Phase 2 LRT construction to close Woodroffe overpass

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Good morning!

Have you heard it’s warm out? Folks, it’s steaming. Which, honestly, after a long winter it’s quite pleasant. I’m just trying not to think too deeply about what heat in May breaking 100-year-old records for several days in a row means on a global scale.

Having a hammock certainly makes it easier.

But you know all about the weather, let’s get to the news.

— Robert Hiltz, managing editor

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Weather Report

Friday: 32 🌡️ 15 | ☀️

Saturday: 31 🌡️ 17 | ☁️

Sunday: 26 🌡️ 15 | 🌧

Monday: 24 🌡️ 12 | 🌧

City To Close Pedestrian Bridge Indefinitely With No Replacement

Indefinite detour: Stage 2 construction of the LRT is going to close the pedestrian bridge that links the homes on the west side of the Transitway to Woodroffe High School on the east.

Timeline: The bridge will be closed May 25, and torn down in June. In its place will be a detour nearly one kilometre long. There is no timeline for the new bridge, according to the city’s notice.

Why no timeline:: The city is destroying the old bridge before they’ve designed a replacement.

• “Unfortunately, design complications have slowed the completion of the new Pedestrian Bridge’s pathways and ramps that will connect it to the pathway network,” the detour notice said. “Design challenges currently preclude the opening of the new pedestrian bridge in advance of the closing of the current bridge.”

Somewhat cheekily, the city said the detour means “pedestrian and cyclist mobility will be maintained.”

(The Lookout has asked the city how this happened, but they weren’t able to meet our deadline. If they get back to us with anything substantive, we’ll update you in the next issue.)

Sponsored by the Ottawa Outdoor & Adventure Travel Show

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Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast tracking down the best equipment, or looking for a fun family weekend, this annual outdoor adventure travel show has something for everyone. Meet with exhibitors face-to-face.

Come to the show and see outdoor gear, boards, boats, adventure exhibits, equipment showcases, fun stuff for the kids (including a pirate ship and furry animals), exciting adventures for adults, and adventure speakers and films for all. Did we mention it’s totally free, including free parking?

• Location: Nepean Sportsplex (rear, Gate #4), 1701 Woodroffe Ave. | Google Maps

• Time: May 14 to 15, Saturday 10 am 6 pm and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm

Get inspired to have the best summer travel experience for you or your family. Visit the Outdoor & Adventure Travel Show this weekend.

Provincial Election Round-up

NDP, Liberals promise mental health funding: The NDP promised a universal mental health care plan, which would add things like therapy to OHIP. The Liberals have promised $3 billion in funding for mental health and addiction services. [Ottawa Citizen]

Liberals drop three candidates: The party dropped three candidates across the province after online comments and other unsavoury views emerged during the campaign. All three were booted soon after their past remarks came to light. [Ottawa Citizen]

Lecce apologizes for “slave auction”: Doug Ford is standing by his education minister after Stephen Lecce apologized for participating in a “slave auction” when he was the head of a frat in university. In a statement, Lecce said the 2006 event was “inappropriate” and “I unreservedly apologize.” The NDP are calling on Lecce to be dropped as a candidate. [Ottawa Citizen]

Dig deeper: What you need to know in eastern Ontario for the election [CBC]

90 Minutes To Get An Ambulance

Cycling crash: An experienced cyclist took a serious fall in Gatineau Park. He suffered multiple broken bones, including broken ribs, and punctured a lung, according to CBC. Despite the seriousness of his injuries, it took 90 minutes for paramedics to arrive. The man lost consciousness while he waited.

• “It was a very long period of time to wait for someone who was as injured as him.…. If his injuries were worse it could have been fatal,” the man’s wife Mélanie Malouin said to the broadcaster.

When paramedics arrived, the NCC crew who was supposed to guide them through to the site of the injury wasn’t there. They needed a guide because the park is closed to vehicles. The NCC blames the failure of a barrier for delaying the workers.

Philippe Reynolds is still in hospital waiting for his lungs to heal enough for surgery.

Stories You Might Have Missed

Low morale at OC Transpo: Management at the transit agency is scrambling to implement changes to the federal Labour code mandating 30-minute breaks for every five hours of work. OC Transpo dragged its feet and didn’t make changes to its scheduling until April, after the union took them to an arbitrator for not giving the breaks. Now it’s having difficulty keeping service flowing. Morale has plummeted as a result, and it may not be solved until next spring, according to the union. [Ottawa Citizen]

No police in OCDSB: The city’s biggest public school board has indefinitely closed the debate on bringing police back to schools. It was only last year the board voted to end the student resource officer program. [CBC]

19 days to unravel LRT mess: The provincial inquiry into the city’s LRT will run from June 13 to July 8. This will give it 19 days (four weeks less a day for Canada Day) to hear from witnesses. The city has provided the inquiry with more than half a million documents and dozens of names to possibly be called as witnesses. There will also be two days of public meetings on May 25 and 26 to hear from members of the public not one of 10 official parties to the inquiry. [CBC]

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Community Highlights

• Man, it’s a hot one. Wednesday and Thursday were both the hottest it’s been in the city for more than a century. [CTV]

• There’s a ban on all open fires throughout the city because of the dry weather.

• Here’s your chance to have a say in the future of Tunney’s Pasture, with registration open for two upcoming workshops. (Thanks to reader Annie for sending this one in!)

• Our food editor’s favourite Ottawa ramen shop is a food excuse to never buy store-bought ramen again

• Do you have a beautiful home garden? Apt613 wants to hear from you

What to do this weekend:

• Get your Mexican food fix at Si Senor. Ralf recommends the conchinita pibil and pozole con pollo.

• Swing by Commissioner's Park by Dow’s Lake this weekend and you might get a glimpse of Netherlands Princess Margriet on her Tulip Festival visit.

• Try one of Raf’s favourite burgers in this week’s Dish of the Week

• This one’s not really for kids, but take a trip to Almonte for the bawdy puppet show Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Basketballs all weekend.

• Even if you skip the princess’s visit, there’s plenty at the Tulip Festival day and night, until next Sunday.

Today's Top Photo

Ducks! Or, at least, a duck. Here at the Lookout we love ducks. Many thanks to reader Allison for sending in this photo of a duck on the Rideau River, taken from the Eastern Pathway.

Do you have any duck photos? Or maybe just shots of this great city? Send them in! We’re always looking to run reader photos in the Lookout.

Ottawa Wordle

It’s Friday and that means it’s Ottawordle… Ott-wordle? We’re still working on it. Play it here.

Last week’s answer was Rideau, which we agree was a little easy. We think this one is harder, but you be the judge.

Daily COVID Stats

All infection and vaccination data via Ottawa Public Health. You can find the status of the wastewater tracking here. And you can find vaccination stats here.

• Active Cases: 959 (+125)

• Deaths: 793 (+3)

• Ottawans In Hospital: 25

• Ottawans In ICU: 1

• Acute Beds Occupied: 97%

• ICU Beds Occupied: 72%

• ICU Ventilator Beds Occupied: 25%