Hiking the Gatineau Hills: Ruvini checks out a sunrise, the changing leaves and a former PM’s estate

The view when hiking in the Gatineau Hills

Ruvini Godakandae is a long-time Ottawa resident with a background in broadcast journalism and e-publishing. She loves to find ways to express herself and stay active, primarily through dance, photography and alternative fitness. You’ll often find her out and about discovering Ottawa’s many hidden gems and meeting some interesting and talented folks along the way. Some of her other passions include food, fashion and community involvement.

Ruvini's 4 am wake-up didn't dampen her spirits!

Although the end of summer can seem like a turn for the worst with the end of T-shirts, shorts and good weather, the fall can bring some wonderful sights with the changing of leaf colours. One of the best places to spot this is while hiking in Gatineau Park.

I was recently asked to try something a little different and check out a sunrise at Lusk Falls in Gatineau.  Initially, I jumped at the chance to go hiking but realizing that I would have to be up at 4 am to trek up the hill in the darkness made me a little hesitant. Despite this, the hike was definitely worth it.

So out I went with my flashlight in hand and bell strapped onto my hiking partner. The thought of having a bell strapped as though we were reindeers seemed a bit silly, but they apparently help bears know that you’re coming so you don’t end up creeping up on them.  However, it wasn’t something that made me more confident to hike in the dark.

Since we were venturing out as early as we did, the temperature was a little cool but the hike upward caused us to warm up quickly and even work up a sweat. The trail we followed was 2.5 kilometres one way to the highest point– the Fire Tower lookout. If you’re not a regular hiker, you might find that some points can become a little challenging with the various shaped rocks, steep step-like formations and lack of light if you go as early as I did.

Heading into the Hills

Unfortunately, we were surprised to find out the view wasn’t the greatest to check out a sunrise due to the heights of the trees around us, but the sounds of the birds and stillness around us made for a cool experience.

Word to the wise, if you ever do make the trek up, it’s always good to pack flashlights and some snacks to munch on at the top. Some hot chocolate also helps in the cooler weather. And you can’t forget, some sturdy hiking shoes or runners. It’s also best to stick to the track ‘cause if you’re like me and don’t fare well with directions, you might find yourself scaling a rock (which I did unintentionally). This makes it even more important to have a good pair shoes with proper traction.

If you’re not into a moderate hike at Lusk Falls, you’ll probably enjoy a leisurely stroll at the Mackenzie King Estate, the summer house to William Lyon Mackenze, Canada’s 10^th prime minister. The house is surrounding by a lovely garden with a few ruins. The Estate includes a trail called the Lauriault – Waterfall Trail Loop which was a favourite trail for William Lyon Mackenzie while he was prime minister. It was actually King’s government that established Gatineau Park and upon his death it was left as a “gift” to be used as a public park for fellow Canadians. The Bridal Veil Waterfall at the end of the trail is said to be quite nice but we unfortunately visited during a time which hadn’t had much rainfall prior so there really wasn’t much of a waterfall. Now, with all the rain we’ve been having, there’s sure to be a steady flow.

The Mackenzie King Estate

Ruvini at the ruins near the Mackenzie King Estate

There really is no shortage of outdoor activities to take in during the fall season. I’d encourage anyone wanting to take in some beautiful colours and nature to strap on some shoes and go on an adventure.  And when the snow hits, you can continue by going snowshoeing or cross-country skiing.

Wow, Ruvini! Stunning photos! Do you have a favourite hiking spot in the Ottawa area? Tell us about it by leaving a comment below.

Taste of Wellington West: Part II

Wellington Gastropub

Ruvini Godakandae is a long-time Ottawa resident with a background in broadcast journalism and e-publishing. She loves to find ways to express herself and stay active, primarily through dance, photography and alternative fitness. You’ll often find her out and about discovering Ottawa’s many hidden gems and meeting some interesting and talented folks along the way. Some of her other passions include food, fashion and community involvement.

If you were looking for a place to just enjoy a sunny Saturday afternoon, the Taste of Wellington West was the place to be. In its fifth year, the weather couldn’t have been better as people sampled tantalizing morsels, while walking from Island Park Drive to Somerset West. 

Thyme and Again

I enjoy its cozy, yet upscale feel with its little boutiques like Flock and Allegro and its fine dining and bistros like Petit Bills Bistro and Absinthe. Even if you didn’t have an appetite for sampling the food -  though I don’t know how you wouldn’t – it was great to spot the interesting shops and eateries along the way.

Allegro

Many shops had sidewalk sales offering discounts on a variety of items from house ware to clothing. This family friendly event also included a play area and opportunities for kids to grab some balloon animals and get their face painted.

Taste of Wellington West

Wellington West came alive between 1:30-3:30p.m., as crowds came out to see what the local cafés and restaurants had to offer. Some of my favourites included Harvest Loaf’s mini pumpkin tarts and the spinach filo appetizer from Aromeze.

Aromeze

The Wellington Gastro Pub and Wellington Diner seemed to be popular stops as well with their long line-ups tasters looking for delicious samples. The food samplings were not only a great way to stay satisfied while strolling but a good way for people to get a feel of what is offered at each location.

Taste of Wellington West

If you’re anything like me and like taking in a new dining experience, this was one way to help scope out some potential favourites to look forward to.

Local band plays Taste of Wellington West

The event not only included samples of food but there was a variety of music and street performances including a stilt walker, a 10-piece orchestra band and fashion shows, including one with Allegro which I happened to take part in.

The fashion show’s unique cat walk consisted of a baby blue pick-up truck. The outfits showcased had a stylish and comfortable fall look.

Stilt walker at Taste of Wellington West

With an inviting atmosphere and fun events such as A Taste of Wellington, it’s a neighbourhood worth coming back to for seconds.

Thanks Ruvini!

Recognizing the incredible accomplishments of Ottawa’s youth

Image Credit: CAYFO

Ruvini Godakandae is a long-time Ottawa resident with a background in broadcast journalism and e-publishing. She loves to find ways to express herself and stay active, primarily through dance, photography and alternative fitness. Her passion for event management and arts/culture align with her recent role as an official Ottawa Festivals insider.  You’ll often find her out and about discovering Ottawa’s many hidden gems and meeting some interesting and talented folks along the way. Some of her other passions include food, fashion and community involvement.

We’ve all heard the saying “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Well, a recent youth awards ceremony I attended taught me that the younger generation definitely has some “tricks” we should definitely try to learn.

We often hear about the Top 40 under 40, Community Builder and Y Women of Distinction Awards but it was great to discover a youth-focused gala highlighting the accomplishments of Ottawa’s own.

The Spirit of the Capital Youth Awards hosted by Child and Youth Friendly Ottawa (CAYFO) acknowledged an assortment of talented and compassionate youth aged 21 and younger with fellow youth entertainers and a showcase prior to the event with various youth including those who were not mentioned at the awards. What’s neat about this event is that it’s run by youth with supporter Max Keeping, the CAYFO co-founder. The annual event had all the makings of your typical gala with the exception of it running on time, as Keeping joked.

The ceremony honoured outstanding youth in eight categories: Young Entrepreneurship, Service and Caring, Arts and Culture, Youth and Technology, Young Athlete, Young Activist, Academic Perseverance, and Personal Courage.

The 2011 Spirit of the Capital Youth Awards took place on May 30th.

One of the entertainment highlights of the evening was a performance by up-and-coming pop singing sensation Alex Lacasse (deemed the next Bieber), serenading the audience at their tables with his popular singles “My Girl” and “Like This, Like That.”

Other notable performances included a young spoken word artist, a  and The Dandelion Dance Troupe who did a contemporary dance sharing powerful messages of embracing your uniqueness and staying true to yourself.

Twelve-year-old Kate Reeve and Grade 12 student Fahd Alhattab were the ceremony’s emcees cracking jokes about their age difference while us “slightly” older folks sat in our seats wondering what we had been doing at their age –  at least, I was. The occasional jokes referencing floppy disks and Doogie Howser had me in moments of nostalgia while my brother, a young entrepreneur award recipient, smirked reminding me of our age difference.

Speaking of Doogie Howser, this was the comparison given to Sathya Baskaran who received the Youth and Technology award. He was one of several people who had amazed me with his scientific innovations which included synthetic alternatives for knee replacement surgery he created at the age of 13- no biggie! To add to this, he has worked with the University of Ottawa presenting findings on spinal cord research, constructed a device for the Canadian Institute of the Blind, and has been a representative for an International Youth Science Forum in Australia.

Youth band playing at the Spirit of the Capital Youth Awards

Service and Caring award recipient, Grace Gendron, who at the age of 10, yes, that’s right – 10! – had the room in awe with her enthusiasm to help little girls in Africa with hand-sewn dresses and pillowcases. She spreads her passion for sewing at her school holding evening sewing classes with her grandmother (who couldn’t make it on account of her teaching karate). Her feelings of being fortunate and seeing the smiling faces of the girls who receive the dresses motivates this caring girl to carry on. If only some people decades older had this mindset.

Sashien Godakandae, Interactive Marketing Communications (Young Entrepreneur award recipient)

Ruth Okoro and Dylon Phillips touched the heartstrings of many people, including mine, with their stories of courage and perseverance.  Okoro who was an orphan, denied school and left in the care of an abusive uncle in Nigeria. She was later put in the Russian sex trade against her will managed to escape to Canada becoming an outstanding student. Phillips, who came from an abusive household was left to live with his grandparents and find ways to motivate himself to succeed in school. He shared some poignant words saying how there will always be people around to support you but if no,t one should look in the mirror and believe in themselves.

These are just a few of the people that inspired me to follow my own passions.

As I sat hearing all their stories, one message stood out: Youth are already leading the charge in making a difference in their community and their talent and ambition are not bounded by age. It’s the older generations that have to step up their game and provide opportunities to really let them shine.

To learn more about how to nominate someone, check out CAYFO’s Spirit Awards website.

Do you know an amazing young person that Local Tourist Ottawa should feature? Send us a note to ltottawa@gmail.com.