The Ottawan Newsletter

Hello Ottawa

In Today’s Edition

→ The Capital can expect five new or revamped nightlife venues this autumn

→ Hallowheel Roller Party 2025 takes over the Horticulture Building tomorrow

→ Deals of the Day on Strut jewelry as well as perennials, shrubs, trees, and evergreens at Robert Plante Greenhouses

🥡 Chinese Restaurant Awards’ Elite 30

We mentioned yesterday that two Ottawa restaurants made the shortlist for the Chinese Restaurant Awards’ Elite 30. Unfortunately, we gave a wrong link for Takumi BBQ. Gongfu Bao was fine.

– Martha and Darren

STATISTICS OTTAWA

NUMBER

10
The approximate number of years that the Centrepointe Commerce Clock had been broken.
The iconic clock, symbolizing the pride of a city that no longer exists, is located in what was hoped to be downtown Nepean.
But time once again is moving forward! The property owner had spent the past decade trying to source rare parts from France without success. However, a Canadian company with Canadian parts has come through and the clock has been repaired.
Duncan Roi in the Algonquin Times

OTTAWAN OF THE DAY

Jeff Healey
The senior scientist at the Population Health Research Institute from Carp has been honored with the 2025 Canadian Heart Rhythm Society Achievement Award in Halifax.
The award recognizes Healey’s pioneering work in atrial fibrillation and stroke prevention.
Population Health Research Institute (h/t West Carleton Online)

QUOTE

“
Are we going to make it a great big skateboard park?
– Bay ward councillor Theresa Kavanagh musing over the possibilities of what to do with the Transitway once the O Train is running and the old bus route is decommissioned.
The land is owned by the National Capital Commission and follows the path of Pinecrest Creek, which has long been relegated to a 1.5 km underground pipe.

Charlie Senack in the Kitchissippi Times

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WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL

No more meetings this week

Agendas and Meetings

WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

🪩 The Capital can expect five new or revamped nightlife venues this autumn. Expected imminently are hi-fi lounge Fono in Centretown, the people behind Bar Robo will soon share space with the feisty fifties+ at The Clemow with the Robo Lounge, the Black Sheep Inn reopens in Wakefield, Cassette Listening Bar has taken over the old Neighbourhood Pub on Baseline Road, and Gridwrks is adding a third bar. — Lynn Saxberg in the Ottawa Citizen

🖋️ The City has opened nominations for commemorative naming. New streets, indoor and outdoor amenities, major facilities and parks all need to be named, and the City and the Commemorative Working Group is accepting nominations of local people, histories, and legacies to consider. The deadline is December 2. – City of Ottawa

🛒 Every week, @stromanker reads all the grocery flyers and posts the deals on Ottawa Reddit. Highlights this week include yoghurt ($1.99/750g at Adonis), olive oil ($5/750mL at Real Canadian Superstore) ($7.49/1L at Metro Cité des Jeunes), and jack-o-lantern pumpkins for $2.94 at Super C. – /Ottawa

THE DAILY POLL

How appealing are new nightlife lounges to you?

🔘 Looking forward to hearing something new

🔘 I love the idea of going out and new places. But y’know, gotta be up early

🔘 Want to love it but almost everywhere is too loud

🔘 Unless they reopen the Talisman Motor Inn Tiki Bar, my leisure suit / flared jumpsuit stays in the closet

Previously in ottawan polls:
We asked, ‘Are you still working remotely?’
- 8% Yes, full time
- 50% Yes, a few days per week
- 5% No, they dragged me back into the workplace full time
- 28% They didn’t have to drag me back in, I prefer an actual workplace
- 9% I’m not working ‘remotely’ but my workplace is completely remote, in the middle of nowhere
Commentary

▪️ “Yes, but I have always worked from home. The pandemic did not change that for me!”

▪️ “My office never went remote except for a few weeks in March & April 2020.”

▪️ “Due to work obligations im in the office more and more these days because others have mandated RTO but have the ability to work 3 days remote.”

▪️ “I get so much more done at home. No constant interruptions by random people walking by. Sure, some people took advantage, but so many people were more productive working from home. Managers need to adapt, not demand without data that people need to return.”

▪️ “You can pry my work from home from my cold, dead hands. The only excuse for forcing people back into offices is bad managers.”

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Ottawa Valley Ale T-Shirt

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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

✳️ Signatures Handmade Market brings vendors from across Canada to Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdown Park until Sunday.
Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Hansel & Gretel fuses dance with vaudeville and the silent film era to set the scene for the Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Tonight through Saturday at the National Arts Centre.
👄 The Rocky Horror Show opens for a week’s run at Gladstone Theatre. (Great Scott! to the reader who commented using the Rapid Response form. The film is the Rocky Horror Picture Show, the play which inpired it is the Rocky Horror Show.)
Storyteller and speaker Jan Blake tells Bottle Lamp Tales - An Evening of Whispered Legends and the Jamaican Night - at Arts Court. Presented by Ottawa Storytellers.
The Ottawa International Writers Festival fall edition continues. The Festival Café opens at 5:00 pm, offering a menu of reasonably priced soup, salads, sandwiches, and desserts. Up first on stage tonight is former CBC journalist Brian Stewart, who discusses his memoir On the Ground: My Life as a Foreign Correspondent. He’s followed by What Dreams May Come: a conversation with novelists Sara Peters and Mona Awad.
This Saturday and Sunday mark the first of two Open Weekends at the Loft Art Studios. Located inside the heritage-designated Standard Bread Building, tonight's Opening Party from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm is a chance to step inside the studios, view the artwork, and meet the artists.
Oatcake Supply Company presents a beginner Fabric Drum Lampshade Workshop at the Ottawa School of Art Orléans campus.
Buy direct from miners, artists, and rock specialists at the Ottawa Rock N’ Gem Show, today through Sunday at EY Centre.
ByTowne Cinema: Kiss of the Spider Woman, Ciné-Club d’Ottawa: Ma Mère, Dieu & Sylvie Vartan, Detour: An American Werewolf in London
Mayfair Theatre: Eleanor the Great, Monster Pool 9, Ju-on: The Grudge

Gigs
Rebelle, James Blonde. Rainbow Bistro
Terri Clark & Paul Brandt. Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe
Open Mic. Stray Dog Brewing Co.
Sam Wood. Night Oat
The World Provider, Greathunter, ALgoRiddemz. House of TARG
Black Pistol Fire - A Flagrant Act of Bliss Tour. Bronson Centre
Mount Mural, Absolutely You, Twin Turbo, Glowveins. Avant-Garde Bar
Comedy Night. Kichesippi Beer

FRIDAY

Signatures Handmade Market continues.
The Opportunity Shop’s annual sale of used warm coats for adults and kids is today and tomorrow at the Arnprior and District Museum.
At Ottawa International Writers Festival, tonight’s first program asks Who Am I? Attempting to answer are authors Marc Bendavid (The Sapling), Susie Taylor (Vigil: Stories), and Shani Mootoo (Starry Starry Night). Then, Playlist combines the hilarious and heartbreaking stories of author, filmmaker, and performer Ivan Coyote with animations by Clyde Petersen.
Strong Towns Ottawa Chapter’s casual meetup at Braumeister Bierhalle will explore ways to make the city more financially resilient, safe, affordable and livable.
🆓 Do some Christmas shopping or take a workshop at the Out of the Box Fibre Artists’ Fall Fibre Fling (Kitchissippi United Church, 630 Island Park Drive). Donations appreciated. Continues Saturday.
The Horticulture Building gets a Halloween makeover for the Hallowheel Roller Party 2025 - Adult Session. Vibe: spooky lights, costumes, and music.
🆓 You can contribute to artist Catherine Heard’s The Emperor of Atlantis in a half day workshop at Ottawa School of Art (Orléans campus).
It’s Ballroom Dancing, but in costumes: DQ Ballroom & Latin Dance Studio presents HELLoween:Party with performances by students and teachers followed by a social dance.
Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Hansel & Gretel continues at National Arts Centre.
Ron Sexsmith unveils his 20th album in an intimate show at National Arts Centre.
Buy direct from miners, artists, and rock specialists at Day 2 of the Ottawa Rock 'N' Gem Show, through Sunday at EY Centre.
Thailand Cultural Weekend begins at One World Bazaar. Enjoy the flavours and cultures of Thailand through Sunday.
ByTowne Cinema: If I had Legs I’d Kick You, Blue Moon
Mayfair Theatre: Ballad of a Small Player, The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Gigs
Rembros. Carleton Tavern
Hotel Mira. Club SAW
TARG Dance Mix '94 Halloween Rager: Dance Pop, Eurodance, Club Classics with DJ Fuzz & DJ Miami. House of TARG
Gavin Adcock. Bronson Centre
An Evening with the Vice Parade. Dominion Tavern
The Shania Twain Show. Heart & Crown Barrhaven

SATURDAY

Kids in costume can Trick or Treat at every vendor booth at the Carp Farmers’ Market Halloween Spook-tacular. Today is also the final market in the regular season, so stock up on fresh local produce and goodies.
Ottawa International Writers Festival starts the day’s programming with a a guided Jane's Walk of Hintonburg and Wellington West, to visit locations referenced in works of poetry and fiction. The day's first conversation with Alex Hutchinson (The Explorer's Gene) considers how "exploration, uncertainty, and risk shape our behaviour and help us find meaning." (11:30 am). At 1:00 pm Paul Myers discusses his new biography John Candy A Life in Comedy. Next, science broadcaster and journalist Jay Ingram explores The Science of Pets (2:30 pm). Then, novelists Kendra Coulter, Thomas Wharton and Sibylle Grimbert examine the interconnection between humans and animals (More Than Human, 4:00 pm). Novelists Zeina Sleiman, Aaron Kreuter and Brian Thomas Isaac discuss "dignity and agency in the wake of colonial displacement and inter-generational trauma" in Displaced (6:00 pm). Cory Doctorow closes the day's programming with his new work on the state of the digital world in Enshittification.
Stop by the Elgin Street Halloween Party between Somerset and Lisgar streets for Trick or Treating, a balloon artist, face painting, and lots of other fun activities for costumed kids.
Over at Wickely Westboro, Trick or Treating kids can have their faces painted, make some crafts, listen to spooky stories and decorate donuts.
This is weekend one of the Loft Open Studios event inside the 100-year-old Standard Bread Building. 11:00 am to 5:00 pm at 951 Gladstone.
The Antiquarian Book Fair has the rare books, maps, and ephemera that you're looking for. Continues tomorrow.
🆓 The dog-friendly Halloween Party at Stray Dog Brewing encourages costumes - even on your pup.
🆓 Sing your heart out at Bytown Sea Shanty Collective’s free show at Beyond the Pale (City Centre location) .
Adult-only book shopping by candlelight? Sign us up to the Spaniel’s Tale Spooky Halloween Shopping Night.
The Espionage Orchestra plays James Bond film music at the National Arts Centre.
🆓 Do some Christmas shopping or take a workshop at the Out of the Box artists’ Fall Fibre Fling (Kitchissippi United Church, 630 Island Park Drive). Donations appreciated.
🆓 More than 60 vendors are expected at the next Vegans Who Snack Food and Art Festival. It’s outdoor, fully vegan, family-and-dog-friendly, and has accessible washrooms and parking. It's all at Parkdale Market.
Vain in Versailles Bistro’s monthly Gluten Free Boulangerie Pop Up will offer croissants, brioche, eclairs, profiteroles, and other gorgeous baked treats, all completely gluten free.
Ottawa Mystic Market’s Samhain event requires your cutest costume. Expect vendors selling homemade items, decor, candles, spells, clothing, and of course taxidermy. Continues tomorrow.
Ottawa Rock N’ Gem Show continues at EY Centre.
ByTowne Cinema: Blue Moon, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Mayfair Theatre: The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Gigs
Halloween Thriller with Brownman Ali. Night Oat
Reverb Syndicate VI. House of TARG
Surf Hat. Rainbow Bistro
Electric Co. Irene’s Pub
Estrella. Club SAW
AnjChito. Brews and Blues
Halloween Emocore (Emo Night Ottawa). The 27 Club

JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING

Dress to impress at Tooth and Nail Brewing’s Halloween Bash with Kitchen Party DJs Hobo and Sweet Cheeks. October 31 from 9:00 pm. $10 at the door.
Keep the costume on for Parlour’s Friday Freak dance party on the same night.
Bytown Sea Shanty Collective’s ambitious goal to raise $10,000 for the Dalhousie Food Cupboard is off to a roaring start. Help them reach that goal by buying a ticket to the Sea Shanties, Carols, and Empty Beer Barrels V.4 fundraising concert on Friday December 19.

MADE IN CANADA DEALS OF THE DAY

Save 31% site wide at Strut Jewelry until midnight tomorrow.

All remaining perennials, shrubs, trees, and evergreens are 50% off at Robert Plante Greenhouses until Sunday.

BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

Presumably inspired by the incredibly lucrative* OTTAWAN t-shirt shop, Postmedia has launched swag stores for three of its newspapers: National Post, the Montréal Gazette, and the Ottawa Citizen.

In the Citizen shop, you can buy such things as a Citizen toque, Citizen t-shirt, or Citizen mug.

We do have two observations though:

1) They should make a t-shirt of the logo they launched with back in 1841, the Bytown Packet.

Bytown Packet