Celebrating the end of summer vacation in the National Capital Region
First year university student Jacob Mol is doing some heavy lifting on the final day before school begins.
“I’m carrying a couch,” said Mol as he walked along Cumberland Street with several other first year students. “I think it’s a team building exercise; it’s so much fun.”
The engineering student at the University of Ottawa is carrying on the annual tradition of hauling a couch with his classmates throughout the nation’s capital.
“We started at 8:30 and just walked all over downtown, getting them familiarized with the place and get them to know the area as well,” said university student Zach Nott.
“You get to have fun with people you’re going to take classes with and it’s a big blast before you hit the grind of classes,” said Mol.
As first year students get comfortable in their new home, others are celebrating the unofficial end to summer.
In Gatineau, several lined up for a final ride on the Ferris wheel. If you were up at dawn, you may have caught the final glimpse of the hot air balloons in the sky as the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival came to a close.
In Barrhaven, a mini block party was organized for close neighbours, complete with a bouncy castle for the little ones.
“It’s all about getting the family together especially with school opening tomorrow,” said Peter Affum.
For Agnes Kittoe-Affum and her family, this gathering was also a goodbye.
“We actually are leaving the neighbourhood soon so it’s important we got together with our amazing neighbours just a final hurrah,” she said.
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