Author: AGMS

I'm a game programmer, doing pretty much everything (from Wii, Kinect to iPad). On the side, just for fun, I write file systems (for the nifty BeOS/Haiku operating system) and experiment with metadata.

The Royal Mental Hygiene Challenge

From https://mailchi.mp/theroyal/mental-hygiene-challenge, #MentalHygieneChallenge

Joining us is easy! Just take 10 minutes every day throughout March 2022 to do simple, research-based activities that support your mental health. These 10 minutes can be done all at once, or broken up into shorter intervals – it’s up to you!

It’s fun, it’s free, and no special equipment or skills are needed.

Sign up below and you’ll receive:

  • a list of mental hygiene practices that are easy to do, recommended by mental health experts at The Royal
  • a free digital calendar to track your progress
  • links to helpful resources and how-to videos
  • an invitation to our virtual launch event on March 1 to help inspire and motivate you!

The goal here, of course, is to see how you feel after 31 days of practice. And who knows? The small changes you make might be the beginning of a big boost for your mental wellness.

Also see The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre Facebook Group for the Challenge.

Here is a nugget of information from their Good hygiene for your mental health article:

Start your own your mental hygiene practice today

Guillaume Tremblay recommends spending at least ten minutes every day doing one of the following activities. (Pro tip: if you choose an activity you enjoy – and do it at a time that fits your schedule – you are much more likely to stick with it over the long term.)

  • Meditation or mindfulness exercises (there are many free apps and podcasts to guide you)
  • Focused deep breathing
  • “Prosocial” prayer (with themes of thanksgiving, praying for others, gratitude)
  • Journaling (writing about positive experiences or expressing gratitude)
  • A walk in a natural setting

You can also combine activities, such as taking a walk in the woods while thinking about the things for which you are grateful or listening to an “eyes open” mindfulness meditation. As Tremblay writes: “These kinds of deliberate and intentional exercises foster cognitive patterns conducive to well-being.”

Notice to Residents: Coyote Sightings

This is a notice asking residents to be vigilant when working, exercising, or playing outside, particularly when and where children and pets are present.

In recent weeks (February 2022), there have been several reports of one, or several, slightly emboldened coyote(s) in the immediate area. More specifically, closer to the wooded areas along the SJAM Parkway; at Remic Rapids; at Tunney’s Pasture (see photo below); and near Island Park Dr. where it intersects the SJAM Parkway.

[Coyote standing and staring sideways at you]

While the CPCA has heard no reports of outright aggressive behaviour by the animal(s), witnesses have noted they are less timid than what would normally be expected, and at least one of them is on the ‘larger end of the spectrum’ for a coyote.
Continue reading “Notice to Residents: Coyote Sightings” →

Crossing Guards Needed

Subject: Urgent Need for Crossing Guards in Champlain Park
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2022 18:00:41 +0000
From: stephanie dotto <stephanie.dotto@ottawasafetycouncil.ca>

[Poster with a crossing guard photo and some text]

Good Afternoon,

I am with the Ottawa Safety Council, the local non-profit that runs the Crossing Guard program and I need your support. We are currently experiencing a guard shortage and reaching out to the community for help in keeping our kids safe.  This directly impacts your residents as we risk not having crossing guards to keep children and other members of your community safe during the hectic time before and after school.  We think your members would make great Crossing Guards and it’s a fantastic way to give back to the community while supplementing ones income.
Continue reading “Crossing Guards Needed” →

Champlain Park Winter Trail Donation

The Champlain Park Community Association has donated $500 to support the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail. It fits several of our community goals, from being a welcoming neighbourhood to civic engagement. It’s nice to see the trail being used to such a great extent by our neighbours and the larger community of Ottawa.

The recent path extension to Scott street gives easier access. Some houses on Northwestern have garden gates that lead directly to the trail, possibly something real estate agents would like to mention. 🙂 For the rest of us, the trail conveniently threads through the rinks in our park and has a turn-around loop at the Champlain Park fieldhouse, though that would be more useful after COVID has abated when we can open the fieldhouse changing room.

[Presentation of the Champlain Park Community Association donation cheque to Dave Adams of the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail]
Presentation of the Champlain Park Community Association donation cheque to Dave Adams of the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail. Left to right: Kris Phillips (our local shovel elf), Dave Adams (trail founder) and Adrian Bradley (our local trail maintainer). Note the Trail Heads team t-shirts they’re wearing. Some of our Champlain Park rinks are in the background.
[Big cheque leaning on business end of the grooming equipment]
The $500 donation cheque leaning on the business end of the grooming equipment. In person that bright LED light is quite blinding, but then it’s needed for night grooming. You just have to go and flatten the snow when conditions demand it.
[Grooming equipment, new skidoo #3 made possible by donations]
Some serious grooming equipment, new skidoo #3, and the somewhat expensive gasoline supply are made possible by donations. Champlain Park Puddle Rink is in the background.

Occupation and Hintonburg

From the Hintonburg Community Association via Jeff Leiper’s newsletter #297:

In the last week we have heard some very troubling reports of residents in Hintonburg being harassed on the street and feeling unsafe. We were made aware of incidents Thursday & Friday at our primary schools.

Since Tuesday the Hintonburg Community Association has started some evening walks in the community and Friday we had a presence near each of our primary schools. We are providing extra eyes on the street and a quiet presence on the street at certain times of the day with our Walks for Safety.

If you have some time to help for an hour or so over the next few weeks, we would appreciate your help. Please contact the HCA at info@hintonburg.com.

If you witness or are aware of any illegal activity being committed by convoy participants or organizers, please report them to the following: Police 613-236-1222, x7502 (dispatch); x5015 (Hate crime hotline); x7300 (file a report); ottawapolice.ca. Call 311 for any by-law issues.

How to become Carbon Neutral

Champlain Park and climate change – how to become carbon neutral and climate-resilient

Local impacts of climate change

Champlain Park is feeling the impacts of climate change already, for example there is increased extreme weather such as hotter summers, more ice storms and icy sidewalks, more freeze-thaw cycles, more extreme rainfall and river flooding, increased vector-born pests such as ticks carrying lime disease in our woods and the spread of the emerald ash borer and of course there are impacts on our vegetation and wildlife as the climate gets hotter.

Want to do your part for the climate and be carbon neutral and climate-resilient?

All of us can do our part, so in addition to ensuring that your elected officials know that climate change is a priority and encouraging governments and companies to take action every individual can take direct action to lower their own carbon footprint.

Here’s some tips on how to get there. Your carbon footprint essentially comes from 3 things: from the heating and electricity for your house, how you get around and what you buy. Generally options include being more energy efficient and/or switching away from fossil fuels (natural gas, oil, gas) to electricity for heating/transportation.
Continue reading “How to become Carbon Neutral” →

Carlington Community Health Centre Nominations

via Heather…

Subject: Call for Nominations
Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2022 16:05:28 +0000
From: Communications <communications@carlingtonchc.org>

Carlington Community Health Centre’s Governance & Internal Affairs Committee has put out a call for nominations for candidates for election to the Board of Directors at our AGM in June.
Continue reading “Carlington Community Health Centre Nominations” →