Ottawa

For want of a patch, the road was lost …

There are numerous proverbs that go along the line of “for want of a nail, the [something] was lost …”, or, the sweater unravelled, or whatever the exemplar might be. The gist is the same: a small, timely action can forego a larger problem later. Conversely, large problems with expensive solutions devolve out of small beginnings.

For many months now, I’ve had to swerve my bike to go around the catchbasin-in-a-moat when leaving Loblaws on Richmond Road right at Kirkwood.  A few times I’ve had to run right into it, with bone jarring results. Another time [or two] I’ve ended up swerving onto the sidewalk to avoid it.

What began as a small crevice beside the catch basin grew steadily larger. Surely there were work crews on their way at this very moment to smooth out my ride home? No? Well why didn’t someone report it?

Two weeks ago the hole beside the catchbasin had grown from a scarey pit into a full fledged moat. The grate seems to move around a bit; sometimes there is a much bigger crack on the road side (left) edge.

IMG_0600

No matter where one “hits” this catchbasin, its trying to wreck your bike [or eat your car].

And as of last week, the entire frame that holds the catch basin in place has now fractured, so the asphalt hot patch is now becoming a dig up up the road and replace the whole top of the catch basin assembly.

I’m curious to find out how bad the hole might become before it eats a Westboro Volvo.

IMG_0599

 

the larger moral of the story, of course, is that repairs should be done. But our city has encouraged too much low density growth to support the amount of infrastructure required to service that same low density sprawl (and yes, the area of Westboro around the Superstore is 1940’s sprawl, except being old it’s now cute). We need both less infrastructure and more people to pay for it. Intensification is merely one solution, the one this city has chosen to grasp. It has some ugly side affects, though, which we are discovering: high rises, unaffordable homes and businesses, stagnation …

Sigh.

Meantime, watch the hole.

 

5 thoughts on “For want of a patch, the road was lost …”

  1. And you didn’t report it why?

    Either 311 or the online tool at ottawa.ca result in rapid turnaround – I’ve had holes filled same day, and never more than 72 hours after flagging them.

  2. I agree with David, report stuff you want fixed and it’ll happen. Even city employees are encourage to use the official system so that work orders are generated.

    1. I see it when i cycle by. by time i get home, i forget about it and then see it again a few days later and feel guilty i didn’t report it and then forget by time i get home, and on it goes (I am cell phone free)

  4. Eric, I’ll give you a free pass when it comes to stuff like this. I ride to work and never call in to complain about the messes I avoid either. I’m glad you’re keeping this blog active again. Keep up the good work! Save Little Italy!

Comments are closed.