Category: Preston street

Preston street

When Fire Strikes

Westsideaction

There was a fire last week at the Little Italy Florist. The front facade was not badly damaged. Most of the fire seemed to have been in the rear part of the building. The “baloon frame” construction popular around 1910, when many of the houses of the area were built, is readily visible. Long studs — 16′ — stretched from the foundation up two floors, without any fire stops or sills at the second floor. Today a two storey house is more likely to built with 8-10′ studs on a platform (floor level) then a sill and platform built for … Continue reading When Fire Strikes

Chinatown, little Italy, pedestrians, Plouffe Park, Preston street, somerset street, streetscaping

Somerset Streetscaping – can it get back on the road?

Westsideaction

The first meeting of stakeholders got together on Tuesday evening to discuss the streetscaping project on Somerset Street. The 2010 portion is from Preston to West Wellie. The portion shown above is in the Preston BIA catchment area. The portion beyond the bridge is in Hintonburg (Kitchissipi ward) and the Hintonburg BIA. In 2011 the section from Preston to Booth will be done. That is the area behind the viewer in the above picture. It falls in the Chinatown BIA. Yup, in a territory walkable in barely five minutes, there are two wards, 3 BIAs, 2 community associations, and other stakeholders. A nice streetscaping project might be do-able … Continue reading Somerset Streetscaping – can it get back on the road?

little Italy, Preston street

Corso Italia meets Via Marconi

Westsideaction

As part of the Preston streetscaping project, major changes will be coming to the intersection of Preston/Gladstone. The pavement pattern has been approved. It will be installed and maintained by the Preston BIA. The planned use of brick pavers has run into technical snags, however, and alternative paving materials are being examined. The BIA is also planning a celebratory sculpture arrangement at the corner. The draft concept sketch shown above is of 24′ high soccer players  made of concrete, metal,  and stained glass.  There would be benches along their feet. Continue reading Corso Italia meets Via Marconi

Preston street, somerset street, streetscaping, west wellington

On Streetscaping (iii) Street Lighting

Westsideaction

The street lighting problem … Currently streets are uniformly lit for the benefit of vehicles in the centre of the road. Lighting intensity may increase at certain intersections. Sidewalks and pedestrians may be in the shadow of vehicles and trees. They do not have lighting levels set to meet their needs or to establish a pleasant urban walking environment. Too much lighting is just as bad as too little lighting if it creates a harsh and unwelcoming environment. Street lights are usually located at a regular distance apart and uniformly set back behind the sidewalk or along the curb. For … Continue reading On Streetscaping (iii) Street Lighting

Preston street, streetscaping

Find the Sidewalk

Westsideaction

As any repeat readers of this blog know by know, I am a big fan of streetscaping. Nonetheless, as a dedicated pedestrian and cyclist (never owned a car)(dont have  TV either !) some of the ways sidewalks get installed drives me nuts. Consistency may be the hobgobblin of little minds, but lets have some sympathy for the sidewalk plow crews and pedestrians at some of these intersections where the the sidewalk contorts itself to follow the curb line (of a bulbout) rather than the desire line of the walker. In the top picture, the sidewalk does not squeeze between the … Continue reading Find the Sidewalk

LeBreton Flats, Preston street, Transit

Future of No 3 bus route

Westsideaction

The City is busy paring back bus services. Residents in the Preston area are probably glad to get back to having the No 3 on Preston again. And in the spring, the bus stops will again have shelters, benches, and trees for shade. Once the bus transitway is converted to LRT service (sheduled for 2017 or so) then the no 3 bus route will follow Preston to Albert to Booth Street and the LeBreton LRT station, then over to Gatineau. It will no longer go to downtown Ottawa. Riders on the north-south routes will be taken to rapid transit stations … Continue reading Future of No 3 bus route

little Italy, Preston street

“Elegant, Romantic” and Christmasy

Westsideaction

These photos on Preston Street south of the Qway overpass were taken by Rachel Pereira. They highlight what a huge change has come over this street as it has been renovated by the City and the BIA and individual merchants. In case you missed the pun, the Elegant Romatic terms come from Sunday’s Citizen story by Maria Cook on the rejuvenation of Preston. Here’s the photo link: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/photos/Gallery+Preston+Street/2335008/story.html; and here’s the story link: http://www.google.ca/reader/view/?tab=my#stream/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fcommunities.canada.com%2Fottawacitizen%2Fblogs%2Fdesigningottawa%2Frss.aspx; which is to Maria Cook’s on-line edition. Continue reading “Elegant, Romantic” and Christmasy

Preston street, streetscaping

Casulties of the reno

Westsideaction

When reconstructing Preston, some of the dead-end side streets (and there are many) were temporarily opened up to resident access by removing street closures or temporary easements over private properties. The above posts are on the street closure on Elm Street. All the posts were damaged removing them from the ground in the spring. Crews reinserted the posts this fall. Neighbors will be watching to ensure they are replaced with unbroken ones in spring 2010. Continue reading Casulties of the reno

little Italy, Preston street, streetscaping

Corso Italia

Westsideaction

One of the delights of the Preston Street rehabilitation has been the Preston BIA’s remaking of the Queensway underpass into an interesting highlight of the street. Instead of the former dark and dreary underpass, the framed murals and background murals are great eye candy. The west side is Preston Street yesterday and today; the east side is the immigration story. In the spring, the east side sidewalk will be further developed into a place to linger, with special sidewalk light fixtures and paving. The north end of this zone opens onto the parking lot at 301 Preston, which is converted into … Continue reading Corso Italia

little Italy, parks, Plouffe Park, Preston street

Sk8ers UnStoned on grass …

Westsideaction

Plouffe Park can be found behind the Plant Recreation Complex. Part of it runs along Preston street. Part of it used to run along Somerset street too, but the City found it convenient to convert the kiddie playground into a parking lot so motorists don’t have far to walk so far to the Complex to get their exercise …. Along the Preston side, pedestrians parambulating the Little Italy wide landscaped sidewalks are presented with numerous opportunities to rest their derrieres on benches. There are also several planter sections that double as benches along the sidewalk. Naturally, skateboarders will sometime discover these concrete edges … Continue reading Sk8ers UnStoned on grass …

little Italy, Preston street

Writ Big

Westsideaction

Signs appeared recently on the Queensway overpass over Preston Street. On both sides — facing north, facing south — have appeared these large channel letter signs. While not lit up when I saw them, they look like they could be lit up. Real estate speculators and condo buyers will have no problem knowing when they are in trendy (according to Ken Gray at the Ottawa Citizen)  Little Italy. Continue reading Writ Big

Chinatown, cycling in Ottawa, Plouffe Park, Preston street, somerset street, streetscaping

West Siders can get involved to get the city they want …

Westsideaction

The first meeting of the Bayview-Carling CDP group will be this week…while intended primarily for those who were in the prior process to reacquaint themselves and review the previously identified issues and recommendations, I would think anyone else keen to get involved should contact randolph.wang@ottawa.ca .  The study area is from Bayview along the Otrain track to Carling, and includes the undeveloped/underdeveloped/industrial lands along the route. The initial Public Advisory Committee meeting on Thursday, December 10th, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., at Room 4102E/4103E, City Hall. The rooms are located on the fourth floor at City Hall. A public advisory group … Continue reading West Siders can get involved to get the city they want …

little Italy, Preston street

The Luigi

Westsideaction

I note in today’s paper the recent demise of His Tremendousness, Giorgio Carbone, the elected prince of the principality of Seborga — (Bing it!) What caught my interest was the name of the coin of the realm: in addition to the Euro, they had the Luigino. Hmm. Given the popularity of Luigi, spokescharacter for Preston Street, who had locals and tourists alike posing for pictures with his sign likeness, and who enjoyed a certain popularity with the light-fingered, perhaps the Preston BIA should mint its own currency, the Luigi. Make it a 25c or dollar coin, use it for change at … Continue reading The Luigi

Preston street, streetscaping

Structural Earth

Westsideaction

I have dismayed to see the material trees and shrubs are planted in during the reconstruction of Wellington and Preston Streets. How do they expect trees to grow in paving base? I looked closer, and noticed that the gravel is actually very “dirty”. It is a scientific mixture of gravel, clay, and water-holding chemical ‘modules’. Here is a close up of the material, called structural earth: Below is a picture of a bus stop bulb out on Preston Street into which a tree or shrubs will be planted. It is excavated 3.5 ft down and lined in landscaping fabric to … Continue reading Structural Earth

infill, little Italy, Preston street

Preston Infill

Westsideaction

This infill on Preston is rapidly being enclosed for winter completion. The window pattern is pleasing. There are two storefronts on the ground floor and six apartments above. The top floor is stepped back from the lower floors, which reduces the building bulk. It doesn’t look like the flat roof on the second floor will be balconies/terraces, though, which seems a missed opportunity. Continue reading Preston Infill

little Italy, Preston street

Who Needs a Building Permit?

Westsideaction

Another stop work order on a renovation on Preston Street. The upstairs has been gutted, new firewalls built, wiring and plumbing … who would have thought a permit was necessary? I gather the old Paradise water garden store will become an Indian grocery store. Do renovators just try to do things without a permit to “beat the cost” of buying a permit? Or is to avoid the “rules” that might be in place (like zoning, permitted uses, FSI, etc) by hoping an as-built will get the go ahead that might not be possible for an application made in advance? Or … Continue reading Who Needs a Building Permit?

Bayview, Plouffe Park, Preston street, streetscaping

Paying for Water Etc.

Westsideaction

Ken Gray over at The Bulldog blog cites the following from a Conference Board study:  “Water charges based on the value of property-or any other fixed measure that is not directly related to water consumption-cannot provide consumers with clear price signals,” said Len Coad, Director, Environment, Energy and Technology. “A cultural shift is required in how we manage our water system. Instead of relying on the tax base and allowing users to pay a below-cost price, those who use the service should pay the full cost of water, including capital expenditures.” I agree fully. The genius of our society is … Continue reading Paying for Water Etc.

Preston street

Erotica, Objectification — Thoughts on Preston Street

Westsideaction

Worker gives final dressing to a piece of new sidewalk on Preston. A few months ago I read a 1980’s book by Camile Paglia. In it, she thought construction workers would never stop whistling or hooting at passing females. In Camile’s mind, this was good; feminists who objected to this behaviour were bad/deluded. This year I have noticed how well trained construction workers along Preston have been. They are polite and helpful to pedestrians, especially the elderly. They stop moving big intimidating pieces of equipment when we approach. They do not hoot nor holler at women or school girls in … Continue reading Erotica, Objectification — Thoughts on Preston Street