Glebe Report

Lenore Fahrig is modest about her work as a scientist. However, her research on natural habitats is widely used and has been referred to in more than 55,000 scientific articles. And it has just won her a million-dollar prize.

On November 17, owners Harrison and Loukia Koyman held a grand opening for Rag & Carbon, a new store at 796 Bank Street that houses a photo printing and framing company and an art gallery. Harrison Koyman said his love for photography inspired him to get into photo printing and framing.

The handsome, red-brick Lakelander towers have graced the Glebe Annex skyline at the corner of Carling Avenue and Cambridge Street South for more than 30 years. The site, previously 279 Carling Avenue, had belonged to the Ottawa Suburban Roads Commission, which had a road implement shed and storage garage on the site.

Born on May 6, 1922, Pavely lived with his parents just north of the Glebe at 588 Gladstone Avenue. He attended nearby Glashan Elementary School and then Glebe Collegiate, graduating from high school in 1940 after excelling as a boy scout and in sports as an Eastern Ontario junior gymnastics champion.

As you travelled the streets of the Glebe this summer, you probably noticed the slow creep of traffic calming measures onto some of the neighbourhood’s widest and fastest roadways. The new measures are largely the result of collaboration between various groups of neighbourhood residents and Councillor Shawn Menard’s office. 

Why, how and by whom was the site of a new hospital switched from an NCC-recommended brownfield site at Tunney’s Pasture to more than 50 acres of green and forested land, most of it a national heritage site, in the Central Experimental Farm? How did a corporate board of directors override the result of a six-month government site review?

Jaya Krishnan, noted Glebe artist, held a grand opening of his art gallery at 807 Bank Street in November. In an inspired partnership, his son Devon Bowers-Krishnan, a qualified sommelier, also launched his wine enterprise, called FINE Art + Wine, with plans to hold wine-tasting events of various kinds in the beautiful space of the gallery.

In the depths of the pandemic, I craved another long walk on one of the many pilgrimage routes in Europe. I wanted to be out walking in nature day after day, through changing landscape, alone yet not alone, carrying my pack, ending each day with a comfortable bed, a shower, a hot meal and fellowship with others.

Ottawa had better do more to batten down the hatches because extreme weather events are hitting more frequently and there’s worse to come – that was the central message when when 75 Glebe and Centretown residents gathered virtually on November 17 for a Climate Resiliency Webinar…

In November, the 27th Conference of the Parties on climate change (COP 27) finally reached an agreement to establish a fund to pay “loss and damage” expenses to poorer countries suffering the extreme effects of climate change.

As the 2022 Ottawa mayoralty race progressed, it became evident that the choice for mayor was between two strong candidates, Catherine McKenney and Mark Sutcliffe. Two opposing visions were put forward by two highly respected and experienced candidates – that’s a good thing.

The Glebe is home to historic buildings, contemporary art, quaint eateries and long-standing local businesses that have stood the test of time. We’re proud of the decades many of our businesses have spent in our neighbourhood and want to celebrate with them.

A gift is a thing given freely – a present. It can be tangible or in the form of love or attention or care. Or a gift might be a talent or natural ability. The gesture of giving is an act of generosity. These poets have generously shared their poems on the theme of a gift.

Christmas in Italy is synonymous with panettone, the tall, dome-shaped sweet bread flavoured by a long, slow leavening and enriched by raisins and candied citrus peels. It appears in Italian artisanal bakeries and grocery stores just before the holiday season and takes centre stage on festive tables along with a glass of sweet sparkling wine.

In last month’s column, we made a charcuterie platter, with meats and cheeses and recipes for delicious sides. This month, we take the platter in another direction, one that will fit nicely on your holiday table. You can make it a seasonal “Feast of the Seven Fishes” or any number of fresh seafoods

Gratitude is something that I have been practising a lot during the last few years of the pandemic. Reminding myself on a regular basis that I have so much to be grateful for helped me to get through some of those tougher, winter lockdowns.

I was struck by an uncomfortable similarity between Egypt and Ontario when I returned from the recent climate change negotiations in Sharm El-Sheikh. In preparing for COP 27, the Egyptian government rounded up dissenters and made sure that critical voices were not going to be heard at the annual UN sponsored discussions.

On Christmas day last year, I was smiling. I didn’t expect to be smiling. My Christmas season, up until that day, was nothing like a Hallmark greeting card. A couple of weeks before Christmas, the man I loved very much and I parted ways.

After retiring from a busy career as the director of education at a school board in Manitoba, Constance McLeese was ready for a low-key, stress-free job and it was okay if her new role didn’t pay. Two days a week, McLeese volunteers at Abbotsford House at the Glebe Centre, answering phones…

This city has an affordable housing problem. We have been in a housing crisis for quite a while. Average home prices, whether you’re renting or buying, have been rising for years, far outstripping inflation or any increases to average incomes.

Born in Cairo in 1934 with Belgian citizenship, long-time Glebe resident Louis Cabri lived in several countries before he and his South African wife Mimi settled down in Canada in 1959 and became Canadian citizens.

Now is the time when the sun is lower in the sky and we anticipate the end of this year and the beginning of the next. Sometimes we are in such a hurry this time of year that we miss many simple but special moments.

The cold weather is upon us, and these months can be daunting with less sunlight and less time outdoors. This doesn’t have to mean you can’t make your health a priority. The Glebe offers numerous opportunities to be outside and active; taking advantage of them along

During pregnancy, a woman goes through many physiological changes. Pregnancy can leave a woman feeling scared, insecure and overwhelmed by her body’s transformation. But let’s be optimistic – the human body is a wonderful machine that can adapt physically and mentally to any situation, including gestation and postpartum.

There are several types of football played around the world. There’s Canadian football, American football, Australian rules football, even rugby football. But there’s only one that can be truly considered a global game, passionately played and followed by billions of people in every corner of the globe.

We are fortunate to have many rivers, lakes and ponds nearby where we can see a wide variety of water birds year-round. In our neighbourhood alone, there’s Dow’s Lake, the Rideau Canal, Brown’s Inlet, Patterson Creek and the small creeks in the Arboretum.

Although My Policeman swiped this year’s ensemble TIFF Tribute Actor Award, I was reluctant to devote two hours of my time to it, mainly because of Harry Styles’ casting. There is no denying that Harry Styles is a mega pop-star but when it comes to his acting chops, I have found them somewhat wanting.

The Logan family is infamous throughout Boone County, West Virginia for their bad luck – the “Logan Family Curse.” For example, Aunt Maggie won a lottery in 1983 and then lost her ticket.

I’m writing this column on a break from the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy, where I’ve been serving since the beginning of the most recent legislative session. Most recently, the committee has been debating the Ford government’s Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act.

We’ve come to the end of a busy year with lots to celebrate. I’ve enjoyed spending time across Ottawa Centre speaking with residents and businesses and hearing how we can continue to improve our community.

I admit to a recent binge-watching addiction – I was glued to the Public Order Emergency Commission headed by The Honourable Paul Rouleau. During days and days of testimony, I cherry-picked the most interesting.