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BARRHAVEN
Year 31 • issue 18
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FRIDAY • September 3 • 2021
Conservative leader O’Toole focuses on housing during Barrhaven visit By Charlie Senack Conservative leader Erin O’Toole made a campaign stop in Barrhaven last week to announce the party’s affordable housing strategy. On August 19, residents who live near Flanders Street were woken up by campaign music blaring as the Conservative Party Leader walked down the quiet cul-de-sac. They used the growing suburb of Barrhaven to talk housing, which will undoubtedly be a key campaign focus for all parties. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no crowd with only a handful of residents gathering on the street to watch. Also in attendance was Matt Triemstra, the Conservative Party candidate for Nepean. “It’s time to face the
facts: we have a housing crisis in Canada,” O’Toole told the line of cameras lined up on the front lawn of a home. “The supply of homes to buy as well as to rent is not keeping up with our growing population. Foreign investors are also making our situation worse. They are bidding up prices, and in some cases, they are sitting on investments and leaving homes empty while Canadians search for affordable houses.” O’Toole referenced stories coming out of western provinces where criminals have been found to buy houses as a way of stashing proceeds of crime. Under a Federal Conservative government, O’Toole has committed to building one million homes in the next three years. This would in part
Conservative leader Erin O’Toole joined Nepean Conservative candidate Matt Triemstra on the campaign trail in Barrhaven last week to talk about affordable housing and other election issues. For full election coverage and a look at the candidates in the Nepean riding, see page 4.
be done by putting a ban on foreign investors, who live outside the country from buying property for at least two years, and making changes to the
mortgage stress test. “If people around the world want to invest in our great country — and I want that — we will instead encourage them to
invest in purpose-built rental housing to provide more affordable options to Canadians,” said O’Toole. “We will provide more incentives to get more rental
housing built, and we will create a federal beneficial registry for residential property.”
o’toole
continues on page 4
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Page 2 FRIDAY, September 3, 2021 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Ruth E. Dickinson Library has new and improved children’s section Barrhaven Traffic Projects
Strandherd Drive (from the Home Depot West Entrance to Jockvale Road) – Strandherd Drive is partially reduced to one lane in the eastbound direction in front of the Home Depot. Andora Avenue – Andora Avenue is fully closed to traffic at Strandherd Drive. After the full closure, Andora Avenue will reopen as a right-in/right-out intersection, with no leftturn movements permitted, until the spring of 2022. Local access is maintained via Chapman Mills Drive. A pedestrian traffic signal was installed just west of Andora Avenue to facilitate pedestrian crossing at Strandherd Drive. Tallgrass Lane – Tallgrass Lane is fully closed at Strandherd Drive until the spring of 2022. Kingsview Lane – Kingsview Lane is fully closed at Strandherd Drive for a few weeks. Madrid Avenue - Madrid Avenue is fully closed at Strandherd Drive for a few weeks. Aura Avenue – Aura Avenue is fully closed at Strandherd Drive for a few weeks. Dealership Drive – Lane reductions on Dealer-
LET’S TALK
BARRHAVEN by Jan Harder
ship Drive, as necessary, for road reconstruction work. Strandherd Drive – Various work continues along the corridor. To accommodate the work, there will be off-peak lane reductions, as necessary along the corridor.
Upcoming Barrhaven fiber optic installation locations
• Larkin Drive between Barran Street and Orr Street • Langholm Crescent • Jerrilynn Crescent • Roberta Crescent • Barran Street • Ettrick Crescent • Barrhaven Crescent • Orr Street
Barrhaven Messaging
Ruth E. Dickinson Messaging Come visit our new and improved Children’s section! We have beautiful new shelving and an updated layout! • Browse our shelves, borrow museums passes and day-use passes for provincial parks, and read
newspapers and magazines in branch during our regular hours of operation • Use a public computer, print, scan, or photocopy • Visit the Imagine Space and Labs, including our music editing station • Place holds on up to 200 items at a time • Return any time, via our 24/7 external book drops • Masks remain mandatory when visiting the library Ruth E Dickinson Recommends (for teens): The Ivies by Alexa Donne Set at a New England prep school, this twisty mystery follows the lives of 5 “friends” vying for positions at the prestigious Ivy League schools. When one of the students is found murdered after her acceptance to Harvard, everyone becomes a suspect. Perfect for fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson!
plore the fundamentals of Afro-Caribbean dance with Suzan Richards Regardless of age • or ability, start tapping your toes and shimmy your way to virtual Afro-Caribbean Dance Workshops on September 10, 17 and 24 at 3:30 pm
Barrhaven Garden Club
The Barrhaven Garden Club is holding a Plant Sale on Saturday, September 11th from 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. at Larkin House, 76 Larkin Drive. Info: 613 695-9353, barrhavengardenclub.ca Motorcycle ride supports guide dog training Ride to raise money towards the training of guide dogs and assistance dogs, as Ottawa’s longest-running charity motorcycle returns. The 34th annual Guide Dog Motorcycle Ride will take place on Sunday, September 12, 2021. The entry fee for the ride alone is $20 or come back for the BBQ for just an extra ten bucks! On Sunday, September 12, stop by Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, 4120 Rideau Valley Drive North, to register anytime between 9:00 am and 10:00 am and then head out for the ride. Cash, credit, and debit are accepted
Arts Oasis 55+ Dance Fridays: With support from the Crabtree Foundation, Ottawa Public Library and MASC invite older adults across the city to explore different aspects of creativity. First up in this series are Dance Fridays – three-week sessions led by MASC artists exploring unique and exciting dance forms! In September, ex•
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on-site. Please respect physical distancing. Vision loss has not stopped during Covid and neither has the Guide Dog Ride. We have planned a beautiful route of more than 200-km. through Eastern Ontario. Let’s fill it with bikes for a great cause. Individual riders and all clubs are welcome. (***BBQ portion of the event is subject to cancellation based on local bylaws and public health regulations at the time of the event.) About Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind: Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind was established as a registered charity in 1984. Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind has provided more than 900 professionally trained guide dogs to Canadians who are visually impaired from coast to coast. Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind also operates an Assistance Dogs Division, which trains assistance dogs for individuals in the Ottawa area with mobility-related disabilities. To learn more about this event or Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, visit www.guidedogs.ca or phone (613) 692-7777
Walter Baker Update
Walter Baker will be of-
fering the following: Lane swims, Public swims & Aqua fitness as doors open August 30th. Registered programs will also be available for certification courses for youth and adults. Clubs include: Swim clubs, Dive clubs, Artistic clubs (synchro) & Waterpolo clubs. The schedule will run from August 30th - December 19th.
Minto Recreation Update
The Minto pool is scheduled to re-open Tuesday, October 12th and will be offering the following upon re-opening: Drop-In Programs: Lane Swims, Public Swims, Preschool Swims, Aquafit General & Aquafit Deep. Registered Programs: Learn-to-Swim for infants, children, youth, and adults, Powerswim for children and adults & Certification courses for youth and adults. Minto Land Activities: Commencing September 14 • Fitness Classes • Walking Track • Cardio Weight Room • Drop in Sports • Badminton • Volleyball • Pickleball • Kindergym
harder
continues on page 3
Bill McDonald
Financial Advisor The Co-operators 5560 Manotick Main St | Manotick 613-692-5070 www.cooperators.ca/William-McDonald
Home Auto Life Investments Group Business Farm Travel
FRIDAY, September 3, 2021 Page 3
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT harder continues from page 2 To view schedule and reserve a spot please visit Ottawa.ca/mrcb. Reservations can be made 2 days prior to activity at 6pm. Learn to Skate and Hockey Program: MRCB will be offering skating lessons and hockey programs beginning late fall. A brochure with registration will be available in October 529 Garage App Introduced in 2019, in partnership with Bike Ottawa and Safer Roads Ottawa, the 529 Garage app is an easy way for cyclists to register their bicycles to help police locate them faster if they are stolen. The app also creates a network with other Ottawa cyclists to alert riders to missing or stolen bikes. “If you haven’t already received your 529 Garage shield, now is a good time to pick one up,” said Constable Samson Vo, with the Neighbourhood Resource Team. Introduced in 2019, in
partnership with Bike Ottawa and Safer Roads Ottawa, the 529 Garage app is an easy way for cyclists to register their bicycles to help police locate them faster if they are stolen. The app also creates a network with other Ottawa cyclists to alert riders to missing or stolen bikes. “We find the app really useful in helping police to reunite bikes with owners after they’ve been stolen,” said Cst. Vo. “register on the app or the website, you can still use it without having a 529 shield.” For more information about 529 Garage, please visit ottawapolice.ca/endbiketheft.
City of Ottawa Messaging
2021 Household Hazardous Waste Depots Remaining Household Hazardous Waste Depot events for 2021 as indicated in the memorandum dated June 1, 2021.
The first extended Household Hazardous Waste Depot that took place at the Conroy Snow Dump (3100 Conroy Road) in June, was very successful. Almost 4,300 visitors diverted a total of 175 tonnes of household hazardous waste from landfill. We are pleased to provide the dates and locations for the remaining Household Hazardous Waste Depots in 2021. The upcoming HHW events will be one-day depots opened between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm. The events provide a full city-wide coverage. For more information visit: Ottawa.ca/hhw Request a mobile vaccine team for your workplace, place of worship or community setting Workplaces, community organizations, places of worship and other groups can now request a mobile vaccination team to administer first and second doses
of the COVID-19 vaccine on-site, at their own location. This program is intended to help reduce barriers for residents who have not yet received the vaccine by working with community leaders to provide comfortable, convenient and easily accessible options for vaccination. This is just one more initiative to help ensure that anyone 12 years of age and older in Ottawa who wants the COVID-19 vaccine can get vaccinated. If you are a community organization, community leader, faith leader, or employer in Ottawa and have a group of people that may benefit from a mobile vaccination team coming to you, please reach out through the following ways: • Complete the mobile vaccine clinic request form online • Call 613-691-5505 for assistance in completing the form
Based on your group’s needs, Ottawa Public Health will coordinate the planning and can set up a mobile team, assist in the promotion of your mobile vaccine clinic, and even help answer questions about the COVID-19 vaccines. Services can be provided in a variety of languages. Other ways to get vaccinated There are many appointments available for anyone who still needs a vaccine. Visit the provincial booking system or use this tool to find a convenient time and date, or drop-in at certain clinics without making an appointment. The drop-in locations are updated daily on OttawaPublicHealth.ca.
Help During Self Isolation
Do you need help during self-isolation? Call 2-1-1 for information on resources from the Community and Social Services Line. Do you need a space to
self-isolate safely? The Voluntary Isolation Centre (VIC) is for people who do not have access to an adequate shelter or cannot self-isolate safely in their own homes. To find out more or to apply please call 613-580-2424 ext. 25890 or email OPHisolationcentre@ ottawa.ca. Here are some resources that might help: • Access to food: goodfoodottawa.ca • Access to mental wellness support: counsellingconnect.org • Supports for seniors & adults with a disability: communitysupport. covidresponse.ca • Delivery of food & supplies - Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre: 613-591-3686 • CRB- Canada Recovery Benefits information & support – Service in English & Arabic: Email hanadi. alashi@occsc.org or fidaa. osman@occsc.org
Waterford Grand
RETIREMENT LIVING
Page 4 FRIDAY, September 3, 2021 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
2021 Election: Liberal incumbent Arya seeking third term as Nepean MP By Charlie Senack
It’s official: A federal election has been called and Canadian voters will be going to the polls on September 20, 2021. In Barrhaven, there will be five names on the ballot. During the last federal election in 2019, incumbent Liberal MP Chandra Arya won with 45 per cent of the vote. He was up against Brian St. Louis as the Conservative candidate, Zaff Ansari as the NDP candidate; Jean-Luc Cooke as the Green Party candidate; Azim Hooda as the People’s Party candidate; and Dustan Wang as the Communist Party candidate. The Conservatives then came in second place with 33.5 per cent of the vote, and the NDP came in third with 13.1 per cent. This time there are currently going to be five names on the ballot: Chandra Arya who is running again as an incumbent for the Liberals;
Matt Triemstra who is running for the Conservatives; Jay Nera who is running for the People’s Party of Canada; Gordon Kubanek who is running for the Greens; and Sean Devine who is running for the New Democrats. The riding consists of 119,110 people, and 93,734 registered voters.
Chandra Arya
Chandra Arya, formerly of Invest Ottawa, is running as the Liberal Party candidate in Nepean for the third time. Arya admits before becoming elected six years ago, he didn’t have a heavy interest in politics. But as time went on, there are three points the incumbent MP plans to focus on in this election. “I enter politics with three main objectives: the first is affordable housing — I was on the board of an affordable housing corporation before I entered politics,” Arya told the
Chandra Arya, pictured celebrating his 2019 re-election, is looking for his third election night victory party. BI file photo
Barrhaven Independent. “The second is retirement security (because) there are 11 million working Canadians without a work place pension plan. The third — which is much more important — is that I want to ensure Canada continues to be competitive and successful in the knowledge-based economy, so that the standard of living we have today is available to our children and grandchildren.” The fall federal election is being called in the midst of what many are calling a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Ontario, the province is reporting over 500 new daily infections, a number too doctors warn will only increase with a difficult fall and winter ahead. This has led to much controversy surrounding holding an election at a time of so much uncertainty. Arya says he supports holding an election now, citing high vaccination rates and the opportunity for Canadians to have a say on how the country moves forward. “We are in a much better shape because of the much higher vaccination rate. When we had elections in 2019, nobody expected this pandemic, so we did not have mandates on how to do it,” he said. “Now we have come to a staff with 80 per cent of Canadians vaccinated; we want Canadians to have a say on what to do for the next 17 months and 17 years.” When it comes to advocating for Nepean, Arya says con-
ers. Justin Trudeau and the Liberals have said they would build, preserve, or repair 1.4 million new homes over the next four years with the intention of increasing supply. They would also double the first-time home buyers tax credit from $5,000 to $10,000 and put $1 billion towards loans and grants for rentto-own projects. A tax-free ‘First Home Savings Account’ would also be created, allowing those under the age of 40 to save up to $40,000 and withdraw it tax-free to put towards a home purchase. And finally, a ‘Home Buyers’ Bill
stituents have had six years to get used to his personality. He plans to do the same as before, while listening to concerns. Locally Arya says he’s passionate about ensuring areas like Barrhaven are properly served when jt comes to infrastructure upgrades and improvements. He also wants to ensure there is space available to large companies who want to call the community home. “I’ve had wonderful interactions with the Barrhaven Business Improvement Association,” said Arya. “The info they were giving to me (during the pandemic), I was feeding into the government who were changing and modifying new policies. I will continue to do that. “I sometimes feel like we are the victims of our own success,” he concluded, “because we can’t get retail space here. To get the infrastructure has been mind boggling, but we are working with all levels of government — especially the City of Ottawa who I’m glad is soon sufficient.”
Election signs went up in Barrhaven immediately after the Sept. 20 election was called. Jeff Morris photo
Matt Triemstra is running as the Conservative candidate for Nepean. The Barrhaven native worked on Parliament Hill and has transitioned into the private sector. He is also the board chair of the Ottawa Mission. Triemstra says he decided to run because of the pandemic, and the toll he saw it taking on his three children who are
ages 15, 11 and 9. “I saw firsthand how the pandemic impacted their mental health, my mental health, and I think it’s time that we have a government that delivers on mental health (support) in this country,” he said. Triemstra agrees with how the Liberal government initially handled the pandemic and said Conservatives would have done the same. But now as vaccine numbers ramp up and the economy starts to rebuild, he wants to see more done to help encourage people to re-enter the workforce. “What I have a problem with is that the Liberals gave themselves huge spending powers that they could get through Parliament with very little power, and I’m happy that at the 11th hour the Conservatives stepped in and sort of curbed that spending power,” said Triemstra. “I have a concern with how much money they spent and continue to spend. As the
economy is opening up and small businesses are back to work, then we need to encourage and help people work; not extending the emergency benefits but really investing in getting people back to work.” The Liberal government has announced they will make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for all federal employees — a decision some unions have spoken out against. The rule also applies to passengers who plan on boarding any planes or trains. The Conservative party has repeatedly campaigned on personal choice, and said while vaccines are strongly encouraged, they shouldn’t be mandatory. Instead, they have released a plan which includes regular COVID testing for any unvaccinated employees — with similar rules applying to those who are looking to travel by air or plane.
of Rights’ that would include measures to criminalize blind bidding and establish the right to a home inspection would be introduced. Also during his announcement, O’Toole reiterated his support for the LGBTQ community. The party is trying to make themselves seem more inclusive after former party leader Andrew Scheer expressed his views on same sex marriage, saying marriage a practice that should only be done with a man and woman. O’Toole was asked about if the party would look at legalizing ‘poppers’, a drug which many gay men use to relax
muscles during intercourse. The party leader said he plans to look into the issue and bring it up with health Canada. “I want members of the LGBTQ community to know that if they want something looked at, if they are advocating for an issue, we want to make sure that the federal government is responsive to the needs of all Canadians in all communities,” O’Toole said. But when it came to the topic of abortion, O’Toole said while he’s pro choice, he believes doctors should have the option to refuse service if it goes against their beliefs. “As you know I am pro
choice and I want to make sure that access for women to such services is available across the country,” he said. “I think it’s also possible to show respect for our nurses, our healthcare professionals, with respect particularly to the expansion of medical assisted death. Let’s find an appropriate and fair balance to make sure those rights are assessed, but we can respect provisions as well.” So far Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole has been the only party leader to visit the riding of Nepean. The federal election has been called for September 20.
Matt Triemstra
election
continues on page 7
o’toole continues from page 1 As a way of meeting their target, the Conservatives want to repurpose and convert some federal office buildings while allowing more government employees to continue working from home. The party wants to release 15 per cent of federally owned buildings into the housing market and also allow developers to defer capital gains taxes if they reinvest in rental properties. The part however has no detailed plan on how this idea would come into fruition, what it would cost, or how much work would need to be done in order to retrofit the buildings. O’Toole held up the maga-
zine-style cover of his election promises while making the announcement, noting they would increase the number of units built yearly from 270,000 to 340,000. “Our housing plan is comprehensive and it will be effective,” O’Toole said. “It will give all Canadians a chance to build the life they dream of, to live on a street with good neighbours.” The NDP, on the other hand, say they would build 500,000 homes and make housing affordable for Canadians, including rental prices, noting that one-in-three residents in the country are rent-
FRIDAY, September 3, 2021 Page 5
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Councillors rally at City Hall to demand a Transit Commission meeting Why is it necessary for Councillors to pressure the Mayor and Transit Commission Head to hold an emergency meeting about Ottawa’s problem-plagued LRT? On August 25th, a group of eight city councillors, myself included, rallied outside City Hall with members of the public to demand an open meeting to discuss axle-bearing problems on nine LRT cars – discovered only after an axle derailed from a car on August 8th. The next meeting of the Transit Commission isn’t set to meet until September 20th, despite the fact, the service was down for five days, and the Trans-
portation Safety Board is reviewing the incident. Councillors who want information are being told memos from staff are sufficient and no special meeting is necessary. This isn’t good enough and is another example of City management controlling information that elected officials and taxpayers are entitled to. There is a history of secrecy around Ottawa’s most expensive infrastructure
project. It’s only after detailed questioning by councillors and the independent work of local journalists that we have learned of contracts that should never have been awarded and shoddy work. I fear train axles breaking after only two years is indicative of more significant faults yet to be uncovered. And how is it that if RTM is inspecting the trains, as it says it is, that the axle problem wasn’t discovered before one failed? I guess I’ll have to wait until September 20th to ask management.
Warehouse Site Plan goes to Planning Committee
The campaign to stop a
massive truck depot in East Barrhaven is not over just yet. City Council approved an application for a zoning bylaw amendment to allow a warehouse as a primary use in the South Merivale Business Park earlier this summer. Residents who oppose that decision are appealing it to the new Ontario Land Tribunal. In the meantime, a site plan submitted for the same parcel of land for a truck depot will have to be debated by Planning Committee. Ordinarily, a site plan is simply rubberstamped at Planning Committee if the application meets all of the existing zoning requirements– but not this time! As the
Councillor for the area, I withdrew my delegated authority from staff. It means that we have one more chance to convince the committee that a massive seventeen thousand square foot warehouse with one hundred loading bays with four hundred transport trucks a day driving on Merivale, Prince of Wales, Fallowfield and Woodroffe is not suited for the area. Pre-pandemic, those two-lane roads were always congested. No one who lives in the surrounding residential areas can imagine what all that new truck traffic will mean to local roads and their quality of life.
Thirty years ago, the South Merivale Business Park was designated Light Industrial; a truck depot made sense. Today just doesn’t make sense. Road infrastructure has not kept pace with development, and one hundred thousand new residents live in the south end of Ottawa. We must convince committee members to factor that in their decision making – that this is one site plan that can’t just be given the green light. Have concerns? The Planning Committee meeting is on September 9th – there’s still time to register to speak. Contact my office at carolanne.meehan@ottawa.ca.
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INDEPENDENT Editorial
Double-double may soon refer to coffee prices instead of cream and sugar Canadians love coffee. In fact, more than 90 per cent of Canadians are coffee drinkers. In 2020, Canada was ranked fifth highest in the world based on per capita consumption of coffee. The average Canadian consumes about 5.5 kg of coffee a year. Coffee in Canada is 17 per cent more expensive since January and barely anyone noticed. The bad news is that more hikes are coming. Last month, coffee futures exceeded US$2 per pound for the first time since November 2014 and prices have remained resiliently high ever since. Early frost reports and snow in the coffee regions of Brazil got many investors and contract starts nervous. Coupled with higher transportation costs, Canadian coffee importers will likely pay more. In turn, menu prices will need to be adjusted. Retail coffee prices are expected to rise in Canada and consumers should notice a difference by the end of 2021. We may also see more shrinkflation affecting coffee – cans or bags of coffee could shrink, with prices per unit remaining the same. It’s a clever way not to spook the consumer. Since we now operate in a mostly cashless economy, few people notice price increases from one week to the next. When using a card, visualizing the cost of anything is much more challenging. Chains can get away with increases with hardly anyone noticing. A cup of coffee has increased by about 15 per cent on average in food service over the last three or so years and few are complaining. But with prices going up, many consumers are likely to trade down or continue having coffee at home, as they did during COVID-19 lockdowns. Depending on what coffee you buy, and where you buy it, costs can add up monthly. Making coffee at home will cost 25 to 30 per cent less than buying coffee at your favourite chain. During lockdowns, many consumers would have noticed these savings. A few years ago, McDonald’s knew what it was doing when it gave away free coffee for a month. Free coffee, for an entire month! The chain is now a top player in the breakfast market. While Starbucks set a benchmark on coffee quality and experience, McDonald’s made strong, dark-roast coffees a mainstream flavour. With today’s prices, a similar campaign would cost at least 35 per cent more than it did a few years ago. So this may not happen again any time soon. Regardless of what happens to prices, Canadians will continue to drink coffee. But will we buy our brew from a coffee shop or make it at home? That remains to be seen. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University. © Troy Media
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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Wasting away Mr. Margaritaville It will be exciting when the kids are final- didn’t back down. He stood chest to chest with the ninja with a smirk on his face. Their ly able to play organized sports again. It’s been a long and difficult time away faces were about six inches apart. “It’s time for you to leave now,” said the from the games they love. Unfortunately, with the joyous return of ninja, who was not impressed. Mr. Margaritaville just laughed and said, the kids comes the return of some ignorant “What are you going to do if I don’t, fat and abusive parents in the bleachers. I was thinking about this Friday, as it was ass?” I stood there with my mouth open, waitthe hottest day of the year. It reminded me of the hottest day I ever had on the football ing to see how this would play out. Does someone who acts field as an official. It so out of control at a youth was at North Grenville rec league game that he District High School in FROM THE OTHER would go after a referee or Kemptville. The humian official deserve to get dex was above 40 dethe kind beating this moron grees Celsius. Jeffrey Morris was asking for? The conditions were I didn’t know what to perfect for an epic meltdo. Should I get my phone out and get ready down. Our crew of four would be working two to call 911 so that medics could come and games that day – at 12:30pm and 2:45 pm. It scrape this guy off the field? Or should I was going to be a long and hot afternoon in just start recording so it could go up on You Tube? A video like that would send a strong our black pants and our striped shirts. What is it about our striped shirts that message to every idiot parent out there who COUNCILfeels compelled to threaten or abuse somemake people feel like they can be abusive? CORNER Why are our uniforms and whistles idiot one giving up their time on a Saturday morning so that their children can play. magnets? Mayor Suzanne Dodge Of course, the ninja didn’t want to leave As I got to the field, the morning game of the youth football recreational league Mr. Margaritaville in a twitching mess while playoff triple header was just wrapping up. his chicklets floated in his own blood while It was a close game and was unfortunately his spleen or kidneys sizzled on the paveended by a curfew – a result no one likes. As ment of the track beside the football field. Eventually, some officials from the that officiating crew came off the field, they THE NOTKemptville SO Youth Football Association had chatted and mingled briefly with our crew. NEW managed to convince him to leave. They did An adult approached. He may have been a GUY an amazing job dealing with an out of line parent or a grandparent. We are not sure. Tim Ruhnke He had a tank top and deck shorts and flip and hostile parent and preventing a situation flops and a goatee. He looked like the poster that would have involved lawyers, ambuboy for Margaritaville. He was acting like lances and lawsuits. One of our officials actually works at a funeral home so we had he had just staggered out of Margaritaville. “That’s far enough,” said the first game’s that scenario covered. referee, who is an experienced official and The parent probably walked away feela very calm and mild mannered individual. ing like a million bucks, thinking that WALKER He kept coming, and started mouthing off HOUSE he sure showed those loser refs a thing at the referee. or two and not realizing he was lucky to “I’m not talking to you. That’s Susan far Vallom walk away unharmed. I wondered how he enough,” the referee said again. would feel if someone showed up where “You can’t kick me out of the park be- he worked and heckled the hell out of him cause the game is over,” the idiot said. and verbally abused and threatened him. He went on a tirade and told the referee But most importantly, did he realize that he was the worst referee he had ever how absolutely embarrassing this whole seen, and that the game was a disgrace. He scenario must have been for the poor threw in a few F-words and a number ofBLAKE’S 12-year-old kid that he was there to supcoaches and adults from both teams tried TAKES to port? remove him from the area. So if you are a parent who can’t wait to Blake McKim He kept coming, and got in the referee’s get back out there and cheer on your kids, face. be respectful. Respect the experience, reThat’s when it got interesting. spect the officials, respect the volunteers, One of the members of our crew happens and respect the right you have to be there. to be one of the top ranked 40-and-over kick But most of all, respect the kids. We boxers in Canada. He’s a big guy. And he’s are all there for them – coaches, volunbasically a ninja. teers, and especially the refs. If you don’t “That’s far enough,” the Ninja said as like the officials, go buy a whistle and a he stood between Mr. Margaritaville and striped jersey. If you aren’t willing to do the referee. Unfortunately, the idiot parent that, then shut the hell up or go home.
SIDE
NEWS
FRIDAY, September 3, 2021 Page 7
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT election continues from page 4 Triemstra says while he and his family are fully vaccinated, he believes the Conservative plan will resonate most with Canadians. “Vaccines are the best tool we have to fight the pandemic. That being said, I think personal choice when it comes to health care is incredibly important,” he said. “I think rapid testing needs to be an option, and I think if you are going to travel by train, plane, or bus in this country, I think you should need to produce a negative test result.”
Gordon Kubanek
Gordon Kubanek has put his name in a political race again, representing the Green Party as Nepean’s candidate. Kubanek is no stranger to Green politics, with this being his sixth election. Since 2007, the children’s book author has run both provincially and federally in the riding of Carleton. He’s now putting his hand in the face
again with a key focus on climate change. “I am running because I have been convinced by Science that unless we stop requiring exponential growth to keep people employed our economic/environmental systems will collapse,” said Kubanek. “This realization that we are in a life or death situation came to me after I became sick from a virus which gave me near fatal cardiomyopathy (heart failure) in 2004. “My policy is one based upon the movement called ‘Degrowth’, which means we focus on improving the quality of life for all species, by focusing on quality instead of quality,” he added. “To do so means shifting how we measure success in our society from GDP to a measure such as the Genuine Progress Index, which assigns explicit value to environmental quality, population health, livelihood security, equity, free time, and educational attain-
ment.” Kubanek says he and his family are fully vaccinated, and he supports making vaccines mandatory in some settings. “For example, the recent announcement that all people flying must be vaccinated seems to make sense — I support it at this time — but the fact is there is only a one in 7,700 chance of being infected if the middle seat is vacant,” said the Green Party candidate. “However, in a free society we must also do our best to also allow space for personal freedoms and be pragmatic rather than dogmatic and not mandate vaccines for all people at all times.”
Sean Devine
Arlington Woods resident Sean Devine has been chosen as the NDP candidate for Nepean. Devine, who also ran for the spot back in 2015, played a big role in recovery
and rebuilding efforts following the September 2018 tornadoes, which hit Craig Henry and Arlington Woods communities. His work led the father of four to winning the United Way Community Builders of the Year Award and the Mayors City Builders Award. It’s work like this which Devine says he is most passionate about, and now wants to serve his community in an even bigger way. When a controversial snap federal election was called, Devine said he wanted to ensure the New Democrats had proper representation in Nepean. “I am running because I do believe that the NDP values and commitments are exactly what is needed in Canada right now,” he said. “I am also running because I believe that voters should be choosing the person and not just the party. Based on the work I’ve done in my community in the last six years, and based on the impact I
think I’ve had and the relationships that I’ve built, I believe that I can be the kind of MP that all of Nepean’s communities can benefit from.” Devine says if elected, he will be a politician who reaches out to the public to see what issues they are most passionate about. But when it comes to his own agenda, the Arlington Woods resident says he’s passionate about climate change — a file Devine says the Trudeau Liberals have frequently talked about while doing little action. “My first priority is climate action. It is a scary time to be a parent; it is a scary time to be an individual,” he said. “When I try to imagine what kind of climate disasters my kids will inherit, I think it is my job not just as a Dad, but also as a citizen, to be apart of the solution.” Devine says he doesn’t plan to be mean spirited in this election, and wants to instead focus his energy on
what Nepean residents want to see. He’s also passionate about wealth and equality while ensuring the economy works for more individuals. Devine says this will be even more important as we work our way out of the COVID-19 pandemic. When it comes to making COVID vaccinations mandatory for some sectors and workplaces, Devine — who is double vaccinated himself — says he’s on board, but wants to ensure all Canadians are given equal access to healthcare. “I firmly believe in mandating vaccines for certain elements of public access, whether that be transit, travel, going into restaurants or theatres,” states Devine. “The problem is there are some people who say that because someone didn’t get the vaccine, they should not have access to healthcare. That I have a problem with (because) healthcare is universal.”
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Page 8 FRIDAY, September 3, 2021 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Barrhaven Classic Car Show at Clarke Fields raises $1,200 for CHEO By Charlie Senack Events have made a comeback in Barrhaven with a Classic Car Show held at Clarke Fields on August 15. Because of COVID-19 guidelines, only 100 people could be in the park at any given time and the number of classic cars on display were also scaled back. Keith Goebel, who has organized multiple car shows in Barrhaven over the years,
said 60 classic cars took part and a few hundred people came out to watch. “It went fantastic. We had a great turnout and great weather,” said Goebel. “The best part was the generosity of everybody that came. We got donations like crazy. We actually succeeded at our first car show which we had a lot more cars in.” In total, $1,200 was raised for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Over the
Sixty classic cars took part in this year’s Barrhaven Classic Car Show. Because of health parameters, only 100 people at a time were able to attend the show. Darrell Bartraw photo
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years, the event has raised a total of more than $6,600. The day also featured a number of door prizes and a 50/50 draw. Hamburgers and sausages were served up by Barts Catering, and an ice cream truck also stopped by the park. While it was the first event to make a comeback in Barrhaven since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, various renditions of car shows have been held in Barrhaven. During Canada Day in both 2020 and 2021, a drive by classic car show was held by Goebel and his friends for all retirement and long-term care homes in Barrhaven. “I think the biggest part for the older folks at least is remembering those good old days of the cars and how they looked,” said Goebel. “In my opinion, just the cars themselves are art on wheels. People reminisce and it’s something to look at. It’s something you will never see again.” Darrell Bartraw, who
Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod, right, was among attendees at the Barrhaven Classic Car Show. Photo courtesy of Lisa MacLeod’s office
helps put on the classic car shows in Barrhaven and is part of all festivals which take place in the community, says it was nice to see a return to normal. “It was great to get back to it. It was our first event since COVID began, and we hope to get a few more events in before the end of this year,” he said. “Then hopefully next year we can bring everything back bigger than ever.”
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Keith Goebel and Darrell Bartraw organized the annual Barrhaven Classic Car Show, which was held at Clarke Fields Aug. 15. Charlie Senack photo
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FRIDAY, September 3, 2021 Page 9
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Land border still closed for residents wishing to drive to US By Jeff Morris
If you are hoping to order a package from Amazon or eBay to be picked up in Ogdensburg, NY or are hoping on making a shopping trip to Watertown or Syracuse, you are going to have to wait unless you are willing to fly. The United States extended their land border closures until at least September 21. Chances are, the border closings, which expire each month, will continue to be extended. While visitors are able to fly to the United States, non-essential travel by land is still prohibited. On August 9, Canada finally opened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers from the United States. They can come to Canada as visitors and avoid quarantine if they were fully vaccinated 14 days before en-
tering Canada. The Canadian government also increased the number of airports accepting international commercial flight passengers. Airports in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Quebec City and Halifax have joined Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary as Canadian airports permitting international passenger flights. While the Canadian border is now open to vaccinated Americans, the U.S. land borders remain closed. Canadians were fully expecting President Biden to open the border to Canadians when Prime Minister Trudeau opened the Canadian border. While Canadians are able to fly to the United States, they are still not able to cross by land. The land crossing ban currently lasts until Sat., Aug. 21, but it
is expected to be extended. According to a U.S. border agent, the cause of the ban has more to do with Mexico than Canada. He said the borders have to open at the same time, and that part of the delay is preparing for the large influx of illegal immigrants, most of whom will be unvaccinated, entering the country. Another complication is the type of vaccines that are approved. Many Canadians received an AstraZeneca shot as at least their first dose. Many then got a Moderna or Pfizer shot as their second dose. The United States recently announced that people who received two doses of AstraZeneca or Covishield, the version of the vaccine made in India, as fully vaccinated. However, the approximately two million Canadians who got mixed doses are not yet con-
sidered to be fully vaccinated by the United States. The measure does not restrict travel to the United States, as proof of vaccination is not required for Canadians travelling to the United States by air. Only a negative screening test is required for anyone arriving in the United States from a foreign country, regardless of whether they are vaccinated or not. As a result, Canadians will not be able to drive to American sports card shops or shows. Not only does the travel ban hurt border town shops like Dave and Adam’s Card World in Buffalo, but there are other businesses affected by the ban. Mike Lira owns the Ogdensburg UPS Store in Ogdensburg, NY. His shop is less than five minutes from the Prescott-Ogdensburg Inter-
national Bridge, at the bottom of Highway 416. When the border is open, the store is about a 45-minute drive from Barrhaven if there is no line-up at customs. “About 80 per cent of our business is from Canadians driving down to our store and picking up packages,” he said. Lira said that most of his business comes from Amazon and eBay purchases, or from the websites of businesses that either don’t ship to Canada or have international shipping policies that are expensive and slow. Because of the extra steps and costs associated with cross border purchases, such as delays at the border and broker fees, many local residents opt to have their orders shipped to places like the Ogdensburg UPS Store.
“We expected the border to be open a lot sooner,” he said. “To say we are surviving is a bit too positive. It’s been extremely difficult. We were expecting the border to open sooner than this.” With the fourth wave of COVID-19 being brought on by the Delta variant in Canada, just how long the land border will be closed is uncertain. Canada is trying to keep its border open to Americans because they need the tourism and hospitality sector dollars. Small businesses and restaurants in towns along the border also need the American business. The border opening is not as much of a priority for the U.S. as a whole, but it is crucial for border town businesses like Lira’s that rely on international customers.
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Page 10 FRIDAY, September 3, 2021 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Despite the addition at St. Joseph Catholic High School, there is still a sea of portable classrooms waiting for students as the school year begins.
Jeff Morris photo
School boards try to keep pace with Barrhaven’s growth By Charlie Senack
As Barrhaven continues to rapidly grow, school boards are trying their best to keep up with the sudden rise in students. Now both main boards are calling for a third high school to be built in the community. Both the Ottawa Carleton District School Board and the Ottawa Catholic School Board have two
high schools in the community. There are 27 total schools in Barrhaven, a number which will soon grow. This summer, more portables have popped up at Longfields Davidson Heights High School, which is one of the biggest in the city. According to their website, the school has 2,250 students ranging from grades seven to 12.
Thanks to an accommodation review which was completed during the 2018-19 school year, grade seven and eight students who live in Chapman Mills but went to Cedarview due to overcrowding issues, are now able to return to their closest school. Barrhaven/KnoxdaleMerivale trustee Donna Blackburn told the Barrhaven Independent this
was always the plan. “Longfields is naturally their community school,” Blackburn said. “What the district had to do was send these kids to Cedarview due to overcrowding. But we are now in a position to say to the Chapman Mills community that you can now go to your normal high school (for grades seven and eight).” The accommodation
review, which is a public process which works with parents, school councils and community associations, also helped with overcrowding issues John McCrae High School was facing. At the end of the 201819 school year, it was announced that four portable classrooms would be placed on a section of the schools track and sports field, moving the
end zone six metres, and shortening the track from a regulation 400 metres to only 350 metres. This was due to a rising student population which was going to climb to 1,360 students in 2020. But now Blackburn says they have the situation under control and says they won’t have trouble finding classes for students.
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BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT growth continues from page 10 The overcrowding — which was to be expected — came as a result of allowing students who lived in Half Moon Bay to attend John McCrae High School, instead of being bused out to South Carleton High School. This was a motion Blackburn fought for because if it was not passed, students would have been separated from their friends who would have attended high school in Barrhaven. “Keep in mind all those students attended elementary and middle school in Barrhaven, and those kids would have been separated from their peers who they have attended school with for 10 years,” said Blackburn. “I successfully passed the motion so that students could go to either school, and by doing that, we knew that down the line there would be problems with overcrowding at John McCrae; it only made sense,” she added. “But at the time it was not overcrowded and the principal wanted more kids so they could offer more wholesome programming.” But while the public board is adding more portable classrooms, the Catholic board is in a position to do the opposite. Barrhaven Catholic board trustee
Spencer Warren says they were able to remove 11 portables at St. Joseph High School, thanks to funding they received for an expansion. The school currently has an enrolment of about 2,000 students, which required the school to previously have 30 portable classrooms; Now they are left with only 13. Opening for the first time this September, St. Joes’ $17.6 million expansion is finally complete, creating additional space for 650 students. It entails over 30 new rooms including: many more classrooms, special purpose rooms, and a new gymnasium. “When we went for the funding and got approved for the funding and we’re building the classrooms, we thought we were getting rid of all 30 portables,” said Warren. “But now that Barrhaven has grown so fast, we still need 13 of them.” The COVID-19 pandemic also helped with student population numbers. With many parents feeling unsafe about sending their children to packed classes, they opted instead for virtual learning. Both Blackburn and Warren say they will have a much higher number of in-person learners come this fall, but the
pandemic allowed them time to plan.
Need for more high schools
Both Warren and Blackburn plan to advocate for an additional high school in Barrhaven for their respective boards. The community is continuing to welcome new families to the area, resulting in more schools needing to be built. But that takes time and funding, meaning in the interim they must utilize the resources they have. “We do have a plan to build another high school in Barrhaven, and we are probably looking at Half Moon Bay,” said Warren. “Most of the growth happening in Barrhaven is taking place in the Half Moon Bay, Stonebridge, and Chapman Mills communities, which feed into St. Joes.” “There is no doubt we will need a third high school in Barrhaven,” also concluded Blackburn. “We have an outstanding planning department at the OCDSB, and actually a lot of the people who sit at that table live in Barrhaven, and have for a significant amount of their lives. They are raising their families here and sending their kids to school in the commun-
ity. We will have to get that school on our list and start lobbying for it.” In October 2020 it was announced a new public high school would be built in Riverside South, which will cost $42 million to build. It will house roughly 1,500 students and 40 licensed childcare spaces once it opens. Shovels are expected to be in the ground sometime soon with the land at Spratt and Earl Armstrong already secured. It’s also expected to help with overcrowding in Barrhaven schools. Currently high school-aged students who live in Riverside South are being bused to Merivale High School in Nepean, or to South Carleton High School in Richmond. Others choose to switch to the Ottawa
Catholic School Board, with St. Francis Xavier already built in the community. It will also mean that high school students who live on the Barrhaven side of the Vimy Memorial Bridge can instead switch to the future Riverside South public high school to help with overcrowding issues in the community. Blackburn says an accommodation review will likely have to be done in the future to see what that could mean for school boundary changes. The public board is also getting ready to start building a new elementary school in Half Moon Bay to help with overcrowding issues in the community. Warren says the Catholic board is also looking at doing the same, and
noted that out of the last four elementary schools the OCSB has built, two of them were in Barrhaven. He also noted that Findlay Creek desperately needs a new elementary school, but they are waiting on funding from the province. “I have been trying to get a new elementary school in Findlay Creek for the last six years now, and for the last four years it has been a top priority,” said Warren. “But the ministry keeps pushing it down because the numbers we haven’t aren’t an issue now. “It really comes down to the ministry of education and you can’t really forecast what your needs will be in the future, because they base it on what your students needs are now,” he added.
Page 12 FRIDAY, September 3, 2021 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Robert Campbell, centre, of the Ottawa Polo Club, gets ready to take an offside backhand shot on his horse, Pepe, at the local Polo Field. The Ottawa Polo Club hosted a Polo Canada Invitational Tournament Sat., Aug. 14. Stephen J. Thorne photo
Local equestrians celebrate 35 years of polo in the area By Jeff Morris
It’s not often that a sport being played in a field beside a country road draws rubberneckers and entices people to stop their cars and watch, and even go and ask questions. But when the Ottawa Polo Club hosts their matches at their home field on Bankfield Road at Highway 416 just a stonje’s throw south of Barrhaven, that’s exactly what happens. People pause when they see it, but it is not something they expect to see played locally. Polo seems to only get exposure on news channel clips featuring members of the Royal Family,
or in movies where socialites with names like Biff, Chip and Muffy are seen playing or cheering on their friends. The sport is a tool in these scenes to exemplify how overprivileged and aristocratic the characters are. Locally, that stereotype of polo is nothing like its reality. Despite the image polo has, it is a sport that has a much more middle-class and family-friendly culture than most would expect. “Polo in Ottawa is not for the rich,” said Robert Campbell, a Director of the Ottawa Polo Club. “Our organization is set up to make polo accessible
to everybody in Ottawa and the surrounding communities. If you have a passion for living, horses and playing a competitive sport on horseback, then polo will be the right sport for you.”
35th Anniversary of Local Polo
Polo is not a sport that just appeared on the horizon south of Barrhaven. In 1986, Cherry and Cameron Stobie founded the National Capital Polo Club. They played in the horse arena on the Stobies’ farm in North Gower. Before moving to Canada from England in 1981, Cherry Stobie
had managed a polo stable. She wanted to introduce the sport to the Ottawa area. Edmond du Rogoff, an Argentinian who was a professor at the University of Ottawa, organized an exploratory meeting that drew nearly 100 potential enthusiasts. The popularity of polo in the area grew, as did the membership of the club. By 1989, the NCPC moved to a field in nearby Kars with the help of the Kars Community Recreation Association. The community welcomed the club and its members, and local horseloving children often served as volunteer grooms. The club
hosted tournaments with teams from Toronto and Montreal. Visiting players would act as ambassadors for the sport, often hosting clinics and sharing their expertise. Kars was not the only local village that hosted polo matches and tournaments. The club moved to a regulation field in Dalmeny, between Osgoode and Vernon, donated by the Velthuis family. New facilities were developed at the Kilreen Farm in Manotick and at Augusta Stables in North Augusta, north of Brockville.
polo
continues on page 13
FRIDAY, September 3, 2021 Page 13
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT polo continues from page 12 The club changed its name from the National Capital Polo Club to the Ottawa Polo Club in 1994 and the activities of the club declined for a few years. The players, however, still found venues to play. In 2004, Ward and Denise Yaternick purchased part of the Kilreen farm property, including its first-rate polo field. The following year, the Huntingford Farm on Upper Dwyer Hill Road west of Richmond hosted polo. A number of international professionals also taught the sport and played there. The Manotick Polo Club brought the sport back to its former field on Bankfield Road in 2008, where matches and tournaments have been played ever since. In 2015, the Ottawa Polo Club was revived as a not-for-profit corporation. Members played at Thistlestone Farm in Beckwith and also at a polo field in Burritt’s Rapids. The Ottawa club and the Manotick club would merge in 2017, and the Ottawa Polo Club currently plays at the Bankfield Road field and in Burritt’s Rapids. They host co-ed matches twice a week from May through August, on either Wednesday or Thursday evenings and again on Sundays. In September, the weekday games are dropped and matches are only played on Sunday until the end of the month. The public is welcome to take in regular club matches. The club’s mission is to provide a fun, competitive polo experience that inspires players of all
abilities to safely progress on the continuum of polo skill development. An inclusive and friendly environment along with affordable membership fees showcase the club’s core values.
Who can play?
One of the most unique things about the Ottawa Polo Club is that the gender mix is almost 5050. The largest growing demographic for the sport is young women. Alice Campbell represents that sector with the Ottawa Polo Club. She started playing polo with her father when she was 12 years old and has almost a decade of experience. “I think that 50 per cent of Ottawa Polo Club members are women because we are a welcoming club that improves new players of all different skill levels to increase their level of play, helping more women feel more comfortable to join the club of a male dominated sport,” she said. “Polo has helped me develop and grow in many ways but the most important is discipline. In order to be safe during the matches you need to practice every day for the comfort of both horse and rider. The most important mindset needed to learn and play polo is patience. This sport is very difficult mentally and physically. You need to be patient with yourself and the horse.” While polo is a sport that is much more accessible than most would expect, there are certain requirements. Players must have some experience riding. The horses used in polo also require specific training for the sport. Barry Cloete, one of the Ottawa Polo Club’s directors, trains horses for polo at his farm in North Grenville. “Training a horse for
Alice Campbell of the Ottawa Polo Club played in the Polo Canada Invitational Tournament at the polo field at Bankfield Road and Hwy. 416 Sat., Aug. 14. She represents the young female demographic that is the fastest growing segment of players in the sport of polo. Stephen J. Thorne photo
Ottawa Polo Club (OPC) members pose for a photo at their Bankfield Road Field. Back row, left to right, are Barry Cloete, Edmond du Rogoff, Jean François Bonin, Robert Raby, Robert Campbell and Ward Yaternick. Front row, left to rights, are Sarah Gray, Emma Hill, Laura McEwen, Mel Gagnon, Alice Campbell and Carol MacLeod. Kasey Cloete (left) is part of the OPC family and her Daddy’s good luck charm! photos by Stephen J. Thorne
polo and playing polo require different skills,” Cloete said. “Many polo players buy made horses (i.e., trained polo ponies). My training experience at my Barefoot Acres Farms facility in North Grenville has been gratifying. Results take time and don’t happen overnight. I like to pick up horses early and do groundwork when they are young. For example, my sevenyear-old mare Ruby—who won Best Playing Pony at the Polo Canada Invitational Tournament hosted by the Ottawa Polo Club on August 14, 2021—was four when I started her polo training. The traits of a good polo pony are equally important as the bloodlines and the breed. Polo ponies are brave and quiet with a good brain. Ruby goes from playing like a rocket on the field to being led around by a little kid!” Thomas Francis is a 27-yearold management consultant who has always been drawn to the sport of polo. When he discovered that Ottawa Polo Club Director Robert Campbell was offering a 60-Day Polo Challenge training, he seized the opportunity. In July, Francis started training at Campbell’s polo facility in Burritt’s Rapids twice a week at 7 a.m. “There is no better feeling than riding and finally swinging
the mallet and hitting the ball; when you finally put everything you learn together and actually apply it,” he said. “I recommend that anyone interested first have some horse-riding experience. If you don’t, then the best thing you can do is have confidence. You need to be willing to put in the hours and get lots of practice. “And even though in some places like Ottawa the sport is much more accessible, it still won’t come cheap, and even more so if you decide to pursue it and continue with it. It’s
not basketball where you can just buy a ball and you’re good to go. You don’t need to buy a horse right from the beginning but knowing that there is some investment into equipment or training helps you really consider whether you want to give it a try and learn or not. The most important thing is to just have fun and enjoy it.” For more information on the Ottawa Polo Club, visit www. ottawapoloclub.com or their Facebook page at www.facebook. com/OttawaPoloClub/.
On Sat., Aug. 14, the Ottawa Polo Club hosted a Polo Canada Invitational Tournament at their Bankfield Road polo field. Polo Canada President Don Pennycook (right) awarded Best Playing Pony to Ruby, owned and trained by Barry Cloete (left). Stephen J. Thorne photo
Page 14 FRIDAY, September 3, 2021 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Grad says 2021 Religion project was her greatest accomplishment Name: Paige Morin Age: 18 School: St. Francis Xavier High Grade: June
Graduated
in
Parents: Tim Morin, Laura Corkill, Paul Spafford Brothers: Matt Spafford (21), Micheal Spafford (18) Sisters: Tara (15), Samantha (12) Pet: “I have a dog named Polo who’s around six years old. We adopted him from the Turks and Caicos Islands, he’s a mixed breed called a Potcake. Locals feed wild dogs the burnt or ‘left over food’ that sticks to the bottom of pans or dishes – hence the dogs are called Potcakes.” Part-time Work: “I work part-time as a French Tutor for elementary school students.” Favourite Subjects: “Being in my last year of high school allowed me to take a lot of subjects I’m interested in. My favourite subjects are History, Religion, French and English. My history teacher built the course around the topic of empires and revolutions, and their modern influence on topics, like migration and religious persecution. In my English and French classes I got to read a lot of great literature; Hamlet, Frankenstein, and Dracula in English – Cyrano de Bergerac
in French. My religion class was my favourite this year. My religion teacher, Mme. Oliviero created a religion course that centred around our local community. Our end of semester project was ‘to become involved in that community’. My project partner, Lizzie Benhin, and I collected donations and menstrual/personal hygiene products to donate to homeless shelters. It was absolutely amazing to help so many people, and to see how giving our local community is.” What do you enjoy reading for pleasure? “I enjoy reading multiple different types of books, from fantasy to non-fiction, and graphic novels. Currently I’m reading the Sandman Series by Neil Gaiman, and A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.” Who is your favourite author? “Pinning down a favourite author has always been a difficult thing for me. However, some authors I really enjoy: are Veronica Roth (Carve the Mark Series), Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games Trilogy), and Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles Series).” What is your greatest accomplishment? “The final religion project of 2021 by Lizzie and I, is my greatest accomplishment. We spent months researching, reaching out in different ways to our local communities and then collecting donations – with the added complication of
Covid-19 restrictions. We ended up being able to donate over 1500. and 10,000+ products to womens’ shelters in Ottawa.”
classes on a Google Meet, and did activities such as writing letters and looking back on our high school careers.”
School Activities: “Thankfully I was in school with a few of my friends during Halloween. We dressed up in costumes and participated in the in class activities that our Student Council had set up, which included Google form quizzes about Halloween. Our classes were split into two classes at a time, so we had four quad-mesters where you would spend two and a half hours on your first course, and then another two and a half hours on your second course. “The school was divided into Cohorts A and B where we would alternate days at school. One week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday would be asynchronous days where we work independently, and Tuesday and Thursday we’d be in the classroom learning. The following week it would switch. This of course, was when we were still going to school in person. We’ve also been home since April break and the end of our third quadmester, which is very disappointing, especially for graduating students like myself. Grade 12 is usually a stressful time, without the looming threat of a pandemic, but particularly with the isolation from friends and learning online for nearly a year. “We did have an online grad retreat to replace the inperson grad retreats of past years. We played games as
Career Goals: “I’m going to Carleton University for Psychology. I’m excited for university and the new experiences it will bring, but I am a bit apprehensive about how it will be structured. So far there are fully online classes, inperson classes, and partly online and in-person classes, which I hope stays the case.”
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Paige Morin graduated from St. Francis Xavier High School in the spring and will be attending Carleton University in the fall. Submitted photo
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FRIDAY, September 3, 2021 Page 15
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
School boards split on high school sports in the fall By Jeff Morris
Ottawa’s largest school board will not permit its schools to have sports teams when school resumes in the fall. The Ottawa Carleton District School Board issued a memo to its families Aug. 26, outlining the restrictions put in place due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While provincial backto-school guidelines permit sports, the OCDSB is taking the cautious route and is not permitting sports and other activities when schools reopen Sept. 9. According to the memo, the policy will be revisited after the schools have opened. While high school football was already doubtful for the upcoming school year, there were expectations that other sports would be played. Ashbury College, a private school, is the only school that had confirmed it would be operating a football program. They
are likely to play an exhibition schedule against schools in Quebec and against other private schools. The other fall sports in the school year include soccer, boys non-contact hockey, boys’ volleyball, girls’ basketball, girls’ field hockey and cross-country running. School sports were cancelled in March, 2020 and have not yet resumed, meaning student-athletes missed the entire 2020-21 school year for competing. The OCDSB policy means that, locally, Longfields Davidson Heights Secondary School and John McCrae Secondary School will not have fall sports teams. However, Barrhaven’s Catholic schools will be able to compete. The Ottawa Catholic School Board, which includes St. Mother Teresa Catholic High School and St. Joseph Catholic High School, will be able to field teams. Pierre-Savard, which is in the French Catholic Board, also has the green light to field
sports teams. The restrictions to OCDSB schools go beyond sports and will affect various clubs and extra-curricular activities. School assemblies will be held either outdoors or online. Field trips can be held but will be limited to outdoor venues, and no busing will be permitted. The school’s meet-the-teacher and school council meetings will also be held virtually. The board has also extended its masking policy to kindergarten students. In the English Catholic school board plan, school sports will be permitted, pending public health guidelines. The Catholic board also released its guidelines for music. The Ministry Guidelines state that both singing and the use of wind instruments may occur as long as students are physically distanced (two metres) from each other and in an adequately ventilated room. All of the board’s classrooms and portables are adequately ventilated. However, most
While fall school sports teams are permitted in Barrhaven’s English and French Catholic high schools, the John McCrae Bulldogs and the Longfields-Davidson Heights Ravens will be left on the sidelines. BI file photo
classrooms will not be large enough to separate students by two metres. Thus, regular singing of O Canada or other songs will not be allowed in most
classrooms. Singing and playing wind instruments outdoors or in large spaces (such as secondary music classrooms) where physical distancing can
occur, is permitted. This direction may change upon further direction from OPH. All schools are not permitting non-essential visitors.
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Page 16 FRIDAY, September 3, 2021 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
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