Category: Ottawa

Ottawa1 Comment

Seeing Seattle (part i) — downtown bike track

Westsideaction

  I checked out this bi-directional bike track in downtown Seattle.  It is separated from other vehicles by a poured curb, which in turn was interrupted by breaks to allow for water drainage and driveway access. |(above)  the pavement was painted green at private driveways to businesses, not just at intersections, like the Laurier bike track here.   above:  a whole block painted green, with car parking on the outside edge of the track, with a painted spacer to reduce dooring and motor car passengers stepping out in front of cyclists. I don’t know why the launching point on the … Continue reading Seeing Seattle (part i) — downtown bike track

Ottawa1 Comment

Gardening in cracks — err, narrow urban spaces

Westsideaction

In east-side Montreal a few weeks back, I noticed a number of merchants or building owners (because these were not residential properties) were squeezing plants into the cracks between the sidewalk and building facade. I’m not sure why such narrow spaces  were “left over” unpaved, but they were put to good use.     the Hakone grass (yellow green stuff above) isn’t cheap either, about $12 per plant. I also noticed someone — city or merchants association — planted many of the openings around sidewalk trees:       In the Le Plateau district, I was astounded to see the City … Continue reading Gardening in cracks — err, narrow urban spaces

Ottawa1 Comment

Chinatown BIA sponsors another community garden spot

Westsideaction

The Chinatown BIA has for years provided funding for the original Somerset community garden at Somerset/Empress. Funding replenishes mulch, buys a hose or some plants, etc. They also funded a whack of tulip planting in all the streetscaping planters near Booth. When the City rebuilt Somerset a few years back, they provided a really nice planter near Booth, with two trees. Alas, almost all the tangly shrubby things on the bottom died the first winter. But, they are guaranteed ! So the landscapers returned last year and replanted. Only to see them all die another time last winter. The City … Continue reading Chinatown BIA sponsors another community garden spot

Ottawa2 Comments

Community Gardens just keep on growing

Westsideaction

The City kindly parked two round planters on Elm Street in front of the little park there, in advance of construction (someday) of a permanent bulb out — imagine, replacing parking with a park ! Councillor Holmes sponsored a buying-spree to get some plants for the planters. There isn’t much left in the big box stores, but we got the two planters filled. Next spring, some of the plants might get swapped out or traded with other community-maintained garden spots on the west side. The planters arrived in all their naked glory, but actually filled with good dirt: Some kids … Continue reading Community Gardens just keep on growing

cycling in Ottawa, Ottawa, pedestrians, sidewalks, walkways

Example of a simple big-crosswalk

Westsideaction

OK, I’ve wondered (and bitched)  bit about the cacophony of crossing markings at Fifth and the QED. So what are other options? In the above pic, there is a bi-directional bike path leading to the intersection in the foreground. A lateral shift, what laypeople might call a severe jog, in the bike path encourages cyclists to slow down at the intersection. Built in traffic calming. The cross street sidewalk is brick, so there is a colour and texture identification. And for the cyclists and pedestrians on the street we are standing on, there is one giant zebra-striped crossing. Not a … Continue reading Example of a simple big-crosswalk

cycling in Ottawa, Ottawa, pedestrians, sidewalks, walkways8 Comments

Complexity confuses

Westsideaction

  Is it just me, or is there a fresh proliferation of new symbols and signs we are supposed to recognize and obey?  I find a lot of them not very clear at all. The new pedestrian crosswalk and cyclist crossride at Fifth and the Canal is an overdue intersection improvement and I am grateful that it is there. And I look forward to a lot more safe crossings in our road-traffic-dominated city. But the proliferation of symbols and signs is a sight to behold. Look at the above pic. The nearest crosswalk is marked with solid white lines and … Continue reading Complexity confuses

Florida, Ottawa, pedestrians, streetscaping, walkways4 Comments

Putting pedestrians first at intersections

Westsideaction

Yesterday I self-indulged in a bit of bitch about how the City makes intersections safer for motor vehicles at the expense of pedestrians: Look at almost any intersection. The City locates the signal posts back from the curb line, for the safety of motorists. But then directs pedestrians to stand in the same spot where they deem it too dangerous to place a wooden or steel post.  Allright, the natural question is what could be done to make it better? My first response is Amsterdam, like many European cities, puts real bollards (set deep into cement bases, designed to repel … Continue reading Putting pedestrians first at intersections

Florida, Ottawa3 Comments

More time lingering in Portofino

Westsideaction

Look carefully at these buildings. The floor inside is actually all one level, with an internal corridor like any hotel or apartment building. But the colours, varied rooflines, and different window treatments give the people outside the joy of a traditional Italian streetscape. I see no reason why buildings cannot be built here, using these techniques, but not necessarily the faux-Italian stucco. After six or eight “houses” (hotel rooms) the building row takes a shift, with an inset portion that fosters the 3D effect. These exteriors do not seem expensive to construct, but pay huge dividends in civilization. the Portofino … Continue reading More time lingering in Portofino

Ottawa5 Comments

For want of a patch, the road was lost …

Westsideaction

There are numerous proverbs that go along the line of “for want of a nail, the [something] was lost …”, or, the sweater unravelled, or whatever the exemplar might be. The gist is the same: a small, timely action can forego a larger problem later. Conversely, large problems with expensive solutions devolve out of small beginnings. For many months now, I’ve had to swerve my bike to go around the catchbasin-in-a-moat when leaving Loblaws on Richmond Road right at Kirkwood.  A few times I’ve had to run right into it, with bone jarring results. Another time [or two] I’ve ended … Continue reading For want of a patch, the road was lost …

Ottawa1 Comment

Somebody does it better

Westsideaction

Grocery stores, the holy grail of urban planning, marker of a high walk score and even higher real estate values, seem somewhat elusive in Ottawa. Developers tell me their floor plate requirements are fundamentally at odds with the pillars, etc that are required to hold up the condo tower above. I do look forward to see the Promised Sobbey’s in Claridge’s downtown towers on Lisgar … someday. But recently in Montreal I noticed that they managed to fit a largish grocery store under just two and three floors of apartments. Just what most residents claim to want: non-high rise urban … Continue reading Somebody does it better

Ottawa2 Comments

Signs of the Times: lost robot

Westsideaction

At one time, “lost” posters featured cats, or the occasional dog. Sometimes a toy. * But in today’s age, more complex things can become lost. Like the notice spotted on this garbage can on the western parkway:   Yes, you read that right. A lost robot. Here’s the fine print:   I’m guessing this Quadcopter didn’t have a live video feed or the operator would know where it ended up. __________________________ * Lost toy: I don’t think most people read very well. When my [then very young] daughter lost a toy alligator from the front yard, which had never been … Continue reading Signs of the Times: lost robot

bike path, cycling in Ottawa, OTrain bike path, Ottawa1 Comment

Making pathways relevant to real life

Westsideaction

Real life takes place on real streets. Bike paths, and walking paths, are secondary sorts of things, not for real living. So goes conventional thinking. And so goes Ottawa thinking. Our city skips the idea of having street signs where the path goes by intersections. Why on earth would a cyclist want to know what that adjoining street is? S/he wouldn’t be actually going somewhere purposeful, maybe looking for an address? The NCC does post some signage on their paths, expensively produced for quality graphic visuals, but alas, often lacking useful information or downright confusing, and subject to previous stories … Continue reading Making pathways relevant to real life

Ottawa3 Comments

Money Talks: What’s it saying at City Hall?

Westsideaction

My mother often told me “money talks”. And it’s making a huge din down at City Hall. Especially in the Planning process. Frankly, it’s scarey what I overhear. Let’s look at some of the funds swishing around. More and more often I hear of Community Associations getting “incentives”, “program money”, inducements, or whatever. No one ever uses a noun that starts with “b”. The going sum seems to be about a $30,000 “contribution”. I hear of three such payments on the west side alone; and strong hints that the same sum was available to the association of which I am a … Continue reading Money Talks: What’s it saying at City Hall?

Albert St, Ottawa6 Comments

What’s Inside the Secret Beer Tunnel ?

Westsideaction

The homes of Walnut Court, shortly to made more exciting by the City’s 2000 /day bus detour, are on the site of a former brewery, Bradings (later O’Keefe’s). On the north side of Albert, now a vacant lot,  stood the Longest Building in the British Empire, which made undersea cables. Once the undersea cable market died out, the brewery stored finished product in the warehouse. For convenience, they dug a low tunnel from the brewery, under Albert, to the warehouse. The warehouse itself did not have a full basement. This tunnel has long been fabled to contain leftover Beer, miraculously … Continue reading What’s Inside the Secret Beer Tunnel ?

Ottawa2 Comments

Streetcar tracks to Memoryville

Westsideaction

Streetcar ghosts appear in the expected places. Like just under the surface of of asphalt road. This pictured pile of streetcar ties leads to whole complex story of my house. Right at the corner of now-Albert and now-City Centre Avenue is a strange little triangular corner holding a turn lane. This used to be where the whole road turned to run over the now-OTrain tracks and connected in a straight line to West Wellington in Hintonburg. The wooden bridge over the tracks exactly paralleled the current ramp up to the second level of City Centre Building. The start of both of … Continue reading Streetcar tracks to Memoryville

95 Norman, Carling-Preston CDP, Ottawa9 Comments

Supping from a poisoned chalice

Westsideaction

I have written (too-) much previously about the details in the Preston-Carling and Preston-Gladstone plans. The Preston-Carling documents go to planning committee on Tuesday. I will be there, and speaking. Albeit with great reluctance. The Preston-Carling plan in particular was hijacked from the planning staff by city executive. The biggest and first clue was George Dark and his planning charade. He launched a veritable snowstorm of high rises onto the area. It wasn’t an ordinary planning exercise, so much as a snow job on the community, designed to burry the yokels. Its brazenness taints the “profession” in my eyes. Amongst … Continue reading Supping from a poisoned chalice

Ottawa1 Comment

Rideau Canal Doppleganger

Westsideaction

I saw this photo on Jarrett Walker’s excellent Human Transit blog, and was immediately and temporarily confused. It is of a canal in Indianapolis, USA, but has an eerie similarity to  our Rideau Canal, right down to the similar “DND building” and the “westin hotel”.   I am not including a similar shot of the Rideau Canal, because putting the evidence before you makes it easier for your eyes to distinguish between the two. The similarity is a play on the patterns of recognition in the mind. No word on its World Heritage status. Continue reading Rideau Canal Doppleganger

Ottawa

Go Take a Hike

Westsideaction

Go take a hike? No? Well, how about a walk or stroll? Maybe with a special friend, wife, kids, dog … Come celebrate the Plant Recreation Centre 10th anniversary, and walk your way to fitness in the 10,000 Steps Challenge on Saturday, June 7th, 12 noon to 3 pm at 930 Somerset Street West! All ages and fitness levels are welcome; registration is free.  Get a “passport” & map, walk as much of the route as you want & perhaps win one of the prizes available for lucky participants.  (Rain or shine)   Continue reading Go Take a Hike

Ottawa

Gladstone CDP (part viii): the actual report

Westsideaction

The City’s report on the three options for the Gladstone-Preston CDP is now available at http://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/public-consultations/planning-and-infrastructure/vision-concept-options-report-january It is a big PDF, I would not try to see it on your phone. It contains a number of tables (eg density, number of units) and illustrations I had not seen when I wrote the previous stories in this series. It also has a number of pictures of myself — jeez, am I really that bald? Continue reading Gladstone CDP (part viii): the actual report

Ottawa

Gladstone CDP (part vi): roads, old and new

Westsideaction

The City has developed three Option plans for the Gladstone CDP. Option 1 seems the preferred option, so let’s look at the roads:   the new Oak Street extension is a big change. It crosses the OTrain cut via a new bridge, marked number 2 on the map. The other Options had this as a pedestrian-cyclist bridge, only option 1 showed a vehicle road. A connection between the Hintonburg neighbourhood west of the study area through to Preston mainstreet and the Plant Pool complex is highly desirable. And Dalhousie residents would find it convenient to go to school (both Devonshire … Continue reading Gladstone CDP (part vi): roads, old and new