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ortelius
Aug 14, 2013, 7:37 PM
Here's my photo website, http://www.ott613.com/ (http://www.ott613.com/)
From time to time I post pictures of construction as well.

Harley613
Aug 14, 2013, 8:29 PM
Cool stuff! Looking forward to seeing any construction pics!

ortelius
Aug 14, 2013, 9:15 PM
thanks! Check the transportation link if you haven't seen it, I posted some there.

J.OT13
Aug 15, 2013, 12:30 AM
Here's my photo website, http://www.ott613.com/ (http://www.ott613.com/)
From time to time I post pictures of construction as well.

Cool, thanks. It's going to take me a while to get through it! A lot of content on there.

amanfromnowhere
Aug 15, 2013, 12:57 PM
Here's my photo website, http://www.ott613.com/ (http://www.ott613.com/)
From time to time I post pictures of construction as well.

Very good job! Keep them coming!

rocketphish
Aug 15, 2013, 5:32 PM
Historical photographs website gets Awesome Ottawa cash injection

By Natascia Lypny, OTTAWA CITIZEN August 15, 2013 10:02 AM

OTTAWA — A website comparing photographs from Ottawa’s yesteryear and yesterday is Awesome Ottawa’s pick for a $1,000 grant this month.

Ottawa Past & Present juxtaposes historic photographs of the capital with newly taken snapshots posed at the same spot and angle of their older counterparts, courtesy of urbanism lover Alexandre Laquerre.

“I thought it would be interesting to show people what was there before, because I’m not sure if people really question what was there,” said Laquerre, adding that he wants his website to make people question whether Ottawa’s urban development since the Second World War has been positive or negative.

The website, created by the nanotechnology engineer in October, has since accumulated more than 300 photographic comparisons.

“I’ve spent a lot of time living in the city and looking at Alex’s pictures, and Alex’s site makes me think about the city in a totally different way,” said Avi Caplan, one of Awesome Ottawa’s award decision-makers.

The $1,000 will cover City of Ottawa Archives fees and part of the cost of a tilt-shift lens, which will help Laquerre take photographs whose composition more precisely matches their predecessors’.

Awesome Ottawa is a collective of 10 individuals who fund and select one local, innovative project every month.

You can check out Laquerre’s photographs at www.pastottawa.com.

nlypny@ottawacitizen.com

twitter.com/wordpuddle
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa/Historical+photographs+website+gets+Awesome+Ottawa+cash/8790267/story.html

McC
Aug 15, 2013, 6:12 PM
very nice, and well deserved; some congratulations to Alex Laquerre are in order!

J.OT13
Aug 27, 2013, 4:47 PM
Urbsite showing rendering of original Place de Ville phase II.

http://urbsite.blogspot.ca/2013/08/urbsite-status-report.html

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-31G8JMIrPF4/UhwcG_lWGsI/AAAAAAAAMaM/slYa2HEXHQ0/s1600/MiguelezCA023088.jpg

MountainView
Aug 27, 2013, 11:55 PM
Damn... and we got stuck with the bottom half. Ottawa would be so tall if all the buildings proposed way back then would have been built! Too bad the Peace Tower isn't 200m+ tall

J.OT13
Aug 27, 2013, 11:59 PM
The City approved a slightly shorter version but then the NCC went crying to the OMB, cutting the project to what we have today.

MountainView
Aug 28, 2013, 12:43 AM
Today = CANYONS!

J.OT13
Aug 28, 2013, 12:49 AM
Woopi! Stole these from another thread! Thanks harls!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2030/1589282725_f4d23b87b7.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3467/3383015868_2c0c37a22a.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3120/3213556468_cba11fa481.jpg

MountainView
Aug 28, 2013, 12:56 AM
I'm surprised you can see sunlight in any of those... :tup:

Uhuniau
Aug 28, 2013, 5:04 AM
Damn... and we got stuck with the bottom half. Ottawa would be so tall if all the buildings proposed way back then would have been built! Too bad the Peace Tower isn't 200m+ tall

Dodged a bullet there. That other version looks like - um - er - CIRCUMCISION SCAR.

Uhuniau
Aug 28, 2013, 5:04 AM
Today = CANYONS!

Canyons of DEATH, you mean.

J.OT13
Aug 28, 2013, 4:15 PM
Dodged a bullet there. That other version looks like - um - er - CIRCUMCISION SCAR.

I think Campeau was going for something similar to la Tour de la Bourse in Montreal. At least, according to this Urbsite post.

http://urbsite.blogspot.ca/2011/09/de-ramping-skyline.html

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0iJsVMlUmSs/TmWIl_WuyDI/AAAAAAAAFrE/FwE5X4mh4ts/s1600/Tour_de_la_Bourse_Montreal.jpg

Harley613
Aug 28, 2013, 5:44 PM
Tour de la Bourse would look amazing where Place De Ville is!

J.OT13
Aug 28, 2013, 6:01 PM
We nearly had it, damn you NCC!

MountainView
Sep 11, 2013, 1:57 AM
I'm sure some of you have seen some of these pictures before but I think they are worth sharing again. I think these are some great shots of Ottawa! Some are newer than others and it shows how this city has changed over the past little while.

None of these pictures are mine and I found them from this really cool Spanish construction webpage. http://megaconstrucciones.net/


http://megaconstrucciones.net/images/urbanismo/foto4/ottawa.jpg

http://megaconstrucciones.net/images/urbanismo/foto4/ottawa-2.jpg

http://megaconstrucciones.net/images/urbanismo/foto4/ottawa-22.jpg

http://megaconstrucciones.net/images/urbanismo/foto4/ottawa-27.jpg

http://megaconstrucciones.net/images/urbanismo/foto4/ottawa-28.jpg

http://megaconstrucciones.net/images/urbanismo/foto4/ottawa-52.jpg

http://megaconstrucciones.net/images/urbanismo/foto4/ottawa-71.jpg

http://megaconstrucciones.net/images/urbanismo/foto4/ottawa-79.jpg

Some of these pictures might even be one of yours! I think they references this forum on their webpage!

Cheers

J.OT13
Sep 11, 2013, 2:16 AM
I love the last shot! Too bad it's not a recent shot. This one seems to date from 2009 based on the fact that 180 Kent seems to be U/C and there is only one CP tower.

AuxTown
Sep 11, 2013, 2:57 AM
I love the last shot! Too bad it's not a recent shot. This one seems to date from 2009 based on the fact that 180 Kent seems to be U/C and there is only one CP tower.

Any chance we might get an update from our friendly SSP aerial photog this winter????

Urbanarchit
Oct 4, 2013, 12:06 AM
There are a bunch of different threads, none of which I'm sure where to put this. But it's an image I took from Lost Ottawa of Ottawa's skyline looking West from the 70s. You can see the Marriott under construction.

I find this picture makes Ottawa look like an interesting city. The fact that you have many different buildings with different styles and varying heights really defines Ottawa's skyline in this image.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1383155_10151622807710303_857875601_n.jpg

Aylmer
Oct 4, 2013, 12:11 AM
Ah, life before the canyons...

J.OT13
Oct 4, 2013, 12:42 AM
Awesome! I always thought the Marriott (I believe Radisson back then) was completed before Place de Ville C.

drawarc
Oct 4, 2013, 12:58 AM
Cool pic.

McC
Oct 4, 2013, 10:46 AM
Guess the camera location? My vote is Blackburn.

J.OT13
Oct 4, 2013, 4:56 PM
Yup, Blackburn. I would love to see more pictures of Place de Ville in the 60s and 70s. There was one in the Citizen in 2007 (picture dated 1967) of PdV I under construction taken from the west or north-west, but I was never able to find it online.

J.OT13
Oct 31, 2013, 12:44 AM
Pictures of Campeau projects, mostly Place de Ville;

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pbE0q0dOFS8/UVWYODNARKI/AAAAAAAAK1Y/Nubcuinft7k/s1600/SAVE1045.BMP

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ake8GD89ZsI/UVWYuTSGD-I/AAAAAAAAK1w/XTEl4X5mLwM/s1600/SAVE1047.BMP

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kSxllMKCV6w/UVWXqLHJU_I/AAAAAAAAK1I/BiSDHiNSkPU/s1600/SAVE1043.BMP

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PzaEBjjLd_8/UJCKL9-2ViI/AAAAAAAAD1U/nEPulaPiBE8/s1600/ROBERT+CAMPEAU.bmp

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-99dqJPEWUks/UVzBYKOfG4I/AAAAAAAAK4k/Oy2lk90tNHw/s1600/SAVE1071.BMP

More pictures on here;

http://savecfbrockcliffe.blogspot.ca/2012/10/images-of-ottawa-builder-robert-campeau.html

bartlebooth
Apr 16, 2014, 2:00 AM
Had the opportunity to take this picture today from a vantage point I have never seen the city from (excuse the blurriness). I like how dense it felt from this spot (even though it is not a super dense city). It looks really built out in this image.

http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u377/Oulipo/ottawaDensity_zps39d4efea.jpg

Urbanarchit
Apr 16, 2014, 3:16 AM
Had the opportunity to take this picture today from a vantage point I have never seen the city from (excuse the blurriness). I like how dense it felt from this spot (even though it is not a super dense city). It looks really built out in this image.

http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u377/Oulipo/ottawaDensity_zps39d4efea.jpg

Nice vantage point! The Merit looks great!
How come it's really blue?

Were you in this building? (https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.418996,-75.687712,3a,75y,31.66h,110.24t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sbUJgcnWbq6-iigqFDqF0EQ!2e0)

Harley613
May 13, 2014, 2:25 AM
I got this shot a couple of years ago. I might have gone a little overboard on the effects, but I like it all the same!

http://i.imgur.com/6hwuOG6.jpg

Chadillaccc
Jun 24, 2014, 3:30 AM
I wasn't sure where to post these, but I thought you guys may appreciate these absolutely stunning shots, courtesy of Peak Aerials.


http://s3.amazonaws.com/medias.photodeck.com/b6c121ca-77ff-11e1-9e12-993f5644c1f2/11-08-26H-435a_xgaplus.jpg
http://s3.amazonaws.com/medias.photodeck.com/8d548a84-77ff-11e1-9957-9d551542f8e4/11-08-26H-387a_xgaplus.jpg

Source: http://www.stockaerialphotos.com/-/galleries/landmarks

Aylmer
Jun 24, 2014, 10:04 AM
For a second there, I was wondering why there were two Parliament Hills on the same picture :D

Kitchissippi
Aug 11, 2014, 2:36 AM
Snapped these this weekend. That "island with a bunch of seagulls in it" aka Hull island, makes for an interesting foreground. It makes Ottawa look wilder. The rocks actually have a really fascinating texture close up, in contrast to the alluvial islands farther downstream.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5565/14881813962_f0a0a972f6_h.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3863/14879705124_7199e799da_h.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3926/14695479070_7fcecb8e86_h.jpg

harls
Aug 12, 2014, 4:39 PM
Nice pics, Mr. Kitch.

Uhuniau
Aug 12, 2014, 7:02 PM
WOW! Nice shots!

YOWflier
Aug 2, 2015, 10:11 PM
The market today ...

http://s13.postimg.org/zcr1bym53/IMAG0373.jpg

UrbOttawa
Sep 20, 2015, 9:42 PM
.

A few photos from Ottawa last winter

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5797/21578983265_92a553d3a4_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ySRVVB)IMG_9991 (https://flic.kr/p/ySRVVB) by RobS (https://www.flickr.com/photos/39867289@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/719/21552779506_d1db6397a0_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yQxCsE)IMG_0041 (https://flic.kr/p/yQxCsE) by RobS (https://www.flickr.com/photos/39867289@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5619/21392064789_4cfc9e8d91_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yAkVzg)IMG_0044 (https://flic.kr/p/yAkVzg) by RobS (https://www.flickr.com/photos/39867289@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/769/20957836533_445a212aea_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xVYoDc)IMG_0035 (https://flic.kr/p/xVYoDc) by RobS (https://www.flickr.com/photos/39867289@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/563/21567675012_a4401b6049_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yRRYnJ)IMG_0004 (https://flic.kr/p/yRRYnJ) by RobS (https://www.flickr.com/photos/39867289@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5634/21578993485_a1d3770225_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ySRYXP)IMG_9989 (https://flic.kr/p/ySRYXP) by RobS (https://www.flickr.com/photos/39867289@N06/), on Flickr

BenTheGreat97
Jan 19, 2016, 12:54 AM
Here's a shot I got of the Alexandria Bridge a few nights ago.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1520/23841222414_0bea3d1bc9_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/CjLuNS)Alexandria and Hull (https://flic.kr/p/CjLuNS) by Ben Senior (https://www.flickr.com/photos/photosbybensenior/), on Flickr

McC
Jan 19, 2016, 1:06 AM
No "i" but nice shot.

UOTT
Apr 24, 2016, 2:37 PM
Hi all, as my first post on skyscraperpage I thought I would contribute with two of my own shots of Parliament from the other night.

http://imageshack.com/a/img923/7540/aezgFb.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img923/1429/k9DEBk.jpg

YOWflier
Apr 25, 2016, 1:31 AM
Welcome, and nice shots.

YOWflier
Jun 24, 2016, 5:07 PM
Came across some neat images on this person's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gjyp_/

https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/12677511_634971303310513_1693534611_n.jpg

https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/12960057_1583355681978081_104363023_n.jpg

https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13256817_242763272762873_1528607496_n.jpg

https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13355383_977903795660296_5860962_n.jpg

https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13414401_537622479754406_508918985_n.jpg

pico
Dec 9, 2016, 1:15 PM
Hi all, first post! :cheers:

View of east downtown, from FSS Hall at uOttawa. Photo by me.

http://i.imgur.com/cOxRv9Ph.jpg

Aylmer
Dec 9, 2016, 2:25 PM
One of my favourite views in Ottawa - I used to head to the 11th floor to study, although I was mostly distracted by the scenery!

And welcome to the forum, Pico!

OTSkyline
Dec 9, 2016, 8:50 PM
So much of "nothing" all around the canal... sad... :(

J.OT13
Dec 9, 2016, 9:04 PM
One of my favourite views in Ottawa - I used to head to the 11th floor to study, although I was mostly distracted by the scenery!

And welcome to the forum, Pico!

Of all the faces of Downtown, that might be the one that offers the most variety in architectural styles, era of construction, height and colour.

FFX-ME
Dec 9, 2016, 10:45 PM
So much of "nothing" all around the canal... sad... :(

I hope you're kidding. That it one of the nicest areas/walk in Ottawa.

Uhuniau
Dec 12, 2016, 5:12 AM
So much of "nothing" all around the canal... sad... :(

Nationally-Significant World Heritage Nothing For All Canadians, you mean! :)

OTSkyline
Dec 12, 2016, 9:13 PM
I hope you're kidding. That it one of the nicest areas/walk in Ottawa.

Yes you can walk along the canal, but that's about it. It's bordered on each side by roads, a small path and grass, that's it.

As others have previously suggested it would've been nice to see cafes, restaurants, shops, residential all along the canal. Take the current walking path along each side, multiply it by 3 or 4, add lots of benches, statues, fountains, art, lighting, etc... But, no, not in Ottawa... :hell:

http://thewaterfront.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/San-Antonio-22.jpg

http://www.grailmag.com/userfiles/media/images/371/Napa-Riverfront-Women-Men-Shoes-Art-Shopping-3.jpg

https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/waterfront-chania-people-walking-along-water-front-cafe-s-shops-crete-47633744.jpg

J.OT13
Dec 12, 2016, 11:13 PM
That would be nice. if they could at least do it on one side.

ElieB
Dec 13, 2016, 12:28 AM
The out-dated design of landscaping around the canal has really bothered me for some years now. I really tried to push the idea of redesign the urban canal frontage for the NCC's big ideas campaign. It didn't gain any traction at all and we all know how disappointing their 50 year plan turned out...

The current design basically has not changed in about a century. Meanwhile major cities all over the world have or are rethinking their urban waterfronts and turning them into stunning public spaces. Whereas we are going to be stuck with the canal as-is for another 50 years. I'd bet on that. The combination of heritage designations and overlapping jurisdictions of the NCC, parks Canada, UNESCO, & city make it impossible to do anything substantial. Or maybe it's just a matter of political will but certainly none of these organizations have the necessary budget to do this.

I read the NCC's annual budget was $110M to manage, maintain and operate the countless properties they own. Fat chance they do anything for Ottawa's most accessible urban waterfront. They could do amazing things to bring life to the canal but truthfully even some simple changes would go a long way. They have this massive swath of land all down the west side but they bottleneck everyone onto this shitty 2-lane pathway...

The definition of public space in Ottawa is a 2 metre wide strip of asphalt with a painted line down the middle that says "Move along. This isn't a place for you to enjoy leisure activities. Keep it moving."

lrt's friend
Dec 13, 2016, 1:27 AM
We cannot be what we are not. There is a lot of history on how the Rideau Canal turned out the way it is. It goes back over 100 years now. The canal boundaries always were public space or were used for industry and railways that needed to be eliminated to get rid of the grime. This was also the case along the Ottawa River.

Ottawa industry developed initially from water power or there were steep hills or cliffs to the river edge. This is why we don't have beautiful lively waterfronts like you see in the pictures. The rivers were never the centre of retail commerce or housing. And our harsh climate and poor navigation especially along the Ottawa River just would never have promoted it. And then there was the lumber trade that dominated the Ottawa River as well. So, how could we have possibly had a waterfront focused city?

It will be very difficult to change this deeply ingrained history. The fact that we have cleaned away the waterfront industry is a huge improvement and the parklands are the envy of many cities, I am sure.

If we want to have active waterfronts, we need to focus on one location. This is why the Zibi/Lebreton developments are so key to the future.

I think we could have it a lot worse.

ElieB
Dec 13, 2016, 2:34 AM
I'm sorry but the industrial use canal and waterfront argument doesn't go anywhere. That was the case with a vast majority of major cities that have since turned it around. We aren't unique in that sense simply because of logging and hydro power. Most cities were founded by a coast or river because that's just how things were transported then. I'll grant that the Ottawa Riverfront is too long and unwieldy to be made into something lively. But the canal runs right through the heart of the city, connecting two universities, lansdowne, and a crap load of residential. Maybe if the NCC didn't run a permit racket and Ritz monopoly on those 4km and there was more to do there, it might generate opportunities for big lively things.

The canal does not owe its current form to the heritage of the brave people who built it. The canal was designed for transportation in case of war to the south. But it never served that purpose and was RE-purposed as a leafy river walk and leisure boating canal. But then they got rid of most of the boat houses, boating clubs and launches. Now they keep the water behind bars and most people literally can't interact with it at all short of travelling to Dow's to rent a canoe. Truth is there's less to do on the canal today than there was 50 years ago. Now we just minimize liabilities and perpetually spend on incremental maintenance patchwork to the canal walls.

The harsh climate isn't that big an issue either. This is Canada. People pride themselves on enjoying the outdoors all seasons. Winnipeg,Edmonton, and Ottawa all put a lot of effort into promoting winter activities and festivals. You know, longest continuous ice rink and all that.

I trust Zibi will be great because I trust in Windmill but it will be real out of the way for most people. Right now Chaudiere probably has the lowest nearby population density of any central area in the CMA. Lebreton though is a corporate can of worms. Just because they proposed a lot of glitzy public spaces and landscaping the aquaduct/covered LRT doesn't mean they're actually going to build any of those things 20+ years down the road. That was a dog-n-pony show just to win the NCC land auction.

Frankly I despise the idea of emulating or envying 'world-class' designs and developments halfway around the world. But that's not what I'm suggesting. Activating the waterfront isn't trying to be Paris and it's not trying to build a Burj Ottawa. It's more the equivalent of transit-oriented development. Activating waterfronts is a basic urban planning ideology for the new century, simply because people want to live downtown again. It can be done many different ways and to different degrees but sticking with century-old boulevard paths for another century ain't one. My 2 cents.

passwordisnt123
Dec 13, 2016, 2:37 PM
Zibi seems out of the way now based on where the city's at but I don't think it'll feel that way for long. Once Lebretton gets fully built out and especially if Hull starts to hit its inflection point, I think the psychological centre of the city will grow to encompass that area.

Zibi really is a game changer in my estimation. I know Windmill's hit it out of the park in terms of environmental sustainability but I really hope they've done all their due diligence in terms of proper and full negotiations and coordination with the Algonquin to ensure that this thing doesn't get killed in that pending legal challenge.

Uhuniau
Dec 13, 2016, 2:39 PM
The definition of public space in Ottawa is a 2 metre wide strip of asphalt with a painted line down the middle that says "Move along. This isn't a place for you to enjoy leisure activities. Keep it moving."

It's also nationally-significant shrubs that attract tens of millions of visitors from Saskatchewan every year, and those sets of fourteen flagpoles that make people from eastern Newfoundland feel at home.

McC
Dec 13, 2016, 2:51 PM
But then they got rid of most of the boat houses, boating clubs and launches. Now they keep the water behind bars and most people literally can't interact with it at all short of travelling to Dow's to rent a canoe. Truth is there's less to do on the canal today than there was 50 years ago.
You must have missed that they added new boat launches earlier this year; Catherine McKenna portaged from home with her canoe to the opening media event, which was a pretty decent publicity stunt.

Uhuniau
Dec 13, 2016, 3:00 PM
We cannot be what we are not. There is a lot of history on how the Rideau Canal turned out the way it is. It goes back over 100 years now. The canal boundaries always were public space or were used for industry and railways that needed to be eliminated to get rid of the grime.

"needed" is a value or political judgment that I don't necessarily take as self-evident.

Ottawa industry developed initially from water power or there were steep hills or cliffs to the river edge. This is why we don't have beautiful lively waterfronts like you see in the pictures. The rivers were never the centre of retail commerce or housing.

Well, except where they were. There used to be residential areas closer to the Rideau River which were eliminated partly in the name of flood control but mostly in the name of "beautification." The Rideau Falls area, the north end of Lowertown/Sussex Street area (before it got "Drived"), Lebreton, the river islands, downtown Hull, were the kinds of industrial and gritty neighbourhoods that have been transformed in other 19th-century-rooted Canadian and American cities; here, they have been obliterated and replaced with grass, windswept plains, pointless monuments, and other city-killing Radiant Garden City Beautiful Gréberized crap. The Whatever-The-Hell-It's-Called-This-Decade Parkway was built partly on top of, and partly in front of, a built-up (and transit-oriented!) urban environment that turned its face to the Ottawa River. Can't have that - riverfronts are for cars, dontcha know.

Ottawa used to have a much more lively social and economic interaction with its waterways, natural and artificial. Almost all of it has been obliterated, and almost all of the obliteration, either to facilitate the rapid movement of private automobiles, or in the name of dubious national interests, or both.

And our harsh climate and poor navigation especially along the Ottawa River just would never have promoted it. And then there was the lumber trade that dominated the Ottawa River as well. So, how could we have possibly had a waterfront focused city?

The same way, on a smaller scale, that Montreal and Brooklyn and Boston and Halifax and Vancouver did and do.

Check out old fire insurance plans or aerial photographs of Ottawa. The city used to be much more well-stitched to its waterways. Those stitches were all pulled out in the last century and replaced with endless swathes of city-killing grass.

It will be very difficult to change this deeply ingrained history. The fact that we have cleaned away the waterfront industry is a huge improvement and the parklands are the envy of many cities, I am sure.

No one comes to Ottawa to walk on grass, other than the geese. No one.

If we want to have active waterfronts, we need to focus on one location.

Why?

I think we could have it a lot worse.

That's true; there's always some Friends of the ____ group out there willing to take on the mantle of tearing down more city and replacing it with more frickin' grass.

Uhuniau
Dec 13, 2016, 3:02 PM
You must have missed that they added new boat launches earlier this year; Catherine McKenna portaged from home with her canoe to the opening media event, which was a pretty decent publicity stunt.

Earlier this year, after 50+ years of federal government grass-fetishism.

Can you grab a beer at those boat launches?

No?

Then there's still city-building work to be done, lots of it, and none of it involving grass, shrubs, or god-awful expensive granite pavers.

kwoldtimer
Dec 13, 2016, 3:08 PM
"needed" is a value or political judgment that I don't necessarily take as self-evident.



Well, except where they were. There used to be residential areas closer to the Rideau River which were eliminated partly in the name of flood control but mostly in the name of "beautification." The Rideau Falls area, the north end of Lowertown/Sussex Street area (before it got "Drived"), Lebreton, the river islands, downtown Hull, were the kinds of industrial and gritty neighbourhoods that have been transformed in other 19th-century-rooted Canadian and American cities; here, they have been obliterated and replaced with grass, windswept plains, pointless monuments, and other city-killing Radiant Garden City Beautiful Gréberized crap. The Whatever-The-Hell-It's-Called-This-Decade Parkway was built partly on top of, and partly in front of, a built-up (and transit-oriented!) urban environment that turned its face to the Ottawa River. Can't have that - riverfronts are for cars, dontcha know.

Ottawa used to have a much more lively social and economic interaction with its waterways, natural and artificial. Almost all of it has been obliterated, and almost all of the obliteration, either to facilitate the rapid movement of private automobiles, or in the name of dubious national interests, or both.



The same way, on a smaller scale, that Montreal and Brooklyn and Boston and Halifax and Vancouver did and do.

Check out old fire insurance plans or aerial photographs of Ottawa. The city used to be much more well-stitched to its waterways. Those stitches were all pulled out in the last century and replaced with endless swathes of city-killing grass.



No one comes to Ottawa to walk on grass, other than the geese. No one.



Why?



That's true; there's always some Friends of the ____ group out there willing to take on the mantle of tearing down more city and replacing it with more frickin' grass.

I thought the historic Rideau Falls area was heavily industrial. Am I mistaken?

FFX-ME
Dec 13, 2016, 3:18 PM
A city can only support so many cafés for God's sake. Everyone wants rows of cafés everywhere: Lebreton, Landsdowne, the market yadi yadi yada... How much coffee fo Ottawans drink. DO people need to eat at restaurants every day! Melnyk is already proposing that along the aqueduct in Lebreton. Let that project go there and let the canal be the canal.

PS, there is already the terrace on the canal near UOttawa and I don't think they see much demand to open 20 more terraces.

Not to mention the huge loss of urban parkland we would lose downtown! Hell no!

acottawa
Dec 13, 2016, 3:27 PM
They only capital city I have been to that had a waterfront as dull as Ottawa is Khartoum, which has a parkway along the Nile with some trees and a walking path - must have been designed by the NCC.

kwoldtimer
Dec 13, 2016, 3:28 PM
A city can only support so many cafés for God's sake. Everyone wants rows of cafés everywhere: Lebreton, Landsdowne, the market yadi yadi yada... How much coffee fo Ottawans drink. DO people need to eat at restaurants every day! Melnyk is already proposing that along the aqueduct in Lebreton. Let that project go there and let the canal be the canal.

PS, there is already the terrace on the canal near UOttawa and I don't think they see much demand to open 20 more terraces.

Not to mention the huge loss of urban parkland we would lose downtown! Hell no!

Would this be where I can say that I'd love to see a café at the Rideau Falls. :tup:

YOWflier
Dec 13, 2016, 3:33 PM
No one comes to Ottawa to walk on grass, other than the geese. No one.Maybe people don't come specifically to do that, but when here they do that ... big time. Top 3 things to do in Ottawa, actually.

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g155004-d155445-Reviews-Rideau_Canal-Ottawa_Ontario.html

Aylmer
Dec 13, 2016, 3:38 PM
Not to mention the huge loss of urban parkland we would lose downtown! Hell no!

The problem with our parkland as it is is that where there seem to be no parks where people are and no people where parks are. I wouldn't be completely opposed to losing 10% of greenspace in order that the remaining 90% be less vacuous and more loved.

acottawa
Dec 13, 2016, 3:39 PM
To me the best place to start would be the area between Colonel By and the Nicholas Expressway, South of Laurier, which is not actively used as a park and buildings would help to block the noise from the expressway.

ElieB
Dec 13, 2016, 6:06 PM
You must have missed that they added new boat launches earlier this year; Catherine McKenna portaged from home with her canoe to the opening media event, which was a pretty decent publicity stunt.

Hahaha no I did not miss those added boat launches. It was a nice gesture but it was also literally the least amount of effort and investment they could have possibly made. A whole 20 square feet of seasonal floating dock... thanks?

ElieB
Dec 13, 2016, 6:38 PM
A city can only support so many cafés for God's sake. Everyone wants rows of cafés everywhere: Lebreton, Landsdowne, the market yadi yadi yada... How much coffee fo Ottawans drink. DO people need to eat at restaurants every day! Melnyk is already proposing that along the aqueduct in Lebreton. Let that project go there and let the canal be the canal.

PS, there is already the terrace on the canal near UOttawa and I don't think they see much demand to open 20 more terraces.

Not to mention the huge loss of urban parkland we would lose downtown! Hell no!

I'm not advocating for the wholesale privatization of the canal front. Sure, it could stand to have more businesses (with permanent facilities and washrooms unlike the terrace at somerset.) A pavilion here or there, owned by the city, might have provided some leasing income to support new pedestrian bridge projects, for example. While also giving people permanent public washrooms along the length of the canal.

Otherwise, basic landscape design is the issue. You can design actual places and amenities along the path without having to lease them to businesses. More access points to the water, permanent gaming facilities, more seating in less archaic arrangements, public or community gardens, semi sheltered areas like gazebos(terrible example), performance spaces (for busking or professional), more space to walk and the separation of fast-travel bike paths from slower pedestrian traffic, etc etc.

passwordisnt123
Dec 13, 2016, 6:52 PM
The problem with our parkland as it is is that where there seem to be no parks where people are and no people where parks are. I wouldn't be completely opposed to losing 10% of greenspace in order that the remaining 90% be less vacuous and more loved.

I think that's very well-put. I completely agree.

Uhuniau
Dec 13, 2016, 7:19 PM
I thought the historic Rideau Falls area was heavily industrial. Am I mistaken?

Someone say something otherwise?

"The Rideau Falls area, the north end of Lowertown/Sussex Street area (before it got "Drived"), Lebreton, the river islands, downtown Hull, were the kinds of industrial and gritty neighbourhoods"

Industrial neighbourhoods in other cities have been repurposed.

In Ottawa, they've all been flattened and replaced with nationally-significant grass, or worse.

Uhuniau
Dec 13, 2016, 7:22 PM
A city can only support so many cafés for God's sake.

Yes. And?

Everyone wants rows of cafés everywhere: Lebreton, Landsdowne, the market yadi yadi yada... How much coffee fo Ottawans drink. DO people need to eat at restaurants every day! Melnyk is already proposing that along the aqueduct in Lebreton. Let that project go there and let the canal be the canal.

How about letting the market decide what the market can bear, instead of nanny-stating Ottawa into even more blandness and boringosity?

I don't know anyone who is trying to FORCE cafés everywhere, but a few of us would like to ALLOW more urban fabric to be built where currently there's little but stultifying mid-century monotonous Greberized prettyized nothingnes.

PS, there is already the terrace on the canal near UOttawa and I don't think they see much demand to open 20 more terraces.

And?

Not to mention the huge loss of urban parkland we would lose downtown! Hell no!

"Urban parkland".

No one comes to Ottawa , or to any city, for the shrubbery.

Uhuniau
Dec 13, 2016, 7:24 PM
Maybe people don't come specifically to do that, but when here they do that ... big time. Top 3 things to do in Ottawa, actually.

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g155004-d155445-Reviews-Rideau_Canal-Ottawa_Ontario.html

The Rideau Canal is number 3.

Maybe if the Rideau Canal had something other than shrubs and grass gracing its shores and walls, it would bump up another notch.

Your link in no way contradicts my point: people do not visit Ottawa, or any city, because of a few feet of grassy medians and some juniper hedges.

Uhuniau
Dec 13, 2016, 7:25 PM
The problem with our parkland as it is is that where there seem to be no parks where people are and no people where parks are. I wouldn't be completely opposed to losing 10% of greenspace in order that the remaining 90% be less vacuous and more loved.

Bingo.

The best "green space" (open space, public space) is that which is closely surrounded by black, brown, and grey space: residences, commerce, institutions.

Uhuniau
Dec 13, 2016, 7:27 PM
I'm not advocating for the wholesale privatization of the canal front. Sure, it could stand to have more businesses (with permanent facilities and washrooms unlike the terrace at somerset.) A pavilion here or there, owned by the city, might have provided some leasing income to support new pedestrian bridge projects, for example.

A pavillion here or there means lots of vacuum in between. It would be the canal equivalent of the suburban "office park".

acottawa
Dec 13, 2016, 7:55 PM
The problem with the waterfront as it exists now is it is all the same, almost all of it is grass, pathway, expressway, more grass and it is rare that the waterfront supports any activity other than linear transportation (driving, walking, biking, etc). Waterfront parks are great but in very few places that could be considered a park and it mostly just looks like the mowed area beside a highway.

I think Uhuniau makes a good point about deindustralization. In many cities 19th century wharves, warehouses, factories, etc. have been repurposed into really interesting places whereas in Ottawa most of these places have been destroyed.

I would really like the NCC to consider whether all of those parkways are necessary. QEP between Bronson and Preston and Lady Grey seem particularly unnecessary and now that the hospital is not going to Tunney's I really wonder whether all of SJAM needs to be 4 lanes.

It would also be nice if the NCC better delineated what is a park (designed to be used by people) and what is the grass on the side of a freeway (where there isn't really anything people can do there). The parks could be enhanced to be more park like (water features, sports facilities, playgrounds, etc) and the decorative grass could be re-purposed into other uses.

YOWflier
Dec 13, 2016, 8:19 PM
The Rideau Canal is number 3.

Maybe if the Rideau Canal had something other than shrubs and grass gracing its shores and walls, it would bump up another notch.Or maybe it would fall a notch. Maybe people like it just the way it is.

ElieB
Dec 13, 2016, 8:29 PM
The problem with the waterfront as it exists now is it is all the same, almost all of it is grass, pathway, expressway, more grass and it is rare that the waterfront supports any activity other than linear transportation (driving, walking, biking, etc).

This is exactly the problem. We have this amazing wealth of greenspace, for better or for worse, but nearly all of it is designed for the express purpose of moving. And that's great if all you do is bike or run for leisure but it also expresses this idea that if you're just hanging out in any of these places you're basically loitering.

Hence my assertion that "The definition of public space in Ottawa is a 2 metre wide strip of asphalt with a painted line down the middle that says "Move along. This isn't a place for you to enjoy leisure activities. Keep it moving."

lrt's friend
Dec 13, 2016, 8:54 PM
You can scatter around cafes and sitting areas and expect to end up with the pictures that were presented. Not likely.

As one person pointed out, the city can only support so many places to go get a coffee. And it can only support so many vibrant locations. In every case, those locations have to be close to where people live, work and play. There also has to be a critical mass of people places.

When I look at Ottawa, the city backs away from the waterways. On the Rideau, to a great degree the flood plains were expropriated in the 40s and 50s and for good reason. Flooding was a major problem. The city also backed away from waterways because of industry.

Look at Rideau Falls, it used to be all industry. But even historic photos show a mostly barren Green Island. I cannot ever see this becoming a vibrant location. It is too far separated from where people live by busy highways and streets and office buildings and even the expanse of Rideau Hall. And it necessarily backs away from the Ottawa River because of the cliffs.

As I indicated above, if we want something better we need to focus on one location to create the critical mass needed and that location is Lebreton and Zibi. These are wide open slates that we can deliberately build into something where people will want to go. That is the plan. These are the places where people will live, work and play. The perfect combination.

if we look at Lansdowne and think on a greater scale, we will succeed. And it has to be a greater scale since Lansdowne already had the neighbouring Glebe and Old Ottawa South.

But if we try to scatter around, we are doomed to failure. Of course, we can make improvements anywhere, but if you want something like what was presented in the photos, then Lebreton and Zibi is where we need to go.

Leave the Rideau Canal to be mainly that place to ride your bike, jog or walk the dog. Even Lansdowne, the focus of the lively activity was necessarily placed near Bank Street, where the pedestrian traffic and transit access was available. Do you think it would have worked if everything was placed behind the Aberdeen Pavillion instead of in front? I don't think so. You would have lost the continuity of activity along Bank Street.

ElieB
Dec 13, 2016, 9:15 PM
I agree with the focused rather than scattered approach but I disagree that we should be banking on Zibi and Lebreton. Both are decades away from being complete and would have to manufacture their attraction from scratch and depend on some 20,000+ new residents expected to move into the area. But for the near future it'll just be a desolate wasteland of construction. In the end they'll take care of themselves but the city won't have any real hand in it because they've been completely privatized.

Meanwhile the canal is already a massive tourist draw, is surrounded by nothing but housing and major institutions, is public land, is used in all seasons, is right on our main transit line, etc.

acottawa
Dec 13, 2016, 9:17 PM
^^
I think those are good points, but most cities backed away from their rivers in the past as rivers were used for industry or railways or open sewers. Since then many cities have re-connected to their waterfront.

I have no idea what the café/bar/restaurant capacity of the city is. The city absorbed Lansdowne without any problems and there has been an increase in the number of restaurants and coffee shops in a number of central neighbourhoods (Elgin and Preston come to mind). I would tend to think the city could support a 10 restaurant development, particularly if it was located in a sensible way.

Also, there is more to animating the waterfront that building restaurants. Playgrounds, water features, sports facilities, snack bars and arts facilities could also liven things up. The NCC has a very puritanical/Victorian/Edwardian approach to its public spaces, where the only legitimate activities for the waterfront are those socially acceptable before WWI: carriage riding (now driving), cycling, walking, picnicking and sitting.

Uhuniau
Dec 13, 2016, 9:23 PM
The problem with the waterfront as it exists now is it is all the same, almost all of it is grass, pathway, expressway, more grass and it is rare that the waterfront supports any activity other than linear transportation (driving, walking, biking, etc). Waterfront parks are great but in very few places that could be considered a park and it mostly just looks like the mowed area beside a highway.

Nationally Significant Grass for All The Canadians, of course. :)

FFX-ME
Dec 13, 2016, 11:30 PM
You can scatter around cafes and sitting areas and expect to end up with the pictures that were presented. Not likely.

As one person pointed out, the city can only support so many places to go get a coffee. And it can only support so many vibrant locations. In every case, those locations have to be close to where people live, work and play. There also has to be a critical mass of people places.

When I look at Ottawa, the city backs away from the waterways. On the Rideau, to a great degree the flood plains were expropriated in the 40s and 50s and for good reason. Flooding was a major problem. The city also backed away from waterways because of industry.

Look at Rideau Falls, it used to be all industry. But even historic photos show a mostly barren Green Island. I cannot ever see this becoming a vibrant location. It is too far separated from where people live by busy highways and streets and office buildings and even the expanse of Rideau Hall. And it necessarily backs away from the Ottawa River because of the cliffs.

As I indicated above, if we want something better we need to focus on one location to create the critical mass needed and that location is Lebreton and Zibi. These are wide open slates that we can deliberately build into something where people will want to go. That is the plan. These are the places where people will live, work and play. The perfect combination.

if we look at Lansdowne and think on a greater scale, we will succeed. And it has to be a greater scale since Lansdowne already had the neighbouring Glebe and Old Ottawa South.

But if we try to scatter around, we are doomed to failure. Of course, we can make improvements anywhere, but if you want something like what was presented in the photos, then Lebreton and Zibi is where we need to go.

Leave the Rideau Canal to be mainly that place to ride your bike, jog or walk the dog. Even Lansdowne, the focus of the lively activity was necessarily placed near Bank Street, where the pedestrian traffic and transit access was available. Do you think it would have worked if everything was placed behind the Aberdeen Pavillion instead of in front? I don't think so. You would have lost the continuity of activity along Bank Street.

This!!!

^^
I think those are good points, but most cities backed away from their rivers in the past as rivers were used for industry or railways or open sewers. Since then many cities have re-connected to their waterfront.

I have no idea what the café/bar/restaurant capacity of the city is. The city absorbed Lansdowne without any problems and there has been an increase in the number of restaurants and coffee shops in a number of central neighbourhoods (Elgin and Preston come to mind). I would tend to think the city could support a 10 restaurant development, particularly if it was located in a sensible way.

Also, there is more to animating the waterfront that building restaurants. Playgrounds, water features, sports facilities, snack bars and arts facilities could also liven things up. The NCC has a very puritanical/Victorian/Edwardian approach to its public spaces, where the only legitimate activities for the waterfront are those socially acceptable before WWI: carriage riding (now driving), cycling, walking, picnicking and sitting.

The city did not "absorb" the influx of new restaurants in Lansdowne. Restaurants in the market have been taking a hit, many of them closing.

As mentioned, Zibi and Lebreton can yield much more vibrant communities with waterfronts than the canal with its limited space can... and they would do this without desecrating a world heritage site for a "café" experiment.

Anyways, like I said, there IS a café on the canal currently, and its performance does not suggest further demand.

ElieB
Dec 13, 2016, 11:51 PM
Your fixation on 'cafes' and commercial plazas like lansdowne and future lebreton misses the point entirely. Activating public space doesn't = places to spend money... You're not addressing the nature of public-use publicly owned spaces in the city, and whether they should promote simply biking/running or a larger cross section of activities which only require presence, not dollars.

acottawa
Dec 13, 2016, 11:59 PM
This!!!



The city did not "absorb" the influx of new restaurants in Lansdowne. Restaurants in the market have been taking a hit, many of them closing.

As mentioned, Zibi and Lebreton can yield much more vibrant communities with waterfronts than the canal with its limited space can... and they would do this without desecrating a world heritage site for a "café" experiment.

Anyways, like I said, there IS a café on the canal currently, and its performance does not suggest further demand.


There is a temporary structure built from 2x4s with a very limited menu. It is a nice start, but I would not necessarily think it is a good measure for demand for restaurants/cafés on the canal

ElieB
Dec 14, 2016, 12:23 AM
There is a temporary structure built from 2x4s with a very limited menu. It is a nice start, but I would not necessarily think it is a good measure for demand for restaurants/cafés on the canal

And it doesn't even have washrooms... Would make a much better public space area for lounging or gathering by the canal if it wasn't a business at all. Just a little patio and make-shift beach area.

lrt's friend
Dec 14, 2016, 3:40 AM
Your fixation on 'cafes' and commercial plazas like lansdowne and future lebreton misses the point entirely. Activating public space doesn't = places to spend money... You're not addressing the nature of public-use publicly owned spaces in the city, and whether they should promote simply biking/running or a larger cross section of activities which only require presence, not dollars.

I am sorry but I look at those three photos and that is exactly what we are talking about. Places to shop, eat and drink.

What is the alternative?

Turning the land next to the Rideau Canal into million dollar condos? Turning public space into private property? Building office buildings on green space?

It certainly not going to be historic buildings being built there. Too late for that. Other tourist attractions like those so many panned in the Lebreton proposal?

I really don't get what you are getting at.

And at what expense? We lose the green space, the bike paths. Block the iconic vista up the canal to Parliament hill with buildings, most likely of second rate design?

I think we need to be careful in what we wish for.

As I have said before, there is a lot of history behind how the Rideau Canal has evolved to this point. It will take a lot to change that course. And in the end, will it be better? Remember that strip of land is pretty narrow, and there are a lot of Nimbys ready to pounce on every proposal.

Uhuniau
Dec 14, 2016, 3:44 AM
The city did not "absorb" the influx of new restaurants in Lansdowne. Restaurants in the market have been taking a hit, many of them closing.

And the link to Lansdowne opening would be... ?

Anyways, like I said, there IS a café on the canal currently, and its performance does not suggest further demand.

That's what an edge vacuum will do.

Uhuniau
Dec 14, 2016, 3:45 AM
and they would do this without desecrating a world heritage site for a "café" experiment.

I posted a while back on how the "World Heritage" designation was one of the worst things to ever happen to Ottawa.

Exhibit A.

lrt's friend
Dec 14, 2016, 3:48 AM
I posted a while back on how the "World Heritage" designation was one of the worst things to ever happen to Ottawa.

Exhibit A.

Are you recommending that we desecrate the Rideau Canal corridor?

kwoldtimer
Dec 14, 2016, 2:14 PM
Are you recommending that we desecrate the Rideau Canal corridor?

It's actually a good question. I suspect that the NCC would never consider/approve anything on the canal that might threaten the world heritage status. The embarrassment to Canada would be too great (I can hear the exasperated huffs, but that's how it works). The question then becomes one of what kind of canal-side development would not threaten the heritage status. On that, I have no idea.

acottawa
Dec 14, 2016, 2:23 PM
Are you recommending that we desecrate the Rideau Canal corridor?

^^
^
I fail to see how a freeway enhances the world heritage site and a café would desecrate it. Certainly most human-made world heritage sites are surrounded by places to eat/drink/etc. and UNESCO does not revoke their status. The current design of the canal area dates from the 1920s to the 1970s. The UNESCO designation refers to the canal itself and not to the historic freeways, or grass.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1221

lrt's friend
Dec 14, 2016, 2:36 PM
^^
^
I fail to see how a freeway enhances the world heritage site and a café would desecrate it. Certainly most human-made world heritage sites are surrounded by places to eat/drink/etc. and UNESCO does not revoke their status. The current design of the canal area dates from the 1920s to the 1970s. The UNESCO designation refers to the canal itself and not to the historic freeways, or grass.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1221

Fair enough, but I made that comment a bit tongue in cheek because of the previous comment.

acottawa
Dec 14, 2016, 2:50 PM
UNESCO site - historic centre of Florence

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.7714166,11.2544627,3a,75y,270h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1suQiTOFp8-Qz5FSUaJznuLg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

UNESCO site - historic centre of Siena

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.3182097,11.3318416,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZMU0WtHoMEFjfVlMTaLsLg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

UNESCO site - Seventeenth-century canal ring area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.3640981,4.8893342,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4Kxw7bLeVKy7ZoHiLb8kvQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

UNESCO site - historic centre of Avignon

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Avignon,+France/@43.9508681,4.806813,3a,60y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sw5L8Vqx0z1KLB9gOdqXOBA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x12b5eb8739bc9d07:0xe6429b6efa1d7b36!8m2!3d43.949317!4d4.805528!6m1!1e1?hl=en

kwoldtimer
Dec 14, 2016, 2:55 PM
^^
^
I fail to see how a freeway enhances the world heritage site and a café would desecrate it. Certainly most human-made world heritage sites are surrounded by places to eat/drink/etc. and UNESCO does not revoke their status. The current design of the canal area dates from the 1920s to the 1970s. The UNESCO designation refers to the canal itself and not to the historic freeways, or grass.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1221

What is the implication of the reference to the "buffer zone", I wonder?

acottawa
Dec 14, 2016, 3:16 PM
^^
^
I fail to see how a freeway enhances the world heritage site and a café would desecrate it. Certainly most human-made world heritage sites are surrounded by places to eat/drink/etc. and UNESCO does not revoke their status. The current design of the canal area dates from the 1920s to the 1970s. The UNESCO designation refers to the canal itself and not to the historic freeways, or grass.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1221

What is the implication of the reference to the "buffer zone", I wonder?

Maybe, but that just seems to be a list of measures that Parks Canada has implemented, which is a domestic policy. There is no mention of the 1970s design elements (freeway, grass, different kind of freeway, more grass, pathway, grass) as being included in the designation, although it does mention the "watercourses, dams, bridges, fortifications, lock stations and related archaeological resources."

lrt's friend
Dec 14, 2016, 3:31 PM
OK, so we close the parkways. Then what happens? How do we even get there anymore? How do we promote anything? These corridors are several km long. If there is no transport for easy access, how do these become people places?

acottawa
Dec 14, 2016, 3:58 PM
OK, so we close the parkways. Then what happens? How do we even get there anymore? How do we promote anything? These corridors are several km long. If there is no transport for easy access, how do these become people places?

I don't think it is necessary to close all of the parkways (although yesterday I suggested a segment that I thought should be closed) I just think we shouldn't be wedded to 1960s/1970s thinking forever. For example, if a small segment (say from Laurier to Somerset on the east side) were "urbanized" (sidewalks, lighting, benches) it could enhance access to the canal. The parkways were ostensibly designed for recreational driving, but current thinking on things like climate change, the health risks of being sedentary and the dangers of distracted driving no longer align with the promotion of recreational driving.

SkeggsEggs
Dec 14, 2016, 4:16 PM
OK, so we close the parkways. Then what happens? How do we even get there anymore? How do we promote anything? These corridors are several km long. If there is no transport for easy access, how do these become people places?

I don't think anybody is advocating getting rid of all the parkways. The parkways move people through the area but I don't imagine alot of people use them to actually get to the Canal within the city. For example, Colonel By between Daly and either Main Street or Hawthorne could and should be closed in my mind. There would be access from Main Street, Laurier, Downtown and the uOttawa LRT station. Throw in a few small buildings, washrooms, a playground or two and places to sit and that portion of the Canal will have far more people than it currently does.

acottawa
Dec 14, 2016, 4:20 PM
An even better example would be the aviation parkway, which would still be a good arterial road, but also support a lot more users if it had street lighting, sidewalks (with winter plowing), bike lanes, pedestrian crossings and transit.

McC
Dec 14, 2016, 4:32 PM
Throw in a few small buildings, washrooms, a playground or two and places to sit and that portion of the Canal will have far more people than it currently does.

how would you service those buildings and washrooms? From Nicholas (no-longer free-flowing)?