Hello ORLÉANS!
Welcome to the 48th edition of Orléans Connect. As always, welcome new subscribers! 👋
It has been a deeply sorrowful last couple of days 😢 with the devastatingly tragic news coming out of Tumbler Ridge, B.C. and Kitigan Zibi. Our thoughts and condolences go out to everyone impacted.❤️🩹
Well, we are hopefully seeing the first signs that we are through the coldest part 🥶 of winter. And we sure have had plenty of winter this year, haven’t we? So while I welcome the slightly warmer 🌡️ temperatures, we’ll continue to be ensconced in the warmth of our home while we cheer on Team Canada 🇨🇦 at the Winter Olympics while they compete their hearts out in Italy!
And speaking of the Olympics here’s a photo from the 2010 Olympics that Sebastian took in Vancouver (yup, sixteen years ago we lived in Vancouver during the Olympics, and what an incredible experience it was to experience all of the excitement and intensity up close!). Go Canada Go! 🇨🇦
Team Canada during the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, BC
On a side note, are you following Orléans Connect on 📸 Instagram?… we’re told it’s still where all the cool kids hang out. And by cool kids, we of course mean all the Gen X’ers and Millennials. 😜
As always, don’t forget to check out this week’s poll below ⬇️ - today we’re asking: How do you feel about about the Return-to-Office 🏢, minimum 4 days a week by July 6, 2026 mandate for Federal workers?
Here’s what’s going on in Orléans over the next 7 days:
Here’s our roundup of upcoming events:
🤠💃 February 12th - Country Line Dance Night with Saddle Up With Peach! Come move and dance. The fun gets started at 6 PM at the Rendez-vous des aînés francophones d’Ottawa. Register here.
📍3349 Navan Rd
🕺 February 13th - Valentine’s Day Dinner and Dance at the Orléans Legion, on from 5 - 11 PM. Celebrate love, friendship and all the moments that make your heart smile. Join for an elegant evening filled with a delicious dinner, great music and dancing.
📍800 Talyor Creek Dr
☕ February 13th - Pre-Valentine's Date Night at Creative Stir Café from 6 - 9 PM. Come check out the live music by Kat Armstrong, specialty desserts, Valentine-inspired special drinks, and browse the curated local art.
📍1439 Youville Dr
👠 February 13th - Stray Dog Brewing Company and Capital Tease presents: Strut Burlesque! Doors at 7:30 PM, show at 8 PM. 🎟️ Get your tickets now!
📍501 Lacolle Way
❄️ February 14th - The Convent Glen Orléans Wood Community Association is hosting a Winter Carnival, from 1 - 4 PM. Join for games, activities, and hot chocolate!
📍Jeanne D’Arc Park (St-Moritz Rink)
🌹 February 14th - Valentine’s Day Dinner for Two - collab between Broadhead Brewery and Meatings Barbecue. Enjoy a 3-course meal for two, for only $60/person. Seatings available at 6 PM and 8 PM. Reservations recommended.
📍Unit 106, 1680 Vimont Ct
🎶 February 14th - The Wooden Nickels in Concert, from 7 - 10 PM at Stray Dog Brewing Co. A night of dancing to 90s alt rock and pop music!
📍501 Lacolle Way
❤️ February 14th - Be My Valentine at Taproom260 - $85 Dinner for 2 feature menu with a live performance by Ryan MacIntyre starting at 8 PM. Reserve your table.
📍260 Centrum Blvd
💥 February 15th - The Orléans Comic Book and Novelty Show is on from 11 AM - 5 PM. There will be local comic vendors, novelty/toy vendors, craft vendors as well as artists and writers in attendance. Cosplay friendly!
📍Place d’Orléans, 110 Pl d’Orléans Dr
🏒 February 15th - 16th - Head over to RiverOak Skating Trail for a Special Family Day Weekend! On Sunday, they’re hosting the 3 on 3 Winter Classic (starting at 10 AM). On Monday, check out the amazing Robin Worling live (at 1 PM), and Duncan Jamieson live at 3 PM.
📍2900 York’s Corners Road, Metcalfe
🎨 February 16th - Family Day Pottery Party at 11 AM at Boston Pizza, in partnership with Crock-A-Doodle! Join for lunch and paint a mug. $41/participant (includes meal, drink and 1 pottery mug to paint). Reserve a spot today!
📍3884 Innes Rd
⛸️ February 16th - Family Day Skate with Orléans MPP Stephen Blais from 1- 3 PM at the Bob MacQuarrie Rec Complex. Free entry, free hot chocolate and sweets! First come, first served. No RSVP needed.
📍1490 Youville Dr
🎵 February 16th - The Kin Club of Orléans is hosting Music Bingo, from 1 - 4 PM at Queenswood Heights Community Centre Hall. $15/person, children 2 and under are free. Cost includes 1 Bingo card, bowl of chili and tortilla chips.
📍1485 Duford Dr
❄️ February 16th - Family Day Fun with the Greater Avalon Community Association. 2 - 4 PM at the Aquaview Community Centre. Enjoy a maple syrup kiosk, kids’ activities, a cozy firepit, face painting, snow painting and skating!
📍Aquaview Community Centre, 318 Aquaview Dr
🧘February 18th - Exploring Buddhism: Drop-In Meditation Classes at the Orléans Public Library, 6:30 - 7:45 PM (final session of the series).
📍1705 Orléans Blvd
🐈 February 19th - Help the cat population by participating the Low Cost Spay and Neuter Program, hosted by local cat rescue, Community Alley Trappers. Email [email protected] to reserve a spot. Limited spaces available.
🗓️ SAVE THE DATES 🗓️
🧑🌾 Cumberland Winter Market, Sat, Feb 21st 9 AM - 1 PM, at the RJ Kennedy Area in Cumberland.
Queenswood Heights Community Association is hosting a Cozy Movie Afternoon with a screening of Elio, on Sun, Feb 22nd at 3 PM at Queenswood Heights Community Centre.
Join a Virtual Information Session with Coyote Watch Canada to learn more about coyotes - why they behave the way they do, how to reduce conflict and tips for safe coyote interactions. Session happening on Wed, Feb 25th at 7 PM. Register here. Event hosted by City Councillors Laura Dudas, Matt Luloff and Catherine Kitts.
Do you have an event you want to see featured here? Let us know!
📰 News you should know about…
🎣 Ice fishing is a great way to spend the dog days of winter (The Orléans Star)
🚧 PLAN AHEAD - Upcoming Construction. Hapepning on St. Joseph’s Blvd, between Jeanne d’Arc Blvd and Orléans Blvd begins next Tuesday, February 17th at 7 AM. This watermain work will last until the spring. (City of Ottawa)
🏫 Our Kids Deserve Better on School Streets (The New Orléans, Rob Attrell).
📋 Summer job listings are available now on the City of Ottawa website (City of Ottawa)
💪 Leslie Robertson, an Orléans based Personal Trainer is offering ONE FREE WEEK of live virtual workouts (begins Feb 16th!). Try out virtual training and see what you think! 3 sessions/week, each session 30 minutes (recordings available if you miss the live session). Learn more here.
💗 Get Engaged in the Community
🐕 It Takes a Village Dog Rescue, based in Orléans, is partnering with Broken Stick Brewing Company and Josée Lavoie Photoart to launch the second annual Pints & Paws: Rescue Brew Photo Contest, a unique fundraiser that combines craft beer🍺, photography📸 and animal rescue🐶!
This contest invites local dog owners to submit photos of their pets for a chance to be featured on a special-edition Rescue Brew beer can. Proceeds from the contest and beer sales directly support dogs in care through It Takes A Village Dog Rescue.
Submissions start March 1st, Voting starts March 8th, 2026. Learn more here.
This initiative brings together local businesses and animal lovers to make a meaningful impact while celebrating pets in a fun and creative way!
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 🔦
This week’s Orléans business spotlight is… 🥁 … Spinco Orléans located at 5929 Jeanne d’Arc Blvd S📍
With locations open across the country, Spinco is a well-known spinning class gym that just opened their brand new location right here in Orléans. So if you’ve got fitness goals for 2026, you might want to check them out and book your classes. And if you check out their Instagram page you’ll see that they’ve teamed up with some awesome local businesses to offer their patrons some great grand opening perks!
As always, if you wind up visiting them, make sure to tell them Orléans Connect sent you.
The Stage 2 light rail extension to Orléans was initially supposed to open in September 2022, making the 19-kilometre line now over 40 months late! This doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in Canada’s plan for high-speed rail between Toronto and Quebec City including the first stretch, which has been confirmed to be between Ottawa and Montreal.
Many thanks to Ashley M. for sending in a photo of Pixel. He was found in a garbage bin 😢 at 6 weeks old. He welcomed a new tiny human into his home, and made sure big sister felt comforted and happy too. You can see him here being the swing inspector and professional cuddler.
Submit a photo of your Orléans pet(s) by emailing it to: [email protected]
THIS WEEK’S POLL ❓
How do you feel about the Return-to-Office 🏢, minimum 4 days a week by July 6th, 2026 mandate for Federal workers?
Last week’s poll results: Are you or someone in your household worried about the coming 🇨🇦 Federal job cuts?
🥇 Yes - 52.3%
🥈 No - 45.5%
🥉 Depends on what happens - 2%
