CJRO News January 11 to January 17, 2021
Hello, bonjour, and welcome, et bienvenue, to CJRO News on Carlsbad-Vars Radio. I’m Candice Vetter, reporting from near Carlsbad Springs.
There are more and more ways to win money with local fundraisers. Here at CJRO we are starting radio Bingo in February, with three games twice a month. The first set of three games will be live on February 11th at 7 p.m. on air and on CJROradio.com. Prizes are up to $1,000. Bingo cards will soon be available at Rene’s Corner, Carlsbad Variety or Vars Gas Bar for $5 each. Funds raised will go to support the Carlsbad Springs and Vars’ Optimist Clubs. Hear my upcoming interview on Local First regarding this new, fun game later this month.
The Russell Agricultural Society has launched their second truck raffle. To have a chance to win a silver 2021 Ford F-150 4 by 4 worth over more than $50,000, buy a ticket soon. Tickets are $100 each and they are already 75 percent sold. There are two early bird prizes of $1000 left with draws on Easter Sunday and on Canada Day. To buy tickets, pay by email transfer to rastruckraffle@gmail.com, by credit card at russellfair.com, contact any Ag Society board member, or pick them up at Russell Foodland. The committee is made up of Reeann Slater, Michelle Lemieux and Lyndon Donnelly. To hear more about the raffle listen to my interview with Slater on Local First.
The Russell Kin Club’s Catch the Ace lottery jackpot has not been won and is now estimated to be over one hundred and eighty thousand dollars ($180,000.00). The weekly prize will be over $10,000.00. There are 15 envelopes remaining. Go to kinclubofrussell.ca to play. In person sales are also available in some local stores.
Catch my Local First podcast with Kin Club member Doug Anthony about the contest on CJROradio.com/news.
And to participate in a different type of local fundraiser, hold onto to those empties!
The Carlsbad Springs Optimist Club is holding a bottle drive on Saturday, January 30th, from 10 a.m. to noon. You can drop off the bottles and beer cans at the Carlsbad Springs Community Center, at 6020 Piperville Road. Residents of Carlsbad Springs, Ramsayville or Edwards, can also arrange for pick up by emailing cluboptimistecarlsbadsprings@rogers.com. Give your name, address and an estimate of how many empties you have. Contributors who provide a phone number will also be included in a draw for a $50 LCBO gift card.
There is more good news in Carlsbad Springs. The puddle rink for skating is open at the community centre parking lot. This rink requires less of a snow base compared to the grassy area inside the boards. The usual rink will also be built, but the puddle rink is for younger kids and families to safely skate. The big rink will be prepared as soon as there is sufficient snow for the base. The maximum number of people allowed on the pad is 25.
Skaters can use the washrooms at the community centre only during the supervised hours and anyone entering the building will need to wear a mask. The supervised hours are Tuesday and Wednesday (5 p.m. to 7 p.m.); Thursday and Friday (5 p.m. to 8 p.m.); and Saturday and Sunday (11 a.m. to 2 p.m). If you have questions, call 613-821-3431.
The volunteers preparing the rinks are also asking that residents do not use the hockey rink yet. It is not thick enough and using it will delay its preparation.
People needing a COVID-19 test for travel can get one at the clinic at the Ray Friel Recreation Complex on Tenth Line Road. The centre is operated by the Montfort Hospital and the cost per test is $185. It is open weekdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The City of Ottawa Clerk, Rick O'connor recently advised the Carlsbad Springs Community Association that the outcome of the Ottawa Ward Boundary Review will have no direct impact on addresses. In other words, no changes to home addresses will be required because of the realigned ward boundaries approved by City Council on December 9. “The 2022 Municipal Elections will be administered such that residents/tenants of any properties affected by realigned ward boundaries will be associated with their ‘new’ ward without needing to change their home address.”
The voters’ list for the 2022 Municipal Elections will identify people who are eligible to vote by name, address, residency status and school board support, and will include ward and poll assignments based on the City’s new ward boundaries. These ward and poll assignments are based on the geographic location of an elector’s address rather than their mailing address or postal code.
The Carlsbad Springs Community Association is pushing for a change in postal codes, as about 62 addresses which are physically in Carlsbad Springs have Navan or Vars postal codes, which causes significant problems for those residents. The CSCA is hopeful that new ward councillor Catherine Kitts will support their request for a change, as it must be the municipality, in this case the City of Ottawa, who makes the request to Canada Post.
The draft of the City of Ottawa’s new official plan has been put online for public input. To see the full plan, the one-pagers describing how the draft plan addresses topics, and to comment, see engage.ottawa.ca. The surveys are open until Feb. 17th.
Russell Township has decided to cancel its bus service, Russell Transpo. During the regular council meeting on December 21st, after receiving a report outlining potential options for reducing service during the pandemic, councillors voted 3-2 in favour of cancelling the service completely and not renewing, either this year or in 2022. Many Township residents were shocked by this unexpected change which has already taken place. Only about six riders still used it, because of the pandemic. As of January 1st, the service has ended. At the meeting Township planner Dominique Tremblay spoke against the cancellation, saying that almost 64 percent of riders said they would resume using it after the pandemic, 24 percent were uncertain, and only 12 percent said they would not use it later. Councillors Jamie Laurin and Mike Tarnowski voted to cancel it and the tie was broken by Mayor Pierre Leroux. Cancelling the service now will cost the Township over $274,000. Leroux said he did not question the need for service, but whether it should be publicly funded. For more on this issue, we will be posting my interview with Councillor Andre Brisson shortly.
The Orléans-Cumberland Community Resource Child and Youth Program is hosting bilingual virtual coffee meets on January 13th and 16th. To register, contact Tanya: tanya@crcoc.ca or 613-830-4357, ext. 140. Participants also have a chance to win a $50 gift card for Skip the Dishes.
Do you have news that matters to our area? If yes, contact me by emailing newsCJRO@gmail.com. I’m Candice Vetter, sending best wishes for the new year to you and yours. CJRO – Last on the dial, first for local news.