John Dance
In addition to his role as The Mainstreeter’s chief reporter, John Dance is the Chair of the Old Ottawa East Community Association’s Planning Committee. From his unique vantage point, he keeps our readers informed on a wide range of community developments
ACTIVE USE OF QUEEN ELIZABETH DRIVE
The National Capital Commission’s (NCC) summer closure of Queen Elizabeth Drive (QED) to motorists so that active use (pedestrians and cyclists) is more attractive has provoked strongly opposing opinions in the Glebe and elsewhere, just as the closure of Colonel By Drive to motorists two summers ago was met by different perspectives of Old Ottawa East residents and others.
The QED closure from Fifth Avenue to Somerset Street is opposed by Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and a number of City Councillors. But others have welcomed the safe and enjoyable use of the roadway by pedestrians and cyclists.
In response to related questions from The Mainstreeter, an NCC spokesperson said, “The NCC is working to make our capital a leader in creating the kind of livable and sustainable urban experience we can all enjoy and that other cities might wish to emulate… Our active use program on Queen Elizabeth Drive helps alleviate the pressure on the capital pathway network, which is used to capacity during the summer. This is a very popular program, with nearly 50,000 visits since May.”
The Lansdowne 2.0 proposal also raises questions concerning the active use of QED. Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group wants an additional one million visitors to Lansdowne each year and its proposal, as endorsed by the previous City Council, would have more than 2,000 new residents living in three new towers on the site. While City planners have not raised concerns about the related additional traffic that would be generated by the new Lansdowne proposal, many residents speaking at the various Lansdowne 2.0 consultations have questioned how the QED and the already congested Bank Street will be able to cope with the increased park usage by motorists. In July, the NCC launched a survey (ncc-ccn.gc.ca/events/queen-elizabeth-driveway-active-use) to get opinions on the pilot project to temporarily close the QED to motor vehicle traffic.
LEES AVENUE GETS A FACELIFT
The deteriorated portion of Lees Avenue between Chestnut Street and the LRT station will be resurfaced this summer with the added bonus of new cycling lanes on both sides. Pinned curbs and delineators will be added to the cycling lanes next spring.
Councillor Shawn Menard notes that the changes will provide “a more comfortable walking environment with the separation from vehicles and a safer 30 kilometres per hour street to drive on. Lees is a major connection for the whole City and these changes will help benefit the community that lives nearby.”
BRANTWOOD BASKETBALL COURT NEGLECT CONTINUES
Although the Springhurst Park basketball court thrives, the other Old Ottawa East (OOE) court remains in a state of City neglect.
As far back as 11 years ago, the OOE Community Association and the OOE Community Activities Group requested that “cash-in-lieu of parkland” (CILP) funding be used to resurface both the Springhurst Park and Brantwood Park courts. Eventually, Springhurst was improved but, in the case of Brantwood, City staff said the needed resurfacing work constituted life-cycle expenditures that were not eligible for CILP funding.
Fast forward to today, the Brantwood court has deteriorated further and no “lifecycle expenditures” have been made. The court doesn’t even have foul-shooting lines, let alone the other standard markings.
All of the courts in other Capital Ward parks have lines and are larger than Brantwood’s.
“The City has reviewed the condition of the basketball court at Brantwood Park and has determined that it is in good condition,” says Dan Chenier. “As such, the court is not currently forecasted for lifecycle replacement.”
The only bit of good news pertains to the court’s lack of lines. “There is a limited budget for line painting on outdoor courts, which necessitates that the City focus on sites with basketball camps and organized events,” says Chenier. “The court at Brantwood Park is not scheduled for line painting as it does not currently fall under either of those categories. There is however a request for line painting in this location which is under review for future funding.”
But don’t plan on knowing where to take foul shots any time soon.
USE OF VACANT CITY PROPERTY FOR HOUSING
During the municipal election last year, now-Mayor Mark Sutcliffe promised to “deploy available City lands and air rights for new housing units,” but it appears the City has no plans to use vacant municipal property in Old Ottawa East for much needed housing. Indeed, there is little acknowledgment by the City that any such land exists in or near Old Ottawa East.
The 2013 transit-oriented developemnt plan proposed mid-rise, multiple user development on the nortease portion of the AVTC lands, just to the right of 170 Lees Avenue apartment building in the top centre of the image above. Image by City of Ottawa
“The City does not currently own any development land at Hurdman Station [on the other side of the Rideau River] or along the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor (AVTC),” responded Robin Souchen, the City’s Manager of Realty Services. “The holdings owned by the City in that area are currently for transportation and underground infrastructure purposes, as per the Council-approved Alta Vista Transportation Corridor Environmental Assessment Study,” says Souchen. “The National Capital Commission is the prime land holder in the vicinity of Hurdman Station.”
This response is at variance with the City’s 2013 transit-oriented development plan which shows mid-rise, mixed-use development in the northeast quadrant of the AVTC lands. This proposal was in the context of the AVTC being built right beside the development.
“The broader context for these questions is that many residents seek conversion of the OOE – AVTC lands to parkland and also the reality that the City needs more deeply affordable housing,” says Councillor Shawn Menard.
GREENFIELD, MAIN, HAWTHORNE PROJECT RAMPS UP – TRAFFIC SLOWS DOWN
This summer the Greenfield, Main and Hawthorne reconstruction project for upgrading the roadways and underground infrastructure in much of the northern part of Old Ottawa East resulted in considerable traffic congestion throughout the community.
Photo by John Dance
In July, the closure of the Colonel By Drive (CBD) northbound lane between Clegg Street and the northern end of Main Street detoured all of the northbound CBD traffic on to Clegg and then Main. During the initial days of the detour, northbound traffic on Main backed up to the Smyth Road/McIlraith Bridge. Traffic on Greenfield Avenue was also subject to delays. A lane reduction on Main under the Highway 417 bridge also contributed to traffic back-ups.
Asked by The Mainstreeter what is being done to mitigate impacts on residents and businesses, Bruce Kenny, the City’s Manager of Design and Construction responded: “We are committed to closely monitoring the traffic situation and making necessary adjustments to minimize public impacts. As for businesses, the most significant impact will likely be felt when active construction affects building access, water supply and deliveries. To mitigate these effects, the City will work directly with businesses and employ successful strategies used on other streets, such as Bronson, Elgin, and Main, to lessen disruptions caused by construction.”
He also noted that the City is “maximizing the volume of construction during the summer months, when traffic flows are reduced,” and “sequencing … the work in such a way as to avoid compounding traffic congestion resulting from construction in nearby areas.”
“Your understanding and patience is appreciated as this important rehabilitation of critical infrastructure is performed,” the project team emailed members of the project’s public advisory committee. “Please note Main Street lane reduction is expected to be removed by the end of August 2023. Colonel By Drive northbound is expected to be reopened by early September.”
And, on a positive note, the project team said, “Major traffic impacts in the 2024 phase of construction are expected to be more confined.”
SPRINGHURST DOCK – NEXT YEAR
The City of Ottawa now says a dock at Springhurst Park will be installed next spring. The original plan for the Springhurst dock was designed to meet current provincial accessibility regulations and guidelines. However, upon further review of the design, the ramp proved to be too long and heavy for the required seasonal installation and removal.
The consequence is that City staff needed to consult with the Accessibility Advisory Committee to determine if an exception to the accessibility design standards was acceptable. This work was delayed until a new committee was formed this spring following the municipal election last fall.
“The Committee recently advised the City it could proceed with a shorter, feasibly operational ramp understanding that the slope would be steeper and therefore would not meet accessibility regulations and guidelines,” reports Dan Chenier, the City’s General Manager of Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services.
“A revised plan and drawings are being prepared and it is anticipated that the project will be tendered, and construction initiated this year, with final installation to occur in spring 2024,” he reports.
“Our office is pleased to support the installation of a dock at Springhurst Park through cash in lieu of parkland funds,” Councillor Shawn Menard commented. “Having parks in our ward that border the Rideau River is such a source of joy, in terms of the access they provide to the natural world and activities like boating, fishing, and wading. We look forward to having it installed at the earliest possible opportunity.”
COLONEL BY DRIVE: WHO’S IN CHARGE?
It’s common knowledge that the Rideau Canal parkways are a key asset of the National Capital Commission (NCC) but it’s not the NCC that is responsible for maintaining them.
In fact, according to Quentin Levesque, Director of the City’s Roads and Parking Services, it’s the City of Ottawa that is responsible for the bulk of maintenance activities on Colonel By Drive and Queen Elizabeth Driveway, notably for snow clearing; application of salt and grit; street sweeping; asphalt, sidewalk and ironworks repairs; litter and debris pick up; emergency repairs to signs that are damaged or fallen (the City installs a temporary sign and the NCC will replace it with a permanent one) street lighting on the road but not on pathways; and pavement markings.
The NCC has responsibility for landscaping maintenance, including tree planting and for the infrastructure such as the retaining walls between Echo Drive and Colonel By Drive.
“The Colonel By Drive and Queen Elizabeth Driveway agreement is the result of numerous land and services exchanges between the City and National Capital Commission dating back several decades,” says Paul Kerluke, the City’s Program Manager of Leasing. An example of one of these exchanges was the City’s acquisition of NCC land for the Coventry Road baseball stadium.
If a resident has a complaint about conditions on the parkways they should make a 311 call or send a 311@ottawa.ca email to the City.
NO ESCAPING ESCAPADE NOISE
Escapade, the three-day music festival at Lansdowne Park at the end of June, made a big impression on many who didn’t even attend. They objected to what they and City’s by-law enforcement staff viewed as excessive noise.
The City received 152 complaints from local residents and nine charges were issued to the event coordinator for violations of the City’s noise by-law. The charges include causing “bass noise that disturbs the inhabitants of the City.”
Old Ottawa East resident Balou Anita, who lives about half a block east of Echo Drive across the Canal from the festival site, told CBC Radio, “You could feel the bass through our bodies.”
According to a CBC report, the festival director said that the festival had applied for a “noise exemption but only learned that its application had been denied when an onsite bylaw officer informed organizers an hour before doors opened.”
“The process for noise exemption permits relating to special events is reviewed and approved through a multi-level approval process which ensures that all factors that could impact the event are considered,” says Roger Chapman, the City’s Director of By-law and Regulatory Services. “A noise exemption was not granted to the Escapade Music Festival event organizers, and the festival was therefore bound by the restrictions within the Noise By-law, which limits bass noise and sets a maximum noise level of 55 dB(A) when measured outside of nearby businesses and dwellings.”
“By-law officers met with festival organizers and sound engineers on Saturday to mitigate the noise issues relating to Friday night,” says Chapman. However, on Sunday more complaints were received and by-law officers took multiple noise readings throughout the neighbourhood and confirmed multiple violations under the Noise By-law.
“As an immediate response to reduce the bass and noise levels, staff contacted the event organizers listed on the special event permit and did not receive a response,” says Chapman. “City staff will continue to work closely with event organizers for future events at Lansdowne to ensure their thorough understanding of the Noise By-law and mitigate excessive noise.”
“I’d like to ensure By-law officers are available each evening around 7:30 pm next year to take measurements and follow-up accordingly,” says Anita.
LIGHT SHED ON CANAL LIGHTING
Some of the existing globe light fixtures along the Rideau Canal pathway will be replace with this new design as the NCC repairs the lighting system. Image by NCC
Work to rehabilitate the lights along the Rideau Canal and its parkways will begin in this “summer-fall and will be completed in 2025,” says the National Capital Commission (NCC). This work has been sought by residents because sections of the lighting in Old Ottawa East’s Canal frontage haven’t worked for years.
“The project’s goals are to repair or replace all outdated and broken pathway and parkway lights,” says the NCC. “This includes light heads, arms and bases. We will also replace and upgrade underground conduits and infrastructure.”
“This important project will greatly improve safety along the multi-use pathways along the Rideau Canal and on Colonel-By Drive and Queen Elizabeth Driveway, with increased lighting to reflect modern health and safety standards,” the NCC says. “The new lighting will be energy efficient (LED), consistent with the NCC’s Capital Illumination Plan.”
No details on the staging of the project are available from the NCC but details are expected to be available by the end of the summer.
In terms of the appearance of the new system, the NCC says, “The parkway light fixtures will appear similar to the existing ones. The majority of light fixtures will also look similar for the pathway. At selected locations, the existing globe light fixtures will be replaced… This new light fixture provides a consistent experience while on the pathway, just like the existing globe light fixture.”
