Tuesday December 7, 2021
What Ottawa is Talking About – 7 December 2021
▪️The City has released their report of Ottawa’s 15 minute neighbourhoods, including maps. City staff scored each neighbourhood based on amenities (Grocery stores, parks, restaurants, bookstores, laundry/dry cleaners, bakeries, pet stores, bars, OC Transpo bus stops, doctor’s offices, dentist offices, and pharmacies, O-Train stations, community centres and libraries, schools, and child care facilities) versus how safe and pleasant the walk would be. Some neighbourhoods, particularly in old Ottawa (and Old Ottawa), it's already 15 minute everything. Out in West Carleton and Orléans, you are lucky to have 15 minute drive neighbourhoods. The goal of the report is to create a baseline of where we are now in 2021, and increase accessibility as time goes on. [15 Minute Neighbourhood Baseline Report (PDF)] [Visualizing 15 minutes in each neighbourhood (PDF)]
▪️The 2021 Ottawa Urban Design Awards winners have been announced. Categories are Urban Infill, Public Places and Civic Spaces, Urban Elements, Community Initiatives, and
Student Projects. [City of Ottawa] [The Pictures]
▪️The Planning Committee voted to make the pandemic-compliant restaurant patio rules pemanent. Previously, patios were rare and not considered a priority by the City. Throwing away rules to assist pandemic-hit restaurants meant that patios could be located in parking lots and near residential property, generally to the delight of citizens. The full council will decide tomorrow. [Ottawa Citizen]
▪️Car parks aren't just for restaurant patios, a mix of 8 to 20 storey buildings has been proposed near Dow's Lake. The Federally-owned Crown Lands Corporation wants to build the towers, which would include hundreds of affordable apartments and a new park on a former parking lot. [CBC]
