Hello Ottawa
In Today’s Edition
→ People from Ottawa claiming bottle deposits in Gatineau have caused Québec to change its rules
→ The Ottawa Greek Festival opens tomorrow
→ Made in Canada Deals of the Day: Select items from Illbury + Goose and Loko Sport
🎂 Birthday Shoutout
Everyone, please wish OTTAWAN member Christine F a happy birthday today.
⛐ Autowa
Yesterday, we wrote that the newsletter was skipped as the OTTAWAN-mobile had a broken shock absorber and dealing with it would take all day.
And it did.
A fun think to do is describe the weird sound in your car as like ‘a beer can in the fender’ to your mechanic. We felt like he was less interested in putting the car on the lift and more like he was recommending a local AA meeting.
Car rental places in Ottawa are not open after 5:00 pm nor do they open before 8:00 am. Buses and Uber don’t operate in our area, and, in the past, we’ve had to argue with a famous-name local taxi company that our address was indeed in Ottawa. They would take the ride request, reluctantly, but only if we paid in advance.
As for our soul saving mechanic, he helpfully found that the broken shock absorber was attached to brake pads and calipers that also needed replacing, an exhaust pipe that needed new holders, and, oh, so much more. But we’re back on the road, and the fender is certainly quieter.
– Martha and Darren
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THURSDAY DRINKING + DINING UPDATE
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🍺 We heard the sad news late last week that Orléans Brewing Co. has shut permanently, after almost nine years in business. You can still own a piece of the company by purchasing some craft beer, glassware, or ‘exclusive swag’. Everything is priced to sell.
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🍝 Carletto, a new Italian trattoria, will be opening at the Metcalfe Hotel this month. It is a sister restaurant to Cocotte Bistro, also at the Metcalfe.
🫒 The Olive Garden has returned to Ottawa, moving into the former East Side Mario’s spot on Carling at Kirkwood. Olive Garden was last seen in Ottawa around 2000.
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🌮 In the Ottawa Citizen, Peter Hum thinks the tacos at Little Bones in Westboro are somewhat bougie. But they, and the resto's cocktails, have been bringing in the neighbours.
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🍔 Rebecca Stanisic in SavvyMom says these are The Best Burgers in Ottawa: Bite Burger House, Art-is-In Bakery, Law and Orders, Occo Kitchen and Bar, Absinthe, Umbrella Bar, and St. Martha’s Brasserie.
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🍦 If you wondered what it would be like to spend your day in an ice cream truck, the Ottawa Citizen’s Olivia Belovich wrote about riding with Merry Dairy.
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STATISTICS OTTAWA
NUMBER
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$230,000
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The value of the amount of damage that vandals and thieves wreaked on the Chief William Commanda Bridge last week. Damaged or stolen were ‘electrical wire, ductwork, junction boxes and hand hole covers’.
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— William Eltherington at CTV
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OTTAWAN OF THE DAY
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Carmelina Moscato
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The former defender for Team Canada women’s soccer will be the new head coach of the Ottawa Rapid.
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Current head coach Katrine Pedersen had previously announced that she would be leaving at the end of the season.
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QUOTE
“
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We have other fish to fry, and this is a prime piece of land, so hopefully something can be made of it
– Smith Falls mayor Shawn Pankow defender his council’s decision to set aside $400,000 to demolish the town’s iconic 100 year-old water tower. Pankow says it would take $2.4 million to preserve it.
— CBC
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SPORTS
⚾ FRONTIER Ottawa Titans at Windy City ThunderBolts
⚽ Canadian Championship Atlético Ottawa vs Supra du Québec
Yesterday
⚾ FRONTIER Ottawa Titans 7 at Windy City ThunderBolts 2
Tuesday
⚽ Canadian Championship Atlético Ottawa 3 vs Supra du Québec 3
⚾ FRONTIER Ottawa Titans 6 at Windy City ThunderBolts 9
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PLEASE SUPPORT THE OTTAWAN
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THE OTTAWAN was launched in 2020 as the daily answer to the questions: What’s going on? What should I do? Where is somewhere good to eat?
Please consider joining the many other readers with a monthly, annual, or one-time donation to keep the ottawan on its mission.
All annual or one-time donations over $60 include an ottawan or historic logo t-shirt of their choice.
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Membership levels
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✅ Or make a one-time donation
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WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL
No meetings this week
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
🪙 People from Ottawa claiming bottle deposits in Gatineau have caused Québec to change its rules. While Ontario levys a deposit on alcohol bottles and cans, it is one of only two provinces – Manitoba is the other – that don’t do the same on soft drink bottles and cans. But some enterprising Ontarions have been crossing the river and dropping off at Québec bottle returns for the deposit – which off course had never been paid. Bottle return site Consignaction+ is now requiring people with Ottawa addresses to use a special queue and instead of being paid instantly, will be paid in a week after the bottles and cans have been examined. – Josh Pringle at CTV
🌊 The City has announced new support for those affected by the storm of yesterday and of Canada Day. At Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Drive, residents can receive support with backwater valve permits and related permitting questions. The Canadian Red Cross is also on location to help residents navigate the bureaucracy and community resources. – City of Ottawa
🚨 The four ex-Ottawa and Gatineau residents who were accused of a explosives-making scheme at Western University last January face four new charges. One of the accused has additionally been ‘charged with storing rifles at a home in Orléans, manufacturing a prohibited firearm in Ottawa and possessing a rifle at an unauthorized location in Québec’. Police have not yet let on what they suspect was the motivation of the four. – Kendra Seguin at CBC
⚡ Hydro Ottawa says requests to build data centres has ‘leveled out’. The chief executive of Ottawa Hydro, Bryce Conrad, said that the City-owned utility had received 34 requests for power over the past two years, which if approved and built, would use 90 per cent of the existing electricity available. Conrad says the utility is building a new substation every year to keep up with demand. – Adam Beauchemin at CTV
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THE DAILY POLL
How disrupted would your life be if your car was out of service?
Commentary
▪️ “Has anything changed since he started????”
▪️ “What a silly waste of money.”
▪️ “I have been wondering what he has been doing since he was hired. Maybe communicating that to the city’s residents might put him in a better light??”
▪️ “Waste of money!”
▪️ “What has been gained by having a Night Mayor? By my lights, nothing.”
▪️ “I am still afraid to go downtown at night.”
▪️ “Complete waste of $$.”
▪️ “Was he in charge of that terrible SOPA rebrand?”
▪️ “I think there's been a lot of great initiatives both in terms of new events and venues (Hisotry, Nuit Blanche, etc.) as well as regulatory changes. The people complaining probably never go out anyways ...”
▪️ “Sod the night life, how about fixing the roads and dealing with all the homelessness and criminality!!!”
▪️ “I live downtown. My nighttime outings are restricted to restaurant dining with friends. The night mayor hasn't had any effect on that area of life, for good or ill, that I've noticed.”
▪️ “Just another waste of taxpayers money. You can’t create nightlife or a nightlife zone by decree. It must spontaneously evolve from local conditions. Byward market is sanitized beyond repair.”
▪️ “If he is the one that conviced the police to be anywhere in ByWard other than The King Eddy, he’s doing a great job. He sure is invisible; how about a PR campaign of all that has been accomplished?”
▪️ “Who is doing this guy's annual performance review?”
▪️ “I’ve heard tell of him having held a couple of random meetings, but so far as I know he still lives in Montréal, runs his businesses in Montréal, and it kinda seems like Ottawa's been scammed.”
▪️ “For $200k a year — hire me! I’m sure I can creatively do something. And not just a website with recycled information.”
▪️ “I live in the Market and struggle to see how I could be less disappointed in the night mayor than I currently am.”
▪️ “Useless title and position … money can be spent somewhere important… like teenager housing.”
▪️ “No justification for the City trying to stimulate a business sector when it is so successful at deterring business.”
▪️ “Gotta ask … who does he know that got him this gig? I mean … c’mon!”
▪️ “I haven’t seen any activities aimed at me, 74 yr old single female. Is there a reason to go downtown after 5 pm?”
▪️ “I have no idea what he's been up to but I also like to be in bed by 9pm.”
▪️ “No clue what he is doing- never see him promote or update anything — is he really a human or a chatbox?”
▪️ “I’ve seen nothing to attract anyone.”
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HISTORIC OTTAWA LOGO T-SHIRTS
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Nortel T-Shirt
Northern Electric was founded in Montréal in 1895, growing into one of the world’s largest and most important telecom companies. Nortel hung up the phone in 2013. It's campus on Carling Avenue became the new home of the Department of National Defence.
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
THURSDAY
Cinema
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ByTowne Cinmea: Vivaldi et Moi (Primavera), Wicked Sing-Along With Shea Muah!
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Mayfair Theatre: The Invite, Once Upon A Time In A Cinema, Her Private Hell
Gigs
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The Fly Downs, Jackki Harrt, Social Suicide. House of TARG
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Meteo Heist, August John, Hedonic. LIVE on Elgin
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Liver. Dominion Tavern
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Jeff Louch Trio. The Robo Lounge
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Burningtree, Emerge, Belladonna Donna. Rainbow Bistro
FRIDAY
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The Russell Fair and Vankleek Hill Fair continue.
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Summer isn’t over yet. Spectrasonic’s Under the Stars Festival takes over the SAW courtyard (unless severe weather forces everyone to reconvene indoors) on Friday August 14 and Saturday August 15. It's all ages, but you must be 19+ and have photo ID to drink.
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Combine your love of wrestling with your desire to eradicate cancer. C*4 presents Fighting Back: Wrestling with Cancer 2026. The event will raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. (Little Italy)
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🆓 Weekend one of Ottawa Greek Festival promises great food, fiery Zorba shows, a Greek artisan marketplace, and cultural exhibits, at 1315 Prince of Wales Drive. (Carleton Heights / Rideauview)
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The Dominion Tavern will be overtaken by 22 heavy metal and hard rock bands over three days at Panda Fest 5. Continues until Sunday (ByWard Market)
Cinema
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ByTowne Cinema: Teenage Sex and Death At Camp Miasma, The Invite, Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion
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Mayfair Theatre: The Invite, Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World, I Want Your Sex
Gigs
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Jesse Greene and Jay Bleus. Irene's Pub
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Orléans Unplugged. Centrum (Orléans)
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Peter Hum Quartet. The Robo Lounge
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Parkway Jazz Combo. Night Oat
SATURDAY
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🆓 The Mayor’s Annual Community BBQ supports Kanata Food Cupboard, and donations of non-perishable foods are appreciated. (Kanata North)
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Canoeists and kayakers: assemble for the flash mob that is Lock & Paddle, returning to the Rideau Canal on Saturday (August 15) You'll paddle to the locks and travel down with hundreds of like-minded adventurers, making new friends on the way.
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Start your Saturday night this afternoon at 4:00 pm, when Lucky Ron entertains with music and stories at The Laff, just like he's been doing for forty years. (ByWard Market)
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The Queer Market at Next Door is a one-stop shop for goods produced by creative LGBTQIA+ makers and entrepreneurs. Continues Sunday. (Centretown West)
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Take your quest for the perfect geeky item to the 100+ vendors at Geek Hoard Haul (Stittsville / Kanata).
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The Russell Fair and Vankleek Hill Fair continue.
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The first weekend of Ottawa Greek Festival continues (Carleton Heights / Rideauview)
Cinema
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ByTowne Cinema: Teenage Sex and Death At Camp Miasma, Network (New Restoration), 125, rue des Malaises
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Mayfair Theatre: The Little Foxes, The Invite, Obsession, Saturday Night Sinema
Gigs
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Lives Like Skyscrapers, Third Rail Transmission, Paul Anthony. Irene's Pub
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Nick Maclean Quartet with Brownman Ali. The Robo Lounge
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Sandy Ewen & Philip Greenlief with Linsey Wellman and David Jackson. Fono
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Out by Lucy. Rainbow Bistro
JUST ANNOUNCED
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BUT, ONE MORE THING ...
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These two pieces are why THE OTTAWAN loves Narcity Ottawa.
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On June 30 writer Alessa Hickman wrote ‘I’m an Ottawa local and these are my 11 hidden gem spots in the city,’ which was followed up two weeks later by ‘6 reasons why I’m glad I don't live in Ottawa anymore and won’t move back long-term’.
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Hickman’s hidden gems: Strathcona Park, Tropical Greenhouse, House of TARG, Jack Pine Trail, After Hours, Alexandra Bridge lookout, Sweet Castle, Princess Louise Falls, the Green Door restaurant and bakery, airport viewing area, and Manotick village.
Hickman’s reasons to scram: I definitely don't miss Ottawa winters, I needed to experience life outside my hometown, The cost of living makes settling down feel a lot harder, Leaving Ottawa gave me a whole new outlook, I'm not ready to stop exploring yet, and I actually think I'll enjoy Ottawa more as a visitor.
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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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