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Old Posted Apr 29, 2012, 6:25 PM
Nepean Nepean is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 141
Quote:
Originally Posted by jchamoun79 View Post
As a condo owner on Rideau, I really hope you're right. There's nothing inherently wrong with shawarma shops, tattoo parlours and convenience stores, but Rideau could be so much more (and once was).
The bus that I take to work passes Foverever 21 and then turns left on Dalhousie. This trip has allowed me to observe upfront how Rideau St. has changed over the past 2-3 years. The addition of Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, the renovations of McDonald's and the installation of the Royal Bank all give hints of what Rideau could look like in the coming years.

While looking out the bus window, I often imagine a future like this: an expanded Rideau Centre that incorporates the currently empty Ogilvy building; an LRT station that is a busy transit hub; a few thousand condo owners living in, inter alia, Claridge Plaza Phases 1, 2, 3 and 4, as well as the two Phases of the Galleria, and bringing with them increased demand for pubs, restaurants, coffee shops and other urban amenities; more condo projects as developers like Phoenix homes start their own projects; and a renovated arts court.

I live in Nepean (hence my username!) and I am not very bullish about the suburbs. In fact, driving down Merivale, parts of Baseline and Carling is simply depressing. But the changes to Rideau Street are very encouraging, as is the construction in the Elgin Street area, as well as Bank street next to the Queensway. By the time the 150 anniversary of Canada comes in 2017, we may find, to our happy surprise, that we have a downtown core that is thriving and quite interesting.
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