Monday, February 15, 2016

Four Bridges

Today I'm stepping away from Confederation Park for one day to show you some views of the Rideau Canal. This is a view to the south from the Corktown pedestrian bridge that links Centretown to the right with the University of Ottawa to the left.


This bridge has attracted the abomination that is the love lock. It seems to have become even more of a problem than the last time I photographed it.


Down on the ice, here's a view of the bridge itself.


Turning north, the Canal heads north towards three more bridges.


The Laurier Bridge is here in the foreground, framing the final two bridges, the Mackenzie King Bridge and Plaza Bridge, as well as the Chateau Laurier.


These two are paramedics, who during the skating season can often be found walking or skating along the skateway to lend assistance to anyone who's twisted an ankle. I like the arches and lines of the bridge's support frame.

43 comments:

  1. To hang padlocks on the bridges is common there, right?

    Tomás.

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  2. How fun to be able to see those bridges from the angles you have selected thanks to freezing temperatures. It looks cold and very interesting.

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  3. A lovely bridge seen from below. Those stupid locks on the bridges, they should lock the loved ones themselves for ever onto the bridge!

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  4. Lovely, lovely views of the bridges William. I'm a huge fan of bridges, arches and snow, so these shots get top marks from moi :)

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  5. how awesome they have paramedics available!

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  6. The bridge is great and those silly padlocks are a problem almost everywhere...

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  7. Ah, lock love. They are the barnacles of humanity.

    Janis
    GDP

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  8. What a great serie, William, I don't only like the skaters, but the photos of that last bridge are beautiful as well. Must be great fun to skate there now.

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  9. @Tomas: I have only noticed it on this one bridge.

    @Lauren: the last couple of days have been quite cold.

    @Marianne: I do agree!

    @Grace: thank you!

    @Tex: I saw a couple of them at work last evening helping someone who had fallen on the ice.

    @VP: the padlocks are ridiculous.

    @Janis: an apt description.

    @Jan: or walk as is my case!

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  10. Oh, I didn't realize there were paramedics on duty there! Hmmm. Those locks drive me crazy!

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  11. I like the way you photographed the bridges.
    Keep warm....
    It looks VERY cold.
    Here we had -7C this morning.

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  12. Ohhh huge huge rink with arches! Feels great!

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  13. I like these views of the Rideau Canal !

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  14. So thoughtful to have paramedics on standby to help those in need. Have a beautiful week!

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  15. One famous canal provides many opportunities for good photos. You can even pick themes...bridges. Nicely done.

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  16. It looks so very cold in all these photos!

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  17. @EG: it is a sensible precaution.

    @Gunn: it has warmed up from what it was

    @Sophie: thanks!

    @Karl: thank you!

    @Nancy: I think they get plenty to do.

    @Red: thanks!

    @Sharon: it is still dress warmly kind of weather!

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  18. Oh, quit picking on the love locks!

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  19. looks sooo cold!! darn, that's a lot of locks!

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  20. The best part of winter! (Don't like those love locks though).

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  21. Great photos. My husband made many trips up to Ottawa back in the 90s and remembers people skating on the Rideau Canal. Those locks, after learning about part of the bridge railing collapse in Paris, can be quite dangerous I know. The eventual weight of these things can cause so much damage to those beautiful old historical bridges.

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  22. I love the bleak, almost black and white shots! Don't get me started on the love locks...

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  23. Beautiful bridges! Too bad about the locks.

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  24. I'm so glad it opened! And the locks...what a dreadful thing. Have to focus on the fun things at the canal.

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  25. Such a beautiful view! It's good the paramedics are around. I'm sure there are some people who twist ankles each year!

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  26. Because of the intense cold we've been experiencing the last few days, we've had people ice skating and playing hockey on the canal near me too.

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  27. @Linda: it is more moderate today than it has been but we don't seem to be getting above the freezing mark anytime soon.

    @Norma: I do think they're unsightly.

    @Tanya: and at present the city isn't doing anything about them.

    @Halcyon: and here I don't know how to skate!

    @Denise: visual blight that they are they can do quite a bit of damage. This bridge is relatively new.

    @Ciel: we do get a lot of gray days here in winter.

    @RedPat: each have different things in their favour.

    @Jennifer: the Canal was very busy today!

    @Tamago: if all they have to deal with is a twisted ankle so much the better.

    @Revrunner: we needed the deep cold earlier in the season!

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  28. Yes that's a great bridge and great to see so many people enjoying the ice. I have seen paintings of the river Thames frozen over but l don't expect that will ever happen again..

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  29. I absolutely hate those love locks! When I was in Paris a couple of years ago, parts of the Pont des Arts bridge had already fallen into the Seine from the weight of the locks. Thankfully, they have now gotten rid of them.

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  30. Looks like fun -- and a popular place to be. Very cool that you can skate under the archway.

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  31. I take it that the whole canal is now open for skating - such a unique opportunity!

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  32. Love locks seemed like a charming idea until it became a big thing. Now it's as bad as graffiti.
    I especially like your last shot. The spiral staircase in the background adds to the interest.

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  33. @Geoff: a lot depends on topography and climate- we're well inland, so we don't get weather moderated by the sea.

    @Lois: I would have thought that particular incident would have been enough to end the habit altogether.

    @SRQ: it is. We have quite a lot of skateway here.

    @Furry Gnome: yes, all of the skateway finally got opened up, nearly eight kilometres of it.

    @Kay: it really is that bad now, yes. I've always liked that spiral stairs, even though I rarely have used it.

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  34. Very nice visit to the canal and bridges!

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  35. missed this yesterday. i always wonder when they (all the governments every where) will say that is enough of this lock business & like give tickets if you do that locks of love ... i wonder? ( :

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    1. I wouldn't complain if they had someone up there for a few weeks handing out tickets to anyone thinking of doing so.

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  36. I absolutely love these views, Williams. Ottawa is so lucky to have this amenity for skating within the city. And people who leave love locks are Neanderthals.

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    1. Watch it, Jack! I am 2% neanderthal and proud of it!

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    2. It does become a blight. I was up there this past weekend, and it continues.

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