L’édition de cette semaine à l’intérieur...
Orléans WestInnes recognizes its local Gems
By Fred Sherwin
The Orléans Star
Orléans West-Innes councillor Laura Dudas has been playing Santa during the past few weeks delivering Gems Awards to some of the shining businesses and local community organizations in her ward.
Dudas started the award program in 2021 to give residents the chance to nominate their favourite business or organization for making an effort to be an integral part of the community they serve.
“The nominations are not just chosen for excelling at a particular business or service,” explains Dudas’ special assistant Chelsey Wynne. “Those who are nominated, and win, shine because they have made themselves integral to the fabric of our community, through excellent customer service, outreach and a deep love for the community they serve.”
This year’s recipients include Forest Valley
Pharmacy for Best Professional Service Business, Marino’s Hair Studio in Blackburn Hamlet for Best Personal Service Business and Paroisse St-Joseph d’Orléans for Best Community Social Organization.
Other recipients include Café Amoré on StJoseph Blvd. for Best Restaurant, Atelier Rosso for Best Retail Business, Food, Théâtre du Village d’Orléans for Best Community Arts or Cultural Organization and Sweet n Salad in the Orléans Garden Plaza for Best New Business.
This is the sixth year the awards have been handed out. Originally started during the pandemic as a way to recognize local heroes, the Gems Awards have grown to recognize local organizations and businesses that help make Orléans West-Innes Ward sparkle.
The Gems Awards are an opportunity to recognize and appreciate outstanding small businesses and service organizations that are
The Vintage Village of Lights will brighten up the night sky at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night until Dec. 21. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO
Councillor Laura Dudas proudly hands out Orléans West-Innes Gems Awards
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unique to Orléans West-Innes and make the ward a more vibrant place to live, work and play.
A truly special element of the Gems Awards is that all the nominations come directly from the community. Any member of the public can nominate their favourite Orléans small business or community organization.
The nominations are not just chosen for excelling at a particular business or service. Those who are nominated, and have been chosen to receive the award have made themselves integral to the fabric of the
community, through excellent customer service, outreach and a deep appreciation of the community they serve.
The 2025 Gem Awards recipients:
• Marino’s Hair Studio, 2701 St. Joseph Blvd.
• Vantage Jewellers, 2866 St. Joseph Blvd.
• Café Amoré, 2409 St. Joseph Blvd.
• Atelier Rosso, 110 Bearbrook Rd.
• Sweet n Salad, Orléans Garden Plaza
• Théâtre du Village d’Orléans
• Forest Valley Pharmacy, 1600 Forest Valley Dr.
• Paroisse St-Joseph d’Orléans, 2157 St. Joseph Blvd.
Orléans License Bureau
Serving Orléans families for the past 55 years.
Providing health card and vehicle registration services in both languages.
Orléans West-Innes councillor Laura Dudas presents a Gem Award to Vantage Jewellers owner Gamal Mansour and his assistant Hany Nasralla. PHOTO SUPPLIED
City council greenlights effort to purchase Carlsbad landfill site
By Fred Sherwin
The Orléans Star
The City of Ottawa will continue its participation in the bidding process to potentially acquire a private landfill site near Carlsbad Springs at Boundary Road and Hwy. 417.
City council gave its blessing to the process in a closed-door, in-camera session during last week’s city council meeting. No actual vote was taken, because no vote is needed until it’s determined whether or not the bid is accepted by the site’s current owners Taggart Miller Environmental Services.
In order to enter the bidding process to purchase the 475-acre site, the City had to sign a non-disclosure agreement which is standard practice. As a result, the amount of the City’s bid cannot be made public nor can any other details of the process, including whether or not there are any other bidders.
“Given the requirements for confidentiality, details will be reported out once the bidding process is over and the nondisclosure agreement has been lifted,” Ottawa mayor Mark Sutcliffe told council after the session.
“I look forward to sharing the process with residents and we will be able to do so
when the process comes to an end. This is an issue of timing not transparency.”
The City’s decision to bid on the landfill site is extremely controversial for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that there a great deal of people who have been opposed to the landfill site going back to when the Markham-based Miller Group and the Ottawa-based Taggart Investments first joined forces to ask the provincial government to grant them a permit to operate it as such in 2010.
Faced with the prospect of the Trail Road landfill site reaching it’s capacity in 10-15 years, the city is in need of an alternative location to deal with its solid waste. In July, city council directed staff to examine three potential options: using existing private landfill sites, building a waste to energy facility; or creating a new landfill site at a location to be determined.
By bidding on the Boundary site, the city can combine both the first and third options without having to go through the politically challenging and time-consuming process of deciding on the location of a future site and getting provincial approval.
Opponents of the city’s decision to bid on the Boundary Road site are worried that it
The 2025 Orléans Outstanding Youth Awards
LASTCHANCE
The Arts – Academics – Sports Community Service – Humanitarianism
Do you know someone in your community under the age of 18 whose talents and abilities set them apart during the past year? If so, why not consider nominating them for the Orléans Outstanding Youth Awards? Nominees must be 17 years old or younger as of Sept. 1, 2025, and reside within the City of Ottawa east of Blair Road. Nominees will be judged on their accomplishments between Oct. 1, 2024 and Sept. 30, 2025. All submissions must include the name, address and phone number of both the nominee and the nominator as well as a resume of the nominee’s accomplishments. There are no categories per se – those nominated will be judged on their accomplishments in any one area, or a combination of areas. Nominations can be submitted by e-mail to OYA@orleansstar.ca or regular mail to The Orléans Star c/o 745 Farmbrook Cres., Orléans ON, K4A 2C1. The deadline for entries has been extended to Dec. 15. For additional information visit https://orleansonline.ca/OYA, or call Fred Sherwin at 613-447-2829.
The City of Ottawa’s bid to purchase an pre-approved landfill site on Boundary Road near Hwy. 417 is seen as an option to one day replace the Trail Road landfill site above. CTV PHOTO
will take any possibility of building a wasteto-energy facility off the table for years to come.
Orléans East-Cumberland councillor Matt Luloff believes waste-to-energy technology, which has been used around the world for years, is the way of the future. He wants to make sure that it is still an option and that it
won’t be dismissed as a result if the City’s bid for the Taggart-Miller site is successful. During last Wednesday’s meeting staff assured council that purchasing the site would not take a waste-to-energy facility off the table and that a new landfill would still be required even if Ottawa were to build an incinerator.
Waste management
It’s deja vu all over again. Last Wednesday, city council gave staff the green light to move forward with it’s bid to purchase a 475-acre parcel of land on Boundary Road near Carlsbad Springs with the intention of using it as a landfill site.
The main reason they want to buy the site is the fact that the existing Trail Road landfill facility is filling up quickly and will likely reach it’s limit in 10 years or so. The site they are bidding on has already been pre-approved by the province and its various agencies. That means the city and city council won’t have to go down the extremely difficult and politically painful road of having to pick a new site and go through the approval process from scratch. Successive city councils have kicked the can down the road on that one for years – until now.
The city explored waste-to-energy technology 18 years ago when it toyed with the idea of joining forces with Rob Bryden and Plasco Conversion Technologies, which turned out to be a complete disaster. After building a test facility on Trail Road with moderate success, Bryden couldn’t come up with the money to build an actual plasmafication plant.
It was a dumb decision that cost the city millions of dollars and set a potential waste-to-energy facility back 15 years and counting.
At last week’s city council meeting, staff told the councillors that the city will need a new landfill site regardless of whether or not they decide to one day build a waste-to-energy facility, explaining that an incinerator will still result in as much as 25 per cent in debris which will have to be disposed of somewhere. Which may be true, but the fact of the matter is that the Boundary Road site will still cost north of $450 million.
The question that needs to be asked is whether or not the city can afford both a new landfill site and a waste-to-energy facility which will also cost $450 to $800 million depending on when you build it. Personally, I’m a little skeptical. Be that as it may, there are certain truths that are selfevident. If the city was to build a waste-to-energy facility, they would need a site on which to build it on. Trail Road would seem to be the most obvious possibility, but the Boundary Road site might do just as well.
As for disposing of the ash and other material that would be the byproduct of a waste-to-energy facility, you could always ship it to private landfill sites...but at what cost?
We, as a society, create waste. No matter how much we recycle, compost or reuse, we create waste that has to be put somewhere. It’s our waste, therefore it should be put in a landfill site in Ottawa and not shipped to another jurisdiction to make it somebody else’s problem. To do otherwise would be hypocritical.
Bidding on the Boundary Road site makes sense. But purchasing it should not be done at the expense of a waste-to-energy facility. If we are to look after our waste management needs for the foreseeable future we need both.
– Fred Sherwin
Honouring Ontario’s Christian heritage strengthens our future
Since the earliest days before Confederation, long before the borders of modern Ontario were drawn, Christians of many denominations helped lay the foundations of the province we know today. These pioneers, consisting of farmers, teachers, homemakers, tradespeople, and community leaders, built schools, hospitals, social institutions, and civic traditions that shaped the cultural and democratic character of Upper Canada. This rich legacy remains visible across our communities and continues to influence Ontario’s story.
Corner
but all Ontarians, regardless of belief. Ontario has previously celebrated several of its religious communities. The province already marks Islamic Heritage Month (2007), Jewish Heritage Month (2012), Sikh Heritage Month (2013), and Tamil Heritage Month (2014). These recognitions have promoted diversity, strengthened multiculturalism, and reduced hate and prejudice.
Jody Maffett Editor
Owner and publisher
fsherwin@orleansstar.ca
Jean-Marc Pacelli Editor L’Orléanais
The Orléans Star is a bi-weekly publication distributed to over 40,000 residences in Blackburn Hamlet, Orléans and Navan. The newspaper is locally owned and operated by Sherwin Publishing Inc., 745 Farmbrook Cres., Orléans, ON. Inquiries and delivery issues should be sent to info@orleansstar.ca. Fred Sherwin
But Christian heritage in Ontario is not simply a chapter in the past to be studied. It is a living, evolving tradition being expressed through an extraordinary range of communities. Ontario’s Christian population includes people of Latin American, European, Indigenous, African, Asian, and Middle Eastern backgrounds. Ontario’s diversity reflects the global nature of Christianity itself and mirrors the broader multicultural identity of our province.
These Christian communities continue to make significant contributions to Ontario’s social, economic, political, and cultural life. They support newcomers, operate shelters and food banks, provide educational and health services, and enrich our cultural landscape with festivals, music, and art. This work strengthens not only those who share our faith
Introducing a private member’s bill designating December as Christian Heritage Month is part of building on positive traditions. We should embrace this historical reality by recognizing our community, whose contributions span centuries. A formal month of recognition, especially in December, would provide all Ontarians, including future generations, an opportunity to reflect upon, celebrate, and learn about the deep roots and positive enduring influence of Christian communities in our province. At a time when our society appears to be polarized more than ever, acknowledging the diversity that comprises all of Ontario’s identity is paramount. Celebrating Christian Heritage Month is one meaningful way to honour our past and enrich our present and future.
If you feel like I do, please write to me at sblais. mpp.co@liberal.ola.org or sign our petition at: https://stephenblais.ca/?page_id=149
The Orléans Star
Stephen Blais
Queen’s Park
List of personal pet peeves has a couple of new additions
It’s that time of year again when I get to do a little venting by listing my personal pet peeves which this year has a couple of new additions – all-inclusive vacation packages that don’t include checked baggage and fees for reserved seating on planes.
Both are relatively new practices. Although fees for reserved seating has become much more wide spread in the industry. In fact, pretty well every airline in existence now charge for reserved seating, which is little more than a cash grab by the airlines.
I personally wouldn’t mind paying for my pre-selected seat if it came with a decent meal, but the airlines charge for those too, and they ain’t cheap, especially for something that’s barely edible.
I personally avoid paying to reserve my seat instead I show up early enough to get the best of what’s left. The only airline I do pay for advanced seat selection is on the Air Transat flights to Cuba, so I can sit in the back row. I do that because the flight lets passengers from both the front and back doors. If you sit in the back row, you get off the plane first. You get through passport control first. And you get on the shuttle first which means you can sit in the front row, right behind the beer cooler.
Here are the rest of pet peeves in no
particular order.
Up Front
1) Paper straws. Why? Are plastic straws taking up so much space in our landfill sites that we have to switch to paper straws? And don’t paper straws take up just as much space? And before you tell me that I should be recycling my paper straw, please, don’t even go there.
Oh, and while were on the topic of utensils, those half spoon, half fork thingies that end up breaking every time you use them are another pet peeve of mine.
2) Businesses that use way too much salt at their entrances during winter. In a perfect world I could send them a bill for a new pair of boots every spring.
3) The people that check off your receipt at Costco with a black Sharpie. Again why? It’s not as if they are checking the receipt against the items you have in your cart.
IN ORLÉANS
And please don’t tell me it’s to prevent shoplifting. I’d love to meet the person that tries to shoplift a 2lb box of Fruitloops, or a two litre jar of peanut butter.
4) Compostable fabric shopping bags and it’s only because I can never remember to bring it back to the store when I go shopping and I inevitably have to buy a new bag. Thus, I had to throw out 15 compostable fabric bags the other day because they were taking up too much space under my sink.
5) The announcement you get when you pull up to the drive-thru menu board at Tim Hortons to please have your method of payment ready to prevent delays in the drive-thru, or something to that effect. How about they please have my order ready when I get to the drive-thru window to prevent any delays?
6) Lottery checkers. It happens without fail. Whenever I’m in a hurry and I want to pay for my items, there is always someone with a fistful of lottery tickets holding up the line as the checkout clerk dutifully checks every ticket to see if the person has won anything. Which reminds me of another pet peeve: check-out people who feel it necessary to tell the customer in front of you their whole life story, or think it’s okay to put you on hold while they answer the
phone. Hey buttercup, put the caller on hold, I was here first.
7) Dividing bars in checkout lines. This is an old pet peeve of mine. Before the advent of dividing bars, you used to have to talk to the checkout person to make sure they knew when the order in front of you ended and yours began.
8) Anyone over the age of 13 who feels it necessary to ride their bicycle on the sidewalk. Hey buddy, your old enough to ride on the street now.
9) Gas pumps that are out of paper when you need a receipt forcing you to go inside to get said receipt. How hard is it to keep paper in the printer?
10) Restaurants that insist on putting one ply toilet paper in the bathroom, or worst still, the single sheets. Memo to restaurant owner, if you think you’re saving money your not, because most people end using twice as much as they would if you had two ply.
Well, that just about does it. In fact, I feel so much better now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, at least until I have to get gas from a pump with a terminal that has run out of paper and then have to wait 10 minutes for lottery guy to check all his tickets while I’m waiting for my receipt.
We provide 24/7 enhanced care by GPA trained sta , coupled with our tailored Memory Care Program, to ensure a personalized journey for each resident.
Our programs are design to engage with residents living with dementia, providing purpose and social interactions that create connection and well-being.
Fred Sherwin
Purchase of new landfill site a necessary move
Ottawa’s Trail Road Landfill will likely reach capacity by 2035, leaving the City with a waste crisis less than a decade away. As staff explore waste-toenergy and incineration, Ottawa will still need a new landfill, as even with incineration, 23 per cent of waste remains as ash that requires disposal in a landfill.
However, opening a new landfill is no simple task. If the City identified a potential new site today, it would face years or decades of environmental assessments and provincial approvals, with no guarantee of success. In the past 20 years, only one single property in Ontario has been approved.
That site is the Capital Region Resource Recovery Centre (CRRRC), near Boundary Road and Hwy. 417. This private landfill has been approved for 30 years, and offers advanced processing capabilities, including composting, anaerobic digestion and resource recovery. The only question now is ownership, as the City considers acquiring the site.
The stakes are high. If Ottawa cannot manage its own waste, we will have to pay other cities or private landfills at steep costs. Already, starting next year, Ottawa will be sending 60,000 tonnes of waste to private landfills. Toronto faced this in the 1990s when its Keele Valley Landfill closed. Disposal costs soared from $15–$20 per tonne to over $50 as garbage was trucked to Michigan, a 300% increase that lasted until 2010. Today, costs would assuredly be far higher. Ultimately, Toronto was forced to buy the private Green Lane Landfill near London, and still trucks garbage 200 km down Highway 401.
Ottawa has a history of deferring tough infrastructure decisions, but a delay now will almost assuredly mean a very costly scramble later. A landfill or a waste processing facility may not be glamorous, but purchasing CRRRC is a rare chance to secure Ottawa’s waste future. Without it, all residents will have to pay substantially more, as we compete with others for a place to put our garbage.
Keeping our roads and sidewalks safe for all in wintery conditions
Here we go again. The leaves have wrapped up their fall finale, pumpkin spice season is fading away, and that early morning chill is becoming a regular guest. Winter isn’t officially here yet, but the snow has started making its first appearances, and in Ottawa – that’s our signal to get ready. As those early flakes fall, the City is already preparing to keep roads, sidewalks and neighbourhoods safe.
This is also the time when winter weather parking bans start popping back into conversation. They’re not the highlight of anyone’s season, but they matter. When Environment Canada forecasts seven centimetres of snow, or even suggests we might hit that amount, the City may call a parking ban. Fewer cars on the street mean crews can clear snow faster and more safely. Residential parking permit holders are usually exempt unless temporary signs go up, and some business areas remain exempt so people can still support local shops.
The City also tries to give plenty of
notice. Overnight bans, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m, are announced by 9 a.m. Daytime bans, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., are announced by 3:30 pm the day before, unless the weather turns extreme. If you’re unsure where to park during a ban, there are designated lots across Ottawa. Signing up for winter parking e-alerts or checking the Ottawa app is the easiest way to stay ahead of sudden weather changes.
Early snow can also bring its own challenges. When the forecast calls for truly hazardous conditions – ice, heavy snow, or anything that could overwhelm operations –the City may declare a Significant Weather Event. This doesn’t slow crews down; it simply shifts the focus to safety and gives everyone more time to work. If you can avoid travelling during these moments, it’s the safest choice. If you do need to head out, take it slow, stay alert, and give yourself extra time
The snow may only be getting started, but staying safe as it returns is something we can handle – together.
Busy Fingers founder to receive Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers
By Fred Sherwin
The Orléans Star
When Orléans resident Eileen McCaughey started the Busy Fingers Knitting Club back in 2010, she had no idea just how big the club would get or how many people they would help.
The club originally consisted of a small group of friends who shared a love of knitting and crocheting and wanted to give back to their community by creating afghans and other items and donating them to women’s shelters and the Ottawa Fire Service to be used to help comfort victims of house fires.
That was 25 years ago. Since then the club has grown to over 200 members with chapters in Montréal and Quebec City and they’ve knitted and donated over 50,000 items.
McCaughey, who celebrated her 91st birthday this past year, has said a number of times that she doesn’t do it for any recognition. In fact, she would be just as happy to remain anonymous, except for the odd time when she has to come out and make an appeal for more wool.
Well, some anonymous person decided that it was time that she got the recognition she deserved and nominated her for the Governor-General’s Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers.
The medal is Canada’s highest civilian honor for volunteerism, recognizing significant, sustained, and unpaid contributions to the community.
McCaughey found out she would be receiving the award in a call from Rideau Hall last month.
At first she thought it was some sort of a prank. “I thought it was a joke, not realizing it was true,” says McCaughey.
They ended up calling her back a second time and she still wasn’t convinced.
It wasn’t until she received an envelop by registered mail from 1 Sussex Drive with a certificate in it along with a letter from Governor General Mary Simon congratulating her, that it finally sunk in.
“When I opened it and realized it was true, I almost fainted. I just couldn’t believe it,” says McCaughey.
When asked to compare the Governor General’s Award to the many other awards she’s received over the years, McCaughey says it is the absolute pinnacle.
“This award is really the story of my life,” says McCaughey, referring to the thousands upon thousands of hours she’s volunteered over the course of her life. “And so to get this type of recognition, and from the Governor General, you can’t get higher than that.”
McCaughey will be among several other recipients who will be receiving their medals in a special ceremony at Rideau Hall during National Volunteer Week in April. And when she does, she will be accepting it on behalf of the entire club.
“It’s not just for me, it’s for all of them. They made this thing happen,” says McCaughey.
Until then, McCaughey and the other members of the Busy Fingers knitting club will be at work knitting hats, scarves, mittens and socks for the less fortunate in the community to get through the winter. And they will be doing so using dozens upon dozens of balls of wool donated by people who have responded to a recent appeal published in the Orléans Star.
Eileen McCaughey holds up the certificate she received from Rideau Hall for the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers. STAFF PHOTO
HOLIDAY COLOURING CONTEST
Submit your artwork by Dec 19th at 1420 Youville Drive, Unit 15 or email to: actionpowerteam@century21.ca
Grand Prizes of $100
GROUPS Under 5 - Under 10 - Under 15 Get ready to unleash your creativity and celebrate the holiday season with the elves at Century 21 Action Power Team & Maverick’s Donut Company!
Building Connections and Community in the Heart of Orléans
Special to The Orléans Star
Tannis Vine, Executive Director Heart of Orléans BIA
This time of year always serves as a moment for both reflection and renewal – a chance to celebrate accomplishments and look ahead with optimism.
2025 has been an exceptional one for the Heart of Orléans BIA. Building on the success of our district expansion, we’ve continued to grow, evolve, and strengthen the connections that make our community thrive. Through it all, our focus has remained clear: supporting our members and celebrating the incredible businesses that make Orléans shine.
Over the past year, we have enhanced our marketing efforts, increased our visibility, and deepened relationships across the community. From preparing for the arrival of the LRT to promoting our district and building internal resilience, our goal has remained the same, to showcase Orléans as a vibrant, connected, and welcoming destination.
Some of this year’s key highlights include:
• Launching new tourism-focused webpages to complement our bilingual Heart of Orléans Information Guide, helping visitors discover all that our district has to
offer.
• Introducing The Heart of Orléans Market with renowned market organizer, Amanda Watson, welcoming between 3,000 and 5,000 visitors each month and brought fresh energy to the area.
• Hosting a Job Fair in partnership with the YMCA and Place d’Orléans, attracting over 3,000 registrants and 36 employers.
• Delivering five networking events featuring engaging keynote speakers focused on the LRT and small business success.
• Unveiling a vibrant graffiti-style mural at the Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex skate park.
• Sharing the stories behind local businesses through our Behind the Business campaign.
• Expanding our marketing reach through soundbite advertising on podcasts and YouTube, as well as an influencer campaign celebrating the diversity of our district.
• Establishing a Governance and Nominations Committee to strengthen leadership, structure, and succession planning.
• Officially kicking off the holiday season with our Tree Lighting and Night Market, bringing festive spirit and community cheer to the Heart of Orléans.
The Heart of Orléans boundary extends east along St. Joseph Blvd. from Youville Drive to Dairy Road, then turns north across the highway to Jeanne d’Arc Blvd. It continues west on Jeanne d’Arc and returns to St. Joseph Blvd., encompassing Youville. PHOTO SUPPLIED
As we move into the final quarter of the year, we’re taking time to reflect on our achievements and set our sights on the next phase of our strategy.
On behalf of our Board and Operations team, we extend heartfelt thanks to all our members, partners, and the Orléans community for your continued trust, confidence, and support. We wish you a joyful holiday season and look forward to building an even stronger, more connected Heart of Orléans in the year ahead.
Royal Canadian Legion Branch 632 2025 Poppy Campaign Report
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 632 Poppy Committee would like to thank the community of Orléans for its generous support during this year’s campaign. At last count, more than $139,000 has been raised, surpassing our initial goal of $105,000. We did this with the help of over 320 volunteers. The committee would like to especially thank the Army and Air Cadets who volunteered hundreds of hours and raised nearly $12,000 between them. The money raised will be used to support various charities in support of veterans, their dependents and Cadets:
• Veterans and Aging, Comforts • Camp Maple Leaf
• Student Bursaries Branch 632
• Operation Leave the Streets Behind
• Healing Heroes on the Fly
• Military Families Resource Center • Operation Service Dogs
• Perley Health Care for Seniors and Veterans
St. Francis student’s art picked for MPP’s 2025 Christmas card
Stephen Blais with 10-year-old St. Francis of Assisi student Riley, whose artwork was selected to adorn Blais’ Christmas card this year. The Orléans MPP has been using artwork created by local students for his Christmas card for the past 20 years. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO
Orléans speedskaters kick off Olympic year with promising results
By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star
It’s been four years since east end natives Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann last competed at the Olympic Winter Games.
For Weidemann, it was a coming of age competition on the world’s biggest stage as she won two individual medals in the 3,000 and 5,000 metres and gold in the team pursuit with Blondin and Valeri Maltais from Quebec.
Blondin also won a silver medal in the women’s mass start.
The upcoming Winter Games taking place in Milano Cortina, Italy from Feb. 6-22 will be Blondin’s third Olympic Games and Weidemann’s second.
For the 35-year-old Blondin, it will likely also be her last Olympics At 30, it maybe
Weidemann’s last as well.
Both women want to make the most of the opportunity, both individually and as part of the women’s pursuit team and so far this year, things are looking pretty positive.
At the most recent World Cup event in Calgary, Blondin won gold in the mass start and the pair combined with Maltais to capture a silver medal in the team pursuit event.
Weidemann also placed fourth in the 3,000 metres, while Blondin placed eighth.
In the opening World Cup event of the season in Salt Lake City in mid-November, Weideman placed fifth in the 3,000 and Blondin fifth in the mass start.
Showing the consistency they displayed all last season, Weidemann, Blondin and Maltais finished second in the team pursuit.
the silver medal in
At both events in Salt Lake City and Calgary, Japan finished on top.
Blondin and Weidemann have two more World Cups in the Netherlands and Norway
on Nov 23.
on their schedule before Christmas and then one World Cup event in Inzell, Germany which will be the final tune up event before the Olympics get underway on Feb. 6.
Valerie Maltais, left, Isabelle Weidemman, centre, and Ivanie Blondin celebrate after winning
Calgary
Young martial artist completes successful competitive season
By Fred Sherwin
The Orléans Star
It’s been a tremendously successful season for 12-year-old martial artist Eli Cooper. Competing at the WKC World Championships for the very first time in Niagara Falls last month, the Douvris Martial Arts Orléans brown belt won a silver medal in points fighting in the +55 kg division for boys aged 10 and 11 and a bronze medal in team point fighting as a member of Team Canada.
He followed that performance up by win-ning three medals at Sunfukimania 2025 in Quebec City on Nov. 15.
He won gold in Advanced Combat fighting for boys age 10-11,+50kg. A silver medal in Advanced Kata for boys aged 10 and 11. And a bronze medal in Elite Combat fighting for boys age 10-11,+50kg.
He also placed fourth in Advance Chinese Soft Form Kata for boys aged 10 and 11.
Eli’s father, Anthony, attributes his son’s success at such an early stage to the training he’s received at Douvris and the support his instructors, Sensei Ben Clarke,
Sensei Dante Lorusso, and Sensei Rose Rhéaume have given him.
“He’s also extremely dedicated and he takes his training very seriously,” says his father.
Eli, who first started taking karate lessons when he was six, trains five nights a week and as much as three hours a night.
After his success at the tournament in Montréal, Eli focused his attention and his training on the upcoming International Tournament of Champions which is taking place in Toronto this weekend where he will be competing in both points fighting and kata.
In 2026, he will be moving up an age group with plans to compete at the Pan American Championships in Mexico City, and the 2026 WKC World Championships in Spain.
Eli Cooper, 12, from Douvris Martial Arts holds up the gold, silver and bronze medals he won at the Sunfukimania event in Montreal on Nov. 15. PHOTO SUPPLIED
Vintage Village of Lights has become a holiday tradition
By Jody Maffett
The Orléans Star
For the past three weeks, the staff at Cumberland Heritage Village Museum in Cumberland Village have been busy installing hundreds of strands of lights on every tree, bush and building on the grounds of the outdoor museum located just east of the village on Old Montreal Road.
The official lighting ceremony was held last Friday, signaling the opening of the Vintage Village of Lights which will run every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night until Dec. 21.
Besides the sheer beauty of all the lights, the museum’s animators have been busy planning activities in several of the buildings. Kids can pay a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus in the museum church or decorate cookies in the lodge. There are a number of photo opportunity spots along the way where visitors can capture that perfect Instagram moment.
You can sit down at the fully dressed supper table in the Faubert House and see a vintage cooking demonstration.
Elsewhere on the museum grounds, you can make your own ornament in the outdoor
pavilion, listen to Christmas carols in the school house, drop by Santa’s workshop or watch demonstrations in the tinsmith shop, the print shop and the blacksmith shop.
You can also buy your favourite baked treat at the museum canteen along with a hot cider, coffee, tea or hot chocolate and enjoy them by the fire which is kept lit by the sawmill crew.
Unlike past years, the museum staff have installed lights in the back part of the museum where visitors can take a stroll while enjoying the night air.
A visit to the Vintage Village of Lights is a wonderful way to ease yourself into the season while getting a feel for what Christmas was like in the 30s and 40s.
The Village of Lights is open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., although entry is prohibited after 8 p.m. Admission is $26.14 per group, taxes included (up to six people per group; children under two are not counted toward the maximum group size).
Advance registration is required by first registering www.ottawa.ca/en/arts-heritageand-events and clicking on the “Museums and historical sites” tab which will take you to the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum
Photo opportunities abound at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum during the Vintage Village of Lights installation until Sunday, Dec. 21. FILE PHOTO
page. You can also type “Cumberland Village Heritage Museum” in your favourite search engine.
You can also register for a leatherworking workshop online. The workshops are being
held every night from Dec. 10-14 and Dec. 17-21. Participants will make a sleigh bell doorhanger using traditional leatherworking techniques. The workshop costs $50 per person plus tax.
OST all-ages play a fun spin on holiday classic
By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star
The Ottawa School of Theatre staged their annual winter all-ages production last week and the result was an interesting spin on a holiday classic.
“It’s A Wonderful Life” is one of my alltime favourite holiday movies. In fact, I’ve probably watched it at least 40 times. For those of you who have never watched it, the 1946 movie is about a man who is on the verge of financial ruin and wishes he never existed in the first place. His wish is then granted by an angel who shows him what life would be like if he never existed, never owned a savings and loan and never started a family. When he realizes the impact he’s had on the people around him, he is brought back to reality with a new outlook on life.
In the Ottawa School of Theatre production of “The House Rules”, the main character, Bailey Cadieux, played by Francesca De Vries, has to set aside her dreams of becoming an architect to run a broken down co-op apartment building after her father suddenly and unexpectedly passes away.
The tenants are a mish-mash of rambunctious and over-stimulated youngsters, a
single mother and her two children from Ukraine, a former opera singer and her best friend who runs a music school on the second floor and is always behind on her rent.
The play opens with Bailey standing in a police line-up after being arrested for assaulting a unidentified man.
The second scene shifts to the co-op where the audience is introduced to a steady stream of characters who make up the tenants of the building. I say a steady stream because there are 53 people in the cast and they all need to get their fair share of stage time.
We are also introduced to the play’s antagonist in the first half of the production.
Mr. Topper played by Paul Frederick is the Mr. Potter of “The House Rules”. He is building a condo high rise beside the co-op and has designs of buying out the building and replace it with even more condos.
Bailey’s last hope of holding on to the coop is a bank loan, but when her application is rejected she begins to lose it.
When Bailey shows up at a meeting of the co-op’s members called by Mr. Topper without her knowledge, she can’t hold back her anger.
In the confusion, Topper gets hit on the
The Ottawa School of Theatre all ages production of ‘The House Rules’ was inspired by the 1946 holiday classic ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ starring James Stewart and Donna Reed. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO
head by a heavy object.
When the police show up, Bailey is arrested and the play returns to the opening scene. The man, who is unknown to the audience at the beginning of the play, turns
out to be Topper. He identifies Bailey as his assailant and she is charged with assault causing bodily harm.
After being taken to her jail cell, and in a
CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
Open House #1 POSTPONED TO 2026
Terms of Reference for the Environmental Assessment of the Proposed Waste Connections of Canada Inc. Navan Waste Recycling and Disposal Facility Landfill Continuation
Waste Connections of Canada Inc. (WCC) has initiated the Terms of Reference for an Environmental Assessment under the Environmental Assessment Act for a continuation of its Navan Waste Recycling and Disposal Facility (Navan WRDF or the Site) operations. It is estimated that at current disposal rates the Site could reach its approved final contour waste elevation in late 2027.
WCC has identified an opportunity to continue providing residual waste disposal capacity for users of the Navan WRDF public drop-off bins and Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (IC&I) generators of solid non-hazardous waste by developing additional disposal capacity at the Navan WRDF. For the proposed capacity increase, the target additional airspace is 3 to 4 million cubic metres.
WCC would like to receive community feedback on the proposed landfill ca-
pacity increase and is hosting its Open House #1 event. Please note that Open House #1, previously announced for December 11, 2025, has been postponed to:
February 11, 2026 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at Le Rendez-vous des aînés francophones d’Ottawa 3349 Navan Road, Orléans, Ontario K1W 0K7
Through Open House #1, the public will learn about the existing Navan WRDF, the current environmental performance of the Navan WRDF, the proposed Navan WRDF landfill expansion, the purpose and rationale for the Project, the Environmental Assessment process, the “Alternatives To” considered for the Project, the overall schedule and public input opportunities for the Project, and next steps for the Project.
For further information on the proposed study and to sign up for e-mail notification, please visit our website (www.wasteconnectionscanada.com/ ottawa-landfill/ea) or contact:
Chris Visser
Canadian Region Engineering Manager
Waste Connections of Canada Inc. 6220 Hwy 7, Suite 600 Woodbridge ON L4H 4G3
Tel.: 647-539-5923
Email: Chris.Visser@wasteconnections.com
Yannick Marcerou
Project Manager
WSP Canada Inc. 1931 Robertson Road Ottawa ON K2H 5B7
Tel.: 613-592-9600 (FR & EN)
Email: Yannick.Marcerou@wsp.com
Members of the public, Indigenous communities, agencies, and other interested persons are encouraged to
actively participate in the planning process by attending Open House #1.
All personal information included in a submission – such as name, address, telephone number and property location – is collected, maintained, and disclosed by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) for the purpose of transparency and consultation. The information is collected under the authority of the Environmental Assessment Act or is collected and maintained for the purpose of creating a record that is available to the general public as described in section 37 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Personal information you submit will become part of a public record that is available to the general public unless you request that your personal information remain confidential. For more information, contact the MECP Freedom of Information and Privacy Coordinator.
COMMUNITY BILLBOARD
FRIDAY, DEC. 5
SATURDAY, DEC. 6
LIVING NATIVITY will take place at Abiding Word Lutheran Church on Dec. 5 and Dec 6. Performances are at 6:30, 7:00 and 7:30 p.m. Join us in our fellowship hall for hot chocolate and cookies. The Quilters Group will have a table of wonderful crafts available for sale (cash only). Abiding Word Lutheran Church is located at 1575 Belcourt Blvd., Orléans. Donations of non-perishable food items, hygiene products and monetary contributions will be gratefully accepted.
SATURDAY, DEC. 6
ORLÉANS HOLIDAY ARTS
MARKET from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Shenkman Arts Centre featuring unique gift ideas along with children’s activities and entertainment.
OTTAWA FIREFIGHTERS
FOOD DRIVE in support of the Orléans Cumberland food bank from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Sobeys stores at Trim & Innes and Tenth Line Road, area Metro stores and the FreshCo store at Trim and Watters Road.
THE CUMBERLAND
CHRISTMAS MARKET from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with over 100 vendors at four locations in Cumberland Village including the Da Artisti Studio and Gallery at 2565 Old Montreal Rd.
HIGH GRAVITY FEST from
7-11 p.m. at the Orléans Brewing Co. featuring beers from 9 + craft breweries from Ottawa and Eastern Ontario with a DJ spinning tunes all night long. $10 Entry. The Orléans Brewing Co. is located at 4380 Innes Rd.
SUNDAY, DEC. 7
CUMBERLAND
COMMUNITY SINGERS
“Christmas Concert” with special guests Atlantic Voices, 7:30 p.m. at Orleans United Church, 1111 Orléans Blvd.
TUESDAY, DEC 9
TRIVIA NIGHT from 7:30 p.m. at the Royal Oak Pub Orléans. Free to play. Prizes for the winning team! The Royal Oak Pub is located at 1981 St. Joseph Blvd. near Jeanne d’Arc Blvd.
SATURDAY, DEC 13
THE 32ND ANNUAL CHRISTMAS ANGELS
FUNDRAISER for deserving local families at Christmastime. Event gets underway at 7 p.m. at Taproom260 on Centrum Blvd. Live music, silent auction and raffle prizes.
OST all-ages play a twist on ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’
Continued from page 13
moment of despair Bailey wishes she had never existed, which is when Frances Widdershins, aka Bailey’s guardian angel shows up and takes her on a journey of what Rideau Falls would be like if she never existed.
The town is now called Topper Town. Her best friend doesn’t recognize her and the co-op has been replaced by condos.
In another twist which is almost impossible to explain without seeing it for oneself, a pair of teenage twins who are also tenants of the co-op, show up out of the blue with a version of Bailey when she was 10 years old who they’ve brought from the past. During the first half of the play, the twins constantly talk about time travel which they managed to achieve with the help of the angel.
When the 10-year-old Bailey learns about the present day Bailey giving up on her battle to keep Topper from buying the co-op, she admonishes her older self.
Bailey also learns of the terrible things that have
befallen the co-op’s tenants if the co-op never existed. All of which makes Bailey realize how much she loves the co-op and all the tenants and how badly she wants to keep it going.
With that, Widdershins brings Bailey back to the present day co-op just in time for the Christmas party during which she and the tenants learn that Topper had signed an agreement to make certain financial provisions to the co-op which he either was unaware of, or ignored on purpose. As a result, he owed the coop “over seven figures”.
Everyone is thrilled with the news which means the building can be renovated and everyone can keep living there.
The play ends with Samantha LeClair, who plays the former opera singer whose career has been rejuvenated, singing the title song “The House Rules” about the coop being one big community and a home to all who live there.
The Ottawa School of Theatre production of ‘The House Rules’ was co-written by Bruce Deachman and OST’s artistic director Megan Piercey Monafu. FILE PHOTO