The Ottawan : Newsletters : The NCC has agreed to sell 11 acres of LeBreton Flats to the Sens

Monday, August 11 August 2025

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☀️ High 36° Low 20° and sunny ☀️ 5:59 am 🌛 8:16 pm

Hello Ottawa

In Today’s Edition

→ The NCC has agreed to sell 11 acres of LeBreton Flats to the Sens

→ The Girl With No Hands has a world premiere in Strathcona Park tomorrow

→ Deals of the Day on private group sessions at Uppliva Spa

– Martha and Darren

STATISTICS OTTAWA

NUMBER

406,786
The number of passengers arriving from and departing to the United States at Ottawa Airport between January and June 2025. This is 54 per cent of the entirety of US/YOW journeys in 2024, suggesting an increased number of travellers.
Rachel Morgan at CityNews

OTTAWAN OF THE DAY

David McKeen
The 77 year-old inventor from Constance Bay was inspired by the wildfires five years ago to create his ‘wall of water’ system, a portable water pump that can draw from rivers or lakes to fight fires in areas remote areas.
Joanne Laucius in the Ottawa Citizen

QUOTE

“
This accent isn’t just about spelling — it’s a mark of respect for our shared heritage
– Orléans East-Cumberland ward councillor Matthew Luloff on the lack of an é in Orléans on an eastbound Highway 174 sign.
While the Ontario Geographic Names Board officially recognizes the é, Luloff discovered the sign was erected by an O Train work crew.
– CBC

SPORTS

🏈 cfl Ottawa RedBlacks 42 – Toronto Argonauts 46 last Saturday

⚽ nsl Ottawa Rapid 0 – Calgary FC 1 last Saturday

⚽ cpl Atlético Ottawa 2 – Winnipeg Valour 1 yesterday

🏀 cebl Ottawa BlackJacks 98 – Montréal Alliance 92 last Friday

🏀 cebl Ottawa BlackJacks 2 – Vancouver Bandits 130 yesterday

⚾ frontier Ottawa Titans 5 – Québec Capitales 6 yesterday

⚾ frontier Ottawa Titans 8 – Québec Capitales 3 last Saturday

⚾ frontier Ottawa Titans 3 – Québec Capitales 11 last Friday

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WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL

No meetings this week

Meetings and Agendas

WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

🏒 The Sens and the National Capital Commission have made an agreement for approximately 11 acres at LeBreton Flats. The purchase price has not been announced. Besides a downtown arena, the Sens hope to create an entire entertainment district on the land. – CBC

🎾 The Elmdale Tennis Club and Tennis Centre West Ottawa have temporarily closed their clay courts to test for asbestos. The precaution comes after several municipal courts in Québec found samples from a clay producing company had high levels of asbestos, although the testing of actual courts did not find anything. – Jayden Dill at CBC

🏳️‍🌈 Capital Pride quietly removes statement of Palestinian solidarity from its website. Last year, Capital Pride issued a statement about the ‘ongoing genocide’ and supporting boycotts of companies with Israeli connection which resulted in many, including the City of Ottawa, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, and the Ottawa Hospital pulling out of the parade. – Alexa MacKie in the Ottawa Citizen

🦝 Holly’s Haven Wildlife Rescue wants to raise $20,000 by October. The Rescue, based in West Carleton, is one of the few animal shelters that helps wild animals like foxes, raccoons, skunks, porcupines, and deer. – Leslie McKay at Stittsville Central Donate here

THE DAILY POLL

Do we need a new hockey area in LeBreton Flats?

Yes, downtown is a great location

No, we have a perfectly good arena in Kanata

Lansdowne has shown that building a retail district around a sporting venue is a great idea

Lansdown has shown that building a retail district around a sporting venue is not a great idea

Previously in ottawan polls:
We asked, ‘Ignoring any other candidates who may emerge, would you vote to give Mayor Sutcliffe in a second term?’
- 22% Yes
- 56% No
- 14% I wish I could vote him month-to-month
8% I wish I could vote him in for 10 years
Commentary

▪️ “Seems like Watson 2.0 at this point. ‘Who cares what you think, we are doing —’.”

▪️ “What a disappointing mayor. We would have been much better off with Catherine McKenney.”

▪️ “He is in the developers pocket. We need someone who thinks about people, not just pushing us around by police and Lansdowne style development.”

▪️ “Maybe he can take his also no-show buddy Naqvi with him on the way out.”

▪️ “I can’t say I’m enjoying the transit death spiral continue. He didn’t start it, but he certainly hasn’t helped.”

▪️ “Ottawa’s a mess. Government is in the pocket of developers and our transit system is aggressively predatory. Sutcliffe smiles and waves and shows up trying to take credit for anything remotely positive. As an agent of the status quo, he’s a perfect tool.”

▪️ “Worst mayor and council in a decade.”

▪️ “Good man and a good mayor.”

▪️ “He can’t get gone soon enough. :) :) :) ”

▪️ “I don’t know of anyone else running but Mr. Sutcliffe is certainly a hardworking leader!”

▪️ “Joel Harden for mayor!”

▪️ “I’m paying around 12% more on my tax bill this year alone. Around 22% higher monthly payments since he got in.”

▪️ “IDK. Really...”

▪️ “I can’t support his support for RTO.”

▪️ “Marathon Mark is the beigest of the beige, he has no vision for the city and is more focused on building roads than public transit.”

▪️ “He shouldn’t have made it to the first term.”

▪️ “There are way too many issues in Ottawa that I don’t think he has handled well or properly addressed so I will be voting for someone else.”

▪️ “He’s just what Ottawa has needed. Unfortunately, he has had to clean up many messes that were left for him.”

▪️ “Of course this is without knowing who the other candidates are so responses will be somewhat slanted.”

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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

MONDAY

🆓 Bowman's Bar & Grill welcomes Trombone Charlotte (aka Toronto musician Charlotte McAfee-Brunner) and her band for a special Musical Monday event (the bar doesn't usually open on Mondays). Expect swing and jazz vibes and very good beer.
ByTowne Cinema: To A Land Unknown, My Mother’s Wedding, 28 Years Later
Mayfair Theatre: My Mother’s Wedding, The Philadelphia Story, Thief
Gigs
Karaoke Mondays. Atomic Rooster

TUESDAY

St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival’s musical ode to the Bard, Play On! A Shakespeare Inspired Mixtape returns tonight and will run for just one week. It's always a smash hit, so come and see what the fuss is about.
🆓 Ventanas play original music in any of 20 languages on the Wood Terrace outside National Arts Centre. If you miss them tonight they’re back tomorrow for a second show (Wednesday August 13).
Ottawa Craft Beer Week passports at ready: visit your favourite brewery (or suss out something new to you) and savour the best in home-grown flavours. Get a stamp from each brewery you visit, for a chance to win prizes. #ocbw
We hear that there are just a few tickets left for Cornerstone’s Young Professional Advisory Board Tea Party at Tartelette. This intimate fundraiser features a guest speaker, silent auction and, of course, delicious teas and treats.
Weather permitting, A Company of Fools’ The Comedy of Errors plays Brantwood Park in Old Ottawa East from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
Hamilton continues at the NAC. You have until Sunday (August 17) to see the award-winning musical.
Odyssey Theatre’s The Girl With No Hands, a world premiere that retells the Brothers Grimm folk tale, plays under the stars in Strathcona Park Tuesday through Sunday until August 24.
Kids 12 and under don't requite a ticket to the RBC International 5* 2* Horse Show at Wesley Clover Parks.
Florence Y’alls travel all the way from Kentucky to play the Titans in front of an Ottawa crowd.
ByTowne Cinema: To a Land Unknown, Restoration: Throne of Blood, 28 Years Later
Mayfair Theatre: Sorry, Baby, Eddington, Thief

Gigs
Peyton McNamara. Night Oat
Mimi O'Bonswain. National Arts Centre
Trivia Tuesday. Overflow Brewing
Macro Micro Art Vernissage. Atomic Rooster
Clyde McGee. Dominion City Tavern

WEDNESDAY

Tonight’s spectacle at Les Grands Feux is brought to you by none other than Canada.
Break the monotony of the week with a visit to Parkdale Night Market (5:00 pm to 9:00 pm).
Ottawa Rapid FC takes on AFC Toronto at 7:00 pm.
Florence Y’alls play the Ottawa Titans in the second of a three game matchup.
🆓 Ventanas play original music in any of 20 languages on the Wood Terrace outside National Arts Centre.
Where are you taking your Ottawa Craft Beer Week passporttoday?
Weather permitting, A Company of Fools’ The Comedy of Errors plays Laroche Park in Mechanicsville from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
Hamilton continues at the NAC.
ByTowne Cinema: My Mother’s Wedding, 2025 Cat Video Fest, Detour: True Stories
Mayfair Theatre: Eddington, Sorry, Baby, Magnolia
Gigs
Jazz Jam: Beeched Wailers. Irene’s Pub
Chloe Boulianne, Illiyah Rose, OK Naledi. Akoustik at St. Charles Market (135 Barrette St.)
Marie Claude Trio. Bar Robo
Lulu Lamontagne, Bella Donna, Sun Dried Flies. House of TARG
Rabi Houtie. Avant-Garde Bar
Rare Groove Wednesdays. Atomic Rooster
Lives Like Skyscrapers, August Darula. Art House

JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING

Gather nine of your friends and get ready to shift a 10+ tonne truck just 100 feet in the Ottawa Fire Truck Pull (September 27). Whether you enter in categories for women, mixed teams, open, Armed Forces, or even the Shawn Mathieson First Responder Challenge, it’s all in aid of Epilepsy Ottawa.

MADE IN CANADA DEALS OF THE DAY

Book a gathering with your nearest and dearest at Uppliva Spa and save big on Nordic Circuit rentals. Book a 2.5 hour private access session including cedar löyly sauna, eucalyptus steam room, cold plunge pool, rain showers, relaxation lounge and garden patio for up to 16 people, for $900 (reduced from $1040). Available Tuesday through Sunday evenings until September 30. Contact maureen@uppliva.ca

BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

In the Ottawa Citizen, Steve Rennie writes about the Capital’s first baseball team, the Senators. Launched in 1898, and resplendent in uniforms of plaid, the team came in last place in the Eastern league.

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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