Top 5 stories in Ottawa this week

Students return to class, Ottawans reminisce about their encounters with the Queen, and a rock and roll star makes a “racquet.”

CTVNewsOttawa.ca takes a look at the top five stories on our website this week.

Ottawa residents share fond memories of meeting Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II left a mark on Ottawa, visiting the capital 12 times during her reign and leaving many people with meaningful stories of their interactions with her.

For many people, just seeing her on a visit was a life goal. But others have had the honor of interacting with her face to face.

Bill Boone has a collection of personal gifts from Queen Elizabeth II, including photos, pins and pens.

“I met her four times at the start of the royal visits and four times at the end of those same visits, and she gave me gifts each time,” he told CTV News Ottawa.

Boone worked with Transport Canada and helped organize several royal tours. He was even a guest on the royal yacht Britannia.

Olympian Pat Messner not only received Canada’s only Olympic medal in water skiing, but she also received medals from Her Majesty.

“The first time I met her, I was flabbergasted,” Messner said. “She’s wearing that gorgeous dress and her crown…you just get that kind of shocking feeling.”

Morgan Jeaurond of Maxville, Ont. Performed for the Queen at Balmoral Castle in 2013.

“While we were performing our first dance, we were quite nervous. She was very focused at first, but as soon as the first dance was over – I’ll never forget it – she smiled from ear to ear and stretched out her hands in applause.”

Whether it was a brief exchange or a long conversation, everyone agrees that she left an impression not only as a sovereign, but as a genuine and warm human being.

More students return to school on Tuesday and masks are optional

The school bell rang on Tuesday, bringing tens of thousands of students from Ottawa’s English public and Catholic school boards into class.

It begins what is arguably the most normal school year since 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks are optional, and the province’s education minister pledges to keep children in class throughout the school year.

But some have raised concerns about the end of Ontario’s five-day lockdown for people who test positive for COVID-19. Health experts say the decision to lift isolation rules could pave the way for more spread within schools and trigger another wave.

There is no formal recommendation on whether or when to reintroduce mandatory masking in schools, but after three school years with disruptions due to COVID-19, health experts say the priority is to keep children in class.

When students return to class on Tuesday, masks will be optional. (File photo)

Civil servants ready to strike if no contract is reached with the federal government

Hundreds of federal public servants marched through downtown streets on Thursday to demand a bigger pay raise from the federal government.

Members representing the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) have joined other public service unions to represent more than 160,000 workers who are at an impasse in negotiations with their employer.

Talks broke down between the PSAC and the Treasury Board Secretariat. Chris Aylward, PSAC National President, says wages must be fair and keep up with rising inflation.

On Thursday, workers marched down Sparks Street to the Treasury Board headquarters on Elgin Street. There, they posted an open letter on their doorstep that outlines their demands.

The PSAC is calling for a wage increase of 4.5% per year to protect workers against the rising cost of living.

Both sides are heading to mediation on September 12-14 and September 20-23. If there is no progress in these talks, the workers are ready to go on strike.

Federal officials march down Sparks Street in Ottawa on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022. (Leah Larocque/CTV News Ottawa)

Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder makes a surprise appearance at the Ottawa Sports Center

Rock and roll stars are known for racketeering, but on Friday in Ottawa, a high-profile frontman showed up at a local sports center without one.

The Rideau Sports Center posted on social media that Pearl Jam singer and guitarist Eddie Vedder came to play tennis, but he needed an important tool.

“He borrowed the tennis racquet from our CEO and founder (Nicki Bridgland). What a thrill it was to meet him,” a post on the Rideau Sports Center Facebook page.

Pearl Jam was in town to play at the Canadian Tire Center on Saturday. Bridgland told CTV News that Vedder’s visit was a surprise.

Vedder and his manager played on court four, Bridgland said. As a thank you for loaning his racquet, Vedder presented Bridgland with tickets to the show.

The RSC team clearly enjoyed Saturday night’s concert, writing on Facebook that it was “AMAZING”.

The Pearl Jam frontman showed up to play tennis at the Rideau Sports Club in Ottawa on September 2, 2022, but had to borrow club founder and CEO Nicki Bridgland’s racquet to play. (Photos courtesy of the Rideau Sports Club)

Inside this year’s Minto Dream Home for CHEO’s Dream of a Lifetime Lottery

The CHEO Dream of a Lifetime Lottery is back and the grand prize is a record-breaking $3.4 million package, which includes a fully furnished home, plus cash, a car, groceries and even more.

The Minto dream house, nicknamed ‘Le Rêve’, lives up to its name. The home, nestled on a large corner lot in the Arcadia community of Kanata, is a Parisian-inspired 4,600 square foot space of perfection.

Upstairs, a chic master bedroom in soft and warm tones will make you sleep in style. The adjoining bathroom is large, as is the dressing room. There are three further bedrooms upstairs, two share a bathroom, but there is also a third. At the top of the stairs, a wall of glass – behind, a bright reading room overlooking a field.

On the main level, an office, a spacious dining room with a large stone fireplace, a large functional kitchen that opens onto a family room and a family suite that includes a bedroom, a private bathroom and a balcony. The house is designed to constantly purify the air inside for additional health benefits.

The Minto Dream Home is Eastern Ontario’s first Breathe Well home, built with innovative indoor air quality technology and energy-efficient smart home solutions. (Rhonda McIntosh/CHEO Foundation).