Slack Bridges is an Ottawa based neo-soul, funk, r&b band who will be performing at the NAC 4th Stage on December 7th! Last winter they put out a full length record called Joy of Joys. They also recorded a video from one of the tracks ‘In the Drought’ with their lead singer Matt Gilmour filmed in various wintry locations throughout the city while his bandmates waited for him in the warmth and comfort of Union613 on Somerset St, sipping on cider and playing board games. This bike tour visits those locations, but first – here’s the video:
We begin at the bottom of the Nanny Goat Hill stairs at Primrose Avenue. That’s where you’ll find Matt seated and singing 34 seconds into the video.
Next stop is a couple of blocks west where Matt can be seen hanging out in the Elm Street basketball court, first with his back to the net at 24 seconds, and then cross court at 1min40.
Our next stop doesn’t exist anymore! This is the pedestrian bridge over the Queensway at Harmer. It was torn down this summer and is the process of being replaced, which won’t be for another two years! Matt can first be seen strolling along this sorely missed walkway at 35 sec’s.
There is a bike lane detour under the Queensway along Holland Avenue that requires cutting through the Fisher Park School parking lot.
Next Matt can be seen strolling along the National Capital Commission Scenic Driveway at 34 seconds into the video, which was pretty gutsy of him since there is no cleared shoulder and drivers tend to really gun it along this straightaway. There is a multi-use pathway adjacent to the Driveway that goes from Carling all the way to Prince of Wales Drive, but this important link is not cleared in the winter.
Fortunately Matt didn’t have to walk all the way to Prince of Wales as the next spot he was filmed is just off the Driveway aong the much quieter Ash Lane in the middle of the Experimental Farm. He is first seen there a mere 5 seconds into the vid.
Next I headed through the farm, then down along the Rideau Canal before cutting through the Glebe, then Centretown along the O’Connor Street segregated bike lane that starts just south of the Queensway. Union613 is located on the north side of Somerset, just off O’Connor where Matt meets up with his band near the end of the song. The sidewalk sign seen in the video is missing in my photo as it was in the process of being replaced at the time. They also have hanging bike racks on the edge of the sidewalk, as seen in the photo.
Et voila!
OttawaVeloOutaouais 