Clarification

Something has come up. There is controversy brewing. The players in this virtual theatre: Ryan Hill of Apartment613 and Jonathan Rausseo of the University of Ottawa. It’s dramatic. More after the jump.

July 3, 2009 — Opinion leaders have their say

Featured interviews:

• Emma Godmere: the Fulcrum‘s editor-in-chief on the beautification of Ottawa’s core [Download] [iTunes]
• Ryan Hill, François Levesque and Karen Diepeveen: Apartment613 bloggers on Lansdowne Park redevelopment [Download] [iTunes]
• Jonathan Rausseo: University of Ottawa sustainability coordinator on waste management [Download] [iTunes]
• Wassim Garzouzi: former La Rotonde editor on construction woes [Download] [iTunes]

This week, Around the Block went populist. A few days prior to the show, I sent an email around to a group of people that I think comprises what other smart people have called ‘opinion leaders’.

The list included local bloggers, business owners, residents, writers and editors, community association types, local media folks, and a few other people who I know to be insightful.

What did I ask these people? Well, I appealed to their sense of community and asked them what – at the hyperlocal level – was of concern to them. Were there enough buses routed through their neighbourhoods? Were kids – read: students – being too loud?

The interviews above comprise the fruit of that endeavour. We spoke about a number of issues during a packed hour and, in the process, welcomed Jonathan Rausseo as the show’s first three-time guest.

As we said on-air, one more and he gets a free donut.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Looking back at #cco09

ChangeCamp Ottawa happened on May 16. We covered it on the May 8 show when we looked ahead to the event by interviewing Ryan Hill of local blog Apartment613 and event co-coordinator Morgen Peers.

Along with dozens of other participants, Ryan and I both attended the festivities. I was an observer and note-taker who was eager to listen to what web-engaged citizens had to say, and Ryan headed the team of exuberant Apartment613 bloggers who expended all kinds of energy capturing the ideas and general happenings of the day.

Yesterday, we sat down at City Hall — the location of the un-conference — and reflected a bit on what went on and how to move forward with all of the ideas and energy produced.

• Ryan Hill: blogger at Apartment613 — [Download] [iTunes]

May 8, 2009 – Research, citizenship, and the community

Featured interviews:

• Mona Nemer: vice-president research at the University of Ottawa – [Download] [iTunes]
• Morgen Peers: one of the organizers of ChangeCamp Ottawa – [Download] [iTunes]
• Ryan Hill: editor of Apartment613 – [Download] [iTunes]

Apologies for the not-so-spectacular quality of the Hill interview. We conducted it in a fairly noisy Bridgehead. It sounded okay on my computer, but it was, well, not so great on air. Lesson: Never pre-record a radio interview for a show in any coffee shop with — okay, any coffee shop at all.

Thanks to Dr. Nemer, Morgen, and Ryan for taking the time to speak with Around the Block this week. You were instrumental in helping me through first-show jitters and growing pains.