Follow that boat!

by Krista

We are fortunate in Ottawa to have a great number of unique and interesting sites to visit, and my family loves to take advantage of as many as possible. We were particularly happy when we stumbled upon one that appealed to all of us recently, watching a boat travel down the locks of the Rideau Canal into the Ottawa River. It's one of those treasures that you are probably aware of, but just don't appreciate how unique it is until you experience it.

We started at the top, near the Chateau Laurier hotel. Our original intent was to just have look at the locks from the top lock, but we arrived just as a boat was pulling into the first lock. The lils were fascinated to watch the lock staff help the boat tie to the mooring cables on the side, then run to the lock to start the water draining. They thought it was hilarious to watch the boat, which was not a big boat, sink down lower and lower as the water drained, and compared it to their boats on the bath tub.

The locks are operated by hand, so as you walk down the path, the lock staff are moving at great speed to get to the next set of cranks to either open the lock, or the doors within the lock that let the water out. There are eight locks in total here, and the lift (or in this case drop) is 24m. It took a little over an hour from start to finish, and we barely noticed the time passing by!

There is no cost associated with this viewing, as you are just walking down a public pathway. The paths closest to the locks have many stairs, and as such are not accessible/stroller friendly. There is a fairly steep path nearby, which would be suitable. You won't be able to actually observe the operations as well from this path, however. You can walk across the every lock, but if you attempt to do this while a boat is moving through, you have to be well ahead of them! If you have very young children, you may want to consider wearing them in a carrier, as the sides are completely open to the canal below. I was glad both parents were present for this trip, as my monkeys are, well, monkeys who need some pretty close supervision.

You can't predict when a boat will be going up or down the locks, as there is not a set schedule. I would guess that it is fairly frequent to constant on a summer weekend, but you might want to have a backup plan if you are heading out.

There is also the Rideau Canal Museum near the top of this set of locks. We didn't visit it on this trip, but will on our next! More information about the lock system can be found on the Rideau Canal website.

Krista is married to Willy and mom to a 4 year old son, Woo, and 2.5 year old daughter, Goose. You can find her at Life in the Hutch or on Twitter @kgraydonald

Canada Day with Airplanes

by Alison One of our favourite places to spend Canada Day is at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. It's open from 9 am to 5 pm and admission is free. There's plenty of free parking and also overflow parking at the Rockcliffe Flying Club, with a free shuttle.

There are various activities and crafts inside and outside the museum, but the good thing is there's a lot of space so it doesn't feel crowded. We enjoyed touring the Museum Storage Hangar and chatting with the volunteers involved in the aircraft restoration. Some were great at explaining details in a way that everyone understood. There was also a band playing in the hangar, with a shady place to stand and listen or dance along.

When we went two years ago, there was also a Citizenship Ceremony in the morning. I found it quite moving but my daughter was more interested in the cupcakes and juice boxes, which were offered to all museum goers. This year, the Citizenship Ceremony does not appear on the events ( http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/visit_us/at_the_museum/events/canada_day/.)

The vintage aircraft demonstrations were a nice opportunity to relax on the grounds. There's also the possibility of a Snowbirds fly-by. I'd recommend packing a picnic and blanket to fully enjoy the museum's offerings.

Alison is a mom of two energetic children, ages 5 and 1. She just started a blog, Ali’s Adventures.

Kid-Friendly Public Art in the Capital

by Yumi You know that feeling you get when you’ve discovered a hidden gem, something really fantastic that you want to share with others? I feel that way about public art. And I can’t wait to share some of my favourite pieces with my son.

Why should we explore public art with our kids? I can think of four reasons: it teaches them to observe what is around them, it introduces them to art in a really tangible way, it’s a great way to share the story of who we are and what we value as Canadians, and it can be a lot of fun!

I’m going to walk you through some of the most kid-friendly pieces of art in Ottawa and Gatineau. These are great places to stop with your kids and take a moment to let them explore. You can see where they are located on the Google map below.

Women are Persons Five amazing women are having a tea party, and you’re invited to join in! This monument tells the story of the Famous Five and their victory in the Persons Case, which led to Canadian women being allowed to sit in the Senate. Have a seat in the empty chair or help yourself to a cup of tea… kids will love the opportunity to be a part of the monument, and a part of the story that changed women’s rights in Canada.

Maman Ok, full disclosure: if you’re arachnophobic, this one might not be a good choice. But otherwise, how can you resist the 9 meter tall spider that lives outside the National Gallery of Canada?

Oscar Peterson Share a spot at the piano with Oscar Peterson. Kids will love “playing” the piano, and it’s a great opportunity to tell them about this Canadian musical genius who once said, “I admit gleefully to my two greatest weaknesses: the piano and children.” Bonus: Peterson’s music is always playing at his monument.

Never Give Up! (Maurice Richard) Maurice “The Rocket” Richard was always larger than life, and it’s true of his statue, too. While your young hockey fans check out his flashing eyes and determined face, you can tell them the story of how The Rocket battled prejudice and many injuries to become one of the best hockey players of all time.

National War Memorial This monument isn’t whimsical, but it’s one of the best places in the capital to teach your kids about remembrance and respect. There are lots of stories to share here – maybe about your own family, or about people you know. Or you can tell them that the two figures on top of the archway are called Peace and Liberty, and that the monument is for all the Canadians who have fought for those values.

Other Fun Examples Other fun pieces that kids will enjoy include the Dancing Bear (this bear is just begging you to dance with it), V.I.P. (let your movement set off this interactive sound sculpture), Papa (play in a rainbow of light!) and The Secret Bench of Knowledge (what is he whispering in her ear?).

View Kid-Friendly Public Art in Canada's Capital Region in a larger map

I also highly suggest either downloading or picking up a copy of Street Smart, a free guide to art on the streets in the capital. I actually like to keep one in my purse, because you never know when you’ll uncover a gem and want more information.

So, tell me, which pieces of public art do your kids love?

Yumi Webster (@yumikid) is a working mom who loves her job and her incredible son “Moe”. You can read about Moe’s adventures at kidsquared.livejournal.com, and about Yumi’s own adventures at yumikid.livejournal.com. Yumi has lived in Ottawa all her life.

A parents guide to surviving Westfest

by Andrea June 10, 11, 12 are tripled-circled in our calendar. We are BOOKED, and have been for weeks. We are officially ready for Westfest Weekend.

Like many of my Westboro-area neighbours, my family and I are proud of Westfest. Westfest is, at it’s heart, a giant street party. Some would argue that it’s the kind of street party that’s experienced a few forgivable growing pains in past years, but that’s to be expected from an undertaking of this size.

Today our collective chests puff out a little when talk comes around to this little festival that grew. It draws massive crowds, great musical acts, and best of all, it’s a great family-friendly event that’s totally free.

Every year my daughters (who are now 10 and 12) marvel at the fact that Westfest takes place at the end of our street. We live so close that we end up paying multiple visits over the entire weekend. Westfest weekend is the one time of year we get to visit and chat with almost all of our friends and neighbours. (Of course it goes without saying that my kids hate this part, because it holds them up from The Fun Stuff.)

Westfest has become a summertime tradition in our family, and since we’ve been doing Westfest since the very beginning I think I’m qualified to give some advice on how to survive with kids in tow.

If you live close enough to Westfest you must consider walking. If you live outside a comfortable walking distance, please be aware that street parking is extremely limited. Get comfortable with the idea that you will have to leave your car far from the action.

Wear your best walking shoes and haul out that umbrella stroller, because it’s a bit of hike if you plan on taking everything in. Westfest covers 14 blocks, nearly a one kilometre chunk of Richmond Road, which can feel very long if your feet hurt.

Taking your bike is another option. Save yourself some aggravation and lock it up in the secure area on Tweedsmuir Avenue at Richmond.

Check the weather before you leave the house, and if you’re planning on spending some time there, prepare for any weather-related eventuality. We’ve been going to Westfest every year since it began and have experienced it all: days so cold you crave cups of coffee just so you can warm up your hands, and days so hot we’ve come close to fainting from heat stroke. And on that note…

Bring water and sunscreen, and make a food plan. If it’s a nice day it is guaranteed that restaurants will be packed. Many of them extend out to the street and serve a pared down menu in order to take pressure off the kitchen staff. The Works, for example, only serves two or three kinds of burgers during Westfest. If you don’t have a plan and find yourself walking from restaurant to restaurant long after lunchtime you will soon come to regret it, especially if there are kids involved. One year we just plain gave up on finding room on a patio and so we ordered takeout pizza from Newport and ate it by the side of the street.         And last but not least, tie balloons securely around little wrists!

Daytime at Westfest is for the families to enjoy what they call the “On The Street” stuff. There is a lot for kids to see and do. In past years we’ve seen many cool street performers, enjoyed various inflatable bouncy things, and taken advantage of some great facepainting artists too.

But in my view, Westfest is truly about the music. Check out the lineup here first, and then book a sitter. The Domicile main stage has moved to a new location and is now situated along the grassy strip behind the Real Canadian Superstore. (Here’s a map.) The main stage will open at 5 pm and the entire audience area at this year’s Domicile main stage will be fully licensed. (!)

Our family is really looking forward to a bigger and better Westfest this year. If you see us, please stop and say hello!

Andrea Tomkins is mother of two imps and wife of one. She on the board of directors of the Westboro Community Association and keeps a personal blog called a peek inside the fishbowl.

Time to touch a truck!

by Krista If you anyone in your family is nuts about big trucks and machines, your should mark May 29th on your calendars as that is the date for Touch a Truck this year! Touch a truck is an outdoor event that lets kids (big and little) get up close and personal with trucks of all shapes and sizes. The added bonus is that it is a fundraiser for Mothercraft, a local non-profit that supports families! When we heard about it last year, it sounded right up our alley, given that both our lils are completely in love with all things truck, and have been for years. They regularly asks us to drive around searching for trucks, just so that we can catch a glimpse!

Last year, we heard about this event only days before it happened. Luckily, we were free that day, and planned to go. We had not told the monkeys our plans, but spent the morning of teasing them with a few details. By the time that we were heading out, they had a pretty good idea that there would be trucks where we were going, so they were keen to get out the door. None of us were disappointed. We had to drive by the truck set up (on the Carling Ave side of the mall) to find parking and it was impressive! You could hear all the horns honking before you could see the trucks, and then you were on top of them - a massive display of trucks and machines! There were fire trucks, loaders, street sweepers, police vehicles, the bookmobile, buses, street sweepers, army trucks, race cars, tractors and a crane!

We spent the better part of two hours moving from vehicle to vehicle to vehicle, climbing in some, and just checking out others. There were a good number of people there, but most of the lines were not too long, and most of the parents were really good about keeping things moving. I was sad that the kids didn't get to fully explore every vehicle until they were tired of them, but think that the balance of seeing so many outweighs that. In the end, the only desired one that we missed getting in was the crane. The line for it was far too long, we would not have made it through. I think that Woo's favourite parts were the horns, he's a honker!

If you are going to head down, the event runs from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM on Sunday May 29th. Admission is $5.00 per person, to a maximum of $20.00 per family. Keep in mind that this is an outdoor event, so dress accordingly, and remember the sunscreen - there is no shade in the lot! If you have younger children, strollers are appropriate, but it does get crowded, which may make maneuvering difficult. I recommend heading down early if you can, beat the rush. For anyone that is sensitive to noise, note that it is LOUD. The children are allowed encouraged to honk the horns on all the vehicles, and they honk like mad, loving every minute.

Krista is married to Willy and mom to a 4 year old son, Woo, and 2.5 year old daughter, Goose. You can find her at Life in the Hutch or on Twitter @kgraydonald