On May 23, 2026 we held our Annual General Meeting at the Plant Recreation Centre. We heard from speakers:

• Jack Hanna, local historian, on Nicholas Sparks’ rags-to-riches story, driven by dumb luck
• Tonya Davidson, author of Ottawology, with stories on recreation in Ottawa that she couldn’t fit in her book
• Councillor Ariel Troster, with updates from Somerset Ward

Outgoing DCA President Catherine Boucher gave our year in review, which included many initiatives across our committees, including highlights

• Official opening of the Sweet Willow Community Garden
• Food Truck Fridays on Oak Street
• Annual Eccles Street Block Party celebrating new traffic calming planters
• 30th Anniversary of The Centretown BUZZ
• Ottawa Trivia event led by Tonya Davidson at Natural History
• Multi-use Parkway (MUP) cleanup, picking up over 40 bags of garbage and thinking about a linear park.
• Mobility committee survey and report about events on LeBreton Flats

Ed McKenna from the Board of Directors then presented Catherine with a Colin White print as a thank you for her five years of service as Board President.

Members of the Board sit for alternating two year terms. This year, two Board members stepped down, and the vacancies were happily filled.

For the 2026-27 year, members of the board are: Charles Akben-Marchand, Debbie Barton, Megan Butcher, Catherine Boucher, Archie Campbell, Nick Lepine, Ed McKenna, David Narbaitz, Zsofia Orosz, Lory Picheca, Michael Powell, Sally Rutherford, David Seaborn, Ryan Turley, and Amy Wong.

After the AGM business had concluded, Michael Powell and Debbie Barton led our members on a tour of the Multi-use Parkway (MUP) to talk about how we can use the MUP as greenspace/parkland.

Thanks to all who have volunteered their time in the community over the past year, and to everyone who attended this year’s meeting. We are always glad to see everyone’s faces!