Month: August 2009

aquaduct, bike path, Claridge, condos, LeBreton Flats, Tailrace

How Wide is a Bike Path ?

Westsideaction

in May, NCC path is laid, looking south from Wellington in August, Claridge lays path behind 200 Lett St condo Now Claridge may not be the fastest developer in town, but he is finally implementing the landscaping around the 200 Lett Street yellow-brick condo tower on LeBreton Flats. The path behind the condo, along the tailrace/aquaduct, is being laid and connected to the NCC path. The path is laid to City of Ottawa standards, as spec’d to Claridge in the subdivision agreement. Look at the not-yet-paved gravel path in picture two, which extends the NCC path. Notice that the new … Continue reading How Wide is a Bike Path ?

Dalhousie, DCA, dominican gardens, Empress St

St Francis Park

Westsideaction

new wall, 18″ highexisting wall, 6-8′ ft, depending on location and which side of the wall wall removed, south side of park, along St Frances St.St Francois school in back right There is a large green park behind St Frances church, the Hintonburg community centre, and St Francois school. Formerly religious grounds, the property is enclosed on the east and south by stone walls. About 25 years ago, when the City acquired the lands, window slots were cut into the walls and a few sections lowered to permit oversight into the park from Fairmont and St Frances avenues. A year … Continue reading St Francis Park

bike path, Bluesfest, Claridge, condos, cycling in Ottawa, LeBreton Flats, NCC, pedestrians2 Comments

Pooley’s Bridge Re-opens

Westsideaction

view from temporary path towards north end of Pooley’s Bridgeview north along the temp path towards Wellington –Pooley’s bridge is an historic stone arch bridge over the aquaduct/tailrace at the foot of Bronson hill. It permits pedestrians and cyclists direct access from the downtown via Commissioner St (that part of “Bronson” that extends downhill north of Albert) to LeBreton Flats. It was renovated and restored a few years ago, for pedestrian and cyclist traffic only, but then was promptly closed when Fleet Street was closed to public access during construction of residences on LeBreton Flats.–I have been part of the … Continue reading Pooley’s Bridge Re-opens

little Italy, Preston street, Primrose3 Comments

Lonely Luigi

Westsideaction

Luigi is the mascot/image for Preston Street. His image on signs reminds people that the restaurants and businesses are still open. I found this Luigi sitting on a doorstep on Preston Street near Primrose. – During Bluesfest and the following classical music nights, I noticed people taking pictures of themselves with Luigi signs at the corner of Preston-Albert. Weird, I thought. But then there is the picture above showing a passerby loving Luigi. Maybe the BIA has something here …. Continue reading Lonely Luigi

Chinatown, chinatown arch, somerset street, streetscaping1 Comment

Chinatown Arch Unveiled

Westsideaction

The Ottawa Chinatown Gateway project aims to construct a Chinese archway over Somerset Street at Cambridge, in the heart of the Asian district, just west of Bronson. See photoshop picture at the top. – There are already Chinatown archways in many North American cities, including one just opened in Toronto. However, Ottawa’s will be the only one with status of a Royal Archway, suitable for an Emperor to pass under. Ottawa is twinned with Beijing, which has supplied the design of the archway and the materials. – Gathered together this morning to announce the construction and design were politicians (Mayor … Continue reading Chinatown Arch Unveiled

little Italy, Preston street1 Comment

Gulliver and the Toilet Paper

Westsideaction

On Sunday evening I saw this hilarious image on Preston Street, a few feet south of the Qway overpass. The equipment is a giant excavator with a heavy ram attached to it. It was used to puncture the pavement of Preston where it goes under the Qway. The road surface was then pushed away, allowing a regular shovel to fit under the underpass to dig the trench for the new sewer and utilities. – Some one draped the machine in toilet paper, perhaps from the yellow structure in the background. Delightful contrast of man and machine, double ply strength, etc. Continue reading Gulliver and the Toilet Paper

Booth St

Eyesore for sale

Westsideaction

I am all in favour of mixed use neighborhoods. The success of mixed use depends on compatible uses and neighborly spirit. Unfortunately, our neighborhood has several examples of ill-fitting or incompatible land uses. In the past, I have high lighted the blight of Cousin Eddy’s and Chado’s body shops on Booth Street. As a result of complaints by myself and other members of the Dalhousie Community Assoc the clutter of signage was reduced, garbage, old tires etc was picked up. However, the mysteriously absent trees from the side boulevard remain unreplaced. A blog reader (Thank you !) has alerted me … Continue reading Eyesore for sale

little Italy, streetscaping

The Little Garden That Could

Westsideaction

The City carved a public parking lot out of the south end of the Adult (formerly Commerce) High School playing fields a year or two ago. Between the lot and Preston is a boulevard of green grass, a fence, and a strip of perennials. – I have called the city’s engineers on this site more than once, to get the contractors to remove the heavy equipment and supplies they sometimes dump on top of this garden. All the contractor site guys I talk to on Preston are really nice … so why do they think no one will notice when … Continue reading The Little Garden That Could

855 Carling, Bayview-Carling CDP, Dows Lake, little Italy, LRT, O-Train

855 Carling Avenue

Westsideaction

855 Carling is a parking lot bounded by the OTrain Carling Station, Champagne Avenue S, and Carling Avenue. Immediately west of the site is the CMPA office buildings and beyond that is the Merion Square townhouse and two apartment towers being built by Domicile. The site is currently used as a park and ride lot for the Civic Hospital. The lot is owned by Arnon Developments, which tore down Campbell Steel and related industrial works on the site a number of years ago. The photo above is taken from Carling Ave near the Otrain Station, looking northwest. – The planning … Continue reading 855 Carling Avenue

Ottawa

Grass is Greener ….

Westsideaction

We have all heard the “jokes” about a new employee at the civil service/union shop working diligently and being reprimanded by the existing employees to “not work so fast”. – Those stories came to mind this week while cyling past Britannia Park. There was a young male driving a large lawn mower, obviously a “summer student”. He was clearly having fun driving the mower, he was moving very fast. I stopped to see if he could actually mow the lawn at that speed, and it looked fine. A few hundred yards further east, an older man was driving another mower. … Continue reading Grass is Greener ….

Ottawa

Untitled

Westsideaction

This high metal fence surrounds the brownfields development just east of the Rideau Centre, near Daly. It is immediately striking to the passer by, because of its high height. My first thought was its like prison fence. But it is to keep people out, not in. Accross the street is the Mission. The curbsides there are held down by persons sitting on the edge of the road, edge planters, edge of street closures. – It is not a pretty sight. Nor a vibrant streetscape. Continue reading Untitled

housing policy, Preston street2 Comments

What a difference a block makes … and who your neighbors are

Westsideaction

midway between Cumberland and King Edward east of Cumberland west of Cumberland These three pictures are taken on the same street in the Market, a few hundred feet apart. The red brick condo is a full block west of the Shepherds of Good Hope. It is a renovated building, open green lawn, no fence.– The gray building is gutted, windowless, abandonned. It is one half block east of the red brick condo in the other picture, on the other side of Cumberland cross street. The street is just as busy … it’s still far enough from King Edward to be … Continue reading What a difference a block makes … and who your neighbors are

Lisgar Street2 Comments

Historical signage

Westsideaction

Just a few blocks east of the unveiled Cambridge corner store signs, is a house that always gives me pleasure to walk past. It is at the corner of Lisgar and Bay. Note the bricked up store windows, the too-small replacement window, the missing corner door, the old painted signage on the brickwork. – Someday I am sure someone will “improve” this house with a coat of paint or (shudder) aluminum siding. And then the story it tells will be lost. This house is like a friend on the street, a very old friend, showing what life used to be … Continue reading Historical signage

Primrose4 Comments

Behind the Siding

Westsideaction

I am not a great fan of aluminum or plastic siding. Who knows what sins are hidden behind the smooth facade, what is rotting the soul of a building? I do like metal siding in some applications, usually when it is designed into a building from the beginning. And I like corrugated metal much better than the fake-board version. At the corner of Primrose and Cambridge is a corner store with apartments above. Expand on the pictures to notice the addition that was built onto the orginal structure and that is now “separating” from the main structure. Notice too the … Continue reading Behind the Siding