Hamlet in Our Park! – July 21

Coming to Champlain Park on Friday July 21 2023 at 7:00 PM…

You’re Invited
Theatre in the Park
90 Minutes of Mayhem
Original Music
6 Live Actors
and
A Supporting Cast of Cartoonish Puppets
All are welcome. Pay what you can

Our Champlain Park Community Association is supplying free cookies at the cookie table between 5:30 and 6:30 PM.

[Poster for Hamlet in Champlain Park 2023]
20230721 Fools Hamlet Poster.pdf

For more about the play and the performers and the digital programme, please see https://fools.ca/hamlet/

If there’s rain, see https://fools.ca/rain-policy/ for when the show goes on (and bring an umbrella).

New Book by Local Author Daniel Buckles

Daniel Buckles, a Champlain Park resident and frequent volunteer on the Environment Committee, has had his book Connecting Worlds: art, anthropology and activism published. Here are the details:


[Connecting Worlds by Daniel Buckles book cover]

Synopsis:

A hopeful and clear-eyed journey into the story of social change. The artist, anthropologist and community activist Daniel Buckles shows how connection—to self, others and nature—can become the catalyst for an engaged life. Participation in the bush lifestyle of the 1970s Yukon, exposure to the complex culture of Mexico and a battle with cancer at the age of thirty-two prompted the author to work with people living on the edge: Honduran peasants inventing new agricultural technologies for hillside agriculture; landless Bangladeshi women gleaning nutrient-rich food from their surroundings; small religious communities standing in solidarity at the centre of disaster relief efforts in the Philippines and Burkina Faso; grassroots organizations fighting to protect urban forests in Ottawa, Canada. This story of personal discovery and engaged research offers a window into real-life social struggles and life’s key challenges and professional choices. Richly illustrated with professional photography and paintings, Connecting Worlds shows how to make a difference, from the inside out.

Buy e-book: https://books2read.com/u/47WNM7

Reviews:

“Connecting Worlds an absorbing travelogue of contemporary social struggles, a captivating journey of sound and light, no small amount of adventure and many stories about how change really happens. I read the book twice: first with envy and the second time with admiration.”

— Pat Roy Mooney is a Giraffe Hero, author of Shattering: Food, Politics, and the Loss of Genetic Diversity and recipient of the Right Livelihood Award and the Pearson Medal of Peace.

“As a young anthropologist, it is inspiring to read this candid and informative book. Buckles doesn’t shy away from imagining a better world, and demonstrates how anthropology’s methods can be used to get us there.”

— Emma Bider, PhD candidate and author of We Animals.

Daniel Buckles

Pollinator Patch Program

Help save the monarchs, bees, and other pollinators with these free resources

There’s been a significant decline in pollinators in the last 20 years. Without these important pollinators, life as we know it will change. But YOU can help by planting native plants on your property, and there’s a local Ottawa community group that can help you make that happen.

Not sure where to start? New to gardening? Our friends at Eco West Enders have got you covered. Anyone participating in their Pollinator Patch Program will receive FREE information on everything from how to set up your new garden, to where to source your native plants, as well as gaining online support through a private Facebook group and direct email to the Eco West Enders team.

They’ll also be selling native plants for $1 each on June 18th at the Stittsville Market At the Barn event.

Please join your 175K neighbours as we encourage them to naturalize their outdoor space to build a greener and more resilient future. We can do great things together!

For more information and to register to participate, visit ecowestenders.ca.

[Eco West Enders Pollinator Logo]

Tunney’s Pasture History and Future Walk – May 7

From https://mailchi.mp/b44d2e75d3d0/tunneys-pasture-redevelopment-news-december-480613

Greetings from the Neighbours for Tunney’s Group

Greetings Neighbours for Tunney’s!

We wanted to let you know that local historian Dave Allston will be leading a Jane’s Walk right here in Tunney’s Pasture this weekend–with Neighbours for Tunney’s feeding in as well. The walk will begin behind the LRT station at 11 a.m. on Sunday morning. It is a planned two hour walk, with lots of tidbits and stories from Tunney’s Pasture’s past (former residential sections, the shantytown, the nuclear reactor, the axe factory, Cave Creek, the railways and more) and information on what we know of the redevelopment plans for the future, including details on what community members are pushing for in our important ongoing role at the table as part of the Communities Perspectives Group.

Sign up in advance here: Tunney’s Pasture: The past and future!

If you don’t already know, Jane’s Walks are a festival of free walking tours celebrating the ideas and work of Jane Jacobs. Jane was a scholar, author and urban activist who championed cities designed for people. Following her advice to “get out and walk,” Jane’s Walk provides a collective experience for people to become more familiar with Ottawa, and hopefully, to increase our sense of shared ownership of the city.

Find all of this year’s walks, including details on an exciting new launch event, by visiting the website here: janeswalkottawa.ca

Hope to see you Sunday!

Yours Sincerely,
Neighbours for Tunney’s

CN Cycle for CHEO (Road Closures) – May 7

From: Julie Berube (jberube@cheofoundation.com)
Date: 04/05/23 20:40
Subject: CN CYCLE 2023 – Road Closure Notification

French version to follow

—————————————————————-

Good Evening,

On Sunday, May 7, CN Cycle for CHEO participants take to the streets to support the biggest oncology fundraiser for CHEO!

Now in its16th year, this is a fun, non-competitive event that offers a wide range of cycling and walking routes for people of all ages, helping raise over 1 Million dollars each year to support oncology care and research for CHEO.

This year’s event will be held at the Canadian War Museum and LeBreton Flats and to ensure the safety of everyone involved, some streets will be partially closed to vehicle traffic between 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Please refer to the attached document for the preliminary road closures. An updated version will be sent to you the week prior the event.
Continue reading “CN Cycle for CHEO (Road Closures) – May 7”

Spring Naturehood Bird Walks

Upcoming Naturehood Outings

Spring Bird Walks

Date: Friday mornings (May 5 – early June)
Time: 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Location: Champlain Park Pollinator Garden (Carleton and Pontiac)
Leader: Jennifer Neate

Description:

As the natural world awakens from its winter sleep, the feathered migrants have begun to arrive! Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Eastern Phoebes and Chipping Sparrows have added their voices to the morning chorus and they will soon be joined by a colourful kaleidoscope of warblers.

[Adorable small Setophaga pinus (Pine Warbler) songbird sitting on tree branch. Photo by Skyler Ewing from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/adorable-small-setophaga-pinus-songbird-sitting-on-tree-branch-7645629/]

Come out and meet some of the resident and migrant birds of your naturehood on this family-friendly outing. We will see who we can find together and practice some basic skills that will help you to locate and identify the birds around you. Bring your curiosity, a set of binoculars and a bird field guide, if you have one.

Registration is not required but if you would like to be notified of cancellations due to weather, feel free to send an email to jen@spiritwalkers.ca with the subject: “Naturehood Outing.”

The Champlain Park Environment Team Needs YOU!

The ‘green season’ is once again upon us and we need your help to care for and advance the environmental work we’re doing in our neighbourhood. We’ve got activities that suit all ages, physical / skill ability ranges, and energy levels! If you like ‘low tech’, and love trees, then we’ve got what you’re looking for.

[Photographers admiring the pollinator garden in 2022]

All you have to do is register with us (https://champlainpark.org/environteers/) and then you will be free to work when you want, on any project we’ve got, for as long as you like – 5 mins or 5 weeks, we have a spot for you!

We’ll provide the coordination, an orientation session, and a ‘report back’ contact so we can track what is getting done. It’s almost too easy.

[Volunteers planting the initial Little Forest in 2021, look closely to see a bird on the rope!  Photo by John Arnason]

Some activities planned for this season in Champlain Woods and Champlain Park include:

  • ‘Adopt a Tree’ care program (May/June-spongy moth countermeasures featuring the ‘burlap wrap’ in the Park)
  • Invasive plant species control (garlic mustard, baby buckthorn, Japanese knotwood, dog strangling vine, etc)
  • Insect pest patrol
  • Watering and general care of planting sites and the pollinator garden
  • New tree planting projects

[The Little Forest starting to grow up, in 2022]

To get involved, just go to the “Environ-teer Registration” link noted above. Once registered you will begin receiving notices about orientation sessions, work party updates, and any tasks that may require immediate attention. From that point, you are free to chip-in to our projects when you’re able.

Minors are welcome to participate – parental/guardian permission and supervision are currently required at the time/location of participation.

We look forward to seeing you. Have a great summer!

The Champlain Park Enviro Team

Wellington West Big Heart Day – February 25

On Saturday, February 25 something BIG is coming to Wellington West this HEART Season! Join together on Wellington St W between 11am – 2pm for the BIG HEART Challenge Activity Day!

All to raise money for the Ottawa Heart Institute. Proudly presented by our sponsor Wellington West Retirement Community, and in partnership with Run Ottawa.

Lining 2km of Wellington St. West are games, activities, obstacles, and challenge stations! Grab a ballot from one of the stations and begin checking off your activities as you complete challenges. Want a neat way to try all the activities? Start at one of the two start/finish makers and make your way down the street! Invite your friends and family out and have fun while raising money for the Ottawa Heart Institute through the BIG HEART Challenge!

Event page: https://wellingtonwest.ca/the-big-heart-challenge-activity-day/
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1899970357020600


Some interesting challenges in the list there, and fortunately there is snow in the forecast so there can be some snowball action. I also see “FREE Stubbe chocolate for every challenge completed!” so there’s a prize even if you only do one of the ten challenges. Hmmm, should that milk jug toss challenge be a milk bag toss? 🙂

– Alex

Cashmere & Chocolate Sale – February 11

Saturday February 11 2023 from 10am to 3pm at the Champlain Park field house, 149 Cowley Avenue.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, an afternoon that combines some of our favourite things.

On display and for sale will be high quality used and vintage cashmere sweaters and scarves and designer handbags. Several vintage clothing dealers will be hand. Expect to also find knitted hats and scarves, jewellery, exquisite chocolates and other tasty sweets.

And wait! There’s more, including double chocolate cake with tea!

[Poster for the Cashmere, Chocolate and Vintage Show, 2023]
Poster.pdf