I cycled out to Carleton U this week to “inspect” the platform changes at the station there, and to see if there was trackwork of interest. The station platform is getting a new leading edge, like the other stations.

The new parking garage on the north side of campus has pile-driving going on. These piles are on both sides of the OTrain track. The eventual garage structure will extend over the track. The track is covered with a tarp, presumably to keep dust and dirt out of the ballast, since it wouldn’t protect the track from impact damage.

I am not a fan of parking garages. But a certain percentage of the population does drive, and CU obviously caters to drivers by providing parking facilities. But I was heartened to note that the garage is further from existing campus buildings than the OTrain station and main bus stops. So for once, transit users will have some slight preference.

I do wonder how visible the new garage will be when viewed from Colonel By Drive or from Dow’s Lake. Will a parkade become the defining visible face of Carleton?