Schedule of Activities - View schedule - View meeting locations

COVID-19 Guidelines

  • Participation
    • At the starting point, the leader may ask you that your answers to the health questions are still all "no", to confirm all of your answers and just in case symptoms just appeared.
    • During the outing, if any symptoms appear that might suggest COVID-19, please tell the leader immediately. You will be requested to isolate from the group as much as possible. In addition, you will not be permitted to participate in any OOC outing for the next 14 days. The other participants in the outing will be informed.
  • Transportation to and from the starting point
    • We are not organizing carpooling. All participants must meet at the starting location. The outing will be finished once the participants have returned to the starting location.
  • During the outing
    • Please maintain a distance of at least 2 metres from each other unless you're from the same "social circle". Distancing is one of the recognized ways of reducing your chance of passing along COVID-19 to others and your chance of acquiring COVID-19.
    • You must have a mask. The leader will indicate when it needs to be worn. If you do not put on your mask when requested, you will not be permitted to join future outings of any type with the OOC. There will be no exceptions.
    • Stay in the group and away from other groups.
    • Supply your own hand sanitizer and / or disinfectant wipes, etc.
    • Since a shelter is an enclosed space where there is a greater risk of being exposed to the SARS-COVID-2 virus, we will not use any shelters. To reduce the risk of potentially infecting other members of the group, please do not enter a shelter.
    • If possible, please take your own first aid kit.
    • If someone is injured and another group member must provide first aid, unless the injured person and the person providing first aid are part of the same "social circle", neither will be permitted to participate in any OOC outing for 14 days. (Unless the medical situation is urgent, we will try to use emergency personnel.)

Information about COVID-19 is available from Ottawa Public Health, Public Health Ontario, Quebec health information, and the Government of Canada.


Answers to Frequently (or Occasionally)-Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • Outing registration
    • Link to activity registration To register for a particular outing, click / tap on the registration icon before the outing's registration deadline, noted in the Register by column
    • The registration icon will remain available until the outing. If you register after the deadline and especially within a few hours of the outing, you reduce your probability of being accepted.
    • For our hikes, our urban walks, and our snowshoe and cross-country ski outings, acceptance is automatic after payment of any fees (please see below). For the other types of outings, please wait for confirmation.
    • Except for the urban walks and skating on the Canal, there are activity fees for non-members. For everyone, there are rental fees for canoes or snowshoes for those who choose to use this Club equipment. Information about paying the fees is available here.
    • If you need to cancel, please inform the leader as soon as possible so that the leader can open your spot to another person (should space be limited) and so that the leader knows not to wait for you at the meeting location.
  • Non-members may participate. If you are not a member of the Ottawa Outdoor Club, we invite you to become a member. Details are available on our membership registration page.
  • Check the general requirements by selecting the link for the Activity that you choose, e.g., hiking.
  • Meeting and departure times
    • Meet at the specified time and location.
    • The departure time from the meeting location is firm. If you're late, please don't expect the leader or the group to wait for you.
    • If you plan to use local transit, use the "map" link in the Meet at... column to determine the transit routing for the day and time of the outing using the "Directions" feature of Google Maps.
  • Completion times
  • Questions? Contact the trip leader.
  • Lyme disease is prevalent in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. Long sleeves & long pants are highly recommended when near vegetation.
  • Fees for members and non-members (not all apply to each activity or person): equipment rental, non-member activity fees.
  • Trail maps
  • General: bring
    • sunscreen and a hat for protection from the sun.
    • bug repellent as appropriate.
    • snacks and your meal with you. When the activity runs through mealtime (usually lunch), we take a break for the meal.
    • plenty of water. One (minimum) to two litres are generally recommended, depending on your specific needs, the weather conditions, and the distance, duration, and intensity of the outing. Bring more than you think you'll need.
    • appropriate clothing and other gear:
      • most times, layers are best
      • if the forecast calls for rain, rain gear appropriate for the forecast conditions
    • a backpack
    • at night, a headlamp (preferred, since it leaves your hands free) or flashlight
  • Specific activities
    • New - Canoeing / kayaking
      • The Club has canoes and related equipment for rent (fees), including personal flotation devices (PFDs); you do not need your own. (The Club does not have kayaks.)
      • You can provide your own canoe or kayak and related equipment.
      • For many outings, you do not need to have prior canoeing experience. The registration form includes questions related to this.
      • You must wear a life jacket or PFD at all times while in the watercraft. You will not be permitted to participate if you do not wear one.
      • See the information regarding Lyme disease above.
    • Bicycling
      • You must wear a bicycle helmet at all times while on the bicycle. You will not be permitted to participate if you do not wear one.
    • Walking (casual walks)
      • The non-member activity fee does not apply for our casual, urban walks, i.e., it's free.
    • Hiking
      • We strongly recommend wearing sturdy footwear, particularly such as hiking boots or hiking shoes. Footwear should fully surround your feet, e.g., no sandals.

Trip leaders: information, including sign-up forms containing instructions, is here.

Consistent meeting locations
Some of our outings usually meet at certain consistent locations listed here. Check the schedule for each event.
Location Address and notes
Supreme Court (map) 301 Wellington Street. We meet by bus shelter at the road on the west side in front of the building, where there is free parking available in the evening.
Dows Lake Pavilion (map) 1001 Queen Elizabeth Drive. Free parking is available after 6:00 PM on Adeline Street and Norfolk Avenue (map), northeast of Carling Avenue and Preston Street.
Strathcona Park parking lot, Sandy Hill (map) East end of Somerset Street at Range Road, on west bank of Rideau River. Meet by the Strathcona Park sign at the parking-lot entrance. Free 2-hour lot & on-street parking.
Sandy Hill Community Centre [SHCC] (map) 250 Somerset Street East, between Sweetland Avenue and Nelson Street. The actual meeting spot is around the back by the Centre's parking lot, off of Sweetland Avenue.

You can park in the parking lot for free when attending activities at the Centre and temporarily when we are gathering for an outing, but you are at risk of being ticketed if you leave your vehicle there while we are away on an outing. People usually manage to find parking on the nearby streets; ensure that you check the parking duration on the signs.

(This is not the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, which is elsewhere.)
We go swimming! When the weather's warm and we're hiking or canoeing, plan that we'll spend some time in or by the water. If you like to be in the water, please prepare accordingly!
We usually stop for lunch somewhere along the route for day outings. Bring your own lunch, and bring water.
Ottawa Outdoor Club Facebook groupFollow our Facebook group

Member or non-member, follow our Facebook group to join our conversation and view photos of past activities.


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