Tips for exploring the region on a bike
Ottawa Watch
Is it time for another summer getaway? Ditch out car and hoping on a bike for a fun adventure.
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CTV News
37 minutes ago
- CTV News
‘My dream is to be in every waterfront in Canada' Mizo Drinks adds sweet success to the Halifax waterfront
What started as a one-man-show has grown into a refreshing business for a young entrepreneur in Halifax. Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual Menza Mohamed has put his business degree from Cape Breton University to good use. 'I graduated with no money at all. So, I saved $600 in six months,' Menza 'Mizo' said. 'I bought a little cart and I put a sink in it with two ice boxes, put in some coconuts and went to Rainbow beach.' And people loved it. The beach goers encouraged him to make his business more professional, which led to his next steps. 'I invested all the money I made on the coconuts and bought a utility trailer,' he explained. While he wanted a food truck, it was too expensive at the time, so he made the trailer work. 'I got the trailer, made the window, built some shelves, put in some plumbing and two blenders and started selling pineapple smoothies, watermelon smoothies and coconuts.' People flocked to the trailer and so he decided to keep growing the business, getting another trailer, upgrading the menu and serving two beaches, Crystal Crescent and Rainbow Haven. 'Our family got bigger, and we had really good staff, and the business grew faster than we thought,' he said. 'And this year we just opened on the Halifax waterfront.' 'This was my dream the last couple years since I opened the company. This is what the waterfront needs.' From coconuts to smoothies, Mizo Drinks now serves smoothie bowls and lemonades at the waterfront location. And they are always looking to expand their menu. 'We try to be creative with the items we have. We looked in the market, made our research, see where the gap is and we try to fill the gap with new items,' the business major said. In addition to the creative drinks, customer service is top priority. 'We are largely based on our connections with our customers and how we listen so deeply to customer feedback,' explained Amelie Moulin, the first employee turned manager at Mizo Drinks. 'For example, the strawberry banana smoothie was not on menu last year, and we only brought it from high customer request. So, I think customers see how we implement their suggestions into our menu.' The product is what makes customers come back, Moulin said. 'I never treat any person as a customer,' said Mohamed. 'That's I think what makes us a little bit unique.' Treating people like family and making sure they feel valued is one of the reasons Moulin is excited to continue this next chapter with Mizo Drinks. 'I think for a small food business this is almost all of our dreams,' she said about being a permanent shop on the waterfront. 'And it just means so much to me. Especially that customers recognize us from the beaches. It's just so exciting to make even bigger connections with the community.' Mohamed is originally from Egypt, with his mother, father and sister still back home. 'I'm very proud of myself. I finally made my family proud. My father is proud of me,' he said with a smile. 'In Egypt, part of the culture is you must grow up to be an engineer, or doctor, or businessman. I'm the only one if the family who decided to open my own business. So that's what I'm proud of.' And the quality of product is something he continues to be proud of. 'Our product we choose the best supplier. We need pineapple, I will get three different pineapples. I will see which one is the best,' he said. 'Maybe one is a bit pricey than the other, but the quality first and then the price. And also, we do lots of research and development.' Spending the off season testing new flavours, Mizo Drinks will be importing mangos from Egypt later this summer. Though business can get draining at times, Mohamed reminds himself why he is here, by looking back three years. 'When I feel a little bit down, I look at the first cart, I look at the pictures where I started,' he explained. 'Where I just wearing a shirt half open and just standing on top of cart, casually talking to people at the beach as if we are family.' That's the business model he continues with. Mizo Drinks got its name from Mohamed, who is nicknamed Mizo. He was told he needed a name for the business when applying for a permit, and needed something longer than Mizo, so drinks was added. The name stuck. The business is growing, and for Mohamed, hopefully not stopping in Halifax. 'I thought it was just in my head. I never thought it's going to be something to happen in the future,' he said. 'So right now I can believe what I'm dreaming. It's not just a dream; I'm living my dream. So, my dream is to be in every waterfront in Canada.' For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Carving a new chapter: Chainsaw Sculpture Series launches in Chatham-Kent with Guinness record dreams
Chatham-Kent mayor Darren Canniff (left) and sculptor Mike Winia with the turtle carving seen in Chatham-Kent, Ont. on June 3, 2025. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor) A pair of turtles in a canoe has officially kicked off a sweeping public art initiative in Chatham-Kent that organizers say will include at least 15 large-scale wood carvings — and potentially a Guinness World Record-breaking sculpture visible from Highway 401. Unveiled last week outside Rondeau Joe's Pub near the entrance to Rondeau Provincial Park, the whimsical piece was created by Bothwell-based chainsaw carver Mike Winia, with the help of fellow sculptors Paul and Jacob Frenette of Carver Kings fame. 'This carving is not just a beautiful piece of art — it's a symbol of community pride, partnership and creativity,' said Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff at the unveiling. 'It's interactive, it's joyful, and it sets the tone for what's to come across the municipality.' Chatham-Kent turtle carving Turtle carving seen in Chatham-Kent, Ont. on June 3, 2025. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor) Winia, an internationally recognized wood sculptor, said the turtles are a nod to Rondeau's natural heritage, and each future sculpture will similarly reflect the identity of its host community. 'Those two turtles are representative of Rondeau. They're popular here. There's a lot of turtles, but those two are particularly important to this area,' he said in an interview Tuesday. 'This is going to be a true representation of Chatham-Kent—community by community.' Chatham-Kent turtle carving Turtle carving seen in Chatham-Kent, Ont. on June 3, 2025. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor) Funded through Chatham-Kent's Councillor Ward Funding Program with support from Hydro One, the initiative is intended to blend public art with tourism, giving residents and visitors alike a reason to explore lesser-known corners of the region. The next sculptures are slated for installation in Wallaceburg and Ridgetown later this month. The full series is expected to be completed by year's end. But the most ambitious piece may still be on the horizon: A record-breaking sculpture designed to put Chatham-Kent on the map — literally. 'We've got plans for something world-renowned,' said Winia. 'It's big. The idea and the dream are alive and doable. We just need the right people to come together.' Canniff confirmed the municipality is exploring a major installation along Highway 401 to act as a regional gateway. 'We're still in the planning stages, but we want something really big — something that will make people slow down and realize they're in Chatham-Kent,' he said. 'People drive right through without realizing it. This could change that.' Chatham-Kent turtle carving Turtle carving seen in Chatham-Kent, Ont. on June 3, 2025. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor) Winia said the potential Guinness record bid has already drawn interest from some of the world's top professional carvers. 'As an artist, it really excites me. Not just the art itself — but the project,' he said. 'We want people to be blown away over and over again. That's kind of the plan.' Canniff said the sculptures are part of a broader arts and culture 'renaissance' in Chatham-Kent, which he hopes will inspire community pride while driving tourism to all corners of the municipality. 'We want people to come here, interact with the art — and with the businesses around it,' he said. 'We have the Barn Quilt Trail… This is going to be something different where are you going to come around eventually and say, 'I want to go to every one of these and get my picture taken with them.' It's going to be pretty exciting here in Chatham-Kent. You'll want to come visit our community.'
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Ice climbing in June: Athletes preparing for international climbing competition
The hot weather is here to stay, but that isn't keeping ice climbers away as they prepare for the North American Cup Series. In Louise McKinney Park, an eight-storey climbing wall is offering ice climbers an ice-free training space. 'Athletes train year round on wooden structures, they use the ice axes on rock climbing type holds, and they use the crampons to kick into the plywood,' said Adam Luciuk, the owner of Climb YEG. 'That's the actual competition style of ice climbing that you see internationally. 'It's actually more challenging to climb than ice, you can create overhanging features, and it's also equal, the holds remain the same for every athlete.' Climbing wall A climbing wall being set up in Louise McKinney Park on Monday, June 2, 2025. (Sean McClune/CTV News Edmonton Edmonton is one of the only places in North America where athletes can train at a high level for ice climbing, according to Luciuk. 'Some of the best countries, including South Korea, have training venues all over the country and it's seen in the results that you see worldwide on an international level,' he said. 'We're trying to support the Canadian team as they grow and as the sport grows into potentially becoming an Olympic sport.' The June event is a continental cup, just below the world cup level, Luciuk said. Competitors are at a skill level where they can climb 15 metres in around five seconds. Louise McKinney Park won't be home to the wall forever, Luciuk said they plan to move the structure after about a year to another location in the city. Climbing wall A climbing wall being set up in Louise McKinney Park on Monday, June 2, 2025. (Sean McClune/CTV News Edmonton Keeping it outside will allow the city to host more climbing events in the future, as it can be difficult to find space indoors for an eight-storey wall and thousands of spectators. The North American Cup Series, hosted by Climb YEG, will run June 20 to 22 and is free for the public to attend. After the competition, the wall will be open again to climbers of all skill levels. In the winter, ice will blanket the wall for a chillier experience.
