April Fools' Day jokes from city services, museums and businesses in Ottawa
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at a few of our favourite April Fools' Day jokes in Ottawa on Saturday.
OttaWin?
The city of Ottawa took to Twitter Saturday morning, saying the city is considering amalgamating with the city of Winnipeg, with the new city called 'OttaWin.'
"We are packing our bags and getting ready to move! Stay tuned for more information."
An image shared on social media said, "Ottawa + Winnipeg 4ever. OttaWin"
Life-sized statue of Ryan Reynolds in the ByWard Market
Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds is a popular guy in Ottawa.
After recently visiting to speak with the mayor and attend a Senators game, the ByWard Market joked that a life-sized statue of Reynolds will be erected in the heart of downtown.
"Comment below on who you're bringing to the grand unveiling," the ByWard Market said on Instagram Saturday morning.
Airbnb at the Canadian Science and Technology Museum
The Canadian Science and Technology Museum announced a pilot project with Airbnb to rent out a stay in the Governor General's rail cars.
"Drum roll, please. As of next week, you can book a stay in the Governor General's rail cars located in the Ingenium Centre's collection in Ottawa," the museum said in an Instagram post.
The AirBnb listing includes
- Sleeps 9 guests
- 8 bedrooms (two with their own washrooms and one with bunk beds)
- Two living rooms
- Dining room with a table for 12
- Kitchen and personal chef
- Office
- WiFi
Enraged Birds of Prey
The Canadian Aviation and Space Museum used April Fools' Day to announce a new exclusive audio compilation on Spotify, called "Enraged Birds of Prey."
"DYK that many airports keep birds from landing on their runways by broadcasting the calls of angry birds of prey," the museum said in an Instagram post.
"Each track is more terrifying than the last! Enjoy “Enraged Owl,” “Hawk About to Swoop,” and the unique ‘Eagle of Fury.’
"Aviation enthusiasts- you won’t want to miss this exclusive release! Listen in today!"
OC Transpo Ugly Sweaters
OC Transpo announced the pre-sale of its Ugly Holiday Sweater on April Fools' Day.
The sweaters include a Reindeer with the OC Transpo logo for a nose and the OC Transpo mascot on the front.
When you click on the link to the transit services' website, OC Transpo encourages people to donate to the Snowsuit Fund of Ottawa.
"April Fools! While our sweater may be a joke, the growing need to keep children warm during the winter isn’t."
New owner for the ByTown Museum
While Ryan Reynolds is part of one of the groups bidding to purchase the Ottawa Senators, the Bytown Museum used April Fools' Day to announce the Canadian actor is its new owner.
"We're thrilled to announce that @VancityReynolds, as part of his ongoing commitment to support #Ottawa's sports & cultural scenes, has purchased the Bytown Museum," the museum said on Twitter.
"Please join us in welcoming Ryan Reynolds to the Aviation American Gin Presents the Bytown Museum™ family!"
Ottawa Public Library
The Ottawa Public Library chose April Fools' Day to unveil its new library card design and guess who is on the front!
Ryan Reynolds has been a popular choice for local April Fools' Day jokes. The OPL showed off new cards with the actor's face on them.
"Get your hands on the most stylish card in town," says the OPL.
Goulbourn Museum discovers underground tunnels
The Goulbourn Museum joked that workers discovered a series of tunnels under the museum during HVAC installation.
"The Diefenbunker may not be the only underground bunker in Ottawa," an Instagram post said.
"We are very tight on space here, both in the Museum and in the History Centre. With an underground system of tunnels, the possibilities are endless.”
The image accompanying the post showed the tunnel entrance has stairs, handrails and graffiti already.
The Milk Shop
The Milk Shop in the ByWard Market has a new name on April Fools' Day – "Beverage."
"We're feeling a little sour this afternoon. It seems the dairy industry has curdled our plans to keep using 'Milk," The Milk Shop said on Instagram.
"As a small business we had no idea that they were udderly offended by our choice of store name. The dairy overlords have whey-ed in on our branding, and since we don't want to get into a cheesy situation, we've been forced to go with a new name. Say hello to Beverage."
Maker House
Maker House announced expansion plans into the Nordstrom store in the Rideau Centre on April Fools' Day.
"Thanks to your generous support over the years, we’re very excited to announce that we are moving into one of Ottawa’s largest retail spaces in the Rideau Centre – the former Nordstrom location, where we will have two floors, and 157,000 square feet, to showcase more local makers than ever!" Maker House said on Instagram.
Plans include a "Dog-of-the-Day Track" and Photo Booth and a "Build-a-Box Station" on Level 1.
"With two floors and 157,000 square feet of space, there’s more room than ever to shop local and support Canadian makers," Maker House said.
Return of the house hippo
Global Affairs Canada reminded Canadians to watch out for North American house hippos.
"Check bedroom closets for their nests and keep your kitchen floor clean of their favourite foods, such as raisins, chips and peanut butter on toast," a tweet from the @Canada account said.
The North American house hippo was the subject of a popular Concerned Children's Advertisers PSA in the late 1990s. Today, it appears, the government is warning Canadians to watch out for the beloved creatures again (who are much larger than they were more than 23 years ago!)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.