No Messing around: Spring Cleanup 2013

Champlain Park goes green and clean on Saturday, April 27, 2013

The last weekend in April is Capital Cleanup Weekend, and Champlain Park needs volunteers.

This annual tradition is a chance for neighbours of all ages – kids, teens, and adults – to get together and help spruce up the neighbourhood.

This year we’ll meet at the fieldhouse Saturday, April 27 at 10 a.m. Juice, coffee and cookies will be served. There is a map so that people can choose an area to work on. We’ll wrap up by noon. In case of rain, we’ll meet instead on Sunday, April 28.

The designated cleanup areas are the south side of Premier above the transitway; the boulevard on Northwestern and the path at its north end; and the areas along the fence on Patricia and Pontiac. It can also include the area along the river at the foot of Carleton, or any other public spaces you think could use some help.

We recommend wearing pants and long-sleeved shirts. Wear appropriate footwear and bring gloves. The City will provide garbage bags.

The Keyworth School Age Program has adopted Champlain Park and the students of St. George School are doing a great job cleaning it each spring and fall. Thanks go to them.

Now it’s time for the rest of us in the neighbourhood to do our part. Last year 42 people showed up – a wonderful turnout.

If you have any questions or suggestions, call Andrea Murphy or Ian Reid at 613-715-9504.

Upcoming Zumba dates for Fitness & Family classes

For more Zumba class details please see the Zumba Fitness home page.

ZUMBA FITNESS:

Thursday, April 18th 7-8:00 – $10 drop-in

Thursday, May 2nd, 7-8:00 – $10 drop-in

Thursday, May 30th, 7-8:00 —-> Charity class for the Parkdale food centre with participants contributing a donation instead of the drop-in fee.

FAMILY ZUMBA (for parents and kids age 6-12)

Friday, April 19th, 6-7:00 – $15 parent/child pair

Friday, May 17th, 6-7:00 —-> Charity class for the Parkdale food centre with participants contributing a donation instead of the drop-in fee.

Lights out! Earth Hour tonight 8:30-9:30pm

Turn off your lights tonight from 8:30PM – 9:30PM to participate! our Earth will thank-you!

It’s nearly that time again, and Earth needs you! Turn off your lights tonight night from 8:30PM – 9:30PM and join the millions of people around the world that want to take a stand against climate change.

If you’re still looking for ways to celebrate the hour, for example visit the Wild World Fund (WWF) and check out their our Team Earth Hour Playbooks. They’re full of ideas that individuals, schools, businesses, and communities can use to fight climate change during the hour and all year round.

It’s also not too late to share a personalized Cheerspirational reminder with your friends! Together we can make this Canada’s best Earth Hour ever.

Calling all young artists for Young at Art 2013

Visual artists between 12 to 19 years of age as of January 1, 2013 who live or go to school in Ottawa are eligible to enter Young at Art.

Wouldn’t it be fantastic if a young artist from Champlain Park won this?

Young at Art is a juried art exhibition that brings the work of young visual artists to local art galleries across the City of Ottawa. The exhibition, held annually since 1996, represents a tremendous opportunity for the public exhibition and recognition of the creative efforts of these young local artists. Creators of accepted works will have their pieces displayed in a community gallery – often near where they live – and are eligible for a number of prizes and awards contributed by the City of Ottawa and Young at Art Sponsors.

For deadlines, registration, and program details please refer to the Young at Art Details

How to Prepare your Artwork for Gallery Exhibition : Tips and pointers to prepare and present your artwork for exhibition.

Zumba Fitness is coming to the Fieldhouse

We are happy to introduce ZUMBA fitness to the Champlain Park community!

ZUMBA Fitness is a fun, dance cardio workout that combines many different rhythms including salsa, merengue, hip hop, samba and many more into an energetic hour of fitness. No partners and no experience needed. Come out and give it a try!

You will have so much fun that you won’t notice how much you are sweating. Just wear comfortable clothes and running shoes.

A FREE introduction class will be offered at the Champlain Park Field House on Thursday, April 4th from 7:00-8:00.

Following this class, and depending on the level of interest, semi-regular Zumba classes will be offered at a rate of $10 drop-in, every second Thursday.
If there turns out to be a group of participants who are interested in a regular weekly session, we will try to run this in the fall, subject to space availability.

If you are interested in joining the Zumba fun at Champlain Park, you can just show up for the FREE class on April 4th or email Shannon at zumba@live.ca or 613.746.7446 if you have any questions.

We will also be offering a fun Family Zumba class that kids and parents can enjoy together! Stay tuned for a date …..

Instructor:
Shannon Kaya, licensed Zumba Fitness, Zumbatomic, and Zumba Toning instructor, with over 15 years experience as a dance instructor.

Discussions on improvements in the Park! All are welcome!

We’re talking about Park Improvements!

Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. in the Fieldhouse

Residents are invited to speak with Councillor Katherine Hobbs about ways to enhance Champlain Park, and discuss a proposal to redevelop the Northwestern Avenue median as a small linear park. Money for park improvement and creation will be provided from the Cash-in-lieu of Parkland fund, to which developers contribute each time that they build new housing.

Please send your comments and ideas to Councillor Hobbs at: katherine.hobbs@ottawa.ca. Please c.c. Heather Pearl at: pearhea@aol.com

The meeting will be divided into two parts.

1) Proposals to enhance the community Park

What do kids think is needed to make their park more fun? Teens? Parents? Older people? To get the ball rolling, here are some proposals that residents already are making:

A playground aficionado is requesting better monkey bars and a splash pad.
A parent wonders if there might be a way to access the Fieldhouse washrooms from the outside, e.g. with a code?
Celebrate the community’s human and natural history with an installation at the Fieldhouse. Daniel Buckles and Debra Huron have done great work to rediscover our community’s history. There’s a link between our community and Samuel deChamplain’s astrolabe, which could be incorporated into the installation. Bur oaks always have been an important feature of this area. We have access to a large slab from the bur oak that was felled on Northwestern Ave. in 2011. It too could become part of this installation.
Build a gazebo, to be used as a small bandstand or stage/performance space.
Install outdoor exercise stations, or an exercise area, with chin-up bars, etc.
Put in some benches, bins and water fountains

More ideas are welcome!

2) Proposal to redevelop the Northwestern Avenue median as a park

The concept would be to create what is called a “Passive Park”. Passive parks can be for contemplation. They do not have to be wide or have pathways. They may have gardens and some benches. Parks such as this are very common in European cities.

In this case, the trees planted in the median would be better protected than they are now, more trees could be planted and the city could have a landscape architect design appropriately-scaled gardens. The park would be cared for.

Currently, the median, is not being cared for. Trees on the median are being bashed, broken, crushed and smothered by heavy equipment, trucks and piles of debris from construction activity. If the median becomes an official, landscaped park, this will be far less likely to occur

Champlain Park residents, and residents living on Northwestern Avenue in particular, are invited to comment and participate. There will be public consultation on any proposed design for a Northwestern linear park.

Family Day Skating Party on the Rink of Dreams

Monday, February 18, 2013
11:00am-2:00pm
Ottawa City Hall

Ontario Providing More Opportunities for Sport and Recreation

Dear Friends,

Ontario is helping people of all ages and abilities get active, stay fit and live healthier.

The Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund is now accepting applications for 2013-2014. This fund will enable eligible local, regional, and provincial sport and recreation organizations to implement innovative programs and services that:

Increase opportunities for participation in sport and recreation;

Educate Ontarians about the important role physical activity plays in their health; and

Provide training in areas such as coaching, youth development, and volunteer development.

Building a more active province can directly contribute to positive economic and social outcomes such as increased labour force productivity, improved student achievement and the social strength of individuals and communities.

The Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund replaces the Healthy Communities Fund which previously funded integrated health promotion projects. Please note that the Statement of Interest deadline for provincial projects is February 6, 2013, and the application deadline for both provincial and local/regional projects is March 19, 2013. The application is attached for your use.

Supporting healthy, strong communities is part of our government’s commitment to provide all Ontarians with access to local and provincial programs that help them live healthier, more active lives.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of any assistance to you.

Sincerely,
Yasir

PDF: OntarioSportandRecreationCommunitiesFund

Yasir Naqvi, MPP | Ottawa Centre |
Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Finance
Community Office | 109 Catherine Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 0P4
[t] 613-722-6414 | [f] 613-722-6703 |
[e] ynaqvi.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org <mailto:ynaqvi.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org>
Queen’s Park Office | 7 Queen’s Park Crescent, 7th Floor, Toronto ON M7A 1Y7
[t] 416-325-3581 | [f] 416-327-4493 | [e] ynaqvi.mpp@liberal.ola.org <mailto:ynaqvi.mpp@liberal.ola.org>

fb facebook.com/yasirnaqvimpp | tw @yasir_naqvi | (i) yasirnaqvimpp.ca

Source:
Email From: ynaqvi.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
To: ynaqvi.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
Sent: 22/01/2013 7:18:08 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: Ontario Providing More Opportunities for Sport and Recreation

Jim Watson – 2013 will be a year of action

Posted on January 23, 2013

Today, I delivered the 2013 State of the City address at City Council.

This was a chance to reflect on where we have been and where we are going. It is clear that we have much to be proud of and much to look forward to.

2012 was a year of making decisions, and 2013 will be a year of action.

Budget 2013: Brought in the lowest tax rate in seven years – lower than most major Canadian cities. This year we will continue the freeze on recreation fees and make important investments in community services and basic infrastructure

Arts and culture: I have agreed to lend my name to the Mayor’s Gala for the Arts, to benefit the future redevelopment of Arts Court, this November. I will also host an Art Expo at City Hall later this year for our artists to showcase their talents and promote upcoming seasons.

Rural affairs: I look forward to hosting a Rural Fair at City Hall this year, which will provide an opportunity for our rural residents to promote fairs, museums, agriculture and crafts to our urban population.

Lansdowne: Construction will continue this year as we start work on key features like the urban park, skating rink and new stadium. We’re working hard to keep the project on budget and on schedule – ready for CFL football and pro soccer in 2014.

Light Rail Transit: Shovels in the ground this year – finally! Work will begin in a few weeks with the widening of the Queensway (to fix the Split).

Ottawa on the Move: We will continue our $340-million infrastructure program to get our roads, sidewalks and pipes up to par.

A green city: We work to secure provincial and federal funding to clean up the Ottawa River, while cleaning up our streets through a renewed focus on recycling

Big events: We will host the International Women’s World Hockey Championships in April, the Canadian Gymnastic Championships in May, and many more. We’re building momentum and showcasing our city leading up to the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017.

Recreation facilities: Opening a new indoor pool in Orleans and a new recreation complex in Kanata North. We will start construction on the Barrhaven Recreation Centre and break ground on three new ice pads at Sensplex East.

These are just a few examples of some of the exciting things happening in 2013. To read the full speech, please visit my website.

In 2013, we will continue to be fiercely proud of our city and unwavering in our commitment to make it even better.

I wish you and your family a happy and healthy 2013.

Jim Watson
Mayor

Our email address is: Jim.Watson@ottawa.ca

Champlain Park Hockey League 25th Anniversary

The Champlain Park Hockey League will celebrate its 25th anniversary, with a game of shinny on the ice at Champlain Park outdoor rink on January 19th at 10 am (weather permitting).

An informal beer league for players 30+ started outdoors at Champlain Park in the late 1980s.
The league moved indoors long ago and now plays at Tom Brown Arena, J.A. Dulude Arena and occasionally at Sandy Hill Arena.

Alumni & would-be players are welcome (especially those over 40).

Contact: Mark Feldbauer
adsterix@hotmail.com