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Wednesday May 15, 2024

Today

🌧️ Light Rain
High 20° Low 9°
🌞 5:31 am🌛8:26 pm

Tomorrow

☁️ Broken Clouds
High 20° Low 10°
🌞 5:30 am🌛8:27 pm

 

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HELLO OTTAWA

It has been just over a month since we launched our ottawan memberships and we could not be more pleased. Thank you to everyone taking part.

And to the anonymous reader who used the ‘How are we doing’ poll (below) to tell us: ‘You guys are doing a super job. I will make a one time donation at the end of the month once I pay my utilites etc. I am a senior so only get paid once a month LOL’.

Thank you! That‘s so generous! But please, if you are a reader on a fixed income we implore you to keep your money. Memberships help pay our bills but ottawan donations should be a treat and not a burden. 

As for t-shirts: we‘ve sent off the order but we’re still waiting to get them. They are coming!

– Martha and Darren

WEDNESDAY FOOD + DRINK UPDATE

    Number 

    • 57.77%
    • – The decrease of Ottawa housing starts in April, compared to one year before, as determined by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. In real numbers that’s 391 in April 2024 versus 926 in April 2023. (Josh Pringle at CTV)

    Ottawan of the Day

    Quote

    • He can be a bit of a prick at times

    • – Sportsnet journalist Elliotte Friedman on the Sens new head coach Travis Green. Friedman argues that a tough guy is exactly what the team was seeking. (Steve Warne in the Hockey News)

    PLEASE SUPPORT THE OTTAWAN

    the ottawan was launched in 2020 as the daily answer to the questions: What’s going on? What should I do? Where is somewhere good to eat?

    Please consider joining the many other readers with a monthly, annual, or one-time donation to keep the ottawan on its mission.

    All annual or one-time donations over $60 get a free ottawan or historic logo t-shirt of their choice.

    Membership levels

    ✅ $5 mo / Technically Beautiful

    ✅ $10 mo / ByTowner

    ✅ $20 mo / City that Fun Remembered

    ✅ $25 mo / Truly OTT

    ✅ Or make a one-time donation

    JOIN US

    CITY HALL AGENDA

    What’s going on at City Hall

    Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee
    Thursday, May 16 at 9:30 am

    • Presentation - Fire Smart Program
    • By-law and Regulatory Services 2023 annual report
    • New Ottawa Fire Services Establishing By-law
    • Status update – Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee inquiries and motions for the period ending 7 May 2024

    📋 Agenda

    WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

    🙏 Diane Deans

    •  Diane Deans has died after a five-year fight with ovarian cancer. Deans was first elected in pre-almalgamtion Ottawa in 1994, and served continously until 2022. That same year, she was controversially removed from the Police Board by machinations of then-mayor Jim Watson during the Convoy. Deans was 65. (Elyse Skura at CBC)

    🚲 Bike Lanes

    •  The Province is requiring the City to pay for the bike lane when a replacement bridge is built over the Queensway. The Province is responsible for the costs of construction of the Maitland Avenue bridge over the Queenway when it is replaced in 2027. However, while the lanes for cars will be paid by the Province, bikes lanes will be billed to the City at a cost of $5,403,185.84 (including HST). (Ted Raymond at CTV)

    🏗️ Housing

    •  Neighbours of a proposed rooming house on Baseline Road complained at a usually quiet City committee yesterday. The Committee of Adjustment is usually so boring that we don’t bother listing it in our ‘City Hall Agenda’ item – it deals with minor technicalities, mostly, like separating a lot into two. In this case, a proposed two storey building near Algonquin College had already been approved as a seven bedroom rooming house. The developer wanted to increase the rooms to 12 and to reduce parking from three spaces to one. Neighbours said a rooming house is out of character with the neighbourhood and would result in rubbish on the streets.  The Committee will make its decision within 10 days. (Arthur White-Crummey at CBC)

    💰 Gatineau Park

    •  Chelsea has lost its appeal to tax the National Capital Commission for Gatineau Park. Chelsea has been arguing that the bits of Gatineau Park inside Chelsea could potentially be used for development and should pay the appropriate equivalent in tax. The Commission successfully argued that the land will stay a park and will never be developed. Federal land is not subject to municipal tax but the Commission does pay a fee in lieu equal tax equal to what the tax would be in the cities it operates in, in this case about half of what Chelsea wanted. (Andrew Duffy in the Ottawa Citizen

    OTTAWA HISTORIC LOGO T-SHIRTS

    Ogilvy’s T-Shirt

    Charles Ogilvy Limited began as dry goods shop on Rideau Street in 1897, and ended its reign as Ottawa's greatest department store in 1992.

    Help support the ottawan by buying one of our historic logo t-shirts.

    MORE FROM THE OTTAWAN

    EVENTS


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

    Today

    •  Grab your laptop, purchase some lunch or a cocktail and settle in for an afternoon of working at Absinthe’s Office Hours 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm at 1208 Wellington St. W K1Y 2Z7.

    •  ByTowne CinemaTerrestrial Verses, German Language Film Festival Ottawa: Alma and Oskar, Princess Mononoke (English subtitles)

    •  Mayfair TheatreIrena’s Vow, Purple Noon, Sasquatch Sunset

      Gigs

    •  Jazz Nite with Peter Woods. Bar Robo

    •  Jazz Jams with Ali Berkok. Montgomery Scotch Lounge

    •  Gone Fishing, Valley Girls, Julia Camryn. LIVE on Elgin

    •  Ray Chen (Mendelssohn and Mahler). NAC Southam Hall

    •  Kings & Things. Atomic Rooster

    •  Outside the Box Trivia (secret theme). Beyond the Pale

    Tomorrow

    •  flo. Literary Magazine presents a Poetry Workshop with award-winning poet Ellan Chang-Richardson. Free from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm in Meeting Room 1A at the Sunnyside branch of the Ottawa Public Library. Registration is required.
       
    •  Alanna Sterling is playing a free lunchtime concert at the NAC’s Peter A. Herrndorf Place.

    •  Westboro Village kicks off the long weekend with shopping and games in one of Ottawa’s hippest neighbourhoods. While you’re shopping, make sure you stop by 347 Richmond Road and 365 Richmond Road for lawn games, 300 Richmond Road for live music by Eric Luca, and Winston Square for a photo op.

    •  Pony Girl is nominated in a massive five categories, but will they walk away with all the trophies? Is the Single of the Year award Zach Diamond’s to win? Get the answers to these questions and celebrate Ottawa’s bands, solo artists, venues, curators, producers, engineers, and music educators at the 5th annual Capital Music Awards at the Bronson Centre Music Theatre (211 Bronson Ave, K1R 6H5). Presented by the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition.

    •  Ottawa Art Gallery’s Give to Get Art Auction is not just one of the coolest events on the Ottawa social calendar; the funds raised help keep admission to the space free and assist local artists. New this year: in addition to artworks participants will also bid on the chance to win commissions from a variety of artists. Tickets from $150.43. Thursday May 16 at the Alma Duncan Salon, Arts Court.

    •  Michaela Chung brings her Daddy Issues show back to Yuk Yuk’s. Laugh along as she spins comedy gold out of dating, sex, family, and religion. Yuk Yuk’s at Biagio’s (1394 Richmond Road, K2B 6R8.

    •  ByTowne CinemaOne Life, Terrestrial Verses

    •  Mayfair TheatreCommon Ground, Irena’s Vow, Femme

      Gigs

    •  James Arif & The Noise Komplaints. Montgomery Scotch Lounge

    •  LustSickPuppy, Prolaps, Fire Manic. The 27 Club

    •  Ray Chen (Mendelssohn and Mahler). NAC Southam Hall

    •  Ana Egge. NAC Fourth Stage

    •  Capital Music Awards afterparty. Rainbow Bistro

    •  The Moto Social (meet-up). The Senate Tavern on Wellington

    •  Country Nights - Southbound Boots. Heart & Crown ByWard

      Market

    •  Actor/Filmmaker Social. Royal Oak 188 Bank St.

    •  Moratorium, Ivy Gardens, Empress. House of TARG

    •  Rachelle and Izzy & Wishkey Ghost (Indie Night). Overflow Brewing Company

    Friday

    •  Barrhaven Ribfest & Poutine promises more of everything they do so well: ribs, poutine, BBQ, music, plus they’ve got a new Kids Zone. The festival starts at noon today and runs until Sunday at Clarke Fields Park, 93 Houlahan Street, K2J 3Y7.

    •  Dance your way into the long weekend with a Salsa workshop. It’s a drop-in affair with a dance party following the instruction, and you don’t need a partner or any experience. Lesson and party $18, party only $13. Rahim Salsa at St John the Evangelist Anglican Church, 275 Elgin St. K2P 0H8.

    •  Thirteen Strings presents Vaughan William’s ‘The Lark Ascending’ with violinist (and Concertmaster of the Orchestra Classique de Montréal) Marc Djokic. The programme will also include selections from Robert Rival and Arcangleo Corelli. Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, 355 Cooper St, Ottawa, ON K2P 0G8.

    •  Saunders Farm has lots of activities for energetic families this long weekend, but if you’re just looking for a new spot to hang out after work and maybe enjoy some wood fired pizza, head to the farm’s CiderHouse for Happy Hour today from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Reservations are necessary.

    •  ByTowne CinemaOn Earth As It Is In Heaven, Su l’Adamant (On the Adamant), We Grown Now, I Saw the TV Glow

    •  Mayfair TheatreWicked Little Letters, Irena’s Vow, The Red Circle

      Gigs

    •  Booster Fawnn, Debbie Christ, Twin Turbo. LIVE on Elgin

    •  Justin Duhaime. Montgomery Scotch Lounge

    •  Forró Fever: Music and Dance Extravaganza. Queen St. Fare

    •  The Start. The Prescott

    •  Adeoluwa featuring Kobe Bean. Art House Café

    •  Abigail Lapell. Red Bird

    •  Dart Trees, Backseat Dragon, Customer Service. Rainbow Bistro

    •  Revenant Dan, The Murder Crows, The Mountain Gems. Irene’s Pub Restaurant

    Just Announced / Now Booking

    • All aboard the Disco Bus, which will take intrepid shoppers on another excursion to cool retail opportunities in our fair city. Organised by She Shops Local, the next trip on Sunday, June 9 will visit 10 of Ottawa’s best thrift stores, Art in the Park festival, and a farmer’s market.

    • If you think quilting is an old fashioned past time, you haven’t met Ottawa Modern Quilt Guild members. They’re holding a Show to celebrate their 10 years of existence on Sunday June 2, at which you can view some pretty cool quilts, ask questions and become truly inspired. To get early access to the show, buy tickets to the Gala the night before

    • Juno-nominated Gentle Sparrow releases his new EP on June 9, with Lanark’s Ali McCormick opening. Irene’s Pub Restaurant, 885 Bank St. K1S 3W4

    DEALS OF THE DAY

    Lainey’s Luck: Thrift by the Pound is holding a 25% off sale today (Wednesday May 15). Mention The Ottawan to receive your discount. Shop in person from 11:30 - 6:30 today at 523 Bank St. K2P 1Z5.

    Just in time for the long weekend, Overflow Brewing is offering a curated case of 24 cans for $67. The offer is valid today through Sunday (May 19).

    There’s a big sale happening at Almanac, who have cleared out the basement to make room for a new sheeter. The discounts happen at checkout. Artisanal flour, pantry items, gear, clothing, and baking books are all on offer.

    Select nail polishes at plant-based beauty company BKIND are on sale, while they last.

    BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

    Parliamentarians, staff, and members of the press gallery have all submitted photos in the 2024 Cutest Pets on Parliament Hill Contest. It’s not just dogs, it's not just cats: horses, bunnies, chickens, and guinea pigs are doing their best to raise awareness of the Canadian Animal Health Institute. Vote now.

    RAPID RESPONSE QUALITY CONTROL

     

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    THE END

    the ottawan is written and edited every working weekday by Martha and Darren.

    Is there something that Ottawa should know about? Email to us at hello@theottawan.com. We read every single comment. 

    We’ll see you tomorrow.


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