How The City Makes Itself Look Small
There’s a bridge at Half Moon Bay that residents of Barrhaven say is very dangerous.
There’s the level crossing north of Barrhaven along the Via Rail line at Woodroffe Avenue where in 2013 six people were killed in a bus-train crash. Still no overpass.
Why?
Because the City of Ottawa can’t afford it. Those are things we need but it’s a no-hoper because local municipal finances are a shamble.
And that’s a problem. If you don’t take care of your money, you can’t buy things you need. Simple enough.
As well, you must be careful buying things you don’t need like a new library in the internet age or a new Lansdowne Park or light rail in the post-mass transit age.
Be a careful shopper. Don’t buy a lousy rail system from a company that failed the technical qualifications twice. Don’t buy a monument library when the internet is the way to go … its smaller and cheaper and better. Don’t buy Lansdowne when you don’t have any money. Furthermore, next time you have a chance to do Lansdowne again (50 years from now), try to come up with something that isn’t a plain-jane shopping mall with no parking in the wrong place.
This has been said many times but it bears saying again because it didn’t resonate with our city lords who know better than we poor peasants … use taxpayers’ money the way you would spend your money (perhaps even better than that).
Baby needs new shoes but instead you bought a new car you couldn’t afford. Barrhaven needs a bridge but the city bought Lansdowne which doesn’t even work nor will its remake 2.0 be successful. Any person with half a brain would see that. Hope the real estate side of Lansdowne does well.
Oh yeah, one other thing. Why not cater to the large self-interest group called the people of Ottawa. Let these tiny special interest groups get their fair share which is a lot less than they get now.
Hey here’s an idea. Why doesn’t Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group that operates Lansdowne build the Barrhaven bridge. Maybe cut back on Lansdowne a bit.
Baby needs new shoes.
And one other thing while we’re on the topic of simple thoughts, don’t blame someone else for your gross fiscal mismanagement. It makes you look small.
Fire the people who got the city into this tough spot. They’re not at Queen’s Park or Parliament Hill. They’re on Laurier Avenue.
Ken Gray
For You:
Earn Your Money Councillors: BENN
City Layoffs: Sad But Necessary
Look For Staff Cuts At City Hall: BENN
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you don’t need like a new library in the internet age
Ah. There is an astonishing number of people that have no internet access in this city.
And libraries have changed dramatically. There are social hubs and do much to build social capital in cities. Librarians are quiet heros..well heroines as most chief librarians are women. Lots of good info on the net about Halifax and Edmonton. Take a look…it is exciting. Hope for the same in Ottawa.
Ken Gray: ***** Five stars.
Without in-depth research, I’m willing to say that the OSEG partnership members are responsible for most of the land deals that created Barrhaven. So, as the Bulldog suggested, why don’t they correct their past mistakes and build the bridge ? They don’t seem to mind paying for roundabouts to meet their needs in new subdivisions.
thx david … cheers k
Excellent comment from Closely Watching. The social importance of public libraries is seriously underestimated. Our public libraries, so well run by librarians and associated volunteers, are in fact the best value we get for our property tax dollars – and they’re heavily used across the city.
Want that ancient, over capacity bridge on Greenbank replaced? Get the Ottawa bicycle lobby involved. Cyclist convenience trumps everything. Oh, and cyclist safety too.