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HELLO OTTAWA

This week we return to our Friday Day Trip feature with what was more of an afternoon drive through Burnstown, Calabogie, and White Lake. 

At this time of year if you drive anywhere within Ottawa and the Valley you'll find views of rich autumnal golds and reds. One blustery October day we spent some time in Arnprior then headed out of town along the River Road, through Braeside, along the No. 3 Road, turned left onto the No. 54 Road, and continued along the Calabogie Road to the village of Burnstown. It's not much more than an attractive intersection, but Burnstown is charming. It’s a pit stop on the way to a day’s skiing in Calabogie, and worth a wander round. 

▪️We stopped for lunch at coffee shop/music venue Neat, 1715 Calabogie Road. Neat occupies the former school house of the community. We ordered smoked meat and reuben sandwiches through the window and while we waited for the food we checked out the other area businesses.

▪️The popular fine dining spot Blackbird Café (1694 Burnstown Road) highly recommends reservations for dinner, and it’s a good idea to check their hours before setting out for lunch.

▪️Laurent Café at 1716 Calabogie Road supplies fabulous sounding ice cream like Red Velvet, Pralines ’N’ Cream, and Salted Caramel Toffee, as well as espresso beverages and baked treats.

▪️Billy-Bob’s roadside food truck offers burgers and fries, poutine, and other road trip delicacies. 

▪️The red brick and white trim of the United Church at the corner of Burnstown Road and Calabogie Road provides a pretty great backdrop for photos. A church has stood on this corner for 170 years, although the current building only dates back to 1904. There's also a rental space with COVID-19 restrictions in effect.

▪️Gifts, local art, and fashion can be sourced at Something’ Special Gift Shop, 1694 Burnstown Road.

▪️The Artists Cove Gallery next door features the work of local creatives.

▪️More art can be found around the corner at Bittersweet Fine Craft & Art Gallerywhich stocks the work of 50 contemporary Canadian artists.

▪️Once you’ve had your fill of Burnstown, continue down the Calabogie Road for 16km and you’ll eventually arrive at Calabogie. The area is known for its myriad opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, from skiing in winter, to boating and golfing in the summer, and plenty of hiking, and ATV-ing. Of course, Calabogie Brewing is also located here, at 12612 Lanark Road. The taproom is open daily except Tuesday, and beer can also be taken out.

We’ll continue our exploration of Calabogie and White Lake in future Day Trip features. 

We'll see you Tuesday. Happy Thanksgiving – Martha and Darren


#STATS

Weather: ?️ Mainly Sunny. High of 15°  

Number: 1986. The last year a driver stopped by Ottawa Police had a valid driver's license. [Ottawa Citizen]

Ottawan of the Day:  Jim Irwin, who is the fifth and last generation to run Irwin's General Store in Kazabazua, Quebec. The store will close this weekend after 135 years. Kazabazua will be without a general store but its name will continue to provide a great password suggestion to generations of locals.  [Ottawa Matters

Quote: The concept of borrowing a sweater is so quaint, so old-timey, that it breaks my heart” – Writer Marie-Danielle Smith on Oz Kafe’s plan to hand out ‘fun’ Value Village sweater finds to patrons on their patio this winter.  [Maclean’s


CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

For up-to-date info: 

Ottawa Public Health dashboard     Outaouais Public Health dashboard


OTTAWA: There have been 5153 confirmed cases of COVID‌-19, an increase of 183 since yesterday, and 296 deaths, one new reports.

OUTAOUAIS: There have been 1661 confirmed cases of COVID-19, an increase of 32 since yesterday, and 34 deaths, no new reports. 

⭕ Premier Doug Ford calls emergency cabinet meet as daily Ontario COVID-19 cases expected to rise over 900.  [CBC]

⭕ École secondaire catholique Franco-Cité will close for 14 days after a COVID-19 outbreak. 15 people associated with the school have tested positive.  [CBC]

⭕ Kanata Leisure Centre staffer tests positive for COVID-19 [CBC]

⭕ Ottawa Public Health wants Hallowe’en celebrations to be household-only, just like Thanksgiving  [Global]

⭕ West End Villa is short-staffed as workers are scared about contracting COVID-19 [Ottawa Citizen]


? The Canada COVID Alert App

Be alerted if you have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. The app now works in Quebec as well as Ontario. 

How It Works  [Apple App Store] [Google Play Store]

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#WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

▪️Planned O Train extention would raze low-income apartment building. The 120-unit Manor Village on Woodroffe Avenue in Nepan is on the proposed route from Baseline Station to a planned station in Barrhaven. The project is as yet unfunded and won't be built for several years. [Capital Current]

▪️Houses in new Barrhaven subsdivision will have property titles that permanently indicate that odours may waft in from the nearby landfill and air conditioners are required (because opening the windows in the summer may be a bad idea). The developer of the 308 home subdivision was also granted re-zoning by the planning commission to raise the ground by two metres for utility service purposes because the groundwater is close to the surface. City Council needs to approve the changes next week. [CBC]

+ Related The Planning Commitee has reduced the number of parking spaces that a warehouse needs to provide for its staff, in consideration of the rise of automation Here is the report but basically it says that warehouses can ask to reduce their parking by 20 per cent. 

▪️Ottawa Public Library will discuss abolishing late fees. A report from staff to the trustees says that late fees causes barriers to the people who can least afford it the most. The proposal would see the library still charge for lost items. Fines were originally implemented in libraries, the report says, to teach ‘moral responsibility.’ Martha is crossing her fingers that this passes, so she can finally return Flowers in the Attic from grade eight. [CBC]

+ Related The site of the new Ottawa Public Library-Library and Archives Canada Joint Facility was blessed by elders from Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation and Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation. The ceremony included prayers and a smudging of the entire site.

▪️Unemployment rate in Ottawa drops to 8.9 per cent. We’re the only big city in Canada with unemployment in the single digits. The jobless rate in August was 9.2 per cent. [Ottawa Citizen]


#THE INSIDER

? THANKSGIVING

This weekend we'll be hunkered down for a small household-only Thanksgiving with a turkey from Arnprior’s MJ Butchers and a homemade pumpkin pie. The cats, meanwhile, will dine on Presidents’ Choice and crickets that keep getting inside somehow.

There is still some time to donate to make a Thanksgiving dinner possible for those who would not have one otherwise.

The Ottawa Mission

The Ottawa Food Bank

The Salvation Army

 

The following aren't providing dinner – but they do need support to keep providing for people in a very lonely time.

Somali Centre for Family Services

MAX Ottawa’s Health Connection For Guys Into Guys

Distress Centre of Ottawa and Region

THE OTTAWAN

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