Transforming Ottawa's pedestrian landscape

Today is Wednesday, and tonight Ottawa's nascent pedestrian advocacy group will have its second meeting. Notes from the previous meeting are posted on the Ottawa Walking Problems website. The group has recycled the name "Ottawalk" with the blessing of the members of the group of the same name that expired in 2001.

I figured a pedestrian-themed photo would be fitting for Peds on Weds. Here is a pedestrian desire line at the Ottawa Police headquarters at 474 Elgin Street:

Near the corner of Elgin and Argyle, pedestrians cut through the courtyard (next to the "Transformer Site" public art installation), hop the planter bed, and continue along the much quieter street. I wouldn't be surprised if many of them continue diagonally across the Museum of Nature's parking lot as well.

As with the item I highlighted in the post announcing the previous meeting, this is more of a nuisance than an real problem. Not all pedestrian problems can be so easily dismissed, and many nuisances in a single trip can discourage people from walking. The Ottawa Walking Problems is a good place to track the longer term problems, and the City's recently released ServiceOttawa.ca website allows you to directly report more acute issues, like icy sidewalks or malfunctioning traffic signals.

If you're interested in the walking group, contact Councillor Diane Holmes at diane.holmes@ottawa.ca, or feel free to come to the meeting tonight at 7pm in the Colonel By room at City Hall. (I should note that, while this is my personal blog, I also work on pedestrian issues--including the group--for Councillor Holmes)

[Look for more one-photo posts under the label Singles]