"RURAL CONNECTIONS" Newsletter - July 2008

Community Gateway Features Open House

City Council has directed staff to develop guidelines for the design, approval, construction and maintenance of gateway features.

A gateway can be described as a feature intended to assist commuters in way-finding and, in doing so, contributes to providing an identity for a community, as noted in the Official Plan. The feature should be visually striking so it can be noticeable to passers-by, but should also blend and fit in with the surrounding landscape and built form. Gateways also help clearly define community boundaries. They are typically thought of as some form of structure, not necessarily man-made, with text or a logo and integrated with landscaping. Materials used to build the gateway can range from natural stone to concrete or brick products.

The City of Ottawa invites you to attend a public open house to gauge public input that will feed into the development of the guidelines.

http://ottawa.ca/residents/public_consult/gateway_features/index_en.html

Public Open House:

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

5 to 8 pm

Ben Franklin Place (The Chamber)

101 Centrepointe Drive

Marketing opportunity for local area farmers

The Rideau Canal Festival will be held on the August Civic Holiday weekend, August 1 to 4. During the festival there will be a series of 100 mile BBQ - chef challenges. This is an excellent marketing opportunity for local producers to showcase their produce, meat and other farm fresh products to a large audience of consumers and chefs. 

There will be three BBQ chef challenges each day starting on Friday, August 1 and running through until Monday, August 4. Each challenge will take place at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm in Confederation Park across from City Hall on Laurier Avenue.

Chefs will prepare a grilled meal using local meats and vegetables. At each challenge the local farmer can talk about their meat and vegetables, hand out pamphlets/brochures/business cards, hopefully sell some of their products. This is an opportunity to connect directly with chefs and the public. Also during each challenge, between six and 10 meals will need to be prepared: four for the audience to taste, three for the judges, and maybe one each for the chef and producer.

If you are interested in Savour Ottawa please contact Heather Hossie, Coordinator, (www.savourottawa.ca ) at 613-236-9300, ext. 305 or heather@justfood.

For more information about the Rideau Canal Festival check out www.rideaucanalfestival.ca .

Navan Fair

www.navanfair.com  

Rural Ottawa's first major fair of the season is at the Navan Fairgrounds from Thursday August 7 to Sunday August 10, hosted by the Cumberland Township Agricultural Society. Agricultural exhibits, horse shows, livestock competitions, antique tractor and machinery display, craft show and commercial displays, demonstrations, Robertson Amusements Midway, ball tournament, conservation zone, children's area, agricultural education barn, Lions Texas Hold' Em tournament, bed races and more.  To learn more about other great events in rural Ottawa, visit Rural Connections at www.ottawa.ca/rural .

Rural Association Partnership Program - Second Round

Please be advised that the second round of applications are now being accepted for City of Ottawa's 2008 Rural Association Partnership Program.

Deadline: September 12, 2008 at 4 pm

The Rural Association Partnership Program is a funding program with a total budget of $75,000 to support the rural economy by providing funding for rural business organizations, fairs and farmers markets. Funding is awarded for projects with a defined beginning and end and measurable outcomes. Maximum funding per project will not normally exceed $7,500 to ensure that all rural regions have an opportunity to access the funding.  Organizations can only receive RAPP Funding once per year.

Eligibility:

• Rural Business Organizations: Organizations, based in rural Ottawa that are recognized as being active in supporting local retail and service sector businesses, promoting commerce and representing local business needs.

• Farmers' Markets: Provide seasonal, multi-vendor, community-driven (not private) organizations selling agricultural, food, art and craft products including home-grown produce, home-made crafts and value-added products where the vendors are primary producers (including preserves, baked goods, meat, fish, dairy products, etc.) located in rural Ottawa.

• Fairs: Present and promote a major agricultural and/or heritage fair, that celebrates a distinct aspect of the local Ottawa character.

Visit http://ottawa.ca/residents/funding/rural_partnership/index_en.html for more information, or contact RuralAffairs@ottawa.ca .