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HELLO OTTAWA

The National Capital Commission has announced its weekend bikedays for the summer.

On Saturdays, Sundays, and holiday Mondays from May 11 to October 14, pedestrians and bikes will have priority on Kichi Zībī Mīkan, Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway, and Queen Elizabeth Driveway.

More details can be found here.

– Martha and Darren

WEDNESDAY FOOD + DRINK UPDATE

•  Ottawa City Hall welcomes Ottawa PoutineFest & Mac My Cheese 2024 Thursday through Sunday. Be at 110 Laurier Ave to explore the delicious carb-y combos from vendors like Smoke’s Poutinerie, Duffer’s Chip Wagon, and Smokin’ RR’s. Once you’ve had your fill of spuds, you’ll also find corn dogs and sweet treats.
•  Maker Feed Co’s second Meat & Peat night will feature four fine whiskeys paired with Chef Michel Gaumond’s carnivore-inspired tasting menu. Thursday June 6 at 6:00 pm, 2607 Old Montreal Rd., Cumberland ON. K4C 1A2
•  Lunch is back at Beckta starting today. Elevate your midday meal from 11:30 am. After today, lunch will be available Tuesdays through Fridays.
•  Farmer Ian Walker in the Eastern Ontario town of Alfred-Plantagenet is the duck, goose, and specialty pork supplier of choice for high end restaurants in Ottawa and Gatineau. Mariposa Farm’s specialties include Rhode Island Red chickens, Duroc and Tamworth pigs, Muscovy ducks, and Chinese and Toulouse crossed geese.
  
  Walker named his farm after the street of the school that expelled him as a teenager, Ashbury College. 
•  Amanda Armstrong and Kiersten Vuorimaki at Apt 613 have three brunch recommendations: Dessert First (The Bank Street location ‘serves up brunch seven days a week – and has a $9 weekday brunch special’), Drip House (‘Sometimes when I’m home alone in my sweatpants and too lazy to cook, I dream about their Breakfast Bowl. If there is a more perfect meal in town, I’d like to try it’), GongFu Bao / Gongfu Café (‘The Hong Kong french toast is crispy and golden on the outside, but smooth and moist on the inside, with a rich creamy custard in the middle’), and Tami’s Café (‘Pandan flavour is difficult to describe, but the pancakes had a delightful herbacious- vanilla- coconut vibe that was sweet without being cloying’).
•  Danielle Jeffery at Eat The Strip took a reader’s suggestion to visit Iraqi restaurant Sheikh Amandi on Carling Avenue. Says Jeffery, ‘My life has been forever altered, for the better, now that I have tasted the delectable delight that is mandi’. 
•  Although Peter Hum in the Ottawa Citizen skipped the beef aorta and pig intestines on menu, he enjoyed the Dongbei-style barbecue at Takumi BBQ where he and his guest had to cook the meat themselves at the table. However, he was not impressed at all by the fare at Kyoto Yakitori despite the reasonable prices.

OTTAWA STATS

Ottawan of the Day

• Tayler Kelly
• – The 24-year-old is the new World Boxing Council Muay Thai Canadian female amateur champion. (Jackie Perez at CTV)

Quote

• “

• It just felt like something we were doing alone. Like we were fighting for something that is being ignored

• – Christine Agnetsiak, the cousin of Tommy Agnetsiak, whose body was found in the Gatineau side of the Ottawa River April 6. Christine says that the Ottawa Police Service police never contacted her or her family about progress after Tommy was reported missing. ( Jorge Antunes in the Nunatsiaq News)

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CITY HALL AGENDA

What’s going on at City Hall

No more meetings this week.

WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

🤫 Secrets

•  The secret drone headquarters for the Canadian Armed Forces will be built at Uplands. To be fair, the Ministry of Defence says it was never a secret and it even did a public environmental review. Two hundred personel will work in the headquarters, which controls drones that are parked in BC and Nova Scotia. (David Pugliese in the Ottawa Citizen)

🚌 OC Transpo

•  Joining the 21st century, OC Transpo is testing debit card tap for fares. There is no date as to when it will be available across the system but the Interac logo is already being shown on payscreens (even though you can't pay that way yet). And STO, you don’t get to be smug – Gatineau transit still doesn’t accept debit either. (OC Transpo)

🏌️‍♀️ National Capital Commission

•  The National Capital Commission has bought the Dunnderosa Golf Course in Chelsea. Sold for $3.9 million, the 41.8 acres of property will not be reopened as a golf course – its been closed for years – but be added to Gatineau Park. The existing miniature golf course is not part of the deal and remains open. (Josh Pringle at CTV) 

💥 Neighbours

•  The Lowertown Food Bank has been prevented from moving into a new location because the neighbouring recreation centre won’t share the mobility ramp. The Lowertown Food Bank found new space in a City-owned building on Coburg, next to the Patro d'Ottawa Rec Centre. For reasons not disclosed, the Centre will not permit use of the mobility ramp to the Food Bank. (Dave Charbonneau at CTV)
  
  ➕ Related Hunt Club neighbourhood residents are the latest neighbours to be upset at the idea of a Inuit facilty in their area. The Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition wants to build a 30-bed facility for Inuit women who are affected by domestic violence. Previously, members of the the Upper Hunt Club Community Association opposed the Larga Baffin facility, which would temporarily house Inuit who travelled to Ottawa for medical care.

🏗️ Ottawa Hospital General Campus

•  The University of Ottawa has submitted plans to build a six storey Advanced Medical Research Centre on Smyth Road on the campus of the Ottawa Hospital. The centre would ‘address the urgent need for new research and innovation infrastructure, training programs to support talent pipelines, knowledge translation, and development of new start-up companies’. The University says that once built, it would support 1,000 researchers. (Josh Pringle) (Promotional video)

🏎️ Feel the Need for Speed

•  The Province is raising the speed limit to 110 km/h on the entirety of Highway 416. The speed is also increased on Highway 401 between Highway 16 and the Québec border and between Kingston and Belleville. (Province of Ontario)

🛒 Grocery Flyer Specials

•  Every week, Donovan Burey reviews all the grocery store flyers for deals and posts them on Reddit. Some highlights this week: ground beef (medium) $3.27 per lb at Walmart, dumplings (pork or chicken) $4.99 500g box at Farm Boy, and eggs  $7.99 30-pack at FreshCo. (/Ottawa)

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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

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Please use our easy event submission form

Today

•  The embassies of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, in partnership with the ByTowne Cinema, present the German Language Film Festival Ottawa. Starting tonight (April 24) until May 15, each Wednesday evening a different recent German language film (with English subtitles) will screen at the ByTowne Cinema. Tonight’s festival opener is Breaking the Ice.

•  Democracy on Trial is a series of group discussions led by Robert Miller, former president and chief executive of the Parliamentary Centre. Tonight’s discussion is The Fire Next Door: The Authoritarian Impluse in the United States. 6:30 pm at Ottawa Public Library Sunnyside branch. 1049 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1S 3W9.

•  The 2024 National Poetry Recitation Finals bring students from across the country to the National Arts Centre to compete for glory in performing works in English and French by Canadian, Indigenous, and International poets. Hosted by Evan Solomon and Johanne Blais. Azrieli Studio at 8:00 pm. 1 Elgin St.

•  Boston visits Ottawa in the penultimate home game of the Professional Women’s Hockey League season. The Arena at TD Place.

•  Watch as athletic people do incredible things on top of and inside mountains in the Mountains on Stage festival. Four films of 45 minutes or less will be screened at the event, which takes place at the Mayfair Theatre.
   

•  There are some pretty terrific prizes up for grabs at Nerdy Bingo at Laugh Lounge. Plus, you’ll get to meet other geeks and have lots of fun. 61 York St. K1N 9C7
   

•  ByTowne Cinema: Wicked Little Letters, German Language Film Festival Ottawa: Breaking the Ice, Irena’s Vow

•  Mayfair Theatre: One Life, Mountains on Stage

  Gigs

•  Operatic Revelry: Spring Fever. Rainbow Bistro

•  Ken Seeley Duo. Bar Robo

•  Sourpussy, Castle Black, Saturn Sunrise. LIVE on Elgin

•  Supersonic Hearts Band. Atomic Rooster

•  Vanessa Collier. Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe

•  Celtic Celebration. Red Bird

•  Ripped to Shreds, Nucleus, Bonded by Strength, Ritual. Dominion Tavern

Tomorrow

•  It’s the Vernissage of Ottawa Art Gallery’s Art School Confidential.
   
•  Author Dimitri Nasrallah will speak with CBC’s Alan Neal at the Ottawa Public Library Main Branch. Although it’s in person you can also catch the conversation on the OPL’s YouTube channel.
   

•  Urban Sketchers Ottawa are meeting up at the Museum of Nature for a couple of hours of drawing as you wander through the exhibits.

•  The Ottawa Grassroots Festival opener is sold out tonight (Thursday April 25) but tickets are still available for Charlie A’Court at First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa on Friday April 26.

•  Axé WorldFest’s Empowering Women in the Music Industry Conference 4th Edition (April 25-27) is “an essential gathering to continue much-needed conversations about gender roles in the industry, to network, spark new ideas, and connections through eclectic musical showcases, panels, and networking events over three days.” Programming takes place at Club SAW, the NAC, Arts Court, and the 27 Club.

•  Candlelight Concerts set their sights on Ed Sheeran tonight. The Listeso String Quartet plays all the musician’s biggest hits at Knox Presbyterian Church. 120 Lisgar St K2P 2L7

•  The NAC Orchestra joins forces with Thorgy Thor to play a mix of classical, pop tunes and comedy.

•  ByTowne Cinema: Wicked Little Letters, Irena’s Vow, Problemista

•  Mayfair Theatre: Kino 30 Day Challenge, Maniac

  Gigs

•  Sara Pagé, Nick Schofield, Charbonneau, Amato. National Arts Centre

•  Ghost Town Blues Band (Memphis Tennessee), Mon Voisin. Rainbow Bistro

•  Friendly Frogs Freak Show, The Oscillators, Rich Chris. House of TARG

•  Emir Taha Hoppa Band. Babylon Nightclub

•  Gunning, Cormier. Red Bird

•  Those Who, hans!, Adam Ferris. LIVE on Elgin

•  Karaoke Thursdays. Atomic Rooster

Thursday

•  The SASC of Ottawa is marking its 40th anniversary with cocktails, canapés, and a silent auction fundraiser at allsaints event space.

•  Queers & Beers returns to Queen St Fare for craft beer and conversation. A DJ will bring the tunes. 170 Queen St.

•  Make it a Friday night to remember as Preston Event Centre hosts C*4’s ‘Rush Hour’ wrestling. VIP tickets cost $40 in advance or $50 at the door. Other tickets are available, but you, you are a VIP.

•  Oooh, scary! Tour Cumberland Heritage Village Museum after sundown, if you dare. Ghost Tours take small groups into the historic buildings to take in the eery vibe and maybe - just maybe - speak to the spirits that reside in the Village.

•  For its monthly jazz show Fever Pitch, Art House Café brings back a 1920s speakeasy vibe.

  Gigs

•  The High Loves (TO), The New Hires (Ottawa), Lucky Honey. Rainbow Bistro

•  Jazz Dialogues: Kenji Omae, Peter Hum Quartet. 10,000 Hours

•  Charlie A’Court, Rory Taillon. Grassroots Festival

•  Landback Ottawa Hardcore Takeover. Mavericks

•  Crooked Creek. Stray Dog Brewing Co.

•  Eastbound of Bytown. Overflow Brewing

•  Speedbump Sally Album Release. Avant-Garde bar

•  Loch Nisse Monster, Jude Zappala, Gondola. LIVE on Elgin

•  Tracy K. Trio. Montgomery Scotch Lounge

•  Jonathan Roy: Nice to Meet You tour. Bronson Centre Music Theatre

•  Guy Bélanger. National Arts Centre

•  The Cooper Brothers 50th Anniversary with special guests. Centrepointe

Just Announced / Now Booking

• Thirteen Strings presents Vaughan William’s ‘The Lark Ascending’ with violinist (and Concertmaster of the Orchestra Classique de Montréal) Marc Djokic on Friday May 17. The programme will also include selections from Robert Rival and Arcangleo Corelli.

• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is coming to the NAC October 3-5. Unlock pre-sale tickets using the promo code RAZOR15.

•  

  Evanescence will play the Canadian Tire Centre Oct 28. Tickets go on sale Friday.

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DEALS OF THE DAY

BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

Researchers at the University of Ottawa are studying if bumblebees can breathe underwater. The study began after researchers believed they had accidently drowned bumblebees in test tubes they were using in a pesticide study – and found most survived.  

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