Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend still a go for May’s last weekend

Race weekend is around the corner and runners are getting ready to lace up their shoes for a weekend that almost may not have happened.

While some runners who signed up for Tamarack Ottawa’s Race Weekend — which is taking place around the downtown core on Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29 — may have thought the storm’s destruction could ended the weekend’s events, Ian Fraser, executive director of Race Weekend, wasn’t worried.

“We’ve been so focused on getting ready for this weekend that I have to say for about a day-and-a-half, I didn’t even think about that. I was so concerned about what had happened to our community and to the city, generally…but once we understood kind of what was going on, we jumped back into the final planning process again to get everything ready for this weekend.”

That’s not to say there weren’t moments when Fraser and his team wondered if the annual event would even be possible following last weekend's storm, which resulted in hundreds of thousands across the province with damages and without power.

Initially, Fraser wasn’t sure if the event would need City services, and if it did, would it be taking away from the post-storm efforts still happening in the city.

Luckily, however, the event hasn’t had to rely on city services to remove fallen trees or debris within its core.

“I feel comfortable that we’re not relying on any city services to go ahead that would otherwise be put into action for the cleanup and getting everybody back up and running with their power.”

There are no changes to the way the event will operate this weekend, and Fraser says everything is on schedule as usual.

The Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is Canada’s biggest marathon weekend.

Organizers are encouraging people who are taking part or supporting anyone who is racing to donate to the Ottawa Food Bank.

In 2021, participants and their donors were able to raise over $1 million for frontline organizations and charities.

On Wednesday, May 26, the City released a statement advising residents and visitors to expect traffic impacts with several events taking place.

The Race Weekend, in particular, means several major roadways will be impacted at various times.

Those include:

• Queen Elizabeth Drive
• Laurier Avenue
• Elgin Street
• Lisgar Street
• Cartier Street
• Queen Street
• Metcalfe Street
• O’Connor Street
• Wellington Street
• Colonel By Drive
• Pretoria Bridge
• Rideau Street
• Preston Street, south of Carling Avenue
• Carling Avenue
• Sussex Drive
• Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway
• Alexandra Bridge
• Sir George Étienne Cartier Parkway

A full listing of the lane reductions, road closures and times is located on the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend website.

Ottawa will also play host to a Redblacks game, as well as the Great Glebe Garage Sale.

Watch coverage of the tamarack race weekend on Rogers TV channel 22.

Listen to the full interview with Ian Fraser, executive of Ottawa's Race Weekend on The Sam Laprade Show on Friday, May 27 below.