Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Skating On An Ice Rink

I am spending a few posts at Lansdowne Park, and I'll be ranting and venting whilst here. Aside from a New Year's Eve visit, it has been a long while since I've photographed the place. OSEG (Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group), the group of real estate developers that pretty much got the place handed to them for their own benefit for the remainder of their natural lives (thanks a lot, city council) has been busy here, with most of the construction nearly done. Is it obvious I really dislike the fact that these swindlers pretty much stole what could have been so much better out from under the city? By the way, if OSEG happens to see this: from the bottom of my heart, I'll say it once again- middle finger fully extended at the lot of you no-good underhanded double-dealing crooks. If you guys were on fire, and I had a glass of water, I'd drink it.

Anyway, to start things off, we have one of the three things about the whole development that they got right. A portion of the place has been set aside as an actual park (go figure). While the skateboarding area and the playground are dormant this time of year, the skating rink is open. For those who might be peckish, a Beavertail hut is at the far end, along with another establishment.


41 comments:

  1. Nice photo. Have some hot cocoa, William. 😉

    ReplyDelete
  2. Refuse to Despair and keep speaking truth



    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    =^..^=

    ReplyDelete
  3. It is very skimpy sort of an after thought.
    Not that it has to be Rockefeller Center but gosh this is Canada, winter central !

    cheers, parsnip

    ReplyDelete
  4. You feel very angry, I think.
    But your photo is nice.
    Wish you today a nice day.
    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  5. The rich and powerful seem to rule everywhere.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Follow the cold panorama ... as seen.

    Tomás.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm looking forward to learning more about why you dislike the developers of Lansdowne Park. Glad they got at least one thing right, though.

    ReplyDelete
  8. i'm not a big fan of developers any way, go get 'em!

    ReplyDelete
  9. @Linda: hot chocolate would be in order.

    @Cloudia: I'm sure OSEG wouldn't like that.

    @Parsnip: yes, well, the developers probably spent as little as they could on the park and still get away with it.

    @Orvokki: I would characterize it as disgusted, compared to what could have been done with the place. There was so much potential here, and now it's going to be nothing more than residential, big box stores, and the plaything of these developers.

    @Stuart: such is the case here.

    @Tomas: thanks!

    @Marianne: ice surfaces like this do keep people skating while waiting for the Canal to open, or after it closes. As of yesterday the Canal is still open.

    @EG: in this whole park, they got all of three things right: the park area, and two buildings. The rest is a desecration.

    @Tanya: developers are overwhelmingly vermin.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Tell us how you really feel William :) Developers hey, what you going to do with them :) you know now that you mentioned the 'beavertails' I reeeeeally want one :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. gonna enjoy your opinions on this place, i can tell. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm with Stuart...
    The skating rink is nice and o.k., but I would prefer the canal...

    ReplyDelete
  13. I don't skate and am not per se a fan of rinks, but I do love this photo, William. That having been said, I think I will make a nice cup of hot chocolate. :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. I don't skate anymore, but I used to do it a lot auntill about ten years ago. This nice ice rink seems to have the size which I could still handle ... ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  15. @Grace: the next time I pick up a Beavertail, I'll have to make it an apple cinnamon one.

    @Tex: OSEG certainly wouldn't appreciate this!

    @Karl: I think places like this are good for those who might find the Canal a bit overwhelming. Particularly with little ones.

    @Linda: I like that the ice gives a bit of a reflection of the trees.

    @Jan: it does get well used.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Developers aren't my favorite people either.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, developers influenced by and influencing councils...

      Delete
  17. The ice looks to be in great shape!

    ReplyDelete
  18. The last few attempts at spring skating. I do so hope.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm not a big fan of developer or the city/county people that play along with them. I worked at the county courthouse for awhile and saw a lot of stuff that I had lots of questions about. I tried and was left wanting.
    I hope the skating rink is well used.
    MB

    ReplyDelete
  20. I too am not a supporter of the mega rich developers. Right now, we have some older people being tossed out of their homes because developers want to bulldoze them for extended freeways. There seems to be no understanding or compassion. That said, this skating area does look quite attractive.

    ReplyDelete
  21. My Grandson and his buddies are hockey fans and also themselves skated in teams. I used to watch them. Guys now are 18,19 they go at night at real late in New-market and it is a real pleasure to have one. At night they can play hockey and in day and afternoon for the smaller kids skate. Something like that. Has been not a problem. So if this is good. Then all the more to the rinks for public.

    ReplyDelete
  22. City politics are always the same. People want a piece of the city for nothing and are pretty good at persuading incompetent councilors to let them have it.

    ReplyDelete
  23. The other half of our blog would really enjoy this!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Politics... I'll be over at the other end then.

    ReplyDelete
  25. You'd *love* what developers have done in California. It's called "zoning for dollars."

    ReplyDelete
  26. I didn't get to break out my skates this year... maybe next year!

    ReplyDelete
  27. @Denise: this particular brand are real scum.

    @RedPat: they might be able to keep it that way through the March Break. I read in the paper today that the Canal is now closed for skating for the season as of last night.

    @Birdman: on here, it's still possible. How long that lasts is another story.

    @MB: it was incredibly short sighted, and now there's nothing to be done about it.

    @Marleen: it's also popular, that skating rink.

    @Gemma: all developers seem to care about is how much more they can pad their bank accounts

    @Carolann: there are a lot of rinks in neighbourhood parks set up just for that.

    @Red: the irony is that the councillor whose ward this falls under never liked this project and argued against it, but he's the one who has to deal with the problems it presents, particularly in terms of traffic and noise.

    @VP: good!

    @Ciel: it's more venting at the developers than politics!

    @Kay: that figures.

    @Merisi: at least looking at it from this angle, I'm spared from looking at the stadium monstrosity.

    @Halcyon: hopefully next year!

    ReplyDelete
  28. This is the first time I have ever seen the word "peckish" used on a City Daily Photo site. Seeing a word for the first time makes my day! Keep them coming, not to mention your fine photos and write-ups in general!

    Janis
    GDP

    ReplyDelete
  29. Politicians, if there's a good open space they just can't leave it be. Not sure though what a Beavertail hut is ?

    ReplyDelete
  30. never had a beavertail, but heard they were really good.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I would really like to try one of those Beavertails. I've seen pictures and they look so good. I'd enjoy sitting and watching the skaters, but my skating days are pretty much over I think!

    ReplyDelete
  32. At least there are people enjoying the skating rink.

    ReplyDelete
  33. @Janis: it's a rather different word for hungry, so why not?

    @Geoff: a delicious- beyond delicious- pastry!

    @Gill: they definitely are.

    @Lois: my skating days never started.

    @Mari: and for now, that's as much skating as they can get in, with the Canal shut down today.

    @Linda: hot chocolate is good.

    @Jen: thanks!

    ReplyDelete