Long Park Tennis Club is offering free drop-in lessons for juniors aged 8 and up. All levels are welcome. Carleton University tennis instructor Javier Ruano Valdez will run the sessions on three consecutive Saturdays (August 15, 27 and 29) from 1 to 2 p.m. Some racquets are available for those who don’t have a racquet but want to give tennis a try. Contact Cheryl for more information (cclarke002@sympatico.ca or 613-226-2369).
Virtual Trivia Night for the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation
As you are doubtless aware, this is a challenging time for a number of organizations which rely on community events to assist them to raise funds. I am sure the community association is feeling the negative impact of this pandemic as it disrupts your plans.
The Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation is no exception and we are planning our first online event to assist us in raising funds to purchase much-needed hospital equipment. The event is a Trivia Night taking place on August 25th in partnership with Ottawa Trivia League and there are some great prizes to be won.
By supporting your local hospital, you are helping to ensure a high quality of patient-centered care in our community. Here is the link for the event.
A safe and connected cycling network makes all the difference in promoting cycling in our city.
There has been a serious uptick in cycling. We have seen many more Fisher Heights residents taking to a bike to get some much needed exercise, do something with the kids or simply to get out of the house and get some alone time.
Fisher Heights resident ‘Hans on the Bike’ decided this spring that he wanted to put a map together showing all the safe multi use pathways that are connected. This allows you to put your own route together, without having to cycle on roads much.
“Sometimes we don’t even realise where all those paths are“, says Hans, “and how they connect with each other“. Because there is not much of a wayfinding network, Hans created a network based on nodes.
A node based network
In his native Netherlands, the nodes are numbered, both on the map and on small signs on the road, but since we don’t have the signs, Hans decided to name the nodes after nearby landmarks.
He tested the map on social media and got very positive feedback. As he doesn’t like to stop himself and unfold an enormous map at every intersection, he decided to try to keep the map simple and stylized. He also wanted it to fit on 8.5″ x 11″ so everyone can print it out at work at home or reasonably check it on a cell phone.
With another week of gorgeous weather coming up, we thought we should share the map so that you can go and explore yourself.
How to connect to Ottawa’s cycling network
The easiest and safest way from Fisher Heights and area to connect to the multi use pathway network is to cycle north on Fisher (on that narrow path on the west side of Fisher or the bike lane on the east side) towards McCooey lane or to bike down Dynes and connect with the canal or Rideau River at Hog’s Back Falls. Once you are on the network, a world of casual cycling (and ice cream shops, beer, pizza and beautiful vistas) opens up to you.
As the city is slowly opening up again, we all go out to a bar and sit on top of each other we are all looking for ways to entertain the family safely. Cycling has become a big thing and let’s hope it sticks, but something else you might want to try this summer and fall is tennis. Tennis? Tennis.
It is a bit hidden, but did you know we have our own tennis court in Fisher Heights? Here is some of the key information in order to play at the Long Park Tennis Club.
LONG PARK TENNIS CLUB
(Courts are situated at Deer Park and Meadowlands)
3 MONTH MEMBERSHIPS ON 3RD AUGUST – 31ST OCTOBER
Family (parents and children under 18 years) – $40.00
Single – $29.00
Student (enrolled at university or college) – $25.00
As life is slowly booting up again, we are delivering you this newsletter. We always presented a paper copy but to make sure our volunteer delivers are staying safe, we decided to deliver the newsletter by electronic mail instead.
Let us know what you think. Should we continue delivering by electronic mail or aim to go back to paper? We should mention that the newsletter cost us around 800 dollars per issue and we happily spend that, but if a large majority decided that we should deliver by email and social media we can discuss that too.
Today we passed by 31 Sutton Place and noticed the first daffodil in bloom just outside the Community Centre’s front door. Now the crocuses have been eaten by wild life, these yellow flowers are the next ones to admire, before the tulips are coming out.
Tulip Festival
The latest on the Tulip festival is that the flowers will be on display but the NCC is encouraging people not to go and see them. Let’s hope we will have tons of flowers in our own neighbourhood instead.
Daffodils in the public realm on Sutton Place ready to bloom
Public Realm Daffodils
One resident on Sutton Place quietly planted some daffodils in the public realm. Last year they were picked on their first day in bloom by an ecstatic mother for her new baby. Please don’t pluck the flowers and leave them for everyone in the hood to enjoy.
Clean Park
A mystery person cleaned up all garbage in Fisher Height park, leaving a message that it appears that quite a bit comes from blue boxes across the street. Make sure that you put your garbage out on the morning of pick up day and not on Friday for Monday pick up so that the wind won’t catch waste from the open blue and black boxes.
Speeding
Also, we keep seeing speeders in the neighbourhood. Remember there are more kids on the road now the parks are closed. They have to cycle somewhere! If you see a commercial vehicle driving irresponsibly, do not hesitate to reach out to the company. If you are nervous about calling someone out, play it through councillor Egli. He is tough as nails and isn’t afraid for anyone 🙂
Children at Fisher Heights: please drive with care
We are fortunate that Fisher Heights and Area is generally a very quiet neighbourhood. Many of us have access to spacious backyards to spend time outside. Unlike our fellow citizens downtown who often live in dense quarters, we can go out for walks in our streets, even though we have few side walks.
Kids in the streets
Keeping our distance is probably the most important aspect in our current lives to avoid spreading of COVID-19. This means that we sometimes have to veer into the street to pass each other.
You have probably also noticed more residents on bicycles going by, looking for a bit of exercise or resetting the mind, encouraged by Dr Etches advice to go outside. Many more kids are outside cycling too and we have seen them making great progress over the last two weeks already.
Maximum speed is 40 km/h
Our neighbourhood has a maximum speed of 40 km/h. While car traffic is down considerably (when is the last time you got gas?), traffic does go through our hood. We observed that services such as Purolator have a tendency to put the pedal to the metal being under time pressure (even deliveries on Sundays) and having empty roads ahead of them.
Keep an eye on your speed
We also have to make sure that we adhere to maximum speeds ourselves, with more pedestrians and kids on our roads. Especially kids can pop out of nowhere sometimes. The roads belong to everyone after all. Please keep an eye on your speed when you drive away, it is so easy to go faster in our streets now the snow and ice are gone.
We receive information sometimes in a poster. This is not very convenient for websites, so instead of retyping the information, we convert the poster (in PDF) to an image (in JPG) so that we can share it with you easier and in the original format.
But how? Many stores are closed but many of our restaurants have turned to take out and/or third party delivery services.
Keith Egli’s staff has assembled a list with Ward 9 places that are open for (take out) business in these unprecedented times. The list is available on a shared Google Drive, so that staff can update it on the fly while you will always have the latest update.
Check back regularly as names might be added. Remember if you save the file on your local computer/tablet/smart phone you won’t have the most up to date one, so do save the link instead.
GLAD Cleaning the Capital Program delayed till further notice
Waste near Kuala Lumpur (Image: Greenpeace)
Can I / a group of people (e.g., my family) clean a park, roadway, our property?
Due to the current COVID-19 situation no clean ups should be undertaken off your property. Residents have been advised to stay home and limit all non-essential activities outside of your home and property. Please understand this is a difficult decision as in all other situations the City of Ottawa greatly appreciates the support from the community in these clean ups. Please remember that all parks are closed, and only walkthroughs are permitted while respecting physical distancing.
If you or your household wish to initiate a clean-up activity in your own property, please take into consideration the following related guidelines and legislative and enforcement measures:
• Residents have been advised to stay a home and limit their physical interaction to only members of their household. • No more than five (5) people can gather in one place. • Follow self-isolation requirements, if you have traveled recently or are ill you are to remain inside your home and should not be participating in outside activities where there is a chance you may come in contact with someone (i.e. neighbours). • Physical distancing – it is recommended to maintain distance of 2 meters (6 feet) from those around you at all times. This includes other individuals who may walk by your house and your neighbours how may be on their property. • If you live in a multi-unit dwelling it is recommend you do NOT participate in any outdoor cleaning unless you can ensure a distance of 2 meters (6 feet) can be maintained at ALL times. • Individuals over the age of 70 are recommended to self-isolate and should not participate in any outdoor cleaning activities
Please also undertake the following precautions when cleaning:
• Remain on your property at all times • Do not invite others outside of your household to participate • Wear protective material on your hands such as gloves or plastic bags • Use a picker if available to avoid using hands • Collect litter into plastic bags and tie up when filled • Put filled litter bags into your household waste on collection day • Do not touch your face at any time during cleaning • Wash your hands immediately following cleaning • Never touch a needle with your hands. Follow safe pickup procedures, or call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) for assistance
We thank you for your interest in keeping your community clean, green and litter-free. Continue to stay at home and stay healthy.
An idea has come to us from New Zealand that on Easter Sunday when the children would be hunting for eggs.
In light of the Covid-9 pandemic, it is imperative that we practice social/physical distancing. With so many parents at home with their children due to school closures, it is hard to find enough ideas and activities to keep them busy and active.
So what if we all homeowners created Easter Egg crafts and hang the results on our front doors or on our windows. One can think of a large paper shape of an egg, colour and decorate it. Parents could then take their children out for a walk to find and take pictures of as many of them as they can find.
Here in Fisher Heights we did this for St. Patrick’s day using a large green shamrock. We understand that one girl counted 153 (!) while out walking with her grandma.
See more here, where even the New Zealand Prime Minister participates. During a press conference on Monday, she deemed both the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy vital workers for the New Zealand economy, thus granting them special status to break their quarantine “bubble” and visit Kiwi homes.
