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🚊 NO Train: Day 2️⃣4️⃣

Here are today’s updates on the closure of the Confederation Line.

  •  OC Transpo general manager Renee Amilcar says the French-built O Train carriages were not built for American-style tracks.

    One aspect of the derailment issue investigation is the use of restraining rails. In American-style railbeds, like the O Train, restraining rails are used on tight corners to help keep carriages on the track.  European systems generally do not use them and, the argument goes, European trains wear down from stress when they are used. (Blair Crawford in the Ottawa Citizen)
  •  Mayor Mark Sutcliffe says that any free travel or refunds paid to transit users will be just taxpayers paying themselves with their own money. (Joanne Laucius in the Ottawa Citizen)

    Related On Tuesday, Sutcliffe filmed a two minute video in the middle of the Queen Elizabeth Drive arguing that the road should move off the cycles and bring in the cars.

Flash Floods

Here are some sobering images of today’s flash floods (CTV). And some more from CBC. And a video of leaking water at Parliament station.

– Martha & Darren

 

 

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    Weather

    • ⛈️ Light rain with a severe thunderstorm watch. High of 17°, low of 14°. 

    Number 

    Ottawan of the Day

    • Rajendra Gupta
    • – The adjunct professor of physics in the Faculty of Science at the University of Ottawa says that the universe is twice as old previously estimated. Old school thinkers put the age of the universe at a spritely 13.7 billion years but Gupta’s research indicates a more mature 26.7 billion years. (University of Ottawa) (The research)

    Quote 

    • Smelt are voraciously carnivorous
    • – Peter Heinermann, a retired University of Ottawa biology professor, on how the walleye was displaced in Golden Lake. The Golden Lake Property Owners Association’s fish committee plans to raise walleye in cages until they are large enough to fight with the smelt for lake domination. (Trevor Pritchard at CBC)

    Sports

    • ⚾ FRONTIER Ottawa Titans 8 – Sussex County Miners 4 last night

    🚧 Hwy 417

    •  The bit of Highway 417 that crosses Percy Street will remain open this week. It had been scheduled to close today until Monday at 6:00 am for a bridge replacement. The new closure date has not yet been announced.

      Yesterday, we mentioned the Highway 417 closure but we didn’t say which bit, leading some readers to believe that the entire Highway 417 was closed. Problem solved, it’s all open. (City of Ottawa)

    🌠 Perseid meteor shower

    •  Sunday night and Monday morning will be a good time to see meteorsThe best times to watch will be just before dawn on Monday and just after 10:00 pm Sunday night. The Perseid meteors last visited Earth in 1992. (Nicole Mortillaro at CBC)

    ⛏️ Archaeology

    •  An archaeological dig by a team from Anishinàbe Odjìbikan was vandalized twice over a few days. The dig in Gatineau is located on the site of the largest complex of pre-European sites currently known in the Ottawa River drainage basin. The field school has cancelled public access to the area. (Nicole Williams at CBC)

    🌉 Chief William Commanda Bridge

    •  The new pedestrian Chief William Commanda Bridge is incredibly popular – except the ‘cockamamie’ exit on the Gatineau sidePedestrians and cyclists who exit on the Québec side find themselves at a ‘T’ intersection, congested with trail users. Ultimately, the path leads to the National Capital Commission’s trail system but the congested bit is the responsibilty of the City of Gatineau, which isn’t really interested in fixing it. (Blair Crawford in the Ottawa Citizen)

     

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    Today

    •  Get the weekend started early by visiting the Navan Fair, running until Sunday at 1279 Colonial Road. This fair started in 1946, so they know a thing or two about countrified good fun for the whole fam. The gates open at 4:00 pm today and the fair runs through Sunday.
    •  Asinabka Film & Media Arts Festival (until August 13) screens films across genres and lengths from Indigenous filmmakers from around the world. The screenings, plus curated art exhibits, workshops and panels, and music performances, will happen at the Ottawa Art Gallery, Club SAW, Gallery 101, and Berlin Nightclub. Tickets can be purchased for individual screenings and full days of programming.
    •  Mixed media artist Mitra Salamzada is featured in a new exhibition opening tonight at Alpha and Omega Gallery. 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm at 101 Murray St.  
    •  Jake Weckwerth plays Overflow Brewing

    Tomorrow

    •  It’s the 20th anniversary edition of House of Paint Festival Under the Bridge, today through Sunday at Dunbar Bridge in Brewers Park, the NAC, and Ottawa Art Gallery. The festival celebrates hip hop culture with free and paid shows, workshops, a poetry slam, food and drink, and a vintage market.
    •  Asinabka Film & Media Arts Festival (until August 13) screens films across genres and lengths from Indigenous filmmakers from around the world. The screenings, plus curated art exhibits, workshops and panels, and music performances, will happen at the Ottawa Art Gallery, Club SAW, Gallery 101, and Berlin Nightclub. Tickets can be purchased for individual screenings and full days of programming.
    •  The Halal Ribfest hits Lansdown Park for a full weekend of smokin’ hot ribs and entertainment.
    •  Ottawa Greek Festival stretches across two weekends, bringing delicious food, entertainment and shopping to the Hellenic Event Centre (1315 Prince of Wales Dr).

    Saturday

    •  Celebrating 30 years of continuous activity, poetry publisher above/ground press presents its 30th Anniversary Reading/Launch/Party. Downstairs at the Clocktower Brew Pub,575 Bank St. 7:00 pm door/7:30pm reading. $10.
    •  It’s a vintage market and so much more at the Ooh Music, Arts & Streetwear Festival August 12 and 13 in the York St in the ByWard Market. Noon to 8:00 pm.
    •  The ReStore Reads Book Fair promises low, low prices on reading material August 12-13 (in-person only, 9:00 am to 2:30 pm). Find the Stittsville location of the Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa ReStore at 3 Iber Road.
    •  Meet more than 40 vendors at Square Lemon’s Summer in the City craft market on Saturday (10:30 am - 3:00 pm). You can also take part in the free workshop to create beaded garden sticks. Glebe Community Centre, 175 Third Ave.
    •  Wondering where the Intergalactic Disco/Funk DJ Dancing is this Saturday night? The House of TARG, that’s where.

    It just so happens that the new City Centre RockOut! Festival is happening August 19 in the parking lot of Beyond the Pale. The brewery is therefore offering a 20% off promo code for tickets. So when you book your tickets, and you will, because you’re an Ottawan who likes to go to cool new events, use the code BTP20. Oh, you ask, what’s RockOut Festival? Music, wrestling, food, beer, axe throwing, it’s all there.

    If you are looking for a four kilometre-long corn maze shaped in the image of Queen Elizabeth II, then Vankleek Hill has something for you.

    We will see you tomorrow  – Martha and Darren
     

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