What's open and closed in Ottawa for the August long weekend
Statue of Colonel By in Major’s Hill Park. (Photo/Devyn Barrie)
Monday is Colonel By Day in Ottawa (aka the August Civic Holiday / August long weekend, occurring on the first Monday of every August) which means a long weekend for most people in Ottawa. But it’s not a statutory holiday so many retail stores will be open. Here’s a list of what’s open and closed.
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Shopping & attractions:
- Most stores, malls and grocery stores are open with reduced hours. Call ahead to check! (Malls open for business include Rideau Centre, Bayshore, Place d’Orleans, St-Laurent, Billings Bridge, Les Promenades de l’Outaouais…)
- Not many national museums are open. You are able to walk up to the National Gallery and gain admission (subject to a limit of people inside the gallery of course), but others, like the Museum of History, are selling tickets a week ahead and have sold out already. Some have not yet re-opened.
- Most LCBO stores are open on Monday.
- Beer stores are open regular hours on Sunday. On Monday, only select stores are open from 11am-6pm.
- Movie theatres are opening back up. Landmark Theatres in Kanata and Orleans have opened, and so has Cineplex Scotiabank at Gloucester and Cineplex Coliseum on Carling.
- Banks are closed.
- Quebec doesn’t have a Civic Holiday, so it’s business as usual for business, stores and city services.
Need a doctor or emergency care?
- You can find healthcare services open during holidays by checking iamsick.ca
Recreation
- Beaches, splash pads and pools will be open, weather permitting. (Here’s a list.)
- Some city pools will be open on the Civic Holiday for public swimming skating and fitness classes with modified schedules. Check with ottawa.ca or the facility of your choice for details. For more info on swimming during the COVID-19 era, here is a city webpage about that.
City / government services
- OC Transpo operates on a modified schedule.
- City Hall and Client Service Centres are closed
- Ontario Provincial Offences Court is closed
- There will be no curb side green bin, recycling or garbage collection. Monday’s pickup will take place on Tuesday. In addition, the collection of garbage, green bin, leaf and yard waste and recycling materials will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week.
- Here’s a press release from the City of Ottawa about other schedule and service changes…
To add to this list please email feedback@ottawastart.com