Eight Ward 6 candidates describe their plans on recreation access in Stittsville
Stittsville Central asked all nine Ward 6 candidates how they would improve local recreation, affordability and transit access. Eight candidates responded. Their answers cover swimming lesson waitlists, park space, transit gaps and first-year plans.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on stittsvillecentral.ca.
Eight of the nine candidates running for councillor in Ward 6 Stittsville have laid out their plans for recreation access, affordability and transit, in a written survey published by Stittsville Central on Oct. 18.
Theresa Qadri was invited to take part but had not submitted answers by the deadline, according to the article. The other eight candidates answered questions covering gaps in local facilities, how to make programs affordable, transit and accessibility barriers, and what each would do in their first year in office.
The City of Ottawa estimated Ward 6's population at 55,740 at the end of 2025. Several candidates connected that growth to the gaps they described.
What candidates say is missing
Limited spots in recreation programs was a common concern. Chelsea Walton and Tanya Hein both named swimming lessons and ice time. Sheetal Narwal raised swimming, camps, soccer fields and ice time. Devin Michael Fitzgerald O'Brien described waitlists at CARDELREC for swimming and skating.
Kevin Hua linked limited program spaces to the ward's growth and named Crossway Terrace Park, Fringewood Park and Joe Lewis Park as examples of parks residents consider too small for their communities.
For older children and teens, Paul Meek said those aged 11 to 15 who do not play sports have few options. Walton, Mani Sharma and Marie-Ange Yindaki Ahinful also emphasized options beyond organized sports.
Affordability: what already exists and what candidates propose
The City of Ottawa runs Ottawa Hand in Hand, which the article says provides $185 in annual recreation fee support for each qualifying individual or family member. The City also offers free swimming and skating for children and youth through Play Free.
Several candidates proposed making more use of existing facilities, expanding drop-in hours and improving how residents learn about fee support. Sharma would pursue business and community sponsorships and make available support easier to find. Narwal would push for online or telephone applications rather than requiring a trip to a recreation facility.
First-year plans
Candidates described different actions they would take in their first year. O'Brien said he would deliver a multi-use outdoor court and covered gathering space, with lighting, seating and accessible pathways. Narwal would gather resident input on an all-ages hub within 200 days, publish the results and formally request a site and funding. Hua named public toilets as his first priority, seeking a larger ward budget allocation for them. Sharma proposed an activity and access plan that would include at least one new low-cost teen drop-in and one daytime seniors' program.
Voting day
Ward 6 votes on Oct. 26, 2026. Voting places will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can find all nine Ward 6 candidates with more background on each one at the Ward 6 Stittsville candidates page.
Questions this story answers
Which candidates were asked about recreation and who responded?
Stittsville Central sent the survey to all nine Ward 6 councillor candidates: Chelsea Walton, Tanya Hein, Kevin Hua, Sheetal Narwal, Paul Meek, Mani Sharma, Marie-Ange Yindaki Ahinful, Devin Michael Fitzgerald O'Brien and Theresa Qadri. Eight candidates submitted responses. Theresa Qadri had not submitted an answer by the deadline, according to the article.
What recreation gaps did candidates identify?
According to the Stittsville Central survey, Chelsea Walton and Tanya Hein both named limited swimming lesson and ice time availability. Sheetal Narwal raised swimming, camps, soccer fields and ice time. Kevin Hua linked limited program spots to the ward's growth and named three parks he said residents consider insufficient. Devin Michael Fitzgerald O'Brien described waitlists at CARDELREC for swimming and skating. Paul Meek focused on older children aged 11 to 15 who do not play organized sports. All attributions are to each candidate's own survey answer.
What financial help is already available to Stittsville residents for recreation?
The City of Ottawa runs Ottawa Hand in Hand, which the Stittsville Central article says provides $185 in annual recreation fee support for each qualifying individual or family member. The City also runs Play Free, which includes free swimming and skating for children and youth. Several candidates said they would expand promotion of these programs so more residents know to apply.
What are candidates proposing for their first year as councillor?
Devin Michael Fitzgerald O'Brien said he would deliver a multi-use outdoor court and covered gathering space in his first year, with lighting, seating and accessible pathways. Sheetal Narwal would gather resident input on an all-ages park hub within 200 days, publish results by the end of year one, and formally request a site and funding. Kevin Hua named public toilets as his first priority, seeking a larger ward budget allocation for them. Mani Sharma would produce an activity and access plan including at least one new low-cost teen drop-in and one daytime seniors' program. All descriptions are from each candidate's own survey response.
What transit concerns did candidates raise?
Several candidates identified transit within Stittsville, rather than routes to downtown, as a gap. Paul Meek named transit connections within the community. Chelsea Walton said she would advocate for reliable service and affordable fares for students and seniors. Kevin Hua proposed working toward a bus-station transit hub and fare-free transit for youth aged 18 and under and seniors. Devin Michael Fitzgerald O'Brien proposed a dedicated local shuttle connecting subdivisions and seniors' residences with recreation hubs. These are each candidate's stated positions, as given to Stittsville Central.
What is the size of Ward 6?
The City of Ottawa estimated Ward 6's population at 55,740 at the end of 2025, according to figures cited in the Stittsville Central article. Several candidates connected the ward's growth to gaps in recreation space, saying parks and programs have grown more slowly than the number of residents.
How can Ward 6 voters see all the candidates?
You can find the full list of Ward 6 Stittsville candidates, with profile pages for each one, at the Ward 6 section of the voche.me Ottawa election guide. The Stittsville Central article also links to each candidate's answers in full.
When is voting day for Ward 6?
Voting day is Monday, October 26, 2026. Voting places in Ward 6 will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Ottawa also held advance voting days from October 1 to 4 and one advance voting day on October 16, so election day on October 26 is the last chance to vote. Check the City of Ottawa's online tool to find your assigned voting place before you go.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
Found an error? Tell the editors with the corrections form. A correction is noted on the story it changes. Read our standards.
Topics
More from voche.me
Four candidates compete for Kitchissippi ward seat as incumbent runs for mayor
Ward 8 College candidates split on transit and LRT transparency
