Privatization of public spaces - Lowertown Community ...

Sign in Lowertown front garden. (Photo by Juliet O’Neill)

By John Chenier

The City of Ottawa has a bad caseof the left hand being in blissfulignorance of what the right hand

is doing. It seems that the eliminationof the silo mentality which was sup-posed to be addressed by recentchanges to the management structure atCity Hall has not happened.

That point was made abundantlyclear one day this month. In the morn-ing, social media was buzzing withposts about an article in The OttawaCitizen. A resident new to Ottawa, An-thony Imbrogno, wrote an Op-ed in TheCitizen decrying the current state of af-fairs in the ByWard Market.

Among the many points he made inhis article was one about the fate of apedestrian in the Market. He wrote:The constant battle between pedestriansand traffic, the noise, the pollution andthe crowded sidewalks create an ag-gressive, almost hostile environmentboth day and night that wears thinpretty quickly.

Continued on Page 8

Privatization of public spacesJuin - août 2018 volume 9 numéro 3 Gratuit - Free June - August 2018 Volume 9 Number 3

RepTalk

2Heritage

4News

8Real

Estate9

Business13

Community15

Culture,Events

18

By Juliet O’Neill

The first question many newcom-ers ask on arrival is “where’s theWi-Fi?” They want to contact

family and friends halfway across theworld--perhaps Syria, maybe theCongo or Somalia--to say they have ar-rived in Ottawa and have a safe place tostay.

That safe place is Maison SophiaReception House.

For 30 years this modest apartmentbuilding in Lowertown has been thefirst taste of Canada for many thou-sands of refugees fleeing war, hunger,violence and political turmoil in far-flung countries around the world.

In 1988 the sisters of Les Filles dela Sagesse (the Daughters of Wisdom)donated the building on Boteler Streetto the Catholic Centre for Immigrants.At the time, Carl Nicholson, executivedirector of the centre, called MaisonSophia “a game changer” for welcom-

ing refugees. Sophia is Greek for `wis-dom`.

Maison Sophia has three storieswith 24 rooms for up to 96 people; onefloor is for families with children. It’sa short-term residence for refugeesawaiting their first apartment. That usu-ally takes three or four weeks, duringwhich they attend orientation work-shops.

They get basic support, includingcafeteria meals, some clothing, a coin-operated laundry, a TV room and inter-net access. Children have arts and craftsin the mornings and literacy classes inthe afternoons.

Safety and hope are the two mainmissions here, Hiwot Abebe said in aninterview. She is an administrative as-sistant and Ontario Works counsellorwho has worked at Maison Sophia forsix years.

Continued on 6

A safe place in LowertownGoing around post and patio. (Photo by John Chenier)

2018 june_Echo Front 18-05-25 6:41 AM Page 1

ECHO June - August 2018

LCA-ACB ReportsNote from the President

By Liz BernsteinAnother year has sped by and our an-

nual AGM is upon us. Your association has been very busy on your behalf since the 2017 AGM. The Heritage commit-tee was instrumental in getting a heri-tage designation for Macdonald Gardens Park which was celebrated at a major event last August. In November, the communications team resurrected the community newspaper, the Echo. The Planning committee made numerous in-terventions and suggestions on behalf of residents.

Once again the LCA operated the out-door rink at Bingham Park for the ben-efit of the community and your associa-tion was a major sponsor of Winterfest at Jules Morin. The Association was a co-chair of CAFES (Community Asso-ciation Forum on Environmental Sus-tainability) urging action on the City’s renewable energy strategy, urban refor-estation plan and tree by-law review, waste management, improved three parks-including ensuring adult fitness equipment was installed at Rose Park.

The newly revived transportation group is making some headway on mak-ing King Edward Avenue safer for peo-ple, tracking pedestrian challenges in the winter, and advancing active transporta-tion. We pressed for improved services for homeless and people struggling with addictions in our community, and better options for affordable housing. We ad-vocated for the revitalization of ByWard Market throughout the year of the 150th anniversary celebrations.

Your association has put an emphasis on building connections with our social partners in the community and, finally, our monthly meetings throughout the year were lively, informative and well attended.

All in all, it was a very full and suc-cessful year.

This year, we are losing some mem-bers of the executive and the board who have contributed enormously to our association and community. Ted Lawrence, treasurer, Thierry Harris so-cial media and communications direc-tor, John Chenier, community outreach director, and Liz MacKenzie, Heritage Director.

On your behalf, I want to thank them for their dedicated service over a num-ber of years. I am grateful for what they brought us collectively, and from what I learned from each of them individually. I trust there are members of our commu-nity prepared to step up and take their places.

The vacant positions at the moment are vice-president (2), treasurer and sec-retary along with up to three director po-sitions. The areas where the LCA needs people are heritage, communications and responsibility for the operation of the rink at Bingham Park.

I hope to see you at our AGM at the Routhier Centre on June 11.

Planning Committee

By Peter FergusonThe LCA Planning Committee had

been invited to meet with the planning group that is managing the proposed addition to the Chateau Laurier Hotel. The purpose of the meeting was to re-view and discuss the feedback to Larco Investments and its design team and the subsequent changes to the design that was unveiled on February 28, 2018. The meeting has now been moved to some-time in June as a result of the City re-questing additional changes. We look forward to our discussions in June.

After a number of failed attempts to obtain approval for high-rise proposals at 101 Wutemburg Street, Claridge Homes, the owner of a property has engaged a design firm to plan the development of three attached freehold townhouses on the site. The existing property would be severed into three separate two- storey properties with balconies on the front and rear and a walk-out access to small backyards.

The issue for the developer is the sta-bility of the steep embankment that falls away to the Rideau River at the back of the property and the subsequent safety of the residents of the three units. The LCA will be filing its concerns about the sta-bility and security of the riverbank with the Committee of Adjustment in the hope that Claridge and its design team will ad-dress the matter to the satisfaction of the City and the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority. The community would bene-fit from the townhouse development as a reasonable solution to creating infill and intensification without reverting to high-rise structures. Stay tuned!

Safety and Security

By Norman MoyerIn November, 2017 the Safety and

Security Committee recommended a se-ries of actions, including the call for a more detailed study of the levels, types and reasons for crime in the neighbour-hoods that make up Lowertown. In ear-ly 2018 the opportunity emerged for the LCA to apply for funding for two stu-dent researchers to work in the summer of 2018.

The LCA wishes to thank the Gov-ernment of Canada for choosing this project. A Steering group made up of the LCA, the Lowertown Community Resource Centre (LCRC), the ByWard Market BIA, Ottawa Police, and Crime Prevention Ottawa, has been created to provide guidance for the researchers.

Two students from the Master’s Pro-gram in Criminology at the University of Ottawa will begin work on May 28. Ottawa-Vanier MP, Mona Fortier is a strong supporter of this kind of work for students. “I am very pleased to see that the Lowertown Community Association has hired two very qualified students to help do vital research in our communi-ty.”

The results of the student work will form the basis of a report and action plan to be prepared for the Lowertown Com-munity Association in the fall.

The Echo, a non-profit community newspaper, is supported by its advertisers and the Lowertown Community Association. Opinions ex-pressed are those of contributors and advertisers and do not necessarily represent those of the volunteer editorial staff.

In 2018, the Echo will be published in February, April, June, Septem-ber and November. 8,500 copies are printed and distributed free of charge to residents of Lowertown. Additional copies can also be picked up at the Routhier Centre, the Lowertown Community Resource Centre, the public library, and various public and commercial locations in Lowertown.

The Echo welcomes articles, letters, photographs, notices and other material of interest to its readers in the Lowertown community. Name and telephone number of contributor must be included.

If you’d like to write articles, draw car toons or other illustrations for stories, or take photographs on assignment, please email and leave your name and telephone number at [email protected]. No age restrictions. The Echo reserves the right to edit in part or in whole all contributions.

************************************L’Echo est un journal communautaire à but non lucratif dont les seuls

revenus viennent des annonceurs et l’Association Communautaire de la Basse-Ville. Les textes n’engagent que leurs auteurs et annonceurs re-spectifs et ne reflètent pas nécessairement l’opinion de l’équipe de rédac-tion, qui est composée de bénévoles.

En 2018, l’Echo sera publié en février, avril, juin, septembre et no-vembre. Son tirage est de 8500 exemplaires. Il est distribué gratuitement partout dans la Basse-Ville. On peut également l’obtenir au Centre Routh ier, au Centre de Ressources Communau taires de la Basse-Ville, à la bibliothèque et dans plusieurs commerces du quartier.

Tous les articles, lettres, illustrations, photos et autre matériel qui peu-vent in téresser les lecteurs de la Basse-Ville sont les bienvenus. Leurs auteurs doivent indiquer leur nom et leur numéro de télé phone.

Les personnes qui aimeraient collaborer avec l’Echo sont invitées à envoyer un couriel au [email protected] en indiquant leur nom et leur numéro de téléphone. Nous apprécions la contribution de tous, quel que soit leur âge. L’Echo se réserve le droit de modifier en tout ou en partie les documents

Contributors to this editionContributing editors: Marc Aubin, Patricia Balcom, Liz Bernstein, John Chenier, Lynda

Cox, Peter Ferguson, Mathieu Fleury, Mona Fortier, Liz MacKenzie, Nancy Miller Chenier, Sndra Milton, Juliet O’Neill, Michel Rossignol, Micheline Shoebridge, Elaine Sigler, Ana-Maria Tarres, Vera Etches, Joel Weiner, Christine Williamson

Copy editors: Patricia Balcom. Phillipe DoyonLayout: Ed AntoszPhotography: John Chenier, John McQuarrie, Juliet O’Neill

****************************************

DeadlineReserve your advertising space or submit your contribution to echo@

lowertown-basseville.ca by August 31, 2018

Questions regarding delivery? If you live in Lowertown, the Echo is delivered free to your door. Please email if you are aware of anyone or any business in our neighbourhood who is not receiving their community newspaper.

Date de tombéePublicité, articles, photos et autres soumissions à echo@lowertown-

basseville.ca avant le 31 août 2018

Questions au sujet de la distribution? L’Echo est distribué gratuite-ment dans la Basse-Ville. Veuillez envoyer un courriel si vous connaisez quelqu’un qui ne le reçoit pas.

Juin - août 2018 ECHO

by Mathieu Fleury

Spring has sprung and the citycrews are out in full force. Inearly spring of every year, our

hard-working employees switch fromwinter to their spring/ summer work.Warmer weather maintenance includessuch things as street sweeping, pave-ment markings, park maintenance, treeplanting and community clean-ups.

Road and sidewalk sweeping com-mences in early spring. Generally, this

work is done during the day but if youlive in a business improvement area(BIA) area you could hear this workovernight.

Please be patient with the crews asthey clean the girt and litter from thepast 3 seasons. Pavement markingbegin in the month of May and continueuntil mid-autumn (depending on theweather).

Spring park maintenance activitiesusually commence in mid-April. This

includes the removal of rink boards andthe re-installation of seasonal furniturelike benches, picnic tables and waste re-ceptacles.

Once the spring park preparation iscomplete, ongoing park maintenanceservices will continue throughout thesummer season, including grass cutting,sport field maintenance, litter pickupand play structure maintenance and in-spection.

Tree planting begins in the last

week of April and runs until mid-June.Ongoing tree maintenance activities in-clude removal of dead or unsafe trees,stump removal, tree pruning, assessingstorm damage, as well as insect and dis-ease control.

If you’d like to make a service re-quest for any of the above services,please call 311 or visit ottawa.ca. If yourun into issues you can contact us forfurther assistance. We’re looking for-ward to another great summer.

Spring and summer operations

Par Mathieu Fleury

Le printemps est arrivé et les em-ployés municipaux s’activent.Chaque année, en début de sai-

son et avec la hausse des températures,nos laborieux employés délaissent leurstâches hivernales pour passer à l’entre-tien printanier et estival qui comprendles opérations de balayage des rues, lemarquage au sol, l’entretien des parcs,les arbres à planter et le nettoyage desdivers quartiers.

Le balayage des chaussées et destrottoirs commence au début du print-emps. Le nettoyage des rues se fait

généralement en journée, mais il se peutque vous entendiez les balayeuses lanuit si vous habitez dans une zoned’amélioration commerciale (ZAC).Nous vous invitons à faire preuve depatience puisque nos équipes doiventnettoyer la saleté et les détritus qui sesont accumulés au cours des troisdernières saisons.

Les opérations de marquage au solcommenceront en mai et se poursuiv-ront jusqu’à la mi-automne (selon lesconditions météorologiques).

L’entretien printanier des parcscommence généralement à la mi-avril.

Les bandes des patinoires sont enlevéeset le mobilier saisonnier (les bancs, lestables de pique-nique et les poubelles)est réinstallé.

Une fois ces tâches terminées, l’en-tretien des parcs se poursuivra tout aulong de la saison estivale et inclura latonte de l’herbe, l’entretien des terrainsde sport, le ramassage des déchets ainsique les réparations et l’inspection desstructures de jeux.

La Ville commencera à planter desarbres au cours de la dernière semainedu mois avril et poursuivra ses planta-tions jusqu’à la mi-juin.

Les opérations d’entretien incluentl’abattage des arbres morts ou instables,l’essouchage et l’élagage, l’évaluationdes dommages causés par les tempêtesainsi que le contrôle des insectes et desmaladies.

Si vous souhaitez soumettre unedemande de service pour l’une desopérations mentionnées ci-dessus,veuillez composer le 3-1-1 ou vous ren-dre sur le site ottawa.ca. En cas de prob-lèmes, n’hésitez pas à nous contacterpour obtenir de l’aide.

Nous nous réjouissons d’entamerun autre bel été!

Opérations printemps – été

Par Mona Fortier

Je suis très heureuse de voir l’ar-rivée de l’été! Avec la fin desclasses, plusieurs étudiants sont à

la recherche d’emplois pour l’été etveulent acquérir de l’expérience et con-tinuer leur apprentissage.

Plusieurs organisations et entre-prises dans la communauté ont reçu dufinancement à travers le programmed’Emplois d’été Canada pour créer desemplois pour la période estivale.

Cette année, près d’un million dedollars seront investis par ce pro-gramme et 260 emplois seront

disponibles à Ottawa-Vanier. Les étudi-ants auront non seulement une chanced’acquérir de l’expérience sur lemarché du travail, mais aussi l’occasionde devenir des citoyens informés encontribuant activement dans la commu-nauté.

J’ai mis mes espadrilles à l’épreuveen mai en participant à plusieurscourses de levée de fonds : un pour lasanté mentale des femmes, et l’autrepour le camp Ooch (pour les enfants at-teints du ou affectés par le cancer).Grâce au beau temps, j’ai aussi prisl’occasion pour participer au GrandMénage de la Capitale avec plusieurs

groupes de résidents, pour embellir nosparcs et garder notre environnementpropre.

Je viens de conclure ma premièreannée à la Chambre des communes enréalisant mes responsabilités législa-tives et dans les comités parlementaires.J’ai tout particulièrement apprécié mesrencontres avec les commettantes et lescommettants de la circonscription etc’est vraiment ce que je préfère le plusde mon mandat.

En juillet et en août, mon accentsera de participer activement auxévénements dans Ottawa-Vanier et desoutenir la communauté.

Je vous invite à me faire part de vosactivités communautaires et associa-tives pour que je puisse venir vous ren-contrer.

En attendant de vous croiser, jevous souhaite de bien profiter de la sai-son estivale et Ramadan Mubarak àceux et celles qui le célèbrent!

Comme toujours, mon bureau decirconscription est là pour vous appuyeravec vos interactions avec les servicesfédéraux. Il est ouvert du lundi au jeudide 9 h à 17 h et le vendredi de 9 h à 16h 30. Communiquez avec nous au 613-998-1860 ou envoyez un courriel à[email protected].

Été est arrivée

Summer is hereBy Mona Fortier

I’m so happy to see that summer hasarrived! With schools finishing uptheir sessions, students in the riding

will be looking to continue their learn-ing and acquire experience. Many or-ganizations and businesses in thecommunity received funding throughthe Canada Summer Jobs program tocreate jobs for the summer months.

This year close to a million dollarswill be invested through this programto fund more than 260 jobs in Ottawa—Vanier. Not only will these students geta chance to acquire valuable work ex-perience, but they will also be sup-ported to become informed citizens thatcontribute to their neighbourhood.

In May, I was able to dust off myrunning shoes to participate in severalfundraising races: one for women’smental health, and the other for CampOoch (for children living with or af-fected by cancer). With the niceweather, I also took the opportunity tomeet up with several groups of resi-

dents for the Cleaning Up the Capitalinitiative to embellish our parks andkeep our environment clean.

I have just finished my first fullyear at the House of Commons withlegislation and committee duties. I haveparticularly enjoyed my meetings withconstituents, which have been myfavourite part of my new job.

In July and August, my focus willbe to participate in events in Ottawa-Vanier and to support the community.

I invite you to let me know aboutyour community and associative activ-ities so that I can come meet you. Untilwe meet, I hope that you will enjoy thesummer and Ramadan Mubarak tothose celebrating!

As always, my constituency officeis there to help you with any interac-tions with federal services.

It is open Monday to Thursdayfrom 9 to 5, and Friday from 9 to 4:30.Give us a call at 613-998-1860, or sendan email at [email protected].

The Hunt is ONBoard Members Wanted

The LCA is saying goodby to four hard-working directors while still feel-ing the loss of Sarah Bonesteel, Past Secretary, who resigned a year ago.Five new board members are urgently needed.

We need to replace Ted Lawrence, treasurer, Thierry Harris social mediaand communications director, John Chenier, community outreach direc-tor, and Liz MacKenzie, Heritage director and we need a Secretary.

The work is not onerous but includes one or two monthly meetings andmoderate email traffic. Elections will take place at the Annual GeneralMeeting on June 11. Please be on the ballot. There is terrific satisfactionin promoting and supporting our Lowertown community.

Contact: Liz Bernstein, LCA President at [email protected]

A big thank you to retiring directors–you have helped shape a strong andvibrant Community Association.



By Christina Williamson

Some people may be surprised toknow that in 1900, 70 percent ofOttawa’s Jewish population lived

in Lowertown. With the first Jewishfamily arriving in 1851 from Europe,the community grew to number 5000by the end of the Second World War.While Ottawa’s Jewish population wassmall compared to those of Montrealand Toronto, it was unique in the highnumber of Jewish men who took uppeddling to support their families.

Unlike Montreal and Toronto, Ot-tawa did not have a factory industry tohire the poorest Jewish immigrants.This, coupled with the relatively lowcost for a peddling licence, meant thatby 1939, 43 percent of hawkers andpedlars in Ottawa were Jewish. Pedlarscould buy or sell any number of things,

including fruits and vegetables, rags,bones or waste paper. While pedlarsgenerally started on foot, obtaining ahorse and a cart afforded them the abil-ity to travel further and carry morewares. A horse was a significant invest-ment and would be well cared for. SolGunner recalls that his father, Louis,would always ensure that his horseswere fed before he came in and ate,

himself. A lame horse was a very seri-ous issue for pedlars and they were verywell cared for as a result.

While there are many stories ofbrutal competition between pedlars inCanada’s largest urban centres, severalpeople recall that this rivalry did notoccur between Jewish pedlars. For in-stance, Sylvia Kershman’s father, WolfBodovsky, aided one newly arrivedfamily by helping them buy a cart ofapples and start selling them. Mrs. Ker-shman explained in an interview that “Itwasn’t all about money in those days:it was survival.”

Pedlars kept rigorously to theirscheduled routes, which meant thateach pedlar had an almost exclusiveniche of clients. These routes werelong. Louis Gunner travelled from hishome on Murray Street to what is now

Hintonburg, before heading south to theGlebe. He would then return north tosell his purchased scrap to the BakerBrothers on Scott Street in LeBretonFlats. In the 1900s, Lazarus Schecter,who lived on St Andrew Street, sup-ported his large family of eight by beinga recycling pedlar. He would start inCentretown, making a loop in Hull totravel south to Billings Bridge and then

back north on Bank Street.Customer pedlars provided a

unique form of service. Before the1960s, there was no credit available andmarried women spent their days athome, which made it difficult to buylarge items from the stores. A customerpedlar resolved both of these issues. Apedlar would go from door to door andvisit regular customers, carrying bun-dles of household goods such as towels,sheets and pillowcases. He sold theseitems on credit; a housewife would payin small installments of 25 or 50 centsa week. Often they would purchasemore items as time wore on and so cus-tomers continued to pay in weekly in-stallments. The pedlars would alsopurchase items from department storesor wholesalers at the request of the cus-tomer, putting it on his credit on behalfof the customer.

While some pedlars led very simplelives to support their families, othersmanaged to save enough to buy a stallin the ByWard Market or eventually ashop. Others were even more success-ful. Roger Greenberg, who peddledrags, bags and scrap metal, is a perfectexample of this. His wife Rose, at homeon Clarence Street, used the cotton

sugar bags that Mr. Greenberg collectedto produce linens and pillows. Whenthe Red River flooded in Winnipeg in1950, their bags were contracted for useas sandbags. The proceeds allowedthem to move into the real estate sector,and Mr. Greenberg’s sons were there-fore able to found the Minto Group in1955.

The work of a pedlar was by nomeans easy. Martin Saslove workedalongside his uncle, Sam Torontow, onSaturdays at the age of twelve. He waspaid one dollar per day peddling veg-etables, a workday that lasted fourteenhours. However, it was not all drudgery.Sam Gelman remembers how hisgrandfather, Lazarus Schecter, “lovedkibbitzing with people, he was veryfriendly and he became part of the com-munity entertainment.” They servedtheir mostly female clients, who wereexpected to be at home, caring for thechildren and homemaking. Lower-town’s Jewish pedlars were part of arich community in Lowertown and thecity of Ottawa as a whole.

Christina Williamson was the 2016LCA Canada Summer Jobs StudentThis story is based on interviews anddocumentation.

Jewish pedlars of Lowertown

Saul Tanner with his horse Blackie, peddling fruit on Bank Street (c. 1925).Reprinted with permission from the Ottawa Jewish Archives.

Louis Gunner and his horse (1955). Reprinted with permission from theOttawa Jewish Archives

By Michel Rossignol

Between 1912 and 1966, UnionStation, across the street fromthe Chateau Laurier, was Ot-

tawa’s main train station. This is wheremost travellers to Ottawa arrived be-cause in those days, the train was themain mode of transportation betweencities. It was also the place where mostof the immigrants who settled in Low-ertown during the first half of the Twen-tieth Century first set foot in Ottawa.

After a long journey by ship acrossthe Atlantic Ocean from Europe, wheremost of the newcomers came from inthose days, the immigrants were nodoubt impressed by the ornate interiorof the big train station with long marblestaircases leading up to the RideauStreet exit. In the 1920s and 1930s, theOttawa which greeted them when theygot outside of the station was very dif-ferent from the one we know today.Streetcars rumbled up and down Rideau

Street and you could see a movie atnearby cinemas for twenty cents. Tiredand a bit bewildered by the sights andsounds of their new city, the immi-grants, with just a few words of Englishand some help from passers by, tried tofind their way to the address on St. An-drew, Clarence or other streets of Low-ertown that friends or relatives hadgiven them. While walking through By-ward Market, they were no doubt im-pressed by the hustle and bustle of thearea where farmers, butchers, and ped-lars tried to attract customers. Some ar-rived at their new home where theywere greeted by friends and relatives,but others quietly faced challengesalone.

After arriving in Lowertown, lifewas not always easy for the newcomers,especially during the Great Depressionof the 1930s. There was more sadnessbetween 1939 and 1945, during theSecond World War, when many immi-grants went to Union Station to say

goodbye to their sons and daughterswho had joined the Canadian militaryand left by train on their way to basesoverseas.

While the building remains, it is nolonger serves as the gateway to Lower-town. It has been more than 50 years

since the last train arrived at Union Sta-tion. Since then, the building has beenused mainly as a government confer-ence centre. However, it soon will behome to the Senate of Canada whileParliament Hill undergoes a major ren-ovation.

Union Station: gateway to Lowertown

Photo of Union Station, on the right, and Rideau Street in 1929. Photogra-pher: F. C. Tyrell, National Film Board. LAC-047167



Par Michel Rossignol

Le cinéma fait partie de la vie cul-turelle de la Basse-Ville depuisplus d’un siècle. D’ailleurs,

depuis 1988, le Cinéma ByTowne offreune sélection de films qui viennent departout à travers le monde. Cependant,pour les cinéphiles francophones etfrancophiles de notre quartier, l’accèsaux films en français n’a pas toujoursété facile.

Malgré son nom, le ThéâtreFrançais sur la rue Dalhousie entre Yorket George a présenté seulementquelques films en français entre 1914 et1961, l’année de sa fermeture. Lagrande majorité des films étaient desproductions hollywoodiennes, surtoutdes films de cowboys comme PrairieLaw présenté en mai 1941. Cependant,je me souviens d’un samedi matin vers1960 où les films de cowboys habituelsn’étaient pas disponibles. On a doncprésenté aux jeunes dans la salle un filmpolicier de la France prévu pour lasoirée. La scène où une des actrices apris sa douche était assez différente decelles auxquelles moi et les autres je-unes cinéphiles étaient habitués. Ainsi,je peux confirmer que le ThéâtreFrançais a présenté de temps en tempsdes films en français.

Juste une rue plus loin du ThéâtreFrançais, au coin des rues Rideau etDalhousie, se trouvait le théâtre Rideauqui, entre 1931 et 1982, était surtoutconnu pour ses films hollywoodiens.Cependant, pour attirer la clientèle dela communauté francophone, on y aaussi présenté quelques films français à

la fin des années 1930. On y a notam-ment projeté en novembre 1936 le filmMaria Chapdelaine, une adaptationcinématographique du célèbre romanmettant en vedette la grande actricefrançaise Madeleine Renaud. Mal-heureusement, pendant la DeuxièmeGuerre mondiale de 1939 à 1945, il estdevenu difficile d’obtenir d’autres filmsde la France et, après la guerre, les ciné-

mas du quartier ont surtout misé sur lesfilms hollywoodiens pour assurer leursurvie.

Les choses se sont grandementaméliorées pour le cinéma en françaisen 1988 lorsque les propriétaires duCinéma Towne (auparavant le Linden),sur la rue Beechwood, ont acheté leThéâtre Nelson sur la rue Rideau et lui

ont donné le nom Cinéma ByTowne. LeBytowne présente des films qui vien-nent de toutes les régions du monde, ycompris les plus récentes productionsde la France. Aujourd’hui, alors queplusieurs quartiers d’Ottawa ont depuisfort longtemps perdu leur cinéma local,nous sommes très chanceux d’avoir lenôtre.

Les cinéphiles de la Basse-Ville

Rideau Cinema from http://urbsite.blogspot.ca/.

The O’Farrells: An Irish family in Lowertown By Marc Aubin, based on notes by

Allan O’Farrell

Allan O’Farrell’s grandfather,Michael Joseph O’Farrell, wasborn in Goresbridge, (Lower

Grange) County Kilkenny in 1816. Heleft Ireland in 1842 to settle in Mon-treal, where he worked as custodian atthe Geological Survey of Canada(GSC), under Sir William EdmondLogan. In 1880, together with his fam-ily, he moved to Ottawa, where he be-

came caretaker of the GSC Museum sit-uated on the corner of George and Sus-sex streets.

The Museum allotted him a house,which was situated in the yard at therear of the Museum on George Street.

In 1890, when Michael Joseph O’-Farrell Sr. retired, he purchased a homefor his now extended family at 167Murray Street, near St. Brigid’s Rec-tory.

This family included Michael O’-Farrell Jr., his wife Mary Jane (neeKelly), and eventually their five chil-dren: Allan, Bill, Michael, Rose andEdna. Michael Jr. was employed as anaccountant for Barney Slattery Ltd.,known as “purveyor in meats, fowl andvenison to the Governor-General.”

This business had two stores onYork Street in the ByWard Market, aswell as around eight more in the city.

The home at 167 Murray was large,and a grand place for dances on itshighly polished hardwood floors withLowertown’s well known Graziadei or-chestra.

Some Sundays, when there was achurch procession such as CorpusChristi, Holy Name or St. John the Bap-tist, the house was decorated with flags,bunting and strings of electric lights.

Allan had the distinction of beingthe first Irish lad to play the young John

the Baptist (with a lamb), due to hiscurly hair.

There were multiple other memo-ries of life on Murray Street. Allan re-membered running the gauntlet fromhome to St. Brigid’s and back again,battling the French kids going toGuigues School.

He could pick mushrooms with hisfather between the massive oak treesbordering the street.

He could drop into the lovely littlechapel connected with the Basilica andsituated next to Guigues School nearthe corner of Dalhousie.

He and friends were adept at climb-ing over the roofs, from King Edwardto Cumberland streets. When they gottheir first telephone in the house--Rideau 1598--service came from theRideau exchange at the corner of KingEdward and Besserer streets.

In 1924, Michael Joseph Sr. soldthe house to the school board next door,and Allan moved with his parents to anewly built home at 497 ClarenceStreet, at the corner of Charlotte. De-spite its being brand new, it never be-came the home that 167 Murray hadbeen!

O'Farrell Siblings from left Edna Michael Rose and William 1907

Michael O’Farrell 1816-1891


By Nancy Miller Chenier

The Ottawa River that bordersLowertown was the first majortransportation route that has

brought diverse peoples to our commu-nity. Indigenous peoples travelling onthe river assisted the French, the Britishand others who came to this place.

Some travellers came to stay inLowertown and some passed throughon their way to another destination. Inthe early days, the wharf below Major’sHill became the major entry point fornew arrivals. By the 1850s, the SussexStreet station of the Bytown andPrescott Railway provided a differentgateway. After it closed, newcomerswere awed by the new Union Stationbuilt on Rideau Street in 1912.

So who were Lowertown’s earlyimmigrants? Everyone knows thatColonel John By came from Englandwith his family. Our first Prime Minis-ter John A. Macdonald was born inGlasgow, Scotland, and his first lan-guage was Gaelic.

The first bishop of Ottawa, Joseph-Bruno Guigues, spoke no English whenhe arrived from France. Where wouldour community be if they had notcome?

All was not rosy for many of thenewcomers to Bytown. In addition todifferent languages and economic re-sources, some arrived in poor healthand carrying disease. In 1832, the land-ing point on the Ottawa River becameknown as “cholera wharf”. In 1847, justtwo years after their arrival in Bytown,Elisabeth Bruyère and the Sisters ofCharity set up a building to care forIrish immigrants with typhus.

Eventually in the 1860s, an immi-gration shed was built on the banks ofthe Rideau River close to the stationentry point. Here, health screening aswell as counselling about jobs and ac-commodation took place. WilliamWillis, himself an immigrant from Ire-land who had a successful business onSussex Street and a large stone houseon the site of the Connaught Building,was appointed as the first immigrationofficer.

People emigrated to Lowertown formany different reasons--jobs, refuge,reunification with family--and peoplewelcomed immigrants for many rea-sons. In the 1870s, when fifty healthyIrish girls of “good character” arrivedat the Sussex station to start a new life,families looking for house servants andmen looking for wives rushed to meetthem.

The first Italians arrived in the1850s and by 1908, families like that ofRocco-Antonio Graziadei attended spe-cial religious services in the small Mur-ray Street chapel of the Congregation ofNotre Dame du Sacre Coeur. In the1870s, many Germans arrived carryingtheir large feather beds. Local specta-tors were filled with curiosity and ad-miration for the way the beds foldedover to create a warm sleeping sack.

Despite the 1885 Chinese Immigra-tion Act that levied a $50 head tax onall Chinese immigrants, by 1895 WingMow advertised a first-class laundry at480 Sussex. Within a few years Lower-town had more than a dozen laundriesoperated by Chinese men living alone,with Dalhousie and Rideau streets aspreferred locations.

After 1922, when York Street Pub-lic School opened its doors, immigrantswho arrived with families found class-rooms reflecting the cultural diversityof the community. Norman Levine re-called his apprehensions when as a fiveyear old Jewish boy he walked to theschool from the family’s house on St.Joseph. On this first day, he could not

speak a word of English, having spokenonly Yiddish at home.

Lowertown continues to be a mul-ticultural community with a mix ofgroups with different languages andcultural identities. As in the past, Low-ertowners have the opportunity for in-ternational experiences without leavinghome.


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Au service de notre Communauté

By Nancy Miller ChenierIn 2016, Paul Barber was recog-

nized and commemorated when ashort segment of Clarence Street atBeausoleil Drive was renamed Bar-ber Street. At the time, the City ofOttawa noted that he was born intoslavery, and is believed to be one ofthe first black settlers in Ottawa.

As a young boy in Kentucky,Barber had learned to care for andthen train, ride and race horses.Soon after his arrival in Lowertownin the 1880s, he put his abilities as ahorseman into practice.

In addition to being a jockeyand a harness- horse racer, hetrained horses for members of theOttawa Horseman's Club and other

patrons. In 1905, he was hired as ahorse trainer for the Ottawa Police.

In 1892 Paul married ElizabethBrown, a white woman twenty yearsyounger who had come to Ottawafrom near Renfrew. This marriage,possibly the first interracial mar-riage in Ottawa, produced four sonsand one daughter.

The Barber family grew up inLowertown, living in the area nearthe renamed street. They attended StBrigid’s Church and the childrenwent to local schools, and in turnseveral raised their families here.Every year, grandson Tom Barberhonours the legacy of this Lower-town family during February’sBlack History Month.

Lowertown Legend: Paul Barber (1848-1929)

Lowertown’s early diversity

Paul Barber and daughter.



By Nancy Miller Chenier

In the fall of 2011, the Global Centrefor Pluralism announced that itwould occupy the heritage land-

mark building at 330 Sussex Drive. Atthe same time, the Lowertown commu-nity began a battle to save the morehumble heritage buildings at 273 to 279Sussex Drive from demolition.

As the stories of the buildingsemerged, the community recognizedthat they provided a symbolic “cornerof history” representative of Canada’srich cultural diversity.

It was at 277 Sussex where Adri-enne Clarkson, Canada’s twenty-sixthgovernor general, started her life inCanada in the 1940s as a child refugee.She witnessed the kindness of French-Canadian neighbours and the diversityof cultures at York Street Public School.

The home at 273 Sussex was builtin the same decade by Rosina Mandia,who emigrated from Sicily with herhusband in 1902. When Mandia arrivedin Canada she spoke no English orFrench, but even as a young widowwith seven children she operated a fruitstore at Dalhousie and St. Patrick forover 50 years. William Davis, wholived at 279 Sussex and fired the noon-day gun in Major’s Hill Park for over25 years, was a first-generation Cana-dian of Welsh and Irish descent.

The National Capital Commissionowned the buildings as part of the

“Mile of History” along ConfederationBoulevard and had agreed with the Cityof Ottawa that they could be demol-ished in order to widen the roadway andsidewalks. In 2013, after protests by thecommunity, the decision was changed,and the NCC agreed to relocate thebuildings on their respective sites. Thismeant that the only single-familydwellings remaining along this stretchof Confederation Boulevard would stillbe visible.

So now the people of Canada andinternational visitors can see the modesthomes of real Canadians preservedalong a ceremonial route dominated byinstitutional buildings. Here we havebuilt heritage as physical evidence ofCanada’s experience as a diverse andinclusive country. And now there is anopportunity to highlight the people andinstitutions that make our Capital Cityso special.

The National Capital Commissionpromotes the Confederation Boulevardas a “discovery” experience and has de-veloped multiple interpretation panelsexplaining the significance of the routeto pedestrians and cyclists. Perhaps vis-itors could be further engaged throughan extension of interpretation panelsalong this section of ConfederationBoulevard. There is a lovely spot nearthe end of Bolton Street overlookingthe Alexandra Bridge that could fill thegap between Major’s Hill Park and the

National Research Council.In combination with the Global

Centre for Pluralism, these residentialbuildings provide a unique opportunityto highlight some concepts that are notyet represented along the route. Let us

celebrate the mosaic of the immigrantexperience with the Poy and Mandiafamilies and the ceremonial link toClarkson as governor general and Davisas cannoneer for the noonday gun.Their stories provide examples of whatit means to be a Canadian.

How about a pluralism plaque on Sussex Drive?

Adrienne Poy Clarkson in yard of 275-279 Sussex 1940s

Cannon fired by William Davis at noon every day in Major’s Hill Park.

ANNUAL GENERALMEETING

Focus on immigration services

June 116:00 - 8:30 pm

Routhier Centre172 GuiguesEveryone is

welcomeMeet your neighbours, LCA

members and volunteers, elected representatives,

local business people and community organizations.

Door prizes!!!

Venez rencontrer vos voisins,les membres et bénévoles de l’association communautaire, les élus qui vous représentent, les gens d’affaires du voisinage et les membres d’associations communautaires. Prix de présence!!!

Interested in joining the Board of Directors?

Send us an email at [email protected]

by Friday June 8, 2018. Nominations may also be made

at the meeting.

Voulez-vous devenir membre du Conseil d’administration?

Envoyer-nous un courriel à [email protected] avant

vendredi, le 8 juin 2018. Vous pouvez aussi

poser votre candidature à la réunion.

ASSEMBLÉE GÉNÉRALE ANNUELLE Sujet : services pour les immigrants

le 11 juin 18h00-20h30Centre Routhier172 GuiguesTout le monde est le bienvenu

17h30–20h30 Portes ouvertes, expositions 18h00–18h45 AGA 18h45–19h10 Conférenciers et conférencières 10–20h00 Rafraîchissements et se réunir 20h00–20h30 Prix de présence

PROGRAMME PROGRAM Doors Open, Displays 5:30–8:30 pm AGM 6:00–6:45 pm Guest Speakers 6:45–7:10 pm Refreshments & Social 7:10–8:00 pm Door prizes 8:00–8:30 pm



Are you waiting for someday to talk about preplanning.

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It is time to make someday happen and contact Beechwood Cemetery about preplanning.

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Cont’d from Page 1The same day his op-ed was pub-

lished, the city planner in charge of de-veloping a new plan for the publicrealm in the ByWard Market, JillianSavage, made a presentation at themonthly meeting of the LowertownCommunity Association. During herpresentation she noted that the study didnot involve or include bylaw or zoningmatters.

That struck many in the room asodd given that one of the most persist-ent complaints by patrons and residentsof the Market is the lack of bylaw en-forcement. It goes without saying thatthe main contributor to pedestrian-con-gestion problems in the public realm isthe interpretations of zoning. Indeed,both these areas of City governmentseem blissfully unaware at times thatthere is such a thing as “the publicrealm.”

When Ogilvy Square — the publicspace to the east of the remodeledRideau Centre — was first introduced,

there were no provisions made forbenches or places for people to sit. Theargument was that the space had to beopen and flexible for staging publicevents. It took a concerted effort bypeople who worked at One Nicholas toget a few flimsy benches put in alongthe side of the Square away from theRideau Centre.

On the other side of the Square itwas a different story. The new JOEYRideau restaurant has put in an exten-sive outdoor patio. In the photo of theSquare, you might also note that themeager row of public benches stopsnear where a new pub is expected tomove in. Without a doubt it too willhave a patio extending into the Square.

The privatization of public placesis a real problem in this city. You willoften hear complaints about the situa-tion along Elgin Street, but nowhere inthe City is public space more disre-garded than in the ByWard Marketprecinct.

The City requires a sidewalk tooffer 1.2 meters of unrestricted passage.In most places, such as the suburbs, thatmight be ample. However, with thecrowds in the Market, a sidewalk thatsize is like having a one-laneQueensway with traffic attempting toflow in both directions. But of courseOttawa doesn’t adopt the same attitudetowards its roads as its sidewalks. Tomake a safety comparison, it’s like re-stricting the exit from a crowded theatreto one narrow doorway.

Without a doubt, patios make apositive contribution to the ambiance inthe Market. “The more the merrier,”some might say. However, the way thezoning laws applying to patios havebeen interpreted is ludicrous. Patioszigzag in and out depending on thedepth of the sidewalk at that point. If asection of the sidewalk is five metreswide, the patios will extend to four me-tres. If it widens to ten metres in places,patios will be allowed to extend to nine

metres and pedestrians will have to goaround it.

If there happens to be a sign or ahydrant in the middle of the sidewalk,that’s too bad — for pedestrians. TheCity seems to have forgotten there wasa reason for the wider sidewalks in theMarket. There are more pedestriansthere!

Every walkability study in theMarket conducted by or on behalf ofthe disabled has shown the sidewalksin places are impassable for wheel-chairs or people with strollers: and thatis when there is no one on the sidewalk.

Before the City studies how to usethe public realm, essential parts of thecity administration need to learn whatit means to respect it — somethingwhich its actions indicate it does not do.Certainly there are “public realms” cre-ated by the City that work well, theGeorge Street Plaza being a good ex-ample. But the issue is not the new pub-lic spaces it can create, the City needsto re-evaluate the appropriate balancebetween public and private of existingspaces and give back to the public thespace it needs and deserves.

Whether that means eliminatingparking and narrowing or closing roads,or re-establishing pedestrian space onexisting sidewalks is a matter for con-jecture. Right now, it’s a matter of con-gestion.

Privatization

People taking to the street to get past line-ups.

Ogilvy Square looking towardsRideau .

Hydrant in the middle of the re-duced sidewalk.



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SHOPPERSDRUG MART

By Lynda Cox

So far this year Ottawa has seenalmost 22% of its homes sell inmultiple-offer situations. This is

quite a change from last year’s 14%,and 8% in 2016. This indicates aseller’s market, that is low inventorywith plenty of buyers willing to paymore. Inventory overall is 23% lowerthis year than last.

Has Lowertown had any biddingwars this year? Absolutely. There havebeen 7 bidding wars so far.

That is about 12.5% of all sales andhere they are:

235 Bolton asking $524K,161 Bolton asking $499K,262 Murray asking $485K,263 Guigues asking $439K,3 Rose asking $400K, 134 York #402 asking $345K, 179 George #1405 asking $279K. All sold for more than their asking

price. This result is often achieved when

the seller chooses a more aggressiveprice from the suggested range ratherthan a bullish or higher one.

When a seller stays under a bigthreshold price which often goes in in-crements of $25K, and chooses $449Kinstead of $455K, or $499K instead of$520K then a larger buyer pool will betapped into and BINGO! you create aperfect opportunity for multiple offerspushing your selling price up to whereyou wanted without the long wait, thepossible price reductions, the often longnegotiations and the stress.

This phenomenon also happenswhen inventory is low and buyers areplentiful, which is our present situation.Sometimes asking price is irrelevant inthis type of market.

There are so many buyers that atleast one of them is prepared to go BIG.

What happens when a seller re-ceives more than one offer? Offer con-tent is only revealed to the seller andhis/her realtor.

Other interested realtors and theirbuyers are told only the number of of-

fers submitted, but with no indicationas to price offered or any other details.

Once all the offers are in and all ofthe agents are informed of the numberof competing offers, all buyers aregiven the chance to revise if they wishbefore their offer is presented to theseller.

It truly is a “blind auction”. Manybuyers attach personal letters and fam-ily pictures to try to gain more noticeand favour with the seller.

In the end, only one offer can bedealt with. Realtors know how to cre-ate this BUZZ; they delay offers, givingbuyers time to get their ducks in a row(financing and building inspectionsdone ahead of time) before the offerdate.

Buyers have a better chance ofbeing successful if their offer has noconditions.

We call that a cash offer. In the lastarticle I mentioned that sellers shoulddo a home inspection before going tomarket. This report is often relied uponif a buyer is competing.

As a realtor, I hate to see a SOLDsign go up the same day a property goeson MLS.

To me, the property was not ex-posed to the wider market, so the op-portunity for multiple offers was lost.Money might have been left on thetable.

If you are planning to sell this year,be prepared! It could happen to you.

Lowertown statistics from March8th to May 8th

Residential: 9 active Listings, 1conditionally sold listing, 6 soldlistings

Condominiums: 54 active, 8 con-ditionally sold, 11 sold

Condo sales are still leading themarket in Lowertown.

If you have any questions aboutreal estate in Ottawa drop me a line at

[email protected]

Lynda Cox is a Sales Representativewith Faulkner Real Estate.

Let’s talk bidding wars (a.k.a. Multiple-offer situations)

By Ted Lawrence and John Chenier

In this issue, we present the resultsof a perusal for topical items oncondo blogs.

The New and “Improved” CondoProxy is Out!

It may not be all that improved, butit is new and it does handle the matterof proxies more thoroughly.

Get an expert's view at http://con-doadviser.ca/2018/05/the-new-and-im-proved-condo-proxy-is-out/condo-law-blog-OntarioCan I BBQ on my Condo Balcony?

Check Your Municipal By-laws : Aquick research on your municipality’swebsite will easily provide you withsome guidance on whether BBQs arepermitted on balconies. Notably, thecities of Ottawa, Toronto, Mississaugaand London appear to have no by-lawprohibiting them. It is interesting tonote that both Toronto and Ottawa ac-knowledge that Condominium corpora-tions have the legal authority to prohibitbarbecuing on their property.

Find out more at http://condoad-viser.ca/2018/05/can-i-bbq-on-my-condo-balcony-2/condo-law-blog-OntarioProvincial Elections: What Are theRules on Canvassing in Condos?The Condominium Act

First, section 118 of the Condo-minium Act, 1998 is clear about can-vassing. This section provides that acondominium corporation cannot re-strict reasonable access to the propertyby candidates for election to the Houseof Commons, the Legislative Assemblyor an office in a municipal governmentor school board if access is necessaryfor the purpose of canvassing or distrib-uting election material.The Election Act

Section 89.1 of the Election Actgoes further and provides that no con-dominium corporation (or persons

under their control) may prevent a can-didate or his or her representative fromaccessing the common areas to distrib-ute election materials and perform elec-tion-related activities in common areas.

Having said that, access to the com-mon areas is subject to the following re-strictions;

The access must be between 9:00a.m. and 9:00 p.m., between Mondayand Friday, or between 9:00 a.m. and6:00 p.m. on a Saturday or Sunday;

At least one person seeking ac-cess must be at least 18 years of age;

Every person seeking accessmust, on request, provide valid identi-fication documents; and

Every person seeking access whois not a candidate must, on request, pro-vide valid written authorization fromthe candidate.

You will find more at http://con-doadviser.ca/2018/05/provincial-elec-tions-what-are-the-rules-on-canvassing-in-condos/condo-law-blog-OntarioElectrical vehicles

New Regulations arrived on May1st Respecting Electric Vehicle Charg-ing Stations in Condominiums

As electric vehicles become moreprominent on our roads, demand forcharging stations in condominiums willundoubtedly increase. We are now see-ing more and more new condominiumswith dedicated electric vehicle chargingstations. But what about existing con-dominiums?

The challenge is to allow for the in-stallation of electric vehicle chargingstations (for the benefit of electric ve-hicle drivers), but without having anunacceptable impact upon other ownersor the condominium property. To findout some of the Quirks check out.

http://davidsoncondolaw.ca/new-regulations-will-arrive-on-may-1st-re-specting-electric-vehicle-charging-stations-in-condominiums/

Condo Corner


LOWER TOWNLOWER TOWN

Flavours of LowertownCarribean

Chinese

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Italian

Japanese

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Thai

Taiwanese

Syrian

South Asian

Portuguese

North African

Moroccan

Mexican

Lebanese

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ECHO July - August 2018

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Le secteur ouest de la Basse-Ville

KEAvenue politics By Ana-Maria Tarres

A year ago there was chatter of a Down-town Truck Tunnel.

Now that the dust has settled, however, it seems that this may have been just a ploy in order to pacify those in Low-ertown that were extremely disappointed by the failure of efforts to finally get an eastern bridge built.

In 2013, in response to fierce opposition from the eastern part of the riding, our Provincial representative, Ma-deleine Meilleur, successfully lobbied against the proposal to build the “Kettle Island” bridge. Mme Meillieur’s replacement at Queen’s park, Nathalie Des Rosiers, has stated publicly that the Liberals have ear-marked funds for the Tunnel’s Environmental Assessment and intend to cover part of the building cost.

However, not a penny will be spent on this project until the city and the federal gov-

ernment agree to pay their share of the study.

Our Federal represent-ative, Mona Fortier, has not secured funding for the Envi-ronmental Assessment needed for the Truck Tunnel nor has she presented any other solu-tion. Recently, she told an in-formal community gathering that the federal priorities for infrastructure are for public transit and that obtaining fed-eral money for this project was highly unlikely.

Stop-gap measures

The City of Ottawa is cur-rently the only government body doing anything to alle-viate the harsh impact from the 900,000 heavy trucks that travel on KEA each year.

Councillor Fleury and City staff have met with com-munity representatives to dis-cuss temporary and perma-nent traffic calming measures. The temporary measures put

in place so far include a radar speed board and flex posts be-tween the right and middle lanes.

More permanent meas-ures - such as a permanent separator between the right and middle lanes, as well as restricting heavy trucks to the left lane could be implemented as early as next year if Council decides to make King Edward Avenue (KEA) a priority.

When it comes to pri-orities, it appears that these are chosen by City staff but Council can influence them. At this point, staff have indi-cated they will advise Council to make KEA a priority.

While residents welcome and look forward to the im-plementation of these traffic calming measures, the fact remains that KEA will con-tinue to act as an extension of a major highway instead of a vibrant and safe community destination for residents that it once was.

Solution to LT parking woesParked cars are a plague in some areas of the

city. The area around Lansdowne during a sporting event, communities near hospitals and those near government buildings like Lowertown can be inun-dated with commuters’ cars.

Compared to other cities, Ottawa has been slow of the mark in adopting strategies to combat the problem beyond prohibiting parking altogether. Slowly but surely, more nuanced approaches are being adopted through the city. As of May, 1 res-idents of Lowertown west who are willing to pay money to the city can now obtain permits for them-selves or their guests. Here is what the City has to say:

On-street residential monthly parking permits

The purpose of the Residential Parking Permit Program is to provide eligible residents and their out-of-town visitors in defined areas with special privileges related to parking on designated portions of a street or streets in that area. In general, the permit allows those eligible to park for periods in

excess of the otherwise stipulated parking period for their street(s), and to be exempt from the over-night parking ban during the winter months, sub-ject to some limitations and conditions.

Cost

The fees below are in effect as of April 1, 2018. Residents may visit any Client Service Centre to purchase an on-street parking permit. Refunds will not be issued for a period of less than 30 days before the expiry date. The cost of a replacement permit is $10.50 plus HST.

• The summer monthly permit will be available from April to November for $31 + HST per month

• The winter monthly permit will be avail-able from December to March for $143 + HST per month

• The annual permit for on-street parking is $660 +HST.

Beginning in April 2016, residents have the op-tion to pay for an annual permit with pre-authorized equalized monthly payments (Note. The pre-au-thorized monthly payment option for annual per-mits is only available at the City Hall Client Service Centre located at 110 Laurier Avenue West). Please note clients cannot cancel a permit purchased with pre-authorized monthly payments, for any reason.

Guest Parking Permit

The purpose of the Guest Parking Permit Pro-gram is to provide residents in defined areas with a special privilege that allows their guests to park for longer periods than otherwise permitted, subject to some limitations and conditions. The rationale is to provide a short-period guest parking solution in areas near high on-street parking generators such as hospitals or sports venues where tight parking re-

strictions such as “No Parking” or 1- or 2-hour time limit zones have been established to solve on-street parking violation problems.

The resident’s guests who is holding the Guest Parking Permit is allowed to remain parked in the defined Guest Parking Permit Zone that corre-sponds to the permit, up to a maximum duration of 3 hours, consistent with the general unsigned regu-lations in effect throughout the City. Some permits, given their Guest Parking Permit Zone, may specify a limited time period during which the permit priv-ileges apply.

Other than the special on-street parking priv-ileges specified by the permit, all other traffic and parking regulations apply.

Approximate cost

• 2018: $26.00 per year

For more information, go to: https://ottawa.ca/en/residents/transportation-and-parking/parking/parking-permits#guest-parking-permit

Juin - août 2018 ECHO Page 13

By John Chenier

The municipal services corpora-tion established to oversee themanagement of the Parkdale and

ByWard markets, Marchés d’OttawaMarkets, has been in place for fivemonths now. That’s just long enoughfor people to start wondering what theplans are to execute the mandate of thenew corporation.

According to Jeff Darwin, Execu-tive Director of Ottawa Markets, thenext move will be up to the City to de-cide. Ottawa Markets is about to sub-mit a five-year strategic plan which willcover the mandate of the next council.

That plan, which Darwin hopeswill be accepted by City Council at itsmeeting at the end of June, will go along way to determining the scope andpace of change that people can expect.

Leaving the Parkdale Market aside,at the moment Ottawa Markets man-ages the two city buildings in the By-Ward Market, 50 Byward and 70Clarence, as well as the public spacesadjacent to these properties, includingthe George and York Street plazas— es-sentially a large T shape (see map).

Its operations are self-financed,coming from the rent paid by tenants ofthese two buildings and rent from themarket stalls.

Missing from this list is the revenuefrom the most lucrative facility of all—the parking garage at the back of thebuilding between Clarence and York.

At an informal briefing with TheEcho, Darwin laid out the essence ofwhat the Corporation is proposing toCouncil. It does not include a detailedplan describing what they hope to

achieve or how they hope to achieve it.There is much consultation to be donebefore that part of the puzzle is com-plete.

Rather, the submission to Councilis Ottawa Markets’ list of things itneeds before any real change can takeplace. In order to proceed, managementsays it needs three things:

access to a better revenue stream(i.e., more money to do things);

a bigger and better defined areaunder its jurisdiction; and

delegated authority over that jurisdic-tion.

If the Market is to go back to the fu-ture, the main Market building must berepurposed, and to do that it will needto be refurbished. For both of these, thebuilding needs to be emptied of tenants,which means cutting off the mainsource of revenue. This is a seeminglyimpossible task even when the costs ofrenovations aren’t included.

Clearly something has to give onthe financing/revenue side, even for ashort while, if progress is to be made.The management team would preferthat to be in the form of a permanentrevenue stream (i.e., parking revenue)rather than an item in the City budget.

The issues and options are not soprecisely defined with respect to theother two requests — expanding thezone of control and delegating the au-thority to manage it.

The current sphere of influence is asmall part of what most would considerto be “the Market.” (see map). Yet, it isnot exactly clear what would be gainedby expanding the sphere beyond the

two buildings owned by the City andthe public space on the plazas. Not thatit shouldn’t happen; but the case has notbeen made, at least publicly, for why itwould be better to extend the territoryunder Ottawa Markets management.

The third item on the list seemsstraightforward. At the moment, Ot-tawa Markets management has no au-thority to enforce the rules which areoutlined in the complex bylaw govern-ing the Market. This bylaw, which hasbeen revised and added to over manyyears as disputes arose among Marketfactions, is now almost 60-pages long.Currently, when the management teamspots an infraction, it must call in abylaw officer from the City to enforcewhat are often confusing rules.

The new team wants the bylawthrown out and replaced by clear poli-cies and regulations reflecting modernconditions that it would develop andenforce. What those policies and regu-lations would be are as yet undefined.

Sound good?The City went through a long

process of harmonizing all the rules and

regulations that existed in the variousmunicipalities before amalgamation.The last thing it might want is a juris-diction in the City that can set differentrules for noise, on-street parking, ven-dor licensing and so on.

Something along those lines playedout recently when market managementwas going to require buskers in themarket to carry liability insurance.

The City, which has adopted a pol-icy encouraging music in the streets,demanded and got a retraction.

A middle ground will need to befound which gives market managementappropriate control over its territorywhile at the same time, not giving itcarte blanche to essentially turn the By-Ward Market into a place with a totallydifferent set of rules from the rest of Ot-tawa.

While it may not get everything itis asking for, the outcome of the Coun-cil meeting at the end of June shouldgive Ottawa Markets, the merchantsand residents a sense of how serious theCity is with regards to bringing aboutredirection to the ByWard Market.

Decisions on ByWard soon?

By Juliet O’Neill

Madeleine Cormier was in herearly 20s, studying fashiondesign in Montreal, when she

discovered a wooden head form in hermom’s closet. It was the only thing thathad survived a fire at her Aunt Si-mone’s hat shop in Edmundston, NewBrunswick.

She used the form to shape a furhat. “It’s almost magical that it hap-pened like this,” she says in an inter-view. “I liked fashion, but I neverthought I would make hats.” So her lifeas a milliner began.

When she got stuck, she would goto her aunt. “She always said ‘It’s sim-ple, Madeleine, it’s always simple. Andshe would give me the tricks of thetrade.’”

Chapeaux de Madeleine did startout simply about 25 years ago, whenshe made hats in her spare time in theevenings and sold them at a stall out-doors at the ByWard Market on Fridaynights and all weekend. “Crazywoman,” she says. “I would arrivehome Sunday night exhausted. My poorhusband. He’s the one who endured allthis.”

Her first millinery studio was

above what was then Mother Tucker’srestaurant on York Street. There was nowalk-by traffic, but the women whoneeded hats for galas and garden partiesknew where to find her. “I had all theembassies,” she explained.

Madeleine has always kept herbusiness in Lowertown. She had a glassoffice at Times Square, where so manypeople dropped by to chat that she hadto make hats in the evenings. Chapeauxde Madeleine now is in a luxuriousboutique with designer Frank Sukhooon Dalhousie Street, across from Bing-ham Park.

Both have their own businesses andtheir own clients, but sometimes clientsneed a new hat to go with a new gownor vice versa. That means one-stopshopping for some customers. And re-cently, the two artists collaborated onspectacular gowns and hats for the Ot-tawa Dance Directive’s appearance atthe gala opening of the Ottawa ArtGallery.

Madeleine, who misses her latehusband Allan, says she has alwaysfound the Lowertown communitysmall, close-knit and interested in sup-porting artists.

Madeleine’s creative inspirationcomes from many sources, such as the

weather, people, nature, photos in mag-azines. “Sometimes it’s unconscious.”Clients bring their own ideas and pic-

tures they’ve found online. Her cre-ations fit their personality and individ-ual style, and of course “you have torespect what they’re wearing.”

She makes hats for all kinds ofevents, from fancy parties to weddings,and for just wearing any time. Thisspring she has been so busy, it’s almosta production line, making hats and fas-cinators for royal-wedding parties at theChateau Laurier and the Rideau Club,among many other events. Her wellknown clients include Sophie GrégoireTrudeau, wife of the prime minister,and Sharon Johnston, wife of the previ-ous governor general.

Madeleine’s prices range from $65to $450. Some hats already made anddisplayed beautifully in the boutiquehave reference names. “The Eagle”looks like one when perched on theback of a model’s head. “The AudreyHepburn” speaks for itself, invoking theglamour of one of the world’s most el-egant women. She says hat styles fromthe 1950s and 60s are coming back intofashion. “You’re going to see a newtake on the pillbox hat.”

At that, Madeleine has to turn toher next creation and get it done to clearher decks for royal-wedding commen-tary.

Business Profile: Hats off to Madeleine

Madeleine Cormier



By Joel Weiner

How do you accumulate over 50years of experience in one ofthe ByWard Market’s most

iconic businesses and also have theconvenience of walking to work? Startby helping out on weekends at your fa-ther’s famous butcher shop whenyou’re just 11 years old, eventually takeit over and finally come to live in Low-ertown. That’s how John Diener be-come owner of Saslove’s Meat Marketand later a resident of our neighbour-hood.

It was in the late 1950s that Di-ener’s father, Nathan, already a juniorpartner at Saslove’s, bought the busi-ness but kept the founder’s name. Bythe mid-1960s, John was already famil-iar with some of the operations, havingspent parts of weekends and vacationsdoing odd jobs in the store. That routinecontinued as he progressed from ele-mentary school through to college,where studies in commerce gave way toa fascination with mainframes and, ul-timately, a successful career setting upcomputer systems for some of Ottawa’sleading companies.

In 1981, a now married John ac-quired Saslove’s from his father. A yearlater, he was joined by brother Joel.Today, the siblings have two outlets, theoriginal at 50 Byward Market and anewer one at 1333 Wellington StreetWest. Both shops are known for beingamong the city’s finest purveyors of topquality meat and game, along with anexpansive variety of sausages, poultry,fish, seafood and prepared foods.

Saslove’s also has the distinction ofbeing the last dedicated butchery in theMarket. “In my youth. there were atleast twelve, in addition to two grocerystores with meat counters and somestreet vendors who also sold beef.”John recalls. “Everyone shopped in theMarket in those days, so the amount ofmeat bought on those few blocks wasunbelievable by today’s standards.Every Monday, so many trucks woulddeliver supplies from the wholesalers toall the retailers and it would take themhours to unload.”

Nowadays, John notes, most cityneighbourhoods have supermarketswith large, modern meat departments,and Costco is another factor. “Thesebox stores have improved their meat,poultry and fish sections,” he acknowl-edges, “and they are convenient for cus-tomers, especially in areas that didn’texist before the city became as big as itis now. So, the Market is not the criticalshopping venue it used to be.”

In this context, Market retailershave to have a niche. For Saslove’s, thatmeans offering a broad range of topquality products, from such staples asground beef, steaks, roasts and chickento an array of specialty items includingboar, bison, venison, lamb and duck,many types of unique sausages, andprepared foods like chopped liver.

That strategy has obviously workedfor Saslove’s. “Customer still come tous in the Market from many parts of thecity,” says John, “and we’ve also bene-fitted from population growth in the im-mediate area. New condos on RideauStreet and in Lowertown are bringingpeople into the district, as are infills andrenovations. This is good for the city’shistoric core, and it’s also good for us.”

John and his wife, Dayra, are them-selves part of the influx. In 2008, whenthey were empty nesters after raising afamily in the west end, they purchaseda condo on Rideau Street and becameLowertown residents. Four years later,they moved to Murray Street. “Wechose to live in the Market because somuch of my life has been spent downhere,” explains John, “and we bothenjoy the character of the area. I lovebeing able to walk to work and we ap-preciate having all of the great thingsassociated with downtown living, suchas restaurants and theatre.”

In addition to being a businessman,John is also a noted genealogist. Formany years, he was on the board ofGesher Galicia, an international organ-ization dedicated to genealogical re-search related to the formerAustria-Hungarian province of Galicia.He still attends the annual conferencesof the International Association of Jew-ish Genealogical Societies, is vice pres-

ident of the Jewish Genealogy Societyof Ottawa and used to write a monthlygenealogy column for the Ottawa Jew-ish Bulletin. He also lectures on thetopic, in Canada and the United States.

“Genealogy is a passion of mine,”he explains. “I started working on a

family tree about 20 years ago and it’sgrown from about 100 people to wellover 3,000 today. I derive great satis-faction from finding relatives in differ-ent countries, developing relationshipswith them and uniting branches of thefamily that had no contact for decades.”

Meet your Neighbour: John Diener

Saslove’s owner - John Diener. (Photo by John McQuarrie.)

VISIT THESENSHOUSE.CA FOR MORE INFO /SENSHOUSEOTTAWA @SENSHOUSEOTTAWA @SENSHOUSEOTT

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Jeu-questionnaire de la Basse-ville #9-3 Lowertown Quiz #9-3

1. What are the names of the three schools in Lowertown?/ Quelssont les noms des trois écoles de la Basse-ville?

2. Which embassy in Lowertown will sponsor a flower exhibit inJune? Quelle ambassade à Basse-ville commanditera une exposi-tion de fleurs en juin?

3. What was the addresss in Lowertown of the little girl from HongKong who would become Governor- General? Quelle étaitl'adresse à Lowertown de la petite fille de Hong Kong qui allaitdevenir gouverneur général?

4. What positions are vacant on the LCA executive? / Quels postessont vacants au sein du Comité exécutif de l'ACB?

A winner will be drawn on July 1st from the names of all those who havesubmitted correct entries. The prize will be a box of chocolate valued at$25 from Cylie Artisans Chocolatiers located at 204 Dalhousie.Le nom d'un gagnant sera tiré au sort le 1er mai parmi les personnes ayantrépondu correctement. Le prix sera une boîte de chocolats d’une valeur de25 $ provenant de Cylie Artisans Chocolatiers situés au 204, rue Dalhousie. Submit your answer to [email protected] /Envoyez votre réponse à[email protected] Winner of Quiz 9-2/ Le gagnant du quiz 9-2 Diane Lamoureux



Par Patricia Balcom

Un mercredi ensoleillé j’ai ren-contré Mapole Abemba,Marthe Nault et Jo-Anne

Lalonde à École élémentaire catholiqueSainte-Anne. J’ai passé par descouloirs pleins de lumière et de dessinscolorés et monté au troisième étage oùnous nous sommes assis dans un petitbureau dans la bibliothèque. J’ai com-mencé l’entrevue avec la question «Quelles sont les premières langues devos élèves? »

« Pour répondre à cette question jedirais que l’École Sainte-Anne est mul-ticulturelle »

Au moins 80/186 des élèves à l’é-cole sont des nouveaux arrivants. Leurslangues premières sont diverses. SelonM. Abemba, parmi les pays africains ily a des étudiants qui parlent kirundi,kinyarwanda, swahili et lingala, et lesnombreuses langues de la Côte d’Ivoireet du Cameroun. Il y a aussi des Haï-tiens qui parlent le créole, mais la ma-jorité parlent également le français. Il ya des élèves qui viennent de la Russie,du Mexique, du Liban et de la Syrie, etdes anglophones qui sont venus desautres provinces. Leurs parents parlentfrançais et ils veulent que leurs enfantsapprennent le français.

« Je suis un pont entre l’école et lafamille »

Nous explique Mapole Abemba, letravailleur d’établissement (TE) à l’É-cole Sainte-Anne. Le processus pouraccueillir les élèves commence avecl’inscription. La secrétaire et la direc-tion inscrivent les familles dans l’écolede leur quartier. Une fois la famille in-scrite, le TE s’en occupe d’eux pour fa-ciliter leur intégration. Après avoir faitl’évaluation des besoins il aide lafamille à se connecter aux différentesressources dans la communauté. M.Abemba affirme que le système esttellement complexe que « si les famillesn’ont pas une personne pour les en-cadrer et les accompagner, [pour] fa-ciliter leur intégration, ça peut devenirun petit enfer parfois. »

Mme Lalonde ajoute le rôle du TEest très important : Ces gens-là nousaident énormément. Sans eux ça nefonctionnerait pas. ».

« Alors ça dépend de l’éducationqu’ils ont reçue dans leur pays. »

Il y a deux programmes offerts auxnouveaux arrivants. Pour ceux qui ontsuivi leurs études en français dans leurpays d’origine mais pour certainesraisons ne peuvent pas suivre le pro-gramme régulier, l’école offre le cur-riculum PANA (Programme d'appuiaux nouveaux arrivants). Il y a égale-ment le programme d’actualisation lin-guistique en français (ALF) pour lesélèves dont la langue du foyer n’est pasle français et qui ont peu de connais-sance du français.

En ce qui concerne le classementdes nouvelles et nouveaux élèves, MmeMarthe Nault, qui s’occupe de PANA etALF pour les élèves de 4e à 6e année àl’École Sainte-Anne, explique qu’il y ades enseignants itinérants qui évaluentles enfants en lecture et en mathéma-tiques lorsqu’ils arrivent. (MmeLalonde est actuellement une de cesévaluatrices.) Parfois il y a des élèvesqui n’ont pas eu beaucoup d’instructiondans leur pays et il faut les mettre àniveau, mais ce n’est pas toujours lecas. Mme Nault raconte : « aujourd’huij’ai reçu deux élèves du Burundi qui enmathématique et en français sont au-delà des attentes. » Elle explique quepour les élèves qui suivent le curricu-lum PANA le conseil scolaire reçoit unesubvention du Ministère d’Éducationpendant quatre ans pour qu’ils puissentatteindre le niveau de compétence ap-proprié. Pour les enfants qui arrivent àl’école sans pouvoir parler le français etqui suivent le programme ALF, le con-seil scolaire reçoit une subvention pen-dant sept ans.

Les services offerts aux élèves etleurs familles n’arrêtent pas avec lesservices scolaires et les services du TE.Il y a une friperie qui offre des vête-ments. Une fois par mois il y a unsouper à pizza gratuit pour les enfants

et leurs familles. Une bénévole offrele petit déjeuner à l’école à tous lesmatins ou les enfants peuvent prendredu jus, des fruits, les céréales, du lait etmême des crêpes.

Les élèves sont un atout à l’écoleparce que « on voyage sans même pren-dre l’avion ».

Mme Nault explique que les en-fants racontent leurs histoires et leursexpériences dans leur pays. Non seule-ment les autres enfants mais aussi lesenseignants apprennent beaucoup. Lemois des noirs est célébré à l’école defaçon « grandiose », avec des specta-cles de la danse des pays des élèves.Les enfants vont dans les foyers pourles personnes âgées et ils leur font descartes. M. Abemba constate : « Commeles enfants viennent de différents paysqui amènent différentes idées et dif-férentes connaissances je pense que çaenrichit aussi pas seulement l’école, passeulement la communauté je pense quela société canadienne globalement. »

« On appelle l’école la porte tour-nante »

dit Mme Nault, « parce que lesfamilles arrivent, ils restent deux mois,ils trouvent un logement dans un autreendroit. Donc ils nous quittent. Les en-fants ont beaucoup de peine de nousquitter. » Mme Lalonde, qui a enseignéà l’École Samuel-Genest avant de pren-dre sa retraite, ajoute : « Ils ont eu leurpremier attachement à l’école.

On leur a tellement donné, offert,que ces enfants se sont attachés, puisnous aussi nous sommes attachés. »Mme Nault explique que dans la classede 1ere année neuf 9 étudiants sont par-tis pendant l’année et neuf nouveauxélèves sont arrivés. « Alors vous voyezque c’est vraiment une rotation contin-uelle. » elle conclut.

Je laisse le dernier mot à M. Abe-mba. « École Sainte Anne, c’est uneécole communautaire. Il y a beaucoupde programmes qui encadrent la com-munauté.

J’apprécie beaucoup le travaild’`équipe, la direction, le personnel,une bonne organisation. Et les enfantssont vraiment contents. »

Sainte-Anne: Une école communautaire

Mur en face du bureau de direction à L'École Sainte-Anne (Photo by PatBalcom)

The Lowertown Community Resource Centre helps build a safer and more vibrant community! Programs and activities for Lowertown residents:

D Children 0-6 and parents: playgroups, parent support

D Youth ages 6-21: homework club, summer day camp sports

D Adults and families: counseling, crisis intervention D Seniors: zumba, yoga, swimming, social activities D For all: internet access, gardening, food assistance,

clothes bank, volunteering opportunities, help with housing, and much more!

Visit our site (www.crcbv.ca)

Le Centre de ressources communautaires de la Basse-ville contribue à bâtir un quartier plus vivant et plus sécuritaire ! Programmes et activités pour résidents de la Basse-Ville :

D Enfants de 0-6 ans et parents : groupes de jeux, programmes de soutien

D Jeunes de 6 à 21 ans : club de devoirs, camps d’été, sports D Adultes et familles : counseling, intervention en situation de crise D Aînés : zumba, yoga, natation, activités sociales D Tous : accès à internet, jardinage, dépannage alimentaire, banque

vestimentaire, occasions de bénévolat, aide au logement, et bien plus !

Veuillez visiter notre site web (www.crcbv.ca/fr) pour en apprendre

Vous êtes invités!

Assemblée générale annuelle du CRCBV

Mercredi 20 juin 2018 17h à 19h

240 Friel (au salon) You are invited!

LCRC’s Annual General MeetingWednesday June 20, 2018

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2018 june_Echo Front 18-05-25 9:09 PM Page 15


Cont’d from Page 1“We want them [our clients] to

know that this is a safe place; they don’thave to be afraid,” she said in an inter-view. “And we want to inspire hope.Some of them have lived in refugeecamps for many years and have losthope for themselves, but they have chil-dren and we want to motivate them toknow that not only are their childrengetting a better chance once they startlife in Canada, but parents as well cango to school, learn a language; they canget a job, they can live a normal life, notto give up, to have hope.”

Resilience and determinationMaison Sophia shows wear and

tear and could use a fresh coat of paintand window washing, but nobodyseems to notice. A plaque in the entryhall defines the spirit of the place in asimple passage from the Bible: “I wasa stranger and you welcomed me.”

The children have brought Abebe,due to have her own second child inJune, the greatest joy at work she loves.“These days it takes a lot to get childrenexcited but simple things make thesechildren happy,” she said, recalling howthey fought over handmade stuffedbears from a church community group.

The City of Ottawa’s municipal im-migration strategy 2016-2018 said Ot-tawa takes in about 2,000 refugeesannually, or five per cent of all in thecountry. An extra 2,000 Syrian refugeeswere welcomed in the city in 2016, withMaison Sophia expanding to three ho-tels to provide transition services.

Few if any of the refugees fromMaison Sophia stay to settle in Lower-town, Abebe said, as they generally

need less expensive housing to start outand often prefer to live in neighbour-hoods with other families of similarbackgrounds. Most of the current gov-ernment-assisted refugee residents arefrom Syria, the Congo and Burundi.Three years ago, the largest group wasfrom Iraq.

They would certainly be welcometo live in Lowertown, if a sign in a yardone street over is anything to go by:“No matter where you are from, we’reglad you’re our neighbour,” says thelawn sign in French, English and Ara-bic.

Last year, 380 government-assistedrefugees stayed at Maison Sophia whenthey first arrived. The Catholic Centrefor Immigrants explains that govern-ment-assisted refugees are selectedfrom abroad by the federal governmentand resettled to Canada, with financialsupport for up to a year after arrival.

Another 200 people claimingrefugee status stayed at Maison Sophialast year. These are people who claimedrefugee status in Canada and were re-ferred by the City of Ottawa for emer-gency shelter.

They may make their claim forrefugee status at the Ottawa airport orat a border crossing or while on a touristvisa and have nowhere to stay, for ex-ample.

Toughest challenge is languageThe workshops provided to resi-

dents include housing, health andsafety, budgeting money, living inCanada, community services and fam-ily life. There are multilingual presen-tations, with staff speaking English,French, Arabic, and Swahili, with inter-

preters for other languages coming in asnecessary.

The toughest challenge for virtuallyevery refugee at Maison Sophia islearning a new language, Abebe said.

That is followed by culture shockand finding a job. The children becometotally fluent within a year, and oftenhelp their parents, if they’re still strug-gling, by translating and interpreting.

Some of the children who come toMaison Sophia were born in refugeecamps. One 20-year-old resident ofMaison Sophia had never been outsidea camp before the flight to Canada. An-other had never used a toilet before.

Abebe asks us to share the qualitiesthe refugees bring with them: “re-silience, adaptability, new perspectives,experience and determination.” Manyof them stay in touch after they move

on, she said, to tell of success and to saythanks.

At Christmas, people donate toys toMaison Sophia’s children. Abebe saidtoys are welcome at any time during theyear, as are children’s books, pencils,notebooks, backpacks, socks, andtoothbrushes. There is nowhere to storefurniture or other large items, and usedclothing is not accepted.

Volunteers may offer to help onfield trips with the children and witharts and crafts or story time in the class-room. There have been as many as 16children at Maison Sophia. At time ofwriting there are only four children,among them a 15-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl, neither of whom has everbeen to school.

To deliver a donation or to offervolunteer time, please call ahead 613-789-4338.

Maison Sophia

Hiwot Abebe from Maison Sophia. (photo by Juliet O’Neill)

By Patricia Balcom

Since it first opened in 1922, YorkStreet Public School has been awelcoming place for immigrants.

Liz Mackenzie, who attended York StreetSchool in the 1950s, recalled that manyfellow students had come from camps fordisplaced persons in Europe.

These students were confronted withtotal submersion in English, with no ac-cess to modern ESL classes. The servicesavailable to immigrant students have im-proved considerably over the years sincethe school opened, helping it to remain ahaven for newcomers.

Mary Buceta, an English as a SecondLanguage (ESL) teacher at York StreetSchool, is an immigrant herself. She cameto Canada as a three-year-old, in the1960s.

She failed Grade 3 because there wasno ESL program at her school. She was“just thrown in”; there were no specialiststo help her, and her parents spoke no Eng-lish. “I didn`t have a good time. So I un-derstand these kids.”

I met with Ms. Buceta in her second-floor classroom at York Street School, along narrow room with two round tables,one with a game of Scrabble on it. Thereare posters on the wall, and the low book-shelves are crammed with books and

games. “I`ve seen a lot of waves of people”Ms. Buceta told me that at the mo-

ment her students’ countries of origin in-clude Syria, Russia, Kazakhstan andAlbania. Not all are immigrants; childrenfrom the various embassies in Lowertownalso attend, including Romania and Viet-nam. Roughly half of the students at theschool are new Canadians. Because shehas been teaching at York Street for closeto 25 years, she has “seen a lot of wavesof people” coming and going.

Currently none of her students havehad no schooling before arriving inCanada, although in the past there havebeen “people … that were in refugeecamps and had limited schooling. I`vehad them but that`s been a while.”

Similarly, she has two students thisyear with “zero English”; most have avery basic knowledge, expressions like“Hello” and “How are you?”.

The ESL program “depends on theneeds of the students.”

Because it is a continuous-intake pro-gram, the students vary. “Sometimesthere may be a group of students whodon`t have enough English to follow whatis going on in the regular classes so are“withdrawn” to spend time with Ms. Buc-eta. She explained that as their English

improves they spend all of their time intheir classroom, where their program ismodified “so that they can follow the reg-ular mainstream programme.” Ms. Buc-eta can see up to 15 or 16 students in a day,all at different levels.

“If … any parents want to speak tothe teachers we can use him as an inter-preter”

Ms. Buceta then described the role ofthe multicultural liaison officer (MLO).The officer at York Street School is So-mali, and when needed he can interpret forstudents and parents who speak Arabicand Somali.

There are also MLOs at other schoolswho can be called upon if she needs some-body who speaks another language, suchas Russian or Vietnamese.

“It`s an upward battle for some ofthem but they really try.”

To answer the question of how longit takes children to integrate academically,Ms. Buceta explained that Jim Cummings[Professor in the Department of Curricu-lum, Teaching, and Learning at OISE,University of Toronto] maintains that foran immigrant child it takes 5 – 7 years toget to the academic level of the child bornin Canada. She noted that they pick up in-terpersonal skills very quickly, but thatthere are gaps in their academic vocabu-

lary and skills. “They come from a different per-

spective.”In response to the question “In what

ways are your students beneficial to theother students and to the school” Ms. Buc-eta responded that “the first thing they startdoing is teaching each other words of theirown language.”

She added that: “They bring differentideas. … When they`re in the [regular]classroom they have another way of think-ing so they can bring another perspectiveinto the class.” She added that there aresometimes multicultural dinners at theschool, where the families bring differentfoods.

The children teach each other wordsin their own language, and support eachother. “My little group now, they all likesoccer … and when a new person comesthey`re very welcoming. Soccer’s inter-national.”

As York Street School approaches its100th anniversary (which will be in 2022)its walls will continue to tell stories of themany waves of immigrants it has wel-comed.

With notes from Miller Chenier, N.(2013). York Street Public School cele-brates 90 years in Lowertown. The Low-ertown Echo, 3.3, p. 3.

York Street Public School: Welcoming immigrants for over 90 years



Par Vera Etches, médecin chef ensanté publique et résidente de la Basse-Ville

La Basse-Ville est le plus vieuxquartier d’Ottawa et il demeureun secteur vibrant et dynamique

de la ville. Santé publique Ottawa(SPO) travaille directement avec lapopulation de la Basse-Ville ou enpartenariat avec des organisations lo-cales pour aider les résidents à atteindreleur plein potentiel de santé.

Que fait Santé publique Ottawa?Nous sommes un service de la Villed’Ottawa qui prévient les maladies etles blessures en diffusant des messagessur la promotion de la santé et en of-frant des services dans les cliniques.Santé publique Ottawa protège aussi lasanté en menant des inspections et enappliquant des règlements visant à ren-dre notre milieu de vie plus propice à lasanté.

Les priorités actuelles pour laBasse-Ville, comme pour le reste de laVille d’Ottawa, sont la saine alimenta-tion, la vie active, la santé mentale et latoxicomanie. Les infirmières de Santépublique Ottawa visitent les familles dela Basse-Ville afin de favoriser la crois-sance et le développement des enfants.

Nous travaillons de concert avec des or-ganismes partenaires pour partager del’information sur la santé mentale et at-ténuer les effets sur la santé des sub-stances comme l’alcool, la nicotine, lecannabis et les opiacés.

Notre démarche consiste en grandepartie à examiner les facteurs détermi-nants de la santé d’une personne. Cesfacteurs incluent le revenu, l’instruc-tion, l’emploi, le sexe, la culture et l’en-vironnement physique.

Que savons-nous sur le quartier dela Basse-Ville? L’Étude de quartiersd’Ottawa révèle que les immigrantsreprésentent 27,2 % de la population dela Basse-Ville et que 5,2 % de ces im-migrants sont arrivés entre 2006 et2011.

Bien qu’un peu plus de la moitiédes immigrants viennent d’Europe, desimmigrants d’Afrique, d’Asie du Sud,de l’Est, du Sud Est et du Centre-Ouest,des Antilles, du Moyen-Orient etd’Amérique latine, centrale et mérid-ionale constituent la population riche etdiversifiée de notre quartier.

La Basse-Ville compte un plusgrand nombre de résidents à faiblerevenu par rapport à la moyenne d’Ot-

tawa (28 % c. 12 %) et un pourcentageplus élevé d’aînés que les autressecteurs d’Ottawa (55 % c. 26 %). Parailleurs, nous savons aussi que de nom-breux aspects de la Basse-Ville con-tribuent à la santé des résidents. Eneffet, certaines des attractions les pluspopulaires d’Ottawa se trouvent dans lequartier ou à distance de marche et parcomparaison aux autres quartiers d’Ot-tawa, un plus grand nombre de rési-dents de la Basse-Ville se rendent autravail à pied ou à vélo.

Les nombreux parcs du quartier of-frent des possibilités de faire de l’activ-ité physique et de tisser des liens avecla collectivité en toutes saisons. Parailleurs, les résidents peuvent se pro-curer des aliments sains dans des com-merces locaux à proximité ainsi qu’auMarché By.

Les services offerts par Santépublique Ottawa dans la Basse-Ville in-cluent :

• La clinique de santé sexuelle deSanté publique Ottawa située au179, rue Clarence. Outre des serv-ices de santé sexuelle, Santépublique Ottawa offre des servicesd’injection supervisée sept jourssur sept, un programme d’échange

d’aiguilles et la fourgonnette mo-bile du programme SITE qui offredes services de réduction des mé-faits aux clients à travers la ville.

• Des cliniques d’immunisation à laYork Street Public School et à l’é-cole secondaire De La Salle. Descliniques mensuelles d’immunisa-tion sont aussi offertes au refugefamilial du YMCA à proximité.

• Des hygiénistes dentaires se ren-dent dans les classes d’anglaislangue seconde tous les printempspour offrir sans frais des examensdentaires pour les jeunes enfantsainsi que de l’information sur lasanté dentaire aux nouveaux ar-rivants.

Santé publique Ottawa aime re-cevoir vos commentaires et encourageles résidents de la Basse-Ville à prendrepart aux prochaines séances de planifi-cation stratégique de Santé publiqueOttawa qui auront lieu cet été et audébut de l’automne. Les résidents peu-vent suivre Santé publique Ottawa surles sites suivants : santepubliqueot-tawa.ca, etreparentaottawa.ca, lelienot-tawa.ca, [email protected],@ottawasante (Facebook, Twitter,YouTube et Instagram).

Une perspective de santé publique surles nouveaux arrivants de la Basse-Ville

By Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health and Lowertown resi-

dent

Lowertown is the oldest part of Ottawa and con-tinues to be a dynamic and vibrant part of thecity. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) works di-

rectly with residents of Lowertown or in partnershipwith local organizations to support residents toachieve their full potential for health.

What does OPH do? We are a department of theCity of Ottawa that prevents disease and injury bysharing health promotion messages and offering serv-ices at clinics. OPH also protects health, by conduct-ing inspections and enforcing regulations in an effortto make the environment we live in more supportiveof health.

Current priorities in Lowertown, as in the rest ofthe City of Ottawa, are healthy eating, active living,mental health and substance use. OPH nurses visitfamilies in Lowertown to support healthy growth anddevelopment. We work with partner agencies to sharemental health information and address the health ef-fects of drugs such as alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, andopiates.

Much of our approach involves looking at the fac-tors that can determine a person’s health. These fac-

tors include income, education, employment, gender,culture and the physical environment.

What are some of the things we know about ourLowertown neighbourhood? The Ottawa Neighbour-hood Study data shows that immigrants make up27.2% of the population of Lowertown, with 5.2%having immigrated between 2006 and 2011. Whilejust over half of immigrants come from Europe, im-migrants from Africa, South, East, Southeast and WestCentral Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East andLatin, Central and South America make a rich and di-verse population in our neighbourhood.

A higher proportion of residents in Lowertownlive in low income than the Ottawa average (28% vs.12%) and a higher proportion of seniors live alone inLowertown than in other areas of Ottawa (55% vs.26%). We also know that Lowertown offers many as-pects of our community can help us be healthy. Someof Ottawa’s most popular attractions are within thecommunity or within walking distance and more res-idents in Lowertown walk or bike to work than resi-dents in other areas of Ottawa. The neighbourhood’snumerous parks provide opportunities for physical ac-tivity and community connectivity in all seasons andhealthy food is accessible at nearby local stores aswell as the ByWard Market.

Some of OPH services offered in Lowertown in-clude:

• Ottawa Public Health’s Sexual Health clinic islocated at 179 Clarence St. In addition to sexualhealth services, OPH also offers supervised in-jection services seven days a week, a needle andsyringe program, and the mobile Site van whichoffered harm reduction services to clientsthroughout the city.

• OPH offers immunization clinics at York StreetPublic School and De La Salle SecondarySchool. Monthly immunization clinics are alsooffered at the YMCA family shelter nearby.

• Dental hygienists visit English as a Second Lan-guage (ESL) classes every spring to provide freedental screenings for young children and dentalhealth information to newcomers.

Ottawa Public Health values feedback and en-courages Lowertown residents to participate in ourupcoming strategic planning this summer and earlyfall. Residents can connect with OPH at:

OttawaPublicHealth.ca, ParentingInOttawa.ca,TheLinkOttawa.ca, [email protected], @Ot-tawaHealth (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Insta-gram).

Public health perspective on newcomers in Lowertown

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By Micheline Shoebridge

For the 8th year in a row, theMASC Awesome Arts programhas enriched the lives of Lower-

town residents. Awesome Arts is a com-munity-engaged program that allowsparticipants of all ages to explore issuesimportant to their community throughthe arts. Held in partnership with com-munity organizations (LowertownCommunity Resource Centre, Patrod’Ottawa, Ottawa Community Hous-ing, Centre de services Guigues andYork St. PS), Awesome Arts offers anexciting series of workshops for differ-ent age groups that culminate in a pub-lic celebration. This year, the Festivaltook place at the Patro on May 25 from6-9pm.

The Awesome Arts Festival bringsthe community together for an eveningof celebration during which the partic-ipants share their creations. The Festi-val also features professional artists,inspiring the entire community to re-main connected with the arts and the is-sues. The program has also beenoffered bilingually as Awesome Arts enfolie.

In November 2017, the MASCAwesome Arts program was awardedthe International Spotlight Award pre-sented by the American National Artsand Humanitites Youth program. Alongwith 12 exceptional organizations fromacross the United States, MASC wasthrilled to receive the United States'highest honour for after-school arts andhumanitites programs that reach under-served youth.

* * * * *

Pour les dernières 8 ans les rési-dents de la Basse-Ville on eu leplaisir de participer dans le pro-

gramme Arts en folie de MASC. Artsen folie est un programme d’engage-ment communautaire qui permet auxrésidents d'explorer les enjeux impor-tants pour eux à travers les arts tout encréant des liens, en brisant l’isolementet en incitant les gens à s’impliquer

d’une manière positive dans leurquartier. MASC offre Arts en folie enpartenariat avec les programmes sco-laires, les organismes et les centrescommunautaires (Centre de ressourcecommunautaire de la Basse-Ville, Patrod’Ottawa, Logement communautaired’Ottawa, Centre de services Guigues,école York). Le format consiste en unesérie d'ateliers qui culminent en unecélébration publique.

Arts en folie est une source d’inspi-ration pour toute la communauté et per-met à celle-ci de tisser des liens entreles résidents à travers les arts.

En novembre 2017, le programmeArts en folie a reçu le prix National Artsand Humanities Youth Program 2017,volet international, décerné par le Na-tional Endowment for the Arts desÉtats-Unis, le National Endowment forthe Humanities et le Institute of Mu-

seum and Library Services en collabo-ration avec la National Assembly ofState Arts Agencies. Il s’agit du plusgrand honneur accordé à ce type de pro-grammes aux États-Unis, soit des pro-

grammes axés vers les jeunes quiutilisent les arts et les sciences hu-maines pour développer leur créativité,les aidant du même coup à se forger unmeilleur avenir.

MASC Awesome Arts

Puppet and mask theatre with Rag & Bone Theatre

Support your businessSupport your community

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Livres écrits par ou à propos des résidents de la Basse-ville

Cette colonne met en vedette quelques livres qui rendent hommage à l’expérience de

nos résidents passés ou actuels. Cette édition présente des livres écrits en français.

Ottawa, lieu de vie français (2017). Sous la direction d’Anne Gil-bert, Linda Cardinal, Michel Bock, Lucie Hotte et François Charbonneau, cet ouvrage traite des transformations urbaines et des façons pour les fran-cophones d’Ottawa de penser et de construire leur ville, à partir des an-nées 1960, creuset d’idées et d’actions qui moulent encore aujourd’hui la vie française de la capitale. Les chapitres 2 et 3, respectivement écrits par Car-oline Ramirez et Rosalie Thibeault, portent en particulier sur la commu-nauté francophone de la Basse-Ville.

Ste-Anne d’Ottawa : une belle aventure humaine (2013) est un recueil d’anecdotes, d’histoires et de photos sur la Basse-Ville Est d’Ottawa. Initié par Marcel Séguin et impliquant un collectif d’auteurs, le projet met l’ac-cent sur la vie dans le territoire franco-

phone de la paroisse Ste-Anne à partir des souvenirs des résidents passés et actuels.

Sur les chemins de ma mémoire : un écho de la Basse-Ville d’Ottawa (2011), écrit par Jacques Faucher, marie l’histoire officielle et personnelle. Fau-cher grandit dans la Basse-Ville, ayant fréquenté la cathédrale Notre-Dame, les écoles Guigues et de La Salle et té-moignant de la vie quotidienne de la communauté francophone du quartier.

Henri Saint-Jacques : promo-teur et défenseur de la culture cana-dienne-française en Ontario (2006) est un récit de souvenirs familiaux écrit par sa fille, Thérèse Saint-Jacques. Henri Saint-Jacques (1884–1974) qui a vécu au 113, rue Lower Charlotte était un avocat cherchant à mieux défendre les droits des franco-phones de l’Ontario. Saint-Jacques a joué un rôle important dans l’enquête judiciaire de 1939 sur la gestion des soins donnés aux quintuplées Dionne.

À LA RECHERCHE de nouveaux membres du conseil d’administration

L’ACBV dit au revoir à quatre administrateurs très travaillants. Il y a un an, l’Association avait fait ses adieux à son ancienne secrétaire, Sarah Bonesteel, qui avait démissionné. Il en résulte que cinq nouveaux mem-bres du conseil d’administration doivent être recrutés impérativement.

Nous devons remplacer : Ted Lawrence, trésorier; Thierry Harris, directeur des médias sociaux et des communications; John Chénier, vice-président; et Liz MacKenzie, directrice du patrimoine. Il nous faut également un(e) secrétaire. Un grand merci à nos administrateurs sor-tants. Vous avez contribué à bâtir une association communautaire forte et dynamique.

Le travail n’est pas trop ardu, mais comprend une ou deux rencon-tres mensuelles ainsi que la gestion d’un nombre modéré de courriels. Les élections se tiendront lors de l’Assemblée générale annuelle le 11 juin. Vous êtes invités à présenter votre candidature. On peut retirer énormé-ment de satisfaction à promouvoir et mettre en valeur notre communauté de la Basse-Ville.

Communiquez avec Liz Bernstein, présidente de l’ACBV, à [email protected]

Arts in the summerWorld premiere of new comedy

Just down the Rideau River from Lowertown, nestled in the lush greenery of Strathcona Park is one of Ottawa’s longest running theatre companies, Od-yssey. This year Odyssey Theatre’s outdoor stage will be host to a world pre-miere of Lysistrata and the Temple of Gaia, a new comedy by award-win-ning Toronto writer and director David S. Craig, from July 26-August 26 of this year. The play is inspired by Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, which was origi-nally performed in Athens in 411 BCE. Lysistrata is one of the oldest plays in Western comedy. It features a well-known and often-imitated plot device: the women of Athens go on a sex strike to convince their partners to stop a war.

Lysistrata and the Temple of Gaia takes the familiar story in a new di-rection. It is the year 2118 and climate change has made the world inhospi-table.But, for the humans of the future, it’s easy to dismiss all of this as “just the weather.” Easy, that is, until an ancient goddess named Gaia appears and threatens to destroy all humanity unless they promise to take better care of the planet. The women agree, the men refuse, and a classic battle of the sexes ensues.

Shakespeare in the parkInspired by the rogue Elizabethan players that once entertained audiences

out of doors and at the Globe theatre, a Company of Fools has been delighting audiences all across Canada since 1990 as Ottawa’s original professional Shakespeare company.

This year the Company of Fools 16th Annual Torchlight Shakespeare will feature Twelfth Night. Directed by Bronwyn Steinberg the play will be staged in park venues across the city from July 2 to August 18th. Showtime: Mon-day-Saturday 7pm plus Saturday matinées at 2pm! Admission is Pay-What-You-Will – suggested donation $20

All Monday nights will be held in Strathcona park. The remainder of the schedule will be posted in June. Go to http://fools.ca or check out Company of Fools @Foolsottawa #shakespeare #twelfthnight.

The Ottawa Fringe Festival June 14-24Fringe Festivals trace their roots to Scotland when in 1947 several theatre

companies not invited to participate in the first Edinburgh International Fes-tival staged shows on the fringe of official venues, setting up wherever they could find space, finding audiences by word of mouth, and succeeding (or failing) on the strength of their talents alone.

The Ottawa Freinge Festival has grown considerably since it begasn 21 years ago. This year, plays will be staged at ten venues:

BYOV A - LIVE! on ElginBYOV B – NAC Rossy PavilionBYOV C - Knot Project SpaceBYOV D - Arts Court LibraryVenue 1 – Arts Court TheatreVenue 2 - ODD BoxVenue 3 – Academic HallVenue 4 – Studio Léonard-BeaulneVenue 5 – La Nouvelle Scène Gilles Desjardins - Studio BVenue 6– La Nouvelle Scène Gilles Desjardins - Studio ACheck out the program at www.ottawafringe.comFestival franco-ontarien, du 14 au 16 juinLe Parc Major’s Hill Spectacles. Damien Robitaille, Porn Flakes, Alex Nevsku, Yao, Jacobus et même les Petites Tounes. Matinée familiale 16 juinInformation: http://www.ffo.ca/Continued on page 20


Add some harmony to your day: Visit the Sogetsu Ikebana Exhibition at the Embassy of Japan

By Elaine Sigler

Since its arrival on Embassy Row in Lowertown, the Embassy of Japan in Canada has regularly sponsored a variety of arts and cultural events, including martial arts, films and ike-bana. On the weekend of June 23-24, the Embassy of Japan will once again host the Annual Ikebana Exhi-bition, presented by Sogetsu Ottawa, the local branch of one of the major ikebana schools of Japanese flower arranging. “Harmony”, the theme of this year’s exhibition, is open to visi-tors, who will experience breathtaking beauty, a unique photo opportunity and an assault on the senses that will both surprise and delight.

Ikebana is the common term used for a Japanese flower arranging. Over a thousand different schools of ike-bana exist today and their disciplines are practiced in Japan and around the world. The two main groups prac-ticing in the Outaouais region are the Ohara School, with its traditional approach, and the more avant-garde Sogetsu School.

The philosophy underlying ike-bana recognizes that while plants and flowers are beautiful in their own right, they can be arrayed and dis-played with people’s help to make them even more appreciated. Japanese flower arranging brightens, colors, and

gives life to the environment in ways that vary with changing surroundings, seasons and placement. The Sogetsu School believes that anyone can do ikebana arrangements anywhere, with almost anything. It encourages Ike-bana students to be individual and im-aginative, as people are different from each other.

The Ottawa branch of the Sogetsu School, which was founded 1996, has exhibited annually at the Japanese Embassy for the past 15 years. This collaboration provides a venue for tal-ented local Sogetsu ikebana artists to create unique floral arrangements, and gives the community an opportunity to see this amazing traditional Japa-nese floral art form.

If you are walking in Lowertown on Saturday June 23 or Sunday June 24, drop in to the Embassy of Japan, located at 255 Sussex Drive, to visit the Sogetsu Exhibit. The official opening of “Harmony” will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 23, 2018. The ex-hibition is free and open to the public. The hours are Saturday, June 23, from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Sunday, June 24, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. You will be amazed and awed by what Ot-tawa’s talented group of Sogetsu ike-bana artists can create with floral ma-terial.

Events, continued from page 19

Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival June 21-24Vincent Massey ParkA cultural experience of indigenous cooking, music and sanceOttawa Jazz Festival June 21 to July 1Venues, Confederation Park, Marion Dewar Plaza, Lisgar Field, National Arts Centre Fourth Stage, and First Baptist Church. Headliners include Herbie Hancock, Alison Krauss, and Boz Scaggs.Information: https://ottawajazzfestival.com/Canada Day July 1 No information posted as yetOttawa Bluesfest July 5 to July 15Lebreton FlatsHeadline performers include Bryan Adam s, July 5, Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), July 6th and Blue Rodeo, July 12Information: https://ottawabluesfest.ca/Ottawa Chamberfest July 26 to August 9Venues : Dominion-Chalmers United Church, École Secondaire Publique De La Salle, National Gallery Of Canada, National Arts Centre, Mississippi Val-ley Textile Museum, St. Joseph’s Parish Church, Ottawa City Hall, La Nouvel-le Scène Gilles Desjardins, Beechwood CemeteryInformation: http://www.chamberfest.com/concerts/Greek Fest August 9 to 19th1315 Prince of Wales DriveRound out summer by spending an August evening immersed in Greek cul-ture.

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