By Thomas Hall, Ottawa Citizen, January 22, 2016
If you are in Gatineau Park this weekend, you may catch a glimpse through the trees of hulking, ungainly looking bicycles rolling effortlessly down hard-packed snowshoe trails.
They are called fat bikes, and are basically mountain bikes with special frames and 10-centimetre-wide tires that glide over snow and ice, giving even new riders stability and control.
By Leah Larocque, CTV News Ottawa, January 21, 2016
A genetically modified apple that doesn't brown when cut is now more a reaity than a picker-eater's dream.Neal Carter of Okanagan Specialty Fruits helped found and developed the “Arctic Apple.”
The apple has been modified to maintain it's clear bright colour and won't bruise or brown. He says the apple has exactly all the same proteins of a conventional apple. “We’ve turned off the enzyme that creates the browning,” he says.Carter says he developed the apple to help decreasing apple consumption. He was inspired after he say how successful “baby carrots” were to the popularity of carrots.
By CBC News Ottawa, January 21, 2016
Political and business leaders in Alberta — and across the Prairies — are voicing strong reaction to Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre's opposition of the Energy East pipeline project. Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre says Energy East pipeline too risky.
Coderre said in announcement on Thursday that potential environmental risks outweigh possible economic benefits for the Montreal area.
By Tom Spears, Ottawa Citizen, January 21, 2016
A dangerous mix of open water and piles of ice has led to low-level flooding along the Gatineau River in Gracefield, 100 kilometres north of Ottawa.
The river has piles of “frazil” ice — loose collections of small ice chunks that typically appear during the spring breakup. Unusual winter weather has led to this happening in January, says town Coun. Michael Gainsford, who is also the fire chief.
By Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen, January 21, 2016
The emails and letters began arriving shortly after the Citizen’s website posted a multi-part series about the redeveloped — and much debated — Lansdowne Park.
Over the past few months, a team of reporters, including me, have been checking out the park in order to provide readers with our take on it. Rob Bostelaar wrote about the retail scene. Bruce Deachman explored the public spaces. Foodies Laura Robin brought us the latest on the Ottawa Farmers’ Market, while food critic Peter Hum weighed in on the restaurants. My assignment was to write a general overview based on more than a dozen visits to Lansdowne Park since it opened in July 2014. And also to make this video.
By Don Butler, Ottawa Citizen, January 21, 2016
Whoever wins the current competition to redevelop LeBreton Flats will likely be on the hook for tens of millions of dollars to remove contaminated soil, says an Ottawa geotechnical engineer familiar with the site’s conditions.
Much of the soil on a 3.6-hectare parcel of the primary site and an adjacent 12.3 hectares called the “option lands” will likely have to be hauled away and disposed of in landfills, said Carlos da Silva, the managing principal of Paterson Engineering Group in Ottawa.
By Emma Jackson, Ottawa Metro News, January 20, 2016
Picture Armstrong Street in Hintonburg: its narrow sidewalks, empty lots, crumbling buildings and sporadic infill.
Now imagine, instead, Armstrong remade into a bustling avenue, where cyclists, pedestrians and drivers vie for room amid planters and benches, and small businesses thrive in an affordable residential community.
By Michael Woods, Ottawa Metro News, January 20, 2016
A major facelift of the National Arts Centre got a step closer to reality on Wednesday when the National Capital Commission’s board of directors approved the project.
The decision paves the way for construction to begin on the iconic concert hall’s new addition, which will include a striking new entrance on Elgin Street.
By Haley Ritchie, Ottawa Metro News, January 20, 2016
Tiny funky parks and patios the size of parking spaces could soon be appearing in Ottawa streets – and the Quartier Vanier BIA wants them first.
“It’s a public space that contains elements of seating, shading, bike parking, games tables – it’s a reimagined parking space,” said Jamie Kwong, executive director of the BIA.
“Rather than one car being there, multiple people can use that space,” she said.
Residents in Vanier can vote for their preferred parklet design on Thursday at 135 Barrette St. and the BIA will then submit the application to the City.
By Haley Ritchie, Ottawa Metro News, January 20, 2016
Tiny funky parks and patios the size of parking spaces could soon be appearing in Ottawa streets – and the Quartier Vanier BIA wants them first.
“It’s a public space that contains elements of seating, shading, bike parking, games tables – it’s a reimagined parking space,” said Jamie Kwong, executive director of the BIA.
“Rather than one car being there, multiple people can use that space,” she said.
Residents in Vanier can vote for their preferred parklet design on Thursday at 135 Barrette St. and the BIA will then submit the application to the City.
By Norman Jack, CFRA News, January 20, 2016
Sources tell CFRA's "Ottawa Now" that the proposal for the redevelopment of Lebreton Flats backed by the Ottawa Senators will include a sports training facility along with a new arena.
This will be similar to the Sens-plexes in the east and west end, and will include two new ice pads --- which are at a premium in the city.
By Tom Spears, Ottawa Citizen, January 20, 2016
Your home likely has 100 kinds of insects, spiders and centipedes, says the first indoor bug census in North America. And that’s just fine, according to a prominent insect scientist.
Some of these spread disease (such as mosquitoes) or allergens (cockroaches). Some suck blood (blood-feeding kissing bugs.) But many, such as most of the spiders, do no harm.