Kitchissippi Times September 2024 by Great River Media inc.

Kitchissippi Times pivots in wake of media decline

BY CHARLIE SENACK

It’s no secret that community news has taken a hit in recent years.

Since 2008, 516 local television studios, radio stations and community newspapers have shut down in 345 communities across Canada, according to the Local News Research Project. So that leaves an important question: Where are people supposed to get access to high-quality, reliable information? In a time of misinformation, community news is

more important than ever.

The Kitchissippi Times was founded in 2003 by now Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, who had the passion for telling stories in his community. Through various hands, we’ve kept that mission going for the last 20 years. Last November, we celebrated our two-decade milestone with a community party, where we met hundreds of readers who rely on us.

If you’ve been a regular reader flipping through the pages, you’ve most likely been noticing the changes we’ve been making.

Advertise today and support your community through news!

The Kitchissippi Times was thrilled to win eight awards at this year's Ontario Community Newspaper Association (OCNA) awards. The honour was a first for our publication in its rich 20 year history. In addition to winning second place for best community newspaper with circulation over 12,500, we also won three photography awards, best diversity coverage, best arts and culture coverage, reporter of the year and best photo layout. There is not a better time than now to

At a time when the media is on the decline, we are publishing bigger issues with more stories. In January, we launched a new modern design. This summer, we expanded into Centretown and Little Italy, and more coverage of the area near Britannia is also in the works.

Like most media brands, the Meta censorship of news content has had devastating impacts for us. I appeared on CBC’s The National last month to discuss the consequences; when the ban took effect, our online views dropped by nearly half and

invest in your local newspaper. You will have the opportunity to reach over 16,000 readers in print from Britannia Beach to Centretown with thousands more online. The naysayers like to say print is dead but we like to say it’s just evolving. Contact our sales representative Eric Dupuis today at eric@kitchissippi.com to find out how we can help your business or organization. Join our growing mission to serve local news to an even greater audience of Ottawa.

You may qualify for up to $5,000 in rebates for installing:

Downspouts

engagement diminished after we could no longer post our content on Facebook. We were resilient, however, and found innovative ways to get around this, including the addition of more regular newsletters.

Some of these changes are still in the works. A new website is currently under construction, which will offer a more userfriendly experience. We are also pivoting to more lifestyle-based content while taking down the walls of ward boundaries to write about issues in other communities that directly impact Kitchissippi.

We don't live only in our own wards; we travel to admire the city’s rich arts and culture scene, enjoy new restaurants, and take in the natural beauty of our lush green spaces.

While we are evolving our promise to you, the reader has remained the same. If you want to help us grow and evolve to be a producer of more community content, make sure to read in print and online, sign up for our regular newsletter, and submit story ideas to editor@kitchissippi.com

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Transforming our city for the better

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Ottawa is in the midst of a massive transformation as the city attempts to keep pace with its growing population. Communities are changing and evolving by the day. While some of this change is welcomed, neighbours often worry about what could be lost.

Both the Chinatown and Little Italy communities are feeling the effects of transformation firsthand. Many of their cultural establishments are closing; it’s the end of the road for some longtimers who have dedicated their lives to family-run

businesses. The COVID-19 pandemic also resulted in tough times which are still sometimes being faced with today.

But what each of these communities have is resiliency. While change can be hard, it’s not always a bad thing. There is hope the next generation will bring a new flavour to Ottawa streets.

In August, the National Association of Municipalities Ontario conference was held in Ottawa. It’s a time for municipal politicians from across the province to meet with the decision makers at Queen’s

Park. One of the issues constantly raised was the opioid epidemic which is getting worse by the day as health officials and law enforcement say the drug supply is leading to overdoses and toxic behaviour on our streets.

At the conference, it was announced that a safe injection site near Somerset would be forced to close next March after new rules were enacted by the province, and the news was met by protests and demands for action from advocates who say the problem will only get worse.

As I was reporting at the Somerset West Community key Health Centre, I saw a young man begin to overdose. His life was saved thanks to passersby who administered narcan and called paramedics. It was a reminder to how life can change in an instant, and we must live each day to the fullest.

KITCHISSIPPI TIMES

Great River Media Inc PO Box 91585

Ottawa ON K1W 1K0

The Kitchissippi Times is an award-winning newspaper that has serviced Westboro, Wellington West, and surrounding communities for the last 20 years. The word Kitchissippi, meaning “great river” in Algonquin, is the former Indigenous name for the Ottawa River.

STORY IDEA? editor@kitchissippi.com twitter.com/kitchissippi

EDITOR

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

CONTRIBUTORS

Hannah Wanamaker, Simon Hopkins, Aaron Reid, Christopher Smith, Patrick Langston and Anita Murray

PROOFREADERS

Susan Rothery and Sarah MacFarlane

ADVERTISING SALES

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

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Tanya Connolly-Holmes creative@greatriver.ca

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Celine Paquette celine@greatriver.ca

Deborah Ekuma deborah@obj.ca

FINANCE

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

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

DISTRIBUTION

A minimum of 16,000 copies are distributed from the Ottawa River to Carling Avenue between the Britannia and Preston Street communities. Most residents in this area will receive the Kitchissippi Times directly to their door. If you would like to become a distribution point, please contact us. Copies are available at Dovercourt Recreation Centre, Hintonburg Community Centre, and dozens of other pickup locations in the area.

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info@kitchissippi.com

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FOUNDER PUBLISHER Mark Sutcliffe Michael Curran

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One-size-fits-all zoning jeopardizes neighbourhoods

SUBMITTED BY THE K9 WORKING GROUP

The City of Ottawa is developing a new Comprehensive Zoning By-law to meet requirements in its new Official Plan, which outlines how the city is to evolve between now and 2046. The plan divides Ottawa into density bands, allowing greater density within 150 metres of main streets like Carling, minor street corridors like Churchill, and “hubs” like Tunney’s Pasture.

New zoning must conform to provincial legislation that allows (not requires) three dwelling units on every lot. Cities applying for federal funds for housing are advised to allow four units per lot. Federal funds for public transit come with the requirement to allow high-density housing (not yet defined) within 800 metres of high-frequency transit (LRT or BRT) lines.

With Kitchissippi sitting in the Official Plan’s second-highest density band, the new by-law will mean major changes for our ward:

• Most minimum lot widths and front, rear and side yard setbacks will diminish.

• Most allowable building heights will increase; where they would not, the by-law makes it easy to add height.

• Low-rise apartment buildings of eight units are allowed on N2 zoned, 50 X 100 foot (15.24 x 30.48 metre) lots, with more units allowed on same-size lots zoned N3 through N5.

• Mid- and high-rise buildings are still encouraged along streets such as Scott Street and Holland Avenue, but may extend 150 metres into adjacent neighbourhoods.

• Small commercial enterprises, including small office buildings, may be allowed inside neighbourhoods.

The by-law’s intent is to maximize density where infrastructure such as sewers, roads, etc…, already exists and to increase affordable housing. The problem is that Kitchissippi’s sewers are old and our congested roads are crumbling. Much of the traffic originates outside the ward. Imposed growth will make our traffic problems even worse. Intensification hits fast and hard and it persists. The expected building replacement rate, or “gentle intensification”, of one per cent change per year does not exist in Kitchissippi. Our neighbourhoods have been infill construction zones for almost twenty years. Traffic, noise, blasting, vibration, pollution from equipment and materials, loss of trees and greenspace, and property damage inflicted on abutting neighbours are common. Land costs are high. Developers prefer to build large numbers of studio and one-bedroom apartments, or large infill houses. Family-friendly, liveable neighbourhoods decline under this kind of pressure.

The ward already lacks enough mature trees to reduce the heat island effect, promote health and manage stormwater. Air- and water pollution levels and flooding all increase as we add impermeability and lose greenspace. Even the new combined sewer storage tunnel can’t prevent outflows into the Ottawa River during now-normal heavy rainfalls. In older neighbourhoods and areas with little or no city right of way, there’s no space for new trees. They can’t thrive on narrow lotswith small setbacks. The ward already doesn’t have enoughparks, playgrounds and greenspace, so green yards are critical assets.

Consultation is underway. View materials and submit comments at: www.engage.ottawa.ca/zoning

SEPTEMBER UPDATES

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Naqvi and Harden could face off again in next federal election

BY CHARLIE SENACK

There could be a sense of déjà-vu in Ottawa Centre politics during the next federal election if Joel Harden wins his bid to be the NDP candidate.

The current Ottawa Centre MPP, who has served the riding at Queens Park since 2018, officially announced in July that he was hoping to make the switch to federal politics.

“I am very concerned about the direction federal politics is taking. It’s becoming very toxic and personal,” Harden told KT. “When I was at (former NDP leader) Ed Broadbent’s celebration of life back in February, I was reminded of someone who used the office of MP

in Ottawa Centre to bridge divides, raise issues that needed to be raised, and never make it personal.”

That’s the type of politics Harden said he’s brought to the provincial legislature for the last six years.

“There are some people — Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre is one of them — who has a strategy of alienating people by being so over the top,” Harden added. “My strategy is the opposite.

“I want more people to engage with politics, and, as I’ve seen voter turnout dropping, I realized that we need a strategy to reverse that trend,” he continued.

A new Abacus data poll shows the

Conservatives are leading 17 points in the polls over the Liberals. The poll also found that four in 10 federal blue supporters said their vote was more about disliking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau than supporting Poilievre.

“Canadians are sick and tired of the red and blue teams sniping at each other. What I’ve heard in Ottawa Centre is that it’s been refreshing to see NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and his team collaborate with the federal government to get things done,” said Harden. “People used to have a sense of dignity when doing the job — even if they really disagreed with someone.”

If Harden wins the NDP nomination and then goes onto Parliament Hill, he said Indigenous reconciliation and environmentalism will be top priorities. The current provincial representative said Canadians have watched in horror as parts of British Columbia and Alberta have faced extensive wildfires.

“We are living in a climate emergency, and the Liberals just want to talk about the carbon tax,” said Harden. “Right here in the city, I know of 10 organizations that are doing imminent climate work through reducing waste, creating energy, building environmentally-friendly housing and promoting active transportation.”

Harden also said he’d work to have fellow candidates stop installing campaign signs on public property as a way of reducing waste going into the already

crowded Trail Road landfill.

When it comes to issues like public transit, Harden said any future expansions of the light rail or bus system needs to be done in public interest, with private deals off the table.

NAQVI CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT

It’s no secret it’s been a turbulent few years for the federal liberal party which lost its majority government in 2021. That was the year Naqvi was elected as a member of parliament following his provincial defeat to Harden.

Naqvi would not say whether or not it was time to find a new Liberal leader, but said the biggest concern he hears at the doors is over Poilievre becoming prime minister.

“Ottawa is a progressive community that does not agree with his positions on women’s productive rights, his thoughts on the LGBTQ+ community, and are fearful a lot of public service workers in our community may lose their jobs,” said Naqvi. “It's concerning because I don’t want Poilievre to win. I used to be at the provincial level and I was concerned about Doug Ford. Look at the kind of damage he’s done to our healthcare and education system.”

So how does the Liberal party brand itself as the option for Canadians?

Above: Ottawa Centre MP Yasir Naqvi said he’s concerned about what a Conservative government would do to Canadians. Right: Joel Centre, the current MPP for Ottawa Centre, is running to be the riding's federal NDP candidate. PHOTOS BY CHARLIE SENACK.

“We need to make life easier for people, especially with the cost of living. Even though interest rates and inflation are coming down, we have to realize rent and cost of groceries has gone up,” admitted Naqvi. “Healthcare is mostly a provincial issue, but people talk to me about how they don’t have access to a family doctor or there are people who have healthcare backgrounds in another country and can’t practice in Canada. We need to fix that.”

On a local level, Naqvi said he is passionate about revitalizing the downtown core which he envisions having better food, entertainment, and arts components. He would also like to see more affordable housing on sites like Tunney’s Pasture and LeBreton Flats.

Plans for LeBreton Flats have changed many times over the years, but Naqvi said players are adamant a sports and entertainment district must be built there for the Ottawa Senators.

Revitalization for Tunney's Pasture has been in the books for decades but was re-examined when the COVID-19 pandemic forced people out of the office. Construction will have a multiphase approach and could start in the next five to

10 years, said Naqvi.

On Aug. 8, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe held a press conference to demand the upper levels of government give the city more financial support. He said transit levies and taxes would need to be raised significantly without the upper hand.

The federal government does not pay property taxes, but instead gives payment in lieu funds for its federal office buildings. The city is receiving $30 million less per year than it did eight years ago. Sutcliffe said the city is looking for about $95 million more a year.

Naqvi said it’s important for all levels of government to work together.

“We are already making significant investments, but there are some issues like payment in lieu of taxes. I feel we need to work more closely with Mayor Sutcliffe,” he said. “It’s a highly complex property tax issue. What I want is for there to be fairness. If the system is unfair, then let’s find a way to fix that.”

The next federal election will need to occur on or before Oct. 25, 2025. There is no date set for the federal Ottawa Centre NDP candidates race, but at this time, Harden is the only contender.

Sept. 25,

The AGM is open to everyone. Learn more about what we do:

 Clare Gardens, trees, environmental issues

 Heritage designation

 Planning, development and pre-construction

 Active transit

 Community outreach

Become a member and stay informed!

Membership is $10 cash, cheque at the door, or e-transfer at hellowestboro@yahoo.ca Please include your name and contact info in the message section with an e-transfer.

Hunger is here

... and your neighbours need you. Help us reach those who are grappling with hunger and food insecurity within your community.

We’ve all noticed it. Steep increases in food prices have contributed to a rising cost of living over the past few years. If you’re fortunate, once the sticker shock of a suddenly more expensive cut of meat or bag of produce wears off, you can still make your purchase without worrying about how you’ll manage to also pay your rent, mortgage, or utility bills.

But for those less fortunate, hunger and food insecurity have become a worsening reality. A reality found in your community. The Ottawa Mission’s food truck program helps address this reality by handing out over 10,000 meals per week at 38 food truck stops spread out across Ottawa.

This includes stops serving meals and handing out groceries in pockets of Westboro, Carlington, Island Park, Tunney’s Pasture, Little Italy, and Centretown West.

“I’ve got two kids at home and I’m raising them on my own. These meals help us out so much.” – Blake, at a food truck stop in Centretown West.

With grocery prices up a reported 22% over the past three years, and average rents jumping a reported 20% between 2020 and 2024, many are facing the impossible choice between a roof over their heads versus a full stomach. The Ottawa Mission’s food trucks help people avoid having to make that desperate and terrible decision.

Indeed, increasing numbers of your neighbours now have to rely on meals from The Mission’s food trucks to get by: someone who works full time but can no longer afford to nutritiously feed their children, a retiree whose fixed pension isn’t stretching as far as it used to, or a child on their way home from school stopping at a food truck because food at home is scarce.

Also called Mobile Mission Meals, The Mission’s food truck program began as a pandemic-era solution to feed the vulnerable community who couldn’t access The Ottawa Mission’s shelter kitchen. While the pandemic waned, inflation, the cost of living, and food prices rose, and the food truck program was expanded to meet a growing need of the community.

A need that sees single parents, the elderly, those on fixed disability incomes, and even children lining up at Mission food trucks to ensure that they don’t go hungry.

“Oh, it’s absolutely essential for me. Especially in the last two weeks of each month. I’m on ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program), and it was tough for me to even pay for my hydro bill this past winter. Having these meals help make ends meet.” - Helen, a senior who uses an electric wheelchair, when asked about The Mission’s food truck program.

The trends of high inflation and food prices mean that hunger and food insecurity are no longer an issue found only in the downtown core of Ottawa.

The Ottawa Neighbourhood Study is an organization which uses data from Statistics Canada to present socioeconomic insights on the 100+ neighbourhoods found in the Ottawa area.

According to their reporting, Westboro, Hintonburg/Mechanicsville, Carlington, and West Centretown/Little Italy have a high percentage of low-income status residents. Additionally, each of these neighbourhoods also land in the top ten for highest percentage of low-income status seniors.

“This food goes a long way. The price of everything now is going up and up. I’m 70 and retired...I need these meals to get by.” - a grateful client at a Mission food truck stop outside the Van Lang Field House, in Westboro.

You may not realize it, but people in your community are going hungry. And while hunger is here, it can’t hide.

You can help The Ottawa Mission provide nutritious meals to those in need within the community that you live, work, and play in; within the community that you love. Please contact Kimberley Banks at kbanks@ottawamission.com if you want more information on The Mission’s food truck program and learn how you can help bring warm, nutritious meals to your neighbours in need.

Visit the Ottawa Mission website to learn more and find a food truck stop near you: https://ottawamission.com/get-involved/corporate-giving/sponsor-the-ottawa-mission-food-truck/

From streetcars to condos: Preston Street is changing

BY CHARLIE SENACK

When Joe Cotroneo was a child, streetcars still ran down Preston Street.

The owner of Pub Italia, which has been a staple in Little Italy for 31 years, recalled the neighbourhood being a walkable community where residents knew each other and socialized. The dynamics started to change in the 1960s when many homes were expropriated to make way for the Queensway.

“Everyone was a blue collar worker. All the Irish kids lived six blocks away and went to St. Patrick’s School,” recalled Cotroneo. “I remember outdoor skating and broomball at Plouffe Park. There was a big IGA grocery store where you could do all your shopping needs. They talk about 15-minute neighbourhoods. We had that 60 to 70 years ago.”

A lot has changed in the decades since. Today, Preston Street is home to many Italian-opened businesses, but has also welcomed flavours from other parts of the world. Very few Italians actually still reside in the community, settling instead in Parkwood Hills, Heron Park and South Keys.

Trina Costantini-Powell’s roots to Ottawa’s Little Italy date back to the early 1900s when her grandfather, Giuseppe Costantinti, moved to Rochester and Preston Streets from Italy in his early 20s. He first worked as a labourer, then was one of the founders of The Prescott Hotel, securing its liquor license in 1934.

“In 1940, my grandfather went into the internment camp during the Second World War because they thought he, like many Italians, had fascist leanings,” she said. “He had to turn all his business dealings over to a lawyer who totally screwed him over when he got out a year later.”

“The community right now is probably within its fourth or fifth generation. There really aren’t a lot of Italian restaurants when you think about it. And those that are there have been there for years. Does it need a few more to give it more of a flavour? I think it does,” said CostantiniPowell. “I could go to a Korean restaurant on Elgin Street, so why would I go to one in Little Italy?”

When she traveled to other Italian districts, like the one in San Diego, she was inspired by its display of flags that featured the likes of well-known American Italians. Costantini-Powell said she’d like to see something similar done on Preston with photos of old businesses.

Preston’s Italian culture has lived on thanks to social groups that formed after waves of immigrants came to Ottawa following the first and second World Wars, born as a way to retain language dialects and traditions.

“They’d have their own functions and parties, sometimes honouring a saint from their village. It gave them comfort to be amongst their friends who were also immigrants,” said Costantini-Powell. “Now you see those people are in their mid to late 80s. A lot of them are residents at Villa Marconi (Nursing Home). Their kids or grandkids no longer need these associations because they’ve integrated into Canadian society.”

EVOLUTION OF THE ITALIAN LANDSCAPE

While many of the original Italian businesses are long gone, some like the Prescott, La Roma and Pub Italia have shaped Preston for decades. And even though parts of its past are history, the local BIA is doing what it can to remember its rich past.

Lindsay Childerhose, executive director of the Preston Street Business Improvement Association (BIA), said culture is always in full display during the annual Italian week festivities in June. The red, white and green archway at the corner of Carling is a reminder of its roots, and art installations do more than just beautify the area.

Costantini-Powell is proud of her Italian heritage. She’s taken part in St. Anthony’s Church functions all of her life, was president of a women’s auxiliary group for 12 years, and has been

involved with various Italian community associations. But she said the main streets dynamics are changing as the older generations pass on and new ones take over.

“Our heritage murals and the Postcards from the Piazzas sculptures pay tribute to the families who founded and shaped the neighborhood into what it is today,” said Childerhose. “New Italian businesses have also opened, like Retro Gusto and Dolci Sapori.

While Preston Street is losing much of its Italian-owned businesses, the BIA said its culture is being celebrated in different ways. PHOTOS BY AARON REID.

“We also see a range of fresh and diverse businesses come in, which really boost the vibrancy of the area and complement the existing businesses.”

While the heritage murals were removed for construction of the new Highway 417 overpass, Childerhose said the BIA plans to work with the Ministry of Transportation to ensure they are safely put back up in early 2025 when work is complete.

Preston has also seen the arrival of many highrises, including the Claridge Icon, which is Ottawa's tallest residential building standing at 45-storeys. The ongoing residential development will bring a boost for business and the local economy, Childerhose added.

“Preston Street is well-known and loved for its charming, European village feel, which comes from the mom-andpop businesses that line the street,” she said. “Main streets thrive when there's a strong sense of community and a solid resident base.

“The new developments will enhance this by bringing more people into the neighborhood, supporting our local businesses, and adding to the social

fabric of the area.”

A future with more towers on the outskirts is music to Cotroneo’s ears. He said while the dinner rush at Pub Italia has bounced back following the COVID-19 pandemic, lunchtime is still quiet, partially due to the change in public servants in the city, with federal employees only back in the office two to three days a week.

Cotroneo said the next step is to bring a greater mix of retail options to the street.

“In order to be a successful street, you can’t just be known for one thing. Then people come and eat or buy a pair of shoes and leave,” he said. “You need people on the street in the morning — it’s why civil servants need to go back to work. You need people going out at lunchtime. You need people at dinner time going out to the restaurants. And you need a few bars and pubs that stay open late.

“It’s why the ByWard Market is struggling,” he continued. “All the retailers have left. Now they are known as a nightclub scene at night and a lot of people don’t go down there.”

Multiculturalism a welcome addition to Chinatown, community says

BY HANNAH WANAMAKER

To many Ottawa residents, Chinatown is a fatigued street with ranging issues. But for residents and business owners of the area, it's a quaint community booming with talent, promise, and a long-forgotten history.

“Growing up, I knew that Chinatown existed somewhere else,” said Don Kwan, a third-generation Chinese Canadian, artist, and historian. Chinese settlers first formed a small community along Albert St. close to Bank St. and some buildings are still original.

“It’s where the Cafe Restaurant used to be, which was like the hub for the Chinese community. There was also a laundromat, a grocery store, and a restaurant that were all Asian-owned and operated. That became the unofficial Chinatown where community members started opening like-minded businesses to support each other,” he said.

It wasn’t until Kwan’s parents opened the Shanghai restaurant in 1971 on Somerset St. West that the area started to develop into the Chinatown we know today. The restaurant was a community hub for about 50 years until it closed its doors during the pandemic.

Yan Song’s Yen Fung Ding Dumpling Shoppe has been another community staple for over 25 years.

Song makes frozen Chinese dumplings by hand, which she sells in her store and wholesale. In the business’s earlier days, she said the neighbourhood was bustling and business was better.

Over the past several years, the work has become quite lonely and difficult to maintain by herself. Now, the younger generation's lack of interest in

maintaining their parents’ business is a common trend.

“Many young people are not interested in working in this industry. This work is quite difficult. I have been working in this industry since I was 25 and I’m 62 this year,” said Song. “I’d like company and to train some people but no one wants this job.”

John Sproull and Andrea Gormley have been Chinatown residents since 2004 and have seen consistent business turnover throughout those 20 years. Now proud owners of Spark Beer, a brewery that opened its doors in January 2020, the couple is excited to share their passion with “their old stomping grounds.”

“When we opened, we talked with our neighbours and everyone in the neighbourhood whom we didn’t know before, and almost immediately people were really excited about what we were doing in this neighbourhood,” John said, adding that the street had very few bars.

“Even during the pandemic, which was pretty tough, we had regulars that would come in from Cambridge St., Arthur, Lebreton, Bell – and they would tell us they were from the neighbourhood and would come, buy beer and take it to go.”

JP Obidah, owner of Suya Royale, recently began sharing a taste of Nigeria with Somerset West. The debut business owner opened his doors in May 2024, intending to share his suya-marinated meat, shawarma, and tofu in a highdensity area.

“There are so many restaurants that people don’t know exist here,” he said. “Once you know what’s around you, you can tap from that. The community

Far left: John Sproull and Andrea Gormley are the owners of Spark Beer. Left: Kim Epino is owner of Lola’s Kitchen which opened in 2020. This page and insert: Yan Song’s Yen Fung Ding Dumpling Shoppe has been a Somerset staple for over 25 years. ALL PHOTOS BY HANNAH WANAMAKER

around here has been very supportive.

A couple of owners have come to visit me, eat some food and chit chat, and I’ve gone to support some too.”

PIVOTING THE BRAND

Yukang Li, executive director for the Chinatown BIA, said he is proud of the neighbourhood’s recovery, vitalization projects, and the direction it's headed.

Concerns have been raised in the past that bringing in a more diverse clientele is threatening the strip's Asian culture, but Li stressed the BIA’s motto is “a multicultural village with an Asian flavour.”

“We have mostly Asian restaurants, businesses, and souvenir shops, so the Asian cultural presence for the future is strong in Chinatown – after all, this is Chinatown,” he said. “At the same time, we pride ourselves as a multicultural village, so no matter which cultural background you belong to, we welcome everyone with open arms.”

To preserve and celebrate Asian cultures, the BIA has organized several events like the Chinatown Night Market,

bazaars, and the Chinese New Year Parade.

These events not only promote local businesses and performers but also offer an opportunity for tourists and non-residents to see all that the neighbourhood has to offer.

Street beautification projects like the addition of statues, art, selfie stations, and branded Chinatown banners have been another top priority of the BIA. Unfortunately, Li says many statues have been stolen and damaged over the past year.

The BIA has also been looking to increase foot traffic and tourism, especially during the summer.

Kim Epino, owner of Lola’s Kitchen, a Filipino restaurant that opened in 2020, said restaurants might benefit from additional street patio space during the summer.

“It would be nice to have patios here because smaller businesses like mine need more room for people to dine in. There’s got to be a way to have more patios here and I think that would benefit people a lot more and bring more eyes,” he said.

Not in Ottawa anymore: local Olympic swimmer represents Nepean in Paris

BY SIMON HOPKINS

Nepean’s Julie Brousseau dove headfirst into her first Olympic games in August.

The 18-year-old Nepean High School graduate landed in France a couple of weeks before the start of the games. The Canadian swim team spent time west of Paris training together. The group arrived at the Olympic Village a few days before the games opened to settle into their rooms and adjust.

Swimming was one of the first events to get underway at the Olympics, and some athletes had to compete in the morning after the opening ceremonies. For this reason, the Canadian swim team sat out the opening ceremony, choosing to watch it from the village as a team instead.

Brousseau didn’t have a race until day six, which meant lots of sitting around, and the long wait gives plenty of time for the nerves and excitement to build.

“I wish my race was earlier on,” she said in an interview with KT. “You want to watch the races, and it's exciting, but we had to watch ourselves and try not to walk around too much or stay out late.”

She spent the days training as she would

leading up to any other competition. She was in the pool a couple of times a day and put in time in the weight room with teammates.

Brousseau was competing in the 4x200 M freestyle relay race, during which each of the four team members would swim a 200 M leg with a front crawl.

On race day, Brousseau got a chance to sleep in. She explained to KT that the first race might often be at eight or nine in the morning at swim competitions, making for a very early wake-up call. But in Paris, her team didn’t need to be in the water until after 11:00 a.m.

“Me and the girls from the relay went to breakfast together, took the bus to the pool, had a meeting and did a little activation,” Brousseau said. After their preliminary race, the team prepped themselves for the final. They walked out to cheers and lined up at the blocks.

“We walked out, and the crowd went crazy,” she said. “It was definitely nerve wracking. I’ve never been a part of something like that before.”

Brousseau stayed bundled up at the back of the line and would swim last.

Mary-Sophie Harvey dove in first, racing against some of the best in the world. China

is the defending Olympic champion, but Australia and the USA were also favourites for this race. Australia’s relay team started with the Olympic record holder for the 200-metre freestyle and finished with the world record-holder in that distance.

When Harvey was halfway through her swim, she trailed the entire field, but by meter 200, she had crawled into seventh — second to last. Ella Jansen splashed next and maintained Canada’s position while trading spots with her Hungarian counterpart. Summer McIntosh rocketed through the water on the third leg and gained ground on the competition, moving Canada up three places into fourth before Brousseau's final stretch.

Brousseau began her swim with Australia and the USA clear in the lead, chasing China and battling Great Britain for fourth. Brousseau reached the halfway point of her swim just a finger-length ahead of the Brits, but she pulled herself forward, and at the finish was a full body ahead.

In the end, Canada finished fourth, while the Australians took gold with a new Olympic record for the event.

Canada’s four swimmers embraced as Brousseau climbed out of the pool. “We were disappointed but more excited for the future,” said Brousseau, saying she and the young team are already looking towards the future Olympics games to come.

Brousseau spent the next couple of days taking in the sights and sounds of the Olympics in Paris and attended the rest of the swimming races alongside other events.

Then she took a trip to the south of France with her family, taking a few days to unwind before heading back up to Paris for the closing ceremony.

“Canada was the first country to walk out, which was super cool,” Brousseau said. “And my sisters were watching in the stands.”

Brousseau started her first year at the University of Florida at the end of August and will compete with the Florida Gators swim team in the upcoming NCAA season, making a splash wherever she goes.

McDonald’s eyes

Westboro storefront

Westboro could soon be home to a McDonald’s if the popular fast food chain is able to overcome a hurdle with parking spots.

The burger and chicken joint known for its Happy Meals and Big Macs is looking to move into the old Scotiabank which closed on Richmond Rd. near Roosevelt Ave. in July. The bank which has been in the community since 1912 is scaling back

its number of properties to reduce costs, resulting in about 2,700 jobs lost.

Current zoning bylaws state the restaurant is required to have 18 parking spots, but McDonalds is requesting it be reduced to zero. The matter will go before Ottawa’s Committee of Adjustment during a meeting at Ben Franklin Place on Sept. 4.

Kitchissippi ward Coun. Jeff Leiper said he’s in support of the change.

The former Scotiabank on Richmond Rd. may be turned into a McDonalds.

FILE PHOTO BY CHARLIE SENACK.

WAR ON DRUGS

Are police pushing drug users into Somerset?

BY CHARLIE SENACK

It’s a Thursday evening in late August, and paramedics are responding to an overdose call on Somerset Street near Booth Street.

Down the street, used doses of naloxone are scattered on the sidewalk near a safe injection site.

These have become regular sights in Centretown.

Ottawa is in the middle of an opioid and drug epidemic. Recent statistics are hard to come by, but Ottawa Public Health reported in 2017 that an estimated three per cent of the city’s population used illicit drugs besides cannabis within the year.

For high school students, about one in 10 students reported using illegal drugs such as cocaine, hallucinogens or ecstasy.

has jurisdiction from Elgin Street to Wellington Street from Bay Street to Colonel By Avenue. She has Canadian Armed Forces on Queen Elizabeth Avenue. She has Ontario Provincial Police which guard the courthouse on Elgin Street,” Plante continued. “She has a much higher presence of law enforcement than any other jurisdiction in North America. Her comments aren’t reflective of the realities of who is circulating in her area.”

In an interview with the Ottawa Business Journal, Troster said the complex issue has been exacerbated in recent weeks.

July to discuss the homelessness and drug crisis that she says

“Centretown already has its own troubled population … So, to be clear, we were in a crisis situation to begin with,” said Troster. “But I and our service providers and business owners have certainly noticed that, since mid-July, after the new police station was opened in the Rideau Centre, that we’ve seen a migration of an additional troubled population into Centretown.

“These are folks that we maybe never have seen before. We’re seeing groups of five, six, seven, eight people sitting on the sidewalk injecting or smoking drugs publicly. There have been some fights,” Troster explained. “One individual told a (local business owner) directly that he’s gotten out of the Market because the police presence has essentially forced him out of there.”

POLICE HOPE INCREASED PRESENCE WILL DETER CRIME

Stephanie Plante, have questioned

logic, people would be pushed into other areas whether it be the Glebe, Little Italy

a higher presence of law enforcement

Sgt. Paul Stam, Ottawa Police’s neighbourhood policing director, said it would be premature to suggest issues are moving from the market to other parts of the city.

Stam, who is also the operational lead for the community outreach response and engagement core strategy, said “hotspot policing” — which aims to deter crime in communities that have reported increased issues — have been tested in over 100 countries around the world. He said the model will be evaluated every few months to ensure they are reaching full benefit.

“The research on these police interventions, hotspot policing, shows that overall displacement is generally not an issue,” Stam told KT. “More than likely, you will see a diffusion effect where having that increased presence and dealing with the problems where they are more concentrated will have a crime

diffusion effect in neighbouring areas as well.”

Before working in his current role, Stam worked on OPS’ tactical team, which dealt closely with the guns and gangs and drugs units. He said police are putting a great emphasis on targeting drug trafficking on the higher, medium and street levels, but noted the supply is “limitless.”

New drugs are also hitting the market, lacing the current supply, and are oftentimes unbeknownst to the user.

In April 2022, William Bernard, a 21-year-old student from Barrhaven, was Ottawa's first overdose death to Flubromazolam. The drug also known as “liquid Xanax” is a triazolobenzodiazepine, which are benzodiazepine derivatives. The Algonquin College student thought he was taking regular Xanax after trying to cope with generalized anxiety disorder.

This past June, Ottawa Public Health announced “N-pyrrolidino etonitazene" —also known as "pyro" — was detected for the first time. The nitazene opioid is 10 times more potent than fentanyl and between 1,000 and 1,500 times more potent than morphine. It was hidden in counterfeit hydromorphone (Dilaudid) M8 tablets.

“The harm reduction infrastructure that we have in place is not enough to keep up with how quickly it’s evolving,” said Stam. “You’re constantly having new elements enter the drug supply, whether it be tranquilizers or benzodiazepines, and all of that complicates the response, because narcan doesn’t work on those drugs.”

“It changes how people act, changes the dependency, and changes the addiction potential.”

This is part of the reason why more unlawful and sporadic behaviour from drug users is being encountered on Ottawa streets, Stam said.

CENTRETOWN CRIME ON THE RISE, SAYS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

Brenda Knight, chair of the Safety Emergency Preparedness and Wellness Working Group for the Centretown Community Association, said she’s seen the issues worsening over the past 12 years.

“We’ve always had people with challenges in Dundonald Park. The other

day, people were lying on all the benches at Park of the Provinces, which is new,” said Knight. “The gardener needs to go and clean out the needles before his crew can do the work.”

Open drug deals in the middle of daylight are becoming the norm in Centretown, and unhoused people are camping out anywhere they can find, she said. The community association is looking to hold a webinar to discuss how residents can keep their home safe, particularly for multi-unit dwellings.

Knight, who does believe her community’s issues are worse because of the ongoing situation in the ByWard Market, said people are sleeping in the entrance doors to condos, including her own, which is now installing lighting to deter the unwanted visitors.

“The amount of theft is unbelievable. Packages are being stolen from the mailroom. Bike (thefts) are also up. Compost bins are being stolen. People without a home are using them to put their items in to stay dry,” said Knight.

Knight was disappointed to hear that the Somerset West Community Centre would be forced to close its safe consumption site next March due to new provincial action, and said she fears it will only make the community’s existing problems worse.

But Yukang Li, executive director of the Chinatown BIA, welcomed the news, saying he felt its presence in the community was leading to an increase in crime and unlawful behaviour.

“I was talking recently to the owner of a Vietnamese grocery store. In the past week, almost everyday they had groups of up to 10 or 11 people scatter around and start stealing,” said Li. “The owner called the police, they came, and just asked them to walk away.

“One restaurant was broken into twice in three days and had iPads stolen. The owner called the police and they didn’t show up,” he continued. “Instead, they said to call a number and follow up. That phone call took two hours.”

Stam admits there are sometimes issues with police response time due to a lack of resources. Still, he encouraged

residents and business owners to call police anytime they felt unsafe and said their concerns would be taken seriously.

Over at the Centretown BIA, executive director SabriNa C. Lemay said their communities' businesses have also felt the uptick in crime.

“We’re getting a lot of people sending emails through. We’re also experiencing a lot more damage to properties … And a lot of human feces and things like that are being spread across sidewalks and in corridors and in areas that we’ve never seen before. And new people who we haven’t seen before.”

To try and change the narrative, some businesses such as Howard Fine Jewellers have employed unsheltered individuals to help clean the street. The BIA has also hired a cleaning team and businesses have been given a "who-to-call list” with resources such as helplines and crisis centre information.

One focus all parties agree on is the

need to focus on the root cause of the crisis. However, councillors are adamant they don’t have enough funding to deal with healthcare and addictions, which prominently falls on the province.

Knight said she feels decisions are being made without considering longterm consequences. And while she said Ontario’s new HART addiction treatment model is being welcomed, it shouldn’t come at the cost of harm reduction measures.

“In 2022, Ottawa declared a crisis on housing, and nothing has been done. If people had homes, the social services they need, healthcare, would we be in this mess? No,” she said. “If you close one the new model needs to open right away so there is less impact on the communities. We have to recognize drug addictions and mental health as an illness.”

With files from Sarah MacFarlane and Hannah Wanamaker

Above: Garbage and discarded needles are on the ground next to a needle drop off box outside the Somerset West Community Health Centre. PHOTO BY CHARLIE SENACK. Yukang Li is executive director of the Chinatown BIA. PHOTO BY HANNAH WANAMAKER.

WAR ON DRUGS

Somerset site was one of 10 in the province ordered to close. St. Anthony Catholic School is located about 400 meters away, but Nanny Goat Hill Nursery School on Somerset Street West is about 180 meters.

The Ontario government said the closure in Centretown is the result of a 146 per cent increase in crime reported in the area.

Speaking at a news conference hours after the announcement, Somerset West CHC executive director Suzanne Obiorah said the policy change came as an unwelcome surprise that they first heard about in the media.

“We have not had any opportunity to engage with the provincial government prior to this message," she said. "We are gravely concerned that the decision to defund and close consumption and treatment services will have devastating consequences for our community."

said Robin McAndrew, executive director of the Sandy Hill Centre. “We are going to need to prepare for serious impact in lives lost, impact on emergency services and societal disorder. The HART model will be a wonderful addition, but it is devastating that it comes at a cost of lower barrier pathways to treatment.”

When the announcement was made, a group of demonstrators protested outside of the Shaw Centre downtown, where AMO was taking place. Supporters of safe consumption sites laid on the ground and carried signs which read: “This is bad policy. People will die.”

Jones hammered back at those comments, arguing the safe consumption system didn’t work.

Somerset West injection site closure could lead to more unlawful behavior

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Health agencies are warning public drug use and unlawful behavior in Centretown will get worse after the Somerset West Community Health Centre is forced to close its safe consumption site next March.

The upcoming closure comes after the Ontario government announced during the Association of Municipalities Ontario Conference in Ottawa that new laws would be enacted that will effectively ban injection sites within 200 meters of schools or childcare facilities.

“Communities, parents and families across Ontario have made it clear that the presence of consumption sites near schools and daycares is leading to serious safety problems,” said Sylvia Jones, the province's Minister of Health, at the conference.

“We need to do more to protect public safety, especially for young school children, while helping people get the treatment they need,” she continued. “That’s why we’re taking the next step to expand access to a broad range of treatment and recovery services, while keeping kids and communities safe.”

There are some questions as to why the

Obiorah said the Somerset facility on Eccles Street was first chosen as a safe injection site because the community had the second-highest rate of death and bloodborne infections in Ottawa caused by illicit street drugs.

Last year alone, 487 overdoses were treated at the centre, calls that otherwise would have gone through 9-1-1. There were also over 7,000 referrals for various support services like housing, addictions treatment and counseling.

NEW ADDICTION TREATMENT SUPPORT

Despite safe injection sites are being defunded, a $378-million investment has been dedicated to setting up new “HART model” homelessness and addiction recovery treatment hubs. They will provide primary care, mental health services, addiction care support, social services/ employment support, shelter and transition beds, supportive housing, and other services, like naloxone treatment.

While the new model is welcomed by community groups, the program will not include supervised consumption, a safe supply of drugs, or needle exchange programs.

The Sandy Hill Community Health Centre is one of seven allowed to stay open in the province, and the centre said it expects to see a large influx of community users heading downtown to access their services.

“This is a supply and demand problem, and reductions of one service to redirect services to another will not serve our issue,”

“People are not going to die. They are going to get access to services. I do not call watching people inject an illicit drug health care in the province of Ontario. We need to do better and we can do better,” she told reporters.

Somerset Ward Coun. Ariel Troster released a statement alongside Kitchissippi ward representative Jeff Leiper saying people cannot recover from addiction if they end up dead. They demanded the Doug Ford-led government continue to fund the facility.

“Supervised Consumption Sites are a critical approach to community well-being, providing facilities for the use of drugs that are supervised,” wrote Troster. “The alternative to these sites is to move the use of drugs into unsupervised community settings.

“This will mean more overdoses and more deaths,” Troster continued. “We expect that if SWCHC loses funding that we will see profound harm, both to people who use drugs and in the broader community. This threat to funding is not based on data or evidence.”

Ottawa Centre MPP Joel Harden told KT he echoed the councillor’s comments and said further investments are needed in wraparound services.

“I don't want people to die. The toxicity of the drug supply is such that any time a person buys from a dealer, they are playing Russian roulette with their life. Do any of us want our family members to die? The answer has to be no,” said Harden.

“With consent, we need access to psychotherapy services,” he continued. “The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. Its connection. People get hard starts in life. We are not all the same.”

New rules will close the Somerset West Community Health Centre safe injection site by the end of March 2025. PHOTO BY CHARLIE SENACK.

Scaled-back naloxone program will result in lives lost, say advocates

BY HANNAH WANAMAKER

Public overdoses on Ottawa streets have become an increasingly common sight. But when they occur, lives are saved by naloxone, an opioid antagonist used to reverse toxic drug effects.

Ontario's naloxone program began in 2016 just as Ottawa’s opioid epidemic reached a new peak. According to data from Ottawa Public Health, the number of emergency department visits due to opioid overdoses in the city were on a steady climb from 2009, reaching a high of 250 visits in 2016. In 2017, the number of opioid overdose-related ER visits skyrocketed to approximately 375.

In 2016 pharmacists were allowed to distribute publicly funded kits in large group trainings through the Ontario Naloxone Program for Pharmacists. Now due to new provincial policy, they will only be allowed to offer individual training sessions in pharmacies only.

“The real value in having kits, not just in public spaces, is to motivate people to help another person,” said Ottawa pharmacist Mark Barnes. “My goal is to motivate individuals to get naloxone, but I can’t give it to them if they’re not willing to come to a pharmacy and that’s where I want the program to change.”

Barnes and his fellow pharmacist partners opened Respect RX pharmacies across Eastern Ontario where they provide inclusive pharmaceutical services. As its director of community outreach and overdose prevention, he has seen firsthand how group training can save lives.

In mid-February, a young male asked for a naloxone kit during an overdose prevention seminar. But because of the new laws, Barnes was unable to provide one on the spot and asked the user to get one at a pharmacy. He said the youth died three days later from an overdose.

“If I had given him the kit because he was using (drugs) with his buddies, he would still be alive today,” said Barnes. “His

death, I believe, is due to these changes. It’s producing barriers.”

After months of pushback, an updated executive officer notice was released by Ontario's health ministry that will allow pharmacists to train individuals virtually and deliver naloxone to those who physically cannot get to a pharmacy. The order will go into effect on Sept. 3.

But rising costs have meant Ontario can no longer provide naloxone kits for free. Each range from $110 to $150 and contain two naloxone doses. Because the reversal is temporary, individuals can continue overdosing while the drugs are still in their system, and often require more than one dose to be revived.

Dillon Brady, Carleton University’s manager of student conduct and harm reduction said it “feels like a pulling back at a time where it's important to make naloxone easily accessible.”

The university is one of many organizations that was included in the Ontario Naloxone Program and received free kits from the government. This allowed it to install up to 19 emergency boxes across campus and provide staff and students with kits after completing naloxone group training.

Brady plans to add seven more boxes, but he said that he foresees those being difficult to maintain.

“Unless things change, we are going to have to purchase that at an additional and unexpected cost to the university budget at a time where (it's) already facing a number of financial constraints,” he said.

Educating people and challenging the stigmas regarding drug misuse is one of the greatest preventative measures of overdoses, say advocates. But Barnes said there needs to be systematic, multilevel changes for how this is delivered.

“It begins with empowering youth to make their own health decisions. We need to tell them not to use alone, and if they use, to carry naloxone with them, and that when they are ready, we are here to support them,” he said.

Sparking conversations about drug misuse in elementary school involves explaining to youth that people use substances when they may be going through something, but that doesn’t make them bad people. As youth get older, Barnes said they should learn that it's a mental health condition, not a character flaw.

“All across Canada, almost 70 per cent of people who overdose are housed and over 70 per cent have a job,” said Barnes. “It’s not what you think. It’s grandmothers making mistakes with their prescriptions. It’s miscalculations in palliative care. It’s kids who get access to tablets.”

Above: Mark Barnes is co-owner of RespectRX Pharmacies which offers naloxone training. Photo by Hannah Wanamaker. Insert: A nasal version of a naloxone kit hangs on a wall in Richcraft Hall at Carleton University.

PHOTO BY CHARLIE SENACK.

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Granny advocates take to the Chief William Commanda Bridge for HIV/AIDS

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Ottawa grannies will be crossing the Chief William Commanda Bridge on Sept. 8 to raise awareness for the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Falling on National Grandparents Day, the walk is being organized by the Ottawa chapter of volunteer group One World Grannies. The group is just one in a network of “gran groups” in the Ottawa-Gatineau Region that are working to support and bring awareness to the ongoing HIV/ AIDS pandemic, making up the global Grandmothers Advocacy Network.

Dianne Breton, who has been involved with the organization for about a decade, says One World Grannies is “all about advocacy.”

“We will have some place where people can write their thoughts and notes in solidarity and pin it up,” said Breton. “We are hoping people will walk and bike the whole way or at least to the island.”

One World Grannies is inspired by the grandmothers and matriarchs who “stepped

in” as the AIDS pandemic began to sweep across Africa. As parents died from the disease, grandmothers began raising their grandchildren, One World says, keeping families alive while grieving their own children.

The early vision for the group started in 2006, three years after the HIV/AIDS grassroots organization Stephen Lewis Foundation was created. It brought 100 grandmothers from sub-Saharan Africa to Canada to meet with 200 grandmothers here.

Ottawa’s Grannies were one of the first to start advocating and raising funds for African grandmothers. To date, over $425,000 has been raised, and the chapter has supported national and international initiatives to improve access to medicine, education and the empowerment of older women.

“A lot of people think HIV and AIDS is over. There has been tremendous progress, but when you get to other countries (in) Africa where the devastation was so dramatic, there are other associated issues that go with it,” said One World Grannies

Top: From left to right: Shelagh Jane Woods, Susan Brown, and Dianne Breton are set to walk over the Chief William Commanda Bridge on Sept. 8. Above: The bridge crossing is to raise awareness about the HIV/ AIDS epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa and the work of the Stephen Lewis Foundation. PHOTOS BY AARON REID.

member Shelagh Jane Woods.

Why is HIV/AIDS progressively worse in Africa?

According to SOS Children’s Villages, HIV and AIDS spread rampantly through Africa due to the polygamy and promiscuity practiced in different regions.

Due to poverty, prostitution is also widespread. The suitors are often men who move around freely in search of work and often have multiple sexual partners. It is also the country with the highest rates of rape in the world. In 2017, South Africa reported 70.2 per cent of rapes per 100,000 people compared to 1.4 per cent per 100,000 people in Canada (2012).

The World Health Organization suggests that 25.6 million Africans are currently dealing with AIDS. In 2022, about 380,000 people there died from AIDS-related infections.

HIV, which stands for Human immunodeficiency virus, is an infection that attacks the body’s immune system, and progresses to AIDS at its most advanced stage. HIV targets the body’s white blood cells, weakening the immune system, which makes it easier to get sick with diseases like tuberculosis, infections and some cancers. The disease is spread from the body fluids of an infected person, including blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal fluids.

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Preserving the Boat People’s stories with future Chinatown museum

BY HANNAH WANAMAKER

Commemorating the Boat People who fled Vietnam after the war was merely a dream for Vietnamese immigrant Can Le.

In 2007, Le’s vision became his vocation when he developed plans to create the Vietnamese Boat People Museum at the corner of Preston and Somerset Streets. With over 15 years of delayed progress, the project lead and his supporters are adamant that construction will commence in the next few years.

“We have set for ourselves an objective and everyone agreed that it would be a good idea. The museum will be built one way or another because there is strong support from the community,” a hopeful Le told KT.

When Canada announced it would accept 8,000 Vietnamese refugees in 1979, former Ottawa Mayor Marion Dewar pledged to welcome half of them to the city. This endeavor is known as Project 4000.

The initial concept for a Vietnamese

community space was inspired by the overwhelming success of the 25th anniversary of the non-profit’s mission in 2004. Le wanted to organize a permanent installation where people could learn about the Vietnamese diaspora.

“Originally, we planned to have an exhibition for two weeks but so many people came, including the younger generations, the children of the refugees, sponsors, and the general public,” said Le. “There was so much interest in the exhibition that we extended it to five weeks. We decided that we could organize an exhibition like this from time to time, but there should be a longterm solution and that was going to be a museum.”

Le was one of many community members who helped create orientation programs, find jobs and housing for newcomers, and matched volunteers with sponsors to increase community support.

As more people arrived, Le’s work in the community increased. He organized conversational English classes to help the Vietnamese community overcome language barriers and opened Ottawa’s first Vietnamese Centre at 249 Rochester St.

Along with presenting the historical background of the Boat People diaspora in the museum, Le wanted to showcase the community’s achievements and contributions in the time since.

DELAYED BY A DECADE

Le and his supporters began fundraising for the museum from coast to coast and across the United States in 2008, receiving “overwhelming” support.

By 2014, the project had such traction that competitors sought new leadership of the project, the expensive addition of underground parking, and

Above: A new Vietnamese museum has been in the works since 2007. Insert 1: Liem Duong has been organizing fundraising initiatives for the museum across North America. Insert 2: An Hoang used to be a member of the Vietnamese military. Insert 3: Can Le came to Canada in 1963 to study chemical engineering at l’ecole polytechnique. ALL PHOTOS BY HANNAH WANAMAKER.

for the museum to be built in Edmonton instead. The heated disagreements soon became a pricey court matter.

To pay off a whopping $30,000, Le used a combination of his personal assets and the funds he raised for the site. In 2019, the court sided with Le but this chapter did not fully come to a close until 2021 when the defendant lost their chance to appeal.

Along with the challenges of the pandemic, Le also revealed that he suffered a stroke, which further delayed progress.

Following the pandemic, Le revisited his dream and began taking concrete steps by hiring consultant Saide Sayah in 2023 and architect Jessie Smith about a year later. The group is currently finalizing a design plan which will determine cost estimates.

According to Smith, the Saigon Square building is set to be six storeys to accommodate the threestorey museum and 15-20 residential units above. Once inside, people will be greeted by the memorial hall and a commercial space, likely for a cafe.

of Project 4000 and raise funds for the Vietnamese Boat People Museum.

A HARROWING JOURNEY

While Le is not a Boat Person, some of his greatest supporters are. Building a museum to memorialize the almost 800,000 people who fled the war not only preserves their history but ensures newer generations are taught the reasons and difficulties of their ancestors’ exodus.

Le’s longtime friend Liem Duong left his fiance behind to board a cramped boat of 48 people, some of whom did not survive the journey.

“There will be a big celebratory stair that wraps up to the second floor which will have the gift shop, maybe a service centre, and a library,” she said. “On the third floor, there will be three exhibition rooms.”

Both Sayah and Smith agree that cost is the biggest hurdle with this project, but that it will add tremendous value to the community.

“It took 11 days because there was a typhoon. People died on the boat,” Duong recalled. “We planned on the trip taking four days according to the navigator, but with the typhoon and the boat’s engine problems, it took us 11 days.”

His 11 months on an island refugee camp were no less grim.

“At that time, the United Nations Refugee Agency sponsored us but we were stateless, meaning we had no country,” said Duong. “You’re not from Vietnam anymore, you’re not from Malaysia. You’re nothing.”

After five years of journeying alone, Duong was finally reunited with his fiance in the late 80s, a few years after he settled in Canada.

An Hoang, another Boat Person, was so overjoyed when he finally immigrated to Canada. He had fought in the war for years and when he finally escaped, pirates raided his boat three times and killed about 30 people.

Theresa Kavanagh

Ottawa City Councillor Bay Ward

110 Laurier Ave. West

Ottawa ON K1P 1J1

Tel: 613-580-2477

bayward@ottawa.ca

3-1-1 for City Services

Theresa Kavanagh

Conseillère municipale d’Ottawa Quartier Baie

110 av. Laurier Ouest

Ottawa ON K1P 1J1

Tél: 613-580-2477

bayward@ottawa.ca

3-1-1 pour services municipaux

Events

Tuesday September 17th the Councillor is hosting an Older Adult Forum at Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre from 1-3pm

Tuesday September 24th is Councillor Kavanagh’s Volunteer Appreciation and Welcome to Fall event at Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre from 7-9pm

Wishing students a happy and safe return to school

Nous souhaitons aux étudiants un retour scolaire heureux et sécuritaire

“Construction prices post-pandemic are still high and I think a lot of it will depend on their ability to fundraise,” said Sayah. “We’ll look at how much rent the dwelling units could bring in or if they’re eligible for some kind of affordable housing grant.”

On November 3, Le is holding an event to celebrate the 45th anniversary

After three months in a refugee camp, Hoang finally got his fresh start in Canada.

“Me and two other Boat People rented a one-bedroom. My two friends went to school every day, but I went to work,” Hoang said. “I worked in the kitchen to make money to send back to my family. Later on, I sponsored my parents, and then I later sponsored my younger brother, and finally, I sponsored my fiance.”

Unleash your family’s creativity at the NAC! Experience the joys of dance, music, and theatre.

FAMILY PROGRAMS

Who knew Spider-Man lived in Westboro?

BY CHARLIE SENACK

Jeffrey Laroque is a federal office employee by day and Spider-Man by night. When the Westboro dog dad is not hard at work for Agriculture Canada, he’s shooting his webs for charity.

Laroque first fell in love with the marvel character after watching the first Spider-Man movie starring Tobey Maguire in 2002. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he decided to purchase the superhero costume in summer 2021 and dress up for his nieces and nephews.

“People were generally not feeling well during the pandemic and it was a bad time. I built up the courage to go and take a walk out in the suit and chat people up. People stopped and took pictures. It got me thinking what more I could do with this,” recalled Laroque.

The wannabe Spider-Man started filming videos to raise money for charity and soon started dressing up for community events. He later bought a better suit and launched a Facebook page in 2022 that has quickly been growing in popularity. In that time Laroque has raised over $25,000.

“There are the core group of charities that I target like CHEO, the Distress Centre, Red

Cross, Ottawa Food Bank, Freedom Dog Rescue and Sit With Me Dog Rescue. But if somebody wants to donate elsewhere, that’s totally fine,” he said.

Laroque grew up with dogs, and he began rescuing from local shelters about 10 years ago with his wife. The couple typically take in canines that are older or have other issues that might make them harder to adopt.

Danielle O’Leary, vetting director and chair at Sit With Me Rescue, said she admires Laroque for his kind heart.

“He adopted a dog who was not the easiest dog to adopt,” said O’Leary. “After she passed away, he reached out and asked what our hardest dog was, the dog that's been in our care the longest with behavior and medical issues.

organizations like Sit With Me. O’Leary said the rescue is currently enduring their toughest months ever.

“That rarely ever happens,” she continued. “When Scott was suggested to Jeff, he had no issues getting a dog that needed several meet-and-greets and more training at the start.”

Local dog rescues have been facing new challenges lately. Economic pressures have resulted in higher bills and fewer donors, creating tough financial situations for

“As the vetting director, I book all our surgeries, dental and neuters. The average neuter can cost us between $200 and $500. Those funds can move pretty quickly,” said O’Leary.

A recent fundraiser organized by Laroque was able to cover almost the entire $3,200 vet bill for a dog with a triple hernia.

The premise of the Spider-Man film follows an apprehensive teenager named

Peter Parker who gains superhuman abilities after being bitten by a genetically engineered spider. With his new powers, the masked persona begins fighting New York's crime.

And while Laroque admits he doesn’t plan to take on any bad guys in the future, he has started taking parkour classes to be a bit more like his fictional hero.

Many kids who stop for pictures with the Kitchissippi superhero want to see their idol do some cool tricks.

“It’s been a challenge. I think I’m a little bit older getting into it at 38, and I have a very big fear of hurting myself. The kids in these classes are nailing backflips and I have been trying for a year and a half and I’m still not there,” he said.

But Dagan Mercury, owner of Ottawa Parkour near Westboro, disagrees. He said Laroque has been an inspiration to the younger generation and is always offering a helping hand.

“The nice thing about Jeff is you just need to say yes. He will come to me with a great idea that he’s already set up,” the parkour instructor said. “It’s the sort of thing a lot of people would do once or twice to feel like they made a difference, but Jeff is truly dedicated to it. It means the world to him to make kids happy.”

Farm Fresh Food Delivered to Your Door

In 2019, a group of six farmers came together with a shared vision of transforming the way fresh food reaches consumers. Driven by a commitment to enhance the local food system, they created a model where farm-fresh produce could be delivered directly from their fields to the community’s dining tables.

Those farmers founded Aliments Farmhouse Food, an initiative dedicated to revolutionising the local food economy. They pooled their resources to connect with more farm-to-table enthusiasts in their area, and they implemented rigorous production protocols to guarantee fresh, nutritious, and flavorful food for their subscribers.

Farmhouse aims to offer an alternative to impersonal and environmentally taxing globalised industrial food distribution systems. By focusing on high-quality, sustainable, and locally sourced foods, Farmhouse seeks to foster a food system that benefits both producers and consumers while prioritising the health of the local ecology. As the organisation continues to expand, its goal is to create a resilient food network that upholds the success and well-being of everyone involved.

Farmhouse is committed to sustainable, organic, local practices that respect the environment and animal welfare. Livestock are raised in humane conditions, grazing freely on outdoor pastures; the cattle are grassfed, and the other livestock are supplemented with organic grain. Fruits and vegetables are locally sourced

and pre-certified organic, ensuring that they meet rigorous standards of quality. Furthermore, Farmhouse ensures that all wild products are harvested in a manner that maintains ecological balance. Subscribers can rest assured that every item they receive comes from farms and producers located within a 150-kilometre radius of Parliament Hill, emphasising the commitment to local sourcing and reducing food miles.

Aliments Farmhouse Food offers two subscription sizes to cater to different needs and preferences, directly supporting local farmers and producers. These subscriptions are designed to provide access to sustainable and organic foods, aligning with the values of health-conscious and environmentally aware consumers. The delivery model is run entirely by collective members, from growing the food to putting the boxes together, all the way up to placing them at your door. This hands-on approach ensures that every aspect of the service remains deeply connected to the values of the cooperative and the quality of the food provided.

One of the standout features of Farmhouse’ service is flexibility. The subscription model is entirely no-commitment, with no sign-up deadline and the freedom to order, pause, or cancel subscriptions at any time. This flexibility caters to diverse lifestyles and needs, making it easier for people to integrate fresh, local produce into their lives without the pressure of long-term commitments.

Another highlighted feature is the customization offered. Customers can choose from two box sizes delivered either weekly or bi-weekly. Each week, the online store provides a list of what will be included in the delivery, and customers can swap items based on seasonal availability and preference. They can also add extra depending on their weekly needs: Are guests coming over? Double up your cheese order. Marking a special date? Add flowers! Not a fan of kale? Choose another leafy green instead.

“We designed our subscription model to give eaters more choice and more options to access local foods,” said Paul Slomp, spokesperson at Farmhouse. “We’re here as your neighbours, and we want you to eat delicious, nutritious food.”

Aliments Farmhouse Food is dedicated to building a more secure and sustainable food system in the region. Getting food delivered directly to your door saves time on shopping, and unlike grocery stores, Farmhouse doesn’t have a middleman taking a cut. This means that more of the money spent goes directly to the farmers and producers, which supports a fairer and more equitable food economy.

Aliments Farmhouse Food blends sustainable practices with a commitment to supporting local agriculture, transforming the way fresh food is delivered and contributing to a more resilient and equitable food economy. Visit https://alimentsfarmhousefood.com/ for more information or to sign up for a delivery.

IN ONE

Clockwise from left: Architect Paul Kariouk likened fitting two homes on the narrow lot where one had been before akin to figuring out a Rubik’s Cube. PHOTO CREDIT: KEVIN BELANGER PHOTOGRAPHY

Sandra’s second-storey kitchen with skylight above. PHOTO CREDIT: KEVIN BELANGER PHOTOGRAPHY

Sandra and Mark in Sandra’s entryway. PHOTO CREDIT: ALLTHINGSHOME.CA

The stairwell in Sandra’s home repeats the dramatic exterior metal cladding. PHOTO CREDIT: KEVIN BELANGER PHOTOGRAPHY

By Patrick Langston

Brightly hued, visually welcoming and smartly designed both inside and out, the Sorelle House in Hintonburg spotlights what happens when love, creativity and a view to the future — as opposed to simply maxing out square footage — inspire an infill home.

Designed by Kariouk Architects and built by Crossford Construction, the Sorelle (Italian for “sisters”) House was created for siblings Sandra and Franca Di Diomete and Franca’s husband, Mark Holmes. The house is actually two separate but joined dwellings — one in the front and one in the back — each with its own distinct character and both with multiple levels, rooftop terraces and designed for aging in place.

The homes were built on the site of Sandra’s former home, an old bungalow in the gradually gentrifying neighbourhood. Together, the two residences have roughly 4,500 square feet.

Franca died a little over a year after the trio took possession of their homes in 2022, but the bond between the three lives on in the Sorelle House, with Sandra continuing to love her street-facing home and Mark his more private space behind his sister-in-law’s.

The three had long lived within blocks of each other and often thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if we were right beside each other and as we get older we can be with and support each other,” says

HOMES

the ebullient Sandra, a Grade Two teacher. “You kind of joke about it and one day you go, ‘Oh, could we do that?’”

All three also wanted to stay in the area, “a neighbourhood where you can walk to just about anything you need,” says Mark, a friendly, retired social worker (as was Franca).

So, they decided to turn the fantasy into reality.

A SCULPTURAL APPROACH WITH DIFFERENT INTERIORS FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE

Enter architect Paul Kariouk in 2018. He describes designing the two interlocked homes on a small urban lot while adhering to municipal restrictions, building codes and client wishes akin to mastering the 3D puzzle Rubik’s Cube.

“They wanted something more visually interesting and artful,” says Kariouk, referencing the sculptural exterior as well as the delightful surprises of its interior.

The finished project, including the bold red steel shingles on the outside that continue into Sandra’s interior space, fit them to a tee. “They always picked the more daring aspects of the design or colour,” says Kariouk.

The ground floor of each home is primarily an entryway, with a small bathroom also tucked into Mark and Franca’s space.

As you progress up the airy, sculptural staircases — wood and steel in Sandra’s case, perforated black metal lit by a rooftop oculus (or

large skylight) for Mark and Franca — Sandra’s space is more public in keeping with her love of entertaining while Mark and Franca's home is more private.

The second floor of Sandra’s home has a small study area, her bedroom and the ensuite. Mark and Franca’s features the main living area with a small balcony.

The third floor of Sandra’s home is her main living area and includes a street-facing balcony. With abundant windows facing west, her space meets one of the nonnegotiable demands for her new home: “I wanted light. I was dying for light.”

The same floor in Mark and Franca’s home contains the bedroom, ensuite and a cosy sitting area overlooking a secluded backyard.

The homes join forces on the rooftop, where two terraces are linked by a narrow passageway. Sandra’s terrace is also linked by exterior stairs to her third-floor balcony, encouraging guests to flow from the living room to the outside and up during good weather.

THE BUILDING PROCESS AND AN EYE TO THE FUTURE

Constructing two unique homes on a tiny lot presented challenges.

“There wasn’t a lot of wiggle room to manipulate and keep all the neighbours happy,” says Crossford’s Lindsay Nicol. “Appreciating what the neighbours are going through goes a really long way in a project like that.”

Long-term thinking, including aging in place and environment considerations, went into the project.

Both homes have a basement bedroom that can accommodate a live-in caregiver as well as a small elevator for easier movement between floors.

The visually arresting red and black steel cladding will last for centuries and can eventually be recycled, and radiant floor heating and a hybrid water heater with its own heat pump help control energy consumption.

Fitting two homes where one once stood also accords with the City of Ottawa’s push for densification.

Most of all, though, the Sorelle House is a thoughtful and unique structure, observes Mark.

“It was designed by the same team, but the two homes are so different.”

PatrickLangstonistheco-founderofAllThings HomeInc.,wheredetailsonhowtodomostof theabovetaskscanbefound(allthingshome.ca). TheveteranjournalisthascoveredtheOttawa housingindustrysince2008.

Tonya Bruin, founder of To Do Done Renovations, has been nominated for a Businesswoman of the Year award in the category Entrepreneurial Leader – Emerging (1 to 10 years). She was nominated alongside Michelle Massunken of Mindspa Mental Health Centre and Natalie Cox of CPI Interiors.

“For the nomination, and for being selected as a finalist, I am just humbled,” Bruin said. “I feel very humbled when I am at the Women’s Business network events because of the impact that women are having in the economy and on others.”

Bruin started To Do Done as a handyman service in 2015, although it quickly evolved into a full home renovation company.Today their services include carpentry, demolition, framing, drywall, flooring, painting, tiling, waterproofing, and general renovations. In 2022, Bruin expanded by opening Evolta Electric Inc., an electrical contractor company that works alongside

To Do Done on home renovations, installs commercial EV chargers, automates energy-saving processes, and retrofits LED lighting. Evolta also partners with Tree Era’s 1:Tree program to plant a tree for each customer served.

“What sets us apart is our holistic approach to project management,” Bruin said. “We breathe new life into tired spaces.”

Bruin’s approach to business is to focus on customer experience, making the customer feel valued and heard. She says that this commitment to customer service, along with the quality work her team does, is what’s given them a shining reputation and a growing five-star rating.

On the other side, Bruin says that taking care of her employees is just as important. Encouraging her employees to play to their strengths, to explore their passions, and to maintain a healthy work-life balance means they have more energy to dedicate to their work.

“I prioritize the well-being and work-life balance of my team. I lead by example, demonstrating that

productivity and personal fulfillment are not mutually exclusive,” she said. “I prioritize my own healthy living through sports, and encourage my staff to prioritize their own passions. I believe this has contributed to the longevity of tenure of many of my employees.”

In addition to Businesswoman of the Year, Bruin was also nominated for RBC’s Women of Influence Award this year. And, to cap it all off,To Do Done Renovations is also a finalist in GOHBA’s design/build awards for Best Basement Renovation, Best Whole Home Renovation and selected as a finalist in the prestigious “Renovator of the Year” category.

Home renovations on parade

By Anita Murray

It’s a house tour with a twist.

Nine Ottawa homes will open their doors Sunday, Oct. 6, to show off the fabulous renovations that have transformed them for their owners. It’s part of the RenoTour Parade of Homes and it’s a fantastic way to research renovators and designers if there’s a renovation in your future — or inspire

chance to get a sense for several highquality renovators in the area.

“All in one shot you can meet some of the team, see their work on display, and learn more about whether one of these companies is right for any upcoming projects you may have. Also, if you simply have a love for interior design and architecture, this is a great way to spend a Sunday feeling inspired.”

There are nine Ottawa companies taking part this year, showcasing projects from Carp to Overbrook to Alta Vista and everywhere in between. You’ll see kitchen makeovers, mainfloor remodels and whole-home transformations from Amsted, ARTium Design Build, GoodStory, Lagois Design-Build-Renovate, MBHE Inc., Ottawa General Contractors, RND Construction, Spectrum Kitchen & Bath Design, and The Conscious Builder.

Amsted’s project is a stunning main-floor renovation of a Glabar Park home that is thoughtfully designed for entertaining while respecting the home’s original features and keeping accessibility needs in mind.

“This home is a prime example of how accessibility can be seamlessly integrated without compromising on design or beauty,” Haw says. “The untouched original features blend seamlessly with the renovations, creating a cohesive and elevated space.”

The kitchen, dining room, living room, sunroom, powder and laundry room were reimagined, with the fireplace relocated to open the kitchen and take advantage of the connection between the sunroom and dining/ living space.

“We are seeing more aging-inplace renovations that include flex rooms for main-floor living,” says Lagois’ Brenda Salmon. “This family wanted to create a space for an elderly mother to be able to live comfortably within the family environment but still maintain her own space and privacy.”

The renovation involved creating a flex area that includes a cosy living room with kitchenette, barrier-free bathroom and bedroom with built-in cabinetry for the mother. The family kitchen was also reimagined for better flow and storage and a family room was created in the basement to replace the space lost on the main floor.

“There are many different renovations within this one project to see,” Salmon says.

Organized by the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA), the tour is free, with homes available to visit from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Scan the QR code for details, check GOHBA’s social feeds or pick up a brochure at GOHBA’s booth at the Ottawa Fall Home Show Sept. 26-29 at the EY Centre.

Can’t make it in person or want to revisit the homes after? Many of them will be available for 3D virtual walk-throughs after the event at RenoTour.ca.

“People are most inspired when they can see and feel something,” says Haw. “So, to be able to walk through a completed renovation not only gives homeowners a fantastic vantage point of what can be done in their own homes, but it gives renovators the chance to highlight their design and construction quality as well.”

you if you’re not ready yet.

Now in its 10th year, the tour showcases the work of members of RenoMark, a national program that identifies professional contractors who have signed on to a code of conduct that protects the homeowner.

“It’s like Pinterest come to life,” says Stephanie Haw of Amsted DesignBuild, which has been participating in the tour since its inception. “And it’s a

It features a spacious open kitchen with a large island, a dining room that comfortably seats 12 or more guests, and a wet bar for seamless hosting. Additionally, accessibility features were added, including low-transition flooring and an interior ramp for wheelchair access.

A second project in nearby Whitehaven by Lagois Design-BuildRenovate was similarly designed with accessibility features in mind.

AnitaMurrayistheco-founderof AllThingsHomeInc.andownerofThreeC Communications.Theveteranjournalisthas coveredtheOttawahousingindustrysince2011.

Left: Decidedly modern while respecting its roots, this extensive renovation by Amsted Design-Build is one of 10 homes to see on the tour. Right: Lagois reimagined the kitchen for better flow and greater storage. ALL PHOTOS: GORDON KING PHOTOGRAPHY

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Nine Ottawa homes

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F A L L F I T N E S S

September is the perfect time to reset and rejuvenate. Explore and find your favourite fitness boutiques! From yoga studios to kickboxing classes, there's something for everyone. Embrace the new season and discover the best spots to stay fit and fabulous!

Club Pilates Westboro's journey began with a passion for fitness and a love for Pilates. Their commitment to excellence and community engagement has been the foundation of our growth

9Round is an instructor-led, full-body circuit training workout designed by certified professionals Their trainers demonstrate every exercise, provide modifications and challenges as needed, and encourage members to keep going until the final bell! 119 RICHMOND RD

At Core Integrity, they view Pilates not just as a form of exercise, but also as a tool for improving the way the body moves and functions in daily life, promoting overall well-being and health

At Powerhaus, they offer quality training for all fitness levels Their program design is evidence-based and tailored for both individuals and groups. They create a safe, fun, and positive training atmosphere, holding mental and spiritual well-being in equal regard to physical fitness

Love Your Body Fitness warmly welcomes everyone through its doors, catering to all levels, whether you are experienced in gym spaces or have never set foot in one.

At Pure Yoga, their mission is to create a safe space where all feel welcome. Lifting each other up as a community and ensuring that all guests feel safe, valued and supported

A-1970 SCOTT STREET

311 RICHMOND RD

332 RICHMOND RD

411 ROOSEVELT AVE #100

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Realign and Flow provides a calming and nurturing environment for your Registered Massage Therapy needs. Their goal is to deliver exceptional massage therapy to promote a superior sense of wellness, offering a holistic approach to clinical massage therapy.

F A L L F I T N E S S

Reform H+F believes we're meant to move, not sit at a desk all day. With our busy schedules, their 25-minute REFORM Method offers a smarter, time-efficient workout They aim to transform lives by helping people exceed their physical and mental limits, achieving their strength, movement, and energy goals

Union Studios brings dancers together to experience collective moments of joy. With classes for all levels, Union Studios is a safe and welcoming space for new dancers, expired dancers, and everyone in between.

TOP FALL FITNESS TIPS FROM OUR EXPERTS!

Keeping your ankles mobile is an excellent way to prevent hip pain Wiggle your toes and lift and lower your heels regularly to improve ankle flexibility and range of motion. This reduces stress on your hips and promotes better balance and stability. By taking care of your ankles, you can positively impact your overall hip health.

While Pilates and yoga are excellent for flexibility and core strength, incorporating weightlifting is crucial for a well-rounded fitness routine. Lifting weights helps build muscle, increase metabolism, and improve overall strength. Balance your exercise regimen by including strength training sessions. This combination will maximize your fitness benefits and enhance your physical health, ensuring you achieve a stronger, more resilient body

While it can feel daunting to get back to exercise after a summer break, fall is a great time to kickstart a training routine. Start by setting achievable goals and scheduling workouts like any other important appointment. Look for a gym that makes it easy to walk in and start, with diverse training options and a schedule that works for you. Remember, consistency is key. Fitness needs to fit into your life, not the other way around. With a little dedication, a plan, and maybe some friends to join you, you'll quickly establish a motivating workout routine that delivers results.

ou attend a

aunched a new campaign to share the best in wellness that community has to offer, while supporting Churchill native School, and their campaign to bring outdoor options to he kids. This summer over $1200 was raised by our munity by simply attending a class and trying something new! k you to our community for showing up to support a great school.