End of an era: Rideau Street McDonald's officially closes
This is the end, my beautiful friend.
The doors to the infamous Rideau Street McDonald's—a renowned Ottawa institution—have officially closed for good.
The golden arches have been removed from the building at 99 Rideau St. and a sign on the door directs customers to nearby McDonald's locations on Elgin and Bank streets.
The restaurant, which opened in 1985 in the heart of Ottawa's tourism area, became a notorious hotspot for late night crowds after last call at bars and restaurants.
When CTV News reported earlier this year that it would close, the story prompted an outpouring of reaction and memories from residents who recounted their late-night experiences at the restaurant. The story also attracted worldwide media attention.
In March, about 200 people attended a farewell march to pay tribute to the restaurant. Some dressed as Ronald McDonald. Another marcher turned up in a raccoon costume to commemorate the time that someone whipped out a baby raccoon during a fight at the restaurant in 2013.
Police visited the McDonald's so often that in 2019, then-police chief Charles Bordeleau wrote to the head of McDonald's Canada to say the activity at 99 Rideau was getting out of control. The restaurant then cut its overnight shift.
Ottawa police were called to the location 150 times in 2022, far fewer than the 800 times in 2018 when it was open 24 hours.
The property owner told CTV News Ottawa earlier this year that the space will be available for lease starting in July.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Liberal MP says she's leaving politics over disrespectful dialogue, threats, misogyny
Liberal MP Pam Damoff says she won't run again in the next federal election, saying she has experienced misogyny, disrespectful dialogue in politics and threats to her life.
Concerns about Plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglass barriers.
Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
OPP officer said 'someone's going to get hurt' before wrong-way Hwy. 401 crash
As multiple Durham police cruisers were chasing a robbery suspect on the wrong side of Highway 401 Monday night, an Ontario Provincial Police officer shared his concerns, telling a dispatcher, "Someone's going to get hurt."
Ont. woman who faked pregnancy to defraud doulas arrested again on similar charges
Victims of a Brantford, Ont., woman who was sentenced to house arrest earlier this year for defrauding and deceiving doulas say they’re not surprised she’s been apprehended again on similar charges.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Poilievre returns to House unrepentant for calling Trudeau 'wacko,' Speaker not resigning
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Construction begins on LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa
Shovels have hit the ground for constuction on Canada's LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa.
B.C. man awarded $5,000 in damages in first-of-it-kind intimate image case
In a first-of-its-kind case, a B.C. tribunal has ruled on a dispute involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, awarding damages and issuing orders that the photos be destroyed and taken offline.