OTTAWA – On Friday, April 26, some 500 runners and walkers – including lawyers, judges, and the public – are expected to participate in the annual Law Day 5 KM Fun Run/Walk at Ottawa City Hall’s Marion Dewar Plaza, 161 Elgin St.
Proceeds from the run will be donated to Family Services Ottawa’s Supervised Access Program. The program facilitates one-on-one visits between children and their parents who are restrained from regular access for reasons such as addiction or mental health issues.
“Join us at the 18th annual Law Day Fun Run and Walk to get some fresh air and exercise. By doing so, you’ll be supporting a very worthy cause in our community,” says organizer John Westdal of Ottawa’s Sevigny Westdal LLP.
The event begins at 12:30 p.m. Participants can register on race day at Marion Dewar Plaza for $30, which includes food and beverages supplied by Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP. Prizes will be awarded to the top overall finishers, top finishers from the legal community, and top student finishers. For more information, visit the Running Room website.
The route starts at Marion Dewar Plaza, continues along the Queen Elizabeth Driveway on the west side of the Canal, turns around at Fifth Avenue, and returns to the plaza. To allow participants to run and walk on the road rather than the pathway, the Queen Elizabeth Driveway will be closed from Laurier Ave. to Fifth Ave. from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Family Services Ottawa’s Supervised Access Program allows children to visit with their non-custodial parent in a safe, neutral, and child-focused setting. Visits are supervised by volunteers, who ensure the safety of children by observing the visit and intervening when necessary.
The run is held as part of the celebrations for Law Day, which was founded by the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) in 1983 to recognize the anniversary of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Ottawa Law Day activities are coordinated by a committee comprised of members from the CBA, the County of Carleton Law Association, the Department of Justice Canada, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, and the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
The Canadian Bar Association is dedicated to supporting the rule of law, improvements in the law, and the administration of justice. Some 37,000 lawyers, law teachers, and law students from across Canada are members.