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. Drop us a letter with your name, address, postal code and Distribution Manager: Larry Ostler 613-327-9080 country. Please include a check made out to The OSCAR. Business Manager: Susanne Ledbetter [email protected] Advertising Manager: Gayle Weitzman 613-730-1058 SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS [email protected] (not classy ads) The OSCAR is sponsored entirely from advertising. Our advertisers are OSCAR is printed by Winchester Print often not aware that you are from Old Ottawa South when you patron- ize them. Make the effort to let them know that you saw their ad in The OSCAR. They will be glad to know and The OSCAR will benefit from their support. If you know of someone providing a service in the com- munity, tell them about The OSCAR. Our rates are reasonable. NEXT DEADLINE: FRIDAY, JANUARY 20 The OSCAR is a community association paper paid for entirely by ad- FUTURE OSCAR DEADLINES vertising. It is published for the Ottawa South Community Association Inc. (OSCA). Distribution is free to all Old Ottawa South homes and January 20 (February issue); February 17 (March issue); March 16 (April issue); April 13 (May issue); May 11 (June issue); June 15 (July/August businesses and selected locations in Old Ottawa South, the Glebe and issue); August 10 (September issue). Billings Bridge. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily of The OSCAR or OSCA. The editor retains the right to edit and include articles submitted for publication. The Old Firehall FOR DISTRIBUTION INQUIRIES, Ottawa South Community Centre CALL 613-327-9080 or email: [email protected] The OSCAR thanks [email protected] the following people who brought us to your door this month: HOURS PHONE 613 247-4946 ZONE A1: Kathy Krywicki (Coordinator), Mary Jo Lynch, Brian Eames and Kim Barclay, Wendy Robbins, Jim and Carrol Robb, Terri-Lee Lefebvre, MONDAY TO THURSDAY 9 AM TO 9 PM Becky Sasaki, Kevin and Stephanie Williams. FRIDAY 9 AM TO 6 PM ZONE B1: Ross Imrie (Coordinator), Family Gref- Innes, Gabriela Gref-Innes and Fiona Fagan, the Montgomery family, Laurie Morrison, SATURDAY 9 AM TO 1 PM* Susanne Ledbetter. SUNDAY CLOSED ZONE B2: Craig Piche (Coordinator), Pat Eakins, Hayley Atkinson, Leslie *Open only when programs are operating, please call first. Roston, Melissa Johnson, Lydia Oak, and John Callan & Diana Carr ZONE C1: Laura Johnson (Coordinator), the Williams family, Josh Rahaman, Jesper Lindeberg, Jeff Pouw, Brendan McCoy, Bruce Grant, and the Woroniuk-Ryan family. WHAT’S THAT NUMBER? ZONE C2: Craig Piche (Coordinator), Alan McCullough, Charles and Phillip Kijek, Kit Jenkin, Michel and Christina Bridgeman, Anne Coyle, Patrick Hinton. Ottawa South Community Centre - The Old Firehall 247-4946 ZONE D1: Emily Keys, the Lascelles family, Gail Stewart, Gabe Teramura, Ottawa South Community Association (OSCA) 247-4872 Oliver Waddington, Franklin-Flack family, the Sprott family. Ottawa Public Library - Sunnyside Branch 730-1082 ZONE D2: Janet Drysdale (Coordinator), The Adriaanse Family, Gaia Rob Campbell - [email protected] 730-8128 Chernushenko, Jacqueline Littlewood, The Rand family, Aidan and Willem Kathy Ablett, Catholic Board Trustee 526-9512 Ray, the Stewart family. Centretown Community Health Centre 233-5430 ZONE E1:Brian Tansey(Coordinator), Karen Wolfe/ Curt Labond, Norah CARLETON UNIVERSITY Hutchinson, Steve Adamson, the Sanger/O’Neil family, John Sutherland CUSA (Carleton U Students Association) 520-6688 ZONE E2: Chris Berry (Coordinator), Mary-Ann Kent, Glen Elder and Graduate Students Association 520-6616 Lorraine Stewart, the Hunter family, Brodkin-Haas family, Allan Paul, Community Liaison 520-3660 Christina Bradley, Caroline Calvert, Larry Ostler. Mediation Centre 520-5765 ZONE F1: Carol and Ferg O’Connor (Coordinator), Jenny O’Brien, the Athletics 520-4480 Stern family, Ellen Bailie, Dante and Bianca Ruiz, Peter Kemp, Kelly CITY HALL Haggart and Taiyan Roberts, Goutte family (Joshua, Leo and Alina), Walter and Robbie Engert. David Chernushenko, City Councillor ZONE F2: Bea Bol (Coordinator), Paulette Theriault, Ryan Zurakowski, ([email protected]) 580-2487 Susan McMaster, Paige Raymond, Pierre Guevremont, Judy and Pierre Main Number(24 hrs) for all departments 3-1-1 Chamberland, Valerie Dancause. Community Police - non-emergencies 236-1222 ZONE G: Bernie Zeisig(Coordinator), Claudia and Estelle Bourlon- Emergencies only 9-1-1 Albarracin, David Lum, Cindy MacLoghlin, Hannah and Emily Blackwell, Serious Crimes 230-6211 Katya and Mikka Zeisig. Ottawa Hydro 738-6400 Echo Drive: Alex Bissel. Streetlight Problems (burned out, always on, flickering) 3-1-1 Bank Street-Ottawa South: Rob Cook, Tom Lawson, Paula Archer. Brewer Pool 247-4938 Bank Street-Glebe: Larry Ostler. Brewer Arena 247-4917 Alta Vista Branch Library: Mary Anne Thompson City of Ottawa web site - www.city.ottawa.on.ca Page 4 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012 Brief Notes From the Firehall February 2012 at the Firehall

CARDIO FITNESS CENTRE at the Firehall. PM at Windsor Park – Chili Contest – bring your Chili before noon – prizes $40 for 1 month, $130 for 4 months, $195 for 6 months and $360 for the year for best Chili and Vegetarian Chili 2012, or a gift of time with a Personal Trainer. Gift Certificates available. LIFE OF PIE WORKSHOPS – February 22 and March 28 MARCH BREAK CAMPS – Preschool to Youth NEW – CONCERT SERIES on Saturday nights at the Firehall. YOUTH DANCE – Friday, February 24 – tickets on sale online and at February 25, Toronto Baroque ensemble ARADIA, March 31 – Ottawa Jazz the Firehall singer Renee Yoxon and her trio and April 21 – Sarah Burnell Band. Watch OSCAR for more details OSCA WINTER CARNIVAL – Sunday, February 5, Noon to 2

------INFORMATION and REGISTRATION for all OSCA programs at: www.oldottawasouth.ca just follow the RED registration signs or call us at 613-247-4946 or drop by the Firehall at 260 Sunnyside Avenue. ------

Kevin Mallon brings Aradia Baroque Ensemble To the Firehall, February 25

By Lisa Drouillard About the Aradia concert at the he inaugural concert of OS- Firehall, Capriccio Stravagante: CA’s Sirens of Firehall series is The program for Aradia’s concert on nearly upon us! The first con- February 25th will highlight instru- T mental and vocal music from seven- cert, on February 25, features music of the Italian Baroque, played by the teenth- and eighteenth-century Ven- Toronto Aradia Ensemble. I caught ice. The music captures the spirit of up with the group’s Artistic Director La Serenissima with works by An- Kevin Mallon, to talk about his work, tonio Vivaldi and his contemporar- the ensemble and the upcoming per- ies. Juxtaposed with these will be two formance at the Firehall. new music commissions for baroque instruments, by the young Canadian About Kevin: He grew up in composers Rose Bolton and Chris Belfast, Northern Ireland but stud- Meyer. Our siren for the evening will ied in England at the Royal Northern be mezzo-soprano, Marion Newman, College of Music in Manchester. His who has worked with Aradia on many main focus was the violin, but he also live performances and recordings. studied composition and singing. In 1989, an invitation to attend the Euro- The concert takes place at the Ot- pean Baroque Orchestra led to pos- tawa South Firehall Community Cen- itions as concertmaster of Le Concert tre at 260 Sunnyside Avenue. Tickets Spirituel in Paris and with France’s are available at the Firehall and online premier Baroque Orchestra, Les Arts ($25/$15 for students and seniors) Florissants. In 1993, Kevin came to and at the Leading Note (370 Elgin). Drinks will be served pre-concert and Canada to join Tafelmusik Orchestra in Old Ottawa South! orchestral, choral, oratorio and opera at intermission, so feel free to arrive and to teach at the University of To- and can be heard on several sound- early! ronto- positions he left to concentrate About Aradia: Formed by Kevin tracks--- most recently on Jim Carey’s on conducting and leading his many Mallon in 1996 as a vocal and in- Yes Man! The orchestra has toured Last but definitely not least; I will ensembles, including the Aradia En- strumental ensemble using period in- Canada and internationally and has note that we owe a big debt of grati- semble in Toronto. In 2010 Kevin was struments, the Aradia Ensemble has a regular summer residency in Italy. tude to Tracy Arnett Realty for spon- appointed Music Director of Ottawa’s had remarkable success. A record- Aradia has also commissioned new soring this OSCA event!!! Thirteen Strings Orchestra. This work ing contract with Naxos Records has works for baroque ensemble, which has really allowed him to connect produced some 50 CDs. Aradia has they will feature at our Firehall con- with the music community in Ottawa played in many formats—chamber, cert. and to settle into a second home here FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 5

OSCA PRESIDENT’S REPORT Community Garden, Infill Issues, Digital Signs and OSCAR Editor Leaving This trend may be By Michael Jenkin simply consisted of building a new adequacy of our zoning structure, as reversed given that (usually large) house on a vacant well as consideration of a Community a new technology may revolutionize A Community Garden in Old lot, but increasingly what we are Design Plan. In the meantime, at our the appeal and economics of outdoor Ottawa South seeing are moves to put multiple and other community associations’ advertising. housing units on a subdivided lot, or urgings, the City is developing a OSCA will be participating in t its January meeting the demolishing a house to erect multiple set of design guidelines for infill the consultation and will be trying to Board heard a presentation houses on the property, or some housing which will address at least get a better understanding of both the from Lori Waller and Danielle combination of both. The economic some of the problems with how infill impacts this technology can bring and A pressures driving these developments houses impact the streetscape and Cantin on a proposal for a community how effectively digital signs can be garden in Brewer Park. Community are difficult to control with rising neighbouring properties. While we controlled. You will be hearing more gardens are becoming very popular in land values and growing numbers of still have reservations about how on this issue in the future. Ottawa; they provide an opportunity people wanting to live in central urban complete these guidelines are, their for those without the space to do neighbourhoods such as ours. development is an important first step OSCAR Editor is Leaving some serious gardening and can be a Unfortunately, developers are in addressing the infill issue. We hope very useful source of fresh produce. leveraging these opportunities and to see the final proposal from the City It is with some considerable regret Indeed, some community gardens they are pushing the envelope by soon and to comment on it before it is that I have to tell you that our editor, donate food to local food banks and putting ever larger numbers of housing finally approved by councillors. Mary Anne Thompson, will be leaving charities. For some time now a group units, of the largest possible size, on a the position with the completion of in Old Ottawa South has been looking given lot. This is producing a lot of Digital Signs the July issue of the paper. Mary at the possibility of establishing a badly designed housing. Designs that Anne is moving from Ottawa to be community garden; the major issue has ruin streetscapes with house frontages Digital technology is coming to closer to her family and she tells been finding a suitable space on public dominated by garages, sometimes billboards and building signs in urban me it was a very difficult decision land that is not being used for other with front doors at the side of a house; areas across Canada and city staff is to make as she has enjoyed her 7 recreational or community purposes. large paved parking areas with little starting a consultation process on how years with us as editor. During Mary It now appears that the area in Brewer or no green space in front and none they should be regulated in Ottawa. Anne’s tenure OSCAR has prospered Park between the swimming pool and of the iconic Old Ottawa South It is not hard to see why digital signs as a community paper, its size has Westboro Academy is available and porches in sight; or very tall houses would be popular with advertisers. grown and its finances are secure. It would be an ideal spot with sufficient built very close to the lot lines that Digital signs can be animated in full is today one of the more significant size, no other alternative uses for the reduce the amenity value and privacy colour, they can stream video images, community papers in the city. We site and easy accessibility. A public of neighbours’ properties. Often we their content can be changed remotely are very grateful as a community meeting was recently held in which are seeing developers push the limits and at little cost and they use energy association and as a community for a number of local residents turned of zoning requirements by seeking efficient new lighting technologies. all the hard work Mary Anne has put out to indicate an interest in using “minor variances” that undermine the So more visual impact and flexibility in to build the paper and she has our the facility. As a result, the Board intent of the zoning in the first place. at lower operating costs; you can heartfelt thanks. approved a motion of support for the In other cases we are seeing attempts see why the advertising industry Mary Anne’s departure was garden and has provided a letter of to change the zoning on a spot basis would be keen and why potentially announced at OSCA’s January support for a funding application to so that a higher density development there will be pressure to have more Board meeting and it was decided to help launch the facility. Hopefully, if can be built. billboards and other advertising establish a search committee to find the organizing committee is successful Brendan McCoy, co-chair of venues throughout the city. Of course her replacement. The committee with its fundraising initiatives, we will OSWATCH, has written an article the downside is more light pollution, will be appointed at our February soon see this new facility at Brewer for this issue of OSCAR on just distractions for motorists, and visual meeting and will aim to have a Park. one example of this problem, the intrusion, especially for residents winning candidate by the late spring. proposed rezoning of 337 Sunnyside whose properties abut new electronic Advertisements will appear in the Infill Issues Avenue. (See page 8) It is one of a signs. Over the last decade traditional March issue of the OSCAR and on our long list of battles we are fighting, billboards have been declining in the website announcing the competition Intensification is becoming a and will be fighting, in order to get city and they have gradually been and providing instructions on how to fact of life in the community and the positive benefits from intensification removed from a number of locations, apply. number of infill projects is growing for the community. In the long term including in Old Ottawa South, in part steadily. Initially these projects it may be necessary to revisit the as a result of more restrictive controls.

Putting Kids Through School One Fry At A OSCAR Needs Time ... Cont’d from page 1 Volunteers interests? “I have a wife. I have my kids. My kids are pretty good. They don’t drink, they don’t smoke. They did what I told To Distribute them to do – education, education. They did that.” There’s a lot of interest in street food in Ottawa these Monthly days. The city imposed a moratorium on all new street food permits in 1996, when they were apparently crowding OSCAR Newspaper streets downtown and competing too much with restaurants. Since then, the number of trucks has gone down from over a hundred to 32, because when a vendor shuts down, East side of Roslyn between Col. By his permit disappears with him. and Aylmer, north side of Aylmer be- But new vendors who want to set up shop are stuck. tween Roslyn and Leonard, west side The city is planning a pilot project to give out 10 new permits to vendors who sell local, healthy and fresh food. of Leonard between Aylmer and Col. Zahalan isn’t concerned – there’s not much competition By, Col. By between Leonard and Ros- for what he’s offering in Old Ottawa South. lyn (21 papers) Page 6 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012

MAYOR’S MONTHLY COLUMN 2012 NHL All Star Weekend

By Jim Watson

rom January 26th to the 29th, Ottawa hosted the 2012 NHL ALL-Star Weekend. This Fwas a tremendous event for our city and I am incredibly proud of the hard work done by Eugene Melnyk, Cyril Leeder and everyone over at the Ottawa Senators organization for making this happen. I’m also proud of City Council for investing $200,000 to bring this one-of-a-kind event to Canada’s capital! It is estimated that All Star Weekend brought $30 million of economic activity to our hotels, restaurants and shops. The game was broadcast in over 150 countries and brought over 400 accredited media members to our city, giving us exposure as the world-class destination we are. Hosting the All Star game was great in itself but what made this event particularly special was that FOUR Ottawa Senators were in the starting lineup! Milan Michalek, Erik Karlsson, Jason Spezza, and Daniel Alfredsson, who were all voted into the starting lineup thanks to the great support of the Sens Army. I want to thank everyone for voting and Mayor and his niece Nicola Froislie at the Sens rally held at City Hall early Janury getting their friends to vote so that these players could showcase the talent of our great team. President Pat Kelly and their dedicated team. already landed the 2012 JUNOS and the 2013 IIHF Hosting the All Star Game would not have And we are going to see a lot of more events Women’s World Cup of Hockey. been possible without the creation of the Ottawa of this nature thanks to the OCC, as well as other All Star Weekend also marked the opening of Convention Centre. This beautiful facility in the initiatives City Council is driving. For example, the Rink of Dreams at City Hall, and (if you haven’t heart of downtown has been a big boost to our City through the creation of a Special Events Office already) I hope you and your family will soon have since it opened its doors last year thanks to a lot with Ottawa Tourism we are working to bring the a chance to come down and enjoy this gorgeous of hard work by former Mayor Jim Durrell, OCC 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup to town and have outdoor ice rink. Old Ottawa South Business Listing Bank Street runs as a traditional OOS. A personal voluntary initiative main street spine through the centre toward the creation of a Business of the community, offering a variety of Improvement Area has recently been retail options: from cafés, restaurants begun by Danielle Kuczer. (Danielle. and toy stores, to second-hand clothing [email protected]). Meanwhile, and antiques, as well as fine take-out, an informal project in the community is catering, and kitchen stores, including to create a list of OOS businesses with a full-service grocery store.... a view to making such a list available Excerpt from the Old Ottawa online and elsewhere. Initiated by Isla South community website, January Jordan and Gail Stewart (with some 2012. much-appreciated encouragement by OSCA’s helpful webeditor Gwen he business community of Old Gail), the list should soon appear on Ottawa South is most visibly our community website: http://www. Tconcentrated on Bank Street. A oldottawasouth.ca. Information is recent count showed that there are more invited from all businesses in Old than seventy storefront businesses Ottawa South, including home-based plus a theatre, two banks and an ATM businesses. The following information “between the bridges.” But there is from OOS businesses would be more to the OOS business community. welcomed: Not only are there businesses just off Name of business Bank Street and in a cluster at the Proprietor corner of Sunnyside and Seneca, there Street address are probably as many or more business Postal address (if different) throughout the neighbourhood which Telephone are home-based. These too are part of Email address our business community. Website A new initiative to embrace the Description (25 words or fewer) business community as part of the Contact name (and address, if OOS community, to foster its vitality different from above) and give it greater profile has seen several developments. Councillor Send the completed form to 141 Chernushenko convened a meeting at Cameron Avenue, Ottawa ON K1S0X2 Southminster Church in late September or email it to [email protected]. to discuss the state of Bank Street in FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 7

CITY COUNCILLOR’S REPORT Lansdowne Park Design Takes A Few Steps In Right Direction, But Major Problems Remain

s some of you know, I was on Bank • Space allotted for the Ottawa filled by someone with different pri- appointed to the Lansdowne • Improvements to the urban park, Farmers’ Market is inadequate to meet orities. ADesign Review Panel short- which will be a major new local and current or anticipated demand. The redevelopment plan has ly before I took office in December regional asset • The cinema remains too large, taken some small steps in the right 2010. The LDRP has final review • Refinements to the stadium, in- limiting other opportunities for design direction. But overall, it’s plagued authority over the integrated design, cluding an architecturally spectacular improvements. by one fundamental problem: This landscape and architectural plans for “veil” on the Canal side is the wrong place for a new major the Lansdowne Park redevelopment • Achievements in sustainabil- Modest improvements to sustain- stadium and such a concentration of that was approved by the previous ity, including LEED certification for ability, pedestrian priority and space retail activity, never mind both. That City Council. the commercial area and high “green for the Farmers’ Market may still be was never something the LDRP could At the time, I was well aware that building” standards for many struc- possible, but much is now locked in change, because it was built into the the majority of Old Ottawa South tures, energy and water conservation by decisions already taken. The will original project proposal approved by residents objected strongly to how features, at least one green roof and isn’t there to change building foot- the previous Council. the redevelopment had been handled, reflective roof, and solar energy gen- prints or envelopes, mostly dictated Will this approach to redevelop- and to the form it was taking. More eration by the revenue generation required ment contribute to our local com- than that, I shared your views. So why • Lower building height for the by the financing model. As for traf- munity? Will the overall experience agree to join the LDRP? cinema, reducing the impact on views fic management, the site is a victim of be attractive enough and will traffic I wanted to be in a better pos- of the Aberdeen Pavilion its location and cannot be adequately move sufficiently well to draw Ottawa ition to influence key decisions and But there are still several funda- served by public transportation. None residents and visitors to the new Lans- make improvements to a project that mental concerns, which I’m strug- of these realities can be changed with- downe? Will this mix of retail, resi- was moving forward with or without gling to have addressed before the out starting over. dential, sport and leisure activities be my support. I saw an opportunity to design is finalized: So why do I stay on the LDRP if the right one? I remain unconvinced. lend my expertise as a Leadership in • Traffic Demand Management there’s still such a gap between what’s Energy and Environmental Design (TDM) measures are inadequate to possible and what’s likely? First, I Councillor David Chernushenko (LEED) Accredited Professional, and accommodate daily traffic and park- want to do all I can to defend the in- 613-580-2487 | David.Chernus- as an international consultant on sus- ing requirements, never mind special terests of Capital Ward residents and [email protected] tainable sports facilities and events. events. Although consultants’ studies like-minded people across the city. www.capitalward.ca That didn’t mean I would buy in claim otherwise, local residents and I Second, I would hate to see my seat to the project as a whole. As I made it fear the site simply can’t reached or clear to Mayor Jim Watson and others, serviced without severe impacts on I was there to be a constructive critic surrounding communities, including and advocate for the interests of Cap- Old Ottawa South: More traffic, park- ital Ward, the residents of Ottawa, and ing challenges, noise and pollution the City’s long-term financial and en- will affect an area stretching from the vironmental health. Queensway to Billings Bridge. Without exception, my colleagues • Heritage elements are insuffi- on the LDRP have supported my ciently protected and respected. Site stance and many specific suggestions. corridors for the Aberdeen Pavilion As a result, we have made progress on will be dramatically reduced from two some fronts: sides. • Better access by public and • Opportunities for a major sus- active transportation by increasing tainability demonstration project have bus frequency and improving cycling been only mildly embraced. This routes — including a new lane on could be a showcase for world-lead- Bank, a better connection to Queen ing practices, drawing tourists, boost- Elizabeth Drive, and better paths ing local business, and bringing dra- along the Canal side matic cost savings over the long term. • Detailed design of many retail • Lansdowne Park as a pioneering buildings to better reflect the site’s (for Ottawa) pedestrian-only precinct history and the existing architecture will not be realized.

Capital Ward Walk/Skate February 24 Join Councillor David Chernushenko for a walk, tour and skate at Brewer Park on Friday, Feb. 24 at 10 a.m.

Meet at the Brewer Oval change hut (west end of Grove Ave.) While walking, we’’ll hear details of the plans for a community garden at Brewer Park and the temporary relocation of the Ottawa Farmers Market to Sloan Place during Lansdowne Park redevelopment. We’ll finish with skating and conversation on the Brewer Oval, followed by hot chocolate and cookies.

Skating is optional. Warm clothing is not. Page 8 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012 OSWATCH 337 Sunnyside Re-Zoning Proposa

By Brendan McCoy, else might be built. OSWatch was height and size to be the same as if the be created on the ground, a type of OSWatch Co-Chair concerned that even if this proposal is zoning was unchanged. amenity space which is in keeping stopped, we could expect something In our letter I also stated that we with the neighbourhood character. developer has proposed to re- more like the earlier approved large had concerns in principal with spot Because of the short deadline for zone 337 Sunnyside from R3 attached town houses being the same zoning and felt that changes to the comments, and after speaking to the to R4 for a 3 story apartment height and setbacks as the building zoning should be done as part of a OSCA President Michael Jenkin, A proposed, but with four garages - CDP. We asked again for a CDP to OSWatch’s letter was circulated to building with underground parking. The architect has asserted that the eg. the same size but a worse design be implemented in Old Ottawa South the OSCA Board for comments and proposed building is the same size OSWatch’s opinion was the removal covering both the Main Street (Bank) sent them to the City planner on the and has the same setbacks as a of the roof top patio was a useful and the adjacent residential areas. We file. Several residents also made development already approved for the improvement in a development which also repeated our concern to Planning comments, which they shared with site. Right now there is an older red while objectionable for the neighbours Committee and City Planning Staff OSWatch. These comments were very brick house on the double lot which in a number of ways, was in planning that the height, massing and setbacks well prepared and there is no doubt a stretches from Sunnyside to Woodbine terms better than what had already of residential infill as presently broad range of arguments, facts and Place. There had been a proposal been approved for the site. allowed is not in keeping with the concerns have been presented to City (which was approved but never built In our comments to the City we community character. staff. We await the report from the City because the developer moved away) began by pointing out that there were In the case of 337 Sunnyside planning department. After that report for four, three story town homes back a number of planning and technical we said we are prepared to refrain this re-zoning will be brought to the to back; two on Sunnyside, two on concerns that have been raised by from formally objecting to the Planning Committee for a decision. Woodbine, each with their own drive neighbours which must be dealt with proposed re-zoning conditional on OSWatch meets the second Tuesday way. This would be similar to the town by City Staff before any decision the roof top patio being removed of the month at the Firehall. Our homes immediately to the west of the is made on the proposed re-zoning. from the design and site plan. Such meetings usually start at 7:30 pm, lot. OSWatch organized a meeting These concerns include clarifying patios are generally allowed by local but check the OSCA web site with the architect and neighbours both: a) the required setbacks from zoning, but are uncommon on local oldottawasouth.ca for the agenda more than a year ago and then another the utility pole on Woodbine, and b) buildings. We argued that a roof top and start time in the week before the one recently. There is no question that the required setbacks from all other patio is contrary to the character of meeting. All are welcome to sit in on the neighbours would like a smaller neighbouring properties. We stated the neighbourhood, it is invasive to meetings or join the committee. Also development on the site. For OSCA that OSCA expects the proposed the neighbouring properties’ privacy on the OSCA web site is a wealth of as always the practical question is development to respect all existing and is a potential source of noise. We other information on planning issues whether the proposed development R3 side and front yard setbacks on the suggest if the developer wants more and also the minutes of past OSWatch is so big and bad that the City will lot, and also and the R3 height limit of amenity space that the size of the meetings. stop it, and if it was stopped what 11 Meters. Simply put we expect the building be reduced and the space

Sudoku Sudoku Solution on page 21

To complete the puzzle: 1. all rows must contain digits 1 to 9 only once 2. all columns must contain the digits 1 to 9 only once. 3. each of the nine boxes must contain the digits 1 to 9 only once FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 9 Great Public Place in Canada - Brewer Park Oval

rewer Park Oval has been nominated as one of the great places in Canada. The Great Places in Canada contest Bis an annual event run by the Canadian Institute of Planners as a search for the special places that Canadian love the most. People can nominate their streets, neighbourhoods or favourite public spaces. Canadians submit information, photographs and videos about their favourite places and then the most popular places are featured on the Great Places in Canada website. The contest ends at the end of February and then a panel of planning experts will make a final decision and the winners will be announced at the end of April. Brewer Park is an integral part of our neighbourhood and the skating facility helps to make Brewer Park a four season location. With two hockey boxes and a speed skating oval it is the largest outdoor rink facility in the city of Ottawa. It is a community, volunteer run facility with expert support and assistance from the city’s planning department, outdoor rink program and the city’s facilities departments. If you have enjoyed a game of hockey or a quick spin around the Brewer Oval please vote at: http://www.cip-icu.ca/greatplaces http://www.cip-icu.ca/greatplaces/en/place.asp?id=5993

Great Neighbourhood in Please Vote!! Canada - Old Ottawa South You Can Vote for Your Favourite Public Place he community is defined by its and young families who like the qual- waterways. Old Ottawa South ity of the schools and recreational op- and Favourite Neighbourhood Tis bounded on the north by the tions. There is a substantial university until February 29, 2012 World Heritage Rideau Canal, and on student population, who liven up the the south and east by the Rideau River streets each September when they as it winds its way north to spill into shop the annual Porch Sale to furnish http://www.greatplacesincanada.com/ the Ottawa River. Carleton University their new digs. forms its western boundary, adding an There are several excellent parks academic flair to the character of the that preserve nature on the river and neighbourhood. (Boundaries are for- provide good fun for children and malized by the City.) dogs; local volunteers are proactive Bank Street runs as a traditional in helping maintain them and keeping main street spine through its centre, them clean and safe. offering a variety of retail options Children’s play areas, water from cafés, restaurants, and toy stores, parks, skating rinks, and a local in- to second-hand clothing and antiques, door pool are also part of the mix. as well as fine take-out, catering, and Just to the north over the bridge, is kitchen stores. Moreover, it’s all with- the city’s “Jewel in the Crown”, Lans- in walking distance for locals, with downe Park, with its 1898 Aberdeen good parking for visitors. There are Pavilion and its “all local” farmers’ approx. 40+ retail establishments and market, which will be entering a new many home-based businesses, em- phase of redevelopment in 2011–13. ploying hundreds. http://www.greatplacesincanada. The population is a mix of older com/ residents who’ve lived here for years

Area Church Service Times Sunnyside Wesleyan Church St Margaret Mary’s Parish 58 Grosvenor Avenue (at Sun- 7 Fairbairn (corner of Sunnyside) nyside) Tuesday Evening at 7PM Sunday Worship Services at 9am Friday Daytime at 12:15PM & 11am (one service at 10am May Saturday Evening at 5PM 22 - Sept 4) Sunday Mornings at 9:30AM and Children’s program offered during 11:30PM worship services. Southminster United Church Trinity Anglican Church 15 Aylmer Avenue (at Bank & the 1230 Bank St (at Cameron Ave) Canal) Sundays: Holy Eucharist at 8 and Sunday Worship 10am 10:30 a.m. (9:30 a.m. July & with Church School and Choir August) (9:30 in July and August) Sunday School During worship, September - May Page 10 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012 Clarification Surrounding Sale of 34 Brighton n recent weeks there has been much discussion in regards to the Idetails surrounding the sale of 34 Brighton Ontario and how did it end up in the hands of Jakub Ulak the de- veloper. I informed Maria Cook of the Ot- tawa Citizen during the Holiday sea- son that I could not comment in re- gard to this transaction as under the Privacy Act Realtors cannot discuss a transaction if they do not have the express written consent of both par- ties. The fact of the matter is that on August 6, 2011, 34 Brighton Avenue was sold to an Electrician and his wife from Toronto. The buyer agent stated that they loved the home and that they were going to do a few things and pos- sibly an addition in a few years. This was conveyed to Mrs Switzer and her son Bruce. Furthermore the deposit cheque, which accompanied the firm agreement of Purchase and Sale, was from the Electrical Company in Rich- mond Hill, Ontario. The home closed on December 5, 2011 and was registered in the name of the same Electrician who pur- chased the home on August 6. To our surprise on the same day a transfer 34 Brighton Photo by Jean-Claude Dubé of title was made to the name of In- dependent Development Group Lim- ited. We now know this is the same We had no knowledge of the buy- events and facts will put some ru- our control. developer who attempted to purchase er’s deceitful intentions and therefore mours to rest. I welcome comments 34 Brighton a month earlier but we re- could not communicate this at the and emails for further clarification. Tracy Arnett jected their offer. time of transaction. I can only assume I have lived in our community since Broker of Record We negotiated in good faith with this was a carefully calculated plot 1993, raising our children in a com- Tracy Arnett Realty Ltd., Brokerage the buyer’s agent honouring our by the developer to buy this property munity we adore. Mrs. Switzer and [email protected] client’s wishes and we relied upon the who was now aware of the seller’s her son Bruce know I wanted to hon- www.tracyarnett.com agent’s information as being accurate clear wishes not to sell to a developer. our their wishes and the unfortunate and truthful. I hope my clarifying the actual deceitful events were beyond all of 34 Brighton Avenue Redevelopment

By Cameron Macdonald unfortunate. houses with garages on the front. He ation. However incompatible, it was Obviously the sale did not go as will build to the absolute maximum legal. here has been much anger expected. I have spoken directly to footprint allowed including a blank 3 The wildwest land grab situation and media coverage over the the Switzer’s agent Tracey Arnett and story blank wall running the length of now existing in our community is a re- sale and redevelopment of 34 I am ok with her description of activ- the building within a meter and a half sult of zoning and non-existent guide- T ities around this sale. But we cannot from Brighton Beach park. lines to protect against incompatible Brighton Avenue. In this situation, we should not forget and should thank the let the issues around a bad sale divert Everyone with the exception of infill in the City core. I would direct Switzers for their generous attempt our attention from the conditions that the developer thinks this structure reader’s to Donna Silver’s excellent to try and protect their property and created this problem. A developer will is totally incompatible with the sur- article in the January 2012 OSCAR the community from the ravages of now take down a single house on a rounding neighbourhood. I attended that outlined the problems in zoning. “intensification”. Some of the cover- double lot in our neighbourhood and the Committee of Adjustment meet- The pitch battles that are being fought age devoted to the Switzers was very build four, flat top, three story town- ing where neighbours made a num- around the city by neighbourhoods ber of reasoned arguments against trying to save their communities not the development. Several members of from intensification but developer the committee asked the developer’s driven intensification will continue. planning consultant to a request chan- Only leadership from our municipal ges. But in the end, the Committee of politicians and City Hall are going to Adjustment, our councillor, OS Watch change this situation. and the city planning department all professed to be powerless in this situ-

Submit articles about interesting people you know in Old Ottawa South to oscar@ oldottawasouth.ca FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 11 Heritage Day Festivities on Call it a Hill or a Mountain ... Cont’d from page 1

February 21, 2012 down a snowy, icy hill has not. Apart from the sliding hill, the On a typical snowy morning greenspace “is a beautiful wide open in January, Old Ottawa South play space. Fallen leaves and pine neighbourhood children gathered needles are wonderful materials for on the hill pulling their rainbow of imagination games in the fall. And colourful plastic sliders. They take both of my children learned how to their turns zooming down on the ride their bikes on the path there. There snow-covered hill. is a slight downhill section of the “I like that part because it’s walking path that allowed them to get slanty,” said Clara Weber, age five, the hang of gliding without having pointing to the middle of the hill. to master peddling first,” said Becky Tessa Quinn-Crook, five years Sasaki, an Old Ottawa South parent old, likes it best when her sled has of two. enough momentum to reach the Hoping to end the hill/mountain footpath. “Sometimes we come here debate, OSCAR asked the January twice a day,” said Kelly Quinn, her morning sliders their opinion. One mom. Two-year-old sister Fiona gives avid slider, Claire Waddington, her mom and big sister a push down age five, shouted “It’s MOUNT the hill. The extra push sends mother SENECA.” and daughter even farther than before. In 2012, Tom Alföldi and Paige “It’s a great greenspace. The Raymond Kovach will bring you a kids play soccer in the summer, ride continuing series of the parks and bikes up and down the path, climb in greenspaces of Old Ottawa South. the trees, collect pine cones, and of They welcome your stories of the course test out cross country skis in parks between the bridges. Be it Linda the winter along with the sledding,” Thom, Brewer, Windsor, Osborne, said Lauren Weber. Brighton Beach, Seneca Hill, natural The Webers spend Earth Day corridors along the Rideau River, giving the park a spring cleanup. or even the green space next to “[We] bring lots of bags and our the Sunnyside Library, these parks wagon and clean it up in the spring are where residents live outdoors. from Bronson Place to Seneca. If you’d like to share one of your Primarily we find lots of dog poop stories please contact us at oscar@ (mom’s job) and plenty of general oldottawasouth.ca. litter (mostly coffee cups tossed from cars along Colonel By).”

Winter fun 90 years ago: Toboggan Side at Chateau Laurier Credit: Canadian National Railways / Library and Archives Canada

f you’re interested in local history and heritage then City Hall is the place to be on Tuesday, February 21st starting at 11:30am. Each year, the Council of IHeritage Organizations of Ottawa (CHOO/COPO) and the City of Ottawa organize a showcase of groups to highlight local initiatives in history, heritage, archives, museums and more. This year’s theme is the Heritage of Power Gen- eration so the displays promise to be electrifying. Drop by to meet fellow herit- age enthusiasts and learn about our local history and how you can get involved.

Enjoying The Rideau Canal Photo from Anne Coyle Page 12 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012 With the FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER Group by Kendall McQueen the weeks were full enough, weren’t it’s the approach that frames them, they? But the idea appealed to us. the luck of the draw. Email out the he kids run ahead down the I’m a transplant, an American and a first of the week. Who’s hosting? street in the twilight, talking in Southerner – which means, by nature, Who’s coming? With what dish? We that sing song way that makes I’m accustomed to dropping in, never give details – just answer back T stopping by, coming round, staying dessert, or appetizer, or a side. And the speech sound like music and laughter all at once. They are excited and eager awhile, all that socializing which first one to email back always picks to get there. It’s just after 6pm and happens spontaneously and frequently dessert. It’s the most fun, and the mostly dark, but the air is warm and in my home town in Virginia’s Blue easiest to pick up at Life of Pie! But misty on this late November evening. Ridge Mountains. I missed all that. the way it turns out always surprises A few leaves still hang on the trees, Getting together every Friday with us. Grilled salmon in dill sauce with but mostly there are small piles along 4 or 5 other families sounded like roasted vegetables, a big green salad the streets and in the front gardens something to try. with sautéed mushrooms, chocolate that flutter as we pass. I carry a tray We tried it. And we all seemed cake, lamb curry with rice, an arugula of chopped vegetables as an appetizer. to have fun. Though that first year, pear/walnut salad with homemade It’s what I had in the fridge, and I feel there was a lot of quick talking while bean dip and vegs, a blueberry pie for a bit sheepish because I didn’t end juggling a toddler on the knee, a lot dessert – or my favorite, homemade up spending time to make something of trying to finish sentences. Talking macaroni and cheese with hand cured more inventive. But it was a beautiful about those half articles we read, or bacon, a Caesar salad, and a big day, the day got away with me. So I the first part of the Sundance movie platter of roasted squash with flaming quickly chopped peppers and carrots we watched. After all, we were really bananas for dessert. Stuff like that we and brought a sure to please organic once. It’s Friday night! busy parents of young children. But never have at home! dip to make up for a lack of originality. Friday Night Dinner – or “FND” we were also often desperate to feel There is a core group, the way Not that it matters. My lack of as I call it now, giving it it’s own part of the “real” world too. You there usually is in any endeavor. The appetizer originality, I mean. Because weighty acronym, like any respectable know, the one where people went to other families rotate in and out when as soon as we’re in the door, a bustle long running show. Like the cast and movies and read entire articles. And they can. Some kids are in hockey. of people arriving mingles with smells crew of SNL (Saturday Night Live), the one where people attended dinner Some just can’t make it every week. from the oven, dishes piled on the our Friday Night Dinner group toils parties and had long uninterrupted Schedules vary. But a core group of us counters, friendly kisses and how was through every busy week then with a witty conversations. Well, at least gets together most weeks. And things your week talk. It all signals another bit of verve pulls together a show at uninterrupted. change. Our children grow a bit older. night together with friends. We are the end. That’s the way I like to think In any relationship, it takes time We are a bit older too, but that’s not friends and that means unadorned cut of it anyway. And since we’ve been at to get to know one another, it takes the point. The group is larger now, a veggies are okay (and besides, last it, some of our Friday evenings have time to relax enough to open up and few more families have joined. But week I brought a 2 lb. butter infused rivaled any zany broadcast, sharing a feel comfortable. Our little group was the familiarity that the core group Martha Stewart cake which took night of food and conversation with no different. Over the course of the shares extends out to embrace the all day). Lights in the kitchen glow the spice of spontaneity but with the first year, we got to know each other others. Conversations are longer and amber on our faces; music streams regularity of the same players. over chicken and rice, fall festivals more detailed. We get to the end of from some unseen digital pod. The Three years ago, a neighbor and and winter holidays. Before we knew sentences. And there have even been kids scamper off somewhere, the I came up with the idea of getting it, conversations picked up again the some nights when all the buzz, the adults find glasses to fill. We all talk at together every week with our families following week, and we knew stuff warm lights, the music, the sounds of and maybe others. We live in a dense that was going on with the kids, happy children in some far off room and leafy urban neighborhood. Many with work, with school. Sure, there have blended together as the people people here are from somewhere else. were cancellations and head colds, around the table talk and laugh; the Many don’t have immediate family and times we were tired, and some scene could be from any good moment in the area. Many moved here only weeks that we just never got together at any time, when people have come a short time ago. The beauty of Old for one reason or another. But for the together and found some special Ottawa South can lie in this kind of most part, we did get together, and alchemy amongst themselves. Special shared circumstance. We thought a even when we were really wiped out, enough anyway to give it another go regular dinner sounded family like we enjoyed ourselves; even when it next week. and homey. After all, OOS is really seemed implausible that 15 people First thing Friday morning, my just a village within a dense urban would soon be knocking on the door daughter asks, “Whose house this core. and expecting dinner, somehow week?” I tell her, and I know she So we called up a few friends. things seemed to work. And the food pictures the house in her head, seeing We had a few skeptical takers who was always amazing. her friends, looks forward to the agreed but probably imagined it The food IS always amazing. familiarity but also the variety and the would fizzle out after a few disastrous Part of the fun is the potluck. I mystery of the fun she knows she will weeks. Our kids were young, many like to think that potluck somehow have… of us were working full time jobs, symbolizes the Friday Night Dinners; The fun we all end up having. OSCAR Needs Volunteers For Monthly Distribution in OOS

Backyard Naturalist ... Cont’d from page 2

backyard lately, but sometimes a untimely end, I try to think of it this welcome the presence of Cooper’s Cooper’s Hawk will stake out a good way: raptors have to eat too, and a Hawks in the neighbourhood. I hope backyard feeder for days at a time. bunch of little seeds just won’t cut it they have come to stay. It gives a whole new meaning to for these guys, who rank higher on the term “bird feeder.” While it may the food chain. While I miss seeing Linda Burr lives in Old Ottawa seem that hanging out my feeder is the backyard birds at my feeders, South and is a biologist and avid setting up some little birds for an I know they will come back. And I backyard naturalist. FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 13 TheTundra Review By Chris Whitehead everyone drinks bourbon, constantly] where he is quickly forced to deal with the ghosts of a past that Not surprisingly, after the slew of big-budget re- have left him an angry yet oddly stoic antihero. Two leases in December [most of which were blah but things made the show stand out: first, the great dia- none of which stood out - goes to show you how logue [“The key word in fire arm is fire. When the easy it is to throw away 100 million dollars...they pin hits the cap it makes the charge explode mean- could have saved money by paying me to read ing there’s a spark, which should be of some con- scripts and tell them how to make them not suck], cern to a man soaked in gasoline.” Great stuff!]; and January tends to have a lot more of the interesting second, the characters - they’re consistently multi- cast-offs, films that didn’t make enough money layered and interesting, and the “bad guys” are often for Hollywood’s corporate-minders. That means as hilarious as they are disturbing and devious. there’s more movies actually worth watching - at least as far as I’m concerned [though, in all fairness, “Killer Elite” is another movie with a bad title I do tend to be wrong about things]. As a side note, the music that people keep asking me about [or commenting on] is all “House” and “Trance” music and is either from “BBC essential mix” or “Above & Beyond: Trance Around the World” [podcast]. Here’s what stood out for me in the last few weeks:

“Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” has both a terrible name and bad cover art [you’d think with all the money floating around the movie industry things like that wouldn’t happen] and it got panned by critics [probably because they didn’t get a free mug or tote-bag]. Putting that aside, the movie is great [seriously, I watched it twice]. The film is a a brilliant creation] - he’s a great character with some absolutely hilarious dialogue and a demeanor that made me wish the whole film had just been about him going about his everyday job and liv- ing his everyday life. Now, in all fairness, you need to have a taste for Irish humour [which IS subtlety different from British humour, though if you like one you’ll probably like the other - and if you like neither your sense of humour sucks and you should be happy with all the crappy Adam Sandler films we carry...umm, that came out more bitter than intended, oh well] to enjoy this film, but for any- one looking for a break from Hollywood’s version of “funny” this should be a pleasant distraction.

“Justified” just released its second season on DVD and it remains one of my favourite shows of the last [maybe that’s the theme of the month, there were, after all, a lot of badly titled films in January] - it makes the film sound like some cheesy direct to video b-action movie...maybe staring Dolph Lun- dgren or Wesley Snipes. However, this is, contrary to first impressions, a solid action thriller with a multi-layered plot [every time you think they’re done it just keeps going, but it makes sense and it’s well made so it’s a pleasant surprise not a tedi- ous ordeal]. The action sequences are extremely well-executed and the film maintains a good sense of tension to keep the viewer wondering what will happen next. Recently Statham [known for the en- supernatural thriller in the vein of a Lovecraftian tertaining, but utterly ludicrous, Transporter series] [read Gothic] story that unfolds when a young girl has branched into roles that require him to act, in moves into a house [gorgeous house, the front doors films that actually have solid and interesting stor- alone...wow] that her father is in the process of re- ies - Mechanic and Blitz - and it’s nice to see him storing, and discovers that she has become the focus continue this trend, if only because it turns him into of...well, something that promises to be her friend. one of those actors where you think “oh, he’s in The acting is understated and realistic [unlike the it, it’s probably decent” and then you’re NOT left annoying over-the-top standard horror acting that shouting and cursing at the world for tricking you involves lots of yelling, screaming, irrationality, into watching one of the dumbest things you’ve and completely avoidable dying], and the story un- seen in a while...umm, maybe that’s just me [no- folds at a steady deliberate pace; but most import- tice how I’m being nice and not naming names]. ant is the carefully crafted atmosphere of creepiness that develops slowly but steadily and never lets up. Okay, I slacked off a bit over the holidays and didn’t review anything for the facebook page, and then we “The Guard” is an offbeat comedy from Ireland that missed a week posting our new-releases [someone follows a sarcastic, curmudgeon-like police officer was moving, and I refuse to let my computers go who finds himself investigating what looks like a near facebook, so...], but we’re new to this, have cult-murder that may be related to a drug-smuggling year or so [though I loath “Modern Family”, so what patience, I promise I’ll start ranting online soon operation that an FBI agent has come to Ireland to do I know], and not just because the main character enough [we’re trying to decide if it’s okay for me to investigate. The film is certainly uneven, and suf- has a great name: Raylan Givens [you have to think swear, or if that’s “unprofessional”], I just needed to fers from trying to be more then it needs to be, but it with a slight southern drawl - just adds to my bitter- recover from the Christmas blahs...and stop playing the basic character played by Brendan Gleeson is ness over the poor naming job my parents managed video games...and get organized...and get over my so endearing that the rest doesn’t really matter [ex- to do]. The show follows a US marshal who returns general hatred of social media. cept the philosophy arguing “bad guys” - they are to his backwater Kentucky roots [where apparently Page 14 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012

Squirrel Talk 44 years of Canal Skating

By: Tania & Michaël issues for most people we know (or for anyone probably since they trim 15 ave you been skating the can- seconds off average commute through al, and making sure you don’t downtown). In these times when we trip on the long Dr.Seuss hats are told the economy is quite weak, H we’d rather be storing some money the squirrels are wearing ? It’s abso- lutely beautiful out there with rising rather than increasing debt (since pre- or mid-day or evening sun, with hues vious and current mayors don’t seem ranging from muted reds to ultra- to be able to save for crisis and only blues. seem to be able to plan for more debt). It’s funny how some folks are in You can just see what’s coming can’t their bubble when out in public, and you : Ottawa overspent and now we others reach out with a smile or even need to cut deep into services, espe- a bit of friendly chatting. We met Ger- cially social programs, and police trude at the change chairs, she said and fire, public transportation, and she’d been skating since the canal so forth. Really, Watson isn’t doing opened in 1968. Wow, what an amaz- much to impress us even though he ing journey! Perhaps that’s why she tries to put on a good show. Perhaps looked so young that we had to ask we would like more, well thought out again about the year. We chatted about content, and less show and (useless) the 750k or possibly 1M dollar new debt. ice huts… what a collosal overchar- Our friend Ian brought up the ging.. imagine how much good we term “confirmation bias” which is could have done with those funds. We quite interesting. Wikipedia http://t. concluded the old huts seemed quite co/V2wzoiNt says: “Confirma- alright even though the new ones are tion bias (also called confirmatory equally alright. Later on Mr.Squirrel bias, myside bias or verification bias) Canal Skating Photo by Anne Coyle thought how this would normally is a tendency of people to favor infor- seem like a Watson sort of spend: mation that confirms their beliefs or when confronted with repeated insist- tario laws, and with the interests of questionably overpriced and with lit- hypotheses. As a result, people gather ence by the City on handing the keys citizens in mind. If they do not, we tle practicality. The upcoming tunnel evidence and remember information over to developers and going against fear the direction of things to come. for subways is another good example. selectively, and interpret it in a biased the citizens’ will, we have trouble not We are glad several people from Recently the tunnels have been de- way. The biases are stronger for emo- thinking something is endemically OOS have been writing us, and it’s scribed as being there due to the city tionally charged issues and for deeply broke and needs fixing. Hopefully the always a pleasure to meet you. We caving in due to downtown store lob- entrenched beliefs.” Friends of Lansdowne and the Lans- love to hear your ideas and comments bying to keep street parking. Frankly We apply this as one filter downe Park Conservancy will win – these inspire us to write on specific that feels about right, as the subway when interpreting many of our own their court cases and create a preced- topics and we always learn from you. tunnels are a great risk, not really use- thoughts, namely we question whether ent in how the city needs to operate: Écrivez-nous : [email protected] ful, and don’t solve the transportation our judgments were biased. However transparently, following city and On- Proposed Changes to Pool Enclosure Regulations he City is reviewing Pool En- of entry and egress that mitigate the New requirement to obtain a OCC_report_drowning.html) and closure By-law 2001-259 and possible hazard to children. These are new pool enclosure permit when an provide your comments (j.p.mitton@ Tis looking for feedback from located on decks attached or in close existing enclosure is replaced or sub- ottawa.ca) on the proposals by Febru- the public on the proposed changes. proximity to the home, or somewhere stantially rehabilitated to ensure the ary 20, 2012. The By-law has not been subject of in the yard, not necessarily integrated new enclosure meets the new stan- an in-depth review and update since with the pool. The By-law currently dards. Timing 2001. applies to ponds that are capable of Exemption for hot tubs, whirl- holding 24 or more inches of water. pools and spas with permanent sub- Staff will review the comments What are the issues? Ponds with their sloped sides may not stantial, structurally adequate and report to Planning Committee in present a hazard to children as com- lockable lids, and backyard ponds. March, 2012. Notice of the Municipalities establish pool en- pared to in- ground or above ground Unique pool enclosure require- Planning Committee meeting will closure by-laws primarily to protect pools. ments for above ground pools with be provided to you if you provide young children. Pools present a dif- walls that are 1.5 m (5’) high. comments or request notice of this ferent hazard than natural water fea- The City is proposing the following Administrative improvements public meeting. tures primarily because pools located changes: that will streamline processes and Contact in yards of residential properties do clarify application submission JP Mitton not have sloped edges that provide for All new pool enclosures will be requirements and standards. Program and Project Manage- gradual entry or exit, and are a haz- required to be four-sided with a fence ment Officer ard not anticipated in a location where between the dwelling and Feedback Building Code Services Branch there is an expectation of security the pool. New requirements for Planning and Growth Manage- and safety (home). Even if enclosed fences to inhibit climbing the fence. The City invites the general pub- ment by a perimeter fence, which prevents New requirement that all pool en- lic, community and business groups City of Ottawa children not living at the dwelling to closure gates be locked when not be- to follow the link to the Discussion 3rd Floor, 101 Centrepointe Drive access the pool, children living in, or ing used for entry and exit to the pool document to the left and review the (04-11) visiting the dwelling, have direct ac- area. more detailed information on the Ottawa, ON K2G 5K7 cess to the pool from the building. New requirement and specifica- City’s web site and the Ontario Cor- Phone: 613-580-2424 Ext. 21430 Hot tubs, whirlpools and spas tions for temporary pool enclosures oner’s Drowning Review (http:// Email: [email protected] are now designed with substantial that must be installed while a www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/ lockable lids and moulded on the in- pool and permanent pool enclos- DeathInvestigations/office_coroner/ side with shelves and stairs for ease ure are under construction. PublicationsandReports/Drowning/ FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 15

A HARD DAY’S PLAY And this is one of the good ones... By Mary P. Yes, it was. the girl out. at her age. I know what her younger “For the entire week? Are you “Emma, there was only one pair sibling’s room looks like. I took her wish to diverge a little from my sure?” My obvious scepticism riled of underwear in your laundry.” statement at face value because I am usual toddler topics so that I may her a bit. Yes, it was, for sure, the tone “Oh.” I can hear the defensiveness inured to adolescent household in- mock my youngest child. making it clear I was being foolish to rising. She’s caught, and she knows it. capacity. Barring outright department I even ask. I could cease forthwith with She decides to add a smidge of aggres- of health violations, I leave an adoles- My youngest child, who is, I hast- en to clarify, a MODEL teen. I mean the impertinent questions, thankyous- sion, hoping, I’m sure, that I’ll just go cent’s room to the adolescent. They that quite sincerely. At sixteen she is overymuch. away and cease with the embarrassing can live in whatever kind of swamp sensible, respectful, polite, cheerful, Call me crazy, but I’ve been doing … facts. “Yeah?” It’s not a full-out they choose to live in, so long as they easy-going. Her teachers like her, the laundry for a lot of years, many more attack. We don’t do that, Emma and keep the door shut. Emma, as it hap- neighbours like her, her babysitting years than the girl has been alive, and I, but I can hear the edge. I’m sure I pens, voluntarily cleans her room clients adore her. She dresses fash- I know when I’m seeing a full week’s disappoint her by persisting. — about once a week! Voluntarily!!! ionably yet unskankily. She has nice worth of dirty duds. And in this par- “So, you think that’s an unreason- She doesn’t maintain the clean worth friends, and her romantic taste im- ticular basket? I was not seeing them. able question? To wonder why you beans, but she cleans. So, again with proves with each boyfriend. (Don’t She had declared herself, how- only had one pair in an entire week’s the “nothing to complain about”. let us linger over Version One. I was ever, and with some indignant vigour. laundry?” (Particularly since I ex- But really? If this were NOT a horrified and, two years later, she is This was indeed her full week’s com- pressed doubt when you gave it to teen we were talking about, but a appropriately mortified by the very plement of laundry. I needn’t trouble me? Ahem. I don’t say that, but she normal person? “I didn’t look hard thought of him. So it’s all good.) myself further. Really. hears it anyway. We also don’t go for enough?” How hard does one have So, what I’m describing is a para- So I didn’t. I’m rather a fan of nat- “I told you so’s”, Emma and I. But to look to find laundry ... in a laundry gon, pretty much. I have nothing to ural consequences. One doesn’t need she knows she’s earned one.) There is basket?? complain about with this child. I know to argue when one has natural con- no edge in my voice. I don’t need it. There does come a point in a that, and am suitably proud/grateful. sequences on one’s side, and I could Those natural consequences are mak- mother’s life when she wonders why However, she is sixteen. feel them all, jostling around behind ing this so eeeeasy. In fact, though I’ll she bothers with fripperies like laun- For a while, each family member me as they lined up in my corner. never let on to her, I’m having a wee dry baskets. Why not just a garbage was each doing their own laundry. When this spartan smidge of laundry bit of fun here. My voice is mild, but bag hung from the bedroom doorknob However, I actually like doing laun- was completed, and the girl ran out of she knows I’m not going to go away once a week? Because really, it would dry. (Yes, yes, I know. We all have our something critical before next week? without an answer. save valuable floor space, not hav- quirks.) But since I do enjoy the task, Or wanted to wear something that was “No.” She pauses and it all comes ing that laundry basket lying around and having ensured that my children moldering away in some dusty corner out in a rush. If you’re going to eat empty. Valuable floor space, which know how to do it, I am quite happy of her room? crow, there’s no point in lingering over could be much better used storing, oh, to do the family laundry. It’s not total Oh, well … Not my problem... it. “Okay, you’re right. That wasn’t all I don’t know… altruism, either: taking on this task al- Natural consequences rock, I tell my laundry. I didn’t look hard enough dirty laundry, maybe? lows me to hand off tasks that I loathe. you. when I brought you my basket.” (A little quid pro quo and I am free of So when I came to hang that laun- That’s good enough. I don’t need dishes. For the rest of my life, if I’m dry? There was: one pair of jeans. her to grovel. She’s acknowledged my lucky.) Barring spills, stains or obvious dirt, point and her error, and I hand her Normally I do a load every couple we do wear our jeans far more than a the folded laundry without further of days, one person’s laundry at a single wearing. And there was a dress discussion. time, so that we each get a load done in there, too, so only six days required (Is it my fault if the ONE pair of per week. The night before, I will ask jeans. But still… six days on one pair underwear is in the VERY CENTRE whoever it is to please leave their of jeans? Eeeeeh. Possible. Unlikely, of the VERY TOP of the meagre laundry in that hall in the evening so but just barely possible. pile? Okay, yeah, it is. Heh.) that I can scoop it in the morning. (I There were five pairs of socks. And you know what? She is my am a confirmed morning person, up Did she go sock-free inside her slip- third child. She is the seventh of and going long before it would be rea- pers all weekend? I’m doubting it. eight children in this blended family. sonable to expect people to be bring- There were six shirts. Hm. I will I am so used to teens and their ways ing me baskets of laundry -- even if I wear a shirt more than once. But I am that I didn’t even consider the impli- am going to be washing, drying and in my early fifties. I do not have the cations of her statement until much folding that laundry for them.) body odour challenges of even the later that evening. Emma’s offering last week looked sweetest adolescent. Six shirts for a “I didn’t look hard enough.” I a tad… meagre. I waited a while to week is highly, highly unlikely. took that statement totally at face start the load, double-checking with And the final, damning bit of evi- value, because I know what her her when she woke. “Is this all your dence: There was one pair of under- room looks like. I know what her laundry?” wear in that basket. One. Time to call six older siblings’ rooms looked like Page 16 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012

AMICALEMENT VOTRE Carnet de bord par Hélène Koscielniak jouissait d’un très bon mariage et par écrit. Steve tenait un tel carnet. trouvons aussi « l’auto se mettait à était mère d’un enfant. Cette relation Jocelyne en faisait la lecture une fois valser sur les cailloux », et « exhibant physique avec son élève avait été pour par semaine. L’adolescent y avait ses dents blanche et écumeuse » (la elle un geste de compassion plutôt déversé son cœur désabusé. Aurait- rivière). Une description hivernale qu’un acte de passion. L’infidélité il fait allusion à leur concupiscence se lit : « un parfum de neige et de était restée un secret entre elle et dans ce carnet qui existe toujours? froidure ». Steve.Trente ans ont passé. Cette Cette angoisse est la trame du Un bon auteur sait se retrouver enseignante est maintenant veuve roman.L’auteure de Carnet de bord, dans ses livres et Hélène Koscielniak et retraitée. Ses enfants adultes ont Hélène Koscielniak, est talentueuse. défend bien ce modèle. Résidente quitté le foyer et poursuivent leur Son roman est bien cousu et le lecteur, du lointain Nord plutôt méconnu route. Jocelyne vit seule dans une intrigué par l’histoire de Jocelyne de l’Ontario, elle nous parle de son coquette maison que son défunt mari, Pelletier dès la première page, en coin de pays niché dans la forêt Johnny, avait construite sur le bord connaîtra le dénouement qu’à la fin boréale, une région qui fut colonisée de la rivière Kapuskasing. Elle est du livre. au siècle dernier par des Européens admirée par son voisin, un veuf de 60 Hélène Koscielniak, née Poitras, et des Canadiens français venus de ans, bel homme qui porte bien « son a vu le jour à Fauquier, un petit village toutes parts, attirés par la découverte jean délavé ». Pour sa part, Jocelyne franco-ontarien le long de la Route de précieux minéraux ainsi que qui est également remarquable dans 11, près de Kapuskasing. Instruite à l’établissement d’industries de coupe son jean, son chandail et ses cheveux l’école du village et puis au primaire du bois et de papetières. noués d’une bande élastique, apprécie et au secondaire de Kapuskasing, elle La culture et la langue française Par Jean-Claude Dubé ses attentions.Caroline, sa fille, a de a reçu son baccalauréat du Collège ont été bien conservées, tout en beaux enfants que Jocelyne aime bien. universitaire de Hearst. Ensuite, elle a intégrant des particularités régionales. e Cercle de lecture de Par contre, son mariage est en détresse obtenu une maîtrise en administration L’usage commun de sobriquets l’Amicale fit une heureuse et Jocelyne en est désolée. De même éducationnelle de l’Université anglais tel que Mike, Phil et Johnny Ltrouvaille en lisant Carnet qu’elle est bouleversée d’apprendre d’Ottawa. Elle a œuvré 34 ans au pour Michel, Philippe et Jean-Philippe de bord, un roman ontarien écrit que son fils, Philippe, emménage primaire et est maintenant retraitée. qu’on trouve dans ce roman en est un par une Franco-ontarienne, Hélène avec un homme pour mener une vie Mère de deux garçons qui sont exemple. C’est voulu par l’auteure. Koscielniak. Le scénario est situé de couple. C’est une alliance qu’elle a aussi enseignants (un à Orléans, Elle nous fait connaître sa région telle principalement à Kapuskasing, une peine à comprendre. En plus, Jocelyne l’autre à Hearst), l’auteure profite qu’elle est. Gilles Vigneault en fait petite ville industrielle dans le lointain souffre grandement de l’absence de sa retraite pour prendre la autant. Elle a aussi choisi de beaux Nord ontarien où une enseignante de son mari, Johnny, terrassé par la plume en main et partager avec noms contemporains tels que Marie- quinquagénaire, Jocelyne Pelletier, foudre en pleine forêt il y a trois ans. nous ses connaissances sur la vie, Pier et Rémi pour les petits-enfants de reçoit un appel téléphonique d’un Elle avait été heureuse avec lui. Ce l’enseignement, les problèmes Jocelyne. ancien élève. Au cours de l’histoire, dernier avait toujours cherché à lui sociaux et surtout sa belle région sous Hélène Koscielniak est une nous apprenons que cette femme s’est faire plaisir. L’appel téléphonique le ciel boréal. femme affairée. Avant de se consacrer rendue coupable d’une agression de Steve Peterson, la victime de son Dans Carnet de bord, nous entièrement à l’écriture, elle a été sexuelle envers cet élève alors qu’elle imprudence il y a trente ans, vient trouvons une excellente analyse surintendante du Réseau de formation était jeune institutrice. L’adolescent, troubler l’existence de Jocelyne. Son des mérites et des lacunes de la et de programmation du Nord au Steve Peterson, n’avait que 16 ans. Il âme en souffre. Son élève veut la voir vie conjugale dans une dispute ministère de l’Éducation de l’Ontario, venait d’un milieu familial désordonné et lui parler. Que veut-il? « Vient-il entre Jocelyne et sa fille Caroline : agente de supervision pour le Conseil et était brutalisé par son père qui tout chambouler? »Au début de sa la première voulant protéger son scolaire catholique du district des l’accusait constamment de manquer carrière, elle demandait à ses élèves gendre, l’autre souhaitant défendre Grandes Rivières, membre du Conseil de virilité. Désespéré, le jeune homme d’écrire leurs pensées dans un carnet son père décédé. Deux femmes, deux d’administration de Science Nord songeait au suicide. Jocelyne Pelletier de bord afin de les aider à s’exprimer générations, chacune plaidant pour le et membre du Comité consultatif de mari de l’autre. langue française de TFO. Son premier Le thème de l’abus sexuel est roman, Marraine, publié en 2007, habilement présenté. Après réflexion, ainsi que Carnet de bord en 2009, le lecteur ne sait vraiment pas qui ont tous deux reçu le Prix Littérature est la victime et qui est l’agresseur. éclairée du Nord. Un troisième L’abus sexuel devient un dilemme qui roman, Contrepoids, publié en 2011, peut être décrit sans être compris. dont l’action se passe au Bénin, a L’auteure présente aussi pour sujet l’obésité. L’auteure vient l’homosexualité du point de vue du de terminer la suite de Marraine qui cœur d’une mère : est-ce l’acceptation doit être publiée sous peu. Le choix sans la compréhension, ou plutôt la du titre est à venir. compréhension sans l’acceptation, ou Le jour de la Saint Valentin, le 14 un peu des deux? février 2012, le Cercle de lecture se Un autre thème remarquable rencontrera pour discuter d’une fable est l’affection intime et passionnée contemporaine Parce que chanter, entre deux personnes dans la sixième c’est trop dur, écrit par Michèle décennie de leur vie. Faire la cour Vinet. L’auteure a fait carrière et faire l’amour à l’âge d’or, c’est comme enseignante ainsi que comme sublime. comédienne avant de s’aventurer Hélène Koscielniak écrit finement dans l’écriture. Elle a aussi joué dans avec des mots justes, simples et précis. plusieurs films et séries télévisées. Ses mots peuvent animer à la Walt Demeurant à Ottawa, Michèle Vinet Disney des choses habituellement participera à nos délibérations ce soir- neutres et sans conséquences. Voici sa là. La rencontre est à 19 h au sous-sol description d’une papetière (moulin à de la bibliothèque Sunnyside, au 1049 papier) : « Jour et nuit, les affamées rue Bank. Il n’y a aucun frais. Venez avaient dévoré les lourdes billes de nombreux et apportez un valentin bois, les déchiquetant en minuscules pour Michèle (et les autres). copeaux pour ensuite les digérer en Pour vous informer sur nos pulpe lisse, épaisse et blanchâtre rencontres antérieures, visitez notre dans la cacophonie infernale de leurs site sur la Toile : www.amicaleottawa. puissantes mâchoires d’acier. » Nous com. FEB 2012 Page 17

Sips from the Poetry Café Falling In Love With The Great Outdoors

so as not to get too close – okay bad have yet to do – she has embraced the example because that’s more like a month, the season, the cold and she non-embrace than an embrace. Or on is loving every minute of it. Perhaps second thoughts maybe that is a good my love affair with the outdoors is a example and is kind of the way I see little fair weather but I can certainly my relationship with winter. I know, admire (from the window) the love I know this is supposed to be about my daughter has found! falling in love, not about embraces! I’m thinking of taking my Her Winter relationship with winter slowly. I’m not feeling a need to dive right In winter when the ground in although having said that I am lies swollen with snow willing to make an effort, that’s why my daughter dives into drifts I’ve decided to start from the inside plunging into the ice-capped – inside the house that is! I am quite waves content to look out the window and of the first heavy snowfall. see the beautiful outdoors for all it is Her small body skims – come on you have to agree. It has the fresh-fallen-flakes, been -20 + wind chill for at least a arms and legs swimming winter. That; that is all it takes. And By: Susan Atkinson week or so. You can’t possible expect in wintry white waters. though I have repeatedly attempted to me to embrace that! No big bear hugs Her long hair trails behind have been thinking about falling embrace this idea I’m not sure embrace for you Mother Nature but you know floating free in love this Valentine’s, which is the right word when we’re talking that sitting in the cozy warmth of my combing the snow of course is a perfect time to fall about winter. After all when I think of living room I can certainly conjure up into graceful swirls. I ‘embracing’ I think of it as an action to in love but as I am lucky enough to some metaphors and similes to extol With every stroke she etches already have a lot of people in my life do to someone rather than something. your beauty! beautiful sea-maidens to love I have decided to fall in love I kind of picture a giant bear hug or As it happens, falling in love smile breathing life with something rather than someone. one of those awkward hugs with an becomes easier as I look out the into the frozen patterns I am going to fall in love with the unfamiliar aunt. You know the kind I window. Out in the bright blue that dance silently great outdoors! mean, the one involving the aunt with (freezing) sunshine my youngest under the indigo night sky As always at this time of year the slightly peculiar smell and with daughter has done exactly what I long after she has gone inside. everyone is telling me to embrace whom you turn slightly to the side

CARLETON CORNER

ith the winter term underway, Carleton’s championship in 2009, Sumarah became the third of Canada, and the contemporary Canadian flag. He campus has been buzzing with activity. SMU coach to receive the Frank Tindall Trophy as was also the winner of the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize W The university was pleased with the CIS football coach of the year. for the creation of the UN peacekeeping force to ease news that applications from Ontario high school The popular Mike’s Place pub is celebrating 40 the Suez Crisis in 1956. An official portrait hangs students were on the rise. Carleton has received years as part of the Carleton community. Throughout in the pub to this day. For information about the an average of 7.2 per cent more applications from the year, there will be several events to mark the anniversary events, go to: http://www.gsacarleton. Ontario high school students this year compared occasion. Mike’s Place was named in 1973 in honour ca/index.php?section_id=20. with 2011, according to figures recently released by of Lester B. Pearson. Pearson, whose nickname was Carleton Corner is written by Carleton the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre. That’s Mike, was chancellor of Carleton University until University’s Department of University considerably higher than the provincial average his death in 1972. He served as Prime Minister of Communications. As your community university, increase of 2.4 per cent. Ontario high school Canada from 1963 to 1968. During this time, his Carleton hosts many exciting events of interest applicants who picked Carleton as their top choice government introduced student loans, universal to Ottawa South. For more information about for their first year of university were up 8.3 per cent. healthcare, the Canadian Pension Plan, the Order upcoming events, please go to carleton.ca/events. Large increases were noted in several programs at Carleton, including commerce at 11.7 per cent; public affairs and policy management at 20.7 per cent; engineering with a 13.7 per cent increase, and science, with a 13 per cent increase. Applications for computer science were up a significant 26.3 per cent. Although preliminary, applications from students who have already completed high school are also encouraging. Carleton is in the process of hiring 25 new professors to meet increased demand. As part of its preparations for the return of varsity football in 2013, Carleton named Steve Sumarah as the 13th head coach of the Ravens varsity football program. Sumarah, who has been coaching in the AUS for the past 17 years, comes to Carleton after spending the last six seasons as head coach of the Saint Mary’s University Huskies. During that time, he boasted an overall regular season record of 35- 12, an impressive 0.745 win percentage. He led the team to four consecutive AUS titles (2007-‘10), a Uteck Bowl championship and a trip to the Vanier Cup (2007), and was named the AUS coach of the year three times along the way (2007-‘09). After leading the Huskies to their third straight conference th Page 18 The OSCAR - OUR 40 YEAR FEB 2012 Warning: You May Not Own Your Website By Michaela Tokarski, mycompanyname.com, you now own for a really nice house, on a piece of ing company is listed as the registrant, Founder of Creekside that website domain. land they thought they owned – but on then we recommend trying to deal Communications It’s a bit like purchasing a piece of paper, they don’t. with this quickly, before it becomes Website and Branding real estate. Even if another person or This lack of ownership can create a bigger problem. Sometimes it is company tries to make a website using some pretty significant problems! If a genuine error or omission on their specialists that domain, they are unable to do so you don’t formally own the rights to part, and if you ask them to switch it because you are the one who owns the your website, and you want to switch to your name, they will just go ahead e make websites for a liv- rights to that domain. Sounds simple web development companies, it can and do it. That’s the best case. Other ing, and lately we’ve no- enough right? But it’s not always so be extremely difficult. You may not times however, particularly if the re- ticed a worrisome trend W straightforward. have full control over the content of lationship is tense, it can be far more developing in our industry. More and We have recently been contacted your website, and someone else holds difficult to get this resolved. In at least more we are being approached by by several small business owners who all the cards in their hand. one case we know of, the small busi- people looking for help after they’ve had hired web marketing companies How can I check who owns my ness had to resort to legal action in realized that they do not technically to take care of building their websites domain? order to regain ownership of their do- own their website domains – their for them. These web marketing com- To ensure that any domain names main. They won and their ownership web development companies do. panies registered the domain names that you think you own are actually was restored, but only after a very ex- How is this possible? under their own business names – not registered in your name, or your com- pensive, time consuming headache! For those of you who don’t under the small business owner’s. pany’s name, you need to do a “whois Prevention speak techie, a domain name is your This means that technically the lookup” which you can do here: http:// It’s important to keep this infor- website’s address. For example, the web marketing company owns the who.godaddy.com/. We think it’s ok mation in mind for any future web- Ottawa South Community Assco- rights to the small business’ website. if your web marketing company is sites that you build. If you hire a web ciation’s is www.oldottawasouth.ca. The small businesses don’t actually listed as the technical or administra- development company, and they offer One of the first steps in the creation own their own web domains. Even tive contact – but the registrant is the to register a domain for you, be sure of your website is the domain name though the small businesses may person or company who is on record to state clearly that you want it regis- registration. When you register your have invested a great deal of time and as the owner, and it must be you. tered under your name. Ask them to domain, this means that you own your money in building their website, they What should I do if my web mar- confirm that they have done so – and website name, and have the rights to don’t technically own the domain. keting company is the registrant? then double check it yourself! use it. So for example, if you register The analogy would be: they’ve paid If you discover that your market-

Kaleidoscope Kids’ Books A Vampire-Lite Valentine’s Day Reading List hile the Beatles insisted Clarissa Delaney has never given resist falling for Henry? that “All You Need is much thought to the word Love. She I really enjoyed Immortal Be- WLove” we think that books has other things to worry about, like loved. If you’re heading south this are essential too. Here’s a sampling her mother’s illness and losing her winter (lucky you!) it’s a great beach of Valentine’s titles from our books best friend Benji to a bunch of music- read. When you’re immortal you find for teens. al theatre nerds. When her friend that nothing ever really ends. Nas- The title says it all (though some- Mattie becomes distracted by a crush tasya, tired of her meaningless party- how I still feel compelled to say some- and her mother starts spending all girl life, heads to River’s Edge, a safe thing) in Love Is a Four-Letter Word. her time with her handsome personal haven for wayward immortals. She trades her designer clothes for jeans and flannel and the hardest drink available is tea. When she meets gorgeous, sexy Reyn she finds him irresistible but also uncomfortably familiar. Something cautions her to stay away, but she can’t. Soon Nas- tasya realizes that River’s Edge holds the key to her salvation – and possibly her destruction. Is she the only one at River’s Edge with dark secrets? And trainer Clarissa wonders when she can dark secrets be fatal – even for stopped being enough for the people immortals? in her life. Enter Michael, who seems “It is a truth universally acknow- to want more than friendship. But ledged, that a single man in posses- is that what Clarissa wants? Author sion of a good fortune must be in want Vikki VanSickle lives in Toronto and of a wife …” And so begins one of we’re always so pleased and proud to Kim’s favourite books, Jane Austen’s promote Canadian authors. Pride and Prejudice. If you’ve al- I’m a big fan of historical fiction ready read it, or are reading it for your and am looking forward to reading English class, we have a couple of al- Falling For Henry. Kate Allen has ternatives to help you keep the Mr. been swept back in time to the mag- Dark and Brooding Darcy vibe go- nificent court of Henry VII of Eng- ing. Marvel Comics, best known for land. Here, she catches the eye of their collection of dark and brooding the king’s son, the beguiling Prince superheroes, has released Pride and Henry – who will one day become the Prejudice as a graphic novel. While infamous Henry (Heads Will Roll) some may argue that “You Don’t VIII. Kate, however, is a spirited Mess With Jane” this adaptation uses 21st century girl who has the benefit Ms. Austen’s own words to retell her of historical hindsight: she knows the classic story and will introduce new future of this charming young prince, readers to her witty banter, insightful and the future of his wives (divorced, prose and sharp-eyed observations. beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived for those of you who don’t remember History class). Can Kate Cont’d on next page FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 19

Kaleidoscope Kids’ Books ... cont’d from previous page Amy Banks has fallen in love with the magnificently adventurous Margo love, where you work and when you vampire slayer Alexander Banks. Roth Speigelman from afar. So when die. Cassie has always trusted the So- Alexander is so easy to love – he’s she cracks open a window and climbs ciety’s choices. When her best friend brooding (honestly, what is it with the into his life – dressed like a ninja and appears on the Matching Screen Cas- brooding boys?!) and handsome. Too summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge – he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover than Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues – and they’re for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew … For those who enjoy dysto- pian fiction (and you know who you are, Kim) Matched and its sequel, Crossed, are can’t-put-down reads. In the Society officials decide who you Prom and Prejudice is a thoroughly modern and charming adaptation of the classic. While most girls at Long- sie is certain he is the one – until she bourn Academy are obsessed with the sees another face flash on the screen upcoming prom, scholarship student for an instant before the screen fades Lizzie Bennet isn’t interested in de- to black. Now she is faced with im- signer gowns, expensive shoes and bad he’s a fictional character. When possible choices – between Xander the search for a suitable date. Liz- fiction becomes reality and Alexander and Ky, between the only life she’s zie is happy for her best friend Jane crosses over into Amy’s city hot on known and a path no one dares to fol- and Jane’s burgeoning romance with the heels of Vigo, a ruthless vampire, low and between perfection and pas- Charles Bingley, but is decidedly un- Amy struggles to unravel the mystery sion. impressed with Charles’s friend Will behind Alexander’s arrival and help So there you have it – lots of Darcy, who’s snobby and pretentious him track down Vigo. Attraction, books about love and only one vam- and doesn’t seem to like Lizzie either. danger and dark secrets collide and pire in the bunch (and he isn’t even Clearly, Darcy is a pompous jerk. So leave Amy to wonder if the biggest in love). why does Lizzie find herself drawn to thing at stake is her heart. him anyway? Unfortunately, love isn’t al- Sixteen year old Roar has been ways about brooding, handsome and yanked from her city life and trans- charming men and one must kiss a few frogs before finding a prince (though you’ve gotta be wary of the princes too it would seem). Printz Honour Book Why We Broke Up begins with Min dropping a box at Ed’s front door.

formed into a farm girl, albeit a reluc- tant one, in All You Get is Me. Now she sells organic figs at the farmers’ market and develops her photographs Inside the box are “two bottle caps, a in a rickety shed with her hair pulled movie ticket from Greta in the Wild, a back in a rubber band meant for as- note from you, a box of matches, your paragus. Caught between a trouble- protractor, Joan’s book, the stolen making sidekick named Storm and a sugar, a toy truck, those ugly earrings, brooding, easy-on-the-eyes L.A. boy a comb from the motel and the rest of (I’m not making this up – all these it.” Also inside is Min’s letter to Ed characters have been described as – the whole story of why they broke brooding), not to mention a father on up. Most of us know author Daniel a complicated human rights crusade, Handler as Lemony Snicket. Roar is going to have to tackle it all Award-winning author John – even with dirt under her fingernails. Green shows us love from the boy’s Ottawa author Allison Van Di- point of view (and not a brooding epen shows us that truth is stranger one!) in Paper Towns. Quentin Ja- than fiction in The Vampire Stalker. cobsen has spent a lifetime loving Page 20 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012 TRINITY ANGLICAN CHURCH News From Trinity he Anglican church has ward. On winter Solstice, the church five “Marks of Mission,” got an early Christmas present: the Tthe fifth of which is “To switch connecting the system to the strive to safeguard the integrity of grid was engaged, and power began to creation and sustain and renew the life flow from the generating system out of the earth.” In the spring of 2010, to the neighbourhood power lines. a parishioner proposed that Trinity The project is seen by parishion- Anglican Church (at the corner of ers as providing a number of benefits: Bank & Cameron) put a solar electri- • it is an important way to take re- city generating system on their large, sponsibility for producing some of the south-facing roof. People generally electricity which the church consumes liked the idea, but needed more infor- • it helps to decentralize electri- mation. We therefore put together a city generation (making the electrical small team to investigate the feasibil- grid becomes less vulnerable to single ity of the idea starting in autumn of catastrophic failures) 2010. They learned what other groups • it reduces air pollution (includ- had been doing, collected quotes from ing greenhouse gases). suppliers & installers, did some calcu- • it is expected to generate around lations, and brought a proposal to the $5,000.00 per year (net). parishioners at Trinity in spring 2011, tion. That meeting gave unanimous Over the summer and fall of 2011, at a special meeting of the congrega- support to the project. volunteers moved the project for- Sunday School Pageant

he Sunday School children got Christ- mas off to a good start at Trinity on De- Tcember 18th. Children of all ages took part to help tell the story of the first Christmas and we really enjoyed having the congregation take part in the hymns. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed a parish pot luck lunch. FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 21

AFTER THOUGHTS

The Dreamtime from Richard Ostrofsky that (in some form or other) probably some extent, as the basis of family, others, passing certain tests of gen- of Second Thoughts Bookstore underpins all first-hand religion. community, eventually a whole social eral acceptability and time, it may (now closed) Explicitly, the notion of ‘Dream- world. My argument here is that one gain recognition as a religion. Passing time’ is due to the Australian aborig- way to rediscover a religion without other tests, it may gain recognition as a www.secthoughts.com ines, who understood it as a sacred the superstitions that Enlightenment tribe, an industry, a nation. In general, [email protected] time-out-of time in which Creation philosophers found so objectionable human associations of all types can be took place – when all entities, and the is to revive the notion of Dreamtime, seen as works of collective Dreaming: n their battles against superstition relationships between them, came into take your own Dreamtime seriously, literally as Dreamworks. They become and privilege, the great thinkers of Being through the tremendous Dream- and then share what you can of it with superstitious only when or to the ex- Ithe Enlightenment discarded much ing (we would say imagination) of others. tent that people lose sight of their fac- that was valuable; and,within about their gods and ancestors. But you can Far from being unscientific, such titious nature, forgetting the part that 150 years, their program succeeded to experience the Dreamtime for your- a move is actually a radical empiri- conscious, voluntary Dreaming has an extent that they themselves could self – indeed, you do so every night cism that takes personal perception, played in their creation. They become scarcely have expected. One result has in REM sleep. You can experience the ideation and imagination as primary. oppressive, moribund, when held been a perceived sense of loss. Accord- Dreamtime consciously, either in for- Its demand is that we allow ourselves together only by habit and power, or ingly, beginning roughly in Carl Jung’s mal meditation or just by sitting in a to see what we see, feel what we feel, by a kind of mass hypnosis: when the time, and very much in our own, there comfortable chair, letting your mind think what we think, pay attention to authentic Dreams that formed them has been a powerful counter-move- wander and noticing where it goes. these cognitive presentations, and let are forgotten. ment to restore religion to something You can experience the Dreamtime them guide our actions – compromis- “We are such stuff as dreams are like its former place. Today, there is while walking in the street, or driving ing as we feel we must with the law made on,” Prospero says; and this is a felt need in North American society to work, though in doing so there are and custom of society. It begins with a exactly right. The bodies and brains and elsewhere to rebuild concepts of risks from absent-mindedness. bold claim for existential subjectivity, that we are made of are somehow spirituality, community and tradition I spell ‘Dreamtime’ with a cap- coupled with an equally bold submis- capable of Dreaming; and we are be- that can stand up to intellectual criti- ital here, though I don’t believe as the sion to the authority of one’s subjectiv- ginning to understand how this is pos- cism – that do not require what Mark aborigines did that there really was a ity over any other authority. It can be sible, and how it actually works. The Twain deliciously mocked as a “belief unique ‘time-outside-of-time’ when dangerous – as suggested by the fate next step might be to learn to dream in what you know damn well ain’t so.” creation occurred. Rather, I wish to of more than a few individuals who consciously, creatively, collaborative- Of course, there are plenty of people give the concept a special metaphysic- have attempted this path. But, on its ly, to some agreeable human purpose. for whom this is not a problem at all, al status. I see the Dreamtime as a own terms at any rate, it is infinitely either because they lack the spiritual separate, subjective order of reality – rewarding. itch, or the rationally critical one, or distinct from the objective, every-day When Dreaming is shared with both. But for persons who do feel both, reality in which we must adapt and (and I am one of them), the question survive. of intellectually respectable spiritual- Certainly, objective reality is not ity is urgent and crucial, and central to to be ignored. It surely pays to under- the condition of our world today: How stand it as completely and accurately do you accept the findings of modern as possible. Yet, in one sense the sub- science and those of mankind’s great- jective is actually more ‘real’ than the est religious teachers at the same time? objective, as we have direct awareness Just where would you look now for an of the former as never of the latter. I intellectually respectable religion? understand ‘the Dreamtime’ as a way One approach is to recognize and to talk about subjective reality from a accept that the prophets and mystics time before that subjective/objective were speaking a metaphorical, poetic distinction could be drawn, or as a time language that cannot and should not be when that distinction is best ignored in taken literally these days. Another is to the interests of creative imagination. recognize that one can observe a rit- The obvious thing about Dream- ual or a tradition without believing its time is that everyone has his own. In- theological premises, for no better rea- deed, the most obnoxious feature of son than that one’s ancestors did and conventional religion was and remains that it still feels good or meaningful to its attempt to monopolize imagination follow their example. But still another as an instrument of fiscal extortion way, the one that interests me here, and political control. But the remark- would be to take on board and take able thing is that imagination, Dream- seriously a concept of ‘Dreamtime’ time, can be authentically shared to

Sudoku Solution Sudoku Puzzle is on page 8 Page 22 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012 Dry Goods, Groceries, Oriental Rugs & Gelato .... All at 1103 Bank Street! By Tammy Giuliani, Owner of Stella Luna Gelato CaféAnd Lindsay Whillans, OOS Resident, Gelato Lover and Re- search Addict Stella Luna Gelato Café 1103 Bank Street 613 523 1116 www.slgelato.com

am one of those people who likes to know the “inside scoop” about I places. I love listening to stories about “the way things used to be”. In previous articles, I’ve talked about my family’s history with Old Ottawa South … we go back generations, to the 1920’s. The family is filled with stories of growing up on Sunnyside Avenue … riding the street car, roller- skating down Sunnyside Avenue, swimming in Brewer Pond, singing in the choir at Trinity Church. So, it was only natural that my curiosity let me Exterior view of the second Ottawa store owned by Armenian Canadian Setrak Tatarian, to want to know more about the loca- The Orient Rug Cleaners, 1103 Bank St_ 1940 – tion we chose for Stella Luna Gelato Café – 1103 Bank Street. I was aware that the building had been vacant for in 1909. Next door at the newly fin- William’s business was modified to aged by James E. Seabrook until 1933, some time after the former tenants, ished 1105 Bank Street lived William “dispensing chemist” in 1914. when Alexander Paget took over. Phase 2 moved out. Prior to that, it Gibson, aged 47 in 1909, and his wife Some of the other early businesses The arrival of the A&P “super- housed the Coulter’s Drug Store, Lois, with their four daughters (Esther, along the Bank Street strip included store” in 1928 must have shaken the which was owned and operated by the Frances, Mary and Lucinda, aged 7 to Stoate’s Butcher Shop (at 1093 Bank owners of the various small businesses current landlord. But I wanted to dig 17). It seems likely that Henry and Wil- Street in 1910), the Chinese Laundry in Ottawa South (grocers/butchers/fruit deeper into the history of the spot we liam were brothers. We also know that (first listed at 1093 Bank Street in dealers) who were accustomed to serv- spend most of our time in. … so I went William’s younger sister Alice Gibson 1915), Roger & Southwell Druggists ing the neighbourhood. But more com- to “the source”. My sister Lindsay, a lived (and likely worked) at the family (at 1121 Bank Street as of 1914 - just petition was on the way - and focused fellow Old Ottawa South resident her- drug store at 1105 Bank. Henry and doors away from William Gibson’s in one short block of Bank Street. By self, is what one might call a history William, and their families, were to drug store at 1105 Bank), Frederick 1930, Loblaw Groceterias moved into buff. She’s a “research addict” with an share many years as close neighbours. Hill’s Shoe Repair (at 1091 Bank in 1115 Bank, with the “Loblaw Apart- insatiable desire to get the low down Like other small business owners of 1914), and Sager’s Shoes (first listed in ments” at 1113 Bank added in 1931. on the past. So when I asked her to find the day, the Gibsons lived where they the 1925 city directory at 1124 Bank). Next door to Loblaws - at 1117 Bank out what type of business was located worked - cutting down on transit time! A host of other small businesses sup- - an established butchery (Stoate’s was at 1103 Bank Street, she went above Henry H. Gibson ran a dry-goods ported the growing community of Ot- a neighbourhood staple for more than and beyond the call of duty. Her jour- store. Wikipedia defines dry goods as tawa South: hardware stores, barbers, twenty years) changed hands. George ney into the history of 1103 Bank fol- “products such as textiles, ready-to- plumbers, watchmakers, cleaners and Stoate sold 1117 Bank to Faith Broth- lows: wear clothing, and sundries.” The list- pressers, tailors, hairdressers, etc. ers (grocers and butchers) in 1930, The first owners of the new house ing for Henry’s business was updated The late 1920s brought changes who transferred the property to A.L. at 1103 Bank Street were Henry Gib- in the 1914 city directory to show that for the Gibson family. We could as- Stackhouse & Son (butchers) in 1931. son (who was in his early forties) and he now dealt in dry goods and gents’ sume that William Gibson retired or By 1933, the sign at 1117 Bank Street his wife Annie. Their only child, a furnishings, and added that Henry was passed away, since the 1927 city direc- read “Red Seal Store Ltd.” (butchers daughter named Evelyn, was five years also the Postmaster for Ottawa South tory indicates that Gibson’s Drug Store and grocers), then in 1936 the property old when the family took possession (as of 1912). Likewise, the entry for (1105 Bank) was now operated by was taken over by Dominion Stores Alice Gibson - William’s sister. This Ltd. However, Dominion Stores vacat- directory entry remained unchanged ed the premises in 1941, and the next right through 1948. tenant registered in the 1945 city direc- Life changed around the same tory was Reward Shoe Stores. time for Henry Gibson, too. Perhaps With all this activity on the food- the burden of running his own business supply front, the A&P store at 1103 became too much for him since, in Bank fought hard to maintain its mar- 1927/28, Henry closed his dry-goods ket share. By the late 1930s, it seems store after almost twenty years at 1103 there were too many grocery stores in Bank. The next mention of Henry was Ottawa South, and the A&P closed its in the 1930 city directory, which in- doors. Of the three major chain grocers cludes an entry for one Henry H. Gib- on the block, only Loblaws remained son, now domiciled on McLeod Street, (at 1115 Bank). and employed as a floorwalker (a fairly The 1939 city directory shows the prestigious position mixing customer next occupant of 1103 Bank Street as information services with security) at “The Orient Rug Cleaners,” operated Charles Ogilvy Company, a local de- by Mr. Setrak Tatarian, an Armenian partment store on Rideau Street. from Turkey. Mr. Tatarian’s life was With the closure of Gibson’s Dry filled with challenges, but he was ob- Goods, what did the future hold for viously no quitter. An educated man, 1103 Bank Street? In 1928, the Great a life-long bachelor, and a former Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company Lim- prisoner-of-war-camp inmate, he fled ited (the grocers known informally as to France in 1923 after realizing how A&P) took advantage of the growing politically unstable his homeland was Ottawa South community and set up their eighth Ottawa-area location there. The 1103 Bank Street store was man- Cont’d on next page FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 23 1103 Bank Street ... Cont’d from previous page

Ivano - Chef at Stella Luna Lauren - Gelato Apprentice at Stella Luna becoming. Unfortunately, Paris in the Armenian community in Canada photos of any of the past occupants impossible to imagine their favourite 1923 did not live up to Mr. Tatarian’s throughout his life here. Upon retir- of 1103 Bank Street, we would be de- gelato flavours? Please contact us if expectations, so he began to dream of ing to Toronto in 1950, and until his lighted to have you share them with you have any inside information. life in Canada. death 25 years later, he assisted many us. I wonder what they’d think about After a six-month quest filled Armenian migrants with adapting to Stella Luna Gelato Café … would it be with administrative glitches, Setrak life in Canada. His tireless efforts were secured the necessary approvals to en- recognized by a number of awards. ter Canada. He set sail on the Empress 1103 Bank Street was a busy place of Scotland in May 1924, heading for between 1909 and 1950. Henry Gib- a new life. The ship arrived in Que- son and his family spent almost twenty bec, where Setrak boarded a train for years offering dry goods and postal Toronto, then another to Woodstock, services to their friends and neigh- Ontario. It was early June 1924 when bours. Then the A&P grocery chain Setrak reached the farm owned by one fed the community for roughly ten Mr. Chambers, who had sponsored years from this address. Another ten the 36-year-old immigrant to work years of toil by The Orient Rug Clean- as a labourer. After finishing his farm ers helped to keep local homes in style. labourer duties, Setrak started up a ser- The early history of 1103 Bank Street ies of small businesses, which he lost was a diverse one filled with hard- during the depression years. At last, he working families and entrepreneurs - journeyed to Ottawa, where he opened with a little food supply thrown in. his carpet and rug cleaning and repair There have been other businesses company at 1103 Bank Street in 1939. along the way, but the arrival of Stella There he plied his trade for more than Luna Gelato Cafe brings 1103 Bank ten years. In 1950, Setrak sold his Street back to its origins - a family- business to Alexanian Rugs, which ex- run, entrepreneurial business based on panded its existing business to operate dreams, community spirit and com- out of 1103 Bank Street. forting food. Did I just hear a com- Setrak never forgot his begin- munity sigh of relief? nings, and was actively involved in If anyone happens to have any Page 24 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012

NOTES FROM THE GARDEN CLUB A Virtual Tour of the Reford Gardens By Colin Ashford

On a decidedly cold and grey evening, the Old Ottawa South Gardens Club did its best to raise the spirits of its members and guests with an armchair tour of the Reford Gardens in Que- bec. Colin Ashford first presented a few slides that he had prepared giv- ing the history of the gardens and the background of their creator, Elsie Re- ford; the presentation also contained some pictures of the gardens taken from his collection to give members a flavour of the diversity and colour of the gardens. Members then viewed a DVD of the gardens. Reford Gardens started out as a fishing camp above the Métis and St. Lawrence rivers near Grand-Métis in the Gaspésie. The camp was built by George Stephen, founder of the Canadian Pacific Railway, mainly as a retreat for his wife and himself; he named the camp “Estevan Lodge”. After the tragic death of his wife, he never returned to Estevan and eventu- ally, in 1918, he gave the property to his favourite niece—Elsie Reford. Elsie was a well-educated woman

from a privileged background who of the Montreal Botanical Gardens. married Robert Reford in 1894. It The soil at Estevan was very poor but was, by all accounts, a successful Elsie amended the soil with peat from marriage—both loved the outdoors: the surrounding farms and she bar- hunting, shooting, fishing, and snow- tered with local farmers exchanging shoeing—and of course Estevan was salmon for leaf mould. Estevan is a an ideal place for those pursuits. few degrees south of the 49th paral- Elsie was active in philanthropy, es- lel, but the tempering effect of the pecially in connection with the Mont- St. Lawrence and the deep blanket real Maternity Hospital. She was also of snow in the winter helped protect active in current affairs and helped Elsie’s azaleas and peonies from the create the Women’s Canadian Club bitter winter-winds. Elsie kept a daily “…to [help women] become involved diary of her gardening and, together in debates over the great issues of the with her husband’s photographs, they day—something beyond the local provide us with a unique record of the gossip of the hour”. transformation of Estevan. At the age of 53 Elsie was en- In her later years, Elsie gave the couraged to take up gardening dur- gardens to her son Bruce; unable to ing a convalescence and this started maintain the gardens, he eventu- a four-decade transformation of “… a ally sold them to the Quebec gov- spruce forest into a garden…”. Elsie ernment that was, at the time, keen was largely a self-taught gardener al- on encouraging tourism in the area. though she made friends with the bot- anists and gardeners of the day includ- ing Henry Teuscher—conservator Cont’d on next page FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 25 NOTES FROM THE GARDEN CLUB ... Cont’d from previous page

Subsequently the gardens were taken en/accueil.html). over by a non-profit organization, Les The formal presentation conclud- Amis des Jardins de Métis; the direc- ed with a short DVD on the transform- tor of the gardens is Alex Reford—the ation of the Brighton Beach oak tree great-grandson of Elsie. Alex has into a spectacular piece of sculpture worked to maintain his great-grand- entitled “Sailing Through Time”. The mother’s vision of a coherent series work was done by local artist David of gardens in the respective microcli- Fels and was carried out at Carleton mates of the property, but he has also University. innovated by hosting an international The next meeting of the Garden garden-design festival. Club will be on Tuesday 14 February Colin encouraged members to 2012 at 7.00 p.m. at the Old Ottawa visit the Reford Gardens—open from South Community Centre (The Fire- June to September—and the many hall), 260 Sunnyside Avenue, when attractions of the Gaspésie region. Dave Dunn, co-creator of the Rideau For more information on the gardens Woodland Ramble, will look at how themselves, visit the garden’s web shrubs can be used in the design of a site (www.refordgardens.com) and garden to play the role of “bones” or for more information about the re- structure and backdrop, as well as to gion visit the region’s official website add interest, colour, and texture. (http://www.tourisme-gaspesie.com/ Page 26 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012

Abbotsford @ The Glebe Centre Quilt therapy By Julie Ireton “He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2003. He was a world- oug Heron spent a career class bridge player, always active. But taking care of others, but by it was early on-set Alzheimer’s. It was age 59, he had become the surprising because no one else in the D family has had it,” Christine said. patient. He was a physician at the Grace Hospital for many years. In It’s been close to ten years since fact, that’s where he met his wife, Doug’s diagnosis. During much of Christine. that time, Christine was his primary caregiver so she took advantage of the Day Away program housed in Abbotsford at The Glebe Centre. This program enables seniors with early stages of dementia and still living at home to have a day out. It also allows the caregiver – often a spouse -- a day of respite. Abbotsford at The Glebe Centre focuses on community programming for Adults 55+ who take part in social, recreational and fitness classes, it also houses the Day Away program for those in the early He was becoming more difficult leaves. My shoulders are down. It’s stages of Alzheimer’s. to manage at home and eventually something I’ve always loved to do. “ “I’d been taking care of Doug moved into The Glebe Centre’s long Now that Doug lives at The Glebe at home for a long time,” explained term care facility in July 2010. Centre, Christine spends a lot of time Christine. But Christine wanted to give visiting him there and taking him on “We started Day Away at back. daily walks. She’s thinking about Abbotsford in 2007 and the people “I started a quilt while he was where the proceeds of her next quilt were great. He started going two days still at home. When it was finished I may help out. a week.” donated it to Abbotsford. It was black, “The Day Away program means But Doug’s condition deteriorated white and red and was an original a lot. But I might give a quilt to the and he couldn’t continue going to design. I was quite attached to that Glebe Centre long term care facility Abbotsford’s Day Away program. one. It meant a lot to me because I was for a particular program next time. doing it while Doug was still at home. Everyone needs money and making a But I decided to have it raffled off.” quilt and selling raffle tickets isn’t a Christine’s quilt raised about hard thing to do.” $800 for Abbotsford programs and Doug is now 68. He doesn’t speak services. anymore and he’s no longer able to “They deserve every penny and it take part in as many activities. But feels great to be able to contribute,” Christine said she feels lucky that he’s Christine said. comfortable and safe. Doug lives on a Now, Christine has completed floor with some other professionals – another quilt that’s ready for another doctors, nurses, teachers who all now raffle this winter. suffer from dementia. It’s a queen sized quilt in bright “The staff at The Glebe Centre are reds, oranges and blues. wonderful. It actually makes me feel Christine says her quilt making like I’m back at the Grace Hospital also benefits her own health. where the staff was like a huge “Oh my gosh, I just get into my family.” sewing room and the tension just FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 27 Red Apron Cooks Happy Valentine’s Day! ary Frances Kennedy Fisher Duck Leg Braised with Fig & Orange Cumin Carrots & 6 large eggs, separated understood the connection Lemon (Ontario King Cole or Green Beans 1 C. sugar Mbetween food and love very Lac Brome) 1/4 C. all-purpose flour well. This prolific and well-respected 3 Large Carrots – peeled and medium 1/4 t. salt writer once said ‘Sharing food with 4 Fresh Duck Legs diced Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line another human being is an intimate 150 g Dried Figs – chopped 1 Handfuls of Green Beans, tipped the bottom of a 9” pan with parchment act that should not be indulged in 2 Fresh Lemons – sliced and cut in half paper that has been cut to fit. lightly.’ 1 Medium Onion – chopped Juice of two Oranges During the last decade we have 1c Dry white wine 1 tbs Butter In the top of a double boiler or in shifted more of our attention to the Fresh Thyme – 1-2 sprigs Cumin, Salt & Pepper to Taste a bowl set over simmering water, food we eat. We better understand the Salt/Pepper to taste combine the chocolate and butter and important connection between food & 1. Place carrots in a medium pot heat, stirring constantly, just until health, food & the environment, and 1. Season the duck legs on both of salted water and bring to boil. melted. Immediately remove from food & family. We have learned to sides with salt and pepper. Sear the Reduce to simmer and cook until ‘al the heat; set aside to cool slightly. slow down, care about what’s in our duck legs skin side down on medium dente’. Remove from heat and strain food & where it comes from. We want high heat in a frying pan until the in colander. Bring Medium pot of In a large bowl with an electric mixer to eat food that was raised & grown skin turns dark brown and some of salted water to a boil and add green on medium speed, beat the egg yolks conscientiously, not poisoned with the fat has melted away. Transfer to beans. Cook at a rolling boil until done with 1/2 cup of the sugar. Reduce pesticides, hormones & antibiotics. a casserole dish and add remaining (some people like them still crispy, the speed to low and gradually add We want to know that the growers ingredients. Cover and cook in a 300 while others prefer them cooked until the flour, mixing until thoroughly and producers have been treated with degree pre-heated oven for 2 hours. tender). Remove from heat, strain, incorporated. Gradually add the respect and paid fairly for the work Remove from oven, ladle sauce and and immerse in a bowl of cold water cooled chocolate mixture, mixing until they do. We want most of our food juice over duck legs and check for to stop the cooking process. thoroughly incorporated. Set aside. to travel a short distance to get to doneness. The meat should easily 2. Reduce orange juice in small In a medium bowl with an electric our plate. As MFK Fisher cautions pull away from the bone – almost fall saucepan to ¼ of its original volume. mixer on medium speed, beat the us, food is not something we should off. If they are not quite ready, cover Add butter, cumin and salt/pepper to egg whites and the salt just until indulge in lightly. and return to the oven for another ½ taste. foamy. Gradually add the remaining At the Red Apron, we take this to 1 hour. 3. When ready to serve – re-warm 1/2 cup sugar and beat just until responsibility very seriously. We 2. Remove duck legs from liquid. carrots and Green Beans in a sauté soft peaks form, being careful not strive every day to make the contents Discard the thyme springs and lemon pan, with orange-cumin sauce until to overbeat. Gradually fold the egg of the dishes we prepare more local, slices. Reserve the liquid and let sit heated through. Serve immediately. whites into the chocolate mixture and more organic and more seasonal. until the fat rises to the top (at least mix just until incorporated. Spread Each month we add new vendors. ½ hour or overnight). Skim off the Fair Trade Chocolate Torte the batter into the prepared pan. This month we are very thrilled to be fat and reduce remaining liquid until Bake the torte in the preheated oven welcoming a new cheese vendor to you have less than 1 cup – just enough 8 oz. Cocoa Camino Fair Trade our store. Paul and his family raise to spoon over the duck legs before bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped Cont’d on page 29 goats on their farm near Osgoode serving. 6 oz. (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter (Clarmel on the Rideau) and make a This recipe can be made the day Chèvre that is smooth, creamy and oh ahead and then re-heated to serve. so tasty. Serves 4. Knowing that you will be looking for good food that you can share with Garlic Mashed Potato & someone you love this Valentine’s Parsnip Day, we have prepared a menu which is guaranteed to fuel passions while 4 – 6 Medium to Large Yukon Gold supporting Canadian producers, local Potatoes – peeled & cut into large suppliers and sustainable agriculture. cubes We will be featuring Clarmel Chèvre 1 Small bag of Parsnips - peeled and in a stuffed breast of local chicken cubed that we are preparing as part of that 3 Cloves of Garlic – peeled & menu. Orders must be received by chopped Saturday, February 11th in order to 1/2 c Whole Cream guarantee availability. Dinner will be 4 tbs Butter ready for pick-up at 2pm on the 14th of February and is priced at $62.90 1. Bring potatoes to boil in a large for DINNER FOR 2. The full menu pot of salted water. Reduce to simmer is posted on our website at redapron. and cook until tender when pierced ca/special-menu.html with a fork. In a separate pot, bring For the weekend before the 14th parsnips to boil in a medium pot of we will be well stocked with many salted water and reduce to simmer, ‘romantic’ dishes for those celebrating cook until tender. Drain thoroughly. a little ahead of the date. 2. In a small saucepan, melt butter If you are inspired to cook & cream, and add chopped garlic. something special this Valentine’s Simmer on low for 5-10 minutes to day, we are sharing recipes for a infuse the cream with garlic. complete dinner featuring Ontario 3. Pass potatoes & Parsnips Duck, winter Parsnips & Potatoes, through a ricer or beat with electric and our Fair Trade Chocolate Torte, beaters until smooth. Slowly add made with Cocoa Camino Chocolate. garlic cream & butter mixture and If you decide to try this recipe, mix until incorporated. Transfer to a remember the wise words of the Dalai covered casserole dish and re-heated Lama and ‘approach love and cooking in 400 degree pre-heated oven when with reckless abandon’! you are ready to serve. Happy Valentine’s Day! Serves 4. th Page 28 The OSCAR - OUR 40 YEAR FEB 2012

BOOK REVIEW Incidents in the Life of Markus Paul by David Adams Richards Publisher: Doubleday Canada doctor and return to his reserve. Was ers in the drama early on. Most resi- twenty years later. His grandfather’s (May 10 2011) 304 pp it an accident or was it murder? Who dents on the reserve have immediately warning that “...it’s not the Coni- ISBN: 978-0385666534 is to blame, if anybody? This query designated Roger Savage as the cul- bear trap that kills the beaver, but weaves through the narrative and prit - a white man and direct neigh- the drowning that follows” remains turns out to have more components bour to the reserve - others, primarily engraved in his mind as he ponders than anybody directly affected wants the Band Chief, Amos Paul, are ques- what has been missing from the evi- to deal with, then or later, whether the tioning the account of the day, while dence? Each time his mind returns to police, the First Nation Band Coun- the police investigation attempts to the 1985 events and the major players, cil or the members of the commun- establish conclusive evidence before another aspect is revealed or clarified, ity. David Adams Richards, winner coming to decisions. The representa- another clue discovered and placed of the Governor General’s Award for tives on both sides attract support for into a broader context, other partici- both fiction and non-fiction and co- their position; the media gets involved pants or witnesses given a voice to winner of the Giller Prize in 2000 for too... in fact, the tragic incident opens explain their position or action at the Mercy Among the Children, has cre- up something between a can of worms time. Richards brings his characters ated a complex and totally absorbing and a Pandora’s Box where old enmi- to life in a way that we can relate if not tale of a troubled community at the ties, power struggles within the band, sympathize with each of them: noth- crossroad, peopled with believable control over land and fishing rights ing is black or white; each individual and memorable characters, depicted come to the fore, integrity and loyal- has a backstory that explains up to a Reviewed by: sympathetically in all their innocent ties are challenged and the search for point their behaviour and attitude. or flawed individualities. His insight- truth is anything but straight forward. For me the story turned into a deeply Friederike Knabe ful exploration of the obstacles inter- Seen to a large extent through affecting, multi-layered jigsaw puzzle fering with establishing the truth in the eyes of Markus Paul, the Chief’s that takes the reader into the heart of n a warm June day in 1985 an environment, where prejudice and grandson and fifteen-year old at the one community, its people, their lives a young Mi’kmaq man dies long-held grievances are predomin- time of the events, Richards weaves and challenges that have their roots in in the hold of a pulp cargo O ant, is outstanding. Richards’s intim- the narrative between different time the past and continue into the present. ship: dropped logs appear to have ate familiarity with the region - the lines, from 1985 to 2006. Markus Many of the issues and concerns are, crushed Hector Penniac and buried Miramichie in northern New Bruns- cannot put the drama of that summer of course, not unique to one place and him. It was his first day on the job; wick - adds great authenticity and and the months that followed out of time. In different constellations they his pay was to be used for his med- richness to the setting of the novel. his mind... there remain aspects he occur elsewhere in Canada and be- ical studies so that he could become a Richards introduces the primary play- still needs to grapple with more than yond. Full-Day Kindergarten Registration The Table Comes First; Family Now Underway For Fall 2012 ntario is encouraging ernment’s plan to support student France and the Meaning of Food by parents of four- and five- success and secure a brighter fu- Oyear-olds across the prov- ture for all Ontarians. Adam Gopnik ince to plan ahead for September • Full-day kindergarten will 2012 and register their children in be offered at about 1,700 schools and bad company” full-day kindergarten. in September 2012. Rocco DiSpirito Italian-American chef Almost half of Ontario’s four- • Registration for full-day and and five-year-olds will attend full- part-time kindergarten programs is n his usual nimble style, Adam day kindergarten this fall. Many already taking place at many ele- Gopnik explores gastronomy, a schools have already begun regis- mentary schools. Contact your lo- Icurrent obsession. tering children for the upcoming cal school board for details about He interviews chefs, browses through school year. registration in your community. recipe books and sends imaginary e-mails September 2012 marks the • To register for kindergarten, to his favourite cookbook collector and third year of the province’s new most boards require your child’s food critic, Elizabeth Pennell. full-day kindergarten program. In identification documents, such as The chapters range from “Who made the full-day kindergarten classrooms, birth certificate, birth registry/bap- restaurant” (the French) to “Endings” teachers and early childhood edu- tismal certificate, Ontario Health an entire chapter on the development of cators work together to help stu- Card and immunization record. dessert. dents learn, play and grow. Full- • Full-day kindergarten can Gopnik mentions his mother’s day kindergarten will be available save Ontario families up to ap- soufflés- which he can’t replicate – and in all elementary schools by Sep- proximately $6,500 per year in the importance of choosing food well. tember 2014. child care costs. His insatiable curiosity skims over Giving children a strong start Find tips to support your By Helene Merritt our ferocious search for good food, in school while helping parents children’s learning at Ontario.ca/ good wine and good company around balance their work and family abc123. “Only cook and eat food with people the table. No fast food anywhere in this lives is part of the McGuinty gov- you like. Life’s too short for bad food book... It is a book to recommend to food lovers and epicureans. If you like this book, you might also like Gopnik’s CBC Massey lecture essay “Winter” which devotes an entire chapter to hockey and, by a different author, Elizabeth Abbott : Sugar, a bittersweet history. Gopnik’s Table Comes First made me want to fly to Paris or New York to try out fabulous new restaurants but that’s not in the cards so I put myself on hold for the library copy of Babette’s Feast and plan a lovely winter dinner with friends. Bon appétit! FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 29 Surround Circle Yoga

A Quintessential Balance

Maureen Fallis, (fully yang) will produce seeds and attention to transitional movements For details and class schedule, Surround Circle Yoga die back in winter (fully yin) in an as the path to finding the still point please visit our website www. endless cycle. within each activity. surroundcircleyoga.com or call 613- rowing up on a farm in According to Cyndi Lee, a 730-6649 for a free consultation. the middle of no where in practitioner of both hatha yoga and Surround Circle Yoga offers a Manitoba was a pretty quiet Tibetan Buddhism, “It’s only when we variety of group and private classes. G try to capture one of these essences, existence – especially for a teenager. There was nothing more I wanted to isolate it, freeze it, and hold on to be than to be a town kid. Life seemed it, that we miss our intended target. so much more exciting for my friends Movement cannot exist without who lived in town. They got to go to stillness. Stillness is the birth of all the varsity games, the dances, they movement, and when movement dies hung out together after school and it gives life to stillness. This is how all from my vantage point they generally things work.” seemed to have a lot more fun than This is beautifully illustrated I did. Unlike me, they didn’t have in this passage from Shih-tou’s chores to do. My sisters and brothers poem “The Identity of Relative and and I were responsible for milking the Absolute”. cows, feeding the pigs, working in the fields, harvesting the garden and doing Within light there is darkness, an enormous amount of cooking and but do not try to understand that cleaning. I’m not saying it wasn’t fun, darkness. but it sure wasn’t exciting! Within darkness there is light, Do I sound bitter? No, actually I’m but do not look for that light. grateful to my parents for instilling in Light and darkness are a pair, me a strong work ethic: “Work hard, like the foot before and the foot then relax and then play”. I learned behind in walking. very well to distinguish the difference Each thing has its own intrinsic between being really active and really value inactive; and to love and appreciate and is related to everything else in the quintessential balance of both. function and position. Just like the Yin-Yang symbol, Ordinary life fits the absolute as a the curves and circles imply a box and its lid. kaleidoscope-like movement. This The absolute works together with implied movement represents the the relative, ways in which yin and yang are like two arrows meeting in mid-air. mutually-arising, interdependent, and continuously transforming, one into At Surround Circle Yoga we the other. One could not exist without practice and teach a yin-yang style of the other, for each contains the yoga. The yin yoga activity is slow, essence of the other. Night becomes steady and stationary, with a sense of day, and day becomes night. Action softness and surrender; and the yang and inaction are like movement and yoga activity is more mobile, with stillness, they are opposites and yet poses generally flowing energetically they share equal qualities. Whenever together building to an apex before one quality reaches its peak, it will calming down. To experience both, naturally begin to transform into the we move at a pace that allows us to opposite quality; for example, grain fully experience one thing evolving that reaches its full height in summer into the next. We practice paying close

Red Apron Cooks --cont’d from page 27 until a toothpick inserted in the center Red Berry Sauce comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries Run a sharp knife around the edge of the ½ cup sugar pan and carefully invert the cake onto a 1 cup seedless raspberry jam platter or a 9-inch cardboard circle; the 1 tablespoon framboise liqueur cake should be upside down. Using the bottom of the cake pan, gently press the Place the raspberries, sugar, and ¼ “top” of the cake to flatten it evenly. cup water in a small sauce-pan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for If desired, dust the top of the torte 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, with confectioners’ sugar and serve with a the jam, and framboise into the bowl of Red Berry Sauce. a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth. Chill. Page 30 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012

M.P.P. OTTAWA CENTRE Making Postsecondary Education More Accessible By Yasir Naqvi, fall 2011 provincial election. certificate programs will save $730. including: the elimination of the MPP Ottawa Centre To help keep the cost of Because the grant is calculated Ontario Textbook and Technology postsecondary education affordable to be 30% off the average Ontario Grant, as well as the Ontario Trust for s university and college the government is taking 30% off the tuition, the amount of the grant will Student Support and the phase-out of students across Ottawa and average tuition for families — that keep pace with any increased future the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the the province return to their means $800 for undergraduate degree costs — meaning it will always be Top Scholarships. Ontario has created A students at Carleton University and 30 per cent off the price of tuition. 200,000 additional postsecondary regular routines, many of them (and their families) will be thinking about the University of Ottawa and $365 This is great news for students and and apprenticeship spaces and, by re- their daily living expenses, including for diploma and certificate students families concerned about rising living instating student access grants, has the cost of tuition. High school students at Algonquin College and La Cité expenses and tuition costs in the tripled the number of grants available in their final year who have applied to collègiale this semester. future. to students, since 2003. postsecondary institutions in Ontario Students could be eligible, if: More than 300,000 undergraduate Helping Ontario students will soon find out what universities or • They are a full-time student at a students are eligible to receive the new with the price of tuition is part colleges they have been accepted to, public college or university in Ontario grant this year. Students who already of our government’s plan to keep and will start making plans to finance • It’s been less than four years receive OSAP will be automatically postsecondary education within the their education. since they left high school considered. Students with disabilities reach of all families, while building Funding of postsecondary • They are in a program that they may receive the grant for up to six the best-educated workforce in education can be a significant can apply to directly from high school years of study. the world. That leads to a stronger undertaking for students and their • Their parents’ gross income is As our government continues economy, and creates good jobs. families, and that is why I am pleased $160,000 or less. with its prudent and responsible plan For more information on the 30% to say that students in Ottawa and This coming September, the to returning the province’s budget Off Tuition Grant, visit www.ontario. across Ontario can now apply to get permanent 30% Off Ontario Tuition back to balance by 2017-2018, we ca/30off or www.yasirnaqvimpp.ca, 30 per cent off the cost of their tuition. grant will apply to the full school year. made sure to carefully consider how or call my office at 613-722-6414. Our government announced the new Students in a university or college best to fund this new tuition grant. tuition grant in January, in keeping degree program will save $1,600, To fully offset the costs of the grant, with the promises we made during the while students in college diploma and efficiencies and savings were found

THE WINDSOR CHRONICLE PART 30 Ski Season

For nearly eight years, from Chronicles.. games. In one, the challenge is to pull him a longer ride, February 2000 to August 2008, Alpha along on his skis, as though he and on this contraption he’s able to OSCAR carried a monthly column, January, 2003 were water skiing at the cottage. You make quite a show of carving gentle The Windsor Chronicles, written by score extra points if you can pull him arcs for as long as there’s even a hint Zoscha the Wonder Dog. Zoscha Dear Boomer, off balance and send him into a snow of a downward grade. became something of a celebrity in our drift. Meanwhile, Alpha watches him ere’s a philosophical question neighbourhood, and her observations In another, the challenge is to like a hawk – or like he used to watch for you. If a dog barks his on the passing scene, from a canine dart across the trail as skiers approach the Pup when he first began going head off in a forest, and no perspective, attracted her share of H from the opposite direction. You down the steeper hills on a sled. He’s humanoid is there to hear him, is he loyal readers as well as critics. score points if they trip over the leash. ready to dash off in an instant if he still a bad dog? OSCAR is reprinting some of And finally, my personal favourite thinks the Pup is heading toward I think that Alpha has forgotten Zoscha’s musings from eight years is played when Alpha and his friends trouble. This means he is paying less whether or not there’s a doorbell at ago. The editors have annotated have paused to catch their breath. attention to the real purpose of the our house. He certainly doesn’t need where we feel that today’s readers While they lean on their ski poles, day’s adventure: to throw the tennis one with me around. may need to be informed of references the object is to go out on a sniffing ball over the trees toward the hockey But I am certainly more inclined that may no longer be remembered expedition and hope they don’t notice rink. to bark when the perimeter needs to by readers today, or where recent as you mosey around someone. At I’ve heard Alpha discuss with be secured against those who would scholarship has shed further light on one point, you can bound back to the other humanoids how he intends cross the line-of-sight I have from the world described in the Windsor Alpha and tie up the legs and poles of to get one of these boards himself. the top of the stairs. You can see the your victim with your leash. I’m not so sure this is a wise idea. I street from up there. You can see A couple of times we were stopped remember all too well how he broke whether people are just passing by, or by humanoids who appeared to have his foot two summers ago, but Alpha whether they are turning to come to some kind of authority. They told is particularly stubborn, even for a our house. Sometimes it’s a good idea Alpha that dogs were not allowed on humanoid.(4) Maybe it’s safer pulling to bark at the passers-by, just to keep these trails. So Alpha and I will likely him along on his cross-country skis. them honest. return to our regular ski haunts along But barking in the forest is another the river beside Windsor Park. (2) I Fit as a husky, and loving the matter. You don’t need an excuse. prefer this in any event. You don’t snow, Nature provides excuses a-plenty, but need to stay on leash as you explore Zoscha why not bark for the sake of barking? along the snow-covered ice of the If you don’t howl, how will you ever river. It leaves me free to investigate (1) Recent scholarship, including find your pack? smells at my leisure, and reduces Dr. Cassandra Wise, The Zoscha Alpha took me out to the hills Alpha’s stress levels considerably. Years, Carleton University Press, last week.(1) He brought along his The Pup does not accompany 2009, p. 187, concludes that this skis but, because of some arcane us on these expeditions, but he has passage refers to cross-country skiing rules posted by the side of the road, acquired yet another device for going in the Gatineau Hills outside of he was not allowed to unleash me. down the hill at the park.(3) This Ottawa. What followed was an afternoon of year, he straps boots to a bright yellow exploring new forms of winter sport. board, and tries to go down the hill We developed several new Cont’d on next page standing up. The gentler slopes give FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 31

Local Veterinarian - Dr. Emily Black Asthma, Cat Bums And Indian Jones: What All These Things Have In Common

By Emily Black it out of the cave while the whole The number 2 cause of asthma? Dust a heck of a lot of sense to me: I have a thing collapse in on him. This is mites. And here is where it got gross. great big orange fluffy cat that despite have been the envy of many basically the same thing that happens You can be as clean as you want to his weight and his mane of fur is hypo people this January. I have just in asthma; a stimulus is triggered be, but over two years… your pillow allergenic. People who are deathly returned from Orlando Florida and the cave begins to collapse and doubles in weight. The shear mass of allergic to cats have brought him up to I fill with fluid so that nothing can get dead dust mite bodies….. yuck! And their face, snuggled and cuddled and where I went to the North American Veterinary Conference. I must admit, in or out. In theory, works great, in every night as you lay you down to not a single cough or sneeze was seen being a geek, the sun is not the most reality… it’s the number 2 killer of sleep…. Yep, I came home and threw and I could never figure that out! Well, wonderful aspect of this annual children in Chicago. out every pillow I had that I couldn’t turns out he is too fat to reach his own pilgrimage, rather the 50 hours of Now, just like the lecturer I’m remember buying and I am breathing a bottom… less grooming means less continuous mind blowing learning going to take this moment to discuss little easier. Now, cats and dogs were antigen stimulation means less allergy never fails to leave me both exhausted this last statistic; Asthma is the quite a ways down that list. Many = hypoallergenic fat cat. Amazing! and mesmerized! So today I want number 2 killer of children under the people including myself thought that Now, does this mean that we should to share just one of the amazing age of 8 in Chicago…. What is the you could be allergic to the hair, the be removing the anal glands from cats lectures I went to and talk about new number one killer? Gunshot wounds. skin, the saliva, the dander of dogs and to make them hypoallergenic… don’t breakthroughs in human asthma and I know! Isn’t that horrible? Now the cats, and although this is strictly true, even want to go there… but, it does pet allergies. Hold on, we are in for amazing thing was the response of the the overwhelming majority of people explain why if you wipe your cat off quite the ride. 300 people in the largely American in this study, upwards of 60% were with a facecloth twice daily, you can Now the lecture started with audience- sadness noises. The lecturer allergic to the protein from anal gland often mitigate allergic signs entirely. this startling statistic; Asthma is the stood up and said, no people: “I speak sacs. Why, not sure, but the result is Also, important to remember, before number two killer of Children under at conferences all over the world and the animals lick their bums and then you get rid of your cat… get rid of the age of 8 in Chicago USA. This this is the only country where sadness lick themselves and lick you… and the other “pets” in your house… the makes it an extremely important issue is tolerated! Elsewhere, they are you are allergic to what they have millions of dust mites, as best you can. for veterinarians because many times horrified! As they should be!” Touché. been licking all over them. More Dr. Emily Black owns and we are faced with households having And this made me think of myself and people are allergic to cats than dogs operates Centretown Veterinary to surrender their beloved pet because my country where on many native simple because cats lick themselves Hospital and is herself owned and a child has developed asthma. Now, reserves pneumonia is the number 2 more. There was that great line in operated by one hypoallergenic cat, asthma is a disease which results killer of children under the age of 8 the debate over who is best: cats or two cat spit encrusted cats and a dog, from a hyperactive immune system as well….. dogs; “Cats aren’t clean, they’re just and isn’t allergic to any of them. whereby the muscles which line the Ok, back to Asthma. Right, so the covered in cat spit” and as it would airways in the throat and lung develop lecturer asked why? Why do we have turn out… anal sac debris. This made an overstimulation response to a this defense mechanism? What are triggering stimulus. There are only we trying to keep out? Science has two species on this planet which have provided the answer. The same group the ability to be asthmatic, cats and studied triggers for asthma in people people. Dogs do not develop asthma. and sure enough it is allergies. The Their airway muscle just doesn’t over number one allergy stimulus for people respond! Sure they can get a cough, to develop asthma is cockroaches! they all too often develop long-term Yep, basically, the asthma response bronchitis, but it isn’t asthma. Now, here is designed to keep us out of when you develop asthma what dark and dingy disease and mould happens is that all the airways literally infested areas where there are a lot of clamp down and fill up with mucous. cockroaches! Us and cats! Makes a lot Just like that scene in “Indiana Jones of sense. Nope, this cave isn’t safe, I and the temple of doom” where after can’t breathe in here… I’ll move on Indy steals the golden head from the to another cave, bit brighter, more air Amazonian pigmy cave he has to boot flow… better window treatments?

To book an OSCAR ad call Gayle 730-1058 [email protected]

Windsor Chronicle ... Cont’d from previous poage

(2) The Rideau River, op. cit. p. (4) Zoscha proved to be 193. remarkably prescient in predicting (3) The toboggan run at Windsor Alpha’s future mishaps on skis. See Park is known to this day as “Brody’s “Limping Along Together,“ The Hill,” in memory of one of Zoscha’s Windsor Chronicles Part 60, March companions who used to chase balls 2006. down the slopes. Page 32 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012 OCCSB TRUSTEE REPORT “PUTTING STUDENTS FIRST”

a recommendation for all full-day partnership will together create five successful ‘Fashion Show for Funds’ Kathy Ablett, R.N. kindergarten sites will be brought to stained glass window panels with the fashion show at the Glebe Community Trustee Zone 9 the Board for the next school year. theme of peace and remembrance. Centre in January. Funds raised go Capital/River Wards The current full-day sites will This theme truly depicts what these to Roger’s House for hospice care Telephone: 526-9512 continue to operate with .25 FSL youngsters and veterans can relate to for children. Kate, you are truly an instruction and .75 English instruction. in their different capacities. inspiration to all of us! Kindergarten: 50/50 French The windows will be installed at Immersion Pilot in 16 Schools for Corpus Christi School Corpus Christi school at a date yet If, at any time, I can be of Fall 2012 to be determined and it is hoped that assistance to you please do not Grade 5 students, with their the veterans will be in attendance. hesitate to call me at 526-9512. In September 2012, the Ottawa teacher Jane O’Regan, are about to Stay tuned for further details of this Catholic School Board is adding launch a partnership venture with wonderful initiative. Sincerely, 16 new full-day kindergarten sites veterans at the Perley Rideau Veterans Kathy Ablett bringing the total number of full-day Hospital. Immaculata High School “Your Trustee” sites to 32. The new locations will Grade 5 students at Corpus Christi be part of a pilot project, each with a are known as “Peacekeepers” so one A special congratulations goes 50% French/50% English program. can easily see how great a fit these two to Grade 8 student Kate Reeves and This model will be evaluated, and groups are. This intergenerational all her supporters who organized a

The Dope on Green Plastic

by the No Plastic Project (www.noplasticproject.ca) BIODEGRADABLE:

he Stella Luna Gelato Café in “Biodegradable” simply means our neighbourhood has a sign the plastic will break down or disin- displayed by the cash register tegrate into carbon dioxide, water, T and its other component parts (its “in- stating that the small, colourful plas- tic spoons they give out with cups of organic compounds and biomass,” ac- gelato are biodegradable. And further cording to World Centric) — no mat- down the street, the Bridgehead offers ter what the other parts may be, how salads in compostable plastic clam- long it takes, and what the conditions shell containers — made from corn have to be for it to happen. Biodegrad- starch! able plastics can be made of either Biodegradable spoons ... Com- plant or petroleum products, and, like postable clamshell containers ... Are all other plastics, they contain many we seeing the emergence of “green” other undisclosed chemicals, some of plastic? Can all of us plastic activists which may be toxic and harmful to relax and dip into our gelatos without the environment and human health. compunction? But what do all these So, if you see the label “bio- labels actually mean — or, more pre- degradable,” it really doesn’t tell you cisely, what don’t they mean? Here anything about the environmental im- are some facts to help you navigate pact—and possible toxicity—of the the terminology. compounds that the plastic will de- grade into. BIOPLASTICS: COMPOSTABLE: In the simplest terms, bioplastics are just plastics made from plants. According to the American Soci- They are derived from things like corn ety for Testing and Materials (ASTM), starch or potato starch, corn husks, or in order for plastic to be labelled soy protein. Sounds nice and green, “compostable” it has to biodegrade doesn’t it? within certain time and temperature But it isn’t quite so simple. The limits within a “compost site of an building blocks for making plastic available program” and not leave any are atoms of carbon and hydrogen, toxic residue. Compostable plastics which you can get from oil, gas, or, are usually bioplastics, but you can in the case of bioplastics, from plant also find them made from petroleum materials. But many chemicals are and petroleum by-products. These added in the process of “plasticizing” must all decompose back into carbon any of these, and as a result, plastics dioxide, water, and “biomass” and often contain a variety of toxic addi- the resulting compost must meet the tives (such as BPA, phthlalates and criteria for eco-toxicity and support other carcinogens). The label “bio- plant growth. plastic” doesn’t tell us what else is in Sounds good, right? the plastic, or even whether it is bio- degradable. As the Plastic Pollution But — and it’s a big but — it Coalition warns — “You could make seems you have no way of knowing if non-biodegradable and toxic plastic the product has followed ASTM stan- out of organic corn!” Cont’d on next page FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 33

OCDSB TRUSTEE REPORT

Capital Ward Accommodations and Board Budget

By Rob Campbell Educators based on demand. wishes to hold education sector costs indeed most other employee groups, Dangerous traffic pickups / to 1% for next school year though all have their multi-year collective Capital Ward Accommodations dropoffs and bus numbers should its actual grants package information agreements expire at once this coming decrease at the school. Managing will not be released to Boards until August. While local Boards hold the refer interested readers to my the school should simplify somewhat maybe April. This is going to be less pen in the end re details of staffing, lengthy previous OSCAR column though it will remain one of our than inflation and may be the lay of hiring, benefits, responsibilities and devoted to this issue. Just a quick largest with close to 800 students and the land for more than one year as work conditions, and salary, the basic I at a projected 97% of rated facility the Province tightens its belt. So salary question is entirely dependent update here then to confirm for readers that the Board decision anticipated capacity. any scraps of reserves lying about of course on what the Province will last column indeed did go through. My thanks again to all who will disappear and budgets also may fund and there will be some central For Hopewell, that means Glebe participated in this exercise. They need to shrink. Depending on what negotiation at Queen’s Park this way. and Lowertown Intermediates (yes, are not easy, however a very decent happens, we need to be able to react We recently approved a all the way to Lowertown!) and Glebe outcome was generated not just for by cutting more or cutting less. Our consultation plan to involve the public, MFI students at the school will be Hopewell but for all of the study area staff have over the past few months with web comments, school council phasing out at Hopewell the next schools. been going through their departmental consultation, letters to stakeholders, couple of years as they pass through budgets cost centre by cost centre and etc. In the months ahead, if you have the grades. Hopewell will be much Board Budget challenging all spending. views on our budget then please let more a community-focused school, Our budget process is a little me know. though still drawing in some students Our annual budget cycle is starting kookie as we must make a decision from Old Ottawa East who do not have up and I’d be interested in any ideas to spend about 80% of our budget an OCDSB school offering standard community members have on what by start of March before we know If you have a suggestion or a programs (we have an alternative ed we need more of and what we could the grants due to legacy collective concern, or would like to be added school there). do with less of and indeed what is just agreement provisions binding us to to my e-newsletter list, then please The school should have the space right and not to be played with. We staffing notices by then - the non- contact me via [email protected] or it needs for all-day kindergarten and are sitting on some modest reserves staffing component is usually decided at 323-7803. Meeting and document before and after-school care at the at the moment, more by accident than on by June. info available at www.ocdsb.ca school by 2015. The Board is required design, but we are projecting to stand Add to this a lack of clarity now to offer, itself or in concert with pat or maybe a shrinking budget year around Provincial funding of salaries a third party, limitless after / before nevertheless over all. going forward and this could get to school care with Early Childhood The Province has flagged that it be real fun. All teacher groups, and Winterlude’s Sno-Bus The Dope on Green Plastic .... cont’d from previous page Offered Free of Charge

he National Capital Commission (NCC) and the Ontario dards unless it has been certified by a legit- compostable plastic spoon — no matter Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) announced today imate third party, such as Biodegradable how certified it is — becomes plain old a new partnership that will provide residents and visitors to Products Institute (BPI) (US); OK Com- garbage when you throw it away. It goes T Winterlude, access to the Sno-Bus service, free of charge, during post (Belgium), Din Certco (Germany), straight to the landfill, where it will not bio- Winterlude’s three weekends, February 4-5, 11-12 and 18-19. and JBPA (Japan). There are currently no degrade but remain a plastic spoon until the About OLG: OLG is proud to work with communities in On- legislated regulations with regard to com- end of time. tario and be part of bringing over 200 local events to life each postable plastic standards. So if no certifi- Okay, okay, you say, so what if tomor- year through our Sponsorship Program. From business events to cation label is visible, the consumer look- row the City of Ottawa acquired the facili- cultural and music festivals, OLG is an involved and contributing ing at a plastic thing that is simply labelled ties to process compostable plastics? Would partner in community events and festivals across Ontario. “compostable” has no way of knowing a plastic spoon made from a non-food plant whether the ASTM standards have been or source that was totally compostable, bio- haven’t been met. degradable, free of toxins during manufac- So, if you see the label “compostable” turing, and manufactured and composted in accompanied by a certification label, you a sustainable way be the answer? Tell OSCAR Readers know that the plastic is biodegradable and Well, I’m sad to say that it wouldn’t. about your travel nontoxic (to certain scientific standards); In the end, I would still have to ask my- but if you see the label “compostable” by self, “Do I really need to use this piece of or your interests. itself, it only really tells you that the plastic plastic for ten minutes and then throw it might be these things. away?” The hard truth is that “everything Send text and photos to However — and this is the kicker — we consume comes from the natural world [email protected] Nothing biodegrades or composts if it goes — it is extracted, mined, farmed, grown, into a landfill! Landfills are not designed to fished, cut down — and the resources on promote decomposition. Because of lack of this planet are limited” (Worldcentric). If oxygen and moisture, as BPI tells us, “trash I can choose between using one stainless entering landfills essentially retains its ori- steel spoon for my remaining years (with ginal weight, volume and form for the en- a little effort) or thousands of disposable tire active life of the landfill.” spoons (with no effort), I would choose the The only way to compost “compost- first option. able” plastic (apart from at home in your So bring a spoon with you to eat your backyard composter over a very, very long gelato. Or ask for a real spoon — which, I period of time) is through a commercial am happy to say, Stella Luna is pleased to composting facility, which Ottawa current- offer their eat-in patrons. Or choose a cone ly doesn’t operate. The City of Ottawa does and avoid the packaging entirely! not accept any kind of plastic, compostable or not, in the green bin program. What this all boils down to is that your Page 34 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012 Tasty Tidbits from Trillium Bakery Trillium Bakery is a Family Affair By Jocelyn LeRoy ing hot tin bread pans from the oven. she could be (not a shadow) right in years (hey, I’ve already been there for His badge of honour. front of the customers. quite a while), I still love the aroma ince day one, Trillium Bakery’s Sonia and I have old scars too, When Sonia was in university of those golden-crusted loaves and rooms have been filled with which feel strangely right. We earned and working in the bakery, she met the clink of the golden loonies. And, family – the ones who loved them, unlike sunburns, freckles or her husband, also a student, here more valuable than any gold, I love S frostbite. in the bakery. We were in need of a my family who supported me all those being here. On opening day, Jocelyn’s 10 year It would have been impossible to dishwasher (we wash our own dishes years, in our very small business. old daughter was jumping around keep up that kind of production, 3,000 now) and I went over to Baskin and Small, but I like to think we have ‘in- on the sidewalk in front of the store, bear paws, but the experience inspired Robin to lure a part-time student into ner bigness’. which was all freshly painted blue Michael and his mom to broaden our our big Sunday Bread Bake. Robin Over the years as a family we’ve and white. Above was a hand drawn horizons and get inventing. I saw a was the man. He soon graduated to been invited to customers’ family sign, over the door. She had a little very young entrepreneur growing baking bread, with Sonia sometimes weddings, baptisms, bar mitzvahs, plate of cookies to offer people walk- ideas fast and becoming committed to helping in a ‘bread shift”. Romance and occasional funerals. Olympic gold ing by. ”You should some inside. My the bakery. blossomed, and lasted. medalists have stopped here, children mommy just opened her new bakery.” He’s still there, as co-owner, and Another daughter, Francine (see with their parents, thirty years later Of course, they came in for a look he and his wife still own and operate Haiti article in Tasty Tidbits from they’re bringing their own children and a loaf or two. Alta Vista Flowers. There are plans in Trillium Bakery, May, 2010) wasn’t – little tykes rising the rocking horse Soon, son Michael was inventing the works for a possible flower out- much interested in working in the like their parents did long ago. recipes in the kitchen. He had always let right here at Trillium. – behind the bakery, until last year. She became A thirty-three year family affair. been more interested in cooking than green garage doors in ‘Jean’s office’. an emergency back up in customer Still cookin’. his three sisters. “We should make Back in the early days at Trillium service. When younger she would re- Beavertails,” he said. I told him we oldest daughter Sonia was soon on arrange the décor in the bakery “oh, shouldn’t, because someone else al- board. She bagged hundreds of loaves mom, it should be like this.” ready made them. I suggested he of bread at 5 am after walking down The bakery raised money for TRILLIUM invent something different, but still Bank Street – from the Glebe, rain or Francine’s son Adrian (see Adrian along the idea of beavertails. Michael shine. After school she worked at the eating butter tarts in the front porch RECIPES organized an amazing lineup of pots bakery. I saw what an organized per- photo) at a pivotal point in his soccer and pans and bowls filled with in- son she was, and what a natural way career. A customer donated materials Memories of Trillium gredients, all labeled, -- several dif- she had with customer service. Where and printing costs for the cookbook. ferent experiments. The results were did she get all this from? Years of rid- Five grandchildren come and go. Maple Syrup Cookies offered to customers, fresh from the ing horses and teaching riding was They all like “playing store’ on Sat- ovens. One customer asked Mike such a different kind of work – not the urdays. When they get bored they sit (travels well for long distances) what he called that flat round pastry usual skill set we look for. She stayed in the corner and draw colourful pic- he was munching on. He replied con- for years. To this day people often re- tures. Lots of colourful pictures. And 2 cups organic whole wheat flour fidently, “Flatsters.” Soon after, Camp member her (the red hair?) they grew up liking raisins. Mike’s ½ cup or more chopped pecans or Fortune Ski Club put in an order for This Christmas, Sonia, Mike and son Alex has had his rite of passage in walnuts three thousand of them. We renamed Sonia’s daughter Rowan all wrapped 2011, baking with Dad all night. ½ cup maple syrup them Bear Claws and carved a slit in themselves in white aprons and wait- My mother in her nineties liked ¼ to 1/3 canola or sunflower oil the paw-shaped pastry so they really ed on customers. Oh boy – what déjà to sit in her wheelchair in the bakery, looked like bear paws. vu that was for me. And thirteen year sampling our butter tarts from her Mix well. Spoon onto greased Mike was so proud of his first old Rowan, taller than her mom, was Aunt Minnie’s famous recipe. pan or parchment paper. Bake at 350 burn (on his upper arm (while remov- kind of hoping Mom would leave so As I now enter those ‘golden’ degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes.

Is Back Pain During Pregnancy Avoidable?

regnancy and back pain seem pattern begins to change to the pillow between your knees and under of your centre of gravity that your to go together hand in hand classic pregnancy waddle, significant your belly to reduce the amount of growing belly is already creating. P- but should it? According to mechanical strain can be placed on stress on your low back and hips. It is Wearing comfortable shoes will help the American Pregnancy Association, the sacroiliac joints, which often leads best to lie on your left side to maintain you to maintain a better posture but 50% to 70% of all pregnant women to inflammation and a deep ache in the optimal blood flow to the placenta. also lessen your chances of falling. have back pain at some point during lower back. • When getting out of bed, roll • Change position often. Avoiding their pregnancy. It is more common Right from the moment of onto your side and bend your knees sitting or standing for long periods of during the later months of pregnancy conception, women’s bodies are up towards your chest. Move your time. If you are standing, alternate than early on. preparing to house a growing baby. As feet to the edge of the bed and as you elevating one foot on a small stool. the pregnancy progresses, a hormone let the weight of your legs fall off the • See your Chiropractor to ensure Why is low back pain so called relaxin is released allowing bed, push yourself up with your arms. the joints of your low back and pelvis common during pregnancy? ligaments to become more lax or • Keep active! Exercising during are functioning at their best. loose. This is an important step in the pregnancy is beneficial in many ways. There are many factors which female body preparing for child birth It keeps your muscles strong and your If you are experiencing severe low make women more prone to low back by allowing the joints of the pelvis joints moving, boosts your energy and back pain, pain that is of abrupt onset pain during pregnancy. Women who and low back to loosen. This laxity helps you to get a better night’s sleep. or experiencing cramping, consult have had back pain in the past are also makes the low back vulnerable to Strengthening the muscles that support your health care provider.Following more likely to experience back pain injury since the area is less supported. your back and legs are important these easy tips will help lessen your during their pregnancy. both before and after pregnancy. chances of experience low back pain As women start putting on weight What can women do to keep Stretching can ease the strain on your throughout your pregnancy. as the baby develops, their centre of their back healthy and happy back, walking helps to improve your gravity moves forward. This changes throughout their pregnancy? circulation and swimming is a great Dr. Melissa Baird is a Chiropractor where and how stress is placed on way to keep your abdominal muscles practicing at Glebe Chiropractic women’s spines and surrounding There are several steps women strong. Always consult your heath Clinic. She can be reached at (613) soft tissue. Their muscles become can take to keep their back healthy care provider before beginning a new 237 9000, www.glebechiropractic. fatigued quickly from the extra strain thereby reducing their chances of exercise routine. com or via Facebook at Glebe placing them at greater risk of injury. experiencing low back pain. • Avoid high heels! Wearing high Chiropractic. As a pregnant women’s walking • When lying on your side, place a heels will exaggerate the forward shift FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 35 Personal Health Starts in the Mouth By Georgine Hunter

ichelle Black opened her independent dental hygiene practice, Confident MSmiles, in 2009 in the Glebe with a mission to help her clients improve their oral health. The advantages of good oral health are numerous. For starters, you can expect to live on average six years longer by maintaining healthy teeth and gums. A dental hygienist can help you achieve oral health that will lower your risk of: heart disease, respiratory problems and giving birth to low-birth weight or pre-term babies. In addition, a dental hygienist can also detect oral cancer at an early stage. That is why Black purchased a new screening device; The VELscope Vx, which detects warning signs of anomalies. Oral cancer is on the rise and is now number 13 out of 27 known cancers. Black uses the VELscope Vx to discover lesions deep below the surface. “Early detection of oral cancer is crucial as it provides a much higher survival and recovery rate” She is one of five other practitioners in Ottawa to have a VELscope. Dental hygienist, Michelle Black, performing an oral cancer screening. So Who’s at Risk? Smokers and heavy drinkers are the traditional groups with risk factors for this disease that targets Benefits of Independent Dental Hygienists Whitening with a New Client Referral men more often than women. But a new culprit, A major advantage of Confident Smiles are the Confident Smiles is currently running a the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is causing oral convenient hours: 9:00 am – 8:00 pm, Monday to promotion that provides new customers with a 30% cancer lesions in younger men and women who Friday. Personalized care and longer appointment discount on their first dental hygiene assessment. practice unprotected oral sex. HPV is now the times that run one-and-a-half hours provide ample The promotion runs until February 29, 2012. leading cause of head and neck cancers. time to: educate, answer questions and skillfully Clients who make referrals will receive a Gift from the Heart: Free Oral Health clean your teeth. Black also evaluates clients’ diet, $50 discount off their next service or a free teeth Screening: February 11 home-care routine, products and life changes. whitening, a $179 value, after the new customer For the second year, Michelle will be joining Confident Smiles provides dental hygiene has completed a treatment. Clients can also receive other independent dental hygiene practices across treatments in a serene, inviting and comfortable discounted pricing when booking an appointment Ontario and Alberta by offering their services atmosphere. Absent are the grating drill sounds and for both dental hygiene treatment and tooth free of charge to those unable to normally afford pungent odors. The office is bright and modern with whitening. preventative dental care. Scheduled near Valentine’s the latest equipment and Black uses scientifically- Day, this service links heart health with oral health. proven techniques. Michelle Black, RDH, is the owner and sole (www.giftfromtheheart.ca) Appointments must be Model Student, Teacher operator of Confident Smiles Dental Hygiene & booked in advance. Since graduating from Algonquin College in Tooth Whitening, 166 Second Avenue, behind By educating patients on how to improve oral the top 10 of her class, Black worked for 18 years Bridgehead on Bank. 613-799-2633, www. health, Black says: “This vital information can as a dental hygienist. The model student became a confidentsmilesottawa.com lower your risk of developing heart disease which is model clinical instructor at both Algonquin College the number one killer of women in Canada.” Black and Canadian National Institute of Health. Black Georgina Hunter is an Ottawa Writer will also use the VELscope during this day as part opened her own practice nearly three years ago. of the oral cancer screening process. New Client Discount: 30% off; or Free Teeth

For The Love Of Raw Chocolate

By Sarah Ives cacao bean, which grows in a pod na- bar, or as a filling for a raw chocolate tor, who teaches quick and delicious tive to South America (and rumored pie, or even in a chocolate shake, the ways to include more raw foods in s it nears Valentine’s Day to have originated in the Andes), only benefits of eating cacao are seemingly your everyday life. Join her for a Raw many of us start to think the main difference is that cocoa has endless. So this Valentine’s day, try Chocolate Class on February 11th, about chocolate: the ultim- been heated and cacao has not. How- getting your hands on some raw choc- 2012 at 1:00pm. Visit www.ohmyraw. A ever, even unheated, cacao has an olate to please your loved one. com to register in advance. ate Valentine’s day gift (or at least the most common). We’ve all heard amazingly sharp flavor and raw choc- Sarah Ives is a raw food educa- the health benefits of cocoa and dark olates are among some of the very chocolate repeatedly touted, however, best that exist. Raw cuisine currently did you know that in the process of features some of the most decadent heating and making cocoa, much of and satisfying desserts, of all different the nutritional benefit is destroyed? types of cuisine. I have fooled many a What, you say? person into thinking they were eating While it is still full of antioxidants a cooked dessert, with my raw choco- (up to twice the level in red wine and late desserts. three times the level in green tea), its Not only is cacao a potent source raw, unprocessed counterpart, cacao, of antioxidants (about 7 times higher is said to have the highest antioxidant than that of roasted cocao), it boasts content of all food. Period. And, for loads of minerals and vitamin E, and those who need a quick refresher, is also known as an aphrodisiac! It’s antioxidants help our bodies neu- high content of tryptophan also helps tralize free radicals, which are those to promote relaxation. All in all, cacao pesky little molecules that can cause is a super food that tastes absolutely serious disease. amazing and has a multitude of differ- All cocoa powder comes from the ent forms: whether in a raw chocolate Page 36 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012

MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT OTTAWA CENTRE Investing in Job Creation

By Paul Dewar employment rate that is now in the pillar. Workers there face the threat include: double digits. This follows a two of their jobs moving to the US, and • Shelving the planned corporate hree months ago, my col- month period where Canada lost close a 50% percent wage decrease even tax cut, which will save between $3 leagues and I demanded that to 72,000 jobs. In November, the though the Conservative government and $4 billion a year for use on job the Conservative government Auditor General said that it was im- earmarked some of the $1 billion cor- creation measures that work T possible to determine how many jobs porate tax cuts announced three years • Cutting small business income take job creation seriously when we introduced a motion in the House of the Conservative government’s multi- ago for this very same company. tax by 2 percentage points to encour- Commons to push for a response. De- billion dollar Economic Action Plan It’s more than time that the Con- age local job creation and investment spite this, Mr. Harper’s government actually created. servative government takes job cre- • Investing in green infrastructure continues to choose inaction over ac- Meanwhile, the Conservative ation seriously and establishes safe- and renewable energy, and skills train- tion, and the unemployment numbers government continues to give away guards to ensure that jobs stay in ing for workers in transition and lead- continue to rise. big corporate tax cuts to corpora- Canada. ing edge industries. Recent labour force numbers re- tions who ship Canadian jobs over- My colleagues and I will con- New Democrats will continue to leased in January indicate that the na- seas. One example is Electromotive tinue to pressure the government to work hard to ensure that Canadians tional unemployment rate has inched Diesel in London, Ontario which was introduce the following measures to can get back to work. up to 7.5 percent, with a youth un- recently bought by US giant Cater- kick start job creation. These plans Robbie Burn’s Supper By Anna Redman style includes toasts and the narra- clans or families. present and thank the women who tion of Burns poetry. Some events are The evening’s main event is the had prepared the meal. More recently, he namesake is arguably Scot- segregated by gender while others are entrance of the haggis, which appears however, the topics covered have be- land’s most famous poet. The open to all. The dress for the evening on a large platter, accompanied by come much wider and are often de- suppers are traditionally held typically dictates kilts for men and the music of bagpipes. This grand en- termined by the male speaker’s view T shawls, dresses or skirts, made from trance is followed by the host’s narra- on women. This toast is typically de- on or near his birthday of January 25th. This annual event is the Burns’ the family tartan, for women. tion of Burns’ “Address to a Haggis.” signed to be amusing, but not offen- Supper, held in honour of the late Scotland’s infamous tartan is After the conclusion of the poem, the sive. Robert Burns. This tradition has con- traditionally a woollen cloth featur- traditional Scottish dish is sliced in The women may then reply via tinuously evolved and is now some- ing a distinct and colourful pattern. In half and the meal commences. This a chosen female speaker. This por- thing of a fine art, tweaked and altered more modern times these patterns can national specialty is comprised of a tion of the evening is called “Reply to to fit the needs of all who celebrate. be found on various materials. How- sheep’s heart, liver and lungs minced the Toast to the Lassies,” or “Toast to The style of celebrations can vary ever, certain patterns and colour com- with onions, oatmeal, salt, stock, suet the Laddies.” This allows the female in their level of formality. The formal binations are still attributed to specific and spices. Typically the dish sim- guest to narrate her views on the op- mers for three hours in the animal’s posite gender and reply to specific stomach before being served. More elements of the previous toast. modern haggis may, however, alterna- Other toasts, speeches, narrations tively be prepared in a casing. and singing tend to follow. A Man’s In addition to the celebrated hag- a Man and Ae Fond Kiss are often gis there are several other traditional among the choice of Burns’ songs that foods that can be found on the table are sung for the occasion. Similarly, at Burns’ Night. Chicken and leek Tam O’Shanter and The Twa Dugs soup (officially deemed cock-a- are a couple of poems often selected leekie soup), mashed turnips (neeps), for narration. Eventually, the even- whipped cream and raspberries served ing comes to a close when everyone with sweet oat wafers (cranachan) stands to join hands and sing Auld and bread cooked on the griddle (ban- Lang Syne, a Burns’ poem set to the nocks). The drink of choice, with such tune of the traditional folk song, Roud a feast, is normally whisky. # 6294. The evening also features en- The infamous Robert Burns tertainment, in the form of various died on July 21, 1796. The follow- speeches. Typically a guest will spew ing year acquaintances of Scotland’s a short speech, either silly or serious, most famous poet held the very first in memory of Burns or his poetry. Burns’ supper on the anniversary of Robert Burns receives a toast follow- his death. The date was later changed ing this speech. to celebrate the day he was born, rath- Next, the host will often speak er than the day he died. The Burns’ words of appreciation in honour of supper is now an annual celebration memorial speech, which has just been around the world, but is most prom- delivered. These words are normally inent in Australia, Canada, the United short and sweet, containing praise, Kingdom, and the United States. With thanks and a few comments on Burns the New Year now upon us people all related points, mentioned by the guest. over the world will raise a glass and The “Toast to the Lassies,” nor- toast. Here’s to a new year, here’s to mally follows and was originally de- Robert Burns. signed as an opportunity for one male guest to speak on behalf of all those To book an OSCAR ad call Gayle 730-1058 oscarads@ oldottawasouth.ca FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 37

COMPUTER TRICKS AND TIPS Bits and Pieces By Malcolm past few months by 50% or more. we do find are often unacceptable for remaining challenges and is valiantly and John Harding, Suppliers have brought back onto the a variety of reasons, including price. catching up. Most brands and models shelves the lower-capacity units at This is a shame, considering that lots are now compatible with the necessary of Compu-Home 250 or 320 Gigabytes simply in order of people have invested in a flat-screen software (Kindle being still a glaring to have something with a reduced monitor recently and are at risk of exception at this writing) and the OPL e’d like to catch up on a sticker-shock, and as long as they seeing that go to waste if they switch is offering workshops at branches all few short subjects – news come from a reputable manufacturer to a laptop, and also there is the fact over the city to try to help people learn Wand updates of interest this they are often a viable choice. We that an awful lot of laptops are being how to find and check out ebooks. month. have been told that it will be the better bought, at extra expense, and then Furthermore, we have found that the part of a year before prices come back their portability is wasted because reference librarians are remarkably up The telephone scammers are down to where they were just last they are never moved from their home to speed on the somewhat complex still hard at it! As reported in the summer. desk. If a desktop computer has to be (at first) procedure required and we Citizen January 18, police have been replaced, a refurbished model from personally have benefited from very swamped with reports of attempts to A confusing red herring in one of the reputable suppliers is a cheerful and expert support from the cheat thousands of Canadians of up the hard disk market has been the serious consideration for most people people at our home branch. You can to $400.00 and sometimes even more, recent introduction of the USB 3.0 at the moment. go to www.biblioottawalibrary.ca by callers who are passing themselves connection. Eventually this will be to find advice, telephone numbers, off as representatives of Microsoft a wonderful advancement in data eReaders found themselves workshop schedules and, of course, and other reputable organizations, and transfer, with speeds ten times faster under a great many Christmas trees the ebooks to download. wanting to take over your computer than the current USB 2.0 and total in December. We have reviewed the remotely to fix imaginary defects. compatibility with older devices. The concept very positively here in these We always enjoy hearing from Our advice to hang up immediately difficulty is that USB connections will pages, and we still think that they have readers and we learn lots from you on these callers is still very much in always be at the speed of the slowest great potential. Unfortunately, there when you do get in touch. Write or effect, and we also ask that everyone device in the system and so the terrific is quite a learning curve in putting give us a call any time. spread the word – at the risk of capability of the faster (and more these little darlings to full use. The Malcolm, Frances and John sounding ageist, we think it’s safe to expensive) drive will be wasted until challenge is not so much in buying Harding are the owners of Compu- say that these crooks have a higher everything connects at the 3.0 speed. books for them – not surprisingly, the Home, assisting home and business success rate among seniors and a We’re not saying that you shouldn’t suppliers make that process very easy. computer users. word in the ear of parents and older take advantage of a good deal on a There does, however, seem to be a Be sure to visit our web site for friends would be especially helpful. USB 3.0 device – just don’t expect bottleneck in borrowing titles from the an archive of our columns. www. that you’re going to be bringing it public library. Maybe we shouldn’t compu-home.com The skyrocketed price of hard home and experiencing blinding have been surprised that ereaders are Write to [email protected] disks continues to shock us. The speed when you connect it to your now so popular that when you finally or phone 613-731-5954 to discuss supply has been squeezed by some USB 2.0 computer. do get yourself to the lists of available computer issues, or to suggest manufacturing issues in Asia, and the titles there is often a bit of a wait for future columns. price of hard disks for replacement Desktop computers are the most popular ones. Fortunately, in computers and also for external increasingly scarce on the store the Ottawa Public Library seems backup devices, has increased in the shelves at the moment. The ones that to have a pretty good grasp of the

Learning about the Original Pheylonian 100% Pure Cappings Beeswax Candles and Health Care Products with Tawlia Chickal To book an OSCAR ad benefits of burning non-toxic and ers to guarantee the finest quality of non-allergenic Canadian made Phey- pure capping, pesticide free beeswax call Gayle lonian candles. These candles pro- and bee products. duce negative ion emissions which The workshop was very well re- 730-1058 clean the air and leave behind a nat- ceived. The Garden of Light is look- ural aromatic, non-intrusive essence. ing forward to having Tawlia back to oscarads@ The golden flame and golden halos share her expertise and experiences speak for themselves! There are also on Pheylonian Beeswax Products. oldottawasouth.ca techniques to learn if you want to get For further information on up- the most out of these 100% beeswax coming workshops /programmes and products. events please contact us at: www.gar- The Pheylonian Production Kohr denoflight.ca is a family business that works in con- junction with eco-concious beekeep-

tsahi St-Amand, owner of The Garden of Light was de- Ulighted to host a free work- shop about the original Pheylonian beeswax candles and health care products with Tawlia Chickalo, one of the Originators of Pheylonian Bees- wax Candles and products. Tawlia offered an informal and inspiring introduction to the Pheylon- ian Beeswax products on December 15th at The Garden of Light at 1099 Bank Street to an attentive audience. Tawlia emphasized the health th Page 38 The OSCAR - OUR 40 YEAR FEB 2012 Life Changes in a New York Minute by Rick Sutherland, CLU, income from your work. Life is good. a serious car accident. Any of these you then you may want to speak to CFP, FDS, R.F.P The only problem is that you have no occurrences have the potential to your financial planner. Learn more company benefits and your income change a person’s life instantly and about the options you have to protect he phrase “New York Minute” is dependent on your ability to work. permanently. yourself and your family against the is thought to have originated in You did look at your options when you Our once healthy person is now hazards that can occur in a “New York Texas during the 60’s. A Texan decided on self employment. Because disabled and unable to work and earn Minute.” T of your excellent health you decided a living. Treatment and recovery may The foregoing is for general took a minute to do what a New Yorker did in an instant. This short essay will to opt out and not take the disability take months or years, income stops information purposes and is the illustrate how a life changing event insurance that was recommended by abruptly and you are now relying on opinion of the writer. This information can occur in a “New York Minute”. your financial planner. It was deemed government programs and maybe the is not intended to provide personal No one is ever fully prepared for to be too expensive and with your charity of family and friends to carry advice including, without limitation, a life changing event, especially one healthy life style you would never on financially. Some who have lived investment, financial, legal, that occurs in an instant. The idea is need it. It would be a waste of money. through such an event have called it a accounting or tax advice. Please call to be as prepared as you possibly can You can probably guess what living death. or write to Rick Sutherland CLU, and thereby minimize the risk, both happens next. In a “New York Minute” You buy car insurance because it’s CFP, FDS, R.F.P., to discuss your from a personal as well as a financial something takes place to change your the law and you have a responsibility particular circumstances or suggest point of view. life forever. It may be something as to yourself and society. You buy home a topic for future articles at 613- Let’s set the stage. You are simple as falling off a ladder while insurance to cover the risk of fire, 798-2421 or E-mail rick@invested- middle aged, extremely healthy, work cleaning the eaves trough, taking an theft and other hazards. You can also interest.ca. Mutual Funds provided out on a regular basis and have no unexpected hit while playing a pickup buy disability insurance to protect through FundEX Investments Inc. health concerns at all. You are also game of hockey with your buddies, yourself against the loss of income self employed earning a significant being diagnosed with a life threatening due to sickness or injury. illness or being the innocent victim of If any of this rings a bell with A Year-Long Approach To Contributing To Your RRSP

By Anna Sundin with pre-authorized deductions the longer your money is working for fluctuate dramatically? from your bank account. These you. Successful investors know aking regular contributions contributions can be set up for as little Dollar cost averaging an investment’s performance is to your RRSP throughout as $50 a month. Investing a set amount of money unpredictable, and the best plans the year alleviates much Spreading your contributions in market-based funds regularly - involve a long-term strategy. Asset M throughout the year gives you the whether it’s weekly, bi-weekly or allocation first identifies your tolerance of the pressure of making last-minute decisions during the hectic frenzy of benefit of time, allowing more time monthly, allows you to take advantage for market volatility, and then selects RRSP season. You can make monthly for your money to grow. The earlier of dollar cost averaging. Because the an appropriate mix of funds and contributions easily and conveniently you begin to save during the year, purchases are made automatically and interest accounts from among the for a set dollar amount, you will be three basic asset classes (cash, fixed purchasing more units of a fund when income and equities) to help minimize prices are low and fewer units when risk and maximize potential return. prices rise. Dollar cost averaging Asset allocation should be a part of an takes the guesswork out of predicting overall investment plan customized to the “best” time to buy. reflect your personal investment style Asset allocation and goals. Taking the time to develop an Take a clear look at all your investment strategy now will give options you more time to make investment When it comes to investing, there decisions that are right for you. are many choices. The best way to Investigate all your options. Think make the right decisions for you about the questions you want to ask. is to look clearly at those choices. Find out how much you need to save Take your time to understand what now to reach your retirement goals. investment products are available and Do you know which investments then decide if they fit into your long- are best suited to your goals for term strategy. retirement? Do you know which funds to choose when the markets can

Books Mary Anne .... Cont’d from next page

instinctively connect. Eve is an Olym- the faith that enables us to continue. pic gold medalist and much-loved lo- cal daughter. Rabbit is a secretive Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell street artist who has just completed a This novel combines flat-out ad- massive project involving mysterious venture, a Nabokovian love of puz- installations on the rooftops of hun- zles, a keen eye for character, and a dreds of buildings throughout the city. taste for mind-bending philosophical It’s a fearful time, when people have and scientific speculation. It combines grave doubts about the future and science-fiction, political thriller and about each other. Yet when events col- historical pastiche. lide, and Rabbit’s installation is acti- Structured rather akin to a Chinese vated, people are shocked into seeing puzzle or a set of Matrioshka dolls, the power of beauty in the world, and there are dazzling shifts in genre and the real possibility of hope. The Blue voice and the stories leak into each Light Project is a hard-hitting and other with incidents and people being emotionally wrought commentary on passed on like batons in a relay race the forces that attract and repel us, and FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 39 Books on Mary Anne’s Shelf for 2012 Reading The Art of Memory by Frances ecy and to find his long-lost mother Aomame and Tengo impact on each Yates and sister. As Kafka flees, so too does other in various ways, at times by ac- The ancient Greeks, to whom a Nakata, an elderly simpleton whose cident and at times intentionally, they trained memory was of vital import- quiet life has been upset by a grue- come closer and closer to meeting. ance – as it was to everyone before some murder. (A wonderfully en- Eventually the two of them notice that the invention of printing – created dearing character, Nakata has never they are indispensable to each other. an elaborate memory system, based recovered from the effects of a mys- Is it possible for them to ever meet in on a technique of impressing ‘places’ terious World War II incident that left the real world? and ‘images’ on the mind. Inherited him unable to read or comprehend and recorded by the Romans, this much, but did give him the power to The Quantum and the Lotus by art of memory passed into the Euro- speak with cats.) What follows is a Mattiew Ricard and Trinh Xuan pean tradition, to be revived, in occult kind of double odyssey, as Kafka and Thuan form, at the Renaissance, and particu- Nakata are drawn inexorably along The Quantum and the Lotus: A larly by the strange and remarkable their separate but somehow linked Journey to the Frontiers Where Sci- genius, Giordano Bruno. paths, groping to understand the roles ence and Buddhism Meet explores This is the main theme of this fate has in store for them. Murakami questions such as how did the universe book, in the course of which she likes to blur the boundary between the come into being and what is the mean- sheds light on such diverse subjects as real and the surreal—we are treated to ing of human life against the black- Dante’s Divine Comedy, the form of such oddities as fish raining from the ness of infinity? Religion and science Shakespeare theatre and the history of sky; a forest-dwelling pair of Imperial have many answers to these and simi- ancient architecture. Army soldiers who haven’t aged since lar questions, answers that sometimes to her grandfather’s final state of The book is part philosophy, sci- WWII; and a hilarious cameo by fried meet but more often diverge. mind, she turns to the stories he told ence and part literature. chicken king Colonel Sanders—but In this book-length conversation, her when she was a child. On their he also writes touchingly about love, French Buddhist monk Ricard and weeklytrips to the zoo he would read The Denial of Death by Ernest loneliness and friendship. Occasional- Vietnamese-born astrophysicist Trinh to her from a worn copy of Rudyard Becker ly, the writing drifts too far into meta- explore how Buddhism and modern Kipling’s The Jungle Book, which he In this 1974 Pulitzer-prize-win- physical musings—mind-bending science address life’s big questions. carried with him everywhere; later, he ning book, Becker argues that the ter- talk of parallel worlds, events occur- Among the matters they touch on, told her stories of his own encounters ror of death is an innate fear which ring outside of time—and things swirl sometimes fleetingly and sometimes over many years with “the deathless haunts us from birth. Drawing upon a bit at the end as the author tries, in depth, are the illusory nature of man,” a vagabond who claimed to be philosophers and psychologists, perhaps too hard, to make sense of phenomena, the guiding intelligence immortal and appeared never to age. Becker tackles the problem of the things. But by this point, his readers, of nature, and the search for the mech- But the most extraordinary story of all vital lie - our repression of the know- like his characters, will go just about anisms that drive planets and humans is the one her grandfather never told ledge of our own mortality – and re- anywhere Murakami wants them to, alike. Both authors, each conversant her, the one Natalia must discover for veals that it is the source of much of whether they “get” it or not. in the other’s medium, argue against herself. One winter during the Second our behaviour and the root of anxiety reductionist views of nature. And both World War, his childhood village was and mental illness. IQ84 is Haruki Murakami’s provide plenty of data that support snowbound, cut off even from the The Denial of Death is Ernest newest novel, in which he gives us Albert Einstein’s declaration that “if encroaching German invaders but Becker’s brilliant and impassioned a hypnotically addictive, mind-bend- there is any religion that could corres- haunted by another, fierce presence: answer to the “why” of human exist- ing ode to George Orwell’s 1984. pond to the needs of modern science, a tiger who comes ever closer under ence. In bold contrast to the predomin- The year is 1984. Aomame is rid- it would be Buddhism”. cover of darkness. “These stories,” ant Freudian school of thought, Beck- ing in a taxi on the expressway, in a Natalia comes to understand, “run like er tackles the problem of the vital lie hurry to carry out an assignment. Her The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht secret rivers through all the other stor- -- man’s refusal to acknowledge his work is not the kind that can be dis- Weaving a brilliant latticework ies” of her grandfather’s life. And it is own mortality. In doing so, he sheds cussed in public. When they get tied of family legend, loss, and love, Téa ultimately within these rich, luminous new light on the nature of humanity up in traffic, the taxi driver suggests Obreht, the youngest of The New narratives that she will find the an- and issues a call to life and its living a bizarre ‘proposal’ to her. Having Yorker’s twenty best American fiction swer she is looking for. that still resonates more than twenty no other choice she agrees, but as a writers under forty, has spun a time- years after its writing. result of her actions she starts to feel less novel that will establish her as The Blue Light Project by Timothy as though she is gradually becoming one of the most vibrant, original auth- Taylor Homecoming by Bernhard Schlink detached from the real world. She has ors of her generation. From the Giller Prize-nomin- The title refers to a pulp novel In a Balkan country mending from ated author of Stanley Park comes discovered in fragments by the narra- years of conflict, Natalia, a young a novel about the clash of art and tor, Peter Debauer, and to Debauer’s doctor, arrives on a mission of mercy advertising, the cultish grip of ce- quest to find the book’s pseudonym- at an orphanage by the sea. By the lebrity, and the intense connec- ous author, who seems to have an time she and her lifelong friend Zóra tions that form in times of crisis. uncanny knowledge of the condi- begin to inoculate the children there, An unidentified man storms a - tele tions and landmarks of Debauer’s she feels age-old superstitions and vision studio where KiddieFame, a own youth in postwar Germany. This secrets gathering everywhere around controversial youth talent show, is be- mysterious work, with similarities to her. Secrets her outwardly cheerful ing filmed. He is armed with an explo- The Odyssey, offers tantalizing clues hosts have chosen not to tell her. Se- sive device, and issues only a single to a deeper mystery, that of the iden- crets involving the strange family dig- demand, an interview with Thom tity of Debauer’s father, reported dead ging for something in the surrounding Pegg, a disgraced former investigative after the war. Debauer’s youth, failed vineyards. Secrets hidden in the land- journalist, down on his luck and work- career and love life play out against scape itself. ing for a tabloid. The demand surpris- authoritatively detailed scenes of Nazi But Natalia is also confronting a es everyone, Pegg most of all. So it is degeneracy, the fall of the Berlin Wall private, hurtful mystery of her own: that Pegg finds himself inside the stu- and the stark differences between the inexplicable circumstances sur- dio, in a position to uncover the truth. East and West Germany. As in his rounding her beloved grandfather’s Outside, as the hostage taking heads previous works, Schlink’s protagonist recent death. After telling her grand- into its third day, enthralled and hor- is a flawed character who elicits the mother that he was on his way to meet rified onlookers watch the drama reader’s understanding but not affec- been on a top secret mission, and her Natalia, he instead set off for a ram- unfold through a constant stream of tion—until the poignant denouement. next job leads her to encounter the shackle settlement none of their family media and rumours. In the throes of superhuman founder of a religious had ever heard of and died there alone. this crisis two characters — one run- Kafka on the Shore by Haruki cult. Meanwhile, Tengo is leading a A famed physician, her grandfather ning from former glory and the other Murakami nondescript life but wishes to become must have known that he was too ill from corporate burnout — meet and In this novel, 15-year-old Kafka a writer. He inadvertently becomes to travel. Why he left home becomes a Tamura runs away from home, both involved in a strange disturbance that riddle Natalia is compelled to unravel. Cont’d on previous page to escape his father’s oedipal proph- develops over a literary prize. While Grief struck and searching for clues Page 40 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012 Carleton Sports Carleton Basketball Carleton Varsity Sports Schedule By Joe Scanlon Carleton Schedule for February noon game) Women`s Hockey – McGill at Carleton Friday, February 3 or decades the major university annual sports Men’s Basketball – Ottawa at Carleton Friday, February 17 event in Ottawa was the annual “Panda” foot- Men’s Basketball –Toronto at Carleton ball game at Lansdowne Park between Ottawa F Saturday, February 4 University and Carleton. Women’s Basketball – Ottawa at Carleton Saturday, February 18 The trophy was Pedro the Panda, a much trav- Women`s Hockey – Concordia at Carleton Women’s and Men’s Basketball – Ryerson at elled stuffed bear and the game attracted as many as Carleton 17,000. Friday, February 10 When Carleton dropped football that event of Men’s Basketball – Royal Military College at Sunday, February 19 course disappeared. Now the biggest annual event Carleton Women`s Hockey -- Université de Montréal is the Ottawa-Carleton basketball double-header Men’s Hockey -- L’Université du Québec à Trois- (afternoon game) at Scotiabank Place. In 2009 even though Ottawa Rivières (UQTR) at Carleton was in the midst of a transit strike, attendance was Wednesday, February 22 10,523, the largest crowd ever to attend a regular Saturday, February 11 Possible basketball playoff game season university basketball game. Women’s and Men’s Basketball – Queen’s at Playoff basketball – men for certainly, possibly This year’s double header drew the lowest crowd Carleton women as well ever – 7,022 – perhaps because Carleton men are so Men`s Hockey – Concordia at Carleton (After- dominant that no one expected much of a game, But that number is still thousands more than what Carle- ton or Ottawa would have expected at a basketball game a few years ago. Ottawa women won for the first time, 59-55. OSCAR Needs Volunteers Carleton men, as expected, won by 40 points, 74- 34, scoring almost at will and shutting down Ottawa For Monthly Distribution in OOS after a very low scoring first half. Next year the event will be a warm-up for the men’s university championships which return to Scotiabank Place after two years at the Metro Centre Map Out Your Retirement Goals in Halifax. By Bob Jamieson registered accounts. Then you need to itemize your ex- map can be invaluable when pected retirement expenses. These can be you’re preparing for a journey, broken down into two categories: neces- especially one you’ve never sities and discretionary expenses. Neces- A sities include your home and mortgage, taken before. It can help you avoid wrong turns that can cost precious time utilities, groceries and taxes, while travel and cause needless headaches. and entertainment are considered discre- This common-sense approach to tionary. travel also applies to planning your re- This analysis can help determine if tirement – which itself is quite the jour- your sources of income can cover your ney. Although the word “retirement” may retirement needs or whether there are mean something different to everyone, shortfalls that must be addressed. For the better the road map, or strategy, the example, you may determine that you more likely you can live the retirement can pay for your necessities with out- lifestyle you’ve dreamed of. side sources of income, such as pensions, As a starting point, you might want which might give you more flexibility to write down answers to two basic ques- with discretionary items. On the other tions that will underpin your strategy: hand, you might determine that working What do I want in retirement? And how part time or delaying retirement is need- will I pay for it? ed to boost your income so you can pay In answering the first question, in for those discretionary expenses while in addition to planning where you want to retirement. live and what activities you plan to par- Remember, if you don’t know where ticipate in, you need to take a careful look you’re going, you could end up going at their costs. Not just the day-to-day nowhere or, even worse, heading in the expenses you expect to incur, but other wrong direction. A written strategy can retirement goals you may have, such as start your retirement on the right path and funding your grandchildren’s education, help keep you there. helping support other family members Speak with your financial advisor for or paying for a long vacation or a second help in crafting your retirement strategy home. and to see if everything is on track, or Then you need to see if your finances whether you should consider taking some will get you where you want to go. It actions now before it’s too late. Feel free helps to detail all your sources of in- to give me call at 613-526-3030, or plan come, including government retirement to attend the Retirement seminar being benefits, pensions and annuities. You held at my office on February 15th. also need to consider whatever part-time employment income you may expect to Bob Jamieson, CFP earn. And of course, you’ll have to tally up your assets. This encompasses all of Edward Jones, Member Canadian In- your savings and investments, including vestor Protection Fund. stocks, bonds, mutual funds and GICs, within both your registered and non- FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 41 Carleton Sports Not Just Basketball or Soccer Carleton Covers Wide Range of Sports By Joe Scanlon every game it played last season, de- ing the winter. The Ravens belong to named CIS football coach of the year. fending CIS champions, McGill. the Canadian University Field La- But the biggest changes in the lthough attention usually fo- The men and women also com- crosse Association (CUFLA). Unlike past decade have been in facilities. cuses on basketball – where pete in golf and rowing. The rowers many university sports, it allows pro- For years, when prospective ACarleton men have won for example competed at the OUA fessional lacrosse players to partici- basketball players came to Carleton seven of the last nine Canadian Inter- championships at the Royal Canadian pate if they are attending university. they would look at the gym – which university Sport (CIS) championships Henley course. Carleton has made the playoff 16 of had been around for decades and ask and soccer – where Carleton men the past 21 years and finished third in where the real gym was located. The have made several visits to the CIS Club Teams 2003. problem was that Carleton does not championships and have been in the offer any programs involving athlet- championship final twice, there are In addition to all these sports at Changes ics – no degrees in physical education many other sports played at Carleton the Varsity level, Carleton provides of kinestheology or even sports ad- – at both the Varsity and club level – some support and sponsorship for The sports picture at Carleton ministration – so no provincial money and the Ravens do very well in many teams at the club level, teams which is always changing. For a time, ten- for athletics facilities. Carleton did of them. qualify for support only after they can nis was a Varsity sport for men and and does have a superb pool – but that In Varsity water polo, the men demonstrate there is sufficient stu- women as was women’s volleyball. was it. won the Ontario Universities Athlet- dent interest and that resources such For a considerable time, Carleton The first new facility was the field ics (OUA) final this past fall and the as qualified coaches or instructors are tried very hard to build a strong Var- house which opened the way for in- women reached the final before losing available. sity program in what Canadians call door soccer and lacrosse and provided to University of Toronto. At present, there are Carleton club field hockey and the rest of the world an indoor track. Soccer buffs from Ot- In cross-country (Nordic) skiing, teams in archery, badminton, base- calls hockey. They call our kind of tawa U now travel across the city to the men are defending champions. ball, cheerleading, curling, fastpitch hockey ice hockey. Carleton has also play indoor soccer at Carleton. In skiing the universities and col- (women), figure skating (women), supported a men’s rugby team. These Then in February, 2005, the new leges compete together. Last season, lacrosse (men), ringette (women), sports however have come and gone, gymnasium was opened. The gym Steffan Lloyd was Canadian College rugby (women), ultimate and volley- some because of budget cuts, others was finished well behind schedule and and Universities Nordic champion. ball (women). because the sports were simply not the new seats failed to arrive for the The women did not have a full team The 24 member badminton team successful – not successful in compe- opening game against the University so did not qualify for the team cham- for example competed in the Queen’s tition and not successful in drawing of Ottawa. However, the contractor pionship but Adele Lay of Carleton and York Invitational tournaments and enough athletes. brought in chairs, tied them together finished second and was named an competes in a league in the Gatineau In 2013, there will be another with plastic ties and the game went All-Canadian. area. The baseball team defeated Ot- change as the Ravens will return to on. Carleton won the game 53-49 and In fencing the women’s team – tawa but lost to Concordia which then Varsity football and – as part of the the attendance was 1,400, a record which was defending OUA champion went on to the university and college arrangements that led to the return for a Ravens’ home game. The win – finished second to the University of Canadian championships. Concordia of football – women’s rugby will be- extended Carleton’s season record Toronto in the championship tourna- lost to Humber College in the Can- come a varsity sport. The rugby team to 20-0 and was the 70th consecu- ment last winter. The men finished adian semi-finals. The cheerleading is already highly competitive: this tive victory in league and post-sea- second to Queen’s in their tourna- squad performs at basketball games year it took on teams from Cornell, son play. Carleton went on to defeat ment at Brock University. Earlier and has twice won the Canadian uni- Sherbrooke and McGill as well as Queen’s and again Ottawa in its next this month the women’s épée team versity cheerleading championships. Royal Military College (RMC) and two home games before heading to of Mozynah Nofal, Ayesha Landon- The women’s fastpitch team Concordia. Halifax. The gym is now packed for Browne and Isabelle Gauthier fin- competes against 11 other university In a major step towards the return many Carleton home games. ished first at the eight-team Carleton teams – Ottawa, Windsor, Western, of football, Carleton announced earli- The final development was the invitational. Carleton’s foil team -- Brock, McMaster, Guelph, Laurier, er this month that Steve Sumarah has construction of two ice surfaces Catriona Silbert, Brittny Vongdara, Waterloo, Toronto, York and Queen’s. been named head coach. Sumarah has which led to Carleton joining CIS Olivia Seto and Anna York-Lyon fin- The teams control costs by alternat- been coaching in the Maritimes for the competition first in women’s then in ished second out of 13 teams. ing home fields every season. That past 17 years and has spent the past men’s hockey. In hockey where Carleton now means if Carleton travels to Windsor six years as coach of the Saint Mary’s Once the ice house opened, Carle- has an excellent facility, the male one season, Windsor comes to Carle- University Huskies. He led the team ton could point to a range of facilities Ravens are fourth in the OUA East ton the next. Normally the teams play to four consecutive Atlantic Univer- – a pool, a field suitable for football trailing McGill, L’Université du Qué- two games the same weekend. sity Sport US titles (2007-2010), a and soccer, a field house to support bec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) and a The figure skaters allow recrea- Uteck Bowl championship (Canadian indoor sports in the winter, a gym surprisingly strong Ottawa but ahead tional skaters to participate but they semifinal) and a trip to the Vanier for basketball and two ice surfaces to of such perennial powerhouses as expect free-skate and dance partici- Cup (2007), and was named the AUS support varsity hockey. Toronto and Nipissing. The women pants to have passed their junior sil- coach of the year three times along are third in their league. They play ver qualification. The lacrosse team the way (2007-09). In 2009, when his in Quebec against Montreal, Ottawa, competes all year round moving in- team won its third straight conference Concordia and the team that won doors to the Carleton field house dur- championship in 2009, Sumarah was

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WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE LIBRARY

Sunnyside Branch Library

Sunnyside Branch Library min.) Thursday, March 15, 7:00 pm (60 1049 Bank Street, Ottawa Kids’ Research Skills min.) 613-730-1082, Kids will learn amazing research Gaming Marathon Wednesday, April 4, 7:00 pm (60 Adult Services, skills and discover all that the library Can you survive this challenge. Ages min.) extension 22 has to offer them when they are faced 9-12. Registration. Thursday, May 17, 7:00 pm (60 min.) Children’s Services, with their next big project. Registra- Friday, March 16, 2:15 p.m. extension 29 tion. Thursday, February 16, 7:00 Teen Programs pm (60 min.) Teen Programs TAG Teen Advisory Group (Ongoing Children’s Programs TAG Teen Advisory Group (Ongoing Event) Babytime Children’s Book Clubs Event) Sunnyside Teens--join our new Teen For babies and their parents or care- Mother-Daughter Book Club Ages Sunnyside Teens--join our new Teen Advisory Group and have a say in giver with stories, rhymes, songs and 7-9 Advisory Group and have a say in which programs, activities and servi- games. 0-18 months. A place for girls and the special which programs, activities and servi- ces will be offered to youth and also Tuesdays, 2:15 p.m. women in their lives to share books. ces will be offered to youth and also help plan and implement them. Ages January 17 - February 21; March Registration. help plan and implement them. Ages 14-18. To join, stop by the branch. 27-April 24 Mondays, 7:00 p.m. (60 min.) Feb- 14-18. To join, stop by the branch. ruary 6, March 5 Mother-Daughter Book Club Storytime Mother-Daughter Book Club A place for girls and the special Stories, rhymes and songs for pre- Mother-Daughter Book Club Ages A place for girls and the special women in their lives to share books. schoolers and a parent or caregiver. 10-12 women in their lives to share books. Ages 13-15. Registration. Ages 3-6. A place for girls and the special Ages 13-15. Registration. Mondays, February 27, March 26, Mondays, 2:15 a.m. women in their lives to share books. Mondays, February 27, March 26, 7:00 pm (60 min.) January 16 - February 20; March Registration. 7:00 pm (60 min.) 26-April 23 Mondays, 7:00 p.m. (60 min.) Feb- ruary 13, March 19 Adult Programs Storytime (bi-lingual) Adult Programs Canadians in Conversation Stories, rhymes and songs for pre- guysread Canadians in Conversation Informal chats with the purpose of schoolers and a parent or caregiver. Share the love of books. For boys Informal chats with the purpose of developing, in conversation together, Ages 3-6. and a significant adult. Ages 8-12. developing, in conversation together, an appreciation of the implications of Contes, rimes et chansons pour les Registration. an appreciation of the implications of new findings about the human condi- enfants préscolaires et un parent ou Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m. (60 min.) new findings about the human condi- tion on the planet; and developing an gardien. 3-6 ans. February 15, March 21 tion on the planet; and developing an appreciation of Canadians, including Wednesdays 10:15 a.m. appreciation of Canadians, including ourselves, as active creators, partici- January 18 - February 22; March March Break ourselves, as active creators, partici- pants and sustainers of an emerging 28-April 25 Adventure Beat pants and sustainers of an emerging Canadian human community and Musical Storytime. Ages 3-5. Regis- Canadian human community and emerging global human community. Toddlertime tration. emerging global human community. Topics will include ecology, human For toddlers and a parent or care- Monday, March 12, 2 p.m. Topics will include ecology, human development, poverty, economics and giver with stories, rhymes, songs and development, poverty, economics and politics. Registration. games. Ages 18-35 months. Nature Art/Art Nature politics. Registration. Wednesdays, January 11 - February Tuesdays, 10:15 a.m. Environmental artist, Marc Walter, Wednesdays, January 11 - February 29, 2:00 - 4:00 pm (120 min.) January 17 - February 21; March invites you to explore your creativ- 29, 2:00 - 4:00 pm (120 min.) 27-April 24 ity while making art from elements Conversation en français OR of nature. Ages 6-12. Registration. Conversation en français Improve your spoken French and Thursdays, 10:15 a.m. / Artiste environnemental, Marc Improve your spoken French and meet new friends in a relaxed setting. January 19-February 23; March Walter vous invites a explorer votre meet new friends in a relaxed setting. Thursdays, January 12 – May 31, 29-April 26 créativité lors de la manipulation Thursdays, January 12 – May 31, 7:00 pm (60 min.) d’éléments naturel. Pour les 6-12 ans. 7:00 pm (60 min.) Game On! Inscription. The Writing Workshop Get gaming at the library with your Tuesday, March 13, 2:00 p.m. (90 The Writing Workshop An opportunity for writers of fiction, friends and family. Scrabble, Mon- min.) An opportunity for writers of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and experimental opoly, Twister or Clue, you can play non-fiction, poetry, and experimental forms to gather to help develop our games or you can bring one, too! Hunger Games forms to gather to help develop works-in-progress for publication. Saturdays, January 21-February 25, Test your skills. Ages 13+ works-in-progress for publication. The workshop will provide writers 2:00 pm (60 min.) Wednesday, March 14, 2:00 p.m. (60 The workshop will provide writers with encouragement and constructive min.) with encouragement and constructive criticism from their peers. Registra- Children’s Special Programs criticism from their peers. Registra- tion. Kindermusik Stories to the Rescue tion. Mondays, 6:00 pm (120 min.) Febru- Kindermusik is an internation- Storytime for young imaginations. Mondays, 6:00 pm (120 min.) Febru- ary 13, March 19 ally respected music and move- Ages 3-5. Registration. ary 13, March 19 ment program for young children Wednesday, March 14, 2 p.m. Adult Special Programs that encourages and enhances their Adult Special Programs Improving Health Through Dynamic natural creativity and love of music. Fairy Tale Survival Kit Improving Health Through Dynamic Posture Kindermusik is a unique, highly Bread crumbs, clever tricks and Posture Come and join Dr. Chandan Brar of creative, music learning experience magic ~ be prepared! Ages 6-8. Come and join Dr. Chandan Brar of the Glebe Chiropractic Clinic, for for children from birth through to 7 Registration the Glebe Chiropractic Clinic, for interactive classes on improving your years of age. In Kindermusik classes, Thursday, March 14, 2 p.m. interactive classes on improving your posture naturally. You will learn how children sing and move, chant, play posture naturally. You will learn how posture is connected to your diges- simple instruments and listen pur- Perseus and the Gorgon Medusa posture is connected to your diges- tion, breathing and even a healthy posefully. The natural creativity of a Artelle Puppets bring you a perform- tion, breathing and even a healthy prolonged life. Topics to be covered child’s mind is stimulated in a learn- ance of the popular story from Greek prolonged life. Topics to be covered will include posture and the work- ing environment where the emphasis mythology about Perseus’ quest to will include posture and the work- place, effective strategies for stress is on process, not performance. slay the evil Medusa. Ages 7-12. place, effective strategies for stress Monday, February 13, 10:15 am (45 Registration. management, and nutrition. Registra- Cont’d on next page min.) Friday, March 16, 2:00 p.m. (45 tion. FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 43

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE LIBRARY Sunnyside Branch Library - Cont’d management, and nutrition. Registra- You may not have heard of Neo- in our modern world. Registration. (60 min.) tion. platonism, but you have certainly Thursday, March 29, 7:00 pm (60 Thursday, March 15, 7:00 pm (60 heard of demons! The demon, or min.) Sunnyside Adult Book Club min.) daimon, was a central feature of the Meet new people and join in stimu- Wednesday, April 4, 7:00 pm (60 Neoplatonic world. Join Cecile Wil- Adult Book Clubs lating discussions on selected titles min.) son, a scholar of the Western esoteric Cercle de lecture in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Thursday, May 17, 7:00 pm (60 min.) traditions, as she looks at the Neo- Partagez avec nous le plaisir des Registration. platonic conception of the world and livres dans une ambiance détendue. Fridays, February 24, 2:00 pm (60 Neoplatonism the universe and traces its influence Les mardis, 2 février, 13 mars, 19 h min.)

Alta Vista Branch Library Programs Offered At The Alta Homework Club (Bilingue) Les mercredis, 17 h (90 Life Vista Library Get tutoring and help with homework min.) and times of Nelson Mandela” Programmes Offerts A La after school. Help is available in 18,25 janvier Bibliotheque Alta Vista math, reading and science, in French 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 février* Alta Vista Branch and/or English. Ages 7-18. Offered Book Banter 2516 Alta Vista Drive in partnership with E.A.G.L.E. Teen Book Swap Drop in to share the enjoyment of Register: www. Center. Expand your reading repertoire and good books in a relaxed atmosphere. biblioottawalibrary.ca (Bilingual) Wednesdays, 5 p.m. (90 share your favourites. Choose a book Thursdays, 2:00 p.m. (1 hr.) Or call 613-737-2837 x28 min.) related to the theme; read, share Feb 2: The Sentimentalists by January 18, 25 then swap suggestions with other Johanna STORYTIME / CONTES February 1st, 8, 15, 22, 29* members. Title suggestions available Skibsrud. at the branch. Ages 13-17. Babytime Tuesdays, 7 p.m. (1 hr) Tuesday Book Group Stories, rhymes and songs for babies Club de devoirs January 24: Manga Mania Share the enjoyment of good books and a parent or caregiver. 1-18 Reçoit du tutorat et de l’aide avec February 21: Steampunk Visions in months. les travaux scolaires. De l’aide a relaxed atmosphere. Join us for a (Bilingual) Wednesdays, January disponible avec les mathématiques, Valentine Day discussion of The Great Books 18-February 22, 10:30 a.m. (30 min.) la lecture et les sciences, en français Whether you love it or hate it, (First Series, Part 2) Bébés à la biblio et/ou anglais. Pour les 7 à 18 ans. Valentine’s Day is here. Join us @ Feb 14, 28, March 13, 27, 7 p.m. (1.5 Contes, rimes et chansons pour les Offert en partenariat avec E.A.G.L.E. Alta Vista for music, movies, treats hrs.) bébés et un parent ou gardien. 0-18 Centre. and more. mois. (Bilingue) Les mercredis, 17 h (90 Tuesday, February 14, 4 p.m. (2 hrs) Alta Vista Sleuth Hounds (Bilingue) Les mercredis 18 min.) Share the enjoyment of good janvier-22 février, 10 h 30 (30 min.) 18,25 janvier mysteries in a relaxed atmosphere. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 février* N.B. Registration for programs starts Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. (1.5 hrs.) on January 4. Programs followed Feb 16: Any title by Gail Bowen. Toddlertime Fancy Storytime by an * require registration./ March 15: Any title by Julia Spencer- Stories, rhymes and songs for babies You are invited to dress up and join L’inscription des programmes Fleming and a parent or caregiver. 18-36 us for a fantastically posh storytime.! commence le 4 janvier. L’inscription months. Ages 3-6. est requise pour les programmes Infusions littéraires (Bilingual) Tuesdays, January Saturday, February 4, 2 p.m. (45 suivis d’un *. Registration for all Partager une tasse de thé ou de 17-February 21, 10:30 a.m. (30 min.) min.)* programs requires a valid OPL tisane en discutant de livres. Tout petis à la biblio library card for each registrant./ Les mardis, 14 h (1 hr.) Contes, rimes et chansons pour les Toutes les personnes qui souhaitent 21 fév: Les filles de Lori Lansens tout-petits et un parent ou gardien. TEEN PROGRAMS / s’inscrire à des programmes doivent 20 mars : Un jour, même les pierres 18 à 36 mois. PROGRAMMES POUR être titulaires d’une carte valide de la parleront de Kim Echlin. (Bilingue) Les mardis 17 janvier-21 ADOLESCENTS BPO. février,10 h 30. (30 min.) Knit 2 Together Teen Advisory Group ADULT Love to knit? Bring your needles, Storytime Join the Teen Advisory Group (TAG) yarn and good cheer. No need for Stories, rhymes and songs for to earn community involvements New! Nonfiction Book Club expertise, we knit for the pleasure of preschoolers and a parent or hours and help design programs for Do you enjoy reading nonfiction it. caregiver. Ages 3-6. teens at the branch. Ages 14-18. books? Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. (1.5 hr.) (Bilingual) Mondays, January Fridays, January 6, February 10, 4:30 Meet other nonfiction fans and dis- Feb 4, March 3, April 7, May 5 16-February 13, 10:30 a.m. (30 min.) p.m. (90 min.)* cuss Contes ideas for a nonfiction book club at French Conversation Group Contes, rimes et chansons pour les Homework Club this Improve your spoken French in a enfants préscolaires et un parent ou Get tutoring and help with homework planning meeting. relaxed setting. For those with an gardien. Pour les 3 à 6 ans. after school. Help is available in Thursday Feb 9, 2012 (2:00 -3:00 intermediate level of French. (Bilingue) Les lundis 16 janvier-13 math, reading and science, in French pm) Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. (1.5 hrs.) février, 10 h 30 (30 min.) and/or English. Ages 7-18. Offered in Jan 24 – May 29 partnership with E.A.G.L.E. Center. New! Documentary Series Family Storytime (Bilingual)Wednesdays, 5 p.m. (90 This documentary series is offered in English Conversation Group Stories, rhymes and songs for min.) collaboration with the Heron Rd. Improve your English and meet new children of all ages and a parent or January 18, 25 Seniors Centre and will take place in friends. In partnership with caregiver. All ages. February 1, 8, 15, 22, 29* the theatre of the Heron Rd. Com- Somali Family Services. Mondays, January 16-February 13, 2 Club de devoirs munity Mondays, 6:00-7:30 p.m. p.m. (30 min.) Reçoit du tutorat et de l’aide avec Centre at 1480 Heron Rd. (1:00 pm Tuesdays, 12:00-2:00 p.m. les travaux scolaires. De l’aide - 3:00 pm) disponible avec les mathématiques, Monday Feb 06 - “Paris 1919” Computer Tutorials SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR la lecture et les sciences, en français Monday Mar 05 - “The World ac- Learn basic computer skills and get CHILDREN / PROGRAMMES et/ou anglais. Pour les 7 à 18 ans. cording SPECIAUX POUR ENFANTS Offert en partenariat avec E.A.G.L.E. to Monsanto” Cont’d on next page Centre. Monday Apr 02 - “Madiba: The Page 44 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012

Alta Vista Branch Library - Cont’d answers to your questions. This along the Baltic - ports include Tallin, flowers, animals, still-life). Create back in track and field history.” one-on-one session will help you Helsinki, Oslo, Stockholm, sketches that will, in turn, be trans- Wednesday, Feb 15, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. learn how to use the library St. Petersburg and more. formed into prints. catalogue, Wednesday Feb 01, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. (NB. photos of people are not recom- Discover China access the Internet, send e-mail and mended). Escape winter and join Al Sangster use databases. Please call Doodle Art Offered in partnership with MASC. on a spectacular visual tour of China. 613-737-2837 x28 to make an Bring your pencil and come and For Adults 50+. Registration re- Friday, Feb 24, 2:00-3:15 p.m. appointment. doodle! quired. (You can also bring a black pen, or Wednesday, Feb 8, 2:00-4:00 p.m. Café Alta Vista for Adults 55+ fine markers or coloured pencils). Used Book Sale Drop in for coffee and conversation Paper will be provided. NFB Film Club: Mighty Jerome Pick up great books at great prices! with others in the community. 12 adults max. Marking African Heritage Month, a Check out the Friends of the OPL Last Thursday of the month. Friday, Feb 3, 2:00-3:30 p.m. film about the rise, fall and redemp- bookstore half-price book sale. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. tion of Harry Jerome, track and Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Feb 23, March 29, April 26, May 31 Printmaking Workshop with field star and one of Canada’s great- Feb 11, March 10, April 14, May 12 Violeta Borisonik (MASC) est athletes. Gorgeous monochrome Cruise along the Baltic Learn several printmaking techniques imagery, impassioned interviews and Escape winter and join Gwen Wil- including relief and monocopy. astonishing archival footage are used liams Please bring 4 photographs of images to tell the compelling story of what and Jim Robertson on a visual cruise (e.g. landscapes, has been called “the greatest come- Special Events at Alta Vista Library

February 1 at 2- 3:15 p.m.: Cruise Borisonik : Learn several print- tacular visual tour of China. agery, impassioned interviews and as- along the Baltic – Join photographers making techniques including relief tonishing archival footage are used to Gwen Williams and Jim Robertson and monocopy. Participants are asked NEW – 2 film series! tell the compelling story of what has on a visual cruise along the Baltic - to bring 4 photographs of images they February 6 at 1-3 p.m.: Documen- been called “the greatest comeback in ports include Tallin, Helsinki, Oslo, like (e.g. landscapes, flowers, animals, tary Series: This documentary ser- track and field history.” Stockholm, St. Petersburg and more. still-life). They will create sketches ies is offered in collaboration with the Their audio-visual presentations are a that will, in turn, be transformed into Heron Rd. Seniors Centre and will You may register for these programs wonderful way to escape winter for an prints (NB. photos of people are not take place in the theatre of the Her- at: www.biblioottawalibrary.ca or hour! recommended). Offered in partner- on Rd. Community Centre at 1480 call 613-737-2837 x28. ship with MASC. Heron Rd. The first film is “Paris February 3 at 2-3:30 p.m.: Hélène 1919”, inspired by the book by Mar- Looking forward to seeing you at Bourbeau from the Advisory Group February 9 at 2-3 p.m.: Nonfic- garet MacMillan. Alta Vista. Drop in for coffee / tea on is offering a program on Doodle Art. tion Book Club: Do you enjoy read- February 15 at 2-3:30 p.m.: NFB Thursday, January 26 at 10:30-11:30 Bring a pencil or black pen, or fine ing nonfiction books? Meet other Film Club: This series will take place a.m. in the program room. markers or coloured pencils. Paper nonfiction fans and discuss ideas for a in the program room at Alta Vista Li- will be supplied or you may bring nonfiction book club at this planning brary. your own. Tap into your creative side meeting. The first title is “Mighty Jerome” and relax and doodle awhile! : A film about the rise, fall and re- February 24 at 2-3:15 p.m.: Dis- demption of Harry Jerome, track and February 8 at 2-4 p.m.: Print- cover China: Join photographer and field star and one of Canada’s greatest making Workshop with Violeta world traveler Al Sangster on a spec- athletes. Gorgeous monochrome im-

Tell OSCAR Readers about your travel or your interests. Send text and photos to [email protected]

The distribution routes for which OSCAR requires volunteers:

East side of Roslyn between Col. By and Aylmer, north side of Aylmer between Roslyn and Leonard, west side of Leonard between Aylmer and Col. By, Col. By between Leonard and Roslyn (21 papers) FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 45

CLASSY ADS

CLASSY ADS are free for Old Ottawa South residents (except for businesses or for business activity) and must be submitted in writing to: The OSCAR, at the Old Firehall, 260 Sunnyside, or sent by email to [email protected] by the deadline. Your name and contact information (phone number or email address) must be included. Only your contact info will appear unless you specify otherwise. The editor retains the right to edit or exclude submissions. The OSCAR takes no responsibility for items, services or accurary. For business advertising inquiries, call 730-1058. For Sale mos at the time the nanny share begins, legumesbiologiques.com, (819) 983- Accommodation April/May 2012). We are interested in 4858 sharing the caregiver with one other ------For sale: Four pairs of wooden snow- We need a place to stay for the sum- family with a child similar in age. We SEEKING: House / plant / cat-sitter shoes with bindings - rarely used, per- mer! OOS family seeks house to rent are interested in the two children be- for the month of March (613) 730- fect for a family, $125.00 for the set. in the neighbourhood during renova- ing in care full time together (i.e. 5 4804 Call 613-730-6350. tion from the first of June to the end days a week). Ideally, the time would ------of September. Call Sion or Sheila at be split between the two homes (e.g. Discount for Roof Work: Multiple Nokia 5230 Black UNLOCKED 2GB 613-730-2052. Good condition, used lightly. Origin- alternate where care is provided every Homeowners in Old Ottawa South ally on Wind but now unlocked, this two months or so), which would al- Looking for: Homeowners in Old Ot- GSM/AWS phone will work with Child Care low us to work from home some of the tawa South who need roof work done networks like Rogers, Wind and Mo- time. Hours 8:00-5:30. Please contact In spring 2012. Discount from roofer Keegan via email keegan.k.barker@ for multiple homeowners who book bilicity. It will not work on CDMA- Looking for nanny share or childcare gmail.com at same time. We are a family liv- based (i.e. non-sim card) networks. in Old Ottawa South or surrounding ing in Old Ottawa South who needs Also works on European networks if areas, ideally starting in April 2012, roof work done and wish to get a dis- you want a phone for travel. In box for our (currently) 15-month old Tutoring counted price. We will not profit from with all original accessories including son. Seeking a caring, fun-loving, this other than getting the same dis- USB cable and a 2 GB memory card. responsible and active caregiver who Tutoring - Astolot Academy - Book counted price as other homeowners. This phone is good if you are look- will provide a stimulating environ- now for after school tutoring in Eng- 613 730-0033 ing for great call performance, an ex- ment. Please contact Chris and Hea- lish or French. Tutoring is available cellent mp3 player and solid battery ther: 613-789-1351; dukechuck@hot- for grades 1 through 12. Call 613- life.$75 obo. For more information mail.com. Previous experience and 260-5996, or e-mail Astolot.tutor- Lost and to view a picture, email Liz at references required. [email protected] for more informa- [email protected] ------tion, or to reserve a time. I lost SIN card on my home up Grove ------OLD OTTAWA SOUTH HOME from TD bank, initials CH, between Ryobi 10 inch compound mitre saw DAYCARE - In September one of my , used for one project , laser system Christmas and New Year’s. If you daycare children starts kindergarten Looking For have found it, please call me at 613- and includes work piece supports . which will open up a space in my day- 598-3580. $75.00. Senators jersey, never worn care for a younger child. If you are Wanted: Translator from French to ------, signed by entire team , $100.00. looking for daycare for your child at English to translate web site Of lo- LOST One silver clip-on earring Hunter Douglass pvc venetian blind that time please contact Bonnie. bjr- cal organic farmer who delivers, pro- shaped like a leaf on Windsor Ave. to fit 22in. wide by 33in. high win- [email protected] or 613 730-9080 duce baskets to Old Ottawa South. or in Windsor Park January 10. 613 dow opening . $75.00 Brand new ,all ------Receive organic produce in exchange 738-0905 mounting hardware incl. Contact Fred Hello fellow Old Ottawa South com- for translation. Can be done on a part- @ 613 730 3096 , I can Email photos munity members! We are looking for time basis over the winter. Please of items if needed. a potential nanny share with our son contact: Chantale Vaillancourt, info@ who is currently 7 mos (will be 9-10 To book an OSCAR ad To placec a Classy Ad call Gayle 730-1058 send the body of your text oscarads@ to Around Town oldottawasouth.ca [email protected] The Ottawa Brahms Choir 4, from 10 to 4, at 363 Lorry Green- cial events, including the Gregorian comes new experienced singers for welcomes new experienced singers berg Drive. Following sale on March Chants for Meditation on Good Friday its major Spring concert on Saturday for its major Spring concert of Carl 3. Drop by for great buys on hundreds night, which over a thousand people April 28 of Carl Orff’s ‘Carmina Orff’s ‘Carmina Burana’. Rehears- of books (most under $2). attend each year. For more informa- Burana’. Rehearsals are Mondays als are Mondays 7-9:30 pm in Par- tion, call 613-567-7729 7-9:30 pm in Parlour room, 2nd floor, lour room, 2nd floor, of Southmin- Used Book Sale Pick up great of Southminster United Church at ster United Church at Aylmer/Bank books at great prices! Check out the Friends of the Farm – On the Aylmer/Bank Street. For more infor- Street. For more information: call Friends of the OPL bookstore half- Road Again March 28 - Travel to Up- mation: call Leo at 613 749-2391 or Leo at 613 749-2391 or Sieglinde at price book sale. Alta Vista Linbrary per Canada Playhouse, Morrisburg, Sieglinde at 819-568-8169; also refer 819-568-8169; also refer to www.Ot- Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Feb for a matinee performance of Norm to www.OttawaBrahmsChoir.ca . tawaBrahmsChoir.ca . 11, March 10, April 14, May 12 Foster’s “The Foursome”, followed by dinner at the Legion. Cost: members Visit the Gardens of Quebec -- Chow Qigong Exercises and Gregorian Chant And Choral $90.00, others $95.00. Phone 613- with Friends of the Farm July 15 to Meditation offered since 1998 at Mc- Music Classes - Open House Sunday, 230-3276, email info@friendsofthe- 18 - This four-day bus tour features a Nabb Community Centre, Ottawa, 180 February 12, 3:00 pm Join Lawrence farm.ca visit to Grand-Metis (Reford Gardens) Percy St. Tuesdays 9:15 - 10:45 am, Harris for a lively hour of music- which will be celebrating 50 years. We Wednesdays 6:00 - 7:30 pm. Certi- making, and find out about our win- Friends of the Farm hosts will also visit Rimouski, Rivière du fied instructors promoting self-healing ter classes and events. Admission is Master Gardener Lectures: Loup, St. Siméon, La Malbaie, Baie and helping you learn how to relieve free, so bring all your friends! Come April 3 - All from a little seed! April10 St. Paul, St. Anne de Beaupré and stress. Complimentary first class. For to room 201 of the Dominican Univer- - Low Down Delightful Dirty Earth; Hudson. Cost: Members $499, others info. contact OttawaChowQigong@ sity College, 96 Empress Avenue, just April17 - The beauty of annuals; April $525. Single supplement add $205. gmail.com. Also view our webpage off Somerset St., two traffic lights west 24 - Creating a winter scene in your Package includes bus & ferry trans- www.ottawachowqigong.com of Bronson. Develop your singing own yard. 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Bldg. 72, portation, hotels, entrance fees, tips, skills and boost your confidence – and Arboretum, C.E.F. east off Prince of and some meals. For more info: 613- By the Book, a used bookstore help keep the wonderful repertoire of Wales traffic circle. Call 613-230- 230-3276, [email protected], and cafe operated by the Friends of Gregorian chant and sacred polyph- 3276 [email protected] www.friendsofthefarm.ca the Ottawa Public Library Association ony alive. Help us share this deeply www.friendsofthefarm.ca (FOPLA), is holding its monthly half- spiritual music with the wider com- price book sale on Saturday, February munity through our concerts and spe- The Ottawa Brahms Choir wel- Page 46 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012 YourMarketplace

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home:613-730-4957 cell: 613-240-9394 FEB 2012 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR Page 47 Friend of Old Ottawa South - In Favor Of Spicing It up

By Gina Appleton als or rivers where the banks, are full of shops, people, movement live along the canal in Old Ot- and are buzzing with LIFE. Ours is tawa South and am approached a stagnate, sad and beautiful land- frequently for support for anti- mark whose main traffic stems from I joggers, cyclists and others that development legislation. I want to put forth this question: would it be would be further engaged by the joy so bad if there was a cozy Bridge- of a ‘meeting place’ or a T&L for a head on Colonel By? Imagine you’ve fresh pair of sneakers or a pricey pint had a skate and you’re miles from a with a view and a firepit. We’re not spot to warm up, and WHOA, there’s even allowed to drop our canoes in a pub right there at Bronson Place and the canal in front of our own houses! Colonel By! Is our canal such a delicate thing? Is If we enacted every bit of legis- it possible that if we really USE it lation to ‘protect’ the ‘heritage’ of that it will disintegrate? It’s a lot like the residential area along the canal covering a sofa in plastic...not exactly then we’ll never even have the chance comfortable. to consider that kind of forward mov- Water features are natural ing development initiatives because places for people to congregate and Amsterdam

tion involved in commuting from the ask it to grow only beyond our neigh- suburbs, but maintain our wide prop- borhood and then complain about the erty lines and lush lawns keeping fuel it takes to deliver our workforce the city out of reach for new home- in the morning. We can’t complain owners. Show me the 20-somethings when our small businesses and spe- that can afford a single-family house cialty shops fail because they can’t in Old Ottawa South! We force them be supported by a sparsely populated, to move out by throwing resources at urban neighborhood. I think it’s time ailing homes and prohibiting develop- to grow gracefully with a little less ers from building low-rises that ac- fire and brimstone. Why are we so commodate 4 or 5 families instead of furious? 1. We need to let our borders down and let the city grow naturally. We can’t

Venice small businesses can not afford the enjoy their community, yet Otta- red tape involved. No bakery, mer- wans are out there taking great strides chant, coffee shop, veggie market or to protect the canal front from this outdoor flower stall will ever have an kind of progress when some of those opportunity to establish themselves homes have no redeemable qualities here, enrich our neighborhood and to speak of and are like 90% of the contribute to the economy and vitality rest of the homes in the city. We of Old Ottawa South. continually label them ‘special’ and Just take a look at other cities then raise heck when someone wants (Venice, Amsterdam, San Antonio, to change things. Conversely, we balk Paris) whose main features are can- at the fuel consumption and pollu-

San Antonio River walk Page 48 The OSCAR - OUR 40th YEAR FEB 2012