In 1955, that is. The cranky old eugenicist may have been as racist as the day is long but Ottawa mayor Charlotte Whitton knew how to get a crowd on side with a quip. Here she has the audience, the panel, and the host of the old What's My Line gameshow absolutely howling simply by affirming her unmarried status. "I've made enough mistakes", she says by way of explaining why she is still a "Miss", not a "Mrs."

The trick that makes her so remarkable to this mid-century TV audience is that here she is, a lady -and yet she is the mayor of a city! And not only a city, but a capital city - yes, sure, it is that same strange backwater that James Fitzpatrick was excitedly explaining the existence of to his American audience in 1942 - but a real city nonetheless. Yes, the capital of Canada is run by a woman!

Of course the amazing thing is that she went on to do it again in the mid-60s, even after it making it clear to whoever would listen that she hated Jews, Ukrainians, social programs, the Maple Leaf flag, and…

Each week we will be focusing on blogs from around the world dealing specifically with urban environments. We’ll be on the lookout for websites outside the country that approach themes related to urban experiences and issues.

• If you've been saving up for a trip to Tokyo's Shimokitazawa neighbourhood, be sure to plan your travels before 2013. The bohemian hotspot is due for revamping and some fear that the very characteristics which make this place a favourite (twisting alleyways, discount shops, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, open air urinals) will be lost. The Globe and Mail shares some local gems.

• Worldchanging shares a recent study from a team of economists at the University of Munich examining the effects of mandatory parking minimums on development in urban and suburban Los Angeles. The study found that parking minimums "significantly increase" the amount of land devoted to parking, to the detriment of water quality, pedestrian safety and non-automotive modes of transportation. The authors suggest that these mandatory minimums often exceed market demand for parking space.

• For the Love of Biking shares some creative bike post designs from Minneapolis's DERO.

• Trust…

Top right of image shows the 28 acres of forest to be paved over

The following letter was sent to us by Spacing Ottawa reader Jason Garlough, who is a member of City of Ottawa’s Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee:

"On Wednesday, September 1st 2010 the City’s Committee of Adjustment will be considering an application for a “Minor Variance” that would allow more than 28 acres of existing forest in the Greenbelt to be destroyed and replaced with a 2,000 car parking lot and Exhibition Hall. 

Our city has already accepted a proposal from the Shenkman Corporation to build a 220,000 square foot exhibition hall and massive parking lot along Uplands Drive near the airport. From the City's report:

'The construction of a new Exposition Hall Facility, as proposed by Shenkman, will not only solve the problem of lack of contiguous exposition hall space that has significantly limited the ability of the trade and consumer show industry to grow in Ottawa, but will also allow the City to pursue its ‘greening” objectives for Lansdowne Park'

Lansdowne Park currently has a total of 96,400 square feet of exhibition space and since most of it will…

Yesterday was the last day ever for the Super Ex, and Spacing Ottawa contributor Érinn Cunningham was there to capture some images for posterity. Click on the image above to see all the images in his set.

We came across this little gem recently on YouTube -- it's a 1940s newsreel-style trailer, produced for MGM studios, created to show American movie audiences a little-known foreign capital city called Ottawa. The earnest and stilted narration is worth the price of admission by itself (listen for the pronunciation of "Ri-DEAU") but the most fascinating aspect is just how little "ceremonial" Ottawa - the canal and the parliamentary precinct – have changed in the 70 years since the film was shot. As the narrator says, they are noted for their "picturesqueness"

Of course, the stereotypes come thick and fast; red-suited mounties stride into the frame apropos of nothing, doughty old Queen Victoria gets a plug, and Canada is called "a vast wilderness", before the audience is assured that despite its differences and French prime ministers, the dearest wish of the Canadian people is to have full and mutually beneficial relations with the United States of America.

One other thing - have a look at about 1.50 for footage of one of Ottawa's old swimming beaches in action. There's a huge diving tower well out from the shore of what the narrator says the Ottawa river; it's a glimpse at…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-hyVzTVDLg[/youtube]

Each week we will be focusing on blogs from around the world dealing specifically with urban environments. We’ll be on the lookout for websites outside the country that approach themes related to urban experiences and issues.

• NPR chronicles a growing trend for start up chefs who use trucks, trailers and mobile homes to sell their food to the masses. The overwhelming expense of starting a restaurant isn't stopping these gastro-preneurs from practicing their art.

•  The Globe and Mail reports that for $148 U.S., Japanese Prius owners can now install noise makers into their hybrid cars. The devices make a whirring sound equivalent to the noise of a regular car engine; regulators and automakers hope the move will reduce the number of pedestrian-hybrid crashes which are two times more common than with conventional engines. The device may soon be made available in other markets.

•  New Yorkers are fighting a contentious battle between preserving their iconic skyline and increasing density near the Penn Station transit hub. The New York Times reports on a 1,216 feet tower proposed for 34th Street, two avenues…

O'Brien and Doucet get the message. But what about Cleo?

September is approaching and campaigns are picking up the pace. Candidates are starting to roll out their platforms. Pressure groups are lining up debates and releasing platforms of their own. Before we know it, election signs will start popping up... although perhaps not as many we might expect.

Larry O'Brien's campaign says that lawn signs are "old school and expensive". He's opting for billboards instead. Clive Doucet's campaign is eschewing the tradition for environmental reasons. It's unclear whether this includes signs on public property (which were much more effective a campaign tool for O'Brien in the last campaign, as his lawn sign count was minimal). But Alex Cullen's website still has a link to order a lawn sign, and Jim Watson keeps announcing his daily sign request count on Twitter, so they won't be jumping on the no-sign bandwagon.

Signs can be important to a campaign for a few reasons - as a visible indication of individual support, they can show momentum. They can increase a candidate's name recognition - although one might argue that most folks already recognize the names of the four main candidates.…

This summer Chamberfest once again highlighted churches as fantastic downtown arts venues.

Re-imagining or re-purposing “the church” is happening a lot more these days.

The Sunday Event

With fewer parishioners spending Sundays at churches, especially in downtown areas, beautiful old church buildings are being forced to diversify or dissolve.

There is a migration of well-established congregations purchasing cheaper property in the suburbs and following families out of the city, such as the Metropolitan Bible Church formerly on Bank and Gladstone Street (shortly to be a new condo block).

Churches are expensive. They rely on funds from Sunday collections and fundraisers to support their operations. Downtown property taxes and older buildings are a strain and increasingly challenging to maintain.

While some are selling off their parking lots to make ends meet, other parishes are finding new uses for their spaces and attracting new audiences, beyond Sunday’s main event.

New Audience

One such example is St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts & Humanities in the Market on St. Patrick. Purchased by a caring group who didn’t want to loose the heritage site, the church has taken on a new life as an arts venue and cultural centre. Now venue…

photo by Érinn Cunningham