The first pothole was reported fixed on fixmystreet.ca Wednesday in Ottawa.  This site, up in ‘stealth mode’ for the last two weeks, allows people to file problem reports on things in their neighbourhood they’d like to see fixed: potholes, bad lighting, or unsafe pathways.  People can browse reports that have been filed, and subscribe to reports they’d like to see updates on.  The site is modeled on MySociety’s FixMyStreet.com , which was adapted for Canada by Chris Taggart of OpenOttawa.

The site is designed to help both the city and its citizens.  Providing the ability to browse and subscribe to problems that have been reported avoids having many people report the same issue individually, meaning less work for city call centers.  Keeping public records of when reports were filed, and when they were fixed, gives citizens access to richer information about their community and municipal council.

If you live in Ottawa, give the site a whirl -- find a pothole that bugs you, and report it.   Reporting a problem is the first step to having it fixed.  Plus, it makes you feel better.