Category: Preston street

Preston street, streetscaping, Uncategorized, west wellington

Tidy peastone vs au naturel

Westsideaction

A number of cities keep peastone beds around trees in the sidewalk neat and tidy. Ottawa is not among them. Toronto and Vancouver are. The peastone shown above is glued down to a porous mat which is cut to shape for the tree well. Moisture runs in; weeds do not grow out. The stones stay in place. Wheelchairs and strollers roll right over them. Little boys are frustrated. Dogs continue to pee on them. Smokers find one less spot to dump their butts. These mats are commonly available at stores for use as a foot mat on your front doorstop. On the other hand, while … Continue reading Tidy peastone vs au naturel

Preston street, somerset street, streetscaping1 Comment

The race is on …

Westsideaction

Preston reconstruction is almost complete. Final details are going in … like the traffic loops. The loop shown above is going to be installed right outside May’s Chinese Restaurant at the corner of Somerset and Preston. Except … on August 3rd Somerset is going to be dug up big time for the same treatment as Preston got for the last few years: new pipes, utilities, and protected parking bays. Guess what — the spot shown above will be getting a six foot or so wider sidewalk. And four trees. Will the city get the wiring installed in enough time to … Continue reading The race is on …

Preston street, somerset street, streetscaping

The race is on …

Westsideaction

Preston reconstruction is almost complete. Final details are going in … like the traffic loops. The loop shown above is going to be installed right outside May’s Chinese Restaurant at the corner of Somerset and Preston. Except … on August 3rd Somerset is going to be dug up big time for the same treatment as Preston got for the last few years: new pipes, utilities, and protected parking bays. Guess what — the spot shown above will be getting a six foot or so wider sidewalk. And four trees. Will the city get the wiring installed in enough time to … Continue reading The race is on …

Preston street, streetscaping, west wellington4 Comments

Arty mainstreets

Westsideaction

precast block awaiting its hole Shown above is a precast foundation block for urban sculpture. When planted into a hole, only the top portion shows. Upon this plinth will be mounted civic art work. On Preston, these will be Italian-style columns. On West Wellie will be sculptural renditions of fire hydrants. The Preston art pieces will arrive mid-August, according to city officials supervising the final touches on the street. precast block inserted in hole, surface pavers relaid  I really look foreward to seeing these art pieces, as they will be the first of their type for an Ottawa main street, as … Continue reading Arty mainstreets

Preston street, streetscaping, west wellington

Arty mainstreets

Westsideaction

precast block awaiting its hole Shown above is a precast foundation block for urban sculpture. When planted into a hole, only the top portion shows. Upon this plinth will be mounted civic art work. On Preston, these will be Italian-style columns. On West Wellie will be sculptural renditions of fire hydrants. The Preston art pieces will arrive mid-August, according to city officials supervising the final touches on the street. precast block inserted in hole, surface pavers relaid  I really look foreward to seeing these art pieces, as they will be the first of their type for an Ottawa main street, as … Continue reading Arty mainstreets

pedestrians, Preston street, streetscaping

Sidewalk sales

Westsideaction

One of the purposes of the new wider sidewalks on traditional mainstreets is to encourage merchants to display merchandise outside, which enlivens the environment with changing displays. Recently, Preston Hardware has started taking advantage of the very wide sidewalk in front of their store. Part of the display is pretty ordinary hardware stuff: wheelbarrows, lawnmowers. The BBQ on a stone-faced cabinet is more different, and reflects the trend to “outdoor kitchens”, although a visit to any of the remaining Italian households in the neighborhood will reveal a kitchen in the garage for summer cooking and pickling. There is a house … Continue reading Sidewalk sales

pedestrians, Preston street, streetscaping

Sidewalk sales

Westsideaction

One of the purposes of the new wider sidewalks on traditional mainstreets is to encourage merchants to display merchandise outside, which enlivens the environment with changing displays. Recently, Preston Hardware has started taking advantage of the very wide sidewalk in front of their store. Part of the display is pretty ordinary hardware stuff: wheelbarrows, lawnmowers. The BBQ on a stone-faced cabinet is more different, and reflects the trend to “outdoor kitchens”, although a visit to any of the remaining Italian households in the neighborhood will reveal a kitchen in the garage for summer cooking and pickling. There is a house … Continue reading Sidewalk sales

little Italy, Preston street, streetscaping1 Comment

Toronto Late

Westsideaction

The latest issue of Toronto Life magazine arrived. In it is a major article on the many reasons to love Toronto. Number 24 is the proposed building of an underpass art gallery. Upon closer reading, it consists of putting 24 mosaics or painted panels onto the walls of an underpass. This is definitely trendy and  cutting edge nifty stuff … for Toronto. For local West Side residents, it should seem familiar as the Preston underpass has had both painted panels (some with 3D elements) and murals showing the immigration process with a ship arriving at Pier 21 in Halifax, and … Continue reading Toronto Late

little Italy, Preston street, streetscaping

Toronto Late

Westsideaction

The latest issue of Toronto Life magazine arrived. In it is a major article on the many reasons to love Toronto. Number 24 is the proposed building of an underpass art gallery. Upon closer reading, it consists of putting 24 mosaics or painted panels onto the walls of an underpass. This is definitely trendy and  cutting edge nifty stuff … for Toronto. For local West Side residents, it should seem familiar as the Preston underpass has had both painted panels (some with 3D elements) and murals showing the immigration process with a ship arriving at Pier 21 in Halifax, and … Continue reading Toronto Late