30 Days of Biking – Day 3: Riding to the Ottawa South Community Centre

Today I rode to the Ottawa South Community Centre to fill out a spring registration. Could have done so online, but I needed a task which included getting in the saddle for day three of the 30 Days of Biking challenge!

Starting from the Chinatown Arch at Cambridge and Somerset, you could ride east along Somerset to the bike path along Percy, but crossing Bronson at Somerset is harrowing for cyclists and pedestrians alike. Modalmom recommended crossing Bronson at Arlington, as it has become a much safer and quieter place to cross since a traffic light was added to this intersection. I tested it out, and the theory proved true.

I rode along Arlington to Percy and followed the bike path under the Queensway. The path ends on the other side, but Percy’s still a safe street to ride along through the Glebe to Fifth Avenue. From Fifth I wiggled my way along residential streets as shown on the above map to the corner of Wilton and Bank. Now this route to get to the Ottawa South Community Centre would be perfect, if not for the Bank Street bridge over the Rideau Canal. Cars love to fly over this old pont, making for a tense traverse.

The Ottawa South Community Centre is housed in an old fire station.Built in 1921 on Sunnyside Avenue, it was designed by W.F. Noffke in the Spanish Colonial Style. The inside has recently been completely renovated into a slick contemporary looking facility. The person who served me at the front desk was very very helpful. Success!

The route home (in red on the map) is a couple of kilometers longer than the one I took to get there, but avoids having to cross the Bank St Bridge. I continued down Sunnyside and made my way to Echo Drive. Echo runs parallel to the canal, just above Colonel By Drive. It is a quiet street, popular with cyclists, pedestrians and joggers.

I crossed the parkway at Clegg Street to the Rideau Canal Pathway.

After riding up and over the pedestrian/bike bridge at Somerset I continued along the path that runs on the north side of the canal. To avoid riding along Laurier between the canal and Elgin I cut through Confederation Park to where the Laurier Bike Lane starts on the west side of Elgin. From there it was smooth sailing all the way home. Ta-da!