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Good morning!
Wasn’t that a breath of fresh air? The end of the heat warning was a welcome development. At a certain point, that much heat went from uncomfortable to unbearable.
Even the dog, who doesn’t tire of anything, was getting tired of it.
Lower-than-seasonal temperatures are a welcome relief after all that. It’s great to get some fresh air in the house again.
Anyway, we’ve got a lot to get to, including an announcement from OC Transpo that dropped just before the long weekend.
So let’s get to it.
— Robert Hiltz, Lookout managing editor
PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign up for free.
Wednesday: 24 🌡️ 9 | ☀️
Thursday: 25 🌡️ 16 | 🌤
Friday: 22 🌡️ 18 | 🌧
TRANSIT
The cuts keep coming at OC Transpo
What happened: Friday afternoon, just before the long weekend, OC Transpo issued a memo that the cuts to service were actually more widespread than previously understood. Not only will service be cut in half during the non-peak daytime hours, but it will also be cut to every 10 minutes in the evenings between 6:30 and 9:30 pm.
City of Ottawa
The changes are expected to go into effect Aug. 26, once OC Transpo turns over to its fall schedule. Richard Holder, acting transit general manager, said they’ve looked at the data and feel they can still meet the needs of transit riders.
“Comparing ridership from the previous fall to current summer ridership allows us to make reasonable predictions about ridership for the fall of 2024,” Holder wrote.
City of Ottawa
Keeping an eye: Holder said the city will monitor transit use, to see if its projections are lining up with reality. “Should we see the need for more capacity, staff can respond quickly by putting more trains into service. Our goal is always to deliver a sustainable transit network that makes best use of our available resources,” he continued.
How it’s going over: It’s not going over great. Several councillors were dismayed or even outraged at the depths of the service reductions.
Writing in his newsletter, Coun. Jeff Leiper wrote that OC Transpo faces funding gaps, and needs help from other levels of government. “But as I read about these LRT frequency reductions and exchange briefly with colleagues about them, I am increasingly convinced that they are wrong-headed and contrary to the direction in which we need to take transit in order to make it sustainable,” he said.
“We are still evidently thinking about capacity within a paradigm of getting office workers downtown. But that’s short-sighted as the key to growing transit usage is reliability and convenience,” Leiper wrote.
SPONSORED BY PUPPETS UP!
The perfect family weekend — puppets, fun and games with Puppets Up! this weekend only
Puppets Up! is the weekend adventure your kids won’t ever forget.
Puppets Up! International Puppet Festival features world-class puppet artistry and performers that’ll keep your kids entertained all day.
The festival takes place from August 10-11 in the beautiful town of Almonte. The schedule is jam-packed with things for the whole family:
Some of the best puppet performers from around the world
A puppet parade on Saturday and Sunday
A kids' craft tent where they can create their own puppets
And don’t worry parents, there’s even more for you, including a vendors’ marketplace, food court and shady areas to relax with your kids.
Forget the complicated weekend planning. Puppets Up! has enough events to last the entire day.
But you’ll need to hurry, tickets are going quickly. Get your day pass before they sell out.
OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS
🏥 $220 million: CHEO is hoping to raise this much as part of a massive 10-year expansion of the hospital. [CTV]
🏎️ 4: The number of stunt driving charges the OPP laid Sunday night on the 417, all going faster than 155 km/h. One of the drivers has a previous stunt driving charge still before the courts. [OPP]
OUTSIDE DOWNTOWN
🚰 A boil-water advisory will be in place until at least today in Alymer, a week after it began, as water tests were not yet up to acceptable standards. The advisory has affected about 10,000 residents. [CTV]
🗑️ The City of Gatineau has seen a sharp rise in complaints about garbage not being picked up since the introduction of garbage trucks with robotic arms that pick up trash bins. Complaints have essentially doubled in the time since the trucks were introduced, compared to the same period last year. [CBC]
🌲 Residents in the Westboro Beach area want the NCC to remove the invasive plant species buckthorn which is taking over the forest floor. [CBC]
🥅 The Gatineau Olympiques will honour their former goalie Creed Jones in September when another of his former teams, the Rimouski Océanic, come to town. The 24-year-old Jones was one of two people killed in a motorcycle crash on the 416 last week. [CTV]
🚔 Police said the death of a person at Faircrest Park near the General hospital was not suspicious. [Ottawa Citizen]
🚨 A 19-year-old in Kingston was charged with second-degree murder in the death of a 34-year-old man. Police said they were called for a possible assault, and found the victim suffering from wounds from an “edged weapon.” [CBC]
HOUSE OF THE WEEK
Realtor.ca
We’re dipping back into the condo bucket for today’s home of the week. This one is a nice little two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit not far from Elgin Street. It’s got a large balcony, a well-appointed kitchen, and tons of natural light.
House of The Week is a home selected by the Lookout team and is not a paid advertisement. All ads are labelled as such. If you’re a realtor who wishes to feature your home in our newsletter, please contact our sales team.
GIG LISTINGS
Listings are provided by OttawaGigs.ca, the best place to discover live music in Ottawa. Check out Ottawagigs.ca for full listings across the city.
Sheridan Ruitin, Thursday 8 pm: A young Celtic band from suburban New York, rooted in tradition and fueled by innovation, blending ancient musical heritage with contemporary flair. At Live! on Elgin, 220 Elgin St. Tickets $25.
Yes Ma’am, Thursday 9 pm: Based in New Orleans, combining street music and 20's style blues, creating a gritty sound that captures the spirit of the south. At House of Targ, 1077 Bank St. Tickets $20.
Kalàscima Ft. Andrea Ramolo, Friday 8 pm: The Canadian Folk Music Award nominee joins the renowned southern Italian electronic/folk band for a unique international collaboration. At the Joint, Rideau Carleton Casino, 4837 Albion Rd. Tickets $25.
The Boo Radley Project, Saturday 8 pm: Indie-funk septet from Guelph blending indie, funk, and jazz with colorful lyricism and textured grooves. At Cafe Dekcuf, 221 Rideau St. Tickets $20.
Jack Botts, Sunday 7 pm: Gold Coast-based artist who transitioned from busking to full-time touring, captivating audiences worldwide with his easy-listening surf-folk style. At Club SAW, 67 Nicholas St. Tickets $25.
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
After school tutor (math/French) at Social Planning Council of Ottawa
Coach at Girls on the Run
Webmaster at the Ottawa Regional Science Fair
Reception volunteer at Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County
Social media coordinator at Foodsharing Ottawa
Have a volunteer listing you’d like to share? Send it to [email protected] with “Volunteering” in the subject line.
THE AGENDA
📝 The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority, which runs school bus routes for several boards in the city, has parted ways with its general manager after only four months. The authority didn’t provide a reason for the change in leadership. A previous general manager is in the process of suing the authority. [Ottawa Citizen]
⚠️ Gerber is recalling Oat Banana and Mango Baby Cereal for possible contamination with Cronobacter. Health Canada said the cereal may not look or smell soiled, but could still be dangerous. [The Canadian Press]
🎟️ Local Heart fans said Ticketmaster is not issuing refunds until the band announces a replacement day for their postposed Aug. 1 show. The band had to indefinitely postpone their tour when Ann Wilson announced she would be undergoing cancer treatment. [CTV]
🤖 The City of Ottawa is trying out artificial intelligence to try and predict when residents are more at risk of becoming homeless. [The Canadian Press]
🩺 Rural communities have found an effective way to bring family doctors to town: offer them lots of money. Some worry that the programs will fuel an arms race of ever-increasing incentives, but the communities bringing new doctors in are happy with the results. [CTV]
🚑 A 16-year-old girl was taken to hospital, and several other people were stricken ill after pepper spray was released inside the Rideau Centre. The mall was temporarily evacuated while emergency crews cleared the air. [CTV]
🚨 The OPP stopped a driver going 137 km/h on the 417, and found children sharing a seatbelt, and an 18-month-old sitting on a passenger’s lap. The driver faces nearly $1,000 in fines. [CTV]
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
The city is collecting household hazardous waste this Saturday at the Innes Road snow dump facility. [City of Ottawa]
Discover local foods and producers with weekly or bi-weekly deliveries to your door. Sign up anytime and customize your order every week. [Sponsored]
The last of the Parliament Hill cats survived a cancer scare, but Coal’s owner could use some help with the medical bills for the aging cat. [CBC]
A new book traces the history of the rise and fall of the Nortel empire. [Ottawa Citizen]
A local woman explained to CBC Radio why it was important to her to work for the 988 suicide prevention hotline after she lost a friend to suicide. [CBC]
The Canadian Transplant Games are underway across the city, highlighting the need for organ donation. [CTV]
A memorial took place Monday honouring the 1,000 or so workers who died building the Rideau Canal. [CTV]
Want to have your announcement featured? Learn how here.
CAPITAL EATS
Generations on the Lake is a trip back in time
Generations on the Lake ribs and rings. Ralf Joneikies/Ottawa Lookout
Capital Eats is written by our food editor Ralf Joneikies.
To get away from it all is as natural a human urge as eating or drinking, it just feeds a different aspect of our physiology.
It can also be subject to constraints around work, obligations or finances so it’s wonderful to discover that sometimes the feeling of “leaving it all behind” can be just a short drive away.
Generations on the Lake sits on the edge of Mississippi Lake on the outskirts of Carleton Place. It’s a restful setting and it does feel a little like stepping back in time.
OTTAWA GAMES
Google Maps
Congrats to everyone who knew the answer to last Friday’s Ottawa Wordle, the answer was STEAM, as in steam heat from all the humidity.
Do you know where today’s Ottawa guesser is? Reply with your name and the correct location of the photo. The first five people to reply correctly will be mentioned in the next newsletter.
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