The crime-ridden McDonalds location in downtown Ottawa, which was once the site of a brawl involving a baby raccoon, will permanently close this April..The restaurant on 99 Rideau Street has been operating since 1985..The franchise owner decided not to renew the lease on the restaurant, according to asset manager Peter Croshwaite.."We knew they may not be there; it wasn't a big surprise," he said. "They are a pretty dynamic organization, they have the right to look at different spots, and maybe they felt the time was right.".Located in the middle of Ottawa's tourist district, the McDonalds became a popular spot for late night crowds following the last call at bars and restaurants. This, combined with the city's homeless tending to congregate in front of the McDonalds, made it notorious for fights, panhandling, and drug dealing..The restaurant went viral after a video filmed in December 2013, which showed a man pulling a baby raccoon out of his sweater while at least 12 other patrons were involved in a brawl. The raccoon, whose name is not known, was not injured in the fight..In 2019, then-Ottawa Police Chief Charles Bordeleau sent a letter to the president and CEO of McDonald's Canada, raising concerns about "ongoing criminal activity and social disorder" at the location. Following a meeting with police, McDonald's then reduced its hours of operation to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m..It had previously been open 24/7..Ottawa police said they were called to the McDonalds location more than 150 times in 2022, which was significantly lower than the more than 800 calls in 2018..In addition to the rampant crime and disorder, Crosthwaite said the McDonalds likely closed because it faced financial difficulties over the past few years. He said the reduced operating hours, years-long subway construction on Rideau Street, and Freedom Convoy protest "can't make for a steady, reliable operation.".Several former employees have told stories about their time working at the McDonalds location. A University of Ottawa student, who was formerly a full-time staffer, claimed there was an average of two to three fights every night.."I work in the kitchen usually, so I won’t see how fights start, but all of the sudden there’ll just be a full on brawl happening in the lobby. We have walkie talkies at this point," he said.."One night, we found some guy who full on had a tent set up in the men’s bathroom. He had been there the whole night apparently, but no one realized until about 6 a.m. when our store manager came in," the student said..One Reddit user, who claimed to have previously been a manager at the location, said the most dangerous time to work there was Halloween night. "Everyone is downtown, everyone is drunk, and everyone, for whatever reason, is really angry. It’s by far the busiest night of the year, and it’s the only guaranteed night to see a brawl.”.Despite this, the user had some positive things to say about his time working there. .“You’re centered in an area with a lot of darkness, and every now again you get to be a light in someone’s life. Especially with so many people in need in the area. People are people," they said..The location is currently listed on Spacelist, a commercial real estate website, and will be available starting in the third quarter of 2023. The lease for Unit 101 can be combined with Unit 108, an empty space next to the McDonalds.."Great branding opportunity in the ByWard Market! Prime location with about 40’ of frontage on Rideau St. directly across from the Rideau Shopping Centre," the listing says.."Strong exposure with a constant high level of pedestrian and vehicle traffic."
