Taking the scenic route: Exploring Ottawa’s prime picnic spots one trip at a time

Siu Hong Yu is a scientist working at the National Research Council. Outside the lab he tries to stay out of trouble with live music, food outings, photography, gallery visits, running, hiking, good reads and cinema.

Forget about the federal budget. I needed some fresh air!

With the doom and gloom of cuts and job restructuring in the nation’s Capital, I needed to get out of the city not only to decompress, but also to accomplish a mission. I wanted to scout around for some scenic drives and neat picnic/lookout spots. The wind over the Easter long weekend was chilly and fierce at times, but it’s worth bearing the cold in order to plan for the upcoming BBQ season. What’s more important than spending quality times with family and friends, after all?

Day 1: Crisscrossing the Ottawa River
On the first day of my trip I was planning on sleeping in, but ended up watching the sub rise instead. Not that I was in any hurry to leave. In fact, instead of following the route the GPS recommended, I decided to take the long way to reach wherever I was heading. The day started off with a detour to the Rockcliffe Parkway. I have run and biked sections of it on numerous occasions, but driving the whole thing outside rush hour made me realize how lucky we are to have such a scenic route so close to downtown.

After turning onto the Queensway at St. Joseph Boulevard, I headed east to where the Queensway turns into Highway 17 at Trim Road. I continued along the river for about 20 minutes and then followed the road signs of “Old Highway 17″ and “FERRY” and made a left into Clarence. Following the second “FERRY” sign at Dallaire Road, I reached Clarence Island and crossed the Ottawa River on the Ecolos Ferry, a zero-emission cable ferry powered by rechargeable batteries.

The scene on board the Ecolos Ferry.

The ferry has no propeller, and instead runs on smaller engines and produces less noise and water agitation than conventional ferries. For $7, the ride was smooth and before you know it, you are driving on the Quebec side of the river. I headed east on Highway 148 for another 20 minutes, and passed through Papineauville to reach my first destination, Fairmont Le Château Montebello. On-site visitor parking costs $5 for the first half hour then $10 for the rest of the day. The luxury resort is famous for its unique architecture and history. The lobby itself is well worth seeing and I would love to go back for their Sunday brunch. Out by the waterfront, a young couple was enjoying their walk, playfully snapping pictures of each other while I sat by the marina for a little picnic of pita, hummus and cherry tomatoes. Re-energized, I checked one picnic spot off my list and started off for the next…

Plaisance Falls

Tracking back towards Ottawa, I turned onto the Chemin des Presqu’îles into Parc national de Plaisance. The park is not officially open for the season until the May long weekend. With its lowland ecosystem, boardwalks and guided pontoon boats, it is a birdwatchers’ paradise for sure. While I was in the area, I detoured and headed north on Montée Papineau then made a left onto Chemin Malo to visit Plaisance Falls. Off the road and further downhill, the main falls roared in the afternoon sun. I was truly impressed by the water volume. All the melting snow has to go somewhere, I guess. There are plenty of picnic tables scattered along the trail and a well-positioned lookout platform for the falls.

After making it back onto Highway 148, I headed west for Ottawa, but when it came to crossing the river, I decided to try another ferry, just for fun. I went for Masson-Angers’ Bourbonnais Ferry. It cost $9. The ship was bigger, but the overall experience was much the same as Ecolos. However, I did notice that multiple ferries were operating simultaneously, so the onshore wait time here may be shorter during rush hours.

Petre Islands

Before calling it a day, I stopped at Petrie Islands at the end of Trim Road. By then, the wind had picked up and a few kites were flying by the beach. Seagulls were cawing and waves gently hit the shore. Cattails shuffled in the wind. Ah, the open space! I kept walking and caught myself listening to my feet rustling against the dry grass. I didn’t feel like going home…

Day 2: Due South
Whether you are going to Cornwall or Kingston, the 401 seems to spring up from our subconscious as the only way to get there. I had no idea what I had missed by not taking the alternative route! It was time to cruise along the St. Lawrence. After a lazy omelette, I popped in Feist’s album Metals in the CD player and hit the gas (within the legal limit of course). Under a heartwarming blue sky, I was bound east on the 417, took Exit 66 near Casselman and headed south on St. Albert Road. Following the direction for Avonmore, I turned onto Regional Road 27 and then made another left onto Regional Road 6. Not long after, you will turn right to head south, but note that you are still on Regional Road 6. I sometimes wonder how those highway numbers are assigned. Anyways, still trying to reach Avonmore, I made a right onto Regional Road 15 at a T-junction and continued south. Home free! Thank you iPhone navigation. Without a single car in sight, I switched off the music, rolled down the windows and savoured the pothole-free ride in an open field.

After about half an hour, I crossed the 401 on an overpass and reached the Long Sault Parkway along the St. Lawrence via County Road 2. The parkway uniquely links a series of 11 islands to create a heavenly spot for cycling, camping and other family fun. I was certainly taking a mental note of which picnic tables to come back to. Next up was Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary just a little stretch away to the east of Aultsville Road.

The sanctuary is a great spot to hike, canoe and bird watch, of course. Both the Long Sault Parkway and bird sanctuary are part of Parks of the St. Lawrenceand most facilities are still closed until the end of May (campground reservations are now open, though). As a result, I literally had the whole Naime Island to myself, and spent a good hour and a half there for lunch, photo ops and simply soaking up the sun by the water. A few flocks of Canada geese came and went in total bliss.

Legion Way and the cattails

Finally, I sidetracked on Lakeshore Drive between Morrisburg and Iroquois to check out the waterfront residential area and Legion Way near Cardinal for a quick snack before heading back to Ottawa for an Easter dinner.

Mission accomplished.

Your photos are beautiful, Siu! Do you have any favourite picnic spots you want to tell us about? Send us an email at ltottawa@gmail.com.

Giving thanks to a great city: What we love about Ottawa

Happy Thanksgiving, Ottawa! We hope you’re all enjoying the long weekend with food, friends and family.

I think we can all agree that Ottawa is a great place to call home — and definitely a place for which to give thanks. We asked some of our Local Tourists this week what about Ottawa they were thankful for.

Here are some of their answers:

What was the best part of your Thanksgiving in Ottawa? Drop us a line if you want to share!

Learning to switch, dunk and ‘get down!’: Fiona goes white-water rafting on the River

Rafting on the Ottawa River with Wilderness Tours

Fiona Tapp is a British elementary school teacher, who has called Ottawa home for the past five years. As a native Londoner, she tries to explore and enjoy Ottawa as a tourist and, so far, is pretty impressed with this “tiny but brilliant” city!

Looking for a little weekend adventure and encouraged by a half price offer from Livingsocial.com, my husband and I travelled about an hour and a half from Ottawa to Forester Falls on the Ottawa River, to experience a weekend of white-water rafting, camping and adventure sports at Wilderness Tours.

We arrived in time to put up our tent, but after a lengthy, rather disorganised check in — weekends are very busy here — we found it too dark to put up our tent and had to rent a cabin at a cost of $97. We were not expecting this cost and it would be an understatement to say we were more than a little grumpy! Our rafting trip was scheduled to be the first in the morning at 7.30 am, and so we settled down for an early night. Drunk “teendults” (combination of a teenager and young adult) woke me at 2am, 3am and 5am, screaming and running around the campsite (my hubby slept through it all), so by breakfast on Saturday morning we were ready to pack up our stuff, head home to our cat and mark the weekend up as lost. After a little discussion about the money we had already spent we decided to go on the rafting trip, and if we still felt the same way, we would leave as soon as we got back.

Paddling hard through the rapids

After a briefing in the amphitheatre, our group boarded three school buses and drove the short trip to the river, where we were kitted out with helmets, life jackets and paddles. I was a little nervous, especially about falling out of the boat, and counteracted this by chatting inanely with the other paddlers. Our raft consisted of two friends, who had both rafted before, and a group of eight novice paddlers on a stag weekend.

Once we set off, I realized we were not going to get far fast as the group were out of stroke using different paddling techniques and stopping for numerous breaks; as a dragon boat enthusiast for the past four years, I found this a little frustrating and my competitive streak felt wounded as other boats passed us. But I decided to relax and go with the flow, once we got to those rapids we would move with or without paddling effort!

On approaching every rapid, our guide, Joe, gave very detailed instructions on how we would proceed: “paddle hard”, “level 2”, “level 3” “switch” or my favourite, “Get down!” And then we would feel the pull of the current and away we went. Approaching the rapids was much like the clicking noise heard when you ascend a rollercoaster, the inevitability of the ride that awaits filled me with fear until we popped out the other end unscathed.

Rafters on the Ottawa River get dunked

On the first rapid, the raft after us lost 10 paddlers to the river, leaving only two lonely paddlers blindly clutching for paddles and bodies! Luckily no one was injured and our boat alone collected four paddles, a helmet and two (non-matching) shoes, highlighting the importance of securing your safety gear correctly and wearing sensible footwear.

The rapids have names intended to intimidate: Butchers Knife, Bus Eater and the Garbarator to name just a few. The river guides tell stories about these rapids with a tough guy persona that includes berating paddlers (usually just the men) yelling and instilling fear. However, this is all part of the river shtick and they are very professional, safety conscious and fundamentally nice people. My favourite of this theatre was when asked why he worked at Wilderness Tours, by a paddler, our guide, Joe, answered: “Well, I love people: Not you people, but people!”

We had a quick stop along the river for a snack — people paddling later in the day have a full lunch on their break — and then paddled down river to a spot where the brave could cliff dive into the water. I left this activity to my husband and waited with a few other scaredy cats in the raft.

Our last rapids looked innocuous and Joe explained that we might not even feel the pull of the current, however using his guide paddle, he managed to turn the raft up on its edge so that half of the boat were underwater and then switched so the other side could experience a dunking!

Fiona relaxs at the camp site after a long day on the river

Paddling the short distance back to the bank was tough; we were tired from about five hours out on the water and everyone needed a nap. Once back to the buses, we were given a much needed drink and driven back to camp.

Our mood had indeed been lifted by this morning of high action adrenaline pumping adventure and we decided to stay. Now that our grumpy mood had lifted, we were able to see Wilderness Tours for what it is: a very well-appointed resort with lots of activities and resources; kayaking at the beach; a swimming pool; hot tub; games; mountain biking — you name it!

We enjoyed our lunch: meals here are served cafeteria-style and simple but tasty. We then moved on to the dreaded task of erecting our tent. A true test of teamwork, engaged couples should be forced to complete before being allowed to marry; we managed to put the tent up in under 30 mins without killing each other! Now that we had a place to lay our head (and weary river-battered bodies), we could really enjoy our mini vacation.

In the basement of the main building I enjoyed a hot shower and change of clothes before dinner, which was a yummy BBQ chicken with baked potato and apple crumble for dessert. The entertainment that evening was based on the theme of “The Wild West.” (Every summer weekend has a different theme.) The rain that evening dampened the party atmosphere a little, but the live musician’s rendition of “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon was truly electrifying.

With heavy eyelids, we returned to our campsite and before my husband, J, had returned from brushing his teeth, I was fast asleep with an open book lying across my sleeping bag. Very heavy rain and thunderstorms woke us a few times in the night, as did a small leak into the tent which soaked my sleeping bag and forced me to snuggle up closer to J!

The next morning we enjoyed a hearty breakfast, relaxed and enjoyed the resort facilities. We didn’t get a chance, due to more rain showers, to take out a kayak so we are already planning next summers trip to ensure we experience all Wilderness Tours has to offer.

 

Wow! Despite the ups and downs (literally), sounds like quite the weekend. Thanks for sharing!

Q&A with Ottawa photographer Andrew Carson

Self-portrait, Andrew Carson

Andrew Carson is the artist and photographer that you hear making a bunch of noise in front of house on garbage night while he digs around in your trash only to toss your discarded televisions into his trunk. He is also the artist and photographer whose landlord wants to strangle him for filling his backyard full of dismantled TVs.

Tell us about how you found your passion for photography.

Passion. I wouldn’t say that I really have a passion for it. I like it and it’s very interesting but for me camera is nothing more then a tool. My passion is creating things with my hands. Photography happens to be a very good way of showing people the things I have done and the ideas that I have. What I found instead, was SPAO. I don’t know of another place that permits the sort of learning (to use the word loosely) that occurs in the that building. You can learn anything you want at SPAO as long as you photograph it in the process. I want to be clear though – its not a cakewalk and this isn’t a plug for SPAO – you’ve been warned.

You’ve lived in Ottawa since you were 16, what’s your favourite space in the city to photograph?

I don’t have one because I don’t go out and photograph places or things specifically. The photographs occur in my mind first and then go out to find the pieces that satisfy the requirements of the idea. Of course I need to make some concessions along the way but I guess that’s normal.

Ottawa is really a beautiful city to live in and damn it, that sure makes it difficult to create cold and uncomfortable imagery!

The River, Andrew Carson

You’ve had a diverse career – how has that informed your photographic style?

Retail, lot jockey, building maintenance, student, tour manager, truck driver, parts installer, brick layer, triathlete, snow removal, insurance broker, lighting designer, contractor…I have worn and continue to wear many hats.

I guess a lot of them have involved building things so that has definitely played into the way I create. Being an insurance broker for nine months changed me irreversibly – I wanted to stab myself with a fountain pen while I was doing that. So, desk jobs are out the question for me. I don’t really have much of a choice – I need to create. Everything I’ve done has affected my “-style” – both photographic and life.

Tell us about the work you’ve done with SPAO so far.

When I first started going to SPAO I moved from the Alta-Vista area and into VERY SMALL bachelor apartment in the ByWard Market. I think my place is 20 feet deep by eight feet wide… anyway, I decided that I wasn’t going to pay for the internet or cable because, well – I couldn’t afford it.

So, one day I was in my tiny apartment and out the corner of my eye I spotted the white cable that we have all come to know as the conduit through which hours of entertainment and information arrive on our TV screens. I thought to myself “I wonder if it works?” So, I grabbed my television dusted it off (who am I kidding, I didn’t dust it off) and plugged the cable in. I flicked the TV on and much to my surprise – 37 channels of basic cable being paid for by God knows who and coming from God knows where. I became a zombie. The TV was keeping me from many precious hours of sleep and it while it seemed free it was costing me productivity – and for what? It’s all crap! Junk, junk and more junk.

One small cable piping all the visual pollution of the world directly into my eyeballs. So, I cut it off. I disconnected the TV once and for all and made a decision that if I was going to spend inordinate amounts of time watching TV it was only going to be on the ground glass of my camera.

The rest of the story is told through the photographs I have made during my time at SPAO.

The Pile, Andrew Carson

What do you plan to do with photography in the future?

I wish I could say that I have a plan but I don’t. It doesn’t bother me though. I am just going to keep creating and doing the things I am doing. I haven’t made any really horrible decisions so far and don’t think I am going to start screwing up left right and center anytime soon. I have managed to convert my life into a succession of projects and creative activities. I am also a lighting designer so that keeps me busy part of the time and the rest of my time is dedicated to eating, sleeping and making art. At the risk of sounding ridiculously cheesy – I have never been more broke in my life, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.

How would you spend your perfect day in Ottawa?

I would wake up at around 10:30 a.m – it’s Monday.

It would be a sunny day in July and about 28 degrees. I would say hi to the cats and walk next door and get a coffee. While sitting outside and enjoying my coffee I would read the latest copy of Standard Issue Magazine. Lunch would be along shortly and a Club Sandwich would fit the bill.

The rest of the afternoon would be spent biking around checking out record stores like Vertigo Records and Compact Music as well as meeting up with friends.

After some BBQ’d Chicken I would head up to Bluesfest to see Tool play a show on the main stage. After the show I would ride home and relax on the deck with friends and some cold beers.

That sounds about right.

Thanks Andrew!

Ottawa’s Amazing Race: Q&A with Urban Quest’s Anthony Woods

Anthony Woods, emceeing at the Sears Great Canadian Chill

Anthony Woods is a consultant and entrepreneur who has lived in Ottawa his whole life. In his spare time, Tony enjoys paintballing, musicals, and participating in City Chases.

So, tell me about the history and premise of Urban Quest.

The founders of UrbanQuest love reality TV shows like the Amazing Race that combine challenges and travel, and require resourcefulness. The idea was to recreate a smaller scale version of the experience that’s available to the average person and isn’t hugely expensive.

What led you to start such a unique business?

There was a long time that we couldn’t figure out how to make the model work.  We could build a huge experience that had a secret ending – but the costs involved meant we’d need to charge hundreds of dollars per experience.  And we felt sure that immediately after we had finished all the answers would be posted on the Internet. The breakthrough for the company was actually the release of the newest Zelda game. The day the game was released, you could pick up a full walk through at EB Games. It made us realize that it was the user’s experience. Give them the answers and if they want to use them, it is their choice. It allowed us to build something cost-effective because we didn’t need to keep everything a secret.

Who is your target audience? Locals or out-of-towners?

The original thinking behind UQ was that it would be a fun activity for locals. In particular, we thought it was going to be “the greatest date night ever.” What we’ve found is another market that loves Quests which we didn’t see coming: families.  Parents started telling us stories about how they loved doing it with their kids and how their kids loved the “treasure hunt.” We are working now to build more family oriented events – we have three museum Quests in queue.

How do you write the quiz questions?

Writing the Quest clues isn’t exactly a science but we do have a methodology worked out.  We always try to design the clues more around shapes, colours and numbers rather than making them trivia based.  We also do a lot of puzzles, books, games, etc. We also read a lot of tour books, surf the web, and a few late night brainstorming sessions over some beers and a game of settlers never hurt either!

Bryan McKenzie running at the launch of Urban Quest's Museum of Nature Quest

What kind of reaction are you receiving from people?

We have actually been receiving an overall positive response to the company’s idea and to the Quests themselves. The vast majority of people are up to the challenge and absolutely love the idea.  We’ve had second hand stories come back from people we know that had friends telling them about this “great puzzle, Amazing Race” thing they did and how they have to try it.  It’s interesting to create that kind of buzz.  There are a few people that have come back without enjoying the experience, but in those cases we have found that we didn’t manage customer experience well enough.  For example, a grandfather did it with his grandson and came back saying that it was way too much walking – so we now post on each quest how much walking you can expect to do.  We listen to our customers and work to improve the product with every response.

Do you have goals for expanding your business in the future?

We recently launched our first Quest in Toronto, with more to come. We’ll also be moving to Kingston soon. We will continue to work the east coast from there.  We also recognize that we will have to move past our small crew writing all the clues and are working on a writing contest to try to get others involved in the process.  Becoming mobile is also key for us – both Blackberry and iPhone versions of the product are in development.

What do you think is the number one misconception about Ottawa?

Ottawa’s painted with the stigma that we are a boring government town!  There are two things I have against this. First, Ottawa is one of the most diverse and beautiful cities out there.  We cover the range of winter sports like skiing to summer activities like white water rafting.  The second is as a government town, Ottawa isn’t without entrepreneurialism.  If you look to some of the historic companies that have come out of the Ottawa area, especially Kanata, it is tough to say we are without business innovation.  We’re hoping that UrbanQuest can be just another one out of this great city.

Can you describe your perfect day in the city?

Of course my first natural answer is “spend my day doing an Urban Quest”.  That aside – it depends on the season.  In the winter, a day snowboarding.  In the summer, that’s a tough one but I’d probably say a day on the Ottawa River.  Either way – this is a city that requires going outside!

Why do you think it is important for people to get out, pound the pavement a little bit, and explore this city?

This city is filled with hidden spots and neat areas.  How many people drive to work every day passing the Parliament buildings but have never heard of the cat sanctuary or the whispering wall?  People spend lots of money to go visit foreign places but especially in a tough economy, one of the cheapest things people can do is visit their own city!  Urban Quest just makes doing so a lot more fun!

Thanks for dropping by Tony!

Also: this just in — LTOttawa will be doing an Urban Quest and writing about it (as soon as the weather and our schedule clears up!). If you’d like to tell us about your Urban Quest, send us a note and we’ll bring you in on the fun.

Through a photographer’s eyes: looking at Ottawa from a different angle

Justin Van Leeuwen is an Ottawa-based event and portrait photographer who, in his spare time, takes pictures without people in them. Many of the images seen in his LTOttawa posts can be purchased as limited edition canvas prints through his website.

Ottawa photographer Justin Van Leeuwen

Ottawa is a lovely city.

If you live here, you might not be appreciating all of the wonderful sights there are, simply because you are used to them. We may not have the appeal of the “BIG” Canadian cities: Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal (the former of which I lived in most of my life), or the exotic feel of a foreign land… but remember: more than seven million tourists come to our city every year.

They’re obviously seeing something – so what are we, as locals, missing?

This is our nation’s capital, and there are many unique opportunities, locations, and events every week, thanks to bodies like the National Capital Commission whose “job, simply put, is to plan, develop and use these properties as a source of pride and unity for Canadians.“

Do you know what this means? It means the city is clean, it has monuments, museums, art galleries (all with great architecture), and more than 60 festivals throughout the year, winter, spring, summer and fall. Those are, of course, the obvious examples. But as an outsider looking in, I can appreciate how “normal” or boring your every-day city looks.

But think about it; what is it that almost every tourist, but few locals, marvel at the minute they pass by: our parliament buildings. They are simply STUNNING!

 

Parliament Hill (JVLphoto.com)

And that stagnant body of water running right beside it. You’ve seen it a thousand times right? Let’s revisit this…the Rideau Canal is something not just unique to Ottawa but to the history of Canada, and honestly, it’s not like it’s Toronto’s Don River.

It’s a lot of fun to photograph under the right light:

The Rideau Canal (JVLphoto.com)

And is even more dynamic during Winterlude:

The Rideau Canal (JVLphoto.com)

From there we can travel down to the ByWard Market, which maintains a local, home-grown feel about the vendors within the area – and doubles as a great spot for people watching (if you’re into that sort of thing).

The ByWard Market (JVLphoto.com)

Jumping back onto tourist attractions, there is always the recently renovated Museum of Nature. My boys, ages three and one, absolutely marveled at it’s offerings.

Of course, while they were fixated on the dinosaur bones, I took in the lovely glass-lantern tower which, despite it’s apparent simplicity, seemed to present more photographic opportunities than I could work out of it in a single day.

The Museum of Nature (JVLphoto.com)

After moving here three years ago, I took it upon myself to thoroughly explore my new home, on foot, so that I could immerse myself in some of the things that would too quickly become commonplace to me. It took me a long time to actually see the O-Train, despite crossing over it’s bridges twice daily, and even longer to photograph it.

OC Transpo's O-Train (JVLphoto.com)

Further North of the O-Train tracks (no longer connected, but part of the same line) lays the Alexandria Bridge. While there are “no trespassing” signs, and I have heard tales of fines being issued for a careless few, this bridge is explored, traversed, and photographed often. You can quickly cross it and go all the way to Quebec and back – my favourite view of it and the Ottawa River, comes at sunset (protip: most of your good light for photographs will come at the extremes of the day, so make a habit of taking a walk just a few hours before sunset).

The Alexandria Bridge (JVLphoto.com)

I should mention, I didn’t “see” the images I’ve shown here the first time I stumbled upon a location. But I did note them for their potential to photograph, either alone or as a backdrop to one of my portraits, just under different circumstances. Even after living here for three years, there are places I pass by every day -  places many people I know have passed by even more.

If you just take the time to look at things differently, from a different angle, you might see Ottawa in a way nobody else has before.

The Glebe (JVLphoto.com)

The Elmdale Tavern (JVLPhoto.com)

World of Maps (JVLphoto.com)

I encourage you to explore your neighbourhood, your block, your city.

Do it with your family and friends, or go alone – just get out and spend some time actually seeing, opening your eyes, and observing this wonderful city we live in.

It will surprise you.

Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful photography in such a thoughtful post. We hope to see more of you soon!

Do you have a photo of Ottawa you’d like to share? Send us a note!

Blowing up the Rideau River

Today’s Globe and Mail had an interesting article on a century-old practice in Ottawa that we here at LTOttawa hadn’t heard of before: Blowing up the Rideau River.

The dynamite-laden task essentially serves as a way to protect surrounding buildings from water damage by breaking the ice into chunks that can be dumped into the larger Ottawa River. A seemingly boring subject made interesting by explosions!

Although we’ve included a video to last year’s blasting, the Globe does a great job of describing it nonetheless:

“Pre-empting the annual thaw, city workers armed with sticks of dynamite set off explosions where the frigid waters tumble over the Rideau Falls and into the Ottawa River . . . Dressed in bright orange flotation jackets and hip waders in -11 C weather, the workers are ready for two or three days of steady detonation. With a mechanical saw, they have sliced up the ice into long rectangles that wait to be carried by the current through controlled openings in the dam. With powerful augers, they have drilled hundreds of foot-deep holes, ready to receive their charges.”

Read the rest of the article — and be sure to check out the accompanying photos and graphic — here.

Do you know of a little-known Ottawa practice that we should share with the city? Tell us about it!

Q&A with award-winning photographer Paul Couvrette

Paul Couvrette, of Couvrette Studio

Paul Couvrette is an Ottawa-born, award-winning photographer whose been practicing his craft for 35 years. Shooting everything from portraits of prime ministers to weddings to advertisements, his downtown Ottawa space, Couvrette Studio, is a hopping place. Named Canadian Photographer of the Year in 1994, Paul has shot more than 300 magazine covers, his work gracing the front of Time, Reader’s Digest and Ottawa Life.

When did your passion for photography begin?

I did a Journalism degree at Carleton University and freelanced as a writer for two years, primarily as an art critic for a number of magazines and the Ottawa Citizen. During that time, every time I was asked to do photojournalism to accompany the articles — editors praised the photography as much as the writing. Frankly, I was paid as much to write as the shoot … and I simply liked shooting better.

You’ve shot some big Canadian names, from Rick Mercer to former Olympians, even Prime Minister Stephen Harper. What’s been the most memorable shoot in recent years? Any funny stories?

Rick Mercer, taken by Paul Couvrette

There are literally hundreds of memorable shoots from my time covering Trudeau to my assignments in the Arctic.

Funny stories … Well, just before I did Rick Mercer’s portrait he asked me to make certain I did not make him look like a comic. And he was serious!

Photographing Trudeau on Canada Day once I saw Justin Trudeau pop a balloon on a hot video light. The “POP” resulted in two RCMP undercover men pulling weapons and pointing them right at me since I was a foot from Trudeau. I asked him about the scare a bit later and he said the he wasn’t worried “since they were good shots.” I think he meant the RCMP.

How do you put those in front of the lens at ease? Any secrets?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capital Style cover of Amanda Forsyth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are a lot of different techniques, but primarily I tell them that I sympathize … since I, too, hate being in front of a camera.

In your opinion, what makes a photograph sing?

Expression, composition, tonality and storytelling are the key elements of a good photo. I respect any artist who has a strong command of their medium as it still stands out amongst the digital onslaught of our time.

You also seem to be a photographer of many hats, shooting weddings, portraits, architecture and ads. Do the same basic principles apply to each style? How do they differ?

Yes, I am a bit of a rarity in that not only do I shoot all these styles, but I have won major awards in each area. Yes, the same basic principles apply, except of course that in photographing people you have both the challenge and the benefit of using expression to tell the tale.

Photo by Paul Couvrette

Any favourite shooting locations in Ottawa? (Besides your studio, that is.)

I love my large studio since it lets me shoot things most people can only dream of. If I was to choose another location it would have to be on the Ottawa River in one of the beautiful spots in Beachburg (about an hour’s drive west of the city.)

Ottawa's skyline by Paul Couvrette

For those photo junkies out there, what gear do you use?

My main camera is a Canon 5D Mark II … Though I wish film was still around.

Beyond the camera, how else do you enjoy exploring Ottawa?

I have two children aged 11 and 15 who have forced me to have a second childhood. On Sunday night, I was sliding at Winterlude.

What do you think about the state of the photography industry?

Digital impacted the public quite negatively in that many have a lower expectation of end product than they did only a decade ago. Sadly, the bulk of people are so overworked that they can barely make time for a family portrait and settle for a WalMart snap. I am certain that many people will regret their choice of poor quality images to remember the key times of their lives. Everything comes back around and I’ll be here waiting.

Christmas Portrait taken in Couvrette Studio

Thank for the chat, Paul! Check out more of his amazing work on both his portrait and commercial sites, and on his blog.

Q&A with the President of the Ottawa Flying Club

Marc Desjardins, President of the Ottawa Flying Club

Marc Desjardins is an employee of the City of Ottawa/City Council, who has lived in Ottawa for 43 years. As the President of the Ottawa Flying Club, he leads a volunteer Board of an organization with 83 years of Ottawa aviation history.

So tell me a bit about yourself; how did you get into flying?

My father was in the Royal Canadian Air Force and as a child I remember going to Air Force Days at Rockliffe and Trenton.  For years I wanted to get into flying, but always had trouble finding either the time or the money. Finally in 2002 things all came together and I began my flight training at the Ottawa Flying Club.

I attained my private pilot license in 2004.

For anyone who has not been up in a small plane, how would you describe the experience?

The sensation of flying in a small two-seater or four-seater aircraft is very different than a passenger jet.  At first you may be a little anxious, but quickly that changes to exhilaration… and the world below you becomes a wonder and beauty.

I’m not sure a lot of people know about the Ottawa Flying Club, can you tell me a little bit about its history?

The Ottawa International MacDonald-Cartier Airport was originally known as The Hunt Club Field. It was used intermittently by aircraft, including Department of National Defence planes. Charles Lindbergh landed his Spirit of St. Louis at the Hunt Club field on July 2, 1927 on a flight from New York, and the public’s interest in aviation in this region followed.

In 1935, the facilities of the airport were operated by the Ottawa Flying Club and included a club house, an office, one hangar (35 by 40 by 14 feet), two private hangars for light aircraft, refuelling services by Imperial Oil, and a wind-sock. The Club’s first home was an old, two-storey, white clapboard house located on the east side of what is now PAPA taxiway. At the time, club members and students were flying Avro Avians, powered by the Genet engines, purchased from the Ottawa Car Company, which made street cars for the City of Ottawa.

Now, 83 years later, the Ottawa Flying Club has graduated thousands of pilots and has even trained a few of the Canadian Astronauts. Many graduates of the Ottawa Flying Club have established themselves as professional pilots in various Canadian, US and International Airlines as well as within other aviation related jobs such as Air Traffic Control.

Photo Credit: The Ottawa Flying Club

Paint me a picture of the OFC today: what services do you offer?

The commitment of the Ottawa Flying Club is to produce safe and competent pilots through comprehensive and high quality training. Membership has its benefits and Ottawa Flying Club members have access to our fleet of aircraft for rent and to the frequent seminars, movie nights and social events.

More importantly, members get to participate in our challenging cross-country trips. Club members have organized trips of with four or five aircraft to California, Bahamas, Florida, both coasts and many other destinations. These trips provide are both an adventure and an excellent way to build experience and confidence that you won’t find at other clubs.

As a social center, the Ottawa Flying Club Café & Lounge provides a comfortable place to spend the day with free WiFi. The Café (open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) provides all day breakfasts and an excellent selection of Asian cuisine.

Who are your members?

We have about 250 members from the Ottawa area and beyond, who range in age from 17 to 84.  Many of our student pilots have gone on to become pilots with Porter, Jazz, Air Canada and airlines around the world.

I read that you offer flying tours of the city, what does that involve?

Aerial view of Ottawa's Parliament Hill

Ottawa Scenic Flights are offered seven days a week. Our staff of instructors can take up to three passengers in our Cessna 172 aircraft.  Departing from the Ottawa International Airport flights can be customized to go where you want.  Typical views include, Gatineau Park, the Ottawa River, Parliament and downtown Ottawa.

People can book by calling the Club at 613-523-2142 or visiting us at 20 Lindbergh Pvt and getting a tour of our aircraft.

What are people’s reactions, the first time they get up in the air?

I think some people are very apprehensive when getting into a small plane but after five minutes of flying and seeing what’s around them or even taking the controls, that feeling quickly becomes… “how do I learn how to fly?”

Can you tell me a bit about Fly Day with the Ottawa Rotary Home?

Fly Day is an annual charity event organized by the Ottawa Flying Club as a way of giving back to the community.  It has been doing so for 53 years now.  In past years it has helped such organizations as the March of Dimes and partners with the Rotary Club to raise funds for the Rotary Home which is respite care facility for children with disabilities.

Describe for me your perfect day in Ottawa.

I’ve lived in Ottawa for 43 of my 56 years, and my perfect day in Ottawa is a beautiful late June morning with barely a whisper of wind, getting into a Cessna 172 and flying 3,000 feet over a luscious green city, the sun glistening over the waters of  the Ottawa, Rideau and Gatineau River, with only me and a few birds soaring below me and sky and land for as far as the eye can see!!

Thanks Marc! Now…who wants to go flying?

The weekend warrior: Laura Allardyce on the old Prince of Wales train bridge

Laura Allardyce is a cultural observer with an overactive imagination that is always insisting the glass is half full. She has lived in Ottawa her whole life and says she will only leave once she has smelled all the roses.

Though LTOttawa does not condone her hooliganism, we certainly do condone her great storytelling. Thanks for your contribution, Laura!

It’s a certain kind of weekend warrior who clocks out at five and regresses into their adventurous youth.

It was to be an afternoon of playing snakes and ladders in the park with some friends. We rode our bikes to a spot behind the Canadian War Museum by the river for an end-of-summer lazy day in the sun. Somehow the talk turned to hooliganism (of the childish variety, not the rowdy soccer fan kind). In the near distance we could see the old Prince of Wales train bridge. Someone was walking across it. Was he suicidal?? That bridge doesn’t even have railings! There are just two waist high wires between you and a watery grave at the depths of the Ottawa River. And it was a windy day!

Now, maybe it was the snakes and ladders, maybe the heat of the day had popped the hooligan kernel that lay dormant in our adult minds planted by earlier talk of teenage badassery. Or maybe after a long week of working for the weekend, we were up for anything.

You know that old train bridge by the parkway? The tracks run under the road and the bike path parallel passes under it? That’s the Prince of Wales bridge, at least that’s what I assume the decrepit decaying sign above its entrance used to say. Now it says Ince of Wals. If you get off the bike path and walk up the hill, you can climb perilously around the chain link fence and walk across that bridge – which is exactly what we did.

In an adolescent flashback-fueled impulse, we morphed into hooligans, breakin’ the rules and being bad. We were trespassing and didn’t care! Like that scene in Stand By Me, only a train never came. There is a sidewalk next to the tracks that is about four-feet wide and not nearly wide enough for a weak swimmer with a fear of heights. The bridge is covered with graffiti and oil spots making it ghetto and gross, but awesome and dangerous if you’re a 27-year-old with an over-active imagination. The view is spectacular, down river towards the rapids with a setting sun one way and the downtown shoreline the other. That’s right, a shoreline. Just call me Snookie.

Okay, so it turns out that a bunch of people use that bridge, not just the suicidal maniac we witnessed earlier. He’s fine, if you’re wondering.

The bridge crosses the river with a break in the middle at Lemieux Island. What mysteries awaited us on this seemingly abandoned island? Maneuvering through more chain link, past dead bonfires, through bushes we prayed weren’t poison ivy, we made up stories of debauchery and human tragedy, of spirited triumph and regret.

Finally emerging from the brush into the clearing we realized what was an adventure to us was a regular Sunday to everyone else who found themselves at the Lemieux Island dog park…

The moral of the story is this: there are hidden treasures all over this city.

Sometimes you find them by consulting the NCC, sometimes you just have to take a chance and embrace you inner hooligan. The dog park is safely accessible from River Street, off of the parkway. Also on the Island is the Ottawa water filtration facility, a nice man-made pond complete with ducks and frogs, perfect to eat salsa and chips by, and multiple lookout spots to stop at and watch the river flow into the sleepy city like dream soup.

If that’s how you choose to see it.