Field of Dreams – Ottawa’s public realm

In the 1989 Kevin Costner film “Field of Dreams,” Ray Liotta, as Shoeless Joe Jackson says, “If you build it, he will come.”  This phrase…

March 12, 2024

William Commanda Bridge – Is ‘good enough’ really good enough?

This summer marked the opening of the Willam Commanda Bridge. The completion of long construction project to bring back to an important link across the…

January 4, 2024

Aspiring Ottawa: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Need for Honest Conversations

Ottawa aspires to be one of the best mid-sized cities in North America. We are home to a growing population, a thriving economy and have…

November 28, 2023

Op-ed: Is selling ‘air rights’ to public land such as Lansdowne Park the best we can do?

In 2007 Ottawa City Council voted for a public design competition for Lansdowne Park. Initially, under the leadership of former Mayor Larry O’Brien, local developers…

October 30, 2023

Designing Safer Streets for a Spooktacular Halloween

Designing safer streets is a year-round priority, with Halloween serving as a reminder of the crucial need for well-planned neighbourhoods that enhance community safety and…

October 26, 2023

Dreessen: City of Ottawa must be more creative about public spaces

To build attractive, people-friendly venues, we must start with something basic and unsexy: fixing the municipal procurement process. Public places such as libraries, parks, community…

April 27, 2023