Be Back Soon – See you on Holland Avenue!

The current website is no longer being maintained however we are continuing the conversation on Twitter @MyHollandAvenue and Facebook so please join in to make Our Holland Avenue the best it can be. Go Holland, Go Dutch!

It’s not easy keeping a community happy but listening and gathering feedback is a good start to ensuring that everyone has a seat at the neighbourhood table.

As work continues on Holland Avenue I’m grateful for the input from the community, the WWBIA, Civic Hospital and Hintonburg residents that secured the widening of sidewalks, sewer replacements and trench reinstatement (here’s to puddle reduction) alongside the watermain upgrade work.  The sinkhole on Highway 174 paints a graphic picture of why under-street infrastructure needs replacing. The watermains laid between 1908-1922 don’t need changing just to increase capacity me thinks!

The contribution brought by the community is the key that turns “essential work” in to “neighbourhood improvements”.

The recent addition of Sharrows and cycling/driving safety signage on Wellington West highlights the potential of the community to advocate for the quality of our neighbourhood.  CBC story on Wellington West Cycle-Driving

Lets keep working together to ensure Holland Avenue continues to develop to best meet our entire community’s needs: whether resident, driver, pedestrian, cyclist, business or commuter.

Considerate Construction on Holland Avenue

We love the there is NO CONSTRUCTION ON WEEKENDS.

It has been a challenge but well done to the contractor for ensuring on-street parking spots on Holland – awesome!

Councillor Hobbs takes a Car-Free Approach to Transport

After a one year experiment living car-less in Ottawa Councillor Katherine Hobbs has decided to permanently change her approach to transport.

She initially thought it wasn’t possible but after meeting the year-long challenge has chosen to remain car-free. Via cycling, public transit and walking Katherine has met the requirements of her job,  her commute, her shopping and her life.

Listen to more about her car free lifestyle in this brief CBC clip (Adobe required) http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/Ottawa/ID/2265652763/

Look Out More Lane Reductions

Lane reductions are to be expanded today on Holland Avenue.

As part of the Watermain Reconstruction Project the current reduction to one lane in each direction will be expanded from Armstrong to Wellington Street on August 8 through to the late fall. Be especially careful out there when sharing with cyclist and bear in mind the reduced visibility for pedestrian crossings.

OC Transpo service has confirmed that service will remain active and the City is also keeping some on-street parking available.

This $4-million project will replace the 100-year-old watermains between Scott and Tyndall Streets to ensure an upgraded capacity. And don’t forget the city is throwing in some wider sidewalks in the affected area which will be a real bonus for the neighbourhood.

For more information on the Holland Avenue Watermain Reconstruction Projectvisit ottawa.ca.

Holland Avenue – a brief history

Named after the prominent Holland family of Ottawa this street remains an important and well used avenue in the Capital City.

The Hollands co-owned a land development company which is particularly interesting in terms of the current development and reconstruction in and around the street that bears the family name.  The Holland family along with Thomas Ahearn founded the Ottawa Land Association as well as being actively involved in the newspaper publishing trade.  Perhaps if there story was more recent it would have been the new-media trade.

Andrew Holland (1844-1923) is perhaps the best known family member being both a reporter and a parliamentarian.  From 1876 he was the official “Senate of Canada” reporter writing on the Dominion Board of Trade, on the settlement of the Intercolonial Railway and Welland Canal construction contracts, and on the royal commission appointed in 1880 to inquire into the engineering, construction and route of the Canadian Pacific Railway. He helped secure a contract and subsidy from Canada to establish the Canadian-Australian steamship line between Sydney and Vancouver. He equally spearheaded a campaign to make the city of Ottawa and part of the surrounding area a federal district, similar to the District of Columbia.

On the lighter side, and in keeping with the current creative bent of the Holland Avenue area, Andrew and his George C. Holland were pioneering entrepreneurs in the area of new technology. As well as championing the use of the phonograph (an automated stenographer) in Parliament by working closely with the innovations of Thomas Edison they opened one of Ottawa’s first movie houses on 21 July 1896 previewing the VitaScope in West End Park.

All information courtesy of http://www.ottawagraphy.ca/hprojstname/holland-avenue

Away We Go

Construction on the Watermain replacement project begins tomorrow and runs til the end of fall.

Lane reductions are in effect starting from today when it will be one lane of traffic running in either direction. 

The watermain replacement will see greater capacity brought to the area while, as part of the deal, the affected area will see wider sidewalks great for increasing pedestrian traffic and the stroll-ability of the Avenue.

Greenbelt wins Contract for Holland Avenue

The contract for the roadwork schedule this summer/fall on Holland Avenue was been awarded to Ottawa Greenbelt Construction Ltd based in Gloucester, Ontario.

This is the construction company that completed Phase 1 of the Wellington St West road reconstruction from Western to Parkdale in 2008.  Were you happy with their previous work? We love the look of Wellington Village and hope to see more of the same on Holland Avenue.

Transport meets Street Beautification

Check out this very fine ride!  Everyday is a sunny day when you’re catching this “yarnbombed” bus.  The pictured one is by Magda Sayeg and it is indeed a beautiful piece of public transport .  Now, I’ve heard rumours there may soon be one on our local scene… we’ll keep you posted!

Meanwhile enjoy the image and let it take you places (sic) in terms of beautifying our Holland Ave.

City wants Your feedback by July 11! Cycling Corridor Changes

The City Of Ottawa Cycling Corridor Improvement Study is looking for your feedback on two proposed alternatives for changes to the Holland Ave, Hamilton and Hinton at Byron and Tyndall, as well as Gladstone and Parkdale.

There are some rather significant changes proposed including mini-roundabouts, shared lanes and bike boxes and you’ve got the opportunity to contribute feedback up until July 11, 2012.

Here are the cities two proposals for the work:

Alternative Number 1 and,
Alternative Number 2.

Note the difference between Alternative 1&2 is a speed hump on Byron so feedback can well be on the overall proposed changes.

Again, comments are due July 11  and can be sent to:

Wook Kang, City of Ottawa, Planning and Growth Management
110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, ON K1P 1J1
Tel: 613-580-2424, ext. 19285
E-mail: wook.kang@ottawa.ca

Robin Bennett, City of Ottawa, Planning and Growth Management
110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, ON
K1P 1J1
Tel: 613-580-2424, ext. 21795
E-mail: robin.bennett@ottawa.ca

Please feel free to copy us here at MyHollandAvenue – myhollandavenue@gmail.com