Sometimes, the song lyrics are proven wrong in a happy way: you not only get what you want, but it’s also exactly what you need. Case in point? This morning at Ottawa City Hall. The age limit on qualifying for student-rate bus passes is dead. To the last man and woman on city council, they…
Transit, Ages, the City and the Future
Seems a generic title, and it is. I grant you that right now. But there’s a point to the mundanity which we’ll get to right now: I spent this particular morning at Ottawa City Hall, watching the presentations to and deliberations of the city’s Transit Planning Committee. From Photos At issue this particular morning was…
Ottawa Transit: Subways Ahead?
Some of you will already be aware of the troubles we’ve faced in Ottawa in the course of expanding OC Transpo‘s light rail component. We’ve had at least one proposal get right up to the point of putting shovels in the ground…and then we got a sort of whiplash thanks to the election of Larry…
An end to transit strife…
…is devoutly appreciated. The deal hasn’t been worked out yet, but at least the arbitration process is now underway and transit service here in Ottawa is now on its way to being restored. I had the pleasure of riding one of the first buses of the morning in my neighbourhood, and of photographing it upon…
Canadian Railfandom
It’s a natural consequence of riding VIA Rail often enough: you become a bit of a railfandom. You start with buying Trains at the newsstand, end up finding out about magazines such as Branchline, CN Rails and Canadian Rail. And then it expands from there: Flickr Groups such as VIA Rail Canada. Blogs like Trackside…
Transit in Ottawa: One More Rant
Okay, it’s been over 40 days now since the transit strike began. As people can and will tell you at the drop of a hat, it’s been getting increasingly cranky around certain segments of the urban portions of the Ottawa Valley of late. I’m one of those cranky people. I still have problems with getting…
Climate, Transit and Ticking Clocks
First off, how about that snowstorm? And the transit strike starting the very next day? I can’t help but wonder if maybe After listening to Gwynne Dyer last night at St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts before heading out into the Bad Weather before the Labour Storm hasn’t soured me a little on having sympathy…
The view from inside Ottawa
Okay, so I live in its eastern end, past the Greenbelt. But I live here, too, and I have to admit to the same worries and then some as Justin did a short while ago. I’m an artist and writer part of the time, and I’ve been watching the reports and seeing some of the…
A Pedestrian Rant
How often has it happened to you? If you’re regularly behind the wheel of your car, you likely don’t pay it much heed. Maybe we’re minor annoyances to you. Maybe we’re just additional steps on the path to your very own case of road rage. I don’t know. I’m not sure if I ever want…