By Liz Bernstein
Winter walkability audit
Looking to improve walking and cycling infrastructure in Lowertown, LCA has conducted audits to assess the safety, comfort and convenience of our streets for pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users.
We held our latest, the third and the second winter audit, February 17. Led by resident John Woodhouse, and joined by councillor Fleury and staff, we decided to look at winter clearing in the ByWard Market area first.
Sidewalk patios block access
We started at William and Rideau Streets, between the construction area for the LRT station and the Highlander Pub. One of the themes we have revisited is ensuring pedestrian access during construction periods, and this was the first item we faced. When delivery trucks park in front of the Highlander on the pedestrian area, and there is snow piled, it is very difficult for pedestrians to pass, and impossible for wheelchairs. As the patio is not being used in the winter, we suggested the Highlander take down the patio bars and create more space for pedestrian access during this construction season.
Better sites for ice sculptures needed
We then went through the market. We noted improvements to last year’s audit (conducted in January 2014) of snow clearing on the sidewalks. The sidewalks were relatively snow-free. Yet again, construction impeded: in front of the Times Square building on Clarence and Parent were trucks on the sidewalk, working on their new clock and an ice sculpture for Winterlude.
There was nowhere to pass and pedestrians were walking into the street, in danger. We love Winterlude, but it would be great if some of the sculptures could be moved to occupy parking spaces rather than narrow sidewalks, particularly when coupled with construction projects.
Snowbanks and A-frame signs block pedestrian and wheelchair use We also noted some of the snow that was cleared was actually piled in the crosswalk, just where it joined the sidewalk, on Clarence in two places and in a few other spots. We noted again some oversized A-frame signs on both sides of William, opposite the Market building, blocking the pedestrian passage-particularly with snowbanks on the curb. We look forward to finding a better solution this year for businesses to both advertise but enable pedestrians and wheelchair users to actually use the sidewalk safely.
We left the Market and continued over on Guigues, which was much better plowed than last year. Then we went over to King Edward, and again noted the traffic lights cycles are still too short to allow safe crossing for everyone – but the sidewalks were cleared of snow. In general,
the sidewalk clearing was better than we experienced last year, although it had snowed the morning of the walk. Councillor Fleury noted it is the same contractor this year as last and it helps to have continuity and better systems in place.
City budget short on funding environment plans
The base city budget was approved March 12, and now there will be discussions and competition on how to fund the projects that didn’t make the cut. The City Budget set aside $37 million for “strategic initiatives” for 2015. Over the next two months, city councillors will have to decide
on their priorities and which priorities should get funding; that will be submitted for approval by Council on June 3.
For the environment, there was funding for the tree planting and protecting initiative of planting 1 million trees, Tree Ottawa. Funding was also committed for the development of a Forest Management Strategy and a Water Strategy.
Despite approval for the Master Transportation Plan last year, which included a Complete Streets Policy and pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, this is not funded in the base budget and will have to compete with other projects submitted for the “Strategic initiatives” pot.
The same thing happened to the climate change plan: even though the City’s own Air Quality & Climate Change Management Plan, approved by Council just back in May 2014, recommended five specific measures to be included in the 2015 budget, four out of five of those items remain unfunded.
While LCA prioritized support for a revitalized ByWard Market, we also support associations across the city asking for inclusion of the pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, and the promised climate change initiatives for some of those dollars. You can still contact Councillor Fleury and let him know your thoughts.
Energy East pipeline
In July 2013, TransCanada announced that it would be applying for permission to build the Energy East oil pipeline through Ottawa. The pipeline would run from the tar sands of Alberta to export terminals on the east coast. At 4,600 km long, with a capacity to carry 1.1 million barrels of tar sands oil a day, it would be the largest oil pipeline in Canada. Since the announcement, local community organizations Ecology Ottawa, 350 Ottawa, Greenpeace Ottawa and the Council of Canadians have been working hard to inform the public of the risks Energy East poses to Ottawa residents.
If built, this pipeline would cross the Rideau and Mississippi Rivers, which both run into the Ottawa River – the main source of drinking water for Ottawa. In the event of a spill where the pipeline crosses the Rideau River, it has been predicted that the oil would reach right into downtown Ottawa, or as Lowertown residents know it, our very own backyards.
At the request of the Ontario Government, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) was asked to perform an assessment of the pipeline, and has since been in Ottawa twice for community consultations. In the fall of 2014, TransCanada filed their official application to the National Energy Board (NEB). Since then, after much pressure from residents, the City of Ottawa has announced that they will file a Letter of Comment as part of the National Energy Board hearings.
In the meantime, concerned citizens continue to organize, with the next event being the Act On Climate March in Quebec City on April 11th, as the Premiers gather to discuss climate change. To learn more go to ecologyottawa.ca or contact Councillor Fleury,