The BUZZ guide to the many places where you can get reusable masks in Ottawa.
Category: June 2020
Hydro poles vanish from Elgin Street
Alayne McGregor The hydro utility poles and overhead electrical lines have vanished from Elgin Street, never to return. It was one of the final stages in the street’s reconstruction, which lasted almost all of 2019 and restarted in January. The…
Tree removal pushes city tree bylaw forward
This article was updated from the version originally posted in the June BUZZ. Alayne McGregor The loss of a grove of trees at a major downtown corner has inspired Councillor Catherine McKenney to push forward tighter restrictions on cutting down…
Dorothy O’Connell lived in public housing – and fought to improve tenants’ lives with humour and stories
Alayne McGregor Dorothy O’Connell, who used pointed humour and engaging storytelling to push for better treatment of people in social housing in Centretown, died on May 22 at the age of 80. O’Connell famously distributed a button saying that then-Prime…
From ore processing to shops and homes: Booth Street transforms
Alayne McGregor From federal government labs to homes, shops, restaurants and offices, a three-block area in southwest Centretown is beginning a major transformation while preserving its history. This summer, Canada Lands Corporation (CLC) is demolishing four buildings in what is…
The Good, the Bad, and the Bumpy: When nature calls
Ryan Lythall As the weeks have gone by during this pandemic, I have become restless, as I am sure many of you have as well. Typically, during the warm weather of spring and summer, I try to get outside every…
Centre 507 keeps the boat afloat for all
Linda Pollock This COVID-19 crisis has affected people differently. As the poem says, “We are in the same storm, but not in the same boat.” For some, quarantine is a moment of reflection, of reconnection. For others, it is a…
The world in miniature which is a garden
Gail McGuire Within a small frontyard space here in Centretown, I have been developing a perennial garden. The lawn has been removed and plants have been selected that have curb appeal. From early spring to late fall, something is always…
What’s on(line) this summer – and where to go in real life
Tony Wohlfarth It’s the third month of the lockdown and the online film and entertainment options are more diverse than ever. cbc.ca/music The CBC has an online directory of live music to stream, including festivals which feature multiple artists and…
E-scooters: a hazard or a convenience?
Alayne McGregor Are electric-powered scooters an easy, nonpolluting way to get around your neighbourhood and connect to the LRT, or a hazard to pedestrians and the disabled? Now that Ottawa City Council has approved a one-year pilot of a dockless…
Ottawa Public Library reopens a crack
This article was updated on June 29 from the version originally posted in the June BUZZ. Alayne McGregor The doors of the Ottawa Public Library reopened a crack this month, after being shut for 12 weeks because of the pandemic.…
Black Lives Matter posters are going up – and being ripped down
Marna Nightingale Residents of Centretown and the Glebe have been out postering to show support for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, and to demand justice for, among too many others, George Floyd, killed by police in Minneapolis in May;…
Centretown residents reflect on the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement
Mariam El-Behiry After the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, weeks of global protests, and further deaths of Black men, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement is the biggest story globally. And the issues…
Planet of the Scapes: an hour for a sandwich
We have time. Why not make The Most Amazing Sandwich? I aimed to recreate the character of a sandwich we had in 2013 at The Goods Shed in Canterbury, England, except their bread was dense and seedy. They had a pear chutney on it as well. Still, this came close.
Long-term care in Ottawa: Council on Aging recommends improvements
Patricia Marsden-Dole The non-profit Council on Aging of Ottawa recently released a report outlining the state of long-term care (LTC) in Ottawa during this pandemic. The city has 28 long-term care homes with a total of almost 4,500 regular long-stay…
How do you teach a child doing cartwheels?
Stephen Thirlwall Out of necessity, my wife and I have started homeschooling our granddaughter online because both her parents were still working full time at home during this pandemic. We have learned much and share some of our experiences. When…
City Council didn’t hold the line on sprawl
Jack Hanna Ottawa has embraced increased urban sprawl. In one of its biggest decisions in years, City Council voted in May to add about 15 square kilometres of new land for subdivisions over the next quarter century. The issue was…