HELLO OTTAWA | → The design of the Alexandra Bridge replacement has been chosen | → The audience has the power at Amuse Bouche Variety | → Local author chosen for 2025 Canada Reads book debate | → Deals of the Day at Soca Kitchen and Viens Avec Moi | → ❄️ High -4° Low -11° and moderate snow | – Martha and Darren | | STATISTICS OTTAWA | | 18 | | OTTAWAN OF THE DAY | Jamie Chai Yun Liew | Liew’s debut novel, Dandelion, has been chosen as a contender for CBC’s 2025 Canada Reads book debate. Dandelion is a novel about ‘family secrets, migration, isolation, motherhood and mental illness’. As per the Canada Reads rules, the lawyer and University of Ottawa law professor will be championed by a personality, in this case Saïd M'Dahoma, the Pastry Nerd. (And M'Dahoma is a whole other rabbit hole: a Parisian with a neuroscience PhD who works at the University of Alberta plus he has the pastry thing) Perfect Books on Elgin is offering signed copies of Dandelion if you buy online. | | | | CBC |
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| | I’m pleased Donald Trump has his sights set on the Panama Canal and not the Rideau Canal |
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| – A quip from Mayor Mark Sutcliffe as he gave his annual State of the City speech at the Ottawa Board of Trade Tuesday. The speech itself? Historic challenges to Ottawa because of reduced office use by the Federal government and the threat of job cuts. THE OTTAWAN can’t find a copy of the speech anywhere but from what we’ve seen, no new information. | | | | Blair Crawford in the Ottawa Citizen |
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| | WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL | No more meetings this week |
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| | | WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT | 🐍 Alexandra Bridge | ▪️The American Eel is the inspiration for the design chosen to replace the Alexandra Bridge. The National Capital Commission chose ‘Motion’ from architect Martin Knight who said, ‘The bridge’s graceful form reflects the eel’s motion.’ The National Capital Commission has ruled out refurbishing the 124 year-old bridge, instead choosing to replace it with one that does not have a train or tram lane. Construction is planned to start in 2028. | | | | CBC |
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| 🏠 Homelessness | ▪️The Federal government has given $10.5 million to the City to address homeless people, bypassing the Province. The Federal government is in negotiation with Ontario over funding for sheltering people but, as it had not reached a deal, has provided money directly to ten municipalities. | | | | Elyse Skura at CBC |
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| ➕ Related Economist Neil Saravanamuttoo says the City must work on ‘Plan B’ over sprung structures. The City made a ‘no bid’ contract with a Toronto firm to build a tent-like structure for refugees but has backtracked slightly after anger from the local construction industry and now has a ‘two week bid process’. Saravanamuttoo says the structures are humiliating to newcomers, neighbours hate them, and the City should use the former convent on St Joseph Boulevard that it just bought. | ➕ Related The tents of a homeless camp in Gatineau have been replaced by Village Transitiôn, a community that lives in 45 shipping containers provided by the company redeveloping the former Robert-Guertin hockey arena. Rent starts at $200. | ➕ Related City staff have been authorized to study an anti-renoviction bylaw if the Province does not pass legislation by April 1. City staff previously recommended against a bylaw before the order. | ⛳ Cantley? No, we Can’t | ▪️Residents of Cantley, just north of Gatineau, booed city council after it approved more densification. The town of 10,500 is required by Québec law to increase its population but also to limit urban sprawl, which means more apartments and duplexes. Residents says that want to keep their small town character, despite being part of fourth largest population in Canada. | | | | CBC |
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| Club Zinc T-Shirts | For underground Ottawa of 80s, Club Zinc was a short, dark light. | Help support THE OTTAWAN by buying one of our historic logo t-shirts. | |
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| | THE ROLLING 3 DAY CALENDAR | Is there an event we should know about?
Please use our easy event submission form | TODAY | | TOMORROW | ▪️ The 2025 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Qualifier is here. The winner of this Slam will represent Urban Legends Poetry Collective at the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam, the annual national competition held in Vancouver BC in April. The winner will also receive $750 towards travel costs. ▪️ Salesman in China continues at the National Arts Centre. ▪️ Get drunk with power at Amuse Bouche Variety, where the audience gets to decide which of the performing comedians will headline a future show. Tickets are $5. ▪️ Road Trip: Visit Cornwall for the Aultsville Film Fest, tonight through Sunday. ▪️ Road Trip: Billed as a show that both lovers and haters of the Bard can get behind, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) (Revised) (Again) is two hours of hilarity. Studio Theatre Perth. ▪️ Hintonburg Pottery’s Wheel Beginner course is a six-week session for those with no experience. ▪️ The Ottawa Home and Remodeling Show continues at EY Centre. ▪️ Deacon Brodies’ Burns Night Celebrations are authentic, with Wild Call of the Pipes, haggis, and other Scottish shenanigans. Reservations are recommended. ▪️ Meanwhile, Moose McGuire’s Huntclub enters the spirit of Robbie Burns Day with a menu with highlights like the Glasgow Mule cocktail, Tattie Soup Cup (tatties are potatoes, btw), and Scottish Steak Pie. The menu is available until Sunday. ▪️ ByTowne Cinema: The Brutalist, The Room Next Door ▪️ Mayfair Theatre: The Substance, The Last Showgirl, Vampyr Gigs ▪️ Laylit Dance Party. SAW Centre ▪️ Fireball Kid. Rainbow Bistro ▪️ Otis Strange. Red Bird ▪️ Richard Page & Ella Malleau. Night Oat ▪️ Sum 41. Canadian Tire Centre ▪️ umberlune and Julie Stella. Art House Café ▪️ 80s Dance Party with DJ Remi Royale and One Vision. House of TARG ▪️ The Start. Heart & Crown Preston St. ▪️ Sussex. The Prescott ▪️ Forever Foreigner. Overflow Brewing Co. |
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| SATURDAY | 🆓 Ottawa ComicCon Winter Edition promises the usual line up of performers from your favourite shows, vendors, autograph sessions, photo ops, panels and workshops, and more. Cosplay is encouraged. Today and tomorrow at EY Centre. ▪️ Keep your ComicCon costume on and head to the Rainbow Bistro, where you’ll save $5 and pay $15 at the door for Close Encounters of the FUNK with Smelloship and Brothership, just for dressing up. Meanwhile, the chumps in normal clothes will pay $20. ▪️ You’ll find more than 75 local vendors, a food and coffee truck, knife and tool sharpening, tarot card reading, and the chance to hang in the tropical greenhouses at Robert Plante’s 2nd Annual Winter Market. Dogs are welcome. ▪️ Pay What You Can: If you’re a writer who wants some feedback in a safe space, head to The Grove for the Writers’ Salon: Works in Progress. ▪️ Bowman’s Bar & Grill on Carling is holding a True North Party to celebrate what it is to be Canadian. Plaid, toques, and hockey jersey attire all welcomed. RSVP to avoid disappointment. 🆓 The Historical Society of Ottawa presents a chance to hear about Editorial Cartoonist Guy Badeaux’s four decades at Le Droit. ▪️ Vintage Pop-Up 613 brings its “sustainable vintage mall of one-of-a-kind second-hand goods” to Next Door Market & Event Space. Ends tomorrow. 🆓 Come in out of the cold and experience 613Flea, the huge market (we’re talking 150 vendors) this Saturday. ▪️ Drop into the Open Studio: Burlap Embroidery if you’re visiting National Gallery this weekend (or any weekend in January). The workshop is free with your gallery admission. 10:00 am to 4:00 pm ▪️ Mystara brings a Frosty Fiesta of classic rock to the Carleton Tavern. ▪️ Get your reno questions answered at the Ottawa Home & Remodelling Show. ▪️ Misery: The Play continues at The Gladstone Theatre. ▪️ ByTowne Cinema: The Brutalist, The Room Next Door ▪️ Mayfair Theatre: The Substance, Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens, Saturday Night Sinema Gigs ▪️ The Uninvited Guests (CCR / John Fogerty tribute). Overflow Brewing ▪️ Groove Machines. Irene’s Pub ▪️ Lemmy tribute. House of TARG ▪️ Pimienta. Night Oat ▪️ Lynne Hanson. Red Bird ▪️ Murray Kinsey and Wicked Grin. The Brass Monkey |
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| JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING | | | DEALS OF THE DAY |  | Soca Kitchen |
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| The Soca Kitchen offers half-priced mains from 5:00pm to 6:30 pm on Thursdays, this month only. |
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|  | Viens Avec Moi |
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| | BUT, ONE MORE THING … | | | DAILY QUALITY CONTROL | What did you think of today’s OTTAWAN? | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great ⭐⭐⭐ Satisfactory ⭐ Needs Improvement |
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