 2016.
Political posturing
When Doug Ford took power in 2018, one of the first things he did was cancel 758 renewable-energy projects, including a partially built windfarm. More recently, the provincial government is sending mixed messages. While it announced an intention last December to secure 5000 megawatts of electricity from renewable sources, in that same month it blocked the Ontario Energy Board’s recommendation to pass on the cost of gas lines in new subdivisions to developers instead of homeowners. In addition, the Ford
government is increasing the supply of gas-fired electricity.
Act
now
Why is the City of Ottawa a climate culprit? The City has a detailed plan to move towards a low-carbon future but according to Fridays for Future, it is suffering from a lack of leadership and commitment to implement that plan. The City needs to fully fund its climate plan, develop green building and retrofit plans, fix its transit woes and use zoning and bylaws to make Ottawa more pedestrian and EV-friendly, they say.
One of the most disturbing impediments to progress on climate action is the veritable moratorium on renewable-energy projects while the City develops zoning and permitting regulations for those projects.
What you can do
Join the Climate March with your friends and family on September 21 at 11 a.m. at City Hall. See fridaysforfutureottawa.org for more details.
Never think of yourself as too small to matter. If you’ve ever been in room at night with a mosquito, you’ll know how powerful one can be!
Upcoming
If you are a senior interested in climate action, join Seniors for Climate Action Now (SCAN) for their National Seniors Day for Climate.
Cecile Wilson is a senior in the Glebe interested in climate action and the discourse of climate change.
In 2023, Export Development Canada (EDC) provided $7.3 billion in
PHOTO: DAVID WILSON
‘It’s not invasive in my yard’
How this myth about invasive species harms Glebe biodiversity
By Christina Keys
Periwinkle, lily of the valley, goutweed, daylilies, barberry and burning bush are beautiful yet ecologically harmful plants that are commonly found in Glebe gardens. These plants are for sale in most garden centres around Ottawa even though each is categorised as an invasive species by scientists.
Inevitably, invasive species escape yards and invade natural areas where they outcompete native species, creating a dead zone of vegetation that does not support the local insects, birds and mammals that rely on native plants. In fact, most invasive plants were introduced to wild ecosystems through our landscaping.
Some people feel that invasive plants do no harm when confined to their own gardens or yards. However, even the most diligent gardener cannot control an invasive species. Birds eat the seeds and deposit them in other areas, and the wind blows the seeds away.
Little regulation
Why are these plants even for sale if they do such harm? Very few plants in the horticultural trade are regulated in Canada, despite the enormous cost to all levels of government, to the agricultural sector and to biodiversity. The Canadian Coalition for Invasive Plant Regulation is trying to change this by lobbying at the federal level for regulations to limit the sale of these harmful species.
Wild invasive species
Unfortunately, cultivated invasive species are not the only threat to our biodiversity. Creeping bellflower, Japanese knotweed, dog-strangling vine and common buckthorn are no longer for sale, yet they are increasingly abundant in the Glebe and across the region. It is not hard to see the devastation caused by each type of invasive species in our natural spaces, especially Patterson Creek Park. Any garden will inevitably attract these invasives –buckthorn seeds are deposited by birds while the 2,400 seeds a year produced by dog-strangling vine and the 15,000 produced by creeping bellflower are spread by the wind.
Transforming ‘ecological dead zones’
You can help alleviate the biodiversity crisis by removing invasive species from your yard. That can be hard work, so at least consider removing the flowers or seed heads to prevent further spread if removal isn’t possible.
Ontario’s Invading Species Aware ness Program has excellent visual guides for invasive species and com bined with an app like Picture This or PlantSnap, you’ll easily be able to iden tify them and learn how to effectively remove them. You can talk to your gar dener, landscaper, landlord or condo association about their management of invasive species and provide them with these resources.
Identifying and removing invasive plants is the hard part. The fun part is replacing these harmful species with beautiful, non-invasive alternatives or even beneficial native plants. Native alternative groundcovers for shade include wild geranium, woodland strawberry, wild ginger and bunch berry, Canada’s unofficial national flower found in every province and
Dog-strangling vine has taken over parts of Patterson Creek Park this year. It threatens monarch butterflies that mistake it for a native milkweed species, lay their eggs, and then the caterpillars starve to death. Monarch caterpillars can only survive on native milkweeds such as butterfly milkweed and swamp milkweed, both suitable for Glebe gardens.
territory. In the sun, try creeping juniper, field pussy toes and silverweed. Both blue violets and Canada anemone grow in sun or shade.
Planting any of these species will help to transform your garden into a thriving, beneficial ecosystem.
Christina Keys is a wildlife gardener with Garden Releaf, a Glebe-based ecological garden restoration and design company, owned and operated by Tara Beauchamp. Together, they remove invasive species in gardens across central Ottawa, replacing them with thriving native plant gardens.
PHOTO: TARA BEAUCHAMP
Each creeping bellflower plant can produce 15,000 seeds per year. Remove the flowers or seed heads, and if possible, dig up to 18” deep to remove the carrot-like tubers. PHOTOS: CHRISTINA KEYS
Lily of the valley has extensive root systems. Use a spade or garden knife to get deep enough to remove as much of the root as possible. Alternative plants include woodland strawberry, Canada anemone, wild ginger, and blue violets. PHOTO: TARA BEAUCHAMP
Creeping bellflower plant
Turtles can use a helping hand
By Sandy Garland and Margaret Lavictoire
With the abundance of waterways, ponds and shorelines in Ottawa, it’s not unusual to spot a turtle basking on a warm summer day. At key times, you will see turtles on land. June is the peak of nesting season for all turtle species in our area, and September is when the baby turtles will hatch and make their way back to the water.
Why do we care?
All turtle species in Eastern Ontario are “species at risk,” some are “endangered.”
Snapping turtles only begin to reproduce when they are 20 years old. They lay one clutch containing 20 to 60 eggs a year. Once the eggs are buried, the turtle returns to the water, leaving the nest to its fate. With no natural protection, there is a great risk that raccoons, skunks or other predators will dig up most of these nests and eat the eggs.
Protecting the nests
In 2021, residents of Old Ottawa East and Old Ottawa South started to organize to help the turtles. They built nest protectors according to Canadian Wildlife Federation design specifications and when someone saw a turtle laying eggs, a volunteer would come by to cover the nest with a protector.
People in both neighbourhoods and as far away as Riverain Park and the Fletcher Wildlife Garden take photos of turtles laying eggs and post them on the Facebook group “Turtles of Old Ottawa East and South.” The photos and accompanying maps help the turtle team locate the nest, confirm the presence of eggs, then cover it with a frame made of 2 by 4s with a wire mesh on the top side and small exit openings on the
lower edge. They fasten it to the ground with long spikes so predators can’t get at the eggs. For some nests in high-traffic or risky areas, the Canadian Wildlife Federation will assist with moving the nest or removing the eggs for incubation.
In 2023, the group installed 40 nest protectors. For their work, they received a Conservation Award from the Ottawa Field Naturalists’ Club. The citation says: “This engaged and committed group saw a problem, developed a solution, and is helping to preserve local Species at Risk. They are an excellent example of community conservation at work.”
Snapping turtle eggs take about 90 days to hatch, so volunteers monitor the nests through the summer. They remove vegetation that might shade the nest (reducing the temperature too much and slowing development). In late summer, when eggs start to hatch, volunteers make sure the tiny turtles can get out through the openings in the protector and head in the right direction toward water.
What can you do?
If you have the good fortune to see newly hatched turtles in our parks, help them to the closest shore as this trip from the nest to the water is also perilous.
Also greatly appreciated would be help from individuals, classes or organizations in building more nest protectors for next year or donations of 2 by 4s (at least four feet in length).
For more information, including the PDF plans for building nest protectors: https://linktr.ee/ TurtlesOOES
Sandy Garland of Old Ottawa South and Margaret Lavictoire of the Glebe are supporters of efforts to help endangered turtles.
Newly hatched snapping turtle released by the Canadian Wildlife Federation in Brantwood Park this August. PHOTO: JANICE CAMERON
The new inlet at Brewer Pond is becoming a popular nesting spot for snapping turtles. PHOTO: SANDY GARLAND
Snapping turtle digging a nest. If you see one in action, be sure to take photos with landmarks to allow volunteers to pinpoint the location. PHOTO: SANDY GARLAND
By Ben Campbell-Rosser and Jessica Forrest
A longhorned bee (of the genus Melissodes) visits a sunflower during a sunny summer day in the Glebe. Yellow pollen bulges from structures, called scopae, on her hindlimbs. There are several species of these robust hairy bees in Ottawa, so named because of the comparatively long antennae of the males. Longhorned bees are solitary bees. Unlike social bees, solitary bees do not build hives or have colonies or a queen, nor do they make honey, swarm or tend to their young. Female longhorned bees live alone in burrows in the soil where they construct individual nests containing brood cells lined with a waxy material. The mother bee lays an egg and places a ball of nutritious pollen mixed with nectar into each cell before sealing. Male longhorned bees do not have scopae or collect pollen, and they sleep above ground sheltered by flowering plants or other cover. There are approximately 20,000 species of bees on Earth. Less than 10 per cent of those species are social bees; the overwhelming majority are solitary. Canada has more than 800 species of bees, Ontario has some 420. Longhorned bees are common, with at least 22 species in this province. Most solitary bees are excellent pollinators, ground dwellers and less aggressive than social bees. Almost one-third of solitary bee species are “pollen specialists.” They visit those types of flowers to which they are adapted to maximize harvesting of nectar and pollen. Several species of longhorned bees are specialized pollinators of sunflowers,
daisies and asters. Bees are crucial for sustaining life on Earth. More than any other creatures on the planet, they are responsible for pollinating flowering plants. Pollination is the transfer of pollen from a flower’s male part to a flower’s female part. Most flowering plants must be pollinated to produce their seeds and the associated orchard fruits, berries, nuts, vegetables and oilseeds. Pollinators play a key role in plant life and are necessary for healthy ecosystems.
Populations of many terrestrial insects, including wild bees, have declined in recent years. Bees are threatened by habitat loss, pathogens, pesticides and climate change. There are a few simple things that we in Ottawa can do to assist bees.
During the gardening season, plant and maintain flowers to contribute to the diversity of flowering plants, shrubs and trees. Where possible, leave wildflowers intact. Avoid the use of pesticides. Leave areas of loose bare soil and natural debris, including dead wood and hollow stems, for nesting habitats and overwintering sites.
The next time you see a bee, be awed by the tiny perfect yet powerful body. Ponder whether it is solitary or social. Marvel at the complex creature whose ancestors began to evolve together with flowering plants at least 135 million years ago.
Dr. Jessica Forrest is an associate professor in the Biology Department, at the University of Ottawa. Ben Campbell-Rosser is a retired academic, Glebe resident and a Glebe Report carrier.
A long-horned bee on a sunflower in the Glebe on July 31. The bee’s features include easily discernible antennae. PHOTOS: BEN CAMPBELL-ROSSER
By Judith Slater
With many years of gardening experience under my belt, I wanted to launch a business on my own, with a small group, dedicated to cleaning up Glebe’s gardens! The Garden Sorceress, Protector of Petals was created just in time for 2024’s garden season. Here’s how the season unfolded.
The Team
This season’s team included my son Erik, who joined me in April. In May, Nicole the Weed Whisperer added her skills. An experienced gardener, Nicole, magically makes weeds disappear. Never have I seen a bed weeded so thoroughly. Matisse, a high school graduate, joined in early July and promised he’d work hard, which he did. He could out wheelbarrow me!
August saw a late addition to the team, Ben, who is now on his third summer of gardening. Thankfully, he will continue working with me into the fall until the very last client has hung up their hat and relinquished their garden to another winter’s chill.
Ottawa’s Summer = Extreme Weather
Our season starters included sleet, frozen fingers and wet gloves as we dug up invasive plant roots and dared to spread grass seed alongside a garage. Next were mid-workday storms, where dry soil morphed into boot-sticking mud. Lastly were relentless days of blazing sunshine, shielded under shade umbrellas with many water bottle refills, calling it a day at noon hour to get some respite from the 40-plus degree heat. Sunscreen and bug spray were always on at the start of the day, with me, the mother hen, nagging the crew to take a break and drink some water. We all dripped sweat on those hot, steamy days.
Clients’ Requests
As I scribbled notes in my workbook, clients would beg us to remove goutweed and exterminate Lily of the Valley while others wanted more goutweed and Lily of
the Valley! Some wanted more colour all season long, under the canopy of mature trees. Others wanted to simplify, closing down beds and finding new homes for their plants. It’s been challenging but fun. Plants (apart from invasive Lily of the Valley and goutweed!) have been donated to other gardens. We had success with countersinking large planters into the ground with desired plants to create a microgarden for those tree-root-bound beds. We raided the local bike shops for cardboard to lay down over weeds before mulching. Finally, we added soaker hoses into new beds to ensure garden-growing success for busy families.
The range of clients has been fantastic. I have absolutely loved working with the older residents of the
Glebe, who have told me how they can’t manage the whole garden but don’t want to move. It makes my heart smile knowing we have helped these long-term Glebe neighbours maintain their independence for yet another year. We also shared a few aches-andpains stories to laughter and smiles!
Scope of Work
Grass cutting, weeding, tree felling, bush shaping, pathway installing, more weeding, plant dividing, deck cleaning, even more weeding, interlock relaying, mulch barrowing, total garden overhauls, sourcing cardboard as a weed barrier and more weeding are among the jobs done this summer. Every garden has been so different but so amazing when comparing before and after pictures. The grin of satisfaction at the end of the day is infectious!
As the gardening season comes to a close, Ben and I will be snipping spent flowers, shredding leaves with my lawn mower and spreading them onto garden beds for our pollinators to snuggle into, giving bushes a final reshape and piling annuals into the green bins. What a year! Thanks to all the Glebe residents who have used our service! You have helped the team go back to school with money in their pockets and some great stories to tell!
Judith Slater is a gardener and owner of The Garden Sorceress, Protector of Petals. She can be reached at judith2slater@gmail.com and 613 600-1717.
The Garden Sorceress team is still smiling – Nicole, Ben, Matisse, Erik and Judith.
A one-pan wonder
Chicken with vermouth and pickles
By Tim O’Connor
I’ve been cooking for about 25 years. Ever since I was young, I wanted to work in a restaurant. It all kind of started with a dish that my mother used to make.
It was a chicken vermouth dish, like a play on a chicken piccata, which has marsala wine, white wine and capers. My mother’s dish was chicken with vermouth and pickles. My mom was a basic cook, and this was her once-amonth special dish. It was simple but worked so well. It’s a one-pan wonder.
Use whichever cut of chicken you prefer, be it leg, thigh or breast. The leg will take a bit longer to cook, the thigh a bit less. My mom would always use breast and I recommend boneless with skin on.
Start the pan with the skin down and touch as little as possible, so you get a nice, crispy skin. All you’re doing for seasoning is salt and pepper on the chicken, as the vermouth and pickles will do the majority of the work for you.
Go for a normal dill pickle. Don’t use bread and butter pickles, as they’re too weird for this use. With dry vermouth and chicken stock, you have the makings of a glorious sauce. Finish with a little cube of butter if you want to add creaminess. Finally, you can add a sprinkle of thyme or oregano.
Serve with roasted carrots and potatoes, and you’ve got a wonderful Thursday night dinner. It’s a beautiful chicken dish for fall, though it may cause your children to want to join the culinary industry.
That’s the dish I see when I’m looking back on what got me here. My plain Jane mom, who usually would never have dreamt of making the sauce, found this recipe long ago, probably in the Ottawa Citizen or a home cooking magazine, and decided to be a little fancy that night. Every person in my family thought it was absolutely delicious, and Mom was asked for this dish monthly from that day on.
Chicken vermouth with pickles
For quantities, use your heart, it’s two or three ingredients.
Chicken
Vermouth
Dill pickles
Chicken stock
Butter optional
Season chicken breast on both sides. Cut pickles to desired size, I like medium dice.
Heat pan on stove until hot, reduce heat to medium, coat bottom of pan in oil.
Place chicken gently in pan and sear on both sides. Halfway through cooking of the other side, add pickles. Once second side is seared add vermouth to 1/4 of height of chicken and reduce. Add stock, reduce by half. Turn off heat, add (optional) butter and stir until melted.
Tim O’Connor was raised in the Glebe and is head chef at Flora Hall Brewing.
Chicken with vermouth and dill pickle is the dish that prompted me to become a chef.
PHOTO: TIM O’CONNOR
A profound and sympathetic second poetry collection all things small
by Susan J. Atkinson
Review by Deborah-Anne Tunney
The moving and warm-hearted poetry collection, all things small, by Ottawa poet Susan J. Atkinson gives the reader a variety of opportunities to sample her overarching compassion, not only for a woman’s life but for life generally. The collection is broken into the topics of love, sorrow, memory and divorce, and it ends with the section “all things small” from which the collection takes its title. What this tells us is the poet sees universal and profound truths in the small things that rim our lives and through these truths a kind of purposeful meaning.
In the poem “Things that Never Come Back,” Atkinson, an elementary school teacher (and I’m assuming, by the interaction in this poem, an exemplary one), asks a nine-year-old to write a list poem. When he writes about things that leave and come back (yoyos, the tide), the poet challenges him to write about things that leave but do not return. The final lines read: His new poem had one line –my father.
Not only does this poem show us Atkinson’s kind imagination in her dealings with the child but also her appreciation that the simple yet heart-breaking admission of this child holds deep meaning and pathos. It
illustrates something fundamental about the poet’s vision and what she sees as poetry’s gift, its ability to make us focus on the small but crucial aspects of the everyday. In these, we can see the whole fabric of a life and what is universal and links us in our joint humanity.
In the poem “This Past Month” where the topic is loss and change, Atkinson lovingly speaks of her daughter, and how the poet and her mate are also searching for a way to deal with loss –in this case, the loss of parents:
Our youngest daughter collects small pebbles, curled bark of birch trees, rocks with eyes, small things to bury loss.
We, too, look for ways.
Atkinson gives us profound moments from her life that in turn link to our own lives – romantic love, the sadness of loss, the erosion of memory and the heartbreak of divorce. She acknowledges that the small things which hold such significance for this collection are not small but universal in import. They are the elements that allow us to share the most intimate of thoughts and emotions, to see in her work our own life, with its challenges and losses and loves. It would be impossible not to relate to the situation described in the poem “How Can Things Die on a Morning Such As This?” with its urge to:
Look closely. Already, summer blooms bend their heads, their brown-tinged leaves hang tired like crepe paper followed by this sad but tender explanation: This is how it happens: a beloved parent dies, soon the other follows. Loss cradles the space between heart and rib and grief becomes a shadow, shares its mo(u)rning with sorrow. I want to say to the poet, yes, I know these emotions, this heartbreak, for here in your consummate language I can feel the commonality of sorrow
that allows us empathy and a sense of community as we struggle to find meaning in the inexplicable. In this collection is a vision that is steeped in warm-hearted certainty, a vision of fundamental kindness, our better selves in fact. It is ultimately a generous view –open-hearted and inclusive – and even though what Atkinson may give us is a single word or image, it is always a vision that welcomes the universal into its interpretation.
all things small is available at Octopus Books and other Ottawa independent bookstores, as well as online.
Atkinson will be reading at 6 p.m. on Sunday, September 22 at Perfect Books, 258 Elgin Street, with the poets Callista Markotich and Margo LaPierre.
Deborah-Anne Tunney is an accomplished poet and fiction writer and is the curator of the Glebe Report’s Poetry Quarter.
Susan J. Atkinson, poet
Adventures across the universe
by Véro Dupuis
We would like to thank all the families who joined the fun this summer at the Sunnyside Library and attended our many space-themed activities. Here are some great primary and middle grade reads in case you aren’t done with your galactic odyssey!
Dragon Pearl, by Yoon Ha Lee
You probably didn’t know you needed an action-packed space opera with elements of Korean mythology and a shape-shifting heroine in your life, but here we are. Min, a thirteen-yearold who can use powerful fox-magic to charm and persuade people, is undercover on a battle spaceship and trying to solve the mystery of her brother’s disappearance. This book will appeal to fans of Rick Riordan (of Percy Jackson fame) and Star Wars. First in a trilogy. Grades 4-6.
The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian, by Jonathan Messinger
Meet Finn Caspian, the first human born in space and would-be leader of a Scout troup, who is trying to find a new planet to inhabit. This action-packed series has all the classic sci-fi elements that we love – robots and aliens, despotic villains, an engaging quest and a likeable team of diverse characters with personalities that might clash at times but whose combined skills always end up saving the day. This series of short chapter books will appeal to readers who like fast-paced adventures. Grades 1-3.
Dog Star, by Megan Shepherd
Based on the true story of Laika, the first dog sent into space, this short novel set in 1957 follows Nina, the daughter of a Soviet scientist whose team experimented with stray dogs saved from the cold streets of Moscow. As her bond with Laika strengthens, she must also navigate her feelings in the wake of the sudden disappearance of her best friend, whose family defected to the United States overnight. A dramatic story for those ready to start pondering the ethics of scientific experimentation, it is guaranteed to make for interesting conversations at the dinner table. This book will appeal to dog lovers and space-race history buffs. Grades 4-6.
Mammouth Rock: de l’autre côté du trou noir, par Eveline Payette et Guillaume Perreault
Parents often come to the library asking us for good books for their children in French immersion. Books in the Rock Mammoth series are a great pick. These short, illustrated books follow Louis, a boy with a wild imagination, as he presents his far-out hypotheses and scientific findings to his classmates. In this volume, he brings a powerful vacuum cleaner to the classroom to test black holes, which leads to wacky consequences. The first book in this series is also available in English. Extroverts and kids who talk nonstop will definitely see themselves in Louis! Grades 1-6 (depending on their skill level in French).
The 130-Story Treehouse, by Andy Griffiths, illus. by Terry Denton
In the 10th installment of the wacky Treehouse series, Andy, Terry and Jill are abducted by an alien species that look like eyeballs floating in the sky. These aliens are gathering specimens from different planets and make them fight against one another in an intergalactic death battle, strictly for their own entertainment! Will our friends prevail? Full of preposterous situations, with plenty of illustrations, this is the perfect series for fans of The Bad Guys or Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Grades 3-6, or anyone who needs a break from reality.
See You in the Cosmos, by Jack Cheng
What sounds from Earth would you choose for aliens to listen to? For 11-year-old Alex Petroski, it’s easy. He records everything on his way to New Mexico, where an amateur rocket science festival is about to take place. He’s hoping to send his recordings of earthly sounds into space for the aliens to find, much as scientists did in 1977 with the Golden Record sent on the Voyager probe. On his way, he hitches a ride with a monk who has made a vow of silence and a young man with girl problems, while he himself is on a quest to find the father he never knew. Full of big emotions, this book will appeal to readers who like a good road trip story. Grades 4-6. Also available in French.
Véro Dupuis is a Children’s librarian at the Sunnyside branch of the Ottawa Public Library.
First Avenue Public School
Donations
First Avenue Public School is accepting donations of gently used books and jigsaw puzzles for our October Used Book Sale.
Please drop off your donations at the school (73 First Avenue) Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. from September 3 to 30.
We welcome your jigsaw puzzles and recently published kids, teen and adult fiction and non-fiction books. Please note that we cannot accept any out-of-date materials or any encyclopedias, VHS tapes, DVDs & CDs, magazines or textbooks. These items do not sell and create extra work for our wonderful team of volunteers.
Thank you for supporting our school programs.
Stompin’ Tom’s music returns to Ottawa
By Duncan Fremlin
(Italics denote excerpts from my book, My Good Times with Stompin’ Tom)
“To this day, I can close my eyes and immediately feel transported to a fairytale kind of moment, like a three- dimensional memory. I’m not imagining it. I am lounging in what appears to be a committee room in Canada’s House of Commons, walls covered with polished wood panels and garish chandeliers hanging from the 30-foot ceilings, the kind one might see in Buckingham Palace. It’s called the Confederation Room. Decisions of national importance are made here.
I’m sitting on a large chair that is equally as magnificent in its size and weight. My elbows are leaning on an enormous marble table. Next to me, at the head of the table, sits Stompin’ Tom Connors.”We are about to perform the biggest show of our lives.
Over the years, I’ve seen Tom overcome with emotion. That says a lot about the man. I never saw him nervous, until July 1, 1993.
Tom Connors was a veteran Canadian superstar, a household name. Yet, in the hours before his first and only appearance at this historic Canada Day concert, in front of millions of his fellow patriots watching live or on television, he was fidgeting. His band Whiskey Jack sat with him. He tried to relax as he leaned back with his size 14
picnic cooler full of beer on the floor by his side.
“His normal ease and playfulness were replaced with an out-of-character seriousness, an intensity that we would see only in the hours leading up to a big show. If there was any doubt this was not going to be a normal gig, that was over.”
Moments later he teared up, emotionally overcome by this special moment.
“It was an absolutely fantastic scene, hundreds of thousands of flags waving, a sea of red and white. We hadn’t even started to play, yet a half-million Canadians were yelling for Tom. Then, suddenly, in French and English, the announcer says: “Next up. Someone we all know and love. His songs are snapshots of our lives. With his tribute to Canada Day, please welcome a proud Canadian, Stompin’ Tom Connors.
Tom began, “It’s Canada Day, up Canada way . . .
The force of his performance was evident when he stepped to the mic, even before he sang a note. He got off on the wrong foot immediately [and started to] mix and match the lines, in no particular order . . . This was the perfect song to sing on this day. He wrote it for exactly this moment, and he made the most of it.
Meanwhile, standing behind Tom on the back line was a smiling Whiskey Jack band. We were glancing at each other with a “can you believe this?” look on our faces. Graham Townsend, looking stately in his white suit, was to my right sawing away on his fiddle, all business . . . Everyone was playing brilliantly. The show was going just as we all dreamed. When the song ended, there was pandemonium. Flags and banners continued to move about, the cheers were deafening. I sometimes wonder if Tom had ever thought that a simple fellow from Skinner’s Pond, P.E.I., could have owned a stage of this magnitude. And own it he did. This was his moment. He had the ear of the nation, of his beloved
Canada. He couldn’t have scripted this scene better if he had tried.”
When we played Ottawa with Tom in the years after that, something special always happened. There was the practical joke he played on me at Webb’s Motel, one that backfired. Then there was the time he came close to firing me from the tour.
On October 20, 31 years later, we return with Tom’s songs and a boatload of stories, like when he almost punched me in the mouth. The show “Whiskey Jack Presents Stories & Songs of Stompin’ Tom” will play on October 20 at Redbird Live, 1165 Bank Street, at 7 p.m.
Duncan Fremlin, leader/producer/ author, is co-founder, banjo player and chief storyteller with Whiskey Jack, a veteran band on the Canadian music scene for 45 years now.. In the 1980s, they were cast members of the CBC’s Tommy Hunter Show and in the 1990s, they began a 25-year relationship with Stompin’ Tom Connors. Their show, “Whiskey Jack Presents Stories & Songs of Stompin’ Tom” is now in its 10th year.
The show “Whiskey Jack Presents Stories & Songs of Stompin’ Tom” will play on October 20 at Redbird Live, 1165 Bank Street, at 7 p.m.
My Good Times with Stompin’ Tom, by Duncan Fremlin. Canjay Music, 2018.
Perfect Books. Canadian icon Tom Connors and author Duncan Fremlin, leader of his band Whisky Jack.
Ottawa Bach Choir’s upcoming season of transcendent choral music
By Karen Frank
The JUNO Award-winning Ottawa Bach Choir (OBC) is set to embark on its 23rd season, showcasing an impressive lineup of choral performances that promise to dazzle and inspire. Under the leadership of founder and artistic director Lisette Canton, the choir continues to uphold its tradition of delivering outstanding musical experiences.
This season, the OBC presents three subscription concerts – Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, a Polychoral Extravaganza on March 1 and Gloria! on May 10. With its reputation for excellence and collaboration with leading local, national and international musicians and ensembles, the OBC remains a cornerstone of Ottawa’s cultural landscape.
The season begins with a majestic performance of Bach’s Weihnachts-Oratorium (Christmas Oratorio), BWV 248 on Saturday, November 30 at 7 p.m. at St. François d’Assise Church. This concert vividly portrays the feast days between Christmas and Epiphany through six stunning cantatas describing the birth of Jesus to the adoration of the Magi. Joined by the Theatre of Early Music baroque orchestra and such distinguished soloists as soprano Myriam Leblanc, countertenor Daniel Taylor, British tenor Charles Daniels and baritone Geoffrey Sirett, this timeless work of profound spiritual expression is a must-see during the Christmas season!
The second concert, Polychoral Extravaganza on Saturday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, includes Langlais’ Messe solennelle, with organist Matthew Larkin, alongside music by renowned composers such as Bach and Bruckner. The Vancouver Chamber Choir joins forces with the Ottawa Bach Choir for an array of stunning polychoral music by Schütz, Tavener, Martin and more, while showcasing works by Muhly, Hawley, Whittall, Dove and others. Don’t miss this collaborative celebration
by two of Canada’s amazing professional choirs!
The season culminates with Gloria! on Saturday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Basilica, featuring a selection of Italian-influenced baroque masterpieces, including Vivaldi’s Gloria, Handel’s Laudate pueri and Chiara Margherita Cozzolani’s Dixit Dominus à 8. Joined by Ensemble Caprice baroque orchestra and soloists, this concert reflects the vibrant energy and passion of the Italian baroque style and closes the season with splendour.
To celebrate the start of our 23rd season, we present a special fundraising event, Bach & Beer, in the festive spirit of Oktoberfest, on Saturday, October 5 at 5 p.m. at St. Stefan-Serbian Orthodox Hall and Church, 1993 Prince of Wales. The evening includes beautiful music from Bach to the Beatles, a cameo appearance by countertenor Daniel Taylor, delectable German-inspired canapés, sumptuous desserts, local beer and wine. Also included is a raffle featuring fantastic prizes from local businesses, concert tickets and more! Your participation promises a great evening that supports the OBC and the arts community. Tickets are limited, so act now!
The OBC also performs Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, as part of the 2024-25 Chamberfest series on Friday, November 15, with the spectacular pianist Hinrich Alpers.
Season subscriptions (at a 10-per-cent discount) are on sale at the following levels: Reserved
September / October lineup
Free concerts at 12 noon on Wednesdays at Southminster United Church
Freewill offering
Live-streamed on YouTube
September 11 – Art of Fugue
Join award-winning pianist Fiona Wu as she premieres an ambitious new solo recital program exploring the development of the fugue across three musical epochs.
September 18 – Beethoven Violin Sonatas
The first installment of a two-part series of Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas, performed by violinist Ralitsa Tcholakova and pianist Joycelin Mosey.
September 25 – Ballads of Autumn
The Primary Colours jazz trio – Deniz Lim-Sersan, piano; Chris Pond, bass; José Hernandez García, drums – plays a selection of classic and original ballads for the fall.
October 2 – Leyenda Guitar Legends
Classical guitarist Vincea McClelland leads a musical voyage across Spain and Latin America, featuring stories, legends, traditional songs, and dances.
October 9 – French Miniatures
Duo Cecilia – Gertrude Létourneau, flute; Catherine Donkin, piano — performs works for flute and piano, exploring the essence of French musical artistry in miniatures.
October 16 – A Walk across Europe
Bass clarinetist Sylvie Duchesneau and pianist Frederic Lacroix play chestnuts from the classical treasury, contrasting the dark sonorities of the reed with the brilliance of the piano.
The Ottawa Bach Choir at a Chamberfest performance on July 27 PHOTO: CURTIS PERRY
By Louise Rachlis
En plein air (“in the open air”) painting really took off in the 1870s with the revolutionary invention of paint in a tube, enabling artists to more easily paint outside from start to finish.
Louise Rachlis is a painter and writer who lives in the Glebe. Plein air moves from Giverny to the Glebe
I started to paint en plein air in the Glebe in 2020 when art classes at the Glebe Community Centre were shut down because of COVID-19.
“We initially called ourselves the Pandemic Plein Air Painters,” says Victoria Sutherland, who decided to give it a try outdoors with me, Tom Grace and a few other occasional early painters. “Afterward, we then became the Post Pandemic Plein Air Painters.”
Others from Bhat Boy’s art classes decided to join us over time, and this summer was the largest gang of plein air-ers we’ve had.
“I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to plein air paint with such a fine group of people and artists,” says artist Anne Robinson. “My sister, Lori Fournier, had invited me to join her in taking classes with Bhat Boy which I accepted. It has been such a fun-filled experience!”
The painters meet at 10:30 on Tuesdays in front of Victoria’s condo building on Patterson Creek and then proceed to various nearby locations, depending on sunshine, temperature and floral offerings. Tulips, lilacs, the Flora Footbridge, the pond and the Bistro have figured prominently in our work.
It’s not Provence or Tuscany, but our work is less costly than a Monet, and we have water lilies in the Glebe as well.
The painters have also attracted attention from European visitors walking along the canal path who are excited by this touch of home. That has led to many interesting conversations en plein air.
Lucianne Poole paints en plein air with Louise Rachlis and other artists for the first time. You can see the finished painting and others at LuciannePoole.ca. PHOTO: KEANE SHORE
“Reflections in Blue and Green” was painted en plein air by Lucianne Poole. You can see this painting and others at A Walk of Art in Old Ottawa East on September 28.
PHOTO: LUCIANNE POOLE
Plein air painters at work in the Glebe. Compare the scene with Anne Robinson’s painting on this issue’s back cover.
Art Lending of Ottawa: more than 50 years of success
By Leslie Firth
Art Lending of Ottawa has been connecting art collectors with local Ottawa artists for more than 50 years.
Art Lending is a volunteer, non-profit organization of local artists who meet four times a year for a one-day exhibit. From its humble beginning in 1970, the organization has grown and evolved over the years. The unique feature that sets it apart from other art exhibits is the option of renting, which makes original art affordable for all.
The organization started exhibiting at the Unitarian Church in Carlingwood in 1970, where it stayed for more than 40 years. In 2016, Art Lending moved to the R.A. Centre on Riverside Drive. This past March, we moved to a new location, the Jim Durrell Recreation Centre on Walkley Road. This change coincided with an unprecedented level of interest from local artists hoping to join Art Lending. Because of the larger space in our new location, we are pleased to be able to add eight new members for our next show on September 21.
We have faced challenges over the years, including COVID. It affected us as it did everyone. The pleasure of mingling with other like-minded art lovers had to be postponed. Like everyone, we imagined that this health “event” would be short lived, and that we might have to cancel one show. During this time, artists continued to create. With the help of a few dedicated volunteers, we set up a temporary system for online rental and sales. After a year and a half, our shows resumed but with masks and many rules about room capacity and visitor sign-in.
Then there was our recent move. Even something that simple comes with many challenges. Our space at the Jim Durrell Recreation Centre is bigger and brighter, but we had to abandon the wall-hanging system we had used at the R.A. Centre and move to a standing-grid system. Again, more questions. How many grids do we need? What is the best way to arrange them in the
would be the impact of a move from a place where we had been exhibiting for seven years? Would we lose customers? Would we make up for that loss with new customers from the new area? Fortunately, the move has worked well for us. Many customers have followed us to our new location, and we are also seeing many new faces. What a relief after our first show in our new location to see that the numbers of visitors and rental/sales went up.
What makes it all work? Without question, there is an infectious love of art that propels Art Lending. Our artists and volunteers are generous with their time in handling all the many tasks that need doing to keep these quarterly exhibits happening.
We are looking forward to continued success as we fill the exhibit hall at the Jim Durrell Recreation Centre. We’re hoping to see you at our next show where we will be showcasing the work of both our new and our long-standing artists. To preview what will be on offer, check out our website at artlendingo
Art Lending of Ottawa Art Show Saturday, Sept. 21, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Jim Durrell Recreation Centre 1265 Walkley Road Free admission and parking
Local Service in Ottawa since 1988 with Quality Flags, Banners, and Flagpoles.
Art Lending of Ottawa exhibit in June at their new location at the Jim Durrell Recreation Centre
PHOTO: LESLIE FIRTH
Oakes - Realtor / Team Leader
Oddity a rare Irish horror film
(Ireland, 2024)
Directed by Damian McCarthy
Review by Iva Apostolova
Irish horror movies are almost as rare as French ones, so when Oddity came to the Mayfair in July, I jumped at the opportunity to see it on the big screen. And what a treat it was!
Directed and written by Damian McCarthy (whose credentials include He Dies at the End and Caveat), Oddity is made up of an entirely Irish cast of relatively unknown actors. I have to admit at the outset that I am not an expert on the genre, but it seems to me that some of the most successful horror movies have featured a cast of unknown actors and relatively low budgets. I am thinking specifically of one of the scariest movies out there, namely The Blair Witch Project, which still haunts me to this day. (As an aside, this summer, Bytown Cinema had a special viewing of The Blair Witch Project in honour of its 25th anniversary.)
If you are looking to be scared, Oddity is definitely the movie for you. It’s set in a grey Irish manor, with the occasional zooming into focus of a dilapidated Irish mental hospital which seems to be frozen in time (by the look of the paintjob, we are most likely talking about the early 1970s). There is your squeaky clean, at least on the surface, psychiatrist, the creepy psychiatry warden, the patient who may or may not be guilty of a gruesome murder, the twin sisters (one of whom is deeply into the occult) and, most importantly, a life-size wooden doll allegedly made by an Irish witch that seems to be the centrepiece of the movie. I found that the mis-en-scene was perfectly done to keep the viewer in suspense by means of a mild temporal (and spatial) disorientation. On the temporal side, we have an unclear time period – the cell phones suggest everything is happening in the 21st century. But the manor, the hospital and the cars could just as well be from the 1960s. On the spatial
side, everything is enveloped in semi-shadows and sharp corners behind which there are, no doubt, monsters lurking.
And I have to give it to McCarthy: the jump scares are absolutely exquisite! So much so that I felt I was in one of Mayfair’s interactive showings (The Room or The Rocky Horror Picture Show) – popcorn and drinks were spilled from the copious number of gasps-turned-to-screams from the audience, this reviewer included. And if you live in a house with a lot of stairs and corners, I suggest you leave the lights on during the movie.
But this is not one of those horror flicks that relies predominantly on special effects or gore. On the contrary, Oddity has a clever plot with plenty of twists that will keep your mind and psyche engaged. And as unbelievable as it may sound, there is even a tinge of dry dark Irish humor, especially in the ending.
Running time: 1h 38m
Rated R
Available on Prime Video
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.
Yasir Naqvi
MP, Ottawa Centre N 613-946-8682
E yasir.naqvi@parl.gc.ca
Early breast cancer screening saves lives
Receiving the news of a cancer diagnosis is a moment in time all of us dread; it is often described as getting on a train without knowing the destination. While intensely personal, a cancer diagnosis also touches families and loved ones, who find themselves embarking on an unwanted journey. This has touched our family over the past year with my mother’s breast cancer diagnosis. Thankfully, significant advancements in breast cancer prevention and treatment in recent years have transformed the outlook for my mom and thousands of women like her.
The good news is that a diagnosis of breast cancer is not the automatic death sentence it once was. Advancements in both the detection and treatment of breast cancer have moved us from a time when breast cancer was discovered by chance, with treatment through chemotherapy being likened to firing a volley of chemicals in hopes of hitting something. Modern treatments now include a wide range of therapies intended to deal with the makeup of very specific cancer tumours.
While we have moved ahead light years in treatment, I want to focus on the importance of prevention. My mother’s cancer was detected early through screening. I cannot stress enough how critical this was in determining her treatment regimen so that she is now on an incredible journey of recovery.
Breast cancer screening was the focus of a recent meeting of the Standing Committee on Health of the House of Commons. The emotion in the room was palpable as it became clear that breast cancer had directly or indirectly touched the lives of my colleagues. We heard from Dr. Jean Seely, professor of radiology at the University of Ottawa along with other witnesses. The focus of our meeting was the proposed guidelines for breast cancer screening contained in the report of the Task Force on Preventative Health Care. This report recommended that breast cancer screening begin at age 50. This flies in the face of strong evidence indicating that screening beginning at age 40 delivers significant positive outcomes.
Dr. Seely noted that a 10-year study involving 55,000 women across Canada saw a significant increase in the net survival of their breast cancer, together with a significant decrease in breast cancer mortality in jurisdictions where screening is available from age 40. What I found to be particularly stark was her estimate that failing to recommend breast cancer screening earlier will lead to the deaths of between 400 and 600 Canadian women every year. I am pleased to report that our committee passed a unanimous motion calling on the task force to reverse their decision on the guidelines.
Starting this fall, the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) will allow women to self-refer for breast screening beginning at age 40, with OHIP coverage. This will undoubtedly result in lives being saved, so I look forward to the day when this is the standard recommendation across Canada. I would highly encourage women to reach out to the local OBSP location at the Ottawa Hospital to make an appointment or check out the Ontario Ministry of Health website for more information. And please share this information with your loved ones.
Replacing the Queensway Bridge over Canal – plans still call for two-year detour
By John Dance
The Ontario Ministry of Transportation has ignored residents’ concerns about the proposed two-year detouring of both Colonel By Drive and Queen Elizabeth Driveway when the 417 bridge over the Rideau Canal is replaced.
The final environmental study was recently released and residents have until September 14 to make comments. Comments should be provided to queenswaydowntownbridges@ bteng.ca. Please copy the Old Ottawa East Community Association: info@ottawaeast.ca.
Twenty months since the last public event on the project, the ministry is still sticking with the option that was objected to by many local residents and community associations.
The Main, Elgin and Metcalfe overpasses will also be replaced. The work on these three bridges will be disruptive as well but not nearly as much as the Canal bridge replacement.
In addition to the very lengthy detours – which will dump traffic onto Main and Elgin streets – the Canal bridge replacement will use huge areas, including all of Ballantyne Park. The report says Ballantyne’s trees along Hawthorne “will be protected where possible,” but it appears other trees will be removed as all of the land right along the highway between Colonel By Drive and Main Street will be used as a “staging” area.
John Dance is a resident of Old Ottawa East and a frequent visitor to the Glebe.
Joel
Harden
MPP, Ottawa Centre N 613-722-6414
E JHarden-CO@ndp.on.ca
We need support, not cruelty, for neighbours who use drugs
As I write these words, I’m travelling home from British Columbia after visiting family and my heart is full. Why?
Because the last 10 days have been about connection to loved ones and nature, something core to our sense of worth as human beings. Research suggests our social and environmental connections are critical for mental and physical health.
But many lack those connections. In fact, some have been deprived of social connection and support given various forms of harm and abuse or rejection for being who they are.
And so, as their traumas accumulate, some escape through addictions to illicit drugs. Given the toxic supply of drugs sold on our streets, they could die from an overdose.
That’s where the case for Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) comes in. Last year, the Somerset West Community Health Centre (SWCHC) prevented 487 overdoses. Now, the Ford government has said the CTS site needs to close.
Why? Because of a rise in crime, according to Health Minister Sylvia Jones, and an increased presence of needles in parks and near schools.
Jack Hauen, a reporter for The Trillium, asked Minister Jones if research had been done about “how many people will die as a result of this decision.” Pretty direct question there.
“Jack, people are not going to die” the minister replied. “They’re going to get access to service.” She then went on to talk about new addiction services to come at some point and applications she had seen from potential providers. That comment shocked health practitioners.
In Ottawa, there are massive wait lists for addictions treatment, like at Rideauwood Family and Addictions Services. No amount of money promised at the last minute will fix that right away.
Undeterred, the minister continued: “I do not call watching someone inject an illicit drug health care in the province of Ontario.” So, what is health care for addictions?
Letting people die from toxic drugs as they wait for treatment? No. This where harm reduction is crucial.
Every hour in Canada someone overdoses and (according to Health Canada) CTS sites prevented 55,693 lethal overdoses between January 2017 and January 2024.
But this is not enough. That’s why we see the degree of suffering on our streets, which closing CTS sites won’t solve. It will get worse.
A better question Minister Jones could ask is why people seek out illicit drugs. That requires addressing the roots of addiction and the support needed to help people find a healing path.
One option is Counseling Connect, a local service that was created in 2020 to help people with acute mental health needs get prompt access to psychotherapy treatment.
The program offers three free sessions and aims to book (via its website or by phone) within 48 hours. It currently supports over 700 people a month and serves people in multiple languages.
MPP Chandra Pasma and I have been pushing for regular provisional funding of Counseling Connect which currently runs on a budget of $550,000 from Community Health Centres. Much more could be done with better funding from Ontario.
The same is true for housing providers, like Options Bytown or Salus, that could offer more for people struggling with addictions and homelessness. Recent federal announcements for rapid housing are nice, but not enough; Ontario can do far more.
We need support, not cruelty, for neighbours who use drugs. There is local expertise to get us there, but the premier needs to fund it and rescind his harmful attacks on CTS sites.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation
The following is part of a continuing series of profiles of servicemen from the Glebe and St. Matthew’s Anglican Church who gave their lives to Canada and the pursuit of peace in the Second World War. We commemorate and remember their passing, 80 years ago.
Charles James Williams
By Kevan Pipe
Charles Williams was born September 15, 1922, to Hilda and Charles Williams, although his father passed away early in Charles’s life. Hilda, with Charles and her four other children, resided at 347 Gladstone Avenue and Charles attended St. Matthew’s Church and Ottawa Technical School on Albert Street.
Charles served in the militia in 193839 in the 3rd Field Company, RCE. In 1941, after moving to Hamilton, he enlisted at age 18 in the Canadian Army. Initially assigned to the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps, he was granted a transfer to the Stormont Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, training at Camp Borden.
In January 1943, his unit was shipped to England for ongoing training in advance of what was code-named Operation Overlord but is better remembered as D-Day. On June 6, 1944, at 6 a.m., the advance forces of the Stormont Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders were on their landing craft awaiting a departure slot. They hit Juno Beach at noon and after a month of heavy fighting, they were the first unit to enter the City of Caen on July 9.
Private Williams was deployed in France on July 24 in the Battle of the Falaise Gap, designed to entrap thousands of German troops trying to escape this battle. On August 17, near Beaumais, the Highlanders were involved in heavy fighting to “close the gap” and Charles was killed in action at the age of 21.
He is buried at the Bretteville-surLaize Canadian War Cemetery in
Charles James Williams was killed in action in August, 1944 at age 21.
Calvados, France. He is buried alongside 2,957 other Commonwealth soldiers, mostly Canadian, who were killed in this infamous battle.
In addition to being remembered at St. Matthew’s, Charles is listed on the Roll of Honour at Stormont Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders regimental museum in Cornwall.
Kevan Pipe is a Glebe resident and member of St. Matthew’s, The Anglican Church in The Glebe.
Charles Richard Maundrell
By Kevan Pipe
Born November 29, 1918, in Kingston, Charles was the son of Charles and Gertrude Maundrell, the oldest of their three children. In 1921, the family moved to Ottawa and lived at 61 Third Avenue. Charles attended Glebe Collegiate for six years, played basketball and graduated in 1937.
Charles returned to Kingston and entered Queen’s University where he spent the next four years earning a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in history and economics, then continued to complete a Master’s in history in 1941. At the same time, from 1939 to 1941, he was part of the Canadian Officers training Corps at Queen’s and completed training.
On July 1, 1941, Lt. Maundrell enlisted in the Royal Canadian Artillery (#2561) and spent the next year in training with the 5th Field Regiment. Deployed to North Wales on October 9, 1942, for another 13 months of training, he met Mary Faby, and they were married on November 23, 1943.
His unit was deployed to France seven weeks after D-Day. His regiment spent the next month in the Battle of the Falaise Gap, trying to “close the gap” which was allowing German troops to escape the battle to fight another day.
On August 26, the 5th Field Regiment was in the Forest of the Londe, south of Rouen. Charles hopped into his jeep with his driver to reconnoiter the area. He never reached his intended destination. Search parties were sent out the next day and found them. Their jeep had run over an explosive mine, the driver was killed, and 25-year-old Charles was mortally wounded with severe facial and cranial injuries. Evacuated to 88 General Hospital, he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Charlies is buried at Canada’s most famous Second World War cemetery, BenySur-Mer, near Juno Beach in Normandy, alongside 2,047 fellow Canadians. His family was hit hard by this loss and for decades after his death, as so many other families did, they put annual memorials to their fallen son in the Ottawa Journal, right into the 1960s: “In memory, a daily thought; in heart, a silent sorrow.”
He is remembered at Glebe Collegiate, Queen’s University and the Royal Canadian Artillery Memorial in Ottawa, as well as St. Matthew’s.
Kevan Pipe is a Glebe resident and member of St. Matthew’s, The Anglican Church in The Glebe.
Landing craft 299 lands at Juno Beach, Courseilles-sur-Mer, France, on June 6, 1944. The men making their way ashore were members of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders.
PHOTO: LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA
Charles Maundrell was killed in action in August 1944 at the age of 25.
Charles Maundrell, standing, is third from the right.
Midfoot arthritis
By Sue Reive
There’s nothing better than a walk on a nice warm sunny spring day, unless of course your foot is killing you!
Foot pain is quite common and can be complicated. There are numerous joints in the foot that all move together in sequence during the gait cycle. If a joint is stiff or too mobile, foot pain can occur. Midfoot arthritis is a condition that can cause pain and limit walking. Luckily the pain can usually resolve with physiotherapy treatment.
The foot has 26 bones and thus numerous joints. It is divided into the hind foot, midfoot and forefoot. The ankle joint is part of the hind foot. The midfoot consists of five bones: the navicular, cuboid and three cuneiform bones which basically form the arch of the foot. These bones are held together by connective soft tissue (capsule) and reinforced by ligaments. Like any other joint, they can be injured or just degenerate due to wear and tear. With degeneration, the cartilage that lines the bones grows thin, sometimes exposing
the underlying bone. Cartilage has no nerves, but the underlying bone does, so when the cartilage thins or exposes the bone, pain is usually felt when foot is loaded during walking or standing.
Symptoms include pain on weight bearing, especially after prolonged immobility, swelling, stiffness and pain on palpation. Often people will feel pain when wearing a tight shoe or from a tightly laced shoe. You can occasionally see a bony prominence on the top of the bones. This is a growth of bone called an osteophyte which results from the pull of the capsule
and/or ligaments. On examination, patients will not toe off during the gait cycle due to the stiffness in the midfoot and often limp. There is pain and stiffness in the midfoot on mobility testing. Resisted muscle testing is usually fine. Specific joint mobility testing of the joints will reveal the stiffness between the bones. Treatment includes exercises to promote range of motion of the mid foot, passive joint mobilization (manual therapy), modalities like ultrasound to help reduce the inflammation and soft tissue massage to the muscles of the sole of the foot if they are tight. Taping often helps initially in the acute flared period to help support the joint and reduce the strain on it. Orthotics can also be helpful as well as a rocker bottom sole shoe. A period of rest is usually necessary to allow the joint(s) to settle, so that means less walking during this time. Cycling is usually fine as most of the weight is on the buttock.
Midfoot arthritis can be painful and limit one’s walking. Luckily, treatment can restore mobility and allow people to enjoy the activities of daily life again, like taking a walk and soaking up the sun.
Sue Reive is a physiotherapist at Ottawa Physiotherapy and Sport Clinics Glebe.
Universal health care? Or a food bank approach?
By Terrance Hunsley
Jane Philpott, in her recent book Health for All, proposes a radical concept – treating health care like the school system. Wherever you live, you get health care at a nearby facility, just like sending your kids to a local school. But wait! Don’t we have universal health care? Isn’t that what medicare and the Canada Health Act (CHA) and OHIP are all about? Isn’t that what we pay for with our taxes?
For decades, whenever surveys were done on what Canadians value most about our country, universal medicare was always at or near the top of the list. The CHA was designed to ensure that all eligible residents of Canadian provinces and territories have reasonable access to medically necessary hospital and physician services on a prepaid basis. It sets out the five principles for federal financial contributions to provincial health care: universality, accessibility, comprehensiveness, portability and public administration.
But those principles are being
ignored, and we have lost universal, accessible health care. A recent analysis by the C. D. Howe Institute reports that although our combined public and private spending on health care is above the OECD average, we rank last in a list of comparably rich countries in access to primary care, the gateway to health care. This, despite abundant evidence that high-quality, readily accessible primary care actually saves money for the whole health-care system and improves health outcomes. And the more vulnerable the patient (think seniors), the more important primary care is for both the patient’s health and savings to the health system.
Despite knowing that older people require more primary care to manage more complex medical conditions, governments are rationing health care. So, guess what? The number of people without primary care is increasing.
The C. D. Howe study projects that nine million people will soon be without a regular primary-care provider.
Seniors, the most vulnerable group, are at growing risk. More doctors are
OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE
If you have a strong interest in the care provided to our aging community, a willingness to share your skills and experience and a desire to make a difference, the Glebe Centre is seeking volunteer board members with expertise in some of the following areas:
• Board governance and leadership with not-for-profit organizations
• Senior health care and well-being including community services and programs
• Fundraising and foundations
• Accounting and financial management
• Human resource management
• Other relevant experience
To learn more, please visit our website www.glebecentre.ca
To express interest, please submit your resume and letter of introduction to HFluegel@glebecentre.ca
APPLICATION CLOSING DATE: September 18, 2024
retiring than going into primary care, and older doctors have older patients. In 2019, some 23.7 per cent of the rosters of retirement-age Ontario doctors were seniors, and that proportion was increasing rapidly, according to a study carried out by Dr. Kamila Premji and colleagues. So, the 7,700 seniors without a regular primary-care provider that Ontario Health counted in central Ottawa in 2022 could well be over 10,000 by now!
The C.D. Howe study reports that in the 1990s governments actually reduced the numbers of training spaces for family practitioners. At the same time, the medical profession began requiring two years rather than one for residencies, increasing the challenge for students interested in primary care. And many hours of administrative tasks are required of physicians, making primary care even less attractive. But doctors have nonetheless guarded their monopoly on billing OHIP, keeping other health professions such as nurse practitioners from filling the gaps.
Even the more progressive people in health care – community health centres, public health agencies, health-research funding agencies – are inadvertently supporting the rationing of health care. They cite the social determinants of health which show that poor and marginalized people have worse health outcomes as a rationale for directing discretionary resources to them. But the social determinants of health are not changed by access to more health care – they would be changed by a guaranteed basic income, better low-end wages, reduced social exclusion and access to universal health services. And no surprise for a rationed system, those service agencies are woefully underfunded. That’s what happens with two-tier health care – public spending on the disadvantaged is minimal, the affluent begin to buy privileged access and those in-between resent paying taxes for no service. The CBC reports that communities are competing by offering bonuses to lure doctors from other areas. Even the Canadian Medical Association warns about the privatization of health care.
Those good souls who focus on help for the excluded are repeating a
societal mistake made in Canada in the 1980s. They are taking a food-bank approach to health care and building a poverty health industry. Walk through Centretown and the Byward market any evening and ask yourself if our minimal social assistance combined with food banks, emergency shelters and special paramedics teams is working.
In a universal, accessible system as defined in the Canada Health Act, people who need more health care would easily get it. And seniors would not have to compete to show that they are desperate in order to receive something they paid taxes for. Universal health care is what Philpott is also calling for, albeit in a more polite way.
In upcoming elections, I suggest that seniors ask political candidates and parties what their stance is on universality of health care; will they commit to restoring it, when and how? Don’t accept vague or long-term promises as a response. A key question – will every senior have a right to primary care, with access to a health-care provider who has their medical record and appointments within a week? If they don’t have a plan, or mealy mouth the answer, vote against them. If you are part of a senior’s group or community association, take on this issue. By insisting on high-quality, accessible, universal health care, you will be helping seniors, the marginalized and everyone else. And don’t believe the argument that Ontario can’t afford it. Since it takes a long time and a lot of money to train enough doctors, let’s adopt the Alberta plan to encourage nurse practitioners to set up public practices. They are already licensed to provide primary care, and their patients love them. The Seniors Health Innovations Hub (seniorshealthinnovationshub.com) has proposed employing them in a teambased model serving seniors in central Ottawa and would appreciate your support. Talking about it can help. Perhaps you could engage your book club, your doctor if you have one or politicians, or Premier Ford’s Ottawa representative, Sean Webster.
Terrance Hunsley is a vice-chair of the Seniors Health Innovations Hub, but the opinions expressed in this article are personal.
Petition to hold a referendum on Lansdowne 2.0
Critics of the Lansdowne 2.0 spending plan have launched a petition asking the City of Ottawa to hold a binding, citywide referendum on the plan to demolish and reconstruct the Lansdowne stadium, spending $493 million when the city is in a financial crisis, a housing and homelessness crisis, a climate-change crisis and a financial meltdown in transit. The petition can be found online at the613.substack.com or BetterOttawa.ca.
PETITION: Let Ottawa Taxpayers Decide On $493 Million For Lansdowne
Ottawa residents are calling for a binding citywide referendum to decide if we should spend $493 million on stadium reconstruction.
City Council will make its final decision in late 2025. Lansdowne is NOT a done deal. Taxpayers deserve the final say on how their money is spent.
Ottawa taxpayers are concerned with spending half a billion dollars to demolish and rebuild the Lansdowne Park stadium.
Our city has far more important needs that require immediate attention. Housing, reliable transit, fixing our crumbling roads, to name just a few.
Yet Mayor Sutcliffe is proposing to upgrade a sports facility which the City says can be maintained for another 40 years. Sutcliffe proposes to tear down and replace it with a new stadium that doesn’t even have a roof. And also to build a new arena that has 3,000 fewer seats than the current one.
Is this the best use of our limited tax dollars? Lansdowne will require the City to pay $20 million annually in debt costs over 30 years, with uncertain future revenues. Or perhaps no revenues to the City, if the partnership ends up performing
30 Years Ago in the Glebe Report
by Ian McKercher
Volume 22, Number 8, September 16,
JAMES McCULLOCH
LAWYER IN THE GLEBE
James provides legal services to Glebe residents, offers home visits and welcomes new clients.
613 565-5297
mccullochlawyer@rogers.com
like the current partnership.
The only certainty is that taxpayers would be on the hook for the equivalent of about a one-per-cent property tax increase for the foreseeable future.
Residents should have a say in how our money is spent. The half billion dollars in spending could fund $20 million worth of projects in each ward across Ottawa.
This petition calls on the City of Ottawa to hold a binding referendum before approving the Lansdowne stadium demolition and rebuild. We demand transparency and public participation in decisions that impact our lives and our city’s future so profoundly.
Other Canadian cities have held referenda on major investments in sports facilities, including Calgary on a possible bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics, Montreal West on building a new sports complex, Victoria on expanding a swimming facility and Langford, B.C. on expanding its soccer stadium.
The people of Ottawa deserve the same.
Sign this petition if you believe Ottawa taxpayers should decide whether we spend $493 million on sports-stadium reconstruction.
FUTURE OF THE G.C.C
In November of 1993, the City of Ottawa began a feasibility study for the future of the Glebe Community Centre. The study included a structural evaluation of the building, an inventory of programs, a profile of users and an assessment of other facilities in the area.
The exploration of options was about to begin. Options included renovation, demolition and rebuilding on site, rebuilding on another site, retrofit for 5 to 10 year’s use and closing the facility. The Ottawa Planning Department would hold a public meeting at the GCC. on September 26 to “solicit comments to develop those options.”
MUTCHMOR AT 100
September marked the 100th year since Mutchmor Public School opened to serve the needs of Glebe students. Note: When the school opened, it faced south across what was then Mutchmor Street (now Fifth Avenue) because most students lived in the new housing development on the Mutchmor farm south of the school. The land north to the Canadian Atlantic Railway line (where the Queensway now stands) was mostly vacant fields or market gardeners’ plots.
A centennial logo had been created and a Centennial Fete in the afternoon of October 1 would launch a year-long round of activities with the theme of “learning about the way we were, how we have changed, and what we have become.”
THE TELECOMMUNITY
Courtney Bond reported on a conference held in August at Carleton University on the emerging use of the Internet, particularly Canadian Telecommunity Networks, of which Ottawa’s National Capital Freenet was a leading force. The focus was to expand free (or inexpensive) internet use across Canada. David Johnston, chair of the Government of Canada’s Advisory Council on the Information Highway, said in his keynote address, “It (broad public access to the Internet) is a communications revolution happening overnight. We must use it wisely for the public good.”
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.
For the first time in 12 years, the Glebe Report put out a survey in May 2024 to learn more about our readership. Readers were asked to click on a QR code that directed them to a short, online survey, which prompted an impressive total of 205 responses. Reponses from the survey provided the Board of Directors with ample insight into what readers like, dislike and want more of in the paper. It also gave an estimate of how many people read the paper, the age and demographics of readers, and whether they read it online or in hard copy print.
Now that the results are in, the Board would like to share some of the highlights…
Q1: How much do you look forward to reading the Glebe Report?
Q6: Would you read an article of interest in French?
Q13: Do you live in the Glebe?
Q2: Who reads it in your household?
Q14
Q3: For an average issue, how much of it do you read?
Q4: What do you like?
The Board sees the survey as a success and looks forward to publishing subsequent surveys on various topics in the future. We thank all of those who participated and hope to hear from you again soon (in our next survey)!
The
Glebe
according to Zeus
A GUINEA PIG’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE GLEBE
Teachers battle AI co-piglet assistants in classroom
Glebe piglets want to send their AI co-piglet assistants to school while they stay home and do self-directed learning. However, teachers from both Second Avenue and Flashun school have asked that the AI piglets be banned. “We are not against technology,” clarified Lud Ighte, an English teacher at Flashun. “We entirely support Microhard’s AI co-piglet assistants – but for work, not school. I mean, we cannot have every student getting an A+!!”
Some parents disagree. “How can AI co-piglets properly inform and serve their piglets if they are uneducated?” texted Floof, mother of three. Certain teachers also disagree
with those from Second and Flashun. Indeed, 99 per cent of Munchwell teachers have embraced the new technology in the class and for themselves. “It’s a win-win! Since my AI co-pilot has taken over my teaching duties, I got my life back!” wrote Algo Rithum, longtime math teacher at Munchwell. “And the AI students are remarkably well behaved!”
But some taxpayers are asking why we have schools at all, if it’s just full of AI teachers and students? “Excellent point,” agreed A-long Tusk, multi-dollaraire and owner of Y. “I do foresee a day where every pig and piglet can just plug into the stratosphere and download all the information in the universe.
That would reduce taxes and be a democratic utopia.”
Political pundits, however, offer a different perspective. “We are already there – at the stratosphere, downloading what to think. It’s a global dystopia!” explained Roam Vronsky, pundit pigeon. “And the school system is part of the problem – it rewards discipline and obedience, and it punishes
Ačiū! Thank you or a sneeze? – Baltic Languages
By Sophie Shields
I recently had the chance to visit the Baltic countries, the often-overlooked nations of Eastern Europe. Bordering Russia and Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania are home to some of the oldest surviving Indo-European languages. Latvian and Lithuanian, the sole survivors of the Baltic language family, even share similarities with Sanskrit, as all evolved from the early stages of the Proto Indo-European language. So, would you like to try learning some Lithuanian or Latvian? Ar norėtumėte pramokti lietuviškai? Mācāmies latviešu valodu!
Let’s start at the very beginning – the alphabet. Like other Eastern European languages such as Polish or Czech, both
use the Latin alphabet with unique diacritical marks. This alphabet was actually banned during certain periods of the Russian Empire, with the Lithuanian writing system surviving mainly due to a booming book-smuggling industry in the 19th century that defied the ban on Latin characters. Nowadays, these book smugglers are considered national heroes, celebrated annually in Lithuania on March 16, Knygnešio diena (Book Smugglers Day).
Some of the unique diacritics of both languages include the ogonek (ą), the haček (č) and the stress mark (ē). The ogonek or ‘little tail’ indicates long vowels: ą (father), ę (bad), į (deed), and ų (school). The haček on the other hand indicates palatal consonants pronounced with the tongue against
the middle of the roof of the mouth: č (child); š (sharp); ž (measure) and dž (joke) – [j] is actually the only palatal
independence of mind.” As school starts, many parents seemed to be acquiescing to their piglet demands to send AI co-piglets in their place. “We do avoid the mind control by keeping PopChop at home so she can play video games and use other self-directed learning tools like TikTok. And frankly, her co-piglet is getting A+ for her! She’ll get into Harvard!”
consonant in English! Now, test your pronunciation of the words that follow. From Latvian’s sēņu lietus (rain ideal for mushroom picking) to ezītis miglā (Hedgehog in the Fog, a Soviet film, fig. someone lost in thought), these languages are rich with references to local life and history. And while you might get a few “bless you’s” in response to your ačiū (Lith. ‘thank you’), visiting the Baltics and learning the language is truly a neparkartojama (Lith., once in a lifetime experience)!
Sophie Shields is a Carleton graduate working on her MA in Comparative Literature at Dartmouth College in the U.S. She loves writing and learning languages and speaks French, Ukrainian and German.
By Josh Rachlis | SparkTheGenius.com
By Jamie Brougham
I remember back in the 1980s, when I lived on Glen Avenue, I hardly knew that the Rideau River existed. I did not engage with it, in part because it was not as clean as it is now and all of the public attention was focused on the Rideau Canal with its skating and boat parades – even the Pope had a ride on it. There was little interest in the Rideau River.
By contrast today, for the growing numbers of people in the know, the river is every bit as interesting as the Canal. From Mooney’s Bay to the Ottawa River, the river corridor is mostly green with interesting vegetation, wildlife and geographical features. There are bull rushes, flowers, turtles, fish, hunting birds and so many more plants and animals. Parts of the river are fast moving, while other parts are more still, like lakes; some parts are deep, while you can walk across in other spots.
In the middle of our city of a million inhabitants, it’s astounding that one can still be completely alone on the water, in an absorbing, wideopen space. Want a little drama in your life? Get out on the river when the ice is breaking up, or when the clouds are menacingly low, or when there’s a misty haze early on a summer morning.
To facilitate access, the city now put docks in on the west side of the Rideau. With more people paddling, the waterway starts to have that cottagey island feel, as it should, since the land between the river and the Canal is actually an island. It is unique, and its engagement should be facilitated.
Most remain unaware
But like me in the 1980s, most area residents remain unaware of the great environmental, sustainable social resource that is the Rideau River, and that needs to change.
If our governments want to do Ottawa a favour, they might designate the whole Rideau River corridor an urban park, particularly on the east side where there’s less shoreline development. For its part, Parks Canada has declared that it wants to create national urban parks across the country. Sadly, though, the NCC, which controls most of the eastern shoreline, says that its official plan includes nothing with respect to the urban Rideau River corridor.
So it is that with the support of
several community associations, lovers of the river corridor are advocating for the eastern shore of the Rideau from Mooney’s Bay to the Ottawa River to be Ottawa’s Urban National Park. The NCC says it’s willing to work with local communities and partners who may wish to do something with its lands in the capital region. I would argue that Parks Canada is a suitable partner, and an NCC/Parks Canada collaboration would provide a great opportunity to involve local communities in the planning as well.
Achieving a healthy balance
With a national park to enhance our urban natural environment, we can take a huge stride forward to create a better social resource, to help mitigate our city’s heat island effect and
to offset the effects of global warming. Residents needn’t travel out of the city to escape the heat – they could enjoy the great outdoors right in the heart of town. Visitors to the capital can enjoy quick access to a naturalized, waterfront park displaying a little of what makes Canada so special. Hurdman “Park,” a reasonably large, forested area in the middle of the corridor, is only a couple of LRT stops from downtown and is easily accessed by bike or on foot. A proposed footbridge that would span Clegg Avenue and the park would facilitate a short ride to the Rideau Canal, Flora Footbridge, Lansdowne Park and historic Bank Street.
The pandemic and its aftermath have shown us the importance of achieving a healthy balance between economic, social and natural resources in our communities. Working together to develop a beautiful urban national park in the heart of Ottawa is a proposal worthy of backing by all of us in this community.
You can show your support by writing your elected representatives to let them know that a national urban park along the Rideau River Corridor is an idea that you support. Share with them your thoughts on what could make it great and, hopefully, in the not-too-distant future, we can all build a bridge for others to follow.
Jamie Brougham is a Rideau River enthusiast – on it, in it and down both of its sides!
This article was first printed in The Mainstreeter. It is published here with the consent of the author and of The Mainstreeter.
Hurdman “park” looking south – part of a proposed national urban park on the eastern shore of the Rideau River from Mooney’s Bay to the Ottawa River PHOTO: JAMIE BROUGHAM
The Latin American Festival on September 1 at Lansdowne was a lively mosaic of dance, music, art, and cuisine of a number of South American countries.
We’re all in, so she can stand out.
Elmwood is more than just a school, because she’s more than just a student.
To them, we’re a support system, a studio, a playground, a blank canvas. Here, they can explore beyond the curriculum, developing passions and skills that help them achieve whatever they can imagine.
Extensive co-curricular +sports program
International Baccalaureate World School, Pre-K to Grade 12
Robust financial aid program
Healthy meals prepared onsite
Transportation and before +after care available
PHOTOS: LIZ MCKEEN
Glebe Co-op Nursery School ready for the new year
By Alanna Brown
We are very excited for the start of another year at the Glebe Co-operative Nursery School. Our toddlers and preschoolers have been eagerly awaiting the opening of the new playground at the Glebe Community Centre. We are thrilled to have so many new toys, books and activities in our sunny classroom, and we have been enjoying sharing stories from our summer adventures with our new classmates. Our fall fundraiser will be coming up soon, and we look forward to inviting you to join us in a special event that helps support our wonderful school.
Alanna Brown is responsible for communications at Glebe Co-op Nursery School.
Back
The Glebe Co-Op Nursery School is ready and waiting to receive a fresh crop of young’uns.
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
Messages without complete information will not be accepted. FOR SALE items must be less than $1,000.
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
Save the date: Abbotsford Seniors Centre presents A FUNDRAISING CONCERT, COCKTAIL PARTY & SILENT AUCTION. The Womensong Collective: celebrating local women songwriters and supporting community. Fri., Sept. 20, 3:30–6 p.m. Cost: $30 (includes entertainment and refreshments). Buy your tickets through Abbotsford Seniors Centre: 613-230-5730 (tickets are going fast).
ABBOTSFORD SENIOR CENTRE (950 Bank St., Tel.: 613-230-570) LEARN & EXPLORE SPEAKER’S SERIES, Wednesdays, 1–2:30 p.m. Sept.18: Jack Uppal & Heather Lafleur of Jack Uppal Team, Royal Lepage will be speaking about the benefits of downsizing, how to picture your new home, how to make the most money from selling your home and looking into different housing options while staying mindful of real-estate scams. This information is in their book Less Home, MORE LIVING. Lecture will be LIVE and on ZOOM simultaneously. Sept. 25: Join us for a discussion of Home Care and Community Support presented by the Seniors Health Innovations Hub. Kevin Babulic, director of Home Care and Community Support Services, Ottawa, and Amy Boudreau, vice-president of Strategy, Performance and Partnerships at Carefor, will discuss how to get the services required to age at home. The discussion will be moderated by Peggy Edwards, a long-time advocate for seniors’ issues in Ottawa. There will be a dialogue at the end of the session about how communities can develop innovations locally that may improve home care and support delivery. It will be held LIVE and on ZOOM simultaneously. Oct. 2: Diana McCarthy, piano teacher and music adjudicator will present a musical travelogue, Salzburg: In Mozart’s Footsteps. Diana will walk with us through the city of Mozart’s birth, telling stories of Salzburg’s history and its impact on Mozart’s formative years. She’ll then look at how Mozart’s legacy has created one of the world’s top classical music and artistic destinations. It will be held LIVE and on ZOOM simultaneously. Oct. 9: Indonesia: One of the friendliest countries in the world. Joanne Curran is a member of Friendship Force Ottawa (FFO), an international club. Its members learn about other cultures, develop a better understanding of the world and discover our shared humanity through home hosting and meaningful travel experiences. Using shared experiences and vivid images, Joanne will walk us through FFO’s journey to Surabaya and Malang, two Friendship Force clubs in Indonesia. It will be held LIVE and on ZOOM simultaneously. N.B.: The lectures are free, but one must register in advance for a seat or zoom link. Tea/coffee and treats available for purchase in dining room courtesy of your Members Council and Amica the Glebe.
ABBOTSFORD SENIORS CENTRE ONE-DAY INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP: I’m Retired! (now what?) A Workshop of Discovery for the Newly, or Nearly, Retired. Join us for the day on Wednesday, October 16. There will be short presentations from experts and those who have already “taken the plunge.” There will be time for small discussion groups, resources to be shared, and body breaks. The workshop will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with lunch included. The price of the workshop & lunch is $40. For more information or to register, go to the Centre’s Fall Program Guide, call 613-230-5730 or email abbotsford@glebecentre.ca
ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE OTTAWA FRENCH COURSES FOR CHILDREN 7 to 11 as of Sept 10. Interactive, fun and stimulating French courses that combine traditional teaching with creative activities. We offer three levels: A1.1 for complete beginners; A1.2 for children following a French curriculum and those in French immersion; and A2.1 for intermediate beginners who wish to deepen their French skills and explore new horizons. In addition to the courses, there will be recurring cultural activities. The first session (Fall 2024) will offer a weekly 90-minute course over a two-month period. Registration now open. We offer a sibling discount and a free orientation test to determine the appropriate course level. Further information: www.af.ca/ottawa/cours-degroupe-pour-enfants/#/
L’ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE D’OTTAWA – COURS DE FRANÇAIS POUR ENFANTS (7 À 11 ANS) à partir du 10 septembre. Nous offrons trois niveaux: A1.1 pour les débutants complets; A1.2 pour les enfants suivant un cursus de français et ceux en immersion française; et A2.1 pour les enfants débutants intermédiaires qui souhaitent approfondir leurs compétences en français et explorer de nouveaux horizons. En addition aux cours, des activités culturelles récurrentes seront offertes. La première session (Automne 2024) proposera un cours hebdomadaire de 90 minutes sur une période de deux mois. L’inscription est ouverte. Nous offrons une réduction pour les frères et sœurs et un test d’orientation gratuit pour déterminer le niveau approprié de cours. En savoir plus: www.af.ca/ottawa/cours-de-groupepour-enfants/#/
ALPHA EXPERIENCE Come and explore the big questions of life, meaning and faith through the Alpha Film Series, Mondays, starting Sept.16, 7–9 p.m. at St Mary’s Parish, 100 Young St., access via parking lot. For more details and to register, please go to https://tinyurl.com/stmarysalpha – Email: alpha@ stmarysottawa.ca. Alpha is free, the experience priceless! Refreshments will be served. Here is a three-minute video sharing what Alpha is about: https://youtu.be/fViYK_Xb3Wg
Are you looking for a fun activity which will enhance your fitness and bring you new friends? The ARDBRAE DANCERS OF OTTAWA invite you to a free beginner class any Monday in September, at Churchill Recreation Centre, 345 Richmond Road, 7:30 p.m. No partner required. For further information or to contact us, see our website: www.ardbrae.org
Joignez-vous au groupe: FRANCOPHONES D’ORIGINE ET D’ADOPTION DU GLEBE/VIEIL OTTAWA EST ET SUD | Facebook. Ce groupe souhaite servir de pont entre les francophones d’origine et d’adoption de nos 3 quartiers afin de garder la francophonie vivante à Ottawa. Alors si vous êtes francophone du Glebe, OOE ou OOS et souhaitez rencontrer d’autres francophones, participer à des activités en français (cinéclub, club de lecture, rencontres annuelles), discuter d’enjeux et avoir accès à un répertoire sur les services en français, c’est le groupe qu’il vous faut.
OLD OTTAWA SOUTH GARDEN CLUB MEETING, Old Ottawa South Community Centre (The Firehall), 260 Sunnyside Ave., Tues., Oct. 8, 7 p.m.: Ikebana for Gardeners. Many gardeners plan their gardens to
include flowers for cutting. Ikebana flower arranging is a centuries-old Japanese art form that emphasizes a meditative approach to flower arrangement. Claire McCaughey, who holds a Second Sanyo Teacher Diploma in the Sogetsu School of Ikebana, will discuss the defining characteristics of Ikebana vis-àvis Western flower arranging and give a demonstration of Ikebana flower arrangement. Membership: $25 per year; $40 for a family; drop-in fee $7 per meeting. Info: 613 247 4946.
PATHWAY YOGA is hosting a Fall Open House on Sat., Oct. 5 from 1 to 4 p.m. We will start with a vigorous class from 1 to 2 p.m. followed by a tea social. At 2:30, there will be a one-hour beginner class for students new to Iyengar Yoga or looking to build from the foundation. A tea social will follow. We are located at 253 Echo Dr., in the Church of the Ascension. We invite you to check the details of the Open House on our website, pathwayyoga.ca
WALK FOR DEMENTIA 2024 This year’s Walk coincides with World Alzheimer’s Awareness Day, underscoring the global importance of our cause while focusing on the local impact of your support in helping families facing dementia in Ottawa and Renfrew County. Join us at The Walk for Dementia on Sat., Sept. 21, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., at The Dementia Society Centre. 2727 St. Laurent Blvd. Registration: dementiahelp.ca/walk/
FOR SALE
LARGE OAK WHISKY BARREL , beautifully aged, watertight, secured steel rings, size 36” high x 27” wide. Could even be used for rain barrel. $185. Call 613-261-4504.
NORCO MULTI-SPEED BICYCLE, like new. Model LRT RILEX RY, original cost $1,600. Comes with bike manual. Sell for $650. Please call 613-261-4504.
BEAUTIFUL ANTIQUE DINING ROOM TABLE, Duncan Phyfe, incl. leaf. Measures 72” x 42” x 29” high. $925. Call 613-261-4504.
AVAILABLE
FALL GARDEN CLEAN UP I am an experienced gardener ready to help you with all your fall yard maintenance needs. If you are interested in my services, please call/text Janna at 613-293-6883.
WHERE TO FIND THE Glebe Report
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