Earlier today I moderated Mayor Jim Watson’s monthly “#AskJim” online chat with residents. A full recap of the chat is included below, with topics ranging from oil pipelines to food trucks to outdoor swimming pools. You can read previous chats here on the Mayor’s web site… ...

[  ](http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjrimages/7466437534/) ** Ottawa RibFest. ** Photo by [ Marcel Regimbald ](http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjrimages/7466437534/) , from the [ OttawaStart Flickr Group ](http://flickr.com/groups/ottawastart) . Here are our contributors' picks for the best events in Ottawa this week. ...

[  ](http://www.flickr.com/photos/xiaozhuli/8992657560/) Rideau Hall. Photo by [ Zhu ](http://www.flickr.com/photos/xiaozhuli/8992657560/in/pool-ottawastart) from the [ OttawaStart Flickr Group ](http://www.flickr.com/groups/ottawastart/pool/with/8992657560/#photo_8992657560) . Here are our contributors' picks for the best events in Ottawa this week. ...

An old, smashed up piano at the north end of Hinchey Avenue in Mechanicsville. These photos were taken on Sunday. The piano was still there as of Wednesday afternoon. Photos by NikMaack on Twitter, republished with his permission. [ ](http://ottawastart. ...

Seriously. Ottawa’s Kelp Records is releasing a new recording from the HILOTRONS (also from Ottawa) not on CD, not on cassette, not on vinyl … but on a plastic Fisher Price record. Here’s the press release: This week, Kelp Records will commemorate the Toronto edition of the [ International Label Market ](https://go. ...

[ ](http://ottawastart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/51b1e3242f7cc6520a0000b1.jpeg) Thanks to OttawaStart contributor Laura Gauthier who forwarded this note to us about a new non-profit bus service that provides rides from Ottawa and other cities in Ontario to Algonquin Park. _ Bus service to Algonquin Park - begins June 21-23 weekend Fri Jun 21 to Sun Jun 23, 2013, Ottawa, ON Nonprofit bus service to Algonquin Park - from Ottawa & Toronto - Ottawa route begins June 21-23, 2013 No car? ...

I took some photos at the Star Wars: Identities exhibit at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum last week. The exhibit takes up part of one of the museum’s air craft hangers, and it’s full of original props, costumes, models and production art from the movies. ...

[  ](http://www.flickr.com/photos/christophe_ledent/8900956712/) Horses on top of the Arts Court by [ Christophe Ledent ](http://www.flickr.com/photos/christophe_ledent/8900956712/in/pool-ottawastart) . From the [ OttawaStart Flickr Group ](http://www.flickr.com/groups/ottawastart) . Here are our contributors' picks for the best events in Ottawa this week, published every Wednesday night in this space. ...

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson is one of the city’s most prolific tweeters . Most days he tweets out dozens of messages about events he’s attending, comments on city programs and policies, and responses to his constituents. On Thursday, with a little help from his staff, he posted short video snippets of his day to Vine. ...

I noticed these colorfully wrapped traffic light control boxes in Old Ottawa South. The graphic wraps are similar to what Canada Post uses on their mailboxes to discourage graffiti. Are these new or am I just not observant enough? Is that big red thing supposed to be the O-Train? ...