So sad to see the ByTowne closed – after 32 years in it’s current location. I still remember when it was the Towne in New Edinburgh. It’s closing is a true sign of the times. It will be missed! Thanks for the memories!

Starting today, December 28, the Ottawa Public Library, at its open branches and bookmobile stops, will be offering a modified service for the pick-up and return of books. Click here for details.

After 5 years and much change, Rideau Street is reopening today! Sidewalks are wider and cyclists have their own lanes. It’s not the same Rideau Street. I think I should take myself there this afternoon!

The Taggart Group of Companies says the proposed towers on O’Connor Street between Gilmour and MacLaren Streets are landmark. The article in the Ottawa Business Journal states: “Under the Centretown Community Design Plan, buildings on streets such as O’Connor and Metcalfe can exceed established height limits if they qualify as “true civic or national landmarks.”” – I always thought landmark status was earned over time as opposed to something that springs out of the ground as one – I stand corrected!

It just seems to me the city creates an Official Plan which is not workable, not taking into consideration the desires of the developers, the community, and the needs of city. The result is that once the plan is set, amendments are requested which ultimately results in completely disregarding the Official Plan. Somerset Councillor Catherine McKenney has concerns about the development and how it will fit into the community.

Seems just yesterday I was posting about two towers to be constructed at Bank Street and Lisgar Street. – Intensification really is happening but at what cost. I think of Westboro my former hood during high school. A really nice area where developers came in sprung up so many new oversized homes that the spirit which attracted them there has been been extinguished. Other neighbourhoods such as Sandy Hill are threatened but a strong community succeeds at keeping most development under control. A herculean task at times!

I must repeat what I’ve said before, having worked downtown many years ago, after 5pm the downtown core became a ghost town, now it’s nice to see there are so many more residents in the centre and the sidewalks need not be rolled up.

I just wish there was more honesty, more transparency working for a common goal! A utopian dream!

I was sure I had posted something on the proposed ByWard Market revitalization earlier but seems I had not!

At the beginning of the month, the Ottawa Real Estate Board publishes its news release, subsequent to that our newsletter and detailed statistics need to be posted and so these must post articles can derail other proposed posts. Thank goodness a friend told me about an article in the Ottawa Citizen. From there I found the other articles I wanted to share and so here we are.

A couple of the articles are from CityNews. One article is entitled Newly approved plan for ByWard Market includes street redesigns, design competition, the other Touristm industry encouraged by proposed plan to revitalize ‘sad’ ByWard Market. The final article is by Randall Denley of the Ottawa Citizen: $129M plan for the ByWard Market isn’t worth the spending.

I can see where some improvement can be made, but $129M is a lot of improvement, and in these challenging times for businesses is that the right place to spend it. Perhaps I don’t have City Hall’s budget and so I can’t understand. Denley talks about the revitization of Sparks Street undergoes on a fairly regular basis – and yet the businesses there still struggle. I think Main Street seems nice. I’d want to say Elgin Street is as well. So perhaps there is hope. That being said taking away the parking from 70 Clarence Street, wow. Goodness that’s a goto for me. I don’t think shoppers and patrons of the ByWard market necessarily all live there – parking seems essential. If reduced to parking in the building on William Street that would be discouraging as every time I park there I think I best now call my bank account manager as she will question this expenditure.

Local businesses have been hit hard by COVID-19. For a period of time stores were closed. Now they are open, but it’s not business as usual. More than ever it’s important to buy local. The Ottawa Citizen has put together a great list of gift ideas from local stores. Encourage local businesses! They need our help!

As stated in the Ottawa Citizen, Homes for the Holidays is a marquee event for Hospice Care Ottawa. Alas, this year with COVID-19 the event has gone virtual. That being said you can make a donation to Hospice Care Ottawa and receive a link to the 3D virtual tours and videos. The event is going on this week-end. I apologize for not having posted this earlier but you have today and tomorrow to enjoy the visits and make a donation to this worthy cause.