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.