## Your neighbours are building something big

Bonjour, Ottawa. Simone Okafor-Bouchard here, giving you the real story, not the one that got lost in translation somewhere on the Hill.

The city just issued a building permit for a new two-storey detached dwelling at 865 Aviation Road, in Ward 1, with a finished basement and walkout. Get this: the value of this one residential permit alone is an eye-watering \$2,066,986. That’s more than some entire apartment buildings, non? It means someone is putting down some serious roots, showing a real vote of confidence in our city’s housing market. Or perhaps they just really like that view of the Greenbelt. The real story is never on the Hill — it’s always just off it.

Now, on the commercial side, Tim Hortons is doing some recladding work to a drive-thru window at 780 Bancroft Drive, Ward 11, for \$84,619. That's a lot of money for a window, but perhaps it will withstand the onslaught of double-doubles better. Also, an industrial building at 5900 Keaton Crescent, Ward 5, is getting a new fire alarm system and interior alterations for \$1,556,164. Safety first, *c'est vrai*.

What does all this mean? It means construction is buzzing across the 613. We're not just a city of bureaucrats, *mes amis*. We’re building, we’re adapting, and we’re drinking a lot of coffee while we do it. Keep an eye on Ward 8, too, with that residential apartment building proposed for 1970 and 1980 Fowler Drive. We’ll be watching to see how these applications move through the process.

Simone Okafor-Bouchard, MiTL Sports Desk, signing off.

My crew talks all about this on the Morning Wire. Tune in live at mornings.live.