BCA Newsletter October 2026

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Blackburn Community Association

October 2026 News

BCA Bites

The BCA Maintains three bulletin boards to keep the community informed of upcoming events. One is located in the Ottawa Public Library (above the device charging station), one is outside the Community Hall entrance and the third is inside the Hall. We also post information on the bulletin board in the Metro store.

BCA’s 2026 Volunteer Award Winners!

On Saturday, September 19, 2026, the BCA held their annual Volunteer Appreciation celebration to thank the vast number of volunteers who help our large number of events run smoothly.

This year, there were two Volunteer of the Year award winners: Lisa Margeson and Melanie Mathieu.

Lisa joined the BCA board in 2018 with the intention of taking on the Membership Director role. Once the board realized her financial background, however, she was quickly promoted to be the BCA Treasurer. Over the past 8 years she has worked hard to improve our accounting practices and to bring our accounts up-to-date with CRA – a task that would have been impossible for anyone without a solid financial background.

Melanie joined the BCA board in 2024 as our new Youth Director. Over the past two years she has organized an amazing number of contests and events for a variety of ages that regularly see over 50 participants.

Volunteer of the year award winners Lisa Margeson and Melanie Mathieu

Congratulations to Lisa Margeson and Melanie Mathieu for their well-deserved awards! We also congratulate the following recipients of Directors awards:

Cancer Chase: Charlie Jodoin
FunFair: Robert Long
Hockey Day: Clara Maude Cadieux
Neighbourhood Watch: Brad Hampson
Pancake Breakfast: Brian Effer
Rinks: Kyle Labelle
Seniors: Elena Leggiadro
Youth: Sarrah Abassi

Thank you once again to all of the Past, Present and Future BCA Volunteers! You are the heart of our community.

Ward 2 Councillor Candidate Q&A

The Blackburn Community Association has joined with the Convent Glen Orléans Wood Community Association and Chapel Hill North Community Association to hold a Q&A session with Ward 2 Councillor Candidates.

All three candidates were invited to provide their availability for this event. Jenna Jessop and David Purchase provided a number of dates and have confirmed their attendance. Unfortunately, Laura Dudas is unable to attend due prior commitments.

The event will be held in person and online on Tuesday, October 6 from 7 PM to 8:30 PM. More information is available at facebook.com/events/2567290230438619. To register for the Online Zoom call, visit us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/dO9hSQKASOOS5wJ3oQi-Dg.

Halloween Treat Accessibility

Blackburn Hamlet, let’s make Halloween accessible for everyone!

Halloween brings our neighbourhood to life: children and families are out, neighbours connect, and our community shines. But for some children and families, Halloween can feel less inviting. For example, those 3 steps to reach the front door can be a barrier for anyone using a wheelchair or mobility device.

Our community has been approved to register together as one Treat Accessibly Halloween street, but we need YOU to sign up to make it happen!

Participating homes will receive a Treat Accessibly lawn sign, and there may even be some media attention as we help spread the word about accessible trick-or-treating!

Register your home at treataccessibly.com/join-your-street and select Kyle Humphrey as your Community Captain. Add your own street name & (Blackburn Hamlet). The deadline for registration is OCTOBER 5th.

Let’s make Halloween a celebration every child can enjoy.

If you have any questions, contact kyle@blackburnhamlet.ca

Remember that some disabilities are invisible, and communication needs vary. Never pressure a child to say “trick or treat”—a wave, gesture or other form of communication is just as welcome.

Canada Post Community Mailboxes

In spring 2026, Canada Post delivered notifications announcing that it is transitioning roughly 30,000 addresses in Ottawa from door-to-door mail delivery to community mailboxes. Blackburn Hamlet is included in this transition and the installation of the community mailboxes is now underway.

Canada Post has made this decision to ensure it can meet the evolving needs of Canadians in a financially sustainable way. Neither the community association, nor the municipal or provincial representatives can have any influence on this change. Canada Post is responsible for maintaining and servicing all community mailboxes to ensure they remain safe and accessible. This includes clearing snow and fixing or replacing locks as required.

A Delivery Accommodation Program exists for residents who might face physical challenges accessing centralized boxes (such as winter mobility concerns or reach issues). More information is available at canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/our-company/accessibility/delivery-ccommodation-program.page.

It is expected that the delivery in Blackburn Hamlet will start to transition to the community mailboxes in Spring 2027. Canada Post will send letters to residents ahead of the switch detailing when home delivery ends and where their new community mailbox will be located.

For more information go to canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/personal/mailboxes-and-lockers/community-mailboxes.page.

If you have any concerns regarding the location or quality of a nearby community mailbox installation, you can call Canada Post at 1-866-607-6301 Monday to Friday, 7 am to 11 pm ET and Saturday and Sunday, 9 am to 9 pm ET.

Discovery Café

DISCOVERY CAFÉ Lecture Series – Stroke Update 2026 – Dr. Christopher Skinner

Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 7:00 PM

Blackburn Community Hall, 190 Glen Park Drive

Admission is free, no registration is required, people of all ages are welcome, and refreshments will be served.

We are thrilled that Dr. Skinner is joining us for a trifecta! In his third Discovery Café session, Dr. Skinner will turn his focus to the impact and prevention of strokes. Specifically, he will review:

the different types of strokes and how stroke can affect daily life;
strategies to reduce stroke risk factors, both personal and societal;
some of the on-line tools to allow the assessment of personal risk for stroke; and
some the medications used for prevention and treatment of stroke.

A handout with QR codes will also be provided so attendees can discuss their own risk assessment in an interactive fashion.

For Dr. Skinner's biography, please visit blackburnhamlet.ca/261022.

For those who missed last month's lecture on Chronic Pain by Oleg Bagrin, you can now watch it on the BCA Youtube channel.

BCA Events

October 7 Seniors Breakfast

Join other Seniors at this popular monthly event held at Halibut House. RSVP by October 5th is MANDATORY. Contact Shirley at 613-841-7691. More Info

October 10 Friendsgiving Potluck

Potluck lunch with a team trivia game for prizes. Open to all Blackburn Hamlet residents. More Info

October 15 BCA Board Meeting

Find out what the BCA Board is doing for your community. Meetings are held at the Community Hall and online. More Info

October 18 Community Closet - Kids

Gently used children’s clothing to give items a second life and help families in our community. More Info

October 22 Discovery Café

Stroke Update – Dr. Christopher Skinner. Admission is free, refreshments will be served and people of all ages are invited to attend. More Info

October 28 REBOUND - Choices program for Youth

Helps build confidence, develop healthy habits & make positive choices. Runs Oct 28, Nov 4 & 11. More Info

October 30 Seniors Lunch @ Portugalos

Join other Seniors for lunch at Portugalos. Registration by October 26th is MANDATORY. Contact Shirley at 613-841-7691. More Info

October 31 Halloween Parties

Parties are being held at Just Food Barn.

10:30 AM to Noon - Kids 2 to 7
1:30 PM to 3:30 PM - Kids 8 to 13
8:00 PM to 10:30 PM - All Ages Monster Mash Dance Party

More Info

Neighbourhood Watch

Neighbourhood Watch Blackburn Hamlet

View the current BCA Neighbourhood Watch report Online. Topics include Crimes reported in Blackburn Hamlet over the past month and the importance of reporting crime the police.

Report all crime or attempted crimes to the Ottawa Police.

If you have not joined Neighbourhood Watch, please go to this link within the Blackburn Community Association website under "Safety" (blackburnhamlet.ca/our-work/safety/neighbourhood-watch/), complete the form and submit. You will be added to the email distribution list through an assigned Block Captain.

Awareness is the first step in personal Crime Prevention.