Springtime means soapbox time in Orléans

“The weather has helped,” lead organizer Carlos Conde notes. “There’s lots of people feverishly getting their stuff together and getting organized for the races.”

One such person is Alain Moussi, the owner NX Martial Arts, who will be entering a second car in this year’s event since he and the kids from his dojo on Youville Drive had so much fun in their first try last spring. “I was a newbie – I had never even seen soapbox racing before – but it was cool,” says Moussi, whose older students will volunteer as an event security team that no one will want to mess with. “We just thought it was a really cool event for kids and their whole family.”

Last year, the club bought a soapbox kit, assembled the car in about five hours, and then painted it blue with decals of Japanese characters and NX Martial Arts. “It was a cool experience, and decorating was really fun,” says Moussi, who then held a draw to pick which four of his students would get the chance to take turns driving it at the competition. “You have to put all the pieces together – it’s like a puzzle.”

This year Moussi will get some assistance from his younger brother, 11-year-old Dominique, to build the second car they’re entering. “He wanted to be in it last year, but he didn’t win the draw,” explains Moussi, adding Dominique will get one of the driver’s spots since he’s putting the car together himself. “This year, I can guarantee him he’ll be in.”

Between 1,500 and 2,000 people drop by for the event, Conde says, in part because there’s plenty of other entertainment going on such as video games, an inflatable jumping gym, demos from various companies, a food court, and a mini-ramp so kids who aren’t old enough to enter the competition can give soapbox racing a try.

But the highlight for Moussi’s students remains the big show when boys and girls aged seven to 17 race their soapbox cars down Orléans Boulevard between Jeanne D’Arc and St. Joseph. “They enjoy the racing,” he says. “That’s the best part – they get up some real speed.”

Last year around 80 racers entered the competition in various levels, and Conde expects similar numbers this time since the event – which counts Transcontinental Media as one of its sponsors – has grown progressively each year.

The Orléans Soapbox Derby started off small, but it’s now taken off and requires pretty much all year for Conde to organize all the racing equipment, people who need help getting their car together, meeting with city, fire and first-aid officials, recruiting sponsors and setting up fundraising initiatives for the Ottawa Senators Foundation, which receives any money made at the event. “The expressions the kids have and the fun they get out of doing it is pretty much why we do it,” Conde says. “It’s really about getting the community together and enjoying the day.” For more information, please visit www.orleanssoapbox.com.