Crossing The Canal

The Flora Bridge is a pedestrian footbridge opened up last year, crossing the Rideau Canal and linking the Glebe neighbourhood with Old Ottawa East. I have shown you the bridge from ice level during the winter, but hadn't gotten onto the bridge itself until early April. Late one night I was in the area and decided to photograph it at night, coming from the Glebe side. It employs long ramps for approaches, and the bridge looks particularly graceful at night.

From this side you can see the ramp on the east side of the bridge.

In mid-May, I returned, wanting to photograph it when the Canal was full. There's a pond between the Canal and my location, which you'll also see in other shots below.

Another look at my third shot, quite different in daytime conditions. This was a brooding day, however.

This view looks south on the Canal.

And this looks north.

A few days later I approached the bridge from the Old Ottawa East side, and found a plaque dedicating it. It is named for Flora MacDonald, an MP and federal cabinet minister in the Clark and Mulroney governments, and by all accounts an outstanding humanitarian. She was a Conservative in the old Red Tory tradition, and lived in this area for many years.

This is the view from the overlook on the Glebe side, with the pond featuring, and spring blossoms in the tree seen here at centre. There's some colour beyond it: a bed of tulips that I photographed and will show you down the line.

Here's the overlook as seen from near the pond. Daffodils were making quite a presence along the slope. The Flora Bridge is a lovely one, in an ideal setting, and I think it actually enhances its surroundings.