Kitchissippi Times February 2021

p.30-31

Jeff Leiper City Councillor conseiller municipal

613-580-2485 kitchissippiward.ca

February 2021

1280 Wellington St West | 783 Bank Street | www.bloomfields.ca | 613

Winter walk for women's housing.

Pages 16-17

kitchissippi.com

@kitchissippi

1280 Wellington St West | 783 Bank Street || www.bloomfields.ca | 613.230.6434 1280 Wellington St West | 783 Bank Street | www.bloomfields.ca 613.230.6434

kitchissippitimes

kitchissippitimes

100% LOCAL

175 Carruthers Avenue

Brand New Retail Space for Lease!

Ground Floor Great visibility

19 storeys of potential customers

CHRIS TURVILL Leasing Manager, Sales Representative Colonnade BridgePort Realty Inc., Brokerage cturvill@colonnadebridgeport.ca 613.225.8118 x350

ED

LEAS

UNIT B

UNIT a

1280 Wellington St West | 783 Ba

OPEN safely WE ARE

TO CONTINUE TO SERVE YOU

8am-7pm Monday through Saturday & 8am-6pm on Sundays

1855 Carling Ave. producedepot.ca

SPONSORED CONTENT

Brand new retail space available NOW at 175 Carruthers Ave.

February 2021 • 2

kitchissippi.com

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

KitchissippiTimes

Do you have a long term business vision that needs a kickstarter retail space to run with? Are you ready to launch but still haven’t found what you’re looking for? The spaces you’ve seen so far are either way too big, or way too cramped, and seemingly dysfunctional in their aesthetics? Challenges like these will only frustrate you, ultimately leading to inefficiencies of your business and potential long term revenue loss over time. Whether it’s expansion of an existing business you envision, or a fresh new wave of creativity you’ve been dying to entertain, 175 Carruthers Ave has a brand spanking new retail space that is perfect for you and your business. Prepare to flourish in an already thriving neighbourhood!

Gain access to a new market You might be asking yourself, ”Is it the right time?”

There’s never been a better time to take advantage of the changing landscape in the Hintonburg hub. It’s no surprise the commercial hotbed made headlines in the most recent issue of the Ottawa Business Journal, featuring well-loved Wellington West small businesses that have been overwhelmingly successful despite the pandemic (all thanks to supportive, loyal patrons living right here in the community who insist on the survival of the small businesses that surround them). If you build it with passion and precision from the ground up, they will come!

Hintonburg Connection’s Discover Local Program: A win-win At no additional cost, your business will have the opportunity to participate in the popular Discover Local program; a program created by Colonnade BridgePort to help connect the residents of its buildings to their community, encouraging them to get out and discover the local businesses in their neighbourhoods. The program is a perfect complement for local business owners who are in need of a little marketing boost to grow their audience and revenue. The welcome package is distributed to all Hintonburg and Westboro Connection residences which, combined, are home to more than 600 people!

What are some ideal businesses for the space?

Service based businesses share an opportunity to do very well below residential towers. Think barber shops and salons, nail and aesthetics parlours, simple

coffee shop and cafe concepts or juice bars who will benefit from local foot traffic from the area and benefit from eye-level visibility in the community. Signage space is critical, and Hintonburg Connection’s retail facades offer generous room for larger signs (larger than most signs on neighbouring Wellington Street West) boosting overall visibility.

Perhaps this is a chance to revamp an existing business that is in dire need of a makeover? Make it your own, all over again! A brand new building means a clean slate and a chance to create a fresh start. You can mould your new, or existing business from the ground up — exactly how you want it.

Stay tuned on Hintonburg Connection’s social media channels — a new brewpub will be launching at 175 Carruthers in Spring/Summer 2021, cheers to that!

To see floorplans for Unit A and Unit B, visit colonnadebridgeport.ca.

KEY FEATURES:

• Located between two new OC Transpo LRT stops: Tunney’s Pasture and Bayview Station, pulling daily traffic and making your business easily accessible • Located in Hintonburg, Ottawa’s hub for fine restaurants, cafes, microbreweries, galleries, shops and more; your 175 Carruthers retail location means less competition than on Wellington West and Richmond Road.

• Population within 3km radius: 40,955 • Annual household expenditures on food including restaurants with 3km: $12,000, 17,000 cars a day • Located on the ground floor of a new 19 story building with stunning amenities; 212 rental apartments and adjacent executive flats.

EDSED LEALESA

• Access to a direct market from residents in the building via Colonnade BridgePort’s Discover Local program.

(1,205 sq.ft.)

UNIT UNIT B B

UNIT a sq.ft.)

UNIT a (1,109

Both units are available immediately. To inquire, contact Leasing Manager Chris Turvil at cturvill@colonnadebridgeport.ca

• Large windows covering the exterior frontage means plenty of natural light.

p.30-31

Jeff Leiper City Councillor conseiller municipal

613-580-2485 kitchissippiward.ca

February 2021

1280 Wellington St West | 783 Bank Street | www.bloomfields.ca | 613

Winter walk for women's housing.

Pages 16-17

kitchissippi.com

@kitchissippi

1280 Wellington St West | 783 Bank Street || www.bloomfields.ca | 613.230.6434 1280 Wellington St West | 783 Bank Street | www.bloomfields.ca 613.230.6434

kitchissippitimes

kitchissippitimes

100% LOCAL

PHOTO CA036701 COURTESY OF THE CITY OF OTTAWA ARCHIVES.

Ready, set, skate!

Young skaters line up at the Fisher Park winter carnival in February of 1956. Early Days looks back on the fun, frosty history of outdoor recreation. Pages 20-22

1280 Wellington St West | 783 Ba

OPEN safely WE ARE

TO CONTINUE TO SERVE YOU

8am-7pm Monday through Saturday & 8am-6pm on Sundays

1855 Carling Ave. producedepot.ca

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.

Ottawa ON K1R 6K7 www.kitchissippi.com 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.

Maureen McEwan editor@kitchissippi.com twitter.com/kitchissippi CONTRIBUTORS Hollie Grace James, Matthew Horwood, Kristin Perrin, Charlie Senack, Ted Simpson and Dave Allston.

PROOFREADER Alicia Lim ADVERTISING SALES Eric Dupuis

PHOTO COURTESY OF JAKE GUAY

KitchissippiTimes kitchissippitimes @Kitchissippi kitchissippi.com

February 2021 • 4

250 City Centre Ave., Suite 500

EDITOR

Meet Jake Guay "I’ve lived in the area my whole life — 48 years, born and raised. I grew up on Laderoute Avenue and then we lived at Avondale Avenue and Island Park Drive for more than 30 years. I’ve lived right next to the lawn bowling club in Westboro, behind the Clocktower Brew Pub, for 12 years, but I just bought a house in Crystal Beach, so I’ll be moving in seven months — my Westboro time has come to an end for now. I’m going to miss the neighbours, the safety, the security, the quiet, having the shops around and being able to look at all these beautiful homes. I have a dog, who is like my child, so I walk a lot, like two and a half hours a day. When you’re constantly walking around here, you appreciate everything that Westboro has to offer.

At work, we share a giant floor with Health Canada and I heard through Reddit on a Saturday that somebody [from Health Canada] contracted COVID-19. Originally, I thought, ‘who cares?’ Then I read it was on our floor, and so we probably had used the same washroom and the same elevator — I’m sure I got it there. And then [on a] Saturday, I went to a friend’s, and on Sunday those friends thought they had gotten the flu. On Monday, I started feeling body aches and then it just went downhill from there. I didn’t get tested right away because, at the time, one of the symptoms was a dry cough, and I was spitting up phlegm, so I thought that I definitely didn’t have it. But my brother’s fiancée is a doctor in a COVID[-19] ward and she advised me to get tested. So, I finally

KITCHISSIPPI TIMES

did and got the positive results back two days later (March 22, 2020).

It lasted for about 12 days and it was like the worst pneumonia or flu that you’ve had in your life. I had aches and pains and was physically exhausted. At night, I’d go to bed thinking I beat it and I’d wake up with the bed literally soaked every night.

And then I was just sleeping all the time and had no energy. I think the fact that we didn’t know much about it then (March), because it was so new, along with the fact that I didn't have difficulty breathing was somewhat reassuring, so I don’t think I had time to get too scared about it.

I lead a very healthy lifestyle — I don’t necessarily think that [helps] dealing with COVID[-19], but it definitely doesn’t hurt it. I still believe that COVID[-19] exists. The experience made me realize that it’s no joke. I had a friend who was in equally good shape as me, and he has two young daughters, and he was a day away from death on a ventilator.

613-238-1818 x273 eric@kitchissippi.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tanya Connolly-Holmes creative@greatriver.ca GRAPHIC DESIGNER Celine Paquette celine@greatriver.ca

It helps if you’re in shape, but it certainly doesn’t prevent you from getting it.

I definitely take it (COVID-19) seriously. I’ll definitely get the vaccine. I have no fear of that. I’d get it tomorrow if I could.

I was amazed at the kindness of people. People that I thought were just acquaintances were so kind and not only got me stuff but refused to take money, and their children wrote me little notes. It really showed me that communities can come together and how many good people are out there. I was surprised, but not surprised. You just never know who’s going to step up until you ask them to step up and then you see.

I always live my life not waiting until later. I’ve gone to 82 countries so far and I plan to keep traveling as much as I can. This experience reinforces how I want to live my life [and] see as much as I can before I die.”

Story collected by Hollie Grace James.

FINANCE Cheryl Schunk, 238-1818 ext. 250 cheryl@greatriver.ca All other enquiries 613-238-1818 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

PUBLISHER Mark Sutcliffe PRESIDENT Michael Curran

EDITOR'S LETTER

Building a healthy, active and engaged community through recreation

411 DOVERCOURT AVE., OTTAWA ON

Staying warm and staying well

BY MAUREEN MCEWAN

Stay safe, Kitchissippi.

LEGO®, Leadership, Sports, Visual & Culinary Arts camps. Register now!

WINTER PROGRAMS

Swim lessons, Fitness, arts, music, dance, sports and more will begin as soon as lockdown is over. Check our website or Facebook for details.

STAY ACTIVE INSIDE & OUT OF DOORS! • ONLINE CLASSES: 9 online classes/wk with your Fit Pass (+ in-person, when they resume) • ENJOY THE SJAM TRAIL – Walk, ski, bike, snowshoe.

Donations welcome!

• SKATE Westboro & McKellar rinks.

Check Ottawarinks.ca for ice status.

Volunteers welcome!

5 • February 2021

To learn more about these crisis lines, visit crisisline.ca and ysb.ca, or head to OPH’s website at ottawapublichealth.ca.

MARCH BREAK CAMPS MAR 15-19

KitchissippiTimes

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) OPH has a list of a number of crisis lines available for youth and adults.

“If you are in crisis, contact the Mental Health Crisis Line (24 hours a day/7 days a week) at 613-722-6914 or if outside Ottawa toll-free at 1-866-996-0991.

If you have a youth in crisis, contact the Youth Services 24/7 Crisis Line (24 hours a day/7 days a week) at 613-260-2360 of if outside Ottawa toll-free at 1-877-377-7775.

If you (or your child) are experiencing thoughts of suicide or harming yourself, call 9-1-1,” OPH’s website states.

Registration begins Feb 2, 2021.

kitchissippitimes

Distress line: 613-238-3311 Crisis line: 613-722-6914 or 1-866-996-0991 (toll free) The organization’s chat (dcottawa.on.ca) and text (343-306-5550) service is available 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

SUMMER CAMPS

@Kitchissippi

Distress Centre The organization operates phone lines 24 hours a day, seven days a week that offer mental health support and resources.

WINTER UPDATE kitchissippi.com

Dear readers, As I write, we’re having one of our classic heavy snowfalls in Ottawa. A blanket of 5-10 cm has covered the city, making it look like a winter wonderland.

I hope you are all staying warm and staying well.

Here’s a brief overview of the February edition: In Community News, a few themes emerged. COVID-19 remains central to our coverage as we navigate another provincial state of emergency together. We caught up with Coun. Jeff Leiper on COVID-19’s impact on the ward and other municipal issues. In light of the stay-at-home order, we reconnected with Unsafe At Home Ottawa to hear their perspective and to learn more about their expanded services. We also spoke with the executive director of the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization on the partnerships built between local service providers during the pandemic.

In some good news, fundraisers are alive and well in the ward. We heard from two high school students who raised thousands for Wellington West restaurants and hospital frontline workers alike. And we spoke with Cornerstone Housing for Women on the upcoming Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser.

There are two stories on two new businesses that have set up shop in Westboro: Moissy Fine Jewellery and Pokoloko X Cloud Forest. We heard more about the companies’ stories from the owners.

We interviewed Black History Ottawa and the Ontario Black History Society on Black History Month 2021 — how the event has adapted this year and why it is vital for all Canadians to participate.

And there’s an update on the 2019 Westboro bus crash.

In our features, Humans of Kitchissippi connects with a COVID-19 survivor who was diagnosed in March. And Early Days reflects on the fun history of outdoor winter recreation — skating, sledding, skiing and more.

And that’s all from us.

As you’ll discover, mental health once again underscores several of the paper’s stories and columns, given the current COVID-19 situation in Ontario. So I’m going to use the rest of this editorial space to include a short list of local crisis lines and resources.

dovercourt.org 613.798.8950

February 2021 • 6

kitchissippi.com

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

KitchissippiTimes

COMMUNITY NEWS

Thousands gathered outside parliament for the “No Justice, No Peace” anti-racism solidarity march in downtown Ottawa on June 5, 2020.

PHOTO BY MAUREEN MCEWAN.

‘Still on the Front Lines:’ Celebrating Black History Month virtually in 2021

BY CHARLIE SENACK

B

lack History Month is about to begin in a year that organizers say is more important than ever because 2020 showed how divided the world still is, and how much work needs to be done.

The celebrations, which began on Jan. 30 and end on Feb. 27, will take place virtually this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. With a stay-at-home order in effect in Ontario, the hope is that more people will attend and educate themselves on Black history.

Sarah Onyango, outreach, public and media relations coordinator for Black History Ottawa, said many event organizers are being challenged to present activities that are both visually engaging and relevant in this moment of reckoning.

Black History Ottawa has been running in the city since 1985 and keeping the tradition alive.

“For over two decades now, at least for our Black communities, February has been a time to really focus on the contributions we have made to building this country into the

diverse and dynamic nation it has become,” said Onyango. “It is a time to challenge, in a forceful and concentrated manner, the erasure of Black history and the negative mainstream narratives which tend to focus on dysfunction and pathology rather than achievement and resilience. It is a time to reassert the extent to which Blacks are rooted and belong on Turtle Island alongside the original inhabitants and successive waves of settlers. It is a time to affirm the value of that Black tile in the Canadian mosaic.”

A virtual opening ceremony was held on Jan. 30 which focused on the theme of “Our Canadian Story: Still on the Front Lines,” which honours and recognizes people fighting two pandemics: COVID-19 and antiBlack racism. In the afternoon, the program reflected Ottawa’s Black cultural diversity.

While celebrations are underway in Ottawa, the Ontario Black History Society (OBHS) is also planning a month of events.

Because of the pandemic, their events will also look different this year, but they are finding new ways to adapt their programming.

“Due to COVID-19 we are not hosting our annual brunch, but it is important for us to continue the tradition of marking Black History Month, and so we decided to continue with virtual programming,” stated Natasha Henry, president of OBHS. “As part of our brunch, we give awards to individuals and organizations in our community,” she added. “But because of COVID[-19], I guess it isn’t a celebration mood, so instead we decided to recognize individuals and organizations who have helped alleviate the impacts of [COVID-19].”

This year, a new OBHS speaker series has been launched which will have an engaging presentation every week throughout the month of February. The series focuses on different topics, such as a storytelling presentation and a panel on Black history sites in Ontario.

Henry said a global health pandemic won’t get in the way of stopping the tradition of Black History Month which has gone on for generations and added, given the state of racial unrest, these discussions need to take place now more than ever.

Last spring, 26-year-old Breanna Taylor was fatally shot six times by police in Louisville, Kentucky after they forced entry into her apartment as part of a drug investigation on March 13.

On May 25, 2020, there was global uproar after the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, who was killed by Minneapolis police after being arrested for allegedly trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill at a corner store.

While these incidents took place in the United States, Henry says their impact is also felt here in Canada.

Signs outside of the U.S. embassy at the “No Justice, No Peace” anti-racism solidarity march in Ottawa on June 5, 2020. PHOTO BY MAUREEN MCEWAN confrontation, which led to countless protests and rallies organized by Black Lives Matter and the Justice for Abdirahman Abdi Coalition. After the verdict was delivered in

the fall, members of the two groups marched through downtown Ottawa demanding justice.

“I have discovered that anti-Black racism

in Canada is just as bad as it is across the border, except that here, the perpetrators put a smile on it,” said Onyango. “Just ask the early Black settlers in the Maritimes, out west and in southern Ontario. Ask the West Indians who could only get into Canada in the postwar years through labour schemes because of the whites-only immigration policy. Canada can do better by dismantling the institutionalized white supremacy that robs this country of great talent.”

The organizers of both Black History Ottawa and the Ontario Black History Society hope people from all walks of life will attend their celebrations to educate themselves on Black Canadian history.

For more information on virtual activities in Ottawa throughout the month of February, visit blackhistoryottawa.com. And to find out more about events taking place throughout the province, visit the OBHS website blackhistorysociety.ca.

FOR CUSTOM BLINDS, SHUTTERS, DRAPES & SHEERS

Home Improvement & Design Specialists

Paints | Stains | Window Treatments | Wallpaper Designer Fabrics | Furniture | Flooring Granite & Quartz Countertops

Paint Colour Matching (any brand) | Stain Matching Decorating and Colour Consults

Shop Local

555 Bank St. (FREE parking behind store, off Isabella St.) randalls.ca | 613-233-8441 | bankst@randalls.ca

FOR PAINT & STAIN • Order ahead or last minute – prompt service • Poster-sized, real paint, take-home chips • Ottawa’s go-to place for paint and stain matching – any brand • Professional in-store colour specialists

7 • February 2021

PROMPT IN-STORE SERVICE, TOUCH-FREE PICK-UP OR FREE DELIVERY

• Choose the decorating services you need – from complete interior or exterior decorating services to specific projects, including full colour consult, furniture selection and placement, designer upholstery fabrics and wallpapers, custom and ready-made furniture, countertops, flooring and lighting • Ask about our $99 virtual consultation!

KitchissippiTimes

Sound Reduction Wallcoverings

FOR DÉCOR

kitchissippitimes

• Featuring Hunter Douglas, Shade-O-Matic, Altex and Maxxmar Quality choices for every price point, including motorized operating systems • Guaranteed fit and interest-free financing • Visit our in-store gallery or arrange for a FREE in-home or virtual consultation

Decorating Ottawa & area since 1948!

Residential ~ Commercial ~ Builders

@Kitchissippi

CONSULT WITH A SPECIALIST

kitchissippi.com

“These issues are borderless, so it’s absolutely still important in Canada and we have our own history to be reckoned with,” she said. “It continues to remain important given what unfolded in the spring with social unrest, the Black Lives Matter movement and given what we saw a few weeks back at Capitol Hill in Washington. We continue efforts to disrupt white supremacy and white socialism.”

Onyango agrees, and said Canadians shouldn’t be blindsided by the way Black and marginalized communities have been treated in this country in the past and that white supremacy lives on.

On Oct. 20, 2020, Ottawa Police Const.

Daniel Montsion was found to be not guilty of manslaughter, aggravated assault and assault with a weapon in connection to the 2016 death of 37-year-old Abdirahman Abdi.

Abdi died outside of his Hilda Street apartment in Kitchissippi following the

COMMUNITY NEWS High school students raise over $6,000 for local restaurants and frontline hospital workers

BY MATTHEW HORWOOD

February 2021 • 8

kitchissippi.com

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

KitchissippiTimes

T

hanks to the efforts of two high school students, over $6,000 has been raised to support nine Wellington West restaurants and frontline workers at the Ottawa Hospital.

“The Wellington West Restaurant Initiative” on Crowdfund Canada was started by Glebe Collegiate Institute student Adam Billowits, and Nepean High School student Rohan Kingwell, both of whom are in their final year of high school. 100 per cent of the Crowdfund donations will be used to buy gift cards from independently owned restaurants on Wellington Street, which will then be distributed to staff at the Ottawa Hospital.

Kingwell said he came up with the idea for the Crowdfund while sitting around the dinner table during the summer of 2020. He enlisted the help of his longtime friend Billowits, and the pair began fleshing out the idea in early September. The Wellington West Restaurant Initiative was launched on Crowdfund Canada in early December.

The pair said they were upset by the enormous number of small businesses that were forced to close their doors due to COVID-19 restrictions. And they recognized that seating limitations brought on by the colder weather would make it even harder for restaurants to attract customers.

“We both grew up in this neighborhood and have a connection

to quite a few restaurants, especially the smaller ones like the Istanbouli Shawarma House. So that was why we made the decision,” Kingwell said.

A secondary goal of the Crowdfund was to bring attention to, and show appreciation for, all the frontline workers at the Ottawa Hospital.

“Doctors account for a good percent[age] of them, but there are so many people working tirelessly at the Ottawa Hospital who aren't doctors.

You have nurses, administrative people, janitors, whatever position they may be.

So it's great to help them out because they are all putting their lives at risk,” Billowits said.

In order to set up the initiative, Billowits tried getting help from his high school, Glebe Collegiate Institute.

“But there were some things we had to do, like organizing and advertising, that didn't fall within the COVID[-19] sanctions of the school board.”

Instead, Billowits reached out to the Wellington West BIA for help with setting up the Crowdfund page and coordinating with the restaurants.

Kingwell said a large chunk of the fundraiser involved “going door-todoor and handing out a ton of flyers” in the Westboro and Wellington West neighbourhoods, which they accomplished with the help of 20 of their friends.

The pair worked with the Ottawa Hospital’s representatives to decide on which restaurants to support, and they

High school students Adam Billowits and Rohan Kingwell raised over $6,000 for nine Wellington West restaurants and frontline workers at the Ottawa Hospital.

KITCHISSIPPI TIMES FILE PHOTO.

came up with a total of nine. When the Crowdfund wraps up near the end of the month (January), Billowits will be tasked with collecting the gift cards and delivering them to the hospital.

Both students said the Crowdfund initiative has made clear the importance of volunteering in the local community, especially during a pandemic in which so many small businesses are struggling to survive.

“You’re killing two birds with one stone by helping the frontline workers, as well as the small businesses,” Kingwell said. “So that opened my eyes to helping out the community, and I realized that

it's [a] good thing to do more often. I definitely would be open to doing more stuff like this.”

“We both have obviously felt the effects of COVID-19 on our social lives and academically. But I think it is really valuable for us to be able to tackle a situation outside of just ourselves, and try to positively impact our community in our last year of high school,” Billowits said.

At the time of writing, 75 people had donated to the Wellington West Restaurant Initiative in 48 days. Dozens of messages of support were left on the Crowdfund page.

”You’re killing two birds with one stone by helping the frontline workers, as well as the small businesses.” – Rohan Kingwell, Nepean High School student

Love

Fall In

With

Wellington West Retirement Community

Call Us to Book Your Virtual Tour!

Experience Vibrant Seniors Living

KitchissippiTimes

613-716-6885

www.WellingtonWestRetirement.com

kitchissippitimes

Join our luxurious full service Retirement Community today!

@Kitchissippi

- Studios - One Bedrooms - One Bedrooms + Dens - Two Bedrooms

kitchissippi.com

Our boutique style Retirement Community is a state of the art facility with endless amenities and services.

Offering Independent and Assisted Living in the charming neighbourhood of Wellington West.

9 • February 2021

COMMUNITY NEWS Checking in with Kitchissippi Coun. Leiper

BY CHARLIE SENACK

February 2021 • 10

kitchissippi.com

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

KitchissippiTimes

A

t city hall, 2020 started off as a challenging year with a number of problems with the new light rail system (LRT). But everything changed in a few months when Ottawa came to grips with a global health pandemic.

As we head into 2021, the year is expected to be another busy one for the mayor and team of 23 councillors.

Kitchissippi Times caught up with Coun.

Jeff Leiper to discuss some issues that will be impacting the ward this year.

COVID-19 Unsurprisingly, Leiper says COVID-19 will continue to dominate the headlines.

The City of Ottawa is facing a $135 million deficit if the pandemic lasts another year, a likely scenario with the vaccine rollout in the early stages.

Kitchissippi has felt the impacts of the pandemic hard. To date, 15 small, family-owned businesses have been forced to close their doors in the community due to a loss of revenue caused by countless closures and restrictions.

Leiper said it’s unfortunate to see any businesses close their doors, but admits he imagined worse scenarios.

“I think we are going to pull through this in OK shape,” he said. “At the start of the pandemic, I had horrible visions of walking down Wellington Street and Richmond Road and seeing blocks of empty storefronts. Businesses in the area have certainly been hit hard since COVID[-19] started in March, but they are getting by. We are seeing signs of hope right now that one day all of this will be behind us, and it seems the stayat-home orders are working.”

Dennis Van Staalduinen, executive director of the Wellington West BIA, said many communities around Ottawa

Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper said he believes the ward will pull through the COVID-19 pandemic in “OK shape.”

FILE PHOTO BY ELLEN BOND.

have seen a larger number of businesses close due to a lack of revenue, adding the loss of any business in the tight-knit community is a devastating one.

But while many are finding it hard to stay afloat, others are just opening their doors for the first time.

“We have had a number of new

businesses open up during the past 10 months since COVID[-19] hit, which almost makes up for the number we lost,” Van Staalduinen said. “But at the same time, the businesses that are holding on are basically going through waves of hope, followed by despair...

There are a lot of mixed emotions and it has been a real roller coaster ride.”

Both Leiper and Van Staalduinen said the best way to support one another during the pandemic is to shop local.

On the community’s rate of COVID-19 infections, according to the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study, neighbourhoods in the Kitchissippi ward are remaining stable. From March to December 2020, Westboro saw 70 COVID-19 cases, while Hintonburg/Mechanicsville saw 69.

The neighbourhood of Island Park/ Wellington Village has seen 21 cases and Laurentian had 47 cases. The numbers exclude cases reported in long-term care and retirement homes.

TOM BROWN RESPITE CENTRE During the pandemic, the Tom Brown Arena was turned into the Tom Brown Respite Centre to help those living on the streets. The centre opened on Nov. 2 and has been accessed by those looking for a place to warm up, use the facilities or have a hot shower.

“The Tom Brown Respite Centre has been well used since it first opened and it's a key investment I’m really pleased to see in our neighbourhood,” said Leiper. Not only that, it’s been a place where people are able to go for resources, which is really good. I hope to see it stay open until this pandemic is over. I also hope that the work we are doing now to help the vulnerable in our communities continues, and we are able to still provide this same level of service in a better capacity after COVID[-19].”

MCKELLAR PARK Another municipal development that came out in 2020 was the Ward Boundary Review, which will add another ward and change the boundaries of others. As a result, McKellar Park is slated to move out of Kitchissippi ward and join the neighbouring Bay ward in the 2022 municipal election.

The issue was controversial in McKellar Park, with many residents saying they felt a close identity with the community, while others say the two wards are very similar in nature and it won't mean much change at all.

Leiper said he would have preferred to see the eight blocks of McKellar Park remain in Kitchissippi, but

”We are seeing signs of hope right now that one

day all of this will be behind us, and it seems the stay-at-home orders are working.” – Coun. Jeff Leiper

Justine Bell School Trustee

Zone 10 Somerset/Kitchissippi

LRT CONFEDERATION LINE The issues with the 12.5 km Confederation Line of Ottawa’s LRT system also seem to be ironed out.

When the first stay-at-home orders were implemented, and the city ground to a halt in mid-March, OC Transpo’s ridership numbers fell to new lows. By the fall, revenue was down by roughly 75 per cent, leaving almost $4 million in lost revenue.

But thanks to the decrease in use, the entire system was able to shut down for a number of days to work out issues.

Whenever ridership levels get back to the level they were at — something the city predicts will take years — Leiper is hopeful the system will be in good shape.

It takes a community Justine.Bell@ocdsb.ca @justinegbell

Be kind. Be calm. And be safe.

@TrusteeBell

- Dr. Bonnie Henry

@Kitchissippi

Real Estate Immune to Pandemic

kitchissippi.com

understands the need for the change.

The population of the ward is rapidly growing and the work needs to be spread out to help better serve all residents. This ward boundary change will take about 7,000 constituents out of Kitchissippi ward.

“Kitchissippi is a rapidly growing community and I’m constantly feeling the pressures of the job,” he said. “From the time [I] started as councillor to now, the workload has certainly increased.

We have many development proposals and a lot of big city issues which are currently going on.”

Leiper said Bay ward Coun. Theresa Kavanagh has already reached out to the McKellar Park Community Association to prepare them for the transition.

ALEXANDRA FAULKNER kitchissippitimes

Sales Representative

What a fascinating year it's been for the residential real estate market, where a hot sellers market led to quick sales and record-high prices across the city.

The availability of five-year mortgages under two percent fuelled buyer demand while the fear of COVID-19 kept the supply of listings low in the spring.

The Sir John A. Macdonald winter trail system runs along the Ottawa River. Spanning from Westboro Beach to the War Museum, the trail provides a unique experience and popular outdoor escape in the heart of the nation’s capital.

Many out-of-town buyers, particularly those coming from higher-valued markets, favour ‘walkable’ communities in uniquely picturesque settings and are At the end of 2020, the average house price in Westboro not shy to compete with locals or to set record prices. was $997,158, whereas the average house price in the Faulkner Real Estate’s marketing effectively reaches region was $582,267.

buyers all over the globe at the same time as local buyers. These far away buyers often need to rely on virtual viewings, as there isn't time them to get here.

What will happen in 2021? I don’t know, there are so many variables. It comes down to the basic economic principle of supply and demand and affordability.

If you would like to be informed of listing and sales activity, or you are seeking representation, contact me at 613-231-4663 or Alexandra@HomesInOttawa.com.

11 • February 2021

Unlike many other neighbourhoods nation-wide, homeowners in Ottawa’s ‘walkable’ communities have been enjoying robust seller market conditions for the better part of two decades. They are accustomed to aggressive buyers and nail-biting bidding wars.

KitchissippiTimes

In late March of last year the Province of Ontario deemed real estate an essential service. By May, the number of listings started to gain momentum. Buyer demand continued to outweigh supply for the balance of the year. Ottawa realtors worked hard to make up for the early spring pause and, by year end, the total sales volume set a record-breaking $10 billion compared to $8.2 billion in 2019. The average sale price of residential properties in the entire Ottawa region increased by a whopping 19.7 percent.

COMMUNITY NEWS City settles over $5 million in Westboro bus crash claims, class action motion dismissed

BY MAUREEN MCEWAN

February 2021 • 12

kitchissippi.com

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

KitchissippiTimes

I

n the last two years, the City of Ottawa has paid more than $5 million in legal settlements over the fatal Westboro bus crash.

On Jan. 11, 2019, an OC Transpo bus driver lost control of their double-decker vehicle and collided into the overhang of Westboro Transit Station bus shelter. Judy Booth, Bruce Thomlinson and Anja Van Beek died in the crash and 23 others were left injured.

The City of Ottawa confirmed that 22 statements of claim have been put forward, with two of the three fatality claims settled.

“To date, 30 notices of claim have been served to the City, with 22 Statements of Claim issued, including the class action which is proceeding,” said City of Ottawa Solicitor David White in an email Jan. 13.

“The City and its insurers continue to work with the plaintiff’s counsel to settle claims that are submitted as being ready for settlement. Two of the three fatality claims have been settled. We are actively working on settling other claims and anticipate more plaintiffs will be in a position to settle this year,” White added on Jan. 13. “We have made further advance payments over the course of the year to settle partial claims for plaintiffs who have required financial assistance and are not yet recovered sufficiently to settle their full claims. Total claims paid to date is in excess of $5,000,000. The class action certification motion has been argued and we are waiting on the Court’s decision.”

Shortly after the second anniversary of the crash, the class action motion was dismissed at the Superior Court of Justice.

The plaintiff leading the class action was a passenger who survived the

Westboro bus crash. Justice Callum MacLeod gave his decision on Jan. 21.

“Class proceedings are not to be used to needlessly inflate tragic accidents into public spectacles. As discussed above, I do not consider this particular pleading to be an appropriate vehicle for a class proceeding. Ever if that alone is not fatal to the motion, I am not satisfied on the evidence before me that a class proceeding is either necessary or in the interests of justice. The motion is dismissed,” MacLeod wrote.

The plaintiff has until April 23 to decide whether to change the lawsuit to an individual action, to amend the pleading in order to renew the class action for certification or to discontinue the action.

Two years later, OC Transpo continues to use double-decker buses and the organization said safety is a priority.

“The safety and security of our transit system, customers and employees is OC Transpo’s top priority. Double-decker buses are an integral part of OC Transpo’s fleet and have gone through rigorous testing in all conditions, including ice, snow, traction, wind and rollover testing and, like all OC Transpo vehicles, meet and exceed all applicable safety standards,” said Brandon Richards, chief safety officer with the City of Ottawa, in an email Jan. 13.

“OC Transpo follows related industry best practices, with a focus on continuous improvement with respect to safety and overall service performance. As always, OC Transpo works closely with the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and the City's Fleet Services to ensure continued compliance with MTO standards on vehicle inspections and maintenance,” Richards added.

The trial of the bus driver, Aissatou Diallo, is scheduled for March.

With files from Charlie Senack.

Flowers and candles were left at the Westboro bus shelter in memory of the crash victims the week of Jan. 11, 2019. PHOTO BY CHARLIE SENACK.

A police officer tapes off the area around the crash site at the Westboro bus shelter on Jan. 11, 2019. PHOTO BY CHARLIE SENACK.

start the new year in a brand new apartment Ask about our customized incentive program* Studio, 1 and 2 bed apartments New construction Spacious amenities Remote working lounge Large terrace units Best views in all of Westboro kitchissippi.com

613-288-4287

@Kitchissippi

Scott

clifton road

1960 Scott Street McRae ave

tweedsmuir ave

*Applies only to new leases signed in December Other conditions apply, ask us for details.

St

communities@colonnadebridgeport.ca Conveniently located across from the Westboro transit station.

13 • February 2021

FarmBoy Grocery, Bridgehead Coffee and other services on-site.

Scott

St

KitchissippiTimes

westboroConnection.com westboroConnection.com

kitchissippitimes

book online to schedule a tour

COMMUNITY NEWS Unsafe At Home Ottawa on ‘concerning’ stay-at-home order, expansion of services

THANK A YOU "We would like to thank all of our amazing clients and wonderful community for their ongoing support. We look forward to another great year positively impacting the lives of our clients and community while being the best REALTORS® we can be!"

kitchissippi.com

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

KitchissippiTimes

BY MAUREEN MCEWAN

Sarah Toll

February 2021 • 14

Broker

Susan Chell Broker

Patti Brown Sales Rep

Contact us at 613-563-1717 to arrange a virtual market evaluation or buyer consultation.

s the province declared its second state of emergency and issued a stay-at-home order in mid-January, some nonprofits and service providers considered the potential negative impacts on vulnerable populations.

Locally, Unsafe At Home Ottawa has been providing a secure text and online chat service for women who may be living through violence and abuse at home during the pandemic.

Carina Maggiore, Unsafe At Home Ottawa project coordinator, said the organization wasn’t surprised by the Jan. 14 order but they were worried about it.

“We kind of saw it coming, but it is concerning because higher levels of isolation always lead to higher levels of domestic violence — so more frequent, more severe — and it leads to people needing more supports at a time when there’s already so many mental health supports and violence against women supports that are stretched to the limit,” Maggiore said.

“It’s a little concerning to see how we’re going to be able to continue working and supporting the people who need it the most, but we’re going to continue giving our services,” she added.

Unsafe At Home Ottawa was launched in April 2020 to provide a “safe space to reach out for help,” according to the organization. Maggiore said at the beginning, from April to July, the service was very busy.

“These were times of great uncertainty and people were connecting with the service a lot to have information and to just get through the pandemic,” she said.

“And then things picked up again during

the holiday season.”

By Jan. 14, the organization had recorded 1,146 calls or times that individuals reached out to the service since it was launched last spring.

“We’ve had quite a lot of users and we’ve seen that the service filled a very big need that was not being seen to before,” Maggiore said.

Interval House Ottawa is a partner of Unsafe At Home Ottawa and also has its own crisis line service. Maggiore said that they haven’t noticed a decline in calls on the Interval House line, despite the high number of Unsafe At Home users.

“We can see that it’s filling a need that wasn’t being filled before, it’s not taking away from services that are already running,” she reiterated.

Over the last months, Unsafe At Home Ottawa has adapted to different needs by expanding its services geographically and by serving more demographics.

“Our services have been extended to the Lanark County area — originally they were only for the Ottawa residents, but now they’ve been extended. And they’ve also been extended to include members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community,” she said.

With the provincial vaccine rollout underway, Maggiore said she’s hopeful that the current COVID-19 measures and lockdowns won’t last as long and that people will be able to access their supports again fully, go back to work and their regular activities and be more connected in their communities soon.

Maggiore added that they think Unsafe At Home Ottawa is here to stay.

“Unsafe at Home will continue supporting as much as we can and we hope to be around past the pandemic,” she said. “This is a service that we’ve

OTTAWA’S ONLINE FARMERS MARKET COMING TO YOUR FRONT DOOR!

2020

The Beechwood Market has a new pick-up location near you!

Starting February 6th, you can pick up your local produce at the Cloud Forest Café at 339 Richmond Road.

Delivery also available for a $5 flat fee!

For the full scoop visit beechwoodmarket.ca Also check us out on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

kitchissippi.com @Kitchissippi kitchissippitimes

Unsafe At Home Ottawa has extended its services to Lanark County and it is also offering support now to members of the LBGTQ2S+ community. PHOTOS COURTESY OF KARIN TORREY AND UNSAFE AT HOME OTTAWA.

WE’RE READY

to help your child explore Register Now for Kindergarten

ocdsb.ca/kindergarten

15 • February 2021

For anyone needing support, Maggiore encourages them to connect with Unsafe At Home Ottawa through text (613-704-5535) or reach out through the website’s online chat at unsafeathomeottawa.ca/chat-text/.

The services are available seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to midnight and they are secure, confidential and bilingual.

“We can give them support; we can give them resources or referrals; we can help them safety plan; we can refer them to shelters — really, we do all of those things,” Maggiore said. “And if we can’t help you, we will definitely put you into contact with someone who can help you.”

KitchissippiTimes

seen has been necessary and useful in pandemic times but also, past the COVID-19 crisis, is going to be necessary as well.”

“The response has been wonderful from the community — we have many community partners who have really helped us out. We’re funded in part by the United Way of Eastern Ontario, and that’s also wonderful to have them on our side.”

That network of community partners is wide and includes the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women, Crime Prevention Ottawa, Western Ottawa Resource Centre, Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre, Ottawa Victims Services, Lanark County Services, Kind Space and Interval House of Ottawa.

GIVING Winter boots are made for walking: Bigger Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser expected

BY MAUREEN MCEWAN

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

KitchissippiTimes

T

February 2021 • 16

kitchissippi.com

Cornerstone Executive Director Sarah Davis (left) and Resource Development Manager Amber Bramer (right) sport their Coldest Night of the Year toques and masks in January.

PHOTO BY JAKE NAYLOR, WHISKEY JACK MEDIA

he second annual Coldest Night of the Year Ottawa Westboro event looks like it will surpass last year’s, despite going virtual due to COVID-19.

Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) is a national, annual winter walk to “raise money for charities serving people experiencing homelessness, hurt, and hunger” that was first launched in 2011, according to the event website. In the last decade, over $33.5 million has been raised in 149 communities across Canada.

Local nonprofit Cornerstone Housing for Women hosted Kitchissippi’s first CNOY last year to raise money for, and awareness about, women’s housing in Ottawa. 103 walkers participated in 13 teams.

This year’s event is set for Feb. 20. On Cornerstone’s CNOY page, there were 140 walkers registered in 34 teams and already $18,865 raised (75 per cent of the $25,000 goal) by noon on Jan. 27.

“It really is a perfect event during COVID[-19] because you can go with your household,” said Amber Bramer,

Catherine McKenna M.P. for Ottawa Centre Députée de Ottawa-Centre

Please wear your mask!

SVP portez votre masque!

resource development manager at Cornerstone Housing for Women. “You can sign up your team; you can go with your household and you can go on those two or five kilometre walks in the Westboro BIA to support Cornerstone.”

Cornerstone Housing for Women provides “emergency shelter and safe affordable permanent housing” for women at multiple locations across the city, its website states. The organization houses nearly 200 women per day.

In 2018, a supportive housing residence was opened on Princeton Avenue in Westboro offering housing to 42 women.

“This event was really appealing to us because it helped to bring the community together to just reflect on the importance of housing,” said Bramer on the first CNOY in 2020. “And I think when you get to see and feel the bitter coldness of Ottawa that we know, and can think about the fact that 1,000 women in our city become homeless every year, it can be extremely impactful to community members to see how important housing is, and how important shelter services are to the women in the city.”

Constituency Office Bureau de circonscription : Telephone | Téléphone : 613-946-8682 Email | Courriel : Catherine.McKenna@parl.gc.ca

sponsored by

CATHERINE

MCKENNA

Member of Parliament, Ottawa Centre

”We’re all kind of in this together and [this] is a great activity in the cold that we can all go out and do.”

– Amber Bramer, resource development manager at Cornerstone Housing for Women

PHOTO BY JAKE NAYLOR, WHISKEY JACK MEDIA.

COVID-19 support could be available to you.

• Grants of up to $20,000 through the Ontario Small Business Support Grant • Up to $1,000 in support for purchasing PPE through Ontario's Main Street Relief Grant • Rebates for property tax and energy costs

@Kitchissippi kitchissippitimes

We’re working to ensure small businesses can keep employing people and serving their communities now and when COVID-19 is behind us.

Paid for by the Government of Ontario

17 • February 2021

Visit ontario.ca/COVIDsupport to apply

KitchissippiTimes

“Because we were new to the Westboro area, it was a great opportunity for Cornerstone to really get into the Westboro community,” Bramer added.

Ottawa is facing overlapping crises, Bramer said — including the ongoing housing crisis in Ottawa, increased violence against women, the opioid crisis and the pandemic — making the last 12 months very difficult for women in the city.

At the O’Connor Street shelter, Bramer said Cornerstone was supporting 61 women, but there wasn’t a lot of space in the older building for COVID-19 physical distancing. They also had to turn many women away because there weren’t enough spaces available.

In response, Cornerstone opened a new, temporary physically-distanced centre in December, in partnership with the City of Ottawa and Shepherds of Good Hope, to ensure services could continue.

“Cornerstone runs the shelter and we now are supporting around 100 women, and that’s expected to go up to 120. So double the amount of women we were serving,” Bramer said on the new space.

Calling small business owners

kitchissippi.com

Cornerstone Resource Development Manager Amber Bramer. Photo by Jake Naylor, Whiskey Jack Media.

“So there’s a huge housing crisis, I think, and a huge need for a safe space for women, a womens’ only shelter in the city.”

COVID-19 has changed the CNOY Ottawa Westboro event in different ways.

There is no registration fee this year — teams are just asked to fundraise.

Bramer said the average team size is less than five people, a noticeable difference compared to last year’s higher average, which shows that participants are creating smaller household teams to respect pandemic restrictions. For safety, there is also a “touchless drop off point” for team captains to pick up CNOY swag and any event materials.

And there are no CNOY volunteers.

Last year, 61 people helped with registration and route coordination at the All Saints’ Church “start and stop location,” and collaborated with the Westboro BIA and other community partners. Bramer encourages those individuals to participate once again if they can.

“We’re hoping those volunteers come out and walk for us [or] help spread the word if they can’t afford to support us monetarily,” she said.

So while this year will be a different walk, Bramer said it is important to remember the solidarity behind it.

“We’re all kind of in this together and [this] is a great activity in the cold that we can all go out and do,” she said.

To learn more about CNOY Ottawa Westboro, visit cnoy.org or follow Cornerstone Housing for Women on social media.

COMMUNITY NEWS ‘Incredible collaboration:' Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization builds pandemic partnerships

BY MATTHEW HORWOOD

February 2021 • 18

kitchissippi.com

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

KitchissippiTimes

F

ewer arrivals of new immigrants to Ottawa has not translated to fewer service needs for clients of the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO).

Leslie Emory, executive director of OCISO, said there has been a 30-40 per cent decrease in new immigrants to Ottawa due to the pandemic. But because of COVID-19, the needs of immigrants have increased in the areas of food security, housing and mental health.

Thankfully, OCISO is an organization

well suited to meet the increased demands. Since 1978, it has been serving approximately 10,000 immigrants and refugees every year from its three Ottawa locations, including one in Hintonburg (945 Wellington St. W.).

Emory said all OCISO programs are intended to support the settlement and integration of newcomers into Canada.

When immigrants first arrive in Ottawa, they are given settlement support in “things people need to be able to know about to settle into the city,” like finding housing, getting a health card and learning to navigate public transit, Emory said.

The programs OCISO offers to newcomers are extensive and multifaceted.

The organization offers free, full-time “Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada” classes to over 125 immigrants and their children. According to Emory, students will go from having pre-literacy, (meaning they are not literate in their own language) to graduating with full language proficiency and being able to gain employment in Canada.

The Community Economic Development program provides career mentoring and networking programs, supporting newcomers in obtaining employment

in their field, understanding Canadian workplace culture and building networks.

The organization’s youth programming for ages 13 to 24 supports students through workshops; special events and programs in areas of fitness and wellness, yoga, self-care and finding employment.

OCISO’s Counselling Program is uniquely equipped to support people with a history of mental health issues, or those experiencing post-migration stressors. Many newcomers to Canada have experienced trauma and may even require post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) support, according to Emory, and OCISO’s counsellors are specialized in

SPONSORED CONTENT

Parlez-vous Français?

Retraite en Action has you covered

H

ave you been wanting to challenge yourself and become fully bilingual? Whether you’re a life long ‘francophile,’ or a retiring civil servant hoping to keep your French speaking abilities fine-tuned, Retraite en Action (REA) can help expand your mind, and help you stay connected to a network of people through an online Francophone community. There’s never been a better time to take advantage of online activities and classes offered exclusively in French!

REA is a 1100+ community member-based organization offering a wide range of virtual classes and activities seulement en Français! Classes are specially curated with French-speaking retirees and semi-retirees in mind. REA encourages and welcomes new members who may want to connect with different cultures in the community. There are several members of French African and Maghrebians descent who would love to stay connected with other French speaking seniors — REA offers them a virtual home away from home with its unique online Franco-community. And REA proudly welcomes all French speaking members of Indigenous and LGTBTQ+ communities.

Winter activities to explore Start your day off right! Sign up for REA’s online exercise classes offered every morning Monday through Saturday, with fun activities to help you stay fit. Whether it’s lowimpact cardio sessions to stay fit, or a safe stretching and strengthening you seek for flexibility, you can find it all in the click of a button.

Bring out your inner chef with free “C’est Bon Cooking” classes…en Français, s’il vous plaît! Learn the basics of classic French culinary techniques for staples like Hollandaise sauce and aiolis from the comfort of your own home.

Discover Art History and musicians from around the world in “Musique du Monde.” Learn more about the

successes of legendary musicians like Frank Sinatra. Love to dance? Dance to the beat with “Danse Groove” classes!

One class, one ancient society at a time: Learn about ancient civilizations like Greece and Egypt, or the history of charming European regions in Spain, Italy, France.

Feel like you’re in school again with unique, deep dive classes like “Bird Brains” that look at the cognition and memory of animals through online lectures with University of Ottawa. Or how about a writing workshop that encourages immigrants to tell their stories through their own words?

Now, until the end of March, REA is offering free virtual activities for all French speaking seniors in the province through select programs thanks to the provincial 2020-21 Seniors Community Grant Program. The recent funding from the City of Ottawa means even more online activities have been added to the evening schedule throughout the lockdown — bonus! For more information on select free classes for seniors, like “Our Great Explorers: Cruise in South America and Antarctica,” contact Anne Marie Laurendeau at info@retraiteenaction.ca, or (613) 860 -1099 Ext. 1, or visit retraiteenaction.ca for details. All classes are in French.

Check out the full 2021 Winter Activities Schedule!

Family storytime at LINC (Language Instruction For Newcomers to Canada) school.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OCISO.

together after the arrival of the Syrians in 2015. It’s been an incredible time for the community,” she said.

Going forward, OCISO plans to implement a “hybrid program” with inperson and virtual services.

“I envision that, as we hit summertime, we will see a return to normalcy,” Emory said. “Both our workers and clients are so looking forward to getting back to face-toface services. When that happens, it will be a happy day.”

POUR SES MEMBRES,

613-860-1099 | retraiteenaction.ca

19 • February 2021

par ses membres!

KitchissippiTimes

ACTIVITÉS VIRTUELLES

kitchissippitimes

Retraite en Action offre des activités DANS L’OUEST D’OTTAWA

@Kitchissippi

enRETRAITE ACTION

services, and in a home with many people they may not have that,” Emory said.

Even still, OCISO has continued working diligently to connect immigrants with appropriate supports, including through collaborating with dozens of community partners.

“Ottawa is an amazing city for how we connect among social service providers to provide necessary supports, and under COVID-19 it's been no exception. There has been incredible collaboration,” she said.

2020 also marked the five-year anniversary of the arrival of Syrian refugees to the National Capital Region. Emory said OCISO was “deeply involved” in their settlement, and the organization has a large percentage of Syrian refugees in all their programs, including several working as volunteers and employees.

“In the ways our organization came together during COVID-19, we equally came

kitchissippi.com

assisting clients with those issues.

The final pillar of OCISO is settlement support in schools. Emory said OCISO has over 20 counsellors in various schools across Ottawa that act as a “liaison between students, parents and teachers, to integrate them into schools and give them academic success.”

Like most organizations, OCISO was forced to make a “100 per cent pivot” to virtual services in March of last year.

OCISO transitioned back to delivering in-person services in August, only to have to pivot back online completely in December.

The pivot to online services has not been easy for many of OCISO’s more vulnerable clients.

“We've been working hard to support their access, but when you have language barriers and people with no knowledge of that technology, it becomes difficult.

Sometimes people need privacy to receive

EARLY DAYS Winter ward fun: The history of outdoor recreation in Kitchissippi KitchissippiTimes

BY DAVE ALLSTON

A Westboro Kiwanis Hockey League players at the Cole Avenue rink on Jan. 8, 1957.

kitchissippi.com

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

PHOTO CA042670 COURTESY OF THE CITY OF OTTAWA ARCHIVES.

JUST SOLD

Sun & Space in Westboro Single 4-bed, 4-bath contemporary. 674B EDISON AVENUE | Listed at $1,250,000

NEW LISTING

NEW LISTING

February 2021 • 20

Byward Market Historic Semi

Historic, charming 2-bedroom semi-detached.

193 CUMBERLAND ST | Listed at $424,900

Pretty, Pretty Westboro Single

Lovely reno’d single with an extra deep backyard.

509 ROOSEVELT | Call for details

working together to support local, and strengthen community

home@dianeandjen.com 613-422-8688

dianeandjen.com

Engel & Völkers Ottawa Central, Brokerage. Independently owned and operated

s we approach a full year of living in a pandemic, one of the hardest adjustments for many of us has been the loss of our physical activity routines. With extended closures of gyms, community centres, sports leagues and schools, Kitchissippi residents have turned to traditional outdoor recreation options more than ever to help get through these challenging times.

Local rink and trail volunteers are getting well-deserved extra kudos this year for managing operations under constantly changing regulations. And it is with those generous individuals in mind that there could be no better topic for “Early Days” this month than the history of local outdoor winter fun.

By the 1860s, ice skating had become a popular new trend in cold-weather countries.

For a relatively small cost, a person could purchase a specially-made blade that was tied to a regular boot, creating instant skates!

(Later, a clamping or screw-in blade was offered, which was not immediately popular, as it required the sacrifice of a pair of shoes as skates).

What made skating so appealing was that it was one of the few recreational activities of the era which was enjoyed by men and women, young and old, rich and poor — people of every background, sharing in the same pastime together.

Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, a popular 19th century American magazine, called skating the “National Winter Exercise,” and in Ottawa, the situation was no different.

The phenomenon caught on as citizens made their way onto the Ottawa River and the canal on skates.

Ottawa merchants began stocking skates, and it became fashionable for politicians

and the wealthy to host skating parties.

Evening skating was occasionally made possible by the arranging of trains at a station, or roundhouse, near the river with their headlights pointed towards the shore.

In 1860, the Ottawa Citizen quoted a local doctor as saying that “skating cannot be too highly extolled as an amusement,” adding it “virtually imparts new life to the nervous system, derived from the pure and bracing atmosphere, which is highly charged with oxygen and electricity.” Meanwhile, a British magazine called skating “the nearest approach to flying of which the human being is as yet capable.”

The popularity of skating led to advances in skate and ice technologies, and to the emergence of skating and ice-based sports, most notably hockey, cricket on ice and speed skating. But such sports were initially considered “unworthy of a true skater’s attention,” and it was the ruin of leisurely skating parties when a hockey game would break out.

The many tragedies of thin ice led to a push for the establishment of local rinks, covered rinks and even enclosed rinks. Ottawa actually saw its first arena, the “Ottawa Skating and Curling Club,” open in 1865 on Slater Street (on what is today Confederation Park).

In the late 1800s, the winters would have been cold, harsh and isolating. Richmond Road was a maintained toll road, but people lived mostly without any services — no piped water or sewers, no snow removal, no public recreation facilities.

But the winters would bring residents down to the banks of the Ottawa River where skating could be enjoyed, particularly inside the log booms, or on frozen ponds on former farms.

Later, the odd local rink in a growing neighbourhood would be established by a

sponsored by

favourites in Canada. Skiing was a favourite for some (who used staves from wood barrels as skis to glide down the canal), but this sport would find its popularity after the arrival of cars which made it easier to travel to the mountains. The Ottawa Ski Club was formed in 1910 largely after an influx of Scandinavian immigrants to the city.

Children of all eras have enjoyed hill sliding. In the 1870s, a favourite activity for the settler Hintonburg kids was to climb Somerset Street hill to the top at Booth Street, and slide all the way down to where the bridge now starts. Cars and streetcars were a worry that was many years away.

Another fad of the early 20th century was tobogganing, and for one magical year in 1914, Westboro was the place to be. A massive toboggan slide was built as a private enterprise by residents David Latimer and J.A. Leech.

Continues on page 22

A depiction of the “National Winter Exercise” in 1866. PHOTO COURTESY OF FRANK LESLIE’S ILLUSTRATED NEWSPAPER.

F S O C AL R L E U SI V E X E D L SO

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Heritage 5 Bed 164waverley.com

HINTONBURG, Loft style living condo 604-320parkdale.com

Specializing in Ottawa’s Finest Neighbourhoods

DEAN CAILLIER 613-299-6243 deancaillier.com dean.caillier@evrealestate.com © 2021 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage is independently owned and operated.

Not intended to solicit homes currently for sale.

21 • February 2021

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

EMERALD WOODS, 4 Bed, backing NCC 2705wyldewood.com

KitchissippiTimes

Happy 2021, everyone!

Stay well.

WESTBORO, 4 Bed + Den 704brierwood.com

kitchissippitimes

The colour yellow.

According to colour experts, yellow stimulates happiness and creative energy. When selling a home, though, too much yellow can have a negative impact. Painting a complete room or a whole floor with striking, vibrant colours can be too much, according to stagers I work with. Even though it’s just paint that’s easy to change, strong colours can turn away buyers.

There may be colours in your home that represent your personality, but when you list your property for sale, it isn’t about you—it’s about appealing to a broader audience.

I recently prepared a home for sale which had loud, vibrant colours throughout. When I brought my stager through, she immediately said those colours have to go. A more neutral greige—a combination of grey and beige— was selected, which sounds boring but helped to depersonalize the home and allow potential buyers to focus on the space rather then the

colours; a buyer needs to be able to picture themselves living there.

We didn’t just stop at painting; we also removed a wall between the dining and kitchen area. The wall had created a dark, closed space for both the dining room and kitchen. Once the wall was gone, the whole room opened up. Natural light beamed through and offered a better flow with the open concept that will appeal to most buyers. Out-of-date furniture was replaced with pieces that better reflect the current trends, and neutral artwork replaced personal photos.

Everything described above may sound like a lot of work and expense, but with the guidance of a Realtor who has the knowledge, expertise and resources to execute the work properly, the cost to prepare your home for sale may result in a quicker sale and at a price you’re hoping for.

F SA OR L E

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

F SA OR L E

Getting Ready to Sell Your Home

@Kitchissippi

SPONSORED CONTENT

kitchissippi.com

local entrepreneur, or community-minded volunteer, with access to water pumped from a well. Some early 20th century attempts included a rink at Bethany Presbyterian Church at Parkdale and Gladstone (now Parkdale United Church), a rink run by Jonas Bullman on his property (where 31 Sherbrooke Ave. stands today) and one run by the local Boys Club at Wellington and Hamilton.

Westboro-way, there was a rink at a prime location on Richmond Road just west of Churchill Avenue (about where The Works stands today), that was operated by Patrick Mears for several years pre-WWI. Mears came close to securing support for the construction of an enclosed arena in 1913, but the $8,000 cost was just too high. Westboro instead had to wait 46 years for Lions Park Arena.

Of course, skating and hockey weren’t the only winter recreation options. Snowshoeing and sleigh driving had always been traditional

EARLY DAYS

February 2021 • 22

kitchissippi.com

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

KitchissippiTimes

Winter ward fun Continues from p.21 A 1,000 ft. run built on trestles off the cliff behind Churchill School shot children and adults, who purchased a day or season pass, down a huge slide that took the route of today’s Lower Byron Avenue. The initiative lost money and did not return in 1915.

But the toboggan craze was real, and kids across the city were sliding on whatever makeshift material they could find, down any hill or (dangerously) any street. The Civic Playgrounds Committee in 1919, under pressure from the citizenry, established a city-run sledding hill on the south bank of the canal by the Bank Street Bridge. The following year, other locations were added, including one on Parkdale Avenue (at today’s Parkdale Market). City workers would arrive in December and construct the “slides,”

which would provide endless winter fun.

Unfortunately, the Parkdale slide lasted only until 1924, when the city scaled back its efforts, apparently due to large numbers of kids picking up skiing instead.

Professional sports caught on in the 1920s and organized sports fell in behind.

When the depression hit in 1929, the local playground leagues allowed kids and adults alike to escape their difficult lives briefly with competitive sports. The city established and maintained local rinks, keeping them in particularly good condition for hockey.

The west end saw Plouffe Park have a maintained rink beginning in 1918 (which also featured the city’s only speed track beginning in 1924). Wellington Village’s new park, Fisher Park, started life in 1920 as a skating rink, but in December of 1926 became

sponsored by

the city’s sixth official outdoor hockey rink.

The Playgrounds Hockey League was very organized, with multiple age divisions, and was very competitive, with strict rules about age and residency (preseason weigh-ins were even required). Teams representing Fisher Park were formed and travelled to other rinks across the city. That same month, Laroche Park saw its first city-run skating rink open.

Over time, new rinks would be added at other Kitchissippi locales such as McKellar Park (1951); Dovercourt (1950); Iona Park (1980); Elmgrove Park (1946); Champlain Park (1927, though not civic-run until 1945); Fairmont Park (1947); and Ev Tremblay Park (1971, named for the founder of the popular old Ottawa Cradle Hockey League).

When the city began building enclosed arenas, the organized playground leagues disappeared, and the maintenance of local rinks fell to residents.

The highlight feature each year for all of

the parks was, and continues to be (in nonpandemic times, of course), the annual winter carnivals. Fisher Park hosted its first event in February 1922, a “Fancy Dress Carnival” (Champlain Park’s first carnival in 1927 also had the same title), which drew 300 skaters in costume and 500 spectators. At its peak in the 1950s, Fisher Park’s carnival would attract 5,000 people for day-long games and races, featuring a parade of students representing each of the local schools, and a fireworks display in the evening. Old newspaper accounts indicate that the carnivals at all of Kitchissippi’s parks practically drew out the entire neighbourhood for the day.

Though we won’t have carnivals or even outdoor hockey in 2021, a silver lining of the pandemic may be that many Kitchissippi residents have rediscovered more traditional outdoor recreation ideas than they ever imagined, and have discovered they are having just as much fun.

JOIN US FOR A

V I RT UA L PA I N T AFTERNOON Amica Westboro Park, a senior lifestyles residence, is hosting our third Virtual Paint Afternoon! Prior to the event, our team members will deliver a package and paint. Then simply tune in from the comfort of your home and follow along as our talented instructor guides you through each step of the painting process.

@Kitchissippi

All experience levels are welcome.

J O I N U S AT T H E E V E N T

Wednesday, February 24 | 3:00-4:00pm

■

JULIA OR ERIN AT 613-728-9274

kitchissippitimes

RSVP BY FEBRUARY 19

kitchissippi.com

of supplies to your door, including canvas, brushes

KitchissippiTimes

12213AMI_WB_PaintingAd_FA.indd 1

A M IC A .C A / W E S T B OROPA R K

2021-01-25 3:11 PM

23 • February 2021

4 91 R I C H M O N D R O A D

BUSINESS ‘Look out for Moissy:’ Westboro’s newest jewellery store set to sparkle

BY MAUREEN MCEWAN

February 2021 • 24

kitchissippi.com

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

KitchissippiTimes

A

global pandemic hasn’t slowed Colleen Montague down. The co-owner of Moissy Fine Jewellery just opened a third North American location in three years.

In 2018, the flagship store opened in Toronto. The company’s first U.S. location set up shop in Chandler, Arizona in 2019. And this November, Montague cut the ribbon at its Ottawa location at 431 Richmond Rd. The company decided to set up shop in Westboro to be closer to its eastern Ontario and Quebec customer base.

“Moissy Fine Jewellery is the only store of its kind in Canada,” Montague said.

“A lot of our customers travel from quite a distance to visit the showroom (Toronto), and we had a lot of our customers that were coming from the Ottawa area [and] the [Montreal area], so we thought that we could serve that audience better by being a little bit closer,” she added.

If you didn’t guess from their brand, the company specializes in products featuring Moissanite gemstones. Moissanite (silicon carbide) was discovered in the 1890s by Henri Moissan, a French chemist and Nobel

Prize winner, in Arizona. A century later, a “patented process for creating pure silicon carbide” was created, bringing the gemstone to the market, according to Moissy Fine Jewellery.

Montague said that the gemstone has a lot to offer to customers.

“Moissanite jewellery is like the new aged bridal collection. Moissanite is a labcreated gemstone, so it’s guaranteed to last forever, it’s conflict-free — there’s no mining involved,” she said.

“It’s going to be more durable, it’s going to last a lifetime. So it’s going to be a better option than say a cubic zirconia, but it’s also going to come into that price point that is affordable, so it’s going to be more attractive than diamond jewellery shopping,” she added.

Affordability has been especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic.

More and more, Montague said customers are seeking alternatives to traditional jewellery options.

“Once COVID[-19] hit, and jobs [were] lost, the first thing that goes is that disposable income and you really have to think hard about how you’re going to spread that disposable income,” she said.

“If you still want to get married, then you’re looking for alternatives that are going to be more affordable,” she added.

“And that’s where Moissy Fine Jewellery and moissanite comes in.”

Years ago, Montague said she discovered moissanite in a similar way. She was looking

to upgrade the centre stone in her diamond ring to something bigger but she and her husband were shocked by the prices at the time.

“It just wasn’t viable for us, where we were in our life, we had other places we wanted to invest our money — home, kids and things like that — so I started to browse around for an alternative because I’ve always just loved jewellery.”

After searching online, she purchased a piece of moissanite to replace the centre stone and “absolutely loved it.” Montague then began doing some market research on moissanite. She quickly found that there wasn’t much industry information available.

“I realized there was a lot of pushback towards the product. My traditional jewellers were selling me diamonds and they only wanted to sell me diamonds. They weren’t really interested in talking to me about moissanite,” she said. “And that’s when the lightbulb went off.”

Montague has built the company up in its three locations, and Moissy Fine Jewellery is looking to expand further, but the last year hasn’t been without its challenges.

“Like every other small business, it’s been tough to navigate and we’ve had to make changes and make them quickly,” she said.

“Our business model was a showroom model, so we were really encouraging people to visit us in the store.”

From the beginning, Montague said that the company has been adapting to the fast pace of how modern jewellery customers shop — online services like ecommerce and social media have been central to what they do.

“It’s been a long time since jewellery stores have seen a change. A lot of jewellery stores are family-owned businesses that go back many, many years and sometimes there is a little bit of pushback when it comes to doing things a new way, a modern way, including

”Moissanite is a lab-created

gemstone, so it’s guaranteed to last forever.” —Colleen Montague, co-owner of Moissy Fine Jewellery

Affordable, Clean, Secure, Central technology,” Montague said. “That’s what we’re able to do because we’re a younger company — our whole team is built of young entrepreneurs with young creative minds.

We’re able to create products that have a newer look to them.”

So far, Moissy Fine Jewellery is happy in its new home. Montague said they’ve had good feedback and support from the Kitchissippi community.

“We’re so happy to be in the Westboro area.

We’re really excited about being able to serve the community of Ottawa. And just look out for Moissy — we have lots of plans to expand,” she said.

(Bottom) Co-owner Colleen Montague stands outside of Moissy Fine Jewellery’s new location in Westboro. PHOTO BY

√ Inside Storage √ Over 600 Lockers √ Climate Controlled √ Over 100 √ 7 Days/Week Different Sizes

SARAH AMY JULES/AMY JULES PHOTOGRAPHY.

340 Parkdale Avenue

(Left) Montague said moissanite jewellery is “the new aged bridal collection.” PHOTO BY SARAH AMY JULES/AMY JULES PHOTOGRAPHY.

(between Wellington & Scott)

613-729-2130

www.parkdaleministorage.com

Our office is here for you with:

MPP / Député provincial, Ottawa Centre

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

P: 613-722-6414 E: JHarden-CO@ndp.on.ca www.joelharden.ca

kitchissippi.com

Monthly Town Halls Canvasses Community Organizing Help Accessing Government Services

@Kitchissippi kitchissippitimes KitchissippiTimes

25 • February 2021

February 2021 • 26

kitchissippi.com

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

KitchissippiTimes

BUSINESS

Jessie Lyon, Pokoloko co-owner, stands inside the Cloud Forest X Pokoloko store on 339 Richmond Rd.

Pop-up to permanent: Inside the Cloud Forest X Pokoloko store in Westboro Village.

(This page and next)

‘A really nice sort of synergy:’ Cloud Forest X Pokoloko stays on Richmond Road STORY AND PHOTOS BY TED SIMPSON

M

aking the jump from pop-up to permanent fixture on the Westboro main street, the Cloud Forest Coffee X Pokoloko shop is hoping to bring not only great quality products but also a reminder of the individuals abroad who make these luxuries possible.

Francis Bueckert, owner of Cloud Forest Coffee, saw potential last fall in a vacant Richmond Road shop, formerly David’s Tea, that had already been set up for a café and retail space. Teaming up with his old friends at Pokoloko textiles, they dove into creating the storefront of their dreams. Now they’ve stepped up from a two-month holiday trial run, to signing a two-year lease at the Westboro location (339 Richmond Rd.).

Both companies were born from very similar stories, with the owners taking

inspiration from the people they met while travelling in South and Central America.

They returned home with entrepreneurial spirits and a desire to give back to the makers whom they learned from along the way.

Bueckert found his calling while studying abroad in Ecuador.

“My teacher had already been serving us this coffee; she would make a pot before class in the morning,” he said. “And I loved it so much, I decided to go volunteer at the coffee cooperative.”

In a remote mountain valley, Bueckert saw how local farmers grew organic coffee beans at high elevations under the shade of native trees in the cloud forest. He said he learned about their struggles to protect the natural environment against Canadian mining operations that come there looking for copper and gold.

“Initially, I brought a suitcase full of coffee back, and I was able to roast it myself,” said Bueckert. “I started really small, with just friends and family, selling it as a side project.”

At Pokoloko, they carry textiles and apparel from a global network of artisans.

Owners Jessie Lyon and Case Bakker bonded over their experiences travelling in South America. The pair had an idea that would marry business with their personal ethics. They bought 100 blankets made by an Ecuadorian couple that Bakker had befriended on his travels, and drove around the Ottawa Valley selling them to merchants and gift shops.

Before long, they were back for another order of 100 more blankets.

“At that point, the couple making them were so excited they said, ‘you guys are so crazy,’” said Lyon. “And in Spanish that’s

‘Poco loco,’ so that’s how the name came about.”

At the time of writing, the Westboro shop is closed due to provincial COVID-19 restrictions. While Cloud Forest could still technically operate for takeout, Pokoloko are a non-essential retailer, and therefore not allowed to open for in-person shopping.

Because of the disruption to the shop’s original intent, they’ve decided to shut down completely for a one-month period, hoping to open their doors again on Feb. 16.

Lyon says they are all eager to get back to business.

“The Westboro community is incredible; everyone’s been super welcoming; everyone comes in with their dogs and their kids and is really supportive and curious about what we’re doing,” said Lyon. “They’ve really inspired us, so it’s a really nice sort of synergy and that has worked out really well.”

kitchissippi.com

DocuSign Envelope ID: EC4E6C20-B1ED-439E-8E1E-F5FB52BC3419

FOR SALE

Field

Kitchen

Kim Xia

KealeyGroup, Office Manager

Brendan Kealey**

Liam Kealey**

Korey Kealey**

**Broker

Responsibly helping families during Covid-19. CALL OR EMAIL FOR A VIDEO TOUR

Tel: 613.369.5882 Cell: 613.698.8876 liam@kealeygroup.com

JUST SOLD

Centretown

27 • February 2021

COMING SOON Hintonburgh duplex

Glebe 5 bedrooms on great street

KitchissippiTimes

Landsdowne Penthouse level overlooking stadium and Canal $1,800,000

FOR SALE

kitchissippitimes

Over 2500 Homes Sold!

@Kitchissippi

WE KN W WESTBORO

Cheers to the first roundup of 2021!

As always, we’ve caught up with our neighbourhood BIAs to learn about the latest business news in Kitchissippi. Here are some of the headlines.

end of January. This is the fourth location that Ottawa’s “local scone shop” has opened. Due to the provincial restrictions, SconeWitch is currently offering takeout scones, sandwiches, salads and beverages.

New kids on the block

At the end of 2020, Pokoloko and Cloud Forest Coffee teamed up for a holiday pop-up in Westboro Village. Great news: They’ve decided to call 339 Richmond Rd. home! To read more on the story, check out the KT feature on pages 26-27.

KARARA The Indian Takeout has just arrived in Westboro at 356 Richmond Rd. The company opened its first store in 2009 and there are now several locations across the city. KARARA’s goal is to “make food to enjoy with family at home, show that Indian food served in takeout style without having a ‘fast-food’ touch,” according to its website. So what are you waiting for? Check out this new location locally!

We heard rumours in the spring but it has finally happened: SconeWitch landed in Westboro at 393 Winston Ave. at the

New year, new brand

Soshal Group has been rebranded as Craft&Crew. The Westboro business (421 Richmond Rd.) is shifting away from marketing services and focussing more on its digital services. For more on the story, check out the Ottawa Business Journal’s recent interview with founder Dave Hale.

SconeWitch opened in Westboro at the end of January.

PHOTO BY MAUREEN MCEWAN.

Stand by

PranaShanti Yoga’s grand opening at its new location (950 Gladstone Ave.) was postponed due to the provincial stay-athome order. The company offers a “fullservice yoga, health, and wellness centre,” according to its Facebook page. Services are being offered virtually and have been

adapted to COVID-19 protocols, so check out the company website to learn more.

Saying goodbye

Bar Laurel, The Pho Shack, Mr. Smoke and Wild Child Coffee Project are moving out of the Kitchissippi neighbourhood.

Have your say on Ottawa’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan

68D Stonehurst Avenue $899,000 Mechanicville

FOR SALE

Kelly Ebbs & Kerry Millican REALTOR®S

Join the conversation now!

For more information: visit ottawa.ca/CSWBP CSWB/SBEC@ottawa.ca

679 Broadview Avenue McKellar Park

613-580-2424, ext. 42489

SOLD

Royal Lepage Team Realty 384 Richmond Rd Ottawa 613 290-2990

kellyandkerry.com 2020-087_03

February 2021 • 28

kitchissippi.com

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

KitchissippiTimes

BIZ ROUNDUP

Top 1% in Canada 2013-2020 Royal Lepage National Chairman’s Club 502 Melbourne Avenue McKellar Park

SOLD

COUNCILLOR’S CORNER Open house on ward embassy district SUBMITTED BY JEFF LEIPER, KITCHISSIPPI WARD COUNCILLOR Welcome to February, Kitchissippi!

In further development news, I’m pleased to announce that Fiona and I worked with city staff and Claridge in early January to alter the proposed development at 1705 Carling Ave. and remove access to Tillbury Avenue E. These changes finalize the location of the park at the back western portion of the lot and preserve the hedge, with only a pedestrian pathway connecting the development to Tillbury.

In lieu of access on Tillbury, the city will be making improvements to the intersection of Carling and Cole to accommodate new traffic.

I anticipate this will come before the planning committee in mid-February.

As we move deeper into winter, it’s important we all do our part to make snow plowing and removal as easy as possible for city crews. The city will be instituting winter weather parking bans throughout the

by the monthly stipend include all costs associated with utilities, food and rent.”

All programs are run by volunteers but there are a few staff members (an administrator, a manager, cooks and cleaners).

Thomas added that the volunteer board of directors is responsible for “the maintenance, upkeep and promotion of the house.” Other volunteers take on a variety of roles, like cooking, supporting intergenerational learning and helping maintain the urban wildlife garden and historic building.

“A century old house requires a lot of attention, and our volunteer team is dedicated to making Abbeyfield House Ottawa look beautiful,” Thomas said.

How does Abbeyfield House Ottawa offer affordable living?

“We are a registered charity, and purely not-for-profit organization.

This keeps our costs to a minimum,” Thomas said. “Costs covered

Looking to learn more about Abbeyfield House Ottawa?

The team can be reached by phone (613) 729- 4817 or email residency@abbeyfieldottawa.ca.

29 • February 2021

What is it like to be a resident at Abbeyfield House Ottawa?

“Our residents are active in the community, as well as in the home,” said Communications Director of Abbeyfield House Kimberly Thomas. “They share space and companionship during difficult times of isolation. They really do support each other through change, and provide a sense of belonging to one another.”

Many residents have been lifelong Kitchissippi community members.

“Choosing to stay in the community you live essentially

What kind of amenities does Abbeyfield House Ottawa offer?

“We offer plenty of spacious rooms, permitting residents to furnish their own units. This allows for more self-expression, and residents may adjust the room decor exactly to their liking. The rooms are ample sized too — there is sufficient space for a sitting area,” Thomas said.

Each of the 10 suites includes private washroom facilities with accessible showers and each room features a ‘large bay window with ample natural light,’ Thomas added.

Abbeyfield House is fully accessible with an elevator that services all three floors. There is laundry, internet and parking available on site. The common areas include smart TVs and a piano for community entertainment, as well as spaces to craft and to exercise.

For dining, there is a “help yourself breakfast bar” and lunch and dinner are served daily.

“Our cook specializes in comfort food and happy bellies! With meals provided seven days a week and an always open snack bar, you will always find a good bite to eat!” Thomas said.

KitchissippiTimes

Abbeyfield House Ottawa offers senior living with affordable accommodations at 425 Parkdale Ave. in the thriving neighbourhood of Wellington West. Situated in one of the city’s historic homes, Abbeyfield House Ottawa provides a balance between privacy and companionship, security and independence.

Abbeyfield Houses are part of a global network with locations all around the world. Their mission is to help seniors maintain an active lifestyle that cultivates independent living. But Abbeyfield House Ottawa not only offers affordable housing for seniors, but also meaningful volunteer opportunities that promote a genuine sense of community.

maintains your social contacts, from the church your children were baptized in, to the favourite family restaurant — it’s important that our residents feel connected.”

kitchissippitimes

Finding the right balance at Abbeyfield House Ottawa

@Kitchissippi

SPONSORED CONTENT

kitchissippi.com

I know many of you continue to have questions about the COVID-19 situation in Ottawa. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has current news about COVID-19, including information about provincial restrictions, the daily COVID-19 dashboard with detailed data and important updates about the vaccine rollout in the city. As we continue to grapple with the spread of COVID-19, I urge you to take care of yourself. Beyond your personal support networks, and the resources available through OPH, Distress Centre Ottawa is there for you. Their 24/7 crisis line is available at 613-722-6914. Don’t forget to check in with

your friends, family and neighbours. We will get through this together.

We’ve received many notes regarding the NCC’s Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications to allow the development of embassies at 1 and 19 Sir John A. MacDonald (SJAM) Parkway. The lands in question are located just south of the SJAM, between Slidell Street and Forward Avenue. This would align with the “Capital Function” of the lands as defined in the federal land use plans and contemplated by the Scott Street Community Design Plan, but I feel that we have an opportunity to reconsider how this well-connected parcel might be better used in light of council’s declarations of both climate and housing emergencies. My office will hold a virtual open house regarding this proposal on Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. More information is available at kitchissippiward.ca.

season as needed.

Until April 1, the city can call a ban on parking on residential streets if the forecast calls for freezing rain or more than seven centimetres of snow.

When these bans are called, the city will post on social media, issue media advisories and publish the ban on ottawa.ca; you can sign up to receive alerts via email on the city website.

When winter weather parking bans are called, please move your vehicle off the street — there is a list of parking lots you can use in these cases on ottawa.ca. Those with on-street parking permits are exempt from the ban.

Don’t forget to sign up for my email newsletter — there are weekly updates and my virtual pop-up office hours! Email me at jeff. leiper@ottawa.ca to register. Stay safe, Kitchissippi.

WESTBORO VILLAGER

Hello!

WESTBORO VILLAGE •kitchissippi.com February 2021 • @Kitchissippi 30 @Kitchissippi kitchissippi.com kitchissippitimes February 2021 • 30 kitchissippitimes KitchissippiTimes

KitchissippiTimes

A

s I write this, Ontario is in another lockdown and we are all told to stay home, making only essential trips. This is a tough thing for the independent shops and restaurants running along our mainstreets.

I could say the same thing about our upstairs businesses and our health and wellness services, too. Is it necessary to run to the office? Do you need to book an in-person appointment with your physio or is the online appointment just as good?

There seems to be some level of interpretation. I know for my little shop, you are making curbside pick ups while out for your daily walks or on your way home from the grocery store. I don’t think this is unique to my shop - by all accounts, the Kitchissippi community (and beyond) is digging in and supporting all the independent businesses. Propping us up until we come through the other side. We are so grateful to all of you! Whether it is a purchase or a great google review, ordering take out or just giving a wave through the window, all of this really contributes so much.

Valentine’s Day is coming up. While some of us will celebrate with romantic dinners or family heart-shaped pancakes or beers in a chilly garage with our best pals, it’s the relationships among our friends and neighbours that keep our community strong. I know we will continue to share our local love in the months to come.

Take care,

Molly Chair, Westboro Village BIA

This February we encourage you to celebrate Valentine’s Day from the Village. Many of the local retailers have online shops, the restaurants and bakeries have specials on, and you can order much of it online or by giving your favourite business a call. Celebrate your love of local this Valentine’s Day by showering the Westboro Village business community some love.

BATTER UP BAKERY

CONTINUUM FITNESS

Batter Up Bakery’s annual Valentine’s Day Presale starts on Sunday January 24th, 2021. From custom decorated cookies, to dunkaroos, to DIY kits, there is a little something for everyone to love. We will have Gluten-Friendly and Vegan options available as well.

Be sure to sign up as an MVP on our website to get early access to pre-sales.

Order: batterupbakery.ca Phone: (613) 793-2253

Continuum Fitness and Movement Performance would like to wish the community health and wellness during this challenging period. Keep moving, stay well, stay safe. continuumfitness.ca 3 DAYS TO TREAT YOUR VALENTINE FROM THE BARLEY MOW

3 Days To Treat Your Valentine

3 Course Menu Available for Take Out Special Friday Feb 12- Sunday Feb 14th 4-9pm • Shared Appetizer • 2 Mains • Shared Dessert Twin pack of Oyster Bay Wines (Your choice) 613.695.7669 | www.barleymow.com

westborovillage.com

WALL SPACE GALLERY PRESENTS Nicole Allen’s Treading Water An exquisite exhibition of the Ottawa artist’s floral paintings, on display February 6-27. Works are available to collect via website + phone. Curbside pick-up, local delivery, and global shipping available.

JEWELLERY GIFT GUIDE: VALENTINES EDITION Looking for a perfect gift this Valentine’s Day? Shop our 9 fine jewellers to find pieces that are one-of-a-kind, made by caring, Canadian hands, and sure to bring a smile to your or a loved one’s face.

We are excited to now be carrying men’s rings crafted by Kitchissippi artisan, Constantin Gorbachuk of Hi-Tech Jewellery. Shop our full selection of jewellery online today!

358 Richmond Rd | WALLSPACEGALLERY.CA 613-729-0003 | info@wallspacegallery.ca

WESTBORO VILLAGER CUPCAKE LOUNGE

kitchissippi.com

STRAWBERRY BLONDE BAKERY VALENTINE’S DAY MENU

COOKIES • Decorated Chocolate Chip Cookiegram $16.50 • Heart Shaped Chili Chocolate Sandwich $18/6 • Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Hearts $18/6 • Decorated Sugar Cookies $19.50/6 • Sugar Cookie Decorating Kits $18 each DOUGHNUTS • Strawberry Glazed Vanilla Doughnut $27.60/6 • Chocolate Cherry Fritter $26.10/6 • Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Glaze $26.10/6

@Kitchissippi KitchissippiTimes 31 • kitchissippitimes kitchissippi.com @Kitchissippi kitchissippitimes

Love, cupcakes & cookies, now, more than ever!

Order online: thecupcakelounge.com/ for Valentine’s Day or any day.

CUPCAKES & CAKE POPS Speciality Cupcakes $25/6 • Hostess with the mostess (with love written on top) • Lemon Love topped with a sugar cookie on top 4” Cakes $30 • Red Velvet (with large buttercream rose on top) • Strawberry Chocolate (with drip glaze) Cake Tins - 4”x6” $7.75 each • Lemon Love

SQUARES/BARS • Strawberry Nanaimo Bars $18/6 or $12/tin CHOCOLATES AND OTHER DELICIOUS VALENTINE’S TREATS • An Assortment of 6 Valentine's inspired truf les and bonbons $10 per box • Foil Wrapped Solid Heart Shaped Chocolates $4.50/package • Hot Chocolate Bombs $10/2 • Love Surprise Box - Available in Small $15 and Large $30 www.strawberryblondebakery.com

westborovillage.com

February 2021 • WESTBORO VILLAGE KitchissippiTimes 31 • February 2021

Cake Pop $33/12 per flavor • Black Forest • Red Velvet • Pink Velvet

PROVINCIAL UPDATE

Building a mass movement for disability rights SUBMITTED BY JOEL HARDEN, MPP FOR OTTAWA CENTRE

people who did. We needed an alliance here. have the opportunity and option to apply, I called Amanda Holt, a horse owner, and however we won’t be and this is why: social here’s what she shared: isolation, poverty and essential programming “I take strength from my horses when I cancellation due to COVID-19 has impacted connect with them. And I hope that those living on ODSP and children with you, the strong equestrians of disabilities in the worst way.

Ontario, will use that strength These families need our government to to raise your voices for those immediately provide meaningful financial aid who need our support now.” I to those who are hardest hit in this crisis. The then called Jennifer Semach, isolation, financial constraints [and] limited co-owner of Walkabout Farms support [are] magnified especially for those is here you with: TherapeuticOur Ridingoffice Association. withfor permanent disabilities and the families I shared Amanda’s statement with that have lost respite care for [their] loved ones Monthly Town during Hallsthe COVID-19 crisis.” her, and asked if she would consider one Canvasses as well. Within the hour, Jennifer offered this: As we work for a more enabling province, Community Organizing “Many wonderful people have been it’s worth remembering our allies are Help Accessing Government Services tagging me in reference to the Equine everywhere. We need a mass movement for Hardship Program being offered by our disability rights, and you can take part. provincial government. I am grateful to Tell Premier Ford to raise ODSP rates now.

P: 613-722-6414 109 Catherine St. / rue Catherine E: JHarden-CO@ndp.on.ca Ottawa, ON K2P 0P4 MPP / Député provincial, www.joelharden.ca Ottawa Centre

kitchissippi.com

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

KitchissippiTimes

R

ecently, I received heartfelt pleas from people with disabilities on social media.

Folks were upset that the Province of Ontario had announced emergency help for equine (horse, mule, donkey, etc.) businesses, while people with disabilities have languished on poverty incomes during COVID-19 as their costs increased.

I was furious, and pledged to raise hell, but something seemed wrong. Having been raised in a rural home, I heard of stables with therapeutic riding programs for people with disabilities. Were we lashing out against allies?

So, I inquired further, and got this reply from a family friend: “...these subsidies aren’t for people’s pets,

these subsidies are for horses that are used in lesson programmes … riding programmes have been shut down for a long time so people are having to feed and care for animals that are essential to their business but who aren’t, at the moment, bringing in any income through their work in the school … so, while we should be paying out more to people on ODSP [Ontario Disability Support Program], I also think supporting small businesses in COVID is important.”

The doubt I had now took shape. Many folks applying to the Equine Hardship Program were supporters of disability rights, and are in need of help. They either ran therapeutic riding programs or supported

Oueis Dentistry makes it easy for you to attend to all of your dental health needs in one convenient location.

Book appointments for you and your family today!

Call us at (613) 722-7272.

New!Now offering full sedation for all surgical procedures.

• Dr. John Oueis

• Dr.DukeVo

• Dr. Samuel Tremblay

• Dr. Paige Kozak

General & Cosmetic Dentistry

February 2021 • 32

General Dentistry

Implants & Oral Surgery Orthodontics

• Dr. Stella Rastogi

Family & Kids' Dentistry

A:t

'n�OO u;;� �

Also accepting new patients at The Dental Office at Lyon & Glebe 645 Lyon Street South (613) 233-2000

f "JI

@ @OueisDentistry

FEDERAL UPDATE Reviewing pandemic support programs SUBMITTED BY CATHERINE MCKENNA, MP FOR OTTAWA CENTRE

available in Ottawa Centre such as the Distress Centre, a 24/7 helpline you can reach at 613238-3311.

We will meet these challenges with resilience, kindness and by working together to support each other. There is a more hopeful future coming.

- Catherine

Affordable, Clean, Secure, Central √ Inside Storage √ Over 600 Lockers √ Climate Controlled √ Over 100 √ 7 Days/Week Different Sizes

340 Parkdale Avenue (between Wellington & Scott)

613-729-2130

www.parkdaleministorage.com

IT’S ILLEGAL TO BRING A LLAMA TO A NATIONAL PARK.

The Mann Lawyers Family Law team keeps you, your family and your pets on the right side of family law in Ontario.

Mann Lawyers | Full Service Law Firm 613-722-1500 mannlawyers.com

Now accepting applications for our Retirement Floor

Call 613-722-6690

kitchissippitimes

Comfortable, affordable, retirement living in the heart of Kitchissippi!

@Kitchissippi

Welcome Home!

kitchissippi.com KitchissippiTimes

33 • February 2021

Dear residents, Going into the new year with added restrictions in Ontario has not been easy, but has been necessary. Our COVID-19 case numbers in Ottawa spiked significantly over the holidays and it is critical that we continue to follow public health directives and stay home.

In hopeful news, vaccines have been administered to long-term health care residents and essential public health workers in Ottawa Centre. Our government is focused on supporting provinces and territories to distribute these vaccines as quickly as possible. As the prime minister has said, we are on track to give every Canadian who wants one a vaccine by September. While this is good news, vaccines won’t help anyone who contracts COVID-19 now. We need to continue to follow public health advice, wearing masks, downloading the COVID Alert app and staying home whenever possible.

Throughout the pandemic, the federal government has listened to Canadians. In speaking with many constituents, I hear your frustration — I know how challenging this has been. We developed programs to support businesses, workers, individuals and various sectors to provide support and get us through these hard times.

Federal government programs: Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS): Maximum subsidy rate of 75 per cent and it is extended until June 2021.

Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS):

Rent and mortgage support until June 2021.

Eligible businesses restricted by a mandatory public health order can receive an additional 25 per cent of rent support through lockdown support.

Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA): Loan of $60,000 in which $20,000 is forgivable if paid before Dec. 31, 2021.

Regional Recovery Relief Fund (RRRF): Provides liquidity in the form of loans for businesses unable to access relief benefits.

Employment Insurance (EI): Program has changed to support more Canadians through the pandemic.

Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB): Income support if you are self-employed or not eligible for Employment Insurance.

Canada Recovery Caregiver Benefit (CRCB): Income support if you must stop work to care for dependents due to closures, high risk and caregiver availability.

Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB): Up to two weeks of support if you are sick or must selfisolate due to COVID-19.

Please find more information at canada.ca/ coronavirus.

Provincial government programs: Ontario Small Business Support Grant: $10,000-$20,000 grant which will help small businesses that must close or significantly restrict services due to provincewide shutdown.

Rebates for PPE, property taxes or energy bills: Province will provide grants for eligible businesses to help cover the cost of personal protective equipment, property taxes and energy bills.

Main Street Relief Grant: Will help small businesses with two to nine employees with the cost of PPE. Find out more at covid-19.ontario.ca For further information, please call my constituency office at 613-946-8682 or email us at catherine.mckenna@parl.gc.ca.

I want to thank all the healthcare professionals and essential workers, the non-profit organizations and the volunteers who continue to work tirelessly during this unprecedented time.

Let’s remember that we need to take care of our mental health. There are resources

OCDSB CORNER

Mental health and living through this state of emergency SUBMITTED BY JUSTINE BELL, OCDSB SCHOOL TRUSTEE FOR SOMERSET-KITCHISSIPPI

February 2021 • 34

kitchissippi.com

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

KitchissippiTimes

W

e’ve heard many times about the importance of taking care of our mental health while living through this state of emergency. But what does that really mean for my child? For me?

The World Health Organization defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which every individual realizes their potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to their community.” In the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) Mental Health Strategy, we outline that mental health and well-being are fundamental to student success and affect academic achievement and

social-emotional development.

The thing is, we are not living with the normal stresses of life. As you all know, the province has issued a stay-at-home order and the extension of school closures in Ottawa.

Coping right now is hard.

Here is an example of how some alarm bells play out at our house (and with two parents working from home, we are privileged).

It’s 1:56 p.m., we didn’t make it outside for lunch and it’s time to get my daughter back online. I have a meeting at 2 p.m. and my partner has informed me that he also has an urgent meeting. I can tell that my daughter has had enough and doesn’t want to go back

online. Two minutes before my meeting, I notice myself snapping at my partner, “Can you please help?” My daughter picks up on the anxiety, and slams the computer shut.

I breathe and I offer her video games after this session. It doesn’t work.

Fast forward to the end of the day, I haven’t exercised, we ate macaroni for dinner and I’m feeling sad. I don’t feel like I was able to contribute productively on any front. I question whether I was able to help my daughter cope.

So what do we do the next day? Try again. Make a yummy raspberry spinach smoothie, play “shovel the snow” at lunch break, talk about what we are grateful for and get to bed on time.

Does any of this sound familiar? If you’re feeling like you aren’t coping, or if you see your child consistently disengaged, angry or exhausted, you can ask for help. I have.

I reached out to my daughter’s educators and they forwarded me great resources.

Our schools have a support system and mental health workers. You can check out the mental health page at OCDSB to learn more, and the School Mental Health Ontario website is great. There are helplines, articles on understanding anxiety during uncertain times, videos on social-emotional learning, breathing exercises, youth mental health resources and much more.

I have also been invited to observe a few classes online, and I can confidently say our educators are working hard to find innovative ways to promote student mental health by creating safe, caring and inclusive learning environments online.

Most of the advice I’ve read and heard from our educators centres on keeping it simple: Focus on healthy habits and routines, do things you enjoy, notice the good things and stay connected.

NEPEAN HIGH SCHOOL CORNER What it is like to be a high school frontline worker

BY ANNA CARSLEY-JONES (SHE/THEY)

W

e asked students at Nepean High School (NHS) who have essential part-time jobs how it has been to be both a high school student and a frontline worker during a pandemic.

Everyone who answered agreed that working during a pandemic creates more stress than usual, as not only are time management and workload a worry, but so are lives. Tara, a Grade 11 hybrid student, was working at a butcher shop in March when the pandemic first hit Ottawa. She

recalls that she was extremely aware of her exposure to others, especially because masks weren’t mandatory yet. Tara says that she is relieved now that the community seems to be taking the necessary precautions.

Two students, one Grade 12 and one Grade 11, who both currently work in grocery stores, say that they experience COVID-19 anxiety. The Grade 12 student says that she now sometimes wears two masks, especially since COVID-19 cases have been rising in Ottawa recently. Another student, Younesse, who worked at a food centre

during the summer, told us that although he really enjoyed the job, COVID-19 anxiety took its toll.

A part-time job can be tricky for everyone, but Grade 12 students in particular have expressed how difficult it can be. Francis, who works at a store/restaurant, says that managing work, university applications and school is stressful, especially when class is compressed into short and busy quadmesters. And Olivia, currently working at a fast food restaurant, says that working four shifts for a total of 20 hours a week, on top of senior year, can be a lot to handle.

Many people reported feeling a decrease in their mental well-being during the pandemic. One Grade 12 student tells us that her mental health has plummeted during the past months, and although it comes and goes in waves, it makes it very difficult to go to work on the more severe days. School

has been more difficult and tiring than usual due to COVID-19, and adding a job to schedules only amplifies this for most.

While health anxiety and busy schedules are an issue for high school frontline workers, there are some positives. Francis says that having consistent shifts each week has helped him procrastinate less, and another Grade 12 says her job gives her a reason to leave the house. Tara tells us that working during a pandemic has taught her how to handle a lot of responsibilities, which is a great skill for the future.

Many of the students we spoke with say that having a job right now means they get in-person social interaction, something we all lack in both school and our personal lives at the moment. Although it isn’t like normal, we still can get some human connection, which is vital, and it’s a bonus if we work with friends or classmates we like.

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

FEB. 1-28: BLACK HISTORY MONTH

FEB. 23 - OTTAWA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Webinar: Ecology, On-line Learning and Saving the World One Garden at a Time Please join teacher/author David Ward and witness his sincere, open lecture style as he

TUESDAYS - BYTOWN VOICES COMMUNITY CHOIR Although the choir is not able to prepare for public performances, we will be meeting online each Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. We will be learning some new music and maintaining our vocal cords in a relaxed environment, with plenty of musical and technological help. We will all be experiencing this new way of meeting and singing together and are happy to

welcome new members, men and women, to join us. For more information, see our website at bytownvoices.com

WEDNESDAYS - SHOUT SISTER! CHOIR There are 25 chapters of Shout Sister! Choir in Ontario and we are constantly growing. Shout Sister! takes an unorthodox approach to choral singing. We learn from recorded tracks, so we require no reading of music. Our method is fresh and fun, and we are a warm and welcoming community. We use Zoom to meet virtually every Wednesday afternoon (1-3 p.m.) and Thursday evening (7-9 p.m.). Everyone is welcome. We would love to have you join us!

For information on joining, please contact members@shoutsisterchoir.ca or visit shoutsisterchoir.ca.

KITCHISSIPPI MARKET PLACE To place a Classified or Marketplace ad, please call 613.238.1818

35 • February 2021

CNOY is a national, annual winter walk to “raise money for charities serving people experiencing homelessness, hurt, and hunger.”

The second annual event in Westboro is being organized once again by Cornerstone Housing for Women to fundraise for women’s housing.

The event is virtual this year for COVID-19 safety — participants can walk the 2 or 5 km route by themselves or with their households.

To learn more about the event, or to register for CNOY Ottawa Westboro, visit cnoy.org. You can also check out Kitchissippi Times’ story on pages 16-17.

Every Monday at 6:45 p.m. (except holidays).

Visit us online to enjoy time with members learning to communicate better while honing your leadership skills. This new reality has taught us much. We are learning new skills and still relating great stories. Join our family of joy by contacting Sharon at 45sharong@gmail.com or Lucille, our webmaster, at l_bouthillier@ yahoo.ca to receive the link.

kitchissippi.com.

KitchissippiTimes

The McKellar Park Community Association invites you to join Berit Erickson for a virtual photo tour of her pollinator garden and backyard habitat gardens. She’ll share what she’s learned about pollinators, their favourite flowers and habitat requirements. Discover how to design, plant and maintain your own pollinator garden. The Zoom presentation will take place on Feb. 8: The meeting opens at 7 p.m. and the presentation runs from 7:30 to 9 p.m. You can register in advance. For further

FEB. 20 - COLDEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR (CNOY)

MONDAYS - ABOVE AND BEYOND TOASTMASTERS

For the full list of events please go to

kitchissippitimes

FEB. 8 - POLLINATOR GARDENING ZOOM PRESENTATION

Join Master Gardener Rebecca Last for this free online presentation all about sex — plant sex, that is, and how home gardeners can save money, have fun and breed new varieties by starting their own seeds. We begin with a discussion of why gardeners might want to start plants from seed. There is an introduction to the lexicon for seed starting and a discussion of the importance of documentation. We talk about sources of seed, and viability. Then we discuss equipment and supplies for seed starting, and what seeds to start where and when (indoors versus outdoors). There are some tips for getting a head start on your seed starting, and we finish with some troubleshooting and the basics of hardening off.

No registration required. Instructions for participating can be found at ottawahort.org.

The Feb. 16 event runs from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

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

@Kitchissippi

“During Black History Month, Canadians celebrate the many achievements and contributions of Black Canadians who, throughout history, have done so much to make Canada the culturally diverse, compassionate and prosperous nation it is today,” the Government of Canada’s website states.

This year, Black History Month will be celebrated virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic with speaker series and other events. To learn more about the virtual activities going on in Ottawa throughout the month of February, visit blackhistoryottawa. com. And to find out more about the celebrations taking place throughout the province, visit the OBHS website blackhistorysociety.ca. You can also read more on this year’s Black History Month in the story on pages 6-7.

FEB. 16 - OTTAWA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Webinar: All From a Little Seed (How to start seeds)

comments on our individual journeys of lifelong learning, adventure however you define it and anything else his heart feels compelled to share.

An award-winning author of two critically acclaimed books, and a winner of the Charles E. Pascal Award for Excellence in Teaching, Ward is pleased to now be sharing his long and varied history of working in horticulture, with learners at the University of Guelph.

No registration required. Instructions for participating can be found at ottawahort.org.

The Feb. 23 event runs from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

kitchissippi.com

Stay safe and healthy, Kitchissippi!

information on pollinator gardening, visit cornerpollinatorgarden.net.

February 2021 • 36 kitchissippi.com

To: From:

@Kitchissippi

kitchissippitimes

KitchissippiTimes