There’s a lot to look forward to with the arrival of spring

As winter melts away and spring begins to blossom, our community is gearing up for months filled with local outdoor events, celebrations, and oppor-tunities to come together. From sports and farmers markets to community clean-ups and BBQs, there’s something for everyone!

First up, The Bradley Cup Charity Hockey Tournament returns to the Navan Arena this weekend, March 21-22. Teams from Navan, Cumberland, Vars, Sarsfield, Orléans, and Hammond will battle it out for the coveted title. There will be live entertainment, great food and high-energy competition. In my opinion, it’s a must-attend event – all in support of the Navan Pavilion Project.

Spring is also the perfect time to give back! Register for the Spring Cleaning the Capital campaign by May 2 and help tidy up our parks, greenspaces and roads.

As well, spring means the end of outdoor rink and trail season, so a big shoutout is in store for all the dedicated volunteers who maintained them all winter – I’ll be hosting my annual pizza party soon to celebrate your efforts, so stay tuned!

Mark your calendars and shop local! The Original Navan Market has announced its 2025 dates, offering farm-fresh produce, handmade goods, and delicious eats in the heart of Navan. Not far away, the Cumberland Farmers’ Market kicks off June 7 at the Cumberland Arena running Saturdays until mid-October. And the Orleans Farmers’ Market will be back in May! Let’s support our incredible local vendors.

Looking ahead to summer, I’m excited to bring back my annual community BBQ in July. I’ll be releasing details shortly.

And of course, summer wouldn’t be complete without the Navan Fair. Running from Aug. 7-10, this year’s theme is “Muddy Boots and Country Roots.” It’s my favourite summer tradition, and I can’t wait to see you all there!

Our community is vibrant and full of exciting events. I look forward to seeing you out and about as we welcome the warmer months together!

 

Public invited to provide input on new Transportation Master Plan

It's been heartening over the last few weeks to see Premiers, the Prime Minister, lWhile the City of Ottawa is consulting on many things this year, it is perhaps the Transportation Master Plan that will have the largest effect on our community.

This document will guide how we build our transportation infrastructure for the next two decades. From new bus rapid transit corridors in South Orléans, to active transportation and congestion relief, we need to ensure this document provides the right direction to address our needs into the future.

Our team in the east has worked hard to raise the pressures that we feel the most.

Later this month, a draft document will be released to the public. It will be very important for community associations and neighbours to go through it and to submit comments. We need to ensure that our voices are heard loud and clear. Given that we are one of the fastest growing communities in the city, we need to be present and advocating for our needs.

For years, we have been raising the fact that we truly do have one, maybe two, routes in and out of our community. This is led to congestion and frustration, as well as precious time spent away from our families.

And we have been advocating to other levels of government and our own city staff for the projects that will lead to a better quality of life, better corridors to hospital and healthcare, and the transportation options we need to support the continued growth of our neighbourhoods.

So please, no matter where you live in Orléans, submit your comments online, attend a consultation, or better yet, come and delegate at transportation committee when the item is on the agenda.

When it comes to big items like this, having the community behind us makes such a difference. It shows staff and our colleagues how much this matters to us. It adds weight to our arguments.

Let’s stand together and ensure we are continuing to build the transportation network our community deserves.

 

Councillor calls on City to end its use of Elon Musk’s X

This week, I am bringing a motion to Finance and Corporate Services Committee asking that the City of Ottawa, and its associated departments, create a plan to suspend all its X-Holdings and migrate to alternative social media platforms. This motion is coming as we see increasingly alarming rhetoric coming from the United States and X-Holdings owner Elon Musk in particular.

As we face the threat of Trump tariffs, and a souring of our relationship with the US, it is time for our city to reconsider its use of X. This discussion has been a long time coming, as questions about the validity of information found on X, how users’ data is collected and disseminated, and the overall negativity of the platform, has been percolating since X-Holdings Corp. assumed ownership of Twitter in 2023.

As a city, we hold ourselves to standards of transparency, impartiality, respect and accountability. We must do the same for the platforms through which we engage with residents, and it has become clear that X and X-Corp do not share the same values.

Now is the time to decide whether the City should support X by maintaining an active account or cut ties to a platform that has been mired in controversy and misinformation.
One question that has been raised is “if not X, what alternative platform is there?” A few options have been discussed so far, examples being Bluesky and Mastodon. However, the city does maintain a presence on Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and has a large subscription base through its e-newsletters.

I view this motion as an opportunity to challenge city staff to seek out a closer-to-home solution. Would it not be wonderful for our local technology sector, or one of our highly skilled residents, to come up with a “Made in Ottawa” solution? While it may sound far fetched now, this situation may prompt innovation that addresses the need.

At the very least, my hope is that this motion will see the City of Ottawa suspend its X accounts and choose platforms that reflect our city’s values.

 

Staying active and well rested is important during winter

As winter stretches on in Ottawa, it can be easy to fall into the temptation of staying indoors. The cold weather, shorter days, and the comfort of our homes make it a season when hibernation seems like the best option.

But even during these cold months, it’s so important to prioritize our health – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Staying active, getting enough sleep, and making time for social connections are all essential habits that help us feel our best. And with spring just around the corner, now is the perfect time to stay on track and finish this season strong.

Getting outside and staying active in winter can be challenging, but Ottawa offers so many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Whether it’s skating along the Rideau Canal, walking through the Byward Market, or exploring one of our beautiful trails, winter doesn’t have to stop us from moving. Even simple activities like a brisk winter walk helps us keep moving and boosts our mood.

Personally, I’ve found that embracing the winter weather, even for a short time, gives me the energy I need to get through the day.

Sleep is just as important for maintaining our health, and winter can sometimes make it difficult to stick to a consistent sleep routine. But getting at least seven hours of sleep a night can improve focus and energy levels. I’ve found that keeping a regular bedtime, avoiding the us of tablets or cell phones before bed and creating a quiet, dark environment to sleep in, can really improve the quality of rest.

Finally, winter can sometimes bring feelings of isolation, but staying socially connected is vital. Whether it’s a quick coffee with a friend or a phone call with family, staying in touch with others helps lift our spirits and keeps us grounded.

As we near the end of winter, let’s focus on staying active, getting enough rest, and nurturing those important relationships.

With spring almost here, it’s the perfect time to finish winter strong and set ourselves up for a healthy, happy new season.