Carlingwood Mall via Crestview

Last Wednesday night I attended the Citizens For Safe Cycling AGM where Olivia Chow made a strong argument for truck sideguards. The keynote speaker Ralph Bueler presented loads of great facts and observations towards enhancing the presence of bicycling in urban communities. For example I learnt that the more bicyclists there are out there the safer it is for all of us. Strength in numbers. So here’s hoping that this blog encourages folks to travel and commute via pedal power, like those living in the neighbourhood of Crestview!

There were some streets in Crestview that I had yet to visit, so that’s where I headed Wednesday morning. The red line shows the route I followed to get there. The blue line is how I got home.

On the way there I biked through the Arboretum and along the canal which is in the process of being drained for the winter.

Here is a very accomplished mural located in General Burns Park I discovered en route.
UPDATE: Fall 2015 – Sadly the mural is no more. It’s been scraped down to a bare cinder block wall.

Crestview is a residential community with big old power lines cutting through north to south.

Consisting of mostly single detached dwellings, some of the houses date back to the mid 40’s. This one caught my eye. Even with recent vinyl siding, it has managed to maintain it’s mid-century modern look.

On the way back I stopped off at Value Village on the corner of Clyde and Baseline to find props for a play. The very kind woman at the cashier told me exactly where to find the one prop that was eluding me. “Carlingwood Mall! Just head down Clyde Avenue, which becomes Maitland, then turn up Carling and you’re there!”…… After thanking her I headed out to my bike and consulted my trusty map. Bicyclists unfortunately have to avoid Maitland and Carling if they can as they are filled with aggressive speeding cars. My map shows Clyde Avenue chopped in two just north of where I was. My instincts told me there must be a link accessible by bike that joins the two sections, so I decided to try my luck.

Clyde ends where it meets the Experimental Farm Pathway, however there is this little dirt trail that continues north, veering off to the right.

Making my way carefully along this muddy path I happened upon… an old ski tow?

The path opened onto a hill which must indeed have been a ski hill in the not too distant past.

I made my way down and joined the northern section of Clyde Avenue. Looking south at this vertical cliff, I came to understand why Clyde was chopped in two.

Wove my way through residential streets north of Carling to the Carlingwood Mall, found what I needed, and pedalled home along our majestic Ottawa River.

Author: ottawavelo

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