December OSCAR - Old Ottawa South

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Page 10 The OSCAR - OUR 38 th YEAR DEC 2011 By William Burr New Bike Shop Could Help or Hinder Its Neighbours All of a sudden, cyclists in Old Ottawa South have twice as many places to get a tune-up. The area’s 15-year-old bike shop, the Cyclery, recently moved barely a block to a new location four times as large. But as soon as it cleared out of its old digs, a rival bike shop moved in. The two shops now stand a minute’s walk apart with their owners’ eyes on a similar clientele. “An opportunity came up. It was just like the perfect storm,” says Ken Power, the owner of Cycle Power, the new store on the block, whose main location is on Carling Avenue. The landlord of the building on Bank Street just north of Sunnyside offered Power a discount to fill the space. “We got a good deal on the location at the start, until I think February, [when] we have to start paying full rent. But until then we thought we could just come in here and establish a foothold in the community.” He’s looking forward to walk-in traffic and to a “community-oriented” neighbourhood. The bright white letters of Cycle Power are pasted on top of the faded remnants of a stylized stick man hunched over a wheel and handle bars: the old Cyclery logo. Is Cycle Power encroaching on the Cyclery’s territory? “Yeah, we are,” Power says. “And you know, if they’re doing a good job, they’ll do well. If they’re not, they’re not going to do well.” Marc Ouellette, the manager of Cycle Power’s new Bank Street location, has softer words: “It can be very touchy… This has created quite a lot of talk around town as far as us opening up in their old location. They are a strong shop and they know what they’re doing over there, and I hope that we can be a fellow shop with them as far as it goes.” Cycle Power’s space at Bank and Sunnyside is cozy. A few metres down at Bank and Hopewell, where Phase 2 used to stand, The Cyclery’s gear has more room to breathe. Bikes stand at varied angles. There’s also a whole clothing section, and an extensive repair area. The Cyclery has invested in some new storefront signage of its own: the company name in red capital letters, three times larger than its traditional logo. At the Cyclery cash, manager Jenny Simpson steers the conversation away from the new competition. “We’re so excited about the new space and being able to expand our services to all our customers… that’s what we’re focused on. We’re not tremendously focused on this other shop at this point.” There isn’t some massive rivalry between the two stores, Simpson says in a follow-up phone interview. “The drama really isn’t there.” A long-time Cyclery customer from the neighbourhood says he’s happy to see any new retailer at all in Old Ottawa South. It’s an area that has watched many come and go. “Probably almost anybody would be pretty pleased that there’s simply another business around,” says Mike Taylor. The Cyclery, at least, has figured out how to stay afloat. Sales have grown over the years to the point where expansion was necessary, Simpson says. Rather than drive each other out of business, it’s possible bike shops almost side by side in Old Ottawa South could add to the cluster nearby, making the Glebe and surrounding area a kind of hub. There are seven shops within a short drive or ride on Bank Street. “It makes it the spot to shop for a bike in Ottawa,” says Jose Bray, the owner of the Joe Mamma cycle store at Bank and Second. Each business has its own specialty, Bray says. Joe Mamma, for instance, focuses on BMX and commuter bikes. The Cyclery carries all kinds of bicycles, but it’s known for its highend selection. Several on display cost more than $10,000; some of these have electronic gear shifters. Cycle Power, on the other hand, reflects “the needs and desires of families seeking family-priced bikes,” according to its website. Manager Ouellette says the store will also be expanding its trendy fixed-wheel product line. If all these bike stores survive, it could be a good time to be a cyclist in the neighbourhood. First published on OpenFile Ottawa as “Bank Street: a bike shop bonanza” – For pictures, audio, and a map of the area’s bike shops, search for the story at Ottawa.OpenFile.ca - OSCA Fall Fest ... cont’d from previous page from Yummy Cookies. To get your own cookies check out.www. yummycookies.ca. Anne Marie Corbett won the painting by Christopher Heilmann (Holmwood Willow). For those of you who heard a loud scream across the city at about 1:45…it was her celebrating! See more of Christopher’s work at the OSCA Shop Your Local Talent Christmas Sale, at the Firehall on November 27 th, including his work representing the Brighton Oak. Thanks to all who donated these great raffle prizes! Thanks to all the many, many volunteers who put in such a great amount of effort into this event. Special thanks to the student volunteers who were there all day and always were ready to do whatever needed to be done. A credit to teenagers everywhere. Michel Poirier, Melanie Farr, Kia Goutte, Joshua Goutte, Marcus Saikaley, Jennifer Kitts, Rebecca Kitts,Mira Williamson, Kelly Harrison, Katie Marsland, Minou Liu, Sarah Peters, Abby Butler, Kayla Wennekes and Lana Wennekes I hope I am not forgetting anyone….. Thanks also to the Firehall staff, Dave Ho, Sarah English, Owen Watt, for organizing the games. Thanks to Tom Alfoldi for being our great photographer! Check out his photos in the paper and at www. oldottawasouth.ca Thanks also to the organizing team of Cass Houde, Julia Danis, Chelsea Pepin, Deirdre McQuillan, Dinos Dafniotis, Cathy Buchanan and Anne Marie Corbett. And a special thank you to Harvey who picked up the goat droppings….you Rock Harvey! Thanks to the neighbourhood for coming out and enjoying our celebration of Fall, for donating all those soups, pies and jams , and for helping to make Old Ottawa South the great place it is to live.
DEC 2011 By Brian Tansey What a surprise. When many thought that a Claridge deal was almost done for the site at the corner of Sunnyside and Bank, and the Cyclery seemed to have moved in anticipation of that deal, lo and behold, another cycle shop quickly moves into the vacated premises. What happened?In an interview with Ken Power, who already owns and operates Cycle Power at another location on Carling, said that the son of the property owner at Sunnyside and Bank, who is a bike techie himself, alerted Ken to the move by The Cyclery. It took him a few days to see the opportunity that was created by that move and then made a good deal with Ed Saikaley for an, at minimum, one year lease. Ken, who has been in the bicycle business in Ottawa for 30 years, and who started out in the manufacturing of high end bikes, says he had heard many times from his own customers, that Old Ottawa South would be a perfect location for a second store. He says that he has always known that the business is location specific; so if you’re there, the business will come, if you provide the level of servicequality that customers want. When asked how much overlap there might be with The Cyclery in terms of the bikes they will be sell- Ingredients: Area Church Service Times Sunnyside Wesleyan Church 58 Grosvenor Avenue (at Sunnyside) Sunday Worship Services at 9am & 11am (one service at 10am May 22 - Sept 4) Children’s program offered during worship services. Trinity Anglican Church Services 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist; 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Choir and Church School Thursday, 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist in the Chapel, followed by Bible Study. ing and servicing he said “... something around 30%...” and that he is “ ... counting on my reputation for consistency of service-quality over many years in Ottawa, as well as what actually happens when a new to Cycle Power buyer comes in to look at or purchase a bike, and the after service that goes with it. “ Ken has seen many bike shops in Ottawa and across the country come and go ... even start-up, change location and then go bankrupt. When asked what seems to be the pattern of success or failure in his experience, he suggested it was the personal enthusi- German Fruit Bread From Swabia (Hutzelbrot) 4 eggs 175 g sugar 175 g flour 2 tsp baking powder 175 g almonds (chopped) 150 g hazelnuts (cut in half) 175 g dried figs (cut finely) 175 g candied lemon peel (finely chopped) 250 g sultanas /raisins 100 g currants 1 tsp cinnamon St Margaret Mary’s Parish 7 Fairbairn (corner of Sunnyside) Tuesday Evening at 7PM Friday Daytime at 12:15PM Saturday Evening at 5PM Sunday Mornings at 9:30AM and 11:30PM Southminster United Church 15 Aylmer Avenue (at Bank & the Canal) Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m. (9:30 a.m. July & August) Sunday School During worship, September - May The OSCAR - OUR 38 th YEAR New Cycle Shop on Bank in OOS Preparation: Beat eggs and sugar together Add flour, baking powder and cinnamon Mix fruits and nuts into the dough Bake slowly in oven at 325F for about 1.25 hours Store in a cool place for about a month for best results Can be frozen and kept for up to a year. asm for the industry that makes the difference. For example he attends the “Interbike Show” in the U.S. every year and sometimes the one big bike trade show in Europe; he notices how many retailers will walk around and just look at bikes and make their buying decisions without trying the bikes themselves, whereas he does. Most bicycle dealers don’t even attend the international shows at all, and certainly not the outdoor demo component of the shows. Another example is the Bloor Street Cycle Shop in Toronto which was a very successful business for Page 11 many years, until Mr. Kent who was the owner, simply retired and sold the business to a man who had no experience in the bicycle business. Bloor Cycle filed for Bankruptcy within a year after the sale. The new owner didn’t seem to have that enthusiasm Ken says is needed to do well and stick with it. Ken seems to know the industry very well at all levels including design, manufacturing, components, wholesale /distribution, and retail. He knows that to be aware of the latest in developments it helps to have so many years lived IN the industry. But he says you need to keep your ear to the ground so that for example when a manufacturer is bought-out, you have to watch who the next owner is and whether they are going to cut costs .... and corners ! Perhaps this will affect the reliability stability and quality of the end product, even though the name on the bike itself hasn’t changed. He said that Cervelo is a recent example of this. It will be interesting to see how the business unfolds over the next few years as Old Ottawa South revitalizes it’s section of Bank Street. His OOS Shop Manager is Marc Ouellette, who also comes at the business from the techie angle.
Page 1 and 2: By Paige Raymond Kovach Old Ottawa
Page 3 and 4: DEC 2011 OSCAR The The OTTAWA SOUTH
Page 5 and 6: DEC 2011 OSCA PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Page 7 and 8: DEC 2011 CITY COUNCILLOR’S REPORT
Page 9: DEC 2011 By Brendan McCoy, OSWatch
Page 13 and 14: DEC 2011 The OSCAR - OUR 38 th YEAR
Page 15 and 16: DEC 2011 A HARD DAY’S PLAY By Mar
Page 17 and 18: DEC 2011 BOOK REVIEW Publisher: Tho
Page 21 and 22: DEC 2011 My name is Sarah Whiteside
Page 23 and 24: DEC 2011 The th OSCAR - OUR 38 YEAR
Page 25 and 26: The th DEC 2011 OSCAR - OUR 38 YEAR
Page 27 and 28: The th DEC 2011 OSCAR - OUR 38 YEAR
Page 29 and 30: DEC 2011 Surround Circle Yoga The O
Page 31 and 32: DEC 2011 Local Veterinarian - Dr. E
Page 33 and 34: DEC 2011 OCDSB TRUSTEE REPORT By Ro
Page 35 and 36: DEC 2011 THE WINDSOR CHRONICLE PART
Page 37 and 38: DEC 2011 The th OSCAR - OUR 38 YEAR
Page 39 and 40: DEC 2011 AFTER THOUGHTS from Richar
Page 41 and 42: DEC 2011 AMICALEMENT VOTRE Par Jean
Page 43 and 44: DEC 2011 Sunnyside Branch Library S
Page 49 and 50: DEC 2011 The OSCAR - OUR 38 Page 49

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