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Nominations are now open for the Best Of Ottawa 2020 Awards

In this round, we ask you to nominate the best Restaurants, Craft Brewers, Neighbourhoods, Local Personalities, Shops, and more.

Please make your nominations!

Every nominator who provides their email address will be added to the draw to win $100 to spend at their favourite Ottawa business.


HELLO OTTAWA

Instead of our usual day trip to a small town, this week we’re highlighting some popular excursions to view the fall colours. The views really get going in the next seven days, and will continue to become more spectacular until late October. There are so many urban, suburban and rural treks in and around Ottawa that it’s possible to check out a different view each week. 

?If you’re staying within Ottawa, The Dominion Arboretum at Experimental Farm (Arboretum, Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6) is free to visit between dawn and dusk every day. It boasts almost 65 acres of land populate with approximately 1,000 varieties of trees. 

? Fitzroy Provincial Park on the way to Arnprior is just one hour outside Ottawa. Aside from checking out the fall colours, you’ll also find two hiking trails, plenty of bird species to watch, a stand of ancient Bur Oak, and, possibly, white tailed deer.

?For other excursions beyond the Ottawa city core, a good place to start your research is the National Capital Commission’s website, which lists popular and lesser-known trails in Gatineau Park and the Greenbelt. 

? Gatineau Park

Visit the NCC-CCN website to research walks and hikes to suit your fitness level.

? The Greenbelt
The Greenbelt is the 20,000 hectare forest, farm and wetland border around the capital, most of which is owned by the NCC. 

? The Mer Bleue Bog Trail is one of the Greenbelt’s most popular walks. The 1.2km boardwalk that winds through the trees over the the bog has been the setting for many an engagement photo shoot, and during the fall it’s especially vivid. This is a short walk but it gets crowded on busy days, so plan accordingly.

? Side trip from the Mer Bleue Bog: Unless it’s cancelled last minute due to new gathering restrictions, this Sunday September 20 is the date of the Roots & Boots Market in Navan, Ontario. This rural community fall fair is bringing 150 vendors to the Navan Fairgrounds at 1279 Colonial Road, K0A 2Y0, which is approximately 25 minute’s drive from the Mer Bleue Bog. Strict physical distancing measures are in place, and there will be extensive directional signs.

Other resources

? From September 25, the “Leaf Colour Reporting Guide” at the To Do Ontario website will help you choose the region to visit.

? The Ontario Parks website lists the amenities, available activities, and trail routes of popular parks in the region.

 

We'll see you tomorrow – Martha and Darren


#STATS

Weather: ☀️ Mainly sunny. High of 13°  

Number: 0. The tuition fee for students who take part in the new Indigenous tourism entrepreneurship training programme offered by Algonquin College and Ottawa Tourism. [Ottawa Matters

Ottawan of the Day:  Kwende Kefentse. Kefentse is the first-ever executive director of CKCU, Carleton's radio station. The newly-added professionalisation is intended to bring CKCU to the next level. [CKCU]

Quote: The interest in having the hunt is not from a culinary perspective. It is in part because some people hate cormorants and believe they are taking “their” fish. So why call it a hunt if you are not killing the birds for food? That creates an ethical dilemma for people who accept hunting if the object of the hunt is consumed.” – Ted Cheskey, Naturalist Director at Nature Canada, who questions why there is an annual hunt of cormorants, which nest on the Ottawa and Rideau rivers [Ottawa Citizen


CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

For up-to-date info: 

Ottawa Public Health dashboard     Outaouais Public Health dashboard

OTTAWA: There have been 3486 confirmed cases of COVID‌-19, an increase of 99 since yesterday, and 273 deaths, no new reports.

OUTAOUAIS: There have been 1057 confirmed cases of COVID-19, an increase of 18 since yesterday, and 34 deaths, no new reports. 

⭕ Ottawa Public Health is opening three pop-up testing sites, two of which are at schools for staff and students considered high-risk. We don’t know the other location, yet [CBC]

⭕ Mayor Jim Watson says the City will no longer provide warnings on COVID-19 enforcement and go straight to fines. The Province has limited outdoor gatherings in Ottawa to 25 people outside and 10 people inside. These rules do not apply to commercial businesses or schools [CBC]

+ Related Premier Doug Ford, Mayor Jim Watson, and Chief Health Officer Dr Vera Etches are meeting at the Chateau Laurier this morning

⭕ Leader of the official opposition Erin O'Toole and his family waited for hours at an Ottawa testing clinic before bailing and using the special one for MPs in Gatineau [Maclean's]

⭕ Two more residents die at Extendicare West End Villa of COVID-19 related illness  [Ottawa Citizen]


? The Canada COVID Alert App

Be alerted if you have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Ontario only, sorry Gatineau. 

How It Works  [Apple App Store] [Google Play App Store]

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#WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

▪️Hydro Ottawa is changing its prices. Prices are fixed until October 31 under Provincial orders but as of November 1, the City-owned utility will make tiered-rates available. The company suggests that you log into your account and look at your consumption to see which level of increased rates* is best for you. [Hydro Ottawa]

* This is the kind of snark that our readers say they either love in the ottawanor causes them to unsubscribe

▪️The City breaks up a tent city of 18 people in Gil-O-Julien Park, near the Vanier Parkway and Donald Street. Ottawa has 12,000 people on the waiting list for affordable housing. [Ottawa Citizen]

▪️Ottawa cannabis company CannaGenetics wants to build a new facility in Carp. The planned grow-op would use stacked plants containers using “precision aeroponics” to grow pesticide-free pot. No greenhouses would be used. [Ottawa Business Journal]

▪️Dirt biker rescued by Ottawa Fire after getting stuck in mud. Man and bike were entrapped in the mud off Murphy Side Road, in the Dunrobin area.  [CTV]

#THE INSIDER

?️ FOOD + DRINK

▫️The Citizen is thrilled to fight the crowds for all-you-can-eat Japanese food at Gyubee [Ottawa Citizen]

THE OTTAWAN

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