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HELLO OTTAWA

Mailbag

Reader Linda writes us about the impending closure of the Mandarin Ogilvie: ‘The Mandarin Ogilvie is not in Vanier! It's in Gloucester or, if you want a more specific neighbourhood, Cyrville. Very sad news though – people should get there while they still can if they like real (ie not North American) Chinese food!’.

Someone at the ottawan made this error. Was it Ottawa native Martha or Vancouver exile Darren? Answers on a postcard, there are no prizes.

Memberships

We’ll finally get to the details tomorrow. But if you agree that the ottawan is useful at understanding Ottawa, finding something to do, or at least diverting you from what you really should be doing at this moment, please consider what a membership would mean to you.

– Martha and Darren

TODAY’S LINE UP

•  Ottawa Stats
•  City Hall Agenda
•  What Ottawa is Talking About
•  Events
•  Deals of the Day

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OTTAWA STATS

Ottawan Valleyans of the Day

• The Debenham Brothers, Jennifer Johnston-Armstrong, Rae Palmer and Eddie Francis
• – The six are 2024 inductees into the Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame. A proper ceremony will be held Sept 29 at Meridian Theatres at Centrepointe. (Sherry Haaima in Pembroke Today) (Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame)  

Quote

• “

• But this is really not about higher costs; it’s a rush to push the project through before a new Ontario building code goes into effect.

• – Mohammed Adam in the Ottawa Citizen accusing the City’s finance committee of not being interested in good design in the Lansdowne 2.0 project when it voted against a design competition.

CITY HALL AGENDA

What’s going on at City Hall

No meetings tomorrow

WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

🚊 OC Transpo

•  The head of OC Transpo refuses to give an opening date of the O Train Trillium Line. Renee Amilcar says the agency is making good progress but ‘we need to see train operating hours increase, operator training complete, and system training advance’ before a date can be determined. The line was supposed to open August 2022. (Josh Pringle at CTV)
  
  ➕ Related OC Transpo ridership increased in January and February over the same time last year, but still missed its targets. The agency had budgeted for 6.4 million passenger in each month but only moved 6 million and 6.1 million in January and February. 

🚁 Department of National Defence

•  The Canadian Forces will be building a secret drone command centre in Ottawa. The actual drones will fly from Greenwood, Nova Scotia and Comox, BC but will be controlled from a 6,000 square metre, 200 person facility here, which no one will notice.  the ottawan suggests re-using the Diefenbunker. Nobody in Ottawa knew about that when it was in use, did they? (David Pugliese in the Ottawa Citizen)

🤡 Dignitaries

•  Former United Kingdom prime minister, former mayor of London, and former editor of various publications from which he was fired, Boris Johnson, was in town yesterday. He spoke at the conservative movement-supporting Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference 2024 along with former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott, in favour of Israel and Ukraine.
  
  What caught our eye was his opposition to a proposed new UK law that would increase the age to buy tobacco each year. Everyone who can currently buy tobacco legally can continue to do so, but those who cannot legally smoke now, never will.  ‘The party of Winston Churchill wants to ban cigars … Donnez moi un break, as they say in Québec. It’s just mad’, said Johnson.
  
  He also hoped that the Conservative Party in the UK would be ‘transfused with the Canadians’ can-do spirit and turn things around in the next few months’.  (Eleni Courea in The Guardian)

🌑 The Eclipse

•  Bicycle Craft Brewery is also collecting eclipse glasses to be given to Astronomers Without Borders. Drop them off at the taproom, 850 Industrial Ave #12, K1G 4K2. (Instagram) (Astronomers Without Borders)

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MORE FROM THE OTTAWAN

• 🍺 Our Ottawa-Gatineau Craft Brewery Map

•  

• 🏆 The Best Of Ottawa Awards 2023

•  

• 🎧 Best Podcasts from Ottawa

EVENTS

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

Today

•  Edgy comic Rob Mailloux headlines Yuk Yuk’s Ottawa West tonight through Saturday night.

•  Michelle Thrush uses humour and honesty to tell the story of her transformation from a girl with a tumultuous childhood to Gemini Award-winning actor and artist. Inner Elder plays until Saturday (April 13) at the National Arts Centre’s Azrieli Studio.

•  The Canadian War Museum represents a lecture about The Battle of Vimy Ridge and Its Legacies. A trio of the museum’s historians will take a deep dive into the battle, assisted by rare historical photos, art, and other items of cultural significance. Free for members but registration is required. $10 for non-members.

•  Ottawa Little Theatre’s production of Grand Horizons continues until May 22.

•  ByTowne Cinema: The Old Oak, Ciné-Club d’Ottawa: One belle course, Ciné-Club d’Ottawa: Les pires

•  Mayfair Theatre: Poor Things, American Fiction, Carol Doda Topless At The Condor

  Gigs

•  Comedy Night. Pour Boy

•  The Wind-Ups, Hidden Passages, David Tosh. Avant-Garde Bar

•  Open Mic Night. Wise Town Café

•  Flavours & Vibes: King Cruff Live in Concert with Special Guest Jessie Simmons. Rainbow Bistro

•  Boshko Maric. Montgomery Scotch Lounge

•  Zaki Ibrahim. National Arts Centre

•  Christine Graves. Red Bird

•  Backseat Dragon, Sun Junkies, Dolonia. House of TARG

Tomorrow

•  It’s all about the laughs at the Luxe Blooms Ladies Comedy Night. $10
   
•  Get down at The Disco Fever Experience. Live musicians and singers bring the hits of the era to life at Théâtre du Casino in Gatineau.
   
•  The list of reasons to head to Arts Court for the Ottawa Dance Directive Fundraiser Freakin’ Fun Friday goes something like this: popcorn, cupcakes, karaoke, DJ, dancing and crystal readings. It’s all rounded out with a performance by Compagnie ODD. Tickets from $27.96.
   
•  Irish Film Festival Ottawa opens today with the drama Verdigris, followed by an after party. The festival runs until Sunday (April 14) at the Arts Court Theatre and Alma Duncan Salon.
   
•  Spend the evening watching nail-biting freestyle motocross tricks as FMX World Tour roars into The Arena at TD Place. Tonight only.
   
•  The way Spring is going so far it’s not hard to imagine the Summer cottage season. Get ready with a trip to the Ottawa Cottage Life & Backyard Show, today through Sunday at EY Centre.
   
•  Ottawa Little Theatre’s production of Grand Horizons continues until May 22.
   
•  ByTowne Cinema: Wicked Little Letters, La chimera, The People’s Joker
   
•  Mayfair Theatre: The Taste of Things, The Old Oak, Dawn of the Dead

  
  Gigs

•  Remi’s Dance Floor Time Machine - A 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s Dance Party. House of TARG

•  Funk Yo Self, Aspects. Irene’s Pub Restaurant

•  Saturn Sunrise, Myles Bell Band, Sunny Spot. Avant-Garde bar

•  Funk Night with Brass Camel and Mecca of Stank. Rainbow Bistro

•  Queens of the Stone Age. Canadian Tire Centre

•  The Slackers with Some Ska Band. Overflow Brewing

•  Mikhail Laxton. Montgomery Scotch Lounge

•  Cam Kahin. Dominion Tavern

•  Korpiklaani, Visions of Atlantis, Illumishade. Brass Monkey

Saturday

•  This is the final weekend for maple activities as the 2024 season winds up. Visit Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm, Fulton’s Sugar Bush, or Proulx Maple & Berry Farm for a final wander through the (snowless) trails and a shop for locally produced syrup.

•  Atletico Ottawa’s home opener against York United is also an awareness campaign for Canadian Blood Services. The ‘Save a Life’ initiative allows ticket holders to sign up for the Canadian Blood Services Stem Cell Registry.

•  New work by BC artist Erica Hawkes, who self-describes her style as Nouveau-Seven (she’s influenced by Art Nouveau and the Group of Seven) is up at Wall Space Gallery. The Verrnissage is this afternoon from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

• Irish Film Festival Ottawa continues at Arts Court Theatre. 

•  Take your physical health to another level with an all day extravaganza that covers fitness classes, strength and bodyweight workouts, and more. Come for a workout or stay for the whole day of activities. FitPalooza runs all day at Collège La Cité Athletic Facility and Excentricité, 801 Aviation Parkway, Building H, Ottawa.

•  Join the Fabrications 7th birthday celebrations on from 11:00 to 5:00 pm. The first 50 people to enter the store will receive a swag bag, and everyone gets a spin at the wheel of prizes. There will also be cake, but you know that cake eventually runs out, so get there early. 1677 Carling Ave.

•  House of TARG takes us back to the 90s with Big Shiny Tunes LIVE and VJ Jeff The Temp. Toronto tribute band Big Shiny ‘90s will play all the best music of the era. Doors open at 9:00 pm. $12 cover.

•  The new Pet Valu at 1295 Carling Ave opens with a Rescue Event: meet pets looking for forever homes courtesy of Forever Family Dog Rescue. Nail trims are also available for a donation. 11:00 am - 3:00 pm.

•  Take the whole family to see some grown ups wrestle for glory at the Megaslam event at Dom Polski Hall. Catch singles and tag team matches all night long. Presented by Acclaim Pro Wrestling.

  Gigs

•  Midnight Mayday. Bar Robo

•  Kaeley Jade. Montgomery Scotch Lounge

•  Hot 89.9’s Totally 2000s Dance Party. Bronson Centre Music Theatre

•  Murray Kinsley, Wicked Grin. Irene’s Pub Restaurant

•  Class of 91, Drift Current, Juventud. Dominion Tavern

•  Sarah Segal-Lazar, Jumpin Joel Flash, the Magic Machine, Ottawa Guitar Trio. Rainbow Bistro

•  Bobby Dove. National Arts Centre

•  Benj Rowland, Ali McCormick. Red Bird

•  Ball & Chain, the Wreckers. Atomic Rooster

•  Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum, Wilderen. Brass Monkey

•  ByTowne Cinema: Wicked Little Letters, La chimera, The People’s Joker

•  Mayfair Theatre: Twelve Tales, The Taste of Things, Dawn of the Dead, Saturday Night Sinema

Just Announced / Now Booking

• Ottawa’s Lost Baggage Musical Theatre presents what some call the ‘perfect musical:’ Damon Runyon’s Guys and Dolls. Tickets are going fast for the performances April 25 through 28 at Arts Court Theatre.

• Vodkow’s Trivia Night does it right with a cocktail, snack box, and three rounds of trivia all included in the $40 ticket price. Friday April 26 at Dairy Distillery, 34 Industrial Drive, Almonte, ON

• Out of the box Fibre Artists open their doors to the community once again with the May Fibre Fling Exhibition and Sale. Not only might you find the perfect Mother’s Day gift, but your $5 admission will support Ottawa Food Bank and the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Friday May 3 and Saturday May 4 at Kitchissippi United Church (630 Island Park Drive).

• Carly Rae Jepsen and Tyler Shaw will play Bluesfest Sunday, July 7.

• The Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival has announced its line-up, including: Charlotte Cardin, Jonathan Roy, The Voice contender Dave Fenley, Isabelle Boulay, and Mehdi Cayenne. The 37th edition of the Festival runs August 29 to September 2.

DEALS OF THE DAY

BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

Craig Baird has been highlighting the history of our country on his Twitter feed, Canadian History Ehx. In this thread, he relates the story of one of Canada's most important cultural exports: You Can’t Do That on Television, created and filmed at Ottawa”s CJOH TV.

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