WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT
🖼️ Residents in Beaverbook want their neighbourhood to be designated as a ‘heritage conservation district’. Designating the Kanata neighbourhood as a heritage conservation district would mean that things like the old globe street lights, hedges, and building styles would be maintained. – CBC
🌊 Another paddleboarder has been rescued by the Ottawa Fire Services from the Deschênes Rapids. The Water Rescue Team found the paddleboarder, who was not wearing a personal flotation device, in the rapids itself. The person is now fine. Rapids, people. It’s in the name. – Rachel Morgan at CityNews
🏗️ Some Gatineau residents are concerned about two 30 storey and 45 storey towers proposed to be built near Canadian Museum of History. One says ‘There’s always more traffic, less parking, people parking in illegal areas ... not a great experience for the people who live here and pay their taxes”. The mayor says the City may opt for a referendum over the issue. – Kimberley Fowler at CTV
🎧 Ottawa Tourism has dropped the lastest edition of its podcast, What’s up in Ottawa. This episode talks about Canada day, the neighborhood to discover, Bluesfest, hop on hop off tours with Lady Dive, and flatwater fun in Ottawa. – Ottawa Tourism
THE DAILY POLL
What do you do when the air gets smoky?
My COVID-bought HEPA filters now have a new lease on life!
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Previously in ottawan polls:
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We asked, ‘Do you think Federal public employees should return to the office full time?’
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10% Yes (I am not a Federal public employee)
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6% Yes (I am a Federal public employee)
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51% No (I am not a Federal public employee)
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33% No (I am a Federal public employee)
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Commentary.
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People had things to say on this one.
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▪️ “Public service has been great when I have needed it in the past couple of years. Why change? Just to annoy staff?”
▪️ “It’s about time to go back to the office and increase productivity. Working from home is unproductive.”
▪️ “But move to 4 days out of 5 (same as Execs) seems fair ”
▪️ “The pandemic proved we don’t need people in office. Make everything an ROE workplace and sell the aging offices instead of doing slap-dash renos that cost taxpayers god knows what! ”
▪️ “I’ve seen too many incidents of friends and neighbours “working from home” and being non productive as they do anything but work and are quite proudly blatant about it. ”
▪️ “Time to get our folks back to contributing to the economy again.”
▪️ “There is currently not enough space for all public servants, and offices are poorly set up for their current use (hotdesking, reserving desks, etc)”
▪️ “Telework has proven to be effective. Work gets done; traffic is lighter, which reduces emissions; and parking isn't as stressful. ”
▪️ “Is the Treasury Board leading by example???”
▪️ “A partial return to work should be sufficient.”
▪️ “I personally heard many stories of people who work for the federal gov and do not actually work during the days at home (and gloat about it). This is incredibly frustrating considering we “pay” their salaries.”
▪️ “Commuting in this city is nuts. Public transit is not reliable. If anyone (private or public) can work from home to save on our infrastructure costs TBS should encourage it.”
▪️ “With the news that the federal government is looking at budget cuts and has already frozen contractors and student hiring, I can only see the nod toward full return to office a strategy to reduce public servant numbers even more.”
▪️ “I don't think tax payers understand that productivity INCREASED across the board with remote/hybrid work. Working conditions are disgusting and no one has their own office space to actually be comfortable and productive.”
▪️ “There is absolutely NO reason for us to not be fully time back in the office. For Pete's sake. In my office, there's almost never anyone around, and managers are not policing the policy. Enough is enough.”
▪️ “I find the waste of taxpayer money very upsetting. I’m also annoyed that they’ve refused to provide a credible reason for forcing a return to office”
▪️ “If the government is looking to save money, more work from home days would potentially save tonnes! We learned that we can work effectively from home during the pandemic!”
▪️ “The Public Service proved they could work from home efficiently during the pandemic. Why waste tax dollars on buildings to house office employees and create more environmental waste.”
▪️ “There's not enough space as it is. What are they gonna do, put 4 people in each cubicle?”
▪️ “WFH = less traffic for those of us who cannot”
▪️ “Needless commuting”
▪️ “3 days is enough for team cohesion”
▪️ “More pollution, more congestion, less productivity, more office space used, worse mental health and work-life balance. Nothing rational justifies a full return-to-office (placating petty people full of grievances is not a rational reason).”
▪️ “Such a wast of time, and tax dollars finding space for them all. I’d rather have them be more productive by not wasting hours commuting, and being able to hire a more diverse workforce by not being restricted by geography.”
THE ROLLING THREE DAY CALENDAR
Is there an event we should know about?
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✳️ Means change from previous edition
MONDAY
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Music & Beyond: At 2:00 pm, Montréal's Les Rugissants perform Ukrainian folk songs and classical pieces at Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Shrine. At 7:30 pm the Toronto Consort presents a program of John Dowland, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Henry Purcell, and others. The evening ends with A Poe Cabaret, combining the music of Debussy with Poe’s story The Masque of Red Death and pianist/composer Alexina Louie's setting of The Raven. 10:00 pm at Saint John the Evangelist Anglican Church.
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Here's one is for the dissectologists: Singing Pebble Books’ famous Summer Puzzle Swap happens this Saturday July 19 at the Main Street Famers Market. Today through Friday (July 18), for each gently used puzzle that you drop off at the bookstore (make sure there are no pieces missing), you'll receive a swap-ticket to use at the event on Saturday. On event day, bring your swap-ticket(s) to The Mainstreeter https://mainstreeter.ca/ booth and select new-to-you puzzles to scramble your brain. https://www.singingpebblebooks.ca/events/47292
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The 12 piece band Sly High pay tribute to Sly & the Family Stone at Minotaur. 3 rue Kent, Gatineau QC.
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If the weather allows, A Company of Fools presents The Comedy of Errors in Strathcona Park from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
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Royal Oak at 2067 Meadowbrook Road hosts Trivia Feud, where teams compete just like on the TV show.
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ByTowne Cinema: Lumière, l'aventure continue, Black Dog, Sinners
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Mayfair Theatre: Materialists, Contempt, Hotspring Sharkattack
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Gigs
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Karaoke Mondaze. Atomic Rooster
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Geek Trivia. Level One Game Pub
TUESDAY
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🆓 Franco-Ontarian five-piece Les Rats d’Swompe play a fusion of rock, pop, and punk on the NAC's Wood Terrace.
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🆓 Explore artifacts from Greece, Rome, and Egypt on the Museum of Classical Antiquities Tour at Desmarais Building (55 Laurier Ave East, 3rd Floor).The tour is repeated again on Tuesday July 29. Yes it's free, but you must book.
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Music and Beyond’s final full day of programming begins with a 2:00 pm concert by Caelis Academy Ensemble & Junges Vokalensemble Hannover. Also at 2:00 pm, harpists Lori Gemmell and Jennifer Swartz play pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, Gilad Cohen, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Carline Lizotte, and Sharlene Wallace. At 7:30 pm, enjoy music by Poyadora Tango Ensemble and guests or Forester Guitar Ensemble.
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Hintonburg Public House becomes Hintonburg Comedy House every Tuesday evening. It's PWYC to enter, and whether you're a seasoned pro or new to the comedy circuit, you'll be welcome.
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If the weather allows, A Company of Fools presents The Comedy of Errors in Bel-Air Park in Nepean from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
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ByTowne Cinema: L’aventure commence (Lumière! The Adventure Begins),4K Restoration: Dogtooth, Super Happy Forever
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Mayfair Theatre: Materialists, The Phoenician Scheme, Hotspring Sharkattack
Gigs
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Cece Winans. Palais des Congrès (50 Bd Maisonneuve, Gatineau)
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Trivia Tuesday. Manor Lounge
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Not Normal Experimental Music Night. Possible Worlds (2 Daly St)
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Tuesday World Famous Open Mic. The Laff
WEDNESDAY
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The Canadian Museum of History will be closed today (July 16) and tomorrow (Thursday July 17) or a private event. This includes Panorama Café, the Second Cup, CINÉ+, the Gift Shop, the Canadian Children’s Museum as well as the parking garage.
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Bring your current sewing project and enjoy live music under the tent at Mad About Patchwork.
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All aboard for the Summer Train Ride at Canada Science and Technology Museum. Members of the Bytown Railway Society will be operating a train comprised of a 1923 caboose that's pulled by a 1946 engine.
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If the weather allows, A Company of Fools presents The Comedy of Errors in Stonewall Park in Nepean from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
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🆓 Franco-Ontarian five-piece Les Rats d’Swompe play a second evening of rock, pop, and punk on the NAC's Wood Terrace.
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ByTowne Cinema: Materialists, Art House Classics: The Green Ray, Black Dog
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Mayfair Theatre: The Phoenician Scheme, Materialists, Scanners
Gigs
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Music Trivia. Art House
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Pallbearer Industry, Reaching Needles, Gong Seer. House of TARG
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Campfire Chaos. Clocktower Brew Pub Westboro
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The Montvales. Red Bird
JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING
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🚗 Road Trip: The Middleville and District Museum is holding a Wedding Dress Exhibit with a collection of dresses showing fashion trends from the 1880s through the 1980s. Noon to 4:00 pm on Sunday July 20. $5 for adults, free for 12s and under.
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To mark Archeology Month, the National Capital Commission is holding public digs at Leamy Lake Park, to search pre-contact sites. The area was occupied by Indigenous groups over the last 2,000 years and recovered artifacts provide important information about Indigenous history in the region. Various dates starting Thursday August 7.
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🚗 Road Trip: Feeling nosy? Almonte Town & Home Tour (Saturday August 16) gives you the chance to view give gorgeous homes in the picturesque town. Buying a ticket means you're also supporting the Almonte General Hospital, Fairview Manor Foundation, and the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum. With refreshments and tours of Hummingbird Chocolate and Vodkow - Dairy Distillery, this frequently sold-out event is a don't miss.