2012 02 February

The O•S•C•A•R© The Community Voice of Old Ottawa South Year 40, No. 2 The Ottawa South Community Association Review FEB 2012 Putting Kids Through School One Fry At A Time By William Burr owner of the parking lot. They come from the same small town in Lebanon. t’s been a long, hard haul for Akel The truck has put Zahalan’s four Zahalan, the owner of the chip kids through school. They’re now wagon at Bank and Sunnyside. between the ages of 23 and 30 – two I lawyers, a mechanic, and a soon-to- But he wouldn’t have it any other way. 21 years ago, he quit his job as a chef be-pharmacist. at the House of Commons kitchen to He had no desire for them to take go out on his own, in the cramped up the family business. “You put them quarters of a bright yellow truck. in school, they have an education, they “Sometimes, you want to be your can have a better life than working in own boss,” he says. That, and he the truck.” makes more money working seven But it’s not as if Zahalan is days a week in the chip truck than he miserable. “I like it. There’s enough made working five days a week at the work for me. I like the area.” House of Commons. He stands reservedly in his The career change happened window with a toothy grin, his simply. Zahalan was doing some part- shoulders slightly slumped, some of time snow-ploughing in Old Ottawa his words trailing off into a mumble. South to supplement his income. He’s the perfect height for his “I saw the truck and the parking workplace. He looks warm, in an old the morning. Me, I don’t like to stay What about hobbies, or other lot -- so I asked the guy if he wanted plaid jacket. home. I like to go out and work, do to sell it. He said yeah.” He’ll keep working as long as something, it keeps me busy” Zahalan happened to know the he can: “as long as I can get up in Cont’d on page 5 Call it a Hill or a Mountain, Just Bring Something that Slides By Paige Raymond Kovach hether you call it Mount Seneca or Seneca Hill, it’s the crown on the top Wof a cherished strip of greenspace at the corner of Seneca and the Colonel By Driveway. This triangular area is part of the National Capital Commission’s Colonel By Pathway. At about 8km in length, the entire pathway extends from Hog’s Back to Parliament Hill. The mound on Seneca Hill is just one snapshot of the entire trail. The hill is the focal point of the outdoor play area, but it has changed dramatically. Marilyn Brown who grew up on Rosedale and lived there until 1956 recalls, “it had been steep, but was bulldozed down to a ‘bump’. Apparently it was blocking the view of motorists when traffic became heavier, causing a lot of accidents,” she said. “I recollect that there were three sides to head down. The steepest was going back towards the Grant’s house (this was second house in from Seneca). To me it was really a drop with two or three trees at the bottom. You had to be nuts to go down there, until I got to be about eight or so, and it Eric Weber, Tessa Quinn-Crook, Fiona Quinn-Crook, Clara Weber, Claire Waddington, Irene Casey had sort of shrunk,” said Bill Frodsham, who grew and Lauren Weber are ready to slide down Mount Seneca. Photo by Tom Alföldi. up on Aylmer Avenue. “The second was heading in the direction of the Judson’s (Downing and the Driveway). It had a couple of big waves in it so it was sort of fun,” he ripped out the trees. This really made me mad at the Avenue when it was time to come home,” added Jill added. time, although seeing the big shovel there was sort Teeple, Mr. Frodham’s sister. “The third headed down parallel to the driveway of neat.” “In the winter, I used to go there with my older and was nice and smooth and long, and was for “[We used] sleighs, not toboggans – and brother and our toboggan or even a sturdy cardboard sissies,” Mr. Frodsham said. you laid across them on your belly to steer the box and slide,” Mrs. Brown added. “It was when I got to be about ten or so that we ‘crossbow’ on the front. Some kids used their feet Sliding devices may have become a little sleeker headed over to dome hill at the Experimental Farm, to do that, but more exciting on your stomach. You in the last fifty years, but the thrill of the descent and I think that this was around the time that they sure got lots of snow in your face! We were there chopped the top off our sliding driveway hill, and every day without fail all winter long! My mother Cont’d on page 11 had a whistle, which you could hear from Aylmer Page 2 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012 BACKYARD NATURALIST Cooper’s Hawk: Your Friendly Neighbourhood Predator by Linda Burr mourning doves and pigeons, become During last summer, a pair of dinner for a hawk. Cooper’s Hawks even successfully y bird feeders have been All hawks possess strong talons nested in some tall pines in Old Ottawa strangely quiet lately. for catching, killing and holding their South. I was fortunate enough to have Where have all the little prey, and sharp beaks for tearing a chance to see those birds, along M and eating. But some hawks such with their fledglings, after hearing birds gone? Have they found some better place to get a free lunch? Have as the Cooper’s are particularly about them from some enthusiastic they found a warmer place to hang adapted for hunting and killing other bird watchers in the neighbourhood. out? There could be any number birds. They have short, broad wings It’s hard to say whether the birds of reasons for the change, but one and long tails, making them very we are seeing this winter are those possibility is always the presence of a agile at manoeuvring among trees same birds, since Cooper’s Hawks stealthy predator. and branches in the forest. Their normally migrate south, but perhaps I had been mulling over this ability to fly and turn swiftly while the abundant food supply has kept absence of activity one day, when dodging obstacles makes them deadly them around. I noticed something rather large predators in the air. (If you’re ever fortunate enough perched in a nearby tree. It was a hawk, Cooper’s Hawks are increasingly to find the nest of a hawk or owl, it’s and not just any hawk, but the kind of taking to city or suburban life. Along best to keep it a secret, and only tell hawk that likes nothing better than to with most other raptors, their numbers those you can trust to not disturb the eat little birds. The hawk sat quietly, had declined significantly by the mid- birds. Surprising at it may seem, there half hidden among the branches of an 1900s as a result of poisoning by are still people who will go to any old cedar. It was not resting; rather it DDT, an organochlorine pesticide lengths to get a good photograph of was fully alert and watching, waiting (banned in North America since these stunning birds, even if it means for its chance to kill. 1970 but unfortunately still in use getting too close and disturbing the Cooper’s Hawks are being seen elsewhere). As recently as 20 to 30 birds. There are even “collectors” out regularly around Old Ottawa South years ago, Cooper’s Hawks were still there, who want to sell the chicks or this winter. They are woodland birds a fairly rare sight in southern Ontario. eggs to people who raise the birds for by nature, but sightings are becoming However, these raptors have not sport. Falcons are especially at risk more regular in urban neighbourhoods only increased in number, they have for this type of collecting.) such as ours, especially near bird a short distance for the kill, relying also successfully adapted to living in I haven’t seen the hawk near my feeders. Cooper’s Hawks catch and almost totally on surprise. In this way, urban and suburban habitats. Once eat small birds. Their technique is birds that visit feeders in winter, such considered rare, the Cooper’s Hawk is Cont’d on page 12 to hide in nearby cover, then fly in as blue jays, woodpeckers, starlings, no longer considered to be at risk, and that is something to celebrate. FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 3 CONTRIBUTIONS The OSCAR The OTTAWA SOUTH COMMUNITY Contributions should be in electronic format sent either by e-mail to ASSOCIATION REVIEW [email protected] in either plain text or WORD format, or as a printed copy delivered to the Firehall office, 260 Sunnyside Avenue. 260 Sunnyside Ave, Ottawa Ontario, K1S 0R7 www.OldOttawaSouth.ca/oscar SUBSCRIPTIONS [email protected] Moving away from Old Ottawa South? Know someone who would like to receive The OSCAR? We will send The OSCAR for one year for just Editor: Mary Anne Thompson $40 to Canadian addresses (including foreign service) and $80 outside [email protected] of Canada.

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