Glebe Report

FOCUS
Oak Bay and the Glebe
village style twins
By Joan Gorst Giles
Their climates are different.
Their architecture is
different. Yes, even their
language is often different.
But they each contain an
area that has a special kinship
to each other. I am
speaking of Ottawa and, at
least 3000 miles to Canada's
farthest west extremity, on
Vancouver Island, - Victoria.
Both can boast village life
within a city - what a delight.
Ottawa has it in the
Glebe and Victoria in Oak
Bay Village.
Neither claim to have
large shopping centres. Indeed
to the contrary, they
are proud of their small
shops and services which
draw customers to their
stores from other areas as
well as their own.
Oak Bay can take care of
all needs of the local folk
and the only commodities the
Glebe seems to lack are
shoes and sewing needs (even
at that one enterprising
pharmacist was able to supply
me with two spools of
thread the other day!)
When we were posted here
last November we looked at
several distritts. We were
torn between Rockcliff and
the Glebe at which a friend
rather sniffingly remarked
on how Glebe residents figure
they are a cut above the
rest. (She does not live in
the Glebe!) I smiled as I
recalled to myself that Oak
Bay (where we still maintain
our permanent home) suffers
from that little misconception
too. The rest of Victoria
refers humorously to
Oak Bay Village as "behind
the Tweed Curtain."
Jay-walking continues on
Oak Bay Avenue as on Bank
Street although both centres
have many traffic lights.
I remember one rather amusing
incident. A haughty
old lady was strolling with
her cane across the street
against the light. A young
man in a sports car indignantly
honked at her as he
slammed on his brakes. She
rapped on the hood of the
car with her cane, peered at
him and said: "Young man, I
was here long before the
traffic lights were," and
continued on her way quite
unperturbed.
Not too long after moving
here I walked down to Bank
Street to catch the bus for
an appointment down on Metcalfe.
I had forgotten my
map and popped my head in
to one of the shops to enquire
my directions. The
chap was very polite but
admitted his ignorance as
he hadn't gone downtown for
several years!
When I was told the other
day that the Glebe community
decided which roads in the
Glebe should be one way and
which way they should run,
it reminded me of an article
my mother sent me from the
Victoria Times. It was
entitled "Puddle Duddle" and
this is it.
While residents elsewhere
in Greater Victoria complain
bitterly about the lack of
curbs, gutters and suchlike,
the splendidly odd folk who
live on Transit Road in Oak
Bay have lately been incensed
at the temerity of those
who would "improve" their
street.
Bumps? So what. Puddles?
Wonderful for sloshing
through in one's wellies,
don't you know. Only one
sidewalk? More than enough,
old chap.
As anyone with an ounce of
Oak Bay Sensitivity will
know, all such topographical
features - and concomitant
lack of those dreary things
called urban amenities - ensure
"character."
It is reassuring, occasionally,
to be reminded that
the spirit of Empire is
alive and well behind the
Tweed Curtain - nourished by
tea, crumpets and sheer
perversity.
Sic transit gloria mundi
(how swiftly passes the
glory of the world).., except,
perhaps, on Transit.
(NB. This writer has to
admit to a Transit Road
address!)
All light-hearted joking
aside - the Oxford Dictionary's
definition of a villager
implies rusticity.
However, I would fondly
apply such descriptive words
as'kindly, warm and interested
when, as a stranger, I
strolled around the Glebe.
Do You Remember?
Rocky
Bullwinkle
Dudley Do-Right
Flexible figures that
provide hours of
fun for only
The Tim Bird
$5.99ach
a wind up to,v from
France that flies
just like a real bird! cb
only
nn
The Ottawa Board of Education wishes all its
-
students a safe and happy summer vacation.
- We look forward to seeing new and returning
students on September 2nd for the start of
the 1986-87 school year. Other important
dates for next year include:
Registration for New Students
Aug. 25 - 29
Christmas Break
Dec. 22 - Jan. 2
Mid-Winter Break
Mar. 13 (PD Day) - Mar. 20
Last day of school
June 26
TOYS, BOOKS, CARDS AND NOVEL THINGS
835 Bank Street
234-3836
Rideau Centre
230-8081
St. Laurent Shopping Centre
749-1440
School holidays include Thanksgiving.
Good Friday, Easter Monday, and Victoria Day.
The Ottawa Board of Education
Le Conseil scolaire d'Ottawa
Public Relations
563-2312
June 6, 1986, GLEBE REPORT -20