Last weekend was "Doors Open Ottawa" weekend, an event I look forward to every year. Many buildings in the city that are normally inaccessible to the public offer guided tours.
The first place we visited on Saturday was a government research facility where engineers conduct experiments to determine more efficient energy options.
There were displays on water power, solar energy and more efficient coal options. We also toured an energy efficient house with walls that fold down for easy transportation to remote northern communities.
Unfortunately photographs weren't allowed, as some of the displays are prototypes with patents pending - but they did have a cute mascot!
The second facility we visited was our city's traffic control central. (This time photos were allowed.) One room full of screens monitored city roads with traffic cameras. (The same information is publicly accessible online.)
Then we were shown how road signs and traffic lights were made and how lines on roads are painted.
Terry asked how much was spent annually on paint to make the lines on city streets....
The answer was a whopping $4,000,000!
The price of safety!
All in all, it was a very interesting and informative day.
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