Community Archives - Page 11 of 27 - The Molly & Claude Team

Chateau Laurier – Picnic with Tom Green

July 26, 2019 by Claude Jobin

A couple of new things with regards the Chateau Laurier if I may.

Saturday evening 6:30 p.m. Tom Green will be hosting a picnic in Major’s Hill Park to discuss the addition to the Chateau Laurier.

Peter Coffman discusses flaws in the heritage regulations which failed the Chateau Laurier.

All Saints
Working Title:
Kitchen + Café & Terrace
330 Laurier Avenue East

July 23, 2019 by Claude Jobin

I must get out more; new café and now new terrace to visit. Only 2 blocks from home! Check out the Kitchen + Café menu or the Terrace menu.

Beaches, Pools, Splash Pads, and Water Parks Ottawa

July 15, 2019 by Claude Jobin

Ottawa Smart has compiled this handy list of beaches, pools, splash pads, and water parks in Ottawa. Go out there have fun!

Rideau Bakery Closed

July 7, 2019 by Claude Jobin

It’s always a shame when a business, in this case an institution shuts down. Earlier this week, after close to 90 days Rideau Bakery shut down. Alas, both the original location on Rideau Street in Sandy Hill, as well as the Bank Street location in Alta Vista, are no longer.

I can understand why small specialized stores must compete with the big box stores or Amazon but what does a bakery in? Perhaps new diets!

Of course, location wise Sandy Hill is no longer what it was 90 years ago. Across the street, Lower Town surely has it’s own bakeries, Sandy Hill fast forward 90 years no longer the same demographics as in the past many of the glorious mansions having been broken into student apartments.

NCC on Sparks Street, LeBreton Flats and Château Laurier

June 22, 2019 by Claude Jobin

The NCC shares their view on Sparks Street, LeBreton Flats, and the Château Laurier. I’m pretty sure rendering neighbouring streets disaster areas does not help. I do hope things sort themselves out with regards LeBreton Flats – such an exciting project! It will be interesting to see what happens with regards the Château. When you live in the Capital there are many levels of government who can get involved. Seeing as the city dropped the ball perhaps someone else will step in.

Traffic Controls / Downtown Congestion

June 11, 2019 by Claude Jobin

Getting into, out off, or through downtown of late has become near impossible at rush hour. One day I told myself lets not do this again. Then a few days later there I was again. Sigh! Police will ensure the respect of parking rules! Only new if I wasn’t the one parked there. Admittedly the no stopping/no parking on certain streets at rush hour makes a huge difference. I do hope this helps!

What do you do if you must be downtown? Have you found some streets to be better than others?

Having Awesome Neighbours Can be Awesome

June 2, 2019 by Claude Jobin

Having great neighbours really is great! I have neighbours with whom we get together for dinner. Others for the occasional cocktail. Others to go to events with. And finaly others to exchange a few words with when we meet in the elevator, by the recycle bins, or in the garage. My partner has his gardenring friends on the roof. Generally we all get together for a cocktail during the holidays and another time during the summer. It makes a huge difference!

Apartment Therapy features 8 TV shows that will remind you how awesome having neighbours can be. Ikea is featuring house designs with a goal to recreating some infamous TV sets.

Cycling Safety / Ottawa

May 28, 2019 by Claude Jobin

The recent cycling accident happened on the Street I live on. A street I occasionally cycle on and my partner does as well.

Beyond having badly designed bicycle lanes, we have a lack of knowledge as to what types of bike lanes there are. There are two types, one is exclusive use the other is shared.

First, the shared. The symbol is the sharrows (two chevrons). The sharrows mean the bicycles have priority not exclusivity. When I drive towards downtown on Laurier I see that people do not understand this symbol. So disturbed by the green sharrows symbol that they move into the exclusive bus lane. Click pic below to enlarge. Click here to read about sharrows.

The diamond means it is exclusive bike use. It is green with a bicycle and a diamond. How odd that the City website only addresses the sharrows and not the diamond as a symbol.

The pic below shows the exclusive lane at the top of the pic but also shows where cars can pass through it towards the west. That is the site of the last accident. First, you’ve got cars from the left lane crossing the bicycle path to turn north on Elgin. PLUS you’ve got cars coming of off Queen Elizabeth Drive merging onto Laurier.

Everyone needs to be aware that as these lanes go one moment it is exclusive and another it is shared!

The city site has a tab on dooring which certainly is indicative of a problem! It suggests to cyclists, to avoid the potential area when a driver may open a door by keeping one meter away from cars – how far into the road does this bring the cyclist. Beyond educating cyclists on the danger of doors how about encouraging drivers to use the Dutch Reach per a post a couple of years ago.

Devyn Barrie addresses the recent death.

Constable Scarecrow / Ottawa

May 27, 2019 by Claude Jobin

Constable Luc Mongeon aka Constable Scarecrow may soon be standing guard at an intersection near you. First tested out in Ciquitlam British Columbia as well as Lloydminster Alberta, the metal cut-out police officer‘s goal is to reduce the speed in selected areas.