Allan Haan Soapbox Derby and Picnic in the Park Hosted by MVCA

3 min read August 21, 2024

The Village Voice,

By Leeanne Vander Burgt, President, MVCA

The hill on Beaverwood Road near the Community Centre (Arena) will be transformed into the Allan Haan Soapbox Derby. The carts are ready, and the young participants are eager. The day will begin at 9:00 am with the opening match between Councillor Brown and MPP Ghamari. Then the racing will begin. Bring your folding chair and come cheer them on.

At 11:30 am, the Picnic in the Park begins next door in Centennial Park. There will be a BBQ, corn on the cob and drinks available at old fashioned prices (while quantities last of course). Everyone can enjoy the live music and activities for children and youth. The Picnic will continue until 1:30 pm. If you want to find out more about MVCA, be sure to stop by the Membership table.

At the bottom of the hill, on the basketball courts, cheer on the youth playing in the 3 on 3 tournament. This is co-hosted with Manotick Culture Parks and Recreation Association and Ottawa South Basketball and will run from 1:00 – 5:00 pm.

This fun-filled day is possible thanks to hours of planning by the Derby and Picnic committees and the volunteers who come to help that day.

City of Ottawa Budget 2025 Poll

The draft budget for 2025 will go to City Council in mid-November. Each year MVCA submits a list of recommended priorities for our community to the Councillor for consideration in the budget process. We are developing that list now and welcome your thoughts. You can contact us any time at president@manotickvca.org or send your input to your City Councillor.

When it comes to next year’s budget there is an additional option for sharing your opinions. On the City’s Engage Ottawa website, there is a poll that all Ottawa residents can complete to rank the importance of a range of city services. “Rural affairs” is listed as one. It is unfortunate that it is a single blanket option representing a wide range of service needs, but it is an opportunity for rural residents to make it known that rural is a priority among the others listed there.

Remember that while this is a vibrant village, some say has a suburban feel, Manotick is in the designated rural area of the city. Being rural is all not about agriculture. Living in rural Ottawa does affect what city services we receive. The City’s poll provides an opportunity for individuals to help the City evaluate priorities as they consider the budget. https://engage.ottawa.ca/city-budget-2025

Rural Summit Update

As you know, the City is currently hosting the Rural Summit to hear from rural residents and use the information to identify priorities and recommend actions the City can take to make improvements in rural Ottawa. The Ward workshops are complete. The “As We Heard It” reports have been released and are available through engage.ottawa.ca. MVCA also has a link to the reports on our website. The online survey remains open until the end of August on the engage.ottawa.ca site.

More information about local events and updates on issues in the community are available to MVCA Members through our newsletter. Details about Membership are available on our website manotickvca.org