A Rotten Foundation: The Crisis at Bridlewood School and What It Says About Our Children & Teachers Safety
The discovery of severe rot during asbestos work is more than a temporary inconvenience—it’s a warning sign for parents across Ottawa.
Imagine getting an email from your child's daycare telling you to pick them up "right away." Not in an hour. Not at the end of the day. Right now.
This was the terrifying reality for parents at Bridlewood Community Child Care Centre this week. The reason? Contractors removing known asbestos stumbled upon a far more insidious problem—the very foundation of the school is rotting away.
As reported by CBC Ottawa, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has confirmed that Bridlewood Community Elementary School in Kanata will be closed indefinitely. With the school year starting in just three weeks, nearly 400 students and their families are in limbo, awaiting news on whether they'll be temporarily relocated or shifted to virtual learning.
This isn't just about disrupted schedules. It's about the environment we subject our children and educators to every day.
The sequence of events is particularly alarming. Asbestos removal exposed structural rot. This suggests that the hidden, aging infrastructure of our schools is a Pandora's box. What is found during one repair can reveal another, more dangerous problem.
Teachers may be sick with “leaky body syndrome” and not even know it—just like me. I was born in a toxic womb with a compromised immune system, which was further weakened by a flood of antibiotics after my tonsils were removed at just six months old in 1967 during the crucial first 1000 years for our microbiome.
Despite working as a holistic personal trainer, I lived with invisible illness for years. I could never lose the persistent belly bloat, insomnia, anxiety, brain fog and I didn’t understand why—until I discovered the truth:
It was CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome), MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome) and exposure to mold in low-income housing, military bases, gyms, schools, colleges and even an ex’s hoarded home that I cleaned during visits. That exposure made me even sicker.
These environments destroy our microbiome and disrupt the gut-brain axis, which is essential to immune and mental health. While “leaky gut syndrome” is often dismissed as an alternative medicine term, the underlying concern is real:
Chronic exposure to mold, dampness and poor indoor air quality is scientifically proven to worsen respiratory illnesses, chronic sinusitis, allergies, ibs, sleep issues, anxiety, depression, adhd and asthma—especially in children and staff.
Learn about all the invisible toxins that are causing our body to leak and how to detox for home and body.
Teachers and students in aging schools may suffer from persistent, unexplained health issues that mysteriously improve when they’re away from the building unless their home is toxic. This is known as Sick Building Syndrome and it’s time we take it seriously
In this specific case, with the uncertainty of temporary locations and the history of asbestos and rot, I strongly advocate for the OCDSB to immediately offer a robust, well-supported virtual learning option for Bridlewood families. For many, this may be the safest choice until a full environmental assessment of any temporary location—and the repaired Bridlewood school—is completed and made public.
For our family's health, a focus on supporting our bodies is crucial. Reducing inflammatory exposures and supporting our natural detoxification systems through whole foods, clean air and good hydration is a prudent step for anyone dealing with the stress and potential residual effects of such environmental concerns.
This incident must be a wake-up call. We need to demand:
Transparency: Full disclosure of environmental assessments for all schools
Proactive Inspections: Not just reactive repairs when things collapse
Investment: Accelerated funding to address the massive backlog of repairs in Ontario's schools
Our children's health and ability to learn depend on the safety of the buildings we put them in. The foundation at Bridlewood was literally rotten. Let’s ensure the foundation of our response is solid.
Subscribe for updates on this ongoing story and other local health & safety issues—while we detox trauma, toxins and triggers stored in our tissues since birth. 🌱 Remember: poop keeps the receipts.
Big thanks to Fred for sharing news of this latest mould crisis in Canada’s Capital. 🇨🇦
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from Momma Lovey Dee.
