May 31st, 2022

News Release: Ottawa Celebrates Intergenerational Day on June 1 with New Gathering Bench

May 31, 2022– Ottawa, ON – The City of Ottawa will proclaim June 1st as Intergenerational Day — a day to celebrate the value of connections between different generations. iGenOttawa has selected “Coming Together” as this year’s theme.  iGenOttawa has partnered with Ottawa Community Housing (OCHC) and the Ottawa Tool Library to build an intergenerational “Gathering Bench” in celebration of the day to promote spaces that encourage connection between people of different ages. 

The “Gathering Bench” was built on May 18 by volunteers and will be unveiled on June 1 on the grounds of Clementine Towers, OCHC building near the Billings Bridge Shopping Centre. The seating area will accommodate several people and includes several planters. Colourful flowers will be planted by Ottawa City Councillors Shawn Menard and Mathieu Fleury, and Chief Executive Officer of OCH Stéphane Giguère at the unveiling ceremony alongside some of the Clementine Towers’ Garden committee members.

There are many ways for older and younger people to connect in meaningful ways – to  share their time, interests, talents. Even small acts can foster a sense of belonging:

o older adults sharing homemade treats or spring flowers;

o children and youth creating artworks and cards with kind messages to share with older adults; and

o impromptu concerts for those musically-inclined!

For a second year in a row, students at the Centre d’Excellence Artistique de l’Ontario at l’École Secondaire Publique De La Salle will share arts booklets with the residents of the Centre d’Accueil Champlain. 

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Quotes

“Benches connect people. iGenOttawa is pleased to have partnered with Ottawa Community Housing and the Ottawa Tool Library to create this inviting space for people of different ages to come together. We hope this will be the first of many gathering benches in Ottawa!”

– Christine Franklin, Co-Founder of iGenOttawa

“We’re thrilled to share tools, skills and bench design with the “Gathering Bench” projects of Ottawa led by iGenOttawa.”

– Bettina Vollerhausen, Co-Founder and Tool Goddess at Ottawa Tool Library

 “The Volunteer Engagement Program facilitates beautification projects and social inclusion, which would not be possible without the support of the broader community. Thank you iGenOttawa and Ottawa Tool Library volunteers for this wonderful space you have created for tenants.”

– Stéphane Giguère, CEO, Ottawa Community Housing

 “Projects such as this help increase the pride of place tenants feel about their community. This will help to provide a space where people can connect. I hope to see more projects like this, where young and old can connect, learn, and share.”

– Mathieu Fleury, Rideau-Vanier Councillor and Ottawa Community Housing Board Chair 

About OCHC: Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCHC) provides approximately 15,000 homes to about 32,000 tenants, including seniors, parents, children, couples, singles and persons with special needs, within many communities across the City of Ottawa. OCHC houses a diverse population of varying languages, ethnicity and cultures. OCHC is the largest social housing provider in Ottawa, managing two-thirds of the City’s social housing portfolio, and is the second-largest in Ontario. OCHC was selected as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.  www.och-lco.ca | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram     

Interesting facts

· In the next decade, the proportion of Canada’s population aged 65 and older will exceed 20 percent. The number of adults over 85 will quadruple, and the number of centenarians will triple. 

· Loneliness is comparable to the risk of smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Source: American Psychologist, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah

· There are 6,811 seniors living in OCH communities. 

· 285 seniors live at 1455 Clementine – the average monthly income is $1,596

Contact for More Information and Interviews:

Nicola Maule

Communications Officer

iGenOttawa 613-371-8182

Email: info@iGenOttawa.ca

Twitter: @iGenOttawa 

Facebook: @iGenOttawa 

Web: www.iGenOttawa.ca

Jennifer McIntosh

Communications Officer

Ottawa Community Housing

Email: Jennifer_McIntosh@och.ca

Twitter: @OCH_LCO 

Facebook: @OttawaCommunityHousing 

Web: www.och-lco.ca