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HELLO OTTAWA

Ottawa Riverkeeper has issued its report card on the Ottawa River watershed, and it didn’t even get to the gentleman’s C+ level.

No, it’s a C. It’s extremely comprehensive, so we’ll skip our usual encapsulation – but development, land use, and climate change are worsening the watershed.

Riverkeeper does have some hopes for the class though, with suggestions on what individual people can do, as well as elected officials.

Click here for the Report Card. And while you don’t have to show it to your parents, you probably should.

– Martha and Darren

WEDNESDAY FOOD + DRINK UPDATE

•  Enjoy the evening on Red Apron's covered patio tomorrow (Thursday May 23). Ron Giesbrech from Niagara's Wending Home Estate Vineyards & Winery pays a visit for a structured wine tasting. You’ll sip wines from Wending Home Estate and enjoy bites from the Red Apron kitchen. Tickets are $35 each, call 613-695-0417 to purchase. 
•  Beyond the Pale’s All Hands on Deck Auction Launch coincides with Insider Trading Night. Tomorrow night (May 23) at the brewery, you’ll pay rising and falling prices for your beer, according to what patrons are ordering. Prices switch over every five minutes. It sounds like frantic fun.
•  Orléans Brewing Co is first out of the Summer 2024 sours gate with an announcement that Blood Orange Creamsicle Sour Ale is now available.
•  It’s not a radler, and it’s not a sour. Beau’s Refresher adds raspberry, pineapple, and passion fruit flavours to beer for a not-too-sweet 4.5% ABV beverage to enjoy on these warmer days.
•  Kiersten Vuorimaki’s and Sonya Gankina’s biweekly Best Bites column in Apartment 613 has four resto suggestions: Tavern at the Gallery (‘If you are looking for a sexy/romantic night on a patio that won’t break the bank, this is the place’), Union 613 (‘it was the biggest chicken leg I’ve ever had the pleasure to tackle’), Planet Coffee (‘I stopped in for a latté and a lemon tea bread, which was so lemon-y and dense and rich that I bought another one on my way out for a treat later’), and  Ayla’s Social Kitchen (‘I had a pomegranate martini, which was delightfully sweet and refreshing’).
•  The jerk store called and Ameya Charnalia at Eat the Strip answered. Or more accurately, Charnalia saw Fishys Original Jerk’s sign across the street from a restaurant for which he didn’t have reservations. His most unique find on the menu: manish water, a goat stew with tripe that has supposed male-virility boosting properties.
•  Jordan Pizzuti in Ottawa Life loves the origin story of Lola’s Kitchen Filipino Cuisine on Somerset. Before he was chef/owner, Kim Epino posted his cooking on Instagram. People eventually offered him money for food, which he delivered in a Walmart bag. His secret restaurant became so popular, he went legit and now Pizzuti says ‘The chicken may be the best I’ve ever eaten’.
•  Toronto radio station Indie88 continues to make best-of lists for Ottawa. This time, it’s ‘The 6 Best Cake Shops In Ottawa For Sweet Lovers’. Hogtown’s opinion from four hours away is that Pasticceria Gelateria Italiana, The Cake Shop, La Brioche Pastry & Bakery, Little Jo Berry’s Bakery, Strawberry Blonde Bakery, and ThimbleCakes are the best in town.

STATS

Ottawans of the Day

• Meaghan Ciotti, Robert Davidson, Dr. Colleen Forestie, Alexander Poirier, Tim O’Neil, James Wicker, and Danny Paul
• – The seven were recognized by the Ottawa Paramedic Service at the first Community Champion Coin Awards. All seven are members of the public who were minding their own business when they saw someone in distress and saved their life. (City of Ottawa) 

Quote

• “

• I want to support the fundraising organized by Ottawa Victim Services for Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, who is coping with unimaginable pain and loss

• – Mayor Mark Sutcliffe announcing that he will be running the Ottawa Marathon this upcoming weekend and raising money for Wickramasinghe, who is the sole survivor of the family murdered in Barrhaven last March. (Ottawa Citizen) (Fundraiser)

Sports

• ⚾ FRONTIER Ottawa Titans 7 – Tri-City ValleyCats 6 yesterday

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CITY HALL AGENDA

What’s going on at City Hall

Transportation Committee
Thursday, May 23 at 9:30 am

• Minor amendments to Right of Way By-laws
• Cycling facilities on the Maitland Avenue Bridge over Highway 417
• Status update – Transportation Committee inquiries and motions for the period ending May 10, 2024
• Motion – Somerset Square temporary encroachment fee allocation for public realm improvements

📋 Agenda

WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

🚊 O Train

•  St Laurent station has reopened after a five day closure. The station was closed after engineers had found ‘evidence of corrosion of some ceiling panels and potential delamination of the concrete’. (Gabrielle Huston at CBC)

🗳️ Member of Parliament

•  The Member of Parliament for Hull—Aylmer, Greg Fergus, is under fire from the Conservative Party. Fergus currently serves as the Speaker of the House and is obligated to appear impartial to all parties. However, a post on his website promoting a riding event said, ‘While Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives propose reckless policies that would risk our health, safety, and pocketbooks, our Liberal team is focused on making life more affordable’. Officials at the Liberal Party say that it was their fault, not Fergus’, and the wording was standard across all events but should not have been put on his website. (Rachel Aiello at CTV)

🏒 The Sens

•  The Ottawa Senators have hired a new director of player personnel and director of professional scouting. Calgary native Rob DiMaio joins the Sens after two seasons as assistant general manager with the Anaheim Ducks. DiMaio was previously a player with New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, and Dallas Stars. (Bruce Garrioch in the Ottawa Citizen)

🥗 Ottawa Fire Service

•  The Ottawa Fire Service hazardous materials team cleaned up a leak of green goo at a building on Queen Street. The green liquid was seen pouring out of the building from the HVAC system on the roof. No one was injured from the goo but a worker fell off a ladder and was treated by paramedics. The liquid was determined to be coolant. (Alex Black at CityNews)

🚧 Macdonald-Cartier Bridge

•  Lanes and sidewalks will be closed on the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge starting tomorrow. Maintenance work will see lanes closed tomorrow and Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Saturday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Sunday 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Next week, closures will be 9:00 am to 3:00 pm Monday to Wednesday. One lane in each direction will remain open. (Andrea Bennett at CityNews)

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MORE FROM THE OTTAWAN

• 🍺 Our Ottawa-Gatineau Craft Brewery Map

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• 🏆 The Best Of Ottawa Awards 2023

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• 🎧 Best Podcasts from Ottawa

EVENTS

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

Today

•  Today's free Doors Open for Music at Southminster concert features Collected Strands, an improvising quartet whose repertoire fuses jazz, classical and world music. Noon at Southminster United Church, 15 Aylmer Avenue, K1S 3X1.

•  Bestselling Swedish crime writer Vivieca Sten discusses her new book Hidden in Snow, at the Sunnyside branch of Ottawa Public Library, 1049 Rue Bank, Ottawa, ON K1S 3W9. Free, but registration is required.

•  This Summer Will Be Different author Carley Fortune is signing copies of her book at Indigo Rideau. 10 George St, Ottawa, ON K1N

•  ByTowne Cinema: On Earth As It Is In Heaven, Nostalghia (Restoration), I Saw The TV Glow.

•  Mayfair Theatre: Wicked Little Letters, Irena’s Vow, Kim’s Video.
  
  Gigs

•  Taproom Trivia. Stray Dog Brewing Co.

•  Jazz Nite with the Samuel Cousineau Trio. Bar Robo

•  Prateek Chad, Silhouettes tour. Bronson Centre

•  Bologna Colorado, Kestrel Blue. LIVE on Elgin

•  Rare Groove Wednesdays. Atomic Rooster

•  Celtic Celebration featuring Pierre Schryer, Ian Clark, Danielle Enblom. Red Bird

Tomorrow

•  Jana Salameh plays the Jukebox Lunch Concert at the NAC. Free at 12:10 pm, Peter A. Herrndorf Place.

•  Help Stroked Ego celebrate 14 years in business with a visit to the store’s sale event. It’s a one day sale with a Photo Booth, drinks, and snacks. 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm at 131 Bank St. K1P 5N7

•  The winning designs of the NCC Urban Design Challenge 2024 will be unveiled at the NCC Urbanism Lab. This Student Ideas Competition for the National Capital Region drew entries from across the country, with teams from Queen’s University (First Place), Laurentian University's McEwen School of Architecture (Second Place) and University of British Columbia (Honourable mention / Most thought provoking) taking the top spots. 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at 40 Elgin St., room 202, or watch live on YouTube (you must register to see the livestream).

•  ByTowne Cinema: Nostalghia (Restoration), I Don’t Know Who You Are with Panel Discussion, I Saw The TV Glow.

•  Mayfair Theatre: Irena’s Vow, Wicked Little Letters, Le Cercle Rouge.

  Gigs

•  Talk Dirty to Me: An Evening of Sin, Burlesque, Drag, & Variety Show. Rainbow Bistro

•  Kentucky and D.B. Cohen. Overflow Brewing

•  Switched-On Synths: Local Noise Vol. 1 with Sam Aleums, Day of Niagara, Annie Socoria. House of TARG

•  Release the Bats! Café Dekcuf

•  Karaoke. Atomic Rooster

•  Maude Audet with Paper Beat Scissors. National Arts Centre

•  The Desert Echo Duo. Montgomery Scotch Lounge

•  Irene’s Blues Sessions with Guest Host Vince Halfhide. Irene’s Pub Restaurant

•  Flora Luna. LIVE on Elgin

•  Kate Weekes. Red Bird

Friday

•  The Ottawa Kennel Club’s 137th annual show gets underway at Richmond Agricultural Society this weekend. Watch as the different breeds are put through Rally, Obedience, and Scent Detection trials. It’s free admission but you’ll pay $5 for parking, with all parking fees donated to the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind. 6107 Perth Street, Richmond K0A 2Z0

•  It’s also free to attend the Open House at the Gatineau Preservation Campus, where works by Canadian artists are preserved. Learn how documents, manuscripts, books and digital files are preserved and stored in the state-of-the-art Preservation Storage Facility. Today and tomorrow from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at 625 Bd du Carr, Gatineau, QC J8T 8L8.

•  Fundraiser Weekend has arrived at Art House Café, and the entire building will come alive with live music and DJs, art, an auction, and raffles. It’s all in aid of revamping the layout, adding an accessible washroom, and creating more space for performers. Visit all weekend for music, an Afternoon DJ Party and Vintage 1920s Casino Night (Saturday May 25) and art fun (Sunday May 26). 555 Somerset St. West K1R 5K1.
   

•  Have a chill evening at Queers & Beers featuring OK Naledi and DJ Ju!ce at Overflow Brewing Co. $12 in advance or $15 at the door. 2477 Kaladar Ave, Ottawa, ON K1V 8B9

•  ByTowne Cinema: Wildcat, Kanaal, DeGrassi Tour: School’s Out! (VIP), DeGrassi Tour: School’s Out! (General Admission)

•  Mayfair Theatre: Wicked Little Letters, The Promised Land, Aggro Dr1ft, Big Shark

  Gigs

•  Life Size Men with the Atomic Tempunauts. Irene’s Pub Restaurant

•  KG Jay “Seven” EP release performance. LIVE on Elgin

•  For the King of Detours Tour. Avant Garde

•  The Longest Johns. Bronson Centre

•  Mama’s Broke. Red Bird

•  Ghostly Kisses. Club SAW

•  The Barrow Gang. Atomic Rooster

•  The Tony D. Band. Rainbow Bistro

•  The Bow Street Runners. Montgomery Scotch Lounge

Just Announced / Now Booking

• The Great Glebe Garage Sale is this Saturday May 25 and you can take part even if you don’t live in the neighbourhood, by donating items to either Abbottford House (960 Bank St., drop off between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm today through Friday) or St. Matthew Church (contact them for information about dropping off items).

• Is your tossing arm warmed up? It’s almost time for the Stray Dog Brewing Co 2024 Outdoor Season Opener Cornhole Tournament (Sunday May 26). Your $20 entry will get you a minimum of five games, poutine, the chance to win cash prizes, and a whole lot of fun. This Sunday May 26 from noon to 4:00 pm at 501 Lacolle Way, Orléans, K4A 5B6.

• Classic Albums Live presents David Bowie’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, from start to finish on June 1. Tickets from $34. Southam Hall at the National Arts Centre

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DEALS OF THE DAY

BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

There are many, many stories of the trials Ottawa has enduring getting and then keeping professional sports teams but you probably haven’t heard this: Sens founder Bruce Firestone says that in 1992, ‘a simple wasp sting almost ended Ottawa's NHL dream before it started’.

RAPID RESPONSE QUALITY CONTROL

Comment of the week: ‘I have to smile every time you mention the Choosin’ Hat. Makes my day.’

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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