Author: westborobeach

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

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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.

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.

In case you missed it, last week we had our second annual Christmas Parade. Santa and his elves did not disappoint! They wove through the neighbourhood and delighted everyone with their holiday spirit, their energy and good cheer.

In addition to delighting all of the neighbours, the parade collected two truck loads of food for the Westboro Region Food Bank and $506 in cash for the Food Bank. Well done everyone!

Monday November 22nd from 7pm to 8:45pm

This will be a virtual AGM. You need to register here and then you will be sent a zoom link for the Nov 22nd meeting. As this

7:00 pm Call to order and welcome.

Our newly elected MP Yasir Naqvi will join us at the start of the AGM. Yasir will say a few words be available to answer any questions you might have.

Following Yasir, we have a presentation by Joshua Elliot from the City of Ottawa Water Quality Team. His presentation: From source to tap: Fun facts about Ottawa’s drinking water will look at how Ottawa’s drinking water system has evolved over the last 150 years. We’ll learn some fun facts along the way as we consider how advances in water treatment and testing technologies have helped shape Ottawa’s approach to purifying and supplying high quality drinking water. There will be time for Q&A.

Josh is a process engineer with the Water Quality Assurance group at the Britannia Water Purification Plant. Along with a team of technical and operational staff, Josh works to improve the quality and safety of Ottawa’s drinking water. Josh has a background in both chemical engineering and civil engineering while the water quality team also includes staff with further expertise in microbiology and analytical chemistry.

7:50 pm

1. Approval of Minutes from AGM 202. .
2. (Co-) President’s Report
3. Treasurer’s Report
4. Election of the Board of Directors
5. Friends
   

8:20 pm Jeff Leiper, our City Councillor will be joining us to answer your questions and we’re sure there will be many.

Jeff Leiper is a former community association activist working in Kitchissippi on a wide spectrum of issues and neighbourhood events. He was first elected to City Council in 2014, and has served on the Planning and Environment Committees as well as the Transit Commission. He worked closely with Mayor Watson to develop a music strategy for Ottawa, and continues his advocacy efforts on behalf of Ottawa’s arts and culture sectors. He is a vocal proponent of cycling in Ottawa.

8:45 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. We are bordered by the SJAM in the North and West, Island Park in the East and Workman in the South.

Additionally, in advance of the meeting, we will send a link for the AGM documents, including formal agenda, chairperson’s report, treasurer’s report and last year’s AGM minutes.

This debate is organized by our local community associations. There are 8 candidates running in Ottawa Centre, and all 8 will be participating. The moderator will be Amada Pfeffer.

If you wish to attend the debate, no prior registration will be necessary, please link directly to the Zoom Webinar at:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84305249267?pwd=a3BrWFVrWldCdXRZQVpja2g5Ry8xQT09

Passcode: 958826

For those who are interested in more information on the re-naturalization of Atlantis Woods and Selby Plains, take a look at this detailed report from Carleton University

Take a look at the CBC Report (July 8, 2021

Send your comments to infowestborobeach@gmail.com

Free Bike Repair Clinic, Thursday June 24, 5pm to 7pm

Learn how to make simple repairs to your bike at a special bike repair clinic.

Van Lang Field House

29 Van Lang Private

Thursday June 24

5:00 to 7:00pm

Photo credits: @NancyFromCanada

A few years the Westboro Beach Community Association successfully reached out to the NCC to create a pollinator garden on Selby Plain at the end of Atlantis Ave. Last summer butterflies, bees, insects, and birds were seen happily visiting our garden.

A pollinator garden is not your typical garden. It’s a delicate ecosystem which provides a home for many insect species such as bumble bees, ants and lady bugs as well as a feeding area for butterflies and birds. The garden is filled with native flowering plants, ones that naturally grow in our environment as well as piles of wood, logs, branches and leaves. It may look wild but the garden provides an area for bumblebee queens and other insect larvae to spend the winter.  Birds use these sites too for forage for food and utilize brush piles for shelter from predators and the cold (National Audubon Society).

Volunteers have worked hard to remove weeds and invasive species like Buckthorn and have encouraged native species such as thistle, asters, mullein to grow. We added a generous donation of native species plants from Fletcher Wildlife Garden in 2020 and in May, 50 milkweed seedlings grown through the spring by a neighbour were planted. The Champlain Park Pollinator Garden Committee donated 29 different types of sprouts which are being tended by a neighbour over the summer and will be planted in the Autumn. A large water barrel has been donated so that we can easily water the garden in the summer.

We welcome you to visit the garden. Our volunteers have built a path through the garden so all can wander through and view the plants. A local artist is painting a beautiful sign for the garden and it will be going up soon.

We hope that our Pollinator Garden will encourage you to think about planting a haven for insects and birds on your own property.