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Friday, May 30 2025

HELLO OTTAWA

In Today’s Edition

→ The City asks:  What should it be spending money on?

→ Four days of farmer’s markets, road trips, and festivals

→Deals of the Day on womenswear from Mélissa Nepton and Judy Design, makeup from Cheekbone Beauty, and Wiggle Waggle Walk & Run registration

→ 🌦️ High 21° Low 13° and partly cloudy  ☀️ 5:19 am 🌛 8:41 pm 

When we were in the March Road Sobey’s the other day we were excited to see that you can now buy the ‘Elbows Up’ chocolate bars from Nova Scotia brand Peace by Chocolate there (we hope that this means that all Sobey's Ottawa locations carry the bars. We know for certain that you can also get them at Maker House). 

The brand owners, who lived through devastating wildfires in Nova Scotia just two years ago, are urging customers to use a Red Cross portal to support Canadians facing evacuation from fires in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. They will also be donating $2 from each bar sold to the 2025 Manitoba Fires Appeal.

– Martha and Darren

STATISTICS OTTAWA

    NUMBER 

    • $102,351.51
    • – The amount of money that the kids at Canterbury High School have raised for the Canadian Cancer Society in today’s Relay for Life, flying past their goal of $60,000. The relay runs from 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
    • Camille Wilson at CTV   Donate

    OTTAWAN OF THE DAY

    • Vanessa Gilles

    • The defender from Blackburn Hamlet is tranferring from Lyon, which was unbeaten this season, to play for FC Bayern Munich. Gilles will play in a friendly against Haiti tomorrow with the Canadian national women’s team.

    • CBC

    QUOTE

    • [Y]et another one of the regular reminders that amalgamation was a miserable failure for rural Ottawa

    • – West Carleton-March ward councillor Clarke Kelly expressing his disappointment in his fellow council members. 
    • Council voted quickly, and 23 to 1, to devolve the question on whether or not to support battery storage system proposals in rural Ottawa to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs committee. Kelly pointed out that the question of parking in ByWard Market received a fulsome debate by council. 
    • Jake Davies in West Carleton Online (Paywalled by at $50 per year, worth it)

    SPORTS

    • ⚾ FRONTIER Ottawa Titans 3 – New Jersey Jackals 4 yesterday

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    WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL

    No meetings Monday

    Agendas and Meetings

    WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

    💰 The City wants to know what you think of its upcoming budget. Yes, they have asked before, but now the City is getting close to finalizing which department gets how much funding. The deadline to give your opinion is June 30.  – City of Ottawa

    ↪ The way you deal with parking tickets changes on Sunday. No longer part of the court system, drivers disputing parking tickets will bring their case to a City employee, the Screening Officer. The Screening Officer will make a decision, but also has the authority to waive a fine based on financial hardship. Red light and speed camera tickets will be added to the caseload in the future. – City of Ottawa


    🚨 An Ottawa Police Service constable who was convicted of assault and assault with a weapon four years ago has been told to quit or be fired. In the 2021 incident, Constable Goran Beric was called to an Ottawa Community Housing building where he jabbed a man in distress with his baton and had his foot on the man’s neck for two minutes. Beric was given a 30 month suspended sentence for the assault plus 200 hours of community service. A new disciplinary hearing under the Police Act found him guilty of discreditable conduct and insubordination.  – Jayden Dill at CBC

    ↪ A volunteer-run media organization wants an apology from the Ottawa Police Service after one of its reporters was arrested Wednesday while filming the arrests of protestors outside the CANSEC Military Trade Show at the EY Centre. The North Star slogan is ‘the people’s perspective’. – Matteo Cimellaro in the Ottawa Citizen


    🎧 The 613 has released its latest Municipal Panel podcast. In this edition, hosts Neil Saravanamuttoo, Jon Willing, and Joanne Chianello recorded in front of a live audience at the Ottawa People’s Summit. Topics were new security at City Hall, public toilets, and demolition by neglect – The 613 

    ↪ The Ottawa Bulldog wants to know how much are the operating costs of the new City Hall security portal. The City won’t say. – Ken Gray in Ottawa Bulldog  
     

    🏆 Everyone’s favourite underground culture, The Diefenbunker, has been recognized as the ‘Best 20th Century History Attraction 2025’ by Corporate VisionmagazineWe don’t really know who Corporate Vision are, but congratulations to the Diefenbunker for the gong. – Kimberley Lemaire in Apt 613

    DAILY POLL

    The Poll

    Last time, we asked ‘’Are you in favour of the ‘bubble ban’ – barring protests outside schools and houses of worship?"

    73% Yes

    26% No

    1% Other

    Reader Rhys wonders: what about students protesting outside their own school?

     

    Today’s poll: The Sens gave it a good run but fell at the first hurdle, the Charge took it all the way to the finals, but could not get it over the line. 

    RedBlacks, you’re up. The first RedBlacks match of the season is this evening.

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    HISTORIC OTTAWA LOGO T-SHIRTS

    BNR T-shirts

    Founded in 1971, Bell Northern Research was purchased by Nortel and eventually shared that companies fate. The BNR campus in Ottawa was fondly deemed the 'Big Nerd Ranch', and is now the headquarters of the Department of National Defence.

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    THE ROLLING THREE DAY CALENDAR


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

    ✳️ Means change from previous edition

    FRIDAY

    • Chinatown Nightmarket is so much more than a market at night - although it does go to 11:00 pm tonight and tomorrow for you night owls (and til 8:00 pm on Sunday). You'll also see martial arts displays, activities for the entire family, the opportunity to support local businesses, and of course, amazing food. Find it all in Chinatown, (Somerset St. West between Bronson Av. and Bell St.). 

    • At Tanger Outlets, Ottawa Asian Fest opens its 11th Night Market

    • Ribfest continues on Sparks St. 

    • 🆓 Watch the competitors go through their paces at Ottawa Dressage Festival, through Sunday at Wesley Clover Parks. 

    • Ottawa Improv Festival continues with OIF 2025: Better than Streaming

    • Take a bite out of Le Grand PoutineFest - Gatineau

    • Absolute beginners are welcome at Learn to Swing Dance: Friday Nights with Ottawa Swing Dance Society. 

    • With more than 75 yoga classes and workshops to choose from, City of OMoffers an incredible wellness experience. It all starts tonight and continues tomorrow at Lansdowne Park. 

    • While tickets to the Mental Health Gala are sold out, you can still bid on the items in the online auction. Proceeds will benefit Mental Health Services at CHEO. 

    • On the other hand, you can still get to the Do It For Daron event supporting the Royal Hospital's mental health programs for young people. From 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm, the Royal Oak at 800 Hunt Club Road will be the scene of a bake sale, kitchen BBQ, 50/50 draw, silent auction, and live music (that last one starts at 8:00 pm). 

    • Genesis's classic 1973 album Selling England By the Pound celebrates a big birthday with a world tour show by The Musical Box, who perform the LP note for note.  The show has been endorsed by ex-Genesis members Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel. 

    • The 80s called; they want you to meet them at House of TARG for a dance party

    • Kichesippi Beer brings the glitter to your Friday night with a Drag 'N' Bingo event.

    • There are limited tickets remaining for Svitanok Ukrainian Dance Society's end of season performance. Ukrainian-Canadian heritage comes to life with costumes, music, and dance. 

    • Has it been a minute since you enjoyed a trivia night in a fully functional 1860s mill? If so, tonight's the night, at Watson's Mill in Manotick. 

    • It's "There's a Hole in my Bucket" day. Now that we've firmly planted that particular children's song in your head, you can make a plan to attend Beyond the Pale's There's a Hole in My Bucket Bingo night. Bring your own bedazzled bucket and you could win extra bingo cards. 

    • DJ Emmett will bring the 00s-New Wave-Post-Punk-Pop-Rock era to life at the 27 Club at the Indiepop Dance Party

    • ByTowne CinemaMa mère, Dieu et Sylvie Vartan, Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, Friendship, Algiers

    • Mayfair TheatreA Nice Indian Boy, Sacramento, The Rocky Horror Picture Show

      Gigs

    • Blingo night. Pour Boy Pub

    • The Life-Size Men. Irene's Pub

    • TV Head, Post, Look Upon the Heart. LIVE on Elgin

    • Groove Society Fridays. Poa Tiki Bar

     

    SATURDAY

    SUNDAY

    • 🏳️‍🌈 The flag raising at Centre33 marks the start of Pride month. 

    • New market alert: today marks the first-ever Heart of Orléans market. It's going to be a monthly affair at Orléans Town Centre. 

    • Meet the Master Gardeners and more than 80 vendors at Barrhaven Farmers' Market (10:00 am to 2:00 pm).

    • Nepean Night Market banishes the Sunday scaries with vendors, food trucks, live music, and fun. 

    • If it's really going to be as cold as the weather people are predicting, warm up with a little Sunday afternoon Open Mic-ing at Brew Revolution. 6081 Hazeldean Road. 

    • Come for the yoga, stay for the craft beer, Broadhead Brewery tour, and snacks at Pints and Poses

    • Check out some exotic vehicles and chow down on delicious food at Kanata Wheels' 3rd Annual BBQ - 2025 Season Opener. Proceeds will benefit CHEO Foundation. 

    • Montréal's Gisèle Lullaby, who won Canada's Drag Race Season 3, brings her act to House of TARG. 

    • 🆓 BEING Studio's annual spring Art Market includes a celebration of support that the charity receives from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. 

    • Cantata Singers of Ottawa present a program of late Renaissance Venice, with guests the Ottawa Baroque Consort. 

    • Ottawa Choral Workshop Choir, Harmonia Choir of Ottawa and members of Kanata Wind Ensemble perform Mozart Requiem (R Levin edition)

    • 🆓 Listen as 10 of Ottawa's Romance authors read from their works and answer Q&As at Indigo South Keys. You must register as space is limited. 

    • Is your little flock curious about neighbourhood songbirds? The Spring Songbird Social will offer the chance to (discreetly) spy on nesting birds, learn what the birds need to grow into healthy adults, and participate in scavenger hunts, all in Andrew Haydon Park. Book your time in advance. 

    • Find arts and crafts, a talent show, food trucks, and a great time for the entire fam at Stittsville's Douglas Sutherland Art in the Park

    • Seeing as Ottawa is Canada’s Shawarma Capital, we're sure the Shawarma Festival is going to bring the crowds to the ByWard Market today.

    • 🆓 Peruse more than 100 tables with sports cards, comic books, and memorabilia at the Sports Card and Comic Show

    • 🚗 Road Trip It's Day 2 of the excitement at the Glengarry Renaissance Festival

    • 🆓 Watch the competitors go through their paces at Ottawa Dressage Festival at Wesley Clover Parks. 

    • Ribfest continues on Sparks St. 

    • Vintage Plus Pop-Up continues at Next Door. 

    • If you haven't crossed the river to sample the flavours PoutineFest - Gatineau, today is your final chance. 

    • ByTowne CinemaAlgiers, Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, Friendship, Restoration: Come and See

    • Mayfair TheatreSacramento, Black Bag

      Gigs

    • Sunday Night Revue. Irene's Pub

    • Legendary Sunday Afternoon Blues Jam. Rainbow Bistro

    • The PepTides. Club SAW

    • 56 Blvd Blues. Atomic Rooster
       

    MONDAY

     

    JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING

    MOST CLICKED IN THE PREVIOUS OTTAWAN

    MADE IN CANADA DEALS OF THE DAY

    BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

    In the Kitchissippi Times, historian Dave Allston talks about how the cottage country of Champlain Park went baseball mad, forming the Britannia Line Baseball League in 1912

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    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. 

     

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