Category: downtown

downtown

Yuca-Yay !

Westsideaction

Back in December 09  http://www.http//westsideaction.blogspot.com/2009/12/yucca-yuk.html I posted about the theft of the yucca plants from the front of the city parking garage that runs between Laurier and Slater. On the Laurier side there is a nice little strip of garden space. Then someone stole the nicest yucca plant (looks like a cactus, and yes, is winter hardy) from the west end of the garden, and sometime later, the one from the east end of the garden. As shown, the City has replaced the plants and added some too. Looks nice. Kudos to whomever at the city actually notices these things and … Continue reading Yuca-Yay !

downtown

Yuca-Yay !

Westsideaction

Back in December 09  http://www.http//westsideaction.blogspot.com/2009/12/yucca-yuk.html I posted about the theft of the yucca plants from the front of the city parking garage that runs between Laurier and Slater. On the Laurier side there is a nice little strip of garden space. Then someone stole the nicest yucca plant (looks like a cactus, and yes, is winter hardy) from the west end of the garden, and sometime later, the one from the east end of the garden. As shown, the City has replaced the plants and added some too. Looks nice. Kudos to whomever at the city actually notices these things and … Continue reading Yuca-Yay !

DOTT, downtown, LRT, Transit

Transit Tunnel is no Turkey

Westsideaction

The usual suspects are carping about the transit tunnel, again. Did the province provide funding? Apparently no good news is good enough — they didn’t provide 15-25% more than was asked for … so it’s disaster time. Ring-a-ling. Ding-a-ling. It’s disaster time in the city … So what might happen if the tunnel portion was cancelled? Critics are quick to attach huge price tags to the tunnel portion. But these won’t disappear if the tunnel is cancelled. After all the tunnel includes tracks (won’t these be needed for the surface rail?); it includes stations and platforms (which will be needed … Continue reading Transit Tunnel is no Turkey

DOTT, downtown, LRT

Dubai, LRT lessons

Westsideaction

Last week there was a interesting public presentation at City Hall on planning and development in Dubai. Presenter was Gordon Stratford of HoK architects and planners, a mulitnational consultancy. In August 05 Dubai called tenders for a LRT system, and then opened the first 40km segment with 22 stations in Sept 09. The system is expected to grow to 70km with 43 stations, although the 2012 opening date may be delayed given the statlet’s decline into near insolvency  recent debt restructuring moves. I recall that at the June LRT technology forum held at City Hall, the winner equipment provider was … Continue reading Dubai, LRT lessons

condos, downtown

No lobby for the homeless

Westsideaction

The two new condo towers downtown on Kent Street called the Hudson have their entry keyboard on the outside rather than in the Lobby. I haven’t noticed this in Ottawa before. It is common in Vancouver, where the climate is milder. Approaching and using this key pad felt cramped and uncomfortable. It is reality today that so many buildings now have to have their exterior doors locked to prevent people moving into the comfy chairs in the lobby, but this is the first time I have seen one keep people out of the airlock entry. It’s one more step to … Continue reading No lobby for the homeless

downtown

Shaving Religiously

Westsideaction

Any introductory book or course on advertising will bring up the original Burma shave campaign. A series of signs along the road has to be read in sequence to get the whole message or advertisement. I thought this was somewhat similar, in front of St Andrew’s Church in downtown Ottawa. If Celtic Prayers don’t do it … there are Prayers for Peace … and then Scottish Tea, plus two other signs that don’t match. Continue reading Shaving Religiously

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

Albert St, DOTT, downtown

DOTT plans affect west side residents (ix): downtown west station

Westsideaction

The western most downtown station would be located deep under Albert Street * in the block between Kent and Bay. There will be two major entrances for the “base” station design. If developers wish to tie in, there could be more. One entrance will be right where the CS CoOp building is now. The entire block housing the CoOp is to be purchased by the City for the new library project. If the library is under construction at the same time as the DOTT, then the station will be incorporated into the Library. If the Library is to be constructed … Continue reading DOTT plans affect west side residents (ix): downtown west station

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

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