Hot and dry, Ottawa bans open fires

Good morning!

I got my fourth booster shot yesterday and while my arm is a bit stiff, so far I’m doing okay. Which is a nice switch. The last couple shots seemed to lay me out for a day or two. (In writing this, I have probably karmically doomed myself.)

In Lookout news, Ralf, Geoff and I met up to plan out the future of our publication. It was really exciting to discuss so many ideas we’re working on. It also reminded us the Lookout only exists because of readers like you. So from the entire team, thanks again for supporting us over the last ten months.

Plus, Ralf suggested we try Le Poisson Bleu for dinner. I’ll leave the in-depth food reviewing to him, but holy moly what a meal.

Let’s get your Monday started with the newsletter.

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Weather Report

Monday: 26 🌡️ 16 | ⛈

Tuesday: 25 🌡️ 18 | 🌦

Wednesday: 29 🌡️ 19 | ⛅

Ottawa this week

Convoy bail decision: The convoy leader Pat King has a court date today to find out whether he will be granted bail. [CTV]

Ottawa Asian Fest: This Friday, the Asian festival kicks off with a three-day night market on Sparks Street. There will also be a night market in Chinatown on Somerset Street between Bronson and Bell. It’s a good reminder there’s always something fun to check over a summer weekend.

Summer heat is here

What happened: Yesterday marked the hottest day of the summer, with the humidex hitting 33 degrees. It’s the warmest since the May heatwave, and marks the eighth day this year of 30 degrees or above, according to weather historian Rolf Campbell.

• The rest of the week: Temperatures in the high 20s are expected for much of the rest of the week.

Fire bans: Because of the hot and dry weather, open-air fires are banned within the city. Any burning — including campfires, and brush piles — is forbidden.

Why the ban: July has been particularly dry, with only 25.8 mm of rain, most of which fell on a single day, according to CTV. The dry weather makes it easy for fires to spread and get out of control.

Over in Quebec: The NCC has also banned fires within Gatineau Park, including in park campgrounds and picnic areas. While gas barbeques are allowed, charcoal ones are forbidden, CBC reported.

• The dry spell could end with a 70 percent chance of showers and the risk of a thunderstorm today, and more showers expected Tuesday, according to Environment Canada.

What to watch for in the heat: CBC has put together a guide for symptoms of heat-related illnesses. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include weakness, fatigue, headache, and dizziness. More serious symptoms like confusion, a throbbing headache, loss of consciousness, rapid breathing, and a reduction in sweating can all be signs of heat stroke, which immediate medical attention.

COVID wave peak expected soon

Two weeks from the peak? The head of the Eastern Ontario Health Unit expects the seventh wave of COVID to peak in a week or two in the region east of the city, CTV reported. Dr. Paul Roumeliotis told the broadcaster he expects this wave to follow the pattern of previous waves, where cases increase for four weeks, then decline for four weeks.

• Booster shots: Fourth doses of the COVID vaccine are now open to anyone 18 or older. You can book an appointment for your shot through the provincial portal or at many local pharmacies.

The number of COVID outbreaks, hospitalizations, and wastewater levels are all rising in Ottawa, CBC reported. The test positivity rate is at about 20 percent, up from 10 percent in June.

Rehab for long COVID: The Ottawa Hospital has opened a physiotherapy and occupational therapy program for people suffering the after-effects of a COVID infection. The program helps people adapt their lives, manage their energy levels and mental health support with group therapy, CBC reported. About 40 people have so far been through the program, with a waiting list of 50 people.

Health worker layoffs: One of the city’s busiest community health centres is terminating the jobs of two doctors, a nurse practitioner, and a registered nurse in the middle of a global staffing shortage. Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre told the Ottawa Citizen the jobs are being eliminated as part of a restructuring. The experienced staff are being replaced by new hires who have recently graduated.

Peking Duck, fine Chinese dining arrives in the capital

• 90 George St., ByWard market

• Dishes: $10.99 to $88

• Accessibility via elevator

• Gluten-free and vegetarian options

This food review is from our food editor Ralf Joneikies. If you aren’t already a paying member, and you want more food reviews, consider joining our crowdfunding campaign today. We’re still 93 new members short of our goal.

It was when I got to Grade 7 that it became clear we were obviously heading into adulthood and that good Catholic girls and boys were meant to pair up. In hindsight, it seems absurd but at Holy Rosary, it really was like an epidemic.

In any case, I had a girlfriend for a few weeks and on my way to her house, I would walk by a Chinese restaurant at the corner of Somerset and Arthur, named Chiu Wah. So as my birthday approached, I was surprised when my parents asked me where I would like to have a celebratory dinner. My reply was immediate: Chiu Wah.

It was there that my love of Chinese cuisine was cemented. I shocked my parents by inhaling giant prawns in black bean sauce and my father wondered aloud how I could enjoy eating “insects.”

Decades later, the food scene has changed for the better in Ottawa but there remains a dearth of authentic, world-class Chinese restaurants in the capital. Until the arrival of Peking Duck.

Peking Duck is not just their house specialty but an international brand unto itself. Their history goes back to the mid-1800s promoting the traditional cuisine of the Qing dynasty. With such tradition, it will not surprise anyone that items such as carrots in abalone sauce, duck tongue soup, spicy pork kidney in sizzling broth and braised pork intestine are on the menu.

That said, there is plenty of fine eating for the more westernized palate with dishes such as mapo tofu, sweet and sour pineapple pork, sauteed lamb with scallions or kung pao chicken.

The list goes on.

The Peking duck itself is available by the half for $48 only at lunch and the whole for $88 at any time. It is served with steamed pancakes and a number of sides with which to wrap the duck. It is recommended that you order yours 24 hours in advance.

Tan Tan noodle at Peking Duck is the nicest expression I’ve yet had. Commonly, this peanut-sauce based soup comes served with a thick broth or even paste, but here it comes as it’s meant to be served, as a delicious, mildly spicy soup. It’s also a terrific deal at $12.99.

— Ralf Joneikies

Want to read more of Ralf’s review of Peking Duck? You can find the whole thing in the Insider here.

Jobs around town

• Project manager at Delco Security

• Site superintendent at Bradford Construction

• Business systems analyst at the Queensway-Carleton Hospital

• Quality assurance specialist/analyst at Maverin Inc.

• Manager, talent acquisition and organizational effectiveness at the Museum of Science and Innovation

Housing prices dropped slightly, here’s what that will buy you

Cooling off: The aggregate price of a house in the city dipped slightly in the second quarter compared to the first, dropping 1.1 percent to $800,300. A Royal LePage survey of the city’s housing market shows that while prices have dipped quarterly, they still increased 11.5 percent from last year.

• Single-family detached homes decreased from the first to the second quarter 1.8 percent to $930,500.

• Condo prices fell 3.6 percent from the first to the second quarter to $416,900.

Housing outlook: Royal LePage said they expect prices to level off by the end of the year.

What does it get you? CTV went looking for homes in Ottawa selling for about the aggregate price. One they found was this townhome (pictured above) in Riverside South. Built in 2018, the house is priced at $799,900 and features:

• Three bedrooms;

• A loft;

• Second-floor laundry room;

• Granite counters and stainless steel appliances;

• Basement fireplace;

• And hardwood throughout the main floor.

To see what kind of homes go for this price in other neighbourhoods across the city, including Kanata, Centretown, and Orléans, see CTV’s full story.

Stories you might've missed

Testing Trillium trains: The city is running several of the new heavy-rail trains for the O Train north-south Trillium line expansion. The new trains are Stadler diesel-powered trains, and are completely different than the LRT. The trains are undergoing testing on four kilometres of track that’s been completed south of Hunt Club. The expanded line is expected to be completed next August. [CBC]

‘One of the last great DJs’ dies: Longtime Ottawa DJ Robert W. Knight died recently in a scooter accident. Friends, and former colleagues of Knight — who was on the air with CFGO, The Bear, and CHEZ 106 until the mid-2000s — shared their memories of the broadcaster in this Ottawa Citizen obituary.

Memorial basketball tournament: An eight-team basketball tournament was held in Lowertown over the weekend, in memory of two young black men killed last summer in the neighbourhood. Peace in the Streets was held to show youth in the community there is support for them if they need it. The organizer said he hopes the tournament becomes a yearly event. [CBC]

Protests cancel Trudeau event: An Ottawa-area visit by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was cancelled by a protest. The RCMP said the “size and composition” of the protest group made it unsafe for Trudeau to visit an Embrun brewery. [CBC]

Murder charge laid in shooting death: A 36-year-old has been charged with second-degree murder after another man was shot Friday night in Lowertown. Several shots were heard late Friday by neighbours. Another 36-year-old man was found with gunshot wounds but died at the scene. It’s the city’s ninth homicide of the year. [CTV]

Community highlights

• Bluesfest finished up yesterday, here are some great photos from the weekend by the Ottawa Citizen.

• Hundreds of people swam from the Nepean Sailing Club to the Britannia Yacht Club on Saturday in the Bay Open Water Swim to raise money for Easter Seals. [Ottawa Citizen]

• Next month the Female Firefighters in Training camp is coming to Ottawa, and registration is now open.

• The OPP is warning people to renew their licence plate stickers, the fee has been lifted but it still needs to be renewed. [CTV]

• HOPE Volleyball returned to Mooney’s Bay with a slightly lower turnout than pre-pandemic editions. [CTV]

• Keep an eye out for wild parsnip, giant hogweed, and poison ivy this year, three dangerous plants in the Ottawa area. [CTV]

Today's top photo

Today’s photo comes from reader Khalida Aziz, who sends in this great sunset shot down on the water. Summer in the city isn’t bad!

Ottawa Worlde

Think you can guess this week’s Ottawa wordle? Play now.

Latest COVID stats

Note: Ottawa Public Health is now only updating COVID stats twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday afternoons. Because of the Lookout’s publishing schedule, this means the numbers here may be out of date. For the most recent stats, see the OPH COVID Dashboard.

• Active Cases: 982

• Total deaths: 829

• Ottawans In Hospital: 27

• Ottawans In ICU: 5

• Acute Beds Occupied: 99%

• ICU Beds Occupied: 69%

• ICU Ventilator Beds Occupied: 18%

Previous Lookout editions

• The first mayoral campaign clash - read more

• How should we pay to operate OC Transpo? - read more

• What the LRT inquiry means for Ottawa - read more

• Why Ottawa's housing market is cooling - read more

• Four more interesting sandwich shops in Ottawa to check out - read more