Category: Preston street

little Italy, Preston street

The Little Park that could (n’t?)

Westsideaction

Several previous posts have featured this little garden strip at 301 Preston, immediately north of the Queensway in Little Italy. It was installed several years ago when part of the playing fields at Commerce / Adult HS were removed and paved over as pay parking lot. During the construction of Preston, I have seen giant steel trench boxes, outhouses, lumber, hoses, tools, you name it, all stacked or dumped on the garden. Yet each time the junk was removed, the garden plants (lillies, grass, few shrubs) resurrected themselves.  This last set of damage is more fatal. Whole sections of garden were … Continue reading The Little Park that could (n’t?)

pedestrians, Preston street, Primrose

Put my foot in it …

Westsideaction

I have been known to put my foot in it … some may feel I always do. But in this case, it was literally not figuratively. I was walking on the new sidewalk along Preston at Primrose – you know, the one with the missing sections and occasional mountain goat sections where you have to leap over walls, scramble up gravel mounds, etc. I steped into an area of sidewalk that had been filled around a utility hatch. It was a good foot below the finished sidewalk level so I got some good momentum. Alas, the cement there was not … Continue reading Put my foot in it …

little Italy, Preston street, streetscaping

Landscaping takes root on Preston

Westsideaction

One of the true joys of the new streetscaping on Preston street in Little Italy is the abundance of landscaping. The architect has done a marvellous job of squeezing in hundreds of trees (many of small mature size, to fit into small pockets of space) and generous shrub beds. This bed was installed in the spring 09 on part of the street already rebuilt. The rich green shrubs in the foreground are backed up by bright red taller shrubs in the back. This is a pattern repeated in a number of blocks along the street, and is rich in colour … Continue reading Landscaping takes root on Preston

little Italy, Preston street, streetscaping

LaRoma patio

Westsideaction

La Roma restuarant on Preston Street in the heart of Little Italy applied to the committee of adjustment to open a patio on the small rear upper deck of the premises, facing the residential portion of the side street. It was approved by the CofA for a 12 seat deck, provided they put up a higher fence (the original metal railing is visible) and allow patron access only from the interior, not the firestairs. Meanwhile, millions of dollars of your water bill payments are being spent to redo Preston Street at the front of the building, where the restuarant has … Continue reading LaRoma patio

little Italy, Preston street, streetscaping

Specimen Testing on Preston Street

Westsideaction

I know an Olympic medal triathlete who complains not about the training, the odd hours, the inhospitable facilities, etc, but about the random pee tests. The testers come any day, any time, although she thinks they have a preference to come Saturday nights right after she has just had a potty break. Then they get to sit around for an hour in her apartment while she drinks water until they can observe her fill a specimen bottle. Sidewalks and curbs on Preston Street also undergo specimen tests. Here are three containers of concrete taken from sidewalk pours on Preston at the … Continue reading Specimen Testing on Preston Street

little Italy, Preston street

“Cafe” update on Preston

Westsideaction

The house conversion at 424 Preston to a “cafe” continues. Notice that since the pictures last week, the front foundation wall has been insulated and back filled, and insulation placed on top of the new floor. The presence of rebars suggests that concrete stairs and and concrete floor are to poured in place. This foundation finishing work has all been done since the photo posted last Friday which clearly shows the paper in the front window. The paper in the window is a city “stop work” order, as the renovation lacks building permits, approvals, etc. A portion of the interior … Continue reading “Cafe” update on Preston

intensificatioin, little Italy, Preston street

Infill Mixed Use development

Westsideaction

Watching construction on Preston Street itself is further complicated by the similtaneous construction of this infill mixed-use development. There will be storefronts along the Little Italy widened sidewalk, and six apartments (rentals) above. The building is steel frame with wood construction. Along with the camera-person, there was the usual collection of sidewalk superintendants out all day, every day, ensuring that someone else gets to work. And there is lots to see. This photo shows a three-wheeled fork lift that came piggy-backed on the long flatbed truck, it has picked up a load of floor trusses and is carrying them over … Continue reading Infill Mixed Use development

little Italy, Preston street

Another house becomes a “cafe”

Westsideaction

The conversion of residences to commercial continues in Little Italy. This house has had its front yard blown out and an enlarged basement put in. Presumably some new building will appear on top of the new foundation. I hear it will be another “cafe”, a number of which exist already on Preston Street. I am especially amused by the cafe’s that do so little visible business during the day but draw curtains over the windows and seem to be busy well into the night. In the picture above, the black landscaping fabric is being installed in excavations being dug for tree planting … Continue reading Another house becomes a “cafe”

little Italy, Preston street, streetscaping

More Concrete Progress on Preston Street in Little Italy

Westsideaction

On the residential portions of Preston Street the streetscaping is less fancy. A monolithic (one piece) concrete sidewalk + curb is poured in one go using wooden forms that were pegged in place a few hours before. The old lampposts are now in the middle of the new sidewalk. They won’t be pulled out until the new lamp posts with efficient “shoebox” overhead light fixtures and lower level decorative lighting fixtures are connected and working. Until then, the missing concrete squares will be filled with temporary asphalt patches. Then in Spring 2010, at the same time as the crosswalks are … Continue reading More Concrete Progress on Preston Street in Little Italy

little Italy, Preston street

Preston Street

Westsideaction

Until those new sidewalks are completed, pedestrians take their life in their hands to pick their way through the muddy construction sites to reach their homes or schools. I am constantly amazed at how fast drivers go through the utter chaos that is Preston Street — one lady I saw yesterday was actually dialing her cell phone while driving too fast through the Gladstone-Preston intersection which was being dug up for the 45th time this year. Continue reading Preston Street

little Italy, Preston street, streetscaping

Concrete Progress on Preston Street in Little Italy

Westsideaction

In the commercial parts of Preston Street the sidewalks will consist of pavers and concrete squares, so curbs are poured first and the walks built later. Where parking insets are provided, the drainage continues to catch basins along a “flat curb” that helps define the travelled portion of the street (sometimes streets with bulb outs get visually confusing to motorists), and keeps water accumulation away from the sidewalks and snow-blocked road edges. Metal stakes with a string are placed with the aid of survey equipment. The curb placement will be about 2m outside the string line. The new streetscaping will provide … Continue reading Concrete Progress on Preston Street in Little Italy

DOTT, LeBreton Flats, little Italy, LRT, Preston street

DOTT plans affect west side residents (i): Preston St

Westsideaction

The city will hold an open house on Monday afternoon for the “final” recommended plan for the downtown Ottawa transit tunnel and LRT line from Tunney’s to Blair. It has a number of modifications and changes from previous editions of the plan. As somewhat expected but never expressed in previous versions of the plan, it has proven too difficult to keep the Booth/transitway intersection open during the construction period. Recall that the new station will be directly under Booth Street. The new Booth  will be elevated onto an overpass that crosses the LRT line and the aquaduct. It is simply not … Continue reading DOTT plans affect west side residents (i): Preston St

infill, little Italy, Preston street

Foundations when ground is soft

Westsideaction

Preston Street is the former runoff route from Dow’s Great Swamp down to the Ottawa River at Nepean Bay, until Colonel By built the dam that QE Driveway runs along the top of. This means significant portions of the ground along Preston are peat or soft materials. At the site of a new three storey infill on Preston (six apts above 3 retail) crews bored supporting pipes deep into the ground. The pipes were cut off at the same level down in the future basement. A concrete “box” was poured in place on top of each post. Gravel was poured … Continue reading Foundations when ground is soft

little Italy, Preston street

Philip Craig, artist

Westsideaction

While reading the October 09 issue of Cdn House and Home magazine, I noticed in their article on redecorating an historic showhome in Toronto there was a painting hung above a fireplace that looked vaguely familiar. I may never have seen the painting before, so it was probably the style of the artist. Sure enough, the sidebar credited the painting to Philip Craig. He has his studio just off Beech Street in Little Italy. If you visit his studio, the entrance is off the to left side of the building in an alleyway. The artist’s loft is everything a loft … Continue reading Philip Craig, artist

Dalhousie, little Italy, Preston street, sewage and drains

Recall all those “raw sewage in the River” stories?

Westsideaction

The media has had a field day with stories of raw sewage being dumped into the Ottawa River from ancient sewer control points, a number of which date from the late 1800’s. Typically, the focus is on the obvious: raw sewage. Ignored is why those sewage facilities are over a hundred years old. My view is that successive councils have favoured glamorous higher profile spending projects that buy them favour with select voting groups. The go for the glitz, they delay and postpone the core civic expenditures. Hello Walkerton, decades of not-upgraded water works, cosy featherbedding, porkbarrelling, etc. At the corner … Continue reading Recall all those “raw sewage in the River” stories?

Albert St, Bayview, City Centre, Dalhousie, Empress St, LeBreton Flats, O-Train, Preston street, Scott street, somerset street, streetscaping4 Comments

Bayview re-landscaped

Westsideaction

Looking east on Albert as it goes over the OTrain Boulevard trees, west side of Bayview seen from Scott Curious curb jogs, seen from Somerset looking north Field of Trees, between TomBrown Arena and Albert Sometimes the City makes me very happy. Like when I see the amount of generous landscaping going in along Bayview Avenue between Somerset and Albert/Scott. For several years the City waterworks people have been burying high pressure water mains in the area. Approx.where the sidewalk is shown in picture 4 & 5 is the route of the pipeline. There was a bare grassy lawn running from Tom … Continue reading Bayview re-landscaped

Preston street, streetscaping

Icebergs … on Preston Street

Westsideaction

  A few days ago, I wrote of a meteorite – made of Luigi-ite – being found on Preston. – Now, icebergs ! – Icebergs float, but just barely. Most of their bulk is unseen underwater. – Who knew that fire hydrants had a similar tale? Shown here is a nice four-pack of hydrants, waiting for installation along Preston Street. Below the bright yellow tops, is a red pipe and way way down, is a valve point, to which a pipe runs to the water main. – I have made a point of looking for fire hydrants in a number … Continue reading Icebergs … on Preston Street

LeBreton Flats, little Italy, Preston street1 Comment

Preston Street meteorite identified ?

Westsideaction

The large stone-like lump arrived on Preston Street near Albert earlier this week. Its about 2m on each dimension, and very heavy. – It has no handle, ductwork, conduits, cables, bolt holes, or other humanly useful features. Why on earth would someone have made this giant lump of concrete? Or maybe no one on earth made it … its a meteorite made of Luigite ! Continue reading Preston Street meteorite identified ?

little Italy, pedestrians, Preston street3 Comments

Why the wider corner ?

Westsideaction

SW corner of Albert/Preston.Note the red line that cuts off the sidewalk. I really do think our city has too many roads, too wide, and despite the claims of being cycle or pedestrian friendly, too much of what gets done is car traffic friendly first and foremost. – I recall working with city staff on a project for Booth Street with the specific mandate to calm traffic and to reduce the volume of traffic on the street. The engineers/planners came back with ideas to widen the intersections, add additional lane space, etc. – Now Preston Street, after 16 years of … Continue reading Why the wider corner ?

little Italy, Preston street, Primrose3 Comments

Lonely Luigi

Westsideaction

Luigi is the mascot/image for Preston Street. His image on signs reminds people that the restaurants and businesses are still open. I found this Luigi sitting on a doorstep on Preston Street near Primrose. – During Bluesfest and the following classical music nights, I noticed people taking pictures of themselves with Luigi signs at the corner of Preston-Albert. Weird, I thought. But then there is the picture above showing a passerby loving Luigi. Maybe the BIA has something here …. Continue reading Lonely Luigi

little Italy, Preston street1 Comment

Gulliver and the Toilet Paper

Westsideaction

On Sunday evening I saw this hilarious image on Preston Street, a few feet south of the Qway overpass. The equipment is a giant excavator with a heavy ram attached to it. It was used to puncture the pavement of Preston where it goes under the Qway. The road surface was then pushed away, allowing a regular shovel to fit under the underpass to dig the trench for the new sewer and utilities. – Some one draped the machine in toilet paper, perhaps from the yellow structure in the background. Delightful contrast of man and machine, double ply strength, etc. Continue reading Gulliver and the Toilet Paper

housing policy, Preston street2 Comments

What a difference a block makes … and who your neighbors are

Westsideaction

midway between Cumberland and King Edward east of Cumberland west of Cumberland These three pictures are taken on the same street in the Market, a few hundred feet apart. The red brick condo is a full block west of the Shepherds of Good Hope. It is a renovated building, open green lawn, no fence.– The gray building is gutted, windowless, abandonned. It is one half block east of the red brick condo in the other picture, on the other side of Cumberland cross street. The street is just as busy … it’s still far enough from King Edward to be … Continue reading What a difference a block makes … and who your neighbors are

little Italy, plant recreation centre, Plouffe Park, Preston street2 Comments

Flooding Responsibility

Westsideaction

I feel empathy for the residents flooded in recent heavy rains. I live in a neighborhood area that has suffered sewer backups/flooding in the past (although not this year that I know of…). I dread the thought of having to tear up my basement etc. But a common thread throughout the media reporting on the flood really bothers me. “The City should … the City must … it’s the city’s fault…” Why are we so quick to blame the City and want taxpayers to cover the cost of our personal losses? All over the City, in surburban or urban areas, … Continue reading Flooding Responsibility

Albert St, Bayview, Bluesfest, Booth St, City Hall, Dalhousie, Dows Lake, LeBreton Flats, little Italy, Preston street5 Comments

Festival Externalities

Westsideaction

Every festival has impacts external to the site it operates on. These get managed in different ways. Winterlude and the Tulip Festival have numerous events along the canal, abutting neighborhoods like the Golden Triangle and The Glebe. For both these festivals, shuttle buses run along the canal to get crowds to and from the event sites. This distributes parking impacts over a larger area. It also means the City Hall garage and Lansdowne Park parking lots get used. For Bluesfest, there are no shuttle services, leaving adjacent neighborhoods to suffer from a huge influx of parkers. This is most noticeable … Continue reading Festival Externalities