Group evicted from an Ottawa church and Canada's largest Canadian Tire store opens: Top five stories this week

The United People of Canada is evicted from an Ottawa church, roller-skating is making a comeback, and Canada's largest Canadian Tire store opens its doors in Ottawa.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at the top five stories in Ottawa this week.

Judge orders eviction of Freedom Convoy-affiliated group from Ottawa church

A group with ties to the Freedom Convoy left an Ottawa church on Friday, hours after a judge granted an order to evict the group.

Ontario Superior Court Justice Sally Gomery granted an application on Friday by the owners of St. Brigid's on St. Patrick Street to evict the United People of Canada from the property.

The owner, Patrick McDonald, sought the court order to enforce the group's eviction, saying they failed to make $100,000 payments as part of a conditional sale of the church, owed $10,000 in rent and have broke heritage rules.

Gomery also ruled that TUPOC must pay $53,000 in costs to the owners of the property within 30 days. 

McDonald told CTV News Ottawa he was "delighted" with the ruling.

St. Brigid's church was conditionally sold to TUPOC on June 15, with the group claiming it wanted to use the historic property as its "embassy." The property is listed for $5.95 million.

TUPOC director William Komer said the group is planning to appeal the court decision, but they would leave as "quickly as we can."

Earlier this week, Newstalk 580 CFRA's Andrew Pinsent reported companies owned Komer are accused of taking thousands of dollars from customers and leaving them in the dark.

The United People of Canada remained at the St. Brigid's Church in Ottawa's Lowertown on Thursday, after a deadline passed for them to leave the church due to an eviction order. (Jim O'Grady/CTV News Ottawa)

Queen Elizabeth II remembered fondly at Ottawa ceremony

Thousands of people lined streets in downtown Ottawa on Monday to bid farewell to Canada's longest-reining monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.

Ottawa and Canada honoured the Queen with a national day of mourning, a memorial parade and a commemorative service at Christ Church Cathedral.

"It felt like I could be part of it, not being in the U.K., it felt like I could honour her here," said Rachel Hobley, while watching the memorial parade with her husband and son. "She was just such a good figure head. Dignified, inspirational, lead the U.K. so well.”

JoAnne Mead Cramer made the trip from Brockville. “I was just thinking about how privileged we are to have had such a wonderful monarch as the Queen of Canada,” she said.

Capt. Fraser Clarke, a member of the Queen’s ceremonial guard, took his two young sons to the procession. “It is a significant occasion that only happens once in a lifetime,” he said.

Clarke said he wants his sons to learn the significance of the crown in Canada. “I felt it was important to show our own appreciation for the service that she gave us, and the example she set.”

Residents lined the streets of Ottawa to watch the procession to Christ Church Cathedral in honour of Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her funeral in the U.K. Sept. 19, 2022. (Ryan Arden/CTV News Ottawa)

Five children assessed by paramedics following hazardous material call at Ottawa daycare

Five children were assessed by paramedics after an unexplained series of allergic reactions at a daycare in Ottawa's west end.

Emergency crews responded to a hazardous materials call at the Stepping Up Daycare on Glencoe Street, between Bellman Drive and Midland Crescent, just after 12 p.m. on Wednesday.

The owner/director of the Stepping up Daycare said one child suffered an allergic reaction during lunchtime at the daycare. As paramedics were observing a child, another child suffered an allergic reaction in the second classroom, and two children started showing hives.

An Ottawa fire spokesperson told CTV News Ottawa the initial investigation suggested a change in a cleaning product caused minor allergic reactions to the children, but now there is a possibility it was caused by a food product. The spokesperson says the cause of the allergic reaction is "still undetermined."

Emergency crews responded to a hazardous materials call at a daycare on Glencoe Street in Ottawa's south end. (Colton Praill/CTV News Ottawa)

Canada's largest Canadian Tire store opens in Ottawa

The largest Canadian Tire store in Canada is now open at Ottawa's Carlingwood Shopping Centre.

As Canadian Tire celebrates its 100^th birthday this month, the company opened a 135,000 sq. ft. store in the location of the former Sears store at the mall on Carling Avenue on Thursday.

Billed as a "Remarkable Retail" Canadian Tire location, the store includes a six-car Customer Pick Up canopy area for customers to Click and Collect their online purchases, a Garden Centre, and an auto service department with an auto-lounge and upscale tire wall.

Construction on the new store in the Carlingwood Shopping Centre began in the fall of 2019.

Canadian TIre opened a new store at the Carlingwood Shopping Centre on Thursday. The 135,000 sq. ft. store is the largest Canadian Tire store in Canada. (Jim O'Grady/CTV News Ottawa)

Roller-skating is coming back to Ottawa in a big way

Roller-skating is making a comeback in Ottawa.

A new 20,000 sq. ft. roller-skating rink will open in December in a section of the Ottawa Citizen building on Baxter Road.

"Obviously, there's a big need for it," says Michee Jean, co-owner of 4 Wheelies. "There's a huge roller-skating community in Ottawa. And so far the response has been great. And a lot of people are looking forward to for this to be open."

Co-owner Josefa Mampihaona says he wants to pay homage to the Ottawa skating rinks that came before them.

"There's an arcade, there's a party rooms, there's a restaurant, there's a bar," says Mampihaona. "It's very modern, but I want to put some stuff that you know, gives tribute to whatever Skateway and Skatuim had before."

Artist renderings of a new roller-skating rink set to open in a section of the Ottawa Citizen building on Baxter Road. (Courtesy of 4 Wheelies)