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BARRHAVEN
Year 31 • issue 13
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FRIDAY • june 25 • 2021
Bearhaven saga has happy ending, Bruin safely released into wild By Charlie Senack Barrhaven turned to Bearhaven on June 14, when a black bear was spotted wandering down suburban streets near Earl Milligan Drive, before catching a nap in a backyard on Royal Field Crescent. At about 8:30 am on Monday, police received multiple calls saying a bear had been spotted in Barrhaven. Earl Mulligan Drive between Woodroffe Avenue and Woodgate had to be closed, and OC Transpo had to detour route 171 as a result of the sighting. The bear, which many named Bruin, spent a good portion of the morning sleeping before climbing up a tree. Lynette Hidocos, who’s
parents woke up to a call from police saying a bear had been spotted in their backyard, said it was a frightening and eventful day. “It took a nap under our boat for a while until police woke it up by throwing rocks at the bear,” she said. “It eventually climbed up the tree and it kept climbing up over time. “(Police) tried to tranquilize the bear, but after six times it was not working so they had to call wildlife officials. It took just one shot and the bear eventually came down,” Hidocos added. “I was scared because we usually let our dog out in the morning so that would have been bad if they saw each Ottawa Police officers load a tranquilized ‘Bruin’ into a vehicle Mon., June 14. The bear was taken to the White Lake area other.”
bear continues on page 3 and safely released into the wild.
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Page 2 FRIDAY, June 25, 2021
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Police respond to swarming problem after teen seriously injured After multiple non-targeted swarmings and jumpings in the Barrhaven area, a group of local parents are joining together to spark change in an attempt to end the violence. The most recent event took place outside of the Farm Boy on Greenbank Rd on Friday, June 11, and resulted in a 16-year-old male receiving what Police are describing as “serious injuries.” Someone with knowledge of the incident told the Barrhaven Independent that the teen suffered from a concussion and broken ribs, however others have said it was a concussion and broken nose. “At approximately 9:50 on Friday June 11th, the Ottawa Police Service received a call concerning a swarming involving several youths that had occurred in the 1600 block of Greenbank Road,” Ottawa Police told the Barrhaven Independent in an emailed statement. “When Frontline officers arrived on scene, all involved parties had dispersed.” According to police, a bystander stepped in and broke up the fight. Another Good Samaritan, who was not known to the victim, drove the teen home to safety.
“A bystander that witnessed the assault stated that he had intervened by pulling several teenagers off a 16-year-old young man they were assaulting,” said Ottawa Police. “He further informed us that the victim had been transported to his house by another good Samaritan. The officers went to the victim’s house where his father confirmed he had just been dropped-off.” This is just one of many fights and swarms that have taken place in and around Marketplace within the past year. According to one person the Barrhaven Independent spoke with, a teenager was stabbed outside of the Nepean park and ride a few months ago but did not have life-threatening injuries. In July 2020, a small group of teens was randomly swarmed on Riocan Avenue near Strandherd Drive. The Barrhaven Independent has spoken with one of the victims’ mothers who wishes not to be named. She said after her son and a few friends left Starbucks at about 8:45 p.m. on July 9, another teen approached the group and tried to pick a fight. She said the brawler exchanged a few words with her son who mouthed back. Within minutes, seven or eight other boys came from behind one of the stores and
swarmed her son and his friends. Her son received the worst of it. “They ended up stealing my son’s iPhone; his friend’s iPhone; they took my son’s AirPods and they beat up my son,” she said. While the injuries were not as serious as in the recent jumping, the boy’s mother said the July 2020 attack left her son with some minor injuries. “He had some scratches (and) what looked like a black eye,” she said. “He was kicked in the face and had some bruises on his knees because he was kicked to the ground.” A day after the incident occurred, the boy’s parents canvassed nearby stores for any security footage of the incident, which was then handed over to police. A few days later, Ottawa Police Services released photos of two suspects — both minors — from security camera footage taken from Marketplace Bus Station. Two other young men who were involved had already been identified. The four teens faced charges of robbery with violence in connection to the incident, but that’s as far as it went. The victim’s mother says the Youth Criminal Justice Act is letting those under the age of 18 get off with less than a slap on
the wrist. With these types of incidents counting to happen in Barrhaven, she continues to fear for her kids’ safety when they are out hanging with friends. “I have mixed feelings because I’m nervous for my son when he goes out; I’m constantly checking his locations — I track his locations on his phone and I’m constantly texting him,” she said. “But at the same time I don’t want him hiding in his room and not going out. I don’t want these punks to win.” After the latest incident outside Farm Boy, a group has been started on Facebook called ‘Barrhaven Community Watch’, which has over 75 members already. Gina Sutton who started the group said she did so because parents are concerned about what’s going on in the community. With a 14-yearold daughter and 12-yearold son at home, she’s also concerned about their safety. “I’m just a mom. I work in a school so I am around a lot of children,” said Sutton. “But I don’t know what we can do to change things. The intention of the group is to brainstorm with other parents who are feeling like I am, and to come up with ideas that we can take to city
councillors, police, and anybody who will listen to what we have to say.” The group has already drafted up a list of ideas which includes having a larger police presence in Barrhaven. Ottawa Police say following last week’s incident, they will be increasing their patrol in Barrhaven over the next few days. Better lighting at nearby Treehouse Mike Skatepark is something the group would also like to see. Darrell Bartraw, who is known for organizing many events around Barrhaven, says he’s been working on this initiative for a while and has found a sponsor who will do it for free. All they need now is for the city to hook up the hydro at the skatepark. “A local landscaping business that is very involved in the Community has obtained lights to put up but needs the city of Ottawa to put in a power box,” Bartraw told the Barrhaven Independent. Sutton says with better lighting in areas where teens congregate, it will help act as a deterrent to keep them away, and will also make it easier to spot fights or illegal activity taking place. “These places tend to be where a lot of the issues are happening,” she said. “We know if there is darkness,
Ottawa Police Service Robby Unit is investigating a string of armed robberies, including one that happened over the weekend in the 3700 block of Strandherd Road Sat., June 12 at approximately 11:40 p.m. That block is in the vicinity of the RioCan Marketplace Shopping Centre and Canadian Tire. The police released a picture of the suspect and is asking for the public’s help in identifying him. Investigators believe the man is responsible for at
least five robberies that occurred on the following dates and locations: June 10th, approximately 9:50 pm: 1700 block of Tenth Line Rd. June 12th, approximately 11:40 pm: 3700 block of Strandherd Dr. June 13th, approximately 12:00 am: 1000 block of Teron Rd. June 14th, approximately 6:00 pm: 400 block of Hazeldean Rd. June 14th, approximately 6:45 pm: 3400 block of Car-
ling Ave. In each of the robberies, the suspect has entered commercial businesses in the evening and made demands for money while holding a handgun. He then flees the area, leaving the worker unharmed. The suspect is described as a white man, between 5’10” (178cm) and 6’0” (183cm), with a slim build. His clothing description in the robberies remains the same (see photo): - Black baseball cap back-
wards, letter “B” on the front, sport emblem on the back - Neck sleeve pulled up over nose, and tucked behind head, covering his hair - Black hooded sweater with a Realtree logo. The sweater has orange drawstrings and a green camouflage hood. - Dark-coloured jogging pants - Grey sneakers with white soles - Dark-coloured backpack The suspect has been seen to conceal the firearm, de-
scribed as a black handgun with similar features to a Glock, in his backpack, and then pull it out with his right hand. In all robberies, the suspect spoke English. Anyone with information about any of these incidents is asked to contact The Ottawa Police Service Robbery Unit at 613-236-1222 ext. 5116. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800222-8477 or at crimestoppers.ca .
By Charlie Senack
there will be 20 teenages causing mischief.” The Barrhaven Independent has asked Ottawa Police what is causing the increase in swarmings in the community and how many of them are targeted. We also asked if any of these incidents are gang related, and if the individuals involved are from Barrhaven or are coming in from other neighborhoods around the city. When mayhem was caused at Barrhaven’s Canada Day celebrations in 2019, the group of teenagers involved were from Orleans. In that case a number of people suffered non-serious injuries in what police at the time called “social disorder and fights.” Some teenagers were arrested for attempting to intimidate police officers, and others were arrested for shooting fireworks into the crowd. A number of pieces of equipment were also stolen from the fairgrounds. Police say they have directed out questions to the appropriate unit for response, but at the time of publication have not heard back. In response to the events which unfolded on the night of June 11, police say the West Criminal Investigation Unit is pursuing the investigation and no further information is available at this time.
Police seeking to identify suspect in string of armed robberies
FRIDAY, June 25, 2021 Page 3
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT bear continues from page 1 For nine hours, Hidocos said she and her parents watched the bear wander and sleep in their back yard. She posted a video to Twitter showing the bear fall to the group after being tranquilized. Police took four old tires from their shed to break the bear’s fall. The adult bear, which ac-
cording to police was large in size, ended up breaking a portion of Hidocos’ parents fence when it fell to the ground. The bear was finally captured at around 7:00 p.m. Monday and was brought to White Lake, about 20 minutes away from Renfrew, and 40 minutes away from Barrhaven.
The bear was healthy and in good condition, according to wildlife officials, after original speculation that the bear appeared to be injured. Bear sightings in Ottawa are more common than you might think. In the summer of 2020, NCC conservation officers trapped a bear that had made its home at
the Britannia Conservation Area, which was also released near White Lake. In September 2018, a bear was tranquilized after wandering in the ByWard Market. That bear was also lowered out of a tree on a rope with the help of firefighters, and was later tagged and released. In Barrhaven, a bear was
spotted wandering through the park and ride at Fallowfield station in the spring of 2020. Earlier this year, a bear was also spotted in the fields at the Greenbelt Research Farm. And in 2015, a young black bear was seen searching for food near Prince of Wales Dr. and Jockvale Rd. A day before Bruin the
Barrhaven bear was spotted in the Hidocos families backyard, a similar black bear was spotted several times in the area of Terry Fox Drive between Castlefrank Road and Cope Drive. It’s unclear if the bear spotted in Barrhaven is the same one which was seen in parts of Kanata.
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Page 4 FRIDAY, June 25, 2021
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Local men walk 100km in one day in support of mental health research Two lifetime friends, Alex Laviolette and Anthony Larocque, set out on Sat. Jun 12 at midnight to walk 100 kms in 24 hours to raise money and awareness in support of mental health. Born, raised and currently living in Barrhaven, Alex is honoured to represent his community this weekend. “Anthony and I have seen firsthand the challenges this ongoing pandemic has had on our friends, family and ourselves,” says Alex Laviolette, City of Ottawa Client Services agent. “We felt by creating this ambitious goal and perseverance, we will inspire others to do the same.” Anthony Larocque is a member of the Canadian Armed Forces who wants to support the normalization of mental health conversations, as well as end the stigma of vulnerability shrouded over mental illness, to ensure that his peers feel supported when in need. Best friends since birth,
this duo has travelled around the world together since their teenage years, and most of their out of the ordinary adventures required extensive hiking. As a result, they now feel that this experience on a global scale has prepared them to endure a grueling 100 km trek in order to make a difference for mental health. The #100k, one-day route started at the East Hawkesbury Airport at midnight on the 12th and concluded on the front lawn of The Royal Saturday evening. Donations to support #100k1day can be made at: http://support.theroyal. ca/100km-Walk-For-The-Royal The Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health raises funds to support the best possible patient care and leadingedge research provided by the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, the Brockville Mental Health Centre, and the uOttawa Institute of Mental Health Research.
Alex Laviolette and Anthony Larocque walked 100 kms in 24 hours to raise money and awareness for mental health.
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FRIDAY, June 25, 2021 Page 5
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Amanda Rheaume part of international music collaboration By Jeff Morris Barrhaven singer/songwriter Amanda Rheaume is one of nine Canadian artists featured in an international collaboration spearheaded by Folk Music Canada. Rheuame, a former Juno Award nominee and a member of the first over graduating class at John McCrae Secondary School in Barrhaven, partnered with Australian musician Monique Clare to write and record the song ‘I’ve Been Gone’. “It sounded like a really fun project,” Rheaume said. “I thought it would be cool to work with someone far away. I was excited when I found out I was chosen for the project.” On June 11, Folk Music Canada (FMC) released nine original songs as part of the International Collaboration Recording Export Program. From a call for submissions, FMC selected nine Canadian export-ready folk musicians and partnered them with nine international folk artists/bands from Australia, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland and Sweden. The goal was to help artists grow their international presence and networks during a time when touring
is not possible. “We understand the impact this time has had on creation and the live showcase model,” said FMC Executive Director Karrnnel Sawitsky. “This project has fostered a meaningful connection from across the globe; allowing for remote creations between artists with distinct perspectives and styles.” FMC wanted to set the artists up for success in the remote collaboration process, thus all participants are financially compensated, with all production and promotion costs covered, and the rights of each song are retained by the artists. The collaborative recordings will be promoted on a global scale as a means of export for these Canadian Folk artists and to celebrate the importance, diversity, and cultural value of folk music in Canada. “I was paired with Monique Clare, and we had never met,” Rheaume said. “We spent time on calls and on Zoom, and worked like any other co-write, except for the fact that she was in Australia and I was here.” Rheaume said they worked very well together. “Monique had this really great riff on her rhythmic
cello, and we built around that,” she said. “She sent me her cello part, and that was the meat of the song.” The entire project was done by the two musicians from their homes, with their computers. Clare sent her part to Rheaume, who would record over top of it and send it back. The recording went back and forth until they had a finished product. Rheaume was not the only area artist to be a part of the collaboration. Leith Ross of Manotick was part of the project and recorded ‘I Remember’ with Ida Wenøe of Denmark. While the pandemic has forced many artists to record and perform virtually, Rheaume says there is nothing like working with live musicians in studio or on stage. She was in Toronto last week to work on her new album, which will be her sixth. She is hoping to release a single in the fall with the album coming out next year. “There is a magic that happens when people play with each other in real time,” she said. “In Toronto, I will be playing with musicians, and even though we will be in booths and wearing masks, it will be special to be
playing together.” Rheaume’s collaboration with Clare and the other songs from the project can be heard on the FMC website at folkmusiccanada.org. FMC is a memberdriven organization that supports and promotes the Canadian folk music community and is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance, diversity, and cultural value of all types of folk music in Canada. Founded in 2000, FMC operated for nearly a decade as ‘Folk Alliance Canada’, changing its name in 2009 and establishing a strategic plan in 2011. FMC is committed to the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access in the folk music sector, the arts sector overall, and throughout all of society. FMC has adopted the Canadian Code of Conduct for the Performing Arts for all activities.
Barrhaven singer/songwriter Amanda Rheaume is one of nine Canadian musicians selected by Fold Music Canada to take part in an international collaboration project.
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BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
INDEPENDENT Editorial
Did SRO program need to be eliminated, or fixed?
The OCDSB’s vote to eliminate the Student Resource Officer program has predictably created divisions in our community. Let’s start with Trustee Lyra Evans, who spearheaded the movement to put an end to the program. Evans, a self-described left wing activist, is seeking the Ottawa Centre NDP nomination. But was what she wanted done for the betterment of the schools? Or was this a political opportunity to pad her resume as an NDP candidate? Last month, we referred to Catholic trustee Glen Armstrong as a right wing politician. He is seeking the Nepean Conservative nomination. He is also the only trustee who voted against flying the rainbow flag in front of the board’s schools during Prime Month. Did Armstrong vote thinking of the betterment of the schools? Or was he voting to appease to the anti-gay right and pad his Conservative resume? Either way, there is a fundamental problem when our school boards are populated by wannabe politicians who could potentially use the board to push their own agendas or to use it as a springboard to get to the next level of politics. The only way our school boards can prevent a trustee from using an issue to promote his or her own political agenda is to mandate that any school board trustee who declares intentions to seek political nomination for any party or to run for city council should immediately resign from the board. That will never happen. The trustees were presented with disturbing samples of how some racialized students were afraid of the police at the schools, or that white students were given preferential treatment. That is an issue that needs to be addressed. Systemic racism is a huge issue with police departments everywhere. It’s sad to read the reports that racism is even part of this discussion. Links to the reports are on our website in our coverage of the issue. In Barrhaven, we are fortunate that the police and our trustee have indicated there have been no complaints like this. But Barrhaven is not Vanier or Overbrook, and vice versa. And just because there have been no complaints in Barrhaven does not mean some students have not felt afraid or vulnerable. Unfortunately, the school board’s elimination of the program is sending a message to young, racialized students and members of the LGBTQ2+ community that they should be suspicious and fearful of all cops, especially white ones. So did the board eliminate a problem of racism, or did they take a problem and make it worse? Probably both. In September, staff and students will have no option but to call 911 when crimes occur in our schools. The responding police officers will not be SROs. The one thing we can all agree on is that we hope that transition is a smooth one. BARRHAVEN P.O. Box 567 Manotick, Ontario www.barrhavenindependent.ca The Barrhaven Independent is published by Manotick Messenger Inc. biweekly at P.O. Box 567 in Manotick, Ontario. The Barrhaven Independent is not responsible for the loss of unsolicited manuscripts, photos, or other material used for publication purposes. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and libellous statements. Display, National and Classified rates are available on request.
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A starry night for Generation X-Files Last Monday night seemed normal. It was tian from Bugs Bunny. Funny. I turned back clear, warm, and extremely starry. Like I do over. every night, I was walking our Yorkie before “Hey babes,” she said again after a few bed. minutes. I turned and looked, and she was While he was sniffing around for the per- laughing harder. I looked at her phone. fect place to pee, which sometimes takes a She had a picture of Gazoo from the Flintfew minutes, I was mesmerized by the stars. stones. Ok, that was really funny and we both Sometimes there are so many stars that you laughed. just have to take it in. “So if you saw something, why didn’t you The dog continued to get your phone out and sniff, and I started identake a video?” tifying constellations. I “It was only there for was facing northwest, about five seconds, and FROM THE OTHER kind of toward Carp or then it was gone,” I said. West Carleton. And for “So by the time I even a few seconds, I saw thought to reach for my something really weird phone, it was gone.” Jeffrey Morris in the sky. It was like Besides, as she pointa bright, amber-yellow ed out, I probably would football that had been have had the setting deflated. It was movwrong or dropped my ing at a fast pace. I watched it for about five phone or something like that. seconds, and then it just vanished, like it had The next day I went down a major rabbit a cloaking mechanism. hole on the internet. I usually get sucked into What was that thing? Was it a weather something like what happened to 70s sitcom balloon? I don’t even know what they are or stars, but this was a series of clicks and links what they look like. Was it a drone? It COUNCIL was that began with a Google search of UFO too high, too big and too bright to be aCORNER drone. sightings in Ottawa. Was it the space station? No, that just looks The funny thing is that the rural area west Mayor Suzanne Dodge like a shooting star. Was it a balloon up in the of Ottawa is known globally as a UFO hotnight and all I could see was the flame? Do spot. CBC did a documentary called UFO balloons fly at night? The Von Trapp family’s town that focused on an alleged UFO crash did, so maybe this was a balloon. near Carp in 1989. There were declassified Was it a UFO? I didn’t even want to go documents from the Canadian Department there. But my mind did. Should I call the po- of National Defence describing an X-Fileslice and tell them I might have seen a UFO? like THE NOT SOscene of government personnel removI’m sure that would go well. Should I inves- ing wreckage from a swamp and alien beings NEW being GUYtaken to an underground research fatigate it and do a feature on UFO sightings? Tim Ruhnke Should I go full on Joaquin Phoenix and cility at the University of Ottawa. There was make tin foil hats like in the movie Signs? also a VHS tape leaked by someone known Or do I just ignore it and accept that I saw as “Guardian.” something in the sky and I didn’t know what The whole thing got me thinking too much. it was. I don’t think I saw an alien spaceship, but I Instead, I made the biggest mistake I could don’t know what I saw. I wonder how many ever make. I told the Diva. other people saw the same thing. I wonder “I saw something weird in the sky last how many people won’t talk about it. night,” I told her the next morning. IfWALKER we The next two nights, after walking the dog HOUSE were a video game, I just unlocked the next before bed, I was greeted by the same queslevel of the game and gave her super sarcasm tions. Susan Vallom power. I told her what I saw, and she laughed. “Did you see any spaceships?” “So you saw a spaceship last night,” she “No.” said in a mocking tone. “Did you see any little green men or cows “No, I didn’t say I saw a spaceship,” I being abducted?” said. “I saw something weird and I have no “No.” idea what it was.” “Did they probe you or put a bar code on She paused for a moment. your forearm?” “Did it have a cone of light coming out of BLAKE’S “No.” it, and was there like a limp cow floating upTAKES “Did you see Mork from Ork and did he into the spaceship?” ‘Nanu Nanu’?” Blakesay McKim “No.” “No.” “Were there little green men?” “Good babes. Go to sleep.” “NO! And I didn’t say it was a spaceship. We spend our whole lives looking up at I just saw something weird.” the sky and wondering if we will ever see As the seconds ticked by, I thought that anything unsual. And then when we do, who maybe she had moved on from teasing me. do we tell? “Hey babes,” she said. I turned and looked I still walk the dog every night and I still at her. She was laughing, and then I noticed look into the sky. her phone, which was subtly facing me. Her I just don’t look over Carp or West Carlescreen was a big picture of Marvin the Mar- ton.
SIDE
NEWS
FRIDAY, June 25, 2021 Page 7
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
LETTER TO EDITOR
Councillor disregards petition, letters The Editor, A shout out to the Ottawa City-Councillor-for-life Jan Harder for her spirited defence of the residents of Barrhaven. The fearless leader ignored a 3,200-name petition and numerous letters of objection from residents opposed to dropping a 30+ acre trucking business and warehousing right next to a large community and bordering on the Greenbelt… for the benefit of whom? Back in 2000, when first elected, Jan touted the high paying jobs in the high-tech sector and the quality of life for residents of Barrhaven. She also worked for better commuter roads. Not so much now. Could it be because this part of Barrhaven was carved off her ward to create a new one? Now she believes that vacant land should be used for whatever a developer wants it for… NO ARGUMENTS. After all, those commuter roads leading in and out of the new truck yard are
designated truck routes. Just because they are two-lane roads and totally clogged day and night with cars is no reason not to throw a few hundred more large transports into the mix. Luckily for city hall and the residents of the endowed area, the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) of the city is not yet updated so this project slips beneath the waves and cruises like a submarine. (Except that a submarine doesn’t degrade roads and lead to vibrations which crack foundations and noise that requires resident to keep their windows closed.) And as a bonus it will operate 24 hours per day. YIPPEE! Can you say tax-base? She must be right with this project because she has the backing of the Barrhaven BIA. That’s the BIA which is headed by Andrea Steenbakkers, who just happens to be Jan Harder’s daughter. So, Jan is right. So are 13 councillors and the mayor
who voted alongside her. Luckily, according to the document sent out by the city announcing this momentous achievement by Council, there is an appeal mechanism. If you made your feelings known in writing or in person, prior the council’s decision, you can appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal. Your appeal must lay out why the by-law is inconsistent with provincial policy or fails to conform with the Ottawa Official Plan (which is currently under review like the TMP). Just don’t forget that your appeal needs to be accompanied by a certified cheque for $1,100 made out to the Minister of Finance. And finally, to all you developers out there, there are still about 20 acres of land available in the Prestige Industrial/Business Park. Perhaps we can get a steel plant or an open pit mine or a car wrecking yard built there. Council will go along with it. Bruce Ricketts
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Page 8 FRIDAY, June 25, 2021
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Meehan ‘caught off guard’ by e-commerce warehouse application at SMBP By Charlie Senack A day after Ottawa city council approved a motion to allow for zoning amendments to change for the South Merivale Business Park, an application has been brought forward to build a large ecommerce warehouse with 100 truck bays on the site. Gloucester-South Nepean councillor Carol Anne Meehan, who has been strongly opposed to the zoning amendment change, says she was “caught off guard” and was “blindsided” to hear the news after being told multiple times that no plans for the business park were currently in the works. “We were told all through the process; the hearing that we had; the special open house we hosted; through planning committee and council; that there was no official applicant attached to this zoning bylaw amendment request,” Meehan told the Barrhaven Independent. “They kept saying we can’t talk (number of) trucks because there was no applicant and they were just preparing this land to make it look more appealing to anyone who
would come along and want to build on the land.” On June 9, Ottawa’s city council voted 15 to nine in favour of a zoning bylaw amendment, to allow for a large warehouse and transport truck terminal to be built on the South Merivale Business Park. This despite strong support from community members, and a petition of over 4,000 signatures. Some who live in the area say this type of development would cause too much noise, traffic and pollution, especially without adequate infrastructure upgrades. Meehan pleaded with council to listen to the community’s wants and not vote in favour of the change, but her many attempts were ignored and knocked down. Both planning committee and council approved the changes despite not knowing what would be developed on the site and who the possible tenants would be. Meehan says she’s now puzzled as to why zoning amendments would have to change in the first place, because the application which has been brought forward doesn’t require any changes to the zoning amendment.
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Under the new plan, an office that spans almost 17,000 square feet would be built, alongside a 262,000-squarefoot warehouse — about a
quarter the size of the Amazon distribution centre on Boundary Road. The land would also include roughly 500 parking spots for vehicles
and 313 spots for tractor trailers, in addition to the 100 loading bays. Because the plan calls for a small office, it would make the warehouse
a secondary rather than primary use, meaning this type of development has been allowed for decades.
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FRIDAY, June 25, 2021 Page 9
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Business community supports truck warehouse While GloucesterSouth Nepean Councillor Carol Anne Meehan is strongly opposed to the plans for a truck depot and warehouse at the South Merivale Business Park, not everyone in Barrhaven is opposed to the plans. “There are more than 500 business located in Barrhaven, and this is a
positive development for the business community,” said Jason MacDonald, Chair of the Barrhaven BIA. “Barrhaven needs economic growth, and this is a great opportunity.” MacDonald said he lives less than a kilometre away from the proposed truck depot and warehouse.
“I am in favour of it, and a lot of my neighbours that I talk to are in favour of it as well,” he said. “This area has always been zones light industrial, and projects like this and the Amazon warehouse at CitiGate near Highway 416 are creating much needed jobs in the community.” According to Mac-
Donald, the recent zoning amendment was made to reverse a previous amendment that was made to accommodate JDS Uniphase when they moved into the area several years ago. He added that the plans for that area have always been for something light industrial. He added that the op-
position to the development is not as strong as Meehan and the media would lead one to believe. “There were about 160 people on the virtual meeting Carol Anne Meehan hosted,” MacDonald said. “Fifty-one of those people were either city staffers or media. That leaves about 100 people, and of those,
probably about 40 were in favour of the project.” He also said that having close to 4,000 signatures on a petition should make councillors aware of concerns, but it should not sway decisions or votes. “If 4,000 signatures change things for 96,000 people, then we have a problem,” he said.
Meehan continues from page 8 “What is strange about this whole thing is they have been sitting on this for quite some time,” she said. “What’s really funny about it is this would have been permitted through the current zoning — they didn’t need a zoning bylaw amendment. “It is weird that they weren’t able to tell us what they were planning,”
Meehan added. “My antenna is up though because this site plan was ready a day after the council.” Meehan says she predicts if the zoning amendment is officially passed, then a much bigger plan can be approved for a larger warehouse and more transport truck bays. “They could have given us the courtesy of letting us
know that this would happen, but they didn’t, and I have a problem with that,” she said. “Keeping councillors and the community in the dark is just not right. The planning process has to take into account the feelings and wishes of the local residents which certainly did not happen.” Meehan says she, alongside Knoxdale-Merivale
councillor Keith Egli plan to hold another public meeting in early July to share with residents what’s happening. She’s hoping the applicant will be willing to speak about what’s coming next. Meehan says residents of the community feel like their concerns weren’t listened to and that councillors who they vote in
to represent their needs, didn’t listen. “They feel appalled; they feel like they have been played; they feel like the fix was in and they are concerned about what might be happening,” Meehan said. “If councillors can’t get information, how the heck is the community supposed to get information?”
Site plan applications are typically approved by city staff, but Meehan plans to take the rare step of removing their delegated authority so the file instead goes before planning committee for another debate and decision. Meehan says the community’s demanding more control and this is the only tool they currently have available.
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Page 10 FRIDAY, June 25, 2021
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Councillor says losing fight against truck terminal was not easy It’s not easy to lose a hard-fought battle at City Hall, especially when thousands of homeowners will be affected by the council decision. Merivale-Knoxdale Councillor Keith Egli and I failed to convince a majority of our council colleagues June 9th that the South Merivale Business Park is the wrong location for a large e-commerce type Warehouse and Truck Terminal. Thousands of residents in the surrounding communities opposed the zoning bylaw amendment as well. We argued the roads around the site can’t handle increased truck traffic and are already congested. To be blunt, I don’t believe our objections were given serious consideration. With such a conten-
tious application, I would have appreciated Barrhaven Councillor Harder supporting the wishes of her residents and neighbours. She didn’t speak at the public forum my office organized in May or at the Planning Committee, where the application was approved unanimously. Unfortunately, planning rules seem to favour developers, and despite the significant public engagement we saw, nothing changed. I’ve always advocated for development that aims
to support and grow our communities responsibly. I have watched too many residents fight the Planning Committee, only to be disappointed with an outcome that does not enhance the overall community. Here’s another thing I find discouraging. All through the process, the consultant for the landowner said there was no plan for the land, nothing was imminent, and speculation about trucks was just that – speculation. Then just days after getting the Planning Committee’s green light, the City circulated a notice to the community that a Site Plan Application for a warehouse with 100 loading bays and parking for 313 tractortrailers and 500 spots for
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other vehicles had been received. This current site plan didn’t even need a zoning change, so I expect we’ll see something even bigger in the future. I’m incredibly disappointed that we were all kept in the dark. No courtesy was shown to the community. I have taken the rare step by removing my delegated authority from staff, forcing this application to go through the committee process. This will ensure residents are allowed to question the applicant and City Staff publicly. We need more transparency from the applicant, and this is one way to achieve that aim. In the meantime, armed with new information, we
are preparing to continue to fight the e-commerce warehouse and its trucks. I still believe that the South Merivale Business Park is absolutely the wrong location for a
truck warehouse, so I will be working with the community to mitigate the negative impacts on the community and the one hundred thousand residents.
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Page 12 FRIDAY, June 25, 2021
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Vigil for 215 Ingidenous children whose remains were recently found A Barrhaven school is leading the way in remembering the 215 Indigenous children whose remains were recently found at a residential school in British Columbia. The Ottawa Christian School, located at 255 Tartan Drive backing onto Strandherd Dr. near Borrisokane Road, is holding a community vigil that began Monday, June 7 and will last until the end of the month. The school is asking local residents who want to contribute to the vigil to bring a stuffed toy to show your support and place it along the parking lot fence. The stuffed toy or animal and related signs are expected to remain on display until June 30.
Canada’s National Indigenous Peoples Day, formerly called National Aboriginal Day, is annually held on June 21 to celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures, and outstanding achievements of the nation’s Aboriginal peoples. “We thank you for your participation and for helping raise the awareness that all children are precious and their lives matter,” said Karl Gray. The news of the discovery in Kamloops, BC was made public last week by the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation. The remains were buried in unmarked sites on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.
Ottawa Christian School in Barrhaven has created a vigil for the 215 chuldren whose remains were found on the grounds of a residential school in Kamloops, BC. Jeff Morris photo
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FRIDAY, June 25, 2021 Page 13
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
OCDSB to eliminate SRO program on allegations of racism, intimidation Report cites racist behaviour by officers, Blackburn fears for safety of students and principals By Jeff Morris Barrhaven Independent The Ottawa Carleton District School Board has voted to end the Ottawa Police Community Resource Officer Program. The vote brought mixed reaction from people in Barrhaven. Some parents who contacted the Barrhaven Independent were upset that yet another layer of policing in the community will be gone at a time when crimes involving teenagers are both violent and in the news. Others, meanwhile, are referencing accusations that the police resource officers in school have been exhibiting racist behaviour against Black and Indigenous students. The vote came after the release of a review titled ‘Policy and Practice Review of Police Involvement in Schools.’ The report was put together by the board’s Human Rights and Equity Advisor, Carolyn Tanner. In her report, Tanner made two recommendations. The first recommendation was that the OCDSB end its participation in the School Resource Officer Program. The second called for the OCDSB to revise and harmonize all relevant contractual commitments, policies and procedures to limit police involvement at schools to necessary involvement, introduce accountability and transparency mechanisms for all police involvement and embed Indigenous rights, human rights and children’s rights and survivorcentred practices. “It is clear from the information that came forward during the review, that the current practice of involving police in schools is creating barriers for some Indigenous, Black and marginalized students that prevent them from fully enjoying their right to education without discrimination,” Tanner said in her report. “It is evi-
dent that the way OCDSB is currently using police to regulate behaviour of children in school is disproportionately impacting on children with disabilities and who are Indigenous, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+. It is also evident that the inclusion of the police in the school community is creating barriers to the educational success of some Indigenous, Black and marginalized students who do not feel safe in the schools as a result. Administrators and educators enjoy a special relationship with their students that the law recognizes as being in ‘loco parentis’. This relationship obligates them to act the way a careful and prudent parent would, in the best interests of the particular child, not simply the majority.” The agenda was driven by Rideau-Vanier Trustee Lyra Evans. She praised the work of a group called Asilu, which released a report that was edited by several high school students across the city. The report cites incidents of police racism and discrimination against racialized students. The goal of Alisu’s No Cops in School campaign is to “terminate the School Resource Officer program from all Ottawa public schools and to end any existing relationships between public school boards and Ottawa Police Services.” In their report, Asilu cites comments from several racialized students who feared the police presence, or spoke about how the police harmed racialized or gender-oppressed students. In the report, one former OCDSB student is quoted as saying, “When I went to school under the OCDSB I think police would be present on a daily basis and would go around with canines to sniff out if high school students had drugs… They would be
there to arrest black students if they got into fights with one another but the same was not applied to white students.” One of the issues that has made the situation complex is that problems that exist in the urban core where Evans is the trustee may not exist in the suburban or rural schools. In the past, OPS officers who have been either Black or members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community have served the community’s schools in the program. BarrhavenKnoxdale-Merivale Trustee Donna Blackburn was the only Trustee who voted against the motion to eliminate School Resource Officers. “I have always appreciated the work the Ottawa Police Service does with our schools, and I would have preferred to build the bridge rather than break it,” said Blackburn, who is a former social worker. “Any organization, including our own, has issues that need to be dealt with, and the police are no different, but I have always appreciated the relationship we have with the Ottawa Police.” Blackburn said that the removal of the officers may jeopardize the safety of some students. “Kids will be harmed because of this,” she said. “That’s my biggest concern moving forward. I also fear for the principals. Suddenly they may be put into situations that puts their safety in jeopardy.” Blackburn said that the group pushing for the removal of the SRO program was well-organized. “I have been a trustee for more than 10 years and I have heard no complaints about the program,” she said. (Ottawa Police) Chief Solely also said he received no complaints.” While those wanting the officers removed from schools were very organized, Blackburn said that there were no organized
Public schools in Barrhaven will no longer be served with the SRO program following a vote by council to eliminate it. Jeff Morris photo
efforts in support of the program.“Usually, the only time we here from people is when they are upset about something,” she said. “Nobody contacts us to say they are happy. There have been a lot of situations where the officers have helped troubled youth in our schools. They build a relationship, and they build trust. Sometimes, a student may run away or take off. Often, it’s the SRO officer who has built that relationship with the student who can go and find them and get them back to school. “I was a social worker and I understand how this works,” she added. “We want the SRO’s to work with students to keep them out of the system. We don’t want a situation where we are putting more kids into
the system.” Without the officers at the schools next fall, there will be an expected increase in 911 calls. “I hate to say it,” Blackburn said, “but unpleasant things happen at our schools. Criminal things happen at our schools. We can’t have people selling drugs and assaulting each other in our schools. When things happen, whether we want it or not, police will be involved in our schools.” Blackburn said she has no problem being the only trustee to vote in favour of keeping the SRO program. “Sometimes it’s difficult to be the lone wolf,” she said. “People are afraid to be painted with a certain brush. I’ve never been one to be bullied.” Evans, meanwhile,
tweeted that she would like to see the funds from the SRO program allocated to another type of program. “Asking the City of Ottawa to reallocate the funds previously assigned to the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board share of the School Resource Officer program into the formation of a mobile crisis team for youth,” Evans wrote. “This team could operate 24/7, but should be available for schools to call upon in need as a non-police alternative to behaviours which may require it. “This team should consist of people with a counselling, social work and/or reconciliation background. “This team must not contain any police officers or be funded, administered, or operated through OPS.”
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Page 14 FRIDAY, June 25, 2021
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
St. Joseph student a founder of school’s Black Student Association
Name: Princess Afram
fOCUS ON
Age: 18
YOUTH
Address: Barrhaven School: St Joseph High Grade: 12 Parents: Prince Afram (father), Taku Afram (stepmother), Lovely Javier (mother) Brothers: Ezra (2) and Noah (6 months) Sister: Arielle (12), Centennial Elementary School. Pet Peeve: “I hate when people don’t know how to apologize, or own up to their actions. Saying, ‘I’m sorry, but . . .’ isn’t a real apology.” Part-time Work: “Personal shopper at Loblaws. I also work as a sales associate at Mastermind Toys. I’m so lucky to have two jobs that I really like.” Favourite Subjects: “English has always had a special place in my heart, because I used to be an aspiring writer in middle school. However I’ve recently developed a love for all the social sciences. Because of this amazing teacher (Mrs Chiasson), I have filled my timetable with them (anthropology, psychology, sociology, human development and family studies). What do you enjoy reading for pleasure? “I was a huge book worm growing up, except more
by Phill Potter
towards the fiction area. At this point in my life, I had dreamed to write my own adventure books – like the ones I would dive in. Now I prefer reading more articles and news reports. I like to understand what’s going on in the world, and what events have been trending. I’ve taken a personal interest in true crime, so to me some news articles are like very interesting short stories.” Who are your favourite authors? “One of my two favourite authors is Hajime Isayama, who is also a Japanese manga artist. I had read his series Attack on Titan that he both wrote and drew, and I had been following it since the 6th grade, up until it’s recent finale last month. “I really appreciate how amazingly written all the characters are, and the layers the story has from war, to politics, to systematic oppression. I like being on the edge of my seat while reading, and the thrill of being genuinely scared onto what could happen next. Sometimes I feel like I’m part of the books, from the way I emotionally attach myself to the characters, and genuinely feel impacted from the events in the plot. “My other favourite author is Dr Seuss. My favour-
ite book of all time is Oh, The Places You’ll Go. This book has stuck with me my entire life. It used to be the bedtime story my dad would read to me. The book talks about how you are on your way to something new, although unfortunately there will be some tribulations along the way. ‘You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.’ (Dr Seuss). I’ve always applied this book to everything new that’s happened in my life, and it always motivates me to keep going. Thanks Dad.”
What is your greatest accomplishment? “My greatest accomplishment is to have been part of the creation of my school’s first ever Black History Month show. I was only in grade 10, and had been friends with Dannie Akat, who was in grade 12 at the time. Dannie was very passionate about celebrating Black culture, and bringing awareness to issues that happen in the Black community. “She created a vision for a Black History Month at St Joe’s. Every day we would do something to celebrate diversity through messages over the announcements, playing music by Black artists during the mornings, bringing in Black guest speakers to talk about empowerment, Black history month themed spirit weeks, and lastly, a huge buyout at the end of the month to celebrate Blackness overtime. “It was so amazing to have played such a huge
role in this. I got to organize so many events, and even got to mc the show twice in front of the whole school. It was incredible to see 90% of the school come out to the show, using their own money to watch us preform. “We had so many amazing dances, singers, actors, speakers, games, and even a fashion show. After Dannie graduated, I had decided to carry on her vision the following year with my great friends Sarah Tomta and Shukria Yassin. “These next few shows and buyouts inspired us to create our very own St Joe’s Black Student Association (SJHBSA) where we get students of all grades and ethnicities to come together and figure out how to make St Joe’s a safe and comfortable place for everyone.” School Activities: “As I love running, I had been on my school’s Track Team, along with being a loyal member to the SJHBSA (St Joseph High School Black Student Association). I’m also a nominee for this year’s valedictorian!” Other Activities/Interests: “I like to paint, draw, write, and study film. During downtime, I like to watch anime with my little sister. Aside from these, I’m very interested in social activism and bringing awareness to issues. I hope to one day have my future children live in a world where they don’t feel scared or threatened over who they are.” Career Goals: “I’m go-
Graduating St. Joseph High School student Princess Afram says one day she hopes her children “don’t feel scared or threatened over who they are.” Submitted photo
ing to Carleton University for Child and Youth Studies as I am working towards becoming an elementary school teacher. I love working with kids. I want to be someone who inspires youth. I hope to be able to travel internationally for a few years, and teach children from different countries before settling down in Ottawa. On the side, I hope to fulfil my dream of writing children’s books.” Comments: “School has been odd for everyone during the pandemic. Most clubs have been cancelled. Unfortunately, I missed out on all the typical grad events
my school organizes. Despite all this, teachers have been trying their best to make the year as enjoyable as possible. I’m very thankful for that. I’ve personally struggled a lot with online school, and maintaining a balance between my mental health, and my school life. Nonetheless, I’ve worked very hard this year and it’s paying off. I’m excelling in my school work, and in both my jobs. Everything is all about finding balance and knowing when to take a step back. Your mental health should always come first, as your relationship with yourself is the longest relationship you will ever have.”
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FRIDAY, June 25, 2021 Page 15
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
St. Emily student’s video tells the story behind Water Dragon Park By Jeff Morris Thanks to the work of a Grade 6 student at St. Emily Catholic Elementary School, the story behind Barrhaven’s Water Dragon Park has now been told and will be available for generations to come. Helen Li, a student in the St. Emily’s gifted program, put together a 17-minute video that is available for viewing on YouTube. In the video, she interviews park architect David Lashley, park planner Louise Ceverny, and former Ottawa Ward 22 councillor Steve Desroches. explain the features and their significance. The video tells the story of the park’s features and their significance. “Interviewing people was not easy, but it was a lot of fun,” Helen said. “I did a lot of research for the project and it really helped me understand a lot of things about the park.” The project was done for Asian Heritage Month. St. Emily teacher Robert More approached Emily about doing the video and he helped her through the process.
“I know Helen well enough to know that she would do a great job with this,” More said. “The biggest feedback to date is how impressive it was to have a Grade 6 student with those interview skills and to be able to step in front of the camera like that. She spent a lot of hours researching this topic and preparing for the video.” More said what makes Helen’s work even more impressive is that she is still learning to master the English language. “She has been in our program for two-and-a-half years, and it’s been incredible to watch how quickly she has learned.” Helen was born in China and her family moved from Shanghai to Barrhaven three years ago. She had taken some English classes in China before moving to Canada, but had to adapt quickly to not only survive in a new culture and academic environment, but also shine in it. “Canada has less people,” she said. “And a lot of people live in nice houses instead of big apartments,” she said.
St. Emily student Helen Li created a 17-minute video telling the story behind Barrhaven’s Water Dragon Park.
Learning about the park and the connection to her own culture made the Water Dragon Park special for Helen. “I really enjoyed doing this and I think it’s really cool that more people can learn about the park and the meanings of the differ-
ent things at the park,” she said. With St. Emily located beside the park, More said that Helen’s work will help restore and promote the significance of the park. “The story is important,” More said. “A lot of people will be visiting
the park this summer, and Helen’s work will help them understand the significance and importance of the park.” The project was like a parting gift from Helen to the school. Next year, she will be commuting into Ottawa to study at Ashbury
College. Although she said it was “quite fun to have a new learning experience” with the project, she currently has no plans to be a historian, researcher or journalist. “I am hoping to be an interior designer,” she said.
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