Orleans Weekly Journal
Published: Friday, February 22, 2008 

Local questions worth pondering

Can we devote an entire column to local questions? What is the correct spelling of Orléans: with or without the accent? Why does every other street in Blackburn Hamlet seem to end with “park”? Was there an old bylaw in Cumberland that forbade a side street from staying straight for more than 100 metres?

Will the overhead wires on St. Joseph ever be buried? Is there a better way to house big box retail on Innes? Is the snack bar at Ray Friel ever open? Can you remember a time when Place d’Orleans/d’Orléans shopping centre didn’t have empty shops? Why didn’t they build a Tim Horton’s on the north side of the 174?

Why can’t I get a seat on the 35 bus at 6:18 a.m.? What is the best route to take to a Senators game from Trim Road 35 minutes before face off? Is there a more picturesque local street at Christmas than Taffy Lane? What is the secret ingredient in Broadway home fries? Why do more joggers use local bike lanes on streets than cyclists? How much did this extra asphalt cost us?

Why does the 10-car drive-thru lineup move faster than three people at the cash register? Where does the new Covenant church come up with their catchy slogans? Who is the most famous person to come out of Orléans? And what is former Canadian Idol sensation Steffi D doing these days?

How many more houses in Avalon will need Styrofoam foundation reinforcements? How close can homes get in these new developments? Isn’t the ability to touch your neighbour while yawning close enough? Is there a neighbourhood more serene than old Chapel Hill?

How many times has your sidestreet been missed by snowplows this winter? Has your driveway snowbank ever been this high before? Are you planning to eventually shop at the 24-hour Walmart after midnight just to say you did? Did you order an Orléans favourite from Gabriel’s pizza on Superbowl Sunday? Why does St. Hubert fill up by 3:30 pm on any Sunday afternoon?

How many kids can they fit behind the Tim Horton’s counter at Trim and Watters? How many people can line up inside the Timmy’s at 7 a.m. at Orléans and St. Joseph? Ten? Twenty? More? Is there a better local beach in Ottawa than Petrie Island? Is there a local car wash that actually dries your car?

Will the overpass just east of Montreal Road and the 174 ever be fixed or will the Leafs win the Stanley Cup first? Do the folks at Champlain cleaners know you by first name because you’ve been in every other day with salt stains on your pants this winter? Do Weekly Journal readers have truthful or urban legend style answers to these questions? Will you email them to orleansouttakes@transcontinental.ca?