Category: pedestrians

aquaduct, Bayview, bike path, Booth St, Claridge, condos, cycling in Ottawa, Fallen Fire Fighters Monument, Fleet Street, LeBreton Flats, NCC, pedestrians, Tailrace

Bikepath to No-where

Westsideaction

The NCC has been landscaping the area north of the Claridge condo building on LeBreton Flats since mid-winter. Earlier posts on this blog showed the winter landscaping and very early spring planting of trees and shrubs. Eventually, the Fallen Firefighters Monument will be constructed on the grassy area. The contractor (same one as is doing Plouffe Park) has now paved the bike path from Wellington Street north along the west side of the tailrace. A side branch cuts off to the west to join Lett Street beside the condo. But the path goes nowhere, as Claridge hasn’t yet landscaped the … Continue reading Bikepath to No-where

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

New OC Transpo bus routes impact centretown

Westsideaction

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

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

New Floodlights, Plant Recreation Centre

Westsideaction

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

Westsideaction

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

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

Bureaucrats are not Marketeers

Westsideaction

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

bike path, Carling Ave, cycling in Ottawa, Dows Lake, Eric Darwin, NCC, Ottawa, pedestrians

Landscaping Goes In, Dow’s Lake pathway

Westsideaction

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

Carling Ave, cycling in Ottawa, pedestrians, Preston street

Soil Remediation, Preston at Carling

Westsideaction

Work crews have been busy this week at the former gas station lot located on the southeast corner of Preston and Carling. If one can guess from the signs on the trucks, its for soil remediation. Once all the oil and gas and other gunk is out of the site, it can be sold for development. It is a prime condo site, facing Commissioners’ Park and Dow’s Lake, and opening right onto the soon-to-be-glamorous Preston Street. BTW, double clicking on the photo should enlarge it on your monitor. Continue reading Soil Remediation, Preston at Carling

Eric Darwin, Ottawa, pedestrians, Preston street

Preston Construction Starts Soon

Westsideaction

The Preston Street streetscaping project starts up again soon. Preliminary work by Rogers, Bell and Enbridge is already underway. Heavy construction begins on the sections south of Oak Street on April 14 (after Easter weekend).   Work on the section from Spruce north to Albert Street begins the beginning of May. The intersections of Preston and Albert, Somerset, Gladstone, Beach, and Carling may not be given their decorative paving until 2010.   The City is holding a public briefing to remind residents and businesses of the scope of the project and what is being built where, on March 31st at … Continue reading Preston Construction Starts Soon

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

Trees Along the Albert St path

Westsideaction

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

Westsideaction

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