May 26, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 27
Next edition June 2
L’édition de cette semaine à l’intérieur...
Time to cast your ote By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star
Elizabeth Vroom emerges from the water jump on her way to setting a new meet record in the Open Girls Steeplechase at the National Capital high school track and field championships last week. See story page 17.
Ontario voters will be heading to the polls next Thursday to cast their ballot in the June 2 provincial election. The most recent polls show a strong indication that Doug Ford’s Conservative government will hold on to power for a second straight term but with fewer seats than they held previously. The Conservatives could lose as many as a half dozen seats in ridings that were previously held by the Liberals. The Liberals are expected to gain as many as 20 seats, mostly at the expense of the NDP whose status in the polls has been on the decline since the leadership debate. Heading into the election, the Conservatives held 76 seats, the NDP 40 seats, the Liberals seven seats and the Green Party one seat. Whether or not the Liberals will be able to leapfrog the NDP and regain official opposition status is one of the things to watch for next
Thursday night. One seat the Liberals won’t have to worry about is here in Orléans where incumbent Stephen Blais is expected to win quite handily. Blais was first elected to Queen’s Park in a by-election in 2020 when he was able to capture more than 55 per cent of the vote running against local Conservative candidate Natalie Montgomery. His main opponent this time around is Melissa Felián, who was parachuted into the riding by the Conservative Party from Markham when a local candidate couldn’t be found. The NDP are pinning their hopes on lifelong Orléans resident and labour activist Gabe Bourdon, while the Green Party has long-time party organizer and Orléans resident Michelle Petersen as their candidate. Other names on the ballot include New Blue candidate Liam Randall, Libertarian Ken Lewis and Ontario Party candidate Vince Clements.
COMMUNITY BRIEFS
So-called ‘fringe’ candidates give voters an alternative to traditional party choices By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star
Lion Ross Bradley (bottom right) is surrounded by his family after receiving the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award. The Melvin Jones Fellowship is the highest form of recognition within the Lions Club and embodies humanitarian ideas consistent with the nature and purpose of Lionism. Mr. Bradley becomes just the 12th person to be awarded with the Fellowship by the Navan Lions Club. PHOTO COURTESY OF TOM DEVECSERI
Art Fair returns to St. Helen’s Anglican Church this weekend ORLÉANS – St. Helen’s Anglican Church will be welcoming artists and art lovers alike later this month when it hosts it’s annual Art Fair on Saturday, May 28. Last year, despite having to go virtual due to the pandemic, the Fair showcased over 130 works of fine art by 18 local artists and contributed more than $2,000 to the local arts community and $1,400 to St. Helen’s charitable ministry. The St. Helen’s Art Fair may be one of the first in-person gallery shows since the COVID closures in 2021 so all of the artists are excited about being at the event. You can preview the art work at www.sthelensartfair.ca or follow the latest news on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sthelensartfair.
All systems go for Blackburn Fun Fair from June 3-5 ORLÉANS – It’s back. The Blackburn Fun Fair makes it’s highly anticipated return next weekend after a three year hiatus due to the COVID pandemic. The Fair kicks off on Friday, June 3 with the opening if the Midway at 5 p.m. A screening of the 2022 feature film Sing 2 will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Lois Kemp Arena and the band The Wild Cards will perform on the main stage from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Friday night is also Craft Beer Night with 12-ounce samples being provided in the Beer Garden by the Stray Dog Brewery, the Orléans Brewing Co., and Broadhead Brewery for $7 each. Saturday’s schedule kicks off with a Pancake Breakfast in the arena from 7a.m. to 10 a.m., followed by the Fair Parade which will follow the traditional route down Bearbrook Road from École secondaire Louis-Riel to the fairgrounds starting at 10 a.m. There will also be a used book sale and a silent auction, both held in the arena from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The main stage entertainment will culminate with a performance by the ABBA tribute band S.O.S. The Abba Experience at 8 p.m. followed by a fireworks display at 10 p.m. For a complete rundown on all the attractions, visit blackburnfunfairca.
2 • May 26, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 27
They are often referred to as “fringe” candidates, but alternative party candidates play a key role in providing largely disenfranchised voters with an option to cast their ballot outside the traditional parties. Voters in Orléans have three alternative candidates to consider when casting their ballots. Liam Randall is the local candidate for the New Blue Party of Ontario. The party was founded by former Conservative MPP Belinda Karahalios and her husband after she was kicked out of the party for voting against Bill Liam 195 – a bill that Randall allowed Premier Ford’s government to extend or amend COVID-related emergency orders without consulting the legislature – in 2020. A key aspect of the party’s founding platform, called “The New Blueprint”, is to end all COVID-19 measures and ban vaccine mandates. Most of their 124 candidates were vocal opponents of the COVID-19 restrictions including mandatory face mask
requirements. According to Randall’s LinkedIn profile which was recently removed, he worked as a public health inspector for the Eastern Ontario Health Unit. He also promotes freedom of speech and “bodily accountability” on his Twitter account. Ken Lewis is the Libertarian candidate. He last ran for the Libertarian Party in the 2020 by-election in Ottawa-Vanier. According to his bio, Lewis is a businessman and former journalist with the nowdefunct Ottawa East News. The Libertarian Ken Lewis Party’s platform is based on freedom of choice, personal responsibility and mutual respect. Like the New Blue Party, they are also against COVID restrictions and vaccine mandates. The third alternate candidate on the ballot is Vince Clements, who is representing the Ontario Party which was founded in 2018 on the basis of social and fiscal conservativism and right-wing populism with ties to rightwing Christian groups, anti-vaccination advocates, and organizers of the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa.
CORRECTION In last week’s profile of Green Party candidate Michelle Petersen, we incorrectly listed her website address as www.manonparot.ca. It is, in fact, https://gpo.ca/ candidate/michelle-petersen/. Manon Parot was the Green Party candidate in the 2020 by-election. The Orléans Star wishes to apologize to Michelle Petersen and her supports for this error and any inconvenience it may have caused.
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Orléans incumbent lays out Liberal Party platform
Conservative candidate addresses Orléans residents
Stephen Blais is the current Liberal MPP in Orléans. He was first elected to Queen’s Park in a by-election in 2020. Prior to that he served on Ottawa city council for 10 years representing Cumberland Ward. He is fluently bilingual and a life-long resident of the community. He is married to his wife Marta and the couple have a 10-year-old son Stephen Jr. 1) What is your strongest personal trait and how will it make you an effective MPP? My strongest personal trait is that I love our community. Orléans has always been my home – where I grew up and where I am now raising my family. It pained me to witness all those years when Orléans was continuously ignored. And will always fight for it. I will always fight to ensure we receive our fair share of investments from the taxes we pay! 2) Please list what you believe are the top three issues in the riding and why is the first issue on your list your number one priority and what do you plan to do about it? The top three issues from a provincial perspective in Orléans is re-uploading of Hwy 174, expansion of the Orléans Health Hub and building of much-needed schools for our growing communities. The re-uploading of Hwy 174 is paramount for our community for a number of reasons. Our residents know all too well of wasted time commuting. The re-uploading will save time in order for residents to spend time at home with family, relaxing and other personal priorities. It will also ease property taxes for Orléans residents and treat Hwy. 174 like other provincial highways such as the 416. This means that it will receive investments from taxpayers across the province, not
Melissa Felián is the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party candidate in Orléans. A co-resident of both Markham and Ottawa, she is running in the ward at the behest of the Party. She previously ran in the 2021 federal election in the riding of Markham-Thornhill, where she finished a distant second to Liberal incumbent Mary Ng. According to her LinkedIn profile, the 28-year-old Felián is a senior policy adviser at Natural Resources Canada for Direct Foreign Investment. Despite being sent the same questionnaire as the other candidates, Ms. Feliàn elected to provide readers of the Orléans Star with the following statement. “As a public servant that deals with complex research projects and initiatives, I know that there are many different perspectives on issues facing our community. I seek to learn from everyone to gain a more complete understanding of people’s concerns so I can be an effective advocate for our community. “As your MPP, I would be a dedicated representative for our community at Queen’s Park and would continue to build on the PCs momentum in rebuilding Ontario’s economy, building highways and key infrastructure, and keeping costs down for families and businesses. “For too long, the people of Ottawa have been stuck in gridlock, losing precious time with their families – and costing billions to the province’s economy. This has to change. “Doug Ford and the PCs are getting shovels in the ground faster on building key highways, transit and other infrastructure projects to fight gridlock, boost the economy and create jobs. This includes rehabilitating five bridges on Highway 417
just Ottawa property taxes, resulting in safety upgrades and carpool lanes. Lastly, it will ensure Orléans is treated as equal to residents in Ottawa and across the province. 2) Please list the three most important planks in your party’s platform. In my view, our party’s three most important planks include economic dignity for all Ontarians, a province where Ontarians grow healthy and to make Ontario a leader once again in education. Stephen We need to Blais reverse the lasting impacts of the pandemic and it needs to be in a responsible manner. People want to work and we can no long afford to ignore building the green economy. Ontario was once a bright star nationally and internationally in many economic sectors and now we simply are not competing. How many surgeries and treatments were delayed because of the pandemic? How many people are suffering because of this impact? How much longer can these people take? We need immediate action to clear these backlogs. Parents know all too well the impacts from the pandemic on our students. Our students are not better off and unless we address the issues, the ramifications will be felt for decades. I, for one, cannot turn my back on kids and their parents. You can learn more about Stephen Blais and the Liberal Party platform at www.stephenblais.com.
from Ottawa Road 174 to Walkley Road. “Doug Ford and the Ontario PCs have a plan to keep Ontario open, giving families and small businesses the certainty they deserve. “This includes making unprecedented investments in our health care system. “As part of our plan to invest Melissa $40 billion over Felián the next 10 years in hospital infrastructure, we are supporting the redevelopment of the existing hospital and regional trauma centre on a new site for the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus, to expand access to programs and services as well as meet bed capacity needs. This will provide residents with the quality care they need and deserve. “While many families are living paycheque to paycheque, and the dream of homeownership has become out of reach for many. Doug Ford and Ontario’s PC Party have a plan to help keep costs down by building more homes, making it less expensive to drive and providing targeted tax relief. “Our plan to get it done helped over 100,000 new homes start construction last year, the highest in more than 30 years. But there is more work to do. That’s why we have a plan to build 1.5 million new homes over the next 10 years. “Together, we will get it done for the people of Ottawa.” You can learn more about Melissa Felián and the Ontario PC platform at https://orleans.ontariopc.ca.
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May 26, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 27 • 3
Time to celebrate Normally, I would use this space to offer my opinion about next week’s provincial election, but I honestly find it too depressing. Elections are one of the most disheartening things about this country, especially once you come to the realization that no matter who you vote for, nothing ever changes. And they call it democracy. I realized a long time ago that we are one of the greatest countries in the world in spite of our elected leaders, not because of them. So, enough about politics. What I truly excited about is the return of in-person events. After suffering through two years of cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, things are finally returning to normal, which means Ottawa will once again be alive with outdoor festivals and events throughout the spring and summer. In fact, 2022 is officially the year of the festival. And in celebration, I plan to go to as many as I possibly can, starting with the Orléans Craft Beer Festival, which is being held from June 9-11. The festival is organized by hometown boy Kevin Hurtubise who took a bath when the 2020 festival had to be canceled. The fact that he managed to survive and has kept the festival alive is nothing short of a miracle. Hopefully, it will be a sellout. Other festivals and events I am looking forward to are the Blackburn Fun Fair on June 3-5; the Ottawa Fringe Festival from June 15-26; the Dragon Boat Festival from June 23-26; the Ottawa Jazz Festival from June 24 to July 3; and the Bluesfest from July 7-17. One of the things that makes Canada one of the best countries in the world is our diversity which is reflected every summer in a series of cultural festivals starting with Italian Week which is being held on Preston Street from June 9-19. Other cultural festivals that are not to be missed are the Lebanese Festival from July 13-17; the South Asisan Fest from July 22-24; Carivibe on July 24 in the Byward Market and Greek Fest which will be held from Aug. 5-7 and Aug. 12-15. Other festivals and events which you need to put in your calendar include O Canada Orléans on July 1 on Petrie Island; the H.O.P.E. Volleyball SummerFest from July 15-17; the Ottawa Chamberfest from July 21 to Aug. 4; and History Fest on Aug. 6 and 7 at Ottawa City Hall. On top of all the festivals and events, you can now go see Ottawa’s newest baseball franchise, the Ottawa Titans at RCGT Park on Coventry Road; the Ottawa RedBlacks, whose season begins on May 27; and Ottawa Atletico which has two wins, two losses and two ties after their first six games. Golf fans can still buy tickets to the LPGA Canadian Women’s Open, which is being held at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club from Aug. 22-28. The chance to get out and celebrate the end of the pandemic are endless. So what are you waiting for? Let’s party! – Fred Sherwin, editor
Fredrick C. Sherwin, Editor & Publisher fsherwin@orleansstar.ca The Orléans Star is a bi-weekly publication distributed to 44,000 residences in Blackburn Hamlet, Orléans and Navan. The newspaper is locally owned and operated by Sherwin Publishing Inc., 745 Farmbrook Cres., Orléans, ON. Inquiries and delivery issues should be sent to info@orleansstar.ca.
4 • May 26, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 27
Nominations now being accepted for the QE2 Platinum Jubilee pins To all the mothers in Orléans, I hope you had a as he presented a cheque of $100,000 dollars for the lovely Mother’s Day, surrounded by your loved ones Orléans Health Hub. and family. As a Rotarian myself, I want to congratulate I am pleased to share with Orléans residents and fellow you that we are welcoming two Rotarians Julia Ginley and Orléans residents, Nodin Nganji Gayle Oudeh for receiving the and Jélila Ghogomu, to our Paul Harris Society Fellowship team for the summer months Award by local resident and through the Summer LeaderDistrict Governor Fay Campbell ship Program. Moreover, the at the District Conference on Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary May 7. Marie-France Lalonde Program has allowed 41 young As you may know, this year talented women to flee the war marks the Platinum Jubilee for a short period of time to come to Canada for of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrating the an internship. Until the end of June, they are being 70th anniversary of her accession to the Throne. As a paired with interested members of parliament to ex- Member of Parliament, I would like to invite you to perience our democratic system. I am very humble nominate outstanding community leaders that have to introduce Alina Marchenko, Ukrainian national, dedicated years of engagement in Orléans. Please to our Parliament Hill office. send a short email explaining the reason of your I want to take the opportunity for this monthly nomination. I will be presenting a Platinum Jubilee column to recognized some of our community mem- Pins to the successful recipients. bers for their generosity, volunteerism, engagement, With restrictions being lifted, more activities and and services to our country. event are taking place in our beautiful community. It was great to join Orléans veterans on April 30 I am thrilled to let you know that I will be hosting at the 98th Commemoration Dinner of the Royal my Annual Senior Strawberry Social on Saturday Canadian Air Force Orléans Branch 632. I took June 25. More details will be shared in the coming the opportunity to thank President Ken Green and weeks. congratulate the incoming president as of June 1, If you want to receive my bi-monthly newsDianne Higgins. letter, please let us know by sending an email at On May 4, I joined M. Claude L’Heureux, owner Marie-France.Lalonde@parl.gc.ca. of the Canadian Tire store on Innes Road, and repre**La version française est maintenant disponible sentatives of the Montfort Hospital and Foundation sur ma page Facebook**
Commons Corner
Bucket list trip to New Orleans exceeds all expectations The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival has been on my bucket list for the past 20 years, ever since someone told me that if I want to go to the Big Easy, I should go during the festival and not Mardi Gras, which is the more famous event the city is known for. The Jazz and Heritage Festival is known for being one of the most eclectic music festivals in the world. When countries started lifting their travel restrictions in late January and early February and festival after festival announced they would be back in business in 2022, I started thinking about my bucket list and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Out of a sense of curiosity, I checked out the festival website to see who would be performing at the festival this year was amazed to see a lineup that I just couldn’t ignore – Willie Nelson, Buddy Guy, Stevie Nicks, Jimmy Buffett, Ricky Skaggs, Wayne Toups, The Black Crowes, Kool and the Gang, Luke Combs, Nora Jones, Boz Scaggs, Samantha Fish and Ziggy Marley to name just a few. I bought a ticket for the first weekend and booked my flight using my TD Visa Aeroplan card. Thank God for Aeroplan. The anticipation kept building between the
Up Front Fred Sherwin day I purchased my ticket and the release of the detailed schedule which indicated who would be playing where and when. The festival features 12 main stages along with a Kids Tent and a Native American Pow Wow Circle. My excitement over seeing some of my favourite musical artists and bands quickly turned into an anxiety attack when I realized that a number of the acts I wanted to see would be appearing on different stages at the same time. For instance, Willie Nelson and Buddy Guy were both to play at the same time at opposite ends of the festival grounds. Tough choice. Fortunately, the musical conflicts were limited. The decision-making was eventually made easier when Willie Nelson had to cancel, leaving me free to watch Buddy
Guy, conscience-free. But then Melissa Etheridge also canceled and was replaced by the legendary Mavis Staples. Seems like a dream come true until you realize that she was scheduled at the same time as Stevie Nicks. It took me a day at the festival to come to peace with the fact that you can’t be everywhere at the same time. I would be watching one act and be constantly worried about the acts I was missing, which made it very hard to enjoy the moment. When I finally let go and accepted the reality of the situation, it made the festival much more enjoyable... and what a festival. The highlights are almost too numerous to mention, but I’ll give it a whirl. Buddy Guy was amazing, especially considering he’s 85 years old. Mavis Staples at 82 and Irma Thomas at 81 were also in prime form. Stevie Nicks was marvelous of course. So was Ziggy Marley and Ricky Skaggs. And then there were the surprises, which make every festival truly magical. Cimafunk is an Afro-Cuban performer from Cuba, who is in the top three of my favourite performances along with blues pianist Marcia Ball, whose song “Louisiana 1967”, brought tears to people’s eyes. A dozen of the world musicians from the
YouTube project “Playing for Change”, were also there and their performance of “Gimme Shelter” was a true highlight. But my number one favourite was blues artist Samantha Fish, who played one of those sets that will be remembered for years to come. The other highlight was the food. New Orleans is famous for its food and the festival had it all – gumbo, jambalaya, Po’ Boy sandwiches, crawfish étoufée, beignets, bread pudding and on and on. The entire festival was beyond all my expectations and my expectations were already pretty high. It didn’t hurt that the weather was picture perfect for all four days. I asked someone who had been to over a dozen festivals if this year’s event was any different than past festivals and he said absolutely. What made it different was the pandemic. Most of the performers hadn’t played in front of a live audience in over two years and most of the patrons hadn’t been to an outdoor festival during the same period. As the saying goes, you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone. This year’s festival was a celebration of what everyone had missed for far too long. This is indeed the year of the festival. Get out enjoy one, or as many as you can. I know I will.
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Event schedule beginning to fill up Significant road resurfacing up in Beacon Hill, Cyrville Ward projects underway in Innes Ward As always, we’re in for a mixed bag this Ottawa adapt and work to rebuild the sense spring as we weather heatwaves and sunny of community that felt missing at times over days amongst the cooler rainy days. the past two and a half years. I hope everyone was able to enjoy some My office has been non-stop working of the many splash pads to prepare for our 10th that opened early for anniversary of our Celethe past weeks’ heat brate Summer Community Tim and got some quality Fair. Tierney outdoors time. It’s been It’s been a couple years busy across the city as delayed, but this time the street sweepers have we are back and ready Beacon Hill-Cyrville Ward 11 been a bit behind this to celebrate better than year, but they are out doing good work and ever! The fair will be held on June 3 and I’m looking forward to it being done in all June 4 behind the Earl Armstrong Arena at our neighbourhoods. 2020 Ogilvie Rd. It’s been endless in my office between I am personally most excited for the live council, committee and community. I’m entertainment and the karaoke as we’ve happy to be tackling as much as I can, and always had some great talent come out to it’s been so rewarding to get back out and show off their voices and their lungs. If you see people in the community, connecting want more information about the fair you with residents and celebrating anything we can visit www.csfair.ca. can these days. This year is all about connecting with It’s been so important to take our time community, so make sure to keep in the and be respectful of each other as we’ve loop and come out to your neighbourhood been transitioning to a more normal state events whenever you have the chance! I of being and I’m proud to see the people of look forward to seeing you there.
6 • May 26, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 27
An exciting milestone has been reached its condition to an acceptable standard is of this week with the start of Phase 2 of the benefit to the entire east end. Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard South resurfacing Innes Road will also see another phase of project. resurfacing work this summer. The section This project is a huge between the Blackburn investment toward rejuBypass and Orléans venating one of the Boulevard will see a Laura largest pieces of aging complete resurfacing in Dudas road infrastructure in our the west and east-bound community. lanes. The $2-million project Innes will see a Innes Ward 2 will see the entire section “discontinuous” repaving of road between Champneuf Drive and treatment between Frank Bender and Mer Innes Road resurfaced. This major project Bleue roads, addressing any remaining will also include some much-needed repairs sections of road needing work left following to many curbs and sidewalks, as well as earlier construction phases. repairs to ironworks. For those wondering about potential I have heard from countless residents impacts to their commute, there will be just how important it is that this road repair no lane closures during peak travel times, work is fast-tracked. and I have asked that pedestrian access be I am so glad that I could work with City maintained at all times during the scheduled staff and the Mayor’s office to have the work. timeline for the project advanced. As one of Like many of you, I look forward to the only complete north-south connections seeing both projects being completed later in the Ward, as well as a major transit route, this summer, repairing these major roads in it is an understatement to say that bringing our community.
Orléans knitting group aids Ukraine refugees By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star When Orléans resident Eileen McCaughey first read a story about Victoria Chechui and her decision to sponsor Ukrainian war refugee Nataliia Shemlei and her nine-yearold son Tymur in the Ottawa Citizen, she knew she found a new cause for her knitting group Busy Fingers. Based out of McCaughey’s Fallingbrook home, Busy Fingers is composed of more than 100 members who knit hundreds of items every year for more than 30 charities. Last year, they donated more than 2,000 items to veterans’ groups, seniors’ homes and women’s shelters. Victoria Chechui is a Ukrainian-born Ottawa businesswoman who immigrated to Canada more than 30 years ago. Despite the time and distance, she has been able to maintain a number of close relationships including with her friend Roman who is Shemlei’s husband. When the war broke out in her native country, Chechui reached out to her old friend and suggested he and his family relocate to Ottawa until the conflict was over. Roman elected to stay and fight along side
his fellow countrymen, but he took up her offer to take his wife and son in. The journey from Kyiv to Ottawa took more than a month and went through Moldova, Romania and Turkey. Now in Ottawa, Natalie and Tymur are still adjusting to their surroundings, which includes English lessons. When McCaughey read about the Shemlei’s odyssey, she immediately felt a need to do something. She first called the local Ukrainian church to see if she could donate some of her group’s knitting to area refugees through them, but they wanted to sell the items and buy food with the proceeds rather than give the items away. This didn’t sit well with McCaughey since the group has an unspoken rule not to sell any of their knitting to anyone. She then called Chechui and asked her if she would be willing to accept a few knitted items and give them away to Ukrainian refugees who will be relocating to Ottawa until after the war. Chechui immediately accepted. What started out as few items turned into over 200 knitted hats, scarves, mittens and even dolls. They even threw in more than
Eileen McCaughey stands with Victoria Chechui in front of some of the more than 200 items being donated by the Busy Fingers knitting group to Ukrainian refugees relocating in Ottawa. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO 60 tote bags sewn together by Busy Finger’s only male member, Roland Laframboise. As an added touch, the group sewed or knitted the Ukrainian flag on each item. And while they may not be needed during
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May 26, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 27 • 9
10 • May 26, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 27
5369 Canotek Rd. 613-841-7867 • www.stitchco.ca
Local athletes shine at high school T&F championships
Timeo Atonfo from École secondaire Gisèle-Lalonde soars through the air on his way to winning the novice boys long jump at the NCSSAA track and field championships last week. STAR PHOTO
By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star Area high school athletes put their best feet forward at the National Capital Secondary School Athletic Association track and field championships last week, winning a bevy of events and taking another step forward in qualifying for the OFSAA provincial championships taking place in Toronto on June 2-4. Dustin Coldrey from Colonel By Secondary School lead the way with first place performances in all three throwing events in the junior boys division, Coldrey won the shot put event with a throw of 12.13 metres, 40 centimetres farther than the next closest competitor. He then won the javelin event by more than a
metre with a toss of 31.51 metres. His third win came in the junior boys discus throw which he won with a throw of 33.77 metres. Coldrey wasn’t the only triple winner from the east end. Gisèle-Lalonde’s Timeo Atonfo won the novice boys 300-metre intermediate hurdles with a time of 44.51 seconds. He then won the long jump with a leap of 6.05 metres, which was more than 40 centimetres farther than Aleem Khaida from Colonel By who placed second. After getting a good night’s sleep, Atonfo returned to the Mooney’s Bay track on Friday and easily won the novice boys 100-metre hurdles in a time of 15.61 seconds. This is the first year that Atonfo is CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
May 26, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 27 • 11
Kyle Waldrum from Cairine Wilson Secondary School won the senior boys high jump with a leap of 1.75 metres. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO
More than 60 east end athletes qualify for East Regional meet Continued from page 12
competing in hurdles. He previously specialized in the 100-metre and 200-metre sprints while a student at École élémentaire L’Odyssée. Not surprisingly, he’s pretty happy with his decision to switch disciplines. Other multiple event winners from the east end include Danica Mulvihill from École secondaire Louis-Riel who finished first in both the senior girls 100-metres and the 80-metre hurdles, and Daniel Cove, also from Louis-Riel who won the novice boys 1500- and 3000-metre races. The performance of the day was turned in by Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School Grade 12 student Elizabeth Vroom who set a new National Capital high school record in the Open Girls 2000-metre Steeplechase with a time of 7:13.57, shaving more than 20 seconds off the old record set in 2019 – and it was only her third time competing in the event. She also qualified for this weeks East
Regional meet in the senior girls 1500- and 3000-metres, finishing second in both events. The top six finishers in each event get to move on to the Regionals which is the final step to qualifying for OFSAA. In total, more than 60 athletes from the east end managed to qualify for the East Regionals which are taking place this week at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility at Mooney’s Bay. Only the top four finishers at Regionals will get to go to OFSAA. Among the hopefuls are Chloe Charron from Louis-Riel who placed first in the junior girls 200-metres; Kyle Waldrum from Cairine Wilson, who won the senior boys high jump; Maxine Millaire from Collège Mer-Bleue who won the junior girls shot put; Ibrahim Domiati from Louis-Riel who placed first in the novice boys 400-metres; Aleem Khaida from Colonel By, who won the novice boys triple jump; and Mukhtar Raji also from Colonel By who placed first in the junior boys 100-metre hurdles.
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12 • May 26, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 27
THE WILLOW VEIN CLINIC
DINING OUT
By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star (In the May 12 edition of the Orléans Star we incorrectly published the wrong version of our story about Meatings Barbecue. It was the original draft and not the finished version. Below is what should have been published. – FS) It’s hard to believe that it’s been 10 years since Meatings Barbecue founder Mat Flosse bought his first smoker. The Cumberland native had recently dropped out of university and wanted to capitalize on the reputation he had earned for making lip-smacking ribs and the juiciest pulled pork while cooking in his Dad’s backyard for friends and family. At the time, he asked his father for a loan to start a BBQ catering business, but his father had a better idea – he told Mat to sell his recently-bought car and buy a trailer with a pig roaster on it instead. He could then pull the trailer with his father’s truck which he agreed to lend Mat. It didn’t take long for Meatings to take off as word spread about his product. Within a few months Mat’s brother Joey joined him and together they grew the business one customer and one event at a time. By the end of that first summer Mat had made enough money to buy his own truck.
He would add a second truck and a roaster by the following year. The brothers were eventually joined by family friend Carol Hunt and together they opened the original Meatings restaurant on St. Joseph Blvd. Joey would eventually leave the business to pursue other interests, but Mat and Carol continued on together and within a few years they had outgrown the St. Joseph Blvd. location. That’s when they moved the restaurant and the catering kitchen and set up shop in their current location in the Canotek Business Park. To maintain their Orléans presence, they partnered with Broadhead Brewery and started providing their food to the taproom customers. The best part of the collaboration, Broadhead brewed two Meatings Barbecue Beers; Ribs & Brisket that pair perfectly with their meats. More recently, they opened a second restaurant in the Richcraft Sensplex on Shefford Road which has two golf simulators on-site so patrons can play a virtual round of golf while enjoying their BBQ ribs, beef brisket, or pulled pork. The establishment is also outfitted with a number of large screen TVs which makes it the perfect place to watch the Stanley Cup playoffs or whatever sport your heart desires.
PHOTOS SUPPLIED
Celebrating 10 years serving up mouth-watering BBQ
While the new restaurant is already a massive success, Mat is still committed to the catering side of the business. After all, that’s the backbone, rib bone and pork shoulder of Meatings. It’s what put the business on the map and made the restaurants possible. Besides running the catering side of the business, Mat gets some of his greatest satisfaction out of coming up with new menu items with his scratch kitchen team and hearing the feedback from loyal customers.
Anyone who follows their Facebook page can attest to the fact that they are creating new dishes on an almost daily basis. Their most recent concoction was a Chili Cheese Sausage Poutine. To help celebrate their 10th anniversary they are doing a number of giveaways with businesses that have helped them out along the way such as the Domaine Perrault Winery and Top Shelf Distillery. To learn more visit facebook.com/meatingsbarbecue.
Portuguese-themed café opens in Blackburn Hamlet By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star East end residents now have a second Portuguese eatery to call home. Caravela Restuarante on Innes Road has been a popular fine-dining establishment ever since they first opened their doors on Boxing Day, 2017. It has now been joined by Olitos Café, which opened earlier this month in Blackburn Hamlet, specializing in a more informal style of Portuguese cuisine – Portuguese BBQ. Co-owned by long-time friends Dinis Oliveira, Jason Matos and Paolo Faria, the café serves mostly lunch fare, desserts and coffee. Oliveira and Matos both thought about opening their own restaurants in 2019 after the popular Portuguese hangout Café Cacao closed its doors on Montreal Road. Rather than be competitors, the pair decided to join forces and brought Faria into the fold along with chef José Lemos. Together, they’ve created a wonderful hide-a-way that has several large screen TVs to watch your favourite sport on.
The “Slow Opening” menu includes a Bifana sandwich, which is a traditional Portuguese sandwich with marinated pork served on a Portuguese bun; Piri-Piri Chicken; and a Chourizo sandwich. The desserts include Bolo de Arroz, a Portuguese rice cake, Bola de Belen, which is a round donut filled with traditional Portuguese cream and the Pastel de Nata Portuguese custard tart. The “Slow Opening” menu will soon be replaced by a bigger menu with a much larger selection. Chef Lemos plans to add a Prego Steak Sandwich to the list as well as a Bitoque, which is an 8oz steak served with a fried egg on top and your choice of fries, rice or salad. and the Francesinha, which is the Portuguese version of the Prescott Tavern’s meatball sandwich. It’s made up of a combination of three different meats – usually chourizo, cured ham and steak – served on a bun and covered with melted cheese and a hot and thick spiced tomatoand-beer sauce. Lemos also plans to come up with a series of daily specials including a fish dish every Friday and Saturday.
Denise Oliveira is one of the servers at Olitos Café (inset) located at 110 Bearbrook Rd. (corner of Innes) in Blackburn Hamlet. STAFF PHOTO Future plans call for a Portuguese deli and grocery and specialty food store next door and an expanded menu offering traditional Portuguese BBQ. While the café was still awaiting a liquor
license as of the printing of this paper, they were expecting to get a temporary license any day now. To learn more, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/groups/176781914550520.
May 26, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 27 • 13
ADVERTORIAL
The secret to worry-free motoring is prevention (NC) – Springtime is the perfect time to let the auto pros at Precision Automotive give your vehicle a thorough bumper-to-bumper check-up to prevent any headaches down the road. It’s also the perfect time to consider buying a new set of all-season tires. It’s also not too late to switch your winter tires for summer tires. But what if your summer tires are on their last legs? Why wait till it’s too late? Don’t risk getting a flat tire or a blowout, which more often than not, happens at the worst possible time. Precision Automotive can make a quick assessment of your existing tires and suggest replacements if needed as well as present you with a variety of options to suit your budget. You can also have them fill your tires with nitrogen which can improve your fuel economy by up to 10% and increase your tire life by 30%. Besides checking your tires, the technicians at Precision will also check your vehicle’s brakes, cooling system, fluid levels and all your drive belts and hoses. There is nothing more frustrating or annoying than losing a drive belt or blowing
a hose in the middle of nowhere. Not only is it inconvenient, but it can cost you a potentially expensive towing bill. The spring is also the perfect time to change your worn out wiper blades, top up your wiper fluid, change your cabin air filter, check your tires’ air pressure and see if you need an alignment. Ottawa is notorious for having some of the worst potholes in Canada and potholes are notoriously bad for your suspension and especially your wheel alignment, which can cause uneven wear and greatly reduce your vehicle’s mileage. With 10 bays, four licensed technicians and two apprentice technicians, Precision is the largest service centre in Eastern Ontario. They also have the expertise to service any make and model of vehicle. So why not take advantage of their expertise and have your vehicle checked out today to avoid the chance of a potential headaches tomorrow? As the saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Precision Automotive owner Rob Brouwer and his staff have been providing peace of
With 10 bays, four licensed technicians and two apprentice technicians, Precision Automotive is one of the largest service centres in Eastern Ontario. FILE PHOTO mind along with honest service and honest value for over 26 years. They offer an industry-leading 2 year/40,000km warranty on most newly installed parts and labour. Precision Automotive is located at
385 Vantage Dr. behind the McDonald’s at Innes and Tenth Line Road. You can also visit their web site at theautopros.ca or call them at 613-841-5550. Happy motoring.
DRINKS - FOOD - LIVE MUSIC
JUNE 9-11, 2022 TICKETS AND DETAILS AT
WWW.ORLEANSFESTIVALS.CA GET 25% OFF YOUR THURSDAY NIGHT TICKET WITH PROMO CODE ORLEANSSTAR 14 • May 26, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 27
IN MEMORIAM
COMMUNITY BILLBOARD THURSDAY, MAY 26 ORLÉANS FARMER’S MARKET from 11 am to 4 pm in the parking lot at the Ray Friel Recreation Complex on Tenth Line Road featuring local food vendors and producers.
anniversary while supporting the Orléans-Cumberland Resource Centre food bank. Lots of items to bid on in the silent auction. Make a cash donation or bring a non-perishable food item! Live entertainment provided by Garden Variety.
SATURDAY, MAY 28 ST. HELEN’S ANGLICAN CHURCH ART FAIR returns to the Navan Fair Grounds from 10 am to 3 pm with more than 140 fine works of art created by 16 local artists. You can preview the art for sale at sthelensartfair.ca. St, Helen’s Church is located at 1234 Prestone Dr. in Queenswood Heights.
SUNDAY, MAY 29 THE ORIGINAL NAVAN MARKET returns to the Navan Fair Grounds from 10 am to 5 pm with more than 150 local vendors and artisans. Come and see why the Original Navan Markey has become on of the most popular outdoor markets in Eastern Ontario.
ROYAL OAK DAY PATIO BBQ at the Royal Oak Orléans located at the corner of St. Joseph Blvd. and Jeanne d’Arc. Come out and celebrate Royal Oak’s
JUNE 3, 4 and 5 BLACKBURN FUN FAIR returns to Blackburn Hamlet with a carnival-style midway, music, local vendors, a used book fair,
beer garden and fireworks. For more information visit www. blackburnfunfair.ca. JUNE 9, 10 and 11 ORLÉANS CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL from 4 p.m. to 11 pm at the Orléans Town Centre Plaza on Centrum Blvd. Advance tickets $27.03 - $48.59 available at eventbrite.com/e/ 300215942967. FRIDAY, JUNE 10 ORLÉANS LIONS CLUB SPAGHETTI DINNER FUNDRAISER from 5 p.m. in the St. Joseph Church Hall, 2757 St. Joseph Blvd. Tickets $15 for adults and $5 for children under 12. (Discounts for groups of 6). They are available from Lion Jean-Paul at 613-830-7035; Lion Claude at 613-513-8720; Lion Bert 613-8304700; or Lion Gerry 613-323-1784.
Amir Farah (née Raffoul), 74 Passed away on April 29, 2022 Armaan Kullar, 37 Passed away on April 28, 2022 Richard Charles Bandla, 75 Passed away on April 25, 2022
www.heritagefh.ca/obituaries
BUSINESS DIRECTORY HELP WANTED
We are currently looking for cooks, servers and event stuff for catering. Please send resumes to careers@meatings.ca.
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May 26, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 27 • 15
Beautiful Townhomes Are Bringing Us Together
Discover them today in Cardinal Creek Village and
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16 • May 26, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 27