I have been fortunate enough to travel to some great cities and have seen the potential for what could be done. Cities like New York proudly offer spaces like Central Park, Rockefeller Center, the Guggenhiem and the list goes on.  Chicago has Millennium Park, a fine example of what can be created to encourage the morale and spirit of a city.  Boston has the Commons, and need I go on about the countless other cities that make something special as their focal point. They are timeless places that stand proud and attract visitors and citizens alike.  What about poor Ottawa?  What do we have? Well, there’s Parliament I guess if you like to see where your taxes go...the canal is beautiful and the NCC has done a fabulous job in maintaining the parks within the city but unfortunately these places lack any dramatic “OOMPH!” for lack of a better word.  We need some OOMPH! Ottawa, and once we find that, I think we can take this corner of the city and turn it into a destination location that will get this town the recognition it deserves..

I don’t exactly know what ingredients you throw in the bowl to create a nice batch of OOMPH, but I’m guessing it takes the right blend of cool architecture, natural elements, retail/commercial space with a dash of enthusiasm and creativity.  Just thinking about it, got me sketching some ideas on the train back from New York, and as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. I really don’t care if these ideas are considered or not, I’m sure some people will hate these ideas. My only goal in doing this is to bring awareness to the fact that citizens of this town need to step up and get active in making this city a better place to live. If we don’t get active and say what we want, then we’ll have to settle for what someone else wants, which could mean a real Lans”downer” of a place.

Andrew King

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