• Is Ottawa an island?
    Oct 7 2024

    Podcast listener Matt Bell has always been curious about something. Given that a central part of the city is surrounded by two rivers and the canal - is it technically an island? We took his question to a geology expert who initially guffawed and then dug into her stash of city maps to come up with an answer.

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    15 mins
  • Have land acknowledgements become “white noise”?
    Sep 30 2024

    They’re read at sporting events, music festivals, school assemblies, corporate conferences and city hall meetings. But have they become more performative than meaningful? Robyn Bresnahan meets two women from different First Nations who share similar views on what land acknowledgements ought to include to make them more than “white noise”.

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    17 mins
  • What happens when Robyn knocks on the door of her former Carleton University residence room - 27 years later?!
    Sep 23 2024

    There are nearly 9000 students living in college and university dorm rooms in Ottawa. So what’s dorm life like? And how much has changed in the nearly three decades since host Robyn Bresnahan lived in residence? She takes a trip down memory lane to find out.

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    21 mins
  • What happened to the O’Brien Hotel in Gatineau Park?
    Sep 16 2024

    In 2018 a boutique hotel called The O’Brien opened to great fanfare in Gatineau Park. The derelict mansion overlooking Meech Lake had been given a multi-million dollar facelift - funded by taxpayers. But the following year, it was closed. What happened? Robyn Bresnahan investigates.

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    14 mins
  • What’s the new Night Mayor’s plan to revitalize Ottawa’s social scene from sundown to sunrise?
    Sep 9 2024

    Mathieu Grondin says he’s been in “listening mode” all summer since being appointed Ottawa’s new nightlife commissioner. So what did he hear? Robyn Bresnahan meets him for an evening stroll – ending up at an Ottawa speakeasy – where he gets a grilling from three night owls.

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    33 mins
  • How will a new museum tell the story of the Vietnamese “boat people” who sought freedom in Ottawa?
    Aug 26 2024

    There’s a community garden at the corner of Somerset and Preston streets. But if Can Le’s dream comes to fruition, shovels will soon be in the ground for a brand new museum to commemorate the Vietnamese “boat people”. Robyn Bresnahan digs into the story of how Ottawans opened their homes and hearts to thousands of refugees in what became known as Project 4000.

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    13 mins
  • Why aren’t there more places to eat and drink along Ottawa’s waterfronts?
    Aug 19 2024

    Between the Ottawa River, the Rideau Canal and the Rideau River, Ottawa has some prime waterfront space. So why aren’t there more cafes and restaurants along it? Robyn Bresnahan goes for a bike ride with a chef who sees so much potential along Ottawa’s waterways. Plus, an urban planner weighs in with a bird’s eye view.

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    19 mins
  • Where do queer seniors find community in Ottawa?
    Aug 12 2024

    Clubs, bars, internet dating — so much of queer culture is focused on spaces for young people. So where does one go to find connection in their senior years? Robyn Bresnahan meets two longtime friends determined to create a safe community for Ottawa’s 2SLGBTQ+ community as they age. NOTE: This episode has been corrected. The original version misgendered one guest.

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    14 mins