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Last Sunday we headed off for Wolf Trail, expecting more snow. We did see some, but it was mostly in the shady areas. Nothing compared to what we saw on Saturday morning.
And you know how it is when you’re hiking and you get mud on your hiking boots? You kind of think that maybe you might as well walk THROUGH the mud instead of trying to go around it. After all, that’s why I have poles, to test how deep it is and keep me from falling over.
Well, this is the result:
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- Hmm … look at that mud … and by the end it was up to my knees.
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- You just can’t beat this view in the Ottawa area
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- Food action shot of Nosyneighbour
In a previous post, I mentioned the Sisters of the Visitation were for sale, and then mysteriously nothing happened. In a discussion with Uniform about why one of the workers was urinating on the sidewalk at the end of the day, I asked whether they were interested. His reply was that the neighbourhood appealed to them, but there are so many challenges with heritage designations.
According to Ken Gray, Ashcroft is the buyer, for more than $10 million. They’ve also bought the building that used to house Billy’s Appliances and another house. Strangely, it’s not in today’s newspaper, only on the Bulldog’s blog. Supposedly Ashcroft is going to start by meeting with the community first.
I’ll definitely be going to share my thoughts. What I’d like to see:
- buildings, no higher than 4 floors surrounding the original site
- stone incorporated into the architectural exterior features
- some green space
- underground parking for any new buildings
- more vrtucar spots
- retail on the ground floor that faces Richmond
- a nice English pub in the old building … could call it The Convent or The Sacred Sisters, The Nunnery, The Stone Chapel, The Fallen Wall
More thoughts and updates to come.
Friends and acquaintances know that I’m a huge CFL fan, and support a team coming back to Ottawa. I am convinced that we have a football base, providing the stadium is centrally located. The Roughriders and Renegades survived, even though they had abysmal records, because people were entertained in the stands (be it Mardi Gras bead madness, or watching the leaves change colour).
I’ve been riled up by Nosyneighbour on several occasions, and despite my best efforts to plan ahead on what I would say to the Glebeites who were planning organized attacks to hijack information sessions across the city, I didn’t get into any fisticuffs when we attended the recent one in our neighbourhood.
A few local bloggers have already commented on their bad behaviour, and media is also commenting on how they organized, intimidated and monopolized the consultations. I’m happy that the Orleans session booed the naysayers just like they booed the few people at Tom Brown Arena brave enough to say they support they project (and no, I wasn’t one of the brave ones).
Having attended enough development consultations in our immediate vicinity, I get the sense that developers always start off dreaming big, knowing that they will face opposition. Then they can be seen as compromising when they remove or downgrade contentious points in their plans. My experience has shown that when you offer concrete suggestions to improve a plan, they are often incorporated as suggested. However, when participants constantly criticize and have a NIMBY attitude, the developers just ignore them.
The city manager said something at Monday’s meeting that I believe should be the real focus of debate. Does the city of Ottawa want an open air stadium? Is it a priority now?
Once that decision is made, then a discussion of location and funding can take place. The issue of Landsdowne Park then becomes one of local concern. If the Glebe-ites want a park, let THEM pay for it. And why didn’t the city put the library there instead of buying prime downtown real estate? Grrr ….
Mr. Kirkpatrick also mentioned that a stadium is never going to be revenue neutral. Across North America, public money is either used to build the stadium or to run and maintain it. He also said that the decision to have a stadium goes back to the “public good”. Having a stadium allows Ottawa to bid for major events like FIFA World Cup, the Francophonie Games, Paralympics, maybe even a World Fair. Maybe the Glebe-ites should think beyond the low brow people associated with football, concerts and the Ex, and what else it offer. Why not have open-air opera or theatre? What about an outdoor Senators game? Winterlude skating competitions?
I’ve seen citizens in other areas of the city hold fundraising events to pay for improvements to their neighbourhood parks (e.g. Strathcona). Given the mean income in the Glebe, it shouldn’t be a problem for them to pool their money to have exactly what they want. If they want green space, let them have it, but at THEIR cost not mine. If they aren’t willing to pay for it, there has to be compromise. No stadium? How about two tall apartment buildings for social housing? The tenants wouldn’t need as much parking, wouldn’t require as much transit, and would have access to fresh produce in the Farmer’s Market. Studies have shown that mixing different socio-economic groups is beneficial for all groups. And by having the tall towers, it would allow the remaining space to be green and open. It would also help alleviate the long waiting lists for social housing. Finally, I really wish city councillors would have some vision and show some leadership to get things done in this city.
I’m sure there’ll be more later, but that’s my rant on LL.
We set off for the Gatineau Park early this morning, despite the pea-soup fog that shielded the hills. By 9:10 a.m. we were setting off from the Chelsea parking lot on Kingsmere Road. From there our hike began at the start of Ridge Road (Trail#1).
The fog was quite thick and I didn’t think to take any pics for until we got to Keogan Lodge, where the sun looked like it might finally burn off the fog. We stopped there for a snack break then continued up and up, past Huron Lodge to the Champlain lookout. Read the rest of this entry »
And this time I can stumble home. And it’s free. Okay, it’s sponsored by a union … that’s some smart marketing on their part.
Check him out at the Perth Fair on Labour Day weekend.
It helped give us incentive to finish off the last few details of the renovation and celebrate with friends. Oh yeah, and it was a reason to have some real ale drawn through a beer engine …
What is real ale?
Cask ale or cask-conditioned beer is the term for unfiltered and unpasteurized beer which is conditioned (including secondary fermentation) and served from a cask without additional nitrogen or carbon dioxide pressure. Cask ale may also be referred to as real ale, a term coined by the Campaign for Real Ale.
What is a firkin?
A firkin is an old English measure of volume. 1 firkin = 9 imperial gallons = 1/4 barrel = 40.91481 litres. A pin = 1/2 firkin. We had 3 pins ready for drinking.
What is a beer engine?
A “beer engine” or hand pump is used to siphon the beer upstairs from the cellar (or basement in our case). It is an airtight piston chamber. Pulling down on the handle raises the piston which drags up a half pint of beer. When a cask is first tapped into the beer engine, or after the lines have been washed through, the pump needs to be pulled several times to clear the lines of air or water.
How do I “pull the perfect pint”?
Our beer engine is a” half pull”. Experienced bar staff will serve a pint with two long, smooth, slow pulls of the pump handle, plus a short third just to make sure the glass is full.
Why isn’t the beer cold?
Real ale needs to be served at the right temperature. Too cold and it loses many of its complex flavours. Served too warm, it can develop some you don’t want and quickly loses condition in the glass.
What do I do if no beer comes out?
Find Rob, the cellar man. He’ll hook up the next pin.
And now … the memories:
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- Guests are welcomed
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- The backyard is ready
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- The beer engine, complete with signs
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- Brenda pulls a pint.
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- Mike pulls a pint.
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- Chris reads about real ale after pulling a pint.
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- Julie pulls a pint.
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- Allie pulls a pint.
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- Mike pulls a pint.
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- Kathy pulls a pint into her Simpsons glass
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- Scott pulls a pint (can’t stand up?)
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- Dave pulls a pint.
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- Adam pulls a pint.
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- Dan pulls a pint.
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- Mike (I know, another one!) pulls a pint.
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- Michael pulls a pint.
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- Adam pulls a pint.
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- Dan pulls a pint.
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- Margaret pulls a pint.
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- Meredith pulls a pint.
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- Lise pulls a pint.
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- The last Mike pulls a pint.
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- Rob pulls a pint, a day after.
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- Sarah pulls a pint, a day after
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- Blackboard art
David Wilcox, Perth Fair, 2009
It started out with a search for a David Wilcox concert. It’s one of our late summer traditions, visiting a small country fair that just happens to have the Canadian Wilcox playing. Last year it was Delta. This year it was Perth. It was also close to our anniversary date (which both of us had completely forgotten) so we aimed to make it a weekend in Perth. We’d bring up the road bikes and doing some cycling around Lanark county. Read the rest of this entry »
The third annual Taste of Wellington West is back, this time in the fall. Look for more info walking around the ‘hood.
Mark your calendar: September 26, 2009.
It’s official, the sales office is moving over to the old store location and construction is beginning on the new condo. The seniors residence will be built after the condo is well underway.
I’m just going to be lazy and throw up a bunch with captions. When I have more time I’ll put them in order…. Here goes:
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- Les with the power tools on “break through” day
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- Les holding an insect nest from around the milk door
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- Windows get added, but the moat remains …
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- Rob looks at the kitchen with no cupboards
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- Kitchen cabinets start to come down and get smashed
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- Ceiling drywall is installed
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- Rob and Timbit test out the new space
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- And Timbit finds the sunny spots
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- Breakthrough
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- Walls take shape around Timbit
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- Nick and his team lay bricks
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- Rob shows the bare walls. Plaster all gone.
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- Bricks are laid, vinyl almost all installed.
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- Sarah cleans 461 bricks, saving $461 dollars.
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- Nick and the guys working in Sarah’s bricks.
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