Category: Ottawa

Ottawa

Falcon Sighting

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On my way to Carleton U this morning at 9am on the O-Train I saw a large falcon perched on a tree just before the CU Station. It was on a low branch. When I left the train I walked back on the sidewalk to take his picture. He remained sitting there, surveying the snow-filled cut as the track ascends out of the Dow’s Lake tunnel to the Carleton Station. He didn’t budge as the northbord O-Train went by just a few feet from his head, so I’ll chalk that up as another reason to support LRTs and O-Trains: low … Continue reading Falcon Sighting

Albert St, Bayview, City Hall, cycling in Ottawa, Eric Darwin, NCC, Ottawa, pedestrians

Trees Along the Albert St path

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From today’s Ottawa Citizen: “OTTAWA — The city is so serious about getting 100,000 trees planted that it’s now willing to deliver the trees right to your house. All you have to do is go to ottawa.ca/TREE or call 311, and you’ll be able to select the species of tree you want to plant on your property. They aren’t saplings, either: Each tree delivered under the program, aimed reforesting and enhancing tree cover in the city, is 1.5 to two metres tall. The trees are available on a first-come, first-served basis for June 2009 delivery. If the city runs out … Continue reading Trees Along the Albert St path

801 Albert, Bayview, condos, cycling in Ottawa, Eric Darwin, Ottawa, pedestrians

Cycling along Albert / Scott — path vs road

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In my earlier blog on the proposed 801 Albert St condo development (corner of City Centre Ave, opposite Tom Brown and opposite Bayview Station) I mentioned I thought the site plan would be improved with the inclusion of a new multipurpose path set back from the curb. Most residents will be familiar with the Scott St multipurpose path, and the Albert St one built last year. I personally find both these paths very useful and cycle or walk on them every week. That is not to say they are perfect. The Albert path detours at every bus stop to pass … Continue reading Cycling along Albert / Scott — path vs road

Eric Darwin, Ottawa, parole office, plant recreation centre, Preston street, somerset street

Shuffling the PAROLE OFFICE to Somerset St

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The present location of the Parole Office on Elgin Street has been subject to a lot of complaint from area politicians and community groups. Corrections Canada has suggested addressing their unhappiness by relocating the office to 1010 Somerset (pictured above) conveniently located between the Plant Recreation Centre and Devonshire Public School.   They are holding a public consultation meeting at the Bronson Centre at 7pm on Monday, March 30th. Comments can also be sent to www.csc-scc.gc.ca/consultation.   The office will serve about 200 federal offenders a year. It employs about 36 parole officers and others.   Advantages of the proposed … Continue reading Shuffling the PAROLE OFFICE to Somerset St

801 Albert, Bayview Otrain, CDP, City Centre, condos, cycling in Ottawa, DOTT, Eric Darwin, LRT, Ottawa, Phoenix DCR Developments2 Comments

For Lack of a CDP – Community Development Plan

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There is a deliberately vague planning environment for the two 30-storey condo towers proposed by Phoenix DCR for 801 Albert Street (the vacant lot beside the City Centre tower and opposite Tom Brown Arena and the Bayview OTrain Station ). The City has signalled that it wants development to be significantly better than the industrial zoning common along the Bayview to Carling rail corridor. Yet it lacks a comprehensive plan for developing the area. A Community Development Plan (CDP) was begun several years ago, and considerable progress was made. The Phoenix development in a number of respects honours the incomplete … Continue reading For Lack of a CDP – Community Development Plan

Canada, Eric Darwin, Nature, Ottawa, Primrose, Wildlife, Woodpecker1 Comment

Woodpecker on Primrose

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Saw the pictured woodpecker on Primrose St in front of St Vincent Hospital around 1pm on March 17th. He had created a significant litter of woodchips on the lawn and sidewalk, which is how I spotted him, since his pecking was silent. It was bigger than a robbin, smaller than a crow; much larger than the woodpeckers I normally see in this neighborhood. Continue reading Woodpecker on Primrose

bike path, condos, cycling in Ottawa, Eric Darwin, Fallen Fire Fighters Monument, LeBreton Flats, NCC, Ottawa

LeBreton Flats: landscaping in winter time

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The much-criticized condo tower on LeBreton Flats near Wellington and the War Museum is the first new residential building on these brownfields in 25 years. The view of the building is not helped by its isolation and strip-mined surroundings. Until the condo apartment market heats up again, we won’t see the second half of the first building (yes, second half: the first building is L shaped; the second joins onto it with another 7 storey yellow brick base and a 14 storey tower, making the whole building look like one, shaped in a U with the open end facing the … Continue reading LeBreton Flats: landscaping in winter time

Albert St, Bayview, Canada, City Centre, Eric Darwin, LeBreton Flats, Ottawa1 Comment

City Centre Office Tower Loses Roof Sign

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The City Centre office and warehouse complex, 250 City Centre Avenue, opposite the Bayview OTrain station and Tom Brown Arena, is often referred to as the ugliest in the city. While not pretty, its not so bad either. I should know, I look at it from my house, and until I sold my business a few years ago, was/is the largest tennant in the industrial bays. The night time picture was taken at 2am a few weeks ago from a window on the third floor of my house, looking across the roof of the Just Rite Storage building, aka the … Continue reading City Centre Office Tower Loses Roof Sign

801 Albert, Albert St, Bayview, Canada, City Centre, condos, Eric Darwin, LeBreton Flats, Ottawa, Phoenix DCR Developments1 Comment

801 Albert St Condo Towers – Bayview Station area

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There is a vacant triangular plot of land at the corner of City Centre Avenue at Albert, just across from the Bayview OTrain Station and Tom Brown Arena, and beside the existing 8 storey City Centre office tower. The land has been owned by Phoenix development for some years. They have applied for rezoning for two 31-storey condo towers and a four storey office building. Each tower would be similar in height and size to the Metropole tower built further west on Scott near Westboro Station. The Metropole development, with townhouses clustered at its base, turned out well, despite its … Continue reading 801 Albert St Condo Towers – Bayview Station area