[kevinbottawa]

Here's what I'd like to see in Ottawa to make it more of a grandiose capital:

1. Ottawa needs to do a better job with national monuments. I'd want to see a major/iconing monument where the Portage Bridge meets Wellington in Lebreton Flats; something like the war memorial with steps and public space. It wouldn't take up as much area, but cars would have to drive around it similar to the war memorial. Perhaps a roundabout.

2. Build a downtown public square. The space where the war memorial is could've made a great public square but it's way too solemn as a war memorial. The only appropriate place I can think of is the Rideau-Sussex-Colonel By intersection although it's kinda small. I'd include a major monument.

3. Have a downtown public space with international symbols to communicate Ottawa as an international city. There are too many flags of the provinces and territories. At the peacekeeping monument I'd include the flags of the countries where Canada has had a peacekeeping role. I'd make the Garden of the Provinces and Territories into something with an international theme. Commonwealth Park with the flags of Commonwealth nations. The Peace Gardens with the flags of the countries that we have diplomatic relations with.

4. Build a new, bigger, mixed-use pavilion at Dow's Lake; make it a tourist attraction for visitors to the city and a local attraction for the many condo dwellers that are coming to the area. Wouldn't a new pavilion look nice with the new skyline?

Other ideas:

4. Do something with the front lawn of City Hall; it's ugly

5. Restore Strathcona Park to what it used to be

6. Get a water taxi service going