I'm not a fan of Lansdowne 2.0, but if it's going to happen, we should make it so as many people as possible can enjoy it. It makes sense both from a financial perspective and for maximizing the public good. Not making it easy to get to is shooting the project in the foot before

The City bending over backwards to present Lansdowne 2.0 info with white gloves, making special financial exceptions, and then doing absolutely nothing to meaningfully improve the transit and traffic situation on Bank Street is incredibly disappointing.

Pure Instinct

The musical acrobatics event in the Byward market last night was a great example of the potential of our neighbourhoods when we pedestrianize streets and prioritize people. More space for people, more business, more fun.

The LRT being closed for maintenance on Panda Game weekend is such a confusing and poor decision. Ottawa consistently forgets to think of the needs of students and transit riders when making decisions.

Thanks to everyone who came to yesterday’s Ottawa Urbanism Book Club. Amazes me that after 2 years we’re still sharing ideas and listening to each other on how we can improve our city.

So incredibly proud of this team. Thank you coaches and teammates for a great senior season. Went 9-3 and 6-0 in district. First district championship in a decade and first playoff win in 4 years. @coachfanning93 @CadeBell_AHS @CoachGood_2 @J_ChristensenQB @CoachTyeFrancis

Ahead of tonight’s Ottawa Urbanism Book Club, here’s my favourite quote from Strong Towns. Meeting at 6:15 pm tonight at Sunnyside Public Library. All welcome, reading not required.

The Centretown Community Association has sent a letter to Councillor Ariel Troster supporting a ban on right turns on red in Centretown. “The lives of pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers are more important than a few seconds saved at a stop light.”

The Berczy Park Dog Fountain in Toronto is a great example of a small improvement leading to big benefits. For the small price of a fountain we get a more interesting walk and increased foot traffic, a tourist attraction, and an all around more liveable and enjoyable space.

Reliability is the biggest issue, but we don’t talk enough about how unenjoyable OC Transpo can be sometimes. Yesterday riders waited outside in the rain because the bus shelter was filthy. If you want people in Ottawa to take transit, it needs to be clean and enjoyable.

Listening to some hot tunes on the bus this morning 🔥

I've got two articles drafted on Vancouver and what Ottawa can learn. However, the nearby city/suburb of Surrey surprised me the most. I've never seen such a strange mix of extreme density and huge parking lots and stroads. Something for Ottawa to avoid as we push to densify!

Findlay Creek on the left: -big houses - higher income - relatively low density and property tax revenues - buried power lines Kent Street on the right: - many apartments - lower income - high density and huge property tax revenues - above ground power lines in some places

Part of Kent Street is up for renewal, and the City of Ottawa is refusing to bury the power lines, saying it’s too expensive. Just Kent Street brings in as much property taxes as the entire West Carleton-March Ward. Our city needs to do a better job of rewarding financially

I am once again posting to inform you that density and nature CAN co-exist.

Next Ottawa Urbanism Book Club will be July 29! We’ll be discussing Messy Cities: why we can’t plan everything. Copies are available at Perfect Books on Elgin. DM me if interested in attending

Thanks for reading. Why do you think it takes the City of Ottawa forever to get anything done?

Even Brigil, a developer, wrote recently that they support bus lane on Bank Street. If you support bus lanes as well, please consider emailing your councillor.

If there’s hope, it’s in the community. We sponsored the Marquee at the Mayfair, raising the funds in less than 2 hours. People really want bus lanes on Bank Street.

What’s most concerning is that adding these bus lanes should be easy and quick: - Street is already 4 lanes - busiest bus corridor in the city - bus lanes on Bank have support from the community We should be fast tracking a project like this.