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HELLO OTTAWA

The headline cannot be improved upon: ‘The City of Ottawa wants to hear your garbage opinions again’.

The City has released a draft of its solid waste plan and the City wants your opinion on what you think, and whether you’ll actually accept the plan. We usually try to summarize these things, but there were too many items on the list (almost as many as there were in yesterday's list of Top Employers in the National Captial Region). Read it.

You can answer the survey here.

– Martha and Darren

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TODAY’S LINE UP

•  Ottawa Stats
•  City Hall Agenda
•  What Ottawa is Talking About
•  Events
•  Deals of the Day

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OTTAWA STATS

CITY HALL AGENDA

What’s going on at City Hall

No more meetings this week.

WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

🛻 Convoy News

• Defendants in the proposed class action lawsuit against Convoy participants want the Ottawa Police Board to pay if any damages are awared. The defendants – who include convoy coörganizers Tamara Lich, Chris Barber, and Pat King – have filed a third party claim against the Ottawa Police Board alleging that it was negligent and thus responsible for paying any damages. The proposed class action by downtown residents and businesses has not yet been approved by the court but the claimants are seeking $290 million. The defendants say Police directed them to park downtown. (Kristy Nease at CBC)

🪧 Public Service Alliance of Canada

•  Ottawa Police have arrested Alex Silas, the Public Service Alliance of Canada’s regional executive vice-president for the National Capital Region. Silas was arrested at a protest outside a National Defense building on Star Top Road, near Innes Road where picketers were blocking traffic. Workers for Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services are striking for better wages, a national pay grid for workers across Canada, and better job security. These workers are not paid from tax dollars but instead from the revenue of restaurants, stores, and entertainment operated by Canadian Forces for its members. (Catherine Morrison in the Ottawa Citizen)

⚙️ Minto Group

•  A dozen new homeowners are unable to move into their houses because the Land Registry Office has not finished the paperwork. The buyers had all bought homes in the Brookline development by the Minto Group but cannot move in until the Land Registry Office has approved the subdivision’s registration. Minto says it will be next week, the City says it may take two weeks. (Kimberley Fowler at CTV) 

🏠 Rose Integration

• Another manufacturer in the Ottawa Valley, Rose Integration, has shut down. The Carleton Place tool and die shop opened in 1980 making items for the military and aerospace industry. Fifty-two people will be laid off. Arnprior Aerospace previously announced that it would be closing next month. (Dylan Dyson at CTV

🔥 Ottawa Fire Service

•  The Ottawa Fire Service is proposing new fines for false alarms. The Service says that it responds to 10,000 false alarms per year. The proposed fees, in a calendar year, would be: first one free, $500 for the second call, $1,000 for the third, and $1,500 for subsequent calls. The Service reckons that it costs $3,700 to respond to a fire alarm. The fines would not apply to residences. The emergency and protective services committee will discuss the topic next week. (Josh Pringle at CTV)

🎤 This is Ottawa Podcast

•  The third episode of the new CBC podcast ‘This is Ottawa’ asks ‘Was it right to move Ottawa’s main train station out of the downtown core?’ Up and coming CBC staffer Robyn Bresnahan takes balanced look at the decision to move Ottawa’s passenger station in 1966 to Eastway gardens. The National Capital Commission had planned to demolish the building as part of urban renewal. (CBC)
  
  ➕ Related Check out our continuously updated list of Ottawa-created podcasts.

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EVENTS

Is there an event we should know about?
Please use our easy event submission form
 

Today

•  It doesn’t seem possible that Candellight Concerts could get any more romantic, but they’ve created a swoon-worthy lineup of music fit for the season of love. The music, by such luminaries as Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Puccini, and Elton John (to name a few), will be performed by the FILMharmonic Orchestra. 6:30 pm at the Carleton Dmoinion-Chalmers Centre.
   
•  For the duration of Winterlude, Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau has become Snowflakes Land / Le Domaine Des Flocons, where you’ll find fun for the whole fam. Tube slides, a maze, face painting, and free hot chocolate are just a few of the activities you’ll find on site. Today from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. The action continues through Sunday.
   
•  Kai Thomas’ best selling novel In the Upper Country won the Atwood Gibson Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize, was shortlisted for both the Govenor General’s Award for Fiction and the Amazon Canada First Novel Award, and is gaining more fans every week. As part of OPL’s Black History Month programming, Ottawa’s English Poet Laureate Jamaal Amir Akbari leads a conversation with Thomas about his work, and the audience will have a chance to win a copy of the novel. It’s happening for free in the Chamber at OPL Nepean Centrepointe branch, but you must register.
   
•  Undercurrents festival continues its run of new Canadian theatre. Until February 17 at Arts Court (2 Daly Ave).
   

•  ByTowne Cinema: Ru, Origin, The Teachers' Lounge

•  Mayfair Theatre: Freud's Last Session, Koyaanisqatsi
  
  Gigs

•  The Song is Queen! Avant-garde Bar

•  Elliott Brood, Loon Choir, Bastards and the Buzzards. Rainbow Bistro (limited tickets at the door)

•  SH-BOOM. Montgomery Scotch Lounge

•  Maïa Barouh. National Arts Centre
   

Tomorrow

•  Hills Winter Music Festival brings Chamber music to unique spaces in the Gatineau Hills. Tonight’s opener is sold out but there are still tickets for Saturday and Sunday.
   
•  Divertimento Orchestra performs its Pops Concert at Woodroffe United Church tonight and tomorrow. The program features hits from Humperdinck, Gershwin, Ellington, and more.
   
•  Overflow Brewing hosts another Art Battle, where the creatives have 20 minutes to paint the winning artwork (according to the audience vote). It’s no holds barred live art.
   
•  Snowflakes Land / Le Domaine Des Flocons continues at Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau
   
•  ByTowne Cinema: Tótem, Sometimes I Think About Dying, The Boy and the Heron, Drunken Cinema: The Wedding Singer
   
•  Mayfair Theatre: Freud's Last Session, The Braid (aka La Tresse), Zombie, The Room
  
  Gigs
   
•  Smelloship EP Release. Irene’s Pub Restaurant 
   
•  Lucky Songs feat. Libby Hortop and Bruce Enloe. Meow! That’s Hot (519 Bank St)
   
•  80s Dance party. House of TARG
   

•  Petr Cancura. Montgomery Scotch Lounge

•  William Prince with Kacy and Clayton. NAC Southam Hall

•  Phillippe-Audrey LArrue Saint-Jacques. Shenkman Arts Centre

•  Midnight Vesta, Quirks. Cafe Dekcuf

•  That’s Rich weekly comedy show. Pour Boy
   

Saturday

•  The Ottawa Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade is back for the first time since the pandemic. The procession will wind its way along Somerset St West, from Preston to Bay between 10:00 am and noon.
   
•  The Art from the Heart Craft Show brings 60 vendors to Merivale Mall. 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. 6
   
•  Romance is in the air at Square Lemon’s Be My Valentine craft market (10:30 am to 3:00 pm at Glebe Community Centre). It’s free to attend, you’ll meet more than 40 vendors, and you’ll probably find the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.
   
•  613Flea’s 2024 season launches with a Valentine’s Day edition of the marketplace. You’ll meet 150 vendors of everything from art to hand crafted items.
   
•  Divertimento Orchestra performs its Pops Concert at Woodroffe United Church with a program that includes hits by Humperdinck, Gershwin, Ellington, and more.
   
•  Artist Alison Fowler’s Wall of H’arts: art fundraiser is back, supporting the Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation. As in previous years, Fowler’s small, square heart images in myriad styles are available for sale. Fringe and Foliage salon will host the event again, with sales starting at 6:00 pm. For those who want to line up to ensure their place in line at 6:00 pm, Fowler will be distributing numbers from 4:00 pm.
   

•  ByTowne Cinema: The Boy and the Heron, Four Daughters, Sometimes I think about Dying, Paprika.

•  Mayfair Theatre: Unexpected, The Braid (aka La Tresse), Zombie, Saturday Night Sinema

  Gigs

•  Raphael Weinworth-Browne. Montgomery Scotch Lounge

•  Peanut Butter Sunday, Family Man, Audio Visceral, Banezean. House of TARG

•  Ness Nöst, Annie Martel. Irene’s Pub Restaurant

•  Jon Spencer, Bloodshot Bill, Retail Simps. Club SAW

•  Dizzy, Alanna Sterling. Rainbow Bistro

•  The Radicals. Atomic Rooster

•  An Evening With Gary Louris. Red Bird

•  Cartoon Acid, Mia the Clown, KTG LIVE on Elgin

Just Announced / Now Booking

• If you still haven’t booked plans for Valentine’s Day, or you just want to do something fun on February 14, get on the road to Almonte where Hummingbird Chocolate is holding a fondue night. It’s $40 for two people to dip fruit and pastries into melted chocolate.

• Start Thursday February 22 off right with Volunteer Ottawa’s Community Breakfast 2024. As you tuck into a continental breakfast at this open house event you’ll hear inspiring stories from members of the volunteer community. It’s pay-what-you-can to attend, and funds raised will support the organisation’s programs and services. 8:00 am to 10:00 am at Rideau Hub Cafeteria, 815 St. Lauren Blvd.

• Here’s a road trip idea for bibliophiles: The Grand Author Takeover sees writers from around the world descending upon Carleton Place’s Grand Hotel Friday February 23 and Saturday February 24. A Gold Pass ($70 plus fees) will get you access to the Friday night Meet and Greet and Saturday's Book Fair, signings, and giveaways. Proceeds go to First Book Canada.

DEALS OF THE DAY

BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

Dodgeball is an organized sport in Ottawa, and last weekend the Provincial Championships were held here to determine who goes to the Nationals in British Columbia this July.

Some important takes from the story: 

1. There are two balls used in competitive dodgeball: foam and cloth. Ottawa used foam. 

2. ‘They train like athletes’.

3. ‘I got my future wife out of dodgeball’.

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