Carleton Tavern Christmas dinner cancelled due to lack of staff, virus concerns

A long-time Christmas Day community feast in Ottawa's Hintonburg neighbourhood will not take place this year for the first time since the tradition started 22 years ago.

Cheryl Parrott, co-chair of the Hintonburg Economic Development Committee, said it was not possible to hold the event due to concerns about the spread of viruses and multiple pressures facing local restaurants.

"We decided to be more cautious and just take the year off," said Parrott.

At its height, hundreds of people would pack into The Carleton Tavern on Armstrong Street, sit with strangers and enjoy a free turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Food, presents and live music performances would all be donated to complete the celebration.

"It's grown over the years from something fairly small to something really very big," she said.

This December, restaurants in the Hintonburg area are busy making up for two years of lost business along with struggling to fill vacant jobs, said Parrott. She believes asking a restaurant to volunteer time and their kitchen space to cook up dozens of turkeys was too big a favour to ask.

"Putting that extra on their plate when everyone is working really hard just didn't seem fair," she said. "This year every restaurant is pretty well fully booked for parties and no restaurant has enough staff."

Meal changed to takeout during pandemic

For the last two years during the pandemic, the meal moved from The Carleton to a take-out and delivery service out of Parkdale United Church. Some 1,100 people received delivery or takeout meals last year.

While in-person dining is now possible, Parrott wasn't convinced this was the right year to bring the Christmas Day tradition back to The Carleton or even to Parkdale United Church, which had offered its space for an in-person meal.

With viruses spreading in Ottawa, particularly influenza, Parrott said she worried volunteers may have to cancel last minute due to illness, or the event would itself spread infections and make diners sick.

"It just wouldn't be safe," she said.

For its part, Carleton owner-operator Rob Saikaley said his family would volunteer their time to cook the turkeys if they were asked, but he ultimately conceded there are still risks if volunteers can't make it on Dec. 25 to serve the food.

"If volunteers get sick and they can't show up for work that day, it would be mayhem," he said.

Parrott said she feels for the hundreds of people who will have to find another place to go for Christmas dinner this year. Seniors received many of the meals, while those who came out for the in-person meals lived alone, she said.

"The social need at Christmas far outweighs the economic need," Parrott said, adding she hopes the Christmas Day meal can return next year.