Accessibility and Access Keys [0]
OTTAWA – The federal government has ruled out two west-end routes for a possible new bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau, says Environment Minister John Baird.
Mr. Baird, the MP for Ottawa West-Nepean, said a report to be released by the National Capital Commission on Thursday concludes that the two possible routes, through Andrew Haydon Park and along Moodie Drive, should be dropped from the planning process.
Mr. Baird says the report’s conclusion is at least partly the result of work he did with his provincial counterpart in Ottawa West-Nepean, Liberal Jim Watson, and Bay Councillor Alex Cullen. In response to an outcry from community groups, all three have argued that such a development makes no sense and would do great damage to the neighbourhood.
“From a government standpoint this is dead in the water,” said Mr. Baird. “It’s a non-starter. There will be no bridge or corridor through Andrew Haydon Park or through Moodie Drive.” He said the people of Britannia should also rest easy because, though Britannia is at a narrow part of the Ottawa River, the government has no interest in using it for a bridge.
The National Capital Commission, which is managing the $4.5-million bridge study, is to hold a briefing Thursday morning, when the report will be released. There were 10 possible bridge routes being studied by the consultants; six in the east and four in the west.
Removing the two routes Mr. Baird discussed leaves two west-end options, both connecting Quebec to March Road in Kanata via Riddell Drive.
The minister said that a bridge from Ontario to the Aylmer sector of Gatineau through Andrew Haydon Park would have ruined the park, cost perhaps $200 million since the river is so wide there, and not really solved the capital region’s transportation problem. The real demand, said Mr. Baird, is for a bridge in the east end of Ottawa that will take truck traffic out of downtown, especially King Edward Avenue. While he said truck traffic downtown “is a real blight” for the neighbourhood, he said it’s too early to say when an alternative route with a new river crossing will be built.
Mr. Baird said he has no qualms about fighting for his constituents to stop a possible bridge project through his home community. He said it’s his job to fight for constituents and Andrew Haydon Park is “an oasis” for residents, many of whom don’t have cottages or even backyards. He noted that as a child in Bells Corners, he used to come to the park for picnics, barbecues and bike rides.
He said it makes no sense for him to be expanding national parks as environment minister while a city park in his own backyard is under threat.
One possibility was to simply reserve a corridor in the area of the park or Moodie Drive but Mr. Baird says that would create a cloud of uncertainty for perhaps 50 years that would hurt the community and make it difficult for people to sell their homes.
Bay Councillor Alex Cullen was relieved that the NCC’s consultants are dropping the Andrew Haydon Park and Moodie Drive routes. He said the bridge would have been massive because it would have crossed the large Lac Deschênes section of the river and it would have interfered with city and national sailing events. He said the opposition was well briefed and well organized.
“It’s the win we hoped for. Andy Haydon Park is the jewel of the west end,” said Mr. Cullen. “There’s a great deal of satisfaction to know common sense prevailed here.”
Mr. Baird said stopping any disruption of Andrew Haydon Park is part of the view of the local Conservative caucus that the capital region’s greenspace must be protected. And he said that, with Pontiac MP Lawrence Cannon as the Quebec political minister and himself as the political minister for Ontario, the region has political clout to protect natural areas.
“Greenspace defines Ottawa and makes it different than any other city in the country,” said Mr. Baird. He said that when it was recently suggested that the NCC’s Greenbelt might be developed, he and his parliamentary colleagues didn’t hesitate to oppose the idea publicly.
“You don’t need to do a focus group or a poll. You just know it,” said Mr. Baird.