Changing Seasons Along The Ottawa River

It has been my tradition once a month to come out to a viewing platform where the Alexandra Bridge starts to cross the Ottawa River over to Gatineau, and document the view over time. That view includes the Chateau Laurier, Rideau Canal, and Parliament Hill to the south of this location.

I start with a view from early in April of last year, when the ice below the river was just starting to break up. When it goes, it goes quickly.

This shot was taken in mid-May in what started as a rainy day but was clearing up when I was here. Most of the trees had leafed out.

This was taken one day in the second half of June.

I came back on a breezy Canada Day.

Here it was in early August.

And here was how things were in early September.

On a fall day in the first half of October, during an extended walk, I stopped by again.

In the latter half of November, I was back here, after some snow.

I took this a couple of days before Christmas Eve, en route to the Canadian Museum of History.

Late in January, I came here on a sunny day.

And concluding this post, taken a few days ago on a cold snowy day. Looking down at the slope, I saw some fallen trees, a nod that the treeline had changed from my first shot to my last in more than one way.

One Viewpoint Through Different Seasons

It is my tradition twice a month to come out to the Portage Bridge, where it crosses the Ottawa River from Ottawa into Gatineau, and from Ontario into Quebec. My purpose is to photograph this view downstream through changing seasons. Landmarks featured here include the Alexandra Bridge, Nepean Point, the National Gallery, Parliament Hill, the Supreme Court, and Victoria Island. 

I start today with a view taken early last September on a sunny day.

Usually when I come out this way it's midday, or afternoon. One day in the second half of September I was by early in the morning on a mostly cloudy day. The effect of the sun pushing through the cloud deck and silhouetting the landmarks was remarkable.

In mid-October things looked different.

And by the end of October, the fall colours were mostly gone.

Just a few days later in early November, here's what things looked like.

Later in the month, I passed by on a moody day.

In the first half of December, I came by on a snowy day. Parliament Hill was barely visible in the falling snow.

In the second half of December leading up to Christmas, we had a clear day.

This was taken around mid-January. The river here is too swift and churned up by the Chaudiere Falls upstream to freeze over, but what's below Parliament Hill does freeze up.

And this was from late January on a snowy day.

On Valentine's Day I stopped here again. In February, the ice is at its maximum point for the winter.

Finally, this was taken late last week. Tomorrow we're downstream from here for another look through the seasons.

Odds And Ends Around The City

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I have some odds and ends from the last few weeks today. This first one is from the beginning of the month, taken in Westboro, where there was a lot of snow around this church that is home to two congregations: All Saints Anglican and First United.

This fellow is downtown, one of the lion sentinels around the building that houses postal offices.

At Lansdowne Park, I was at the farmers market one day. These dogs caught my eye.

This is the stadium at the park, with the field dormant this time of year- though the people who do the snow clearing also clear an oval of snow around the field.

Here we have the National Aboriginal Veterans Monument downtown in Confederation Park, honouring indigenous veterans.

Ottawa City Hall has a large outdoor rink. In a winter that has not included skating on the Canal, this has been a refuge for skaters.

Dundonald Park is close to home, and buried in snow when I took this shot one morning.

That same day I noticed someone else on the street taking photos looking up. The contrast of these buildings with the blue sky appealed to me, so I took my own shots.

On Valentine's Day I passed by the Supreme Court. The Canadian flag at left is always present. At right is the flag of the Court, which flies when they're in session.

A short walk on is the next building over- the headquarters of Library and Archives Canada. This artistic bench stands outside. Someone had added felt flowers to the mix for the day.

And lastly, these two shots, taken a few days ago on Family Day, a provincial holiday. I was at Lansdowne for an Ottawa 67s game. So too were a number of costumed people.

Adisoke, A Work In Progress

 Every once in awhile I show you the progress of the work at Lebreton Flats on what will be a joint building for the Ottawa Public Library and Library And Archives Canada. The work will continue for some years before it's ready to open, and the building has been given a name: Adisoke. The indigenous word is Anishinaabe, meaning the telling of stories. The future main branch of the city's library will be here, and the federal government agency will share some space here too. 

At the current main branch, admittedly not a good design (Brutalist architecture rarely is), out in the main foyer are a series of posters and design sketches. The concepts have been out there for awhile, and the design, strongly influenced by indigenous culture, certainly appeals to me.

And here's what the worksite looked like when I passed by a few days ago. Progress is being made.