feeling the pain

The mess on the strip has hurt many – for example, revenues at the Canadian Tire gas bar are down 50% since construction started! A CT employee, heading for work from Kanata this afternoon, found traffic backed up all the way past the train bridge, so he did a U-turn back to Hannel and then took Timm, Moodie, and finally Fitzgerald. Sometimes the Coco boys have to stop traffic completely for delicate operations.

Turning restrictions have been a prickly problem for some businesses.

The popular Tandoori Fusion restaurant has many loyal customers, but business has slowed as motorists shun hard-to-access plazas or just avoid Bells Corners altogether.

The traffic jams on the strip don’t bother this avid recycler – bikes rarely get caught in traffic jams.

The smaller restaurants like the excellent Koi Asia have their work cut out for them competing against the drive-thru chains.

A temporary sign on the strip can help. It costs hundreds of dollars per month in fees for the City and the sign company, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what McDo and Tim Hortons spend on marketing.

Fossil Day at the Centennial Library was enjoyed by many.

The latest census data shows that Westcliffe and Bellwood have significant pockets of poverty.

The gigantic pools for the Liquid Gym were trucked up from South Carolina.

A crane was used for the delicate operation of getting them into the building.

Easy does it!

Phew! It fits.

The pools are in place – the long-awaited grand opening happens soon.

Northside Developments has reactivated its attempt to get City approval for the Gow’s condos.


Many new documents have been posted here, including the new site plan, which now features the required four parking spots for visitors and eleven bike parking spots (although only two are visible on the drawings).

Some residents on nearby streets are opposed to the project because of concerns about extra traffic on their streets and at the problematic Northside/Robertson intersection.

Several nearby businesses on Thorncliff and Northside are also opposed. At least one of the business owners is VERY opposed to allowing the developer to put access on Thorncliff rather than on Northside.

But apart from this local opposition I think that most local residents probably hope that the Northside condos get built – everyone seems to agree that Bells Corners needs more housing options.