Staying Connected - thca.ca · Newsletter—Summer 2020 Ottawa Enters Phase 2 As the ity of Ottawa enters Stage 2 of the OVID-19 Reopening Plan and re-strictions are relaxed and more

Tanglewood Hillsdale Community Association — www.thca.ca Page 1

The mission of the Tangle-

wood Hillsdale Community

Association (THCA) is to en-

hance the quality of life, to

promote community spirit,

to represent the views of its

membership, and to partici-

pate in charitable, educa-

tional and recreational activi-

ties.

Stay Connected with

the THCA

—Visit our website at www.thca.ca

—Follow us on Facebook to www.facebook.com/thcadotca

—Contact the THCA President at [email protected]

—Contact the Staying Connected Editor at [email protected]

—Contact the Facility Man-ager (to rent space at the Tanglewood Community Centre) at: [email protected]

Staying Connected Tanglewood Hillsdale Community Association (THCA)

Newsletter—Summer 2020

Ottawa Enters Phase 2 As the City of Ottawa enters Stage 2 of the COVID-19 Reopening Plan and re-strictions are relaxed and more services are made available, it is important for the community to remain diligent.

Please continue to follow Provincial and Ottawa Public Health guidelines to ensure that our community remains healthy and the province remains on track to reach Re-opening Plan milestones. For more information and to stay up to date on local COVID-19 news, visit the City’s information portal at https://ottawa.ca/en/health-and-public-safety/covid-19-ottawa.

THCA Communication Survey—In order to serve the communi-ty to the best of our ability, we at the THCA would like to learn more about how community members currently consume the in-formation we provide. A short survey has been posted on the THCA website at www.thca.ca/2020/thca-communication-survey/. Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey and let us know how you stay up to date with community news, programs, and events.

What We’ve Learned During the COVID-19 Pandemic—Like many Tanglewood Hillsdale neighbourhood residents, the COVID-19 Pandemic and the emergency re-strictions it forced upon households, has allowed the THCA to reflect on our sur-roundings. We’ve been reminded of a number of things about the community that are under-utilized, taken for granted, or just not enjoyed to their full potential.

Open green space in the community, specifically in the Hydro One corridor, is worth protecting

The extensive sidewalks and pathways around the community encourage walking, biking and rollerblading

The ball courts, baseball diamonds, soccer fields in two parks, and outdoor rink at Tanglewood Park encourage an active lifestyle for all ages. Let’s not forget our kids’ Toboggan Hill!

The community’s gardens not only look great, but they contribute to the good life

The Nepean Trail connects the community to downtown and is a great way to stay active and also avoid using public transit to get into work

Even in times of crisis, the neighbourhood crime rate is still low compared to oth-er areas of the City, thanks in part to the efforts of our Neighbourhood watch group

The Nepean Sportsplex fitness trail is just minutes away and Is a great alternative

Tanglewood Hillsdale Community Association — www.thca.ca Page 2

Neighbourhood Infrastructure News Paved Loop Approved and Signal Update – The THCA’s request to waymark a 3km

loop, which forms a part of the Nepean Trail, has been approved by the City. The path will now have a marker every 1/2km. Another request to install a push-button signal on the North side of Woodfield Dr. is currently awaiting response. The signal would warn drivers going west that there is someone either in the crossover or awaiting to cross from the trail. The area isn’t currently visible to drivers due to the curve in the road and poses a safety concern. A survey of use will still be conducted this summer to deter-mine the extent of use of the Loop and this crossing.

Bus Shelter Request—The THCA has requested a bus shelter to be installed on the east side of Merivale for use by waiting

northbound travelers. OC Transpo has advised that this bus shelter installation will be considered for inclusion in the 2021 budget. There is currently only a shelter on the west side of Merivale for passengers waiting for the No. 83 bus.

Toboggan Hill—The THCA requested that the children’s Toboggan Hill be designated a parkette, which was recently ap-

proved. The site will be maintained in the off-season. The THCA will promote its use in its communication tools (Website, Facebook, our bulletin-boards.

Hydro One Installations—Hydro One recently confirmed that the Bench and

Bike-stand to be situated half-way through the Central Loop remains a work in pro-gress. They also confirmed that Hydro One remains committed to the bulletin board to be situated on the year-round pathway by the community mailbox at Crestlea, Foxmeadow, and Dalehurst. The City of Ottawa’s Parks Culture and Facili-ties Services are in charge in the installation.

Maintaining Lawns—In a positive light, City park maintenance staff are main-

taining our parks through the phasing in of use. Community members are reminded to be mindful of ticks when using parks. Ottawa Public Health has posted a video on how to protect yourself from potentially being infected with Lyme Disease. See the video at: https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-health-topics/lyme-disease.aspx

Walkway Not in Place this Year—While it may have seemed simple to identi-

fy the need for a pathway in the Hydro One corridor from Woodfield Dr. to the Tan-glewood Community Center, it is apparently very complicated. The asphalt pathway would need to connect to an existing pathway in the park, curbs on both sides of Woodfield Dr. would need to be cut, and a crosswalk most likely would need to be installed. The THCA has asked our City Councillor to put the project into next year’s budget. There is however a commitment to have the curb cut in the Medhurst park-ing lot, so that the pathway to the bench near the volleyball court can be accessed for those who use a wheelchair or walker.

Go Fund Me for Team Benny

Benny, the two-year old grandson of Dale, one of our long-time community members and supporter of the THCA, was recently diagnosed with B Cell Acute Lym-phocytic Leukemia. Benny has already undergone numerous tests and proce-dures and has also been given his first chemotherapy treatment by the wonder-ful staff at CHEO. Benny’s parents have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support they have received from family and friends; however, finances should be the last thing on their minds during this time. Supporting the family with a monetary donation is something that we can do to help. If you are able to do so, please consider donating to the Team Benny’s Go Fund Me page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/team-benny

Community Garden Update—Our Tanglewood Park community garden has received

approval to open by Just Food and City of Ottawa Public Health. All of our 18 organic raised vegetable boxes have been allocated to registered gardeners. Please note that the areas is available only to registered gardeners. Members of the public are advised to respect the sign-age and boundaries surrounding this area. We thank Greely Sand & Gravel for their generous donation of mushroom compost, value of $184.50.

Courts are Open—The basketball and tennis courts at Tanglewood Park are now

open to the public at no cost. The spaces can be used for basketball, tennis, and ball hockey. The baseball diamonds and soccer fields at both parks and volleyball court at Medhurst Park are also open. Community members are reminded that social distanc-ing guidelines still apply. Users must keep a distance of two meters and no more than 10 people can be on any given court/field at a time.

Tanglewood Hillsdale Community Association — www.thca.ca Page 3

Volunteer with NCRORC The Tanglewood Community Cen-ter and the Nepean, Rideau and Osgoode Community Resource Centre (NROCRC) are now looking for volunteers for Masks Making Project for the community. All the material will be provided by NROCRC except the sewing ma-chine. If you are interested, Please contact [email protected]"

Looking for an Interior Programs Manager (Volunteer) — This position is great for

university students, retirees, or anyone with too much free time on their hands! This position involves a commitment of approximately nine hours per month, performing the following tasks:

Managing emails to and from members of THCA and Tanglewood Park Community Centre (TPCC) for programs

Organizing indoor programs at our Tanglewood Park Community Center (coordinating with facility promoters, hiring instructors, and getting feedback from members)

Posting and updating information on the THCA website and calendar for Programs that are happening in our community

Attending TPCC meetings

Helping to brainstorm ideas for advertising and running programs such as Tai Chi, yoga, and seniors social groups

This position offers the ability to work from home, a quarterly gratuity of $180.00, and colleagues who are supportive! The ideal candidate will have basic computer skills, show strong initiative, and have above average communication skills (oral and written). If you’d like to make a difference in your community and are interested in this position, please send your resume to [email protected]

JFS Presentation—The Jewish Family Services of Ottawa

will provide a presentation on Mental Wellness and Self-Care to Arabic speaking families living in the Tanglewood -Hillsdale neighbourhood and other neighborhoods in July. For more in-formation, please refer to the TCHA mini calendar (https://thca.ca/covid-online-3rd-party-programs/ ) in July.

Annual Corn Roast: Sept. 9th—This year, due to the pan-

demic, we will be celebrating our annual corn roast online. We will post a Google Form on our website for you to register to join our online community get together/concert. Please let us know if you have a talent that you would like showcase! Email a video of your talent to show to our community. Email [email protected] with suggestions for this online event and if you can help.

Neighbourhood Day in the Tanglewood Hillsdale Community: July 18th—In light of the COVID-19 pandemic,

social connectivity, mental health, and community wellness are more important than ever. There are many ways to support your neighbours and your community. Check the THCA website for suggestions and send your ideas of how you are supporting your neighbors and “staying connected” to [email protected]

Your Neighbourhood Needs You! Data Entry Clerk: The THCA is currently seeking the services of a Data Entry Clerk to update and maintain the Membership, Neighbourhood Watch, Program, and Local Busi-ness databases to ensure that our contacts remain current. This is a paid position at $15/hr. Experience with digital records management is required. If you are interested, please contact the THCA President at [email protected]

Membership Coordinator: The Membership Coordinator oversees the recruitment,

welcoming, and engagement with new Association members, as well as reminds mem-

bers when its time for renewal. Your position also involves expanding and communi-

cating memberships benefits to recruit new members. The Membership Coordinator is

also required to actively participate in THCA Board meetings. If you are interested,

please contact the THCA President at [email protected]

Lawn & Garden Contest—To all those who maintain

lawns and care for gardens, it was wonderful to see our neighbourhood in bloom. Below are the list of winners from this year’s Lawn & Garden Contest. Congratulations to all!

Single Homes—54 Kidgrove Gardens and 13 Lansfield Way

Semidetached Homes—37 Downsview Cres.

Townhomes—17 D and 39C Woodfield Dr.

Garden Homes—41 Geynam Court

Together Lawn & Garden—16 A to F Benlea

Alternative Front Yards—9 Lansfield Way