Tag Archives: University of Ottawa

Fringe 2016: AborAmor

Join Ottawa Stilt Union (OSU) on the Tabaret Hall lawn at Ottawa University for a wordless play cum acrobatic-dance performance that features comedy, love, stilt walking, an accordion player and a towering tree.

ArborAmor1

You’ve likely seen OSU at countless Ottawa events including Canada Day Celebrations as they stride athletically around events engaging with the crowds and delighting kids but they a troupe with many talents; most notably producing quality plays – bilingual and unspoken – hosting the monthly “Youppi Club” at varying central venues across the capital, and delivering acrobatic and stilt walking classes.

AborAmor as the name suggests plays on the themes of romance and nature as two tango dancers struggle to expand their duet to a threesome. Will jealousy rule the day or can love win out? Get yourself down to the lawn of University of Ottawa’s Tabaret Hall for this Ottawa Fringe outdoor performance suitable to all ages, engage with the performers and be enchanted by the whimsy of OSU and AborAmour.

Note as well as a 6PM performance on Friday there are two matinee performances on the weekend perfect for children of all ages.

Ottawa Fringe Festival 2016
ArborAmor
Tabaret Lawn, 550 Cumberland at Laurier/Wilbrod
30 minutes |Comedy | Play/Dance |Family
Friday June 24, 6PM
Saturday June 25, 2PM
Sunday June 26, 3:30PM

Eye Spy: Criminal Law Victory for UofO

Congratulations to Reem Zaia & Sarah Sullivan for taking home the 2014 Sopinka Cup.

Pics Courtesy Twitter

Pics Courtesy Twitter

For the first time in the 16 year history of the Sopinka Cup – Canada’s National Criminal Court Competition – University of Ottawa’s Law Faculty has emerged victorious.  Word from the judges is these two women did not simply inch their way to the prize but won it hands-down with brilliant and determined advocacy.

In a month replete with issues of sexism on campus these two rock-stars demonstrate the unstoppable force of smart women also taking home best chief examination(Sarah Sullivan) & best overall advocate (Reem Zaia).

Congratulations on the win and making history!
Photos courtesy Twitter streams

Eye Spy: U of O “Master Plan” for Development

The University of Ottawa has launched a new website to host the University’s “master plan” for land-holdings and development in the neighbourhood  http://www.uottawamasterplan.ca/

The project employs Toronto-based firm Urban Strategies with George Dark as the Partner-in-Charge. There is little information on the attractive website at the moment but it is definitely one to watch closely as the implications for Sandy Hill and the wider area are important as is the challenge to maintain the liveability and diversity of these core Ottawa neighbourhoods.

Weekend Round Up: Winter Welcome & warm up indoors

Snowy SHillDon’t be snowbound!  It’s a beautiful white-etched world out there on the streets of Sandy Hill.  And in our ever-fun hood the weekend activities kick off tonight!  Forget hump-day and head out to Arts Court for an exhibit launch.

Wednesday night is the opening reception of Stephen Harper:the Portrait Gallery.  The exhibit explores the impact of Harper’s governance and his philosophy on the country via portraiture. Curated by Dan Monet and including Emperor Haute Couture, the infamous 2011 naked painting of the PM by Margaret Sutherland, the show promises to be thought-provoking and hopefully amusing. Reception Wednesday 6-8pm @Arts Court 2 Daly Ave – showing until 29 Nov – Free.stephen harper naked

Thursday afternoon it’s time to stock up on healthy produce for the weekend ahead. The Farmer’s Market is at the University of Ottawa’s University Centre (by the bookstore) all day Thursday 9am to 4pm. Get some goodness in to your pantry!

Thursday night keep up healthy weekend prep by heading slightly further afield for a unique Yoga experience.  We love Nature Nocture nights at the Canadian Museum of Nature and now they’ve added Nature Yoga to the eclectic array of activities at the “Castle”.  Get your Om on in the beautiful Blue Water Gallery from 6:30-7:30pm and see the museum in a whole new aura! Tickets include Yoga session & all day admission 20$.

At 8pm the AB Series offers Blood is Blood – a collaborative dialogue between a child of Holocaust survivors, Endre Farkas, and Lebanese Montrealer Carolyn Marie Souaid based on emails and conversations during the 2006 Lebanese – Israel War. Evolved to both a book and a 15min film it is a powerful encounter between two of Montreal’s most powerful poets. Blood is Blood was an award winner at Berlin’s Zebra Poetry Film Festival. 8pm Arts Court, FREE.

bike city great cityKick off Friday night with a movie. Bike City – Great City airs at 5:30pm at Fauteux 302 on the UofO campus.  The screening with be followed by a panel discussion about the transformational power of multi-modal infrastructures in our City.

Friday 8PM head to SAWGallery for the annual SKETCH event. A 5$ admission fee gives you access to a silent-auction fundraiser with hundreds of affordable art works.  A super-fun art party and great opportunity to shop local for the holidays or to decorate your own abode! The silent auction ends at 11PM but you can celebrate your wins  til 1AM.

Saturday morning get out and tour 5 elegant homes in the n’hood! Harmony House Holiday House Tour provides a guided Tour of the architecture & interior design of Sandy Hill homes in support of the Harmony House Women’s Shelter, 10am-4pm, tickets 40$

Saturday &  Sunday it’s an Open Studio opportunity at Designer Glass Studio, 668 Chapel St, 1-4pm. Check out the art and potentially tick off some of your Holiday shopping. FREE.

Eye Spy: Room for All in Sandy Hill

Sandy Hill is waking up Ottawa with a heated discussion on the preservation of diversity, balance and history in the capital.

Sandy Hill Frametastic 1One of Ottawa most densely populated hoods with green spaces, access to core downtown neighbourhoods and a fantastic ethnic, linguistic and cultural mix Sandy Hill is a desirable urban home to many families, professionals and students. However therein lies the gist of the current debate.  How can the area preserve the positive student population with its energy and creativity whilst ensuring the neighbourhood does not become overwhelmed by the growing university population and ultimately a University of Ottawa dormitory?

The Ottawa Citizen published Derek Spalding’s City of Noise: Waking up the Neighbours in Sandy Hill in mid-October and since there has been growing interest and coverage of the issue with follow-up interviews important letters to the editor and coverage in Le Droit, on Radio-Canada, Metro Newspaper and beyond.

This is an issue that calls for vision from the Mayor, City Councillors, Politicians and the University. Ottawa must not pull-down or allow buildings in a historically sensitive neighbourhood to fall in to ruin through over-crowded conversions and a lack of maintenance. Sandy Hill has a proud reputation of inclusiveness with embassies, shelters, families and students all living in harmony. No single factor in this balance has as yet overwhelmed the neighbourhood and the current fight is not about ridding the neighbourhood of its important student population rather it is a battle cry to maintain room for all.

Ottawa has an eclectic and colourful city centre and it needs to maintain the balance of liveability by listening to and supporting all downtown residents. Services, businesses, green spaces, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure and of course the right population balance are all key! By acting on the needs of residents Ottawa can ensure a thriving core with wonderfully liveable neighbourhoods such as Sandy Hill, the Byward Market, Centretown and Lowertown.  Any great city – think London, New York & Paris – is a collection of truly inhabited “villages” where residents put down roots and grow a dynamic city in to the future.