Category: NCC

bike path, NCC, ottawa river

NCC Oversight ?

Westsideaction

roof deckspiral ramp up in all its majestic ugliness Scene of the crime: Remic Scenic Overlook, along the Ottawa River Commuter Expressway at Tunney’s Pasture, between the parking lot and the river–Object: brutal concrete round structure with spiral ramp up to viewing area on its “roof”. The Guggenheim museum it is not.–Function: cobwebby door to interior. Sound of large pumps or motors working constantly. Probably pumps cool Ottawa River water through heat exchangers to chill the cubicle farms located in high rises immediately to the south (in area called a “Pasture”).–Worth climbing to viewing platform? No, not really. The roofscape … Continue reading NCC Oversight ?

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

Contrary results …

Westsideaction

NCC path (foreground); City path beyond what will the yellow line do? There must be a law or maxim somewhere that the more planning is done, the more expensive the administration, the worse the results.– A few blogs ago I lamented the apparent mismatch between the NCC section of the bikepath from new Wellington that goes south along the aquaduct behind the new Claridge condo at 200 Lett Street in LeBreton Flats.– I still cannot believe that despite all the planners, all the coordination, the high city taxes … that the City-spec’d path is two feet narrower than the NCC … Continue reading Contrary results …

bike path, NCC3 Comments

Alternatives to pathway apartheid,ii

Westsideaction

worn dirt trail along path. Arrow indicates NCC will sod this strip to repair it. sod laid last August, presumably to be removed and replaced agin this year as joggers wear it out typical worn jogging path along asphalt I am always curious when cycling the path as to why joggers run along side the path instead of on it. (Being a non-jogger, I can only believe people who claim the gravel, dips and hollows, and hard-packed dirt path is softer than the asphalt). –Eventually, they wear a complete dirt trail along the path, killing the green stuff that grows … Continue reading Alternatives to pathway apartheid,ii

bike path, NCC, pedestrians2 Comments

Alternatives to pathway apartheid,i

Westsideaction

through-cycling path interrupted by car access to parking lottypical pedestrian-only path leaves main path There are a number of things that can be done to existing multipurpose paths (which I normally call bike paths, because that is how I use them) to make them more user friendly.–For example, a Remic Rapids the riverside path is congested with families visiting the ducks, geese, and sculptures, and others accessing erotic pleasures in the remaining shrubbery (I no longer see the city social worker at this site handing out condoms… ).–To deal with the volume of slow moving pedestrian traffic and through-traffic cyclists, … Continue reading Alternatives to pathway apartheid,i

bike path, NCC, ottawa river

Double your bike paths ….

Westsideaction

Double your pleasure, double your fun, double your bike paths … Our society is prone to leap to solutions before clearly identifying problems or examining alternatives. Recent blogs on safe injection sites, green roofs, intensification … all have elements to me of being solutions searching for a problem. Before we go off parallelling our bike paths with yet more asphalt, we should examine the success of those segments of paths that are already segregated. Pathway apartheid may or may not work. For many years, the bike path along the Ottawa River Commuter Expressway was on the inland side of the … Continue reading Double your bike paths ….

Dows Lake, Nature, NCC

What Blight is This?

Westsideaction

I had occasion to cycle along the canal several times this weekend, from Dows Lake to the NAC end, using the NCC bike paths. I was really struck by how many trees have dried up, brown, crunchy leaves. First noticed on the south side of the canal, from Bronson to east of Bank, whole swaths of tree branches, entire sides of trees, exhibit dried branches. I presume it is not from lack of water. Then some became apparent on the north side of the canal too, along the Golden Triangle area. Once looking, they were frequent. Usually on mature trees. … Continue reading What Blight is This?

855 Carling, Bayview, Bayview-Carling CDP, bike path, Carling Ave, CDP, condos, Experimental Farm, LRT, NCC, O-Train6 Comments

855 Carling, part ii

Westsideaction

The Ottawa Civic Hospital Community Assoc. held a meeting on Tuesday evening. On the agenda was the 855 Carling Ave project proposed by Arnon Developments. They already own the two red brick office towers on Carling between Preston and Rochester (a site I vaguely recall might already have planning approval for a third tower?) – From their planning documents I had concluded in my post a few days ago that this was a rezoning well in advance of any project, but at the meeting it became clear that this project might proceed in the near future, and my interpretation was … Continue reading 855 Carling, part ii

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

bike path, Nature, NCC, oc Transpo, ottawa river3 Comments

Bird sightings along the Ottawa River

Westsideaction

The first photo shows a black cormorant ( I think … I googled the name and it seems to me to match) on the Ottawa River near Lemieux Island. If I recall correctly, cormorants are rapidly becomming an invasive species and are moving en masse into the Ottawa area having already over run the Great Lakes. It seems bird populations have bubbles just like our economy. Back in university, didnt they call it the boom/bust cycle? I first saw these birds about 3 years ago, there were a lot more last year, and this year I see them by the … Continue reading Bird sightings along the Ottawa River

bike path, NCC

More Observed Wildlife …

Westsideaction

I never cease to be amazed at what I see along the NCC Ottawa River bikepaths. At dusk the other evening, I watched a group of people with a large trebuchet (a seige engine of the catapult family) flinging objects several hundred metres across the lawns. In the picture above, the upper triangular object is the counterweight, the fulcum is in the centre of the tripod of posts, and the weight to be flung (in earlier days this could have been a stone to break fortification walls or a dead body to fling over the walls to spread terror or … Continue reading More Observed Wildlife …

aquaduct, bike path, Claridge, condos, cycling in Ottawa, green roofs, NCC, Tailrace1 Comment

Landscaping resumes at Claridge’s Condo

Westsideaction

I figured that Claridge might never landscape its project on LeBreton Flats. But in the last few weeks, a lot has happened. Sod appeared on the west side of Lett Street (right side of picture 2) in front of the Beirut-style bomb crater. And on Friday, some rather large trees appeared in the front lawn of the building, along the sidewalk. Compare the size of the new trees to the ones planted a few months ago along the north side of the building, shown on the left in picture 2. _ Picture 1 is of the rear yard, or courtyard … Continue reading Landscaping resumes at Claridge’s Condo

bike path, cycling in Ottawa, Nature, NCC, ottawa river

Blue Herons along the bike path

Westsideaction

It is probably necessary to double-click on these pictures to enlarge them. There is a large blue heron under the overhanging willow tree, and a second one sitting on the rocky point. A third one is out of view on the other side of the tree. – The NCC most conveniently provided an interpretation plaque at this very site to educate the viewer on the habits of the blue heron. This is along the NCC bike path just west of the Carleton St underpass… and east of the Island Park parking lot. Continue reading Blue Herons along the bike path

aquaduct, bike path, Booth St, cycling in Ottawa, LeBreton Flats, NCC, ottawa river

NCC vs City Maintenance Practices

Westsideaction

city aquaduct city aquaduct NCC maintenance The NCC landscaped the area along the bike path behind the new War Museum and east of Booth Street, shown in photo 3. Along the riverside chain link fence the NCC planted rose bushes and other shrubs, then applied mulch. Mulch does not stop all weed growth. The picture shows little piles of weeds and grass pulled out by NCC contractors. They picked them up just after I took the picture. By removing the weeds, the rose bushes will have more chance to grow stronger and bigger and choke out future weeds. And of … Continue reading NCC vs City Maintenance Practices

Carling Ave, City Hall, DOTT, LeBreton Flats, LRT, NCC, O-Train, oc Transpo5 Comments

LRT Technical Session

Westsideaction

The City hosted a technical session on Saturday, June 20th for all those people who delight in spending a summer Saturday listening to streetcar vendors. About 100 of the public showed up, and at least 30 staff and consultants and vendors. The stated purpose of the meeting was to examine technical issues such as low floor vs high floor LRTs, dedicated vs shared rights of way, driverless vs on-board staff, etc. But I think the unstated purpose of the meeting was to educate the bloggers and transit hobbyists and community activists, so as to raise the tone of the debate … Continue reading LRT Technical Session

NCC, ottawa river1 Comment

NCC Ottawa Riverfront regeneration

Westsideaction

click to enlarge and see details The geese along the Ottawa River are pretty oblivious of cylists and pedestrians at the best of times (unless they see you with a plastic bag – then they are eager to be fed) but for several days they have been in tighter groupings on the grass and usually facing the NCC workers busy digging holes in their favorite lawn areas along the river edge. In the area downstream from Island Park, the NCC crews have been planting multiple rows of small shrubs along the shoreline. Presumably it is to protect the shoreline from … Continue reading NCC Ottawa Riverfront regeneration

Bayview, DOTT, interprovincial transit study, LeBreton Flats, NCC, O-Train, oc Transpo2 Comments

Interprovincial Transit Ideas

Westsideaction

I attended a few hours of the interprovincial transit study meeting last Thursday. I heard lots of suggestions for improving interprovincial transit experience. Here are some of them: 1. Use the Prince of Wales Bridge. This rail bridge from Bayview Station to Gatineau is a favorite solution to most problems. Many felt it need not be double tracked right away, but could operate for the first years as a single track with passing tracks at each end and maybe at Lemieux Island. 2. Most attendees want a rail solution (LRT or O-Train) not a bus solution or bus on transitway … Continue reading Interprovincial Transit Ideas

DOTT, interprovincial transit study, NCC, Preston street2 Comments

Inter-Provincial transit study – some observations

Westsideaction

I went to the Open House held Thursday about the interprovincial transit study. The study should identify problems with transit going between the two cities, user problems, and suggest solutions. I signed up for a round-table exercise. It was the first one I think I have attended, and it wasn’t as bad as I feared. First, the moderators at each table were well informed and not too rigorous about keeping the participants on topic. This was important, because the topics, defined beforehand by the sponsors, were very narrow. Basically, they were looking for expressions of what the problems were. In … Continue reading Inter-Provincial transit study – some observations

aquaduct, Bayview, bike path, Booth St, Claridge, condos, cycling in Ottawa, Fallen Fire Fighters Monument, Fleet Street, LeBreton Flats, NCC, pedestrians, Tailrace

Bikepath to No-where

Westsideaction

The NCC has been landscaping the area north of the Claridge condo building on LeBreton Flats since mid-winter. Earlier posts on this blog showed the winter landscaping and very early spring planting of trees and shrubs. Eventually, the Fallen Firefighters Monument will be constructed on the grassy area. The contractor (same one as is doing Plouffe Park) has now paved the bike path from Wellington Street north along the west side of the tailrace. A side branch cuts off to the west to join Lett Street beside the condo. But the path goes nowhere, as Claridge hasn’t yet landscaped the … Continue reading Bikepath to No-where

Albert St, Bayview Otrain, DOTT, LRT, NCC, O-Train, oc Transpo

One train/one tunnel vs many trains in one tunnel

Westsideaction

The downtown transit tunnel will have two tracks, one for each direction. This would be fine if the trains only went east and west. However, desire for travel is also north and south. It is possible to force everyone on the future southwest LRT, and future southeast LRT, and future link to Gatineau LRT, to transfer to the east-west line. Transfers would occur indoors, be comfortable, but would still increase trip time significantly. This would be significant for those who already had to take a local bus to the BRT to the LRT transfer … etc. Recall too that IF … Continue reading One train/one tunnel vs many trains in one tunnel

bike path, Claridge, condos, cycling in Ottawa, green roofs, LeBreton Flats, NCC2 Comments

LeBreton Landscaping adventures continue

Westsideaction

NCC plantings along new bike path, view from Wellington Claridge doing nothing yet… this is their green roof NCC plants up to edge of Claridge condo NCC trees along north edge of condo In a posting in March, there were photos of the NCC doing winter landscaping on the Flats. They filled in the depression on the north side of the Claridge condo on Lett St, phase 1 of LeBreton Flats north of Albert. They graded the land to a lawn area, roughed in bike/pedestrian paths, and installed a generous trench of topsoil for a row of trees along Wellington. … Continue reading LeBreton Landscaping adventures continue

aquaduct, bike path, Booth St, Claridge, condos, cycling in Ottawa, Fleet Street, kayaking, LeBreton Flats, NCC, Ottawa, pedestrians, Tailrace

Bureaucrats are not Marketeers

Westsideaction

aquaduct east of Booth Beirut Flats When Urbandale or Minto or one of the large reputable developers begins to build out a new suburban neighborhood there is usually some park amenities available with the first phase of the project. Then each year the parkland is further developed as more houses are built. These builders do not say “this is a twenty year buildout, we will do the public landscaping when the construction is all finished…” Developers realize that to entice residents there have to be amenities from day one, with tangible promise of more amenities to come. Contrast that with … Continue reading Bureaucrats are not Marketeers

bike path, Carling Ave, cycling in Ottawa, Dows Lake, Eric Darwin, NCC, Ottawa, pedestrians

Landscaping Goes In, Dow’s Lake pathway

Westsideaction

Recall that in late fall, 2008, the NCC reconstructed the pedestrian and cycling path along the south side of Dow’s Lake (along Commissioner’s Park). The new path is wider and in many places a foot higher, which should reduce puddling. There are more bench sitting areas too, set back from the path. Workers are busy this week cleaning up the unfinished details, including laying cobblestones between the path and the Queen Elizabeth Driveway. Continue reading Landscaping Goes In, Dow’s Lake pathway

aquaduct, beaver, Claridge, cycling in Ottawa, LeBreton Flats, NCC1 Comment

Beaver Tales

Westsideaction

Last year I frequently spotted one of our beloved national symbols, a beaver, in the Aquaduct that runs through LeBreton Flats. He has been hungry. One of the few remaining trees that survived “soil remediation” has become lunch. Unless … Mr Beaver is planning a lodge in the aquaduct. I bet he gets his lodge finished before Claridge finishes anything it is building. Continue reading Beaver Tales