NEWS - Performance Printing

Marianne WilkinsonSERVINGKANATANORTHCity Councillor,Kanata NorthGIVE AWAY WEEKENDDo you have items that you no longer need? Are you looking for itemsfor your household? Then take part in this weekend’s Give Away Days.Started by the former City of Kanata and now City wide, this is a time toput unwanted but useable items at the end of your driveway with a sign“FREE” and then cruise the neighbourhood to see what items you coulduse. Anything safe goes – from clothing to toys to gadgets and workingappliances, to left-over drywall and other construction items. Just becertain to place items you want to keep away from the curb! If you haveleftovers from a garage sale, put them out. Items will then be reused, themost effective way to recycle them. Good hunting!PRESTO CARDSFull deployment of Presto Cards for all transit users is now underway.Cards can be obtained from OC Transpo sales centres, the Kanata ClientCentre, the Hazeldean Library, ordered online at www.prestocard.ca orobtained at special events. The first 200,000 cards are free, after whichthey will cost $6. The cost includes insurance for the value on the cardif it is lost. Once obtained, you register and load it for use. If funded bya credit card online, it takes up to 48 hours to be activated. At the salescentres activation is immediate. To use your card you must tap the lowerpart of the reader found at each entry door on the bus or O-train. If youtransfer & tap, it will tell you how much longer you have on that fare.Seniors, when registering, should indicate their senior status to get thelower senior fares. Seniors in Kanata can get cards on June 13, 9:30-11:30a.m. at SS#1 (for Chinese Seniors) and 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. at the KanataSeniors Centre. Note: Seniors, to avoid payment when using transiton free Wednesdays, should not tap their cards on that day. Read thedetailed information when you get your card and refer to information onthe OC Transpo website or call Presto at 1-877-378-6123 for help.NEW POOL & HOT TUB ENCLOSURE PERMIT REQUIREMENTIf you have an existing pool (including above ground pools) or hot tub orpond with a depth of 24” or more, you must now obtain a Pool EnclosurePermit at a cost of $200. This permit is required under a new bylawdesigned particularly to protect young children. There are requirementsfor items such as fencing and keeping gates locked. Go to www.ottawa.ca for details. If you are building a new pool, pond or adding abackyard hot tub, you need a site plan to apply for a full permit. Ensurethat your contractor obtains all the necessary permits prior to startingconstruction and be aware that you cannot change drainage featuressuch as swales or catch basins or impact neighbouring properties.DOORS OPEN OTTAWAThis weekend, June 1-2, you can explore one of 125 of the city’s mostinteresting buildings. Buildings included this year are the Diefenbunker,several Embassies, including USA & Armenia, the new Wabano Centreand many others. Go to the City website for a complete listing and forinformation on accessibility, times open and those of most interest forkids. Admission to all buildings is free.COMMUNITY NOTICESMAYOR’S RURAL EXPO, May 31, 7 a.m. – 2 p.m., City Hall, 110 LaurierAveKANATA TOWN CENTRE LANDS MEETING, June 11, 7 p.m., All SaintsCatholic High School, 5115 Kanata AveJIM MALONE PARK dedication is on June 15 at the Park on GoldridgeDrKANATA NORTH COMMUNITY AWARDS CELEBRATION, June 18, 7p.m., Mlacak Centre, 2500 Campeau DrKANATA NORTH PICNIC, July 17, 4 p.m. – 7p.m., Sandwell Green Park,5 The ParkwayR0012128078Contact me at 613-580-2474,email Marianne.Wilkinson@ottawa.ca,or visit www.mariannewilkinson.comFollow me on Twitter @marianne4kanatato keep up to date on community matters.24 Kanata Kourier-Standard EMC - Thursday, May 30, 2013NEWSJessica Cunhajessica.cunha@metroland.comEMC news - A new children’sbook offers adventure withknights and dragons, while alsoteaching the difference betweenwant and need.First-time author TanyaChang will host a book signingof The Littlest Knight on June 1at Tag Along Toys in the KanataSignature Centre, 499 Terry FoxDr.“My son is five years old andwhen he was born, I wanted todo something for him,” said theBridlewood author. “It evolvedfrom there.”The Littlest Knight is a taleabout Nicholas, a young boywho wants nothing more thanto become a knight. In order tofulfill his dream, he must slay aEmerald Ash Borerpublic information sessionRiver Ward City Councillor Maria McRae, Chair of the City’sEnvironment Committee, invites residents to attend a publicinformation session on the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB).Since 2008, this invasive insect has spread across Ottawa. Thepresence of EAB poses a serious threat to Ash trees locatedon both public and private properties.Residents are invited to attend this session to learn moreabout the impacts on their community, what the City is doingto address this situation and what residents can do to helpmitigate the impact that this pest is having on our Ash trees.Date: June 4, 2013Time: 4:30 to 9 p.m.Staff presentation at 7 p.m.,followed by a Q & A session.Location: Jim Durrell Recreation Complex, Ellwood Hall1265 Walkley RoadBus info:Take OC Transpo Route 8 Gatineau, or Route 1 Greenboro,from Billings Bridge Transit Station to arrive at Bank andWalkley.0530.R0012123245Connected to your communityKnights, dragons and adventurecome alive in children’s taleBridlewoodauthor hosts booksigning at TagAlong ToysSUBMITTEDBridlewood author Tanya Chang, pictured with her son Cole,will host a book signing of ‘The Littlest Knight,’ her firstpublished children’s book, on June 1 at Tag Along Toys.dragon. The book follows Nicholason his quest as he learnsthere are different ways to perceivethe world and perhapswhat he wants isn’t always whathe needs.“I didn’t of course start writingit with the idea of having amessage,” said Chang.But the message evolved asher story took shape.“I think children’s storiesare best told when there’s somegrowth of the character,” shesaid. “What you want may notnecessarily be what you need …Maybe his dream isn’t as importantas what’s right.”LITTLEST KNIGHTChang began writing the bookshortly after her son, Cole, wasborn. After four years of workand rewrites, and a year workingwith illustrator Darren Bird,a digital artist from Centretown,the book was published in timefor Cole’s birthday.“My ultimate goal was to getthis published before my son’sfifth birthday and that actuallyhappened,” she said.“I’ve always read books tohim. He’s at the right age to beable to sit through the entirestory and appreciate the wholething,” she added.“He really likes it. He knowsthe character is based on him.”Using Cole as inspiration formain character Nicholas, Changalso used her son’s friends as thebasis for the supporting cast.“I just kind of kept them inmind while I was writing thecharacters out,” said Chang,who works as an IT supportspecialist.So far, Chang has sold around100 copies of The Littlest Knightand is working on translatingthe book into French.The book is geared towardschildren between ages fourand eight, with 32 full-colourpages.Initially, Chang said shehadn’t thought she’d write morebooks, but now the wheels areturning and The Littlest Knightcould become part of a series,adding she also has other ideaspercolating in the background.Chang will be at Tag AlongToys on June 1 from 11 a.m. to 2p.m. The book can be purchasedat the Kanata store, at PerfectBooks on Elgin Street or onlineat www.tytanima.com.Aside from being a self-publishedauthor, Chang has alsowritten newspaper articles,poetry, fan fiction, and is a coauthorof Orpheus Musical TheatreSociety: The First HundredYears.Follow us!@KourierStandard