Community blooms along an Orleans Bike Path
It’s a garden where community is blooming, thanks to some senior visionaries wanting to make a difference.
"This has become a crossroads where the community meets the seniors. To us that’s the purpose," said Louise Lariviere.
Lariviere began renting at Villa Bruyere 10 years ago. She and her husband loved the facility, but missed connecting with their former neighbours. So, the couple got to thinking.
"How can we, as a couple, encourage people to interact with the surrounding community? So, we decided to do this garden," said Lariviere.
Initially, Lariviere said the City of Ottawa frowned upon its land being used.
However, after the transformation of the landscape, all were delighted. That enthusiasm continues to be shared by everyone using the flower-lined bike path near Orleans Boulevard.
Flowers line the bike path near Orleans Boulevard.(Joel Haslam/CTV News Ottawa
"A medical doctor from the (University of Ottawa) Heart Institute that comes every day cycles to work. She told us when she comes here in the morning it gives her strength," Lariviere said.
"So this is the lover’s lane and part of the lover’s lane is the enchanted forest," said a smiling Lariviere, while touring me through the forest.
The forest is an exciting draw for neighbourhood children. It’s a place to play, imagine and feel free.
"Especially during the pandemic. It was a moment of joy in this moment of hardship," said Lariviere.
There are actually several gardens here and several gardeners. They’re planting seeds of hope and beauty for their community.
There used to be a pile of rubbish on one section of the path, but now it’s transformed, thanks to Claudette and Albert Potvin.
"We thought the beauty of flowers would bring happiness to the elderly people here," said Claudette.
"Flowers always bring joy. A little bit of happiness here and there along the path, I think that’s OK," she said.
"And it gives us some hope for the future," said her husband Albert.
Albert and Claudette Potvin check out the blooming community garden along an Orleans bike path. (Joel Haslam/CTV News Ottawa)
A woman who planted another garden along the path, years ago, recently broke her hip.
So, resident Claude St. Cyr has kept things blooming, while continuing her traditions of kindness.
"If she saw an elderly person in a wheelchair, she’d pick a couple of flowers and give them to that person. You wouldn’t believe the reception it got from those people," said St. Cyr.
Louise Lariviere and others pay for the plants, water them, and help with the gardens’ designs, but a professional gardener does much of the heavy lifting.
"We have the audacity to do it but not the mobility," said Lariviere with a smile.
And for that audacity, a community of cyclists, walkers, runners and dog walkers, says 'thanks' to Lariviere and her happy gardeners.
"From a seed that we planted, a beautiful, beautiful community emerged."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
What to pack during an emergency
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
LIVE UPDATES Star witness returning to the stand for more testimony at Trump's at hush money trial
Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-foe returns to the witness stand Tuesday for a bruising round of questioning from the former president’s lawyers.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Regulated area for invasive box tree moth expanded to parts of the Maritimes
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has added much of the Maritimes to a regulated area for an invasive species.
Already expensive, planning for fertility treatment difficult as costs vary widely
Being unable to have a child naturally can be extremely difficult. But when you factor in the high costs of fertility treatments, the range of individual circumstances and the fact that the industry itself is secretive about fees, it can make the whole ordeal even more devastating and hard to plan for.
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.