... from the office of Shawn Menard, Capital Ward, City of Ottawa

Rideau Canal 

If you’ve heard some construction noise around the canal, it might just have been the NCC’s snow cannon. This has been used during the night to create favourable conditions to build up more ice on the canal and let the NCC open it sooner.

The skateway will open when a 30-cm thickness of good quality ice has formed. To get there, we need about 10 to 14 consecutive days of temperatures between -10°C and -20°C.

Capital Ward Cup 2023

Join us for the return of an annual Capital Ward tradition where residents join community teams to compete in a friendly game of shinny for the Capital Ward Cup. The Capital Ward Cup was first awarded in 2008. The current Capital Ward Cup holder is the Old Ottawa South Moose, who won it in 2020. The current champs will be hosting the tournament in Old Ottawa South this year on Sunday, February 5 at 10:00 am at Windsor Park. You can RSVP to join us as a spectator, or sign up to join a local community team and play hockey for the cup, here! More information about the tournament, including the rules of play, can be found at the same link. We hope to see you there.

The John Howard Society of Ottawa has constructed a new building at 289 Carling (near Bronson). The building combines offices and programming space for their Ottawa operations and 40 custom built bachelor apartments for permanent housing for people currently experiencing chronic homelessness. Move in is planned through December 2022, perfect timing to enjoy the Canal this winter.

Skating on the canal offers great free exercise. It benefits one’s physical and mental health. And it’s just a great way to enjoy winter in Ottawa. The John Howard Society has confirmed that there is a need for skates for the incoming residents, and so they have launched a community skate drive.

They are looking for donations of adult-sized skates: good quality, recent (10 years old or less), men’s and women’s, hockey or recreation skates. They can be dropped off at the 399 Bell St. South entrance weekdays between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm, or contact Ottawa4Good@gmail.com to arrange a pick-up

Charitable donations through the John Howard of Ottawa for this project by specifying Skates for Carling Supportive Housing Residents in the “send a message” box.

OSCA Winter Programs 

The Old Ottawa South Community Association (OSCA) has a wide variety of programs for everyone! They also have lots of new exciting programs and workshops, and they're bringing back some Firehall favourite events!

You can learn more about their programs or register on their website.

Bank Street Tree Well Cover Replacement Project

In 2012, the City of Ottawa installed new trees along Bank Street from the canal to highway 417 as part of the Bank Street Renewal Project. Forestry noted the following observations during a site visit in 2020:

• Concrete tree well covers are degrading and creating an uneven walking surface
• Tree well covers are needed to maintain sidewalk accessibility
• Trunks are outgrowing the tree well covers and guards
• Electrical wires and up-lighting inside the tree guard are obstructing the growing space for the trunk
• Tree guards support electrical boxes (Total of 36 electrical boxes)