Barrhaven hit by tornado

Good morning!

Well, it wouldn’t be summer without some nearly catastrophic storm hitting the city. Thankfully, this time no one was seriously hurt, and power is back on. Let’s hope this is the last big one this summer.

Don’t forget! The 417 is closed for most of downtown while the Bronson overpass is replaced. If all goes well, the highway will reopen at 6 am on Monday.

Now, let’s get to it.

— Robert Hiltz, managing editor

Consider forwarding this to your friends so they can discover the Lookout. New to the Lookout? Sign-up for free.

Weather Report

Friday: 28 🌡️ 15 | 🌤

Saturday: 28 🌡️ 19 | 🌦

Sunday: 27 🌡️ 18 | 🌧

Monday: 27 🌡️ 17 | 🌦

EXTREME WEATHER

Tornado touches down in Barrhaven

What happened: At least one tornado touched down in the south Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven on Thursday. Damage in some areas was extensive, with roofs ripped off, siding damaged and more. Videos showed debris flying through the air as the storm blew through.

• A second tornado warning was issued about an hour after the first as a second line of severe storms arrived. Fortunately, officials said no second tornado appeared.

What was hit: The tornado touched down in Half Moon Bay, and damage extended into old Barrhaven. Kim Ayotte, general manager of emergency and protective services, said damage was sustained in three main areas: Umbra Place and Watercolours Way, Proxima Terrace and Perseus Way, and Exeter Drive, and Jockvale Road.

• In all, about 125 houses were damaged by either the high winds or falling trees and branches, the city said. One person was injured, but it was only minor, a wound on their foot. Only one hydro pole was taken down, which took out power for about 1,600 customers. It was restored by late Thursday.

There wasn’t substantial damage to city infrastructure, with a few traffic lights taken down. Gas crews were out shutting down natural gas lines to houses that sustained damage as a precautionary measure, but no gas leaks had been detected yesterday afternoon.

Dramatic footage: There were plenty of people who captured the tornado as it moved through town

• CTV compiled a series of videos sent to them by viewers of the tornado as it ripped through the area.

The aftermath: Police were advising residents to stay away from the area. They said there was an increase in people heading to the suburban neighbourhood after the storm. Several streets were closed off because of downed trees and other possible dangers.

A resource centre for people affected by the storm will reopen at 10 am at the Minto Recreation Complex. It’s open to anyone who needs shelter, help, or even just information.

• Bluesfest said it would go ahead with yesterday’s shows after the storms passed with little effect on the city’s downtown, the Ottawa Citizen reported.

Moving on: The line of storms continued east, where another tornado was spotted touching down in Vaudreuil, a suburb east of the Island of Montreal, according to a Twitter user. High winds took out power for thousands of customers and caused damage throughout much of the area, and heavy rains closed roads and Metro stations, CBC reported.

OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS

📈 7.2%: The prime rate set by big banks like RBC and TD, after the Bank of Canada raised its overnight interest rate again on Wednesday to five percent, its highest level in more than two decades. [Ottawa Citizen]

👮‍♂️ 75: The number of stolen vehicles the Ottawa Police Service has recovered since the start of the year, out of 504 stolen. That’s a rate of only 15 percent. [CTV]

🍽️ $180,000: The Barrhaven Food Cupboard needs to raise this much by the end of the year to stay open. Visits have risen 50 percent in the last year. You can donate to the cause here. [CTV]

MENTAL HEALTH

City approves new mental-health emergency number

What happened: Rather than call 911 for calls about people in mental distress, the city has approved a new hotline to send a mobile team of mental health and social professionals. Dispatchers at 911 could also redirect calls away from police and other first responders to the mental health teams, CTV reported.

• “This will really free up police officers to do other roles they need to be on, and it's going to send the right experts to the right people when they need it,” Coun. Laura Dudas told CTV.

Long roll out: The program will start small, in one neighbourhood and run as a three-year pilot program. But Dudas and other councillors want to see it put in place faster throughout the city. “Whether that takes the amount of time staff are predicting, I don't know, but I do know that the sooner we can get this program launched in our community, both as a pilot but then again as a city-wide initiative, the benefits will be there,” Dudas said.

Staff expect the pilot project to roll out in the second half of next year. They also expect the first phase of the program to cost $2.5 million.

THE AGENDA

🚧 The 417 will be closed between Metcalfe and Carling until Monday morning to replace the Bronson overpass. You can watch the progress of the replacement live on YouTube.

🔌 The union and Hydro Ottawa are heading back to the bargaining table next week. The workers have been on strike since June 28. [Ottawa Citizen]

🚓 Police divers resumed their search for a missing 21-year-old man at Britannia Beach on Thursday. The man went underwater Wednesday and didn’t resurface until about 7 pm. Fire rescue crews called in the divers after about 90 minutes of searching, and the divers continued late into the night without success. [Ottawa Citizen]

🔥 People who lived near a biker clubhouse in Brockville said they were lucky to be alive, and that the fire didn’t happen later in the evening. The clubhouse was burned under suspicious circumstances and went up in flames very quickly. [CBC]

🔍 The man charged this month with killing Jewell Parchman Langford, once known as the Nation River Lady, was a suspect in her disappearance from the start in 1975. Police never connected the woman’s body found across the provincial line to the missing woman. [CBC]

🪖 The salvage operation to recover the C-147F Chinook that went down in the Ottawa River, killing its two pilots, is underway as part of the investigation into what caused the crash. [CTV]

🚨 Quebec’s police watchdog is investigating after a man fell to his death from a window at the Hull Hospital. Police were on the scene after being called about someone causing a disturbance. [CBC]

💥 A driver in Renfrew careened their car off a hydro pole into a house in a suburban neighbourhood. Police arrested a suspect after they fled the scene. [CTV]

⚖️ An Ottawa truck driver was sentenced to three years in prison for child luring and sending harmful content to a minor in a Florida courtroom. [CBC]

SPONSORED BY CLASSIC THEATRE FESTIVAL

Comic gem about a DC love quadrangle, Affairs of State, now at Arts Court Theatre

The award-winning Classic Theatre Festival presents Louis Verneuil's funny, intriguing Affairs of State, about Washington, DC, diplomatic deals and double crosses, featuring a memorable love quadrangle threatening a top diplomatic appointment.

Revisit an age when satirical comedies were smart, sassy, insightful, and fun, with Turner Classic Movies-era wit and charm. This Capital Comedy runs eight times weekly. Lookout readers enjoy 20% discount tickets with HTAF code. Book tickets now.

Arts Court Theatre, 2 Daly Ave. Book www.classictheatre.ca, (613) 695-9330

EVENTS

What to do this weekend

Food

🍝 Il Cenone, or ‘The Big Dinner,” Sunday 7 pm: A modern take on the classic Italian family dinner. At Retro Gusto, 122 Preston St. Tickets $122.

Kids/Family

🍄 Guided Forest Walks, Saturday 9 am: Robert Courteau, president of the Ottawa Mushroom Society, leads a tour through some Ottawa woodlands to go mushroom hunting. The walks are three hours, but low intensity, only about one kilometre. At the Crazy Horse Trail on March Road. Tickets $44.

🐝 Guided Tour of the Pollinator Meadows and Woods in Hampton Park, Saturday 10 am: The Friends of Hampton Park are leading this tour to explain the biodiversity of the woods, and how the plants they’ve planted have helped increase it. At Hampton Park, 512 Island Park Dr. Free.

🌭 Vegan BBQ at Vincent Massey Park, Saturday 1 pm: Head on out for a toss of a frisbee and some fun in the sun, plus a free Beyond Meat sausage and soft drink. At Vincent Massey Park. Free!

Market

👗 Parking Lot Pop-Up, Saturday 10 am: Find unique and fashionable, art, fashion, home decor, collectables, and more at this market put on by Vintage Pop-Up 613. In the parking lot of Churchill Senior Rec Center, 345 Richmond Rd. behind Cloud Forest Coffee and Pokoloko. Free to attend!

Culture

📖 Ottawa International Crafts and Book Expo Summerfest, Saturday and Sunday: With speakers, book vendors, food, music, speed dating, and more, all focused on books! At the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park. Tickets $10.

😂 Sugar Sammy - You’re Gonna Rire 2, Friday and Saturday: The Montreal comedian’s bilingual show comes to the city. At the Museum of History. Tickets start at $60.

Other

📸 Free photo Session - Portraits to Support Ukraine, Saturday 10 am: The artist Jihef, originally from Ottawa-Gatineau, is working on his latest project of taking the photos of numerous people in front of the Ukrainian flag to show support for the besieged country. At 476 Holland Ave. Free!

OTTAWA FOOD

What happened this week in food

Every week our team at Capital Eats scours Ottawa for the best places to eat, drinks to try and events to attend. Here’s a breakdown of all the biggest stories.

🍟 (Insiders) The burger safari returns with even more surprises, including what might be some of the city’s best fries.

🍹 (Insiders) Looking for something casual to drink on a warm evening? We’ve got you covered with these pre-mixed cocktails.

🍲 Classic Vietnamese food comes with great flavours and more at this new Nepean restaurant.

🧋 If you’ve ever been disappointed by bubble tea, you’ll want to give this new shop in Hintonburg a try. You won’t regret it.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Tucking your pants into your socks is one of the best ways to avoid ticks in the forest. [Ottawa Citizen]

• The fire hydrant water fountains are back for another summer across the city. [Reddit]

• Nothing quite like watching a bridge get demolished and replaced. [YouTube]

• It’s not just birds that nest, it’s rabbits too! [Reddit]

• Want to have your announcement featured? Contact our partnership team for more info.

TOP PHOTO

Today’s photo comes to us courtesy Janet Stephens, who says “Here’s a photo along the bike pathway to Gatineau park. Hope it brightens your day.”

Do you have a photo you’d like to share with the Lookout community? Send it in!

OTTAWA GAMES

Congrats to Adam, the only person who knew this week’s Ottawa Guesser was of the Carlington Park Baseball Fields.

Think you can get this week’s Ottawa Wordle? Play now!