R4 infill housing, via a City of Ottawa planning report. The city last year outlawed bunkhouses that pack stupid numbers of bedrooms into urban buildings. Now it’s looking to address the rental housing shortage that made them. City of Ottawa planners are readying for consultations this fall on the second phase of its residential fourth density (R4) zoning review, which ties in with larger consultations over the new official plan. ...

Ottawa City Hall. Photo/Devyn Barrie Via Ottawa Public Library Celebrate National Poetry Month with creative and fun programs and events at Ottawa Public Library this April! Share poems by your favourite poets and discover poetry of all genres by joining us for POEtry KAraoke on Monday, April 8 at Bar Robo. ...

Artist’s rendering of a finished St-Laurent Station. (via ligneconfederationline.ca) Over the past few days I’ve been skimming the framing report for Ottawa’s new official plan — Ottawa Next: Beyond 2036. It was presented to the planning committee in mid-February and contains the city’s evaluation of the forces that will change Ottawa in the coming century. ...

Toodles. (Photo by Devyn Barrie) It’s been over a year since the Carlingwood Sears closed, along with every other store in the bankrupted chain. Now, it’s finally being demolished to make way for something new. The owners of the Carlingwood Mall applied to tear down the huge old store in August last year. ...

Elgin Street sign. Photo/City of Ottawa Beginning on Monday, April 1, the southbound lane on Elgin Street from Laurier Avenue to Somerset Street will close, completing the full closure of Elgin Street from Laurier Avenue to Catherine Street. Elgin Street is currently undergoing construction from Gloucester Street to Isabella Street. ...

Recent photo of coupled train testing on the Confederation Line, via City of Ottawa rail office. A controversy over the Trillium Line extension contract involving SNC-Lavalin, the province commits $1.2 billion for Stage 2 work, while train testing picks up. Here’s a summary of the week in LRT. ...

“Old and New” on Sparks Street. (Photo by Marcel Regimbald via the OttawaStart Flickr pool) Mayor Jim Watson, Tobi Nussbaum, CEO, National Capital Commission, and Councillor Catherine McKenney today joined City staff for an update on the Sparks Street Public Realm Plan. ...

The Peace Tower seen from the National Gallery. (Photo/file) Ottawa is a great city for volunteering. Ask almost anyone and they’ll agree our communities love to give back. If you’re looking to get involved, here’s three open opportunities that recently came across our newsdesk… ...

Artist’s rendering of a finished St-Laurent Station. (via ligneconfederationline.ca) Mayor Jim Watson thinks the Confederation Line will be ready before the end of Q2, he told CTV Ottawa on Tuesday. Watson was being interviewed about the federal budget when Graham Richardson asked him about LRT. ...

“New Flyer” Photo by Justin S. Campbell, via Flickr. (Used under a Creative Commons License.) On Transit Driver Appreciation Day, a simple “thank you” goes a long way. But timbits are certainly welcome, too. Team 263, the Stittsville cabal of bus riders who, in their own words, “sit at the back of the (#263) bus and make a lot of noise,” offered their driver Rosy the doughey delights during an 8 a. ...