Meet these 5 unsung heroes who embody the heart of our community We’re pleased to introduce these Old Ottawa East residents whose years of volunteer service, generousity and compassion have made Old Ottawa East and the City of Ottawa a better place to live. MAINSTREETER STAFF Barbara O’Connor has been on the Board…
From finish line to quilt rack – every shirt tell a story One Old Ottawa East runner transforms decades of race T-shirts into quilts that celebrate personal milestones, cherished memories and a lifelong love of running. LOUISE RACHLIS It’s the classic slogan – my parents went to Florida and all I got was this…
OUR NEIGHBOURS Full circle brings Carrie Cole back to where it all began After a career spanning three decades in banking, fashion and fine wine, Carrie Cole returns to the Scotiabank branch to once again serve her customers in Old Ottawa East. DIANNE WING Sometimes it feels like life’s a circle, that somehow we…
A love of the loom: Beckwith Galleries is keeping the art of hand-knotted carpets alive SARAH PLEDGE DICKSON It is impossible to walk through Beckwith Galleries without stepping on piles of hand-knotted carpets stacked a dozen high. Carpets from around the world hang on the walls and those too big to display are rolled…
The “Kim’s Convenience” of Old Ottawa East Dixie Dairy: A mainstay on Main Street JOHN DANCE In the midst of a fast-changing business world, Dixie Dairy on Main Street carries on with owner Kebreab Ogbit – known as Gabriel to many of us – and his family adapting and providing continuing convenience to…
Sleepless nights, sturdy strollers, and community support A pedestrian, older, first-time parent’s guide to having a baby in Old Ottawa East MELISSA EBERLY I was still pregnant with our daughter when The Mainstreeter’s editor suggested that I write an article about parenting in Old Ottawa East. I initially brushed off the idea but…
The height of controversy surrounds plan to demolish 441 Echo Drive apartments A proposed seven-storey development across from the Flora Footbridge sparks debate over planning rules, affordable housing and fit within the neighbourhood. JOHN DANCE Developer JB Holdings proposes to demolish its 441 Echo Drive 16-unit low-rise apartment building just to the north…
Presses stop in Winchester, but The Mainstreeter rolls on Sudden shutdown of Winchester Print’s newspaper publishing division sends local newspapers scrambling for new printing homes in Montreal and Toronto MAINSTREETER STAFF The volunteers of The Mainstreeter, like those at many other community newspapers in and around Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley, woke up to…
Big plans for 2026 A new season set to take root at the Children’s Garden New managers, spring workshops and a fundraising push aim to keep Old Ottawa East’s special garden blooming LORI GANDY It’s Spring finally! And that means The Children’s Garden of Old Ottawa East is revving up for another great season….
75th Anniversary Celebrating Sunnyside Library: A vital community institution To our communities, it’s much more than a library… Opening doors to knowledge, belonging, and opportunity for the past 75 years JOHN DANCE The 75th anniversary of the Sunnyside branch of the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) is an occasion to reflect on the…
