(Jensen, 2024)
by Kassandra Rodriguez
It’s a universally known thing, at least among the locals, that the City Of Ottawa is a
“boring city”. While at CKDJ there is always an effort to bring hype through local talent, home
hockey games, and even speaking up about events in the city, there is still something missing
when it comes to continuous excitement. Many have said that Ottawa is simply a government
town or that it just doesn’t have much going for it. But, what if that was about to change? What if
something else is coming? As of right now, when anyone is asked, the first thing that comes to
mind about Ottawa is that there is not really much going on for it in terms of nightlife. Back in
the summer though, there were announcements being put out that there is going to be a night
mayor or better known a “Nightlife Commissioner” hired into the city council to help improve
the “nightlife economy” in the city and give Ottawa a facelift of sorts for it’s post-6 p.m.
appearance (Huston, 2024). If the purpose for the “Night Mayor” is mainly to bring some much
needed life into the seemingly lacking nightlife in the city, the question is, is that going to
happen?
In June of 2024, Mathieu Grondin was hired from a promoter role in Montreal’s nightlife
and since then has been making moves to better Ottawa’s nightlife, starting with opening up
applications for a volunteer nightlife council (Huston, 2024). The applications remained open
until October 11 and from there Grondin stated that the council would be picked based on people
who either work in nightlife jobs, own local businesses, are event promoters or even people who
just like to go out (Huston, 2024). When asked why he thought it was important for the city to
support its nightlife, Grondin explained that it is a hugely important time and space and even that
“between 25 to 35 percent of spending happens at night in any mid-size city” (Saxberg, 2024).
According to Cummings (2024), Ottawa has “held the reputation as a town that fun
forgot”, but from his article and information he got from the new “Night Mayor” it is looking
like Grondin wants to make Ottawa into a city where people want to come and enjoy their
nightlife experiences. Officially, the nightlife council has been selected with a total number of 12
volunteer council members such as Aidan Kallioinen, Associate VP from Carleton U, Feza
Lugoma, DJ and Co-founder of “Pass the Vibes”, as well as Eric Vance, Drag Performer and
Co-Owner of Glittershaker Events and Lisa Zbitnew, owner and operator of the Bronson Centre
Music Theatre. Along with that there are 6 industry organization members to help the Night
Mayor alongside the council (O’Neill, 2024).
From the people to the plans and effort being put into the revamping of the city nightlife,
there’s a chance that Ottawa’s nightlife’s going to have more than just a needed facelift. The city
has a chance to grow and even become the next big place for fun and excitement at night,
especially even helping local artists, acts and groups have a more lively space to grow.
Cummings, D. (2024, November 3). Ottawa’s “night mayor” wants to transform quiet
capital into after-dark destination. Global News.
Huston, G. (2024, September 24). Ottawa’s night mayor is building a Nightlife Council |
CBC news. CBCnews.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-mayor-night-life-commissioner-council-1.
7331854
Jensen, M. (2024). Mathieu Grondin [Photograph]. Ottawa Business Journal.
https://obj.ca/nightlife-commish-mathieu-grondin-building-nightlife/
O’Neill, N. (2024, November 4). Ottawa’s Nightlife Council is selected. here’s who they
are. CityNews Ottawa.
https://ottawa.citynews.ca/2024/11/04/ottawas-nightlife-council-is-selected-heres-who-the
y-are/amp/
Saxberg, L. (2024, September 29). Ottawa Night Mayor says ‘no need to go to montreal’
for a great night out | ottawa citizen. Ottawa Citizen.
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa-night-mayor-montreal
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