Merivale Speaks: Mapping Climate Equity in Nepean

Community Voices from Ecology Ottawa and CAWI's Participatory Mapping Workshop — January 2026

In January 2026, residents of the Merivale neighbourhood gathered for a participatory mapping workshop co-hosted by Ecology Ottawa and the City for All Women Initiative (CAWI), funded by the Ottawa Climate Action Fund (OCAF). Participants placed sticky notes on a neighbourhood map, identifying the places where they feel cared for, the places that fall short, and the climate equity issues shaping their daily lives.

This story map translates those voices into an interactive spatial tool, making visible what 17 participants shared about their neighbourhood, and where those experiences are located.

Explore the Map

Each point represents a community member's voice, colour-coded by theme. Click any point to read what a resident shared and see which theme their feedback belongs to. Use the legend to filter by theme. Zoom in to explore spatial patterns. 

Prepared by Prosper Ocheme & Powered by Esri — Merivale Climate Equity Mapping, Ecology Ottawa & CAWI

What the Community Shared

• 17 participants took part in the January 2026 workshop, responding to three prompts: spaces where they feel cared for, spaces where they don't, and what climate equity means in their neighbourhood. Nine themes emerged from their responses. 
• The most dominant theme, appearing in nearly one in four responses, was businesses as spaces of care and gathering. Residents named places like Costco, Merivale Mall, and Tim Hortons not just as stores, but as destinations for warmth in winter, cooling in summer, social connection, and exercise.
• Green spaces and third spaces like libraries and community centres followed closely behind.
• This is the second in the series, view the Centretown Climate Equity Map here.

A Community Loss: The Closed Tim Hortons on Woodroffe

One of the most striking findings from the Merivale workshop was how many residents independently referenced the same loss: a Tim Hortons location on Woodroffe Avenue, damaged in a storm over two years ago and never reopened. For residents, this wasn't just a coffee shop. It was a place to rest during errands, warm up in winter, cool down in summer, and connect with neighbours. Its absence left a gap that multiple community members felt deeply enough to name unprompted.

• "There used to be a Tim Horton restaurant at the plaza on Woodroffe Medhurst crossing. It got damaged in storm 3 years ago. It was a place to meet and get a coffee. Now to get a coffee or meet someone we have to go to Tim Horton close to College Square. The spot of Tim Hortons is still empty."
• Climate change impact: "I go to Costco to cool down on a hot day. Same thing in winter. Merivale Mall is another place. Hog's Back Park in summer. Mooney's Bay Beach is another. Need to drive. Tim Horton in Woodroffe was good but is closed for good."

This pattern of businesses serving as informal climate refuges and social anchors emerged as the defining theme of the Merivale workshop, and points to a gap in how climate-resilience infrastructure is planned and maintained in this neighbourhood.

In Their Own Words

Beyond businesses, residents spoke consistently about the importance of greenspaces like Inverness Park, Hog's Back Park, and Mooney's Bay Beach as places of joy, rest, and climate relief, particularly in summer. At the same time, accessibility barriers repeatedly surfaced: snow-covered sidewalks trapping seniors indoors, youth without bus passes struggling to reach school, and parks lacking basic washroom facilities. Cost-of-living concerns also emerged, with residents naming rising rent and expensive grocery stores as barriers to feeling cared for in their own neighbourhood.

What's Next

This map isn't the end, it's a tool. Ecology Ottawa and CAWI are using this spatial data to advocate for equitable climate adaptation policies, identify priority neighbourhoods for green infrastructure investment, and ensure community voices inform Ottawa's Official Plan and climate strategies.

To learn more about Ecology Ottawa's climate equity work, visit ecologyottawa.ca.