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BARRHAVEN
Year 32 • issue 7
FREE
www.barrhavenindependent.ca
FRIDAY • April 1 • 2022
New soccer league to use imaginary ball so every kid can score Special to the Independent It’s a soccer league like no other. If parents are worried that their kids won’t get enough playing time, or that their child is not getting the ball often, the new Barrhaven Digital Soccer League might be the league they are looking for. “It’s a relatively new concept for Canada, but digital soccer has been big for years in Scandanavian countries,” said Loof Lirpa, the President and founder of the Barrhaven Digital Soccer League (BDSL). The concept for the soccer league is simple. There is no actual soccer ball. Score is not kept. Each player on the field is holding an iPhone or Android device with the BDSL app
loaded onto it. Players run around the field, each chasing and controlling their own digital soccer ball. There is an aerial drone above the game feeding visual images into the app. “The app is designed to keep all of the kids engaged, and to give them time with the soccer ball,” Lirpa said. “There are no worries that some kids will hog the ball and score all the goals. Each player will get ample time with the ball, and each player should experience scoring between three and six goals per game.” Lirpa added that the soccer moms and dads will be looking at the same visual as their kids on the field. “The parents will all be able to cheer on the kids, and taking real soccer balls
out of the game will limit the abuse coming from parents on the sideline,” he said. “There are no referees to yell at. And there is no need to yell at the coach. All of the players will be on the field, and it will not matter if one team has more players than the other, because there is no
ball and no score.” Lirpa said the concept of youth soccer without a ball gained popularity in Iceland and Sweden before reaching other Scandanavian countries. “It really took off in Sweden,” he said. “One of my friends told me he heard that Greta Thunberg
was one of the first kids to play in Sweden.” While Lirpa loves the concept of youth soccer without an actual ball, there have been critics to the new league. “I have concerns about the kids running around while looking at an app,” said local chiropractor Rod Kyphosis. “Kids looking down to stare at their phones and devices puts tremendous strain on their necks and spines. We also don’t want them bonking into one another because they are looking at their devices instead of where they are running.” Lirpa said that the app will warn players when another player is near them and a collision is a possibility. He also said that the benefits of exercise outweigh the possible neck
and back problems. “Parents say the kids are looking at their phones anyway, so why not have them running around while doing it?” he said. Lirpa said that he hopes to take the concept to the ice in the fall and to start the Barrhaven Digital Hockey League for kids. “The concept would be the same,” said. “Hockey with no puck. We have been working with local arenas to figure out if we can have fixed cameras or use drones above the ice.” To make the league and concept truly digital, the BDSL accepts only crypto currency for player registration. For more information on the league, visit www. aprilfoolsday.com/checkthe-date-on-the-frontpage/gotcha!
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BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
New Highway 416 interchange at Barnsdale Road one step closer By Charlie Senack Barrhaven residents are one step closer to seeing a new highway interchange built in the community. On March 18, Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod, who is also the minister in charge of tourism, culture, and sport, announced the Ontario government has signed a legal agreement with the City of Ottawa, to proceed with an environmental assessment of a highway interchange at Barnsdale Road and Highway 416. The project has been in the works for well over a decade, and Barrhaven residents have been stepping up the pressure to see it built. Barrhaven is seeing more growth than most communities in Ontario, and has grown from a population of 40,000 people in 2001 to 77,000 by 2012 — a growth of 37,000 people in less than 12 years. The community
now has over 100,000 residents and continues to grow exponentially as Barrhaven continues to build beyond Marketplace and the Costco mall. “This is absolutely necessary,” said MacLeod. “Our transportation infrastructure needs to keep up with the rapid pace of growth in our community.” Barrhaven Councillor Jan Harder has also long called for the interchange to be built. “This one will make better use of 416; and also, it will take a lot of pressure out of the internal roads here, and give people an opportunity to head south — in order to head north,” Harder noted. Harder previously said the City has identified this interchange as necessary infrastructure as part of its Transportation Master Plan – and is the only missing link to our 400 series
highways and Ontario’s important Moving Goods Corridors. She said more direct access to Highway 416 will help support rapid residential growth and the increase of economic activity bringing thousands of new jobs to Barrhaven.” Currently in Barrhaven, the only Highway 416 interchange is at Fallowfield Road. Once built, this new interchange will better serve residents to the south. Plans for the new interchange at Barnsdale have been announced before, and in October 2021, MacLeod announced a verbal agreement was reached to begin the environmental study, a process that will take years to complete. Now six months later, the legal process for this to begin is complete. But with a provincial election less than 70 days away, MacLeod wanted to reiterate the province’s com-
Plans are underway for a second Barrhaven interchange for Highway 416, located at Barnsdale Road. Barrhaven Independent file photo
mitment. “Today, what’s new is not only our government’s commitment to ensuring that this Barnsdale exit comes to fruition; but, there will be public consultation occurring. It’s important that
Time To
Travel
the public participates in this and shares their views,” MacLeod said. While the community of Barrhaven is anxious to have this new highway interchange built, it will still be years away.
The Ministry of Transportation says once the Environmental Study is complete, the city will be in charge of construction and timeline. Ottawa will also be in charge of funding the project.
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BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Masks come off in classrooms after OCDSB trustees split vote By Charlie Senack Masks have come off in Ottawa Carleton District School Boards classrooms after a motion to keep the mandate in place was shot down in a tie vote. The deciding vote in the matter was left to the board’s student trustee. On March 14, OCDSB trustees debated COVID-19 protocols for roughly two hours, including the possibility of keeping masks on for a little while longer. On March 21, mask mandates, which have been in place for nearly two years, were lifted by the provincial government in most settings, including shops, businesses, restaurants, and schools. They will continue to be required on public transportation and in long-term care and retirement homes until April 27. The motion, brought forward by Sommerset/ Kitchissippi trustee Justine Bell, asked for the mandate to remain in OCDSB
schools until at least April 8, in alignment with advice provided by the Children’s Health Coalition. Concerns with possible transmission over the March Break made many want to keep masks on for an additional few weeks to see which way trends would head. COVID-19 transmission in Ontario is slightly rising, and is expected to get even worse in the coming weeks. Reaction from the general public and the trustees as a whole was mixed, with some saying the school board shouldn’t overstep provincial health guidelines. Others feared retaliating could mean the provincial government wouldn’t fund future projects after souring the relationship with the OCDSB. Barrhaven/KnoxdaleMerivale trustee Donna Blackburn said she voted against the motion because she felt a mask mandate by the school board couldn’t be enforced. She too believed it was not a decision
for trustees to decide. “I’ve heard from many people as have my colleagues, and many people have said to me, both parents and staff, that should the board pass this mask mandate, they are simply not going to follow it,” she said. Blackburn also said two years into a global health pandemic, it was important to continue following the advice of local and provincial health experts, who say masks can now be optional. “There is no way to enforce it if kids come to school without a mask, (because) we have a duty to educate,” said Blackburn. “Many staff have written to me to say that they are tired of wearing the masks. We have a very high vaccination rate amongst our staff. I believe that we should have faith in both our students and staff to make the right decision.” Neighbouring Gloucester-South Nepean/Osgoode trustee Jennifer Jennekens said she was divided on
how to vote. “I certainly have family members who need protection and so I’ve always been mindful of doing everything I can in my own personal situation,” she said. “I’m extremely mindful of our parents, our families who have children with special needs, where each and every day they go to school and reach a new milestone, I personally live that. But I also think if the rest of the community is not wearing masks outside of school, how can two weeks certainly make a difference?”
In the end, Jennekens voted in favour of keeping masks on. Board chair Lynn Scott, who is also the trustee for March/Stitsville/RideauGoulbourn, said she too received a tie reaction from families, but felt it was important to give everyone the option. “I think it will be important to continue to ask people when they are making their decisions about masks, and whether or not they are going to use them or their children are going to use them, we ask them to be considerate of
the choices other people make,” she said. Scott voted against the motion. The board voted 6/6 as to whether or not to keep masks on, and went to student trustee AmaturRaheem Salam-Alada to make the final call. She voted down the motion, meaning masks in OCDSB schools will no longer be mandated. The OCDSB board also voted to rescind vaccine mandates for staff and visitors, meaning unvaccinated staff can return to the workforce.
BARRHAVEN
www.barrhavenindependent.ca
Page 6 FRIDAY, April 1, 2022
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
INDEPENDENT Editorial
Canada can still help provide Europe with energy security Canada’s chattering classes – often more accustomed to playing the ineffectual dovish role – are rushing to prove their outrage over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and demonstrate their resolve to make Russian President Vladimir Putin pay. However, these are often the same people who opposed Canadian gas pipelines, which could help fellow NATO countries. The Ukraine conflict reminds Canadians that access to stable and affordable energy has foreign policy importance. The good news is that the Western provinces can help address the problem. European countries are limited in their options when it comes to forcing the Putin regime to rethink its invasion of a sovereign nation. Many of them are dependent on natural gas imports from Russia, and although they would love to leverage that, they simply can’t. We should be very familiar with the litany of oil and gas pipelines that have been obstructed or killed over the last several years, mainly due to a policy environment hostile to the responsible development of energy resources. Both the Canadian and the American governments (the latter under President Joe Biden’s administration) have been too beholden to environmentalist interests and climate change hysteria to allow for the building of new international pipelines. For instance, the crafters of federal Bill C-69 thought it more important to ensure new energy projects in Canada met gender impact studies than ensuring we weren’t importing more oil to Eastern Canada from regimes that show blatant disrespect for women’s equality. But I digress. If the trans-Atlantic Canadian pipelines had been operational, Canada could have helped secure gas imports to European countries (the NATO nations that Russia opposes) and provided them with more needed leverage against Putin. In May 2021, a consortium of developers proposed the Neestanan utility corridor project to build a pipeline that would run from Alberta to a new Port Nelson seaport on Hudson Bay. The pipeline would also create a westward path for Manitoba’s surplus hydroelectric energy to reach the grids in Saskatchewan and Alberta. The proposal featured unprecedented Indigenous involvement, including engaging with First Nation communities along the route. That’s great, given the transformational impact that energy deals can have on Indigenous communities. Just ask Haisla Nation in British Columbia, given its involvement with Coastal GasLink. Indigenous groups are increasingly partnering with energy companies on market terms, and that’s a net positive. The status of this corridor project isn’t clear, but it shows what’s possible. The provinces involved and the Indigenous communities within them need to push the federal government to promote these types of collaborations. The next step is for Canada’s government and chattering classes to change their antienergy tune in time to help our European allies when the next crisis arrives. Joseph Quesnel is a senior research associate with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. © Troy Media
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There is nothing wrong with your windows sir.” The phone rang. from “Yes This is getting really good. It’s never for me. the other “That’s horrible,” I said. “My wife, Diva Walnut, Ever. does a lot of shopping online. This will devastate her. No, seriously. No one ever phones me. Do I need a new computer?” But this was the house phone. “No Colonel Walnut,” he replied, I looked around. No one else was confidently and comfortingly. “We home. have the ability to fix your computer re‘Okay,’ I thought. ‘I’ll get this.’ motely. All you have to do is allow me “Hello?” to have access to your desktop and I can Silence on the other end for about 10 seconds. Then, a voice from somewhere in remove the virus.” Wow, that sounds legitimate. India replied. I decided to ask a question. “Hello?” “So, um, what happens if I give you access to my I tried again. computer desktop, and then you put a trojan on my “Hello?” computer? Is that the part where you sell me a proHe replied. gram for $200 per year to remove the trojan from my “Hello?” screen?” No wonder tennis is so popular over there. “No Colonel Walnut, it is nothing like that.” Finally, the man on the other end spoke. “Oh, so then after you have access to my computer “I am calling from Windows. Who am I speaking and you plant the trojan, and I refuse to pay, is my to?” “Umm, Seechy,” I replied, finally finding a posi- computer going to be extremely messed up for the rest tive use for my imaginary friend who ditched me of my life?” “No Colonel Walnut, that is not how it works at when I turned five. “Seechy Walnut.” all.” “Hello Mr. Walnut. How are you today?” Actually, it is. “Um, it’s Colonel Walnut.” “And then even if I do pay you $200 per year for “Ok Colonel Walnut. I am calling from Windows.” I knew about this scam, so I decided to have some the rest of my life, you are still going to record every single key I press on my keyboard here and sell the fun with my new friend. “My windows are fine,” I said. “I am looking data to some big company who sells data of people’s out into my back yard right now. Do you clean Win- online habits?” There was silence on the other end. dows?” “Because I am Colonel Walnut of the Eastern On“No Colonel Walnut. I am calling from the comtario Special Ops unit,” I said, thinking that sounded pany, Windows.” “You are calling from the company that makes the intimidating. “And I will personally track this call using my Level 9 government clearance codes and I windows?” “No, Windows, your computer program. I am call- will hunt down anyone messing with my laptop like squirrels searching for acorns on a crisp fall aftering from Windows.” “That’s strange,” I thought. “Windows is a com- noon.” There was still silence on the other end. puter program, not a company. How can you be call“But I am glad I can trust you,” I said. “I ing from Windows?” “We have detected a problem with Windows on would hate to fall victim to a computer scam from some random guy in India.” your computer.” “Okay,” he said. “The first thing I need you “I’m looking out my windows right now into the back yard. It’s a beautiful day, but my windows are a to do is to turn on your computer and go onlittle bit dirty. Maybe they just look dirty from your line.” “On the line?” computer. Is this like Zoom or something?” “Yes, go online.” Silence. “You mean I go on the line?” I figured I would engage. “Yes.” “So, um, are you a big cricket fan?” “Hold on,” I said. “I need to insert a floppy He waited for a second. disk before I turn it on.” “Cricket?” “What kind of computer do you have?” “Yes,” I replied. “Are you a big fan?” “Um, let me check,” give me a second. “Of course,” he said. I went downstairs to grab a Coke with Zero “That’s great,” I said. “The replay of the IndiaPakistan match was on TV here in Canada last week. Sugar Starlight. They say it tastes like “space.” I That must be a pretty big deal there when you guys guess space tastes like vanilla and cotton candy and mint. No wonder everyone wants to go. play Pakistan.” “What kind of computer do you have?” Suddenly, my friend lit up with excitement. “Commodore 64,” I replied. “It is,” he said excitedly. “Pakistan is our biggest “I have to get into your Windows.” rival. When we play cricket against them, it is very “Um, this computer is MS-DOS.” big here.” “You mean you don’t have Windows?” I had him. We were one or two exchanges away “I do, and they are dirty. Can you send somefrom being Facebook BFFs. But, suddenly, he realized that I was trying to dis- one over?” tract him from his scam, er, “job.” He hung up. He told me the shocking news. A few minutes later, the phone rang again. “We have been receiving error codes from you and “Hello? Hello?” we believe there is a virus affecting your computer.” “Hello. I am calling from the duct cleaning “From me? Colonel Walnut?” service. Who am I speaking to?”
side
FRIDAY, April 1, 2022 Page 7
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Spring Cleaning the Capital needs your help to clean up Barrhaven As the snow starts to melt, you might notice a winter’s worth of litter scattered around the city. Twice a year, thousands of residents help keep our community spaces clean and green through Cleaning the Capital and you can join them by registering for the spring 2022 campaign! It is estimated that over 1,350,000 kilograms of waste have been removed by more than 1.6 million volunteers since the campaign began in 1994. You can register online now until Saturday, April 30. There are a variety of places you can choose to clean up, including community parks, shorelines, roadsides, or even areas around bus stops. Important dates for the spring campaign: • Friday, April 15, 2022 – Tuesday, May 31, 2022: Spring Cleaning the Capital campaign • Friday, April 22, 2022: Earth Day 2022 • Saturday, April 30, 2022: Registration closes • Wednesday, June 15, 2022: Deadline to submit
LET’S TALK
BARRHAVEN by Jan Harder
your online cleanup report Starter cleanup kits are available upon request. To learn more about the campaign or register your project, visit ottawa.ca/clean. For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca.
Favourite Crossing Guard Contest
The Ottawa Safety Council Invites Students, Schools, and the General Community to Nominate Ottawa’s Favourite Crossing Guard 2022! Not all heroes wear capes…some wear high visibility vests! The Ottawa Safety Council (OSC) is excited to launch its annual Ottawa’s Favourite Crossing Guard Contest. Adult Crossing Guards have a very important (and sometimes stressful) job.
School Zones are busy places –along with the regular traffic volume and frustrated, distracted motorists that are part and parcel of the daily rush– there is a flurry of activity that happens in school zones around bell times. Buses arrive and leave. Parents drop off and pick up their children. Students and parents depend on their Crossing Guard to help them cross the road safely. The Adult Crossing Guard Program is a partnership between the City of Ottawa and the OSC, in which the OSC proudly employs a team of 300+ Adult Crossing Guards who are deployed across the city at 260+ school zone intersections. They play a key role in ensuring students get to and from school safely. Ottawa’s Crossing Guards conduct over 3 million safe crossings annually! As such, we are shining the spotlight on our unsung heroes - the Crossing Guards! From March 22, 2022, to April 29, 2022, the OSC is inviting the community to nominate their
Favourite Crossing Guard! The winner of Ottawa’s Favourite Crossing Guard 2022 will receive a $500 cash prize. They will also be presented with the Marie Armstrong Crossing Guard Award during this year’s proclamation of Crossing Guard Appreciation Day, which will take place on May 19, 2022. The school associated with the highest level of participation in the contest, based on the number of nominations submitted, will also win a $300.00 Canadian Tire gift card!
The Log Farm
Come out to The Log Farm to experience sugarbush 2022. We are located right in the city at 670 Cedarview Road in Nepean. This once-a-year Canadian tradition doesn’t last long as winter gently eases into spring. Take a wagon ride out to the sugarbush. See how maple syrup is made. Then take a walk through the trails of the sugar maples. Here at The Log Farm, we only use pails on our trees. So all our sap is
collected by hand. We offer a special hands-on experience for our guests. You and your family can help gather the sap around the sugarbush. The kids love running from tree to tree looking for a pail with some sap in it!!! Please remember that the sap flow is completely weather dependent, +5 degrees and sunny are the best days to collect. When you visit during our sugarbush season you will also have access to the main farmyard, where you can visit with all the farm animals. We have lots of friendly animals to see, feed and touch around the farm. Along with play areas for the kids, including hay structures and sensory tables. The pioneer farmhouse will be open for selfguided tours, where you will step back in time and see what family life would have been like in the 1860s. We will accept walk-ins if space is available. However, to avoid disappointment pre-purchased tickets are recommended as we have limited space and do
sell out. A link to tickets can be found on our website www.thelogfarm.com Make sure to dress for the weather.
News from Ruth E. Dickinson: your local library branch
Service Update: • Public computer bookings and Chromebook loan periods have increased to two hours per day • Masks are no longer required for the public when visiting the library as the province has lifted its mandatory mask requirement. Those who prefer wearing masks are welcome to do so • The Ottawa Public Library is offering modified hours of operation at library branches and the Bookmobile • To view the hours of operation at the Ruth E. Dickinson branch please click here • Please visit our current branch services page for the most up to date information on library services
harder
continues on page 9
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FRIDAY, April 1, 2022 Page 9
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT harder continues from page 7 One eRead Canada
This April, hundreds of participating Canadian public libraries will offer free, unlimited access to The Break by Katherena Vermette in eBook and eAudiobook formats in English and French. One eRead Canada is a month-long digital book club presented by Canadian Urban Libraries Council with the support of CBC/Radio-Canada as the official media partner. • Join the Facebook group and follow One eRead Canada on Twitter to chat about the book with other people across Canada!
Have your say on how we manage garbage, recycling, and food waste
Ottawa’s vision is to be a zero-waste city. And yet, more than half of what we throw in the garbage could
be recycled or composted. We need a plan that can stand up to challenges such as climate change and a landfill that is filling up fast. From previous engagement with the public on the Solid Waste Master Plan, we know that residents want progressive, collective, and innovative action. We learned about people’s creative ideas for the City to explore as part of the planning process. We have analysed that input and now we are asking for feedback on a short list of options for the plan. We also want to know how far, how fast, and at what cost you would like the City to move towards a zero-waste future. The options explore themes such as: • Green bin use in multiresidential properties • How we manage garbage and recycling in parks • New and creative ways
to reduce and reuse (such as repair cafes, lending libraries, community swaps and food waste reduction initiatives) • How to improve our recycling programs • The role of technology and innovation • Turning waste into renewable energy • Financial considerations • New promotion and education initiatives Visit ottawa.ca/wasteplan to have your say. You can share your thoughts by completing a survey or participating in one of our online workshops. You can also learn more by participating in a virtual information session.
2022 Household Hazardous Waste Event Schedule
The City of Ottawa is committed to providing residents options for the
safe disposal of household hazardous waste which cannot be disposed of through regular waste collection services. In providing events to collect hazardous waste, the City of Ottawa is protecting both the environment and the health and safety of waste collection workers. These events complement existing programs administered by retailers to collect specific types of household hazardous waste material on an ongoing basis. The City hosts HHW events to ensure hazardous waste is safely collected, transported, and appropriately recycled or disposed of, in compliance with federal and provincial legislation on the handling, transport, and disposal of hazardous waste. Trained and certified waste management professionals plan, manage and execute these events to ensure compliance
with all existing legislation. The collection of hazardous waste by untrained, uncertified collectors would be considered a contravention to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 347. In 2021, the City hosted four 1-day HHW events and an extended 5-day event, for a total of 9 household hazardous waste collection days open to Ottawa residents. This year, the Public Works Department will continue to provide collection services for HHW such as corrosive, flammable or poisonous materials, by offering 9 free one-day events from April 24, 2022 through to October 23, 2022. The City has added locations at the Rideau Carleton Casino, the Michael Street Snow Dump, and the Canadian Tire Centre for 2022. For more information visit: www.janharder.ca
Pothole Repairs
The Roads and Parking Services team have sprung into action to address what is inevitable with this type of weather pattern, pothole repairs. We will be taking advantage of the mild weather expected over the next few days by redirecting additional resources and deploying more crews to fill potholes. Since January, Ottawa has seen all sorts of weather – everything from a record snowfall, prolonged freezing rain, temperatures above zero, rain, flash freeze and then more snow. We know this winter season will wreak havoc on our roads, sidewalks and winter cycling network as the freeze / thaw cycles take hold this month, bringing with it an increased number of potholes. We are on the job and ready! For residents wishing to report a pothole, please create a Service Request online.
Page 10 FRIDAY, April 1, 2022
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
MPB students collect more than 2,000 cans for Barrhaven Food Cupboard By Charlie Senack As the Barrhaven Food Cupboard sees a bigger need than ever for support, one local school collected over 2,000 canned goods for the local organization. From February 28 to March 10, students from Monsignor Paul Baxter Elementary School in Barrhaven collected cans of soup, tomato sauce, and other non-perishables for the Barrhaven Food Cupboard. It’s the first time in two years an initiative of this kind could take place, as COVID-19 meant an end to most fundraising drives. “Our goal was to collect 1,000 items, but our students went above and beyond. We ended up doubling our goal at just over 2000 items,” said Sean Haughian, a grade 2 teacher at the school. “The top two classes in Primary and top two in Junior are also receiving a pizza lunch for their class.” This was the 13th annual canned food drive Monsignor Paul Baxter has held for the Barrhaven Food Cupboard. “We know the need is always great throughout the year, and we wanted to not just contribute at Christmas and Easter,” Haughian said. “Our grade 2’s would collect the items each day from outside the classrooms and then help sort them out into boxes. They were very excited to not only help organize but also knew they were helping those needing assistance. They did a fantastic
job and my hope is that they will carry this forward in their lives helping others whenever they can. I’m very proud of my class as well as everyone who helped contribute from our school.” For the students, it was an opportunity to help families just like themselves who may have landed in hard times during the pandemic. “I know a lot of kids are starting,” said grade 2 Monsignor Paul Baxter student Jordan. “I eat three times a day and I wanted to give them more food so they could survive. It made me feel really happy because we got to donate to people who really needed our help.” “There are poor people and I don’t want them to be starving all day long, so I wanted to help them survive,” echoed fellow grade 2 student Esmeralda. “I like to be kind and I like to share.” “I like helping others by being kind,” noted classmate Nita, also in grade 2. “Sometimes I see people around the world who are struggling and I feel sad about that. Poor people don’t have a lot of things and as a kid, I want to help them survive.” In Dec, 2021, the Barrhaven Food Cupboard said they have seen a 12 per cent increase in calls for assistance since the pandemic began two years ago. That number is expected to only grow higher as food prices in some cases are almost doubling, and others are
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Students from Monsignor Paul Baxter Catholic Elementary School collected more than 2,000 cans of food for the Barrhaven Food Cupboard.
finding it difficult to get back on their feet after the pandemic. Early this year, the food organization had to purchase a new fridge to keep up with the demand. “The increasing demand for food support in Barrhaven is placing increasing demands on Barrhaven Food Cupboard,” the orgs oration said in a recent Facebook post. “We have recently purchased a second
commercial fridge to meet demand at a cost of $5,300. We acted quickly to secure a great price but are now looking for donations to help cover the cost and the growing costs of feeding the members of our community who need it most.” Barrhaven Food Cupboard President George MacDonald said before the pandemic hit, many of their physical food donations came from school and
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business drives. Two years of COVID-19 meant an end to this, but it’s starting to make a comeback. “Normally in the course of a year we would have a number of physical food donations given to us — a lot from school drives, businesses, individuals who collect food for us,” he said. ‘In 2021 not as much
because of school closures and virtual learning. We had to purchase quite a bit of food which we would not normally do.” Anyone who wishes to donate to the Barrhaven Food Cupboard can make a financial donation online, or drop food items off in bins located at most local grocery stores.
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FRIDAY, April 1, 2022 Page 11
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Helping our businesses rebound once and for all February was nothing short of a nightmare for the people of Ottawa, especially for those living, working and running businesses in the downtown core. I want to take this opportunity to thank them for their patience and resilience during that time. A special thanks also goes to the Ottawa Police Service and the officers from other law enforcement agencies from across the country
that worked in lockstep to carry out a measured and effective plan to restore peace and reclaim our streets in Ottawa’s downtown following a weeks-long occupation. And to all the frontline workers, first responders and City staff who put in countless hours and tireless efforts during a long month – thank you. With that said, businesses in the downtown core were some of the hardest hit over the last few years, following several pandemic-related lockdowns in Ontario and
then the many weeks of closure as a result of the occupation. While municipalities in Ontario do not have the ability to provide direct financial assistance to businesses, Council passed various motions at a meeting last month that will give them a leg up in the coming weeks and months. These include: - A deferral of interim 2022 property taxes for affected businesses in the areas impacted by the occupation; - Providing a total of $450,000 to affected Busi-
ness Improvement Areas, Business Associations and the Ottawa Markets Corporation; - Approving a funding contribution of $50,000 to the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition to deliver an expanded City Sounds outdoor concert series in 2022; - Expanding no-charge transit to include service on O-Train Line 1 until March 27; and - Approving free parking at downtown City-owned surface lots and garages through March 31.
In addition, I want to thank the provincial and federal governments for their business relief funding to cover some costs incurred during the demonstration. While this is a good first step, I continue to urge both levels of government to also cover lost wages for employees who were significantly affected during this period. I know these measures are just a starting point to encourage residents and visitors to return to our downtown core to enjoy our vi-
brant neighbourhoods and experience the beauty of our nation’s capital. As we begin to see restrictions lifting across the province, I want to thank all those who continue to follow advice from our public health experts to keep ourselves and our neighbours safe. COVID-19 is still present in our community, and while we still need to be cautious, we must also find a way to learn to live with the virus. For details related to the business support package, please visit www.ottawa.ca.
The Ontario government is extending the current tuition freeze for colleges and universities by an additional year, through 2022-2023, providing financial relief and predictability for students and families seeking access to affordable postsecondary education. “Our government recognizes that students and their families make huge sacrifices to attend college and university, so our government will continue to look for ways to reduce financial barriers for learners,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “By freezing tuition for another year, we are saying yes to ensuring that students
have access to affordable, high-quality postsecondary education, and reducing the financial strain on families who have already faced so many challenges throughout the pandemic.” The one-year extended tuition freeze for Ontario residents builds on Ontario’s historic 10 per cent reduction in tuition for the 201920 academic year, and the subsequent two-year freeze from 2020-22. These reductions represent the first of their kind in Ontario’s history. The government’s action to reduce and freeze tuition has provided students with tuition relief of about $450 million annually when compared to tuition costs in
2018-19. “Increasing the affordability of college and university is part of Ontario’s plan to help people get the training they need to get goodpaying jobs,” said Minister Dunlop. “By extending the tuition freeze, we will ensure that students can get the skills they need to succeed in a highly-competitive global economy.” Prior to the 2019-20 tuition reduction, Ontario university tuition rates were the highest in any Canadian province. Ontario has now dropped to the fourth highest in Canada for undergraduate students and the second highest for graduate students.
Students enrolled in a university undergraduate arts and science degree will pay an average of $660 less in tuition than if the tuition reduction and freeze policy had not been put in place. To support students and the postsecondary education sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the past year, the Ontario government has provided $106.4 million for publicly assisted colleges and universities to help address the financial impacts of COVID-19 in 2020-21; they have invested $28.45 million into mental health supports and services for postsecondary students at publicly-assisted colleges, universities and Indigenous
Institutes; and announced an investment of $583 million over three years to help colleges and universities
provide a modern and safe learning environment for students both virtually and on campuses.
By Jim Watson Ottawa Mayor
Freeze on college and university tuition extended by province
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Page 12 FRIDAY, April 1, 2022
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Spring is here: New flex stakes to be installed Spring is officially here, and in Ottawa, it’s not just tulips that make an appearance; it’s flex stake time, too. They’re not as pretty; motorists and emergency vehicles hate them but expect to see a bumper crop this season. City crews will soon replace the thousands of stakes across the city that were removed to enable snow plowing, but hundreds of new flex stakes will also be installed. That’s because of growing demand from residents, especially in new neighbourhoods where more must be done to prevent drivers from speeding along their streets, jeopardizing safety. Speeding is the number one issue in every ward in the city. We take it seriously, but we have only traffic calming measures to rely on without the ability to put police on every street to catch the lead-footed.
Flex stakes are one option; speed bumps and speed boards, and pavement markings are other tools in our toolbox. For now, redlight cameras and photo radar are only permitted in some school zones. Studies show it is somewhat effective, so I support the installation of anything which improves community safety. As a city councillor who wants more fiscal responsibility, what concerns me is the growing cost of our traffic calming measures. Every year in Ottawa, each ward receives $50,000 to spend on measures to slow traffic. With
24 wards, Ottawa taxpayers will pay $4,800,000 over the next four years to mitigate speeding. That does not include the cost of paying staff to oversee and run the program. In Ward 22, we spend every nickel we receive and could use even more. This spring in our ward alone, 31 streets, many in relatively new subdivisions, have been approved for traffic calming initiatives, and we have a long list of streets where residents want something done. Ottawa continues to grow, and unless we start building communities differently, I can’t see how the traffic calming program will keep pace. City officials recognize local roads must be designed differently and that traffic calming be built-in during the residential con-
struction phase, with developers footing the bill. That does not happen now. One good example of what that means to taxpayers is in Findlay Creek. This week I met with traffic calming staff who have devised a plan to make White Alder Avenue safer. It’s a two-kilometre residential stretch from Bank Street to Findlay Creek Drive. It’s been deemed so unsafe it requires six-speed bumps,
medians, pavement marking, flex stakes and pedestrian crossovers. The cost, $370,000, will be borne by taxpayers. That’s just wrong. Studies have shown that engineered solutions, such as bulb-outs that protect vehicles parked on one side of the street, are effective. If I had my way, developers would be forced to go back and work with the city to build those
measures in existing subdivisions. This is precisely what I will be advocating for. Every developer in Ottawa always says they want to respect the communities they are building. They want their developments to be complete communities. If that is the case, it’s time they put their money where it counts-Community safety that doesn’t cost the taxpayer.
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FRIDAY, April 1, 2022 Page 13
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Jesus Christ Superstar Tribute Concert to rock Barrhaven United Church By Charlie Senack
After two years of almost no events in Barrhaven, a Jesus Christ Superstar Tribute Concert is getting set to rock Barrhaven United Church. The concert will take place April 22 and 23, with three shows total. Tickets are $25 each and are available online at www.bruyere. org/jcss. The show is being put on by the Music Friends of Ottawa, a group of local talent from across the city, who wanted to come together to support a good cause. All proceeds raised will be donated to the Bruyere Hospital for their Alzheimer’s and Dementia programs, along with Brain Research. Barrhaven residents Yvan Tessier, Earl Zwicker, and Michael Crepin, are among the lead musicians in the tribute performance. The show will include six musicians and 26 singers. Plans for the concert
began in early 2020, when Jesus Christ Superstar was getting set to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their concept album. Rehearsals and meetings got underway in January, with performances slated to happen in the fall. But COVID-19 came in like a roaring lion in March 2020, forcing the show to be put on hiatus for two years. Now after over 24 months of practice — both individually at home and together when COVID-19 protocols allowed — they are ready to wow the crowd with their performance. Heather Tessier, who is the production director and stage choreographer of the show, has been impacted by dementia in various ways. Both her mother and grandmother suffered from the brain deterioration disease, and her aunt has also recently been diagnosed with it as well. “As I often do, I describe my mother’s dementia diag-
nosis as one day she was up dancing, the next day she was unable to make phone calls or read the newspaper or toilet herself,” Tessier said. “She was slumped over in a chair, absolutely unrecognizable as the wonderful mother, grandmother and friend she once was”. “It is very important because there are a lot of families who know someone who has dementia,” she added. “I cannot sit idle. I have to do something because we need a cure.” Every year in Canada, about 76,000 people are diagnosed with dementia. Currently, over 500,000 Canadians are battling the disease. The Alzheimer’s Society says 65 per cent of those who receive a diagnosis are women over the age of 65, and one in five Canadians have experienced caring for someone with the disease. Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning — thinking, remembering,
and reasoning — to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. For some that could include no control of their emotions or personality. The disease varies from one person to another, and while some can battle it for decades, others erode more quickly. Bruyère has been a leader in palliative care and treats people who suffered a loss of independence and function, usually because of a significant medical event or illness. They help those battling with dementia or Alzheimer’s live as full of a life as possible, while also offering support to the family and caregivers. Tessier says while their Jesus Christ Superstar Tribute Concert is supporting a good cause, it will also bring an afternoon and two evenings of fabulous music. “Our talented singers, choir and band have been rehearsing and are ready to perform to people who are
Six musicians and 26 singers are getting ready for three shows at Barrhaven United Church April 22-23. Heather Tessier photo
excited to get out and see live music after two years. It’s all about the music,” she said. “It has been two years in the making and now it
is finally going to happen,” Tessier added. “I’m very happy for the interest in our shows and grateful to our sponsors and support from the community.”
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Short-term rental permits provide consumer protection and peace of mind Property holders, who want to rent their principal residence or secondary vacation property, like a cottage, for shortterm rentals, must now register for a permit and provide the necessary requirements – providing consumers protection and peace of mind. Short-term rental properties are permitted for primary residences in urban neighourhoods and rural villages and secondary properties in other rural settings, like a vacation home or cottage. The City’s short-term rental permit, which becomes an enforceable requirement on April 1, requires the property holder to meet the criteria and provide key information to the City and customers: - Contact information of the property owner, holder or manager for any urgent need or requirement
- Proof the property the urban or rural village property is a principal address - Proof of ownership of a secondary property - Proof of insurance - Registration on a short-term rental platform - Floor plans of the residence, along with all the exits - Approvals from any condominium corporation or property owner, should the permit applicant is renting the principal residence. - Listing of the number of bedrooms to ensure the numbers of guests do not exceed capacity limits - All the necessary emergency contact information, such as 9-1-1 - Listing to the customers of the City’s bylaws – such as noise, parking and property maintenance regulations A short-term rental host can also hire a third-
party to act as a property manager, but consumerprotection requirements must also be met, including: - Contact information - Criminal check - Proof of insurance Individuals, who are interested in making their urban principal address or secondary urban residence available for shortterm rentals, must acquire a permit starting Friday, April 1. Landlords, condominium corporations and housing cooperations may prohibit short-term rentals of their properties. In order to do so, they must apply to the City for a prohibition. Permit applicants and short-term rental customers can visit ottawa.ca for more information about short-term rental permit applications and by-law – including all the requirements and permit fees.
The team at Dymon Storage in Barrhaven and at other Ottawa locations have been showing their support for the Ukraine as they join the country and the world by watching the situation unfold with great sadness and frustration. Dymon has stepped up to support a family that has arrived from Kyiv, and they have also provided pick-up services for donated items to the Ottawa branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress as part of its Humanitarian Aid Campaign. “We have lit up our windows across the City to demonstrate our support for the people of Ukraine and to inspire the residents of our local community to give generously to charitable organizations on the ground in Ukraine,” said Dymon Senior Vice President Tim Smith. Dymon will match all individual charitable contributions made by the Dymon team members to support the Ukrainian people.
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FRIDAY, April 1, 2022 Page 15
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Involvement in community is important for St Joe student-athlete Name: Allen Acuzar Age: 18 Address: Barrhaven School: St. Joseph High Grade: 12 Parents: Myla (Mom) and Roger (Dad) Acuzar Sister: Chloie Acuzar (19), graduated St. Joseph High last year, and currently studying at Carleton University. Pet Peeve: “When someone does not call that a screen is coming in basketball.” Part-time Work: “I currently work part-time at Walmart. The best part about the job is that several of my friends are my coworkers. They make tedious shifts enjoyable.” Favourite Subjects: “My favourite subjects are definitely math and sciences. This year I’m studying all the math and sciences courses such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Advanced
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of the Year because I was the receiver that had the most receptions and receiving yards, and I was nominated for the OCGE Award because of my grades, and my involvement in our community.” In addition to football awards, Allen Acuzar also won the Ottawa Catholic Graduate Expectations Award.
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