Laurier segregated bike lane is taking shape

Laurie Avenue looking east from Bay Street

The segregated bike lanes on Laurier Avenue now run from Bronson to Bay though they are not open yet. Phase two of the project is set to start on Monday the 30th according to the City of Ottawa. The sooner the better I say!

Ottawa's Bixi fleet rolls out!

Ottawa's Bixi cycles had their inaugural roll out this morning under less than promising skies. However, several journalists and CBC television were on hand to cover the launch and several keeners hung about eager to take the first ride. So, what do Ottawa's Bixis look like? Well, surprise, surprise, they are red and white. Capitale is the logo, not Ottawa. Quite striking and very Canadian!

There will be a total of 10 stations in the Ottawa and Gatineau areas. Downtown locations include the Elgin Street station beside the National Arts Centre as well as Queen and O'Connor and Queen and Lyon. Booth Street near the Canadian War Museum will have a Bixi station as will the market area with a station located at the Murray and Mckenzie intersection by Major's Hill Park. This location had only one loney Bixi but I imagine this is because the Elgin site had 20 bikes of which only 10 will be staying there.

The lone Bixi near the National Gallery of Canada.

Ottawa's attractive Capitale Bixi.


It didn't take long for the public to start using the Bixis. In fact, it looked like several people were milling about waiting for the media to get out of their way. Not everyone wants to be on television.

The first couple to ride off on the Bixis.

Another Bixi sampler.

I haven't actually riden a Bixi yet. It's the same design as the Montreal and Toronto Bixis. The only bike-share bike I have used is the Stockholm bike and it's a smaller, lighter design. The Paris bike is also a different style. Bike-share cycles tend to be somewhat heavy but this is because they need to be rugged to put up with the abuse they'll likely receive. I intend on hopping on one soon and I'll post a review.

Montreal Bixi

Rome is everywhere

I have recently been watching a series of lectures on Roman architecture. The twenty-four part series is a complete lecture season from Yale University taught by Professor Diana Kleiner. The more I watched the more I realized how prevalent Roman architecture still is today. So I set out to find some examples here in Ottawa and it wasn't very difficult.

Tabaret Hall at the University of Ottawa is one of the most striking examples in our city with Ionic capitals and a classic Roman pediment.

The composite columns of the Bank of Commerce on Sparks Street showing elements of both Corinthian and Ionic orders.

The Doric order is represented well by the Bank of Nova Scotia on Sparks Street.

Though you can see the influence of Roman architecture in residential houses the features tend to be subtle. Not so for two houses in the Golden Triangle.

A house on Somerset West with the classic Ionic order.

The triangular pediment and Corinthian order really make this entrance stand out.