Orléans

| Sarah Simpkin

[ This is part two of a two part trip to Cumberland and Orléans branches. ]

Lots of space to cycle from Cumberland to Orléans branches.

After my poutine lunch, I was glad to get moving to Orléans branch. From Tenth Line Road, I rode along Des Épinettes Avenue, then made a left turn onto Jeanne-d’Arc Boulevard. Once on Orléans Boulevard, the library appeared quickly.

Unlike at North Gloucester branch, the old Gloucester logo has been removed (though it still appears faintly).

This branch has a funky 90s styling, complete with teal and burgundy accents and a geometric Chasse-galerie canoe sculpture. My best fact about the branch is that the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library have a self-serve book sale area called, get this, Encore. Easily one of my top three FOPLA second-hand bookshop names. (Other personal favourites are: Well Read at Carlingwood and Déjà Vu at North Gloucester).

Riding home along Innes Road.

After taking a few moments to look around, I headed for Innes Road to continue my ride home. While the scenic route along the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway was a lovely way to get to Orléans, the time window was quickly closing and I chose a more direct route back. That route (mistakingly) involved taking the yucky Blackburn Hamlet Bypass instead of continuing along Innes through the hamlet itself. Lesson learned!

The utilitarian bike path on Cyrville Road is not the most scenic, but it is surprisingly effective.

From Innes Road, I turned onto Cyrville Road, then onto Coventry, then across the Belfast Road Bridge to Tremblay Road near the Via Rail station. I then followed the bike path network toward Lees campus.

Crossing the Ottawa River near Lees campus, then following the bike path through the recently-developed Greystone Village near Saint Paul University.

From Lees, I followed the bike path network to Greystone Village and the Saint Paul University campus. I then turned onto Main Street, then Clegg Avenue, and cycled home along the Rideau Canal Eastern Pathway.

Smooooooth, recently-paved pathway along the Rideau River. This water fountain between Colonel By Drive and the pathway was a welcome sight after a long ride, and there were lovely flowers nearby to boot.

I crossed the canal at Carleton, and continued home through the farm.

View of the Rideau Canal near Carleton University, then an obligatory farm pic on my way home.

Seventeen branches down, 16 to go. (Over halfway!)