Carlington Glee Club by Josh McJannett

Councillor McRae’s October Report to the Community

Carlington residents turned out in big numbers to roll up their sleeves and work to make a better community.

We want to extend a huge thanks to the more than 60 Carlington residents who turned out for the CCA’s Fall community kick off meeting Tuesday night. Everyone in attendance was invited to provide their input and share their ideas for improving our community through a series of discussion groups.

Residents brought great energy and ideas and contributed their thoughts to building a safer, greener, better community through a broader, more representative community association. We left feeling excited about what we can achieve in the year ahead.

We want YOU to get involved! Send us an email and tell us how you want to help make Carlington a better place to live. We’ve got great opportunities to roll up your sleeves from tulip planting on October 13th to helping us organize our annual neighbourhood shinny hockey tournament, the Carlington Cup.

We want to hear from you!

P.S.–Our meeting was even profiled on CBC Ottawa! Watch the clip here.

We’re not aware of any bitter feud stretching back decades between the communities of Carlington and Hintonburg. But, just in case, we’ll settle it once and for all in a massive water fight.

The showdown will start at high noon on neutral ground at Hampton Park. Come out, bring your supplies (we’ll have a bucket of water balloons on hand, too), meet our friends from one of Ottawa’s coolest communities, and prepare to get soaked. Our side wears green - they’ll be in blue!

All ages are welcome!

We are getting really excited. Next Monday we’ve invited all of Carlington to join us for a free community BBQ, family games, crafts and much more.

The best part: you’re invited!

In addition to all the CCA-provided BBQ, fun and games, we’ve also invited a ton of great community organizations to take part in the day’s activities. Groups like Neighbourhood Watch, Crimestoppers, Ottawa Good Food Box, Yasir Naqvi M.P.P., the Rogers TV Tim Hortons Community Cruiser and the Ottawa Police Service will all be on hand. We’ll even have a performance from the Caldwell Glee Club at noon!

Participating families will be handed a ‘Carlington Family Fun Day Passport’ upon arrival that they can fill out by dropping by the various community booths set up throughout the day. Completed passports will be entered in a draw for a great prize!

Don’t miss out!

Date: Victoria Day Monday (May 21)

Where: Alexander Park, 960 Silver Street

Time: 11am-3pm

At our January general meeting, Crime Prevention Ottawa‘s Michael Justinich spoke about ways communities like Carlington can work to make their streets safer. It was a great presentation and an opportunity for the 30 or so community members in attendance to ask questions and get informed about steps we can all take to make Carlington even safer.

It starts with simple things like reporting graffiti when you see it, keeping an eye out for suspicious behaviour, joining your community association or your local Neighbourhood Watch and being aware of your environment.

Carlington residents can also take practical steps, like applying for a home security inspection, provided by the Ottawa Police Service. At your request, police representatives visit your home (house, condo, apartment, etc.) to provide a safety audit – assessing ways to make your home safer.

The session was a reminder that taking steps to secure our community is as much our responsibility as that of the City or the police. By taking steps to push back against crime, vandalism and by doing simple things to demonstrate we care about our community, we can make Carlington a cleaner, safe place.

In that spirit, we’ve posted information to help Carlington residents report suspicious activity, graffiti and criminal activity. Click here to learn how to report and who to call.

The Carlington Community Association (CCA) is proud to present the First Annual Carlington Cup, a family-friendly neighbourhood shinny tournament.

Join us on Saturday January 28th, 2012 for a day of old-fashioned Canadian hockey, the way it used to be played when friends, neighbours and total strangers would meet up at the local rink, catch up over a cup of something warm and make the most out of the long, cold Ottawa winter. We’re bringing back that sense of community and we want you to be part of it!

Sign up a team or join as a spectator. Watch friends and neighbours compete for the honour of raising the Carlington Cup for the very first time and take part in fun and games for the whole family.

We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

Click here for full details and registration.