HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS / GRADUATES:

You need a résumé: it is the document that tells employers about your qualification for a job and showcases how you could be an asset to a company. It contains your name and contact information, employment objective, education, experience, skills, achievements or interests.

A résumé shows your work history by date order, listing your last job first. If you have not had a job before, highlight your skills and expertise for specific jobs. A one-page résumé is recommended.

References: ask 2 teachers for references; get full name, telephone number and email.

Job Search: look for department stores, supermarkets, drugstores and other businesses within 10-15 minutes travel distance from your home. Go to each location, greet a staff member and hand in a résumé. If a company uses application forms, take the form home, read it carefully, complete it and return it with your résumé on the same day.

Interview answers: If you are applying for your first job, use the skills you learned during your Co-op placement to answer interview questions. Be honest and upbeat, show your ability to fit in as part of a team. Share positive experiences about sports, musical performance, poetry or helping classmates.

Attire: wear comfortable sneakers and casual summer clothing and neutral nail polish.

Ladies: no low-cut V-neck tops, spaghetti strap top, or blouse that exposes your belly button.

Gentlemen: no identifiable logo on t-shirts, no low-cut jeans with knees or underwear exposed.

For more details and examples see my website: http://www.lynettejosephsankey.ca/student.html

 

GetGrowing Hunt Club 2021

It’s all over except for the growing.  For the second year in a row, gardeners in Hunt Club were invited to sign up to receive a free seedling, package of vegetable seeds and an information pamphlet through GetGrowing Hunt Club.  This year 250 seed kit packages were delivered door to door.  The value of produce that can result from this locally grown harvest is $16,000!  That’s a lot of nutritious green beans and carrots and tomatoes!   As the growing season stretches in front of us, watch the Hunt Club Community Association Website, follow us on Facebook and Twitter , share pictures of your garden and learn of local initiatives such as opportunities to share excess produce.

GetGrowing Hunt Club is funded by the Hunt Club Community Association and City Councillor Riley Brockington.  We are grateful to our sponsors: Lee Valley Tools, Richmond Nursery, BWYL Group and Riocan.  And none of this would be possible without the many volunteers working with dedication and spirit during the COVID 19 pandemic.  All of it was done to deliver the promise of fresh locally grown produce to doorsteps in our ‘hood.  Thank you one and all!

Butterfly Puddling Station

On sunny summer days after rain, we may see butterflies gathering around the edges of mud puddles in nature. Have you ever wondered why? Butterflies get most of their nutrition from flower nectar but they need moisture. They also re-mineralize their bodies by bathing in mud puddles which are rich in salt and minerals.

If you wish to enjoy the sight of butterflies in your garden this season, help them by providing a butterfly puddling station. You can easily make it yourself! For this quick project you can use a bird bath which you may already have or just a larger-size terra cotta saucer with some gravel, and a couple of rocks on which the butterflies can land to sip mineralized water. If you do not have a terra cotta saucer at hand, use a plastic saucer. Either way, the saucer should have a raised edge so that butterflies can land easily. Fill the saucer with sand and a bit of manure compost, mix it together, and add water until the sand is wet. Place the saucer either in a bird bath, on a large flat stone or on the soil. Make sure to refill with water when the sand gets dry. Watch a step-by-step video on how to make butterfly puddling station.

Butterfly Puddling Station

Also, on the top of your puddling station (for example, at one corner), you can place another smaller-size saucer with fruits (ripe or overripe) such as banana, sliced apples, oranges or other. Butterflies and other insects will love it.

Be Cool

Ottawa is a great place to live, but nobody chooses it for the climate. Summer heat and winter cold are stressful. We look forward to warmth in January and get too much of it in July. Here are tips for living more comfortably when the thermometer climbs.

Know the weather conditions beforehand. There’s plenty of weather information via the media and short-term forecasts are very accurate. Plan activities accordingly. Listen for heat warnings from the City and know places where you can cool off.

Hunt Club has two splash pads, at Owl Park and McCarthy Park. Two others are nearby south of Walkley. Arnett Park is west of McCarthy and Stanstead Park to the east. Mooney’s Bay beach is close by.

Wear light clothing, which reflects the sun’s rays, and sunscreen. Be especially careful if you are susceptible to sunburn. Limit exposure and be sure to reapply sunscreen after going in the water.

Avoid exercising at peak hours of heat, or exercise in an air-conditioned gym. Plan outdoor exercise during the early morning or evening. If competing in an event during the heat of the day acclimatize your body to conditions in advance.

Drink fluids regularly. We perspire and lose water to cool off. If your mouth feels dry it’s a sign of dehydration so drink plain water and plenty of it. Infants, children, and the elderly need to be especially careful not to become dehydrated. Sports drinks may be appropriate to replace electrolytes if exercising for an hour or more.

 

 

The Highs and Lows of Hunt Club

Do you recognize this place in our community? Hunt Club Creek flows into the Rideau River, just upstream from the rail bridge and the lowest point in Hunt Club, about 76 m above mean sea level.

Reach it from a trail that winds beside the creek from the north end of Rivergate Way. There’s easier access from Old Riverside Drive north of the train tracks.

Just over 1 Km from the lowest point is the highest — at 112 m — on the grounds of the Hunt and Golf Club. While there is no public access, adjacent Riverside Drive rises to 107m. The ground ascends to 119m at the airport.

Another high point in our community is north of McCarthy Road, from the Quarry Coop to Huntview Condominiums rising to 106m.

Find out the elevation where you live at https://en-ca.topographic-map.com/maps/q4e/Ottawa/

 

National Volunteer Week

It’s National Volunteer Week (Apr 18 – 24). With so many issues happening—especially during a pandemic, the world could use more helping hands. A single volunteer can change a life, just imagine a whole community. Whether it’s taking time to collect goods for a food bank, deliver supplies to doorsteps of the vulnerable, looking after kids, taking someone to a medical appointment, or even sharing letters or creative pieces with senior homes. Every little deed collectively adds up to make a big difference.

In studies, results found that people who volunteer tend to have higher self-esteem and overall well-being. The more you connect with your community, the higher your confidence grows. It opens up opportunities to meet new friends or neighbours, and provides a positive experience to add to your resume. It can also provide a large amount of satisfaction and appreciation for what you have in life.

In recognition of the volunteers who provide their care and compassion, we wish everyone a happy National Volunteer Week. We encourage you to perform even a small gesture whenever you can. Thank you!

 

Check out Volunteer Canada’s website
Volunteer Week

Hunt Club High Rises

Do you know the high rises in our community? You may be surprised; they’re spread out from east to west.


Starting in the east at 136 Darlington Private is this 11 storey, 80 unit high rise built by Tamarack in 2005. It’s known as The Landmark, officially Ottawa-Carleton Standard Condominium Cooperation No 697.

There’s information on amenities and sale prices through the years here.

 

 

Centrally located in our area are two rental buildings at Uplands and Paul Anka Drives, serviced by buses on two routes, close to shopping and the community centre.

Gilboa Place Apartments at 3301 Uplands Drive is on the northeast corner of the intersection and comprised of two offset blocks. There are 1 and 2 bedroom units with rents from $1,350 per month inclusive of heat, hydro and water. There’s further information from District Realty.

 

 

On the northwest corner, at 3360 Paul Anka Drive is 12-storey Royalton Place. The footprint is three wings with studio,1 and 2 bedroom units which rent from $1,250 to $1,475. Find out more from the rental agent.

Air conditioning is not mentioned as a feature of these buildings.  Before you rent, ask residents and look for comments about the building and facilities on social media.

 

At the Rideau River end of our Hunt Club community are two luxury condominium high rises together known as Riverside Gate. At 3590 Riverdale Ave, OCSCC 667 was registered under the Condominium Act in 2003. It has 149 units. Its twin, oriented at right angles, is 3580 Riverdale Ave. OCSCC 769 was registered under the Condominium Act in 2007 with 144 units. There’s information on these properties here.

 

 

You may have noticed something unusual in the previous photo — unusual that is for Hunt Club — hydro lines on poles. They cross Riverside Drive north of Uplands on a slant, a remnant of the time when they ran alongside the Bowesville Road. This photo, taken from where the road crosses the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club shows the hydro wires still present with Riverside Gate seen in the distance. And there’s another high rise on the left.

 

 

Unlike the others, it’s commercial, occupied by IBM since they acquired Cognos in 2007 for $5 billion. At 3755 Riverside Drive, there are two towers. The larger 10-storey 180,000 sq. ft. building constructed in 2000 connects to the original six-storey tower, erected in 1985, by an elevated walkway.

 

Hazardous Driving in Hunt Club

Dangerous speeds were recorded each day by the Uplands Drive radar speed sign in 2020. Four in every hundred vehicles exceeded 60 Km/hr.

The chart shows the daily maximum values. Over the year the average highest daily speed was 82 Km/hr.  On 23 days reckless drivers blew past at twice the speed limit—that’s stunt driving under the Highway Traffic Act, penalties for which include 6 demerit points, a fine of $2,000 to $10,000 and other penalties.

What was the irresponsible person recorded at 130 Km/hr on 5 July thinking? We don’t know who it was, what they were driving and under what conditions, only that they were being extremely reckless. The radar speed board does not have a camera so, short of someone with miraculous investigative powers, we’ll never know.

There’s more to dangerous driving than exceeding the speed limit. If you’ve ever slid across an intersection or off the road during freezing rain you know how hazardous it can be. City traffic statistics show accidents are over four times as likely during freezing rain events.

Black ice is deceptive, occurring when water vapour in the air freezes directly onto a cold surface —that’s why there are warnings about ice on the road surface of bridges, especially those over water where humidity is higher. Watch out for cold clear nights when the temperature drops rapidly. Still not convinced of the danger? Check out “black ice” videos on YouTube.

Combining radar speed and weather data shows that each additional centimetre of snow recorded increases adherence to the speed limit by 1 percent. Snow also marginally reduces traffic volume on Uplands. On cold winter days, traffic moves on average a bit more slowly.

Overall the data show a large majority of drivers on Uplands drive within the speed limit, Three-quarters of all vehicles approach the sign within the 50 Km/hr speed limit, and 85 percent travel at less than 53 Km/hr. A few recklessly ignore it. Keep yourself and others safe by observing speed limits, slowing down and being extra careful in adverse weather.

A photo radar pilot project is now underway at nine school locations, none of them in Hunt Club. Given these findings, should the City extend the project to other locations to deter and catch dangerous drivers?

 

Build Your Own Little Free Library

We’ve got four of these already in Hunt Club, but I’ve only found three! One in the sector between McCarthy Rd and Plante Drive, and two in the Hunt Club Woods sector. Apparently there is a third one there on Singer Place. I’ve looked for it, but can’t see it. If you find it, please post it here. So far, none in Quinterra-Woods (West of Riverside Drive) nor in Hunt Club Estates (between Hunt Club Rd + the Hydro Right-of-Way and McCarthy Rd).

So, why not erect a whole bunch more of these free little libraries throughout our community? We know we are a reading community without our own public library branch, so this is one way we can share our love of books with one another, all within walking distance.

If you are of the ‘handy person persuasion’, here are instructions to build and install your project:

https://littlefreelibrary.org/build/

Looking for more inspiration? You will find all kinds of other ideas to inspire your project here:

https://littlefreelibrary.org/little-free-libraries-shoestring-budget/

Councillor’s Corner

Dear Hunt Club Neighbours,

My office continues to field a number of questions about COVID vaccines. The combined efforts of Ottawa Public Health and the City of Ottawa are leading the local vaccination campaign.

Starting the first week of March, vaccinations began for those 80+ or adults with chronic home care needs, who live in 7 at-risk neighbourhoods.  Priority will be given to these adults in other high risk neighbourhoods, where the prevalence of COVID is significantly higher than other neighbourhoods.   A section of our community, classified in the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study, as “Hunt Club East – Western Community” will be identified as a priority community and should be called on soon.

Once the priority, at-risk neighbourhoods are vaccinated, a general call across Ottawa will be made for all 80+ year olds and adults living at home and receiving chronic home care.

Thank-you for your patience, we are almost there.  Once the 80+ cohort is vaccinated, the next cohort, 75+ will be called, descending by age to the next cohorts.   Ottawa Public Health is using age as the most pressing criteria to prioritize vaccinations within the general population, as data clearly indicates that older adults have a more serious chance of death or hospitalization if they acquire COVID.

Please visit the Ottawa Public Health website at https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-health-topics/covid-19-vaccine.aspx for updates on when the next communities and/or age groups will be called upon.

If you have not yet registered, please subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter, by contacting my office.

Sincerely,

Riley Brockington

City Councillor, River Ward

Riley.Brockington@Ottawa.ca

613-580-2486

Pen Pals to Seniors

The seniors at a nearby residence have been feeling isolated during the pandemic. Family and friends have not been able to visit very much and outings have been restricted.

In February, HCCA’s  Valentine’s for Seniors initiative was embraced with much excitement, as staff handed out the cards dropped off by our wonderful community neighbours.

“We passed (the cards) out on Sunday during lunch time and everyone was so excited and felt special receiving so many cards. It really meant a lot. One of our residents actually wanted to know if she could write a letter back to them to thank them personally?”
— Danielle Barnard, Retirement Living Consultant, Chartwell Bridlewood Retirement Residence.

The HCCA has coordinated again with the residence to initiate a Pen-Pal Program with our community.

Would you like to be a penpal for a lonely senior? 
To begin, please mail the following information for the staff at the retirement residence, and they will match you to a senior. 1) Your name, 2) address, 3) describe your hobbies and interests.

Please mail or drop off a letter to

Re: Pen-Pals to Seniors
Chartwell Bridlewood Retirement Residence
3998 Bridlepath Drive
Ottawa, Ontario, K1T 4H4

Community is about connections.
Let’s help each other!

 

March is Francophonie Month!

Why in March?

To coincide with the International Day of the Francophonie on March 20 of every year.

March usually coincides with March Break for students in Canada in most provinces and territories. Schools choose a week in the month of March to celebrate the French language.

Why celebrate the French language?

Canada’s two official languages are an integral part of our identity.
Why celebrate any language? Because a language is a reflection of a people’s culture, a manifestation of the human spirit – a unique way of expressing how one perceives and experiences the world around them. As we learn to understand and appreciate each others’ cultures and languages, we grow closer together in the human family.

 

international day of francophonie

Canada’s Official Language Act is being modernized! See here for more information:

https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/news/2021/02/government-of-canada-unveils-plan-to- modernize-official-languages-act.html

Let’s celebrate the francophonie together, its culture, its diversity and its inclusivity across Canada! Discover here the organized activities from coast to coast to coast as well as online games and contests that Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie have planned for you: https://rvf.ca/en

Check out how the Ottawa Public Library is celebrating the month of the Francophonie this year:

https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/blogs/la-francophonie-your-couch

March is the Mois de la francophonie at the University of Ottawa! It’s the perfect opportunity to get to know and enjoy French language and culture in all its forms. Activities will take place all over the campus — lots of concerts, exhibitions, talks, films and more! This March, let’s celebrate our own rich, dynamic francophone community!

https://olbi.uottawa.ca/mois-francophonie

Practice your French listening skills, while enriching your knowledge about Canada’s geography and culture by listening to these documentary films in French:

  • Let yourself experience Canada’s North in ‘Le Grand Nord canadien’, an exquisite documentary by Philippe Gougler: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5M8lBTuF84   Spectacular!
  • How many Canadians are aware that in Western Canada there is an organized and dynamic minority group of over 100,000 people, who all speak French? This group is spread across three provinces: Alberta, Saskatachewan and Manitoba, that vast territory better known as ‘the prairies’. The documentatry ‘La Voix de la prairie’ introduces these men and women, survivors of a unique history, which they are trying to preserve. This French-speaking population lives in the natural environment of vast plains and takes us to the heart of North America of the early explorers and trappers, the ‘coureurs des bois”.

More cultural activities online to celebrate the month of the Francophonie, brought to you by L’Alliance française d’Ottawa: https://afottawa.extranet-aec.com/events/view/0-Cultural%20Events#/

Listen here to ‘La Voix de la Prairie: La francophonie au Canada’ – documentary by Jean Dulon:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSuDP5M6ILQ