Student bands are competing for a $500 cash prize, a headlining show at LIVE! on Elgin and Audio Valley studio time at AC's first ever Battle of the Bands
Mila Leclair
Photos: Bella Donna
October 9, 2025 Revised: October 9, 2025 10:56am
Photo: Bella Donna
Leeah Sullivan (left) plays guitar and sings beside Thomas Burr at the Rainbow Bistro on Aug. 30, 2025.
Six bands are set to rock the stage at tonight’s Battle of the Bands event in the Algonquin Commons Theatre.
The event is open to all students and the doors will open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for non-students. Each band will get a 15-minute set to battle their way toward a $500 prize, a headlining show at LIVE! on Elgin and two days of Audio Valley studio time. The winner will be chosen by a panel of four judges who are currently unknown, but said to be Ottawa music industry experts.
Bella Donna opens the show at 7:05 p.m., followed by Artica at 7:25 p.m., FROSTVAEN at 7:45 p.m., Steady Rain at 8:40 p.m., Two Cats at 9 p.m. and Sun Dried Flies at 9:20 p.m.
Bella Donna bassist Darian Cassidy says going up against Sun Dried Flies, last year’s Ontario’s Got Talent winners, will be tough, but every show is a privilege to play.
“They’ve already got a bigger-scale contest under their belt, but we’ve played with them before, and I feel like we have equal levels of competency when it comes to playing music,” he said. “We’re also all going into it as friends. But I really hope we win. I think we’ve got a solid chance.”
Darian Cassidy enjoys fresh air and talking music in between his classes. Photo taken Sept. 30. Photo credit: Mila Leclair
“At the end of the day, the best band is going to win according to four people in Ottawa,” Cassidy added. “Even if we don’t win, it doesn’t matter because there’s going to be a lot of people there. A show’s a show.”
Music-loving students finally have an opportunity to get to know some of the college’s most talented creatives all in one evening. It’ll also be the perfect opportunity for all six bands to expand their horizon and reach new listeners.
Andrew Crozier, Sun Dried Flies drummer and music industry arts student, can’t wait to kick off his birthday weekend on stage and connect with the campus crowd. The community support and connection is what drives his passion for performance, and the energy is contagious.
Is that cliché? Ben Pontefract and Thomas Burr say it’s not. The Sun Dried Flies bassist and Bella Donna frontman both requested a sit down interview with Crozier to get his optimism on the record.
“People have come up and told me super nice things about me and the band,” Crozier said. “And to hear that coming from people that I’ve never even met before, it takes me aback.”
The Sun Dried Flies have played shows at LIVE! on Elgin before and would love another opportunity to play in the tight-knit space.
“It’s a very professional venue,” Crozier said. “They have a great sound guy, a great stage and the acoustics in there are phenomenal, the workers are great and the owner is even better. It’s a very intimate place.”
Sun Dried Flies (from left to right): Ben Pontefract, Andrew Hudson, Andrew Crozier and Branden Tyhy Photo credit: image provided by Sundried Flies
Sun Dried Flies plan to use their cash prize on travel expenses they’ve been struggling to cover.
“We’ve got a lot of good bands going into this competition,” Pontefract said. “But we’re going to try to win it. The money, we’re all going to use for gas because Sun Dried Flies, once again, doesn’t make much money at the moment.”
Sun Dried Flies play shows all across Ontario, and Crozier even commutes daily to Woodroffe campus classes from his Prescott home.
A second single is in the works for Sun Dried Flies, and winning this studio time could mean a much sooner release for new music.
For Bella Donna, the band has agreed, if they win, to use the recording time to get on Spotify and to put the $500 prize toward a new drum kit for Jake Gareau, who’s been pounding away on a beat-up Facebook Marketplace set that’s one cymbal crash away from retirement. The band relies on borrowing gear from other fellow musicians.
“It sucks because Jake is such an amazing drummer and he’s restricted by the hardware we have,” Cassidy said.
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Can a swipe spark a connection? Algonquin College students say yes.
Jade Louise Greenwood
Photos: Jade Louise Greenwood
October 8, 2025 Revised: October 8, 2025 12:32pm
Photo: Jade Louise Greenwood
An Algonquin College student looks at an online dating app.
Those couples strolling hand-in-hand down the halls of Algonquin College — ever wonder how they met? Was it a shared class, a mutual friend or maybe… a swipe?
After surveying 50 Algonquin College students, the Algonquin Times found 72 per cent believe meaningful relationships can start on dating apps. Twenty-eight per cent were more skeptical, with the majority of the doubters male, interestingly, considering men make up the majority of app users, as shown in information compiled by Online Dating Statistics in Canada. Still, the numbers suggest that digital dating is no longer taboo — it’s becoming the norm.
A couple walks in Indigo, Southkeys, hand-in-hand on Sept. 30. Photo credit: Jade Louise Greenwood
“I believe you can start a genuine relationship on a dating app, I’ve seen it firsthand,” said Emily Filion, a student in pre-health.
Filion’s perspective shifted after watching her brother’s relationship blossom from a summer swipe. “He was very shy, and this helped his shyness,” she said, “They’re going to the zoo, they’re going camping, they’re going on trips to different cities.”
For introverts like Filion’s brother, dating apps offer a buffer — a low-pressure way to connect, a safe place to grow their relationship seriously.
Filion originally did not believe in true relationships online. “I personally don’t really like dating apps, and rather just talk to people, but that doesn’t take away from others finding someone,” she said.
Her perspective is not uncommon; most people in the past, according to information published on Online Dating Statistics in Canada, viewed dating apps as a cop-out from really meeting people, although nowadays, relationships are commonly formed on dating apps, which is what Filion realized through her brother.
Online dating apps are not just meant for hookup culture anymore; people are trying to find meaningful relationships. One moment you are playing the swiping game and the next minute you are in a nine-month relationship.
“It was kind of a joke, playing with your friends like ‘hot or not,’ but then it became real,” said Lauren Shea, from the veterinary technician program.
“We wanted to see the weird stuff that guys say, but then he texted me and I was like, ‘Oh, he’s kind of cute’, and I talked to him for a couple of days and he was funny, and then he asked me out probably after the second or third day of talking,” said Shea.
Studies compiled by Online Dating Statistics in Canada indicate that 55 per cent of users say they are looking for serious relationships and the other 45 per cent are looking for something casual. Approximately 20 per cent of relationships in Canada start online as of this year, and Shea was fortunate enough to be one of them.
“I would’ve rather it happened differently, but that’s how it happened, and I am glad it did,” said Shea.
Although Shea’s love life turned out, in other cases, online dating can do more harm than good. Trisha Clarmo from the early childhood education program experienced a “horrible” relationship, “the worst relationship I’ve ever had.
Clarmo found a guy online and they were going strong for a while. It was great, right up until he decided he wasn’t over his ex.
“He never once stopped talking to his ex after, like, the numerous conversations we’ve had about it. He’s very good at talking, so he’d tell me exactly what I wanted to hear,” said Clarmo.
No one can truly prepare you for anything when it comes to the heart. Although a positive psychology professor at Algonquin College, Siobhan Nearey, does help give some insight into the realm of rejection.
Nearey describes a program she wishes were more widespread, the OWL approach. The program offers a workshop activity where those present had to role-play breaking up with each other. This approach fosters a healthy perspective on break-ups, allowing individuals to process their emotions in a safe environment.
“I think one of the reasons these situations are so difficult is that we’re never really taught how to handle them,” said Nearey.
Whether your experience with online dating is positive or negative, you will learn something from it. Just because you start a relationship online does not mean that it is any less valid.
Jestyne Henwood, from police foundations, shared her dad’s experience meeting his now-wife through a dating app. They started just as the students above, and now they are living their happily ever after. Henwood wholeheartedly believes that “love can be found anywhere.”
So, next time you see a couple walking past the cafeteria, don’t be surprised if their meet-cute started with a swipe and a clever bio.
“It could be good, it could be bad, but people can definitely find others on an app,” said Filion.
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It's been two years since Algonquin College had an environmental club and students are not eager to fill the void
Kendra Mendrisky
Photos: Kendra Mendrisky
October 8, 2025 Revised: October 8, 2025 12:01pm
Photo: Kendra Mendrisky
The Algonquin College Horticulture Gardens are home to many living critters, such as this red squirrel foraging in a chestnut tree.
In the fall of 2023, Stephanie Taylor, a first-year journalism student at the time,created the Algonquin CollegeEnvironmental Society as a way to make new friends and spark sustainability on campus.
With just enough members to qualify as a school club, thegroupheld theirfirstevent in November that year — a pop-up “free store.”
Students had the opportunity to donate unwanted clothes and household items andpick up things they would use for free.
“We did have some people donate stuff, but a lot of what was donated to our little free store pop-up, we ended up just taking to a used store in the end,” said Taylor. “Not a lot of people showed up, but I was quite happy still.”
Unfortunately, the AC Environmental Society never managed to light that fire within the student body and its first event turned out to be its last.
“We were trying to spread awareness throughout campus, but whenever we tried to talk to anyone, they were like, ‘I don’t want to talk about this,’” said Taylor.
Although the club gained a couple new students, memberssoon found themselves busy with classes and the AC Environmental Society burned out by the winter term.
An oak tree displays vibrant colours during golden hour on campus. Photo credit: Kendra Mendrisky
Now, two years later, the spot for an environmental club at the college remains empty and students are not interested in bringing it back.
“I used to care about it a lot. I was very big on waste management and emissions and then, I don’t know, I kind of just stopped thinking about it,” said Kalev Bailey, a student in the horticulture techniques – apprenticeship program.
He noticed people in his social circle only mentionclimate change when a new development happens.
“It comes up every now and then, or something major happens like a new animal just went extinct,” said Bailey.“Then people care about it a little bit, and then it gets old or gets boring, andit’s sad to say, but it’s not exciting for people.”
A survey conducted among 1,500 Canadian adults by Abacus Data this summer validates Bailey’s sentiment. Among issues such as cost of living, housing and Donald Trump’s administration, “climate change has slipped down the list of urgent public issues, with only 15% now ranking it among their top three concerns.”
Bailey recognizes climate change is a problem, but says he does not see the immediate effects of it on his day-to-day life, so he does not spend much time thinking about it.
Jacob Griffin, a student in the electrical engineering technician program, feels the same way.
“I think it’s a very serious issue that lots of people easily dismiss or don’t pay enough attention to because it’s not something that they’re constantly bombarded by all the time in news or what people are talking about,” said Griffin.
Jacob Griffin once organized a park cleanup as part of a middle school project. Photo credit: Kendra Mendrisky
While Griffin is too busy to join any school clubs, he does try to minimize his environmental impact in other ways.
“Ireuse my Ziploc bags,” said Griffin.“I wash every single Ziploc bag. I do not throw out Ziploc bags until they have holes in them.”
Practising sustainability with household items is something he learned from his parents.
“I don’t buya newsoap (and dispenser)every single time,” said Griffin.“I buy the big refills, I refill it.But those are probably small things in the grand scheme of things.”
When Taylor started the AC Environmental Society, she set out to encourage others within the college community to be more sustainable. At the same time, she wishes policymakers did more to reduce humans’ impact on the environment.
“It’s hard because the government tries to pin it on the individual, but the individuals need to realize that we have the power and we should be advocating for change,” said Taylor.“Our whole system, the capitalist system, is messed up and we’re obsessed with buying stuff that isn’t necessarily the best for the planet.”
But students don’t have to join an environmental club to change their purchasing habits and raise awareness about climate change.
“I think once you start to be aware of the impact of stuff, it’s easier to be like, okay, maybe I could make these choices,” said Taylor.“It’s a lot easier than some people think.”
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Where students meet the masters: OIAF gathers aspiring animators, professionals and fans to celebrate and inspire the future of animation
Matthew Grieve
Photos:
October 8, 2025 Revised: October 8, 2025 9:39am
Ottawa International Animation Festival 2025 logo
When Aurora Seyhan first volunteered at the Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF), she left feeling motivated and refreshed for the industry she hoped to join.
Three years later, this Algonquin College animation student still returns to the festival each fall, drawn by the community that comes together to showcase their work and celebrate the art of animation.
As the second-largest animation festival in the world, this year’s event ran from Sept. 24 to Sept. 28 in the downtown Ottawa area, with venues that included the Ottawa Art Gallery, National Arts Centre, Bytown Cinema and Strathcona Park, which hosted the popular Animators Picnic.
Algonquin College sponsors the festival and with its animation and graphic design programs, many members of the school actively participate in this event.
Ottawa International Animation Festival 2025 logo
During her first year, Seyhan was stationed at the artist workshops, where stop-motion animation was being taught. There, she met people who she still keeps in contact.
In her second year, Seyhan had the opportunity to see and hear from Chris Sanders, the director of The Wild Robot. Following a pre-screening of the film, Sanders spoke to the audience, signed autographs and viewers were able to ask him insightful questions.
People lined up in front of the ByTowne Cinema on Sept. 26, 2025, to watch K-Pop Demon Hunter, followed by a Q&A with the director. Photo credit: Matthew Grieve
This year, Seyhan volunteered at the Artist Picnic in Strathcona Park. This event invited all attendees to gather for a picnic in the park and encouraged individuals to socialize and network with each other. Many of the participants are animators who are eager to share their experiences with newcomers to the industry.
Strathcona Park hosting the annual Animator Picnic on Sept. 26, bringing together artists, students, and animation enthusiasts.
“Even if you’re not talking with people in the industry, you’re still in an environment where everyone is passionate about animation,” said Seyhan. “You never know what someone might say, it could inspire you, give you a project idea or teach you something new. It’s definitely a great learning experience. And even if you’re not in the industry, if you like animation, I highly recommend participating because it’s really cool.”
Animation series Competition in the Arts Court Theater. Sept. 26 Photo credit: Matthew Grieve
Neil Hunter, the coordinator of the animation program at Algonquin College for 23 years, encourages students to volunteer at the festival. Volunteering allows them to gain exposure to the industry, meet professionals and explore the wider world of animation. The experience, he said, is intended to inspire and motivate students.
“For the third-year students, it’s great because they can have their portfolios reviewed by people there,” said Hunter. “They get to meet the people who they’ll be working with. It’s amazing how many of them are Algonquin students or former Algonquin students. That’s a pretty good legacy for the animation program.”
Hunter cited one amusing example where students had the chance to interact with animators while picking them up at the airport.
“Students might pick up guests at the airport and drive them to the hotel, giving them half an hour with a famous Disney animator to ask questions. Most animators are a friendly bunch,” said Hunter.
Audience members engaged in a lively Q&A, asking personal questions to artists/filmmakers at the Art Court Theatre on Sept. 26. Photo credit: Matthew Grieve
Chris Dainty, professor and the coordinator of the illustration and concept art program, was inspired to join the animation program at Algonquin College after going to the festival in 1995.
“The first time I went to the festival was in 1995 and it was at the NAC, where I picked up one of their flip books, which showcased of all the students’ work from the college,” he said. “And it really was a defining moment for me to realize, like, oh, this is a career possibility. I still have that book, from Algonquin College in ’95.”
Algonquin College hosted a booth at Arts Court Theatre on Sept. 26, promoting the Animation Program Photo credit: Matthew Grieve
Dainty joined the animation program in the early 2000s as a student and later went on to launch his own production company, Dainty Production Inc., in 2006. For the past 18 years, the company has sponsored the Ottawa International Animation Festival, contributing in various ways, including providing animation for the event and producing the sponsorship reel shown before each event. The reel features sponsors like Netflix, Toon Boom and Algonquin College.
For many students, the Ottawa International Animation Festival isn’t just a stop on the way to graduation, it’s a launchpad for their creative futures. Dainty knows firsthand how transformative the festival can be.
“It could change your career path 100 per cent as it did for me. “
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The are essential to the show's success, but rarely in the spotlight
Jackie Beeston
Photos: Jackie Beeston
October 8, 2025 Revised: October 8, 2025 9:31am
Photo: Jackie Beeston
Eric Culp, left, is the tournament organizer who talked about the tournament with the Times.
Hosting a gaming tournament is not for the faint of heart. Knowing how to play the game is not enough.
It requires event management skills, a touch of live broadcasting knowledge and even policing to determine which controllers contestants are allowed to use.
The 119th ACE Smash Friday was held in A1821 at Algonquin College on Oct. 3. It was broadcast on Twitch Rocky_thepetrock, where all tournaments are streamed.
The primary game played is Super Smash Bros Ultimate, initially released Dec. 7, 2018. It contains the largest catalogue of playable characters in a Smash title and is the latest entry into the Super Smash Bros franchise.
ACE Smash Friday is the weekly tournament held on campus by the Esports Club. Its goal is to create community, grow the local skill level and have a great time duking it out on the stage with like-minded individuals.
A shot of a pre-tournament friendly between two competitors. Photo credit: Jackie Beeston
The primary reason these events happen is because of TOs, an abbreviation for tournament organizers. Javed Bergeron-Dinelle, an accounting student, was one of the primary TOs of the night, managing brackets and assisting the other TO in running the event.
Eric Culp, a business administration core student and tournament organizer of ACE Smash Fridays, explained why they broadcast the events:
“If we didn’t have a stream set up, less people would know about Gonk (another term for ACE Smash Fridays) and we wouldn’t have people improving at the rate they do.” Culp said.
Broadcasting Nintendo Switch games is a whole other challenge. This is because Nintendo Switch consoles do not come with a standard HDMI output; so, capture cards are required. “An underappreciated role is when people bring in stuff to capture their Switch,” Culp said.
“You can’t just connect an HDMI cord from the console into a computer; you need to buy a capture card, you need to get two more HDMI cords and figure out OBS,” Culp said.
Competitors and TOs are preparing the brackets and deciding who will be facing each other in the round robin. Photo credit: Jackie Beeston
Open Broadcaster Software, commonly known as OBS, is a free open-source application for video recording and live streaming. It allows users to capture their screen, webcam and other sources to create a professional-looking broadcast.
A capture card can be quite a pricey option for some, with the average costing between $50 and $150. This is on top of the price of buying the console, game and potentially a controller, too.
Because of the complex hurdle that goes into broadcasting events to Twitch, those who do are heroes in the scene.
“Because there’s a stream setup using their gear, they are obligated to stay the whole time and have the stream running, and things happening on their account,” Culp said.
The player’s mindset also applies to Culp, being a TO does not mean Culp can’t participate.
“You need to make little goals for yourself instead of thinking ‘oh, this person wins every event, I have no chance.’ If you go in with high expectations, you can, in turn, be easily let down.” Culp said.
Culp explained it this way: “I’m not creating a stressful and anxiety-inducing state when I’m playing against others.”
“I know I won’t win every event. I can’t think like ‘I gotta do it, I have to beat them, I have to win.’ Instead, I have to slow myself down, think ‘hey, I played better than last time.’
“I think every loss is good to look at because you can look at your gameplay from that kind of aspect and see that ‘I played this stock (term for in-game lives) pretty poorly because of XYZ,'” Culp said.
This mindset is crucial for a player committing to Super Smash Bros. The gradual improvements will come with patience and determination.
The culture fostered at these events is a welcoming atmosphere. Where beginners and veterans alike duke it out on the local stage with hopes of breaking into the regional and potentially international stage.
A recent report shows that the 18-34 age demographic is most likely to order delivery from a restaurant, despite inflation
Kevin Clasper-Inglis
Photos: Kevin Clasper-Inglis
October 7, 2025 Revised: October 7, 2025 2:58pm
Photo: Kevin Clasper-Inglis
Nicolas Paquette enjoys the last sip of his beer on the Wolves Den terrace.
Nicolas Paquette, a commerce student at Algonquin, orders takeout five days a week because it’s cheaper than the grocery store.
A recent report by Restaurants Canada, the lobby group representing Canada’s restaurant industry, shows that 75 per cent of Canadians are eating out less due to the rising cost of living.
For those aged 18-34, that stat rises to 81 per cent. However, this demographic leads the pack for ordering delivery, with 79 per cent of Gen Z having ordered takeout in the past 6 months compared to only 49 per cent for baby boomers.
“I’ll buy one meal for the day. So I’ll buy a pizza for the day or I’ll buy a calorie-heavy meal, and then eat that throughout the day,” says Paquette
Paquette mainly orders from fast food joints with calorie-heavy options such as McDonald’s, Milano’s, Pizza Pizza, and A&W.
“Gen Z would have come up, many of them, through the pandemic, where we saw this big shift towards takeout and away from on-premises dining,” says Milena Stanoeva, the senior director of public affairs and communications for Restaurants Canada.
“Whereas baby boomers would have had many adult years of on-premises dining. For them, it’s a bit more of a habit to go to the restaurant,” she says.
Stanoeva says that, despite ordering in more often, young people are still spending strategically to get the best bang for their buck when they order from restaurants.
“A lot of them are forgoing alcohol, for example,” she says.
“Or they might be going for snacks instead of full meals,” she adds, alluding to another stat from the report, which indicates that Gen Z is most likely to forego a meal for a snack instead.
A student's card gets declined at a campus vending machine. Photo credit: Kevin Clasper-Inglis
Fiona Fox, a computer programming student at Algonquin, is one of those people. She says that spending on restaurants is a luxury she’s cutting back on.
“It’s challenging to eat out as much if we’re spending so much on groceries and rent and all those other things,” says Fox.
Fox estimates that she orders in maybe once a month.
When she does, she tries to order more economical options while also sticking to the basics.
“We don’t drink,” she says, referring to herself and her partner, “so we just stick to water. And we don’t do dessert either.”
“I’m a light eater, anyway,” she adds.
Arianna Cuglietta, an early learning and community development student, is on a $3,500 meal plan with residence, so she feels compelled to use that for restaurant meals.
Arianna Cuglietta splurges on a $20 plate of nachos at the Wolves Den. Photo credit: Kevin Clasper-Inglis
“I’m not working right now, in college with a full course load, so whenever I’m not working, I’m not eating out as much because I don’t have the money,” says Cuglietta.
“These nachos are actually $20,” she says, referring to the plate of Wolves Den nachos in front of her.
“Who can afford that when they’re not working? Sure, I paid for the meal plan, but the meal plan has a maximum.”
Cuglietta admits that she most often tries to order the cheaper and less substantial menu items from the Wolves Den, such as spinach dip, which costs $10.99, to avoid burning through her meal plan.
Stanoeva says that in the current climate of food inflation, all prepared food should be sold untaxed.
She points out that during the temporary GST holiday earlier this year, Canadians spent 8.6 per cent more on restaurants, indicating that people would go out and order in more often if costs were lower.
Besides the fact that it would lower costs for cash-strapped young people, it could also help create more of the food service jobs that young people, especially students, often work.
“During the tax holiday, we saw the creation of an additional 24,000 restaurant jobs,” says Stanoeva.
“This is during the January-February period, when typically restaurants are laying off staff because, after the holiday rush, it’s the quietest time of the year and sales tend to be lower,” she adds.
“So, to see a 24,000 increase, which is more than the entire 12 months prior, is really telling.”
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Second annual wellness fair brings community together for health, resources and connection
Delaney Smith
Photos: Delaney Smith
October 7, 2025 Revised: October 7, 2025 2:52pm
Photo: Delaney Smith
Community members browse booths at the Wellness Fair at Ben Franklin Place.
Ben Franklin Place in Nepean buzzed with activity on Sept. 26 as community members and students passed from table to table at the second annual wellness fair.
This event was designed to connect people with organizations and services promoting physical, mental and social health.
The fair was set up in a marketplace style with rows of booths, each one representing a local not-for-profit, health agency or resource provider.
In the morning, Fred May, lead facilitator with Connected Canadians, was the first guest speaker of the day in The Chamber, with a message about connection and mental health.
Fred May speaks about the link between social connection and physical health, emphasizing its role in reducing stress, lowering the risk of dementia, and improving total well-being. Photo credit: Delaney Smith
A retired engineer who has volunteered for over four years, May helps seniors gain confidence in technology and strengthen social ties.
May said digital tools are not a replacement for human connection, but they can extend, deepen and sustain it.
“Personal connections are vital to your mental and physical health,” he said. “It’s possible to arrange one-on-one sessions with volunteers across the country who speak many languages.”
He also encouraged people to strengthen existing relationships.
“Reconnecting with my cousin this summer reminded me, sometimes it’s not about finding new people, but nurturing the ones already in your life,” May said.
In the afternoon, Khalid Bastawisy, Community Engagement Coordinator with Ottawa Public Health (OPH), delivered an overview of public health services.
Bastawisy explained OPH’s Health, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion department, which emerged during the pandemic to target outreach to racialized, low-income and underserved communities.
He emphasized their citywide “catchments” model, pointing out how they partner with local groups to deliver programs situationally.
Neighborhood Health and Wellness Hubs are drop-in community sites where residents can receive vaccines, dental screenings, social support and senior programs.
These hubs operate with no health card required and often reside within community facilities.
“At the hubs, you’ll see services like vaccinations, dental screening, prenatal supports, workshops, newcomer services. We want these to operate as one-stop shops for free supports,” said Bastawisy.
Walking the floor, visitors encountered pamphlets, displays, giveaways, assistive tools and knowledgeable representatives ready to answer questions and distribute information.
Here’s a more descriptive look at what each organization showed (and what they do) to connect with their audiences.
The Dementia Society of Ottawa & Renfrew County – dementiahelp.ca
Pamphlets from the Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County offer advice on preventing dementia and communicating with loved ones living with the condition. Photo credit: Delaney Smith At their table, volunteers handed out pamphlets titled 10 Tips to Communicate Well With a Person Living With Dementia and 8 Healthy Habits to Help Prevent Dementia.
The Society provides caregiver coaching, educational sessions, memory café events and support groups.
Attendees could ask about their First Connections and Dementia Inclusive Training programs, which teach organizations how to better accommodate people living with dementia.
This booth projected the long heritage of Good Companions: more than 60 years of offering programs for older adults and adults with disabilities.
They promoted more than 100 services to choose from, like fitness classes, social events, support groups and arts and culture programs, emphasizing volunteer partnerships.
Canadian Mental Health Association (Ottawa) – cmha.ca
A Canadian Mental Health Association Ottawa pamphlet lists crisis lines, shelters, counseling services, and community supports available to residents in need. Photo credit: Delaney Smith
The CMHA table was stocked with pamphlets on stress, anxiety, crisis lines and mental wellness.
They also distributed a purse-sized sheet of local phone numbers: counselling lines, crisis hotlines and access points for mental health services.
Their booth featured pamphlets and booklets on coping strategies, survivor stories, screening guidelines and support groups.
One of their key tools is the Financial Navigator, which helps people figure out what financial supports they might qualify for, things like travel costs, medications or other expenses associated with breast cancer treatment.
WOCRC helps people who want to remain in their homes but need help with daily tasks, which include homemaking and cleaning, personal care, home maintenance and repairs and coordinating trusted service providers.
They also run Meals on Wheels,which delivers meals to homes and offers frozen nutritious meals to support people who might find it difficult to cook regularly.
COA brings together older adult groups, government agencies, community partners and businesses to influence city planning, health services, transportation and housing in ways that better fit seniors’ realities.
OWCS programs include personal support care, homemaking, transportation to medical appointments and assisted living for high-risk seniors.
They also run an Adult Day Program for frail or cognitively impaired seniors, offering meals, activities and socialization.
Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre – pqchc.com
Their table offered a broad view of their role as a multiservice health hub, integrating primary care, mental health, dental and social support under one roof.
They handed out brochures on their clinics, social work support and slide displays on how they coordinate care for vulnerable populations.
Library staff promoted the Homebound Services program: free monthly delivery of books, audiobooks, DVDs and more to Ottawa residents unable to visit branches due to age, illness or disability.
They explained that users can request specific titles or have staff pick materials based on their interests.
This fun booth featured a spin-the-wheel game to win small prizes, and brochures were spread out about free energy-saving upgrades such as lighting, fridges and freezers and tips on cutting utility costs.
Many attendees spun the wheel to win a free night light, and also asked about insulation supports, rebate programs and how to make their homes more efficient.
A Heart & Stroke Foundation handout at the Wellness Fair teaches attendees the FAST method for spotting stroke symptoms: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and Time to call 911. Photo credit: Delaney Smith
At this table, visitors could pick up fact sheets about how conditions like earlier menopause, diabetes or certain pregnancy complications raise heart disease risk in women.
There were also infographics showing preventative steps and the signs of cardiovascular trouble specific to women.
“It’s important to have some connections, either digital or non-digital, because they can give you a sense of acceptance, safety and purpose in your life,” May said.
Diehard AC/DC fans in Ottawa were "Thunderstruck" as 21 Gun Salute brings the '80s to Algonquin College
Marcos Somarriba
Photos: Marcos Somarriba
October 6, 2025 Revised: October 6, 2025 9:45pm
Photo: Marcos Somarriba
Lead vocalist Mimmo Oli (left) watching lead guitarist Angus Yan (right) play the guitar as Oli prepares to sing along
Canadian band 21 Gun Salute rocked the Algonquin Commons Theatre on Sept. 26, delivering an explosive AC/DC Tribute that took fans back to the early ’80s.
The crowd was mostly filled with elderly people in rock-style clothes, singing word for word to every song performed by the band. The crowd was went wild when Thunderstruck played.
In an interview with the Algonquin Times before the concert, the band said their only purpose was making the fans feel like they were back in their younger years.
Mimmo Oli pretending to play a guitar while performing. Photo credit: Marcos Somarriba
“Tonight it seems like an older AC/DC crowd so we’re going to take it back,” said Mimmo Oli, the lead singer of 21 Guns Salute. “We have to play all the hits. If we don’t play Thunderstruck, we’ll get crucified on the papers and all over the internet.”
The band played the best of AC/DC’s music such as Highway to Hell, Back in Black, For Those About to Rock (We Salute You), Thunderstruck and more classics. The bass was heard all over E-building as the cannons on the stage started to fire smoke.
Audience member Kat Westlie loved every minute of the night. She took her son to the concert but said it was more a night for herself.
“That (concert) was so much fun, they killed it,” said Westlie. “It was a blast. I think I lost my voice from yelling all the lyrics but I feel like I’m in my teen years again.”
Audience member Leo Raguseo drove from Montreal to see the concert. He said it was worth the drive.
“I spoke with a few other people around the venue and we all loved the show,” said Raguseo. “It felt more like an actual AC/DC concert than just a tribute concert.”
The band was founded by Angus Yan, the lead guitarist and the person who also performs the role of Angus Young, the legendary guitarist from AC/DC, known for his famous dance, the duckwalk.
Lead guitarist Angus Yan playing on stage. Photo credit: Marcos Somarriba
“I was playing in another AC/DC tribute band for eight years. Things started to get really weird between the two brothers who ran the band,” said Yan. “Me, the bass player and my good friend Bob decided to leave and start own our own band.”
Soon after, the band found Oli through an audition and decided to hire him as the lead vocalist. Eventually, Oli would choose the name of the band.
Lead vocalist Mimmo Oli standing behind a cannon acting as a fog machine while singing in front of the audience. Photo credit: Marcos Somarriba
“It’s in a song called For Those About To Rock and at the end of the last verse it says, ‘Pick up your balls and roll up your cannons for 21 gun salute’ and it doesn’t get better than that,” said Oli.
As the band prepares for their next show in Liverpool, N.S. on Nov. 7, fans have one question: How do they do it?
“It’s the sound, man. If you don’t do it right then it’s not authentic,” said Oli. “It’s easier to dress up and act like a goof and act like AC/DC but it doesn’t work like that. You need to know how to play and we’re in our 60s to late 50s, so we come from that era.”
For a crowd reliving their youth and a band still performing AC/DC’s music decades later, it was the perfect night.
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Canadian comedian Glen Foster is headlining Tickle me Tuesday at the Summerhays Grill on Oct. 7.
Glen Foster is brining Tickle me Tuesday at Summerhays Grill on Oct. 7, hoping to establish a new comedy spot in Ottawa.
The show features Foster and four fellow comedians: Serge Nkusi, Alex Callahan, Jake Daly and Colin Smith, who is hosting the whole event.
The Summerhays Grill on Baseline Road. Photo credit: Vasileios Tselios
Summerhays is not one of the traditional comedy spots in Ottawa, but Foster and Smith saw an opportunity to turn the restaurant into an underground comedy club.
“Well, we actually have wings there every week. So, we were just looking around the place one day and there’s this private back room,” Foster said. “We thought, ‘Geez, that might be a good place to do comedy.’”
The show has been in the works for a couple of months, with Smith talking to the Summerhays owner and finding a suitable lineup.
“I talked to the owner of Summerhays back in the spring and (he said), ‘Yeah, we could do that. Let’s wait ‘till the fall when the kids are back in school,’” Smith said.
As Smith explained, the show will be around 90 minutes, with all the comedians getting a chance to perform their best material on stage before Foster delivers the longest set of the night.
“We have three comedy clubs in Ottawa. The most (stage time) you can get, unless you’re headlining, is maybe 10 or 15 minutes,” Foster explained. “If I want to do anything in the half-hour-plus range, I have to set up my own gigs.”
Foster has been doing comedy for the last 40 years and started off as an unknown opening act, before going on to be featured in Comedy Now! and Just for Laughs.
Smith and Foster emphasized the importance of a strong lineup, when planning out the event.
“We’re doing (the show) kind of low price out the door just to get people in. But I’ll tell you, this is a high-value show,” Foster said.
The lineup features three young local comics in Callahan, Daly and Nkusi who have all been making waves in the local scene.
Nkusi is having a particularly good year, after winning Yuk Yuk’s Mike MacDonald competition this summer and gaining a huge boost to his popularity and opportunities.
“It’s been wild. I’ve never been booked so much in my life,” Nkusi said. “It’s just so much attention all at once.”
His work ethic and frequenting of comedy shows have only increased with this recent success.
From sneaking into a Dave Chappelle show dressed as a cameraman to showing up at the Comedy Cellar in New York as a 20-year-old with no planned set, Nkusi lives and breathes comedy both as a performer and a fan.
“I just love stand-up. I was born for this, I was out my diapers cracking jokes,” he said.
The show starts at 8 p.m., with only 40 tickets available. The smaller venue should make the experience all the more worthwhile, according to Foster and Nkusi.
“My favourite comedy setting is the way comedy should be done and that is a dark basement or an attic,” Foster said.
Nkusi described the Pour Boy Pub on Somerset Street as “a small room, (that) feels humongous, because the laughs are bouncing off (the wall).” Summerhays is expected to bring a similar vibe.
The comedy show is set to become a recurring event if it gains enough traction. Smith invited any Algonquin College students who want to pursue comedy locally to contact him through his website.
Show tickets can be found online, with the discount code “ACSTUDENT” for $2 off the purchase. Tickets are $11.98 online and $15 at the door.
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Four pillars in Algonquin College’s Student Commons are wrapped with orange paper shirts for Orange Shirt Day: My ReconciliACTION, each with a handwritten action toward reconciliation
Ana Silva
Photos: Ana Silva
October 3, 2025 Revised: October 3, 2025 10:48pm
Photo: Ana Silva
Niamh O’Shea hangs her orange paper shirt on one of the pillars on Sept. 30 in the Student Commons.
Paper orange shirts will hang in the Student Commons in October as a reminder of actions people can take to further reconciliation with Indigenous people.
The event Orange Shirt Day: ReconciliACTION was organized by the SA to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30.
For Mateo Mangroo, an SA staff member, the event was about turning awareness into action.
Mateo Mangroo, a Student Association staff member, hosted the Orange Shirt Day: My ReconciliACTION event Sept. 29-30 in the Student Commons. Photo credit: Ana Silva
“(What) I hope people take from this event is, first of all, to know what Truth and Reconciliation Day is and what it means to people,” said Mangroo. “And then with this event, we want students to take action to support the Indigenous community.”
Mangroo added that the month-long display is meant to encourage ongoing reflection.
“We’re hoping that during that time, students will walk through the Student Commons, see what people have written, get ideas and hopefully think, ‘Oh, I’m going to do that,’” he said.
For some students, the event was a chance to deepen their understanding of reconciliation in Canada.
“I think it’s meaningful, not just for Indigenous people, but also for the whole community because they are part of our diversity and inclusion,” said Hana Tin. “I’m so happy to support their rights, celebrate their culture and build a sustainable future together.”
Siyh Chartrand said Orange Shirt Day is a reminder of the children who never returned home from residential schools.
“It’s about raising awareness for all the Indigenous kids that lost their lives in the residential schools,” said Chartrand. “And it’s about showing your support and how much you care.”
Siyh Chartrand holds his orange paper shirt with his action written on it Sept. 30 in the Student Commons. Photo credit: Ana Silva
The SA partnered with the Mamidosewin Centre to design the activities. Alain Cyr-Russo, senior manager of student life with the SA, said the event was meant to go beyond symbolic gestures.
“The installation brings the symbol of the orange shirt to life on campus,” said Cyr-Russo. “It’s a reminder of the children who never returned home, and a call for our community to reflect, learn and take part in reconciliation.”
Cyr-Russo added that Orange Shirt Day is part of a year-round commitment.
“We can’t impose action on individuals, but we can educate and raise awareness so students are inspired to act,” he said. “We encourage the college community to carry the spirit of the day forward by supporting ReconciliACTION efforts throughout the year.”
For Niamh O’Shea, manager of international student integration at the International Education Centre, the event highlighted the responsibility of the college community.
“To me, it’s about both learning and uncovering information I probably always should have known as someone who is a guest on these lands,” said O’Shea. “And then thinking about what kind of relationships I want to have with Indigenous communities, and with the land itself.”
As the orange shirts remain on display, students will continue to see their peers’ pledges, a tangible reminder to turn reflection into action long after Sept. 30 has passed.
