what's open in ottawa on colonel by day?
2 minute read
athletes compete in the first ironman canada-ottawa on sunday, aug. 3, 2025. more than 2,500 participants took on the gruelling course, which featured a swim in the ottawa river, a bike ride through urban and rural scenery and a run through downtown.
ashley fraser
/
postmedia
ottawa is buzzing this colonel by day long weekend as more than 3,000 athletes from 65 countries descended on the national capital for the second ironman canada-ottawa on sunday, causing major road closures across the region.
see the citizen’s ironman coverage here:
meanwhile, here’s what you need to know on this holiday monday
monday marks colonel by day, known elsewhere as the civic holiday, with many attractions and businesses remaining open, while some city services take the day off. (wondering who colonel by is? read this: the capital builders: lt.-col. john by, spending scapegoat)
what’s open on colonel by day?
colonel by day, observed monday, is ottawa’s name for the civic holiday. because it is not a statutory holiday in ontario, many businesses and attractions will be open, although some will operate on modified hours.
oc transpo
on monday, colonel by day, buses will operate on a saturday schedule. riders are encouraged to check oc transpo’s website before travelling.
shopping
most major shopping centres will be open monday, including:
- cf rideau centre
- bayshore shopping centre
- st. laurent shopping centre
- place d’orléans
- billings bridge shopping centre
- carlingwood shopping centre
- tanger outlets
most grocery stores will also remain open, although hours may vary by location.
museums
most museums will be open monday, including:
- national gallery of canada
- bytown museum
- canadian museum of history
- canadian war museum
- canadian museum of nature
- canada agriculture and food museum
- canada science and technology museum
- canada aviation and space museum
- diefenbunker
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what’s closed?
several municipal services will be closed monday, including:
- ottawa public library branches
- city hall and serviceottawa client service centres
- city administrative offices
- municipal child-care centres
there will be no curbside garbage, recycling or green bin collection monday. collection will shift by one day for the remainder of the week.
banks and canada post locations will also be closed.
colonel by day celebrations
the bytown museum and capital heritage connexion will host a free colonel by day celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. monday at the bytown museum next to the fairmont château laurier hotel.
the event will commemorate lt.-col. john by and construction of the rideau canal with free museum admission, costumed interpreters, historical displays, family activities and screenings of the documentary two wars, three watersheds, a slew of surveys and a canal.
visitors can also take part in free guided walking tours of downtown ottawa offered by indigenous walks and ottawa walking tours, while organizations including the historical society of ottawa, black history ottawa, the national capital commission and local heritage groups will host information booths throughout the day.
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