Barrhaven Independent January 7, 2022 by J Morris

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FRIDAY • January 7 • 2022

Former Liberal cabinet minister Bob Chiarelli to seek a third run as Ottawa Mayor By Charlie Senack Barrhaven resident Bob Chiarelli, who is known for his various political roles, has announced he will take another run for the Mayor’s seat. Chiarelli, who will be 81 next year, was Mayor of Ottawa from September 1987 to July 1997, and then from 2001 until 2006. In the years between, Chiarelli served as Ottawa’s regional chair. The active threetime grandfather was also a Member of Provincial Parliament for the riding of Ottawa-West Nepean from March 2010 until being defeated in June 2018. The former Mayor was at the city’s helm when Ottawa and Nepean amalgamated together in 2001. Chiarelli says he’s been faced with many challenges over his political ca-

reer, and almost always was able to find solutions. It’s leadership which he says Ottawa needs more now than ever. “I think people will agree that the current council was problematic in a number of ways,” Chiarelli told the Barrhaven Independent. “I am a facilitator, and I’m fair minded. It is pretty obvious, unfortunately so, that under the current administration, council has become more divided and toxic than ever, with urban councillors being shut out of chair positions, being kept out of the loop, and sometimes being embarrassed in public.” During the most recent term of council, some councillors in the downtown core were left disappointed after not receiving prominent positions on city committees. Most

recently, Kitchissippi Ward Councillor Jeff Leiper lost a vote to become the next chair of planning, after Barrhaven councillor Jan Harder stepped down from the role. Stitsville Councillor Glen Gower and Rideau-Goulborn Councillor Scott Moffatt now co-chair the prominent position. “I believe the perspective of a lot of people — if not most people — is that almost everything (in this city) has been moving in the wrong direction,” said Chiarelli. “There is escalating debt that has doubled under the current management, the city is on the hook for $360 million for the sink hole and the resulting LRT delay costs, which they have little chance of recovering in court. What if they lose or only win half the case? That is a lot of money on the table that is

not budgeted at the present time.” Chiarelli, who already has a campaign team in place, noted how long the commute time is by car from Barrhaven to downtown Ottawa, a drive which before would only take 15-20 minutes; Now it could take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic. “When you think of Barrhaven, think of the congestion. It is unacceptable,” the Barrhaven resident said. “Look at Strandherd, Greenbank, Prince of Wales. People talk about this a lot and how long it takes to go from A to B. They talk about the LRT that is not there, and it should have been by now, or at least under construction.”

chiarelli

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Barrhaven resident Bob Chiarelli will be seeking a third run as Ottawa’s Mayor. Charlie Senack photo

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BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Barrhaven continues to be Ottawa’s COVID-19 infection hot spot By Charlie Senack

came in second place at 588 cases per 100,000 (145 cases), and Stitsville came in third with 531 cases per 100,000 (162 cases). That data is based on a 30 day overview. One of the reasons why COVID-19 has spread so rapidly through the community comes down to schools: Half Moon Bay Public School had an outbreak of the virus which was linked to at least 68 infections. It has since been declared over. Almost every school in Ottawa reported one or more COVID-19 infections throughout the month of December, and that doesn’t take into account the other close contacts which came as a result. Many of the schools reported multiple infections each among students. Many of these cases are believed to have started at a COVID-19 outbreak which was reported at the Barrhaven Martial Arts Centre, where at least 45 cases were reported.

It’s been a tough few months on the COVID-19 front for Ottawa, as Barrhaven continues to report more infections than any other ward. According to new data posted on Ottawa Public Health’s COVID-19 by ward page, Barrhaven has seen 348 infections within the last 30 days, 229 of which were from the past 14 days. The data was last updated on Dec. 20. That is roughly double to triple the average which many other parts of the city are seeing. Neighbouring ward Gloucester-South Nepean, which includes part of Barrhaven, reported the second highest number of infections at 206 within a 30day period (139 within the last 14 days). If you look at the COVID-19 rates per 100,000, Barrhaven is still fairing out the worst at 609 cases per 100,000. Rideau-Goulbourn

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Thousands of residents lined up over the holidays to get a COVID-19 rapid test kit at the Minto Rec Centre in Barrhaven.

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BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

chiarelli continues from page 1 When Chiarelli was Mayor, the O-Train was launched, now more commonly known as the Trillium line, which opened to the public in October 2001. The plan was always to have two lines: one going North-South, and another going East-West. In July 2006, council voted 14 to 7, to award the north–south expansion to the Siemens/PCL/Dufferin design team. The proposed extension which never came into fruition, would have replaced the Trillium Line with an electric LRT system running on double track. From there the line would expand east from its current northern terminus to run through LeBreton Flats and downtown Ottawa as far as the University of Ottawa. It would also run south-west from its Greenboro terminus to Riverside South, which at the time wasn’t widely built. Construction of the extension was scheduled to begin in the autumn of 2006, and would have been completed by the fall of 2009. Of course, that never happened. In 2006, when the next municipal election rolled around, Chiarelli was up against Alex Munter who is now the President and CEO at CHEO, and Larry O’Brien, a businessman. Chiarelli spent a good chunk of the election campaigning for the light-rail expansion which would have brought trains from Barrhaven to the core of Ottawa, a plan his opponents said lacked sufficient consultation or communication with the public. Chiarelli lost that election coming in third place with a little over 15 per cent of the vote, and Larry O’Brien moved into the position of mayor with 47 per cent of the vote. O’Brien and the new term of council quickly squashed the suburban LRT idea, and lawsuits from Siemens, the company awarded as the design team, soon followed. Chiarelli is still dis-

Bob Chiarelli, right, was a provincial Liberal cabinet minister and MPP of Ottawa West-Nepean when he was pictured with newly-named Nepean-Carleton Liberal candidate Jack Uppal in 2014. Barrhaven Independent file photo

appointed by how it all played out. “One of the biggest failures of this council of 10 plus years is no LRT to Kanata, and no LRT to Barrhaven,” said Chiarelli. “Those were a part of our plan and four or five months ago, the city manager said once and for all that the city does not have money to bring LRT to Barrhaven or Kanata. That is a huge disappointment, and I think it’s a huge failure of this council over the years. It is planned for 2031, but it will go well beyond 2031… you are looking at 8-10 years before the whistle blows on the train for the first time. That is a huge challenge.” After years of debate and various ideas, Ottawa finally had an LRT line built, going from Tunney’s Pasture Station to Blair Road in the east. The problem-plagued Confederation line opened in September 2019. Ottawa is now building Phase 2 which will extend the Confederation line east out to Moodie Drive and Baseline station, and west out to Trim Road in Orleans. The original Trillium line would then be

expanded from South Keys out to the airport in one direction, and Limebank Road in the other. Phase 3, which has not yet been funded, would then bring the trains from Algonquin College to the heart of Barrhaven, but that plan is still a decade away, and Chiarelli feels it will never come into fruition. It’s just a few of the many concerns Chiarelli has. “The city has been extremely slow at adopting climate change action, there has been lots of talk and little action,” he said. “There is the Lansdowne Park debacle which is costing the city millions of dollars, and is becoming non-productive in terms of services to the city, and the types of services that might be expected from that large and expensive of a facility.” Chiarelli is putting his name on the ballot after long-time Mayor Jim Watson announced he would not seek re-election. The shock decision then led to multiple individuals putting their name forward for the top city job. Besides Chiarelli, councillors

Diane Deans and Catherine McKenney say their names will also be on the ballot.

The last municipal election in 2018 saw 12 people run for Mayor of Ottawa, but only two received

more than two per cent of the vote. Former city councillor Clive Doucet came in second place with a little over 22 per cent, a total of 59,156 votes. Watson won that election with over 188,000 votes, or 71 per cent. Chiarelli says Ottawa needs someone who will bring leadership to the table, and offer a new and innovative voice for all. “Priority number one is to ensure that from day one we have a council that is respectful of each other, and are part of the action at city hall,” he said. “When I was regional chair and when I was mayor, I had an open door policy. (Councillors) would know where my office is, and they could walk up to my office any time of day to speak about any issue. If I was tied up in a board meeting or out of the office, my staff was instructed to have a meeting for that person scheduled by the end of day or the next morning.”

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BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT covid continues from page 3 On Dec. 17, hundreds lined up outside the LCBO at Marketplace in hopes of scoring a box of five rapid tests. It was one of seven locations in the city which were participating. Only a few thousand tests were given out and no more shipments are coming in. Then for a few days before Christmas, thousands started lining up at 5 a.m. to try and collect a box of rapid tests which were being handed out at the Minto Recreation Centre in Half Moon Bay. The line stretched down the suburban streets and cars were backed up to St. Joseph High School. It was a similar outcome on Thursday and Friday last week when hundreds lined up at the Walter Baker Centre to score testing kits. The tests were available as of 7:00 am, and people stood in the cold for hours in hopes of collecting an

item which is so in demand. On Dec. 29, Ontario reported a record 10,436 COVID-19 infections, 653 of which were in Ottawa. In the days leading up to Christmas, Ottawa was reporting over 800 daily infections. In reality, the number is expected to be much higher. Strains on the testing capacity has meant that many people who want a test can’t receive one, even if they are symptomatic. Drop in appointments have been cancelled, with priority being given to essential workers. Anyone who is showing even the slightest symptoms of having COVID-19 are being asked to isolate alongside the rest of their household for 10 days, regardless of vaccination status. In a press conference just before the winter break, Ottawa’s top Doctor Vera Etches told the

Barrhaven Independent that in reality, case counts in the city are much higher. “I have no doubt that we have widespread transmission of COVID in Ottawa, much beyond what we are detecting. It’s why we needed the public health measures that are going to restrict capacity. Now is the time to limit our close contacts. The percentage of people who are testing positive is so high, we know that not everyone is getting tested, so that shows us there is a lot of COVID in the community.” In Ontario all indoor settings have been reduced to 50 per cent capacity, including at bars, restaurants, personal care settings, and movie theatres, among others. Private indoor gatherings have been capped at 10 people, with 25 individuals allowed to gather outdoors.

The city has also put in new rules which limit only 25 people on outdoor skating rinks, toboggan hills, and trails. Masks have also been made mandatory in these settings. In Barrhaven, the Beer Store on Fallowfield Rd was forced to close just before the holidays, after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. The Heart and Crown and Elevate Spin had to close for the same reason. Etches says as Omicron continues to spread and the COVID-19 pandemic reaches new peaks, further rounds of restrictions could come. “We look around the world and some places are needing to go further, and that is a possibility,” Etches said. “What we are all watching is the hospitalizations in terms of how much severe illness is falling, and we want to act sooner rather than

later if we start to see the hospitalizations growing. We know that things can

change quickly. We are really looking at this day by day, every day.”

On Thurs., Dec. 30, the line-ups for COVID-19 rapid test kits at the Walter Baker Centre began at 5 a.m. Shortly after 9 a.m., the kits were long gone. Barrhaven Independent staff photo

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BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

The turducken loses its greatest ambassador

INDEPENDENT Editorial

It’s time to close the book on 2021

It was an unusual year for Barrhaven. In a year in which everything seemed to be cancelled or postponed, and in which nothing seemed to be going on for months, so much happened. In fact, it would be hard to find a year in which more defining things happened in Barrhaven. We can start our look back in the courtrooms. Finally, after seven painful years, and trial in the murder of Barrhaven mom Jagtar Gill was finally put to bed. Gill’s husband, Bhupinderpal Gill, and his former lover and neighbour, fellow OC Transpo employee Gurpreet Ronald, were both found guilty in their retrial from the 2014 slaying. The retrial brought back a lot of pain and emotion for family and friends of Jagtar Gill. And now, finally, it’s over. Another case was retried, and it also brought back painful memories and emotions. Sam Tsega was found guilty for his role in the killing of Barrhaven teen Michael Swan. It took more than 11 years to close the book on this one. Many in the community, as well as Swan’s friends and family, were happy with the guilty verdict but upset with what they considered a lenient sentence. We had problems in the community with lawbreakers. Woodroffe and Strandherd Avenues became drag strip for night time racers, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. The problem highlighted how underpoliced Barrhaven is. The community came together in both positive and negative ways. There were continued movements to support anti-racism initiatives. We became more aware of racism against Black residents in the community. Asian residents have felt a big brunt of racism since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Barrhaven’s Chinese community has had nothing to do with this crisis and should never have been targeted by people. The biggest and saddest story, however, were the discoveries of the grave sites made at Canada’s residential schools. Unfortunately, this story will continue to unfold as more grave sites are found and uncovered. While we all struggled with the continued pandemic, there is also a negative thing the year will be remembered for. Never before have we seen so much anger and hatred in the community. The hatred is not out in public. It is on social media. Some Facebook groups in Barrhaven have become cess pools of rage. People hide behind their computer screens and take shots at anyone and everyone, especially public figures. It may be over the LRT, it may be over vaccinations, it may be over traffic and development. We don’t know what 2022 has in store for Barrhaven. There are a lot of things out of our control, like another variant appearing or having to endure another wave. But whatever happens, I hope we can all behave in a way that makes Barrhaven a better place to live.

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I stood on the sidelines with a Nikon brought to him. There was no silverware or strapped around my neck and a big 400mm cutlery. Madden just picked it up in his bare lens on a monopod. hands and started gnawing on it like a savfrom There was a commotion behind me. I age. theofother turned around and looked and a couple At the Thanksgiving Day game in Dallas, men were carrying a platter Madden’s turducken was with what looked like a giant paraded behind me over to roasted turkey. the Fox set-up in the corner “What the hell is that?” of the field. I asked one of the photogThe coolest thing about raphers beside me. it was that my dad was at “It’s a turducken,” he the game, visiting in Dallas said. and watching his favourite He saw the puzzled look team play. on my face. I think it was my dad’s best Thanksgiving “It’s like a turkey, stuffed with a chicken ever. Before the game, he walked the parkand a duck,” he continued. “They are taking ing lot meeting tailgaters and chatting with it to John Madden and his crew.” fans. Of course they were. After the game, he couldn’t wait to tell me It was Thanksgiving Day at Texas Sta- about the turducken. dium, which meant the Dallas Cowboys “They walked by with it, right below were playing at home in front of a sold out where we were sitting,” my dad said. “It was crowd. It also meant that John Madden and for John Madden.” Pat Summerall, along with the rest of their I don’t think I ever saw my father that exbroadcast crew, were in the building. cited before. I thought about the turducken when I was Two months later, I was in Miami for a at the butcher shop picking up our Christmas couple of weeks to work at the Super Bowl turkey. I thought about it again last week Fanfest. Working for a company who was liwhen I heard the news that John Madden had censing partner with the NFL had its perks. passed away at the age of 85. The NFL had rented a building in the harIn the 1980s, my dad and I would watch bour, beside where the cruise ships depart the Dallas Cowboys play on Sunday after- and arrive from. There were NFL VIPs, Kool noons. We would be entertained by Madden and the Gang played a couple of sets for us, commenting on the game. Then, we would and the incredible food kept on coming. Gocomment on Madden commenting on the ing to the Super Bowl at the end of the event game. was a perk. This party was a bigger one. Madden quickly became a household I walked over to the shrimp station and name. There were the TV commercials for found myself standing three men engaged in Lite Beer from Miller, Ace Hardware and a conversation. They happened to be three of Tough Actin’ Tinactin. There were the EA my father’s favourite football people of all sports video games. The first Madden foot- time. I got out my razor-thin flip phone and ball game came out in 1988. It was a com- called him. puter-only game that could be played on the “Dad, you’re not going to believe this,” MS-DOS or Apple platforms. I said. “I am at an NFL Super Bowl party The Madden video game grew as did Mad- and I am standing three feet away from Tom den’s popularity. There was the All-Madden Landry, Mike Ditka and John Madden. Like Team, the Saturday Night Live appearance, is that so cool or what?” the Emmy awards. We chatted for a minute, I put my phone And then there was the turducken. away, and John Madden and I reached for Madden made the creation famous, but he some shrimp at the same time. I had never in was not the inventor. There are two different my life seen shrimp bigger than at this party. stories of how the turducken came to be. “Can you believe the size of the shrimp?” Paul Prudhomme, a Louisiana chef who John Madden said to me. Butterflies rushed passed away in 2015, claimed he came up through me. John Madden actually talked to with the turducken in the 1970s while work- me. ing in Wyoming. He brought the delicacy “They’re huge,” I responded. back to New Orleans in the 1980s, and tradeMadden smiled, and then went back to marked the name in 1986. his conversation. I mentally kicked myself. The other story is about how a customer ‘They’re huge,’ I thought. Is that all I’ve went into Hebert’s Butcher Shop in New got? Why didn’t I say it’s too bad there was Orleans and asked the owner to debone the no turducken station? three birds and sew them together with levOn Christmas Day this year, we had els of various stuffing between them. Glenn shrimp in the afternoon and then the kids Mistich made the turducken, and he would went upstairs to play Madden Football on become Madden’s personal turducken sup- their X-Box. It seemed perfect at the time, plier. until I reminisced about John Madden. Madden was introduced to the turducken I am already thinking about next year. at a game at the Superdome in New Orleans Where can I find NFL-sized shrimp, and can in 1997. Part of one that Mistich made was our butcher make a turducken?

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Page 8 FRIDAY, January 7, 2022

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Fifth wave leads to second straight Christmas heartbreak for Barrhaven family By Barrhaven Independent Staff Priscilla Neill is in no hurry to take down her Christmas tree. “It’s staying up until my son can come home and have Christmas with us,” she said. The families who had the kind of Christmas they were expecting are few and far between in Barrhaven. Some were able to adapt. But for Neill and her family, Christmas was a heartbreaker. “This is the second straight year our son, David, has not been with us for Christmas,” Neill said. “It’s heartbreaking.” David, 37, lives in a group home operated by Ottawa Carleton Lifeskills. He is developmentally delayed and also had cerebral palsy. Neill said her son has the mentality of a four to six year old. “He lives for Christmas,” Neill said. “He talks about Christmas endlessly. He even plays Christmas carols and music in the summer.” While David was not able to come home for Christmas last year because of COVID-19, the plan was for him to come home and have a special Christmas for his family this year. He had been able to come home for a visit every other weekend. “We put our Christmas

tree up Nov. 13,” she said. “Some people might think that’s too early. But they don’t know David. For him, Christmas is one day, and the other 364 days are spent getting ready for the next Christmas.” Two days before Christmas, Priscilla got a call from OCL informing her that her son would not be permitted to come home for Christmas because of COVID. She begged and pleaded to let him come home for a day, but was unsuccessful. “It just didn’t seem fair,” she said. “The staff could all go home and spend Christmas with their families. Why couldn’t the residents?” Before the fifth wave of the virus hit, Neill said she had big plans for Christmas with her son. They included picking him up on the 24th, going to visit Santa, and then going to church at night. She worries about how he will handle the disappointment. “Last year, he fell into a depression over missing Christmas,” she said. “He can’t process it and he doesn’t understand it. We talked about Christmas at length for a few months and he was very excited about it.” One of the things she worries about is her son’s behaviour, which can turn aggressive. “He can’t express him-

self,” she said. “He gets very frustrated when he doesn’t get his way on some things.” While they were not able to see him, Neill said they were able to get his presents to him at OCL on Boxing Day for him to open. “There were no government regulations prohibiting him or the other residents from spending Christmas with their families,” Neill said. “I don’t know why they just didn’t put this rule into effect on Boxing Day. We had no forewarning about this decision. It all seemed very last minute and very unfair.” Because of the situation, Neill said she cannot visit her son until he will be able to come home. “If I come and he can’t go home with me to have Christmas, it will be too upsetting for him,” she said. I will have to wait. Until David can come home for a Barrhaven family Christmas, the Christmas tree and decorations will remain in place. And with the help of Santa, there may be a few more presents under the tree when that day finally comes. Priscilla Neill says Christmas is a 365-day ordeal for her developmentally delayed son David, 37, who has now missed Christmas at home for two straight years. Submitted photo

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BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Despite COVID-19, there were a lot of positives in the community in 2021 By Carol Anne Meehan Ward 22 Councillor What a year 2021 has been. COVID-19 has dictated so much of what we do for the second year, but we have also seen how well so many people have adapted. I was very pleased with what our communities received in the 2022 budget. In addition to the more than $16.5 million in active projects across Ward 22, an additional $48.8 million is being proposed for active and future projects. $630,000 for road resurfacing, $108,000 for radar cameras to combat speeding across the ward, $22.5 million to widen Bank Street from Leitrim Road to Dunskipper Drive, and almost $22 million to construct the future Riverside South Recreation Complex which will include a pool, library, sports facilities and meeting rooms.

And although this is a great start, I already have my eye on the next term of council. With the announcement that Mayor Watson will not be seeking re-election, the next four years will be very different. Barrhaven, Findlay Creek and Riverside South continue to expand rapidly. The old rural villages are also growing, creating many traffic and infrastructure issues leading into the City. With the approval of the South Merivale Business Park mega-warehouse, the need for adequate infrastructure on Prince of Wales, Merivale, and Fallowfield are critical, now more than ever. We have seen the importance of staying active

mentally and physically during the pandemic. This is why fighting to secure the last of the required funding for the future Riverside South Recreation Complex will be a priority. Parks, schools, commercial businesses, walking and cycling pathways are all planned for our communities. Ensuring they get built in a timely manner to improve our neighbourhoods and benefit our families will be essential to continuing with 15-minute communities. After more than thirty years of serving our community as a journalist and news anchor, I have found the past three years as your councillor challenging and rewarding. Over the holidays, I will have much to reflect upon and be thankful for. These last few years have truly been a highlight for me. Thank you. Carol Anne

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Visit ontario.ca/covid19 Infrastructure projects like a light rail station and a new community recreation centre are giving the Earl Armstrong and Limebank area of Riverside South a facelift. Barrhaven Independent staff photo

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Page 10 FRIDAY, January 7, 2022

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Candidates lining up for local council vacancies as 2022 municipal election approaches By Charlie Senack A change of leadership will be coming to Barrhaven this year after some major shake ups will be coming to Ottawa’s city council. In 2018, Barrhaven Ward councillor Jan Harder announced she would not seek re-election. Harder has seven elections under her belt, and was city councillor for the former City of Nepean from December 1997 until January 2001. In the two decades since, she has served as Barrhaven’s city councillor for the City of Ottawa. “A lot of people are saying are you crazy? Why are you saying that?” Harder told the Barrhaven Independent in December 2018 when she announced she won’t seek re-election “I’m going to tell you that I have lots of plans for this next term — one of them is to find somebody who is going to represent Barrhaven really well (in the next election. “I still have another career in me,” she added. “I really can do anything. I’ve been in the customer service business since I was nine years old. Every job that I’ve had has been all about customer service.” The next municipal election will be held in Oct. 2022, and names are already coming forward as to who will run. Barrhaven will be an interesting race to watch

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as the community is being split into two wards, with Riverside South becoming its own ward. Ward 3 will become Barrhaven-West, and new ward 24 will be Barrhaven East. Barrhaven West Barrhaven-West will feature the community east of Greenbank, and most of Stonebridge and Half Moon Bay. It also includes the homes near the Cedarhill Golf Course. Helen Crawford, who has chaired various parent councils for over a decade and a half, says she is considering a run for the councillors seat. “I have Lived in Barrhaven for over 20 years! raised my two boys here, and feel there was no better place to raise a family,” she said. “I became involved in all of the kids’ activities at the school, hockey, and more. I love how Barrhaven has evolved over the last 20 years and now everything you need can be found in Barrhaven. I am considering running because I love this community and have spent my entire adult life here.” In 2019, Crawford won the Ottawa Carleton District School Boards Chairs Award, and is current president of the Nepean Minor Hockey Association. She is also communications manager for a national not for profit, and chaired the Push for your

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Tush for colorectal cancer Canada — a cause very close to her heart. In December 2018, Crawford’s sister Julie passed away at the young age of 48 from colon cancer. Now she wants to keep her spirit and passion alive, while saving others through early screening. “While Barrhaven has grown so much over the years, now some infrastructure needs to catch up,” Crawford added. “Schools, transportation, activities and opportunities for our youth, are all areas we can improve on. I am not a politician and I know I have a lot to learn, but am committed to learning and will always do what is best for Barrhaven. I want it to continue to be the best place to have and raise a family.” Community event planner Darrell Bartraw, who organizes Canada Day in Barrhaven, the annual Santa Claus Parade, and many other events, has received a lot of support from the community who wants him to run. But despite the well wishes, he has decided against the idea. “I feel I could do so much for the Barrhaven Community and the City as a whole as Councillor, having lived in Ottawa for all of my 64 year and having seen the good, the bad and the ugly,” he said. “I have spoken to a number people that have shown interest in running for Councillor for the new Barrhaven

Longtime school council veteran Helen Crawford, pictured with her sons, is among the candidates seeking the Barrhaven West council position.

West Ward and I feel that a number of them would represent our community well and will work with community leaders. I feel I will better serve people by doing what I do.” Michael Wood, former co-owner of Ottawa Special Events, has told the Barrhaven Independent he is considering a run for council, but hasn’t made up his mind just yet. Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, he has spent his time advocating for small and medium-sized businesses, while advocating for them in meetings with politicians from all levels

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BI file photo

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BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT Election continues from page 10 “I feel a city councillor has the most impact on everyone’s day to day life, and plays a significant role in developing communities at the grass root levels,” he said. “Barrhaven is one of the fastest growing communities, and the next few years will be crucial for development and infrastructure. We need to plan and execute well thought out transportation, Infrastructure, employment, and social economic strategy to succeed. I believe with my 19 years of public service with the City of Ottawa and decades of community work will assist me with achieving it and making it successful.” Chadha has won the Governor General of Canada Sovereign Medal for Volunteering, the City of Ottawa Community Builders Award, the United Way Community Builders Award, and Canada 150 awards from both Nepean

MPP Lisa MacLeod, and Nepean MP Chandra Arya. He is the past Volunteer Director of Barrhaven Food Cupboard, past President of Barrhaven East Community Association, and past Vice president of India Canada Association Barrhaven resident Sadaf Ebrahim, who recently received the Order of Ottawa, says she will also put her name on the ballot for Barrhaven West. “I believe and work for community building and have a passion to serve all the communities,” she said. “I will share my mandate in May of 2022.” Another name who has not yet been announced publicly plans to share his intention to run in late January. Riverside South and Barrhaven East The new Barrhaven East Ward will cover the

west side of Greenbank, all the way to the Rideau River. It also includes the community of Hearts Desire. The Riverside SouthFindlay Creek ward will cover both communities. Carol Anne Meehan, who is current councillor of Gloucester-South Nepean, also known as ward 22, has told the Barrhaven Independent she will run for councillor again, but is not sure where. It will either be in Barrhaven East (ward 24) or Riverside South-Findlay Creek (ward 22). She expects to make a decision soon. Former GloucesterSouth Nepean councillor Steve Desroches says he is also considering a comeback. “I have been approached by many residents in the Riverside South and Findlay Creek communities to put my name forward,” he told the Barrhaven In-

Former two-term Ward 22 Councillor and Deputy Mayor Steve Desroches is considering running for council again. BI file photo

dependent in a statement. “I have been away from city hall for the last eight years and I feel very recharged with the energy to serve the community. I am giving the matter serious consideration.” No matter the outcome

of the next municipal election, one thing is for certain: there will be change in Ottawa. Mayor Jim Watson has announced that he will not seek another term, leaving the door open for a fresh voice. Two current city

councillors have already announced their intention to run for the top job, opening up their two council seats. That’s on top of the two new wards being created, and at least three other councillors announcing they won’t run again.

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CLUES ACROSS 1. Chinese Muslim group 5. Alternative name 10. Resounds 12. Supporter 14. Furnishes anew 16. Beloved Hollywood alien 18. Supervises flying 19. Ballplayer’s tool 20. Coarse edible red seaweed 22. Former CIA 23. Basketball player 25. Travel necessities 26. Honey producer 27. Military analysis (abbr.) 28. Diego, Francisco, Anselmo 30. Mental sharpness and inventiveness 31. Popular Easter meal 33. Man (Spanish) 35. __ de la __ 37. Counterweights 38. Made a harsh, grating noise 40. Monetary unit 41. Commercials 42. Cool! 44. Partner to cheese 45. Expression of

creative skill 48. Unit of angle 50. Transported 52. N. American people of Kansas 53. Computer game character Max 55. Moved swiftly 56. Everyone has one 57. Tin 58. A mole is one 63. Nocturnal hoofed animals 65. Oppositional to 66. Monetary units 67. Not on time CLUES DOWN 1. Hogshead (abbr.) 2. Misery resulting from affliction 3. Defunction European group 4. Line on a map 5. Becomes less intense 6. Back muscle 7. Frosted 8. Ethiopian town 9. Midway between south and east 10. Wipe from the record 11. In a continuous way

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

13. Breathe 15. Cleaning device 17. Male organ 18. Tab on a key ring 21. Criminals 23. Taxi 24. Cheer of encouragement 27. Wartime American escort carrier 29. Polish river 32. Current unit 34. Life form 35. Painful contractions 36. Glowing 39. Press against lightly 40. Melancholic 43. Something you can be under 44. Of the mind 46. E. Indian cereal grass 47. Couple 49. Sharpshoot 51. A baglike structure in a plant or animal 54. __ Blyton, children’s author 59. Human gene 60. Data mining methodology (abbr.) 61. Examines animals 62. Mineral 64. Cools your home

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

FRIDAY, January 7, 2022 Page 13

Page 14 FRIDAY, January 7, 2022

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Watson: Serving Ottawa as mayor ‘greatest honour of my life’ By Jim Watson, Ottawa Mayor As I was awaiting the results of the 2018 election about three years ago, I made my decision – even before I knew the results – that if I was successful that night, it would be my last election as Mayor of Ottawa. The decision was both easy and tough. On the one hand, I loved almost every hour of every day and it was a true privilege and honour to serve as our city’s Mayor. However, I also knew that I would be turning 60 during this term of Council, and if I was going to have one more career, then I needed to move on from elected office. So, for the first time in many years, my name won’t be on a ballot, as I turn my attention to finishing some important city building projects, and then bid adieu to the Mayor’s office in November 2022, after nearly 15 years representing the residents of Ottawa. I’m often asked what I’m most proud of during my time in elected office. That’s a hard question

because it doesn’t boil down to just one issue or project. Many of the initiatives I am most proud of had been on the City’s books for years and some for decades. For a variety of reasons, they were stuck in neutral, and I was fortunate to be able to work with many partners to move these ideas from the drawing board to completion. In other words, my philosophy was a bit like Nike’s tag line: “Just Do It.” I’ve found the public were frustrated with years of debate and inaction on important projects. Serving as Mayor for the past 12 years has been the greatest honour of my life. I am grateful to the residents who supported me through both good and challenging times – going back to my days as a city councillor for Capital Ward and as MPP and Minister for the riding of Ottawa West–Nepean. We are very blessed with a top-notch public service who have risen to the occasion so many times to help those in need – whether it’s the pandemic, the floods,

tragic accidents, or a tornado. I have served with over 100 different councillors during my time on Council, and while we didn’t always agree on everything, I respect their work and their role, and I thank them for their commitment to our city. I want to thank my family and friends who have stuck by me over the years, as well as my dedicated volunteers, who are the heart and soul of any campaign. My friends and family have been my rock, particularly through times when I’ve experienced homophobic slurs or graffiti, or anonymous attacks on social media. The next term of Council will see the completion of Stage 2 LRT, significant progress on our new Civic Hospital Complex, the opening of the new Central Library, and the implementation of our City’s new Official Plan, with an emphasis on 15-minute neighbourhoods. I look forward to watching from the sidelines the progress our city will benefit from over the next few

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson is not seeking re-election in 2022.

years – but I remind future mayors and councillors that our job is to plan and prepare for the next generation, and not just the next election. We’re far from perfect,

but I wouldn’t want to live in any other city in Canada, the best country in the world. I have given and will continue to give this job every single ounce of ener-

BI file photo

gy I have to give. I look forward to my final months in office, and I thank the residents of Ottawa for the honour to serve you to the best of my abilities.

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FRIDAY, January 7, 2022 Page 15

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Travel restrictions have not slowed down local student-athlete By Phill Potter Name: Peter Dineen Age: 17

School: St. Joseph High Grade: 12 Parents: Lisa

Matthew

and

Brother: Justin (21) “He attends Laurentian University, is part of the Baseball Team and takes Sports Administration. At the end of the school year he will receive his Bachelor of Commerce.” Sister: Rebecca Dineen (19) “Becca is in her 2nd year at Trent University and takes BioChemistry. Pet: Cat named Daisy Pet Peeve: “People who talk too much during movies. This has always bothered me a ton, people feel as though others will have answers for whatever is happening in the movie. We’re watching the same movie! It’s fine to talk a little bit throughout the movie, but when people feel as though they need to chime in or ask questions during every scene, it really bothers me.” Part-time Work: “I

work at a pizza restaurant in Barrhaven named Fiazza. I’ve been working there since April. Previous to that I worked at Sobeys on Greenbank before it turned into a Farm Boy. I’ve learned a lot of skills from these jobs. The biggest one probably being time management, and learning to balance school with sports and work.” Favourite Subjects: “My favourite subject last year was physics. I haven’t taken it yet this year, so hopefully, I will enjoy it again. I also enjoy English class and Phys. Ed.” What do you enjoy reading for pleasure? “I always seem to enjoy reading the books that we’re assigned to in English class. I really enjoyed Animal Farm, 1984 and To Kill a Mockingbird. My favourite book is probably Brave New World. These dystopian novels are very creative, and it’s interesting to see how they play out.” Favourite Author: “My favourite author

of all time is probably Rick Riordan. My brother and I read all of his books growing up, and we always enjoyed them. I loved the Percy Jackson books. Learning about mythology, while reading an interesting book, was awesome. I would recommend Rick Riordan to any young kid looking to get into reading. His books can be fairly long, but his way of writing is very easy to follow.” Greatest Accomplishment: “Learning to live with and succeed, despite my Mom’s dementia. She was diagnosed with early onset dementia when she was 43, and currently resides in a long term care home. Our family has spread a lot of awareness about the disease. My siblings and I haven’t let it bring us down. We’re all succeeding in various ways, whether it’s sports or school. It feels like a great accomplishment to spread awareness about something that is important to me, and any awareness helps. It’s always great to learn from a negative situation, and turn it into positives.” School Activities: “So far this year I played as a wide receiver on the

St. Joe’s Football Team, and I am currently on the Basketball Team. I’m also looking to play for the Baseball Team in the spring, which I was a part of in Grade 9. I’ve been on the Athletic Council since grade 10. It’s a great club to be a part of. Missing out on so many extracurriculars due to Covid, has been tough, so I’m looking to get as involved as I can this year, especially since it’ll be my last year at St. Joe’s.” Other Activities/Interests: “I play baseball for the Ottawa-Nepean Canadians, and have been a part of that program for over two years. Due to Covid, it has been really tough to travel as a team, since most of our tourna-

ments are in the US. I’ve missed out on going to play in Michigan, Boston, and New York. I even got invited to play at a tournament in Florida, but wasn’t able to attend due to travel restrictions. The last two years we still had a season, but just traveled in Ontario, so I can’t complain about still being able to play throughout the pandemic. I also enjoy skiing and playing hockey at the outdoor rink. I love watching movies, and listening to music in my free time.” Career Goals: “I‘m currently in the application process to head off to university, and hoping to play baseball for a university program. Just to keep my options open, I’ve ap-

Peter Dineen is a St. Joseph High School student who is hoping to play collegiate baseball. Submitted photo

plied to various programs, some related to business, and some related to science.”

Page 16 FRIDAY, January 7, 2022

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

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