City of Ottawa Recreation - Arts' programs are back!

 We are excited to announce that our new Arts Centres eGuide is now online for browsing. For those who love to dance, play music, paint, draw – pretty much anything artsy - then there is something for you. There are both in-person and online options at the Nepean Creative Arts Centre, Nepean Visual Arts Centre and Shenkman Arts Centre. It’s the perfect way to beat the boredom!

Registration starts next Monday, November 2 at 9 pm. Register by visiting the Arts Centres’ eGuide and clicking the program next to your desired course.

City of Ottawa Accessibility Spotlight - October 2020

 

Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM) 2020

National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is upon us! In support of this, Mayor Jim Watson has declared October 2020 Disability Employment Awareness Month in the City of Ottawa. This year, the theme of the campaign is “The Power of Inclusion”. For the whole month of October, businesses and individuals are looking at the many ways inclusive hiring empowers businesses, employees and their communities. Based on NDEAM, a federal initiative celebrated in the U.S. every October since 1945, the purpose of Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM) is to promote employment inclusion for people who experience disability and to celebrate the many and varied contributions of workers with disabilities. The campaign is gaining traction with a number of provinces proclaiming October as Disability Employment Awareness Month. The City of Ottawa is proud to be part of this important initiative. The City strives to have a workforce that is representative of the people that we serve as well as create an inclusive work environment. However, the statistics are not encouraging. Individuals with disabilities are completing college and university programs at the same rate as their non-disabled colleagues, however, this group is often unemployed or under-employed. The municipality works to increase awareness and remove barriers to employment for persons with disabilities. A key piece of this work is an active membership in EARN (Employment Accessibility Resource Network), a community initiative led by the United Way East Ontario, with the goal of increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities in Ottawa. Campaigns such as this are important to raise awareness and spread the important message that a strong workforce is one inclusive of the skills and talents of people with disabilities. The City and EARN see DEAM as an excellent opportunity for Employment Service Providers and Employers to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to residents with disabilities and to help promote employment inclusion in our country.

Snow Go programs support increased mobility for seniors and people with disabilities

With the arrival of ice and snow, Ottawa winters can be a challenging time for seniors and people with limited mobility. The City funds two programs, Snow Go and Snow Go Assist, which help seniors and people with disabilities with their snow removal. The City partners with nine community agencies to run these two programs. The Snow Go program vets snow removal workers and matches them with seniors and people with disabilities to get their snow cleared. Residents pay the workers directly for their services. The Snow Go Assist program goes one step further and helps low-income seniors and people with disabilities with the cost of their snow removal. To be eligible for the Snow Go Assist program funding, applicants must: 1.    Be a senior at least 60 years old or a person with a disability 2.    Have a low-income and show proof of: ·Annual income below $31,500 if single and below $39,200 for a household of two persons or more Eligible residents may be reimbursed up to 50 per cent of snow removal costs to a seasonal maximum. To apply, contact the partnering local agency in your area. For a list of these agencies, visit ottawa.ca/snowgo or call 3-1-1.

Improvements to the OC Transpo Community Pass program

The OC Transpo Community Pass program provides a discounted rate on fares for eligible beneficiaries of the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSB). On August 18, 2020, the process was improved to allow for over the phone applications, eliminating the need for customers to travel to an OC Transpo Customer Service Centre. This improvement helps customers apply for the program without travelling outside the home, reducing unnecessary travel and overcrowding at Customer Service Centres. Customers can call OC Transpo at 613-741-4390 and speak to a Customer Service Representative to complete the application over the phone and answer any questions about the discount. After submitting the application by phone, customers should expect to see the discount loaded onto their registered presto card within 10 days. Customers will still have the option to apply in person at the Rideau Centre Customer Service Centre. For more information on OC Transpo’s Community Pass program, please visit the OC Transpo website.

Ontario Renovates can help with your home repairs

For low or fixed-income homeowners who are aging, repairs and upgrades to your house can be costly and daunting. That's where the Ontario Renovates program can help. Run by the City of Ottawa and funded by the Province, the Ontario Renovates program provides funding for eligible homeowners and landlords for necessary repairs and accessibility modifications to support independent living. The program provides funding for eligible applicants up to a maximum amount of $20,000. Eligible homeowners are:   Persons 65 years of age or older People with disabilities Families with a household member who is a senior or person with a disability may be eligible if property value and income criteria are also met. Visit the Ontario Renovates page at ottawa.ca for income requirements. Funding is available to homeowners to upgrade or modify items such as: electrical and heating systems doors and windows foundations, roofs, walls, floors and ceilings plumbing septic systems, well water, and well drilling fire safety cues for doorbells or fire alarms ramps, handrails, chair and bath lifts, height-adjusted countertops The Ontario Renovates program can also assist landlords. The program provides funding to modify existing units or buildings to make them more accessible and in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. Landlords can apply for funding for repairs including: Ramps Handrails Chair and bath lifts Countertop height adjustment Cues for doorbells or fire alarms

Want to apply?

Complete the form. Funding is available until March 31, 2021 (or until all funding is spent). For more information about the Ontario Renovates program, please call our information line at 613-580-2424 ext. 12300 or email Ontariorenovates@ottawa.ca.

Draft Budget 2021 Public Engagement Opportunity

 HAVE YOUR SAY ABOUT YOUR WARD

What services and infrastructure do you want to see in College Ward? Now is your opportunity to have your say as the City develops its budget for 2021.

Next year’s budget will be a challenging one due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The City is working on a budget that limits the property-tax increase to no more than three per cent – keeping Ottawa affordable, especially for those who have faced financial hardship because of the pandemic.

We are in unprecedented times and there are a lot of financial unknowns, meaning 2021 will be a lean year for Ottawa. Since the City will have fewer options for how to spend its money, your feedback will be especially important to make sure we’re investing our dollars where they're needed most.

There are many ways to share your comments about our ward and the priorities you would like to focus on:

• Post feedback or ask questions on social media using #OttBudget.

• Call 3-1-1.

• Use the tools on Engage Ottawa.

• Contact our office at (613) 580-2478 or Rick.Chiarelli@Ottawa.ca.

Message sent by the Offices of Councillor Rick Chiarelli:

 

After the draft budget is tabled at City Council on Wednesday, November 4, you can also speak at a standing committee, commission or board meeting when they consider their portion of the budget in November and December.

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, ward budget consultation sessions will be virtual this year. Please join us on October 29th at 7:00 pm to discuss investments in our community.

Your feedback is valuable, and we look forward to working with you and the rest of our community about how to allocate funding in College Ward.

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.

When: Oct 29, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: Draft Budget 2021

Register in advance for this webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ds7acKSSR_uXtBnFNkWMSg

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

If you are unable to attend at this time, the consultation will be made available on our YouTube channel for your convenience.

City of Ottawa Recreation Update

 

Registration cancelled

Registration for fall recreation programs is officially cancelled. We are excited to be working on an updated schedule for the new year. Be sure to look out for our winter programs later this year!

Closures and restrictions

New provincial restrictions came into effect last Saturday and are in place for 28 days. Fitness centres, including cardio and weight rooms are closed, and fitness classes including aquafit have been suspended. Team sports using City facilities will be limited to training and drills, with no scrimmages or competitive play permitted. Squash and racquetball are currently on hold due to the close proximity of players. A more detailed summary can be found at ottawa.ca.

Continuing programs

We are happy to announce that you can still enjoy some recreation activities. The new restrictions will not impact: Public swimming and swimming lessons Before-and-after school programs Badminton, pickleball and tennis - singles only

Don’t travel outside red zone for fitness or team play

Both the provincial government and public health authorities are asking all residents to limit travel – especially to locations that are situated outside the code-red area. To limit the risk of spreading COVID-19 to areas where case counts are low, people and sporting teams are urged not to travel to other cities or locations for team play or fitness activities.

Museums and galleries

Museums and galleries are open, however interactive exhibits are closed.

Book Awards

The 2020 Ottawa Book Awards is going virtual and you are all invited! Sit back and enjoy the exciting virtual ceremony on October 21 at 6 pm and celebrate Ottawa’s top authors. Free registration is required.

City of Ottawa Museums - October 2020

 

This fall, the five City of Ottawa museums partnered with The Good Companions Seniors’ Centre and Ottawa West Community Support to deliver 500 Heritage Harvest care packages to older adults across Ottawa. The contents of these packages highlighted the shared agricultural history of the City’s museums: Billings Estate National Historic Site, Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, Fairfields Heritage House, Nepean Museum, and Pinhey’s Point Historic Site. Items included tea, inspired by Lamira Billings’ reputation as a healer, grocery notepads printed on a 1927 Chandler and Price platen press, locally produced honey, jam prepared with Ottawa-area produce, and lavender, as once was grown in the Pinhey family gardens. Our team truly enjoyed having the opportunity to connect with the community, and share a piece of our sites’ histories, in a new and unique way. A big thank you goes out to all our team members and community partners for all their hard work! Funding for this project was provided by the City of Ottawa’s Older Adult Program, adjudicated by the Seniors Roundtable.

Fall colours stun at Pinhey’s Point

Autumn is one of our favourite seasons of the year at Pinhey’s Point Historic Site and this fall was no exception. We simply couldn’t resist snapping a few photos of the grounds with all the red, orange, and yellow foliage on display. Make sure to tag us in any of your fall photos from visits to City of Ottawa Museums on Facebook and Instagram! You can find our social media linked below.

Artefact spotlight

Have you ever wondered what’s hidden just below the surface as you explore some of our city’s historic sites? These photos offer a unique behind-the-scenes (or perhaps below-the-scenes) glimpse at the stone foundation of the house at Billings Estate. If you ever have the opportunity to venture to the basement of the 191-year-old structure, you’re offered a clear view of the original stone foundation along the outer wall. Braddish Billings sourced these stones from the fields surrounding his farm. Braddish began the construction of his house ‘on the hill’ after shifting his focus away from the lumber business and towards agriculture. The family moved into the house in 1829 and years later Charles Billings would recall:

I remember distinctly however seeing the new house stand in a frame after it was erected and also the day that we moved up into it—my father [Braddish Billings] drove a yoke of oxen and a wagon cart…my mother set the table in the kitchen and it was there we took our first meal in that house.

Plan a COVID-wise visit

Before visiting your local museum to explore the exhibitions, enjoy the outdoor spaces, or to take part in special programming, be sure to review the latest tips and guidelines from Ottawa Public Health. Please note that guidelines are evolving and that this newsletter may not reflect the most recent recommendations. Plan to visit the museum with members of your household only, bring a mask to wear indoors or outdoors when physical distancing cannot be maintained, keep 2 meters (6 feet) between yourself and any other visitors who are not members of your household, and practice hand hygiene. Most importantly, if you or a member of your household are not feeling well, please stay home and contact the museum to cancel any booked visit or program registration.

Mystery after dark at Billings Estate

When the sun sets on October 17, the voices of the past will speak once more for one evening only. You’ve honed your puzzle solving skills, now put them to the test as you sort through webs of lies and deceit to bring an end to a mysterious affair. Will the enigmatic figures who’ve laid claim to the grounds at Billings Estate National Historic Site reveal their secrets to you in time? Tickets are on sale now for this one-of-a-kind experience presented by Governor General’s Award nominated Live History. Evening sessions are recommended for adults only (18+). A family-friendly version is being offered in the afternoon. "A Practice of Deceit" will be presented outdoors and has been adapted to meet public health guidelines.

DIY pumpkin centrepieces at Fairfields Heritage House

On October 17 and 18, we’re taking our Makers at the Museum series outdoors with two fantastic workshops lead by award-winning florist Crystal Hill! Learn to make a "gourd-geous" autumnal centrepiece that will be the star of your seasonal décor while enjoying the grounds of our 19th century Gothic Revival farmhouse. Registration is required.

Monsters on the loose

Both Billings Estate and Cumberland Heritage Village Museum are offering family-friendly, outdoor programming to help you and your little ones celebrate the Halloween season. Programs have been adapted to meet public health guidelines, including physical distancing, and require you to register your household group in advance. Monster mystery at the museum October 24 and 25 at Billings Estate National Historic Site A monster family’s Halloween celebration has gone wrong – the candy is missing! Have no fear, our Museum Detectives are on the case and you can join the team. Help them solve the mystery as you explore the museum grounds in this semi-guided adventure. Registration is now open. Halloween Hijinks October 24 and 25 at Cumberland Heritage Village Museum Meet Frankenstein, Dracula and other classic silver-screen spooks as you explore the museum grounds. Embrace your inner mad scientist as you try not to drop the (eye)ball while putting your speed and balance to the test, pit your favourite movie monsters against each other in a soap boat race, and navigate your way out of a hay bale labyrinth, and more! The deadline to register is October 20.

Heritage Harvest care packages