Group To Protest Vehicle Ban In Gatineau Park

06/20/2023

This is a release from a pressure group to re-open Gatineau Park to traffic:

Coalition for Equity, Inclusivity and Accessibility to Gatineau Park Parkways Sector will be demonstrating the closures of the Gatineau Park Parkways to motor vehicles for the majority of the time and the lack of accessibility to all attractions on the Parkway sector. The physical demonstrations will be in front of the NCC at 40 Elgin Street on Thursday on June 22nd from 8:30am to 2:00pm. We have obtained The City of Ottawa permits for the demonstrations and coordinated with Ottawa Police. We are demonstrating during the NCC’s Board of Directors meeting. We want the board to hear our voice. Over 8000 people have a signed a petition to restore access to the parkways with over 500 public comments.

Here is a bit of background information:

These demonstrations are to express our opposition to the closure of The Gatineau Park Parkways for motor vehicles for the majority of the time since 2020 for the majority of the time to the NCC.

This has rendered the attractions and trails along the parkways in accessible. The shuttle only runs on the weekend. We have requested that the NCC meets with us in March and release all the data regarding the closures. But the NCC ignored our demand.

Our coalition is mostly formed of seniors, people with disabilities, families with children, hikers, walkers and other users of Gatineau Park who love nature and have been prevented from enjoying it for the benefit of a small minority of ultra-fit able bodied athletes who pay the same taxes as us.

Kichi Zibi Mikan Is New Western Parkway Name

We see the current schedule as

The current schedule is inequitable and non-inclusive. It does not respect the needs of the diverse majority of the park users and Canadian society’s accessibility needs.
It leads to discrimination against seniors, families with children and people with disabilities, resulting in ableism and ageism.
The NCC has converted an accessible park into an inaccessible park with the closures. In particular, the section serviced by the Parkways which has the most desirable attractions has become inaccessible.

The Parkways are currently closed all day except for Wednesday (from 8am to 30 minutes after sunset) and (Saturday, Sunday from 12pm to 30 minutes after Sunset). The shuttle runs only on the weekends and starting May 20^th and only from 9am to 4:45pm. The current shuttle is not a solution for accessibility.

The NCC offers $40 an hour electric bike rentals which many cannot use due to cost, or lack of physical and/or cognitive abilities. Free electric scooters offered would require 8 and half hours return to reach the Champlain Lookout, which is unrealistic demand for a person with disability. These are, obviously, not practical solutions.

Over 8000 people have a signed a petition to restore access to the parkways with over 500 public comments.