cycling in Ottawa, hintonburg, somerset street, streetscaping

Garland Bike Lane

Westsideaction

West Wellington, like Preston, has been reconstructed to be two lanes of traffic, plus parking bays. There is no marked bike path but the traffic lane is supposed to be so wide it can accomodate cyclists and motorists compatibly. The lane width is rather cosy for cyclists and the No 2 OC Transpo bus or the many trucks in the area. And there are door prizes to be won. Cyclists are also being directed to marked bike routes parallel to West Wellington along two-way Armstrong street. It remains to be seen what amenities cyclists will get along Armstrong (other than … Continue reading Garland Bike Lane

chinatown arch, somerset street, streetscaping

Mini Garden in Chinatown

Westsideaction

This brick planter replaces a rickety wooden one at the corner of Upper Lorne Place and Somerset Street in Chinatown. It is simple, inexpensive, attractive. The Chinatown / Somerset landscape could use more such pocket gardens to soften the landscape and generally improve the look of the area, which tends to look a bit bedraggled, especially with the number of vacant storefronts. Continue reading Mini Garden in Chinatown

little Italy, Preston street

Who Needs a Building Permit?

Westsideaction

Another stop work order on a renovation on Preston Street. The upstairs has been gutted, new firewalls built, wiring and plumbing … who would have thought a permit was necessary? I gather the old Paradise water garden store will become an Indian grocery store. Do renovators just try to do things without a permit to “beat the cost” of buying a permit? Or is to avoid the “rules” that might be in place (like zoning, permitted uses, FSI, etc) by hoping an as-built will get the go ahead that might not be possible for an application made in advance? Or … Continue reading Who Needs a Building Permit?

Bayview, Plouffe Park, Preston street, streetscaping

Paying for Water Etc.

Westsideaction

Ken Gray over at The Bulldog blog cites the following from a Conference Board study:  “Water charges based on the value of property-or any other fixed measure that is not directly related to water consumption-cannot provide consumers with clear price signals,” said Len Coad, Director, Environment, Energy and Technology. “A cultural shift is required in how we manage our water system. Instead of relying on the tax base and allowing users to pay a below-cost price, those who use the service should pay the full cost of water, including capital expenditures.” I agree fully. The genius of our society is … Continue reading Paying for Water Etc.

Ottawa

Lansdowne Live – More sole sourcing?

Westsideaction

I note with interest that the City has given the go-ahead to the Lansdowne Live proposal with certain conditions, one being that there be a design review or something headed up by George Dark. He is a consultant. He is not cheap. Was the review contract put up for tender? Or is it sole sourcing? Will all the opponents of sole sourcing Lansdowne Live take to the streets to complain about sole sourcing the process to “improve” the urban design? Of course, maybe it’s not sole sourcing at all… Continue reading Lansdowne Live – More sole sourcing?

pedestrians

Driving school children

Westsideaction

Grade school in Orleans with large circular driveway at the front for dropping off the kids. I am astounded when I (occasionally) go to Orleans or the western suburbs and see new primary schools with huge driveways/waiting queues just for parents to drop off their kids. Back when my kid went to St Mary school I was on the PAC. The safety issue of children walking to school came up repeatedly. I thought most concerns totally unreal. I did not realize back then that most of the kids never walked anywhere and had no “common sense” for using sidewalks or … Continue reading Driving school children

Preston street

Erotica, Objectification — Thoughts on Preston Street

Westsideaction

Worker gives final dressing to a piece of new sidewalk on Preston. A few months ago I read a 1980’s book by Camile Paglia. In it, she thought construction workers would never stop whistling or hooting at passing females. In Camile’s mind, this was good; feminists who objected to this behaviour were bad/deluded. This year I have noticed how well trained construction workers along Preston have been. They are polite and helpful to pedestrians, especially the elderly. They stop moving big intimidating pieces of equipment when we approach. They do not hoot nor holler at women or school girls in … Continue reading Erotica, Objectification — Thoughts on Preston Street

Albert St, Booth St, cycling in Ottawa

They Tried …

Westsideaction

There is a traffic detour around the sewer control station being reconstructed on Booth Street immediately north of Albert. The four lanes are very narrow and the traffic persists in moving too fast. This week, safety no doubt improved immeasurably with the addition of a yellow sign in each direction showing a car beside a bike. Does this mean “no passing” or “share the lane”? In either case, the temp lanes are so narrow no one can pass a cyclist in the same lane. Continue reading They Tried …

capital crime writers, writing

Writing Wrongs in Ottawa

Westsideaction

Paul Dewar, MP, gives the welcoming remarks to the weekend conference of crime writers and wannabe’s held at the OPL. The CBC’s Alan Neal read the exerpts from Rick Mofina’s newest book “Vengeance Road”. For some reason, he selected paragraphs dealing with reporter proceedure. If I ever write a book, I’d get Alan Neal to read it aloud – what an excellent reader! Continue reading Writing Wrongs in Ottawa

Bayview, bike path, ottawa river

Gates of Lemieux Island re-installed

Westsideaction

The access road to Lemieux Island water plant has been badly torn up for the construction of the high pressure water mains to the Island. Finally, the road is reappearing, although as you can see from a careful examination of the photo the new road is relocated to the left. During the construction, the ornate gates — which look like they belong to Her Highness the GG instead of here — were removed and this shows the eastern side gate and pailings reinstalled. Continue reading Gates of Lemieux Island re-installed

Albert St, City Living, streetscaping

The City taketh away …

Westsideaction

Just a block down Albert Street from the new tree planting at the parking lots, the City has removed a dozen trees from their City Living housing projects. These trees were in front of the project at the corner of Albert and Booth, and Albert and Rochester (the trees were removed on the Rochester street side) and the corner of Albert and Preston. As shown in the pictures, these were mature trees, planted about 25 years ago when the housing projects were built. The housing is now undergoing “renewal” by recladding the stucco with artificial wood; and removing the brick sound … Continue reading The City taketh away …

Albert St, streetscaping

The city giveth …

Westsideaction

I rejoice when the City provides some nice landscaping in Dalhousie neighborhood. The City owns some temporary parking lots along Albert Street, between Bronson and the transitway turnoff at the Good Companions centre. They spent some time last month rigorously pruning and thinning the existing tree and shrub growth around the lots, possibly to improve the social safety of the parking lots by making them more open and exposed. Then they added some topsoil, mulch, and planted a dozen trees at the entrance of the lot, which faces Brickhill Street (a tiny street that services the parking lots and connects … Continue reading The city giveth …

little Italy, Preston street

The Little Park that could (n’t?)

Westsideaction

Several previous posts have featured this little garden strip at 301 Preston, immediately north of the Queensway in Little Italy. It was installed several years ago when part of the playing fields at Commerce / Adult HS were removed and paved over as pay parking lot. During the construction of Preston, I have seen giant steel trench boxes, outhouses, lumber, hoses, tools, you name it, all stacked or dumped on the garden. Yet each time the junk was removed, the garden plants (lillies, grass, few shrubs) resurrected themselves.  This last set of damage is more fatal. Whole sections of garden were … Continue reading The Little Park that could (n’t?)

pedestrians, Preston street, Primrose

Put my foot in it …

Westsideaction

I have been known to put my foot in it … some may feel I always do. But in this case, it was literally not figuratively. I was walking on the new sidewalk along Preston at Primrose – you know, the one with the missing sections and occasional mountain goat sections where you have to leap over walls, scramble up gravel mounds, etc. I steped into an area of sidewalk that had been filled around a utility hatch. It was a good foot below the finished sidewalk level so I got some good momentum. Alas, the cement there was not … Continue reading Put my foot in it …

housing policy

East Berlin, c1976

Westsideaction

There are lots of stories in the papers and MSM these days about the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. After graduating from University I went backpacking in Europe for a few weeks. Airfare was $640 on a 747; it is not much more today for advance purchases. I crossed into East Berlin at Checkpoint Charlie. It was compulsory to convert some West Marks into East Marks at the (poor) official exchange rate. It was not permitted to reconvert the East Marks upon exiting the “Democratic Republic”. I had to wait for several minutes at the crossing while the … Continue reading East Berlin, c1976

condos, downtown, infill, intensificatioin

Slow Progress

Westsideaction

Minto built these stacked townhouses (a two or three-storey unit above a two storey unit, each with sidewalk-level private entrances) a few years ago. Earlier this summer, there was a fire in one of the units. The whole row of houses was evacuated, and remains empty to this day. Some units are boarded up at the rear. Others sit with six month’s accumulation of grime and dust on the windows and porches. The units are wood-frame construction. There is not a sprinkler system. In addition to townhouse-looking stacked units, a number of low-rise apartment buildings in the city are also … Continue reading Slow Progress

Bayview, DOTT, LeBreton Flats, LRT, NCC

Dalhousie Community Assoc responds …

Westsideaction

Wearing my other hat, and with much input from other members of the Dalhousie Community Association board, the DCA sent two letters. One to the Marie Lemay of the NCC regarding the bad idea for bringing Rapibus to Ottawa over the POW bridge; and the other is detailed comments on the current state of the Downtown Ottawa Transit Tunnel study. You can read both of these letters at http://www.dalhousiecommunityassociation.blogspot.com/ Continue reading Dalhousie Community Assoc responds …

little Italy, parks

Smells like Lawyers

Westsideaction

St Mary school was one of the Little Italy and Civic Hospital neighborhood english-catholic french-immersion grade schools for west siders. My daughter went there (that was years ago…). The school was small, but attracted a local clientele and was not closed in part because the alternative catholic school was not perceived by parents as being an attractive choice. Over time, the board eroded the school, removed the french-immersion program, and eventually managed to kill the school. It is now a teacher ed centre, I think. The building sits on a huge block also occupied by another school building (rented out to … Continue reading Smells like Lawyers

Bayview, interprovincial transit study, LeBreton Flats, LRT, Prince of Wales Bridge, Transit

NCC to Quebecers: Back [on the] Bus

Westsideaction

  Proposed modernist Bayview LRT station is elevated and long. The proposed STO bus terminal would be off the left. Click to enlarge photo. Planning in a Federal capital region is not just about good planning on utilitarian “planning’ terms. A good chunk of it is political planning and symbolism too. In the past,  separatist elements in Quebec made hay from the disparate images of the Quebec side of the river (low rise, lower income housing, industrial mills) and the Ottawa side of the river (shiny high rises set high on a green hill). They drew a direct line to the … Continue reading NCC to Quebecers: Back [on the] Bus