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.

Rink Closed after a Good Season!

From Paul O. on Facebook on March 6th 2025, with some edits for space:

Hanging up the gear for another year as the Champlain ODR is now closed. Mother Nature has been good to us as we only had to close briefly during one warm spell.

Thanks for all who use our facilities – families, St. Georges School, lunch time old boys hockey, after school kiddies and teenagers at night.

Just want to put out a huge thanks to our tireless crew. Not everyone sees this but there are 3 guys in particular who have put in literally dozens of hours to maintain the ice. My gratitude to Rod, Derek and Long for their dedicated service. Many others deserve thanks including Kevin(s), Stuart, Gerry, Tomas, Andrew and more. And a shout out to Aimee and Emery for organizing all the supervisors who helped organize, shovel and keep things safe – thanks to you all.

Looking forward to another good year in 25/26.

Snow and Sidewalks

For a bit of winter amusement, here are pictures of Daniel Avenue after the recent 60cm snowfall, one part of the avenue has sidewalks, and one doesn’t. Notice how the sidewalk road is hemmed in by snow banks, because the sidewalks prevent the snow from being pushed onto lawns.

[Daniel Avenue South with less Road Space due to Sidewalks]
Southern end of Daniel Avenue, with sidewalks and not much road remaining.
[Daniel Avenue North with more Road Space]
Northern end of Daniel Avenue, with more road space. Cars can even pass here!

And finally, I can hear you complaining to the city that the snow needs to be removed, and a day later we see this:

[Daniel Avenue North with Snow Removal Signs]
Snow Removal Signs Sprouting on Daniel Avenue.

And that’s what winter snow looks like on the streets in our neighbourhood in 2025.

Champlain Park Ping Pong Club – February 20

Hi all,

The second meeting of the Champlain Park community association ping pong club is on this Thursday, 7 to 9 pm. All levels of skill are welcome.

[20250206 First Meeting of the Ping Pong Club at Champlain Park]
First meeting of the Ping Pong Club at the Champlain Park Fieldhouse, February 6, 2025.

A few notes:

  • Kids should be accompanied by adults
  • We now have 3 ping pong tables and a hyperpong table!
  • Bring your paddle & balls but we do have extra paddles and balls.
  • There is no cost but you do have to be a member of the Champlain Park community association: you can sign up at Membership Application

I look forward to seeing you there.

Nick Xenos
chparkevents@yahoo.com

Cancelled: Community Association Board Meeting Agenda – February 25

Too many people are out sick or have to be away on other activities, so we’ve cancelled this meeting. Hope we have time to get through this somewhat large agenda at the next meeting!

Champlain Park Community Association (CPCA) Board Meeting

Tuesday, February 25, 2025
7:00 PM via Google Meet
Everybody Welcome

Agenda items are limited to 5 minutes unless otherwise requested.

This is a meeting of the CPCA Board of Directors. Champlain Park Community members are welcome to attend, if you would like to propose items for discussion, to ask questions, to organize an event or activity, or to learn more about the issues affecting our community.

Activities and Issues must fall within our community plan/areas of operation in order to be addressed by the CPCA. You can write to the webmaster champlainpark@gmail.com to request a link to join the meeting and/or to connect you with the appropriate Board member for information and guidance including how to submit a Community Project Proposal.

  1. Approval of Minutes
    1. October, January meeting minutes
    2. AGM meeting minutes
    3. Discuss privacy issues
    4. Posting meeting minutes
  2. Interim Motions
    2025 Enviro Educational Activities Approved – Funds TBD
  3. Proposed Zoning By-law, Draft 1:
    FCA Planning & Zoning concordance done re: concerns raised by CAs and city responses. Ottawa CAs have raised many of the same issues regarding the proposed new ZBL. They are getting virtually identical non-answers, or no answers at all, to the issues that they’ve raised. FCA is considering options to address this.
  4. Traffic Safety committee – survey and other matters – Bill
  5. Tunney’s Pasture Transportation Plan – Joanne
  6. Champlain Park History Book Update – Alex
  7. Association Business – Lynne
    1. Review revised Objectives for Articles
    2. Brief Orientation to Board Processes, including revised CPP process and reminder about financial processes
    3. CPIP Insurance Update
    4. Annual Corporate Return
    5. Minutes for Committee Meetings Required by ONCA – Suggest brief written/oral summary provided of topics and decisions to attach to or include in Board meeting minutes
    6. Use of Google Meet for committee meetings – Bill
  8. Other business
  9. Next Meeting March 24-27?
    Likely this meeting will include a discussion on spending of some of CPCA funds (Discuss process/framework for how to spend funds – not the final decision on spending).
    Lynne – Circulate the financial report before the next meeting.
    Nick has some thoughts about how to structure the discussion; others invited to share their thoughts on structure also.

Agenda last updated on February 18 17:00. Please contact the secretary to add topics.

Games Night – February 13

Come and join us for a fun community Game Night! Spend time with friends and neighbours and play games at the Field House on Thursday February 13 from 7-9 pm. See the original post for details.

One of the volunteers is coming out early to shovel the path to the door, so games night is still on despite the snow storm!

Last month, I tried my hand at Rummikub, a game strangely similar to the Harry card game my late aunt played. Though with different starting rules: Harry requires you to draw cards until you can make a first move (you may end up with a huge hand full of cards), Rummikub has you draw one tile per turn when you can’t make a starting move.

[Rummikub game box]

[Huge Rummikub tile collection]
One unlucky player in our Rummikub game couldn’t make a starting move (lay down 30 points of tiles) for maybe a dozen turns! They collected this pile of tiles which still wouldn’t build up to 30 (3 different colours of the same number or 3 of the same colour in a number sequence).

– Alex

Snow Storm and Parking Restrictions – February 13, 14

Via Bill B. of the traffic committee…

Good afternoon residents of Champlain Park. Please see the following message from the City of Ottawa. Of particular interest are the times of the parking bans. I would also discourage everyone from parking on the streets until the cleanup has been completed in our neighbourhood, even if they are outside the parking ban hours, to allow the city do their work without obstacles.

City of Ottawa – Significant Weather Event declared

Environment Canada has identified hazardous weather from Wednesday, February 12 until Thursday, February 13. As a result, the City of Ottawa has declared a Significant Weather Event. The Roads and Parking Services team will be out maintaining the City’s sidewalks, roads and the winter cycling network, but it will take longer than usual to restore them to regular conditions.

There will be two back-to-back winter weather parking bans called. The first will be in effect from 10 am to 7 pm on Thursday, February 13 and the second will be in effect from 10 am to 7 pm on Friday, February 14.

During a winter weather parking ban, parking is prohibited on city streets so crews can plow easily and effectively. Vehicles parked on the street during a ban may be ticketed and towed. Though on-street monthly parking permit holders are exempt from this restriction when they are parked in residential parking permit zones, we encourage those who can to find off-street parking options to avoid getting snowed-in.

[more at https://www.ottawa.ca/en/parking-roads-and-travel/roads-sidewalks-and-pathways/snow-plowing-and-clearing]

Garden Club – February 11

Just a reminder that the Garden Club meeting (Tuesday February 11, 7pm) will be a talk and slideshow on Phenology by Master Gardener Rebecca Last.

Phenology is the study of how the seasons affect the life cycles of plants and animals. Rebecca will focus on how climate change is affecting the life cycles in the plant world.

Drop in fee $5.00.

[Garden]

Vintage and Valentine’s Show – February 9

Champlain Park Vintage and Valentine Show – this SUNDAY

Unlike past years when the sale was on Saturdays – this year the sale is on SUNDAY FEBRUARY 9 from 10-3 at the Champlain Park field house.

There is a lovely selection of vintage clothes, shoes, handbags, cashmere, home decor.

If you are able please bring a donation for Parkdale Food Centre. They are in need of cooking oil, peanut butter, pasta sauce, canned beans, shampoo, toothpaste/toothbrushes.

[Vintage and Valentine Show 2025 Poster]
20250209 Vintage and Valentine Show.pdf

Ottawa Centre All Candidates Debate – February 20

An all candidates debate for the provincial riding of Ottawa Centre is scheduled for Thursday February 20, at the Glebe Community Centre. It’s located at 175 Third Avenue (at Lyon Street South). Doors open at 6:30 pm with the debate starting promptly at 7:00 pm. It’s also being streamed on Rogers and YouTube.

[Poster for All Candidates Debate]
2025 Ontario Provincial Election Ottawa Centre All Canidates Debate.pdf

The event is organized by Glebe Community Association, Centretown Community Association, Old Ottawa South Community Association and Old Ottawa East Community Association.

Election Day is Thursday February 27th

[Cardboard ballot box for an Ontario provincial election]
Photo from Elections Ontario, which has more information about the election, including when and where to vote and examples of accepted ID. See https://www.elections.on.ca/.