Westboro Beach Community Association

When and where

Date and time

Mon, December 5, 2022, 7:00 PM – 8:15 PM EST

Location

Online

About this event

• 1 hour 15 minutes
• Mobile eTicket

This will be a virtual AGM. When you register you will be sent a Google Meet link for the Dec 5th meeting.

7:00 to 7:30 pm will be the usual AGM agenda which will includes:

• Previous AGM Minutes & Approval
• President’s Report
• Financial Report
• Board elections and Friends sign-up.

The Board of Directors, and Friends continue to work hard, but we want to do more and are asking for your participation to help guide our community. The commitment is about 2 hours a month. The Board meets once a month, lasting about 2 hours. We do recognize that life is busy and you may not be able to make it to every meeting. Board Directors and Friends volunteer on committees and projects that most interest them. Only interested in the Winter Carnival? Community Kitchen? Beach? Pollinator Garden? History? Other? We welcome all.

7:30 to 8:15 pm our guest speaker is Councilor Jeff Leiper. Jeff will chat about his thoughts on the next four years, specific issues impacting the Westboro beach area and Bill 23. This will be followed by a question period. You are welcomed to submit questions in advance via email – info@westborobeach.ca as well as table them at the AGM.

8:15 pm Adjournment

NOTE: Everyone is welcome to join our AGM. Voting is restricted to those who live in the Westboro Beach catchment area, as defined here. Thanks.

Click the link below to register for this event:

2022 WBCA AGM 2022

It’s our third annual Winter Holiday Parade and Food Drive. Come see Santa and make a donation on Sunday, November 27th starting at 2pm.

Santa will be departing at 2pm from the corner of Premier and Remic Avenue and winding his way through the neighbourhood. Check out the route on our parade map.

Along the way, Santa’s helpers will be picking up cash donations as well as non-perishable food donations for the Westboro Region Food Bank. Of course, Santa’s helpers will have lots of candy canes for the kids!

Be Sure to Vote October 24, 2022

The municipal election for our new Ottawa city council that will elect a new mayor, councillor and school board representative will be held on October 24, 2022. The voting station for our section of Kitchissippi is at 347 Richmond Road (All saints Anglican Church).  Westboro Beach residents were able to meet and greet with the three candidates running for office Friday September 23, 2022, at the Van Lang Field house. The candidates Jeff Leiper, Dan Stringer and Oonagh Fitzgerald chatted and then responded to concerns on a number of issues including the LRT and other transit issues and affordable housing. The Westboro Community Kitchen bakers prepared special cookies for the event and served coffee and tea.

The National Capital Commission (NCC) would like to remind the public about the precautions to take in the presence of wildlife, such as black bears and coyotes, in the National Capital Region.   We have received several reports about black bears and coyotes in certain parts of the Greenbelt and near Gatineau Park. We would first like to reassure the public, as well as clarify that it is quite rare for these animals to come near populated areas. However, occasionally it can happen that they might wander close to residential areas searching for food.   A few facts to remember: Never feed wildlife. Avoid attracting animals by preventing food odours in garbage and bird feeders, for example. Keep your dog on leash in areas where required to do so. Keep your distance from all animals.  If you see signs that a bear or coyote has been nearby, or if you see one of these animals in the distance, calmly leave the area.   We invite you to read the articles The black bear in the National Capital Region and How to coexist with coyotes in the National Capital Region on the NCC’s website to familiarize yourself with the safety measures to take if you encounter these animals.   To make sure you have the latest news about the NCC, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We invite you to share this message with the members of your community.   Best regards,   The Public Affairs team

A Back-to-School event was held at the Roy Duncan Park Thursday August 25 from 5 to 7pm.  A great meal was cooked up the Westboro Community Kitchen crew that included lamb stew, rice and salad.   Back to school supplies were distributed that included activity kits and backpacks. Women and kids could get their haircut at the field house and there was music and games for the children. It was a big success with 160 people in attendance. There were draws for gift cards. A big thank you to the Carlington Community Health Centre and all the volunteers who helped organize the meal and school supplies.

Coyote Sightings in Westboro

Every green space has a coyote den but coyotes tend to be more visible in the Winter due to the lack of green vegetation. Coyotes are naturally shy animals but people feeding them emboldens them, making them less fearful of people. Over the winter, there have been a few sightings in our area, especially in Riverview Terrace Park, where food waste has been left.

Feeding coyotes whether directly by leaving or discarding food on the ground, open garbage bins or indirectly by feeding birds will encourage coyotes to return and put people at higher risk of an encounter. Do not feed wildlife and take care to ensure food waste is properly contained in garbage bins.

Feeding wildlife any human food is unhealthy for them and can lead to disease and death. Wildlife knows how to feed itself.

Dogs are seen by coyotes as predators and may be attacked. When walking , keep your dog leashed and near to you. A coyote shadowing you or your dog is actually escorting you away from their dens or rendezvous areas. When shadowed, leave the area, keep eye contact and do not run. If directly approached, make loud noises and assertive body gestures.

Following these simple guidelines ensures you’ll get to enjoy the outdoors and safely co-exist with wildlife like coyotes.

The City of Ottawa recently confirmed that they will be installing some signage at a few places in Riverview Terrace Park. One by the garbage cans and one in the interior where food – seeds, bread etc was often found on the ground.

Here are a few links about wildlife in an urban environment

NCC – Coexisting with Coyotes

Nick Stow talks about coexisting with coyotes (YouTube)

City of Ottawa Wildlife Issues – coyotes

City of Ottawa Wildlife Speakers Series – Living with Coyotes (YouTube)

Coyote Watch Canada

Construction of new Westboro Beach Pavilion to begin this spring

Canada’s Capital Region — The National Capital Commission’s (NCC) Board of Directors today approved the final design for the Westboro Beach Pavilion and landscape. This milestone allows this important Capital-building project to move forward, with construction beginning this spring, to create a more vibrant, active space that will improve the visitor experience and quality of life for residents. 

Westboro Beach is a key hub on the Ottawa side of the historic Ottawa River. This project will see the rehabilitation of the beach-level Strutt Pavilion, a heritage structure designed by well-known Ottawa architect James Strutt, to provide updated modern amenities which are inclusive and accessible.  

The NCC will also build a new, highly sustainable, zero-carbon pavilion at the upper level to serve the public year-round. The new Park Pavilion is designed to reflect the heritage and natural context of the site by minimizing the building footprint and carefully integrating with the heritage building, while maximizing the views of the majestic Ottawa River. 

Improvements on the site will also include: 

• new modern restaurant and community space 
• historical interpretation of the site 

• river lookouts 
• children’s play areas 
• outdoor showers 
• gender-neutral and fully accessible washrooms 

Unfortunately, the scale of the work to be done on the site means that Westboro Beach—including the parking lot—will be closed for the summer of 2022. This temporary closure is necessary for public safety and security reasons, and because the areas surrounding the beach will be used for construction staging. Beach lovers will have other options nearby, including Britannia Beach and the beach at Mooneys Bay.  

There will also be intermittent closures of the Capital Pathway at Westboro Beach, and detours will be in place during most of the construction period. Follow the NCC’s digital platforms for the latest information.  

LINKS

• Westboro Beach Area Redevelopment Project 

STAY CONNECTED

Follow the NCC on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. 

Media Information

Valérie Dufour

NCC Media Relations

613-797-0279

valerie.dufour@ncc-ccn.ca

How about garden sharing… check out these Q&As

Join Thursday Feb 24th at 8pm for a live Q&A session. You can find out more about garden sharing, get all your questions answered and maybe find a garden sharing partner! Join our Garden Sharing Q&A Session, Thu Feb 24 @ 8pm

What is Garden Sharing?

It’s a partnership between an owner of a property and a gardener who wishes to use the property  for gardening. Like all partnerships it requires communication, trust, flexibility, and a belief in the goal of the partnership. 

Why would someone garden share?

• Has no land and wants access to land. 
• Has land and desire but no time /  no energy /  no skill
• Desires fresh produce (hyper local)
• Desire for community

How do I find a Garden Partner? 

Join Garden Sharing Network – Westboro on Facebook and respond to a profile that’s already there or post a profile, briefly outlining your vision and aspirations.  Find a good match.

Do I lose my yard if I garden share? 

That depends on you and your partner. Talk about each others’ needs. Put it in writing. 

Do I lose privacy if I garden share?  

Discuss with your garden partner.  Set time frames, days of the week, number of people allowed, and even a system of giving notice so no one catches anyone sunbathing 😉. Put it in writing. 

Who does the work in the garden? 

The landowner can do  as much or as little work as they desire. Generally, the Gardener does most of the work. Talk to your garden partner. Put it in writing.

How do I ensure the rules are followed?

Discuss rules upfront when making your agreement. Talk to your garden partner if there are issues. Be upfront and talk about conflict resolution when you make your agreement. Put it in writing. Put any rules in writing.

What can we grow?

That’s up to you and your garden partner. Brainstorm, grow your favourites. Discuss and if necessary put it in writing. 

Are there costs from garden sharing?

These are some of the costs you’ll need to think about: 

• Soil 
• Fertilizer
• Seeds
• Plants
• Fences (pest control)
• Garden tools if not already possessed by either party
• If establishing a new garden, a rototiller is needed or a lot of labour
• Water
• Labour and time. The majority of the work in a garden is upfront April – June. Further, if cutting a new garden, the first year may have mixed results and you may not start seeing significant yields until the second or third season. 

Talk about division of costs. Don’t forget about the tools needed. Put it in writing. 

What if the relationship doesn’t work? 

Like a garden, a partnership needs tending and maintenance to grow. But sometimes you try to grow a shade loving plant in full sun – just not a good fit. Discuss how you would gracefully end the relationship and in what circumstances. Put it in writing. No one should be surprised.

Welcome to Garden Sharing Network – Westboro , an initiative brought you by the Westboro Beach Community Association.  

What is Garden Sharing?

Garden sharing involves an Owner sharing their Garden with a Gardener. Often the Gardener does not have access to land of their own.  To get involved and find potential garden partners please join our Garden Sharing network here.

Anything can be grown in these gardens, but often, vegetables and fruits are grown. If anything is for human consumption the soil should be assessed, and if necessary tested, to ensure there are no toxins being incorporated into the food from the soil. Please see this great resource from Just Food https://justfood.ca/soil-testing-urban-impacted-soils/

There are many models of garden sharing including: 

• Gardener works entire plot and splits produce with Owner; 
• Owner and Gardener work separate portions of the garden and take produce from their respective portions; and,
• Any other way of organizing the sharing of the yard / garden. 

The key to garden sharing is that the Owner and the Gardener agree on: 

• The amount of land to be gardened and the parties responsible for the labour; 
• Ownership of the harvest; 
• Sharing of the costs, tools, and storage of tools and supplies;
• Methods of gardening (type of fertilizers / from seed vs. from pre-grown plants / organic versus non-organic etc.); 
• Types of plants;
• Access (how, # of people, and times); 
• State of garden and general appearance of the garden; 
• Managing waste and composting;
• Arrangements for soil testing (if necessary); 
• The raising of animals; 
• Liability and acknowledgement of risks;
• Dealing with damage to the property;
• Outlining any additional parts to the contract (i.e. Garden layout / design / methods); 
• Termination of agreement; and,
• Conflict resolution and failure to comply with terms of the agreement.

Sources:

Orsi, Janelle and Emily Doskow,  The Sharing Solution: How to Save Money, Simplify Your Life and Build Community, Nolo, 2009,  Pg. 256-261.

Soil Testing Urban Impacted Soils

http://sharingsolution.com/2012/10/13/gardensharin/

Front Yard Edible Gardening

The Westboro Community Kitchen works hard all year long cooking and delivering delicious and nutritious food to neighbours in need. This time of the year they also prepare not one BUT two turkey dinners with all of the trimmings! The hard working volunteers are also baking this time of the year to ensure that everyone is enjoying some sweet treats with their meals.

A special thank you to our partners, Newport Restaurant for cooking the turkeys, the Westboro Region Food Bank, for contributing food, and the Carlington Community Health Centre for their support.

If you would like more information, please contact Hilary at 613-722-4000 extension 204.