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
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Explosion at train station leads to discovery of stolen car on Montreal's South Shore: police
Police are investigating after a BMW exploded in the St-Lambert Exo train station parking lot on Montreal's South Shore.
Parliamentary report on Emergencies Act decision is 18 months past due — and counting
The erstwhile group of senators and MPs studying the federal government's invocation of the Emergencies Act over the "Freedom Convoy" was supposed to present its findings in December. December of 2022, that is.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
A candidate for Germany's key party was beaten up while campaigning for European elections
A candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left party in next month's election for the European Parliament was beaten up and seriously injured while campaigning in an eastern city, the party said Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.