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BARRHAVEN
Year 30 • issue 18
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FRIDAY • September 4 • 2020
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson was joined by the family and friends of “Treehouse Mike” Racicot last week, as the Barrhaven Skate Park was named after one of the people responsible for making the park a reality years ago. Racicot, who passed away in a BASE jump when his parachute did not open in a 2018 jump in Switzerland. Racicot would have turned 40 last week. For the full story, see page 4. Twitter.com photo/Jim Watson
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Page 2 FRIDAY, September 4, 2020 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
More than five months later, it’s back-to-school time
Labour Day weekend is here. I find it hard to believe. Back on March 16th when our Civic buildings all closed, when time for most retail stood still, when students started their school days at home, when parents lives were suddenly flipped over, when all sports stopped and more, it was as though time stood still. And yet more than five months has passed and we are now at STAGE 3 and all our school boards are working hard to re-open our schools and welcome students back to either online or in school learning. I hear from many concerned residents. Our Health experts are giving us their best advice. We need to stay firm in our resolve to keep our distance and wash our hands and wear our masks whenever recommended. Thank you all for sticking together and let me know if we can help in any way.
LET’S TALK
BARRHAVEN by Jan Harder
Provide your feedback on the six ward boundary options The City is seeking public feedback on six options for re-aligning Ottawa’s wards through an online survey at ottawa.ca/wardboundary from August 19 to September 25 and through virtual public consultation sessions scheduled from September 10 to September 23. Since the last major review in 2005, Ottawa’s population has grown significantly – especially in suburban wards. This has resulted in substantial population imbalances between wards that affect fair
and equal representation for voters and their communities. As a result, City Council directed staff in June 2019 to retain an independent consultant to conduct a comprehensive, impartial, and unbiased review and establish ward boundaries that could be used in at least three municipal elections in 2022, 2026 and 2030, and possibly a fourth election in 2034. The consultant team of Beate Bowron Etcetera Inc., in association with The Davidson Group and Hemson Consulting Ltd., has developed six options for a new ward boundary model – which are available online at ottawa.ca/wardboundary. Here are brief highlights of the options: Option 1 increases the number of wards to 25, with 13 urban wards, nine suburban wards and three rural wards. Option 2
increases the number of wards to 24, with 12 urban wards, nine suburban wards and three rural wards. Option 3 maintains the current number of wards, 23, and includes 11 urban wards, nine suburban wards and three rural wards. Option 4 also maintains the number of wards at 23. It also includes 11 urban wards, nine suburban wards and three rural wards. The boundaries for each ward are different than those in option three. Option 5 reduces the number of wards to 17, with nine urban wards, six suburban wards and two rural wards. Option 6 increases the number of wards to 24, with 12 urban wards, nine suburban wards and three rural wards. It minimizes ward boundary changes.
This is the second round of consultations. Round 1 took place in March 2020 with an online survey and public consultations to get input on the existing ward boundaries. The consultant team’s Options Report was considered by Council on July 15, 2020. The final report with recommendations for new ward boundaries is scheduled to be considered by the Finance and Economic Development Committee and Council in December 2020. Give your feedback online at ottawa.ca/wardboundary or register to take part in one of the upcoming virtual consultation sessions on Zoom. Following registration at ottawa.ca/wardboundary, you will receive an email with a passcode and login information. Three of the sessions will invite comments from participants all over the city, while another three sessions will focus on the urban, sub-
urban and rural parts of the city. - Thursday, September 10, 2020, 7 to 9 pm (citywide focus) - Saturday, September 12, 2020, 10 am to noon (city-wide focus) - Monday, September 14, 2020, 7 to 9 pm (suburban focus) - Saturday, September 19, 2020, 10 am to noon (city-wide focus) - Tuesday, September 22, 2020, 7 to 9 pm (rural focus) - Wednesday, September 23, 2020, 7 to 9 pm (urban focus) Simultaneous interpretation in both official languages will be available at the three city-wide sessions. You can get more information on the Ottawa Ward Boundary Review 2020 at ottawa.ca/wardboundary
harder continues on page 3
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BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT harder continues from page 2 A primer on backto-school safety If your child is returning to school in September, take some time to consider the best transportation options for your family. If you are not putting your student on a school bus, here is a list of tips and resources to help you plan a commute that is safe for everyone. Benefits of walking or biking to school Children need at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Finding ways to fit this into a daily routine is hard for busy families. Walking or biking to school helps solve this issue and both are easy ways for children to become more independent, spend time outdoors and, in many cases, save time. Children who walk or bike to school on a regular basis also benefit in the classroom with:
- improved concentration - better stress-coping abilities - reduced feelings of isolation - increased social interaction Other benefits include reduced traffic congestion in school zones and reduced greenhouse-gas emissions. Visit School Active Transportation for more information. Automated speed enforcement puts the focus on safety A reminder as we head into the new school year that automated speed enforcements will be active in the Barrhaven community near high traffic school zones. Locations include Longfields Drive, Berrigan Drive & Hobblebush Street. Since December 2019, signs have been posted in designated community safety
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zones warning drivers that speed cameras are coming soon. New signs will warn motorists when speed cameras are in use. Vehicles that speed could have their picture taken. The registered owner would receive a ticket in the mail about 30 days later, showing their vehicle, license plate and the location, time of day and recorded speed. Drivers will not receive demerit points for tickets issued through the program. The City has four cameras – two fixed and two mobile – that will rotate through eight community safety zones. Those zones are also home to 11 schools. The cameras are intended to help reduce speeding and make the roads safer for children and other vulnerable road users. For more information about the program, and for a list of camera locations, visit ottawa. ca.
The Province paved the way for automated speed enforcement in November 2019 when it passed regulations under the Safer School Zones Act to reduce speeds in school zones and community safety zones. The pilot project is meant to evaluate the effectiveness of speed cameras at reducing instances of speeding in the vicinity of schools. A report will be presented to Transportation Committee and Council in mid-2021 with recommendations on the use of speed cameras within Ottawa moving forward. The City will reinvest revenue collected from automated speed enforcement back into road safety initiatives under the Strategic Road Safety Action Plan. Exploration of howto best support residents and businesses
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The City of Ottawa and Ottawa Public Health are continuing to explore how best to support residents and businesses as COVID-19 restrictions are gradually eased, while keeping with the Province of Ontario’s framework for reopening the province. We want to hear from you and members of your community. Phase 3 of the public engagement strategy will focus on current issues and priorities of Ottawa residents. The survey questions will gather public perceptions of the mandatory mask bylaw and other safety measures, social circles and gathering limits, and opening higher risk sectors (i.e. gyms, bars, schools). Residents will also be asked for their ideas for innovative safety practices in local business and long-term aspirations and concerns living with COVID-19. Please share your thoughts
with us through a new survey and weekly pulse check questions available until September 18th on Engage Ottawa in English or Participons Ottawa in French: https://engage.ottawa.ca/ covid19. Museum o Nature News Our galleries have been empty too long. The countdown is on as we get ready to greet visitors again, starting on the Labour Day weekend. Signage is getting installed, our Welcome Tent is in place, and our staff are eager to welcome you. Our doors reopen September 5. Our wonderful galleries await, and we’ve made some changes in order to provide a healthy and enjoyable experience. Rediscover the magic of dinosaurs, the majesty of a blue whale, the mysteries of the Arctic, the amazing diversity of Canadian wildlife and more.
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The sun shines brightly on the new sign for the “Treehouse Mike Skatepark” on what would have been Mike Racicot’s 40th birthday Wed., Aug. 26.
Jeff Morris photo
A fitting tribute to ‘Treehouse Mike’ on his 40th birthday
The sun was shining on Berrigan Drive on Wed., Aug. 26. The skateboard park, next to the fire station, was full of activity as per usual. It was a world that seemed oblivious to the difficult times of protests over social injustices and a oncein-a-century coronavirus. In the foreground was a sign for the newly-named Treehouse Mike Skate Park. The scene at the park was what Mike Racicot, who would have been celebrating his 40th birthday, would
have considered a perfect day. Treehouse Mike may be just a name on the new sign for some of these young skaters and bike riders using the park. But a generation ago, Treehouse Mike was a Barrhaven kid known to many as Skater Mike. His first appearance int her Barrhaven Independent was when he was one of the local youths who petitioned Council to get Barrhaven’s first skateboard park built in Barrhaven.
Over the years, the skateboard park in Barrhaven has seen a number of homes. It has been located at the Walter Baker Centre. It has been at Ken Ross Park, and then across the road from there at what eventually became the home of the Campanale Sales Centre. Now, nestled quaintly between the fire station and the bus transitway on Berrigan Drive near Greenbank, the skate park has a permanent home. The idea for the skatepark to be named after him came
from Mike’s sister, Rachel Polite. In an interview with the Squamish Chief, she called the newly renamed park a place of peace, particularly for herself. “I have felt like it has become my life’s mission to keep his memory alive, every single day, and that can be exhausting,” Polite told the Chief. “It just feels like now this is a place that is going to outlive me and now I can have a little bit of peace knowing that his name is going to go on beyond me.
That, for me, feels almost like a job is done for me, in a way.” Racicot left Barrhaven at the age of 23. He packed up everything he had, got on his Yamaha scooter that could only go 60 km/h on flat land and 40 km/h up hills and through the Rockies, and drove to Canada’s west coast. He could not afford the rent in Whistler, and eventually he snagged enough loose pieces of wood and odds and ends that he built a tree house at the side
of Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler. He became one of the most widely-known BASE jumpers in the world. A BASE jump is from a fixed spot, unlike skydiving out of a plan. He moved to Squamish, BC, where BASE jumping off the Stawamus Chief mountain is legal. Standing 700 metres above Howe Sound, Racicot jumped off the Chief more than 500 times. In his lifetime, Racicot made 969 jumps.
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Page 6 FRIDAY, September 4, 2020 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
INDEPENDENT Editorial
Happy 90th birthday to one of Manotick’s finest We wanted to avoid the predictable editorial comment slamming the scandals and corruption of the people we put into power and talk about community this week. A special member of our community, and a special contributor to this newspaper, is celebrating a special birthday this week. Local author and historian and Manotick Messenger columnist Larry Ellis turns 90 this week. It’s a special milestone for a special member of our community. Larry, unfortunately during these crazy times of a pandemic, a big party and celebration at the Manotick Legion’s Harmony Hall is not possible. In our hearts and minds, I wish it could have been an open house celebration with everyone whose lives you have touched coming by to enjoy a drink and share a laugh and wish you the happiest of birthdays. Unfortunately, that cannot happen this year. Over the decades, Larry Ellis has brought the rich and colourful history of Manotick to life. He understands that history is not just buildings and the names of people who live built the community. History is what has happened in those buildings, and the interactions and contributions of the people who turned a settlement on the Rideau River into a flourishing community. Larry’s contributions to the community over the years has been invaluable. He has brought the history of the community to life in a way that no historian in any Canadian village probably ever has before him. He has been honoured and recognized time and time again with the Distinguished Award for Civic Heritage and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and so many other awards for his contribution to the community. If you have met Larry or heard him speak, you know how passionate he is about the history of the community. His passion goes far beyond history and into the community. He is a relentless volunteer and resource for the Manotick Kiwanis Club. He is always doing what he can to make the community stronger. Most of all, though, Larry is a friend to everyone who knows him. He always has a smile on his face, and you are guaranteed to wear the smile after a chat with him. Every time I see him or talk to him, I wish there were more people like Larry Ellis. Larry, please know that all of us in Rideau-Goulbourn and Osgoode who have enjoyed your column, your books, your insights into local history, and especially your smile and sense of humour, send you the warmest wishes for a happy birthday. And if we can’t be with you for number 90, we will just have to make 91 that much more special! Jeff
Don’t bring home the rona
Raise your hands if you are dreading ives. back to school this year. And speaking of Chell, have you heard Forget the fear of sending your kids the kids use that word but are wondering back into a vortex of viral infections. Re- what it means? Chell is the hockey lanmember the good old days when our big- guage word for the EA Sports NHL video gest fear was the kids coming home with game. Chell is a shortened form of NHL. head lice? So if the kids are heading downstairs for Now, as parents, we are sending our some Chell, don’t worry. It’s all good. kids into the front lines, hoping it all The quarantini does have other names. works out and that nobody brings home If you like tequila, perhaps you are gothe rona. ing to have a coronarita. And since we are Ah yes, the rona. That segways nice- all house band and crave getting out for ly into what I am really dreading about some fresh air, there is always the option school this year. Since of putting your beverage many of us are going to in a red plastic cup and begrudgingly become at FROM THE OTHER enjoying a walktail. home teachers and tutors And how about in a new world of online Zoom? learning – I think OnMost of us had never Jeffrey Morris tario Bill 124 prevents even heard of Zoom in us from any salaries, neFebruary. By April, we gotiating rights or union all had the Zoom app, perks – I thought I could address the one and it immediately became our lifeline as thing in our lives that has changed the we worked at home and held virtual meetmost in the last six months. ings. The English language. Of course, Zoom was for more than I like to imagine going back six months work. Social networks and gatherings and having a chat with myself. I would moved from Starbucks locations and cofCOUNCIL have been in Mexico on what seems like it fee shops to the Zoom platform. Zoom Moms became the new Soccer Moms. Even will be our last ever vacation. There was CORNER talk about a coronavirus in China, but it watching the coverage of the Democratic Mayor Suzanne Dodge wasn’t something that was really on our Convention in the United States, Zoom collective radar. And on that trip, after a Moms were referred to as an important and hot day lobstering in the sun and having a influential voting block. Then again, any few too many Mexican beers, I was more group of one or more eligible voters in the worried about the Corona Virus. I think I U.S. is important these days for a divided had that when I decided to go swimming nation wanting to move on from Donald with my Huawei cellular device, camera Trump. And since we are using our new THE NOT SO and portal to the Chinese government words, Trump may be one of the world’s NEWbiggest GUY Covidiots, which are people who tucked in my bathing suit pocket. There completely disregard health and safety wasn’t enough rice in Playa Del CarmenTim Ruhnke guidelines regarding the coronavirus. Even to save that baby. But imagine using some of the words though he may have been joking, when the we use now on ourselves from six months President talked about injecting bleach or ago. It would make our six-months-ago disinfectant to fight the virus, he became the Gretzky of Covidiots. heads spin. Speaking of Zoom, I hope you don’t We all knew the word quarantine, but I doubt that any of us had either used it as know anyone who was Zumped during the When your significant other frequently, or in the context, that we WALKER did pandemic. HOUSE breaks up with you over Zoom, she is beginning in late March. And then the playful spins on that Zumping you, and you are being Zumped. least it’s better than being dumped over word started. We couldn’t go out and doSusanAt Vallom anything, and all sports, movies and TV text. Those not being Zumped may have shows seemed to come to a halt. So we spent months in front of Netflix and Dis- been getting some coromance. While today’s youth are the millennials, the baby ney Plus and we were quaranstreaming. And then we were told that we had to spike we are about to see due to the panhave our select group of five to 10 people demic will give us a new generation of “coronials”. And when these kids are a bit that were in our bubble. This became our BLAKE’S older, they will become the “quaranteens”. quaranteam. When happy hour finally ar-TAKES So for homework, have your kids do an rived – and happy hour generally shifted Blake McKim from five o’clock p.m. to anytime Paw essay using every new word that was never Patrol was queued up for the kids or they used six months ago. And while they do were completely settled in for a day of that, we can get on our devices for some Fortnite or “Chell” – it was time for a doom-scrolling. That’s where we scroll quarantini. That became the generic name through our phones addictively looking of any alcoholic cocktail, regardless of for more bad news about the virus. whether it included dry vermouth or olIt’s all too much. I need a coronacation.
SIDE
NEWS
BARRHAVEN
P.O. Box 567 Manotick, Ontario Tel: 613-692-6000 www.barrhavenindependent.on.ca
The Barrhaven Independent is published by Manotick Messenger Inc. biweekly at P.O. Box 567 in Manotick, Ontario. The Barrhaven Independent is not responsible for the loss of unsolicited manuscripts, photos, or other material used for publication purposes. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and libellous statements. Display, National and Classified rates are available on request.
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FRIDAY, September 4, 2020 Page 7
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
The City must meet the taxpayer halfway
$192 million- that is the City’s forecasted shortfall in 2020. That is also the equivalent of 50,780 average residential tax bills. Lucky for the City that the Federal and Provincial governments have committed to a $124 million bailout. That still leaves a $68 million hole that needs to be filled. Ottawa is fortunate to
be a government town. Our local economy is stable and diverse; salaries are decent, unemployment low. These “goldilocks” conditions have created a tax and spend culture within the City that is now showing cracks due to COVID-19. Every year more revenue is raised, spending goes up, debt continues to climb to record levels. Ottawa is millions of dollars and years behind in maintaining our infrastructure, and to cover our shortfall, our capital projects are being sacrificed. For the City to bank on
a bailout from the two upper levels of government is the equivalent of a household budget banking on winning the lottery to carry it through. It doesn’t make sense and isn’t sustainable in the long run. Now is the time for a line-by-line review of our programs and services. I think any budget exercise must start with a zero balance. Any increase in a department’s approved spending in 20212022 must be found in its existing envelope. From 2019 to 2020, the City’s cost to maintain its current services was $86
million. No new programs or services, no additional employees, no new parks or recreation facilities. That is the cost to keep what we already have. $86 million is equivalent to a 5% tax increase. We must challenge the status quo. The current model of providing public services is no longer feasible. Now is the time to divide programs into two columns, those that provide an immediate, demonstrable public service and those that do not. When businesses are shuttering for good, and
millions of Canadians have lost their jobs, some forever, the public perception that the City is asking for more while the citizen goes without, seems out of touch. Instead of sticking to the yearly 3 percent tax increase promised by the Mayor, Council should look to trim that back. Helping the local economy recover from the devastation of COVID-19 should include a reduction in taxes, or at the very least, holding the line while business and residents struggle to get back on their feet. Finding $68 million within City Hall won’t be
easy, but the heavy lifting has already been done. Decision makers around the Council table need to take advantage of this opportunity and the breathing room provided by this bailout. Let’s meet the taxpayer halfway. Amid the disastrous economic situation of 2020, I don’t think the City can ignore the financial suffering of its residents into 2021. It must share the burden with those that ultimately foot the bill- The taxpayer. Carol Anne Meehan Councillor Ward 22 Carolannemeehan.com
Dogs are already walked there, on and off-leash, and the park is happily shared with many activities. The planned off-leash area is nothing more than a large pen without water or shade. People there are upset at
the prospect of the number of dogs being displaced by the anticipated semi- and full closure of the David Bartlett Park where more than a hundred dogs run off-leash daily, sunrise to sunset, most of whom will divert to the Beryl
Gaffney Park for the duration. We have been assured that following the work done in DB the park will revert to those who walk their dogs there and thus the elaborate “pen” at BG will be, for the most part, redundant.
I have seen in a number of cities in Canada with lovely parks where dogs can run free without elaborate fencing and it all works efficiently. Look at Winnipeg, Nanaimo and Calgary, for example . Why can Ottawa not
do this, especially at a time when the city is virtually bankrupt, debts are piling up and the last thing we need to throw money at are elaborate and unnecessary dogruns?
Off-leash dog pen a waste of time and money
The Editor, What total nonsense! The construction of an offleash dog “pen” at the Beryl Gaffney Park is a waste of time, money and energy on the part of the city.
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Page 8 FRIDAY, September 4, 2020 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Barrhaven Ward has city’s third highest COVID-19 rate By Charlie Senack It’s been almost six months since Ottawa’s first COVID-19 case was reported, and since then numbers have continued to jump around the map. Just over a week ago, Ottawa saw a number of new cases higher than what’s been seen in the city since mid July, with 37 new cases reported on August 21. Since then the number of new cases have continued to decrease, with only 16 new cases reported on August 26 — roughly around the daily average. Ottawa Public Health says Alta Vista and Gloucester-Southgate continue to be the two wards hardest hit by COVID-19 in the city. Barrhaven continues to see a high rate of infection with the third highest new case count in the city at 17 over the past two weeks. Beacon Hill-Cyrville had the most cases at 25, with Gloucester-Southgate coming in at second place with 20 new cases. The data released is from August 4 to 17. If you look at the data released by Ottawa Public Health per 100,000 people, Barrhaven is at 198 cases per 100,000. The health unit says the data is based on the place of residence of Ottawa residents who are confirmed to have COVID-19. It does not necessarily reflect where the disease was contracted.
Ottawa Public Health also says the virus is still being reported in all 23 wards in the city and are now adding new precautionary measures to keep the virus at ease. During Wednesday’s city council meeting — the first since summer break — council voted to make mask use mandatory in common areas of condo buildings and apartment buildings, including lobbies, elevators, laundry rooms, hallways and gyms. “The biggest risk factor for people is the close contacts that we have,” said Ottawa’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Vera Etches. “That’s all of us. It is hard because this virus isn’t visible, it’s not always giving people significant symptoms and people can be infectious 48 hours before they’re sick. By the time one person with symptoms gets tested, others in the household may well have been exposed.” But there is also some good news to report. Etches says no COVID-19 outbreaks have been linked to the opening of restaurants, bars, and gyms, all “high risk” activities which were a cause for concern when Ottawa entered stage 3 in mid July. “We see a different picture in August,” Etches said. “We’re not seeing outbreaks playing the same role in people being exposed to the virus. The biggest risk factor for people is the close con-
tacts that we have, and that’s all of us.” No transmission has also been caused from transit riders who use OC Transpo buses or the LRT, however a number of bus drivers have tested positive — some with routes to and from Barrhaven. OC Transpo says 28 employees have contracted the virus since March, but not all come into direct contact with the public. In just a one week period, however, eight OC Transpo employees and one LRT operator tested positive for COVID-19 between August 9 and 15. Etches said the rate of COVID-19 among people under 40 continues to rise,
but adds its too “simple” to just blame transmission on young people. Transmission continues to increase for those under the age of 70. “When we talk to young people, we know they absolutely care about the people in their family, about others who are more vulnerable,” Ottawa’s top doctor said. “I think we need to encourage everybody to continue with the behaviours we know work to control COVID.” In new data released by Ottawa Public Health, it showed older populations were largely exposed to the virus through outbreaks, while the more likely source for younger people was close contacts — caused by
family members or large gatherings. A small percentage also had no clue where they contracted the virus. The data showed throughout the pandemic, outbreaks — primarily at retirement and long-term care homes — accounted for 58 per cent of positive cases among those aged 60-69 and 89 per cent of cases among those aged 70-79. August however showed a different picture with close contacts accounting for 60 per cent of cases among those aged 6069 and 100 per cent reported among those aged 70-79. There have also been nine outbreaks identified at childcare centres or camps since mid-July, however only one
remains active. 13 per cent of the outbreaks in kids under 10 have been traced to one of these institutional outbreaks. Ottawa Public Health also plans to ramp up testing ahead of the reopening of schools. Currently, health officials collect about 1,500 swabs per day, but they hope to up that number to between 5,000 and 7,000. That means opening more testing centres, including Ottawa’s first drive-in at Ottawa’s Baseball stadium located at 302 Coventry Road. The closest testing centre to Barrhaven is the D. Aubrey Moodie testing site located at 595 Moodie Drive.
Masks mandatory in indoor public spaces through October To help limit the spread of COVID-19 as schools and businesses reopen, City Council has extended, until the end of October, the temporary bylaw that makes masks mandatory in indoor public spaces. Masks are also mandatory in the common areas of
condos and apartment buildings. Council can extend the temporary by-law again at a future meeting. Council delegated authority to the General Manager of Emergency and Protective Services to require masks as needed in outdoor areas where physical
distancing is not possible. Based on advice from the Medical Officer of Health, the General Manager can make masks mandatory in any high-risk area for up to 60 days, and rescind the order once the risk is reduced. Residents are encouraged to continue
practicing physical distancing, wash their hands frequently and stay home when sick. The City remains in a state of emergency to maintain the flexibility required to respond to potential outbreaks of COVID-19 or a second wave of infection. Council received
an update on the City’s service recovery and reopening activities, which incorporate guidance from public health officials and remain focused on the health and safety of staff and residents. The Human Needs Task Force continues to support our most vulnerable resi-
dents, including those who are at-risk, living in group homes and shelters, and experiencing homelessness. Council will receive a status update next month on the impact of COVID-19 on the City’s budget and associated financial mitigation measures.
FRIDAY, September 4, 2020 Page 9
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Motorcycle ride supports guide dog training Own a motorcycle? Ride on your own or with those in your bubble to raise money towards the training of guide dogs and assistance dogs. The Guide Dog Motorcycle Ride will take place on Sunday, September 13, 2020. Entry fee is $20. On Sunday, September 13, stop by Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, 4120 Rideau Valley Drive North, to register anytime between 8:00am and 11:00am and then head out for the ride. Cash, credit and debit accepted on-site. Please respect physical distancing. Check in at the end to find out if you won a prize. Or, to avoid the
line-ups and stay even safer, register and pay in advance by phoning (613) 692-7777 and then depart on the ride from your home. The route is a beautiful stretch of 224 kms. through Eastern Ontario. Vision loss is not stopping for COVID-19 and neither is the Guide Dog Ride, Ottawa’s longest running motorcycle ride, dating back to 1988. Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind was established as a registered charity in 1984. Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind has provided more than 880 professionally trained guide dogs to Can-
adians who are visually impaired from coast to coast. Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind also operates an Assistance Dogs Division, which trains assistance dogs for individuals in the Ottawa area with mobility-related disabilities. To learn more about this event or Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, visit www.guidedogs.ca or phone (613) 692-7777.
Rider is a guide dog in training.
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Page 10 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2020
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Barrhaven Independent 30 years, 30 people: Elio Marcantonio As we celebrate our 30th Anniversary, the Barrhaven Independent will be featuring 30 people who have played a prominent role in building and shaping our community from the time we were a sleepy little suburb in 1990 to the thriving city of more than 100,000 we are now. In this issue, we are featuring Elio Marcantonio, whose vision for introducing BMX biking to youths in Barrhaven created a new and positive subculture in the community. One of the few sports that local youths have been able to safely participate in during this year of uncertainty has been BMX biking. Elio Marcantonio brought BMX bike racing to Barrhaven a decade ago, and the Nepean BMX club has flourished while putting Barrhaven on the na-
tional map for the sport. Marcantonio founded the BMX track, a new recreational facility on Strandherd Drive, in Barrhaven and formed the non-profit Nepean BMX Association. He acquired the land in Barrhaven with the help of Councillor Harder, and spent hundreds of hours designing and building this state-ofthe-art track. The Nepean BMX Association is an inclusive and
family-friendly organization that promotes a healthy and positive lifestyle. It is one of the fastest growing and largest BMX associations in North America. There are several young riders from Manotick, Richmond and the Rideau-Osgoode area who use the facility. Since hosting its first race in June 2013, the Nepean BMX track has created a positive economic benefit for the area and has become an important part of the community. The track brings in riders from across Ontario, the rest of Canada and the eastern United States for races. Marcantonio, along with association members and volunteers, works continuously to improve the track, which hosted the Capital City Nationals in 2015, 2016 and 2018.
In December 2018, Elio Marcantonio received the Mayor’s City Builder Award from Mayor Jim Watson and Barrhaven Councillor Jan Harder. BI file photo by Mike Carroccetto
The OCDSB looks forward to welcoming students
BACK TO SCHOOL STARTING
SEPTEMBER 3 The Nepean BMX Club has grown steadily over the last eight years and has hosted the Capital City Nationals in 2015, 2106 and 2018. These photos were taken at the 2016 event in Barrhaven. BI file photos by Jeff Morris
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FRIDAY, September 4, 2020 Page 11
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
No charges laid against woman who called 911 on Black student By Charlie Senack Ottawa Police have decided not to lay charges against a White woman who called 911 on a young Black Barrhaven man who was riding his bike through Stonebridge Trail in early July. Ntwali Bashizi, 22, has learned the case has been closed after the investigation was completed. Police say they spoke with the woman and have deemed the matter non criminal. Bashizi was riding his bike along the popular Barrhaven trail on July 6 when he pulled off to the side of a bridge to have a rest before continuing. He told Barrhaven Independent in mid July he noticed a woman standing on the side of the trail wanting to pass him on the bridge. “I was sitting there for about five minutes and I had noticed this woman did not walk by me,” Bashizi recounted shortly after the incident took place. “I looked in her direction and I realized she was talking to me. I paused my music and took off my headphones and she told me she was going to wait there and to get off the trail — get off the bridge so she could get by.” When Bashizi didn’t comply, the woman called 911 to complain. After a lengthy discussion between the woman and an Ottawa Police dispatcher, he was told “You’re intimidating her, sir, can you just stand to the side?” Bashizi then said he was standing on the side and the woman had
enough room to pass. He also added that he was by no means intimidating the woman. He asked the dispatcher to send an officer if they wished too, but the Ottawa Police employee said that was not needed. Ottawa Police have apologized for the way they mishandled the situation, saying “it is clear that this was not an appropriate use of the 911 system and the Service did not act appropriately in handling the call.” Now they are saying the act was non-criminal, adding there isn’t enough evidence to support it being a racially profiled incident. “The investigator told me that he does feel the call was racially motivated, but that he can’t say definitively that it was,” Bashizi told the Ottawa Citizen in a recent interview. “She said (to the police that) she just sort of felt scared in the moment and it sort of came out. She said she doesn’t really know why she mentioned race and that she’s not racist or anything like that.” The news of no charges being laid is not what the young Barrhaven male who is studying law at Carleton University wanted to hear. When he first met with investigators, Bashizi was told public mischief and providing false information were two potential charges the woman could face. Since then police have told him neither charge was warranted. Public mischief was ruled out because no officer was ever dispatched to the scene.
“If they’re acknowledging that what she did was wrong, then I think that something more should’ve been done,” Bashizi states. “She was making it seem like I was doing something suspicious, which I really don’t get when I’m doing something normal. I’m literally sitting on my bike on the bridge.” Bashizi was told that police interviewed the woman and both gave similar accounts to what took place on the bridge that afternoon. He says police questioned the woman as to why she mentioned race. The woman allegedly told police that Bashizi acted very hostile and intimidating towards her, behaviours the law student has admitted to. Bashizi told the Ottawa Citizen that he behaved poorly while he was filming her, saying he was angry at her behaviour. That wasn’t his demeanour before the woman called the police, he said. In the weeks since the encounter took place, many advocacy groups have taken Bashizi’s side and have tried to find ways to pay for potential legal fees. Equal Chance has created a Gofundme campaign to raise money for Bashizi, which as of a month ago, raised $1,114 of a $30,000 goal. Equal Chance is an organization that advocates for equal opportunities for Black women, men and youth. They say there are other people of colour who have been in similar situations and want to find ways to ensure they have proper representation. OTT-AD-4353 Barrhaven Independant-5.125x12-Small Things Matter.indd 1
2020-08-17 11:27 AM
Page 12 FRIDAY, September 4, 2020 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Before becoming a CFL receiver, Nate Behar played for the Carleton Ravens. In 2014, he caught a 55-yard touchdown pass on the last play of the game as Carleton beat Ottawa U in the Panda Game at TD Place Stadium. Behar teamed up with former Nepean Redskins quarterback Nick Gorgichuk to set a Ravens single-game receiving yardage record that still stands. BI file photo Mike Carroccetto
Former Redblack Nate Behar becomes CFL’s voice of anti-racism
‘I want kids to see all colours. I want them to see how they are different from one another, and to embrace those differences.’ By Jeff Morris
It seemed like a normal offseason for Nate Behar. Every Sunday morning, he was at the fieldhouse at Carleton University coaching youth football players, many of whom were from the local Nepean Eagles and Ottawa Sooners programs. He has become well-known in the football community in Barrhaven, as he has worked with developing the skills of local players since the days when he played for the Carleton Ravens. Then, everything changed. The virus happened, and then the death of George Floyd happened. For whom he plays and when he plays again in the
Canadian Football League both remain uncertain at this point. Behar, who played wide receiver for the Ottawa Redblacks last season, is a free agent. Away from football, however, Behar has been one of the most talked about and visible players in the CFL over the summer. An essay that he wrote after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN titled ‘To Pimp a Movement’ has garnered international attention. Behar, who has always been opinionated on Twitter, has been interviewed by CBC, MacLean’s and other national media outlets. He has made school appearances via Zoom across the country to talk about racism and to share
his experiences in dealing with racism throughout his life. “At first, it was kind of overwhelming and I was a little bit out of my comfort zone,” Behar said of the mainstream media attention he received after penning his essay. “But a lot of people reached out to me and supported me. I heard from a lot of people and from other players around the league and everyone was very positive.” Behar, like many people, was horrified as he watched the disturbing video of Floyd losing his life after having his neck knelt on by a Minneapolis police officer. History may see that viral video may be the most lasting image of 2020. Some day,
COVID-19 will fade away. George Floyd’s death will not. The virus has made us change the way we live our day-to-day lives. George Floyd’s death has made us change the way we look at
the world around us. “When I wrote the essay, it was purely cathartic,” Behar said. “I just had to do something – something to put my thoughts down to clear my mind.
I was not thinking about who would read it or how much attention it would get.”
behar
continues on page 13
Former Ottawa Redblacks receiver Nate Behar works with local football prospects at the Carleton University fieldhouse before the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeff Morris photo
FRIDAY, September 4, 2020 Page 13
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT behar continues from page 12 Behar’s father is from Jamaica and grew up in south Florida. Behar’s mother is Jewish and from Israel. No matter what part of the world he has been in, racism has always been something Behar has dealt with. “I have been called the ‘N’ word in the States, and I have been called the ‘N’ word in Canada,” he said. “We like to think racism isn’t as bad in Canada, but it is there. You always have to live with it and deal with it.” The first time Behar was called the ‘N’ word was during a minor football game. He was tackled by a group of players from the other team, and one of them used the racial slur at him. Behar was angered and upset, but he did not know who said it. He took his helmet off and was crying. His father knew something was wrong. When he found out what happened, he yelled at the referee and at the coach, and then he took his son home. Perhaps the worst incident Behar had to deal with was while he was a student-athlete at Carleton. In 2016, Behar and several of his teammates went to the Queen’s University homecoming game, as it fell on Carleton’s bye week. Behar was with a couple of friends when they walked by a large gathering of people drinking in front of a large house. Some words were exchanged, and Behar said before he knew it, he was pinned to a car by a large group of people being called the ‘N’ word. He was sucker punched during the incident.
About six hours later, he and the four teammates he was with had to walk by the house again. From across the street, he heard one of people in front of the house yell, “Hey, there’s that n----- again.” Behar was attacked and hit in the head with a stick. He was knocked out cold. Those memories were among the ones that flooded back to Nate Behar when he saw the video of George Floyd. “There is racism in Canada and in the U.S., but it’s not that one place is worse than the other,” Behar said. “The racism is just different. Canada does not have the same history with slavery as the United States does, but I think that the racism against Indigenous Canadians is similar to the racism problems in the U.S.” For the past few years, Behar has been a big part of the Junior Ravens camp and the Carleton Ravens Elite Prospects Program. Coaching young players is important to Behar, both to give back to the program and the community, and also to be a positive role model for young players. The local football program went through a period of time when racism was at the forefront. The Nepean Eagles were formerly the Nepean Redskins. Although the club was named Redskins in the early 1980s for no other reason than that the founder was a Washington Redskins fan and no other team had those colours. By 2012, the team was receiving more attention for its racist name than for the posi-
GoRavens.ca image by Cole Lawrence.
tive things they were doing in the community. Protestors and the media began showing up at practices and games. The kids in the program were thrust into a situation that was not healthy. The club announced at the end of the season it was changing its name. In 2017, Behar was drafted fifth overall by the Edmonton Eskimos. That team, too, has announced the changing of its name which dates back more than 100 years. Behar, who
played for currently-named Edmonton Football Team for two seasons, is glad to see the team has moved on from the name. He said it sends the right message in today’s social climate. “Sometimes you hear people say we strive for a world that is colour blind when it comes to racism, but I don’t agree with that,” Behar said. “I want kids to see all colours. I want them to see how they are different from
one another, and to embrace those differences. Football and sports bring kids together and will turn kids from different backgrounds into a team. One of the unfortunate things about COVID-19 is that the kids are losing a full season. Not only to they lose a year of playing, but they are losing a year of learning, growing and forming friendships with people from different backgrounds.” While Behar has become somewhat of an accidental
voice of anti-racism in Canada, his focus is still on football. “I don’t know where I am going to be playing next,” he said. “That’s up to my agent. Before the pandemic, there were some offers on the table. I have been working out hard, doing two-a-days, running routes and getting ready to play. But where I will be, I am just getting ready to play and leaving that part of it up to my agent.”
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Page 14 FRIDAY, September 4, 2020 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Coyote problem surfaces near Ken Ross Park in Barrhaven By Charlie Senack Ottawa Police say two coyotes were “precariously approaching a person on foot” in a Barrhaven neighbourhood on Saturday morning. In a news release they said the animals were seen near Ken Ross Park in the Longfields Drive and Chianti Grove area. “We would like to remind Ottawa residents that coyotes are known to occupy wooden areas and parks around the Greenbelt Area, and that these animals can be unpredictable at times and also preying on domestic pets or even isolated pedestrians,” police said. “Please stay alert when walking across or along parks and call 911 immediately if a threatening encounter with a coyote takes place.”
The sighting is just one of many seen across Barrhaven in recent months. In June, a handful of coyote attacks were reported in Riverside South, primarily around Claudette Cain park. After over a week of searching, one of the coyotes which were believed to be involved in the attacks were killed by police. If you encounter an agreed wild animal such as a coyote, Police say to do the following: * Never approach or touch the animal * Do not turn your back on the animal or run from it * Back away while remaining calm * Stand tall, wave your hands and make lots of noise * Carry a flashlight when walking at night
Ottawa Police say two coyotes were “precariously approaching a person on foot” in a Barrhaven neighbourhood near Ken Ross Park in the Longfields Drive and Chianti Grove area. Charlie Senack photo
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FRIDAY, September 4, 2020 Page 15
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
COVID brings changes to Remembrance Day, Poppy Campaign By Charlie Senack
Remembrance Day ceremonies all across Canada are expected to look different this year due to COVID-19 health concerns. Large gatherings of people won’t be able to congregate at war memorials and some of the more senior veterans won’t be able to attend ceremonies. But that doesn’t mean we should just look at November 11 as another day on the calendar, says members of the Barrhaven Legion. “We need to start thinking now about how we are going to support our local legions in November when we will be in the height of flu season (and) when we are still expected to social distance,” said Nepean MPP and Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sport, Lisa MacLeod, who has been a member of branch 641 located at 3500 Fallowfield Road since it was established 15 years ago. Joel VanSnick, commander of the Royal Canadian Legion’s District G Ontario Command was at the Barrhaven Legion two weeks ago where he announced this year’s poppy campaign will also look different. Many grocery stores won’t allow poppy boxes at the cash register and volunteers won’t be able to stand around in a mall to accept donations. “There is a lot of uncertainty at the moment,” he says. “Some of it is speculation and some of it is from talking to people. If you go to the mall it’s one direction — there is no stop-
ping unless you need to go into a store and there are no tables or benches in the halls. They are not going to want us there standing at the doorways or being in the way.” “The COVID guidelines prevent that from happening so putting a poppy box at a store might not be possible,” VansNick adds. “Maybe they won’t accept it because people need to put money into it or because they would be responsible for it.” So at a time when debit transactions are the new normal and paper money is discouraged at stores, the legion is looking to test pilot a new type of poppy box in Ottawa which is almost entirely contactless. “It’s a tap and go where you make a donation by tapping — it will be pre-set to a certain value,” states VansNick. “You take a poppy and you walk away so there is very little touching and no counting of money. No cross contamination of germs.” Canada-Wide, legions bring in about $20 million a year from their poppy campaigns. In the Ottawa area, VansNick says it brings in around half a million to three quarters of a million dollars every campaign — over a million if you include areas outside of the city like Renfrew, Napanee, Hawkesbury and Deep River. The Royal Canadian Legion says they know that much money won’t be raised this year, but would like to still bring in as much funding as possible. All of it goes directly back to veter-
No Farmers Market copy 2_Faded 3/27/20 7:03 PM Page 1
Joel VanSnick, commander of the Royal Canadian Legion’s District G Ontario Command was at the Barrhaven Legion two weeks ago to announce changes to this year’s poppy campaign. Charlie Senack photo
ans and their families, supporting key programs which focus on topics like mental health and PTSD. VansNick says while the campaign will look different this year, anyone who wishes to can purchase and wear a poppy. “There will be poppy’s made available in certain locations,” he says. “They will mostly be available in buildings where you are able to tap. Poppies will be made available because it’s a Canadian tradition.”
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Page 16 FRIDAY, September 4, 2020 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT