Aylmer Bulletin’s 2022 year in Review

Sophie Demers

Winter 2022 January and February

• École secondaire de la Nouvelle-Ère, located at 400 Fraser, was inaugurated.
  
• Work on the Place des Pionniers continued, demolition was completed.
  
• Marie-Soleil Labelle, a local university student and race car driver, shared her story in the book Mission: non aux étiquettes! by Martine Latulippe and Phil Poulin.
  
• Greg Fergus, Member of Parliament for Hull-Aylmer, was named Parliamentary Secretary and sworn into the Privy Council.
  
• The Université de Québec en Outaouais (UQO) received $25,000 to research the develop cooperatives in the region.
  
• Lord Aylmer Students participated in outdoor activities and learned about Indigenous games in an Igloo built by teacher Eugene Contreras.
  
• Spring 2022 (March to May)
  
• Firefighters now carry naloxone kits thanks to active community member Michel Raymond’s initiative. 
  
• Aylmer swept heritage recognition projects at the Gatineau 2022 Heritage Reception. Deschênes Residents Association and Françoise Houle were recognized for their work.
  
• The Boucher Forest Foundation launched the public portion of a fundraising campaign to build trails and boardwalks in the forest.
  
• The Aylmer sugar shack event in Old Aylmer gathered maple syrup lovers from across the city.
  
• A Galeries Aylmer outside planter welcomed three baby geese and their mother as she decided to make a home there. The small family of geese were then escorted to the Marina when they were ready.
  
• A cyclist took to the streets for the British Grand-Prix on June 4.
  
• A group of Aylmer residents walked to commemorate the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
  
• Garden Street resident Gaëtan Raby brought members of his community together by organizing a cleanup to remove garbage along the street and the ditches.
  
• Brigil employees participated in the Vélovolt campaign organized by MOBI-O which aimed to raise awareness in Quebec about the potential of the Electric Assist Bike as an alternative mode of transportation. 
  
• Two Lord Aylmer classes visited the Aylmer Bulletin offices to learn about advertising.
  
• Aylmer Guitar and Folk Festival occurred in May in Old Aylmer.
  
• After two years of virtual festival, the sixth edition of Festival de la radio Numérique took place in person. The festival was organized by Transistor Média and took place in Old Aylmer.

Summer 2022 June to August

• The Prime Minister visited Marché Laflamme as Aylmer residents rallied after a storm and subsequent power outage.
  
• Aylmer celebrated its 175th anniversary with a banquet and award ceremony.
  
• Aylmer hosted its first in-person LGBTQ+ pride event on August 20 at the Centre Aydelu, during the Old Aylmer Festival.
  
• The Festival du Vieux-Aylmer returned for its eighth edition.
  
• The Aylmer Heritage Association resumed their in-person activities.
  
• Aylmer hosted its annual Auto Show with nearly 200 car owners participating.
  
• Residents from all over Gatineau paraded through the streets and celebrated the 47th edition of the festival l’Outaouais en fête.
  
• The 9th edition of the “La grande journée des petits entrepreneurs” took place in the parking lot of the Aylmer Mall. Approximately 28 young entrepreneurs participated and sold their products.
  
• Neighbourhoods of Aylmer celebrated Neighbours' Day, including dinners and community activities.
  
• Artists, in collaboration with Gatineau, unveiled a new ephemeral mural at Place des Pionniers, on the boards that surrounded the demolition area.
  

Fall 2022 September to December

• Aylmer got a Covid-19 vaccination location in the Galeries d’Aylmer.
  
• Transistor media organized a haunted Podcast-lead tour of Old Aylmer throughout October.
  
• Café Mulligan hosted Aylmer’s first Psychic tour.
  
• The École Internationale du Village held a Remembrance Day ceremony for their students.
  
• Gatineau collaborated with the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg community to rename a street with a problematic name.
  
• André Fortin was re-elected as MNA for Pontiac in the provincial elections.
  
• Aylmer Community Theater Company returned with an in-person performance in October after two years of the Pandemic.
  
• Caserne Roland-Guertin welcomed families to their open house day to participate in various activities.
  
• The Santa Claus parade and Christmas market returned to Old Aylmer.
  
• Volunteers raised money for the Aylmer community during the 2022 Guignolée.
  
• L'Initial knitting club donated 1,800 items to the Centre de pédiatrie sociale de Gatineau.