2006-12-23 (1 photo) - new camera!

My photos were getting blurrier and blurrier with all the dust in my old camera, so I finally got a new one. Here is a beautiful night shot with the new camera.

This post added January 8, 2007 [image re-added 2014-03-17]
Copyright 2005-2007 Charles Akben-Marchand

2006-11-21 (2 photos)

They've put boards up along the side of the bridge, so that when snowplows go by it won't fall on the canal. Good to know they plan on plowing it!

A closeup. It makes you wonder whether these boards were thought of in the design stage...

This post added January 8, 2007 [images re-added 2014-03-17]
Copyright 2005-2007 Charles Akben-Marchand

2006-11-07 (5 photos)

Here you can see the recently-laid sod on the southeast approach. Notice how it echoes the windows in the building in the top-left? I didn't until just now.
This sod was more uniform, on the northeast side.
And the end of the northeast abutment. They're almost done there.
Northeast, towards Colonel By drive.
Here's a view of the southeast from the East approach. There's a gentleman there sweeping away dirt.

This post added January 8, 2007
Copyright 2005-2007 Charles Akben-Marchand

2006-11-03 (12 photos)

...and now all trace of the temporary pathway is gone. The only evidence is on this website!
I realized that I didn't have many photos of the whole bridge, only the pieces as they were built. So being a wonderful day, I took a few. I like this one the most.
Here's a slightly different angle of the landscaping between the East approach and Colonel By Drive.
There were some pylons and caution tape on the steps on the East side. I'm not sure why.
Here they're offloading some more sod, to be installed around the East approach.
And here they're installing it!
Here is the vegetation installed around the East approach. It will be bounded by more grass.
And you can see that they've installed trees on the northwest flower bed.
...and a cute little organized bunch of plants on the southwest flower beds. A truck is intentionally blocking the stairway.
Here's the view North from the West abutment. They've put grass down here, as well.
There's a temporary stop sign for cyclists at this intersection. Across the way, they've filled in the grassy area.
...more grass, on the South side of the west approach.

This post added January 8, 2007
Copyright 2005-2007 Charles Akben-Marchand

2006-10-24 (6 photos)

Okay, so I'm posting this on January 8, 2007. It's been quite a while, I know. I've seen some doubt as to whether I'd still be posting or taking photos. I have been taking photos, I've just been busy. My camera finally crapped out beyond hope, so I got a new one in December.

Below are some of the flower pots, stacked up after their contents were used. (SE looking NE)

Here is a shot of some of the plants as-installed at the bottom of the East approach.

They've torn up the temporary pathway and have started adding more plants here.

 And some more newly-installed vegetation at the top of the East approach.

Here's the view of the north-west flower bed from the East end of the bridge.

Here is the staging for some trees and bushes.

This post added January 8, 2007 [images re-added 2014-03-17]
Copyright 2005-2007 Charles Akben-Marchand

2006-10-18 (1 photo) - plant theft!

A couple of the plants were stolen from this bed (and perhaps from others...) I wonder if the thief used one of the many flower pots which was stacked closeby...

This post added October 23, 2006
Copyright 2005-2006 Charles Akben-Marchand

2006-10-16 (8 photos)

Look on the right, under the railings. There are six pylons which kept me from riding down the ramp. I was really offended by having to carry my bike down the stairs. The offense is primarily because I'm a Canadian (and thus am obligated to take offense), and secondarily because I'm a North American (and thus lazy).
This photo, despite the lens cover not opening properly better conveyed the reddish bushes which were installed.
This guy was operating a roto-tiller type device. On my way back from class, the pylons had been removed.
See that guy, right in the centre of the photo? That, I suspect, was Remi Roy, in preparation for his article in the Ottawa Sun (admittedly, a pretty decent article). I had seen him earlier on my way to class, in which I took the first photo above.
Some pylons, it seems, were relocated to the Canal. Oh, drunken students, what will you do next!
They finished the cobblestone on the centre part of the intersection at Somerset and Queen Elizabeth Drive on the Western Parkway...
...but haven't yet finished the one on the south end of this intersection...
...nor the one on the North end.

This post added October 23, 2006
Copyright 2005-2006 Charles Akben-Marchand

2006-10-13 (4 photos)

They're adding more bushes. These haven't been planted yet.
A view of the south side of the East approach, from the East approach.
Here are some pots from some of the bushes...
...which were planted here, on the West approach!

This post added October 23, 2006
Copyright 2005-2006 Charles Akben-Marchand

2006-10-10 (5 photos)

I'm posting this two weeks after these photos were taken, so I don't quite remember the context. I do remember that this billboard has some graffiti on it.
They've done some progress on the landscaping front. There's a line of trees getting ready to be planted. (SE looking N)
Here's a view of the battlefield escarpment north of the East approach. Quite the operation going on there!
Here's a view of the East approach, the trees on the west of it, and (in the centre of the photo) the northwest bank with the new soil.
Some people have voted with their feet, and decided that they should have built a staircase on both sides of the West approach!

This post added October 23, 2006
Copyright 2005-2006 Charles Akben-Marchand

2006-10-06 (5 photos)

More photos today. Here is a patch job done around one of the bollards on th East approach. Unfortunately, some cyclists didn't grasp it.
They laid down some plywood so that this bulldozer's tracks didn't mess with the pavement. Easier to clean, too.
They painted the intersection alraedy, and installed the stop signs on Queen Elizabeth Drive. That came up faster than I had expected. (The signs coming off the bridge are still temporary).
Note how the curb cut is done properly. Half of it is in the crosswalk (for pedestrians), and half of it is in the roadway (for cyclists). There is one for each direction. I was talking to someone about this who said he had to fight hard for this to be done properly.
Here is another view of the north/west approach, with fresh lines in the foreground.

Copyright 2005-2006 Charles Akben-Marchand

2006-10-05 (6 photos)

They resurfaced the intersection at Somerset. It looks nice.
They're landscaping the West bank. Note also the paved connection.
Here's the other paved connection. Unfortunately, it looks like it will be dumping people into the crosswalk when it is installed (they will be putting up stop signs). Although not so much a problem in this instance, many times the paths dump people onto crosswalks and sidewalks. Riding a bike on either is illegal.
Here's a shot of them filling in the West bank. It looks like a landslide. I guess it is one...
My battery was running low, but I wanted to get a shot of the spray paint (presumably) outlining the edge of where grass will be installed laid down.
There's the digger. Spreading dirt. Admit it, you did it too when you were a kid.

This post added October 5, 2006
Copyright 2005-2006 Charles Akben-Marchand