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Thursday, August 21 August 2025 |  | View Online | Sign Up | Shop |
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Hello Ottawa
In Today’s Edition
→ Man stuck up to his waist in mud in an Orléans bog rescued by Ottawa Fire Service and GPS
→ Yee haw! The Ontario Moonshine Festival starts in Perth tomorrow
→ Canadian Made Deals of the Day on treats from Peace by Chocolate and denim at Victoire.
– Martha and Darren
STATISTICS OTTAWA
NUMBER
1,005
The number of children on the Ottawa Carleton District School Board’s extended childcare waitlist. The programme is intended to assist parents who are still at work when school ends at 2:30 pm.
Joanne Laucius in the Ottawa Citizen
OTTAWAN OF THE DAY
Olivier Mrak
The 15 year-old has been selected to race against some of the best senior division go karters in the world in Bahrain, this December.
Dave Charbonneau at CTV
QUOTE
- “
You’re just going to be at the whims of Toronto
– Ottawa Carleton District School Board trustee Lyra Evans on an idea by Education Minister Paul Calandra to eliminate elected school boards. At the moment, the Ottawa, Toronto, and Peel school boards are under provincial control, having removed the boards for financial mismanagement.
Québec, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia have all replaced elected school boards with direct rule and local parents councils.
– CBC
SPORTS
⚾ FRONTIER Ottawa Titans 3 – Aigles de Trois-Rivières 0, yesterday
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 include an 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 |
WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL
No more meetings this week
WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT
💸 The City has lost out on money from the Building Faster Fund for not approving enough housing. Last year the City received $37 million from the province, intended as a reward for fast tracking housing starts. However, while the 2024 target was 12,583 homes, only 7,871 were begun. – Arthur White-Crummey at CBC
↪ The Planning and Housing Committee has approved six towers, ranging from 21 to 35 storeys, near St Laurent Shopping Centre. The project includes a half acre park and commercial businesses on the ground floor. Council will need to approve the plan.
↪ An East End apartment complex has been retrofitted with air conditioning, heat pumps, and new insulation. The improvements are a pilot project collaboration between EnviroCentre and the complex’s managment, Multifaith Housing Initiative.
🧭 Ottawa Fire Service used GPS to track down a man who was trapped up to his waist in mud. The man had walked into the bog, north of François Dupont Park in Orléans Tuesday, and became stuck. However, he did have his cell phone and, despite no landmarks to help identify where he was, firefighters triangulated his location from nearby cell towers. – Katie Griffin at CTV
📓 Youth Ottawa has opened nominations for the 2025 21 Under 21 Youth Awards. They ask, ‘If you are — or know — a young person who has made a meaningful impact, now is the time to shine a spotlight on their efforts’. – Youth Ottawa
🥈 A citizenship assistance company declares that Ottawa is the second best place in Canada to live. We didn’t use this for Statistics Ottawa above because the company just does this kind of thing to drum up business, but the page ranking the Canadian cities is interesting. Calgary was number one, Québec City was number 15. – Global Citizens Solutions
🤐 Certain civilian and defence staff at the Department of Defence will now be bound into secrecy for life after changes to government security regulations. The number of people affected is unknown. The changes were partially inspired by photos of Canadian special forces operations appearing online and more retired military people being guests on podcasts.– David Pugliese in the Ottawa Citizen
THE DAILY POLL
What do you think of eliminating elected school boards?
It makes no sense having 31 school boards duplicating the same things
Local trustees mean local values are used in the district
If Pandora’s box is going to be opened, how about eliminating public funding of religious school boards instead?
If anything, schools should be even more decentralized to local control
Previously in ottawan polls:We asked, ‘How do you feel about the supervised consumption sites?’
7% While they don’t help users get off drugs, they do help users stay alive
7% The sites create crime around their locations
11% We need a comprehensive programme to help addicts, the sites don’t help much
75% We need a comprehensive programme to help addicts, the sites are just one tool
Commentary
▪️ “No one wants their kids or customers to walk past people who are strung out. There has to be a better way, so this cannot be the only tool used to help these people.”
▪️ “The answer speaks for itself and we need more addiction recovery services.”
▪️ “Addictions and mental health needs to be more of a priority issue. What are other major cities doing (that we aren’t) to address this issue? We cannot address these issues by closing consumption sites. Wake up Canada!”
▪️ “These sites save lives and are one small aspect of treatment continuum — dead people don’t detox. They also save public money, like any mitigating health care program.”
▪️ “Booth Street near Somerset Street is a regular haven for users. Tourists must be appalled by the sight of people either using or passed out.”
▪️ “They are a stopgap measure to reduce deaths, but they don’t address the underlying problem. Help them rebuild their life.”
HISTORIC OTTAWA LOGO T-SHIRTS
 | NORTEL T-Shirt Northern Electric was founded in Montréal in 1895, growing into one of the world’s largest and most important telecom companies. Nortel hung up the phone in 2013. It's campus on Carling Avenue became the new home of the Department of National Defence. Help support the ottawan by buying one of our historic logo t-shirts. Shop for t-shirts |
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
THURSDAY
- 🆓 The rescheduled Composting and Compost Use for Healthier Soils is an outdoor interactive session for those who want to learn more about the art and science of composting. Presented by the Friends of the Farm, the event takes place at Central Experimental Farm Composting.
Ottawa Greek Fest presents a night of comedy with Angelo Tsarouchas. Tickets from $50.
Red Apron keeps Taco Thursday local with your choice of Enright Cattle Co Flank Steak or Corben's Rooster Ranch Pulled Chicken. $16.25 per person, dine-in only.
Spend the night in the early 80s as the ByTowne Cinema hosts a Desperately Seeking Susan Slumber Party.
Take a beginner Ottawa Vintage Swing dance class for $10.
Silent Book club meets at Absinthe on the third Thursday of every month. Come and meet other book-minded introverts for some brief chit chat and a drink followed by an hour of silent reading, all between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm.
Today is your final day to save on tickets for the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival. Prices rise at midnight.
OK Naledi plays Songs from the Shed.
Swing your partner into the final Square Dance of Saunders Farm’s summer season.
ByTowne Cinema: Folktales, Slumber Party: Desperately Seeking Susan, It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley
Mayfair Theatre: My Mother’s Wedding, Shook, Punch-Drunk Love
GigsMatt Gower. Night Oat
Four Eyed Muscle Man. Rainbow Bistro
Leslie Rohonczy. Irene's Pub
🏳️🌈 Today at Capital Pride:
New royalty will be crowned tonight at the Capital Pride Pageantat the National Arts Centre. The official Pride Pageant After Party will dance the night away at Bar Robo.
Meanwhile, in the brand new pop up space at Metcalfe Plaza, expect a night of disco, house, and a whole lot of joy (plus, free entry).
At Art House, Crafts & Gabs is a craft and social night for lesbians who wanna be social in a low-stimulus space.
FRIDAY
✳️ 🪵 Get in your final summer visit with the animals, the sensory table, and all the activities at the Log Farm today through Sunday.
🆓 ⚗️ Road trip: Ontario Moonshine Festival is back in Perth for a fourth year. Choose from Friday, Saturday, or Sunday visit times. Limited free tickets are available.
🆓 Vendors at last year's Navatara’s Indian Food Festival sold out, so don't miss your chance to sample regional favourites and catch the live cultural performances. It's all happening in Clarke Fields Park today (2:00 pm to 10:00 pm) through Sunday.
Singing Pebble books has much to celebrate as it turns 37 years young. Get in on the celebration with a visit to the shop during the the anniversary sale (today through Sunday August 24). You'll save 20% on all items, and anyone who spends more than $37 will be entered into a draw to win a private guided shopping experience and a discount on rare and used books.
There are cash prizes up for grabs in the one-on-one dance battles at ByWard Market (George St) tonight from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
🪗 Road Trip: Ottawa Valley Buskerfest kicks off with a BBQ in Pembroke's Waterfront Park, followed by an evening of entertainment.
🆓 Ottawa Greek Festival programming begins at 5:00 pm.
ByTowne Cinema: Hola Frida, Eddington, Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse, Drunken Cinema: Speed
Mayfair Theatre: Souleyman’s Story, F1, The Room
Gigs
Every Rose (tribute to Poison). Brass Monkey
Super K, Dead Gong. LIVE on Elgin
Double Impact Robert Clarot and Alex. Hard Rock Ottawa Council Oak Stage
Niel Young Experience. Hard Rock Cafe
Whiskey River Fever. Irene’s Pub
80s Dance Party, The Underground. House of TARG
Motherland. Dominion Tavern.
🏳️🌈 Today at Capital Pride:
Montréal’s Queen & Queer headline the TD Main Stage; Cuffed: Leather, Lace & Chains is a lesbian-sapphic QTBIPOC-centered party at Avant-Garde Bar; Crowned in Colour: A Night of Kings is at Nostalgica Pub & Beer Garden; City at Night hosts the house and techno Pride Festival After Party with NV: Solstice.
SATURDAY
🆓 The Queenswood Heights Community Association presents the third annual Music Festival and Family Fun Day. With activities and a bouncy castle for the kids, live music, and a Beer Garden presented by Orléans Brewing Co. It's free with a donation to the Orléans Food Bank. Thank you to our friends at Orléans Connect Newsletter for the heads-up about this event.
Get ready for a giant-sized day of fun at the Monster Trucks All Out Carp event.
You don’t need to stray further than Westboro Village for Tomato Fest, with vendors, sampling, food trucks, and LIVE 88.5 will be broadcasting live.
Have lunch at Stittsville’s Sweet Corn Festival.
Blues is on the bill at the 4th Annual Capital Fair Blues Revue.
Sip, snack, and laugh at Comedy Night in the Country at Jabulani Winery.
Lavendermay will bring the House music to Metcalfe Plaza from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
The food and music of Ottawa Greek Fest continue from 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm today.
🌙 Road Trip: Experience a live music, street performers, and food vendors at Arnprior Cultural Night Market The after party will bring DJ Kine Wone to Mallard’s Milk Bar.
🪗 Road Trip: Ottawa Valley Buskerfest continues.
Navatara’s Indian Food Festival runs 11:00 am to 10:00 pm today.
Bring someone a surprise bouquet that you picked yourself, with a visit to GreenCorners.
ByTowne Cinema: 2025 Cat Video Fest, Restoration: Ikiru, Sorry, Baby, Detour: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Mayfair Theatre: Souleymane’s Story, F1, There Will Be Blood
Gigs
Browman Electryc Trio. Night Oat
Motorists. LIVE on Elgin
Walk Off the Earth. Hard Rock Ottawa
Girth Control (Ska Fest). Dominion Tavern
The New Hires. Rainbow Bistro
🏳️🌈 Today at Capital Pride:
Bank Street welcomes the Capital Pride Street Festival. Lilyisthatyou reigns over the TD Main Stage before the Drag Extravaganza at 9:00 pm
City at Night hosts the Official Pride Festival After Party
JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING
The inaugural YOWFEST takes place August 29 and 30 at Lansdowne Park, featuring ‘Ottawa’s biggest hip-hop and rap artists’ divided between Urban English on Friday and International/French on Saturday. Tickets on sale now.
Cyclists, it’s time to register for the Beyond the Pale Bike Ride 2025. It’s a 60 km round trip ride from BTP's City Centre location to the Cheshire Cat Pub in Carp on Sunday, September 28. Book your spot and order your official ride jersey by August 27.
Red Bird’s fall programs are booking now. There are music courses for kids, youth, and adults.
Tune in to the Walrus Talks At Home: Growing Canadian Productivity, a virtual panel discussion aiming to answer the question How can Canada become an innovation nation? 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm EDT Tuesday October 7.
Sens tickets for the upcoming season are available as of today.
MADE IN CANADA DEAL OF THE DAY
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BUT, ONE MORE THING ...
The Ottawa Police Service Mounted Unit has a new webpage with profiles of each of the horses, questions and answers about what the unit does and where you can see it, and a large section about what most people are concerned about: manure. It turns out it is fine to collect and use Ottawa police horse manure for gardening (but they recommend it be composted or aged first before applying it directly).
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. |  |
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