Vanier, a somewhat edgy quarter to the east of downtown Ottawa is both unique and has a unique role to play in the shaping of Ottawa as a contemporary city. Vanier has an unusual history and specificity; it is not Hintonburg, it is not Mechanicsville, it is not Rockville nor New Edinburgh. Vanier became a city in 1963 and was amalgamated as part of Ottawa in 2001. The urban clues to Vanier past, present and future are perhaps found in the vibrant tensions, useful underworld and urban excitement in those two Scottish echo-cities: Edinburgh and Glasgow. According to the City of Ottawa Planning Department, Vanier is about to be upgraded, developed and densified. How could it not be, considering how close it is to the centre of Ottawa?