Of Skywalks and Frogger

Looking at my post of yesterday I'm having trouble explaining the anti-Ottawa west rant. I am trying to think of how it is significantly different from Ottawa east. Orleans was also obviously built around the automobile and, if anything, has recently become worse than Ottawa west in terms of blatant consumerism as the 10 kilometres of big box stores that line Innes Road has supplanted Kanata Centrum as the region's largest temple to Mamon. And, as far as I know, Orleans doesn't have nearly the recreational trail system of Kanata.

But then I guess that's exactly it. Kanata has recreational trails but almost no continuous sidewalks. It gives me the feeling that in the west end walking and cycling are meant to be hobbies not transportation. Orleans has few trails but most streets have separated sidewalks which implies to me that it is perfectly acceptable to walk (or bike) to the store.

For example, scads of people live within a half hour's walk of the Eagleson Park and Ride but I don't see any good walking routes (at least not from my side) and so I get to dodge on-ramp highway traffic not exactly dangerous but not exactly encouraging either. In the east end they have over-the-highway walking tunnels to get to the transit major stations.

So if any city planners out there want to green-up their towns take note of the things that create an atmosphere that encourages walking and cycling as a practical way to get around not just building an obviously secondary network of recreational paths.

And what does all this have to do with taking a long hike? I guess it's my feeble attempt at an excuse as to why I haven't been focussing on fitness like I'd planned to do when moving to the west end. Obviously I have no excuse. I'm just in lazy mode.