Letter to the editor from RPCA President

Dear Editor,


Eleven Community Associations of Ottawa (representing 100,000+ residents), and the 850 citizens from across our lovely city, who are working to stop the development of the Alta Vista link road, applaud your recent editorial critiquing the City’s plans to implement an outdated solution via the Alta Vista Link Road.

 

We would now like to offer a few clarifying facts:

• the City planned spending on the link road is actually $65 million ($55 “new money” plus the funds previously allocated to this project) and the spending plan for 2011 is $12.1 million;
• in 2006 City Council voted against implementing the entire Alta Vista Corridor except the currently proposed 1.2 km link (between Riverside and the hospitals) which is now being considered by Council;
• Mayor Watson along with our Councillors Peter Hume and Chernoshenko have all publicly stated that they are against building the full Alta Vista Corridor;
• the construction of the proposed “link” road will flow traffic from the 417 to the hospital only and will not resolve any traffic issues on Alta Vista Drive, simply shift them a few blocks; the development of this link road will preclude future light rail in the corridor - a rather short sighted and environmentally unfriendly decision (note: Council only fleetingly considered light rail for this corridor); the NDMC lands will not be available for redevelopment until sometime in the next decade; and finally
• the link road will destroy neighbourhood greenspace.

 Given these facts and facing rising gas prices, we believe that City Council should be seeking a public transportation solution in line with the Ottawa 20/20 planning principles, which encourages a modal shift away from cars. It’s time to listen to the citizens of Ottawa.

 

Karin Keyes Endemann
President, Riverview Park Community Association