Community Voice - March 25, 2021 1 Complete Property Maintenance THE PPOOOO P SSQUADQUAD Has your dog turned the yard into a Commercial & Residential • Spring & Fall Clean Ups Dog Lawn Cutting • Flower Bed Design & Maintenance • Tree Pruning & Hedge Trimming Waste minefi eld? Let us clean it up for you! Interlock Services – Patios, Walkways, Stairs And More! Spring clean up and weekly maintenance available. Removal Call us today to reclaim your yard! 613-836-2111 www.completepropertymaintenance.ca Specialists 613-271-8814 www.poopsquad.ca Your CommunityVoice KANATA March 25, 2021 [email protected] 613-45-VOICE www.ottawavoice.ca [email protected] Vol. 4 No. 1 All In The Family Laura Smith, left, inspired her sister Heather Levesque, right, and her niece, Molly, into starting an online fundraiser in support of the Canadian Liver Foundation. For more Communityon this story,Voice.qxp_Banner please see 2021-03-18 page 14.9:50 AM Page 1 DR. MERRILEE FULLERTON Your MPP for Kanata-Carleton 613-599-3000 • [email protected] • merrileefullerton.ca 2 March 25, 2021 - Community Voice Symphony Complete Care is a truly all-inclusive Complete and hassle-free solution for you and your loved Care one! SERVICES & SYMPHONY COMPLETE 'ALL INCLUSIV E' CARE CARE PRICING RENT Included Included & UTILITIES 24 HR SECURITY AND Sometimes Included RPN COVERAGE Included INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS AND Included X MANAGEMENT ALL PERSONAL CARE NEEDS PROVIDED FOR Included X IN-HOUSE MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION Included X MEMORY CARE X SERVICES* Included IN-HOUSE PHYSICIAN FEES Included X TWO PERSON TRANSFER OR Offered- Flat fee of Not offered in MECHANICAL LIFT $500/month most retirement homes Call Gabrielle at (613)-663-2272 or email at [email protected] for more information or to book a tour! *Services provided in memory care neighbourhoods only News Community Voice - March 25, 2021 3 Charity officials launch Easter program FREE CONSULTATIONS. BY ANIL JHALLI Kanata Food Cupboard NO FEES UNTIL WE SETTLE. reps are accepting ap- plications for the yearly Disability insurance denials, car crashes, Easter Hamper Program. Each basket consists of wrongful dismissal, slip and fall accidents a frozen turkey, potatoes and other trimmings for and medical malpractice. families to prepare. Kaitlyn Lalonde, the Call today 613-599-3535 charity’s client and com- munity outreach coordi- Anil Jhalli photo or nator said she’s received Arlene Bhathal, a volunteer at the Kanata Food Cupboard. www.gironeslawyers.com 323 applications for pro- gram assistance, a 73% challenging at times. But “It is not easy to host a food You have nothing to lose jump from 2020 and a 32% volunteers, she added, drive these days, but peo- and so much to gain. increase from 2019. are as dedicated as ever. ple are finding ways with “Certainly we have seen “I have always said our how they are organizing #300-300 Terry Fox Dr., Kanata the impact of COVID- volunteers are our driv- events for us.” 19 and how many more ing force. Without them, The deadline for appli- families need help,” said we couldn’t do what we cations is Sunday, March Lalonde. “Since March do here on a weekly basis,” 28. Hampers will be avail- of 2020, we have 28 new she stated. able through delivery and families a month that need Lalonde is equally im- curbside pickup on March help.” pressed with how cre- 31. Lalonde said the in- ative people are getting in For more information, crease in demand, and a COVID-19 world. or to donate, visit kanata- added safety measures, “This is the most amaz- foodcupboard.ca. have made operations ing community,” she said. [email protected] Ottawa's Choice For Home Comfort Solutions Heating & Cooling • Indoor Air Quality Fireplaces • Grills HARDINGHOMECOMFORT.COM • (613) 831-2257 | HARDINGTHEFIREPLACE.CA • (613) 831-5056 4 March 25, 2021 - Community Voice EDITORIAL Thank you for your support! As businesses across the city re- small we have walked away and surrender to this silent coiled at the announcement last from the traditional office and enemy. week our city was once again en- our employees are now work- Thankfully the province has tering the red zone and the pub- ing from home environs. That seen the light and lightened their lic health restrictions that come anchor and expense is gone for- load allowing 50 percent capac- with it, Your Community Voice ever. We are connected now vir- ity in restaurants when their ju- pressed on with our re-opening tually and are more nimble for it. risdiction falls into the red zone, plans. Our return to your mailboxes as Ottawa did last week. For Like many small entrepreneurs this week simply couldn’t be many it’s the lifeline they have we gave it the good fight through done without the support of been waiting for. the worst of the pandemic last our loyal advertisers. We salute When we announced our re- year but had to make the difficult them and are eternally grateful turn on social media platforms decision to press the pause but- for sticking with us. recently readers rejoiced at the ton last December with another It can’t be understated enough news. The neighbourhoods we lockdown on the horizon. how important it is to support cover have a long history of being We have taken the last three local businesses struggling to served by a quality community months to recharge our batter- keep their doors open hoping newspaper and we take that re- ies and re-invent ourselves and for some kind of normal to re- sponsibility very seriously. have come out the other end of turn on the other side of this As we all tip-toe through this the hiatus better for it. Our team pandemic. pandemic and wait for that shot is leaner but hungrier than ever Our local businesses have car- in the arm we plead with you all to tell your stories and be that ried a huge burden through this to heed the advice of our public conduit for businesses to reach crisis with many hanging on by health officials. their customers. their fingertips. More and more Take care of yourselves and Like many businesses big and have had to wave the white flag each other. combatant fans. There are To get to the heart of OP-ED: The curious case of pandemic hockey no sounds of banging glass the matter just ask your or resulting damage to rink kids what they miss most So far the normal minor accustomed to watching as a result of the pandemic property. about the game. My kids hockey season has been their kids play the game and restricted parental ac- Fortunately, there have have told me that they put on indefinite hold. they love. For some hock- cess. The referees are now been fewer instances of miss playing and have Tight bubble arrange- ey parents the limited calling the scrimmages “rink rage” as this national never said they miss me in ments have allowed the access is an unbearable without any parental fits embarrassment is known. the stands. As a result of the kids to skate for practices arrangement. or screaming. These days the kids must situation, pay-per-view TV and very limited competi- But something unique Many referees are teen- rely entirely on the voice has become more popular tive scrimmages. These ref- has emerged with fewer agers and in normal times of their coaches because where it is available and in- ereed contests are as close spectators in the hockey often hear a barrage of loud parents cannot coach or novative teams have found BY STEVE DESROCHES as it gets to the thrill and stands. For a brief moment criticism from the stands direct their kids from the skilled and willing parents @SteveDesroches rush of an actual game. in history, skaters and when they make or miss a spectator areas through to video the game for both The new and prudent re- goalies are actually play- call. Similarly there is no improvised sign language teams to view via social This miserable pandemic gime has also led to limit- ing hockey without the in- applause when an oppo- or gestures. media. has our world upside down ed and restricted spectator tense glare of their parents. nent is assessed a penalty The kids can play without Don’t get me wrong, I including the pastimes we access. There is lots of rink To borrow from Dr. Seuss’s and a trip to the box. There the uneasy urge to look up miss being at the rink but cherish. parking available because Grinch: “But this sound is nothing like a big cheer to their parents for some it has been fun to watch the For many players and grandparents and other wasn’t sad! Why, this sound for the other team’s misery. sign of approving acknowl- game from the cloistered fans, our game of hockey family members are not in sounded glad!” There is also no hooting edgement from mom or comforts of home. I look has been hit hard. Minor their normal arena seats. Most parents generally and hollering at young dad. Minor hockey leagues forward to a return to nor- hockey associations and In some cases parents are watch their kid’s games players to either “shoot”, have done their best to mal but there is something volunteers haveYour done their restricted from the arena without any issues.KA ButNATA “skate” or “get up”. There keep parents cool and out missing from the game that best to get the kids on the so that teams can meet the some hockey spectatorsWEST CARLETON are no arguments or clash- of the picture with manda- we should never miss.