Two Houses Not Alike In Diggity

Great Conjunction

It was a sunny Monday morning in Ottawa. People online were excited that Jupiter and Saturn would meet in a Great Conjunction on the Winter Solstice. But with clouds moving in later on, there was zero chance that I could see anything tonight. But a potted Gerbera Daisy did produce two cheerful blooms. I have been quite lazy over the last several weeks. Without my own space, I haven't practiced yoga at all. I have walked outside every few days but only for practical reasons like getting groceries.

I needed to buy a few items today. But instead of heading straight there, I decided to take a few detours like my recent strolls in Toronto. It started at a little strip mall at Montreal Rd and Elwood. Businesses here struggle along for a few years then fold. Previous iterations included a Middle Eastern joint called Garlic King and a taqueria named Kukulkan. Currently, there was a falafel place (Quick Break) and a pastry shop (Petits Macarons) although the latter does mostly online orders and wholesale to stores like Farm Boy.

I passed by Lockwood Park which was really more of a parkette. The houses along Elvina were small bungalows sitting on large plots. A small trail near Mowat led to Kinsmen Park. Surrounded by houses, it reminded me of Sadra Park in midtown Toronto sans Hydro towers. But given the size of those private backyards, I wonder if anyone would bother to use this public space.

Crownhill St. was also a bungalow-heavy road but the mixture of semi-detached and townhouses along Steel looked new. Another small trail off Marissa spilled onto Fairfield Park. Finally, this felt like a place where you could linger. Wooden boards have been put up to form a hockey rink (though no ice yet). There was a playground, some benches, and a bit of space to relax. This wasn't Dufferin Grove (neither in size nor tree cover) or even Vermont Square but it could be reasonably inviting in summer.

A few more streets and I finally arrived at Ogilvie. This was a let-down as a destination. Instead of a bustling but friendly street like St. Clair, this was an arterial road dotted with big-box stores (Costco, Canadian Tire) and other suburban outdoor malls. So this wasn't a total bomb as a walk but it did reinforced my feeling that Ottawa is mostly a failure in urban planning.