TOTAL EMC DISTRIBUTION 474,000
Great Gift Ideas Page. 6
Ottawa South
Canadian Diamond Dealer
1215.379701
353459/0203
YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
www.lesjewellery.ca
LE’S Jewellery 2446 Bank St. Next to Wendy’s at Bank & Hunt Club
613-733-3888
www.EMCOttawaSouth.ca
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2011
Inside City looks COMMUNITY
Riverside South finally has its own post office after an outlet opened at the Good Health Pharmacy . – Page 3
ARTS
Three Ottawa authors are using a series of panel discussions to talk about their books and their experiences navigating the publishing world. – Page 14
SPORTS
Local wrestlers prepare for Olympic qualifiers in Winnipeg with an eye on an invitation to London 2012. – Page 33
at possible bus rapid transit for south end Laura Mueller laura.mueller@metroland.com
The future of rapid transit in Barrhaven and Riverside South needs to be rethought after the city cancelled the former northsouth light-rail plan. A new study will look at the details of putting “bus rapid transitâ€? (BRT), like the Transitway, in the city’s south end to connect Barrhaven Town Centre and the Riverside South Town Centre. Gloucester-South Nepean Coun. Steve Desroches was happy to see the study get underway, because the area was hardest hit by city council’s 2008 decision to scrap the north-south rail project in favour of an east-west line. “This is the epicenter of the impact of that decision,â€? Desroches said. “I don’t think we have the luxury to hit the reset button again on this area.â€? That section of the Transitway wouldn’t actually be constructed until much later in the city’s transit plan – likely around 2031. The study likely won’t take too long, because much of the environmental assessment work that was done to support the 2003 light-rail plan still applies, but there will need to be some adjustments. Part of the reason is because light rail takes up less space than BRT. Light rail would take up about 30 metres width for the right-of-way needed (it even went down to 20 metres in one area), whereas the typical right-of-way for BRT is around 40 metres. The study will also look at the two possible transfer points that were identiďŹ ed in the city’s 2008 transportation master plan: Riverside South Town Centre, about 200 metres west of Limebank Road, and a possible second transfer point at the Leitrim Park and Ride. See TRANSIT on page 19
Photo by Eddie Rwema
Carleton student Graham Shonfield spent three nights last week in a tent on the university’s campus in solidarity with the First Nations people of Attawapiskat. The reserve, located near the shores of James Bay in northern Ontario, recently declared a state of emergency to draw attention to the state of residents’ housing.
Carleton student braves cold for Attawapiskat First Nation Eddie Rwema eddie.rwema@metroland.com
Compelled by the dreadful conditions endured by the people living at the Attawapiskat First Nation in northern Ontario, a third-year Carleton University student braved cold weather last week to raise money and awareness of their plight. Starting on Dec. 5, Graham ShonďŹ eld spent three nights in a tent on campus in solidarity with families of Attawapiskat who have been living in tents, sheds and run-down houses. The situation in Attawapiskat has deteriorated so much
the community recently declared a state of emergency. “When I heard about all the media attention that Attawapiskat was getting, I wanted to try to utilize that and do a fundraising event and also raise awareness about issues facing the northern Ontario reserves,â€? said ShonďŹ eld. ShonďŹ eld’s goal is to raise $1,000, which he will donate to the First Nation Child and Family Caring Society of Canada to beneďŹ t Shannen’s Dream, a foundation created by Shannen Koostachin, a teenager from Attawapiskat who died in 2010 at age 15,
who never had the opportunity to attend a proper and safe school. Her dream was to provide safe and comfortable schools and equitable education to First Nations children. During his three night campaign, he bundled up in several layers of clothing to insulate himself from the cold. He said support from students and passers-by helped to keep him motivated in the chilly conditions. “For me it is better than studying for an exam,â€? he said. “I would rather be out here talking to people.â€? ShonďŹ eld said people who
actually took the time to sit down and chat with him about the issues facing the First Nations made his experience probably “one of the best thingsâ€? he has done this semester. This is not the ďŹ rst time that ShonďŹ eld has involved himself in issues facing Canada’s First Nations. He spent his summer in 2010 at a First Nations reserve at Gull Bay, in Northern Ontario, where he produced a documentary called Life on a Reserve, which explores the difďŹ culties faced by people living on a reserve. See STUDENT on page 4
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