It has been well over a month since the final Christmas craft show of the season closed its doors and – if you’re like me – you have started to display symptoms of a condition known as “craft show withdrawal”. Fret not, the 2015 spring event season is upon us so synchronize your calendars with the (preliminary) list below and dust off your shopping bags! ...

Ottawa residents have an opportunity to learn more about the City’s Draft Budget 2015 and ask questions at one of four multi-ward budget consultations occurring February 9 to 14.  Here are the dates, times and locations of each consultation session: ...

The NAC Orchestra’s own superstar principal cellist, Amanda Forsyth, has officially announced that she will be leaving the NAC Orchestra at the end of the 2014/15 season, so she can focus her energies on her global solo and chamber music career. ...

Pursuant to Subsection 14 (1) (a) of Procedure By-law 2014-441, a special City Council meeting called by His Worship Mayor Jim Watson will be convened in Andrew S. Haydon Hall, beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 11, 2015, on matters related to the 2015 Draft Operating and Capital budgets (and associated reports); the 2015 budgets of the Ottawa Police Services Board, the Ottawa Public Library Board, the Ottawa Board of Health, the Committee of Adjustment and Crime Prevention Ottawa. ...

_ Our crowdsourced list of the best events in Ottawa this week. You can find even more events on our Ottawa Event Calendar . _ ** February 6-8: Second Weekend of Winterlude ** Highlights include snow and ice sculptures, Canadian sports and comedy. ...

Ottawa City Council today received and tabled its first draft budget of its term, which seeks to maintain the momentum of significant city-building projects such as light rail transit, Arts Court, and the Bayview Innovation Centre. The draft budget proposes key investments in affordable housing, community facilities and crime prevention, while keeping taxes and user fees affordable. ...

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has issued a precautionary Boil Water Advisory for some users of the communal well water system in the Shadow Ridge community in Greely. The advisory is being issued due to a depressurization in the communal well system in the area. ...

A tiki-mug and an original Ottawa Tiki-bar menu. EDITOR’S NOTE: Andrew King has contributed several pieces to OttawaStart about our city’s forgotten motels. Most recently, we collaborated on a search for two motels in the Greenbelt outside of Bells Corners. Before that, he wrote about the old Talisman Hotel on Carling Avenue. ...

Did you know Ontario Parks is now taking campsite reservations for summer 2015? The provincial park agency has a five month advance booking window. This means that anyone planning to camp in late June, for example, can book their campsite now. ...

The National Capital Commission (NCC) advises residents and farmers to take extra precautions with respect to animals, livestock and pets and to keep them indoors, if possible. There has been a wildlife incident involving an attack on a horse in the vicinity. ...