Category: Orleans
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What to Expect When You’re Expecting… to Drive Everywhere
In many North American communities, the prevailing expectation is that driving is the primary, if not the only, way to get around. This assumption has shaped our transportation infrastructure in ways that often go unnoticed but have significant impacts on accessibility and livability. Streets and even whole suburban neighbourhoods are designed with cars in mind.…
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In the Suburbs, Everything Looks Like a Drive
The title of this post references the old adage, “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” This saying is especially true when it comes to transportation in suburban Ottawa. If all you have is a car, everything looks like a drive. I have come to reject this car-dependent framing, not…
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Rethinking Suburban Living – A Path to Resilience and Affordability
As a resident of our suburban neighborhood with family roots here since the early 90s, I’ve come to appreciate the tranquility, space, and sense of calm that comes with living outside the hustle and bustle of the inner city. The wide streets, ample yards, and peaceful environment are some of the things people cherish most…
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Restoring the Heart of the Suburbs
Today, I’d like to share an idea with you. This might be something you have never thought about before, and in fact it may be a lot of work up front to convince you that thinking about this is even worth your time. If you’ve felt at one time or another – over the last…
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A Weekend in the Suburbs With No Car
For many suburban parents, reading the title of this article might send shivers down your spine. For a lot of families, one car per adult in the household is pretty typical, unless a car is in the shop or out of commission for some other reason. In my case, one of the reasons we are…
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Orleans Blvd Overpass Design
I am writing today about the Orleans Blvd overpass design updates (Stage 2 LRT Station Connectivity Enhancement Study | Convent Glen Station (Orléans Boulevard)) which sort of came and went quietly since last year (and I was even trying to pay attention!). I understand that the solution proposed last year had its issues (namely conflict…
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What My Kids See and Do Aboard My Ebike
My older kids are 6 and 3 (coming up on 4 now), and they absolutely love spending time on the back of my cargo ebike. In past years, we would go for rides together, but they were in a trailer behind my hybrid bike, and it wasn’t really a family ride since my wife didn’t…
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Jeanne d’Arc Blvd Pedestrian Crossing
Creating a new pedestrian crossing to get across a certain problematic section of Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard is something I’ve been mulling over and wanting to talk about for literal months. My version of this story contains some aspects of government bureaucracy, car-friendly transportation rules, and common-sense safety and accessibility changes. The exact spot I’m describing…
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Bike Trip to the Library – July 17, 2024
I’m wrapping up 4 weeks of parental leave from work (going back Monday), and so for the last few month I have been spending all day every day with kids. Since I got the new bike (which can carry the older two on the back), the kids have been wanting to run errands and do…
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Vineyard / Voyageur Community Bus Loop
I’m a big fan of efficient, convenient, and frequent bus routes that access or connect common amenities. Growing up in Calgary, I made frequent use of what that city calls ‘community shuttles’, basically smaller buses that tend to run shorter closed loops in a community connecting riders to transit hubs or nearby amenities. A Tangent…