condos, green roofs, LeBreton Flats

Green Roofs in Ottawa

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War Museum This photo shows the west side of the War Museum roof. This roof is unusual in that it is at ground level at the west edge and slopes up to be an elevated roof. Another section of roof is beyond the office space structure. It is accessed from a north/south ramp and path system that crosses the building at midpoint. Originally designed to “break” the very long narrow building into two, it “completes” the north / south pedestrian circulation scheme on the Flats, should it ever be developed. Two years ago this path was usually open. Now, whenever … Continue reading Green Roofs in Ottawa

green roofs

Green Roof examples

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Minto Place podium With this picture, showing the green roof on the podium level of Minto Place, I intend to start a series of photos of existing green roofs in Ottawa. There are over a dozen green roofs I can think of immediately. Most are at the podium or near ground level, where they have a useful aesthetic function. I took this from the elevator lobby of Minto Place hotel, about the 8th floor. This window also had an oblique view of the similar roof garden on Constitution Square. While I think green roofs have a function, they are somewhat … Continue reading Green Roof examples

Dows Lake, Experimental Farm, Walnut Court

Magnolia Blossoms on Walnut Court

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The magnolia we always went to see on Spruce St seems to have died. But there is this one in Walnut Court just moving into full bloom now. The Experimental farm has a nice collection of trees just above the OTrain tracks near Prince of Wales Drive. Over the years we have identified many magnolia locations and cycle around to see them all. A favorite large tree is on Cambridge a few doors north of Gladstone. Continue reading Magnolia Blossoms on Walnut Court

green roofs, Ottawa

Green Roofs in Ottawa

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A view of Minto Place podium green roof, this one showing an area with public access. The three tepee skylights are over the pool over the Hasty Market; the larger skylight on the right is over the main lobby/concourse. A similar green roof is barely visible in the background on Constitution Square. Access to the roof is from the slightly larger tepee skylight which houses a stair up from the pool deck. I think it is interesting to note how much of the green roof is actually decking and other “not so green” features. Continue reading Green Roofs in Ottawa

Ottawa2 Comments

New Library – Current vs Future Neighborhood

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The City still has not announced where the new main branch library will be located. Councillor Chiarelli has said on Ken Gray’s blog The Bulldog that he fears it won’t be at Bayview. Apparently it will be on a site that is currently a full city block of parking. If it is located near the downtown core on a block of parking lot, I truly hope it isn’t just another low rise such as this city favours so often, but is the base of a residential building. This would move us toward our goals of a sustainable, smart-growth city. A … Continue reading New Library – Current vs Future Neighborhood

Bayview Otrain, Bayview-Carling CDP, bike path, Carling Ave, CDP, City Centre, cycling in Ottawa, DOTT, Dows Lake, LRT, O-Train, Preston street, somerset street, streetscaping2 Comments

Somerset Viaduct (Bridge) over the OTrain Line

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Somerset west of Preston rises up and over the OTrain Tracks, near the City Centre Building. At the height of the crest, the bridge itself is only about 20′ long; the rest of the road is simply a fill between retaining walls. The road was designed long ago and the angle of the slope means that motorists cannot see what’s on the road (for eg, a parked car) over the crest. This creates a stopping-in-time problem. The solution selected by the City is to narrow the road to two lanes for vehicle traffic. The road is wide enough for a … Continue reading Somerset Viaduct (Bridge) over the OTrain Line

Albert St, Bayview Otrain, LeBreton Flats, O-Train, oc Transpo, pedestrians2 Comments

New OC Transpo bus routes impact centretown

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OC Transpo is proposing some significant bus routes changes that affect our neighborhoods on the west side of the downtown. Comments on the routes must be in to oc transpo by April 25th. Most significantly, the number 16 would no longer run along Scott nor Albert in the Flats area. It would instead start somewhere in the downtown ( I couldn’t find out where on the OC transpo page) and run east only. And number 18 will run only run as far west as Tunney’s. These changes are part of OC Transpo’s rerouting scheme to reduce the buses that run … Continue reading New OC Transpo bus routes impact centretown

Bayview, Bayview Otrain, Bayview-Carling CDP, condos, LeBreton Flats, LRT, O-Train, Preston street2 Comments

A stadium for Ottawa

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Lansdowne Live? Scotiabank Place? LeBreton – Bayview? I am not a fan of a new stadium at Lansdowne Park. It is not accessible enough – the neighborhood streets are narrow, local-style shopping and residential streets. It is not on the Qway nor the transitway. Open air concerts and mass public events are just not compatible enough with the residential area. A major park, including residential development (yes, expensive condos) to help pay for it all, is better. A massive city expenditure on a fancy park just for the Glebe, no. I suggest we continue the urban fabric along Bank Street … Continue reading A stadium for Ottawa

little Italy, pedestrians, plant recreation centre, Preston street, streetscaping

New Floodlights, Plant Recreation Centre

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Work crews have removed the old floodlights from the Plant Rec Centre playing fields “Plouffe Park”. As of this afternoon, six new posts and new floodlights were installed. Last week, the city removed the hockey boards. On the north side, against the tot lot, crews were busy today installing new chain link fencing to separate the soccer fields from the path and playstructures. Hopefully, sod will soon appear on the playing fields. It will be great to have a large green space again. Seeing work done (ie benches, garbage cans, light standards, paving) to bring visible community benefits is so … Continue reading New Floodlights, Plant Recreation Centre

little Italy, pedestrians, Preston street, streetscaping1 Comment

Preston Streetscaping Installations

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After so many years of planning and nagging and endless meetings, it is so nice to see parts of the Preston Street streetscaping appearing in final form. While one of the sections done last year got its trees but not its shrubs, the northern section go no plants (yet) at all. But this week benches have started appearing. These stylish aluminum slat benches have a centre arm rest. Several matching garbage cans have also appeared. This bench is bolted to the concrete base; in areas paved in brick, some bricks are removed and a discrete concrete base put in so … Continue reading Preston Streetscaping Installations

green roofs, Nature, streetscaping

More on Roofs, greening, homeowners

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Chris asked me if I had considered a white roof. Yes, I did. But first, consider that there are two subjects here: one is replacing the existing roof covering when it is past its prime, the other is adding something like plant sedums in trays on top of the existing flat roof. The 100,000 sq ft warehouse I view from my 3rd floor windows was redone two years ago in white. Very reflective. I know white shingles on a sloped roof have a drastically shorter life than black shingles, I dont know if a white flat roof is any shorter … Continue reading More on Roofs, greening, homeowners

City Hall, condos, Nature, streetscaping1 Comment

Greenroofs

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Today’s paper had a major front page story on green roofs (www.nationalpost.com). Apparently Mayor Millar in Toronto is trying to position Toronto as a green sweepstakes winner. Green roofs have a number of widely recognized benefits (and less widely recognized costs) so Council is considering mandating them on new buildings. Curiously, they propose to exempt themselves from the rule: their new municipal housing would be exempt, as would schools and, curiouser and curiouser: large commercial buildings. The buildings that would be targeted (ie, forced to install green roofs) include condos and retail malls. Note that both of these types of … Continue reading Greenroofs

Booth St, condos, garbage, little Italy, Ottawa, Preston street, somerset street2 Comments

Uglification Award

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quality work … looking south on Booth looking north on Booth Chado and his Cousin Eddy run body shops on Booth Street between Somerset and Gladstone. Let me clarify that these are automotive body shops, thus legitimate enterprises. If you double click on photo one, you may notice a row of demised trees along the front of the building. Also evident are abandonned tires and what appears to be the remains of a Subway restuarant bench. Photo 2 shows a tree stump, all that is remaining of a city boulevard tree. There is another one by the Insurance deductible sign. … Continue reading Uglification Award

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

Bureaucrats are not Marketeers

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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

garbage, LRT, O-Train, somerset street

O-Train right-of-way filled in

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The pictured premises are on Somerset St at Bayview. Last year a number of trees on the slope down to the OTrain track (out of camera range, but down slope from the cars) mysteriously died after strange milky white and green fluids were dumped off the edge of the parking lot. Hmm, who knows where those came from? I guess it’s all the sweepings of grit off the parking lot that that have filled in this generous area beyond the paved lot, enough room to park two cars [for now]. I suspect that a picture this fall will show an … Continue reading O-Train right-of-way filled in

Booth St, Chinatown, condos, little Italy, Ottawa, Preston street

Shrinking Condos

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original Z6 revised Z6 The Z6 is a condo building to be built at the corner of Balsam and Booth, facing St Anthony’s schoolyard and the yellow brick convent. Photo 1 shows the 5 storey building orignally proposed for the site, having 26 units. The second photo shows the building “downsized” to 17 units, only four floors now, with the rounded cornice line at the front now removed. Construction is to commence 1 May with completed scheduled for spring 2010. Immediately to the left of the Z6 are a series of land parcels owned by Fanto. They applied for rezoning … Continue reading Shrinking Condos

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Landscaping Goes In, Dow’s Lake pathway

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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

Chinatown, little Italy, plant recreation centre, Preston street, somerset street, Vietnamese Monument1 Comment

Vietnamese Museum & Offices

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Test drilling has occured at the vacant lot, corner of Somerset St and Preston. It looks like we might soon see the construction of the Vietnamese centre. It will have a museum, office, and meeting space on the upper floors, and one or two storefronts at ground level. It is diagonally opposite the Plant Recreation centre and existing Vietnamese Monument. The garage entrance is off the Preston side. Question: will sewer and water connections be dug before or after the reconstruction and repaving of Preston? Continue reading Vietnamese Museum & Offices

Ottawa, Preston street

Luigi Makes Appearance on Preston Street

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Preston Street businesses and nearby residents are in for another chaotic year. Construction is starting now on the street, and we will be in for a repeat year of holes, mud, dust, and surprises. As evidenced from the two sections of street that were largely finished in 2008, the results should be worth it. The wider sidewalks will improve street function. The streetscaping is desperately needed. The BIA is introducing Luigi on construction signs and advertising to add some personality to the situation. I hope Luigi survives the construction and continues to play a role in the community. Continue reading Luigi Makes Appearance on Preston Street

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Wither the Walls?

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The first two sections of improved streetscaping went in on Preston Street in 2008 as part of the underground utilities renewal. The remaining three sections of the street will be done in 2009, except for intersection paving which I will address in a separate post. The second picture (above) shows new concrete walls installed last year in front of residential properties south of the Queensway. There was not time to finish the landscaping last fall, but this spring the lawns will be replaced and shrubs will be planted between the small curb and the base of the wall. The uniform … Continue reading Wither the Walls?

parole office, plant recreation centre, somerset street

Parole Office Political Decision Again

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“This Government has listened to the concerns voiced at last night’s Town Hall meeting organized by the Correctional Service of Canada, and is no longer considering relocation of the Ottawa Parole Office to 1010 Somerset Street,” ministry of public safety spokesman Christopher McCluskey wrote in an e-mail to the Citizen. Continue reading Parole Office Political Decision Again