The New Halifax Central Library
Reading Time: 5 minutes Ottawa is working towards a new main library. The Halifax library is a nice example of what Ottawa should strive for. Taking advantage of location and sight lines.
Cycling in Canada
Fledgling Bicycle Advocacy in Fredericton
Reading Time: 6 minutes Fredericton, New Brunswick, is a quaint old town on the St. John River. Frederictonions frequently refer to their home town as a small version of Ottawa. It is a green and spacious place. A river runs through it, it is hillier than Ottawa though. During a visit to Fredericton, Dutch ambassador Wim Geerts was approached by deputy major Chase for advice on cycling, being the ambassador of the world’s bike friendliest nation. The ambassador, who has been promoting cycling during his five year stay in Ottawa, approached me to see if I could contact councillor Chase for some advice. Off [Read more…]
Destination Prince Edward County, Ontario
Reading Time: 6 minutes In terms of cycling, Canada is a hidden gem. In terms of wine, even more so. Tell your relatives back in Holland that you toured Canadian wine country on a bicycle, and they think you are kidding them. Canada: that is polar bears, RV rental in the Rockies, hard working farmers and Dutch Reformed Christians. The folks in Europe don’t associate Canada with wine and cycling. Yet, just 250 km (for my US readers, that is 150 miles) outside of Ottawa, the second coldest capital in the world, you’ll find a place called Prince Edward County, a place so unknown [Read more…]
Halifax Revisited
Reading Time: 6 minutes She is young, she is bright and she is an entrepreneur. Twenty four year old Sarah Craig decided to forego a government career in CO2 calculations (who can blame her?) and decided to start a bike rental shop on the board walk in Halifax. Really, how many people, fresh from university start a bike shop? I decided to visit Sarah on a crisp Friday afternoon. The place is not bigger than roughly a 150 ft2 but rents out 15 Townies, with helmets (mandatory for everyone in Nova Scotia). Sarah also has a collection of T-shirts, bells, claxons, magazines and alcohol [Read more…]
A Bow to Calgary
Reading Time: 6 minutes Last week I spent four days in Calgary. In terms of layout, there are many similarities with Ottawa: our Ottawa River (albeit a tad bigger) is Calgary’s Bow River, the Elbow River meandering from the south is our Rideau River. Ottawa has the Queensway, Calgary has its railway tracks running through down town. (I once spent a few days in the Fairmont Palliser and the rail cars barrelling right underneath the window kept me awake half the night). Calgary has a car free Stephen St, Ottawa has car free Sparks St. There is a big difference between the two streets [Read more…]
Shifting Gears in Halifax
Reading Time: 2 minutes Last week I visited Halifax for a series of talks about cycling. Halifax cycling enthousiasts are working hard on developing a cycling culture. Obviously, without an NCC to build paths, budgets are somewhat tighter. However, Nova Scotia (and Halifax) are slowly becoming a better cycling place. Cyclists are pretty united in their effort to move forward. Support of City Councillor Watts (a younger version of Ottawa councillor Holmes – sorry Diane) is vital. Here are a few images of Cycling culture in Halifax. Read also more here: http://halifaxmag.com/2011/04/cover/shifting-gears