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Ottawa West-Nepean politicians hail win for Andrew Haydon Park
The federal government has ruled out all west-side 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 today concludes that the controversial routes through Andrew Haydon Park and along Moodie Drive should be dropped from the planning process.
His provincial counterpart in Ottawa West-Nepean, Liberal MPP Jim Watson, added that the other two west-side options, both connecting Quebec to March Road in Kanata via Riddell Drive, are also off the table.
Mr. Baird says the report’s conclusion is at least partly the result of work he did with Mr. 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, although Britannia is at a narrow part of the Ottawa River, the government has no interest in using it for a bridge.
Mr. Watson said the announcement will be a huge relief
to west-side communities. “It would have eviscerated Andrew Haydon Park, which for thousands of people who live in the Bayshore community, that’s their front and back yard,” Mr. Watson said.
The National Capital Commission, which is managing the $4.5-million bridge study, is to hold a briefing this 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.
The minister said 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 on the city’s east side that will take truck traffic out of downtown, especially from King Edward Avenue. While he said truck traffic downtown “is a real blight” for the neighbourhood, it’s too early to say when an alternative route with a new river crossing will be built.
Mr. Baird 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.
“Greenspace defines Ottawa and makes it different than any other city in the country,” said Mr. Baird.
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 as much as 50 years that would hurt the community and make it difficult for people to sell their homes.
However, development proposals also drive down real estate values and cast shadows over entire communities, Mr. Watson said.
“You basically got an entire community in the west end on pins and needles wondering whether their community is going to be decimated,” he said.
Mr. 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 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.”