January 25th - Action Sandy Hill Board of Directors Agenda
For details, click here
Families of Mann Ave. Fire
On January 22, a fire on Mann Ave. affected 8 townhouse units. Fortunately, no one was injured in the fire but a number of people are now homeless and possessions have been lost. Only one of the eight families had insurance. Families may be able to return to three of the units today, Thursday, January 28. Their losses were mainly food. Repairs to the other five units will take much longer and those people are being relocated. For them, there are both immediate and longer term needs --- our community can help. Please review the information below and do what you can.
Click here for more details
Public information meeting re proposal for a Shoppers Drug Mart on Rideau St.,
February 3, 7:30 p.m.
A new Shoppers Drug Mart is being proposed for the parking lot next to Nate's deli on Rideau St. across from the Bytowne theatre. If you are interested in learning more, come out to the public information session at the Sandy Hill Community Centre, Lower Level, on Wednesday, February 3 at
7:30 p.m.
Help for Haiti
If you think there should be a Sandy Hill benefit to raise funds for Haiti disaster relief and are willing to help make it happen, please contact Jane McNamara at jm_ott@yahoo.com. She hopes to organize a community concert or supper sometime in February but needs a committee to pull it together.
Film for Thought fundraiser at Rideau Centre Cinemas, Feb. 6 11 a.m.
The University of Ottawa chapters of Free the Children, Canada Mathare Education Trust, and SOLE Food have each chosen a film to present at this event. Tickets for your preferred movie can be purchased for five dollars at the theatre ahead of time, or on the day of the event. Films include: AMAL, a Canadian film depicting the encounter between an auto-rickshaw driver and a billionaire in India that raises surprising questions as to what it means to be rich or poor; Shake Hands with the Devil, about the experiences of Roméo Dallaire during the genocide in Rwanda, and Food Inc., a film that examines America’s food system and reveals some surprising questions concerning what we eat. Information: 613-323-2712
Anti-prorogue free perogies party at Yuk Yuk's, February 7, 9 p.m.
Insensitivity Training improv group is kicking off the new year with free perogies to poke fun at the ridiculousness surrounding the proroguing. The comedy is Improv, much like "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" using audience suggestions to create laughter. Yuk Yuk’s comedy club is at 292 Elgin Street. $5.00 (2 for 1 with student ID). Call 613 -236-5233 for reservations.
Holocaust survivor to speak at U of O, February 10, 6 p.m.
The University of Ottawa’s Vered Jewish Canadian Studies Program and the Azrieli Foundation present a talk by Alex Levin, urvivor-author of Under the Yellow and Red Stars. Wednesday, February 10, 2010, 6:00-7:00 pm, University of Ottawa, Lamoureux Hall (145 Jean-Jacques Lussier), room 220. All guests attending the program will receive a set of Series 2 of the Azrieli Series of Holocaust Survivor Memoirs.
Admission to the event is free but reservations are required. Prof. Rebecca Margolis, Vered Jewish Canadian
Studies Program, 613-562-5800 ext. 2955, email rmargoli@uOttawa.ca.
Rev. Ernie Cox in concert at NAC 4th Stage, February 19 & 20, 8 p.m.
Join him as he launches his new CD One More Time, a collection of blues & black gospel music—with full band & back-up choir. Tickets @$25.00 are available online or at the NAC box office; seating is limited and already 50% sold. For a taste of this legendary Sandy Hill musician's music, check out www.erniecox.com
Tune Showdown 2010 at Ottawa Little Theatre, March 13
It's the fifth big year for one of Ottawa's premier GLBT events, the Show Tune Showdown, presented by Tone Cluster. Watch three teams of musical theatre performers as they compete for bragging rights and cold hard cash for their theatre company. This year, Sheridan College's Musical Theatre program returns from Oakville to compete against Ottawa teams from Orpheus Musical Theatre Society and Zucchini Grotto Theatre Company. Judging them will be famed Ottawa actor and playwright Pierre Brault, host of CBC Radio's "Ottawa Morning" and "The House" Kathleen Petty, and special guest judge Erica Peck, star of "We Will Rock You" and "The Boys in the Photograph". Tickets are $22 advance / $25 at the door.The Show Tune Showdown is a blend of Canadian Idol, Jeopardy, and Name That Tune with the glitz of Broadway and some home grown fun. Funds raised support Tone Cluster’s musical and outreach activities. For more information, visit www.showtuneshowdown.ca
Attention: Residents of Ward 12, Rideau-Vanier
The City of Ottawas 2010 draft budget will be tabled on December 9 and debated by City Council starting on January 25. Have your say at the upcoming ward consultation with Councillor Bdard (to be held jointly with the Ward 13 Councillor, Jacques Legendre) on Tuesday, December 15 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the St. Laurent Complex (Gymnasium), 525 Ct Street.
Click here for more Budget 2010 information
Sierra Club Canada is assisting the City of Ottawa with education and promotion of the new Green Bin Program.
Be an environmental leader, give a "Bin Talk."
The collection of food scraps is the next logical step in our waste diversion efforts and a critical step in our efforts to mitigate climate change. Food scraps buried in a landfill produce large amounts of methane, a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) now believed to be 70-1000 times more potent, by volume, than CO2. As such, generating and maintaining public participation in Ottawa's new Green Bin Program is of the utmost importance.
Sierra Club Canada will be recruiting, training, deploying and motivating Volunteers in Ottawa to give presentations at amongst other locations; schools, their places of work and worship and to the many many clubs and organizations to which they belong all within their local area.
For details, click here
Sandy Hill star!
On the list of New Year appointments to the Order of Canada is longtime Sandy Hill resident Dr. Robert W. Slater, who lives on Chapel St. with his wife Karen Junke. That little white lapel pin will reflect Bob's enormous contribution to Canada's environmental policy as a senior public servant and with the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. Congratulations!
Are there unused skates in your basement?
The Catholic Immigration Centre is providing volunteer-run free skating lessons to newcomers. They are looking for gently used skates, sticks and helmets for the newcomers to use in these lessons. Donations would be much appreciated and can be dropped off at the Catholic Immigration Centre office, at 219 Argyle Street (5th floor) or arrangements can be made by calling Nicola Hodson at 613-232-9634 ext 348/nicola@cic.ca or Paul Soubliere at 613-232-9634 ext 312/paul@cic.ca
A show you should see at the Bytown Museum this winter
"My Neighbourhood, My Voice", a unique show of photos and words features Ottawa’s neighbourhoods through the eyes of people who live there; you can catch it at the Bytown Museum (by the locks near the NAC box office). The "Photovoice" project brought together researchers (University of Ottawa), community service providers (Ottawa’s community health and resource centers), and diverse groups of local residents to tell the story of what they love best and what they feel most needs to change in the neighbourhoods in which they live. Thousands of photographs were taken. Some images are inspiring while others show eyesores, but all tell a story. 125 participants, from 3 - 92 years old, showcase their creative and thought-provoking images. “These photographs convey messages to local politicians, business leaders, community groups and so many others,” says Chris Osler, who was seconded to coordinate the project by Sandy Hill Community Health Centre. “I couldn’t think of a more fitting project to launch the Museum’s new and extended opening hours,” says Mike Steinhauer, Director of the Bytown Museum. “The Museum used to lay dormant for the winter months. With this exhibition, we are moving into a new direction—a direction that aims to engage the local community and hopes to foster a dialogue about the place we all call home.” Regular museum admission applies: $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and students (age 13 to 18 or with valid student ID), $3 for children between 5 and 12, and $15 for families (two adults and three children). Children under 5 and members of the museum get in free of charge. The show runs until April 4, Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.bytownmuseum.ca
Chamber music concerts — series extended
Every Thursday this month, at noon, there is a free chamber music concert at All Saints, presented by senior/ graduate students in the uOttawa music faculty. These are wonderful events and the numbers of people coming out for them grows week after week. Today we heard pieces by Ravel, Bach and Benjamin Britten, presented by a string quartet, a violinist and and oboe player. Music director Sara Brooks has announced that the series will be extended to include December 3 and December 10, as well as November 26. So if you are free at that hour, come out to enjoy.
News on Range Road
The motion brought forward to the Planning and Environment Committee regarding the zoning anomaly at 85 Range Road had been passed.
The issue went forward to Council where Council approved the Committee recommendation, to amend the zoning map, by rezoning the southern two-thirds of the subject property from R5B [492] H(30) to R5B [492] H(14.5).
As of this time, the zoning of the site at 85 Range Road no longer allows for a structure to be built to the height of 30 meters (10 storeys), but rather to one of 14.5 meters (about 4 storeys), which more accurately reflects the zoning prior to the removal of the FSI and which stays in the line with the City's intensification goals.
If you are interested in further details, please contact councillor Georges Bédard's office georges.bedard@ottawa.ca or Jane Gurr (head of Range Rd group) jane.gurr@sympatico.ca
Sandy Hill Trash Walkabouts
Many of you have probably noticed that Sandy Hill is not a litter-free neighbourhood. While the first thing to do is to let the City know about the problem by calling 3-1-1 or emailing 311@ottawa.ca, there is more that we, as residents of the community, can do. Action Sandy Hill is looking for volunteers for the new ASH Trash Walkabouts.
What is an ASH Trash Walkabout? Basically, whoever has an hour to spare on Sundays meets up with fellow walkers, armed with plastic gloves and some sort of garbage receptacle. We then decide on a route in the neighbourhood and pick up litter along the way. We can also take note of properties that are garbage-strewn and either talk to the owner ourselves (if we know who it is) or ask that the City do so (especially in the case of absentee landlords).
When and where do we meet? In front of Laurier House (corner Laurier and Chapel) every Sunday at 4 p.m. (until the sun starts setting too early for that meeting time).
For more information, contact trash@ash-acs.ca
To learn more of where the ASH Trash Bashers have picked up litter so far, click here
Information is now available online for the following development applications subject to public consultation:
