By Charlie Senack
Another year is coming to an end. As you get older, it’s amazing how quickly time flies by. It feels just like yesterday we were rolling into 2024.
The Kitchissippi Times has been faced with many changes this year — perhaps the most in our 21-year history: a new design, expanded boundaries to Britannia and Little Italy, a wider variety of content, some of the largest page counts we’ve ever produced. It’s all very exciting — especially at a time when community newspapers all across North America are suffering. In January 2025, we are excited to release a new website with additional features and a modernized weekly newsletter.
As I was flipping through the pages the other day, I was reminded by all of the amazing people we’ve had the chance to meet this year. It began in February with 88-year-old Russell Yuristy who was recognized by the Ottawa Art Gallery for his creative achievements. That month we also celebrated the 100-year history of Nepean High School and shared disappointment in the closure of the Ottawa Art Gallery.
In March, we introduced you to Beth Ciavaglia, the new executive director of the Parkdale Food Centre, and Nepean High School student Julie Brousseau, who had her eyes set on the Paris Olympics. There was also the beginning of our series on Carling Avenue and what its future holds.
In April, we turned the pages back in time to Early Days gone by. We went underground at LeBreton Flats, where ByTown’s past was unearthed, and inside St. François d’Assie Church, which has been a beacon in Wellington West for a century. Dave Allston took us on a tour of heritage properties in Kitchissippi which were at risk without designation. On walks through the street, I saw people holding the pages and going for a tour of the neighbourhood’s history themselves.
May was an exciting time for the Parkdale Market, which was gearing up to celebrate its 100th anniversary. We unearthed the hidden history of bones buried beneath Alymer Island and wrote about the controversy paid parking was having for Westboro and Wellington West residents.
June brought the return of summer activities with a look ahead to concerts and events. The Preston Street BIA was busy planning for their annual Italian Week festivities as patio lovers basked in the sunshine with local cuisine.
When we returned from a month-long break in August, we celebrated Ottawa’s LGBTQ2S+ community by looking back at the social challenges brave champions faced in the fight for love and acceptance. We learned about the fear many gay and trans folks were feeling in the wake of rising social unrest. On a more difficult side, a Westboro mall was rocked with gunfire which left a 29-year-old dead.
In September, a group of grannies were getting ready to host their first-ever walk on the Chief William Commanda Bridge to raise awareness for the HIV and AIDS epidemics in East Africa. We introduced you to Jeffrey Larocque, who was dressing up as Spider-Man to raise money for charity. We also explored the drug and opioid epidemic, which was causing a lot of difficulty for residents in Centretown, and we visited Chinatown businesses to see how Somerset was creating a new identity.
Construction from light rail transit work detailed businesses on Richmond Road in October, and the Britannia community fought back against changes to the Belltown Dome which would no longer see it frozen. The Kitchissippi Times visited the Dominion Arboretum to learn how the urban greenspace was helping climate change, and introduced you to a series of local mystery authors.
Then in November you got to meet Chairman George, one of the most unique individuals I’ve ever met, whose main goal in life is to spread joy for others and make them feel accepted. It was a particularly special edition of the paper as we mapped out where the fallen soldiers of Kitchissippi used to live and met brothers who died in war. A reminder that you can read all these stories and more on Kitchissippi.com.
As we look ahead to 2025, there is a lot to already get excited about. Westboro Beach will finally reopen (hopefully) after years of revitalization, and Ironman is coming to Britannia Beach. The Trillium Line of light rail should be in operation, and there are many exciting greenspaces in the works.
One of the parts I love most about a new year is that it’s a fresh slate to do what you want. Whether you set New Year’s resolutions for yourself or not, I hope 2025 is everything you want it to be and so much more. See you in February!