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The consultant group ROCHE-NCE recently released the results of the first phase of the study which identified Kettle Island as the best possible site for a bridge, with Lower Duck Island coming a close second. Based on their findings, the consultants recommended that Kettle Island, and only Kettle Island, move forward to the second phase of the EA process.
The Kettle Island crossing would link into the Aviation Parkway, while a bridge at Lower Duck Island would connect with Hwy. 174 near Green’s Creek just east of the Canotek Business Park.
The consultants’ recommendation angered residents living in Manor Park, Rockcliffe Mews and Carson Grove who are vehemently opposed to locating a bridge at Kettle Island, on the grounds that it would destroy their quality of life. They immediately went to work lobbying members of the city’s transportation committee to get Lower Duck Island included in Phase 2 of the EA process. The committee agreed to their request after a lengthy 14-hour meeting on Monday, which put the ball in city council’s court.
The vote to ask that Lower Duck Island be included in Phase 2 of the EA process, along with Kettle Island, passed by a 12-11 margin. Council then passed a motion to reconsider their decision at the next council meeting. The motion for reconsideration only required eight votes, however, a full majority of council will be required to overturn the decision to add Lower Duck Island as an alternate site.
Lower Duck Island is seen as a more favourable site by the Kettle Island opponents because access to a bridge there would avoid any populated areas by linking to Hwy. 174 just east of the Canotek Business Park.
The location consistently ranked second to Kettle Island in nearly every single category examined by the consultants except for costs and the potential impact on the surrounding socio-economic environment.
The presidents of all nine community associations in the far east end recently signed a letter of understanding along with all three far east end city councillors and Galipeau, endorsing the consultants’ findings and council’s previous decision to build a bridge at Kettle Island.
Before the consultants can proceed with the second phase of the Environmental Assessment process, they must receive the endorsement of both municipalities and the two provincial governments.
Both the City of Gatineau and the province of Quebec were expected to endorse the consultants’ recommendation to proceed with Kettle Island. There is a great deal more uncertainty about the province of Ontario’s position on the matter.
Ottawa-Vanier MPP Madeleine Meilleur has been busy lobbying her colleagues in the Liberal caucus and members of Cabinet to support adding Lower Duck Island to Phase 2 and she has an ally in Ottawa-Orléans MPP Phil McNeely who believes building a bridge at Lower Duck Island would force the province to expand Hwy. 174 and fix the split once and for all.
“I’ve said in the past that I support a bridge west of Orléans and that any increase in traffic volume be mitigated by improvements to Hwy. 174 and the split. I don’t see any problem with that. What I do see is one community trying to force a bridge on another community that clearly has legitimate concerns. It’s no different than what we were fighting against when we were trying to prevent the bridge from being built at Petrie Island,” says McNeely.
If both the province of Ontario and the City of Ottawa pushes for Lower Duck Island to be included in Phase 2 of the study, it’s unlikely that the NCC would ignore their wishes.
Orleans Online