Carlingwood

| Sarah Simpkin

I’ve been getting through the “close to me” branches at a pretty rapid (and somewhat depressing) pace, but I’m also unable to pass up an opportunity to bike to another branch on the list while in the neighbourhood. I had a physically-distant deck beer scheduled near Carlingwood, and figured it would be an easy stop to check it off the list. (I’m planning to leave my home branch of Emerald Plaza for last 💚).

Leaving Central Park via Cedar Park Street, then some forested views along the Experimental Farm Pathway en route to Maitland Avenue.

I left my house in Central Park and headed for the Experimental Farm Pathway, then turned right to continue north on Maitland Avenue toward the Queensway. Maitland Avenue wasn’t the most bike-friendly routing, but COVID has cut down traffic significantly and I felt fairly comfortable crossing the highway and cycling to Carling Avenue.

Cycling across the Queensway on Maitland Avenue, then continuing straight across Carling Avenue to Sherbourne Road.

At Carling, Maitland Avenue becomes the infinitely more-pleasant-to-cycle Sherbourne Road, which is outfitted with bike lanes on both sides.

Sherbourne Road (bike lanes!), Saville Row and the back lot of a very quiet Carlingwood Shopping Centre.

From Sherbourne Road, I turned west on Saville Row and cycled painlessly to the library on the corner of Woodroffe Avenue. It was while planning this bike route that I realized for the first time that Carlingwood is named for its location at the intersection of Carling (duh) and Woodroffe (ohh!). This revelation was a bit embarrassing having lived in Ottawa and frequented the Carlingwood Shopping Centre for over six years now.

Views of Carlingwood Branch.

Carlingwood is currently closed to the public, but I was able to take some photos outside in the evening sun. This branch was a regular stop for me in the “before times” and I’m glad it was just a short ride away. After taking the pictures, I headed out for deck beer, then took a different route home south on Woodroffe and then east on Iris Street and Navaho Drive.

Eight branches down, 25 to go.