By Charlie Senack
Happy February, Kitchissippi! We’re almost half way through winter already. We have been blessed with warmer temperatures which make going outside bearable! I spoke with Dave Adams who runs the Kichi Sibi winter trail who told me conditions have been perfect so far this season.
The start of a new year brings out those well-intentioned resolutions. A survey by Time2Play reported that Canadians make an average of 1.7 resolutions each year and about 60 per cent of them find them beneficial.
Like many I made the personal resolution to eat healthier this year and improve my physical activity. I’m happy to report I’ve made it to the gym once, an activity that lasted about five minutes. Hopefully your goals are going better than mine!
Appropriately, this issue of KT focuses on health and wellness. Zenith Wolfe spoke with Dylan Harries, manager at Dovercourt Recreation Centre, who had tips on how to stay motivated and avoid the winter blues. KT also caught up with Sarah Zahab, co-founder of Westboro’s Continuum Fitness to hear about the importance of physical fitness for body and mind.
Sophia Foglia talked with Linda Whitfield, a Kitchissippi resident who paddled over 80 times last year, a personal best for the 78-year-old. Whitfield shared her ideas about what keeps her motivated.
In local news I had the chance to speak with parents at Devonshire Public School who are concerned about construction noise from a nearby Claridge building site. They say recess for the students had to be canceled and has sent some home with headaches.
I also sat down with Ottawa Centre MP Yasir Naqvi and the Mechanicsville Community Association to hear about an idea to move controversial “embassy row” plans to Tunney’s Pasture. This comes after current proposals were rejected by city council but appealed by the National Capital Commission.
Bradley Turcotte had the opportunity to sit down with John Hatoum, founder of Johns Diner on Wellington St. W, who had a day named after him on his 85th birthday.
KT also checked out Urban Art Collective, which is becoming Kitchissippi’s home for urban street artists. Co-founder Lindsay Machinski has plans for the site that include workshops and a night market in the parking lot.
In “Early Days,” Dave Allston pieces together the history of Ottawa’s coal and lumber industries, which were based in Westboro.
And in this month’s “Giving” section, we touch base with John Lonergan who runs Under One Roof, a team of people with developmental disabilities which has been making pins and brooches with the copper from the original Parliament building roof.
Finally, we welcome Millie Farley, a Grade 9 student getting her volunteer hours with KT. The aspiring journalist sat down with Dr. Sam Hetz for this month’s “Humans of Kitchissippi.”
That’s all that fits into print, but Kitchissippi.com carries on through the month with news and events.