by Bonnie Weppler
Saturday, June 2 was a very busy day in Old Ottawa East. The Ride for Dad rolled down Colonel By Drive. Our Main Farmers’ Market opened for the summer. It was Doors Open Ottawa. And 100in1Day was underway in our neighbourhood.
Bright and early, 1,232 motorcycles of different sizes, shapes and designs rumbled down Colonel By Drive as part of the annual Ride for Dad. There were dirt bikes and Harleys, three-wheelers and bikes with sidecars; at least one of them bearing the driver’s sidekick, his dog. The goal of the Ride for Dad is to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer. Just over $207,000 was raised. Vroom! Vroom!
The Main Farmers’ Market opened one month later than usual to ensure that produce was readily available. Comments overheard in the Market included several exclamations of delight over a new vendor who was selling crepes and professed love for the cowgirl cookies sold by Five Cupcakes.
Former Mainstreeter Board member and editor, Meredith Newberry, representing her home business on the opening day of the Main Farmers’ Market. Photo by Bonnie Weppler
There were four Doors Open hosts in Old Ottawa East: AIDS Committee of Ottawa, Peace Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ottawa Chinese Bible Church and the Jean-Léon Library at Saint Paul University. Doors Open Ottawa began in 2002, and since then more than one million visits have been made to the wide range of doors that have been opened by establishments including corporations, religious institutions, non-profit agencies, and embassies.
This is only the second year that 100in1Day events have been held in Ottawa. 100in1Day is all about citizen engagement, and small things that people can do to improve their communities. Like Doors Open, there were four events in our community: a pop-up café offering market-goers the opportunity to share their views on community and local farmers’ markets; various games (hula hoops, ping pong, badminton, volleyball, mini soccer nets and soccer rebound wall) at Springhurst Park, sponsored by Springhurst Park Action; remapping Ottawa through emotions, identities and beliefs in order to gain an increased sense of community; and exploring co-housing in a seven family house on Drummond Street.
Saturday, June 2 was truly a time for the community in Old Ottawa East.
