Can the city spend smarter on its ‘social’ infrastructure?

Last week, news broke about the City of Ottawa’s $10.8 billion infrastructure gap. This gap is not a surprise. Nor is it a complete picture…

July 15, 2025

Keeping Public Buildings Truly Public

Recent news of new security measures at Ottawa City Hall has sparked mixed reactions and important questions about how we design and use public space….

July 4, 2025

Toronto Star: Think Toronto is shabby and ugly?

Why does so much of Toronto’s public space feel uninspired?  From broken fountains to lackluster parks, we’ve been stuck in a cycle of choosing the…

April 25, 2025

Everyone poops – A need for public restrooms.

We Need Public Toilets Everyone poops. Everyone needs to urinate at least a few times a day. For anyone who suffers from IBS (Irritable Bowel…

February 25, 2025

Field of Dreams – Ottawa’s public realm

In the 1989 Kevin Costner film “Field of Dreams,” Ray Liotta, as Shoeless Joe Jackson says, “If you build it, he will come.”  This phrase…

March 12, 2024