Kitchissippi Times December 2022

PHOTO BY CHARLIE SENACK

Kichi Sibi Winter Trail beckons outdoor enthusiasts

BY CHARLIE SENACK

When Ottawa was dusted with its first snowfall Nov. 16, Dave Adams was out in the cold, grooming the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail.

The official trail season isn’t expected to begin until late December. But Adams, known to many as “Groomer Dave,” said work begins months ahead of time.

“We start preparing the trail in early September. There is a lot of dry-land preparation which we do when we have good weather,” he said. “We put up a lot of snow fences which require soft soil” to get them in place.

The 16-kilometre Trail was established in 2015, and has since been a snowy attraction for those looking to stay active during the colder months. It runs alongside the Ottawa River from Dominion Station to the Canadian War Museum, near Mill St. Brew Pub.

Volunteers keep the trail groomed through the winter in partnership with Dovercourt Recreation Centre and the National Capital Commission (NCC).

“The trail has always rooted itself as a multi-use winter pathway in an urban setting,” Adams said. “People go there to ski, bike, walk, or just get out. We groom the trail every day and we want to

make it nice for whatever mode of active transportation you choose.”

The trail's popularity has grown in recent years since its start as a pilot project. It became an escape for people who were dealing with cabin fever during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, with respiratory viruses plaguing the healthcare system and some people looking to limit indoor contact again, Adams expects another busy season.

This year the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail wanted to incorporate the newly named Chief William Commanda Bridge (formally the Prince of Wales Bridge) into their network. The bridge is currently

being turned into a multi-use pathway that will connect Ottawa and Gatineau. Adams hoped it could join the Kichi Sibi trail to bike paths across the river.

But supply chain issues and labor shortages mean construction wasn’t completed this year, leading plans to be put on ice until next winter.

“It will come in good time,” Adams said. “We will add it into our overall network when work on the bridge is completed, but until then the show goes on.”

Adams has also had the challenge of working around construction at Westboro Beach, which was scheduled for completion by the end of fall 2022. Construction fences remain around what is usually an important part of the winter trail.

“I think there might be some concessions made,” Adams said, but acknowledged such decisions were “really an NCC thing.” The Kitchissippi Times reached out to the NCC for an update on construction timelines and whether space would be created for the winter trail, but there was no response before publication.

Originally known as the Sir John A. Macdonald Winter Trail, the pathway was renamed in 2021 after the original name became controversial. Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister, was one of the main architects behind Canada’s residential school system, where thousands of Indigenous children lost their lives.

Adams said he felt a need to change the name so Trail users felt comfortable. The Algonquin name Kichi Sibi means “Great River.”

Despite construction circumstances, Adams said the full length of the winter trail will be groomed as per usual – the same standard of grooming users have seen in previous years.

As to when there will be enough snow on the ground, Adams said it’s always unpredictable.

“The weather has been all over the place,” he said. “Never question old man winter.”

Groomer Dave Adams has been busy preparing the Kichi Sibi winter trail for what’s expected to be a busy season. PHOTO BY CHARLIE SENACK

PHOTO BY CHARLIE SENACK

HUMANS OF KITCHISSIPPI

Humans of Kitchissippi is a special street photography project designed to introduce readers to some of the people who live, work and play in Kitchissippi. Each instalment of HOK contains three elements: a photo, a name and a quote from the subject that reveals a little bit about who they are. Go to kitchissippi.com to view our ongoing collection of humans.

KITCHISSIPPI TIMES

Great River Media Inc

PO Box 91585

Ottawa ON K1W 1K0 Kitchissippi, meaning “the Grand River,” is the former Algonquin name for the Ottawa River. The name now identifies the urban community to the west of downtown Ottawa.

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

CONTRIBUTORS

Zenith Wolfe, Emma Perreault, Dave Allston, Bradley Turcotte, Ellen Bond

PROOFREADER Roger Bird

ADVERTISING SALES

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

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Tanya Connolly-Holmes creative@greatriver.ca

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Celine Paquette celine@greatriver.ca Deborah Ekuma deborah@obj.ca

Being a resident of the Kitchissippi ward since I was two years old, minus my university years, has given me a deep appreciation for this community.

Kitchissippi is a place where people work hard and play hard. Everyone loves to take care of themselves and each other. People are active, kids are active, and everyone finds the best way to take care of themselves and their families. These are all things I’m passionate about, and it’s great to be a part of a community which shares such values.

I’m an active person, and love to walk or cycle through Westboro. When the snow comes, my partner and I are looking forward to some cross-country skiing.

My partner Sean McCann owns The Guy with The Dog Real Estate, which specializes in the Kitchissippi area. We met in Westboro, moved in together there, and bought a house together two years ago in the neighbourhood. In a way, this community is intrinsically connected to my life in the most important ways. It introduced me to Sean and brought our family together!

We have raised our kids in Kitchissippi ward, and

our blended family has enjoyed being active. This love for fitness and exercise inspired me to open my own gym.

I own Love Your Body Fitness, on Richmond Road, after working in the fitness world for about 18 years. I incorporated my business in 2019, and was looking for spaces to move into when we had to go online due to the pandemic. But last summer, I found our current spot and Love Your Body Fitness moved in.

My passion is helping moms in pre- or post-natal stages, women raising kids, or those who have moved on into retirement. The fitness environment can be very male-driven, and so here we focus on women and those who might not feel comfortable in a traditional gym setting. I have a unique way to fitness and I love teaching that approach to my team.

My favourite hang-outs in the ward include Equator Coffee, and Supply and Demand. Sean loves The Cigar Man, and we both love to shop in the boutiques that line our community’s streets.

Sean is looking forward to this holiday season – he buys trees from Ian’s Christmas Tree Farm for his clients, and mine, in return for a food bank donation.

We’re going to sponsor a family for Christmas, and then sponsor another one right after!

Story collected by Emma Perreault

FINANCE

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

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

Distribution

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

info@kitchissippi.com

The Kitchissippi Times is published by

FOUNDER Mark Sutcliffe

PUBLISHER Michael Curran

Meet Kate Laird

EDITOR’S

DECEMBER UPDATES   Year-end reflections

WINTER PROGRAMS

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Merry Christmas and happy holidays! However you celebrate, December is surely going to be busy – a never-ending cycle of organizing family dinners, decorating, and shopping.

While I usually feel on top of things, I’m a bit behind this Christmas. My tree still isn’t up, the stockings aren’t hung “by the chimney with care” – they’re not hung at all. And I have barely made a dent on buying presents.

It seemed like 2022 had just begun and now it’s ending. But while time is flying by, a lot has happened in this calendar year: Downtown Ottawa was overtaken by a siege of truckers protesting COVID-19 mandates, a once-in-a-lifetime derecho storm left tens of thousands without power for days, and local politics dominated the news.

On the local Kitchissippi level, it was a pretty good year. New businesses like The Spaniel’s Tale bookstore and Copper Alley gifts set up shop. In February, Westboro’s Lisa Weagle did her community proud by representing Team Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. This past May, Prince Charles (now King Charles III) and Camilla visited with members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in McKellar Park.

We also saw an admirable degree of dedication in Kitchissippi residents. People opened their hearts and wallets to do what they could for others. Whether it was bottle drives, baking workshops, or fundraisers for a food bank, kindness and generosity prevailed.

Now to the news which made print for our final issue of 2022.

I had the chance to sit down with Father Taras Kinash, the priest at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, who has been organizing help for newcomers who fled the war in Ukraine.

Bradley Turcotte recently visited the Westboro Food Bank and Parkdale Food Centre, who both saw their demand grow exponentially because of rising living costs.

Zenith Wolfe sat down with Andy Tait, the man behind Ottawa’s 1980s vintage clothing craze. You might remember Tait from his store Andy Upstairs, which was located on Elgin Street.

In this issue’s Humans of Kitchissippi column, Emma Perreault introduces us to Kate Laird, owner of Love Your Body Fitness, on Richmond Road. In Early Days, Dave Allston tells us the genesis of Hintonburg’s first thrift store, Ottawa Neighbourhood Services.

In more festive news, I talked with the Ottawa Film Board, and a local movie director to talk about why Ottawa is becoming the Christmas movie capital of the world. This year alone, 16 holiday films were shot here, some in Westboro and Wellington West.

Finally, I met up with Rabbi Moshe Caytak from the Chabad Jewish Centre to learn more about a menorah lighting that’s taking place for Hanukkah in Parkdale Park.

That’s all that fits into print this month. But before I sign off for the year, I want to offer a sincere thanks to all the writers and everyone behind the pages at the Kitchissippi Times who put so much love and effort into this paper year-round. A special thanks to graphics designer Celine Paquette, and advertising sales guy Eric Dupis, who are the brains behind the scenes.

Happy holidays, Kitchissippi! See you in February.

Winter Swim session registration opens Dec. 6. Winter swim runs Jan 7 to Feb 24.

Winter Fitness specialty & aquafitness classes: Registration begins Dec. 6. Programs begin Jan. 7.

WINTER HOLIDAY CAMPS

Two weeks of awesome fun for the kids, Dec. 27 - 30 and Jan. 2 - 6. Register now!

REC SWIMS

Our pool is a great place to be when the weather gets cold. Book your swim online up to 7 days in advance.

FIT PASS

The Fit Pass offers 35 weekly classes including Group, Aqua & Online fitness, fitness centre, rec swims and more — starting at $45.50/ mo! Great value and flexibility.

VIRTUAL FAMILY PAINT NIGHT

Virtual family paint night December 7, 6-8pm. Follow along at home with easy-to-follow steps to illustrate and paint a cute winter holiday feline! $40 per family.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

• March Break Camps: Registration begins Tue. Jan. 10, 2023.

• Summer Camps 2023: Registration begins Thu. Feb. 2, 2023.

• Our 2023 Dovercourt Family Fun Calendar will be available in January.

kitchissippi.com @Kitchissippi kitchissippitimes

Charlie Senack

A new mayor at city hall: Mark Sutcliffe spurns divisiveness

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Ottawa’s new Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he’s hoping for a quiet transition into public office.

The well-known business owner and broadcaster from Kitchissippi was officially sworn in at City Hall Nov. 15, three weeks after being elected with more than 50 per cent of the vote.

“This whole experience has been wonderful and I’m really grateful to be the mayor of my hometown and serve

the people of Ottawa,” Sutcliffe said in an interview with Kitchissippi Times a day after being sworn into office.

“It’s a lot of fun and it’s a little bit surreal to think about myself as the mayor of Ottawa. It’s also a little bit strange to realize that Jim Watson is not the mayor of Ottawa anymore because he was for so long.”

Sutcliffe took over from Watson, who led the city for 12 years over three terms.

Ottawa’s new mayor is no stranger to the community, growing up in McKeller park and founding the Kitchissippi Times

almost 20 years ago in 2003.

“I moved into Kitchissippi in 1998, when I bought a home in Wellington West. I’ve lived there ever since,” Sutcliffe said. “I love the community, I love the character, and I love the people in Kitchissippi.”

Sutcliffe said he founded Kitchissippi Times to tell the stories of people in his community. He’s also known for his years as a talk-radio show host on both 1310 News and 580 CFRA. He moderated debates on Rogers TV during elections and hosted a national phone-in show on CPAC.

While his new job finds Sutcliffe on the other side of the microphone, he said his mission remains the same: serving the people of Ottawa.

This term’s council saw the biggest shakeup since amalgamation, with 11 new councillors around the table with Sutcliffe at the helm. He says he’s hoping to leave the divisiveness of the former term behind.

“I think we will see change and work really well together,” Sutcliffe said. “There is a spirit of cooperation. I think we all heard from the community that the residents of Ottawa expect council to work well together and I think we are going to be able to deliver that.”

Kitchissippi ward councillor Jeff Leiper, who has just started his third term in office, said he too foresees working well together.

“Many of us have the mayor's cell phone number for the first time. Mayor Watson

”We all heard from the community that the residents of Ottawa expect council to work well together.”

Mark Sutcliffe, a well-known journalist and businessman from Kitchissippi, was officially sworn in as Ottawa’s newest mayor Nov. 15. PHOTOS BY CHARLIE SENACK

never shared his phone number,” Leiper said. “Working with Jim was through his chief of staff. I’m already engaged in multiple discussions with mayor Sutcliffe now.”

On swearing-in day after the official group portrait, Sutcliffe rounded up new and incumbent councillors for a selfie. Leiper said this small gesture symbolized a new era.

“We never took a selfie as a group with the mayor in the last term of council and that was one of the first things Mark did,” Leiper said. “It’s a different approach and it’s a more fun approach.”

Aware of Ottawa’s geographical spread, Sutcliffe said he wants to ensure that the needs of suburban, urban, and rural citizens are all reflected in city planning. He learned during the election campaign that Kitchissippi residents were most concerned about affordability, transportation, and access to city services.

“I heard about crime and safety from some

residents. Housing is another issue because we need to build a lot more homes in Ottawa and people have concerns about where those homes are going to be built,” he said. “I also heard about intensification and the pros and cons about some of those issues.”

An early job the new council will be the budget – with the eternal challenge of balancing investments and ensuring savings. In 2021, Ottawa ended up with a $52 million surplus. This year it faces a predicted $12.2-million shortfall.

Sutcliffe said he hopes Ottawa residents will support his decisions and not have to worry about what the mayor is doing.

“I want them to feel like they can go about living their lives without worrying about municipal politics too much,” he said. “We just want to get things done on their behalf and deliver better services, better value for money, and make sure taxes aren’t going up too much.”

“We danced for the first time, in a long time.”

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

“We filmed (Record Breaking Christmas) at a cute corner house on Byron Avenue that had bricks, pillars, and trees. You could picture that in the middle of a city or small town in America,” he said.

“The community has floral shops, restaurants, and coffee shops — all regular locations that we seek for these feel-good movies,” McGuire added. “Wellington West for example still has a Main Street feel which doubled as Chicago in one of my films.”

McGuire started out as an independent filmmaker 20 years ago while bartending on the side to pay his bills – a familiar backup in the freelance world. He now makes a living in the business, and has directed 25 of his 26 films in Ottawa.

The local director said he enjoys working in his own backyard since he can often walk or bike to set. He said he often has family or friends stop by to be extras in his films.

The boom in Christmas movies being filmed in Canada’s capital largely follows changing viewership habits due to COVID-19 – people are watching more shows than ever, so production companies have to keep churning out new content.

Westboro and Hintonburg primed for holiday films

BY CHARLIE SENACK

For people who take in a movie as part of their holiday tradition, chances are they will soon spot a familiar location on the big screen.

That’s because Ottawa is becoming known as the Christmas movie capital of the world. A whopping 16 holiday films were shot in the city this year, a record the Ottawa Film Office expects will soon be broken.

“With all the content that’s being consumed now because of Covid …streamers have to keep up with that demand,” said Stephanie Davy, a manager with the film office.

“Going back to 2018 we had three shot in Ottawa — there might have been a few before

that — but during the pandemic is when we saw it explode. In 2020 we had 10 Christmas movies filmed here and last year we had 12.”

While downtown Ottawa and nearby small towns like Almonte are favourites for their producers, several films have also been shot around Westboro and Hintonburg.

Wellington Vision Care was used as a backdrop in The Most Colorful Time of the Year (2022), a story about a colourblind elementary school teacher who falls in love with an optometrist who is also one of his students’ mothers.

Hallmark’s Boyfriends of Christmas Past (2021) filmed scenes at Stella Luna Gelato Cafe in Wellington West, and at the Churchill Seniors Recreation Centre in Westboro.

Down the street, Savoy Brasserie provided

a cozy dining atmosphere in Christmas CEO (2021), a movie starring Marisol Nichols, known for her role as Hermione Lodge in the TV series Riverdale. The same restaurant also appeared in Christmas Unwrapped (2020), with executive producer comedian and actress Tiffany Haddish.

“The businesses in Kitchissippi have been very welcoming,” said the film office’s Davy. “They get compensated, there is increased exposure, and there is a sense of pride for seeing your business on screen.”

Local private homes have also been part of the action. Maxwell McGuire, a Hintonburg resident who has directed Christmas movies in Westboro and Wellington West, said Kitchissippi’s charm and character presents well on the screen.

This year alone, over 170 new Christmas movies will be released on streaming platforms and channels like Hallmark, Lifetime, Netflix, OWN, and others. Twentyeight feature length films, 12 other films, 14 television series, and multiple animation shows were filmed or created in Ottawa in 2022.

The increase in locally shot films has opened the door for young people looking to make their mark in the business. Producers work closely with Algonquin College, which has expanded its film and media-production program. Students are often scouted to be interns on a movie set before being hired for the next project.

Sandrine Pechels de Saint Sardos, commissioner at the Ottawa Film Office, said Ottawa’s locations will continue drawing production companies to Canada’s capital. It is thinking ahead for how to meet that demand.

“We need a soundstage to retain and attract more talent and the crew,” she said. “We are very impressed by the results so far and we dream big.”

While it has become easier to make films in Ottawa, McGuire said it wasn’t always that way. But if trends keep heading in this direction, he plans to work from his home forever.

“I remind all my crew members in their young 20s that this didn’t exist when I was coming up,” he said. “When I started there was one company making a few movies a year. Now you have three or four companies going full board all year. Our crew has tripled in size over the last three or four years and some great jobs have opened up.”

Left: Filming for Hallmark’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (2022) underway on Sparks street.

Right: One Delicious Christmas (2022), a Discovery+ original movie, is seen filming at a house in Ottawa.

PHOTOS BY ALBERT CAMICIOLI

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Right:

Andy Tait: The man behind Ottawa’s 1980s vintage clothing craze

BY ZENITH WOLFE

Ask Andy Tait about the leather jacket he’s wearing and he’ll have many stories to tell.

The Hintonburg resident has worked as a costume designer for films, TV movies, and live theatre over the last three decades. His costumes have been featured at shows in Ottawa, Toronto, and Wakefield, while others have travelled around the world.

But well before his version of Frankenstein’s monster stumbled onto the stage at Little Ottawa Theatre in the late 1980’s, Tait owned a modest secondhand clothing store on Elgin street.

It was hard to find when it first opened in 1980, on the second floor of a building above a hairdresser called Johnny’s Shampoo. Tait ultimately decided to call his store Andy Upstairs to get rid of the confusion.

“They’d stand in front of it and say, ‘Where’s this goddamn Andy Upstairs store? It’s supposed to be here,’” Tait said. “Then they would say ‘Well, wait a minute, Andy Upstairs. Oh my god, he’s upstairs.’”

Tait specialized in leather jackets. A vintage trend had been growing in Ottawa, but only a handful of stores (Le Château, Ragtime, The Bay) catered to this market. He said Le Château was the only store with fitted vintage options, and they were mostly made for women.

This niche appeal made Andy Upstairs a hot spot for the punk rock scene. Music fans and band members would come in to look through his stock before concerts.

And sometimes they came just to chat. For as much as Tait was a salesman, he was also part of the punk rock community and liked recommending bands to customers.

“I would be attentive to them, and I really wanted to talk … just to shoot the breeze,” he said.

Tait’s conversational attitude wasn’t

limited to the store, according to his close friend John Zimmerman. They first hung out at a live concert in 1979 after he overheard Tait criticizing the band’s performance. As a friend of the band, Zimmerman confronted him.

“I had a bitter taste in my mouth over that. But we ended up – just the two of us – going to this disco in Byward Market and we started talking. By the end of the night, we realized we had a lot in common,” Zimmerman said.

They both had tongue-in-cheek attitudes and a dark sense of humour. Zimmerman appreciated Tait’s honesty and bluntness.

Tait was just as unafraid of speaking his mind in front of his competition. Anne-Marie Bergeron started a vintage store in Ottawa soon after Andy Upstairs opened. She said when Tait visited for the first time, he briefly looked around her store and said, “I don’t have much to worry about.”

“It crushed me, because I had always looked up to Andy,” Bergeron said. “Funny enough, once you get to know Andy, he’s got a wicked sense of humour. To this day I tease him about that comment because I’m still in business. He’s not.”

”He will find the outfit that will perfect the body part for the purpose of the character.” – Nadia Ross

Left: Andy Tait dominated Ottawa’s vintage clothing scene in the 1980’s. He owned Andy’s Upstairs, a modest second-hand clothing store on Elgin Street. PHOTO BY ZENITH WOLFE

Nadia Ross wears a suit designed by Tait for her show Hau: Out Loud, which was performed in Berlin this year. The mask was designed by Rick Ritza. PHOTO BY DAVID IRVINE.

Andy Upstairs closed in 1987. Tait’s rent had increased to $1500 in eight years, up from the original $750. Alongside the Ottawa community’s dwindling interest in vintage clothing, his business was unsustainable.

While looking for new work, a filmmaker friend offered Tait a job as a costume designer. This sparked his new career, and he has since worked with many directors, including Nadia Ross.

Tait created costumes for the lead characters of Ross’s international show 7 Important Things (2013), and for Hau: Out Loud (2022) in Berlin. One of his costumes for Hau: Out Loud allowed a character to transform genders on stage. Ross said Tait’s understanding of how clothing conforms to the body, as well as his attention to detail, made this costume possible.

“He fixes problems without you actually knowing that there’s a problem,” Ross said. “He will find the outfit that will perfect the body part for the purpose of the character.”

Even though Tait sees a big difference between giving fashion advice to a punk rocker and helping to design a film’s wardrobe, he loves both. He continues to sell vintage clothing at Flea 613 (this year at Carleton University’s field house), and he often receives praise from old Andy Upstairs clients.

“People still come up to me and say ‘Andy, remember that coat I got off of you? Well, I still wear it. It’s one of my favourite items,’” he said. “The people who are buying from you really thank you for what they’ve purchased … I get a kick out of it too.”

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kitchissippi.com @Kitchissippi kitchissippitimes

Korey Kealey

Liam

Brendan Kealey Broker

Holiday strain: Parkdale Food Centre faces “a difficult month”

BY BRADLEY TURCOTTE

More Kitchissippi residents are turning to social services this year to put food on the table.

With inflation, an everrising cost of living and stagnant wages, the affordability gap has pushed demand at local food banks to record highs.

In response, the Westboro Food Bank (at 347 Richmond Rd.) has added a third day to its weekly operations. On any given day, up to 30 families or individuals visit the center to stock up.

“I wish we would work ourselves out of work but it’s a never-ending task,” said Anne Borde, one of its volunteers. “Some people we used to see, we don’t see anymore. They are being replaced by others. It’s on ongoing flow.

“In the past two or three months, there have been so many more people, (including) large families. I have noticed a lot of people coming from Ukraine as

well. It has been more difficult for them when they start.”

A Statistics Canada report in June said more than two in five Canadians are affected by rising food costs, with prices of jumping around 10 per cent

over the last year. The report also found three in four Canadians say rising food prices mean skimping on transportation, housing and clothing. Food Banks Canada reports food bank use increased 35 per cent from March 2019 to March 2022.

Left: The Parkdale Food Centre says in October of this year, they saw a 41 per cent increase in calls for service. PHOTOS BY CHARLIE SENACK

Above: The Parkdale Food Centre’s community fridge is used by many in the community. With demand continuing to rise, they are struggling to keep it stocked.

BY CHARLIE SENACK

The Ottawa Food Bank provides most of the Westboro bank’s canned and fresh goods and seeks government grants through Food Banks Canada, which helps cover the costs for any additional grocery items they require.

Inset: Westboro Food Bank volunteer Anne Borde is pictured with 15-year-old Amelia Chardon, one of their younger helpers.

PHOTO BY BRADLEY TURCOTTE

PHOTO

Money donated by the public has helped keep the shelves well stocked, but volunteers said there is always a need for more.

Across Kitchissippi ward in Wellington West, The Parkdale Food Centre (located at 30 Rosemount Ave.) challenges poverty and hunger with its grocery program and community fridge.

Meredith Kerr, director of development and communications at the food providing service, said there is always increased demand for social services around the holiday season. She said January is when families struggle the most.

“People are strained. With this emergency we are seeing in the community and beyond with food prices and inflation rising, our costs are exploding,” Kerr said. “In October we saw a 41 per cent rise in our numbers. Throw

in the holiday season where people are normally stressed... we are gearing up for a difficult month.”

To make matters more complicated, the Parkdale Food Centre’s funding was slashed when provincial social service relief funding ended. Kerr encouraged community members who want to help this holiday season to donate financial contributions directly to Parkdale Food Centre.

“We are at an all time crisis in terms of funding. Financial donations help us advocate for change. Systems change in the world by providing dignified food access,” she said. “There has never been a more challenging time for people on the poverty line.”

Readers can find out how to help at Westboro Food Bank’s and Parkdale Food Centre’s websites.

An echo of home: Ukrainian Orthodox Church helps newcomers settle

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Father Taras Kinash knew 2022 would be a year of uncertainty and adventure, but nothing could have prepared the Ukrainian father of two for what was to come.

Last year, the priest at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral on Byron Avenue suddenly passed away. In a last-ditch effort to save this struggling parish, the church offered the position to Taras, who was far away serving at a church in the Kiev region.

He accepted the job in November 2021, knowing the road to a visa (amidst other paperwork) would take months. But then Russia invaded his homeland, adding unimaginable complications to an already challenging journey.

“Thankfully the Canadian government initiated the Canadian Ukrainian Emergency Travel program, which allowed newcomers to come,” Taras said. “The visas were made very very fast and free of charge. But still the biggest part was crossing the border.”

Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60 are legally barred from leaving the country, and are required to stay in case they are needed for the battle against Russia. Only women, children, and seniors are allowed to flee. With help from the congregation, Taras fought for an exception so he could work in Canada. The paperwork needed came through and he was on his way.

“I packed my family into my car, drove through half of Ukraine, half of Poland, and then all of Slovakia and Austria,” he recounted. “It was a three-day trip with a two-and-a-half year old child, a 10-year-old child, my wife, and her father.”

After their escape, Taras and his family

boarded a plane to Canada and arrived April 21, a day before Ukrainian Orthodox Easter.

“I was divided because I felt like I needed to be there (in Ukraine) to protect my country and my people. But I realized I’d be more useful here,” Taras said.

The local Ukrainian Orthodox Church had been supporting their country and community since the war broke out Feb. 24.

The downstairs hall was turned into a command center where items were collected for Ukrainian newcomers, and for shipment to Ukraine. Markets, bake sales, and craft fairs were held almost weekly with proceeds going toward war efforts.

Once Taras arrived, he and his wife, Olya Kinash, organized English-language classes and job fairs to help refugees get settled.

“I realized that I had to do something so I wouldn’t go crazy because I was so stressed and emotional all of the time,” Olya said. “I used to be an ESL teacher in Ukraine so I organized the English course

for newcomers at the beginners level.”

She and the parish teamed up with Marriott Hotels, Amazon, the Canadian Diagnostic Imaging Network, and retirement homes, among others businesses to give jobs to the local Ukrainians.

“We had over 200 people come to find jobs and 15 different employers participated,” said Olya. “We tried to cover different fields and different industries.”

The congregation also offers psychological support for newcomers who experienced trauma in Ukraine. Taras said they focused on supporting women who fled to Canada with their children, forced to leave their husbands behind.

“Women (have) recieved healing for post traumatic syndrome because they came from actual bombings and live in shelters without heating or water,” he said. “It’s all covered by donations from different organizations and people who are looking to help the newcomers.”

In May, the church’s work was recognized by then Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, who stopped by for a service and pierogi making. The royal couple met

with local Ukrainians and heard their stories.

Before the war, about 30 people attended services at the cathedral. Now with so many newcomers, there are upwards of 100. Taras said he hopes the church can be a space that feels like home to all uprooted Ukrainians.

“It’s a cultural shock when you first come to Canada,” he said. “You wake up with bad dreams. We want to make sure people stay spiritually healthy both physically and mentally.”

As the year comes to a close, Taras said the congregation will ramp up efforts to help the Ukrainian community both abroad and at home with more workshops and sales.

This past year “was full of pain, full of fear, and full of surprises,” Taras said. “God was the only main power that was driving me through all these terrible circumstances.”

50 years of Herb and Spice

Top left: The Assumption Of The Blessed Virgin Cathedral on Byron Ave, has felt like home for Ukrainian newcomers to Canada. Bottom left: The cathedral's congregation has more than tripled this year. Inset: Father Teras Kinash arrived in Ottawa from Ukraine this past April.

PHOTOS BY CHARLIE SENACK

1. A house at the corner of Dovercourt and Mansfield is feeling the Christmas spirit.

2. Kitchissippi is dusted with its first snowfall.

3. One of the many Christmas ornaments seen on Wellington Street.

4. Rudolph takes a break from the North Pole.

5. Santa Claus is coming to town.

6. Festive trees light up the sky outside First United Church on Richmond Rd.

7. Windows outside Ottawa West Community Support are decked out for Christmas.

8. A Christmas tree outside of the Salvation Army Grace Manor.

9. Moe Seuve takes a break from selling holiday wreaths at the Parkdale Market.

10. Want a cookie? A gingerbread man outside of Ottawa West Community Support.

11.Christmas trees for sale at the Parkdale Market. 1-2-6:

Brigil : Building with purpose since 1985

Brigil is a leading real estate company in Canada’s National Capital Region. Since 1985, it has built more than 14,000 housing units and owns nearly 4,000 rental units, 2,000 of which are currently under construction. With an impressive collection of landholdings, Brigil intends to build more than 44,000 housing units within the next 20 years, strategically located in forty communities on both sides of the Ottawa River.

For 37 years, Brigil has been transforming and enhancing the National Capital Region with its craftsmanlike approach to creating communities that provide an unparalleled lifestyle. The company’s focus has always been on growing alongside its clients and adjusting its offerings to their evolving needs.

This drive for excellence has been in place since day one, when president Gilles Desjardins founded the company at only the age of 21. Entrepreneurship is baked into Desjardins’ DNA, as he began working at his father’s towing business and scrap yard in Gatineau when he was very young. Desjardins learned sales and accounting through the bodies of wrecked cars and the smells

of motor oil and gasoline.“At seven to eight years old, I answered the telephone and did customer service, and at nine to 10 years old, I was filing small bank reconciliations,” says Desjardins.

Now, as the president of his own construction company, supported by a team of more than 300 professionals, Desjardins puts his decades of lived experience to work ensuring that his customers receive nothing but the best and that no detail is missed.“I have a gift, that of the memory of numbers,” he says.“I know the phone numbers of all my subcontractors by heart, the dates, I know exactly where we are with the budgets.”

Brigil is helping to alleviate the housing crisis while creating vibrant, sustainable and inclusive communities. The company has a green commitment to preserve the natural environment wherever they build, ensuring that their residential projects create a harmonious integration between homes and nature. The policy at Brigil is always for minimum clearance of the land it acquires for residential projects. Quality trees are conserved, enhancing both the value of the project and the quality of life of residents. Once construction

Since its foundation, Brigil has been committed to its mission of being a community builder, by serving clients well and offering them living environments adapted to their changing needs. Working side by side with his sons Kevin and Jessy, Gilles Desjardins notes that it is their shared passion for the people and the region that has led the firm to become an integral part of the community. He humbly notes that they will continue to increase their philanthropic efforts in the environment, education, culture and health sectors.

Gilles Desjardins was awarded the Grand Bâtisseur (Great Builder) Award by the APCHQ Outaouais for his lifetime achievements. Committed to his community, he is recognized as one of Quebec’s greatest patrons and received the Meritorious Service Medal of Canada from the Governor General in 2018. This is why the company’s mission goes beyond that of the

Brigil offers a deep catalog of luxury rental opportunities across the National Capital Region, including two of the company’s flagship buildings right here in Kitchissippi.

The Dale is located at 121 Parkdale Ave, just across the road from Tunney’s Pasture and a stone’s throw away from the banks of the Ottawa River. This development offers luxurious suites for rent in Mechanicsville, just steps away from light rail transit, bike paths, and green space.

Also nearby, 929 Richmond Rd, has a fairly self explanatory address, nestled into the Lincoln Heights Neighbourhood and conveniently located just North of the Carlingwood Shopping Centre. This location also offers unprecedented access to green space along the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway and the scenic Deschenes Rapids Lookout is just a short walk away.

For more information, visit brigil.com, the only address to find yours.

NEPEAN HIGH SCHOOL CORNER

Art is alive at Nepean High School

SUBMITTED BY NINA BECK

The COVID-19 pandemic has left a lasting impact on all Ontario schools, particularly within their arts departments.

With many in-person components, the Arts relies on performance.

Social distancing and descriptions meant students had to practise and rehearse in an alternative format through online learning.

When in-person components were allowed, Nepean High School’s music and vocal programs still felt some of the greatest effects, being forced to shift to significantly smaller class sizes with drastically altered structure. Both groups spent a lot of the past two years practising both distanced and outside — restrictions

that had significantly altered the unity of the choir and band experience.

But now with an almost normal school year in full swing, Nepean’s Arts departments have started doing performances for future students at Broadview and Fisher Park middle schools. By doing so, our school’s music departments at Nepean are hoping the performances increase enrollment and showcase the exciting opportunities students have at their fingertips.

Loosening COVID restrictions has meant Nepean’s drama department is back in full swing with their fall children’s theater show, with writing, directing, and acting all done by the students. Their show, “The Potion Pursuit”, toured Ottawa elementary schools from Nov. 29, to Dec. 2 – the first time since 2019 students were

able to showcase their talents on stage. Now, the drama department is gearing up for their spring musical, “Little Shop of Horrors”, set to perform in April 2023.

The Nepean High School community is lucky to have a wonderful visual arts department that often contributes murals around the school, but these went on pause during the pandemic. This year the school is already getting a new mural painted by two Grade 12 students, Steven Lee and Joshua Bedard, who aim to put a lasting piece of art within the school. The fact that students can put art on the walls of Nepean and release their creative expression is extremely valuable.

During COVID, music was labeled a “dangerous event”; but Nepean staff, along with arts teachers across the province have been fighting to bring

it back. Jeannie Hunter, who is both the department head for fine arts and special ed, as well as one of Nepean's instrumental music program teachers, said, “Coming out of the pandemic we need the arts more than ever. Arts are humanizing, they bring us together, give us an opportunity for social and emotional learning, and build community.” Though a lot of that community was lost in the pandemic years, 2022 is already looking to be a wonderful year for the arts. Arts faculty students and teachers at Nepean High school have displayed their love of art via murals, performances, and programs that will allow students to carry their passion and love of the arts beyond high school.

Looking to support Nepean arts and learn more about this high school’s arts programs? Come to the music department’s next show Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Nepean Auditorium!

For celebrations big or small

Happy Holidays!

Make sure they do.

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Kindred Shop & Studio 1243 WELLINGTON ST WEST

Kindred is a magical shop specializing in Canadian-made jewellery, apothecary and housewares.

PranaShanti Yoga Centre 950 GLADSTONE AVE

Visit the retail shop at the studio to find gifts for the yoga enthusiast on your list. Other holiday offers at pranashanti.com

Marie Antoinette 1096 SOMERSET ST WEST

Marie Antoinette and Co. is Ottawa‘s boutique extraordinaire specializing in French country and shabby chic home decor, where more is more!

Malenka Originals 1098B SOMERSET ST WEST

Lots of great gifts for the furniture artist in your life, including painting kits, books and gift certificates!

Fresh Air Experience

1291 WELLINGTON ST WEST

Fresh Air Experience has Canada’s best selection of cross country ski, gear, and clothes, perfect for making the most of the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail.

Maker House Company 987 WELLINGTON ST WEST

Find over 200 Canadian makers under one roof & online at MakerHouse.com. Part of each sale goes to the Parkdale Food Centre Maker House’s #CraftChange program.

ORESTA organic skin care apothecary

1121 WELLINGTON ST WEST

Shop with ease with our friendly expert staff for a unique selection of luxurious eco-friendly beauty products for face, body, hair and home. Holiday gift-giving for everyone on your list.

The one-stop shop for the eco-friendly fashionista on your list who loves to support local! Shop our incredible ‘Made in Ottawa’ gifts section!

Hintonburg Kids 1097 WELLINGTON ST WEST

We are a baby & kids store that focusses on keeping kids engaged! We stock a well-curated selection of toys, games, puzzles, books and arts & crafts that aim to entertain and educate kids.

Tinseltown Christmas Emporium 1096 SOMERSET ST WEST

Tinseltown Christmas Emporium is Ottawas year round Christmas boutique specializing in traditional and old world Christmas decor.

The Record Centre 1099 WELLINGTON ST WEST

A warm, welcoming musical space selling great records and fine vintage and new stereo equipment. Bringing community together with live music and DJ events. Come browse the fantastic record selection!

Making healthy and sustainable gifting affordable!

Full

Shop at Full Cycle Hintonburg this holiday season for all the cyclists on your shopping list. From the latest bikes and cycling accessories, to all the fantastic services to keep your wheels on the road, Full Cycle has it all!

Hintonburg Pottery

Made locally in the shop and on the spot from Mud to Mug! Spectacular pottery gifts in fabulous festive colours. We are the first pot shop in Hintonburg, celebrating 10 years!

World of Maps 1191 WELLINGTON ST WEST

We are giving you the WORLD !

We offer beautiful holiday giftware, furninture, and decor accessories.

Great Escape Outfitters 97 HOLLAND AVE

Great Christmas presents from Patagonia Fleece to Helly Hansen Coats and flannels for all. Stocking stuffers like mitts and gloves, thermoses, and every ones favourite really good socks.

Possible Worlds 1165 WELLINGTON ST WEST

Blueprint Home 1301 WELLINGTON ST WEST Find

Stop by Possible Worlds, your neighbourhood art and music hub for workshops, unique art prints, books, records and more from local and out-of-town artists.

Giant menorah to light up Parkdale for Hanukkah celebrations

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Agiant menorah will light up Parkdale Park as part of this year’s Hanukkah celebrations in Wellington West.

On Dec. 19, members of the public are invited to join in on the celebrations, scheduled to take place at 366 Parkdale Ave, beginning at 5:30 p.m. This is the second year the Chabad Jewish Centre will be hosting a menorah lighting in the community.

“Last year we had a public menorah lighting at the Osgoode properties and it was a tremendous success,” said organizer Rabbi Moshe Caytak.

“The crowd really overflowed the

property, so this year we decided we had to do something bigger and better,” he added. “It’s actually the first time a public menorah lighting will be on city property in Wellington West and we are already getting a huge response.”

The Chabad Jewish Centre opened in a historic home at 166 Huron Ave. N, earlier this year. The idea for a local centre came after the Jewish Youth Library of Ottawa ran out of space at the Chaya Mushka Building on Switzer Avenue.

When the house came up for sale, the local group saw it as a way to further expand its presence in the community. Rosh Hashanah services were held at the Great

Canadian Theatre Company in September, followed by Yom Kippur services in early October. It also hosts one-on-one teaching sessions and dinners.

The word “Hanukkah,”or its traditional spelling “Chanukah”, means “dedication” in Hebrew. This holiday begins on the 25th of the Kislev month on the Hebrew calendar — typically falling in November or December. Hanukkah is also known as the Festival of Lights, linked to the lighting of the menorah. One candle is added every night for eight days, accompanied by traditional foods, games and gifts.

This year’s celebrations are taking place in the year of Unity in the Jewish calendar,

also known as Hakhel, a Hebrew word which means “gathering.”

In the times of the Temple, Jews would “get together and hear words of inspiration from the King in Jerusalem,” said Caytak. “It was an awe-inspiring event and that would give enough inspiration for the next seven years. Although nowadays we cannot do this, we can however get inspired and give inspiration every time we get together with others.”

Caytak said by getting together for the menorah lighting, the Jewish community will be reliving Hakhel. It’s one of 15,000 menorah lightings that will take place worldwide this year.

The main message, Caytak said, is to not run away from darkness but to illuminate it.

“We hope that this event will inspire many to have a domino act of spreading acts of goodness and kindness,” he said.

Readers can learn more about the Chabad Jewish Centre and its Hanukkah events at Jewishww.com

”It’s actually the first time a public menorah lighting will be on city property in Wellington West.” – Rabbi Moshe Caytak

This is the second year a giant menorah lighting will be held in Wellington West. TOP PHOTOS BY CHARLIE SENACK

Rabbi Moshe Caytak said Hanukkah is about illuminating darkness in the world. LEFT AND BOTTOM RIGHT

PHOTOS BY ZENITH WOLFE

EARLY DAYS

The forgotten legacy of Hintonburg’s first thrift store

BY DAVE ALLSTON

Ottawa Neighbourhood Services was once a Hintonburg mainstay. For nearly 90 years, the Kitchissippibased organization supported the community’s less fortunate, who depended on its programs the most during the Christmas season. But it has quietly disappeared over the last few years. Now, it exists only as a memory.

The flagship store and workshops were located on Wellington West in buildings now home to the LCBO and Maker House. Ottawa Neighbourhood Services (ONS) provided free clothing, furniture and appliances to those who needed help. It also employed people with disabilities, who otherwise had difficulties finding work.

Its roots in the community date back to winter 1932 when the Great Depression slashed welfare assistance across the continent. Edgar Helms, a minister in one of Boston’s poor neighborhoods, had established Goodwill Industries in the United States 20 years prior. The program was designed to convert “waste into wages” and “junk into jobs”.

Helms soon met Harold Morris Mayfield, a 38-year-old with a shared interest in helping the less fortunate, who had recently returned from England after serving in the First World War. Inspired by Helms to open his own charity, Mayfield moved to Ottawa and rented a room on Queen Street. After several weeks of trying for a partnership with churches and service clubs, he gave up and booked tickets back to England. But a last-minute meeting with Norman Coll, pastor of

Parkdale United Church, gave Mayfield encouragement to stay and establish Ottawa Goodwill Industries.

He used his own money to rent a small store on Wellington Street West across from St. Francois d’Assise Church. The new organization used a room in the back as a workshop and hired three young boys who slept at a nearby hostel. Mayfield provided them meals cooked on the one small stove in the building.

Meanwhile youth from Parkdale United helped Mayfield distribute the first 200 “welfare bags” of used clothes to churches, service clubs and private homes.

Mayfield woke before sunrise, hitched his horse Daisy to an old rig, and travelled around town collecting donated furniture and clothes. In the afternoon he ran a thrift shop that sold items to people who could afford them, and gave them away to those who couldn’t. At night he washed and mended clothing he had picked up that morning in a second-hand washing machine and prepare the clothing for the store for the next day. He later upgraded to a $45 used truck to replace his horse and rig.

Ottawa Goodwill became a success. In December 1932, Ottawa’s Public Welfare department asked Goodwill to become the distribution centre for the city’s 2,000 families on relief. At the insistence of Welfare Director Charlotte Whitton (later the City’s mayor), Goodwill was renamed Ottawa Neighbourhood Services.

Mayfield briefly moved operations from Hintonburg to Byward Market from 1933 until 1936, and then to the corner of Wellington and Garland.

An early fundraiser was a charity hockey game in early 1933, with Ottawa Senators versus senior city league players. The price of admission was a bundle of old clothes. ONS received eight truckloads, sold most items to

cover costs, but always set aside a sizable amount for free distribution to those who couldn’t afford it.

In 1937, the ONS became a private welfare agency; after the Second World War, it started hiring people with

Top: A group of Hungarian refugees receive clothing at ONS. CITY OF OTTAWA ARCHIVES - CA042303 Bottom: W.H. Courtice, then President of ONS, watches volunteers rehabilitate children’s toys alongside visiting members of the Gyrettes Club. CITY OF OTTAWA ARCHIVES - CA032074

disabilities and providing them with workshops to develop employable skills. In the early years, Harold Mayfield taught shoe and furniture repair, as well as dressmaking and repair of appliances. For many years, the entire staff of the Wellington Street plant had mental or physical disabilities and were unable to work elsewhere. But a notable success story saw a former employee opening their own similar shop.

“There have been times where difficulties and discouragements have made us wonder if it was all worthwhile,” Mayfield said years later. “Then we would go on a tour of the workshops and watch men and women happily working who might be unemployed if it were not for ONS … back to work we would go with a greater determination than ever to increase our service.”

Harold Mayfield’s wife Marjorie, who worked in the offices, spoke in a later interview about the children who came to ONS.

“They looked so scruffy, dirty and cold. We took them into the school clothing room and washed their feet,” she said. “We gave them new underwear, clean clothes, warm boots and a warm coat. It was so good to see them look happy and warm when they left. It is a memory that will always stay with me.”

ONS eventually took over the entire block of Wellington Street. For years, they worked through increasingly challenging conditions in the decaying old buildings.

In 1964, Mayfield’s long-held dream finally came true when ONS demolished the old structures and constructed a new building at the corner of Garland.

Continues on page 26

Know When to Leave the Party

Recently, my wife and I attended a dinner party at the home of a friend who we hadn’t seen in a while. It was an evening of great food and conversation that was long overdue. After a few hours, though, I was tired and ready to head home. I gave my wife the “look” that it was time to leave. It was the bulging eyes, raised eyebrows and laser stare into her soul look. Unfortunately, all I got back was an “I’m not ready to leave yet” smile and the person standing next to me asking if I was feeling alright. I could have left on my own, but that felt uncomfortable—not to mention my wife was the “DD” and she had the car keys. So I stayed and had an enjoyable time for the next hour or so until we left.

When it’s time to leave, both parties need to be on board. The same can be said when it’s time to list or purchase a home. It’s not uncommon

for Realtors that when meeting with sellers and buyers to discuss their needs, not everyone is on the same page, including when it’s time to make that move. They may have the same objective, but their time to process how and when may be different. Part of a Realtor’s role is to bring everyone together and provide the latest data so they can make an informed decision on when it is the best time to sell or purchase a property.

According to the Ottawa Real Estate Board October stats, the year-to-date average sale prices were $780,390 for residential units and $456,470 for condominiums, or an 8% increase over 2021 for residential-class properties and a 9% increase for condominium-class properties. If one has owned their property for some time, this is great news. The equity in the home has increased significantly and will buffer price corrections. For buyers, it’s a great time to purchase a property as inventory continues to increase, providing more choices and time to shop for a new home.

Time to put your feet up

Wishing you and your loved ones a relaxing holiday season!

From all of us on the Diane & Jen team.

Enjoy the holiday season, and for those parties at a friend’s place, leave your car keys at home!

SPONSORED CONTENT

By Dean Caillier, Sales Representative with Engel & Völkers Ottawa Central, Brokerage

dean.caillier@evrealestate.com 613-299-6243 deancaillier.com

Diane Allingham and Jennifer Stewart, Brokers. Engel & Völkers Ottawa Central, Brokerage. Independently owned and operated

dianeandjen.com

sponsored by

From left to right: L.L. Coulter, Ottawa mayor George H. Nelms, Senator Cairine Wilson, Mrs. H.J. Keith, Harold Mayfield and Howard Courtice attend 25th anniversary celebrations for Ottawa Neighbourhood Services. CITY OF OTTAWA ARCHIVES - CA044660

EARLY DAYS

Hintonburg’s first thrift store

Continues from page 25

The new $500,000, four-storey Mayfield Building opened in May 1965. On that day, Mayfield estimated the organization had helped more than 22,000 adults since 1932.

Knowing the future of the organization was well set, Harold retired four days later, and stayed on as an adviser before passing away in 1975.

In 1966, ONS installed collection boxes (likely the first of its kind in Ottawa) at

Westgate and Shoppers City malls to make donating easier.

The ONS opened branch stores in other areas of the city amidst increasing competition. By the mid-1990s, around 400 thrift stores were established in the region, including Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul, and the U.S.-based corporations Value Village and Goodwill. As well its clothing donation bins were accompanied by an explosion of bins set up

by out-of-town for-profit companies, and ONS supplies dwindled.

ONS fell into bankruptcy protection in 1998, and sold many of its buildings, including the Wellington headquarters. Then-director Dave Smith said they walked away with a “bag of pennies.”

The thrift store moved to Richmond Road near Lincoln Fields in 2001, but relocated to an industrial bay at City Centre in 2007 when their building was sold. In

2012, they were the victims of arson. They moved to Rideau Heights Drive, a quiet dead-end street with no walk-by traffic and limited bus service.

Within a few years, ONS fell behind on rent and volunteers, and became dependent on private donations. They were evicted from Rideau Heights in May 2016 and survived briefly without a storefront, but disappeared altogether during the COVID-19 pandemic.

”There have been times where difficulties and discouragements have made us wonder if it was all worthwhile, then we would go on a tour of the workshops and watch men and women happily working.” – Harold Mayfield

JOIN US FOR A WINTER STAY

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Public school board wrestles

mask debate

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Masks won’t be made mandatory again in Ottawa Carleton District schools.

While the school board is “strongly encouraging” students and staff to wear face coverings in school, half the board trustees voted against the controversial motion.

Newly-elected trustee Dr. Nili KaplanMyrth, a family doctor who has been vocal about her support for COVID-19 restrictions,

first tabled the motion. She pointed to the high level of COVID-19 infections and other respiratory viruses — particularly in children — as evidence for the need to mask up again.

Lindy Samson, the chief of staff at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, was one of the speakers at an in-person school board meeting on Nov. 22. She was interrupted by hecklers as she tried to speak about the unprecedented strain they faced. The hospital had to open a second intensive care unit to treat all its sick patients.

The meeting was moved online after the crowd disrupted proceedings. Most protesters were anti-maskers who opposed the motion. One man placed “notices of liability” on the boardroom table while others sang and chanted. Police had to

be called and wished the mob a Merry Christmas as they were escorted out.

Trustees agreed not to debate virtually beyond 10:30 p.m. and the vote was postponed. The topic was picked up two days later during another special sitting,

Nepean High School is among OCDSB schools where face coverings won’t be made mandatory. PHOTO BY CHARLIE SENACK

held virtually this time due to safety concerns.

Suzanne Nash, the newly elected trustee for Kitchissippi and Bay wards, said the first meeting was a “surreal experience,” but she never felt concerned for her safety.

Nash was one of the six trustees to vote against a mask mandate. She said her decision was based on over 200 emails she received.

“It was a very difficult decision. I possibly lost a good friend because of my decision,” Nash said via email. “Those that weighed heavily on my decision were the heartfelt stories that described the impact of the pandemic on their kids’ well-being and the need to get back to normal... If I voted with my emotions, given the situation at CHEO, it would have been a yes.”

Nash said she continues to wear a mask and believes “as a community we have gone from, ‘We are all in this

together,’ to a personal choice.”

It’s not the first time the school board has voted on masks. In April of this year, a similar mandate passed by trustees. The Province of Ontario, however, said school boards lacked the power to implement such a rule. A board can ask students to wear a face covering, but it cannot send a child home or provide penalties for those who refuse.

Nash said with enforcement out of the question, it became obvious that a forced return to masking would do more harm than good for students.

“Student trustee (Antong) Hou spoke about how divisive the April mandate had been in school and with friends and family. Student trustee (Tabarak) Al-Delaimi talked about the impact on her younger brother, who had a learning disability,” she said. “Both were opposed to mandatory masking, and sounded representative of the student mindset,” she said.

Anatomy Physiotherapy Clinic

Anatomy Physiotherapy Clinic

Anatomy Physiotherapy Clinic

Offering physiotherapy and massage therapy services in four locations across Ottawa

Offering physiotherapy and massage therapy services in four locations across Ottawa

Offering physiotherapy and massage therapy services in four locations across Ottawa

Contact your neighbourhood clinic:

Contact your neighbourhood clinic:

Contact your neighbourhood clinic:

205 Richmond Rd., Unit #109 613-728-0739 info.westboro@anatomyphysioclinic.com

205 Richmond Rd., Unit #109 613-728-0739 @anatomyphysioclinic.com

205 Richmond Rd., Unit #109 613-728-0739 info.westboro@anatomyphysioclinic.com

TOY MOUNTAIN (Saturday,

December 3rd, 11-2 pm)

Bring a new unwrapped toy to Frontline Financial Credit Union (365 Richmond Rd), and look for Westboro Village volunteers in the parking lot to receive your donation. You can drop off from either Richmond Road or Madison Ave. The most needed toys for Toy Mountain are for kids aged 0-2 and 10- 12 years old. Help ensure every child in the community receivesa toy this holiday season.

CORNERSTONE HOUSING FOR WOMEN

(Saturday, December 10th, 11-2 pm)

Every year the team at Cornerstone Housing for Women invites the community to help them provide a cozy holiday season for all their residents. You can drop off pyjamas, boxes of chocolates, holiday cards, and small denomination ($10) gift cards to the volunteers at 255 Richmond Road.

WESTBORO REGION FOOD BANK

(Saturday, December 17th, 11-2 pm)

Make a donation of a needed food item for the Westboro Region Food Bank at the courtyard of All Saints Anglican Church (347 Richmond Road). The volunteers at the Westboro Region Food Bank support community members in the Westboro area with emergency food and basic needs. Since 2020, the number of individuals and families seeking emergency food assistance has doubled. Often essential items are the most challenging for them to source, including cooking oil, laundry detergent, shampoo, baby wipes, and feminine hygiene products.

For more information on the most needed holiday items, visit www.westborovillage.com/lightupthevillage

Seasons greetings

Stop

Holiday shopping made easy

Check

• Wednesday, Dec. 7:

Downstairs Hall, 389 Richmond Rd.

• Thursday - Sat., Dec. 8-10:

Upstairs Lounge: 391 Richmond Rd.

Democracy is worth fighting for

SUBMITTED BY JOEL HARDEN, MPP FOR OTTAWA CENTRE

For the second time in recent weeks, the Ford government has identified our democratic rights as a barrier to progress. You will recall the first time with Bill 28, when education workers — members of CUPE-OSBCU — had a collective agreement imposed on them, and were threatened with thousands of dollars in fines if they dared to strike.

These workers defied the government, and stood up for constitutionally-protected rights to bargain and withdraw their labor. They also stood up for our kids and schools. The Ford government blinked, and repealed Bill 28. It was a win for democracy.

With Bill 39, the Ford government once again treads the same dangerous ground. This legislation extends the “strong mayors” precedent of Bill 3, empowering the Mayors of Toronto and Ottawa to pass legislation with only a third of elected city councillors. That should give us all pause, as this is an open case for minority rule.

Our first-past-the-post voting system is bad enough — allowing Ford Conservatives to form a majority government with 41 per cent of the popular vote, and 18 per cent of eligible Ontario voters. But now, we hear that

majority rule itself is an obstacle in municipalities.

In debate this week, Conservatives said that Bill 39 will address Ontario’s housing crisis. It would thwart “NIMBYism,” and empower decisionmaking to “get shovels in the ground”. There are too many impediments to building housing, they insist, and these must be removed.

John Tory, Toronto’s Mayor, supports Bill 39. He has pledged to only use the new powers when they are necessary to move forward housing and transit priorities. He cites NIMBYism and local reluctance to more urban density as key issues.

Minority rule circumvents that problem.

Our office is here for

Previous Toronto Mayors have written Tory, insisting he oppose Bill 39. They are appalled at this attack on one of the essential tenets of our local democracy and a fundamental democratic mechanism: majority rule. Thankfully, Ottawa’s new Mayor, Mark Sutcliffe, has vowed not to use these new undemocratic powers.

Monthly Town Halls Canvasses Community Organizin Help Accessing Gove

109 Catherine St / rue Catherine Ottawa, ON K2P 0P4

But sadly, that’s where we’re at with the housing debate in Ontario: The government believes it must thwart democratic rights and silence its critics to build the homes we need. These are terrible precedents, and one assumes the government thinks the end justifies the means.

MPP / Député provincial, Ottawa Centre

”Thankfully, Ottawa’s new Mayor, Mark Sutcliffe, has vowed not to use these new undemocratic powers.”

Bill 23 will do more harm than good for Ottawa residents

SUBMITTED BY JEFF LEIPER, KITCHISSIPPI WARD COUNCILLOR

I’m pleased to be able to write my first Kitchissippi Times column since the beginning of the election period. I want to sincerely thank you, Kitchissippi, for continuing to trust me to represent your interests at City Hall.

Many who are following municipal planning will be aware of the news surrounding Bill 23, also known as the More Homes Build Faster Act. This is a far-reaching piece of provincial legislation that affects virtually every aspect of city planning, with immediate impacts to the Official Plan.

In short, Bill 23 eliminates exclusionary zoning, reduces the charges the City can collect for development, parkland, and community benefits, and significantly restrains the City’s ability to protect existing rental stock through by-laws and build more affordable housing. Among other points. Changes to the Official Plan include an increase in height limits on minor corridors, hundreds of acres of land added to the urban boundary, and the elimination of protections for renters. You can read more details about Bill 23 on the ward website, including City staff’s analysis.

If you want to resist these changes, you can contact our MPP Joel Harden and engage with some of the many public consultations underway. You can find a full list of those on the Association of Municipalities Ontario website.

In more planning news, the City has received Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Control applications to construct a six-storey mixeduse building with two ground-floor commercial units and 60 residential

units at 377 and 381 Winona. One level of underground parking is proposed for 18 parking spaces with access off Picton Avenue.

My office is hosting a webinar to discuss this proposed development with the applicant and give the community a chance to ask questions and provide feedback. The webinar will be held on Zoom Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. Email my office or visit kitchissippiward.ca for more details.

Now for some holiday fun: The Parkdale Night Market is back for one night only! On Dec. 7 from 4 to 8 p.m., head down to Parkdale Park for a night market full of local artisans, food vendors, hot drinks, and live entertainment. It’s a great way to shop for the holidays while supporting local businesses!

The return of December also means the return of the holiday gift program put on by Cornerstone Housing for Women. You can help Cornerstone collect a gift for every one of its residents so they can enjoy a cozy and bright holiday season. They’re looking for chocolate or candy, $10 gift cards, pajamas in sizes S - 4XL, and greeting cards. They’ve made a special request for pajamas in sizes L and up, as those are in demand! You can drop off your gift until Dec. 15; email donate@ cornerstonewomen.ca or call 613-2546584 ext. 521 to schedule a drop-off date.

May you all enjoy a lovely holiday season and take advantage of opportunities to spread some cheer throughout our community. Stay cozy, Kitchissippi.

Jean-Louis and George embody a generosity that enriches their lives, supports their loved ones, and will give a helping hand to youth at CHEO for generations to come.

Nearly 20 years ago they created their CHEO endowment fund and included a gift in their Will for CHEO. This was done with a sincere belief in the importance of acceptance and community. Keenly aware of the connection between teen suicide and identifying as LGBTQ2S+, they directed their fund to youth mental health and suicide prevention. Anyone may join Jean-Louis and George in this work to champion young lives by contributing to their fund.

FEDERAL UPDATE

‘Tis the season: Helping first-time homebuyers

SUBMITTED BY YASIR NAQVI, MP FOR OTTAWA CENTRE

We’ve come to the end of a busy year.

While 2022 was a year full of highs and lows, we have lots to celebrate. This past month I was pleased to join our community members at the Old Ottawa East Community Association Annual General Meeting, and share updates on the National Capital Commission’s upcoming upgrades to street lighting along the Canal as part of the Rideau Canal Lighting Rehabilitation Project. The project’s goals are to repair or replace all outdated and broken pathway and parkway lights. This includes light heads, arms and bases. I was also pleased to hear your thoughts on how we can plant more trees along Colonel By Drive.

I also had the pleasure of attending the Debra Dynes Family House Annual General Meeting where the focus of discussion was on how we can continue to combat food insecurity amid the rising cost of living, and ensure residents have access to the resources they need.

Affordability continues to be top of mind for many Ottawa residents: In the Fall Economic Statement, the federal government outlined ways we are continuing to support Ottawa Centre residents through targeted measures aimed at making life more affordable. Notably, helping people buy their first home through the new Tax-Free First

Home Savings Account, which will allow prospective first-time home buyers to save up to $40,000 tax-free toward their first home. Like an RRSP, contributions would be tax-deductible, and withdrawals to purchase a first home—including investment income—would be nontaxable. Our government expects that Canadians will be able to open and begin contributing to an account in mid-2023.

Additionally, we are eliminating all interest on Federal Student Loans and Canada Apprentice Loans to reduce the burden of student loans on young people so they can invest in building their futures. Among other initiatives, we intend to lower credit card transaction fees for small businesses in a manner that does not harm other businesses and protects existing reward points for consumers. As we get through the challenges of global economic uncertainty, we will continue to be there for residents as we build an economy that works for all Canadians.

As we head into the holiday season, I hope you get a chance to attend one of the many community events taking place across Ottawa Centre like the Lansdowne Ottawa Christmas Market, or one of the many concerts playing at the National Arts Centre. If you can, consider donating to our local food bank or our charitable community organizations who serve our most vulnerable.

I wish you a very happy holiday season and hope you get a chance to spend time with family, friends and loved ones.

”Affordability continues to be top of mind for many Ottawa residents.”

Kelly Ebbs & Kerry Millican

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

COVID-19 note: This page has been updated to reflect the developments in Ottawa during the pandemic.

Stay safe and healthy, Kitchissippi!

DECEMBER 2022: GREAT BIG SMALLS XVIII

ONLINE BUY LOCAL ART HOLIDAY ART SALE

Great BIG smalls features more than 30 artists and includes over 100 pieces of art. A great opportunity to purchase an original gift of art and support local artists. Great BIG Smalls will be held exclusively online, so you can shop in the comfort of your home until Dec. 31, 2022. You can safely do a porch pick-up from our Ottawa home office; we can deliver to your door if you live in the Ottawa area, or we will mail your purchase through Canada Post. Visit the show today at: cubegallery.ca

DEC. 5-10: HILSON AVENUE PUBLIC SCHOOL

ONLINE AUCTION

The Hilson Avenue Public School Council is continuing its efforts to improve the school’s outdoor space for its students by hosting an online silent auction from Dec. 5, 2022 to Dec. 10, 2022. For last year’s auction, we received incredible support from this community and met our goal to build an outdoor classroom – we hope to have that same success this year in order to update the Kindergarten Yard with a new play hut and land preparation. The school board provides minimal financing for yard improvements so this is part of a larger parent-led community initiative to create a more enjoyable and greener space for students and the community. Visit the school’s website for more information.

DEC. 2: NEPEAN CHOIR PRESENTS “SONGS FOR A WINTER NIGHT”

The Nepean Choir is pleased to present “Songs for a Winter Night,” on Dec. 2, beginning at 7:30 pm. The show takes place at Woodroffe United Church. This seasonal themed concert features pieces by Gordon Lightfoot, Ola Gjeilo, Sara Quartel, and wintry classics. Tickets are $25 each and available on Eventbrite and at the door. Come and kick off the season with us! Visit nepeanchoir.ca for more info.

DEC. 9: BABIES, BUSINESS + BREAKFAST: ASK + RECEIVE MEETUP

Join us on Dec. 9, at Cours Bayview Yards for the final meetup of 2022. Think of it as a family-friendly business meetup in one of Ottawa's spaces built for entrepreneurs at all stages of their journeys. TIME: 10:0011:30 AM ET LOCATION: Invest Ottawa Bayview Yards, 7 Bayview Station Road Level 2, L204 Training Room, Ottawa, ON K1Y 2C5 COST: FREE! 1 ticket per parent and their child(ren) RSVP online at: babiesbizbreakfastdec2022.eventbrite. com

DEC. 9: LIVE BAND AT WESTBORO LEGION

The Collection entertains from 7-11 p.m. in the Upstairs Bar & Lounge, located at 391 Richmond Rd. General admission is $5.00 Legion and Ladies Auxiliary members: $2.00.

DEC. 19: WELLINGTON WEST MENORAH LIGHTING

The Chabad Jewish Centre is inviting members of the public to attend a grand menorah lighting for Hanukkah taking place at Parkdale Park (366 Parkdale Ave.) on Dec. 19. The lighting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. fFree Hanukkah packages will be distributed. To learn more please visit Jewishww.com.

DEC. 31: WESTBORO LEGION NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY

The Rick King Band entertains from 8:30 p.m.-1:00 a.m. in the Westboro Legion’s Downstairs Hall, located ar 389 Richmond Rd. The doors opens at 7:30 p.m. The $15 admission cost includes a light meal at midnight. Tickets are on sale now at the upstairs bar of the legion.

MONDAYS – ABOVE AND BEYOND TOASTMASTERS

Every Monday at 6:45 p.m. (except holidays). Have the jitters each time you need to present a speech? Visit us online. Learn how to communicate better in a relaxed atmosphere and hone your leadership skills. Impromptu speaking is one of our highlights. It’s fun, fun, fun! We would love to have you join us on Mondays. Contact our club at aandbtoastmasters@gmail.com to receive the link.

TUESDAYS – BYTOWN VOICES COMMUNITY CHOIR

Bytown Voices Choir has opened its doors again to singers from near and far. We are masked and singing at 7:30 pm Tuesday nights at St Basil's Church on Maitland, just north of the Queensway. And now we are truly a community choir as we welcome youths from 9 years and up to join our mixed voice chorus. There is no auditioning, everyone is welcome. Come and give your vocal chords a workout in a relaxed environment. For more information see our website at bytownvoices.com.

WEDNESDAYS – WEEKLY BINGO

Westboro Legion Downstairs Hall, 385 Richmond Rd. Door opens at 4 p.m, kitchen at 5 p.m. and games begin at 6:30 p.m. Cash prizes. Net proceeds to local nonprofit organizations.

THURSDAYS – WEEKLY DARTS

Regulars and new players are invited to join the Westboro Legion’s Dart League. The Downstairs Hall door and bar open at 6:30 p.m. and play begins at 7:30 p.m. The cost is $6.

Got a Kitchissippi area virtual or COVID-19-safe event to share?

We’d love to hear about it. Send your info to editor@kitchissippi.com

For the full list of events please go to kitchissippi.com.