The Sound And Fury Of Bulldog Live Chat

Here is a transcript of Wednesday evening’s Bulldog Live Chat on the state of Ottawa City Hall. The chat drew about 34,000 page views during its two hours.

Ken Gray : Are you happy with transit? How about the roads? Speed cameras? Sprung structures? You name it, you can talk about it this evening where city politicians and staffers get their news. Participate. Our politicians, prominent local representatives, community leaders and business people read The Bulldog along with 186,000 page views a week from people like you. This is your live chat. This is your Bulldog.
Ken Gray : You can comment before 6 p.m. if you like but the main discussion begins at six.
Ken Gray : Welcome to The Bulldog Live Chat on the state of the city.
Peter_Karwacki : Good evening.
Ken Gray : Good evening to you
Peter_Karwacki : At Data Analytics in the Capital…8th floor of former Shopify building. My interest? Use of data analytics in the city of Ottawa. I went to the Service Ottawa helpdesk at city hall. In order to get the name of the City’s freedom of information officer I was told I needed to complete a Freedom of Information Request form. Grrrrrrrr.
Peter_Karwacki : I want to determine what city data sources are available for on line reports, and analysis.
Ken Gray : Didn’t know that was a secret but city hall has changed since I roamed the halls for the Citizen.
Ken Gray : Peter: This isn’t actually all about you. Perhaps you could pick a topic of more general interest.
Peter_Karwacki : The point is they put up roadblocks at every turn. THis is not any way to encourage public engagement.
Ken Gray : Public engagement is scary for them. They can’t control it. City hall operates for city hall, not for you and me.
Ken Gray : We here at The Bulldog encourage public discussion and welcome the surprising. We engage. City hall covers its butt. But then we don’t have anything to hide. They do.
Ken Gray : Open government produces good government. Secrecy causes a lack of trust and animosity.
Ron Benn : Am I happy with transit? Short answer: NO!
Ken Gray : Well that pretty well sums it up. Next topic. lol
Ken Gray : Just joking. Carry on.
Peter_Karwacki : As a senior, I object to the fare increases being proposed (now what ? go pound sand?)
Ron Benn : About 20% (and rising) of my property tax bill goes to public transit. For that 20% we get declining ridership, with no apparent clue as to why.
Ron Benn : No clue about how to correct the trend lines.
Ken Gray : One thing in improving transit system was to make it better. Instead they’ve destroyed public trust in transit.
Ken Gray : I wouldn’t take transit to work. Fortunately Bulldog World Headquarters is just across the hallway from the bedroom. Commute is easy.
Ron Benn : For ridership to increase WoeC Transpo has to understand why people DON’T take bus/LRT. Efforts to date? Somewhere between nowhere and nowhere.
Ron Benn : Which ties into your comment about open, transparent accountable government.
Ken Gray : You’re not alone, Peter.
Peter_Karwacki : There should be a set of 10 or 20 standard routes. A user would take these and report monthly on the service times and general experience according to a set of metrics.
Peter_Karwacki : We would benefit from having solid metrics on transit.
Ken Gray : Ron:
Ron Benn : Peter, one of the problems with City of Ottawa metrics is credibility.
Peter_Karwacki : Like I said they would not even tell me the name of the CIO
Neil : I agree. First step on the road to transit recovery is to understand the current riders and former riders and what would get them back. I just don’t see the City having any interest in hearing from its customers.
Peter_Karwacki : I want to meet them with represenatives of “analyticis in the capital” the best minds on the topic mind you, and propose major changes in data governance.
Ken Gray : You know these things Ron. Couldn’t the folks there get in some experts and determine the best price point for transit to maximize use combined with judging the ability to pay.
Ron Benn : Earlier this month the city published a report on the survey results for traffic calming in Centrepointe. Apparently the response rate for people who said they lived on Centrepointe Drive was between 1.5x to 3.0x the number of households. With a survey that made it difficult to double vote.
Ron Benn : The answer from staff/councillor is that the results are consistent with previous surveys. As if being wrong in your data collection is okay as long as you are consistently wrong.
Peter_Karwacki : doh!!
Ken Gray : so who is padding the numbers, Ron?
Ron Benn : There were bike lanes involved in the recommendations, Ken. About 200 metres of bike lanes that start/finish at Baseline Road. A known hazard for any life form, including those inside the motor vehicles.
Ron Benn : Back to transit and bus fares.
Ron Benn : If the bus/LRT isn’t going where you want to go, the bus fare is irrelevant.
Ken Gray : Yes the cyclists are well organized. They make a mockery of NCC and city surveys.
Ron Benn : If the bus/LRT goes where you want it to go, but not when you want it to go, the bus fare does matter.
Ron Benn : If the bus/LRT goes where you want, when you want but the trip is 4x longer than the alternative, the bus fare is irrelevant.
Peter_Karwacki : Agreed, I took a bus to Carlton u, on a Friday Night … starting from Overbrook. It took 1.5 hours to get there.
Ken Gray : I’d start on price and work from there. Find the price point for ability to pay combined with ridership … then take it from there. routes, timing etc.
Ron Benn : In short, the bus fare only matters to the not large enough segment of the population that takes the bus.
Ken Gray : So let’s just say the price point at present is very low. lol
Ron Benn : The problem starts with how to attract more riders. And that has to do with routes, timing of routes and time to complete the trip. In short, more service not less.
Ken Gray : But if the price is too high, all the route tinkering goes for naught.
Ken Gray : “I’m not paying that kind of money to take the bus.”
Ron Benn : Peter, Stately Centrepointe is about equi-distant from centre town and Kanata’s employment centres. Located, as per the marketing some 35-40 years ago, as ideal for a family where one person works downtown and the other works in Kanata.
Ron Benn : Transit is oriented towards downtown. It would take 4 buses and over an hour to get to Innovation Drive. Or you could drive it in less than 30 minutes.
Ken Gray : It’s a crime that LRT is not going to Kanata. But we have world class stations and a lovely tunnel that don’t take you where you want to go. You know, say Barrhaven or Kanata.
Ron Benn : I take transit towards downtown once a month. An excursion for a retired gentleman. It is cheaper than parking. Having said that, I have no where to go, and lots of time to get there.
Peter_Karwacki : I just want to share this link: City of Phoenix, a city of comparable size to Ottawa has the best on line reporting services and were just recognized for it.https://mapping-phoenix.opendata.arcgis.com/search?tags=transportation
Ken Gray : So what have you learned from Phoenix Peter?
Peter_Karwacki : Ottawa would benefit from having more data that the public could investigage and PHoenix is a very good model.
Ron Benn : Peter, in Zurich you can set your watch to the arrival/departure times of city transit. It is part of the culture.
Ken Gray : But here part of the culture is traffic jams so buses are caught in traffic often.
Ron Benn : In Ottawa, the list of reasons why a bus is on time is short: it was an accident. The list of reasons why a bus is late in infinitely long: part of a drop down menu with no bottom in sight.
Peter_Karwacki : right- got to set the bar low.
Ron Benn : There is traffic everywhere Ken. In Zurich they use real data based on tens of thousands of trips to determine how long each segment of the trip takes. Imagine using real data to forecast how long it takes, in contrast to a ‘fun to build algorithm’ that assumes away reality.
Ken Gray : The Bulldog’s analytics show a big bunch of people reading but feel free to comment. No one has ever been killed commenting.
Ron Benn : It goes back to accountability. What are the consequences of getting it wrong at WoeC or city hall?
Ken Gray : Being the laughing stock of the city.
Ken Gray : You must make the train cool so everyone will take it. Constant breakdowns are not cool.
Ron Benn : The organization is mocked Ken. But the people who make the mistakes? They remain anonymous.
Peter_Karwacki : I have noticed development along the rail line. I was surprised at the condo going up on Albert Street.
Peter_Karwacki : Cyrville as well has multiple condos going up
Ken Gray : It is time to clear out the mistake-makers but who in their right mind would want to work on lrt in Ottawa. It’s not just mocked in Ottawa.
Peter_Karwacki : It occurred to me that Ottawa will look quite a bit different in ten years as this type of development takes place all along the LRT line
Ron Benn : Note that the NCC announced that they are going to make Rochester Park (?) available. That land is along Richmond, just west of Westboro. Where the Keg restaurant is located. Coincidentally, adjacent to the years late Stage 2 LRT>
Peter_Karwacki : Is there a master plan?
Ken Gray : tell me we don’t lose the garden and the mansion.
Ron Benn : I have oft said that when you want to find a subway station in Toronto, do not look along the road way. Look for the cluster of high rises. The subway station will be in the middle.
Peter_Karwacki : right
Ron Benn : Ken, that is exactly what will happen. But not to worry, they will ensure that there is at least one unit that is ‘affordable’.
Ken Gray : the garden is an absolute joy
Ron Benn : Agreed, and that is why it has to go. ;)
Ken Gray : in that vein, we seem to concentrate more on growth than quality of life.
Ken Gray : Back to the state of the city. Why is it operating so poorly?
Ron Benn : The mantra from the Official Plan is to reduce your expectations. Keep chanting it over and over again.
Ron Benn : Mayor is not an entry level position. Nor is Chief of Staff to the Mayor.
Ken Gray : What about the last mayor and city manager?
Ron Benn : Those two did what they wanted to do. No to limited resistance from council. This term is a rinse and repeat.
Ken Gray : Perhaps it is tied to no consequences for bad work.
Peter_Karwacki : My argument has been that the council is overwhelmed, too many meetings, delegations, motions, chicken buffets.https://unpublished.ca/opinion/its-time-for-ai-in-ottawa-city-management
Peter_Karwacki : No mere mortal can do it. they need help.
Peter_Karwacki : advocates
Ron Benn : Peter, perhaps if council could focus on the tangible steps to be taken, rather than on virtue signalling and posturing.
Ken Gray : seems to be more about being re-elected than serving the community
Ken Gray : Ron: exactly
Peter_Karwacki : Yes there is poltical posturing constantly…
Ron Benn : There are now two topics that councillors are told not to talk about: LRT and Sprung Structures.
Ron Benn : And both need to be talked about.
Peter_Karwacki : Lack of plain language in the motions: there is a place for all the whereas’s but surely they can get to the point for the layman.
Ron Benn : Peter, that assumes that there is a point.
Peter_Karwacki : ok
Peter_Karwacki : How did we get to sprung structures: another issue that would not even on the horizon last election.
Ken Gray : Ottawa will not solve the climate crisis single-handedly. Canada won’t for that matter. But we spend all kinds of time and money on it while others pound greenhouse gas into it. But we could fix transit for a big gain in the climate fight.
Peter_Karwacki : Agreed. Nobody is talking about a district nuclear reactor for Ottawa… yet
Peter_Karwacki : Uranium is up 100%, Babcock and Wilcox up 200% — you do not need to be a weatherman to know which way the wind is blowing.
Peter_Karwacki : Small reactors are the future.
The Voter : Sorry I’m late. Peter, I assume that lack of plain language is intentional. You know, just in case anyone can understand and also so they can take out of things whatever interpretation they like.
Ken Gray : These mini-reactors they are touting sound like a terrorist’s dream.
Peter_Karwacki : Terrorists drem in technicolor these days.
Ken Gray : Welcome, mighty Voter.
Peter_Karwacki : thanks for the comment.
Ken Gray : Communications is about cover your posterior.
Kosmo : Best way to get nothing done in Ottawa… call an emergency.
Ken Gray : Welcome mighty Kosmo
Peter_Karwacki : I was looking for ways the emergencies were reflected in the allocations – it is not clear.
Peter_Karwacki : It could be that there is little wiggle room.
Ron Benn : Just as long as the emergency is not actually an emergency.
Peter_Karwacki : My prediction: Aliens will land in 2025
Ken Gray : Declaring an emergency is just good optics. Fixing the train (real climate gain) doesn’t have a ribbon to cut.
Ron Benn : Are you saying they haven’t already?
Kosmo : Climate, homeless
Ron Benn : There are no simple solutions to complex problems. And the LRT’s problems are complex.
Peter_Karwacki : not that the us congressional committee has been told point blank (well they have, last week)
The Voter : So-called ’emergencies’ are mainly to pretend they’re doing something while they go on with other things.
Ken Gray : Council needs to be more practical. Were I on council (god help us all), I would be shouting from the rooftops about transit. Where’s the plan after two years of sputtering by Sutcliffe.
Ron Benn : Agreed Voter. Illusionist 101./
Peter_Karwacki : My point… the energy source. who cares about the greys or others… they have energy we cannot fathom… obviating climate crisis practically over night.
Kosmo : Aliens wouldn’t stay long once thwy land
Kosmo : They
Peter_Karwacki : right
Ken Gray : Aliens … we come in peace … we leave in pieces.
Peter_Karwacki : Just for the record: The immaculate constellation document tabled by the blue ribbon panel at the us congressional hearinghttps://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=httpswww.congress.gov118meetinghouse117721documentsHHRG-118-GO12-20241113-SD003.pdffbclidIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2YNy0JbBUAcWzFPEcxolca-6vCBnFCsf3q22rM0iRZNaHOXHfkERNNfiY_aem_-IW5Jvq83OCcfqs7BpHs_g&h=AT0d4dfVYZQF61kpiQf8mZfPBF8nPDuyWCOfv3N7bCU5A8pWe7gASH5glvUu57u7J2bvJZdwx_faxO8wRuHkY_Z3pbBo-M4Hou5cz6NiKgZtponwEZT_te
Ken Gray : Can you imagine OC Transpo trying to fix a flying saucer?
The Voter : Can you imagine trying to explain the City of Ottawa to an alien? They would think you needed a nice padded room somewhere.
Ken Gray : Peter — no more links plse — it slows down the chat technically.
Peter_Karwacki : ok
Kosmo : Let the aliens find their own information.
Ken Gray : file on foi request
Peter_Karwacki : suffice to say that as bizarre as that all sounds, this was the agenda at the us congressional hearing. not the national inquirer
Ron Benn : Voter, I cannot explain the city to the people who used to run the city. Nor can they explain it to me. Just a lot of head shaking and ‘can you pass the salt please’.
Ken Gray : just testing
Peter_Karwacki : My point is that the topics that the future council will face are well beyond landsdowne and LRT
Ken Gray : A couple of my comments didn’t post — that said, due to that, the world is probably a better place
Ron Benn : Peter, exceeding the standard set by US Congressional hearings is not something I would brag about.
Peter_Karwacki : ok, but the testimony was from the head of project bluebook, a vice admiral, these were big wigs.
Ken Gray : City hall, folks, city hall.
Peter_Karwacki : They said uap’s are real and a concern of national security.
Peter_Karwacki : Look, the fixation on climate change and transport would be quickly made irrelevant.
Peter_Karwacki : now back to LRT
Ken Gray : ok what was the strategy behind the huge senior transit fare hike
The Voter : Speaking of getting a room, I began to understand last week why Ford has failed to act on the chaos at the City,Did any of you catch his speech at the Empire Club? It seems that he and Sutcliffe are as thick as thieves – to the point that Jenny Sutcliffe bakes him cookies. He won’t be challenging Sutcliffe in any meaningful way and certainly not sending in any kind of an overseer to clean up the City.
Ken Gray : Or was it just a goof up. It has me baffled.
Peter_Karwacki : I think they floated a trial balloon.
Ron Benn : One of the messages from the results of the election south of here is that more people are concerned about tomorrow than fifty years from now. Food on the table. Paying the rent. Climate change to them is of little immediate concern.
Ken Gray : A trial balloon seniors won’t forget at the polling booth
Peter_Karwacki : The US debt is 34 Trillion usd, rates are falling, the brics threaten to undermine the USD reserve status using the new xbridge system
Kosmo : I agree with Peter, you throw enough stuff on the wall some might stick.
The Voter : Some of my messages aren’t appearing. I shall try again but if you get duplicates, that’s why.
Ken Gray : That was a political disaster that hike.
Peter_Karwacki : Naw… they will vote in the incumbents 100%
Ron Benn : Ken, according to the Chair of this morning’s Breakfast Club the senior transit pass it is reflective of the quality of advice that Sutcliffe is getting. Not from the Three Wise Men, but from his Chief of Staff.
Ken Gray : Well it was a major mistake.
Ron Benn : Absolutely.
Ken Gray : So too was putting those sprung structures in Kanata and Barrhaven … two Sutcliffe voting areas
The Voter : Ron, I’d be surprised if Robyn Guest were that stupid or naive. She has enough experience to advise against such a thing – he’s obviously not listening.
Ron Benn : Few will fall for the “staff done it without consulting us, but we fixed it” line.
Peter_Karwacki : They must be listening to seniors, they want ot spend 1 large on 2 self cleaning bathrooms.
Ken Gray : Well some blundered into that.
Ken Gray : someone
Kosmo : Other cities around the world offer free transit to seniors and in we Ottawa …
Peter_Karwacki : I would have been happy with an open air urinal like they have in Paris
Ron Benn : Other cities offer routes that people actually take.
Ken Gray : I’m not sure free transit for seniors is in the cards until we can get the system working properly.
Peter_Karwacki : you stand out at Billings Bridge in December when you gotta go, man that is not fun
Ron Benn : The more than doubling of the seniors’ monthly pass would have generated more than a couple of million $, max. For a transit system that burns that much in a day or three.
Ken Gray : Free transit on the system now is a demonstration project for why you don’t take it.
Peter_Karwacki : anybody know how they resolve having e buses without the infrastructure to charge them
Ken Gray : Not only do we have a transit problem … that’s causing traffic chaos
The Voter : Reducing the senior pass hike by 40% still puts it more than double most of the other hikes which are between zero and 5.5%. How will they justify that? In previous years, it’s usually been the same increase across the board and more in the area of 2.5%.
Peter_Karwacki : That cost 1 extra large
Ken Gray : Peter … gas.
Peter_Karwacki : oh lord
Ken Gray : that’s why those generators are planned
Ron Benn : Peter, that is the classic case of mismanagement at the city. Too many silos, not enough experienced managers who understand how to link the silos.
Ron Benn : … and no consequences for the people who continually fail to produce viable solutions.
The Voter : Ken, my messages aren’t getting through. Four have gone missing now.
Peter_Karwacki : All this talk about the budget, I found that not once was there a discussion of the “funnel” the shape of things to come, the issues to addressed, the big project items
Peter_Karwacki : No more Lansdowne surprises please.
Peter_Karwacki : ‘cept of course for that alien thingy
Ken Gray : I mean the person who didn’t yell foul when hydro didn’t have enough capacity should have been fired
Peter_Karwacki : agreed
Ken Gray : Ron: I’ve taken some other things off line … to get more capacity here
Ron Benn : City hall is a critical thinking free place.
Peter_Karwacki : One thing positive to add: the city hall parking garage is real nice
Ken Gray : With that much money on the line, you’d think people would be more careful. If I botched $6.4 billion at the Citizen, I’m confident I would be fired.
Kosmo : There’s not much thinking at city hall Mr. Benn
The Voter : Lowering the seniors’ pass hike by 40% still leaves it at double most of the other proposed hikes and four times the 2.5% that’s been the norm in recent years for all fares.
Peter_Karwacki : At city hall they get participation medals.
Ken Gray : And the price for parking after hours is great
Peter_Karwacki : agreed
Ken Gray : It’s mean Voter.
Peter_Karwacki : ok that is my limit for positivity
The Voter : That parking garage is give-or-take 35 years old. Not long before it begins to crumble.
Ken Gray : You know, you don’t call on seniors to save your system when they can’t save themselves. Mean.
Ron Benn : A common theme at city hall is a lack of critical thinking. Of thinking about what could go sideways. Of the unintended consequences of what passes for plans and strategies.
Peter_Karwacki : So today as an alumnist of the heart institute I attended a “ask the expert” at 670 Albert meeting room.
Peter_Karwacki : The folks have trouble sitting upright
Peter_Karwacki : So my point is that they need advocacy on their behalf
Peter_Karwacki : Seniors are a growing group but a letter to the MPP will not do.
Ken Gray : running well now run
Peter_Karwacki : big business, big unions, big government … little you doesn’t cut it.
Peter_Karwacki : the fare increase is bullying, pure and simple
Ken Gray : I mean what are we on planet earth for if we can’t be a little kind to youngsters and seniors
Peter_Karwacki : .. and the animals
Peter_Karwacki : you are correct
Peter_Karwacki : fundamentally correct
The Voter : I’m losing hope on my campaign to get the province to step in and send in an overseer to clean things up at the City. If you saw Ford’s speech to the Empire Club, he and Sutcliffe are as thick as thieves – he couldn’t say enough about what a great guy Sutcliffe is and how marvelous a job he’s doing.
Peter_Karwacki : I think I just barfed in my mouth
Peter_Karwacki : geezus murphy
Ken Gray : yes that overseer is a great idea … nobody is cleaning up city hall
Peter_Karwacki : When I finally meet with the chief information officer I will report back to the bulldog
Kosmo : Hey The Voter, Dougie is playing it cool. I believe he’s not stepping in cuz he knows he can’t fix the LRT. Sometimes You can’t fight the battles can’t win
Ken Gray : It’s running extremely well now ron. You might keep your comments short or split them up
Ken Gray : Yes … who wants to take on lrt. A career ender for sure.
Ron Benn : Sutcliffe is doing Ford a favour. With barely a PC MPP in sight he can point to the need for a revamping of the colour scheme in Ottawa in next year’s (Spring 2025?) election in order to get more effective support from Queen’s Park.
Kosmo : LRT = Political suicide
Ron Benn : okay
Ken Gray : OK here’s a good queston — will the current LRT ever be finished?
Ron Benn : Yes, but not on time, not on budget.
The Voter : The transit budget goes after kids too. 11 and 12 year olds will be losing their ”child” fares and will pay adult rates. Remember it’s only in the last few years that ‘child’ status was given to the 7-12 group.
Peter_Karwacki : I want to thank the Bulldog for the voice of reason and the social media role. What are the other sources of social critique; 1. substack 613, some of the community association newletters, what are our resources?
Peter_Karwacki : What is your go to sources Ken?
Ken Gray : more stuff than I can mention here peter
Peter_Karwacki : Youtube has the meetings, that is a good thing. Just give me the top five
Ken Gray : Voter ?-? why pick on the kids and seniors.
Peter_Karwacki : Rogers?
Ken Gray : we’re off-topic peter
Peter_Karwacki : task master
Ken Gray : that’s me
Ken Gray : toughest on myself
The Voter : Peter, should I tell you that one reason Ford comes so often to Ottawa is that Jenny Sutcliffe bakes him cookies when he’s here?
Peter_Karwacki : I could do that
The Voter : What would you put in them???
Peter_Karwacki : chocolate and oatmeal with raisins and a request for more money
Peter_Karwacki : So what will happen with the “fairness ” campaign will whining be rewarded?
Ron Benn : There is a $36MM ‘place keeper’ in the draft transit budget. It will grow by the $1+MM drop in senior monthly passes.
Ken Gray : You know I’d just opt for good governance. Deal with problems with essential services.
The Voter : The LRT will never be fixed because they are building the extensions using the same materials and methods that they used on the first parts. It’s that ‘do the same thing and expect different results’ theory of management. It’s going to be a never-ending sinkhole for our great-great-great-grandchildren to deal with. Unless someone comes to their senses and rips it out on their way back to the drawing board.
Ron Benn : Ford has re-announced the same money for Ottawa transit twice now.
Ken Gray : Diesel I’m afraid.
Ken Gray : That’s fewer times than usual.
Ron Benn : The LRT problems are myriad. One of the contributing factors, per the LRT Commissioner’s report is the tight curves between UoO and St. Laurent.
Peter_Karwacki : I’ve seen that modeled… it burns out the axel bearings just as you said
Ken Gray : Those curves are big ones to miss. Did someone overrule the engineers?
Ken Gray : If so, who is that someone. I’m thinking ….
Ron Benn : Thus the 100 km/hr spec is irrelevant, and will be on Stage 2. Too many stations too close together to get up to max speed.
The Voter : Maybe Ford will sail in at the last minute – say on December 10th – with an announcement of $38M to plug the hole. Giving credit to the wonderful management of the City by Sutcliffe, of course!
Ron Benn : The design spec was more a function of the pre-set route, rather than the other way around.
Ron Benn : Voter, or Ford will announce more transit $ as part of his spring election campaign.
Ken Gray : And remember … engineers said don’t tunnel on rideau and voila … sinkhole
Ron Benn : What do engineers know Ken? Seriously, who listens to a subject matter expert who doesn’t work for the city?
Ken Gray : … and doesn’t understand politics.
The Voter : I seem to recall them saying the pre-set route would save money because the stations and other infrastructure were already there and then they promptly ripped out the stations.
Ken Gray : Politics Uber Alles
Ken Gray : You know LRT was a triumph of architecture over travel
Ken Gray : who cares about the stations. I want to get where I’m going
Ron Benn : Stations are where you go to wait to get on the LRT. Stations are supposed to be in the rear view mirror. If you have enough time to admire the station, then you are waiting too long for the LRT.
The Voter : I suppose there are no trips to Paris to collect awards for recycled stations …
Ken Gray : Gracious … those stations are horrible wastes
Ken Gray : but they look good as artist renderings
Ron Benn : and they are highly visible to the driver sitting in traffic along Scott Street.
The Voter : Ron, the stations should have at least been designed for Ottawa weather and kept the wind, rain and snow out.
Ken Gray : the red stations were designed to be converted to light rail but the Watson administration knew better
Ron Benn : The four in the tunnel do that. Not so much the water leaking in from the not quite sealed parging.
Ken Gray : One section of the tunnel didn’t get waterproofed and they learned this after the concrete was put in
Ron Benn : Is that the section between Pimisi and UofO stations?
Ken Gray : methinks yes
Ken Gray : rather bad form
Ken Gray : that’s a long term mess. Hope there’s a sale on grouting.
Ken Gray : i mean lrt is so unbelievably bad that it has destroyed my faith in government.
The Voter : Sale, Ken? When did the City ever take advantage of good prices when there are higher ones available? Other than when buying asphalt …
Ron Benn : Sometimes you just can’t fix a problem that is set in more than just concrete.
Ken Gray : low-quality asphalt
Ron Benn : The cure for the LRT starts with the will power to acknowledge that the fundamentals were botched.
Ken Gray : light rail is the physical manifestation of the mess at city hall
Ken Gray : I fear they might have to rip the train out and go to diesle. billions lost
Ron Benn : The politically expedient step is to continue to word smith the reports.
Ron Benn : Two week shut downs are referred to as ‘routine’ maintenance.
Ken Gray : it is such a shame to waste that kind of money. Now seniors are paying for it. Imagine. Dreadful.
Ron Benn : Only routine in Ottawa. Not in Calgary, Edmonton or Vancouver.
The Voter : We also need to acknowledge that a fix will take more than one council term. So much that’s done at City Hall is with an eye to the next election and no further. They also don’t want to be the ones to stand up and admit it’s a complete mess.
Ron Benn : Agreed Voter.
Ken Gray : We need to replace the night mayor with someone whose sole job is to fix lrt and plan for that fix
Ken Gray : why do we have night mayor’s when basic things need fixing.
Ron Benn : The Night Mayor is a willful distraction from the nightmare that is what has happened to ByWard.
The Voter : But, but, but how will we fill our nights with no night mayor to lead us??
Ken Gray : ByWard Market is downright dangerous.
Ken Gray : Read a book.
Ken Gray : Listen to some good music.
Ron Benn : Nursing a good single malt, while reading a book and listening to some good music. My kind of multi-tasking.
Ron Benn : Of course, I don’t live in a bird cage in a high rise beside the 417.
The Voter : One thing I must say the City Hall crew, both the politicians and the bureaucrats, have developed a real skill in is creating diversions and distractions. Many residents, not knowing the real situation, are lapping it up.
Ron Benn : City hall behaves in a manner that reinforces how important they think they are.
Ken Gray : One would think there would be less apathy after 15 years of Bulldog and yet no.
Ron Benn : Just push the snow to the curb. Fill the pot hole so that it remains repaired for a couple of years. And pick up my curbside refuse.
Peter_Karwacki : Your point about the nightmare and the need to have a leader working on LRT is exactly right
Peter_Karwacki : The nightmare on LRT street
Ken Gray : Someone from a successful system and knows what they are doing. You can’t pay that person enough.
Peter_Karwacki : I suggested somebody from JRE in Japan or China (need interpreter)
Ron Benn : That person would need a big stick and the authority to use it.
Ken Gray : It’s cheaper than reworking the whole LRT system
The Voter : Well, my vote is to take Renee Amilcar’s salary and put it towards hiring someone who can do the job,
Ken Gray : Damn straight, Ron.
Ken Gray : She might be leaving soon.
Ron Benn : She?
The Voter : Not soon enough! And she’s survived somehow up to now. I won’t hold my breath.
Ron Benn : Don’t fire the coach until you have identified the new coach. GM 101
The Voter : Amilcar.
Ken Gray : Yes
Ken Gray : Hope she doesn’t get a severance.
Peter_Karwacki : Has she been successful in any way, can she claim any victories?
The Voter : That might be how they persuade her to leave in which case it’s money well spent.
Ken Gray : Somewhere in the distance I hear Bruce Thom laughing.
Ron Benn : Everyone gets a severance Ken.
Ken Gray : Well then I’d like mine.
Ron Benn : Talk to management. Sue him if necessary.
Ken Gray : Wait a second, that’s me! No severance.
The Voter : We have no idea what’s in her contract. My guess is that it includes a generous buy-out clause.
Ron Benn : Invariably Voter. Invariably.
Ken Gray : I can’t imagine it doesn’t. Any half-decent lawyer would have put that in.
The Voter : Aah, Ken! You should have worked for the City. Everyone gets a generous severance there!
Ken Gray : I was asked once. I said no. I’m a journalist, not a bureaucrat.
Ron Benn : I wonder how much Kanellakos got as he scurried out the door before the LRT Commissioner’s report was officially tabled.
Ken Gray : I’d die a slow death at city hall.
The Voter : Most sensible people would!
Ken Gray : Don’t know and we’re likely never to know unless I file a foi.
Ken Gray : My greatest fear is being bored.
Ken Gray : Ok folks, do we have a quorum for a wrap?
Peter_Karwacki : Joanne Chianello seems to land on her feet, good reporter, too bad she doesn’t run railroads or cities
Ken Gray : The wrap?
Peter_Karwacki : Yes, Ken, way off topic, which was what again?
The Voter : Given how badly they wanted him here, I would imagine Steve K. was able to write his own ticket and it would have been a big one.
Ken Gray : No quorum but I will use my big mayor powers to say goodnight.
Ken Gray : Thank you all, as ever. k
Ron Benn : Good night to all, and to all a good night.
Peter_Karwacki : thanks for doing it
Ken Gray : My pleasure. Not boring.
The Voter : I must remind you I’m opposed to big mayor powers but good night all!
Ken Gray : Alright, big honkin’ editor powers a la Perry White.
The Voter : We should do this more often, Ken.
Ken Gray : 10-4