Month: October 2009

bikewest, cycling in Ottawa

Words of Wisdom from Velo Quebec in Ottawa

Westsideaction

On Monday evening over 100 people jammed into a too-small reception room at the Lord Elgin to hear Suzanne Lareau. She is head of Velo Quebec, a cycling lobby and information group. The event was organized by Cycle Vision Ottawa (why weren’t they signing up memberships??). It wasn’t just ordinary citizens that came out in unexpected numbers to hear her speak. Prominent in the front row were Roger Geller (cycling coordinator from Portland OR and speaker at tonight’s meeting at Tom Brown arena), Vivi Chi and Mona Abouhenidy and Robin Bennet from the City, and Marc Corriveau, new transit and cycling … Continue reading Words of Wisdom from Velo Quebec in Ottawa

DOTT, LRT

Underground City Not Premature, its DOA

Westsideaction

“The feeble business response to the city’s plan to create an underground shopping plaza along the proposed downtown rail tunnel is mainly due to lingering doubts about the $1.7-billion project,” — Ottawa Citizen, quoting expert. There are two possible issues here, and I dont know what was in the city’s tentative RFP. (And yes, they should be guaging interest now, even with conceptual LRT plans, rather than once the project is costed with assumptions of connections and revenue). The first issue is whether the city is looking at what buildings/landlords want to be connected to the LRT system. Here are my … Continue reading Underground City Not Premature, its DOA

downtown, pedestrians, streetscaping

The Broken Promise of Interlock

Westsideaction

When interlock paving first appeared on the Ottawa scene back in the early 1970’s — remember those “trillium”shaped paving blocks?– one of the advantages touted over concrete was that the pavers could be relaid when necessary, individual blocks could be replaced when damaged, without tearing out and throwing away the entire concrete “square” of regular sidewalks. Of course, what we really got was endlessly heaved and uneven interlock sidewalks, often patched with asphalt. Individual stones are not replaced because labor costs are too high and the block shapes discontinued every few years. Sometimes we get mismatched “repairs” using different block shapes. … Continue reading The Broken Promise of Interlock

infill

Infill on Elm Street

Westsideaction

I admire this porch rebuild on Elm Street. It began as a dilapidated wooden porch that was sagging off the house. The new room has new studs, floors, roof, exterior wrap, windows, new door and windows. It short, it complements the house and the streetscape very nicely without being precious. I especially appreciate the care the renovator took to get the porch, columns, and steps. The porch is shallow, perhaps due to setback limitations, not so much useful for sitting on as for storing the blue blox, black box, green bin, and regular garbage bin. So often in this neighborhood, … Continue reading Infill on Elm Street

infill

Another Infill on Cooper

Westsideaction

This Cooper Street infill is just a block down the street from the one in the previous post. The cribs are still in place, some in the foundation hole and some in the driveway. The exterior was likely to have been brick on this house, as the exterior cladding has been removed and the house wrapped in fabric for weather protection. Note that the new foundation has lots of windows, so it will likely be living space. There is also a large addition to the rear. The access to the addition will be along the side yard on the left … Continue reading Another Infill on Cooper

infill

Infill on Cooper street

Westsideaction

There are two houses on Cooper undergoing interesting infill treatments. This older house has been jacked up and put onto a new foundation. The two openings at the foundation facing the street were for the steel beams holding up the house. The process: the house is supported from underneath with cribs, the joists cut off around the old stone foundation, and new joists sistered onto the old ones, along with additional supporting beams. Then the house is lifted, new foundation poured, and the house lowered down again. In this case, the new foundation under the old house has few if … Continue reading Infill on Cooper street

bikewest, cycling in Ottawa

Busy Bike Week

Westsideaction

Next week will see two interesting guest speakers in Ottawa on the topic of improving cycling facilities. Both speakers are highly credible experienced individuals with real-world accomplishments. On Monday, CycleVision Ottawa presents Suzanne Lareau (see poster below) and on Tuesday CfSC presents the cycling coordinator from Portland OR. Portland has a much-lauded cycling network.  Tuesday’s meeting is 6pm at TomBrown Arena (right along the proposed BikeWest route!). Catch the Montreal Cycling Wave! Meet Suzanne Lareau The woman who is transforming Montreal for cycling A Public Presentation Monday October 19, at 8 p.m. St-Laurent room, off the Elgin Café in the … Continue reading Busy Bike Week

Ottawa

BikeWest project update

Westsideaction

A series of posts on the possibilities of a segregated bike route running from Bronson due west to Westboro was a big hit with readers and CBC listeners who yearn for a safe way to cycle. The various blog postings have been collected into one, slightly revised document, which you can have for your very own, free, just by asking me: EricDarwin1@gmail.com, or use the comment button for this posting. Be sure to include your email address if you use the comment button, as all input comes to me on an anonymous basis. EMC newspapers will be running an article on … Continue reading BikeWest project update

cycling in Ottawa, Dalhousie, LRT

A tale of two neighborhoods

Westsideaction

Digging a trench along the old Byron trolleyway park just north of Highland Park for these beasts? That’s just slightly less brutal a planning decision than running steam trains through slums in 19th-century Manchester.  –  Ottawa Citizen editorial Hmm, let’s see if I can get this right. As part of its LRT program the City is converting the current bus rapid transit (BRT) roads (the “transitway”) to LRT (“the beasts”). A problem arises where the BRT shares road surfaces with the Ottawa River Commuter Expressway. It shares the road alignment … because the original alignment along the Byron transit streetcar … Continue reading A tale of two neighborhoods

pedestrians

Typical Mismatch

Westsideaction

This intersection of Torrington at the Driveway is typical of many in the City. The stop line for vehicles is up close to the intersection but the pedestrian walks are set back a few meters, right at the midpoint of a car. In this case as I walked up to the intersection and stepped onto the asphalt to cross a car had to brake sharply as the driver was focussed on the stop line not the crossing walking. It seems more logical to me that the stop line be at the sidewalk – and the sidewalk dip – and after … Continue reading Typical Mismatch

Chinatown, infill, somerset street

Lotus Court green roof

Westsideaction

Lotus Court is a mixed use project by Phoenix DCR developers at the corner of Rochester and Somerset Streets. The upper levels consist of townhouse units and stacked townhouse/loft units that are accessed off a central courtyard 3/4 of a flight up off the street. Under the units facing Somerset there are storefront offices. Under  the units facing the back (Eccles Street) are another level of residential units. Somewhere under the whole thing is underground parking. Resales seem to be brisk. The building seems to function well for the location. However, the courtyard and thus the upper units – some … Continue reading Lotus Court green roof

green roofs

Greenroof on Gloucester Street

Westsideaction

Two blocky apartment towers, one belonging to City Living and the other CCOC share a common podium made up of a city parking garage with entrances on opposite streets. It’s hard to tell from the ground how well the greenspace is doing on the roof of the tower(s) but the trees on the parking garage roof terrace that joins the two towers is obviously thriving. With no south exposure, and a difficult above ground location, this demonstrates that green roofs can thrive in difficult urban environments. Continue reading Greenroof on Gloucester Street

infill, little Italy, Preston street

Foundations when ground is soft

Westsideaction

Preston Street is the former runoff route from Dow’s Great Swamp down to the Ottawa River at Nepean Bay, until Colonel By built the dam that QE Driveway runs along the top of. This means significant portions of the ground along Preston are peat or soft materials. At the site of a new three storey infill on Preston (six apts above 3 retail) crews bored supporting pipes deep into the ground. The pipes were cut off at the same level down in the future basement. A concrete “box” was poured in place on top of each post. Gravel was poured … Continue reading Foundations when ground is soft

Booth St, infill

Booth Street Infill

Westsideaction

This building is located on Booth Street just north of the Queensway. It has been underway for several years, with long pauses in construction. The exterior walls are made of foam blocks that are stacked up and then filled with poured concrete to be load bearing, insulated both sides. It appears to be three units: a three storey unit facing the side street w/ garage; a three storey unit facing Booth, w/garage; and a stair down to a half-basement unit that runs under both of the upper units. The exterior parging / stucco is almost complete. A bit of roof … Continue reading Booth Street Infill

Bayview, Bluesfest, LeBreton Flats, Library, NCC, O-Train

Lansdowne Live

Westsideaction

Some misc observations on Lansdowne Live, and in particular the meeting last night at arena Tom Brown arena. 1. Opponents are well organized, sporting custom printed apparel and carry bags (made of recycled hemp, I hope) and handing out reams of photocopied green paper that may have required the souls of every tree in the Glebe. Of course, the Glebe trees are still there (at least along Ralph and Percy when I walked up those streets yesterday) so trees from some other place were sacrificed. Sacrificing somewhere else seems a common theme. 2. The green shirters took off their shirts … Continue reading Lansdowne Live

Chinatown

Festival Asia parade on Satuday

Westsideaction

No Chinatown event would be complete without dragon dancing. On Saturday, there were three dragons, plus drummers and cymbals. Gentlement always wear skirts kilts. Umbrellas were brought for rain, but the son shone. Sword fighting. Stilt walking troupe from China. The only child member seen here at the front left is only 8 years old. After the parade, they performed complicated dance routines, hopping, and acrobatics on stitlts. Yours Truly pays due homage to China Doll’s 90 carot diamond ring. Dance routines on the City stage. All photos by M.Lafontaine. Continue reading Festival Asia parade on Satuday

Chinatown

Red Friday Rally at Dundonald Park

Westsideaction

Pleasant folk songs in Dundonald Park. The ever-popular Andrew Lay’s SunnyDays cart catered the event. Andrew’s cart was missing from Bank/Sparks for two years while he lived – and catered – in China. And got married. In the background, Igor Gouzenko’s apartment building. The Federal plaque manages to avoid mentioning his defection started the Cold War in earnest. The City plaque manages to be unreadable. The Gouzenko’s apartment building on Somerset beside The Beer Store. The composition of the Glashan girls school choir reflects the Dalhousie neighborhood: all religions, creeds, nationalities, ethnicities. Neighborhood MP Paul Dewar welcomes the rally. A … Continue reading Red Friday Rally at Dundonald Park

Chinatown, chinatown arch, Dalhousie, DOTT, LRT

Baird on the Ottawa Transit Tunnell

Westsideaction

Last evening there was a banquet in Chinatown. It had several purposes. It was a birthday celebration for the 60th Anniversary of the current ruling regime in China, and the Chinese ambassador was present. It was a fundraiser for the new archway that will grace Somerset St at Cambridge later this year, and for that welcoming beacon and sign of the Chinese-Asian presence in the Dalhousie neighborhood of Ottawa, significant funds were raised. The final arch design was revealled: it is a royal arch, because Ottawa is a capital city, as is Beijing, which is contributing to the archway here. … Continue reading Baird on the Ottawa Transit Tunnell

sewage and drains

Rabid Sewers

Westsideaction

The foam caught my eye first. Then I heard the roaring sound of falling water under this access point (aka manhole), where one sewer pipe cascades “water” into a lower pipe. Now, we’ve all heard that Ottawa’s sewage is cleaner than that in most other cities (due to the NCC buying out most industrial land users, and due to the large amount of relatively-clean storm water we stuff into our sewage-sewers) but I did not expect to find soap suds cleaning the pipes. Continue reading Rabid Sewers

downtown

Centretown music practice

Westsideaction

By coincidence, having just finished reading several books set in the Scottish highlands, I came across this collection of bagpipes and government vehicles in a downtown parking lot one Saturday. Imagine rural peasants in the medieval period who never experienced the world more than 5 miles from their home village. The loudest sounds they heard were thunder and coos (that’s “cows” in English). Now image the excitement of being rounded up for duty in some military action: new countryside to see, castles and fortified manors, and then over the hill comes the enemy group, with loud drums and making really … Continue reading Centretown music practice