Nov 05

November 2023 Newsletter

a photo of about 30 coins stacked vertically so you can see the edges of the coins with their ridges. The coins are silver in colour but a few look tarnished and have a more copper colour. There is a blurry background showing a clock behind the stack of coins.

City of Ottawa – Budget 2024

The City has dedicated a section of their website to this year’s budget process. It includes a short video that explains the ways you can provide input.

Municipalities are responsible for many services that affect our day to day lives like public transit, libraries, Bylaw, Fire and Paramedic services and infrastructure like roads and active transit. Their main source of revenue is property tax.

You can find many articles that explain the dilemma of cities being responsible for more services than they have the capacity to fund:

If you would like to attend an in-person consultation, there is an east end consultation on November 18, 12:30pm to 2pm, at Ray Friel Recreation Complex (1585 Tenth Line).

Councillor Dudas invites residents to complete the survey on her website, which gives you the opportunity to signal your top 5 highest priorities and your 5 lowest priorities when it comes to the municipal budget, as well as to directly state whether you prefer to keep property taxes low at the cost of underfunded municipal services.

image of hands holding a gift

‘Tis the Season for Craft Fairs

If you would love to support local makers this year, check out one of the many craft fair offerings around Orléans:

blurry lights in the shape of a christmas tree

Santa’s Parade of Lights 2023

The parade is back this year, and you can join in the fun on Saturday November 25th at 6pm.  The parade will run along St-Joseph Boulevard from Youville Drive to Place d’Orléans. You can find out more information or register your float here: https://paradeoflights.org/

a photograph of a woman sitting cross legged on a wooden floor in front of a white wall that is filled with doodles in black marker. She is holding up a large sign with a drawing of a lightbulb. The woman is wearing a teal, short sleeved shirt and black pants and white sneakers. She has long black hair.

CGOWCA Strategic Planning Underway

Earlier this year, the Convent Glen Orléans Wood Community Association (CGOWCA) surveyed residents to better understand what issues are most important to them. The survey asked questions about many topics, including community priorities, public transportation, the community’s outdoor ice rink and recreational programming. Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey and submitted your views and ideas.

The CGOWCA Board has conducted an initial review of survey responses and has started a series of strategic planning sessions to develop the association’s multi-year strategic plan. This plan will help shape the association’s direction and priorities in the upcoming years. The Board will present its strategic plan at the next CGOWCA Annual General Meeting in September 2024.

Better Homes Ottawa logo. Blue background and a white outline of a house shape with the City of Ottawa logo inside the house.

Better Homes Ottawa Loan Program

The City of Ottawa’s Climate Change and Resiliency team reached out to the CGOWCA to share information about the Better Homes Ottawa Loan Program. This municipal program, delivered in partnership with EnviroCentre, provides loans directly to homeowners to undertake energy efficiency and climate resiliency home improvements. More details on the program can be found on the Better Homes Ottawa website. 

The City hosts online information sessions providing an overview of this program, as well as the other rebate and financial support programs available to homeowners looking to make sustainable home improvements. Information and registration:

November 2nd from 12 to 1pm

November 7th from 7 to 8:30pm

A photograph of field of wildflowers of all different colours - orange, blue, red, purple, white and yellow speckled among the green stalks of the plants.

Native Plant Seed Giveaways

Check out the Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library’s free seed giveaway at Ray Friel Recreation Complex on November 18th. Join our CGOWCA Environment Committee members to learn about native plant gardening and receive free native seeds for winter sowing. No gardening experience required!

November 18: 1:00-2:30 at Ray Friel Recreation Complex, 1585 Tenth Line Rd. 

Visit the Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library website for more information about other events, to see the seed catalogue, and to shop for garden signs and magnets.

Photograph of a hand with a nutmeg-coloured polished nail that is holding a fallen brown leaf. In the background, you can see more leaves on the ground in various yellows, oranges and browns.

Enviro Committee: Rethink our Autumn yard clean up practices

Nadia Ouellette (author)

As the air is getting crisper and the days shorter, many homeowners and gardeners are getting the last of their plants into the ground and starting to prepare the home/garden for winter. 

Most of us have grown up with the common practice of raking up and removing all leaves and dead plants from our properties. Many of us dutifully partake in these tasks not realizing the detriment to our gardens and to the environment.

Here are four ways that we can help our yards and the environment as we prepare for winter: 

Leave the leaves – According to the Xerces Society, this is one of the most valuable things we can do for pollinators who spend their winters here. Most butterflies spend the winter in Canada. Some, such as the Morning Glory butterfly, spend the winter as an adult, others survive the winter as eggs, caterpillars or chrysalis. They all depend on leaves to provide shelter and nutrition while they persevere in our harsh winters. Fallen leaves become the first food source for caterpillars in the spring. Many cocoons can actually look like leaves, and we may unknowingly rake up and dispose of butterflies when we dispose of our leaves. Bees, spiders, snails, worms and beetles also depend on the leaves.  

  • Leaves are a free source of mulch! As they decompose, they provide organic material to feed our lawns and gardens which saves you money on chemical feeders. A layer of leaves has been shown to have the same weed suppressing and moisture retention abilities as a layer of wood mulch. Leaves are free and abundant, raking a pile around your ornamental plants can save you both time and money. Ideally the leaves should not be shredded as you may be harming beneficial insects that are hiding in the leaves. 
    • Packing leaves into bags increases work for both the homeowner and the city and increases gas emission (we need trucks to transport these bags of leaves). It is literally a waste because our gardens no longer benefit from this free resource and many of us then go out and spend money on compost or fertilizer to aid our gardens.
    • If you aren’t ready to leave all of the leaves in your yard, what about designating a small part of your garden and piling the leaves around your plants?


Leave dead flowers standing (don’t deadhead) – One of the best ways we can support migrating and overwintering birds is to leave seed heads on flowers. This is an important source of food for birds like gold finches. Instead of dead heading your flowers, you can save precious time and do nothing at all. This will invite more birds to your garden over the winter who need this precious source of food to help with our harsh climates. 

  • Our native bees do not form hives and many require the hollow stems of plants for shelter throughout the winter. Small carpenters bees carve out their nest in dead raspberry canes or other flower stems. They often do this a few centimeters away from where they have been collecting pollen all summer. 
    • As these plants decompose they will break down into organic material which improves the texture of the garden soil. Nutrients from the dead roots will remain in the soil and be used to feed other plants. The dying roots also create space for air and water to permeate. These plants are a free source of compost to feed the garden and can save you money from buying more compost or fertilizer. 
    • If you aren’t yet comfortable with leaving flower heads, consider leaving the cut stems by the base of the plants. They will be out of your sight once hidden by snow and still provide a home for overwintering bees. 


Chop and drop weeds – as you are removing weeds you can chop up the stems and leaves and use them to feed and mulch your garden. They will provide essential nutrients such as potassium, phosphorous and nitrogen to your garden plants. It is a free and environmentally friendly way to improve soil quality. 

Spread the word – Consider posting a sign in your yard such as the one offered by the Xerces society. This can help explain your garden to curious community members and can help to inform others of the benefits to leaving leaves. Most of us are just doing what we saw our parents do and may not realize there are better options. 

  • You can also spread the word on social media with the hashtag #LeaveTheLeaves


Changing our gardening practices benefits nature but it often saves us precious time and money which are scant resources for most of us. It’s a win-win situation all around!

Oct 08

October 2023 Newsletter

Photograph of the long line up for food at the community bbq. There are three tents lined up along the left side leading toward the food truck. Along the back to the right there are 5 more tents with activities and entertainment for attendees. There are people scattered around the site enjoying the bbq.

Annual Community BBQ

Wow, we had a wonderful time at our BBQ on September 10! It was lovely to see so many of our neighbours come out and participate. A big thank you to Golden Fries, Trinity Physio, Allegro Music School, Metro Convent Glen, and Councillor Laura Dudas for your support. See you all next year!

Stage 2 LRT logo
Photograph showing the impact of the construction on traffic along the 174. You can see a station under construction to the right of the photo and then down below you see cars lined up and moving slowly in the two open lanes for traffic.
Photographer: Charlotte MacInnis Gupta

Where to get LRT Construction Information

During the last month, our neighbourhood has noticed increasing visible impacts on our day-to-day lives as the LRT phase 2 construction evolves.  The Convent Glen Orléans Wood Community Association Board members often see our neighbours raising concerns on the local Facebook group.  Unfortunately, this forum isn’t likely to result in changes although it may feel good in the moment to vent with one another.

Where can you find accurate information about the project?

The first step is to go to: https://ottawa.ca/en/planning-development-and-construction/major-projects/stage-2-light-rail-transit-project. On the landing page, you’ll see information about the three current LRT construction projects.  Go to the O-Train East Extension page and there, you’ll get the key information specific to our neighbourhoods.  You’ll find images and descriptions of stations.  You’ll find information about upcoming work if you want to know what is next.  You’ll see a section called “What’s happening” that focusses on current impacts.

You can sign up for a Project Newsletter or view the newsletter archive on this page as well.

Where do you send concerns or complaints? 

Share your feedback with the project team at stage2@ottawa.ca and include our Councillor, Laura Dudas Laura.Dudas@ottawa.ca

aerial photo of interprovincial bridges crossing the Ottawa river / photo aérienne des ponts interprovinciaux traversant la rivière des Outaouais

CGOWCA Bridge Committee Update

We at the CGOWCA Bridge Committee want to be sure that we are communicating with the public, politicians, and decision-makers as effectively as possible and, to that end, we have just formed a Communications Sub-Committee that will devote itself to this task.

Speaking of appreciating committees…

Marie-France Lalonde, federal MP for Orleans, was kind enough to attend the recent Annual General Meeting of the Convent Glen – Orleans Wood Community Association. Her presence was very welcome, particularly because she spoke favourably of the work of the Bridge Committee and went so far as to encourage the community to support the Bridge Committee in opposing a new east-end bridge over the Ottawa River! It is impossible to overstate how much we appreciate this support.

Thank you, Marie-France!

MP Lalonde also shared with us that the next milestone to do with the bridge will come next spring, when Public Works and Procurement Canada will make a recommendation to the National Capital Commission (based on the findings of the Refresh Study, geotechnical and transportation studies) whether and/or where to build an east-end interprovincial bridge. We, of course, fervently hope that the recommendation will be “No,” and this outcome is made more likely by the Treasury Board call to cut federal government spending by $15.4 billion over the next five years.

As always, you can go to our website https://www.conventglenorleanswood.com/interprovincial-crossing/ for information. We may be contacted at cgnbridgecommittee@gmail.com.

Upcoming “Talk Climate to Me” Sessions for Convent Glen-Orleans Wood 

Residents of Convent Glen and Orleans Wood are invited to attend three upcoming training sessions about climate change. Talk Climate to Me is a “fun, free, unscary, online, team-based climate education series.” It was created specifically for women*, though all are welcome to participate in this upcoming series. 

Each hour-long training session is followed by a 30-minute, solutions-oriented discussion group. The Orleans Wood-Convent Glen discussion group will be hosted by a local facilitator, Laura Reinsborough, member of the Convent Glen Orleans Wood Community Association’s Environment Committee. 

In her day job as the Ottawa Riverkeeper, Reinsborough is committed to implementing solutions for environmental issues. Says Reinsborough, “I want to become better equipped to talk about climate change and find real solutions in our neighbourhood, so I signed up for this course. I’m confident that learning together, at the local level, will bring about positive change.”

Convent Glen-Orleans Wood’s Monday Evening Sessions (a three-episode series):

Episode #1 – October 16th, 8:00PM – 9:30PM (EST)

Episode #2 – October 23rd, 8:00PM – 9:30PM (EST) 

Episode #3 – October 30th, 8:00-9:30PM (EST)

To register, visit:https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/talk-climate-to-me-monday-evening-tickets

Find out more at www.talkclimatetome.ca.

*Talk Climate to Me’s use of ‘women’ is open and inclusive of trans, non-binary, and gender-not-conforming people and their supporters.

photo of a carved pumpkin lit up with a candle inside

Pumpkin Parade

Laura Dudas and her team are organizing a Pumpkin Parade the evening of November 1st at Louis Perrault Park (google map) in partnership with  l’École élémentaire catholique L’Étoile-de-l’Est.  More information will be posted on her website in the coming days – www.lauradudas.ca

Sep 03

September 2023 Newsletter

Logo banner for 2023 Cleaning the Capital Campaign. The image has stylized icons of trees and park benches in greens and blues.

Registration is now open for the fall Cleaning the Capital campaign

Nothing is more spectacular than the fall colours in and around Ottawa. This September, help make those views in your community even more enjoyable by registering for Cleaning the Capital.

Thanks to nearly 37,000 participants, the spring campaign was a big success with over 970 projects registered and approximately 30,000 kilograms of waste collected. Since Cleaning the Capital began in 1994, over 1.4 million volunteers have participated, and it is estimated that over 1,000,000 kilograms of waste has been removed from our public spaces.

Registration is now open until Sunday, October 1 and can be easily done online. You can choose from a variety of public spaces to help clean up, such as community parks, roadsides, and shorelines.

Here are some important dates for the fall campaign:

  • Tuesday, August 15: Registration opens
  • Friday, September 15 to Sunday, October 15: Fall Cleaning the Capital campaign
  • Sunday, October 1: Registration closes
  • Tuesday, October 31: Deadline to submit your online cleanup report

Starter cleanup kits are available upon request. To learn more about the campaign or register your project, visit ottawa.ca/clean.

person grilling hamburgers and hot dogs

Community BBQ – September 10

Join us on September 10, 2023, between 11 and 2 for our annual free community BBQ! Golden Fries will be serving lunch, the Girl Guides will host a craft and games table, we’ll have amazing face painting and more.

Find out more on our Facebook event page or write to us at mailto:conventglenorleanswood@gmail.com.

 

Annual General Meeting - Get Involved!

CGOWCA Annual General Meeting – September 18

The Annual General Meeting of the Convent Glen Orléans Wood Community Association will take place in-person (Orléans Wood room at Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex) and virtually (on Zoom) on Monday, September 18, 2022, at 7p.m. We are pleased to welcome Lili Miller of Indigenous Roots Orléans as our guest speaker.

Register for the AGM

It is during the AGM that we elect our board members. Two of our board members will begin the second year of their term and three of them will be up for re-election, should they choose.

We are always open to new members joining the board! If you are interested and/or have questions, please write to us at conventglenorleanswood@gmail.com. Interested parties can self-nominate during the AGM, and general members will vote to accept the new members of the board. If you are unable to attend the AGM but would like to nominate yourself, you can do so in writing ahead of the meeting. All residents of Convent Glen and Orléans Wood aged 18 years and over are considered members of the association and have the right to vote at the AGM. Read our bylaws to learn more about our processes.

Blackburn Community Association and Convent Glen Orleans Wood Community Association are co-hosting the Cancer Chase 5K "Chasing the Cure." Sunday September 24th at 975 Orleans blvd at 9:15am. walk and run in support of cancer research. Silent Auction, Raffle Draw and Amusement Area. To register or donate, go to tohf.crowdchange.co/33667

2023 Cancer Chase – September 24

This year, the Blackburn Hamlet Community Association (BCA) and the Convent Glen Orléans Wood Community Association (CGOWCA) are working together to host the Cancer Chase 2023.

Date:  Sunday, September 24th

Location: 975 Orleans Boulevard, near Cairine Wilson High School in Convent Glen.

Activity:  5k walk/run along the Ottawa River and fun for the whole family including a Silent Auction, Raffle and Fun Zone that includes a selfie station. Ottawa Fire Services will be on site allowing young and old to see a Fire Truck up close!

All funds from the Cancer Chase event go directly to cancer research at the Ottawa Hospital via the Ottawa Hospital Foundation (OHF). Last year more than 170 people attended and helped raise over $15,000. The Cancer Chase event has become a vibrant community event that can be enjoyed by the entire family while at the same time supporting a worthwhile cause. This year’s theme is “Chase the Cure”.

How can you help?

aerial photo of interprovincial bridges crossing the Ottawa river / photo aérienne des ponts interprovinciaux traversant la rivière des Outaouais

CGOWCA Bridge Committee Update

Our door-to-door campaign is continuing, and the response from residents continues to be encouraging: the vast majority express firm opposition to the idea of an Ottawa River bridge between Orleans and Greens Creek whose access road would carve up the Greenbelt. The campaign will enter a new phase in September.

Testing of the riverbed, conducted earlier at McLaurin Bay and Lower Duck Island, has moved to Kettle Island, suggesting that the latter location remains an option under active consideration.

We will have an information table at the upcoming CGOWCA BBQ, so please be sure to drop by, get to know us, and get the latest news.

As always, you can turn to our website www.orleansbridge.ca  for information. You can contact us at cgnbridgecommittee@gmail.com.

Parkrun Orleans banner - blue background and logo on a white cloud.

Orléans Parkrun Needs YOU!

Since Parkrun came to Convent Glen / Orléans Wood in 2019, they’ve offered over 150 timed 5k races for runners, joggers, and walkers of all ages. The events take place on Saturday mornings and the start and finish lines are at the beginning of the pathway at the end of Orléans Blvd. They are in need of volunteers! There are a variety of roles and lots more information here: https://www.parkrun.ca/orleans/volunteer/   

How to get involved

  • In advance: If you know in advance that you would like to volunteer (either the next weekend or a future date) please email orleans@parkrun.com and we will be in touch – we’d love to hear from you! Please include your full name and, if you know it, your parkrun ID found on your barcode.
  • On the day: If you’re not sure of your weekend plans and don’t want to commit in advance, just turn up and talk to the volunteers when you arrive – we can never have too many volunteers!
  • Interested in volunteering regularly? You can sign up to receive volunteering emails in your parkrun profile, which you can find here.

Register: If you’ve not yet registered for parkrun, please register here, you can then keep track of your parkrun progress as you work towards the various milestones. You do not need to register separately for volunteering.

Jul 08

July / August 2023 Newsletter

young woman sitting in front of a sunset and making the shape of a heart in front of the sun.

Summer Edition

We are putting out a summer edition again this year to give volunteers a summer break.  Our next edition will be coming out around Labour Day weekend.  Thanks for your support.

The enviro committee standing in front of Orleans Wood Elementary School in celebration of the Pollinator's Paradise sign.

Check out Convent Glen – Orleans Wood’s newest Pollinator Garden!

On Thursday, June 22nd, CGOWCA’s Environment Committee unveiled its latest initiative, the “Pollinator’s Paradise” pollinator garden, in partnership with Ecology Ottawa and Orleans Wood Elementary School!

The committee worked to remove invasive plants, dying shrubs, and non-native species, and replaced them with more than 40 different types of native wildflowers and plants. Pollinator gardens are an example of ways our community can help to create and protect habitats for pollinators to live and thrive and help them in supporting other important ecosystems. This garden also exposes guests to various plants that are important to our environment. It was designed so that it would provide the most benefit for pollinators and support them through their full life cycle with shelter, bare ground for nesting, water, pollen, and nectar. Since native plants naturally grow in this area and are already adapted to the soil and weather here, once they’re established in the garden, they’re very low maintenance. 

A very special thank you to the students at Orleans Wood Elementary School for choosing the name of this garden! This project was made possible with support from Orleans Wood Elementary School’s Principal Dianne Morris, Madame Kim and her students, William van Geest from Ecology Ottawa, the Ottawa Community Foundation, TD Environmental Leaders Program, and TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. 

Are you curious about pollinator gardens? Stop by the front of Orleans Wood Elementary School to see it for yourself! 

Would you like to help with future projects like this? Join the CGOWCA’s Environment Committee! Email us for more information at ConventGlenOrleansWood@gmail.com. 

aerial photo of interprovincial bridges crossing the Ottawa river / photo aérienne des ponts interprovinciaux traversant la rivière des Outaouais

CGOWCA Bridge Committee Update

The door-to-door campaign to raise awareness about the federal government’s planned bridge across the Ottawa River just west of Orleans is well and truly underway. Our small army of volunteers has already covered a good part of Convent Glen.

We have all been struck by several aspects of the community’s response so far. Firstly, it is clear that the government’s “zero publicity” policy has been highly effective: the vast majority of the residents we spoke to have no idea that this project even existed. Even those residents who have lived in the area long enough to remember the government’s previous attempt (over ten years ago) were astonished to find that, like a zombie, this ill-conceived idea has lurched back to life. But, very encouragingly, the same vast majority have declared themselves to be utterly opposed to a bridge across the Ottawa River and through the Greenbelt.

This, upon reflection, should surprise no one. Everyone who lives in Orleans is acutely aware of how very green our neighbourhood is, and how enriched it is by its proximity to the Ottawa River and the Greenbelt. This is particularly true of Convent Glen and Orleans Wood.

We appeal to our readers to get more involved if you can. The easiest contribution you can make is to sign a petition against the bridge, which we will soon be posting on our website: www.orleansbridge.ca.  (The website is also a great source of information on the bridge, including a map that graphically conveys how disruptive the bridge would be.)

But the most sure-fire way of mobilizing opposition to the bridge remains knocking on doors, as not everyone is aware of this newsletter. We invite you to swell our small army of door-to-door volunteers to reach all the residents of Convent Glen Orleans Wood and beyond more effectively.  You can reach us at: cgnbridgecommittee@gmail.com.

Thank you, and let’s keep Orleans green!

Yoga in the Park 2023

Event Poster: Yoga in the park. Free. No registration required. Wednesdays at 7pm. July 5, 12, 19, 26 at Decarie Park. August 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30 at Hiawatha Park.
woman standing outside holding an open book. She has long curly brown hair and is wearing glasses, a coat and has a strap from a bag slung on her shoulder.

Pieced Together StoryWalk

The Heart of Orléans BIA is so excited to launch a Pieced Together StoryWalk in The Heart of Orléans BIA on July 8, 2023! Start your adventure at Gloucester Veterinary Hospital at 11AM! Meet local author Timm Holmes (TimmWrites) and hear how Roxy Robin’s story begins! Collect a colouring sheet and have fun making your way through the neighbourhood!

Look for the “Start Your Story Here” sign on the lawn of the Vet’s office for the first page of the StoryWalk. Read or use the QR codes on the posters to watch a storytelling of each page, and then choose what you and Roxy Robin will do next! Can you discover all four different endings?

Event poster: Carivibe July 21-23 2023. Friday July 21st J'ouvert on York at the 27 Club. Saturday July 22nd - Reach the Beach at Petrie Island. Saturday July 22nd - Bam Bam Block Party - life presents x Mexi's. Sunday July 23rd - Mango food and music fest - Byward Market at the Ottawa Sign.

Carivibe Festival

Description from the Heart of Orléans BIA website: Get ready to experience the sights, sounds, and flavours of the Caribbean as the highly anticipated Carivibe Festival returns to Ottawa, Canada July 21-23, 2023.

Carivibe is set to be the biggest and most vibrant celebration of Caribbean culture in the Nation’s Capital.

With its vibrant music, colorful costumes, delicious food, and rich history, the Caribbean is a melting pot of cultures, and Carivibe Festival brings it all to life. Over the three-day festival, attendees will be treated to an authentic menu of Caribbean cuisine, live music, dance performances, and other entertainment acts that represent the Caribbean’s diverse cultural heritage. www.carivibe.com

National Pickleball day event poster. Information contained in article text.

National Pickleball Day Event at Orléans Tennis Club

Description from the Heart of Orléans BIA website: The Orléans Tennis Club will be co-hosting a National Pickleball Day evening with the Ottawa Pickleball Association on Saturday, August 11 from 6-9pm.

This event will be open to the larger community, FREE OF CHARGE (and free cake/snacks), whether you have never played pickleball before, or if you’re an avid player. Instructions/lessons will be available, and extra paddles will be available to borrow. No need to be a member of the Orleans Tennis Club or the Ottawa Pickleball Association. www.orleanstennisclub.ca

photo of a dog

Summer Market at Shenkman

Doggo Cakes and Treats is hosting a summer outdoor market with over 30 vendors.  Free entry, door prizes and dogs welcome.  Come to the Agora Minto-Orléans on July 29th and August 19th at 1pm.

branch with 5 visible turtles resting on it. The turtles are not very large. They are dark green-black. The arms and face have bright yellow stripes and markings.

Family and Friends Guided Tours by Friends of Petrie Island

A tour of the nature trails, with talks about the flora and fauna of the island, its history and geology, and who the Friends of Petrie Island are and what they do.

Prices (Per session)

  • $15 – 1-5 people
  • $20 – More than 5 people
  • $10 – Discounted for members (inquire about becoming a member)

**Bring exact change**

Bilingual instructors available

To register for a program, please complete the form on their website: https://www.petrieisland.org/childrens-nature-programs.  A staff member of Friends of Petrie Island will then contact you.

Jun 04

June 2023 Newsletter

A group photo from the 2022 walkathon when the group was on Radisson walking towards the pathway. In the photo you can see about 30 people and a number of dogs walking together.

Thank You!


Thank you to everyone that joined us at our 5th Annual Dog Walkathon, a fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society.  This was a great event for the community to come together, have some fun, and raise a bit of money for cancer research.  Thanks to Laura Dudas for helping with this event, and to Easy Breezy Dog Training for donating some great training books for our raffle.  We raised $270 for cancer research. 

If you would like to contribute, it’s not too late!  You can still donate online:  https://fundraisemyway.cancer.ca/campaign/CGOWCA-Dog-Walkathon

a photograph of the blue sky with a few scattered white clouds dotting the blue.

Spare Our Air – Don’t let Vehicles Idle

The City is launching a new campaign to remind drivers about the idling control by-law. The idling of diesel and gas-powered vehicles emits pollutants into the air we breathe, causes odours, generates noise and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

The City’s idling control by-law prohibits most drivers from idling their vehicles for more than three minutes in a 60-minute period when the temperature is between 5°C and 27°C. Idling is allowed below 5°C and above 27°C to ensure that an occupied vehicle’s interior can be heated or cooled.

Some vehicles are permitted to idle longer under some circumstances, such as emergency vehicles, transit buses, transit support vehicles, farm vehicles and vehicles required to remain motionless because of an emergency, traffic, weather condition or mechanical problem.

Visit www.ottawa.ca/spareourair  to find tips on how to avoid idling.

Let's Bike Ottawa logo which has a green bicycle.

June is Let’s Bike Month

Let’s Bike Month is an annual campaign that encourages people to try cycling as a fun and healthy transportation option. Participants in the campaign:

  • Win prizes
  • Save money
  • Get access to free resources
  • See the GHG averted by choosing to bike
  • Have fun!

Whether you want to try biking for the first time, use the campaign to encourage your employer to support alternative commuting options, or encourage others in your life to give it a try, Let’s Bike Month provides the resources and motivation to help!

Let’s Bike Month, an EnviroCentre initiative, is made possible with the support of local businesses, sponsors and our partnership with the City of Ottawa.  Find out more here: www.letsbike.ca

A photo of two community members working on the pollinator garden in front of Orleans Wood Elementary School. They are wearing hats and gardening gloves. They have shovels in their hands and there are pots of plants around them.
A photo of the supplies for the job including cubes of soil and three flats of plants.

Orleans Wood Elementary School Pollinator Garden

Creating habitats for pollinators such as bees, insects and birds is vital for all our gardens and global agriculture, but not all plants or gardens make ideal homes for them. Native wildflowers are the best food and homes for pollinators.

The CGOWCA’s Environment Committee has partnered with Ecology Ottawa and Orleans Wood Elementary School to create a new pollinator garden in our neighborhood. Committee volunteers have been working hard to remove dying shrubs, invasive plants, and non-native species, and are planting native wildflowers in the school’s garden. We are also replacing grass with native plants, which benefits us all! 

The garden will help teachers share learning on natural sciences and encourage students to better understand how to protect the local ecosystem. The students are also excited to name the garden and watch it grow! 

Thank you to Ecology Ottawa for your generous contribution, and to Orleans Wood Elementary for your commitment and support!

Would you like to help with future projects like this? Join the CGOWCA’s Environment Committee! Email us for more information at ConventGlenOrleansWood@gmail.com

A person wearing white pants and a white tank top who has a rolled up blue yoga mat rolled up and in their arm. They are standing in a park with green grass.

Yoga in the Park is back for 2023!

It’s back for another season!  Save these dates in your calendars now and join us for a free outdoor yoga session.  We’ll meet each Wednesday evening at 7 during July and August.

  • July 5, 12, 19 & 26 at Décarie Park
  • August 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 at Hiawatha Park
aerial photo of interprovincial bridges crossing the Ottawa river / photo aérienne des ponts interprovinciaux traversant la rivière des Outaouais

CGOWCA Bridge Committee Update

As promised last month, our door-to-door campaign – to raise awareness about the federal government’s planned bridge across the Ottawa River just west of Orleans – has begun. We’re starting in Convent Glen, the neighbourhood nearest the prospective bridge, then moving into Orleans Wood and beyond. Expect a volunteer (a neighbour whose face you may even recognize!) to be ringing your bell, wearing a badge, and bearing information.

This is an issue that threatens to greatly undermine quality of life in Orleans, whether you live near the bridge’s planned route across the river and through the Greenbelt or not. Every resident of Orleans (not to mention Cumberland and Rockland) who uses Regional Road 174 (and who doesn’t?) will encounter an additional 25,000+ cars a day that will be joining the highway just east of Montreal Road, and the municipality has no plans or funds to ease this congestion by widening the roadway.

If you feel stirred to action by your conversation with our volunteer or after reading the handout, you’re more than welcome to join the team. The more of us there are, the quicker we can reach all stakeholders – and we all have a stake in this issue.

See you soon!

An overhead perspective photo of a highway. There are multiple lanes of traffic but only a few cars. The cars are moving so fast that they look like a blur.

From Matthew Luloff’s Newsletter – Interactive Traffic Map

Did you know that the City of Ottawa has an interactive traffic map to help residents travel around the city and navigate ongoing traffic impacts?
 
This map provides residents with real time information about road closures related to construction, incidents and events.
 
Going forward, all Stage 2 LRT construction related impacts will be reflected in this map, so that residents can get real time information about lane and ramp closures and can plan their travels accordingly.
 
You can consult the interactive traffic map here: https://traffic.ottawa.ca/map/?lang=en
 
In addition to the map, residents can continue to use these resources for information about upcoming and ongoing traffic impacts:
 
City of Ottawa weekly traffic PSA

 Stage 2 LRT – Active public notices