Heatwave hits the city, with fire bans across town

Good morning!

I had what was in retrospect a bit of a close call on my bike this week. I had the front tire of my bike free itself from the wheel. Fortunately, I was inside a restaurant — okay, a Subway — eating a sandwich and the bike was parked outside. As annoying as having to walk my bike a kilometre home, I was pretty glad the tire didn’t fail while I was speeding along.

Still though, kind of a pain.

Anyway, you might have noticed it’s a bit warm lately. There’s good news ahead on that front, but we’re in for at least another day of heat. Plenty of news on that and more below.

Let’s get to it.

— Robert Hiltz, managing editor

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Weather Report

Heat warning

Friday: 33 🌡️ 15 | ☀️/⛈️

Saturday: 24 🌡️ 8 | ☀️

Sunday: 23 🌡️ 11 | ☀️

Monday: 23 🌡️ 11 | 🌦

IT’S HOT

Hottest-ever start to June as fires banned

What happened: A fire ban and a record-high temperature kicked off June with a blast of heat. Environment Canada issued a heat warning that expires today, and yesterday the temperature hit 32 C, well above the June 1 record of 29.6 C set in 2011, CTV reported.

Today is on its way to record territory, too:

How to cope: Be extra careful during this heat wave. It typically takes about two weeks for your body to adjust to hot weather. Older adults and young children are particularly susceptible to the effects of high heat. Be extra cautious and be sure to have plenty of fluids. Ottawa Public Health has a detailed guide on how to spot the signs and what to do about dehydration, heat exhaustion, sunburn, and heat stroke.

• Public Health also has an interactive map of all the public places to cool off in the city. You can find everything from shady gazebos, to splash pads, to air-conditioned community centres to beat the heat.

The good news: Thankfully, the heat isn’t expected to last forever. Over the weekend, the temperature will drop into the mid 20s, and tonight’s low will be a pleasant 14. There’s also a 60 percent chance of rain and the chance of a thunderstorm this afternoon.

Burn ban: Because of the hot, dry weather, fires have been banned in the city, CTV reported. Ottawa has only received 7.9 mm of rain since the May long weekend. Open-air fire bans forbid outdoor burning, including campfires, agricultural burns, and burning brush. There is also a fire ban across the river in Gatineau and surrounding regions.

OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS

🏒 60-90: It’s expected to take this many days to close the deal on the sale of the Senators, and that’s only after a preferred bidder has been selected. Any day now… [Ottawa Citizen]

📚 $19 million: The amount of cuts the Ottawa Carleton District School Board made to its 2023-24 budget to make up for a deficit. Some of the budget cuts come from hiring early career teachers with lower salaries than those retiring and eliminating 21 full-time jobs. They also hope to find 10 to 11 percent in cuts by reducing school paper usage. [CTV]

LANSDOWNE

Residents skeptical about Lansdowne 2.0 plans

What happened: As the proposal to re-redevelop Lansdowne Park barrels forward, local residents are worried the plans for a new arena will cut even deeper into the site’s small green space, CBC reported. At public consultations in recent weeks, the public has been raising the alarm about the plan.

The $322-million proposal from Ottawa Sports Entertainment Group (OSEG) — who own the 67’s and Redblacks and operate the site — would see a new arena built on the east side of the football field. The arena would be sunk into the ground and have a green roof, but that roof would be off limits to the public. (It would cost more for it to be able to support that sort of weight.)

Consultations: The city collected suggestions from the public on what they’d like to see happen to the park part of the Lansdowne. More shade, more seating, access to more water fountains, food vendors, upgrades to the Aberdeen Pavilion, and more all made the list.

• You can see the top 25 suggestions, along with a map of where in the park the changes could be made, at the city’s website.

Into their own hands: One of the major issues with the process so far has been the lack of meaningful consultation with the public on the plan. In the previous council, OSEG’s proposed design was presented as a fait accompli, and passed with little scrutiny. Pleas to delay the vote until after the municipal election were denied by then-mayor Jim Watson and his council majority, CTV reported at the time.

Since then, the Glebe Community Association had its own scale model of the design built to show the public what the plan would look like:

The money problem: Despite a promise the last redevelopment would be revenue-neutral, Lansdowne has consistently lost money. In its current state, it’s not expected ever to be profitable.

THE AGENDA

⚖️ An OPP officer guilty of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman and filming it should receive a severe sentence, prosecutors said. The Crown is asking a judge to put Const. Jason Redmond in prison for five to seven years — above the typical three- to five-year range. [CBC]

🚔 The Ottawa Police Service’s plan to form an Indigenous unit is a good start say community members, but on its own, it won’t solve the serious issues with policing Indigenous communities. [CBC]

🏳️‍🌈 Pride month kicked off with flags flown across the city. Both the Ottawa Carleton District School Board and the Ottawa Catholic Board flew the rainbow flag, but some parents kept their children home. [CTV]

🚌 Later this year transit riders will be able to tap a credit card or use their phone’s payment ability to pay their OC Transpo fare. It’ll come online once the city finishes installing the read smart card readers across its fleet. [CBC]

💻 Both RBC and Air Canada suffered serious system failures causing shutdowns and delays across the country. [CTV]

🏥 A new clinic at The Royal will begin offering esketamine, a type of anesthetic, to treat some patients with severe depression. [CBC]

📰 It’s a sad day for newspapering in the city, as the Ottawa Citizen cleared out its newsroom for good. Staff at the paper will work remotely. [Twitter]

⚽️ Ontario Soccer hopes a pilot program to give referees body cameras will cut down on abuse of match officials at children's soccer games. [CBC]

📣 Quebec’s language law, Bill 96, came into effect this week, which puts major restrictions on the use of English in public life. For example, if you call 311 in Montreal before getting service in English, you have to attest to being one of a few groups permitted to receive help in a language other than French. [CBC, Twitter]

EVENTS

What to do this weekend

Music

🎻 Symphonic Cinema, Friday 7:30 pm: The Ottawa Pops Orchestra is playing epic film scores from The Mission Suite, Dark Knight Rises, Titanic and Jurassic Park. At Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, 355 Cooper St. Tickets start at $20.

Sports

🚴‍♂️ World Bicycle Day 2023 in Ottawa, Saturday 11 am: The European diplomatic community, NCC, and the city are celebrating all things cycling. Starting with a Ride for Peace and Unity along the Canal, followed by free bike check-ups, giveaways, art stations for kids, and much more. Free!

Food

🍖 Ottawa Ribfest, until Sunday: Ottawa’s meatiest festival returns for another year. With dozens of smokers, grills and more. Winners of this year’s competition will be announced Sunday. Along Sparks Street. Entrance is free.

🍤 Ottawa Asian Night Market, Friday to Sunday: A three-day food fest of some of the best in Asian cuisine. Vendors with all manner of delicious dishes. At the Tanger Outlet Mall, 8555 Campeau Dr. Free entrance.

Kids/Family

🚪 Doors Open Ottawa, Saturday and Sunday: Buildings all across the city will be opened for you and your family to explore with guided tours. Museums, embassies, heritage buildings and more will all be opening their doors to the public. Some locations require pre-registration to get a tour. Free!

🪴 Garden Tour of the Churchill Alternative School Butterfly Garden, Saturday 10 am: Take a tour of this pollinator-friendly garden with a guided tour and explanation by two of its caretakers. At 345 Ravenhill Ave. Free admission.

🏗️ Meet the Fleet at the Public Works Big Wheels Expo, Sunday 11 am: Come check out some of the city’s biggest and coolest machinery. Plows, garbage trucks, street sweepers and more will all be on display so you and the family can get a peek inside. At Ottawa Stadium, 300 Coventry Rd. Free!

Culture

🇨🇺 Fiesta Cubana Fest 2023, Sunday 12:30 pm: A celebration of Cuban culture with salsa bands, dance workshops, literature, food, drinks and more. At Lansdowne Park. Tickets $25.

Other

🚶‍♂️ On the Road 4 Mental Health, Friday and Saturday: Greg and Aaron McPherson will be walking for 24 hours, through the majority of Ottawa’s wards from Stittsville to City Hall. They’re walking in memory of Aric Fionnlagh McPherson and Madeleine Soroczan-Wright to raise money for the Youth Service Bureau and raise awareness for the mental health and overdose crisis in the city. They’ll finish just before noon at city hall on Saturday where several dignitaries will speak. Find the route here to cheer them on. You can donate here.

🧘‍♀️ City of OM, Friday and Saturday: An annual wellness event with nine venues full of yoga and fitness classes, a 5K run, and market with dozens of vendors. At Lansdowne Park. Tickets start at $17.

🍷 LCBO Career Fair, Saturday 10 am: An event showcasing available jobs at the LCBO’s regional warehouse, with different shifts available. The ability to lift heavy objects is a must. At the LCBO centre at 1980 Bank St. Free.

🐶 Music Bingo Night For Wish You Were Home Rescue, Saturday 6 pm: A bingo night fundraiser for the furry friends at WYWHR, with a silent auction and bingo cards available for $4 each. At The Burbs Pub & Eatery, 501 Hazeldean Rd. Tickets $12.

CAPITAL EATS

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.

🍕 With a new season just around the corner, our food editor picks some of his favourite dishes he’s tried recently. Great calamari, Greek wine, pizza and more.

🥖 The city’s best spot for a banh mi sandwich has just opened a new location in Hintonburg, and our editor was on hand to cut the ribbon.

😎 (Insiders) Look no further for a great summer wine from Sicily. Pairs well with seafood, soft cheese and a nice day on the porch.

🍻 (Insiders) The downtown brew hall brings both great beer and great food together. Don’t miss out on their artichoke dip, it’s a must-have.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Next week firefighters will be fanning out across town to check smoke alarms and replace batteries as part of their Wake Up! program. [City of Ottawa]

• Royal LePage Team Realty Ottawa wishes to thank all their realtors and staff for their amazing generosity and support for Denim Day, which raised $65,000 for local hospitals.*

• These geese are well-trained in how to use the crosswalk. [Reddit]

• Jagged Little Pill: The Musical has arrived at the NAC and runs until Sunday. [CTV]

• Have you seen Nibbler? He escaped home in Lowertown, and his collar has come loose. [Reddit]

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

*Sponsored content

TOP PHOTO

Today’s photo comes from reader André Martin, who grabbed this shot at the Champlain Bridge, about a third of the distance of the marathon during last week’s Ottawa Race Weekend. “They were on a three hour and 15 minute pace…very impressive,” he said.

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

OTTAWA GAMES

Congrats to Julia, the only one to know that this week’s Ottawa Guesser was on Old Richmond Road. The monument in the left is in honour of Charles Lennox, the fourth duke of Richmond and Lennox, and commander-in-chief of the British North American colonies and govenor-in-chief of Lower Canada in 1918. He died in 1819, near where the monument stands today.

Do you think you have what it takes to solve this week’s Ottawa Wordle? Play now!

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