Computer & Wifi Access

As a cardholder you can get computer and wifi access for free at any branch of the Ottawa Public Library. In February 2014 the city announced a plan to install free wifi at the following 25 locations:

• Ben Franklin Place/Centrepointe
• Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex
• ByWard Market Building
• François Dupuis Recreation Centre
• Minto Recreation Complex – Barrhaven
• Goulbourn Recreation Complex
• Greenboro Community Centre
• Heron Road Community Centre
• Hunt Club – Riverside Community Centre
• Jack Purcell Community Centre
• Jim Durrell Recreation Centre
• Kanata Leisure Centre
• Kanata Recreation Complex
• Nepean Sportsplex
• Ottawa City Hall
• Overbrook Community Centre
• Plant Recreation Centre
• Pinecrest Recreation Complex
• Ray Friel Recreation Complex
• Richcraft Recreation Complex
• Richelieu-Vanier Community Centre
• Ron Kolbus-Lakeside Gardens
• Splash Wave Pool
• St-Laurent Complex
• Walter Baker Sports Complex

Local Classifieds

The most useful site for classifieds ads is  probably Kijiji Ottawa. For a broader search you can try extending the search–for instance to Montreal or to all of Ontario. Other local sites worth knowing are Used Ottawa and CraigsList Ottawa.

Freecycle

A number of online Ottawa freecycle groups (i.e. places where one can give and take items over the internet) are listed at the bottom of this page. For non-virtual freecycling see the discussion here.

Document Creation/Sharing

Google Drive is a cloud-based platform providing a file storage and synchronization services that allow you twork from anywhere. The documents, including spreadsheets and PowerPoint-style presentations, are stored online, sharable in many formats, and easy to share with anyone in the world.

Blogging/Website Production

WordPress.com is a free and powerful blogging software with a fairly steep learning curve. The Slow Ottawa site was made using a free WordPress theme that was later upgraded to include such features and a custom domain name and ad-free publishing. But for a more basic blog or website WordPress is absolutely free, as are the simpler and easier-to-master blogging services at sites such as Blogger (main page here, sample blog here) and Tumblr (main page here; sample blog here).