We wish that the news as we start 2022 was different than what we were experiencing at the start of 2021. With the Omicron variant spreading quickly, case counts in Ottawa are higher than they have ever been since the start of the pandemic in 2020. The good news is that the City of Ottawa has the highest rate of vaccination of any city in Ontario. This should help us.
Covid realities aside, the members of the Convent Glen-Orléans Wood Community Association wish all of you a Happy New Year. May 2022 bring you health, hope and compassion.
We’re all feeling tired as we head into the third calendar year touched by this pandemic. Try to be a little more kind to yourself and others. We’ll get through this.
Save-the-date: CGOWCA Winter Carnival
*New Date: Saturday February 19
Plans are in the works for a 2022 Winter Carnival, to take place outdoors at the community rink behind Convent Glen Catholic Elementary School. Watch for more details, the event will depend on pandemic conditions and restrictions.
City of Ottawa Transportation Master Plan
The City of Ottawa has launched Phase 3 of its consultation on the Transportation Master Plan. During this phase of engagement, the public is invited to provide input on the close to 70 proposed transportation-related policies to be included in Part 1 of the TMP.
These policies – developed in line with the Official Plan, and the new realities of our growing city – will guide our transportation decisions and networks to 2046 and help Ottawa fulfill its vision of becoming the most liveable mid-sized city in North America. Residents are also invited to use the online engagement tools to provide feedback on the pedestrian and cycling projects that are proposed for implementation from 2023 onwards and a proposed network of paved shoulders to be added to rural roads at the time of resurfacing.
The online questionnaires and a link to the mapping activities can be found on the project website along with the draft policy document, one-pagers, a discussion paper on transportation and climate change, and more. Residents are welcome to share questions or comments with the TMP team by emailing tmpupdate@ottawa.ca.
Si vous cherchez une activité physique à l’extérieur cet hiver, sachez que nous planifions la préparation et l’ouverture de notre patinoire communautaire extérieure, située au 1155 St. Moritz, derrière l’école Convent Glen.
L’hiver dernier, la surface de la patinoire était exceptionnelle, grâce aux efforts d’une merveilleuse équipe de bénévoles, dirigée par Jeff Fennessy. Les membres du groupe ont gratté et arrosé la glace presque chaque nuit. Ils sont toujours reconnaissants de votre aide pour déneiger la patinoire après une chute de neige! Fait amusant : l’année, notre patinoire était ouverte plus longtemps et en meilleur état que la patinoire du canal Rideau!
La patinoire est illuminée la nuit, et si vous désirez apprendre ou patiner tranquillement, il y une petite patinoire située du côté nord de la patinoire principale. Les bancs et les filets sont fournis par la Ville d’Ottawa.
Les consignes concernant la COVID-19 seront affichées régulièrement sur les panneaux par la Ville et seront mis à jour au fur et à mesure. L’état de la glace est également mis à jour sur le site Web Ottawa Rinks, ainsi que sur la page Facebook de l’ACCGOW. Nous avons hâte de passer un autre hiver formidable à la patinoire extérieure !
Des arbres pour Orléans
La ville mène un sondage pour déterminer si et où planter des arbres sur le terrain entre la rivière des Outaouais et la promenade Voyageur. Si vous croyez que les arbres sont de bon puits de carbone, qu’ils offrent de l’ombre aux piétons, qu’ils réduisent l’érosion et qu’ils créer des habitats pour les animaux, faite compter votre opinion en complétant le sondage au: https://participons.ottawa.ca/sentier-de-la-riviere-des-outaouais
La date limite est le mardi 7 décembre.
L’hiver est à nos portes
Normes pour le déneigement
La neige est à nos portes, alors c’est le temps de se remémorer les processus municipaux de déneigement. Voici les directives de la Ville d’Ottawa concernant le déneigement des propriétés privées :
Ne poussez pas la neige et la glace sur la rue, le trottoir ou dans un parc.
Assurez-vous de dégager les bornes fontaines.
Indiquez où se trouvent les côtés de votre entrée de cours à l’aide de bâtons de la taille d’un bâton de hockey, en bois, en plastique ou en fibre de verre.
Lorsque la température s’adoucit, dégagez les puisards devant chez vous. Ils sont marqués par un « T » peinturé en jaune sur la chaussée.
Un andain de neige est un amoncellement de neige qui s’accumule au bout des allées et sur les côtés des rues pendant le déneigement. Il incombe au propriétaire de dégager les amoncellements sur son terrain.
Que faire si les normes de service de déneigement ne sont pas respectées?
Si la neige a cessé depuis 48 heures et votre trottoir n’est toujours pas déneigé, composez le 3-1-1. La ville n’est pas responsable du déneigement des entrées de cours ni des trottoirs privés menant à une résidence.
Notre sélection des trois meilleurs conseils de leur liste :
Conduire lentement et doucement
Évitez les arrêts et virages brusques lorsque vous conduisez, car ces manœuvres sont susceptibles de causer une perte de contrôle et un dérapage.
La vitesse excessive est la principale cause des collisions qui surviennent l’hiver. Faites en sorte de conduire lentement et prudemment sur les routes couvertes de glace ou de neige.
Ne pas talonner
L’hiver vient aggraver les risques auxquels s’expose un conducteur qui suit de trop près la voiture de devant. La distance d’arrêt est beaucoup plus longue sur des routes glacées ou enneigées que sur une chaussée sèche; il convient donc de maintenir une distance suffisante entre votre véhicule et celui du devant.
Consacrer toute son attention à la conduite
Il est plus ardu d’effectuer certaines manœuvres dans la neige. Assurez-vous de bien prévoir votre prochain geste afin de disposer de tout l’espace nécessaire aux virages et aux arrêts.
Cadeaux des fêtes pour la communauté
Quelle que soit la fête que vous célébrez, c’est souvent une période de l’année où les gens pensent à des moyens de redonner à leur communauté d’une manière ou d’une autre. Que ce soit offrir du soutien informel à des amis ou à la famille, ou faire don d’articles ou de fonds à une organisation locale. Voici quelques idées si vous souhaitez donner des articles ou de l’argent :
Ils ont récemment lancé leur Programme de Noël, où vous pouvez parrainer une famille, offrir un cadeau à un enfant ou faire un don de nourriture.
Saviez-vous que le pouvoir d’achat de la Banque d’alimentation d’Ottawa transforme 1$ en 5$ de nourriture? Songez à faire un don monétaire au lieu de denrées non périssables si vous le pouvez.
Vous pouvez faire un don par l’entremise de CanaDon ou par virement électronique.
Ils ont actuellement besoin de produits d’hygiène personnelle, de couches et de lait maternisé. Veuillez contacter Ida à info@minlodge.com ou au (613) 741 5590 pour plus d’informations.
Vous pouvez faire don à leur banque alimentaire sur leur site ou déposer des aliments au 1825 boulevard St-Joseph du lundi au vendredi entre 9h et 14h.
Ski Heritage East trace un chemin jusqu’à votre porte
L’hiver est à nos portes – profitez-en! Des études démontrent que l’activité physique en plein air contribue à améliorer notre sentiment de bien-être et de tranquillité d’esprit. La piste de loisirs d’hiver Ski Heritage East Trail est une piste polyvalente, tout près de chez vous.
Ce sentier vous offre 40 km de piste pour le ski classique et le ski de patin, la raquette, le fatbike et, bien sûr, la marche, le tout tracé professionnellement. Il débute au stationnement du Musée de l’aviation, traverse le champ et descend longer la pittoresque rivière des Outaouais jusqu’au ruisseau Green. À cet endroit, il monte jusqu’au sentier supérieur et continue jusqu’à Radisson à Orléans. Il est interrompu sur 500 mètres par un bout de rue, après quoi le sentier continue ininterrompu jusqu’au chemin Trim, en bordure de l’île Petrie. Vous trouverez des aires de stationnement facilement accessibles à plusieurs endroits le long du sentier.
Bien que des gens aient tracé une piste de ski le long de la rivière depuis de nombreuses années, c’est en 2017 que Ski Heritage East a connu ses débuts et a commencé à l’entretenir avec. Il s’agissait au départ d’une piste de 7 km desservant principalement Orléans et entretenu une fois par semaine. Depuis, le sentier a pris beaucoup d’ampleur : il est maintenant entretenu 3 à 4 fois par semaine et dessert plusieurs communautés, dont Beacon Hill, Manor Park et Rockcliffe. Au cours de la saison 2020/21, le nombre d’usagers a beaucoup augmenté, passant d’environ 35 000 à 75 000, ce qui indique la popularité croissante de ce joyau récréatif.
Notre opération dépend de notre groupe de bénévoles, qui se chargent de tracer et entretenir les pistes. Ces gens dédiés se promènent avec nos motoneiges et nos dameuses Ginzu, souvent même avant le lever du soleil. Si vous les voyez sur la piste, n’hésitez pas à les saluer.
Ski Heritage East est un organisme communautaire bénévole financé par une combinaison de soutien gouvernemental (la Ville d’Ottawa et la CCN contribuent environ 50 % de notre financement) de dons privés par l’entremise de notre page GoFundMe, et de commandites d’entreprises et d’organismes. Les commanditaires actuels dans votre communauté comprennent le conseiller Matt Luloff, les agents immobiliers Jean Richer (Keller Williams) et Jacques Bédard (Remax), Dental Docs et plus encore. Si une commandite vous intéresse, écrivez-nous au skiheritage.east@gmail.com.
For those of you looking for a little outdoor exercise this winter, our community outdoor ice rink (located at 1155 St. Moritz behind Convent Glen school) will be operating again this season.
Last winter, conditions were immaculate thanks to our fantastic group of volunteers led by Jeff Fennessy. This group was out scraping and flooding the ice almost every night. Help clearing the rink is always welcome and appreciated after a snowfall! Fun fact: last season, they were able to keep the ice up longer and in better condition than the Rideau Canal Skateway!
There are lights on at night and for those looking to learn or skate quietly, a puddle rink is located on the north side of the main rink. Benches and nets are provided by the City of Ottawa.
COVID-19 protocols will be posted to the side boards regularly by the City and will be updated as we move forward. Ice conditions are also updated on the crowd-sourced website Ottawa Rinks as well as the CGOWCA Facebook page. Looking forward to another great winter at the outdoor rink!
We’ve already seen a few flakes, let’s review some key information about snow clearing from the City of Ottawa. Guidance for clearing snow from your own property:
Do not push snow and ice on the street, sidewalk or park.
Keep fire hydrants free of snow.
Use wood, plastic or fibreglass driveway markers, which should be no larger than a hockey stick.
Open catch basins or drains in front of your property when the weather becomes mild.
Catch basins are identified by a yellow “T” bar painted on the roadway.
A snow windrow is a pile of snow that accumulates at the end of driveways and on the sides of streets during plowing. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to remove their own driveway windrows.
What are Snow Removal Service Standards in the City, and What if They aren’t Met?
If your sidewalk has not been cleared 48 hours after the end of a snowfall, please call 3-1-1. The City does not clear snow from driveways or private sidewalks leading to a residence.
What do You Need to Remember about Winter Driving?
Here are three of our favourite tips from the list:
Drive smoothly and slowly
Don’t make any abrupt turns or stops when driving. Doing so will often cause your vehicle to lose control and skid.
Driving too quickly is the main cause of winter collisions. Be sure to drive slowly and carefully on snow and ice covered roads.
Don’t tailgate
Tailgating becomes much worse in winter weather. Stopping takes much longer on snowy and icy roads than on dry pavement, so be sure to leave enough room between your vehicle and the one in front of you.
Pay attention.
Manoeuvres are more difficult to make in the snow. Be sure to anticipate what your next move is going to be to give yourself lots of room for turns and stopping.
‘Tis the Season for Giving
Whatever holiday you celebrate, this is often a time of year when people think of ways to give back to their community in some way. Sometimes it’s informal support for friends or family, and other times it might be donating items or money to a local organization. Here are a few ideas if you are looking to donate items or money:
They are currently looking for donations of personal hygiene products, diapers and formula. Please contact Ida at info@minlodge.com or at (613) 741 5590 for more information.
Royal Canadian Legion – Orléans Branch 632
Pandemic restrictions over the last two years have impacted their ability to maintain the branch. You can donate in two ways:
from your bank account using Interac eTransfer. Funds may be sent to rcl632orleans@gmail.com, or
You can donate to their Food Bank here or by dropping donations off at 1825 St Joseph Blvd weekdays between 9:00am and 2:00pm. Learn more here: https://cpcorleans.ca/foodbank/
Donations – HWF has no paid staff, so all funds go directly to covering essential expenses.
Ski Heritage East Grooms a Path to Your Doorstep
Don’t fear the coming Winter, get out and enjoy it. Research has shown that our sense of well-being and peace of mind dramatically improve with outdoor physical activity. The Ski Heritage East Trail is a multi-purpose winter recreation trail, groomed past your doorstep.
This 40km trail is professionally groomed for classic and skate skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking and, of course, walking. Beginning at the Aviation Museum parking lot, it sweeps across the field, dipping down to follow the scenic Ottawa River to Green’s Creek. There it climbs up to the upper-level pathway and continues to Radisson in Orléans. There is a brief 500m stretch of road, after which the Trail continues uninterrupted to Trim Road, on the edge of Petrie Island. Parking is readily accessible at many points along the Trail.
While people have bushwhacked a ski trail along the River for many years, Ski Heritage East began grooming with equipment in 2017. Initially a 7km Trail serving primarily Orléans and groomed once a week, the Trail has expanded dramatically, is now groomed 3 – 4 times a week and serves many more communities, including Beacon Hill, Manor Park and Rockcliffe. In the 2020/21 season, the number of users exploded from approximately 35,000 to 75,000, indicating an increasing awareness of this recreational jewel.
The backbone of our operation is our group of volunteer groomers. These hardy souls are on the Trail with our workhorse snowmobiles and Ginzu Groomers, often before you are awake. If you do see them on the Trail, please wave hello.
Ski Heritage East is a volunteer community organization that funds its operations through a mix of government support – the City and NCC combine to provide approximately 50% of our funding – private donations through our GoFundMePage, and business and organization sponsorships. Current sponsors in your community include, Councillor Matt Luloff, real estate agents Jean Richer (Keller Williams) and Jacques Bedard (Remax), Dental Docs and more. To learn more about sponsorship, write to us at skiheritage.east@gmail.com.
Sunday November 7th marks the day we “fall back” or set our clocks back one hour. Don’t forget to change all devices in your home either before you go to bed Saturday or when you wake up on Sunday.
There are links to increases in traffic accidents in the days following this shift in time, so take extra care when going about your week following the change. It will also be all the more important to get outside during the day to enjoy some sunshine now that we will have less daylight in the evening.
[emailed Legion to get information about local event]
If you do not feel comfortable or able to attend an in-person ceremony you can pay respects virtually at the National Remembrance Day Ceremony. This will be available on most news channels, as well as some live stream options through Facebook or other social media.
Outdoor Volunteer Opportunity
Are you comfortable working outside in cold weather and want to give back by using your physical talents? We are looking for additional volunteers to help maintain the community rink off of St. Moritz Drive (behind Convent Glen Catholic Elementary School).
Tasks include: shoveling the ice surface after snowfalls, flooding the ice surface, using the snow blower to remove snow from the ice surface. Other tasks may be assigned by the lead volunteer. What we need most is additional help after large snowfalls to shovel and remove snow off the rink. Supplies are provided.
We have a very strong team of volunteers who maintain our rink and the feedback from visitors has been very positive. If you want to learn about how to properly maintain an outdoor rink surface, this is a great opportunity for you!
Although we were unable to host our annual Winter Carnival in 2021, we are hopeful that vaccination rates and public health measures will allow us to host one in 2022.
Please mark your calendar for Saturday February 12th and watch for more information in the months to come.
GivingTuesday is November 30th
The 9th annual GivingTuesday is coming up this year, but you might be wondering what it is and how it was started. From www.givingtuesday.ca/about: “GivingTuesday is a global movement for giving and volunteering, taking place each year after Black Friday. The “Opening day of the giving season,” it’s a time when charities, companies and individuals join together and rally for favourite causes. In the same way that retailers take part in Black Friday, the giving community comes together for GivingTuesday.”
If you’d like to donate to a local organization, here are a few suggestions:
If you want to participate in GivingTuesday but aren’t sure where you’d like to direct your donation, you can also go to www.canadahelps.org and search for causes by category, location or key word. To help you choose, each charity’s profile includes information about their mission and work, as well as their revenues and expenses and the number of employees.
Join us this long weekend, October 8th to 11th, for our second fall bioblitz!
What is a Bioblitz? It’s a community event that highlights the importance of citizen-science, where the effort is to record as many species possible. The goal is to collect as many natural observations as you can from birds to plants to insects, you name it! Download the iNaturalist app and help us better understand the rich biodiversity present in Ottawa that needs protection. Find out how to participate.
COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage in Ottawa Neighbourhoods
The Ottawa Neighbourhood Study has partnered with Ottawa Public Health to map neighbourhood-level COVID-19 vaccination rates. In Convent Glen-Orléans Wood, 80.1% of eligible people are fully vaccinated. Great job neighbours! If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, you can find out how and where to book your appointment here: COVID-19 Vaccine – Ottawa Public Health
It’s municipal budget season!
The draft budget for the City of Ottawa is developed in the summer and fall. During this time, members of the community can provide input by asking questions, communicating with the Mayor and Council, and completing surveys. There are Councillor led public consultation sessions for you to share your views with Council. The session for Orléans will take place on October 26 – registration to come.
In the meantime, you can provide feedback through Engage Ottawa (City Budget 2022 | Engage Ottawa) or by writing directly to our councillor, Matthew Luloff (matt.luloff@ottawa.ca). The City’s 2022 draft budget will be tabled at a Special Meeting of Council on Wednesday, November 3 and considered for adoption by Council on Wednesday, December 8.
Tips from Sandy Jones, a Certified Yoga Teacher & Accessible Yoga Ambassador offering Chair Yoga (all postures seated) and Gentle Yoga (on the Mat) via Zoom and in Orleans – www.sandyjonesyoga.com
This posture opens the sides of the body, stretching the spine and muscles along the torso.
Stand with a tall, elongated spine, roll the shoulders down and away from the ears. Feet are hip-width apart, insteps parallel.
Inhale. Raise arms overhead, palms facing one another, interlacing the fingers, index finger up pointing, relax the shoulders down. Exhale, bend to the right. Hold posture for 3-5 breaths, inhale back to centre and repeat on other side.
If discomfort in shoulders only raise one arm at a time (i.e. raise your right arm and bend left) or keep both arms at the side of the body and tip only the torso to the side.
For a deeper stretch bring feet/legs together and when tipping to the left press deeply down through the right foot as though you are trying to leave an imprint on the floor, repeat other side.
