Apartment building taking shape

I don't understand city planning. This apartment building is going up right next to a plaza with two banks, one credit union, a drugstore, a couple of restaurants, a fitness centre and a number of other commercial businesses. Why not put some of that commercial on the first floor of this large building, place some offices possibly on the second floor and then stack apartments on top?

As it is, this apartment is situated outside of the residential area and next to the commercial. It sits immediately beside a major east/west traffic artery. When I was a boy apartment buildings were nestled tightly into residential neighbourhoods. The apartments blocks were not quite so tall but they were still big compared to the nearby housing.

I like the idea of apartment living but I rarely like the way it is delivered. There are reasons many of us opt for a single family dwelling.

From the back new houses can look identical

Keeping construction costs down is important. Drive along a new suburban street and the homes often look similar in size but they seem to differ in design, but looks can be deceiving. Get a view of the back and sometimes the similarities are striking. In some cases, it appears one design has been repeated again and again with only the front facade changing from home to home.

Is this bad? Actually, no. Building a row of similar homes in the past was not uncommon. It kept construction costs in check back then and it keeps them in check today. My guess is that this approach to controlling costs results in fine quality homes at a competitive price.

On walking to the restaurant or bank or drug store

I believe the new Dolcetto is a locally owned business. The Italian diner is very handy to my suburban home. As can be seen from this picture, beside the Docetto there is a TD Canada Trust branch and next to that there is a Shoppers Drug Mart.

The common criticism of suburbia is that there are no businesses one can walk to. But there often are, as you can see from my pictures. But, do many folk walk to this shopping center. I'd bet the answer is no. Whether the folk live right across the street or some blocks away, I'd bet most residents of the neighbourhood take a car to the little, outdoor mall.

Is this all that much different from downtown? I doubt it. When I took my wife out for dinner recently, we went to one of our favourite downtown places. Of course, we drove, and I'll bet everyone in the diner that night drove.

When I was a kid we walked. I walked, my mother walked, the neighbours walked. Was this because the stores were even closer to our older, traditional neighbourhood? No. It was because back then lots of folk didn't have a car readily available for a quick, short trip to the store. Walking wasn't done by choice, life demanded one walk and walk and walk some more.

Sort of a snowman

Making a snowman is a winter must if you're a kid in London, Ontario. This winter has not been great for rolling the giant balls of snow suitable for making a large snowman. There have not been a lot of days offering good packing snow.

Today we could get the snow to stick and pack but it wouldn't roll along picking up layers of snow. The snowman had to been build one mitten of snow at a time. A carrot for the nose, some olives for the eyes  and some olives and bird seed for the mouth and we were almost done. A couple of windshield ice scrapers for arms and Pinky Pie was done.

I didn't name her. And yes, our snowman is a girl according to Fiona.

Downtown almost dead; Suburbia dull

At first I wanted to title this post "Downtown dead; Suburbia deadly dull." It had a good sound but it wouldn't have been true.

The downtown in London, Ontario, is sad but there are glimmers are good stuff to be found in the aging core: some fine restaurants, the central library design is brilliant and the arena/entertainment centre is one of the best in North America in a city the size of London.

And suburbia is often neat, clean, safe and handy. Saying suburbia is dull parrots an all-too-common description but it isn't really true. This little commercial strip sits beside my bank. I can get a ring re-sized, have my eyes checked, go for physio treatments, attend a Weight Watchers meeting or do a lot of other important stuff all in this one little shopping centre. To call this little commercial centre dull is somewhat true but it is hardly a full and accurate description.

As I have said before, what puzzles me is that we build stores without using the space above. We sprawl out and fail to expand up. A hundred years ago, stores like these would have had apartments above them. When I was a boy I worked at the neighbourhood drugstore and the one counter lady lived in an apartment above some stores. It was a nice little place full of lovely wood trim and real wood doors. It was small but it had style and class and it was affordable.

That lady took the bus to and from work. Her apartment, located on a main commercial street, encouraged taking the bus or even just walking.

Despite 17 below temp, I walked to bank

London's growing. When I moved to London, Ontario, I lived near the city core at the forks of the Thames River. There were lots of bank branches within walking distance of my home at that time -- back in the mid '70s. Today most of those banks are closed but I can still walk to a bank. I've moved to the suburbs and that is where the banks are all opening new branches. The building under construction in the background on the right will be the third financial branch to be built at the corner of Col. Talbot and Southdale Road W.

Saying London is growing is true but sad. The city is sprawling out, pavement poisoning farmland. Why can't North American cities encourage stores at street level, locate offices directly above the stores and then put apartments on the top levels? Some folks could actually ride an elevator to work rather than driving or taking the bus. Everyone could ride the elevator to shop. Putting the apartments on top gives all a better view, certainly better than looking straight out at a major roadway, and gets everyone somewhat above the road noise.

I look at the sprawl, shake my head, and walk home.

A winter storm rolls into Southwestern Ontario

A passenger gets a shot of winter driving conditions through a wet windshield.

Traffic moves slowly as vehicles navigate the snowy roads in London, Ontario. Canada may be famous for snow and winter but often Canadians living in the Southwest Region of Ontario are not well prepared for winter snow storms. Many drivers save money by not equipping their vehicles with winter tires. It's foolish but not uncommon.