Woman killed by falling branch in Côte Saint-Luc was a librarian who spent years promoting literacy for kids
Ljubica Milicevic, 76, is being remembered as a devoted librarian who spent decades inspiring children to read and love books.
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CTV News
8 hours ago
- CTV News
New Kitchener library branch opens in city's growing southwest end
The new library, which is located at 100 Rosenberg Way, is the first in the region and one of the first libraries in the country to achieve the Zero Carbon Building standard from the Canada Green Building Council. (Sidra Jafri/CTV News) The Kitchener Public Library officially opened a new branch in the city's growing southwest area, with the goal of bringing various learning spaces and tools to the community. Darren Solomon, the chief executive officer of the Kitchener Public Library, said the new library was essential. 'With all Southwest Library has to offer, it will build on our vision of a library system that works with the community to break down barriers and enhance people's lives,' Solomon said in a release. The new library brings hundreds of books to the community, along with a kitchen for nutritional learning, a recording studio for podcast and music creation and roller skates for youth to rent out. Speaking to CTV News at Friday's opening ceremony, Solomon highlighted how libraries are evolving beyond traditional reading spaces. 'It brings people together and it allows people to discover creative interests,' Solomon said. 'Libraries are not just about reading literacy but they're about literacy of all forms and they allow exploration and they allow discovery for people to find things that interest them, to grow new passions, and to learn in different ways. We really pride ourselves on being a place where people can learn experientially.' The ceremony included a ribbon cutting, speeches and performances by the Soft Shoe Dancers from Emily C. General Elementary School in Six Nations. Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, who helped cut the ribbon with a pair of golden scissors, said the new branch is vital for the city's fast-growing community. 'This is now the fastest growing area of the city in terms of new greenfield development,' Vrbanovic said. 'This new branch will serve literally thousands of new families that have either already moved here or will be moving here in the coming years.' Vrbanovic said libraries are important for the communities they serve. 'It really is a community gathering spot and I think it's going to be something that's so well received by everyone, in this area and throughout the city.' The new library, which is located at 100 Rosenberg Way, is the first in the region and one of the first libraries in the country to achieve the Zero Carbon Building standard from the Canada Green Building Council, a designation that aims to highlight buildings that have low-carbon designs and operational performance that reduces impact on climate. The library also has a large sunroom, a children's area and an event space that opens up to a patio. 'This library has a ton of resources but really it's about people. We really pride ourselves in connecting to people, breaking down barriers [and] opening up minds to new perspectives,' Solomon said.
CBC
10 hours ago
- CBC
'Such a feeling of accomplishment': new Athabasca University grad keeps mind sharp at 76 years old
New 76-year-old Athabasca University graduate Judy Obee wants to prove aging is no reason to slow down. The Calgary senior is the oldest member of the school's class of 2025, and she completed her program with straight As to boot. "It's such a feeling of accomplishment," said Obee, who convocated with a bachelor's degree in general studies on Friday. Obee started her post-secondary studies over half a century ago, earning a mathematics degree from the University of Calgary in 1970. But graduating in her golden years makes her feel "much prouder" the second time around, she said. "I was excited then, but not nearly as excited as I am now," said Obee on graduating again 55 years later. Fighting stigmas around aging Obee enrolled at Athabasca University in 2018 with a clear goal in mind: staying sharp. "My parents both lived past 90, but both suffered from dementia," she said. "I wanted to prevent that." Completing puzzle games like Sudoku and Wordle was part of Obee's strategy to fortify her mind, but she found they weren't challenging enough, so she decided to pursue post-secondary studies again. "I would study whenever I had some time to study, and it's been phenomenal. I love it," she said of the program, through which she took online classes. Obee hopes that her accomplishment helps fight stigmas around seniors and aging. "You hear so many stories about seniors … their mental capacities are declining, you've got mild cognitive impairment … all you hear is negatives about seniors," she said. "[But] you can do stuff, you can show that you are cognitively there." Never too late to learn She's not slowing down on her educational journey anytime soon, as she plans to stay enrolled at Athabasca University past her convocation. She added that aging shouldn't be a barrier to learning. "If you don't start now, when are you going to start? You can do it, it's not a skill that gets really lost from when you were younger," she said. Alex Clark, president of Athabasca University, applauded Obee for her accomplishment. "I think it's inspiring for us all. She really is a role model," he said. "It's never too late in our life journey to continue to learn." Athabasca University's oldest graduate in its history was Louise Daley, who graduated with a general studies degree in 2017 at the age of 93.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Helping kids one squeeze at a time: Lemonade sales across Waterloo Region support camp dreams
Fifty lemonade stands popped up across Waterloo Region Saturday, all pouring toward a common goal: sending children to summer camp.
