Reckless Randy Backs Lansdowne 2.0

 

“Precious little attention has been paid to why this revamping of Lansdowne is both necessary and desirable, but that’s something councillors need to understand before they vote on the plan at committee Thursday and full council Nov. 10. The vote is expected to be close.”

Randall Denley, Ottawa Citizen

Sage words from the man who was instrumental in saying there would be few consequences from the $100-million trashing of the Siemens light-rail contract.

But there were a few … such as the price above. Denley is very generous with your money. And then of course, Siemens has a long history of building outstanding LRT projects. Alstom, the current builder, less so and is experiencing some financial problems of its own as well.

There are times when Randy Denley should not be allowed near civic public policy. This is one of those times.

Denley might have missed it but the city has been drawing down on reserves for years and is swallowing huge amounts of money because the trains aren’t working. It is 2023 and no trains are running well in Ottawa. Why the Confederation Line was stopped by a skiff of the first snowfall of the season (more to come). Wise choice, Randy. We await your next announcement from the hallowed mount.

Light rail doesn’t work and it has or will cost as $6.4 billion. That’s a lot of money … even the about one-third cost the city carries on a tax-base of a million people.

Oh yes, and Randy the Siemens train would have been running to Barrhaven and Kanata now rather than to nowhere and nowhere in the west end. The crush of people at the Moodie station will be a wonder to see if the train ever lasts that long. And you’ll be able to see it from your car on Highway 417. Nice work.

Furthermore, if there were problems with its LRT, you could be sure that Siemens would be all over them. That’s the kind of company it is. It values its reputation as a good builder. That gets it more multi-billion-dollar projects.

And isn’t it interesting that Denley’s column comes out a day before the committee vote. Very strategic, Randy, and no doubt appreciated by your cash-strapped employers and their advertisers over at Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group.

Residential Approved At Carp Airport

Now Denley wants the city to pay $419 million of your money that doesn’t even remotely address the problems of Lansdowne. The project is the wrong idea in the wrong place with no parking and no transit. Other than that, it’s great. So how does the grand Lansdowne 2.0 address those woes? Not at all. All this and alienating your nearby market a second time. You can’t beat that. A rare double this 2.0.

What will save Lansdowne is putting giant rockets underneath it and blasting it to the suburb of your choice. That’s where it belongs. And what will that cost? Say, $20 billion? In Denley’s world, no probs. It’s not his money.

The biggest question today is not whether Lansdowne 2.0 goes forward but rather can Denley balance his chequebook?

And there’s a job for Denley after his fawning column. Apparently the city and OSEG can pull some strings to make him the chairman and CEO of the Hooterville Cannonball. All aboard Mr. Deep Pockets.

Ken Gray

Denley’s next assignment.

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