Keep The Driveway Closed To Cars: READER

07/19/2023

Bulldog reader Andrew takes issue with opening the Queen Elizabeth Driveway to cars.

The note is in reference to this post on The Bulldog:

“Never let the evidence get in the way of an ideology.”

This is a good line for this subject. I love to drive, walk and bike.

The evidence is the National Capital Commission did a large survey on the Rideau Canal land and suggested improvements. Where were all of us two years ago when the survey was active? Perhaps this is the evidence that gets in the way of our car culture (myself included)? The survey was very detailed with places to input ideas. It was a good example of how a survey should be done.

Although the survey is not referenced in the closures, as a daily canal-path user, and twice daily “driver” on the Queen Elizabeth Driveway, I favour the closure for several reasons. The first is NCC mandates are not to provide free commuter roads to the citizens of Ottawa or Gatineau. NCC land is a federal resource, not a city resource. Maintenance is paid for by all Canadians and not the City of Ottawa. As you may have noticed in Ottawa’s core, greenspace is half of the greenspace of the rest of the city enjoys in the suburbs.

It’s Time For Drastic LRT Action: QUOTABLE

The active citizens walking, running and biking are all relegated to a four-foot strip which is plain dangerous. I reported an accident to the NCC where a cyclist rode his bike into a woman walking along the railing on the canal. Accidents happen on the paths. As a frequent driver on the driveway to get to my workplace, I will not be inconvenienced on my two or three round-trips per day. The value of active transportation is much higher than my shortcut. I have many alternate ways to get there and use them on closed days.

I also walk the driveway most days for fitness. This is the only strip of land to jog, walk, bike and skate safely in the core of the city. On many evenings and weekends, I cannot safely use the paths. My wife was bumped by bikes and skaters several times on one walk, Now we do not use it on weekends only because of the many people and not enough room.

My family from other parts of Canada is grateful the NCC preserves parks and heritage. A bicycle section on the closed road would alleviate the heavy use it gets at the peak times.

Please note that the city has been approving high density in the area for years. Look at Preston Street, thousands of new residents. Now the city wants to take away acres of park space with Lansdowne 2.0. Where do the apartment and condo dwellers go for exercise? The balcony? I hope the driveway doesn’t become a commuter road.

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Tags: cars closed fitness Queen Elizabeth Driveway

sisco.farraro says:
07/19/2023 at 8:12 PM
Hello Andrew. I train new employees at work. One question I ask before training begins is “What is the biggest challenge for any organization faces, regardless of its size, so this applies to companies as large as Walmart and as small as Fred’s Garage.” I get many responses but the correct response from what I’ve seen over the years is “effective communication”. In your article you ask “Where were all of us two years ago when the survey was active?” My response to that question is “I would have provided feedback had I known a survey was making the rounds but, unfortunately, I didn’t”. No one is to blame for this, not even city council (ha ha ha). The biggest challenge for all businesses is also one of the biggest for society in general. How do we solve this dilemma? The response to that question would fill up another article and then some. By the way, I am in favour of closing down either the Parkway or Colonel By, not for environmental purposes, but to encourage something we spoke about in the 1960s and 1970s, participaction, as a means to healthy up the human, i..e. Canadian, condition.