Kitchissippi Times March 2023

WITH ALL OF OUR HEARTS: THANK YOU!

You lit up our February with your smiles, your enthusiasm, and your generous donations to the Ottawa Heart Institute!

From the Merchants of Hintonburg & Wellington Village.

New park space will make Kitchissippi greener

BY CHARLIE SENACK

New public green space is coming to Kitchissippi after land was acquired by the City in an unusual way.

Kitchissippi ward Councillor Jeff Leiper said Ottawa used cash in lieu park funds to purchase residential properties in Hintonburg and Wellington Village.

“Up until now, I’ve been using those funds according to a plan that we consulted six years ago with the community,” he said. “A lot of the funds have gone into improving our existing parks. But now there’s a desire by residents to acquire new land to turn into parks.”

The process began over a year ago when two side-by-side residential properties on Ladouceur Avenue came up for sale. Leiper had been consulting with the Hintonburg community, which said it needed more green space. He said City staff worked through their Christmas holidays to try and secure a purchase, but it fell through to another buyer.

The idea never went away. Leiper revisited it months later when the city’s real estate department secured a deal for 115 Spencer St., a one-storey house on a corner lot. The house will soon be torn down to make way for a new park.

“There will be public consultation, but as I talk to residents, there are some common themes that emerge,” said Leiper. “Plant a bunch of trees, put a nice fence around it, and put in a small children’s playground with some benches.”

The new “pocket park” is welcome news for the Wellington Village Community Association. It has been looking for ways to add more green space to its dense urban landscape.

“It will mean that residents no longer have to cross a busy, trafficked street to get to a park,” said community association member Tara Ouchterlony. “Since the loss of the tiny park on Grange Street in the late 1990s, we’ve been entirely without green space in this

area. I think it will be appreciated.”

One of the same properties on Ladouceur Street went on sale again last fall. The owner contacted Leiper’s office to see if the city was still interested. Just weeks ago, the City’s offer was accepted. The two-storey white brick house at 22 Ladouceur St. will soon be demolished and incorporated into Armstrong Park.

“We will put some sort of an asphalt path in and I’m talking to the community about pollinator gardens, maybe some fitness equipment,” Leiper said.

He said Kitchissippi has a healthy cashin-lieu-of-park fund due to the intense amount of development in the ward. When a developer builds a project that results in growth, the developer must allot a piece of land for public green space. When that’s impossible because there’s no space available, as is often the case in urban areas,

the developer pays cash instead — around 10 per cent of the land’s worth.

Sixty per cent of those funds go to the local ward’s park fund. The other 40 per cent goes to the City for the same use. This has happened for bigger projects, such as the Mooney’s Bay beach play structure or Lansdowne Park.

In the past, Leiper has used this fund to build the Van Lang and Laroche Park fieldhouses. Former Kitchissippi Councillor

katherine Hobbs used it for a splash pad at Fisher Park.

Leiper said timelines are fluid, and he’s optimistic the new park on Spencer St. will open by fall 2023. He hopes other residential properties can be purchased in the future to make way for more public greenspace.

“I don’t recall the last time we acquired residential land (for parks), so we are beating a new path on this one,” Leiper said.

”It will mean that residents no longer have to cross a busy, trafficked street to get to a park.”

– Tara Ouchterlony

Top: Kitchissippi will soon have new public green space after two residential properties were purchased.

Bottom left: 115 Spencer St. will be turned into a new park with a play structure, benches and trees.

Bottom right: 22 Ladouceur St. will be incorporated into Armstrong Park.

ALL PHOTOS BY CHARLIE SENACK

HUMANS OF KITCHISSIPPI

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

Meet Barbara Brown

I grew up in Hintonburg and went to Elmdale Public School, Connaught Public School, and Nepean High School before moving to Kingston. I studied fashion design when I was 18 – mostly just to get out of town.

When I graduated I was 21 and got a job in Nova Scotia as a pattern marker. But it really wasn’t for me, so I quit after less than a year and went to Banff. The pinnacle of life in Banff is to teach skiing, so I got qualified and I got a job teaching skiing at Sunshine Village.

Banff has a fabulous arts centre with professional artists as teachers, so I took evening classes. During the summer I was there, I got a scholarship to study with some of the most renowned artists in the world; Rousseau-Vermette, Naomi Kobayashi, Phillip Warner, and Gerhardt Knodel.

I did my undergraduate work at Nova Scotia College of Arts and Design University in Fine Art and Textiles. From there I attended a summer workshop at Haystack in Maine with (American artist) Sheila Hicks. She invited a small group of the workshop participants to come to Paris to work as apprentices in her studio. While I was there I studied french. I worked in Sheila’s studio for two years. She then encouraged me to do my graduate work in Manchester, England.

When I graduated I came back to Canada and did a couple of public commissions. In the early 1990s there wasn’t much call for large artwork, so I started doing my own personal work in sculpture and drawing. I did that for about 15 years and then migrated towards photography.

Thirty plus years ago, I got a job in long term care to

support my studio work. One day my manager asked me to start a new program for the dementia units, where the residents were all veterans, who responded well to my year-round gardening program. I also did a lot of photography. I just really tuned into that connection we have with plants, and it’s no surprise that my art has been often based on the cycle of life and the changing of the seasons.

Japan is high up on my long list of places that I would like to visit – and I have started classes in ikebana, the Japanese art of floral arranging. Italy is close to the top of my want-to-visit list and I’d like to seek my ancestral roots in Ireland, England and Scotland.

Kitchissippi has a high quality of community living. It’s a solidly connected place with people who have been here a long time. People get involved and that leads to an enriching life and place to live.

Story collected by Millie Farley

KITCHISSIPPI TIMES

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Ottawa ON K1W 1K0

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

EDITOR

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

CONTRIBUTORS

Zenith Wolfe, Dave Allston, Ellen Bond, Millie Farley, Brianna Peterson

PROOFREADER Roger Bird

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

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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.

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PHOTO SUPPLIED BY BARBARA BROWN

Celebrating 20 years of Kitchissippi Times

Happy March Kitchissippi residents.

If you’re like me, chances are you’re done with winter. I’m ready to pull my boots off and go for long walks at Westboro Beach. Lunch at a Richmond road patio also sounds nice!

Spring is almost here and the snow should start to melt soon. Groundhog Wiarton Willie has predicted an early spring after not seeing his shadow. We got a taste of March on Feb. 15, when Ottawa broke a record with 8.9 C reported. This was the first year the Rideau Canal didn’t open for Winterlude, and if trends continue, it might be the first time it doesn’t open for skating at all.

The Kitchissippi Times is getting ready to celebrate a milestone of our own. We are turning 20 years old! The first issue of KT was published in October 2003. Since then we have reported on thousands of stories and reached hundreds of thousands of readers. We have big plans in store. Stay tuned for more on that soon.

In this issue, Zenith Wolfe had the chance to sit down with Sherri Harding, a local musician who is releasing her first solo album. She worked alongside Dick Cooper of the Cooper Brothers.

We also take a look at some of the 50 or so little libraries that are popping up on front lawns and nearby businesses and churches.

I spoke with Kitchissippi Councillor Jeff Leiper about a new public greenspace coming to the ward. Two residential lots were purchased through a rare move which will expand Armstrong Park and open up a new patch of greenspace at Spencer and Huron.

Ellen Bond photographed the Fisher Park Winter Carnival which returned for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. She joined dozens of community members who braved

minus-30 degree temperatures to take part in the fun.

The KT team also visited the Wall of H’earts show put on by local artist Alison Fowler. Fourteen hearts were auctioned off for charity and around $2,400 was raised for the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.

We also stopped by Morris Formal Wear – in the Wellington West community for almost a century. Owner Samuel Feldberg is going to pass the family-run business on to the fourth generation, his son Joseph.

Down the street in Westboro, Zak’s Diner has moved into the former Savoy Brasserie. Owner John Borsten says their comfort food will add flavor to the community.

For our “Humans of Kitchissippi” profile, Millie Farley spoke with Barbara Brown, a local artist who is inspired by nature and the changing seasons.

And in “Early Days,” historian Dave Allston looks back to when Holland and Byron was mostly railways. The center of Kitchissippi once played a big part in Ottawa’s streetcar system.

That’s all the news that fits into print. Have a story idea? Send me an email: editor@kitchissippi.com.

OPEN FOR REGISTRATION:

• Spring 1 swim lessons, both group and private

• Summer Camps and swim lessons

• March Break Camps

UPCOMING REGISTRATIONS:

• Spring Fitness registration March 7

• March 27th Spring Arts & Sports Registration (pottery, dance, sports, etc)

• April 3rd After School Registration (March 6 for current families)

• Spring II registration April 4

MARCH BREAK CAMPS MARCH 13 – 17

We’ve got an exciting lineup of Theme, Specialty and Youth Zone camps including Kinder Kanucks and Fandemonium, Tough Mudder, Chill Zone, Sports Stars, Pottery, Robotics, Cake & Bake and Stage Performers.

SUMMER CAMP & SWIM LESSONS

This year’s lineup is incredible! Cake Decorating, Magic, Fashion & Jewelry Design, Circus Juggling Acts, Flag Rugby, Parkour, Robotics, Youth Zone, and so much more!

Swim lessons are available once a week or 5 days in a row.

FIT PASS

The best value and most fun! 30+/ week classes including group fit, spin, and aquafit classes, fitness centre and pool access. Starting at $45.50/ month.

Charlie Senack

COMMUNITY NEWS

experience at the Ontario Legislature and Parliament Hill would be an asset.

“My confidence and optimism for the world would make me a viable and strong leader,” Naqvi said. “(It) gives me the knowledge of how decisions are made, and the hindsight of mistakes that have been made so we don’t make them again.”

The Ontario Liberals have spent the last five years trying to reinvent their party without former leader and Premier Kathleen Wynne. Steven Del Duca took the party into the recent 2022 provincial election, where Liberals picked up only one seat. Del Duca lost his own riding and resigned as leader.

The party has to ponder which direction it should take. Forty senior Liberals wrote to Ontario Green Party leader Mike Shreiner to request he cross the floor and run for leader of their party.

“It’s a no,” Schreiner initially wrote in a statement to news media, but he has since asked for more time to mull over his decision.

MP Yasir Naqvi could seek to lead Ontario Liberals

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Ottawa Centre MP Yasir Naqvi is considering a switch back to provincial politics as he eyes the Ontario Liberal leadership position.

He served Ottawa Centre as a member of the Ontario Legislative Assembly for three terms before his defeat in 2018. He told the Kitchissippi Times he’s seeking “feedback and guidance” from residents across Ontario.

“I’m getting a lot of encouragement and support to do this. The Ontario Liberal Party has a lot of hard work to do to rebuild the party,” Naqvi said. “The last two elections have been fairly challenging, but there’s this strong desire and optimism to do this work to defeat (Premier) Doug Ford in 2026.”

In 2018, Naqvi was among 51 Ontario Liberals to lose their seat when the Progressive Conservative blue wave swept across the province. It lost the party its official

status during the worst electoral defeat in Ontario’s history.

After Naqvi lost to NDP candidate Joel Harden, the former Attorney General of Ontario didn’t take long to get back into politics. He ran as the Ontario Liberal candidate during a byelection to replace Catherine McKenna in 2021, and won with 45.5 per cent of the vote.

He said while his Number 1 job is still serving in that role, he believes his

“I’m going to ask people to give me time to think about their arguments,” he wrote. “I want to know what my constituents in Guelph, my friends and colleagues in the Green Party, and people across Ontario think about this letter.”

Naqvi said the Ontario Liberals have always been a “big tent party” that welcomes people from all political backgrounds and walks of life.

“We are a modern, centrist party that’s focused on reforming our health care and education system at all times and do so in a pragmatic way,” he said. “I’m under the view that if someone wants to leave their political party and join ours, they are most welcomed.”

Ontario Liberals are scheduled to host their annual general meeting in March and decide what process to use to elect a new leader. Naqvi said he thinks the rules and timeline will be outlined by spring.

Naqvi is currently touring the province to speak with Ontarians and hear their concerns. He said he expects to make a final decision soon.

“People realize that Doug Ford is not good for Ontario,” Naqvi said. “We need to stop him from breaking our hospitals (and) schools, which are under serious threats of privatization.”

Ottawa Centre MP Yasir Naqvi is “strongly considering” a run for the Ontario Liberal Party leadership. Naqvi previously served as a member of provincial Parliament from 2007 until his defeat in 2018. FILE PHOTO BY ELLEN BOND.

”We are a modern, centrist party that’s focused on reforming our health care and education system at all times and do so in a pragmatic way.”

– MP Yasir Naqvi

YOU’RE INVITED TO WELLNESS DAY

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Zak’s Diner opens in Westboro

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Awell-known Ottawa eatery has set up shop in Westboro. Zak’s diner opened its fifth location at 334 Richmond Rd., in the former Savoy Brasserie space.

“Westboro needs a Zak’s diner. I live down here and there aren't many places to go to eat for breakfast. It’s the right concept for the right location,” said owner John Borsten.

Living just blocks away from his new restaurant, Borsten said Zak’s is hoping to make it a family affair and has brought his 22-year-old son Calvin on as a business partner.

For 37 years Zak’s Diner has been serving up comfort food to generations of customers. It opened its first location on Elgin Street in 1986. Since then it has set up shop in Kanata, the ByWard Market, and Carleton Place.

Zak’s serves three meals a day along with dessert and coffee. They are known for their “world famous” premium ice

cream milkshakes with 24 flavors to choose from.

“You can get all day breakfast, sandwiches, hamburgers, soups and sandwiches,” said Borsten. “We have vegan options and vegetarian options so we can appeal to a lot of groups. It’s a fun and lovely kind of place.”

Zak’s chosen location meant an end to the Savoy Brasserie which opened in 2013. Before that, it was home to Moe’s World Famous Newport Restaurant, which has since moved to Churchill Ave, N.

It was a quick transition with the Savoy closing in the middle of January and Zak’s opening Feb. 8. Borsten said the interior and furniture didn’t have to change. The walls were painted and the restaurant was “Zakatized.”

“We cleaned it up a lot and we had to replace some equipment. We also had to equip the space with milkshake and ice cream freezers,” he said. “We needed more grills as opposed to burners in the back because we do a lot of flapjacks.”

Many of the Savoy’s former staff were rehired at the new restaurant, noted Borsten.

The Westboro Business Improvement Association (BIA) said it was happy to see

another Ottawa chain move into the restaurant space, a location to build community.

“We are thrilled that Zak's Diner is opening and the location will continue as a locally owned restaurant,” said Judy Lincoln, the BIA’s executive director. “So many people have memories of going to The Newport and The Savoy and can now continue to build memories at Zak's.”

It’s a pivotal time for a restaurant industry rebounding after COVID-19. Borsten said Zak’s sales are likely performing better than before the pandemic, but rising costs of fuel, labor and supplies is the new concern.

The Westboro location is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. If business continues to thrive, their hours and services might expand.

“If we can do 24 hours one day we will. The market location runs all day on weekends,” said Borsten. “If there is a demand for that we will do it here as well.”

”Westboro needs a Zak’s diner.

I live down here and there aren't many places to go to eat for breakfast.”

– John Borsten.

Zak’s Diner has opened their fifth location in Westboro Village. Owner John Borsten (right) said the community lacked all-day breakfast joints. PHOTOS BY CHARLIE SENACK

Morris Formalwear: A century of style

BY ZENITH WOLFE

After almost a hundred years in business, the Feldberg family is about to hand off its Kitchissippi-based suit store to a fourth generation.

Polish tailor Morris Feldberg first opened Morris Formalwear on the corner of Holland and Wellington in 1927. It was a tailoring business, until his grandson Samuel Feldberg took over the store in 1980 and expanded into the formalwear rental industry. Now at 1083 Wellington St. West, the store has built a reputation in the Kitchissippi community for its same-day suit rentals.

Samuel’s son, Joseph Feldberg, has been a Morris Formalwear sales representative for over a decade – since his early teens. He said the company’s reputation is a result of its on-site tailor, its on-premises inventory of more than over 7,000 suits, and its flexible service.

“You never see alterations being done on rentals (at big stores). They make you buy it and then they charge you for the alterations. Because we own all the inventory here, we, as a courtesy, will alter even the rentals at no charge,” Joseph said. “We want to make sure everyone’s happy. We’re a family business, and customer service is paramount.”

When the pandemic hit, the store’s physical location closed for two years. Joseph said the lack of income wasn’t an issue since his family owns the building and its merchandise.

Rather, he said the biggest challenge was being unable to interact with the many people who walk through the doors. Joseph said he missed being able to help boost peoples’ enjoyment at weddings, galas and proms – events cancelled during the pandemic.

“These are happy moments, so for us to be able to leave a positive impact on every

person that comes in is huge. That’s one of those driving factors that keeps you excited for that next person to come in,” Joseph said.

Now that the business is back in full swing, Joseph is more ready than ever to dress people for success. He has slowly taken on responsibilities in production, social media marketing, and management under the guidance of his father. He is poised to take over the business as a fourthgeneration owner in just a few years.

Joseph said he’s proud to carry on the legacy of the store someday, but he’s even happier he gets to continue doing work he loves.

“If you’re just going to take something over because it’s been around for a hundred years, that’s the wrong reason. Business is hard enough to begin with, let alone if it’s not something you’re extremely passionate about,” he said. “I feel very blessed to be in a position that I have this kind of opportunity.”

Samuel said he has high hopes for his son. He said people in the community respect the store’s ethics and integrity, and he believes Joseph is versed enough in all aspects of the business to deliver that same quality of service.

“I’m proud of my son like my dad was proud of me, and like my grandfather was proud of my dad. It’s a very good feeling,” Samuel said.

Morris Formalwear is open Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 to 3. The company is planning a booth at the EY Centre bridal show April 1 and 2.

Top: Morris Formalwear has been in Kitchissippi for almost a century. The family-run suit shop is about to be passed down to the fourth generation.

Bottom: Samuel Feldberg (left) and Joseph Feldberg (right), pride themselves on dressing people for success.

PHOTOS BY ZENITH WOLFE

YOU’RE INVITED TO OUR SECOND MEMORY CARE FLOOR GRAND OPENING

Amica The Glebe is opening a second Memory Care floor, and you’re invited to our Grand Opening Celebration. The response to our renowned Memory Care program has been exceptional, and we’re excited to introduce this new addition to our evolving care.

Enjoy refreshments, music, and guided tours. Come and experience the lifestyle, amenities, and expanded care you can only find at Amica The Glebe.

Saturday, March 4 | 11am-2pm | RSVP to Sarah or LA at 613-233-6363

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pub: Kitchissippi Times community: GLB insertion:

Little libraries spread across Kitchissippi

BY ZENITH WOLFE

Take a book, leave a book is a new trend sweeping across Kitchissippi. Little library boxes have been cropping up outside Ottawa homes and public buildings over the last few years. These small wood boxes contain donated books that can be taken home for free by local residents.

In September 2019, the St. Stephens Presbyterian Church was celebrating its 75th anniversary. Reverend Meg Patterson decided, after consultation with church members, to set up a little library for the occasion.

Adult congregation members cut wood for the church’s Youth Group, who built the box. Sunday school students then painted it. Patterson said the tangible nature of the project made youth feel like they were part of the community.

The library box, in turn, helped young readers get books during the pandemic. When public libraries and bookstores closed to meet health regulations, the church’s little library stayed open. Patterson said this was – and continues to be – especially helpful to readers who can’t afford books or consistent library trips.

“Most of the people here are quite affluent, but you don’t have to go very far to find people who maybe are not as well

off. They’re not as easily able to just go to Chapters to buy a book,” she said.

For others, including Civic Hospital area resident Kathy Kennedy, the book boxes are an opportunity to connect with neighbours and improve the visual flair of local communities.

Kennedy regularly frequents the church’s box, and two others within a 10-minute walk. She also owns the Books Beneath the Beech box, installed at 295 Bayswater Ave. She said the library boxes act as conversation starters.

“During the pandemic I would be out gardening in the front and people would stop to chat,” Kennedy said. “They would tell me how much they appreciate (the box), to the point where people would be asking ‘Well, what kind of books do you like?’”

Her library box is popular, often to the point of overflowing. She stores books in her home when the box is full, restocking it again when it dwindles.

Patterson said the church’s box also tends to overflow, but the library manages itself. She said community members interrupt

their walks or drives to take or remove books as necessary.

“I’ve really been amazed at how many people come by. At any given time, that box goes from being maybe half empty to overflowing. The books are constantly changing without any work on our part,” Patterson said.

Little libraries are only getting more popular with time. Some book boxes, like Patterson’s and Kennedy’s, are registered with the Little Free Library association. They paid around $100 to decorate their book

boxes with plaques and add them to the organization’s official online map, which lists over 10 boxes in the area covered by Kitchissippi Times.

But Westboro resident and avid reader Tomer Noyhouzer said many boxes are not registered, like the one on his front lawn. He has used Google Maps to log over 50 boxes in that same area based on years of walking around Ottawa.

Through these boxes, Noyhouzer has discovered fantasy author Marie Phillips and crime novelist Jo Nesbo. He also found a sequel to a Terry Pratchett book he never knew about. He said the little libraries don’t replace traditional libraries, but they’re good for finding hidden gems.

“You walk around, you see the little libraries and you say ‘Oh, you never know, maybe I’ll find something that I’ll like,’” he said. “It’s kind of a treasure hunt.”

Patterson emphasized that as communities become “increasingly car dependent,” people become less likely to know their neighbours. Little libraries and the search

for books, she said, provide an important point of connection for these areas.

“You might bump into somebody at the Little Free Library and get the chance to say hello or pet their dog,” she said. “I think we need more of that kind of opportunity for connection in our neighbourhood.”

Patti Brown Broker

Susan Chell Broker

Sarah Toll Broker

Opposite page: Reverend Meg Paterson stands beside the library box outside of St. Stephens Presbyterian Church on Parkdale Avenue. A Little Free Library box painted with a squirrel and bunny sits outside of 38 Gwynne This page: Multiple library boxes sit at the corner of Oxford Street and Pinehurst Avenue. Insert: A wooden library box outside of 125 Ruskin Street. It was built by Jeremy, Jack, and Sadie Mclay in 2016. ALL PHOTOS BY ZENITH WOLFE.

ARTS AND CULTURE

Sherri Harding: Bringing Alabama’s music to Ottawa

BY ZENITH WOLFE

Five days in Alabama changed one local singer’s life. Now she’s bringing the music home to Ottawa.

Sherri Harding has been a professional musician for more than 35 years, performing across Canada and at overseas military shows in Bosnia, Dubai, and Italy. On March 25, the Carlington resident will take centre stage at Gladstone Theatre to debut her first solo album, A Million Pieces. It takes a multi-genre approach rooted in rock and blues to explore Harding’s musical career and personal life.

The album’s history began with Harding’s appearances in cover bands.

She calls herself a “jobber,” a musician for hire. But she’s always had that solo itch to scratch.

“When you play in a cover band or you play cover music, you’re trying to sound enough like whoever the artist might be,” Harding said. “For (A Million Pieces), I didn’t have to sound like anybody but me. That was liberating.”

In 2017, long before Harding would set foot in Alabama, an Ottawa-based southern rock band was seeking backup singers. Harding was up for consideration after pianist Ed Bimm put in a good word to Dick Cooper, the co-founder, songwriter, and occasional producer for the Cooper Brothers.

She soon found herself on stage with

the Cooper Brothers at Centrepointe Theatre, and in the studio to record their most recent album, Radio Silence Despite her obvious talent, Cooper said, he couldn’t tell her voice apart from the other singers when she first joined the band.

“She was just singing backup stuff: ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs,’ and singing in the chorus. It was only really after that, when I went to see her play her solo show, that I realized how really good she was,” Cooper said.

The early days of the pandemic presented them with an opportunity, according to Cooper. Its upheaval gave

him enough free time and quiet at his Wellington Village home to draft 20 songs for Harding.

This was the first time Cooper wrote from a woman’s perspective, which was challenging – writing for the Cooper Brothers was always “very much a guy thing.” But the unfamiliarity was also freeing, since writing for Harding was outside the conventions of a band or a specific genre.

“She can sing anything. The palette for me was pretty broad (and) I could do whatever I wanted, from A to Z,” Cooper said. “The record has a whole bunch of different styles, which reflects her voice.”

He and Harding collaborated on the lyrics, bouncing ideas off each other and narrowing down to 10 songs until they felt the album properly told her story. Harding

Clockwise from top left: Sherri Harding and Dick Cooper have been involved in Ottawa’s music scene for decades.

PHOTO BY ZENITH WOLFE. Harding said the sound in Muscle Shoals, Alabama is unique. It’s home to Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and The Swampers. PHOTO PROVIDED BY SHERRI HARDING. The cover of Harding’s new solo album A Million Pieces. PHOTO PROVIDED BY SHERRI HARDING.

even requested a song about Betty, her late mother, which eventually became Lady of the House.

Cooper had never met Betty, but Harding said he wrote like he knew her.

“When I played the rough version of that song for my sister in the car, (she) was crying,” Harding said.

Production finally began in 2022 when Harding and the Cooper Brothers travelled to Muscle Shoals, Alabama for a five-day recording session.

Muscle Shoals has long been considered a musical mecca for southern rock, and a commonly misinterpreted lyric from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Sweet Home Alabama. It’s home to Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and The Swampers. Muscle Shoals was also the recording capital of the world from the 1960s and 1970s, drawing in Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones, among others.

When they stepped through the doors of the NuttHouse Recording Studio, Cooper expected Harding to “fangirl” over its suite of famous musicians – bassist David Hood, organist Spooner Oldham, drummer Lynn Williams. But she kept her cool.

Muscle Shoals artists had no ego, Harding said. They were humble and eager to play, which motivated her and made her feel comfortable.

“There’s a saying: ‘You always want to play with people that are going to up your game.’ Being with those guys, you have to step up to the plate,” she said. “The vibe was really inspiring.”

The trip wasn’t just about enlisting big name artists, Cooper added. It was about the calm and friendly but professional atmosphere, the way everyone got along personally as well as musically.

“They’d come to the studio on days when they weren’t recording, just to hang out,” Cooper said. “You don’t get that in Nashville or Memphis. It’s a special place, a magical place.”

The experience was also memorable for the Muscle Shoals artists, including guitarist Kelvin Holly. As a former member of Little Richard and the Amazing Rhythm Aces, Holly has performed in Alabama since the 1980s.

Holly said Harding’s recording session was easy and fun. The songs and the Ottawa-based musicians had “a move and a groove.” It felt like every song told a story, he said, as though he was reading a book. He’s looking forward to working with them again.

“I felt like I could call them my friends, and a lot of times that’s not the case. You come in and you play on somebody’s stuff,

you walk out and you kind of forget about it. Not with them. It was like a family thing,” Holly said.

Cooper and Harding said they are hoping to return to Muscle Shoals someday. Cooper called the album “one of the best things” he’s ever associated with. This after recording more than 10 albums with the Cooper Brothers and other artists.

Harding loves the gravitas Alabama’s musicians lent the album. She’s excited to share the sound with Ottawa through her March 1 single, Don’t Tell Me How I Feel, and the debut of A Million Pieces at Gladstone Theatre March 25.

“We could have recorded what we did here (in Ottawa), and the guys would have done a fine job,” Harding said. “But they wouldn’t have thought to play it the ways the guys down there did.”

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ARTS AND CULTURE Alison Fowler puts the art in “heart”

BY ZENITH WOLFE

AKitchissippi artist has poured her heart into over 200 canvases in support of Heart Month.

Alison Fowler is a self-taught artist who began her creative career in 2009 at a second-floor studio on Wellington St, W. For over a decade she has held annual Wall of H’arts shows around Valentine’s Day, designing small heart canvases for local art buyers as gifts or collectibles.

This year’s show took place Feb. 11-13 at Fringe and Foliage, a hair salon and house plant store in Westgate. Fowler spent two months designing this year’s hearts, motivated to make the designs more special for her first in-person sale since the start of the pandemic.

“I find my hearts are more extravagant, or they’ve got a lot more personality to them, because I know (buyers) are coming to see them in person,” she said.

Fourteen special canvases were offered at a silent auction, with all proceeds going to the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation. They brought in a total of $2,400.

The foundation’s donation program will match all funds raised by Wall of H’arts, according to Lindsay Firestone, the director of community engagement for the Ottawa Heart Institute. She said events like this raise awareness for medical research projects.

“The funds raised will help to give people the gift of time,” Firestone said.

All other canvases were available for a flat $60 in a turn-based sale. Buyers received numbers when arriving at the venue. They were then called on one-byone to approach the wall of hearts and choose up to five canvases. Fowler said this process is one of the best parts of the event.

“I absolutely love to watch people reach out and touch my paintings. When they do, I feel that I have somehow succeeded,” she said.

Fowler added that she enjoys using her art to make people happy. She likes painting poppies and trees because of their interesting colours and textures, but more so because they resonate with buyers.

The same is true for Wall of H’arts, but Fowler said the show has an added element of mystery. It starts with the palette knife, a “messy” tool that allows her to blend colours into unique, unpredictable patterns. She said some artists steer clear of the palette knife because it’s hard to control, but that’s exactly what makes it her favourite implement.

Fowler said the sales can be mysterious as well: a buyer might eye a canvas all night, only for it to be gone by the time they approach the wall, forcing them to change plans on the spot. She’s also never sure about attendance, so she shares this feeling of anticipation with her viewers.

“I’ve had years that I’ve sold completely out. This year I didn’t sell completely out and I don’t care,” she said with a laugh. “That’s not the point. I (just) love seeing people picking their favourites.”

Andrew King is Fowler’s partner and a prominent Ottawa artist who painted one canvas for the event. He said Wall of H’arts is now an anticipated event in the capital, adding that the venue and affordable

prices of the canvases helped make art more accessible to the community.

“There are people lined up at four o’clock in the cold waiting to get in and get first choice,” King said.

This was the case for Ashley Brunette. She arrived with her husband at 4:05 p.m., nearly three hours early, to grab the first canvases on Feb. 11. Brunette bought three hearts this year: one for her collection of seven canvases, and two as gifts for her best friend, and her stepmother.

“Every year (Fowler) comes out with a new sought-after heart, so I try to get here to expand my collection,” Brunette said. “They’re the perfect little size that you can create a gallery wall at home the way you want it.”

Clockwise from top left: Love Light H'art, the only canvas in the show designed by Andrew King. Around 200 heart canvases were available for purchase at Wall of H'arts. Alison Fowler auctioned off 14 special hearts to raise money for charity.

ALL PHOTOS BY ZENITH WOLFE

”

There are people lined up at four o’clock in the cold waiting to get in and get first choice.”

– Andrew King

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COMMUNITY PHOTOS

Fisher Park Winter Carnival returns

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Dozens of Kitchissippi residents braved frigid temperatures and wind chill warnings on Feb. 4, for the annual Fisher Park Winter Carnival.

It was the first time such an event has been held since the COVID-19 pandemic canceled activities.

The day featured sleigh rides, scavenger hunts, and shinny hockey, among other outdoor activities. One of the winter carnival's biggest hits was the annual broomball game which attracts residents from across Ottawa.

“People have done this since they were little kids so we have lots of adults who come out excited because they used to do this every year,” said Anita Maasland-McNeil, administrator for the Fisher Park Community Recreation Council. “Despite it being -30 degrees, we scheduled it for an hour, and it went for two and a half hours.”

The Fisher Park community is hoping the weather will be warmer for next year's winter event. In the meantime, they are hoping to bring back their Victoria Day longweekend fireworks this May.

The Kitchissippi Times sent photographer Ellen Bond to the carnival to photograph the day's many activities.

1. From left to right: Pippa, Essa, and Rhiannon lace up their skates

2. The frigid cold temperatures many people from going on the

3. Tracelyn Watchorn and Anita Recreation Council.

4. Fisher Park kids practice their

This photo: Beavers and Cubs from the 24th Ottawa Scouts group are all smiles as they embrace the cold. Insert left: kids take part in arts and crafts. Insert below: Freddie drinks hot chocolate to stay warm.

didn’t stop the horse and carriage rides. Maasland from the Fisher Park Community their hockey skills.

LETTER TO THE COMMUNITY

Devonshire Public School has a chance to reimagine its street

SUBMITTED

BY CASSIE SMITH AND CHRIS HIRCOCK

It’s a common scene at Devonshire Community Public School: Hundreds of students arriving each day by foot, bike, scooter, skateboard, stroller, or even by sled in the winter.

It’s part of Devonshire’s longstanding culture of active transportation for kids and their families. Now big changes are taking place on Breezehill Avenue North which means the school and the City have choices to make.

A 271-unit residential complex with 244 parking spaces is being built at the corner of Breezehill and Somerset Street West. In the coming years, the nearby Dollarama will be torn down to make way for another housing development.

A street renewal is in the plans for Breezehill, including the addition of

traffic lights at Somerset. The new design will determine how the street is used for future generations.

Many studies have shown that wide roads mean speed and increased traffic. Conversely, wider sidewalks and narrow roadways slow drivers down. We see this as an opportunity for the city to design the street as a place for a healthy and vibrant community, and at its heart making it a safe and enjoyable place for kids to get to Devonshire Public School.

A recent study by Green Communities Canada and Ontario Active School Travel found less than two-thirds of Canadian children match their recommended daily physical activity guidelines.

Right now Breezehill sidewalks are too narrow for the steady stream of people using this route — especially with winter snow banks. People often

walk on the road, even with strollers, just to get through.

Ottawa’s new official plan aims to develop walkable, 15-minute neighborhoods, which would mean reallocating street space for those on foot, and slowing cars and trucks through road design.

Rather than mitigating the risk of traffic at the expense of hiring more crossing guards, we are proposing a new approach to school zone safety: Make a portion of Breezehill Avenue North carfree during school pick-up and drop-off hours.

This concept, called a “School Street,” has been adopted in Kingston, Hamilton, Mississauga, Markham, and Vancouver. It temporarily closes off a street with barricades for specific periods of time.

Another concept is making the street

more pedestrian and cycle-friendly through “Woonerf,” a Dutch-style street, called in English a “Living Street,” which uses physical design to slow drivers down. It also means more space for trees, greenery, or even an extension of the school’s play and learning areas.

In summary, it is important we make our community streets places that are safe for kids to move independently and actively. It sends a message to our kids that their trip is a valuable one.

The goals are simple: To create a safe environment for kids to safely walk and cycle to school; reduce locally generated congestion and improve air quality; and create a community connection.

(Cassie Smith is a parent of a Devonshire Public School student. Chris Hircock is founder of School Streets Ottawa, which pushes for active school travel.)

Multiple construction projects near Devonshire Public School strengthen the need for a “reimagined” street on Breezehill Avenue N. say community members. The nearby Dollarama will soon be demolished to make way for a new housing development. PHOTOS BY CHARLIE SENACK

A win, win for both sides

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

I recently showed my clients a condo listed for sale that included spectacular views, a great floor plan in a neighbourhood they like. I selected this property to view because I knew it checked off many of the boxes they were looking for. I also knew, this condo would likely be one of many properties they would view before they said “this is the one”.

For many, making a change moving from a single family home to a condo can be both a mental and emotional adjustment challenge. The mental adjustment, being the ability to process the information, think clearly and make good decisions while the emotional adjustment is the ability to cope with the change and manage those emotions.

Fortunately, compared to a year ago many buyers had to decide, in what seemed like minutes on whether or not to make an offer on a property, the current real estate market now allows buyers more time to make such a large financial and life changing decision. Even

with near record low levels of new listings trickling out, buyers don’t feel the same sense of urgency as this time last year.

Are we heading into a buyers market?

According to the Canadian Real Estate Associations Senior Economist Shaun Cathcart

“In 2019 the market started off slow, as there wasn’t much to buy. With the Bank of Canada increasingly signaling that rates are now at the top, it’s possible the spring market this year could also surprise, particularly in areas where prices have been stable or are now stabilizing. Buyers are likely feeling increasingly confident in taking on variable rate mortgages, and 2023 will probably be a good window of opportunity to be able to engage in a calmer home search and buying experience following the intense market conditions of the last few years.”

This is great news for my buyer clients, knowing they can take their time searching for the right property and when it’s time to sell their present home, the low inventory of homes for sale will work in their favor. A win, win for both sides.

Telephone 613-299-6243

dean.caillier@evrealestate.com

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When Holland and Byron was mostly railways

BY DAVE ALLSTON

The intersection of Holland and Byron was for many years known as “Holland Junction,” a name that harkens back to an era when railway tracks were the area’s prominent feature.

Holland Avenue itself had tracks running almost its entire length, from Wellington to Carling. It was crossed by the Grand Trunk line, today’s Queensway, and the Canadian Pacific Railway line, today’s Transitway.

As a new century began in 1900, a new Ottawa Electric Railway streetcar line running off Holland began to bring Ottawa residents through Wellington Village, Westboro and Woodroffe, all the way out to Britannia.

Back then the line was in the middle of nowhere, connecting to tracks that ran from downtown, through Hintonburg and up Holland to West End Park. Byron Avenue didn’t even exist — the tracks ran through former farmland. Farmers and landowners along the route saw their land values explode thanks to the streetcars.

In 1908, the Ottawa Electric acquired lots along the streetcar line, including 26 of them around where Huron and Holland meet Byron.

The idea was to establish a large storage yard for materials, equipment and broken down streetcars, and a small waiting station for those transferring in what was countryside at Holland

Top: Huron Street N. looking north-west from the middle of the Ottawa Electric Railway yard in the 1920’s. The Connors House at 166 Huron is shown in an empty field. Today it’s part of a vibrant residential neighborhood.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY DUNCAN DUFRESNE.

Bottom: A 1951 photo looking west down Byron from Holland. The old enclosed streetcar waiting station can be seen to the right.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY DAVID KNOWLES.

”As a new century began in 1900, a new Ottawa Electric Railway streetcar line running off Holland began to bring Ottawa residents through Wellington Village, Westboro and Woodroffe, all the way out to Britannia.”

Junction onto the Britannia line.

This yard took up nearly two-thirds of the entire block of the east and west sides of Huron, between Wellington and Byron. It went north to the heritage Connors House at 166 Huron, built in 1915.

The yard was fenced, with a long line of billboards on the Holland side through the 1920s and 1930s.

In those early days, the only street lighting around the streetcar line was supplied by the Ottawa Electric. When the streetcars stopped running just after midnight, the lights at Byron and Holland, and Byron at Clarendon, were turned off. It was so dark and dangerous that the City eventually installed its own lighting.

In 1934, the City made an agreement with the Ottawa Electric to relocate a city yard to the Huron-Byron yard. So the City yard at the southeast corner of Wellington and Hinton had to move. The City began storing stacks of wood, materials, equipment and tools there, and did work that created smoke, dust and noise. Neighbours complained, and it became a community issue.

The problem was solved in 1942, when the Ottawa Electric decided to move, the City followed suit, consolidating their three area yards to Bayview.

Before the Holland Junction yard closed, it was a hub for a City project to distribute sand across the city, to use in case fires were started by air raids. In June 1942, the City asked principals at all Ottawa schools to urge teenage boys to distribute the sand. Trucks delivered the sand to hubs across the city, where boys brought galvanized pails to sand hubs across the city for homes in their neighbourhoods.

It started on June 16, between 6 and 8 p.m. and most teenaged boys in Wellington Village pitched in, to be rewarded with soft drinks.

In early 1947, the province changed building restrictions so the Collegiate Institute Board could build Fisher Park School. Three lots at the corner of Byron and Holland (now the Elmdale Tennis Club) became a centre of debate, because the Agudath Israel congregation had

bought the lots for a new synagogue and school.

Ottawa Electric had sold the lots, not knowing the Collegiate board had included them as part of the Fisher Park project. The city began expropriation procedures to claim the lots.

Agudath Israel was willing to go along with all this as long as an equivalent site for the synagogue could be found. A deal was struck, and the Board purchased the lots. Elmdale Tennis Club – which opened in 1937 on land where Fisher school stands today – moved onto the lots in 1948, where they remain.

The Agudath congregation eventually moved into the old church at 30 Rosemount.

In 1948, a $6 million deal saw the City acquire Ottawa Electric. At the stroke of midnight on Aug. 13, the streetcar system – with 130 streetcars, 61 buses, miles of track, barns, garages, power plant and other equipment – became the Ottawa Transportation Commission.

In anticipation of this, the Ottawa Electric had been selling off their pieces of land in the vicinity. The former Holland Junction yard was sold to various buyers, but a large block of nine lots (five on Holland, four on Huron), were sold to local builder Aurele J. Henry.

The A.J. Henry Co. was a family-run business, building houses just a couple at a time. Between mid-1948 and mid-1950, its focus was on the south end of Huron and Holland, where Henry built nine identical two-storey brick duplex homes, all of which still stand. Each cost between $13,000 and $15,000 to build, and are identifiable because of their adjoining central front entranceways, and the fun geometric shapes built into the brick above the entrance.

The streetcars stopped running in May 1959, and the waiting station was demolished soon after. Then mayor Charlotte Whitton wanted most of the former streetcar line lots sold for houses, but thankfully the City retained it for park and green space – a pretty cool memorial to our neighbourhood’s streetcar history.

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Art Lending of Ottawa welcomes new artists

by Leslie Firth

Art Lending of Ottawa (ALO) is very excited to welcome twelve new artist members over the past year. ALO is a not–for-profit artists’ cooperative established in 1970. Our goal is to promote the work of local artists and to offer high quality and affordable art to our community. We provide the option of being able to rent or rent-to-own art, a feature that is very popular and sets us apart from most other artist cooperatives and galleries. We showcase our art four times a year at the R.A. Centre in Ottawa.

(For 2023, the dates are: March 18, June 24, Sept. 23, Dec. 16.) At these one-day events, in the two hours before we open at 10 a.m., our volunteers are busy hanging over a hundred pieces of art. Once done, the walls and standing grids are covered in art from top to bottom in true salon style. The result is always breathtaking – and different every time.

Here is a list of our new artists, with a short description of their work. All artists have been selected by a jury. To see images of the work of all of our artists in the Art Lending of Ottawa on-line gallery, visit artlendingofottawa.ca.

• Shelly Amor: Shelley paints a wide range of subjects, including landscapes and flowers. Whether in acrylic, resin and mixed media., expect to see bold colour.

• Madeleine Brownrigg: Madeleine paints innocent, whimsical art with a new impressionist style. Her medium is acrylic.

• Doreen Dyet: Doreen’s art is inspired by her travels around the world and by her love of nature. She paints landscapes, flowers and other objects in oil.

• Carol Ince: Carol is currently using oil paint in a contemporary style to capture people, their stories and their place in their communities.

• Mireille Laroche: Mireille paints a broad range of subject matter in various media and styles. Her current acrylics include landscapes, flowers, abstracts and near-abstract in vibrant colour.

• Christine Osborne: Christine’s acrylic paintings are inspired by the local surroundings and wildlife of Ottawa and rendered in a realistic style.

• LJ Renaud: LJ’s paintings in acrylic and watercolour are inspired by color, pattern, nature and animals

• Anne Scanlan: Anne uses bold stokes and colour to reinterpret communities and our environment in her acrylic and multi media art.

• William Sommers: Bill uses ink in a cartoon format to reflect on life and the world around us.

• Sanjay Sundrum: Sanjay finds his inspiration in urban spaces and their interaction with the natural world. His medium is oils.

• Suman Sundrum: Suman renders her memories as abstract compositions and landscapes. Her medium is oils.

• Anne Warburton: Anne uses fibre and paper to interpret the world around us. Her focus is on interpreting the lines in nature with texture and colour.

All of the Art Lending of Ottawa artists (both our new and long-standing members) look forward to seeing you at our show on March 18th. Admission and parking is free. Submit your name at the door for a chance at a door prize. If you can’t make it to the March show, mark your calendar for our next one: June 24th.

Art Lending of Ottawa Spring Show

March 18th, 10am to 4pm

R.A. Centre 2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa www.artlendingofottawa.ca Facebook: /artlending613

Instagram: /artlending613.

LeslieFirthisanartistmemberandBoardmemberofArtLending.

SPECIAL FEATURE

If you’re looking to soak up the sun and go tanning at Westboro Beach, chances are you’re fed up with winter. Spring is almost here meaning summer isn’t that far off.

With routines back to normal following the pandemic, summer camps are making a comeback. It’s an annual tradition for many families; an opportunity for kids to make friends and a lifetime of memories.

Ottawa is fortunate to have a variety of summer camps for children of all ages and interests. Whether your kid is a sports lover or a gamer, there is a camp for them. Kitchissippi Times is here to show you some options.

SUMMER CAMPS 2023

No time machine? No problem.

Play in the past this summer at the City of Ottawa Museums and Historic Sites. Nepean Museum’s new MakerStudio is a hive of creative energy with S.T.E.A.M (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) activities and storytelling adventure games inspired by local history. At Billings Estate National Historic Site, kids get hands-on experiences in heritage cooking, archeology, and more. They can even exercise their green

thumbs in the vegetable garden.

If you love big machines, Cumberland Heritage Village Museum is the place to be. From special events including Firefighter Day and the Vintage Vehicle Experience to demonstrations of heritage trades, there’s plenty to discover. And don’t forget to say hi to the farm animals!

Plan the perfect picnic at Pinhey’s Point Historic Site, with riverfront views, a nearly 200-year-old manor house and drop-in style activities that highlight the landscape and early settler life.

Can’t wait until summer? Save the date for Easter at the Estate (Billings Estate) and Hop into Spring (Cumberland Heritage Village Museum) on Saturday, April 8. Advance registration is required.

City of Ottawa Museums and Historic Sites

Ottawa.ca/Museums

Museums@Ottawa.ca

Zoo Crew’s Summer camps

The summer camp that will make your kids wild with excitement! The Zoo Crew hosts Pawsitively Pets in the Ottawa area bringing even more fun to our animal loving community.

This summer, look past the usual camps that are offered and enroll your child in a camp that is sure to excite their imagination and explore the exciting world of all things animal. Our camps were created to help teach children ages 5 to 16 about safe and responsible pet ownership, and expose them to the wonderful human-animal bond.

Pet Pals and Animals Explorers for kids

ages 5 to 10

Campers get to enjoy hands-on animal interactions, learn how to care for pets and safely interact with a variety of animals. The animals will arrive everyday for fun activities such as grooming, feeding and enrichment builds..

Animal Adventurer for kids ages 10-12

Campers learn the fundamentals of animal care and explore some of the different career opportunities in the animal field.

Visit us for more information

Junior Dog Trainer for kids ages 10-14

Campers explore the basics of positive reinforcement training and the power of clear non-verbal communication. This program has campers working in teams with pre-screened dogs learning basic obedience, tricks and an introduction to different dog sports.

Mini Vet Camp for kids ages 12 to 16

Campers are introduced to veterinary medicine. What you need to take in school, and everything you need to be a vet. This advanced program has a full pet first aid certification, basic procedures such as suturing and microscope work and even a full mock surgery!

The Zoo Crew has built a reputation with our Pawsitively Pets Kids Camp programs of providing a one of a kind camp experience that is safe, engaging, welcoming to all campers, positive, provides age-appropriate programming, is educational and challenging – and most importantly, an over-the-top fun experience!

www.TheZooCrew.ca

Summer reads for kids and teens

By Brianna Peterson

As you’re planning your summer camp schedule, it wouldn’t hurt to think about summer reading for your little humans. Cottage weekends, long summer evenings, and extended travel days are all opportunities to sneak in reading to strengthen children’s comprehension and critical thinking skills and – keep them occupied!

With my 9- and 6-year-olds, we always have a longer book that we’re reading together at bedtime, and a range of quicker reads for them whenever they feel like reading during the day. We also have some great audiobooks on the library’s excellent Libby app.

Here are some summertime options your kids might love.

These chapter book series include plenty of graphics to ensure visual interest for the wee ones, as well as slightly more complex story arcs than the picture books your kids might be starting to outgrow.

Dragon Masters by Tracey West: This is a 20+ book series that initiated my kids’ love of chapter books. Detailing the adventures of a wizard and five 8-year-old “Dragon Masters,” each with their own personal dragon, these books are an exploration of friendship and adventure.

MiaMayhem by Kara West: This series stars Mia Macarooney, a seemingly regular 8-year-old, who has some pretty impressive superpowers. There are, at present, 13 different tales to keep your little reader busy. HenryHecklebeck by Wanda Coven: Henry is just a normal boy … or is he? Mysterious happenings and magical family members suggest that maybe he’s got something a little special up his sleeves.

BOOK SERIES FOR SLIGHTLY MORE ADVANCED READERS (6-10 YEAR OLDS) These are great for kids that are a little older but still

Geronimo and Thea Stilton: This is actually two different series, authored by, respectively

Geronimo Stilton and Thea Stilton, who are … mice from New Mouse City. Full colour pictures and strategically colourful text, combine with madcap adventures to make for addictive reads.

IvyandBean by Annie Burrows and Sophie

Blackall: Two young girls who couldn’t be more different become unlikely allies and best of friends, as they band together to help get each other out of one interesting pickle after another.

Graphicnovels for your readers that love visuals: It’s best to ditch the debate about whether these are considered “books,” and embrace the philosophy that anything that gets your kids reading is great. And, excellent news, there’s a proliferation of fantastic books in this genre:

There are MANY very popular series that my kids have devoured (Dog Man and Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey. The Babysitters Club, Wings of Fire).

There are also classics being re-told, and in some cases modernized, in graphic novel format – an opportunity to introduce well-loved stories in a more accessible format:

Meg,Jo,BethandAmy (a modern Little Women re-telling) by Rey Terciero and Bre Indigo

Anne of Green Gables by Mariah Marsden & Brenna Thummler

The Secret Garden on 81st Street by Ivy Noelle Weir and Amber Padilla Raina Telgemeier’s books are immensely popular and tackle some of the issues young people encounter in their school and personal lives (Smile, Drama, Guts, Sisters)

MIDDLE SCHOOL READS

These books can make for an excellent bedtime read along with your kids or audiobooks for a long drive. Alternatively, they can serve as independent reading options for more advanced readers that are ready to let their imaginations do the work in the absence of illustrations.

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall: This book follows the charming exploits of four sisters over the course of one special summer. It is pure delight, with four more Penderwicks books to keep you busy if you fall in love.

AmariandtheNightBrothers by B.B. Alston: Twelve year old Amari discovers a secret organization that may help her to uncover important mysteries, with the help (or in spite) of magicians, faeries and … aliens? This is a new fantasy series for those who love Harry Potter or Percy Jackson

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull: A sister and brother find themselves staying with their grandparents on a mysterious magical conservation site – faeries, trolls, witches and ogres lurk where they are least expected. This book is fun, propulsive and not too scary for your adventure-loving little ones.

Code Name Bananas by David Walliams: My 9-year old has devoured all of this author’s books and has proclaimed this one her favourite. It takes place during the Second World War and involves an adventurous boy and his unlikely friendship with a large gorilla. Hijinks ensue.

The Barren Grounds by David Robertson: The publisher describes this one as “Narnia meets traditional indigenous stories.” In an unfinished attic, two indigenous children discover a portal to another world – they go across and discover new friends to join on a dangerous journey.

(Briana Peterson is a mom of three who writes “KT Reads” on the Kitchissippi Times website. She runs the Instagram account @capitalcityreader).

Calling all future tennis stars.

Registration is now open for Elmdale Tennis Club’s junior summer camps. Our camps are for players aged between 5 and 14 and focus on learning and developing tennis skills in a creative and encouraging environment. Players will develop an understanding of tennis fundamentals, including proper technique, strategy and fair play.

Camps runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday and are perfect for both beginners and older players who have some tennis experience. Our Head Pro Coach Chris Halliday oversees the program and joins his team of coaches to give each participant a positive and fun experience.

We group players according to age, ability and friend/family preference. We teach with age and skill appropriate equipment on our club’s clay courts at Holland and Byron Avenues and mix it up with creative games next door at Fisher Park.

Book any or all of 8 weeks. First week from July 3-7. Final week from August 21-September 1. No camp the week of August 7-11.

The cost is $225 per week for children of Elmdale members. $250 per week for non-member children. Plus HST.

To register or for more information contact Chris directly through www.hallidaytennis.ca/

ELMDALE TENNIS SUMMER PROGRAM

LEARN THE GAME MAKE FRIENDS HAVE FUN

Dovercourt summer camps have something for everyone

By Millie Farley

For over 30 years, Dovercourt Recreation Centre has been providing summer day camps to generations of Ottawa residents.

Now with a “normal” year on hand post-covid, the local community hub is planning around 50 different camps for 2023. Their topics range from art to sports and everything in between. Registration started Feb. 2, and spots are going fast.

Kitchissippi Times spoke with Robin Cloutier – director of recreation at Dovercourt – to learn what’s in store for this summer.

KT: Why are summer day camps important for children? What kinds of experiences and memories do they get out of it?

RC: Summer camp provides the best environment for human connection. It’s a place where friendships can happen instantly and deeply and last a lifetime. In summer camp,

Dovercourt creates the space for children to play and be themselves (or a pirate, or a dinosaur, or an astronaut, or an engineer, or a fishing champion). When children feel safe and loved and are entertained, they open up and become the best version of themselves.

KT: Which of your camps is the most popular and why?

RC: We have lots of “most” popular ones. The specialty camps that fill the most quickly and get the longest waiting lists are LEGO Camp in partnership with OrangeSTEM Education, robotics camp with Ottawa Robotics Academy, and fishing camp with Ottawa Musky Factory. Cake decorating is also understandably popular with all of our campers.

Our theme camps for children entering junior kindergarten or senior kindergarten are also very popular

as they are highly structured but incredibly fun. Some of our theme weeks this year include dinosaur galore, candy land craze, and pirates’ playground.

KT: How many staff do you have? Tell us a bit about how Dovercourt offers job opportunities to local youth.

RC: We expect to hire at least 100 for the camp staff team. Our team structure of camp directors, counselors, buddies, inclusion support workers, and counselors in training provide lots of individual attention.

Day camps provide an ideal summer job for youth with regular hours in a structured 8:30-4:30 schedule. It’s a great way to make money while playing outside and learning something new – like white water rafting, pottery, or fishing. We are proud that most of our staff return summer after summer and most of our local leaders stay with us all year.

KT: Tell us more about your ‘inclusion and integration’ system.

RC: We welcome everyone into our programs and some campers require

extra support to have the best experience. Most often this means extra love and care by our inclusion team which includes camp buddies, inclusion leads, and one-on-one support workers. We are grateful to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and Youth Services Bureau to help make it sustainable. Families can meet with our inclusion team before camp starts to ensure support is in place; and it’s a priority that all of our staff are well trained on behaviour management and accessibility.

KT: So how does the community benefit from your summer camps?

RC: We are dedicated to serving the families of Ottawa with a familyfirst approach. We understand what parents are looking for in care for their children. We understand what teenagers and students are looking for in summer employment. Most importantly we understand what children want and need while spending the day with caring and fun individuals, making new friends, and learning new things.

Dovercourt Camps: An Exciting Summer Ahead!

Dovercourt is recognized throughout Ottawa for providing camps offering safe, memorable, and fun experiences for children and youth across the region. Dovercourt camps are famous for their staff, the variety of camps available to kids 4 and up, the convenience of a central location, many partnerships with expert instructors, and the extra value of inclusion support and extended care for early & late drop-off.

Their central location and range of specialized programming make it ideal for families with children of various ages and interests. Although most campers will spend the day out and about, enjoying local parks, school gyms, sports fields, or the river and forests, all campers start and finish the day together at Dovercourt. This offers parents a convenient one-stop pickup and drop-off spot with optional

extended care for those with an earlier or later workday.

Theme camps have been a trademark of Dovercourt’s camp programs for many years. The programming team works hard all year round to plan innovative and imaginative age-appropriate themes that will spark curiosity and intrigue in every camper. Weekly themes are enhanced with games, crafts, special events, guest visits, and out-trips to exciting locations. New for 2023, theme campers will be grouped according to school grade for maximum friendship building.

In addition to theme camps, Dovercourt is renowned for its wide range —more than 40!— of specialty camps, catering to many levels of interest and skill, including culinary arts, performing arts, visual arts, sports, science & technology, and outdoor adventure.

Parents with older kids face a challenge: motivating them to participate in camps can be difficult,

but they’re too young to work, and parents don’t want them home alone.

Dovercourt’s Youth Zone camps are geared toward kids entering grades 6 and 7 who have outgrown regular theme camps. Each week includes exciting out-trips, including zip-lining, trampolining, or rock climbing, and more “chill” activities like ice cream at the beach or a photography lesson.

The specialty camp lineup will also appeal to those hard-to-please 10 to 13-year-olds: some of the most exciting options are geared to their interests, from Fishing to Band, Ultimate Frisbee to Parkour, or White Water Rafting to Pastry Arts and everything in between.

Registration is underway, and some camps are full with waitlists, especially for younger campers. But don’t despair: the waitlists move quickly as it gets closer to summer.

Learn

International Women’s Day was first recognized by the United Nations on March 8th in 1975 but has roots going back to the women’s rights movements in early 1900s. Women have always been part of the economic development of communities, even if their work has been unseen. It has been Westboro Village’s practise to support and champion these women leaders since the Westboro Village BIA was established in 1979 and March is our time to celebrate and connect these amazing women who own and lead businesses in our area.

Did you know that 39% of businesses in Westboro Village have women running them? Research has shown that the majority of women entrepreneurs are concentrated in services, health, beauty, food, and culture. Everyone of these women, through their chosen industry, makes our traditional main street vibrant.

Every year, in March, we will introduce the community to more of the amazing Women in Westboro. Meet this years Women in Westboro:

Jacqui Okum

Is the Founder & CEO of Strawberry Blonde Bakery. Strawberry Blonde Bakery’s mission is to create a place where people with alternative diets and food allergies can buy a treat without having to worry about cross contamination, while also not having to compromise on taste or aesthetics. Strawberry Blonde's goodies taste just as good (nay! better!) than their conventional counterparts. Absolutely everything at Strawberry Blonde Bakery is 100% vegan, gluten free, nut free, peanut free, and kosher. How did it all start? Well, after becoming vegan in 2008, Jacqui noticed a gap in the marketplace for delicious cakes and pastries for those with alternative diets. She started Strawberry Blonde Bakery after graduating from George Brown’s Baking and Pastry Entrepreneurship program after working in the Film & TV industries as well as for not-for profit organizations in the arts field. Strawberry Blonde Bakery now has two locations (1 in Westboro and 1 in Kanata), a wholesale division, as well as a specialty division that focuses on artisanal chocolates and custom cakes. It has always been Jacqui’s goal to create a bakery space where people with alternative diets could go and not feel left out of the fun. Since becoming an entrepreneur over a decade ago, Jacqui has become passionate about small business and more specifically, women in business and management.

Outside of the bakery, Jacqui spends her time with her husband Dejan, their 2 spectacular kiddos, Ana (7) and Mila (5), and their adorable Sheepadoodle Penny.

39% 12.5% 10%

of the businesses in Westboro Village are women led.

of our women entrepreneurs are under the age of 40

of the women leading businesses in Westboro Village are new to Canada

Marianne Hassan

Founder/Operator of BRACHIC Bra-Fitting Boutique Industry Recipient of Best Store in Canada 2020 Expat from London 1999.

A love of nice undergarments has been a thing for as long as I can remember. Whether the items came from Marks & Spencers, John Lewis or Rigby& Peller, I’ve has always appreciated a nice bra and knicker set

After working in the social service field at Centretown Community Health Centre for a number of years, I wanted a career change, one where a passion for beautiful well fitted undergarments would feature. Whether it was fate, timing or kismet, I met people that generously gave of their time and shared their experience in the intimate apparel industry, bra fitting and retail. A year later BRACHIC was born.

Having work that you have a passion for and enjoy doing is a gift beyond measure. Helping people to find well fitted undergarments that work for them and makes them feel confident in their body is a constant pleasure. Sharing knowledge can truly be life changing for many that BRACHIC serve. A satisfying day's work never gets old. This month I’m proud to say that BRACHIC will have been open 19 exhilarating, challenging and magical years.

Along the way I have become a proud active grandmother of three. During these winter months, outside of work I can be found exploring the streets of this wonderful neighborhood supporting other local businesses, cross country skiing (falling) along the river and taking ballroom dance lessons.

Sandra Cadena

Cadena is a family-owned and family-run restaurant that was born from the dream of sharing the dishes that were already made at home with our family. The idea was always to create a restaurant that serves both classic and modern dishes from Spain with only the freshest of ingredients, the best quality of meats, and spices that perfectly bring our flavors together.

Our story began five years ago in our small cafe in the east-end of the city, where we served breakfast, coffee, empanadas and a very small lunch menu. We were well-received and warmly welcomed by the neighborhoodfrom University students, to diplomats, to people who had been living in the area for 30+ years! Even during the COVID-19 closures, we were endlessly supported by our community, whose takeout orders enabled us to continue our business and maintain our hard work and effort. Our neighbors in the community appreciated and loved our food, which inspired us to take more creative risks with our menu and really lean into the Spanish cuisine we grew up loving. The response to our newly introduced tapas and paella was nothing short of incredible, so much so, that we eventually outgrew the space - it just didn’t have the facilities we needed in order to maintain our high-quality standards, nor the vision we had for the Ottawa community.

My family is originally from Ecuador and moved to Spain more than 30 years ago. Since then, my connection with Spanish culture and gastronomy has grown stronger every year. My trips to Spain gave me the opportunity to appreciate the freshness and passion for the dishes our restaurant is known for - tapas and paellas. Fusing our two cultures and cuisines - Latin American and Spanish - was an environment I knew I had to create for our Ottawa community. In the 30 years that I have lived here, I have learned to take advantage of my opportunities to make my dreams a reality. This country is a part of me as much as my roots to Latino-America and Europe, and bringing it all together is that dream I have been fighting for all my life.

In the same way we were received when we opened our little cafe, the Westboro community has graciously welcomed us with arms wide open, and I want to return the favor by inviting our neighbors to come enjoy a delicious meal at our restaurant. We want to greatly thank the Westboro community for supporting us so passionately this past year. We will be very happy to serve you and take you on a little Spanish adventure with every bite - accompanied by some of the best wine the country has to offer.

Molly van der Schee

What it means to be a woman in business has changed and evolved for me over the years. When I first opened The Village Quire at 312 Richmond Road, I was a Mom to young kids. Mine were just five and two years old. It wasn’t uncommon for me to be running late due to morning meltdowns and as we got into the thick of those elementary school years, you could count on me answering the phone at 4pm while they checked in as they got home. Fast forward twelve years and there are fewer phone calls (and more text messages!) and I have a crew of teenagers working for me. Including my own daughter.

What this means to me is that there really is no separation between work and life. And it isn’t about a lack of balance - it’s just that I see a reflection of my work life in my home life and what’s happening at home is a reflection of what’s happening in the shop.

As my kids become more and more independent, that space that held kids’ appointments, meal planning and homework is being filled with new ideas for the shop. My brain is buzzing with creative ideas and business planning that I can’t wait to share. Brainstorming with friends who own their own businesses is such a fantastic resource - these are my colleagues and you can bet our watercooler talks happen at the coffee shops and restaurants in Westboro Village. Or between customers as we take five standing in our doorways. Hashing out new plans and collaborations to help expand and deepen our independent business community is where my mind is at now.

I love the challenge and opportunity the future holds and it is pretty exciting to think of what it means to be a woman in business. We have a unique take on leadership and building business - I want to know more about it. This is definitely something we can all get behind.

This year the theme for International Women’s Day is to Embrace Equity and challenges all of us to ask how we will Embrace Equity? How will we work collectively to make positive change, and create an equal world? As a BIA we are creating opportunities to share the stories of the Women in Westboro and to listen to each member's different experiences, challenges, and goals for the future. Here is what some reflect on for Embrace Equity.

I feel lucky to be my own boss. The number one person stopping me from gender equity and equality is me! And I don’t honestly get in my own way very often. So, I think about my staff, and I try to do the work to encourage them to tell me what they need to be successful. And I think outside of The Village Quire and how I can contribute to gender parity in our own business community. We’ve come a long way but there is still so much work to do. Here in our country and beyond.”

- Molly van der Schee, Owner, The Village Quire

Silvia Klein

I have been on quite the journey from growing up on a Swiss farm to running an independently owned boutique fitness studio in Ottawa. Moving to New York in my early twenties provided a crash course in life, in the most positive way possible. It was there - while a student at NYU - that I met my husband, Jeremy. In 2014, after an 11-year detour via Zurich, we relocated to Jeremy’s hometown Ottawa with our two daughters.

My background is in marketing, but fitness has always been my passion. I joined Greco Westboro as a member in 2015 and shortly after started working at the studio while pursuing a fitness diploma at Algonquin College. When the opportunity presented itself to take over the Westboro franchise location in 2019, I became a first-time business owner. It was a steep learning curve, but I was able to increase the studio's revenue by 40% in the first year. And then - Covid! The studio was mandated to close its doors for over 11 months over the course of the pandemic.

But as they say, every challenge is an opportunity, a chance to grow. It was during that time that I decided to leave the franchise and run the studio independently. Since its launch as powerhaus in June of 2022, my business has successfully positioned itself as a premier boutique fitness studio in Ottawa. The promise to “deliver the best hour of your day” can be experienced from the moment you enter the studio. A welcoming environment, strong community, and results-driven training solutions allow our members - no matter their fitness level and ageto reach their personal goals.

As a business leader, I strive to inspire both members and employees to become the best version of themselves. I attribute my success to a leadership style that is based on authenticity, relationship-building, perseverance, empathy, creativity, and a passion for what I do.

And yes, there is room for chocolate and cheese in a healthy lifestyle!

Many women are balancing caregiving for a family member with health issues or aging needs on top of their paid work. Embracing Equity means continuing to create tools and resources such as Pallium’s Compassionate Workplace Campaign that supports and empowers working caregivers in their roles to strengthen important social connections within our communities and workplaces.

- Peggy Austen, Director, Corporate Partnerships, Pallium Canada

As a healthcare professional, Embrace Equity means empowering our diverse patient populations by embracing our differences and evolving our practices to improve quality of care through traditional and non-traditional medicines.

- Rahim Dhalla, President, Hybrid Pharm

Embrace Equity means being flexible with moms with young children so that they don’t have to choose between work and parenting their babies.

- Kate Laird, Owner/Founder, Love Your Body Fitness

Ottawa’s proposed city budget skimps on core areas

SUBMITTED BY JEFF LEIPER, KITCHISSIPPI WARD COUNCILLOR

Hello, Kitchissippi! I hope you all got the chance to participate in Heart Month events around our ward in February –the Heart Institute is an important part of the Ottawa community and deserves our support. It’s a standing reminder too for all of us to take care of our cardiovascular health year-round! Now let’s dive into ward news for March.

As I write this in February, the draft of the 2023 city budget has been tabled and we are deep into consultation about it. Within the 2.5 per cent cap that Council has imposed on staff for the draft, I’m pleased that the $15 million in capital funding for housing has been preserved and that infrastructure spending will be increased.

I don’t expect the final budget will differ much from the draft, and I echo residents’ frustrations about a lack of new money for transit, housing, social services, and active transportation infrastructure; more money there will have to wait for the 2024 budget. I appreciate everyone’s engagement at the Feb. 15 consultation I held with councillors Menard and Troster and I take all your comments to heart in budget discussion with colleagues and staff.

In early February, there was a flood at the building at Athlone and Scott owned by Salus which provided affordable and supportive housing to 42 tenants suffering from mental and substance use challenges. A burst pipe rendered the building uninhabitable, and everyone had

to be moved somewhere else until repairs are completed. If any readers are able to support Salus and help get our neighbours back home, please send them a donation via their website and note that your gift is to support flood recovery.

Looking ahead, I’ve got some ideas for March Break camps and family activities while we await the arrival of spring. Rosemount Public Library is ramping up with Tuesday “babytime” in the mornings and afternoons, Wednesday’s “toddlertime,” teen and tween gaming days, and other events for library lovers of all ages. There’s more information at the OPL website or at Rosemount 613-580-2940.

Just found out as I wrote this, there are still spots open in Dovercourt March break camps. Check out the specialty camps for kids who want to learn something new, theme camps for those who love to see stories come to life, and the youth zone for kids aged 10 to 12 who have outgrown traditional day camps but still want camp excitement. You can register for those on the Dovercourt website or phoning 613-798-8950.

To stay on top of this kind of thing, sign up for my weekly email newsletter at jeff.leiper@ottawa.ca or call 613-580-2485 to get you signed up. In the meantime, have an amazing March!

Composed by Women:

Music of War and Peace

Composée par des femmes :

Musique sur la guerre et la paix

Remembering the battle of Billings Bridge

SUBMITTED BY JOEL HARDEN, MPP FOR OTTAWA CENTRE

I’ve worked as your MPP since 2018, and I’ve seen our city face many things.

Two massive windstorms, two “once in a century” floods, a horrendous bus crash, a dysfunctional light rail transit system, a global pandemic, and a three-week vehicle occupation of our downtown core.

As I knocked on doors in the last election, many people talked about these unprecedented events. “Are the locusts next Joel?” said one neighbour. “Are we cursed?”

No, I said (after a laugh), I think the opposite is true. Ottawa is blessed with compassion in moments of great need. I’ve met dozens of local leaders and engaged community groups; I’ve seen them work wonders in the face of adversity.

To me, our biggest challenge was last year’s “Freedom Convoy”, the aforementioned three-week vehicle occupation of our downtown neighbourhoods, and an important one-year anniversary of that time just passed.

Feb. 13, 2022 — the “Battle of Billings Bridge”. It was a moment when people had had enough. And they took action. A small group of neighbours blocked dozens of convoy vehicles headed uptown, and it spiraled into a movement I will never forget.

This year, in the weeks before the anniversary, I had been thinking about the significance of that day, and how we could mark the occasion.

In the end, at 9 a.m. on Feb. 12, I joined neighbours for a walk on the Rideau Winter Trail. We met where the trail starts just beside where the Billings Bridge blockade happened (near the intersection of Bank Street and Riverside Drive). Don’t worry – groomer Pete said that was alright as long as we avoided the ski tracks.

After a brief discussion (it was cold!), we got moving, and asked some important questions, all of which are inspired from our blockade on Feb. 12, 2022.

Can we address the spread of misinformation? Can we call others in, instead of just calling them out? Can we encourage passionate debate that avoids point-scoring and snark?

There are answers to these questions, but they require a different approach to politics. More empathy, even when we’re angry. Building bridges, not more walls. What do you think?

My very best to you all, Joel

• Autism

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”It was a moment when people had had enough. And they took action.”

Our community deserves quality health care

SUBMITTED BY YASIR NAQVI, MP FOR OTTAWA CENTRE

As Ottawa Centre residents, we are so fortunate to have a dynamic selection of winter activities in our neighbourhoods and across the city! Whether it’s a ski on the Kichi Sibi trail, skating at a local rink, or a visit to Winterlude attractions, I encourage you and your family to get out and get active. Personally, I love to run – in rain, snow and shine, this is how I get active and keep my physical and mental health in check. Be sure to visit the Ottawa Tourism website for more ideas on how you can enjoy this winter season outdoors in our community.

Recently, the Government of Canada announced major investments to strengthen Canada’s health care system. The federal government will fund provinces and territories by $196.1 billion over 10 years, including $42.2 billion in new funding. Included in this funding is an immediate $2 billion to address immediate pressures on the health care system, particularly pediatric hospitals and emergency rooms, and long wait times for surgeries. $1.7 billion to go towards raises for personal support workers, and $2 billion over 10 years to address the unique challenges Indigenous Peoples face when it comes to fair and equitable access to quality and culturally safe health care services.

On March 8, we will celebrate International Women’s Day and recognize the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. This month, I would like to highlight the incredible work carried out by the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre and the University of Ottawa Health Institute. I was thrilled to announce

a federal investment of just over $568,000 to the Heart Institute which they matched, allocating over a million dollars to the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre, to create a cardiovascular prevention and care network. This care network will further prevent, screen, and treat cardiovascular disease in women.

Housing is a continuous topic of discussion and priority for me as your MP. Last year, we announced that the Rapid Housing Initiative would launch a third round. This includes a Project Stream of $1 billion that allows for provinces, municipalities, Indigenous governing bodies, and not-for-profit housing agencies to apply directly for federal funding to create more social and affordable housing for vulnerable residents in our community. This application window will be open until March 15, 2023. Additionally, Ottawa will be receiving an investment of $18.5 million as part of the Major Cities Stream to create 48 new units across our city.

As your federal representative, I am pleased to share these accomplishments with you, and thank you for adding your voices to these discussions as it is your advocacy that has led to better outcomes in our community. My team and I are here to help and to work together on Ottawa Centre priorities.

MARCH 4: PAPER BAG PRINCESS DAY AT THE SPANIELS TALE:

Come hear Robert Munsch's classic tale of empowerment and meet our very own paper bag princess at The Spaniel's Tale. All ages are welcome. The Paper Bag Princess is ideal for ages 4-7. Readers the world over have fallen in love with this classic story of empowerment by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Michael Martchenko. This event is free, however, registration is required as space is limited. Please order one ticket per child. Doors open at 10:00 a.m. on March 4, and reading starts at 10:15 a.m. located at The Spaniel’s Tale Bookstore - 1131 Wellington St W.

MARCH 6: PURIM IN JERUSALEM:

Celebrate the Purim with the new Chabad Jewish Community Centre of Wellington West. Join an amazing party with great food, fun, entertainment and community! Open for all ages! The day includes: Animated Megillah reading; a delicious Israeli style buffet; an amazing show by Chris Pilsworth; a Kotel photo booth; live music; Mishloach Manot and more. Dress up in your favorite costume to get entered into an automatic raffle! Taking place at the Hintonburg Community Centre - 1064 Wellington St. W. Free Admission. RSVP Required: jewishww.com.

MARCH 7: ADDITIONAL MEGILLAH READINGS: Join us for a Megillah reading at 8:00 a.m at the Jewish Centre of Wellington West - 166

Huron ave N. Hear the Megillah at Your Home or Office! Chabad of Wellington West is offering home visit Megillah readings throughout Purim day on March 7. Invite family and friends and do the Purim Mitzvahs! Email Jewishwellingtonwest@ gmail.com to schedule a time.

MARCH 12: JAZZ NIGHT AT WESTBORO

LEGION:

Pimienta entertains in the Upstairs Bar & Lounge, 391 Richmond Rd. from 7:00-10:00 p.m. General admission at the door: $20. Students (with ID) $10.

MARCH 17: ST. PATRICK’S DAY AT WESTBORO

LEGION:

Fun and free Irish music with Kevin Dooley and Friends from 5:00-6:30 p.m. upstairs, 391 Richmond Rd. Free admission. St. Patrick’s Day Dance with the Grumpy Old Men, 7:00-11:00 p.m. in the Upstairs Bar & Lounge. General admission: $5.00. Legion and Ladies Auxiliary members: $2.00.

MARCH 30: TWO FOR ONE POETRY OPEN MIC

NIGHT:

The 2-for-1 Poetry Open Mic happens the last Thursday of the month (except December) at the Happy Goat Coffee Company - 35 Laurel St, in Hintonburg. Poets are invited to read one poem they love plus one they wrote. The sign-up sheet is available at 7:00 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. with lots of breaks. We feature up to 30 poets a month and ask folks to keep each poem to two minutes.

MARCH 31: FRIDAY NIGHT DANCE AT WESTBORO LEGION:

APRIL 28-29: KITCHISSIPPI UNITED CHURCH

RUMMAGE SALE IS BACK:

A fine selection of jewelry, books, collectables, household items, toys, art and more makes this a popular event. The sale will run on Fri. April 28, from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and Sat, April 29, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:09 noon. The Church is located at 630 Island Park Drive (at the Queensway). For information call (613) 7227254 or www.kitchissippiuc.com.

MARCH 8-12: YOU AND I: “A PLAYFUL EXPERIENCE FOR WALKING BABIES” OPENS

AT GCTC:

Great Canadian Theatre Company is excited to present the Young People’s Theatre’s (YPT) production of You and I, created by celebrated playwright Maja Ardal, a playfully interactive show for walking babies. This limited engagement runs in the Studio Theatre, Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre, 1233 Wellington St, W from March 8-12, 2023. You and I is a multi-sensory, playfully interactive adventure specially designed for “walking babies”. This much-loved, one-of-a-kind experience engages little explorers (and their adults) in discovery through colour, sound, touch and movement. Tickets are $15 and are available at gctc.ca or at the box office. Please see the website for details, or contact the box office.

Got

We’d

MARCH 8-19: INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF OTTAWA:

The International Film Festival of Ottawa (IFFO) brings an eclectic mix of shorts and features from around the globe to Canada’s capital. Held annually in March by the Canadian Film Institute, IFFO is hosted at the Ottawa Art Gallery, the ByTowne Cinema and other venues all within the Ottawa downtown core. In addition to its screenings, the Festival offers professional development programming tailored to Ottawa’s growing film production industry. IFFO 2023 runs from March 8 to March 19. Further information about the Festival is available on the IFFO website.

WEDNESDAYS: WEEKLY BINGO: Westboro Legion Downstairs Hall, 389 Richmond Rd. Door opens at 4:00 p.m., the kitchen at 5:00 p.m. and games begin at 6:30 p.m. For more information: 613725-2778.

THURSDAYS: WEEKLY DARTS:

Regulars and new players are invited to join the Westboro Legion’s Dart League. The Downstairs Hall Door and bar open at 6:30 p.m. and play begins at 7:30 p.m. The cost: $6:00.

With flu season in full force, we urge our readers to take all precautions necessary and to take care of themselves.

Stay safe and healthy, Kitchissippi!