By Emma B. Ong
The National Capital Commission and Parks Canada have agreed to participate in a project funded by the region, to study the possibility of a link across the canal connecting Somerset Street with the bus station at the University of Ottawa.
“I don’t think that there was ever a real resistance to the idea,” says Vivi Chi, manager of transportation and infrastructure at the region. “The issue will be what kind of design and what kind of bridge we’re going to have.”
The region is interested in building a pedestrian and cyclist bridge to provide Centretown residents with a connection to the Campus Transitway station at the University of Ottawa. But the canal is a heritage site controlled by Parks Canada and the NCC looks after the federal lands immediately surrounding it. To build over the canal the region needs permission from both agencies.
Yves Gosselin, director of design and construction at the NCC, says they’ve agreed to the study but that much still has to be considered before they’ll agree to any construction.
“The NCC’s agreement to build the bridge depends essentially on the successful conclusion of the study,” says Gosselin. “The solution will have to adhere to the terms of our responsibilities for federal lands as well as Parks Canada who is responsible for the canal.”
The fate of the bridge lies in the hands of Parks Canada. They’re the agency that will say yes or no, according to Somerset regional Coun. Diane Holmes. “They control the canal and what goes over it. If they don’t agree then it won’t be,” she says.
Parks Canada’s main concerns, says Holmes, will be the aesthetic view of the bridge and whether boats can go under it.
The region will pick up the bill for the bridge. They have already allotted $800,000 to complete the environmental assessment.
This money is not in jeopardy due to municipal amalgamation because it was in the region’s 1999 budget. Still, the new almagamated City of Ottawa will have to allot money in its 2001 budget for construction if it receives the OK from Parks Canada.
The region is currently working towards selecting a consultant. However, there are still some more details to work out. Due to this, Chi expects it to be a while before the consulting industry is asked for proposals.
“We probably won’t see too much on this until probably the new year,” she says. “There have been bigger issues at the region lately.”