Hello Ottawa
In Today’s Edition
→ Famous folkies Alice Cooper, the Sex Pistols, and Third Eye Blind to headline CityFolk 2026
→ Beekeeping takes centre stage in Ottawa Little Theatre’s production of The Birds and The Bees (tomorrow)
→ The Deal of the Day is Canadian-made womenswear at Birds of North America
– Martha and Darren
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STATISTICS OTTAWA
NUMBER
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6
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The number of Outaouais roads, out of 10, that are on CAA Québec’s Worst Roads list. Four are in Gatineau itself, with Chemin Pink voted as number one.
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QUOTE
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We believe the city can do two things at the same time: they can do their truck study, but they can [also] close the designated truck route in the meantime
– Director of Manotick Concerned Citizens Against Truck Traffic, Jim Sproule, over the City’s search for better truck routes in the south end. While the City has launched a survey of residents about the preferred ways to keep trucks out of Manotick, Sproule’s group would prefer that they be diverted immediately.
– Natalia Goodwin at CBC
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SPORTS
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Ottawa Charge are still waiting to find out who their opponents will be in the Walter Cup. It should have been decided at the Montréal Victoire – Minnesota Frost match last night but, incredibly, that game was cancelled due to an unspecified illness. The game has been rescheduled for tonight.
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Tonight
🏀 CEBL Ottawa BlackJacks v Calgary Surge
⚾ FRONTIER Ottawa Titans at New York Boulders
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PLEASE SUPPORT THE OTTAWAN
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Please consider joining the many other readers with a monthly, annual, or one-time donation to keep the ottawan on its mission.
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WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL
Ottawa City Council
Wednesday, May 13 at 10:00 am
- Ottawa Public Health 2025 Annual Report
- Economic Development Rural Plan
- Motion - Councillor I. Skalski – Rural Home Infrastructure Upgrade Financing Program
- Motion - Councillor C. Kitts – Improving Road Safety at Tenth Line Road and Wall Road
- 1229 Dwyer Hill Road (Ashton Pines) - Municipal Responsibility Agreement (MRA) for private communal water system and private communal wastewater system
- Replacement of Septic System Infrastructure at 2761 8th Line Road (Stanley Apartments) - Village of Metcalfe
- AvranceCorp Developments - In Camera - Solicitor Client Privilege - Settlement to resolve potential litigation matters - Reporting Out date: After resolution of the matter
- Office of the Auditor General (OAG) – Audit of Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland Funds
- Pathways to Housing: Ottawa’s Family Homelessness Strategy
- 2026 Update to Local Priority Rules Under the Housing Services Act, 2011
- Motion – Councillor M. Carr (on behalf of Councillor R. Brockington) – 200 Bytown Celebration – Tree Planting
- Motion - Councillor W. Lo – Removal of Municipal Trees
- Housing Acceleration Plan Progress Update
- Motion – Councillor L. Johnson – Digital Façade Permit at IKEA
- Ottawa Hospital Connection to Dow’s Lake Station – Environmental Assessment Study Recommendations
- Implications of Bill 56 and Strategic Road Safety Action Plan Annual Report
- Motion – Councillor L. Johnson – Cityview Ditch Rehabilitation Project Area
- Municipal Responsibility Agreement (MRA) for 1491 Manotick Station Road
- Zoning By-law Amendment – 3296 Levrier Walk
- Front Ending Report – Cost Increase on the Fernbank Trunk Sewer Front Ending Agreement
- Motion – Councillor G. Gower (on behalf of Councillor S. Desroches) – Riverside South Library and Community Centre Height
- Motion – Councillor L. Johnson (on behalf of S. Menard) - Fourth Avenue parking time limits
Agenda
Whose flag is flying at City Hall today? None
City Hall flies the flag of embassies and high commissions on their national days.
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WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT
🚨 Famous folkies Alice Cooper, the Sex Pistols, and Third Eye Blind are some of the acts annouced for this year’s CityFolk. As Lansdowne is not available this summer due to downsizing construction, CityFolk will be held at the RA Centre on Riverside Drive. CityFolk runs September 16 to 20. A one-day tickte pre-sale happens tomorrow (May 13). – Stephanie Dubord at Apt 613
↪ Meanwhile, coming up at September’s Comicon: actors from Stargate (Amanda Tapping), X Men (Famke Janssen), and Smallville (Tom Welling, Laura Vandervoort, and Kristin Kreuk ) will be appearing.
💸 Ottawa Police Service projects lack oversight and proper budgets, says the City’s auditor general. Nathalie Gougeon says in a report that the Service does not document many items, is providing inaccurate information to leadership, and responsibility is not centralized. – Arthur White-Crummey at CBC
🚉 New OC Transpo general manager promises that the two car trains will return to O Train Line 1 in June. OC Transpo halved the service to one car trains in January after discovering that the axle assembly was flaking bits of metal. Rick Leary also said that he wanted the system to make more money from digital advertising. – CBC
↪ Over 35 buses have caught fire in the past 18 years, resulting in 10 buses being taken out of service.
🌷 Toronto paper goods purveyor Paperhood has created a 500 piece Canadian Tulip Festival puzzle. It's only $33 and pick up is available in "east Ottawa" (details at checkout). – Paperhood (h/t Laura Paquet at Ottawa Road Trips)
↪ Ottawa Bylaw issued 92 parking tickets last weekend to cars parked near the Canadian Tulip Festival.
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THE DAILY POLL
Is it a cold or is it allergies (Darren's suffering with something right now...)?
🔘 It's a miserable, springtime cold
🔘 It's a pollen allergy
🔘 It's some other kind of allergy
🔘 What am I, a doctor/pharmacist/other healthcare provider?!
▪️ “Poppies, Dahlias, Morning Glories and Hollyhocks all planted.”
▪️ “Bought some plants from Ritchie feed and seed, Roberte Plante, Peter Knippel this past weekend, ordered serviceberry online and plan to plant everything this long weekend.”
▪️ “Just need to get rid of the weeds which have have already ‘bloomed’ and are profusely spread all over the lawn and flower beds.”
▪️ “Best to get a good early start – save on food costs and eat home grown veggies!”
▪️ “Mind you, it’s herbs in pots, but still!”
▪️ “I plant bulbs in the fall. The lavender I wanted wasn’t at the store, so that’s delayed, and my summer bulbs haven’t arrived yet. Year round process!”
▪️ “Does starting the garden include getting rid of years of accumulated stuff? I have a very full compost bin now. No new plants yet, we keep getting frost warnings.”
▪️ “Right now, pre-nice weather dance! 1) take flowers out of garage when sun/warm 2) haul back in garage its cold/night time 3) oh crap, its cold today, stay in the warmer garage!”
▪️ “There have been frost warnings despite the warmer daytime weather so I’m waiting. It also gives more chance for worms to compost the Fall leaves.”
▪️ “The garden centres were open this past weekend so I bought some plants and planted them but with the weather in Ottawa I may regret this!”
▪️ “After Victoria Day, provided there is no snow in the forecast (which isn't a given this horrendous year).”
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HISTORIC OTTAWA LOGO T-SHIRTS
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Ottawa Xpress T-Shirt
The Ottawa Xpress was Ottawa’s beloved alternative weekly, published from 1993 – 2012.
Help support the ottawan by buying one of our historic logo t-shirts.
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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
TUESDAY
Cinema
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ByTowne Cinema: Montréal, My Beautiful (Montréal, Ma Belle), Palestine 36, Mile End Kicks
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Mayfair Theatre: Mile End Kicks, The Christophers, Middle Life
Gigs
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Carson Cameron. Night Oat
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Ron Mills. Folk Collusion (Le Hibou)
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Open Mic. LIVE on Elgin
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Geoff Arsenault album release. The Robo Lounge
WEDNESDAY
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✳️ Moulin Rouge! The Musical continues at National Arts Centre. (Downtown)
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🆓 Doors Open for Music at Southminster (DOMS) presents ‘Childhood Memories:with pianist Jui-Sheng Li’. Pieces by Bortkiewicz, Debussy, Schumann, and Wild will evoke fairy-tale worlds by the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christen Anderson. (Old Ottawa South)
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Ottawa Little Theatre’s production of Mark Crawford’s The Birds and The Bees is an adult comedy set in the world of beekeeping. The show runs Wednesdays through Saturdays until May 23 (Sandy Hill)
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The creative folks at Our Third Place are meeting at Hog’s Back Falls for board games, arts and crafts, and an optional 30-45 minute group hike.(Hog's Back - Prince of Wales)
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Visit Beyond the Pale Brewing and guess the theme at Outside the Box Trivia. You might win a prize. (Centretown West)
Cinema
Gigs
THURSDAY
Cinema
Gigs
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Robert Claro. The Robo Lounge
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Ariel Posen. Club SAWSport, Aspect Lisse, The Hunt Club. LIVE on Elgin
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The Hirs Collective, Subtrash, Cultural Treason. Avant-Garde Bar
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Trivia. Overflow Brewing
JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING
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Don’t miss the party at 1805 Gaspé this Saturday May 16, when Ottawa Street Markets celebrates their 4th anniversary. Expect appearances by Baccannalle, Pie Rogues, The Merry Dairy, and many more Ottawa Street Markets Farm Store faves. You'll also find Plant-A-Patch's Seedling Sale, plus live music. All in all, it's going to be a smashing Saturday.
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Next Monday’s (May 18) theme at Naked Boys Reading is ‘Literature of Fire’. Get your ticket before the event sells out. (Golden Triangle)
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Shop the Village is two-week-long excuse to discover Westboro’s shops, restaurants, and experiences. Join the fun at the kick off event on May 23 at Winston Square. (399 Winston Ave)
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BUT, ONE MORE THING ...
If you weren’t there, you’re probably not very well informed, but the Ontario Guild of Town Crier’s cry-off was held last weekend. Here is a 33 minute video of the contestants.
If, on the other hand, news is in your blood, you know that the Township of Rideau Lakes is seeking a new town crier. Applications are being taken until July 17 for a public audition on August 3.
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RAPID RESPONSE QUALITY CONTROL
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THE END
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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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