Health and Safety report: 2025-04

Submitted by Chair, Georgia Blondon

Main cyclist/vehicle altercation

I recently witnessed a man biking down Main Street not using the bike lane.  A car turned onto Lees Ave., apparently cutting off the biker. He was extremely angry, hit the car with his hand and yelled ‘you almost killed me you …’. The biker crossed the road, turned onto Graham Ave., and the motorist followed him.

Encourage bicyclists to use the bike lanes, hopefully existing bike lanes will be retained. 

Alternative Neighbourhood Crisis Response (ANCHOR) – Centretown initiative

We talked briefly last month about the Alternative Neighbourhood Crisis Response, (ANCHOR), as reported in The Citizen article, Program to divert mental health, drug crisis calls shows early impact, city says.  

Have a look at this important Centretown initiative to divert mental health and drug crisis calls from the police to a mental health team.

COVID19 impacts on kids 5 years after start

Another issue to note comes from an article from CBC, 5 years after COVID-19 started, parents and experts say the impact on kids remains. Lags in math, literacy are reported world wide and parents note problems their children are having with social and emotional health.

Seniors Health Innovation Hub (SHIH) – New website, OOECA acknowledged

OOECA received an email from Margaret Tansey, Chair of the Seniors Health Innovations Hub (SHIH), thanking us for our support and letting us know our logo has been added to the bottom of SHIH’s new website in recognition as one of their partners. Our logo will make a great addition.

The Guide to Healthy Aging will remain housed on the Old Ottawa South CA website. We have also updated the OOECA website – Health and Safety page – with the new SHIH website address.

Proposed Intergenerational Seniors Village at Confederation Heights

SHIH also reported this month that they are actively pursuing proposal plans for Intergenerational Seniors Village at Confederation Heights.  

SHIH has been working over the past year to assemble a coalition of organizations interested in the vision of a “seniors’ intergenerational village” for nonprofit next stage housing with a community base for the organization of support services. 

The Village Canada (VC) proposed location is on the Confederation Heights property owned by the federal government.