Anyone from Ottawa or Quebec?

[Banshee16]

I really appreciate the effort of writing all this and giving me so much information, it's really helpfull. I'm making lots of plans according to it.
My girlfriend has won a similar scholarship and will go to Quebec city. Lucky her she speaks french and english.
I'm going to Carleton university in Ottawa; I've seen it from outside using google maps, and it's really nice, modern and big! Universities here tend to resemble the parthenon, for reasons unkown to me.

Here's mine:

Carleton has a beautiful campus. I went to University of Ottawa instead, because of my specialty, but Carleton by far had the prettier campus. And it's nice, because the campus is right next to the Canal.

As to the transportation issues Gillaume mentions, he is correct. My gaming group had troubles with this. The city transportation system can be somewhat unreliable....particularly in later hours. I know some of the guys in my group lived in Gatineau, and could be on the bus for over an hour, and in the evenings, couldn't always get a bus ride back without long waits. I *think* part of the problem was getting the transfer from STO to OC Transpo later in the day. That having been said, I'm not afraid of walking. There are several bridges between the two cities, and if you don't mind hoofing it, you can easily get from one to the other. It's a little slower.....but most transfers are at the Rideau Center, I think, and, when it comes down to it, that's really not very far from one of the main bridges (MacDonald-Cartier?). The one by the National Gallery. One of the nice things about walking the bridge, particularly in the evenings, is that you get to see Parliament Hill lit up, and it's quite a nice sight.

Actually, speaking of doing it on foot, when I was at the University of Ottawa, an excellent way of getting around was to bring inline skates/roller blades with you. No worries about a bike lock getting cut, and easier to carry around. The distance from Carleton to downtown is probably about 5 km, and it really doesn't take long on skates. I used to skate from Hog's Back to downtown on a regular basis, and that distance was 7 km each way. It's a beautiful trip, along the water, doesn't take very long, and it more pleasant than being on a crowded bus. I used to do that, and then when I got to campus, or the Rideau Center or whatever, I'd just take my shoes out of my backpack, throw the skates on a strap, and keep going. Ottawa has a pretty decent set of bike trails. You can probably get from one end of the city to the other about 40 km away, entirely on bike trails. One gentleman I know, actually cross country skis on those trails during the winter to get to work every day. About 30 km each way.

I think your girlfriend is going to love Quebec City. IMO, it's one of the most beautiful cities in North America. Particularly if you like European style cities, with old architecture, fortifications, a military citadel, etc. Myself, I prefer beautiful old stonework over modern architecture, a lot of the time. I try to go every year or two during the summer. And the people are super friendly.

There are so many things I'd do differently if I was 19 and looking at Universities and knew then what I know now I think Quebec City and Paris would have been two cities I'd have really considered including on my list of applications.

A fantastic restaurant we love in the old city is called "Aux Anciens Canadiens". It's built in one of the oldest remaining buildings in Quebec. It's an old stone house built in 1640, and the the food is all traditional French Canadian and Native affair. Expensive, but it's a favourite with my wife and I, as we go there for a meal whenever we go back to the city.

If she's in Quebec City, then the whole thing with car pooling with other students will definitely work.

Banshee

 

[Guillaume]

I'm pretty familiar with the politics of the language wars

Being from Montreal, I'm certain that you are I just wanted to outline that the language war goes both ways and is not only a Quebecker/French Canadian thing.

Anyways, I don't want to take this into political discourse. Most of the time, if people at least make the *attempt* to use French, *most* people appreciate it, and if they have English, will switch over if they know the visitor is struggling. It's really no different than going to Mexico or Spain or Italy, or France. Make the attempt to respect the local language, and it improves your reception.

Very true!

For the original poster, the only place for living that I'd avoid is the area near the old train yards, south of U of O. Lots of students live in that area because it's close and inexpensive, but health-wise, it may not be a good idea, from what I've heard.

I don't know how much things have changed in the area since the 1990s, but when I was a student at U of O, the whole Sandy Hill area was a student slum. The appartments were cheap but drafty, not well maintained and generally appaling.

 

[Guillaume]

As to the transportation issues Gillaume mentions, he is correct. My gaming group had troubles with this. The city transportation system can be somewhat unreliable....particularly in later hours. I know some of the guys in my group lived in Gatineau, and could be on the bus for over an hour, and in the evenings, couldn't always get a bus ride back without long waits. I *think* part of the problem was getting the transfer from STO to OC Transpo later in the day.

Connections between two mass-transit authorities are, in my experience, always nightmare-ish outside the normal working hours. I've had trouble with the South Shore TA vs. the Montreal STM, the OC Transpo vs. STO, the Quebec City RTC vs the Lévis TA.

That having been said, I'm not afraid of walking. There are several bridges between the two cities, and if you don't mind hoofing it, you can easily get from one to the other. It's a little slower.....but most transfers are at the Rideau Center, I think, and, when it comes down to it, that's really not very far from one of the main bridges (MacDonald-Cartier?). The one by the National Gallery. One of the nice things about walking the bridge, particularly in the evenings, is that you get to see Parliament Hill lit up, and it's quite a nice sight.

You mean the Alexandra Interprovincial Bridge, the one that goes by the Astrolab? That has always been a favourite walk of mine during summer. In winter, however, better be well dressed. It gets windy out there !

That said, there are quite a few places where you can transfer from one MTA to the other. The Rideau Center is definitely one of them. However, there is also the Promenade Du Portage on the Quebec side and Wellington Avenue in Downtown Ottawa and Tuney's Pasture further out west. What is most efficient depends mostly on where you are coming from (Gatineau, Hull, Aylmer ?) and where you are going.

Actually, speaking of doing it on foot, when I was at the University of Ottawa, an excellent way of getting around was to bring inline skates/roller blades with you. No worries about a bike lock getting cut, and easier to carry around. The distance from Carleton to downtown is probably about 5 km, and it really doesn't take long on skates. I used to skate from Hog's Back to downtown on a regular basis, and that distance was 7 km each way. It's a beautiful trip, along the water, doesn't take very long, and it more pleasant than being on a crowded bus. I used to do that, and then when I got to campus, or the Rideau Center or whatever, I'd just take my shoes out of my backpack, throw the skates on a strap, and keep going. Ottawa has a pretty decent set of bike trails. You can probably get from one end of the city to the other about 40 km away, entirely on bike trails. One gentleman I know, actually cross country skis on those trails during the winter to get to work every day. About 30 km each way.

Also part of the winter, you can ice skate on the canal from the Rideau Center all the way to Carleton U. Another great way to stay in shape and view the city... If you can ice skate that is.

If she's in Quebec City, then the whole thing with car pooling with other students will definitely work.

Very true, but if she's in Quebec City proper, the city does have a pretty good bus service, especially if she is close to one of the three Metrobus lines. It is actually pretty easy for students to live in the city without a car, contrary to other university cities in Canada.

 

[Banshee16]

Being from Montreal, I'm certain that you are I just wanted to outline that the language war goes both ways and is not only a Quebecker/French Canadian thing.



Very true!




I don't know how much things have changed in the area since the 1990s, but when I was a student at U of O, the whole Sandy Hill area was a student slum. The appartments were cheap but drafty, not well maintained and generally appaling.

Pretty much the same now. Sandy Hill is Sandy Hill. Doesn't really change, except that the houses get older. Fathers & Sons is still there, but several of the other places are now gone. Most of the landscape in the Market is changed though. The Great Canadian Cabin is still there, and Minglewoods is, though it's changed location. But most of the others are all gone...Hoolihan's, I think On Top, Double Decker's, Stoney Mondays, Nickels, Atomic, Superdome, etc. etc....they're all gone.

My sister attended U of O about a decade after me, and she lived in Sandy Hill, and, though I assume it was a fun experience, the residential conditions aren't really any better.

Banshee

Banshee