APRIL 17, 2020 VOL. 25 NO. 4 THE CENTRETOWN BUZZ

Brett Delmage/The BUZZ Ottawa drags feet on pedestrian safety

Alayne McGregor can simply step out into the parts of Bank Street do have though he did say he would “bump outs” on Bank Street: street to keep far enough wider sidewalks, McKenney support creating “pods” “one in front of the Shoppers ow can you safely away to avoid infection. said, “but then if you look around grocery stores and Drug Mart on Bank at Glad- stay two metres This is not easy on Bank across the street, the side- pharmacies to allow pedes- stone (eliminating maybe 2 H away from another Street with its heavier ve- walk will be 1.8m, maybe trians more space for very parking spots), the other on person on a sidewalk only hicle traffic, large numbers 2m in some cases–so abso- short distances. Somerset just east of Bank at two metres wide? of parked cars–and many pe- lutely not adequate for sever- When the issue was dis- the door to Massine’s (elimi- That’s the question Ot- destrians. al people being able to pass. cussed at City Council on nating 3 parking spots). I de- tawa pedestrians have been Together with Councillor Even two people passing March 25, Watson directed clined to pay for these out of asking themselves since Shawn Menard, McKenney each other, if you’re walking staff that any road closures my office budget since they COVID-19 social distanc- has strongly pushed to have up from behind someone and or sidewalk extensions must are highly insufficient in pro- ing began–and nowhere is it at least one curb/parking pass them, that’s a slow pass. be paid out of councillors’ viding safe physical distance a bigger issue than on Cen- lane of Bank Street, down- “You’re not always go- individual office budgets. for pedestrians walking to tretown’s main shopping town and in the Glebe, real- ing in opposite directions. Last week, McKenney essential services.” street, Bank Street. located to pedestrian traffic. I’ve noticed that when I’m said, she received a sugges- (cont on 7) As Councillor Catherine This would add at least out walking my dog. I will tion from city staff of two McKenney points out, this three metres of additional pass someone and I will step busy street has essential walking space along the street. out to the street because I destinations which residents On Monday, Menard an- know that’s going to take need to get to even in a pan- nounced that the Bank Street me 10 to 15 seconds to get demic, including grocery Bridge at the south end of around someone, so it’s not stores, pharmacies, a pet the Glebe would have its two a safe pass. So the sidewalks food store, and the emer- outer curb lanes dedicated on Bank in certain areas are gency food centre. “And this for pedestrians and active wider, absolutely–but to get is all within a short distance transportation. to each of those essential ser- on a street that people have But that’s the only sec- vices, we need more space.” to walk on. Bank Street has tion of Bank Street so far to Mayor Jim Watson has to be a priority.” be narrowed. consistently opposed nar- On quieter streets, one Some recently rebuilt rowing Bank Street, al- Brett Delmage/The BUZZ Justine Bell: being active and engaged in my community is in my blood The BUZZ goes online To protect the health of our volunteers and Alayne McGregor Justine Bell was sworn Bell is a federal public you, our subscribers The Centretown BUZZ in as the trustee for Zone 10 servant, a senior analyst at is publishing an online-only edition for April entretown has a (Somerset/Kitchissippi) on Global Affairs Canada on 2020 for the first time in our 25-year history. new public school February 18. poverty reduction. C board trustee–who’s She replaces Erica Brau- Her background is in in- We know you look forward to The BUZZ deeply concerned that ev- novan, who resigned in De- ternational development, and landing in your mailbox each month, and that ery student gets the educa- cember. Thirteen candidates she’s led on Canada’s policy you may find this change, in a time when so tion they need to contribute were interviewed for the for engaging civil society much is changing, challenging at first. to society. seat, and trustees chose Bell organizations around the by secret ballot. world, worked on Canada’s We believe you will find that the benefits of efforts in Afghanistan, and this new format, which will allow us to bring volunteered with refugees. you more coverage, more commentary, and She’s also deeply at- more colour than ever before, will make the tached to this neighbour- challenge worthwhile. hood: “when we had our child, we realized this was As a monthly publication we are taking this the best place that we could one issue at a time. We hope you remain safe ever wish to live in Ottawa and healthy until such time that The BUZZ is and probably in Canada if again delivered to your door, and we are not the world.” committed to ensuring that our coverage of She’s lived in Cen- this and other issues important to Centretown tretown for 12 years, cur- continues to inform and entertain you. rently on Cambridge Street North, and her five-year-old Don’t miss an issue!: daughter is in junior kinder- garten at Cambridge Street Download the paper as a PDF: Public School. centretownbuzz.com. When she talked to The BUZZ, she emphasized how Join our mailing list and make sure you don’t much her own family back- miss future online editions of the BUZZ: ground made her want to be- [email protected] come a trustee. “Being active and en- And please let your neighbours and friends gaged in my community is in know that they can read The BUZZ online. my blood.” We don’t want our regular readers to miss a thing--and we hope to reach even more (cont on 11) Centretowners! Guillermo Trejo/The BUZZ 2 AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA APRIL 17, 2020

April 17, 2020 — Vol. 25, No. 4 The Good, the Bad, and the Bumpy

Ryan Lythall abled. Many of them have don’t have access to technol- situation improves and I’m THE addressed a wide range of ogy in order to communicate. given proof that vehicles are e are living in concerns. Below is a list of My heart goes out to being properly cleaned. CENTRETOWN challenging just a handful of issues and them and their loved ones There are other important times. If you’re concerns that people with who are currently experienc- issues as well: for example, BUZZ Wa person who is physi- disabilities are facing right ing this. not being able to effectively cally and/or mentally chal- now. Right now people with practice physical and social AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA SINCE 1995. lenged, life can quickly be- The most important issue disabilities are more affected distancing due to the size of come overwhelming these is ensuring that their caregiv- by public transportation, in- our wheelchairs and other 101-210 Gloucester St. days. ers are practicing good hand- cluding Para Transpo. Not mobility devices, which al- Ottawa, ON For the most part, main- washing technique, includ- much has been said about most completely fill a side- K2P 2K4 stream media has largely ing using hand sanitizer. how the city is tackling the walk. Phone: 613-565-6012 avoided discussing how CO- When the pandemic first issue of keeping the vehicles A good solution for that VID-19 has affected people hit, many people began buy- clean. would be to shut down cer- with disabilities. I will do my ing toilet paper, hand sanitiz- It was recently reported tain roads to traffic and allow www.centretownbuzz.com best to share our story. ers, and other cleaning prod- that a few OC Transpo driv- pedestrians to use them. That twitter.com/centretownbuzz At my end, things have ucts. For most people with ers tested positive for CO- way, we can all do physical facebook.com/centretownbuzz been relatively normal. I live disabilities, we rely on others VID-19, which is scary con- and social distancing while in my own apartment with for hands-on assistance. sidering the number of riders getting groceries or getting BUZZ Staff 24/7 care and I use a venti- It’s vital that our who come in contact with much needed fresh air. lator. caregiver(s) be proactive in drivers, even with new safety One other issue that I Managing editor My number one concern washing their hands and measures in place. want to quickly mention is Alayne McGregor | [email protected] right now is making sure that keeping our places clean, for Para Transpo drivers wheelchair accessible wash- all of my staff stay healthy their health and ours. This in- have much more contact rooms. With everything shut Associate editor and that I provide a safe, volves constantly using hand with passengers: for exam- down, it’s much harder to Eleanor Sawyer healthy, and clean environ- sanitizer. It plays an impor- ple, helping passengers off find them now: damn near ment. tant role in our battle to stay and on their vehicles, and impossible, actually. City Editor: As of this writing, all of healthy. securing a wheelchair or a And finally, I want to Robert Smythe | [email protected] my personal support work- I’m asking all of you to walker with straps. thank everyone who is still ers (PSWs) are healthy and please be mindful of that the For persons using a working, especially those in Distribution manager: have been showing up for next time you go shopping. wheelchair, the driver has to healthcare, including men- Archie Campbell their shifts. As well, all of Also, if you have any extra bend down in front of them tal health. Many of them [email protected] my PSWs have also been hand sanitizer, please con- and behind them to hook the are risking their lives in or- keeping extra clean. I have sider giving a bottle to some- straps to the chair. der to save ours. You are access to N95 masks as well one in need. If you’re unsure If the passenger requires much needed and appreciated. as other protective wear if of who to donate to, please an extra lap belt or shoulder Thank you also to everyone ACKNOWLEDGEMENT the need arises. reach out to me on twitter belt, clearly the driver needs who continues to check in As far as my medical and I’ll be happy to give you to get close enough to do with me and ask if I need The Centretown BUZZ is created and distributed supplies and household sup- that information. that. anything. in Centretown, Ottawa, located on traditional and plies go, most of the places It’s also difficult not being For people who use In closing, I ask everyone unceded Algonquin land. that I deal with are still doing able to have visitors, includ- walkers on Para Transpo, the out there to please be kind, deliveries. ing family and loved ones. A passenger is usually sitting caring, and understanding. Recently, I’ve ventured lot of people are lonely right elsewhere when the driver’s Please reach out to friends, NEXT ISSUE out to grab a few essential now. This is particularly true securing their walker. Less loved ones, and even strang- items, but beside that I’ve for those in long-term-care risky, but still a high risk. ers, even if just to say, “Hey, The next issue of The BUZZ will be published been able to have everything hospitals and homes, group As well, most if not all how are you?” May 15. Deadline for ads and submissions: May 4. delivered. For these reasons, homes, seniors’ care homes, Para Transpo users fall under We’re all in this together ISSN 1204-1604 I consider myself to be one and retirement centres. the category of being extra- and we will all get out of this of the lucky ones. All of these places have vulnerable to COVID-19. together. Let’s make it out ADVERTISING Over the last few weeks, stopped allowing visitors, So, as you can see, proper better than we did going in. I’ve had lots of time to con- except in exceptional cases. cleaning of Para Transpo ve- The BUZZ is proud to offer an effective advertising nect with friends online, For those people, it can be hicles is very important. Find Ryan on Twitter: medium that reaches 10,000 Centretown homes and many of whom are physi- extremely lonely and de- As for me, I’m refusing @rolling_enigma businesses each month. Our competitive advertising rates are cally and/or mentally dis- pressing, particularly if they to take Para Transpo until the as low as $31 per issue. View our rate card and publishing dates at centretownbuzz.com. For more information, email [email protected] or call 613-565-6012. A message from the editor

Thank you to our volunteer carriers Alayne McGregor We decided we couldn’t plan, but we quickly adjust- The theme of this ed to write about the effects Archie Campbell, Bayne Pearen, Betty Gregory, Brendan ife changed abrupt- put our organizers or of the emergency on Cen- issue is “Heroes of Cen- Hennigan, Brent McLean, Carol Sissons, Cassidy Beers, ly just after we pub- volunteer deliverers tretown–and how residents tretown”, and you can Catharine Vandelinde, Catherine Boucher, Charles Akben- lished the March are stepping up to do more. Marchand, Chris Edwards, Craig Layng, Colleen McGuire, L at risk by asking them read about how people David Seaborn, Debbie Barton, Diane Holmes, Don Smith, edition of The Centretown Central Ottawa has Drina Wethey, Eleanor Sawyer, Glynda Newton, Jennifer BUZZ. to pick up and deliver some particular challenges here are stepping up to Bedwell, Kathleen Oliver, Kenney Vandelinde, Kim Mal- Within the space of two paper copies. right now: many apartment- help those least able to colm, Michael Hatfield, Michael Powell, Michelle Kirkman, weeks, all the upcoming dwellers have little access to Mike Gregory, Mindy Sichel, Pam Gahan, Pat Shaulis, shows and events we had The solution: to go on- greenspace; narrower side- cope these days. Patricia Marsden-Dole, Richard Coelho, Robert Smythe, featured in the paper were line with a paper in the same walks and busier roads make Ruth Barrie, Shelley Pearen, Suzanne Nash, Venita Warren, cancelled. format as we’ve always pro- it difficult to self-distance If you can, consider sign- Wendy Bennett, Wendy Hunter, Wendy Sewell, Zsofia The public gatherings we duced, but available for you while getting necessary ing up with the Centretown Orosz, Laura Mueller, Amanda Asquith, Brett Delmage, had planned to cover were to read as a PDF. healthful exercise; many Community Association (see Emily Graves no more. Basic services like Our advertisers were small business owners and page 12) to volunteer to help. libraries, pools, and com- kind enough to continue sup- residents with contingent Please let us know what To join our distribution team, please call munity centres closed, and porting us, so for now we can jobs have seen their income you think of this issue. Could 613-565-6012 or email transit ridership slumped. afford to pay our basic costs dry up; and a higher percent- you read it comfortably? [email protected] Most stores, except for an and keep going. age of homeless people have Was there something else we increasingly tight definition Our regular writers want- suddenly lost basic services. should have covered? of essential, were shuttered. ed to continue. In fact, we’ve We’ve written about We’re always open to The Centretown BUZZ is published by the Centretown BUZZ Board What could go online, or received more articles than those issues this month. And, your ideas: of Directors, a group consisting of community offer takeout or delivery, did; usual, including from new for those who need a break [email protected] members representing all residents of Centretown. what couldn’t, ended. contributors. from constant COVID-19 The Centretown BUZZ operates under the guidelines of the Behind the scenes, The And there’s lots to write coverage, we’ve also includ- Canadian Copyright Act. BUZZ team debated what to about! The health emergency ed articles and profiles on © 2020 The Centretown BUZZ do. upended our original article other useful topics. APRIL 17, 2020 AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA 3 Operation Ramzieh: neighbourly love, delivered

Alayne McGregor Lebanese civil war. As they of a lot of families there, prospered in Ottawa, his sending money to the moth- For Abbis Mah- mother didn’t forget her vil- ers.” moud, the smiles lage back in Lebanon. Mahmoud had planned F and thanks are what “We came from a very to return to the village this have sustained him during poor village, and my mom year to help some of those the first month of the cur- used to support a lot of that families. When the pandem- rent pandemic. village. It is still fairly poor. ic made that impossible, he Mahmoud is the founder My mom, every time she’d looked for another use for of Operation Ramzieh, a go back there, she would the money. He thought of program that delivers food feed people, as many people his aunt, in her 80s, and of boxes to seniors and other as she could. his older landlord who lives people stuck in their homes. “And she’d always [make] alone. When he was delivering box- a point to feed the mother. “I called them to get gro- es last week, “I knocked on a She thought if you give the ceries, and I dropped it off door and this woman insisted money to the women, the to them, and the idea came on speaking to me. She just women would take better from there. There must be a told me how wonderful. She care of it and make it stretch lot of seniors sitting at home, was in a wheelchair and she a lot further.” too afraid to go out or maybe just insisted on talking to me When his mother died they shouldn’t go out.” for a while. She said, ‘God last July, she was buried in To start up the operation, bless you! This is amazing that village. Mahmoud donated $40,000 Rajeev Singh/The BUZZ what you guys are doing. “I left the village when I and has continued to donate; Packing boxes for Operation Ramzieh at The Waverley And we’re so grateful.’ ” was four or five years old, so he has also started a GoFund- Mahmoud would nor- I didn’t know much about it. Me campaign. Volunteers, just knock on doors. We try balled into a lot of single residents in less than an hour. mally be running his two When I went there, a lot of many from Centretown, have to avoid contact [although] mothers, people not having “As we pulled up, there restaurants, The Waverley on the village elders were talk- stepped up to sort food into a lot of the seniors want to money, and from there it were people on their patios Elgin Street and the Moscow ing to us about how much boxes and deliver them to come out and say hello and went to people with compro- cheering us, because they Tea Room in the ByWard my mom would just always shut-ins. talk to you or at least thank mised immune systems.” were waiting for the food. Market. When they had to feed them. She just arranged, you. It’s been a revelation. “I As we dropped off each “But the idea is that the didn’t know that there were box, those people are just so volunteers will pull up in this many people in need, happy. their cars and fill up their to tell you the truth. I didn’t “It’s sad that we’re in cars with boxes and then know about these drop-in this, but it’s fulfilling to help they go deliver them. centres and crisis shelters for people. Every couple of days “Every time I get a new women and stuff like that, I like to go on a delivery person coming to volunteer, until we started this project.” because almost every day I we’ll go do a run and they’ll They’re coordinating with want to give up. I get home come back in tears. Like ‘Oh local food banks because and I think I can’t do this my God, I can’t believe how many don’t deliver food, as anymore. people are thanking me’.” well as working with organi- “And then I go on a trip Budget Rent-a-Car lends zations ranging from Interval and it invigorates me. Today trucks for deliveries. Food House to the Canadian Men- was a rough one for me. I was donations have come in from tal Health Association to the about to give up and when I farmers–eggs, milk, potatoes– Wabano Centre to the Is- got to this woman’s house and from closed restaurants maili Council Ottawa to the who insisted on talking to and hotels. Somerset West Community me, she just had the greatest “We’ve been on their Health Centre to the Bruyère smile, and she thanked me websites asking them, before Centre. relentlessly.” your food goes bad, please The operation has ex- The operation has ex- give it to us. We reached out panded to Toronto, because panded far beyond his initial to them first to help us, and they were getting many hopes. Rajeev Singh/The BUZZ Masked and gloved volunteers pack boxes, two metres apart then we started to fundraise phone calls from there: “Honestly, I just thought after that.” “people just pleading for we’d feed a few seniors. And shut down in March, he and between all the women, who The city health depart- Besides money, they food. They’re petrified. then when your phone starts his staff shifted to deliver- needed what and who could ment and a nurse from Public “desperately need diapers “I used to have business- ringing, and you have moth- ing food boxes. Boxes are share what. Health inspected their opera- because we have a lot of es in Toronto, and I called up ers crying that they don’t designed to last 12 to 14 “So she helped a lot of tion, he said, and volunteers single mothers. In Ottawa, a friend of mine who has a have any food to feed their days and include staples like people in the town who went are washing their hands ev- we’re starting to get some warehouse and a restaurant. babies. Or you have seniors oatmeal, soup, bread, jams, to her for food when they ery hour. pet food as well, to keep He was, like, come do it here that are alone and they’re peanut butter, fruits, and didn’t have any. Every year, “We all wear masks and people’s morale up. But we right away. He lent us his petrified. You just keep go- vegetables. she’d go back and we’d we wear gloves as well, and can use anything that people site.” ing.” The project is named af- send money with her and she when we pack the boxes, we can use. So we’re looking for When The BUZZ inter- Mahmoud said he hoped ter Mahmoud’s mother. would just give it to people. try to stay a good six feet baby milk, diapers, all kinds viewed Mahmoud he had for goverment funding to His family came to Can- Or if she couldn’t go, she apart from each other. Then, of food.” just delivered to two seniors’ help Operation Ramzieh ada in the 1970s, fleeing the would send it. She took care when we deliver the food, we The project started with apartment towers in Toron- grow. But with volunteers and seniors: “they’re the most at to–knocking on every door donations, “we’re going to risk. But then it just snow- to deliver to a few hundred keep going for as long as we can. There’s a lot of people right now that are feeling scared and lonely and iso- lated. “We started adding some Request a food box: flowers for a little bit, until we ran out, and that really operationramzieh.org/request made a difference. I’m trying 1-800-321-5973 to make cards that we can put little notes in. But I think people just need to call peo- ple, to tell that they care, that Donate: they’re there for them, even ca.gofundme.com/f/operationramzieh if they don’t need anything. “I know people need food, but the isolation and the fear–I really felt a lot of fear in that building today.” 4 AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA APRIL 17, 2020

the visually impaired to get 56 high-pedestrian intersec- Don’t push that button! audible pedestrian signals tions in the city, as well as (through a long press on the those around hospitals, in Alayne McGregor button is pressed the pedes- button). order to reduce the spread of trian signal may still show But how do you tell COVID-19. t’s called “beg button Don’t Walk, and less time is whether you need to press Concerns that people ballet”–the frustrating allocated for crossing. the button? touching the buttons with their I extra step pedestrians Somerset Ward Coun- “That’s the problem, fingers might spread the virus have to go through in order cillor Catherine McKenney right? You can’t,” McKen- is another reason to make to legally cross at many Ot- describes that situation as ney said. “I will often get them automatic, McKenney tawa intersections. And, in “highly problematic. It gives messages from people that said. “But even without that, the current pandemic, it’s drivers the message that say, ‘I wish at this intersec- I think that the safety of pe- also raising worries about they can go, that the pedes- tion I didn’t have to press the destrians would warrant hav- virus transmission caused trian doesn’t have the right button’, and I say, ‘You don’t ing fully automatic lights.” by many people touching to cross. It makes pedestri- have to press the button! It’s They noted that this might these buttons. ans nervous because they see automatic [at that intersec- not apply to all of Ottawa: Responding to these they don’t have that invita- tion].’ ” “you may have some inter- concerns, Councillor Shawn tion to cross.” “But then there will be sections that see one or two Menard asked city staff last The good news is that other intersections where, as pedestrians a day, maybe. month to investigate making only about 15% of intersec- a pedestrian, you’ll amble But I know that in a dense Brett Delmage/The BUZZ all intersections in a ward tions in Centretown are like up, you’ll see that the light’s neighbourhood like the one automatically give Walk sig- this. McKenney said the rest about to change because a car I represent, there really is no Staff also argued that vehicle is detected at a sig- nals, if a ward councillor so had been reprogrammed to has actuated it. But then you reason not to give a pedestri- the change would increase nalized intersection. requested and “when safe to automatically show Walk– won’t get your Walk signal. an light on every cycle.” complaints from motorists McKenney described the do so.” after years of pressure by So it’s confusing. It’s hard to Last week, city staff re- delayed by longer signal tim- staff memo as “a very unsat- Last week, staff resound- them and by previous Coun- know which intersections are jected the Menard proposal, ings; encourage motorists to isfactory response to a grow- ingly rejected that idea. cillor Diane Holmes. automatic and which aren’t. saying that it was not recom- run red lights; and disrupt ing need in our communities At some intersections in “So that means that they So, it’s better just to have mended by Ottawa Public bus schedules by causing for pedestrian comfort and Centretown–and many across change on a regular basis, them all automatic, and treat Health. “The transmission longer waits at intersections safety. Ottawa–pedestrians must press so if you’re a pedestrian you pedestrians with the respect risk associated with push for pedestrian crossings. The “I’m not surprised given a yellow-encased “beg” but- don’t have to use that but- and with the safety measures button use would be rela- memo said staff were cur- the overall reluctance to ton in order to get a Walk ton.” in mind that we need to.” tively low and would be best rently investigating chang- make this a more equitable signal. Even if the corre- All intersections still Earlier this month, the dealt with by practicing good ing signal software so that and sustainable city by the sponding traffic signal turns have the beg buttons, be- City of Edmonton made pe- hand hygiene at all times.” pedestrians would automati- leadership in the city.” green for vehicles, unless the cause they’re also used by destrian signals automatic at cally get a Walk signal if a Sir Wilfrid Laurier students on finding positivity and routine amidst COVID-19 chaos ghostly. While students are familiar routine: what chal- also been trying to work out could have been much worse “It is really easy to lose Mariam El-Behiry self-quarantining, challeng- lenges they are faced with, more and go for walks and and I am readjusting more hope and feel lost during es are arising as they try to dealing with the uncertainty runs. and more every day.” these hard times when no he chatter started at maintain their independence, of it all, and what is keeping “I do martial arts and Marissa Khan, another one has solutions for you, high schools in ear- find positivity, and attempt them positive and allowing since I have no form of ex- senior, is making time to stay not even the people you rely T ly March: everyone to preserve the normalcy and them to maintain their peace. ercise I have turned to other connected to her faith and on every day. was talking about a virus. familiarity of their former Sahan Malwatta, a senior, alternatives.” is enjoying making her way “Physically, I am healthy The first case of corona- routines. has, like many of his peers, Mashkura Tabssum through her to-read list. and safe at home which is a virus was soon confirmed in No matter the level of been dealing with certain Tathoye, a junior, has “All I do [normally] is luxury during these times. Ottawa. Yet no one was pre- study, all students are affect- anxieties but is overall deal- taken up cooking and read textbooks for school or “There are so many pared for Friday, March 13. ed by this abrupt change of ing calmly and optimistically learning about the stock novels for English class be- things we take for granted Students were told to scenery, finding themselves with the situation. market to pass the time, and cause I have to. and the minute these things empty their lockers. The bored, anxious, and devoid “I have a personal con- is enjoying time bonding “All this free time has go away, we feel like it’s the final bell rang, and the stu- of social pleasures. nection because my dad is with family. really given me a chance to end of the world. dents headed to their buses, Senior high school stu- an executive chef and he was “Our teachers and prin- read fiction for fun and read “It is important to rec- backpacks heavy, and minds dents have had their year cut temporarily laid off from cipals don’t have answers, religious books about Allah ognize that this is a sign to brimming. short by the COVID-19 cha- work, so I can tell that he has which can feel frustrating, and his messenger. change our habits and be They have not yet re- os and have had to deal with been stressed out because he but we have to understand “This is something that more aware of what we are turned. the disappointment of events had mortgages and taxes to that they are doing the best is so important to me, yet I given in this life.” Not long ago, Sir Wilfrid such as the prom and the pay. for us. It’s difficult but we never allowed myself to get Laurier Secondary School graduation ceremony possi- “He had to apply for are trying to cope.” the chance to put time aside Miriam El-Behiry is an was a bustling school with bly getting cancelled. the EI from the government When asked about her and do research because of Ottawa high school student students flooding the halls Today, teachers and stu- which provides money but transition to e-learning, she my coursework. and a regular BUZZ con- and grabbing a bite to eat dents are entering the world that is not even enough so said that, although she pre- “However, I am making tributor. with friends in nearby hang- of digital education and try- it is stressful for the whole fers in-class learning and is it my mission to learn and out spots. ing to cope with the uncer- family.” finding it hard to adjust with better myself mentally and However, following the tainty surrounding our return “I love music and I’ve her STEM courses, she is physically.” indefinite closures of all On- to normal life. been playing instrumental making the best of the situ- On the change of her life tario schools and the stay- It was only right to ask music since grade 7 and it’s ation. as she knows it, she is ner- at-home order, the streets students to react to having a big part of my life so I’ve “I’m just grateful that me vous but is treating this ex- of Ottawa are sombre and to adjust to a sudden and un- been practicing a lot. I’ve and my family are safe. It perience as a learning curve. APRIL 17, 2020 AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA 5 Centretown’s food banks need you more than ever COVID-19 and homelessness virus or because they’ve ting a lot of donations. Peo- Thursdays. It serves those Gail McGuire cleaning contracts to seven Alayne McGregor been asked to self-isolate. ple have been very aware west of Lyon Street, west to days per week and social The centre has also asked of how many people are in Breezehill Avenue, and south or many of us, our distancing in communal ar- he COVID-19 pan- senior-age volunteers not need in our community. We to Carling Avenue. COVID-19 prob- eas such as dining rooms. demic has put the to come in to avoid risking are still short of some things, The Cupboard also says F lems have been lim- Cornerstone has placed one T Centretown Emer- them and is working with a but we’re doing pretty well. it’s changing how it distrib- ited to distancing, hand- chair only per table and has gency Food Centre on thin smaller core of younger vol- I think anyone who comes utes food. It will only serve washing, and disinfecting limited dining to 20 minutes. ice–and it could use your unteers. “We’re operating on to us next week, we’re as- one client at a time, and is surfaces in our homes. They’re using paper plates help. a very small staff. It’s really suming we’ll be able to give giving out pre-packed bags The Cornerstone Shelter and disposable utensils. When panic buying start- a challenge still.” Staff are them most of what we nor- with available foods for a For Women in Centretown Residents’ reactions have ed in mid-March, the food exhausted, she said. mally give.” quicker, simpler turnaround. is for women without homes, ranged from anxious to ner- bank couldn’t buy many of “We couldn’t have kept Kaiser suggested that the Both centres have in- due to mental, financial, or vous to not recognizing the the staples–beef, chicken, at the pace we were serving provincial government con- creased their disinfecting, physical challenges. The problem, Rainbow said. sugar, toilet paper, soup–its people. We had to reduce our sider giving an emergency cleaning, and use of dispos- all-woman staff provides Cornerstone has applied clients need. For the last two hours and reduce the amount top-up to social assistance able gloves. counselling, programming, for additional federal funds weeks, they’ve been giving of work that it takes to serve recipients so they could and assistance towards in- and requested personal pro- Ottawa Food Bank gift cards a client.” The centre is now buy food themselves. Even For Food Assistance: dependence. They have 61 tective equipment and extra instead. only open on Monday and an extra $100 would help: residents, who may wait two funding for staffing costs Co-ordinator Kerry Kai- Friday from noon to 1 p.m., “This is setting us right back cefcottawa.org/if-you- to three years for permanent such as time away from ser has been cheered by instead of four days a week. financially,” she said. need-food/ homes. Agencies such as Cor- work, overtime, and taxis “wonderful acts of kind- Before COVID-19 cli- If the emergency lasts dalhousiefoodcupboard.ca/ nerstone, Options Bytown, when reduced transit pre- ness.” When the Lieuten- ents could choose which much longer, the situation get-food.html and Salus provide supportive vents staff from getting to ant’s Pump on Elgin had to food products they needed will get more difficult. The housing (Cornerstone has work. Without these funds temporarily close, it donated from the centre’s shelves. centre survives on dona- Donate: three supportive housing lo- they cannot protect either all the produce it had on hand The centre will return to tions and its volunteer base. To the CEFC cations), while Ottawa Com- staff or residents. to the centre. Staff brought handing out food next week If it can’t use volunteers, its canadahelps.org/en/ munity Housing and a por- During the pandemic we in “boxes of fresh produce, but it will be standard, pre- survival is threatened, and charities/centretown- tion of Centretown Citizens in Centretown have focused beautiful stuff. They’d rather packaged bags of groceries. if clients get ill, they put the churches-social-action- Housing Corporation provide on community solidarity; give it to us than let it go to “We can’t say, “What kind centre’s two staff and 70 vol- committee/ subsidized places for inde- many of us have volunteered waste.” of pasta do you want? What unteers at risk. or send cheques to the pendent living. to support the more vulner- The centre is located in kind of tomato sauce would But “we’re here. We’re centre at 507 Bank Street. Kia Rainbow, Corner- able. Beyond the pandemic Centretown United Church you like?” They just have to doing our very best for peo- stone’s executive director, we will be faced with finan- at 507 Bank Street. It serves take it because we don’t have ple, and people are grateful. To the Dalhousie Food has met regularly online cial reckonings, personally those in need east of Lyon time to interview them.” We’re doing what we can do Cupboard with shelter agencies such and as a nation. Street and west of Main, What the centre needs as well as we can,” Dingle dalhousiefoodcupboard.ca/ as the Shepherds of Good We will remember our down to Billings Bridge. now is cash, she said. They said. donate.html Hope, the Mission, and the vulnerability, and that those The centre does not de- don’t have the people to sort The western part of Cen- or send cheques payable Salvation Army. As part of of us without homes were liver. Allison Dingle, who food donations, because they tretown is served by the Dal- to “Dalhousie Food Action an Inner City Health coali- made especially vulnerable. chairs the centre’s manage- must limit the number of vol- housie Food Cupboard. It’s Group Inc” to 211 Bronson tion, they have explored how We will need to recommit ment committee, said that unteers in the centre at one located in the Bronson Cen- Avenue, Suite 107. shelter life is challenged by ourselves to resolving our has been difficult for many time. tre at 211 Bronson Avenue, COVID-19. Issues identified housing emergency, as de- of its clients, who are stay- The response has been and is open from 10:30 a.m. Both food banks are regis- include the need to increase clared by the City of Ottawa ing indoors for fear of the good. “We have been get- to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays and tered charities. cleaning and extension of in January.

Do your part to stop the spread of COVID-19 Stay home Practice physical (social) distancing

OttawaPublicHealth.ca/PhysicalDistancing 6 AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA APRIL 17 2020 Four Weeks in October: The City of Ottawa and the pandemic of 1918

The City of Ottawa es- disease. He urged people to tablished its Board of Health keep out of crowds when in 1865 with the mayor as they felt an attack coming the chair. Part-time medical on, and that they should keep officers of health were ap- to themselves as much as pointed from the city’s pool possible in their homes,” the of doctors. The Province of article went on. Ontario’s first Public Health By the end of the week Act was passed in 1873. the situation had become Ottawa had experienced grave. acute health emergencies in the years that preceded the Medical staff in the outbreak of the “Spanish In- fluenza” in 1918. city’s hospitals were Communicable diseases down with influenza. like typhoid, tuberculosis, and smallpox had already Physicians were pushed taken their toll and tested the to their limits, unable city’s administration, which to attend many of the was forced to hire public health nurses and build isola- afflicted. Those who tion hospitals. were not ill were taking Without the tardy but dogged leadership of Ot- precautionary measures tawa’s Mayor Harold Fisher to avoid the disease. and public health officials, Ottawa Evening Journal/The BUZZ the impact of modern histo- Section 56 of the Public ry’s most devastating global Health Act of Ontario gave Quack “remedies” abounded. The Ottawa Electric Company Ottawa Evening Journal/The BUZZ epidemic could have been the municipality wide pow- pushed the Branston Violet Ray Ozone Generator Inhaler. The news on Saturday, October 5, 1918. much worse. ers “where any communi- When the Spanish Influ- cable disease is found to ex- gathering. “Such is the drastic Robert Smythe Yet the city’s–ultimately enza arrived in September ist to use all possible care to Churches were asked to action taken by the successful–response 1918, Ottawa’s newspapers prevent the spread of disease not hold services that Sun- y now we are all too were seized with the de- or contagion by any means day, and the owners of the local Board of Health... showed some similarity conscious of terms tails surrounding the last in their judgment most effec- Ottawa Electric Street Rail- to check the spread of like “flattening the to actions being taken battles of WWI. There was tive for the public safety.” way were directed to ven- B the influenza epidemic curve”, “social distancing”, today. little mention of the growing On October 4, the Board tilate their cars as much as and “self-quarantine”. A pan- epidemic in the press until of Health convened an emer- possible until further notice. which is reported to be demic’s behaviour has be- The history of a local the end of that month. As gency session. Said The Ottawa Journal come frighteningly familiar. public health system in On- deaths mounted, the Board They ordered the imme- on October 5: increasing by the hour.” In the final days of World tario predates Confederation. of Health issued a statement diate closure of every school, War I the City of Ottawa was In 1833, the Legislature defining the symptoms of theatre and place of public (cont on 7) forced to react to a monstrous of Upper Canada approved the disease and warning the public health crisis without an Act allowing local munic- public of its highly infectious the benefit of advanced med- ipalities “to enact Boards of nature. ical science or mass commu- Health to guard against the nication. introduction of malignant, “Undoubtedly the sev- contagious and infectious diseases in the Province.” eral cases of influenza which have appeared recently in this com- munity are of the type popularly known as the Spanish grippe.

“This disease of influ- enza is a virulent form. It is characterized by a sudden onset, with a high fever, but not necessarily chills. It pres- ents at its most pronounced diffuse pains throughout the body which are most severe at the base of the skull and in the small of the back.” (Ot- tawa Journal, September 26, 1918) Some days later, the Journal revealed the severity of the outbreak: on Monday, September 30, it reported that eight people had died over the weekend. Twenty-one more had died in the previous twenty Ottawa Evening Journal/The BUZZ days. Abbey’s Effervescent Salt, a “mild laxative” and “internal “Mayor Fisher said he Ottawa Evening Journal/The BUZZ cleanser”, was billed as a safeguard against the danger of thought every precaution should be taken to guard Appeal for aid on Wednesday, October 9, 1918. Spanish Influenza. against the spread of the APRIL 17, 2020 AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA 7

Plowmen’s Association In- nizers cancelled it “for the Flu of1918 ternational Plowing Match safety of human life which (cont from 6) at the Experimental Farm set must receive first consid- Should the City of Otta- for October 16-18, an event eration” (Ottawa Citizen, wa have taken action weeks which carries considerable October 15, 1918). Several earlier? In hindsight it is easy political clout to this day. business conventions expect- to say yes. But many be- Fisher’s chief opponent ed to arrive in the city were lieved that this was the regu- was Ontario’s Chief Health also postponed indefinitely. lar flu and not the Spanish Officer, Dr. J.W.S. Mc- To respond directly to the type which was beginning to Cullough, who wrote, “I have outbreak, temporary emer- spread in large American cit- no hesitation in approving of gency hospitals were opened ies. Once the city recognized the meeting of farmers and in the Aberdeen Pavilion at the scale of the emergency, implement manufacturers on Lansdowne Park and in sev- Mayor Fisher established a this occasion, as the danger eral of the vacated public command centre at City Hall from the so-called Span- schools. to track the spread and coor- ish Influenza is reduced to a A platoon of Red Cross dinate the public and private minimum by meeting in the ambulances was organized resources needed to fight the open air.” (Ottawa Citizen, to deliver patients to them. epidemic. He sent a memo- October 12, 1918) Ottawa’s Boy Scout troops randum to all heads of city were recruited to deliver departments: Alarmed that the match 27,000 notices to city house- holds on how to protect would attract hundreds “The only important themselves against the Span- of competitors and thou- ish Flu. An appeal to retired business we have in sands of spectators from and married nurses, who the City Hall at present were older and less likely across the province, to catch the disease, for as- is the work in connec- Fisher appealed directly sistance to the homes of the tion with the epidemic. affected, was somewhat suc- to the Prime Minister People do not cease to cessful. and the Minister of be sick at five o’clock. Agriculture to withdraw There are therefore no The nurses were pro- permission to use the office hours.” vided with hand-made Farm. protective caps and His first battle was to Unsurprisingly unable to aprons sewn by other cancel major planned public find a farmer willing to risk volunteers. Stephen Boisvert via Wikimedia Commons/The BUZZ gatherings like the Ontario hosting the event, the orga- Honourable legacy: Harold Fisher’s statue stands on the grounds of Ottawa’s Civic Hospital Masks and gowns called ‘pneumonia jackets’ were fabricated in a sewing room like the Eaton’s Shoe Store tors had at least 1,000 pa- The epidemic began to at City Hall to fill the large on Sparks Street improvised. tients, and the hospitals were depart the city as quickly orders placed by the hospi- beyond capacity. as it had come, with much tals. Finally, on Monday, Oc- smaller rebound outbreaks in They advertised, “For tober 21, Mrs. A.J. Freiman, 1919 and 1920. the Prevention of who had been coordinating There were lessons Looking back, the chief Spanish Influenza we the effort at Lansdowne Park learned. failure was not closing reported that there had been will have a man in no new deaths the previous nonessential businesses In 1919, Harold Fisher attendance continually day. By the end of the month, and the city’s places of the official death toll from launched a relentless disinfecting our estab- work. Spanish Influenza stood at campaign to build lishment to prevent the 540 people, which was a rel- With a pre-work-from- atively small percentage of the new Ottawa Civic home civil service support- spread of this epidemic.” the nation’s total of 55,000. Hospital—an institution ing the Government of Cana- The mortality rate contin- However, on some days that was once called da still in the teeth of a world ued to jump until the fourth almost twice as many deaths war, this was a challenge. week of October when a were said to have been “Fisher’s Folly”. As a result each depart- drop in new cases began to caused by “pneumonia” or Ottawa Evening Journal/The BUZZ The T. Milburn Company sold a variety of dangerous and ment was stripped of hun- appear. Home nursing as- “la grippe”—so the total And the federal govern- dreds of staff members. sistants were still caring for number may have been much ment created a new branch addictive “cures”, often opiates or stimulants Business establishments over 2,500 flu victims, doc- higher. — the Department of Health.

The city would need to McKenney had previ- McKenney said they road closures. So it’s being Opening up Bank Street use standard road closure ously suggested either the were still hoping to get a done in other municipalities (cont from 1) devices: “you have to make Driveway or Colonel By satisfactory plan that “meets during the pandemic, recog- Interviewed on CBC Ra- have to self-distance during sure that the space that you’re Drive be closed, especially the health needs and safety nizing that, again in urban dio, Watson argued that re- this pandemic.” People can providing for pedestrians is since the multi-use paths needs of pedestrians. If that’s wards, we have got to walk.” allocating a lane on Bank choose quieter side streets, safe, at night that it’s reflec- along those those roads are the case, we hope to have it The city of Oakland, Cal- would interfere with bus as Watson suggested, when tive.” Last week, Councillor narrow and heavily-used. “I in place relatively soon.” ifornia, announced on April traffic. McKenney disagrees. they are walking for fresh Jeff Leiper had a section of think that would give people Their proposal has been 9 that it was closing 10% of “There will still be three air, McKenney said. But they Byron Avenue in Westboro who want to get out and supported by a heavy stream its streets (74 miles) “so that lanes. A bus can pull up to still need to use Bank Street closed to all but local traffic want to enjoy a nice spring of pro-lane-closure com- bicyclists and pedestrians what will be the new curb. for essential trips. “People in order to give walking and or summer day, that space to ments on twitter from Ot- can spread out and take in There’s plenty of space for live and travel in this area – cycling priority. Leiper had be able to do so.” tawa residents. Ecology fresh air safely.” emergency vehicles, and we they don’t drive near Bank, to pay for this closure out The NCC rejected a pro- Ottawa is also circulating a Walking has always been can plan the space for the get out, go in, and come back of his ward’s traffic calming posal to close the Sir John A. petition urging City Coun- far more important in Cen- small amount of traffic that out.” budget; he told CBC it cost Macdonald Parkway, despite cil to re-purpose underused tretown than elsewhere in is using all of our streets to- The cost for closing off about $3500/month. the fact it has been regularly roadways to provide safe Ottawa. Every 10 years, the day.” one lane of Bank Street? In addition, the National closed on Sundays for bike outdoor access for pedestri- city runs an Origin-Destina- Watson also contended “Probably around five thou- Capital Commission said days, “due to advice from ans and cyclists during the tion survey to get an official the widening would encour- sand,” McKenney said. “We Monday that it was develop- public health agencies, lo- COVID-19 crisis. count of where residents are age people to congregate got our own quote early on ing “a pilot project to close gistical challenges, staffing McKenney points out going and by what mode. on the street. McKenney for different scenarios. So, parts of Queen Elizabeth requirements and the need to that other Canadian and The latest survey, in 2011, said it would simply handle yes, it’s quite expensive to Driveway to motor vehicle ensure continued access for international cities, includ- showed that in central Otta- already-existing pedestrian rent these barrels for what traffic”, and was working transit and emergency ser- ing Calgary, Edmonton, wa. 12% of all trips were on traffic, which will “continue could be months.” with stakeholders and part- vices.” and Vancouver, have closed foot. In Ottawa as a whole? to increase as we continue to ners to ensure coordination. roads. “Toronto is looking at Only 1%. 8 AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA APRIL 17, 2020 Planet of the Scapes: the comforts of home

Pearl Pirie solar; power use is critical. 2 cups unsweetened almond ing, or they will steam not It made me wonder about milk brown. Bake for 20-30 min- elf-isolation has scalloped potatoes without Salt, pepper, paprika utes, turning once. made cooks out of an oven. Fry the first three ingredients S most of us. until they start to soften. Divine maple tahini sauce: It may yet bring back Vegan Stove-top Scalloped Add the potatoes, spices, Puree together: some dishes we’d forgotten: Potatoes (serves 4) and almond milk. Cover and ½ cup tahini you can mix mushroom soup 1 Tbsp margarine cook on medium low for 30 2 Tbsp olive oil with canned green beans, 3 stalks celery, chopped minutes, stirring halfway. 1 clove garlic, minced pour it over chow mein 1 large onion, chopped For a crisp top, put briefly 1 t salt noodles, and bake. (Don’t, 4 washed, scrubbed potatoes, under the grill, then serve. 1/4 cup maple syrup though).We run our house on sliced thin juice of 1 lemon Roasted Broccoli and Serve over roasted vegeta- Chickpeas bles. Tempting though it is, Pearl Pirie/The BUZZ Preheat oven to 375 F best not to drink it straight! Stir together: 1 head broccoli (or mixed Pearl Pirie’s fourth poetry cauliflower and broccoli) cut collection, footlights, is into florets coming out in the fall of 1 can of chickpeas, drained, 2020 with Radiant Press. rinsed, and dried Not Quite Dawn, from édi- 2 Tbsp olive oil tions des petits nuages is 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced available for $13 including pinch of salt shipping. See all her books Spread all on a baking sheet and sign up for her newslet- Pearl Pirie/The BUZZ large enough to avoid crowd- ter at www.pearlpirie.com What’s On(line) for April Tony Wolfarth NAC Presents Some take requests to play theatrical performance by Aftermath: The Remnants WWII, the American Nazi The National Arts Centre their favourites–songs they Pierre Brault. of War (2001), Ladies and Party held a rally with his month, we’re fo- (NAC) is providing a way don’t usually perform. In nac-cna.ca/en/calendar/. Gentlemen: Mr. Leon- 20,000 participants at cussing on some of for Canadian musicians to April on-line viewers can CKCU FM Online ard Cohen (1965), about Madison Square Garden. 80 T the many free per- perform online. Concerts see Laila Biali, Catherine Folkies in Ottawa know and his early days as a writer years on, it’s a short formances you can watch run for one hour and come Major, Madison Violet, Pa- love Chris White’s Canadian and poet in Montreal, and (7-minute) documentary. from home. directly from the perform- tricia Cano, Leeroy Stag- Spaces. While CKCU has Cree Hunters of Mistas- A Night at the Garden was er’s studio or residence. ger, and more–as well as a shut its doors temporarily, sini (1974), about a lost nominated for an Oscar. Chris is taking it online: way of life, with three Cree anightatthegarden.com Saturdays at 10 a.m. and families living off the land Sundays at 7 p.m. in James Bay, directed by In case you missed it www.facebook.com/ Boyce Richardson, a cel- Concerned you have canadianspaces/ ebrated NFB auteur who missed special events dur- More Streaming Music was made a member of the ing the lockdown? Many Pop-up streaming concerts Order of Canada in 2002. have been extended or can be found on Facebook, www.nfb.ca. postponed, including: Twitter, Instagram and The International Docu- The 4th Annual Irish YouTube, via artists’ social mentary Film Amsterdam Film Festival of Ottawa– media accounts. IDFA is an Amsterdam- postponed until Sept. 18-20 Joel Plaskett Online based documentary film CATS at the NAC– post- Joel Plaskett partnered with festival considered one of poned until July 28 the Globe & Mail ahead the biggest and best in the Hamilton at the NAC– of the release of his latest world. IDFA has made 200 postponed until Nov. 24 4-album set “44”: of its collection, ideally theglobeandmail.com/ suited for binge watching, Tony Wohlfarth is an Otta- arts/music/video-watch-a- available. wa-based freelance film and replay-of-joel-plasketts-full- Most of the Canadian col- entertainment writer. He is concert-with-the-globe/ lection are short documen- self–isolating at home while taries. indulging in an abundance National Film Board www.idfa.nl/en/ of online entertainment Many of the NFB’s best A Night at the Garden resources. films can be viewed on their In 1939, when the US site for free. Recommended: declared its neutrality in

For up to date information on #COVID19 follow @ottawahealth, @CPHO_Canada, @govcanhealth, and Canada.ca/coronavirus

MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR OTTAWA CENTRE

COMMUNITY OFFICE CATHERINE 107 Catherine Street, Ottawa, ON 613.946.8682 | [email protected] McKENNA /Catherine.McKenna @CathMcKenna @CathMcKennaOttCen APRIL 17, 2020 AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA 9 Time on our hands: making bread with what you’ve got

Marna Nightingale and enjoying bread made 1 Tbsp double-action baking 2 Tbsp double-acting baking with what they could lay powder powder “It is all a question of weeding out their hands on for nearly as 1/3 cup flour About 1 1/2 cups milk, but- what you yourself like best to do, so long as people have existed. Work this well into your termilk or soured milk that you can live most agreeably in If you’re lucky enough to dough. When you have a 1/2 tsp salt if you use unsalt- a world full of an increasing number have yeast, and it’s still alive soft, springy ball of evenly- ed butter; otherwise none. of disagreeable surprises.” M.F.K. (combine a pinch of yeast, a mixed dough, turn it onto a To make soured milk, add 2 Fisher, How to Cook a Wolf teaspoon of sugar, and a lit- greased or floured pan and Tbsp lemon juice or white tle warm water in a cup and bake it for 45 minutes or until vinegar to 2 cups of milk; set t seems like everyone, wait 15 minutes to see if it the loaf is brown and sounds aside for 20 minutes or until including me, is sud- bubbles and smells bready), hollow. it thickens slightly and turns Marna Nightingale I denly baking bread. Jim Lahey’s No-Knead Loaf Let sit for 30-60 minutes be- a creamy pale yellow. Ordinarily I love making is simple, reliably, delicious, fore slicing. Sift together (or fluff with a (If you have a spice grinder, covered in parchment paper. pies and cookies but there and easily found online. It Leaving the dough for so fork) flour, salt, if used, and or you’re willing to clean Bake for about 40 minutes; are only so many desserts uses a parsimonious 1/4 tea- long before baking develops baking powder. Add any ex- your coffee grinder twice, check the colour at 30 min- one household can eat. spoon of your precious yeast, the gluten. While the results tras. you can make oat flour by utes. The loaf will sound Something less fancy, too. are denser than a yeasted Incorporate butter, mixing grinding up any kind of oats: slightly hollow when done. more nourishing, and more If you don’t have yeast, loaf, they’re still very nice with a spoon or kneading steel-cut, instant...) Let sit 10-15 minutes before homely seems called for now. and are willing to wait a indeed. gently until the mixture feels Preheat oven to 400F. slicing. So many people are dis- week or more, you can make Sarah Darkes and Melo- like raw oats. Combine: covering, or rediscovering, a sourdough starter. dy Mielke shared quickbread Add milk slowly, mixing 3 1/2 cups flour, ideally half Mel’s Lakota-style Frybread bread-making right now, and Or, you can make a quick- recipes with me as well. gently with a fork or spoon all-purpose and half whole- Combine: at the same time we’re all—I bread. just until you can form a wheat or oat 2 cups flour hope—trying to shop less of- I spoke to some of the Sarah’s Baking Powder ball; the dough should not be 1 tsp salt if using unsalted 1 Tbsp baking powder ten, at fewer stores. It can be people who have helped me Biscuits sticky. butter 1 tsp salt a challenge to lay hands on with my baking conundrums You can add cheese, herbs, If dough becomes too wet, 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 cup sugar OR 1/4 cup flour and yeast. through the years and asked or both to these. Sarah does add a bit more flour to even 2 Tbsp butter fat, any kind (for sweet or Bakers can—and will— them for their favourite no- a rosemary-cheddar version it out. 1 large egg savoury) talk for hours about favourite yeast recipes. I love. Preheat oven to 400F and 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 1 cup water flours. Most bread recipes For myself, when the an- Use the highest-fat milk you grease a cookie sheet. Sift together flour(s), salt if Mix dry ingredients, rubbing call for “hard” or “strong” cient jar of yeast in my fridge have. On a well-floured surface, used, and baking soda, or in fat, if used, until the dough flour...but if you have flour, let me down with a bump The basic rule of biscuits is roll the dough into a rough combine and fluff together feels like cornmeal. Add wa- any flour, it will make bread last month, I discovered (I’m to handle the dough as little rectangle about 1/2” thick, with a fork. Add and incor- ter slowly until dough is as good or better than you sure I didn’t invent this) a as possible with your hands fold the rectangle into thirds, porate butter. sticky but can still be worked can get at the store. (Also, quickbread variation on La- to keep your fat as cold as re-roll the dough to 1/2” In a separate bowl, whisk the by hand. Canadian all-purpose flour hey’s loaf. possible. thick, and cut out biscuits egg and milk together just Divide dough into four balls is an entirely different beast I like to freeze lard or but- with a coffee cup (dip the until mixed, and add gradu- and roll or pat each ball out from American, much higher Marna’s Emergency Bread ter and use a grater to shred cup in flour periodically to ally to dry mix; you may not on a floured surface until in gluten and thus better for Combine: it, so I can mix my dough stop the dough from stick- need it all. about as thick as pizza crust. bread; worth knowing if your 3 cups flour quickly and without having ing). As with the biscuits, you To fry, heat about 1/2 inch recipe book is from the US). 1 tsp salt to use my warm hands to rub Bake for 15 minutes until want a soft and not too sticky of oil or grease and cook as Similarly, there are many 1 1/3 cups cool water the fat in. golden brown. ball of dough; adjust with you would pancakes, flip- kinds of yeast, and many Mix just until flour is incor- Measure frozen butter with more flour or more milk or ping each once, until golden opinions about yeast...and it porated, forming a loose, a sharp knife, going by the Sarah’s Soda Bread even water if needed. brown. all makes dough rise. shaggy dough. Cover tightly markings on the label. Best with a mix of white Shape the dough into a round You can also bake it in a Use what you have or can and leave for 12-18 hours. Combine: and whole wheat, oat, or rye loaf and turn onto on a cook- 400F oven or cook it on a get and don’t worry; people Preheat oven to 375F 5 cups flour flours, but they’ll be perfect- ie sheet which you have ei- griddle or a BBQ. have been baking, eating, Sift together: 1/2 cup butter ly fine with what you’ve got. ther greased and floured or 2020 Jane’s Walk Ottawa-Gatineau postponed to September 12-13 The essence of Jane’s Whether via a virtual Jane’s Walk is a pedes- who changed how we design Meanwhile, walk lead- Jane’s Walk Walk—connecting people trian-focused, community- and think about cities by pro- ers and new volunteers are and their communities—is walking tour, a photo driven festival that improves moting community vitality encouraged to flex their n light of COVID-19 more important now than essay of a tour route, urban literacy by offering in- and a neighbourly street life. creativity and support this the local Jane’s Walk ever before. a scavenger hunt or sights into planning, design, The festival normally movement to create connec- I festival of walking tours While people are stay- local history, and civic en- takes place over the first tions by dreaming up a new will be postponed until ing apart physically, Jane’s another innovative idea, gagement through the simple weekend in May to mark way for people to experience Sept. 12 and 13, 2020. Walk Ottawa-Gatineau hopes organizers hope to pro- acts of walking, observing, Jane’s birthday, May 4. their walking tour. Have an In the meantime, the to create new ways to con- and discussing. Last year, In our 12th year, Jane’s idea? Get in touch: group will be offering new nect and support each other vide alternative “walks” 3,000 people joined dozens Walk Ottawa-Gatineau hopes janeswalkottawa.ca ways to explore our commu- through this isolating time. throughout the spring. of walking tours in celebra- to offer more than 60 differ- [email protected] nities. tion of the ideas of late author ent walking tours for you to and urbanist Jane Jacobs, choose from in September.

Jane’s Walk /The BUZZ Jane’s Walk /The BUZZ 10 AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA APRIL 17, 2020 Personal reflections on COVID-19

Stephen Thirlwall

growing number of people around the A world have been expecting a major envi- ronmental calamity clearly linked to inappropriate hu- man actions on our envi- ronment. We wanted some- one else to blame and to fix it. This is not the case with the COVID-19 pandemic. Its appearance doesn’t have clear links to human Stephen Thirlwall/The BUZZ activities, and there is no one We want to feel unrestricted At the same time, indi- Marna Nightingale/The BUZZ to blame for its start; it is yet we know this is no longer viduals and groups wish to something beyond us. But its possible. Ignoring or deny- establish their own unique spread does follow the paths ing the problem means put- identity, a process that seems Community gardens are essential services of our individual and collec- ting yourself and others at to lead towards fragment- tive human behaviours. So risk. ing into smaller and smaller Eleanor Sawyer Many thousands of peo- The B.C. government that is where we can have the For a few days, I felt groups. Every group has sub- ple in the Ottawa area have reversed an earlier deci- greatest effect in curbing its somewhat depressed at stay- groups. But in parallel with ust Food, which coor- already invested in their spread–by curbing our be- ing at home all day, until I this trend is a growing con- dinates the Communi- seeds and started seedlings sion it had taken and haviours, at least temporari- was able to accept things and cern for strong neighbour- J ty Gardening Network for this season. has now made commu- ly, and perhaps some of them realize that there was still so hoods where people care for (CGN) of Ottawa, is urging There are tens of thou- nity gardens essential permanently. much I could do within the one another and where diver- the provincial government Vaccines and treatments new confines. At present, it sity is accepted, respected to reverse its decision of sands of people across services. would help immensely, but is possible to go outside for and even encouraged. March 31 to close all com- the province who grow The city of Gatineau is take a long time to develop short periods because most These two opposing pro- munity gardens across the supporting 22 community and properly test, let alone streets are empty: the sym- cesses could come together province due to the corona- food for their house- and collective gardens with to implement worldwide. bols of this time are empty eventually, as a deeper under- virus pandemic. holds. the requirement that garden- Personal actions, such as streets and closed shops and standing of diversity, unity The organization On March 31, Just Food ers comply with the guide- quarantine and personal dis- businesses. The only other and equality of peoples is urged people to send an open lines for physical distancing tancing, will slow the spread times that come close to this achieved. This pandemic is believes community gar- letter from Sustain Ontario to and use of common equip- until new technologies can are the mornings of Christ- giving the world’s popula- dens were mistakenly their MPP, or to all the Otta- ment. fully come into play. mas and New Year’s Day. tion a chance to step aside wa-area MPPs if the garden Just Foods is a nonprof- Where we can use tech- Each day, we learn. We from our normal activites classified as recreational is a citywide service, with a it, local, community-based nology now is in keeping discover that panicking is not and reflect on what society activities as opposed to copy to [email protected], so organization that works on ourselves informed and good for anyone. Hoarding means today and where it essential food services. they could track the number both rural and urban foods keeping in touch with and upsets otherwise functional can go in the future. This is of letters. The organization is issues in Ottawa and the sur- assisting others–without nec- supply chains and endan- the first time in human his- In Ottawa alone, there also working with both pro- rounding region. essarily being with them. gers everyone. Profiteering, tory in which countries and could be as many as 7,000 vincial MPPs and municipal For more information Radio, telephone, television, reselling products at many territories around the world people relying on commu- councillors to reverse the on the organization and the Internet, cars, masks, gloves, times their price is not ac- have all actively worked to- nity gardens to supplement government’s decision. open letter, or if you are in- and many other technologies ceptable behaviour at this gether on such a grand scale their food. Ottawa Public Health has terested in supporting com- can keep us connected, allow or any time. Industry needs to contain the spread of a Ottawa food banks also agreed to work with them to munity gardeners, see relatively safe travelling and to quickly produce as many virus within and between all receive much-needed fresh develop safe practices for shopping when necessary for ventilators as possible. We localities, while putting this food from these community community gardeners once justfood.ca or essentials, while minimizing can acclimatize ourselves to concern ahead of the daily gardens. the decision has been re- community.gardening@ direct interpersonal contact. the use of gloves and face politics, commerce, and so- versed. justfood.ca. Group chats on the Internet masks and regularly wash- cial activity. are invaluable. ing our hands and face with One could say this coro- The collectivity of our soap. More learning is still to navirus is (depending on what response is of extreme impor- come. we believe) a reminder from tance. Inappropriate actions of For decades human- God, from Nature, or from a few cause the spread of the ity has been following two some accidental sequence, virus to many. Any of us can main courses in its develop- which lets us know humans unconsciously become cen- ment. One has been towards have limitations in the grand tres of outbreak. So far all greater globalization through scheme of existence. levels of government have relationships, collective as- We are connected directly followed the advice of global sociations, travel, and media or indirectly with everything medical experts and cooper- exposure. Huge numbers of else around us and depend on ated. Gradually, other insti- people have moved from one everything. tutions, businesses, social part of the world to another, And everything also de- groups, and most individu- increasing diversity every- pends on us. Human survival als have followed suit. The where. The world is now in- and development rely on response was phased in step terconnected whether we like our acceptance of both our by step, day by day. There this or not, and we can’t turn diversity and oneness, and had to be a recognition of the back. our ability to adapt and work severity of the situation, an Fighting the pandemic peacefully together in new acceptance that strict actions requires all countries to col- ways. were necessary and time for laborate. The pandemic itself our bodies and minds to ad- is pushing us in this direc- just to the new conditions. tion. Gail McGuire/The BUZZ Looking for a good home? APRIL 17, 2020 AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA 11 Justine Bell profile

(cont from 1) working on issues concern- complete school shutdown She grew up in her grand- ing how to engage civil soci- caused by the COVID-19 mother’s house in North ety to make democracy work. pandemic. Vancouver: “a big, old heri- In Mexico City, she met “It’s incredibly intense, tage house. We lived on the her husband, Guillermo Tre- and I’m very grateful for my main floor, my brother Sean jo, a visual artist and master background in international and my mom and my dad. printmaker who teaches at development, which has giv- My grandparents lived in the the Ottawa School of Art and en me a lot of background basement and my Aunt Kath- sits on the board of the Ot- in the issues of poverty and leen and my cousin Nathan tawa Art Gallery. economic growth and how it lived up on the top floor.” In 2019, Bell was asked all intertwines, and the im- Her grandmother was to run for the NDP in North portance of intersectional the founding editor of The Vancouver in the federal analysis. Because I think if Native Voice, the first na- election. She and her family I came to this without a rel- tional indigenous peoples’ moved there for six months, evant background, it would newspaper in Canada, and “and I gave it my all. And be an uphill battle, because the house was “always open then I came back to Ottawa there’s so much to learn and to activists and allies. From and I was honest with people there’s so much going on a very young age, I learnt that I really needed a break right now.” about social injustice and at that time. My husband The school board can no inequality within our com- said to me, ‘Listen, we have longer meet in person, and munities across Canada. My built such a strong commu- must conduct its meetings Guillermo Trejo/The BUZZ father was also very actively nity here in Ottawa I think electronically, which makes Working from home with her daughter Shanti and a helpful cat involved as a city councillor, we need to focus on our life it difficult, even in four-hour and my mother was a nurses’ here. Why don’t you go find meetings, “to cover all of the have the security of having a and came up with a plan. ciety in a positive way? I will assistant at a hospital there.” a board to sit on?” issues that everyone around job and pay, being at home I’ve heard from a number of be working as hard as I can Her late brother Sean That fall, her daughter the table is bringing forth. 24/7 with your children and teachers that they really ap- to ensure that there is equity– dropped out of high school, Shanti entered junior kinder- “And then on top of that, the expectations that you preciate what our board has that students in Centretown which she said affected him garten a couple months late. there’s the regular business could take on the educator been doing to communicate no matter where they come throughout his life. “She started to come that–if we don’t get to it–it’s role is a lot for people. what their expectations are.” from, can really follow their “I remember the conver- home with stories that were going to have a negative ef- “From my experience In the teachers’ labour dreams the way I’ve been sations around his disrup- very unnerving, stories of fect on students. as well, I’ve really appreci- dispute, she emphasized how able to do.” tive behaviour in the class- disruptive behaviour in the “It’s been a challenge but ated how much the board has much she appreciated how She’s concerned about room. It wasn’t until many, classroom. Me being the I’ve been very impressed done to reach out and make teachers have “advocated for perceived and real differences many years later that he was good policy analyst that I at how the trustees and the this experience not over- the well-being of students. between English-only and diagnosed with dyslexia. He am, I started to investigate school board have been open whelming for parents, by There’s a fine line that you French immersion school did contribute to society–he what are the policies of safe to dialogue and to supporting mentioning five hours of fo- have to walk as a trustee and programs–whether some stu- worked with people with dis- schools? What can the teach- me actually to getting up to cused study per week as part being vocal about labour ne- dents are relegated to English abilities–but he suffered quite ers do when you have a num- speed on what a trustee’s role of the latest initiative. gotiations. programs because they’re a bit in his life.” ber of children that have be- is, what a superintendent’s “I can tell you that even “And so I did my best to considered less talented, and On the other hand, her havioral issues? I spoke with role is, what the board’s role with five hours a week, it’s hear from the teachers, reach whether the English schools cousin Nathan, who has the teachers. I spoke with the is. tough–and a lot of people out to the teachers, and to ed- are achieving as much aca- Down Syndrome, thrived principal.” “This is a perfect oppor- have reached out, wanting ucate myself as best I could demically as the French im- at school because, during Then she reached out to tunity to jump in and find to know what’s next, want- about the current reality.” mersion schools. the 1980s and 90s, the BC her school trustee to learn out exactly what you can and ing to know especially with Talking to teachers, she If there is a difference, school system added special “what could be done and cannot do according to legis- the high school students if said, the issue of destructive “there’s something that we aides and other supports for what sort of supports could lation.” they’re going to be able to behaviour in the classroom need to be doing as a board people with disabilities. be put in place into this She herself is work- graduate. I’ve heard quite that she and her daughter to improve those statistics.” “So that’s one of the rea- classroom so that all children ing from home on reduced a bit from parents on that encountered “came up time She also wants to help sons as well that I really feel could be safe.” hours, “because the public front.” and time again. The types parents of children with spe- strongly, and I am complete- Braunovan had already service has permitted par- She said she was making of resources and supports cial education needs: “how ly dedicated to, a democratic stepped down, but agreed to ents who need to take care of it a personal priority to let that they need in order to do they navigate what can be society where everyone can meet with her. “By the end of their children at this time to parents know about resourc- make sure that all children, done to support their child, thrive, and where those that the conversation she got me do what they have to do. es and that “your school is all students are able to get so that their child can leave are disadvantaged can actu- thinking about stepping up “Right now my husband there for you to reach out to educated, and the impor- the school system and be as ally get the support that they into this position as trustee. and I have worked it out so so you can get those supports tance of class sizes, and the best-off as they can?” need to thrive.” So it really just fell into place from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., I that you need.” importance of ensuring your Bell emphasized she wants Bell has worked in in- quite organically. work on my day job, with my While “we’re in unprec- support staff make a livable to hear from people, through ternational development and “I found it incredibly chal- earphones on, and from 1 til edented times,” she praised wage–these are things that I Facebook, Twitter, Insta- on poverty reduction for the lenging to navigate the sys- 4, I take care of Shanti. the school board for “find- heard right off the bat.” gram, email, or phone. past 15-20 years. tem–and so I want to help “Then the rest of the ing out who needs resources In the longer term, Bell “I want to hear the issues In Mexico City, she worked other parents to be able to night we share when it comes when it comes to online sup- says the number one school that people are facing, be- for Amnesty International and seek out and know what to to doing my trustee work and port during this time, reach- issue “in Centretown and cause it’s only through hear- the Food and Agriculture Or- seek out in order to get the him doing his art work.” ing out to our teachers, and across Ottawa is the issue of ing from my community that ganization, with refugees and services they need so that Bell said she’d heard regularly making time to say equity. How can we ensure I will be able to represent agricultural workers. their children can thrive.” from “a few parents–espe- that, if this is the way we’re that, no matter where you them at that table with all of When she came back to Bell started her term in cially on-line in social me- moving forward, what do come from, no matter what the other trustees.” Ottawa to get her master’s in the middle of several major dia–that this is really tough. you suggest? In basically a your socio-economic status public policy and administra- disruptions: first, the rotating “This is a hard time for week’s time, they rolled all is, that you get the education [email protected] tion, she immediately started teachers’ strikes, and then the a lot of parents. Even if you that information together you need to contribute to so- 613-858-2275. 12 AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA APRIL 17, 2020

The support network cillor Catherine McKen- CCA report makes use of a big list of ney outlining one problem Jack Hanna Centretown volunteers want- COVID-19 is causing for ing to help out during the people living on the streets: Volunteers flood in crisis. lost access to washrooms. When the Centretown The community associa- City Hall, community cen- Community Association sent tion has been directing vol- tres, the public library, and out a call for volunteers to unteers to various organiza- coffee shops—all are closed, help during the COVID-19 tions providing assistance and there are no washrooms crisis, people responded. during the crisis. Centretown in the core available to those There were more than 200 people are helping to pack living on the street. names on the CCA’s volun- and deliver dinners and The CCA proposed that teers list by early April. grocery boxes for food pro- the city open a section of the “The response is heart- grams, and to sew protective ground floor of City Hall, so ening,” said Shawn Barber, gowns to be worn by front- people can get to the wash- CCA president. “People in line workers. rooms, and that the city lo- Centretown and across the The support network is cate porta-potties around the city are rising to the chal- another way for Centretown- city’s core, and maintain and lenge of COVID-19.” ers to be neighbourly as we disinfect them frequently. The Centretown Commu- all face the global challenge McKenney responded that nity Association has started of COVID-19. they are trying to get the city a service to match a person to open community-centre needing assistance during Knox: Free hot dinners washrooms and deploy por- the COVID-19 crisis—for During the COVID-19 ta-potties. instance, to pick up grocer- crisis, the folks at Knox re- ies—with a volunteer. alize the need is greater still, To sprawl or not to sprawl The CCA started the Cen- and increased the frequency City Council is wres- tretown Support Network of their hot take-out meals. tling with whether Ottawa’s (CSN), after hearing from In early April, Knox was pro- boundary for housing sub- seniors, shut-ins, and single viding meals twice a week to divisions should expand—to parents who could use help about 150 people and aiming permit greater urban sprawl. with deliveries and other to go to three times a week. The impending decision challenges. Volunteers from the CCA’s on sprawl versus intensifica- The service covers all list help administer the ex- tion will underpin Ottawa’s of Centretown—from the panded program, and pack new Official Plan governing Canal to Bronson and from meals, greet guests, and hand the city’s future to 2046. the river as far south as the out dinners. Allowing the city to Queensway. sprawl exacerbates climate The CSN can make de- Operation Ramzieh: Gro- change. It works against af- iting the newsletter page on liveries of groceries and ceries for the vulnerable fordable housing and a walk- Somerset Ward Update my website. pharmaceuticals, walk a dog, When The Waverley on able city. And it is costly; Catherine McKenney keep our community safe, At the same time, the or provide other assistance. Elgin had to close, the owner taxes go up to pay for more and they are providing time- City has enacted various Some problems the vol- and staff decided to help out roads, water and sewer sys- Dear friends, ly, accurate information on measures to meet the Ontario unteers cannot themselves by providing groceries to the tems, community centres and We are in an unprecedent- their website. It should be Government’s quarantine and address—for instance, a elderly and other vulnerable other city infrastructure, and ed situation. Weeks, possibly your first and best source of self-distancing requirements. landlord increasing the folks. longer and less efficient tran- months, of isolation and self- information. This includes some restric- rent—but the CSN has a list Waverley owner Abbis sit routes. distancing will put a strain on The City of Ottawa has tions like the closure of dog of community resources and Mahmoud made the first big A key vote is scheduled all of us. That’s why it’s so responded to this situation parks, playgrounds, libraries, may be able to direct the in- donation—and named the for May 11, at a special important that we pay atten- with a number of important and community centres. We dividual to the right organi- operation after his mother. meeting of the city’s Plan- tion to our physical and men- programs, including defer- all know that this is a hard- zation or individual to take The operation has al- ning Committee and Agri- tal well-being and to remem- rals for property tax pay- ship for many, but it is im- action. ready distributed more than cultural and Rural Affairs ber that it is ok not to be ok. ments and water bills; social portant to limit places where If you would like to be 14,600 boxes and expanded Committee. If you want to One important way to services support for seniors people can gather so we can put in touch with a CSN to Toronto, operating out of tell Mayor Jim Watson or look after yourself is to stay and other low-income resi- stop the spread of the virus. volunteer, you have two op- a restaurant there. CCA vol- Councillor McKenney your informed through legitimate dents; a Buy Local campaign Despite the challenges we tions, phone or email. (If you unteers pack and distribute concerns about this issue, and knowledgeable sources. and other supports for small are facing, I am so impressed phone, you will hear a re- grocery boxes. now’s a good time. There is some misinforma- businesses; and much more. with how our community has corded greeting. Leave your tion out there, particularly You can stay up to date come together (while staying name, number and a brief We all need a toilet on social media, and much of on the City’s response by two metres apart!). message. A CSN person will The CCA recently wrote it will do nothing more than visiting my website, where Every day, I hear from call you within 24 hours.) to the mayor and to Coun- cause unnecessary worry or I continuously update infor- people who are helping each provide useless advice. mation about services avail- other with groceries, with If you want to know able to you; how to volun- check-in phone calls and vid- what’s happening with CO- teer in your neighbourhood; eo chats, and with online en- “Out Of The Cold” expands, adapts VID-19 in Ottawa, including available resources like gro- tertainment like concerts and how best to protect your- cery stores, pharmacies, and readings. P Marsden-Dole revived the practice, but this the command of Jesus Christ self, your family, and your other essential businesses; Our community is doing time for the homeless eking to his followers to feed the neighbours, please visit the and tips on protecting your a tremendous job to protect nox Presbyterian out an existence in the down- hungry. Ottawa Public Health web- mental health. I am also dis- itself while supporting oth- Church, at the cor- town area of the nation’s Generous financial sup- site as your main source of tributing a weekly email up- ers. This is how we will beat K ner of Elgin and capital. port is being received from information. Medical Officer date during the COVID-19 the virus: by following our Lisgar, has stepped up to This project became Faulkner Realty and extra for Health Dr. Vera Etches crisis that focuses on the pro- medical experts’ advice and the call for some addition- known as the “Out of the help from Massine’s In- and her team of experts are grams available to residents. by watching out for the more al kindness in this time of Cold” programme, serving dependent Grocer, as well working around the clock to You can sign up for it by vis- vulnerable among us. I am COVID-19. a hot sit-down meal in the as help from members and proud to be a member of this Knox has been helping downstairs church hall every friends of Knox Church. community, which demon- out in Centretown for many Saturday night from Novem- Volunteers come from the strates our compassion and years. In 1943 the Women’s ber through March–the five church and a call out sent by understanding with every Guild, with the support of coldest months of the year. the Centretown Community passing week and perseveres their church community, In this year of the pan- Association to their mem- in the face of extraordinary created a lunch program for demic, Knox's pastor, Jim bers. circumstances. From the bot- people working in the nearby Pot, and his team felt they Packaged hot meals are tom of my heart, thank you. federal defence buildings. In could continue this project now available for pick-up Be safe, be kind, and be 1945 that service was ex- for the homeless to the end at Knox twice a week, on well. tended to feed hungry sol- of April but in a different Wednesday and Saturday Catherine diers returning from the war format. evenings, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. via the nearby Ottawa train I asked Pastor Jim for during the month of April. catherinemckenney.ca station. his inspiration for this extra Steve Rock, who has worked ottawapublichealth.ca In 1995, volunteers, effort. He said that this was with the Ottawa Food Bank, under the inspiration and the tradition of his church is the volunteer manager of Stephen Thirlwall/The BUZZ guidance of George Fyffe, community in keeping with this project. APRIL 17, 2020 AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA 13 On yer bike: a great way to get around during physical distancing MPP Report: Empathy in Action Joel Harden Carling Avenue. Thanks for Alayne McGregor wheels? If so, you need to chat, and video. bikes for sale will be dis- food, puzzles, games, and get the wheels retrued before The volunteer-run re- played online and they will t’s a wild, unsettling smiles. Thank you Good ot a bike? Now is they get worse. Are all the Cycles Community Bicycle offer curbside pick-up, he time. Life normally Companions Seniors Centre the time to ride various screws tight? Can Shop has been a great re- said. Since they cannot cur- I flashes by. Now the min- and Ottawa West Seniors G it. Now as never you easily and smoothly shift source for cyclists, where rently provide their regular utes of the day stick together Services who’ve mobilized before, cycling is a great gears? they can buy bike parts and hands-on bike fitting service as we stay home, and scour fast to help low-income el- choice for getting around Check your bike care- used bikes, learn how to do in a safe fashion, he said, for news of the latest up- ders across our city. Centretown. fully, and decide what work their own repairs, and use the they’ll specify sizes and ap- dates. Thank you donors and On your bike, you can you can do yourself. shop’s repair space and tools proximate height recommen- Canada’s public health small businesses who have keep physical distancing, If you need tools or parts for a small hourly charge. Its dations for each bike. “It’s care system has been our first enabled this work. We are get needed exercise, and like chains, tires, or tubes, shop at 473 Gladstone Av- not ideal, but we want to line of defense. Its front-line seeing incredible generosity enjoy more of the outdoors phone or email your local enue at Bronson is currently keep our team and our cus- staff are our guardian angels, across the city. further away from your bike store or order from their closed; the shop has said on tomers safe and ensure social and we are thankful for their Thank you parents and home. A bike will get you to website: most stores we talk- twitter that it has “at least distancing throughout the efforts every day, never more caregivers balancing em- the grocery store and your ed to can arrange for pick-up 400 bikes ready for sale, and process.” Neither re-Cycles so than now. ployment and family. It’s workplace, and allow you to at the door, while others of- we know that folks need and nor Cycle Salvation could Thank you Dr. Vera Etch- not easy to create a fun day carry a larger load. Traffic is fer delivery with online or- want them (not to mention specify a date when they es, Ottawa public health offi- inside, even with brief trips noticeably lower right now, dering. that bike sales pay most of might fully reopen. cials, and front-line workers. outdoors. This is even harder making it easier to cycle. Alternatively, you can our rent). We’re trying to fig- cyclesalvation.org Thank you nurses, personal for kids with disabilities or And local bike stores– schedule a tune-up at a local ure out if it’s even possible to re-cycles.ca support workers, hospital special needs. But children which are, thankfully, con- shop, and drop off and pick sell them safely.” cleaners and support staff, are vectors for illnesses, and sidered an essential service– up your bike. You’ll need to Sharing the re-Cycles lo- These bike shops in or near doctors, orderlies, adminis- staying home is making a are still open to sell you tools make an appointment. Fresh cation is the social enterprise Centretown are open for trators, and other health care difference. Keep at it. and parts, and to service your Air Experience says they Cycle Salvation, which re- repairs, parts, and limited professionals. Thank you Ottawa is such a compas- bike. can do flat repairs and mi- furbishes and sells donated bike sales: first responders: paramedics, sionate city. I am thankful for Before riding, do a basic nor adjustments on the spot, bikes while also training firefighters, and police. We all that has happened here to safety check on your bike, although you may need to people for jobs as bike me- Cyco’s: see your long hours, and we date in response to COV- especially if it hasn’t been leave your bike. Full Cycle chanics. Both it and re-Cy- cycosport.ca understand this means sacri- ID-19, and mindful of what used in a while: offers free shipping and cles are excellent sources Tall Tree Cycle: fice from you and your fami- must be done in government Can your front and back some local deliveries. for reasonably-priced used talltreecycles.ca lies. Thank you elders who policy to enable even more. brakes quickly stop the All stores are restrict- bikes. Foster’s Sports: fought for the public health Moves have been made bike? Are your tires inflated ing interaction: McCrank’s Cycle Salvation is still fosterssports.ca care system. A brief glance at the provincial and federal to the recommended pres- is asking clients to just drop accepting donations. Its op- Full Cycle: at the United States reminds level which offer a good first sure? If they’re low, you’re off their bikes for repair; the eration manager, Rob Rob- fullcycle.ca us of what could have been step. As the Ontario NDP more likely to get a flat tire, staff then sanitize the bike, itaille, says bikes and bike Fresh Air Experience: without you. Critic for People with Dis- especially if you hit a pot- check it out, and contact the parts can be dropped off out- freshairexp.ca Thank you neighbours abilities, Seniors, and Ac- hole. If your bike has been client to confirm the repair side at their shop and staff McCrank’s Cycles: for looking after each other. cessibility, I know we can do parked over the winter, you costs. Fresh Air and Full Cy- will bring them in. Their mccranks.com Thank you Parkdale Food even better, notably for those will want to re-oil your chain cle are limiting the number team is “hard at work con- Kunstadt Sports has closed Centre which has supported without much in employ- and ensure it’s in good con- of clients in the store to one tinuing to refurbish bikes for its stores, but will ship online so many, including 500 folks ment income. dition and not showing any at a time. Tall Tree is setting the spring season.” orders: stuck in emergency housing This is a test of solidarity. rust. Are any spokes miss- up 30-minute appointments They’re currently work- kunstadt.com at the Travelodge Hotel on Let’s pass it together. ing, broken, or loose on your for selling bikes via phone, ing on a process where their

T a  ure Catherine McKenney    e! City Councillor for Somerset Ward Stay safe! For accurate info on COVID-19 in Ottawa, please consult Ottawa Public Health: ottawapublichealth.ca/coronavirus

To find out how the City is helping, please visit: www.catherinemckenney.ca/blog

Keep in touch! A lot has changed over the last few weeks. For some For the latest news on of us, the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting more than Somerset Ward, sign up our way of life; it’s affecting our mental health. It’s for my newsletter on my okay not to feel okay during this time. Please take website and follow me care of yourselves – and each other. on social media:

For helpful tips on how to support your mental health catherinemckenney.ca during the pandemic, please visit my website: mckenneycatherine bit.ly/covid19selfcare cmckenney cmckenney14 Catherine McKenney City Councillor for Somerset Ward Questions? We can help! catherinemckenney.ca mckenneycatherine cmckenney 613-580-2484 | [email protected] 14 AT THE HEART OF OTTAWA APRIL 17, 2020 Safe Wings Ottawa: saving birds one window at a time

Amanda Dookie hazardous windows. about 62% recovered and bird-safe design is the norm, Help prevent window collisions That includes homeown- were released). new glass buildings will con- icture a bird hitting ers: 44% of collisions occur The rest were seen but tinue to go up without regard Do: your window. It falls at residential buildings, and not captured, or they left for the birds they will kill— P to the ground and re- fewer than 1% at high-rises only an imprint on the win- not only office buildings, but Make windows visible to birds with a pattern covering the mains stunned for a while, (the rest are at low-rises). dow as evidence. also new LRT stations and exterior of the glass. Pattern elements should be no more then eventually flies away. Think of the difference it If those numbers seem homes with floor-to-ceiling than 5 cm apart, at least 6 mm wide, and visible in all light It’s fine, right? would make if every home- high, consider that Safe windows and clear glass conditions. Use Feather Friendly visual marker tape, a pat- Probably not: birds that owner made even one win- Wings only monitors a few deck railings. terned film, tempera paint or oil-paint markers. Or, install manage to fly away after a dow safer for birds! dozen buildings, and only If you find an injured bird lengths of paracord or twine at least 3 mm thick, hung up window collision are rarely Volunteers also monitor finds 5 to 15% of the victims; (any bird that survives the to 10 cm apart in front of the window. Exterior screens work okay. Most are concussed buildings to find dead birds, the rest are scavenged, preyed initial impact), act quickly. too, with at least 5 cm between the screen and the glass. or have other internal inju- rescue live ones, and collect on, swept up, or die where Pick up the bird immedi- ries that may not be appar- data on each collision, which they won’t be found. We be- ately and place it gently in Locate bird feeders and baths less than 50 cm from ent. Without help, most will helps us demonstrate the ex- lieve the actual number of a closed box or an unwaxed windows. die of these injuries in a few tent of the problem, identify birds killed by collisions in paper bag, top folded down hours or days, or they will collision patterns, and deter- the Ottawa area is 250,000 and secured with a paper Close curtains or blinds to reduce clear views through paral- become easy prey or slowly mine which buildings pose annually, just a fraction of clip. Keep it in a quiet, safe lel or adjacent windows. (This will not break up reflections) starve because they can no the highest risk. We encour- the one billion birds estimat- place, and call us. Do not let longer fend for themselves. age members of the public to ed to die in collisions every it fly away even if you think Move houseplants away from windows so birds can’t easily Safe Wings Ottawa, a pro- contribute to this community year across North America. it has recovered. If the bird see them. gram of the Ottawa Field-Nat- science initiative by submit- Why is glass so danger- is dead, place it in a sealed uralists’ Club, recommends ting collision reports directly ous for birds? Primarily be- plastic bag and keep it in Turn off unnecessary lights at work and at home. rescuing any bird that crashes to our website. cause they don’t understand a cool place (the freezer is into a window. The best time Some of our volunteers it—to them, reflections of perfect, and perfectly safe) Don’t: is immediately after it col- are licensed to provide short- trees in windows are real, until you can drop it off or lides, before it has a chance term care to injured birds and clear glass barriers (cor- a volunteer can pick it up. Expect hawk silhouettes or UV decals to prevent collisions. to fly away. Don’t wait to see until they can be released ner windows, deck railings) Visit safewings.ca for more Unless you space a lot of them very closely together, birds if it recovers. Pick it up right or, more often, transferred are invisible. Many birds detailed instructions. will fly around the visible obstacles and still hit the invisible away, place it in a securely to the Ottawa Valley Wild move as fast as 50 km/h Even better, please make glass. closed paper bag or box, and Bird Care Centre to recover. in regular flight. At those your home safe for birds— call Safe Wings for further Many people also contact us speeds, the damage to a 77g visit us to learn about effec- Apply bird-friendly treatments to the inside of windows, instructions. for help with birds that are American Robin or a 10g tive solutions—and don’t where bright sunshine will make them disappear. Raising awareness of win- hit by cars, attacked by other Black-capped Chickadee is hesitate to call Safe Wings if dow collisions—and the need animals, tangled in fishing most often lethal. you need advice or help for a Rely on products that soon fade or wash away, like UV to rescue survivors—is just line, and every other reason While the statistics are bird in distress. liquids or highlighter pens. one of the ways Safe Wings you can imagine. dire, Safe Wings is making Ottawa is helping to reduce Safe Wings began re- progress. The federal gov- safewings.ca Even bother with owl decoys. bird deaths through research, searching bird-building col- ernment, the National Capi- [email protected] prevention and rescue. These lisions in 2014. In that first tal Commission and the City 613-216-8999 efforts are important because year, volunteers documented of Ottawa are all develop- North America has lost one- 550 collisions from 68 spe- ing bird-safe design guide- third of all its birds in the last cies. The total continues to lines. Residents are applying 50 years, and window colli- grow every year thanks to Feather Friendly and other sions are one of the main rea- an increase in volunteers and solutions to prevent colli- sons for this decline. public support, not to men- sions at home. Safe Wings Prevention involves edu- tion new glass buildings. In continues to engage build- cating the public about col- 2019, Safe Wings document- ing owners and operators to lisions, advocating for bird- ed 3,322 window collisions make changes to their build- safe building design, and across 110 species. Almost ings, and to support monitor- convincing building owners 70% these birds were found ing efforts. and managers to apply visual dead, while 20% were cap- But we’re still just markers or other measures to tured alive (of which only scratching the surface. Until

Stephen Thirlwall/The BUZZ “It’s quiet uptown ...”

Marna Nightingale/The BUZZ Brett Delmage/The BUZZ Shows and exhibits will have to wait awhile Caution tape and warning signs at McNabb Park