This interview was originally published in the Spring/Summer 2022 issue of Ottawa Magazine as part of a series on neighbourhood planning entitled “15 Minutes to the Future”. Find more articles in this package here.

Homeowner Dale Mason can walk or cycle to many key destinations — and has ideas for making Old Barrhaven West even better

What do you love about where you live?
That it has a lot of green space, that it is friendly, and has a fairly low crime rate. We also have a few wonderful festivals such as Canada Day and Octoberfest.

What do you dislike about your neighbourhood?
It lacks an art and entertainment scene, higher-end restaurants, and boutiques. If you want to get dressed up for a night out, you’ve got to go downtown. Here, it’s just a hoodie. We’ve got the Home Depots, the Costcos, the Walmarts, but I’d like to see specialty boutiques like you see in the ByWard Market. 

What changes would you like to see, short and long term?
I’d like city planners to come up with an expansion plan for the roads and construction. Barrhaven always seems to be under construction and it seems they didn’t give forethought to new subdivisions being built. I would also like a BIA or city council to encourage higher-end restaurants, boutiques, and small business owners to come to Barrhaven, using incentives to help them prosper.