Kitchissippi Times March 2024

Toddler rushed to hospital after picking up syringe in Civic Hospital park

BY CHARLIE SENACK

At wo-year-old girl was rushed to CHEO in mid-February after putting a used syringe in her mouth at Princess Margriet Park.

According to the Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association, needles have been found in various areas of the community greenspace.

“Used drug paraphernalia and needles have been discovered at Princess Margriet Park (aka Fairmont Park) on the smaller play structure,” the group wrote on Facebook.

“We are also hearing of previous sightings of

similar items near the dog area in the park.”

The latest incident took place on Feb. 10, when first responders were called to the park at around 11:30 a.m. The girl was found with an uncapped syringe in her mouth, according to Ottawa Paramedics, with a tourniquet and crumpled up aluminum foil found nearby. She was listed in stable condition.

The toddler's trip to the hospital was a precaution, and did not require Naloxone, a life-saving drug that reverses an opioid overdose.

While this incident turned out not to be fatal, an alert was issued just a week prior

stating that at least 22 people in Ottawa died from an opioid overdose in January of this year.

through drop boxes. The closest locations to Princess Margaret Park include the Civic Hospital and Causeway Work Centre, both located within a 15-minute walk.

Kitchissippi ward had the third highest calls about needles in 2023, according to Ottawa’s 311 line, based out of 24 municipal wards.

Ottawa Public Health and other health agencies have been working hard to collect used needles to ensure they don’t end up on city streets. Between 2018 and 2022, 7.5 million needles were collected, mostly

On the Civic Hospital Community Association Facebook page, nearby residents shared their concerns.

“It's not surprising, but it's scary,” wrote Sherry Milligan.

“I guess it's just a reminder for us to check the play structures before our children get on them. Sad that we have to do this.”

Others wrote they have discovered used needles littered in other parts of the community.

“I see needles almost every day under the bridge on Parkdale,” said Dana Nachshon “[I also] observed [syringes] near the tennis court on Holland, adjacent to the park.”

Anyone who finds discarded needles in public areas are asked not to pick them up but instead call 311 so the reports can be tracked.

Ottawa Police officer cleared by SIU in incident related to Westboro man’s death

BY CHARLIE SENACK

An Ottawa Police officer who chased a vehicle that was later involved in a Westboro hit and run has been cleared of any wrongdoing, according to Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU).

While details of what took place were first kept under wraps because of the investigation, they have since been released with the concluded report’s findings.

The incident began in the evening on April 15, 2023. An unidentified officer with the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) surveillance team was told to follow a

gray Honda Civic that was involved with an alleged drug deal.

Inside that car was Tevon Bacquain. Police tried to box his car in at Carling near Merivale, but Bacquain got away.

According to the SIU report, Bacquain raced up Kirkwood, driving on the wrong side of the road while bursting through red lights. It’s believed the investigated officer began to follow with his lights and sirens off, but then called off the chase. A different officer was heard over the radio saying, “It ain't worth it, man. He's gonna hit somebody."

That’s exactly what happened.

Franco Micucci was crossing the

intersection of Richmond Road and Kirkwood while out on an evening stroll with his wife, Shirline. Out of nowhere, he was struck. The 46-year-old became airborne, landing on the hood of the Honda Civic.

Micucci never regained consciousness and died in hospital six days later from a major head injury.

Police arrived at the scene in less than a minute, and Bacquain was arrested soon after. In December he pleaded guilty to flight from police and failing to remain at the scene of an incident that caused death. A charge of dangerous driving causing death was dropped.

The SIU said the officer in question

was within their right to attempt to stop the vehicle, and that they “comported themselves with due care and regard for public safety throughout their engagement with the Civic.”

SIU director Joseph Martino wrote that the officer traveled at an adequate speed through the neighborhood and rightly called an end to the pursuit.

“It is apparent that neither [officers] transgressed the limits of care in the course of a brief pursuit that was discontinued prior to the collision that tragically took the life of the Complainant,” wrote Martino. “As such, there is no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case.”

Colleen is native to India and completed her education in England. She returned to her homeland to meet the love of her life, a professor at a school Colleen attended. Eventually, a new chapter opened in Colleen’s life with her move to Wellington West Retirement Community. Now she particularly enjoys the exercise class and has already exhausted the excellent in-house library.

UPCOMING OPEN HOUSES

Jan 19 |1:00-4:00pm |Open House

Interestedinlearning moreabout retirement living? Meet our staff and takealook around. Join us from 1-4 pm for an Open House

“The thing that I enjoy best is that we are respected here at Wellington West. Seniors are not warehoused, we are listened to.”

- Colleen Henderson,

Jan 26 |1:00-4:00pm |

CelebrateChinese NewYear

Celebratethe Chinese NewYear at our open house.The Success Dragon Lion DanceTroupe performs at 2pmand will have aluckydrawfor agift.

TheChinese Lion Danceisa3000-year-old Chinese tradition thatsymbolizes prosperity,luck, and happiness. Taiyaki-style desserts and refreshments will be served.

KitchissippiTimes

@Kitchissippi

COMMUNITY BULLETIN

Here are updates from some of the nine community associations in our ward.

HINTONBURG COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION:

Since their September 2023 AGM, the Hintonburg Community Association has been very active.

Activities have included a thrilling Ball Hockey Tournament and an overwhelmingly successful Artisan Craft Fair. Looking forward, there are a few issues of greater concern: Saving Plouffe Park, the Tunney’s Pasture redevelopment, Bayview Yards, Parkdale Avenue traffic, affordable housing, and the safety and security of residents— especially students and seniors. The Community Association is also looking forward to working together with other Community Associations to expand greenspace and replace trees in Hintonburg.

ISLAND PARK COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION:

Island Park Drive turned 100 on October 18, 2023. In celebration of this milestone, the Island Park Community Association (IPCA) held a community-wide social event on Sept. 21 at St. George’s Parish. It included a keynote presentation and Q&A with Built Heritage Ottawa representatives to discuss Heritage Conservation District options for the neighbourhood.

In Nov. 2023, the IPCA submitted an application to the City that Island Park be approved for a Heritage Conservation District (HCD) Study to determine if the area warrants that status. Some of the supporting research can be found on the IPCA website at islandparkcommunityassociation.ca. It includes a slideshow and history of the Island Park Drive research paper.

Anyone wishing to contribute historical information about the neighbourhood is

welcome to submit contributions or ask questions by sending an email to info@ islandparkcommunityassociation.ca.

MCKELLAR PARK COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION:

MPCA is holding a Spring Egg Hunt on Sat, March 30 at 10:30 a.m. at McKellar Park - 539 Wavell Avenue. It will go ahead rain, snow or even mud! Fun for the whole family and a great way to meet your neighbours! Find out more at the MPCA website: mckellarpark.ca.

MECHANICSVILLE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION:

MCA was thrilled to present a cheque to Kristi Ross, their legal counsel, for $12,800 to pay for final legal fees in the “Trees Not Embassies” legal challenge to save precious greenspace called Lazy Bay Commons. Every donation, big or small, helped MCA save the space.

Mechanicsville would like to personally thank the many individuals, community, environmental organizations and politicians who devoted time, energy, creativity and funding to this challenge. It was a monumental three-year fight that succeeded in preserving 25 per cent of the green space plus securing many other gains that will benefit the community for generations to come. If you are interested in learning more about this challenge, contact Mechanicsville.org.

WELLINGTON VILLAGE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION:

The WVCA has been busy. Recently, they have been working alongside neighbours and the City to reimagine the (now vacant) lot on Spencer Avenue as a

brand new community park. City public consultation is expected soon. The group is also leading Neighbours for Tunney's with surrounding community associations to promote community engagement in the redevelopment of Tunney's Pasture. Find out more in a 2023 Year-in-Review at wvca.ca!

WESTBORO COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION:

Westboro residents are helping make the skies a little safer for birds in our city! Every year in Ottawa more than 250,000 birds die colliding with glass structures. In a survey organized last fall by Safe Wings Ottawa and Carleton University students, 118 Westboro residents offered suggestions to reduce these accidents, while local architect Barry Hobin and his firm support bird-safe design solutions. The Westboro Community Association (WCA) hopes this research will encourage the City of Ottawa to consider bird protection standards that have been in place in Toronto and Vancouver for more than 10 years.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

APRIL 19-20: KITCHISSIPPI UNITED CHURCH RUMMAGE SALE: This popular event has a good selection of boutique items, books, art, jewellery, toys and household items for sale. The sale starts on Fri. April 19th at 7:09 p.m. and Sat. April 20th from 9:00 a.m. to noon. We are located at 630 Island Park Dr.(at the Queensway). For information, call (613) 722-7254.

APRIL 25-27: SPRING YARD SALE IN SUPPORT OF HUMANE SOCIETY: The OHS Auxiliary will be selling high quality handmade crafts at its Spring Craft Sale. The sale takes place at "The Spot" between Bentley and Laura Secord, Carlingwood Mall, 2121 Carling Avenue on Thursday, Friday and Saturday April 25, 26 and 27, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. Proceeds go to support the animals at the Ottawa Humane Society. They accept cash, credit (over $10) or debit. For more info, contact Connie constance_nunn@ yahoo.com.

TUESDAYS: FRIENDS OF TAI CHI: Friends of Tai Chi and the First Unitarian Church on Cleary Avenue would like to let the community know that on March 12 we will be begin to offer, free of charge, guided Tai Chi practice every Tuesday from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

KITCHISSIPPI TIMES

Great River Media Inc

PO Box 91585

Ottawa ON K1W 1K0

Kitchissippi, “meaning great river” is the former Algonquin name for the Ottawa River. The name now identifies the urban community to the west of downtown Ottawa.

EDITOR

Charlie Senack editor@kitchissippi.com twitter.com/kitchissippi twitter.com/charlie_senack

CONTRIBUTORS

Hannah Wanamaker, Christina Korotkov, Simon Hopkins, Dave Allston and Millie Farley.

PROOFREADER

Susan Rothery

ADVERTISING SALES

Eric Dupuis 613-696-9485 eric@kitchissippi.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Tanya Connolly-Holmes creative@greatriver.ca

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Celine Paquette celine@greatriver.ca

Deborah Ekuma deborah@obj.ca

FINANCE

Cheryl Schunk, 613-696-9490 cheryl@greatriver.ca

All other enquiries 613-696-9494 info@kitchissippi.com

Distribution

A minimum of 15,000 copies are distributed from the Ottawa River to Carling Avenue between the O-Train tracks and Sherbourne Road. Most residents in this area will receive the Kitchissippi Times directly to their door. If you did not receive your copy, or would like additional copies, please contact us. Bulk copies are delivered to multi-unit dwellings and retail locations. Copies are available at Dovercourt Recreation Centre and Hintonburg Community Centre.

info@kitchissippi.com

The Kitchissippi Times is published by

FOUNDER PUBLISHER

Mark Sutcliffe Michael Curran

EDITOR’S LETTER

KT honoured with eight OCNA awards

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Happy March, Kitchissippi!

I’m thankful spring is almost here. I know we were blessed with a warm winter, but I’m ready to ditch my trench coats for hoodie season.

Spring doesn’t officially start until 11:06 p.m. on March 19, but it feels like it came early. As I write this, it’s currently seven degrees outside and the snow is melting. It hasn’t been a good season for our historic Rideau Canal or the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail which had a late start to the year.

Building this paper every month is a labour of love and a team effort. Every single person pours their heart and soul into their work. I feel grateful to work with this great group of people every day.

In this issue of KT, I spoke with new Parkdale Food Centre executive director Beth Ciavaglia about what she hopes to accomplish with the organization. I also sat down with local city councillors and architects to learn more about what the future holds for Carling Avenue.

February was a very successful month for the Kitchissippi Times at the annual Ontario Community Newspaper Association (OCNA) awards.

KT won in eight categories, including for best Ontario community newspaper with a circulation 12,500 and over. I was honoured to be recognized with the Stephen Shaw Reporter of the Year Award.

The paper also received Best Diversity Coverage with Bradley Turcotte being celebrated for his story on LGBTQ2S+ sports leagues and Gabrielle Huston for their article on Hello Dolly pastries being “neurodivergent and queer all year.”

KT photographer Ellen Bond received awards for Best Feature Photo, Photographer of the Year and Best Photo Layout, which is a shared entry with graphic designer Céline Paquette

KT also took home awards for Best Arts and Culture Story and Best Creative Grip and Grin Photo. We need to wait until April to find out if we are first, second or third place in each category, but either way, it’s an immense honour to be recognized.

Hannah Wanamaker went to Ten Toes Coffee House and Laundry on Somerset (a favourite hangout spot of ours) to learn about how they are promoting local products. Hannah also met up with Firdaus Kharas who was recently awarded with the Order of Canada.

In ‘Early Days’, Dave Allston brings us back to when steeplechase races were the rage in Westboro. It’s hard to imagine Richmond Road sprawling with fields and farms!

Christina Korotkov flipped through the pages of local authors to learn more about a reading festival Wellington West’s Bagelshop is hosting through March. A few blocks over in Westboro, she also stopped by the Clocktower Brew Pub which is collecting jackets for the homeless.

Finally, Simon Hopkins went to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in McKellar Park where dancers from Ukraine were putting on a spectacular performance. He also met up with a local Nepean High School swimmer who has her eyes set on the Olympics.

That’s all the news that fits into print this month. Have a story idea? Email me at editor@kitchissippi.com.

MARCH UPDATES

OPEN FOR REGISTRATION

• Summer Camps and swim lessons

• March Break Camps Mar. 11 - 15

UPCOMING REGISTRATIONS

• February 20: Spring Arts & Sports Registration (pottery, dance, sports, etc)

• April 2: Spring II swim registration

• April 2: Spring Fitness registration

MARCH BREAK CAMPS MARCH 11 - 15

We’ve got an exciting lineup of Theme, Specialty and Youth Zone camps including Gameshow Galore.

SUMMER CAMP & SWIM LESSONS

This year’s lineup is incredible! Overnight Adventure Academy, Cake Decorating, Magic, Fashion & Jewelry Design, Circus Performers, Flag Rugby, Parkour, Robotics, Youth Zone, and so much more!

There is also space in our Junior Kinder theme camps.  Swim lessons are available once a week or 5 days in a row.

FIT PASS

The best value and most fun!

40+/ week classes including group fit, spin, and aquafit classes, fitness centre, pool access and pickleball. Starting at $46/ month.

AFTER SCHOOL

Registration for 2024-2025 After school program will be available in the spring.

EMPLOYMENT

AQUATICS: We are always on the lookout for staff 15 yrs and up with lifeguard & swim instructor qualifications. Please send your resume to Christine, cpelletier@dovercourt.org

Building a healthy, active and engaged community through recreation

ARTS

Folk choir brings the sounds of Ukraine to McKellar Park

BY SIMON HOPKINS

The harmonic sounds of Ukrainian choir Gerdan filled the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in McKellar Park on Feb. 22.

Their bright and open-voice singing resonated through the room, with the audience clapping and singing along.

The 16-singer group is a folk choir from Southeast Ukraine, who are on a Canadian tour that started in Montreal on Feb. 21. They performed a two-hour concert for about 120 people at the Ukrainian banquet hall in the basement of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Ukrainian Orthodox Church on Byron Ave.

Gerdan’s tour is supported by Cobblestone Freeway Tours, a tour company that takes groups to Eastern Europe, including Ukraine.

Founder Vince Rees told the crowd at the church they wanted to bring Gerdan to Canada after being unable to take groups to the Gerdan Theatre followingsince the fullscale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The choir is part of a larger theatre company and school. Many of the elite performers joined the theatre at a young age and have performed for over a decade. The theatre is in Chernivtsi, a town near Ukraine’s border with Romania, about eight hours southwest of Kyiv.

Dressed in stunning outfits, the group paraded through the crowd before taking the stage. They all wore vyshyvanky, traditional embroidered Ukrainian shirts with patterns typical of the Chernivtsi region. The women wore skirts and aprons with equally intricate designs. Their heads were adorned with

flower wreaths called vinky, and the men wore gerdans, beautiful beaded necklaces.

The singing group, led by Anastasia Kostiuk, sang familiar folk tunes and original compositions. The concert ebbed from tense emotional pieces to rowdy jigs that had the crowd laughing and dancing.

After the concert, Pavlo Garadzhii, a singer and actor with Gerdan Theatre, told KT that all of the music performed was deeply tied to Ukrainian culture and history.

“Everything is folk because it’s somehow connected to Ukrainian history. We do make our own arrangements, so we try to make it fresh and modern so we can connect the past, present, and future,” Garadzhii said.

During the concert, Vince Rees, translating for Anastasia Kostiuk, told the group about the fundraising purpose of the tour. Five of the choir’s members were on the frontlines fighting. All money raised was being sent to support the members in buying equipment and supplies.

With the crowd in awe, the choir ended the show with Mnohaya Lita, a celebratory song that grants ‘many years,’ signaling well wishes for the future. The audience stood and sang along. When the choir had left, the crowd chanted for an encore. Gerdan obliged and sang a blessing.

Pavlo Garadzhii explained to KT the importance of their tour and the challenges of making it happen.

“It was extremely difficult to get here,” said Garadzhii. “It was a very exhaustive and important process.”

Under wartime law, men aged 18-60 cannot leave the country. Gerdan needed special government permission for the trip.

“We had to contact the Ministry of Culture and had to give them a list of the men and a reason, and every city and date,” he said. “Fortunately, they granted us permission to leave the country. They considered it to be a very important event.”

The members of the choir are excited about the tour. Ottawa was just the second stop on a trip that will take them all the way to Victoria, British Columbia. “Connecting with the Ukrainian diaspora here is very

special,” said Garadzhii.

Even before the war, Canada was already enriched in Ukrainian culture. Many immigrated here through the 20th century.

“They are a big example for a lot of people who live in diaspora and for Ukrainians who are now displaced people,” said Garadzhii. “[The UkrainianCanadians] willingness to save our culture is perfect and a big example for all of us.”

Ukrainian choir Gerdan performed at McKellar Park’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church on Feb. 22. PHOTOS BY SIMON HOPKINS.

Art Exhibition

March 25- May 12

Wild Flower Haikus

by Artist Veronika McKerrell

Vernissage April 6, 7-9 pm at Kaleidoscope Sky 1106 Somerset St. West

CONCERTS FOR EVERYONE

GUY DAVIS

FIRST UNITARIAN CONGREGATION OF OTTAWA

MARCH 10TH @7PM

ANDREA RAMALO

FIRST UNITARIAN CONGREGATION OF OTTAWA

APRIL 5TH @7PM

WWW.HARMONYCONCERTS.CA

@Kitchissippi

FIVE PRIORITIES

Jeff Leiper has for this term of council

BY CHARLIE SENACK

After sitting at the council table for over a decade, Kitchissippi representative Jeff Leiper said he feels his role has shifted over the years.

During his first and second terms, Leiper was a vocal critic who oftentimes opposed decisions that were made by a large portion of his council colleagues — particularly around development.

But now Leiper said his time is better spent seeking “thoughtful intensification.”

“With my views on development, residents have noticed that I’ve started voting in favor of more rezoning. That’s partially because I’m taking this broader citywide view,” Leiper told KT.

That has been a controversial shift, but Leiper said it’s been worth it.

“I’ve heard from residents who would like me to fight development and intensification. But over the course of nine years I’ve learned a lot about where the wiggle room is,” he said. “I don't think, given expanded responsibilities, that my time is best spent performing opposition to buildings if that’s not actually going to be useful.”

KT caught up with Leiper to find out what his five remaining priorities are for this term of council.

1Building

more affordable housing

The City of Ottawa is on track to build

more affordable housing than ever before, but it’s still not enough.

In Sept. 2023, the city’s planning and housing committee approved a capital spending plan worth $75.7 million. It brought the total number of units in Ottawa either under development or in pre-development to 1,787.

Even so, Leiper said about 12,000 people remain on a list for deeply affordable housing throughout the city.

“We are in a housing crisis and that means different things to different people. There is a crisis in middle class housing where it’s difficult for people of any income range to be able to afford housing,” he said. “It’s particularly more difficult for younger Ottawa residents. We need to increase

housing supply through intensification and through zoning.”

On Feb. 12, the federal government pledged to give the City of Ottawa about $176 million through a housing deal. It aims to speed up the construction of 4,400 units over three years.

2Enhancing public transit

It’s no secret that Ottawa has a struggling transit system. While Kitchissippi’s routes are not perfect, they are better than elsewhere in the city, including the suburbs.

Leiper said he hopes investments will continue to be made to the system so it works properly for everyone.

“Residents have seen first-hand that we are allowing a lot more housing going in without parking. We are seeing increased congestion on our streets. Transit has to work if intensification is going to work,” he said. “Intensification is going to have to work if we are going to have a sustainable, affordable city.”

The Phase 2 Trillium line of Ottawa’s light rail transit system is still on track to open this spring; however, officials are not giving any dates just yet. The trains are currently being tested from Bayview Station to Limebank Road in Riverside South. Once the trains

are in operation, it will provide easier transportation access to Little Italy, Carleton University and South Keys.

3Undertaking the comprehensive zoning bylaw review

This might not sound particularly “sexy”, noted Leiper, but it’s an important step to double down on intensification with a new official plan in place.

“Our zoning today is way out of date to

what the official plan says, and as a result, that’s a barrier to developers building homes. Every development is a zoning application [and] every development is a fight,” said Leiper.

The Kitchissippi councillor said as-ofright zoning is needed to meet the housing targets Ottawa has committed to with the federal and provincial governments.

“The comprehensive zoning bylaw is an opportunity to bring the zoning up to date with what the official plan says, so

that residents know what to expect on their street, and builders will know what we expect them to build,” said Leiper. “

4Finding the next big project

Leiper said that during his time in office, he’s had success with the building of a new Van Lang Field House, the redevelopment of Laroche Park, and the opening of the new Chief William Commanda Bridge.

As his time on council ticks down, Leiper said he’s looking for his next big project to be a lasting legacy.

“Whatever it is, [it] will probably be the last that I have the opportunity to work on as a city councillor. I’m looking at our public realm and trying to figure out if we can get some new great green space in the ward,” he said.

Leiper said that opportunity could come with the former Granite Curling Club located at 2026 Scott St.

In May 2022, the City of Ottawa received a Zoning By-law Amendment application to facilitate the construction of three high-rise residential towers consisting of 20- 36- and 40-storeys respectively at Scott and Athlone.

In Nov. 2023, a site plan control application requested the construction of two, 40-storey high-rise residential apartment buildings at the site, with a total of 856 units. The development would include a total of 418 parking spaces and 630 bicycle parking spaces.

Leiper also said he’d like to depave some streets and acquire more residential land to be converted into public greenspace.

bike infrastructure

Leiper’s love of cycling is no secret to anybody. So it’s no surprise he’d like to see more bike lanes.

While large cycling infrastructure upgrades have been made, Leiper said there are some missing connections he'd like to secure.

“Particularly the connection along Churchill to Scott from Byron,” the cyclist said. “That missing link drives me nuts. It’s two key spines in our city bringing people from the west end and the south end, through to our main east-west corridor that isn’t connected.”

Chartwell

Left: City councillor Jeff Leiper talks at a transit committee meeting at City Hall on Feb. 8. Above: Leiper said the former Granite Curling Club could be repurposed for more community green space. PHOTOS BY CHARLIE SENACK.

It was really cool to get to go to South America for swimming... getting to be in an [athletes] village environment.

— JULIE BROUSSEAU

Nepean High School swimmer eyes 2024 Olympics

BY SIMON HOPKINS

Julie Brousseau has her eyes set on the upcoming 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

The 18-year-old Nepean High School swimmer is already on the path to success. She competed nationally at the senior level for the first time in 2022 at the Canada Summer Games held in Ontario’s Niagara Region.

“The Canada Games was my first big meet where I was on the tour team,” said Brousseau. She won 11 medals at the tournament, tying the record for most at a single Canada Games.

Brousseau started swimming as a kid at her family’s cottage and immediately fell in love with being in the water. When she was eight, the Kitchissippi resident began swimming competitively. In high

school, she joined the Nepean Kanata Barracudas, a high-level swim team.

“I moved to NKB in high school for a more competitive environment,” she said.

Following her national success, Brousseau qualified at Canada’s trials for the junior team and travelled to Israel for the World Junior Swimming Championships in 2023.

She won seven medals at the tournaments: four as a member of relay teams and three individual medals.

A few months later, Brousseau was flying high again as she qualified at Canada’s trials for the team heading to Santiago, Chile for the 2023 Pan American Games.

“It was really cool to get to go to South America for swimming,” said Brousseau. It was her first time traveling for Canada’s senior national team. “It was so cool getting

to be in an [athletes] village environment.”

Then 17, Brousseau went as a member of a relay team with whom she won a gold medal for the 4x100m freestyle relay. When another swimmer was unable to compete in their event, she excitedly took their place.

Brousseau swam the 400m medley and won gold and set a personal best swimming the 400m freestyle.

“If you work really hard, getting a personal best feels better than even getting a medal,” said Brousseau.

Now Brousseau has her eyes on the Olympics. Canada’s trials for the team traveling to the games in Paris are this spring. She’s training extremely hard to prepare for the competition.

“I’m training for the trials in May for the junior team and the Olympic team,” said Brousseau. “I’m swimming at the

Sportsplex nine times a week, doing free weights and mainly training for the 400m freestyle and medley, those kinds of events.”

Brousseau does all this while being a grade 12 student with post-secondary aspirations.

“It’s tough,” she said, “I’m studying sciences and math.” To help manage the logistics of her busy training schedule, Brousseau takes half of her courses online.

Next year, Brousseau plans to attend the University of Florida who recruited her for their swim team two years ago. She committed to them last fall after considering her post-secondary options.

“I went on three recruit trips, talked to a bunch of schools, and I liked Florida the best,” Brousseau said, adding she plans to study sciences while swimming for the Gators’ Division I team.

Julie Brousseau is hoping to make it to the 2024 summer Olympics being held in Paris. PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SWIMMING CANADA.

May 10 - 14, 2024

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Diane & Jen real estate team celebrates 20 years in the community

The Diane & Jen real estate team started over 20 years ago when two like-minded agents realized they had outgrown their downtown firm and wanted to do business together. Two decades later they’re a household name that works with businesses and charities to enrich the city of Ottawa as a whole. With clients all across Ottawa, they pride themselves on the connection they have to the city and its residents.

“Real estate’s a very personal business,” Jen said. “It’s a big financial transaction, and usually it’s people’s largest financial asset, but it’s also a very emotional one.”

In addition to helping people find their dream homes, Diane & Jen partner with local charities and businesses such as the Carlington Community Association, Interval House of Ottawa, the Distress Centre, Youth Services of Ottawa, and the Parkdale Food Centre. This month, they are even participating

in a 200 kilometre dog sledding trip through the Swedish Lapland to raise money for the Youth Services Bureau. To date they have reached over half of their $10,000 goal.

It’s all part of their ongoing dedication to caring for the city we’ve been selling real estate in for 20 years. After they get back from Sweden, the team is planning to expand the number of charities they partner with, further increasing their community involvement. Supporting the people of Ottawa through charity work will help them connect with their clients, and that experience will help in the volatile real estate market.

“Throughout the year, we’ll be focusing on the fact that we have 20 years of experience in a changing market. The real estate market is evolving, it’s very dynamic,” Jen said. “Nothing can really replace knowledge, experience, and longevity.”

The Diane & Jen Team are available for all of your real estate needs, whether buying, selling or investing. They’re ready to put their 20+ years of experience to work for you and guide you in your real estate journey. Their goal is always to give you a real estate experience that you’re proud to share with the people you know and over the past 20 years they’ve helped countless clients in the Kitchissippi community.

Visit dianeandjen.com for more info.

PREMIUM SENIOR LIVING WITH EXCEPTIONAL CARE

We could tell you what makes Amica different from other senior living residences. But we’d rather show you. After all, what makes us different is different for everyone.

Please join us for a private tour of our residence so we can tell you about the care options available at Amica The Glebe, including Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care. With our unique discovery process, we create a personalized wellness plan for each resident so you’ll always have the care you need, even if those needs change.

How Clocktower Brew Pub is helping the homeless

BY CHRISTINA KOROTKOV

Manny Garcia, general manager of Clocktower Brew Pub, was scrolling through Facebook in 2019 when he came across a photo that would inspire a new way to give back.

The photo was of a clothing rack outside the front of a store. Posted by the shop itself, anyone was welcome to donate a winter jacket to be picked up by someone in need at their own discretion.

“‘That’s kinda cool,’” Garcia remembered thinking when he said the post. “It’s so simple, yet so effective.”

In that moment, a new Clocktower tradition was born.

Patrons quickly came on board with the idea and wanted to help. Calls started coming in around September when the rack was first placed outside.

Garcia said the tough times have meant jackets are usually taken off the rack hours after they are hung. He wishes other businesses would get involved to help ensure residents in need across the city can stay warm through the winter.

“Not everybody is lucky to have a house and a warm place to stay. The community sees that, especially around here, it’s been getting worse and worse and people see that,” he said. “We need to help them.”

The idea wasn’t a foreign concept

Ottawa Bagel Shop hosts writers festival ‘Storytime’

BY CHRISTINA KOROTKOV

The Ottawa Bagelshop has a full bookcase of authors you won’t want to miss at their Writers Festival, ‘Storytime’, which began on Feb. 4 and runs until March 24.

The free event takes place Sundays

at 2:00 p.m. Authors Jim Hurcomb, Brett Popplewell, Natacha Belair and Kate Heartfield will present through the month of March. Don Butler, David McGee, Seymour Hamilton and Keir Cutler have already hosted their literary work.

“The Ottawa Bagelshop has always been a place where people gather,” said Liliana

to the pub. Managers had already been gathering and donating winter jackets to the Shepherds of Good Hope since 2018.

“It’s not just [downtown] that needs something like this,” said Jenni Levasseur, operations manager and general manager at Westboro’s Clocktower Pub. “The prices of everything, even in pubs and restaurants, have gone up so much. We just wanted to do something nice for the community.”

The Clocktower has a history of

community work. Pre-pandemic, they would volunteer at youth centers and cook meals for the kids.

According to 2021 stats, 1,340 Ottawa residents are experiencing homelessness, a number that is almost certainly higher today.

In Westboro, a temporary warming shelter has been set up in the Graham Spry Building at 250 Lanark Avenue. The former office complex has beds for 45 people and will be open until March 30.

Lost Ottawa writer David McGee with Ottawa BagelShop owner Liliana Piazza. PROVIDED PHOTO.

Throughout the winter, Westboro’s Clocktower Brew Pub has been collecting used coats for the homeless. PHOTO BY CHARLIE SENACK.

Piazza, owner of the Wellington West business. The second generation holder has been running the shop since 2019 when she took over from her father, Vincenzo Piazza, who started the business in 1984.

Author David McGee had the chance to promote his two books in the Lost Ottawa series. What started out as an experiment turned into a Facebook page with 56,000 followers and two books. He is hoping to produce a third volume of stories in the near future.

“When you get out in public and talk to the people, you learn what your work means to people in a way you just can’t via email or social media,” said McGee in an email to KT. “It made me feel like people hadn’t forgotten Lost Ottawa, and it brought my attention back to the project.”

‘Storytime’ guest speaker Don Butler introduced his book A Life of Bliss through the literary festival. The former Ottawa Citizen journalist and Wellington West resident said events like this help lesser known authors gain a bigger presence.

“Usually these events are in a book store. Getting to be at a place where you can eat something delicious and hear

from a local author is pretty unique,” said Butler. “I’ve found people who have read my first novel all seem to like it quite a lot, but there is a limited audience because people aren’t aware of it.

Butler is now finalizing his second book titled Norman's Conquest, which Ottawa Press and Publishing plans to release in mid-May.

The Bagelshop, which will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in April, has always been a supporter of the arts and helping out the community. Throughout the years when Vincenzo was running the store, he would host performers and other events.

It was important to Piazza to continue her father’s legacy by creating an opportunity for people to come together and enjoy artists.

“People come in, enjoy the space, feel supported, feel like they belong, and feel like they’re contributing to not only their audience but to my staff as well, to the people coming into the store and just really creating this really great environment where something’s going on and something’s being learned or something’s being enjoyed.”

New Parkdale Food Centre executive director hopes to bring 'predictability' to role

BY CHARLIE SENACK

It’s been a tough few years for the Parkdale Food Centre. Rising costs, increased demand, and having to do more with less have resulted in challenges and cutbacks.

An affordability crisis and rising inflation has resulted in more people than ever needing to rely on assistance. For the first time in over a decade, the PFC has a new executive director who said

she is planning to use her philanthropy background to spark change.

“I think I can bring some predictability to the centre and steady the ship,” said Beth Ciavaglia who took over the role in January. “I’m not looking to make dramatic moves or bring in new programs. We have to keep going.”

Ciavaglia took over for long-term executive director Karen Secord, who was involved in the organization for over 10 years. Secord left in June 2023 to

It’s about giving dignity. People pick up their grocery cart and move around — Beth Ciavaglia

pursue new opportunities.

“During her time with PFC, Karen distinguished herself as a thought leader in food insecurity and in public policy,” wrote PFC board chair Deborah Abbott in a statement. “As a strong advocate for our community, Karen made a lasting impact on the Parkdale Food Centre and on our sector. With her help, we have forged important partnerships across the city, across the country, and even internationally, which will continue to shape our work.”

Born and raised in Ottawa, Ciavaglia was a physiotherapist who worked in the healthcare system for 20 years before switching to the long-term care sector. She knew Parkdale’s work through their reputation in the community, and wanted to work in an environment where change could be implemented more quickly.

RISE IN DEMAND

On average, the PFC feeds 100 people per meal, but reached a record-breaking 155 clients during their recent Chinese New Year celebrations. In January, the centre also gave food to about 1,400 people through its grocery program, Mino'Weesini.

The grocer operates out of 5 Hamilton Ave. N. and costs about $1,400 a month to run. It saw a 33 per cent increase in calls for service last month. Users are able to go around the space and choose their own food items, much like a traditional supermarket experience.

“It’s about giving dignity. People pick up their grocery cart and move around,” said Ciavaglia. “There is an open fridge with dairy and shelves with canned goods. You choose what you want based on the amount of points you have.”

Each client is given a certain number of points based on their needs. Mino'Weesini is currently piloting a project thanks to funding by RBC that allows the food bank users to tap a card at checkout, making it even more of a realistic shopping experience.

CALLS FOR SUPPORT

In 2023, PFC received 38 per cent of its funding through one-time donations totalling a little over $626,700. Its second biggest source of money came from grants at 24 per cent, with monthly donations being the third highest at almost 15 per cent.

The Parkdale Food Centre is facing rising costs and more demand as inflation continues to pinch the pockets of Ottawa residents. Insert: New PFC executive director Beth Ciavaglia. ALL PHOTOS BY CHARLIE SENACK

sponsored by

Ciavaglia said a misconception is PFC receives much of its funding from the three governments when, in fact, that only accounts for less than 16 per cent. The City of Ottawa gave $225,500, the federal government contributed almost $14,191, and only $2,857 came from the Province of Ontario.

Last year the PFC’s full income bracket totalled $1,647,272.

“We did have a funding shortfall. Typically November and December are our highest months for donations. This year we saw a significant decrease,” said Ciavaglia. “We are having to reset and figure out what we can do with less.”

While one time donations are appreciated, Ciavaglia said monthly donations, even if just a few dollars each time, means the group has a more predictable income.

“It feels a little unethical — it’s not a great choice — but it’s the reality of what we can afford to do,” said Ciavaglia. “We have to go through it and choose what we feel is comfortable and safe to serve.”

COMMUNITY FRIDGE CLOSES

Limited resources and overwhelming needs in the community forced the PFC to close their community fridge at the beginning of February.

The project was started to help break the stigma around food insecurity, but problems soon followed. The fridge was brought inside last year after it was lit on fire in Aug. 2022.

The PFC is supported by food from the Ottawa Food Bank, but that organization shares food with 112 agencies, meaning their resources are also stretched. Much of the food used by the PFC kitchen staff for their meals is sourced from grocers that sell produce they don’t plan to use at $5 a box.

“People were lining up early in order to get two or three produce items that we could provide for them in a more dignified way with our food bank,” Ciavaglia said. “The decision had been a long time coming. We had meetings with the neighbors to discuss if there was a better way to make this work for everybody, but we just couldn’t change the dynamic of it.”

The PFC is asking for donations to help feed the community. More information can be found at parkdalefoodcentre.ca

If you are newly retired or have time on your hands, the Friends of the Central Experimental Farm seek a volunteer Treasurer. The Treasurer is a member of the Executive Committee and is responsible for and advises the Board on financial and budget matters. This position is supported by a volunteer bookkeeper.

Experience/knowledge in managing the financial affairs of a business or another not for profit charitable organization. Professional designation desired.

For further information or to submit your resume, please contact volunteer@friendsofthefarm.ca

Future of Carling: How one of Ottawa’s main arteries is being reinvisioned

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Imagine what it would be like to walk down a tree-lined Carling Avenue, with dozens of high density buildings and easy access to reliable transit.

It’s a dream many architects and politicians are eyeing for the city as one of Ottawa’s main arteries is reinvisioned for the future.

The streetscape, currently designed for cars, has already seen lots of development in the works. Highrises are about to be built on the site of the former Travelodge Hotel, Westgate Shopping Centre will eventually be torn down to make way for five towers, and single houses near Carlingwood could soon be demolished for low rise buildings.

Yet despite the street's modernization, there is no official plan.

“I think Carling really suffers from some form of an identity crisis,” said WellingtonWest based architect Toon Dreessen.

“Carling is fractured politically. It runs through multiple wards. It has so many different purposes and identities so there is nothing cohesive for it to be put together.”

Dreessen of Architects DCA said he doesn’t view Carling under the same scope as Bank, Preston, or Somerset streets. Instead, his vision is for it to be a boulevard that would link the various communities it passes all the way from Bayshore in the west to Dows Lake in the east.

“I think Carling should go on a road diet. It should be a narrower road with slower speeds and dedicated bus-only transit and cycle infrastructure,” Dreessen said. “It should be a mixture of mid-rise buildings — eight to 12 storeys — and then have higher buildings at key nodes in transit hubs. These key hubs should be pre-

zoned and up-zoned for taller towers.”

Bay ward city councillor Theresa Kavanagh agrees. She said the community needs intensification to survive.

“Carling Avenue used to be the main road to come into town. It was the highway before the Queensway was built,” she said. “Its character has changed over the years, but it’s now part of our urban landscape and we need to make it more liveable.”

The City of Ottawa has long talked about putting bus rapid transit down Carling, but it’s never happened. Kavanagh said that is because more safety studies need to occur.

Parts of Carling will one day be benefit from light rail transit, with Stage 2 of the Confederation Line going through Lincoln Fields. From there, trains will travel south to Algonquin College at Baseline Station, west to Moodie Drive, and east all the way to Orléans. The whole system is not expected to be completed until 2026.

Kavanagh hopes the bus routes will soon change to accommodate new travel patterns.

“My dream, and I’m pushing for it, is to have bus rapid transit and bike lanes keep going west past Bayshore,” she said. “Currently the number 85 goes down Carling and goes to Bayshore. Eventually it may even need to go beyond Bayshore to Crystal Beach. We do have DND (Department of National Defence) over there and so it’s another way of coming in.”

The Bay ward councillor who lives in Britannia, said she’d like to see Carling Avenue also become a more friendly place for cyclists and pedestrians. Kavanagh invisions murals painted onto buildings and trees lining the street to make it feel “less cold and awful.”

FUTURE OF CARLINGWOOD

In summer 2023, Carlingwood Shopping Centre was put on the market, a move which many retail experts said could signal future development.

The 632,700-square-foot retail complex sits on a 30-acre site with lots of parking lots surrounding the shopping mall. Kavanagh said the front of Carlingwood is already rezoned for highrises.

“That very much looks like the future,” she said. “Is that better than a pile of asphalt? Probably. We need more people living in these urban areas.”

A few blocks down from Carlingwood, a development sign outside of 1995 Carling said the city has received a site plan application to build a 27-storey apartment dwelling with 210 residential units and six levels of underground parking.

The concept was initially brought forward in 2020 and hasn't seen any movement since. The community has expressed concerns over the proposed developments closeness to single story homes nearby. Kavanagh said it’s a “less than ideal” location.

Next door to the east at 1993 Carling, a five-storey residential building with 27 units and a rooftop terrace is proposed. It would replace an existing three-storey structure.

Near Clyde, the former Canadian Tire building could be torn down to make way for condos or a gym. The hardware store closed in fall 2022 to move into its new location in Carlingwood.

Property owner RioCan proposed to build six mixed-use buildings on the site, one that could be 40-storeys tall. If it’s developed, 1,700 people could call the site home, with a new retirement home and public park also part of the plans.

But weeks after announcing their plans, Altea Active, a fitness and lifestyle company, said they planned to repurpose the existing building into a 129,000 square-foot gym, which would include nine fitness studios, a 25-metre swimming pool, pickleball courts and a meditation lounge.

Almost a year later, the building still sits vacant.

River ward councilor Riley Brockington said between Merivale and Clyde alone, roughly two dozen towers have been proposed, creating a massive transformation to the community.

“Long term, Carling will be a mixed residential and office corridor. You’re talking over 20 towers. That could be over 10,000 people on just two blocks,” he said. “When homes (and buildings) come to the end of their lifecycle, they aren’t going to be replaced with the same size and shape.”

WESTGATE TO POTENTIALLY BE TORN DOWN SOONER

Further east on Carling, Westgate Shopping Centre is in the midst of a 20-year revitalization process.

A few years ago, Monkey Joe's restaurant was torn down to make way for a 24-storey

“We intend to host a meeting in June

1995 Carling could be torn down to make way for a 27-storey apartment building, but plans have been stalled. PHOTO BY

The Japanese Pavillion at the former Travelodge Hotel site has been torn down despite its heritage designation. PHOTO BY

Carling Avenue with its many lanes of traffic seen from a balcony in the Britannia neighbourhood. PHOTO BY

with RioCan, the mall's owner. I believe the second tower will (now) be located to the north of the current tower,” said Brockington. “At the June meeting, we will know if the mall is coming down much sooner, which could be as early as this year.”

RIVETT-CARNAC

below where the lounge once stood.

It was in poor condition and could not be relocated, he noted.

“They got permission to take it down and the commitment from the owners is they will build a pavilion with the same look and design,” Brockington said. “It will be a common room or party room for people to gather.”

Still, he wasn’t impressed. Brockington said he was not aware of the change before demolition occurred. The city, however, was.

Questions are now being raised as to why this wasn’t picked up on earlier.

“They changed contractors. There were a lot of staff who were not part of this process at the beginning,” said Brockington.

Kitchissippi ward councillor Jeff Leiper, who is the chair of Ottawa’s planning committee, said the developers worked within the permissions they had. Many of the original features will be restored, but it’s unclear if any of the original material will be salvaged.

Local architect Toon Dreessen said the pavillion’s removal will result in Carling Avenue lacking more of an identity than it did before.

“Any architect could have told you it would be effectively impossible, even at an early stage, to leave that building intact and put a structure underneath. Yet it got approved and nobody challenged it,” he said. “We will end up with something not quite as authentic. It won’t be the same. It will be a stage set — a piece of theatre — not a piece of heritage.”

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CHARLIE SENACK

CHARLIE SENACK

GABRIEL

HUMANS

Westboro resident Firdaus Kharas awarded Officer of the Order of Canada

BY HANNAH WANAMAKER

It was a mid-November day in 2023 when Firdaus Kharas’ phone rang. He wasn’t expecting a call.

On the line was Governor General Mary Simon who said she would be appointing him as an Officer of the Order of Canada.

The Order of Canada is the second highest award in Canada that celebrates citizens who have made extraordinary contributions to society. It was implemented in 1967 to replace the British knighthood honour.

Kharas is recognized on the Order of Canada Appointees website “for advancing social change through humancentred media as a social entrepreneur, humanitarian and mass communications media producer.”

The Westboro-based immigrant from India creates animation series to educate and improve people’s lives worldwide. He addresses human rights and global issues through short videos that are broadcast freely across the globe in over 500

languages and dialects. His animation has been recognized by world leaders like the United Nations and the World Health Organization [WHO].

“At the root of what makes his work so special is his ability to communicate – he’s a storyteller and each of his videos is a story,” said Frank Taylor, Kharas’ longtime friend and business partner.

Kharas uses animation and humour to create universal characters and circumvent communication barriers. His videos also create cognitive dissonance which leads to behaviour changes in viewers.

People are more receptive to messages when they can’t see images of themselves. In his series on domestic violence, the characters are blue because “no real person is blue,” Kharas said.

Since humour is difficult to translate for universal campaigns, each script is tailored to its audience based on language conventions and cultural norms. Animation also allows Kharas to sync the voice-overs with minimal

adjustments to the video.

“We rewrite the script in every language. We don’t translate it, so that the humour is local,” he said.

“Many public service announcements over the years have taken the approach of ‘do this because I say so’ … and I don’t think that really gets through,” said Kharas. “I don’t think that imposing behavior change works, so humour is just to bring the viewer to the serious point I’m making at the end.”

The Westboro resident’s videos are influential catalysts for change because he presents an “alternate way of thinking or of doing.” By creating characters who perpetrate unwanted behaviours, the final tagline message is better internalized which enables behaviour change, said Kharas.

“The idea wasn’t that I was going to change anybody’s behaviour by watching a video. It was designed to spark a conversation, and it is that conversation that creates the behaviour change.”

Kharas said his animation series “The Three Amigos” is among his most impactful works. Made in Canada and launched for the United Nations in 2005, the 20 short videos featuring three animated talking condoms, Shaft, Stretch and Dick have become the best-known condom campaign across the world.

“We wanted to destigmatize the condom because it was the best way that the WHO and everyone had said to stop the spread of AIDS, and I think we did that.” The series played in over 150 countries at the height of the HIV crisis before any antiretroviral drugs became available.

The Three Amigos was extensively played in South Africa, which had the highest infection rates. South Africans had become so familiar with the campaign that when they bought condoms, “they would ask for an amigo,” said Kharas with a chuckle.

While the condom campaign had the biggest global impact, Kharas said his animated ebola series was his most impactful. The three short videos, each with its own purpose, played across Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia in 17 languages.

“The first one [“A Poem for the Living”] was designed to contain the crisis while it was happening in West Africa,” he said, adding that it had over one million views on one site.

The second, “In Praise of Prevention,” was dedicated to preventative measures the community could take to stop the spread. The final one, “Beyond Survival,” was dedicated to tackling stigma among teenage survivors.

WHO predicted a death toll of over one million people from ebola. To Kharas’ surprise, the death toll after the videos aired was only 11,000.

While Kharas sees some of the larger impacts of his work, he seldom sees how his work touches people.

“There are so many times that I don’t know what happens to my work. Once in a while. I get snippets,” he said.

Viewers seldom know about Kharas

Firdaus Kharas has been awarded Officer of the Order of Canada thanks to his work in animation. One of his sketches can be seen above.

PROVIDED PHOTOS.

due to high levels of redistribution of his work. While he has won over 100 awards, including a Peabody for the Three Amigos, his work is still not well known in Canada.

Taylor echoed that despite the grand scope of issues Kharas has worked on, his work is not well known across Canada. “I think it’s high time that he receive this recognition,” he said.

“Normally with the Order of Canada, one becomes a member of the Order of Canada and then they may graduate up to Officer, but Firdaus was immediately made an officer which is a remarkable achievement,” Taylor added.

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When steeplechase races were the rage in Westboro

BY DAVE ALLSTON

Westboro is one of Ottawa’s most trendiest neighborhoods, rich with houses, shops and modern amenities. But a century and a half ago, Richmond Road was lined with farms where horses played.

During the mid-19th century, steeplechase, a distance horse race, became one of Ottawa’s most popular sporting activities, thanks to a large influx of European immigrants who recently called Canada home.

In the 1860s, major centers across the country quickly began hosting competitions to meet the need of the growing activity, including in Westboro and McKellar Park.

Better known today as a sport for human participants, particularly at the Olympic games, steeplechase had its earliest origins with participants on horses going through

a course of various fences, ditches and other obstacles. The name “steeplechase” in fact originates from early competitions in Ireland which ran from one church steeple to the next.

Though post-modern Kitchissippi did not have steeples, it still served as an ideal location for the races. They were held on land offered up after the fall harvest was completed, by the pioneer Thomson family (of Maplelawn fame).

Thompson farmland stretched from Churchill west through to Wavell, and all the way south to Carling. The west half was owned by William T. Aylen, son of Janet Thomson, while the east half was owned by

brothers William Jr. and John Thomson.

These farm fields were converted into a three-mile steeplechase course, capable of hosting multiple events which brought in participants from all over Carleton County and places as far away as southern Ontario and Quebec City.

Early Ottawa resident James McIsaac provided great detail of the route in a 1927 interview with the Ottawa Citizen.

"The course started on the Cole property near the Richmond Road, ran 56 rods south [to about Kenwood Avenue], and then turned and went towards what is now Woodroffe, returning on an angle to the starting point,” recalled McIsaac.

All the best jumping horses came from miles around” — JAMES MCISAAC

1. A Canadian Illustrated news drawing of a steeplechase event from Hamilton Ont. in 1863.

2. An Ottawa Citizen Clipping from Oct 4, 1862 promoting a steeplechase race.

3. An Ottawa Citizen Clipping from Oct 4, 1864 advertising an upcoming event.

“The route followed was well suited for steeplechasing as the land crossed was intersected with ditches, log fences and hedges."

An 1864 report of a race on the AylenThomson farm noted that there were 19 leaps in total on the course.

"Every fall in the early sixties there was a week of racing. All the best jumping horses came from miles around,” said McIsaac. “There were booths where whiskey was sold, and stands where eatables, meals, tobacco, candy, etc. could be had.”

The main events of October 1861 perhaps are the most memorable, not only because they were the first steeplechases ever held in the Ottawa area, but because some excellent detail of the race days survive.

Two major events were held on Oct. 24. The first was a three mile race for a purse of $300 and featured four horses named “Brunette”, “Fanny Kemble”, “Wild Irishman” and “Montcalm”.

Montcalm gave up after the third leap, and Wild Irishman lost his rider about two-thirds into the race. Fanny Kemble fell at one of the final jumps, leaving Brunette the winner, covering the distance in a reported twelve minutes.

The second race was a two mile race for $100, with three horses, “The Bird”, “Centipede”, and “Antelope” competing. The Bird and Antelope both gave up early, leaving Centipede for an easy win.

Tragedy occurred following the races when one of the spectators, Samuel Young, a farmer from Goulbourn Township,was killed instantly on Richmond Rd when he was run over by a double wagon amidst the havoc of all the horse carriages departing.

As James McIsaac recalled: "A number of farmers from near Richmond had come down in a box wagon rigged with several cross seats. The day's proceedings were over and the party was about to start home when Mr. Young (who occupied the back seat) stood up in the wagon to wave goodbye to some friend. At that moment the horses started and Mr. Young fell backwards onto the road. His head hit the ground with great force and his skull was fractured. He died almost immediately."

The following day, a one-on-one race was scheduled between Montcalm and Wild Irishman, for a $200 prize. The two horses were considered two of the best horses anywhere and had both come off major wins that summer (Montcalm had won the Three Rivers and Arthabaska Railroad competition as well as the Handy Cup race in Three Rivers, while "Wild Irishman" had won the Queen's Plate in Toronto in July).

The event was not without its conflict. It had been agreed that the competitors were to meet at 12:00 p.m. at the Thomson farm, but when noon arrived, neither "Wild Irishman", nor the race's judge were present. Reports indicated that Montcalm’s owner then claimed the $100 prize for a forfeit win. However, the large

assembled crowd insisted the race still come off, even if Wild Irishman showed up late, which he did. The race went on.

The race ended up being a very close one. As the Citizen reported: "A good start was effected, Wild Irishman taking the lead from the leap. Montcalm refused and thereby lost considerable distance. Wild Irishman keeping the lead to place of starting. On getting on hard footing, Montcalm gained on Wild Irishman - they took the last leap together resulting in Montcalm winning by one length."

Wild Irishman clearly made a mark in the memories of many in the audience during those early steeplechase events. Seventy years later two separate remembrances of another Wild Irishman story from a race in a subsequent year were made in interviews with The Citizen, including one with James McIsaac.

McIsaac recalled that horse owners back then would "dope their animals by giving them whiskey just before a race."

"Wild Irishman was so treated before one of the races and the whiskey had a peculiar effect on him,” remembered McIssac. “He broke away from his owners and bolted for the Richmond Road, clearing the farm fence in a beautiful jump. Then he tore east towards Ottawa, pursued by his owners and others.”

But Wild Irishman kept going. When he reached what is now the corner of Parkdale and Wellington Street, he encountered the old tollgate, which was kept by a man named Ferguson.

"Mr. Ferguson had a habit of keeping his gate shut by day as well as by night. The gate was five feet high. But a shut tollgate was nothing in the young life of this Wild Irishman. The horse never hesitated,” said McIssac. “To the great astonishment of the gatekeeper, the animal cleared the gate with ease, continuing on his way to his stable in Ottawa."

The steeplechase in Westboro became an annual event, known eventually as the impressively-titled "Central Canada Grand Annual Steeple Chase", which ran under the patronage of the Governor General (The Viscount Monck, GCMG PC, who would stay in the role long enough to become Canada's first GG postConfederation).

The event kept going for several years, likely ending when the Thomsons lost their farm in the late 1870s. Future races were largely held at locations such as the Ottawa Hunt Club and Rideau Hall.

Peggy Blair pens new novel based on Rideau LRT stench

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Ottawa residents have long complained about the horrid stench that wafts through the Rideau Centre LRT station. Some have compared it to spoiled eggs; others say it smells like raw sewage.

But for local author Peggy Blair, it was the inspiration for her latest fiction mystery novel titled Shadow Play.

“In fall 2022 I had an idea about a book and the LRT scandal that was ever present. We were in a municipal election and a lot was going on in the city,” recalled Blair. “With the smell in Parliament station, my immediate thought was a dead body.”

As the fifth mystery novel Blair has written, Shadow Play focuses around Slava Kadun, an FSB agent who is also one of Vladimir Putin's hitmen. Kadun has a side gig where, instead of murdering the Russian President’s critics, he “disappears them” with the assistance of a teenage Ukrainian tech expert.

In the book, Kadun gets a call to kill Ottawa-based realtor Susan Winchester, but when he arrives in the city, she’s already dead. It’s no secret where the body was discovered. Fearing Putin might be onto him, it’s up to the Russian hitman to find the real killer before he is next.

FROM LAWYER TO AUTHOR

Blair’s writing career first began in an unconventional way.

The former lawyer turnedrealtor has no shortage of accomplishments on her resume. She was the lead counsel in R. v. Jones and Nadjiwon, the first Canadian case to recognize Indigenous persons' treaty rights to fish commercially.

PHOTO BY TIM SKINNER.

Blair worked for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples as a policy adviser, and was later appointed as a part-time member with the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. She was also the Chief Federal Negotiator in self-government negotiations involving 27 communities in northern Ontario.

Perhaps her biggest accomplishment came in 2003 when Blair became a senior Adjudicator for the Indian Residential Schools claims dispute resolution process.

After that role was done, Blair said she was “in a bad place. I had been dealing with the physical and sexual abuse of children for years.”

Her 21-year-old daughter at the time said something had to change, so the former Kitchissippi resident picked up her pen and started working on a plot.

“It was cognitive therapy. The more I wrote, the more I started to deal with what I heard and got healthy again,” Blair said. “I would sometimes write for 16 hours a day.”

The first book Blair wrote was The Beggar’s Opera, first released in 2012. It begins in the Cuban city of Old Havana, where a Canadian detective hopes to save his troubled marriage.

“He doesn’t yet know that it’s dead in the water — much like the little Cuban boy last seen begging the Canadian couple for a few pesos on the world famous Malecon,” the book synopsis reads. “For Inspector Ricardo Ramirez, head of the Major Crimes Unit of the Cuban National Revolutionary Police, finding his prime suspect isn’t a problem — Cuban law is.”

Once the book was done, Blair started sending it to agents. She received over 156 rejections. It was hard not to be discouraged.

“I had one agent in the United States who said she loved my writing, she liked the characters, but didn't like that they were Canadian,” Blair said. She then rewrote the book, a process that takes months. “I sent it to her and a few minutes later she said it wasn’t working for her, but good luck.”

In 2010, the novel was eventually shortlisted for a Debut Dagger Award by the UK Crime Writers' Association. Publishing house Penguin Canada then picked it up for a twobook deal. In 2012, The Beggar’s Opera won the Giller Prize Readers' Choice Award.

Blair then published a second in the series called The Poisoned Pawn, followed by Hungry Ghosts in 2016, and then Umbrella Man a year later.

While Blair’s first four fiction books were picked up by publishing firms, she decided to self publish Shadow Play.

“It’s an experiment. I don’t want to go into book stores because they sell up to 50 per cent of the list price. If you’re doing this in a small volume like I am, you’d lose a lot,” said Blair. “The first week that Shadow Play was out it outsold Hungry Ghosts.”

The former Westboro resident of 28 years, who operates her real estate business out of Royal Lepage’s Carling office, said she hopes the publishing world will change to give Canadian authors a better chance of success.

“If Simon and Schuster decided to publish Shadow Play, I think this would have been my breakthrough novel,” Blair said. “It takes time for people to hear about you.”

Local author Peggy Blair turned to Ottawa’s scandalous light rail system for inspiration.

Former Broadview Public School awaits new lease on life

BY ANNABELLE SADLER AND ANYA WATSON

When I was eight years old, I attended class in the former historic Broadview Public School. That was 10 years ago, but I still remember the feeling of heat that wafted through the music hall, even if the rest of the school had a chill in the air.

The original Broadview school was built in 1916 and rebuilt in 1927 following a fire. Over the years, the building accumulated several additions to accommodate a growing population.

Concerns over asbestos, flooding, and the general condition of the building gradually became an issue. Consequently, a new school was built in 2016 for Broadview students next to the original building.

In 2017, the older building’s additions were torn down and only the original shell of the school, which is designated as a heritage building, remains untouched to this day.

Currently, there are no plans for its future on Broadview Avenue. Westboro residents have a variety of ideas regarding what should be done with the building. Many community members feel that the building should be used as it was originally intended.

“I would like the school board to use it as a school. I see it as the only real purpose,” said Sara Ryan, a community activist in favor of repurposing the original building.

Some Nepean students feel it might be best-used as a storage facility for Nepean High School equipment or as classrooms to replace the newer school’s portables.

A facilities manager with the school board confirms that the OCDSB has “looked at options for the use of the building, including repurposing it for classrooms and selling to a third party.”

In most cases, a third party would be land developers who eye space to be turned into large residential towers. But the cost to retain the heritage building and lack of parking have served as deterrents, said board officials.

The OCDSB said the building is unable to be used as a school again at this time due to a lack of funding.

While the building does represent the great architectural diversity of the neighbourhood, the community remains split on whether they would like to see it remain saved.

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keeping the upper half closed in the summer to keep your room cool, and open in the winter to allow the sun to help warm up your space

The former Broadview school has been boarded up since it closed.

Five Bubble tea places to visit in Kitchissippi this summer

By Millie Farley

Bubble tea, also known as boba, is one of the fastest growing drink trends amongst youth, and more recently, it’s been picking up popularity amongst older adults, too.

While bubble tea’s popularity is no secret, its history is steeped in mystery. Two tea houses from Taiwan — Chun Shui Tang and Hanlin Tea Room — both claim to have invented the drink in 1986.

The most basic form of boba includes pearls which are made out of a collection of starches, brown sugar and water, which are rolled into balls and boiled until they form a chewy texture. While iced black milk

tea is the traditional way, modern renditions could include green, high-mountain oolong, jasmine or tieguanyin teas.

Some bubble tea lovers may choose to go with a more fruity option, which could include fruit jellies — typically coconut, green apple, passion fruit, or mango flavors.

With warmer weather fast approaching, here is a list of where you can go for bubble tea or other food drinks on a hot summer's day in Kitchissippi.

In Hintonburg, we have Hi-T. This bubble tea shop has a nice atmosphere and offers a DIY experience. Customers can put their own toppings on their drinks

at the topping bar. Hi-T is located at 1076 Wellington Street West. There are a number of bubble tea places in Westboro. Tru Tea Ottawa is at 181 Richmond Rd, across the street from the Superstore and close to Farm Boy.

tea shops were in the Village at the time.

In the heart of Westboro’s shops and cafés, there is Presotea. It is located at 352 Richmond Rd. Co-owner Kelly Choi told KT in the summer of 2022 they chose the community because no other bubble

Creative, Active and Educational Summer Camps

for Every Kind of Kid

With

Day Camp, Sports Camp and 16 unique Specialty Camps, SJCC Summer Camps has something for every kid.

New on the Specialty Camps roster this year is JCC Junior Golf Camp. Campers are dropped off at the SJCC in the mornings, then travel by bus to Loch March Golf & Country Club where a golf pro teaches them everything they need to know about the game.

When they are done on the greens, its back to the SJCC to cool off in the pool before heading home. The camp runs from July 22-26 and is for 9-13 year olds.

“Bubble tea has been around for a long time. I remember going for it after high school or even university. But I think it is now becoming well-known in the general population,” said Choi. “Based on our research, there are no bubble tea shops in this area, and we thought this would be a great place for high school students and kids who don’t drink a lot of coffee.”

Juice Dudez, found at 91 Richmond Rd, sells wonderful bubble tea, as well as crêpes, waffles and other sugary treats. They also sell fresh juice and other drinks.

In Carlingwood Mall, Real Fruit Bubble Tea has recently opened. Stop by for a wide selection of boba varieties as you shop.

Always a summertime hit is LEGO Mechanical Engineering & Robotics with Ottawa’s own LEGO guy, Ian Dudley. This STEM camp offers hands-on LEGO projects including Powered Up and SPIKE Prime. Each day includes a dip in the pool. This camp is for 9-13 year olds and runs July 15-19 and again, August 19-23.

For more information on all the amazing camps taking place at the SJCC this summer visit jccottawa.com or contact camps@jccottawa.com.

The SJCC is located at 21 Nadolny Sachs Private, one block south of Carling off Broadview.

Dovercourt Camps: An Exciting Summer Ahead!

Dovercourt is recognized throughout Ottawa for providing camps offering safe, memorable, and fun experiences for children and youth across the region. Dovercourt camps are famous for their staff, the variety of camps available to kids 4 and up, the convenience of a central location, many partnerships with expert instructors, and the extra value of inclusion support and extended care for early & late drop-off.

Their central location and range of specialized programming make it ideal for families with children of various ages and interests. Although most campers will spend

river and forests, all campers start and finish the day together at Dovercourt. This offers parents a convenient one-stop pickup and drop-off spot with optional extended care for those with an earlier or later workday.

Theme camps have been a trademark of Dovercourt’s camp programs for many years. The programming team works hard all year round to plan innovative and imaginative ageappropriate themes that will spark curiosity and intrigue in every camper. Weekly themes are enhanced with games, crafts, special events, guest visits,

to school grade for maximum friendship building.

In addition to theme camps, Dovercourt is renowned for its wide range —more than 40!— of specialty camps, catering to many levels of interest and skill, including culinary arts, performing arts, visual arts, sports, science & technology, and outdoor adventure.

Parents with older kids face a challenge: motivating them to participate in camps can be difficult, but they’re too young to work, and parents don’t want them home alone. Dovercourt’s Youth Zone camps are geared toward kids entering grades 6 and 7 who have outgrown regular theme camps. Each week includes exciting out-trips, including zip-lining, trampolining, or rock climbing, as well as more “chill” activities like ice cream at the beach or a photography lesson.

The specialty camp lineup will also appeal to those hard-to-please 10 to 13-year-olds: some of the most exciting options are geared to their interests, from Fishing to Band, Ultimate Frisbee to Parkour, or White Water Rafting to Pastry Arts and everything in between.

Registration is underway, and some camps are full with waitlists, especially for younger campers. But don’t despair: the waitlists move quickly as it gets

Westboro Bridgehead moves as coffee chain gets new owners

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Westboro’s Bridgehead is moving as the coffee shop closes “unprofitable locations” ahead of the company’s sale.

The announcement came just weeks after Bridgehead owner Aegis Inc. announced it would be selling the company to Pilot Coffee Roasters for $3.5 million. The deal is supposed to close in the first quarter of this year.

The Bridgehead coffee shop at Richmond and Golden is one of multiple in the city impacted. The Rideau Centre location and another at Albert and Bank have also closed.

Aegis Inc. did not comment on how many of their shops would be shuttering.

“Aegis has been working to find ways to strengthen the Bridgehead brand for continued long-term success over the past few years, and one of those steps was the closing of a few of the unprofitable Coffeehouses,” wrote Aegis Brands president and CEO Steven Pelton in a statement.

News of the Westboro closure first started circulating on social media Feb. 18 after a sign was posted on the shop's door. It was taken down a day later and replaced with a new sign stating it would be moving to a “bigger location” on McCrae Avenue, located about a kilometre east. It’s unclear when the new shop will open.

Much of Bridgehead’s history has come out of Westboro. In 1981, the company was founded in Toronto, but eventually declared bankruptcy. It was soon bought by Tracey Clark, an Ottawa-based entrepreneur for $30,000 .

The fair trade coffee roaster opened its first physical location in Westboro at 362 Richmond Rd, where the Mountain

But then the COVID-19 pandemic struck, giving Bridgehead a heavy blow as lockdowns aimed at curbing the spread of the virus caused revenues to plummet, prompting Aegis to put its expansion plans on hold.

Bridgehead’s business began to perk up after lockdown restrictions eased, and its revenues in the third quarter of 2023 were up more than 20 per cent over the previous year.

Ian Lee, a prominent Ottawa retail analyst from Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business said the coffee industry is a “competitive market.” He noted Aegis probably decided it could make more money by concentrating on its restaurant business.

“My educated guess is that the margins are better in the industry they’re staying in,” said associate professor Lee. “I’m guessing that they decided [the coffee business] was never going to become that profitable or that strong for them, and so they decided to take the money and re-allocate it.”

Lee said it “makes sense” for Bridgehead to join forces with a company that is focused solely on coffee, noting the retailers can now take advantage of market synergies and build on their combined knowledge of the business.

“I think there’s a better strategic fit there,” he explained.

Aegis said proceeds from the sale will be used to reduce the company's debt and for general working capital purposes. They added that no staff would be losing their jobs as a result of the closures.

Equipment Company now stands. It was a risky move at the time, and Clark had to rely on friends and family for financial assistance.

Within a few years success paid off and Bridgehead climbed to nine outlets by 2008. Today there are over 20 locations across the city.

EXPANSION PLANS PUT ON HOLD

Aegis Brands acquired the company in 2020 after Clark sold it for $9.5 million.

The new owner – whose former holdings also include the Second Cup coffee chain – planned to expand the brand into other markets, including the Greater Toronto Area.

“We are happy to inform everyone that all Bridgehead team members in Ottawa, including all team members in any recently closed coffeehouses, will be transferred to existing coffeehouses immediately,” said CEO Pelton.

With files by David Sali of the Ottawa Business Journal

Ottawa coffee chain Bridgehead is closing at least three stores and moving its Westboro location months before being taken over by a new company. ALL PHOTOS BY CHARLIE SENACK.

Left: Ten Toes Coffee and Laundry is located at 837 Somerset St W.

Right: Shirwa Ali and Meghan love work at the Somerset coffee shop.

Bottom: The local community gathering space sells biodynamic wines you couldn’t find in the LCBO.

Insert: Tim Alleway works in the Ten Toes kitchen and introduced ice cream to the menu.

ALL PHOTOS BY CHARLIE SENACK.

Ten Toes Coffee and Laundry elevates community with their space

BY HANNAH WANAMAKER

It's 7:00 p.m. on a Friday night at Ten Toes Coffee House and Laundry.

The rumbling of clothes in a washing machine can be heard as patrons sip on glasses of wine. In the front of the Little Italy-area business, tables of people have gathered to take part in trivia night.

If this doesn’t sound like your traditional coffee shop experience, that's because it’s not.

Since opening their Somerset Location in Dec. 2022, regional manager Tarek El Khatib said they wanted to bring a new flavor to the street. The building used to house Hilltop Laundromat and Valuemart, which operated as Sang Video & Coin Wash before that.

“We thought it would be a great idea to continue the legacy of the space and use it as a resource to the community,” said El Khatib.

When entering the coffee shop, patrons are greeted with a colourful display of wine, craft beer, bags of local coffee and tea, vintage clothing and the weekly rotation of Sadie Beans ice cream.

The vision for the cafe was to feature local products in addition to specialty coffee in a “restaurant meets coffeehouse” setting.

“We really wanted to incorporate a lot of local craft breweries,” said El Khatib. “We also wanted to bring in a lot of natural biodynamic wine that you wouldn’t find at the LCBO — which we do have at our other two locations.”

The Centretown cafe is the third addition to the Ten Toes franchise.

Meghan Love, manager of the Somerset location, said it has been well-received by the community. Everyone from families and their dogs, to retired folks, students and people working in the area pop in to chat with the baristas or sample new menu items and products.

“Immediately we grew a beautiful clientele,” Love said. “I’d say like 80 per cent of the people we see on a daily or semiregular basis. It’s really fun to meet everyone and hear their life stories and what they do in the area.”

Ten Toes is also well-known for their partnership with Ottawa’s iconic fairtrade roastery, Equator Coffee Roasters. Rocanini, an adventurous third wave coffee roastery

from British Columbia, has also recently made its way to the Ten Toes shelves.

KITCHEN CREATIVITY

Since joining the Ten Toes kitchen team in 2022, Tim Alleway has spiced up the food menu.

While working at the Glebe location in 2022, he introduced breakfast options and other creative additions. Less than a year later, Alleway moved to the newest location to continue sprinkling in creative dishes for guests to enjoy.

When he’s not cooking, Alleway is the ice cream connoisseur behind Sadie Beans Ice Cream. His ice cream has become famous across the city for its four wild weekly flavours that hit the Ten Toes’ freezer shelves every Thursday.

“I’m constantly thinking about ice cream to a fault,” admitted Alleway. His pints usually consist of three or four flavour pairings that aren’t often found together. Though he prefers smooth ice cream, most of his creations are textured with thick sauces or crunchy add-ins that he handpicks.

“People like the mix-ins. People like the chunkier, crunchier ice creams,” he said, adding that popular ingredients tend to include butter tarts, cereal, pistachios and chocolate peanut butter.

Alleway also spearheaded the bar snacks menu of small savoury sharing plates for guests to munch on “that would be good with a glass of wine or beer.” These currently include candied or spiced nuts, olives, charcuterie and seacuterie.

MUSIC AND TRIVIA

Ten Toes stays open late for their weekend lineup consisting of Friday night trivia, a DJ set on Saturdays and live music on Sundays.

Matt Floyd’s Friday night trivia has

been another success the coffee shop has seen since opening. Regular competitors show up to tackle a load of laundry and join forces with friends in categories like geography, television and music.

The game consists of three rounds of ten questions and at the end of each round, the top three teams send a representative to compete in the high energy lightning round.

“I think every lightning round there is fun. That’s where the key to the evening lies,” said Floyd. “That’s the performance of the night, and that’s where I think the most people have the most fun.”

The last person standing at the end of the night wins a generous prize basket that includes items from other local businesses, often including Sadie Beans ice cream, selected by owner Graeme Bradley.

“What they’re doing over there is great. It’s a lot of cross-promotion. It’s a lot of working with the community. It’s a lot of helping other businesses while simultaneously having a good night – it’s great,” said Floyd.

March has arrived, which means spring is just around the corner for Kitchissippi!

Take advantage of our park rinks and Kichi Sibi Trail while you can. As the weather warms up and things begin to melt, please consider clearing a storm drain on your street. This small civic action makes a big difference when it comes to managing runoff and stormwater.

Amy Thompson, titled Signal Pine, will be the first piece in the City’s public art collection located in Mechanicsville. This sculptural artwork will incorporate human-scale seating and a stylized pine tree, using elements that pay homage to the area's rich industrial history. More information about the piece is available on the City’s public art website. The work will be open to the public this fall.

I’m pleased to report that the project to create a new parkette on the former residential lot at 115 Spencer Street is progressing. My office will soon begin a consultation process to officially name the park, and as I write this the City is seeking residents’ input regarding the park design. This round of consultation will close on March 6, but keep an eye on the Engage Ottawa website for this project for more updates and consultation opportunities.

In other park-related news, a new public art installation has been selected for Laroch Park. The work by local artist

I know the unpredictable spring weather can make it difficult to get out of the house, but the Rosemount library has many programming offerings to connect you to your community. From t(w)een gaming to knitting, English and French conversation groups to baby time, there’s truly something for everyone! Visit the Ottawa Public Library’s programs and events website for more information about what’s up at Rosemount.

As always, if you want semi-weekly updates from me about the news of the ward, including information about my upcoming pop-up office hours, send me an email at jeff.leiper@ottawa.ca and my staff will get you signed up.

BE PART OF TRADITION AT PARKDALE PUBLIC MARKET

Join us in commemorating a century of fresh produce, local artisans, and community spirit at Parkdale Public Market’s centennial anniversary events! Don’t miss the festivities and fun—shop, eat, and enjoy live music with us all season long.

Stay connected on social media for the latest updates on your favourite vendors, the Night Market, as well as our 100th Anniversary short film on Ottawa’s second oldest public market set to publicly screen later this year.

Experience the legacy, embrace the community at Parkdale Public Market!

parkdalepublicmarket.ca

PARTICIPEZ À LA TRADITION AU MARCHÉ PUBLIC PARKDALE

Rejoignez-nous pour commémorer un siècle de produits frais, d’artisans locaux et d’esprit communautaire à l’occasion des événements pour le centenaire du marché public Parkdale ! Ne manquez pas les festivités et divertissements - magasinez, mangez et écoutez de la musique en direct avec nous tout au long de la saison.

Restez branchés sur les médias sociaux pour obtenir les dernières mises à jour sur vos marchands préférés, le marché de nuit, ainsi que notre court métrage pour le 100e anniversaire du deuxième plus ancien marché public d’Ottawa, qui sera projeté publiquement plus tard cette année.

Découvrez le patrimoine et embrassez la communauté au marché public Parkdale !

fr.parkdalepublicmarket.ca

Parkdale_Market