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What Ottawa is Talking About – 24 August 2021

▪️Two downtown ramps to the Queensway will be closed to 2022 and 2025. The eastbound exit ramp from Highway 417 to Bronson Avenue will reopen in June 2022, the westbound access ramp from Lyon Street onto the Queensway will reopen in November 2025. The closure is to replace retaining walls and sound barriers. [CBC] 

▪️City-run beaches will lose their lifeguards and wading pools will close this week. Splash pads will remain open until the end of September. [Ottawa Citizen]

+ Related River Ward councillor Riley Brockington has offered to pay to keep wading pools open in his ward. Offered to pay from his ward budget, that is. Not his own money.

▪️Ottawa is no longer in the top 10 list of Canadian cities for venture capital. Toronto, Vancouver, and Montréal received the lions share of the $4.59 billion in funding. Ottawa was beat out by Frederiction, Burnaby, BC, and Saskatoon. [Ottawa Business Journal] [Venture Capital Report (It's the first one)]

▪️OC Transpo sent a memo answering questions about the Confederation Line derailment, weird smells, and a fire. General manager of transportation services John Manconi  says that it is all okay. Manconi will retire from the job next month. [Global]

▪️The Federal government will not be coverting any office buildings to residential says MP for Gatineau and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement Steven MacKinnon. At least in Gatineau. Mayor Maxime Pedneaud-Jobi had asked for reassurances that Gatineau would retain its downtown office culture by requiring the Federal Government to keep its promise of keeping a 25/75 per cent ratio with Ottawa. [Le Droit]