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.

Walter Baker Park

by Tracy  The first time I brought my two-year old daughter to Walter Baker Park in Kanata was last fall and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t been there before then. I had always known Walter Baker Park for their awesome sledding hill, but somehow never noticed the beautiful gazebo sitting next to a small pond, the two play structures – one for toddlers and one for older children, the splash pad and of course, the fact that the once snow-filled sledding hill had transformed itself into a large grassy hill that attracts children big and small to repeatedly run up and down it (a great nap inducer for the younger athletes).

My daughter, who loves to explore new parks and try every piece of equipment on for size, found the toddler play structure too easy and quickly ventured over to the larger play structure to climb the rope “spider web” as well as the rope ladder and tackle the big slide before I could utter the words, “be careful!” One of my daughter’s favourite park activities is the seesaw and luckily for her Walter Baker Park has one as well as swings – which I pushed her on for at least half an hour.

The thing I like about Walter Baker park is that there are plenty of benches for caregivers to sit nearby and supervise, lots of grass for the kids to run around on and some mature shade trees creating perfect snack time spots. And if that isn’t enough, there is ample free parking and a nearby bathroom in the Kanata Recreation Complex. Of course the one reason I know I will be returning to Walter Baker Park more than once this summer is because my daughter loves cooling off in the splash pad.

Hope to see you there!

Tracy Noble is a freelance writer who can be found outside, whatever the weather, with her (almost) three year old daughter.

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

Walking in the Capital

by Sasha As I write this, it is a beautiful sunny day in Ottawa. Spring has finally, truly arrived! And so baby and I were out enjoying one of our favourite pastimes: walking the bike paths.

CNN bills Ottawa as one of the world's most bike friendly cities. But the 170km of bike paths are not just a boon for cyclists: they are also great for the strollering set. And as an added bonus: it takes a stroller a lot longer to burn through all that pavement.

My favourite stretch of paths runs along the river, from Andrew Haydon Park up to Parliament Hill, partly because of where we live but the views are also lovely.

Although there are some sections that are designated pedestrian-only, it is important to remember that the path is shared between pedestrians and cyclists. Some rules of safety and etiquette for pedestrians to keep in mind:

1. walk on the right, and leave room to pass on the left
2. if you are using headphones, make sure you can still hear someone coming behind you
3. cyclists should ring their bell before passing - if they do, it's nice to give them a little wave so they know you heard them

But the number one rule: the nice weather is here, so get out and enjoy it!

Where do you like to go walking in the capital?

Sasha is mom to 2-year-old Miss Bea, and 4 month old Baby Em.  Her ramblings can also be found on her blog, The Rambling Stroller.