Random Street Scenes Of A Capital

Some random shots to close out the month today. This angel sculpture stands across from Notre Dame Basilica in the Byward Market.

Along Sparks Street, the old Bank of Montreal building has undergone a refurbishment in recent years. It's now in the hands of the government after the bank moved its main branch to a new office tower a couple of blocks away, and is used as a reception space. I've seen pictures of the interior- I'd love to get inside, but there's no word on public access.

A couple of birds were perched in this small tree in August, singing away as I passed by. Can you see them?

Early one morning I was up in the Hintonburg neighbourhood. I paused to photograph the house, which has appealing architecture. The laneway to the left is common in older neighbourhoods, offering garage space to homes which might not have front driveways. It's also familiar to me, since I walked that laneway many times when I was living in the area.

Heading downtown along Somerset Street, the complex here is one of the city's uglier buildings. City Centre, as it's called, has been something of an eye sore for decades, but the ownership has been revitalizing the place, and it's actually well used, with a number of shops, gyms, businesses, artists, and even a bakery finding quarters here.

Further east on Somerset in Chinatown is the Dalhousie Community Centre, which at one point, from its architecture, would have been a Catholic school.

I'm finishing this post with a shot from late August. The Ceremonial Guard are marching here at the corner of Elgin and Laurier, on their way up to Parliament Hill for the Changing of the Guard ceremony. First Baptist Church lurks in the background.