Category: Primrose

Preston street, Primrose6 Comments

Mack sees Bell

Westsideaction

This particular cement truck is often to be found on Preston Street. Mr Simpson on the front grill makes the truck distinctive. When walking on West Wellie near Holland, I met him there too. Busy man. He is going to continue to be a familiar sight on Preston near Primrose. Bell has decided that since the street has been reconstructed, the sidewalks put in place, the landscaping done … they are now going to dig up the above intersection and put in an underground vault or chamber. Not content with digging up the corner for three weeks, they are then … Continue reading Mack sees Bell

Preston street, Primrose

Mack sees Bell

Westsideaction

This particular cement truck is often to be found on Preston Street. Mr Simpson on the front grill makes the truck distinctive. When walking on West Wellie near Holland, I met him there too. Busy man. He is going to continue to be a familiar sight on Preston near Primrose. Bell has decided that since the street has been reconstructed, the sidewalks put in place, the landscaping done … they are now going to dig up the above intersection and put in an underground vault or chamber. Not content with digging up the corner for three weeks, they are then … Continue reading Mack sees Bell

pedestrians, Primrose

Windsor should be happy

Westsideaction

From time to time we pedestrians find mysterious heaps of salt on the sidewalk. The little Everest shown is on Primrose Street in front of the park. Presumably, a sidwalk plow was re-loaded with salt at that point, and a little spilled over. Oops. I wonder how many street trees are mysteriously dead in the spring, or concrete surfaces pitted from unknown causes … when the spring comes, the evidence of the salt dump cause disappears. Windsor, or the Magdalene Islands, or where-ever it is that our fair city buys its salt from, should be happy at our generous distribution … Continue reading Windsor should be happy

housing policy, Primrose

A tale of two houses …

Westsideaction

Both houses are on Primrose Street. The top one had its second floor stucco exterior wrapped in “house wrap”, which prevents air infiltration but allows the passage of vapour (usually out of the walls). I am disappointed they did not put any additional insulation between the wooden strapping that has been applied for the new exterior cladding. I am a strong believer in insulation, but probably like for the City Living houses “renovated” along Albert, the person doing the renovation doesn’t pay the utility bill, the tennant does, so additional insulation is not installed. Next door is the green house … Continue reading A tale of two houses …

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 …

Primrose, Woodpecker1 Comment

More Woodpeckers

Westsideaction

One of the first blogs I ever posted, in April past, was of a large woodpecker on Primrose Street. It got lots of comments and people stopped me on the street for weeks afterword to tell me what type of bird it was. Maybe it was fruitful and multiplied, because I have been watching two much smaller ones in the Flemish Beauty Pear tree in my backyard all week. Only the red-headed one is shown in these pictures; sometimes there is a very similar bird without the red head. To find the previous post, use the word cloud at the … Continue reading More Woodpeckers

Primrose2 Comments

The 100 mile diet

Westsideaction

As seen on Wednesday, on Primrose Ave, some local residents have very much taken to heart the exhortation to eat locally. I am proud to call these young male residents my neighbours. – The dozens of pizzas certainly support local businesses and pizza-farmers; and the variety of beer cartons shows we are dealing with gourmands who are taste-testing their way through the local artisanal beverages (click to enlarge photo to inspect the brands). Such dedication is (fill in your adjective here). – My biggest complaint here is that the garbage is being put out on a Wednesday, when collection day … Continue reading The 100 mile diet

drug issues, pedestrians, Primrose

Knock Knock, Ottawa Police

Westsideaction

While creating the following post on double-tracked pathways in Toronto (punnily entitled: InAction), there came a knock at the front door of my house. Two Ottawa police persons were there, giving competition to the UPS men in short pants category. One officer was hanging off the end of my verandah to peer over my driveway gate, which is 7’6″ high. The cause: my elderly Cdn tire 6speed commuter bike was parked in my driveway, the front door of the house was open (although the glass aluminum door was locked). It seems there is a burglar active in our area, age … Continue reading Knock Knock, Ottawa Police

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

Primrose4 Comments

Behind the Siding

Westsideaction

I am not a great fan of aluminum or plastic siding. Who knows what sins are hidden behind the smooth facade, what is rotting the soul of a building? I do like metal siding in some applications, usually when it is designed into a building from the beginning. And I like corrugated metal much better than the fake-board version. At the corner of Primrose and Cambridge is a corner store with apartments above. Expand on the pictures to notice the addition that was built onto the orginal structure and that is now “separating” from the main structure. Notice too the … Continue reading Behind the Siding

Canada, Eric Darwin, Nature, Ottawa, Primrose, Wildlife, Woodpecker1 Comment

Woodpecker on Primrose

Westsideaction

Saw the pictured woodpecker on Primrose St in front of St Vincent Hospital around 1pm on March 17th. He had created a significant litter of woodchips on the lawn and sidewalk, which is how I spotted him, since his pecking was silent. It was bigger than a robbin, smaller than a crow; much larger than the woodpeckers I normally see in this neighborhood. Continue reading Woodpecker on Primrose