With information on historic mansions hosting concerts and a tea party, tips on renting kayaks and canoes in Gatineau, and the scoop on new parking rates in Ottawa, this post has lots of news you can use.
Lyndhurst has a new wetland viewing platform
On June 21, the village of Lyndhurst officially unveiled a new wetland viewing platform. The platform, located along an existing walking trail in Furnace Falls Park, is designed to give nature-lovers a better peek at the flora and fauna along Lyndhurst Creek.
You can enjoy music on the veranda of a mansion in Brockville
Fulford Place Museum in Brockville—a grand Edwardian mansion overlooking the St. Lawrence River—is hosting Music on the Veranda on Wednesdays in July and August. Starting on July 3, the concerts will take place from noon to 1pm, and admission is by donation.
Rental kayaks, bicycles and more are available in Gatineau
A handy post from Outaouais Tourism points you to half a dozen outdoor centres in Gatineau, including places to rent kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, pedal boats and bikes. One of the centres offers SUP yoga classes, another rents out bicycle trailers, and a third has an orchard and a schoolhouse!
Tickets are still available for afternoon tea in Manotick
The Dickinson House Museum in Manotick is hosting a Black and White Afternoon Tea on Saturday, July 13. Guests will enjoy tea sandwiches, scones and desserts—and tea, of course. Tickets are still available and cost $30.
Ottawa street parking rates are changing
The City of Ottawa is poised to raise street parking rates in half a dozen neighbourhoods in August, including parts of the ByWard Market, Little Italy, downtown and the Glebe. In addition, the city will likely start charging for parking on Wellington Street and Richmond Road in Wellington West and Westboro, where street parking is currently free. On the bright side, rates are likely to go down in several places, including Vanier and Holland Cross. This Ottawa Citizen story has more details.
Eastern Ontario has lots of niche museums
Three museums within three hours of Ottawa make this list of niche Ontario museums worth a visit: the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario in Smiths Falls, the Canadian Clock Museum in Deep River and the new home of the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough.
Tick populations are on the rise
OK, so this isn’t the nicest news, but it falls squarely into the “heads up” category of things you should be aware of. The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU)—which serves people in the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, as well as Prescott-Russell and the City of Cornwall—is warning that tick populations in the region are on the rise. Ticks can spread a variety of illnesses to humans, including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis and Powassan virus. The first three can be treated with medication, but there is currently no treatment for Powassan virus. The EOHU has lots of information on avoiding ticks and dealing with one if it bites you.
Looking for more tips on things to see and do in and around Ottawa? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or order a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km Getaway Guide.
As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.